The Sedition Act of 1918

Yeah, I heard all those mice clicking off this site after reading the header just now but I have to say it again. My little brain is like a pressure cooker, after a certain level is reached, I have to let the steam out or I explode. And that's just not pretty, people.

The Sedition Act of 1918, as defined by Wikipedia, was an amendment to the Espionage Act of 1917. "The Sedition Act forbade an American to use disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the United States government, flag, or armed forces. The act also allowed the Postmaster General to deny mail delivery to dissenters". The Espionage Act and the Sedition Act were both repealed in 1921.

In today's political atmosphere, the level of discourse has reached record levels of bitterness. The war in Iraq, in conjunction with the war on terror, has brought this country to a level of ugliness never before seen. Suddenly, it is perfectly acceptable to make speeches on foreign soil and around this country calling the president, commander-in-chief, a liar without the media or journalists calling into question the validity of the charge. While the American military is on the battlefield, in harm's way, is it really just excercising free speech to say this war will not be won? While the American military is on the battlefield, in harm's way, is it really just excercising free speech to say the president picked the intelligence reports he agreed with and sent the armed forces into war for the satisfaction of his personal agenda? While the American military is on the battlefield, in harm's way, is it really just excercising free speech to say our soldiers are terrorizing Iraqi women and children? While the American military is on the battlefield, in harm's way, is it really just excercising free speech to say our military is broken and living hand to mouth? While the American military is on the battlefield, in harm's way, is it really just excercising free speech to walk an anti-war line outside Walter Reed Hospital while injured soldiers are trying to mend their broken bodies while buffeting their spirits?

It seems to me that a wing of an American political party so hell-bent on the acquisition of power as to wish for the defeat of America in Iraq is truly in need of a swift kick in the ass. It seems to me that a political agenda being pushed by the media in this country at the expense of the American military during a time of war is inexcusable.

The lesson learned from the Vietnam War by our enemies was that given enough carping by opposite political parties, Americans will lose the will to finish the mission. This does nothing to honor lives lost in the pursuit of the mission, nor does it make our country any safer at home. The enemy celebrates our weakness and continues to pursue their vision of the world.

We are not Republicans or Democrats in this war. We are Americans.

Thank You, Jack Frost

Finally, a cold morning. It was in the mid 40's this morning as I was sprinting out to warm up the car before taking son to school. Being Monday, I am usually racing the clock to get the day going. The sun is shining and I have hung a pair of hubby's jeans outside to dry. It's all good.

I indulged in my favorite guilty pleasure this morning by watching some C-Span. Saw an interesting Q & A with Rumsfeld before an audience at Johns Hopkins University. Then watched some of the final gathering of the 9/ll Commission before the press and families for questions and reporting on their final report card. They have broken down their recommendations to the governing bodies and how the changes have been implimented, or if they have at all, into report card format. Much more work needs to be done, of course, but I was getting the feeling the members of the commission are a bit too impressed with themselves.

Hubby leaves Friday for the former Soviet Union country. I think the only thing left to prepare for the cold weather is to double check his supply of longjohns! Yeah, that would be an important item in the suitcase.

Y'all have a good one.

Sunny Saturday

I am happy to tell you that the large, ugly inflatable Eagle's fan is now gone from the yard across the street. Nothing says Merry Christmas like an ugly inflatable Eagle's fan.

My air conditioning is running today. For the past two weeks, the tv weather guesser has been saying a cold front is coming through. Still waiting. Son and I were in two different places today with Starbucks in them and it was too hot to think about indulging in the seasonal peppermint mocha. Disgusting. It was a pretty day, just too dang hot for December.

This morning I slept late and that threw me off all day. I was up past my bedtime last night and then needed extra sleep this morning. Some nights I am putzing around and the next thing I know it is 1:00 A.M. and I have to hit the hay.

Hubby got his Christmas/Birthday present early as he will be missing Christmas here this year. It's some fancy pants GPS thingy that he ordered for himself to get the one he wanted. So, since it is pricey it became a dual Christmas/Birthday gift. His birthday is January 8 so it's a twofer. He was up bright and early to play with it. Boys and their toys. This one is like the third one he has had, they just keep getting more expensive with more bells and whistles.

Tonight another one of those alleged cold fronts is suppose to move in. I'm waiting.

The Eagle Has Landed, But Why?

The house across the street from us was vacant and on the market for about two years. Finally, after it had some major renovations done, a young couple bought it and recently moved in after being married. Today, as I was walking to the driveway to head out to pick up son from school, I glanced over to their front yard as I made my way across mine. Something caught my eye and I did a double take. What the hell? Something very large and green and inflated was anchored in their front yard. Turns out to be an Eagles football player inflatable thing. Yeah, that'll coordinate nicely with our light up candy canes by our front walkway. Bless their hearts.

I baked a devil's food cake today and frosted it with vanilla buttercream that I laced with some peppermint extract. Yummy. Next time I frost a cake, my son suggests I use chocolate icing with peanut butter mixed in. That's my boy!

Friday Flashes

No, I don't know where the title of this comes from, my brain is still foggy and it is almost lunch time. One of those days for my old feeble mind. Need more caffeine, I suppose.

Christmas is closing in on me. Everything is under control, gift buying-wise, just that it'll be here before I'm ready. Too many chores to get done and I'm feeling the pressure. I have decided we'll be eating out as much as possible while MIL is here as it will only be the three of us with husband gone and I won't have to worry about that. I'll still do the Christmas meal, though.

Now that I am working on the Christmas cards, I have learned of any interesting project to voice my opinion ( you know how bashful I am, don't you?!) about the hubbub over the taking Christ out of Christmas thing. I'll be sending a card to the ACLU for the "Wishing You Merry Christmas" project. You can do the same:

ACLU
"Wishing You Merry Christmas"
125 Broad Street
18th Floor
New York, NY 10004

I cannot believe Hollywood has made a remake of "Yours, Mine and Ours." One of my all time favorite movies. Does it get any better than Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball? I am a huge Lucy fan anyway. If this movie is crap I will be upset.

I am having my first Starbucks peppermint mocha of the season this afternoon when I pick up son from school. I'm treating us for making it through the long week. And I have had the peppermint mocha on my brain for several days now. I love it so.

I am pro-choice and pro death penalty. Surprised?

Today's Ramble

Let's see, what to talk about today. I just replied on behalf of my son to a school that looks interesting among all the college literature he is being bombarded with these days. He is a sophomore this year and sending off for literature from lots of colleges and universities. I hate the thought he is only here for two more years. It'll be over in a flash, I know.

Hubby is driving my car today as he is getting it inspected and changing the oil for me. He has a place by his office he trusts so I am driving his pimp mobile today. That's what son and I call his car. It is an older Olds that is maroon with maroon fabric upholstery. Gah. Good sound system, though.

I'm seeing all these places with all the heavy snow fall this early in the season and remembering days when I went out early to get the car scrapped off and the heater blasting. Give me the Gulf coast any day. Hurricanes and all. It's the trade off.

Made some chocolate chip muffins for a treat for son this morning. He'll have them this afternoon. They are one of his fave treats and so easy. Open the mix, add the milk and bake! Mahhahaha! I put them on the glass platter with the Christmas cats design. Dragging all that stuff out for the month. Of course I have many penguin motif items in festive attire.

The current fad of political campaigning via taped telephone messages is so irritating I could scream. The last thing I want to hear when I am interrupted by a ringing telephone is a recorded message for a political candidate.

Looks like husband will miss out on Christmas at home after all. He is scheduled to leave the 8th and expected to be out for 20 days. I did the math. Looks like just me, son and MIL. We have been lucky in recent years, he has been home for most of the recent past Christmases. So, instead of the big leg of lamb I have in the freezer to cook for Christmas dinner, I'll save it for New Years Eve. Such is our life. When I introduced my future husband to my old college roommate, she had the classic line to offer as her pearl of wisdom: "Life will never be boring." Well said and true.

So many books to read, so little reading time. Every day I see another book I think sounds good. My stack of "to read" books is too high already to justify picking up more. It's a vicious cycle with me. My husband has switched to books on tape style of reading with his travels. He just sticks in the earplug and he's good to go. His PDA hooks up with the computer and he downloads from a site called Audible.com and gets his fix. I don't know the process but it's what he does.

The press is having a field day with the memos being released from previous decisions made by Samuel Alito, the president's nominee to the Supreme Court. Doing the work of the opposition party, they are feigning surprise that this conservative, Republican president has nominated a conservative, Republican lawyer to the Supreme Court. I'm shocked by this choice, I'll tell you. And it appears he is personally pro-life, too. Wow. Surprising. Idiots.

Tookie Williams, founder of the Crips gang in southern California, has been denied by the California state Supreme Court a stay in his date with the death penalty again. That the governor of California is seriously considering a decision otherwise is revolting. Because he wrote a childrens book denouncing gang activity? He was in solitary confinement all this time as he was too violent in the general population when he was first incarcerated, what with physically fighting and raping fellow prisoners and all. But he wrote a childrens book.

I wonder, can you be pro-choice and anti death penalty? I mean with a straight face.

Christian Peacemaker Teams

Four "human rights workers" are being held hostage in Baghdad. They are members of a group called Christian Peacemaker Teams. The mission of the group is to "get in the way" on behalf of violence reduction. They have been in Iraq since October 2002, according to the website. These four are not young, idealist college students. They are grown adults. One American, Tom Fox, age 54 from Clearbrook, Virginia, and One Brit, Norman Kember, age 74 from London. I am quite sure that the American and British forces in Iraq would like to send them a thank you bouquet for all their assistance. Also held are two Canadians, James Loney, 41 from Toronto and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, an electrical engineer studying for a masters degree in English literature in Auckland, New Zealand.

To illustrate the thoughts of this group, on the website's statement about the hostage taking, they state they are angry because it is the fault of America and the British government, due to the governments "illegal" attack on Iraq and the occupation and oppression of the Iraqi people. So, blame America for the evil in the world. Same old theme. I guess it was peace and sunshine under Saddam Hussein for the Iraqi people.

