Aging. Normal process or disease?

Alex and I taking a spin in the Black Demon

I never thought in my teens that I would live to be 70, yet here I am. At 65, I thought I was getting old really fast, but at 70 I seem to be better than I expected. How is that possible?  Am I just more accepting?  

In reading this article in Nature, it seems even the scientists are unclear about aging and disagree about everything involved. But what struck me the most, is that some think that aging begins when the sperm meets the egg. And if the sperm and egg meet when you are already older, they start out older. What a concept. Blew my mind. 

Then again, that makes sense when you consider that my eggs were too old to make babies when I turned 40. We made one but it wasn't viable and was lost in the second trimester. After that, nothing worked. 

My favourite new posture

 

I've developed an interesting post-Covid anxiety syndrome. After a party or large gathering, I have a gag reflex when brushing my teeth, I can't fall asleep at first, then I fall asleep and have horrible weird and complex nightmares until cramps in my legs wake me up. Go to the bathroom. Repeat! It's been happening consistently since 2021. 

Go figure. The mind is an interesting place. 

And depression settled over the land...

HARRIS

226

71,150,029 | 47.86%

VOTES

TRUMP

301

75,196,198 | 50.58%

VOTES

Trump won. Unbelievable as that is, he won by a lot. There is a sense of dread, hopelessness and fear. There is an overwhelming feeling of loss. And it's just the beginning. It is the beginning of an uncivil war.

Although I am glad to be living in Ireland, I know that it will have far-reaching implications. If Clarence Thomas and John Roberts retire during Trump's term, he will appoint young far-right justices that will set the legal framework for a lifetime of right-wing decisions. He's got a majority in the Senate and heading towards a majority in the House. He'll have free reign. 

And JD Vance is 38 years his junior and an author of the Project 2025 framework. God help America. 

Elon Musk as a government advisor, keeping tabs on everyone via StarLink. JFK Jr banning vaccines. Tariffs on Chinese goods. Ukraine forced to cede territory.

This is not just four years and it's over. This is just the beginning. 

I knew I had a sense of disquiet living in America. I didn't know it would come to this. 

We'll see what's next. Perhaps justice and civility will prevail. 

Elections in America and Ireland

 

The United States is going through the most bizarre election cycle in my lifetime and most likely in its history. A convicted felon who is a fascist and wants to be a dictator against a female prosecutor who wants to be the country's mamala. You couldn't have more extreme opponents. And it's so frustrating because half the population actually supports him. It is the closest polling election ever. There are only 10 days to go now, and every celebrity is out there stomping to their own themes.

Donald Trump knows he has to win or he's going to jail for the rest of his life. Stupid Elon Musk knows Trump has to win or Elon will be taxed to eternity. 

Kamala Harris knows she has to win to save America from Trump. And all of Trump's colleagues from the last administration are saying she has to win for the same reason. 

Meanwhile, JD Vance is just waiting to invoke Article 25 of the Constitution to declare Trump unfit for office: 

Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

I'm sure Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is ready to step in as VP and assist in implementing Project 2025. It's a scary time in America. 

I'm so glad we live in Ireland where the biggest threat is Fianna Fáil trying to position itself to win more votes than Fine Gael, but they are actually closely aligned. I don't think it's the best government we could have but at least it's civil. Amen to that. 

Storm Ashley

 On Sunday, the first named storm of the winter season took its toll on Ireland. Hitting on a weekend of astronomically high tides, the flooding potential was significant. Thankfully, Storm Ashley, with winds gusting up to 79.9 knots (92 mph), did only minor damage. We lost a piece of a shingle off our roof. Other than the house and vineyard being coated with salt, limbs of trees down, and seaweed on the driveway, we came away unscathed. And our BYD Seal keep the refrigerators and freezers, mobiles and led lights  going for the 36 hours that we were without power. Bi-directional charging is here and we love it. 

Polytunnel unscathed

Indian Summer in Ireland

A high-pressure ridge is parked over Ireland this week and we are experiencing summer, finally! It is warm and sunny, dry and calm. I hope the sun will help raise the sugar content of the grapes for this will be the latest harvest by far. 

I picked rowan and elder berries and made a jelly to have with meats in winter. The tomatoes are plentiful finally and the raspberries and blackberries have been a delight. Late but appreciated.

Cousins visiting

 

My cousin Maria, aka Mishka, visited last month with two of her daughters and one son-in-law. We had just been to the youngest daughter's wedding in Florida in November. Mishka and I were closest in age among the cousins growing up in Philly and we were pretty close. She was my favourite cousin and her daughters became my favourite second cousins: the 'Mishky', Ara, Lesia and Talia, but Lesia couldn't come. It was great fun showing them around, but at only two nights and one full day, a whirlwind!

Mishka was born en route, the daughter of my father's brother. She spent her early years in Australia before they joined us in the US. She worked at the UN translating Spanish to English in her early career. She married a Ukrainian-Venezuelan doctor and move south where the girls were born. They escaped there when the dictatorship took over, leaving everything behind and starting over in Florida. 

It was really lovely having them stay with us. A Ukrainian multinational family. Lots of love!