No, it's Summer.

  75°F yesterday, today, and warmer tomorrow.  Last night, for the first time since late October, I let the fire in the woodstove go out.  We'll need it again, I know- but not for a week or so.  I'm glad we're not making maple syrup this year, and very sorry for friends who were counting on it for income; I think there have been around 3 days with the necessary temperature arrangements for full flow (25° at night, 45° day.)

  Just like that, poof.  Not terribly unusual here, actually, but a shock to the system  A week ago I was walking with the YakTrax, on 1" of mud over ice; now I have to remember to widen my stride- no ice anywhere.

  And- we've had no rain in March; so it's unusually dry; farmers getting worried; and there's a desperate shortage of rainy days, in which to do rainy day chores.  Like blogging, of course.

  One of the incessant chores- training the two puppies.  Which I promised pics of long ago- here are a couple:

  This is Schatze (click for bigger).  Back in the first post on these puppies, Belinda referred to the German Shepherd part of these pups as "German Shedder" - and I freudianly misread that as "German Shredder".

  I think I was accidentally correct.  And Belinda was  too, of course.  Here's the other of these sisters:

This is Daisy.  Daisy looks exactly like one would expect a Collie x GS to look.  They're from the same litter, but Schatze is different- she looks more like her dad was a Doberman.  We keep intending to ask the shelter lady if there was a Doberman hanging around at the right time.  It's possible for pups in one litter to have different dads, yes?  You can't see it in the pic, but Schatze has a tail that curls tighter than a husky's; cute, but I'm constantly wondering where it came from.

  They're both very promising; very affectionate and wanting to please, and as obedient as they know how to be.  They're still on chains when the birds are loose; not quite willing yet to trust them entirely when they have the chance to romp and chase and "play" with the birds.  Daisy has needed very little correction around the birds; seemingly willing to just look on, once it was explained she was not to chase.  Schatze needs a little more, but not all that much.

   The training is something you can't shirk, of course; has to be done, now, if they are ever to fit in and do what we hired them for.  And the sooner they're off the chains, the better all around.  They tolerate it fine; usually just lie down in the sun and sleep- but- they are shredding everything they can reach.

  off to work.

It's Just Spring-

  Not dead here, just slowly subsiding into the great mud sea.

  It's been a strange 5 months in Lake Wobegon...  so to speak.  :-)

  For the first time in many years, it froze up in late November, and really didn't thaw, at all until about a week ago.  And since it started to thaw, it hasn't stopped.  45° days, 36° nights, one after another, with a few variations, on the up side.

  So, an insane work load right now.  Not going to get better anytime soon, but I should be able to get here more often now.

  Oh, and, incidentally.

  Stepping in thawed dog poo with your YakTrax on is not recommended.

Hunger in the USA #2

Yesterday, three teenage girls were killed by a train in Florida.  So far the news isn't defining "teen"; my guess would be 13-15.

They were on a railroad bridge over a river.  Just goofing around together.  A train came, and hit them.

There were people yelling at them to jump into the river, about 20 feet down according to some reports- another one says there was a parallel track they might have jumped to; old and rusted- but without a train on it.

Yes indeedy; they made really bad choices, every step of the way.

Sharon Astyk is writing about living on food stamps today, and has this to say at one point in the comments:   "Look, no one is going to argue that it would have been better for her to make better choices, but when you start 500 yards behind everyone else, you are going to lose the race unless someone provides some extraordinary help."

In my previous post on this topic we got to this point: " Very simply- lack of food is NOT the problem; and money is NOT the answer. Can't get much simpler than that."

Which is not a very useful place to get to, unless, maybe, it can suggest a new way forward.  What is the problem?  What is the answer?

I have one.  Answer.  Not, alas all of them; but maybe one.

Which hit me as a result of reading all the comments on that post.  Good stuff; good thinking- stimulating.  I'm proud of you readers.

One of the problems is - people making bad choices; repeatedly.  Being judgmental about that is totally useless; finger-shaking never fixed anything.  Besides which- if you know anyone in this kind of fix; it usually turns out there's a real, unfixable, reason for how they got there.  Being abused as a child being one of the most common.

We can't go back and fix that.  So- what could we do; now?

You know- there is something; and it actually hits several needs, in a really serious way.

