We stopped at the Red Lobster for lunch in Wichita, Kansas, today to be met by our waitress Grace. She started off with, "How are WE today?" This WE business happens to be a pet peeve of mine, and I replied, "I don't know about you but I am .........." Then I explained how often one hears the WE business in nursing homes, and it again sounds to me like the care giver is taking care of a second class citizen. Ms. Grace said she thinks she does it because she is a mom and has small children and talks like that to them. The meal was good, and we left on a good note with Grace, but I wonder how the WE thing strikes you, the reader, and would love to hear what you think. Am I being too touchy?
To add to our woes with the motor home, we stopped in Wichita at an RV dealership to have them check out the slides, and, of course, they worked this time. Onward we went, to have a warning light come on the dashboard signaling low water and found a Freightliner shop here in Wichita, who will start this evening to look into our problem. It could be a bad engine seal or some system is putting air into the cooling system. It all sounds expensive. We have checked into a motel nearby after walking in a mall and have settled down to wait a phone call on the MH. Hopefully, we can be on our way tomorrow. Happy travels, WE have been better!!!!!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
On the Road Again
We got going early this morning. It was 27 degrees outside, and we unhooked the motor home in the still dark hours, but turning to daylight, and started off. The car got towed as usual, and we headed north by way of Fredericksburg and then cross country to Austin, where we picked up I-35 heading north. The motor home gulped down diesel fuel and sailed onward. It seemed like no time, and we were skirting Waco, Fort Worth, and Denton. We left our very dry state of Texas and crossed into Oklahoma. I almost broke into song but resisted singing the Roger's and Hammerstein's song, as I was afraid that Shirley Jones would not approve of my singing. HW2 whiled away the hours by doing lots of sudoku, solitaire, and surfing the net on her computer. We stopped for lunch at a truck stop after giving more diesel to the M H. Finally, we stopped north of Oklahoma City, being slightly more than half way on our trip to Omaha.
We pulled into a RV campground and learned that our bedroom slides are still not working. Battery problems??? We will stop in Wichita and see if an RV repair place there can help us. This may mean that we get into Omaha a day later, but we have to get this slide thing fixed. It is very frustrating to us both to have these problems, but problems happen, and you have to roll with the punches. So we shall see, but the MH did travel well today otherwise. I will keep you posted.
We pulled into a RV campground and learned that our bedroom slides are still not working. Battery problems??? We will stop in Wichita and see if an RV repair place there can help us. This may mean that we get into Omaha a day later, but we have to get this slide thing fixed. It is very frustrating to us both to have these problems, but problems happen, and you have to roll with the punches. So we shall see, but the MH did travel well today otherwise. I will keep you posted.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Cars I Have Owned
This may seem a bit crazy, but I was thinking about the cars I have owned and will list them here: 2 Trailblazers, 3 Suburbans, 2 Mustangs, 1 kit car, 3 Chryslers, l Mitsubishi, l Mazda truck, l Mercury wagon, 3 Volkswagens, l Ford, 1 Rambler, and 1 Datsun. The Ford was the first car and needed constant repair. The Chryslers were the most fancy until we got into Suburbans. The Mustangs were the most fun to drive, although the kit car caused a lot of attention since it looked like a 1929 convertible with a long bonnet, but it needed engine work. The Volkswagons were practical until the family grew too large. They all had their good and bad points. The Suburbans were the most comfortable ride although the Trailblazers are a close second. The most I owned at one time was three but we are down to one these days and do not need to have more.
I remember as a kid cutting out cars pictures from magazines and dreaming of the day when I would get my own car. I love to dicker and to trade cars but did not always like the endless car payments that were part of the process. I think that I like red or maroon colors for cars the best and six of these cars fell into that category including the current one. I do think a black Cadillac would be very classy but have never owned a Cadillac or a black car. One of the Chryslers was an Imperial and with its 484 horsepower could really tool down the road. That was a fun car to drive. When it was driven between a light pole and a fence and died, I was very sad and wanted to kill my son, who took the blame but was not driving, his friend was. That is another story, and I can get sad to this day over the demise of that car.
I think that many of us are tied up in some ways with our cars in terms of color, speed, and prestige of the name. I guess as we get more concerned with global warming, the new bragging points will become gas mileage and alternative fuel abilities. Change is a fact of life, but I will continue to dream of the 1967 gold Mustang convertible I once owned. I do miss that car.
I remember as a kid cutting out cars pictures from magazines and dreaming of the day when I would get my own car. I love to dicker and to trade cars but did not always like the endless car payments that were part of the process. I think that I like red or maroon colors for cars the best and six of these cars fell into that category including the current one. I do think a black Cadillac would be very classy but have never owned a Cadillac or a black car. One of the Chryslers was an Imperial and with its 484 horsepower could really tool down the road. That was a fun car to drive. When it was driven between a light pole and a fence and died, I was very sad and wanted to kill my son, who took the blame but was not driving, his friend was. That is another story, and I can get sad to this day over the demise of that car.
I think that many of us are tied up in some ways with our cars in terms of color, speed, and prestige of the name. I guess as we get more concerned with global warming, the new bragging points will become gas mileage and alternative fuel abilities. Change is a fact of life, but I will continue to dream of the 1967 gold Mustang convertible I once owned. I do miss that car.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
My Bloggy Friends
I have links to blogs that I enjoy reading, and today I have added Beth's blog. She is the bat Dr. that has been featured several times in my blog, and her husband Harold is another great friend.
Several years ago we agreed to participate in a Suppers Eight group at church, which would meet for dinner on the fifth Sunday of any month that had five Sundays. Our granddaughter Keilah thought it would be funny if we were put in the same group as her parents. Well, the selection was random, and we did get into the same group as our daughter Kristy and husband Tim. In addition, we found out that other members would be Beth and Harold, and Rachael and Dennis. The group was to function for one calendar year, and then we would get put in a new Suppers Eight group. Well, on the second year we were put with a new group, and they also became good friends, but we kept the old group going, as well.
Since Beth has decided to start a blog, all of us now are bloggers and now have become two of Beth's "Bloggy Friends." Congrats to Beth and welcome to this growing and fun way to communicate!
Several years ago we agreed to participate in a Suppers Eight group at church, which would meet for dinner on the fifth Sunday of any month that had five Sundays. Our granddaughter Keilah thought it would be funny if we were put in the same group as her parents. Well, the selection was random, and we did get into the same group as our daughter Kristy and husband Tim. In addition, we found out that other members would be Beth and Harold, and Rachael and Dennis. The group was to function for one calendar year, and then we would get put in a new Suppers Eight group. Well, on the second year we were put with a new group, and they also became good friends, but we kept the old group going, as well.
Since Beth has decided to start a blog, all of us now are bloggers and now have become two of Beth's "Bloggy Friends." Congrats to Beth and welcome to this growing and fun way to communicate!
1421: The Year China Discovered America
Gavin Menzies has written a blockbuster book on China discovering America in 1421. Zhu Di, a Ming Dynasty Emperor relocated the Chinese capital to what is now Beijing from Nanjing, rebuilt and extended the Great Wall of China from 5000 to 6400 kilometres. In addition to this and other major works of canal building, he decided to build and send out thousands of ships to explore and map the world. He sent this armada out in 1421. In the following two and a half years the fleet would circumnavigate Antarctica, map the shorelines of all of the continents, and develop an understanding of latitude. They had already correctly calculated longitude. While they had no way to measure currents carrying these ships, when the currents are taken into account, any discrepancy between today's maps and their maps disappears.
