Still here..

Yes, a few years have passed... not sure if I'm smarter or just older. I'm thinking of maybe blogging some thoughts again, though I'm not sure if anyone is still following this. Nothing in my world is 'one thing', but it is an assortment of things and thoughts - of course! Ubuntu and the World Socialist Movement have crossed my path in the last few years, and daily activities frequently include 'weed salads' since most of my yard is 1) edible 2) un-mowed. I justify the second one by the first one... my neighbors love me? I'm curious as to what the purple-flowering weeds are now, and will have to research them. https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/ is a good site to start with.


There is some irony (and possibly iron) in realizing the weeds of my yard are likely higher nutritionally than the lettuce and spinach at the store; they're also free, which is a price that's hard to beat. Dandelion, plantain, Lady's Thumb and lamb's quarters are growing thick and green; I chop them up as a bonus and add them to a regular salad. You can't buy these in a store, yet they've been a food source in salads or soups for generations. I should dry nettle and yarrow soon, and the raspberries are beginning to ripen. Smashed raspberries on toast... yum! I have been using the bread machine because it so easy: toss ingredients in, 3 hours later, take out the bread. I can handle that! I've had sourdough going since January, but I haven't made bread with it; I add flour and water, then use about 2 cups of it for pancakes. Now that I'm working overnights, I frequently take a peanut butter pancake, folded, as a breakfast snack until I'm home again. It's neat, filling, and not fussy.


That's just average stuff around here, while my mind tangents off on why we feel worse accidentally driving over a baby bird than a toad. The toad tends to gross us out more, speaking from a single female perspective, but the baby bird makes us sad. From the toad's point of view, we're a bit species-prejudiced. Talking of toads, I dreamed something either like a toad or slug was on my foot; I woke up frantically kicking my leg to shake the thing off, then realized it was just a dream. I have no idea why such a dream would occur, nor do I have any thoughts on analyzing it.


Irony... I'm eating weeds, but the stray cat has learned that if it can look in the window at me, I'll set out some store-bought cat food. It visits here, then wanders off; I have no idea if it has a home nearby or where it comes from. It's a regular visitor now, looking in the window to see if I'll get up...


If anyone reads this, drop a note to elainekain@gmail.com
 I might just start blogging my thoughts again, if only to see where they lead!

Stray thoughts

Have a few stray thoughts on 2012 to share, though I'm not sure anyone is reading my blog much - at least, haven't had any complaints the last two unblogged months! On the other hand, folks might think I did accidentally blow something up or crossed a legal line somehow or was simply confined for my own good, but actually it's been fairly normal here. Maija's joined the family, cutest little newbie one could wish for.

Yet I'm not sure 2012 is all that stable. I expect anything, including sprouting wings and telepathy - which would make parenting interesting - or a universal bump into other dimensions. Since it's mostly targeted for December 21, 2012, I don't plan on Christmas shopping until 12-22-12. I also think the greatest prank would be "12-21-12" end-of-times to be a week late, just to annoy the smug told-you-so'ers. The old 'he who laughs last' gag, hmm?

My worst-case scenario for 2012 would be hitting another ice-age, too friggin' cold and never mind I have wool socks and long johns. I have 'em, but I don't like wearing them. Perish the thought, but if winter started creeping back in June, I may have to start walking south; it may be a good Doomsday Prep idea to start practicing my Spanish again so I can make friends.

So... if you think you know me, what might be one food supply I'd stock up on? Well, yeah, coffee, because if the world's ending there is no reason to compound one's misery with caffeine withdrawal. Actually, I tend to think if all the coffee disappeared, the world may end, because who'd get up to deal with it?

I'm also pretty sure that within 30 seconds of the world ending, no one will care. Whether it goes out with a bang (and probably not from anything I did) or we blip into 5-D, odds are my thoughts will be along the line of "Now what the hell? - Whoa, this is weird! - Huh, so this is how it's gonna be now - where's the coffee pot?" Eventually I suspect we will adapt, same as the 7 billion of us did when we were born into this world. Terribly shocking, wasn't it? Ironically, the kids will be the least surprised, since they believe anything is possible already (or "Why I tried to fly off the see-saw when I was 5").

As usual, I have no idea what may occur at any given time, but I don't think harboring fear and greed will be useful. Actually, I think these - fear and greed - may actually be what is 'doomed' and I'm all for it! Even though I watch "Doomsday Preppers", I dislike the weaponry and fear it too often portrays. But there a bits of 'shining humanity' in it too, like the statistic that 24% of those interviewed said they'd share resources. Of course, they didn't say whose resources they'd share, but it sounded good. A prudent person just gathers a few practical items, like coffee and wool socks, in case life has a rough spot. Tonight's episode pointed out that it could be a long walk home if the cars died from a solar flare - too true, it could be a 60 mile walk if I was in the wrong place at the wrong time!

I think I might prudently sling a pair of old-fashioned roller skates into the trunk. If chaos occurs, I'll be the one skating home in my wool socks clutching my instant coffee jar. Then I'm going to try flying off the see-saw again!

It's good to have a plan.