It is 17F this morning and the temp got up to 29F yesterday, a real heat wave compared to what we've been dealing with lately.

Friday night honey and I went to the fairgrounds to see the snow sculptures for the winter carnival competition. It was bitter cold and windy as it has been for two weeks and only 4 other people were there. I thought about taking pictures because they were beautifully lit up, but that would have meant taking my mitten off. Nope. Then we drove to downtown St Paul to see the ice sculptures lit up at night, which are my favorite. Downtown Saint Paul really is beautiful at night.

I had a one-on-one with son-in-law on Saturday, daughter was not around. And it nearly broke my heart. To hear him speak of his experience as a non-white in a mostly white neighborhood. To have neighbors they thought were friends look away. To have family members harassed by the thugs. To have two small children that also look like him and trying to pretend for their sake that everything is okay. How do you raise children knowing half the country hates them? He's been staying home much more he said. I could clearly see the stress and sadness in his face.

I was SHOCKED to learn Jonathan Ross, the asshole thug who murdered Renee Good, has a Filipina wife. Until daughter explained it. These white nationalists are fine with people of color...as long as they are in a submissive position 'below' them. Or, as S. Miller describes them, "the foreign labor class...who shouldn't have any rights." Aka slavery. I realize I am so naive, and oh so privileged, but even I can see and understand now. How these racist Nazis in our country think it is absolutely fine to go eat at our immigrant neighbor's restaurants, because they are serving the white man, but also fine to then have the thugs turn around and haul the restaurant workers into detention. Serve under me, satisfy my hedonistic ways, but I don't care what happens to you afterwards. How awful is that? But how true is that?

It has been a week since the falling out with the person I used to call sister. Honey suggested I wait a week before sending her a letter informing her she is dead to me, so that it is not done in the heat of the moment. If anything, I feel more strongly about it. She is a "poll watcher". In other words, she shows up at voting places to intimidate voters. While I don't agree with these tactics, she is practicing her first amendment right to do so. And yet, according to her, Minnesotans should not be free to do the same in regards to the thugs. She wants us to back off and let them do their jobs. I guess 1st amendment protections are only for some citizens not others in her small mind.

Daughter is changing the way they shop too. Her favorite store, Target, is out. (I quit shopping Target over a year ago, even before the boycott.) Walmart is out. Home Depot and Menards are out. Dragon Star foods, Costco, Cub, and Aldi are in. I get it. I wish there there were more affordable alternatives.

The rest of Saturday I taped the woodwork in the basement hallway for painting.

Woke to snow Sunday morning so I watched the UU service, prepped my lunches for the week, threw ingredients in the crockpot for my dinner this week (fiesta chicken soup), and started painting. It turned out nicely.

There were two yellows on the wall, one a lighter yellow and the other darker. I hate the dark yellow which covered all the basement walls. It reminds me of nicotine-stained walls. Two of three rooms done and now the hallway and stairway. So I am almost finished covering the horrible yellow. I am waiting for honey to decide how he wants what will be his workroom done, which is the last room. I like the mango on the stairway ceiling, though, so it gets to stay.

Shoveled 2" of snow, took a walk yesterday and wrote LOVE in the snow along the way. Noticed this morning that someone wrote COURAGE in the snow. I put a heart on either side.

Honey got a text from his brother that he may or may not have lung cancer. It is so bizarre, he's had scans and biopsies and the doctors are yes, it's cancer Stage 3, no it's not, biopsy inconclusive, MRI yes it is. No it's not. I guess this is the shit health care you get in Florida. I bet he's regretting moving there 2 years ago, to avoid the high taxes (and better healthcare, roads, education, etc) in MN.

Gut was not happy yesterday. Hoping it is not progressing to a d-itis attack.

Beautiful full moon setting this morning. Six deer crossing the street by the lake. Animal trails in the fresh snow: deer mouse rabbit coyote fox red and gray squirrel.