Typically, with a person like Sharon's Eva,  or our Christina, when they go for help, they are connected to some kind of social worker.  An overworked one.  And most likely, since humans work this way, someone they may fear, or just not be able to connect to.

The social worker gives advice- the client listens, and takes a crack at it- and nothing happens.

Eva, and Christina- and those 3 dead girls - never had anyone teach them "how to live".

They really don't know how; for one reason or another, their ability to deal with reality is just very thin.  (My suspicions would be dismal parenting; and too much "screen time".  It's easy these days to grow up in a world where when you die, you just go get another life, and try over.  I think kids really need to fall out of trees- and we've made it very difficult.)

What they need is - someone to teach them now.

Who?

Not the social worker.  The woman down the street who is in the same financial fix- but is coping.  A peer.  A neighbor.  Someone with the time to come and cook with them; and coach- to show them not just what to do, but help them build the habits that are so crucial.  Probably share a little child care.  Maybe share a ride to a good grocery.  Shop together.

Now- the social worker knows both these ladies.  They're both on food stamps- it's just one is lost, and one is struggling through.  The social worker could put them together.

Are we throwing tons of money at this problem?  Is it helping?  (that would be 'yes', and 'no').

What we truly could and should do is start a "coach" program.  Let's pay the lady who is coping, to spend time with, and teach, and coach, the lady who is failing.   (What the hell, we're printing money like it's going out of style already- just not getting any of it to anyone who needs it.)

Somebody would get paid a little money (JOBS!!) - and - an ineffective program could be make somewhat effective, at least.  And you know- it's a sure bet that some times, a lady who managed to get turned around- will go on to become a coach.  Paid.  And really effective.

If the two ladies don't get along?  Pick someone else.  There are plenty to choose from.

This could be done.  And it could actually make a difference.  And cut down on isolation.  And build community.

Sharon and Crunchy - here's your next project.

:-)

Anybody know any legislators working on this kind of stuff?  Send them this post.

Dumb Doom.

I'm feeling doomed at the moment; and "dumb" because, as is so often the case, it's my own doing.

When we lost the cat, we were sharply reminded of how expensive it is for us to be without cats.  Really expensive; we live in the woods and the Peromyscuses are freaking everywhere, and breed like hyper-rabbits.

Then- the other house cat vanished.  When he was gone for 4 days, we started to believe he was really gone; partly because this cat is a bit on the slow side, physically.  If you push him off your chair, he'll land on his head, or back- not his feet.  No reflexes; which is very dangerous in a forest full of owls and whatnot.

So; we started urgently talking about getting kittens; now, because of the need.  And, baby animals are a lot of work; first they poop everywhere, then they climb everywhere, then they eat everything...  lots of hours training.

And I thought to myself; hm; if we're going to have two; or three kittens inside, and be going through all that; maybe we should get the next puppy now, and do it all at the same time; won't be much more work, and we won't have to be stepping over (some of the time anyway) poop for two episodes; just one...

I talked my gullible family into it, and Spice was authorized to start looking.  She didn't have to; immediately she said our friend at the shelter had called her a couple days ago, asking if we were ready for the next puppy (we knew we needed "more") - because she had a litter of Collie/German Shepherd crosses on hand, right down our ally.  Pics on line.

Ok.  Why not?

Then.  In the next phone conversation it turns out that there are two sisters left of the litter; and they were scheduled for the end of the line next week; been held a month; no takers...

Crap.  Ok, I said, to my gullible family- maybe we should take both sisters.  Only have to go through all the puppy training stuff once, see...  and I'd wondered about getting sibs from  one litter; might be easier handling... maybe...

As the two puppies are being picked up- the wandering cat- came back.  So, not quite so urgent to get the house kittens right this second; he's a good mouser, even though his reflexes are slow.

And right now, in day two of New Puppy world, I'm asking myself "What the hell were you THINKING!!"

:-)

Ah, well.  A few more days of total exhaustion, what the hay.  It'll get easier, right?

And.

Hi folks.  Really sorry to drop off the earth like that.

As I said in the comments to the last post, I'm so impressed with you all.  Outstanding thoughts; which deserve good response.

What happened on my end was a blizzard and two deaths.

