The past few weeks I have been a little busy as the school year wound down and softball/tee-ball season gears up. I also had a paying job to complete. So I took a little break from the blog. I  know some of you make the effort to write something everyday and I applaud you. Sadly, that is not me. Some days you have to say no to something, especially when that something does not pay you.

Today I am going to talk about this and that.

Black Bloc in Toronto, 2010
Photograph by Oliver Lavery, found on ladyoftheheart.blogspot.com

 

 

* A week ago, the city north of us had to deal with the NATO Conference, featuring many world leaders. Mrs. Obama took the wives of these leaders to her old neighborhood to show off a positive-action outreach center. Mr. Obama and others worked out how they will leave Afghanistan by 2014. Protesters abounded in the area.

Some, like nurses protesting the closure of mental health centers throughout the city, had a just cause to bring to the public. But then there were the Black Bloc who were there to fight against the police. Reporters heard shouts of “death to cops” and indeed, these people did not show up until the last day wearing masks or scarves over their faces.

On the same weekend in other parts of the city, two young teenage boys lost their lives to gang gunfire. They were not gang members themselves but people who caught in crossfire or mis-identification. If these Black Bloc people really want to do something about the injustices of the world, perhaps they could do something like volunteer in those tough neighborhoods to give kids a safe place to hang out or learn something new. But that would be akin to real bravery.

 

 

* Today I saw a story about a Safeway meat department worker who saw a man beating his pregnant girlfriend in the store. So he did what most of us would not and got between them. He stopped the man from beating on the five-month-pregnant woman and hung on to him until the police got there.

So the pregnant-girlfriend-beater was arrested and got off with three years probation. The meat department clerk at first was assured by his manager that his job was safe. The next day, he was suspended with no pay.  This is going to make life rough for the man with a pregnant wife of his own.

Thankfully the residents of the Northern Californian town let Safeway know that they made the  wrong decision. They inundated the Facebook page of Safeway, picketed the market and had a petition up at change.org. If that wasn’t enough, the police chief wrote a letter of support for the man. And he had the support of the mayor.

In the end, the butcher won his job back. There is common-sense in corporate America.

 

 

* When I got dressed today, I put on a tee-shirt that says it is a ‘large.’ The surprising part is that it fits, nicely. Maybe this weight-loss thing is working out after all. I increased my distance for walking, added wheat bread and took out white bread, maintained eating as much fruit and veggies through the day as possible and continued drinking at least eight cups of liquid daily.

Sometimes when I look at current photos, it seems like nothing has changed. It is when I try on a slightly smaller size in clothing that I notice the difference. We take our victories where we can find them. I am taking mine around the block as I walk the dog.

Roses along the Steps

 

 

* With this weird warm spring comes early blooming of flowers. My roses are hear before June and a part of my knows I should be worried. But are they not glorious?

BTW, the Chicago Botanic Garden is doing a study on bloom times. It is called Project Bud Burst. They are looking for more people to report the bloom times in their gardens. Great project and I need to sign up.

 

What is going on in your world?

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