Maybe I should leave the house more often

 I've stayed at home for days, it seems, with little reason or motivation to go out, but this morning I had a doctor's appointment. I wasn't eager to go because it was a referral to an ENT from a few months ago, and I figured  the reason would not still be apparent, and not worth treating. But I went anyway. The doctor was attentive and, as they say, treated me with respect--and success. He cleared the obstruction, advised me how to prevent future occurrences. And he didn't even suggest I consult the associated hearing aid office there, saying  my hearing loss was mild, and would probably improve with the treatment.

Enroute home, I stopped at the well-stocked Walgreen's in Mechanicville, and was able to purchase what I wanted, including a Coffee Lattee Ensure. Moreover, the very helpful clerk redeemed my $10 AARP coupon which had been negated at the Schaghticoke store. She was happy to do so, saying all it needed was to be scanned. 

As I was driving to Clifton Park, the warning light for low tire pressure appeared again on my dashboard., just days after the car passed inspection which included tire check and the plugging of a nail hole in one tire. The light was constant all the way home, so I stopped at Valley Auto, intending to leave my question at the desk there, as to what to do about the light. Instead, they dealt wih it right then, despite being very busy, as usual. Kyle said the tires were fully inflated, and the light is on because the battery in the sensor is wearing out, but won't need to be replaced until much later. There was no fee charged. 

  So today, within a span of a several hours, I had 3 positive encounters, with 3 friendly, helpful people in 3 different cities. A trifecta, I think it's called. 

New Expressions, new to me...

 I've always had a penchant for words and how they're used. The first time someone responded to my expression of "Thank you" with "Of course" I wasn't sure whether it was a polite or snarky rejoinder. I found it is now a widely used response, and noted that a doctor just said "Of Course" when I thanked him for his offering to call me on receipt of results. 

  I just heard another remark repeated which I found rather offbeat the first time I heard it, several weeks ago at Stewart's. Apparently "His (or her) hat's too tight"  is a thing. Language does continually evolve.

Check your treads here:

 

King and X

 I read that Stephen King finds twitter to be too toxic an environment, so he's leaving. He denied saying that Elon Musk is Trump's First Lady, but does acknowledge he would have said  so if he'd thought of it. 

Furnace

My eyes are burning and  I'm thinking I can smell oil, but it could be my imagination. If not. sue somebody. 

Thinking of cats...

 When Danny was about 3 years old, my mother designated a cat for him, to be kept at her house where he spent considerable  time, as I substituted at the school. The cat was a small black friendly little kitten,  which Danny named Cutie. It lived quite happily in the barn with the other cats and enjoyed being held and cuddled.

   One day I received a call. The cat was badly injured and needed medical intervention. There were several rogue dogs that lived somewhere upstreet but would roam in a pack, bent on trouble. On this day they had chased Cutie who ran up a tree  in the adjoining back yard, but not before one of the dogs managed to grab her as she fled and mangled the rear of her body. No one could bear to look.

 I agreed to drive her to the nearest vet, who was Dr. Livingston Smith in Stillwater. I had the cat carrier in my car but was filled with dread, not wanting to deal with the poor mangled but stilll alive little animal. Who stepped forward but 11-year-old Kathleen who cradled little Cutie in her arms before putting her in the carrier. When we got to the vet's, she carried Cutie inside where Dr. Smith, a seasoned animal caretaker, looked appalled at the sight--the dogs had torn off the back half of the cat's body. 

   Dr. Smith did of course euthanize Cutie, but not before saying that Kathleen was " a brave little girl."  I remember thinking she might grow up to be a veterinarian. 

Just releasing thoughts--don't bother

 I write my thoughts to you, Blog, because I know you are non-judgmental, and I'm to be the  only reader of note. I'm fully aware that I have no power and and nothing I say or do will matter in the grand scheme of things. But from my  working mind and a muted voice, I have to ask, how any thinking human could have been inspired to support the candidate who will, if fate prevails, lead our country for the coming  four years. Of course, every human being has weaknesses, as witness out present leader's troubled crack-head son,  albeit he has acknowledged and admitted his transgressions. But when if ever have obvious weaknesses ever before overruled common decency? 

    To quote the words of Leonard Cohen's song, "Everybody knows..."  Everybody has to know that "he", a convicted felon,  is a liar, an egotist, a cheater,  a failure in business and  marriage, a coward who promotes violence against others, a boor who calls others vile names, one who has disgusted those who worked closely with him, one who dismissed John McCain's heroism because he was captured, one who sullied  veterans as suckers and losers, who stood by watching as violence erupted against his own vice president and listened to the calls of the rioters to hang him, one who spreads in public oration the unfounded rumor that illegal aliens are eating our pets, and, when confronted by fact checking, says he heard it somewhere, One who promises to be dictator for one day when he will get revenge on those who crossed him. One who shows a lack of education or knowledge of past and present. One who is basically so insecure that he sucks up to Putin and the billionaires who funded his campaign. One who belittles the workers whose efforts don't satisfy him. One who promised that when he won, no more votes would ever be necessary. 

  I could go on, but why? EVERYBODY KNOWS.