CHRISTMAS FROM HEAVEN

This 2011 Christmas will be my first without both of my parents.  I know, I know, I'm almost fifty-seven years old, so what's the big deal?  The big deal is that "this 2011 Christmas will be my first without both of my parents", especially with my mom's passing in September.  By Christmas, it will have been very close to three months to the day.  She liked Christmas.  She especially liked the commercialization of it, the giving of gifts and the over eating.  She insisted on having her Christmas on Christmas Day, even when our daughters were in school, had a large Christmas Eve religious service on that night and a family Christmas that same night, it was expected that we get to her house before mid afternoon in Christmas Day.
Mom always  thought herself the "fun" grandma, the gregarious grandma, the generous grandma.  She gave numerous, unusual, often meaningless gifts, but almost all of these had some sort of monetary reward in them, so one had to open the entire gift.  She also gave "group gifts.  All the "boys" received "like" gifts, the "girls as well and the two groups of gifts were completely different and unrelated.  We had to sit in those groups and open the gifts together in the order determined by the hostess.  I. of course, had to add a wrinkle by handing a gift given to me to someone else and saying that I believed I received that particular gift in error and insisted on a trade.  We all, then, "traded" the gifts seeminly endlessly.  That, then, had to be included in every Christmas thereafter.  Tradition.
So, in wondering how Mom was going to manipulate this Christmas, she left us a pre-wrapped gift purchased five years ago in anticipation of her passing.  Below is are photos I took of the gift.

Ornament from Mom

Accompanying poem



It is a really nice gesture and I'm glad she did this for us all, but I am happier that she had the reassurance that she would be in heaven.  We will speak of her frequently during the holidays.  She will be with us still.  Thanks, Mom.

2011 BEST FALL EVER UPDATE

Well, it's after Thanksgiving (more on that later) and some things have changed.  The Brewers never made it to the World Series.  The Badgers fell from grace after two straight Big Ten losses, one to MSU, the other to OSU, both in the last second.  They deserved to lose the OSU game as they gave up a lead.  Tomorrow is the last regular season game vs Penn State.  If the Badgers are triumphant, they get a whack at the Big Ten Championship, if they fail, it's to some crappy non-News-Years-Day bowl game.  The Packers, on the other hand, have remained solid and lossless at 11-0, seventeen straight including last season.  It must be my special underpants.  I still worry, but not quite so much.

Thanksgiving has come and gone for this year and, as usual, it was filled with family and food and good humor.  We actually celebrated twice.  Once in Oshkosh with daughter 1 and her family and daughter 2 and mate last weekend.  While daughter 1 tended to her craft booth at a local event, we got to tend the meal, turkey and all the fixin's.  The second was here and the same people, but different food and conversation Wednesday night and yesterday.  Today was our traditional outside decorating day.  We bought new lights for the gutters.  We had to give up our swags for icicles .  Icicles are packed in a box all scrunched up and tied in three bunches.  the do not hang all nice and straight.  They are very ugly when first hung.  We'll see how they look after a few days of hanging.

Also while in Oshkosh last weekend, my wife suggested that I spend some of the gifted money from my Dad earlier this fall, before my Mom passed away.  She remembered that we had an SLR camera when we were first married and the girls were small, but we had to sell it as it needed repair.  Since then, technology has made everyday photography very easy and reproduction even easier.  So, at her suggestion, I purchased a decent digital SLR, a Canon, Rebel EOS Ti2 with image stabilizing lenses.  It was a great idea.  I already like it.  The photos are on my laptop and I currently do not have access to them, so samples of my work will have to wait.

Here is an update to this update.  First, UW will play in the first Big Ten Football Championship game (vs MSU).  Second, I have added two photos taken with my new camera.  Niether was with the built-in flash.

Outside Decorations - 2011

The outside decor is a combination effort of both of us.  Sherri did all the indoor herself.  I carry the tree up from the basement entombment and assemble it.  Sherri decorates it.  She does much better than I do.  I lose interest very quickly and my frustation level is high.

Christmas Tree - 2011

So, Merry Christmas to all and to all, a good night!

