Road Trip 2018!

Want to live with your grandparents forever? That is the environment we are creating by keeping people in the Senate beyond their expiration date. I'm not dissing the elderly (I am quite fond of many of them and becoming one too) but there comes a time when we the people (that includes everyone of voting age) have to take action. Instead of going to grandmas' year after year after year. Let the folk who have been stuck in the 40's and 50's return to their memories of their "glory days" in the comfort of their own home. They can enjoy old reruns or have some playtime with the littles in the family without us trying to coax them into the present day way of life which is clearly outside their purview. They have done enough. Seriously. What if you cook the dinner? Have it at your house (your rules, your TV, your menu or you call for a pot luck). We know what happens at grandmas'. Grandma does a lot. Maybe it's time for a change. Some of the old geezers are way to comfortable in their power. Let's take the keys and drive them out of office.

Watch Sen Orrin Hatch  OMG This old white man . . . completely out of touch!

He may be stuck in the 40's and doesn't know women are people too. Why do we vote for old geezers just because of the "shining R" by their name? Vote for a relatable, on your side candidate. Don't vote for a letter! This guy is clearly beyond his use by date. Give him a nice rest in the home, at home or anything but in the senate.

Life isn't fair but you can use your voice and your vote to step up and speak out. We need elected officials to do what is right for us as a society by working together. #CheckExpirationDate2018

The 1203 Chronicles

2.26.14
It's been a long busy day with patient 1203. But we got an early start and made it through the routing without complications. Now it's time for "Nurse Ratchet" to kick back, relax and give some praise and rest in joy. Night y'all and don't forget to give thanks for those you love and those that love you. Love is kind. Coffee is good.

Meanwhile in a state far away . . .

2.27.14
Today is experiment day. I am here for support but not doing much on his behalf. I had the coffee pot ready to just pour the water and did not have the lids on our coffee cups or carafe. This was very helpful he said because he had a bit of trouble when he was ready for the second cup.
Trying to discover what he can't do without help before I go back to work. So far I have had to open the new, never opened peanut butter jar and he said making a sandwhich was a bit of a struggle but he did it. :) We did get him in a pullover shirt without too much pain and he is enjoying being button free. He had to keep his head elevated for the first 24 hours so he was on the couch last night and I was not. Tonight I am hoping we can travel to Dreamland together.

Love is kind <3

1203 Report 3.1.14
Just three days post op and another great day for 1203 and me. Favorite son and favorite grandkids made it in safely last night. After the kids agreed who slept where, we all settled in and I enjoyed a long cuddle and we drifted to peaceful slumber side by side.

He brought the princess coffee that was announced quietly as it was placed at my bedside. As I heard it, "your coffee is ready for you to wake up if you choose but if you snooze, you will have a few more minutes". After a 10 minute delay my snooze alarm, the sweetest girl (in a sling) came to announce that Pop E said it was time to wake up. I got up, showered and as my son and I agreed the night before, we'd all go to breakfast. Sling buddies Pop E and Sweet Pea,

Sean, B-dawg and me.

As we were seated at the restaurant we had two extra chairs so I called my "big blister" who lives very near by to invite to sit in the available chairs. I was almost turned down but she and Bear came and after catching up on who broke what and how is it now we got to hear of their great adventure to Hawaii. I told you it was a great day!

I was really hoping she would bring me a dolphin but I wasn't sure if they had a big enough zip lock bag. Turns out none of the dolphins followed them home. 1203 and I will just have to visit them in person.

If the mountain won't come to Muhammad, Muhammad must go to the mountain. Yea, we're cool like that. 😍

Night y'all

1203 Report 3.2.14
Today was uneventful for 1203. He very likely has end stages of cabin fever though. We didn't go anywhere Sunday or today. Yesterday he was really hoping I would be snowed in with him today. And who doesn't want someone to play with if you are not sick and home alone? Probably would have gone mad if not for the pea salad I made yesterday.

