Overdue Update

   Hey gang! Yep.... it's been a while. Of course as you get older the passage of time gets all screwed up. I think that might have been the only thing Einstein forgot to factor into his relativity theory. The apparent speed at which time passes is inversely proportional to the age of the observer. I can think that we did something just a few months ago and she will correct that it has been years. Such is the joy of aging. 

   Since the last posting actual progress had been made in the kitchen! (One would certainly hope so!)  I don't even remember where we were at in the remodel on my last posting but we're at the point now that the kitchen is at least functional. I still have two counter tops to finish, some trim panels to install.... and the tile back splash to put up..... but otherwise we've got running water and a sink...... 5 burner Stainless Steel range and convection oven with Pro size Stainless exhaust vent..... a wall mounted microwave oven and wall mounted convection oven. (Separate from the huge one in the range) Becky has a spring balanced mixer lift to assist her in getting her big Kitchen Aide mixer out for baking projects. We have a new double pane small kitchen window with custom fitted roman shade and a huge glass block window at the end of the breakfast bar. (photos are on my facebook page)

   Progress has been hampered by Becky having continuing health issues with her cancer. Last week we had to take her to the hospital to have two liters of fluid drained from her left lung! She is generally weak and walking only 30 feet will leave her out of breath and in need of a rest. Considering that I remember working with her out in the yard for hour after hour and her never slowing down or asking to take a break it's pretty heart breaking so see her in such a weakened state now. Still no battle was ever won through surrender so I keep trying to find ways to strengthen her immune system so we have longer to fight the cancer. If all you can do is try..... then you try. 

   I can't remember if we had the dog the last time I posted either. (seems to be a pattern here of my not being able to remember a lot of stuff!) :-/   Anyway we adopted a big yellow mutt who kept getting into the outside cats food dish. One day he showed up in the front yard with his neck torn open down to the meat.... hole (bullet?) through his right rear leg and another hole through his right ear.... plus various other wounds. We nursed him back to health and decided to adopt him and his homely little companion. Sadly the little dog would not stay in the yard and we fear she got picked up by the state sponsored dog nappers. So for her "crime" of being homely (but very gentle and lovable) and free.... she was probably killed. Honestly... there are a lot of liberals who should be rounded up and put down for crimes worse that that.... but that's another blog. (MoveonDOTblog)

   Anyway Buddy turned out to be a very lovable mutt too..... only a LOT bigger and stronger than Whiskers was. (The little dog) In Becky's weakened state he can knock her down (and has several times) without meaning to do so. He managed to do that once out by the front street.... and Becky was unable to get back up. Well the bad thing was that Buddy had knocked her down..... but to his credit once she was down he refused to leave her side....... or permit anyone he didn't know to get near her. So she lay there for perhaps a half hour until I got home from work and could move him to the back yard. While I was doing that a neighbor picked Becky up and helped her into the house. She was fine but weak and sore. Now she spends the first 15 or 20 minutes of each day sitting outside with him..... a treat he just loves. He still thinks he's a puppy sometimes and tries to get onto her lap. Since he's as big as she is that's never going to happen.... so he settles for just standing on his back legs with his front legs and chest in her lap. When it's not so brutally hot outside she may spend an hour or so petting and brushing him. :-) It makes her smile so it's all good!

   On other improvement fronts we had to get another small A/C unit for the apartment out back. (Yep... we're still sleeping there at night) It seems that Saturday night it got all the way down to a frosty 82 degrees out back..... which didn't lead to a good nights sleep at all. The unit we had was 8000 BTU so we augmented that with a smaller 6400 BTU unit in the hope that it will be enough additional cooling power to get the apartment into the middle 70's at least. Considering the space it totally uninsulated in walls and ceiling it's amazing that we can cool it at all. Thus another project for another time..... remove all the exterior wall board.... insulate and install new Hardy Board over that...... then blow in some insulation into the attic. That ought to make a huge difference. 

   As far as the course of the country goes neither of us is really confident that the nation will continue it's 200 plus year tradition of being the only nation on earth to peacefully hand over the reigns of power through fair and democratic elections. The present ineligible occupant of the White House has already dispatched an army of over 10,000 lawyers to all 57 (no... really only fifty, Obama) states to make sure that Obama can't possibly loose. He thinks that if he can just steal this election then he can complete his plans to completely destroy the United States as founded and transform it into a European style Socialist Autocracy.

   Every action this president (deliberate lower case) takes is aimed at achieving that goal. He and his regulators deliberately create an atmosphere hostile to business. His desire to tax us to death further damages the economy. His healthcare (God what a joke that name is) plan is also aimed are destroying the insurance industry, making doctors work for peanuts and make sure that as many elderly people as possible make the earliest possible appointment with death. Old people remember the greatness of America..... they MUST be eliminated so they won't "contaminate" the brainwashed youth of the government indoctrination centers..... I mean schools. Yeah.... sorry Mr. "O" but I'm one of those folks who remembers..... and yes... I see through your transparently evil plans. 

   I'll make an attempt to update this thing with greater regularity from now on. Trying to do *everything* around here doesn't leave a great deal of time for the therapy of writing. However with the kitchen being closer to complete I have had a tiny bit more time of late. Oh.... before I forget to warn you folks.... I'm on the Department of Homeland Security's Terrorist watch list. According to a $12 Million dollar study they commissioned..... "veterans, people who love freedom, people who are suspicious of big government, people who are religious and people who believe in individual rights" are all to be watched closely! Perhaps we could just pitch a tent in the back yard and our own personal agent could keep closer tabs on our subversive activities. I mean we read books. (SHOCK!)  We own and actually drive an SUV. (The HORROR!)  I proudly wear my Vietnam Veteran cap. (O.M.G.)  I have a bumper sticker for a Conservative guy running for Senate on my car!  (That's it... call the cops, Ethel!!)

   Meanwhile someone totally unqualified occupies the White House... His "justice department" refuses to enforce any laws they don't agree with..... His TSA gropes and harasses citizens at airports and are coming soon to bus and train stations...... illegal aliens are routinely given a free pass even after multiple arrests........ the government gives guns to Mexican drug gangs which kill US border patrol agents and refuses to cooperate with investigators while having innocent gun shop owners who were ORDERED to make gun sales are put in prison...... and it's "We.... the People" who are the criminals? Sorry.... it's YOU, The GOVERNMENT who needs to be watch closely and reigned in hard. 

   Oh well...... I have other stuff to do..... including treat myself to a bowl of ice cream with some cherry pie filling on top..... so I'm outta here! Y'all be good to each other..... and remember..... The fate of the nation rides on this coming election. Don't let it be said that America fell from within because good people sat on their butts and did nothing. Vote for good honest conservative TEA party backed candidates if you want to have any hope of saving America. You OWE it to your children and grand-children!

Peace!