Monday Musings...

Welcome to the first full week of our "mid-way month" for the year.
And since there has been no real homicidal activity by our locals, I'm going to try and make this post short and sweet.
Our Hoosierland weather for today brings us partly cloudy skies to start off with, with sunshine breaking out by mid-morning. Temps will be comfortable (and more seasonal) with an expected high of around 76 degrees with windy conditions.
Geez, even I can like that, Last week's heat and humidity wilted the hell outta me.

Not from the fountain!

Now, let's that morning drink to brace ourselves to whatever may came, as we see what else has been going on...
*** First off of the patio table is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
JUNE 4 -
---It's National Cheese Day

(got this one covered several times over)
---It's National Cognac Day

(this one I don't have covered...at all)
---It's National Old Maid's Day

(not nice to pick on the disenfranchised here)
---It's National SAFE Day

(has to do with children and gun safety)
*** Next, a story that goes to show that sometimes LIFE imitates ART. Here's the link:
http://hollywoodlife.com/2018/06/02/benedict-cumberbatch-saves-cyclist-mugging-tweets-memes-hero/

Actor Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Star Trek into Darkness, Dr. Strange, and Avengers Infinity War) stopped four men (in London) from robbing a cyclist. Getting out of his Uber cab, he confronted the robbers and chased them off.
The Uber cab driver also helped, and stated the robbery could have been a lot worse. No one was injured.
In a bit of ironic twist, the attempted robbery took place not that far from Baker Street.
I guess all that fight-acting does come in handy. Don't mess with "The Sorcerer Supreme", in other words.
*** Next up, a sad story about an elderly woman and her predicament.
http://www.wpta21.com/story/38329678/elderly-woman-living-in-awful-conditions-neighbors-want-eyesore-addressed

An 86 year old woman (named Barbara) lives in the house (in the rear part, where the hole in the roof doesn't affect her), but the house IS an eyesore, and she has accrued over $17K in fines since 2011.
Now, she's an obvious "hold out", much like we are (at the "Fortress"), and maybe she doesn't want to move, but given her age, fixed income and housing availability, where could she go?
And how could she even pay for the house repairs (and fines) at this point?
This is one of those woefully unfortunate tales from down here.

"Our only recourse now is to go get an inspection warrant from a judge to go in, and actually access the interior,", said Cindy Joyner (NCE), and she's right.
Inspections are a huge problem down here (as in they're rarely done on any regular basis...and should be), and those aren't even the type mentioned in this story.
((Documenting the condition is a necessary step before condemnation and demolition.
Charitable organizations have at times gotten involved in this story to help out, Joyner said, but to no avail.
It's not clear how much longer Barbara will go on living in the saddest of circumstances.))
*** Next, our own Indiana state GOP wants to change a certain definition. Here's that story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/indiana/20180603/marriage-question-divides-state-gop

“The breakdown of marriage is a core reason why government has grown so large, and it is a key factor in nearly all of our social problems,”
I would quote Nick Fury (Captain America - The Winter Soldier):
"It's things like THIS that give me TRUST issues."
And it's damn hard to trust the state's GOP when they blur what is meant by a "family" or "marriage".
Why they decided to amend their platform and turn LEFT here, amazes me, and  this could turn out to be one nasty-ass conflict.
*** Next up, time to stop by our "Kitten Corner"...

What is he doing over there?

The kids had a pretty good weekend, as did we humans...lol.
It was actually a fairly quiet time in the area...must be that alley construction.
Everything (including most of the locals) was more "toned down" for a bloody change.

Trying to sleep, what's it to 'ya?

Gallifrey spent time napping, and Violet was busy watching him...or just looking cute.
I expect with school out, things WILL change, and not for the better.
In the meantime, the cats will still be cute, and hungry and willing to nap at the drop of a kibble.
*** Next, let's check in with "Midnight and Company"...

Where should I patrol today?

Our furry twosome spent most of the weekend close by the house.
Midnight missed a lunch, and was roaming about across the street.

Why does THAT bird buzz?

Whiskers spent some time watching the hummingbirds we had coming to the feeder.
She would sit on the patio (or on top of the shelters) and just stare up whenever one came by. That was both cute and funny.
With a break from the heat, the cats were less lethargic (and who can blame them?), which was good to see.

I'm back...where's the grub?

And even after dark, they were both near the house, which makes me breathe easier.
*** Last back to the garden...this whole definition of "family and marriage" is troubling, to say the least.

I grew up knowing what a FAMILY was, and am damn glad it worked out that way, as were many more of my contemporaries. White privilege? Hardly that.
Still, as times change, it was made easier to not have a "traditional" family, and people didn't seem to mind that much.

And prior to this, the traditional MARRIAGE was taking it on the chin.
As time went on, we've found that more children are growing up in dysfunctional families, or are being brought up by whoever is taking the place of real parents. We've allowed so much, and now wonder what's wrong with kids today.

It's like society went and created a perfect storm when it came to the dissolving of a real family, and then are bitching a fit because of the subsequent rainstorm created in the wake of the obvious consequences.
Sure, there are good single parents out there, doing a helluva great job raising their kids, and I'm sure there are gay couples raising kids well enough also.

But do we need to totally forget what as meant by a FAMILY? Will we settle for a guardian, or grandma, or baby-mama and her boyfriend of the week? We know what can often happen in those circumstances. Child abuse is UP (big surprise there), and infant deaths are also up, so that should be a wake-up call to our society that something is drastically wrong with the manner in which children are being raised...OR how we are married, for that matter.

Yet the best solution lawmakers can come up with is to change the "wording" on policy platforms? Puh-lease, gimme a break..
Sorry, not good enough. Go back and try again, or better yet, go BACK to the way things were worded and then hold those who have children accountable for being a real parent. Time to make people MORE responsible (like they used to be), rather than less, right?

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.