It was supposed to be a surprise but he caught me in the act. I told him it was for the tuna salad that he knew I was making but apparently he is taking less pain medications so he didn't believe my story at all. English peas does not a tuna salad make. Making surprise pea salad is tricky but I will not go quietly into that good night, Old age should burn and rage at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light as the refrigerator door is closed. I shall not give up!

So I wasn't snowed in but I did go in an hour late this morning. A bit of black ice and stunt drivers were everywhere. Thought I'd have a better chance of dodging them with a bit of sunlight. As we are trying to prepare for temporary house guests I find I have the back of an old lady. So between Mark's shoulder, my back, ankle, knee and wrist (not broken wrist if anyone is keeping score), we just almost make an able bodied person. It's teamwork that keeps us in an upright position putting one foot in front of the other. He gets his stitches out on Thursday so I have to stay healthy enough to get him there. If I had been in an accident we'd really be in a pickle. Maybe he can loose the pillow in the sling and start bending like Beckham or like Mark E. I hope we have enough pea salad to get him through till I get home tomorrow.

Now where should we go . . . . . .

<3 is kind (but may be prone to cabin fever)



1203 Report 3.4.14
As I said later in my earlier report (I really do like this opening line and it makes perfect sense sensibly): Breaking news! 1203 is wearing jeans that he put on unassisted after I left. I see the not so surprising pea salad had magical powers. Yea Mark!

So I no sooner got home than 1203 was asking to put on a jacket. I talked him into wearing a long sleeve denim over his T-shirt. As soon as we got him put together he was ready to go vote. My butt had not been on the sofa more than 30 minutes. But we went to vote, went to dinner, bought a couple things from the store (Ice creaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam!) dropped off some things for my brother and headed home.

I am hoping the cabin fever has broken though I am sure he can hardly contain himself after mastering the blue jeans. On Thursday I will drive 1203 to the very fine Dr Todd to remove the shoulder stitches. I have a feeling that will open up a lot more activities for him. Physical therapy, no pillow insert in the sling, using his whole arm even from the elbow up, two armed hugs, petting both dogs simultaneously. The list is long of what may be coming soon. :)

Love is kind (and looks sexy in jeans)



1203 Report 3.5.14
Another good day for 1203 and he somehow scored a bonus excursion. The number one brother-in-law called and invited him to lunch! Over lunch they discussed how retirement will be much better when the wives are home too. 1203 has decided the next time he retires, he will only retire when and if I do too. Being home alone all day is not as entertaining as you might expect.

1203 may be heading back to work on light duty and it could be even as soon as next week. We should find out in the morning what happens next after the stitches come out. Early Dr appointment and house guests ETA just keeps moving closer to 5 a.m. Tomorrow will be early and stressful. Not to mention it's also my BFF's BFF's birthday. I just hope I can stay awake through birthday dinner. Note to self: order coffee with dinner. We have been adjusting slowly day after day and even during pre-op to life as it has morphed slowly from two strong arms to one in a sling. From what it was to what it is and as always life just keeps moving forward.

1203 and me, we will keep moving forward too. We'll hold hands, go for walks, visit our boy and his family, hug, snore, laugh, help each other when needed, dance and when we grow old (NOT UP), we'll retire. I suspect after that we will hold hands, go for walks in other places, visit our boy and his family, hug, snore, laugh, help each other when needed, and dance all night even if it's a week night.

Love is kind (in sickness and in health)


1203 Report 3.6.14
As expected today started way earlier than either of us wanted. Phone rang at 2:45 am and by 3:00 we were making our way downtown. 1203 knows I am not a morning person and he apologized as we drove closer to the bus station. I think I had consumed a roady cup of coffee and was back in bed by 4 something-ish. 1203 stayed up to calm the barking dogs and help the guests settle in.

The Dr appointment was at 8 this morning but we were about 15 minutes late. He almost stayed up after the return trip but he nodded off sometime after 6:30 so he woke me at 7:35 and once again we hit the road with purpose and in a hurry. The Gram*E*Mobeel drove quickly as 1203 gave directions to drive around the heavier traffic.

