Today is...

 

Today's Tids Issue 5,187 

And then there is tomorrow: 

 

 

Today is a wonderful day,  

Simply because it is. 

Simply because there’s love  

And warming smiles. 

And chances to attain 

And most certainly give. 

A today is always beautiful, 

Always something special to me 

Because all of you, my friends 

Are definitely always in it, you see. 

 

Today is National Dark ‘n’; Stormy Day. And around here it definitely is. Maybe it's why I feel so lyrical instead of becoming hysterical; maniacal over a little rain. It’s how I stay sane. 

 

The war on oil around will raise the price of everything! So, a little over year ago we were pretty much oil independent until the Gov started negating Petro-production capabilities. So now we're making goo-goo eyes at our enemies for oil. Sounds kind of crazy, doesn’t it 

 

The Question: 

Name five great novels by Charles Dickens. 

 

The Headlines: 

--Markets Lower In Late Morn (Or Should I Say Mourn); New Jobless Claims Rose To 229,000, Highest Level In 5 Months; Tesla Reports Strong China Sales. 

--Housing: Mortgage Rates Rise Turning Away H Buyers; Lumber Prices Chopped As House Building Fever Cools,  

--ECB Ends Bond By-Backs; Looks At Rate Increases. 

--Feds Arrest Man Intending To Kill Justice Kavanaugh. 

--Jan Six Show Opening In Congress; One Of Trump Kids (Ivanka?) Expected To Testify. 

 

This weekend’s Belmont Stakes should be interesting simply because most people will be watching to see if Derby winner Rich Strike is the real deal. I know I will. (Right now, the favorites are We the People [2-1], Mo Donegal [5-2] and Rich Strike [7-2]) 

 

We have the PGA Tour for all golfers. We have the PGA Champions Tour for Golfers over 50. And now we have the LIV Tour which is appearing to be the golfing Midlife Crisis Tour. 

 

I'm going to have start shopping in Massachusetts, RI is poised to ban plastic bags across the state, even though many towns have voted to make the choice to keep or ban. I hate banning. 

 

The plastic bag ban only applies to single use plastic bags. I reuse all of the plastic bags I get. Government officials are insane 

 

Today is, National Donald Duck Day! I hope that makes you smile a little. 

 

The Tids Minerals Research Director observes, “"WASHINGTON — The United States has relied almost entirely on China — and to a lesser extent Russia — in recent years to procure a critical mineral that is vital to producing ammunition. The mineral antimony is critical to the defense-industrial supply chain and is needed to produce everything from armor-piercing bullets and explosives to nuclear weapons as well as sundry other military equipment, such as night vision goggles." I remember those happier times when the USA was pretty much self-sufficient in most raw materials and production capabilities. You know, the land of plenty. And we didn’t have to be subject to the vagaries of foreign intervention and whims of dictators. 

 

I’m happy that we now have primetime “Let's Make a Deal” and “The Pirce is Right” on Wednesdays. It is another way to ease a cluttered brain. I never said I was an intellectual. 

 

Today is, National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day. I know a lot of people just love good strawberry rhubarb pies. It harkened me back to calmer days when we grew a lot of rhubarb at our quiet country home and sold it to the local mini supermarket. It made you feel you were doing something.  

 

It also reminds me of the time a girl we knew road her horse up on out land and sunk into our septic tank. Thousands of dollars later we laughed about it. No wonder our rhubarb grew so well.  

 

Speaking of calmer days, I believe that technology squishes too much into a day. Technology leaves no excuses to do nothing or at least slowdown. 

 

The lawyers may make the most money in the new Golf League fight which is escalating rapidly on this first day of LIV play and is also high on the nasty-meter.   

 

The Answer: 

Charles’ books are those books that anybody who has learned to read in school should remember. They are the iconic classics like Christmas Carol and then Great Expectations, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, Bleak Bouse. Hard Times, Little Dorrit, Nicholas Nickleby and The Old Curiosity Shop.  

 

Today is a day I got rained out at golf and only hope I haven’t bogied too many Tidlets.  

 

Only 24 Thursdays left until Thanksgiving. Now, that is a day!