They knew it in 1925!

LINDER V. UNITED STATES, 268 U. S. 5 (1925) (9-0) "Obviously, direct control of medical practice in the states is beyond the power of the federal government." Even "Incidental regulation of such practice by Congress through a taxing act cannot extend to matters plainly inappropriate and unnecessary to reasonable enforcement of a revenue measure."

hello? Obamacare is ILLEGAL!! It's UNCONSTITUTIONAL!!! And America better wake up before it's too late!

Steeler Nation

The Ol' Man is hard core Steeler Nation. But, then again, which Steeler Nation fan isn't? They're all rabid, I think, about the Pittsburgh Steelers football team. I think the Ol' Man get's an ulcer every football season because the Steelers stress him out so much. So, the perfect stocking stuffer for this Christmas is, of course, Steeler "stuff"! It helps that he was there at the store to help me pick this stuff out. He and I have an agreement - we go holiday shopping for each other, but we go together. That way, we're sure to get what we want for Christmas! It works out so much better that way. I really don't want a bowling ball, cordless drill or toaster as presents. Of course, I don't celebrate Christmas, per se (being a pagan, I prefer The Winter Solstice), but we do the tree thing and all for the boys. It's all in good fun, right?

Not a fan

Of rice pudding. I like regular pudding, bread pudding, Yorkshire pudding...but not rice pudding. I've made it several times, and the Ol' Man likes it, but me...not so much. I'm not a huge rice fan to begin with, and making "pudding" with rice in it doesn't make all that much sense to me. Although you could say the same for bread. Maybe it's the consistency...

Buddhist philosophy

Suffering is the one promise life always keeps. If happiness comes, it is a precious gift, which is ours only for a brief time.

Burrrrr!

http://snowflakes.barkleyus.com/

Web site of the day...you can make your own snowflake!

Facebook?

I'm getting old. I'm on facebook, but I have really no idea how it works. I can't even figure out how to upload pictures! I've got about 30 "friends" (didn't know I actually knew that many people!), and they seem to know what they are doing. I find it irritating, all the stupid stuff that goes on..."my virtual grass need watering"...you got a "poke" from X, So and So got a 1200 on this personality test, Here's an Angel for you!....how about you just chat about what's going on in your life? I guess some folks have too much time on their hands...that, or I'm just not "with it" anymore! I'm turning into an "old head", as the Ol' Man would say! I was thinking about that the other day. Not that my life is "over", but I'm at a time now that is completely separate from my "younger" life...the life I had in my 20's and 30's...on the move, working, partying with friends, travel, vacations. Now, it's home-body life. Baking cookies and sewing capes for the boys for Christmas, laundry, cutting coupons (I think it's pronounced COOpons, not Qupons...the word starts with a C, not a Q).

What's that under the tree?

It's not Christmas yet, but The Younger is making sure everything's in place for Santa's visit!

It's either that, or he's hiding in anticipation to the visit....

Now I know...

Where they got the idea for the Cookie Monster....brought to you by the 5 and 7 year olds.

How'd they do it?

We have the boys with us this weekend. We had eggs, bacon and toast for breakfast (1/2 dozen eggs, 1 lb of bacon, a loaf of bread), and they're only 5 and 7! How much are they going to eat when they become teenagers? I made homemade chicken soup for dinner with homemade garlic bread sticks (I used the chicken bones from last night's crock pot chicken), and gingerbread to make gingerbread men tonight...what a pain in the butt. I had to go to The Walmart to get eggs, and they had this gingerbread kit...ready made cookies and all you had to do was decorate...I shoulda bought that. But The Younger helped me cook (he loves that), so, chalk it up to a bonding moment. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. We've got about 4 inches on the ground and it's still coming down. Yeah!

Dead Animal Flesh

I enjoy eating seared, dead animal flesh. It's yummy. I like salads and veggies too, but nothing beats a great steak, hamburger, pork roast, or bar-b-qued chicken in the grill. The Ol' Man is going hunting, and, hopefully, will kill a couple of Bambies and we'll have a freezer full of venison. We bought a meat grinder, and we're going to give a try on making our own sausage. That should be interesting....I'll keep you posted!

Post Turkey Day Report

I've gained 102 pounds in the last 2 days. I've eaten so much turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pie, you could stuff an elephant and still have some leftover. I don't walk anymore, I roll. Kinda like Violet Beaureguard in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory - you know who I'm talking about...the gum chewing girl who turned into a blueberry and had to be rolled out of the room? Yeah, that's me right now. I've decided I don't want to eat (anything) ever again. I want to sleep for about a week or two. Maybe the bears have it right...eat till you're stuffed like a tick, then sleep it off for a few months....

The Holiday Season is Upon Us

Heading out today to visit the Ol' Man's family for Thanksgiving...the who fam damily - cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, etc. Good thing is the Ol' Man's mom is a fabulous cook, and I won't have to do jack! Love that...

What "Reform"?

I'm sure y'all have been keeping up with the "health care reform" (and I use that term very loosely!). What a joke. The American people put up a fit when they 1,000 page original version came out, and now, Congress is pushing through a 2,074 page package??? How many of Congressmen have actually read, much less understand, that bill?? From the news, the current version is going to cut Medicare, raise taxes, and will cost $2.5 TRILLION from 2014 to 2024. Talk about screwing our kids. I had gotten this e-mail and it went along the lines of Social Security is broke, the post office is broke, Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac are broke (and are asking for another $25ish billion bailout, by the way), etc. (meaning, of course, that all these government programs are BROKE), and now Congress wants to run health care?? This country is some $12 TRILLION dollars in debt! Hello? What part of the Constitution provides for Universal Health Care?? What part of the Constitution gives Congress/the President the authority to (mis)manage Health Care?? The Ol' Man reads the headlines to me every morning, and it just turns my stomach. I've already called/e-mailed my "elected representatives" and told them I will NOT vote for ANY currently seated "elected representative"....we need those bums OUT!

Cringe.....

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20091117/D9C18R9G0.html

This is a good article regarding our President bowing to the Japanese emperor. "Diplomatically right" or wrong, it makes me cringe. I'd rather have our President stand up right and shake hands. Gen. MacArthur must be rolling over in his grave....Who's he going to bow to next?

Ok, I'll admit it...

Trail mix is my down fall...my Achilles heel. I buy bulk almonds (they're good for you, I read it on the Internet!), sunflower seeds (shelled), peanuts, raisins, dried mango or pineapple, banana chips, and (gasp!) chocolate chips....I NEED that bit of chocolate, really! I try to limit myself to 1/2 a cup, but....somehow, the bag just calls my name like a siren calling the sailors at sea in the old Greek myth. It's irresistible, it's magic, it's delicious and I have no power against it. It's like crack...I'll do anything (OK, not really) to get it. I'm addicted to it. My only hope, my only salvation is to keep it out of the house...but I've got 2 bags left....oh, the agony! the Horror!

