Saturday, June 30, 2007

One Stormy night...

HERE IT COMES.....flag whipping in the air... clouds coming over the mountain.



As some of the clouds start to drop towards the ground...

after that, we were too busy catching flying objects in the yard, and the tarp on the temp garage. we lost the battle. But were a lot luckier than some of our neighbors in the town.

At the Kootenai town park... one of the old trees falls to the pressure.....


Friday, June 29, 2007

HANDS...

Where are your hands when you are
talking? As a people watcher.. I can
see that most people talk with their
hands even though their voices work quite
well.

Most children don't, so I have to wonder
what age do we start. We know teen girls
really do talk with their hands. To the point
you wonder if they could talk at all if their
hands were tied behind them.

And then there are people who are like me.
I have my hands in my pocket most of the
time while I talk or listen.

I watched and I truly can't tell you women
are worse than men, but it seems like
they are more likely. And the more intense
the conversation, the more the hands go.

One woman scared me to death with hers.
She had a cell phone in one hand and ear,
the other hand was gesturing quite a bit...
So why was it scary? Because she was
driving and I was wondering if she was
going to stop at the stop sign.

So where are your hands when you talk?

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Dirty Jobs- Project #3

By dirty job, I don't mean that I will
get dirty, although that is a possibility.

Dirty job, meaning, it is a job I don't like
to do, I postpone it for ever. Most people do.
Even though you know it has to be done,
you will go and stack more instead. It is
worse than cleaning out your files or filing
your papers you put in the box to be filed.

It is cleaning out your garage. AAHHHHHH!!
We have two garages. The big garage I could
care less how it is, if it is clean or whatever.
That is the big garage... that is the KING'S
garage.

The little garage is the one that came with the
place. I can't really say it is a one car garage
as it would have to be a VW Beetle, if it is.

This garage was suppose to be clean out 7
years ago when the big garage was built. As
the King would always call the little one, my
garage. And I would always hear about "when
I get my BIG garage" you can have that dinky one.

The new garage was built, and some of the stuff
did leave. But no way, did he take enough. The
place is still full. We have seen the middle about
3 different times. For short spans. Because like a
table, it becomes a catch all. Open the big door,
place what ever you bought from the store, yard
sale, friend gave you, and etc. in there, and close
the door.

There is even boxes there that have not been open
since we moved here in 1998. My idea is if we don't
know what is in there, and having used it for almost
10 years, then we don't need it. But I know we will
open it. And you know how that goes. You end up
keeping 80% of the stuff.

Well, project # 3. Clean out the garage. We have
put up a temporary garage in front of it. It is one
of those ones with a frame and tarps. We have
closed the end of it, so no one can see it. My
idea is to go thru the wood garage, place the
"get rid of stuff, that is too good to throw away"
in the temp. And when we are done, open up the
end and place a yard sale sign up.

We started today to clean out the wood garage.
What a joke. There is so much stuff in there, that
we were just moving it from side to side. Got to
come up with a better plan.

So tomorrow, we will clean out one corner.
Then place the keep stuff there, and put the
other in the temp. And throw away the junk.

That is the plan... will let you know next
week how we do. This is going to be at least
a week, maybe two week project. God I hate
junk/good stuff.

Then again, my idea of good stuff and the KING'S
idea of good stuff, is not very close.. That could
be a problem. But I have told him if it is so good,
he can put it in HIS garage... he is getting better
about letting go.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Cart Pushers

I like to people watch. Have done it a long time.
I have a friend who lives in France now.
She and I would go get coffee while our
husbands went to have beers... and we would
watch the people. Mostly drunks who came
out of the bar and into the restaurants.

Now I do it while waiting. Waiting in line
or whatever. At the grocery store I notice
that there are different kinds of cart pushers.

Most teens are NASCAR type pushers. Men
are determine cart pushers or embarrassed
cart pushers. They are the ones who walk along
the side of the cart, with their hand on the middle
of the cart.. like they are taking it because they
need it, but not really want to be seen with it.

Little kids push with not a care in the world.
And proud because they get to do it. But they
aren't very good at it as they run over what ever
is nearby.

Women are the type who push them with drudgery.
Especially if they have kids with them. Usually it is
full, and I don't know if it is the weight of the cart or
of life, or life with the kids, that makes them push
slowly, and forcible.


I only push one when I am alone. As the King
prefers to push the cart. I am go in and get the
items and get out. So to have to push the cart,
is too bulky to get up and down the aisles. So
I am fine with getting the item, go to the cart and
dump it in, and get the next item.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Pray for Casey

I found this in my stash of many items to save.
I don't remember who sent it to me. So I am going
to put it here for horse lovers.... Author is unknown.
But I am also using it as a prayer for Casey, Marianne's
horse who isn't doing well.

For the Love of a Horse

God gives us horses and compels some of us to love them.
Yet why does the horse, an animal with such a big heart,
live such a short life?
Perhaps it's because if our horses lived any longer, we
wouldn't be able to bear losing them. Or, perhaps it's
because God wants to ride.

Perhaps God looks down on the fine horses we raise
and decides when it's His turn to ride. He gives us a few
good years to care for and learn from them, but when
the time is right, it's up to us to see them off gracefully.
OK, perhaps not gracefully. Blowing into a Kleenex is
rarely graceful. But we can be grateful.

