Monday: A GREAT day.........!!!!!

A great night of sleeping back in TheHowserHouse, some wonderful Fr. Roast coffee as we overlooked the full river rushing by the rear of the rv......and then soon we were off for some visiting.

We went to Linn Creek to see my sister and my great neice and just a marvelous visit!!!! We hadn't been together since her wedding in May.....and sitting on their newly covered porch in front of their newly re-framed and sided home.....it turned out to be a super late morning visit!!!!
Soooo good to see her again!!!!

Then early afternoon we drove over to the western side of the Lake....and went to see Shirley and Ron......friends of ours from the RGV who have a stunning home on the Lake shore. WOW....they have this great Margarita machine and when we arrived it was sloshing around mixing up some soon-to-be-consumed top drinks! We took a tour of their beautiful home....and then we were off with them to a near-by marina where we joined their friend on his 51 foot yacht.

Soon the Margaritas were being enjoyed as we prepared to leave the marina and cruise up the Lake to a lake-side restaurant for a late afternoon lunch.....wow, that is a LOT of "l's" in one sentence....haha. We took a tour of the yacht....and yes, a tour this boat was necessary. It has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, living room and galley, plus tons of room up on top for lots of friends to enjoy the views of the Lake.

Before long....and after a couple of Margaritas, we were on our way. Great fun.....many laughs....and lots of conversation was sprinkled in between those great drinks. Arriving at the marina at Capt. Ron's great restaurant and bar......and we all enjoyed some super sandwiches.....of which 4 of the 5 were HUGE, HUGE pork tenderloins. WOW....such a delicious choice!!!!!

Later, we re-boarded and were soon off down the Lake for the marina where the yacht is moored. It was an incredible afternoon and early evening........and our thanks go to Shirley and Ron for seeing that we had such a great time while visiting them!!!! Can't wait until we are all down in the RGV again....they are going in November, and then we will be there the first week of January. Good times are coming........!!!!!!!!!!!!

A great day......and more to come this week.....and without a doubt.....

LIFE IS INCREDIBLY GREAT!!!!!.....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!

Sunday: TheHowserHouse is on the road.....finally!!!!!

Well....another great morning, however, I found myself trying to get TheHowserHouse ready in a hurry this morning, and so I couldn't enjoy my coffee on the patio, nor with my Sunday morning shows. The 1st Lady and I spent from 8am until we pulled away at 11am loading the foodstuff, clothing, items needed for our existance,.......and as I pulled away and got about 8 miles up the road.....DAMNIT!!!!!! I realized that I forgot my camera!!!! CRAP...with a capital S!!!!! It takes sooo long to get through town, I decided not to go back and get it as it would pose many problems trying to turn the 5er around at the stick and brick.

It took us about 5 minutes over four hours, without any stops to drive through the towns, up and down the hills for 60 miles on narrow two lane highways through the forests and around the crooked roads....UGH. But, once we got onto the 44 going towards Springfield MO, we made good time.

We are parked at Riverview Campground.....right beside the Osage River, literally, and about a mile below the Bagnell Dam. The river flows right behind us, so our large rear window is a great spot to enjoy the view of the fast moving river. It is very, very full and races by us a a good speed. Everytime I see this river, I am reminded of the stories my grandfather would tell me about how he operated the only ferry across the river here, before the Dam was built......back in the early part of the 20th C.

We just kicked back and relaxed after we got TheHowserHouse backed into the assigned site....and it is a great site. We decided not to cook, so I made a run for some Wendy's burgers and fries.....a great nutritional meal????

Tomorrow, we will visit my sister about 15 miles from here.....and then we will have a late lunch with Shirley and Ron.....a GREAT couple that we met in the RGV at the RV.NET gathering for the past two winters. They have a home here at the Lake for the summers....and return to the RGV for the winters. Can't wait to see them!!!!! DAMN.....DAMN....I am sooooo pissed that I forgot my camera!!!!!!

And so.....with the river still able to be seen in the night....from lights around the edges....I am enjoying this nice cg!!!! For you RVer's.....put this place on your "to stay at" list when in central Missouri.

And so.....a good day....a good trip over here(215 miles).....and even minus my camera, I know that......

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!......And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!

"Coming Around
28 Sep 2008 10:07 pm

My view on the first weekend was that Palin was the most reckless pick in modern American history. That's becoming pretty much the consensus three weeks later. Here's Carl Bernstein, echoing Fareed:

No presidential nominee of either party in the last century has seemed so willing to endanger the country's security as McCain in his reckless choice of a running mate.

The key thing about Palin is what it tells us about McCain: unfit to be president."

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Saturday: Yesterday.....

Yesterday, Friday......was a day spent working in the yard and trying to get it mowed and trimmed as we plan to leave on Sunday for a few days. I also had to pick up our Buick as I had had the front windshield replaced. This proved to take a bit longer than I had planned.....as when I drove it home and began to look at it a bit closer.....I realized that the it was not completely finished out down at the bottom where the rubber meets the glass. Soooooo, back I went and that took another hour of waiting around there at the shop.

WOW.......thank goodness for insurance!!! The entire replacement was $858!!!! Those wired windows, with all of the electronic stuff in the mirror, make those windows really expensive!!! WHEW......at least my part was only $50!

While sitting in the waiting room, I began talking with this older gentleman.....a guy who had been drafted during the Korean War era..........although, he served his time in Germany. We started political talking....and he said that for the first time in his life...he planned to vote for the Democratic ticket for President. He stated that McCain was just too old for the tasks of the job....and that Palin should be removed from the ticket immediately. This fellow was 80 years old.....and a former farmer in the area. We then discussed the age factor.....and both agreed that at 72, it is just not possible to multi-task as well as needed for the job of being President of the country!

Yesterday evening, we were guests at the Hanner House for drinks, dinner, and debate watching. It was good to see their youngest daughter and family, Danielle and Ozzie, and their little daughter Sophie!!!! They live in Chicago and both have very active careers there. Also, their oldest daughter, Audra was with us, as well as their son's son Christopher. Joining the group was another former student, Banessa Robinson Francis....and I had not seen her for several years. It was great to see her again!!

We did not eat dinner until a bit after 7pm......since Ozzie is a Muslim, as he is from Turkey, but when we did......WOW, was it a great meal!! THANKS again, Sue and Dave!!!! And....the menu which included a couple of items from Turkey.....again, WOW!!! I need those recipes....

Watching the debate, the age difference becomes even more striking between the two candidates!!!!!! McCain was his normal self......but, the first thing I noticed was his inability to talk and look at Obama when speaking to him! And.....from hearing the "pundits" on tv afterwards, they also picked up on this problem with him. On the other hand, I thought he McCain seem a bit grouchy.....and I tried really hard to be non-partison.......Obama seemed at ease, not tense, and actually appeared to be enjoying the evening.

Now.....it is Sat evening.....all of the above was written either last night or this morning before we went into STL. Soooo, the various polls have come out today while I was gone....and they are all more than interesting to say the least.

