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.

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.

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.



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!

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!
 

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!

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.

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.

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.

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. 

 
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).

Oh John, what a kidder.



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



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:

• 80s Lonely at the Top Farm Animal T-shirt
• 80s Hendersonville Apple Clouds T-shirt
• 70s Democrat for Commissioner T-shirt

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!

addicted to power

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



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.



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

pinwheel of labradors

plus, tennis ball

plus, sugarchunks

dogs at play

fully spring loaded



post swimming puppy frenzy!



whirlwind of dog



sugarfangs



action



and scene.

easy like sunday morning

levitating eli

 

levitating sugarhoney (tongue out as far as it goes)

and then there's pouncey

 

take this sunday and grab it by the ballz!

Dog Pees in Toilet!

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

The Most Amazing Dog Video Ever by Grupo DeFato.

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

daily sugarhoney: sugarturkey

frosty early walking.

and a sugarshadow.

 

eli made it to the top of the world

the snuggliest.

it was a lovely thanksgiving, complete with delicious turkey.

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!



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

daily sugarhoney: sugarroll

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



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.
 

 

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.

more than leaf peeping, she enjoys leaf eating.

 she also likes leaf sniffing.

and don't forget leaf snuggling.

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!

 

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

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. 



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:

•  1974 Male Chauvinist Desk Organizer Jewelry Box
• 80's Fox Hunt 3-D applique sweater
• 70's Teddy Bear in Floppy Hat Short Sleeve Sweatshirt