They left many settlements on the coasts of many lands, buildings that still exist today including lighthouses. Wrecks of ships have been discovered and dated to the 1420's and Ming china shards are located over wide areas. European explorers discovered people with Chinese coloring and clothing styles, and they actually found one small group that spoke Chinese.
Since the Europeans wanted to be the first to find and explore the new worlds, they looked at any discoveries through the self-imposed lens of what they wanted to see rather than what they actually found. Chinese poultry and an indigeneous rose is found in the Americas. Chinese took back unusual animals for their zoo and recorded them at the time. I have found this book to be fascinating, if a bit tedious, to read and wonder if it is not time to set the historical record straight, giving credit to Chinese and Viking explorers rather than just celebrating Columbus (who thought he had traveled to India).
This book was on the New York Times Best Seller List, published in 2003 by Harper Perennial Press. It is well worth your reading. Have you found a book that you feel others must read? Let me know since I like to read about and learn new ideas and things.
They left many settlements on the coasts of many lands, buildings that still exist today including lighthouses. Wrecks of ships have been discovered and dated to the 1420's and Ming china shards are located over wide areas. European explorers discovered people with Chinese coloring and clothing styles, and they actually found one small group that spoke Chinese.
Since the Europeans wanted to be the first to find and explore the new worlds, they looked at any discoveries through the self-imposed lens of what they wanted to see rather than what they actually found. Chinese poultry and an indigeneous rose is found in the Americas. Chinese took back unusual animals for their zoo and recorded them at the time. I have found this book to be fascinating, if a bit tedious, to read and wonder if it is not time to set the historical record straight, giving credit to Chinese and Viking explorers rather than just celebrating Columbus (who thought he had traveled to India).
This book was on the New York Times Best Seller List, published in 2003 by Harper Perennial Press. It is well worth your reading. Have you found a book that you feel others must read? Let me know since I like to read about and learn new ideas and things.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Call 911 Road Kill
Call 911, there is road kill! This is a frequent occurrence here in the Texas Hill Country. Speed limits even on the two lane roads frequently are 70mph, and when a deer or small animal attempts to cross the road, there can be a sad end for the animal. Today we were driving into the Hill Country to the west of Kerrville, visiting in the Hunt area. The drive is beautiful following the Guadalupe River as it twists and winds through the hills. We spotted a young deer that had been recently killed, and what made it so different was the 12 to 15 vultures waiting alongside for lunch. We had another run in with a vulture when traveling from Texas to Albuquerque, where not all the vultures got away quickly enough, and one landed on our front window and smashed it. How he managed to stay outside the vehicle was a mystery, but he severely damaged the window, and it had to be replaced. With that experience in the back of my mind, I drove quite carefully by the deer and his lunch party of vultures. They barely even looked up and certainly did not take to the air. Down the road, less than a mile later was another animal, this time a raccoon, and he was being lunch for another group of 8 to 10 vultures.
It was as though the vultures had a direct line to 911, had heard the call, and decided to check out the poor animal for their next meal. I guess this is nature's way of cleaning up the environment, but it did seem quite bloodthirsty. I never expected to see so many of these birds in one place, but when 911 calls, frequently you get multiple responses. How do these birds communicate???? Happy travels, but watch out for and try not to kill innocent critters trying to cross the road.
It was as though the vultures had a direct line to 911, had heard the call, and decided to check out the poor animal for their next meal. I guess this is nature's way of cleaning up the environment, but it did seem quite bloodthirsty. I never expected to see so many of these birds in one place, but when 911 calls, frequently you get multiple responses. How do these birds communicate???? Happy travels, but watch out for and try not to kill innocent critters trying to cross the road.
Five Favorite Foreign Cities
I have been fortunate to travel abroad several times and to be able to visit cities in other countries. My top five picks for favorite cities include: London, Paris, Rome, Victoria, and Florence. If I had been able to travel even more, I am sure that other cities would make this list, but I have not made it to all the places I would like to visit. We have a long list of places we would like to visit, and slowly we travel our way through the list.
London is a favorite to visit because you get to see Parliament, Big Ben, the London Museum, Buckingham Palace, lots of pubs, and the tube (where you are reminded to, "Mind the gap.") You can ride double decker buses and visit with friendly people, chat up bobbys, ride in black cabs, but best of all sample good beer, bangors and mash in the pubs.
Paris is simply beautiful, graced by the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Seine winding through the city with a river life of its own. Who can pass up cafe au lait and freshly made croissants? You can sit at an outdoor cafe for breakfast or have a drink later in the day and watch the passing scene. Flowers seem to grace stalls everywhere and perfume the air. The city is loaded with magnificant art museums, historical buildings, and commemorative arches to explore. The subway system is easy to understand and quickly enables you to get anywhere you want. Of course, you have to see the Eiffel Tower and see a smaller replica of the Statue of Liberty. One time while we were there and shopping, Queen Elizabeth was driven by in her car after completing a state visit to France. We waved as did many others.
Rome is all about history. If you ever studied Latin, you heard about the forum, Colliseum, Agora, Appian Way, Catecombs, Vatican, and so much more. To be able to visit the Sistine Chapel is a once in a lifetime treat. Everywhere you are treated to fountains, and you have to throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain so that you will return to this beautiful city some day. Then there is the wonderful Italian cooking, which is very reasonable and magnificant. The beer is only so-so since wine-making is the passion both here and in France.
Victoria is a gem of a city in Western Canada on an island in Puget Sound. The easy way is to get there by ferry, and then you get to visit fabulous Buchart Gardens and sample the excellent food. Everywhere there are vistas with the ocean as a backdrop. The pace of life is delightful, as no one seems to be in a hurry.
How can you not fall in love with Florence? There are statues everywhere and magnificant museums and churches to visit. The roar of the ever present motor scooters adds to the din but does not detract from the environment. If you want to purchase fine leather goods, this is the city in which to do that. Afternoon spent in a cafe with a beer or glass of wine is only enhanced by being able to watch the lively passing scene. I think if I were a painter of fine art, I would have to study and live here for as long as my budget could support me.
As I said earlier, you could easily add other cities to this list as your travels unfold and you were able to visit them. Many cities have an ambiance that seems to define them in a unique way and frequently draws you to return to furthur sample their unique way of life. Travel, travel, travel!!!!!!
London is a favorite to visit because you get to see Parliament, Big Ben, the London Museum, Buckingham Palace, lots of pubs, and the tube (where you are reminded to, "Mind the gap.") You can ride double decker buses and visit with friendly people, chat up bobbys, ride in black cabs, but best of all sample good beer, bangors and mash in the pubs.
Paris is simply beautiful, graced by the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Seine winding through the city with a river life of its own. Who can pass up cafe au lait and freshly made croissants? You can sit at an outdoor cafe for breakfast or have a drink later in the day and watch the passing scene. Flowers seem to grace stalls everywhere and perfume the air. The city is loaded with magnificant art museums, historical buildings, and commemorative arches to explore. The subway system is easy to understand and quickly enables you to get anywhere you want. Of course, you have to see the Eiffel Tower and see a smaller replica of the Statue of Liberty. One time while we were there and shopping, Queen Elizabeth was driven by in her car after completing a state visit to France. We waved as did many others.
Rome is all about history. If you ever studied Latin, you heard about the forum, Colliseum, Agora, Appian Way, Catecombs, Vatican, and so much more. To be able to visit the Sistine Chapel is a once in a lifetime treat. Everywhere you are treated to fountains, and you have to throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain so that you will return to this beautiful city some day. Then there is the wonderful Italian cooking, which is very reasonable and magnificant. The beer is only so-so since wine-making is the passion both here and in France.
