Rain stops brings pretty day

When I went to church this morning, rain was falling for the third straight day.  After the service was over, I left the church  and entered a world  where rain was no longer falling, the sun was shining, and the day was beautiful.

Does that tell me something?

This is unrelated  except for the rain.  As the rain fell steadily Friday I wondered if the schools would let out early, giving the children what we observed many years ago  as a rainy day schedule. All classes would be held; they would only be shortened.  A thirty-day activity period normally observed after lunch would be eliminated -- and that meant trouble for me because I did my math homework during that period.  Incomplete or non-existent homework handed in was not happy. 

Will the emperor wear clothes tonight?

He had best find some cover; he left himself naked during the recent election when  he declared the election was on his policies, everyone one of them.

Remembering cold as a youngster

Cold weather arrived a little earlier than  usual, all caused by global warning according to Obama, Al Gore and their friends. We are fortunate to escape the snow and the cold  that has hit much of the nation.

Thinking back to my childhood and cold, I seem to remember that in winter I was warm only during the hours I slept in a feather bed.  Early in the morning my siblings and I would dress just enough to be decent and rush to the fireplace to cook one side from the blaze and then the other.

In my early years I rode a school bus that  had curtains instead of windows.  I still shiver as I remember one day, especially.  Official temperature was around zero and cold air came through  not only  the windows but through holes in the floor.

Arrival at school  was no relief; doors would not open early and when we were allowed into the class rooms, the only heat came from steam heaters.  We were blessed if those heaters were warm by the end of the school day.

Near seven million for what?

Some people have fared well with the Affordable Care Act, getting free care.  The facts are the care is not free; taxpayers have paid for it in higher insurance premiums.    No one has profited like this guy Gruber, who was an adviser as the act was put together.  So far, it has been discovered that Gruber has raked in 6.9 million dollars.

When this act was being planned and put together like scrambled eggs, where was Obama and Pelosi? Listen to them now and you hear from them they  didn't know Gruber and in any case he had very little to do with writing and promoting the act.

Then why was he paid almost seventy million dollars?   As a person no longer young, I fear  that the elderly will son be denied some medical  care while there will be others in this administration ripping off millions from taxpayers.

ISIS leader not challenged in calling America weak

"We will slaughter your people in your streets."

The ISIS leader has spoken and released a video of the beheading of another American.  Who will challenge him when he says the United States is  weak?  We are fighting ISIS with little more effect than throwing spit balls.  We are training Iraq soldiers with little confidence they will be effective  with their "boots on the ground," but  that's all we have since the president has said his strategy is  to contain ISIS with air power alone.

   If air power is all we have,  use it; don't play around. We make five sorties on a busy day and boast about damaging a pick-up truck. Air power can accomplish something if it is fully utilized as it was in Iraq,  where some days we flew 2,000 planes, a real commitment.

Getting a flu show is Complicated?

I called the doctor's office a week ago to arrange for a flu shot, which had already been paid for. I was stunned to hear that it isn't that simple.  In fact,  said the woman I talked to, "It's complicated."  I should have learned, do not pay for anything before you get it.

I am going to call again today and if I can't get satisfaction I could possibly lose my temper.

Time for me moves fast

Tempus fugit ( time flies) or sometimes crawls.  Yes, scientists and children  can tell that time is relative.  To a child the last week before Christmas takes at least six months to pass, while to their mom time is whizzing by as she tries to finish shopping, wrap and mail presents, and prepare the house and food.

For an elder person like me, time drags and flies simultaneously as I  wait in the doctor's office for lab results. But overall, the limited time we have left passes so swiftly.  Here it is almost Thanksgiving and I have not yet digested last year's turkey.

One problem for all of us this season is the rush by retailers to start advertising Christmas shopping so early. I can remember when most people did their Christmas shopping on Christmas  Eve.  Now, just wait -- some big chain will begin advertising holiday specials so early that shoppers will begin lining up on July 5.