Freezing

It's been a long frigid week.  At one point going to -12.0 °F, and it felt like it (colder with the wind chill). A few times, if the sun came out and there was no wind, the sub-zero seemed almost tolerable. 

Almost. 

It was a bad week to have the vet remove two bumps from Shep - which were biopsied a week or so ago and were deemed precancerous. The procedure went well and he's fine. I assumed this procedure would be more dermatologic-like but it was pretty extensive. 

I feel bad for the poor guy. So, he's had constant oversight since and will until his follow up in 10 days. This is his first cone since we've had him. I'm assuming he had one when he got neutered, but he was probably in the kennel for that - and not having stairs, doorways and furniture he has to navigate. He's adapting pretty well. 

So, on with the slide show. 

Shep giving what for to a bronze statue of a mule - which stands along the Ohio Erie Canal. 

Stylin' in his new Carhartt outerwear. I LOVE the corduroy collar.

No guilt. Right in front of me. 

Shep trying to relax the day after surgery. 

Simon not sure what the hell is going on. 

Simon likes the heat from the radiator below. Why wouldn't he?

I'm sorry, but the jacket just kills me. 

Song by: Nick Lowe

the End is Near

It only took Adolph Hitler 54 days to dismantle German democracy. It took him 45 days to open Dachau. 

It is looking like BLOTUS & Co will take less than 54 days to dismantle U.S. democracy. I'm mortified at it all and yet kind of internally laughing at any and every female and any and every Black or Hispanic persons who voted for BLOTUS. 

He put it all out there for all of you to see, all in advance...........and you didn't give a fuck.  So pardon me if I don't give a fuck about you. 

Compared to the U.S., Germany is quite small. So, breaking that 54 days is no small feat. 

This is about the only time we should be happy our rail system sucks. 

CUNT.  Bruce is a CUNT.  Yup I can call him that now.......because he is a him. The White House says so. 

CUNT. 

Song by: Jim Morrison

Chuck (is the King)

Aww man - Big Chuck died. 

Chuck Schodowski (on the right) was a Cleveland staple. Well.......for a certain generation. Mine. 

I grew up watching Houlihan & Big Chuck. They showed bad movies starting at 23:30 on Friday or Saturday nights (I'm losing track now) with their own skits in between. 

The 'ski' that ended Big Chuck's name was important in their brand. Parma, where I was actually born due to it being the closest hospital at the time, is notorious for having a high Polish population. 

Of course, they couldn't tell "Polish jokes" on the air, so they became "Certain Ethnic jokes" (and Big Chuck played a "Certain Ethnic Man" (or even the "Certain Ethnic Six Dollar Man"), and the on-going series of the "Kielbasa Kid" or "Mary Hartski Mary Hartski" or "Ben Crazy" (instead of Casey).  And then there was the take off on a Cleveland standard "Polka Varieties" (with Paul Wilcox) with "Polish Varieties" (with Paul Whitesocks).  

Maybe that last one doesn't translate. A Cleveland joke was that all Polish people wore white socks. I'm not sure if that one goes outside city limits. And yes, every Sunday we had a one-hour show on Polka and Polka dancing.

I'd say, for a 10 year old, Houlihan and Big Chuck were HILARIOUS. But since males humour rarely develop after 13, I still found them hilarious as I aged. I can still hear the taped laugh that would end every single skit. And I'm smiling thinking about it. 

Houlihan would eventually leave to be replaced by Lil' John (middle), who would eventually sell 710 and myself our wedding rings. 

Big Chuck (I mean, we can't just call him 'Chuck') was funny. And for a coming of age gay boy, I thought he was handsome. That chin!

The show eventually moved to a Saturday afternoon and then eventually disappeared after UHF and VHF became a thing of the past. 

Big Chuck was 90. Even USA Today called him a Cleveland icon.  

He'll be missed. 

Song by: Eddy Grant

We've Got Bigger Problems Now

I am trying REALLY hard not to dip my toe into politics, but it's so fucking hard - and I still have yet to read a paper, an article or a newscast. 

I couldn't avoid my sister texting President Musk and his SS grandstanding. 

Truth is, I couldn't be less surprised or more despondent over it. 

The image my sister sent was a cropped version of this. I did a Goooooogle image search and sure enough most new organizations had the cropped version. ABC was good enough to show the entire thing. But this asshole did it with the presidential seal right under him. 

I shouldn't be surprised. No really. This is what the US voted for. Exactly this. I'm sure those who voted red are giggling over this as "nothing" or "blown out of proportion", but I'm quite thinking not. It isn't even a test balloon - it's the signal. 

(BTW........as Musk is from South Africa, has anyone traced his and / or his families thought on apartheid? I'm assuming since the Tesla cafeteria has force black people to eat together and other workers there call it "monkey island") that the Musks were (are) pro-apartheid.)

A few days before, whomever is about to head ICE already tweeted that mass deportations are about to start this week - and even singled out Chicago for some reason. But let's be clear - they mean Mexican. They're not expelling Russians, Chinese or Saudis. 

And I get I'm going worst case scenario here, but what keeps Russians in line?  Lack of food mostly. Sure. propaganda and beating down of minority groups and rebels, but the big driver is bread lines. 

Mass deportations = most the people who process our food. Who pick it, who clean it, who ship it. And who cook it.  Control the food, you control the entire population. 

If grocery stores, restaurants and the public aren't aware, then shame on them. Food prices will not be coming down, they'll skyrocket. But most of the crops will rot in the field. We won't even have access to them. Places to eat are going to shutter more than they did during covid. 

This shit is literally what keeps me up at night. 

This is not an exaggeration. Saturday was a 22 hr day; Sunday a 20 hr one. I go to sleep with my heart beating like it's from a Poe story. 

Granted, it probably was not wise for me to read a book about searching for Josef Mengele last week, but I did. 

In this book, his atrocities were described, but not to the extent of the actual horror inflicted. Of course that was upsetting even in this version - but the continual disturbing parts of the book were the people who housed  him in South America - knowing full well who he was. They did so willingly and with zero remorse. 

.....and only one was charged with anything, and nothing ever came of it. Not a trial, not a minute in jail. Nothing.

To me, this is the horror of today. All those pieces are in place, right down to the people who will gladly cover for them all. 

....I'm not sure you even want me to start on how this administration is about to control the media - staring with "saving" TikTok.....and BLOTUS looking into punishing Comcast for something Seth Myers said on his show. 

It's not just beginning........it's here. 

Song by: Dead Kennedys

If We Were Vampires

"It's knowing that this can't go on forever / Likely one of us will have to spend some days alone / Maybe we'll get forty years together / But one day I'll be gone or one day you'll be gone."

I think of this lyric a lot. I have since I first heard this song years ago.

Today 710 and I hit 'forty years together'. 

I'd say 'ugh' but that's more of a thought of time passing (and time left) than with whom I'm passing said time. 

40 years is a fuck of a long time. There is just no way around that. I was probably wearing two Swatch watches at the time. The horror!

I know I'm a better man / person because of 710. Better half, if you will. He is kinder, nicer, gentler than I. He is funnier than you'd expect, which kind of makes him even more funny due to that. 

Over the years here, I've said we had tough and trying times with the relationship. That was a long time ago, but things that have stuck with us from which we've learned - and learned not to forget or take for granted. 

I always feel weird when someone asks how long we've been together. You can see them start to do math in their head. I was 21; he 24. Obviously, at the time, we didn't know it would be a lifetime thing. Who does at that age?

When we married in 2010, the vows you've heard so many times about sickness/health, richer/poorer etc actually meant something. We had lived all of that in the 25 years we had been together before tying the knot. Couples who get married after being together for 2-3 years and saying those things truly are going through the motions. Those words brought us to tears. 

"Maybe time running out is a gift / I'll work hard 'til the end of my shift / And give you every second I can find / And hope it isn't me who's left behind."

I have also said in this here blog, I want to go first, just like the lyric says. It is 100% selfish and I recognize that. I try not to think about the time we have left, but hitting 60 just makes me feel old(er). We talk about age more. I don't know how we survive without each other - though billions of other couples have done it in the past. I try not to dwell on that. 

710 is confident he'll go first, just due to my genetics. He's usually right about so much, so here is hoping he is wrong on this one. 

