John Kerry

"The right thing to do is to to treat abortions as exactly what they are -- a medical procedure that any doctor is free to provide and any pregnant woman free to obtain.  Consequently, abortions should not have to be performed in tightly guarded clinics on the edge of town; they should be performed and obtained in the same locations as any other medical procedure... [A]bortions need to be moved out of the fringes of medicine and into the mainstream of medical practice."

John Kerry

Presidential Candidate 

Source:  People For Life Newsletter 

Update No. 591 

                   And this guy wants to be president?                                         

 

 

   

Strange Signs

These are actual signs:

At a number of US military bases:  Restricted To Unauthorazied Personnel

At a Santa Fe gas station: We sell gasoline to anyone in a glass container.

At an optometrist's office: If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place. 

English Sign in German Cafe: Mothers, Please Wash Your Hands Before Eating

In a cleaner's window: Anyone leaving their garments here for more than 30 days will be disposed of.

In a hotel conference: For anyone who has children and doesn't know it, there is a day care center on the first floor.

In a Los Angeles clothing store: Wonderful bargains for men with 16 and 17 necks.

In a Maine restaurant: Open seven days a week and weekends.

In a Pennsylvania cemetery: Persons are prohibited from picking flowers from any but their own graves.

In a safari park: Elephants please stay in your car.

In a Tacoma, Washington men's clothing store: 15 men's wool suits - $100  - They won't last an hour.

In downtown Boston:  Callahan Tunnel - NO END

In the winodw of an Oregon general store: Why go elsewhere to be cheated, when you can come here?

On a display of "I love you only" Valentine cards: Now available in multi-packs.

On a Maine shop: Our motto is to give our customers the lowest possible prices and workmanship.

On the grounds of a private school in Connecticut: No trespassing without permission.

Outside a country shop in West Virginia: We buy junk and sell antiques.

Outside a farm: Horse manure, pre-packaged bags, $10. Or, do-it-yourself, $1. 

On a New York convalescent home: for the sick and tired of the Episcopal Church.

Quicksand warning:  Quicksand.  Any person passing this point will be drowned.  By order of the District Council.

Check This Out

A cicada entry again.  Okay, I am obsessed with them.  But not as much as some people.  Not so much that I would wear them as jewelry.  www.lunaparc.com/cicada.htm   

 

Carmelite Meeting

I went to breakfast this morning at the Waffle Shop with John at 7:00 a.m.  It was an early start to the day with a nice breakfast.  Saw three guys walking down the street.  One was pushing a bicycle and had a suitcase on the bike.  The second man was carrying a smaller suitcase.  The third man was just walking.  I wondered where they were going and what there life was about.  

Afterwards I went to my Carmelite meeting.  It lasted four and a half hours.  I was asked if I wanted to stay longer but I was so tired (I didn't get enough sleep last night - I was doing too many things) that I told the president that I had to go home and do some things (which I did need to do). 

At the meeting we had private meditation, vocal prayer, a Scripture study (a LONG Scripture study, lol), a business meeting, lunch, and then formation meeting.  During the formation meeting we went over the homework we had been studying all month, from the books we had been reading.  Mine was from a work from St. John of the Cross, the group I am fascilitating (leading). 

In one way the session I fascilitated was very exciting, in another way it was VERY frustrating.  Everybody had read the material so we had a great discussion.  Well I say everybody had read it, well not everyone.  There was one person who joined our group on the spur of the moment who was sitting in on it who had not read the material.  She was just sitting in on the class.  When people would ask questions she would answer half the time and would be wrong.  And she was making major mistakes.  It was making me very frustrated.  When I would say something she would correct me.  What is the point of me being the leader if she is going to tell the people the wrong answers?  And then at the end of the whole session, she summed up the entire day's work by telling everybody the exact opposite of what the whole thing meant.  I was horrified.  Of course I said gently that the opposite was true, but I don't know what everybody believed.  The point is this person is someone in great authority in the community and everybody probably believed what she said.  Oh well.  It was very frustrating.  She should at least read the writings if she is going to make comments.  It was about 50 or more pagesof work we did.  I hope she chooses to be in somebody else's group next month or at least reads the material if she is going to be in our group...

