Ah, the good old days....not

Remember when we use to have these...
They rotated back and forth. And if you
were lucky they were quiet. If it was old,
then you had a click noise from the blades
hitting the protection screen.

How did we survive those days? I know
it was awful lot when it was summer, as
my bedroom was upstairs near the attic.
You could barely stand a sheet on you.
Yet we thought we had it made if we had
the fan up in our room.... because that wasn't
the case most of the time. I think mom and dad
had two.. a big one and a small one.

I say this as I sit next to our window AC. With
another one kicking in around 7 p.m. in the bedroom,
leaving our room 62 by the time we go to bed.

You can't get there from here....

This is the cement grinder being unloaded, laying it down today..next is the sealer..

You can't get there from here

Seems to be the word of the day or week.
Not only is my road being done but about
1/3 of the streets are being done.

Also we have several projects around town
being done. So as I went to the post office
the other day, I was detoured 4 times.
I left the post office and headed to the
highway, and came back in on my road.

Today, I am suppose to go somewhere at
10am. And usually when they are working on
the roads, they are done with my section by
9 ...9:30am ....then they bring back the equipment
about 3, as it is stored at the end of our dead end
street. So hope I can get out in in 45 minutes.

In our neighborhood

For 11 years we have wanted to have it...

7 years ago we were promised it...

And finally this year, this week coming...

we get paved roads.... here is the beginning

of the equipment. First they dig up the road

itself... as you can see from the road..

Tomorrow they will spread shredded concrete.

Then a sealer after that has been placed in the

two days. And then next week.. we get the black Gold.

Life summed up in a bag

You know how they say that your life
and possessions are in a yard sale with
in 7 days of your death...Well, your paper
work doesn't do so well either.

After 9 years, the King and I went thru
the 2 drawer file cabinet we had his mother's
papers in. It took 2 hours of going thru and
figuring out what to keep and what to throw.

We had done a quick number on them years
ago, and then left them in the file cabinet.
The cabinet has been moved from room to
room. And we decided yesterday was the
day to deal with it all.

After shredding 3 bags of papers, and
deciding do we keep the cards, the
cards from the flowers, and other papers
dealing with the funeral. We ended up
with one white zip bag that the funeral
home gave us with the book. And several
envelopes with pictures in them to send to
different family members.

78 years summed up in one bag.

My Clematis Runneth Over

As you can see, I have not rode my bike for a couple weeks.

The deep purple one is 10 years old.

The light purple that has bigger flowers is 8 years old. This year they are smaller, in the past they have been at least 8 inches across.

And behind the basket of the bike is a red one that is 2 years old.

How old you want to be?

There seems to be another drug that is
trying to make it to the market. Called
Resveratrol. Suppose to get you added
years.

But I got to ask you. Just how many
more years do you want pass, say 80?
And what guarantee do you have it will
be quality life? To me it would be better
to have a good healthy life until you go.

Something is not good about messing
with God's plan. I just want to be healthy
until it is time. And hope and pray it isn't
Alzheimer's.

How long to you want to live? 80? 100?

Health Care Plan

I don't have the answer for what we can have.
What we all can afford. Or how to do it. But one
thing for sure... we need something done.

The biggest drawn down on our health facilities
is the illegal immigrants. Like it or not, it is the
truth. When ever you have a major group of people
who can not pay. Who do not pay taxes to support
the system, who seem to get away with a free
medical services that our own citizens don't get,
it is bound to be a huge burden.

Health care should be equal for all. No matter
what your position is in life. Straight across the
board. Millionaire or homeless. Elderly, or children
But how do you pay for it. That is the major question.
Maybe we could do it like the French. They charge
$2.00 more for their gas. Which affords
them health care for $10 a visit. Hospitals $20.

There is abuse on both sides of the alley here. Be it
Doctors or patient's. We all have seen the shows on
television. The investigation of doctors who have done
poor job of healing. The scene of the Dr. jumping in his
Hummer or what ever and driving off, without a word.
There are records in each state of malpractice.

But on the other side you have patient's who have sued
for the smallest of things. Some times even when the
patient didn't follow directions and blamed it on the
Dr. There are records of many court battles. So the
blame lays on both sides.

