Raise the (Red) Flag?

It's going to be a long season in politics. And I though the baseball season was long. Of course it is always longer when my team is not doing well. So how many people do we have running for President of the United States now? Maybe it would be easier to count the number of people who are not running. Does anyone care that the national conventions are not until next summer? The primaries are not until early next year. Of course with all the states trying to one-up each other, the first primary may be tomorrow. Debates are all over the place. The Democrats are debating each other and so are the Republicans. Every time I look at tv news I see pictures of these people everywhere. At this point no-one knows who will be the parties choices. Every five minutes there is a new poll telling us who is the front-runner. How many millions of people are in this country? I have not been asked my opinion yet. On the other hand maybe that is just as well. They may not want to have my opinion on this because I have not really found a politician that I really trust. They all say the same thing. But they all leave me empty because they never really say anything.

Maybe that is why the press is having a hard time finding any real issues to discuss with these people. When the press zones in on whether or not a candidate is wearing an American Flag pin is more important than issues, I tend to zone out on the press. Does wearing that pin make the candidate a better American? How about a better candidate? Does it really show that one person or another is more patriotic? It has become a big issue because Barack Obama has stopped wearing that flag. Why focus on that? It is hot outside. How many of the men running for president have we seen coatless, sleeves rolled up, tie loose shaking hands with the people in the crowds? Some other candidates have been seen not wearing a flag pin. No-one said anything to them.

There are so many more important issues that we have to worry about. Real issues which concern all of us. This raises a big red flag to me. We need to move this country forward in the right direction. That direction should be decided by the American public. We cannot decide who will be the best leader of our country based on what they wear. Many people wear pins to show support of various issues and causes. Patriotism is not a flag pin. Patriotism is love, support and defense of one's country. All the candidates are patriotic in their own way. Let focus on the important things.

I Knew There Was A Reason I Hate Cleaning

Finally I had a clear head and nose. I was not sneezing, dripping or hacking. No fever or aches and pains did I have. So what did I do? I looked up at the ceiling fan in the living room. Big mistake! I saw a layer of black dust all over the blades. I thought I just cleaned that two weeks ago. So I decided since Amanda was moving some of her stuff out I could clean a few things. She packed up some of her kitchen stuff which she had kept on top of the freezer. So while she was moving out some of her stuff I thought I would clean the ceiling fan, the top of the freezer, and the sliding glass doors to the patio. The patio doors looked like they have never been cleaned. I cleaned them but I need to do it again with my squeegee. I hate streaks and problem corners. I got most of the door cleaned but since I can still see the streaks I will have to dig through closets and boxes to see if I can find my squeegee. Did I mention I hate streaks? Now I remember why I don't do windows!

Cleaning the top of the freezer was not that bad. Of course it is a lot taller than I am and I hate standing on a step-ladder. I have a nasty habit of missing a step on the way down. Since the freezer had been in the garage where we lived before I have not cleaned the top since we moved here. I'm still trying to figure out how to defrost it without making a mess on the floor here. It was so much easier in the garage. Just put some plastic down and sweep the ice out of the garage. No chance of doing that here. There is a ledge at the sliding glass door. Ok, I just think about that later.

Then I decide to clean the fan blades. What a mess. All that wonderful dust and grime falling around me. Nothing got in my eyes cause I learned to keep my glasses on while doing fan cleaning. Finally after about three turns around each blade I got the fan clean.

Ok, that's enough cleaning for today. I had already done the laundry earlier that morning. I felt somewhat satisfied with myself. I hate cleaning. I still have to run the vacuum, but I will just wait until Amanda gets finished with moving her stuff. I can use a good excuse not to vacuum anyway. I must remember next time not to pick dark brown carpet. The last couple of places we've rented had beige carpet. That always seemed to show dirt and stains. This dark brown carpet goes good with the colors of our furniture and does not show dirt and stains. But every little blade of grass of weeds that gets tracked inside shows clearly. It seems like five minutes after I vacuum it has something on it. Oh well, live and learn.

Yeah, live and learn. Now I have a reason to really hate cleaning. By evening I noticed that my head was filling up again and I started sneezing. Crap. It is bad enough that this is allergy season in Houston. Ragweed and tree pollen abound. Just when I thought I was done with my sneezing, coughing, and nose running,too! Cleaning is not my favorite thing to do and now I remember why. I hate cleaning! I'm going on strike! At least for a week.

Last Bat

It was a hard weekend. My nose ran Friday night. I finally had to pull the plug on the fishbowl I used to call my head. There were just too many fish swimming around. So then Jimmy and I decided to watch a tearjerker on tv three times this weekend.

The tearjerker was not on TCM or AMC channels, though. We watched the last three games of the Houston Astros season as well as the end of Craig Biggio's career. We could not help but be a little emotional about this. Craig Biggio had been with the team as long as Jimmy and I have. We took the kids to see the Astros play several times. They got to meet several of the players at some of the kid events, including Craig. My daughter Annie considers him her favorite player.

Every time he came to the plate, the fans stood up to cheer. The last three games were with the Atlanta Braves. At the Saturday game he started the first two innings as catcher which was his original position. The Braves were nice enough to agree to not try to steal on him. Brad Ausmus played second base.

The last three games the Astros wore the different uniform styles of his career. The last game was hard. There were more people at that game than at the World Series games. Most of the people wore Biggio shirts. Some had cameras. In Biggio fashion, his first plate appearance was a double. Now his has the record for most doubles by a right handed batter. His last time at bat in the game, I really dont think there were many dry eyed fans. He had a hard time holding it together knowing that would be his last at bat.

The game of baseball needs more players like Craig Biggio. A player who played the game right and respected the game. It was hard for the fans to let him go. Cameras flashed all game long. He acknowledged the fans and the players as well as the Braves. He will be in Cooperstown in 5 years. I hope I will be around to see him then. At least he will be here. I have a sneaking suspicion that in a few years when the Astros call with an offer, he will be back. This time maybe as a teacher.

Fall and Sneeze

According to the calendar it is now the fall season. I'm not sure on which planet this season is occuring but I am still waiting. Fall is the season of falling temperatures and falling leaves. This is Texas, it is still hot. I have not seen any falling leaves- oh, wait there goes one now.

Fall is also the season of allergies and colds. Tree and grass pollens are making life miserable for people. My husband started sneezing last week. He thought he had a visit from the fall allergy fairy last week. But he soon discovered that he had the fall cold, not allergies. Sunday he started sneezing and coughing. "Do I feel hot?" became the question of the day. After taking his temperature (102) he decided he needed to go to bed. He did not feel like eating. So he and Lady went upstairs. Even Daisy went to vist, but decided not to stay. Too much coughing I guess. He refused to stay home from work. Too much work to do. Those pipes are not going to lay themselves. So he has now made it to today. He seems to be feeling a little better. He must be feeling better, he played on-line poker last night.

All of this brings me to my next question. When do I get the cold? If it were allergy I would not care. I don't have a lot of allergy problems like a lot of people around here do. Family colds are a little like death and taxes, you can't avoid them. So today my throat is scratchy and my nose it running a little. Thanks Jimmy. How come a plumber can't fix a runny nose? Can I go to bed? No, I'll just lie down and think of the things I need to do. Oh well, so far I don't have a fever and I will just keep moving. At least I don't have to drive anywhere or operate heavy machinery. Hey, if I do catch this cold, I'll have an excuse to have a hot toddy! Then again, the dogs will still want to go out.

I wonder which will get here sooner, a cold or colder temperatures. Somehow I think I will be sneezing and coughing long before the leaves fall. As for the temperatures, I am going to try not to sneeze because if I do I may miss the lower temperatures. What lower temperatures? It is still 90 degrees outside. Daisy waiting at the door. I guess she wants to romp in those fallen leaves, I mean fallen leaf.

School Days Are Different Now, Not Always Better

The protest in Jena, Louisiana made me think how much our world has changed since I went to school. I went to school in the south. My grammer school years were in Alabama, my junior and senior high schools in South Carolina. This was the days before integration. All of my classmates were white. My children all went to school with different races.

I have noticed that things are handled differently today. In Houston most of the schools are large with hundreds of children attending classes. My graduating class had 200 in it. Around here there are a lot more. Our youngest child's graduating class had over 600 in it.

Discipline has changed too. When I was in high school there were occasional fights between students. There was no ISS (in school suspension) or alternative school. The teachers, coaches and principals took care of the situation. I remember when two boys got into a fight during school. What kind of punishment did they get? After school, alone in the gym, they had to fight to the end. The football coach oversaw the fight. He gave them each boxing gloves and made them fight until they tired. No-one watching, no one egging them on. Needless to say there were not many fights at my high school. Now if there is a fight the school police department either handles it or calls the city police and charges are filed. Parents have to appear in court because their kid got in a fight. It is serious business these days. Almost every school district has it's own police department. The police have all the rights that the regular police do. They check for drugs, weapons, altercations and other things.
We didn't have that at my school.

It makes me wonder where we are going in the education of our students. Does having campus police make a high school safer? Do the students get along any better having the police there? In Houston there are many different races attending these schools.
Are our schools better or worse than schools like the one in Jena, Louisiana?

My parents taught me that there would always be people who would not like me or who would taunt or make fun of me. I experienced this in school. I was never beaten up. I did get a spelling book thrown at me in grammer school. My glasses were broken. My father called the kid's parents. The issue was solved. I was taunted in high school. My parents told me to ignore it and laugh along with them. I discovered that if I found something that I and my taunters both liked, we eventually could talk. We eventually learned to get along.

We have come a long way in the country. Have we gone far enough? Have we gone too far? Do students get along any better today than we did? I don't know the answer. I don't think six people attacking one person is the answer. What message does that send? Some say this Jena situation is a result of a double standard of justice. Is it? Maybe. Maybe there could have been a quieter way to handle the situation. Maybe we have forgotten the meaning of the word "tolerance".