I bought a new laptop this afternoon......another Toshiba Satellite and it has Windows Vista, which I am not trying to find my way around using it, as well as getting used to the new laptop. Time will tell as to how I adjust and like this one......???!!!

Sooo, this will be closed for tonight......I need some time to work on settings, etc., etc. and just read and experiment. We are going to the Lake of the Ozarks tomorrow and will be there until Thursday. Wifi is in the campground......soooo, just hope it is working well. If not......well, I may not get any posting done.......

With a new laptop.......I am certain that, as always......

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!.....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!

Friday: An update from last night's post......

Here is a quote that I copied and pasted from the Atlantic.com blog of Andrew Sullivan, which had copied this Quote For The Day. It sums up very well what we have seen on the exceprts from her interview....


Quote For The Day

26 Sep 2008 05:22 pm

"I'm 65 and I've been covering politics for a long time. That is one of the most pathetic tapes I have ever seen from someone aspiring to one of the highest offices in this country. And that's all I have to say," - Jack Cafferty on the Couric-Palin interview.

It is simply impossible for any sane and reasonable person to vote for John McCain when this fool and liar and utterly unqualified person could take over at any moment. I stand by my statement that this Palin decision disqualifies John McCain outright from being president of the United States. Until she is removed from the ticket, no sane conservative can vote for this farce.

Thursday: Sad news........

Another beautiful September day here in SE Missouri.......bring on some more!!!

Today we went to visit Mike........and then as we left, I called the computer hospital in STL.....and in talking with the "Dr.", I learned that the only way my laptop can be saved is to have a couple of intense and expensive transplants. Being a person who does not believe in prolonging life if there is no real hope......I have often instructed my students that if I am only living because of being attached to a machine by tubes and wires, that they are to come into my room and TRIP over these umbilical cords. Therefore, I will not give permission for the transplants to be performed......and will let my little laptop expire there in the hospital on it's on timetable.

So......we stopped in Cape Girardeau and I began looking for a replacement laptop.....so that I can remain in communication with the world. Actually, the cost of a new one will be less than the needed transplants for the sick one....and that made me feel better when I discovered that little bit of info!! Not too many places there to select from....however, I did spend some time looking and talking in Best Buy....NOT where we normally shop for things, but after returning here to the stick and brick, I have spent all evening researching and checking reviews on several various brands and models....and believe that there a couple there at Best Buy with good prices that I might be interested in purchasing. Currently looking at a couple of models of HP laptobs........anyone have any personal info about this kind??????

OK....I have been out of the loop today, but if you didn't see the CBS NEWS Katie Couric interview with Sarah Palin yesterday and today, than I have a couple of short excerpts for you, and you need to see these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nokTjEdaUGg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npUMUASwaec

This is utterly unbelievable.......and to make matters worse, the other excerpts that I have seen are just as scary as this one is!!! And to think that SHE is the most qualified that John McCain could find??????? We all know better than that! But....what IF she would become the President, God forbid????? And 72 year old Sen. McCain says he "puts country first"?????????????? Hmmmmm........

For you Rv'ers, we are beginning to make our plans for the three winter months in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. The more we talk about it, the more excited we become. And for all of you RV'ers, we are looking forward to seeing you IF you are going to be in the Valley. The election will be over, the Holidays will be over.....and there will be three great months of Happy Hours with friends, dinners with friends, lunches with friends, RGV Festivals with friends, trips over into Mexico with friends, and many activities that will keep us sooo busy that those three months will just fly by all to quickly!!! And, as always........

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!!

Wednesday: OMG.....not only a meltdown with finances....but a meltdown in the McCain campaign

A beautiful very warm day........and a pleasant one at that. I was up a bit earlier than usual as I had to get the car down to the local glass replacement shop.........our front windshield has been severely cracked and we finally got an appointment to have it replaced. Soooo, after taking it to the shop, I walked back to the stick and brick....exercise time during a great morning!

I spent some time then online taking care of some business items and then went outside to help the 1st Lady move some concrete decorative blocks from the back patio to along the side of our lawn which joins our neighbor's lawn. She is erecting a very small block wall to delineate between our land and his.

This afternoon we went to Farmington for some errands......me: a much needed hair trim(all 68 hairs...remember, I lost a hair a couple of months ago???). Together then we went to Lowe's checking out the possible stainless steel refrigerators that are available. We have a small, but very large, problem with getting a new fridge to fit under our new kitchen cabinets. We have "frameless" cabs....and when the door opens, it will not clear the hinges on the new fridges. Hmmmm......we want a french door with the freezer on the bottom and they are all just about 1/8" to 1/4" to high for the doors to be able to open! So, we are trying to locate one that is just a bit lower than the doors........and we would like to stay with the GE Profile units, but that may not be possible..........staying with them because the "color" and grain of the stainless steel differs from one brand to another.....and we have all GE Profile appliances in the kitchen. Sooooo......a small, but large, problem to resolve.............

Returning late this afternoon, I learned of the announcement by McCain about "suspending the campaign". WHAT??????????!!!!!!!!! Hey....go back in history....a few decades and do some checking. We have had other major crisis's(sp?) during the campaigns.....and nothing was ever suspended, delayed, or cancelled because of them. He cannot even attend the Committee meetings that are working on this problem since he is not a member of the Committee! This appears to be another move by his campaign to deflect the news from the very new poll figures that came out today....which shows McCain dropping drastically behind Obama......and without much thinking one can understand that this has happened because of the erratic behavior of McCain during last week.......just as he has done with much of his career. Can he not walk and chew gum at the same time??? As was stated today......"Presidents have to deal with more than one crisis at one time. You cannot call a time out from the Presidency." Another very bad week for McCain......not to mention that dreadful, vote-hurting interview that Palin had today with Katie Couric......AND....McCain's pull-out and lie to David Letterman: He had to leave town and wouldn't make the show....and then it was disovered that he was being interviewed down the street by Katie Couric....AND....Letterman somehow got the camera from the interview, while it was going on, to show on HIS show...live! And THIS man wants to be our leader....a leader to restore our nation's dignity after the horrific 7+ years of the Bush and Co. administration??? This is not change from McCain......it is the same crap, full of lies, that we have had to live with for these past 7+ years.

Hmmmm.......another day of the surreal campaign, but ......what the hell.........for me,

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!.....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!

Politics is just like driving a car: You put the car in "R" and you go backward. Put the car in "D" and you go forward!

TUESDAY: ?????????

Well.......this morning I got off to a slow(er) start.......just wasn't feeling my mojo today. I did NOT sleep well last night......remained up too late with a cup of tea in my hand a bit longer than I should have done.....and it had some kind of bad affect on me....NOT SLEEPING. Imagine that!!!
Sooo, I tossed and turned most of the night, my mind not wanting to rest and so it led me through many thoughts that had been residing in my mind.......and then I found myself visiting some of the countries that I actually have visited.....reliving scenes and events that I have experienced. NOT what I wanted to do all night long!!!!!!!!! DAMN!!!!!!