To have a horse in your life is a gift. In the matter of a
few short years, a horse can teach a girl courage, if she
chooses to grab mane and hang on for dear life. Even the
smallest of ponies is mightier than the tallest of girls. To
conquer the fear of falling off, having one's toes crushed,
or being publicly humiliated at a horse show is an admirable
feat for any child. For that, we can be grateful.

Horses teach us responsibility. Unlike a bicycle - or a
computer - a horse needs regular care and most of it requires
that you get dirty and smelly and up off the couch.
Choosing to leave your cozy kitchen to break the crust of
ice off the water buckets is to choose responsibility. When
our horses dip their noses and drink heartily, we know
we've made the right choice.

Learning to care for a horse is both an art and a science.
Some are easy keepers, requiring little more than regular
turn-out, a flake of hay, and a trough of clean water.
Others will test you - you'll struggle to keep them from
being too fat or too thin. You'll have their feet shod regularly
only to find shoes gone missing. Some are so accident-prone
you'll swear they're intentionally finding new ways to injure themselves.

If you weren't raised with horses, you can't know that they
have unique personalities. You'd expect this from dogs, but
horses? Indeed, there are clever horses, grumpy horses, and
even horses with a sense of humor. Those prone to humor will
test you by finding new ways to escape from the barn when you
least expect it. I found one of ours on the front porch one
morning, eating the cornstalks I'd carefully arranged as
Halloween decorations.

Horses can be timid or brave, lazy or athletic, obstinate or
willing. You will hit it off with some horses and others will elude
you altogether. There are as many "types" of horses as there
are people - which makes the whole partnership thing all the
more interesting.

If you've never ridden a horse, you probably assume it's a simple
thing you can learn in a weekend. You can, in fact, learn the basics
on a Sunday - but to truly ride well takes a lifetime. Working with
a living being is far more complex than turning a key in the ignition
and putting the car in "drive."

In addition to listening to an instructor, your horse will have a
few things to say to you as well. On a good day, he'll be happy to
go along with the program and tolerate your mistakes; on a bad
day, you'll swear he's trying to kill you. Perhaps he's naughty or
perhaps he's fed up with how slowly you're learning his language.

Regardless, the horse will have an opinion. He may choose to
challenge you (which can ultimately make you a better rider) or
he may carefully carry you across streams...if it suits him. It all
depends on the partnership - and partnership is what it's all about.

If you face your fears, swallow your pride, and are willing to
work at it, you'll learn lessons in courage, commitment, and compassion,
in addition to basic survival skills. You'll discover just how hard
you're willing to work toward a goal, how little you know, and how
much you have to learn. And, while some people think the horse
"does all the work", you'll be challenged physically as well as mentally.

Your horse may humble you completely. Or, you may find that sitting
on his back is the closest you'll get to heaven.

You can choose to intimidate your horse, but do you really want to?
The results may come more quickly, but will your work ever be as
graceful as that gained through trust? The best partners choose to
listen, as well as to tell. When it works, we experience a sweet sense
of accomplishment brought about by smarts, hard work, and mutual
understanding between horse and rider. These are the days when you
know with absolute certainty that your horse is enjoying his work.

If we make it to adulthood with horses still in our lives, most of us have
to squeeze riding into our over saturated schedules; balancing our
need for things equine with those of our households and employers.
There is never enough time to ride, or to ride as well as we'd like.
Hours in the barn are stolen pleasures.

If it is in your blood to love horses, you share your life with them.
Our horses know our secrets; we braid our tears into their manes
and whisper our hopes into their ears. A barn is a sanctuary in an
unsettled world, a sheltered place where life's true priorities are clear:
a warm place to sleep, someone who loves us, and the luxury of regular
meals...Some of us need these reminders.

When you step back, it's not just about horses - its about love, life,
and learning. On any given day, a friend is celebrating the birth of a
foal, a blue ribbon, or recovery from an illness. That same day,
there is also loss: a broken limb, a case of colic, or a decision to
sustain a life or end it gently. As horse people, we share the accelerated
life cycle of horses: the hurried rush of life, love, loss, and death that
caring for these animals brings us. When our partners pass, it is more
than a moment of sorrow.

We mark our loss with words of gratitude for the ways our lives have
been blessed. Our memories are of joy, awe, and wonder. Absolute union.
We honor our horses for their brave hearts, courage, and willingness to give.
To those outside our circle, it must seem strange. To see us in our muddy
boots, who would guess such poetry lives in our hearts? We celebrate our
companions with praise worthy of heroes. Indeed, horses have the hearts
of warriors and often carry us into and out of fields of battle.

Listen to stories of that once-in-a-lifetime horse; of journeys made and
challenges met. The best of horses rise to the challenges we set before
them, asking little in return.
Those who know them understand how fully a horse can hold a human
heart. Together, we share the pain of sudden loss and the lingering taste
of long-term illness. We shoulder the burden of deciding when or whether
to end the life of a true companion.
In the end, we're not certain if God entrusts us to our horses or our
horses to us. Does it matter? We're grateful God loaned us the horse in
the first place. And so we pray:

''Dear God,
After You've enjoyed a bit of riding, please give our fine horses the
best of care. And, if it's not too much, might we have at least one more
good gallop when we meet again?"
May God Bless You and Yours.


