Day: August 6, 2024

On a day that was supposed to be filled with joy and celebration, we found ourselves in an unexpected and profound loneliness. Our birthday, a day meant for laughter, presents, and the warmth of loved ones, became a stark reminder of solitude. It started like any other birthday with hopeful anticipation. The morning sun cast a golden hue over our home, and the scent of cake and fresh flowers filled the air. But as the hours ticked by, something unusual began to unravel. Calls went unanswered, messages remained unread, and the once-promised company turned into a silence so loud it was deafening. The joyful noise we had imagined was replaced by the eerie quiet of abandonment. It wasn’t just the absence of people that stung; it was the absence of the familiar comforts that usually accompanied such a special day. We wandered through the day with a sense of surreal detachment, as if we were spectators in our own lives. The cake, once a symbol of celebration, sat untouched. The decorations, meant to bring cheer, seemed to mock us with their brightness. We felt like castaways stranded on a deserted island of our own making, surrounded by the remnants of… CONTINUE READING…

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Monday blamed Vice President Kamala Harris for the stock market’s dramatic plunge, months after claiming he deserved credit for the market’s then-record upswing. “Of course there is a massive market downturn. Kamala is even worse than Crooked Joe,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social about Harris, the de facto Democratic presidential nominee. The night before, as Asian markets fell dramatically, the former president wrote, “STOCK MARKETS CRASHING. I TOLD YOU SO!!! KAMALA DOESN’T HAVE A CLUE. BIDEN IS SOUND ASLEEP. ALL CAUSED BY INEPT U.S. LEADERSHIP!” U.S. stocks dropped sharply Monday, apparently in reaction to fears of a recession that were sparked in part because of Friday’s weaker-than-expected jobs report. But in January, when the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 reached record highs, Trump said the surge was because investors thought he would beat President Joe Biden. “THIS IS THE TRUMP STOCK MARKET BECAUSE MY POLLS AGAINST BIDEN ARE SO GOOD THAT INVESTORS ARE PROJECTING THAT I WILL WIN,” he wrote on Truth Social that month. The Harris campaign pushed back on Monday with its own attack against Trump’s economic record. “Donald Trump had the worst jobs record of any modern president, and oversaw some of the worst days in the stock… CONTINUE READING…

Dolly Parton, recognized within the sphere of country music and among the glittering elite, has achieved vast and comprehensive recognition through decades of dedication to performance and song. This cherished native of Tennessee has grown to legendary status, consistently relishing the opportunity to amaze and captivate her vast array of supporters. While her commitment to creating new tunes remains, the septuagenarian legend, who has already reached the age of 76, has lately announced her intention to end her touring career. During an exclusive interview with Pollystar, Dolly Parton revealed the reasons for her retirement from the hectic touring circuit. She elaborated: “There may be times when I put on a show that is out of the ordinary. These could take the form of occasional appearances, such as gracing the stage at a lively festival or participating in a series of events spread over a relaxing extended weekend. “ Nonetheless, the enthusiasm for embarking on a complete and all-encompassing tour has gradually faded. Instead, the stalwart of country music, now in her 76th year, plans to devote herself to songwriting and enjoy an extended period of cherished times with her beloved life companion, Carl Thomas Dean. Dolly and Carl’s paths crossed… CONTINUE READING…

The ruined abbey includes a rare surviving example of a monastic latrine.  Muchelney Abbey is set in beautiful surroundings off the beaten track in the Somerset Levels. It’s a fascinating place to visit. The buildings were constructed between the seventh and 16th centuries. The site is made up of the abbott’s house, the monastic ruins, and a communal latrine called a reredorter. This medieval bathroom is a curious sight to see, as it’s a rare surviving example of such a structure. You can enter the two-story building, and even go upstairs to see the layout of the former toilets and glimpse down at the sewer system lying below. The abbott’s house has quite a few rooms to be explored, as well. There’s the Cloister Walk, with its display of stonework; the kitchen, with its pitched roof; and the cheese room, with its beautiful fireplace. You can even venture up the great staircase—if you can negotiate your way up the very worn and uneven structure. The foundations of the abbey are all that are left after Henry VIII’s dissolution of the abbeys in 1538. It is easy to make out the different rooms and shape of the rooms and plan of the abbey, and there… CONTINUE READING…