Victoria is a gem of a city in Western Canada on an island in Puget Sound. The easy way is to get there by ferry, and then you get to visit fabulous Buchart Gardens and sample the excellent food. Everywhere there are vistas with the ocean as a backdrop. The pace of life is delightful, as no one seems to be in a hurry.
How can you not fall in love with Florence? There are statues everywhere and magnificant museums and churches to visit. The roar of the ever present motor scooters adds to the din but does not detract from the environment. If you want to purchase fine leather goods, this is the city in which to do that. Afternoon spent in a cafe with a beer or glass of wine is only enhanced by being able to watch the lively passing scene. I think if I were a painter of fine art, I would have to study and live here for as long as my budget could support me.
As I said earlier, you could easily add other cities to this list as your travels unfold and you were able to visit them. Many cities have an ambiance that seems to define them in a unique way and frequently draws you to return to furthur sample their unique way of life. Travel, travel, travel!!!!!!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Serious Shocks
This afternoon the phone rang, and I managed to answer it, only to learn from a worker bee at our travel agency in Boston that a mistake had been made on one of our credit cards. Instead of putting a charge for $3,400 on our card, they had charged us $34,000. Further, it was snowing so badly in Boston, the home of this agency, that they could not correct the mistake until NEXT MONDAY!!!!! I was left speechless, since my mouth was open and nothing was coming out. The lady at the travel agency asked, "Are you still there?" I managed to say, "Yes."
She allowed that if I would get out my credit card and read her the phone number on the back of the card that we could manage a conference call with the credit card people. I quickly gave her the number and got put on hold listening to faint elevator style music. I did not panic but felt several heart attacks coming on. After all, why was my credit card even considering such a large addition that would put the card WAY OVER THE LIMIT, I MIGHT ADD.
We began the conference call with me listening to two ladies talking about what to do. It had been posted, pending something, maybe sainthood for me, which seems quite unlikely at this point. The ladies worked it out, and I finally got a chance to ask about the interest on the $34,000 over the weekend and was assurred that since it was pending, interest could not yet begin. WHEW!
The Boston agency lady assured me that they would recind the charge on Monday, and until all was cleared, they would not enter the correct charge. Ambulances and firetrucks left the area, pleased that I was not having a heart attack after all.
We only wanted to take a little trip and had paid most of the bill up front and put on this charge card any remaining balance. Whew! Jumpstart the pacemaker!!! We will see how Monday works out and wait for the call confirming that all has been corrected. Happy travels all!!!!
She allowed that if I would get out my credit card and read her the phone number on the back of the card that we could manage a conference call with the credit card people. I quickly gave her the number and got put on hold listening to faint elevator style music. I did not panic but felt several heart attacks coming on. After all, why was my credit card even considering such a large addition that would put the card WAY OVER THE LIMIT, I MIGHT ADD.
We began the conference call with me listening to two ladies talking about what to do. It had been posted, pending something, maybe sainthood for me, which seems quite unlikely at this point. The ladies worked it out, and I finally got a chance to ask about the interest on the $34,000 over the weekend and was assurred that since it was pending, interest could not yet begin. WHEW!
The Boston agency lady assured me that they would recind the charge on Monday, and until all was cleared, they would not enter the correct charge. Ambulances and firetrucks left the area, pleased that I was not having a heart attack after all.
We only wanted to take a little trip and had paid most of the bill up front and put on this charge card any remaining balance. Whew! Jumpstart the pacemaker!!! We will see how Monday works out and wait for the call confirming that all has been corrected. Happy travels all!!!!
My Ten Top Presidents List
I thoroughly enjoy finding lists of top Presidents. For years I have read biographies and autobiographies of our Presidents. HW1 and I like to visit the homes, libraries, and birth places of Presidents as we travel about this beautiful country. We haven't visited all of them, but we have made a considerable dent in our list. This is my personal viewpoint with my top ten Presidents. This is a chronological list, not a list of best to worst.
(1) George Washington. George in many ways put the flesh on the bones of the newly-created Presidency job established by the Constitution. He set the tone for the next 200 years for this important job. He steered us away from a monarchy style, tried to keep us out of war, and enabled our struggling country to begin the process of inventing itself. His leadership style became one to emulate.
(2) John Adams. Many of the ideas that were the basis for our Constitution came from John. He was willing to argue and fight for ideas that he felt would become the underpinnings of our developing nation. Although he was not able to work or play well with others, he was the second man selected for the job and deservedly so. Abigail kept him in line, and their partnership was extremely strong. She was as good a politician as he.
(3) Thomas Jefferson. He was truly a Renaissance man who was extremely wide-read and interested in many things. He brought to the job his amazing intellect and ability to put on paper, in words the rest of us can understand, the exciting and futuristic notions of government. He doubled the size of this country through the Louisiana Purchase and thus gave us room for expansion, as well as removing the threat of more interference from France in our newly developing country. His notions of liberty and government are timeless and fit today's situations perfectly.
(4) Abraham Lincoln. This man struggled to hold our country together through our bloodiest war. He managed a very diverse cabinet in such a way that while he sought their input, he never gave up his leadership. He was in charge. The Civil Was aged him deeply, and yet, he never lost his humanity and care for others. Reconstruction under Lincoln would have not been a bitter pill for the South. His writing ability has never been surpassed, his best example being The Gettysburg Address. He was the right man for his time.
(5) Theodore Roosevelt. He restored the Presidency and enabled our country to take on a world-wide role. He firmly moved us into the 20th century. His trust busting bully pulpit brought the office into a new role. He also understood how to use media for his own ends. He took the environment issues seriously and also finished the Panama Canal project, which enabled our country to more easily connect East and West coast for both economics and defense.
(6) Franklin D. Roosevelt. He is the only President to win more than two terms and is the reason we have term limits now. He was able to inspire this country and try anything that might get us out from the Great Depression of the 1930's. He was a master of the media of his times. His leadership style was well-suited to the times, because although we were very unwilling to get involved in another European conflict, yet it was impossible to stay neutral. Ultimately, after the Pearl Harbor attack, we came together under his leadership and fought and won WWII.
(7) Harry Truman. He was thrust into the job by the death of Roosevelt and rose to the occasion. He completed WWII, worked on the United Nations to get that going without the pitfalls of the League of Nations. He ordered the military to drop two atomic bombs which brought the war to a close, and by establishing the Marshall Plan, saved war-torn Europe from communism. He elected to assist the UN by going to war in Korea to stop communist aggression against South Korea. He fired Douglas MacArthur for insubordination to his commander in chief. What more could you ask from a man from Missouri?
(8) Dwight D. Eisenhower. This man brought his organizational skill to the job. He got us out of Korea and kept us out of war during his eight years in office. His ability to obfuscate any issue was one of his many splendid talents. He was willing to stop Communism in any way short of all out war. He alerted us to the dangers of the military-industrial complex and their related political agendas. Not bad for a general .
(9) Ronald Reagan. This man was a master of the media of his time. He set the leadership tone for his administration and focused on a few issues rather than too many. He delegated much of the business to others and expected them to get it done and done well. He challenged the Soviet Union by building up our military might and the Star War concept to the point that the Soviets could not keep up and began to implode. His ability to get along with other world leaders enabled him to get their backing when it was needed.
(10) George W. Bush. His success will need to undergo the spotlight of time and much reflection. He brought this country together after 9/11. He led us into a war in Afghanistan and in Iraq. His decision to take the war to terrorists rather than wait for them to bring the war to us is profound and has led us into a very different world. This is a war that will go on for generations until economic changes can be brought about to prevent people from feeling so disenfranchised that they can be influenced by radical terrorists. How this will work out is left to the future. I only hope that we are strong enough to stay the course.
