12 Days of Christmas

So this year if you can't decide on what kind of gift to get someone there is always the gifts from the song: 12 Days of Christmas. This year the cost for all 12 days is $86,609 compared to $78,100 last year. What do you get for your money? Glad you asked.

The partridge costs $20 but what do you do with a partridge, where do you keep it? So the bird is cheap the supplies aren't. Can you eat a partridge.

The pear tree is $200, but you can't plant a pear tree just any part of the country and if you keep your partridge in the pear tree, what keeps the bird from flying away? I dont think either of these are very practical gifts.

Two turtledoves are $55, you can get them free from my deck, I must have a dozen or so, maybe I can make some money out of my backyard selling turtle doves. Again more birds and what do you do with them, I do know people eat doves.

French hens are $30, again with the birds, what do you do with them. Who wrote this song and thought they were great gifts, did this guy do drugs?

Calling birds are $600, they are canaries, do they really cost that much and what do they call out? Stop with the birds already, who asks for birds for a Christmas gift.

Five Gold Rings $350, finally maybe something someone can use but 5? Do you wear them on one hand but not the other or do you start and count every other finger including thumbs? I would want a little stone or something like tanzanite or black coral to go with those plain gold rings.

Geese a laying $240, omg stop already with the birds, was this guy a real birdbrain? Someone have a passion for birds? So how come the big birds cost less than the little birds?

Swans a swimming $5600 Wow these babies are expensive and where do you keep them, how many people have a pond to keep the geese and swan in. what do all these birds eat?

Maids a milking $52. These ladies dont even make minimum wage and what are they milking, what do you with the milk and do you have to pay their FICA, etc.

Ladies dancing $4,759. Perhaps the maids a milking should take dance lessons, that is where the money is and what kind of dance do these ladies do?

Lords a leaping $4414, apparently the skills here are not as great as the ladies dancing. What would you do with a leaping lord?

Pipers Piping $2285. I have no idea what good they would be unless you had some plumbing to do.

Drummers drumming $2475. It would appear the ladies dancing make the most. All that drumming would drive me nuts.

You know, I have sang this song I don't know how many times but never really paid attention to it until the article in the paper talking about the costs. A really weird song if you ask me.

December 1

Just months ago it was the 4th of July and here it is 30 days from the end of the year. Where has the year gone. They say as you get older, boy are they right. Black Friday was not as bad as I thought it might be but then mom and I did not get up at o dark early, we got a lot of bargains.

Saturday we had snow showers all day to turn into this by Sunday morning. Officially our first snow and for me winter is over, Spring Please! I hate winter more and more every year.

I finally also took pictures of the two knitting magazines I bought in Florence, I figure babelfish and i are going to become real close soon, there are quite a few projects I would love to make from them and my yarn purchases. There was an outlet store that I wish I had brought the gray/white yarn for a sweater, would have been about $15 for the yarn but limited suitcase space will keep you on that yarn diet. The one yarn store I went to and met Beatrice she GAVE me this beautiful needlepoint canvas of the Ponte Vecchio where the jewelry stores fold up into jewelry boxes at night. I don't know why but I recently got all my thread and plan on starting it over the holidays.

Those Crazy Europeans

I heard this morning on the way to work, England has a new chocolate bar out. It is 3.5 oz and costs $9. That must be some chocolate but wait til you hear what they put in it and they can't keep them on the shelves. The actually put applwood smoked bacon in their chocolate bars. Now I love chocolate and like bacon but together? I think I will not only pass on the cost but the fact that they put meat in chocolate. That is just...I don't know what that is.

Let me know if you try this.

Signs

Sign over a Gynecologist's Office:
'Dr. Jones, at your cervix.'
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In a Podiatrist's office:
Time Wounds All Heels.
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On a Septic Tank Truck:
Yesterday's Meals--on Wheels
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At a Proctologist's door:
To expedite your visit, please back in.
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On a Plumber's truck:
We Repair What Your Husband Fixed
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On another Plumber's truck:
Don't sleep with a drip; Call your plumber!


