Off to Florida

Off to Naples, Florida for 12 days,  the first week of which will include Becky and her family.  Can't wait for some sunshine and relaxation.

Pent up anger

Message One  4/20

George,

 If I can figure this new ballot out, I'm voting to reduce the budget.  How come no one has spoken up on behalf of folks like me, long time resident on a fixed income, raising taxes almost 5%. I haven't seen one letter in the Bee against it.  People I guess are afraid because of 12/14 and that Police Department and Board of Ed. are taking advantage!

 

They want to create a police state with all these new cops and security guards, they're looking to get that full time kindergarten that was voted down last year, they want to spend a minimum of $45 million for a school in Sandy Hook.

 

They're driving me out of this town those bastards.

 

Why don't you do something, blogger person, no I guess you support all that bullshit.  

Message Two 4/22

Boy, spoken like a brain washed school teacher(retired w/money).  I know the SH-$45 million isn't in this budget, thank god.You really think the State and Fed. is going to cough up bucks huh, where the hell are they going to get the money, both are in serious debt or didn't you know that?

The families will move on in three years or less.  The teachers have to suffer a little, most of which probably live in another town like Kehoe, and don't have to foot the bill.  The full time kindergarten, I think, is a bad idea.  It's just a babysitting service for these yuppie Newtown people, they should stay home and play with the kids and do like you do with your grandchildren.  Kids have to learn how to play and amuse themselves, not in a structured school environment.

My solution would be to stay at Chalk Hill as long as possible (time heals), maybe do a little dress up to the current school and move on.  None of these big memorials planned, just move on.  The more you make out of this whole thing the more chance someone else wants to top it!

A little side note do you realize you car tax will go up about 35% in this budget because of the reevaluation coupled with this 5% increase.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

The budget for the Town of Newtown went down to defeat on Tuesday the 23rd.  Both the government side and the Board of Education side were voted down with there being a much larger margin of defeat on the Bd of Ed side.

Most government officials and many citizens assumed that in the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy, it would pass easily.  Not so.

Consider the above two messages I rec'd from a friend of mine recently.    Judging by the turnout, it would appear the writer is not alone in his sentiments.  

Opponents of the budget have been very quiet this budget season for obvious reasons.  They don't want to appear to be unsupportive of the town as it continues to make its way through a very difficult period.  So instead of filling the papers with all sorts of hostile comments, they simply protest quietly through the ballot box.  I guess that's a good thing.

So in this respect at least, not much has changed in Newtown.  The battle of the budget lives on...and on...and on....

The spirit of volunteerism

Where would we be without volunteers-those people who do things for other people for absolutely nothing.  Well, not exactly nothing.  Maybe there's no monetary reward but the other rewards far out weigh any money one would receive.

Last night an organization called Golden Opportunities hosted a dinner for the volunteers who are associated with it. 

It was a great 'opportunity' to meet other "opportuners".  There was a lot of good conversation and many people shared stories of their volunteering adventures.

From time to time I'll hear someone who is retired complain that they're bored or there's nothing to do or they don't have any special skills to be a volunteer. 

That of course is nonsense.  You don't need  special skills to volunteer.  At a minimum all you need to do is sit and listen and occasionally move the conversation along with a few questions.

Many elderly people are lonely and would welcome the company.  But one does not need to volunteer with the elderly if that's not your particular cup of tea.  There are many other ways to reach out and improve the lives of others.  Sometimes it's in a big way, sometimes not.  It doesn't matter.  Just do it.  You'll never regret it.

2013 class pictures of Cole & Nicholas

Congrats Boston Police/FBI

They got him.  Now the politicking begins with Republican Senator Lindsay Graham criticizing President Obama for deciding to try the guy in civil criminal court rather than Federal court.  Graham's an idiot.

And to add insult to injury, did you see the report that Fox News came out with a line of criticism of Obama blaming  the Boston bombing on him due to his Middle East policies. 

Hey, Jerks.  Chechnya isn't in the middle east and even if it was, the two men who did this made their choices. 

Unbelievable the lengths the extreme right will go to to blame all the world's ailments on Obama.  As I've said before here, they're more dangerous than most other groups.

Whose pocket are they in? As if we didn't know.

Here they are, 46 gutless cowards.  They simply couldn't muster the courage to buck the NRA & its constant stream of lies.  They have no right serving in the Senate of the United States.  They have to be removed from office...the right way...at an election. 

Happy birthday to Nicholas

Today is grand son Nicholas's 4th birthday.  He is the youngest of the four grand children. 

It's amazing how quickly the time passes.  Soon he along with the others will be in school full time.  And as I've noted in previous posts, it will be on to new interests and activities. 