This is my list and I have given some of the reasons why these particular ten Presidents were selected. I am sure that there are several other Presidents that could have made the top ten list and that you will agree with some of my choices and disagree with others. I would enjoy hearing your opinion on your top ten and reasons for their selection by you the reader. Have fun!
(1) George Washington. George in many ways put the flesh on the bones of the newly-created Presidency job established by the Constitution. He set the tone for the next 200 years for this important job. He steered us away from a monarchy style, tried to keep us out of war, and enabled our struggling country to begin the process of inventing itself. His leadership style became one to emulate.
(2) John Adams. Many of the ideas that were the basis for our Constitution came from John. He was willing to argue and fight for ideas that he felt would become the underpinnings of our developing nation. Although he was not able to work or play well with others, he was the second man selected for the job and deservedly so. Abigail kept him in line, and their partnership was extremely strong. She was as good a politician as he.
(3) Thomas Jefferson. He was truly a Renaissance man who was extremely wide-read and interested in many things. He brought to the job his amazing intellect and ability to put on paper, in words the rest of us can understand, the exciting and futuristic notions of government. He doubled the size of this country through the Louisiana Purchase and thus gave us room for expansion, as well as removing the threat of more interference from France in our newly developing country. His notions of liberty and government are timeless and fit today's situations perfectly.
(4) Abraham Lincoln. This man struggled to hold our country together through our bloodiest war. He managed a very diverse cabinet in such a way that while he sought their input, he never gave up his leadership. He was in charge. The Civil Was aged him deeply, and yet, he never lost his humanity and care for others. Reconstruction under Lincoln would have not been a bitter pill for the South. His writing ability has never been surpassed, his best example being The Gettysburg Address. He was the right man for his time.
(5) Theodore Roosevelt. He restored the Presidency and enabled our country to take on a world-wide role. He firmly moved us into the 20th century. His trust busting bully pulpit brought the office into a new role. He also understood how to use media for his own ends. He took the environment issues seriously and also finished the Panama Canal project, which enabled our country to more easily connect East and West coast for both economics and defense.
(6) Franklin D. Roosevelt. He is the only President to win more than two terms and is the reason we have term limits now. He was able to inspire this country and try anything that might get us out from the Great Depression of the 1930's. He was a master of the media of his times. His leadership style was well-suited to the times, because although we were very unwilling to get involved in another European conflict, yet it was impossible to stay neutral. Ultimately, after the Pearl Harbor attack, we came together under his leadership and fought and won WWII.
(7) Harry Truman. He was thrust into the job by the death of Roosevelt and rose to the occasion. He completed WWII, worked on the United Nations to get that going without the pitfalls of the League of Nations. He ordered the military to drop two atomic bombs which brought the war to a close, and by establishing the Marshall Plan, saved war-torn Europe from communism. He elected to assist the UN by going to war in Korea to stop communist aggression against South Korea. He fired Douglas MacArthur for insubordination to his commander in chief. What more could you ask from a man from Missouri?
(8) Dwight D. Eisenhower. This man brought his organizational skill to the job. He got us out of Korea and kept us out of war during his eight years in office. His ability to obfuscate any issue was one of his many splendid talents. He was willing to stop Communism in any way short of all out war. He alerted us to the dangers of the military-industrial complex and their related political agendas. Not bad for a general .
(9) Ronald Reagan. This man was a master of the media of his time. He set the leadership tone for his administration and focused on a few issues rather than too many. He delegated much of the business to others and expected them to get it done and done well. He challenged the Soviet Union by building up our military might and the Star War concept to the point that the Soviets could not keep up and began to implode. His ability to get along with other world leaders enabled him to get their backing when it was needed.
(10) George W. Bush. His success will need to undergo the spotlight of time and much reflection. He brought this country together after 9/11. He led us into a war in Afghanistan and in Iraq. His decision to take the war to terrorists rather than wait for them to bring the war to us is profound and has led us into a very different world. This is a war that will go on for generations until economic changes can be brought about to prevent people from feeling so disenfranchised that they can be influenced by radical terrorists. How this will work out is left to the future. I only hope that we are strong enough to stay the course.
This is my list and I have given some of the reasons why these particular ten Presidents were selected. I am sure that there are several other Presidents that could have made the top ten list and that you will agree with some of my choices and disagree with others. I would enjoy hearing your opinion on your top ten and reasons for their selection by you the reader. Have fun!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Five Favorite Cities to Visit in This Country
I guess I am doing the 'five' thing. Well, I would like to give you my five favorite cities to visit in this country: Washington D.C., San Francisco, New York City, Santa Fe, and Chicago.
I like (1) Washington because it is our nation's capital, and the buildings and monuments just keep getting better and better. The recent addition of the WWII monument is beautifully done and well worth the visit. The many Smithsonian Museums can be visited again and again. Touring the White House or Capitol, wonderful.
There is a special air about (2) San Francisco, and you feel it whether you drive in on the Golden Gate Bridge, ride the trolleys, or visit China Town. I have a latent fear of the great earthquake while I am visiting, and that seems to add to the excitement of the visit. There are wonderful vistas and the winding shortest street (Lombard Street) is a gem and fun to drive down.
(3) New York City really does seem to be the city that never sleeps. The man- made canyons are spectacular, and the crowds and deli's wonderful. The subway system works well, as does the bus system. There are many museums to visit, and, finally, there is the always-spectacular Central Park. What's not to visit?
Santa Fe (4) is in its own league. If you appreciate fine art, you will see it here. The New Mexican architecture and ristras and ever present brown, brown, brown are an invitation to give expression to your own artistic bent. Best of all is the New Mexican cuisine, and, finally, the friendly people who help you get from place to place.
I like Chicago (5) because it seem to epitomize the American city. Ride the elevated train, visit the wonderful ethnic restaurants, or take a drive along the Gold Coast or North Shore, and you are in for a treat. Let me know of your favorite city, and maybe I will lengthen this list a bit! Happy travels!
I like (1) Washington because it is our nation's capital, and the buildings and monuments just keep getting better and better. The recent addition of the WWII monument is beautifully done and well worth the visit. The many Smithsonian Museums can be visited again and again. Touring the White House or Capitol, wonderful.
There is a special air about (2) San Francisco, and you feel it whether you drive in on the Golden Gate Bridge, ride the trolleys, or visit China Town. I have a latent fear of the great earthquake while I am visiting, and that seems to add to the excitement of the visit. There are wonderful vistas and the winding shortest street (Lombard Street) is a gem and fun to drive down.
(3) New York City really does seem to be the city that never sleeps. The man- made canyons are spectacular, and the crowds and deli's wonderful. The subway system works well, as does the bus system. There are many museums to visit, and, finally, there is the always-spectacular Central Park. What's not to visit?
Santa Fe (4) is in its own league. If you appreciate fine art, you will see it here. The New Mexican architecture and ristras and ever present brown, brown, brown are an invitation to give expression to your own artistic bent. Best of all is the New Mexican cuisine, and, finally, the friendly people who help you get from place to place.