Can They Get an Online Divorce

This is why I would be weary of some online socializing. It seems that everybody is on a social network like MySpace or FaceBook. How many times I have seen ads for online dating? Too many. Just imagine chatting with friends online. Eventually you start chatting with some new friends. Ok, no problem. We all like to chat about everything from sports to politics. A lot of people use the chats to complain about things. Some complain about children,friends and work. Some even vent about how bad their personal relationships are. We all complain to each other from time to time. The internet gives us a chance to complain to people we dont really know. So imagine this. A woman is having problems with her husband and is considering leaving him. She starts chatting with a guy who is having similar problems. They find they seem to have a lot in common. Husband/wife doesn't understand and so on. So as time goes on these two chatters discover they live in the same town. Since they have so much in common, they decide to meet for coffee. They give each other the information they need to recognize each other. The hour arrives and she is the first to enter the coffee shop. As she waits for the man, she sees her husband walk in. They both realize at the same time that they have been chatting (and complaining) to each other. Apparently this was not what they had expected. I guess it just made them madder at each other. They both felt betrayed. I guesss they used to enjoy IMing and not they not IMimg anymore.

Cat Fight on The View- Almost

Well,inagine this. The View cancelled a guest because the guest did not want to have to be interviewd by Elizabeth Hasselbeck. Gee, it is not like no one knows that she is a conservative Republican. She and Rosie used to do battle all the time. Liberal vs conservative. Imagine that- opposing views on the same show. It doesn't matter if one liked or disliked Rosie, she pushed Elizabeth's buttons. Elizabeth has always stood up for her beliefs. I really thought that things would calm down a little after Rosie left. Apparently not. Even with two new co-hosts she still disagrees with other views. It has to the point, at least to me, that she doesn't want anyone to disagree with her. Even Barbara Walters asked her, on camera, if there was any Democrat she did like.

So now there has been another cat fight on The View. Barry Manilow will not appear today. He says he cancelled, the show says they cancelled him. He has never been overly political in public, although he has been a good Democratic fundraiser. When he appears on a show, it is to promote his latest album or project. According to Barry, he did not want to be interviewed by Elizabeth because he disagreed with her very conservative views and felt she was "dangerous". He has his beliefs, just as she does. He has always been a big supporter of the show. Neither would compromise.
Jeez. I am astonished by this whole thing. Yes, I will take the potshots, but I have been a Manilow fan for years. For him to feel so strongly and so vocal is unusual. I wonder if this is the start of a trend during this never ending political season. Will other celebrities and performers go to The View or refuse because of this?

I consider myself an Independent. I have friends on both sides of the issues. I see good and bad of both. When someone jumps into the area of political opinions, they should realize that not everyone will agree. When we refuse to listen to another's view, we cease to grow as human beings. I didn't want a political cat fight-I just wanted to hear the music.

Too Much Time?

Over the last few months I have noticed that the kid next to us does not have enough to occupy his time. When we first moved into this building I noticed a something in the back area covered in heavy plastic and secured with duct tape. Apparently someone replaced a stove and put the old one behind the building. I can only assume they had no way to dispose of it either. Our landlady will not fix anything under $275, so I guess someone bought a new one and put the old one in the back. Now I have noticed almost every day some has changed back there. Finally the plastic and tape have been completely pulled off the stove. So has the door, a couple of knobs and at least one of the four surface units has been pulled off. I have looked out my window several times cause the dogs barked at some noise. What do I see? That kid playing around the stove. I noticed once his dad pushed it against the fence. Ah, but sonny managed to pull it around time and time again. Yesterday when the dogs barked I looked out the window to see this kid jumping up and down on the oven door as it lay on the ground. I guess he won that fight. Didn't his parents ever tell him not to play around stuff like that?

When I took Lady out to do her business yesterday morning, I had to stop because this kid had a long pole with a large fish net on it in his hand. He was trying to catch birds as they sat on the fence. When he saw me, he quickly went back to his unit. What would he do with a bird if he caught it? I am still wondering what happened to his rabbit. The two plastic chairs are still out there but the rabbit and his cage are gone. Wonder what happened?

I never see the mother go outside with him. I can only guess that this kid doesn't have much to do. I really dont think it is a good idea for him to tear things up the way he has done. He always looks a little guilty when I happen to see him doing something in the back like that. Oh well.

How Charmin

We have so much variety in our lives now. Isn't it wonderful. We can choose different cereals and different flavored chips. Our colas have flavors. Even the bottled water has flavors. Yeah, the liquor companies have fallen prey to those who want variety too. Why toilet paper? Now Charmin has come up with an extra strength toilet paper. What? I guess it now would be too strong for old Mr Whipple to squeeze. For years Charmin has advertised that their toilet paper was gentle and soft. Well, I guess we have some extra strength poopers out there. Charmin now has a choice of soft or extra strength toilet paper. Why? I know there are a lot of people who are full of poop in Washington, but I don't think they are the sales targets for Charmin. Do we really need extra strength toilet paper? Is this a way for Charmin to get on the conservation band wagon? If we use the extra strength Charmin does that mean we will use less? If we use less, I guess Sheryl Crow will be happy. I can just see it now, four squares of Charmin extra strength will do twice as much as eight of the softer brands. But, we must remember that Charmin still has the wonderfully soft and gentle paper, too. For all the hard asses out there, Charmin extra strength is the choice. For the old softies out there, the old stand-by squeezably soft Charmin will do. Don't worry Mr. Whipple. At least they have not figured out how to put color in the toilet paper yet. Too much chance of irritation from the dye. But, who knows, someday some brilliant toilet paper engineer will figure out how to make toilet paper soft yet strong and in designer colors, too.

Music Blasts into My Life, Huh?

I see a lot of people driving around Houston with their windows open. Of course my first thought would be their AC must not work. Gee that is tough in this heat. Then I realize they are not driving with the window open because they have no AC. They are playing their music, loudly. I don't mind people listening to music while driving. I guess it is better than watching a movie while driving. I like music. I like a lot of different music. I even tolerate music that others like, but I don't. But when this music invades my space, I am not happy. Here are some reasons why, in no special order:
When I am outside with my dog, and she jumps at the sound, t
he music is too loud.
When I am inside my home and I can hear the lyrics over the tv, the music is too loud.
While inside my home, if the windows rattle, the music is too loud.
When I am in my car with my windows shut and I hear your music over mine, it's too loud.
When I am driving in traffic and the music makes my car vibrate, it's too loud.
When I can hear you yelling to your friend in the same car, your music is too loud.
And lastly, years from now when you go to a doctor because you can't hear well, your music was too loud. Now it's to late.

How would you like it if Ilistened to opera that loud? Would you like to hear classical music that loud? Yeah, I know you don't like that kind of music. How about if I play "Copacabana" that loud?

Ok, I know I am am speaking to an audience that doesn't hear me. Nothing I say will make you change you habits. Just remember, not everyone likes the same kind of music you do, so could you please turn it down? I don't make you listen to my music, don't make me have to listen to yours. What's that? You can't hear me? I wonder why.

Hey is That a B-52? Run!

The public was never in any danger. That is what Defense Secretary Gates said. Ok, then why the fuss. So a B-52 flew across several states with nuclear warheads on board. Oops! That is a no-no. The plane was carrying advanced cruise missiles to be decommissioned. As a result heads will roll. An Air Force commander has been fired.I guess others will be fired too. President Bush and Defense Secretary Gates were informed. Washington is wringing it's collective hands. The experts just don't understand how this could happen. There are multiple safeguards and redundancies for safety and security. Well... There are diligent safety protocols which may have been ignored by letting the warheads be put on the plane. Each warhead would have had to be signed out of it's storage bunker to be transported to the plane.

The American public now has heard of this and remains calm and not worried at all. Right? Then again, this is a government operation. Remember Forest Gump? "Stupid is as stupid does,sir." I wonder just how close to Houston this plane flew? No, I'm not worried. I am not Chicken Little and I don't think the sky is falling. Hey, wait, is that a plane? A B-52? Yikes!

This Is A Holdup! Not At This Bank!

No-one ever said that criminals were smart. Sometimes though, they do look like they belong in a dumb movie or tv sitcom. So a guy walked into a bank. Robbery was the plan. He went to the table and took a deposit slip on which he wrote the note indicating that he was robbing the place. He got into the line for the teller. Since it was late in the afternoon the line was long. He was unaware that a lot of the people in line were FBI agents from a nearby office cashing their checks. He got tired of waiting in line so he left and went to the bank across the street. The line there was shorter. When he got to the teller, he handed her the note. She looked at the note and politely told him that they would not accept a deposit slip from another bank. Back across the street he went. Little did he know that teller had called the police. When he got back to the first bank he was met by police and the FBI.

There are two morals to this true story. 1. Don't try to rob a bank used by FBI agents. 2.Don't write a robbery note on the deposit slip of one bank and try to rob another bank with that note.

They're Here, Again

Ever since Comcast took over TimeWarner here I have wondered if they really know what they are doing. Or do they really need to visit the utility pole behind my building that often. Are the ladders and the post having an affair? Do the ladders all know each other? Or is this some kind of sex for money thing? Hey, yellow ladder, was it good for you? Just in case you didn't know a grey ladder visited the pole yesterday. Yeah, it is always a different guy climbing on the ladder.

It seems that there are an average of two visits a week. Somebody drags a ladder back there, leans it on the pole and fumbles around with the cable wires, climbs down, takes the ladder and leaves. Just what are these guys really doing. How many people need so much service? Are they checking on what we watch on tv. Is Big Brother watching? Do these guys get paid per visit? Are they just killing time? Do they get paid per pole? Maybe this is some kind of Comcast pole dance? Trust me, guys, you are not going to get any dollar bills slipped under your belt.

I have no idea why these Comcast people are here so often. Maybe they think they did something wrong the first twelve times they climbed the ladder and looked at all those cable wires. I don't know. I just know that every single time they show up Daisy gets very angry and trys to get rid of them. They just don't listen. Maybe I should start keeping a record, let's see once last week, twice this week, hum. Monday is a holiday so maybe they won't visit next week.

Football season.

