Watergirl sent me a little note yesterday, saying someone was wondering where I have been lately. Thanks to whoever it was who missed me. 😘 I’ve had a very busy month+ Back in July, my Dad decided he wanted to go to his 68th class reunion and I was hellbent on making that happen. It took a lot of planning to make it into a trip that was doable for him, at 86 and in a bit of frail health. We had a very fun trip at the end of October and he had a great time – there will be a bonus photo at the end of this post if you’re interested in our trip.
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Let there be more “Wombat Guys” in the world and fewer assholes:
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I wish I would have had time to see this while I was back East, but it was a bit busy.
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This is why @SecBlinken is State Department Bae pic.twitter.com/J332m5ErUE
— Qondi (@QondiNtini) November 10, 2023
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LOL. If you have cats, you know:
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OMG, did you know they had EYES???!!! I’m both fascinated and a bit creeped out.
Bon dia! Els caragols de mar tenen ulls? 🤔 Sí, en tenen dos que no perden detall de tot el que passa fora de la closca. Igual que els de terra, els tenen a la punta dels dos tentacles llargs del cap. No els has vist mai? Doncs no et perdis detall. 👀 pic.twitter.com/0wzw3KVmP2
— Barrufet del temps (@MeteoBarrufet) July 30, 2023
Translation: Good morning! Do sea snails have eyes? Yes, they have two that do not lose details of everything that happens outside the shell. Like those on land, they have them at the tip of the two long tentacles on the head. Have you never seen them? So don’t miss a detail.
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And just because your day needs a baby kookaburra:
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Here are my ducks, enjoying the fall after a blustery, snowy few days that quickly turned back to summer-ish. I’m literally going to have to water this weekend because of the heat and wind.
Okay, you’ve made it this far, so I’ll tell you a little bit about my Dad’s adventures.
He’s had some rough years – in 2020 he had a stroke, which he has mostly recovered from – nagging daughter tells him if he would continue his physical therapy it would benefit him – but his speech is clear and his mind sharp, so I’m grateful for that. Then my mom died in 21 and Dad had Covid pneumonia last Christmas.
So when on his birthday this year he reconnected with a good friend from high school (that I’ve come to find out, never dated, but wanted to, only to be thwarted by her very strict Italian father) and decided he wanted to go to the upcoming reunion, I set about making plans for that to happen.
To keep the ridiculously long flight doable for both of us, he flew here for a few days and then we flew out of Denver to Boston, where we hung out with friends and family. I wish I could tell you all the fun stories about his reunion and his week back in his hometown, but he probably wouldn’t like that. Let’s just say, it’s clear my dad was quite the ladies’ man and age did not diminish that…and I learned some things a daughter probably shouldn’t know. LOL
He managed the trip very well and honestly, it really changed his demeanor, back to his old self which I’m happy to see. There were a few grumpy moments, as you might expect from a retired USAF MSgt, but we weathered those brief moments when he decided, much like the Danes do, that a scowling TaMara is not to be messed with…just sayin’.
While he was here, Zander did not leave his side, much to my father’s delight. For a “not a cat guy” he sure enjoyed the Z-man. Here they are watching Sunday Night Football together after our long flight back (and you must never tell him I posted this, LOL):
This is a good news thread….post your good news in the comments.
RaflW
I got to see a couple juvenile wombats up close in Tasmania last week. Adorbs
The place I visited is part animal rescue. People bring in (or call and have rescued) various critters like Devils, echidnas, etc. Girl wombats will bond with their caretakers and are cuddly until about 18 months, when in the wild they’d also separate from their wombat mom and become combative and solitary.
This means that when they hit that age they also totally eschew humans and can be re-wilded. Apparently boy wombats go through this shift 6 to even 10 months earlier.
To which I thought: Of course! The boys want their strident independence younger, when it’s riskier and dumber. Plus ça change, plus la même chose.
Dorothy A. Winsor
On Wednesday, my cardiologist said everything looks good. Then on Thursday, I did a pop-up book shop in my over-55 condo building, and sold 5 books, which I was pleased by. So this has been a good week.
TaMara
@RaflW: A little jealous !
@Dorothy A. Winsor: This is all excellent news!
JPL
Tamara, What a fun story and thanks for sharing.
