How Much Can One Pack In A Car?

I'm at that point where there are only a couple more things to put in the car but then I spot just a little something and think it wouldn't hurt to add that to the pile. My car is packed fuller than the first October my husband and I drove down to Florida to our newly purchased trailer.

I remember that day well. We were both so excited but I'd gone a bit overboard in what I wanted to take. Packed in the Buick were 3 (yes, 3) vacuum cleaners...one regular upright, one small upright, and one handvac. Dennis had been squawking at me for days as I continued to hand him more things to pack. He was very efficient at getting the most stuff into the car while I start out neat but end up just tossing stuff on top of other stuff.

There was barely room for the 2 of us in the car that morning in October/2000. I was on my checking rounds around the house just before leaving when I spotted an envelope with the insurance papers for the trailer and asked Dennis to put it in the trunk. He was still squawking about how nothing more could fit in the car and the border guards had better not open any of the back doors or we'd never get them closed again. He took the envelope out to the car...it was very dark at 3 A.M...and gingerly opened the trunk, laid the envelope inside, and then tried to close the trunk. I heard a lot of swearing and banging before he stormed into the house raving that the trunk hinges had sprung. I think he blamed me!

He did manage to get the trunk closed and we got through U.S. customs without anyone opening the back doors of the car. I don't remember if I said, "I told you so", because he was still mad. He did calm down for the rest of the trip and only started up the squawking again when we reached the trailer and he realized once more how much stuff we had to unload.

Tomorrow I'll drive off with the trunk and back seat completely full but I've managed to fill the passenger seat this time, too. I have very noble intentions when I start to pack but it always gets away from me and I don't think I'll ever change so why fight it. It's just the way it is.

Happily Living Alone

I've been widowed for about 3 1/2 years and built a very comfortable lifestyle for myself in that time. Occasionally someone will remark on how lonely I must be and I have to educate them to the fact that living alone is not necessarily lonely.

Sometimes I'm so cozy that I feel a bit guilty. I've developed so darned many hobbies and interests that there really is no time to feel lonely. I have no illusions about how lucky I am to have been able to do this because many widows live sad lives of desperation. It may have helped that I'm old enough to not want to take on the unknown.

My sister-in-law told me that if I do find another mate, he has to love big families because we have a big family. I told her that any new man in my life would have to have the following qualifications: loves big families, makes me laugh, loves to dance, has lots of money, and will let me do anything I want. I'm willing to bet that there aren't very many men like that available and none other need apply.

When I'm in Florida, I hardly have a moment to myself and I like that just fine. The more company I have, the happier I am but I still keep myself busy with Ebay and crafts in my spare time even there. At home, I have tons of interests and am developing new ones all the time. There's not near as much company dropping by but that's okay.

This would all be very different if I'd been widowed at a younger age but at this time in my life I'm quite contented on my own. That big family fills any empty gaps and we share an awful lot of love. Life is always good when you have a positive attitude and I think I've achieved that.

Just a note, though. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't mentally thank my husband for what he provided me with. I wish he could have enjoyed his elder years longer than he did. Life is good but it's not always fair, is it?

The Story I was Told Not To Tell

This is a true story and one that my daughter warned me not to tell. You just know that made me want to tell it anyway!

Well, today I was working at the computer (playing games) and I heard a "tap, tap" at the patio door. I glanced over and saw a squirrel sitting there looking at me. "Holy s...t!", I thought. Was the little beast actually knocking to come inside for the winter??

Since I had squirrels in the attic this year, I've been petrified that they'd come back. I had squirrel proof cages put around the roof vents so they couldn't get back in there but I've been told that, once in, the squirrels believe this is their house and they'll do anything to gain entrance once more. Do you suppose that was a polite squirrel knocking at my patio door?

As I said, my daughter is a little worried about possible senility on my part and didn't want me to blog this strange story. I'm just a little freaked out about it myself but it really did happen.

Being Tested

The problems I've had these last few years have certainly been sent to test my mental strength. I've had my house torn apart in both poor and better renovations, squirrels in the attic, falling bathroom tile, daughter's car accident, etc., etc. etc. I think I've come through these setbacks pretty well. I just wish there was an end to them, though.