Rescue Worker?

Riddle me this, Batman -I know worms come up during the rain, because the ground gets soaked and they'd drown or something...but HOW do they get to the middle of the street, or, the middle of my GARAGE??? There's got to be some kind of magic involved. I have to admit, while it kinda skeeves me out, I try to return the little buggers to the relative safety of the rorrest floor, versus the paved street. Slugs, on the other hand, are on their own.

It's hard to find good help these days...

So, I'm at the grocery store, and, the green consumer that I am, I have cloth bags. I also have the "cold" bags - you know the ones, they have the shiny silver lining to keep the cold stuff cold till you get home. I hand the bags to the bagger girl, and, she starts putting stuff in the cold bags...but not cold stuff. By the time she get's to the "cold stuff" (i.e. meat, milk), there's no more room in the bags. How hard would it have been to put the room temp stuff in the regular cloth bags, and hold off on the cold bags till last, JUST IN CASE there was some cold stuff on down the line? Or, how about LOOKING at the groceries on the conveyor belt and SEEING that there's meat/milk that's going to be coming after the room temp stuff? Geez...it's not rocket science, bagging groceries, is it? I mean, you don't need even a high school education to get a job putting items in a bag, do you? Yeesh.

Mommie nees a break...

Gads...it's not even 5:30 pm and it's pitch black outside. Of course, the dogs need to be taken for their after dinner walk. Me, trying to control two black dogs, walking on a completely unlighted street, wearing a black jacket...I can't see anything, the dogs either won't keep up or pull my arms out of their sockets when they see something to go after - which, of course I can't see, so I'm totally unprepared for the yank on the end of the leash! I can't see if they're peeing (let's hope they did), cause I can't hold a flashlight and both leashes. I REALLY didn't want to make two trips...it's getting COLD outside, so the less I'm out, the better. I put them both in their crates - in the garage - and now it's time for me...me....me...me....! I think I'll curl up on the couch and watch a move. Yeah..that sound good.

Ya'd think I was killin' her....

Walking two dogs, on two seperate leashes, is like being a puppet master and having no mastery over the puppets. Of course, one dog goes one way, and the other dog goes the opposite direction. One of these days, when the puppy get's full strength, they're going to pull my arms out of my sockets! At night, it's blacker than molassas here in the wilderness, so I have to carry a flashlight. Therefore, I can only walk one dog at a time...I'm nowhere near talented enough to walk two dogs and hold a flash light at the same time, not to mention trying to chew gum. So, I walk the baby first, then put her in the crate while I walk the Hound of the Baskervilles. You can hear her cry all the way down the street! You'd think I was leaving her forever, that, or someone was pulling out her toe nails one at a time. Ah, the love of a dog....

Merry Christmas?

Yeesh...It's not even Thanksgiving yet, and all the "holiday cheer" is in full bloom. Actually, there were holiday decorations up even before Halloween! Christmas keeps coming earlier and earlier every year...and with the crappy economy, I'm sure the retailers will be doing their best to push mass spending. Not that anyone has any extra $ to spend on useless gifts, but I'm sure that won't stop anyone. And, have you seen the price of stuff? Gads...a freekin box of Crayons goes for $5! I told the Ol' Man...$500 for Christmas, and that was for EVERYTHING and EVERYBODY...holiday cards, stocking stuffers, all gifts, everything. The kids will have to get over not having a billion gifts under the tree. I'm trying to get the shopping done before Thanksgiving...that'll be one less thing to stress about.

How does that happen?

So, I'm driving the car, and it's a very light rain. I've got the wipers on the slowest intermittent setting, so they swipe once every 6-8 seconds or so. However, the back window is completely dry! I'm sure it has something to do with physics or something...but I just found that completely bizzare...how the back window stayed dry. Question #2. How does a puppy pee every 30 minutes? We're still trying to housebreak Perle Rae...and I set the stove timer for 45 minutes, but she manages to pee right before the timer goes off! Aaarrrgggh! Do I have to take her out every 30 minutes...don't answer that, I know the answer is yes. It just kinda a pain in the rear as the weather is CRAP....rainy, foggy, cold. I thought Vlad, the Hound of the Baskervilles was a pain...I had forgotten how much fun a puppy can be! But, she's so cute!....

Cool website

http://www.missingmoney.com/Main/Index.cfm



Check out this website. It's free, and it searches on your name to see if you've got any unclaimed $ laying around....I did! Granted, it was only $3.00, but, hey, in today's economy, $3 is $3....or maybe $2.25....

Playmates!

After this weekend, I'm suprised that I'm not totally gray. Between the boys, the dogs, the cats, school and the Ol' Man....whew! I don't know how parents do it on a full time basis. Today is quiet....so nice and quiet. The boys are back in NJ, the Ol' Man's out doing his thing, and the dogs are sleeping...I've got a cup of hot coffee, the weather's georgeous outside - the sun's shining, the leaves are changing (beautiful colors!), and all is well in the world....oh, wait, I spoke too soon, the puppy just woke up and is now teasing the Hound of the Baskervilles....well, nothing lasts forever, right?!

Say Hello!

To Perle Rae vom Hirschen-Rangen. She's 12 weeks old, and, what a BALL OF FIRE! She arrived from Germany last week, and we picked her up from our breeder yesterday. What a sweetie. Of course, it freekin' SNOWED today, and the Ol' Man's out, so I get to walk 2 dogs in the snow. But, bless his heart, he did get up at 0345 to walk her when she started crying...

Do you know the future?

http://www.breitbart.tv/beck-americans-know-more-about-jon-and-kate-than-the-demise-of-the-dollar/

Watch this video. The Ol' Man and I have been saying this for the past year. The bottom is going to drop out of the dollar, gold is going to go through the roof, there is going to be hyper-inflation, and our kids are screwed. It's all over the news...if you care to look for it:

Kiss the dollar good-bye: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.ee8e6856c300b312ea0f64a4522381ca.481&show_article=1

Dollar reaching breaking point: http://bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aA6_py_71g_o

The price of gold: $1056 - http://www.monex.com/gvi?pageid=insightarticle&articleid=894&cat=1

The the real price of health care: http://freedomkeys.com/medicare.htm

America's done...I hope his timing is off: http://www.infowars.com/russian-professor-collapse-of-america-could-begin-in-two-months/

Failed presidency? http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/08/another_failed_presidency.html

And there's so much more....I just keep asking, "What's going to be the spark that sets America on fire?"

