Happy March. 
Here's some stuff you simply have to know about the month.

Birthstone: Aquamarine
Flower: Daffodil

Full Moon March 9th

American Dietetic Association National Nutrition Month American Red Cross Month Caffeine Awareness Month National Craft Month Epilepsy Awareness Month Flour Month Fresh Celery Month Frozen Food Month Irish-American Month Music in our Schools Month Noodle Month National Nutrition Month Flour Month Nutrition Month Peanut Month Professional Social Work Month Sauce Month Women's History Month Youth Art Month March Holidays

Read Across America Day (Dr. Seuss Birthday)
Saint Patrick's Day
Pi Day
Daylight Saving Day

Spring Equinox March 19th
Women's History Month
National Nutrition Month
American Red Cross Month
Fire Prevention Month

Another year rolls by

Yesterday was my 77th birthday.  Twice a year I set aside a few minutes to reflect on how things have been going-my birthday and New Year's Eve.  The two events are fairly close so nothing much changes.

It's hard to believe I'm edging closer and closer to what in my mind is the magic number for OLD-80!  All things considered I'd say I'm in pretty good shape.  I have a great family who are all doing well; we are financially secure; and in spite of some bumps in the road I'm in fairly decent health.   Not much to complain about there, is there? 

So onward I go,  head-long into the late 70s.  I'll keep doing what I've been doing and hope the future is good to me.  That's all one can do.

Let's talk about, what else?, the weather

Today is Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020.  It is a partly cloudy day and the temperature is currently 34º in my location of Newtown, CT at 3:30 P.M. There is a slight breeze thus producing a windchill factor making it feel in the upper 20s.

 I mention this because this past fall I got my annual Old Farmer's Almanac.  The OFA is a magazine that's been around since the late 1700s.  It's famous for its long range weather forecasts and since I'm a bit of a weather nut, I find it very appealing.  Every year it looks back on the previous year to determine how close they were.  As it turns out, they're pretty darn good-like about a 90% accuracy for temperatures and precipitation for our area.

At about the time I get my new almanac I also get a PocketPal Calendar  notebook from my wife's office.  In the past I've never known what to do with it because I use an electronic calendar on my computer but this year I decided to keep a daily weather journal.  Then at the end of the year I can compare it to the Old Farmer's Almanac and check it for accuracy.

So far, the Almanac is right on the money-milder winter, less precipitation.

Keep in mind this applies to our region.  I'm not comparing it on a national level.  We'll see how the rest of the year goes and I'll report back.  

And we're off....albeit, a little stumble out of the gate.

 Well, the primary season is here-for the Democrats at least since the republicans seem to think they're going to be OK with their pig...oops, I mean guy.

The primaries have definitely gotten off to a rough start with the fiasco in Iowa but for what it's worth the Iowa caucus is over rated anyway.  New Hampshire went much more smoothly but there again it's over rated. 

It's not until Super Tuesday that we'll have a much better idea who the candidate will be.  I just hope the dems can keep it together.  They are a pesky bunch and they have a nasty habit of making a mess out of the political process.  But this one is important-maybe the most important election this nation has ever had.  Trump is an unmitigated disaster and he has got to go so don't blow it, guys-or gals. 

Back to Kindergarten

A couple of weeks ago I ran into a bunch of former colleagues at a small function.  One of them-a kindergarten teacher-asked me to come to her classroom to do a science lesson.  I happily agreed.

It's been a while since I worked with kinders, as they're called.  My last contact with them was when my younger grandson was a kinder.  He's now in fifth grade so I was a little rusty. 

Yesterday was the day of the lesson and it seems I haven't lost my touch.  The kids were great and the lesson went very well.  So well, in fact, it seems the teacher will be asking her colleagues if they'd like me to do it for their classes.  Of course I will be happy to comply.

I've been retired from full time teaching for 16 years but for a few years after that I subbed and then volunteered in my grandsons' classes.  This year I haven't done much until now and it felt good to get back in there.  I hope there will be more to come.

As they say-Once a teacher, always a teacher.

What is a Presidential Medal of Freedom now worth?

First, a disclaimer-I did not watch the SOTU address.  I did see two particular parts of it on the news-Trump snubbing Nancy Pelosi's offer to shake hands and her tearing up his speech.  Then I heard that Rush Limbaugh had been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom-the highest award a civilian can receive. 

Rush Limbaugh is of course a conservative radio personality known for his long, bombastic diatribes against anything even remotely progressive or liberal.  He's especially hard on democrats.  For all these reasons far right nut-jobs love him.

Well, he recently announced he has stage 4 lung cancer.  In spite of his obnoxious and arrogant demeanor I wish him the very best medical care he can get.  And while he's getting that care I hope he thinks about the millions of people who don't have that level of care available to them due in part to his constant preaching against government provided affordable health care options.

So the question is this-does a guy like Limbaugh deserve such a prestigious medal?  Seriously?  I know it seems crass to pick on him while he's facing such a serious illness but were it not for that would anyone really think he's worthy of such an honor?

The answer is simply no.  Be well, Rush, but give back the medal so it doesn't become a joke!

Fifty one republican traitors

Sometime late last night 51 republican senators decided to betray their country by siding with the most corrupt, unethical coward to ever occupy the White House. 

This travesty must be corrected in November.  Vote...for anyone but Trump.  And while we're at it, let's turn the Senate, shall we? 

Our country depends on it!