I like Chicago (5) because it seem to epitomize the American city. Ride the elevated train, visit the wonderful ethnic restaurants, or take a drive along the Gold Coast or North Shore, and you are in for a treat. Let me know of your favorite city, and maybe I will lengthen this list a bit! Happy travels!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Five Things To Laugh About Me
Daughter Kristy did a blog on five things her children laugh about her. There is a link to her blog on this page, so use it and see the funny things she relates. I tried to decide whether I might relate five things that people laugh about me, and it seems hard to come up with five things. But, I am going to try. (1) They laugh at how un-mechanical I am and have always been. I do prefer to hire out car repairs and the like. (2) My sister-in-law laughs at the BIG words I use. They just pop out and are mostly correctly used. I think it comes from reading, reading, reading. (3) My mom and wife both laugh at my inability to spell. This blogging program has a spell check, and I use it constantly and then HW2 goes over the blog for spelling and punctuation, correcting all with her English Teacher Eyes. (4) I think that some folks laugh more at my joke telling rather than the joke being told. I tend to want to quickly get to the punch line and to heck with all of the details of the joke. (5) My lack of athletic ability is true, and if folks laugh, they are right to do so.
I am sure if someone else were to write five things to laugh at me about, the list would probably be much different, but I bet it would generate a good laugh. Why not, for if you cannot laugh at yourself, then you are a mess and need to lighten up. Have a good laugh even at your own expense, and I guarantee you will feel better afterwards. Laugh away!!!!!
Now could you do five other things other than being laughed at? Why not, for example: favorite cities, restaurants, best friends, books read, favorite songs and the list goes on and on Maybe I will add some of these to this blog. Happy reading!
I am sure if someone else were to write five things to laugh at me about, the list would probably be much different, but I bet it would generate a good laugh. Why not, for if you cannot laugh at yourself, then you are a mess and need to lighten up. Have a good laugh even at your own expense, and I guarantee you will feel better afterwards. Laugh away!!!!!
Now could you do five other things other than being laughed at? Why not, for example: favorite cities, restaurants, best friends, books read, favorite songs and the list goes on and on Maybe I will add some of these to this blog. Happy reading!
A Stressful Day
Monday started out on a good note. We unhooked and closed up the slides of the motor home and went to get some diesel fuel so that we could make the short drive to Ancera Motors to have two of our awnings replaced. The sun gradually makes the awings brittle, and they have to be replaced. Imagine my surprise when I got the vehicle up onto I-10 to discover it would only go 25-30 mph up hills, and there are many hills in the Kerrville area. "What is happening?" I asked to no one. HW2 was following with the car so we could tour around San Antonio while the job on the motor home got done. At times like this, the motto is KEEP GOING. Taking about twice the amount of time, we finally pulled into Ancera RV repair to learn that they don't fix such problems, and we would have to take it to a second repair place (Freightliner). We left while the awnings were being replaced, and decided to walk through a very ritzy mall, get coffee and calm down. Easier said than done. Via cellphone we soon learned that only one awning had been ordered. In the early afternooon we picked up the motorhome and took it over to the second repair shop and discovered that we could hook up right there at Freightliner and stay the night in their gated community. At least we did not have to get a motel room.
Fortunately, HW1 learned that the clothing she wanted to buy was OUT OF HER PRICE RANGE and mine, too. Read her blog to see how much. WHEW! At that point my stress was going off the chart. I have now calmed down and hopefully the motor home will get fixed today, and we can get back to our lives in Kerrville until we head back to Omaha at the end of the month. This adventure continues!!!!!
Fortunately, HW1 learned that the clothing she wanted to buy was OUT OF HER PRICE RANGE and mine, too. Read her blog to see how much. WHEW! At that point my stress was going off the chart. I have now calmed down and hopefully the motor home will get fixed today, and we can get back to our lives in Kerrville until we head back to Omaha at the end of the month. This adventure continues!!!!!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Rain
It rained here in Texas quite a lot last spring and then not much until now. Consequently, we have been under a severe fire watch for much of this past month with grass and brush fires common in the San Antonio area. When I heard rain hitting the roof of our motor home, I hoped it would rain all day. The edge of this storm might produce snow and sleet but probably not here in Kerrville. They are also expecting high winds and possibly tornadoes. This is a day to pay attention to the weather announcments. Regardless, we are enjoying the rain and hope it puts an end to the fire watches.
The northeast of the country seems to continue to get snow and cold weather, which makes us thankful to be here where it usually stays much warmer. We did enjoy our visit during the Christmas holiday, and it seemed that it snowed where ever we went, so we got to enjoy the snow, as well. There is something about a white Christmas that cannot be beat.
The northeast of the country seems to continue to get snow and cold weather, which makes us thankful to be here where it usually stays much warmer. We did enjoy our visit during the Christmas holiday, and it seemed that it snowed where ever we went, so we got to enjoy the snow, as well. There is something about a white Christmas that cannot be beat.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen
Here in Kerrville, we are fortunate to have a new restaurant named Jazz. We have been there twice and both times decided to sit and order from the bar. Today we met the owner/manager John Watson and had a nice visit with him as he was training a new manager. Over twenty years ago the first Jazz was opened in Lubbock and currently there are six of these fine restaurants, including one in Omaha. They feature Louisiana cooking and specialize in fish and shell fish. Both times we have tried their fried oysters and they were wonderful. We definitely plan to return and when in Omaha look up the Jazz restaurant there. Waiters and waitresses were helpful, and the service excellent on both occasions. We think all the other five are in Texas, but when in the area encourage you to try and let us know what you think.
Naming your Global Positioning System
Last night in conversation with other travelers in our RV park we were talking at some point about Global Positioning Systems (GPS) or units. We have one that is portable and can be plugged into our car's or our motor home's cigarette lighter. Some people have built-in units in their vehicles because they probably have much newer vehicles than ours are. As we visited with the other travelers we discovered that everyone had named their GPS unit. We call our Maxine or Max for short. Other names were suggested and we heard of Betty and others but all were female names. I think that this is because the voice that is programmed into the unit is a female voice. This was not rock science on my part. But, I also refer to our vehicles in the female sense as well. This gets me to wondering whether you, the reader, names your vehicles and if you have a GPS unit, have you given it a name too? Do comment as I would love to hear from you on this very important speculation.
I really like Maxine and her ability to get us from one point to another when we are traveling. She does seem to get impatient with me when I do not turn exactly as she has suggested and then has to reconfigure. Some days I take a wrong turn just to hear her say, "Reconfiguring." When we are in new territory Maxine is a great help as we travel about. Happy travels!!!
I really like Maxine and her ability to get us from one point to another when we are traveling. She does seem to get impatient with me when I do not turn exactly as she has suggested and then has to reconfigure. Some days I take a wrong turn just to hear her say, "Reconfiguring." When we are in new territory Maxine is a great help as we travel about. Happy travels!!!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Needles and Resultant Words
HW2 is a brave person!!!!! Today we went to see an orthopedic doctor to have him look at her wrist, which has been hurting ever since our bike collision. She had it x-rayed while we were in Ann Arbor and they could find no evidence of a break. This Dr. thinks that there is a likely a tear in the cartiledge covering one of the wrist bones and attaching to the other. He decided to give her an injection of steriods to help with the swelling, and we come back in a week to see if that fixes the wrist. When he put the needle in the joint area, you could tell that it hurt HW2 very much and except for several ow's, no swearing mind you, although apparently it is allowed, she suffered through it. Now for the rest of today, it is a regimen of rest and ice. Since HW2 is actually following this advice, you know it hurts. I believe if it had been me receiving the treatment, that the swearing might just have occurred.
We did discuss what our favorite swear word might be on the way home. HW2 favors sh-t and I think I follow my young grandson's thoughts. Jonny commented that the word he had heard in The Christmas Story movie probably was not fudge but likely a much worse word. I am in his camp!!!!
We did discuss what our favorite swear word might be on the way home. HW2 favors sh-t and I think I follow my young grandson's thoughts. Jonny commented that the word he had heard in The Christmas Story movie probably was not fudge but likely a much worse word. I am in his camp!!!!