Home Again

We had a fabulous trip to visit the folks, and I think I gained 10 pounds. The Mother-in-Law is a WONDERFUL cook, and, of course, we had to go out to eat with everyone else. Weather held out, the drive was good - no traffic to speak of, and we everything went smoothly. But, in the end, it's nice to be home again. I taught a motorcycle safety course today, and everyone passed except this one lady...and it was her 3rd time trying. Needless to say, she left in tears. Ouch. Maybe better luck next time...4's a charm?

Acting Like a Baby

and heading out...we're off to visit the folks for a week.

Sob, Sob, Weeping, Gnashing of Teeth....

I love this country...I truly do. I spent 20 proud years in it's military, taking an oath to defend and protect this country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. It seems to me that a huge threat to this country comes directly from Congress. Check out this link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090930/pl_politico/27732 Here's my rant:
ARE THEY KIDDING ME? Who else in this country (besides the financial sector...but that's another post) is getting an INCREASE in cost-of-living? Since when did the cost of living increase this past year? All the headlines are screaming about this country going down the toilet...unemployment rate increasing, banks failing, companies going bust...AND, they wait till the 11th hour to pass this? According to the article, the vote already passed the house (gee, what a surprise), and is due to go to a vote tomorrow (the LAST day of the fiscal year!) in the Senate. Being the good citizen that I am, I called my Congressman and Senators...and, surprise, surprise, my Congressman voted for, and neither Senator knew how they were going to vote (yeah....right). Even the lackey at Turncoat Specter's office said Specter didn't know how he was going to vote, even though Specter has a provision in the bill for a " $500,000 “pilot program” for office mailings was included at the request of Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.)" Like we need that right now? Another underling at Casey's office justified the increase by saying that the government's role has increased, therefore, they needed an increase in funds...and therein lies the problem...the government's role INCREASING! WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. We need LESS government, not more...especially when we're footing the bill. AAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!

My "not-so-green" Thumb

Like I know anything about plants...My mother in law is a total green thumb, me, not so much. I bought these plants at the grocery store (which was probably my first mistake), and they kinda when down hill from there. I like using fresh herbs when I cook...but these don't look so fresh anymore. Window sill gardening is not exactly my line of work, and I can't say I'm much better with the outdoor variety either. We had our landscaping done professionally...and the Ol' Man (thank the gods) takes care of spraying for bugs, cutting the grass, etc. I pull a few stray weeds once in a while, but I can't say I do too much more than that, which is probably a good thing as I'd probably end up pulling something I wasn't suppose to. Well, at least Autumn is fast approaching and we won't have to worry about any of that crap till spring!

Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty

We're about to add a new addition to the family...a little girl, officially named Perle, but we're going to call her Kitty. We'll be picking her up in a couple of weeks. What a cutie! We're so excited, and the boys are going to be over the moon! Two dogs...what am I thinking???! At least with this one, it won't be the middle of winter when we house break her.

Website of the Day!

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/

This website is hysterical.....check it out!

Celtic Festival

http://www.celticfest.org/

According to their website, the mission of the Celtic Cultural Alliance is to preserve and promote the Celtic culture, through education, musical presentations, and traditional competitions in athletics, piping and dance. The Celtic Classic (now in it's 28th year) historically attracts over 260,000 visitors to downtown Historic Bethlehem, Northeastern Pennsylvania. Residents of the Lehigh Valley comprise approximately forty percent (40%) of the patrons, while the remaining sixty percent (60%) are visitors from areas throughout the United States and abroad. The Ol' Man and I attended last night for the first time...What fun! We had haggis (which isn't nearly as awful as it's purported to be), bridies and chips, and Irish Stout (of course!). They had tons of vendors selling everything from pint glasses to stained glass, clothes (t-shirts to beautiful Irish sweaters), jewelry, kilts, shortbread and more. I bought the Ol' Man a Guiness rugby shirt for this birthday, and we found these wonderful, hand made wooden swords for the kids for a great Christmas present. They should have a blast whacking the crap out of each other. There might be a hospital trip in our future. The weather was perfect (nice and cool) and we got to see some Highland games (World Invitational Caber Championships - that's where they throw the telephone pole sized log!). Lots of guys in kilts. One of the kilt vendors was trying to talk a guy into buying a kilt...asking him why he would wear pants that "bind" when he could be wearing a comfortable kilt! When you think about it, it really makes sense....men should wear skirts and women are more suited to pants. We had a blast and will go again.

WTF #2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdPSqL9_mfM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv8Rl3QBwMc

The first video is from about 11 months ago (before the election), the 2nd one from just a few days ago.
This totally freeks me out - again. First, it was stupid celebrities pledging to be subservient to Obama - but, at least they are adults and can take responsibility for their own idiocy. But, teaching the KIDS?

SINCE WHEN did we start teaching our children to sing the praises about a president?? What happened to singing about our COUNTRY? Yeesh! This should scare the crap out of any red blooded American. This really, really has to stop. What's the matter with these people? How creepy is this? What is the mind set of the parents? Has Obama got these folks so completely bamboozled that they're, essentially, walking, talking robots/zombies/drones? Hello?

Just drink the Kool-Aid, America. Obama will take care of everything.....

Cut Out Cookies

My Mother-In-Law makes the BEST cut-out cookies ever. She bemoans the fact that they are a pain in the a$$ to make, but she makes them with love - every holiday! Christmas (of course), Valentine's Day, Easter, St. Patrick's day, birthdays, etc. When I was shopping the other day at Michael's, the Ol' Man found some cut-out cookie shapes for Halloween (along with the coordinated sprinkles!). I bought them for my M-I-L. Hoping, of course, that she'll make some cookies for Halloween and send them to me. I have to admit...I'm addicted to them. When she sends them for the holidays, there are usually several zip-lock bags full, and I usually squirrel away a bag just for me. If I didn't, the boys and the Ol' Man would eat them all! Maybe I should buy her the ingredients too...

I sneeked...

There's this quilting website (http://www.bonniebluequilts.com/) that I found out about when I went to the quilt show (I picked up a flyer). I visited the site and found out that they had a quilt kit on sale. According to their website, they specialize in, "reproduction quilt designs and fabrics from the early 1800's and Civil War era. Original quilt patterns, unique reproduction fabric bundles and quilt kits"...exactly the kind of quilts the Ol' Man loves! Now, I'm the kind of quilter with no imagination - I can't design my own quilts, and it's a struggle just to figure out the material/colors to use! So, for me, the quilt kits are a perfect solution. They provide the directions AND the fabric, already figured out. All you have to do it put it together...which I can do joyfully! So, they had this quilt kit on sale ($75 down from $125 - saving $50!) and the Ol' Man liked it. I said I was going to buy it, and he said, "You've already got 5 projects going - you don't need another one"...and he right, but, since when has wants versus needs every come into play??! I WANT the quilt kit, it's on sale, so I bought it. I haven't told him yet. Somehow, I don't think he'll be too angry...and he'll be even happier when the quilt is done. I was stationed in Korea while I was in the military. I had a girlfriend who was stationed there before me, and she said people "go broke saving money" because everything is so cheap, you end up buying a lot of stuff. Not a bad way to go broke, as far as I'm concerned. Besides, quilting is a USEFUL hobby! That's how I justify it, anyway...

