Our Debt Dilemma

I don't claim to be an expert in all of this but something happened last night that is most interesting.

We usually watch NBC Evening News.  Last night for some reason we could not get that channel.  So...we opted for ABC and Dianne Sawyer. 

ABC tried an experiment that caught our attention.   They asked five people - some Democrats, some Republicans, and one from the TEA PARTY (heaven forbid) to work together for one hour and see if they could solve this problem that our elected officials just can't seem to handle.

They not only did it, but reduced it by over 2 Trillion (however much that is).   My mind cannot comprehend that much money.

They did not CUT Social Security but extended when you would be eligible to receive it by three years.  They also cut something that was recently brought to our attention - Farm Subsidies.   I know, I have a LOT of friends that get this money and would be angry but why should they get so much money for NOT USING THE LAND.   Man, this has been a thorn in my side every since we heard about it.

When the program was over Ted said, "None of them were running for office."    Kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Summer 2011 and Before

Time passes quickly the older you get.   It seems like just yesterday we were getting ready to start a new century.   Everyone was all worried about what would happen.  Would the world end, would the computers crash and the list went on and on.

We had friends in Winchester that were just sure the end of the world was near.   Of course, that was the type of churches we had down there.

Then came 9/11.   It was an unbelievable day that this could be happening in the U.S.   And how our world has changed since then.

I think of what my life was like growing up and how different our grandchildren's lives are.  We had no T.V., no Interstates, never took a vacation, and the Internet?   Well, that was something we would of thought of as outerspace talk.   We never heard the word RAPE, there were no murders, no one was abducted from their homes, and everyone knew everyone elses business.   We played hide-n-go-seek in the whole town.   I think of the people that helped raise me.   Our little one horse town was a pretty good place to grow up - especially since I had the ONE HORSE there.


Not long ago our oldest grandaughter quizzed me on how things were different when I grew up.   She asked some questions and wanted to know how I felt about how teen agers dress today.  I told her I didn't mind too much, I just wished they'd keep themselves covered more.   She giggled at that.   Then she asked if I'd prefer to go back to that way of living.

No siree.   Not this old gal.   I like having air conditioning in my home and car and I like having the Internet and oh so many more things we now have.

I often think of our parents and how much harder they had to work to get through a week just to survive.  Laundry was a big deal.  Not much else got done that day but then we only did laundry once a week.  My mother had to hang things in her dining room to dry so it was nothing to come home and work your way through sheets, dresses, jeans, socks and who knows what else just to get to the kitchen.  I never heard her complain but I'm sure she would of LOVED to of just gone in the other room and turned on the washer.

My mother never took an airplane flight in her entire life.   I was in my 40's before I had my first trip.  ALL of our grandchildren have flown and two have been to Ecuador.   Goodness.  

And all of a sudden here we are in 2011 headed toward 2012.   January will be here before we know it and all of a sudden it will be July 2012.  

I would really like for all our grandchildren to be able to take a step back into that time frame just for 24 hours.   I'm sure they would be BORED and wonder how on earth we survived.  I don't ever remember being BORED.

OOPS

Well, I was reminded today that I might want to change the title of our gathering we had over the week-end.   SO...I did.

I realized when I typed it that it was probably wrong.   Just for the record we are not members of the KLAN, never have been, never will be, and do not approve of their actions.

However, I heard some of our ancestors had been members.   After reading up on this I get the feeling that several hundred years ago almost ALL MALES were members. 

So...just so ya'all know, we love ALL people.

SMALL PLANE RIDE

Between our house and Lewisburg there is a small airport and Ted found out awhile back they will take you up for a 20 minute flight for a reasonable price.   He's been wanting to go and couldn't find anyone to go with him but this morning he, Benjamin, and Jordan went.

Jordan has really been sick with sunburn but felt well enough to go this morning and we knew they wouldn't be gone very long.    She was not as thrilled with the whole thing as Benjamin was but made it through the flight.

I missed seeing them fly over our house.   Don't know how but we crossed wires somehow.

Ted said Benjamin sat up in the front with the pilot and when they landed he told the pilot "Well, that wasn't too bad"    I bet that guy felt really good after getting that approval.

GATHERING OF THE CLAN

Over the week-end we gathered all of my brother, Jim's, children and grandchildren, plus all of ours and all of our grandchildren, a niece from Missouri and a friend from Indiana.   This is something Jim and I tried many times to accomplish but with one of our children living in Florida and the other in the state of Washington we just never could accomplish it.   But over this past week-end we gathered ALL of them together from far and near.    IT WAS WONDERFUL

I got to know his oldest daughter a bit better and had a chance to visit with his youngest daughter yesterday.   Her son is two and just a clown.   His dad is a magician and before long he's going to have the very best assistant anyone EVER had.   That little boy will capture the hearts of anyone that sees him.

They came out yesterday and had lunch before heading back north to their everyday lives.   I was hoping to have Patrick put on a magic show for Jordan and Benajmin but couldn't bring myself to ask him.   But he did it on his own.

We have a piece of string in my kitchen I saw these two kids cut in three pieces but today is is one long piece of string.   He told us we shouldn't sleep in the same room with it.  

I'm putting a couple of pictures of our reaction to him here.   Words cannot tell you how wonderful this week-end was but one VERY LARGE item will be marked off my bucket list today.

Thanks to all that worked so very hard to make this happen and to all that drove so many miles with a family.

ANTICIPATION

This coming week is going to be VERY BUSY and WONDERFUL.  I am so excited about this family gathering next Saturday.

We are celebrating several birthday's and a reunion of all of Jim's children and grandchildren with ours for the very first time.  

I'll be making a salad or two, some cookies, maybe a peach pie if I get "aroundtuit" and worrying about the families driving long distances to attend.   That's what mother's and grandmother's do.

When you reach the tender age of 75 and 80 these are the things in life that are important - family.  We have no more babies in the families.  A couple of 2 year olds and two boy cousins I cannot wait to see together and both of them have red headed daughters that look enough alike to be sisters in pictures.  

I doubt I'll be able to find the words after this reunion to express how I really feel inside.   I do remember when Meagan was tiny and we would go visit I'd always tell friends "my cup runneth over" after I had seen her.      I have a feeling my cup is going to flood this next week.

SUMMER TIME

There's an old song "Summer Time and The Livin Is Easy"   That's the way this week has been.

We have more darned cucumbers than I can keep up with, now we are getting zucchini too.   Peaches are so abundant in the stores and roadside stands, and tomatoes are teasing us with a ripe one every other day or so.

Getting ready for our big party and can't wait till everyone gets here.   It's going to be wild, fun, and a little crazy.    Some cookies are already baked and frozen.   More to be baked in the coming days.  AND...if I get real energetic I may just make some peach pies but that's not certain yet.   Jim is hoping I will, Ted hopes I decide to keep the two I have in the freezer here for him.    Dear me.   What to do. 

My flowers are dwindling except for the tall phlox and they will still be blooming when we leave in the fall.  I LOVE those flowers.   They last much longer than any others I have in our yard.   My next yard may have more of them. 

We've had nice summer showers all week and the yard is yerning to be cut.  

So...summer time is here.   No denying it when you look at the thermometer.  In the high 80's and 90's all week.    But...our house is dry, no forest fires here and we are anticipating a wonderfully fun time next week.      (I know, that is probably not correct English, but it's the truth)