Don't know what I'm going to do - or when I'm going to do it

Since I have been back around I have been asked to put up some cat and other pictures that were a hit before. Unfortunately I have been slow to do so on account of

1. Some of the sources I used are no longer readily available. My computer is slow, but that is complicated by the fact that my internet is even slower.

2. My wife and I have had our hands full lately

Melodie has been desirous of moving out of the country due to the backwardness of many of the "natives." I have resisted due to the fact that a) I am stubborn and b) affinity for my "heritage" c) Patriotism, and d) I am stubborn.

b and c above are closely related - I grew up in Texas, but not the Texas that most of you think you know. My gret grandfather homesteaded in Erath County, Texas in 1870. He was a Texas Populist.
I grew up hearing stories about how the farmers of Texas kept the members of the Union fed during the great railroad strike of that era.

I also learned about the convention of Texas Farmers Alliance, Texas Populists and union organizaers in Cleburne. At that meeting James Farmer told the assembledge that if the listened to the "moneyed class," the manufacturers and businessmen, they would end up with only 3 rights: The right to work, the right to starve, and the right to die. I learned about the Cleburne Demands issued at that meeting. Not the Cleburne Requests, not the Cleburne"if you wills", but the Cleburne Goddamn Demands. They demanded government regulation or ownership railroads, telegraphs, and banking.

That is what I mean by "heritage." I was proud of that Texas heritage and still am. I am proud of the mayor of Austin who stood up to Trump over this muslim thing.

I have always been a patriot and had pride in my country, despite some of the despicable ways she has behaved. I felt that it was my duty to remain and fight for it.

And now, Trump. I just can't.

We thought about Canada, but we just don't think our old bones can take the cold anymore.
And our health has gone downhill lately. I have had 10 surgeries in the past 6 years - 2 on my kneck to relieve spinal chord issues. We have been spending quality time recently with Neurologists, MRIs, et al. Wednesday we met with the the Neurosurgeon who did my last surgery. He spent time going over our MRIs with us. We both need surgery on our knecks and Mel may need back surgery.

So we have been looking at Mexico and Costa Rica. We were thinking that we might be able to swing it at the end of this school semester ... and now the surgeries. I don't know how we are going to be able to pay our portion. We were already looking at bankruptcy, but now we certainly need to recover from this first.

Well, I am going on too long, On the bright side, I just made a big pot of vegetable soup. So there is that.