Shopping Spree

Well, it wasn't exactly a spree and we were in Reno over the weekend and when in Reno, one shops.

I have always loved my mugs for drinking tea. And once in a while, I miss a tea cup. I have my fancy china, I have my Christmas china. In my ordinary everyday ware, no cups. So I bought two cups and saucers in the plain white I use. Just two: one for me, one for any friend that happens to drop by for tea. I am very happy.

When we decided to give away all the old every day china, I gave it all away and that included my tea kettle. We gave them to grandson, Kyle, by the way. He needed dishes and they were his grandmother's so it all worked out.

Now we have a hot water on demand tap and it is wonderful. And I still add 30 more seconds in the microwave to my mug of tea. I had started using my tea kettle for my morning tea. So I wanted a new one. I thought I had one but had forgotten an induction cooktop takes only certain metals. I finally returned the first one, and found the perfect one for our kitchen at not much more cost. Once again I am very happy and enjoying my morning cuppa with water from the tea kettle. 

Today's Reality

Dear Friends ~ I am sharing this post because I think we need to know that this is happening, not to faceless masses but to friends, ordinary people going about their ordinary lives, and finding themselves trapped in the snare of our new President's paranoia. This. Is. Not. Normal.

Nazanin Zinouri feeling fed up at DXB - Dubai International Airport.Follow

Yesterday at 1:49pm · Dubai, United Arab Emirates · 

I normally don't write long posts or any kind of political or religious comments.
I apologize in advance and I don't expect my friends to read this long long past!!
But today I just couldn't hold it any longer. Friday 1/20/17 started like any other normal day. I was excited about my trip to Tehran. After all I only get to visit them once a year. I was excited and anxious at the same time. I was worried about my little puppy but I couldn't wait to see my mom...
It was an uneventful trip. I made him home on Monday 1/22/17, after around 28 hours, exhausted but so so happy. We were all happy. I was going to eat lots of delicious Persian food and make tons of great memories and go back to my life in the US. But the happiness didn't last that long. On Wednesday, we started hearing rumors about new executive orders that will change immigration rules for some countries including Iran. Soon we started reading drafts like everyone else. I might be banned from going back?!?! No that can't be true. I'm not gonna let that ruin my trip. But then it got serious so fast. Before I knew it, it was actually happening. Even though I didn't want to leave my family, I quickly booked a ticket to get on the next flight back. Only a few hours after the order was signed, I got to the airport, got on a plane and made it to Dubai. After waiting in the line to get my documents checked and after 40 minutes of waiting, I was ready to board the plane to Washington, only to have officers ask me to live the boarding area. "For security reasons your boarding is denied."!!! Yes after almost 7 years of living the the United States, I got deported!!!
No one warned me when I was leaving, no one cared what will happen to my dog or my job or my life there. No one told me what I should do with my car that is still parked at the airport parking. Or what to do with my house and all my belongings.
They didn't say it with words but with their actions, that my life doesn't matter. Everything I worked for all these years doesn't matter.
I just had to say it...

Last Week's Random Observations

~ Children are not political fodder. They must be off limits, they are not a partisan issue. They are children. 

~ peanut butter is good but not a perfect substitute when what you really want is a peanut butter cookie.

~ Little tiny snow flakes don’t look like much but when they fall continuously for 24 hours, they pile up.

~ I don’t like it when people on “my side” of the political spectrum are violent or ugly or say mean things. We are supposed to be above that. 

What a Day!!!

I am So Proud of the women of the world! As close to home as my next-door neighbor and my daughter and granddaughter to as far away as London, literally millions of women and men marched in support of human rights. The pictures came into FaceBook first from Washington where I knew several people, and then from Boston, Atlanta, Seattle, Kings Beach and finally last night on my email, Ashland Oregon.

In Michelle’s words, “I had honestly expected that in our little town this ‘March’ would be a strolling gesture of a few dozen people.” But here they were, arriving at the Library in force. 

Once they had marched and Michelle and Trinity were ready to return home, there were still people making their way to the park. One of the signs she told about was one of my favorites. A man held a sign that said, “I’m with her.” Many arrows pointed all over the place so that it was clear he was with all women who marched and sang and raised their voices.

Granddaughter Trinity and her friend were handed a sign someone else had made and they carried it proudly for the whole march. 

Thank you, my sisters and brothers!! What a day for women, what a day for humanity, what a day for the world!!

Time to Grow Up?

“Grow up. Trump is now President. It is time to work with him.” 

Let me see: I worked with Martin Luther King Jr and the civil rights movement to insure human rights for blacks. And now you want me to work with the man who would take those away? No, I don’t think so. 

I worked for human rights for the LBGTQ community, and now you want me to work with the man who would take those away? No, I don’t think so.

I have worked in my small corner of the world for the environment, trying to understand climate change and carbon footprints. And now you want me to work with the man who would deny these findings and take away the progress we have made? No, I don’t think so. 

I have worked for women’s rights, for choice in jobs and health care and salaries and language. And now you want me to work with the man who would take away these rights both politically and personally by his own admission? No, I don’t think so. 

I think I am going to keep working right where I have always been, working on what I have always worked on and if the President wishes to work with me to further the progress we have made, he is welcome. If not, then he must not expect me to abandon years of commitment just because someone says I need to work with him. 

This is not a need on my part to grow up. This is me remaining the aware, committed, supportive adult that I already am and have been. 

One More Step

I realize that for many of us, the Presidential transition is going to be very hard. We have urged each other to be positive and think and participate in ways we can oppose and move forward. I was reminded today of another step we can take. 

My spiritual energy advisor (ok, guru if you will) would tell me when I was despondent over something, “Let your energy vibrate at the level that is best for the person or thing over which you despair.” For instance, when a grandchild became really, really sick, he reminded me not to plunge into the energy of worry and despair, but to let my energy vibrate at the level that was the best possible for the outcome for the grandchild. Some might call it Positive prayer. 

So my suggestion is that instead of despairing and feeling like we are plowing our way through the positive steps we can take, we should let our energy vibrate at the highest level possible for the best for our government. Let every step we take, every donation we make, every march we join, every letter or phone call we make, be done in Light and Love for each other and for this country of ours which is already great and will continue to be so. 

Love, Light and Compassion will endure and overcome. Blessings, my friends.