It was a really good blizzard; took some work getting through.  In the middle, Spice's grandmother passed away, in Colorado.  Spice had lived with her extensively while growing up, so she was a really significant person; Spice needed to go there.  Age and an inoperable tumor.

Then a few days before Christmas my father "stopped breathing"; as my sister so gracefully put it.  She was with him; as she had been for years.  He was 97; his body at the "One Hoss Shay" point.  His mind was plenty clear; and the day before, he'd decided to refuse all his medications, except a little for pain.  He just stopped.

It was not a surprise, but I found it more unbalancing than I'd expected.  It's just been taking some time to cope, and find some balance again.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Your comments on the last post wound up giving me an idea, which I'll bring up next post.  Something that might actually help, a new response to the problem; whatever it is.

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And this morning, it's actually 3 deaths now, not 2.  We have been raising two kittens this year, to replace a well loved tom that failed to come home from a periodic ramble.  The black one, named "Henrí" by Smidgen, after the video cat- just mysteriously died; no sensible cause obvious.

He'd been an outrageously healthy kitten and "teenage" cat; I'd commented multiple times that he was the original cat that curiosity killed.  He was into everything; but was also very bright, agile, and very sweet.  He never clawed you on purpose.

He came home after an absence of a day, and was not "himself".  Lethargic all day, at bedtime I noticed he was having some muscle tremors; Spice noticed he had no pupillary response.  Which means very serious problems.  We made sure he was warm.  No sign he was in pain.  Spice held his paw and kept him warm in bed, hoping that as cats often do he'd pull through it.   Years ago, with another teenage cat at the vet's; having him stapled back together from a run-in with a big mama coon, the vet let it slip that among vets the expectation is "with cats, if all the pieces are just in the same room- they get well."

But not this time; he passed away at 1 am.  No, no way to get him to a vet.

Our house animals are members of the family; no, he wasn't a human; but we teach Smidgen that our cats and dogs are "persons".

And they are.

Talking About Hunger in the USA-

One of the things I admire about both Crunchy Chicken and Sharon Astyk is that they fearlessly charge into discussions that are bound to become difficult and rancorous. Lots of things just plain need to be talked about; regardless of hurt feelings. So they do.

I'm about to do that too. However, I want to start with a disclaimer: I'm not judging anybody here. I'm really not. But we have a problem no one is facing, and we need to face it.

In the last couple weeks Hunger In the USA has gotten a lot of attention, and rightly so. One of the nifty little facts that came out in the NYT was that currently 1/8 of adults are getting food paid for by the government, via what used to be called "the food stamp program"; and 1/4 of our children.

That shocked a lot of people. In truth, I'm pretty angry that people were shocked. We should have been horrified- and aware and doing something about it long before it got to this point. Once again, I'm embarrassed to be a citizen of this country. We let 1/4 of our children grow up in such poverty? Unforgivable. Not a word I use at all lightly.

At the time, Sharon put up a post on the topic; and my comment on it was the second one. My topic here is a little different.

There, I pointed out that quite a few people who are actually hungry- are in situations where their parents or caretakers truly just do not know how to feed them.

What I want to say here - non-judgmentally, remember! - is that many who believe they are hungry- are not. They do not know what real hunger is; in spite of those ubiquitous advertisements with skeletal children in them.

Today the Washington Post has chimed in; and I think without knowing it, they've hit a nail right on the head. There's both an article, and a rather long photo gallery.

These were the photos that set me off. Neither this woman, nor her child, are actually "hungry", in the sense of not having enough to eat. They certainly may be malnourished- but hungry? No.

I do not, in the least, doubt that the woman believes she and her family are hungry, and that she is frantic about the welfare of her children. I would be willing to bet she's entirely sincere, and in no way a "bad person"- quite the contrary. But her problem has been misidentified; and the help being offered her- will not help.

Later in the photo gallery there is another mother- who is skipping meals, so her children can eat. She's skinny. And I'll believe in a second her stomach hurts, and that her children's do too.

There is the crux of why I'm writing about this. One of my myriad ex-girlfriends (ok, 3) fiercely accused me during one of our breakups of being a "problem solver"; a great sin for someone who didn't want her problems solved, she just wanted me to listen to them. (Evidently this is a fairly common source of friction between males and females, but I REALLY don't want to talk about it.)

