"Remember" Memorial Day

Let's not forget the true meaning of Memorial Day.

Click on the below link to read a short piece I posted on Newtown Patch.

http://newtown.patch.com/articles/we-must-never-forget

Ron White Said It Best

I've been hearing and reading about the folks who took seriously the rapture prediction that the world was going to end today, May 21.

Some of them actually maxed out their credit cards, living high because what the hell, tomorrow we'll all be dead. Then there were those who ran for the hills or did other things that they will never be able to undo.

Well, here we are. The sun came up this morning. We're slowly getting our garden planted. A passing T storm has made it necessary to finish up tomorrow which we will indeed live to see.

And for those who put it all on the line thinking the predictions were accurate? Well, comedian Ron White said it best, "You can't fix stupid."

A Logic Lesson from a 4-year-old

Yesterday my 4-year-old grand daughter looked at me very seriously and explained that she had 3 canker sores in her mouth and the cure for canker sores is juice-not ordinary juice. It has to be frozen. And since popsicles are basically frozen juice, I should please give her one so she can feel better.

How does one refute such logic? She got the popsicle!

What a lineup!!!!

Let's see. Who do we have so far? Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich and Donald Trump!

Obama must beside himself. Not only is he enjoying a 'bump' from the demise of bin Laden but he's got three of the world's biggest losers running against him...so far.

Buckle up, boys & girls. We're in for a rough ride!

Guest blogger describes a recent ordeal

NOTE: From time to time I will post the remarks of guest bloggers. Here is the first of such posts. It was submitted by my friend, Gene Garriepy.

This past week has been quite an eventful one. A royal wedding, the capture and killing of Osama Bin Laden, and the removal of a seventy-seven year old body part known as a gall bladder.

Take it from me, if you’re headed for surgery, laparoscopic is the way to go.

The Open Cholecystectomy is a thing of the past. No more three week recovery periods in the hospital. Nobody can afford it anyway. Just four small incisions are required, which, I might add, heal quickly and allow for a continued wearing of your favorite bikini.

But as with any surgery, there are risks and down sides. Your surgeon will be more than pleased to run down the list from misplacing your clothing to a Med. Insurance screw-up, which could cost the freedom of your wife and children.

I was in at 7:45AM and released to a bright new beautiful world at 5:30PM that same day.

The next five days were not without some discomfort or tenderness at the surgery point, together with some shoulder pain as a result of a gas used in the surgery. How well one deals with the anesthesia is a matter of individual differences.

The staff was just wonderful. Thoughtful, patient, and sensitive to my fears and needs.

Giving oneself over to strangers is not easy. But as Mommy would say, put trust in the skill of the surgeon and your faith in God.

As for the Royal wedding, I wish them a long and happy marriage. It sure cost enough.

Bin Laden’s ending was final justice. Though I might have wished he had the surgery I underwent without the benefit of anesthesia!

Is it time to privatize the U.S. Postal Service?

Our return to CT after 10 days in Florida was nearly flawless.

Our trip to the airport Sunday morning was smooth sailing. Check in at the airport? No problem.

Boarding the plane fairly efficient. We even got off a bit early and arrived in Westchester, NY ahead of schedule.

Pete picked us up and the ride home was without delay.

But today I went to the post office at around noon--it's busiest time--to pick up our vacation mail. Two people were at the counter when I got there. When I was about two people away from being waited on, one of the counter clerks announced she was taking a break and left one person there.

The line quickly extended out the door.

The one clerk who was there repeatedly called for assistance. Several postal workers walked by, peeked in, looked around--and left!

Finally, after a great deal of grumbling by people waiting, someone came to help out.

Yes, it's time. There's nothing like a little competition to streamline an operation!

There's no place like home

Our week at our condo in Florida is drawing to a close. The weather was very nice although a tad too hot for me. Nineties every day and no rain.

We're heading back home on Mother's Day.

It was a very relaxing week for us--but we missed the family a great deal. I did manage to get four framed picture collages on walls to look at but it's certainly not like being with them.

Nevertheless, we managed to have a great visit with Sandi's brother, Tom and his wife Kathy, and a not so great visit with her other brother, Ray, but on the flip side his wife Geri is a great gal.

Spent time at the beach and pool, ate out, went to Old Naples and generally enjoyed ourselves. We even got to the exercise room at the club house a few times.

We very happy we bought this place and look forward to many more trips here--with the little ones (and their parents of course).

But it sure will be good to get back home--to a lawn that needs cutting badly.

Farewell, Naples, until October.

Justice is done

...but it's bittersweet. With the killing of Osama Bin Laden, this country can finally bring closure to one of its most rending experiences.

Of course it won't bring back the thousands of lives lost on that terrible day nor will it bring back the thousands of men and women who gave their lives for their country since then. But at least we kept our word to the rest of the world and got to see a final accounting.

I'm sure the survivors of the 9/11 victims are feeling at least slightly better now as are the survivors of the many members of our armed forces who were killed fighting terrorism.

The fight isn't over but it's my guess the US starts to change the way it's doing things in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We need to find a different approach to the threat that still exists. One that involves fewer people and maybe relies more on sophisticated weapon systems like drones and 'smart' bombs and a well developed intelligence network which apparently had a lot to do with finding Bin Laden.

So this chapter ends--finally.

Oh, one more thing. Obama critics take note: 9/11 started on Junior's watch and ended on Obama's. Interesting.