Centerpieces.

Valentine’s Day so far! Art, beer, and cooperative planning and dreaming.

Random question: I don’t suppose I have any followers out there with some knowledge of the Poughkeepsie, NY area. We’re headed out there in March and, since Vassar is near the top of Beatrix list and we didn’t have a chance to get a sense of the town on my last visit, I’d love suggestions.

Choose Democracy What can I do to fight this coup? - Choose Democracy

If you look, there are people resisting at every level. Blockades of freeways. American Bar Association urging an end to illegal orders. Past inspector generals penning op-eds, as a current inspector general refuses to accept her illegal firing. The Pope slamming VP Vance’s theology.

We can’t put everything you could do in here — including ways to ground yourself in these times — but here are some starting points on how to orient and help fight the coup.

Practical. Hopeful. Important.

The border tile that I had to special order finally arrived. So I was able to finish the tile work in the walk-in shower at our Summit house today. I will find the time to do the grout sometime this week for those following along, going to go with a dark gray grout.

Beatrix’s 17th Birthday Celebration

Beatrix turns 17 tomorrow. Tonight she’s having 16 of her friends over tonight for a dance party. Last night, I helped her turn our dining room into a Disco. We revved up her playlist and danced together to test it out.

No matter what happens, this is my life. This is what matters.

Art is how we tell the stories in ways only the heart can hear.

I’m not supposed to say this but a certain pop megastar and her football playing boyfriend are having dinner right now in the restaurant my sister is a server at in New Orleans. They are not in her section.

They have good taste, apparently.

For those following along, my talking points for my calls to my congress critters today were from Talking Points.

I’ll add, I’m impressed that I’ve gotten a live human most days when calling Rep. Betty McCollum’s office and he’s been quite nice, receptive, and encouraging (sometimes commiserating).