Sunday morning, very early

Been awake since silly o'clock; possibly the flights (though I don't believe in jet lag), possibly the (too-many) diet Pepsis drunk in an attempt to quench a raging thirst (bet that came from the plane). Sky turning from dark star-studded to peach. The bay is turquoise. It is going to be a beautiful day.

Busy days

Looking outside, I think it is late March rather than mid-November. The sky is blue, the birds are singing happily, and all signs of last week's nor'easter have faded (about 48 hours of non-stop high winds, very high tides, and some rain led to huge puddles and floating garbage cans, but it's all back-to-normal now).

Plants are confused. The bulbs I planted deep in the window boxes are already showing green, as are those in the big containers. Baby crocosmia have sprouted from this year's seeds already. New green grass is growing at the roadside. It's all in for a nasty shock... but we're enjoying the mild autumn while we can.

Yesterday evening, we witnessed a beautiful, wow! sunset over the mirror-calm bay. Smith Point was hidden by a bank of mist, and it was as if the water went on forever.

New bird?

Saw a "new" bird yesterday, perched on one of the pilings at the marina. In sillhouette, he looked like a giant kingfisher, or an Australian kookaburra.

Maybe a Belted Kingfisher?

Laundry and mud

Slowly but surely, the laundry room/mud room is coming along. The washer and dryer will be behind bifold doors, with room for shelves on the right. As the ceiling is so high, it allows for a large storage cabinet above, behind sliding doors.

Then the door into the garage has to be finished. Then I have to paint everything and work out what to do with the floor (maybe garage floor epoxy with bits in when I get the garage-turned-workshop finished?)

Is a house ever finished, or is it like painting the Forth Bridge?

And today's entry in the best sunrise ever competition is...

It was a stupendous sunrise. And it really does happen every day!

November the beautiful

A crisp-but-not-cold, clear, blue, beautiful November morning.

Bella decided I needed a workout. She did nothing but pull, pull, pull. We will fix this. Don't know what got into her... maybe the hour difference, and the later breakfast waiting at home?

Local election time... but how to make an informed decision?

When I became a citizen, and registered to vote, I had to declare an allegiance to one political party, there and then, that minute. I think you have to do this too if you move registration districts (rather than becoming a citizen). What this means is that in the run-up to the local elections that will be held tomorrow, I have received "information" from one, and only one, political party.

That seems totally whacko to me.

Where is the persuasion? Where is the information? Where is the data that will allow me to make an informed decision?

I would have expected to receive information from Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Greens, Monster Raving Loonies, etc. etc. etc. I would have expected to see information and data, not backbiting and insults. I would have expected candidates from all parties to come knocking on doors and introducing themselves, or their party workers to come round and give out info, especially as a newly-registered voter may need help in making up their mind.

But no. No-one and nothing but the party I signed up for. And one lonely candidate shaking hands outside a supermarket.

And this is democracy? How can people be democratic, if they don't have the information to make an informed decision?