I know that PG&E would never lie to their customers…but there’s something I don’t understand. They say that power outages are due to our heavy use that strains the power grid, and that we should conserve power 4 – 9 PM on days they inform us there’s a probable extra strain (e.g., excessive heat). On those days, I try to do my bit by unplugging even extension cords (they draw some power even if not attached to an appliance), having a dinner that doesn’t require use of an appliance, and using a battery-operated fan. Now I’m noticing when the outages have been occurring: last Thursday 8 AM, yesterday 6 AM, today 2 AM. That’s when it’s cool and people are sleeping. Could it be that the blame lies mainly on PG&E’s mismanagement?

Enjoy your RV experience and help ensure a green Earth for your grandkids to enjoy.  A good step in that direction is to save propane and electricity.  Turn off the water heater at night.  Unplug accessories and chargers when you aren’t using them.  Extend the RV’s awning to shade the fridge and windows in sunlight, and use it to create a tarped entry to the RV to conserve heat in cold weather.  These are easy steps that won’t interfere with your enjoyment but can help preserve the resources you parked your RV to relax in.

Today is Women’s Equality Day, the anniversary of the adoption of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. It was a hard-fought battle that began in 1848 at the Seneca Falls Convention, where 200 women gathered to discuss women’s rights. From there they spread out through the country to give speeches, get petitions signed, and gain support, all with little backing, financial or otherwise. Finally, in 1920, the Amendment, which was proposed the previous year, managed to be ratified–barely. And who was the person who put it over the margin needed for ratification? A young legislator (age 23) who was won over to the cause by his mother.

This is a classic story of American dedication and perseverance. But it doesn’t matter if women don’t vote.

Women, let the spirits of those who came before us inspire us. If you aren’t yet registered to vote, do it today. And, come November, VOTE. Women have the heart and power to steer our nation in the direction of what is right and just for all of its citizens!

It’s natural for us to form first-impression opinions about people. As today’s Thursday Thought quote/picture points out, evaluating our assumptions might be a good idea. Extrapolate this idea to other attributes we notice about people.

Each Aug. 22 Is Be an Angel Day. Why not every day? Ordained interfaith minister Jayne Howard Feldman started this day in 1993 because she believes that angels really are at work in the world, and those angels are us.  It’s a day to show kindness to others and gratitude to those who show kindness to us. It’s a day to emphasize sharing the care and support we all need. Sure, we can dismiss Rev. Feldman’s idea as coming from someone outside our normal concept of faith and belief. Then again, since the Bible recounts stories of people God worked through–people I wouldn’t expect Him to use as His instruments–I like the idea of listening to everyone who crosses my path and letting the angel in me respond to them.

Hey, we’ve all tried to stretch something into a tax deduction. Hope this gives you a chuckle and gives you a seriousness-break.

In 2020, Congress started a new number to help people experiencing a mental health crisis. It’s part of the already-existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline but is easier and quicker to access.

If you yourself or someone close to you is having a mental health crisis, call or text 988.

Been cleaning closets or the garage and have things to get rid of? Before sending them to add to the land-fill, advertise them on sites like Freecycle.org or NextDoor to give them away or swap them…or to get more free stuff to store.

[For more easy, money-saving, Eco-friendly tips, download a FREE copy of Green Riches: Help the Earth & Your Budget. Go to https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/7000, choose a format, and download to your computer or e-book device. For a description of the book go to My Free Books).

The CDC has just announced that most of our Covid 19 home-tests are still good. We can ignore the expiration date again (they extended it before, earlier this year) and go by the new date.

Here’s how to find out what that new date is: Go to this website and search for the brand of test you have. Look at the column at the far right. It may tell you to check the box label, meaning the date has NOT been extended for the test you have. Otherwise, it gives a link to a chart. Find your lot number (on the box label) and check the far-right column of that chart for the new expiration date.

It’s good to have some home tests handy but not necessary to discard them when they’ll still work.

Today’s Thursday Thought quote offers a perspective on how we view differences in others.