Coming or going?

Where to begin? Normally the rule is to begin at the beginning, thrash through the messy middle, and manufacture (or declare) a satisfactory ending, then move on.

There are several blog topics swirling in my head, each trying to write itself, without much cooperation from the others. That isn't a route to clarity, and I know you guys like reading my blog because they are a model of clarity. Or something.

Right this moment, I am listening to the distant howls of Celina, outside in the frosty morning. She wanted out and didn't believe me when I told her it was cold. The alternative is to have her howling inside, disturbing my concentration and Linda's sleep. She is all about telling the cats on Mars how brutal her life is, and to come get her please.

On the election front, all that I'll say is if you haven't voted, and the polls are still open, go vote. Vote against, if you must. Hold your nose, if you must. Don't complain about the line up. Don't give the volunteers a hard time; what they're doing is the cornerstone of having a free country.

On the COVID front, I don't know whether to spit or go blind. Speaking of clarity, the guidelines released by the UCP government are so clear and easy to follow that they are a model that all other governments should follow, and will clear up this COVID thing in no time. I'm being sarcastic, of course. And angry, and lots of other words.

The exec committee of our community association is a group of mature adults, with lots of experience being adults between us. One is a mental health professional, another is an accountant. I think I'm the only one that isn't a parent. Our questions started with, "WTELF does this mean and how does it apply to us and our tenants?" (The EL there means Ever Loving.) 

This 4th wave, thanks to the complete abdication of responsibility by the UCP, which means Premier Kenney, has nearly broken our health care system. They have begun to triage patients. It has come to battlefield triage. WTELF!

Our healthcare system typically runs nearly flat out, all the time. There is little slack in the system. During much of the COVID crisis every patient admitted to hospital with COVID is displacing one from the usual heath care patients. You know, people that had a heart attack. People experiencing the consequences of incompetent drivers. Cancer and other serious disease patients managing their illness. People that didn't think something through and are now in the running for a Darwin Award. Sick children. (CHILDREN< FFS!) Old people trying to cope with the whole getting old thing.

There are people dying all around us, mostly invisibly, because they can't get the care they need, because that bed is full of a selfish asshole who exercises their 'right' to be free and independent and act on their thorough internet research. Rather than moving the other patients out to homes or other facilities that don't exist, I'd be discharging the COVID patients that didn't get vaccinated. Discharged in a hospital gown out the front door. Grrr.

Still getting into the pool, though today I'll have to show the vaccine card. Getting it was surprisingly easy. I just need to get it printed. Library first, then pool. I'm disappointed that there already instructions how to break open that PDF and insert fake data. Someone who won't get a pair of needles because they think (insert whackadoodle theory of choice here) won't hesitate to forge a health document and put more people at risk. Rather than a fine, those people should be put to work without any PPE in a COVID ward. More Grrr.

It frosted hard last night. HARD. Linda has covered the plants, but I suspect when she goes to uncover them, they will all be wilted and frost nipped. Sigh, but it was going to happen sooner or later. Never fear, there are still many flower photos in the pipeline.

Starting with this begonia. For some reason begonia colours don't come out well on camera, at least digital cameras. I took a similar shot on film at the same time, and I'm eager to see how that turns out.

Of the Day

Driftwood

Celina

Flower

The Lady of Challotte rose. It really is that colour, I didn't do any special processing.

Peony

Lily

Eagle

Dragonfly, though you might have to look for it.