Soooo, after a hot, and then a cold, shower.....I had a couple of cups of my dark Fr. Roast coffee.....and eventually climbed into the truck and headed 25 miles north to Griffin's Trailer Sales. I picked up TheHowserHouse after talking with the repair/service man about what he had done to the 5er. And......everything that I had listed was complete!!!!! They, as usual, hooked up THH to the truck and ver soon, I was backing into the driveway and unhooking.

This afternoon.......I just laid my sagging hulk of me around on the sofa and took a much needed nap. Hopefully, this will not keep me from sleeping tonight......hmmmm, I seriously doubt that it will since my eyeballs keep bouncing on the keyboard of the 1st Lady's laptop....they are hanging down so far from my sockets!

This evening.........I just caught up on my reading online....and watching some shows on tv. I continue to listen and try to learn more about this god-awful financial mess that we seem to be finding ourselves in.......and like anything else that does not succeed........it is from a lack of structure, oversight, and regulations to keep it on the "up and up". And.....as has been the case in sooooo many of the critical events of the last few years which have put us into a crisis each time.......our Dear Leader in the White House has been in hiding for most of the time. I keep wondering......just why did not that "secret" meeting with the leaders of Congress and King Paulson take place in the White House?????????? Was it too late for Dear Leader to stay up at night and therefore it had to be held someplace where he wouldn't be disturbed????????? However, when he did make a very, very brief statement he didn't look like he had had much sleep the night before, did he?? Hmmmm......wonder if there was a party in the White House and that is why the all-important meeting couldn't be held there????!!!

With the defection of the highly esteemed very conservative columnist George Will with his latest writings........he says....and I paraphrase here.....that John McCain is not the type of man we need to have in the White House, the newpaper columns become more interesting with each edition.

And sooooo, with each passing hour there is a new "event" or "story" that erupts to jolt us just a bit more.......setting into play the thoughts as to what will be announced during the next hour. And, the latest is again a rather large speed bump for McCain as it appears that his campaign manager has been paid for a few years, until LAST MONTH, for consulting/lobbying for Freddie Mac!!!!!! $15,000 per MONTH!!!! Hmmmm.....think I was in the wrong profession! Seems that there is just more and more hypocrisy to the McCain campaign with each passing day.........wonder what will occur tomorrow????

Ahhhh.......I can just hear the theme music from "The Days of Our Lives"......and each day is certainly interesting. As I have said recently in a previous post........we should consider the day a complete and total loss if we haven't learned something new that day! And, since I have learned many new things today, I am certain that for me......

LIFE IS INCREDIBLY GREAT!!!!!......And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!

Politics is like driving a car: put the gear shift in R and it goes backward. Put the gear shift in D and it goes forward!

Ready to take a little drive!!!

Max.....he is enjoying being awake these days!!!

Ava enjoys holding a wide-awake Max!!

"Grammy" enjoying Max as she "works"...

Sunday/Monday: Back to the Stick and Brick.....

WOW.......I will be in the grave before long if these days continue to zoom by as swiftly as these last few have gone!!!! I am almost dizzy from the speed........

Yesterday? Hmmmm.......not sure where it went........it just disappeared while at the home of the 1st Lady's mother. I watched a couple of the Sunday morning talking head shows.......enjoyed a great dinner of baked chicken and dumplings......and then became a couch potato most of the afternoon and evening. I did spend quite a bit of time just doing some reading.........sat out on the porch for a couple of hours until the mosquitoes began to attack and take control of the exposed skin on my body......no mental visuals, please......nothing obscene for them to enjoy!

Today????? After fresh coffee on the patio......we were soon loading the car with out "things" and then down the road we went towards STL. We stopped on the west side at Chesterfield Valley Mall.......spent an HOUR in World Market.....mainly looking discussing, and then selecting some wines to bring home for the wine rack, along with some various dips from their gourmet section.

Then we decided on Red Lobster for lunch.....GREAT prices on their lunch menu...ALWAYS! I had the Lobster and Shrimp Pasta....and the 1st Lady enjoyed the Fried Shrimp. We shared one of their wonderful baked potatoes, enjoyed our respective salads.....and had a very good meal.

Making a call to the computer hospital, I talked with the computer doctor and told him I had a Recovery Disk......and asked if he needed one for my sick laptop. He replied that he did need one for this laptop....and so we made the drive into STL, about a mile or less south of the Galleria on S. Brentwood Blvd......"PC Repair".....which is recommended by Toshiba.....one of three places in STL!!!

We arrvied back at the stick and brick around 5:30pm......and found ourselves NOT wanting any supper after the late lunch which was soooo filling. I unloaded the car, discovered that our wonderful city government had NOT picked up the downed limbs/sticks from the visit by IKE last week.....limbs/sticks that I had neatly stacked on the side of the curb......and realized that a phone call or visit might be necessary in the morning. I also need to go up to Park Hills, about 25 miles from here to Griffin's RV Sales and bring home the lonely HowserHouse.....as it is completed and ready to return home. Soooo, a busy day tomorrow........ And.....I know that the past couple of days have gone by quickly, but not so quickly that I do not realize that I am sooooo lucky because.......

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!!.......And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!

Friday/Saturday: Two stunning days in NE Missouri...

A quick update as Wifi here is very sketchy.....I am piggybacking from someone here in the neighborhood....and it just is very erratic with very vew strong signals.

Yesterday...the 1st Lady took her mother into Hannibal for a C-Scan which took most of the morning due to the preps for her. She is allergic to Iodine.....and therefore, strong precautions must be taken during any tests which she is subjected to. Yesterday's went off OK.....results for her abdominal aortic aneuyrism scan will not be known for a couple of days...or so.

Me??? I enjoyed the morning reading....when I could get online....the morning papers. Enjoyed my coffee out on the patio.....and then did some reading on my current Robt. Ludlum novel. Was I relaxed??? You bet!!!

SATURDAY.....

This morning, after my coffee on the patio, we went into Hannibal to take her mother shopping for some groceries. She said she was feeling good....so, off we went, shopping at several grocery stores, WalMart, and an Ace Hardware store for a few things. Lunch was at Long John Silver's Greasy Fish Place........and it lived up to the above name!!!! A FAR, FAR cry from the wonderful fish we dined on up in the Maritime Provinces of Canada this summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This evening we watched CNN and the discussion with five of the former Sec. of State individuals.....and it was an extremely well-run and organized program, being broadcast from George Washington University. My only comment is that there was not enough time allotted for any real, in-depth discussions on the various topics that were discussed!!!!

And soooo, so I can get this posted......it has been two relaxing days, two gorgeous weather days, and all very enjoyable! (SURE glad we have two laptops!!) As usual, I can truthfully say that..............

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!.......And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!

Thursday: Another beautiful day....WOW!!!!

WHAT an incredible day......and the morning was a great preview of the rest of the day. I sat out on the deck about 9 this morning, sipping my hot coffee(no Fr. Roast) and thinking about what I should do with my laptop....which is on the critically ill sick list. It was soooooo damn quiet...only the birds singing and an occasional squirrel making squirrel sounds...hmmm, just what are they called, anyway? The pool looked soooo inviting down below me, but the "business" of the day did not allow for a dip/swim.

