Can't make it up

I don't post much about politics here anymore. I'll occasionally touch on political matters on my Substack site, and for the most part, I make observations rather than state opinions. 

I can still make people mad, though, and I've lost a couple of subscribers over there because of what they perceive my opinion to be. 

This blog has become more about friendships, and my posts here tend to be fairly benign. 

But sometimes I feel the need to dip my toe into the political stuff with my friends here. The few of you who read my posts here know I have no harmful intent, and I respect whatever your opinion may be as much as you do mine. 

So, today is one of those days. 

It is nothing short of astounding the way the 2024 presidential race is unfolding. 

The incumbent, Joe Biden, is 80 years old. If elected to a second term, he will be 82 at the start of it, and 86 at the end of it. 

For the most part, I don't have a problem with that. In spite of what some may think, there appears to be no indication Biden does not have all his mental faculties and is not capable of fulfilling his duties. Now, why he would want to have one of the most stressful jobs in the world in his golden years is beyond my comprehension, but can he do it? Well, it appears he can. For now, anyway. 

Some folks think he did not intend to run for a second term. There are theories that when it became evident one Donald J. Trump was not going away, and would, in fact, emerge as the frontrunner in the GOP field, Democratic operatives encouraged Biden to run. In short, they were afraid nobody else could beat Trump. Biden did it once, so he can do it again, according to this theory. 

And if you subscribe to this line of thinking, yes, he's old, but anything is better than Trump being president again. 

And what of Trump? Well, he's got legal troubles out the wazoo. Lawsuits and indictments everywhere he looks. And yet, if you believe the polling, he is still the choice of most Republican voters. 

Biden has his own problems. Son Hunter has not exactly done him proud with his escapades. The Republicans badly want to make hay over the Biden Justice Department cutting Hunter a deal and Hunter getting off way too lightly because of his last name and his father's current occupation. 

And right now, it appears these two -- a former president who is facing criminal prosecution and an 80-year-old whose son who is causing no small amount of angst -- will again be facing off. 

I tend to think, somewhere along the way, Trump, with all this legal stuff, will have to bow out. He will need to cut deals to avoid any number of criminal trials (that could result in prison time). And part of that will be not seeking the presidency again (if this occurs as I am proposing). 

If that happens, he will undoubtedly portray himself as a victim and blame everyone he can think of. 

And should that happen, will Biden stay in the race? I think he will, as I don't think the Dems will have time to groom anyone else. 

But what do I know? I was once of the opinion this country would never elect Trump. I don't come into this with any kind of successful track record. 

All we can do is watch, if we dare. On the bright side, it's pretty good theater. 

Family time

With an immediate family that now numbers 13, spread among four different cities, times with all of us together are few and far between. 

Wife and I are fortunate, in that we travel to see the individual families, and they come to see us. The siblings, in-laws and cousins also visit each other. 

But getting all of us in place at one time only happens two or three times per year. Christmas is a given -- somewhere around that time, we will all get together. Some years everyone comes for Thanksgiving, but not always. 

Any other scheduled time together takes advance planning. 

Accordingly, Wife suggested we all gather in the mountains of western North Carolina this summer. It is an easy drive for everyone, and we all love that area. This gathering would also be an early birthday celebration for Wife. Her birthday is in August, but late June was the best fit for the various schedules and calendars. 

We were able to make it happen a few weeks ago in Highlands, a beautiful and quaint mountain town that lies within the Nantahala National Forest. Because of its mountain perch, it's always a bit cooler in summer than the temperatures to which we are accustomed at this time of year -- a big plus! 

We rented a beautiful house high on a hill just off the downtown area, but which felt secluded. A huge, screened porch ran across one side, overlooking the valley below. 

There were staggered arrivals and departures Wednesday through Monday, with everyone there Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  

Highlights included a surprise birthday video for Wife, with friends and relatives from various parts of her life wishing her well; a catered dinner Saturday night at the house where we stayed; and a family photo shoot Sunday morning. (My standard dad joke for such events: we can't get through it without fighting and crying, and then there are the children to deal with . . . )

There were also family hikes to waterfalls and creeks; a night of open-air Bluegrass music; a couple of brewery visits; and lots of talking and laughter on the aforementioned porch. 

With five little ones, it was at times chaotic, but they were great, and their presence only enhanced the fun and laughs. I wish I could think of a more original way to say it, but I cant: a good (and fun) time was had by all!