I took my car into the shop for a final oil change and check-up only to find that I've been driving without airbags for the past 6 years. They thought that only the module was defective but, after replacing it, I still have no operational airbags so now the whole system has to be replaced. This costs a lot of money and I've already spent almost $1,500.00 on paint and minor repairs on the car this year. This is getting to be a bit much for a 7 year old car even though I do plan to keep it for another couple of years.

My good nature really is being sorely tested. I'm still smiling but it's forced and I'm not crying yet but my heart is sore. My motto has changed from "It could be worse" to "This too shall pass". No matter what, we carry on and do the best we can.

Today I go for a little pampering by having a pedicure. I derserve it.

Why the Public Need a Free Press

The first channel I listen to every morning is CNN and I've come to love their "Truth Squad". That's where they'll show clips of politicians making comments or promises and also show clips of those same politicians claiming they never said what they, in fact, had said. CNN will also prove or disprove statements made by politicians about their opponents. This, in my humble opinion, is one of the main reasons we lowly mortals need a free press.

Granted, a lot of the news is skewed to benefit the political views of the reporter and we still have to take whatever is said with a grain of salt but the average person wouldn't have a prayer of knowing what government was up to if it wasn't for the ability of reporters to inform us without being hindered by the people who govern us.

It was funny to watch one politician adamantly claiming she had never made a particular statement and then immediately seeing the clip where she did, indeed, make that statement. We all know that politicians are consummate liars but being faced with the bare facts is still disconcerting. How can any of us trust any of them?

Catching a politician in a lie probably won't have any effect on whether or not she/he is re-elected. Voters seem to be very determined in their choice and tend to close their eyes to the truth. I think that might be a "fear" response. We really don't want to know that the people who govern us aren't worthy of our vote.

Just in case a T.V. news executive reads my blog (LOL!), something I dislike intensely when watching a news report are the lengthy conversations between the reporters yakking and joking about their personal lives. I watch the news to hear the news. The news reporters on my local channel are so irritating that I can't watch it. Just so you know, eh?

Jewellery Bust

Well, the craft show I was so anxious to sell my jewellery at was today and it wasn't very successful. The building was difficult to find and the signs put up to direct people there were too small to read. I ended up selling 2 necklaces so I made more than enough to cover the table rental but I know there were people there who never sold a thing. It's possible only about a dozen customers showed up and we had 22 tables filled to overflowing with some very nice crafts.

Kim, Faye, and I would have been terribly bored if we didn't have each other to gab and joke with. I felt bad for the lady who organized the event because I know she worked awfully hard but it really wasn't well organized. The building was very nice with loads of parking but it's set way back in a neighborhood filled with single family homes. I'm sure no-one could find us.

I was thrilled to death to sell the 2 necklaces to one lady because she made my day. We closed up shop around 3:30 P.M. instead of waiting till the scheduled closing time of 5 P.M. We would have left earlier but I just felt too sorry for the organizer and didn't want to embarrass her.

This show was supposed to be a training ground for me to find out if I had my merchandise priced correctly. Apparently the glass pendants were priced okay but no-one looked too closely at the sterling ones...maybe because they were priced too high. Live and learn, I guess. I'll just chalk it up to one more new experience and go on from here.

One of Those Days

This has started out to be one of those days when I should have stayed home. I went yard saleing all over the darned city this morning because there are very few yard sales at this time of year. I bought one of those brush things you screw on to the end of the garden hose so you can wash your car. That's it!

Then I went to CAA to pick up 2 (I thought) Trip Tiks for my trip to Florida. I had ordered 2 because I'm not sure which route I'll take...either to the Pensacola area or to the Orlando area. They only had one Trip Tik for me so now I have to wait 4 days for the second one to come in.

Then I went to my favorite Wendy's for lunch only to find the doors locked. The "efficient" personnel had forgotten to unlock them...must have wondered why they had no customers all morning! I finally got in and ordered my lunch but the chicken strips weren't quite ready so they said they'd bring them to my table. They forgot. When I reminded them they threw in an extra strip so that was okay.

