Saturday 5 September 2020

Enjoying a heat wave this weekend. Today: 24 (that's 75 for the Celsius challenged). Locals are complaining. We warm weather wimps are hoping it lasts for a few more weeks to explore New England before breathing becomes visible. Refuse to put a diesel heater in the craft as we won't stay cold for long. It gets to 15C (60F) we're beating feet south.

Had big plans for the long weekend: ferry to Providence or sail to Bristol, but inertia has capped enthusiasm at least through today. Doctor and PT scheduled Tuesday and another round of torture Thursday, but may blow that one off and head toward P'town (Provincetown, Cape Cod) Wednesday. Since Jan hasn't seen it since childhood also want to explore Boston. Wouldn't want to live there, but it's a fantastic visit. When weather is nice New England is a wonderful place: friendly inhabitants, lobster, clam chowder, history and lots of the most beautiful boats on the planet. Even some great looking stinkpots (powerboats). Downsides are expense and half the year is damp cold or freezing with no sailing.

Sunday

Another beautiful day in paradise - at least one more. We've walked up to CRU Cafe, about eight hundred meters (that's half a statute mile for the metrically challenged) to have breakfast and partially assuage guilt engendered by doing diddly yesterday. It's working, but then we're not often tortured by our delinquencies.

Perhaps later we'll go to Fort Adams, which guards the immediate approach to Newport and to Providence further up. We've been in Rhode Island now for nearly six weeks and yet to visit. Although people come from around the world to see it, lived in Memphis for four years and never went to Graceland. There's probably a message there somewhere, but anyway, can't stay here much longer. If we put down roots moss will begin growing on our north sides. If you weren't a Boy Scout or live nearer the equator and don't know what that means, disregard.

*** Subversive Seriousness and Imprudent Opinion Alert *** If you love me and wish to continue, end here. DO NOT read this!!!

Haven't seen much overt, zealous, political tribalism up here in a blue state as in areas further south. Folks seem less impassioned for their side, led by the warmed-over, semi-sentient, wishy-washy, authoritarian gaffer, than by their rabid hatred of the other tribe's guy.

As for the Reds, despite their own culpabilities, which are manifest and part of the problem, one can hardly blame many people who've watched the country's governance going so badly off the rails for decades and been treated like fly-over country deplorables by the ruling elites and mainstream media, finally having their fill and voting for an incompetent, narcissistic, crass, authoritarian populist. Confirmation bias has apparently allowed them to think his blundering has made the situation better and that he hasn't degraded the political discourse and brought both sides down to his level. Although Trump is probably the worst, he's a result, not a cause. Ultimately we get the government we deserve and the damage isn't going to be repaired soon no matter which bozo is elected for the next four years.

By the way, for everyone either blue or red, but especially for any resident of a non-swing state that will absolutely go one way or the other, it matters not which way you vote, you're pissing it away. If you can't find a third party that more closely aligns with what you actually think is right and proper, show your displeasure by writing in Mickey Mouse. Your grandchildren will thank you.

"The most costly of all follies is to believe passionately in the palpably not true. It is the chief occupation of mankind".
- H. L. Mencken

Jack & Jan