MoveOn.org put up an anti-war ad at Thanksgiving time. All pulling at the heartstrings about how many families would not have loved ones around the table due to evil Bush. They used pictures of soldiers in Iraq at a food table to illustrate the holiday meal. Unfortunately, the soldiers were British soldiers, not American. Oops. The uniforms are different, guys.

Cindy Sheehan, on the paid lecture circuit to capitalize on the death of her son in Iraq, was scheduled to speak at The State University College at Oneonta last night. She asked for $11,000 as compensation for a speech to last an hour in a ballroom with the capacity for 800 people. Only after some students complained about the fee coming out of the lecture budget, paid for from student activity fees, did the College Union Activities Council book Lt. Col. Scott Rutter, now retired from the Army after leading a mechanized infantry battalion into Baghdad, to give a multimedia presentation entitled "A Soldier's Story". His presentation includes hundreds of photos from the front lines in Iraq during the 2003 fight for Baghdad. He was booked to give his presentation in Hunt Union Square, with a 75 person capacity. The lectures were free to students, with a $3 price for members of the public. The College Union Activities Council paid for advertisement in the local newspaper for the Sheehan speech. No advertising for Lt. Col. Rutter. Lt. Col. Rutter was awarded the Silver Star for leading 850 men into combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lt. Col. Rutter was to be paid $600 for his presentation.

Today is the official last day of hurricane season. This year there have been a record 26 named storms. Enough already. New Orleans Mayor Ray Naquin held a town meeting style get together at a local church Sunday afternoon here in town. Evacuees were encouraged to come home and help rebuild the city. Of course there is still no electricity and water in many parts of the city, especially the 9th ward where most of these evacuees were living. It is debatable if the lower 9th ward will ever be rebuilt. He said soon angry demonstrators will march on state and federal offices to demand help. What, no marches on city hall, mayor? But don't worry, he is now guaranteeing free high speed internet citywide. OK, then. Why worry about shelter and jobs. That's someone else's job.

The Berenstain Bears

Stan Berenstain, along with his wife Jan, wrote over 200 children's books. He has passed away at the age of 82.

My son and I spent many, many bedtime story hours reading the Berenstain Bears book series. Mostly paperback bound and therefore not very expensive, they contained good lessons for children about values and morals nicely wrapped up in a fun story.

Thanks for the good memories, Stan.

Joe's the Man

Joe Lieberman is today's hero. Read his op ed piece in today's Wall Street Journal for some first hand knowledge of what is going on in Iraq as we press on there. He has returned from his 4th trip to Iraq and tells of the progress and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Yes, there is still lots that needs to happen there. But each day as the microphone hogging bat shit crazy left continues to escalate completely bogus and harmful rhetoric, they prove to be more and more irrelevant. They think it is a winning political strategy for 2006 and then 2008. Good luck with that. Joe Lieberman, a former candidate for Vice President, is a lone voice of reason on the Democrat side. He remains true to himself and his country's military service members. Those so quick to use inflammatory language, such as "he lied" or "he inflated the intelligence information" should really look in the mirror.

The Christmas cards I ordered came in the mail yesterday. I had to order them as I refuse to send out cards that simply say "happy holidays" or "season's greetings". It's CHRISTMAS! All of the hubbub to be so sensitive to everyone on the planet is taking its toll this year. No one wets the bed if a menorrah is placed for all to see, but a creche, well, call the ACLU. Christmas is a federal holiday and we are a nation of over 80% Christians. My husband and I do not go to church regularly and are not wackos, but come on. No Salvation Army bell ringers in front of Target. I am so disappointed in Target. I am an almost weekly shopper at the one close to our house. Looks like that will change. WalMart is letting the Salvation Army have extra days to make up for what they'll lose from in front of Target. Consumers speak with their wallets as far as store loyalty goes. As I said during Ramadan, do you think the school announcements will wish the students a Merry Christmas as they did a Happy Ramadan? Really irritates me.

We had the heater on last night. Finally had another cold night. It is back into the 70's today and sunny. Really nice.

And, no, the dry cleaners have not found son's trousers. I am not holding my breath. I have to send him to school with a note explaining the unfortunate disappearance of the JROTC trousers so they can order him another pair. He doesn't pay for the original uniform but I guess we'll have to pay for the replacement pair. Yuk. This is his last year for JROTC. He mainly went into it as an alternative to PE course credit but he has enjoyed it for the most part.

Onward and upward.

What If?

What if you had a recently published book and a book signing was set up for you. And no one came?
Ask Cindy Sheehan how it feels!

Good To Be Back

Sometimes I just need a little break to rest up and prepare for the routine again. The past few days have been decadent that way and I was loving it. Alas, it's Monday and reality calls.

We saw a movie again yesterday. We went to see "Walk the Line", the story of Johnny and June Carter Cash. It was really good. The man was a legend in his own time. And he would have never done it all without June. Really strong performances by Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon.

I am trying to get the hearth and front room cleaned up to do all the holiday decorating. We have a very large fireplace and hearth so sometimes it ends up collecting stuff as we come in the front door and throw things there. I had hoped to start over the weekend, but I was enjoying being a slug.

So, a switchboard operator was caught on tape admitting to an angry CNN viewer that the X placed on VP Cheney's face during his live speech last Monday was intentional. After CNN claimed all last week it was just an honest glitch in the system. Gee, I'm shocked. Unfortunately only the switchboard operator has been fired. It would be interesting to see how far up the food chain the decision to editorialize the speech would lead, though.

Saddam's trial receives another delay. Good. Stretch it out as long as possible to remind everyone that he is getting his day in court. Ramsey Clark, former Attorney General, is now on the defense team. Old leftists never learn. The man is 77 years old and only looking for headlines. He was never a good attorney or a respected legal mind. He had to persuade his father to retire from the Supreme Court so he could take the Attorney General job without conflict of interest. What a guy. It's all about Ramsey. He is a founding member of ANSWER, a splinter group of the Socialist party now.

March of the Penguins comes out in DVD tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing it. No one around here will go to the theatre to see it with me so I'll watch it at home. More comfortable that way, anyway.

The Washington Post published a poll showing 70% of the American people think Democrat's criticism of the strategy of the war in Iraq think it hurts the soldiers' morale. Well, that's a real news flash. Apparently only the media and the ivory tower elites think it's ok to bash your country's leadership and policies during a time of war. Saying the president lied and beefed up intelligence is getting real live American soldiers killed overseas but I guess that pales in comparison to sound bites for re-election.

A piece of the Supreme Court building fell this morning. No one was hurt. Holy falling marble, Batman!

Son saw Harry Potter movie with friends over the holiday. He was disappointed with it. His first real experience of a movie not living up to the book.

And now I have to go back to the dry cleaner's to explain that one pair of trousers is missing from our order. I stopped by and picked up the clothes this morning after taking son to school to get the errand out of the way. It's Monday all righty. I hope the pants aren't lost as they are the ones from son's JROTC uniform that he'll need Wednesday.

It's always something...

Take A Breath

It's important to just stop and take a breath sometimes. We have so much to be grateful for living in this country. Don't believe me? Leave our borders and go anywhere. You'll come back a changed person. We are a blessed people here and take so much for granted. Reflection is good for the soul.

Baking today so I can devote time to the dinner tomorrow. Just the three of us this year so no stress, just making a fine, big meal. Turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, corn, green beans, sweet potatoes and rolls. Then pumpkin pie for dessert. It'll be great.

Some things are a tradition of us. The cranberry sauce comes out of a can with ridges on it. The gravy is from a jar. The sweet potatoes are baked with marshmellows on top. And the rolls are from a can. I'm not Martha Stewart and I get no complaints!

If you are travelling, count to ten. Many times. I hope everyone has lots to eat, loved ones to enjoy and thankful hearts.

Gobble, gobble.

Another Shot Heard Around the World

Do you remember what you were doing when the news spread that President Kennedy was shot in his motorcade in Dallas? I was a second grade student at Creswell Elementary School in Shreveport, Louisiana. I remember an announcement was made by our teacher. Her voice was somber yet not panicy as she did not want to alarm us. We were so young, we really didn't understand what was going on. Or why the adults were so upset.

We were dismissed early from school that day. I went home with my first grader sister and we went into the den, as usual, to check out what was on tv. Our housekeeper, a big, black, friendly,woman with a normally smiling face, was sitting on the couch crying. She was watching the newscast about the shooting. By this time the president was pronounced dead. We asked her why she was crying and she just pulled us to her and hugged us. Then she explained that the president was dead and it made her very sad that someone could be so bad as to shoot the president of the United States.

Bea was a kind and gentle giant of a woman who called many children, though technically not her own, her children. She was brought into our home when my youngest sister was born. She was with us for many years until she finally had to retire due to health concerns. My father, ahead of his time, always insisted on paying her social security taxes and provided her with health care assistance. She was a part of the family. She came to us after she raised another families children. They were grown and she wanted to help another family. She would talk to us about her "high blood" and not feeling well some days. She taught my youngest sister to eat sugar on her rice. My sister still to this day puts sugar on her rice. Bea told her to so she does. My sister today is 43!

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Still loving the cold mornings. Except getting out of my warm bed part of it. My sinuses are appreciative.

All set to begin preparing food for the big feast. I just have to remember to run out for a few extra cans of cat food for Beauregard and Oreo to make it into the weekend. I don't want to be anywhere near a grocery store after this morning for a few days.

Looks like hubby won't be going to his "Stan" country until the first week of December. Bummer. I hope now that he doesn't screw up the Christmas plans. With MIL coming down, I am seriously counting on him being here. He frequently misses out on holidays at home due to work travels but not usually when we have company coming. Stress.

