FACE OFF AND OTHER FUN STUFF

Here is what I did Thursday---nothing serious but the four spots have started to change so they are off and on the way to the cancer lab---Doc is pretty sure there is no problem but we'll know for sure in a few days.....shoulda done this forty or fifty years ago.




Here is the little project I did Wednesday. I finally got the drip torch from Cascade Fire Equipment. When I went to get the parts for the lamp the guy at Home Depot that was helping me find them wouldn't let me get just a plain globe he talked me into getting the one in the lamp---it flickers like a candle. It turned out better than I had ever hoped for. Was tougher that I thought to thread the electrical wire through the nozzle though---and stiffer wire would get around the circle but then wouldn't go up the straight part.

A MOMENT IN TIME

Today we went south to court with our son and his wife. We drove for two hours. When we got to the court house they weren't there. Their case was scheduled for 2:15 and at 2:10 they still weren't there (and my son was trained better than that). I was getting very nervous---they arrived just barely after that but I didn't look at the clock to get the time. At 2:15 they called us in for the hearing on the case---at 2:18 the judge closed the case---at 2:23 we were outside the courthouse with their case finally being closed with signed papers in hand. We drove home for two more hours.

Four hours driving for eight minutes in court---time well spent---the only reason to go was to show support---glad we did the judge called on us for our thoughts before he closed the case---as the title implied it was a MOMENT IN TIME---and not much more than that.

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SPRING DAY

It is currently 36 degrees and it is snowing like there is no tomorrow---a beautiful white out---glad I don't have to go anywhere today. Look at the bright side---with temperatures like this the snow won't stay on the roads or sidewalks very long. Gotta love spring. If you don't like the weather stick around a few minutes and it'll change to something better---or WORSE.

HEALTH CARE

With most legislation everyone knows what is going to be required when the bill gets signed into law. With this addition to our laws I do not believe there is a single person that knows what this law is going to require. NO.NOT.ONE.

There has been lots of talk and battling done over this 2400 page monstrosity and it goes back to the Senate for reconciliation (whatever that is going to end up doing) so even though it is now the law of the land---NOBODY KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS.

SHAME ON OUR LEGISLATORS---ALL OF THEM---MY VOTE IS TO CLEAN HOUSE IN NOVEMBER!

HEALTH CARE---THE DEBATE IS OVER

The debate on public health care is over---it passed at 22:48 edt---a few hours later than was allowed by the house rules but then that doesn't really matter anyway.

Now the big question is what does it mean other than the bill is $1.2 TRILLION? For all of you that worked with me this is where the statement I made all the time "IT'S ONLY MONEY" came from. There is absolutely no concience in Washington D.C. Even after the bill passed---in true party fashion---the Republicans voted en mass not to send the reconciliation package to the Senate---WHAT THE H _ _ _?????

If there is no reconciliation then all the debate over the last three weeks was in vain. BUT WHAT DO I KNOW???? I'M JUST A SIMPLE FORESTER.

VERNAL EQUINOX T'DAY AT 11:32

Today we have the Vernal equinox. I spent a little time on google this morning trying to figure out what that is all about. What I found is this is one of two days a year where we have equal amounts of light and dark (Vernal and Autumnal equinoxes). It is midway between the winter and summer solstices. It is also the official first day of spring---hang on to your hats we're gonna get some storm to celebrate spring---maybe not today but we aren't out of the woods yet.

GUARD TURKEY

I know all of you have heard about guard dogs but have you ever heard of a guard turkey? I went to visit a friend the other day and found that he has lots of birds around the place as well as two old spaniel dogs. I got out of the car and was pretty worried about the dogs but they came up and were friendly so I thought I am OK just go knock on the door.

I knocked on the door nearest the front of the house without any response. It looked like all the foot traffic into the house went up the hill to the door upstairs and on the back of the house. So I meandered up there. There were pea hens, a couple of peacocks and two turkeys---one a big old TOM. While I walked up to the door the Tom waddled up to watch me knock on the door (or so I thought). I went up to the door and knocked and there was no response. So that being the case I decided I would go back to the car and come see my friend another day. I turned and started off the porch and the Tom Turkey started trying to peck me.

I pushed him away with my foot and he tried to peck me again. I pushed him away again and he flew at me and tried to hook me with his spurs. It made me a little nervous and I tried to shoo him away. He decided I was up to no good and he really started trying to attack me--he flew at me and jabbed his spurs at me and tried to peck me. I finally got far enough away from him (in a panic) that I thought I could turn and run for the car. I did and got away from him but fell down once in the process. He followed to the edge of the house and gobbled and gobbled at me.

The picture is of the turkey standing at the corner of the house gobbling at me--he was truly a guard turkey--I don't think I am going back to that friends house--ever.