I am thinking a little bit about Valerie today and am concerned about her.  Her surgery is definitely July 7th and she doesn't seem to be having much chance to rest up for it.  There is so many things she has had to do the last few days.  I hope she has a chance to rest before her surgery. 

If you have a chance, please pray for her, and pray for my family also, that they not be under stress.  Thanks.  :-)

Just Another Day

Yesterday was just another day.

But there were a few interesting things that happened.

I had three appointments.  One of them VERY far away.  That one was strange.  For one thing a man on the side of the road had stopped and was getting dressed outside his car.  Just changing his shirt (I hope that was all), but by the side of the highway.  Now why would someone stop by the side of the highway to change their clothes?  He was a businessman. 

On the same trip there were those sickening popping cicadas.  Like popping chocolate pudding balls against the windshield.  I guess they have made their way from Maryland to Pennsylvania. 

On the way home, I saw two homeless people at an intersection.  I am used to that in the city/subarbs where I used to come from, but not in the rural area I was in.  One was a very dirty young man who had a shopping cart full of stuff and a sign that said "I am homeless and I am hungry and...".  I couldn't read the rest of the sign.  I didn't know if he wanted food or wanted a job.  I wanted to help in some kind of a way.  In some kind of way more than just give him food.  I kind of wondered why there was someone who wasn't working with him in some kind of program and how he had somehow fallen through the cracks. I wanted to say, hey, there is a way, there is hope.  You don't just need food, you need work, or if you can't work (because you are sick), you need someone to show you how to qualify for disability payments, and you need help moving into an apartment, etc., etc.  But John and I drove on because we were late.  I wonder why there isn't more help for people who sit on street corners who really want help.  I mean those who REALLY want to change their life, not ones who want to sit around and do nothing.  How sad.

And yes, I advocate people helping themselves, but I also believe in helping people so that they can get in the position to help themselves.  I believe in giving people a fishing pole so that they can fish.  I am somewhere between not giving people anything and giving them everything.  I am for helping people help themselves.  And yes, to the horror of my parents, I am a Republican. 

I am also a Republican because I am pro-life.  But now we are veering way off the subject of my day.

I saw Valerie and Matthew again yesterday.  Matthew told me he and his mother saw some truffles at the grocery store.  He said they were $499 a pound!  I thought he was joking at first.  Valerie said they were under lock and key.  Now I heard truffles were supposed to be good, but why would anyone pay $499 for fungi?  I don't care if they are a delicacy and rare.  I guess the rich will do anything...  What a waste, think of all the people you could help with that...

Well, I need to go, I am getting hungry and haven't had my coffee yet. No, I think I will have some tea.  Everybody have a great day.  :-) 

 

Of defrosting freezers

I am up early because I went to bed early last night.  Yesterday was a tiring day packed with lots of things to do.

I defrosted the freezer for someone who is moving.  I started in the morning, and it is still defrosting this morning!  It was very full of ice!  I have used seven towels so far to soak up the water that has leaked onto the floor  from the overflowing of the melting ice.  I guess today will be wash towels day. 

I also did some housecleaning yesterday.  Not much to say about that.

I did some studying for a group I am fascilitating on Saturday about the "Living Flame of Love" (a poem and treastise of the poem written by St. John of the Cross).  I am a Secular Order Carmelite (which is similar to a Third Order Carmelite).  

I guess I should explain that secular means we live among those in the world (as opposed to a convent).  We also make promises of chastity, poverty and obedience.  Chastity is according to your state in life, so you are allowed to be married or get married.  You just, of course, are promising to be faithful to your spouse if you get married, which all Christians should be.  I guess I am explaining that one because some people don't understand why I have a boyfriend. 

Anyway, back to what I did yesterday.  I saw Matthew and Valerie for a few minutes.  

John and I went and got an ice cream cone from McDonald's last night.  That was fun!  Reminded me of when I was a kid!  Then we went for a drive.  Sometimes he takes me for a drive in the country.  Not that it matters where we are going, it could be a dirty sooty city (or should I say exciting city) for all I would know or care!  Because I ALWAYS fall asleep on our trips, even if they are short rides.  The motion of the car puts me to sleep.  When I am driving, of course I stay awake, but if he is driving, I inevitably fall into slumber. I can see why some parents use that little trick as a last resort to put their babies to sleep. 

Well, I did some more things, but they are really not important enough to mention.  Perhaps it is time to put another fun entry in this journal, lol! 

Matthew

Today was a pretty cool day.  I went to my Spiritual Director this morning.  For those of you who are not Catholic, a Spiritual Director is someone who helps you with your spiritual life.  They are a mentor of sorts.  They help you discern where the Holy Spirit is leading you in your life.  I really enjoyed going.  Well I say enjoyed, but it was a little painful, lol.  Anything good is a little painful!  It is painful to grow, but if you don't grow, you don't get anywhere. 

Next I went with my sister Valerie and my Dad to pick up Valerie's son Matthew at the airport.  He is 16, the best thing since sliced bread, I mean the coolest thing ever, and knows everything!  Don't they all at 16?  Actually, he is highly intelligent, he told us today the school counselor wanted him to graduate a year early. He lives in Florida.  I will tell you more about him when I have more time.  I thought I had a recent pic of him to show you, but I don't, so I will have to take one and get it developed in the next couple of weeks.  He will be here about two weeks.

Speaking of Valerie, they decided not to do the same brain surgery they were going to do on her, but instead they are now going to do a v/p shunt, which would entail putting a tube in the ventricle of her brain.  But more on that later.  I think Chelsea (Matthew's sister) is going to come with us when she has her surgery.  It will be on July 7.  

Well, got to go for now.  I have some things to do.  But I will be back soon. 

Kim Sun-Il

How extremely sad.  No, sad is not a strong enough word for it.  Today Islamic militants beheaded another person.  South Korean Kim Sun-il could be heard pleading on video tape for his life while being killed.  The militants of course wanted the South Korean government to pull its troops from Iraq.  It seems like one of these incidents happens every few days.  If I remember correctly this is the third beheading recently.  How sickening.   

Weekend Assignment #10

Weekend Assignment #10:  You have been given 2 million dollars.  What would you do with it?

If I was given two million dollars I would give it to charity.  They say charity begins at home, so first I would help my family some.  Then I would help the mentallly ill in some way.  And I would help pregnant girls who need it. 

DUMB CRIMINALS

These are true stories.  They are real crimes committed by criminals.   The first two are from the site Crazy Criminals and the last one is from the site Fun Pages.

The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti, Michigan at 7:50 am, flashed a gun and demanded cash.  The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn't open the cash register without a food order.  When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren't available for breakfast.  The man, frustrated, walked away.

In Chicago a man was wanted for throwing bricks through jewelry store windows and making off with the loot.  He was arrested finally after throwing a brick into a Plexiglass window... the brick bounced back, hit him in the head and knocked him cold until the police got there.  

In Yankton, South Dakota a woman was arrested at her stepson's Boy Scout meeting.  While watching a policeman demonstrate his drug dog's ability, the dog found a bag of grass in her purse.        

What will become of me?

These past few days I have been doing Spring cleaning like crazy.  (Yes, it is technically still Spring out there even though it is blazing hot.)  I am going through my apartment and throwing things out.  I am finding things to give to Good Will.  It feels really good.  I think that I am thinking that somehow if I throw out the things in my house that are extra, that somehow it will clean up the things in my life that are not necessary.  That I will get a new start.  I am looking for a new start in life right now.  I am not exactly sure what that new start will entail, but I just want some changes.  I want to throw away the old stuff and start some new beginnings.  I can feel a new me emerging.

I started a little volunteer job, and will also start another one in July (helping young girls who are pregnant).  I am looking forward to both of these chances to help others.

I am considering what else I want this new me to be about.  Meanwhile, while I am thinking, I will keep cleaning.  There is so much left to do!  

DUMB LAWS

                                   

Here are some Dumb Laws that are still on the books. 

Alabama - Dominoes may not be played on Sunday.

Alaska - It is considered an offense to push a live moose out of a moving plane.

Arizona - When being attacked by a criminal or burglar, you may only protect yourself with the same weapon that the other person possesses.

Arkansas - The Arkansas legislature passed a law that states that the Arkansas River can rise no higher than to the Main Street Bridge in Little Rock.

California - It is a misdemeanor to shoot any kind of game from a moving vehicle, unless the target is a whale. 

Colorado - One may not mutilate a rock in a state park.

Connecticut - It is illegal to dispose of used razor blades.

Deleware - It is illegal to fly over any body of water, unless one is carrying sufficient supplies of food and drink. 

Florida - If an elephant is left tied to a parking meter, the parking fee has to be paid just as it would for a vehicle.

Georgia - No one can carry an ice cream cone in their back pocket if it is a Sunday.

Hawaii - Coins are not allowed to be placed in one's ears.

Idaho - It is illegal for a man to give his sweetheart a box of candy weighing less than fifty pounds. 

Illinois - You must contact the police before entering the city in an automobile.

Indiana -  Baths may not be taken between the months of October and March.

Iowa - One-armed piano players must perform for free.

Kansas - If two trains meet on the same track, neither shall proceed until the other has passed. 

Kentucky - One may not dye a duckling blue and offer it for sale unless more than six are for sale at once.

Louisiana - Biting someone with your natural teeth is "simple assault" while biting someone with your false teeth is "aggravated assault."

Maine - You may not step out of a plane in flight.

Maryland - You must maintain your yard without thistles.

Massachusetts - No gorilla is allowed in the back seat of a car.

Michigan - A woman isn't allowed to cut her own  hair without her husband's permission.

Minnesota - A person may not cross the state lines with a duck on his head.

Mississippi - It is illegal to teach others what polygamy is.

Missouri - It is NOT illegal to speed.

Montana - It is a felony for a wife to open her husband's mail. 

Nebraska - If a child burps during church, his parent may be arrested.   

Nevada - It is illegal to drive a camel on the highway.

New Hampshire - You may not tap your feet, nod your head, or in any way keep time to the music in a tavern, restaurant, or cafe.

New Jersey - It is against the law for a man to knit during the fishing season.

New Mexico - Idiots may not vote.

New York - Slippers cannot be worn after 10:00 PM.

North Carolina - It's against the law to sing off key.

North Dakota - It is illegal to lie down and fall asleep with your shoes on.

Ohio - No one may be arrested on Sunday or on the Fourth of July.

Oklahoma - People who make "ugly faces" at dogs may be fined and/or jailed.

Oregon - Dishes must drip dry.

Pennsylvania - It is illegal to sleep on top of a refrigerator outdoors. 

Rhode Island - It is against the law to throw pickle juice on a trolley.

South Carolina - By law, if a man promises to marry an unmarried woman, the marriage must take place.

South Dakota - No horses are allowed into Fountain Inn unless they are wearing pants.

Tennessee - You can't shoot any game other than whales from a moving vehicle.

Texas - A recently passed anticrime law requires that criminals give their victims 24 hours notice, either orally or in writing, and to explain the nature of the crime to be committed.

Utah - It is illegal NOT to drink milk.

Vermont -  Women must obtain written permission from their husbands to wear false teeth.

Virginia - Driving shoeless is prohibited.

Washington - One may not spit on a bus.

West Virginia - No children may attend school with their breath smelling of "wild onions."

Wisconsin - Butter substitutes are not allowed to be served in state prisons.

Wyoming - Using a firearm to fish is strictly forbidden. 

Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #9

Scalzi's Weekend Assignment # 9:

Post a picture of one of your pets and entertain us with tales of animal fun.

I have shown pictures of my feline named Mr. Michael the Maine Coon Cat (Michael for short) and written about him extensively.  So I will just tell you two of the things that he does that I think are the funniest.  The first is fetching objects.  The second is knocking on the door when he wants to go outside.  He, of course, is the smartest cat I know!

Eastern Tailed Blues

Today John and I went and grilled some steaks at a local park.  Now you all can finally see a picture of him.  (Notice how I have not allowed anybody to see a picture of me yet!  I am still thinking about when I will let that occur!  Maybe soon!) 

When we were there we saw some beautiful butterflies.  They were the color of this font I am using.  They were everywhere.  They were magnificent.  They were true blue on one side and on the outside they were a pinkish-purple.  

At the park they have a butterfly garden.  I live in a college town, and there is a butterfly garden at the park that is maintained by the college.  They introduce butterflies and grow flowers and trees for the butterflies to live in.  While John was cooking the steaks I walked down to the butterfly garden because I wanted to know what kind of butterfly the blue one was.  There is a big board with all the butterfly pictures and their names listed.  It was a little walk, but I didn't mind because I needed the exercise.  But after a few minutes my muscles were hurting me because of my fibromyalgia (that is another story). 

I came upon the sign and learned my butterfly was called an Eastern Tailed Blue.  I read about them.  They like oak trees.  That is why there were not a lot of them in the butterfly garden, but mostly in the picnic area a bit away.  Because there was only one oak growing in the butterfly garden.  The rest of the plants in the garden were flowers or weeds.  The Eastern Tailed Blues had moved to the rest of the park. 

I stayed at the butterfly garden for a few minutes and watched the other species of butterflies flying around the flowers for awhile.  Such magnificent butterflies.  I used to hate them because they were bugs but now they seemed pretty now that I had seen the blue one. 

Suddenly a creepy feeling came over me. I determined to get back to the picnic area with John as soon as possible.  I remembered that the spot where I was was where the police had been looking for a missing college student who they believe has been murdered.  They believe she was murdered quite possibly in the park, and quite possibly by the butterfly garden.  I did not go to the park for about two years after the incident occurred because I was too creeped out.  What a shame that I let an ax murderer or something run my life. 

I went back to the grill where John was.  I told him the butterfly was a Eastern Tailed Blue.  He told me he had just seen the strangest bird - it had an orange head, brown body, and white tail. 

"What a beautiful day for a picnic," John said.  "The weather is gorgeous, the Eastern Tailed Blues are out, and an oranged-headed, white tailed bird dropped by."  I almost fell out laughing when John said this.  It sounded like script from a book.  I couldn't tell if he was trying to be funny or not.  Because he is so literal sometimes. 

We ate our steaks, some honey pasta salad (something new we tried - it had bow tie pasta, mandrin oranges, and sunflower seeds in it!), and a couple of baby donuts.  Then we went home.  It was a fun day. 

Introspection

I just watched the funeral of Ronald Reagan.  It was extremely moving.  Such an outpouring of people wanting to see a man at the end of his life.  The show was called Farewell to Ronald Reagan.  Of course it is not a final farewell because he is in Heaven with his Lord that he loved so much.  

Tonight I am in a really introspective mood.  I am thinking about all kinds of things.  I even sat down and made a list of goals for the future.  This is kind of strange for me because I usually do this at times when I think time is slipping away from me, like when it is my birthday and I think I am getting old.  I guess I am feeling pretty old, I am 41 now, and sometimes I think that time is really slipping away.  Like there is not that much time left to do the things I want to do.  I am not sure exactly what it is that I still want to do, but I think there is not that much time left to do it!

Perhaps I am not THAT old! 

 

Attack of the Cicadas!

There was no entry yesterday because I had no time to write one.  I got up before dawn to go with my sister Valerie and my Dad to Johns Hopkins Hospital.  We left at 5:30 AM and I got home around 8:30 PM.  It was a long day with a lot of doctor's appointments and a lot of travel.  After the day I was too tired to write but I thought now would be a good time.

The physician's are still trying to determine which surgery to give my sister, but are leaning towards the original brain surgery that they had thought about.  They should call in the next few days and let her know.  The surgery will be July 7th. 

One thing that kept us entertained on the trip were the cicadas.  As we left Pennsylvania and crossed into the Maryland line, bugs began flying into the car.  They were flying from the trees, across the highway, and into the cars.  Many of them were giant!  Valerie said that some of them were as large as two inches but I think some of them were larger.  They looked that way to me.  My dad said some of them looked the size of small birds.  My dad had to periodically put on the windshield wipers to wipe the cicada juice of the windshields.  They would splat against and it would sound loud like popcorn.  Or chocolate pudding being thrown against the window!  The strange thing is we would scream "Eww," or "Gross" and then duck.  It was funny that we were ducking because it was not like the cicadas could get us through the windshield!  We also heard a lot of high pitched buzzing even with the windows rolled up.  It was such a strange scene seeing these thing flying all around and splattinag.  It reminding me of a scene from that movie The Birds.

My sister Valerie said that it was nothing like when she had gone to Johns Hopkins with my father two days earlier.  There had been so many more that the cicadas were completely coating the windshields at times that they couldnt see through the windshield at times.  My dad had nearly exhausted his wiper fluid.  When they got back from Baltimore my dad had to take the car somewhere to try to get the juice off. 

My Dad told me that if he found out that cicadas were ok to eat he would eat one.  I asked if I could quote him on that.  He said yes.  I told him he had better mean it, because I was going to.  He said that people eat stranger things, like shrimp.  He said if he found out that they were ok to eat, and knew how to cook them, he might try one.

To each his own. 

I Saw Venus!

This morning I woke up at 4 AM.  It was dreadfully early.  I wanted to make sure John was awake to meet with his astronomy buddies to see Venus in front of the sun, so I made the sacrifice.  I called him up so he could come over and have coffee with me.  The only kind of coffee that could keep us awake that early in the morning was Chocolate Raspberry Truffle.  So he made a pot.  We didn't feel much like eating so we had three slices of cheese each.  Then I thought about it.  I was up anyway.  Why not go see it myself?  "Do you think your astronomy club would mind if I came along?" I asked John.  "I don't see why they would," he answered.  "Why don't you come."  So I fixed my hair, put on my shoes, and we were out the door.

We left for the park about 5:15.  I hadn't realized it was so light that early.  When we got there people were setting up their telescopes.  There were ten scopes in all.  John didn't bring his because you have to have a sun filter over your scope to view this event or you can go blind. 

The sun was completely up around 5:45.  It was a bright orange and pink ball.  Once again I didn't realize how magnificent it looked so early in the morning.  Sunrises are absolutely gorgeous, with the color of the sun being so beautiful, and the surrounding pinks and oranges being so beautiful.  I should get up early more often. 

Right when the sun came up and wasn't so bright yet, I took a look at the sun.  I did something they tell you absolutely not to do.  I looked directly at it.  And I saw Venus!  Yes, my Father is going to read this and I am going to be getting killed.  But I saw Venus!  After about ten more minutes somebody in the astronomy group said that the sun was too bright and told everybody not to look at the sun from that point on with the naked eye no matter what.  Then somebody in the group passed around filter glasses.  They looked like 3D glasses you see in the movie theatre.  They worked a little but not very well.

Then it became time to look through the telescopes.  That was the totally awesome part.  I feel privileged to experience such an awesome event.  It is strange but I used to not care about these astronomy events, but my boyfriend is getting me more interested in them, especially ones that happen rarely.  

The sun was bright pink/orange and near the bottom was a black round circle (Venus).  It was cool!  Nobody there had ever been alive to see it before.  

And there were lots of people there.  About 60.  Not just those from the astronomy club.  I don't know where the people heard about meeting in the park.  There were a lot of people from different cultures too who spoke different languages which I thought was cool.  

I asked John his impression of the transit.  "The one guy from the club warned us it would be as interesting as watching paint dry, but I thought it was exciting."  He also said he is hoping by the year 2012 that he will have his own sun filter so that he can watch the whole thing himself.    

Venus Passes Between Sun and Earth Tomorrow

My boyfriend John is an ameteur astronomer.  He belongs to an astronomy club.  He told me about an event that is happening tomorrow (Tuesday) morning.  On Tuesday, June 8, at dawn will be the transit of Venus.  Venus will pass between the sun and the Earth, enabling most states in the US to see it.  Venus' transit will begin at about 1:13 AM Eastern Time and end about 7:26 AM Eastern Time.  If you are going to watch the event you must employ safe viewing techniques to avoid eye damage.  Never look directly at the sun without proper filters.  Permanent eye damage will occur.  Instead proper telescope filters or protective glasses from astronomy dealers should be used.

The last transit was in 1882.  The next transit will be in 2012.