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On a Church's Billboard:
7 days without God makes one weak.
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At a Tire Shop inMilwaukee:
Invite us to your next blowout.
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At a Towing company:
We don't charge an arm and a leg: We want tows.
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On an Electrician's truck:
Let Us Remove Your Shorts
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In a Nonsmoking Area:
If we see smoke, we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action.
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On a Maternity Room door:
Push. Push. Push!
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At an Optometrist's Office:
If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place.
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On a Taxidermist's window:
We really know our stuff.
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On a Fence:
Salesmen Welcome! Dog Food Is Expensive!
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At a Car Dealership:
The best way to get back on your feet: miss a car payment.
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Outside a Muffler Shop:
No appointment necessary; We hear you coming.
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In a Veterinarian's waiting room:
Be back in 5 minutes. Sit! Stay!
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At the Electric Company
We will be de-lighted if you send in your payment.
However, if you don't, you will be.
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In a Restaurant window:
Don't stand there and be hungry; come on in
And get fed up.
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In the front yard of a Funeral Home:
Drive carefully! We'll wait...
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At a Propane Filling Station:
Thank heaven for little grills.
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And don't forget the sign at a
CHICAGO RADIATOR SHOP:
Best place in town to take a leak
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Sign on the back of another Septic Tank Truck:
CAUTION - This Truck is Full of Political Promises

Merry Christmas

What is wrong with the country besides the idiots that voted for the next POTUS, is we no longer use the word Christmas. I saw lights up on the way to work and two radio stations started playing seasonal music the day after Halloween. The AFA website says it is ok to say Merry CHristmas along with Bill O'Reilly of The Factor. THe problem is we forgot Christmas is all about Jesus birth not trees, and gifts. DOn't get me wrong I like getting the trees out and getting gifts, but the reason our country is in such a mess is because we have forgotten who we are and what Christmas is really for.

This is America, we speak English and we celebrate Christmas and say Merry Christmas. IF you don't like it go back to wherever you came from, you can say what you like in your own country. When I went to Italy they did not say press 1 for Italian and 2 for English, if you did not speak Italian, too bad, we need to say too bad if you don't speak English, it is our native language, get used to it. Stand up AMerica and take our country back.

And oh by the way MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Lion King and Madagascar

I went to see The Lion King last Thursday. I did not know what to expect. I had not seen the animated movie and did not know the story line. WOW, what a great experience. The costumes were over the top and when the animals came on stage they walked through the audience. When they put their heads down you could see the mask. The monkey and wart hog were my favs. If you get a chance to go see this performance, do so, the costumes alone are worth the money. I would definitely go see this again.

Madagascar was hilarious. The bad lion in the movie looked a lot like the bad lion in The Lion King and acted alike as well. I think I liked this one better than the first one. If you need to laugh your self silly go see it.

Election Day

Today is a day every American should be proud of. It is still a privilege that we can vote for our elected officials. This election has gone on way too long and honestly one of the candidates has been in our face for what seems like eternity. I left the house early and got to the polls at 5:45am, it was 60 degrees and a pretty morning to stand outside waiting to get in to vote. An hour later i had voted a straight Republican ticket except for the sheriff and on my way to work. I was gonna wait til the afternoon but my nervousness would not let me wait. As I was pulling out of the parking lot I felt a peace come over me as I told God I had done my part and now it was in His hands. I can only hope America has enough smart people to vote McCain into office.

I wanted Fred Thompson but in this case there is no way I would vote Democrat especially knowing what Pelosi/Reid/Frank has done to us.

Whatever happens I hope you voted because it is still a privilege at least for this election.

From a Friend

First off, we have McCain vs. Obama for president. Not even a contest. A proven man (war hero, lifetime of service to our country), or a man that has to prove himself (what has he accomplished other than writing a book?). With all due respect to Sen. Obama, John McCain has my vote hands down. And who cares how old he is? Oh! But what if he should die? Well, we have Sarah Palin on the ticket.