Poppies
When I was a kid there was an annual fund raiser where you were given a red paper poppie to pin on after you had made a donation probably for Memorial or Veteran's Day. As a kid I thought these paper poppies were quite cool. As an adult I was able to visit Europe and see the poppies growing wild in the fields of Flanders, and you could believe that there was a poppy for each fallen soldier of World War I and maybe even WWII. Pictures or paintings of poppies continue to interest me and catch my eye. At the November Weems Art Fest in Albuquerque, an artist had captured such a scene of poppies growing wild in the field, and I had to come back several times to enjoy her fine work.
When HW2 and I were visiting the island of Elba off the west side of Italy, we found some of these red poppies growing wild and brought some of the seed home with us, but they did not survive after two seasons. I would like to visit a real scene of poppies growing again. What a striking symbol for those who gave their lives so that we might enjoy our hard won liberties!
When HW2 and I were visiting the island of Elba off the west side of Italy, we found some of these red poppies growing wild and brought some of the seed home with us, but they did not survive after two seasons. I would like to visit a real scene of poppies growing again. What a striking symbol for those who gave their lives so that we might enjoy our hard won liberties!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
The Honeymoon Phase
In today's San Antonio Express - News, Tuesday, February 12, 2008, we found the following quote on the honeymoon phase. Eva Longoria said, "We're still in the honeymoon phase. I love him ---but I don't fart in front of him!" Eva is married to Tony Parker who plays foward for the Antonio Spurs. In her spare time she is also one of the cutie Desperate Housewives.
I am pleased that they are still in the honeymoon phase and wonder when the announcement will come that they have moved on to the next phase. Probably, there will not be an announcement, but it would be enlightening. Most of us married folks have learned to get along with a partner that has gas problems. There are several books out that imply that farts are funny, and I believe, for the most part, that would be true. Sometimes, no matter how much you try, they sneak out and then loudly announce their presence one way or another. So, Eva and Tony - enjoy this honeymoon phase as long as you can.
I am pleased that they are still in the honeymoon phase and wonder when the announcement will come that they have moved on to the next phase. Probably, there will not be an announcement, but it would be enlightening. Most of us married folks have learned to get along with a partner that has gas problems. There are several books out that imply that farts are funny, and I believe, for the most part, that would be true. Sometimes, no matter how much you try, they sneak out and then loudly announce their presence one way or another. So, Eva and Tony - enjoy this honeymoon phase as long as you can.
Sudoku
Do you Soduku? I am delightedly hooked on the popular number puzzle and hope that by doing it on a daily basis, I'll keep my Altzheimer's at bay. I do wonder how they make the puzzles in the first place and have my suspicions about those timed trials. I do not try to hurry through but methodically go through the puzzle and try to get to the end without making a mistake. I do find it frustrating when I get to a certain point and cannot any longer get rid of possibilities without guessing. If you have not tried it, I do encourage you to try and to encourage others. If crossword puzzles were as easy! Enjoy!!!!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day arrives this week. Are you prepared? Have you put up your Valentine's Day tree and decorated it? Are the presents all wrapped? Have you decided the menu for the meal? Did you get the outside lights up? They have some real nice lights in pinks and reds in heart shapes that really set off your decorations that can be bought at WallMart for $1.00 a strand and made in China, of course.
Every holiday that comes along gets these questions from HW2, tongue in cheek naturally. It does seem that commercials are designed to get you to spend spend spend for each and every holiday. I particularly like this holiday since it is also my birthday. When I was young, it frequently meant heart-shaped birthday cakes with pink frosting. I got tired of them. My favorite cake is layered brownies with frosting, of course. But best of all, I can share the day with my sweetie and give her trinkets and cards that spell out how we feel about each other. Now, that is fun.
This year we are going to a dinner dance here at our RV park. Last year they had about 400 people in attendance and had prime rib and a great time dancing. It should be fun, and we are looking foward to the evening. I am thinking that cowboy boots, hat, and levis are in order for the evening, and maybe I can get up the courage to try the cowboy two step. I will let you know how it all turns out.
Our niece Linda helps out her sister Emily and her family in their flower shop as this is a very busy holiday in the flower business. They are always glad for another pair of helping hands. So I hope you have a gift for your sweetie and maybe flowers and thoroughly enjoy Valentine's Day.
Every holiday that comes along gets these questions from HW2, tongue in cheek naturally. It does seem that commercials are designed to get you to spend spend spend for each and every holiday. I particularly like this holiday since it is also my birthday. When I was young, it frequently meant heart-shaped birthday cakes with pink frosting. I got tired of them. My favorite cake is layered brownies with frosting, of course. But best of all, I can share the day with my sweetie and give her trinkets and cards that spell out how we feel about each other. Now, that is fun.
This year we are going to a dinner dance here at our RV park. Last year they had about 400 people in attendance and had prime rib and a great time dancing. It should be fun, and we are looking foward to the evening. I am thinking that cowboy boots, hat, and levis are in order for the evening, and maybe I can get up the courage to try the cowboy two step. I will let you know how it all turns out.
Our niece Linda helps out her sister Emily and her family in their flower shop as this is a very busy holiday in the flower business. They are always glad for another pair of helping hands. So I hope you have a gift for your sweetie and maybe flowers and thoroughly enjoy Valentine's Day.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
This Is Your Life!
I can see and hear Ralph Edwards say, "This is your life, ________." Then the poor sucker picked for that particular show had to come onto the stage and sit there while all kinds of things were revealed about his/her life. I think this show was first on radio and later became a hit on television. Each week we tuned in to listen to the life of a person unfold. Usually, everyone was in on the surprise except for the victim. You would hear a voice in the background, and the victim had to figure out who was talking. It could be a long forgotten teacher or relative or good friend that you no longer had seen for years. Of course, the audience enjoyed the whole show and eagerly awaited the next bit of information. In later years the victim was frequently an entertainer or movie star, and that was even better because we always want to know more stuff about them.
I thought about Edwards because I was reflecting about this blog and others that I read, and I realized that blogs are a way to tell about our lives. We do not tell them in an organized way but skip around from topic to topic. However, as we comment and write out our thoughts, our lives are interwoven in the dialogue. It is better than a diary, since readers can read and comment if they wish. I have been surprised to discover that I really look foward to the reader comments as they seem to validate my point or thought, or, question something said. This in turn makes me re-evaluate and maybe refine a point here and there. Since memory is very selective at best, it is helpful to have someone say, "I do not remember that event at all. I know it went ....."
In this age of almost instant communication, it is fun to write my life and thoughts and hear from you, the reader. Thanks for reading, and please stay with me since, "This is My Life."
I thought about Edwards because I was reflecting about this blog and others that I read, and I realized that blogs are a way to tell about our lives. We do not tell them in an organized way but skip around from topic to topic. However, as we comment and write out our thoughts, our lives are interwoven in the dialogue. It is better than a diary, since readers can read and comment if they wish. I have been surprised to discover that I really look foward to the reader comments as they seem to validate my point or thought, or, question something said. This in turn makes me re-evaluate and maybe refine a point here and there. Since memory is very selective at best, it is helpful to have someone say, "I do not remember that event at all. I know it went ....."
In this age of almost instant communication, it is fun to write my life and thoughts and hear from you, the reader. Thanks for reading, and please stay with me since, "This is My Life."