Returning inside to the large bay window overlooking the back lawn and the larger of the two decks, I did some searching online for Toshiba repair centers....and after filling out the info, it led me to three Toshiba repair centers in the greater STL area.....and they were not at any of the electronic nationwide stores. In checking out the address on mapquest, I quickly realized that one of these centers was the very same place on South Brentwood that I had used a couple of years.......the time I turned over my large mug of hot Fr. Roast....right into the laptop!!!

So, when the time for the repair center to open I called them, talked with the same man who had repaired it two years ago.....and told him I would be there this afternoon. From that time on, it was enjoy Ava...until she went to the sitter...a couple of miles from their home. Then it was enjoy Max, when he was awake, and do some reading of my favorite newspapers online.

After lunch, the 1st Lady and I drove into the city and quickly located the repair shop. I took in the laptop, discussed the ailment with the computer doctor, and then after saying a fond farewell, I left it with him for an examination and hopefully, a diagnosis. The good doctor did tell me he thought it might be his very important part....the hard drive. In discussing a possible surgery for it, we discussed the costs without any insurance......not as horrific as I had imagined. Anyway.....he is going to keep it there in the computer hospital for at least a week before he will make any decision, as his surgical appointments are completely full as of now. Hmmmm........what a long, long week this will be!

From there, we stopped at a HUGE Bath and Kitchen Center on Manchester Ave.....and spent almost an hour looking at bathroom models, equipment, and baths/whirlpool tubs/showers, etc., etc. We are beginning to entertain the thoughts and ideas of digging in and re-modeling our older bath, as well as our good sized laundry room. Yep.....I mentioned this earlier and had several ask if I/we are REALLY ready to begin another remodeling project.......and, to be quite honest, we are not sure just yet. We do want to update these two rooms.....definitely.....but not sure we want to deal with the mess for a few weeks............?????????

After that, we rushed on down Manchester to the 270 to go north for a few miles to the 64 which only goes west as of now.....as the east section is closed for widening. As I approached the ramp....about 1/2 to a 1/4 mile from it, I was in the lane to get on the ramp, the cars in front of us stopped abruptly......and I quickly applied the brakes and managed to stop in time to not hit the truck in front of me......as he was sliding from his quick stop and his tires were burning and smoking from the brakes. I quickly eyeballed the rear-view mirror and noticed that I was about to be rear-ended.....and then noticed that that vehicle was going to get stopped, however the ones behind that one were trying to get around it, onto the shoulder and the next lane on the highway. The truck in front of me then DID hit the car in front of him, and the two vehicles behind the car right on my bumper collided with each other, so there were four crashed vehicles around us........and we were SAFE! WHAT a frantic and scary 20 seconds or so.........whew!!!

We went ahead towards Monroe City......and in about 2.5 hours we were there and sitting in her mother's living room. Tomorrow........her mother has a C-scan.......and we will see how things are going deep inside her.......???

WOW....what a varied day: beautiful, quiet, and then the busy city, an almost car crash, and finally back to northern Missouri. But, as always in my daily Life.......

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!.....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!

Wednesday: What a gorgeous day!!!

WHEW.....we were up early and by 8:15 we were on the road, going to Festus for a check-up at my urologist. And, after drinking three bottles of water on the way, as part of the exam that was going to made.........I passed all of the tests 100%!!! Nothing new discovered, plumbing is flowing just fine, and with the previously prescribed meds, I do not need to return until we return from the RGV in Texas next April. (Still can't understand why someone would want to be a Urologist!!!???) In fact, I asked mine today as we joked about several things....and he said that it stems from his childhood when his mother used to say that he was "a pain in the ass"....so, he just continued to follow that thought. HAHAHA!!!!!

After that we drove on to Washington and had lunch at their brand new Panini Bread cafe......one of our very favorite places to eat. And.....we had a great lunch.....WOW. Their new hot panini sandwich with tomatoes and mozzarella with sun-dried tomato pesto on ciabattu (sp?) bread was incredible!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG......was it ever, ever wonderful.....yum, yum!!!

And then following that delicious lunch we went on out to Dr. Jeni and Darrel's home for the remainder of the afternoon and we will be here until tomorrow sometime. We then will go to Monroe City for the weekend.....

OK...I have had a MAJOR computer problem develop in the past hour and I am using the 1st Lady's computer to write this post. A black screen saying that Windows could not open and after trying everything that was on the instructions.......it justs goes around and around saying the same thing and refuses to let me "inside". Sooooo, the worst seems to have happened, as I was expecting for the past week or so. Thankfully, I have saved all of my documents to a cd.....and all of my pictures are saved off of the computer, so as far as everything else, I can replace those things. BUT....the problem now is where the hell do I take it to get some quality work done on it??????? Anyone know of a reputable, quality place in STL?????? THANK GOD we have two laptops and the 1st Lady's works great.....so far! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And so.....our day ends with part of my Life lying helplessly in a little black case/coffin beside my feet. Worse things could have happened.........not nearly as terrible as the way the Goldsmith family has been banned from Meadow Heights Church....which I have written about in the past few days. The day never goes by for me without this incident returning to my mind..........
But........as always, today was a gorgeous day to sit on the deck overlooking the pool at Dr. Jeni and Darrel's home, sipping Fr. Roast coffee and then some Pino Grigio later on, and enjoying the quiet here in the wooded hills not too far from the Missouri River. And, as always........

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!.....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!

Mon/Tuesday: Still here!!! Still writing!!!

Yesterday???? Well.....it started as a slow day around here.....both of us just not doing too much and not wanting to do too much. However, as the day progressed we began to prepare for our invited guests, Mike and Melissa Goldsmith, and who had been invited for drinks and dinner for the evening. Yep......we have discussed this for some time but had never been able to lock down a time when all four of us could spend an evening together.......but.....this time we DID IT!!!

They arrived about 5pm......and the 1st Lady became the drink fixer......and we all had a couple of Margaritas and several various appetizers, along with some wonderful conversation about various topics.....and lots of discussion on certain ones.

By 7pm....we had dinner on the table and the main entree was one that Mike had been wanting to try for SEVERAL years.....haha! I have talked about this easy way of fixing ground beef.....and as I said above, this time he finally had the opportunity to have a go at it. Called "Warsaw Burgers"......it is a simple recipe that I had run across in a cookbook....and did just a small little bit of improvising on it. It is really quite good.....sort of like comfort food......and it is so easy to prepare that I hesitate to even discuss it. Ground beef, chopped garlic cloves, chopped onion, sour cream, and a can of cream of celery soup. Sweat the onion and garlic, add the beef and brown it, adding the soup and sour cream and let it simmer for a short time. Take two cans of little triangular rolls....and then fill each one of those 16 triangle pastries with the beef mixture, fold them over and seal them(as best you can) and then bake them until golden brown. Yep.....they are yummy.....yep, they are easy to fix......and yep......give them a try. For more info, just communicate with me!

