LH Feb 2026 - How It Is Ending

I am now dressed and ready to go…. nowhere.  I am relishing this day of not going door knocking, of not going to a political rally, of not calling my elected.

Feb 17th Election Season Beginneth

Last Half February consisted of a sudden dive into feverish political activity.  

Danger, Will Robinson!  Boring description of political process!

Every four years we run for our seats on the county political committee.  This is that year!  We need to get a minimum of 10 signatures and voter info (more is better) of registered voters on our petition, which is a piece of actual paper.   So twentieth century, eh?!  

This is a labor-intensive, plodding activity.  It cannot be done online. The candidate cannot fill it out for the voter.  It must be done correctly, or the signature will be invalid.  It requires either begging voters to come to your place, or going door to door asking voters to sign.  It can only be done Feb 17th - March 10th (in Pennsylvania).  

Let’s start with the fact that most people do not even answer their door any more.  Then add that most voters are unfamiliar with this part of the process, and are suspicious.  I tried one year inviting people to my place, which resulted in one signature.  The voters I already know – IF I catch them at home – are willing to sign my petition and – bonus !! – the petitions for the other people running for office.  Voters I don’t know are barely willing to take the time to sign my petition. 

Me preparing to go (gasp) outside
for door knocking. 
Pro tip - it is impossible to do this
without clipboards.

On Tuesday I girded my loins for door knocking. I knocked on 13 doors and a whopping 7 opened - that’s a very good rate.   After two hours, I had 8 signatures, a sense of gratitude that the neighbors remember me, and an earful of the main issue bothering them: those two cars parked at the crest of the hill. 

If you know someone who is in the lower echelons of your political party, you could pleasantly shock them by seeking them out and volunteering to sign their petition, without forcing them to come to your door.  If it is the year for party elections in your state, that is.

Feb 18th Ash Wednesday

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.  

You are butt dust and to dust you shall return. (Our favorite Lenten joke, ha ha!)

Following my personal rule of singing whenever possible, I joined the hastily assembled choir to sing J.S. Bach’s “Jesu, Priceless Treasure” but I couldn’t sing the high notes.  I faked it, which somehow seems appropriate for 2026.

I was comforted to receive the imposition of ashes from my own pastor.  My father would be rolling in his Presbyterian grave, but I hope that instead he is enjoying heaven by eating murgh methi, basmati rice, and freshly cooked chapattis, and playing bridge with my mother sans arguing.

The pastor who gave the sermon said to listen.  I’m trying.

Feb 19th  Dental news

My dentist of 25 years retired last September.  It didn’t seem right because she is younger than me.  In reaction, I did nothing about it.  In July, I had already made my appointment for this February with the (now retired) dentist.  I kept my appointment on the 19th with the new dentist, who seems older than my previous dentist and is a man.  On my very first visit he informed me that I need major dental work.  Boo hiss.  I do not know if I want a man touching my teeth.  I called another dentist and the first appointment was late April, for mucho $$$, and that was just for the initial exam.  I am afraid to wait that long for this procedure.

HOWEVER.  The dental work is a CROWN.  I want to be able to go to No Kings Day on March 28th and say I HAVE A CROWN.  Bow before me, all ye maggaty ones.

The procedure will happen in early March with the old white man dentist whom I do not trust.  But for some reason I had no problem trusting the young white male dental hygienist who cleaned my teeth.  I can’t figure myself out.  

Feb 20th Door knocking for signatures 

In my precinct, but not my neighborhood.  Knocked on 20 doors, 5 opened.  Oof.  Five signatures, after one hour of walking, on my petition only.  I was told by several people that their spouse was napping.  First rule of politics:  Never wake a napping voter!  Not even for a precious signature. 

Seen while canvassing.
Love me a Little Free Library!

Feb 21 rally.  Above freezing!

I still need this sign.

So sick of all the entitled privileged creeps.

Feb 23 a mother’s worries

Massive snowstorm in Massachusetts, where several of our loved ones live.  And two of my (adult) children not feeling well.  Here in SWPA we also had snow.

