Politics

My new policy henceforth will be to vote against any incumbent in every election regardless of party...I do not see any other way to break the influence of lobbyists, although if the elections themselves are rigged even that may not help... A second jobless recovery/expansion seems to be occurring, similar to the last ten years... Big business does not care because their money will be made overseas, and politicians do not care because it is all one big happy,exclusive and wealthy club. This accelerating corruption between government and big business makes me thankful that the average person still owns guns-which is an unexpected thing for a pacifist to admit. Not sure where this will all lead, because most of us are still getting fat, but surely the excesses and disparities between the rich and powerful and the average person cannot be healthy for a democracy?

Figured I'd babble about Chelsea the dog, since I have not written here for awhile...She is a little over 3 years old, a terrier dachshund mix, and the first little dog ( Beth's ) I've ever been associated with...My last dog was a German Shepherd, and although the shepherd was a wonderful dog, intelligent and dignified, I am slowly believing that this little creature is the best animal I have ever known. There is more willingness to please in the small breeds I think-or a self awareness of the limitations of their small size- so she is obedient now that she knows what is expected of her, and shows admirable intelligence. I have not trained her to sit and other trivial commands-which are unimportant to me- yet I can open the door to let her into the yard, then tell her to wait while I go back in for several minutes, and she will be lying calmly near the door when I get back. Her patience is humbling as she stares at us while we fumble for the keys or tie our shoes or do all the other things humans do to delay themselves, then we take her to the woods where she runs full speed for 12 miles or more, never getting further away than what a few minutes and whistles can bring back. All the while she chases chip monks and squirrels and deer-which she never catches-hopping like a doe and clamoring over logs that challenge even me. At night she sleeps affectionately beneath the covers at our feet. Unlike many dogs she has no hesitancy to look us in the eye, rather seems to possess genuine cognitive understanding of certain things-at least to the extent that dogs can figure things out. And of course she is just cute, and charms everyone she meets, with the exception of tall men with baseball caps-a possible negative memory she retains from her puppy hood. She ended up in a rescue shelter where Beth adpoted her at around five months old. So... Chelsea...great little dog who is curled up on the bed beside me as I type...patiently waiting for me to get my arse back out side where she can run free!
POSTSCRIPT 12/26/09: She stepped into a leg hold trap about a week ago as we were walking along some railroad tracks. It had been set to capture a fox I suspect, and caused to her to scream in pain and shock and anger for the minute it took me to reach her and maneuver around her agitation in order to step on the release tabs at each end. Although I feared that it had cut right through and shattered her bone, by the time I had carried her the mile back to the car she was able to put some weight on that paw. Fortunately a quick check over by a vet-who told me that pets in traps were a common occurrence around here- confirmed that there were no serious injuries, so she was running full speed three days later. As for trapping, I see no real justification these days, although proponents will claim that it keeps populations in check. I suspect that habitat loss and highways have long replaced deliberate human culling as a necessity, and there are many alternatives to animal fur for clothing. Probably I would be less resistant to the practice if years ago I had not witnessed the chewed off leg of a raccoon which had maimed itself in order to escape a leg hold trap. Generally the trapped animals struggle awhile then settle down until the trapper-who is supposed to check his or her traps every 24 hours- arrives and shoots them in the head. I am no Disney idealist regarding nature, but the few dollars received for the fur makes what is a somewhat barbaric and inhumane activity questionable. I suppose that there are live catch traps available, but I doubt many trappers use them, and it still requires killing a wild animal for no good reason.

Where's the Beef?

This is a picture of my mom and Beth's fourteen year old son Kenny, following a performance of Titanic at the local theater. He has a solo singing part within a cast of talented adult performers, and shows remarkable poise for such a young kid. The dark glasses are a joke-they are 3D glasses given to us at a movie theater, but the old lady looks like the old Wendys commercial, eh?... Mom has begun to deteriorate noticeably in the past year, meaning that the good days are fewer and her general malaise has increased. She has been sleeping with oxygen since May and occasionally needs it during the day, and her ability to process conversation is definitely less than it was-never mind the hearing loss. She claims to not be afraid of death but thinks the dying process is not all that hot...There is always another infirmity slowing her down and recovery takes longer, although in her actions and willpower the balance must still be worth it, because she feels well enough most days to yet want to live. When you are 85 your life becomes talking about your latest illness and comparing doctor visits with your peers, and to my sister and I it seems a little pointless sometimes, as if there is an unspoken competition among old people to see who can live the longest, even if life is only sitting on the couch watching television or short excursions in the car. There seems to be an unwillingness among some of them to accept that one of these illnesses will be the last, and that there will be nothing more the doctor can do, and that maybe all the pills and money could be better spent. So far there have only been a few days when my mother felt bad enough that she said she wanted to die, so I guess that when those days become more numerous she will make up her mind to let go. As long as she can still do her crossword puzzles, and occasionally get out to work or to play bridge, then meandering around the house and falling asleep on the couch is life enough. She has never been a woman of deep religious nor spiritual faith, so does not see life and death in those terms, but was the primary caretaker of my ailing father, so has practical experience with end of life issues, just not her own. She says that she appreciates my attention and patience, but there is really not much I can do to help, for she is simply old, and as Jackson Browne wrote "In the end there is one dance you'll do alone" ...