After stuffing ourselves with the Warsaw Burgers, baked potatoes, green beans, corn-on-the-cob, fresh hot bread, and wine.........we cleaned the table and decided to play "Sequence".....and as always, we had fun! Dessert was served afterwards.......and we all enjoyed the dark chocolate "volcano cake" with hot chocolate sauce and ice cream. Oh yeah......we were all stuffed........and it was a wonderful evening with good food and very good friends!!!!

TODAY???

Up and going around 7AM....and then after my Fr. Roast Coffee and cereal, I was outside by 9AM and began working on cleaning the yard for about an hour.....raking up the twigs and small branches, as well as moving the LARGE ones which had all fallen into the yard during our visit from IKE on Sunday. Finishing that unpleasant task......I mowed the lawn for the next three hours.....and did get it finished. Looks good.....and should last a week!!!

This afternoon I just relaxed after getting so overheated mowing the lawn.......and then just kicked back and enjoyed the remaining hours of daylight. Tomorrow, I have an appt. with my "plumbing doctor"....and then we will be going to Dr. Jeni's for the night. From there we will go on to visit the 1st Lady's mother for the weekend. I may not be able to post while there........but, fear not......I will be returning to this blog ASAP!!!

There is a hidden meaning.......well, to be "politically correct", it is a "coded phrase".....in the title to this post concerning the post I wrote this past Saturday night. As I wrote about the "mutual agreement" which Mike Goldsmith was asked to sign by the church staff and the Goldsmith's and their three children being "banned" from entering the church for any reason..........I was not the only blogger to write about this incident of Mike being fired after seveal years of outstanding work for the church....as so many others have testified to. Several other bloggers, some church members and at least one non-church member, were STRONGLY told to remove their posts from their respective blogs by the staff members of the church.....the posts whereby they discussed this incident concerning the Goldsmith's. I repeat.......were TOLD to remove their blog posts where they had discussed this sordid and sad story online,.....and most of them did. Hmmmmm.........have I been asleep.....and,... we no longer have the right of "free speech"????? Perhaps there should have been a few "Letters to the Editor" in the local paper concerning this/these incident(s)????!!!! On the other hand, perhaps these bloggers were concerned that they, too, might be "banned" from the church........???? Again, I ask: WWJD???? CERTAINLY not what has been done during these past 8 weeks at this church.

Soooo, yes.....as you can see/read, I am STILL WRITING! And.....I will continue to write my almost-daily posts which, as you know, cover many varied topics, expressing the thoughts and views and experiences during my Life of the past 65 years....and the years that I have left

And so....another day...actually 2 days....have disappeared quickly. But....no matter how fast they fly by.......

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!.....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!

Sunday: AGGGGHHHH....7 hours of damage from Ike

OMG.......this morning the rains awakened me prior to 7am......and so I quietly exited the bedroom so as to not awaken the 1st Lady. BUT......the winds of Ike began to roar....literally, the trees bowing down to the furies of Ike....and the limbs and leaves and twigs began flying through the air, and the leaves were actually pasted onto the sides of the stick and brick!!!! WOW....did those winds ever blow.......and for quite a length of time!!!!

And then........the electricity went down.......and for almost seven hours, we were without the modern conveniences of technology: A/C, a working fridge, the computer, the phones(cells were working), microwave, etc., etc., etc., etc. And sooooo, after Ike decided to say "good-bye", the 1st Lady and I worked for awhile in the yard picking up the limbs, twigs, and other debris. But, for the most of those 7 hours, we laid around and read our novels. Not boring......but, we continued to wonder just when we would be returned to the 21st century with our needs being met by the miracle of electricity.

When we finally had the marvelous power running through the wires once again......we soon found ourselves doing some needed things online.......some ordering, some bill paying, some communicating. Ahhhhhh......we felt soooooo much better!!!

And so.....the rest of the day and this evening have been spent doing not toooooo much of anything of value. I fixed a bite to eat: BLT's with homegrown tomatoes, corn-on-the-cob that was picked yesterday.....and some dark red medicine to assist with the health of my heart.

A relaxing day.....after Ike left us......and a relaxing evening. All in all it was testimony to the fact that......

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!......And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!

TWO DAYS THAT HAVEN'T STOPPED!!!

WOW......where in the hell does the time go???? Yesterday simply flew by at supersonic speeds and before I realized it I was living in today....and now it is almost tomorrow!!!! I sure do not want to "blink".........because my Life will be gone.....gone!

Yesterday we had our great friends, who just happen to be former students of the 1st Lady and myself.....we had them over for coffee/tea and some freshly baked coffee cake(by the 1st Lady). And.....the morning swiftly moved into the afternoon as we sat and talked and discussed and became angry and sad and we reflected on events of the recent weeks....and the "great sadness" that was forced upon Michael and Melissa Goldsmith and their three children by the staff/administration of the Meadow Heights Church. By now there is not anyone in this community and, for that matter, in many, many areas of the state of Missouri that is not aware of the way this family was removed from their church so suddenly......and not just removed from a paid position, but completely shunned AND banned from returning to the church to worship as a family. Never in my Life have I ever heard of children being told that they cannot enter a church's door to worship the God that is the center of their Lives............NOT being allowed to come to church!!!!!! Is that what being a Christian is all about???????? I think not....certainly it is not the way I was taught in my upbringing in the Methodist Church! WWJD?????? Certainly not what was done to the Goldsmith family!!!!!!!!!!

I am soooo proud of these two young adults............they have continued to hold their heads high in this community, as they rightfully should do, since they did nothing more than not put on a false face, but were true to themselves, being honest about their feelings concerning certain individuals and did not bow to pressure, but continued to be just themselves. How well I remember 20+ years ago as they sat in my classes and I discussed how I did not believe in wearing a false face in front of my students, being only myself at all times, "love me or leave me"....but I would remain the same. Michael and Melissa learned that lesson well........and it has stayed with them for all of these many years. Soooo, yes......I am somewhat responsible for this "great sadness" ........Michael being fired from his position with the church.....oh, excuse me....the politically correct phrase is "mutual resignation". I will write more about this travesty in the next few days........

Later yesterday.....we went to the Hanner House for snacks and several drinks.......and a lesson for the 1st Lady and Myself..........the beginning of several lessons in learning how to play Bridge. Yep......will my aging mind and my short term memory loss allow me to learn this new and complicated card game???? Well....it is new to me, anyway. And.......I did enjoy the challenge last night....enough so that I spent some time online doing some reading about the game and the rules of play.

Today....Saturday......we went down to have dinner with Mike. Had a really great visit as well as some great steaks and trimmings which we brought with us. A super afternoon/early evening!!!!

And so.....it is after midnight, making this now Sunday........the second day that has has evaporated into thin and wet, humid air!!!! My body is screaming, my mind is on overtime as I write this....and my eyes have slipped down onto my jaw bones as I attempt to see this online page so I can finish this posting. I am still seething about what I discussed above........so I will not sleep very well tonight.......but my feelings are secondary to what my good friends have endured for the past EIGHT WEEKS!!!! I am thankful.....soooooo damn thankful...that they have a very strong faith in their God which has allowed them to not slip into the depths of depression and remorse, but that this faith has shown them the way which will close this chapter of their Lives and will open up the next chapter for them...........Michael and Melissa are the ones who have taken the "high road" through this "great sadness" and they are the ones who will be the stronger for enduring this tragic episode in their former church. You should consider each day a total loss unless you have learned something new each day........and believe me, they have not lost one day of the past 8 weeks........they have learned so much about people and who not to put their faith with. Bless you my good friends........the 1st Lady and I and our family hold you in high regards and love your family so very much!