My brother, at the end of his street

Ice and snow on a window in
Boston, Mass.

That evening was the vote in Town Council for the resolution banning any agreement with federal frozen water agencies.  I went to the meeting, prepared to speak again, but left after 40 minutes of listening to bigotry openly expressed by residents of my own town.  Late that evening, the resolution passed, 5 to 2.  

Feb 24  

I knocked on 4 doors, zero opened.  It was cold and windy.   My thoughts were infected by the town council meeting. A lot of the neighbors are probably bigots.  We are in full-blown fascism.  I realized I had forgotten my phone - this is a safety issue when one is door knocking alone.  I aborted my attempt.  I went home. 

Feb 25 More door knocking. 

Three more signatures, which is enough for my petition, but it felt like pulling teeth to get them.  It was clear these voters had no interest in signing other candidates’ petitions.  I feel demoralized that voters in my own party are not more enthusiastic to engage in the process.  I give up.

Seen while canvassing:
squirrel statue outside a door
that did not open.

Dachsund and frog statues
outside another voter's door.

Feb 26th Our local Democratic Committee fundraiser

At last, a joyous event!  Good food, good company.  It was my dream to sing one of the resistance choir songs, and we did, although not in the gorgeous harmony the Minneapolis choirs have done.  I won a raffle basket, which included a truckload of hot chocolate packets, chocolate truffles, library swag, a beautiful blanket, and a resistance hat (the Norwegian-style red hat with tassel) for the Common Household Husband.  The same knitter had already honored me by giving me one. 

The CHM and CHH,
in our matching Norwegian red resistance hats!

Feb 27th Rally - Fridays Without Fetterman

We are not amused.
This is the first time in a long time
that I have been willing to put on
a costume at a rally.

Lady Liberty is so f#&*king disappointed in our senior Senator.  He caves to the Miller-Vought regime most of the time.  There were just 20 of us at the rally, and not much traffic driving by at noon downtown, but it was uplifting to be among friends.

January to mid-Feb are supposed to be resting-up times
for the foot soldiers in the political world. 
But not when there is a town resolution to pay attention to.

This month I did 80 hours of political activity:  32 communications to electeds/university officials, 30+ communications to fellow residents on the town resolution, 8 public events, 7 meetings, 10 data activities, 4 door knockings (51 doors knocked).

We cannot fully rest, but we must take breaks.  Now that I have showered, it’s time tonight for … a Purim Party!  Bring on the hamentaschen!  Let’s drink until we can’t tell the difference between the names of Mordechai and Haman!*  Onward to next month!

Please tell me how your February went. I hope there was some relaxation in it! And some chocolate.

*Let’s not.  This is a stupid tradition.  Please don’t do it.  I certainly can’t drink alcohol like that...any more.

If you are not sick of reading, here’s the recap of FH Feb.

Seeking Beauty: the last weekend of summer, part 2

Part 2: Saturday

My coleus plants on Aug 29th, before this
current stretch of HOT and DRY

On Saturday late morning I went canvassing with my friend J.  It was so good to get out door-knocking.  For this introvert there is beauty in connecting person-to-person about democracy.  (Yes, we still live in a democratic republic, but barely.)  We had good conversations with the voters who chose to open the door.  These municipal and judicial elections in PA are SO important.  Vote Yes to Retain All Judges!  Turn your ballot over and vote on the back!

We traversed hill and vale in the blinding sun and heat (okay, it was probably less than 85 F but for us it was HOT).  Around here, all door knocking terrain is hill and vale, and often steep steps to get to the front door.  After hiking back up the steep hill when we were done, I was DONE. 

I have no photos of canvassing because I left my phone in my car – at the top of the himalayan heights.  Rest assured that my face was red from heat and exertion.  

When I arrived home, Older Daughter and Her Husband had arrived for a short visit.  Yay! I was supposed to go to the Phipps (again, this time with my ‘good’ camera) with Older Daughter but I could not.  She went by herself.  I took a blessed shower and read a book.