Son is psyched. XBOX 360 is out now and he is getting one from Santa. We pre-ordered it and have no idea when it will ship but he is just happy knowing it will be here eventually. It's a big purchase, I know, but he is an only child and the only person we make a fuss over at Christmas. And no, he doesn't act like a spoiled brat after all these years of being doted on by his parents. He is a very good kid. His heart is as big as, well, Texas!

And on the political front, I read an interesting article from Investor's Business Daily that was referenced by WSJ.com Opinion Journal, that reports Rep. John Murtha may be under a House ethics committee investigation for improprieties. This, some believe, is why he made the big brouhaha last week about the immediate withdrawal of troops in Iraq. To divert away from the ethics committee investigation and to have people say he was being investigated as retaliation for his speech. The investigation was already in the works. Murtha has a brother who is a lobbyist and senior partner at KSA Consulting. A nonpartisan watchdog group has criticized Murtha for using the Pentagon spending bill to give business to his brother. The LA Times reported in June that Murtha funneled nearly $21 million to 10 or more corporate clients of KSA Consulting. Coincidence? Hmmm.

Thanks for Thanksgiving Week

Ah yes, a cold autumn morning to remind us it is Thanksgiving week after all. It'll be in the upper 70's by weeks end but we can enjoy the cooler weather while it lasts.

Saturday night we watched two movies on HBO - That "Fockers" movie and "Racing Stripes". Both were pretty funny and good escapes. We ordered pizza and of course, wings for son, and had major relaxation time. Nice.

How about that vote on Friday night in the House of Reps? Immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq? It was great, even Murtha didn't support his own idea. Now he wants to back off it and say he just wanted to open dialogue on the subject. Yeah. Imagine if you had a son or loved one in Iraq and had to listen to these vain rantings about the mistakes that have been made and we can't win militarily. It is time to dust off the Sedition Act of 1918, if you ask me. Our troops in Iraq have not lost a single military exercise. Yes, mistakes have been made. Leaders and soldiers are human beings. Changes in strategy can be welcomed without all this bloviating about lies, losses and weaknesses. We are at war. It is time for unification of voices to the enemy, which is by the way, not our own government, that they will not win this war. America has always risen to challenges that threatened our way of life. If you are someone who believes in human rights and free ways of life, you are supportive of everyone having those rights. Not just this country. We cannot stick our heads in the sand and act as if only we would be nice, everyone would love us. This war began in 1993 with the first bombing of the World Trade Center. There was no response there, except to arrest the terrorist and treat it as a simple legal matter. How did that work out in the grand scheme of things?

Son has plans to meet some old friends at the movies Friday afternoon. They are seeing the new Harry Potter movie. I wish I was going. I have to admit I get a little nostalgic about the fact that we read the first few Potter books together, as son was younger then, and enjoyed the first movies together. Sniff.

Gotta get moving. Need to run some errands this morning before things get too crowded out there.

Peace.

I've Been Waiting All Week

And now Friday is finally here. No school next week, the boy gets the whole week off, so it'll be relaxing until the end of the week when hubby packs for trip, leaving Friday. Gathering up all his warm clothes as it's cold where he's going.

Max the dog got his dope this morning disguised in cheese, as usual. He does love cheese, that dog. Speaking of dogs, the weatherman last night said it would be "a two dog night". All righty then. We only have the one dog, maybe sleeping husband counts. He and the dog both snore, I know that.

The city of Houston has installed the first of the new revenue making cameras at the stop lights. So far only downtown. I thought they would be on top of the stop light but they aren't. They are mounted to a pole off to the side of the street and they look, at first glance, like a birdhouse. A birdhouse with 4 camera windows on it. They are giving a 30 day probation period now until the end of the year. Only warnings will be issued if you go through a red light. After the first of the year, the tickets will fly. Directly to your mailbox. Let the fun begin.

The pre-holiday re-arranging of stuff has begun. Gotta get some rooms cleaned out, like the dining room, and ready for the upcoming days. It's a good incentive to fill up the trash cans and pare down around here. We seem to collect junk at record speed.

Max the dog update - they are now home. Hubby and dog both survived the trip. Gave Max a treat and he is sleeping off the buzz. It's too early in the day for hubby to enjoy a buzz so he'll have to wait for the cocktail hour tonight!

Tidbets

Posted a new piece on Dew on the Kudzu. Check it out! You can use the button on this page.

Gas today: $2.05/gallon

We have used the heater for 2 nights in a row now! Yea!

Bought a Luther VanDross cd "Home for Christmas" today. I love the bargain bin! Last year it was an Elvis Christmas cd. That one went directly to son. Luther we are sharing for now. Son doesn't appreciate it when I start the Stevie Wonder style sway when we listen to "What the World Needs Now." Kids. One time we were checking out our purchases at Borders and one was a Green Day cd for my son. The college age cashier told my son his mom is Jamming for buying it for him. That really grossed out my son!

Hubby takes Max the dog to the vet for his semi annual shots in the morning. Great way to spend a day off, n'cest pas? What a fun trip for both of them. We tranquilize Max a bit so he doesn't freak out so much when they give him the vaccine that goes up his nose. Hubby usually tranquilizes himself after a vet visit!

O.K., I'm done. For now.

Thursday Treat

Benjamin Franklin: the Many Talents of an American Patriot

Birth to a humble life let him see how the world worked from the bottom,
Entering the world of high society let him see the view from above,
Nevertheless, he could always see the right path.
Joining the world of press at only fifteen,
Advising the world behind a mask
Marking himself from there.
Inspired to achieve more
Never giving up.

From Boston to Philadelphia, he continued to work for change
Ringing the bells of change in the ears of the country.
A few simple words were all he used to inspire,
Needing only wit and a pen to play the sage.
Kindling American values in our hearts,
Lighting them into an internal flame.
Inspiring others with his words,
Never truly forgotten.

Written by my son, age 16, for an AP English II course. The assignment was pre-assigned in relationship with a DAR competition.

My kid rocks.

I Didn't Win It

I didn't win the $315 million mega million last night. I had plans, I tell you. Some lucky soul in California did, though. Good for them. Next time...

Senator Jay Rockefeller said on Fox News Sunday that he met with leaders in Syria, Russia and Saudi Arabia in 2002, before the invasion into Iraq. He said he told these leaders that he was convinced President Bush was planning to go to war with Iraq, no matter what came about. Treasonous activity by a US Senator? Yeah, but you know, Bush lied so it doesn't matter. Elected officials every single day can't wait to jump to a microphone and state that Bush is a liar and they were not given the right information to vote on the war in Iraq. They were tricked, I tell you. Bush lied, they are not accountable for votes or speeches on the floor of the senate pre-war going back to the days of the Clinton administration. Lest we forget that Clinton was the one who made regime change the policy of this country toward Iraq. But Bush lied. Time for Jay Rockefeller to be indicted and go before a judge to explain himself.

Looks like Bob Woodward himself from the Washington Post talked of the identity of Valerie Plame one month before Scooter Libby was documented on speaking about her to a reporter. Hmmm. Isn't that an interesting development. Woodward spent several hours before Fitzgerald, according to the press account, and 'splained himself.

Warm Inside Wednesday

Cold here today! It'll only be around 60 degrees for a high temp today. WooHoo.

I have many streams of thought running around my little brain this morning. So many thoughts, so little cohesiveness. I could use a little ADD medication today!

So, the US Senate yesterday voted to do a one year windfall profits tax on Big Oil (cue up the dark and menacing theme music). This was the climax of the entertaining panel last week comprised of the CEO's of the 5 major oil producers for this country. The senators were trying their best to beat up on these men for running profitable companies for their stockholders. And, horror of horrors, they also pulled down large salaries and bonuses. Wow, you would think we lived in a free market system or something. Does anyone really think this new tax, on top of all the other taxes paid for oil, will only be a one year done deal? And, guess what this will do to the price of oil. Bring it down? Ha, good one! This stuff is always passed on to the consumer. Now that an election year is looming ahead and oil companies are making profits, the Senate is interested in policy on energy? Where have they been for 30 years? Not having the balls to do anything, that's where. Not a single refinery built or major renovations, for that matter. Refineries are at capacity. India and China are booming and gobbling up petroleum. No new drilling allowed in this country, oh no. Where were these concerned policy makers when the oil companies were getting $8 per barrel of oil and no one could make a living in the business? Did they care then? Only the Gulf of Mexico drilling activity keeps this economy going yet everyone is shocked, shocked I tell you, when two major hurricanes in a season knock rigs and refineries out. Imagine that.

And now we learn that energy producing wind machines are being scheduled for building in the Gulf. Why off the coast of Texas? Because the loudmouth hypocrites in Washington, screaming about the environment and global warming produced by fossil fuels, don't want the wind machines blocking the coastal view from the mansions on Cape Cod and the like. Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Walter Cronkite, to name a few that have petitioned to disallow the activity in their back yards. So be it. More jobs here.

I think we should hound the senators to produce a panel of entertainment executives making outlandish money off the backs of the working man who wants to see a movie or buy a dvd to watch at home. Let's examine those salaries and bonuses. Let's begin with Spielberg, Lucas, Geffin, et al. and look at the numbers. Or does the free market only apply to some industry and not all in this country?

Talk To Me Tuesday

I ws just listening to talk radio - the Laura Ingraham show - and her guest was C-Span's creator, Brian Lamb. One of my heroes. Such a mild mannered and patient person. Turns out he is a native Hoosier, like hubby is, and even went to the same university as hubby, Purdue University. I knew I liked him! He was recently married for the first time, at age 63, to a girl he met in elementary school and caught up with again. So cool.

Suppose to finally get a true cold front coming through tonight. Thank you, thank you. My sinuses are killing me.

Enjoying a tall glass of cold Fresca. Haven't had it in years so it is a nice change. I'm thinking a touch of vodka in it would make a tasty cocktail in the evening.

Trying to get all the ingredients for Thanksgiving dinner in the pantry and fridge. Just the three of us this year so I'm not feeding masses of people or anything. Looks like the following day hubby will journey to one of the "Stan" countries. Purchased some extra long johns he likes - made of silk and comfy enough to also be pajamas. They should arrive before he leaves. I continue to do most of my shopping over the internet. So easy to do and it comes right to the door. It doesn't get better than that.

I'm listed on www.basilsblog.com in the upcoming interviews section. Go on over and leave a question for him to ask me. I hope it's a fun thing to do. I did a question for The American Princess interview. I love her blog. Wacky questions welcome!

A Movie and Dinner, Too

Yesterday afternoon we had a rare occurance as of late. A family outing and all three of us were in agreement of what it would be! We saw the movie "Jarhead" and then we had a bite at Red Robin. It was good for us to all be out together after it feels like it has been too long. We all enjoyed the movie. It's is definately a Hollywood version of the military but it's what I was expecting. Jamie Foxx was excellent.

Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, Gov of Louisiana, has been named one of the worst governors in the country. Ya think?

If you are interested in an intellectually honest article on the "lies" of the pre-war run up in Iraq, you may want to read an excellent article written by Norman Podhoretz in the Wall Street Journal. I have printed it out after scanning it so I can be more thorough and it is 9 computer printed pages. He has a great mind.

I am known for jumping in with both feet when I do something, so I have volunteered to participate in the project of interviewing bloggers at Basil's Blog. I am to be added to the list and encourage you, gentle reader, to email in a question for him to ask me! I'm curious to find out what happens!

Next week is Thanksgiving break. All week. I'll be loving the break from routine. I don't remember getting a whole week from school during my school days, though. Just the Friday after.

I wore my contact lens yesterday for the movie, thinking my sinus difficulties were improved enough for me to do so. Wrong. Today my eyes and very red and irritated again. Nuts. I am so aggrevated to have contact lens and not be able to wear them right now. Back on the Claritin.

Wizard of Oz on TBS over the weekend, colorized. Disturbing.

Santa ordered the boy's big Christmas present over the weekend. He's getting the new XBox 360 that he was been drooling over. I hope the supplies hold and he gets it in time for the holiday and can enjoy it during the school break. He picked it out, of course, as I am completely ignorant of all things video. Although, I am thinking I need one of those new, slim IPod's. I can't keep up with all the stuff coming out and what's hot, what's not. That's my teenager's job. And my engineer husband's job, too!

Laundry calls.

TGIF

Happy Friday, y'all. Glad it is finally here. The sick guys around here are wearing me down. Son is home again today trying to shake the bug he has. Making an appointment for him tomorrow with the doctor just to be on the safe side.

Watched some C-Span yesterday afternoon while Karen Hughes was testifying before the House foreign affairs committee. She was great, as usual. So well-spoken and thoughtful. Even the usual suspects who normally slander the administration on a daily basis were impressed with her. Except, Barbara Lee (D-California) but what do you expect from the only member of the House to not vote for the ouster of Saddam Hussein. Her soulmate, I suppose. She looked particulary foolish talking about "lies" and "misleading" in the run up to the war in Iraq.

I congratulate these democratic senators for supporting Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) amendment to specify the "rights" of enemy combattants scooped up on the battlefield - Wyden (D-OR), Leiberman (R-CT), Landrieu (D-LA), Conrad (D-ND), and Nelson (D-NE). These republican senators voted against the amendment - Chaffee (R-RI), Sununu (R-NH), Smith (R-OR), and Spector (R-PA). To say that enemies on the battlefield should have the same legal rights in a CIVILIAN Federal Court as any American citizen does is reprehensible. These republicians need a sharp smack of reality. The democrats are to be congratulated for bucking their party line voter comrades.

Have you seen the new commercial on Kurdistan? Fantastic. If that doesn't bring a smile to your face, I don't know what it takes to make you happy. It's Veteran's Day. Thank a Veteran for the freedom we all tend to take for granted.

Hubby getting ready to go to a "Stan" country later in the month for a client. Not Kurdistan, though! Not yet, anyway!

Now that it is back into the 80's outside here, my ac is running non-stop again. Yuk. Next week we may really get a cold front move through, according to the local weather guesser. That would be nice...

Feels Like Monday

It's a blah day. Been taking a break from the computer and the news as much as possible. Yesterday son was home from school as he was not feeling well.

Amazing Race - still amazing. I'm liking the family version better than I thought I would.

Turned on the news a little while ago. Amman, Jordan dealing with three suicide bomb attacks - one each at the Hyatt, Radisson and the Days Inn. Hubby stays at the Radisson when he is there, or he has in the past. Said the security was light the last time he was there. So, I am back to taking a break from the news.

Making buffalo style wings for son before the scout meeting tonight. His idea of comfort food!

Texas elections not surprising. Mayor Bill White won very easily. He even had my vote. Supposedly our mayor is a non-partisan office but he's a democrat. He has been a champ for the city, though so he had my support. Proposition 2 easily passed, too. The amendment to the state constitution making marriage officially between a man and a woman. Duh.

Have a good one.

Say What?

It is the theatre of the absurd, again. Many on Capitol Hill now think the ticket back into power is to accuse the president of lying about the intelligence reports leading up to the war in Iraq. The very same democrats who voted for the war resolution and agreed in long, flowing speeches on the floor of the Senate, mind you. Especially spotlight whores like Chuckie Shumer. The same Chuckie Shumer who was recently caught in the not widely publized (surprise!) trick of exposing the credit history and records of the black lt. governor in Maryland running for the Senate, a Republican. Think of the gnashing of teeth and fainting on the senate floor if that had been a republican trick in the campaign. The special prosecutor, Fitzgerald, specifically said at his press conference that his indictment of Scooter Libby meant nothing one way or the other about the lead up to the war in Iraq. I guess that was not to be believed but the charges against Libby are to be believed. Easy to pick and choose your reality, I guess. If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.

France is burning. They are on day 13 at this point and no let up in sight. Chirac, man of steel that he is, has hidden out through out the whole thing up until yesterday when he issued a tepid at best reply that this behavior will not be tolerated. The man's a rock, I'll tell ya.

Finally the sociopath that escaped from the jail here on the way back to death row was captured in Shreveport, LA. End of the road trip for him. He was drunk and using a pay phone when he was spotted.

Tomorrow is voting day in our little part of the world. If it is for you, make plans to do so. Put it on your calendar. Excercise your duty as a citizen of this free country and vote. Many have died so you can do so.

It's So Cool

Thanks to all for the kind comments on the new design. All props go to Lisa at Design a Blog, you will see her button on this site. She's the woman, I'll tell ya. She asked a few basic questions to find out what I had in mind and went with it. She rocks. And she answers questions for even rookies like me. I still have to get her the blogroll sites but am behind on that. My guys have hogged the computer all weekend. I'm taking it back in the morning!

I purchased a Belgian wafflemaker Friday and we have so enjoyed our waffles this weekend. It is a great machine - professional quality according to the hype - and even I don't burn them. So yummy.

Son's AP Biology teacher called Friday afternoon. The reason he is having some difficulty in the class has been discovered. He should have taken Biology I and then Chemistry before this class. Well, now. It is all making sense now. She is trying to get his class changed. Poor guy. Science is a strong subject for him and he loves the subject so he was really frustrated. The fact that he was passing at all is amazing to me. His French II teacher wants him to go into a AP class as he is straight A in her class and she knows he isn't being challenged. Maybe between the two changes it'll all work out.

Spoke to MIL this morning. Southern Indiana was hit with a devasting tornado but she is further north and wasn't affected. She is really excited to be coming for Christmas so I guess we did the right thing. She is bringing an extra suitcase loaded with things she thinks we want, as she is downsizing in a smaller condo. Yeah, just what this house needs. More stuff.

When I was purchasing aforementioned waffle maker, at Linens and Things, I was also shopping for a new bedspread. We need a bedspread on our king size bed, a comforter is too short on the sides and the way the bed is platformed, it doesn't work with the ruffle thingys on the sides under the comforter. They don't carry them anymore! I bought the one we use now there so I was not pleased with this development. I must resort to my catalogs, I guess. I am the catalog queen and receive every catalog published in this country, from the looks of my mail, especially at Christmas time.

Gas - $2.31

You Like?

Here it is - Ta-Daaa! What do you think? I love it. It only needs the blogroll done and we're cooking with gas. Lisa rocks!

Ahhh, Friday

Finally, we are at the end of the week. I've been to the grocery store and purchased stuff for the weekend. Making baked pasta with fresh mozzarella and Parmesan reggiano then chili tomorrow. Those will stretch through out hungry times.

I think Jimmy Carter needs to sit down and shut up. He was a failed President, a failed governor of Georgia before that (I lived in Atlanta during that time) and now thinks he is worthy of being listened to as a sage former world leader. Yuk. I remember gas lines, sky high mortgage rates, Iran hostages, ushering in the Ayatollah Khomeni while betraying the Shah of Iran, and on and on. He may be a good man as far as his work with Habitat for Humanity goes, but as a political leader? NO! He continues to make himself look like a fool and shows no long term vision for anything.

My new blog design is looking good, gentle readers. I am stoked! That Lisa at Design a Blog is doing good work.

My son has been a Pez dispenser collector for most of his life. Nothing organized or anything like that, just ones that he likes or are seasonal or timely. Holiday ones and ones like Star Wars or Peanuts characters. Have you seen the giant ones out lately? I bought him one with an Astros helmet as the decoration at the top. Now I purchased a Chewbacca for his Christmas stocking! Too funny. Giant Chewy head. Chewy is a fave character. He loves to make the noise and has a friend who does a spot on impression of it. Boys.

Happy Friday, all!

Day Three

Yes, day three with pitiful husband at home. Tomorrow, for the good of our 22 year marriage, he had best go off to work!

I am sooooo excited! Lisa, from Design a Blog, is working on my new blog format. Yea! I have been wanting a "real" looking one since I started and I am hopeless about the whole thing. I saw a working design last night and I am gonna love it when it's all done. Plus, I'll have a blogroll and can return the favor of those who have graciously included me in theirs.

I started the first load of laundry at 5:30 this morning and I am still not finished with what I wanted to wash today. Jeez. We are only a family of three.

I saw a few chunks of the Rosa Parks extravaganza yesterday on C-Span. I can't help but think the poor woman would have been so embarrassed by the whole thing. She lived as a humble woman in Detroit the last of her years without the publicity machines of do-gooders of today. She was a true patriot. Just doing her civil disobedience because it was the right thing to do, not for a book deal or movie deal or talk show glory. All the usual suspects were parading out to spew - the Clintons, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Louis Farrakhan, Pelosi, etc. Turned into a political rally aided and abetted by the clergy there. Just like what happened to Paul Wellstone's in Minnesota a few years back. So disgusting. Is that how Rosa Park's would have wanted to be honored? Even spewing forth about Alito and the Supreme Court nominations at her "funeral"? And how do people like the Clintons feel about appearing with slime like Farrakhan who truly believe the white man has no reason to exist? I guess the level of ego and desire to remain in the spotlight overcome all that.

Prince Charles and Camilla are doing the U.S. tour. Does anyone really care?

Day Two

Hubby staying home again today. Bleck. He is still chugging the cough meds, though, and it helps him sleep.

Chilly this morning. Puts me more in the holiday mood, I guess. I have been making reservations for things to do when mother in law is here for Christmas. I have decided that if I can keep everyone busy, there will be less down time and less time for hubby to be irritated with her. Peace.

Gotta get over and do early voting. I hate the long lines on voting day. I vote at an elementary school here in our subdivision, which is nice and handy, but parking is a nightmare. So, early voting is the ticket for me.

Poor son has to go to math tutoring. He is having difficulties with Algebra II. He needs to get his grade up. He is in a pre-AP course which I think just moves too quickly for him. I completely symphatize, as I am not the math parent around here. So, today he will start going to sessions after school today. I'm just happy they are offered at school so he can just stay and get the help. Much better than me trying to hunt down a good tutor.

Gas - $2.51 yesterday at Kroger. I use my frequent shopper card there and it is suppose to give a little price break.

Not Much

Slow day. Hubby is home with a cold and we all know what that means - no rest for the wicked! He got some strong cough meds and that is knocking him out now.

Not much for Halloween last night. It poured down raining just before sunset and we only got two rings of the doorbell. Wierd. Felt sorry for the little kids. Although, the past couple of years I have noticed fewer and fewer kids come out. Safety concerns, I guess. Sad.

Going to make a quick comforting supper of pork chops on the George Foreman Grill (how did I ever live without that invention?!), garlic, cajun spiced rice, steamed broccoli and biscuits. Hopefully hubby will see something there he wants. I made him a brunch of eggs and grits so he was satisfied this morning. Poor baby.

Amazing Race tonight. Missed it due to World Series games. Looking forward to catching up.

Y'all be good.

Happy Halloween, Y'all!

Keeping my fingers crossed that it will not rain this evening until after the kids get to trick or treat. I remember when my son was little and it would rain. No fun. I am busy packing treat bags for the handing out tonight. I get those little paper bags and put in a couple of pieces of candy into them. Otherwise, the bowl of candy would disappear in no time as son and hubby are prone to giving out big handfuls at a time! I want it to last so everyone gets some and we don't run out early!

The trip to the bookstore was fun Friday afternoon with son. He purchased a big book of Mad magazine comic strips and a copy of Inferno. I bought a paperback of the latest Diane Mott Davidson book. I love her series. I didn't realize the new one was out in paperback now. The main character is a caterer who ends up solving murder mysteries at the events she caters. She also includes recipes for the food she prepares for the events. It is fun and I really enjoy the escape her series of books have been for me.

Yesterday afternoon we went to watch son's acting class performance. It was to be today, but then the teacher realized it is Halloween tonight! She's a trip. We love her. Anyway, son was great, as we always think he is, naturally. They did a drama in the format of theatre in the round. One of his old friends was able to come so that was great. Son had been to his high school play a couple of weeks ago. I love that they support each other. They've been best pals since 4th grade. Then afterwards we went out for TexMex for dinner. Eating my fill of freshly made at tableside guacomole is always a welcome treat!

I'm going to have to fix more coffee. I am not quite 100% yet. Monday. New flavor of coffee creamer - peppermint mocha. Yummy, I suppose for the upcoming holidays. Yesterday on the way to the playhouse we noticed all the holiday decorations are up in the area. Earlier and earlier every year. Bah humbug! Why can't we enjoy each holiday before we over run it with Christmas? Soon it'll overtake the 4th of July!

Y'all dress up and have fun tonight!

No Fritmas After All

As is being reported this morning, Fitzgerald will have an indictment for Lewis Libby, chief of staff for Dick Cheney, but not on Karl Rove. Shucks, that'll ruin lots of people's days now. Libby will take the brunt of the problems now with it all drawn out in court for the rest of Bush's term. Not what the original grand jury was looking into, mind you, the outing of Valerie Plame. Looks like no one did anything wrong there. Joe Wilson, liar, liar. I wonder who he wants to portray him in the movie about his book now? He used to say he thought DeNiro would be good. Such a high self esteem.

Caught some of Cindy Sheehan's press conference on C-Span this morning. I counted 7 reporters in the audience. Her usual self. Nothing new. Bush lied. Get out of Iraq now. Recruiters lie to high school students. I would recommend she hire a voice coach with the fees she gets from speaking engagements.

My son has a broken heart. Poor guy. His gf broke it off yesterday and he's sad. They hope to stay close friends, though. I remember those days. He told me about it on the way home from school yesterday so we headed to the store to get a few treats. Broken hearts need treats! Told him we'll go to the bookstore after school today, since it's Friday and we're free. We do love bookstores.

The Dream Is Gone

Ah, well. Game Four ended with the Astros loss of 1-0. The guys kept the heart and spirit in the game, just couldn't outplay the Sox. There's always next year...

I think I am taking a self-imposed exile from my news addiction today. I have had enough for the next 24 hours. Between the talking heads going orgasmic over impending grand jury indictments on members of Bush's administration and the withdrawal of Harriet Miers from Supreme Court recommendation, I have had enough.

Now that the debacle of the Miers nomination is over, it is time for Bush to go back to the roots of the party and nominate a life long true conservative to the bench. Not someone who was a democrat until 5 minutes ago to appease the screaming fools like Leahy and Schumer, who won't vote for anyone Bush nominates anyway. Bush needs to finally realize that no matter how much he bends over for the moonbat dems, they will still scream about the "far right wing" of the republican party. Everything they don't agree with is "extremist". Well, they got Ruth Bader-Ginsburg with something like a 96-4 vote because there used to be some integrity in the process. The president has a right to his person for the bench unless something is seriously wrong with character or criminal behavior. Take the gloves off and grow a spine in this area. The other side only wants gotcha politics and bellowing press conferences offering only the agenda of "no" and not solutions to anything.

Cindy Sheehan was arrested yesterday in front of the White House so she got her wish. Not smiling so broadly for the camera this time, though. Maybe the novelity is wearing thin. She has announced a press conference for tomorrow. And she will do her thing in front of Walter Reed Hospital Saturday. She sure has an odd way to show her support for the military and their families. Now that she has the big time pr firm to schedule her out for speeches at $30,000 a pop, I predict her free performances will lessen in number.

Looking forward to a new blog design. Having fun thinking of ideas.

Game Three

I am one sleepy woman today. Lots of coffee needed. Astros lost in the 14th inning last night. The score was 7 - 5. So depressing. Tonight is make or break time.

So many things on my mind this morning listening to current events. I'll have the distraction of picking up son early from school today, though. I'll probably need the break. Early dismissal today.

The mainstream media is hyping the 2000th death of an American soldier from the war in Iraq. If you are interested in another point of view from someone who might actually know what the story is, read the statement made by Commander Kimmet from Iraq. He says that the 2000th mark is an artificial mark and is only for the purposes of those who have a political agenda. It does no good to the soldiers in the field or the morale of the American people who support them. He is pissed and I don't blame him. Things are tough enough as it is. Cindy Sheehan and her crowd can party hardy today. At least there is not a pesky hurricane taking away coverage from her spotlight.

Lots of election mud being thrown here. We have a mayorial race and city council race going on. The mayor really has no challengers to speak of so he doesn't have to do much. The city council race is interesting in one district. The current council woman claimed a college degree from the University of Houston but did not really have it. Her challenger called her out on it so she had a quick fix done to get the diploma. Back and forth. He calls for her resignation for an untruthful resume. She says she didn't know she hadn't completed the degree. Huh?

Have to spend the afternoon with son completing his costume for his upcoming performance in his acting class play. They put it on Sunday afternoon. He takes the class at a local playhouse from a former actress who mostly does commercials now. She is a kick and the kids love her. We have to track down a couple of items to complete the costume - son plays the sheriff. Ha!

Go, Astros! Seriously.

Fingers Crossed

Tonight is the night. Game three of the World Series and it will probably be the fate sealer for our Astros. Right now a back and forth is going between Astros' management and Bud Selig about if our stadium's roof will be open or not. If they don't see it our way, it'll be hell to pay for them.

Nice and chilly this morning. Stopped by the grocery store after taking the boy to school and picked up the chocolate chip muffin mix he likes. It'll make a nice afterschool treat. And the kitchen will smell good, too.

I am addicted to hazelnut flavored non-dairy coffee creamer. Just a smidge sweet so I don't need any sugar with it. Random thought.

Cindy Sheehan is planning to tie herself to the White House fence when the 2000th death of an American soldier in Iraq is reported. I hope something else knocks her off the front page that day. Continued publicity for this spotlight whore only encourages her to do more outrageous stunts. She actually was complaining to CNN and others that Hurricane Rita coverage was knocking her out of the news at the time. Pathetic.