Then you have Dr. who stack the deck, by ordering
unneeded procedures. We were a victim of a small
bit ourselves not too long ago. The King doesn't have
insurance, so we have to pay cash. So when it is an
extra lab, it hurts our budget greatly. The Dr's who
walk into a nursing home and stand at the door way
of the dining room, and call each of his patients and
ask how they are doing.. then have the nurse write
down that he visited them. At $35 a name. It was his
monthly visit, paid for by Medicare. Or about 6 years
ago in Florida where a 99 year old woman was taken
to the hospital to die, and they ran 4 major test on
her before she died on Sunday.

And then you have the ER addicts. Who run down
there for the smallest of things. Things like colds,
that you and I stay home and drink fluids and take aspirin.
Or made up things, to get attention. Or chose to have
unneeded operations. Like the mother who wants to have
liposuction on her 3 year old daughter. AND the Dr. is
thinking about it! The rest of us know this is baby fat
that will be run off of her in a year or so, naturally.

So where do we find the sanity in all of this? Is it even
possible? How to you change people's habits? How
do you fight greed? On both sides?

And who is held hostage in all of this? You and I.
Those of us who play by the rules. Who hate to go
to the doctor or the hospital. So when we go, we are
really sick.

I wish Obama well. I wish Congress well. If only they
would stop fighting and find the real answer for the
citizens of American, no matter what their status is.

This is a request for help

Two of our places here in town of
Sandpoint that do great work, are
close to closing. Actually one has,
hopefully, temporary closed.

The Free Clinic in down which helps
those who can't afford a doctor at
regular prices, is close to closing.
There has been those who are donating
to keep it open. It is a week to week
ordeal.

The same thing is said of the
Bonner Humane Society Clinic.
This organization has done so much
good for the county. Many people who
own animals can take their cats or dogs
there to be spayed. At reasonable prices.
For about half of what it cost at the regular
vet clinic's. They also give shots and etc.

I have taken our dog there to be spay. Also
for her shots. When one is on the lower wage
scale, it sure helps to have people like these who
run both clinics. The people there are great. So
caring and helpful.

If you are a cat or dog person and want to
help out, you can send it to the...

Bonner Humane Society
900 Westmond Dr.
Sandpoint, Idaho 83864.

Even if it is only$5. They are closed at this time, but one
person is giving $1,000 if they can come up with matching funds.
So if you are incline to help, I know they and the animals would
sure be grateful.

Looking out the Window...

I feel like I did when I was in school as a kid.
Sitting here looking out the window and wishing
I was there.

I have to get the wash done, straighten up the
weekend mess, and all the usual Monday stuff.
And write my blog as I forgot to do one last night
for today.

So as I wishfully look out the window, I bid you
a good bye for today... I am going to go out and
work in the yard while the temps are not bad, and
just enough wind to keep it cool.

I can do inside work later, when the temp hits
93 today. Hope you are having a great day today
during this wonderful weather. After all only
60 more days of summer.

Sandpoint's Air Show

The King and I went to the air show at the Sandpoint Airport. There were
many planes over 50. The ones I wanted to get pictures of were in the sky.
One was a 1940 something.. Red and Silver... And there were many small
planes.. and sea planes. A real nice selection. But the King had the camera,
so I didn't get as many pictures as I would have liked. So here are a few.


This was the plane to watch. And here it is over the lake (can't do this over the towns) doing it's tricks of
over and unders...

putting on quite a show...

Sandpoint's Newest transportation....

Quest newest plane off the assembly line

And of course, our Commissioner Louis Rich, who rules with common sense.



Happy birthday, tar baby

Health Care and Women for Office

Should wealthy have to pay for health care reform?
my answer is ...NO..
My one sentence about health care package...
"I want the same health package as my congressman
has and paid for by the Government."
after all if it works for them, it will work for us. :-)

As we have women put up for different positions, we have
been asked.. Are you happy a woman has been asked to do
xxxx? My answer is yes, just not that woman...

We had Hillary for President.
Palin for VP...
and now Sotomayor for Supreme Court.

I don't understand why they would even put up a
judge whose judgments have been overturn by
the Supreme Court, not once, but 4 times.
Had it been a man, would his name be thrown in
the ring?

I have watched her as she answered the questions.
The control and jaw action. It reminds me of my
mother... the same look she had when she was
correcting us in front of other people, and not
wanting to look like the bad guy. Almost talking
thru grinched teeth.

She has been pulled from the judge pool, because
she is a woman and Hispanic to boot.
And I am sure the Democrats love affair with her, will get
her nominated without much fanfare.

also if you click on the left ..on blog A Piece of my Mind
you will get a different view of two countries, health insurance.

Wonder What Memories will my kids have of me

Will it be the chocolate chip/butterscotch chip cookies for Valentine's Day?

Will it be the water fights, even thru the house, and it didn't matter if water
got on the floor?

Will it be the camping and talking around the campfire? And sleeping
by the creek, on the ground in sleeping bags? And cooking on the camp
fire that I couldn't start and they had to start it for me?

Will it be stern me, who kept them on the straight and narrow?

Will it be the hours of helping with homework in the early years?

Will it be the sneaking gifts in for Santa to give while they slept, and
finding out that Santa dropped one outside on the porch?

Will it be the Zorro game... of me putting a large Z with lipstick on their foreheads,
while they slept?

Will it be doing chores together, all of us?

Will it be the tears in my eyes as I bid goodbye as they went out into the world?

Will it be that I let them make their own mistakes so they could learn from them?

Or will it be...will I be thought that I was just a mom, like all Mom's?

Life is not fair, sometimes....

Life had been rough around the edges lately...
I have had 3 dear people pass away in 3 months.

My cousin, Karyn, in May
My walking partner, Bonnie, 2 weeks ago
My sister in law's sister, Annette, last week.
All of the from Cancer.
Karyn's was a year fight. Bonnie and Annette
fought it off and on for 14-15 years each.
All of these ladies left us, way to early.

Besides cancer these ladies all shared a great sense
of being. All had a great sense of humor, all had been
so brave and courageous as they fought cancer. All
very concern, even more concern, about those they left
behind.

All 3 of them had smiles that make you laugh and melt your
heart. They all 3 brought more life into their families than you
can imagine. Both before and after they found out they had
cancer.

The 3 of them raised the bar for all of us. Gave us so much, and
asked so little. Showed us all what courage was about, and we
have a hard act to follow.

I am happy for the 3 of them, as they have no more pain. They
can once again laugh, and enjoy those who went before them.
And wait until we join them in later years.

Karyn, Bonnie, and Annette....thanks for the memories....
Will miss your smiles that lit up, like the sun above in the

A Bad Day Fishing is better than....

I believe the saying is that a bad day fishing,
is better than a good day at work. And that is
true.

Yesterday the King and I went to a small lake
near by and went fishing. We got there about 6am.
The lake was smooth as glass. And so quiet.

The Rustic cabin from the days of the movie that
was made on that lake about 10 years ago, was
quiet so we put out money in the lock can and
head down to put the boat in.

We had an electric motor as gas is not allowed.
Which makes the lake all the better. We trolled
fished. I found out I may love fly fishing, or just
fishing from the shore or the boat, but I am not
a troll fisherman. (ok, PC people, a fisherperson).
It isn't boring...it is the fouling up of the pole that
I don't do well... I want a dot of lead on that baby.
I want it to sink. Not wrap around my pole like a
slinky or lay on the top of the water like a slice
of bread, until the boat finally pulls it down enough
to fall thru the water.

I really love fly fishing. I am not good at it..but I
love it... I fly fish, Patrick McManus style. You
know, like a flailing rug beater. Well, not quite
that bad...but surely not like it was done on
River Runs Thru It movie. My favorite movie.

Two half hours later...
Fish.. free...
Fisherpersons... 0
Time.... priceless.....

But quiet conversations with my guy,
on a quiet lake, listening to ducks flying
and landing on the water. an occasional
fish flop on the water, a dive of a hawk, the blue
sky, the green of the trees, No closer to my
God, can be thee....

Palin, why does she irritate me?

Screechy voice? Flirtation, or just what
she says that doesn't make sense. Almost
double talk. If a man was trying to get my vote
with a flirty movements,I would be turned off.
Flirty movie stars or singers, yes. Politicians, NO.

She is like a bat in a cave, either holding still or
batting against the walls in a storm. Where are all the
good women? You hear, well, there is a woman for
you.. you want a woman for President. My answer
is NOT THAT WOMAN. It was the same with Clinton.
Not that woman.

There are a lot of Congresswomen. Why aren't they
running. I mean, serious, intelligent women. There are
some judges, or corporate women... who would be
great.

We just need an intelligent, serious woman. Some one
who can run a country as well as they run their states,
companies and etc. Not one that feels like fingernails
on a blackboard. Palin is like bilge water, that keep
surfacing in the boat and you wonder if it is going to
come up and sink the boat.

More Information than needed....

As I was fixing my coffee and getting
ready to read the paper on Tuesday
morning, I hear it. Jackson's brain not
being buried with his body. It seems the
coroner needs more time for test and couldn't
release the brain yet. So released the body for
the funeral... Now that is way more information
than I needed. In fact the thought of it, kind of
stuck in my head, when I saw anything else
the rest of the day. Even at my job. I can
just imagine what the thoughts of his fans were.
Hopefully none of them heard it before the funeral.
It is a visual that is hard to get out of your head.
And then the rumors and jokes. Ugh.

Then the paper didn't help me much either. The
headlines read Researchers Can Guess Secret
SS numbers. Just by your birth date and where
you were born. Seems the first 3 numbers tell
where you were born. I forgot the next two, and
the last 3...well, never mind. But in this day and
age of ID theft, we surely don't need to advertise
how the crooks can get your SS number. So do
we really need to help the crooks out? Most of them
are pretty resourceful enough as it is. Do we really
need to help them?

No New Car for Me

I have never owed a new car.
The newest one that I bought
was 4 years old.

So the likelyhood, at 69, I will never
owe a brand new vehicle. Not unless
I win the lottery. Which I forget to buy
tickets or just don't.. and last I heard,
you had to buy. The King buys when
he remembers, but even he has cut way
down on buying them. So a new car is
just not in my future.

Maybe the King, being he is younger than I.
He talks about that red convertible sports car
with a hot chick, when he gets that life insurance
money. I asked him if people will laugh at him
with a chicken in the front seat. (before people
get upset... we are joking).

Also even if I was to win the lottery, I would not
be buying one of those little cars. The reason
behind this reasoning is, the comparing the prices,
and the gas mileage. The average mpg is 30-33mpg
for those cars. The average for a full size vehicle
is 28-30. If I am going to be traveling, I want some
thing I am not looking out the window at the semi's
hubcaps. I want something that is comfortable.
Not folded up, short casket like thing.

I thought those vehicles were great on mileage. But
was disappointed to see that it is just a little bit more
than a regular vehicles. Even the hybrids are not doing
that well. I don't think it should be legal to sell a car
that gets less than 35 mpg. After all if they make it a
law you have smog stuff... they can make it for that too.

My father had a diesel Chevelle in 1981. It got 50 mpg.
Yes, it sounded like the pistons were trading places when
it started up, and a sewing machine after...but it was pretty
comfortable and it got 50 mpg.

Two friends have Volkswagen Jetta diesels. Both get 45 to
50 mpg. Both vehicles are 2002. Tell me why the newer
ones only get 32? What changed since then?

Anyway, even if the government gives us the $3,000 to
$4,000 for our older cars/trucks...we just flat out could not
afford the payments on a new car. I think that speaks for
about 1/3 of the retirees. And a good share of the general
public.

The rule of thumb that a certain percentage (low) trade in
their vehicles every year. Another certain percentage trade in
every 3 to 5 years. And I think it is safe to say that more than
1/3rd are like me, and never have had a new vehicle in their
lifetime. So that makes it 10 years or more before the new
vehicle will trickle down to the used car lot for those of us to
buy. In 10 years I will be almost 80.. so not really a good
chance of me owing one.

So how is it the government or the powers that be... feel we
will be all green in the next few years?

Happy Birthday, GBW

Of Lawn Mowers and Cows

Thank you, Congressman Tiahrt of Kansas... some common
sense has prevailed. Seems that Congressman Tiahrt came up
with an amendment to send to the House Appropriations Committee.
An amendment that they adopted,called the Tiahrt Amendment,
which prevents the EPA from regulating livestock as a greenhouse
gas source..
Thank you,Congressman Tiahrt, thank you...

Now I watched a show that was showing about lawn mowers.
They were talking about how much gas is used with all kinds
of lawn mows.. Riding, or push. And how it effect the ecology.
Seems the fumes from the exhaust of such mowers, is quite a
bit... hummm... do you hear that EPA... now are you going to
pass a law, to charge all home owners a tax for mowing their
lawns? Maybe I shouldn't say that too loud. As I said it in
jest, and you know how the government can take a joke and
make it into a tax before your eyes blink.

4th of July 2009...Sandpoint style

Are we ready to get this started? The lining up process.



Pipper Chuck Lane, looking to see if they are ready to start....



Yes, here comes the flag and the Veterans

here is the only band of the parade....
President Bill Lewis of the Lions Club, who put this whole 4th of July on for all of us. They do the parade, the fun things at the beach, the afternoon and the fireworks... They sure do need new members if anyone would like to volunteer their time.

Of course you have to have horse...

Now there is a dump truck...

I asked the King if this was part of the bypass equipment, but he said no..so don't know

where they would be using this local...but from my view... they were BIG!!

Elk, Wa. (I think) Shriners truck

Fire in the Hole, car was back...remember it was in Lost in the 50's parade

Geof & Johanna Crosswhite with their car in progress, next year's Lost in the 50's?

old trucks

Even the ice cream lady was there...

old cars

The parade lasted an hour, and it was a nice group of people, clubs, businesses and etc. My only complaint is not enough bands.. They only had the drum and pipe group. Remember the marching bands of pass? I use to love them.

Every time they hit into John Phelp Souza tunes it made my heart sing..

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY....

Life, Liberty, and pursuit of Happiness

if you think I look bad...

You should have seen her.....

The Thrill is Gone...

When I was a kid I remember seeing the fire
works with my parents. R.I. was really strict
with fireworks so we didn't have them as a family.

When I had kids, we always had fireworks at our
house. And I always took the kids to the city, town,
or county fireworks. We all loved them.

We use to do our own when we lived in the country
which was most of the time. We had spin wheels that
we nailed to a long board and set them off, one after the
other. We had the kind that went up about 18 feet. We
had the noisy ones. The bigger the bang the more we
loved it. And the kids had sparklers... they were really
bummed out, the 4 years we were in R.I. As it is against
the law.

But now, it just doesn't seem as much fun. We haven't
had personal fireworks for about 8 years. And we haven't
been down to the city fireworks for over 4 years. It was one
of those been there, did that. Went down and sat for 3 flaming
hours before the fireworks started... we saw more in the
surrounding hills than we saw at the beach. And the ones at
the beach lasted 10 minutes. I know this because when they
finally started I looked at my watch to see when they actually
started, which was at 10 o'clock pm straight up. As I folded my
chair to start back to the car, I looked at the watch, and it was
10:11pm. Been there, did that, won't do that again.

So now on 4th of July, we hear the bang of the fireworks, and
think, oh, yea... fireworks. And continue what we are doing.
As we might see one or two from our house. And it sure isn't
worth finding a place to watch for 10 minutes. When I took
my kids it was at least 30 minutes.

So now the thrill is gone.

Do We HAVE to Fix Everything??

When my kids were young I ran interference
for them. And then when they grew up, I still
had the urge. The worse one I had to fight was
my youngest one. She was fine, it was me.

When something came up that a was hard to
handle, I felt it was my duty as a mother.... a parent's
duty to help. The very few times I did, she always
paid me right back, if it was money. I think I did that
3 time out of the hundreds of urges.

The funniest part of this is that, she did quite well,
when I DID NOT help. As I stood on the side lines,
ready to encourage or the urge to jump in if needed.
It was NOT needed at all. She did it and did it well.
So did the rest. But it was a rough time for me, to
keep not only my mouth shut, but not to interfere.. to
not help.

So I feel the same about our country. Why should we
feel like we HAVE to fix everything for everyone.?
Aren't we arrogant, when we think we have the right
answers, the only answers to others problems?

Why does any country think they should domain the
other? Why do they think they have the only real answers?

You know, if you take the greed of money that war brings,
(the oil, the money the suppliers for the troops) away, what
is the gain? We are helping? Maybe if we did not HELP
the countries would do fine on their own. No wonder other
countries hate us. We are so self righteous.

Just once or more really, I wish our country would just
shut its mouth and let the countries manage their own
country.

RISK, is a game board, not suppose to be life for the
world. But all of our governments seem to think they
are still playing the game.