Given the fact that the temperatures are still in the 90's it is hard to believe that college and pro football will soon be here. The pro teams are having their last pre-season games and about ready to make their final choices of which players will make the teams. The Houston Texans look better than they have in a long time. At least the beat the Dallas Cowboys. We shall see how the season goes.

Rah,rah, college football is gearing up, too. My two favorite teams will open their seasons Saturday. Texas will open against Arkansas St. Go Horns! I see that Mac Brown's contract was extended. Good. I don't know if I think the Horns should be ranked #4, though. But we shall see. The Crimson Tide of Alabama start the new season with new Head Coach Nick Sabin against W. Carolina. I am hopeful they will do better than last year. Roll Tide, Please beat Auburn.

Since the Houston Astros are winding down a less than stellar year, it is time to turn my attention to the football. Sorry guys. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the off season will bring us hope for a brighter season next year.

So at this point it's all up for grabs. It is time the Houston Texans established themselves as a formidable NFL team. Go Texans. Hook 'en Horns! I will NOT say Gig 'em Aggies. Roll Tide! No, I will not say War Eagle for Auburn. This year the Tide will turn.

It's time to get the party started. Touchdown!

Now What? Wait Till Next Year?

Don't look behind you, the axe may fall. It fell on the General Manager and Manager of the Houston Astros yesterday. I had a feeling that Phil Garner would not be back next year. A lot of people were not happy with the way Tim Purpura handled getting players. Dumping these two now is a little bit of a surprise. Is is likely that this change will turn the team around and get more wins? No. Craig Biggio takes the blame on himself and his teammates, telling reporters that the team did not do their jobs.

Tim Purpura, as GM, was supposed to find the players to bring up from the minors or get the best players in trades. He did not get this done. Carlos Lee was a good $100 million deal. Bringing up Hunter Pence was good. Losing Clemens and Petitte was not. Trading for Jennings and Williams was not. He did release Morgan Ensberg who was was underachieving this year. He did not get the draft choices signed. Now What? What can we do to get top players and restock the minors?

Phil Garner was well liked by the players and the fans. He helped lead the team to the World Series two years ago. What did he do wrong? Was he not agressive enough? We all know that many times too many men were left on base. How many times did we have bases loaded with no outs and could not get a single run across? Biggio as the lead off hitter, almost always got on base. Berkman and Lee should have been able to get the runs. At one point Biggio, Pence, Berkman and Lee would have been tough to get out. Now what? Next year Biggio will be gone. Pitching has been suspect all year. Did Garner leave starters in too long. Why was the bullpen so bad?

All things considered I guess we will just have to wait till next year. Will players be traded in the off-season? Will any player be safe? What do the fans think? Drayton McClain said he spent a lot of time this season talking to fans in the stands during games. He said he listened to their complaints, questions and suggestions. Now what?

Daisy vs the Exercise Ball

Amanda and I have decided to embark on an exercise program. We will try to walk the neighborhood in the evening, eat better and exercise. We will see how long this lasts. Neither one of us is big on a lot of exercise. So last night Amanda came home with a set of hand weights and an exercise ball. After she put the air into the ball, she brought it downstairs. I did not realize how big it is. Lady looked at it and decided to igore it. Of course when I got on it she thought I was nuts. I could almost see her laughing at me. Daisy on the other hand was curious. She ran around it. She poked it with her nose. When it rolled away from her she tried to chase it, but when it rolled back toward her she ran away from it. She cant seem to decide if it is good or bad. She growled and yelped at it as it rolled along the floor. When it rolled too close she either ran or stood her ground and barked. If I pushed it toward her she backed up and ran behind the chair. Don't push that thing to me she seemed to say. As it rolled around she would look at me, then look at the ball. Staying just inches away from it, she dared it to move closer to her. I pushed it toward her and off she ran. I got the impression that she was not too happy about this strange thing in her living room. One moment she was set to attack, the next she was jumping away from it. As she sat staring at it, I wondered who would win the battle. As long as I was nearby, she held her post of defender of the living room. I wonder who will win the battle.

Who Gets to Kill the Chicken?

I have seen several promos for the CBS reality show "Kid Nation". When I first saw this I thought to myself that I would pass on that one. I bunch of kids running a "town" didn't interest me. Then again I am not much of a reality tv watcher. I am probably the only person on the planet who has never watched "American Idol" and I don't plan to any time soon. I do watch "Dancing With The Stars", "Big Brother" and once in a while "Survivor".

To me I don't know why anyone would choose to take their kid out of school in April for six weeks to do this. Well, of course there is the money. This just seems wrong on so many levels to me. What about the child labor laws? CBS says the show was done following the child labor laws of the state in which it was filmed. Did these kids enjoy this? The parents had to sign a twenty-two page contract to do this show. The parents and kids are, per the contract, not allowed to talk about it. Several network news people have tried to discuss or find out about it. CBS is being tightlipped about this.

Looking at the promo clips makes me wonder how far this will go. It's not "Fear Factor". They don't have to eat insects in competition. The just have to make a town and fend for themselves. They have to figure out how to do everything from cooking, cleaning, building and running the town. All this with no adult supervision. I guess some people will say this is a good experience for the kids. Let me see, take care of the farm animals, right? Gotta eat, right? Who's going to kill the chicken?

Maybe I should Go Back To Bed

Are the stars out of alignmnet? I keep getting caught in a web of "can't get there from here" situations. Yesterday I had to run some errands. Nothing spectacular about that, right? While out, I thought I might as well pay the cell phone bill. So I run in to the nearby Sprint Store to pay at their kiosk. Wouldn't you know that both machines are not working. After several frustrating minutes, I gave up and left, muttering nasty thoughts to myself.

Then there was the problem with ContentQuake yesterday. Of course it would be me who would have the problem. It's too bad that I can't remember what I said in my sample of writing. Never fails how the best thoughts get lost. I sent an e-mail to Mr. Long about my problem. I was surprised when he sent me a nice letter back.

Then came this morning. Once again, I went to pay my cell phone bill. This time I decided to change to a different store. On the way there, I came to a stop light. I decided to take the left turn lane rather than deal with crossing traffic. Guess what! Apparently the left turn light was not working. After sitting through this mess, I and the people behind me decided to get back into traffic. Sometimes, it really does pay to have a speedy, agile car. Onward to the Sprint Store I went. Want to take a guess at what happened next? Right! The payment machine didn't work. But, at least the clerk there was able to help me get the deed done.

At this point I decided not to push for any more problems. I went home. Then I discovererd that Google was having server problems.I guess too many people were trying to find out about their new sky vision that goes with Google Earth.

I guess it could be worse. The Astros lost pitcher Jason Jennings for the remainder of the season due to injury. He will have to have surgery. No wonder he pitched so poorly. Roy Oswalt will have to miss a start due to injury, too.

After all this, I think the best thing I can do is not press my luck. Otherwise I may try to put the remote in the refrigerator, like I did last night. Yeah, maybe I should just go back to bed. The stars are aligned against me. Then again, maybe I should buy a lottery ticket. I could win, right?

Verify This ContentQuake!

Crap! Have you ever applied for or created something only to have it fail at the very end? I found a site that is supposed to be hiring writers for different things from tv commentary, city information and even NFL team writers. So I thought let's give this a try. What the heck, what is the worst that can happen? No we don't want you. Big deal. So after spending a good bit of time working on the application which included a sample of my writing, I get to the end. Then there is the little box. Verify. So I fill in the letter/number sequence. I hit send. Then I see "verify error". I don't think I made a mistake but I'll do it again. Same thing. After about the fourth time I am really not happy! After spending all that time to get just the right things to say...I really don't appreciate that. Phooey!

You Might Need a Tow Truck

It is pouring down rain right now. It started raining in the middle of the night when Erin came close to the Texas coast. So what is going on at my townhouse building? The grass is being mowed! Are you kidding me! The back of the house is always a lake whenever it rains. They cut the back area by weedeater. Guess they don't have a push mower. They use a riding mower on the side which has most of the grass. The back of the building has almost no grass, just weeds. I can hear the weedeater in a bind right now. Are these people nuts? How in the world do they expect to get a good cut with the ground being under water? I have to wonder how many ruts they will make on the side they use the mower on. I don't care how "hard" they try to mow with that weedeater, it never comes close to being cut well. As wet as it is today I don't see that this is going to make much difference in the look of the "lawn". My neighbor's motorcycle makes a rut in the grass every time he takes it out. He only takes the motorcycle out when the weather is clear and dry. I don't even want to think of what this mess is going to look like. They are probably going to make a few ruts, maybe even get stuck. Well, maybe Daisy will be happier, since she has been refusing to do her business in the grass because it is so high. Oops, it is thundering again, and I saw a flash of lightening. More rain is coming, They might need a tow truck to get out of the grass. Who mows a yard in the pouring down rain anyway?

When Will We Learn?

Yet another recall by Mattel has been announced. Again, toys have lead paint. What else can we buy from china that isn't a problem? We have pet food, toothpaste, toys, certain fish and foods are also questioned. When are we, or the Chinese, going to wake up? Quality control is not a joke! Manufacturing in America used to be a source of pride. Now our manufacturing sector has nearly disappeared. It is cheaper to produce things outside of this country. I realize that we need to have good trade relations with other countries, but trading our goods for poor and substandard items is not the way to go. Just who is at fault? Are we at fault because we need to spend less for what we want? Or are overseas companies at fault because they want our money and cut costs by having less control over production?

We were lulled to sleep by cheap labor and products made overseas. It made it more cost effective for our companies to send things overseas or buy things made overseas. We all wanted to save a couple of dollars on clothes, electronics and other things. As consumers we wanted all the newest things at the cheapest prices. Anyone who has shoped at WalMart has seen what is going on. We were all so happy to save money. Now What?

The latest recall of toys may just be a small part of an apparently growing problem. China has been the target. We buy so much from them. What haven't we discovered, yet? We can hope that our companies which do business with China will insist on better control of things we buy from China. It would be in China's best interest. With the Olympics in China, many people from all over the world will be visiting there. Do they really want to have continued bad press about things they sell?

