OlePrairiedog's Oratory

2011-08-13T15:00:00.000-07:00

It's time for change.

I am ready. The new party to which I will belong is "The No Incumbent Party". Be on notice, all you currently elected officials, you have failed miserably. You have damaged the credibility, honor, respect and faith of our nation. Shame on you all. "You Are Fired".

To all veterans, teachers, citizens, and seniors, it is time to let our representatives know how we feel. We are mad and want you out of office and we will start anew. We will be going after all those who have failed to hear and do what those represented wanted them to do.

The new campaign slogan is " You are Fired" Get out and don't come back. It may be a tough road to regain our credibility, honor, respect and faith of our nation, but we will do it without your "Help".

Join me in sending the new message.

2008-03-13T16:10:00.000-07:00

Time for a sanity check:

A couple of years ago:

1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high;

2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon;

3) The unemployment rate was 4.5%.

Since voting in a Democratic Congress in 2006 we've seen:

1) Consumer confidence plummet;

2) The cost of regular gasoline soar to over $3 a gallon (and rising)

3) Unemployment is up to 5% (a 10% increase); (and rising)

4) American households have seen $2.3 trillion in equity value evaporate (stock and mutual fund losses);

5) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $1.2 trillion dollars;

6) 1% of American homes are in foreclosure.

America voted for change in 2006, and we got it!

Be careful what you vote for in November, you might get it again!

Can you afford it?

2008-03-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

I have been watching the news sporadically as I really get tired of the retoric and garbage that spews from candidates mouths. I read blogs from Greybeard and others and agree with them that we are in deep deep trouble. So who's to blame. Well, I think we have shot outselves in the foot, leg, and private parts, because as Pogo once said "We met the enemy and it was us".

I don't know who Charley Reese is but I thought this interesting reading....

THE 545 PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR AMERICA 'S WOES BY CHARLEY REESE
Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, we have deficits? Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does. You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does. You and I don't write the tax code. Congress does. You and I don't set fiscal policy. Congress does. You and I don't control monetary policy. The Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president and nine Supreme Court justices - 545 human beings out of the 300 million - are directly, legally, morally and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered but private central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman or a president to do one cotton- picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it.

No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

A CONFIDENCE CONSPIRACY Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a SPEAKER, who stood up and criticized G.W. Bush ALONE for creating deficits.

The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it. The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes.

Who is the speaker of the House? She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow Democrats, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto, if they can get enough Republicans to agree.

REPLACE THE SCOUNDRELS

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts - of incompetence and irresponsibility.

I can't think of a single domestic problem, from an unfair tax code to defense overruns, that is not traceable directly to those 545 people

When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair. If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red. If the Marines are in IRAQ , it's because they want them in IRAQ .

There are no insoluble government problems. Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power.

Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exist disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation" or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible. They, and they alone, have the power. They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses - provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees. We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess.

2007-09-17T16:07:00.000-07:00

Immigration- A study in futility.

I think my patience is beginning to wear really thin. I recieved the following and went to Snopes.com to verify it and was absolutely shocked. Where and when have we lost all out common sense, ethics, morality and patriotism. This is worse than I have imagined.

A conversation between a Customer and Bank of America:
The Bank: Bank of America, can I help you?

Customer: Yes, I want to cancel my account. I don't want to do business with you any longer.

The Bank: Why?

Customer: You're giving credit to illegal immigrants and I don't think it's right. I'm taking my business elsewhere.

The Bank: Well, Mr. Customer, we don't want to see you do that, but we can't stop you. I'll help you close the account. What is your account number?

Customer: (gives account number)

The Bank: For security purposes and for your protection, can you please give me the last four digits of your social security number?

Customer: No.

The Bank: Mr. Customer, I need to verify your information, but in order to help you, I'll need verification of who you are.

Customer: Why should I give you my social security number? The reason I'm closing my account is that your bank is issuing credit cards to illegal immigrants who don't have social security numbers. You are targeting that audience and want their business. Let's say I'm an illegal immigrant and you've given me a credit card. I have a question about it and call for assistance. You wouldn't be asking me for a Social Security number, would you?

The Bank: No sir, I wouldn't.

Customer: Why not?

The Bank: Because you would have pressed '2' to speak in Spanish. We don't ask for that information when calling in on the Spanish line.

Check Snopes...
http://www.snopes.com/politics/immigration/bankofamerica.asp

2007-09-12T09:59:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was the 6th anniversary of one of the most catastrophic acts ever perpetrated against our Nation. I was trying to remember what I was doing that fateful day. MommaNurse wrote her thoughts in her blog, and I wanted to do the same.

I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when President Kennedy was assassinated. I can clearly recall every momentous occasion that has affected my and my families lives. I cannot, simply cannot, recall that horrible day in 2001.

I remember phrases, and conversations from that day.
"Have you turned on your TV?"
"Can you see this?"
" Did you get hold of your son and is he OK?"

I cannot remember anything else, I never left watching television, waiting for news, calling friends, checking on folks I knew to be in the City. But I cannot clearly remember anything else. It was mind-numbing. I was angry, saddened, horrified, disgusted, and worried. Recently, I received an E-Mail of pictures of the USS New York. I was gratified, impressed and awed by the story. I cannot imagine a more poignant use of the remains of the towers. I may be vengeful, but I truly hope the New York is able to deliver some retribution for the shameless atrocities imposed on our Nation.

Please visit Snopes.com and look up USS New York. and read the story.

2007-06-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

The Big "C".

I hate that when we get older the chance of being diagnosed with the Big "C" is getting common. Or so it seems. Maybe I just ignored all those conversations going on around me as I was growing up or didn't understand. I understand now, that tests and retests, and biopsies, and MRI's and CAT scans can scare the bejeezus out of you until the results are returned. That makes for sleepless nights, worry, stress, upset stomachs, and now you are sick. My spice has been undergoing this process since early April. Not fun, we both fretted and worried. We now understand that when you get old, things change in your body and we accept that if you live long enough, you will probably have some form of cancer do something you don't particularly like to some part of you that you may or may not need.

The really good news, finally, is the Flame has no gruesome grubby growths. Whoo Hooo. Now if I could get a good nights sleep and be able to eat some salsa without a tablespoon of something yucky, it would feel even better.

There ought to be a better way to ease folks into the situation. Like maybe a cure. Wouldn't that be just dandy.

2007-04-30T15:32:00.000-07:00

Journalism. A pet peeve of mine, admittedly, I just cannot see how the majority of the "Forth Estate" can concieve that they are performing a necessary service. I offer the following article sent by a friend. I welcome comments, especially when you consider the perspective issues.

Eye of the Beholder by Victor Davis Hanson
The American Enterprise Online

War-torn Iraq has about 26 million residents, a peaceful California perhaps now 35 million.The former is a violent and impoverished landscape, the latter said to be paradise on Earth. But how you envision either place to some degree depends on the eye of the beholder and is predicated on what the daily media appear to make of each. As a fifth-generation Californian, I deeply love this state, but still imagine what the reaction would be if the world awoke each morning to be told that once again there were six more murders, 27 rapes, 38 arsons, 180 robberies , and 360 instances of assault in California -yesterday, today, tomorrow, and every day. I wonder if the headlines would scream about "Nearly 200 poor Californians butchered again this month!" How about a monthly media dose of "600 women raped in February alone!" Or try, "Over 600 violent robberies and assaults in March, with no end in sight!" Those do not even make up all of the state's yearly 200,000 violent acts that law enforcement knows about.

Iraq 's judicial system seems a mess. On the eve of the war, Saddam let out 100 ,000 inmates from his vast prison archipelago. He himself sat in the dock months after his trial began. But imagine an Iraq with a penal system like California's with 170,000 criminals - an inmate population larger than those of Germany , France , the Netherlands , and Singapore combined. Just to house such a shadow population costs our state nearly $7 billion a year - or about the same price of keeping 40,000 Army personnel per year in Iraq . What would be the image of our Golden State if we were reminded each morning, "Another $20 million spent today on housing our criminals"? Some of California 's most recent prison scandals would be easy to sensationalize: "Guards watch as inmates are raped!" Or "Correction officer accused of having sex with under-aged detainee!" And apropos of Saddam's sluggish trial, remember that our home state multiple murderer, Tookie Williams, was finally executed in December 2005 TWENTY-SIX years after he was originally sentenced.

Much is made of the inability to patrol Iraq 's borders with Iran , Jordan, Kuwait , Saudi Arabia , Syria , and Turkey . But California has only a single border with a foreign nation, not six. Yet over 3 million foreigners who sneaked in illegally now live in our state. Worse, there are about 15,000 convicted alien felons incarcerated in our penal system, costing about $500 million a year. Imagine the potential tabloid headlines: "Illegal aliens in state comprise population larger than San Francisco !" or "Drugs, criminals, and smugglers given free pass into California !"

Every year, over 4,000 Californians die in car crashes - nearly twice the number of Americans lost so far in three years of combat operations in Iraq. In some sense, then, our badly maintained roads, and often poorly trained and sometimes intoxicated drivers, are even more lethal than IED?s (Improvised Explosive Devices.) Perhaps tomorrow's headline might scream out at us: "300 Californians to perish this month on state highways! Hundreds more will be maimed and crippled!" In 2001, California had 32 days of power outages, despite paying nearly the highest rates for electricity in the United States . Before complaining about the smoke in Baghdad rising from private generators, think back to the run on generators in California when they were contemplated as a future part of every household's line of defense. We're told that Iraq 's finances are a mess. Yet until recently, so were California 's. Two years ago, Governor Schwarzenegger inherited a $38 billion annual budget shortfall. That could have made for strong morning newscast teasers: "Another $100 million borrowed today - $3 billion more in red ink to pile up by month's end!" So is California comparable to Iraq ? Hardly. Yet it could easily be sketched by a reporter intent on doing so as a bankrupt, crime-ridden den with murderous highways, tens of thousands of inmates, with wide-open borders.

I myself recently returned home to California , without incident, from a visit to Iraq 's notorious Sunni Triangle. While I was gone, a drug-addicted criminal with a long list of convictions broke into our kitchen at 4 a.m., was surprised by my wife and daughter, and fled with our credit cards, cash, keys, and cell phones. Sometimes I wonder who really was safer that week.

C2006 Victor Davis Hanson Victor Davis Hanson is a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stan ford University , a Professor Emeritus at California University , Fresno , and a nationally syndicated columnist for Tribune Media Services. He was a full-time farmer before joining California State University , Fresno , in 1984 to initiate a classics program. In 1991, he was Awarded an American Philological Association Excellence in Teaching Award, Which is given yearly to the country's top undergraduate teachers of Greek And Latin. Hanson was a National Endowment for the Humanities fellow at the Center for Advanced Studies in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford , California (1992-93), a visiting professor of classics at Stanford University (1991-92), a recipient of the Eric Breindel Award for opinion journalism (2002), and an Alexander Onassis Fellow (2001) and was named alumnus of the year of the University of California , Santa Cruz (2002). He was also the visiting Shifrin Chair of Military History at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis , Maryland (2002-3).

2007-04-19T14:36:00.000-07:00

Interesting article sent to me by a friend. I thought I would share it.

From the HAYS DAILY NEWS by R. W. Yeager Norton, Ks.
We need to show more sympathy for these people. They travel miles in the heat, they risk their lives crossing a border, they don't get paid enough wages, they do jobs that others won't do or are afraid to do, they live in crowded conditions among a people who speak a different language, they rarely see their families, and they face adversity all day every day.

