November
1 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
Patches was a BAD, BAD Girl.After our early morning walk I gathered up my dirty laundry into a piece of soft sided laundry but left it unzipped. Then left it sitting by the door where I would add what I was wearing when I returned from coffee time at the Club House.
When I got back I found that Patches had shredded all five of my boxer shorts that had been in the dirty laundry bag. There were socks, t-shirts and pull-overs in there also that she did not touch. The boxer shorts however were scattered around and TORN UP.
She got a VERY stern talking to but no physical harm was done I assure you. There was no question that she knew she had done wrong. It is part of the learning process: I learned something and MAYBE she did also.
While I was in 'town' at the Chinese Outlet Store buying some more boxer shorts, that were made in Costa Rica, I also had breakfast. Went to the Landmark for brunch which was a good American breakfast.
I drove past Libby's where I have had breakfast in the past but it appears that they are out of business. I need to find a couple of more breakfast places in Sierra Vista before I leave again.
About the same weather as the past couple of days with a little more wind. The forecast is for cooling with temperatures to drop into the mid-60s by Saturday then warm up again. That will probably mean stronger winds so it will be a cold weekend.
Too late! That is my message to Wells Fargo that joined the parade of big banks that have rolled back their Debit Card Fee if used to make a purchase. I have opened a new checking account and notified my two Direct Depositors, one of them deposited to that new account today. When the other Direct Deposit is posted to the new account then the Wells account is history.
Wells did not announce that they are rolling back the change in Checking Account waiver requirements so it would still cost me $15 per month with them unless I changed the account.
This is an excerpt from The Very Angry First Lady Michelle Obama By Joseph Curl for The Washington Times. The entire article is very good but this is the message that she is taking to the country for her husband's 2012 Campaign. So, it is not only President Obama that thinks the people of this country are to stupid to know what is going on but his wife thinks so too and is carrying the message to the people of this country. What a Campaign strategy.
“It can be hard to see clearly what’s at stake - because these issues are so complicated, and quite frankly, folks are busy and they’re tired. We’re raising families and working full-time jobs, and many helping out in their own communities on top of all that. So many of us just don’t have the time to follow the news and to sort through all the back-and-forth, and to figure out how all of this stuff connects to our daily lives.”Then there is this from the Opinion essay Return of the Real Obama by Charles Krauthammer, in The Washington Post on September 22, 2011. Obama has moved back to his roots for the 2012 Campaign. His new populism is a calculation that the halfhearted feints to the center after the midterm “shellacking” were unconvincing and would do him no good with a stagnant economy.
Yes, only Michelle and her husband can truly understand, although she often tells those uninformed people that when the president returns from one of his campaign trips, “He says, ‘You won’t believe what folks are going through.’ ” So maybe she is the only person in America who understands.
The authentic Obama is a leveler, a committed social democrat, a staunch believer in the redistributionist state, a tribune, above all, of “fairness” — understood as government-imposed and government-enforced equality.
That’s why “soak the rich” is not just a campaign slogan to rally the base. It’s a mission, a vocation. It’s why, for all its gratuitous cynicism and demagoguery, Obama’s populist Rose Garden lecture on Monday (September 19, 2011) was delivered with such obvious — and unusual — conviction.
He’s returned to the authenticity of his radical April 2009 “New Foundation” address (at Georgetown University) that openly proclaimed his intent to fundamentally transform America...
“..what I’ve said is that I would look at raising the capital gains tax for purposes of fairness.” A most revealing window into our president’s political core: To impose a tax that actually impoverishes our communal bank account (the U.S. Treasury) is ridiculous. It is nothing but punitive. It benefits no one — not the rich, not the poor, not the government. For Obama, however, it brings fairness, which is priceless.
2 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
The weather continues to be boringly good. It has been a little cooler and the wind a little stronger the past couple of day but still very nice. I'm expecting the wind to pick up even more tomorrow and Friday as the cold front moves in.A routine day for Patches and myself after her day yesterday. After her evening walk she was wore out. Got on the couch and was snoring, the first that I have heard, while she had a nap. I think she was extra tired from the worry of when the other shoe was going to fall after her morning scolding.
I measured the walks that we did today and my original guess of 1.5 miles per day was good. Tomorrow will be a go to town day so we may only walk once in the evening. Saturday is our first day of Class so that may also be only an evening walk.
Then starting Sunday I'm going to increase our morning walks and maybe the evening walks. I hope to be back to my 5 mile minimum per day within a few weeks. I got her for a walking companion as well as a traveling companion. Will just try to do what we can do and take it day by day.
President Obama declares victory in Libya, takes credit for the death of Gaddoffi and threatens Syrian President Bashar Assad with the same treatment. Meanwhile, The flag of Al Qaeda has been spotted flying over the courthouse in Benghazi, while rebels in Libya are said to have imposed Sharia law since seizing power.
Is this what we, the taxpayers, spent $1 Trillion to accomplish. Perhaps President Obama is very happy with the result but I did not want another country under Sharia law nor another country under Al Qaeda rule. Too many lives have been lost in Iraq and Afghanistan to rid them of Al Qaeda and he is proud of the fact that he has made it possible for them to now rule in Libya?
Then there is his Recovery from the Recession, that ended in 2009, where he has a crowning achievement but is not focusing on it in his 2012 Campaign state visits. His constant reminder that there needs to be more jobs is not helping his cause, he needs to stress what he has accomplished not what he has failed to do.
Food stamp rolls have risen 8.1% in the past year, the Department of Agriculture reported, though the pace of growth has slowed. Now nearly 15% of the U.S. population relies on food stamps as the number of recipients hit 45.8 million. Now that is something that he can point to with pride and his commitment to spreading the wealth around.
3 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
No walks, no coffee at the Club House although I did get breakfast at the Country House restaurant in S. Sierra Vista. But my usual routine was completely upset. No blog reading, no web surfing although I did get a lot of reading done on my novel.Devoted almost the entire day to sitting, waiting, at B & J RV Center. They did the left side electrical work for my living room remodel. Also fixed a basement light and replaced a vent cap that I lost somewhere.
I now have ALL new vent caps/covers since I have managed to loose of destroy all of them that were on Desperado when I bought her.
I think Patches enjoyed the day far more than I did. She got to meet so many new people that all were giving her pets and scratches and telling her what a pretty girl she was. Then there was all the new smells and all the dog smells on the people.
