Every morning I am awake for a couple of hours, usually starting around 3AM, but sometimes earlier. Nature’s Call is what initiates the alarm. If I am awake before 3:00 I can sometimes get back to sleep, which is worth it. But after 3:00, then I have an hour or less till the actual alarms will be going off, and Missus will be getting up to start her day at 4:00. Once I am awake at that time, my brain usually is off to the races, and I feel it is of little worth trying to get back to sleep till I can settle it around 6:00. Then it is back to sleep to get the rest of what my needs require.
While up, I will at least put a couple of logs on the hot coals sill lying in bed in the woodstove, then open the damper a little to bring up the burn rate, leave the door open while I visit the chamber, then close the door when I come back, and flames have developed. Ideally, I would give it time to build up enough heat that the thermometer on the flue has shown the temperature in the green range, somewhere above 400F. Then it’s back up to bed to wait for the alarms and stir Missus when they go.
Next it is time to check Messenger to see if there are any overnight messages from anyone among family. Often there are, but if not, there may be one from a scammer in India to keep me company. Yesterday there was. No foreplay. “How are you?” It was from someone I have not spoken to casually before on Facebook and did not know well. I replied back, “Well, how are you?” The account came back with, “Busy searching online on how to spend my grant money.” Ahh, now this all makes sense! Report. Delete. Gone. Otherwise, if there is someone from family or friends, my head is running well enough to write back to them. Or I could write a blog post, hence… This.
If there are parcels in the mail, then I will be checking their progress too. Is today a day to look out for a delivery or two? Actually, yes. Four pie pans from Lodge, and some new clothes from Carhartt. I am eager to try some sweet and savory pies, get my daughters started on cooking some, too. And when I asked Missus what kind of pies she would want, the list came out quickly and endlessly. I’ll have my hands full.
I have heard that people are burning their Carhartt’s over the company’s vaccine requirement for their workers. Now it is time for Conservatives to take a stand on what they view as a social injustice? I mean, let’s bear in mind that chances are, many of the workers there are fine to get vaccinated anyway, so this stand is for those likely few who would refuse, if there are any. But people will burn their best clothes over it! To me, that seems extreme. Extremely stupid. Was there an employee revolt at Carhartt? Does anyone know who there we are supporting if we burn our clothes? Well, anyway. If these people are standing up for the little guy, then why not donate their clothes to a homeless shelter? Because it is not dramatic enough, and it does not feed the need for attention, I’d guess. And while burning their clothes is symbolic, I’ll bet they also support the symbol of kneeling for the flag during then anthem to protest higher rates of killings among the black community during police interactions, too. Right? No, because bootlicking patriotism is far more important than rebelling against the boot on your neck, to them. I mean, it is just a thought.
I bought some Carhartt clothing the other day. They’re just clothes, and damn good ones at that. A vaccine is a simple and free way to increase my odds of survival if I go running headlong into a virus that can kill, just like clicking a seatbelt closed over me is simple and free and protects me in the unlikely event of a car accident. I also make my kids put theirs on. See a pattern there? (Should someone protest me for requiring them to vaccinate?) I can respect a company requiring their workers to vaccinate to prevent deaths and downtime due to unnecessary illness. They are expected to remain profitable, after all. Especially if their company is traded on Wall Street, the great American Temple of Capitalism, and the Conservative Holy Sanctuary.
As I was saying. I bought some Carhartt clothing the other day. It will arrive today. I have a coat currently that I have worn through during years of chores-doing abuse. I was trying to remember how long ago I bought the coat. I can get back to around 2013 with it. That’s nine years of farm chores daily in the thing, which is not bad considering the holes I am concerned about are more cosmetic than anything, and it till keeps be warm and happy while working in temperatures down to 0F. Yes, I will likely put on a jumper underneath below 20F, but then it is protected from damage by the overcoat. I bought the “chores coat” the other day. Hopefully it won’t be too nice to wear out to do chores in. I also bought two pair of overalls for use this summer. I may be feeling old, but I have some things to do this summer. Overalls seems a better option for working in. Anything with an extra pocket or two, anyhow.
As far as the political statements, everything these days seems like it is one. That’s because of stupid social media. Or, as I prefer to call it, Anti-social Media, as it seems to be driving us apart. I’m going back to sleep.