Quilt Show

I dragged the Ol' Man to the Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza XVI. We didn't get to spend as much time as I would have liked because we got lost a couple of times along the way, and then we had to leave in order to pick up the boys from school. But, what we did see was absolutely amazing! My jaw just drops when I see the intricacy of some of the quilts, (best of show above) the volumes of fabric, notions, etc...what a paradise! I'll make sure to schedule my time better for next year's Extravaganza! I picked up a few flyer's for other quilt shows and shops, and I'm pretty excited, looking forward to checking them out. I think I've made some kind of cardinal sin with the quilt I'm making now. I started machine quilting it, but, that turned out to be a ginormous pain, so I switched to hand quilting...is that breaking some kind of rule...switching in the middle of a project? It's not like I'm going to enter it into any contest...it's just a quilt for one of the boys. The PNQE XVI did have this guy there that had this set up to turn your regular machine into a mini-long arm quilt machine...it was pretty slick (and, MUCH cheaper than a "real" long arm machine). I never really understood the long arm concept, but I got to see it in action at the show, and I was pretty impressed. I like hand quilting, but....if you wanted to kick out a quilt quick, that'd be the way to go.

Where's the News?

I wish I could have been there....

Sigh....

Sometimes, I want to be an ostrich and just stick my head in the sand. I get so tired of all the bull that flies, health care debate (Socialism, anyone?), the stock market up, up, up, while the job numbers go down, down, down, the government bailing out the banking and auto industries (GM - Government Motors), a multi-trillion dollar deficit, housing's still in the slumps, inflation's right around the corner, the pundits saying it's over, it's not over, it's going to get better, it's going to get worse....eat butter, don't eat butter....yeesh. Makes me want to stay home, turn off the TV, radio, computer and just quilt and bake pies. I'd say also go on a motorcycle ride, but the gas is too expensive, and the weather's turning cold. The Ol' Man's so happy - he loves Autumn...the crisp days, the cool nights, the trees and their turning color. We find happiness in each other, because I can't find a lot of happiness in the news...

Finished Quilt

Well, that took long enough - but it's finished. Now, maybe the younger one will quit nagging me! ha ha ha...just in time for the older son to start on me about his quilt! The top was patched together by my ex-mother-in-law, and the quilting is a hand-quilted all-over teacup pattern. I don't really know where I got the material for the backing, but I think it was from a "donation" from my mother-in-law. She was cleaning out a friend's house and came across a bunch of fabric and quilting stuff, which she gave to me! (Thanks, L!) The boarder is material I brought back with me from Africa. I made the binding myself from some scrap material I had on hand. Nothing fancy, but it was made with love. Only 5 more quilts to go...the neighbor lady loved the flannel quilt I made for the Ol' Man and she'd like me to make one for her grandson, I've got to finish the Africa quilt, the older son's quilt and the two quilts for my girlfriends...gotta love it!

Fall is here

I was walking the dog, and I got that first whif of Autumn. You know the smell...the coolness, the crisp air, the leaves changing color. It was just a tickle in my nose, but definitely there. Some of the trees are already dropping their leaves, and it's not even mid-September yet. The neighbor said it's going to be a rough winter (like last winter wasn't bad enough, and the summer wasn't short enough?) because the oak trees have a boat load of big acorns on them. The Ol' Man is, of course, delighted...he LOVES Autumn...the chilly weather, football, no more mowing the grass! And the seasons, they go round and round....

WTF???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51kAw4OTlA0

This is TERRIBLY wrong. "I pledge to be a servant to our president"???? If this doesn't scare the pants right off of you, then there's something TERRIBLY wrong with you.

I pledge to spread the word about this insanity.

I pledge to write, call, e-mail my congressmen and senators.

I pledge to attend Tea Parties in protest against ballooning debt and screwing our children and grandchildren.

The senate MUST raise debt ceiling above $12 TRILLION?????

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/57493-senate-must-raise-debt-ceiling-above-12t

Gold is trading above $1,000.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aQX1jTKsEjS4

The UN is calling for a new global currency to replace the dollar.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/currency/6152204/UN-wants-new-global-currency-to-replace-dollar.html

Call me chicken little, but the writing is on the wall for everyone to see....

Bad Mouth or the Truth?

An anonymous reader found it ironic that I get my paycheck from the same government that I "bad mouth". I don't see it that way. I truly believe, that after serving my country, faithfully and honorably for over 20 years, I am entitled to and worked for the paycheck I receive, regardless of how I feel about our current administration. Also, as my favorite founding father said: All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent. -Thomas Jefferson. Here's a few more quotes from TJ that I particularly like:

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny. (does this ring a bell with anyone??)

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

Unfortunately, our political leaders have failed to heed the advice of Jefferson. There are too many people ready, willing and able to "remain silent" and allow their liberties to be taken away under the government's "pretense of taking care of them". It's unfortunate that there are those who would call the dissenter's "un-american", or "un-patriotic" or "bad mouthing" the government, when that's exactly what we should be doing. Jefferson also said, "Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty." I'm not willing to remain silent, and neither should you.

Imagine This....

If you lived in Massachusetts' , and they pass this "pandemic response bill" ("Pandemic Response Bill" 2028 ) which was was passed by the Massachusetts state Senate on April 28 and is now awaiting approval in the House, then, as stated in the bill, upon declaration by the governor that an emergency exists that is considered detrimental to public health or upon declaration of a state of emergency, a local public health authority, with approval of the commissioner, may exercise the following authorities (and this is just a sample!):

- to require the owner or occupier of premises to permit entry into and investigation of the premises (ummm...search warrant anyone? Bill of Rights, Article IV of the Constitution???);
- to close, direct, and compel the evacuation of, or to decontaminate or cause to be decontaminated any building (my house?) or facility;
- to restrict or prohibit assemblages of persons (huh? Silly me, I thought this was a guaranteed right, written into the Constitution...like THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS???), ;
- to control ingress to and egress from any stricken or threatened public area, and the movement of persons and materials within the area (Your papers, please);
- to collect specimens and perform tests on any animal, living or deceased (say goodbye to Spot);

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=108604 (Full Article)

Talk about a slippery slope....where does it end? Are you willing to let the government (State or Federal) come into your house without warrant to "investigate"...what, exactly? Restrict your right to peacefully get together with your friends, family or even drive down the street? And this is the scary part...it's all under the guise of "we're doing this because it's good for you". Sorry, but I don't want the government deciding what's "good for me". I'm perfectly capable to doing that myself. This should scare the crap out of every red blooded American citizen...