Hurricane Katrina fatigue is setting in around here. A few days ago I read that some schools that had taken some evacuee kids were having trouble with turf wars between the New Orleans kids and the Houston kids. Understandable, I suppose. Then last week my son's school had reports of impending violence due to said turf wars so extra security was called in to monitor the situation. Fortunately, many students reported things they were hearing around school. The principal and school police conducted locker searches of suspected troublemakers and recovered a small handgun and a pellet gun. Nice. They won't be back this year.

No good deed goes unpunished.

Go, Astros!

Game Two

Astros lost in the 9th inning. Bummer. Good game, tho. We have to get stronger with the pitching bullpen. Next game will be interesting being a home game. And Oswalt is pitching. I hope Clemens heals quickly.

Poor Florida. Been watching the storm come inland all morning. We feel your pain.

It is actually chilly here this morning. I am wearing long sleeves! Yee haw.

I think I will take the plunge and pay someone to design a great website for my blog. I am bored with this one and I have no skill to do it myself. Plus, I want to create a blogroll and return the courtesy others have given me by including my site on their blogroll. I hope this is this week's project.

Go, Astros!

Game One Goes To...

The White Sox. Oh well. It was a great game, except for the part where we lost.
Next time...

Lying Liars

WARNING: This is a rant. If you do not have the stomach or patience for it, move along. There is nothing here for you. Otherwise, buckle up.

Coming soon to a town near you: An event sponsored by American Friends Service Committee, otherwise known as the Quakers. What, might you ask, are we celebrating? Why the 2000th soldier killed in Iraq. Yes, you read that right. Soon, probably in a matter of days given the sequence of events in Iraq recently, the number of lost soldiers to our country will number 2000. No one disputes this is a terrible tragedy for everyone. Free Americans owe them a debt of gratitude, as we do all who serve.

What do the Quakers have to do with this? The American Friends Service Committee has partnered up with Gold Star Families for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, and Military Families Speak Out to organize and host events in 47 states so far when the 2000th soldier is killed. I think the word vulture applies here. They claim to have 258 events on board. One will be here in Houston at the WORLD WAR II VETERANS MEMORIAL. Sure, why not slander two veteran groups at once. More bang for their buck. Party on, pigs.

American Friends Service Committee claims, according to their website, there is no military solution to the Iraq war. This must come as quite a surprise to the troops on the ground there. American troops have yet to lose a battle in Iraq but when was the last time you heard that fact via the media? Oh yeah, NEVER. They claim they are working for the funding of the war to be cut off thru Congress. This leads to the biggest lie told by these ignorant and superficial people - support the troops but not the war. WHAT? Al-Jeezera loves you.

From the AFSC Values section of their website:
"We cherish the belief that there is that of God in each person, leading us to respect the worth and dignity of all. We are guided and empowered by the Spirit in following the radical thrust of the early Christian witness. From these beliefs flow the core understandings that form the spiritual framework of our organization and guide its work". Where was the God in Saddam? What about the dignity and worth of the thousands he slaughtered whenever the whim moved him?

"We accept our understandings of truth as incomplete and have faith that new perceptions of truth will continue to be revealed both to us and to others". Yes, your understandings of truth IS incomplete. Truth is truth.

"We seek to understand and address the root causes of poverty, injustice, and war. We hope to act with courage and vision in taking initiatives that may not be popular". Poverty did not have a thing to do with the terror imposed by Saddam, as he was a very wealthy man. Poverty did not have a thing to do with Bin Laden, or his suicide pilots, either. All of them were from wealthy Saudi families.

"We are called to confront, nonviolently, powerful institutions of violence, evil, oppression, and injustice. Such actions may engage us in creative tumult and tension in the process of basic change. We seek opportunities to help reconcile enemies and to facilitate a peaceful and just resolution of conflict". The U.S., your country, is evil and oppressive? To whom? In what other country are you free to spew forth whenever you so choose and gather on a public square to do so? Oh, yeah, other DEMOCRACIES. Al-Jeezra loves you.

"We find in our life of service a great adventure. We are committed to this Spirit-led journey, undertaken "to see what love can do,"and we are ever renewed by it". Love. Love of freedom, love of fellow man and woman, love of country, love of children and their future, that is what led us to Iraq in the first place. If your thought process is on such a simplistic course that you cannot even understand this fundamental thought process, then I have nothing to say to you. Where is your love for Israel? These groups all support completely the PLO and the complete destruction of Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East. Your brother Arafat, now there was a real peacemaker. You are liars.

Where was your indignation over the war in Bosnia? Somalia?

These groups provide much comfort and aid to our enemy - those who want to kill us in the name of a religion they have bastardized. Al-Jeezera loves them and uses them every chance they get. These groups did not learn anything from the lessons of Vietnam. Talk to a Vietnam vet. I live with one. Anti-war protestors led to the death of soldiers and the eventual slaughter of innocent Vietnamese when the U.S. pulled out.

Three thousand were murdered on September 11, 2001 in this country by radical Islamists filled with hate and blinded by their devotion to an evil man. Saddam allowed Bin Laden's henchmen to train at terror camps in Iraq. Saddam supported the PLO and paid suicide bombers families up to $25,000 when they blew themselves up in Israel. Saddam gased the Kurds by the thousands. Saddam invaded Kuwait in a land grab. Saddam stole money for oil to built palaces and statues of himself throughout Iraq. Saddam's sons were being groomed to suceed the old man. They used rape rooms and other assorted tortue techniques to keep the Iraqi
people under their control. My husband was in Iraq pre-war and the level of suppression and secrecy were unbearable. Women afraid to go out on the streets. Men afraid to speak freely as there was always someone nearby that would turn them into the government for money or power. Why are the Iraqis not worthy of freedom? I think God thinks it's a good thing.

Those seeking their 15 minutes of fame, a la Cindy Sheehan and her ilk dishonor all those lives lost and those serving. The time now is to stop the lies and support the troops honestly so that this mission is completed and they can come home with dignity. The beginnings of freedom in the middle east is a worthy goal. The soldiers in the service of our country are volunteers seeking to serve. Let them do it.

Kumbaya my ass.

Not A Creature Is Stirring

All is quiet on the homefront. Max the dog is sound asleep on the sofa and the two cats are sleeping, too. Hubby and son are on a campout this weekend. You know what that means - quality "me" time for lil ole me. Yeah, baby!

I did a little post on The Dew, y'all check it out. It had been circling in my head for a few days so I figured I had best let it out.

No one to fight for the computer, no one to fight for the remote, no one to fight period.

Life is good.

Go, Astros!

Ah, Sweet Victory

The game score was: Astros 5
Cardinals 1

How sweet. Last year the Astros were eliminated by the Cardinals in the playoffs, so this is particularly sweet for the team. On to the World Series for the first time ever.

Yesterday a judge issued a warrant for the arrest of Tom DeLay. His attorney had requested a summons be issued, which is an option used for people under indictment who are not a flight risk, but alas, politics wins out. The judge is a known activist of the democrat persuasion and relishes the thought of DeLay being photographed, fingerprinted and going through the hoops. So we'll watch that play out today. Hardball politics rearing its ugly head and the case hasn't even gone to court yet.

Livin' for the weekend.

As The Worm Turns

In a rapidly changing Iraq today, Saddam was brought to his first trial along with other henchmen, making him the first person in the Middle East to be brought before a tribunal of his fellow countrymen. The times, they are a'changin'. Slowly but with more speed than our own country started off. It took America about 10 years to produce a Constitution, the Iraqis only two years. The naysayers claim it has no real meaning. What a slap in the face to the brave people who risked their lives to vote. How easy for a psuedo-intellectual sitting in his or her comfortable easy chair in the good ole US of A to play at being a history writer for the country of Iraq. Some simply refuse to accept any good news at all due to blinding political dogma. How sad that they would put politics above the security of their own country and the budding freedom in that pocket in the Middle East.

Update to a recent entry about the high school kids here that attended the not a Million More March in DC. The writer of the article in the Houston Chronicle did respond to my funding question after I sent a second email asking the same question. Did she think I would just give up? She said the kids who could afford it paid their own way. The other trips were paid for by local business people. Now I want to know which businesses sponsor such field trips for local students. I sent the info along to a local newspaper kind of blog online here. They are very interested in the story and hope to pursue it. We'll see what happens.

Go Astros!

Tuesday, No Tirades

The Astros lost the game last night so they will go to St. Louis today to play tomorrow night. They have to win one of the two remaining games to close the deal. It would have been so great for them to have finished it off last night in their home arena. Former President Bush and Barbara were on their feet cheering last night when it looked as if we would win. Oh well, it just wasn't meant to be.

My butt is dragging this morning. Hubby caught a late boat last night and got into Galveston about 2:00 this morning. From there he had to catch a cab to take him to the other side of the island to his car. He got in about 4 this morning. Yuk. Not much sleep at all, knowing he would be in, then him calling during the night. Max the dog and I are not very zippy right now!

Seem to be a few holes in Ronnie Earle's case against Tom DeLay. I'm just saying...

One More Game

The Astros won yesterday so if they win tonight, they are going to the World Series for the first time in the team's history. They will play the Chicago White Sox. I must admit to being a fan only at playoff time but it is exciting for everyone here. I used to be a baseball fan back in the days of Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, etc with the Cincinnati Reds but lost interest many years ago.

Hubby thought he would be home today, but alas, it is not to be. Maybe tomorrow if all goes well. The problem on the rig is fixed but now must be tested to make sure everything is good. At least when he does get back onshore it is only a short drive home from Galveston. He can be home in an hour's time.

I read an article about the growing popularity of The Blue Man Group and the need they have to recruit new members for the different groups that are touring. Reminded me of a fun trip son and I took a couple of summers ago to visit hubby who was working in Portland Maine supervising a drilling rig being built in the shipyard there. Son had never taken a train trip so we flew to Boston and from Boston took Amtrak to Portland. We stayed overnight in Boston and I purchased tickets to see the Blue Man Group at the historic St. Charles Theatre. It was so awesome. Son really enjoyed the light show! They are wild and crazy and hard to explain. Makes it all the more entertaining! After our stay in Portland with hubby we took Amtrak back to Boston, overnighted there again, this time at a hotel in the Back Bay area so we were able to see where the Boston Tea Party was enacted, then flew home the next morning. So much history, so little time. It was a great trip.