WISCONSIN'S GREAT FALL OF 2011

(Note:  See update at end of post)


As in my last post, I want to say how good a run of sports we here in Wisconsin, USA - for my international reader(s) - thus far this fall.  The Badgers rolled over Nebraska, a powerhouse in their own right, in their Big Ten (+2) opener.  The Packers have a ten game winning streak all the way back to last season and they still have lots of work to do to get as good as they were last year.  Then there are the Brewers.  Just last week they looked unstoppable as they were up two games to none in their divisional playoff.  Then they had to travel to Phoenix. 
Before they left Milwaukee, I stated that all the Brewers had to do was win one lousy game.  Well, instead they lost two.  A train wreak ensued where their fortunes reversed and the series was tied.  I figured their season, though very successful and exciting, was over.  Their mettle was tested and was lacking.  They choked.  Still, all they needed was to win one lousy game today; just one lousy game.  They've already won over ninety, what's one more.  Well, it was a good ride while it lasted and we will, as all real fans do, "wait until next season".  
Long story short, yaddah, yaddah, yadda, wonder of wonders, the Brewers WON their fifth in the series in the tenth!  On to the League Championship Series against....well we don't know yet.  the other series, also taken to five games, was played after the Brewers-Diamondback series.

Still, a great time to be a sports fan in Wisconsin this fall of 2011.

Update:  This just in:  The St. Louis Cardinals defeated "the best team in baseball", The Philadelphia Phillies, 1-0.  This means the Brewers get home field advantage through the NLCS vs the Cards beginning Sunday.  Go, Brewers!

A BLOG UPDATE

A lot has occurred since my last entry.
I've learned of a future grandson to be in our arms by Easter (hopefully).  Tiz cannot wait to be a big sister.  A boy will be a new adventure for me (us) as all other offspring of our generation have been female - my two girls, my brother's three and my brother-in-law with one.  Even my son-in-law as three nieces.

Then, we've reconnected with two separate old friend couples.  One, Sherri and Jeff, form college whose wedding we attended and Sherri wore my wife's dress of the year before. The other, Patti and Tom who shared our apartment building with us in our first as a married couple on our own away from familiarity.

I've also been reminded of the circle of life.  Just as I learned of the joy of hearing of a grandson, I learned of the fate of my mother as cancer biopsies were undertaken.  She failed the tests.  That is, she was given six to nine months remaining with chemotherapy helping relieve her discomfort.  Then as the first chemo was given, more tests, of course, and the prognosis not only changed, it worsened.  The original was revised to two weeks and heavy pain relievers and the ceasing of chemo.  Even more tests, with revised prognosis to maybe the weekend.  As my mother was being transferred form the hospital of the testing to the hospice, the weekend prognosis proved incorrect as well.  She barely made it to the next morning. On our way to our reunion with Patti and Tom mentioned above, we received the call from my sister, the P.O.A. and first contact, that Mom had passed.  My wife and I stopped by to console my sister and discuss the next step(s).  It was decided that nothing would be done over the weekend and postponing our trip would not prove anything.

The weekend proved cathartic and very therapeutic as both Patti and Tom have lost. parents as well as my wife.

Also, within this time frame, the Milwaukee Brewers clinched their division title and home field advantage in round one, the Wisconsin Badger football team beat Nebraska, an annual powerhouse, handily after four straight weeks of inferior opponents and my beloved Green Bay Packers have dominated their first four (this season) to begin 4-0, and extended their winning streak to ten, including last season and the Superbowl.

All-in-all, it is a great time to be alive in Wisconsin right now, though, I know that my heavenly home is to be far more glorious and joy-filled.

I'M REALLY TIRED OF THE WHINER-IN-CHIEF

The last month or so in Washington, D.C. has been an awakening experience.  We've seen partisanism at its worst,  lack of real leadership anywhere, a press that no longer has a clue as to how to report the news and, mostly, a President who cannot and will not lead to cause a consensus, especially when it was pushed on us last voting session that he was the only person who could make this happen.  Instead of bringing the sides together, he has placed an insurmountable void between them to the point where the sides had to finally exclude the President from negotiations all together.  What a Statesman!

Since he began his presidential campaign in 2006 (or so), he has blamed his predecessor, George W. Bush, for everything from a bad economy to puppy hangnails. And, even though Mr. Bush has ceased being president in January 20, 2009, the current office holder has continued to blame the former.  So, let's give the current President credit for inheriting a $400billion+ deficit and 7.5% unemployment, not to mention a constant 9% year-long unemployment rate.  This President said he could and would "make it all better (I paraphrase)".  Since he became President "The One" has overseen a government that added some 200,000 new employees, a $1.5trillion deficit and the worst public opinion ratings for him and the Congress in history.  His own closest advisers are out of options, except, of course, to double-down on the same mistakes because the last ones were not "bold enough".

So, he takes to the air waves with a national address to whine how hard it is to do his job, that not everybody likes him and that he can't get his way, so, we, the people, but not you Tea Partiers, you're a bunch of terrorists, are supposed to tell our representatives to give into him.  "Mommy, they won't play with me!"

I envision a conversation taking place in the Oval Office sounding something like this:

1. P(resident: "So, now that I have my new debt ceiling what can we do to reach and exceed it?"
2. C(abinet member): "Well, we could buy an brand new bus for you, one for some of us and ten or so for the fawning press and tour the Midwest to celebrate the budget victory you brokered and make the tax payers pay for it all"
3. P:  "Well. I like the travel and press part, but I'm not crazy about the bus part.  And why on earth do I need to visit the Midwest?"
4. C:  "We thought of all that, but,  the accolades in the Midwest crave your presence.  And the bus worked for Palin."
5. P: "I though I told you never to mention the 'P-word' in my presence again!"  
6. C:  "I, apologize, Mr. President, but you needed to hear that."
7. P: "OK, I'll do the bus thing, but for only three days.  I don't want to miss my golf game".
8. C: "Yes, sir."

"I feel your pain" isn't even close to this President's philosophy.  What IS his philosophy is "it's not my fault, I'm only the President.  It's above my pay grade".

GLOBAL WARMING

Today I am again reminded that I despise hot weather.  Sure, it's fine while on vacation in my favorite spot on earth, St. George Island, Florida, where I am either in air conditioning, a pool,  the northern Gulf of Mexico, or next to a cool adult beverage or three, but having to deal with it daily is a drag.

My lovely wife and I rode a fifteen-mile in-town bike route in the late morning/early afternoon today as the temperature began rising from the low 80's to the high 80's (eventually, I fear, it will reach the mid 90's).  As the saying goes, it isn't the heat, it's the humidity.  Well. I say it's the heat too!

Since many politicians, all eco-nuts and many sheeples believe in "Global Warming", that is, man's ability to have modified the earth's actual temperature by his use of devices that produce flouro-carbons, or, as some have stated, merely by exhaling, why can't they convince us to influence the climates at will.  I am actually able to accomplish this feat of environmental influence.  I have a thermostat connected to my furnace and air conditioner.  And I use it!  I just wish the eco-nuts, etc, would cease and desist their useless taxing and spending on climate change policies so my environmental influences don't cost so much!

I'M BA-ACK!

Just as Randy Quaid's character in "Independence Day" yelled as he flew into the belly of the alien ship "I'm ba-ack", so, I am.

My hiatus was self-imposed as a fluke of computer sharing caused a really good anti-Obama screed to be placed on someone else's blog.  However, I felt a little different not spewing on-line, so, I've decided to end the hiatus.

What has prompted this entry is a task I completed today.  Some may think it so simple that it is curious why anyone would want to blog about such a thing.  But, for those who know me, this is a big deal.

The aged ceiling fan in our kitchen has been eating bulbs as of late.  The metal grooves inside the porcelain bulb fixtures, over time, have corroded and are no longer able to have the bulbs make contact at their terminus and the act of turning the bulbs was causing them to break at the last twist.  Ergo (nice old word, ain't it?), my wife and I (yes, it was a mutual decision) decided to see what the local home improvement megastore had to offer us as a solution.  We walked through the ceiling fan area to check out some of the styles and sizes of fan units with lights.  Boy, are there choices, from $50 up to $300.  After acquiring nearly permanent cricks in our necks, we began wondering if there wasn't a way to get off on the cheap, thereby replacing only the light fixtures as opposed to the entire fan.

To our surprise and thankfulness, there were boxes of light-only replacements.  We went back home to do some closer investigation and examination of our fan assembly (as termed in the industry).  I actually loosened the lights from the bottom of the fan and inspected the wiring.  I determined that I, yes I could actually remove the lights and successfully replace them on the two wires that connected the lights to the fan assembly.  To answer your question, I did trip the circuit breaker before I even touched the fan with a screwdriver. Thus, we came to the conclusion that we could and the decision to replace those lights.

We went back to the megastore and without help from any "expert" found our desired type of lights, which included the bulbs, and home we went.  Just as a precaution, however, we did purchase some 40 watt incandecent bulbs (yes the type that Big Brother has deemed to be illegal in the future) to place in the old lights in case I could not make the switch, which, as is the custom in our household, is the rule rather than the exception.  The next morning, after church, I, yes I, made a successful replacement of the lights on our 40-year-old fan assembly.  As a celebratory act I decided to stop at this success and not to tackle any other home improvement DYI's until absolutely necessary.

