Saturday, August 13, 2011

Saturday to Tulsa

This morning after Bob A. and I have breakfast, I will be going to Tulsa with Leslie. If John decides to go, I will ask Bob A. if he would like to go. Otherwise, it's just Leslie and me. I would like to ask Bob anyhow but this is Leslie's trip.

It rained yesterday afternoon again and also last night. After Bob A. and I had lunch yesterday, Gay called and asked me if I was coming to watch her group line dance at the talent contest. I decided I should do that so I just turned and went to the fairgrounds. Their group did a good job and won first prize. It was $75.00. They donated it to the sponsor of the talent show to add into the money needed for the talent show each year. Afterward she took me to lunch at Sirloin Stockade and we had a good visit. In fact, I had a good visit with all nine of them. It was a fun thing to do. Needless to say, I did not get my grocery shopping done nor did I eat any supper. I wasn't hungry at all. For me.that was a lot of food in one day.

I watch an old Clint Eastwood movie last night called "Endless Power" or something like that. I had seen it years ago at the theater with Bob. It was a good thriller.

I went to bed at 10:00 and slept well.

Leslie's husband, John, also went to Tulsa today so Leslie asked me to ask Bob A. to go too and he did. We drove over to Tyro and parked my car and John and Leslie came by and picked us up in their Toyota SUV. We had a good time and got lots of exercise walking around the mall and ate at a really good fish place. Then we went by a hobby store and John bought some track for his miniature train set. Then we went to the Bass Pro Store in Broken Arrow. All in all, it was a good day and we had a good time.

Friday, August 12, 2011

The Cats Return

Finally late last night Inky came home. Missy finally showed up across the street crying pitifully. I don't know what her problem was unless it was the roofers two doors down. They had worked all day on that roof and made a lot of noise with their nail guns. I went across the street and tried to coax her home but she was having none of it. I finally picked her up and carried her toward home but she frantically tried to get down. I let her down and she finally came into the garage where I was able to open the back door and let her in the house. It took all evening for her to settle down.

Anyhow, the cats are home.

This noon I will pick up Bob A. and we will go eat at Arby's. I printed off a couple of coupons day before yesterday. Tomorrow morning we will eat breakfast at Eggberts. Then if Leslie decides to go, I will go to Tulsa with her.

I may go watch Gay line dance at the fair at 2:00 this afternoon. Afterward she is going to Sirloin Stockade with her friends and she invited me to join them. I may do that too.

Right now I should go take Slinky for his walk. I missed doing that yesterday and it is the highlight of his day.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Another Very Busy Day

This afternoon I met with the alliance officers and we went over the plans for the first part of the year. We will begin on September 1. I will need to take off a little early and make up the time for those meetings. We had arranged to meet at the Eggbert's glassed in room again. Last time they did not put us on the calendar in front and so yesterday I called to make sure they saved that room for us. It was written on the calendar there but they still seated other folks in the room. I met the guys and we went up to Sirloin Stockade and ate there and had our meeting. It lasted until 3:00.

I got my time sheet and job search sheet sent off this morning. Aime likes to receive it on Friday so I asked my supervisor to sign it for me today and when I got home I put it on the mailbox.

Bob A. came over this evening to share the news of his birthday gift from his daughter in Wisconsin. She had sent him some gift certificates for Mexican dinners at a place in Bartlesville, Monterrey House. It has been a month and he had not received them so she called them and read the the riot act. They not only sent what she had ordered but also a lot more. In all he received $85.00 worth of gift certificates. He says I am going to have to help him use them up. I will be happy to do so. He stayed and visited for awhile. We will have lunch tomorrow. I printed off some coupons from Arby's from the internet and we each have one with our names on them.

This evening I mowed again. We have had several days of rain and the grass was getting away from me. I will trim tomorrow if it doesn't rain.

I have not seen Missy or Inky all afternoon and they did not come home for supper. I wonder what has happened to them?

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Another Full Day at Work

Today was another full day at work. I really like my new job.

This afternoon it rained. In fact, it rained all day. I did not job search. I left my umbrella at work this morning by mistake. I have a meeting at 1:00 tomorrow after work so if I job search, it will have to be either before or after that meeting.

I have just watched TV this afternoon. I ate the rest of my Chinese meal from Sunday for lunch.

It has been 76 degrees all afternoon. That's a welcome relief from the heat.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Big Tuesday

I went out to my daughter's house this morning and cleaned it. She makes a regular contribution to my checking account and I always want to do something to help her. She works so hard. So, I cleaned her house this morning. The boys contribute too but they are far away and I can do very little to help them out.

After I finished, I went into Independence and met her for lunch. Cyndi came too. I had hoped to have lunch with just Leslie. Cyndi tends to dominate the conversation when she comes too. Cyndi, much as I love her, is the drama queen.

Then I came home and even though it was just 90 degrees out there, Slinky wanted to come into the kitchen. I imagine he just likes lying on the cool kitchen floor. Anyhow, I had computer work to do so I just brought the laptop into the dining area and to the breakfast bar and am sitting here doing my work while he sleeps beside me.

Tomorrow, I go back to work. I am enjoying my work so much. It is very interesting.

I will go out to Wal Mart this evening and see if I can find the Vampire Diaries Second Season for Scott. If I can, I will buy it for him and send it to him. I don't know whether Keith has a DVD player or not there in Iraq. I could get some movies for him too from time to time if he does.

More later....

That DVD series isn't to be released until August 30th so I guess I won't be able to buy it after all.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Charley Reeses's Column

Charley Reese's final column for the Orlando Sentinel...
He has been a journalist for 49 years.
He is retiring and this is HIS LAST COLUMN.

Be sure to read the Tax List at the end.

This is about as clear and easy to understand as it can be. The article below is completely neutral, neither anti-republican or democrat. Charlie Reese, a retired reporter for the Orlando Sentinel, has hit the nail directly on the head, defining clearly who it is that in the final analysis must assume responsibility for the judgments made that impact each one of us every day. It's a short but good read. Worth the time. Worth remembering!

545 vs. 300,000,000 People
-By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The President does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The President can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? John Boehner. He is the leader of the majority party. He and fellow House members, not the President, can approve any budget they want. If the President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.

If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan ...

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.

Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees...

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

What you do with this article now that you have read it... is up to you.
This might be funny if it weren't so true.
Be sure to read all the way to the end:

Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table,
At which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.

Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for
peanuts anyway!

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.

Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass.

Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers;
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.

Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid...

Put these words
Upon his tomb,
'Taxes drove me
to my doom...'

When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax


STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was the most prosperous in the world.

We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What in the heck happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'

Nice Monday

This has been a lovely day. It just now at 4:30 in the afternoon reached 90 degrees. It has been in the 80's all day. I took off this morning to go to Bartlesville to get new makeup at the Merle Norman store. Unfortunately they are closed on Mondays. I walked around the mall but there was really nothing I needed so I bought gas at $3.38 a gallon and came on back home. I ate lunch here. I warmed up some of my Chinese food that I brought home yesterday from Hong Kong Delight.

This afternoon I had a piece of my Earthquake cake and took two pieces over to Bob A. too. Then I went to sonic to get a cherry limeade slush. They are very refreshing.

Slinky happily spent the day outdoors enjoying the refreshing coolness. There's also a nice breeze.

I worked on my August sermon for August 21st and also on my September 18th sermon. I have nothing going tonight so will probably watch TV if there's anything decent on the tube.

Tomorrow I will clean Leslie's house. Then, if she's free, I will meet her for lunch.

More later...

There was nothing worthwhile on TV and we did have a thunderstorm come up. Right now it is north of us but it will probably soon be here. We need the rain.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Crowded Sunday

This will be a big day. I preside at church today. I will go to church at 9:00 this morning with Bob A. and then afterward, several of us will go to lunch. After that, when I get home, I will make up my dessert for tonight's Living the Questions group meeting here.

At 3:00 is the surprise birthday party for Jerry A., the Episcopal priest. That lasts until 5:00. Then I will come home and do some last minute sprucing up at the house. At 7:00 they will start coming. There will be at least three missing tonight. Joyce and Keith are out of town, and so is Richard.

But Jack and Marilyn will be here and bring Gary, Richard and Mona will probably come, Bobby and Karan should be here, Howard and Judy will be here and I will make ten. I think that will be all. They are usually gone by 9:00.

But it will be a big day.

Scott called at 5:00 this morning. I was making up my face but sat down and chatted with him for twenty five minutes. I know he is lonely and I always enjoy hearing from him. Leslie called last evening on her way to the market. We may go to Tulsa on Saturday to pick up her ring. Helzberg's replaced the diamond she lost.

I told her I would clean her house on Tuesday. That's the least I can do for her.

I haven't heard from Keith lately. He usually e-mails me. I don't think he has a free phone like Scott does.

Perhaps more later...

I attended the birthday party. I was really disappointed that only three of our ministers attended it.

The cake for tonight doesn't look all that good. It looks like an earthquake hit it alright. It's called an Earthquake cake. I may go get some cool whip to put on it to cover the cracks or ice it with a powdered sugar icing. I have a couple of hours until the meeting here. It had better taste better then it looks.

Update: The cake was wonderful and a real hit. I did ice it with chocolate powered sugar icing and that hid the cracks. The meeting was very good and there were seven of us. I served it with green raspberry tea. That went over well too.