Grumbleeze

Can you believe? We (Tittabawassee River Voice) have met with legislators and with local elected officials and all of these people agree - our homes and property need to be protected from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, which is overrun with extemist environmental activists - none of whom we elected! Governor Granholm, who has already dragged our lovely state of Michigan into last place on so many levels, just turned on us today. She vetoed the homeowners' rights legislation that all of the rest of our elected officials agreed to support.

Now on to what I really wanted to talk about today... Did you ever hide something - from yourself? If so, you know how relieved I was to find these items today!Not that I don't ever clean house but... well sometimes I must do a better job than others.

Right after Frank died, I checked his billfold and saw this credit card. Decided I should put it away until I had time to take care of such things. A few days later I couldn't find it! Panic! Phoned the company and cancelled it. Got a new one in my own name. That was four months ago.

Last week I was cleaning house for the Christmas holiday. I found the credit card AND a little bit of money. It was the best Christmas gift! All that time I couldn't find the card - and I looked again periodically. Funny thing... I don't even remember the money!

Today I am at the Governor of Michigan... How could she be so continually unaware of the taxpaying voters in this state!!???! I guess she must not plan on running for a second term.

..and the weather guy is finally predicting a warm-up! Yes you heard that right. He says it might warm up to freezing temperatures by Christmas Day.

Youngest and shyest of my furry little family... AmyLou Mae decided she likes the new bedspread. Isn't she just the cutest little thing? The bedspread is one of the oldest new things I've ever had. I started crocheting it in the early 1980's - for a king-sized bed. Don't remember why I set it aside but I'm sure glad now! I put it on the single bed I'm using right now... and it's a perfect fit!

More snow
It started earlier than usual and it's been colder than usual. Today the weather guy said the normal temperature for December is 35 degrees F. It's been in the 'teens and lower for most of November and so far in December as well... and the wind? It seems to blow all the time! I took this photo while it was snowing last Friday. Gotta admit it's pretty but enough already.

Bryn, I watched The Christmas Blessing last night. It's a beautiful story. Gotta admit it was bringing tears to my eyes. I'm glad you recommended it. Thank you!

Today was really a busy one! Got some more paperwork out of the way and then I did a bit of shopping for Christmas. I still have bags of Christmas decorations all over the place. Maybe I'll get them spread around the house where I want them by end of day tomorrow... a whole day just for decorating! I think that will be fun.

Now for some Monday Madness!
1. Name 1 toy you owned when you were younger, that meant a lot to you. My first bike... before they made them with training wheels and they all came in one size. It was blue and from the Western Auto Store. Some of my friends were riding Schwinns but I didn't care. It was a great bicycle!

2. Name 2 games you enjoyed playing as a child. Monopoly and Scrabble

3. Name 3 foods you didn't like as a child, but do now. I can only think of one - liver with onions.

4. Name 4 foods you didn't like as a child, and still don't like. I guess I liked just about everything and still do, but I never liked fat meat of any kind and still don't. Oh! Milk!!! I never liked white milk and still don't, but I like chocolate milk. It isn't a matter of 'like' or 'not like' for either fat or white milk, however; both of them make me gag.

These were fun... but okay Otto. You've guilted me into it. I'll try to come up with some suggestions for you next week.

..yes, that visit to Frankenmuth really gave me a jump-start!!! It's beginning to look like Christmas around here now... and the Nativity scene is prominently displayed where the cats can't accidentally knock it over! You know what this means? I'll be 'at home' for Christmas and those who like to visit on the Day are welcome! Also looking forward to our traditional family party on the Saturday after Christmas... which just happens to be New Year's Eve this year!

I visited Bryn's blog yesterday. It's beautiful AND she has all kinds of Christmas links. I just keep going back to visit the various links. Bryn also told me about 'The Christmas Blessing' tonight at 9:00 on CBS. I also planned to watch 'Silent Night' - a 2002 movie - on the Hallmark Channel, but now it sounds like I might have seen it already. I've asked Patti & Rich to tape the 2005 Carool Burnett version of 'Once Upon a Mattress' - 7:00-9:00 tonight on ABC but I might watch it if I already saw the one on Hallmark.

Oh yeah... almost forgot. Bryn's website also pointed me toward a little review to find out if you're naughty or nice!!! I scored a C+... you'd think I'd have gotten extra credit for telling the truth, wouldn't you? (Bryn & OttO both scored A's.)
Today I'm feeling Love to all, Ima CouchPotato

..in Frankenmuth, the town that celebrates Christmas all year long.
Yesterday Patti went along with me to take care of some business... and then she invited me along with her family to see the Christmas lights and get some photos in Frankenmuth. Ah yes, and we had dinner together at Sullivan's Black Forest.

Here is a photo I took of the nativity scene near the Silent Night Chapel. My goodness! Is it already the weekend before Christmas??? It seems time is moving way way too fast!

A few days ago I posted my plea for Michigan residents to tell Governor Granholm to sign the Homeowners' Fairness bill - HB-4617S-4. I actually did this on several web sites. I think she is getting our message. I'm not sure if she will pass or veto the bill, but I'm convinced she knows the previously silent majority is speaking out through the Tittabawassee River Voice and our friends at Midland Matters.

Last week my friend Len and I had radio spots running on WSGW, a local radio station, all week long. The clincher was Wednesday, when Len got to have an interview session on the Art Lewis show on WSGW. Len's amazing when it comes to explaining such matters. I think he really got our message across because Thursday and Friday Art Lewis had call-in's all in support of the legislation. Folks this is democracy at work!!!

