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How sad, dear Mr. President. I’m sorry you are still fighting off the nay sayers, the disbelievers, and the press over your carefully made decisions. You have my sympathies!!! As for me, things couldn’t be better! All the stuff I previously wrote about lasted maybe a few days. Since then, its been smooth going, business as usual, and our “little” group is expanding every day! I’m still not ready to make nice, but I just don’t have it in me to hate anyone for being so mislead and misguided. Grudges do nothing but fester and spoil. I refuse to allow a very small upset to make my life miserable! I hope you too, Mr Prez, have smoother sailing and that your day to day operations are easy to deal with.

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Ah….spring is nearly here!!! Its about time too…I hate winter…hate hate HATE!!! Its been pretty cold, and we got a bit of snow last nite, but hey, let it get it out of its system now. When spring finally does arrive (at least by calendar date) I’ll be ready to put away all these winter clothes, open windows WIDE and let the fresh air in. I miss my farm right now…if I were still there, I’d be out planning my flower gardens, raking winter gunk off of them, cleaning up bushes, etc, and looking forward to the spring lambs we used to have. City living is the pits if you ask me. Nothing to look forward to but more dirty traffic, trash from the neighbors blowing into mom’s yard, and the usual bad smell coming from the local tanning plant. My farm was close to a major interstate, but at least it was private, no traffic, and a whole lot quieter!!!

I too am a leader. I lead 1200+ women daily in a women’s online support group. Like you, I took on the job because I believe in everything the group stands for. I took it on because I felt I could make difference. And, like you, I am taking flack daily for decisions that I had to make.

The popular decisions make you look good, and you FEEL good when they are understood and applauded. But now I feel your pain. Hard decisions are bad enough to make, but when they are ripped apart, questioned over and over, and your leadership abilities are torn asunder, it really makes you think, doesn’t it?? Not to mention the pain and agony that is involved when others take your words, you hard made ideals, and trample all over them. So, Mr Presiden, please know that you pain is MY pain. And like you, I will keep my head high, throw my shoulders back, and keep on keepin’ on. And just when you think the whole world is beating on your back, support comes through where you least expect it.

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I’m not much of one for chosing theme songs for myself, and hell, I don’t even LIKE country!! But after today, the storm and beating I’ve taken, I think this song sums it all up for me. Thanks dear friend, who sent it to me. It goes something like this:

“I’m Not Ready To Make Nice”

Forgive, sounds good.
Forget, I’m not sure I could.
They say time heals everything,
But I’m still waiting

Really, in the big scheme of things, when everyone has left who is not happy with me, when the seasons have come and gone, the group will remain long after we are gone. And will they look back on what has transpired today and say “Wow…that reallly taught us alot!!”? No…it will just be another incident, another bump in the road long left behind. And after all is said and done, if I can survive the loss of my husband and still wake up to breathe air every day, I can get through this….

Typical Missouri….while north AND south of us have gotten snow, all we’ve gotten so far is ice, rain, and blah. Its strange that southern Missouri seems to get all the snow! It didn’t use to be that way. Back in 1978 (the year I graduated high school), we got a snowstorm that dumped 24″ of snow on us!!! WHOO!!! As the years go by, and mostly the past 2 or 3 years, we don’t seem to get the snow like we used to. Two years ago we did have snow on Thanksgiving, and that stuck around awhile. I can’t remember the last time we had a white Christmas tho…. I love snow in December. But once January gets here, I’d just as soon fast forward to spring!!

I have what little Christmas shopping I can do done. Thanks to my darling friend Akaysha, my grandbabies are getting TMX Elmo!!! Lemme tell ya, I have never seen a more entertaining toy!! This toy is the HOT item this year and can’t be found anywhere…but as luck would have it, Akaysha works for ToysRUs in Calgary and managed to snag one for me (thanks again for that, muuuuuah!!!) Anyway, this toy is amazing…he laughs (of course) but as he’s laughing, he bends down, rolls on the floor, smacks the floor with his hand, kicks his feet, then STANDS BACK UP!!! I hope the batteries in it will last until Christmas…LOL All I know is, who’s gonna be the BEST Nana this Christmas??? ::::pointing to ME!!::::

Auuughhh….they are talking about Missouri may soon get its first major snow storm. I am NOT ready for this. Although, on the positive side, it does give me good excuse for NOT having the leave the place!! I can curl right up to my computer and not feel guilty about going to the store, or anywhere else!! But…I do hate the cold weather.

The leaves are turning nicely around here. I love the sugar maples with their leaves of bright pumpkin and yellow!! Unfortunately, my mom’s place has a tree in her neighbor’s yard (and I don’t know what kind, which makes me ashamed, after working at the USDA office for nearly 16 years and taken several tree ID courses!!!) that’s losing its leaves without much ado with color. Ugh. Reminds me of the walnut trees on my old farm…first to lose the leaves (with little color) and last to get them in the spring!!! Makes me want to move to Vermont!

Moving closer to election day…YAY!!! No more mud slinging, stupid ads, and etc. One thing I definately want to vote on is Missouri’s Amendment 3 - nearly a $1 higher tax on cigarettes. Those TV ads kill me…they feel justified in tacking on the higher tax because “health care bills are through the roof and who pays for that??? Nonsmokers!!! Lets make smokers pay their fair share too!!!” OMG…..we ALL, as taxpayers, pay our fair share!!! That is such a gross misjustice!! Yes, I’m a smoker, and yes, I know I will probably need more health care because of it, but holy cow, do we over tax alcholoics for drinking and needing health care for their livers??? NOPE!!! I get precious little health care as it is, and to be over taxed because I smoke is just plain dictatorship!!

