The Native Iowan

I sit in Honiara. Flew in from the land of Aus, arriving about 1pm. Was up ridiculously early, (yesterday) as one does when focused on a morning flight. 

The flight was seamless. Seductive even. Knowing well that becoming infatuated with the Solos is folly. It lies. Lures you in. This fight was easy, positive, let’s do that again real sooon. Then, next time, leaves you stuck in the departures area for 14hours. Welcome to the Happy Isles…

I head back for a big family party. It could be called a wedding. It could be called a family reunion. It could be call an Island Feast. It is many things and they are all guuuud. 

My son, Don, picked me up at the airport. He had 2 of my Dawgs with him… Big Red, the m0nster-mouthed, slobber-puss, and petit Ms Stormy. Both great dawgs. They travel around with him daily. Where he goes they walk beside him, or they sit in the air conditioned truck. Guud Dawgs, very gud dawgs.

The ride from Henderson to Point Cruz was pretty much unrecognisable. I have not been here since February 2020. A lot of “new” has happened. Noting well that there has been two major civil unrest incidents since my last visit. A lot of what was, got burnt to the ground, and is now “new”, again.

I think we might be able to spin that into a positive??? 

The town is dirty and dusty. Lots and lots of people on the roads. Lots and lots of vehicles. Driving has not improved since my last visit. Neither have the roads. Nor the vehicles. Most look to be ready for the scrap heap. One old buddy (WEIII) had a line… “there aren’t any scrap yards in the Solomon’s, instead they have a taxi fleet”. 

I am ensconced in a nice, nice, nice waterfront Hotel. Everything appears to work. So far. My family has provided for my needs. The room is large and we are stocked with grog and water. I am told the “kids” are going to come stay here, use the swimming pool, which works for me. I like the kids. I guess the water and snacks are for them. The grog for me. I’m cool.

I should go walk around. When we arrived, we stopped on the terrace and had coffee. There is a certain vibe these islands have. A lackadaisical posture, with a huge smile. I watched a security guard from my balcony… He is “patrolling” the back areas. Im sure he’s back here because there are less eyes on him. He moves like a true master at the art of artful sweating. He moves as if electromagetic magic floats his feet along the coral-gravel walk-way. He moves without lifting a foot from the ground. He moves gracefully but very slowly. His arms move little. I am sure he is burning very few calories. His head does a scan from left to right and up n down. He is floating on air.

When we sat down to have a coffee, a guy came up, beaming smile, and latched onto my right hand. He knows me form the past… “mi woka lo Yacht Club 12 years”… Thats when I remembered that the Island Style of hand shaking means you lose your hand for several minutes. It was good. I must admit I dont really remember “David”. He has a face I have seen and shall see again in others. Nothing makes me remember him. But it’s nice he remembers me and that gives him a buzz. Gives me a buzz too. His smile and positivity was infectious. 

I shall go out soon and have a look round. Find somthing to eat. 

So, as I watch standard PBS newz, let the aircon chill my shoulders, and wait for the kiddos, I shall write. Thinking tho, that as its now 617pm, my kiddos may all be otherwise occupied… It is a busy time an hang’n with Papa may not be the most attractive option this eve… They dont know I got Lindt chocolate… 

Which is OK. I shall write… Discuss my experiences and emotions as I time travel. It’s a fun opportunity to be an observer in the land I called home for so many years. 

Ha, I laugh… the customs agent that stamped my virginal Aussie Passport asked, “have you been here before?”, to which I say, “what year iu born, ia?”, he looks a bit shocked and says “1991”, to which I reply “Granpikinin blo mi old winnem iu.”. And it was fun. Nice to be back into the inarticulate world of Solomon Pijin. 

Did I say this is my first trip as a card carrying Aussie. Ive had my Aussie gold-ticket for right on 2 years… Kinda nice – so far. I like being an Aussie….

Ok, so it’s Island Time… Im going down to the Terrace… Ive got my harraches on. A faded magenta pair of shorts, an 18yr old Tommy Bahama island print shirt, and all my ink…  I like to wear my ink… I have feet, legs, arms, back, butt, neck and hands – including palms ink’d-  I do tend to get noticed.

And my ink is good. High quality… It’s excellent in fact. There is a lot of ink that aint so good…. Like country and western music… there is a shit load out there that sux. My ink is top-shelf. Thanks to Tu and Ify…

I like how folks try to surreptitiously look at my ink. It’s great when kids just openly gawk. I always make a point of commenting on others’ ink.  I never get a negative reaction. 

