MEME MONDAY: FLOATING ON THE SEA OF BLUE

 This meme is my favorite from the past week.

Watching the election returns come in last week was a joy. I hadn't lost hope, but the results were better than anything I imagined. I spent the evening with CNN, along with holding text conversations with Carol, my Dear Friend in Dallas, and from start to finish, my beloved friend Rita from SoulComfort's Corner.

Rita and I commiserated with one another because we live in red states, but we were thrilled to see Texas, Georgia, and so many other states turn blue. I wasn't even all that upset that floriduh remained red because the Democrats running for senate and governor came within spitting distance of winning. That's the kind of trend I like to see.

Keep this in mind for the next election: If you wanna vote naked, vote naked.

WHAT WEDNESDAY: VOTING

 Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

This week's question is the following: What do you do about voting?

Do you vote by mail, vote early in person, or vote on election day? Whatever you choose, it's voting that matters, and now, more than ever, it's important to vote

BLUE

I vote by mail. In the past I needed to renew my request for a mail-in ballot every four years, I think. Now I have to request my ballot every year. I always receive an email telling me my ballot has been received.

That email has arrived in my inbox, and, of course, I voted blue.

Although 🟧 disparages voting by mail, he votes by mail. 

Quite a few years ago (before I knew them so it was prior to 2010), Carol and her son, David, went to vote in person on election day. They were told David wasn't allowed to vote. No one could or would tell them why, and they didn't know what to do. 

So Carol voted, and they left. When the next election arrived, David was allowed to vote. 

What would you do if you or a loved one were denied the right to vote?

Here's some information that might be helpful.

Before you head to your polling place, make sure it is your polling place and make sure you're registered to vote. You can verify your registration by using this online tool, or you can call your local election office. If it turns out you aren't registered, all hope is not lost. Some states allow same-day registration.This tool will help you find your state’s online registration application.

Same-day voter laws are here. You can also ask a poll worker at your correct polling location for a same-day registration form. Complete the form and then ask for a “conditional ballot.” A conditional ballot allows election officials to count your vote after verifying your voter eligibility.

The felon has made a big deal out of requiring identification to vote, saying you can't go to a grocery store to buy a loaf of bread without showing an ID, which we all know is another one of his lies, but it is important to have any ID required by your state when you vote in person. This webpage provides info about the 36 states that require ID and what kind of ID they require. It also lists the exceptions to providing ID. 

When you know your polling place and the hours it's open, you know you're registered, and you have your ID ready, here's what to do if you're told you can't vote.

• If you're told the voting machines don't work, then ask for a paper ballot.
• If you're in line when the polls close, don't let election officials turn you away. Stay in line. You have a legal right to vote.
• If you're told you're not a registered voter, ask the election workers to check again and to check the list of supplemental voters. If they still can't find your name, ask them to check if you're at the correct polling place.
• If someone claims you aren't allowed to vote, then ask to cast a provisional ballot. Provisional ballots are available in every state except Idaho and Minnesota.

If you aren't given a provisional ballot, call an election hotline for help. 

English: 866-OUR-VOTE/866-687-8683, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA/888-839-8682, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Education Fund

Asian Languages: 888-API-VOTE/888-274-8683, Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote

Arabic: 844-YALLA-US/844-925-5287, Arab American Institute

If someone tries to frighten you into not voting or tries to get you to vote or not vote for a particular candidate, call one of the hotlines listed above and take down any information you can get, such as the names of poll workers, information about the person intimidating you, and names of witnesses. Later, call the FBI at 800-225-5324.

All of this excellent information comes from an article by attorney Karen Figueroa that was published by Katie Couric Media at https://katiecouric.com/news/politics-and-policy/what-happens-if-your-vote-is-challenged/.

HAPPY VOTING!

Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug

This post is my last this week and probably my last until the mid-terms. I'll try to check on your blogs when I have a chance. I'm overwhelmed by stuff that must be done.

MEME MONDAY

 I wish I had a dollar for every time a man told me I should smile. The sky would have opened so riches could pour down upon me.

I also hate that bullshit about it takes more muscles to frown than to smile. No, it does not. When people claim I'm frowning, my face is relaxed.

Do you have a remote control and whatever it controlled broke a long time ago? How about an eraser for the pencils we haven't used in 20 years?

But these aren't immigrants in Ohio eating cats & dogs. Whatever happened to that scare tactic?

Katie made it five days. What lasted longer?

The Mooch is probably pretty happy to have his record broken.

