Winners and Losers

The man who was defeated in the millennia election has been working to solve one of the Earth's biggest problems, global warming. I liked Al Gore before, but now I have to say that he is truly a winner. The natural cycle, supersedes the news cycle, in spite of the prime time cycle. What has George W. been up to recently?

Dinner of Retirement

It was good food, great company, and a time to be remembered. Concepts exploded, the end result- a desire to learn Italian and fly to Rome. The capstone was Tom Waits, who didn't attend.

Freedom of Information Act

I got a call yesterday from the police fundraisers. Years ago, they got my number when I was down and out. At that time, the spokesperson let me know that if I didn't contribute, things might not work out that well for me with regard to the law enforcement agencies.

Anyway, when I told Joe about these calls, he set me straight in a most direct manner.

"These guys aren't cops, they're fundraisers who earn their living by soliciting funds." Armed with this new information, I was able to field these calls in a more efficient way. My new litmus test was the percentage of the funds raised that actually got to the charity in question.

Yesterday, when I asked the caller this question, he turned me over to his supervisor, who then proceeded to rattle off the statistics. Without thinking too hard, I could easily see this wouldn't be a very charitable return.

The supervisor then moved quickly to closure, " You told me your opinion, I'm not going to tell you mine. Have a nice day."

Double Speak Sparkle

Recently, Sen Jon Kyl (R-Ariz) took to the senate floor and told his colleagues a number of untruths about Planned Parenhood. When these were called into question, his spokesperson defended them with the statement that the remarks "were not intended as a factual statement."

AuSable Backdrop

The melody remains...

Home Schooling

The sun has been gone so long it would have to be tried in absentia. Not today though. I kicked off the day with a well established, iron skillet, farm breakfast, and then bolted into mowing the lawn. As the sun finally appeared, a new thought crossed my mind. How about doing laundry today? It hasn't been done for a Long, Long, Time and the clothes line still has room.

I can see why many cultures have been sun worshipers. The Sun's effect is dramatic like a heliarc laid bare across the Earth.

Fast Food

Traveling on I-75 to West Branch placed me in a position with an incredible view. Three hundred feet above me circled a large bird wafting on the wind. At first, it appeared to have no purpose, save for playing on the wind currents. Then in dropped precipitously like a rock to pick up some carrion from the road. The eagle's surgical strike was so precise that it never lost a feather. It fact there might have been ten seconds to spare in this maneuver, before it would have replaced its own target.

A Pair to Draw

Still working on learning to play cards, but not as hard, as developing an exoskeleton.

Reprieve

Didn't look that good for awhile with the gray sky and drizzle, but it changed with the statement. "It will be ready Monday." As they say in Houston, "Mighty fine, the ride continues!"

Momentarily Stumped

It hung there on the river bend, stationary. Four or five days passed and still it wouldn't move.

The thought occurred to me that I would have to jump in the river and move it forward and away from my dock. Not a job I was looking forward to in cold, high water.

Heavy rains changed the situation like a dream. Sure, I would have to pump out the basement a lot, but I was able to keep current and move that little bugger down river.

Island/Pond Return

As you can see, it's all back!

What you can't see of course

is the woodpecker who

refused to be photographed

pecking on my aluminum

canoe.

Archtype

'Been in a bit of quandary since I parked the '87. Oil was streaming through it on my last road trip and the fix could be expensive. If it is...then its end has arrived. I have successfully employed procrastination to keep myself in the dark. The cloud of unknowing twisted to a new purpose.

Now I have a solution and can move forward. It would look good as an Outpost ornament stationed at the end of the property, next to the road. Similar to the old Hudsons parked around the pond on the farm, Fiero tech art.

Family Plan

We flew in from three different states, on three different days to avoid detection. The enterprise was a delicate one as it was a hostage situation. Last to arrive was the Michigan connection who was unfamiliar with air travel and therefore spent a long, long, time lost in the Atlanta terminal.

To our collective relief, and without further conflict, the matter was resolved nolo contendere.

Meadow, a.k.a as Springboard, now had only one more impediment on her road to independence, the fifteen hundred mile trip via SUV. The route, mapped through Mississippi, gave us the opportunity to catch some outstanding Delta Blues. Meadow was happy to be free, but apparently didn't care for the music.