I’m sitting in the Terrace Lounge at the Heritage Park Hotel. On the site that used to be the Governor General’s residence. It’s a nice place. An easy 10years old now, n still nice. Classy, in that open air, semi/ always decaying humid n muggy tropical terrace kinda way. I like it.

Many ceiling fans agitate the air. A big screen TV on the wall purveys some form of information/ rhetoric/ propaganda disguised as newz. Im trying to figure out what channel it is… looks like the BBC. Or ABC…

A table of 4, drinking, happy, Solomon women are leaving. It’s a big ordeal. I assume them to be reasonably high government functionaries, having a drink after some big meeting. They are happy, polite, vocal, loud, and cannot find their flip flops. It’s a nice bit of comedic relief. 

There are a few gringos around… the place is by no means busy. I have spoke to Eve, who got me my first beer, and Ivory, who got me my second. Grace took my dinner of fish n chips away. Fish n chips in the Solos…. Steak in Iowa… not the other way around… 

The fish n kumari chips are the best meal on the menu…

The little red chillies are not green capsicum… they are hot, hot, hot… very nice…

It is sedate where I sit… low and slow music in the background, muted strings and the slow shuffle of conscientious staff. The sound of wind and surf in the near distance. The whirrr of the fans. 

The staff here are well trained. And there be a bunch of them. 

I just talked with Ivory. She asked my name – speaking pidgin – I told her, and she launched into a tale of her brother, Mike, who is a very difficult  guy… “hem drink, hem smoke marijuana, hem make mommy and daddy no happy”..  I laughed with her saying the name Mike is a curse. It was a fun laugh. She’s not afraid of me any more. 

Most folks are kinda put off by me… I walk tall, smile a lot, am an illustrated man, talking loud, and generally take control of my space quite effectively. What’s not to like? 

The islands can be good and gentle… or viciously ruthless. No middle ground – or not much. The Isles respect Strength, and trample weakness to Death. And openly gawk at my ink.

But the Isles be so, so fun loving and playful and island-like that a painted man with a funny accent that speaks fluent pidgin does get good service. I like it. It is entertaining. 

And it makes me smile…

A fine layer of coral based, lime-stone, talcum-like dust permeates. In some places it’s thick. Pervasive. But where I am, it’s a well kept secret. Numerous uniformed staff do their duties constantly. It’s a 24/7 sorta place. I am impressed how well and openly the staff engage. But then, this is the Hapi Isles… The premises around the hotel look great.

1027 pm… 927 aussie time. Im going to shower and sleep. Been up since 330. 

Life is guuud. 

In de islands, mon, you must learn to treat sweating as an art form. You do heaps of sweating so must be done tastefully, artistically…

I sit in a down-town Hotel, The heritage Park. This where the old GG’s residence was. It’s a sprawling complex with many uniformed staff. Due to my family a) having a full house, and b) not really liking me much, I get quite a nice serviced apartment. I guess they dont want me up at the house… which is indeed full.

The flight was good. My son, Don, and his dawg, Big Red, picked me up.Gracie was at the Otel having fish and chips, so we joined her and I had. a couple Solbrews…\

In deislands, mon… it is guuuud…

More later

717am on a Wednesday morn. I woke early (330am) and was on the road by 430.

The morning’s air was dense, fog filled, mist filled, murky. The headlights reflected off the fog and obscured vision. Headlights in the distance appeared a long ways off, small pin picks through the mud, then they were on you. I know that if I’m struggling to drive everyone else is struggling too. Morning rush hour traffic these days starts way early. I took it easy. Never good to die in a car crash rushing to catch a plane…

I am on the move for the first time since early 2020. Over 4 years without crossing. boarders, jumping jets, moving and grooving.

Amazing what the “Covid-era” did to us…

I am on the move, heading back to Honiara, sitting outside gate #73 in the Brisbane International Terminal. I am quite early so I contentedly get to sit and write for an hour or more… lucky you…

This is my first trip as a card-carrying Aussie. My virgin Passport is still void of stamps or blemishes. The Customs clearance process, as an Aussie , is flawless.