Thursday: And the 1st Lady returns......

Whew.....I had to get my sagging ass out bed this morning at 6:30...UGH!!!!! TheHowserHouse had to be at Griffon's RV Trailer Sales in Park Hills by 9:30. Well....of course, I HAD to have a couple of cups of my Fr. Roast coffee just to get myself going at full steam......and then I waited until this morning to check all 8 tires' air pressures. A couple of them needed a bit more air, as I anticipated due to the a couple of cooler evenings this week...and so that took a few minutes.

I left Buford Heights around 8:30......waiting until I was sure that the school traffic would be no longer.......and then head through town. Recently we have had a "roundabout" (sp?) installed where a new highway bypass is being constructed.....and as I have watched it from time to time become a reality, I felt certain that it was tooooooo small....not allowing for semi's and large towed RV's would not be able to stay in the lane to make the circle turn. AND......I was CORRECT!!!! Yep....by the time I had made the circle half-way around, TheHowserHouse was running over part of the very low curbing even tho I had pulled the truck all the way to the right side of the lane!!! I feel certain that the curbing was constructed very low for that very reason.......assuming that other long, towed trailers would not have enough of a circle to stay in the lane. WHY can't they build something they way it should be....when they first build it????????? Now, before long they will have to re-construct the broken concrete curbing around the center island due to heavy vehicles being pulled over it and breaking it down! (Hmmmm.....do I sound like a cranky OLD MAN????)

Anyway....I dropped off TheHowserHouse, went through the list of items I wanted fixed with the head repair man, and then returned to F'town a bit later. Later this afternoon.....actually, it was early evening around 6pm, the 1st Lady arrived. The trunk was filled with some items from Sam's Club and the back seat was filled with her personal items. Tired, she rushed around to get ready for her sorority meeting...and made it on time.

After she returned....we sat around, discussed the past week even though we talked 3-4 times each day. Jeremy called and we had a good visit.......reported that IKE was blowing quite a bit in New Orleans........said it was really, really windy. He had flown to Chicago earlier this week for a day of meetings with the Democratic Pary officials to finalize the various state Senate campaigns.......being there for only a day, he realized he needed more time there as he loves that wonderful city as much as I do! He said that some of the Obama campaign team had dropped by his office in New Orleans this week to discuss the campaign with him.

And so.....after a very cloudy, muggy, warm day with a few sprinkles of rain off and on......the forecast remains the same for the next few days.....RAIN. And....it appears that Ike, or what is left of this storm, will make his way over southern Missouri next week!!!!

All in all........even with having to leave TheHowserHouse sitting with other rv's at Griffon's Trailer Sales......it has been a good day. But.....I will pick it up either tomorrow or Monday......and then we can begin to make a few plans for a few short trips, perhaps!? No matter.......because as always with another day of my Life being shortened by one............and, it assures me that...

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!......And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!

Wednesday: Dealing with the dreaded blue screen!!!!

OK.....a lovely day.....just wonderful, weather-wise!!! I did a bit of cleaning the patio, checked out the interior of TheHowseHouse on wheels in preparation for moving it tomorrow, and then just enjoyed the day outside, as much as I could.

And, that last phrase says it all!!! Early this afternoon, I "got" the dreaded blue screen popping up on my pc, three times to be exact......and so, I began to put everything from my Documents file....tons of files, letters, etc., etc.....onto a disk/CD to preserve it, should I lose everything, God FORBID!!!!! I also put my Bookmarks on there, as I have tons of those that I am not certain I could remember and reconstruct!! All of my pictures are already on CD's......as I put make a CD everytime BEFORE I remove them from my camera.....just to make certain I don't lose them.

Now.......I need to get this sick little lappie to a medical specialist for a full check-up and hopefully, a recovery plan for better pc health. I'm not sure just where to take it for this check-up....perhaps in Farmington??? IF anyone in the area around here has a good idea and some good experiences at someplace close by.......let me know, please!!

Other than that today???? I grilled some burgers for my dinner, had some fresh corn-on-the-cob, and a fresh tomato.....and it was quite tasty!!! The 1st Lady will be home tomorrow after being gone for 9 days......so, I will have to get used to checking with her before I fix meals again........and about other things, also. THAT may be difficult to do.......hahaha!!!

Tomorrow.....I have to take TheHowserHouse to Park Hills, MO....north of here about 25 miles to get some items checked over and repaired. Not sure how long it will be there.....a few hours....a full day.....two days???? I won't know until I get it up there in the morning for it's 9:30am appointment........

And that has been the day for this sagging hulk of Me......not exciting,.....but a bit of tension and anxiety due to the lappie problem(s). But....you know.....in the whole scheme of Life.....this is not really a Biggie, is it??? These things can always be repaired.....or, if it is worse and can't be repaired, I'll just have to get a new laptop. Sooooo,........no matter what.....

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!......And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!

Tuesday: WHAT in the world is happening to this sagging hulk of me?????

Yep....it is Tuesday evening and I find myself playing that damn game of "catch-up" once again.....WHY???????? Am I sick???.....NO! Am I tired of writing????......NO! Do I not have enough time????......NO!!! You know.......I, the sagging hulk of Me, do not have a really good and valid answer.........hmmmmm,....I will keep thinking about this and let you know(if I find out).

Soooo, yesterday??? Not really much of anything happened that I can even remember 24 hours later.....hahaha!!! (I did read some yesterday.....isn't that interesting??) Is that "short term memory loss"???? Well, I will use that excuse quite readily because I do notice that that little mental problem is becoming more frequent......UGH!!!! What will rear it's ugly head next????

Today???? OK....hasn't been that long ago so I can remember today....besides, my arm muscles are telling me tonight EXACTLY what I did today. When I pulled myself out of the bed and upon opening the drapes, I jumped for joy as it was VERY cloudy, a really nice breeze was moving the limbs and leaves of the many trees around here, and I knew right then that I was going to get that Fr. Roast coffee going quickly......and then begin the task of waxing the unwaxed side of TheHowserHouse. And that.....I did.

After three hours, I did get that side waxed and was all ready to move to the front of the RV when I was blinded by the emerging sun which quickly brought a clearing of the sky and within a few short moments the sky was blue and there were no clouds. OK......another strike against me....as I gave up on the waxing, put the ladder and stuff away, and then went inside to fix myself a little lunch, which I enjoyed outside on the patio.

About 1pm....I made the decision that it was wayyyyy tooooo nice to not be outside, so I gassed up the lawn mower.....and for the next three hours, I pushed it around the lawn.........carefully mowing the lengthening grass, until the lawn really looked better than it has since last spring. And.....it made me feel good getting that exercise......except the arm muscles!

After a quick shower, I enjoyed a little Happy Hour by myself........drinking deeply of the dark red medicine which was giving off a wonderful bouquet after the traditional swirling of the liquid inside the glass......plus a few Tostidos Hint of Lime chips. Ahhhhh......a good combination and one that was quite nice.....

A little after 6pm I left for the Hanner House where I enjoyed one of Chef Sue's very tasty dinners. We relaxed and dined on their deck overlooking the setting sun....and it was really a great way to end a day of physical activity. Every time we are together we always seem to just scratch the surface of each and every topic that is injected in into the conversations.......and so by the time I left, we still had sooooo much left unsaid in our discussions...........and, we can never get those topics wrapped up and finished......NEVER.

Back up on Buford Heights, I once again have the entire HowserHouse to myself. The 1st Lady will remain at Dr. Jeni's until the end of the week, assisting with the tasks of taking care of Max while Dr. Jeni returns this week to her dental practice and her clients.

And so......another day full of activity and a lovely dinner during the setting of the sun......and it all only supports my innate feelings that......

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!.....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!

Sunday: Another two-day post.....

WOW.....did I ever crash and burn last night.....early. Why???? Not sure as yesterday was not a busy day, however.........

After having a couple of cups of Fr. Roast coffee yesterday morning, I went to see Mike and spent a few hours, plus having lunch with him. Returning, I stopped at a couple of places in Cape Girardeau for a bit of shopping and looking. Didn't buy anything other than a cappuccino at Starbucks, a new black cartridge for our printer....and something else but can't remember what it was. Guess it wasn't too important...was it?

Last night....well, there wasn't a damn thing on the tellie that was of any value, so I just turned it off, got my book, and read with a bit of music in the background. Well.....the next thing I knew was that it was 1:30AM...and so I hauled my very sagging hulk to bed!!!! And.....DAMN....then I couldn't go back to sleep for what seemed like forever!

SUNDAY.....

Soooo, this morning I pulled myself out of bed, had some Fr. Roast coffee, some fresh peaches on my cereal, and then watched a few of the "talking heads" Sunday morning shows. I had BIG plans to finish waxing the RV, but the sun kept coming out from behind, or through, the cloud cover and I didn't want to apply the wax in the direct sunlight, so I just gave up on that thought. And the thing is I REALLY wanted to get this finished this morning.

Soooo, I washed some of the windows....both inside and outside....this morning. Thankfully, the new windows all pull down and into the room, so no ladder was necessary to wash them from the outside! And....they look much, much better now!!!

This afternoon....well, it just slipped away. I spent an hour making a trip out to WalMart and picking up some items......and then the rest of the afternoon was just spent doing a whole lot of nothing!!! Guess I can rest on Sundays......right?

This evening, I fixed a great little supper.....BLT's with fresh tomatoes....and a couple of ears of corn-on-the-cob.....again freshly picked yesterday. I bought both the tomatoes and the corn yesterday at the Jackson Produce Market....and thankful that I did, because they were both really, really GREAT!!!

Tomorrow.....well I am supposed to meet a former student of mine for coffee......she is now an Assistant Attorney General for the state of Missouri, working in Jay Nixon's office in Jefferson City. She was an outstanding alto sax player...and she was such a joy to work with because she was a perfectionist and wanted each and every note to be shaped the correct way with just the right nuances with the attacks and releases.......a really great saxophonist!!

And so......the 1st Lady remained at her mother's tonight...and in the morning will go to Dr. Jeni's with the plans now being that she will remain there at least through Thursday, as Dr. Jeni is returning to her Dental practice after being away for a little over a month with the arrival of Max into their home!!! I'm certain that the 1st Lady will enjoy doing a few days of Max-sitting!!!!

Today.......a relaxing day (again!!) and a quiet day around TheHowserHouse......but, without a doubt......

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!

Friday: Some sore arm muscles.......

Well, my own damn fault......I became interested in the new Ludlum novel that I began reading a couple of days ago......and, I kept reading until after 1AM this morning!!! WHEN have I ever done that???? WHEW! Soooo, the night was a bit shorter and when I opened my eyes today....I just rolled over and laid there, drifting in and out of the real world....until it was almost 8am...and I finally drug my sagging hulk out of bed and into the shower.

After several cups of Fr. Roast coffee, I watched a bit of the morning shows on the tellie.....and then puttered around the house for a while....nothing special......just enjoyed the peace and quietness of the stick and brick on such a dark cloudy day. All the drapes were pulled back.....almost all of ours are the panel type which slide very easily on the long rods/poles that we have over each of our large windows. No sun.....and we had "no sun" for the rest of the day. It never really changed.....

After lunch I decided it was time to get out the ladder and to begin waxing the rest of TheHowserHouse. Ahhhhh.......such great visions of my afternoon.....and then UGH, I had a reality check a couple of hours later. By late afternoon, I found that in order to get a smooth finish on the gel coated side it was necessary for me to wax the damn thing THREE....Yes, THREE times. It just didn't want to get that deep white and high sheen that it usually has.....and there were "streaks" left on the side after one coat.....and then again after two coats.....and then finally after the third coat it was smooth and shiny. But, due to all of this physical effort, my arms and shoulders were shouting out in agony by late afternoon, so I finally gave up on the effort for the afternoon......put the materials away and took the tall ladder into the garage.

What I did complete, looks super!!!! But, the contrast is very definite and so I will have to complete the side with three coats probably. And with the sun predicted to shine down upon me tomorrow, I won't get it finished...I'm certain.

This evening I attended a Chili Supper at the Methodist Church....a fund-raiser for another organization here in town. And......I did see soooooo many people here in town that I haven't seen for months and months. So, it was a good evening and it was great to see some old friends, as well as many former students. I also ran into one of the 1st Lady's sorority sisters and she introduced to me her friend......someone she had visited last winter in the RGV in Texas and after comparing notes, we had been at the same RV Park as where they were staying.....several times!!!! They plan to return this winter....and so we made promises to get together down there this year!!!

After returning to the stick and brick, I just kicked back and relaxed and did some more reading. I will not read that late tonight....haha!!!

A good day....some things accomplished.....and nice bowl of chili and sandwich with friends.....and, as always.....

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!!!......And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!

"Politics is like driving a car: Put the car in "R" and you go backward.......Put the car in "D" and you go forward!"

Thursday: RAINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!

Yesterday? Hmmmmm,....now just what the hell did I do????? Oh yeah.....I spent some time in the yard.....and it appeared that it rain at any time, but it really didn't do that until later in the day....or perhaps I should say......evening.

The 1st Lady left during the afternoon to go up to her mother's for a few day.....at least through the weekend. I spent a bit of time doing some cleaning inside, after spending some time in the yard......but, I finally just returned to inside TheHowserHouse stick and brick and enjoyed a new novel that I have started.....one of Robert Ludlum's.

TODAY????? I slept in....well, that's not quite true. Around 4am.....I was awakened by the winds and driving rain.....and it took awhile to return to a deep sleep. This morning it was raining...and then raining....and more raining.....and it was just plain ugly outside. Now, to counter that, the grass returned to it's lovely green colors overnight with all of that moisture soaking into the very, very hard and dry dirt, so that was refreshing this morning, even with the rains still pounding outside!

