Do we have it to feel again?

With the 10th year anniversary of
Princess Diane death, it made me
think of the past years. 10 years
ago,the nations of the free world,
and maybe beyond shed tears. It
was on the television for many hours
in many nations.

The last time I knew of such a thing
happening, was when John F. Kennedy
was killed. About at 24 year span, I think.
But again, nations cried and watched for
hours.

Both of these time of sorrow, still bring up
sadness in a lot of us, to this day. It isn't
just where were you when this happen, but
the lost. Lost of innocents, lost of some one
that people felt could make a difference in
mankind. Yes, there were and are still people
who didn't feel that way. But even most of them
felt the sorrow.

We have other things that have happen. Where
the news would have it on for hours. 9-11crash.
The space ship that crashed during landing. And
the one in 1986. But these have gone on to be
mostly trivial questions. Maybe the except is
the 9-11, but even that has dulled over the years,
unless you were directly involved.

I wonder will we ever have anyone of the dynamics
of these two people. Who will effect the nations and
people for so long of a time. I know there are stars,
who have died. But only their fans feel the sorrow
thru the years.

And who knows, maybe it is only
the fans of Diane and JFK, that still have the sad
feeling when they still read about the good things
that they did. And wonder what would have happen
if they had remain with us. Maybe that is God's
balance, the unknown.

But now we seem to be so jade. We hear about
the faltering of our leaders, not only in bad choices
of politics but also in their personal lives, and we
treat it like yesterdays news and want to know what
is next on the menu of life.

Read all about it.....

We have a President who taught,
even children, about the words Oral
Sex and about cigars. And a Senator
who is teaching the youth and a lot of
us adults about signals for men to men
sex. Tap 3 times and slide your foot.

Of course, all this comes thru the media.
You know maybe the old way was best.
Papers that gave us old news, and radio
and television who didn't give us scandal
news.

Then we have the sports. Drugs, and
spousal abuse and now how to have
dog fights and killing the losers.

We have teachers who have been
abusing the kids, and ministers and
Priest. All of which was whispered
about before, now is national news.

And of course there are parents who
have done their share. Just who do kids
really get to trust? It is all in the headlines.

So do we really want to give newspapers
to the schools for classes? Do we get some
one to scan the paper before, to make sure
it is readable for children?

The Rich get richer, the Poor get...

The mention of severance pay
yesterday brought to mind how
unfair life is.

It goes back to the rich get richer
and the poorer have more children,
saying of the 20's.

The privileged. One thinks of the
multi rich people like the Roosevelt's,
Belmont, Rockefeller, Bush, and many
other who have been in the top 500 in
Fortune magazine.

But there is the privilege on the middle
too. Take K-mart in its darkest hours
a few year ago. Where most of us lost
our local K-mart stores due to their profit
line. At least that is the song and dance the
public got. But they fired the CEO or they ask
him to step out. And they gave him a leaving
package of big time amount of stock in the
business, and a couple hundred thousand to
help the blow. (I think it was something like (800).
The new guy coming to take his place got a
sign on package of more stock than the first and
a 4 million dollar salary. The other guy only got
2 million.

Now first of all, K-mart was crying poor, right?
Second they were asking this CEO to leave.
What is with those packages?

Even on the local scene we had two, yes
two Superintendents leave the area. One was
asked to.... he got $200,000 as he left.
Hello, he was asked to leave...and the second
one did it even better. He asked to leave 2 years
before his contract was done. Got the money
for those years AND CAME BACK as a paid
counsel!! How does that work?
And this is common in the corporate world.

I got fired once. I got it when I was 18. I
got fired for insubordination. Which I was
told to go look it up, as I would now have
plenty of time to do that, being I was fired.

I had not backsass or refused to do work.
I had put dirty pans and coke bottles on my
fellow workers desk. Why would I do that?

Because we all had kitchen duty once every
two months. I got into trouble for being so long
cleaning up. (pans, taking the bottles downstairs)
so I chose to leave them in a corner for the owners
to do. I got into trouble for doing that, as the kitchen
was not clean. Catch 22. So my solution was to put the
dirty things on the owner's desk. The big honcho saw
it, I was fired.

BUT, I did not get a severance package. I had to
wait for unemployment (whole $60 a month).

I quit because I was due to have a child... I did not
get a severance package. Heck I didn't even get
a baby shower... (against company policy).

So tell me, why is the grunt who does all the
work to keep the company going, gets nothing.
Not even a 2 weeks notice, as they require of us.
But the CEO, who comes in late, leaves early,
goes to long lunches, (all which would get us fired)
gets hundreds of thousands of stock and money
packages..Something isn't right about this.

The migration has started

First it was Rumfield
then Rove
and now Gonzales

What appears to others that
the rats are jumping ship, is
the same that happens to most
lame duck Presidents.

Some think that the public out
cry has something to do with it.
While there is some truth to that,
it is far from the whole truth.

What happens behind closed doors
in Washington, D.C. will never truly
be understood by the general public.

Those men might have left the scene,
but you can bet your Sunday breakfast,
that they are very much still in the loop.

The President's sorrowful regret that the
political machine has eaten another of
his people, in truth they are just a phone
call away.

And this has happen over the years, thru
many other President cabinets. It is just
the process. They get a good severance
pay, while they find another soft job with
high benefits and pay.

Oh, if only the common man were to be so
lucky.

Help, my STUFF is growing....

I have tried my best to declutter
my house.. I have thrown away,
gave away and sold at yard sale.
And still there is so much STUFF.

I guess I will have to get serious about
it, although I thought I was. But it is
still here.

And as I work around the house, dusting
(that is another story) moving, and just
generally looking at all of this STUFF, I
wonder how did I get myself into all this.

But I have been torn, do I stay inside and
take care of it? Or do I go outside and do
yard work?

I am opting to go outside, enjoy the last days
of summer. Do some of the yard work. Hopefully
put things back together, now that the wind has
decided to die down.

After all, I can declutter in the winter, right?
I just hope it isn't breeding in there, and growing
more STUFF.

Bonner County Fair

Walking thru the fair, these are a few of the views...

wild life building

Beautiful flowers

The Red Hat Ladies were there to see all the doings...

The flower prize winners...

Now this is a crowd... and it is only Friday morning.. wall to wall cars here and the side parking lot.

Future Carpenters at the Home Depot section, learning the trade.

No fair is worth the salt without it's display of tractors...

And of course the oldies...

Future dress designers? This is the 4-H section... great to see the ideas of the future

One of my favorite areas.... the pictures.. such a variety.... animals and people, landscapes

And the unsung heroes.... the volunteers.... who man the booths..... and a lot more behind the scenes to make this all available to us.... for free

County Fair Time

And don't pass up this place.... you will know a piece of heaven in the food department.

It is the end of the summer and it
is Fair time. We are a small community,
so ours is free. They were thinking about
charging for the parking, and changed their
mind. So there really isn't a reason to skip
it.

My favorite part of Fairs are the kids. Both
watching them as they go thru the animal
section, and those who participate in it.

The 4 H section is a great place to walk thru
to see the creative minds of our youth. So is the
different animal barns. The hard work that they
have done thru the year to raise their animal for
the county fair. With the sheep, pigs and beef
going into their sale, to be able to make a profit
and buy another one for next year. Helps not
only on the taking care of an animal, but teaches
business as well.

I love the quilts, the pictures, even some of the
vendors. The sausage man is always busy. And
of course the food court with all the different
organizations who have their specialty. You
have the usual hot dogs, hamburgers, and fries.
But then there is the Grange with the dinners of
hot meat and gravy. And who can go to the Fair
without eating elephant ears. I was looking for
the funnel cakes, but there wasn't any. That is
my favorite, but if you have seen them, you know
I really didn't need it. It is like a giant donut. Cake
dough that is fried in a circle with lots of powder
sugar. Some times fruit sauce poured over it.
Nope, I really didn't need one.

Then there is the performers. Different musicians
and yesterday, I got to not only watch and listen to
Marianne Love read out of her recent book, but the
icing on the cake was that the chapter she wrote
about the laughing teacher. He was sitting in the
audience, some times laughing, some times red
faced as we got to know, it was HIM who had turn
Marianne into a laughing bubble out of control.

Yes, go to your local County Fair. You might have
to pay, but it is worth the price. Take the kids, but
stay away from the carnie side (ours doesn't have
one) and head to the 4H side, first. It will delight every
child, even the one inside of you.

Our trip from Misty's point of view

Are we there yet, Dad???

While we visited the kid.... I helped him with his patio tiles... I dug the hole, he put in the tile.

I also got to run with the big dogs... this is only 2 of them... there are 4 in all... they only stepped on me once... sure scared me..after that they were careful.

Then we went to the reunion... boy, you never seen so many people. Dad kept me on his shoulder, so no one would step on me. Lots of good food too. Dad shares.

I get all the cool treats while we visited the friends in Portland.

And on the way home, I stopped in to see my old friend, Lucy. (she is a year older than me). All in all, it was a good trip. We even had some rain. But I will tell you, travelling in that old car sure gets boring after a while. You can only bark so many times at those big trucks. They out run us, anyway. So I slept a lot.

Memorabilia

Why do we collect things? Especially
things from history?

I have in my possession... a lot of
the magazines from different parts of
history. I have the death of John F. Kennedy,
and John F. Kennedy jr. Also Princess Diane.
Several Life and Look magazines that were in
the mid to end of 1960's ..a TV Guide special
edition...January 1964. A special book by
James Plaited Wood called The Life and
Words of John F. Kennedy. And do you
remember the album put out before Kennedy
was killed. By Vaughn Meander? Call the First
Family? I have it. The Collector's copy for $1
called Four Dark Days in History. I have it...
And then there are the George magazines that
JFKjr published.

As I go thru the area I am cleaning out, and
see all of these, I have to wonder.. why did I
collect these things and keep them. A sense
of history, yes. But why other than that? And
more importantly, what do I do with them now?

I know at the time I did not have money in my
thoughts. Meaning selling them when I got old.
I was 24 and 25 when some of these were purchased.

Was it a way to hang on to JFK, after our lost?
Was it search for the answers, of why? Was it fear
of the change of facts later in history, so we could
go back and see if it matches the publications of
then?

As I look thru the covers, and see the sadness, of
history, it still makes me sad.

I suppose someone would suggest Embaying the
mass of JFK memorabilia. First I don't know how
to do EBay. Yes, I have bought off of there, but only
the for sale things, and not the bidding war. I would
like to see someone who really cared about that time,
get them. I know my own kids could care less about
such things. Part of the collecting of the JFK, Jackie,
and JFK jr. collecting is, because I am from their area.
And the 6 steps (is that it?) from fame. Meaning my mother
shared the same blacksmith as Caroline's grandmother.
Mike use to shoe Caroline's pony. And we lived 6 miles
from her grandmother's house, in Newport, OR.I.

So do you have history memorabilia? Why did you
decide to keep it? And what do you plan on doing with
it?

on the personal note... we are taking a vacation
so to speak. Going to a family reunion, and visiting
friends and family on the way as we circle around
thru Washington state. So if you are bored and want
to drift thru the early post of 2005 and 2006, go for it.
Some of it is funny stuff... especially before I got
serious? well, as serious as I get anyway. loll..
See you next week some time in the middle.

Weekend with the Furry Family Members2

Have you see the cat?
What are you doing in my kennel????
Maybe if I shut the door, she won't come in..
Oh, it is ok, she left.....
You surely don't think I am going to leave here do you?

Stick Shift 101

The King and the Grandson
Driving lesson 101

For the past 3 weeks the King has
been involved with the grandson and
the grandson's truck.

The truck motor needed to be completely
overhauled. So thru these weeks there
has been removal from the truck, taking
it apart. And then having to wait for parts,
waiting for the valves to be done. And slowly,
but surely putting it all together. And putting
it back into the truck. Then two days ago,
the most glorious sound for all mechanics,
the starting and running of the engine.

While it had its ups and downs, the hardest
part is yet to come. The training of how to
drive. Oh, the grandson took the driving classes
that the school has. And passed. And he has
a license to drive. But that was all fairly easy.

Now how to explain and show and hope he
gets it... see he had an automatic drive car.
This is what he wanted... a 5 speed manual
transmission. Today was the beginning of the
lesson. I don't know whose nerves were more
shot when they returned to the shop. From the
facial expressions, the tight lip and one word
answers, I would say it was equal.

See in the good old days, we learn the whole
land of the stick shift, in hay fields. And I'm sure
the King wish he knew someone who had a
large one right now. He and I both learn to
drive, by driving the hay truck. That is how my
brother learn. That is the great thing about growing
up on a farm.

So it is out to the back roads, stop, start, kill the
engine, start again, jerk, jerk, stall, kill the engine.
He finally got it going and was able to manage 2nd,
and 3rd pretty well, and then 4th. But down shifting,
not pretty. And the stopping at stop signs and starting
again. Well, we hope the transmission last long
enough. Add to that, the frustrations of a young
boy who thought he could just get behind the
wheel, and drive. After all, he saw his friend do it
all the time. It was just a matter of swish and it
went into gear. And he has been pretty voiceful
about how this is going to be ...no problem. The
fall from grace has not been landing well.

So today, is lesson 2. Do you remember when
you learn how to drive stick shift? Or are you
young enough, you never had to?

Pardon me your plant is calling.

Plants who call you on your phone.
It was on Good Morning America.
The plants tell you that it needs water
or you over watered it.

Can you imagine being in a meeting
and your phone rings. Thinking it is a
business call, you put it on speaker.