I fly back to The Solos for a big family party. Gotta love a party… Son, Don, has decided to finally wed his wife of many years, Joan. Their three daughters, Dawn, Vera, and Andromeda all get to be part of the function. Their grown son, Mendoza, gets to help make it all happen. I think him and his buddies are doing the DJing… It is going to be huge…

Where I sit is almost empty. Gate #73 is at the distant easterly end of the sprawling BNE INT complex. It’s a long way from the amenities of the main shopping and buying area of the terminal. Once you walk down this far, once I walked down this far, walking back not a viable option.

Ive been here before, many times. Assumed the gates most distant from the main area meant cheaper fees. Why Solair was always down at this end. I always assumed… noting the fancy pants airlines like Cathay and Singapore Air always got the gates right in the main terminal area.

I have positioned myself so I can watch people walking down this way. I like seeing if I know anyone, if anyone recognises me. We know the Pacific as a region is a small place, and it is very common to start bumping into folks from years past as you wander the cloistered interior of BNE INT.

The Solomon Airline desk is staffed by two-Honiara gals, turned Aussie. Both are long family friends, noting I knew their parents (all gone) well. The Solo-Buzz is full of the pending party. Its been a long time coming and many, many folks (like me) are traveling to attend. So it’s nice when Ms Dennis, and Ms Leong smile and chat and push me through easily, giving me a good seat, chatting and smiling as I make my way through the line. Good way to start the trip.

The plane starts boarding in about an hour. In half hour we’ll start seeing out-of-breath people come trotting down the tiles. Earlier I watched a large family (a couple moms, a coupled dads, a grandma and granddad, and about 5 kids) all move along in a traveling-circus fashion. I said to one of the dads that it all looked fun. Everyone was sooo happy. I wished them well and hoped they’d be as happy when they returned.

So I sit… A handful of people sleepily lounge in uncomfortable chairs. No one talking. No music playing. The haze outside the expanse of glass is still murky. Sun yet to burn away the moisture in the air.

I no longer know any (many) of the expats starting to show up, preparing to board. There is a large number of Solomon Islanders doing seasonal work here in Aus, thus we have a fair few guys and gals and flying home, laden with cargo.

The air-hostess staff are showing up. A good sign. I have not looked to see if the plane is here yet. I think it is. Damn! Solar on time!

Damn!

Due to commitments and projects and the fact that I am behind in my mowing, I am only away for two nights. My buddy Gerhardus is hanging out at the ranch, feeding my dogs, enjoying the quiet. My little valley is a good place to be quiet.

I am very disinclined to go to the Solos and NOT spend time in the West. And by spending time I mean a month or two. So, this trip is short. By necessity.

Solar making a number announcements. We must be getting close.

I shall collate my excrement, reassess my shit, take a leak, get ready to move…

More from HIR…

Smiles

Been a while, been a long time…

On the move…

More later

Sunday, August ending, weather getting warmer.

As the world smoulders and burns… As internal grievances divide and external issues ignite…

I am Fiddling… like Nero, as Rome burned…

I am fiddling with my old machines…

These beautiful Britt babes have been in storage, under covers, dripping oil for 5 years…

1962 650cc Norton Dominator. Has the iconic “feather bed” frame and is a dream to ride…

1952 650cc Thunderbird. What I call the “Wild One”, noting the famous movie … https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Wild-One

1959 650cc T110, known as a “Tiger”, a very sexy machine…

1966 650cc Thunderbird. One of my favourite machines…

1957 700cc “Royal Indian”… a Royal Enfield Constellation badged by Indian in the USA. Very much a unicorn. And very nice looking.

My “daily” ride… The Joker… Sitting with the John Deere mowers… I am from Iowa…

The Joker looks great from the rear end… note the SegWay in the background… 2wheelz be good…

My neglected workshop…

So I be fiddling… as the world smoulders…

Old Fart Fin n Games…

More later

I am not sure where I learned it, But I count birthdays with your original bday, the day you ceased breathing liquids and was forced to breath air, as 1. So today I claim I am 68, even though convention counting of birth-days would claim I 67.

Im ok with either.

Life is good…

More later

Wood, not war…

Dawgs n Kids…

Fast cars, sexy motorcycles, gorgeous women…

All are better topics to discourse upon, waffle on about, ruminate and discuss…

Than the world of political turmoil.

