Just One Day

How many times have we heard someone say they don't have enough time for themselves? We are all stressed out because of the way we live our lives. We work long hours, sometimes at jobs we don't like. Of course that job pays the bills. Family obligations keep us moving too. We schedule our lives and those of our kids so we and they will be "well rounded". Each day we drive for hours either to and from work or doing other things. We are constantly on the phone talking or texting or on the computer doing things. If we are not doing that we have earphones plugged into our ears to "relax" with music. We sit in front of the tv for hours escaping into various programs.

What if, for one day, there was nothing. No tv programs to watch, no music to hear. What would happen if we could not text, e-mail or call anyone? What if for that one day, there was literally nothing to do? What if for just one day you were totally alone with your thoughts? Nothing else available. Nothing to do. Nothing to read, nothing to eat or cook, nothing important that had to be done and no way to do it.

Just imagine that one day without everything "routine" in daily life. No sounds to interrupt thoughts. No-one to talk to. No place to go. What would you do with all this time? Would you be frustrated because you have no contact with the outside world? Would you miss your gadgets? Would you be bored? Would you re-discover you? You, alone with your thoughts and nothing else. For just one day, alone, what would happen?

What Was That?

People around Texas are wondering what was falling from the sky. Nobody seems to have an answer. Police around Austin got 911 calls about something that looked like it was on fire as it streaked through the sky. Williamson County even had a helicopter try to find evidence. So far there are still more questions than answers. Video of this is all over the news and the net.

The event occurred in skies north of Austin about 11 a.m., according to e-mails from citizens to the Austin American-Statesman.

The Associated Press reported late Sunday afternoon that the Federal Aviation Administration had received numerous reports of falling debris across Texas, which could be related to a recent satellite collision. FAA spokesman Roland Herwig said officials suspect the debris could be related to the collision, but he said that had not been confirmed.

AP reported that the FAA notified pilots on Saturday to be aware of possible debris after the collision Tuesday between the U.S. and Russian communications satellites.

Foster said officials at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport told them they were unaware of any aircraft in the portion of the sky where the burning debris was spotted.

Foster said a helicopter flew over northern Williamson County Sunday morning to survey the area at the request of law officers but pilots saw nothing unusual.

“We are pretty sure it was not an airplane, which was our first concern,” Foster said. He said Federal Aviation Administration officials conjectured that people may have seen debris from satellites.

The Waco Tribune-Herald newspaper reported on its web site Sunday afternoon that Randy Plemons, chief deputy with the McLennan County Sheriff’s Department said a sheriff’s office pilot flew the county’s helicopter searching for debris about 100 miles north of Austin but found nothing, despite reports from Waco residents who saw the fireball and heard explosions.

The chief deputy said citizens who find what they believe might be satellite remains should not touch it and should contact the sheriff’s office.

There does not seem to be any real information from any government agency. Either nobody knows what it is or they do know and are not talking. Citizens, don't touch it if you find it. Ok, afterall, we might accidently open the door of it and little green men may come out and say "Take me to your leader." Then again there is a new movie with "the Rock" in it and he's worried about aliens. Interesting timing.Hum...

Let's Hear It for Us (elderly people)

I don't often think about age, well actually I do, sort of. When I think of my parents and uncles and aunts, I often think they died too young, or they lived a long life. Sometimes I think about my genes. Will I get the long life gene or not, or do I want it? The women on my mother's side all died of ovarian cancer. My father died three days short of his 73rd birthday. His father died a lot younger than that. It seems that almost all my other relatives lived into their 80's. Do I really want to do that?

Like I said, my age is not something I dwell on a lot. Unless I think about how much time I may have left or when I hear of people being called old or elderly. Recently I saw a news report about a women who was the victim of a home invasion. She fought them off but did suffer some minor injuries. What surprised me was the reporter's description of her as "an elderly woman." She's my age! I could soon qualify for early retirement, but I don't think of myself as "elderly." Then last night I was watching the new "Survivor" show. One of the team's members is a bus driver who refers to herself as "old" and her teammates also call her an "old lady" who probably would not be an asset to the tribe. She is only 53, younger than I am! Jeez...Maybe youth really is wasted on the young.

Then I found this little story:
An elderly woman had just returned to her home from an evening of church services when she was startled by an intruder. She caught the man in the act of robbing her home of its valuables and yelled, "Stop! Acts 2:38!" (Repent and be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven.)

The burglar stopped in his tracks. The woman calmly called the police and explained what she had done.

As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he asked the burglar, "Why did you just stand there? All the old lady did was yell a scripture to you."

"Scripture?" replied the burglar. "She said she had an ax and two 38's!"

Score one for the old folks!

Space, The Final Frontier or Garbage Dump

Well, I haven't found much to laugh at lately but for some reason the news that a Russian and an American satellite collided caught my attention. The US commercial communications satellite, Iridium, collided with a defunct Russian satellite. Nasa sources said they knew this would probably happen at some point. Since the Russians launched Sputnik in 1957 some 6000 satellites have been put into orbit. Getting a little crowded up there, right?

Apparently they collided over Siberia and the Americans are now following the debris path to see if the ISS or the shuttle launch could be in the path. An orbital debris expert at the Johnson Space Center in Houston ( there's a job for you) said that the Hubble Space Telescope and other earth observing satellites at hight altitudes could be at higher risk.

Really inspires confidence doesn't it. Let's see we have space junk, dead satellites, a lost tool bag from the shuttle and a lot of other stuff floating around up there. So what do we need first, a traffic cop or a garbage collector? Some of the traffic cops I have seen are intertaining in their quest to move traffic smoothly. But with all that stuff up there, maybe some garbage company would like an out of this world contract. Of course the way my garbage collectors are, I would love to kick them into outer space.

I guess, in time, we will all see what shakes out and falls to earth. Remember Area 51? 6000 satellites and counting. What would Captain Kirk say? Spock would probably look for a logical solution and Scotty would probably say bag all that debris and send it to the Klingons where, like the tribbles, it will be no tribble at all.

Didn't See That one Coming, Did She?

Have you ever seen those movies or tv shows where a husband and wife have been married a long time and then the husband starts to have a mid-life crisis? Maybe he buys a sports car to make him feel younger. Maybe he thinks life has past him by. He can't explain his feelings, but something is not going the way he'd hoped.The wife sees that something is different but he refuses to talk about it. After all he is depressed, who wants to discuss that. I remember watching the "The Starter Wife" with Debra Messing.It's plot was along the same lines. Husband works hard, has nice wife who helped and supported him, say for 20 years. Then "poof!" He decides he no longer wants his wife. He dumps her. "It's not you, it's me" he tells her. The "Starter Wife" is stunned, dumbfounded. She wonders what she did wrong. "Nothing", he says. Still, she feels blind-sided, hurt and angry.

So what is next in this show? Of course in tv soaps, the heroine always rises to the occasion. In real life, there are many questions and no clear answers. Most of the time the soon to be ex wife finds that there are a lot of roadblocks to her trip toward life alone. Her needs are many, her options are few. Better check with the writers...

The Art of Vetting and Paying Taxes

Oops, and another one bites the dust. So now Tom Daschle has had to withdraw from his nomination to the Health and Human Services head position. He is the third nominee who has erred on his income taxes. To me, this brings up two questions about people who work in the Washington arena. Is the vetting process poorly designed? Why are so many of these people having trouble with income taxes?

Most of us have been "vetted" when we apply for jobs. Some of us have been quizzed and investigated extensively in order to get some jobs. When I went to work years ago at NHIC (Texas Medicaid), I was interviewed by several different people and had references checked. Later I worked at an independent medical lab. Again I was screened. When my ex-husband and I were married, he had to go through an extensive background and job check. To this day, I don't know how the screening board found out some of their information. What is wrong with the vetting process for top government posts. I know they have to answer a long list of questions regarding background, finances and information on their spouses and family do. To accept an offer from the President of the United States and not know things like tax issues, to me, just nuts. Anyone who fills out tax forms knows how hard it is. Many of these people make a lot of money, but "forget" to report things.With the amount of money they make, do they not have access to accountants or CPAs? This is not just a Democratic or Republican issue, it is an embarrassment to the Office of the President of the United States. It could be said, President Obama made bad choices. To his credit, he said "I screwed up". To me, maybe someone should take a hard look at the vetting process. Maybe it needs to be changed.

Tim Geithner, Obama's choice to head the Treasury Department brings the tax issue to the front. He didn't pay his taxes right but has since corrected that. Most of the powers of Washington are willing to forgive and forget. According to them he is smart and well qualified for the job of Secretary of the Treasury. If he can make mistakes on his taxes who are we to think ours are right? Maybe we should all write Mr.Geithner and suggest that, once again, we think the tax system stinks and needs to be changed.

It does seem a little funny that the guy in charge of the Treasury did not pay his taxes right. Now I don't feel so bad when I complain about paying mine. Then again, I'm not in Washington.

The Irony of It

Two men are waiting at the gates of heaven and strike up a conversation.

"How'd you die?" the first man asks the second.

"I froze to death," says the second.

"That's awful," says the first man. "How does it feel to freeze to death?"

"It's very uncomfortable at first," says the second man. "You get the shakes, and you get pains in all your fingers and toes. But eventually, it's a very calm way to go. You get numb and you kind of drift off, as if you're sleeping. How about you, how did you die?"

"I had a heart attack," says the first man. "You see, I knew my wife was cheating on me, so one day I showed up at home unexpectedly but found her alone watching television. I ran around the house looking for her lover but could find no one. As I ran up the stairs to the attic, I had a massive heart attack and died."