Before & After

In mid-September this dam was removed from the Conewango River which runs through town and joins the Allegheny River about 200 yards downstream. It had been there for at least 90 years-maybe Civil War era-but supposedly (according to the Feds) was deteriorating to the point of endangering... fishermen? or whomever...so for a bid of some $100,000 it was demolished and hauled away in dump trucks. The process involved an air hammer and the dropping of a 1 1/2 ton wrecking ball, which gradually broke it into pieces which could be lifted into the trucks. Watching the work from the bridge it seemed like slow going, and the contractor confirmed that the concrete was extremely tough having cured in the water for a hundred years. No doubt it posed No threat to anyone in hindsight, but so goes government explanations. In truth it was just part of a program that endeavors to remove many low head dams and return American waterways to a more natural flow. Before work began there was a minor amount of local protest-nostalgia-to keep it, but not much, and afterward the department of fish and game relocated about 7,000 mussels-including one endangered species- upstream to slower moving water. So now the Allegheny river fish will have easier migration upstream, and the Conewango, which is already an excellent bass river, will likely be improved. As for the physical changes to the current, they too were minor and the overall depth a mile upstream remained the same.
POSTSCRIPT:4/9/10 -At least one homeowner upstream has noticed his land being eroded and a retaining wall collapsing into the river as a result of the dam removal. Subsequently his house foundation is experiencing stress and may eventually be structurally damaged. So far he has received no help from the state in correcting the problem, for reasons of there being no 'official' policy to address such things and the usual political feet dragging. It does sound, however, and though financial help will be approved-hopefully before the situation deteriorates.

The Hike From Hell

Took the worst hike I've had in at least a decade this morning...foolish of me not to expect today's 2 inch snowfall (October 16th??!!) to bend the saplings all the way to the ground and make some trails next to impassible... but of course after two miles it was too late to turn back, and around here there is no bush wacking off the trail because one gets lost too easily in the thousands of acres of wooded mountains. So I slogged on as the snow fell off the still fully leaved branches and thoroughly soaked me, all the while stepping into mud bogs to my boot tops because the ground rarely dries in Warren due to all the rain. I eventually came to a jeep road-normally wide enough for two vehicles-which also had trees bent double across it in places. I must admit that my sympathy for their plight mixed with curses at the difficulty they made walking. But so goes winter in Warren...Five plus months of mostly crap for an outdoor loving walker like me. I am accustomed to the more favorable temperatures and precipitation further east near Philadelphia and New York-where the sun actually shines for more than a day or two... methinks I will Never wholly acclimate to this... The future plan-after my mother dies and when full retirement kicks in- is to spend two or three months each winter in a warmer climate, but that time is not here yet so I simply have to suck it up and find the good. I've actually considered taking up bowling on cold January days...?? In the meantime Beth and I will be flying to Florida for a week or two in February, which will be something to look forward to and break up the dreary skies...because I am normally quite optimistic, I am embarrassed to sound so depressing, but weather wise Warren truly is the Seattle of the east to me, only colder.

Pittsburgh

Just a couple shots of P-Burg, a neat city situated along three rivers and in between mountains...It is still on the distressed cities list after losing it's steel industry, but seems to hold it's pride up with the Steelers Superbowl winning streak. My niece's wedding was on a riverboat which cruised the water, and everyone had a good time as far as I could tell. We rode the incline the next day(a cable car up a nearby slope) which offered this view of the skyline-but rain canceled a planned zoo trip...maybe next time. Unfortunately, the east has been inundated with rain all season-the wettest on record in New England-so this week will be another washout. At such times I miss that dry heat in the southwest...Wildfires? what wildfires?

Goldenrod

This is an entire hill filled with goldenrod, which is very common in the fields at this time of year...fortunately I am not allergic......The temperature has averaged about 60-70F, the sun has been out at least part time, and within another month the surrounding mountains will be wholly transformed into the fall foliage. In some regards it has been the summer that wasn't-cooler and wetter than usual-but the showers were passing, with enough sun in between to keep me happy during my walks. I'm still toiling...s-l-ow-l-y...on a rewrite of the first draft, which for some reason is taking much longer the second time around...probably because I am more obsessive about each word, and more distracted by other things, and have not set a time limit thus far. I find comfort in knowing that Walden took Thoreau almost seven years and Gone With The Wind took Mitchell ten years, so I'm simply trying to meet my own standards. On the home front my mother continues to work and play bridge and do her crossword puzzles, and Beth and I are as committed as ever-truly friends and lovers in a way I only imagined to have been possible before meeting her. My niece will be getting married in Pittsburgh on the 26th, so that will give us the opportunity to see the city and see my kids and for all of us to do a little sight seeing. I hope that everyone reading this-if anyone reads this blog-is doing well and has an enjoyable autumn...keep the faith!