Remember me telling you about those beautiful balmy days we were having??? Well, the good ol’ Missouri weather made its turn and its COLD the past couple of days!!! Yesterday didn’t even make it into the 50’s, cloudy, drizzly, north wind blowing….today the sun is out, but its still pretty blustery and I’m cuddled up in sweats, socks, and blanket! Its going to slowly warm up to the 60’s, but I do believe our lovely 70 degree days are over.

Did some in depth reading on here last nite. I was reading a book about cases that have never been solved, and the one that interests me the most is the Lizzie Bordon case. Sure, I’ve read about it before, even did some Googling on it back then. I got a wild hair last nite and decided to Google again. I dunno people…maybe I’m just weird, but I don’t think the chick did it. Just didn’t seem to fit her personality, I think. Of course, I’m the same person who didn’t feel OJ was the murderer either (and while you’re groaning at me, I might tell you I never thought Michael Jackson really did anything either). Anyway, I read the transcript from Lizzie’s deposition, and sure, she changed her answers as she went, but if you REALLY read into it, the way she was interrogated, who WOULDN’T be dazed and confused?? My feelings on it was they couldn’t find anyone else to be the scrapegoat and decided to hone in on her, instead of really looking for the real killer. What a life she had to lead because of that!

Here’s a case I’d love to see finally answered; the Crystal Kipper case, in Kansas City. Crystal was 19 years old in 1997 when her car was found on I-29, flashers on, but no Crystal.

Her body has never been found. Her mother keeps the spot where her car was found with a tall, beautifully made cross, covered with stuffed animals, wreaths, etc, that changes frequently. A constant reminder of the evil that lurks everywhere. As a mother myself, I mourn with her, not having the closure she needs to get on with her life. Since the Platte River is a mere yards away from the spot where her car was found, I have a hunch that instead of burying her, the man who finally admitted to killing her simply tossed her body into the river. A very sad ending for someone so young and full of life

AUUUGHH!!! How I HATE election years!!! You know what I”m talking about (if you’re in USA, that is)….the campaign adverts on TV??? The ones that play over and over and over…full of nothing but negativity about the other candidate??? We don’t hear about what the candidate themself is going to do if elected; instead we hear what the OTHER person has done/not done. Senator-wannabe Jones is slamming Sentor-letmedoit Smith for not doing as promised as a State Auditor, not brushing his teeth 3 times a day, not putting the toliet seat down, and heaven forbid wearing the same pair of jockey shorts 2 days in a row (do we even want to know how JONES knows this????) And Smith is no better. He states that Jones cheated on his taxes, forgot to check “$3 towards the Presidental Fund” on his 1040, eats Taco Bell everyday for lunch (and HE did it on the elevator, not the heavy set woman standing in front of you!), and uses his office computer for porn sites….And at the end of every ridiculous ad there’s the candidate himself, smiling like a possum eating you-know-what, saying “I’m Blah Blah Blah and I approve this message”. Of course you do, dimwit!!! If Jones is gonna sling mud, YOU’RE gonna sling mud just as fast!!! Integrity be damned!! Who cares if you have a great platform, are serious about health insurance issues, and are all for cutting back on fat cats’ excessive spending!!! Just as long as you can make the OTHER guy look bad, you’re A-OK!!!

Sigh….isn’t it time for our ELECTED officials to stop the backstabbing, mud slinging, childish “he did this!!!” and start showing the voters what they need - a serous minded person ready to go in and do battle for us “little men”. And while I’m raving about this, I have one more…I’m SICK of people CONSTANTLY belittling, downplaying, and dragging our ELECTED President through the thorn bushes. At least HE is trying to make a difference. If it weren’t for him and his American pride, we’d all be living in Bin Ladin’s prisoner camps. I dont’ know about you, but I’m proud of our Armed Forces, and to me, slamming the Prez is just as bad as saying “Our boys over there aren’t worth spit….”. Think about that the next time Bush says or does something that you don’t agree with. You wouldn’t want his job.

I’m not an outdoorsy type of girl; especially since selling my home, I tend to stay indoors alot. But October is my absolute favorite month of the year, so I’ve taken advantage of the nearly balmy barely 80 degree sunny days to do alot of laundry to hang out on the clothes line for Mom. We have been blessed with a couple of windy days….ah, pure bliss!! Love the October blue skies, the warm breezes, the smell of leaves and earth…mmmmm.

The weather channel (we call it Weather.wrong) is predicting heavy changes soon. We’ve had snow as early as October 2 here in Missouri, although its rare. Isn’t it amazing (to any of us who live in regions where we can have drastic changes) when the seasonal changes STILL amaze us?? I remember thinking, back in 1992 when we did get the snow in October, “SNOW??? OMG….so soon??? Snow??? In October???” Its the same way in February, when we’ve been known to have 70+ degree days (”SO warm??? So soon???”) The ice we can get in November is always a shocker too. And the funny thing about it is, I”ve lived in Missouri my entire life (welll, except for 3 years when I was a toddler, living in Florida where my dad was stationed for the Air Force) and these sudden changes STILL amaze me. We can have a day of 80 degree sunshine and the next day it can be blowing, cold, rainy/sleeting/snowing in the fall and early spring months.

Its another 80 degree day so if you need me, I’ll be out at the clothes line, hanging up more blankets/pillows/towels, etc!!!

I finally figured out how to get the theme changed!!! For some reason, my FTP program was not putting the files in properly, so I had to go to my host’s Gawd awful C Panel and upload them, one by one….I think I get an A for determination!!!  Now that its set up, I can spend some time working on getting things moved.  Too bad one of my favorite shows in on tonite, so it will have to wait.  I can’t wait for Akaysha to get off work and online!! LOOKEE HERE AKE!!! I did it all by my widdle self!!! HEE!