Then I got home and discovered my cable T.V. was still screwy from yesterday. Normally any problem with the cable T.V. is short lived but this time it was at least 24 hours old. I phoned them and found out they'd disconnected my service yesterday, the 17th, instead of on the 27th as I'd requested. This problem was solved within minutes.

I think I'll stay home for the rest of the day.

Dependant on the Microwave

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxThe microwave has been one of the most useful inventions created in my lifetime. I do have a proper stove but it serves as an extension of the kitchen counter and holds the cute little ornament shown here.

First thing in the morning I make my coffee and need the microwave to heat the half cup of milk I add the coffee to. This morning I followed my usual routine but when I returned to the kitchen to take the half cup of milk out of the microwave it was still cold.

My initial reaction was horror that one more damn thing had ceased to work or needed replacement...just when I'm only 9 days away from my escape to Florida for the winter!!

My next thought was, "How am I going to eat for the next 9 days?". Then I laughed, thinking how silly that was because I can always go out and buy a new microwave, right?

I hate to cook and don't feel one speck of shame for saying it. I only have myself to consider when it comes to meals and, since I never did like to cook, will search out the best frozen meals available or go to a restaurant. I married at 17 and never learned how to cook well. I had no instructions from anyone (my mother was as pitiful as me and my grandmother had no patience with either of us)and never seemed to get beyond feeling inadequate in the kitchen. My children can attest to the fact that I had every reason to feel inadequate. Does anyone remember my "Slow Cooker Chicken Livers"? Even the dog refused to eat them.

Anyway, back to my coffee milk. My motto is to retry if at first I fail so I resat the mug in the microwave and pushed the button. It worked. I don't know why and I don't care. All I do know is that I'll be able to eat for the next 9 days.

Note: Notice the x's along the side of the picture. This was my solution to a problem I've had trouble with on this blog. I can't seem to get my written word to start at the bottom of the picture any other way. This is the way computer illiterate people develop simple, if not logical, solutions to the many, many problems we encounter on the internet. It looks like lots of kisses and it does the job!

New problem: Now I can't get this darned blog to allow me a space between paragraphs. Sometimes I just give up.

Autumn Fall

I'm not positive but I believe the word "Fall" for autumn refers to the falling leaves. My backyard is filled with full grown trees that drop tons of leaves onto the grass and, although that has already started happening, the bulk of those leaves won't reach the ground until late November when I'll be lounging by the pool in Florida. So it's my sweet grandsons who will do the raking and piling into bags.

This is one more thing that could force me to sell the house and move into an apartment if my boys didn't do this job for me. As we grow older we come across more and more chores we can't accomplish on our own and one day we will definitely have to give up and get out. I don't feel too guilty about counting on my grandsons to clean up the leaves or even do a few odd little jobs that come up throughout the year but I won't stay in this house if I can't mainly take care of it myself. I see the odd house, forlorn in it's lack of upkeep, and wonder why the owners don't just call it a day and move somewhere that they can maintain.

I love the colors of fall and welcome even the beauty of falling leaves as they drift with the breeze onto the ground but, like my brand new hatred of squirrels, I wouldn't think those falling leaves so lovely if it was my job to rake them up.

I'm thinking that having my boys rake up the leaves is payback for all the poopy diapers I changed when they were babies. They owe me big time!

Florida Bound Once More

I'm in the midst of all the myriad preparations necessary for me to run off to Florida for the winter. My insurance is in place...hopefully AIG will be reliable enough to pay any medical bills, the car is winterized, CAA strip maps have been ordered, and the trunk is half packed.

There are so darned many things, big and small, that have to be considered and taken care of. It's become a bit more of a problem since my husband passed away and I have to deal with it all by myself but it isn't impossible. When I look back, my husband pretty well dealt with the car and the yard which are the major items but I took care of all the minute items that pile up to overflowing and are just as necessary to take care of. Some times that huge pile of tiny details can be more formidable than the car and yard put together.

