New to the 'hood

Some new people moved into the neighborhood recently. They seem…interesting. Aside from the pink flamingo in their kitchen window, they put out this:

  

Yo, ho, ho.

New in the hood

Further to Tuesday’s snow, here’s what I found in one of my neighbors’ front yard when I got home yesterday:

They must have scraped snow from all the yards to get this. I’m impressed, even if it’s listing some.

Also: extra points for the crown o’ lights.

A light dusting

We had our first snow of the season here in the District They Call Columbia. Schools let out early, the Feds sent people home at 1300; it was A Thing.

It was pretty heavy when I left work around 1500, but started lightening up an hour or so later.

I did get a chance to toss out some seed for the birds, and was rewarded by a swarm of juncos, creepers and cardinals. And I noticed that one of my plants looks like Cthulhu under the snow.

We may have rain today, so at least I won’t have to shovel anything.

Impulse buy

I was in the local Harris Teeter supermarket last month and was stopped dead in my tracks by this display:

I mean—what’s up with an entire rack of ping pong balls in a grocery store? And it’s not even a sporting goods aisle, it was on the end of this one:

It just seems kind of random placement. I wonder how many people round the corner from kosher foods to cereal and realize that what they really, really need is a package of six ping pong balls?

Gratitude Monday: pitching in

Well, here we are, not even one week into 2020, and Australia is aflame, Tasmania is drowning and Cadet Bonespurs is poking the Iranian bear to distract us from impeachment.

So here’s what I’m grateful for today: my employer is at the forefront of helping governments, companies and organizations defend themselves from the cyber attacks that Iran is known for, and which will inevitably form part of the Iranian response to the crackbrained actions of this administration.

Also, my employment enabled me to make a donation to the Wildlife Rescue organization, which is working to save as many critters as they can from the catastrophic wildfires in Australia.

My contributions to cyber security and to organizations that are fighting the effects of climate change are small. But I’m grateful nonetheless that I can do my part.