Rambling

The geese honk their good byes as the gaggle forms an arrow heading south. This farewell to the North Country means one thing-winter is arriving. The temperature drops into the 30's at night, during the day highs of 50 are now common. Should the sun shine, that 50 can feel like 50; in the cloudy, rainy, wet-that 50 feels like 30. I remember this. I don't mind it-give me proof of life. ZUKO does not know about fall or winter. Under the blankets, snuggling against me-he will pee later...much later.  When we go outside I hope he sees a chipmunk. ZUKO will chase a chipmunk no matter the temperature. Running up and down the tree line, dashing in and out of the brush-he is impervious to weather when on a chipmunk hunt.  Goodness I don't know what he would do if he ever caught one.  There are not many "chippers" about anymore-chipmunks have the good sense to build a warm house, stock it full of good food, and stay put until spring. We all should do that.  Or be like the geese and fly South.  Of course many folks do that, "snow birds", that is the name given to those who head south for winter. Hiccups are funny! They are most funny when someone else has them. Watching a grown person hiccup cracks me up! So many "wives tales" to cure the hiccups...drinking water through a paper towel is just wrong! Paper in my mouth is not a good feeling. Reckon the hiccups would go away when I tossed my cookies. Placing a straw between your teeth & drinking from a glass, this works. Holding your breath, I have never found that to be effective. Today is Columbus Day. Why do we still have Columbus Day? And why do some folks have it off and others don't? Eileen told me a good one-celebrate Columbus Day by going into a stranger's house, then proclaim to the owner; "This is now my house leave or be killed." Though I believe I read a report which claims Columbus never set foot on North American soil.  I will have to research that. MLK Day, this is another Holiday, well for some it is and for others it isn't. Why is that? I do not understand why for some it is a Holiday when for others it is not. Remember when we had 2 Presidents' Days? In February we would have 2 three day weekends in a row? Then they jipped us by trimming it to one day, and thus only 1 three day weekend! What happened there? Did one of the Presidents become expendable or did evidence come to light which disgraced one president, so we shouldn't celebrate him? No it is all about economics. Most things end up being about money-how sad! Look at the current gas prices! Families are having to choose between gas and food. Gone are days of Sunday drives. No weekend get aways. Supply and demand economics my right ear! Gas companies could produce more gasoline, keeping the prices down...but they have tested us and we flunked! Did you ever think you would be happy if gas was only $3.00 a gallon? I remember when gas hit $1.00/gallon. The uproar from adults was amazing. Cars back then were not easy on gas. Big cars with 8 cylinder engines were the norm. Cars made of steel! American cars built with American products by American workers. Instead of spending 2 billion dollars to send a droid into space, why not buy 100 million families a fuel efficient vehicle. it would be a more productive use of money. The choices made by the powers that be, they are dumbfounding! We really need to focus on This United States. We need to take care of our own! Our military could stay in Afghanistan, Pakistan,Iraq, or Iran for 100 years-the people of those countries have been at war for 1,000 years-when Religion is the force behind your battle, you will fight until death. The best intentions will not change that. We have lost too many of our sons,daughters, fathers, and mothers...lost them to a war our government told us wasn't a war, lost them to a war our government told us we won...see here is the thing-so many citizens of the United States are living in survival mode they cannot raise their voices in protest. So many citizens are living in poverty, the only fight left in them is to feed their children, try to make rent, try to find a job-thus our government has free reign to do as they please. The fat cats getting fatter as Mr. & Mrs. Normal are fighting their own war to survive. We should be ashamed of our leaders, especially with elections a month a way. Every candidate opening their mouth is spouting BS! Any candidate who remotely spoke of truth or reality was quickly dubbed a "fringe" candidate and ridden out of town in the dark of night. Do you feel Obama or Romney will represent your values, your choices, your people? Do you know your senators or congressmen/women? Have you heard anyone running for an office speak to your reality? Too much time on my hands, I have the luxury of too much time on my hands. I watch, read, and listen to news radio or television, I read the papers-just so much nonsense! It would be a breath of fresh air if anyone stood up and spoke the truth. Of course they would be ridden out of town, but it would be nice to hear someone speak the truth. Our government is not of the people, by the people, for the people-it is by the lobbyist, for the pharmaceutical companies, of the insurance and oil companies! How do we change that? Have we all become jaded? We expect the dishonesty so we don't balk when they serve it to us? Shucks, it is sad. Once the greatest of all we are now bottom feeders. Makes me sad.