Women are by far more detail oriented than men and we've learned to make lists. I go a little further and make dozens of lists and then have to hunt them down in order to strike off completed tasks. My "big" list is a photocopied one that gets a complete going over the morning I leave for Florida. It's the one that reminds me to turn off the water, etc. Of course, it's been left sitting on the diningroom table for weeks so I can glance at it occasionally, too.

I've been e-mailing buddies from my Florida park and making happy plans for getting together again. Most mention my Monday morning coffee time and that reinforces my feeling that they enjoy it as much as I do. It gets bigger every year and I've long run out of room inside the trailer and even on the patio. This year we'll probably spread out onto the lawn once the latecomers arrive after the new year. It matters not one bit as long as we're all enjoying ourselves.

I planted tulip bulbs this morning and made a record of the number of geraniums I have outside to cut down and take to Florida. I'm a little worried the car is going to be overpacked again. I think it's time to forget about ever driving down there with a nice neat, half empty car because it apparently will never happen.

I'm starting to think I need to make a few last minute lists.

Beggars in Canada

I went to the local grocery store this morning and came across an old foreign lady, head bandana in place and carrying a sign which begged good hearted (dumb) people to contribute to her much needed eye surgery. This woman must have forgotten she was living in Canada. None of us pay out of pocket for medical care.

It really makes me angry that a person immigrates into this country only to take up the occupation of beggar. I mentioned this lady to the cashier and was told she'd been there all day. When chased away she'd leave for a few minutes and then return to her spot right in front of the grocery carts. It must have been a lucrative location for her and it would be interesting to know how much money she takes in each day. All of it out of the pockets of hard working people whose taxes would also pay for the woman's "eye surgery". It's criminal.

No-one needs to beg in Canada...not for food, shelter, medication, or even eye surgery.

Kimmie's Home

I've mentioned many times how blessed I've been with my in-laws and today was no exception. My sister-in-law, Faye, drove to Buffalo with me to pick up my daughter at the airport. She has a million things to do in her personal life but she was willing to drop whatever else needed doing so that I wouldn't have to drive to the airport alone. She's also well aware of my poor sense of direction and knew I was slightly hesitant about going alone.

It is so comforting to have friends or relatives that look out for your safety and well being. How cold the world must seem to someone who has no-one in their lives taking care of them. I'm fairly independant but probably never will be completely self sufficient because I have too many doubts about my abilities. I don't need a baby sitter but I'm ever so grateful for loving family and friends.

As Faye and I waited at the airport for Kim, we sat just inside the restaurant and did some people watching. We were in awe of a few elderly people doing rather heavy labor there and thought how fortunate we were that we lived in Canada and didn't have to work to afford prescription drugs. Quite a few Americans have told us that the only reason they continue to work into their 70's and even 80's is because their medications aren't fully covered by Medicare and their pensions can only be spread so far.

Kim finally arrived, tired from her travelling but anxious to get home to her puppies, Yip & Yap (really Bailey and Baker but Yip and Yap suits them better). Believe me, I was just as anxious to hand the little darlin's back to her. They were good company but just too yappy when let outside and I hope my neighbors can learn to forgive me. This was a holiday weekend but Yip and Yap were let out each morning around 6 A.M. They could have been heard for miles. Sorry!

Now everything is right in their world and mine. They're home with their Mommy and I (and my neighbors) have peace and quiet. But I do sort of miss them, darn it!

Pat's Advice Column

Why is it that I could give excellent advice to anyone in the world on how to run their lives when I managed to screw my own life up so darn well? I've always felt that I could advise anyone on anything and they would live happily ever after. It's probably because we have to be able to be objective about a problem in order to rectify it and our own are just too close to the bone.

A case in point is a lady who has been living with a man for 11 years and asked me for advice. He makes twice as much money as she does but she pays most of the bills...this has always been of her own choosing (HUH!). They don't go out together because he drinks himself to unconsciousness 3 times a week, something he has done since they first met. During his sober time he sits quietly at the computer tapping into chat rooms where he converses with an old girlfriend. This last habit is a new one and the one that is upsetting my friend the most. She didn't mind the lack of money or living with a drunk but she doesn't want to share this twit with anyone else.