I watch and listen and read and research. I might be an information junkie, addicted to looking outside of my quiet life, my small mind, my isolated valley. I like to know things, know what is going on, what is being said, who says it, why, when, where. I very much dislike uninformed experts. Folks that know nothing and insists on proving it to you…

I think of the world and people I know and the information and propaganda and rhetoric swirling and infecting, effecting… There are a few folks I know who simply do not care what is going on and feel fine about living in a bubble of lack of information. Two different friends, one in the US and one in Europe, make a point NOT KNOWING what is going on. Thats their badge of honour, their way of bowing out perhaps? Simply not listening or maybe caring.

I also know many people who remain involved, believe they are involved, but remain woefully uninformed. Being well informed is a task, its work, it takes effort.

And some folks simply dont get it any of it, but try to pretend they do. That they are informed. But their filters in life prohibit them from really, really being able to inspect, accept or reject information. Too many people I know say things that prove such ignorance… “I cant even Listen to CNN!”, “Fox aint news, it’s entertainment”, ” Al Sharpton is a race baiting asshole”, “Tucker Carlson is a soviet agent”, … Probably all kinda true but… how do you know if you dont listen to what “they” say.

It takes a lot of work to be a centrist.

Being left or right is easier because all one needs to to have an issue, say abortion, and parrot the bumper sticker type slogans of “your team”.

“The River To The Sea” is a good one… I am of the opinion that the majority of the youthful intellectuals that are parading in cities world wide, chanting this quite derogatory slogan, dont really have much of a clue as to what they are saying, doing.

As one of the young intellectuals at a violent street party in George Town said… “Im just here for the riot”.

Reminds me of riots Ive attended in the past…

More later

My kennels are happy, busy, lots of fun…

We are preparing to ship our puppies to the Solomons. A plan coming to fruition, a nice process that shall have a great ending/ result.

We have Bruno, Siko, and Stormy flying off on the 20th. A lot needs to be done before they can fly. Desexing is a big job. We started early this week to comply and get it all going…

Here we have the puppies with some visitors. 3yr old, Andromeda, is going to get the little black pup, Stormy. Both are runts. Andro is tiny. Stormy is the pick of the litter for me. Both are very, very aware and intelligent. They shall be a great team…

The Vets call the protective collars “hoods of shame”. They are struggling to get used to them. It is quite entertaining…

Sika being attacked by aliens…

Stormy on the ride home…

Waiting in the Vet’s office…

Bruno heading to the Vet’s…

Dogs are good.

Dogs n kids…

More later

August is here. I can see the tilting of the earth reversing. I watch the sunrise and sunset and try to tell the time of day by the position of the sun on the horizon. Noting that I’m in a valley so my horizon is the hill-line surrounding me.

I’m busy. Weather has dried up enough for me to get some work done. To make some gains on my projects. 2024 has been a tough year on my projects. The excessive rain (I blame it all on glow-ball warming) has put months and months of delays on me. One project is a solid 12 months behind schedule, but thats a seperate story…

My morning are very chilly. Ive been wrapping up and staying toasty under the covers these past mornings. My house is big and hollow. I dont run the heater, preferring to put a sweater on, wrapping in a granny blanket. Staying in bed until the day’s light reaches the valley floor. We do not get “cold” like my birth-land, Iowa, can be. I have not seen “freezing” temps here, ever.

A month ago the sun hit us 8am or so. It’d set about 4pm. Once the radiant heats departs the chill sets in quickly. This morning, at 7am, it was still foggy, damp and chilly. By 8am it was bright and much warmer outside than inside the house. I worked outside until well after 4pm yesterday. My days are getting longer.

I have been talking to my Big Boer Buddy, Gerhardus, about the world, politics, the US debacle, etc, etc… Ive been telling G to read George Orwell. 1984 and Animal Farm are good reference reads these days.

We are in peculiar times, trying times, even dangerous times. Funny how an old piece of literature can be pertinent and current.

Must be magic.

I do believe in magic.

August is a magical month.

More later

Lets see… A sunny, warm Friday mid-day. Been up since early running and doing stuff. Got more to do, I am a farmer, and like your mother, my work is never done…

Wind chimes sing in the breeze. Puppies are making puppy noises. I need to go make a water pump do my bidding. Its been recalcitrant all week.

And I am a bit confused by the info from the USofA. We had a tottering Biden that has been propped of for ages by all and everything around him. We have heard he is sharp as a tack, inquisitive and articulate, and in control… but he had issues with steps and walking and talking and… Knowing the facts…

So Joe says he’s done, after running for nomination and presumably gaining the DNC endorsement, he tells us he is “quitting”. But he’s not quitting. Not yet. Heels-up-Kamala Harris has to “earn” the nomination. Or so we are told…

And to celebrate the Democrat Party held a street party in DC. They were welcoming to town the Israeli PM. In his honour they showed their patriotism by burning a flag…

Looks like quite a party, fun had by all..

