Valentine's Day and Presidents' Day

 A fun little fact about Quiet Rage (as if anybody actually cares).  I was supposed to be born on Valentine's Day and I was supposed to be named Valerie.  The universe had other plans.  I was not born on Valentine's Day and my name is not Valerie.  

How do you celebrate Valentine's Day?  Back in the 80's we used to get secret candy or flower grams in high school.  I used to sit in each class and hope for the delivery of a secret candy/flower gram valentine from a secret admirer.   I wanted that valentine from a secret admirer and then the kiss on the dance floor at the Valentine's Dance from said secret admirer who was not a secret at that point.  To this day I can tell you the songs that were playing at the high school dances where those magical kisses happened.  I knew when a boy put his hand on the small of my back during a dance he would do the "lean in" for the kiss. 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh youth.  It was soooooooooooo long ago.   We have all been long-married to other people and many of us are grandparents at this point.  Still, we can all look back and smile fondly on the innocence of those days.  Life marches ahead and now the 1980's are 40 years in the rear view mirror.   

Now that I have an AARP card, which is valid identification for obtaining my "age 55+ senior wisdom discount" on Tuesdays at the grocery store, I celebrate Valentine's Day with my kids and their spouses.  It's now a family event.  Yes, there is love; however, the definition of love has shifted away from my raging, boy-crazy hormones of a love-starved teenager to a mature, motherly love appreciating my adult kids and their spouses (and always a few extras) by taking them all out for a very nice dinner.  I think my family puts a big emphasis on  Valentine's Day as it is close to my birthday and we can celebrate two things at once (hey, life is busy). 

 It's kind of fun to make reservations for Valentine's Day dinner as it is usually assumed by the person answering the phone that I want a quiet, romantic table for two.  When I call for reservations, it's for a group of about 8-10 people.  It's especially fun as we are not quite celebrating Valentine's Day nor my birthday.  It's kind of a random, undefined blend.......which works for us as I LOATHE waitstaff singing me 'happy birthday' donning big sombreros, maracas, clapping, and a flaming dessert. 

With that being stated, my daughter threw me a curve ball today.  She is totally capable of throwing curve balls as she was a collegiate softball pitcher.  LOL.   She kidnapped me this morning and took me for  coffee, a massage, lunch, a painting class, and then dinner.  I was not expecting it at all.  I started crying when she said she wanted to thank me for everything I have done for her.  

I guess today was my reward for not killing my daughter when she was a snotty teenager complete with mood swings and attitude who used to dramatically slam her bedroom door and throw herself on her bed making sure the entire household heard her sighs and cries.  LOL. 

Which brings me to Presidents' Day.  I guess it is supposed to honor the birthdays of President Lincoln and President Washington.  The month of February produces quality people, right?  

Let's look at the focus of Presidents' Day.  It's an excuse to get a day off and go skiing up at Tahoe.  Seriously, one would think that we would look at the contributions and struggles of Washington and Lincoln and put ourselves in their shoes to think about the decisions that needed to be made along with their short-term and long-term consequences and sacrifices on society.  Instead, Presidents' Day has been cheapened to nothing but shilling mattresses and appliances....and an excuse for ski week. 

Great Grandmother Olsen

 Quiet Rage has been on her great grandmother Olsen's farm food journey.  Great Gramma Olsen lived in Morris, Minnesota where her family settled the land back in the 1860's.  They were the iconic prairie pioneer homesteaders.  To add to the iconic story of the prairie lifestyle, my great grandfather used to milk cows in the morning and then deliver the mail using a team of horses.  This was Minnesota 100+ years ago.  There was no heated mail truck.  There was no heated barn.  There was no snow plough to clear the roads.  There was no running to the grocery store.  There was no running water.  There was no electricity.  