She is wore out and has collapsed on the couch since we got home.
My next step with the remodel is get that left side painted. It is not a big job but the prep and the clean up sure seem to be.
But before that I need to get the couch unbolted from the floor so I can move it and paint the entire wall and not do just the upper half. I'll ease into this project but hope to have it done before I leave here.
Need to get back to my usual do nothing routine tomorrow so I can rest up.
The following is from an Opinion Why We Can't Escape the Eurocrisis by Gerald P. O'Driscoll Jr. for The Wall street Journal. I think he explains the issue as simply and as well as anyone I have read. How President Obama can want to emulate the European model is beyond me. The only possible explanation that I can arrive at is that he thinks that he is so much smarter than all those European leaders that he can do what they could not.
The overwhelming debt problems on either side of the pond are interlinked through the banking system... The underlying dilemma is that governments have promised their citizens more social programs than can be financed with the tax revenue generated by the private sector. High tax rates choke off the economic growth needed to finance the promises. Economic activity gets driven into the underground economy, where it often escapes taxation.
Nowhere is this truer than in Greece, which has a long history of sovereign defaults in the 19th and 20th centuries. There is a bloated public sector, and competitive private enterprise is hobbled by regulation and government barriers to entry. Successive Greek governments ran chronic budget deficits, and the Greek banks lent to the government. Banks in other EU countries, such as France, lent to the Greek banks.
Americans must not be smug about the suffering of Europeans—our financial system is thoroughly integrated with theirs. Moreover, the International Monetary Fund will most likely be involved in the event of future bailouts and will likely need large funds from its members, which ultimately means the taxpayers.
And, of course, the U.S. has its own large and growing public debt burden. We have not gone as far down the road to entitlements, but we are catching up. If you want to know how the debt crisis will play out here, watch the downward spiral in the EU.
4 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
Read Will Rogers column 88 years ago: November 4, 1923Back to three short walks with Patches today. There was coffee time with a small crowd in the Club House. Got current with my Daily blog reading and all the News. Routine day has been re-established.
The increased winds have arrived on schedule. Getting stronger as the day goes by so I expect some rockin-n-rolling tonight. Down into the 60s tomorrow probably with winds, not a day to look forward to.
Our first day of class is tomorrow. I don't think Patches is very concerned, she has been a lazy dog today after all the excitement of yesterday.
The Bureau of Labor has released their non-farm job numbers for October which the media has reported as being mediocre. The past three months have now reported jobs added as: August was -0-, September adding 103,000 and October adding 80,000. However, if you look at the Bureau's historical data, by month, for Total Employed (which includes farm workers and has not been manipulated quite as much) you find that August ADDED 331,000, September ADDED 398,000 and October ADDED 277,000.
The even better news was that Unemployed went down by 95,000 and the number of Employed went up more than the increase in the Population (I said before that is always good news to me). The media continues to focus on the non-farm jobs number and the unemployment rate and do not consider this the good news that I have been seeing since August.
The media was shocked, shocked I say, when the August numbers were released as -0-. The same Bureau has revised that number in September and October to now being 104,000 but this gets no more that a footnote in the media coverage. The media reporting, for now, appears to be biased toward the negative with regard to the economy; they simply can not find any good news.
5 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
The wind gave me the rockin-n-rolling that I was expecting last night. Starting around 8:00 last night through early morning today it was steady at 25-30 mph with gusts up to 55 mph.Then got a light rain from about 4:00 am to after 7:00 with a dusting of snow on the Whetstone and Huachuca Mountains. Much colder today with clouds and still windy but not like last night.
Went to town and had breakfast at My Place before going to Obedience Training. Patches and I did a short walk in the PetSmart parking lot prior to class but it did not calm her down any. There was a late arrival to the class that Patches did not like at all.
She was growling and this was the second time that I have heard her bark. She likes most other dogs and gets excited to meet them but hated this dog on sight.
We made it through the class without any dog fights but there is a Border Collie that barked during the entire hour.
After class I went to Fry's and picked up groceries for the week. Then stopped at Wells Fargo and deposited my rebate from Big O Tire that I finally got in my forwarded mail. It came as a pre-paid Credit Card which I did not want to use so I deposited it as a Cash Advance.
Then used the Wells ATM to activate my new Ally Bank Debit Card and check the balance. I'm almost through with Wells, only waiting for my next Direct Deposit from Social Security to post in the new checking account.
6 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
I tried to do a longer walk with Patches this morning. It was a disaster.The short walks have been very slow, interrupted by lots of stops, because of her continued pulling. The extra distance just made the experience worse.
After we got home I devoted time to the web searching for advice for walking a dog on a loose leash and found a good site. Tried the described training techniques when we went out at noon. We didn't walk very far but the advice appears to have promise.
The 'stand like a tree' when the dog pulls is useful but does not break the habit. The next Obedience Class will include walking on a loose leash so maybe I'll make some progress in the next few weeks.
Rather cool today with some clouds. The wind came up in the afternoon but not too strong. Will probably have 2-3 more days like this then warm up into the 70s again.
The days are not that bad but the nights are now dropping into the high 30s. I'll be much happier when they move back up.
This is from an article written for The Telegraph by Toby Harnden The Daily Telegraph's US Editor, based in Washington DC. I think he sees this attack on Cain for what it is, a Liberal media trying to bring down an African American/Black/Negro that has gone off the Democrat Plantation. Try as they might so far it has not happened.
Simply put, the media and Cain’s detractors have over-played their hand. By Friday night, Politico, which broke the original story, had published 94 articles on the allegations in under six days. Every other major publication had followed suit. Every time he stepped out of a room, Cain was mobbed by reporters.Another one of those 'funny things' has been his ability to garner campaign contributions. He has raised $2 million in campaign contributions in the week since sexual harassment allegations against him became public, his spokesman J.D. Gordon said today. By comparison, the Georgia businessman collected $2.8 million in political donations in the entire June-to-September fundraising period.
Yet despite the maelstrom, Cain’s accusers remain anonymous and the details of the allegations oddly vague. With many conservatives believing that sexual harassment lawsuits are an industry and that frivolous cases are often settled to avoid more expensive litigation, there was a growing sense that Cain was being treated unfairly....
Those who leaked the details of the 1990s sexual harassment cases might have thought that they’d destroy Herman Cain and leave his campaign dangling from a tree. But, as befits this strange and unpredictable election campaign, a funny thing happened on the way to the lynching.
7 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
Patches got out early for her toilette which included a short walk on loose leash. I did a LOT or reverses and going around in circles getting her there and back. The object of all this is to reward her for staying even, or behind, my left leg. She does not GET IT.Our mid-day walk was not any better. She does NOT associate the reward with being at my side or behind me. She immediately will walk past me when I reverse directions unless I'm holding a treat down beside, or behind, me.
If there is NO treat then she surges out in front of me. At the end of the leash she will pull for a while and then come back looking for a treat. I am not giving up but I think I'm done for now. I'll see what the Obedience Class can teach me. It is obvious that I can not teach Patches.
I went for coffee at the Club House after the morning walk failure and then back 'home' for breakfast. I have breakfast at 'home' every morning now except when I go to town. Have been making oatmeal with blueberries, honey and almond milk. I like it, it seems to fill me up and supposedly it is good for me.
The 50% chance of rain became a 100% chance at 10:00 when a good steady rain fell for an hour. Cold, in the 40s much of the morning then warming up into the low 50s.
I had my Wave 6 set up for the first time this winter. Patches was appreciating it as much as I. She does not lay on the floor much but found a spot today in front of the heater that she liked.
The afternoon was much like yesterday only a little colder. The wind picked up and will probably be blowing hard tonight as the storm moves on through. Warmer days are on the agenda with a very cold morning on tap for tomorrow.
It is amazing that a Chinese Communist leader is giving capitalistic economic lectures to the European leaders. Yet, President Obama wishes to emulate the Euopean model. Go figure!
"If you look at the troubles which happened in European countries, this is purely because of the accumulated troubles of the worn out welfare society. I think the labor laws are outdated. The labor laws induce sloth, indolence, rather than hardworking. The incentive system, is totally out of whack.I came across another revealing comment regarding Greece and the Eurocrisis. “Interestingly, Greece's own citizens offer a good case study in the psychotic tendencies of Homo sapiens. On one hand, 7 in 10 Greeks favor staying in the eurozone bloc, yet those same folks passionately object to the fiscal requirements for Greece to remain within the monetary union. Put another way, they realize concessions are completely necessary, but they don't want to make any. (Please note, these same psychotic tendencies are not limited to Greeks, but have also been observed in people from all nations.)”
"Why should, for instance, within [the] eurozone some member's people have to work to 65, even longer, whereas in some other countries they are happily retiring at 55, languishing on the beach? This is unfair. The welfare system is good for any society to reduce the gap, to help those who happen to have disadvantages, to enjoy a good life, but a welfare society should not induce people not to work hard."
Jin Liqun, the supervising chairman of China's sovereign wealth fund
A perfect example of that was the results of a poll in this country where 74% said that the country is on the wrong track. Yet those same people in the poll were equally divided when asked if President Obama or the GOP were the best choice to get us off that wrong track. IMO, not humble, neither President Obama, the Democrats nor the Republicans are going to get us back on track.
8 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
Last night was a difficult one for Patches and I. Around midnight I was up for a trip to the bathroom and found a big pile of dog crap on the floor. The only good news, I didn't step in it.I cleaned that up and went back to bed. A couple of hours later I'm up again and find a diarrhea deposit this time plus she has left a puddle in the middle of the living room. I got that mess cleaned up, somewhat, and went back to bed. Not a lot of sleep however, I was doing a lot of thinking.
I then hear her stirring around at 5:00 am so I get up and get her outside where she had more diarrhea, then again at 6:00. Just before going to coffee at 8:00 I took her out once more. She did nothing but sniff around so I left with the anticipation of cleaning the carpet again upon my return.
Every time I leave her alone in Desperado now I return dreading to see what she has torn up or how much crap is on the floor. Every time I get up at night to go to the bathroom now I'll be worried about what I'm going to step in.
Maybe give it the full six weeks of Obedience Classes. If the walking does not improve or I'm still constantly worrying about what I'm going to find at 'home' upon my return or when I get up at night, then perhaps it will be time to return her to the Animal Shelter.
I had this wild expectation that I would walk more if I had a dog to walk with. The reality is I now walk less, much less! Plus I'm now afraid to walk because of what I might come 'home' to. I think I may have made a BIG mistake in adopting a dog. I'm thinking that I'm not really cut out to have a dog for a companion. It is very sad that Patches has to be caught up in my failure.
9 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
Patches and I had a better night. To avoid more 'accidents' on her part we went outside during the day and night at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 22:00, 04:00 and 06:00.The more thought I have put into it the more I don't believe it was an 'accident'. Patches was telling me something just like she told me something when she shredded my boxer shorts. I simply do not understand what she is telling me.
I worked with he some more on walking loose leash and accomplished little, perhaps nothing. I now mostly just let her pull me around when we go out and simply say' the hell with it'.
Perhaps the Obedience Class will be able to teach me what I need to do and how to do it. I'm not getting satisfying results from what I have read to do on the Internet, but then again it may be how I'm doing it.
She met another dog in the RV Park this morning that barked at her when they approached each other. This prompted her to growl back so I quickly separated her from the other dog. She is so like me in so many ways, NO social skills being among them.
The high temperature yesterday was 58° with a low of 26°. It is forecast to be in the mid 60s today but this morning was the same 26° although it felt warmer.
10 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
I got a couple of email with some advice to help with the pulling by Patches. I appreciate and need all the advice I can get.One email gave me a link to a web site which I had read. The site offers good advice and I have tried to follow it.
The second email suggested that I turn her LOOSE so she can burn off her excess energy. I'm not sure I can do that and still be a responsible pet owner. She comes sometimes when called but not consistently.
What I did do is I took her to the RV Park Dog Run on 11/9. There I took her off leash to let her run. She did nothing but walk around the Run for 15 minutes and sniff. Tried again today after receiving the second email and she stood at the gate and whined for me to come and get her.
I have not been getting much sleep these past three nights. We walked at 18:00 last night and Patches had what is euphemistically called a 'loose stool'. At 20:00 I took her out again but when I woke up at 23:45 it was too late, she had already gone on the floor (always on the carpet). Out again at 00:30, 03:00, 06:00, 08:00 and 09:00 when I got back from having coffee.