I'll Have Another Cup, Please!

This morning is alive with cool, crisp air and I can breathe! Excellent coffee drinking weather with the sliding glass door open for Max the dog to come and go as he pleases. Love it.

Son had a good evening with girlfriend as they went to a school play to see a friend and former classmate of son's. He was able to see another old friend and sit with her and her family there. Nice. He did not care for the play, though! The kids did Inherit The Wind and son has no patience for debate over evolution! As I have said before, he is a science guy and firmly believes that the theory of evolution is an open and shut case!

The people of Iraq did themselves proud again with such a large percentage of voters turning out to excercise their right to vote. Americans would do well to take a lesson from that. Much to the chagrin of the Bush haters, the Constitution looks as if it will be passed and the Iraqis are moving on. I hope the people my husband has befriended there were able to vote. They are very proud of having true choices on the ballot now. A couple of them were able to come here in January for classes from my husband and they missed out on the big vote then.

I have never understood people who care so little for the basic freedoms of the American way of life as to not vote. The right to vote is the one true way a citizen can voice an opinion of public policy that governs us all. If something happens and I fail to vote, say for local elections, I feel a huge burden of guilt that I did not live up to my obligation as a citizen of the community. It's true. I began taking my son with me to watch me vote at birth and he knows just where his mom stands on voting!

My mother died one year ago today. She lived with us the final years of her life and, being the oldest of her three children, I was the one to arrange for her care when she took a turn for the worse. The transition from child to caregiver is a long strange journey. Doesn't feel like a full year has gone by.

Every now and then my son reminds me to be good to him as he will be making any decisions needed in my later life! Gotta love that kid.

Astros Win

And the Astros win game 3 against the St. Louis Cardinals. They are 2-1 now. The crowd was nice and loud like they like it.

House is very quiet now. Hubby gone and son has gone out with girlfriend this evening. They are going to a school play to support a friend in the cast. GF's mom drove so I lucked out.

Still waiting on an answer from the journalist with the article on the local group of school kids attending the Million More March this weekend. Curious if my tax dollars are supporting this trip. I'm pretty sure I know the answer. She has until Monday to respond to my email, then I'm questioning the school district's office. To view this as a trip for "unity" is absurb, to put it mildly. I watched a bit of it on C-Span, as I couldn't take too much at a time, and was lucky enough to see Farrakhan and his daughter, too. What a treat they are to listen to and how educated I am now. They are hateful, hateful bigoted people. It speaks volumes as to the race problems in this country. My son is in public high school and they said "Happy Ramadan" during morning announcements the other day. What do you think the chances are that they will say "Merry Christmas" when the time comes? If no religion is to be allowed in schools, fine. Let's be consistent about it. Special mentions are racist and culturally bigoted. I don't think there will be a Chanukah shout-out, either.

My son is an intellectually curious human being. I am very proud of that. He has been reading since he was 3 and reads everything, just like his parents. He began studying all the different religions of the world while in elementary school out of his own curiousity. He particularly enjoys reading about Buddism and was honored to attend a Buddist wedding ceremony a couple of years ago, as my hubby had struck up a friendship with a man studying to be a monk. Living in our city, we have cultural and racial diversity out the wazoo. It's a good thing. But all those good feelings fly out the door when people try to exploit the kids to succumb to adult agendas. One child attending the "march" said he looked forward to the experience supplementing the lessons he had learned in school about social activism. I don't think my child has been offered that class. It is bad enough the history of our country and the world for that matter is being rewritten to not "offend" anyone. Please. History is history. Grow up and learn from it.

The people of Iraq voted on a Constitution today. These are brave people. The insurgents are losing and they know it now. It was never going to be a fast or easy process. Took a while for things to be established in our own country if I remember good old fashion history from my school days. The people of Iraq are getting the hang of freedom and they want to keep going on the journey. Wonder what they think of Louis Farrakhan and of Wyclef Jean (Howard Dean's favorite musical artist) saying he was thinking of FATHER SADDAM crying in his cell.

Feel the love, people, feel the love.

A Zomby Day

Today is a zomby day. I was up at 2:30 this morning to wake up hubby so that he could leave out of here at 3:30. He had to drive to Galveston to catch a helicopter out to the Gulf this morning. Good thing he and son got some quality time yesterday afternoon for math review. Hubby was able to come home from the office at lunch time so it worked out. Hence, I feel like a zomby. I went back to bed and got back up around 9:00. Makes me feel wierd when the routine is disturbed.

Today I read in the newspaper a former teacher in my son's former school has received a sentence of 12 1/2 years in prison and lifetime supervision on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography. I had been following this case as he was caught while my son was still a student at the school. He was the Athletic Director at the school and he was also being held in jail for molesting some of the boys active in sports in the school. But those are state charges. He hasn't gone to trial for that yet. His lawyer is the brother of Tom DeLay's lawyer, thanks to his mother's wealthy new husband. I would like for him to rot in jail for the rest of his sorry life.

The up and coming generation are weighing heavily on my little mind today. I also read an article about a group of 33 students who attend a charter school here locally who will be participating in the Millions More March in D.C. this weekend. One of the high schoolers was quoted as saying he hoped people coming together and unity was the lesson of the weekend. From a march sponsored by the Nation of Islam and Louis Farrakhan? He needs to read a little more history, I think. Perhaps his teachers have failed to teach the hatred spewing from this loon's mouth whenever he gets a microphone. Not to mention his UFO story about his divine interception by one on a mountain in Mexico. I see these Nation of Islam people on tv here all the time and they are not about unity. So now I am wondering how this trip is financed and is it my taxpayer dollars at work? I have emailed the author of the news story - she didn't bother to delve into that aspect of the story. Maybe I'll get an answer.

Talked to MIL last night and told her I am scanning the web this weekend for airline tickets. She is happy to be coming for Christmas. She missed out last year. I have a few activities planned for when she is here so we can keep everyone entertained. She wants to go to NASA after I told her they have opened back up the behind the scene style of tour that was closed after 9/11. She has been in theatre ( and in movies as an extra) so I am getting tickets for us to go to a dinner theatre for their big Christmas show. Bonus for me, no cooking! That takes care of 2 days so far. Only a couple of more to go! Son and Hubby leave for winter scout camp the day after Christmas so she'll be leaving that day, too.

Where is my Christmas card list?

Good News Abounds

What a calm morning here. No school today or tomorrow for the boy today, due to teacher in-service days. They took the PSAT exam yesterday so that is out of the way. This long weekend he and his dad are going to be reviewing material from his Algebra II class. It is a pre-AP class and he is not so secure with it. Unfortunately, he inherited my math genes and not his father's. His father is a math and science genius. Son does get the science gene, though. He loves science.

I am watching a live video conference between soldiers in Tikrit, Iraq and President Bush. The group includes 10 American soldiers and 1 Iraqi soldier. The Iraqi soldier just told the president that he loves him and thanked him for helping his country. The pride in the faces of the Americans was so obvious and the president made a point of saying several times that the American people support the soldiers and the mission will be accomplished. A female soldier present was also present during President Bush's first visit to Ground Zero in NYC.

Environmental engineers have stated now that the orginal reporting of the "toxic soup" of the flood waters in New Orleans is not as horrible as first reported. The journalists come through for the reading public yet again. The chemical contamination is not so severe as first feared and no fish kills have been noted from Lake Ponchartrain. Gasoline evaporated quickly and some are referring to most of the water resembling water after a heavy rain in the city. Interesting. What did Lt. General Honore say? Don't get stuck on stupid, journalists.

Did you know that some of the classics that high schoolers now read come with SAT vocabulary words included? My son is in a pre-AP English II class and they are reading

Frankenstein now. The teacher requested we purchase the version with the SAT vocabulary included. I didn't know such versions existed. I think it's an excellent idea. While purchasing the book my son asked me to get Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, too, with the vocabulary just because he also wanted to read that! Some clever marketer out there deserves a pat on the back!

I made a big pot of chili yesterday with 1/2 ground turkey and 1/2 ground beef. It was an experiment to see if my guys would eat it! I had seen a recipe for turkey chili that really sounded good but I knew my guys wouldn't go for such an idea. So I tried adding the ground beef to make it taste a little more like traditional chili. Worked, too. They really liked it even though son first thought I had yet again lost my mind.

The laundry basket awaits my attention.

The Letter Says It All

Hubby home last night a little after midnight. Going back out Friday but from Galveston this time so a much easier drive to the helicopter or boat. He is still shocked by the destruction he has seen in the different areas of the Texas and Louisiana coasts from these last two trips. Television doesn't do it justice.

We learn the NYC terror alert was brought on by a hoax. I don't care. I'm glad it wasn't true. New York had a great practice run and the leaders did the right thing. The Department of Homeland Security continues to make me shake my head in disbelief. What are these people thinking anyway? Sounds like petty turf wars and too many mixed messages. One day the threat will be real and everyone better own up to that fact and be prepared. The recent incidents in Oklahoma (what's with Oklahoma?) and Georgia are not looking good for the home team. Plastic bottles with explosives, stolen aircraft, frequent mosque visitors all point to a certain conclusion. Hello?