Where I'm going with this is that my great grandmother Olsen was an excellent cook and baker.  My father's sisters were wonderful stewardesses of keeping Gramma Olsen's recipes in tact.  They put together a little cook book for us to keep the recipes in the family.  My favorite is Gramma Olsen's sugar cookies.  The ingredients are so simple one would think that such a simple recipe would be bland.  Nope.  Gramma Olsen's sugar cookies are legendary.  

The other recipe is Gramma Olsen's pickled beets.  For whatever reason, that recipe always intimidated me.  I finally decided to try it.  There were some beets left in our garden that needed to get pulled up before it got too cold and wet.  I called my aunt (yes, two of my dad's three sisters still live - we are too spicy to just grow old and lie down) and asked her to describe Gramma Olsen's process of pickling and canning beets.  

Gramma Olsen's pickled beet recipe and method did not disappoint.  I now have a stash of delicious pickled beets that are so good they can be eaten plain right out of the jar like candy (but SUPER healthy).  Again, true to Gramma Olsen's ingredients, they are simple and pure.  Maybe the magic is in the few and simple ingredients.  I'm thinking about entering Gramma's beet recipe in the Sonoma County Fair.  .... and perhaps her sugar cookies. 

Where is Kamala?

 Kamala, along with Hillary, thought they were going to beat the Orange Cheeto without much effort.  Wow.  Know your audience (or should I say voters).  They were too self-absorbed, unplugged from the real angst of middle class Americans, and over confident believing their own bs to think otherwise.  

Yup.  They were high off the smell of their own farts.

Here's where it is at.  Kamala owes a lot of money to her campaign.  Vendors and contractors are going unpaid.  Somehow, the media does not want to talk about that.  Just *how* will Kamala pay off her campaign debts?  Will she beg for a public bailout like everyone else who can't manage their own finances?  

Angry Muslims

 What is it with angry Muslims driving their cars into crowds where people are gathered to have a good time?  There was the recent incident in Germany and now in New Orleans.  WTF is their problem? 

Christmas Past, Present, and Future

 The holidays are loaded with emotions, aren't they?  Family and childhood emotional hurts come bubbling to the surface like hot lava spewing from the deep bowels of a volcano that was almost thought dormant.  Well, there's a reason suicides and domestic violence peak in December along with the consumption of drugs and alcohol.  

I digress.

Here's one thing I give credit for this Christmas.  

We had a houseful....and I mean a HOUSEFUL.  It was just like Christmas Past with little kids running around, dads putting together toys on the living room floor, and grandpa making gin fizzes at the bar while auntie makes Danish aebleskivvers on the stove.  It was glorious and loud chaos with the sounds of Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians singing the sounds of Christmas in the background on Amazon music

Wait.  Minnesota is part of Canada, right?  Wait. The incoming president of the US thinks Canada is the 51st state?  There are several provinces in Canada that will want their own identity much like our states.  Oopsie!!!  I am OFF TRACK.  That is for another rant.  LOL

Again, I digress. Back to Christmas 2024 in Sonoma County, California.

The past 5-6 years or so have been tainted with the rumor one family member has been having an affair with another (not a blood relative, so get the banjo out of your butt) and battle lines were drawn with camps on both sides.  My household was of the camp of, "It's none of our business as to whom is allegedly getting naked with whom, and quite frankly, we don't have the time nor energy to judge."

The other camp was of, "Well.....how DARE they have a deep and meaningful relationship" as there is no actual proof of any sexual escapades, only phone calls and text messages where two people were lost and bewildered in the family dynamics and they were trying to console themselves and each other.  

How phone calls and text messages took the leap to sexual interactions is a mystery to us.  And again, I don't have time to dissect and judge.  Life is complicated.  I have a hard time keeping track of my own life let alone anybody else's.  

Bottom line:  The "victim" of this alleged tryst is now dead, and the trumpeter of the so-called scandalous news of the phone calls and texts to the family announcing the illicit allegations is now barred from the family as she has shown her true colors in other forms as to how manipulative and poisonous she really is.  

Karma works.  