The second man shakes his head. "That's so ironic," he says.

"What do you mean?" asks the first man.

"If you had only stopped to look in the freezer, we'd both still be alive."

6 + 8 = 14

Giving birth to octuplets is rare. 10 years ago a Houston couple had 8 babies. One died shortly after birth. This family had one older child. Now we hear of a young woman in California who has given birth to octuplets after having fertility treatment. She already had six children ages 7,6,5,3 and 2 year old twins. This does not sound like an infertility problem to me.

I had to take Clomid years ago. It took me a long time to have my first child and to help with my second pregnancy I chose Clomid which is a mild fertility drug which rarely results in more than two babies at once. Lucky me, I got the two. At that time the choices for help were Clomid, ovarian resection or trreatment which was only available at major medical centers. I chose the easiest, safest way first which worked for me, so I was lucky.

The young woman from California apparently chose the fertility treatments which are used more these days and are very expensive. Embryos were implanted hoping that a couple of them would survive. But why did she need fertility treatment in the first place? She obviously had no trouble getting pregnant the first 5 times. Add to this the fact that she is a young, single woman who lives with her parents and her six children. Six kids are expensive but fourteen kids could cost a couple of million dollars . Add to this the fact that no-one knows yet how the octuplets will fare. It is not uncommon for premature babies like these to have life long problems. I don't even want to think about the hospital bill or the doctor bills. And that is just while they are still in the hospital. The cost will go on for a long time. There have already been people donating to help defray the costs.

To me there are a lot of questions about all of this. Many medical ethicists are struggling with the decison made by this young woman and her doctors. Most fertility specialists say they would not implant any more than two to four embryos at any one time.When a woman has a multiple pregnancy it is both difficult for the mother and the growing babies. Should the doctors have implanted that many embryos? Will she be able to provide for all her children without help from others? Will the state end up paying for their care? Will she get a cable channel show about them? That would probably help. I understand her father is planning to go back to Iraq to do contract work to help with expenses.He also told the media that they have a really large house which, according to him, the media will never find.

There are a lot of couples who are desperate to have children, even one. They spend thousands of dollars on the chance of have a child. Some succeed but others don't. I have a great deal of empathy for these people. At first I was astounded that this woman was able to deliver so many babies. It is a marvel that they are all apparently healthy. But, now I have to wonder if this woman really needed fertility treaments. So many questions, so few answers.

What Do You Mean You Don't Have Time?

Busy? No time? Yeah right...get off the poker table! I don't really know what this says about the situation, but it seems funny to me. Jimmy spends almost all his non-working time playing poker on line with his friends. They chat, tell jokes and talk about all sorts of things while they play.Is he addicted to this? Maybe. Maybe it is a stress relief. Then again...?

One of the guys that Jimmy works with has been getting movies on his computer. Last week he streamed one over to Jimmy's laptop. It took forever. As far as I am concerned, not my problem. Jimmy was a little astonished that it took so many hours. Yeah, and how long does he play poker each day? Talk about a long time. He comes home from work, grabs his laptop and starts playing poker. He stops just long enough to eat when I tell him that supper is ready. Then back to the game he goes. He continues to play after I go to bed. Sometimes on the week-ends he plays way into the early morning. Then he sleeps longer. Hum...When he gets up, back to the poker table. We lead such and exciting life...

I nearly fell over the other day when his friend asked him if he had watched the movie yet. "I've got some more..." Jimmy actually said "When do I have time?" What? I thought to myself he could just not play poker for a couple of hours, right? What do you mean, you don't have time? Jeez! Pry your fingers off the game and push play on the movie!

Personally I don't know how anyone can sit in a chair (recliner no less) with a laptop sitting on a tray table playing poker, or any game, for hours on end. If I tried that, something would hurt after a while. Either my eyes would start to swim, my shoulders, neck, elbows, or hand would soon be screaming objections. Just how does he do it? Beats me. But he says he hasn't had time to watch a movie, yeah right. Humph.

Good Grief, Not Again!

Ok, so, the feds have poured my money into companies who have made bad decisions. And some have done stupid things before, during and after getting my money. Remember the auto execs flying on corporate jets to Washington? Many of us are still wondering why there seems to be no end to bone head moves. And just why won't the banks fess up to what they have done with the money?

Remember a few years ago a top dog guy got in trouble for buying a very expensive shower curtain? A couple of thousand dollars it cost, I think. Guess some people have short memories. Yeah, let's re-decorate the office and keep the cost to about $1 million. Cough, say what? Yeah, some body better back pedal fast on that one.

At least one company got caught and had to change it's plans. Citigroup apparently could not hide the new jet order from the press. They insist that the new jet would be bought after selling it's other two jets. The money did not come from taxpayers. More like "oops, caught again..." I understand the White House pressured the head boys at Citigroup to re-think the purchase of the new, sleek french jet. Aha.

Does anyone in Washington care that there are people losing their jobs all over this country? Just how do the banks that took the TARP money get away without transparency it how the money is used? Banks are buying banks, but not loaning money to the public. Ceos and other executives are still getting big bonuses. Way to go guys. Why don't you give a cup of coffee to the guy in the unemployment line? How about a spa vacation? Good grief!

It Will Get Better, Right?

Ah, it's Friday. Maybe this weekend will be at least quiet. These days I almost never know which annoyance will raise it's ugly head first. I keep thinking that I should just let things go and be cool. But sometimes that is not all that easy. Ever find yourself feeling like every one and every thing irritates you? Yeah, we all know the drill; step back, relax, forgive. uh huh.

Every time I walk around the back of our building, I feel a tweak of irritation as I walk the dogs to their duty calls. The neighbor next to us put a sign in her living room window telling "me" not to let my dog poop around her area, and that it is against the law not to pick up poop. First, mine don't poop under her windows and second there is no law in the county about poop pick up. Third, the lady who keeps half a dozen kids during the week has a dog, Lucy, which she turns loose, sans leash, to run free to do poop any where she wants. But, unofficially, I think I am being blamed. Just cross me on it woman.

Since the weather has been semi-warm all week I have had to listen to the dulcet tones (not) of children screeching as they play on the postage stamp patio of the babysitting lady. Couple this with the times she leaves her dog alone on the patio to yelp and complain, I wonder where peace and quiet went. I feel a little like repeating Greta Garbo's line of "I want to be left alone."

To top it all off Jimmy has been in a "mood" and won't say much more than "I want to be left alone." Maybe it is just a phase, a mid-life crisis? Of course the natural tendency to this would be to ask "What did I do to you" and of course the answer is "It's not you, it's me". Ah, at least we have two tv's. We can each be alone...

So, I will close with this...

One day the zookeeper noticed that the monkey was reading two books--the Bible and Darwin's "The Origin of Species."

In surprise, he asked the monkey, "Why are you reading both those books?"

"Well," said the monkey, "I just wanted to know if I was my brother's keeper or my keeper's brother."

DMX - Not The Place I Want To Be

Poor rapper DMX is in jail in Arizona. Poor Baby. He did the crime and has to do the time in pink. Sheriff Joe Arpaio runs a tough jail in Maricopa County. He makes the inmates wear pink jail uniforms. He is known for his tough, no nonsense approach. But poor DMX is not happy because he thinks the pink jail clothes are disrespectful!

DMX is complaining that being in jail and wearing pink is "not where I want to be". So what does he want? He's in jail for numerous felonies but he is complaining about the pink uniforms! Maybe he'd like some designer duds? Poor fella just does not understand the concept of jail. Just how does a pink jailhouse frock disrespect him? My answer, if you get caught committing crimes in Maricopa County,Arizona, be prepared to be "pretty in pink" while serving your time in jail. Jail is not a country club, at least in that county.

Personally I have no problems with the jail clothes. Jail is tough and it is supposed to be. Felony crimes are not funny. I guess DMX thinks he is special. My answer? Hey, DMX, if you want to do the crime, don't do it in Maricopa County Arizona.

Just Another Day in Paradise

I guess it is going to be another one of those blah days. I ate my cereal this morning- blah. I can't seem to think of anything to do today that is not blah.

I hope the little sparrows who are trying to build a home inside the open space above one of the living room windows are having a good time. My computer desk is right in front of this window, so I keep hearing noises and seeing birds bumping around the window. Alfred Hitchcock, are you watching?

Since it is chilly outside, I have no desire to take the dogs outside although Daisy might disagree with me. I also, thankfully, don't have to go anywhere so I won't have to fight with the gear shift. We still can't figure out what is wrong, but it seems to work better when it is warmer outside. Good thing we don't live up north. The car shop across the street wanted $60 to $120 just to "diagnose" the problem. Humph.

I guess I just feel lazy today. What? As opposed to any other day? Maybe I should water the poinsettias which are still blooming and putting on new leaves.

I did find this funny...

A new pastor moved into town and went out one Saturday to visit his parishioners. All went well until he came to one house. It was obvious that someone was home, but no one came to the door even after he had knocked several times. Finally, he took out his card, wrote on the back "Revelation 3:20" and stuck it in the door. (Revelation 3:20 reads: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he will with me.")

The next day, as he was counting the offering he found his card in the collection plate. Below his message was a notation "Genesis 3:10" ("And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked.").

Can't Smell the Roses or Cigarettes?

Last night Jimmy was standing outside smoking when our neighbor across the walk also came out to smoke. They chatted for a few minutes. During their chat, our neighbor told Jimmy that he was able to sneak outside for a smoke because his wife was taking a shower. She has no sense of smell so she doesn't know that he smokes. He smokes outside and keeps the cigarettes and lighter in his car which she does not ever use. Since they have a little boy who is not yet two she always drives her suv. He usually works nights and she works days most of the time. So I guess it is possible she is not aware of his cigarette habit.