Yutsano
Kookaburra! There’s a few kookaburra songs but none that have floofy babies! And someone is HANGRY!
TaMara
I’m off to walk the dogs. Here’s a little funny from a comedian I follow:
Almost Retired
How wonderful that your Dad had that experience and you helped make it happen. I have similar good news.
My Mom turns 90 next month. She currently lives in the Midwest – her children and grandchildren are in California. Mom wanted to have her 90th birthday party back here (Los Angeles).
She’s nervous about flying alone, but doesn’t want me to accompany her – even though she has to change planes. Sigh. So we booked her a looooong layover in Las Vegas. LAS is less intimidating than PHX or DEN and weather is less of an issue. She’s got enough time to make her connecting flight and/or blow my inheritance on the airport slots if the wheelchair attendant will let her.
It’s worth it. We had an aspirational guest list and every single person we invited is coming (except the guy who died last month, which is an acceptable excuse). This includes her childhood best friend who is flying out with an aide. The trip will be worth it, and I will be running an elder-taxi service from LAX to the hotel.
WaterGirl
Welcome back, TaMara. You and the ducks were missed!
There was an old song, or schoolyard chat, something like:
kookaburra sits old gum tree-ee, merry merry something.
Does anyone remember that or remember how it goes?
geg6
I have no good news this weekend. All is, at best, meh.
But your dad is just adorable so that brightens things up quite a bit.
CaseyL
@WaterGirl:
Kookaburra sits on the gumdrop tree,
Merry merry king of the bush is he
Laugh! Kookaburra laugh!
Leave some there for me
…funny how the songs we learned in elementary school stay with us the rest of our lives.
TaMara – as always, many and profound thanks for your Good News posts. I loved each of these stories.
Yutsano
@geg6: I can honestly see how Dad is a ladie’s man even now. I hope he gets even better from here. And if you want I’ll yell at him about his physio TaMara!
WaterGirl
Such a great story about your adventures with your dad. But you left out how things went with the old friend he always wanted to date???
AND
Oh my god, the dogs let your dad have the couch?
WaterGirl
@CaseyL: Thank you!
Now that you shared yours, I remember the one we sang! Similar, but a tiny bit different.
I wonder if it’s a regional thing, or maybe just quirks of who taught us all the song?
CarolPW
@WaterGirl: To the best of my recollection
eating all the gumdrops he can see
laugh kookaburra laugh kookaburra
save some left for me
Alison Rose
Quite a story about your pops!
Also…so long as they aren’t a douche, I think any adult speaking French automatically gets 5x hotter.
I mentioned this in a thread yesterday, but since you asked for our good news: Mom took a home colon cancer screening test which gave her a positive result, but she had an exam this week and doctor says no signs of cancer. WHEW. Also, they’d told her to drink Gatorade beforehand since she couldn’t eat and it would help the electrolytes, and she was dreading it because all she drinks is water and coffee. I suggested she get the lemon-lime flavor because that’s the least objectionable one, taste-wise. Her review: “It’s actually not horrible!” They should print that on the bottles.
Also: One of my oldest friends (met when we were 11 at the start of 6th grade in 1991) finally got to sign her damn divorce papers giving her full custody (which was warranted, I’ll just say) and allowing her and the kids to move back to the States from the overseas country they’ve been living/stuck in for a while now. She’s relieved and I’m thrilled for her and the kids.
TaMara
@WaterGirl: She was his date to the reunion…so technically their first date. 😇
Ok…now I’m off to walk the dogs
gene108
A serious conversation only one participant understands. Very cute.
https://m.youtube.com/shorts/TKF_bQU24Bo
Benw
My son ran his first 5k this morning! I paced him and even though he was pretty tired he never gave up and ran the whole thing! Very proud of him
Josie
@CaseyL: @CaseyL: I learned it a bit differently.
Kookaburra sits on the old gumdrop tree,
Merry merry king of the bush is he
Laugh! Kookaburra laugh! Kookaburra
Gay your life must be.
I had a Mexican red headed parrot named Lolita. I used to sing that song for her. She loved it and would bob up and down and try to sing along.
