Lies, Lies, Lies

"I don't believe it" as Victor Meldrew was known to say.
I don't believe that people believe Hair Gropenfuhrer's lies and that the Republican Party won't say anything about anything he says or does as long as they get their agenda passed.
The problem is I do believe it.

Current Blooms:
Winter Aconite

 Witchhazel

 Just around the bend are Snow Drops, the Crocus and Hyacinth are starting to pop up.

The temperature was warm and the ground was not frozen so I was able to weed some of the garlic patch.
The dawg has decided that spring is coming so has started shedding her winter coat, she got brushed outside yesterday and actually had a walk in the daylight.

Beers in the Fridge:

 Had this Korean beer at MaDang Korean BBQ last month. It was OK, but a bit too sweet. Kloud 5% ABV. The food was very good.

 Our friend had brought this beer to the BBQ place not knowing they had obtained their license and gracefully left 2 at our place afterward.
Magic Hat #9 Not Quite Pale Ale, 5.1%ABV 20 IBU, very good, nice aroma. The brewery, located in South Burlington,VT  has free tours, a tasting room and they are friendly dog-friendly.

Flagship Brewery Visit
We have been meaning to visit for awhile, but this was a last minute affair.
We stopped by to write postcards to our representatives in office.
And to drink beer.
I had a few Dark American Milds 4.5%ABV and 20 IBU, very enjoyable, yes it was dark, but lower in alcohol since I needed my wits and spelling skills undiminished. Once there I realized I was under prepared and should have had written down the specific bill numbers I had issue with, but then again there are so many.

I also had one glass of Kolsch, think it was 4.9%ABV and 17 IBU, it was fruity and light. Chef liked it too, but only had a sip, designated driver that night.

Tours are on Saturdays for $5. [tour info]


Super Short Children's Story #1
See Spot run
Run Spot run
See Spot run
Over by Marge
See Marge cry
Cry Marge cry
See Marge Cry
ogenically preserve Spot
Cold Spot cold
Minus One hundred Ninety-six degrees Celcius to be precise
In hopes, one-day medical science will be able to reattach Spot's severed head
Dumb Marge Dumb

And you may ask yourself, Well...How did I get here?

Executive Order from the Tangerine Tyrant
 Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States
What about the terrorists that are already here?
Internment Camps anyone?

Beers in the Fridge:
No beers today, just a Hot Toddy recipe using Aperol (orange/rhubarb/herb concoction) that I got from our neighbor. Trying to drown my disgust.

Aperol Hot Toddy
in a very large mug
1/2 oz Aperol Aperitif (FYI website will not let you use 1901 for your birth year, it replies that you are too old to drink)
1 oz Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey (Jack don't care how old you are)
teaspoon honey
lemon wedge
2.75 Allspice Berries (whole)
28.4mm diameter clementine peel studded with 3 cloves
top off with just off the boil water

It was very good, I had thought of using a smokey scotch, but the Honey Jack was a much better choice.

Estate Staff Update:
Just added Peg XXXXXX (name redacted because she comes from a war torn country and I don't want to lose her even though she is a US citizen) to the Estate Staff. I like the idea of smoking a pipe, it smells nice, it is relaxing because you have to concentrate to keep it lit, unfortunately, it doesn't taste as good as it smells. Here is where Peg comes in, she will be following me around the place smoking a pipe. Peg and I plan to start with Borkum Riff Black Cavendish (a hint of prune and plum), move on to Captain Black Cherry (Laced with a unique and robust “very cherry” flavor) and then traverse through the Dunhill Collection. We are still selecting Peg's pipe, I am leaning towards a Churchwarden style, she seems to prefer a 1/2 bent bulldog. Further updates to follow.

Not Normal #1

This administration is Not Normal and deserves all the respect it gave to the previous President.

Plutocracy
    Government by the wealthy
    A state or society governed by the wealthy
   An elite or ruling class whose power derives from their wealth

While Putin's Puppet claims his cabinet picks have the highest IQ ever (an unsubstantiated claim, but aren't they all), it is easy to see that his picks are very rich.

The picks include Betsy DeVos, education secretary ($5.1 billion), Wilbur Ross, commerce secretary ($2.5 billion), Steve Mnuchin, treasury secretary ($40 million), Ben Carson, housing secretary ($26 million) and Andy Puzder, labor secretary ($25 million). [MarketWatch]

His cabinet's wealth exceeds Obama's cabinet by 60%.[Forbes]

The amount of wealth possessed by the 17 picks, at least $9.5 billion, is greater than the 43 million least wealthy households in America. [The Hill]
There are about 117 million households in the US [us census]

Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th US President (1877 - 1881) had concerns about excessive wealth and governance over 100 years ago.
Some interesting and timely quotes;

"Abolish plutocracy if you would abolish poverty. As millionaires increase, pauperism grows. The more millionaires, the more paupers."