The idea is to spend our time in the present and loving and appreciating each other - even though I know I make it difficult. There is a LOT of eye rolling on his part - and it is deserved. 

As you probably know, our anniversary / wedding dates do not match up. I somewhat regret that, but what are you gonna do?  January dates suck mostly due to the weather. 

We have nothing planned for today. Absolutely nothing. 

We had opted for a nice dinner out, as we rarely do that anymore. But it will be below 0°F. That does not sound like fun. And I think we would have done it, but Shep has a minor procedure at the vet tomorrow, so we are spending the evening with him. 

We will attempt dinner this weekend. I think we know which restaurant we will want to patronize. 

I'd like to say we are on our way to closing in on the Golden Anniversary, but we'll also be past 70 years old.........and that is just weirding me out.  I'm assuming if we are still ambulatory then, we'll do somethign special. 

You won't be able to hold me to that though. 

I don't often do this, but here is a link to the blog title song that goes along with the lyrics. 

The title image is thanks for Meredith, and is from November 2000. 

Song by: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

My Music Monday

I half-heartedly tried to tie this inauguration day into today's post, but I just couldn't even start to fathom how that might work - or make me feel. 

Then I thought of something related with MLK day, but that was equally as daunting. 

So, I'm doing a pseudo repeat that does actually tie into the former part of my challenge. 

The third Monday of January is considered the most depressing day of the year - also called "Blue Monday". 

I honestly cannot think of a more depressing day and event colliding than with the third Monday than it is doing right now in the U.S. .  It's just mind-numbing.

So, years ago, I did New Order's "Blue Monday" before...... Once by the band on a "Blue Monday". Once as a cover - which was very original. 

New Order has remixed and released the song in so many iterations, though not really altering it, they are tough to keep straight.  There is the original (1983), then the 1987 remix, the 8D audio version, 1988 and 2016 remixes as well. And that's just some of them. 

I'm going with a mostly instrumental version that was on the 2nd disk of their 1987 Substance disk (which was mostly a music version of the songs - sans lyrics), and it's titled "the Beach" - which if you know the original song, those two words appear in the lyrics. 

Honestly, it's been eons since I've taken Ecstasy, but this almost makes me want to do it once again and just dance. A sad dance for sure.......but that's only on the inside. 

Cooking with Blobby

Oddly, I've never attempted making pot roast. It is such a staple, if you will. But I have a not so complicated history with it. 

When you're feeding a family of seven, as my mother did, pot roast goes a l-o-n-g way. I was just never fond of it. Cooked carrots are a tricky thing with me. Soft enough to eat, but if they're the slightest bit mushy - like my men - I'm out. 

And as it turns out, I don't think I know the difference between pot roast and beef stew - should there be one at all. 

That said, I thought I was making pot roast. But it turned out looking like my mother's beef stew. I'm not sure what that says about her cooking..........or mine. The dish seems comforting and as the weather has turned cold, I thought, eh what the frick. And 710 really loved my mom's roast / stew.........but that's on him. 

I also thought this would be economical.  It is not. 

Clearly, I haven't bought a chuck roast in a while. Most recipes call for a 3-4 lb roast. Had I done that, I would have had to cash in an IRA.  Even at 2.43 lbs, I thought $28 was quite pricey. Yes, carrots and potatoes cost next to nothing, but still.........

Well, let's get on with it - shall we.  I will already start out that I left shit out of the top image, like wine and tomato paste. 

And while I reduced the amount of meat, I didn't change anything else in the proportions. Perhaps I should have - I dunno. 

Ingredients

2.5 pound (1.8kg) chuck roast tied 

2 1/2 teaspoons (16g) fine sea salt 

1/2 teaspoon pepper 

2 tablespoons (30g) neutral oil such as avocado, vegetable, etc. 

2 large yellow onions cut into large pieces 

5 cloves garlic chopped 

2 tablespoons (45g) tomato paste 

1/4 cup (32g) all-purpose flour 

1 cup dry red wine 

2 cups (480g) low-sodium beef stock divided 

2 large bay leaves 

2 tablespoons (30g) Worcestershire sauce 

10 sprigs thyme tied 

5 sprigs of rosemary tied

1 1/2 pounds (680g) red or small yellow potatoes cut into large chunks 

2 pounds (908g) carrots cut into 3-inch chunks 

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325F and set the rack in the middle of the oven to accommodate a Dutch oven with its lid.

