Is winter really here? The grass is still green.

It's already Christmas and the grass is still green around here in Berkeley Springs. Local folks have been out riding bikes or walking around together arm-in-arm. Is this global warming or what? 

Another question: Is a dog a good companion?

 Yes, absolutrly! Is a dog better than a human? Well, that all depends on the human. You can always talk to a dog and the dog will never talk back. I do appreciate the daily company of our dog Willow, but still miss my human neighbors and friends back in Washington, DC. My family always had dogs when my kids were young. 

I've heard recently that my former house now belongs to a couple with 2 children, which is really good to hear. I raised 4 kids there myself and have many fond memories of living in that wonderful 3-story house with my very active family.

Friends back in DC have now been recommending various local activities that I might join here in Berkeley Springs, activities like playing bingo or joining a book club, but who even has the time? At age 87, just getting up in the morning, eating breakfast, brushing teeth, taking a bath or a shower (but not every day, makes skin too dry), getting dressed  (struggling putting arms into sleeves), and then going out briefly with my son and the dog By then it's already almost noon, time for lunch and my afternoon nap, while my son goes out to his job the hotel desk. So no, I don't have time to play bingo because I am really pretty busy!

Donald Trump at age 79 has begun to slow down. Maybe he's getting tired of being president? He often seems to be sleeping on the job. But his staff says he is just listening intently. Then what if he actually starts snoring? 

 Remember when Trump used to make fun of "Sleepy Joe'' Biden?  Who's the sleepy guy now? 

A historical analysis by Gallup shows Trump's approval ratings in December of his first years in office − both as the 45th and 47th presidents − are lower than any other modern president at the same time in their administrations.

While he has been snoozing a lot lately, Trump also seems to have a few manic episodes, as when he announced recently that he had slashed drug prices as much as 600%, actually a mathematical impossibility. At that rate, drug buyers would get a big rebate.

Is Donald Trump not getting enough sleep or is he just getting tited of being president? He keeps closing his eyes. 

Washington Post, Lawmaker sues to stop Trump from adding name to Kennedy Center

Daily Beast, Top Republicans Give First Year Under Trump 2.0 a Failing Grade

BBC, Trump unveils plans for 'Golden Fleet' battleships named after himself

 ICE documents reveal plan to hold 80,000 immigrants in warehouses

The Trump administration wants to build seven large-scale deportation hubs to speed up removals, internal ICE documents show.

Now deportation has become a #1 Trump industry, so cruel, so very stupid and just so counterproductive!  Aren't more working-age people still really needed here?  We are certainly not producing them, so we still need to those folks right, here right now, which is actually why they are coming, and actually no good way to screen newcomers has ever been developed, not here or anywhere else.  People just come here because they are needed, mostly good industrious folks, eager and willing to work, along with a few undesrables, as everywhere. We just have to take our chances and rely on the law of averages. We should be welcoming these newcomers, not putting them in warehouses! I'm glad I never voted for Trump, but unfortunately too many other people did so. Aren't some of them really sorry now? .  

  Please excuse odd spacing and big gaps below--my virus scan ran out. This needs to be posted now before matters get even worse.                                     

Wash, Post, Two hospitalized after shooting during ICE 

Wash, Post, Md. woman facing deportation is a citizen, lawyer says. ICE disagrees

Wash, Post, Trump-backed conservative candidate wins in Honduran presidential election

Trump unveils plans for 'Golden Fleet' battleships named after himself

Wash. Post, Two hospitalized after sh

ooting during ICE Operation 

Wash, Post,  On CBS, it was still the Kennedy Center Honors 

On CBS, it was still the Kennedy Center Honors 

Here are some recent photos just sent from my old DC neigborhood. [Space below cannot be closed,]

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                                Photos above are from a good friend back in DC.