I'M BAAACK!!

And not a moment too soon I might add.  My mumblings and rumblings are desperately needed for a chaotic world.  But first a word from my sponsors.

Context is important as you shall see:  Grew  in Miami.  Mother's relatives were all in Maine.  Father's relatives were (and continue to be) in Brazil having escaped the horrors of Hitler.  No relatives around Miami to celebrate holidays with, to go on vacations with, or to experience life in an extended family with.  That is what I carry with me sometimes as a burden but mostly just as reality (a bit too profound, no?).  Anyhow, we spent the month of August in the Berkshires and, truth be told, it was wonderful.  How can it not be when we are all (as a family) so lucky, so healthy, and mostly so comfortable with each other.  Joining us were assorted children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, brothers in law, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.  As a member of this smallish tribe, I continue to marvel at how families work and sometimes don't work.  I am amazed to be sitting with 3 generations of what is now my family.  I am astounded at actually having grandchildren.  I feel feministic (Please no comments on my word creation skills.) about the strong women who are my children and my partner.  How can this be and how do I fit in?  It is something I continue to learn about and attempt to feel settled with.  The chaos at times makes me crazy; but then upon our return here, I am ready to sign up again for next summer.  It hits me deeply that I am so attached to this group of people and reminds me of all I missed down there in Miami as I grew up.

Moving on to the odds and ends section.  I am sitting in my dermatologist's office watching a guy talking in Hebrew on his cell phone--VERY LOUDLY.  Almost directly under the sign which says please don't use your cell phone.  Then, proceeds to pick his nose.  Really?  This is topped by the guy on the bike on Centre Street that I saw before our trip.  Gotta weigh a smidgen over 300 pounds and is riding one of those old Schwinn bikes with no gears and with those funky streamers coming out of the handle bars.  He is wearing those Daisy May tight shorts and as he rides away the crack in his ass is visible from at least a mile away.  Really?  Who wins this battle of the "oh my, who are these creeps" contest?

So, Egypt continues to be in turmoil.  Jordan has refugee cities which have become 3 of the 5 largest cities in the country and, in those cities, stores have sprung up and cafes have sprung up and hospitals have sprung up.  And people are being born and people are dying.  The world is propping Jordan up because right next door is the mess they call Syria.  Maybe we have escaped a military intervention but maybe not and, if not Syria, there will be other chances down the road in other Middle East countries.  I really have no answers just know Obama put himself in a real box with some of his rhetoric.  On the other hand, for Donald Rumsfeld to offer advice after his mishandling of Iraq is a big fat joke.  And, as I have previously said (and self congratulated myself about), Lebanon is a tinder box because of Hezbollah's support of Assad.  The only miracle so far is that the Israelis have kept their mouths shut.  By the way, if you don't believe the CIA and, perhaps U.S. Special Forces, are inside of Syria, you are most certainly wrong.

Bumped into Post Mistress Thalia in July.  She retired because she could not stand the crazy people in the JP branch (her words not mine).  I really miss her but have, to my delight, learned how to operate the computerized set up in the lobby--so I avoid all the unpleasantness of the real people who work there.

Truer odds and ends:  Go immediately and see the movie Fruitvale Station and then get really depressed.  Go and read "As Texas Goes..." by Gail Collins and also get really depressed.  Go out on the highway and count how many different license plates the state of Florida has and then get really depressed because the Floridians believe that makes things all better.  But it doesn't. It is still the ugly South and George Zimmerman was a free man until he beat his wife.

The cuts to Head start are unconscionable but then most members of the House of Representatives
still do not believe Obama was born here--so what can you expect.

Fight on, Yvette.

SPORTS TALK
The Yankees will not make it and really do not deserve to.  But the trade for Soriano coupled with the out of this world performance of Cano has kept them in there.  Cano easily is one of the top 5 players in all of baseball. And, oh by the way, he makes Pedey look oh so ordinary.  ARod is a lying fool.

Mr. Brady and the boys have now struggled twice and have another semi easy game coming up.  But after that the real world intrudes and those kiddy receivers better learn to catch the ball and we all should hope the Gronkster gets back.

Sayonara.