This and That

Wow, it has been awhile since I've written. I've been pretty busy. A week ago, my aunt and cousin flew in from Georgia to spend the week. My cousin comes every July and I know my mother really likes having her here. My mom gets to do things that she knows I wouldn't do!!! It is a refreshing change for her. My cousin also really likes to cook and has the opportunity to try new things. I'm pretty set in my ways and don't venture to far from my favorite dishes! One year, my cousin decided to cook some recipes from Julia Child's cookbook. My word it was fantastic! This was also way before I had my bariatric surgery and didn't care that the food had a pound of butter!!!!

This year, my cousin asked her mother to come along too. Mom took them on the usual local tourists things and then the four of us went to DC and spent the night. I really had difficulty in DC this time. I don't typically have a problem getting around since I've been there many times but for some reason, I just could not get my bearings. It also didn't help that the Metro station that we usually use was closed for repair. That just threw me off. The most enjoyable part of the trip for me was going to the Episcopal church's National Cathedral for church. It just felt right. I miss church. I felt closer to dad whom I still miss terribly.

My summer if finally winding down and I look back and try to think where has it gone? I actually have not had time to become bored. The rest of this week and next week, I plan upon doing absolutely nothing but enjoying my last few days!!!! After all, school will be here soon enough and I will be complaining for a break! Take care until next time.

Checking In-Gus's Diet

 It has been about a month now that I took Gus off every pre-manufactured dog food and put him on a grain free diet. Wow...what a difference! I think the biggest thing is that he is actually still interested in his food! When he hears me pull out the freeze dried mix he comes running to the kitchen knowing that in about 15 min., he'll get fed. He NEVER did that when I fed him kibble. His coat is also so shinny and soft. The oil that I put in the mix is really working too.

The hardest part of this diet is making the food. Maybe I shouldn't use the word 'hard'. Hard is not correct. It takes more time to prepare his dinner. Since the mix is freeze dried, I have to boil 6 ounces of water and pour that over the mix (veggies). Then while that sits, I add the oil and a multivitamin. Next I either brown some ground beef or turkey and drain any fat off of it. By now, the veg-mix has become the consistency of oatmeal. It also looks very good. There are peas, green beans, sweet potatoes, and lots other vegetables. I add 8-10 ounces of meat and stir. Then I place it in the refrigerator so that it will cool off. Finally, I separate the food into 2 servings, one for the morning and one for the evening. I also have to rotate meats weekly. This week, Gus had beef, next week he'll have chicken. The following I'll do tuna fish, then turkey. So each week has to be a different meat. Sometimes it is difficult to wrap my head around! But I know that it is for best. He is soooooo much more happy and itch free...for the most part! :)

Technology

Ok...I DID IT! As a technology person, I really do fight technology. Not that I don't love it, after all, it is my job, I just get tired of being plugged in all the time. It is so nice to disconnect. I have a Kindle, a cell phone, a laptop, and an iPod Touch. What more could I possibly need? Well, for about a year now, I've had that itching, gnawing feeling. I've been toying with getting an iPad or an iPhone.

My son is a die hard Apple hater and I am a die hard Apple lover. I love their products! So when I mentioned that I wanted either an iPad or an iPhone, he went ballistic. Why do you want one? The ____ (you fill in the blank) is better. Apple is &^%$#! It is a no win battle. I just ignore him and do what I want. I like to see him mad :).

So this itch became more pronounced last week while in Chicago. It seemed as though everyone had a smart phone while I was still using a standard talk and text phone. The itch became a pounding this past Wednesday and I bit the bullet and went down to the Verizon store and bought an iPhone. It was not an impulse decision. I had been thinking about it for ever! I told the sales person, a real jerk, what I wanted. Naturally, he tried to sell me and my son more than what we needed. My son was getting a new phone too. He got an Android which is very fitting for him. It looks very masculine and gives him the ability to change up everything on it. It is actually a good thing that we purchased our phones when we did. Yesterday, Verizon changed their packages from unlimited data plans to a tiered plan which is much more expensive. In total, my son and I walked out of the Verizon store $400.00 lighter but both very happy with our purchases.

"Its My Party and I'll Cry if I Want to"

Don't you just love that song! I feel like that today. Today is my birthday and even though I don't really care about my age; I must confess that I get a little blue on this day. I don't have a problem telling people my age. I do not look like I'm 44 and don't feel like it either. What bothers me about getting older is that I always analyze my life on this day. What have I accomplished? I'm very proud of my life but I still feel like there is more I should be doing for others.

I wonder if others feel this way on their birthday. Is this just natural? I do know that as we age, we become less egocentric and start to think more of others. I have noticed this in myself. When I was a teenager, I only thought of me. Now as I am getting closer to 50, I think more of others. I honestly can't wait until I am able to financially and physically able to give back to others.

