Just a Political Statement Today...

This is from the National Review Online:

Gregory S. Mitchell, former Command Sergeant Major of Landstuhl, released the following statement on Tuesday regarding Senator Obama's decision to not visit wounded soldiers in Landstuhl:

"Having spent two years as the Command Sergeant Major at Landstuhl Hospital, I am always grateful for the attention that facility receives from members of Congress. There is no more important work done by the United States Army than to care for those who have been wounded in the service [of] our country. While Americans troops remain engaged in two hot wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is a steady stream of casualties to the hospital, and a steady stream of visitors who wish to meet with those troops and thank them for their service.

Senator Obama has explained his decision to cancel a scheduled visit there by blaming the military, which would not allow one of his political advisers to join him in a tour of the facility. Why Senator Obama felt he needed an adviser with him to visit U.S. troops is unclear, but if Senator Obama isn't comfortable meeting wounded American troops without his entourage, perhaps he does not have the experience necessary to serve as commander in chief."

Bravo, Command Sgt. Major!

And he is not alone in his distaste for The Precious.

In a report today on Newsmax.com, Dr. Danny Jazarevic, who served as the Chief of Trauma, Critical Care and Vascular Surgery at Landstuhl, issued the following statement on Barack Obama's canceled visit to Ramstein and Landstuhl:

"Last week, Senator Obama skipped a visit with wounded U.S. troops at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany because the Pentagon would not allow campaign staff or media to accompany him into the hospital. I served as director of trauma surgery at that hospital for nearly four years and saw the effect that a visit from a celebrity like Senator Obama could have on morale. During that time, I do not recall a single member of Congress canceling a visit with the troops despite being just a few hours away, but Senator Obama seems to have been more concerned with how the visit would affect him than how it would affect the soldiers recovering from wounds received in the service of their country."

WHY did he NEED the presence of his advisers just to stop and chat with the wounded troops? He could have gone, alone, with no cameras, had a quiet visit and released a modest statement expressing his admiration of the courage and commitment of our troops. That course of action would have resulted in a net political gain, albeit small. But, as we know, The Precious does not do small.

Okay, It's Time for a Rest...

I'm exhausted. I'm not sleeping well and I wake up tired. I have no energy whatsoever. I didn't run/walk all last week like I said was going to and I didn't run this morning either, and I fear I am going to have to start the Couch-2-5K over again at week one. Arrrggghhhh!

It's hot. Today will hit 100º with a heat index of ("feels like") 104º to 110º. This should be easy for me. I was raised in Fresno, California and I remember it being in the 90's after dark! When Tom and I moved to the southern California coast in the early 80's, I think I wore something with long sleeves year around. When I couldn't take the cool weather any longer and needed to get some heat to warm my bones, we would drive inland to the Wild Animal Park in Escondido for the day. I just thrived on the heat. Not any more. Our "hot" tub has become our "cool" tub. Rather than 100º degrees, it's turned down to 90º, well below body temperature and cool enough to bring the body temperature down very nicely before heading to bed.

So, I stayed in today and primed the lower cabinets in the kitchen. My regular readers know that we are attempting to remodel our house. We have been remodeling our house since right after we moved in October 1, 2006. And, it's not done. Not even close. We've done some major stuff ~ knocking out a wall in the kitchen, adding an island, rearranging the existing cabinets, installing a few new cabinets, installing new appliances and installing granite countertops, tile and formica backsplashes. Tom installed most of the ceramic tile on the floor, but we still have to empty the hutch (ugh!!), tile and grout underneath it and paint the wall behind it before we put it back in place. Then we have to remove all the popcorn from the ceilings (the house was built 18 years ago), remove chair rail, paint walls in all the rooms, knock down walls in the laundry room, install two pocket doors and install new flooring in the living room, den, hallway and bedrooms. But, Tom has finished making the new doors for the kitchen cabinets and told me this last weekend that he is taking them over to a cabinet shop and will have them sanded, primed and drilled for hinges. He put the pressure on. Damn, I had to get busy. So, I primed.

But, back to being tired. It's late afternoon and very untypically I am sitting here with a LARGE glass of iced coffee, which is nearly gone and I am seriously considering fixing another, hoping it will help me stay alert until bedtime. As I said, I am not sleeping at night. I hear every single little noise, also very untypical. I've always been a fairly light sleeper, but I have also had those nights when I fall asleep and stay asleep all night long and wake up rested and refreshed. God, I would love to have just one of those nights again.