Her solution? Well, she plans to start running the roads with her girlfriends and hanging out in bars. That will teach him, right??

My advice? She should have left him years ago but if the present status of their relationship is something she can't live with then she needs to talk this over with him and give him a chance to make it better. Her hanging out in bars won't make anything better. If he won't give up the chat rooms and the old girlfriend then she should leave.

It's so easy to give advice because I'm not the one who is emotionally involved. I can guess that she's hurt beyond belief right now but if he continues on the road he's following it will be a lifetime of hurt for her. Her future is plain to see.

Why would anyone want to live with a cheap drunk, we wonder? Well, it's because love makes us tolerate flaws in our loved one no matter how ugly they are. We choose to pin our hopes on the occasional flash of kindness and sweetness instead of the overwhelming badness.

I don't think my friend will leave her man. She has 11 years invested in their relationship and every once in a while he's nice.

Who's Running Our Country?

Thank heavens for a free press because, without them, we'd have no idea what our governing idiots are up to. Watching the pre-election coverage for both Canada and the U.S. has been particularly frightening this year.

The U.S. has the inept Sarah Palin to worry about and we have Stephane Dion, the Liberal leader who can't speak English well enough to function. How do people like this come to power?

Dion was asked a simple question (in English, because we are a 75% English speaking country) during an interview and couldn't understand it. He was asked what he would have done differently from Harper to prevent the present financial crisis if he was prime minister. The question had to be paraphrased 3 times and his poor grasp of the English language still prevented him from understanding. This is ridiculous for a man attempting to run one of the major English dominated countries in the world. Is this the best person the Liberal party could find to be their leader?

Dion may be a shining star in Quebec but Canada is much, much more than just Quebec. The rest of us, the majority, deserve representation by a strong prime minister who can communicate perfectly in the language of the majority.

Harper has been blasted by Dion and his followers as being wrong to point out Dion's lack of English language skills but shouldn't that be a prime concern for Canadian citizens? When listening to Dion speak, I almost need subtitles to help me understand what he's saying. That is wrong, wrong, wrong!

One of the biggest mistakes we ever made in Canada was to make our country officially bilingual because it opened a can of worms that haunts us to this day. The advantages of a person being bilingual is immense and should be promoted everywhere but a country should function in the language of the majority. That language, be it English, French, or Swahili, could be changed as the majority changes because that would be a very slow process.

I'm not bilingual and that's a loss for me as far as I'm concerned. But I live in a country that is approximately 75% English speaking and travel most often to the United States where the official language is English. I expect to find English speaking politicians, clerks, and police officers in both countries and I feel I have a perfect right to expect these things.

Stephane Dion isn't fluent in English and therefor isn't capable of being the leader of my country.

Recovering Chair Seats

Faye and I recovered her diningroom chair seats today and I came home with a splitting headache. It was caused by stupidly leaning my chin on the staple gun to apply pressure before shooting the staples into the fabric. Stupid? Okay.

I've watched the decorator shows on T.V. and they effortlessly recover a chair seat in just a matter of seconds but we struggled with the corners of the ones we were doing and only managed to recover 8 seats in about 6 hours. I'm not going to say we are dumb but we are definitely challenged.

It's a simple process but the corners do take some finesse and our finished product looked very nice if not perfect. Faye's husband, Gary, always seemed to arrive just as we ran out of staples so I think he was in the background listening to us. He'd fill the staple gun and then disappear until, miraculously, we ran out of staples again. Faye finally got him to show her how to load it but it was more out of fear he wouldn't reappear when needed.

Gary began his job of screwing down the seats when we were finished and worked a heck of a lot faster than we did. That's okay, though, because we did the creative part and his was only the final mechanical part.

I rarely get headaches but my head was humming as I drove home. I let the dogs out for a bark and a pee, let them run back into the house with dirty feet, and then laid down for a 2 hour nap. My head still doesn't feel right but it's getting there.