I know there are many reasons people have either a decreased sense of smell or none at all. I get that. But what I found funny was the fact that this woman must be really dumb or maybe he is . He thinks that she will never discover that he smokes since she can't smell anything. Yeah, my evil twin has been thinking of a plot to let her know her husband smokes. Oh sure, it is not my business. But I have to wonder is this woman is really clueless. She is a bit of a "I'm better than you" type person. I just find it hard to believe that she has never seen any evidence. He tosses the butts in the grass between our buildings where Jimmy throws his.

Maybe I am just a curious person by nature. I think I would know. Then again I have a good sense of smell. What if while he was sneaking a smoke she suddenly thought of something she needed to tell him? Or what if the phone rang and the call was for her husband? And how long will it be before the kid finds out and babbles the truth? I'm sure this husband thinks he will never be discovered. She'll never find out. Well, at least I find this amusing, for now...

Stuck in Park, No Movement Here

Ever have a day that starts off wrong? I'm having that kind of day. We've been having a problem with the Trans Am which is to say the least, irritating. In order to get the car out of park you have to step on the brake and push in the button on the shift lever to get the car into gear. It has become harder and harder to get it out of park. So of course today I have several errands to run, including paying bills and getting stamps to pay those bills as well as pick up a couple of grocery items. I get in the car, start it, press the brake and push the gear shift button. Nothing. The more I try the madder I get. What really maddens me is the thought of having to wait until Jimmy gets home to see if he can get it to work. That irritates me cause I would rather not have to do things later in the afternoon. Traffic around here after 2:00pm is horrible. I'm steamed!

I talked to a car care guy who said that the problem is that when you step on the brake, that sends electricity to a little motor on the gear shift assembly to unlock it. He thinks that is wearing out. I had to laugh cause when he said I could replace this thing or just remove the "stupid thing" as he called it. He said "it's a pretty stupid safety device anyway". Yeah, thanks. I talked to him in December and Jimmy was going to see about getting someone to remove it. Well of course that has not happened yet. Now I'm stuck!

So, since I can't apparently go anywhere I do need to download some forms so that I can send off for a rebate on a computer program we bought. So I have to download another program so that I can print the papers to send off to get the lousy $10.00 rebate. I wait and wait to get all this done. Finally I have everything ready to mail. Oh wait, I can't do that cause I don't have any stamps which I was going to get this morning but... This may become one of those days when people may need to stay out of my way. So where did I put the vodka? Grrr....Maybe tomorrow will be better? Yeah, right.

Brain Sex??

Until last night I had never heard of this. Go ahead and laugh. But after thinking about it, it could make some sense. I was watching "Brothers and Sisters" last night when Kitty and Robert were in his office talking. Well, as they said they were having a spirited discussion. They were really enjoying the sharing of ideas, viewpoints and information. In the scene, after the discussion, they called their conversation "brain sex". Huh? That is what I thought. They said they felt such joy and passion after their discussion that it was not unlike, well sex.

I thought this was an interesting concept. How many times do we have really good, fun discussions with our spouses/partners? Thinking about this, it really does make some kind of sense. I know people that I find interesting and enjoy talking to them. But I don't see them every day. So I don't get to have spirited discussions about things. And lets face it, after you have been married a while how often do you really talk about or discuss things. Many people joke about how well a couple knows each other that they can finish each other's sentences. They know what opinions each other has. But given the show's characters description of their vibrant discussions, how often do we have great "brain sex"? Hum...

Happy New Year

Well the New Year has not even started yet and some people are mad. Time Warner wants more money. Gee imagine that! The cable giant want $39million in increased fees for some shows like "Sponge Bob Squarepants", Comedy Central, including "The Colbert Report" and " The Daily Show". If an agreement can not be reached soon (12:01 am) some Time Warner customers in Ohio, southern California, North and South Carolina and Texas may be without these shows.Then again with the increases, guess who will pay? Yeah, you got it, the customers! There go the cable bills up again.

Luckily we don't have Time Warner here but we have Comcast which any day now I expect will raise their prices too. After all, Digital is going to be the only game in town now. Come Feb. 2009 analog goes bye-bye. Now that we will have no choice but to go digital, any wild guesses how much cable bills will rise?

Oh well, I might have to watch an episode of "SpongeBob" just for fun if I can remember what channel it's on. Comcast keeps changing things. Oh wait, there are a bunch of football bowl games on. Sorry Bob. Gotta check out Texas and Alabama. Oh yeah, Rice University (the smart people school) won it's bowl game, the first win in about 50 years.

Any body looking for a new job in the new year? How about pro football coach? Musical chairs in the NFL is now in full swing. From head coaches to assistants are up for grabs. Even the Texans fired their defensive staff. I can't say I'm surprised.

Well, other than Time Warner (do they really need $39 mill?) I would like to wish everyone a very happy New Year. May all your wishes come true. Stay safe...

Moving Right Along

Yes we have survived another year. I have noticed that the older I get the faster the years go by. Sometimes I just want to say,"Stop the world, I want to get off..." Yes, stopping the world might let me catch up with things I have not finished yet. Or I would like to think so. Every time I see my grandkids I have to wonder how fast they have grown. Then again, I'm not getting any younger.

Our Texans redeemed themselves, sort of. They did look good in the last game. We were happy they were able to finish 8-8. Of course they had the same record last year. I can't help but think of those few inches or that one missed tackle and we could have had our first winning season. Alas, yet again, wait till next year.

I did notice what I would say is an economic story. Remember last year I noticed all the boxes telling what everyone in the neighborhood got for Christmas at the curb? As some one once said , "It's the economy, stupid". What a difference a year makes. The garbage after this year was a lot less and cheaper. I only saw one "big ticket" item. There was indeed, a lot less garbage after this holiday.

Anybody ever seen a blooming Aloe Vera plant? I have one that is about to flower. I never realized they had flowers. Of course, my shrimp plant and my kalanchoe plant has buds on it. They don't realize this is winter. Of course we never know from day to day what season we will be in. One day we use the as - the next we have a fire in the fireplace.

Well, I'm moving on to the laundry and a refrigerator rummage for turkey. I really am looking forward to a better New Year. Any predictions?

Christmas Cards for Sale

Man I forgot to send Christmas cards again this year! On the other hand my family members move around a lot and I just can't seem to keep up with address changes. I used to keep a nice address book, but I had to scratch out so much I gave up.

Ever since Jimmy parents died most of the family has gotten lax about keeping in touch. Aunt Pat used to send a newsletter every holiday season telling all about what her family was doing. Jimmy's mother used to send us cards and even the kids cards, too. We used to send cards to family and friends. I even went to the store and bought different cards for grandkids. But I haven't seemed to do that lately.

What happened to the days when people agonized over just the right card for just the right person for just the right occasion? I can remember hearing "we were going to send you a card, we could not afford it, etc". Then my kids got on a kick of sending e-cards for Mother's Day or birthdays. Somehow, it is not the same. These days it seems to be easier and "cheaper" just to call and say "Merry Christmas" than it is to buy a card.

I guess we all are busy these days.I can remember many years ago when my father used to get Christmas cards from some of the different sales people who dealt with him at the papermill. Some of those cards were beautiful, ornate and not cheap. My mother, who was an artist, was even impressed.

We talked to Annie, Pat, and Amanda over the holiday. But as to cards, well we did get two in the mail. One was from our insurance agent and the other was from the cable company.At least they know our address cause the bill always find their way here. Hum... we did not get one from the electric company. Imagine that.

The Christmas Elf

There once was a girl named Patricia who lived in south Alabama. It was near Christmas and while she was looking forward to it she didn't really believe in Santa Claus anymore. After all she was almost ten, much too old to still believe in such stories. She liked looking at the stockings hung by the fireplace. Her mother had made them by hand. There was a stocking that looked like an argyle sock for her father. Her mother's stocking looked like an old fashioned woman's high buttoned boot. Even the dog, Dixie, had a stocking. It was in the shape of a bone. Patricia's stocking was white with glittered Christmas decorations and bells on it. She knew that come Christmas morning it would be filled with a few little presents and some fruit, nuts and candy as would her parents stockings. Dixie's would have doggy toys and treats.

Patricia loved this time of year. She liked all the pretty decorations and the presents under the tree. She still looked forward to opening those carefully decorated boxes that her mother decorated with love. But Patricia already knew what she was getting for Christmas because she had accidentally found the bicycle hidden in the shed in the back yard. But she vowed to be happy any way.

But on Christmas Eve, she saw something she had not seen before. At least she did not think she had ever seen it. An elf sitting on the mantle piece. He wore a red suit and had a little green hat on his head. Puzzled she asked her mother about it. She did not know where it came from either.

When Christmas morning came Patricia saw her new bicycle as well as some things she did not expect like a record player and some records. She had wanted a record player but decided not to ask for one since she knew she was getting the bicycle. So where did the record player come from? As she put a record on the player, she looked up at the bookcase in the corner of the room. The elf was sitting on the top of the shelf. Santa? Maybe he does exist.

Years later when Patricia was married with children of her own she had a visitor a couple of days before Christmas. Her children saw him too as he sat on a lamp shade. They snickered when she told the kids he was one of Santa's elves.That was until they discovered on Christmas morning that he had moved across the room.The spirit of Christmas?

It has been a few years since Patricia has seen the little elf. But as all believers know, he is around. To this day Patricia still believes.To all a Merry Christmas.

New Shoes? Got Money?