Tom suggested I try to find some kind of sleep CD with nature sounds. I thought, you know, he is right. What puts me to sleep? The sound of the country ~ crickets, frogs, bugs (cicadas), owls, mockingbirds, whippoorwills, coyotes in the distance. When we lived in the country, that was my lullaby or nightly meditation that calmed my brain waves and prepared me for a deep, restful sleep. I scoured the internet for CD's of nature sounds. I have ordered four: Southern Swamp, A Night in the Canyon, Summer Nights, and Crickets Calming. All of them are sounds of nature, no music or voices. I am hoping that listening to them when I go to bed will help me sleep. We shall see.

In the meantime, I suppose I will just have to mainline coffee.

We can throw stones, complain about them, stumble on them, climb over them, or build with them. ~ Iyanla Vanzant

I've had a bunch of thoughts running around in my head the last week or so with nothing in particular to connect them. So, I decided in the middle of night last night that I would sit down and just write them down, one at a time, even if it makes no sense to put them together.

So... in no particular order:

1. I haven't been sleeping well the last week or so. I wake in the middle of the night, then can't get back to sleep for hours. Is it the little noises I hear throughout the night? Maybe. I've had ear plugs in my bedside table drawer since right after Mother's Day, but I've never used them... until last night. They felt weird. I couldn't hear anything except my own breath in my ears and my own heartbeat. I felt a little claustrophobic, but I slept about an hour and a half before Tom woke me up to tell me he was leaving. I fell back to sleep for about another hour. I'm still tired this morning, but I think I will try them again tonight to see if they work again.

2. It has been incredibly hot. Monday, it was 101º, yesterday it was 100º. When I got up at 6:00 AM on Monday it was already 78º and by 7:00 AM it was 88º, and the same yesterday. Too hot to run. I feel like a real slacker not doing it, but I cannot exercise in this heat. The new McGee center has an indoor 1/8 mile walking trail. I think I will go over today and see what it is like. That might work out for me on days like this.

3. I have no motivation to start back on our house remodel. I can't figure it out. My main complaint about moving has always been that we never finish a house remodel until it's time to move, then we scramble to finish it, make it look pretty, then we leave. How stupid is that? Why not finish it early on and have the opportunity to enjoy it while we are living here, then sell it. My resistance just doesn't make any sense to me.

4. I am a proud member of PUMA PAC and have been since it was first formed in June of this year. It's a "527", a federally registered political action committee. I'm sure you've heard the news anchors mention our group (People United Means Action... not to be confused with the other PUMA, People United My Ass, although our goals are somewhat similar). They've called us "those few older, white women voters who supported Hillary Clinton." Well, I'm old and white, but that is not the case for every member. Our members represent a broad spectrum of Democratic voters who share the belief that "the current leadership of the Democratic National Committee has abrogated its responsibility to represent the interests of all democrats in all 50 states." I don't know if we will accomplish our goals, but I hope so.

5. I try really hard to stay balanced: emotionally, physically and spiritually. It is not easy sometimes, but I know that balance is key. There are always those situations and people who just cannot seem to stop shoving, poking, provoking and sometimes I allow my responses to those situations or people to distract me from the state I need the most ~ balance. I am reminded of a time years ago when one of my sisters was going through a very angry and very depressed period in her life. Every time we would talk, I would do one of two things: get angry back at her, meet her anger head on, but it was like using a baseball bat to bring down the Great Wall of China ~ futile and exhausting. Or, I would invariably find myself responding and sounding like a Polly Anna. You know what I mean, the sun will shine tomorrow, everything will be fine, don't worry, be happy,...that kind of crap, which is soooo not me. I'm more into listening, asking questions, allowing the feelings to express themselves, blah, blah, blah. But, it got to the point where I couldn't be who I was and what I realized was that I was emotionally out of balance. I was losing myself trying to help her balance her anger and depression by going to the other extreme. I also realized that she really didn't want me to help her move on. She needed to be right where she was and I had to let go, pull back and let her be there or risk going there with her, and that would definitely not have been the best thing for either of us. Sometimes it feels like I'm walking on a balance beam and, for a moment, lose my concentration and then lose my balance. It takes all of my energy and concentration to regain my balance, but when I do I finally take a deep breath in, blow it out, relax and continue moving forward.