ETA: Finally got the spacing correct. Arrghhh!
narya
My good news is that my dad officially enrolled in/agreed to hospice three weeks ago, and it has been a huge help for my mom. He also doesn’t seem to mind–I was able to join the meeting with the hospice folks via FaceTime, and I made sure to say, hey, dad, we’re not gonna push you off a cliff, and also, you REALLY don’t want to go to a hospital and this is a way to make that a reality. And as needs change, you’ll be dealing with people you already know.
Funny part: the enrolling nurse was asking about his history. Veteran? “Yes.” Serve in combat or experience trauma? “No.” Serve during wartime? “Yes.” Which war? (without missing a beat) “Civil War.” Needless to say, we all burst out laughing; that’s my dad’s dry sense of humor. (He served during Korean War, but went to Germany instead of Korea.)
Dorothy A. Winsor
@Josie: That’s the version I learned too.
@narya: Good. He’ll get what he needs.
Josie
@narya:
I’m glad for you and your Mom that you got him enrolled. Hospice is such a blessing.
lowtechcyclist
@Josie:
Kookaburra sits on the gumdrop tree,
Merry merry king of the bush is he
Laugh! Kookaburra laugh! Kookaburra
Gay your life must be.
And the second verse:
Kookaburra sits on the gumdrop tree,
Eating all the gumdrops he can see
Stop, Kookaburra, stop, Kookaburra
Save some there for me.
Raoul Paste
@Benw: Well done to the both of you
eclare
Oh I needed to see that kookaburra and hear good dad news! Very happy for you.
Josie
@lowtechcyclist:
After all these years, I learn there is a second verse. This is truly a full service blog.
Yutsano
There’s an occasional commentor named Wombat Probability Cloud
I feel like s/he’s missing this opportunity.
eclare
@Dorothy A. Winsor:
Yay you!
Benw
Thx!
cain
My grandmother turned 102 about a month ago. About a week ago she fell and broke her hip. At that age, that kind of stuff is touch and go. I think though people are preparing for her to leave this plane. In a sense, I’m ok with that – she’s lived a long life but her life consists of watching tv and eating and being narcissistic. :) She hates being couped up at home and her mental capacity has diminished considerably. Interestingly, her youngest brother and sister also died this year.
IF she lives I think it will be a relief for my uncle who has been taken care of her – both him and his wife has been taking care of her but it’s been a bit of prison as they can’t go anywhere or do anything – especially with their son just having another child – they are unable to spend time because they are in India taking care. So it’s like they are missing a piece of life because of duty.
He’s also taking care of my other grandmother – my mom’s mom. She’s about 94 or something like that. But she’s pretty sharp and ambulatory and can take care of herself. We have a long lived family. :D
Lapassionara
@Josie: This is the version we sang, although we added “ha ha” after the “gay your life must be” phrase. We also sang it in a 3 part round.
eclare
@narya:
Oh that has to be so comforting. Happy for you!
TaMara
Yes, every time I see a kookaburra I get the earworm, too. I end up humming all around the zoo. LOL
dnfree
@Alison Rose: I had to drink Gatorade before surgery a couple of years ago (in my mid-70s). The procedure was take some pills first, then drink a huge quantity of the Gatorade, at about 3 am, for early morning surgery. The Gatorade made me throw up, bringing the medication with it. That was not the plan. Never again.
dnfree
@Lapassionara: We had multiple verses—like “cry, kookaburra, sad your life must be”, for instance.
CaseyL
Environmental action suggestion:
I don’t know if this has been posted before, but in the spirit of maybe being part of a Good News effort, the National Park Service is inviting public comment on its plan to re-introduce grizzlies to the North Cascades Wilderness area in Washington state. The public comment period ends on November 13th, which is soon, but I just now found out there even is one.
The draft plan is very extensive, very well done. My concern is that it only seems to address climate change from the POV of whether the grizzlies will cause climate change in the area (?!). My comment was about the impact of climate change on the wilderness, and how grizzlies will need to react by expanding their territories, and how humans in the area will use climate change as an excuse to encroach further on the wilderness and therefore “need” to reduce grizzly habitat and, of course, the number of grizzlies. (I basically said “Humans can relocate. Bears can’t. Bears come first.”)
You can find the draft proposal here (link to a large, downloadable PDF), and there’s a button at the bottom to add a formal comment. The comment screen will ask for your name and address.
Put in a good word for the grizzlies, please.
