My bother was here for a delightful visit. He arrived by train, a sort of sepia-toned mode of transport, and he seems to like the farm, worked a bit on the truck, and we swapped old stories and memories, some good and others not.

It culminated (I hope) the astonishing procession of grandkids and old pals through the precincts of Refuge Farm- and the annual ritual of having Gene the Chimney Guy clean the fireplace, power wash the decks and clean the gutters.

I had wondered what the $1,000 surprise was going to be this week, and it is a comfort to know it as soon as Wednesday. Plenty of more time for all sorts of things.

I have fallen off my last roof, ins’hallah, and we should be ready for the fall. It is coming with alarming rapidity. Quite astonishing how quickly the year flies by- maybe there is a Frank Sinatra song about that.

I would say that most of the metro area is starting to dry about after the monsoon paralyzed the city, and that meteorological phenomenon was quickly followed by the affair du Jeffery Epstein, which as one of the websites I frequent noted, may be one of the more appalling scandals in recent history, or perhaps a nothing-burger.

There has been a lot of that going on, and there will be plenty more ammunition for vicious partisan attacks to entertain us through the rest of the summer. I have often noted in this space that tings just seem to get loonier and loonier each week. Now it is former Presidents and private islands and jets, underage kids assaulted, and that is completely aside from the collective madness that comprises our political process.

Having no choice in the matter for another 16 months, there is nothing to do but embrace a certain fascination with how dreadful this all is. Oh well, I do have to say that we seem to be having a wonderful time, and can always put up company if you happen to be in the neighborhood. Like Mr. Trump at the DMZ….

Copyright 2019 Vic Socotra
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