6. Something happened to me when my sister, Kim, passed away. Her death affected me in such profound ways I cannot yet even explain, but I feel so deeply in my soul. Even losing both of my parents did not affect me this way. After so many years of silence between us, certainly because of my own stubbornness and unwillingness as well as theirs, I didn't realize such a deep and intense bond and connection with Kim and my other sisters still existed. I think that is why I haven't yet finished writing about her death. Because when I do, I have to acknowledge and fully experience the loss of all of those years and everything I missed; the love, the camaraderie, the history. When I made my last trip to Las Vegas before Kim died, I took a journal with me and I made notes to myself. But, the journal sits beside this computer, a daily reminder that I haven't finished. I've only written Part One: The Prognosis and Part Two: The Decision. I have two more parts to write: Part Three: The Gift and Part Four: The Passing. Writing about Kim's actual death will be easy. It was calm and almost welcomed. Writing about the gift she gave me will be the most difficult because it was a simple, "I love you."

"Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired." Jules Renard

I don't know if I am lazy or not... well, maybe just a little.

I haven't run my Couch-2-5K since before July 4th when Chris ran with me. I can say I've been busy, but that wouldn't be the truth. It's more like I've just resisted getting back into it.

I have revamped my schedule on the sidebar. I'm starting again Monday. See, even now, rather than start today or tomorrow, I chose to start Monday... three days away. I'm incorrigible.

So, anyway, I am going back to a running schedule, but starting where I left off ~ Week 4. We will see how that goes.

I don't feel like I'm getting a lot out of the yoga sessions. I'm having a lot of trouble doing the yoga positions because of my rotator cuff injury. I can't do anything that requires holding my left arm at a 90 degree angle or anything weight bearing and I don't have full range of motion. It's just too painful. So I have to modify poses. It's hard because I am a beginner. I may have to find a class to help me with that.

In any case, I will persevere.

Some Things Friday for July 18, 2008

I haven't done one of these in a while, so I guess this is the best way to end the week.

Some Things I Love:

1. My Aunt Sally. She had a close call this last weekend ~ a mild heart attack. Doctors put in a pacemaker and she came through with flying colors. Besides the fact that she is probably one of the warmest, most loving people I know, my favorite thing about her is that she can talk and laugh at the same time. She is the only person I know that can accomplish that feat without spitting or drooling all over herself.

2. Boating, swimming, wading... anything to do with water. We spent all day on the lake last Saturday, and because I was floating in the water on a noodle chair for the better part of the day I got exceedingly sunburned (yes, even with sunscreen). I did have the opportunity to take some photos. The first is Tom (duh!) in his usual lake garb ~ bathing suit and panama jack hat ~ and the second is our lunch. Tom got up early and boiled some shrimp, which we ate with horseradish cocktail sauce. We bagged vegetables (served with a little ranch dressing for dipping), fruit (served with vanilla yogurt for dipping) and packed lots of bottled water.

3. This time of year it is iced coffee. I try to start the day with a cup of hot coffee, but I wind up pouring most of it into a glass filled with ice and sweetened with one of those coffeemate creamers. My favorite? Italian Sweet Cream ~ just a teaspoon or so. Mmmmmm.

4. Getting my desk organized after a few weeks of denial.

5. A few months ago, I was asked to do a family tree. I stopped for a while, but started up again after my sister, Kim, passed away in April. I've had some great fun discovering old newspaper articles, family trees, census pages referring to my family members by name.

Some Things I Hate:

1. Headaches, for the reason I expressed to my niece-in-law earlier this week: It is just a nagging little pain that is just the right amount of distraction, so that every time someone asks you a question, you just look at them and go..."Huh???"

2. People who don't respond to emails or return phone calls. Just basically flat out rude and clearly have little or no social skills.

3. Hello, my name is Terri and I'm a magazine addict (Hi, Terri). I've said it. I can't deny it any longer. I've hit rock bottom. I have probably a dozen subscriptions and I haven't read one magazine in months. But every time I get a notice in the mail, "Your subscription is about to end," I dutifully get out my checkbook or go to the computer with my credit card in hand and re-up. I just know that I would feel so much better if I would just read them, but I don't. Thanks for letting me vent. See you next meeting.

4. Having to replace so many freakin' car windshields. Ever since we moved here about 15 years ago, we have had to replace every single windshield on every single car we have ever owned. Tom has owned his work van for about 7 years and during that time we have replaced the windshield 3 times and it needs a 4th one right now. Last week, Tom was driving the Audi down the interstate ('freeway' to those of you in the west) and out of nowhere a rock crashes into the windshield. It will be replaced on Monday ~ with one of only 4 windshields in existence in the U.S. for that make and model. We're in deep $hit if it gets broken again.