I'm not talking about illegal Mexicans, I'm talking about our troops. Doesn't it seem strange that the Democrats are willing to lavish all kinds of social benefits on illegals, but don't support our troops and are now threatening to defund them?

So Ms Pelosi, now that you have had control of the Congress for almost 8 Months, I would ask the question .... "Please tell me and the voters exactly what bills have been inacted, or have none gotten anywhere?"

I'll make it easier for you, please let us know if you have done any thing at all except accuse, abuse, argue and call for investigations. Just remember what goes around, comes around.

2007-03-15T08:01:00.000-07:00

"Editors and Generals....."

"It appears we have appointed our worst generals to command forces, and our most gifted and brilliant to edit newspapers! In fact, I discovered by reading newspapers that these editor "geniuses" plainly saw all my strategic defects from the start, yet failed to inform me until it was too late.
Accordingly, I'm readily willing to yield my command to these obviously superior intellects, and I'll, in turn, do my best for the Cause by writing editorials - after the fact."

Robert E. Lee, 1863
________________________________

I am getting that "Deja Vu all over again" feeling. Something about failing to learn the lesson of history and being doomed. Could it be that most of our ills today are imposed by the press?

2007-03-13T09:58:00.000-07:00

New Direction From What?

The Democrats new promise "A New Direction For America - Vote Democratic"
The stock market is at a new all-time high and America's 401K's are back. A new direction from there means, what?
Unemployment is at 25 year lows. A new direction from there means, what?
Taxes are at 20 year lows. A new direction from there means what?
Federal tax revenues are at all-time highs. A new direction from there means, what?
The Federal deficit is down almost 50%, just as predicted over last year. A new direction from there means. what?
Home valuations are up 200% over the past 3.5 years. A new direction from there means, what?
Inflation is in check, hovering at 20 year lows. A new direction from there means, what?
Not a single terrorist attack on US soil since 9/11/01. A new direction from there means, what?
Osama bin Laden is living under a rock in a dark cave, having not surfaced in years, if he's alive at all, while 95% of Al Qaeda's top dogs are either dead or in custody, cooperating with US Intel. A new direction from there means, what?
Several major terrorist attacks already thwarted by US and British Intel, including the recent planned attack involving 10 Jumbo Jets being exploded in mid-air over major US cities in order to celebrate the anniversary of the 9/11/01 attacks. A new direction from there means, what?

Just as President Bush foretold us on a number of occasions, Iraq was to be made "ground zero" for the war on terrorism --and just as President Bush said they would, terrorist cells from all over the region are arriving from the shadows of their hiding places and flooding into Iraq in order to get their faces blown off by US Marines rather than boarding planes and heading to the United States to wage war on us here. A new direction from there means, what?

Now let me see, do I have this right? I can expect:

a. The economy to go South
b. Illegal's to go North
c. Taxes to go Up
d. Employment to go Down
e. Terrorism to come
f. Income Tax breaks to go Out
g. Social Security to go away
h. Health Care to go the same way gas prices have gone.

This was sent to me by a stalwart Republican, I see and understand his frustration. Bush bashing has achieved a new high, is spilling over into the upper echelons of our military, becoming a source of continuous income for everyone in the fourth estate. The press can continue to write anti-Bush hogwash because it is so easy, true or not, it's fair game and easy money. I really hope that more Democrats decide to throw their hat into the ring. Let them fight among themselves.

2007-02-09T10:43:00.000-08:00

THREE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

1. COWS
2. THE CONSTITUTION
3. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

COWS - Is it just me, or does anyone else find it
amazing that our government can track a cow born in Canada almost
three years ago, right to the stall where she sleeps in the state of
Washington? And, they tracked her calves to their stalls. But they are
unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country.
Maybe we should give them all a cow.

THE CONSTITUTION - They keep talking about drafting
A Constitution for Iraq. Why don't we just give them ours? It was
written by a lot of really smart guys, it's worked for over 200 years
and we're not using it anymore.

TEN COMMANDMENTS - The real reason we can't have the
Ten Commandments in a courthouse--You cannot post, "Thou Shalt Not
Steal," "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery" and "Thou Shall Not Lie," in a
building full of lawyers, judges and politicians--it creates a
hostile work environment.

I recieved this about 9:00 this morning. It was close to 10:00 before I could stop laughing and crying at the same time.

2007-01-22T08:03:00.000-08:00

SNOW.

New Mexico is closed. Not all of it, just the highways, schools, businesses, courts, state offices, and a few others. Here where I am sitting at work, it is a balmy 23 degrees and the grounds keepers are trying to chip through the ice and snow to clear the walk ways. Good luck guys.

I like snow, it's enjoyable to watch, adds much needed moisture to the earth and should always be accompanied with a roaring fire and a good book. Not so much of that is happening here. I really really really wanted a snow day. But no, here I sit at work, watching not much of anything as most of our students may or may not show up. At least it's quiet. Boring, but quiet.

I-40 the major east/west road is closed from Albuquerque to the Arizona State line. I-25, the north/south artery is closed in several places. Trucks, cars abound the road side as they await a clear road ahead or at least a snowplow to lead the way. Lots of accidents reported. What a surprise. Folks in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico do NOT have the essential skills to navigate slippery slidey slick roads. Doesn't stop them from getting out and going somewhere, but sure make it interesting to play dodge the spinning pickup. I think the biggest reason can be attributed to one simple uncompromising fact of human nature. Almost every driver in the world thinks of themselves as a better driver than anyone else on the planet.

I may take the day off and go home.

2006-12-12T09:24:00.000-08:00

Some Simple Truths
Hodding Carter once said, "There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other wings". That thought has always struck me deeply as I believe, that is what I was doing in raising my boys. I just didn't put it quite that way. I think I tried anyway.
Along the way, many things happened to alter the basic premise I started with, but like any plan, they will fall apart at first contact. I must also say that the plan Flame and I came up with to raise our children was an unspoken agreement that even without thought or spoken word we both changed as circumstances dictated. One of the first things we learned was " Be a good listener, your ears will never get you in trouble." I am pretty sure with all the natural growing pains, angst, acne, and boyhood bravado, we managed to satisfy Mr. Carter's bequests. At least I know I am proud of my children and don't worry too much about them and there lives. It is a comfort.
I came across another quote recently that suprised me greatly. It fits into what we were trying to impress on our kids but also it also surprised me of the author of the quote. I'm not sure why, but it did. Anyway, "Values are like fingerprints, Nobody's are the same, but you leave 'em all over everything that you do". - Elvis Presley

2006-11-27T11:28:00.000-08:00

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.

2006-11-09T11:59:00.000-08:00

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.

2006-09-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

Three Score

Sixty years ago in the little town of La Junta, Colorado, I apparently arrived screaming and wailing. The nurses at the hospital where my mom (also a nurse) worked knitted me little booties and stuck cardboard in the bottoms so that when visitors viewed the newborns, One, in particular, drew laughs, guffaws, pointed fingers, comments and giggles. Those darn booties must have been 6" long. The wrapped little bundle with the blue skull cap also had these huge clown feet sticking straight of the bassinet and drew gales of laughter.

Well, Fine. If that is the tone that marks my birth, so be it.

I do find that I tell jokes, all kind of jokes, I like it. I'm pretty good at it and I enjoy the heck out of listening to laughter, seeing smiling faces and sharing new humorous adventures. So clean or dirty, PC or not, I will continue as long as I live. I figure if I'm still making folks grin, it means I'm still able to walk on the short grass and that's not a bad thing.

