Lenten Gratitude--Day 8
Today I am grateful that the sun is out,
the wind is down and even at 19 degrees,
it wasn't too awfully cold while I filled up my car gas tank.
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It was stated in the news that Livingston County is the richest county in Michigan. Which makes me ponder on why I am living in this County. I knew within three months of moving here that doctor, dental, medical, etc. rates where higher than the County I had just come from. Gas prices always seem to be a bit higher here also. Home prices certainly are.
The crime rate is extremely low, which is a good thing. We have a population of 190,00 in this County. 96.8% White, 0.6% Black, 0.9% Asian, 1% Hispanic. Which may explain the low crime rate. (That sounds racist, doesn't it?). Well, truth is, as truth is.
I have lived here 12 years and I have seen perhaps a half dozen Blacks. Of those half-dozen, five are either doctor's or attorneys, working at the U of M in Ann Arbor. I saw a black lady in Wal-Mart last week and it sort of startled me. I guess I have become accustomed to living in a "white" world.
Before I moved here, I lived in Saginaw and before that, I worked in Flint. The population of white to black in those two areas is about 60-40. We all moved around together and thought nothing of it.
Wouldn't it feel strange to be in a big Wal-Mart store and be the only person of your race? She didn't appear to be uncomfortable, but was in a hurry. The Wal-Mart is just one mile off the expressway--perhaps she came from the expressway and just ran in for a few items? I don't know, but I saw other's reactions and they seemed taken aback too. It is that unusual, in this County. Anyway, she was behind me in the "20 or less" check-out lane and I told her to go ahead of me, She had a lovely smile and said, "Thank You."
Where is this going? I have no clue. I live in the richest County in Michigan and it is 96.8% white, the crime rate is very low and I wonder if that has anything to do with it.. (There I go again. Sounding like a racist!)
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Today I went to the Food Bank. What a disappointment. Perhaps because it is late in the month? They had no ground beef--in fact they had very little meat at all. I did get a can of beef with juice that Pearl told me she got last month and it was very good. I also got an onion, a potato and some baby carrots. I will put them and the beef all together and come up with something like stew. I came up to the scales with only 21 pounds of stuff. I am allowed 60#. Although I never get that much.
I went up the road a bit to the gas station and filled up my car--only $20.00. It used to cost $40.00, so I am liking the low(er) gas prices.
Then, I was going on up the road to Wal-Mart, but...I just didn't have it in me. My stomach has been iffy for the last two days. My neck, shoulder and arm are paining me life crazy and my back hurts. So, I just came home, put stuff away and sat down in my chair with my hot Rice Sock over my shoulder.
I have been sleeping so well. The doc recommended 5 mg Melatonin, a natural hormone that our bodies lose as we age. I take it at bedtime and it really works great. However, I have been waking up with the bad neck and shoulder ache. Time to try a different pillow, I guess.
Dar came over this morning--at 9:30!!! She liked my doctor!!! She hasn't gone to a male doctor for years because she doesn't trust men and she doesn't like to be touched, by anyone, but especially men. She is still concerned with the cyst or whatever it is in her groin. He didn't think it was serious enough to do surgery on it and cautioned her that surgery might make things worse. It is probably caused by adhesion's that she has from previous surgeries. So, he is going to contact the surgeon she had gone to, and research a bit before he decides if it might just be better to go in and aspirate it.
He did get her scheduled for her colonoscopy and blood work. She didn't quite take him into her confidence yet about her mental issues--she said, "I have to trust him more." I wondered how it was beneficial to go to a doctor if you DIDN'T tell him everything, but then...that's Dar.
Today, Ginger was very happy with the peanuts I put out for her and Smokey and Baby Boo. I did see them, but only got a photo of Ginger.
Well I liked this happy post / what a great thing to focus on for Lent!
ReplyDeleteAs to the beginning of your post, I had to smile right away. It went *UP* to about 30 degrees today and that felt downright balmy! :)
Well I liked this happy post / what a great thing to focus on for Lent!
ReplyDeleteAs to the beginning of your post, I had to smile right away. It went *UP* to about 30 degrees today and that felt downright balmy! :)
It's interesting that you credit the low crime rate on the fact that you have a 98.8% white population instead of crediting the fact that you live in the richest county in the state. Rich communities always have lower crime rates than middle class and low.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I credited it with being 96.8% white, I thought I was rather pondering and wondering if that MIGHT be a possibility. The truth is, there are fewer crimes in areas with a higher percentage of white people. Why is that? Why is there so much black on black crimes? Is it because those people are unemployed? Why are they unemployed? There are Help Wanted signs all over now. All I know is what I learned in college Sociology class, taught by a black professor. Stated, "Blacks and whites ARE different. It is a cultural thing. They express themselves differently. They regard their surroundings differently. Whites seemed possessed to keep their surroundings tidy and neat. Blacks are less concerned about that. They are more interested in their relationships." I'm not saying either one is better, but...there is a difference. By contrast, the counties up north are some of the poorest, but still have low crime rates, yet they have a larger percentage of whites. There are differences, but...nowadays, one cannot point to those differences without being called a racist.
ReplyDeleteYou took that Sociology class back in the '60s, right, when you were in college? Sociology is not like math that never changes over the decades and centuries. At one time sociologists taught that women's brains were too small to understand politics and therefore they shouldn't be allowed to vote. Cultures changes and flex with outside influences. That's what sociologists study. The area of the state you used to live in had a mass migration of close descendants of slaves come up from the south, recruited, when the auto industry was born. These were people who never owned property before and were red-lined and to forced to live in certain areas. It's an interesting and very complicated topic and one that can't be explained away by stereotyping blacks or whites.
ReplyDeleteJudy, I wish I could give you a nice deep massage to work that pain out, at least the part that's tightness. I hope the hot rice sock helped. Soaking in a hot bath, with Epsom salts, might feel good, too.
ReplyDeleteWe both live in a pretty homogenous area, where robbery is rare. I am ever so grateful I can feel safe as a widow living alone.
I bought some cabbage and sauerkraut yesterday, to try your recipe that you posted February 8th. I have to go out for ground beef though, I thought I had some in the freezer. You can count on my not stuffing it all into those cute pockets!! I'll probably serve it over rice.
P.S. I just re read the recipe and it has no sauerkraut. Well, I bought it and I am mixing it with the cabbage and ground beef. I'll let you know how it tastes LOL
ReplyDelete