"This is Plant 748 I think you were
trying to get me drunk. You over watered
me this morning. You have to be more
careful. Are you trying to kill me?"
Just great, now your plant can give
you the guilt trip, just like your mother.

Why by phone? Can't they do a sensor
control, so it talks when you enter the
room? After all, what can you do from
your office or car? Where if it tells you
when you walk into the room, you can
act on it right away.

But it might be embarrassing, if you
bring home someone you are trying to
impress and the plant starts to tell how
you forgot to water it for a week, or you
overwatered it and it is dying. Or it needs
fertilizer.

I am sure PETA group will love it.

I am a simple life gal.

I like life in the middle of the
road, not in the fast lane. Yet
I feel like life is pulling at me to
join the fast lane.

There was a book called 1984, and
it was about how our lives were
not really going to be our own. And
I believe everyone or most people took
from it, the phase, "Big Brother is watching
you".

After watching U-Tube, (and I have watched
a limited amount) and I Caught on a television show
last night and other news items over the years.
I don't think it is so much BIG BROTHER is
watching you...but EVERYONE could be and
might be watching you.

No matter where you are. In a school, at a
nightclub, walking down the street, you name
it... some one can be videoing you. By camera
or phone. To me, as a fairly private person, that is
scary.

I guess in a way, people are getting
paid back for their need to know. Case in
point, the newspapers and television coverage
of stars. Independent camera men/women taking
pictures of the stars and selling it to the highest
bidder. And we, as the public, watching the show
or buying the paper or magazine. Now the tables
are reversed. Everyone is taking pictures of
everyone, and puts it on the internet.

Pictures you thought were private, now because
of a jealous person, or some one who thinks
they can claim fame, will put it on the internet
and get millions of hits. Everyone hears about
it, the site is passed around in emails for people
to go look. And some of us do. I watch the animal
ones. But there are millions who look at people.

Some are funny and don't harm, but some are
something that a laps of judgment can come
to haunt the person. Like the police officer who
accidental shot off a gun in a classroom, shot
himself in the foot and now because of a camera,
has shot himself in his pride, and job for all to
see. Millions.

Yes, life is getting too complicated and fast for
me. How about you? Do you adjust what you
wear, how you act, just in case some one thinks
you are internet worthy?

Are we scared enough yet?

I don't know about anyone else, but
I am tired of being scared by the media,
and the government and whoever else tells
us to be scared. Well, maybe not in those
exact words.

The sky is falling, chicken little effect is
starting to get to me. We have been put
on alert so many times over the terrorist,
that I envision them over there in their
underground caves or where ever they are
hiding, saying..."Well, what story shall
we send out today. Do you think we should
do a video, or just a message?"

They don't have to send anyone over here,
to bomb anything. They can just drop the
word to a media source and the race is on.
Watch out! Be on alert! Police will be checking
everyone at every bus door, train door and etc.

And of course, we have the latest one, where
our head honcho of Security, says he has a
"gut feeling". What? He has a gut feeling?
That is it? What about all that fancy dancy
equipment to hear everyone in the world?
What about all of our spies?

It is summer time and he has a gut feeling?
What the heck is that? By the way, last I
knew September 11th was fall not summer.
At least in my book.

We can't get on a plane without being
thoroughly search. We can't go in subways
without having police all over the place. We
have more privacy reminders thru HIPPA,
yet the powers that be, can access our credit
rating, bank statements and listen to our
phone conversations and etc. without any warrant?

I am so tired of being scared. Am I scared of the
students who had firecrackers in their trunk of their
car outside of Charleston, South Carolina? Or maybe
I should be scared of the Iraqi looking gas station
owner. Heck, we even have our fair share of radicals
in house.. in the good old United States, who are
natural citizens.

I suppose if I ignore the warnings, others will say
I am putting my head in the sand. Which might be
true...but it sure is easier on the heart and emotions.

Elections race...way too early

I watched the debate of the
Republican's on Sunday morning.
There was about 7 or 8 of the people
who are running for President.

I know about half of them. Being I am
of the Cafeteria Party (vote on both sides
of the aisle) I was interested to see how
they faired and to see if I liked any of them.

I went in to it, not liking Rudy. Too many
things going on in New York before 9-11,
too many issues. 3 wives, some
of the complaints you heard New Yorkers
complaining about him being
mayor and not high on others list.

There was Mitt from Massachusetts, John
McCain from Arizona, Rudy from New York,
Tommy Thompson, not to be confused for
"I'm not running yet" Fred Thompson. Some
guy named Paul from Texas. It must be hard
to run from Texas, considering that our last
one didn't please much of us.

The rest of the bunch were former governors and
Senators from California, Arizona, I think Colorado.
And as you can see none of them impressed me
enough to try to remember who they were and
what they stood for.

