New Beginnings


I have been busy since my last post. My oldest son and his wife just purchased their first new home. It is wonderful. To them, it was a nightmare of paperwork, credit checks, disclosures, inspections, negotiations, points, more inspections, more negotiations, and finally some signatures and it was theirs. They were both worried, exasperated, frantic, scared and nervous until the signing was done, paperwork handed over with their keys and walked out of the title office.

I have never seen such shining glorious smiles. They were both grinning so big, I thought their faces would crack. Amazing. They have not stopped smiling. They don't yet see, the repairs that will have to be made, the insurance costs, the interest, or any of those sometimes discouraging elements of home ownership. They just see the house they want to make their home. And that's as it should be. Bless them both.

Flame and I helped paint all three bedrooms, the bathrooms, hung new light fixtures, cleaned all the kitchen cabinets, painted the shelves, drawers, closets, pantry, changed all the locks, added missing pull chains, hardware, clothes rods, new plumbing for leaking toilets, shelves and other little tasks that wore us out. The kids handled the moving part, using borrowed pickups, in-laws, out-laws, friends and family, moved everything from the apartment to the house in two days.

Then after the adrenaline rush was over, crashed and slept 10+ hours. But you know what? When they woke up, I bet the smiles were still there and will be for a long time.

I'm really beginning to max out on my tolerance meter.

Let's say I break into your house....

Recently large demonstrations have taken place across the country protesting the fact that Congress is finally addressing the issue of illegal immigration. Certain people are angry that the US might protect its own borders, might make it harder to sneak into this country and, once here, to stay indefinitely.

Let me see if I correctly understand the thinking behind these protests. Let's say I break into your house. Let's say that when you discover me in your house, you insist that I leave. But I say, "I've made all the beds and washed the dishes and did the laundry and swept the floors; I've done all the things you don't like to do. I'm hard-working and honest (except for when I broke into your house). According to the protesters, not only must you let me stay, you must add me to your family's insurance plan, educate my kids, and provide other benefits to me and to my family (my husband will do your yard work because he too is hard-working and honest, except for that breaking in part). If you try to call the police or force me out, I will call my friends who will picket your house carrying signs that proclaim my right to be there. It's only fair, after all, because you have a nicer house than I do, and I'm just trying to better myself. I'm a hard-working and honest, person, except for well, you know.And what a deal it is for me!! I live in your house, contributing only a fraction of the cost of my keep, and there is nothing you can do about it without being accused of selfishness, prejudice and being an anti-housebreaker. Oh yeah, I want you to learn my language so you can communicate with me.