All in all, it was a productive day and I learned something new. Leaning my chin on a staple gun was a really stupid idea.

Warm Puppy

Now that the days are growing cooler and I have a tendency to go barefoot, it's kind of nice to have a nice warm puppy always laying at my feet. Baker is reclusive and either sleeps all day under the sofa or in her cage but Bailey is more sociable and likes to sleep at my feet. The minute I stand up and move away she comes to life and follows me, hoping I'm going to do something interesting.

House dogs really have a boring life so any new movement or activity excites them. Going out to pee is the highlight of their day because they get to tear ass out of the house and chase all sorts of imaginary invaders out of the yard. Heaven help any slow squirrels or wandering cats because these little dogs would make mince meat of them. I worry about that every time I let them outside.

Because their first destination when they leave the door is straight to the grassless area at the back of the yard, they return with dirty paws which need cleaning before I can let them in. Bailey stands obediently still for cleaning but will run away if I let go of her. Baker comes into the house and immediately throws herself on her back so I can easily wipe her feet. They're so cute in their unique ways.

Their mother comes home on Monday and will take my furry friends home with her then. I'll miss them, but not enough to get one of my own. It's more fun and convenient for me to borrow these little girls from time to time.

My Park is Sold

The news spread fast yesterday that our Florida park has been sold. First thought is, "oh no!", but then we found out that the company who bought it also owns many RV parks around the States so now I'm hoping this means it will continue as a trailer park.

Another spot of good news is that our present inept park manager is being replaced. That can only be good news. I'm anxious to get down there to see what changes are being made.

I know my days are numbered for spending the winter in Florida simply because my age keeps creeping upward every year. I've enjoyed my winters so much and the good friends I've made in Florida that giving it all up one day will be very hard. But all good things come to an end and my only hope is that my wonderful park will live on for many more years.

So many RV or trailer parks have been bought up by developers that the next generation of retirees will have a difficult time finding cheap lodgings for the winter. The market is trashed right now but it will recover and the building will resume once more. It's during that recovery phase that I'll start to worry again.

I'll tell you how much I love my park. During the 21 hours it takes me to drive down to it I like to play my favorite CD by Toby Keith. He sings "I love this bar" while I sing "I love this park". The rest of the song fits in quite well with what we actually have in our park, too.

My husband and I spent our first winter there in 1999, but only for 3 months. We rented again the following year for the same 3 months and then bought our very own trailer before heading home in April. It was one of the best decisions we ever made. Dennis enjoyed 5 more full winters at our trailer before he passed away and I'm heading down in a few weeks to spend another one. We don't have forever but we do have this moment so we have to make the most of it.

I'm leaving on October 26th so if anyone is on the road heading south look for a good ole gal driving along singing her heart out.

Reverend Samuel Billy Kyles

Occasionally during your lifetime you see or do something that is monumental, something that will remain a favorite and treasured memory for as long as you live. I experienced one of those moments today.

My sister attends a mainly black church in the city and has since she was a teenager. Every once in a while I go there also but usually because they have a special gospel group or especially interesting speaker. This is what happened today.

Reverend Kyles was a huge part of the civil rights movement way back in the 60's and part of the inner sanctum with Martin Luther King, Jr. When I heard he was to be a guest speaker at my sister's church today I had to go because it was a chance to see and hear an icon.

He spoke of the history of black slaves brought over from Africa and how only 5 of every 20 survived the trip. He spoke of how, in the space of 150 years, black men and women went from not being allowed to learn to read to becoming scientists and university professors. He spoke of how much this generation of black men and women owe to the tenacity of their slave ancestors and even to the good white people who helped them along the way.

He also told us about his years with Martin Luther King and how a group of relatively young people (all under the age of 40) spearheaded the civil rights movement in the southern states. Reverend Kyles was with Martin Luther King, Jr. the moment he was shot and died. He was the person who covered his poor shattered body with a blanket and screamed for help. But it was too late and the world lost one of the greatest men we have ever known.