Oh Boy! Some people in Houston are standing in line for a chance to get one of 23 pairs of the new Air Jordan 23 Premier shoes for $230. Only one store in each of 23 cities will be selling the shoes. The Active Athletic shoe store in Houston is selling them. One guy has apparently been standing in line since Saturday for a chance at these shoes.

I guess it is a big deal for some people. After all it has been 23 years since the first Air Jordan shoes came out. And if you don't remember, 23 was Michael Jordan's number when he played basketball with the Chicago Bulls. Just think, if you have $230 that you don't need, get in line. Good luck.

I have already seen them listed on eBay for over $1,000. Good grief. I'm sure they will ultimately sell for much more. I just can't understand why. Nor would I stand in line to buy them from the store. But I guess some lucky person will be happy to get a pair in hand so he (or she) can say that he got of of 23 pairs from one of only 23 stores in the entire country.

Well, I guess someone will have an expensive pair of shoes under the Christmas tree. Are they really worth that amount of money? I don't even want to think what people would be willing to pay on eBay for these things. They are shoes, people! And I though my New Balance shoes were expensive at $50.

It's Almost Time, Do You Know Where the Gifts Are?

Have you finished shopping yet? Or will you be one of those people racing around looking for last minute gifts? Have you finished wrapping the gifts? Have you hidden them well enough?

Years ago when we had young children I tried to start buying early.One year I managed to buy, wrap and hide all the presents a couple of months before Christmas. I was so proud of myself. That was the one and only time that ever happened.

So as a reminder to all who still have presents to buy, wrap and hide,it's not easy being the Christmas elf in charge of presents.
Keeping track of who gets what and making sure all kids get the right number of gifts is an art. After all, if one kid gets one less present there could be a pouting child. Then of course the Christmas elf has be make sure there is plenty of tape, boxes and name tags. Remember wrapping paper must be appropriate for each gift. No poinsettia paper for those who don't like those flowers. Yes there are some who don't like to see a lot of poinsettias at Christmas, right Annie?

Then comes the most important part. You have to be sure you hide the gifts so they will not be found by curious children or spouses. My kids loved to try to track down the gifts and try to figure out what was inside. That is the main reason I became the Christmas gift hiding queen. I was way ahead of everybody. Gifts were all wrapped, tagged and hidden long before the big day. Of course there would always be at least one I could not find. One year I found a present several months later. So be sure to make note of where all the gifts are. If you have junior elf helping you with these chores make sure they double check everything and keep a good list.

Now that you have done all of this and are sure everything has been done, relax. Sit down have a drink of eggnog (plain or high test). Put your feet up,enjoy the decorations and think. Forgot anything?

Hello, Wait a Minute, You're Dead

I heard a news story that I found just a little disturbing. Apparently there is a new trend in burial with what people want to take with them to the grave. Of course there are people who want to be buried in a favorite dress or clothes. Some people want to be buried with a favorite piece of jewelery. My grandfather was buried with his ceremonial Marine sword. I've even heard of men who wanted to be buried with a favorite golf club. But a cell phone?

I can remember back in the day, pre-cell phone, when the joke was that teenagers would have to have an operation to remove the phone from their ears. Well now apparently some people are choosing to be buried with their cell phone.This is strange on so many levels. I remember reading stories about how, years ago, people were buried with a bell attached to them in case they were not really dead, they could pull the cord to ring the bell for help. Maybe being buried with a cell phone is the same thing?

I can just imagine this. A loved one gets a call. It is from the cell phone of the recently departed loved one.That would be creepy enough, but suppose they answer the phone.They hear "Hey, Honey, I forgot to tell you to cancel my dentist appointment." Or "If you really want to know, I haven't seen St. Peter any where around here, but at least it is not hot." Then there might be the ultimate kiss off by a dead person, " I never got to sign the new will, so sorry, you won't be getting anything."

With so many people addicted to their cell phones I have to wonder about this new trend. Is there texting after death? Will Verizon really go through that "dead zone"? Will roaming charges apply?

Standing in Line, Who's in Front of Me?

Images are not always what we think. We look at someone and try to decide what they do for a living or even are they male or female. What a person wears may tell something about a person. Hair color may not always be a clue either.

This morning I was in line at a grocery store. As I waited, I looked at the back of the person in front of me. No big deal, right? Let's see... a woman wearing a uniform and a gun on her right hip. Police? No, security guard. Blonde hair, is she blue-eyed? No. Nice looking, black woman wearing carefully applied make-up and also wearing long deeply colored nails. As I looked at her pretty face, I noticed she was wearing glitter eye shadow. I've seen some people wear glitter eye makeup and I realize it may be a fashion trend. I admit I am a little old fashioned. My mother would have told me that glitter eye shadow was for nighttime party wear. She was wearing glitter eye shadow at 10:00 am. Maybe she just got off work. Assuming she did, as a security guard, who is she going to impress? The guys out to steal something? I just thought the glitter was a little out of place.

Then I looked at her well manicured l -o-n-g nails. Just how easy would it be for her to pull her gun out of the holster with those nails? I could just imagine. "Stop thief, police, damn, broke a nail!" Would the crook be able to get away? On the other hand maybe she works in a place where she has the gun more for show than protection.

Then as we stood in line I looked at the one item she was buying- one small bottle of make-up. I had some wine. The woman behind me had a bunch of coupons for a couple of items. Another lady had two bunches of banannas. The one woman out of us all who had time to put on her make-up was the woman in front of me and she was buying more. I guess she had to make sure she looked good while packing heat.

That's Enough, Daisy

Maybe it's the weather. Or maybe I just have a nutty dog.I just took her for a walk around the block. Of course she enjoyed tracking whatever she thought was interesting. I was just along for the ride, I mean walk. Oh well, it was good exercise.

So now we are back and Daisy is bouncing around like a kid. The other day my son was over here and she pestered him. He and I were looking at my monitor. My computer desk is behind our sofa. Well Crazy Daisy decided she wanted in on the action. She climbed onto the back of the sofa and then onto my son's arm. Pat was kneeling at the computer while I was in my chair. Pat had his arm across the back of the sofa. So Daisy walked right onto his arm up to his shoulder. No fear. But now she is pushing on the back of my chair. Enough Daisy, get back. Is she going to listen? No. I try to turn around and there she is standing on her hind legs looking at me as if to ask me something. What in the world is with her? There she goes again, across the back of the sofa. Be still, will ya!

Daisy is not afraid of falling off the sofa, but I am. Now she is miffed at me cause I am not paying attention. She brought over one of the toys and dumped it by the chair. Now she is sitting by me, pouting. Maybe she has noticed the promos for Marley's movie. I read the book and sometimes I think they could be related.

Well now it looks like I may have to referee a game here. Daisy has this idea that Lady would like to get out of her chair and actually play with her. Not a chance kiddo. Lady is so above all the nonsense that Daisy wants. After all, those toys actually belong to Lady, or so she says.

Hum... now what? Maybe she finally heard me. Just how many times did I tell her to stop pushing and bouncing around? Humph! Well I guess now she is tired of trying to get attention. So why is she right at my feet sitting in anticipation? Sorry Daisy, that's enough.

Strange Feelings

Yesterday was fairly nice. It was cool and a little cloudy,but comfortable. It did rain in spots, like Relaint Stadium during the football game. That was a little strange. The roof is usually closed but since it has not been repaired yet, the players and some fans got a little wet.

Of course today we will probably have another strange day. The temperature was in the 60-70's range. Right now it is 43 and going down.We could even have one of those strange happenings of freezing rain. Then tomorrow the temperatures will go up and by Thursday we could be up to 79. Strange weather here. What's next?

Strangely, this year I still have not gotten into the Christmas spirit. I am tired of all the commercials selling "great" gifts for everyone. Is that all there is? Do kids really need a dozen presents? Of course we would like a new tv from Santa but until Jimmy gets paid for some work he did for a couple of people who keep promising... At least we can put a couple of dollars in the Salvation Army kettle whenever we go by. Strange how a hurricane will make you change your feelings about things.

Oh well. What is that annoying beep? Crap. It's the answering machine. Guess I'll go back up the stairs to see what the useless message is this time.

Houston, We Have, Uh, Snow??

What is this?

This is snow in Houston! Yesterday it really snowed in here. As I took the dogs outside in the afternoon, we were pelted by falling snow. The dogs looked around and sniffed at it as it briefly lay on the ground. Where we live in the northwest side of Harris county we got just enough to put a light coat on cars, roofs and mailboxes. But it really did not cover the ground at all. Other parts of the area, mostly in the east to southeast part of the county got as much as 3 inches. Snowfall totals varied from 1/2 inch to 3 inches.

Of course this morning traffic is a nightmare due to the icy bridges and roads. Let's face it, we're not used to this. Police have closed some roads and overpasses and bridges due to the conditions. At least Jimmy does not have to go across town today like he did yesterday.

It was fun for us who rarely see snow. But by this afternoon the sun will have melted it all away. By the end of the week the temperatures will be back into the mid 70's. No wonder people around here say if you don't like the weather here, wait a minute, it will change.

There was a discussion about weather patterns by the local weather people. The last time it snowed here was 4 years ago at Christmas.According to the weather patterns of the last few years when a hurricane came through here or near here, we had snow during the winter. In 1983 Hurricane Alicia hit around here and it snowed several times during the winter. It snowed in December of 1989 after Hurricane Jerry hit in the summer. Maybe there are some weather patterns which would show snow after a hurricane but nothing really scientific.

