Monday, November 29, 2010

No Place Like Home

This is our last full day in Naples. It has been a very nice visit. Family here for a good part of it and the rest spent with old friends and doing last minute errands.

Plus we met more nice people in the area where we live so we're building a network.

But tomorrow it's back to the routine. Colder weather, responsibilities and house/yard chores. And it will be great!

Naples, Florida is a terrific place for a vacation home for us, family and friends but it's not home home if you know what I mean.

I can't imagine living here full time--or even a few months at a time.

So good bye Naples until January.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Here's one more thing to never EVER do again

Do you keep a mental list of things you should never do again? I do.

Here's number one on the list. Never, EVER, go shopping at BestBuy the day after Thanksgiving.

In fact don't got anywhere after Thanksgiving except maybe for a long walk in the neighborhood of where ever you may be.

Remember it!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Airport Oddities


I arrived at the airport early Friday to pick up Mike, Becky & the girls so I sat on the chairs situated at the foot of the escalators in the baggage area to wait for them.

I had a good time people watching (I forgot my reading glasses so couldn't read anything).

I observed a number of interesting things.

First, two security people walked by me. One was a man who appeared to be in his late 60s and seriously over weight.

The other was a middle aged woman who was literally morbidly obese.

Neither of them made me feel safer.

Another interesting thing I observed was new arrivals coming down the escalator. Practically everyone of them walked up to the arrivals/departures boards to see which luggage conveyor had their stuff.

The thing is the arrival/departure boards don't give that information. Plus, as they were standing there trying to figure it out, there was an announcement telling them where their luggage would be.

Just goes to show. No one listens to all those announcements that are always going on at Airports.

On a similar note, at the foot of the up escalator is a sign saying if passengers have wheeled luggage, they have to take the elevator.

No one paid one bit of attention that either. It was sometimes kind of comical watching people struggle to get several pieces of luggage onto the escalator.

Finally, you can always tell where people are coming from by the way they're dressed. There I was in my shorts and jersey watching people walk in as I had just the day before in long pants & a sweat shirt. Some people even had winter jackets. I learned they were from Buffalo. Brrrrrr.........

Next will be my observations of silly things I see on the beach!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

A Morning in First Grade

This morning I had the honor of being a guest in Brooke's first grade classroom.

Brooke was selected as the VIP for the week and she asked me to come in and read a story to her class.

When I was done, her teacher and I talked for a while and I'm now going to be helping out on Thursdays.

What's better than that? Winning a fortune in the lottery or Power Ball wouldn't be as good--although the rest of my family might have a different view of that position.

Then when I left Brooke's class, I went to my son's house where I stayed with my two grand sons for a time.

I really do feel bad for people who don't have grand children.

Of course in order to have grand children, you have to have their parents first, right? That's where some people have a problem. But that's OK. If one is not inclined to be a parent, then they shouldn't be.

There's no crime in choosing to have a childless life. But for me it's unthinkable.

Tomorrow we're leaving for Florida. Our children and their children will be coming in soon after. I can't wait!!

Monday, November 15, 2010

The Day With Courtney

Today was my day with Courtney. But she wasn't a hundred percent.

It seems she has a little cold in addition to which she had so much work to do. As she stated to me, she doesn't like dealing with traffic so she's working on line so I wasn't to disturb her!

I can't imagine where she gets this stuff. As far as I know neither of her parents work 'on line'!

Once she got her work done, she pretended she was a school photographer. She took my camera and made me do different poses as she took pictures. Thank God for the delete key.

In between these activities she played on my computer using a drawing program called "Kid Pix".

In the picture you see here she's using her grand mother's iPad. That was the work she was doing 'on line'.

When she wasn't doing those things, she visited her grand mother at her office where Courtney loves the copy machine!

My day with Courtney is always an adventure...and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

...And they're off.....

Here we go. They're off and running.

Little gas bag weasel Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal on the Today show spewing his garbage all over.

He says he's there to peddle his book but what he's really doing is starting his run at the White House.

And so it's started. Turn off your TVs now. It's only going to get worse.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Veterans Day 2010

Veterans Day 2010. To all of my fellow veterans, but especially Vern and Jack who both served in WWII, have a great day and THANK YOU.

Vern served with the 8th Air Force, was shot down over Germany and finished the war as a P.O.W.

Jack was in the Navy and served on battleships USS Alabama and USS Washington.

They both live in Assisted Living facilities now and I visit them on a regular basis. They're stories are a source of great interest to me. I never tire of listening to them.

I hope our newly elected incoming Congress doesn't let them fall through the cracks in their effort to "cut spending"!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Keep Smiling!

As I sit here and write this, my driveway is filling up with sleet, the wind is blowing from the north and the temperature is hovering at 32ยบ.

BUT....ten days from now I will be in sunny Naples, FL, where the temperatures are in the mid 80s.

We'll be there for 12 days.

Stay warm!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Listen Carefully!

A friend of mine recently submitted a blog for posting on my web site. It sums up exactly what the incoming Congress needs to hear.

Rather than paraphrase, I'll give you the link to it. After reading it, consider spreading the word!!

http://georgeswebpage.com/kensblog

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

The voters have their say.

The good news:
Linda McMahon can slink back to her hole $50 million poorer.

The bad news:
With a republican House and democratic president and Senate, don't look for any meaningful reform for the next two years.

More bad news: No sooner will our phones fall silent then it's off to another round of campaigning for the big one in 2012.

Even more bad news: Even though the 'Tea Party' took a hit in most places, it won't silence Sarah Palin!

Oh well. At least I have grand children to distract me!

Monday, November 1, 2010

Don't like your choices? Vote anyway!

I keep hearing two messages out there.

First, so many people are turned off to the nasty campaigning characterizing this year's elections that they're seriously considering not voting.

Bad idea.

Many veterans served to ensure your right to vote. Do it.

Second, I hear the dire predictions for the democrats.

Here are a couple of little reminders:
First, to reject democratic policies is to return government to the people who made the mess in the first place!

Second, how quickly we forget--or conveniently overlook--the fact that had the democratic congress not acted as it did, we would now be in the midst of one of the greatest depressions of all time.

Then what would the right be saying?

Whatever. Get out and vote.