Author - Unknown


UPDATE.....
Casey passed away....may he R.I.P.

Monday, June 25, 2007

June 25th... a salute for Marianne


Here is two old galpals with a 60 BIRTHDAY SALUTE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
and only 40 more to go... for the big one.

Happy Birthday, dear Marianne....
of Slight Detour (go to the links and click)

Now for those who want to wish her well,
or just want to razz her....
malove@imbris.net

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Monday morning....

Marianne Love turns 60
on Monday morning....
if you want to wish her a happy 60th...
or to razz her...
here is her email address...
malove@imbris.net

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Trivial information

A lot of us have Sitemeter to keep tabs on
how many people look in on our blogs.
Also you can check on where they are.

So yesterday I was doing that and came
across this... very interesting... You can
skip the dull stuff... but a lot of it is so
interesting.. only regret I had was some
of it is 3 years old and some of it 5. So
if you have nothing to do this Saturday,
browse thru it... Lots of stuff I didn't know
about the good old USA.

United States (Facts)
Country Facts for United States
Introduction Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues
Introduction
Top
Background:
Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.
Geography
Top
Location:
North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico
Geographic coordinates:
38 00 N, 97 00 W
Map references:
North America
Area:
total: 9,631,418 sq km land: 9,161,923 sq km water: 469,495 sq km note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia
Area - comparative:
about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; almost two and a half times the size of the European Union
Land boundaries:
total: 12,034 km border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,141 km note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 29 km
Coastline:
19,924 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: not specified
Climate:
mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains
Terrain:
vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Death Valley -86 m highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m
Natural resources:
coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber
Land use:
arable land: 19.13% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 80.65% (2001)
Irrigated land:
214,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development
Environment - current issues:
air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; limited natural fresh water resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes
Geography - note:
world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent
People
Top
Population:
295,734,134 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.6% (male 31,095,725/female 29,703,997) 15-64 years: 67% (male 98,914,382/female 99,324,126) 65 years and over: 12.4% (male 15,298,676/female 21,397,228) (2005 est.)
Median age:
total: 36.27 years male: 34.94 years female: 37.6 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.92% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
14.14 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:
8.25 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:
3.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.5 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.17 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.71 years male: 74.89 years female: 80.67 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.08 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
950,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
14,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: American(s) adjective: American
Ethnic groups:
white 81.7%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native 1%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.2% (2003 est.) note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American descent (including persons of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin) living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.)
Religions:
Protestant 52%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 1%, other 10%, none 10% (2002 est.)
Languages:
English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1999 est.)
Government
Top
Country name:
conventional long form: United States of America conventional short form: United States abbreviation: US or USA
Government type:
Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition
Capital:
Washington, DC
Administrative divisions:
50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Dependent areas:
American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a political relationship with all four political units: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994)
Independence:
4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 July (1776)
Constitution:
17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789
Legal system:
federal court system based on English common law; each state has its own unique legal system, of which all but one (Louisiana's) is based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each state; president and vice president serve four-year terms; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008) election results: George W. BUSH reelected president; percent of popular vote - George W. BUSH (Republican Party) 50.9%, John KERRY (Democratic Party) 48.1%, other 1.0%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, one-third are renewed every two years; two members are elected from each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2006); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 55, Democratic Party 44, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 231, Democratic Party 200, undecided 4
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for life on condition of good behavior by the president with confirmation by the Senate); United States Courts of Appeal; United States District Courts; State and County Courts
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Howard DEAN]; Green Party [leader NA]; Libertarian Party [Steve DAMERELL]; Republican Party [Ken MEHLMAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
AfDB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-5, G-7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Flag description:
13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico
Economy
Top
Economy - overview:
The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $40,100. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy considerably greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to entry in their rivals' home markets than the barriers to entry of foreign firms in US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The response to the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 showed the remarkable resilience of the economy. The war in March/April 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq, and the subsequent occupation of Iraq, required major shifts in national resources to the military. The rise in GDP in 2004 was undergirded by substantial gains in labor productivity. The economy suffered from a sharp increase in energy prices in the second half of 2004. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, sizable trade and budget deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $11.75 trillion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.4% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $40,100 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.9% industry: 19.7% services: 79.4% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
147.4 million (includes unemployed) (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
farming, forestry, and fishing 0.7%, manufacturing, extraction, transportation, and crafts 22.7%, managerial, professional, and technical 34.9%, sales and office 25.5%, other services 16.3% note: figures exclude the unemployed (2004)
Unemployment rate:
5.5% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
12% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 30.5% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
45 (2004)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
15.7% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.862 trillion expenditures: $2.338 trillion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Public debt:
65% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; forest products; fish
Industries:
leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining
Industrial production growth rate:
4.4% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:
3.839 trillion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 71.4% hydro: 5.6% nuclear: 20.7% other: 2.3% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
3.66 trillion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:
13.36 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:
36.23 billion kWh (2002)
Oil - production:
7.8 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:
19.65 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA
Oil - imports:
NA
Oil - proved reserves:
22.45 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:
548.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
640.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
11.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
114.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
5.195 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:
$-646.5 billion (2004 est.)
Exports:
$795 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%, industrial supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods (transistors, aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles, medicines) 15.0% (2003)
Exports - partners:
Canada 23%, Mexico 13.6%, Japan 6.7%, UK 4.4%, China 4.3% (2004)
Imports:
$1.476 trillion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
agricultural products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9% (crude oil 8.2%), capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommunications equipment, motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power machinery), consumer goods 31.8% (automobiles, clothing, medicines, furniture, toys) (2003)
Imports - partners:
Canada 17.1%, China 13.7%, Mexico 10.4%, Japan 8.8%, Germany 5.2% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$85.94 billion (2003)
Debt - external:
$1.4 trillion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $6.9 billion (1997)
Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
USD
Exchange rates:
British pounds per US dollar - 0.5457 (2004), 0.6139 (2003), 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000); Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.3014 (2004), 1.4045 (2003), 1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000); Japanese yen per US dollar - 108.13 (2004), 116.08 (2003), 125.39 (2002), 121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000); euros per US dollar - 0.8048 (2004), 0.8866 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.08540 (2000)
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Communications
Top
Telephones - main lines in use:
181,599,900 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
158.722 million (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: a large, technologically advanced, multipurpose communications system domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile telephone traffic throughout the country international: country code - 1; 24 ocean cable systems in use; satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4,854, FM 8,950, shortwave 18 (2004)
Radios:
575 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
more than 1,500 (including nearly 1,000 stations affiliated with the five major networks - NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and PBS; in addition, there are about 9,000 cable TV systems) (1997)
Televisions:
219 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.us
Internet hosts:
115,311,958 (2002)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
7,000 (2002 est.)
Internet users:
159 million (2002)
Transportation
Top
Railways:
total: 227,736 km standard gauge: 227,736 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Highways:
total: 6,393,603 km paved: 4,180,053 km (including 74,406 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,213,550 km (2003)
Waterways:
41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce) note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with Canada (2004)
Pipelines:
petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:
Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Port Canaveral, Portland (Oregon), Prudhoe Bay, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Toledo
Merchant marine:
total: 486 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 12,436,658 GRT/14,630,116 DWT by type: barge carrier 7, bulk carrier 19, cargo 152, chemical tanker 19, container 92, passenger 17, passenger/cargo 57, petroleum tanker 79, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 28, vehicle carrier 14 foreign-owned: 49 (Australia 2, Canada 8, China 1, Denmark 20, Malaysia 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 2, Singapore 11, Sweden 1, United Kingdom 1) registered in other countries: 680 (2005)
Airports:
14,857 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5,128 over 3,047 m: 188 2,438 to 3,047 m: 221 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,375 914 to 1,523 m: 2,383 under 914 m: 961 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 9,729 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 160 914 to 1,523 m: 1,718 under 914 m: 7,843 (2004 est.)
Heliports:
155 (2004 est.)
Military
Top
Military branches:
Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard (Coast Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland Security, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy)
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (2004)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 18-49: 67,742,879 (2005 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 18-49: NA (2005 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 2,143,873 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$370.7 billion (FY04 est.) (March 2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.3% (FY03 est.) (February 2004)
Transnational Issues
Top
Disputes - international:
prolonged drought, population growth, and outmoded practices and infrastructure in the border region strains water-sharing arrangements with Mexico; the US has stepped up efforts to stem nationals from Mexico, Central America, and other parts of the world from crossing illegally into the United States from Mexico; illegal immigrants from the Caribbean, notably Haiti and the Dominican Republic, attempt to enter the US through Florida by sea; 1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement in the Bering Sea still awaits Russian Duma ratification; managed maritime boundary disputes with Canada at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; US and Canada seek greater cooperation in monitoring people and commodities crossing the border; The Bahamas and US have not been able to agree on a maritime boundary; US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other state; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island
Illicit drugs:
consumer of cocaine shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the Caribbean; consumer of heroin, marijuana, and increasingly methamphetamine from Mexico; consumer of high-quality Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine; money-laundering center
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Friday, June 22, 2007