Will there be a backlash? For years call center jobs went overseas thanks to cheap labor. Now many companies are dumping this and hiring American companies to do this. Most people would rather talk to an unseen person with an American accent, than some other person who is difficult to understand. We started sending and doing business overseas because it was cost effective for us as well as our trading partners. Maybe it is time we rethought some of this. Maybe we should start thinking about "American Made" again. We used to be proud of what we made in America. Somehow, we lost sight of the fact that cheaper doesn't always mean better. What will it take before we learn this?

Sex Ed for Seniors?

This is interesting. Would you talk to your parent or grandparent about sex? Remember when your parents tried to talk to you about sex? Since people with AIDS/HIV are living longer thanks to improved drug care this could be something necessary. Many of these people are getting older and still active. There are many people living actively way past 65-70. That means these people are also sexually active. Many of them are not aware of the pitfalls of having sex. Let's face it, talking to a widowed grandfather about sex it not what most of us want to do. We don't want to think of our elderly friends and family as sexual beings. Many were in monogamous relationships for years. Living longer for some means they may find themselves without that life partner. Enter the age of Senior Sex. Just how do you tell grandpa that he may need to use a condom? Most family members don't want to talk about it. So some Senior Centers are giving out free condoms during the get-togethers. It just might be a good idea to have Sex Ed for our elderly friends and family. A lot of things have changed in the course of 60 to 80 years. It may sound silly to give away condoms with bingo cards, but it could be a good idea. Right Grandpa, what do you say Grandma?

Salad Days

As yes, it's Friday. Soon I will be able to pay the bills again. Then I will be depressed again. But at least this weekend will be quiet. Amanda will be out of town so we will have the place to ourselves. What do we do now? Knowing Jimmy, he will fall asleep in the chair at some point this weekend. Wonder if he will be asleep during the Texans game? No wait that is tomorrow night- he'll be playing poker.

It is so hot out side Lady wastes no time doing her business. Daisy on the other has refused to walk in the high grass. She would rather walk all the way down the street to do her business in the street. Then she gets so hot her tongue hangs out as we walk back. Back inside she lies on the cool tile in front of the stairs. That's what she gets for insisting on walking in the hot street!

I heard a sportscaster talking about the Astros last night. Gee, just a couple of weeks ago the topic was the season to forget. Now the topic is the possibility of moving up in the standings. The sun must have gotten to him. But as Yogi Berra once said, "It ain't over till it's over." Come on back Hunter and Brandon-we need you!

Then I could not help but snicker at the stories about Roger Clemmons. Those wonderful Yankee fans booed him. Then he hit a batter with a pitch in retaliation for a teammate getting plunked. So he is suspended for 5 games. Big deal. He might miss one start.

We learned the other day that my son Patrick and his girlfriend are moving from their filthy trailer to a rent house near the Woodlands. That is a rather expensive neighborhood. Before they can move in, he and Heather will be living with her parents for a couple of weeks. I have a mental image... I wonder how long it will take before the house they will rent becomes trash. After our last visit to the trailer I doubt I will be visiting anytime soon.

I have no real desire to cook these days. It is just too hot. I wonder if there will be anything good to grill outside calling my name at the grocery store? I really dont want to turn on the oven. I fixed a really big salad the other night. I think I used almost everything in the fridg! Let's see, lettuce, tomato, onion, bell pepper, olives, pickles, hard boiled eggs, tiny shrimp. After all it is summer-salad days.

It Had To Happen

Have you seen the latest in dog toys? Someone has come up with a dog chew toy in the image of Michael Vick. Seeing a picture of Michael Vick in his Falcons uniform should make dogs all over the world happy. While companies are dumping the Vick name as fast as they can, you had to figure it would not take long to find a dog toy like this. There is no telling how long these will be around since they probably infringe on copyrights but it should be interesting. I am sure there will be a lot of jokes about these. I understand they cost about $10.99, not including shipping. I wonder if my dogs would like to chew on Michael Vick, the toy? I have to wonder how many people would buy this? Maybe the PETA people? Would you buy one? Next thing you know, we will be seeing them sold on the late night infomercials. Think, I'll have to hide the credit card from my dogs!

And NOW They Want Something Done?

The tragic bridge collapse in Minnesota has brought the questions out again. No-one thinks about these things until a disaster happens. First the pipes in New York City, now this. Suddenly critics abound. Where have they been? 600,000 bridges in this country are at risk. Over 27% are considered to be questionable. A lot of bridges are inspected on a periodic basis. Some are given extra inspection after significant rain or other weather problems. Just what do they inspect? Do they make any recommendations? Suddenly the local, state, and national folks are concerned about our decaying infrastructure. Where have they been all these years? Surely they have been aware of the possiblities of disasters. Many of our cities and states have streets, buildings, bridges, plumbing and sewer and water systems which are not only old but dangerous. Even the electric grid system has had problems. No one seems to want to take responsibility. Just try to legislate the money necessary to fix these problems. To fix these problems correctly would cost more money than most people are willing to spend. It is easier to put a bandaid on this growing problem and hope for good luck than to seriously make a long term fix. There are other countries which have better road and bridge systems. Many have water control systems which are rated to last more than 100 years, some even a lot longer. Why don't we take a hard look at how we build our infrastructure? Oh, yeah, now some people are demanding that look and want something done now. Now? We may be too late.

Excuse Me Whose Breast is This Anyway?

We all know that breastfeeding is the best way to feed infants. However to nurse or not to nurse is a personal choice. I remember when I had my children I was asked what I wanted to do, but I was not pressured either way. Now more and more, new mothers are being pressured to breast feed. Several cities and states, Texas included, are pushing this. Many no longer send mothers home with formula in their gift bags. The latest uproar in in New York City. Now instead of a little bit of formual along with the other little gifts, they get breast milk coolers or pumps and instructions for nursing. The gift bag given out in New York City even includes a little t-shirt with the saying "I eat at Mom's" on the front.

I think a lot of women are upset by this. Breast feeding is a personal choice and not the business of any government or it's agencies. Only a mother can decide if bottle or breast feeding is right for her. I bottle feed my childre. One of my daughters bottle fed all three of her children. My younger daughter tried in vain to breast feed her first child. She was very frustrated because no matter how hard she tried, it did not work.

If the government wants to advise on the merits of nursing that is fine. Give the mothers all the information they need to make an informed decision. But to take away even something as simple as a formula sample in a gift bag is not a good idea. Sometimes formula is more convenient. Many mothers do both. But sometimes mothers work or for others reasons can not nurse. I don't think it is a wise idea to push this issue. Information is the way to decide. Governments should not be involved in a mother's decision of on or off the breast.

Held Hostage- by Dachshunds!

Sunday was a quiet day for us. Jimmy played online poker. I spent the time flipping through channels trying to watch the Astros and NASCAR. I am not that into racing but Jimmy likes to watch it. I guess for the dogs, Lady and Daisy, it must have been a dog day afternoom. They have taken relaxation to an art form.

When Lady and Daisy relax together in a chair, it usually means a bit of a squabble. Jockeying for position on a race track is nothing compared to the ballet these two dance. As I sat in the chair watching the Astros play, I felt the eyes of Lady staring holes into me. I looked down to see her sitting up begging me to put her im my lap. At nearly ten years old, it is a little hard for her to climb into some chairs. So I picked her up. She wormed her way around beside me, backing herself into her favorite spot. Not to be left out, Daisy jumped into my lap. As she settled her self down length-wise across my lap, I realized that I was now a hostage. Ever been held hostage by a dachshund? Or two? Here was one dog sucked up close beside me and the other one lying across me. It was a little crowded. With Daisy across me completely relaxed and Lady beside me snoring, I could not move. I never really thought about how long a mini-dachshund really is until I was stuck in the chair with Lady and Daisy. Lady was backed up into the chair with her head nearly hanging over the edge. Daisy takes up more room because she is longer than Lady. As she relaxed across my lap, she almost covered the width of the chair. Obviously I was not going any where any time soon. Both dogs were totally at ease. Good thing I did not need to go to the bathroom. Then I began to feel just how relaxed Daisy was as she lay across me. As she lay sleeping, I began to feel the "dead weight" of her across my legs.

What we had here was a hostage situation. I was not going to be allowed to move a muscle without creating havoc. If I moved a muscle Lady would wake and give me a dirty look because I had disturbed her sleep. Then Daisy would turn her head back toward me as if to say "where do you think you are going?" So much for any plans I may have had to get out of my chair. I was at the mercy of two dachshunds. At least I had the remote control at hand so I could at least change the tv channel. They did allow me to do that. Moving out of the chair was out of the question. I was under complete control of two dachshunds. Talk about taking control!

Let's Fly

Yesterday was a day that finds me wondering what is going on with us. There were a couple of problems at airports in California and Washington state. We even had a couple of problems here in Houston. One of which was a smoke smell in a control tower, the other a blown tire on take-off. Just imagine having to fly around for a couple of hours burning off fuel. Such fun for the passengers, especially when they have to go back where they started.

Then we find out that someone sabotaged a computer that was to go to the space station. Talk about a disgruntled employee. I wonder what this person thought he/she would accomplish with that. Are they trying to disgrace NASA? Then we hear that some unnamed astronauts flew drunk. How many times have we seen an airline pilot grounded for that? Talk about flying high!

Then we have to wonder what the Attorney General is really saying. Is he being truthful or not. What if anything can or will be done. Mr. Gonzales has Mr. Bush's total and complete support. My question is who has dirt on whom? Well at least there is loyalty here. Not much loyalty anywhere else it seems.

At least the Texans open training camp today. And the Astros are no longer in last place in their division, for now.

People never cease to amaze me. Who will do what next and will any one care?

Doctor, Oscar is Here

Oscar the grim reaper, I mean cat lives at a nursing home. He seems to have an uncanny ability to predict when a patient is going to die. He has been around since he was little and knows his way around. He apparently likes to roam the halls and visit the patients. When the patients are within hours of death he likes to lie down beside them.