So, as I said, I am confused… what happened? I hear it is democracy in action. We hear, are told, that Joe is saving democracy. And, maybe, the cracking of a few eggs (democratic eggs) is what it take to save the USofA… from what? From democracy? The democratic process that has unfolded over the past several months, through the primary(s) and past the Republican Convention, and into the Democrat Convention… and onto the election in November… ???

Would appear to me that we are witnessing a perversion of the democratic system that is the US0fA, no?

I am confused.

More later

Sunday morning here in my little valley. It’s chilly enough to keep the dogs nested deep in their straw beds. The gusting winds shake and make the house moan and groan. When we first bought this place I had my grandkids convinced there were spooks here. They probably still think such. I know I do.

I have a great liking for wind chimes. I have 7 seperate chimes hanging on my back porch. 2 are big, deep, noisy ones that I mute intentionally. One is a delicate brass Lucky Elephant chime that tinkles very lightly, magically. One is an old, cheap chime I bought when I first moved to Aus. Ive repaired it many times and is my favourite. The other 3 are modern, nice sounding, light and airy affairs that make the world sound like a happy place. Combined my environment is a mix of eerie whistles and whines of the wind through windows, with the dancing, smiling tinkling of the happy chimes.

This morning on the back porch I found my Body Guard, Sika, showing off a bit…

Ive been watching dogs for my entire life and still wonder at time why they do what they do. Sika has a good bed. He has the carpet own the floor. He can go down to the kennels and get nested in nice straw. Or he can sit on the table. I would opinion that he likes being up higher so he can see more, and also be seen. He is very vain.

One of the things I do with my dogs is I train them to be calm. To relax, sit quiet, and let the pack just be… I call it Canine Zen… Like all things “dawg”, you cant teach calm if you cant be calm… Its hard to achieve calm with puppies around…

The aim of all this dog-business is to raise dogs for the extended family. Its been years in the making and this month we successfully exported our first dog… Big Red now lives in Honiara, and has such a terrible life…

Red certainly looks relaxed… Andromeda looks interested in red’s anatomy…

Dawgs n kids…

Nuth’n better

Smiles

Saturday eve, 20 July, 630pm, and its lights out…

Power went off. Can tell by looking around that it’s not just me. I did inspect my switch boards. It all looks cool. I checked on line and find we’re in a regional service fault area effecting 179 users. The fault is under investigation.

Power off o big deal… I like low light environments and as such I burn candles rather than turn lights on. I light candles every evening. Throughout the house… Sure I turn the light on to cook or do dishes but normally my house is illuminated by candles happily burning and scenting the air. I claim bright lights are too noisy for me.

I like candles.

I like low light.

So I’m cooking and watching NRL and puttering around when the TV dies. I note the kitchen light dies, and I look outside and West to see no light on at my neighbours. Power off…

Candles still burning throughout the house. No problems getting around, no emergency… I can still see…

It was a boring NRL game. My beans are pretty well cooked. I’m cool without power, for the time being.

My old farm house is electric… Need a pump to push water from rain tanks into the toilets and showers. Im Ok tho, I had a shower earlier when I came in from mowing. Gracie said she’d had her shower. No issues there.

We filter the rain water for drinking so we have a full urn of fresh water. The down stairs toilet runs off of ground water so no pump/ electricity required there. Flush to your hearts content. Stove is electric so cooking stopped. Also no way to heat water for a cup of tea. Maybe no cup of evening tea is the biggest inconvenience. I do have the bbq if I really want a cuppa…

I have a ride little 8kva genset under the house. If power still off tomorrow I’ll fire it up and plug it in.

For now its dark and quiet. With a full moon rising.

Very nice

more later

Another chilly morning in my valley. It’s clear, clear, clear. Down to 5c/40f overnight. Tho the sun is bright and shining there is little warmth therein. The dogs all stay curled under their tails, waiting for the air to warm up before they venture out into the day.

Ive been watching the RNC Conference in Milwaukee. It’s been a long, star studded event. I heard one commentator say that this wasn’t your usual, country club style RNC conference of the past. I very much enjoyed watching the crowd jump and dance and shake and have a good time. It was more of a celebration than a conference.