Friday, February 8, 2008
Automats - The rest of the story
My good friend Susan sent me an update on Automats in New York City. It seems that the Horn and Hardart Automats did all close either from changing tastes or getting too expensive or too many culinary offerings. Now in the East Village of the city there is a revival called Bamm! Automat. Isn't that wonderful!!!! It makes me want to visit NYC in the near future just to try this revived automat called Bamm! I wonder if E'meril Live had anything to do with it since he is always going Bamm! Bamm on his cooking show.
Anyway, thank you's to Susan for this timely update. Happy travels all.
Anyway, thank you's to Susan for this timely update. Happy travels all.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
New York City's Automats
When I was about fourteen, through county extension, which meant 4-H work, I was picked to go on a week-long trip to New York City. I do not exactly remember how this came about, but I think I was picked as an alternate and selected late in the game. We were supposed to drive to the city, but I had missed the ride, and so Mom took me to a nearby airport, and I got to fly to the city. Now I had never flown in an airplane, which in this case turned out to be a propellar-driven plane. It was quite an experience for a kid off the farm, not well traveled, to be flying to the city. It was a clear day, and you could see the tiny roads and cars, and I was entranced. Suddenly, the plane banked and headed down. All I can remember was that it was going to crash, and I was going to die. Then we landed, and apparently I didn't die. Somehow I got from the airport, LaGuardia, probably by bus to my hotel and joined the other kids on this week- long adventure.
At some point we must have had free time, and I went with others to an Automat. They were something! There was a wall of chrome-encased small boxes with windows, and you could see all types of food in them. You put in the proper change, such as a nickel for a cup of coffee or a quarter for a piece of pie, the mechanism clicked, and you could open the door and take out the food you had selected, carry it to a counter or table and eat. What a wonderful adventure because you could choose anything! You could just have dessert or two hamburgers. It seemed to this naive young kid to be a wonderful adventure and invention.
At what point did the automats disappear? Were they too expensive, or did people get tired of them and move on to the next best restaurant idea? I never knew, but do miss the automat whenever I visit New York City. At least they have kept the New York State Building. Did you ever eat in an automat? Let me know. Happy travels!
At some point we must have had free time, and I went with others to an Automat. They were something! There was a wall of chrome-encased small boxes with windows, and you could see all types of food in them. You put in the proper change, such as a nickel for a cup of coffee or a quarter for a piece of pie, the mechanism clicked, and you could open the door and take out the food you had selected, carry it to a counter or table and eat. What a wonderful adventure because you could choose anything! You could just have dessert or two hamburgers. It seemed to this naive young kid to be a wonderful adventure and invention.
At what point did the automats disappear? Were they too expensive, or did people get tired of them and move on to the next best restaurant idea? I never knew, but do miss the automat whenever I visit New York City. At least they have kept the New York State Building. Did you ever eat in an automat? Let me know. Happy travels!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Helmeted, We Ride
We finally bought bike helmets, since son-in-law Chuck did not want to see either of us drooling after a bad bike accident that left us with the mind of a small monkey. It will take some getting used to, though. HW2 doesn't like having her hair messed up, and I had to mention the drooling bit to get her to actually wear it. We rode our bikes over to the office and caused a minor sensation with the hats, since they had not seen us wear them ever. Maybe HW2 will take a picture, preferably a self-portrait, and put it on her blog so you can get the full effect. In my day of bike riding, when we were kids, you just went for it and hoped to live for the next day. We all knew we were going to live forever anyway, and no one even had thought of helmets for kids, at least I never saw any, but we lived in rural upstate New York and had not heard of Hillary, either, except for some guy that wanted to climb Mount Everest. I do not know why anyone would want to do that, either. Now we know we are not going to live forever, as we get almost daily reminders, and there is another Hillary about, so, I guess helmets will have to be the safety item of choice if we are to ride our bikes and not drool in front of Chuck. Safe travels all!
200 & Dream Team Politics
This turns out to my 200th blog entry. When I got started doing a blog, I never gave it any thought such as getting to 200. At times it has been difficult to figure out what to blog about. Best of all was connecting with family and friends who have been kind enough to read and make occasional comments. Thanks for hanging in there with me as I travel happily through blog land.
Last night, HW2 and I watched the news people talk and talk and talk about Super Tuesday. I finally decided to help them save their voices and turned the tv off. In the middle of the night I did wonder how it finally shook out, so I checked AOL this morning and got caught up. I am afraid that we are in for months of this yadda yadda yadda and encourage you to turn it off when you can take no more of it. I think the Brits have it right, and this process should be restricted to six weeks of yadda yadda and then vote and get on with it. Think of all the money that would be saved and the phone calls during the evening meal that you could ignore while some worker bee tries to find out how you will vote or request your support or send money.
I have come up with an idea that is not at all new. McCain and Huckabee team up and agree to be pres and vp candidate for the Republicans, and Clinton and Obama do the same for the Democrats. That way we will not have to listen or turn off their yadda yadda occurring up to the conventions. They might even get their voices back by RESTING or VACATIONING, and we get to ignore them. By now most of us have made up our minds, and all we then are left to do is to VOTE in November. It is always important to vote even if you leave this section of the ballot blank because your favorite candidate did not make it this far.
Unfortunately we are in for yadda yadda for the next several months, and associated talking heads will try to show how smart they are by talking also. It is a good thing that I like to read and also own a tv clicker with a mute and an off button. I forsee much clicking here for the next few months. Maybe we should get back on the road and wander. Happy travels all.
Last night, HW2 and I watched the news people talk and talk and talk about Super Tuesday. I finally decided to help them save their voices and turned the tv off. In the middle of the night I did wonder how it finally shook out, so I checked AOL this morning and got caught up. I am afraid that we are in for months of this yadda yadda yadda and encourage you to turn it off when you can take no more of it. I think the Brits have it right, and this process should be restricted to six weeks of yadda yadda and then vote and get on with it. Think of all the money that would be saved and the phone calls during the evening meal that you could ignore while some worker bee tries to find out how you will vote or request your support or send money.
I have come up with an idea that is not at all new. McCain and Huckabee team up and agree to be pres and vp candidate for the Republicans, and Clinton and Obama do the same for the Democrats. That way we will not have to listen or turn off their yadda yadda occurring up to the conventions. They might even get their voices back by RESTING or VACATIONING, and we get to ignore them. By now most of us have made up our minds, and all we then are left to do is to VOTE in November. It is always important to vote even if you leave this section of the ballot blank because your favorite candidate did not make it this far.
Unfortunately we are in for yadda yadda for the next several months, and associated talking heads will try to show how smart they are by talking also. It is a good thing that I like to read and also own a tv clicker with a mute and an off button. I forsee much clicking here for the next few months. Maybe we should get back on the road and wander. Happy travels all.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Superbowl and good sportsmanship
Neither HW2 or I pay much attention to pro football, so we wondered who was even playing this year while deciding to watch the game. HW2 enjoys the commercials as do I, but we really enjoyed this game. After a bit of discussion, we decided to root for the NY Giants, but for no particular reason other than they were the underdog by 14 points. It quickly became apparent that the Giants really wanted to win and prove that they were number one. The game stayed close, and the scores seesawed back and forth making for a good game. Manning proved to be a great quarterback getting off some spectacular throws that finally won the game, since his equally talented teammates managed to catch these throws.
The game was over, and the coach of the Patriots left the field without shaking the hand of the coach of the Giants, and in postgame interviews he displayed his displeasure over losing. He managed to not be sportsmanlike and set a terrible example for all viewers.
In a game like football, there are winners and losers, and players, coaches, and fans need to learn how to lose and win gracefully. This is one of the important aspects of good sportsmanship. After this day or game or season, there will be other games, and people have long memories. I must say that it is a good thing that I am not the owner of the Patriots, because if I were, that coach would no longer be with my organization.
