Short ribs at Safeway are $6.99 through Tuesday. That’s on SALE. Sheesh.

“Me, Al Franken”.  I am sad to hear that Al Franken has removed himself from the 2020 -presidential race. I was looking forward to a Trump/Franken battle-of-the-network-stars. Franken, of course, would give the Twitler a real debate, not just a string of insults.

This is the best time of year to ride along the Old Arcata Road. It’s one of the most spectacular drives in America and in a few weeks it will be unsafe because of the black ice, so enjoy NOW!

The Pathetic Ballot-   I’ve already mailed back that pathetic ballot for CR trustee.  Tracy Coppini couldn’t be bothered to fill  out the voter profile to be included with the ballot. His opponent got my vote for that reason but also because I can’t figure out how anybody who has admittedly been on the CR board for 20 years  -during which the school damn near lost its accreditation and DID lose its coop RN program with HSU-  has the nerve to ask  for another term. Maybe some of you  can explain it to me.

ANNALS OF MEDICINE- I had an MRI and a catscan at St Joe’s on Sept 7.  My doctor is part of the St Joe’s network- isn’t everything?-so I patiently (no pun) waited for a call from the doctor who had ordered them about a followup appointment. Finally after a month I called them and was told that I SHOULD have been given an instruction sheet at the appointment that apparently told me to call my doctor. When I called, they made me an appointment for another month out. So when you’re referred out, call your primary to let them know you followed their orders.  The millions of dollars that they spend on medical records retention doesn’t mean that any one has your back or that anyone is paying attention.  By the time I see an actual MD,  it will have been ONE YEAR since I called to complain that my neck hurt.  Will single-payer be worse?  Don’t see how it could be.

Tom Petty- I was never a great fan of Tom Petty but I’m sad to hear of his passing. “They are all gone, gone into the light.”

Just spoke to my cousin, who’s moved back into her house in Santa Rosa.  She tells me THE SANDMAN IS STILL THERE! That great motel on Hopper that I stayed at a dozen times when I worked for the State IS STILL THERE! Everything around is is black, but they’re open.

YOUR HALLOWE’EN READING ASSIGNMENT – There are a few things I like to read over and over.  “A Christmas  Carol ” at Christmas  is one.  Another is Washington Irving’s “The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow”,  which is still great literature no matter what Johnny Depp has done. This year, pay particular attention to the description of Baltus Van Tassel, father of the  beauteous and rich Katrina Van Tassel  whom Ichabod Crane goes courting. The description of old Baltus, about six pages in, will make you think of Our Fake President-  his complacency, his incuriousness about anything beyond the farm but without his generosity. Read it again. Read it to your  kids, You won’t be sorry.

WHO’S TACKIER? Our Fake President has finally found a foil who is as tacky as he is!!!! IF I wanted to honor MY mother, I would find a million better ways than to wear a stupid  cowboy hat! They don’t even look good on cowboys! Trump and Rep Wilson deserve each other.

END