LIFE'S BETTER IN THE MOUNTAINS

Friday, June 14, 2013

Fridays Are Golden

 
 
Lucy does not play well with other dogs.  She is not agressive or shy; she simply doesn't seem to know how to interact in the dog world.  We frequently took both dogs to a wonderful dog park near our house in WI.  Ellie would make friends immediately and play and play with all sorts of other dogs.  Lucy would tag along after Ellie for a while and then simply go looking for owners  who would give her pats and praise.  Even in puppy kindergarten during "mingle" time, Lucy ignored the other puppies and went from one owner to another.
 
Perhaps because of this, Lucy can amuse herself for very long periods of time.  If Ellie cannot be coaxed to play, Lucy will play by herself.
 
I think I'll get the blue tug.

 
 
 
I can race myself around the room.
Do you have a stopwatch Dad?

 
 
 
I can flip the tug over my neck!

 
 
 
Isn't that cool?

 
 
 
Whatever.


There was a time we bemoaned the fact that our NC General Assembly was a do-nothing group.  Well, be careful what you wish for.  We now have the most active Senators and Representatives you can imagine.  They meet late into the night.  They have passed many laws during this session, almost all of them negatively affecting the poor and the environment.  But giving to the rich and big business, eliminating taxes for them.  Their argument is that eliminating corporate taxes will bring in more companies.  (In reality, it is more likely repayment to the folks who purchased their seats.)  And they fail to tell us how that lost revenue will be recouped, other than cuts in programs already scaled back to the bare bones.

We now have "Moral Mondays" in which people gather outside the General Assembly to protest the cuts in programs for the poor.  Every Monday concerned citizens gather;  members of the clergy, school teachers, volunteers in service to mothers and children and other citizens who are not pleased that the State government is taking from the poor during a time when they are already most vulnerable.  And every Monday people are arrested, including preachers, priests, nuns, nurses and even a reporter who was there only to report the event.  And still they gather to make their voices heard.

Today's appropriate quote comes from American author and essayist Edward Abbey:

"A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government."



HAVE A MOST WONDERFUL WEEKEND, EVERYONE!!!
 
HONOR YOUR FATHER
 
 


9 comments:

Carolina Linthead said...

Amen! I have friends involved in Moral Mondays, and it is growing both in size and in gaining national attention. Last week the mayor of an NC town was arrested, even though he was clearly articulating the laws and statues that give the protesters the right to challenge their government. As a professional historian, I look on what is happening and I clearly see an attempt to roll back the clock to at least the '50s in some ways, and to establish a social hierarchy in others, and I weep for North Carolina. Thank you for speaking out on your blog!

The Bug said...

I was going to mention the mayor too - he was the mayor of Carrboro. I used to work in Raleigh - & I'll bet if I were still there I'd be arrested!

Busy Bee Suz said...

Lucy is a people dog! LOL
Enjoy your weekend!

Ms. A said...

I had a dog like that once, didn't know she was a dog and didn't want anything to do with other dogs, other than our other dogs.

KB said...

K was kind of like Lucy. She liked to play with other dogs but she liked being petted by their humans even more!

I like the idea of Moral Mondays.

Arkansas Patti said...

The Lucy series was delightful. LOL'd at the final picture.
I find your political situation absolutely scary. I'd probably be in an orange jumpsuit if I lived there. Hope the Moral Mondays raise awareness.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Lucky is like a lot of humans I know, myself included sometimes who don't dislike others, but can play alone as well....and that's not a bad thing at all. Hope your weekend is great.

NCmountainwoman said...

Thanks for your comments, everyone.

Bug and Linthead - Carrboro is one great little town. If we lived closer to Raleigh I would likely be arrested too.

Glenda Beall said...

I live in NC and am concerned also about the state government. If I didn't live so far away in western NC, I'd take part in Moral Mondays, I expect.