Len isn't just a 'good time friend' either. Last week he cleaned the snow off my back deck and showed me how to use my snowblower. Yesterday, after yet another snowfall, he stopped by, cleared snow off the deck again and then cleared my whole driveway with the snowblower! It was all nice and clear when Patti & family came over to pick me up!

Tonight Nat & I had a nice long phone conversation. I was telling her how there didn't appear to be anything worth watching on TV, then I checked the listings for 9:00 pm... and ended up watching a really cute little movie on the Hallmark Channel - Meet the Santas, with Crystal Bernard.
Today I'm feeling to have good family and friends.

Ya' know, I used to say 'Happy Holidays' and 'Seasons Greetings' and such - more or less because it does encompass all the seasonal holidays, I guess. Now however, since the ACLU has declared everything related to Christ, Christmas and the Christian religion 'politically incorrect' - I tend to say 'Merry Christmas' instead. It's a sad state of affairs when the majority is downtrodden by a small group of demagogic destroyers of all that has been sacred for centuries!

For those who think the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) is for 'the people' you should know the organization was started in 1920 by a Communist back when Communism vowed to conquor the world! They say they are 'Advocating individual rights by litigating, legislating, and educating the public on a broad array of issues affecting individual freedom.'

I read about that fact somewhere else but my googling effort today brought me to Diane Dew's website. Read it - PLEASE!!! Maybe some of the people belonging to ACLU think they are doing the right thing for 'mankind' but the leaders and really active member KNOW what they are doing... and it is not for the good of the majority!

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It's not beginning to look like Christmas yet around my house, but at least I'm thinking about it! Perhaps as I move some of the boxes of dishes for the spring rummage sale downstairs I will move some of the Christmas boxes upstairs! Not accustomed to doing things all by myself but it's doable...(sp?)

Wanna thank Kevvy for the logical explanation for occasional doorbell ringing! (So my special spirit is taking advantage of the local airwaves, eh?)

Now for a bit of Monday Madness!

1. When is the last time you moved? Summer 1960 - when OttO (our 5th child) was a baby.

2. How many times in your life have you moved? in my married life, 6 times...all in our first five years of marriage!!!

3. In your opinion, what is the worst thing about moving? It's been so long I don't remember but based on my kids moving... and just the thought of ME moving, I would say - all the decision making as to what to keep and what to get rid of... and oh, yes - the work!!!

4. What is the most exciting thing about moving? new faces (neighbors) and new spaces (the house/apartment)

5. If you've lived in the same place all your life, do you plan to move in the future? I don't think so.

6. Do you WANT to move somewhere else; if so, where? Not really... I like the four seasons even though winter is a bit tooooooo long!

Every time I think about that ACLU I feel

If you still need convincing; if you really want to know more; if you have time - you should also read:

• ACLU Founder a Communist Ideologue Bent on Uprooting Judeo-Christian Foundation of America
• How the ACLU is destroying America using your money
• America's Communist Lawyers' Union
• ROGER BALDWIN: FOUNDER, AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION 1884-1981

I just like to back up what I tell you so you know it's real... not just 'my version' of something!

...sort of like walkin' and chewin' gum!!! I guess when I'm doing one it's slower for me to get doing the other. Well then, here's making up for lost time.

One of these precious arms will be sporting a cast come Monday morning. This is Patti & David making beautiful music at David's recital November 12. Patti, ever the good mom and also a student of David's piano teacher, gratiously agreed to accompany him in a duet. David has another performance scheduled soon and is worried he might not be able to play. You see, he fell off the bleachers at school Friday afternoon and fractured his left wrist. He's right-handed so good for other school work but he really enjoys his piano!

I suggested Patti tell him about how his gramma (me) had two hairline fractures and sported TWO casts many years ago. Fresh from being an at home mom - at a new job - I was worried about not being able to type. Good ol' Dr. Stander assured me the exercise would keep my fingers limber, so I lost no time from work. Then there was OttO - who made contact with a truck while riding her bicycle and spent her first three weeks of college wearing a cast!

BTW - Happy Birthday David!!! My youngest grandchild is growing up. Seems like only yesterday James, the oldest one, was 12.

I had another doorbell experience today.. this one during the day... wide awake... reading the paper! I changed the bell to that Christmas tune, '..first day of Christmas' when I brought the newspaper in. Sat down to read the paper and it rang... doo-doo-doo-doo (insert tune here)... Nobody there, no extra footsteps in the snow, nada! My scientific part went out and checked to see if it still has the same tune... yup... tune plus a beep! at the end (like phone answer machine).. so I tested it again! No beep but it works.

Told one daughter about it and she told me some very trustworthy people, experienced and trained in such matters, said some people do receive subtle messages from the spirits of loved ones. I must admit there is a sense of comfort associated with this occurrence. Then I was telling another daughter about it... and while telling her, the bell rang again... a traditional 'ding dong' (insert tune here) and she asked me 'Are you sure?' - yes, even the cats responded when it happened!!!

Anyway, gonna have a son-in-law check the thing for shorts next time he's here. Meantime... well... since the first doorbell incident, I've heard too many other stories to be thoroughly convinced everything has to have a concrete provable explanation.
Today... perhaps I'm mostly a bit