Author: Eliot Ware

Owner and proprietor of RiverHouse Group of Caughdenoy, NY, LLC and Chief Editor of The RiverHouse Chronicles blog.

Listen To The Kids

Fascism Is Not To Be Debated
by
Shot by Ness
© RiverHouse Group of Caughdenoy, new YorK, LLC

I felt this image today. I felt like this is where our country is. I haven’t put anything up in a while because I’ve been a health thing. We’re getting a handle on it with the help of the American health care system and insurance. Even if I’d been well, I don’t think I would have posted much. The world is just so depressing.

We have a child as President and everyone knows it. However, some group of us are so afraid of being wrong that we pretend he isn’t. We fall for the creation of mystical monsters to fight and fear. Media! BLM! Russia! Alt-Right! Fear them! Run screaming in the night. Be sure to carry your weapon to show just how scary you are. All while screaming in terror on the inside. Because you are afraid?

Unfortunately, we are also all stupid. Too stupid to even know what we are afraid of. And just stupid enough to be manipulated into believing that our fear comes from somewhere other than the ruling powers.

Right now, Donald Trump is engineering a Tax Reform to benefit him, and those like him, alone. All while not even letting us have the basic information to understand just how much he is rigging the system to his own benefit.

And his supporters cheer.

One by one the principled members of the Republican Party are dropping away while the remainder become more sycophantic to our man-baby President. They bow and scrape as he continues. Continues in lumbering about in his incompetence. Continues in causing us to have to, once again, worry about the specter of nuclear destruction. This time because of the ego of a man with small hands. And an obsession about that fact. Small hands and large weapons. A Freudian nightmare.

And his supporters cheer.

Evidence is coming out in drips and drabs. And it all seems to point to a cosiness with our primary adversary that no patriotic American should tolerate. Patriots have died in conflict with the Russians. We’ve spent blood and treasure that should not be forgotten. It should not have been in vain. Yet, our Chief Executive has all but offered to publicly fellate Vladimir Putin.

And his supporters cheer.

No one ever starts off with the intention of becoming a fascist State. It happens when the people stop thinking. When they put their loyalty to a person or a few people above their loyalty to the country. It happens when you can shoot a person on Fifth Avenue and still be supported. Or when you are accused by 24 women of sexual harassment and/or abuse and still are supported. Or when you are on tape admitting adultery and sexual assault. A tape that was played on network television.

And his supporters cheer.

Come back, America. The world needs you.

  • Ness

Raising Alphas

Gramp’s Angels
by
Shot by Ness
© RiverHouse Group of Caughdenoy, new YorK, LLC

I love when I read young parents declaring that they have decided to raise a “strong young woman” or an “Alpha female”. And they all say it with a tone of smugness as if they have finally cracked the elusive secret to getting those dang girls over that final hump to equality.

And then I look at my Wife, my Sister, my Sister-in-Laws, Mother, my Mother-in-Law, my ex-Wife. My Nieces. My Aunts. My Cousins. My friends.

And finally the force of nature that is our Kayla…

And laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh.

Women have been young and strong and Alpha Females forever.
It’s in their nature.

You want to help your “Alpha female” be all that she can? Move things out of her way. Including yourself. Stop being a misogynist.

(Yes, you are a misogynist. We all are.)

Spend your time making sure that she has to only win a fair fight.

And she will.

Trust me.

  • Ness

Dessert with Santa

Dessert with Santa
© RiverHouse Group of Caughdenoy, new YorK, LLC

 

“There he is!”

And then giggling as we drove by the front of the Cracker Barrel in Cadiz, Kentucky. Lisa was as happy as a child and had that incredible smile on her face that makes my heart melt.

(Pure joy)

She had spotted Santa sitting on one of the rocking chairs on the porch. He was fiddling with his cell phone and looking over his glasses. I kept going to find a parking spot for her Nitro. I pulled in and grabbed my camera and hat from the back as we headed toward the Cracker Barrel. Santa (yes, that Santa) got up from the rocker and started heading toward us. He had on a Coca-Cola hat

(Santa is pretty loyal to his sponsors)

 and a t-shirt from work.  The suspenders were there and red as they did their job compensating for the trademark belly. Santa is a big man but he wasn’t always. He was a long, lanky teenager when we were in High School. We both were. But no more.

His voice is deep and always has a smile in it.  Hugs and greetings were exchanged. And then we headed into the Cracker Barrel.  We walked through the gift shop to get to the hostess station. A few people turned and glanced but most didn’t. We walked up to the hostess station and got in line. As we stood there, magic.

A little face peeked around the corner. Her eyes got big and she whispered something to her mother. Her mother looked up, saw Santa standing next to Lisa and I. Smiled and nodded to her daughter. The little girl darted behind the wall as Santa noticed her. She peeked out again and again. The hostess walked us to our table and every eye in the place was on us. Young, old, Black, White, Brown.

(Everyone smiled a bit)

Santa, Lisa and I ordered dessert and coffee. We caught up for a bit and then Santa said “Gotta go to work” and stood up. He went back to that little girl and let her know that Santa was thinking about her, and her only, at that moment. He talked to her, noted her wishes for Christmas and got her pledge to continue to be good.

Magic

He came back and talked about how seriously he takes his role as Santa. What it means to kids and adults everywhere. It never leaves his mind and we are all better for it. As long as Santa is out there, there is hope.

Meanwhile, our waitress came over 4 different times to apologize that the desserts were taking so long. Four times! Her apologies were to Santa. It was as if she was trying desperately to avoid placement on the Naughty List. Santa chuckled every time and told her not to worry.

After dessert, Santa gave us homemade wine, brandy and whiskey. We took pictures, hugged and said our farewells. Santa said that he was going to be at the 40th High School Reunion in middle September. I’m not going to be able to make it.

I really hope that it isn’t another 40 years before we see Randy Waller…uh…Santa again.

– Ness

 

Man And His Dog

Eclipse-208
Man and His Dog
by
Shot by Ness
© RiverHouse Group of Caughdenoy, new YorK, LLC

 

Sculpture by Rockcastle Iron Works and Welding of Cadiz, Kentucky. If you are in the area, I STRONGLY SUGGEST you stop in and see some of the beautiful art that this very talented artist is producing.

This particular sculpture sits in a bush in the frontyard. All hand cut and finished.

Beautiful