Some say this is a little creepy, some are glad for the warning. I have mixed feelings. I like the idea that his warnings give the chance for families to make arrangements for final goodbyes.

Can you imagine when the nurse has to call a patient's doctor to tell him that his patient is near death. I can just imagine the conversation. A doctor who is the "I'm the doctor here" type might not appreciate a cat predicting a patient's death. Other people probably feel relieved that their loved one's suffering is nearly over.

On the other hand, this sounds like a Stephen King plot or something out of the "Twilight Zone". I can just hear Rod Serling now...Oscar the cat has come to visit Mr Jones. Hum.

Way to Go Craig!

Those of us who follow baseball here in Houston are a little sad now. Second baseman Craig Biggio announced that he will retire at the end of the season. We have watched him for twenty years and there is not much anyone can say that has not already been said. He has played baseball the way it should be played. He loved the game and respected it. He also respected the fans. He always had a good relationship with teammates. If ever a teammate needed advise, he was there. He had a good realtionship even with the media. The Astros will miss him on the field. When he started with the Astros as a catcher he never thought he would reach the milestones he has. He is actually hoping that he would be able to catch an inning in the last game. He says since the Astros will be playing the Braves, it will depend on them. If they are in the thick of the race, he wont disrupt the game. But it would be nice. Are you listening Atlanta?

He is well known in Houston and now he will get to spend more time with his family. He is also looking forward to spending more time with the Sunshine Kids for kids with cancer. I also suspect the Astros will not let him go away completely. I think he will always be involved with the team in some way.

To top off the emotional day in which he announced his retirement, he hit a grand slam home run to help the Astros win the game last night. B-G-O, B-G-O. Thanks for playing the game with us!

A Promise Kept

Look around the Michael Vick story--way around. While we are looking at him with disgust, look at Houston Texan player Ahman Green and the promise he kept. When he signed with the Texans football team earlier this year, he wanted the #30 jersey. But Jason Simmons had worn it since the very beginning. The two players made a deal. Green could have the jersey but it would cost him $25,000. They decided that money would go as a down payment on a house for someone in need. Yesterday the deal was done. Saying "I wanted to use my star power to help people" Green said that when "we have the opportunity to do that it's just overwhelming."

Regina Foster is a single mom with a seven year old autistic son. Her dream had been to give her son a home with a backyard instead of the apartment where they had been. Her dream looked impossible. Enter Ahman Green. A search was done. Foster was chosen from five finalists who met strict criteria including pledging to do 100 hours of community service and contributing at least $1500 toward the down payment. Foster had wanted a home for her son but discovered that the lack of money would make it hard for her to buy a home.

Both Green and Simmons were touched by Foster and her son.Green said it was hard to believe how a promise and a handshake could do so much good. Even team owner Bob McNair got into the spirit by adding another $25,000.

Foster admitted she knew nothing about football and even said she was not a Texans fan. "I just became one," she said. Then she said she would dedicate her son's room to the Texans. Green told her that the team would donate Texans gear for the room.

Take that Michael Vick! Look what you could have done.

New York-Boom!

The underground explosion in New York City should make us all think about our cities. So many of our cities have underground pipes just like they do in New York City. Many of these are very old. It is a little disconcerting to think that walking around a nice city could be dangerous. Let's see, we have crime, accidents, and terrorism to worry about. Now we must wonder what is going on UNDER our cities. It is astonishing to think about the age of the pipes in New York City. The underground "city" may be a disaster waiting to happen. Is what happend just an isolated incident? Maybe. But when considering the age of all this equipment, this could happen again. Who knows what could happen next time. There are many cities in this country with similar underground systems. Apparently, it is far too expensive to completely replace these systems. So what can be done? Do cities replace one pipe at a time? Do they keep their fingers crossed and hope? If something like this happens in New York City what do other cities think? It is like sitting on top of a volcano. Who knows when the volcano will blow? Look out below!

It Was A Dark and Stormy Night, I Mean Day

Sorry Snoopy. It is not even 11 am and it is pouring down rain. Hey this is Houston, not Seattle! Lake Norma is filling up again. I guess I should be glad that at least the temperature is down. Daisy is not too happy though. I just pulled a fast one on Daisy. She was sitting by the door as she always does when she wants to go out. I opened the door. She looked at the rain and quickly changed her mind. Lady could care less. No wet fur for her.

I just don't understand people who think dog fighting is fun. Michael Vick, how do you explain this? We do not live in ancient Rome. There is no excuse for this kind of "entertainment". I have to wonder what the NFL will have to say about this. Some people do not like boxing, At least humans have a choice.

The Houston Texans have sold out two games already for this season. Gee, could it be the games against home town hero Vince Young and our other almost choice Reggie Bush? Yup!

This kind of day tends to make me feel trapped. It is no fun to try to go anywhere. The dogs don't want to do anything. Nap anyone?

Now Easy Bake Ovens are being recalled. What ever happend to quality control?

Merv Griffin is back in the hospital. I used to watch him all the time. Tammy Faye Baker is going to be on Larry King tonight. She continues to fight cancer too. She is said to weigh only 65 pounds. How much of that is eye makeup? I am reminded of the fact that many of the movie idols I grew up watching are very old. How do you replace Paul Newman, Elizabeth Taylor or Kirk Douglas?

At least the Astros don't play today. The trade deadline is approaching...

Ah yes, I see light outside. There is a break in the dark and stormy day. At least for a few minutes.

Thus ends another episode of Much Ado About Nothing.

Men Who Can Put Sheets on a Bed or Cot

As I trolled the news channels yesterday I saw something funny. The Senate was getting ready for an all-nighter. Here came the men with the beds. Ok, they were cots. But they still had sheets. I watched a couple of guys put sheets on these cots. See, a man can make a bed. So what if it is a cot, the theory is still the same. Put on the fitted sheet and then the top sheet. Some men insist that they can't do this. In reality they don't want to do this. I guess they think it is beneath them. Oh, for Heaven's sake, it's a bed, not brain surgery. I have an ex-husband who I never saw even attempt to make a bed. Why? He could change a tire but could (would)not make a bed. Ask him to make the bed and he turned into a puddle of jelly. I'm not talking hospital corners here, just get the sheets on the bed. Hospital corners? The only hospital corners he knew were the ones at the end of the hallway he found while trying to find my room in the maternity ward. Even my son has an aversion to making a bed. He can't tell me he does not know how because I taught him. He had to make his bed when he was a kid. What is it with men and beds. They waste no time getting into them, but can't figure out how to make them.

Sorry, but that is not true. It is there on the news. Men bringing in the cots and putting on the sheets for the Senators. Most of whom are men. I don't think that the guys bringing in the cots for the all night Senate session have any magical powers. They can however, put sheets on a bed. Yes it is possbile for a man to make a bed. It's right there on tape for the world to see.

Summertime, and So It Goes

It is summertime. Yes, that wonderful time of year when people think of family vacations and parents begin to hope for the first day of school. Children, though, dread that thought. The flowers are looking a little worse for wear in the heat of the day. Around here it is a guessing game as to when it will rain. Looks like this evening may be the time. Some places still have water. The water in back of the building finally dried up. I am about to name this area Lake Norma after our landlady. The water in the back is here more often than the yard man.

Then there are those of us who are in the middle of the summer doldrums. What to do, what to do. The tv and radio ads are flooding the airwaves with commercials for the Houston Texans. Buy season tickets. For the first time in six years season tickets are for sale. Well, let's see. The Houston Texans football team has had a less than stellar history. I think that the reason there are season tickets for sale now is because fans got tired of the team. Gee, I can't imagine why. Just what did David Carr do? Have no fear we have a new quarterback. Then some others of us are looking forward to college football. Longhorn fans want another National Championship. The Alabama Crimson Tide just would like to beat Auburn. Less than two months remain until college football. Rah, rah.

Sadly Astros fans are looking at the possiblity of not making the playoffs. So much hope, so little production. Hunter Pence and Carlos Lee can't do it all. Who will stay and who will go...

I'm about ready to have to re-read some books. I won't be able to get to a bookstore to buy any books for a while. What would I choose anyway? So many books, so little time.

just another long, hot summer to endure. Like the weathermen said last winter, think about how cool it is when it is 90 degrees. So I am. Wonder how my former neighbors like Alaska. Are they experiencing the summer doldrums? This evening maybe I'll see my Moonflowers blooming. I always seem to miss them. Lemonade anyone?

The "Bric" Hits the Alarm

No I did not throw a brick at the alarm clock. This is something that bothered me a little. We have all seen the stories of internet predators and how sneaky they can be. I have cautioned my grown children about the predators who frequent sites like MySpace. My kids all have accounts there. Maybe I'm a little paranoid about things. I like to think I'm careful.

Yesterday,I turned on my Yahoo IM which I sometimes do when one of my daughters is on line. While checking my e-mail I get a message that someone named "Bric" wants to connect with me on my Yahoo 360 blog. Ok, I said sure. After a brief check, I see that he is in Houston. So I agree to let him sign on as a friend. He opened a chat. We talked about Houston. Then he asked me where I lived. I told him the area. Then he wanted to know how old I was. I told him in jest, "two years older than God." Then he wanted to get my picture. I declined. I told him that the camera and I are not friends. He asked if I was married and what my husband did. This all seemed innocent enough until he started pushing for a picture and my age and marital status. That is when the alarm went off. Most people I know joke about age and pictures. He continued to press me for information. Considering we had only been chatting for about three minutes, the alarm in my head was getting louder.

I ended up signing out of my IM to turn him off. Maybe it is nothing, maybe something. I took another look at his 360 page. All his "friends" are young women. He noted that he is 48, married, and bored. Hum. So what should I think? Did I over-react? Was my intuition correct? I have always been fairly good at reading people. What will happen today when I want to IM Annie? I guess I have to make sure my radar and alarms are set. You never know who is lurking out here in cyberspace.