CaseyL
If anyone’s interested, here is my comment to NPS in its entirety:
An extremely well thought out and detailed plan! I have no idea whether you’re hearing from people who are opposed to the plan, but I did want to add my voice in support.
My concern is about climate change, which is somewhat addressed in the draft plan, but mostly from the perspective of whether re-introduction of grizzlies will impact the climate. My concern is how climate change will impact the **grizzlies’** environment, causing them to perhaps need to expand their territories in order to find sufficient food/water/shelter – and how the human-managed areas nearby will react. Another concern is the impact climate change will have on those nearby human-managed areas which would then lead to humans claiming the need to encroach on protected habitat
My preference, and suggestion, is that the NPS make it clear that re-introducing grizzlies in and of itself RESTORES the habitat, and should therefore remain the higher priority.
NPS needs also to be clear that maintaining and protecting sufficient wilderness to support a grizzly population is a higher priority than accommodating human expansion into grizzly habitat when climate change degrades land that humans occupy and use (whether for habitation, agriculture, or recreation). To put it simply, when climate change makes it harder to grow certain crops or hunt certain animals, the humans can change what they eat, or even relocate. Grizzlies cannot (not without becoming prey in non-protected areas).
The NPS can’t say this, but I can: There is no shortage of humans, humans are not endangered, humans will not die out. Grizzlies, on the other hand, are vulnerable to climate change in ways humans are not; therefore, grizzlies should take priority. (I would and do make the same arguments for any non-human species whose habitat, food supply, and general well being are at risk for degradation or elimination due to human pressures.)
Climate change is humans’ fault. Not the fault of the wild creatures. Changes to agricultural, hunting/fishing, and wilderness harvesting in general caused by climate change SHOULD NOT result in a further penetration of wilderness by humans, a further degradation of wilderness by humans, or a further elimination of wild species by humans.
I think it would be prudent if the NPS could say so in its plan, albeit much more diplomatically than I have.
Gvg
The kookaburra song sounds very like a hobbit song in Lord of the rings. Something Sam sung to Gollum I think. Reworded of course, but interesting.
narya
@Dorothy A. Winsor: TWO fabulous things! Yay!
dnfree
@CaseyL: Excellent comment!
FastEdD
I am going to my 50th college reunion next year. I am still here on the right side of the dirt and I still have hair on my head. I guess that is good news.
Miss Bianca
@WaterGirl: The tag line of the first verse of that kookaburra song back in *my* salad days was
Laugh, kookaburra, laugh, kookaburra
Gay your life must be
Which I imagine, somehow, is not the way it gets taught these days.
@Josie: ah, I see you got there before me! So, I wasn’t dreaming after all!
CaseyL
@dnfree: Thank you! I hope to encourage other pro-grizzly folks here to comment as well, though I don’t know how much weight NPS will give comments from non-Washingtonians.
Miss Bianca
@lowtechcyclist: And the tagline to the second verse that I learned (after the bit about the gumdrops in the tree) was:
Wait, kookaburra, wait, kookaburra!
That’s not a monkey, that’s me
What that had to do with gumdrops, I don’t know.
Redshift
Most of my good news is still basking in the VA election results. Good people I supported got elected or reelected Youngkin’s odious plans were thwarted and news outlets that covered his presidential ambitions are actually saying those have gone up in smoke.
Plus, Virginia Republicans are apparently blaming the RNC for not giving them enough money to counter the Dems’ ads instead of rethinking any of their unpopular positions, so there’s a good chance they’ll continue to lose!
rikyrah
Glad to see you, Dad and the ducks :)
Redshift
As for the kookaburra song, huh?
The kookaburra song I learned didn’t have anything about gumdrops in it. My guess is that isn’t in the Australian version and got changed when it became an American “children’s song,” probably by teachers who got tired of explaining what a gum tree was.
realbtl
To the surprise of no one who drives according to the Guardian your choice of cars shows your level of assholeness. “BMW, Subaru and Porsche drivers more likely to be in an accident.” Euro only so less Teslas.
Geminid
@Redshift: The AP has a good story analysing the General Assembly election. The writer focused first on the districts that had voted for Biden and then for Youngkin,* the so-called swing districts. I need to reread it and take notes before I post any more, but maybe someone will beat me to it.
