WHAT I THINK I KNOW

Correct me if you think I’m wrong, but didn’t I hear somewhere that Herman Cain started his campaign for President of the United States in order to get his name “out there” because he had written a book and hoped the press would fall all over him because he’s black and would be the anti-Obama for the Republican Party. He has virtually no staff but a lot of book signings and speaking engagements and he sure can smile. Was his “deer in the headlights” moment on Libya akin to George Bush’s reaction to 9/11? Excuse me, but am I wrong to think he has also shown himself to be a total idiot?

Another thing, didn’t Newt Gingrich start his campaign in order to receive campaign contributions in order to pay off his enormous debts, especially those incurred at a jewelry store? The staffers he hired quit in dismay. Newt knew that with his baggage he couldn’t possibly be elected president, but the money he’d receive while running would be enormous. It doesn’t matter now that every other day he contradicts himself.  His backers love the way he can articulate with big words and sentences that they can’t possibly comprehend, but he sure can sound knowledgeable.

His new book, just out, explains how he’s found God (remember?) and how sorry he is for all his past indiscretions. But as a result of those realizations, he understands his own flaws and is now a far better person, better husband and could honestly be a better President (really?). All this he attributes to his newfound Catholicism.

Now, what does our country have in these two leading candidates for president? Two enormous egos who are tremendously flawed, but if one of them is going to be the real presidential candidate, I know that all Republicans will vote whole heartily for them, ignoring all their gaffs and not caring that we would be the laughing stock of the world.

Wasn’t George Bush bad enough?

GIVING THANKS

I know that our Thanksgiving Day traditions are not celebrated by all the readers of my blog so I want to give a special “Thank You” to those people from Russia, Germany, Spain, Italy, Latvia and India who have visited with me for a while. I want you to know I appreciate knowing you are out there. Sincerely, MJ

ALL FOR NOTHING?

Yesterday new laminate floors were installed in our two bedrooms. We were to be responsible for moving the computer, plants, lamps and other things that could break when the work was being done. We would also have to clean out the bottom of our closets because the wood would extend into them. The workers would handle the heavy moving.

In order to accomplish all this, we first cleaned out under the beds all that junk that we’ve accumulated in the past eight years since moving here, as well as the clothes we’ve been meaning to get rid of. As a result, we delivered a trunk load of things to the local thrift store and other large things were picked up by a  group home for the handicapped.

Due to all our efforts the house is as clean as it’s ever been. We moved so many things out of the way for the installers to move the large pieces out of the bedrooms, the house then became a total mess until the work was finished.

After all our preparations, all they did was move the furniture to one side of the bedrooms until one side was finished and then moved it back to the other side. And here we were with the furnishings in the living room, dining room and family room all pushed aside and covered with all the rest of our junk, bedding and linens.

Was it all worth the bother? You bet it was.

INVITATION TO THE BALLET

It was the usual dark and dreary day in mid-winter. The sun wasn’t shining so it was necessary to have the lights on in our home. Everyone at that time of year stays at home, if at all possible.

On one such day, I got a call from a friend saying her husband had received four tickets to the ballet from his boss and did we want to go. Neither she nor I had ever seen a live ballet, so we thought it would be fun.

It was extremely cold and the roads were slushy. The four of us were dressed in appropriate gear for winter weather. We wore heavy coats, scarves and hats, gloves and boots because we would have to walk from the parking lot to the nearby symphony hall.

After presenting our tickets, we were shown to our seats which were in fact box seats. If Queen Elizabeth had been in attendance, she would have been seated in our box which was virtually on top of the stage. Everyone could see the four of us bundled up in apparel suitable for a football game, so we tried to ignore the other people in the audience and were relieved when the lights were finally turned down.

Our first ballet was the story of “Romeo and Juliet” which was easy to follow and the music was familiar. Once you got over the idea that no one was going to speak, you could concentrate on the dance, itself. However, seated virtually on stage, you hear what most people don’t, the thudding sound of the dancers’ feet bouncing on the wood floor. Usually the audience is not that close and the symphony orchestra drowns out the loud thumps. I remembered all this when I saw a ballet on television last week and the cameras were close enough that you could actually hear the noise made when their dance shoes hit the floor.

The four of us really did enjoy the ballet and thought it was beautiful but we hoped no one in attendance recognized us. It’s obvious that if we had known where we were to be seated, we would have “dressed up” as they say in Pennsylvania.

 THIS IS ONE TIME I DID HAVE A FAVORITE

There was a notice in the mail from the school nurse regarding my youngest daughter, who was in Kindergarten, informing me she had a heart murmur, probably congenital. What? I immediately started shaking. Was this my fault? Did I not notice a problem? She was perfect until now. How had I missed it? What was it that I missed? I’m responsible! How can I live with myself after this?

When I pulled myself together, I called the doctor’s office and was told to bring her in. I called my husband and asked him to come home, but he was about to give a speech and couldn’t come immediately.

When she got off the bus that day, I drove straight to the doctor’s office. He checked her out, and there was nothing the matter with her. NOTHING!

The doctor was furious. It turned out he was the doctor assigned to our elementary school and responsible for yearly examinations. The school nurse had no authority to send out any kind of notice.

I can’t remember if I discussed the situation with my baby as to why we went to see the doctor that day.