Two recent blessings.

These two things have been in the works for a week or so now. I just got final confirmation today.

First, the guys at church have offered to pay for getting my car fixed (brakes). We've been down to one car which means I miss classes and services since we live so far away. We've simply been putting it off due to other priorities. It's been like 3-4 months.

One of the ladies in my Ladies' Class ratted me out :) She told them that benevolence begins at home, and she suggested the church pay to fix my car. One of the guys brought his truck and trailer over and picked it up. That was a 120 mile round trip. I can't believe he did that. He will be taking it to get it fixed and I'll pick later.

Next weekend I get to go to a Women of Faith conference. A group of ladies are going, but one backed out due to having a conflicting engagement. I get to attend in her place. All I have to pay for is my food and souvenir type items. I am excited :) I can't wait to see Pasty Clairmont. Her books make me laugh so much. Anita Renfroe is going to be there too! She is an awesome speaker/comedienne. I am so excited to be traveling with the ladies from church. They are a laugh a minute. It's going to be a blast!!!!!!!

http://www.womenoffaith.com/conferences/stpaul/


On another note, I haven't been blogging much the past couple of weeks or visting blogs. I've been spending most of my time studying or trying to take care of winter prep. I plan on taking a few moments here and there to catch-up over the next week or so.

So Long Self (Mercy Me)

Christmas Lists: Yea or Nay?

I vote Yea!

I like how a list enables me to get new ideas from my son.  I can't possibly notice all of his interests the older he gets.  I'm just not as involved as I was when he was 4.  I notice the biggies, but the smaller ones that aren't in front of my face go unnoticed.

Lists give me a way to avoid the same old, same old gifts.  My son doesn't do sports, crafts or mechanics, so lists give me ideas.  Lists also eliminate the gifts that sit in a box for eternity until kiddo can toss it without being seen.  A prime example would be the wood burning kit that is sitting in the garage.  Why did I buy something like that for an super not-crafty kid?!?!  Stupid mom moment!

Obviously, we don't do the huge gimme list.  But he does frequently give me a starting point.  For instance, he tells me which PS2/PC games are interesting, what type of movie and which are his favorite.

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Teenagers are weird creatures.

Thursday: Roast night.

The boy balks at riding his bike to the store for carrots for tonight's roast. He balks even louder when I send him a second time for more. They were A LOT cheaper than I thought. Two minutes after getting home, he offers to peel potatoes and carrots. About 15 minutes later, he offers me his Reese's PB cup. He had bought one for each of us.


Friday:  Chili night. 

I throw hamburger in microwave to thaw before running to store to grab ingredients.  Come home and start frying hamburger while kiddo volunteers to peel onions.  Claims he wants to learn how?!?!  I notice that I am out of chili powder.  Why couldn't notice that before my first trip to the store when I was checking my ingredients?!?!  While I have to make a second trip to the store for chili powder, my son cuts the onions up while keeping an eye on the meat.  After I get back he volunteers to open all the cans (tomatoes & beans).  He willingly rinses all of the empty cans for recycling and starts cleaning up.  He even vacuums my rugs in the kitchen (two runners for the dogs as they slip on the vinyl).


Weird boy that I have :)

I like this economic plan :)

Granted I know it will never happen and it's a joke, but it makes more sense than what the politicians (all of the idjits) are peddling.

The Birk Economic Recovery Plan

Hi Pals,

I’m against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG.

Instead, I’m in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a ' We Deserve It Dividend ' .

To make the math simple, let’s assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+.

Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up..

So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billon that equals $425,000.00.

My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a We Deserve It Dividend. Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let’s assume a tax rate of 30%.

Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes.

That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam.

But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket. A husband and wife has $595,000.00.

What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?

Pay off your mortgage – housing crisis solved.

Repay college loans – what a great boost to new grads

Put away money for college – it’ll be there

Save in a bank – create money to loan to entrepreneurs.

Buy a new car – create jobs

Invest in the market – capital drives growth

Pay for your parent’s medical insurance – health care improves

Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean – or else

Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.

If we’re going to re-distribute wealth let’s really do it...instead of trickling out a puny $1000.00 ( “vote buy” ) economic incentive that is being proposed by one of our candidates for President.

If we’re going to do an $85 billion bailout, let’s bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!

As for AIG – liquidate it. Sell off its parts.

Let American General go back to being American General. Sell off the real estate.

Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.

Here’s my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn’t.

Sure it’s a crazy idea that can “never work.”

But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party!

How do you spell Economic Boom?

I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion ' We Deserve It Dividend ' more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC.

And remember, The Birk plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.

Ahhh...I feel so much better getting that off my chest.

P.S.
I know the math is goofy.  It's a joke so don't think too hard on it :)

Step of Faith (Carman & Ricky Skaggs)

Ruby Tuesday

Ruby Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Teach over at Work of The Poet.  The basic premise is to post a picture (your own) with either a little red or a lot of red.  This week The Teach has requested we post a picture with a little red in it.

This is yet another flower picture from my visit to the Como Zoo and Conservatory this past June.  I truly loved visiting that place. If I had known it was so spectacular, I would have stopped every summer after my annual camping trip.  It's not like it's out of my way or expensive (free-will offering).

Thank you for visiting.  You can find more participants at Work of The Poet.

Camera Critters

 

  

A couple more pictures from my recent vacation.  This is off a pier on Lake Pepin in Pepin, WI.

Camera Critters is hosted by Misty Dawn. Please take a moment to stop by her site to find other great posts involving critters.

It's nice to see she hasn't forgotten.

I don't know much about the views of the polictical parties in Britain, but I like what J.K. Rowling had to say and did.

J.K. Rowling gives $1.8M gift to UK ruling party

SkyWatch Friday

SkyWatch Friday is hosted by a team of bloggers (Tom, SandyCarlson, and Imac).  Be sure to stop by and visit them.

The following pictures were taken by pier in Pepin, Wisconsin on June 28 of this year.  I think I was kneeling in the first one in an attempt to get the entire tree.  That is why my photo is a bit lop-sided.  The hills on the other side are Minnesota.  

 

Here is a close-up of the roots.  There were a few other trees growing like this.  

 

In the following two frames, I am still around the tree, but concentrating on the bigger view here.  The clouds were moving pretty fast which changed the lighting nicely.

 

Thank you for visiting.  Please stop by SkyWatch Friday to find more participants.

When I was a kid, mom used to sing to me.

Mom didn't sing the tradition kiddie songs much. She preferred to sing the songs she loved. That was Country & Western songs, which as most can guess is not your typical children's fare. I loved to hear mom sing. We used to have some great car rides and we never needed a radio.

Some of my favorites were:

Johnny Cash "Long Black Veil"




Johnny Cash "5 Feet High and Rising"



Johnny Cash "I Got Stripes"




Johnny Cash "Frankie & Johnny"



Notice a theme? Is it any wonder Johnny Cash is one of my favorite singers/songwriters.