Surgery

We came home today from Philly - the Ol' Man's surgery went swimmingly well. The rehab is going to be another matter...he can't move his arm (other than the proscribed exercises) for about six weeks. Yikes! That's going to suck for him. I've got plenty to keep me busy...school (I'm taking two classes this term), quilting, leash making, and my regular "domestic goddess" duties - cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, etc. Keeping the Ol' Man happy and comfortable will be at the top of my list, though. The boys are back in school, so we're back to the weekend on/ weekend off schedule. Now we can get into a more regular routine.

Zero Dark Thirty

It's 0357 hrs, and we're heading to Philly. The Ol' Man is getting cut - he jacked up his shoulder while in Iraq, and the insurance company has finally gotten around to getting it fixed - it's only taken 14 months of crabbing to the insurance co...and that's before Obamacare...I shudder to think how long it would take (if he was able to get it fixed at all) should that stupid health care reform get passed...Anyhoo, it's early, it's dark, but, as he's the love-of-my-life for a very good reason, he made coffee for me this am, even though he's not able to drink any! What a gem. Keep your fingers crossed that the surgery goes well...and for a speedy rehab.

Comfy Quilts

Thanks to all who gave their condolences about my mom. Being the pagan that I am, I will not grieve, but remember her with love and joy. One of the fond memories I have of my mom is that she always had something in her hands...sewing, knitting, crocheting, tatting....she never sat down empty handed. I like to do the same...I'm going to start two quilts soon. Both for my girlfriends - one for a 50th birthday, and one just because I love her. My one girlfriend is also a knitter, and she knitted me a beautiful afghan years ago, and I figure it's time to return the favor. I made the Ol' Man a flannel quilt that was pretty simple, so I'm going to repeat that quilt for my girlfriends. It's so warm and comfy...The Ol' Man loves his and I think (hope) they'll like theirs!

My Mother Died

My mom had lung cancer, and she died on Monday. Fortunately, I was able to be there to say goodbye. I flew to Chicago on Saturday, and got to see her Saturday night. I told her I loved her. I went back to the hospital on Sunday, and when the doctor came in (about 9:00am), he said it was pretty much done. I said, "No more chemo, no more radiation, right?" He said yes. I looked at Mom and asked her if she understood. She said, "Yes, it's hopeless". They started her on a continuous morphine drip, she closed her eyes, and gave up the fight - she didn't open her eyes again. She took her last breaths on Monday at 2:15pm. She looked like a cancer victim...hair thin and falling out all over her pillow, sunken face...not the picture I want to remember. I want to remember the picture of her when she was in her late 20's. She was beautiful...wearing a long red velvet dress, with white, over-the-elbow gloves, standing in front of the Christmas Tree at my Grandma's house, her hair done up so prettily. I want to remember her riding horses with me. After we die, who knows what happens to our spirits, but I like to think of her with my Grandma and Grandpa - she loved them so much. She was there when I was born, and I'm glad I got to be there when she died.

Post Office?

There was an article on the Internet that I read today (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=aJ01reSCujDQ), and it spoke the truth to me. According to the article, at a town hall meeting in Portsmouth, NH yesterday, Obama said, “UPS and FedEx are doing just fine. It’s the Post Office that’s always having problems.” The article goes on to say, "The USPS lost $2.4 billion in the quarter ended in June and projects a net loss of $7 billion in fiscal 2009, outstanding debt of more than $10 billion and a cash shortfall of $1 billion." Then, why, in the name of the gods, would we we need or want a health-care system that works like the post office? The article asks, "What’s more, if the USPS is struggling to compete with private companies, as Obama implied, why introduce a government health-care option that would operate at the same disadvantage?" Hello? Anyone home? Are you getting this? The article also questions Obama - "He has failed repeatedly to explain how the government will provide more (health care) for less (money). He has failed to explain why increased demand for medical services without a concomitant increase in supply won’t lead to rationing by government bureaucrats as opposed to the market. And he has failed to explain why a Medicare-like model is desirable when Medicare itself is going broke." Damn good questions, I think. Questions I'd like to have the answer to, wouldn't you? I write/call/e-mail my elected representatives weekly, and, IF I even get a response, it's a generic, form letter. But, it is gratifying to see the citizens of America getting riled up.

Squash, again

So, we had squash and zucchini for dinner, I've made 4 loaves of squash bread, 2 loaves of zucchini bread, and I've still got 3 squashes left! The Ol' Man said, "throw them out!", but I just can't bring myself to waste like that (even if they were free from a friend). Waste not, want not...squash soup? Squash cookies? Squash pie? Squash fritters? Canned squash? Yeesh, I feel like that guy from Forrest Gump - the one that had a billion recipes for shrimp.

Life Member

Went for a ride on the bikes today...there was suppose to be a "bikefest" down the road apiece, so we figured, since it was such a nice day (and the gods only know how many of those we have left!) we'd take a scoot and see what the skinny way. Great ride, crappy "bikefest" - not many bikes and not many vendors. We did, however, find a great Thai restaurant! Interestingly, when we went inside, the waiter asked if we were members or had a reservation - to both questions we replied, "no". He then informed us that in order to eat there, we'd have to join - the price of the "membership"? $1.00 Seems that the house-converted-to-a-restaurant only had one bathroom - which was against the rules for restaurants. So, in order to "sidestep" the law, the place was a "private club"! I am now a proud, life member of the Bloomin' Thai Phuket Club!

Bacon and Cheese, Please!

Does anyone get distracted the way I do? Maybe little kids... I'll get a thought in my head, and figure out I need to do X, then I'll pass by the sink, and realize I need to wash the few dishes that are there. Then, while I'm putting them away, I see that we need nutmeg, and I'll write that down on the grocery list, which is next to the calendar, and I'll see that we're having company come so I'll need to vacuum, and while I'm getting out the vacuum, I'll see that the laundry needs to be done...and by this time I've completely forgotten about X! Maybe I'm getting senile. The Ol' Man says I need to take Ginkgo Balboa (or Blaoba? Bogoa?), but I'm sure I'd forget to take it. A friend gave us a bunch of yellow squash. Why, on the gods green earth would you want to eat anything called "squash"? That's something you do to a bug, not something you eat. Anyhoo, since he gave us 7, I figured out I'd better do something with them. I found a recipe for a Squash, Onion and Pear au gratin. Believe it or not, it didn't turn out half bad! I even managed to sneak it past the boys. It had bacon in it, and cheese. I think they'll eat anything if I tell them it contain bacon and cheese....