" Free government cannot long endure if property is largely in a few hands, and large masses of people are unable to earn homes, education, and a support in old age."

" No person connected with me by blood or marriage will be appointed to office." 
This one was not really about wealth, well maybe a wealth of character, something quite lacking in the Orange Oompa Loompa.

The three quotes above found here [azquotes]

And a long one
“In church it occurred to me that it is time for the public to hear that the giant evil and danger in this country, the danger which transcends all others, is the vast wealth owned or controlled by a few persons. Money is power. In Congress, in state legislatures, in city councils, in the courts, in the political conventions, in the press, in the pulpit, in the circles of the educated and the talented, its influence is growing greater and greater. Excessive wealth in the hands of the few means extreme poverty, ignorance, vice, and wretchedness as the lot of the many. It is not yet time to debate about the remedy. The previous question is as to the danger—the evil. Let the people be fully informed and convinced as to the evil. Let them earnestly seek the remedy and it will be found. Fully to know the evil is the first step towards reaching its eradication. Henry George is strong when he portrays the rottenness of the present system. We are, to say the least, not yet ready for his remedy. We may reach and remove the difficulty by changes in the laws regulating corporations, descents of property, wills, trusts, taxation, and a host of other important interests, not omitting lands and other property.”
[Good Reads]


Will this rich cabinet do anything other than what is in their best interest or the best interest of the shareholders to whom they are beholden?

Not to be all piss and gloom, I wrote this for your enjoyment.

Quite Short Story: #273
Randy backed out of the driveway while texting he would be late, yet again.
The cement mixer couldn't stop in time and the collision burst Randy's undiagnosed aneurysm.
He was dead, unlike his cell phone which just received its last text from his girlfriend "sick of ur excuses, drop dead".

2017 Garden Possibilities

Plans for the garden this year.

Move/Remove:

• Remove Hydrangea if it fails to bloom again this year.
• Remove Red Twig Dogwood from rear of Heather Garden.
• Move Phlox to between the Herb and the Heather Garden.
• Move Iris from Heather Garden.
• Re-position/rebuild the compost containment system.
• Re-position and level the raised beds.
• Move Sweet Woodruff to an area with less competition. The Perivinkle is taking over.

Possible Additions:

• Feather Rocks as a boundary at the back of the Heather Garden.
• A few more Heaths and Heather plants. From Heath and Heather Nursery.

• An Azaleas, ever-blooming variety, blooms spring, summer and fall at the base of the front step wall.
• A Hops plant trailing along horizontal supports.
• Another Witch Hazel, Hamamelis vernalis Amethyst, between the existing espaliered Witch Hazel and the Lilac.

•  One or more Phlox, we had white and a variegated, but lost them at some point.

• Another Coral Bell, either with real red flowers or stunning foliage for the front garden.
• Some taller late summer blooming plants for the front garden.

Merry Christmas 2016

Merry Christmas to all.
Praying hard that a miracle occurs in 2017.

My Smokey Manhattan
1:1 ratio and multiple dashes Orange Bitters

Still working on my Smoggy Beijing.

Almost-Classic French "75", named after the French Artillery Field Gun.
Gin, lemon juice, powdered sugar and champagne.

Still had some Freixenet left over so, I don't know what the hell to call this.

2016 Recap

The Good

• The Eldest's wedding
• Our First Antarctica Trip, continent #6
• Buenos Aires Architecture
• Another trip to London (#12 for me, two less than Chef)
• Drinking beer with our kids
• Brooklyn Brewery tour
• Lots of different Beers in the Fridge
• Vickie and Nickie’s Holiday Sleigh Ride!
• Greg Proops comedian extraordinaire
• Dinners at Carol's Cafe
• Dinners and music at D'Jeet 
• Pizza at Denino's
• Richmondtown Tavern Concert
• Le Tour
• Ramones exhibit at Queens Museum
• a new car, Subaru Crosstrek
• Manhattan Bike ride
• WitchhazelPalooza at Rare Finds Nursery
• Cousins Gatherings
• Reopening of our local Sushi restaurant, Sayori

The Bad
The loss of some very special people;

• David Bowie
• Prince 
• Beets the Legend
• Jeff "Man of Action" Parker
• Gene Wilder
• Ronnie Corbett of the 2 Ronnies
• Frank Kelly best known as Father Jack

The Ugly

• People willing to destroy because they're too stupid to change.
• People using religious freedom as an excuse to ostracize and discriminate.
• People who would probably have voted for Hitler if he was on the Republican ticket.
• That guy, "Putin's Puppet" who will probably be the next President of the UnUnited States of America.
• Undercover bigots, racists and misogynists who voted for that guy.
• The Electoral College. You can thank Slave Owning Southern States for that.

