These Texas star hibiscus flowers greeted me this morning
and one of the yellow bells has starting blooming.
I've about finished all my outdoor chores though I haven't so far bought and spread the mulch I should be spreading. One area already getting weedy again but it's the one I spend the least time and attention on and have considered letting most of it go back to grass. And there's two old shrubs that struggled to survive after each of the first two arctic blasts and finally died after the third one that need to be cut down with the chainsaw. I should really take care of that before it gets any hotter.
Now that my attention is no longer solely focused on the yard, it's about time to start going over to the studio and putting things in order at least and maybe starting on some new work. Also still need to do something about the leak in the exterior water pipe and since my first attempt at sealing it with FlexSeal paste was less than successful, I've just ignored it since.
Or I could turn my attention to drawing or watercolor. Probably I'll just read the rest of today or do something about the last of the Fredericksburg peaches I bought today, most of which are ripe and ready.
I started the new low dose of my afib med a week ago Sunday. Sunday and Monday were fine; Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were jumpy and I was afraid that the lower dose wasn't going to cut it but Thursday evening my sinus rhythm settled down and it's been fine since so that's encouraging.
----------
An unthinkable thing happened Saturday. Our corrupt as fuck attorney general, Ken Paxton, whose favorite pastime is filing frivolous lawsuits against President Biden wasting taxpayer money, was impeached on 20 counts of corruption by the republican controlled Texas House in a vote of 121 to 23 after a months long investigation by a bipartisan House committee and has been suspended from office until the Texas Senate holds its trial. Paxton, a Trump supporting MAGAt, has been under indictment since 2015, less than a year into his first term as AG, for felony securities fraud. Apparently not egregious enough for Texas republicans, they voted him into office two more times while he continued to take bribes, do special favors, retaliate against his opponents, and in general engage in abuse of office including requesting the state pay a $3.3 million settlement against him personally to 3 whistleblowers who came forward with reports of his corruption. It was this request that finally triggered an investigation. As soon as the investigative committee announced the articles of impeachment Paxton and Trump were on the phone to republican representatives threatening 'consequences' if they voted for impeachment. And of course our Trump butt kissing MAGAt insurrectionist federal senator Rafael 'Ted' Cruz, came out in support of Paxton.
Most of our House republicans finally found somewhat of a spine and a modicum of integrity and did the right thing. It remains to be seen if the Texas Senate follows suit.
A singularity for the boing headed republicans in Texas. Not going to get my hopes up.
ReplyDeleteno, me either.
DeleteI clicked google account but if it doesn't take it's me -- Linda. That star hisbiscus just knocks me out, and it's nice to see the yellow bells again. I swear, we're moving right into summer a lot faster that I can grasp. When I think about it being almost June, and 'the season' getting ready to start again, it's time to lay in some supplies, check the batteries, and so on. I hope we have a nice quiet summer, with only storms without a name.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to hear that your new medication routine seems to be working. I know it can take some time for things to balance themselves out; I hope you keep having good luck with it.
I hope we have a quiet season too but it's coming on 6 years since our last one so fingers crossed.
DeleteLove seeing the blooming hibiscus and yellow bells. So beautiful. Good news about the medication routine working.Yay!
ReplyDeleteI thought of you when I read the news about the Attorney General there. I was happy about it. I am a little worried about the next vote. Still, it was pretty great that the house voted to impeach. Yes!
the guy was even bragging that if it wasn't for him suppressing mail in voting Texas would have gone blue last election. I hope our republican state senators are more worried that keeping him would be worse as regards the next election than getting rid of him.
DeleteThat hibiscus is a stunner and the yellow bells are bright and pretty, too. Weeds will always be with us, in the ground or in to legislature. I hope the conviction continues to stick.
ReplyDeletehopefully our senate will think that keeping him would have a worse reaction from the voters than getting rid of him.
DeleteI'm afraid to even hope the Senate will convict, but they should. In answer to your question, yes it's still spring here. The high today was upper 70s, lows in the mid to upper 50s. It's nice. Last year sucked a lot. Congratulations on the new dosage working on the afib.
ReplyDeletegetting rid of him won't affect the current balance of power in our state legislature so hopefully the senate will go for the optics.
DeleteI thought I had misread when I saw "Republicans" and "right thing" in the same sentence! We'll see what happens when the decision of the Senate is brought down. It ain't over till the fat lady sings!
ReplyDeleteyeah, I was shocked that they even allowed an investigation into Paxton, shocked again when they recommended impeachment, and totally shocked that the house did it. I hope the senate comes through because the office will still be held by an appointed republican until the next election.
DeleteThe news about Paxton is definitely big national news at this point. I was mighty glad to see it.
ReplyDeleteThat hibiscus is so pretty. We have nothing like that here. Just the confederate roses and the Rose of Sharon.
So glad to hear about your medication. Excellent!
And you have reminded me that I need to ask my husband where "my" loppers are.
my loppers are so dull they won't cut soft green wood anymore, just crush it. I'll send you some seeds for the hibiscus when they make. It ought to do well there since our climate is pretty similar.
DeleteI hope the senate gets rid of Paxton as it won't affect the balance of power in the state legislature. another republican will be appointed until the next election and they might go for the optics of getting rid of corruption.
Glad your new doseage is working. Everytime they change one of my medications, it throws the others out of whack. I hate the fluttering in my chest. One doctor in Missouir told me I had A-fib, then when I had the mild heart attack, the new cardiologist demanded to know "who told you that" like I was not quite bright. He siad I had an arrythmia that was of no particular concern. The new cardiologist here does not agree with either of the previous dignosis. Could it be that she is a woman? She agrees that my case presents like A-fib, but doesn't match up entirely and that any arrythmia is cause for concern. I like her. When I had the heart attack, I was made to feel like I was an hysterical woman and he was quite surprised when the tests showed that I had, indeed had a heart attack. As for the Republican party, there does not seem to be a cure! Your Hibiscus is lovely!
ReplyDeletethe first time I had severe bouts of afib I went to a cardiologist and did a nuclear stress test which I sailed through and totally blew off the irregular and rapid heartbeat because they had stopped happening. a year later they were back every day. went to a different cardiologist (a woman) who, after 4 months had not been able to get it under control, sent me to the electrophysiologist. I had two conditions...flutter (rapid) and afib (irregular). he did an ablation for the flutter and got rid of it, been on medication for the afib. afib is the most common health ailment in the world. in itself it is not life threatening but it comes with the threat of stroke which is. has she had you wear a holter yet?
DeleteI was pretty amazed about Paxton - does it portend a move toward rational behavior? One can only hope. And now I want some peaches!
ReplyDeleteI think maybe they're after the optics (look! we got rid of a bad guy) since the office will still be held by an appointed republican if the state senate does find him guilty and this particular legislative session has been quite inhumane.
DeleteThat's good news about the med reduction, long may it last. I have to stop taking the beta blockers for one week in Oct prior to another medical test where they would interfere and I think I need to attempt a reduction beforehand. I love the hibiscus, wish we could grow it here.
ReplyDeleteI was glad to see Paxton's indictment. As elements of the Republican party become more and more extreme, there's going to be more of this infighting -- which will only help the Democrats. (Fortunately!)
ReplyDeleteThat hibiscus is beautiful. There's a similar (if not identical) wild variety in Florida that I saw on one of my recent visits.