* These were all newly drawn districts, but the folks over at the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP) did a good job aggregating the 2020 and 2021 results from the constituent precincts into the new map.
FelonyGovt
Great post and great news, everyone. I guess my “good news” is I got an Apple Watch (I’m just a bit of a tech geek) and it’s been motivating me to move, exercise and stand more. Sounds stupid, but it’s been working for me. I feel less tired and like I have more energy.
CaseyL
@FelonyGovt:
When I work from home, I have a cat who apparently fills the role of the Apple Watch, by insisting I get up frequently to: let him in or out, and/or to pick him up (15 pound lift!) for lap cuddles, and/or to run upstairs and see why he’s calling me.
FastEdD
I think of Men at Work getting sued over that song and how they don’t use that riff any more.
“Men At Work to pay 5% of royalties from hit song Down Under. Judge issues penalty after band copied flute solo from campfire song Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree.”
Dorothy A. Winsor
@FelonyGovt: I love reading about these bits of juicers’ lives.
Alison Rose
Accurate
billcinsd
Balloon Juicers, I present The Wombats “Let’s Dance to Joy Division!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayuooyWPEUc
zhena gogolia
Zander and your dad are adorable.
WaterGirl
@FelonyGovt: Not dumb! My fitbit does that for me.
At first, I had to work really hard at getting 10,000 steps. After while it wasn’t hard at all, and in the summer I mostly got 15k or 17k or 18k without even having to do the treadmill.
Now that it’s colder and gardening is done, I am having to walk on the treadmill to get all my steps.
WaterGirl
@CaseyL: And you don’t even have to charge it when the battery runs down!
narya
@FelonyGovt: I’ve had one for not quite a year, and I very much like how it will make me move. I also like the fitness+ stuff–and after the three free months you get w/ the watch, I think, it’s about $80 for a year. I also have Apple TV, so I can do workouts easily on the TV. I especially use the strength training stuff; I’d been wanting to add that to my exercise efforts, but sorting out my own program felt like such a heavy lift (so to speak). This way, it’s super easy to pick a workout and just do the damn thing. I hope it does everything you want it to do!
Geminid
@Redshift: Not much rest for weary Virginia Democrats: yesterday Rep. Abigail Spanberger phoned Democratic leaders to let them know she will not run for reelection but instead run for Governor in 2025. She had put the word out a couple months ago, but will formally announce this coming week.
There will be a contested primary and then a tough fight to hold the 7th CD. Rep. Spanberger won by 4 points last year, but Republicans will likely run a stronger candidate in 2024.
Several Democrats have already announced primary runs to succeed 10th District Congresswoman Wexton. These include former House of Delegates Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn and State Senator Patricia(?) Boysko. Rep. Wexton must retire because of a very serious neurologic disease. At first she thought it was Parkinson’s but it turned out to be a worse malady. A very sad outcome.
Jackie
This fits in the good news/happy news category!
Baud
@Jackie:
👍
BeautifulPlumage
@Lapassionara: yes, I had forgotten the round singing. That brings back memories!
TriassicSands
@CaseyL: Grizzlies
I share your concerns.
Sadly, the vast majority of humanity has very little regard for other species, except as something to exploit for financial gain. We reintroduce wolves, the environment is transformed, and we start hunting them.
Grizzlies occasionally clash with human beings, sometimes solely because the human beings behave foolishly and the bears are subsequently killed.
Orcas are now “attacking” and sinking boats. I am concerned that if this continues, human beings could start killing orcas.
In every case, humans move into other species’ space and then persecute them if there is conflict. With a continuously expanding human population, eventually there will be no room left for countless wonderful species. We’ve rarely been willing to share the planet, with the end result that species are being driven toward extinction. Now, climate change is adding to the changes to and loss of habitat that threatens so many species. I am glad I won’t live to see the impoverished world we are creating. Will we turn this around? It is hard to imagine how with 8 billion people and more every day. It is wonderful to see people like the “wombat guy” doing what they can to save lives.
We brought the grizzly back from the brink in the West. That was great, but there is always pressure to eliminate them or reduce their numbers to unsustainable levels. Ranchers and farmers move into habitat, not just for grizzlies, and then want to eliminate any animals — bears, bison, wolves, etc. — that cause problems. More cattle, more sheep, etc. are less important to a healthy future than is biodiversity. In the case of cattle, we need far fewer and people eating much less beef.