I don't Understand, maybe Someone can Explain

The more I read about our troops...
the more disgusted I get. Not with
our young men and women.. By far,
no. I am scared for them.

Does anyone know why we are there?
No, really, why are we? What have we
really accomplished?

In all this tech world, why is it we don't
have some kind of device that will set off
the bombs that are blowing up our troops?
Surely there must be some kind of a vibrator,
or something... that our trucks can do before
they approach the bombs.

Why aren't we as employers standing by
them? Yes, I know there are a lot of them,
who are. But you read the horror stories about
how companies (like Circuit City) who are firing
their Reservist who they think will be sent
over. Quoting bad workmanship and etc. So
they don't have to stand by and give the job
back to them, when they return. Even when
there is a law to protect that job. But I guess
if you get fired before you get called up, you
aren't protected. You can do great work for
11 years, and all of sudden your workmanship
isn't up to par. Because they are afraid they will
have to keep your job open.

We hear how the wounded come home, and
are dumped because they can't come back to
service. Some of them the hospitals and doctors
leave a lot to be desired.

Why aren't we standing up for them? Every last
one of them. Some join up in a non fighting
position, only to have that changed and sent
over to fight. Medic's are given guns. No training.
We have not the back up troops to replace those
there, in Iraq. So those are asked to (actually told
to) they are staying for 3 more or more months.

Marriages are getting thinner and thinner as the
wives sit her with children. Jobs because they are
not getting enough money sent to support them.
Especially if their spouse ends up in a hospital.

