Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 1 August 2021

Clare Bailey said:

Jesus Christ.  Those people are anything but Christian.  Their behaviour reminds me of how the Taliban operates.

LOL, Clare. I don't think you folks in the UK/Europe have a real grasp of what it's actually like to live in the interior U.S. now.

You all know that recently I was pet-sitting in Indianapolis for friends. I cared for three wonderful dogs. My friend is a mainstream Democratic Party liberal, like Annette. She is a vegan and a strong proponent of animal rights. While I watched their dogs, she and her husband were travelling north to a large city in the upper Midwest/Great Lakes for a holiday. She'd booked a room online in a lovely bed-and-breakfast for the first night, and then they'd rented a house on the water for the rest of their holiday.

The next day after they left, I received an agitated text from her. They'd pulled up to the bed-and-breakfast in their vehicle and a very large and controversial Q-Anon flag was flying near the front door. They'd already paid for their stay and reserved the room, so they had no choice but to check in. The man who managed the place immediately demanded to know why she's vegan and was disrespectful. In the dining room later, they overheard bits and pieces of hushed discussion about their activities and beliefs. My friends' stay there was eye-opening for them. Living in a big city, they hadn't encountered the far-right and Q-Anon before.

She said that from now on, she would ask MANY questions before booking a stay at a privately owned place (rather than a major hotel, etc.). LOL

dibnlib: You also have my sympathies. The situation you're dealing with is one of the most painful that we humans can face. I'm sorry for your OH and for you. Sending you strength. 

Blimey, Diane. Words fail me.

I just googled Q anon DIANE. Like CLARE, I have no words....

DIBNLIB- I'm thinking about you and your OH. It's a heartrending decision, I hope that your OH will be able to be with his dad x

I don't believe it. I did it again.  Typed up a post then got distracted and never hit Reply.  Really, am losing the plot!

Diane: What I said was that having to pay that guy at the B&B  must have left a really bad taste in your friend's mouth.  Yuk.   I hope she posted her experience on TripAdvisor and  every other website where that place advertises.

Heather: Be grateful you live in a country where you had to Google Q-Anon to find out what it was!  :-)

Just reading your post Diane. How very narrowminded people are. I haven't attempted yoga myself but have heard that it can be very therapeutic. I think over here at one point Christian churches objected to Yoga but hopefully they have relented (not sure) and accept this type of meditation as it can help people of all sorts.

Diibnlib - thoughts are with you re family problems.

Diane - how unfortunate for your friends but do hope they enjoyed the rest of their holiday. People can be so narrowminded instead of accepting that we all have our opinions over subjects..

Heather: Here's a good explanation of QAnon from a reputable mainstream news site.

Good Morning. Dry again here, at least at the moment.

Was so cross to see an interview with a young woman, who was defending why she had not been vaccinated - her whole conversation was peppered with "I". --- "I feel I'm young and I won't be very ill if I get the virus" and "I read that the young are not as likely to be in hospital" She had obviously never considered that each person who has the jab is helping the whole community, and was ignorant, in spite of all the facts, that it helps to reduce the dangers for others, not just herself. Bah!