Christmas present was delightful without the added drama of the "trumpeter" who only wants to stir the pot.  Christmas future promises the return of family and friends who just want to have a good time.  I'm honored that it is standing room only at my house on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.  It's a compliment.  Mind you, our house is *not* on the cover of any magazine.  Martha Stewart does NOT live at my house....and I will remind you of that upon entering.  If you want pretty perfection, turn right around and leave because you will be sorely disappointed. 

Merry Christmas :)

p.s. Even if the "affair" is true, if any guy can get a boner at age 83 with a menopausal woman aged 79 to have passionate sex more power to the both of them ;)  No judgement from this corner. 

Boss Beggars

 I'm getting rather tired of people trying to raid my pocketbook whether is is professionally or personally for (fill in the wonderful and indispensable cause here).  I am a generous person.  However, I'm tired of "repeat customers" thinking that because I have donated in the past X amount that I will continue to do so indefinitely -- as if my resources are indefinite - for which they are NOT -- and that my past donations are somehow stamped into their next years budget going forward as an automatic "gimmee."  

I got the email today begging for money.  What makes it weird is that the solicitor is my treasurer's wife.  She is all wound up in this organization that is supposed to help kids aging out of foster care.  The cause sounds all good and what not, but here is the raw truth.   The organization is being sued for having one of their take-ins murder their social worker (yes, the murderer had a track record of violence that was overlooked).  

Sorry, not feeling it this year.  We have donated $10-$15 thousand each year for the past 10 years or so.  I wish we got an accounting for our donations.  We don't.  The cause sounds all legit and all..... helping homeless kids who are aging out of foster care find their way.  We were totally into helping.....until we are not.  We feel like chumps and being taken advantage of.  

All we get is a dog and pony show at their annual beg-a-thon dinner held in their wine country vineyard where they try to rape their donors even more and guilt them into donating even more money for which we have no clue as to where it actually goes.

I feel sorry for the kids.  They are pawns in this money grab.  

I keep going back to the basics.  I housed kids on the verge of being homeless.  I still do to some extent.  I was not associated with any charity nor did I receive donations.   I fed them and housed them on my own dime.  I did not need to set up a "non profit" to help kids out and try to make a tax-exempt salary for myself.  

Bottom Line:  Take in a couple of struggling kids.  They will eventually get it together and the love will pay it forward tenfold.  Trust me. 

 

Luigi Mangione: United Health Care Murder of Brian Thompson

 The Santa Rosa Press Democrat had an article today stating that suspect Luigi Mangione had been apprehended for the murder of United Healthcare CEO, Brian Thompson.  The main stream media has gone on to state that murder was not an acceptable form of protest for the high insurance rates and frustration of the multi-layered, inhuman bureaucracy that drives countless Americans into bankruptcy or death due to deny, delay, and depose due to tactics to avoid paying for treatments that could save lives.

Wait.  Murder was not an acceptable form of protest?  I disagree.  The insurance industry murders thousands upon thousands each year due to their byzantine practices and impossible to decipher policies written in incomprehensible legal gobble-de-gook that makes sense to none, but of course, is ALWAYS turns out in favor of the insurance company. 

Sorry, I'm NOT crying for Brian Thompson earning over $10 million annually while people who are suffering from a multitude of illnesses get DELAYED, DENIED, DEPOSE....and die before their authorizations come through.  

Who needs $10 million annually?  Really?  I'm so glad (not) that denying a cancer treatment drug to one of my loved ones helped you pay for your effing yacht, mansion,  and private school tuition for your spoiled brat offspring.  I'm sooooo glad you PROFITED off our illness and suffering.  FUKR!.

Sorry....no mercy from this corner.  

Brian Thompson:  I hope upon death the first thing your spirit guide asked you for was for "prior authorization" to enter heaven as you have not gone through the proper channels to enter and you will be denied entry.  Burn in hell....and take the rest of the health insurance rapists with you.