TriassicSands
@WaterGirl:
OT. Did you misunderstand me when I wrote about Cole yesterday? I was being sarcastic. I wasn’t sure if your response, “That’s crazy talk,” was serious or in the same spirit as my comment.
I’m still in the hospital, so I’m popping in an out. Everything gets interrupted and I can post a comment and then not get back to BJ until long after that comment’s thread is long dead.
DrDaveChemist
@realbtl: I’m surprised to see Subaru on that list. They’re the ones who sneakily marketed to lesbians before it was trendy and I don’t think of the Subaru owners I know (including myself) as particularly aggressive drivers. Maybe it’s overconfidence about having 4WD that results in not adjusting sufficiently to bad driving conditions?
Redshift
@Geminid:
Jennifer Boysko! A good friend of mine.
mrmoshpotato
24-15! Still undefeated! 10-0!
Anyone seen a wolverine riding a turtle? Bring on the Terps!
Oh, and GO SPARTANS! (only for this week)
realbtl
@DrDaveChemist: Fart can equipped ricer wannabes, entirely different socio-economic group.
WaterGirl
@TriassicSands: Oh, not to worry, my comment was totally in the spirit of yours! Sorry that wasn’t clear.
I have been wondering whether you saw what someone (maybe Another Scott?) added to the thread recently where you were telling us about your health condition. The comment was added kind of late but it seemed important to me.
tarzanne
Thank you for the ducks, wombats and other good news! The day seems brighter already.
Geminid
@Redshift: Wow! I hope you will keep us posted about her campaign. From what little I know of her, I think Ms. Boysko would make an excellent Congresswoman.
Virginia will have two open seats next year, plus a campaign to unseat Rep. Jen Kiggans in the 2nd CD. I think Ms. Kiggans can do a lot more good as a nurse practitioner than she is as a Congresswoman.
Maryland Democrats also have two primaries for open Congressional seats, one to replace John Sarbanes and one to replace David Trone. Rep. Trone is running for the open Senate seat now held by Ben Cardin, but I don’t think he has much of a chance against Prince William’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, especially after Governor Wes Moore endorsed her.
bjacques
Well, you know what they say: never buy dice from a wombat.
My dad turned 90 in September, so my brother and I flew him to Amsterdam, then to Marseille, Arles and the Camargue. We caught the end of the summer photo festival, and he sat on a lot of park benches, but he had a brilliant time. Now he’s back home in the NASA-JSC area, and yesterday sent me a photo of a friend who has a Mini topped with a scale model of a Space Shuttle called the Kobayashi Maru. I don’t think I remember that one…
TriassicSands
@WaterGirl:
No, I didn’t see anything. Which thread was the comment in?
I’ve been in the hospital now 8 days and we’re not having a lot of luck.
It’s “funny,” this hospital is excellent as are all the people I deal with — gastroenterologists, surgeons, hospitalists, nurses, CNAs, the housekeeping staff. All wonderful. But the system is terrible and often prevents or delays care that should be given. I’ve come to the conclusion that hospitals are simply not able/competent to handle medication. If they simply let me take my own routine medication, I would be much better off. But they don’t have some medications I need (not in the formulary, but the alternatives don’t work for me), other medications are given almost randomly, especially when nurses are really busy. Something scheduled for 10AM might get to me at 10:30 or eleven, and sometimes not at all until I raise the issue. Those medications that I’m getting in the hospital only (not at home), it’s fine for them to manage those. But any daily medication, I can do better.
When one has Crohn’s disease, the discussion is frequently about stuff people don’t usually share in “polite” company, but here it’s endless. “Look, Mom, look what I did!!!” It’s funny.
The reason I asked about your comment is that there are some “scolds” who comment on BJ. I’ve never taken you for one, but I was just checking.
Haroldo
Kookaburra sits on the electric wire
Jumpin’ up and down like its pants’re on fire
This is how I was taught it.
WaterGirl
@tarzanne: The ducks are a nice treat!
Chris T.
Dead thread and I think I mentioned this once before, but fun fact about wombats: their poop forms into cubes.
So, next time you’re hiking in Tasmania or wherever, if you come across some scat and it’s a cube, it’s probably wombat poo.