5. I'm sick and tired of this rotator cuff thing I have going on. I wish it would just heal and I could get on with it.

Some Things I Just Don't Get:

1. You know, this includes me, too, but I just don't get why people wait so long to connect or reconnect with loved ones. Most of what we think about others is our own projections on other people, not really what exists in reality, but we cling to those reasons (excuses) because of our own pride, need to be right or just holding a grudge. Whatever reasons we use are so inconsequential and unnecessary.

2. When we first moved back into "town" after living in the country, we were thrilled to be given two trash bins, a green one for daily trash and a blue one for recycling. Whooo Hooo, I thought, it is going to be so easy to recycle. I put everything possible in that blue bin, including used paper towels. Our regular trash went from 2 bins to about 1/2 bin a week and our recycling bin was often almost over-flowing by the time it was picked up. But, apparently, loose recyclables are too messy, so the city council passed a new ordinance that all of our recyclables must be bagged... yes, bagged. I am now still recycling a lot of our trash, but I am using twice as many trash bags. Go figure.

3. People who judge everyone, but never see their own mistakes or character flaws.

4. Boys who wear their pants half way, or even further, down their butts and have to constantly grab their crotch to keep their pants from falling off. I have one word for you: BELT !!

5. The fascination with extremely hot or spicy foods. I cannot and will not eat something just because it is hot as hell and guaranteed to make me break a sweat. I don't enjoy food that hot even though I know that it causes your body to generate endorphins to neutralize the pain. Maybe some people enjoy eating food that hot because it is something of an ego trip to be able to say you can withstand the sensation of ridiculously spicy substances searing your flesh, but it's still a phenomenon that's just completely alien to me.

My Head Hurts So Bad, I Just Can't Think...

I Haven't Run for a Few Days. In Recovery Mode...

I haven't quite decided how I feel about this last vacation/family reunion. I guess it is best to say that I have mixed feelings. Unfortunately, everything did not quite meet my hopes and expectations.

The house we rented, called Blue Too, is situated lake front. It had a very large deck with sturdy railing that ran nearly all the way around the house with plenty of deck furniture and a gorgeous view, plus a new wood walkway from the house to a wood patio area under the trees near the shore. The house had one and half baths, plenty of linens, washer and dryer, refrigerator, stove, microwave, dishwasher, dishes, utensils, pots & pans. That's where the luxury ends.

The not-so-good experiences:

The house was secluded and to get to it, we had to navigate a long stairway ~ about 45 stair steps ~ from the parking pavillion. And, we brought a ton of boating accessories and toys, luggage, coolers and a barbeque. Taking all of that back to the cars ~ up those 45 stairs ~ was even more fun than taking it down to the house. Tommy and Jacob really helped with that.

The house was really cute, but filled with tons of stuff ~ furniture, knick-knacks and lots of artsy, decorative, completely unnecessary stuff, most of which was breakable. So, with 4 adults and 3 kids going in and out, playing, sleeping, cooking, eating, playing games, showering, changing, etc., plus entertaining 28 people, including 7 kids trying to keep themselves occupied, I was a nervous wreck, probably overly so. We finally had to move some of the furniture around (even though our written instructions specifically read: "Do not rearrange the furniture!") because most of us kept running into end tables and side chairs that were arranged in odd places and we kept kicking or running into them trying to get from one side of the room to the other.

We also rented a small room and bath "on the way" to the house, which is where Tom and I slept and showered. The room had a private access, but was added to the basement of the Blue Too owner's house, which was at the top of those 45 stairs. But, this room, too, was filled with stuff ~ art stuff, craft stuff, Christmas stuff, personal stuff ~ plus furniture. We had a queen size bed with about 10 big decorative pillows. The huge headboard was just leaning against the wall and not attached to the bed frame, so every time one of us would get in or out of bed or roll over during the night, it would thunk against the wall. There was an overstuffed love seat with decorative pillows, overstuffed chair with decorative pillows, a wall lined with shelves and a lower cabinet (filled with stuff), two cabinet-type end tables (filled with more stuff), a bedside table with drawers (filled with stuff), two dressers ~one rattan, one wood (filled with stuff and with decorative stuff on top), a shelf in a corner (again, filled with stuff), a canvas covered shelving unit against another wall stacked and packed with all kinds of stuff, and two closets filled to the top with craft supplies, Christmas decorations, personal items and clothing. If that wasn't enough, the "artist"/owner had large blank easels and paintings stacked against two walls (between a wall and the rattan dresser and between an end table and the wall beside the couch). Essentially, we paid her to stay in her storage room. Furthermore, the room was freezing most of the time because it was cooled by the same air conditioning unit that cooled the owner's house, the thermostat for which was located ~ you guessed it ~ in the owner's house, and baby, she liked it COOL.