FU2016

2016 Books

This year's book list. The (r) denotes a repeat read and suffice to say, it was a good read. A * means it was more than noteworthy and more *s mean it was much more betterer, DNF = Bad or a better book turned up that I couldn't wait to read and I didn't get back to it yet.

No doubt you'll notice the lack of Travels with my Aunt on the list this year, I broke with an 8 year tradition and did not read it. It was a difficult decision.
I am also binging on the Georges Simenon Inspector Maigret books, only up to book 26 of 75. They are all very good, not too long mostly less than 200 pages, a few I didn't enjoy and I am surprised at the number of cases in which he doesn't arrest the perpetrator.

1. Dr. Fischer of Geneva aka The Bomb Party(r),  Graham Greene
2. Monsieur Pamplemousse takes the Train(r), Michael Bond
3. Monsieur Pamplemousse on Location(r), Michael Bond
4. The Shadow Puppet, Georges Simenon (GS)
5. The Dancer at the Gai-Moulin, GS
6. The Naming of the Dead (A Rebus Novel), Ian Rankin; read half and then left on the plane to Ushuaia, Argentina.
7. The Saint-Fiacre Affair, GS
8. The Madman of Bergerac, GS
9. So anyway ..., John Cleese; for something completely different I read a biography, a Christmas present from the Eldest.
10. Uncle Tungsten, Oliver Sacks; oh look I'm on a roll. Very interesting, his life during wartime in London, but when he talks of chemistry, I am way less interested in reading about it that he is in writing about it.
11. The Carter of La Providence, GS
12. The 2 Penny Bar, GS
13. The Smartest Book in the World, Greg Proops
14. The Late Monsieur Gallet, GS
15. The Flemish House, GS
16. Penguin, Steve Martin (no not that one)
17. The Misty Harbor, GS
18. Murder in Thrall, Anne Cleeland; Written in an interesting manner. The next one is on my nightstand.
19. Lock #1, GS
20. The Maltese Falcon*, Dashiell Hammet; I'm sure I'll be rereading this one. The movie followed the book quite closely mostly.
21. 1222*, Anne Holt; Paralyzed Retired Lesbian Oslo Detective Hanne Wilhelmsen's train gets stuck in the snow and people start to die. Number 8 in the series. The author is up to #10, I might try #1, but really need to focus on Inspector Maigret first.
22. Shut Up Legs, Jens Voigt; A good read, very funny guy.
23. This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism, Ashton Applewhite; Sometimes depressing, but always something I hadn't though about is pointed out. Didn't realize all the things I did to marginalize the elderly, oops there I go again. Heard the author speak on Doug Henwood's radio show.
24. The Golden Egg*, Donna Leon; Takes place in Venice, started slow but the location kept me reading, we visited in 2005.
25. Mrs Jeffries, Emily Brightwell; DNF
26. Cockpit Confidential*, Patrick Smith; Lots of useful information, if your friend is afraid to fly, let them read this.
27. Cecile is Dead, GS
28. The Cellars of the Majestic, GS
29. The Judges House, GS
30. Signed Picpus, GS
31. Inspector Cadaver, GS
32. Dishing the Dirt, M.C. Beaton; Agatha Raisin series
33. Death of a Nurse, M.C. Beaton; Hamish Macbeth series
34. Bryant and May and the Bleeding Heart, Christopher Fowler
35. Murder in Retribution, Anne Cleeland, DNF
36. Félice, GS; The Inspector Maigret TV series starring Michael Gambon based the Maigret and the Maid episode on this book.
    
37. The Invisible Code, Christopher Fowler; Such wacky characters and it takes place in London. It could only be better if there were trains.
38. Silent Voices, Anne Cleeves; Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope series. I hear the actress saying some of the lines. You'll like this one, Pet.
39. A Dedicated Man, Peter Robinson; Saw the TV show first and Inspector Banks is described quite differently in the book.
40. Maigret in New York, GS; Either this one was just plain confusing or I was real tired the nights I read it. I usually really enjoy the books in this series.
41. The Apprentice, Jacques Pepin; Very good read, his TV cookery shows are enjoyable to watch.