I don't loose that much sleep because of taking her out or cleaning up after her. I loose most of my sleep because I lay awake thinking. Is she doing it intentionally? Has she lost all house breaking training because of the stresses of her new life? Does she have some medical problem?
How do I get an answer? What do I need to do if and when I have the answer? Is this experience ever going to end? Do I just throw in the towel and chock it up to one more bad experience in my life and move on?
I told you when I got Patches that I would have more to write about. So it has come to pass, but I had no idea that the subject would be her bowel movements and my reactions to them.
I think I'll try and get a nap before taking her out again!
11 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
Read Will Rogers column 88 years ago: November 11, 1923A better night for Patches and myself. We only went out once last night after going to bed and that was at 04:00 this morning. I even slept in after that trip outside.
I did get up more often than just that once but it was for my bathroom visits not for both of us.
I have now eliminated the idea that Patches broke her house training intentionally to send a message. Her system was disrupted either by anxiety or something she ate while we were out walking.
I'm still not sure which of these it might have been. She is much better today and seems to be back where she was prior to these past few days.
I have also learned her signals, or behavior, that says she wants to go outside. This does not help at all if I am asleep because she makes no noise. I'm still not 100% accurate in my interpretation of her signals but better than I was three days ago.
I prefer to error on the side of going outside too often rather than not often enough. HA HA
High cloud overcast today but warming up into the mid-70s. It felt warmer this morning that the reported 33°. Tomorrow is forecast to be much the same with the chance of rain on Sunday and Monday with the high back in the 60s.
The new routine is walk Patches, meet for coffee, blog read, web surf and read my novel. Didn't get much novel reading done in the past three days but it will still be there.
The Thanksgiving get together with my cousins will be subdued this year. The second oldest boy of the family died yesterday. I was hoping to see him for the first time in perhaps 60 years but that will now not happen.
12 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
Patches and I made it through another night with no clean up involved. We went out once at 02:00, I think, and then my usual 06:00 getting up time. I think she is back to 'normal' but when I get up if she gives ANY hint that she needs to go, then we go outside.The class today for how to train your dog to walk on a loose leash was what I have been trying to do. I should be using the clicker more often, rewarding with treats more often but my general technique was correct.
The trainer thought Patches was doing VERY well. When I was able to see some of the other dogs I thought she was doing well also. Perhaps I'm expecting too much from Patches and maybe too much from myself also.
One of the dogs was a candidate for a head collar which the dog fought. I was thinking Patches would fight one also and wanted to avoid using one if possible. The trainer thought Patches was doing so well that it probably will not be necessary. I'm happy and Patches does not know it but she should be thrilled!
Before class, I stopped at Café Olé for breakfast which was their Enchiladas con Huevos which were very good. Wanted to get some tamales from the factory that is close by the restaurant but the do not appear to open on Saturday.
After class, I did some shopping for Patches at PetSmart. Then went next door to Fry's and did some grocery buying for me.
Yesterday I filled the fresh water tank and wanted to dump the holding tanks but put it off until this morning. I needed to pull forward for my dump hose to reach and since I was unhooking from electric this morning it seemed logical to wait. I should be good for about three weeks before I do that again.
The following is excerpted from an article in the Weekly Standard which is a Conservative publication so the editorial language is biased but the numbers are not. I think President Obama and the Democrat Party are very pleased with these results, they were expecting it to take one or two decades to reach total Federal Government control of US health care, this simply means it is happening faster than even they thought possible.
Throughout the Obamacare debate, President Obama repeatedly promised, “If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan.” Now, Gallup reports that from the first quarter of 2010 (when Obama signed Obamacare into law) to the third quarter of this year, 2 percent of American adults lost their employer sponsored health insurance. In other words, about 4.5 million Americans lost their employer-sponsored insurance over a span of just 18 months.
This is not what the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) had predicted would happen. Rather, the CBO had predicted that Obamacare would increase the number of people with employer-sponsored insurance by now. It had predicted that, under Obamacare, 6 million more Americans would have employer-sponsored insurance in 2011 than in 2010 ... So the CBO’s rosy projections for Obamacare are already proving false...
So in addition to costing about $2.5 trillion over its real first decade (2014 to 2023), looting nearly $1 trillion from Medicare over that time (according to the CBO), forcing Americans to buy government-approved health insurance under penalty of law, and amassing unprecedented power and money in Washington at the expense of Americans’ liberty — if Obamacare stays on the books, you may like your health care plan, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you can keep your health care plan.
13 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
Last night it was my turn to have an upset gastrointestinal tract. It kept me awake just like Patches did. I avoided making a mess on the floor however knowing that she would not clean it up.A few sprinkles in the early morning hours. Then starting around 10:00 we got a steady rain for much of the day.
I have had a nap or two with the rain lulling me to sleep. When awake it is blog reading time and watch for a break in the weather. Need to get Patches outside whenever that happens.
Got my Wave 6 heater going part time, which Patches dearly loves, and trying to stay dry here in sunny AZ.
14 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
The rain storm of yesterday resulted in 0.26” per the official tally. It also brought heavy fog this morning. It looked like we were on the OR coast rather than sunny AZ. That all burned off and the afternoon was scattered clouds with nice sun once again. I am still not 100%. When I went for coffee this morning the first cup went right through me. I ate very little yesterday so there is not much left to pass. Don't have much of an appetite today so maybe the system will reset today.
There doesn't seem to anything wrong with Patches' appetite. A couple of days ago I started giving her a teaspoon of yogurt with her evening meal. She has gobbled it down along with her dog food and liked it.
At noon I prepared my salad for 'linner' which had a big tablespoon of my yogurt, blue cheese and walnuts as a dressing. I had not yet mixed it with the broccoli, cauliflower, red onion and red pepper which was all on top of the dressing.
When I went for a shower I left this bowl sitting on the kitchen counter that is within reach of the couch. When I returned from taking my shower the bowl was empty and licked sparkling clean. I found out that she REALLY likes yogurt and will eat a lot of vegetables to get it. She does NOT get her teaspoon of yogurt tonight!
Chuck Butler at the Daily Pfennig understands the reality of the situation even if President Obama does not. This is what he says today, in part.
The goings on this past weekend were something. Every time I would pull up the news, I would find more quotes and statements that would potentially move the markets come Monday morning… One of the Big ones was our President telling the Chinese that: “Enough is enough”… Oooohhhh… I bet the Chinese are shaking in their boots… Look, I’ve talked about this before… You know the biting the hand that feeds you thing… Does the administration and lawmakers truly believe that China will not get ticked off, and choose not to attend the next Treasury auction? What happens if they do? Well, we all know what happens, as I’ve been through all that before, but let’s just pretend that will never happen, that’s best you know, stick our heads in the sand, and forgetaboutit! NOT! That’s not going to happen as long as I have a laptop and an internet connection!
And then there was Chinese President Hu Jintao, trying to get this message through to the U.S. administration and lawmakers… “The U.S. Trade Deficit and Unemployment are not caused by the yuan exchange rate, and a “large” appreciation in the currency won’t solve U.S. problems.”
15 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
A lot more sun today and the warmer temperatures are returning. There is a breeze that makes it feel cooler than it is. The mornings are back up into the low 40s so all and all a pretty nice day.I am feeling better but still not completely right. Frotunatly, there does not appear to be any harm done to Patches by her eating all of my salad yesterday.
We are still doing short walks around the Park. Do at least three every day with 4 or 5 on some days. She is getting better on a loose leash, occassionaly she does GREAT and I think she has got it. Then the next walk she is back to pulling a lot again.
Better, but not there yet. I may try her on a longer walk this Friday then talk to the trainer on Saturday about the results of said effort.
16 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
I had a miserable night with lower bowl troubles. Was up and on the toilet every 2-3 hours for 14 hours starting around 6:00 yesterday evening.When I went for coffee this morning I had a donut also that has stayed with me longer than anything I ate yesterday after oatmeal for breakfast. I'll be trying 'linner' again today and hoping for the best.
I took Patches to the RV Park Dog Run again today and she ran around like a crazy dog. The big dogs outside the west end of the Run were not around. I also needed to be in the Run with her, encouraging her and not sitting on the bench outside.
Her loose leash performance was much the same. I do have more hope for her now than I did a week ago so maybe another week?
Totally clear sky, slight breeze and the high is back near the mid 70s. This is the weather that the Snow Birds flock to.
I find it very interesting that the Occupy Wall Street crowd has targeted the big banks for being bailed out although they have repaid all that they borrowed. Then there is the US Auto Industry that gets a pass although they are going to cost us, the taxpayers, a bundle. I'm sure it is just a coincidence that President Obama has been bad mouthing the big banks and been a big supporter of the Auto Unions his entire life.
In its monthly report to Congress, the Treasury Department now says it expects to lose $23.6 billion, up from its previous estimate of $14.33 billion.These losses do not include the 'green' grants and loan guarantees that will most likely add another Billion or two. Occupy Wall Street no only does not protest these bail outs but would probably strongly support them if asked.
The Treasury now pegs the cost of the bailout of GM, Chrysler Group LLC and the auto finance companies at $79.6 billion. It no longer includes $5 billion it set aside to guarantee payments to auto suppliers in 2009.
17 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
I had a much better night with only two trips to the bathroom. Those were my normal nightly trips. The system is still not completly settled but much more so.I had Patches at the Dog Run again on our first walk. I took a bit of encouraging but she finally did some running around. This does calm her somewhat and is good for her. Why she does not take off when unleashed and free I don't know. So much about her I don't know or understand.
Our Club House was taken over this morning by a group of 8-9 RVs that are here fours days from NM. They did leave us enough room to have our coffee but there was very little interaction between the two groups.
Another extremely nice day. The sky is clear, winds are calm and the high is in the mid-70s. Truly is Chamber of Commerce weather.
My Social Security Direct Deposit was made to my Ally Bank account yesterday. I had previously transferred the small Wells saving account balance to my Wells checking account. Yesterday, I transferred the entire checking account balance as a Wells VISA payment.
I then transferred an amount from my Ally Bank account to pay the remaining VISA statement balance. Everything worked slick as could be and today I closed my Wells checking and savings accounts.
I'm keeping my VISA open and will pay the monthly statement balance in full each month as I have for years but will now do it from my Ally account. However, I expect Wells to impose an annual Credit Card fee just to have the card. When that happens I'll have to make another decision.
For those that don't know about Ally Bank, they are part of GMAC/GM/Government Motors. All deposits are FDIC insured, as with any other bank, and the Bank is further protected from failing by President Obama. I believe it to be the safest Bank in the U.S. of A. at this time.
There has been a lot of talk over the past 3 years about the Federal Reserve buying up Fannie Mae, Freddy Mack securities and bank mortgage backed securities to put liquidity into the market. What I have not seen a lot of is what happens if/when all those securities fall in value.
The answer of course is the Federal Reserve goes bankrupt. But, is that possible? Can a countries Central Bank go bankrupt and that country continue to participate in world finance?
Addison Wiggin has written an article for Forbes that included this excerpt that shows the potential for that problem and the possibility that it will be soon.
"As the size of the Fed's balance sheet ballooned," continues Mr. Pento, "the dollar amount of capital held at the Fed has remained fairly constant. Today, the Fed has $52.5 billion of capital backing a $2.7 trillion balance sheet.
"Prior to the bursting of the credit bubble, the public was shocked to learn that our biggest investment banks were levered 30-to-1. When asset values fell, those banks were quickly wiped out. But now the Fed is holding many of the same types of assets and is levered 51-to-1! If the value of their portfolio were to fall by just 2%, the Fed itself would be wiped out."
18 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
Read Will Rogers column 88 years ago: November 18, 1923I think my gastro-problem has finally solidified (pun intended). I feel much better but have traded pains.
For a few years now I have had a 'bad' tooth that my dentist in Reno said could not be fixed. So I was to live with it until it caused me problems and then have it pulled. I have reached that time.
It has become more and more sensitive to hot and cold. Then the last couple of days it has been a dull pain most of the time but kept me from falling to sleep last night.
I'll go to the dental clinic in Elfrida, AZ Monday morning and wait for them to see me as an emergency. With any luck it will be gone by Tuesday.
Patches and I were up soon after 6:00 this morning. She first went to the Dog Run for an early morning wake up run. Then we went for a 1.9 miles walk that would not make the Big Time. It was good enough to play in Peoria however and most observers would have thought she walked well.
We crossed a busy 4-lane highway twice and she sat waiting VERY calmly until told to cross. Traffic was buzzing by at 60-70 mph no more than 10' away and she ignored it. OH, what a GOOD GIRL!
The only other thing on my Done List was laundry. Working my way through my Monthly blog reads. That List has grown long enough that by the time I get through it the month is over. Time to start again.
19 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
I took Patches to the Dog Run for her wake up run early this morning and then for a short walk. Then got ready to go to town for our Class.Stopped at the Landmark for breakfast but there was a big motorcycle group there. That did not scare me off, in fact one of the group filled my coffee cup. That was the end of any service that came my way.
There were three waitress, I think, but only one was really working. She went past me more than a dozen times and never looked at me. When another customer came in and she brought him a menu, coffee and silverware I knew it was time to leave.
Had breakfast at My Place this morning. I don't know if the Landmark will ever see me again or not.
The Class today was about ½ a continuation of loose leash walking. I found out what I have been doing wrong all this past week. There is a good chance that I'll now be able to get Patches at my side rather than 3-4' in front of me most the time. We will see!
One of the other fellows in the Class came up to me while his wife was walking their dog and said ' You have really got Patches walking well'. I want you to know that swelled my head up a bunch. HA
After Class I did my weekly grocery shopping at Fry's and the beat it home. The weather went from very nice to overcast and lots of wind during the 3-4 hours I had been in town.
I'll be going to a Pot Luck Thanksgiving gathering of cousins at The Homestead. To prepare for it I made up a salad this afternoon to test it before making up one as my contribution.
I found it to be excellent with a glass of Chianti. That is what they are going to get from me and what is not eaten I'll be happy to bring back home.
I'll provide all the culinary details after the Thanksgiving Day Reviews. Then again, I may not.
20 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
We were up at 6:00 again and running in the Dog Run, that is Patches was. Then did a short walk around the RV Park.I was then sitting with my LapTop, minding my own business, reading Daily blogs. Patches went into her “I got to go routine” so we went outside and she did nothing. I went back to my blogs and she went back into her “I want to go out” again.
This time we went to the Dog Run again; she did her business and then ran again. Back to my blogs and then off to coffee. After coffee time I made my oatmeal breakfast and Patches was still begging to go out. So, we went for a 1.75 mile walk through the desert (too many distractions) then past a lot of homes (each had at least one dog, more distractions). The last ½ mile was a pretty good walk, she was tiring and did well.
She mellowed out this afternoon. Taking up almost the entire couch with belly to the ceiling. Very much at repose.
We had another great morning then the clouds began to blow in. Mostly high thin ones but the winds are at more than a breeze. Not to shabby, a lot of people would love to have a day like this one.
21 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
We were up at 5:30 this morning. Patches was out first for her early morning toilette, then it was my turn. Un-hooked from electric and on the road for Elfrida before 6:00.As soon as we headed east it started to rain very lightly, or maybe mist heavily. This continued off and on for the entire morning drive.
Arrived at the Dental clinic right at 7:00. It then took me 15-20 minutes to fill out all the paperwork. Finally got called at about 8:30 and after one x-ray and the dentist exam I was told that there is no cavity on that tooth. Conflicting opinions?
This dentist says that the gums have receded from the tooth roots so much that I'm getting a lot of hot/cold sensitivity. He coated it with something which made it feel a lot better for a while.
Still got the tooth, still got a dull pain and need to get some Sensadyne toothpaste. Maybe that will take care of it? That is what this dentist has recommended so I'll try it.
Since I was close, I stopped for a few minutes to say HI to my cousin that is here from OR. I'll see him again, plus a whole lot more cousins, on Thursday for Thanksgiving.
Today is cold, scattered showers and windy. Near freezing tonight then into the mid-60s tomorrow. Not the great weather we were having only a few days ago.
The News Media is wringing their hands over the failure of the Supercommittee. However, it may be the best thing to happen as a way forward to Deficit and Debt reduction. The Congress can implement the “Do Nothing Option”.
No one in Congress need vote on ANYTHING, they can all disavow any responsibility for what happens. It will also allow President Obama to run against former President Bush again in 2012 no matter who the Republicans nominate, just like he did in 2008. It is truly a Win, Win, Win for everyone (except the taxpayers).
Budget experts agree that federal budget deficits and debt will grow to unacceptable levels in coming years and decades if policymakers do not make changes in current policies. What’s also true, but less widely discussed, is that, under current law, changes in current policies that would reduce deficits to acceptable levels will take place unless Congress intervenes to stop that from occurring. That is, Congress can reduce deficits to acceptable levels simply by not passing certain new legislation.
The projections of growing deficits and debt under current policies assume that Congress will enact laws to extend a number of current tax and spending policies that are scheduled to expire. They also assume that the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (the “Supercommittee”) will not produce $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction over 10 years and that Congress will then enact legislation to prevent the automatic across-the-board spending cuts (the “sequestration,” which is supposed to occur if the Joint Committee fails to achieve its goal) from taking effect.
What would happen, however, if Congress did not do any of those things? Deficits would be more than $7.1 trillion lower over the next 10 years, and the budget would be nearly balanced in 2021.
22 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
When Patches and I went past the Dog Run this morning it was occupied. Didn't want to wait so went into the desert again. Patches has learned “Leave It” very well so I took a chance on setting her free this morning.She roamed around in front of me for the most part and almost always had me in sight. She did some running and some jumping, chased a bird or two, and had a great time. I expected some delay in her response to a “Come” command but it was not worse than when we are in the Dog Run.
I walked a little over 2 miles with Patches on leash for less than a mile. She probably totaled over 3 miles during that same time.
After I returned from having coffee she gave me her 'I want to go out' dance. Went for a short walk around the RV Park and to RV City. I checked in with them in response to their email that my curtains had arrived. Now I need to get them hung.
It did freeze last night with the low down to 30°. All the clouds are gone and there is a clear blue sky but it stayed rather cold until mid-afternoon. The wind has not helped to warm the day any faster.
There is the promise of warmer days to come with a nice Thanksgiving on tap. Maybe?
23 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
Nothing much out of the ordinary happening today. A new daily routine has seemingly evolved.I now get up in the wee hours of the morning to take Patches outside. Back to bed until 5:30 to 6:30. Then take Patches out for her morning toilette, maybe a run in addition to her early morning walk.
I then go to the Club House for coffee hour and some socialization. Back home for breakfast and finish reading my Daily blogs that I may have started before coffee time. Take Patches for her second walk of the morning and sometimes a third if she is begging to go out.