Some of Jimmy's poker buddies who live in snow prone areas of the north were complaining about it just the other day. Funny, that was the same day I said that I would like to see a little bit once in a while. Nice for a while, till people have to drive in it. Well, I guess this is our snow for a while. On the other hand, if we have to have a hurricane just to get some snow, I would rather not have the hurricane.

Holiday Time, Time to Beware

I received an e-mail from a friend of mine recently. In it she told me about how the local police were warning people about a new wrinkle in car-jacking. It seems that while a person is out shopping a person will put a sticker on the back window of the shopper's car. When the shopper comes back to the car, opens, the door and gets in, suddenly they notice a sticker in the back window. They get out to remove the sticker. It is then that the thief or car jacker jumps into the open car and takes off with the car, purse or whatever is in the car.

So let us all remember when we go out this holiday season to be very careful. Be sure to lock cars at all times and put all packages and shopping bags in the trunk. Do not leave GPS or other electronic devices in sight. Do not leave money or purses in the car either. Be aware of where you are and who is around. Have your keys ready and get into your car and lock it.

This is a happy time of year but remember there are always those who would spoil the joy. Don't be a victim. Have a happy holiday season.

The Marks People Make on Others

What is the matter with us? Over the last few days I have thought about how different things are, compared to when I was younger. I just don't get us. What messages are we sending to other people? Here are three examples.

Teachers have sex with students.Ok. Teachers do drugs. Ok Teachers bring drugs to campus. Ok. The school district says it will send drug dogs to all the schools. Ok. Somehow I suspect that those teachers who have not been caught with drugs will find out when the dogs will be at their schools. Ok, so why announce this? Why not just surprise them? Hum...

The other day as I walked Daisy, I saw the painters and clean up crew working on a newly vacant unit of one of the townhouses. Then I noticed that this crew was bringing out a lot of junk that the tenents left. Not just garbage, but apparently things the renters no longer wanted. I can understand that maybe they no longer wanted some of these items. But isn't it their responsibility to clean up the place before they leave? I have always cleaned up any place where I lived. Even when I owned a house and moved to a different one, I made sure I left it clean. Now, I see people who move out of one place, load their trucks with what they do want and leave the rest. Maybe these people don't care about getting their deposit back? Or are they just lazy or careless?

Lastly I have seen more and more people becoming confrontational about things that could be handled better. If you have trouble with a company, you ask for help. If you don't get it, you to the supervisor or manager. Same thing with personal relationships, why jump into a big fight first? I see more and more people who, apparently, don't want to end things quietly. If you were in a relationship which did not work out, would you hold on to some personal items that did not belong to you? Would you do this for spite? Apparently some people do. And since when is it a good idea for parents to try to start a physical altercation with a grown child's former friend who just wants a couple of personal items back after the breakup?

Medical doctors take the Hippocratic Oath, part of which says "first do no harm..." . Oh, and let us remember "people who live in glass houses, should not throw stones". What happened to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you". We are too quick to accuse or act like, who cares, it's not my problem. So many people don't think what they say or do can affect others. We adults are the role models for our society, despite what we make think. Somebody is always watching.

I think about how my parents treated me and the people they knew. They were classy people who would not treat people the way people do now. I'm glad I learned from them. Fairness, honor, respect for each other, even if you don't like each other. Don't see enough of that these days.

Another Teacher Busted

Call me crazy but I thought we were supposed to look up to teachers as good role models. I know there are many, many teachers who are excellent at their job. But lately, at least in the Houston area, a lot of teachers are being arrested. Most recently several teachers have been arrested at school for drugs. Usually the drug dog finds evidence in the teacher's car. Most of the time marijuana is found, sometimes cocaine. Why? Do they think they will not be discovered? Is there a flaw in the employment process?

Not that long ago we heard stories of teachers having affairs with underage students. Now, some teachers have chosen to bring or use drugs on campus. This really must make the good teachers feel terrible. I look back at my school years and never heard any bad stories about the teachers. Now it seems that nearly every day there is another story of a teacher getting arrested. What is the matter with these teachers, or our education system that allows this to happen?This is sad.

Hang Up on the President Elect? Oops!

On Wednesday, a Republican congresswoman,Lleana Ros-Lentinen got a call from President-elect Barack Obama, didn't believe it was him, and hung up on him. Twice.

According to Ros-Lehtinen's spokeman, Alex Cruz, the congresswoman received the call on her cell phone from a Chicago-based number and an aide informed her that Obama wanted to speak to her. When Obama introduced himself, Ros-Lehtinen cut him off and said, "I'm sorry but I think this is a joke from one of the South Florida radio stations known for these pranks." Then she hung up.

Moments later, Obama tried again, this time through his soon-to-be chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel.

"Ileana, I cannot believe you hung up on the President-Elect," Emanuel said. And then--yes, you know what's coming--she hung up on Emanuel saying she "didn't believe the call was legitimate."

A short time later, Ros-Lehtinen received an urgent call from Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.), the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, who informed her that she indeed hung up on Obama.

So, Obama tried again and this time he was successful. Oops!

Can you imagine getting a call from an important person like the President and you think it is a prank? Thanks to Aston Kutcher's "Punked" show, would you really answer the phone. Just ask Sarah Palin about being punked. It does remind me of a sketch Bill Cosby did years ago when he played Noah and God called him and told him to build an ark. Noah didn't believe it either. He said Yeah, right. When God told him to build the ark and how many cubits to make it, he said again, yeah right, what's a cubit? I thought it was a funny sketch.

Just goes to show that you never know who will call you. Caller ID anyone? I got a call one time from Gov. Rick Perry asking me to vote, but that was a recording, I think... I let the answering machine take the call.

Follow the Bouncing Ball

At last the Houston Texans have something to smile about. Their first appearance on Monday Night Football was a good one.Now if Tony Kornheiser would just learn to stick to the game instead of being the fashion critic..His comments on the Texans Battle Red uniforms were unnecessary. So, he thinks they are silly and look like a ketchup bottle. Ahem, don't tell Mario Williams, he might sack you, Tony!

As for the BCS and the Big 12 Conference---phooey! Grrrrrr and other words I would rather not say. Texas beat Oklahoma but the Sooners get to play in the conference championship game. Go figure. Most people polled chose Texas, but the computers picked Okhaloma. Huh?? Well, I guess I will just have to pull for Missouri to beat Oklahoma. If they do (and that is a big if) beat the Sooners, maybe the Big 12 should re-think their policy on ties. The SEC and others have better tie breakers. So now Texas has no chance at the National Championship. They will probably go to a BCS bowl game, just not the Championship. Come on Bama! Beat Florida.! I have my doubts that the Tide will beat the Gators but, I'm hopeful. It doesn't look like it will be Alabama vs Texas for the National Championship. Maybe that would be a good thing. Footballs do bounce funny, don't they?

Where are the Leftovers?

Well we all survived the Thanksgiving week-end. There was enough food to feed a small nation. Somehow I never got any of the deserts. Luckily Jimmy made two buttermilk pies so we have one in the freezer here. I made 40 deviled eggs and never got any of them. For most of the day the guys were outside playing horseshoes and drinking beer or "watching" the kids. We all know how that goes...

We were inside most of the time talking or watching tv. Have you ever been kissed by an iguana? Pat and Amanda have a small aquatic zoo with fish, big turtles and little turtles as well as an iguana. The kids liked holding the turtles and the iguana. Of course Annie does not like any kind of lizard anywhere near her.. Somehow now there is a picture of her with it on her arm. I don't know who was more nervous, Annie or the iguana. Some how while I was playing with it I found myself face to face with the little guy, literally. I guess I rate an approval because I got a little kiss from him. Well, I guess that is one thing I can scratch off my "bucket list".

I enjoyed listening to all the stories of what all the gang is doing. I think Pat is going to have to ask a few more questions about the women he meets. Like , "What do you do for a living, where do you live, are you married?" Less "oops" that way...too funny. Then as I listened to one of my daughters talk about some problems they had with a family member and how mad she was, I could not help but remember how frustrated we were with her when she was a teenager. Can we say payback? How does that shoe fit anyway?

Jason was able to fix my computer. I'm using it now. But now I have to fight with it to get it back to the way it was. I think the problem is my monitor. I've been trying to get the pages set right and the print size to stay right. I'm going a little nuts here.

Traci went to a pet store and bought two rats. Yes, I said rats. They have been named " Biscuit and Gravy" and are really cute, calm and playful. One of them sat in Traci's shirt pocket yesterday before everyone left. Traci did make sure that they are two of the same sex so there will be no little rats.

Yesterday one of my guppies gave birth. So now I have some extra ones. I hope they will be able to hide in the grass long enough to survive to maturity. We shall see.

Now I have to get back to the mundane things, like laundry. At least my red shirt is clean. Today is "Battle Red Day" in Houston since the Texans are playing in their first Monday Night Football game. Gee we get to watch them embarress themselves on national tv. Maybe they will play good. Hope springs eternal. The Texas Longhorns were tied for division champion with Oklahoma and Texas Tech. Even though Texas beat Oklahoma, in the tie breaker the Sooners were picked to play Missouri for the Conference championship. Now we have to root for Missouri! Texas Tech gets left out completely. So wrong on so many levels.

Now I have to get back to figuring out how to get the print settings better. Grrr.

To Grandma's House We Go, Not

Somehow this does not feel like it should be Thanksgiving already. Other than the madhouse at the grocery stores, who would know? The weather here certainly does not lend itself to the feeling of the holiday. Today it is cool, tomorrow should be a lot warmer, almost 80 degrees. Then it should rain. I know one thing for sure. When we go to Amanda's for dinner, we will park as close to the street as we can. The old first in, first out trick. Plus if it does rain in the afternoon, I would rather not get stuck in the mud.

