Just Wishing Obama was REALLY like Lincoln....

Abraham Lincoln in reply to New York Workingmen's Democratic Republican Association said the following:

"Property is the fruit of labor....property is desirable...is a positive good in the world. That some should be rich shows that others may become rich, and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him labor diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built."
The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln Vol. VII pp. 259-260 (March 21, 1864)

A Report by C

One of the joys of being a parent is the privilege of hearing the funny things kids say. This fun begins when they start talking. Sadly, it happens less and less the older they get. But don't despair, those of you with very young children. You will get a second chance to laugh at, I mean with, them when they start writing. Bad grammar and spelling can be just as fun.

My case in point:

"When Bears hiypernate they sleep in caves. On worm days they go find food and go to the bathroom. then they go back to there caves and hypernate agan."

I bet you didn't know we had a problem --bears with ADHD!!!! Where is Al Gore when you really need him?

I Miss you Mom

Elsie L. H.

May 1935- February 24, 2008

Reading: A Thousand Splendid Suns

As this book boldly states, in RED, this is by the same author that wrote "The Kite Runner". "The Kite Runner" is a timely and moving story of two boys growing up in tumultuous Afghanistan. I really liked that book but, to be honest, the ending left me a little sad. This new book by Hosseini, is about two WOMEN growing up in tumultuous Afghanistan. It is very moving and has a great ending. Although, at times, it was hard to read because I felt like these women could not suffer any more hardship, it made the happy moments they were able to enjoy that much sweeter.

I give it YYYY (out of five), the language was clean but there was some violence.

Don't Skunks Hibernate?

They should! But, sadly, they don't and it happened.
Again.
The Mascot got sprayed by a skunk.

It all went down Monday night. The CFO and I were just turning the tele off and getting ready to head to bed when the Mascot came downstairs and wanted to go out. She started to bark at something and after peering out the window and not seeing anything, I LET HER OUT. She started to chase a cat (because it couldn't be a skunk, don't skunks hibernate?). When I saw her stop dead in her tracks, I knew it wasn't a cat. Now let me just take a minute and fully explain our predicament:

1. The mascot is an inside pet and she is old. She is used to a cushy lifestyle of warmth; she won't survive the winter's night outside.
2. She smells so bad it burns the nose and makes the eyes water.
3. It's a quarter to MIDNIGHT.
4. It is starting to snow.
5. If I bathe her in the house, the house will stink like skunk forever.

The CFO pulled his car out of the garage and I slathered her with my newest best friend: baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and dawn dish soap. (I got the honors since it was my fault--I LET HER OUT.) I scrubbed her with this concoction for 15 minutes then hosed her off and dried her with a ragged old towel. AND, she smelled fine. She spent the night in the mudroom and all is well. Has she learned her lesson? Not sure. But I have.

I didn't get a picture of her coated with the baking soda (that would have been a great picture of her humiliation). I was too mad. Actually, seething is a better word than mad. But, here she is:

all clean

Hobby Tryouts: February

Each month this year I am going to TRY and fit into my life a new hobby.

This month:

blogging

(with Facebook thrown in for good measure.)

I have enjoyed writing on this blog more than I thought I would. Even the CFO has enjoyed it (the last 2 blog posts were by him). Thanks for all of your feedback/comments.

With Facebook, however, I am torn. Sometimes I like it and other days it just seems like a ginormous waste of time. It is a good tool to reconnect with people we have lost touch with over the years. The CFO will have his 20 yr. high school reunion this summer (no, that's not a typo. It has been 20 years) so he has been reconnecting with those friends and acquaintances. I have been able to reconnect with a couple that was in our adoption group. See, Facebook does have some merit. But, man, it can suck up time. So if you find me on Facebook, will you please be my friend? I would love to search you out and accumulate 300 friends, but I really need time to practice the piano.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas .... IN FEBRUARY!

Yesterday's big storm led to today's sunny, beautiful winter day. This post is especially for you snow deprived folks living in Phoenix and elsewhere where you are enjoying 80 degree weather but missing out on the beautiful white stuff.