Wow! Kim looks so young and innocent. 

tee-hee

This lie continues to be a favorite with the pedophile.

He sure is, Dr. Richardson. 

I hope you can access the following:

This is seriously the funniest thing I’ve seen in WEEKS 😂🤣😂 - from Nick Muller on Instagram 👏👏👏

- The Dangerous Ones

Read on Substack

DISCOMBOBULATED

Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

I didn't provide you with a WHAT WEDNESDAY this week because I thought Tuesday was Wednesday and it was too late to prepare the post. I swear even Alexa told me it was Wednesday on Tuesday. Then the next day arrived and it was Wednesday all over again and once again, too late.

Changing days to confuse me must be part of a vast right-wing conspiracy. But I know what day it is today. It's Sunday, or maybe Thursday, and don't you forget it.

The summer and now autumn have been nasty to me by encouraging my eczema to spread and itch. Currently I have eczema welts under my boobs. I am not taking a photo to share with you because you would probably get a peek at my amazing bosoms. I know some of you long to see my fabulous tits. I'm not naming names. You know who you are. It's you, and it's YOU. 

Shame on you.

Alice has to see Dr. G today to get her bordatella vaccine. The poor girl will panic at Dr. G's touch.

I have all sorts of projects underway in the house. One is in the refrigerator.  It's not finished, but I'll show you what I've done so far.

See the black-and-white liner under the milk and big Tupperware bowl of salad? 

The liner is fabric and it can be cleaned in the washing machine. 

As I add the liner, I'm washing the shelves and walls of the refrigerator and I'm reorganizing the shelves. Some of the shelves won't go back in because I never have enough storage space for tall items.

The liner is a bit thick, so it provides a nice cushion for all the drinks and food that have to live in the refrigerator.

I'm happy with it.

I haven't lined the fruit/veggie drawers yet. I don't have any fresh veggies at the moment ––only fruit, so I have lime in one drawer and strawberry in the other.

I got my flu and COVID vaccinations yesterday, both in my left arm. If my arm is sore, I've been too hard at it to notice.

I'm relieved the felon backed off from live streaming the execution of Nidal Hasan, but it never should have been up for discussion. 

This post is my last for this week. I look forward to seeing you all on Monday. Hope you have a great weekend.

Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug

MEME MONDAY

VOTE BLUE!

VOTE EARLY!

I've already voted. Have you?

💙💙💙💙💙💙

Mowing lawns, pushing a broom, scrubbing toilets -- any of those jobs would be perfect for Little Johnson.

I'm about as worried by books in a school library as I am by drag queens reading to children. 

When I see someone whine about children being harmed by drag queens, I say, "Give me names, dates, and locations. Tell me how the children were harmed." Then I provide information about school shootings––the real danger to children. 

The whiner never responds.

Children are in danger because of GUNS.

Everyone in the US is in danger because of ICE. 

Live streaming an execution is so crude and ugly that it defies credence, but nothing is too low for Hegseth and 🟧, the rapist.There's really no difference between the felon's "grab 'em by the p*ssy" and the frat "boys'" "free p*ssy."

I LIVE WITH TWO DEVILS IN FUR COATS

Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

It rained all day Tuesday. Non-stop. Princess demonstrated great bravery by running right out for potty breaks. Penelope used to be the brave one, while Princess preferred not to have her perfect fur dampened. Then I remembered Princess took Penelope's place as 

Protector and Comandor

so it made sense that Princess took the lead on going out.

Alice declined to join her best friend. After a while her eyeballs turned yellow and she had her legs crossed so tight I didn't think she'd be able to uncross them. About 10 p.m. the rain stopped for 15 minutes and with a lot of encouragement, Alice followed Princess into the rising waters.   

If you've known me very long, then you know what happens to my back yard when we have serious rain. Lake Junebug is full. Here's what it looked like Wednesday morning.

So I figured I'd better go out to hook up the pump and send some of that water out to the street. I haven't needed to use the pump in at least a year so I had to get it out, clean off the cover, untangle the hose, untangle the extension cord, get everything in the right spot, and on and on and on. I was out there wading around for a little more than an hour. The girls had to stay inside because the gate was open.

Finally, everything was done and water was running out of the hose at the end of the driveway. I headed for the door, happy I could take off my wet sandals and slide my tired feet into the fuzzy purple slippers that waited for me in the laundry toom. Yeah, those nice, comfy slippers that were between the washing machine and the dryer. Where I left them, right? 

Except they weren't there. 

No problem. I also had some blue slippers nearby. 