2006-08-30T11:03:00.000-07:00

It's good to have Friends

I have good friends. That is not a light statement to make. There are rules to friendship and responsibilities. I accept them whole heartedly. On occasion, friends can help you out of a spot of depression or worry or whatever just by listening, being available, advising or even, if needed, to whack you between the eyes and say get your stuff together and fly right. Sage advise seems to be the most prevalent. I include my friends in my extended family, as I have related in a previous post, it is a marvelous amalgamation of in-laws, outlaws, saints and sinners. I would not trade them for the world.

I have them in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Illinois, Florida, Colorado, California and places I can't remember. I'm not bragging per se, as I am sure everyone has family and friends spread from the south 40 to beyond. I'm just saying that this "Group" is special and dear to me and it makes me feel lucky to have them.

I don't know the criteria involved in getting these wonderful folks enmeshed in my extended family, I just know it happens. Whether they are children of friends, old school mates and their familys, people I met in the service, or friends of my bride and her family, past neighbors, they have all just merged into the Prairiedog Party. Good listeners, readers, thinkers, merriment makers, erudite wits, gourmands, pert and perky, crusty and stubborn, but not a mean bone in their bodies.

I know that all are intelligent, caring, happy people. We all seem to enjoy each others company, but can be apart for long spells and pick up right where we left off. There are some that do not know or have met many of the others, but I'll bet my best bottle of wine, that they will click when they do meet and I hope they all meet sometime.

2006-08-14T10:36:00.000-07:00

I had the unique and most wonderful pleasure this weekend. I climbed into a helicopter for the first time in 23 years and went for a tour of my hometown neighborhood and golf course. But the most amazing part was the trust of longtime friend, Greybeard. I admit I was nervous, my bride was nervous and more than awed at Greybeard's generosity.

The feelings I experienced were awesome. I was surprised I was able after a few tries to fly semi-straight and in trim. I was able to hover though landing was tougher than I remembered. Seeing my neighborhood from 500' AGL was great, even though Flame said she didn't see much of the neighbors as she was just checking that all our shingles were on. She loved every minute of the flight, but was disconcerted in turns at how vulnerable she felt. She wants to go again.

I was flooded with memories and that above all else was ..... mind-blowing, I can't express how wonderful it was to relive and experience flying again after such a long absence. I guess I'm just going to have to find a way to get back in the saddle.

Greybeard, Thank you. I have more to say but will save it for your next RON and over some suitable libations.

2006-07-06T15:21:00.000-07:00

Do we ever really know the ones we love?

I have been enamored of my bride Flame for 45 years. She has been my best friend for all of that period. We have been married for 36 of those years. I would have bet my John Wayne collection of movies and memorabilia, that I knew her cold. I would have bet we could appear on the old TV show, " The Marriage Game" and won the thing hands down. Duh......

She has always been shy, very reserved and a little standoffish until she knows someone really well and they have earned her trust and friendship. She doesn't write letters or thank you notes and hates to have her picture taken. When we do have family get-togethers and someone has a camera, she ducks, bobs and weaves to avoid the lens and any record of her presence. For her to sit still and smile while you take her picture, rates you as one of the truly blessed. So Greybeard, thank you for that shot of Flame and sent us. It was wonderful. That is Flame at her finest.

Recently, Greybeard and I were able to soar into the world of tricks, wires, mirrors, magic, smoke and science and have elevated our IM to sight and sound. What a wonderful invention is the web, IMs, and Computers. I am awestruck. We added MommaNurse and hope to add more soon. I found that my bride, absolutely will not get on the computer or even come into the room if I have the camera on. Weird, it blows my feeble little mind. I asked her about it and she can't really articulate her reticence, but is certainly adamant about not being caught on camera.

I purchased the cameras to send to each of my sons, and I hope to be able to talk to my granddaughter, live and in action soon. I asked Flame if that would make a difference and would she go on camera for that. She's not sure, but probably not.

I guess I'm just getting old or something. I mean 45 years and I wasn't even aware. Shame on me.

2006-06-22T14:06:00.000-07:00

Mi Familia.
My Clan.
My Support system extraodinaire.