These men and women fought for one thing only and that was to bring peace and equality to mankind. How sad that their charismatic leader was murdered before he could accomplish his mission. Reverend Kyles made the strong comment that someone could kill the dreamer but never the dream and he was right. I'm not stupid enough to believe racial prejudice is in the past but I've seen a lot in my 68 years and I know there is less of it. Each generation becomes more enlightened because their parents have gained enlightenment.

Some time in the future we all will have learned to accept each other for what we are and not sully our views with such inconsequentials as skin color or heritage. I won't be here when that wonderful day arrives but I have no doubt it will.

Before I left the church I went up to thank Reverend Kyles and shook his hand. Ever since I've had this unbelievable feeling that I actually touched the hand that once touched Martin Luther King, Jr. I'm overwhelmed.

Dog Sitting

My oldest daughter is off to visit my youngest daughter and I'm looking after Bailey and Baker, the yappy Jack Russell Terriers. They're really quite nice little dogs when they're not yapping, though.

Baker spends most of the day sleeping underneath the livingroom sofa and Bailey sleeps at my feet, wherever they happen to be. They are mellow, gentle little girls until someone comes in the house and then they go crazy with excitement, spinning and jumping in the air. The yapping occurs when they're let outside to do their business because first they have to make sure there are no other critters in their yard. My neighbors must curse me at 6 A.M.

I do like having them around, though, and for the duration of their stay I can pretend I'm talking to them instead of to myself. That helps the aging ego.

The Debate

I watched the vice presidential debate from beginning to end and this is my opinion.

Sarah Palin seems to be a very nice, intelligent lady who knows a lot about energy in Alaska but in no way is equipped to be second in command to the president of the United States. Joseph Biden is a tough cookie, intelligent and well versed on American and foreign politics. He knows his stuff and I could live with him as potential president of the United States.

If by some horrible fluke Sarah Palin became president of the United States, I would be absolutely terrified.

Just my humble opinion!

Will Sarah Screw Up?

I'm not a political animal but I'm going to be one of the many watching the U.S. vice presidential debate tonight on T.V. In my case, I'll be hoping that Sarah Palin will make a total ass of herself. Mean? Probably.

Normally I have a very low opinion of politicians but I at least admit that most of them have a certain level of intelligence and understanding of their political role. Because I admire the capabilities of John McCain and would have voted for him if I were an American, I was aghast at his choice for running mate.

One thing that is very apparent about Sarah Palin is that she is a genious of double talk. Like many politicians when asked a question, they reply with a barrage of meaningless rhetoric that doesn't actually answer the question. It's kind of fun to watch once you are onto them.

The vice presidency of the U.S. is too important a position for someone like Palin, especially with the country in such a mess. It's really a travesty that her party chose her as the best they have to offer.

Now I'm going to settle in and watch the debate.

The Unreliable Daughter

I guess every family has at least one unreliable child and mine is my middle daughter, Cindy. She's the kindest, most loving child who would give you the shirt off her back and fight to the death for you but in everyday life she can't be counted on to do as she says she will.

Yesterday is a prime example. She'd phoned me last week and asked if I'd like to come with her to visit my granddaughter (her daughter) at university and I'd jumped at the chance. It's interesting to note that a few days ago I was mentioning this upcoming trip to my sister-in-law and added a little note, "IF she shows up". Well, I waited around all day yesterday...she was supposed to be here around 2:30 P.M....and, at 4:15 and just when I'd given up hope, the phone rang. Cindy had forgotten all about me and was about a 1/2 hour drive away but she was already late getting to the university. If she drove to my house it would take her out of her way. I was mad and let her know it. The truth is that this was something I'd suspected would happen because Cindy is...well, Cindy.

Before I started spending winters in Florida our family Xmas dinners were always held at my house. After too many years of having to hold off putting the food on the table because Cindy hadn't arrived, I began telling her that dinner was an hour earlier than it actually was. It worked and we only had to hold the hungry masses off for a shorter period of time.

It's not that she's lazy or disorganized. She simply tries to pack too many chores into the time allotted to her. I love her with all my heart and will always love her no matter what her failings are but I can't count on her and that's a sad reality.