Tuesday, August 02, 2011

A spring in my step, prayer in the air


Monday’s minor misadventure came about after I’d hitched myself to the spring wagon (actually, just pushing and pulling --- no harness involved) and while backing it out of the mine gallery onto the patio, clipped a carelessly placed explainer panel and brought it down: Shattered glass all over the floor, but no major damage.

That’s what you get for impatience --- but I wanted to get that sucker back in the barn, where it belonged, and wanted to do it NOW!

So I pushed and pulled and maneuvered and finally got it across the patio and backed into the barn, where it's fun to look at --- except when we’re having an ice cream social and the extra floor space is needed. Thank goodness no one was watching --- or photographing the process.

A spring wagon is a wonderful thing --- lightweight and so-called because springs between the running gear and the box increase the comfort of the ride. It can move along at a trot and not shatter the bones of those riding in it.

You do have to be a little careful on the turns, however --- too sharp and the front wheels will come into contact with the box and cause all sorts of mischief, including upsets.

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Speaking of sharp turns, the big budget deal apparently being finalized in Washington today, at the last conceivable moment before default, might result in some down the road.

Many economists suggest, considering the state of the economy, that this is not an especially good time to slash government spending. On the other hand, something really does need to be done about vast deficits (and it’s not clear that a bi-partisan committee charged with developing mandatory cuts if Congress doesn’t do it voluntarily will work out especially well either).

Now that we’ve kicked the pressing need for solutions down the road a ways, it remains to be seen if anyone left in Washington really can or will work together to try to sort this all out before we veer off mindlessly in one direction or the other.

 
The only thing I learned during the whole mess is that I don’t know enough about stuff in general either to make intelligent decisions or comment intelligently on the whole mess. That suggests a need to focus on learning more before this whole business heats up again.

It’s fairly clear we’ll find our self in crisis mode again before long.

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Speaking of heat, it's hotter than hell around here again. The predicted high  today is 99 degrees (heat index values up to 114 degrees). Now that’s  ridiculous --- I’m tired of being cooped up in air-conditioned spaces, but grateful for air-conditioning and grateful it’s not worse.

All that moisture in the air makes life uncomfortable, but there’s something to be said for moisture.

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Speaking of hell, Texas Gov. Praying Rick Perry popped up this week in a video spot focused on his teeth, hairdo and ability to put people to work --- attributing itself to an outfit called “Jobs for Iowa.”

Praying Rick got himself in a little hot water last week by suggesting that New York’s affirmative approach to marriage equality was OK with him --- states’ rights and all of that, you know.

That aggravated the God squad and he’s been backtracking ever since, preparing for that big prayer meeting on Saturday down there in Houston.

The expectation, I suppose, is that the Holy Spirit will descend on Reliant Stadium, bathe that good old boy in light and launch him toward the GOP nomination.

If nothing else, Perry's raised to a new height the perceived potential of prayer-based political posturing. While he's not done any favors for folks who take prayer seriously, it'll  be fascinating to see how it goes. I can hardly wait.

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