All this to-do about Sarah Palin's experience. Well, numerous US presidents were governors first, perhaps representing the fact people always had known the experience that was gained in the office of governor. Has something changed that we now doubt it? Oh, she's a she. I guess that is what is being questioned since it was never questioned before. Clinton and Bush's campaign are the most recent. I don’t remember anyone questioning their experience. I mean, they were governors.

Let's be real, if a person can successfully lead a state in the US, then they can also be able to lead the country. Isn't a state just a somewhat miniaturized version of the country? Of course. but no one will admit it. Several other presidents were governors first and again, in their campaigns, no one ever questioned their experience. Oh! They were he's. Ya' think?

In all, 19 presidents were governors first. A few of them were not governors in the modern sense of the term; that is, they governed territories rather than states. Andrew Jackson acted as military governor to the Florida Territory and as governor to the Northwest Territory in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. William Harrison governed the Indiana Territory for twelve years at the beginning of the 19th century. Lastly William Taft served as Governor-General in the Philippines at the beginning of the 20th century.

In the early years of the US, the following presidents were governors first:


Thomas Jefferson: the first president to hold the position of governor, served as Virginia’s governor from 1779-1781
James Monroe: served as Governor of Virginia from 1799-1802, and again served for a brief period as the 16th Governor of Virginia from January through April in 1811.
John Tyler: another Governor of Virginia, serving from 1825-1827

Following governors from Virginia, other presidents were governors first from a variety of other states:


Martin Van Buren: Governor of New York in 1829
James Polk: Governor of Tennessee, serving from 1839-1841
Andrew Johnson: Governor of Tennessee from 1853-1857 and then appointed by Lincoln to serve as military governor of Tennessee from 1862-1864
Rutherford Hayes: Governor of Ohio from 1868-1872 and again from 1876-1877
Grover Cleveland: Governor of New York from 1883-1885
William McKinley: Governor of Ohio from 1892-1896

Numerous presidents were governors first in the 20th century. The list begins with Theodore Roosevelt, first Governor of New York from 1899-1901. Others on this list are:


Woodrow Wilson: Governor of New Jersey from 1911-1913
Calvin Coolidge: Governor of Massachusetts from 1919-1921
Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Governor of New York from 1929-1933
James Carter: Governor of Georgia from 1971-1975
Ronald Regan: Governor of California from 1967-1975
William J. Clinton: Governor of Arkansas from 1983-1992
George W. Bush: Governor of Texas from 1995-2000
Guess what? In comparison, only 12 presidents were senators and not governors (some were both governors and senators). They were: John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Benjamin Harrison, Warren G. Harding, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard M. Nixon.

The fact that more of all U.S. presidents were governors as opposed to senators suggests the importance of the Governor' Office with respect to the presidency.

When reflecting on which presidents were senators, think of these names and their reputation: Andrew Jackson, (most degrading campaigning ever. The stress killed his wife), Harry Truman (actually not elected. He was vice president and was sworn in after President Franklin D. Roosevelt died in office in April, 1945. Truman, in fact, gave the go-ahead to deploy the atomic bombs over Nagasaki and Hiroshima in Japan), John F. Kennedy (we do remember Marylyn, don’t we?), Lyndon B. Johnson (was never elected but sworn in after the assassination of JFK and went down in history as one of the worst presidents in US history), and Richard M. Nixon (do I have to remind anyone he left in disgrace after resigning because of the Watergate scandal?).

The U.S. has had 43 presidents, and 19 of those presidents were governors first and only 12 were senators first. Think of this. What did the other 12 have for experience? Go to the history book. You will be really surprised. the bottom line is, I think history shows me that Sarah Palin is ready and experienced for the job. This is probably the first time in the history of our elections that we have had equal billing on both the President and Vice President tickets. Is there another choice?

Isn’t history such a great resource?