I hoped you managed to watch the game and enjoyed it, but I am particularly interested in your thoughts on this issue of good sportsmanship. Comments???
The game was over, and the coach of the Patriots left the field without shaking the hand of the coach of the Giants, and in postgame interviews he displayed his displeasure over losing. He managed to not be sportsmanlike and set a terrible example for all viewers.
In a game like football, there are winners and losers, and players, coaches, and fans need to learn how to lose and win gracefully. This is one of the important aspects of good sportsmanship. After this day or game or season, there will be other games, and people have long memories. I must say that it is a good thing that I am not the owner of the Patriots, because if I were, that coach would no longer be with my organization.
I hoped you managed to watch the game and enjoyed it, but I am particularly interested in your thoughts on this issue of good sportsmanship. Comments???
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Fredericksburg
This morning we decided to drive the 22 miles north to Fredericksburg. This is a community with a distinct German flavor and a main street with many stores filled with tourists throughout the year. (This is where we went for Ocktoberfest!) We quickly found a good place to park and began our walk up and down the street, looking for good stores and sales. We found a reasonable place for lunch, buffalo burgers and beer, and later were ready for the sales.
The phone rang with a local area code, and we wondered who was looking for us, hoping all was well at the RV place. It turned out to be the estate people where we had left a bid previously. Apparently, they had made a mistake, and we indeed had gotten one of our two bids. We promised to get back to Kerrville in the afternoon to pay for and pick up our merchandise. What fun!!!! We did our shopping, drove back to Kerrville, returned to the estate sale, and paid for our bid. It had turned out to be a lovely day with temperature in the 70's and not much wind, lots of sun, and, best of all, unexpectedly, we got our bid!
We stopped to get a few groceries at Walmart and returned home. Late in the afternoon, after a wonderful bike ride, we walked to the River Rock Saloon, which is located in the RV park, where I had a beer and HW2 a glass of wine. We met two guys there who had just arrived from Nebraska, and we found out that we had mutual friends. What a small world, and what a perfect end to a lovely day. Happy travels.
The phone rang with a local area code, and we wondered who was looking for us, hoping all was well at the RV place. It turned out to be the estate people where we had left a bid previously. Apparently, they had made a mistake, and we indeed had gotten one of our two bids. We promised to get back to Kerrville in the afternoon to pay for and pick up our merchandise. What fun!!!! We did our shopping, drove back to Kerrville, returned to the estate sale, and paid for our bid. It had turned out to be a lovely day with temperature in the 70's and not much wind, lots of sun, and, best of all, unexpectedly, we got our bid!
We stopped to get a few groceries at Walmart and returned home. Late in the afternoon, after a wonderful bike ride, we walked to the River Rock Saloon, which is located in the RV park, where I had a beer and HW2 a glass of wine. We met two guys there who had just arrived from Nebraska, and we found out that we had mutual friends. What a small world, and what a perfect end to a lovely day. Happy travels.
Estate Sales
As many of you know, we love to go to estate sales, and for many years this was a good way to add inventory to our antique business. In 2007 we decided to sell our inventory and close the antique business, as well as sell our Omaha house and return to full timing on the road in our motor home. Of course, we decided there was no purpose to continuing to attend the occasional estate sale since we no longer needed any inventory additions.
Two days ago we decided to take a break and go to an estate sale which had been advertised in the local paper. We put in some bids on a few items and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, coming home with a few treasures as well. Bids were up yesterday, so we decided to go back and see if we had won a bid or not.
On the way out of the RV park we noticed a large rig pulling into the main entrance of the park, followed by another rig waiting to pull in as well. We slowed down, as did most of the traffic, as we got near to the remaining rig when it started to pull in front of and across traffic. We managed to stop, and one car behind us slowed to a stop on our right. However, a Tracker vehicle speeded around us on the left, heading straight for the turning rig. He managed to careen to the left of the rig, went straight into the oncoming traffic, then managed to weave back in and around the rig. Believe me, our hearts were in our throats, and we were sure there was a terrible accident happening in front of our eyes. Somehow, the Tracker vehicle managed not to turn over as it wove through all the traffic and escaped, continuing down the road at a high speed. We wondered whether the person driving the turning rig knew what a mess he nearly caused by pulling out in front of oncoming traffic.
Still in a bit of a tizzy, we managed to return to the estate sale to learn that we had been outbid and so returned empty-handed. That was enough excitement for this day for sure. We decided that happy hour was in order, since it must be five o'clock somewhere. Maybe we should not go to estate sales. Who knows, but I hear there is a good one next weekend. We will keep you posted.
PS: Our bird feeder is up again, and the purple or raspberry finch was very pretty.
Two days ago we decided to take a break and go to an estate sale which had been advertised in the local paper. We put in some bids on a few items and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, coming home with a few treasures as well. Bids were up yesterday, so we decided to go back and see if we had won a bid or not.
On the way out of the RV park we noticed a large rig pulling into the main entrance of the park, followed by another rig waiting to pull in as well. We slowed down, as did most of the traffic, as we got near to the remaining rig when it started to pull in front of and across traffic. We managed to stop, and one car behind us slowed to a stop on our right. However, a Tracker vehicle speeded around us on the left, heading straight for the turning rig. He managed to careen to the left of the rig, went straight into the oncoming traffic, then managed to weave back in and around the rig. Believe me, our hearts were in our throats, and we were sure there was a terrible accident happening in front of our eyes. Somehow, the Tracker vehicle managed not to turn over as it wove through all the traffic and escaped, continuing down the road at a high speed. We wondered whether the person driving the turning rig knew what a mess he nearly caused by pulling out in front of oncoming traffic.
Still in a bit of a tizzy, we managed to return to the estate sale to learn that we had been outbid and so returned empty-handed. That was enough excitement for this day for sure. We decided that happy hour was in order, since it must be five o'clock somewhere. Maybe we should not go to estate sales. Who knows, but I hear there is a good one next weekend. We will keep you posted.
PS: Our bird feeder is up again, and the purple or raspberry finch was very pretty.
Friday, February 1, 2008
High Wind
I mentioned in my previous blog that a high wind could put my sales tax work in serious trouble since it could blow my receipts to kingdom come, and there goes that deduction. We have been having high gusty wiinds for several days now, but I put a good rubber band around my sales tax receipts, and although the motor home has been shaken a bit, so far my receipts are safe.
The wind has raised considerable dust and a very high cedar pollen count (which is causing HW2 much misery), and raised the fire danger level to extreme. We are under a no burn order for much of this part of Texas which means no barbequing outside, among other restraints. There were several fires here and smoke in the air as well yesterday. I think this area is in serious need of rain. Jennifer, our tv weather girl, says that the winds will die down for the weekend, but there is no rain in the forecast. Jennifer is as good as Jim Flowers in Omaha, so we believe much of what she relates to us.
Right now it is cold and we will have to bundle up for our morning walk but no wind till noon. I guess I had better end this report and get my walking shoes on. Happy travels!
The wind has raised considerable dust and a very high cedar pollen count (which is causing HW2 much misery), and raised the fire danger level to extreme. We are under a no burn order for much of this part of Texas which means no barbequing outside, among other restraints. There were several fires here and smoke in the air as well yesterday. I think this area is in serious need of rain. Jennifer, our tv weather girl, says that the winds will die down for the weekend, but there is no rain in the forecast. Jennifer is as good as Jim Flowers in Omaha, so we believe much of what she relates to us.
Right now it is cold and we will have to bundle up for our morning walk but no wind till noon. I guess I had better end this report and get my walking shoes on. Happy travels!
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