I'm glad to be around to witness and even participate in much of it.

Happy birthday, Nicholas.

Nicholas at first baseball practice

Yesterday, Wednesday the 10th, Nicholas participated in his first baseball practice.  He actually missed the very first one the week before due to illness but he didn't miss a beat this week.  He's going to be a great little athlete fortunately taking after his father and not his grand father.

Back to the club

Yesterday, Newtown Country Club had a membership program.  Participants got lunch and a round of golf. 

At the urging of a friend of ours, we went.  The lunch was good, the people were very nice but the golf was terrible.  I didn't get one single decent shot off and it was a cold, windy day for which I was not properly dressed.  By the time we were done, I was frozen stiff.

If spite of all of that, the discounts offered to join the club were very generous so we plan to rejoin.  Golf definitely is not one of my favorite activities but when you play with people you know it's not too bad and Sandi likes it anyway.

Who knows?  Maybe as has been suggested, the more I play the better I'll get.  That's the theory anyway. 

NOW spring is here...for real...but there's always another winter (sorry).

It's Friday and just about 60 degrees as I write this so I think it's safe to say spring has finally sprung.

In addition to the usual spring chores like yard cleanup, powerwash house, wash windows, prepare for a garden, etc. I also have to think ahead, way ahead, to yet another winter.

Toward that end, herewith I present the results of several hours of effort and several truck loads of wood from a couple here in town who had considerable storm damage and has wood to spare.

I figure I went through about 3 cords last year so I'm aiming for 4 to be on hand.  I think I have about another cord to go.

Herein is my last word on the issue of gun control

In view of the fact that we're on the eve of CT becoming the state with the most stringent gun control laws, I feel it appropriate to make a few observations before leaving this issue for good.

If you're one of the many "extreme"  gun rights advocate, my words fall on deaf ears.  If, however, you--like me--realize the need for some degree of control similar to what we have for freedom of the press and speech, then I'm preaching to the choir.

I'll proceed anyway.

First, let's put this whole Second Amendment thing into historical context.
When the founding fathers wrote this amendment we were a nation just coming off a war against a foreign country that was fought entirely on our soil.

Second, ninety percent of the population at the time lived in very rural areas where they needed firearms for protection and hunting.

Finally, the weapon of choice was...well, there was only one choice...a muzzle-loading musket that took 3 minutes to prepare to fire...or a bow and arrow.

So with that in mind, the founding fathers knew little of the world to come--high speed, high capacity assault rifles (make no mistake about it.  They ARE assault rifles as much as gun rights wing nuts try to spin it).

Having said all that, as someone who has enjoyed sport shooting myself, I do believe in the 2nd Amendment, but not in its current carnation.

Now, what about CT's stringent law.  It's a good start, I guess, but to no avail unless the entire nation is on board.  When it's possible to go to Texas, or Indiana, or Georgia, or Montana or wherever to purchase on the spot just about anything you want, well, obviously CT's efforts are minimal at best.

So that's it.  Just a little common sense.  Consider why the military went from 20 round clips like I used in the 60s to 30 round clips.  Simple.  You want to produce more casualties?  Cut down on loading time.  The NRA says that's ridiculous, but it isn't.  It's simply a fact.

Don't bother responding.  I'm not going to read it.

FINI

Having children-from a child's perspective

 My grand daughters were visiting with us over the weekend.  They are 9 and 6.

The girls were sitting in the living room watching a movie while I was reading the paper.  Out of the blue the 6-year-old suggested that grammy and I should have another kid.  That way when they come over, they'd have someone to play with.

I replied that we were really too old to continue having children and that we enjoyed being grand parents.  The 9-year-old jumped in by pointing out we're going to be dead soon and then what would the child do?

The 6-year-old thought this over and then asked when do people start having kids-15? 16?

I said no, that's too young.  People usually get married in their 20s and then have a family some time after that.

Her response was so you have to be married to have kids?

I chickened out and said yes (which after discussing this with my daughter was the right thing to say).

Then my grand daughter observed well maybe  you can adopt a child any time, right?  At which time her older sister answered for me by saying sure you can adopt whenever you want.

I took that opportunity to steer the conversation in another direction but it left me thinking about how kids form their opinions and where they get their ideas.

They certainly hear bits and pieces of what others around them are saying--kids as well as adults-- not to mention what they're getting from TV.   I find it interesting  to see how young children put this information together.

That's why effective, common sense parenting is so important.  Kids need to know just enough to understand reality but not so much that they're overwhelmed or confused.

Parenting.  It's a tough job.  Yet one of the few things for which you need no special training or licensing to be one.  Go figure.