I saw and felt many moments that were “electric”. Whoever stage-managed the show did a great job. Makes me wonder if the magic-makers of Hollywood jumped ship to create such a spectacle.

The end result was pretty much a 100% win… everyone was happy, in agreement, united, ready to move forward. I believe much of what we are seeing is unprecedented. A political party that is all on one page, all behind the one candidate, all carrying the load.

The other side of the political coin is, of course, the confused mess the DNC appears to be in.

I was listening to one commentator complain about DJT’s speech. It was too long, it was too boring, too much about him… When in comparison to Prez Joe, who cant really navigate the world without assistance… I see more and more DNC heavy weights calling for Joe to step down. We see many stars of the Left, even Richard Branson, giving Joe friendly advice.

We hear the same stupid refrain of “… if Trump wins Im moving to Canada…” from the taking heads that bleat and whine. The “end of democracy” refrain is getting old, stale, over used. An anti-Trump agenda, an Orange Man Bad platform… a foundation of negativity will not be enough, or so I think.

As an evergreen Pro-Rasslign fan I gotta end with a pict of one of the greatest of the big ring…

Now its “Trump-a-Mania”…

More later

Sunny and cold here in QLD. The skies are a Simpson’s blue with puffy white clouds. A brisk arctic wind cuts and bites.

I, like many commentators, am watching the RNC Convention in Wisconsin.

I am quite impressed with the unity I see within the Delegation(s). Folks may not understand that the folks on the floor represent the state level “Electors” that eventually “elect” the President. And to me it looks like folks are pretty much getting along.

I note there are protests going on outside the convention hall, but I dont see any gratuitous and mindless rioting. Let me check again… OK, I find this: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/07/16/rnc-arrests-after-monday/74426277007/

Five people have been arrested near the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee since Sunday evening. For officials, it’s a sign that the increased security – strengthened in the aftermath of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump over the weekend – is working as intended.

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said the first day of the RNC was “a calm day,” with only three arrests made near the convention center. The other two arrests occurred Sunday evening in the lead up to the RNC.

So it’s a positive event being well managed after a terrible assassination attempt… ??? Golly, like the Blues winning the 2024 State of Origin… kinda disappointing. I was expecting more drama.

But there’s still time. I won’t get too far ahead of myself…

I shall comment per DJT’s pick for VP… Fucking Brilliant!

I didn’t know much about DJV, but what I have learned I like. He’s a no bullshit exMarine that was raised poor by his grandmama… What’s not to like? Time will tell, eh?

More later

Weather here in QLD is chilly. Not cold. Cold is anything below freezing. And we dont really see freezing temps here, so it’s just chilly. Contrary to what all these QLDers believe. Most folks here do not really know cold…

IOWA gets cold… I know cold. Its just very chilly here… down to 5c/ 40f.

Very much like a suspense filled thriller… The Day Of The Jackal, maybe… a lot has been and is going on behind and in front of the scenes we see replayed on and on and on…

Can you say “fucking lucky”…

Love him or hate him, it’s a sad state of affairs when the rhetoric and vitriol rises to the point of bullets in the air.

Im not sure if the world knows/ remembers that Teddy Roosevelt got shot by a would be assassin as he was heading to make a speech… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attempted_assassination_of_Theodore_Roosevelt

On October 14, 1912, former saloonkeeper John Schrank (1876–1943) attempted to assassinate former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt while he was campaigning for the presidency in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Schrank’s bullet lodged in Roosevelt’s chest after penetrating Roosevelt’s steel eyeglass case and passing through a 50 page thick (single-folded) copy of his speech titled “Progressive Cause Greater Than Any Individual”, which he was carrying in his jacket pocket. Schrank was immediately disarmed and captured; he might have been lynched had Roosevelt not shouted for Schrank to remain unharmed. Roosevelt assured the crowd he was all right, then ordered police to take charge of Schrank and to make sure no violence was done to him.

Many, many questions require honest attention… why was this allowed to happen, did the Secret Service screw up, was this a deep, dark secretive plot, or a simple lone wolf situation…

????

If one looks clearly we see that DJT has been harassed, pursued, demonised, drug through several courts… There has been high level “false-flag” campaigns that were aimed at “taking DJT out”, politically. Noting specifically the Russia hoax, which has been proven to be a paid-for-ploy by the DNC/ Clinton campaign. Many negatively aimed resources have been thrown in DJT’s direction. It is not unreasonable in my mind to think the same forces that have been gunning for DTJ for years now, decide to actually point a gun at him and pull the trigger. What options do they have? Play fair? it is politics…

They sure as shit have tried everything else, no? Are we really surprised by what has transpired?

