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