Why are we there? No, it isn't the oil. We haven't
gotten any extra in the past 4 years. We can't
control an area that has been fighting for 2000
years. There can't be peace because not enough
people in Iraq believe in it.

As each member of the service go over, I see
pictures, hear of friends of friends, friend's children,
and I have grandchildren who could be going soon.
A son who could be sent... I pray each night for them.
I pray for the wives and children to understand, even
though I don't understand. And most of all, I pray
they return home safely to their families.

I just don't understand. Maybe someone can explain it
to me, in common easy words, with out the political
spin.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

In the Still of the Night

Here it is, in the middle of the night,
or is it morning.. and the clock says
2 am.

I can't sleep. I have lots of friends who
lay down during the day, and catch a
quick nap.And go to bed at the normal
time. And sleep well.

Over the years, I have found it doesn't
work for me. I can't sleep later. But today
or rather yesterday, now, I laid across the
bed and took a half hour nap. Now I am
older so figured it wasn't a big deal. Well,
I guess it still is... as here I am 2am and
can't sleep. I have visited some of the old
blogs I use to read often, I am not tired.

I can't clean out files, because I cleaned
them out the day before in my effort to
put everything on disk. So then I figured
that I should work on a blog for Thursday.
As you can see I don't have anything in
this empty, non sleepy head...

So I guess I will go lay down and hope
I don't have to count sheep, (never worked
anyway) and I know I am going to pay for
this in the morning... when I want to be up,
and too tired to get there.

(note to self: still not old enough for naps,
power breaks.... don't know if that is a good
thing or not)

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Computer Headaches

One of the frustrating things in modern
life is called a computer. When it works
it is wonderful...when it doesn't, the thoughts
of computer homicide comes to mind.

My computer has decided to freeze up.
Many, many, many times per day.
I can walk away, (mostly for the sake of
the machine, as patience isn't one of my
virtues) and the other to give it time to
correct itself. Which happens occasionally.

So thoughts of crashing and loosing every
thing has had me in the past few days of
downloading and saving on disk what I
consider important. Like pictures and
my documents. Then there is a few other
folders that I have saved.

And because I am in the first grade of
computer land, I don't know how to save
other things. And I don't know how to
do a save thing for the whole computer
in case it decides to shit the bed. Not a
nice comparison, but it is an old saying
that comes to mind.

With some of the things refusing to
download as the folder is too big, I
have found that there is a heck of a
lot of stuff on this machine that I don't
have a clue what it is. But, no, I am not
going to erase those. I found out that erasing
can get you into trouble. As you might think
you are erasing something, only to find out
after the fact, that it was connect to many
other things, that you did not want erased.

I have taken to opening some, only to go places
I have not a clue...like of like Alice in Wonderland.
So I erased pictures that aren't important to me.
I have erased documents it would be nice to have
but not that much to print out. And I have printed
out a few that were really important. So was able
to download the pictures on to 3 different disk.
Removing from a folder and making another folder
for another year, and after, putting it back in the
original folder.

It comes to mind that we save more stuff on
computers than we do in file cabinets. And I
thought that was bad.

Now if my computer decided to crash, I will
not be happy, but I won't use a sledge hammer
on it, as I know I have saved the important
things.

Now if I only knew how to keep the dang thing
from freezing, where I have to unplug it to get it
to work again... I would have it made.

I did go on line to have a free download. But it
only corrected 115 problems and told me I had
289 of them left, BUT that would take money to
fix. I will have to think that one over . So if I disappear,
have no fear... my machine crashed.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Retirement Training of the King

Now before some of you get upset,
this is mostly tongue in cheek, ok...

With the King officially retired, I have
had to slow him down. I told him there
is no rush to do things now, because we
have lots of time. And the time to do
things right. The first time around.

We use to do projects when we both
worked. But being I got to retire first, I
learn that those projects were Band-Aids.
I tried to do all of the projects in a day's
time. I was wore out by the first week.
Then it dawn on me... I have lots of time
now. To do a project and do it well, and if
it takes a week, oh, well. If it is a big project
then it could take months. So slowing down
was the first of the agendas.

I told him that our day doesn't start until 9am
like the old banker hours. (remember tongue in
cheek). That he could do some fun things in the
early morning, or just take his time eating his
breakfast and not wolf it down, to get started.
Then at 9am you go out and start.

Next is to forget about your watch. He could
wear it if he wants, I chose not to. As you don't
need to know what time it is, unless you have
an important appointment. And there are enough
clocks around (ever notice that?) to know what
time it is, if you need to know. You find out quickly
that it isn't that important to know what time it is,
when you are involved in a project. In fact some
times, it gets in the way. Like telling you it is time
to eat lunch because it is noon. You don't need a
watch for that. Your stomach tells you. (tongue in
cheek, remember) and you might even work off
some of those extra pounds, if you forget to eat
on time.

The down fall of retirement, the King has found,
that his friends have not, so when he wants to
go play, (fishing, checking out car lots and etc.)
he has to corner me or the grandson. That is
the only downside of retiring early.

But he also has found that he is busy. Busier
than he was before he retired. As he has lots
of projects to do, not only mine, but his own.
His garage has needed a cleaning for years.
He has a 47 Ford pickup in parts all over it.