What I Did for My Summer Vacation

We made it back tonight from the family vacation. All went well! The boys had a blast swimming in Uncle D's pool, fishing in Uncle M's pond, eating junk food provided by the entire family, playing games with Great Grandma and Grandpa B...how wonderful to have such a loving family. Unfortunately, all my grandparents are dead, but the Ol' Man still has his grandma/pa on his mother's side (Great Grandparents for the boys!), and they are really great folks. I miss my grandmother and father, and it's really nice to have a grandma and grandpa again. Of course, the Ol' Man's mom is a perfect grandma...stuffing the boys full of cookies and cakes and letting them get away with murder...but I suppose that's the perks of being a grandma!

Summer Vacation

We're off today on the road trip to visit the Ol' Man's family. Hopefully, the weather up there is nicer than the weather down here. Hopefully, the kids sleep the entire way. His mom, bless her heart, will have ton's of food for us...that's what Grandma's do!

Men are from Mars....

I've figured it out. For (most) men, sex isn't an emotion, it's a feeling. Think about the most decadent dessert you've ever had...French Silk Chocolate Pie, Fudge Brownies, Strawberry Shortcake, Creme Brulee, etc. Think about how it felt when you were eating it. That lusciousness, that slice of heaven dancing over your tongue. That's what sex is for men. It's that incredible feeling, with no emotion attached. They save that for the dog. Women equate sex with emotion, versus feeling. That's the difference. Of course, there are exceptional men out there...like the Ol' Man. He loves me (emotion) as well as loves the feeling of sex..the best of both worlds! And, I feel the same. Lucky me!

Computer Passwords

AAARRRGGGG! "Your password must be between 8 and 12 letters, have one special character, one number, one capital letter, not be a password you've used in the last three months, not include your birthday, or your mother's maiden name,......." AND, of course, every stinkin' site requires a password. There's just no way to keep track of them all! I try to use some of the same ones, but that doesn't always work. I end up resetting my password every time I go on the site cause I can't remember what I changed it to last time. Of course, you're not suppose to "write them down"...but maybe I should?! I really can't see a criminal mastermind breaking into my house just to steal my 5 year old lap top and then scrounge through a bunch of paperwork to find all my passwords. Besides, it's not like I've got Top Secret stuff on my hard drive! Sigh....

Kitchen Witch, evil eyes and Ganesh

I have a kitchen witch. I got her in Germany. According to Wikipedia, "A kitchen witch, sometimes called a cottage witch, and often called a "Scandinavian" kitchen witch doll, is a poppet, or homemade doll resembling a stereotypical witch or crone displayed in residential kitchens as a means to provide good luck and ward off bad spirits." My witch does a pretty good job, as the Ol' Man really likes my cooking, and I haven't made anything crappy in a long time. I made some banana bread, and the Ol' Man scarfed down the whole loaf in about a day! I also have evil eyes all around the house. I got them in Turkey. The Evil Eye Bead Amulet or Turkish Blue Glass Nazar Boncugu is thousands of years old. This talisman fights against the evil eye, gives protection and brings luck to all. It gives happiness to friends and the beloved ones. The Ol' Man has a Ganesh on the mantel. The Lord of Success, Ganesha is the son of Shiva and Parvati, has an elephantine countenance with a curved trunk and big ears, and a huge pot-bellied body of a human being. He is the Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. I'm a pagan, and I figure, it can't hurt to cover as many bases as I can.

It's Raining, again....

Good thing we went for a ride on the scooters yesterday. Woke up this am to rain. They keep saying this was the "summer that wasn't", and they're right. Mold is starting to pop up everywhere, mushrooms in the grass, not enough sun to grow the veggies....and they also say that on the heels of a crappy summer comes a crappy winter. But, yeesh - last winter was crappy too! Where does it end? The "Sturgis of PA" was a good time. There were maybe 200 bikes there, and they ran out of T-shirts an hour and a half after the event started. It was sponsored by a local radio station, and they said they'd have the T-shirts for sale on their web site. It was such a nice day (after having so many crappy days in a row), that everyone wanted to get out and ride...they didn't expect such a good turn out. One thing I like about biker events are the vendors...one stand was selling helmet stickers and jacket patches. A lot of them are "adult only" slogans, but they sure are funny! As this is a family show, I can't repeat them here, but if you ever get a chance to attend a biker event, check them out!

Sturgis

Every year, the motorcycle rally at Sturgis, SD kicks off in August. It's the "mecca" of motorcycle rallies...the biggest, most well known rally, probably in the world. If you ride a motorcycle, you have to make the trip at least once in your life...I think it's some kind of unwritten rule. I've been there (back in....1990 something) and it was quite the kick in the head! Bikes for as far as the eye could see...I enjoyed the ride more than the rally itself. I think most motorcycle rallies, be they big or small, are mostly the same...bikes, bikes, bikes, vendors selling t-shirts, belt buckles, jewelry, motorcycle parts, flags, knives, etc, junk food and beer. Lots of beer. And, usually boobs too. Not surprisingly, that part doesn't interest me too much, but the boys seem to like the view. Anyhoo, while I'm not going to make it to South Dakota this year, Pennsylvania does have their version of the Black Hills Classic - there is actually a Sturgis, PA that holds a "rally" (ummm...make that a 1 day get-together-and-hang-out-for-a-few-hours), and, since today is actually SUNNY for a change, me and the Ol' Man are heading up there to check it out. I'll take a few pictures and let you know how it goes....

Close to finished...

I've been working on two quilts for the boys. I'm getting closer to finishing the one for the youngest...the pattern is an all over teacup, and it's pretty easy. The other quilt I started machinde quilting, but that's turning out to be a pain, so I might finish it by hand. I need to make a quilt for my girlfriends 50th birthday next year, and, at the rate that I quilt, I probably should have started it last year! And, I'm still working (ha ha ha) on the Africa quilt as well as doing school work and making the dog leashes. Since the weather's been so crappy this month (summer), it's just as well that I have plenty of indoor activities to keep me busy!

Am I really Welcome?

You know those "Welcome" flags you see as you are driving through a neighborhood? They hang off the porch or are on a wrought iron trellis thingy...they have flowers on them, or they say "Welcome, Friends!" and look so nice...but am I really welcome? If I walked up to the door, rang the bell, would the occupants of the house welcome me in for a cup of coffe and a slice of pie? Would they turn me down if I asked for a cup of coffe and a slice of pie and look at me like I was a serial killer or would they really welcome me in? Somehow, I think it's all a sham and they wouldn't welcome me in and would probably shut the door in my face.

It just keeps getting worse.....