Heat a large Dutch oven to medium heat. Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels then season with salt and pepper. Add the neutral oil to the pan along with the chuck roast. Sear until browned on all sides (about 15 minutes total) then remove the roast to a plate. 

Add a 1/2 cup of beef stock to the pot and scrape off all of the browned bits. Pour the pan sauce into the same vessel as the remaining beef stock and set aside. 

Heat onions along with a pinch of salt, and cook until translucent (about 10 minutes). 

Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes or until fragrant. Then add the red wine, beef stock, thyme, bay leaves rosemary, and Worcestershire sauce to the pot and bring to a boil while stirring to break up any. Add the tomato paste 

Boil for 2 minutes then turn off the heat and add the roast back to the pot and cover. Place into the oven to roast. 

 

After 1 1/2 hours, remove the pot and uncover it. Quickly add the potatoes and carrots to the pot and cover again. Return to the oven for another 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 200-210F. 

Place the pot roast and veggies on a plate and tent with foil. Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme bundle from the Dutch oven. 

To de-grease the sauce, lay paper towels on top of the sauce to absorb the fat then discard or use a ladle to skim some of the fat. 

The sauce will usually be quite thick from the added flour, but for an even thicker sauce, simply use an immersion blender to blend the softened onions and a few potatoes. Alternatively, heat just the pot with the sauce over medium-high heat to reduce until the sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon. Or make a slurry of 2 tablespoons flour and 1/4 cup of water. Pour into the simmering sauce and stir for a few minutes until adequately thickened. 

The roast can be shredded or cut into chunks and mixed with the sauce. Any large pieces of fat can be discarded right before serving. Season the carrots and potatoes with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with parsley.

A few notes. Don't skip the seasoning parts. I'm not a big salt user, but this needs it. More than you think, and more than I used. I almost never use salt at the table, but I did here. 

I assumed (yes ass/you/me) that this would be brothier and not gravy-er.  The flour made it thicken far too much for my liking - which is what I always got from my mother's version too. I don't enjoy that. Maybe less flour, maybe more liquid? 

It tasted better in leftovers, but I wasn't wow'd with it. Obviously, I didn't feel a need to cook one until this point and I'm not sure when I'd attempt again. For that much in meat, I'd rather get steak - which would still be cheaper, albeit no leftovers. 

This wasn't bad. It was exactly what I grew up with. It's nostalgic, but not stellar. 

Pretty Boy

Saturday is all about Shep and Simon. 

Weirdo.  Not sure what in the former tree was so enticing, but I nixed that quickly. 

Pretty boy.

Shep knows which car door is his. Always has. 

To be fair Simon did almost no provoking, but Shep wasn't having it and growled for a while. 

Mr Big Paws won't let me read my book. I wasn't about to move him. 

Tunnel effect.

Song by: Kurt Vile

Black Ice

As I inferred on my 12 of 12, I did indeed fall on black ice after running. 

I was first one done with the run and I was doing walking laps in the parking lot. 

This poor young woman - first time running with us - came running into the parking lot and right onto the black ice. I didn't see her fall...........but I heard it. 

It was after I helped her up and then went to continue my walk.... then I just went down. 

I didn't hurt myself - not really. Now at the doctor's office when they ask if I've fallen in the last 6 months, I have to go back to saying "yes".  

The following day I was sore-ish, but I told my PT two days later and she had me do exercises to help with what was hurting - kind of by hurting me more. 

Overall, I am better in terms of range of motion and strength. She could discharge me, but she's going further to find and fix what may have given me the fracture in the first place. As even I guessed months ago, it is probably my gait. 

It seems my right hip comes up to high, leaving a harder impact on my left when I land.  How I change the gait is yet to be seen. I have no great frame of reference on how I look or feel when I run.  Heel strike?  Mid foot? Different for different feet?  I have no idea if I'm doing it wrong and even if given direction, will I feel it if I'm doing it correctly. 