The afternoon is devoted to reading blogs, Internet News or web surfing plus some time for my current novel. Prepare 'linner' and eat. Prepare my blog entry for the day and post it. Do a walk with Patches and sometimes two.
Anything I do beyond this basic routine during the day now qualifies as me being BUZY. It is really tough being retired! HA Tomorrow will be a busy one.
Some telling observations from an Opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal by by Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. His closing paragraphs talks about President Obama's failure, once again, to take advantage of concessions made by the Republicans on taxes. In my opinion, he would rather use 'Republican failure to compromise' in his 2012 Campaign than accept a partial victory on taxes.
Has a president ever arrived freer to choose his own course, to devise his own response to the economic crisis that greeted him in office? Candidate Obama landed with no explicit ideological commitments (at least that he cared to share). He was an icon of something else altogether, and his followers were ready to follow wherever he led.
Alas, a few days before his all-but-certain election, he glibly telegraphed what would prove the seminal mistake of his administration, telling Time magazine's Joe Klein that, right after fixing the financial crisis, "a new energy economy . . . That's going to be my No. 1 priority when I get into office."
The financial crisis would not be fixed, but Mr. Obama decided our sagging economy would just have to endure fights over the big ideas he was so determined to implement anyway, including health care, re-empowering labor, redressing income inequality, etc...
... Mr. Obama, just this week, was handed a heaven-sent opportunity, a gift beyond his deserts. That gift was GOPer Pat Toomey's tax-reform plan, floated as part of the super-committee deliberations.
Sen. Toomey's plan concedes a big revenue hike on "the rich" in return for reforming the tax code based on pro-growth principles that both parties and Mr. Obama have endorsed. Mr. Obama, if he had the political creativity he credits himself with, would now pick it up and run with it, instantly redeeming the super-committee "failure" with an act of presidential leadership.
The suspicion becomes nigh irresistible, however, that Mr. Obama is lacking in the leadership department as the country stumbles towards its ultimate financial crisis. But give him credit for one world-historical achievement: He makes Carter look good.
24 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
Happy Thanksgiving.
We were up around 6:00 and Patches had a run in the Dog Run. After that we did a 2 mile walk that was pretty good. She does better in the afternoon when some of the early morning exuberance has worn off.I then read all my Daily blogs before un-hooking from electric and heading for The Homestead. The plan was to stop in Tombstone for breakfast on the way.
The first part of the plan worked very well, I did stop. But after searching for 20 minutes I did NOT have breakfast. There were NO restaurants open in the 'Town to Tough to Die', it was DEAD.
Never, I repeat, never expect to find a restaurant open for breakfast on Thanksgiving Day in Tombstone, AZ. I'm going to keep it simple myself, I'll never plan on stopping for breakfast in Tombstone on any day.
There are restaurants in Douglas, Bisbee, Benson, Elfrida, Huachuca City, Sierra Vista, Sunsites and Wilcox that want my business.
Arrived at The Homestead and had a good long visit with my cousin and his wife that are here from OR. Then got to have a good visit with another cousin that lives here and has been undergoing cancer treatment. I didn't see her back in October when I stopped because I had a cold and did not want to pass it on with her immune system impaired.
By the time Thanksgiving dinner was served there was a house full of cousins, spouses and cousins once or twice removed. I contributed a Mediterranean Salad for the dinner which was well received based on what remained.
This was a huge meal for me compared to my normal fare. Also, a huge crowd which I do poorly in because everyone talking completely disrupts my ability to hear well.
It rained briefly while we ate. Then about 1.5 hours later when I left I could see heavy rain to the east and south. Only a few sprinkles on me as I drove 'home' but I could see that it had rained hard here earlier.
The forecast is for more rain tonight and tomorrow. Colder tonight and all day tomorrow. Not very good weather for sunny AZ!
25 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
Read Will Rogers column 88 years ago: November 25, 1923There was more rain during the night but the officials only measured .02”. It sounded like more than that.
Wasn't too cold when Patches and I went for her early morning walk. She has been 'playing me' for a treat vending machine this past week. This morning that all changed.
Our walking has been mostly just straight forward from Point A then loop back to Point A. Today I have been doing a LOT of reverses and turns when she starts to pull forward. She also no longer gets any treats for simply coming back to me if I stop when she pulls.
The vending machine has closed and she is now dealing with a slot machine. IF she walks along my left side for about 10 paces then she hits a “Jackpot” and gets a bunch of treats. I think she is catching on to this, we will see.
Not too cold early on but it never got very warm either. Trying hard to reach 60° today with 65° for tomorrow, Maybe. Then to warm up into the mid-70s once again.
I did not participate in any Black Friday madness. Didn't jump on the Internet Cyber Monday buying frenzy either. The 'Occupancy' crowd should designate me their Poster Child of Non Consumption.
It is people like me that have no money and refuse to borrow any that are holding back the growth of the great country. But that is what comes from a Consumer Economy rather than a Producing and Consuming one.
26 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
We were up at about 5:00 for a trip to the bathroom. That was both of us which included an outdoor excursion for Patches. There was 'frost on the pumpkin' this morning so I was glad that she didn't dilly dally too much.When we then got up at 6:30 we went for another walk/run in the desert. Patches had a good time again and I got in a good 2 mile walk, part of it with her.
It was then time to go to town. Breakfast was at My Place again, they have a very large menu, good food and good service.
The Obedience Class went very well. Patches is walking so nice in the PetSmart store (most of the time). She did excellent on the “Leave It' while walking and very well when meeting another dog. I don't 'get it' why she does so badly when she sees a dog here in the RV Park. More training, more practice is needed for sure!
There was an Ice Cream Social at the Club House again. Life is short so Eat Desert First, that is what I did by going to the Social. Had my 'linner' later in the afternoon which included some of the leftover salad from the Thanksgiving Pot Luck.
27 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
Clear sky and not much wind but still feels cold. Maybe make it up to the mid-60s today then some 70s weather in the forecast. More important to me is the forecast for the lows to get back into the low 40s.Today was very much a routine one for me. The only thing different was I made a large batch of Snejanka Salad. This is a Bulgarian salad that I liked very much. I should have enough to last me the week.
The recipe can be found with a Google search. I started the process yesterday when I dumped a large container of plain yogurt into a colander lined with cheese cloth.
