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Welcome to My World

The rantings, philosophies, and memories of a retired military, ex-diplomat, tattooed biker chick, quilting o'lady, pagan college student step-mom.

No guilt trip here - I refuse to to cave into that trap - about anything. Everything happens for a reason (Karma? Fate? Destiny? Dumb Luck? or Free Will...) and it is what it is. I've come to a point in my life where I can accept that.

Eveyone always told me to write a book, because I have so many funny stories, life experiences, unique view points...but, a book? What a pain in the ass. Blogging seemed like the next best thing, so, if you're ready (and there's room enough for everyone!) fire up the bikes and lets ride....

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Beautiful Summer

It's going to be in the high 80's today, so we're off to the beach! Need to enjoy the rest of the summer while it lasts...

Saturday, August 28, 2010

And the Downward Spiral Continues...

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/aug/27/summer-sizzles-economy-fizzles/

Excellent article from the Washington Times. Especially telling are the two paragraphs that respond to VP Biden's declaration that the country is going in the right direction:

"But what direction is that? Indicators that should be down are up, and those that should be up are down. The administration claims to have "saved" 3 million jobs, but this argument is losing traction as new claims for unemployment benefits continue to rise. Almost one in five American adults is either unemployed, underemployed or has lost hope. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth has declined since the end of 2009, and Friday's downward revision of second-quarter growth shows an economy on life support. New-home sales have fallen to the lowest pace on record, and despite historically low mortgage rates, prospective homebuyers lack enough confidence in the future to make long-term commitments. Meanwhile, more people are losing their home,s and Mr. Obama's plan to mitigate foreclosure has bogged down in red tape and administrative waste.

Since the "recovery summer" campaign kickoff, the stock market has declined, Treasury bond yields have tanked, the trade deficit has increased, manufacturing is down, non-farm productivity is down, durable goods orders are performing below expectations, the dollar is weaker, and retail sales have flatlined. "

Buy gold, bullets and move to a farm.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Wow...

Could there be more bad news about the economy, the job market, the housing market, the stock market, and any other market you can think of? My only dread is that nothing will change, even if we "vote the bum's out" in November. Something tells me Washington will remain the same...time will tell.

Monday, August 23, 2010

And It Begins

School started today...these last 2 classes and I'll graduate with my Masters in Professional Studies (MPS) in Human Resources and Employee Relations (HRER). What then? I haven't a clue....

Saturday, August 21, 2010

I think it's official

Fall is here, even though it's only August. The leaves are starting to fall off the trees, and it's getting "cooler"...gosh, the summer went fast....

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Settling in

Got all the food shopping done today - now we have plenty of fresh fruit, milk, peanuts, and cold cereal in the house. When we got back from the trip, the cupboards were pretty bare. We also got all the dive gear cleaned and stored, the laundry done, and the Hounds of the Baskervilles picked up from the kennel. So, it's back to "normalcy"...which isn't such a bad thing! I love our house, I love our puppers and I love the Ol' Man!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

When the Party's Over...

Just got back today from a 10 day dive trip to the Florida Keys. Had a slice of Key Lime Pie at every placed we stopped to eat. The best was actually at the Westin in Miami! You can order Key Lime pie on line for (get this) $69.95 for ONE PIE. And, that doesn't include shipping! I think I'll look up the recipe on line and try to make my own....$70 for a pie seems a little steep to me.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Ya know

You just get use to things....like the Ol' Man having a beard. He just came down stairs, after having shaved off the majority of his beard. When I first met him, he had a beard, so that's how I always picture him. That's the guy I fell in love with...that face. I still love him with all my heart, but it's someone else...some other face looking at me, even though it's the same voice, same eyes. It takes a little getting use to...

Saturday, August 7, 2010

My method of gardening

Dig a small hole.
Deposit plant in hole.
Push dirt/mulch back around plant.
Water.
Hope it grows.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Material Girl

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/08/04/2010-08-04_material_girl_michelle_obama_is_a_modernday_marie_antoinette_on_a_glitzy_spanish.html

Our First Lady...I agree with the above article when the author says: "It's the extravagance of Michelle Obama's trip and glitzy destination contrasted with President Obama's demonization of the rich that smacks of hypocrisy and perpetuates a disconnect between the country and its leaders."

I, however, see it as a stretch in calling the Obama's our "leaders". This current administration is more dictatorship than leaders. What has become of our great country? When will it change? When will the "sleeping giant" truly awaken and go stomping across the country and make some real change? Stand by.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Frugal

I've got a big, pump bottle of lotion that's pretty much empty. I've also got a bunch of smaller lotion bottles, all different smells (peppermint, pumpkin, cranberry). How bad would it be if I mixed all the little bottles into the big bottle? I mean, it's all lotion, right?

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

ObamaCare(less)


http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/tx08_brady/pr_100728_hc_chart.html

"AMERICA'S NEW HEALTH CARE SYSTEM REVEALED
UPDATED CHART SHOWS OBAMACARE'S BEWILDERING COMPLEXITY

Washington, D.C. - Four months after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously declared "We have to pass the bill so you can find out what’s in it, "a congressional panel has released the first chart illustrating the 2,801 page health care law President Obama signed into law in March." And, boy, is it a mess! The first thing that came to my mind was, "You've got to be KIDDING". The second though was, "We're sooooooooooooooooooooooo screwed."

In addition to the above, the article also says, "In addition to capturing the massive expansion of government and the overwhelming complexity of new regulations and taxes, the chart portrays:

$569 billion in higher taxes;
$529 billion in cuts to Medicare;
swelling of the ranks of Medicaid by 16 million;
17 major insurance mandates; and
the creation of two new bureaucracies with powers to impose future rationing: the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute and the Independent Payments Advisory Board.

Brady admits committee analysts could not fit the entire health care bill on one chart. "This portrays only about one-third of the complexity of the final bill. It’s actually worse than this."

I feel so sick to my stomach...but there's little chance I'll be heading to the doctor's any time soon...

Monday, August 2, 2010

If I could've

Done things differently 30 years ago, I would have 1) bought gold, 2) never gotten married 3 times, and 3) I would have had the hair on my legs lasered off. Do you have any idea how much of my life has been spent shaving my legs???