Also we have the small garage, formerly known
as "YOUR GARAGE, when I get my good big
garage, you can have this dumpy one". It also
needs a good cleaning. I would love to see his
junk out of "My Garage".

So today, the project is...... building the temp.
garage. That is the frame work he saw in a yard,
he had to have. To put over his boat and etc.
I told him, I thought it would be great to have it in
the driveway, and in front of "MY GARAGE", and he
can go thru the little garage and remove things.

If it is good, put it in his garage. If it isn't something
he needs, put it in the temp. garage. We will put a
tarp over it, and when he is done...oh, yea, I guess I
better go thru my stuff too... Anyway, we will open the
temp. garage... and put a sign on it.. GARAGE SALE!!
and get rid of stuff we have hung on to for years. Some
of that stuff is still packed in the boxes we moved here,
and that is 9 years ago.

Who knows, maybe we will have enough for a
dinner and movie. lol....

Monday, June 18, 2007

Jamestown, R.I. Fools Rules Regatta

On Huckleberries Online they had
a story about the 14th Annual
Cardboard Boat Regatta, at Seneca Harbor
in Watkins Glen. N.Y. that was held June 16th.

It reminded me of one that I use to take my kids
to, in Jamestown, R.I. It was a lot of fun to watch.
But the Jamestown one wasn't restricted to just
cardboard. You could use any house hold item.

I had wondered if they still had them. When I was
reading the Yankee magazine this weekend and
sure enough listed for Rhode Island things to do
for July and August, there was the Jamestown
30th Annual Fools Rules Regatta, listed for
August 18th.

The only rules I remember, were you came to the
town beach with your supplies with in 2 hours of
the starting gun. You had those two hours to build
your boat. Out of anything that you could find in
your household. When they sounded the warning
sound, you had to have your project in the water and
read to go. Then the starting gun went off shortly after.
I don't recall if there was a certain amount
of people you could have to help you get to the finish
line. But it had to be non marine material and it had to
go 500 yards to the finish line.

There were usually about 20 different boats, but rarely
was there more than 3 that made it to the finish line.
When we were there.. I thought they had to go to a
buoy and around it and back to the beach...but I could
be wrong. But as they got near the finish line the crowd
would go crazy, rooting for their choice.

The ones that had the best chance seem to be
the ones with plastic gallon milk jugs involved.
It was wild what people would make their boats
up our of. And I am glad to see it still going into
its 30th year. I think I saw the 2 thru 5th years.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Geesh, Dara, tell me you are kidding... right?


I told the King that we had another project to do...
What he doesn't know is, the daughter got what he wanted to put in his
water fountain... so this project is his...
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY.... to all the Dad's who hung in there... to the ones who are getting to be fathers, and to the special guys, called step fathers...

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Our Project Helpers

We can't forget our project helpers this past week...



Rokon folding up the empty bag to be thrown away...


Misty checking out the tiles to make sure there isn't any cracks....


Making sure the clean up was all done....

Friday, June 15, 2007

Romance in your Life??

Where is the romance in your life...
Are you taking your spouse for granted?

The answer is more than likely... Yes.
Not on purpose, but life just takes off
and you get caught up in the everyday
routine.

Would you ever surprise your spouse?
Would you tell he/she that you would
be taking them one place and then end
up going to dinner and a walk down the
beach, instead?

I think in this day and age of short marriages
maybe we need to stop and smell the roses.
Put a little romance in your life. It doesn't have
to be spendy. Just ask your friend/brother/
sister to watch the kids so you can do a surprise.
In exchange to do the same for them, so they
can surprise their spouse.

Have you put on music at the house, and ask
your spouse to dance. Have you fixed a special
dinner? If you don't cook, bring take out home
and put it on the plates. With some candlelight.

It is the little things that mean the most.
So the question goes back....
Do you still have the romance in your
marriage?

Or are you the one who just
trudges along, just doing what you have
to do daily? Maybe both of you need a
surprise.

Carry on... you have the whole
weekend to do something. Breakfast away
from the kids... take out breakfast down
at the beach sitting at the picnic table.
It doesn't have to cost much. No babysitter?
take the kids too... it still can be a surprise.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Politics and the Bloggers

Once in a while I will read Joe Klein's
column in Time. I don't really care for
him as a journalist. I guess I find him
arrogant at times. Used to be more
about stars, but he has shifted more
to politics of late. I don't know when,
because as I said, I don't read him
often. But this last issue I got, I tend
to agree with him.

The story is about how blogging is
effecting the elections. I, too, think
this will be the first Presidential election
that will be greatly affected by bloggers.

To me... not a good thing. While the good
of blogging, political that is, is the instant
of it all. What is said or done, one reads
about it instantly. The bad of blogging is
the instant of it all. Because it doesn't mean
what you read is truth.

As a full blown member of the Cafeteria Party,
it is so confusing to me. The whole media,
from blogging, newspapers, radio, and television.

The Iraq war is a class example. We have the
politicians and our own feelings that this war
is not right. We support our troops, we cry as
we send son, daughters, mothers, fathers, and
even grandparents to fight a war we don't under
stand.

We have people on one side of the street watching
the parade of what is called truth and our President.
Some how those two words are not sounding right in
the same sentence. Anyway, on one side of the street
you have all those who praise the Administration, and
the good that is being done in Iraq. That it is necessary.
Which reminds me of the children's tale of THE EMPEROR
WHO WORE NO CLOTHES... And on the other side is
those of us who look and say the Emperor is naked.