I am a family man, it extends well beyond traditional boundaries and genetic lines, across the span of the country and back again. I think it is a factor of friendship, lots of love, emotion, joy, caring, responsibility, duty, and maybe just a little tinge of destiny. I'm not sure that's all that encompasses them, but it sure is satisfying and wonderful that they are there.

Flame and I were friends for a long time before we married. My three sons have become friends. Now that's a remarkable feat, since I worried, grew frustrated, was scared, and just a tad PO'd at them all at one time or another. They are adults now, with family's of their own and I am so very proud of each of them.

They were raised on three continents. Their experiences are part of their makeup and they have apparently stood the test of teenage angst, college screwups, poor decisions, painful lessons and are now Gentlemen. I will explain more about that later.

Mi Familia. It extends from Florida to Washington State, from California to Maine.
It includes, Sisters,(both genetic and of the heart) Mothers (genetic and of the heart),1st, 2nd, and 3rd cousins on both sides of my family tree, room mates from school, military friendships, neighbors of old and new, and each and every one of them can be named "Friend".

I am awestruck when I think of these wonderful people, kith and kin. I am blessed. I know as one of my friends said" I would drop everything and hop on a plane and say What can I do to Help?" if it came to that. I would do it, I know they would do it, my sons would do it, because that's what we are...collectively. We didn't start out that way, but that's the way it happened. How Marvelous!!!!!

I am a proud man to be a part of such a mixed bag of wonderful, wonderful friends. So Happy Father's Day, Happy Flag Day, Happy Birthday US Army, Flame, Happy Aniversary.

2006-06-14T15:11:00.000-07:00

Reading. A solitary exercise in entertainment or study. I discovered a number of years ago, that it need not be solitary. I read to my sons. It was fun for them and absolutely marvelous for me. I searched for books to capture their attention, keep their interest, and encouraged them to read. Today, we all have libraries that are eclectic, entertaining, and enthusiastic. We chat on the phone and mostly discuss new books, screenplay, movies, and swap titles when we can. I hate to get rid of a book, I might want to read it again. Space being what it is, I occasionally have to purge my stock. Never fear, I always have a son that will take what I get rid of.

Newly arrived in the reading department are the wonderful Books on tape, CD, or MP3. Wow, what a concept, and again it's not solitary. I am growing a larger collection than ever. It makes trips seem short. In fact, Flame and I have to watch the gas gauge carefully or our inattentiveness will leave us stranded. We sometime arrive at out destination, having been immersed in a mystery, or science fiction novel, and have to drive around the block for that last chapter.

The good news, it's still cheap(relatively), entertaining, and always educational. It is one of my favorite pastimes, and I have so many choices of media. Wow

2006-06-01T14:45:00.000-07:00

As this is my first blog, I am tempted to just tell everyone about myself, my life, family etc... But then I decided to vent. I don't intend to use this blog to rant and rave and generally impose on anyone, but some things have to be aired out so to speak and I am gonna get right to it.

New Mexico, The Land of Enchantment, is my home and generally I am pretty satisfied with it. It is beautiful, it has charm, good food, and some of the most hospitable weather around. That is if you don't mind DRY. We have no Hurricanes, Earthquakes (ok, small ones and rarely), Floods, tornados (again rare). We do have FIRES.

We also have some of the most inventive politics I have ever seen. Some Good, Some Stupid. Some come under the heading of this post. Our legislature in its infinite wisdom has enacted a new law raising, I say again, raising the dollar amount one may shoplift before it becomes a felony. It was $250.00 before and now its $500.00.

Why, you may ask, well its simple, inventive and borders on the incredulous. It seems that some one figured out that this law has not been updated since 1975 and the cost of living and the price index has risen a lot since then so they changed the law to keep up with the times.

Helll0oooooo, I feel sure that the local retailers have massive headaches from slapping themselves on the forehead and screaming,
" You've got to be kidding?"