Absence Excuse Note

Please excuse Susan's absence since November 5, 2008. Norman ate her homework.

THANKSGIVING is super. We're going camping, our tradition. We've gone camping for Thanksgiving for the last 15 years or so...tent camping in the early 90s, pop-up camping in the late 90s and mid 2000s, and this year is the first year we will be in our fifth wheel. We've been to Devil's Den, AR, Petit Jean, AR, Lake Ouachita, AR, Lake Greeson, AR, Lake DeGray, AR, Sam Rayburn, TX and this year we are going to Cypress Bend, LA on Toledo Bend Lake. Seven days of relaxing, seven days of crocheting (certainly I will finish that afghan one of these days), book reading, family time (Clif and Meghan are coming sometime during the week), relaxing, Jim cussing out Les Miles, Jim cussing out the LSU Tigers during the Arkansas game, excercise, NO BOAT - I REFUSE TO TAKE THE BOAT IN FREEZING WEATHER. And sweet Norman. And Clif's baby dog Belle, the beagle. Turkey from Burge's of Lewisville, AR, modified Thanksgiving dinner (Stovetop Dressing, Bruce's Yams, fresh asparagus, green bean casserole, corn pudding) complete with pumpkin and pecan pie.

I have a kidney stone, actually kidney stones (I am the kidney stone manufacturer, wish there was a market). That's where I've been lately. I'm having health insurance issues. I'm devastated because I have a chronic disease and my doctor for that chronic disease does not accept the new insurance I have since October 1, 2008. I had no choice in the matter. Twenty years I have seen Arthur Poch for my chronic disease, and now you tell me I have to change doctors? A total clusterfuck.

Mr. G and Joye gave me a Sony Vaio for my birthday this month...will blog from vacation site. Hope everyone has a super Thanksgiving.

Ruffinism for the day: Thanksgiving is an emotional holiday. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they only see once a year. And then discover once a year is way too often. ~Johnny Carson

Day After

, Open letter to Sean: It's over, get over it. He's our President, we pray for him. Like Tommy Franks said tonight: "Our military will salute our new Commander in Chief. " I want to go forward. I AM SO GLAD THIS IS OVER. I woke up in the middle of the night and had to take a blood pressure pill. Obama looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders last night, we need to pray for him.

I'm a Baby Boomer, I'm old. I just pray that President Obama can lead, recover the economy as he said he could, keep our country "exceptional" and project the strength of our country to the rest of the world, because we are not part of the world, we are the leader. The only thing I am worried about is this young lady:

There are hundreds of thousands of Peggy Joseph's in my part of the world. I so wish the rest of the country could live here for one day. I want my government to protect me from foreign terrorists, excessive taxes, and pork spending. Maybe one of these days we can all "get what you want"...but if you try sometimes, you get what you need.