And, do you know what lives and thrives in dark, cool rooms filled with tons of stuff shoved in every single nook and cranny? Spiders, that's what. We arrived on Wednesday afternoon and by Thursday night I had spider bites up both my arms. By Friday morning, I had spider bites on the back of both of my legs, across my chin and all over my hands and arms, about 75 bites in all. Sleeping was difficult. Tom would bring a bowl of ice up with us when we went to bed, so that I could cool the itching in the middle of the night, but it was so bad that it made me sick to my stomach. By Saturday morning, I was so miserable I was ready to leave, but we didn't. We stuck it out until Sunday.

It also rained a lot (thank God, we weren't camping this year!). Tom tied the ski boat near the shore so it would be convenient to use. He attached the anchor rope the stern and set the anchor out a ways, then tied the bow between two trees on either side to stabilize it. It worked fine until the storms...yes, stormS ~ plural ~ came in. The first storm hit Thursday night, just after we arrived back from dinner at Christina's. Tom and Chris ran down to the boat and caught it just in time before it got bashed on the rocks on the shore. Tom would have taken the boat back to the marina, but once he got back to the marina he wouldn't have had any way to get to shore or the main dock. This has not been a good year for the lake. The water level is so high this year that all the roads and sidewalks to the boat slips are under water, so the marina has to provide shuttle boats to take boaters from their boats to shore and vice versa. The shuttles stop running about 6:00pm, about two hours before the storm hit. So, Tom and Chris secured the boat as best they could and kept tabs on it throughout the night. Chris was able to check it from the deck of the house with a flashlight (luckily, Tom had thought to bring two big ones). Tom was up several times during the night, navigating the 45 stairs, in pouring rain, to make his checks. Another storm hit Friday afternoon. Same drill, only this time it was during the daylight hours. When another storm hit Saturday afternoon, Tom gave up and drove the boat back to the marina.

Then there was getting in and out of the boat while it was onshore. The shoreline was either rocks or silt ~ silt so thick that if you stepped in it, you'd sink in up to your ankles and it would suck your shoe off your foot. The kids called it quicksand. The rocks and silt went out only a couple of feet from shore, then it dropped into deeper water. It was fine for swimming for the kids. We had plenty of life jackets for those who couldn't swim very well, but the shoreline made it impossible to step into the boat from the shore or from shallow water. The only alternatives were to swim to the swim deck on the stern of the boat or climb into a small raft on shore, float out to the swim deck and climb out of the floating, very unsteady raft onto the swim deck ~ Oh...so...coordinated and feminine! I chose the latter...once. I didn't go again. And, nearly everyone had bruises under their arms from all the maneuvering.

The good experiences:

Chris and Kelly and the kids made the trip. They slept in the house, while we slept in storage. It was wonderful spending time with them. Chris made breakfast one morning (Eggs Diana) and I made breakfast the next (a waffle, ham and egg dish) and the kids had cereal and waffles the next two mornings.

I planned to do my run Thursday morning and Chris got up and went with me. We did it together, although I didn't do well because the hills were so steep. But, Chris kept encouraging me and asked me to come to Savannah and run the Shamrock 5K with him next March. I said okay. I'm committed.

It was great seeing everyone from Tom's family. All of Tom's sisters and his brother made the trip, along with some of their grown children and their children's children. I was very happy for my in-laws, since this was in honor of their anniversary (which isn't until November, but who wants to travel to a family reunion just before the holidays?). Tom's dad was emotional at the sight of all of his "children" (ages 44 to 62) together in the same place for the first time since...God, who even remembers...maybe Christina and Bill's wedding over 20 years ago. No one has changed much. Some a little grayer, a little rounder, a little thinner (this would not be me), a little balder, a little blonder, but by and large, just the same. I loved meeting my nieces kids. They were fun and funny. Hagan, my granddaughter, was thrilled to have another girl to hang out with (Danielle, my niece, Jennifer's, daughter) ~ 2 girls against 5 boys.