Happy Birthday to me! :)

The Justice System

Dismay is not quite the strongest word I can express with the recent verdict in the Anthony trial. I must confess, I'm not at all surprised. I have felt all along that the evidence was not strong enough to convict. I also believe that the behavior of the prosecuting attorney impacted the jurors. His behavior during closing arguments was inexcusable.  Let's look at this realistically....

Our justice system, whether right or wrong was set up to protect the rights of the accused....not the rights of the victims.

History lesson 101: During the years when the United States was a mere colony, the colonists were taxed and taken advantage of. The English could quarter their soldiers at will in any colonist's house or farm. This meant that the English soldiers could go up to a anyone and say, "Hey, you, mister colonists, you will provide food and lodging to these troops. If you don't, it doesn't really matter, we'll take what we want. Doesn't matter that it is your pig, your cow or your grain. We need it and it is ours. If you refuse, we'll just burn your house, your crops and probably shoot you and your family." In another injustice, the British government in the colonies could accuse anyone of any crime and many times, not even have a trial and forget about a jury of your peers. The governors of the territories were the judge and jury.

When the Constitution was written, the founding fathers felt that it was very important to protect the rights of the citizens. They drew upon the experience with the English to draw up the Constitution. I'm sure that many of the founding fathers either experienced first hand for themselves the hand of the English judicial way or had friends and family who had.

So now back to today. In an effort to try to be fair and impartial, we try to uphold the belief that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Theoretically, all accused persons entering a courtroom is innocent. We may feel that they are guilty as sin and may even have the smoking gun in their hand but they are still to be treated as though they are innocent. Like it or not, this lessens the chance of someone who is really innocent from being wrongfully convicted.

If anyone has failed in the Anthony trial it is the state of Florida. They had a job to PROVE without a shadow of a doubt that Casey Anthony killed her daughter. They failed to prove that.

Do I blame the jurors...heck NO. They did their job. They could not convict her beyond a reasonable doubt. Doubt is a horrible thing.

What's next? This is the part that really bothers me. I believe that Casey Anthony will profit from her trial and the murder of her child. I believe that she will get interviews, book deals and movie deals. I have a huge problem with this. The only way WE can prevent this is not to pay her any attention. Don't buy her book, don't watch her movies or interviews. Don't buy into the frenzy associated with her.

I support our legal system even when we know things are not right because I believe in the principles of the establishment of our courts by the founding fathers. Do I believe there are problems with our judicial system? Heck yeah! But I honestly can't think of any fair way to change it.

Support Caylee...don't buy her mother's books or watch any movie about the case. Don't let her profit from this.

Let Freedom Ring

Happy 4th of July ya'll! Remember the real reason for our celebration....the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. We all love the fire works and the get togethers with family and friends but we need to remember the very important document written by Thomas Jefferson in June of 1776 that lead to the dissolution of the relationship with England. Jefferson, a scholar of French thinkers and an avid reader of Thomas Paine and John Locke, adopted many of their beliefs one being that all people have certain natural, unalienable rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. During the 1760's the Colonies were very unhappy with England. During this time, England's Parliament had passed several taxes and several acts directed only towards the North American colonies. Due to several military actions including The French and Indian War, the English were desperate for money. In an effort to raise funds, the King and Parliament saw that the colonies could supplement the treasury. North America was very rich in natural resources and a large exporter of raw materials. The Stamp Act, the Tea Act, The Sugar Act and The Townsend Acts all taxed the colonists. The English justified all of these controversial acts by claiming that they were enacted "for defraying the charge of the administration of justice, and the support of civil government, in such provinces as it shall be found necessary; and towards further defraying the expenses of defending, protecting and securing the said dominions (American colonies)".  As we know, the colonies cried "unfair' since these taxes were only levied at the American colonists. The colonists were being taxed without any representation. Not a single colonist was ever elected or appointed to Parliament. American Colonists were accustomed to having certain rights since the signing of the  Magna Carta of 1215 in England. According to the National Archives and Records (NAR) "When Englishmen left their homeland to establish colonies in the New World, they brought with them charters guaranteeing that they and their heirs would "have and enjoy all liberties and immunities of free and natural subjects." Scant generations later, when these American colonists raised arms against their mother country, they were fighting not for new freedoms but to preserve liberties that dated to the 13th century."

Like a teenager, the American Colonists, began to grow-up and come into their own. The Declaration of Independence was not only a declaration of our unhappiness, it was the first step of the colonies cutting the apron strings.

I suggest that everyone read the Declaration of Independence. It is a very compelling document. I am enthralled with the elegance in which Jefferson wrote and the clearness of the language. There was no denying what the colonists wanted and why.