Here's the proof!

OUR PRESIDENT'S RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN

What a surprise!  Our not-so-beloved President (35% approval rating) has officially announced his re-election wishes.  He kicked it off with a trip to, where else, LA.  That's where most of his support is and almost all the money.  It is believed that he will raise, or NEED to raise, one billion dollars.  If he spent that kind of time and effort actually governing instead of raising money for a job that pays 1/2 a million dollars we just might be able to get ourselves out of the debt he's put us into.  Instead, he treats a proposal by his political opposition as a mere exercise in junior high essay writing and he is reviewing it as a college professor.  In his "speech" (it was not a policy presentation as he, his administration and party have no solutions) he was snarky (look it up!), condescending and downright mean

His usual, predictable statements were offered; tax the "rich", give more to those getting government money, blah, blah, blah.  According to the IRS, if every income producer earning $100,000 or more next year gave every penny they made to the federal government, that amount would not pay off the debt our government has subjected us to for next year!  That doesn't even begin to address the future economic problems.

We have people in power in this country who love the power, but cannot lead.   I hope for real change come 2012.

Similarly, wealthy people have gone on television and demanded that the government raise their taxes.  These are the people who have hedge funds, offshore accounts and trust funds hiding their money.  I guess they are unaware that the United States Treasury accepts overpayments and/or extra payments with no questions asked.  If they used this option the rest of us can live our measly little lives without worry of more usury.  However, given the statistic above, it wouldn't really matter, but maybe they would feel better.  After all, isn't that more important than anything else?

TAXING TAXES

It's that time of year again where my wonderful wife and I get to complain to each other about our frustration with filling out tax forms.  The filling out isn't all that bad.  It is an arduous task, but, it is the bottom lines that I really do not relish discovering.  Even with being unemployed for 1/2 the year last year, we still owe Barack over a grand!  How does THAT work?!?  Last year we received almost twice as much from the state as we did this year, so the federal taxes owed were covered.
It turns out that unemployment compensation is taxable income that, unless one specifies it to be so, does not have federal and state taxes removed from it.  Isn't it strange how income is perceived as a gift from a benevolent big brother state and not a gift.  Taxes, one would assume, are supposed to be assessed on earned income.  Therefore, how did I earn income for six months by sitting on my behind?  The same may be said for retirement payments public or private or even trusts.  A flat tax would be the most fair.  A certain amount to be paid by all, regardless of the earned income - and my definition of income should be used.  After all, isn't the present federal administration all about "fairness"?  They even have a proposed bill languishing called "The 'Fairness' Doctrine".  How about some real "fairness" - fairness for those of us paying the bills!!

RALLYING FOR THE CAUSE

Here in Wisconsin this week, we have had the opportunity to witness some of the basic principles of republican government in action. But first a little history.

For the previous twelve years the Democrat party had a stronghold on all levels of of the state government and they used their majority to the fullest. Taxes were raised, funds were raided to make up deficits for other funds, and "protests" form the opposition fell on deaf ears. Then in April of 2008, at the suggestion of a Wall Street reporter, a Tea Party rally was organized on the lawn of the State Capitol and 8,000-some non-affiliated grass roots citizens showed up to let these legislators know how they felt. Then, November of 2010 occurred and the tide turned. A Republican Governor was elected (especially after the conniving, lying incumbent decided that all his shenanigans did not warrant his obtaining a fourth term) and the State Assembly and Senate majorities switched to the Republicans as well. This was the worst news the Wisconsin liberals (read Democrats - there are no conservative Democrats in Wisconsin) could have received.

Wrongo! The latest news is the most devastating to date. Imagine the audacity of a politician actually doing what he promised during his campaign, his inaugural address and his first State-of the-State Address. This just isn't done! Our Governor, Scott Walker, promised he would call a special legislative session to address the budget hole left by the last group of despots - and he is. As I stated in my last post, nine budget-correcting bills have already been passed and signed. His latest and his most politically controversial promise is what has prompted the action referred to in the opening. He has proposed to end collective bargaining by state employees unions for benefits (only) and - horror of horrors - they will be required to pay 12.5% of their health insurance premiums and, if they wish, contribute 5.8% to their guaranteed pensions (which consist of 5% of their highest year's salary paid by the taxpayer). Also, their union dues will have to be paid by them to the union. The state will no longer extract these from their paychecks and distribute them to the respective union bosses.

