Joan Armatrading

A song from my college days. Love And Affection, 1980

(You may want to skip the band intro., though if you're into bands, there are some noteworthy musicians featured in this clip. And the quality is very good.)

Healthcare Not Warfare

Progressive Democrats of America click on the logo to sign the petition.

I'm on a roll with the legistlative action alerts. I agree with Jim Hightower that progressive ideas and ideals are not dead. I maintain a steadfast, stubborn hold on the democratic legislative process. I'm not ready to give up.

I know these organizations need and want our money and a lot of us are strapped, but watch the video and check out the website for what you can do even if you can't afford to support them.

The Fiddle And The Drum

Joni Mitchell - The Fiddle And The Drum

War Funding Updates

Friends Committee On National Legislation

Iraq: Senate Votes More Money for War

By a vote of 70 to 26, the Senate today passed a supplemental funding bill providing $165 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Find out how your senators voted. The Senate did not insist on any new policies, and it did not curtail the administration's ability to sign a security agreement with Iraq locking the United States into a long-term military presence. Find out more.

Congress moved one step closer last week to stopping the spread of nuclear weapons. Rep. Ellen Tauscher (CA), Chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, eliminated funding for a plan to construct new nuclear weapons, even though her district is home to a bomb plant that would profit from the proposal. Urge your representative to join Chairwoman Tauscher and learn more.

And the GI Bill passes in the Senate:

Today marked another historic vote on the GI Bill. After last week's remarkable victory in the House of Representatives, today the bill passed the Senate by an overwhelming vote of 75-22.

The Wonders of Emu

Songline Enterprises

Thanks for your caring wishes for a speedy recovery from my fall on Sunday. I'm doing a lot better. In part because of your good wishes and also because, I believe, due to the effectivenss of the product pictured below.

As if I was predicting the ill-fated event, I went to my town's art fest on Saturday and bought this locally manufactured cream. I've always been aware of the wonders of arnica but this blend of ingredients intrigued me: arnica, emu oil, menthol (which gives the treated area a great tingle), willow bark, witch hazel and capsicum. Highly recommended.

They sell emu burgers down the road, too. I intend to try one any day now and I'll be sure to give you a full report!

My days are always full and currently my evenings as well. Supergirl Two has been at my house for a couple of days now and we're trying to spend time together. This is proving to be a bit of an emotional handful, as it seems everything I say rubs her the wrong way. Sigh.

On Sunday, as I walked around my yard, phone to ear, chatting with my sweet Mom, telling her about my gorgeous tulips, I managed to slip or trip off the two steps that lead to my side door. The phone flew out of my hands and I landed on my right side! I recovered fine, told my mother everything was okay, said I'd call her after I changed my wet, dirt-covered clothes and laughed at how clumsy I was. Well, yesterday and today I'm not laughing. I bruised my foot, scraped my knee, which swelled up and bruised my hip, arm and shoulder, all of which are even more sore today than yesterday. Ugh.

To add to the list of difficulties, the hard drive of my old HP laptop (Darth Vader) finally crashed once and for all. W.P. has ordered a new drive but while I'm waiting for its arival, I have only some access to the computer I'm currently using and I can do a little blog reading from work during my lunch time.

I'm sorry to bore you with this but it's only to illustrate that my week has not gotten off to a very good start. My blogging mood is thus affected.

I'm also very busy with gardening and preparing the house for W.P.'s daughter M (25) who is coming from San Francisco to attend a wedding in Boston. She'll be spending a few days with us, arriving Thursday morning. I like M a lot and I'm looking forward to spending some time with her. I just hope that the inauspicious start to my week doesn't affect what would otherwise be a good visit.

I do have Friday off and Monday is a holiday, so a nice four day weekend will help tremendously. I hope by then to have something of value to share with you, rather than the shameless self-pity in which I'm allowing at the moment. ;-) I'll try to do as much blog reading as time allows because you're all wonderful and I will miss you too much otherwise!

Be well, blog well...and...be careful!

Namaste,
Pagan