Blue slippers? Only one was there.

I walked into the kitchen and found one of the purple slippers.

Yup. There it was. Upside down in the doggy water bowl.

What the hell? I said.

Princess went one way, and Alice went the other way. 

I put on the single blue slipper and headed to the family room, where I found the other purple slipper on the couch, sopping wet. It must have taken a bath in a doggy water bowl, too. 

The mystery of the missing blue slipper remained. I found it later when I went in the bathroom.

It was in the toilet.

Charges have been brought against two dogs who were previously named as persons of interest in the case.

PRINCESS –– LEADER OF THE PACK. Charge 1. Engaging in Major Shenanigans, including the theft of 3 slippers.  Charge 2.  Impersonating a well-behaved dog who graduated from an expensive training school.   Charge 3. Laughing at Mommy when she found a slipper in the toilet.

ALICE  ––  MEMBER OF THE PACK.  Charge 1. Aiding and abetting Major Shenanigans.   Charge 2. Impersonating a dog too frightened to engage in bad behavior.   Charge 3. Hasn't stopped snickering at Mommy since Mommy stomped into the family room wearing one blue slipper.

Trial scheduled to commence October 20. Snowbird Gramma scheduled to return October 16. Devils in fur coats will be found innocent before trial begins.

Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug

This post is my last for this week. See you Monday.

BEFORE THERE WAS LINDSAY CLANCY THERE WAS ANDREA YATES

 Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

Instead of asking you a new WHAT WEDNESDAY question, I want to return to the subject I brought up Sept. 16 in WHAT WEDNESDAY: A TOUCHY SUBJECT.

I realize some of you don't know who Lindsay Clancy is, or you don't want to think about women who kill their own children. But the more I learn about postpartum depression, and especially about the horror of postpartum psychosis, the more I realize this issue pertaining to women's mental health does not receive the attention, and thus, the treatment, it should. 

That's no great surprise since it only happens to women and doctors so often ignore women's symptoms and women's pains and women's fears and women's thoughts. 

For more than 20 years, I told every doctor I saw that I had a headache nearly every day. Terrible headaches. Every. Damn. Day. We moved around quite a bit, so I saw a lot of different doctors. The doctors who delivered my babies. My primary care physicians. Doctors in Kansas, Indiana, Washington, two parts of Maryland. 

They said you have tension headaches. They said you have sinus headaches. They said there's no reason for these headaches you say you're experiencing. If you take this antihistamine it should make your headaches go away. If you'll rest for a while it should make your headaches go away. There's really nothing you can do for these headaches since there's no reason for them. Take some Tylenol™.

My head hurt so much that at times I felt as if I couldn't think. It was a constant battle to function. I was tired all the time. I never got enough sleep. And I was irritable. Boy! Was I irritable. I could explode in anger. The hopelessness was probably the worst part. I was nobody and nothing and I was never going to be anyone. 

Then when I was in my early 40s, X became ill, and because of his illness, I saw a therapist who told me I should see a doctor to ask for an antidepressant. I followed through. Within a week of taking the new medication, the headaches went away. I tutored a college student who pronounced the word chimney as chimbley and it didn't infuriate me. 

I was still tired, and I'm tired to this day. I have chronic fatigue. As for the hopelessness . . . let's not go there.

But the headaches, the exhaustion, the irritability, and the hopelessness are all symptoms of depression. I certainly told doctors I was worn out and felt like life was difficult. Not once did a doctor ever ask about the possibility that I could be depressed. I get migraines now, at times, but when I have headaches, Dr. Spooner (my beloved psychiatrist) says they're probably depression headaches and he found a medication that helps with them (off label). I also continue to take an antidepressant and a medication that helps keep my anxiety in a corner instead of bursting out all over the place.

It took more than 20 years for me to start getting the help I needed. As I commence learning about postpartum depression and psychosis, what I have already seen is how difficult it is for women to get help. 

I'm going to take time to research these issues, especially as seen through the lens of two famous cases: Andrea Yates and Lindsay Clancy. If reading about them and what they did to their children is unbearable to you, then I understand, but I sincerely hope you will brace yourself and join me in learning about this plague that afflicts only women because you never know if a young mother in your neighborhood might need help, or your sister who had a baby at 43, or some woman you've never met before who is hearing voices telling her to kill her children and you could make the difference between whether she gets help and those children live. Let's educate ourselves about what happens to these women and what symptoms and signs we should anticipate.

The latest news about Lindsay Clancy is she will be retried. She remains hospitalized. 

Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug