Showing posts with label nature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nature. Show all posts

Friday, February 05, 2016

Heartstrings Tax Break


There's a hidden cost savings that would result from universal health care - i haven't seen this addressed anywhere yet - but I spent a bunch of money last year trying to defray the medical costs of people I have never met.

I sent $375 through gofundme to 8 different friends of friends, or friends of friend's friends who, in desperate bids to avoid being completely wiped out by an accident or illness, reached out to the Internet. I read the stories of a woman who lost everything she owned and half her skin in a fire, and had to donate. The 37 year old father with pancreatic cancer. The 5 year old boy with a brain tumor. I wasn't required to pay for their healthcare, but once I read their stories and saw their pictures, once they moved me to tears, felt compelled to donate. Kind of a heartstrings tax. Golden rule tax. 

I could have donated more to each of them and it still wouldn't have been enough. I could have donated to more of the gofundmes that came across my screen and it still wouldn't have been enough.

Would I gladly pay about that same $375/year in taxes every year to ensure NOBODY in this country goes through that ordeal of begging the internet for help when they get sick ever again - to ensure EVERYBODY gets health care? Yes! I believe strongly this is something we should fight for and not give up until it happens. 

Bernie Sanders is fighting hard for this, whether you support him or not, think about supporting universal single payer health care, and pressuring your representatives to do the same.

Tuesday, November 03, 2015

sugarspay


our favorite little dumptruck went under the knife yesterday.

she went through one heat in august, and that was plenty. there are no sugarpuppies in our future.


sugar spay

she did great in her surgery, and was doing okay once we came home, though she was pacing around whimpering until she settled in this spot to watch the game with her dad.

recovering from spay

she is expected to make a full recovery, and will have stitches for the next two weeks, during which time she is to be kept dry and calm. all we can do is try on that one!

way to go sugarsnickers!

Thursday, September 24, 2015

the difference


between pouncey and sug - summarized in one frame.

>


pouncey: BALL BALL BALL BALL BALLLLLLL!!

sug: la, la laaaa...doo, doo, doooo...i'm hopping around! pouncey, you get it... wheee!
 

Wednesday, July 08, 2015

running bear

and we've got to get ourselves back to the gaaaa-aaaa-aaaa-arden!



saw this little fella stopped in a neighbor's driveway yesterday afternoon. it started running from us, through yards, into the woods. 

looked to be young and healthy, about 150 lbs. 

we had an encounter in the yard last week with a bear - i was out there throwing the ball for all 3 dogs around lunchtime, sugarhoney stopped in her tracks and started growling, eli blazed past her directly at a big black bear 20 yards away just over a hill, i started yelling for all dogs to come with me back to the house, they followed me, and the bear walked in the opposite direction.

it's a jungle out there!

Wednesday, March 04, 2015

WTF Wednesday: Sugarstitches, Fake Frat, Dental Assisting


It's Wednesday, let's WTF!

I have survived almost 4 decades without needing stitches. This changed on Monday as I was hit by a sugarfreight train.

hit by a sugarfreight train

While walking down a muddy hill, a 60 lb furry dumptruck sprinted by, knocking both of my feet out from under me, sending me flying, and I landed flat on my back and wrist.

did i do that
Oooops, did I do that?

The blood spouted plentifully from that smiley face gash. 

We went to urgent care where the physician's assistant's assistant (it had to be his first day, ever) tried to numb it, but did not in fact numb it. He told me they had practiced on hot dogs.

sugarstitches

Some women brag about natural childbirth, i am bragging about natural stitches. There was no anesthesia, I felt every stitch! 

Here it is now with 4 stitches, healing up - it's my mousing hand, so I have to be careful. I also keep seeing it in my periphery which is causing me flashes of panic because it looks like a spider on my hand. Other than that, it's fine. 

sugarstitches
 
Moving along to a couple of vintage t-shirts I picked up last week.  First, this 60's football jersey with fake fraternity letters. Iy Phelta Thi. (Say it out loud).

iy phelta thi

Oh John, what a kidder.

iy phelta thi back

Last but not least this wearable tribute to the oft-underappreciated career that is Dental Assisting

dental assisting vintage t-shirt

Scraping gums - just like dancing on rainbows! 

As with all wtf wednesdays, there are no answers, only questions leading to more questions.

For more vintage wtf wonders (for sale), click here: vintage wtf

New WTF this week:

Thursday, February 26, 2015

SNOWDAY!

They called for 5 inches, and we got 5 inches.  The dogs love it!



This is a different kinda snowball.

 
Sunrise on the snowy Swannanoa river.

 
I always dreamed of becoming a white lab.

 
Pouncey will get the ball, no matter what. 

 
Sugarhoney will stalk him on the bank, no matter what. 

 
Something on your nose, E.

 
Snow pounce!


Sugar heart tongue. 


Stay warm, amigos!

Monday, February 16, 2015

addicted to power

once again this year, we gleefully celebrated valentine's day with arby's. 

bag of arbys

power went out during a wild windstorm saturday at 830 pm, and it was restored at 5pm on sunday. generally i spent the outage railing against humanity, researching generators, calling duke power for updates every 15 minutes, scampering through neighbors' yards looking for signs of progress, rage-cleaning the stovetop, and going to creekside taphouse for many dranks.

sugarhoney spent the outage sitting like a human.

yoga sugarhoney

i hope everybody stays safe, snuggly, and warm during the forecasted ice storm!

all 3 on the couch

Friday, January 23, 2015

pinwheel of labradors


pinwheel of labradors

plus, tennis ball

plus, sugarchunks

Friday, December 19, 2014

dogs at play


fully spring loaded

pouncey spring loaded

post swimming puppy frenzy!

sugarfangs

whirlwind of dog

couch frenzy

sugarfangs

rabid sugarhoney

action

puppy whirlwind

and scene.

dogbed puppy puzzle

Sunday, December 14, 2014

easy like sunday morning


levitating eli

 eli ball

levitating sugarhoney (tongue out as far as it goes)

as far out as sugarhoney's tongue gets

and then there's pouncey

pouncey ball
 

take this sunday and grab it by the ballz!

Monday, December 01, 2014

Dog Pees in Toilet!

Jimmy J from defunkd vintage t-shirt collective just posted this on facecrack:



I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS POSSIBLE!!!!!!

Sunday, November 30, 2014

daily sugarhoney: sugarturkey



frosty grass

frosty early walking.

and a sugarshadow.


eli made it to the top of the world

eli on top of the world
the snuggliest.

sugarhoney pillow


it was a lovely thanksgiving, complete with delicious turkey.

Saturday, November 01, 2014

daily sugarhoney: sugarsnow


2 days ago it was 80 degrees.

this morning it's 30 with 5 inches of snow.

sugarhoney says that's okay!

sugarsnowflakes

she has already peed on the deck and learned how to make snowballs.


sugarsnowball

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

daily sugarhoney: sugarroll


sugarhoney is not the most svelte puppy i've ever seen.

sugarchunks and pounce

the extra skin on her back forms a sugarroll. a veritable dorsal fin of chub.

there was a sitcom called E/R from 1983-84 with elliott gould and george clooney. there was an overweight nurse whose husband sang her a song. i cannot find it on video, but it went like this:

i want a woman with loooooove handles
something i can hold on to
skinny girls just don't hooooold a candle
to my sweet meat mama, that's you!

this song reminds me of sugarhoney.
 

 

Monday, October 27, 2014

daily sugarhoney: sugarfoliage

USA Today has just named Asheville one of the top 10 brightest fall foliage destinations in the US.

i must say it's pretty spectacular.

sugarhoney had some fun in the leaves this weekend.

falling leaves sugarhoney

more than leaf peeping, she enjoys leaf eating.

sugarhoney leaves

 she also likes leaf sniffing.

sugarhoney leaves

and don't forget leaf snuggling.

sugarhoney leaves


Sunday, October 19, 2014

highest puppy on the eastern seaboard (6692 ft)


highest puppy on the eastern seaboard (6692 ft.)

sugarhoney broke a record this morning, becoming the highest puppy (i think) on the eastern seaboard.

she summitted* mount mitchell (6684 ft).

plus kevin is 6 ft. 3 inches.

plus they are standing on a 2 ft. bench.

6692 ft puppy. 

mark it dude!

me & sugarchunks & table rock 

*all but the last 25 ft or so were summitted via motorcar.

sugartrunk

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

WTF Wednesday: Fallen Tree, Crouching Unicorn


Good morning, Wednesday! Good morning, WTF-ery! Let's scratch our heads. 

First here are some weather-related WTF's. 

A major storm blew through here and knocked a neighbor's white pine tree across our driveway yesterday. 

pine tree down on driveway

The rain gauge had a field day - 2.25 inches in 24 hours! 




WTF!?

Now a couple more vintage record albums:


Looks like a normal 60's religious singing record, but with an Indian twist. Her dress is slightly Bollywood, and the scene is definitely Eastern, but her hair is 100% Mississippi Gospel. Barbara Maharaj.

WTF?



This lovely family donned matching rodeo gear, sat in a pasture, and looked longingly at roses. JL and the Country Squires - Living in the Present and Loving (roses) in the Past. 

WTF?!

Here's a nice example of rustic native art:



Koko the coco gorilla?  WTF?!

Finally here's a ceramic unicorn. What is he doing? Dying? Kneeling? Sharpening his horn?



WTF?!


As with all wtf wednesdays, there are no answers, only questions leading to more questions.

For more vintage wtf wonders (for sale), click here: vintage wtf

New WTF this week: