Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Food terms that brings terror to the faces of your family..

Smorgasboard is another word for leftovers… It is a way of creative
mixing all the boxes or bags of food you put in the refrigerator for your
husband to eat for lunch and he didn’t… so now he gets all of them in
one meal…

Chef's Surprise, brought terror to my children faces, and still does for my
husband. It was not having a clue of what to make, so you make up something that none of you have ever ate before..

Freezer Roulette means picking unknown items in the freezer. You know the stuff you put in the container or bag, but now you can’t figure out what it is, so you have to thaw it out so you can recognize it once again.. and then force to so
something with it… or throw it away… of course, your husband is opting for the throw it away.. But one time it was something he put in, that I could not figure out what it was.. so I made something with it.. turn out to be a grouse that he was saving. Saving for what.. the second coming?

Why is it we think we will eat some of this stuff that we put in the freezer? After all if we had it in the refrigerator for a couple days, and no one eats it… what makes us think we will eat it a month or so, when we look thru all the containers?
Of course, desserts don’t count.. they are good in any form, or later…

So what is your terms for your food that brings terror to your families faces?

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Spam ...isn't just online

Those of us over the age of 65 have been overwhelmed with
mail for the past 3 months… and thankfully it will end
next week on the 7th of December…

No, I am not talking about Christmas charities, which is
also heavy in the mail. What I am referring to is the Supplement
Insurance offers. Some of them are so deceptive. I have had
some that come looking like it is from Social Security itself.
A lot of them have AARP on them. But there are others.

My biggest worry is not if my shred machine is going to wear out
thru all of this.. because that is where mine go.. but of those who
are not up on what spam looks like. That don’t read all of what is
on them, to know it didn’t come from the Social Security Office.

And how many of them are frauds? So if you have elderly parents,
and see their mail, check it out… if you don’t see their mail or live
in another state, talk to them about it.

Most of us have agents who handle our supplement insurance. So
if in doubt, ask them. There was one a couple years ago that sounded
too good to be true… and it was.. When they offer it for $9.00 a month
and throws in a health club membership for little to nothing.. You know
there is a side effect to all of this. Limited coverage, and other hidden
policies limitations… so be careful out there.. Read everything well.
Ask around before you make a decision. The new limitations that Congress
wants to pass, could be effected by these policies as well.

Be informed… if you don’t understand… ask someone.. Remember the
only dumb question is the one you didn’t ask and cost you money.

Monday, November 28, 2011

BAH,Humbug, has already started.....

I am watching the Thanksgiving Parade.. Two of my yearly loves is the Thanksgiving Macy Parade and the New Year’s Day, Rose Parade…

And each of the years coming it gets worse.. and this year is just another one of them. I was watching the CBS as my NBC was breaking up… but from what I could see, it wasn’t any better.
(I have antenna so limited channels, but worth every bit of no monthly bill)

What is it with these channels? What happen to my parades. A parade is not suppose to be in the background.. What part of Macy Thanksgiving Parade did they forget?

The host keep chattering… about everything and anything but not to do with the parade… If you can’t tell me some background information about what I am seeing in the background (because I DON’T WANT TO SEE YOU) then shut the heck up!! I want to know about the float, or the band.. I want to HEAR the marching band.. my favorite of parades. I don’t want to see a glimpses of the float coming up the street and then you two talking.. and then the end of the float as it goes around the corner…

And I DON’T want to see someone singing, or dancing.. I can watch a talk show for talking, or MTV or what ever video station, or bring out one of my cd’s, if I want musicals or dancing…

I want to SEE the parade… I want to HEAR the bands… I want to see them march… I want to see the floats that people have been working on for months…
I don’t want to see some small time or even big time star tell me what they are going to do for Thanksgiving… go to the talk show for that.

WAKE UP NATIONAL NETWORKS…
SHOW ME THE PARADE!!!!!
Bah Humbug turned off… for now..…

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving...

This picture is about 30 years old... it is generation past.... It is one of my mother
taken by a friend, Jo, who came to dinner for over 30 years before Mom's health
got bad.. and the last Thanksgiving, then Jo brought the meal to Mom and Dad's..

This year, we.. the King and I, are passing the tradition on to the next generation...
Thanksgiving has been for the past 20 years or so, the King's delight... but this year

he is grateful that one of the daughter's has stepped up to the plate...



So we are joining about 14 others, and going to our local daughter's house.

SO HAPPY THANKSGIVING, may your day be full of good food, great visits,

lots of laughter.... and a safe trip home, for those who travel...



THE WORDTOSSER...

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Who Blinks first???

It is the time of the year.. and I have an early start.
As one who waits until the last minute… I have out done myself.
I am talking about Christmas cards… for the second year in a row, I have got my cards all done before Thanksgiving.. this year even sent them out Monday.

But it is also the time to see who blinks first. Meaning on the list, there are some who you have sent them out for years.. I mean lots of years.. 25, 35 years.. even 50 years.. for us older ones… and you wonder.. is the person getting tired of it. Would they love to have you skip a year so they won’t send you one and then you won’t send one back. Who do you scratch off the list? Do you wait on some, in hopes they won’t send you one and then you don’t have to?
Last year, one of those long time ones, passed away. I got a card and note from her daughter… so sad…See this was one of my teen years friend, who passed away.. So at my age, you start to have some of those friends pass away.

But do you have someone you would like to drop off of the list but don’t because you are afraid you might hurt their feelings? And at our age, do you fear dropping someone in fear they might think you died? Lol…
Good luck with your list..

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Out of the woodwork, another political party...

Seems there is another political party starting..
We have seen the start up of the No Party Group, meaning you
could not run under any party name..
And then there is a renewal of a very old party, Whip Party.
And of course we hear about the Tea Party.
Along with all the regulars we see on the ballot each year.

Now we have a new party, which is big on electronics.
Meaning you get to tell what you want in a President.
And after they find one who they think is what the American
people, who own computers wants… then they will ask that
person if they will want to run under their party.

Confusing, huh? Well, the way I understand it. You all or should I say,
we all, go on line and leave a message of the things we want in a President..
the qualities.. even the like Roosevelt, (naming which one) or Kennedy like..
again naming which one. Or even someone in your own state… When they
get enough ideas of what the people in U.S. A. want in a person, they find
that person..
And then they ask that person to come on board, and the (the party)
will back them. It can be anyone.. They can be in the parties of now.

When you go on their site, you give tell your views of what you want.
Then you give a questions for a questionnaire for the candidates. You have
to be a register voter to do this. This is done this winter..

In April, they hope to have it narrowed down to 6 finalist. In May the
candidates that are picked have to opt in. After all they could come up
with someone..but that person may not want anything to do with this new party.
Those 6 different persons, then have to chose their own running partner..
AND (this will be a kicker) that person has to be from another party other
than their own. Their thoughts on this is, so a fringe group won’t take
over the process.

Then in early June of 2012, the 6 top tickets face off in a on line voting.
If there is an overwhelming majority, then that is the candidate. If not,
then the top two have a run off.

In late June the committee of this party, which is independent will decide
and name their candidate. They will then be involved in the polls… and if
the numbers are good, then they will be on the ballot for all 50 states.
As this committee of this party, back them, and have already started their
drive to have a spot open for them on all the ballots in each state.

I keep calling this a party but I am not sure if that is correct wording..
Maybe group would be a better description. So who is this group?
They call themselves Americans Elect. You can look up their name and
find information..

They have their own site, for you to sign up.
www.americanselect.org
“Americans Elect gives you the power to directly nominate a
president in 2012. Who will you choose?”

Is this a good thing? I honestly don’t know. I know those dieheart
Republicans and Democrats are going to freak out. As they think the
country should run with only these 2 parties.. And in the past we have
had several parties that run, but don’t get much media. The Independent Party,
the Liberation Party to name a few.

But with everything going electronic, this doesn’t surprise me.
Scares me, but doesn’t surprise me. I find it interesting, but scary.
It kind of runs in the thing of being scared or hate what you fear or don’t
understand. And that would kind of include me. I am not going to even
try to say I understand all of this. I don’t hate it. So far don’t fear it..but
there is a lots more reading to do, before I do understand..

Sounds like just what the Occupy ____________ (fill in the blank)
ordered. The 99% ers.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Occupy what? and Why?

We have been subjected to the media about the Occupy
______________, you fill in the blank.

It is still in disarray, no matter where it is at.
Even though the media has had reporters down in the middle asking people what is it that they want. No one seems to really know. And definitely no two people come up with the same answer of “hum haw, of let me see, I want jobs, I want us to have money.
Power to the People”… and etc. Which I have mention in previous posting, and it hasn’t gotten any better… also the fact that how many are really there for the original reasoning. How many are free loaders? There for a place to stay, a place for free food, even free health… and a place to spout off what ever comes to their mind, even if it has nothing to do with what the reason is. There is talk of a library being there… come on people, you are not a flaming city.

The other thing that makes me wonder, is why are the cities allowing it.. right from the get go, when the crowds were smaller.
After all if you are a group, and you want to have a public parade, you have to have a permit. A permit of what, where and how many. So they could have been told to leave or be arrested for having no permit. Even if they get a permit, there should be a time limit.. And no, gathering in the town square, at the beginning of a bridge, is not a right.

Now let’s put this into another context… what if this was the National Rifle Association, who decided, they don’t like the gun laws, and etc… and they gathered, like these Occupy people. How long would not only the cities tolerate it, but all the non gun people. And there are a lot of them.. And what about any other group. We have the Aryan Nation, and God forbid (no pun intended) what about the Muslims? What if they were to protest that they are profiled across the nation, and therefore deserve better respect? Would all of you people who are romanticizing this group, be so thrilled?

How can you stand behind at group of unruly people, who camp out, make a mess of your city, have people being hurt, raped and etc. And then when the police come and tell them they have to vacate, turn it into a riot. What right do they have to make a mess, have the strain on the cities for police protection.. of the cities as well, as their (for a nice word) rearends as well. What makes the media, show the people who are having the sit out…but not of the injuries, of some of the people. And when the police have to enforce their Mayor’s words of removal… after warning the people don’t leave, what do you think they should do? Say oh, sorry, you don’t want to obey the law, we will turn our backs. It is ok… now remember, the Muslims, the NRA… and etc. groups, would you say that is ok too? When they are asked to leave.. given a dead line of the next day to be removed their things… and no one does.. Just what do you think? You think 2 months is not enough to get their worries over to the public?

Sorry, I have lost my respect for these people. And I don’t care if you are 85 years old… the law is the law.. you have been asked to leave nicely… you were told what was going to happen…
Nope, you are responsible for what happens to you now.

By the way, so far, I have not heard of any foreign country trying to tell us how to take care of this mess… which is more than I can say for us, when the foreign countries have trouble with their citizens. No one is shooting anyone here, some say.. I thought there was one.. but even so… what if it starts, there is already talk of throwing a Molotov bomb in Macy’s.. how many others will take up the call of violence? It is only a matter of time.

Yes, Occupy what ever… you have had your 15 minutes of fame, over the past two months…now if you REALLY want change, then go about it the proper way. Start by running for council in your own town, then in the Senate or House of your state, and make changes… go to council meetings, go to Senate meetings, go see and talk calmly to your Senator or Representative.. have solutions to your problems.. because yelling in the streets is on our deaf ears now.. As the people who are barely hanging on, job and home wise, don’t need more taxes to pay for your antics.

You are not going to change in 2 months.. what has gone down hill for 100 years… especially the last 50. Get off the entitlement train, and start looking for solutions, real ideas, real problem solving solutions.. not yelling in the town square.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Regis is gone....

Why is it I hedge the fact that I watch Regis and Kelly Live?

After all it is just a show… with two people. Not rock star type of people…just slightly higher than the average people. But for some reason, I enjoy looking over the top of my paper, walking by with the laundry, and seeing what Regis has to say. I have to say, that the part I like the best is the first 15 minutes. The rest depends on the guest or skit they do.

I started out with Regis back 50 years ago when I lived in San Diego, California. He had a noon type show with, I believe Mary Hart. It was a fun show and a nice back ground as I fed the kids lunch. Then the Joey Bishop Show.. but Regis doesn’t wear well as a lower sidekick. It was like he worshipped Joey. And it wasn’t that great to watch. Then years went by, and I caught up with Regis on national TV in the morning with Kathy Lee. They worked well together. Then Kathy Lee left. And Kelly Ripa joined him.
I knew Kelly from All My Children. And I didn’t think this was going to work very well. To my surprise it worked out better than he did with Kathy Lee. And it is funny, as Kathy Lee caught heck a lot…because she talked about her kids on the show… and as Kelly’s children came, she talks about the kids just as much. I kind of liked it as it made both women more human.. and you can work and raises kids too.

I kind of took Regis for granted. But realize how important he was, when he wasn’t there and someone else was with Kelly. The only one who filled in, for him that worked well, was Kelly’s own husband. Same thing worked the other way. When Kelly is gone for her family vacation, the only fill in who worked well with Regis, is Joy, his wife. So it will be interesting to see who they chose to replace Regis. He is a little man, but he has big shoes to fill. As he is the sneaky kind.. someone who you think it is ok that he isn’t there… until…. He isn’t.

Maybe part of the attraction is that Regis remind of my father.
They both are/were (dad is gone) short, both have black hair in their youth, and freckles, both have a wide grin.. and dancing eyes when up to mischief. Both looked great in their 80’s.

Also I think the show works for me.. because it is like your favorite old loafers… no matter how old they get, they just feel good and make you feel good.

GOOD BYE, REGIS… GOD BLESS…

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Saw it on Facebook....

Saw this one Facebook... and I liked it...
besides, I have nothing in my head to say today of my own....
Some days are like that...

Sometimes when I reflect on my past
I'm reminded that every moment made me who I am
and brought me to the close family and friends I have today.
If you've ever made me laugh, thank you.
If you've ever made me cry, screw you.
And if you ever were mean to me..... IN YOUR FACE!!!!
Bahaha.... What?
Did you expect me to always be a Hallmark card?
Get real! Thanks

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

The Lairs of Politics...

Once again we have a stand by your man woman.
Standing in front of the media, saying this is not,
this man’s nature to do… fill in the blank. This time
it is Mrs. Herman Cain… whose husband is running for president.

She is taking quite a slam thru the talk shows women, who think they know her.. or shake their heads as they speak of her.
In all honesty, I don’t know if what she speaks is the truth. And in this day and age of politics as normal we know the biggest liars of them all, are politicians. They are, with their “people”. Oh, I forgot it isn’t a lie when they say it, it is a spin. Spin is just another way of saying lies. Just they figure we are too stupid to realize the difference. And judging some of the words you hear, that might be right.

See I am a cynic as well, as one who doesn’t believe everything she hears. I remember the great Bush lie.. oops, spin… on McCain when they were running as Republican president candidate. Where Bushes group spread the word of how McCain’s adopted child was his illegitimate child, born out of wedlock. Rather than see his family destroyed… McCain folded. Which that in its self was not good. Too bad he didn’t show strength. Tell his child of people’s lies.. and have his wife and he, stand up and call Bush on his lies.
Same thing with Perot, another one who lies/spins were against his family. So when the stories start coming out.. It is hard to believe everything you read. And having the ambulance lawyer like Allred, is like having Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton show up.

Besides, didn’t our parents teach us to believe half of what you read/hear and ¼ of what you see?

Me, I will judge Mr. Cain by his issues.. not the personal ones. At least for now. So far he has show a couple of ideas, which sound good, until you read all of them and what they truly mean.
And so far… next November is going to be a bust… at least for me.
Once again it will be a vote of the less of the two evils.. and who knows, I might vote like I did in the Bush/Kerry one.. ‘NONE OF THE ABOVE. Sometime, you just got to do, what you got to do.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

There she blows...



Back home there is a saying..if you don't like the weather.. just wait a bit, as it will be to your liking before the day is over.
Well, yesterday, I was enjoying the sunshine. Then about 11 after I got the mail, I was opening and reading it. All sudden it got dark, dar enough I had to turn on the lights. I looked outside and this is what I saw..



Monday, November 14, 2011

Why I love living in Bonner County, Idaho

When the King goes hunting, and I ride along.... he shoots with a gun, and I shoot with a camera.
As you will see, I got more shoots than he did... not a deer in sight.
This is just a 20 minute ride from our house... but a nice slow ride thru just one of our ridges.
Looking through our windshield...




As you can see winter has come to the high ridge... Everything looks so beautiful..


Trees with their snow coats on...



This is a branch that is hanging over the road...




we slowly go under, so we don't break our antenna, and scratch the truck.. or

break Mother Nature's branches... this is a view was the branch goes across the

windshield... a few leaves still on.. in the snow..
there are many of trees that lean with the heavy snow across the road.



As we got thru each one slowly, the snow flies, and the trees stand at attention once again.
As we came out of the woods, and back to civilization... here was a flock of wild

turkeys...


And around the corner we come to see across the valley, to the mountians.. and

sunshine..



Friday, November 11, 2011




TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US.
TO ALL WHO SERVE AS WE SPEAK….
WE HUMBLY SAY….
THANK YOU….
Words so little, but so large in our hearts..
On this Veteran’s Day and every day…
THANK YOU….

And to number 4 child….
HAPPY 47th BIRTHDAY…

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Sometimes you just wonder how things happen....

In this Michael Jackson case, where the Dr. is up for
sentencing now that they found him guilt. One thing
I don’t understand.. how did he get possession of that
much drug?

I know he is a doctor.. but really, this is a drug that is
to be used in a hospital only.. so how does ANY doctor
order out that drug from the hospital? And that much.
Hell, he had enough to put an elephant herd to sleep. And
this is not the first time Jackson had it at his home. Even
had a nickname for it.. milk. He was trying to break himself
of the habit supposedly, but that night begged for it. So that shows he had it before.

I worked in a health care center for 17+ years. And those nurses
had to count each pill, before they turn over the cart to the next shift. Every nurse, every cart… and they had to count what was in
the med room. One time when there wasn’t a nurse around to count with the on coming nurse… I was asked to witness the counting for the on coming nurse. (Nurse had to leave because she was sick)

My understanding that hospitals have to do the same.. So where
didn’t it bring down the red flag? It is my understanding.. that he
didn’t buy it thru a black market type of deal… so how did he get
his hands on that much? I heard from one of the news it was 4 gallons? Surely that must be a mistake.. 4 bottles maybe, surely it
wasn’t 4 gallons worth. But I think the hospital or supplier should
have to be accountable to how it got in the good doctors hands. Who signed this stuff out?

Next, there should be blame spread around. Don’t get me wrong, I
think the doctor should have been found guilty. No doctor should have a patient overrule good judgment. If I don’t do what my doctor says, he would tell me to go else where. But of course there was a lot of money involved. But still. Blame should also go to
Mr. Jackson, himself… after all he is the one who asked, begged for it.. and he was far from a victim here. Same thing with his family… same thing with Elvis If you really think your family member could die from drugs.. you need to do a family meeting with that person.. intervention. If you can’t get to them.. call the police.. drugs are illegal.. The star could have his/her career effected? Well, that is better than being dead?

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Morning of heartbreak or thrills

As everyone wakes up this morning. It is a morning of
heartbreak or thrills… some found out last night.. those
who stayed up long enough to see the results…but then again
there is the write ins and mail ins, that need to be counted as well.

And in Washington state that came be most of them..
As most of them mail in.. not sure if all do.
Here in Idaho, it usually is only a small percentage that mail
in theirs. Personally, I like going down to the polls and make
my mark the old fashion way. And in my little town, that is
still true, as we don’t have the automatic machine that some do.

But there had to be a lot of celebration last night, and the close one
had to wait until this morning.. and some of them have to wait yet.
Some will be cussing.. some will think maybe they should have voted, as they figured their person was a shoo in.. But those who didn’t vote, have no say now.. Missed opportunity…

Over in Washington, the people will be heading to the grocery store to buy their liquor, as they voted out their state liquor stores.
So we will see if what they had to say, the pro’s and con’s, is true or not..

I had no horse in this race. As ours were all unopposed. We now
have a new Mayor. A really nice gentleman and he is a gentle man. And our to be ex Mayor, will be stepping down after many,many, many years of holding down the fort. She definitely will feel the lost of being in the know. But then again, maybe relieved too. So those of you who voted.. Hope your person got in, and your bill went the way you voted. The rest of you. who didn’t vote.. Sorry.. Your mistake.. Sad.

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Having a hard time not being a bitch...

Seems like more and more, the mail makes me a bitch.

I got today in the mail… an envelope saying Medicare
Changes, Then you open the dark inside of the envelope
and there is a postcard. Telling how there are Medicare changes
and how these changes could affect my current plan.
For me to fill in my name, birth date, and my spouses name
and birth date as well… and phone number… Nothing saying
where it is from. But in blurry, small letters it says Brad Mill,
license insurance agency could be contacting me.. And the front
of the post card says.. SD Reply Center in Rockwall Texas.
My worry is that there is a senior citizen out there who won’t recognize this
as an advertisement… and being a post card with their name and birth date on it..
along with their spouses… is an open candidate for fraud or identity theft.

Then there is the request for donation for Hospice Education.
Now I have the highest regard for Hospice… but I sure the heck not going
to send money to the state of Maine….
Idaho has Hospice too. Each county, just about, has their own..
we have ours here in Bonner county. I have taken classes there when I was an aide.
But Maine, I don’t think so… reminds me of a line from one of
the judge/court shows, where she says, stay in your own lane… So
Hospice of Maine, send your request for your Hospice to people
Of Maine. Idaho people will send theirs to their local unit, thank
you very much.

Then there is the Toys for Tots. I have gave to Toys for Tots for
years.. I once paid for a picture that the Sandpoint magazine used,
and had them donate the payment for that, to the Toys for Tots..
There is no way I am going to send donations to Des Moines, Iowa!
The Lions club here in our town does it quite well…
Iowa Toys for Tots… stay in your own lane/state..
Yes, I am afraid that makes me a bitch… but it isn’t my fault..
they just tick me off… and it come out

Monday, November 07, 2011

Have you ever wonder who came before you?

I am sure there are a lot of you out there who have gone back
a branch or two on your family tree… So you get to know the names…
and if you are lucky you know what they did for work.

One of my family members asked about some of mine, so I got my folder
out of the old filing cabinet, and started to proceed looking over the pictures
and etc. I decided to scan pictures and papers, on one side for now.. I found a
booklet that one of my great aunts did in the 1960’s …long before computers…
(well, for her at least)
It is all on my grandmother’s side, which is also hers.

I sat and started to read it, as I was trying to find out connection.
And I tell you, after reading for half an hour, I feel my head start to spin.
Holy cow.. so many names, so many same names. There ware so many
William’s, John’s, Hannah’s, Daniel’s, Elizabeth's and Harriet’s. I finally
found the right Daniel who was married to the right Harriet, which is my
great, great, great grandfather from England. But I couldn’t find any more..
but luckily it did list his children.. which was my great great grandfather…
but I tell you, I felt like my brain was on a merry go round… and I was dizzy.

I think I need a rest from this.. before I start the other side.. at least
all their names are different.. well, there is quite a few Elizabeth’s there.
But when you get to the Swedish section, I can’t even spell them never
mind pronounce them.

Maybe I should have just copies the papers and sent them to her.
But I did get to go to a site and came out looking at the church cemetery
in England where quite a few of them are buried. That was cool

Thursday, November 03, 2011

Some people's memory sure is different than mine..

One hears about different Republicans..
There is the Tea Party Republicans,
Ultra right wing Republicans
Middle of the road Republicans
And the one that baffles me the most is the Reagan Republicans

They talk about him like he was some kind of a wonderful hero of the Republican
Party… and may he was…..to them… sure wasn’t to the rest of us.

Why the ultra right wing have grabbed him is beyond me. After all I thought the
ultra right wing was/is the highly religious Republicans. And Reagan did not
wear his religion on his sleeve.. does any one know what religion he followed?

So I am confused, and I sure don’t remember the President or even Governor
called Ronald Reagan in the same way as those who proclaim him the Republican
of all Republican… Heck, even the Democrats refer to him, as
a great man of ideals… Which is all ironic, as he raised taxes, and
increased the National Debt as much or more than others.

Some will say, well, you are just looking at the political side of it.. Could be
as I was a citizen of California when he was voted in as a Governor. And
we cussed about him and his policies.. but the one that stuck out in my mind,
to even today… was when he cut the food budget for the nursing homes.
My neighbor was an Administrator of a nursing home.. And she was really
fed up with the new policies of soup and sandwiches for dinner. And their
lunches were to be stews, or casseroles and etc. But the long and short of
it, the citizens of California were far from happy.

Now jump ahead almost 20 years later… Reagan ran and won the President
Election. To those of us who ever lived in California dismay. Now my family
Is living in R.I. My now, deceased husband, was on Social Security Disability.
After having 6 different operations for blocked arteries, 3 doctors had decided
there is no way he could go back to being a welder or a diesel mechanic, that
he had been for over 34 years. We were on about a year, when Reagan
became President.. and thru his policies… we, along with many families,
got dumped off of the SSD, with one week notice. With the message of
now prove again, why you should be on SSD and you will do that with our
doctors, not yours. Long and short, it took us 10 months to prove once and
for all, that he deserved to be on SSD. After being thrown on welfare, which
horrified both of us, as both of us were independent people. They took the kids
savings and told us to spend that before we got any money.. and gave us food
stamps. I started some classes as I hadn’t worked for 30 years other than help
my husband in a small scrap iron company we had years earlier. It was a long
10 months, of lost dignity, and explaining to my kids that all the money that
they had saved (I think maybe $110 among the 5 kids we still had at home)
and why the government would make them take it out of the bank and spend
it. Against everything we had taught them about saving.

Also there was a man in a wheel chair, who lived in New York or New Jersey,
Who was turn down by the SSD… who after fighting it out with different agents
of the SSD… went to the office one day, with one more try, and went to the lobby
and shot himself… with a note in his lap… NOW YOU HAVE TO PAY
MY FAMILY AND GIVE THEM BENEFITS.

And that is what I remember about Mr. Reagan, that is why I am confused about
why people would call themselves… Reagan Republicans. To me that is not a good thing..

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

CHRISTMAS???

A lot of my friends are starting to get into the Christmas spirit.
BAH HUMBUG… I usually wait until at least a week or so before
Christmas. But last year about sent all my friends into a major
shock by mailing out my Christmas cards. Usually I pull the waiting
game. You know where you wait and see if so and so is sending
you a card this year.. hoping one of us is skipping a year, so the
other has permission to quit sending a card?

So to think of Christmas, now.. I am just getting thru the Halloween
Mode. Trying to get set up for Thanksgiving mode, and they are throwing
Christmas at me.

Ok, so now I have thought about Christmas… still Bah humbug… now leave me
a lone… now let me see, where was I… oh, yea, are we doing Thanksgiving here
or are we traveling this year. Wonder what the weather will be?
That will be the deal breaker of traveling for then.

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Rich? poor?

The old saying was the rich get richer and the poor get more children…
I don’t know.. I guess I am an old ball.. because I never minded the people
who were rich.. they had their lives and I had mine. Kind of it is what it is type of deal.
Now those of you who are screaming and starting to pull your hair out… I don’t consider the rich lumped in with bankers… and I don’t compare those with the CEO’s who get huge bonuses. Those huge bonuses never made sense to me.. why would anyone get a bonus of more that 8 times the working man’s wages? Never understood that. They already got a huge wage, so why the bonus? But that is for another day.

I was raised in Middletown, R.I. and we had quite an arc on incomes in our county. We had the farmers who if they had a good year, broke a little more than
even.. We had the people who lived in a place called Park Holm, and they were
low end wage earners or welfare for what ever reason.. We had Tomney Hill, which had the poorer Naval families.

And then we had just a mere 4 miles away.. Newport Ocean Drive and Belleville Avenue. . The home of the Vanderbilts, Belmonts, Wetmore, Berwind and Morris families… to name a few.. A lot of them, I never heard of while I was growing up.
Vanderbilts were probably the only one I was aware of at the time.. We kind of didn’t run in the same circle, you might say. While they flaunt some of their things…it was mostly their crowd was aware of it.. Once in a while stories would leak out… like in the 1920’s and Mrs. V wanted the U.S.Navy to paint their ships
white and moor them on the sea area view from her house.. for her WHITE PARTY.. that was where everyone dress in white with white wigs and etc. And
of course the USN decline her invitation… And then there is the one who built their own Japanese house for a Japanese party she had. But again these were before my time… I had a neighbor girl friend whose father was the gardener from one of the rich people, but not a big name one.. We got to go there while the family was gone and went swimming off of the pier… and I almost drown. She
grabbed my hair and saved me. We had a good laugh the following year when I graduated from the 8th grade and it was in my future to be a swimming guard.

But the rest of our county was middle of the road wage earners. My father worked civil service for over 35 years. So I guess we were in the middle.
He had good benefits and a slightly better wage than the farmers, gas station people and etc. But I can also remember my mother figuring out what groceries she was going to buy with her food budget of $10. And they never bought on time payments.. their only monthly payment was the house mortgage at the bank.

So you see, those of us in the middle wage families, didn’t see any big deal that some were richer than we were.. Like I said, most of them didn’t flaunt it. So it was never in our faces. So some in my class went to college, some join the service, some went to the work force.. And knew there was two ways to get
rich. One you were born into it and worked for your father, or you worked really hard to become an owner of your own business. Hard work was the name of the game. The rest of us.. well, we would work hard, but also had families, so that is where our money went. Still never feeling a big difference. Even if you had a wealthy friend, it wasn’t a big deal.

We knew if we worked hard, we could save for something.. as there wasn’t any credit cards then. There was lay-a-ways at the local clothing stores. That is where you put down some money on your purchases, and you were given a time limit of when you had it paid off. They kept the merchandise in the back room until you had it paid for. The only payment plan was your house.. and then cars
also came to play but that was thru a bank. And you had to have really good job to be even considered.

So where am I going with all of this? I guess it is that I don’t understand the 1% against the 99%. For one thing the numbers are all wrong. There are a lot more than 1%.. you take in sports stars, movie stars, music stars, the computer whiz kids like Gates, and etc.. and add them to the CEO’s with the big bonuses, and who ever else there are.. it has to be more than the 1%. After all the computers and video games, and etc. made millionaires out of thousands or millions in the 1980 to 90’s.

While there are some who have foreclosures because companies lay off the people… and I feel bad for that… but there are others, who were so far out of their range. So it is a toss up, the bank or the people who knew they were not able to pay… I had a measure when I bought.. could I afford this on unemployment… if not, then I didn’t buy. So shame on both sides… and the payments of $1,500 a month, some of them more, is insane…

Sorry, but that is just how I feel… I always figured out if I can pay what ever I was pay for… and thought of the worse scenario. So I guess I just don’t understand.
And yes, I have been poor… yes, I have been single mother, and poor… even been married and poor… where the kids had oatmeal to eat 3 times a day for 4 days.. and my husband and I ate popcorn… and only afford hamburg meat and pasta for weeks on end.

So if someone is rich because they worked hard, or had an idea and that made them lots of money…. Good for them… it just didn’t work out that way for me. And I don’t begrudge them, their money… from what I have read and heard..a lot of them are like the Gates and have helped others.