Critterville

Mister Grey and Raven

The drive to Hoosick Falls isn’t all that long really – 191 miles per Google Maps. If I take the Pike and don’t stop for a coffee fix, it takes just under four hours-ish. If I take Route 2 up to nine across Southern Vermont it takes slightly longer – four and a half or so. The way’s more winding/less full speed, straight ahead. I stop more when I go this way. Why? The view from the top of Hogback Mountain, the aMAZing Freight House Antiques shop and cafe in Erving, farm stands, Wilmington’s itty bitty brilliant Coffee House! Hells bells, if I stopped everywhere I wanted, it’d take ten hours to get home AT LEAST.

Now, y’all know that I despise driving but it is good for a few things.

I get to visit with my wonderful Helen and famiglia in one of my fave places on the planet – Hoosick Falls. ALSO, and this is big, it means I’m not reading and obsessing over the newspaper or my precious political blogs for a bit. Yes, I actually managed to avoid all that shit for the entire length of my very short visit. I didn’t realize how fabulous that was until I got home, plugged in and saw the latest faux outrages.

Madison, Ranger-puppy and Helen

Hillary said THIS and Bernie's horrifically offended! She didn’t say that BUT the “news” purveyors and bloggers gotta over-stir the pot. Makes for a more thrilling, riveting, edge of your seat narrative, don’cha know.  

Will the GOP nominate the slitheringly vile, my-religion-will-be-EVERYONE’s-religion Ted Cruz or the bombasti, fascism promoting Donald Trump or a Smaug to be named later?

How low can Sanders go and why is it bad for Clinton to issue even the most gentle, fact based criticisms of her opponent but, when he does it, he’s just telling it like it is?

I believe I’m going to find a way to block out all this noise. I don’t need it. It doesn’t give me any more, necessary info about the candidates. Oh and I wonder – what news are we all NOT getting because all we see is this horrible theatricality playing out big and neon-esque in the center ring?

Critters. Furry kittens and puppies. They help. A lot.