The Burrow

TBG is quite confused.  He cannot imagine how painting has anything to do with gardening.   The Prince gardeners, however, have no problem at all making the connection.  They're both fun. I poured dollops of acrylic paint onto sturdy plates, where, despite my admonitions to the contrary, they did manage to mix all the colors together. Playing with the paint was as much fun as painting with the paint.  Below, the foam of the foam paint brush is jutting out, while the colorful, kid size handle is buried under thick layers of paint.   I don't know why they were so proud of this, but they were. They painted big rocks and small rocks,  some with more imagination than others. They decorated the plastic containers and the tire, the raised beds and the garden side of our brick wall.   That happened while I was hosing off paint drenched hands, with the purple nozzle, over the purple trug.   Allowing them to use the hose on for one anot...

We received an unintelligible letter from a nameless (for obvious reasons) government entity. We are intelligent humans, well educated in the art of deciphering difficult prose.  These sentences were not prose, which  Webster says is t he ordinary language people use in speaking or writing .   Ordinarily, when I speak or write people understand what I'm saying.  Gibberish seems more to the point. Back with Merriam Webster again, we find a double whammy.   Gibberish  is not only unintelligible or meaningless language, it lands smack in the middle of  pretentious or needlessly obscure language. The letter in question requires no action on our part; that much is somewhat clear.  Further clarification will come in a subsequent communication, although no time frame is offered.  We have no way of independently discovering anything about the account in question; it seems to be a paperwork/filing/miscalculation on someone's part. ...

My Congressman and I have issues.  He is a nice guy, by all accounts, mine included.  He is personable and a good listener and he has great hair. Unfortunately, there's a big disconnect between his words and his deeds. He says he's for a lot of things, and against some other things, but his voting record doesn't match his speech making. When I call his office to ask about one switcheroo or another, I always say that I'd like a response.  Sometimes, I remind them that I've called yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that.  I ask why they keep promising to get back to me if they never call, they never write, they don't email or text or anything.  Nor do they have anything to tell me when I make it easy and call them directly. Unfailingly polite, the people behind the dial tone take down my information, thank me for calling, and assure me that the Congressman will be told of my concerns. No one can answer my questions.  No one seems to try....

I understand that language evolves; Little Cuter took History Of The English Language (HOTEL) after all.  I was an enthusiastic adopter of Ms (notice - no period).  I'm squeamish about using third person plural to refer to a singular human being, but I'm getting used to it.   But.  Something is going missing, something that used to make me smile, and there's nothing I can do to stop it.  Allow me to rant for a moment. After dinner, someone used to stand and say: Let's raise our glasses for a toast.  Here's to a wonderful whatever we're celebrating. CHEERS!   For more than just recently, though, I hear this: Let's cheers.  Raise your glasses.  Cheers to that wonderful whatever. The old version lets you join in a rousing huzzah.  The new one leaves you hanging, raising your glass a little higher and smiling a little wider. It's a tiny little thing, like giving up gay  as a synonym for lighthearted.  Still, it rankles.

That's either a lot or a little.  It depends on your perspective. It's a very small slice of their overall lives.  It's also perhaps the most intense part of their lives. Not many months after connecting, they were COVID bound in studio apartments, shared with LiLou, their 135 pound pig. lilouthepig.com They worked and ate and saw each other, and only each other and the random store clerk. Then they came and stayed with us for a few months. That was a whole different kind of closeness, with a fabulous intensity for all of us. Still working and living with LiLou, they were married and pregnant and birthing babies in short order, having waited long enough.  Learning that sleep is vastly overrated, they've dealt with problems large and small.   Now they and LilLou are in a bigger house, with a lovely backyard, a talkative two year old, and an incredibly advanced three month old.  They are starting to balance cost of living and school districts and the value of...

AOC and Bernie and Cory Booker and Gretchen Whitmer have all been in Tucson lately.  Mayor Pete is on Substack, sporting facial hair. He does look older and more electable, doesn't he? In another sign of the impending apocalypse, Stephen A Smith, the world's loudest and second most annoying sports commentator, said that people are asking him when he's gong to announce his run for President . "I have no choice, because I’ve had elected officials — and I'm not going to give their names — coming up to me. I’ve had folks who are pundits come up to me. I've had folks that got a lot of money, billionaires and others, that have talked to me about exploratory committees and things of that nature. I’m not a politician. I’ve never had a desire to be a politician," Smith said, noting his contract with ESPN. The season has started because, y'know, there are only 185 more weeks until the election  and no one wants to be left behind. No viable candidate has raised t...

This is the 8th post I ever wrote, back in 2009.   I've updated it just a little, but republish it here for the 16th time.   I like Earth Day. I was there at the start, after all. Created in large part by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, in the world of 1970 it was a touchy-feely alternative to the harsher realities of the anti-Vietnam War protests. War was such an uncomfortable subject and arguing against it made your parents wonder why they were spending tuition dollars while you were telling the lawfully elected President of the United States of America that you knew more than he did. With your picture in the crowd on the front page of the NY Times, at 18 years of age, no less.  But planting trees? Recycling newspaper? Not littering? All this in service to Mother Earth. Who could be aggravated about supporting Mother Earth? Earth Day had teach-in's. They were more fun than sit-in's, which invariably involved police and disciplinary action. They were less fun than...

I published my notes for tomorrow's post instead of the post I'd written for today.  Sorry, all 30 of you who read the notes.... the real post is below. 

The thought of spending any mental energy on the impending Constitutional crisis, on the Supreme Court of Georgia's mere existence, on the revocation of visas and the vague chilling effect all of this is having on what I write.... well, denizens, it's just too much. I started out on Friday, wearing a school t-shirt,  at Prince Elementary's Volunteer Appreciation Ceremony.  We were treated to a not quite ready for prime time but totally adorable rehearsal of all four kindergarten classes' Promotion to First Grade on the stage, one table away. Look at these patient five and six year olds waiting for the grown ups to fix the sound system. The lovely woman who coordinates the monthly Food Bank was as delighted as I was when the first little one called out my first but not last personal greeting.  There was an occasional wave and there were many smiles until the music started.  The singing and dancing was enthusiastic; they earned a standing ovation.   I changed...

  I wrote this in 2015 and I am resurrecting it here. It's everything I love about The Burrow - family, deep thoughts, and a smile Happy Day Off From Work to those observing Good Friday (by choice or executive fiat). Happy Easter to those who believe, to those who like getting dressed in frilly finery, to those with great hats, and to those thinking deep thoughts. ***** wikiart.org At an early age, Big Cuter wanted to know why  that guy has a towel and nails through his hands  when we were confronted with Marc Chagall's White Crucifixion at the Art Institute of Chicago. His query highlighted the central problem I had with teaching the Cuters about Easter.  I was stuck between bunnies and lambs and a crucifixion.  Nannie was eager to help, but she, too, was flummoxed.The bookstores didn't offer much.  Their descriptions of the Last Supper and The Passion and The Resurrection were either glossed over or overly grotesque for a sensitive, half-Christian, half-J...

I learned to rely upon my brain and my heart.  I learned to be passionate about what was right and to fight to make it so with all the tools at my disposal.  I learned that there is strength in numbers and that showing up is the least one can do.   I read the classics.  I read modern histories.  I learned about the inevitable ebb and flow of dominion over land and people.  I thought about right and wrong as we closed classes two springs in a row to protest the President's warmongering. We were rude and unruly.  We occupied buildings and marched through campus.   No one was deported.  No one held back funds until our ship was righted to their satisfaction. The world went on, swinging back and forth from civil liberties to far-fetched fantasies, finding an occasional moment of peace and ease.  The University survived. Now, faced with a crisis reminiscent of the McCarthy era, the University has a choice: acquiesce to a bully or st...

 I had so much fun rereading my previous Passover posts.  I hope I'm not overdoing it. ***** Brother is an excellent writer.  He kept me amused all through college with his semi-monthly JA NEWS.  All sides and corners of the pages were covered with amusements and philosophy, as were the envelopes.  He has his own particular take on the world.  Here's a glimpse. Our Wacky and Wild Seders We have two dozen haggadot that are all the same. Sometimes we start reading around the table, each person reading one sentence. You have to pay attention – “Where are we?” is not acceptable with this crowd. Then we switch to each person reading one word. It goes slowly at first, then picks up speed until somebody says “REVERSE” and we go the other direction. It usually ends in laughter when two people next to each other keep saying “REVERSE!” We also have a collection of different haggadot, from fancy collectible printings to crumbling ancient Maxwell House booklets. When w...