I hate watching the news or looking at the Internet. Between the Muslim radicals/fanatics and our own Congress, we're screwed. There's the big debate about the health care "reform"...HA! Are you kidding me? I did a search Health Care on the Government Printing Office (GPO) Access page (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/multidb.cgi) and found at least 6 Senate Bills (totalling over 1,000 pages), and 9 House bills (totaling over 2,360 pages) that our Congress is considering. Has any of our esteemed Congressmen/Women read any or all of these bills? Do they even know what they contain and how they are going to effect us? I grind my teeth every time I read about the infighting, how important it is to ram this legislation down our throats immediately, about how much it's going to cost (Trillions, anyone???). I've written my elected representatives and expressed my outrage...like it'll do any good. Unfortunately, there are too many "sheeple" in this country that just don't get it, and won't do anything and will wonder, "how did this happen" when they or their loved ones get denied a surgery or medical test or their kids get screwed with an insurmountable debt...it'll serve us right for sitting along the side lines and doing nothing.

Watch This

You know how some people like to collect stamps, or figurines, or post cards? Well, the Ol' Man like to collect watches...and not just any watches. They've got to be expensive watches. Big, heavy expensive watches. I have to admit, it's partially my fault. I bought him his first big, expensive watch, and that got him hooked. He always liked nice watches, but he's a big guy (6'3") and since he got the big watch, "normal" watch sizes seem too small for him. I have to laugh, because every time he gets a watch he really wants, he says he happy and doesn't want any more watches...until Rolex or Omega, or some other high end watch company comes out with something new...then it begins again! I suppose there could be worse vices to have than collecting watches....like collecting antique cars, or diamonds, or something equally expensive. Of course, it would have been nice is he had gotten into collecting toys from Cracker Jack boxes....!

Term Paper and Mother-in-Law visit

OK, I submitted my term paper for my college class today. This class was a pain in the a**, and I can't say I put forth full effort on the paper...to tell the truth, I pretty much bulls**ted my way through the whole thing! I'm pulling a B out of this class so far, and I'm good with that. Keep your fingers crossed my term paper flies. The Ol' Man's mom is visiting this week, which is cool, because we get along well (thank the Gods!). Bless her heart, every time we visit her at her house or she comes here, she brings with her tons of food. That's got to be a 'grandma" thing, because I remember my grandma always trying to feed us every time we came over. It's not like we don't have food here...the cupboards are full because (as anal as I am), we made a menu list for the week ahead and did all the shopping. But, here comes the mother-in-law, bags of groceries in tow even though we told her not to bring anything! And, it's not like you can get mad, because she's so sweet about it. She'll go with the Ol' Man on Friday to pick up the kids...and that makes me so happy! She'll get to interact with them for the week, giving me a break...and I love her for that.

Just a Thought

I was doing some research for my term paper for school, and I found several article that talk about health care...from as far back as 2004. Those article bemoaned the idea of "mandatory" health care, the rush towards socialism, etc. I just get the feeling we, collectively as a nation, are standing on the railroad tracks asking, "What's that bright light?" I'm floored that once that train smacks into us, we'll be suprised that we didn't see it coming....

AARRRGGGHHHH!

When will the madness end? There was an article on Yahoo Finance this morning, "Obama defends August deadline for health care bill" http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Obama-refuses-to-rule-out-apf-1811745621.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=2&asset=&ccode. According to the article, "Obama defended the deadline, saying the American people want the overhaul done quickly"...oh, really? After the previous bailout fiasco's, I don't want Congress "overhauling" anything "quickly"! The article also says, "The House bill would, for the first time, require all individuals to have health insurance and all employers to provide it." OK, so, what about those who are unemployed, retired, or who just don't work (housewives, college students, etc.)? What, the Insurance Police are going to come arrest you because you don't have insurance? Please. I saw a interview with Ron Paul (I - Texas), and he said that insurance wasn't a right. The pursuit to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness...those are rights. California's going Tango Uniform, but they're still giving GRANTS to low income college students? College education's not a right, either. When is this country going to get back to basics? Oh, yeah...the recessions almost over...Yeah!!!

Yes, I live in the woods

The Ol' Man's sister and her family came down to visit. Luckily, a bear just happened to be meandering through the neighborhood, so they all got to see a "bear in the wild"...which was the first time they had that experience. Today, we were walking the Hound of the Baskervilles (HoB), and we came upon a snake...dead, but a snake nevertheless. A nice 3+ foot Pennsylvania rattle snake! The Ol' Man showed the neighbor and she almost had a coronary. Being a "country boy", the Ol' Man wants to show the boys, so, into the freezer the snake went, awaiting next week when the boys come up. They'll be thrilled, I'm sure! That, and we get to go visit the HoB's trainer = his dog had puppies and the boys can't wait. Neither can I, to tell you the truth. Who can resist puppies!

Dog Leashes

I'm experimenting with a new line of work - making dog leashes. We go to training with the Hound of the Baskervilles, and the folks are always looking for something new. I came up with this idea from the bracelets I made for the guys I worked with in Iraq. I use black and tan 550 parachute cord (which is REALLY strong), because it "matches" the dog, and I think that's pretty cool. I've gotten a couple of orders already, so I'm keeping my hopes up that this can go somewhere. I'm selling them for $5.50 a foot (get it...made from 550 cord, $5.50 a foot!) I've also set up an e-mail account (leads550@yahoo.com) Let me know what you think...

Are "Muffin Tops" any better?

Girls don't get off scott free either. The "muffin top" look is equally ridiculous. According to Wikipedia, "Muffin-top" is a generally pejorative slang term used to describe the phenomenon of overhanging flesh when it spills over the waistline of pants or skirt in a manner that resembles the top of a muffin spilling over its paper casing. This generally occurs when an obese or overweight person wears low-rise, hip-hugger pants, or midriff-baring tops that are too small." I'm all about women having curves...the super skinny, bones-showing look gives me the creeps, but, squeezing your butt into jeans that are too tight so that you bulge over the top, that's just as unattractive as the low jeans on guys. And, it can't be comfortable! What ever happened to wearing clothes that fit? Where's the harm in that? Personally, I like clothes that fit. I'm not into clothes that pinch, or squeeze, or fall off. I'm into skirts (comfy!). The boys always ask why I wear skirts, and I say, "because your dad likes to kiss me when I wear skirts!".

Fashion?

Maybe I'm totally out of touch. Maybe I'm old, a geek, not "with it". I'm probably using even the wrong words to even describe how old fashioned I am. Be that as it may, I think the "fashion" of ridiculously low pants is way beyond stupid. Every time I see this sorry trend, I get the overwhelming urge to run up to the offender and yank their pants down to their ankles. It would be soooooo easy! What is this fashion statement suppose to be saying? At least the mini skirt showed off legs...I'm not sure what this is suppose to be showing off. "Look at my Underoos!"? or "Hey, I've got clean undies on, just like mom said, in case I get in an accident."? How comfortable is it when you have to continuously pull on your pants to make sure they don't end up around your knees in a step or two? This is a picture of Travis Barker who is the drummer for the band Blink-182 (and I had to look that up on the Internet, because I had no idea who this guy was). Where have all the role models gone? I sure don't want my kids growing up wearing their pants around their butts.