And then the letter surfaces. If you are interested in such things, you should check out the Office of the Director of National Intelligence which published a 6,000 word letter on its website. This letter is from Al Qaeda's top director, Zawahiri, to the leader of the insurgents in Iraq, Zarqawi. I know that those who would benefit most from reading this letter will never do so but if they were truly doing what they felt was best for America, they would. The letter sets out in detail the plan to defeat the U.S. and our allies. They learned well the lessons of the anti-war protests of VietNam and how these events wore down the will of the American people to win the war. So, since we cut and ran from that war and left the people of South VietNam to be slaughtered by the North VietNamese, the Al Qaeda leadership thinks this is a nifty plan to use again for this war. All those placard carrying, foul mouthed, senior citizen protestors must be proud. Zawahiri is so happy you are doing his bidding. They intend to wear down the American public, loving the polls showing decreased support for the war and the protestors personalizing their disapproval by public name calling of the President of These United States. By all means, don't protest policy, name call those you disagree with because that's a real sign of maturity. Wonder why you aren't taken seriously? And where was all this during Bosnia? Or Somolia? Bosnia was to take one year, according to that military leader, Bill Clinton, and ten years later we are still there. Americans must stand together and get over themselves in order to support the effort in Iraq. If you truly want the best life possible in freedom the sacrifices must be made now. The Middle East can change in an incredible way. The time is now.

That's OK, I'll Do It

Good morning, Gentle Readers:
This morning a few truths became crystal clear to my foggy caffeine deprived brain. Apparently I am the only person in this house who is capable of:

Waking to the sound of an alarm clock.
Putting a wet towel in the hamper.
Closing a cabinet or pantry door.
Letting the dog out.
Letting the dog in.
Bringing the newspaper in from the front yard.
Going through said newspaper and separating out news sections from other crap.
Making a bed.
Dressing myself.
Fixing my own breakfast.
Getting my own self out the front door.

Interesting.

What IS Enough?

No rain today. Not much sun right now, either, but no rain. Some days it's the little things.

So, when exactly is enough, enough? I listened to a report this morning that the opposition party leader in Pakistan says the response from the US of A for relief to Pakistan after the earthquake is "peanuts" in size. Our initial response is $50 Million in aid. Hmm. Not to mention the choppers that have been deployed to drop water, food and supplies to areas hard to reach. Really makes you want to give more, doesn't it? This is probably a person who was dancing and rejoicing when the twin towers fell, too. Turns my stomach.

I was watching a SBA hearing with a House of Representatives panel yesterday. The people giving testimony were from the Gulf area. Ralph Brennan from New Orleans (Brennan restaurant empire) and others much smaller. A travel agent from Gulfport, a video photographer from Covington, a banker from Jefferson Parish. All asking for their share of the pie. Understandable. However something the video photographer said made me stop and think some things through. He said at the time of the hurricane, his small business, run by himself and his wife, was making payments on an existing SBA loan. It was his second loan from the agency. He was asking that SBA forgive the debt of the existing loan and pass out grants for the businesses in the area. He was a little taken aback that the committee didn't all jump up and lead the amen chorus on this idea. So, forgive the current debt AND give me more free money to go back to how everything was before. Is this equitable? I think it is greedy and short sighted. Life will not be the same in the city and other options have to be explored. Until the city is up and running again, his customer base is gone and that is just a fact. He will have to move elsewhere or get a job of another kind as it becomes available in the area. Tough decisions, I know, but the everyone owes me culture has to stop.

Billions and billions of taxpayer dollars are going to be thrown at the rebuilding of the Gulf coast. Yes, it must be done. But this time I am demanding it be done the right way. Accountability of expenditures and responsible city and community planning. The local and state government in Louisiana is corrupt and bankrupt of innovative ideas. The mayor of New Orleans wants casino gambling to save downtown New Orleans. What a disgrace to an old and historical city. The governor of the state wants the rebuilding jobs and contracts to be local. Impossible. Sure, some of it will be local but initially the big companies will have to be used as they have the manpower and skill needed. Funny, for all the harping about Halliburton, I didn't hear complaints about Halliburton when they were the company used by the Corp of Engineers to resecure the levees. The people with the red shirts and big H on the back of them? Halliburton.

What about the coast of Mississippi? Whole towns and communities have been completely wiped out and I don't see the politicians cursing and crying on tv with hands out. I see them getting down to business as best as they can. All levels are working together to bring back the lives of their people. Mississippi, the poorest state in the nation with the least educated population just assumes that the bulk of recovery is on their shoulders and are grateful for help that comes. No Bush hates black people there. It's an attitude of self-determination that will bring back the coast. Do what needs to be done in the process for help and just get it done on local levels.

Some small communities have had slow response with aid after Hurricane Rita roared through east Texas. Big trucks from WalMart and other companies reached them before FEMA could. Not much yelling and finger pointing there. The time for input about the response systems will come later. Deal with what is on the ground now.

FEMA will have to be a stand alone agency again. Before the Department of Homeland Security was established, demanded by the democrats in Congress, President Bush resisted the creation of the agency. He said it was another level of beaurocracy. He was slammed for that opinion and relented. The demand was to put FEMA in the department. He agreed to that, too. Have you ever felt safer because of a dept of homeland security? I haven't. Just more pencil pushers without a clue on local levels. The state of Louisiana already has people indicted on misuse (read theft) of over $40 million from their state agency. FEMA is a federal MANAGEMENT agency. Not a first responder. Local response, state response, then federal response. Not difficult to understand. Unless, of course, you still think it is the federal government's responsibility to take care of you instead of taking care of yourself.

Go 'Stros!

The Houston Astros won a huge victory last night against the Atlanta Braves and now they are off into the playoffs in St. Louis! Good for them. The Killer B's strike again.

It is one nasty morning right now. It is raining and just plain yukky out there. Feels more like Monday than usual today.

Hubby returned home from the Gulf of Mexico about midnight Saturday night and then left again this morning. Today he is driving to Port Fouchon to catch a boat out to a drilling rig. Nasty day to travel.

Keeping it short today. Not really in the mood to go longer. I am troubled by many subjects this morning and feel like pondering them a bit longer. Between the horrible earthquake disaster along the Pakistan/India border, the complete meltdown of the New Orleans police department, the idea of Mayor Naquin to use casino gambling as the savior of the city of New Orleans, the Mississippi coast continues to be ignored by the press, and the litmus test being imposed on the Miers nomination by the far right (when they cry foul when the far left does it to the democrats) are all weighing heavy on my mind.

I feel the need to check out what is on the travel channel about now.

It's Baking Season!

Slept in a bit this morning as I was up a little late last night. I am re-reading "Wicked" since I expect to see the stage play in the not too distant future. We are having some wonderful weather right now. Almost an actual chill in the air this morning. I stepped out for the morning newspaper and decided that baking season has arrived.

I love to bake. I have enjoyed baking since I was a young girl and was allowed to open a box of cake mix and make a mess in the kitchen. My mother was not a baker so I am self taught in this area. Baking is a relaxing activity for me and I often rely on baking as a stress reducer in my life.

I rarely bake in the hot weather because it is just too uncomfortable. No one wants the kitchen heated up for an extended period of time when the temperature is 100 degrees. So as soon as we get the indication of cool weather on the way, usually in October, I start thinking about what I have been wanting to bake.

This morning I baked a batch of cocoa chocolate chip scones for a breakfast treat. I am feeling very satisfied after consuming my fair share of the scones and sipping a cup of espresso on the side. Doesn't get much better than that for starting a Saturday morning. I "read" cookbooks for fun and have a good collection of cookbooks collected through out the years. I have pulled a couple of them to go through the baking sections for a good idea to use tomorrow morning. Something along the sweet line as my husband is not home and my son inherited my very pronounced sweet tooth!

C-Span is celebrating its 25th Anniversary of live call-in shows and I am reaching nirvana over that! They are doing shows non-stop with guests for I believe 26 hours. It began last night and goes into tonight. They have had some very interesting people on with great discussions.

I will break away from C-Span this evening when Paula Dean's show comes on. Some kind of special show involving her going to Hollywood. I love my cooking shows! Paula Dean is great fun to watch. I may be a nerd but I have a wide range of interests with which to keep myself occupied!

Max the dog is enjoying the weather this morning. I have the sliding glass door open that leads out to the back yard and the pool. He loves to freely go in and out. We do have a dog door on another door that goes to the patio area but only Oreo, the young cat uses it!

Now where's my coffee mug?

Is Autumn Really Here?

Went out to fetch the morning newspaper from the front yard and was stopped in my tracks. The air was cool and I could breathe freely! I love autumn in Houston. No, we don't have the turning colors on our trees, we don't have crisp, hard snaps of cool air at any given time, but it is wonderful here. What a relief to hear the weather guesser on the evening news last night say we won't have anymore 100 degree days this year. Humidity is down and I can breathe. Good times.

Ewww... I just heard Senator Robert (Sheets) Byrd from W. VA. on the senate floor refer to the governor of his state as the "best looking governor in the country". That is disturbing.

I'm zipping around here this morning thanks to a double espresso buzz. Hubby got a new espresso machine, which he feels he can not live without, and when I can get it to work for me, I enjoy the benefit of having it around.

A question I have been pondering the past couple of days is this:
If Oregon feels it is constitutional to have an assisted suicide law, why is abortion not a states rights issue, too? Why does Roe v Wade have to stand as a federal law? Just thinking of the logic. I think abortion should be a states rights issue, too. I am not comfortable with the feds controlling either issue.

Son and I have a date to go to the bookstore after school today. Just about my favorite activity in the whole world. I love books. I have loved books all my life. I still vividly remember reading Nancy Drew mystery novels as a young girl from cover to cover in a quiet Sunday afternoon. My grandmother got me started on that series with the gift of a couple of the books one Christmas. I also blame this grandmother with my obsession with fine stationary as she is the person who gifted me with my first box of Crane stationary one birthday as a pre-teen. Monogrammed, too. I was her first grandchild, don't you know.

Gas today = $2.79/gallon

Hubby on the Road

Hubby just called from the Beaumont, TX area. He is on his way to the central Louisiana coast to catch a helicopter to an oil rig. He was calling to say how surprised he was with his gut reaction to the damage from the recent hurricane. All the signs on the road are gone and this was his first clue he was approaching the beginnings of the damaged area. Soon he will be in the area of Cameron and I reminded him it is gone now. He hasn't forgotten the hurricane, of course, I think he was just surprised with his personal reaction. He says it is like a sock in the gut.

This road trip will be an eye-opener for him.