Funding this government makes me queasy. The House passed no meaningful legislation last session.  They are on track to pass only hateful, vengeful bills this year.  The Senate, hopelessly mired in posturing, isn't much better.  Arizona's legislature is at odds with the Governor, so nothing gets done.... except by the State Superintendent of Schools who is going out of his way to promote charter schools. The Secretary of Education was interviewed and spent several minutes talking about the importance of A One.  A One should be in every grade, even kindergarten and first grade can benefit from A One and we will be a leader with A One.  TBG and I were totally flummoxed; why was she promoting steak sauce?   The host was happy to explain that she was referring to Artificial Intelligence..... AI.  Y'know those people who use I instead of me incorrectly because they think it makes them sound smarter than they really are?  I will put up with a lot b...

First published April 12, 2017   Families gathered around a table. The fancy china unwrapped and the silver polished. On the table, someone's hand embroidered (" NO! Don't use  that  to blot up the wine!)  tablecloth and napkins. Well-worn Haggadah in hand, the patriarch stands and recites and sings and calls on others to participate. Hard boiled eggs and salad greens staunch the appetites, then apples-and-nuts-and-Manischewitz-Concord Grape wine ( "More, please!)  tickle the palate. Matzoh ball soup and gefilte fish and then all the main courses anyone could imagine and then more singing and more praying and gradually the kids disappear until Daddy is looking for the Afikomen. What could go wrong?  My all time favorite family photograph says it best: I hope that your seders (should you be lucky enough to participate in one or two) are filled with joy and laughter and the kind of love that sends a favorite grandchild over the edge.

Summer arrived today.   I stood outside on Saturday, without a hat, for more than two hours, holding a sign, and I was never too hot.  I was wearing two layers on top.  I was glad I wore a sweater over a cotton blouse on Sunday. Today, I barely lasted an hour outside in Grandma's Garden.  From now on, I do my outside stuff before 9 am. The humans aren't the only ones altering their patterns.  Those look like javelina tracks along the front of our property.  They haven't done that there since the last time it was hot. My bearded iris are loving the heat, and the store bought petunia starts are equally delighted.   Mostly, it's the yellow season that announces the arrival of warmer temperatures.  This tree was bare and green a week ago.  Now it's providing yellow pollen to annoy the entire neighborhood. It hasn't rained in a while, but, surprisingly, the ocotillo are blooming. This is an ocotillo flower up close. The succulent that vo...

It's National Pygmy Hippo Day. It's National Unicorn Day. The stock market rebounded in a big way. FFOTUS is thrilled - his name is leading the news, he's making waves, foreign leaders are lining up to kiss his ass . I'm sticking with the unicorns.

Speaker of the House Johnson represents a district in Louisiana.  38% of his constituents are on Medicaid, helped by the ACA, even if their minimum wage  job provides coverage.  Medicaid is less expensive for them. He is promoting drastic cuts to Medicaid.   CBS interviewed residents of Vivian, Louisiana.  Vivian has few large employers, and most employers pay the minimum wage, which hasn't changed since 2009.   It's $7.95/hour.  Take home pay averages $200/week. We are just stuck was the prevailing sentiment.  But neither of the two people interviewed voted in the last election, and neither knew that Johnson is their representative in Congress. Perhaps some voter education is in order.  Organizing used to be the Democrats ace in the hole.  Perhaps they ought to seek out new territory and expand their reach. Sounds like Vivian, Louisiana might be a good place to start.

She's two.   She's magnificent. Her big eyes miss nothing, from the squirrels (announced in Russian) scampering on the fence to the tiniest little booboo on her finger.  Immediate attention is required, and her persistence makes it so. She climbs and jumps and slides higher and faster than the 3 year olds at the park.  It's her happy place, down a short path from her front yard, filled with all manner of potential adventures.  Sometimes the tan bark ground cover, sometimes the faux steering wheel, sometimes the swings, but always the park. She loves her baby brother, treating her two little baby dolls the same way Mommy treats him.  When the little human isn't in his car seat or his high chair or his napping pad, those plastic babies take his place.  After checking with them, she is glad to assure anyone nearby that they are okay. Okay, baby?  from the mouth of one who was the baby until two months ago is possibly the cutest thing I've heard in re...

I'm so proud of Tucson.  The local paper says 10,000 people showed up on April 5th to voice their concerns.  There were a lot of concerns.  Here are 93 of them. They were multi-cultural.  They were artistic creations from protesters with lots of markers. Nobody liked Elon. Or DOGE Or FFOTUS There were signs about issues There were signs about signs about issues. There were suggestions. Democracy was on the minds of many of us There were calls to action And  then there were the  winners It was a lovely day in Tucson