popular The Good Day All Thread

Daniel— woah, great load for the Food Bank! Well mate, when Santa stuffs your stocking hung on the mantle with care…there will be no switches for you.
…but 25% of the folks there have to use the Food Bank. That is shocking and surprising. Is that 25% in your town, state or the country as a whole?

We see politicians over there frequently referring to the U.S. as the richest country in the world, so your news comes as a bit of a surprise.

Oh well, chapeau for your work for the less fortunate. I shall have to stop taking off my hat to you, else I become bald.

 

The newspaper didn't specify. I think it was the town, but maybe the county.

I think it depends on how the statistics are manipulated. The Guardian had an article that claimed China basically wiped out extreme poverty (the key being the word "extreme" while in the US, extreme poverty has grown by leaps and bounds. There are lots and lots of billionaires, but whenever I drive into town, the highway interchanges and some other places have increasing numbers of homeless encampments. Those were never seen here 15 years ago. Now they are there in large numbers.

This info is from my browser: " In 2023, approximately 36.8 million people, or 11.1% of the U.S. population, were living in poverty according to the Official Poverty Measure (OPM). The Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) indicated a higher rate of 12.9%, affecting around 42.8 million individuals, as it accounts for additional factors like taxes and noncash resources."

It's pretty daunting. I feel like anything I contribute is a tiny drop in a giant barrel.

But it's not nothing, either?

No need to take off your hat! And I am already bald.

 

We're with Virgin Media for TV, internet and landline phone.
They've just been fined £24M for leaving thousands of customers without access to telecare alarms during the digital switchover.
Fortunately, my wife's "panic alarm," isn't connected to our phone line, it's wi-fi and works like a mobile phone if used. But I bet Virgin try to recover this money, in the next increase of their services to customers.

 

Good Monday morning all. Currently -8°C and overcast with strong winds. It sure feels like winter out there, with 2 weeks before it actually begins.
Up bright and early, and off to get a coffee at the coffee shop. Not sure exactly what today brings, but do know we will be at the rink later.
Its December 1st, so I'm sure we will be getting out some Christmas decorations and decorating the house. My daughter has been itching to decorate!
Have a great day all

 

Hoi Daniel— I see. Well, the national poverty level figures can give an idea. I looked up our percentage of citizens living under the poverty level and in 2023 it was 3.1%. At the moment the Food Bank customers are mostly for folks with the most serious financial problems.
Poverty is such a terrible thing for people to endure. You are right though — the problem is huge, but even the smallest of help that one can give is so very important.

 

Daniel, giving makes the recipient feel better, and the giver feel good, so keep on giving! I admire your attitude and generosity. We give whatever we can (food, clothing, household goods) to the local food bank/thrift store. The gratitude of the pantry manager and thrift store manager is so heart warming!
I've recovered from the marathon cooking/baking and am back at it. Yesterday I made some apple nut bread for gifts and have plans for more hot rolls.We'll see of my "plans" work out!
Hope your plans for the day work out, and that you feel gratified at the end of the day!

 

Good Thursday morning all. Currently -5°C and snowing with blowing snow. Another very wintery day, and I hate it.
Off to do my errands and shopping this morning. Not sure what the day will hold after that.
I might get out the Christmas tree and restring the lights. DD has been asking for the tree for a month now. I'm worried about the dogs and the tree and I'm not in a rush.
I think I need it to help get into the Christmas spirit.
Have a great day all

 

Netty— ya gotta ease into it, don’tcha. We will put up our small amount after tomorrow.
Tomorrow is our “Christmas”, so to speak…we call it “Sinterklaas “.
I hope that you will have some happiness this Christmas. Oo

 

Happy Sinterklaas Sjoerd !!

 

Annie— dank je wel, meid.

 

Good Friday morning all. Currently -15°C and clear. There was a beautiful super moon last night, and it is still lit up outside. But it sure is COLD!
I had tomatoes in the slow cooker and today I'll be canning them up. These were the last of this years garden tomatoes. I didn't get too much canned this year, but these tomatoes along with what I did can should last until the next harvest.
Not too sure my plans for the day yet. Its so cold out that I think it will all be inside where its warm.
Have a great day all

 

Good morning. Rain and wind here so I will sit before the telly to watch speed skating. This is my favourite sport so I shall not miss the garden today.

 

Good Sunday morning all. Currently -5°C with light snow.
Today is the day I want to start cleaning the basement. It was just a year ago when we gave the basement a deep cleaning, but here we are again with a ton of clutter.
Hope this is painless haha
Have a great day all

 

Good Tuesday morning all. Currently -9°C and mostly cloudy.
Weatherman says there is a few days with snow storms ahead, so DD and I have decided that today we are going Christmas shopping. We have a fairly long list of things to get so it could be an all day job. Its already the 9th, so we are running out of time!
Have a great day all

 

Have a great day yourself, Netty.
So, how’s it going with the Christmas decs then. Are you feeling less somber? Are there areas of Canada that are less grey and cold during the winters?

You know Nets, about worrying about your doggies and the x-mas trees: Doghouse Riley has the answer for that. Polish off yer eyeballs and lookit this: