Ommm Pa Pa.....

Overhauling:

Whooo-hooo, a new slim-lined looking Shroom is in the works. It ain't easy folks, but I'm working on it. I have included time everyday for a bit of a work out on the stationary bike. I gotta tell ya though, those seats that come with them? They ain't user friendly, by golly. Those seats have one mission, to become part of your hiney. No kidding. Their secondary mission is to lift and separate. I'm tellin' ya, it ain't natural. Us people who derive from Japanese farming genetics? We gots flat hineys. Flat, I tell ya. Other than that, I'm biking along. My blood pressure machine came in the other day so I now have a log for that. Still can't do the glucose log until I get the meter next week.

E, thank you. You're such a sweetheart. I guess I'll find out just how tough I am if I have to do insulin every day. I hate needles. I am hoping that I can control this with diet and exercise. Here's to hoping.

Other Updates In The Grove:

We went to Sacramento today, two appointments. Mr. M got a very good report from oncology. Everything looks good, so he doesn't have to check in with oncology for a year now.

I got a wee bit panicky yesterday. Mr. M had an angina attack. Up until now, he hasn't had one, ever since they put him on that nitro patch. Fortunately a tablet of nitro did the trick and he's okay. I keep telling myself that this is something we have to get use to. I think the part that bothers me the most is that they just happen, *blam* no warning, nothing. He could simply be relaxing and he can get one. Damn. I am keeping my fingers crossed that we'll be angina free during this cruise. It certainly will make my enjoyment of the cruise much nicer, thankyouverymuch.

Other than that, it's the usual... exercise, eat regularly, blah blah blah. Getting excited about leaving next week. Yee-hawwww.

Short And Hardly Sweet

I'm still reeling from last night's volcano eruption here in the Zoo. So, I'm emotionally exhausted as the arguing, fighting and discussion went into the night until one am. I will not expound on the incident at this time, maybe later. Needless to say our anger, or being upset,did not set with our bed time.

I just chalk it up to one very bad night and today will be a better day.

I'll expound on Topper's first day of school later.

Saturday

Well there's another week shot in the arse. I'm still not clear what I achieved in that week, but vaguely, I believe I did something.

I got my torture device for pricking my finger to retrieve a blood drop for the glucose test. It looks painful and yes, I'm a wuss. I'm going to go look into one of those other devices. The one I received comes free thanks to the V.A. and I am grateful, but if I can find something, and afford to pay for it, that will make it easier for me to cope with this everyday habit, I'm going to get it.

I think the hardest thing (aside from eating more often) is keeping my stress down. Not letting FB get to me is a challenge. I may be doing a lot more meditating.

I found out yesterday afternoon that a very close friend of mine went to Houston, the wench. Only she would ride her broom into a hurricane. She's an RN and I was not surprised. Luckily, I believe she weathered things well. She's a pretty strong lady and if I ever needed a nurse, I'd want her.

Well, Mr.M and I decided that we're not going to do any excursions on this cruise. We're going to go wing it. He has yet to get the car rental set but this week, I hope. Now, if only the gas prices would turn decent by the time we leave. *snort* yeah, right, like that is going to happen.

I have convinced Troll and Daughter to take hula lessons with me. That's something we'll have to keep checking on and it will have to be after we get back from the cruise. Hehehe.. Troll froze for a minute, but he agreed. This is going to be fun. I do hula but I would like some actual lessons.

Topper starts Head Start on Monday. Now he's not all that sure he wants to go. LOL. He keeps telling his Mom, "I don't want to be a big boy. I don't want to go to school." Tough laddie buck, yer going. He starts kindergarten next year.

Speaking of Topper... the babies want to come over today. Until I get this diabetes thing under control, they'll just be coming over for the day. My energy level just isn't what it could be. At the moment both Mr. M and FB are out taking care of business.

As for Pookie, well, she has to decide if she wants to take karate or dance lessons. Heav en help us all. *grin*

Well, Mr. M is home.. so I'm outta here.

Cute???

You Are A: Bear Cub!

Bears are strong and independent creatures who roam in the forest in search of food. Bears are usually gentle, but anger one and be prepared for their full fury! You're tough, you won't back down from a fight, you have a bit of a temper -- classic attributes of a bear. Intelligent and resourceful, though lazy at times, you are a fascinating creature of the wild.

You were almost a: Kitten or a Turtle
You are least like a: Monkey or a SquirrelWhat Cute Animal Are You?

HumpDillyUmp

Wow. What an emotional overload of a week. Yesterday was the viewing for the baby that died of SIDS. Mom and Dad are holding up. They seemed to do much better after being able to see the baby. I guess after it happened, they weren't allowed to until yesterday for the viewing. They donated the baby's organs and consequently, those organs went to three babies. Today is the funeral. It's been a long week already.

Okay, so being diagnosed with diabetes, even expecting it, still has my mind whirling over the changes I have to make in cooking not to mention my awareness level. There can be no more skipping meals. That one is going to be hard simply because I get so busy that I just forget to eat. Altering or giving up food items is not going to be much of a trial for me at all. I've been altering my food choices for some time now. It may take a bit of a more concentrated effort on my part, but I can do it.

I'm getting the cruise stuff under control. Ww're almost just down to packing. I have a few other things to see to. Mr. M has to call the cruise line with a question about a certain excursion. Once I have that info, I'll book the excursions we decided upon online. We didn't choose too many this time. We opted for spending most of our times in the ports on our own. The dolphin encounter is too good to pass up however... even if it does mean getting me into a bathing suit *grin* I don't do that very often and no one I know is going to get to see it...muhahaha. Mr. M doesn't count, he always sees me nekky...oooookay...moving on now.....

I've got some soapbox type material to enter but, at the moment, there are more pressing matters, like getting food. There are rumblings of unrest rising once more out of the natives.

Make a good day.

I'm Oh So Happy *snort*

I just got a letter from my doctor, my labs are back and yours truly is diabetic. I've been waiting for this shoe to drop. My mother was a diabetic as was her mother, so this is not something that hit me up the side of my head, knocking me for six. I've been living with this ticking time bomb for some time. It can't be too bad yet as she didn't order the staff to contact me and tell me to haul my arse down there ASAP. I do have an appointment on the 5th of October with the Diabetic Meter Clinic to get a meter to check my blood sugar with. The appointment to see the doctor was made for next month after I get back from the cruise. I got a hunch that my blood sugar is elevated at the moment but with some weight loss, a more conscious level of eating better and some stimulating exercise, my blood sugar level will come down to a manageable level that won't require insulin. As much of a PITA as this is, it's far better to know and do something about it because without treatment and care, I could end up leaving my babies without a Meh-Meh a lot sooner than I would wish to... oh yes, and that old coot I live with too. So even if I didn't think I owed it to myself, I do owe it to them and everyone else that cares and loves me too.

I'm going to talk with the Meter clinic and see how these finger pricks will affect my ability to type over time. I type on my fingertips. If they are going to be bruised and sensitive, I need to think of another means to do the test by. If I don't like the meter given to me by the Clinic, I'm going to look into one of those new fangled thingabobs, the ones that will do the test on my arm. I've seen them and they're more expensive, but if it makes it my life a wee bit more gentle, I'm all for it.

Oh happy, happy, joy, joy, another life change to manage.*snort*
Well, at least I can say this, Life around me is never stale...or boring.

Quote For The Day

Trials, temptations, disappointments -- all these are helps instead of hindrances, if one uses them rightly. They not only test the fibre of a character, but strengthen it. Every conquered temptation represents a new fund of moral energy. Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.
--- James Buckham

Innocence Took Wing

Troll came home tonight with tears in his eyes and gave me the bad news. A very close and dear friend of his that he works with, lost her 3 week old baby this morning to SIDS. It was her second son. Her first born just turned two. I know this young woman and like her a great deal. She's funny, strong, helpful and caring. She and Troll are very best of friends. Troll just visited them a couple of weeks ago, he held and cuddled the baby as well as played with her older son. To say he's torn up about this is putting it lightly. Who can understand a thing like this? A perfectly healthy baby you put to bed at night and go in to check on them at 6 in the morning to find they passed gently into the night. My heart is hurting for her.

On another side of the coin, I got a phone call earlier today. I didn't recognize the phone number and it turned out to be my number 2 brother informing me that his daughter gave birth this afternoon to a baby boy.

One young woman brings life into the world and another mourns the passing of one....

Who can make sense, let alone understand, why these things happen the way they do.

It's so terribly rough when it's an infant. Troll will be there for her, when she needs him. He'll be there to help her regain her balance so she can move forward with a healthy outlook on life. What makes this rougher on her is that the very first child she carried, she lost to a miscarriage. So when she got pregnant again, she was fearful, but she delivered a healthy son who thrives today and now, she just lost her infant son.

Sometimes I wonder.....sometimes, I don't understand. I wish I did. It sure as hell would make coping work easier.

I do know one thing... that little soul was held in gentle and loving arms when he left this world, as warm, gentle and loving as the ones that held him when he came into it. I know that he will be missed by all the lives he touched in his short time here.

Topper's World

Yesterday I watched in amusement and awe as Topper and Mom left the clinic, crossed the street and for the car. I can't believe this little guy is 4 already. Where did the time go? He came up the sidewalk, cradling Tree-ko (spelt phonetically), his stuffed pokemon in the crook of one arm and cradling a finger in his palm. As the car door opened and before I could say anything, Topper said, in a voice laced with poutiness and stubbornness, "Meh-Meh, I'm not goin' back in there, ever!" It's a good thing my back was to him because he would not have appreciated my amusement. He crawled up in his chair, flopped in it and stoically let his mom belt him in. Sometime on the way home, Topper decided to place stickers all over Uncle Troll's car window... oh dear. I do so hope Uncle Troll has a sense of humor.

*****************************

Currently, I am laid up in bed to try and head off this crud that is trying to overtake me. I want to be healthy by the time I go cruising.

Quote For The Day

In doing your work in the great world, it is a safe plan to follow a rule I once heard on the football field: Don't flinch, don't fall; hit the line hard.
--Theodore Roosevelt

It's A Crying Shame

This morning I was sitting in Troll's car waiting on Daughter and Topper to come out from Topper's doctor's appointment. I had the windows rolled down so I could enjoy the cooler temps. I was scribbling away in a notebook when I heard this elderly woman talking on her cell phone as she crossed the street. She was advising someone on the other end about her medication and how expensive they were, so expensive that she had to choose which one she should get. That caught my attention.

Why has our government allowed pharmaceutical companies to set the price on medications so high that the elderly are forced to choose which ones to purchase or even be forced not to be able to purchase them at all. Some people are even forced to go looking over the internet for medications and heaven only knows what those contain. We either regulate the prices or we supply the medications for those who can't afford them. Maybe we should allow Canada to sell prescription drugs here in the U.S. Think it would take the wind out of the U.S industries' sails? I'm wondering just how large is their lobbyist group in D.C?

Whatever the cause, I just find it a shame that people have to decide what they can afford to take when clearly they need it all or are forced to choose between eating and having medication.

A Blog Here, A Blog There, A Blog Everywhere

I just have a few words to spout about blogging. Whatever someone, anyone, may write in their blogs, that's their right. It's about their feelings, their thoughts and may or may not have to do with anyone else who has tweaked their tails. Who knows for sure what someone else had in mind when writing an entry of a blog. I've had a girlfriend,Emerald, actually ask me if I was talking about her in one of my entries. Talk about taking me aback. She wasn't even in my thoughts at the time. Funny thing, after talking with her about it, I went back and reread my entry and I realized she could have easily seen herself in it. About two days later another friend, asked if it was about her. Geez, Louise. It almost makes one want to simply quit blogging altogether...but...then I come across another thought... if you see yourself in it...maybe you need to examine why. Listen up people, I get an earful in more than one ear and when I get fed up, *whoosh* it usually ends up showing up here. So if anyone out there thinks that something I blog is about them....*shrug* not much I can do about it. People jump to conclusions all the time, I'm use to it. If you really want to know if it's about you, email me, you either know the addy or can find it in my profile.

A single small thought or a few words about one person turns into the whole damn thing being about them. Go figure.

Misery Loves Company....

..and if it doesn't find it on its own, help it along. *grin* I finally gave in and got my blood labs done today. I figured if anything showed up that the doc needs to speak with me about, there will be time before the cruise. So, there I was feeling sorry for myself because I had been fasting since Wednesday and got up this morning, no coffee... Anyone who knows me well knows I HAVE TO have that coffee in the morning. It dawns on me that Mr. M needs to have blood drawn too. He has his oncology appointment in a couple of weeks and depending on the outcome, that will determine if we can relax a bit and he won't have to see the oncologist for a year instead of every six months. So, I gleefully moved down the hall to the master bedroom and woke him up and told him that since I had to go that way, he might as well get up and get his done too. He was a good sport, a smart ass, but a good sport.

Funny how we women always seem to harp on our loved ones about seeing a doctor, getting tests done, etc, yet when it comes to us, we find every excuse in the book not to see to it. Some of us, me included, stupid as it sounds, put it off because we just don't really want to know if something is wrong. Now, if we were smart about it, we'd be able to see that if we don't see to these things and something is wrong, we're doing the very same thing to our loved ones that we get after them for. As much as we feel that we need to see to others to keep them healthy and around us longer, we need to do the same for them. Besides, if we don't know something is wrong, then we can't fix it and that could lead to a place where fixing it is no longer an option.

What it all comes down to is, if you won't do it for yourself, do it for those that love you and want you around longer. Even it means making them miserable too.

Quote For The Day

The life that conquers is the life that moves with a steady resolution and persistence toward a predetermined goal. Those who succeed are those who have thoroughly learned the immense importance of plan in life, and the tragic brevity of time.
--- W.J. Davison

Smack It!

This is going to be a hodge podge of stuff and some of it may be scattered so, bear with me here.

***********************

Of All Things Called Camelot:

In the aftermath of those leaving, those returning and those remaining, words have flown all over the place. I have either read, written or gotten my fill. I do believe this will be my last comment on anything Camelot. All of it simply sickens me and leaves my stomach in almost physical pain.

There is no doubt that people, feelings, have been hurt and burnt on any end. It's done. It' finished, it's past, GET OVER IT!! Quit spending time looking over your shoulders or you'll end up walking into a wall someplace. Geez, Louise. I can't believe people spend more of their time looking each other over rather than concentrating and focusing on what is their present. It saddens me because it shows me how much people have been hurt by this split. I think that's the thing that hurts me the worst. Until each and everyone let's the past go, putting it in its place, no one is going to recover and move forward. I am not fooled by the positive words coming from everyone's mouth in regards to their perspective channels. If you're still making comments about the other channel, you aren't over it. It strikes me as tit for tat everytime I read (listen) to something about 'the other Camelot'. Everyone has made mistakes, we all can't change what has happened, but we all do have the option of moving forward and simply putting the past in the past where it belongs.

My partner and I have been having some conversations in regards to Camelot-Starchat and we've come to our own conclusions. Excalibur was turned over to the current Founder, placed in his hands by the son of Blackhawke.

********************************

Sitting here in the office, we have the tv turned on to the news and most of the reporting is on, what else, Katrina. Something I just heard made my teeth grind. Why in the sam hell is it necessary to hack over an estimated body count and who got it wrong? Dang it, people, it was an estimate, not something written in stone and reported wrong. The media requested an estimate, so someone gave it. It was wrong, so what? Why are the media making a big deal out of it? Geez. Get a grip and go find something worthwhile to report.

*******************************

"Under God". How many times are we going to replay this? The pledge of allegiance did not have it and now it does. Does this mean that if you object to the phrase, you won't be using U.S currency? Whatcha gonna use instead? Yer good looks? If you gruff about one thing, to be credible, you must gruff about the rest. I heard someone on the news put how I feel about it into words. This is not about the government endorsing one form of religious belief. What it does acknowledge is that as a general whole, we, as a nation, believe in a Supreme Being. If you don't, that's your right, but personally, don't try to impose your beliefs on me. Thankyouverymuch. If you don't like the situation in our schools, you can always home teach. Your child doesn't have to recite that phrase. This isn't about a child's rights, it comes down to what the parent wants to fuss about. Go find another platform and quit using your child to achieve it. Children should not be caught in the web of adult confrontations.

*********************************

Mr. Roberts. I think this is a no brainer. He'll be appointed Chief Justice. I think the fight will occur with the position vacated by Justice Sandra Day O'Conner. I think there will be a desire to fill that position with another moderate.

********************************

WHOOO-HOOOOO! Our cruise tickets are in! I always get excited once I have the tickets in hand. We'll go down and pick them up today from our travel agent. Now, I'm getting excited. Yee-haw!

*********************************

Did I mention that Mr. M got a speeding ticket on his home turf the other day? *foot tapping, hands on hips*. I can't believe that happened. *sigh* Our auto insurance was due to go down for this next year. Yeah. Guess who's driving down to San Diego? *eye roll* I went and did some cruise clothes shopping yesterday. Call it a down payment on the price of that new speeding ticket. Mama always gets a new 'dress' when he screws up like that. Hehehe. There isn't much I need, just a few more interchangeables. So, I think I'm set now.

***********************************

Hunker down over there on the East Coast. Ophelia may be moving slower than molasses, but that doesn't make her something to ignore. Have you looked at the size of the eye of that hurricane? My prayers, thoughts and energies focused in that direction. Y'All be safe and wise.

Grandparents' Day

Yesterday was actually Grandparents' Day but Pookie's school celebrated it today. So we got up and over to her school at 8:30 am. We spent 20 minutes in the cafeteria and then got to spend time with Pookie in the classroom. We also got to 'adopt' a few of the kids whose grandparents' weren't there. We all had a good time. Pookie was pleased as punch to see us. Her excitement brought a smile to my face.

I am optimistic that Fall is upon us. It was a gorgeous day out yesterday and I was finally able to get outside and do a little clean up work. I am surprised to find that I could actually get out of bed this morning with some enthusiasm and not a sign of stiff muscles anywhere. As much as I would like to get outside today, my priorities lie inside, cleaning. Blech.

I have a feeling that the cruise is going to sneak up on us again. Unlike a dear friend, who manages to do things at last minute (I don't know how his wife deals with that. It would drive me nuts), I can't. I barely had time to get ready for the last cruise and I sure did forget things I could have used, like tennis shoes and I packed way too many clothes. I am determined to do a better job this time around. I have started packing the jewelry I will need into my travel make-up case. Most of my wardrobe is made up of mix and match pieces, so all I need to do is lay them all out and decide what to take and what I can do without. We're hoping to visit one of the old cathedrals there, so a modest skirt and a head covering is added to my list.

I never could understand this need to rush and see everything and tire myself out. Maybe it's because I plan to take this trip more than once. On a cruise, I sleep in as late as I want, eat when I want (although we never miss dinner in the dining room) and just be lazy and laid back. I am so looking forward to the first two days at sea. There is nothing to do but laze around with Mr. M. We go up on Lido Deck and play cards, sipping our drinks. We laze around our stateroom or wander the ship at our leisure. I take a legal size notepad for writing when something stirs my imagination and I take books to read as we cruise along the coast. We go to dinner shows and spend a moment or two at the rail looking over the waters as moonlight dances upon it. They are the best of times. Is it time to go yet?

In Honor and Rememberance

Four years since two planes were driven into the Twin Towers, taking innocent lives and leaving America wearing a different face and feeling an awareness that it had never worn before. Where terrorists hoped to instil fear, they raised just the opposite. If the plot was to throw a monkey wrench into America's economy, it may have slowed it, but it didn't cause mass chaos and destruction except in those minutes and hours following the actual deed.

Was 9/11 used as a launching board for the war on Iraq? Not in the most obvious way, I think. What it did do was become a damn good reason to go in, hunt down and put a stop to the terrorists' camps that were allowed to flourish under its current regime. What it did was launch such an awareness that the government pays closer attention, to look for and root out the 'sleepers'.

Did all those people, from those on the planes to those on the ground, who lost their lives, die in vain? No. Heroes, sun and unsung, were born that day. A nation's awareness grew that day. The human spirit was raised up that day.

A hero is a hero in my book, but in deep reverence do I hold the people on Flight 93. For without their clarity, their bravery, there is no telling what might have further happened to this nation. They are not lost souls. They were where they were meant to be and who they were meant to be with. They all gave their lives so that others could live. There is no greater calling, no greater sacrifice than to lay down one's life for their country and their fellow man.

Just Part of The Every Day Grind

To put things in a nutshell, busy. It seems like I am off and running the minute I get up. Okay...okay.. I confess, I MAKE the day wait until I have one cup of coffee, that's for their safety and my sanity. Last week and this week seems to have flown, here it is already Thursday. Between business and family, before I know it, it's 9, 10 o'clock at night. Here it is already September. This year seems to be flying by.

My role playing is non-existent. Part of that is my fault and the other part is just timing and real life situations. My fault... my fault because I am having a hard time rallying my creativity. Maybe it's just because I don't seem to have this clear sense of direction. It feels like I am floating aimlessly around trying to grasp what in the sam hell I want to do or where to be. I don't want to be divided in storylines.. one too many spoons in the broth so to speak... I'm anal that way, I guess. I can't seem to creatively or in an organized fashion, split my focus. I don't have any answers nor do I have any solutions.

Cute movies to see: "Lilo and Stitch 2: Stitch Has A Glitch". I'm a sucker for a good comedy and this one is as good, if not better, than the first one. I laughed and I cried.

The Divinci Code: Read the book first. I am hoping the movie doesn't disappoint. As for the book, I couldn't set it down.

The new Harry Potter Movie looks like great from what I saw of the trailers. I am not surprised. I can't wait to see it. I devoured the latest book in two days.

I keep tapping on my cruise counter on the blog, willing it to move, but it's too soon yet. They only count so far. We got Mr. M's copy of his birth certificate, which will get us through the cruise this time. Still, we're going to be applying for our passports in the next couple of days. This way we don't have to fuss with it at a later time and I don't have to worry about losing or misplacing birth certificates again.

I've rapped on Sprout's head with my ladle. That young man is getting on my nerves. He needs to go to work...yesterday. If he's not out working, he can do some things that need done around here before going out and hanging with friends to play video games.

I get Pookie and Topper on Saturday, not for the night but for the day. They're looking forward to it as I am. Pookie and I get to bake. Fortunately for Pookie, she and FB are baking together. FB is finding he actually likes to bake. *grin* Will wonders never cease. Pookie is also collecting things for the hurricane victims. Bless her little heart. Topper..well... Topper wants to be a Jedi and work with power tools. *chuckle* He makes me smile and shake my head in wonder.

May your night be gentle and soothing. May sleep give you sweet repose until the dawn's light heralds your day.

Katrina-Part Two

I'm glad to see that 'racial' road was dealt with in short order. This was not a racial matter in my opinion. What happened was that a natural disaster hit a state in an area where the majority of the population are poor and African American. As far as dealing in the racial matter with regards to rescue operations, horse manure. A great deal may have gone wrong with the rescue operations but race is not one of them. I thoroughly resent any person who had the gall to bring race into this. It's usually the same people over and over again, has anyone noticed that? Anytime anything happens these people are quick to jump in and spout racial issues. They may have a righteous platform in some cases, but give me a break. They seem to crawl around and muck around looking for a way to point their fingers at it. It is their life's work even when there is nothing there to point at.

Pointing of fingers:

Oh yeah, it was a given this was going to happen. It seems like those on Capital Hill, since they aren't knee deep themselves in ruined homes or toxic waters, have nothing better to do than point their fingers at others while they lunch on their gourmet foods and sip their drinks. Okay, maybe I sound a bit sarcastic there, but I don't think I'm blowing a great deal of smoke up someone's skirts either.

I do think there were some screw-ups here. It's to be expected. If we can step out of the raw emotions that the media is invoking we can almost comprehend the vastness of this disaster. I say almost because it has been my experience that the while the media can show what has happened, we can't get the full scope of what happened unless we're down in it ourselves.

Since I don't have all the facts in regards to the rescue operations launched, this much I do know, we have to make allowances for the fact that these rescuers could not get into this disaster area without first clearing the roads in. This definitely hindered a quick response. Mr. M and I have good naturedly argued over why supplies needed weren't just dropped in. As I explained to him, imagine dropping pallets of food and water into a dense area. One, there is no guarantee that those pallets wouldn't have fallen on people. Two, even if pallets cleared the people, once they are dropped, mass chaos would occur. There will be fighting over the stuff and hoarding and even people who will grab it up and start charging people money for it, bastages. So, in light of that, there was a real need for people to actually get in there to pass this stuff out and these people need to be safe to insure they can do their jobs.

The Dome, LA. fiasco:

The dome may have been a poor choice, given that electricity was going to go out, that flood waters were going to happen thereby backflooding the sewer systems, but given the instant need to do something, was there any other choice? Where were the law enforcement needed to protect this place going to come from since they were already thinly spread trying to save lives? Maybe a little more forethought before the hurricane hit as in get port-a-potties to line the inside of the Dome... to set up air bases and army posts with tent cities ahead a time....and a little more law enforcement from diferent areas could have been brought in ahead of time? If they weren't needed, they could go home, no harm, no foul.

Another thing that bothers me, I keep hearing, "How can this happen in America?" My response is, "Why not us?" We, as a country, are not immune to anything the rest of the world is exposed to. Haven't we learned that through 9/11? Maybe, in hindsight, we could have done something better, but that still could not forestall the disaster that would strike or may strike. We are not some super country that stands above nature disasters. We have our poor, our starving, our homeless and a host of other problems that other countries experience though maybe not on the same scale. We are immune. I find people terribly egotistical when they ask this question. If anything, it should humble us. We now should be able to understand better the plight of other countries who suffer from a gigantic disaster that wipes out human life and brings unscaleable agony and suffering.

Evacuating:

I sympathize with those who do not want to leave their homes. These are people who are poor and what they have is what they have scraped and struggled for. Who would want to just leave that? These are people who have pets that are the world to them and unless you've experienced such a thing, you can't begin to understand. I have such a bond with Cheyenne, my sheltie. I would do ANYTHING to insure her safety and I would never leave her behind, ever. Either we go together or we stay together. I never thought I would ever feel that way about an animal but there it is.

In the case of pets, if pet stores like PETCO and Pet Smart would donate crates and carriers, maybe these people would be more than willing to leave. If it is a matter of property and personal things, well, there comes a time in our lives when we need to realize they are just things. There are greater priorities and that is health and well being, our own and others. How many people will now get sick because others have been exposed to the bacteria created by what Katrina has wrought? These are the people that need to be removed, media exposure be damned. Get them out any way that becomes necessary. These are the people who are contributing to the toxic waters, I mean, think about it, what are these people using as a toilet? Uh-huh. Get my drift here? Help these people get their pets out and tell those who can gather their most precious valuables to do so and get out. Anything under water is no longer valuable anyway. Bottom line, most homes will have to be torn down and rebuilt. Anything exposed to the water is going to be toxic and have to be destroyed, accept it and let go. The bigger picture here is what all this toxic water is going to bring. The thought of disease outbreaks as a result is horrifying. These people refusing to leave, have to be made to understand they're contributing to it if they try and stay and that they can't stay for that reason. Material things can be found again, memories are in the heart not in things.

Sadly, disasters bring out the worst and the best in mankind.

A Parent For Life

I have lived in a fantasy world for many years. I think I still resort to it when I need a fantasy, but so burning itself into my consciousness is the knowledge that I will be parenting for the rest of my life. What makes it easier to deal with is that my parenting is now in the form of long conversations and advice.

I have a headache and feel like I've just been through a huge windmill. I just got off the phone with my daughter after a 2 hour "parenting" conversation. In that time we've agreed on some things, I've advised on some, told her my thoughts and even issued an ultimatum or two. I hate doing the last, but there was no other choice. I simply refuse to let FB take advantage of me any longer.

My breaking points are my grandchildren. I will not let them starve or become homeless however, FB has used that for the last time as a reason not stepping up and doing what a man needs to do. He knows somewhere in his unconsciousness that I will not let my daughter or my grandbabies starve or be homeless. What he doesn't count on is my determination when I have had enough. He and my daughter have some serious decisions to make, some of them have left my daughter in tears but that's reality and has nothing to do with me being a bitch. FB has been riding on the coat tails of this family long enough simply because he wants to reach his goals. He may be able to make my daughter feel guilty by using that family support thing, but family support doesn't mean making his life easier by taking care of his family responsibilities for him while he pursues his life's goal. I've also had to get after my daughter about stepping up to the plate to work and push through her disabilities because they are going to be part of the rest of her life. Her life is never going to be easy or painless. So far, she has gotten off easy because people have allowed her to. Well, the time of reckoning is at hand. Reality time must set in. I am not going to be around for the rest of her life to bail her out. So, now I have to get tough with her. It's not easy and it hurts me to do so, but the alternative is not acceptable. If she wants her marriage to last, then she also needs to step up and do what she has to, what she needs to, to insure that without FB running amok all over her.

You know, my morning started out so nice, a cup of coffee, Food Network TV and then the phone rings... someone is insuring my anticipation and appreciation in our up and coming cruise.

It's About Time

When people were starting to be evacuated from New Orleans, I looked at Mr. M and pondered why Lackland AFB wasn't or hadn't been set up as a tent city for people. Much the same thing was done at Eglin AFB when all the Cubans refugees came over. I was at Eglin when that came down. They used old barracks and had up scores of tents. The area was cordoned off by razor wire. I just heard on the news that many airlines will be airlifting people to Lackland AFB. I wouldn't be surprised if Eglin AFB will also be used in the same way eventually. Having been stationed at Lackland, I know they have the excess room to convert. It may not be pretty, but it sure will be better than where they are at now.

Watching and listening to media, it is my hope that all the pointing at what isn't happening, is merely to draw attention to the focus and not a way of slamming down or poingint out shortcomings. This is not the time for that. Now is the time to take care of people affected by this disaster. There will be time enough later, to figure out what can be done better.

Once again the American people have gotten a wake up call. People has been saying for years that the levys needed to be fixed and it kept being put off and put off. It's sad that it took something of this epic to fix it and I have no doubt it will be.

In such a light as this, we see the worst and the best of mankind. The balance of Life tips back and forth and there is knowledge to be gained.

Katrina

A disaster beyond the imagination. Why are we so surprised? After 9/11 one would think no one would be surprised by anything any more, yet, we are. It has been a long known fact about the topography of LA. It has been a long known fact about being below sea level and that is was quite possible that one day, during a horrific hurricane or weather that what could occur and now has. I wonder if the human mind could have ever imagined what is now a reality or if it simply chose not to. After all, why trouble trouble until it bothers you? Why? Because of all the human suffering we now are all witness to.

I know people are frustrated. I know a lot of people are suffering. When dealing with epic porportions of people such as now, there simply are not enough people that can help and save all the people affected. Were doing the best we can as fast we can. Lawlessness is running amok. In times like this, we should be seeing the best of humankind, not the worst. What good are all those new tennis shoes, clothing, electronics going to do for these people if they keel over tomorrow from disease? Human greed.

The conditions are deplorable, agreed. This all happened so fast. Supplies and help had to be able to get in to help people and that's a great deal of the problem, being able to get in and then there are priorities..where does it start? Where do they start? Do the rest of us safe and secure in our homes realize how vast this actually is? We see and read about what is going wrong, but do we truly see and understand the situation? Maybe there are a lot of (to use military lingo) cluster f*&^%s. Chalk it up to the situation and human victims, emotions and needs. Help is coming. Getting in there is limited. It sure would be easier if flying in was possible. Relief for human suffering could probably be eased if airport runways were available. People care. People are coming to help. I hope everyone who watches from relative safety keeps in mind the vast amount of human victims involved here and that maybe things could be done better and maybe not.

I've been on both ends of the spectrum and from either end, it is overwhelming. The human spirit endures and does what it can, as best as it can and we all pray Universal Divine holds us all together.

*******************

If anyone is opening their wallet to write a check to help with disaster relief or going online to donate cash, please be careful. There are sadly those who would take advantage of your generosity and would take help out of the mouths of the needy to simply feed their own greed.

For those donating to the American Red Cross, please remember to specify if you want your money to go to Hurricane Katrina victims or if you would like your money donated to the General Disaster Relief Fund. All monies specified for Hurricane Katrina can only be used for Katrina. Even if there are funds left over after Katrina is seen to, those funds stay in an account for Katrina victims. If funds are desginated to the general disaster fund, it will be used for Katrina but in the after math of Katrina, when all is said or done, your dollars will go on to future disasters. It will not be deadlocked in an account somewhere for just that one disaster.

If you have ten days to give, consider taking a couple of necessary Red Cross courses in Diaster Relief. They aren't hard to pass nor are they that long to go through. Then you can be put on the National Disaster team afterwards and be called up or you can volunteer to go to disasters. You must also go through a physical (medical) and mental exam to become a volunteer.

For anyone wanting information about loved ones in the affected areas, there is more than likely a moratorium on that information at this time.

There is a lot of work to be done before these states recover, if some ever truly do. Please do not get upset with the information the news the media is showing, but let it motivate you to go help, however you can. Everyone is human and everyone with the willingness to help, are. Hopefully the scum of the human race will be curtailed soon so the business of rescuing and recovering can be continued safely.

My prayers go out for the souls that are crossing over. May they be held in gentle arms where suffering and pain are no more.

May the souls of the living find some spark of strength to hold on. For all things shall pass and light will come again.

May the Light of the Divine wrap around the human race so that the goodness and grace of the Divine that resides in each of us, shines through as it always has in times such as these.

Yippppeeee!

No more waffling. I always waffle from the time we decide to take a cruise to when we actually pay for it. Even though we got a most excellent deal for a 10 day cruise, I keep thinking how we could use that money for something else. There's always something else. Mr. M and I need this trip. It is only way we totally get away from ringing phones and business. I carefully calculated monies on hand against this coming winter (that ant, grasshopper symdrome dontcha know) and figured we could do this, but I *always* feel guilty about it until it's actually paid for and we can't back away.

The Mexican Rivera, 10 days. Holland America's Ryndam: Schedule as follows:

Embarkation: 10/08 San Diego
10/09: At Sea
10/10: At Sea
10/11: Manzanillo
10/12: Acapulco
10/13: Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa
10/14: Puerto Vallarta
10/15: Mazatlan
10/16: Cabo San Lucas
10/17: At Sea
10/18: Disembarkation: San Diego, Ca.

We sailed on the Ryndam two years ago and since then I've read that there has been some major upgrades. I can't wait to see them. The Ryndam was undergoing some renovations two years ago when we sailed on her, but of course, we never saw them. Holland America is bit more expensive to travel on, but one can still get a great deal at last moment if you have the funds available. She's described as a five star fleet. That star stuff means little to me. What I do know is that they provide great service and some of the best food I've ever tasted. The atmosphere is great and quite laid back which I love and look forward to.

This time we opted for an inside stateroom. Last time we had an Oceanview and seldom used that window. In fact, we kept the curtains drawn for the most part. The only time they were open was when housekeeping came through. I'm a bit clastophobic so I'm hoping I'll handle it okay, which I think I will. Talking with Mr. M, we have come to the conclusion that it is all in how you look at it. So long as the room isn't too small, we both should be okay.

Right now we're trying to decide which of the land excursions we want to go on. There are just so many good ones. I want to limit us to 2 of them, maybe Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. We've also come to the conclusion we will do this trip again.

It's still far easier on the pocketbook to drive, yes, even with the the hiking gas prices. Using this huge monster of a truck is out of question, so we'll be getting a smaller rental to drive down to San Diego and then we'll pick up another one when we get back. Considering all the prices, this is the best course of action for us. I hate being limited to how much I can bring back from our trip...and no, I don't plan on bankrupting Mr. M's money accounts. We'll leave a day or two earlier so we won't be too tired when we get to San Diego and won't be too rushed for boarding.

I was amazed at what people purchased in Mexico on our last cruise and actually brought back on ship with them. The most memorable thing was someone who bought a garden fountain, two parts, at least 6 feet tall. I suppose they were traveling by car once they diembarked back in San Diego. I brought back a few blankets, some pottery, t-shirts and shot glasses last time. I'm looking for some more pottery this time and requested to return with a dress/skirt. Maybe even a larger crystal ball. I got a most excellent one in Cabo last time and paid quite a bit less than I would here at home. I think a one on one experience with a bottle-nosed dolphin is on the agenda this time. Yes, yours truly in a bathing suit..whoo-hoo *snort*.