More apologies as he checked in at the desk and we sat quietly for just a few minutes. His name was called and he asked me to come too. His stitches were removed without fanfare and he seemed to forget the questions he had been saving up so I began to ask on his behalf. Yes he can drive as long as he is not taking pain meds. No he cannot take the pillow out of the sling yet. Maybe in three weeks. He can take the sling off to shower and sleep if he wants but he must continue to wear it. His left arm should not push down or raise up but it can help button a shirt and other light duties. Physical therapy location was agreed to and he even made an appointment and went today I found out later. It was going to be 3 times a week but he did so well, he only has to go twice a week. Atta boy Mark E! :)

We took the long way home from the doctor's office and picked up a drive through breakfast. We rounded our corner, I pulled into the driveway, rushed inside, topped off my coffee, brushed my teeth and Mark repacked my lunch and I boomeranged back on to the road and off to work I went. Being almost 3 1/2 hours later than usual made for a busy day. So busy I hardly noticed my fragmented sleep from the night before. Luckily we have as much coffee as a hospital waiting room available at work and I may have consumed twice my weight in coffee. Yea, I'm cool with that.

Got home after work and as we were catching up with our day I learned that 1203 has graduated to putting on and taking off his shirt. As we continued to chat, I got a text from my BFF with birthday dinner inquiry. We had a great time and 1203 and I both stayed awake the whole time. When we got home he was running on fumes and headed off for some well deserved z's. I think I may still be wound too tight but I am ready to join him. Tomorrow is Friday so just one more early morning to end this week. Can't wait to see what 1203 will discover next and looking forward to the weekend and a little extra sleep.

Love is kind (and apologizes without hesitation)

Kids say the darndest things

I am not willing to sacrifice my husband, my only son, his wife, his son or daughter or my friends and family so you can have military, in effect, shoot to kill weapons. I want smaller magazines, no bump stocks and I want to be relatively sure if a member of my family is outside the home doing life, a bad actor does not mow them down because they have anger issues and or seeking revenge against another or any other reason. I want the laws to be nationwide so people on the edges of states can't hop over to another and get something their state has declared unlawful and then perhaps sell them out of their car without a background check. Fortunately I have not lost a family member or friend to gun violence. Ask the parents that have lost a child what they want. They have made the ultimate involuntary sacrifice. Who will be next if the powers that be remain frozen and do nothing.

Thoughts and prayers?

This should not be an all or nothing arrangement. Name a law that is followed 100%. One. If we don't have laws we are creating unnecessary chaos. Do you know about the teacher that fed a live puppy to a snapping turtle? Want him to have a gun - in the school? Veterans? We haven't given veterans what they need in a very long time. What are the chances something at the school will trigger a flashback or maybe undiagnosed PTSD. Suicide? Veterans have a higher rate of suicide. He or she should have a gun in school?

Texas has more than 1.2 million residents who are active holders of concealed handgun permits. No laws regulating long guns such as shotguns and rifles other than existing federal restrictions. Machine guns are allowed for possession in the state according to Texas gun laws, as long as they are registered on the federal level. Armor-piercing ammo is considered illegal to possess and sell.

So sad that the students have to take action because the grown ups  cower under their desks in the pockets of the NRA and political party. What better way to learn that elections have consequences. Among the crowd of students that walked out of class today, there is a future president. He or she is getting ground level education. Students do not need to know everything to be politically active. Sometimes you just have to get out there and learn from each other. I support all students participating in #NationalWalkoutDay and #MarchForOurLives

• Love your family? 
• Invest in our future
• Save a kid
• Save yourself

God Bless Texas ~ Thoughts and Prayers

Broken hearts are hard to mend
For doctors, family or even a friend
So much anger, too much hate
Too many people with too much on their plate

Heartaches happen every day
A bad actor comes to steal lives away
At a school a movie concert or church
No time to address all the hurt

Thoughts and prayers have all been given
Multiple times from us the still living
It's true we can't stop every one
Let's regulate bullets if not the gun

Again

And when is the best time to even discuss the ability for mass murders to occur without even one regulatory hurdle? It is certainly not the day of I hear. Ought not politicize such an event with any words beyond "thoughts and prayers". And certainly we cannot have a discussion for the first week after. Families need time to bury their loved ones. And not the week after that. So many loose ends to finalize and plans to make for the children and pets left behind. By the third week the next crisis takes over the news cycle and as all good Americans do, we move on with our lives and forget to remind our representatives that we are requiring action. Now is not the time for thoughts and prayers. Now is the time for action to minimize the need for so many thoughts and prayers.

Can one person make a difference? Today one did.

Can you make a difference? Yes you can. Use your voice, use your vote. Stand up. Speak out. Be bold. Be kind. Let your relatives, friends and neighbors enjoy another moment of life. I don't want to play politics. I want to stand with others or alone and make a difference.

A Friend Is A Friend 12-29-1999

Being a friend is not a spectator sport
It's laughing and crying, mutual support

It's the ups and the downs, it's shadows and light
It's the person you know that will hold on tight

A friend is a friend and ever will be
A friend is a friend a reflection of me

Be a donor of kindness

We are all God's children. Our souls (like love) has no gender, no race, no rage. Be a donor and mentor of kindness. One can make a difference. Love is kind (and comes in all colors). 

HUGS (Humans Utilizing Gifts Successfully).

H. U. G. S. for Pete's Sake

Love is kind. Politics CAN be too. It's about WE the people so the less us, them, they, the more H. U.G. S. (Humans Utilizing Gifts Successfully) we can share. Why are we so polarized? Why do we continue to post such inflammatory political "stuff" on social media? What purpose does it serve. Who is our target? Our cousin? Sister? Brother? Mother? Father? Aunt? Uncle? Neighbor? Pastor? The tree of "me" expands to all branches it seems. It's like we are all being held back for the sake of. . . . . well, for Pete's sake I have no idea! 

Once again I would like to ask that you do your civic duty and vote for a candidate not a party. We are all in this boat together. If everyone leans to the left or the right, we all get see sick.  What do you see? I see people who are not only listening to what they want to hear but they believe all of it too without question. 

In the land of the free, we can continue to post unkind words, share untruths, continue to stay unmoved or open minded.  We can also choose to actively listen with a compassionate ear and a thirst to really appreciate that America is and has always been a melting pot. We really don't have one way to live because we are all uniquely American. And that is just one of the best things I can think of about America. Maybe there is more to know and appreciate in others. 

Ask questions! More hugs, less smug. 

If you are a parent and your kid wants to go "out", chances are there will be questions. Many, many questions. Why would you just say, sure you are a member of the family and we all do the same things so sure, go do whatever that is you are going to do. Yes candidates are older but they may not all have the same maturity, ideas, philosophy, values, or experiences. It may be the best person isn't flushed out because we fail to ask questions so we don't see the best candidate. 

Do you choose to dive again and again into murky water? I would much prefer a flowing stream to a stagnant pool. Healthier for all of our friends and relatives. Kids too. Big kids, little kids, kids not yet born. You know, we the people.

How great would it be for all (including our kids, the kids kids) to have a working government? To be the United States of America. To lead and govern with purpose, peace and prosperity? 

#Love Thy Neighbor #LoveThyNAYbor

 #HugsNOTSmug

All I am saying. . . Is give P's a chance.

#Purpose #Peace #Prosperity

~ Our Daily Bread ~

To vote or not to vote should never be a question! If you are eligible and don't vote you are agreeing to be lead blindly into your immediate future which has the potential to adversely affect you and yours for years to come. Your vote is your voice. I have an issue with those that pick the letter by a candidate such as "R" or "D" and believe that they are somehow voting. If you vote a straight ticket, why? That is supporting a party not a candidate. You should vote for the candidate that best serves you and your family. We need political diversity not clones who promote a single vision and platform. Voting should be more of a buffet rather than the "blue" plate or "red" eye special. Just selecting bread you have a choice of wheat, white, rye, potato, yeast, buckwheat, cornbread, banana, biscuits, sourdough, soda, and so on. Maybe your family is gluten free. Would you purchase bread based on its brand or the contents?

I personally think Donald is a washed up TV star, carnival barker and snake oil salesman who has obviously mastered his craft especially with the uneducated. I have no idea how his adjectives plan to "make America great again". I thought putting people in office that would have the fortitude to hold 45 in check on all spectrum's was our best choice in the 2016 election cycle. Since his election he has put his wealth and greed ahead of all else including the FBI building (Story here). He has been campaigning since his 2nd day in office and golfing at his properties  bringing in thousands of dollars to pad his pockets even more. Republicans have to date not stepped up to call him out. As of June 16, 2019 he has been on the grounds of his golf courses or played golf elsewhere 198 times at a cost of who knows what. What we do know is the activity is also lining his pockets. He is very good at lining his pockets. Golf? Not so much. He cheats which is no real surprise.

Click here for Trump's Current Golf Count 

or why he is Nicknamed Pele

The new Trump International Hotel has seen many CEO's, lobbyists, and other interest groups wearing their company brand on their shirts

just hanging out in the lobby for hours if not all day. People with foreign interest reserving rooms for multiple nights. This is against the Emoluments Clause and is yet another investigation waiting to happen. Unfortunately the breaking of the Emoluments Clause has not had any consequence. The same is true for the Hatch Act.

Hatch Act

Income from the hotel was $40 million in 2016 if he didn't cheat on his financial disclosure report. 

Even the demise of Khashoggi, the journalist that was murdered in Istanbul, Turkey; Trump seems to be covering for the Saudis. And beyond all of that I still think he has no idea what he should be doing even though he has been in the office too long! It was predictable that he wouldn't change (be Presidential) Because he constantly transforms (based on the immediate feedback at his rallies) it is not possible to know where he stands or if he will set sail on yet another uncharted course upon first gust. This disturbs me greatly. A vote for him was a mystery meal at best. No idea what you are ordering, or if it meets your nutritional needs. Will it cause any gastrointestinal consequences such as acid reflux, bloating, or rashes.

In this next election cycle let's vote for candidates that are best prepared to break bread and serve. Donald Trump? He has proven to have an empty core with no compass, emotion or belief of his own. He just follows whatever way the wind blows at the moment and pretends to be a leader by schmoozing the people he is with; no matter their belief. A chameleon for mostly whites and that one black supporter he pointed out at a rally by saying "Look at my African-American over here".

Hillary? Trump is still talking about her. She is not running and no, when she did she was not a perfect choice either but, she got more votes than Trump but lost the 2016 election. She has been studied, investigated, deposed, blamed and that cycle repeats and continues to this day. And even as she is microscopically scrutinized, she has continued to serve the public. She has a history of working for and with people. As additional candidates step up, take the time to listen. If you are hungry to get things done, maybe the buffet would be the best choice. 
Please study carefully and make your selection. Your table is being made ready. #Vote2020 

He has had two years to show us the health plan and we got nothing. He promised a wall that Mexico would pay for, also not going to happen. His administration has treated immigrant children so inhumanely it is horrific to me what the long term effects might be. The answer my friend is blowing in the wind, the answer is blowing in the wind ~ and war with Iran is a possibility.

Where are the grown ups?

Once again we find ourselves on the ledge and the edge of American demolition politics. Why? Elementary my dear. It's the A-B-C's.

Admonish, Blame and Confuse. 

A little more Joe Manchin and Tom Coburn and less Ted Cruz could get us light years away from where we are today. Ted Cruz can barely keep a straight face when he says he will do everything he can to defund Obamacare and does not do any more than deflect blame for a government shutdown.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/22/chris-wallace-ted-cruz-obamacare_n_3972300.html                     
Please listen to the substance of words spoken by those who represent our "United" States and as much as possible ignore the letters after the names are listed. Especially D's and R's. Support those that are attempting to represent we the people rather than the left or right.  Just an observation:  Blame solves none of our problems, communication and compromise do. Next election, let's vote for grown ups!