Since posting about the current relationship between Minks and COVID on Oct 11th the story has grown and I felt compelled to update! At this very moment the culling of millions of minks is creating a financial catastrophe for the citizens of Denmark and causing Global concerns! Media photos of thousands of dead animal bodies are disturbing to say the least! However, according to the country’s health minister while the COVID originally transmitted to the weasel-like mammals from Human beings, it has now mutated and People are catching it back. Effecting hundreds already and escalating the response!
Lyrics of the Day – “Any way the wind blows”
Quote of the Day – The Wizard of Oz
“You want a heart. You don’t know how lucky you are not to have one. Hearts will never be practical until they can be made unbreakable,” says the Wizard to the Tin Man to which he responds, “but I still want one.” From my favorite movie of all time The Wizard of Oz!
Comes in 3’s
Last night Slinky woke me up banging around in the kitchen trying to reach a big moth that flew in the window and was now circulating the light on the ceiling. Turned that off , thereby shutting him down for a minute and reached into the fridge for juice only to knock the container of milk over. Cleaned that up and went back to sleep, waking in the wee hours to pee and that’s when I stepped into a pile of cat’s puke (must have got a taste of the empty pack of hot sauce on the counter which I had forgotten to put into the garbage while on his adventures – serves him right for walking where he shouldn’t:) He’s fine now, sleeping like a champ. As for me, sure glad things only happen in 3’s!
A Dog’s Eye View – COVID and MINKS
Here’s some scary news! According to Daily Star COVID has wiped out thousands of innocent Minks down in the USA where they are mass farmed for their silky fur. Which in itself, according to Streetgirl is an interesting fact, considering this is 2020 and not 1983 when she was walking the streets of Toronto wearing a glamorous full length Russian Lynx and Fox coat; luxuriating in its warmth. Today is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada in the middle of a Pandemic. Farmers in Ontario are adapting and have marketed smaller Turkeys, social distancing and an uptick in cases has destroyed the dream of a big family feast. In the state of Utah there are now nine mink farms currently under quarantine and the bodies of the dead are being burned and buried in mass graves and it’s not over yet. This began last week when (destined to die before their official slaughter date) the sleek critters started showing signs of the virus which moved fast killing most within 24 hours. Here’s the caveat to this story. The animals themselves are blameless. They contracted the COVID from People and not the other way around as U might prefer to believe. And outbreaks have been reported in other Countries too! Another fun fact: Mink is not one of Utah’s top revenue generating agricultural product, just a side-line to a thriving Cattle and Hog industry, producing butter and milk and most valuable meat for many. We love animals in my family but also like to eat a bit of meat too, so let’s hope that COVID doesn’t spread to other livestock. That would create quite the challenge, put a hole in that economy, and a led to a frightening scenario. Don’t U think?
Quotes from Streets: Thanksgiving Weekend 2020
As the light changed to red Streetgirl turned back to start at the beginning again, coming face to face with a young black guy carrying a back-pack and wearing a bright coloured Simpson’s tee-shirt featuring Bart! She figured he was just cutting past towards the mall, as the few ‘deviant’ pedestrians will do, including her kind who habitually dart across traffic as is the game, narrowly avoiding calamity on a regular basis. Over the years standing, walking, and observing many a different traffic behavior she’ll attest that less than ten percent of the general population in her neighborhood jaywalks, regardless of age, gender, or race, and at least thirty percent will dart across the intersection on the final countdown. However, this is far less than the estimated percentage of drivers who roll through yellow and reds on a daily basis and the number of individuals who do this cell-phone in hand!
The man stopped short, eye to eye, whilst placing his right hand upon his heart, a gesture that was her pal Alex’s characteristic mark, a symbol of sincere blessing that touches her soul so deeply. He kept his distance and wasn’t wearing a mask as they were both outside and she did pull hers down for a moment to smile when he said, “I have no money. But I wanted to wish you all the best in every way. Bless you. I felt your shine from across the street! You are an angel.”
In Memory of Alex.a.k.Capone
I promised Alex that I would not publish a photo of him while he was alive but sadly he died spring 2020. Took this in 2012; walking the streets that he called home in the vicinity of Lawrence and Allen Road (The Jungle) where he was a fixture panhandling on the Ramp for the past 15 years and known for his sense of humor and love of people (especially fond of the ladies). May you rest in peace my friend!
Pick of the Deck!
What looked like a full pack of cards lay sprawled out upon the lawn. Most were face down and I couldn’t resist drawing up a singleton to turn over and test my luck. Six of hearts! A low ranking number, but a prize in the roll of the dice and the flush suit is my personal preference when playing the deck. Seemed a positive sign so I stuffed it into my shorts and there it stayed until now. That was a week ago. Since then my daughter has given birth to a baby boy. I had the fortune to be by her side at the hospital during the emotional and blessed occasion and to spend a few days with my granddaughter as well, which may seem a normal occurrence, but not so straightforward during the pandemic.
Today, after retrieving that six of hearts from my pocket I Goggled the significance of the lone card. The first interpretation (out of over 300,000.000 results) was spot on! According to sevenreflections.com, it is a “birth card” and the “card of a Soul. It represents the Law of Love – the Christ principle, which itself entails sacrifice and selflessness. It stands for a family – Father-Mother-Child principle, for beauty, harmony, order, and completion. It is union and cooperation, adjustment and responsibility.”
A Dog’s Eye View – “What up with that?”
“Eww, wee, what up with that?”
Heard that phrase on ‘Saturday Night Live at Home’ back in April in a skit featuring talk show host Diondre Cole a.k.a. Kenan Thompson, comedian and long-time cast member. Gave us a laugh and then wormed its way into my ear. Been my go to COVID jingle ever since!
So, just cause we haven’t posted for several months doesn’t mean our minds are not working, the wheels are turning; important matters are at hand! Mom’s dealing with the new normal as we count the days till 2nd grandchild arrives and she prays she can be there. Living in TCHC is not the same during a world wide virus attack and cause I am now a grand old 17 years she has to carry me up and down the elevator whilst wearing a mask which is hard on her back and difficult for breathing too! But I’m worth it don’t U know? As for Streetgirl, she’s hasn’t been out panhandling for ages and sure does miss the blessings from strangers. And Alex.a.k.a.Capone passed away. An icon on The Ramp which wasn’t pleasant to hear. However, Streets is an artist and inspired by such events. She’s working on a post called “Altruism be Damned. It’s a Pandemic.”
Stay safe and keep tuned!
Fire in the compost room.
It is 3:20 a.m. and I smelt the smoke before hearing the alarm and once again Toronto Fire Services is on the premises and “currently fighting a fire in the 1st floor compact room.” So, we must “remain” in our units as we are until further notice as “light smoke” filtering up and into the hallways is cleared and the flames in the bin are extinquished. My eyes are burning!
Who is that homeless girl? 