We had three evenings of "family" time; Thursday, Friday and Saturday. For Tom, Chris, Kelly and me, Friday was our big night to host. We were happy that the Friday storm passed fairly quickly and it stopped raining. We were going to be able to cook and eat outside after all. We started the evening with Bacon Bread. No, it's not bread made with bacon. This is how it is prepared:

1) take a large slab of unsliced slab bacon and cut it into about 5 inch squares and score the meaty side at about 1/2 inch intervals, going across both ways so you have squares scored in the meat;

2) cut two holes in the rind side so you can run a skewer or stick (wood stick is preferred) through the two holes to hold the bacon over the fire (the meaty side should be down);

3) slice thin four or five tomatoes, four onions and four or five bell peppers and set them aside;

4) have ready two loaves of sliced hearty rye bread:

5) start by holding a slice of rye bread in one hand, on top of which you have placed a layer of sliced tomato, onion and bell pepper;

6) with your other hand, hold the bacon over a hot, low wood fire until the fat of the bacon starts to render and drip;

7) put the dripping bacon on the bread and allow the vegetables and bread to absorb the grease;

8) do this several times until the vegetables are covered and the bread is sufficiently soaked with the rendered bacon fat;

9) set your bread aside, and place the piece of bacon on it's side and slice off the top of the cooked bacon squares onto your bacon-grease-soaked bread and vegetables;

10) now...eat it. Not the piece of bacon. You eat the bacon-grease-soaked bread and vegetables topped with the cooked bacon bits.

I know what you are thinking. Oh...My...God...then you find yourself gagging. That's okay. Everyone does that at first...even me. But it's a Powers family tradition, handed down from their maternal Hungarian heritage and it is a must for every family gathering. Every morsel was devoured ~ and, yes, I had a piece.

Then came dinner. Christopher made his barbecued ribs from his own recipe. They are awesome; the best ribs I've ever eaten. We had salads, asparagus (Kelly's recipe) and Oreo Crunch Brownies for dessert (my recipe). The kids played games, swam, got muddy, got hosed down, and played more games. The adults ate, talked, laughed and got as caught up as you can in a few short hours.

Saturday night, again at Christina's house, the siblings had "therapy" in front of the whole family. Each person was instructed to answer questions about what it was like growing up, share their favorite moments and asked what they thought they had passed on to their children. Their stories and answers were funny, poignant and heartwarming.

Then, it was time to say good-bye. After so many years, good-byes take a long time. There was lots of "let's keep in touch," "it was great seeing you," "loved spending time with you," hand holding and lingering hugs.

Were the 45 steps, claustrophobia, spiders, storms and near boat accidents worth it? You bet. Every single second.

The FISA Vote

Well, today is the day. The vote on the FISA Capitulation bill.

Yesterday, Obama denied shifting to the center.

Obama blamed criticism from "my friends on the left" and "some of the media" in part on cynicism that ascribes political motives for every move candidates make. "You're not going to agree with me on 100 percent of what I think, but don't assume that if I don't agree with you on something that it must be because I'm doing that politically," he said. "I may just disagree with you."

First of all, if he is not moving to the center, why would he call them "my friends on the left." Secondly, only an arrogant weasel would blame his strongest supporters. He is over-confident and comes across as condescending and impatient with what he views as others' "stupidity." His disgust is evident each time he must "clarify" his statements and there is sheer disbelief in his voice that he actually needs to explains what he meant AGAIN.

So, does he believe what he said about the FISA bill?

"But given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too important to delay. So I support the compromise, but do so with a firm pledge that as President, I will carefully monitor the program, review the report by the Inspectors General, and work with the Congress to take any additional steps I deem necessary to protect the lives - and the liberty - of the American people."

Now let me get this straight. Isn't (wasn't) Obama purported to be a Constitutional scholar, lecturer, professor... whatever??? What part of the Constitutional right to privacy does he not understand? That he gives us his "pledge" IF HE BECOMES PRESIDENT means literally nothing. Besides, didn't he "pledge" to filibuster any bill that contained telecom immunity. A "pledge" from any President does not compensate for removing the very substance of our Constitutional right to privacy.

