Well, it’s January. Thinking about Oregon last summer is fine. But this is January in West Virginia. And you know what that means.
Ah, and this year it seems particularly cruel. After all the “Obama-mania” of the transition and Inauguration, it is now beginning to set in. Change we have. The ideological purists of the right and their unthinking, unfeeling natures are out, for now. Replaced with, ever so slowly, the old, but re-emerging, coalition of the ideologues of the left, along with the sleaze of the center.
For example, when they put money for family planning for the poor in with an economic stimulus package, hoping no one will notice. Now, don’t get me wrong, yes there is a problem, and yes this is probably the best approach. But does that mean you put it in an economic stimulus package filled with “goodies” and pork-barrel for all so no one dares vote against it except he/she be tarred and feathered with the condemnation of those seeking to “re-build the economy”? Come on, if you have a program, and perhaps you do, be honest with yourself, oh, and yes, the American People who elected you, and put it in a bill where the merits of the particulars can be examined and not hidden among an evermounting mound of goodness for all.
And then, we have the case of the Treasury Secretary designee (as this is being posted he has now been sworn in) who can’t seem to remember to pay his payroll taxes. Oh, I know, “Mistakes were made. . . I’m sorry . . . I won’t do it again. . .” The theme of the 1990’s or as Yogi Berra might have said “Déjà vu’ all over again.” I suspect if one of us were guilty of this enfraction, well, there would be a different way to handle it starting with: “A lawyer in our Enforcement Division will talk with you about your options.” What’s next? An attempt to re-habilitate that outstanding preserver of state papers Sandy Berger?
Locally, things have been sad and grey around here. The local Avian Residents are mourning the sudden death, and disappearance, of John Q., “Red” Northern Cardinal, a resident of a nearby spruce tree. He was sitting on his branch happily singing away when the local Sharp Shinned Hawk swooped down and caught him. After a few hurried minutes of body preparation, with minimal distraction being provided by the local family of Blue Jays, the afore-mentioned Sharp Shinned Hawk flew away taking with him most of “Red’s” remains. Oh, foulness (fowlness?) of the deed!
An attempt was made to get a photographic record of the deed, but by the time the equipment had arrived, the assailant had swooped away (isn’t that always the case in these times). And so the C.S.I. crew was called in to record the “evidence” for possible future prosecution.
And now after 2 days of snow, the forecast calls for sleet changing to rain. And rain in such an amount, so now we have 3 weather advisories running, a “Cold Weather” Advisory, a “Winter Storm Warning” Advisory, and a “Flood Watch for both small stream and possible major water course flooding” Advisory.
Yes, it is the January blahs.
And then yesterday, as I went to the store to stock up between storms, what did I spy in the produce section? A small collection of those luscious delectable Red Berries of Hope:
Florida Strawberries.
Yes, they were finally here. And so I got a quart and we had some last night with cake and strawberry yogurt. And as I sat there tasting the sweet but tart goodness (and none of the straw that I get with California Strawberries that make it to our stores), I thought:
“Can Spring Training be Far Behind?”
Ah, another month of this blah-ness and then its out to see the crack of the bat, the sound of the fast ball smoking into the catchers glove. Another month of all the shades of grey associated with "this season" and then begins the speculation that most of us live for: What are the Pirates going to do this year (yea, our local team finally has an affiliation that makes sense)? And don't forget, what about the Reds? And of course, remember your roots, what about the Nationals?
Ah, sweet berries of kindness, sweet berries of spring.
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