Because we fly our pride flag three seasons of the year, it takes quite a beating and fades from exposure to the sun and elements. So we have gotten use to replacing it on an annual basis since moving in 7.5 years ago.
My dear husband had the wherewithal to up our game and order the recently upgraded, more inclusive pride flag.
We are proud of our life, marriage, and home together, and we are proud to show our support for our extended Community, Allies, Family and Friends.
We lost power around 400 today, just as I ended my work day. There was a torrential downpour and then – POOF – everything shut off. We threw open the blinds and curtains, enjoyed a couple hours of daylight, and grilled swordfish and Brussels sprouts on the grill outside for dinner.
It finally became dark enough that it was time to light the candles and start a fire in the fireplace. I’ll open a bottle of red wine, curl up with the dogs in blankets on the sofa, listen to music on one of our devices, and try to remember why losing power is so awful.
While I worked from home today, in the basement, Jeffrey was out mowing the lawn (he’s on staycation this week.)
Rita tends to get a bit barky when both of us are out of the room, so she started a barking tirade. To quiet her down, I brought her downstairs to hang in the office with me while I worked.
She was not having any of it, so she stood at the gate barrier the whole time, waiting for me to release her from the K-9 Klink.
I couldn’t decide what to feel: jovial that she looked like a tiny prisoner, or hurt that being stuck downstairs with me was so awful.
Today is
National Fruit at Work Day
Let’s here it for your LGBTQ+ bosses, co-workers, and staff. Woohoo!
https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-fruit-at-work-day-first-tuesday-in-october/
Oh, wait…
Today, Jeffrey and I celebrate our 21st Wedding Anniversary – a marriage that has only been legally recognized since 2011 – just 9 years, out of 21.
As have so many others, we struggled and fought our whole adult lives for this status and take it very seriously. It is precious and powerful in a way that is hard to explain to those who have never had to wait for their government to decide to grant them such a privilege, or had the validity of their relationship questioned by an entire society.
While we normally focus on the love and life we have shared, and not the struggle to get here, we see our marriage status threatened once again by people, policies, and politics being put into play. While no one can take away the truth of our marriage, they can take away the protections that only come if it remains legally recognized.
Ours is just one of many stories of people and communities that can and will be harmed if we don’t change the direction this country is going in when we’re given the chance next month.
If you truly believe America is it’s people, not it’s politicians, then stop treating your vote like you’re supporting one person or another. Your voting for the ideals and beliefs of opportunity, fairness, compassion, equality, for yourself and your friends, family, and community.
So, if you really believe:
Black lives matter; Veterans deserve respect, gratitude, and care; Women’s bodies are their own to manage and should earn equal pay and opportunity; Children don’t belong in cages; All employees deserve a living wage; Healthcare should be a right, not a privilege; The environment needs our help; Immigrants are not evil; People should be free to love who they choose; no one should be dismissed or disregarded because of their age, skin pigment, ethnicity, faith, education, sexual orientation, gender identity, income, or disability; diversity is beautiful; wearing a mask is less awful then inadvertently killing someone; and – yeah – Natzis are bad…
Then please cast your vote to remove the person who has spent four years proving he doesn’t and, among the million other reasons to do so, help ensure Jeffrey and I can spend the rest of our short lives on this planet as a legally married couple in a country we can stop being ashamed and afraid of.
If you do, we’ll owe you one.
Thanks a bunch.
Autumn is my Boo (but not my only one!). I love the weather and the things that come with it: cooler weather, wearing sweaters, sipping cocoa, roaring fires in the fireplace. I’m not a big Halloween guy, per se, but I’ve grown to enjoy it more as we’ve developed a few traditions around the day.
I also like that its our wedding Anniversary month (21 years tomorrow). I take great pride in our marriage and all that we’ve weathered together, not the least of which was fighting for it to be legally recognized. It is also the Anniversary of the date I started working for my agency, 22 years as of the 14th, which means a another year of service credit completed and another year closer to retirement (5 years, 7 months to go.)
To add to the sense of change and anticipation with this new time of year, we’ve also recently jumped back on the health band wagon, purging the house of all the bad foods that have contributed to our rapidly increasing waistlines and returning to regular exercise and healthier eating. (No Necco Wafers, Black Licorice, or syrup filled Wax Bottles for us this year, I’m afraid. *smirk*) Unlike many, we don’t try to get in shape for summer swimwear every year – we try to slim down for favorite warm fuzzy pajamas and sweaters that were getting snug the previous year.
Additionally, October will be quite different, thanks to COVID and its supporters aka the Covidiots that want to pretend this Pandemic isn’t happening or that they have no responsibility to their communities or families help stop the spread and save lives. So no weekends away to our favorite fall get aways and no trick-or-treaters.
I know many dread this time of year – the passing of summer, increased darkness and cold, and the impending snow (for those of us living where it does so) and I know it is particularly difficult for those affected by SAD. (I am not immune to bouts of SAD myself, but that tends to hit me in January.)
But, if I’ve learned anything in my 49 years of life, its that I must find moments of bliss, even in the darkest of times. My head, heart, and soul need respite from the barrage of bad, especially if I’m going to keep fighting the good fight. So please forgive me if there’s a small spring in my step and song in my heart this morning. These spurts of happiness seem fewer and far between these days, so I need to embrace and revel in them when they come.
Happy October. May there be good news and times ahead for us all.
I feel I have not been doing my duty as a collector, and Robzilla has been putting me to shame. To do my fair share, I purchased the three new 2020 additions to the Jim Shore DC Collection for Hallmark I started last year.
They look fantastic when added to my existing collection
Rita and Harvey have become friends with the Goat herd in Jeffrey’s Office and spend the day cuddled with them while Jeffrey works. While Rita is easy to spot in the first 3, Harvey’s a bit of a challenge to see in the forth pic.
Can you find him?