And DJT still walks and talks, and now has a lot of iconic images being shown and reshown by everyone, every channel, every talking head…

I smile when I hear the pundits and talking heads carry on about how DJT brought this on himself. That his negative rhetoric and nasty nature has indeed drawn a bullseye on his back. Its DJT’s fault…

Right, sure, its DJT that is to blame for all the negativity and bloody rhetoric… No one else would stoop so low, be so vile…

Interesting times for an ol fart, arm chair commentator…

More later

I am always and all ways looking for curiosity in life. Something that makes me wonder ponder, think and sometimes research. Our world is filled with curiosities.

Recently I had puppies arrive in my kennels.

Below is my young friend Michelle with Siko. Both are great pups…

Something very special about puppies. Something spiritual, natural, clean, good, fun, loving…

Over the past 10 weeks I have been busy with the pups. The first 2 weeks are the busiest. Mortality rates are high in big-dog litters. My bitches are all one their first litter, the most dangerous when breeding.

This is my first litter in a multi-year planned programme to breed a great pups for each of my grandkids. My dogs are all 3 years old. I’ll take it easy but expect many more litters from my kennel.

It is a long term gig.

The curiosity I find is this:

I write maybe 25000 words of commentary annually. I comment on the weather, the world, politics, motorcycles, cars, speed limits, wood work, hell raising fun, and much more. I’m not on any schedule, aiming for a post a week. Failing abysmally, consistently.

I generally get a handful of hits on my commentary. Im not out doing anything great and glorious with my words. I just write, comment, share. It’s not a popularity contest, but it is nice when someone enjoys my words. Much of my writing is little more than a diary of thoughts, actions, deeds. I write for me…

With the puppy posts I get hundreds of hits. Tells me folks are more interested in my puppies than my words.

This is why I have taken to calling it Puppy Porn…

Puppy porn makes me smile.

More later

Im behind. Ive been bizzy. Lots going on. Lots to comment on…

But I’m in puppy mode these days…

I’ll write ab out less important things later…

Smiles

Sunday the 9th of June here in Aus. Blood sports on, grand-girlies visiting. Dogs and puppies and sunshine and grandkids… what’s not to like?

A couple matters under rumination today.

Found this article: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/06/08/trump-raises-12-million-in-silicon-valley-after-promising-to-deliver-energy-to-power-the-ai-revolution/, and I went off on a couple tangents…

This article, some may think, is about the upcoming US Presidential election, and Donald Trump. By posting anything about/ with Trump in it, I get hassled with claims that I am a Trump supporter.

This article is about the power supply/ availability/ cost in the USA – and world wide… The point for me is simple… We need power, readily available, abundant, cost effective power to do anything in our modern world. But the FACT that energy/ electricity/ power is scarcer, in greater demand, more costly NOW than in the past 100+ years… Just when we should have a handle on power creation and distribution… we end up in 3rd world style power crisis situation – world wide. 

Traditionally – as production increases to meet demand, as demand increases, costs across the board should drop. More volume means a huge advantage to end outputs. Aus holds huge reserves of low surfer/ low emissions coal. Huge reserves in gas and uranium. But we sell it all, ban the use locally and watch as power prices drive industry off shore. 

Not an uncommon story. The gist of this article is that China may be the only place with enough “capacity” to “fuel” the next stage of tech development. 

Abundant, cost effective, and continuous “power” moves mankind forward. Anything less = reverse of circumstances/ life style.

Or such are my thoughts on this Sunday of sunshine, chilled breezes and blood sports…

Smiles

PS:

Some puppy porn:

What the old song that goes… “it’s raining again….”? Let me check… An old SuperTramp song… been a while…

Because it is raining Im not out mowing.

And I watch as the Verdict for the Evil Orange Man is pending.

As the Crooked-Left attack the Crooked-Orange-Dude, using the full might and power of the Corrupted DNC, with the support and blessing of the Corrupted WhiteHouse, under the watch of the Corrupted Department of Judgement…

As factions shiver to not wet themselves, as pundits on all sides rant and rave, as those-who-agree smile with glee and say “gotcha”…

I honestly ask if there is any aspect of it all that is not Corrupted?

