Departures

 Got the truck back today...while it was there, they also identified the source of another small leak (noted the past two oil changes), but as it would cost about as much to fix that as it would the current repair...I suggested we leave it for another time, lest I have even more carnage with my finances.  Sigh.  Of course, I am not really going anywhere tomorrow, save for the gym (weather permitting, and it might not), having the Behemoth back is...well, the order in the universe has been so slightly restored.  Finished book 4 -- about the Battle of Bentonville -- and started the next.  Rah.  I guess I am ahead of schedule, but with a number of thick tomes coming up, we will soon trail once again.  Alas.

I was going to say that Biden's document scandal is something of a nothingburger -- given the vast seas of paperwork generated, I am sure there random classified things lying about.  Then, of course, batch two was by his Corvette, they knew about this before Election Day and it didn't come out until now, and... while I think it is not much, the optics are...rather poor, to put it charitably.  To be sure, he can always say he is/was the dumbest guy in Washington for decades, and...well, it would not be an untruthful defense.

https://www.clevescene.com/food-drink/the-nauti-mermaid-has-closed-after-nearly-20-years-in-business-41204235?fbclid=IwAR2vEyh7N7FFg_yrfPdAsxRGCx1LSgOccLA8lX1gVR3_UzE31eDvWxsIAjU

This is sad, as I always wanted to go there -- heard good things -- but of course this is why places close; we stay home.  I was mentally discussing pushing back a planned restaurant excursion, but maybe this will guilt me into going, despite the fact that I have a HELOC and want a new house (piece by piece).

https://www.wsj.com/articles/paul-johnson-british-historian-and-polemicist-against-the-left-dies-at-94-11673562198

Also sad; I have not read all of his books, but the ones I did were both enjoyable and informative.

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/respect-the-institutions-but-why/

Quite good, and exactly right!