Almost Christmas: June 2021

Sunday, June 20, 2021

Tommy Turtle at Cornerstone (May 31, 2021)

Tom Human kindly moved Tommy Turtle out of the puddle in the road at Cornerstone. Hopefully TT found a pond or creek to enjoy.

Crazy thunder storm with gusting wind and tornado watch (May 28, 2021)

Pounding rain, crashing thunder.

Otis's tornado shelter.

Otis and Papa braved the storm to move fragile potted basil plants into the greenhouse.

Sudden limb drop (May 25, 2021)

Otis and I happened to be looking into the back yard when a 20-foot limb suddenly dropped from the elm closest to us. Micah told me the phenomenon of leafy green branches dropping on windless, sunny days is called "sudden limb drop." The limb landed on some of the plants Tom usually tends at this time of day. Luckily he was out front picking tomatoes.

The ripped end of the branch.

Lobbying for restoring rights for Texas-born adult adoptees (May 25-26, 2021)

The House voted 141-1 for Texas-born adult adoptees to have unrestricted access to their original birth certificates. We did a final push the last week in May to ask Senators to support the companion Senate bill. The bill never made it out of committee and was dead when the session ended May 31. We'll be gearing up for the 2023 Legislative session and will try again. Here I am in the empty Senate chamber.

Fellow STAR Board member Marla Smith lobbied with me. There are only 31 Texas Senators. One Senator is totally against the bill and has been able for several sessions now to kill it in the Senate. She's up for re-election in 2022. I'll be supporting her opponent. Governor Abbott says no more masks, but the Senate maintains social distancing. If you present a COVID-19 vaccination card as you enter the Capitol, you don't have to wear a mask except in Senate offices that require it.

The sign is a COVID-19 remnant.

But the water is back on. You know me. I had to check.

Otis's first COVID shot (May 18, 2021)

We were able to get an appointment for Otis a few days after vaccinations were approved for kids 12 and up. Someday we'll say to each other, "Remember the COVID-19 vaccination cards?"