Monday, December 31, 2012

December 31 2012

As this year, which has been so difficult in so many ways, for so many people we love (and so many more that we don’t) finally draws to a close, I sit here at the computer with Sadie Bluefoot at my own feet, typing whatever seems relevant. And why Bluefoot?


For reasons neither the vet, Brian or I can fathom, she managed to rip not one, but two, nails, one on each front paw. After a week of trying to stop the incessant licking with bitter apple spray and continuous “No, Sadies” night and day, I finally realized that this was not going to improve on its own. Plus I was beginning to be a bit psychotic from lack of sleep (it really IS a torture!). So off to Dr. Kate’s we went last Friday, an hour before they closed for the New Year’s break. Sure enough, Dr. Kate took one look, said “That must REALLY hurt!”, and gave us stuff to soak both paws twice daily for five minutes, and instructions to bag both front feet when Sadie goes out to the dog run. The good news here is that in solidarity with Sadie, who can’t go on walks till she sees Dr. Kate this Friday, I am not surprisingly foregoing them myself. And as winter has finally arrived here with over a foot of snow, icy roads, and general winter stuff I forgot since last winter was so mild, I am quite content to stay in and have a plausible reason to do so.

I am sure all of you are still reeling from the horrific event at Sandy Hook; I can only hope that this will indeed be some kind of tipping point and result in something more sane than the NRA position (unchanged over decades) that the solution to gun violence is more guns. Even though my teaching experiences now date back to the Paleolithic era in internet terms, I still remember them clearly and from my personal experience of confiscating home-made guns and knives from children barely into their teens, more guns doesn’t strike me as helpful to anyone but the producers of weapons and ammunition. I could go on and on, but instead will provide you with several shots of the grandchildren: Hyla, Ayro and Calder (Caly) Dotson being cute in various ways all year.







I tried several times to get a half-way decent shot of the full moon on our way too much snow, and especially the way the little solar lights cast starbeam shadows on the snow, but alas, our really low end digital camera was just not up to it. Or maybe it’s the equally low end photographer??? So I leave it to you to picture it in your own mind. I will never be a fan of snow, but even I can see how beautiful a pristine country snowfall can be – until we have to leave the house and actually deal with it.

And here for your viewing pleasure, my favorite Christmas photo, our neighbor cat (one of the dozen or so that have such great lives thanks to our neighbors' perpetual open door policy) taken by our neighbor photographer George - very cute indeed!


I end this year as I began it, wishing that all my loved ones have only good things come their way, and that we all will have only happy surprises in the coming year. We send many hugs to all, and especially to the far too many of you who have had such difficulties with health problems, both human and furry. It is said at the end of finishing one of the five books of the Torah, one chants “Be strong, be strong, and strengthen each other” – so I wish for all of us that we will in fact be strong, and will be more present this year than last to strengthen each other. With love from the frozen foothills of the Catskills, LK, Brian and Sadie

Warning: the following paragraph contains political ranting; reader discretion advised! In light of Congress’ continual abysmal lack of action, culminating in refusing to vote for the UN resolution providing adequate safeguards for disabled people worldwide (not to mention their SHOCK, SHOCK of the looming “fiscal cliff’ which they set up two years ago and have, true to form, done nothing constructive about), I have written the President to suggest disbanding Congress without pay for the foreseeable future, until they can actually do something for their constituents. But of course it’s too late now, as in a few days a (partially) new Congress will be seated, and my last feeble hopes are pinned on incoming Senator Elizabeth Warren. We shall see.. I have also sent repeated emails to the White House and Congress, volunteering to do nothing right here at my home for 50% of whatever is the lowest current pay there. If enough folks could be recruited to do this, we could immediately slash our legislative budget by half! I also think the UN should be disbanded, or at least the US should pull funding, since we have plenty of folks who will demonize both the US and Israel for free. And whatever funds are saved should go directly to Hurricane Sandy survivors (though not us, luckily, as we were very anxious and a bit uncomfortable but never had to evacuate) as many of them, more than two months later, are still without food, shelter, or a timeline to get them. And I thought the response to Katrina was bad – this is more than twice as slow and involved many times the number of people.