This is so objectionable to the union rank-and-file that they saw fit to ignore their own work rules and spend an entire week "protesting" at the state capitol. The very people to whom they wished to air their grievances, by the way, all abdicated their duties and fled the state in order to postpone a vote on the bill in the State Senate. The Senators decided that it was better to flee, to run and hide out of state than to face the new majority and lose another vote. Cowards!
The "protesters", all paid union toadies from AFSCME, SEIU and even Teamsters as well as educators (I refuse to call them teachers because they were not teaching) ascended on Madison to yell, chant and strew garbage all over and otherwise deface the "peoples' house".

To make matters worse, all major news media are getting, as usual, only half the story half correct. Even our Constitutional Scholar President has weighed in stating that, without even calling the Governor, this is "an assult on the unions". If he were actually a believer in the U.S. Constitution, he would know to have butted out, stating states' rights as his reason. But, he is a polititian, not a leader, so he decided to take the low road. I am actually not that concerned about his medling because almost every other event or campaign in which he has inserted himself has backfired - i.e. Chicago hosting the summer Olympics in the future, campaigning for Russ Feingold, etc. So, please, Mr. President, do show up Monday (especially if we get the 10" of snow predicted) so the protesters can see first hand how to make a cause flop. Oh, and while you're at it, please charge the unions for the trip, we're tapped out!

RANDOMNESS

It is a Thursday morning and I'm at home. No, I didn't lose yet another job, though I am forced to reduce hours, thus the extra "day off". I normally like to use the Friday as the day, but, I have car trouble this morning. Even though it was about -10 degrees, this problem is most likely not cold related. The key ignition won't turn. My usual mechanic will replace the switch, so no real worries.

Also, we recently had our thirteen-year-old car serviced and we are able to take it to St. George Island this spring (mid June) to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. Coincidentally, the friends who turned us on to this lovely place will be vacationing there the same week. We've been trying to get this done for ever, at least since we've been going down there, about 12 years or so.

Also, it's been less than a month since the Republican-majority (finally) state government has been in session and they have already prepared nine corrections of the last 10 years of Democrat rule to be signed this week. One is able to tell these legislators are doing the right thing because the state unions and their Democrat sycophants are coming out of the woodwork to shout their "grievances" from the Capitol steps with the union dinosaur, Ed Garvey, Mr. Union Lawyer from the 1970's, leading the way again. Where has old Ed been the last 10-or-so years?

And last, and most important, the Green Bay Packers are World Champions again (#13)! Man, I love how that sounds! After beating all the odds even before the end of the regular season and beating the New York Giants and the hated Chicago Bears just to enter the playoffs, they then had to go on the road to defeat three higher ranked teams for the honor to play in the Super Bowl 45 (I don't like Roman numerals) against the Pittsburgh Steelers. As usual, the Packers allowed us to assume the worst in the third quarter only to seal the victory with the game's third Packer take away for the "Super Bowl dagger" as Wayne Larravee called it.
This is truly an amazing feat as the Packers had 11 players on IR at the start of the Super Bowl, then, during the game, in the first half, the team's two emotional leaders and veteran players, CB Ron Woodson and WR Donald Driver, both went down with injuries, not to return. Thus, the lousy third quarter. So, again, backup players had to replace starters in order merely to continue playing the game. Even with all of this, the Packers manged to beat a team that has reached the Super Bowl three times in the last six years 31-25.
Now I can truly excitedly look forward to next season. They have a great shot to repeat. If that happens, it will have been at least 10 years since a team will do it. GO, PACK, GO!

HAPPY 2011!

Well, another year under the ever-expanding belt. It was a year of trials, as all are in this sin-filled world, with six months of unemployment and out-of-control federal and state governments "ruled" by Democrats (read Marxist Keynesians).

However, all of us still above the soil have real hope to look forward to in the one constant in our lives - the saving grace of our Creator in His Son, Jesus, whose birth we just celebrated. We must put our faith in Him as opposed to any earthly being whose promise(s) is (are) written in the wind. The latest earthly savior proved that by immediately ignoring almost every promise he made while begging us to put him in charge.

Let's all pray to the Triune God - the only true God - that our 2011 is better for us all than any year in the past, but to leave it all in His hands. Happy New Year!