Tomorrow John plans to go out meet his astronmy club and look at Venus through telescopes with protectives lenses.  I think they are solar telescopes.  They are going to get to the park at 5:15.  I think you have to be pretty dedicated to get up that early!  I think he is going to get up around 4:15!  I guess he wants to really see it!            

Smarty Jones loses

Yesterday Smarty Jones lost at the Belmont Stakes.  It was very sad that he did not become a Triple Crown Winner.  It looked as if he was going to win but Birdstone overtook him in the finishing stretch.  A record crowd that was teased into believing it would at long last see  racing history once again left stunned, disappointed, and some even in tears.

I for one thought Smarty Jones had a real chance at winning this time.  I loved his winning streak.  And the TV announcer on the station I was watching talked about how Smarty had a medal of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on his saddle.  And about how he had been blessed by three or four nuns.  I figured how could Smarty Jones go wrong if he had been blessed by three or four nuns?  That had to count for something!  

Of course when Birdstone won, one of the first things his rider, jockey Edgar Prado did was thank God.  So I guess I can't say God was on Smarty Jone's side and not on Birdstone's side! 

Prado was very sympathetic for winning the race and for beating Smarty Jones.  "I'm very sorry of course, but I had to do my job, that is what I am paid for," he said. 

Something tells me Smarty Jones is not out of things for good.

 

 

President Reagan dies at 93

President Ronald Reagan died today at age 93.  He was the 40th president of the United States and served two terms.  He lived from 1911 - 2004.  No matter how you felt about his politics, there was so much good you could say about him.  On the eve of his death, many are coming out and saying many things about him.  

"He won the Cold War without firing a shot," former Republican National Chairman Jim Gilmore said.

"He is the one who allowed the breakup of the Soviet Union," said Bogdan Chireac.  "May God rest his soul."

"Whether you agreed or disagreed with Ronald Reagan, you can't deny that he was honest, fought hard for what he believed in, and had the courage of his convictions," said U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D - N.Y.

Richardson, a democrat, said, "He restored the nation's pride when our collective spirits were low."

Reagan is known for many things.  He was the Great Communicator.  Everybody knows his "Tear down this wall speech.  Reagan did much to end communism.  He helped with the oil crisis.  He ended the hostage crisis.  He made the nation patriotic and proud again.  He helped us believe in ourselves again.  He energized the economy.  He led the way on social issues such as abortion.  He had old-fashioned conservative principles.  He was known to many as a man of principle because he stuck to his principles.  

This great man and great president will be greatly missed.     

Valerie

Yesterday I found out my sister Valerie is going to have brain surgery in July.  She has Arnold Chiari Malformation and Pseudotumor Cerebri.  She had brain surgery for Chiari about a year ago and it looks like she is going to have to have another one again.  She has to go through so much with her illnesses, yet is so brave.  She is such a beautiful person.  She brightens my day.  If you are the praying type, please pray for her.  Thanks.

Hanging Shoes

Memorial Day was pretty uneventful.  There were no picnics, no parades, no graves to visit.  Everything was rained out.  The rain pretty much came down all day.  John and I decided to have an indoor picnic.  We were going to cook some steaks but then decided why cook, and went downtown to a new pizza place to try out some pizza there. 

We had them make us a pizza to carry out.  It turned out to be fantastic.  On the way home I  noticed about twenty pairs of sneakers slung over the electrical wires.  Throwing your tennis shoes over the electrical wires is a rite of passage in this college town here.  The students do it after they graduate.  Now why would anyone want to hang your sneakers from electrical wires?  One, it seems like a perfectly good waste of money to me.  You have to go buy new shoes.  Two, it can't be good for the wires.  I bet if a police office or the electric company caught you you would be in trouble.  Perhaps I am turning into an old fuddy duddy.  When I was in school we used to go toilet papering and I thought that was okay (that is another story). 

Well, it is raining and thundering right now.  Mr. Michael The Maine Coon Cat is hiding behind the toilet.  Big brave 21 pound cat!  The forcast calls for rain 6 out of 7 days this week.  I guess we will have to plan a lot of indoor picnics to keep ourselves from getting bored this week.  And some other things.  I hope everyone has a nice week.