"Drama"

It seems like that my side of the family is "not real close", however, we seem to really enjoy the few times each year that we get together.
However, on the "In-Laws Side" it seems that they consider themselves as "Close Knit", and most living close together in Cincinnati, they are constantly together. Also, along with this comes way too much "DRAMA". It seems like each week or two brings someone in the family getting their feelings hurt, or fighting among themselves.
The wife got away from this crap 27 years ago by moving 100 miles away. However, she does get unwanted info on the latest gossip.
My Mother-in-law is basically a good person, but, is very outspoken, and demands that things go her way. (Note: She doesn't try this crap with me, because 27 years ago, I Advised her that I would not put up with her crap, and did not have to travel over the big Ohio Ocean to be miserable!)
The latest "DRAMA" concerns our daughter's wedding in May.
Background: Kim (wife) has a younger sister (46 yrs old) who has some learning difficulties and has the mental abilities of someone about 13 or 14 years old. She also has a lot of her Mom's traits of sticking her nose into other peoples business and being somewhat bossy at times. Most of the time however, she is just a sweet loveable kid!
When Marisa called Cincinnati to inform the Grandparents of her getting engaged, her Grandmother blurted out that her Aunt Lisa WAS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE BRIDESMAIDS! This was not in her plans....she was thinking more of having her take care of the guest book or do a reading. G'ma pretty much nixed this idea right then and there!
Marisa decided who her bridesmaids will be (college friends her age). However, this does not meet the approval of G'ma!
G'ma is now in a snit.... she canceled the Annual Thanksgiving get-together VIA E-MAIL!
We don't know now what our Annual Christmas get- together will be, as ours and Marisa's work schedules are pretty hectic.
I do know this....I had never seen Marisa mad at her Grandmother before, and she stated that she is not backing down on her "BIG DAY" to appease the whims of somebody else.
So, I'm being a dutiful smart husband and father and keeping out of it!

The Proposal

Here is a video slideshow of "The Proposal" for our daughter.

On a RANT.....of sorts

I guess that I am considered by a lot of folks now-a-days of just being an ignorant old crotchety fart.
I just don't fit into these new enlightened times of political correctness.
A few examples of my out-dated views and values are as follow:

a. Disingenuous? Bullshit! It's still a lie! Why color it up to hide the truth?

b. Tea Party. I support it because it calls for supporting the Constitution as it was written, and for less government intervention into our lives. The Liberal press tries to label it as a bunch of racist nuts running around. Also, it does NOT get bogged down with social issues! That is a totally different thing!

c. My heroes were Roy Rogers, John Wayne, Ronald Reagan, and Paul Harvey.

d. Boycott Wall Street: OK.... I don't like the thieving S.O.B's that created and profited off the shenanigans of the Banks. BUT..... Why not BOYCOTT THE U.S. Attorney General for not investigating and prosecuting the Wall Streeters, Bankers, and Congressmen that allowed it to take place?
Also, with all of the support that these folks are getting from "Move On .Org, Unions, and the main stream media....I see it as just a smoke screen to take the heat off what a dismal failure that the current administration has wrought. And, I see it as a warm-up practice session for the bad protests that will be put upon the Republican Convention next year.

e. Sexual Orientation. I don't give a rat's ass whether someone is Gay or not! In my old country way of thinking, I just think that some people are born that way. I don't go out of my way to persecute or condemn them for who they are. But, then again, I don't enjoy watching the public display of attention, or hearing all of the pro and con bantering about it in the News. As for the Gay Marriage thing.... I just don't care for the idea. But, then again, I don't like turnips, but, I know there are nuts out there that do like them, so I ain't about to try to get them banned from the grocery stores!

f. Entitlements: What we are seeing is the result of the "Dr Spock Era" of trying to make everyone feel good about themselves. When I see these "boycott notebook shots" crying about how some "over educated idiot" that majored in Classical Education or Social Studies can not find a job...I want to puke! Maybe if they had researched a little, they would have seen that there is NO DEMAND for high paying labor in those fields! These same folks are too proud to work for McDonalds or Wal-Mart because of the low wages, but, constantly shop at both places because of low prices !

g. Immigration Policies: ( or should that be lack of enforcement) We have way too many legals on the Government Welfare Tit, we sure don't need the burdon of the Illegal Aliens ,too!
Yep, we do need the immigrants to do the work that Americans don't want to do anymore.
Here's my "old fuddy-duddy way" of solving this issue:
1. Build the fences....Guard the Borders....... keep out all new ILLEGAL Aliens...and drug shipments.
2. Enforce a law that makes ALL non U.S Citizens (within 6 months of it's passage) go to the nearest U.S. Post Office and register for a Federal I.D. These should have picture , fingerprint, and DNA sample. After this 6 month period, anyone caught without proper ID or is convicted for any felony...gets incarcerated automatically...then deported!
3. All Non U.S. Citizens have the opportunity to apply for citizenship....but, they need to earn it by learning our language (ENGLISH), and have knowledge and respect for our Laws and Rights!

Where I'm coming from:
I do not have a college diploma, ( I screwed up and partied too damn much!), and I do not have a glorious job. What I have is a good work ethic. Along with my wife, we have for the past 15 years run our own "cleaning business". We are not "Too good" to scrub other peoples or public toilets, or clean other folks homes and businesses. What we have done is build up a pretty good business through word of mouth...no advertising, and are able to make some good money. However, we have not had the opportunity for a "vacation" due to our work schedule in all of these years.
So, when I see these "boycotters" and their pathetic signs, or see these illegal Aliens lining up for free welfare, food stamps, free housing, free education, and social security benefits.....IT flat PISSES ME OFF !