The one side, says everything is ok, we should be
doing this... our President is right no matter what.
Even some of our troops are right there with the
Administration. The other side says, there is
something not right with this. We see bombs
blowing up our troops in their vehicles.

Is this the way it is going, or is this like riots
in L.A. in the 60's where other countries thought our
whole nation was fighting when the truth was
the rest of the country is doing fine?
We see flaws, we are worried about the
out come. What is the truth?

Same thing with the race coming up. We have
all of them spouting what they think people want
to hear. We, for the most part have gotten so we
question what is being said. There is yelling on
both sides. Which some one said a long time
ago, when the yelling starts the reasoning leaves.
It means the person who is yelling has lost their
point, and feels if they yell louder, it will change
the mind of the others. With two sides yelling,
those of us in the middle get more confused, as
we don't see any substance to either side.

So in 2008, if we can even find some one who
is worthy of running, will that person get near
the election? Or with the radicals of both sides
yell so much, blog so much, that person will be
thrown to the way side?

I am not really looking forward to this one. I
feel those of us, of the Cafeteria Party (we pick
from both sides of the aisle) will see those to
chose from, not the best of the crop, but the
best that money could buy. The one that the
bloggers can't find enough dirt to throw. As
both parties, will have their bounty of bloggers.

Where will true be? All the media's have used
their slant for years... blogger will be just another
one...just instant. And sadly believed that the
Emperor will have wonderful clothes on.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Long Trips

Over the years of my life I
have traveled by car long
distances.

From California to Washington
and back...during a sickness
that ended up in death.

From Washington to Minnesota
and back for the same reason..

From Washington to R.I.
and back. To live and return
to Idaho.

From Idaho to San Diego, Ca.
and back for a visit. And once
to bring back a motorhome.

Two the biggest states that I
traveled thru during these trips
was California from top to bottom
and Montana, from side to side.

Both of these are a days travel, if
you drive right thru. Have started
at St. Regis, Montana and driving
in to Miles City as the sun was
setting. I know they say that Texas
is big, but these two states have to
be longer.

The difference in the two states and
why I think Montana seems longer, is
the population. As you drive from end to
end of California, you are driving thru a
town. One after the other. Some big but
most of the small. At least the more North
you get, the more you have small towns.
So you have change of scenery.

Montana, has a few towns scattered from
here to there... but it seems like 50% of it
(I think more) is fields and fences. Not even
homes in a lot of areas. Or you see a dot
on the horizon, being the farm or ranch.

And if you go in the summer, it is yellow
fields of wheat or oats.. hay fields.. miles
and miles and miles and miles of it. And
a spot or two there is wildlife.

Which makes me wonder. And I haven't
been across Montana in about 20 years.
How much has the areas changed. Is there
getting to be more towns?

I sure hope they get to keep their miles
and miles of fields, as it is getting to be
a rarity these days in the good old USA.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Ah, Summer and the Traffic isn't Easy....

Well, the tourist are here, or at
least some of them. Not just on
the roads but in the stores.

And of course the good town of
Sandpoint has decided this is the
month to do their yearly redo of
Boyer Avenue. For those who don't
live here, that is one of the main streets
of Sandpoint, that gets you from Sandpoint
to Ponderay, without being on the highway.
One that we locals use heavily.

So we go from,"we don't need no stinking by-pass"
to dirty up our view of Sandcreek ...to stinking up
the town with the fumes of the
semi-trucks that are inching thru the town,
with their smokestacks spilling out the diesel
flavor of choice. And the gas cars doing their
bits as well. And saying nothing of the
fumes of the drivers and the road rage is
already starting at the Chamber of Commerce
area of 95.

That is where the road narrows
down to one lane for about 100 feet. But
there is nothing to tell the people at the
light by Safeway. So there it is, the fight
to get into the one lane.

Then there are the locals who have decided,
that they can speed up at that point
and get ahead of the line ...thus gaining themselves
at least half of a second on the road.

Of course,that is where the road rage really starts.
As the locals who see that 7-B pushing
in on them, refuse to let the speeding
idiot in.. they will show them... And then
the ones who were not chicken, show
that is where the fender benders came in.

Ah, summer and the traffic isn't easy....

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Just for Fun

http://www.says-it.com/seal/circle.php
is where I got this from....in case you want to do one and have fun with it...

Saturday, June 09, 2007

Rain brings

BRINGS FLOWERS TO MY YARD...



Friday, June 08, 2007

This new schedule isn't so bad....

Old schedule was read papers and
have coffee for hour and half. Work
on the computer and read email...
and answer.

During the afternoon, the King would
watch TVLAND shows and fall asleep.

Night time was sit around and watch
the news, and then a few shows and
go to bed.

New schedule
Have coffee and breakfast.
Start on a project. Work
until lunch time. Go back
out until it got too hot.
King take a nap, I would
go meet the girls for
exercise.
Watch a movie,
eat dinner and go back out
and work on project.

Come in the house in
the evening, listen to cd's
on the stereo, and head to
bed.

On rainy days, do inside
projects. This isn't bad at all...

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Retirement



Bus drivers telling of practical jokes that were pulled on them by the King...