Since the first July 4th celebration in 1777 in Bristol, Rhode Island the 4th has come to encompass so much more. We celebrate our military men and women who protect our fundamental rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We celebrate our founding fathers and the time we have with family and friends. So enjoy the watermelon, the fireworks and the rights we have as US Citizens but remember that in 1776, the colonies took the first steps to becoming a united states.

Declaration of Independence


Quotes:
"The Declaration announced to the world the separation of the thirteen colonies from Great Britain and the establishment of the United States of America. It explained the causes of this radical move with a long list of charges against the King. In justifying the Revolution, it asserted a universal truth about human rights in words that have inspired downtrodden people through the ages and throughout the world to rise up against their oppressors" (Charters of Freedom).

Home at Last!

Having to depend upon anyone is always a risk. Think about that and I think you will agree. You risk a job getting done, something going wrong, disappointment, danger...and many other things. Traveling is the same way. When you depend upon an airline, bus company, or Amtrak, you are risking your life, your time, your luggage, your money. Well, yesterday, we depended upon Amtrak to get us home safe and sound and relatively on time. One thing I've learned is that there are always circumstances beyond our control. I really don't expect airlines or Amtrak to take off or arrive on time. Things happen...the weather, a late passenger whatever. Things happen and I'm pretty cool with that. What I don't expect is how transportation companies handle those delays beyond their control. I expect an explanation. I expect politeness, I expect to be treated like a person. Yesterday, we spent 25 hours on the train. Our journey began in Chicago and Union Station. IT IS a DUMP! It is like the worst bus terminal you can imagine. The pick up station at Staunton is better than Union Station. It was hot, smelly, dirty and crowded beyond belief. The lay out of the entire facility made no sense what so ever. Amtrak can actually take some lessons from the TSA and airports. The lines are worse than any line getting on a plane. Oh...and security??? What security? Our train system is ripe for a terrorist attack. Any one can hop on a train and really cause some damage. I digress.....back to the trip itself. Thank you Lord that my mother is 'old'! Because of her age, we were able to get on the train before the other 200 passengers. That helped tremendously. It is like a herd of stampeding cattle when you run to your train. I'm not kidding....you run to catch your train because they will not wait for you. We get on the train and all is well. One thing that Amtrak does better than any airline is the space and size of the seats. They are huge! There is so much room. It is actually very comfortable.

We leave Union Station on time and we are so happy. It looks like we'll be home by 1:00 Friday. Loved Chicago but it was time to go home.

Now we are settled for the evening. We take our own food to snack on because the train is sooooooo expensive and all the food they have is microwaved zapped food. Nighttime comes and mom and I take a sleeping pill. It is not easy to sleep on the train. People continuously walk down the aisle going to the restroom or the cafe car. There are also many stops along the way. I think that we manage to sleep a few hours and arrive in Indianapolis. In Indianapolis, Amtrak adds more cars to our train. Going up, it took about 45 minutes. No problem. Well, we waited and waited and waited and waited. 2 hours later, the train finally pulls out of the station. During this time, people have gotten up, gone to the restroom and begin talking, calling people on their phones and generally begin to become loud. Oh, did I mention this is like at 1:00 in the morning. I had ear plugs in and still it was disturbing. Mom woke up and told some old man to be quiet. Off again.....traveled in between Indianapolis and Cincinnati and again we stop at some hole in the wall train station. We wait, and wait and wait. For 3 hours, we waiting. After 3 hours, the train once again pulls out. By this time it is about 5:00 in the morning. We are supposed to arrive in Charleston, WVa in between 7:30 and 8:00. We are 6 hours from Charleston. You do the math. Not once did Amtrak ever explain why were late. In fact, I didn't know why until we stopped at the Greenbriar stop did I hear why. Apparently, an Amtrak bus got lost bringing transfer people to Indianapolis. They ended up meeting us in between Indianapolis and Cincinnati. We were a total of 5 hours late. Not only did we arrive 5 hours after the projected time but people along the way were late getting on the train. The people who got on at Greenbriar got an extension of their trip. They were supposed to get off at D.C but Amtrak let the stay on until Baltimore. Guess what we got! Imitation, cheese like substance with cheddar or swiss cheese flavoring. I kid you not! We got a snack pack because the cafe car ran out of food! and the cheese wasn't even real! :)

Moral of the story...when you depend upon others, there is always the risk of disappointment. So...will I travel via Amtrak again? I don't know. Maybe not for long trips. The restrooms smell, men cannot aim right when in motion. The service sucked, my butt hurt, my legs hurt...the list goes on and on. The positive...everyone needs to ride the train. It is a national treasure and reminiscent of a time gone by. Many improvements need to happen though and I now understand why Amtrak is a federal subsidized program. All aboard? Not anytime soon :)