So does he believe what he said, or is he just voting for this bill because it is politically expedient? If he believes what he said, then he is comfortable with eroding the Constitution. If he is just doing it because it is politically expedient, then he is just as scary as George Bush. Either choice is completely unacceptable to me. Whether his vote is an act of political cowardice or the desire for personal political power, he isn't fit to be President.

UPDATE: 2:27pm CDT ~ DAMMIT!! Yep, he voted for it. The man who aspires to be the chief defender of the U.S. Constitution voted for it. Voted FOR it. We already have a President who has no regard for the Constitution. Do we really want another one? He can continue to "clarify" how his monitoring and review will be better than Bush's, but it's already impossible to believe anything he says, so how we can trust him to protect our rights and privileges any better than Bush has? So, would you like to guess who voted "nay"? You know who. Hillary Rodham Clinton broke ranks with Obamacons and voted against it with Schumer, Biden and Kerry!. She wasn't going for the politically expedient vote. She was going for the RIGHT vote.

Vacation Conversations

The first morning of our vacation, my son, Chris, and my grandson, Thomas (Chris's son) sat down to play a game of checkers with the checkers board and pieces provided at the house we rented.

As they are setting up for the game, the conversation goes like this:

Thomas: Dad, you have too many rows. You're only supposed to have 3 rows.

Chris: I'm just using all the pieces.

Thomas: Dad, you have too many.

Chris: No, this board is just smaller.

Thomas: No it's not. It's normal size...just miniature.

Chris: Huh???!!!

Back from Vacation

Well, we are back from vacation. Chris and his family left for home last night. The house is quiet.

This morning, I am back at the computer catching up the news I missed over the last few days and I came across this little bit of "political" humor about the Apple I-Rack from MadTV season 12.



Funny stuff.

Taking Vacation...

As of this afternoon, I am on vacation until after the 4th of July weekend. I will take lots of photos and share them when I return.

My son, Chris, brought his running shoes to run with me. Eeeek!! I haven't run at all this week. I am so busted...

I hope everyone has a safe and happy July 4th.

How To Grow Kudzu

Those of you who have lived or traveled in the south or southeast will really appreciate the advice that follows. I came across this information on Alegre's Corner.

How to Grow Kudzu

Choosing a Plot: Kudzu can be grown almost anywhere, so site selection is not the problem it is with some other finicky plants like strawberries. Although kudzu will grow quite well on cement, for best result you should select an area having at least some dirt. To avoid possible lawsuits, it is advisable to plant well away from your neighbors house, unless, of course, you don't get along well with your neighbor anyway.

Preparing the Soil: Go out and stomp on the soil for a while just to get its attention. This will prepare it for kudzu.

Deciding When to Plant: Kudzu should always be planted at night. If kudzu is planted during daylight hours, angry neighbors might see you and begin throwing rocks at you.

Selecting the Proper Fertilizer: The best fertilizer I have discovered for kudzu is 40 weight non detergent motor oil. Kudzu actually doesn't need anything to help it grow, but the motor oil helps to prevent scraping the underside of the tender leaves when the kudzu starts its rapid growth. It also cuts down on the friction and lessens the danger of fire when the kudzu really starts to move. Change oil once every thousand feet or every two weeks which ever comes first.

Mulching the Plants: Contrary to what may be told by your local Extension Service, kudzu can profit from a good mulch. I have found that a heavy mulch for the young plants produces a hardier crop. For best results, as soon as the young shoots begin to appear, cover kudzu with concrete blocks. Although this causes a temporary setback, your kudzu will accept this mulch as a challenge and will reward you with redoubled determination in the long run.

Organic or Chemical Gardening: Kudzu is ideal for either the organic gardener or for those who prefer to use chemicals to ward off garden pests. Kudzu is oblivious to both chemicals and pests. Therefore, you can grow organically and let the pests get out of the way of the kudzu as best they can, or you can spray any commercial poison directly on your crop. Your decision depends on how much you enjoy killing bugs. The kudzu will not mind either way.

Crop Rotation: Many gardeners are understandably concerned that growing the same crop year after year will deplete the soil. If you desire to change from kudzu to some other plant next year, now is the time to begin preparations. Right now, before the growing season has reached its peak, you should list your house and lot with a reputable real estate agent and begin making plans to move elsewhere. Your chances of selling will be better now than they will be later in the year, when it may be difficult for a prospective buyer to realize that underneath those lush green vines stands an adorable three bedroom house.

written by Tifton B. Merritt