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima etc. Loathsome as it may be, I really do prefer to come out the other side of a difficulty in an improved state, if possible.

Hunger in the world is actually a major focus of my life. To hear that one out of every four children in my country requires help from outside the family in order to not be hungry sets me going. Big time.

A tried and true way to fail at problem solving is to apply the wrong solution to a problem. For example, like trying to fix a flat tire with a wad of bubble gum. Looks kinda like it might work, if we're lucky. But in fact, it's just truly dumb.

I think we have abundant proof available that we're applying bubble gum to our hungry populace. It isn't going to help; which is by far my biggest objection; and it's insanely expensive, in a time when the country doesn't have a dime to spare. The money could and should be spent so that the recipients of the aid actually get help for their problem.

Problems come in layers, more often than not. The next layer to this particular one is that we know many people on food stamps are not actually hungry- but we don't want to deal with what's really going on. It's embarrassing, from all directions. So, rather than cause some forced blushing- we continue as a nation to pretend: lack of food is the problem; and money is the answer.

Very simply- lack of food is NOT the problem; and money is NOT the answer. Can't get much simpler than that.

The problem is- we refuse to talk about, or deal with, the problem.

If you haven't read the Washington Post article, now would be a good time. Surprise! They actually talk about all this.

I was delighted to discover that; and that others are struggling with it.

Now what?

Once you've discovered your solution to a problem isn't a solution; and the problem isn't what you thought it was - you must, must, must - throw everything out and start over.

What we're doing right now, to continue the flat tire simile, is "hey, maybe if we got the gum hotter, it would work." "hey, maybe if we mixed the gum with gasoline, it would work" "hey, maybe if we put sand in the gum, it would work." "hey, mixing the gum with gasoline almost worked, let's try mixing it with brake fluid instead."

It's painful to throw out a "solution" that you're so deeply invested in. But anything else is almost certain to just add to the "fixing the fix" cycle.

A black hole for the people; and the money.

Blizzard/Schmizzard; Disaster.

We're in the middle of a "blizzard" here, as anyone with any wireless communication device doubtless knows. The weather-casters have orgies for weather like this. "Bitter Cold! Huge Snowfall! ... House High Drifts!" etc., etc.

I do have an immediate complaint; I've never, ever, experienced a blizzard like the ones Laura Ingalls repeatedly describes; in 30+ years of living here. I'm sorry to say it, but I'm pretty sure Laura fudged her climate data.

Yes, it's a serious storm; life threatening; for knuckleheads, greenhorns, and the unlucky. About 20" of snow, we think; it's incredibly hard to measure with the wind moving everything. 25-40 mph winds. Dropping temps, headed for 0°F, with windchills far lower.

But, dang it- I can still see the THWASPCO, quite clearly. No chance, whatsoever, of getting lost enroute. In fact, even at the peak of the storm, I could still see the other side of the valley, 100 yards away. Sigh.

Sharon, over at her new blog address, has already posted a compleat compendium of what to do- when the power goes out- which certainly is usually the most common problem with big storms. I put up a little response in the comments there; mostly, we're snug.

There are, however, other problems storms like this can precipitate.

The cats got up on the table, and ate the butter.

Normally, they're much better behaved. Caught in the act, and ratted out by Smidgen, they were tossed, literally, out the door into a snowdrift. Ha.

In the aftermath of this financial and emotional catastrophe, it developed that the cats were, perhaps, not entirely at fault...

They were hungry. Their dry food feeder was... empty.

We failed them. Sad to say. No wonder the poor dears were breaking laws...

Ok, get the cat food and feed them.

What?

NO CAT FOOD?????

HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN??????

There is no getting out of here for several days, for sure.

As good conscientious preppers, here is fodder for squinty eyes and muttered remonstrations. "You were in town last..." "yeah, well, you emptied the last bag- why wasn't it on the list? ha?"

A failure of the process. A senescent seneschal? A charlatan chatelaine? Forgot your ADD meds didja?

The potential for violence, in a little cabin lost in the snow- is frightening.

So if you don't hear anything from us again-

Either we've all killed each other, or we've been eaten by cats.

A fearsome foreshadowing, surely, of the collapse to come.