Finished it this morning by adding minced garlic, minced gherkins, dill and olive oil which was thoroughly mixed together. This will then be served with a sprinkle of fine chopped walnuts on top.
28 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
It was still cold this morning but we got back up into the 70s this afternoon. I'm now looking for those 40° temperatures tomorrow morning.Patches is as stubborn as a mule. In the early morning she pulls like an ox then by late in the day she walks quite nice. At her noon walk I was trying, trying to get her to walk by my side. She was NOT going to do it!
I gave up and headed for 'home' and she trotted along by my side like it was something she had been doing the whole walk. She is a frustrating animal!
I made a decision. I'll be going to Ajo, AZ when I leave here. Since all the RV Parks in the warmer parts of AZ fill up I made a reservation. Will stay one month, IF the Park and town are nice I'll stay for two.
Chris Matthews, the host of Hardball on MSNBC had a 'tingle' down his leg every time Senator Obama spoke during the 2008 Campaign. The thrill is gone. That was then, this is what he is saying now.
“Once having won the office,” the MSNBC cheerleader said, “he seemed to think that that was the end of it in terms of his connection to the American people. … I think everybody feels an absence of communication from the time he’s been elected. And it’s not about not being left-wing enough or too left. That’s not his problem. It’s connection. And Mrs. Obama, she’s an amazing asset. And what has she done? Obesity? How about connecting with the American people about being Americans? I don’t think she’s happy. I don’t think they like being in the White House. The American people can tell that. They don’t seem thrilled at the fact the American people have selected them as our first family. I don’t sense the gratitude, the happiness level, the thrill of being president.”However, with that said, you can bet Matthews will be campaigning for President Obama against whoever the Republicans nominate in 2012.
Mr. Matthews went on: “What are we trying to do in this administration? Why does he want a second term? Would he tell us? What’s he going to do in the second term? More of this? Is this it? Is this as good as it gets? Where are we going? Are we going to do something the second term? He has yet to tell us. He has not said one thing about what he would do in the second term.”
29 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
I made another decision. I'm giving up bribing, or rewarding, Patches with food for behaving like I want. The ONLY time she does what I want is when food is involved.This morning we went to the desert again for her early morning run. She is on leash for about one mile getting there and back. There was not more than 1% of that mile that she did on a loose leash. She pulled me both going and coming.
We then did about 1.75 mile walk at noon. All of this was done on leash with her pulling, lunging, jumping and once hit the end of the leash so hard that she came off her feet. I would rate this walk at 5% loose leash with most of that in the last .5 mile.
She may be stubborn but I think I can walk her into the ground if she wants to pull me the entire way. I'm finished with trying to train her, I give up!
If her 'Life Reward' is to pull me through every walk then I'm ready to let get all of it that she can take.
What do you think the Lame Stream Media would have done with this story if former President Bush were still in office? Does anyone remember the hullabaloo that they raised about 'wire tapping'?
This has stayed under the media radar until today when it shows up on Alex Jones' Infowars.com. That might be because mainstream sources have described Jones as a conservative and as a right-wing conspiracy theorist so nothing he publishes has any credence. Call me a conspiracy nut also but I find this proposed law a threat to anyone that speaks out against this, or any future, Administration.
The fact that Senator John McCain was a co-author of the Bill speaks volumes about what kind of President he would have made if elected. I did not want Obama but didn't want McCain either. This simply confirms what I thought in 2008.
The Senate is set to vote on a bill today that would define the whole of the United States as a “battlefield” and allow the U.S. Military to arrest American citizens in their own back yard without charge or trial.
“The Senate is going to vote on whether Congress will give this president—and every future president — the power to order the military to pick up and imprison without charge or trial civilians anywhere in the world. The power is so broad that even U.S. citizens could be swept up by the military and the military could be used far from any battlefield, even within the United States itself,” writes Chris Anders of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office.
Under the ‘worldwide indefinite detention without charge or trial’ provision of S.1867, the National Defense Authorization Act bill, which is set to be up for a vote on the Senate floor this week, the legislation will “basically say in law for the first time that the homeland is part of the battlefield,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who supports the bill.
The bill was drafted in secret by Senators Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), before being passed in a closed-door committee meeting without any kind of hearing. The language appears in sections 1031 and 1032 of the NDAA bill.
“I would also point out that these provisions raise serious questions as to who we are as a society and what our Constitution seeks to protect,” Colorado Senator Mark Udall said in a speech last week. One section of these provisions, section 1031, would be interpreted as allowing the military to capture and indefinitely detain American citizens on U.S. soil. Section 1031 essentially repeals the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 by authorizing the U.S. military to perform law enforcement functions on American soil. That alone should alarm my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, but there are other problems with these provisions that must be resolved.”
30 November
Mountain View RV Park
Huachuca City, AZ
The new daily routine that I described a week ago is the same but the intensity of the walks has been increased. I'm going to get back to my 5 mile per day minimum (did 6.54 yesterday).IF Patches can not pull me through all of those miles then she can 'beg off' and not go OR she can quit pulling. I'm at the point now that I don't really care which alternative she selects.
It was proved on the walks yesterday that she can and will walk on a loose leash. What is yet to be proven is how often and how far?
A very nice day once more. The forecast being for a couple more of them and then cold, cold on Saturday.
I'm still waiting for RV City to come and install my curtains. I had to go see them every day for a week to get the first ones hung. I 'll not be doing that this time.
IF they have not installed them by this time next week I'll pick them up and have D & J hang them.
I have the same attitude about RV City hanging them as I do about Patches' walking choices. I don't much care what choice is made.
President Obama would do well to read this paragraph from James Howard Kunstler's most recent blog posting. I think it goes a long way in explaining why he has had such a tough time 'creating' jobs. You don't create, or produce, jobs like some commodity; which is how he thinks the economy works.
A big part of the automatic economy was the idea of a "job." In its journey to the present moment, the idea became crusted with barnacles of illusion, especially that a "job" was a sort of commodity "produced" by large corporate enterprises or governments and rationally distributed like any other commodity; that it came with a goodie bag filled with guaranteed pensions, medical care to remediate bad living habits, vacations to places of programmed entertainment, a warm, well-lighted dwelling, and a big steel machine to travel around in. Now we witness with helpless despair as these illusions dissolve.