For those of you who still don't think Palin is qualified

49th Missile Defense Battalion (GMD)
The 49th Missile Defense Battalion (GMD) was activated on January 22, 2004 at Fort Greely. The battalion will provide operational control and security over ground-based interceptors located in Alaska to protect the nation from limited ballistic missile attacks. Alaska National Guard Soldiers will man the battalion as part of their homeland defense mission.
This is the first unit of its kind.
The battalion is part of the 100th Missile Defense Brigade (Ground-based Midcourse Defense) headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo. The battalion, which at full-authorized strength will number 110 soldiers, will provide operational control and security over ground-based interceptors located in Alaska.
Alaska National Guard soldiers will man the battalion as part of the homeland defense mission.
Here is the result of a Google search on “the Governor of Alaska”:

The Governor of Alaska is the head of the executive branch of Alaska's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Alaska Legislature,[1] to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment.[2]

Based on the above, I’d say that the information seems pretty credible.

Marx
Compare this to Biden blurting out what he learned in his first briefing and Obama who wouldn't qualify for a basic security clearance because of his associations

From A Friend

My opinion is Obama is not only inexperienced for the job (it takes more experience to become an assistant manager at MacDonalds), but there is too much in his background that seems to go against the grain of what America is all about. And his only argument about McCain that he continuously says in his attacks is McCain is a clone of Bush. So? It was Clinton's administration that has put us in this economic crisis.

The Clinton administration is the one that relieved so many of the regulations on banks and Wall Street that allowed for the creation of the sub-prime mortgage and giving mortgages to those that normally wouldn’t qualify. And then back all this up with Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac. Bush inherited this. Oh, I just remembered, Clinton, while the liberal press publicly stated that he was bankrupt when he left office, bought a 10.2 million dollar estate. Remember? Oh! He supports Obama and Obama says Bill Clinton will be his primary adviser in the White House. Wow! Wasn't Clinton under indictment for Whitewater? Except both the witnesses died in "accidents" before it came to trial? Wasn't Clinton impeached? Yeah, Obama, good adviser! What ass wipe would vote for that? Obama - a clone of Clinton. Monica, are you still available?

Think of this. Bush came into office and dealt with 9-11, wild fires in California and Florida, draughts in the Southwest, war, creating two new government agencies for security, restructuring current agencies because of 9-11, and new nuclear threats. There's probably more but I can’t remember everything - I'm an old bastard. I think he faired pretty well. But I guess the better thought is could anyone have done better? It is easy to say what he did wrong after the fact.

But his approval rating was high when he implemented everything. It dropped when the stock market slowed a couple of years ago. Now it is at its lowest since the stock market hit an all time low. Might it's just the rich bastards (and the liberal press) hate him because they are not as rich? They can't screw anyone anymore? Why not like him since oil is now at its lowest since Clinton's years. He was blamed for it going up - give him the credit for it coming down.

The office of president is not an affirmative action position. I see what affirmative action did to the government. But I can walk away from it. I can’t walk away from the US.

New Bumper Sticker

I'll keep my freedom, my guns, and my MONEY,



YOU CAN KEEP THE CHANGE!



Vote for McCain/Palin

Pictures when I saw Governor Palin

The picture of Piper is when she found a mike and told us don't forget to vote for my mom, the picture of Sarah, not sure what she was saying.

I did not get any pictures of her talking to me because the person next to me kept getting bumped while trying to take my picture with her. I did get a video of the Secret Service guy telling me to put my pin away that she would have one and her telling me she liked my shirt and her signing the guy next to me shirt. If I can figure out how to put the video in here I will.

I am still excited that she will be the next Vice President.

Barefoot Contessa

THe Barefoot Contessa (AKA Ina Garten) has a new cookbook out. So mom and I went to Unity Temple to get our books autographed. We stood in line based on our ticket number and got our book autographed. NO personal autographs or pictures with her but she just seems so real to me. I would love to be her neighbor and be invited to a dinner party at her house, her flower garden is amazing.