Annie called me the other day to say that she had "pink eye". Oh, joy-just wait till the kids get it! Then she called me this morning to tell me that she is better, but she is passing it on to the kids. Ha. She did tell me that they are bringing my computer back. Yea! Jason had to completely wipe out the hard drive and reinstall the operating system. We had two hard drives which we had at one point used as master and slave,but one is now dead. But at least I will be able to use it again. I've been using Jimmy's laptop just to keep up on things but I have not wanted to make any additions or changes to it.

I can't believe there have been people in line since yesterday for Black Friday sales at some places. Are they nuts? We went shopping on Black Friday one time and since then we refuse to go to any store on that day again. Too much pushing, shoving and crabby people. Besides with my luck, I would stand in line for ever only to get to the head on the line and be told everything had sold out.

I guess we will watch football tomorrow. Texas will play and there are a couple of pro games. We will watch to see what the Longhorns do. I have a hard time understand the BCS ranking system and how some "experts" feel that Oklahoma could jump over Texas for the National Championship. Jeez...

I am a little sad because the road beside us is about to be widened. As a result "right of way" has meant a lot of trees are being cut down, including two in the yard of our building. Things just don't look right without the trees. The 64cent question is just how close will the road be to our building. It looks like most of the yard will be gone. And of course the landlady is saying nothing.

Oh well, now I have to take Lady outside and then find my way back to the kitchen so that I can start boiling some eggs. I think 24 eggs should make enough deviled eggs. Then Jimmy is going to make a couple of buttermilk pies.

Hope you all have a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Who"s Idea Was This, Anyway?

We made our usual trip to the grocery store Friday afternoon. We did not really need a lot of stuff this time. We did want to check out prices on things. We didn't need a turkey since we are not cooking for Thanksgiving. Amanda has the pleasure of doing that at her place this year. Yeah, I don't have to cook and I can leave when I get ready, Yipee!. So we wander around WalMart looking at different things. I'm making note of the prices poinsettias and Christmas cactus plants for later.

Later that evening Amanda called me. "I need a favor..." That is always an ominous sign. She wanted me to make deviled eggs. Hum. She says she can't make them. Uh, it's not that hard, at least the way I do it...ok. So since Jimmy had planned to use the eggs we had on something else, we decided to go to another store later in the weekend. After all we were going to Fry's Electronics and Petsmart Saturday. He needed some cd's so he could burn some music and I wanted a couple more guppies and an algae eater for the little tank.

We came up with what we thought was a brilliant plan of when to go to the grocery store. We would go on Sunday morning while everyone was at church. Yes it was an evil plan. Get in, look around, get what we wanted, get out. Trouble was that apparently a lot of people must have made the same plan. Shame on us all! The place was packed. And for some reason, every where I went, all the people seemed to follow. While I checked out the produce, I noticed people going to the same spots I was looking. Then when I went to get some bread, guess who I discovered following right along behind me. The same people I left at the produce center! This seemed to go on every where I went. I began to feel like a magnet. Hey, people why are you not in church! Why are you following me? Everywhere I go, here you come behind me! What do I look like, a door man? I stopped by the cooking demonstation and found a good sample of some apple, cranberry stuffing. I'm going to have to get that recipe. Yum!

Finally, we got what we wanted and decided to make a run for it to the check outs! Yikes look at all those people... We found a spot to check out. Guess who all decided to check out? Oh, boy! Then as we get all our stuff out of the basket for the guy to check, the bagger leaves. Uh, escuse me, hello. Well at least the checker was nice. I helped our checker get the stuff bagged. Then it was a race for the exit!

Man, what a madhouse. I was glad to get out of there. It was not even noon. Trust me, I am not going anywhere near a grocery store Wednesday afternoon or evening. I will be home, sipping wine. Jimmy will be playing poker. I might say a prayer for those last minute shoppers trying to get things ready for Thanksgiving. They are going to need it!

Ah, The Sweet Scent

I love nice candles, especially in the fall and winter. I can remember a few years ago people would walk into our house and immediately comment on the smell. Jimmy likes the apple cinnamon scent. We also like pumpkin and other spice scents. During the holidays I even like the evergreen candles. We used to buy a collection of candles for $10 at WalMart, one big, a couple of smaller ones and a couple of little ones. The nice smell made you feel warm and cozy.

So what happened to candles? We just bought another box of our favorite candle set but unless I am standing almost on top of it, there is very little smell. Is it just me? I know that Amanda's mother was into candle making a while ago. Hers seemed to have more scent. At first I thought it was just WalMart, but even candles from other stores costing much more don't seem to have a lasting fragrance. I'm stumped.

Where have all the good smelling candles gone? Do I have to make my own so that I can actually smell them? Maybe I guess I will have to go back to the flea market and buy some of the "home-made" ones. I just don't understand why candles don't provide the aroma they used to. I used to get a pumpkin pie or apple pie scented candle and someone always asked me if I had baked a pie. Now- nothing. I long for that warm sweet home scent. Especially these days, right?

A Christmas Tree's Saga

Drive around any town these days and you will notice that the Christmas trees will soon be ready to sell. The real trees that is. After all they only appear once a year. Right now the lots are getting ready by setting aside space to display the new crop of Christmas trees. But what about the trees? Did any one ever ask the trees if they wanted to do this? Imagine if you were this tree.

Ah, what a nice day. The sun is shinning, birds are singing, saws are buzzing. Saws! Saws! Oh, no, please don't cut me down. I like it here. There are lots of us here. Don't take me. Wow that was close. Did you see that big one fall. Man, I hope I get to stay here, I have some growing to do. I'm only 6 feet tall. Uh, what are you doing? Why am I shaking? I don't want...slam! Hey I'm down here! Hello, what are you doing? Uh, hey you are dragging me. Careful man, I have a lot of nice branches here. What do you mean I am going for a ride?

Where am I? Who are you? Are you flocked? Who did that to you? Ah chew, sorry I am allergic to your flocking. Boy I am glad they did not do that to me. Oh now what? What's that you are doing? Standing me up? What happened to my roots? I' m where? At a Christmas tree lot! I'm going to be sold! Oh no, you me I'm going to a house? Why? So people can decorate me? What do you mean by "decorate". I look fine just the way I am. Of course I did lose some little branch es while on the trip here. Hey kid, go away. Oh no, these people are walking around me, please go away. Thank you, yeah that skinny one will do just fine. Right? Yikes. Now what? Hey, take it easy!

Ouch! what are you doing with that thing. No, I don't want you to screw those things into me. Hey that hurts. Eek, that water is cold, hey you could have at least used warm water! What are those boxes for. All of that bright, shiny stuff. Why is that cat looking at me that way? Decorate me for Christmas? But I look fine just the way I am. Excuse me, that is private, what do you mean lights there? Why do I need lights? What's an ornament? Oh, those are ornaments? What are you doing, hey, quit that tickles. You are going to let that kid do this to me? Look out! Oops, well that's once less I'll have to wear.

I'm so embarrassed. Look at all this stuff they put all over me. What if I sneeze? Don't even think about getting up here, cat. Nice dog, go away... Uh, in case you people have not noticed, my branches are getting heavy. How much more are you going to do to me? You already put lights in places I didn't know I had, then you put all those colored balls on every little spot. Bows, too. Hey, look birds! Hi, guys. Uh, guys...hello. Why don't those birds fly? Oh, they don't fly.

Oh that is a nice warm blanket around my trunk. What's that? Is that a train? What, why is it going around me? Oh my, look at all that stuff the people are putting around me. Man that is a lot of color. Those look nice. How long will I be this way. Can I go back to the woods? No? What do you mean no? What do you mean you are going to throw me out? Well, this is going to be a find mess. I do all this work and they throw me away. Outside? At the curb? Oh dear.

Good, Bad, Funny, Sad

Well, the other shoe dropped on the hospital in Galveston. The teaching hospital will lay off 3,800 employees due mostly to the damage caused by Ike. Some have already found other jobs at Houston hospitals. That is the good thing. The bad thing is that this may cause some problems for the already overworked Houston hospitals not to mention the economic loss for Galveston.

As for our family soap opera, the revolving doors keep turning. While Pat and Amanda were here last week I learned that they both have parted ways with their romantic partners. Ok, let's make the changes on the score cards. Pat dumped the girl cause she was racing to "love" but he wasn't in the fast lane. Amanda and her friend remain friends... I always wondered what would happen if either or both couples were to break up. Next up, who knows?

In a side story, ever know someone who pesters you for business and then when you give in, they all but disappear? A friend of Amanda who has a business wanted Jimmy to go in with him on some work but as soon as the arrangements were done guess what? Haven't heard a word from him. That figures. A lot of talk, nothing to show for it. At least, it didn't cost us anything.

People in Houston are a little sad these days. The Houston Zoo's baby elephant died this week. There will be a memorial for the little guy. He was two years old and was named Mac. He was quite an attraction.

We might actually get some "cold" weather this week-end. Today it is nice and warm. I'm wearing shorts. By tomorrow morning it is supposed to get really cold with 15 to 30mph winds. Time to turn on the heater and drag out the blanket, again. Then next week it will probably be hot again. Canadian cold fronts just don't stay around here for long. Now where is that blanket, anyway?

I'm off now to feed the guppies. We bought a few guppies recently to put in our 10 gallon tank. Now I am watching over the one tiny little one I discovered hiding the other day. I did not notice that any of the females were pregnant. So now we have four male and four female and one ??

So much for life in Houston. Now back to the tv soaps.

