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Quote: I said to Charles, "I want to live somewhere that is normal, I want to go somewhere where people make sense and treat others with kindness". 

I think I've said this to my husband OFTEN. There has to be a place like it. A place that is set off, set apart. As much as I despise my sq footage and living in the boonies, I think it is a good thing, but I do miss a real community people like it used to be. 

Just in my own home is frustrating. Appliances are junk. TV is a joke. The programs have the same topics and you have to pay to get access then pay to watch some movies that are OLD that you used to watch and already have seen for free. I could toss that thing out the window if I was single. I can't keep my phone on. I get no less than 5 calls of spam just on someone telling me they have financing for me. Double that since it's also a voicemail. That is just that particular topic. There are more! The junk they make, the lack of stores, the lack of selections from home decor, furniture, to food is ridiculous.  Every time my phone updates it's one more unneeded addition or hacking and don't get me started on AI. EVERYTHING is fake. And not only fake, AI is downright scary. They have no handle on AI.  AI gives out incorrect information from health to chats to whatever else. I bypass a quick search.  But the ramifications on a bigger level government wise and military wise are really scary. 

Everything is bad for you, first it's eggs, then it's meat, then it's something else. Now we have microplastics in the brain, yet I can't find socks of all things that aren't plastic or fabric that doesn't stink.  100% cotton is so hard to find. I ordered some pajamas and I sweat so bad I felt like I was a sweaty sock in a shoe!  I forgot to look at what it was made of. YUCK. I tossed it.

I don't want to play anymore.  But I am very happy that this site is a normal place.  Thank you for keeping us normal.

Ann E, I feel the same way about AI! I feel like I can’t  believe anything, and so AI things are so obviously wrong.

Donna, I have found myself just depressed all the time because of everything going on that I just don’t want to do anything

Awe, I hear you G. Donna (((hugs))).  I think part of what is missed of the past was a "God fearing society."  I don't entirely mean this religiously.  Even if someone wasn't religious, they had common decency or were taught it.  Now it seems those without it are protected instead of taught - that is difficult for me to get my head wrapped around.  And like you, I go into my garden or scratch the critters.  This is also one of the things I admire and appreciate about your blog so thank you for that.  It's a moment's calm in a chaotic world.  I really try to focus on the things that I can do something about, though at times it's tough.  

Also, love Charles' scroll saw!  What a beaut.

The majority of my family lives in Lebanon and the last several years have brought me quite low. Very good and kind people there have lost their loved ones, their homes, and businesses just because of the spot they were born on a map. They have nothing to do with the politics and suffer the most.

I cling to my home with my husband and daughter and try to make it a happy place even if I feel sad inside. We haven’t taken a trip in almost a year and we are finally taking advantage of April break and driving a few hours north to Vermont. We are staying for two nights at the Von Trapp family lodge (they offered a special teacher discount so we took advantage). The lodge was created by the Von Trapp family that escaped Nazi Austria. Yesterday we rewatched Sound of Music to get excited for the visit.  Watching the movie reminded me that people can be courageous in the face of great injustice. 
Take care, everyone. Thank you Grandma Donna for creating this happy community on line

Thank you so much for this post, Grandma Donna. I too am feeling so sad at the state of our world and although my faith helps enormously it doesn't take away the fact that such awful things are happening and people are suffering. Thank you too for reminding me that there are many, many good people in America. Living here in Australia I have to say that we sometimes look at your country and forget the good. I can only imagine the divide that exists, between friends, between neighbours and probably even in families. We need to bring people together. We need to remember that we are all human. AI terrifies me too...it may be helping in many ways but I worry that the damage it can do will outweigh any good. Our homes, our families, human relationships are the way out of this mess we are in but so few people seem to recognise this. It is like a herd of sheep being carried along in a wave that is quickly hurtling out of control. I am sending love to all those on this forum that we might all remain strong and resilient as we face these challenges and treat one another with love and respect.

I am so happy to see this post! I have been feeling very good about doing simple things. We've finished planting our flower border extension and our new rose bush. We don't ever have to plant anything in the front yard again because the flowers are either perennial or divide or set their own seed. It's a self-perpetuating flower garden. :) And we have all of the tools to take care of our yard without using gas, oil, or electricity we pay for. No matter what happens in the world, my flowers will always be there to brighten the days. :)

My inflation buster for this week is shoes. My favorite shoe company is going out of business, so I bought six pairs of shoes for the family. I normally pay between $95 and $115 a pair, but each pair of the six I bought today were $73 on sale. These shoes last a long time. With the shoes and the fabric I bought, I feel very secure about the future. I feel like no matter what comes up, I can take care of my family because I'm adding all the things I need to my store of household goods. 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will direct your path." Proverbs 3:5-6

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1-2

We must not believe AI, it is a tool that, often, does not measure up. Our minds were created by God to be used and to be protected. What we put into our hearts and minds can cause turmoil or can bring peace.

Our homes should bring us joy and peace. I am old, but I am going to redecorate and move some rooms around again. Our homes should suit our preferences and bring us joy. 

I cope by believing the Word of God and by making my home and life conducive to an aesthetic that brings me peace and joy. I have been way too lax about what I truly want for our home. It is never to late to be true to yourself. 

I used to get upset with government, but I realized that it was my issue and I was not adhering to the Bible's guidance. We are to pray for our leaders, even if we totally disagree with their decisions. We have a serious problem of a division in this country that should not exist. God hates evil and to understand that we must know how the Word defines evil. There has been evil brewing and expanding in this country for several decades.

I will cope by trusting God, taking care of my home, enjoying my family, studying God's Word, planning our summer garden and continuing research and writing. We live in a world of Spiritual warfare and it is easy to be distracted by the battles. 

Good afternoon:

It's understandable to feel sad/upset/angry/confused by the events happening that cause so much needless suffering; I've found one way I can reduce my anxiety is a great reduction in my time spent listening/watching to YouTube; there are lovely people on all of the social media platforms but even if every channel I watch is truthful (and I have no way to truly know this) and has the best intentions towards their viewers, I find it is simply too much to spend hours engaged with media, even if the content is fairly benign and I'm seeking information, for my brain :) I get twitchy and my brain races from thought to thought losing the ability to center myself and allow my own self to put forth my opinions based upon my experiences; and if I watch things late at night, oh my word...I'll be up until the dawn chorus fires up! and when I recount that day, I realize most of what I wished to accomplish has fallen by the proverbial wayside. I've disabled YouTube on my phone, I allow notifications only from my sms text, EMA, weather app and my phone app. I also greatly reduced the YouTube subscriptions to just a few that I find beneficial/enjoyable. I guess I try to understand what I can and cannot influence and I've gotten my doom scrolling under control by deleting a lot of things/apps and my accounts that by design are meant to influence my mind. Your writings, GDonna, are a Safe Place and thank you for continuing to be here and hold this door open for us--even when it is very hard-Sheila

edited to add: AI and the companies and governments who are embracing it...well, I don't even know what to do about it except when and where I can give my consumer dollars to as close to home as possible; I'm not sure how much that helps anyone but it's all I have in my toolbox...I edited once without adding anything so...sorry for the multiple edits

The little house finches in my yard like to pretend that they own the bird feeder. Mr. Cardinal has been coming by and doing a lot of watching, and occasionally helping himself to some birdseed. A couple of days ago he came to the backyard and let the little finches know that he was here to stay. If they jumped at him, he would put his head down quickly as if he'd peck them with his beak, though he was not close enough to do that. He was just warning them. He would sit on the fence and sing his songs. Today he brought Mrs. Cardinal with him. She was looking at different nesting materials, and they were trying out the lilac bush to see if they'd like to nest there. One of my mourning doves decided to waddle around the garden on his short little legs today. He would waddle this way, then that way. He'd waddle under a potato plant and disappear for a second, then his head would pop out the other side and he'd waddle over to see something else. I guess he was the garden inspector, making sure everything was right. :)

I watch the birds instead of thinking about the world or wondering why my favorite shoe company had to quit making shoes to make AI instead. AI is not going to mean as much to me as my comfy shoes. The world seems like one loss after another. 

Stephanie G: Comfy shoes and comfortable clothing are necessities to me, also. Too many good companies have been eliminated by corporations and greed.