Today my other half got to
retire. And the Transportation
crew gave a breakfast for him.

It made him feel good that so
many of the drivers still cared
about him.

In life of early retirement, there
is usually a person who makes
life so rough on you, you decide
it isn't worth the hassles, and you
go for the gusto. And that is what
the King did.

But there they were, the rest of
the crew who he has picked on,
practical joked with, (and those
were brought up during the breakfast)
and laughed many of times over the
years of service.

It was nice that the Superintendent took
time out of his busy schedule to thank
the King for the years he has kept the
school buses running and the kids safe.

It was a very nice morning, a very nice
surprise. Sad to go, but nice to be appreciated
by so many.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Television at its worse...

I can remember reading about
how reality shows were coming.
That is before we had 80% shows
like we have now. Some of those
are hitting the dust too...

But one of the stories was if this
gets to be popular, that one could
see executions on television. You
could watch the trial and then see
the execution. Which I wondered how
they could do that, when it takes up
to 10 years to get pass the appeals.

Now there is a new show in the
Netherlands's called The Big Donor
Show. It seems when you are dying,
but your body parts are still good, you
can go on this show. You can decided
who is worthy of your body parts. There
is 3 sick (more ways than one) contestants
who try to win the part of their choice. And
the viewers get to weigh in to who they think
is worthy.

So how long before the United States picks
up this show? As that is where they get their
ideas, is from the foreign market..mostly England.

Ah, television at its finest.

UPDATE.....
found out this was a hoax played by the television
station, to bring to notice to the people how important
it is to give body organs to others when you die. To have
a card on you... to let everyone know that is your intent.
Fooled everyone... what is the saying "believe only half
of what you see and quarter of what you read"....

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

TAXES...+

You know the big conversation is
going to be "Oh, My God, look how
high our taxes are" We, here in Bonner
County got our assessment for the year.

Our place, while doing nothing different...
gain $20,000 in value. We will be taxed
on $7,000 more than we were last year.

There is just something wrong with having
your property gain so much value when nothing
is different from last year. Not a shingle, not the
paint, oh.... I guess we did make a change. We
replaced a rotten window.

And when looking down at the listing of who
is getting our tax money... I am baffled. There
is 4 listed under Lake P.O. which is our school
district. I am baffled for two reasons... One is
because I thought with the rise of our sales tax
we would have less school district tax... and the
second part is there is one listed as Lake P.O.
OTHER. Now if you are going to tax me.. tell
me what it is for... not OTHER... that is like
putting MISC. I am peeved.

Monday, June 04, 2007

Projects

Some times the best laid
plans don't work out like
you thought...

Case in point, I came up
with this wonderful idea of
having a backyard pit. You
know one of those where you
throw small wood in and burn
it, while you sit around it.
Kind of like a campfire. My
daughter has one, that she
made.

So came up with this area
I wanted. Contracted my
grandson to dig out the
grass in a 10x10 foot area.

Problem one... where to put
the grassy dirt clogs? Tried
two different areas until we
settled on putting them in
the alley that is rutted.
Note to self: come up with
a good idea before you move
things 3 times.

The King took the roller tiller
and used it there so we could
level it out. It filled up the hole with
fluffy dirt.

Contracted grandson, to take
out some of the dirt and dump
it into the low area of the lawn.

Then after leveling it off. By eye.
Not a good idea... but that is what
I did. We filled the hole with sand.
We put the metal pit (some kind of
heavy equipment deal that will serve
for this). and there it sat for 2 weeks.

Put up top tent on gazebo. Sit under
and looking back at sanded pit. Now
known by the neighbors as the cat litter box.

After 2 weeks, I tell the King, as we
sat there looking, you know, I am not
comfortable with this being so close to
the house. He glares at me and said, why
didn't you think of that before the hole was
dug? I told him, he should have told me
that it wasn't a good idea... after all... outside
work, men's work....inside work... women's
work. (you don't want to know what kind of
look I got for that one).

So he says, what the heck you going to do
with the hole now? I told him it would make
a good patio thing to put the gazebo over.
You are always cussing having to mow
thru the gazebo and weed whacking it.
So why not get cement tiles and lay them
there, and put the gazebo over it. Good idea
he said.

Next headache. We have bought 22 tiles.
We have moved them 4 times in how do we
want to have this lay. In a design? At an angle?
We moved the gazebo to the hole area.
Finally decided to laid it out flat square. We went
and got 36 more. That we have to unload today.
After his therapy. Before my exercise class.

When I get another idea, I hope he slaps me
on top of my head. Because we have decide to
rock an area next to it, so we don't have to weed,
and it will add to the looks of the area.

If we are lucky, I will have pictures in a month
or so. I have got to stop thinking about projects.

Saturday, June 02, 2007

Happy Neighbor

16 pounds of pride and joy

Friday, June 01, 2007

Best Laid Plans....

Well, I woke up this morning...
expecting no paper... no television.
Wrong in both departments.

So after a few phone calls.. one
paper is gone tomorrow.. the other
is suppose to be... and the television...
well, they have a back order with their
techs. And when you turn off your service
they have to come out. So we could get
disconnected this afternoon or Monday.

The King is happy. So far. lol...

Up date:
tv went off at 1pm.... not bad so far.
worked in the yard, watched a movie,
and then went bike riding.... not bad at all.