Mentally, it's been humbling. Not knowing has made me not want to run - always questioning what I am or am not doing. 

I cannot commit to any race because I am too worried about reinjury - and prices are going up. 

Bother. 

Song by: Peter Frampton

the Miseducation of Lauren Hill

I had the unfortunate instance of being somewhere that was showing the confirmation hearings for the Department of Defense. 

Before the incoming administration starts dismantling the Department of Education, they might want to at least get a proofreader. 

Failed VP candidate, Tim Kaine pointed it out thought - not that it will matter, and not that the voting public for this incoming administration would have even noticed. 

Education isn't really a thing for them. 

I'd like to think that Democratic senators are giving it their all, but unless any able-minded Republicunts see through this Fox news host, the schmuck is gonna get confirmed. They all will. I'm guessing if Gaetz hadn't dropped out, he too would have gotten the green light. 

On a brighter note: I saw a headline flash about an Israel - Hamas temporary cease fire and possible releasing for hostages. That would be nice. 

Song by: Lauren Hill

Nothing

Well, I made it to day 15 of the year. 

14 of those I had "something to say".  Allegedly. 

To be fair, it's been since November 24th since I've had a 'nothing' post. It was also a Wednesday. Coincidence? 

Do I just morph this blog into skipping days when I have nothing, as opposed to writing a post that I have nothing? 

Lots of other blogs don't post daily.  It's a slippery slope. 

But I'm cold and going to the bedroom to read my book. 

Song by: Depeche Mode

Suite for Orchestra, H 125, Op 32: Uranus - the Magician

If "they" are to be believed, for parts of January and February, we should be able to see 6-7 planets lined up in the night sky.

How many will equate to 'when' in the days ahead. 

No doubt, where you are in the world might matter too. I mean, I'm assuming. 

Pluto does not factor into this......because, well you know..........Pluto! 

On January 21 (I'm giving you a week to plan accordingly), the inhabitants of the Earth will be able to see six planets in the sky at the same time - Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Venus, and Saturn. Little known fact:  If you look down at your feet, you'll also be able to see Earth. 

It is noted that on February 28, the seven planets of the solar system - Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter, and Mars - will line up in a single line. Astronomers call this phenomenon a great planetary conjunction. 

Only Uranus and Neptune will be visible through binoculars, the rest will not.

For me, Venus and Mars have been visible lately. Very much so, actually. I'd have looked more last night but fuck, it was cold.15° feels like 4°. But the full moon was amazing. Everything was so clear. 

Being clear is usually not on the agenda for celestial events in the 216, but I'm hoping in the coming weeks something works out. 

Here is some 4-1-1 for those who want to check this out. Consult your local "news" to see what is viewable in your area. 

Song by: Holst

12 of 12

So I'm doing my 177th 12 of 12.

Normally it is 12 pictures taken on the 12th of the month. Since I only post once per day, you get my images the following day. All pictures taken with my iPhone. Click images to enlarge, if you choose.

Created by Chad Darnell and picked up from, what I can tell, any number of random bloggers who then link back to him and vice versa. Chad is no longer doing this, nor is successor coordinating the linking of other 12 of 12'ers anymore. 

06:51. Oats for b'fast. Just like every morning. 

07:21. Brush-a-brush-a-brush.

07:58. Sunday morning run group. 

That would be black ice people are standing on. In 60 minutes, I'd be lying on it. 

09:37. Bagel, cream cheese and hot tea with the running group. 

10:34. Quick grocery self-checkout purchase before going home. 

11:11. Massage gunning my IT bands. 

Hannukah Harry got me a massage gun for the holidays. 

12:48. Shep on a 50' lead. 

We wore him out with his big runs. We'd love to let him off the leash, but he's a flight risk. 

14:18. Starting my 3rd book of 2025. 

It's been good I've been in a reading mode. And mood. 

16:38. ....and then I fell asleep. This is what I saw when I awoke. 

Had a crappy sleep the night before. I was exhausted. 

16:51. Shower time. 

17:43.  Weekly Zoom call with the besties. Minus Dith. 

19:04.  Making dinner. Chicken and peppers (some onion, some celery, as I was cleaning out the fridge).

That's it for my Sunday the 12th.