Monday, September 18, 2006

A Waller Weekend

Ever have a waller weekend? I did this weekend. It's easy to have one and I highly reccommend that you have at least one every month or so.

First, you have to be alone. Get all the snacks you want and take them to your bedroom. You can have it in the living room, but it is so much better in the bedroom. Get some books or several movies, put on some sweats or go nekid if you want, just be comfortable.

Then, get in bed and read or watch movies and eat and sleep. Either turn off the phone or just don't answer it.

Try it, it will make a better you a better person. Trust me.

Monday, September 11, 2006

No Greater Love......Robert Minara





I did not know Robert Minara. I know he was a New York fireman with Ladder 25. I know that he died on 9/11, trying to saved others in the World Trade Center. I know that he was 54 and left behind a wife and two grown sons. I know they are proud of him.

I sometimes wonder if he knew what had happened. Did he know that it was a terrorist attack and not just an airplane going off course? I am sure, though, of one thing. It did not matter to him how or why it happened or who did it. I am sure he was only concerned with saving as many people as he could. He was one of many running into the buildings as smoke made it hard to see, trying to save as many people as he could. We may never know how many he saved.

Did he know that he was going to die? Maybe. I am sure firefighters and other first responders are always prepared for that. He did not turn and run, he did the job he joined the fire department to do. America needs more men and women like him.

Another thing I know about Robert Minara is that he died a hero. And, maybe that is the best thing to know about him. God bless you Robert Minara.


A Firefighter's Pledge
I promise concern for others. A willingness to help all those in need.I promise courage - courage to face and conquer my fears.Courage to share and endure the ordeal of those who need me.I promise strength - strength of heart to bear whateverburdens might be placed upon me. Strength of body to deliver to safety all those placed within my care.I promise the wisdom to lead, the compassion to comfort, and the love to serve unselfishly whenever I am called. -Author Unknown

Monday, September 04, 2006

Back to the beginning


Today is Labor Day, a day set aside to give the working man (and woman) an extra day off. It also marks the end of summer. Do NOT wear the white shoes that were perfectly good to wear yesterday.

But seriously, let's take a look back at the beginning of this country. Read this:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
In case anyone did not recognize it, that is the Preamble to the constitution.


And now this:

Bill of Rights
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Amendment II
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
Amendment III
No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Amendment V
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
Amendment VI
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.
Amendment VII
In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
Amendment VIII
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
Amendment IX
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

Did you read those? Easy reading,huh? Now, here is a sample of the Patriot Act....ok, I will give you a link, if I don't then this post will be way to long http://www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/hr3162.html.

See the simplicity of the first two compared to the last? Why is that? Is it because more words are thrown in to confuse the reader? My son-in-law is a lawyer. He and I discuss most everything. I remember him telling me that the Patriot Act scared him. And, he is a card carrying Republican.

We have people pounding pulpits and whatever is around saying in their best W.C. Fields voice, that we need to get this country back to what our forefathers wanted. Yes, we do. However, we do NOT need more legislation or committees and sub-commutes. (Can't anyone see that the congress is looking more and more like a Monty Python skit???)

We need to follow and abide by the Bill of Rights, because, frankly, it says it all. And, in words the simple man can understand. It doesn't take a lawyer to read it and explain it.

So, yes, let's get back to what our founding fathers wanted for our country. Join www.mybillofrights.org.




Sunday, September 03, 2006

Dear Lord, save me from fundies

I have been trying and trying to get that cafepress logo off my blog, but have had no luck. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know what to do. In detail.

I was having a great Saturday until my daughter called from Michigan and told me it was Sunday. Well, dang.

Then, I read a letter from a fundy on an email group that I belong to and that has set me to the boiling point. He is one of the type who thinks that any time a horrendous storm happens, then it is God's punishment on the evilness of man. I wrote back and asked him that why, if what he believes is true, the French Quarter was basically unharmed. Ya'll remember the French Quarter.....Mardi Gras, topless dancing, etc. And, I asked why Las Vegas is still sitting there with not one thing happening to it.

I also asked what sort of evil was going on when Betsy blew through and almost destroyed Grand Isle, La and the tornado in the 30's that nearly wiped out Tupelo, Ms and then went on to cause havoc in other states. What about the flood in the twenties that killed so many people in Tennessee and Kentucky. This led to the Tenn-Tom waterway. Maybe those ole boys were drinking or selling too much 'shine.

I am going to post part of his email PLEASE KNOW THAT I DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS.....Some tragedies are judgments of God on the wicked. I understand that one of the cities that was hit the hardest was very wicked. Immorality, crime, murders and gambling was rampant. Maybe God allow this to judge them so others would take heed and repent and turn to Him. It is undeniable that America is turning farther away from God all the time. Many of these troubles could be God's warning that He will come in greater judgment on a wicked nation.

This man is the sort of pastor that I run from. On the one hand he acts like God speaks directly to him and then he runs from any questions.

I dare him to come down here to the Mississippi Coast and try to 'minister' to the people still living in tents, under bridges or doubled up with family.

I have seen people leave jobs and families to come down here to help. They open clinics and places where people could get hot meals....sandwiches do get old....they go door to door because they know that not all people can get to the rescue centers. I watched a group of kids with one adult supervising them, replace the roof on one of my neighbor's house. At no cost. The man just had to buy the shingles.

These are the people who impress me. The ones out living their faith, not sitting at home looking for the bad in people.

God Bless them the ones who put their faith in action.

Saturday, September 02, 2006

TV anyone????

Well, I went to the doc's for labwork last Tuesday. My cholesterol is 208, it was 270. I was thrilled, but apparently the doc isn't so he wants me to take yet another med along with the Lipitor. Ah well. I think that if I had not just come back from that fifteen day trip, eating things I shouldn't have, the numbers might have been better. We'll see when I go back to be checked in November.

Being short of money, for various reasons, I have cancelled the premium channels on cable. Which means that now, instead of flipping through 140 channels, trying to find something to watch, I now flip through 60, trying to find something to watch. I do most of my TV watching or hunting,at night. Can someone tell me why there are three channels with Law and Order on? Is it really, truly that good? Then, there are the shows that are trying to get you to try (buy) their way of making a million a year or the makeup ones, or the natural health ones. I found one that seems to talk about excessive fecal matter all the time. They told the world (being facious there) that during John Wayne's autopsy, the doc found forty, FORTY pounds of old fecal matter! No wonder ole John walked like that.
Someone please, dear God I beg you, please put something good to watch on late night TV for us po' folks who need something to help us get in the mood to sleep.

Friday, September 01, 2006

Bricks and ..........

My youngest daughter is spending some days with me while she goes to school. I watch her son who is two and also her Boston Terrier puppy. She stays for three days and then goes home.

A couple of nights ago, I went out to put the trash can by the street and saw a small piece of brick laying by the driveway. Now, this piece of brick has lain on the railroad ties that separates the flower bed from the rest of the grass, forEVER, or near 'bout. So, of course my first thought was that I had interrupted someone who was fixing to break a window and come into the house. I didn't say anything to my daughter because I didn't want her to worry.

Until today. She called and we were just talking about whatever when I decided to tell her about the brick. As soon as I mentioned it, she started laughing. Finally, she says, that she was the one who moved it. Seems her puppy needed to go outside and while Michael was waiting on her to finish she noticed the brick. HER first thought was that someone could use it to break in on us. So, she moved it to the side of the road.

We then decided that with two crazy people living here, we need some way to keep up, so we are going to put a dry erase board up and write down if either of us do anything silly during the night.

When I was out in Utah, I stayed with my friend Leslie's mother. Her house is huge. She has seven bedrooms and five bathrooms and lives alone. Her basement runs the entire length of the house and she put two apartments down there. I spent a lot of time down there, because the upstairs was full of strangers with their kids. One morning I walked up stairs....didn't turn the stair lights on so it felt like coming out of a cave. My friend was standing in the middle on a bagillion people and saw me coming up the stairs. She put her hand to her head and said, ' oh nooooo, this means we will have six more weeks of winter'.

Maybe you had to be there.