About mid-morning, I gave up on waiting for a drier few moments and jumped into the very wet truck and went to town to take care of some errands and drop off a couple of checks for some monthly bills.....cheaper than using the Federal stamps....haha!!

Last night, I watched Ms Palin's speech and the focus on her family, albeit that was a bit toooo much, especially for the young father-to-be.....to be the center of sooo much focus, as everyone had the same thoughts on their minds during those on-camera times. Everyone has their own unique family problems, and everyone knows that everybody else has problems, but it doesn't have to be broadcast to the world, does it? Now...we are in a different "world" now and they shouldn't feel like they have to go into hiding......but, it was a bit much last night......a bit of over-kill for political purposes....without regard for those unfortunate young people!

The people who wrote her speech managed to get it changed from a "masculine speech", as they said...into a speech for a female. She delivered it very well.....the pauses, the voice inflections, the sometimes right facial expressions, and the timing were there as they should have been......however, where was the substance??? The one-liners were good and she delivered them well, but we really still don't know what she is like, do we? A small town mayor...the size of F'town....and less than two years of defending Alaska from the invasions of Russia across the Bering Strait with her job as Commander in Chief of the National Guard (which she legally can't do because the Feds control the Guard in those types of conflicts).......none of this does qualify her for the possibility of having to become President.......as she cannot possibly "be ready on the 1st day". Anyone who believes otherwise......well, think a bit deeper.. about her sitting across the table from Russia's Putin negotiating nuclear missile treaties, as well as soooooo many other scary possibilities that would rise their ugly heads.........possibilities that never happened to give her knowledge and experience while she was Mayor of Wasilla, or even as the Gov of Alaska with a population of less than the city of Indianapolis, IN. Yep.....this is a very scary situation that we might have to face and become a part of............

And sooooo, another two days of my Life have passed by....quickly. WOW......this, too, is scary.....I am only 6.5 years younger than John S. McCain.....DAMN!!!!! But, anyway.......I still know that as of right now.......

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!.....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!

"Politics is like driving a car: Put the car in "R" and you go backward.......Put the car in "D" and you go forward!"

Tuesday: Hot, humid.......not nice!!

This morning after the usual morning rituals......after the requisite two cups of Fr. Roast coffee.......I drove up to Park Hills to talk to the great people at Griffon's Trailer Town. I have a few things that need to be taken care of on TheHowserHouse..on wheels........and so I wanted to discuss this with Tim and Bruce.......and after talking about those few repairs, I made an appointment for Sept. 11th.

Leaving there, I stopped in Farmington at the Super WalMart to pick up a few items that we just HAD to have.....haha. I also then stopped at the local quick oil change garage there.....and today, it wasn't quite so quick. Seems that a group of those working there were recently fired for skimming some cash off the top!!! Sooo, there were new people on board and they had to be instructed as to the procedures for some of the things that needed to be done under the hood of the Park Avenue. I was there at least 40 minutes......DAMN!!!! Yes, I appreciate the time they took to help the young man who was changing the oil below......and the young man who was under the hood checking out the other fluids, etc......but it was sure a long time of just "watching". Let me explain.....

A year or two ago.........after getting my oil changed there....I later saw some oil drippings and soon realized that they had left off the oil cap under the hood upon finishing the change. Sooooo, I had to go purchase a new one.....not a big cost....but, was just a bit p.o. at this. Sooooo, from that time forward, I always watch them as they work on my vehicles!!

This afternoon, I decided I needed to mow some of the tall grass that was spread around at different areas of the yard. And.....then I really realized just how horribly hot and humid it was outside.....and after about 45 minutes of some slow pushing on that mower....and two bottles of water, I put the mower away.....and went inside where the cool, dry air was soooooo refreshing. WHEW.....I just do not do well in the heat/humidity.......as by the time I was walking to the back door....I really was getting dizzy and weak feeling. Guess it is my evolving body which occurs with my age......which seems to be adding up faster than I would like for it to.

This evening.....the 1st Lady is off to Farmington for dinner with her friends from her years of teaching......friends who are still now teaching.....too bad! This is a group that meets about every month for dinner and drinks....and LOTS of conversation! Great that they can still get together as they do and still enjoy each other sooo much.

And sooooo, heat...humidity....not what I like, nor does my body....haha. But......you know, these uncomfortable moments do pass on by....and as long as I don't pass on.....I think I put up with it from time to time. And......as always on this blog, I like to leave with a positive feeling....and for me, this phrase is not just something to write, but it is really just the way I definitely feel....and it is....

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!.....And, I really hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!

Rachel holding Max, Meghan, and Ava

A sofa full of grandchildren!!

Ava holding Max

Grammy, the Sagging Hulk, and grandchildren

Darrel, Dr. Jeni, Max, Ava, and Meghan

Labor Day: And.....so, I didn't labor!

WOW.......yesterday just flew by as I cleaned the house, did some yard work.....and then the 1st Lady returned by mid-afternoon. By early evening, the house was very much alive as Darrel and Dr. Jeni, along with Meghan, Ava, and Max were here.

Today.....well, the previous statement holds true as the girls enjoyed being in a different place.....Grammy and Pawpa's house!! And...by noon, our daughter-in-law Becky and granddaughter Rachel had arrived......which made Labor Day in TheHowserHouse a very festive occasion!!

Amidst all of this activity, I spent about an hour grilling some pork steaks and hamburgers. With the sizzling meat on the table, we had a great early afternoon dinner....with several items which the girls would enjoy. During the afternoon, much visiting occurred with the girls having the "run" of the house, literally. Max seemed to take it all in stride.....and slept through most of the high volume activity....and by that I mean....loud. But.....hey.....they were having some great fun and these sisters and cousin had not been together for quite some time....and so it was a fun reunion for the three of them. .......and again, Max was here, but rested quietly and just watched from time to time.

As Happy Hour arrived....the 1st Lady played bartender and fixed some of the new drinks she has been working on...with me! Think she is perfecting her skills as several drinks were handed out for tasting....and enjoying....hahaha!!!

The two families left for their respective homes somewhere around 6 or so.....and then the 1st Lady and I straightened a few things.....and are now relaxing with our evening hot tea....and a few shows on the tellies.......I am watching the plasma in the "family" room...and she is watching the other large tellie in the office/den.

Jeremy called this evening to report that he was doing fine at an Extended Stay Hotel in Baton Rouge.....no electricity, but things are fine. His new truck was hit by a tree, but the only damage was to one of the tail lights......so that is not too bad! He held up the phone so I could hear the winds that were still howling.....and OMG.....they WERE howling....LOUDLY!!!! Several of his staff were staying there also....and so, all seems well with him as of now. Doubt that they had too much, if any, damage to the offices in New Orleans, but they will not be able to return for a couple of days or so.

Labor Day 2008.........and it was great fun in TheHowserHouse. And......having family here always makes both the 1st Lady and this sagging hulk of me realize that.......

LIFE IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!.......And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!