Third Time the Charm, Sort Of

Well Jan finally made it to Houston. Living in Leesburg ,Va and working around the Washington area had become a bit of a hassle the last few months. She told us of all the traffic problems thanks to the candidates visits. Plus her job as a CPA is stressful and her house is being rebuilt, so there is quite a bit of stress there. Needless to say she was glad to get away.

One of the first things she did when she got here was look at the football tickets. Those poor tickets. She was worried that we would not get them cause she sent them UPS overnight but they took a couple of days instead. Then when we did get them we did not even open the envelope. So we started joking about it. Let's look inside. Maybe there are no tickets. Some UPS guy is going to the game, Ha. So then when we looked at the tickets we got a good laugh cause this game was originally set to be the home opener on Sept 14 known as "liberty white liftoff". The team would be wearing their white jerseys and fans would wear their white to support the team. Funny how on the top of the ticket it say game 1 for the first home game.

The seats were great, on the 45 yard line a few rows up from the field. We had a great view of the players on the field as well as the Texans bench. The game, on the other hand, was terrible. There is no other way to describe it. From the penalties called against us to the interceptions Rosenfels threw. We were only 6 points down at the half but after halftime it went down hill quickly. Was this really our team? Somebody must have kidnapped the team.Our team isn't that bad, right?No, they are bad. We lost 41-13. Before the fourth quarter was even half over fans were leaving. On the other hand maybe we could change the schedule and play Detroit over and over. Oh well. I did enjoy seeing the stadium set up for football. Really nice. The fly-over by those four huge military choppers was awesome. The only other time I have been in the stadium was during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo last year when we watched Toby Keith .

Jan did "pig out" on Jimmy's chicken enchilada pie. Maybe we should send her a batch for Christmas? She really likes it. We did not get to do too much else cause it rained off and on Monday and Tuesday. We did manage to run out between rain storms on Monday to go to the Texas Land and Cattle steakhouse. Yummmmm.

Alas the luck didn't hold the whole time. Tuesday she was supposed to leave about 2:30 in the afternoon. She got a message on her phone telling her that her flight out of Houston had been changed, maybe because of the rain or maybe because of equpment. The flight was pushed back a couple of hours which made her connecting flight have to be changed too. She had to stop in Charlotte NC to connect to the flight to Washington Dulles airport. So we had to wait a while at the Houston airport a little longer. Oh well, we had a snack while she waited. And of course a little wine at the bar...

Sure is quiet around here now. But not for long - Thanksgiving will be here soon. Amanda is having Thanksgiving dinner where she lives. Annie said they are coming and they think Traci and her family too. It just dawned on me the other day that means, if they all come, we will have nine extra people here with us. Yikes!

We'll Try This Again, For the Third Time

This week-end our friend Jan will finally come from her oft postponed visit. Her house is continuing to be rebuilt after the devastating fire. That's what kept her from coming down the first time. We went to the baseball game without her. Of course the Astros lost. But we had nice seats.

Next try was when we were going to get together and go see the Texans play the Ravens. Ike had a different plan. The game was pushed back until this week-end. Reliant Stadium sustained significant damage to the roof which won't be fixed until next year. I wonder if it will be fixed in time for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo this spring. Right now the retractable roof is open because it can't be fixed yet. We have good seats again for the Texans-Ravens game. But our quarterback Matt Schaub is injured and the backup Sage Rosenfels will start. Linebacker Zac Diles, our leading tackler broke his leg in practice. Oh well, at 3-5, we are not exactly scaring anyone.

There was even a question about if she would make it this week-end. First her ex-husband had planned to be out of town at the same time she planned to be out of town. Normally this would not be a problem but they cat-sit each other's cats. Don't even ask why. I guess they still depend on each other for some things. She does seem to be "needy". She keeps trying to find a new man to pal with, but she is not having much luck. She's been on a singles cruise, gone to some singles activities and now she is trying an internet dating service. For a while it looked like she might get a date for this week-end, but she decided not to do so. Too bad we don't know enough unattatched men that she might like.

So she is flying in tomorrow afternoon. Maybe the third time will be the charm. The Texans could use a charm. Now if I can just get Jimmy to take Monday and Tuesday off. After all some people take a couple of days off to go hunting or to just go home. Me- I'm looking forward to going out for a steak dinner.

Yes, Anyone Can Grow Up to be President

Now that we have a President -Elect, the hard work is just beginning. The President's staff has to be selected and Cabinet members have to be picked. Even before the election both Obama and McCain were getting briefings on security issues and such. No matter who we voted for we will never really know how hard the job of President of the United States is. Even the candidates don't really know the gravity of the job. Just picking the White House staff is daunting. The choice of a President's Chief of Staff is very important. No President should be surrounded by "yes-men". A staff should be well rounded, intelligent and smart and not afraid to disagree. Given the state of our many problems as well as the world problems, cabinet choices are extremely important.

After watching news reports about the need to pick the right people to fill key positions and how to deal with the current important world and nationial issues, I thought what if... Imagine, as the new President-Elect given all the information he will need to know, he begins to realize the job is more than he thought it would be. Just think of a picture of this person sitting at a desk as information is brought in and put on his desk. The phone rings constantly. People are wanting meetings, decisions big and small. They say, we need an answer now!The piles of papers and files get higher and higher. Suppose, after seeing all this he says "this is more than I thought it would be." Who wouldn't.

I don't care how much experience candidates say they have or how ready they say they are to lead our county, they are not. We are going to expect immediate action. It won't happen. Neither Wall Street nor Main Street will improve overnight. The global economy will not change overnight. Our allies will want answers. So will our enemies. This job will change a person. Just look at how Presidents have aged over their years in the Oval Office. It's enough for a person to look at what is ahead and say, "This is more than I thought it would be, get somebody else."

That won't happen. We need to keep in mind when we look at the Presidency, it is a tough job. It is much tougher than any job we will ever have. We have all heard that any child in America can grow up to be President. Why would anyone want to. But some do. Some are good at the job, others are not. Only time will tell.

Crunch Time, Finally, the Ads Will Cease

After all these many, many months and all those campaign ads on tv and radio, we finally will know who will run things in our states and our country. I will not miss the ads. From the national to the state and local ads, I have had enough. Last night while I tried to watch "Dancing With the Stars" I counted 7 political ads in among 2 regular product ads at almost every break. I never thought I would be glad to see the annoying Sonic people again. At least now I can get annoyed with the onslaught on Christmas ads. Who would have thought that I would look forward to the truck, car, and "Glade" ads.

We've heard all the speeches and all the analysis of what the candidates have said. Our country is at a cross-roads. Which ever road we now take will shape not only our country for the future but also the world. Citizens of the world are watching as we elect our next President of the United States. The world is looking for leadership. God Bless America.

Merry Christmas!

No, you have not suddenly escaped from a time warp. After all, Halloween is the official start of the holiday season. Just look at WalMart. We stopped there Friday afternoon to pick up some stuff. As we walked in the door while the last minute shoppers were grabbing Halloween candy, I saw a decorated Christmas tree in the front of the store. A guy had already hung one wreath and was working on another one. So just when will the Christmas carols be booming over the speakers? I even saw a cartoon which featured a couple walking around a neighborhood. There was a snowman with a trick or treat bag, a wreath on the door and Santa in the window. A ghost wearing a Santa cap was hanging from a tree while a pumpkin sat on the porch wearing a Santa beard. The couple walking made a comment "Guess it was inevitable" as they walked by a sign hanging across the building which said "Merry Thanksgivoween - Sept 1 thru Jan 1". So much for a breather between the holidays.

When we got home from shopping we got busy making some chili and chicken enchilada pie. Of course when Jimmy decides to make these two things he makes a whole lot of it. We made about 10 pounds of chili and froze most of it for later. Then he made one of our family favorites -chicken enchilada pie. He tripled the recipe. That too, we stuck in the freezer. Now our freezer is begining to look like it did before Ike.

One thing I think I may ask Santa to bring for Christmas, if not before, is a new can opener. Our ancient can opener has become crabby and rarely works anymore. Luckily I still have an old fashioned hand crank opener. But after opening 6 cans of pinto beans, 6 cans of rotel, 6 cans each of cream of chicken and mushroom soup, my wrist is complaining. Yeah, I may have to ask Santa to bring an electric can opener a little early. We are having company later in the week.

Well now I have to go finish the laundry. I wonder what we will have for supper? Oh yeah, chili! Jingle bells, jingle bells...Onward through the snow, oh wait, there is no snow here. Nevermind.

Things We've Learned From Horror Films....

When it appears that you have killed the monster, NEVER check to see if it's really dead. It isn't.

If you find that your house is built upon or near a cemetery, was once a church that was used for black masses, had previous inhabitants who went mad or committed suicide or died in some horrible fashion, or had inhabitants who performed satanic practices in your house move immediately.

Never read a book of demon summoning aloud, even as a joke.

Do not search the basement, especially if the power has just gone out.

If your children speak to you in Latin or any other language which they should not know, or if they speak to you using a voice other than their own, shoot them immediately. It will save you a lot of grief in the long run. NOTE: It will probably take several rounds to kill them, so be prepared.

When you have the benefit of a group of people, NEVER pair off and go it alone.

As a general rule, don't solve puzzles that open portals to Hell.

If you're searching for something that caused a noise and find out that it's just the cat, leave the room immediately if you value your life.

If you find a town that looks deserted, it's probably for a reason. Take the hint and leave NOW!!

Don't fool with recombinant DNA technology unless you're sure you know what you are doing. Even then, don't do it.

If you're running from the monster, expect to trip or fall down at least twice, more if you are of a female. Even though you may be faster than the monster, you can be sure that it WILL catch you.

