Mar 5, 20223 min read

Driveway Party

Current US COVID related deaths: 983,486

US COVID deaths as of yesterday: 981,729

From the earliest days of his first presidential campaign, Donald Tr*** aggressively challenged the pillars of Republican foreign policy that defined the party since World War II.

He mocked John McCain's capture during the Vietnam War, validated autocrats with his platitudes, questioned longtime military and security alliances and embraced an isolationist worldview. And to the horror of many GOP leaders at the time, it worked, resonating with voters who believed, in part, that a bipartisan establishment in Washington had brokered trade deals that hurt American workers and recklessly stumbled into so-called “forever wars.”

But Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine is posing a serious test for Tr*** and his “America First” doctrine at a moment when he is eyeing another presidential run and using this year's midterm elections to keep bending the GOP to his will. He's largely alone in his sustained praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin as “smart,” an assessment he reiterated last week during speeches to donors and conservative activists. His often deferential vice president, Mike Pence, split with him on the issue late Friday.

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Rant coming….feel free to skip if you need to: So, my honey and I were on the phone at 8 AM this morning…he has been trying to get a refill on his heart medicine for 5 days as he will run out on Sunday, when we leave for Florida. I’m sure you’ve run into this…anyplace you call…they try to get you to hang up and go to their website. Well, I’ve sent 2 messages on 2 different days through the website portal…and nothing. So today, we were determined to stay on the phone as long as it took to talk to a human (you know what I mean….push a bunch of buttons for a bunch of different questions…then wait….wait….wait!!) Anyway, we finally get through to someone and they indicate that they will send a request to the doctor (ha…ask me if I really believe this will be any different). After she is done, I ask about the questions I sent through the portal….and she says….and I quote ‘’oh, that’s kind of hit or miss’, mostly miss lately’’!!!!!!!!! Really????????? You keep sending people to the portal, but it doesn’t even get looked at!?!??!

Anyway, once we were done, my honey headed off for some routine blood work Friday morning (3/4). Meanwhile I get a text and email, asking me to sign-in for my upcoming appointment. I click on the link…and it says I have an appointment today!!!! I have NOTHING on my calendar…so now I have to call…answer a bunch of questions…and wait, wait, wait. Finally when I get a warm body and I explain I got a text about an appointment, but have nothing on my calendar, she says ‘’oh, your husband turned in your blood collection cards, and when that happens we automatically slot it in to be read by our staff…and you automatically get a message that you have an appointment’’ (when I don’t!!!) What kind of stupid system is that? OK….rant over….until we call CVS later today to find out once again that no prescription has been called in :~(.

Meanwhile, I made myself a couple of eggs before heading down to the studio. I made a start at loading up Paula’s quilt, and Lucy was being silly with a selvage strip while I worked:

I stopped working when Michael got home, to borrow the car and drop off the jacket, sweater and blanket donations to someone who lives in SCCL…but far away. My honey gave Cookie a bath in the afternoon, and I finally managed to dig out her beautiful, new collar, made by Pat W’s granddaughter:

She looks so purdee!!!!

I got Paula’s backing and batting loaded, and was working on centering the top when a customer arrived for quilt pick-up. We talked for quite a bit, and by the time they left, it was time to set up for our driveway party. We had a lot of hardy souls who braved the cold for 1-1/2 hours:

-I can't believe Mike sat on the ground the entire time!