Facebook/MySpace/Twitter

I have to admit, I'm a member of Facebook. Not that I have any idea what I'm doing, you understand. I think MySpace is like Facebook, which means I don't understand that either. And you can forget about Twitter - I'm completely clueless. Yeesh...I'm still trying to figure out how to use my cel phone. I'd hate to think that I'm so old that I need to get the Jitterbug phone. I'm not into video games or "apps" on my celphone or games on my computer. I'd much rather read a good book, see a good movie (something, preferably, with a plot versus over the top effects), or do something constructive (quilting anyone!). I guess the older you get, the less you feel like "wasting" time, because you realize that you are running out of time, and death is closer than birth.

Cold Cereal

We've got the Ol' Man's kids this week...I don't know what their mother feeds them at her house, but all they want to eat is cold cereal, chicken and rice. The boys are on the small side...the 7 year old and the 5 year old both weigh the same...around 45 pounds . The Ol' Man wants to try to pack some weight on them this summer, so we "encourage" them to eat a variety of foods...yams, broccoli, eggs, perigees, chili, venison, beans, etc. The rule in this house is you have to eat everything on your plate, or no dessert/snack. The old "clean plate club" rules here! We don't pile their plates high with food, but a decent 3 bites of whatever. We've also got the "3 bites and move on" rule. They tend to eat first the thing they like best, then "claim" they're full. So, now they're only allowed 3 bites of anything and they have to take 3 bites of something else. It's working so far...with a bit of a reminder once in a while. And, remarkably, they do it with a minimum of complaining. .

Summer Fun

Had the in-laws come visit over the weekend. Had loads of fun... hiking, white water rafting, BBQing, good conversation. Thank the gods, we had good weather. Took a 7 mile hike to Boulder Lake, one of the top sites to visit in Pennsylvania. It's this bizarre "lake" of rocks that was formed eons ago by a glacier pushing it way across the country. The hike was rated difficult because the path was strewn with rocks, and it would have been very easy to twist an ankle. We went white water rafting in the Lehigh Gorge - class 2 and 3 white water (pretty tame), but it was the first time for the kids, so that worked out well. Being the wimp that I am, I wore my full diving wet suit, and was perfectly comfortable...the sister-in-law and niece wore shorts and were freezing. It was kinda overcast, and once that cool water started splashing up....burrrr! Got to top off the visit with a bear sighting. Living in the sticks, we site bears wandering through the neighborhood on occasion. The kids were thrilled.

Happy Birthday, America!

Happy 4th of July, everyone! We're doing the standard 4th of July thing... BBQ, going to see fireworks. I made a 4th of July cake...we'll see how it tastes after dinner...keep your fingers crossed! Unfortunately, I used frozen strawberries (we bought strawberries on sale and froze a bunch of them)...and it probably would have been better to use fresh, because the frozen ones kinda "leaked"as you can see.... I'm a pretty good cook...but I'm one of those who must follow directions. I'm not a pinch of this or a dash of that kinda chef. I like the grill, because then the Ol' Man does the cooking. It's a manly thing...grilling. Something about taming the flames...it's very primitive, I think, and guy dig it. I like the grill because the Ol' Man does the cleanup too! There's just something absolutely "summer" about grilling. And watermelon.

I am not alone....

http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/economist/172169

The above link is an article entitled Mountains of Debt: America's Economic Realities
by Charles Wheelan, Ph.D. I am not Chicken Little. Our world is crumbling around us, and some people are raising the alarm, but there seems to be an overwhelming apathy from the American Citizenry...which just FLOORS me. Now, it's not just the economy, it's not just the banking/credit system, it's not just the housing market, it's not just the car companies (as if all that wasn't enough!?), NOW, the individual STATES are starting to crumble...California, anyone? How about Pennsylvania...let's hear it for an 16% increase in income tax! Yeah! WHERE is the outrage? Mr. Wheelan said that Benjamin Franklin would be disappointed in us...and I think that's a VAST understatement...I think him and the rest of the founding fathers are rolling in their graves at the absolute, horrific mess we've made. Yes, "we"...because "we" elected the Congress, "we" bought houses we couldn't afford, "we" maxed out our credit cards, "we" bought into the whole consumerism that the media waved in front of our faces..."we" have brought this upon ourselves...there's no one else to blame. Myself, me and the Ol' Man are busting our humps to pay off our debt, not buying a new flat screen LCD TV or new Truck/car, eating leftovers, patching clothes, and pretty much making due with what we've got, because, I truly believe it's going to get worse before it gets better...and it's going to take a LONG time to get better...a long time.

Egg Bake

I got this recipe for Egg Bake from my mother-in-law. Bless her heart, she can't make anything other than "feed an army" size. I've cut the recipe in half and it still takes 9 eggs! I had bought some Banquet Brown and Serve sausage (on sale for $1), and when I made it the first time, I found out why it cost only a dollar. So, now I was stuck with about 10 packages of this stuff and had no idea what to do with it...we sure as hell weren't going to eat it. So, I go to make the Egg Bake, and figure...since the sausage is suppose to be cooked before you put it in the Egg Bake, why not give it a whirl with the Banquet sausage? Maybe the rest of the ingredients will mask the flavor...and, by gum! It worked! Sweet! As frugal as I am, I hate wasting food, even if it's bad tasting food, so it was a bonus that it worked in the Egg Bake. Killer good recipe...thanks C!

Cross Culture

I really enjoyed my job as a Diplomat/Foreign Service Officer...it's got to be one of the best jobs around...if you like good pay and travel! It's pretty much a cake job (what government job isn't? Ok, maybe being an IRS agent...) and the benefits are outstanding. Foreign Service Officers are a small group of folks (I think there's only about 8,000 of them) who live/work overseas at our Embassies world wide...we've got about 250 of them (I think), anywhere from Paris and London to the tiniest crap country in Africa. Where ever you get posted, though, the Embassy provides your house, electric, water, furniture, ships your car, and, some places that are considered "hardship", you get paid extra money for being there. The vacation schedule is fantastic. The only reason I quit was because, after 20 years of military life, I was having a hard time adapting to the Department of State culture. The military is around to fight wars; that's what we train for our entire careers, it's the reason we exist. The Department of State, on the other hand, likes to talk about problems, issues, in order to resolve them peacefully. Totally opposite of what I was use to. The military is very "get things done" orientated; the Department of State...well, not so much. My boss (bless her heart), told me I needed to "lower my standards"...??!! Hum....not going to happen. I believe that people raise up to your expectations...not that you should lower them to accommodate.