If your friends suddenly begin to exhibit uncharacteristic behavior such as hissing, fascination for blood, glowing eyes, increasing hairiness, and so on, get away from them as fast as possible.

Stay away from certain geographical locations, some of which are listed here: Amityville, Elm Street, Transylvania, Meskatonic University, Camp Crystal Lake, Haddonfield, Illinois, one gas station desert towns or any small town in Maine.

If your car runs out of gas at night, do not go to the nearby deserted-looking house to phone for help.

Beware of strangers bearing tools such as chainsaws, staple guns, hedge trimmers, electric carving knives, combines, lawnmowers, butane torches, soldering irons, or band saws. This is especially true if they are wearing a hockey mask or one made of human skin.

No More Acting for Joaquin, Joe the Plumber Sings

Joaquin Phoenix has decided to quit acting. Ok. Now he wants to be a singer. What? Who said he could sing? I watched him sing in his movie about Johnny Cash. He did a good job, not great but he did seem to channel Johnny Cash well enough.

So, this has been a passion of his for a long time. Some how I can't help but wonder how well this is going to work. One movie role does not a singer make. I wish him well, but I would rather he continue acting. Does he really think he can have a viable career singing? I hope he does not plan to make a lot of money doing this. He could end up another "one hit wonder". Of course if he chooses the "country music" style he may do a passable job. I've heard a lot of radio play for people who have, at least to me, questionable singing chops.

I will miss him in the movies. But I guess he is lucky that he can change jobs and start from scratch. Maybe he and "Joe, the plumber" can tour together. That would be an interesting tour. I guess Joe isn't making enough money under sinks. He says he will start singing too and plans to release his first CD in January. Only in America!

Time Moves On, Like It or Not.

Sometimes it is hard to believe that we will soon be here in this place for three years. Thinking back to when we moved here I realize how much things change. I wonder how our ex- cross the walk neighbors are liking Alaska. Since they left with their little kids (and one on the way) and dog we got a new set of neighbors. They were ok, but just as we got used to them, they moved. Then the lady at the front of their building moved. Now we have two new neighbors. The ones across from us are young and have a toddler and three cats. The new lady at the front babysits 6 kids. After the hurricane, one of our neighbors up front moved and "Mr. Personality" and his wife had a baby girl.

I guess I am just getting old, I mean crabby. Well maybe both. Pam, the lady who babysits seems to be the one who knows everything about everyone in her building and then some. Want to know any thing, she knows it all. I guess I had forgotten how much noise kids make. The other day I had my patio door open and all I heard all day was screeching kids as a couple of them sat outside playing. I had to close the door. Too much noise. Well what can you expect when the buildings are so close together.

One of Pam's daughter's lives just down the street. Every day after school I have to walk through a mine field of bicycles and skateboards when her grandsons and their friends visit. Sometimes that does not make Daisy too happy cause she does not like to detour through the grass. And of course she still thinks anyone outside should immediately stop what they are doing and pay attention to her. I have to remind her about her business. Then she gets a little nervous and so do I when I see kids on skateboard racing around my car.

Our landlady finally showed up to look at the empty unit. She has yet to send anyone out to clean it so she can rent it. Then again she has never even looked at the unit or roof damaged during the hurricane. Wonder when we will get a new tenant? I actually like the parking lot a little empty. I still don't know why Mr. Personality doesn't move or fix his dead car. He's been using his father-in-law's for months.

At least our new neighbor with the toddler and three cats never let the cats out. This family is pretty quiet. He works at night and she works days. We rarely see them. I do know she did not like the smoke when Jimmy was grilling outside. Oh well.

For some reason it seems like our street is busier than it used to be. Frequently I have to change my schedule of Daisy's walks. Too many cars going by or too many people in the area. Distractions abound for Daisy. She took offense when she discovered Kayla was out on the patio. They traded verbal jabs the other day. I still wonder how Kayla and the new baby will get along.

Now I am curious about some street work on the street going into our subdivision. The other day I saw some guys surveying the area. Later I discovered some marking sticks in the yard going all the way into the fire station yard and beyond. These markers had R.O.W. (right of way) on them. Is that a clue? I wonder if the street is going to be widened. If they take the right of way our building and the fire station will lose most of the yard space. I guess time will tell. Maybe nothing will happen.

Then yesterday our neighbor who had gone out after all those kids left for the day came back from her errands. As she pulled into her parking lot, she hit the horn several times. Her younger grandkids came out to see what she wanted. Pam got out of the car followed by a medium sized dog. She had told me she was going to the pound to get one. My question is when is this dog going to get outside to do it's business? How is she going to exercise it? How will it get along with Kayla and Lady and Daisy.

A lot has changed here in three years. We really had thought this was going to be a quiet little part of the neighborhood. Things change. People move out or in. They bring new challenges and questions. It's just another adjustment of life, like it or not.

My Hands are Cold

It is 57 degrees now and we have really low humidity. Last night the temperatures went way down. We hit 40 degrees for our low this morning. We still haven't turned on the heater. I hate the way it is always hot upstairs and cold downstairs. But I guess I will check it out in a little while. It is a little chilly in here. Lady and Daisy keep looking for a sunny spot. It seems that every time I sit down in my chair, Lady begs to sit with me. Then she sits there shivering. Daisy seems to prefer the comforter on the couch. Now if she could just learn not to let it fall off. She likes to burrow under the blanket but sometimes it falls to the floor. Then she looks over at me. "Fix it."

I like the cooler weather. It is nice not to have to run the air conditioner or the heater. Around here the temperatures are getting cooler but then again Friday and Saturday should be back to running the ac as the temperatures are supposed to go back up to 80 again. But tonight should be interesting. All the weather guys are saying to expect a "cold" night tonight. Of course "cold" is a relative term. I know some people have already had snow. But for us, tonight may hit a record of 39 degrees. That's not cold to everybody but for us if the temperature hits or goes below 39, we will hit or break a record set in 1910. Break out the coats and gloves! We'll put the shorts back on this week-end.

I guess we might be making some chili this week-end. Let me re-phrase that. Jimmy will be making chili this week-end. At least that is what he has been talking about. It's a good thing I save containers cause when he makes chili he makes a lot of chili...

Now I have to wonder if the World Series game will be able to be completed. I heard it is supposed to rain again in Philly. Just when the Rays were doing better. Wonder what is going on in Bud's evil little mind?

Ok , now I have to get out of this corner and go warm up my hands and feet. That is if those two dogs who are currently giving me the eye don't want to go out. Too late, where's the leash?

You Talking to Me?

A couple of days ago as I was cleaning the oven, I heard a noise inside the refrigerator. It was kind of a thunk. I did not really give it much thought. For the next couple of days I kept hearing it. While sitting in the living room, I heard thunks in the kitchen. What is that? I went to the kitchen. I stood there and waited. Nothing. I went back to the living room. Thunk, thunk. Back to the kitchen I went. I opened the refrigerator and stared in. Nothing. I closed the door. Thunk. Ok, now you are getting on my nerves. Again I opened the door and looked inside. What is making this noise? "You talking to me?"

I looked at all the shelves, and the drawers. What's up?. As I stood there looking at the bottles and cans. Nothing happened. Nothing in the drawers made any noise. I guess the cheese was sleeping. The container of biscuits was quiet. The leftovers sat still. Then, aha! I heard the thunk again. So now I had to investigate. In my best detective mode I narrowed the noise down to either the gallon jug of milk or the jug of tea. Of course neither was talking.

Then this morning I discovered which one was the guilty party. When I went into the kitchen to fix a bowl of cereal the thunk sound still haunted me. I ignored it as I poured my cereal into the bowl. Then I opened the refrigerator door to get out the milk. I took out the milk and put it on the counter while I reached into a drawer to get a spoon. As the milk sat on the counter, I heard it say "thunk". "Gotcha!" I thought. The nearly empty milk jug was talking to me. It continued to thunk to me until I poured the milk into my cereal. Well, at least now I know what made the noise. Now I wonder what it was trying to tell me. But it talks no more. As I emptied the jug of milk, the thunks were silenced. As a matter of fact, if it decides to talk again, only the garbage men will hear it. Hope it doesn't spook them. After all Halloween will be here soon.

Politics Not As Usual

As I sit here hearing the stories of political gaffs and attacks for the millionth time, I had silly thought. What if no-one voted in any election? I know that is not going to happen but the thought of this is, well, a little "Twilight Zone"like. Just suppose that all local, state and national elections were held one day and no one voted. Would it be a reaction to all the speeches? Would it be a result of all the negativity? Let's face it the negative campaigns are every where, not just on the national stage.

I remember reading a story about the ancient Greeks. The story was about a Greek war and how the wives collectively decided to withhold sex until the warriors decided to stop fighting. That concept made me think of how we consider things in our lives. Kids throw tantrums sometimes. I remember I used to upset my mother by holding my breath when I was angry. Her pediatrician told her not to worry because I would just pass out and start breathing again.

Would people who did not vote make a difference or would the country just "pass out" and wake up and go on about it's business? How would the government run if no one voted for any one running for office? Somehow I just can't see government grinding to a stop. However, I have seen, in the past, when due to money problems, some government departments stopped functioning for a short amount of time.

Obviously this would not happen, but it does bring to mind how much influence we do or do not have on our elected officials. I know that we all get frustrated with the people we elect. They do what some of us want or they don't do what we want. We get mad and decide to "throw the bums out" and vote for a whole new group. The new group is really no better than the old group, despite the promises they made. I just wonder what all these people would do if no-one voted. Sometimes voters feel they are not being heard. If no-one voted, would they get the message?