I don't usually write about the news on this blog o'mine but this Monday morning I just feel a few events need my touch.
Afghanistan and our departure from a 20-year war there is about over.
Contrary to the views of a lot of politicians and pundits, I think the U.S. has handled our leave-taking about as well as was possible.
The Afghan government and military which we supposedly had built up and trained collapsed like a house of cards and the Taliban swept in and took over practically without a fight.
While they were in charge of security outside the airport in Kabul they let a mad bomber through and 13 Americans and hundreds of Afghans were killed.
Since then the U.S. forces have taken out several ISIS K whackos and stopped a handful of mortars while continuing to get Americans and Afghans out of the country; over 120 thousand now in about a week.
So I think President Biden needs to be cut a little slack.
Meantime, on the Gulf Coast of the home front, Hurricane Ida made a mess of much of Louisiana over the weekend.
All of New Orleans is without power but the levee system apparently held.
It's now a Tropical Storm and moving on up to the north.
A FOX news reporter decided to step out of a parking garage and demonstrate the force of the wind.
He was nearly blown off his feet and had to have help getting back into the protection of the garage.
And Sean Payton, the coach of the New Orleans Saints, announced that the team would continue practicing this coming week in Dallas, Texas, and stay away from home for awhile.
For some people, that's serious!
For others of us, the sad news was that Ed Asner died on Sunday.
The exemplary actor lived to 91, entertaining us with both comedy and drama roles and winning award after award.
My pal, Easy Ed, wrote this morning that he and his wife had just been watching Asner in a one-man show called "A Man and His Prostate".
He said it is hilarious.
I think I'd have to see that to believe that, though all the reviews describe it the same way.
And finally, on the home front, we had a marvelous dinner yesterday of Chicken Marsala and a Quinoa-and-Brown-Rice mix seasoned with garlic.
Both items came already cooked in packages from Costco.
It took about 10 minutes to prepare (heat) and it was absolutely delicious.
So the news from this corner isn't all bad on this Monday.
I hope yours is just as good.