Romance in the air?

Back on Sept 6, Justin (the Varmit's boyfriend of two years) asked for permission to marry Marisa. I replied that Momma and I would be very happy for them both.
This was pretty much a "hush-hush deal", because he wanted to surprise her when he "popped the question". It was about two days later when I told Momma about it. She was about to scalp me for not telling her sooner!
Within minutes of her finding out, she was on the phone with Justin.... offering her assistance on anything he needed. As it was, he needed help with "the ring". A couple days later, they got together at the local jewelry store and proceeded to "order THE RING"...which was custom made in New York.
To"set up the proposal"...he started several weeks in advance by giving Marisa a certain color rose, then a couple of days later, giving her some little trinket in the same color. (Momma could recite each week, rose color, and trinket ) The one that stands out in my mind is the Orange Rose Week...he gave her candy corn as the trinket.
Then, the big night came on Oct 12...... Under the pretext of us giving Justin a Birthday Dinner at Ruth Crisp Steak House.... they went there and he "popped the question" by having the desert plate spelling it out....along with all the previous weeks rose petals represented, and a white rose with the ring in it.

Times ... They are changeing.

Nope, I ain't getting into a boring soapbox tirade about politics, or general petty peeves.
What I'm referring to is that I noticed a marked change in leaf coloration since last week. As usual, i spent last weekend down at the cabin, and had to start up a fire in the wood burning stove. It got down to 31 degrees and got a thick coat of frost that made the ground look like snowfall. Of course, I left my camera at home that weekend!
Then, last night, I stayed down there again, but needed no fire.
A few weeks ago, I came upon a strange looking "tomato plant"...with no fruit....growning out in a hayfield all by itself. (See the picture attached) . I mentioned it to one of the "deer hunters" that hang out down at the hunting lodge, and strangely, the next week ...it was gone.
In memory of my old single days, I thought I'd try out a bottle of Rebel Yell Bourbon...my prefered brand way back then. ( Way back when I was in college, it was the favorite Bourbon of the "hip crowd"...they advertised that it was "Made in the South for Southerners"...and refused to sell it above the Mason-Dixon Line)
Blanton's Bourbon is now my choice (at about $ 50 per fifth). I was somewhat shocked to find the Rebel Yell priced at only $11 per fifth. So, with some trepidation, I fixed me a shot....and was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed the Rebel Yell just as much as the Blantons! Not that it matters much on the price difference, because, I very seldom drink much anymore. I've had my last bottle of Blanton (still about 3/4 full) for about 3 years now. So, I guess I'm stocked up pretty good with booze for the next 10 or 12 years!
What I mostly do down at the cabin is just loaf, rest, read my Kindle, watch Netflix DVDs, cook a little, and drink lots of coffee! But, here lately I've hung a few pictures, and my "Red Neck Windchimes" sent to me from my cousin up in Greater Barrington, Massachusetts.
I finally broke out the generator this weekend to check to see how noisy it would be to run, so I can power up a TV to play an X-Box game or two. But, since it hasn't been run in about 2 years, it wouldn't start. So, I took it down to the tenant's house and Andy will tune it up for me. Depends on how noisy it is as to whether I'll use it or not.
After all....peace and quiet is one of my main reasons for being there.

Just a matter of semantics

Translations of California phrases to Kentucky.
Its all a matter of semantics.

California..... ..................................... Kentucky

Arsenal of Weapons ...................Gun Collection
Delicate Wetlands...................... Swamp
Undocumented Worker............ Illegal Alien
Cruelty-Free Materials............ Synthetic Fiber
Assault and Battery................... Attitude Adjustment
Heavily Armed............................. Well-protected
Narrow-minded ..........................Righteous
Taxes or Your Fair Share ............ Coerced Theft
Commonsense Gun Control .......... Gun Confiscation Plot
Illegal Hazardous Explosives............ Fireworks or Stump Removal
Non-viable Tissue Mass................ Unborn Baby
Equal Access to Opportunity............ Socialism
Multicultural Community.................. High Crime Area
Fairness or Social Progress.................. Marxism
Upper Class or "The Rich ".................... Self-Employed
Progressive, Change ............................Big Government Scheme
Homeless or Disadvantaged...................... Bums or Welfare Leeches
Sniper Rifle ..............................................Scoped Deer Rifle
Investment For the Future................... Higher Taxes
Healthcare Reform................................... Socialized Medicine
Extremist, Judgmental, or Hater.................. Conservative
Truants ...................................................... Homeschoolers
Victim or Oppressed.................................. Criminal or Lazy Good-For-Nothing
High Capacity Magazine............................... Standard Capacity Magazine
Religious Zealot.............................................. Church-going
Reintroduced Wolves..................................... Sheep and Elk Killers
Fair Trade Coffee ..........................................Overpriced Yuppie Coffee
Exploiters or "The Rich "................................. Employed or Land Owner
The Gun Lobby ..............................................NRA Members
Assault Weapon......................................... Semi-Auto (Grandpa's M1 Carbine)
Fiscal Stimulus............................................ New Taxes and Higher Taxes
Same Sex Marriage................................... Legalized Perversion
Accepted Facts................................................. Horse Shit

Windex Does Prevent Streaking!

Here' proof that Windex does a good job stopping streaking!