We received an unexpected package!  It contained a heart-shaped challah and a tin of kichel, with wishes for a sweet New Year.  WooT!  This was a gift sent by the ever-generous and lovely mother of our son-in-law.  

I mustered enough energy to water the flowers in our gardens.  My coleus plants had been so healthy a week ago, but they were on their last legs on Saturday.

The Common Household Husband mentioned plaintively that honey cake could be a beautiful thing to have on Rosh Hashanah.  I remarked that we STILL do not have any honey. But I was way too tired to fetch groceries.  In the countdown to Rosh Hashanah, the holiday of apples and honey, two days were left.  The likelihood of honey cake was looking slim (although I am not).

Rosh Hashanah 2010.
When I found this photo I realized
I forgot to obtain candles.

Have you seen beauty anywhere recently?  Are your plants on their last legs?

Part 1 is here.
Part 3 is here.

Thanksgiving Survey 2018: Roads - responses

Just for fun, I’ve put all of the responses, including yours, in a word cloud.

I loved reading everyone’s responses.  Some of us are currently traveling real or metaphorical roads that are difficult, but nearly everyone had fond memories of some road they have traveled.    

For blog reader's responses, please see comments on the original post.

Here are the responses of my extended family.

Question 1. Name or describe a road, path, or highway for which you are thankful.

1. The tunnel under the street that connects the warm Justice Center to the cold parking lot

2. Hudson River Park

3. Crystal Springs Path.

4. The shortcut through the woods

5. I think I’m most thankful for Centre Avenue. It contains one of my favorite places on earth right now.

6. The two roads that are always diverging.  In a wood.    As in, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."   Yogi Berra also said, "Always go to other people's funerals; otherwise they won't go to yours."

7. Lake Shore Drive.  Not the one in Chicago, but the one in our own local park.

8. /Our Street/ Drive. Because without it where would we live?

9. Mandarin Duck Road

10. Death Road to Canada

(The respondent informed me that this is a video game, not a fanciful description of the Airline Road in Maine.)

11. The Giant’s Causeway (in Northern Ireland)

12. King’s Highway in Haddonfield, because it had wonderful shops, like Rosen’s meat market where we could get a free hotdog.  And Neumayer’s sold comic books!)

13. The Appalachian Trail

Question 2. In your childhood, how did you travel to school?

1. School bus, where I was the first stop on and the last stop off

2. I walked.

3. School bus.  Car pool.  Walk.  Bicycle.  Drove a car.

4. I walked!

5. I traveled over plains, and mountains, going uphill both ways through 15 feet of snow until I finally reached the 1-room log cabin where they held school lessons for all the young’uns around.

6. We were told,  "You must always go down to the light at Strathmore Avenue, to cross Park Heights Avenue", to walk to school.    But we never ever ever did that - it was a full two blocks out of our way!  We always just ran across all 4 high-speed lanes of Park Heights at Pinkney Ave, where there was no light.

7. For elementary school I vaguely remember being in a car pool with other kids.  This involved mothers driving station wagons full of loud children.

8. I walked 10 miles each way uphill in the snow, just like everyone else.

9. #48 bus

10. Silently

11. By my feet and by my bicycle, carrying my violin in my left hand.

12. By foot and by bicycle, carrying my violin in one hand.

13. By walking, and then by bus

Bonus Question:  What is your favorite expression which includes the word “road”?

1.  Keep in the middle of the road

2. roadable plane

(that is to say, a flying car) 

3. And when we both have had enough,

    I will shake him from my shoe,

    saying "Meet your new road."

4. (no response)

5. I like ‘Hit the road, Jack!’. It’s a good song.

6. A voice cries:

“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,

 Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

7. “You’ll take the high road, and I’ll take the low road, and I’ll get to Scotland before you.”   (For the dark side of this seemingly light-hearted song, listen here.)

8.  Road hog!

     King of the road

     Road to paradise

     Road warrior

     On the road again...

9. I'm on the road.

10. The road to hell is paved with adverbs.

11. “I used the road less traveled.”

12. “May the road rise to greet you.”

13. “If you see a fork in the road, take it.”

Two chocolate roads diverged in a gingerbread wood...