I have to admit that Rudy did a better showing then
the rest. John McCain looked tired. While I watched
Mitt, I could see Kerry. (same state? I don't think that
is why, but the changing of mind) Tommy Thompson
was dull, and the Paul guy, had some good points and
bad.

One thing that sticks in my mind as I watch these debates.
This is going to be one long election race. It will be interesting
to see who has the endurance. And Fred Thompson... is he being
coy? Is he seeing how bad the winds blow? Now they are referring
to him as Ben Cartwright, while I think of Kenny Roger's song words,
"You got to know when to hold them, and when to fold them".

where is this?

Is this Rainbow Row in Charleston, South Carolina????

Or Sandpoint, Idaho????

check out this site to see why I compare...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/billward/119086708/in/set-72057594092381428/

Small Towns

What is going to happen to the towns that are
spending the new tax money that they have
gotten from all the housing that is being built.

With all the new housing going in... it means
that an empty field becomes a great tax money
maker for the town or county. All the little trailers
that were dumped and new town houses that are built
there... more tax money coming in.

The coffers are getting fuller... 5, 000 more home
owners with new homes... 5,000 more property
taxes bills to be paid.

Yes, pretty heady stuff. But as I watch and read about
the slow down and the people who are going bankrupt,
or just flat out losing their homes to the banks. Where
people with money are buying the homes for $10 on the
hundred worth.... the market flattens out, the prices
are dropped in half just to get out from under them.

Contractors selling with a marginal profit, if any at all...
drops the house prices... with that goes the drop of
worth, which means the drop of worth of taxes. .....
who is going to pay for those new libraries, sports
area's, city halls, fire stations, all of which was needed
for the new population...but now the market has dropped.

The taxes aren't coming in. The towns have to drop the
taxes valuations, some of them after all... they could end up
with the homes themselves for auction, for taxes.. and again...
sold for $5 on the $100.

It is very scary for these little towns who have new found money.
What is going to happen to them? What happens to us? Even if they
cut our value on our homes... the property tax has to go up to pay for
the outstanding bills of the new items the town has bought.

It won't happen right away... maybe 3 or 5 years down the road.
All this time feeling comfortable with the thoughts of extra money.
Figuring new buildings and wants, are affordable.. but will it?
At what cost to us who stay?

Bridges....

Watching the bridge in Minnesota on
the news, yesterday and today, surely has to make
a lot of us think. This bridge has been on
the docket for repairs since 2005. Why hasn't
it been fixed? We all, in all states, are bring
charge for taxes on our gas... for roads and
bridges. Yet, here we sit with only 1% of them
being done.

And it seems the bridges are the last ones
being done. What is that? Last I knew roads
didn't fall down into rivers and lakes. They
should be top priority. In our own little town
they are finally getting around to fixing our
bridge.

And the bridge is only 40 years old. I say
only because I am from the land of 100
year old bridges. In New England there
are a lot of bridges that are over 100 years
old and some are 200.

And how can they give a report of a bridge
being at risk and 2 years later nothing was
being done? It took a tragedy to get notice.

How many other bridges around the USA,
are time bomb waiting to happen? Heck, we
don't have to worry about terrorist, we do it
to ourselves by not acting on the reports.

Are you early or are you late?

I am a early person. If I am going
somewhere, I will get there from 15
minutes to 20 minutes early. At least
in the area of the meeting. Still 10 mins.
early. I hate it when some one is late.

I can give 5 or 10 minutes late...but more,
well, I get antsy. Starts to bug me. And
those who are half an hour late without
a call... I am out of there.

I find being blatantly late, rude. Those
who are late, without calling to let the
other person know.. are selfish and
controlling.

I know there is exception to the rule.
Sometimes emergencies come up.
I can live with that.

But those who walk into our church,
15 minutes after the service started,
on a constant level.. are rude. And if
they are carrying a latté, I am really
peeved.

Those who come a half hour late, for
dinner and expect others to hold the
dinner for them.. well, you lose out
with me. If I say dinner will be served
at 6pm.. it is served at 6. If you show
up at 7...you get left-overs. If someone
is going to be late and not too long, and
call.. then I will tell others, that the person
called and if they don't mind, we are waiting
the 15 or 20 minutes..

One of the reasons why I would not car pool.
I don't want to be the one driving up and waiting.
And I don't want to be at my house waiting for
my ride. Just can't do it. It might be a flaw.. but
just can't do it.

Have I ever been late? A few times in my life.
When I had a cell, I called. The other times I
was with in 10 minutes late because I miss
judged the traveling time.. and I apologized
profusely.

So are you a late arriver or a early one?