In this instance I find : corruption
UK /kəˈrʌpʃn/
noun (mass noun)
1. dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power

In an effort to preempt the stampede of euphoria that shall follow a conviction I offer a few words of restraint…

1. The entire circus, the farce that has been this NYC trial, is designed to get a conviction that will not “stick”, that will be overturned by an appeals court.
2. Judge Merchant has tailored it all to have a short legal half-life.
3. A conviction at any cost has always been the articulated aim.
4. There shall be a frenzy of celebration soon.
5. Reminiscent of the footage we saw as Gaddafi was beaten to death in the Streets of Sirte?
6. By being part of such a dishonourable deed, all and everyone become tainted, Corrupted.

Sad days for the voice of reason and The Blind Lady holding the scales…

Lastly… Dr Jill Biden counsels us all to prepare for the battle between Good and Evil…

Still trying to figure out what team she is on…

More later

A chilly Sunday morn here. Early temps about 10c/50f. It starts warming up as the sun peaks over the eastern ridges. As the day warms the valley fills with a thick vapour. Now, at 830am, there remains thin wisps hovering in trees and over the little pond. Very nice scenery. Very nice spot to wake up…

I woke this morn about 4am. My aging bladder does not cooperate any more so these early morn wake-ups are a way of life. Slide out of the nice warm bed, step onto the cold floor boards, shiver in a waking manner. Pump the bilges…

It was bright moonlight at 4am. I looked twice to see if Id left a light on in the kennels. The moonlight was casting shadows. I was not sure if it was my fault, or a happy effect of morning moon beams.

I tend to “sit” in the early hours of the morn. Like my aging bladder, my well worn and much damaged skeleton gets sore, creaks and groans if I sleep too much. So rather than go back to bed, during these early morn wake-ups, I wrap in a big afghan-blanket my Mother “hooked” for me, and travel the back roads of my mind…

The house here in the valley is a big, old monstrosity. Hallow as an empty caldron. High ceilinged, huge windowed, and very much open to the environment. When I first started visiting the Land of Aus I was baffled why houses here were not/ were seldom heated. My early years of visiting in “Winter” saw me thinking I was freezing. And I was. Flying in from the Tropics, from 30c/90f temps to what an Iowan would consider a “balmy”, 10c/50f was not easy. I was seldom prepared. Never really had the right clothes to wear.

But, as we know, becoming acclimatised takes time but makes a huge difference. Just like folks traveling from Iowa in winter to the Tropics, the drastic changes are at times harsh, even severe. But once you live through an Iowa winter, from woe to go, you find that, in February, after 3 months of subzero temps with deadly windchill, Its kinda warm when you get a “nice” sunny 0c/32f day.

So I sit most mornings.

Sitting comes to me from the eastern/ Zen side of my experiences. I won’t go as far as calling it “meditation”, but I learned to “sit” decades ago. Meditation can be work. Sitting is a pleasure.

When I “sit” I concentrate, think about my breathing. I clear my sinus passages, use my lungs to their capacity, hold my spine straight, and simply go through my lists. Walk through my recent experiences, exercise my memory, dose, dream, write, ruminate and travel far, wide and fast.

I know I am not doing it right when I find my head sagging, my breathing turn into snoring. I end up with a stiff neck if I dont wake up, adjust, come back to conscience sitting.

So I sit… Im in a room that is all windows. What a may be called a “Sun Room”. The Britts would call it a “Solarium”. Iowans would call it a “Porch”.

So I sit… I listen to the world around me… the birds, my dogs, the deer, the wind, the weather. The old house talking, telling tales and complaining. My house complains a lot.

It is a great place to “Sit”…

Me, in my Granny-blanket, as I write and ruminate.

Funny thing, as I write this, a second round of vapours drop into the valley. There is a ghostly, spiritual sense that comes with the wisps of vapour refilling the bowl that is the valley…

It’s warming up. Im going to have to get set work done. No bloodsport this Sunday.

I promised my 13yrold friend, MShelly, gourmet hot dogs today.

MShell is BigG’s daughter. They come out quite regularly to enjoy the farm, and let me feed them. BigG isn’t the world’s best cook. A single Dad, I think he tends to do what most modern dads do, order out. So when they come I like to feed them very good food.

Years ago MShell commented that her favourite food, her very best most enjoyable meal was “Mike’s Gourmet HotDogs”.

Thats one sure way to get Mike to cook for you. He revels in compliments.

More later

Big smiles