Ho-Hum

As I sit here today, I realize that I have reached the so what point. I find the local news boring. How many times in one hour do I need to hear the same story? The Houston Police Department wants new cars. Some of the cars have 160,000 miles on them. Ho hum. Our truck has more than that. Yes we all know it is hot outside. I don't need a perky weather girl to tell me that. Of course now is the time our AC decides it needs to be fed. The other night it ran on and on... It does help to have a friend in the AC business. The unit was almost out of freon. A shot of freon food and on to cooling. Maybe our electric bill will be lower? So much for the weather- it's supposed to rain this weekend.

Now I hear that President Bush is going to make a speech in a few minutes. Ho-hum. Think I've heard that tale of spin before. At least Lady Bird tried to beautify America. What about George? Song and dance man?

I planted some moonflower vines in front of the patio this spring. They are now climbing nicely. Maybe I will go outside tonight and see if those buds are ready to open. Or not. Then again Daisy will probably want to go out ten times.

I heard that Paris went partying again. Ho-hum. So what else is new?

I think my give a damn is busted. Who do you call to get that fixed? Is there a listing for give a damn fixers in the yellow pages? Funny, of all the commercials I see every day on tv, never do I see one for fixing a give a damn. I can go to Sonic, get a loan, see a lawyer, or buy furniture. I can't find a give a damn fixer. Oh well, I don't give a damn. Ho-hum. Tomorrow is another day. Maybe the PCH guys will finally make their way here to my place. After all I did enter today. They say I could win tomorrow. Right? Ho-hum. guess I won't worry about it. What was that? Some-one at the door? No just the dryer calling, not PCH. Ho-hum.

Don't Sprint to Sprint(to Complain)

How is this for customer service. Sprint/Nextel had decided to dump some 1,000 customers for complaining too much. The company said that some of these people had called with complaints as much as 40 times a month. No matter what the company did the customer was not satisfied. Hum...I can not imagine calling to complain that many times in a month. I guess it is possible to have a really bad problem with a phone or service. It makes me wonder what was going on. Are the phones that bad? I know that sometimes a phone doesn't work right or breaks. Jimmy's phone broke once. He took it back to the store and they gave him a new one. What kind of complaints does Sprint get that have made them decide to cancel those customers contracts? Is this a good business practice? With so many other cell phone companies out there, why would they want to get rid of customers? On the other hand I remember the trouble Amanda had trying to cancel the AOL service. That was a real mess. Apparently she was just one of thousands who had that problem. AOL ended up being reported to the FTC because of it. I guess I will have to remember not to complain more than a couple of times a year. After all we have been with Sprint for nearly eight years. Do you hear that Sprint? I wonder how much actual time/money it takes to service these complaining customers? Is it really more cost effective to get rid of those customers? I have to wonder who will win this war.

Fill'er Up While I Watch the News

I've never tried this because I don't usually buy gas at WalMart. One local tv station apparently has a deal with WalMart to show the news at the gas pumps. Let's hope it is just the news. Some how I don't think it would be a good idea to watch a two hour movie while filling a car with gas. Can I have some popcorn? How 'bout a Coke? Who thought up this bright idea? Assuming that the gas pump tv's only show the local news, does anyone really want to wait around to see the news? Sure, filling the tank can take a few minutes. But do we really need to watch news then too? I don't think this will cause a traffic jam at the pumps. At least I haven't seen one yet. Of course when the local news is on, I'm not buying gas. On the other hand standing around waiting to fill the gas tank is a little boring sometimes. The news can be a little depressing, too. So how about a few short minutes of comedy. Would you rather start your day (or end it) with news or a few laughs? I'm sure there are a few out of work comedians who would love the gig.

Well.There Is One Good Thing

Jimmy has been hoping to replace his radiator in his truck for weeks now. They are just too expensive. But he had to get one because he will have to go to Austin Monday. The thought of buying a radiator for over $150 was a hard pill to swallow with our tight budget. While browsing around the net yesterday, he ran across a company that sells radiators. They apparently had locations here in Houston. Jimmy called them and discovered they had one for his truck. In addition they would deliver it to him for $120. Not bad service to deliver it right here.

Installing it should not be a problem. He thinks it should be easy to do. Then while looking under the hood, he discovered that the one of the drive belts has worn through about half way. Just great, I can see it breaking on the way to Austin. He decided to go ahead and pick one up in addition to some new anti-freeze and new radiator hoses. Let's all keep our fingers crossed!

Come On, Hit Us Aagin

Did you ever have one of those days when you wish you could just disappear? Yeah, I am going to rant now. That was fair warning. Yesterday I got the electric bill which turned out to be twice as much as I expected. It was only about $40 less than the same time last year for the big house we were renting. Ouch! I thought about calling the electric company-maybe they read it wrong. No, I do now want to pay $75 for them to re-read the meter. Maybe Jimmy can get one of the AC guys he knows to come out here at check the compressor. So, I'll just have to turn the thermostat up.

The guy did come to fix the roof. Yeah, the ladylady just knew it could not be the roof. Now we will have to wait till another hard rain to see if it works. That could be at any time. There is so much water at the back of the building I'm thinking of buying some fish!

Late in the evening on the 4th we heard some loud car noises that seemed to be coming from around the fire station which is right behind our building. We thought some kids were trying to race. The noise went on and on. Of course Daisy went nuts! So Jimmy, Amanda and I walked outside to see what was going on. We discovered that a couple of guys had a small suv stuck in the mud behind the firestation. They were spinning the wheels in an attempt to get away. It took them a good twenty minutes to get away. They left a mess! In hindsight we are now wondering if those guys were trying to steal stuff from the AC units.

When we got up this morning Jimmy discovered that some-one broke into his truck. He was really mad when he found that some of his tools were stolen. They stole a laser, a drill, and a nail gun set which added up to about $1500. Needless to say he went to work mad. He already needs a new radiator which went don't have the money to get right now. We just had to fix the ac in the car. We are wondering if the same guys who drove around the fire station are the same ones who broke into our truck. It is funny that neither of the front neighbors heard anything, but Daisy did. Maybe our neighbors sleep deeply. Their windows face the parking lot and one of them has a pit bull that frequently barks at things.

Ok, now that I have ranted, I'm off to watch Norah Jones sing.

Parking Outside (the Lines)

There are three buildings here which are fourplex townhouses. They are fairly close together and have small, tight parking lots. Each building has a lot with eight spaces, four on either side of the lot. So this, obviously, works out to two spaces per unit. A while back I was a little annoyed to discover that the neighbor who lives in the unit in front of us parks across two spaces. This neighbor only has one car. So why does he always take two spaces? Does he not know how to park? I would think he would want to park close to his front door. But no, he has to park outside the lines. I can't say it is because he has a new car which he does not want to be damaged. His car already has several large dents. So why can he not decide which space he wants? Sure, it is easier to just drive in and park without worry of space. I am very careful how I park my car. I make sure I park within the lines of the space. How come my neighbor is not so careful?

Then I noticed he is not the only one who does this. Apparently there is a least one unit in each of the three buildings with a resident who parks this way. I wonder why? I would still park in the proper space even if we had only one vehicle. I do think it is funny that residents with only one car all seem to take two spaces when they park. I guess I am just too used to thinking (and parking) inside the lines. Would it give me a sense of power to take two spaces to park one car? Hum. Yet another point to ponder.

So So

Seems like it is going to be another one of those days. More rain is expected. Again. I wonder what tomorrow will be like with rain expected for the day. Montgomery Gentry is headlining the 4th celebration. I don't follow country music so I am not really familiar with there songs. I will probably recognize some of their songs if I hear them. There is going to be a big fireworks display tomorrow night. It's billed as the nation's largest land based display and will be on tv here. Let's see do I watch that or do I watch the Astros?

I'm hoping Roy Oswalt gets picked for the All-Stars. I tried to vote but couldn't get in earlier. I'll try later. At least we will have Carlos Lee playing in the game. Too bad we could not get Craig Biggio voted in. I'm wondering about the rest of our season. One of the sportscasters who has been trying to stay positive reported that the Astros would probably not make it to the playoffs. According to him the team would have to win better than 55 games and lose only 25 games the rest of the season to have a chance. That was sobering. Of course the front runners could do a belly flop, right? It's been known to happen. Oh well, we can look forward to Biggio breaking a few more records maybe. I wonder if he will retire at season's end? He's playing so well. It's hard to believe that a 40 year old make can run the bases as fast as he does.

Right now I am waiting for the roofer to come look at the roof. Yesterday it was leaking in the hall bathroom and also downstairs in front of the fireplace. When I called the landlady she thought it might be the drip pan from the heating unit. Jeez...Hey lady, this happened while the rain was falling. It doesn't leak any other time. Besides the heating unit is on the other side. Right now I just hope the guy does not show up when Amanda is in the shower. Right now she is still sleeping. When she gets up she takes a long shower. With my luck that's when he'll show up.

I think Daisy misses her wine friend. Jan had to fend off Daisy more than once while she was drinking wine. I think Daisy is a lush in training.

So, I am still thinking about the way my son is living. Ugh. I guess neither he or his girlfriend have been formerly introduced to the vacuum cleaner that is taking up space in the corner of the kitchen. And I thought I hated housework!

My tomato plants are procreating well. The small cherry type is really going wild. I can't keep up. It's a good thing we like them. At least we like salads.

So I hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July.

Pant, Pant, Wine Anyone?

Ah, yes peace is back. It was an interesting few days. Our "blind dates" were nice people. Jan was a lot of fun. Like so many people these days she has to take her laptop with her to keep in touch with the office. Sonny Jourgenson who was a quarterback for the Washington Redskins football team is one of her clients. The one thing I was not prepared for was how much that she drinks. Man, she would start at about 4:30 and keep going till she went back to the hotel. I should have bought two bottles! Of course then Daisy had to try to get some of that wine too. I learned a while back not to leave a glass of wine within her reach. Who knew I'd have a lush for a dog.

