Author: thecapeblog

The state of Connecticut has some of the toughest gun laws in the United States.

Anything can be a weapon: a screwdriver, a kitchen knife – even water and oxygen.

All of us are exposed to violence in the media, yet most of us don’t act out what we see on television or in video games.

The firearms used in the Newtown murders were legally purchased and registered.

The person who used those firearms had a history of mental disorder.

Why, then, isn’t there an outcry for more effective mental health services rather than the usual pleas for more (ineffective) government control of firearms purchase and more media censorship?

Dropped by my friend Emma’s house today to see her and her sheep!

This morning, did laundry and cleaned up the right-of-way in front of Dixon.

Oh, yeah, and on the way back from Emma’s, I stopped by a package store that was doing a big wine tasting.

The anti-NRA zealots are out in force, screaming for yet more regulation of firearms following the murder of 20 young children at a Connecticut elementary school.

When will the public learn that insanity can’t be regulated against, that there are simply not enough police or private security forces to protect us from the lunatics among us?

Connecticut has “some of the toughest” gun control laws in the country. Saying that it’s a federal problem makes me extremely uncomfortable and more than a little frustrated. Our federal government already has the power to lock up American citizens without trial, indefinitely, via the National Defense Authorization Act. What additional freedoms and autonomy do we need to cede in the imaginary hope that the government can keep us safe?

Some of us on Cape Cod have been looking to state and federal officials to protect us from the very real possibility of nuclear poisoning from the Pilgrim power station just up the coast. These officials have caved to the owner, Entergy Corporation, a $42 Billion Fortune 500 power company. They’ve failed to require that Entergy implement basic safety and security precautions. They’ve even failed to develop an emergency evacuation plan for our region.

If the government can’t control the activities of one organization, how can we trust it to protect the public from dozens, hundred or thousands of crackpots, with or without guns?

The answer is that it can’t, and we shouldn’t expect it to. Rather, we should be able to protect ourselves, our families and friends and our property with our own skills and resources. I just don’t see how any other “solution” can possibly work.

I can’t remember what I did this morning, besides feed Fluffles (and clean his ears and comb his fur) and take a shower. This afternoon, though, I brought 71 bottles and cans to the redemption center, picked up some scratch tickets for the Cohens, cleaned up leaves in the back yard at Edgewater and brought the leaf sweeper home.

Emme and I had dinner at IHOP. Our waitress was a riot. Afterwards, we went to the Osterville Stroll, rode on the trolley-bus and had dessert, including some sensational cream puffs.

And oh yes, I fed Fluffles, again.

Drove with Ron to the bus terminal at 6:30 this morning. He got his bus to Logan; I caught another one at the same time to New Bedford; not planned, but worked out great.

I got the 2:35 back to Bourne, then had supper and worked at Falmouth Eats Together from 4 to 6. Have been feeding Fluff ever since I got home. Cleaned up from the morning.

I didn’t realize how crooked the cake turned out until seeing this picture. Oh, well.

I spent the morning in the kitchen. Also made baked fish and “Toad in the Hole”. Had an appointment afterwards at InMed, and the cool air felt so good, I didn’t even put on a coat.

Ron and I caught a delightful film at the Falmouth Art Center about Herbert and Dorothy Vogel, a middle class couple in New York City who amassed a 1400+ contemporary art collection. He passed away earlier this year. What amazing devotion to art.

I was ready to throttle Ron this evening. He’s been wasting hours trying to square away his email accounts and refused my help. I finally got fed up and fixed it for him just by FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS. I was able to print off his itinerary, bus ticket, boarding passes and car reservation.

Not a pretty picture.

After finishing chores, we brought Emme to the Centerville Stroll. Much warmer this year, and we got to hear a bell choir, which was very nice. No cotton candy, but we enjoyed donuts, chili and hot dogs as well as cookies, cider and hot chocolate.

We visited the Museums on the Green for their annual holiday house tour. Purchased a CD of sea chanties by the Rum Soaked Crooks and some ornaments. Did some errands and then visited Highfield; Ron got photos of the creche exhibit, something we promised ourselves last year when both of us forgot our cameras.

Oh, yes, we also indulged at Maison Villatte, the new boulangerie-pâtisserie on Main Street.

Afterwards, we had a beautiful dinner with Candy and John and two other couples. I am grateful to Ron for releasing me at last from the status of fifth wheel.