Jeff was a day late getting here due to having to drive in the rain. Driving a U-Haul type truck is not fun in good weather much less in thunderstorms. He is very happy to be moving back to Alabama. His wife, Christine, makes good money as a financial analyst for a major company. I have to wonder a little about them though. We never saw her. We met Jeff in the motel lobby and then went to dinner while his wife visited her family. Listening to their radio conversations makes me wonder about them. I did not hear him say one good thing about her and she apparently controls a large part of their lives. Due to severe health problems he is now retired at 49. His wife is 18 years younger than he is. We went to dinner and had a nice visit. I just have an odd feeling about their relationship. Oh well.

Then we were supposed to go out to eat with my son Friday after our "Dates" left, but he cancelled Thursday night saying he did not have the money. He, instead, invited us to an afternoom barbeque at his place on Saturday. Now he lives way out at the edge of town in a tiny trailer. Ok, no problem. Money is tight. I get that. So imagine my surprise when I walked in and saw how filthy the place was. He lives in this little place with his girlfriend and her four year old son. Apparently the girlfriend and a vacuum cleaner have never met. There was dirt and trash everywhere. The carpet had stains and dirt all over it. Even the furniture was dirty. When I sat down on the couch to eat, I nearly gagged from the smell of urine. I don't know if this was from the little boy or the two little dogs. This just upset me no end. I am furious at my son for allowing such a lack of care in his home. I would say they live in a pig sty, but pigs are cleaner!

So now I have a new bottle of wine. This bottle should last longer than two days. Then of course we have just discovered that the roof is leaking in the upstairs bathroom fan and in the recessed light in front of the fireplace. I called the landlady this morning. She tried to tell me that it was the heating unit drip pan. Uh, this leaking is on the other side of the house. Jeez. Then the roofer called to talk to me. Since it is still raining he will try to get out here tomorrow. Yeah, it is supposed to rain tomorrow.

But we are getting a nice Virginia ham. Jan is going to send us one. That is nice. Now I have to go finish the laundry. That is if the roof is not leaking there too. Apparently they have had trouble there too. Oh my. This might be a three glass of wine evening.

Blind Dates?

This week could be interesting. A couple of Jimmy's poker buddies will be in Houston for a little visit. We have never met. Of course Jimmy "sees" them allmost everyday when they play online poker. Jeff and his wife will be here later in the week. Jeff's in-laws live in Houston. Since Jeff and his wife are moving back to Alabama they will stop by during their move. Jeff and I have some things in common. We both have lived in Alabama and we both are Crimson Tide fans. They recently sold their house in Phoenix and will be moving near Birmingham. He misses Alabama and his wife is lucky enough to be able to transfer to a job there. They won't be here long since they are on the move.

Jan is another story. She will fly in here tomorrow evening. Of course the weather will be rainy the whole time of her visit. When Jimmy IM'd her about the weather, her comment was that she'd be on the plane the whole time stuck on hold. Well...she might be delayed as things go. I just hope that Jimmy will be able to take a couple of days off. He has not had a vacation in over six years. His usual statement about taking a vacation is "too much work..." I don't really know anything about Jan. According to Jimmy, she likes coffee and wine. Well, that makes two things we both like. She is a CPA with a firm in the Washingtion, DC area. That just makes my head hurt. Of course taxes make my head hurt! She has some good clients I guess. Since I know really nothing about Jan, I feel a little like this is a blind date. What do we talk about? If Jimmy can not get the time off, what will we do until she leaves on Friday? Only time will tell. Come to think of it I've never had a blind date. Guess I need to stock up on the wine. Cheers, chaps!

Exempt From the Rules? Abolish It!

Oh my, oh my. I almost choked when I heard this. The National Archives Information Security Oversite Office is charged by presidential order with insuring the proper handling of classified information of the executive branch agencies. So Henry Waxman says that Vice President Cheney should be subject to this order. This is funny. Cheney says his office is not part of the executive branch so he is exempt. Waxman Questioned Cheney's office saying that it is could be a matter of national security if Cheney's office does not comply. So then Vice President Cheney apparently tried to have this office abolished. So what is going on? Is this just another fight between the Republican and Democratic parties? Or is Mr. Cheney correct and he and his office should be exempt? After all Mr Cheney has been, according to some, difficult and unco-operative in some things. This story has been around for a while so why is it being discussed now? I do question the idea of if someone in a high position would consider abolishing something because they don't want to adhere to an executive order. What next?

How Long is This Gonna Take?

Ever notice how much time we spend waiting? I'm sure that someone has put together a book of things which make us wait. As kids we can't wait until we are 16, then 21. When we are about to become parents it seems to take forever. Then we wonder if the children will ever grow up. We spend time waiting for the spouse to get dressed to go somewhere. We can control these things, sort of, maybe.

What about those things that we didn't realize would take so long. We all know that water on the stove won't boil until we are busy doing something else. Red lights seen to take forever to change. Traffic? What traffic? I've seen snails move faster than some of the traffic around here. How about the dryer? Why is it when you are in a hurry to put away the clothes, the dryer just keeps going. Leave the laundry room and the dryer will finish. For me that would mean another trip upstairs. So the other day I'm in the middle of laundry when I find myself waiting for the washer. I was downstairs when I heard the washing cycle change. I went up stairs ready to put the liquid softener in the rinse cycle. I wait and wait and wait. Why does it seem that the last few minutes take so long? Finally, the washer was ready for the softener. Back down stairs. Well, I guess I could call it exercise. Then the spin cycle starts. Finally after a while it's now almost through,I think. Back up the stairs, I find myself standing at the washing machine, watching and waiting. The spin cycle indicator shows that is almost at the end. The needle has moved nearly to the end. I continue to stand there as the washer continues to spin. Any minute now, right? It continues to spin. It is still spinning while I stand there tapping my fingers on the top of the machine. The indicator moves on and on. Why is it when I am not paying attention the wash will be done in no time. I will be in the middle of something and realize the washing machine stopped. Yet when I am standing right in front of the machine waiting, it spins forever. How long is this gonna take? Just as long as it takes for me to get involved in doing something else. If I go downstairs it will immediately stop. If I stand there it will keep going... So I wait. We're going to have a little contest here. I'm going to outwait this washing machine. Aw, man, now the phone is ringing.

The Half Eaten Hamburger

I guess it won't be long before we get new neighbors across the walkway. I noticed a painting company vehicle in the parking lot a couple of days ago. Yesterday two separate company SUVs visited. Apparently someone looked at the apartment in the morning and another one looked at it in the afternoon.

I had not really given the visits much thought until I noticed two things. First they opened the patio window blinds. Then after the second visit someone decided not to finish the hamburger he was eating. How do I know this? When I came out the door to walk Daisy she ran right to something in my little garden area. When I looked to see what she had discovered, I was angered. Apparently one of the painters had decided that my little flower garden in front of my patio was a place to toss garbage. I wish I had seen that. Hey buddy, does my flower garden look like a garbage can to you? I find trash all the time along the side yard which borders the street. People just love to throw trash in the ditch as they drive down the street. But my garden? That is off limits! I picked up the offending item and took it to the street where some of the trash cans sit. It took my a long time to clean up the garden area because the previous tenant had let the airplane plants grow wild and cover the entire place. For some reason people in this area like to use these plants as borders and then forget about them. I finally got most of them out and I am growing a few flowers and caladiums. After all the digging and pulling I had to do to clean it up the last thing I want is for someone to throw trash in it. I know somethings will blow into it. But to just throw food in it because a person is too lazy to find a trash can is disgusting. I'm on to them now. The next time I find their stuff in my flower garden, they will be surprised to discover it has moved right in front of their faces! Like I used to tell my kids, "It's not nice to fool Mother Nature".

A Break is a Break, However Little

Yet another day in the city. It is so hot and humid that even the dogs are not begging to go outside. The little bit of lawn around our building is seeding. Lady and Daisy nearly disappear in the seed stalks as they walk around. Right now these seed stalks are almost up to my knees. That makes great fun for us, right?

The weather people keep reporting that we will not have rain. Then they hedge their statement by saying that some people on the east side of town are more likely to get rain, if it rains at all. Naturally I am in the northwest side. Now if I lived on the east or southeast side the weather people would have said that it would rain on the northwest side. I guess the day will be another rubber stamp Houston day. Late in the afternoon I went to check on my plants at the back of the building. I had planted some elephant ears next to the windows. I also have two tomato plants and a couple of bell, and sweet pepper plants in the middle of the yard. Man, I guess I will have to water them again. Then I heard a strange low rumble. Could that be? Not a chance, no way. Wait a minute, that big heavy black thing is a storm cloud. I remember those. Rain? Could it? Nah, it will probably just go around like it usually does. Back inside, I say down to watch the news. I heard a rumble. Daisy began to bark. She must have thought someone was at the door.

Daisy stood at the door barking. I tried to covince her to stop. After all it was just thunder. I tried to tell her that no-one was at the door. Yet she still stood there anticipating company. After a few minutes of barking she got her wish. Company had come to visit. The wet kind of company. She used to bark at thunderstorms when she was a puppy. I guess she had forgotten about that.

As I looked out to the patio I saw how wet the walkway was and noticed that the water was pouring off the roof next door. This makes a very deep rumbling noise. Yes! Rain had indeed come to visit. Thankful for the small favor, I thought to myself I won't have to water the plants. Better yet, the temperature fell to a tolerable level. It was a nice break for about an hour or so. I won't complain. A break is a break, right? Now if I could just teach Daisy to bark for rain again.

Alone Again, Naturally

So went the lyrics of a long forgotten song. Here I sit by myself in the early morning. Jimmy had to go back to Round Rock, near Austin to do some more work there. We got up around 4 am and he left about 5 am. Amanda left for work around 6:30, I don't know what time she will come home.

I love the early morning. Guess I'm just a sunrise kind of girl. I'm not much for late nights but I like early mornings. When we were renting a house I used to sit on the patio sometimes in the early morning. There is just something about having a cup of coffee waiting for the birds to wake up. First I would here the cardinals, then the doves,next the sparrows and then the blue jays had to get into the act. Irritating creatures they are. Sunrise and birds songs before the rush begins to end the quiet.

But here I have discovered totally different songs of the morning. While upstairs, I can hear the neighbors in the front of the building opening and closing doors and drawers as well as either their tv or radio. I wonder if they hear our tv. Downstairs I hear the activity in the kitchen as they get ready for work. As I sit in the chair checking the news on tv, I hear the shower running in Amanda's bathroom. Does she really use that much water? As I flip through the tv channels I am made more aware that the rest of the area is in motion. I hear the cars and occasional scream of police cars or fire equipment. That really makes walking the dogs a challenge. Being really close to those sirens is painful to my ears.

So, I have a free day. I won't have to fix supper. I can flip tv channels to my heart's content. I won't have to listen to the constant sound of the poker game on the computer since Jimmy won't be home to play it. I won't have to wait for him to finish his tournament before eating supper. Oh wait! I don't have to fix supper at all! I can sit here at the computer all day if I feel like it. I still will have to take the dogs out. They just don't seem to want to walk themselves. Daisy has yet to figure out that the caged rabbit sitting in the back is not for her enjoyment. The neighbors on the other side of us got the rabbit for Easter. Poor rabbit. Oh well. It should be a nice quiet day. I'm thinking of turning off the phone ringer. That way I won't have to listen to the people who want to talk to Amanda. They never want to give her a message anyway. Now if Time Warner would just stop calling my cell phone. Sure salesmen have to earn a living too. I think I'll have another cup of coffee and enjoy the quiet for a while. It will be a quiet couple of days as I have the time to be alone again, naturally.

Let Me fan myself while I Complain

I am beginning to think my ex-neighbors had the right idea. I hope it is cooler there. I walk out the front door and am hit with the humidity. This is at 6 o'clock in the morning! The temperature has not yet gone up much past 85.Sigh. Well I once heard that the humid climate here is good for the skin. Who said that? I don't wear much in the way of makeup, so I have to wonder about all the women who wear a lot of it. Seen a woman with makeup melting? Alice Cooper is the look. Summer has not even appeared here yet. No, let me correct myself. Here there is Summer and a few minutes of Spring and Fall. That's it. The calendar say it is not Summer yet. I see that right there on the calendar on the wall as it curls up in the kitchen.

No wonder "Gone With the Wind" was so long. Margaret Mitchell had to use the pages as fans. I grew up before central air conditioning was in every home. This not good for a Southern Belle. Now, let me see, which witch melted in the "Wizard of Oz". I'm going to look into my freezer. Maybe I'll move there.

Over-reacting or a Sign of the Times

There once was a time when I knew one thing for certain. The mail would come, usually with bills. I could always expect that somewhere between 11:00am and 5:30pm the little old mail truck would swing by my mailbox. It was almost comforting to know they were coming. Sometimes I felt that I could almost tell what time it was because of when the mail came. Once in a while a truck would break down or for some unknown reason the mail would be very late. Since being in Houston I can say, other than during Allison, the mail got to it's appointed rounds. I only had a couple of occasions when the mail was delivered after 5:00 in the afternoon. That is until now. All this week our mail has been coming later and later. One day it was after 6:00pm when it came. Then it continued to get later. One day I checked and finally got the mail around 7:30 after walking to the mailbox nearly every hour since 2 in the afternoon. Yesterday the mail finally came after 8:30 at night.

Maybe there is a new mailperson running the route. Maybe the truck broke down again and again. Maybe equipment at the substations was not working. Maybe the US Postal Service doesn't have enough employees to handle the load of a growing city like Houston. I don't know. Maybe I am just hypersensitive. Maybe it is a sign of the times. Yet another government service that is falling down on it's responsibilities. I should remain positive. I will surely get my mail by 4:00pm today, or maybe 9:00pm.

They DO Have a Pulse

I have not watched an Astros game all the way through this year. For the most part they have been depressing. It seems to be the same annual story. No offense and sometimes shakey pitching. At times the team has made me want to take a nap. I'm not saying they are boring, but I have seen these games before. Flashes of brilliance combinded with hours of dullness.

The Astros are a team with nice people. The manager is a laid back kind of guy. Rarely do they have cross words with anyone. In the past if there were problems or a player thought others were not performing up to standards, meetings were behind closed doors. The Astros are not a team that is going to have players fighting with each other in the dugout, especially while cameras are rolling like the Cubs did recently.

Last night's game looked like another so-so game. Then things changed. Lance Berkman hit a sixth inning double which gave the Astros a 2-1 lead against the Rockies. In the eighth inning Berkman thought he had drawn a two out walk. But the third base Umpire said he was out after a checked swing call. He usually happy,smiling Berkman Yelled "No Way!" from the first base line. Oops! Then he really go mad and was ejected from the game. Clearly frustrated, Berkman did something I have never seen him do. First he threw his gloves, then he threw an equipment bag onto the field. Berkman was clearly very angry.

Then the situation continued to get ugly as the Rockies reliever Manuel Corpas hit Carlos Lee with a fastball to start the ninth inning. I guess you could say that Lee and Corpas weren't happy because obvious angry words were exchanged as Lee went to first. Then Phil Garner was ejected. Benches emptied. What was really funny was the Rockies bullpen players. By the time they managed to get to the field the fight was over.

The Astros are currently 9 games under 500. This is not good. Obviously this year has not started well for them. The team frustration came to a head and maybe got the Astros blood boiling. At least they still have a pulse. After in 2005 they were given up for dead, then went to the World Series. Sometimes the "Good Guys" just have to get into a fight. Wake up Guys- you do have a pulse. Time to get moving!

So That's Why They Were Bad

There is a story in the news this morning about children of divorce and use of Ritalin. According to a study done in Canada, children from broken marriages are twice as likely to be prescribed Ritalin as children whose parents did not divorce. Maybe I should have used that excuse when my kids were little. They are not being bad, they need to be on Ritalin. And all this time I thought it was me.

The researchers started the study in 1994. This study was of more than 4,700 children whose families were intact. The study followed the children and their families to see what happened over the years. They were especially interested in what drugs were prescribed.They apparently found that more that more than 6 percent of children from divorced families were prescribed Ritalin, while only 3 percent of children of families who stayed together needed Ritalin.

According to University of Alberta professor Lisa Strohschein, "It shows clearly that divorce is a risk factor for kids to be prescribed Ritalin. Yeah kids have a hard time when parents divorce. Maybe the parents should have been put on Ritalin. So many times parents stay together for the sake of the kids. I know this first hand.

So, since those of us who have had kids and been divorced now have to deal with the idea that the public looks at us as a problem. What I thought was just bad adjust ment to the divorce should have been diagnosed as a problem which required Ritalin?

All this time I just thought my kids did not pay attention to me on purpose. I just thought they were being average bratty kids. Should I have taken them to the doctor and had him put them on Ritalin? Nah, just a few times being grounded worked just as well. Next time I remember some of the trouble they all got into as kids, I'll just tell myself they should have been on Ritalin. Personally, I think my kids were just being kids. Then again, maybe I could use a new excuse for their behavior when they were kids. So what about now? Can I say if they have issues now, it is because they didn't get Ritalin as a kid? I think the jury is still out on this survey.

Well That Just Makes Me Crabby.

This morning I had a few things to do. Naturally this means getting in the car to go from place to place. First of all, a guy switches lanes into mine nearly causing an accident. Good thing I wasn't on the phone! Then another driver decided to pass the semi but forgot to look where traffic was, or should I say me. Just another day in the wonderful city. I was still irritated because the Astros lost (again) last night. Well at least we are getting a good laugh at Roger Clemens expense. Who me? Nah. Finally I go to the grocery store for a couple of things. Jimmy needs more nosedrops. So why can I only find nasal spray? But what really upset me was that when I got to the check out stand I lost 20 dollars. I had a 20, 10 and a one in my pocket. I had all in my hand when I handed the cashier $11 for my purchases. Somehow my twenty dollar bill took flight. Naturally it did not stay on the floor or where it was for long. Why me? So now, knowing how far(or not so far) a twenty goes these days I was angry with myself. This is not a good time to be short of money. Crap! Maybe the person who found it needs it more than I do. I hope so. I sure would hate to see my hard earned money go to waste. Now I am going to sit down and wallow in self-pity and ice cream. What a day!

North to Alaska

Talk about a long road trip. Our neighbors across the way left last night to move to Alaska. They have been having yard sales for the past several weeks to make extra money for the move. They sold just about everything they own. Furniture and tv's, etc. He works for U-Haul. You'd think U-Haul would give them a discount but they are going to have to pay just like everybody else when they move what little they are taking.

Why are they moving? Getting away from the noise, traffic, crime, etc in Houston is their reason. They visited Alaska on vacation once and decided to move there. Personally I dont think there is enough liquor in the world to make me move with two little kids, a dog, and a pregnant wife. Moving across town would not be a problem, but eight days cramped all together on the road to Alaska? Must be because they are young. Both of them are under thirty. She's only twenty-four with a 4 year old and a 3 year old. Never mind that she is 6 months pregnant with another little one.

Then we have the puppy, a pitt mix named Angel. Is she really going to be an angel on this trip? I dont think they have any doggie diapers so who knows how many times they will have to stop to let the dog out.

They left after midnight last night. I know they think the kids will be easier to deal with if they travel at night. I have a news flash for them. A kid can will wake up and find a McDonald's two miles away. "I'm hungry daddy" will be something said over and over and over. Kids have radar when it comes to fast food. An adult may not see it but a kid can spot those "golden arches" from anywhere.

So off to Alaska they went. Prospecting for a new future in the wide open (cold) spaces of the wilds of Alaska. They plan to live in a small town near Anchorage. I guess traveling for over a week one way to a strange place is ok for some people. Some people just live for adventure. Let's see,husband with pregnant hormones raging wife, two little kids asking a million questions over and over, and a young dog along for the ride and everything they own going to Alaska. Yup that has all the makings of the road trip from Hell. Think I'll go get another cup of coffee now.