I just finished reading an article about a small town in Western Tennessee. It seems that an elderly man in the rural area who had not sent in his $75 fire protection fee (the charge for folks who don't live within the town limits) had a fire at his home. His grandson was burning trash and the wind blew embers on top of the trailer home and set it on fire. The man called 911 and pleaded with them to come help save his home and his four pets. He even offered to pay double the fee. The fire department came, alright, but only to protect his neighbor's house (who had paid the $75). They made no effort whatsoever to save the man's home or his pets. The firemen just stood their and watched the home burn to the ground, killing the three dogs and one cat. Their excuses - we have to follow the rules, he didn't pay the $75 and we aren't allowed to help him. What a heartless bunch of crap!
I cannot believe that not one of the dozen or so firemen who came out to protect the neighbor's property had the guts to stand up for what is right and try to save that man's house. The article says that the whole town is outraged by their inactions. I wonder if those firemen can even look their own family and neighbors in the face after what they did not do.
Later in the day, the man's grandson went into town to discuss what had happened and ended up punching out the Fire Chief, giving him a black eye. The grandson was arrested and charged with aggravated felony assault. It seems to me that it should have been the Fire Chief and his boss, the Town Manager, who should have been arrested. The Town Manager is still defending the non-action of the fire department and the ridiculous $75 fee for fire protection services. I wonder how much of that fee goes straight into his pocket.
Here's an idea - fire the Town Manager and use his salary to cover the fire protection service fees of all of the rural homeowners. I'd bet you would even have enough left over to pay for a new trailer for that poor man. As it is, if that family is smart (and I'm pretty sure they will be), the town is going to have to pay a whole lot more by the time the lawsuits are finished. I cannot believe that any judge or jury would find in favor of the Town Manager and the Fire Department.
Is this what life in America is going to be like from now on? Are essential services only going to be given to those who can afford to pay? I hope not since I am on a very limited budget and, if I were in the same circumstance as that man in Tennessee, would probably not be able to pay the fee either. And while I don't own a house, I would be very afraid that if I had a medical emergency, the EMTs wouldn't come to help me if I hadn't paid some fee that I couldn't afford in the first place.
As the members of the Great Generation and the Baby Boomers start dying out, and the power for change is handed to the Me Generation and the GenX crowd, I worry greatly about the disappearing social safety nets that were put in place all those years ago. Can it be that we've actually raised a couple of generations of people who don't have a social conscience? I hope not. If we have, then we'll start seeing many more stories like the one above. There will be a whole lot of younger people just standing around and doing nothing while the lives of others are being destroyed. And that's really un-American.
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The Heat of Summer
I am sitting here this morning with the door open, enjoying an infrequent, cool morning. The temperature outside is a mere 70. I'm sure that it will be going up later, but for now, it is just right. I just wish we had had more mornings like this during the summer. Instead, we have been in an oven since late June.
My last post prayed for the end of winter and the beginning, finally, of spring. It seems that Mother Nature forgot to have spring this year. We went from the rainy misery of April and May straight into the blast furnaces of June, July and August. I'm not sure, but if I had to guess, I'd say that we had a record number of days over 90 this summer. And here we are, at the end of August, still having to run the air conditioner due to the excessive heat.
These horrible heat waves (and there have been a couple of breaks, so it is plural) have severely limited my outdoor activity. Some days, the air conditioner has gone on at 10am and stayed on until after 10pm. A couple of days, I haven't turned it on and simply sweated through temperatures in the high 80s. When the temperature is so high with the amount of humidity that we get here in Illinois, it is extremely hard to draw a full breath outside of an air-conditioned environment. Short trips to the post office and to get groceries (by car) and walks across my parking lot to the garbage dumpster have been about it. And that's a shame because I finally have a doctor who has found the correct medication to help my arthritis and I would have been capable of doing a lot more, if it hadn't been so darn hot!
Anyway, school started here yesterday, and that is usually a harbinger of cooler weather. Unfortunately, it appears that the little break in the weather that we're experiencing this week (mid 80s instead of mid 90s) is only that - a little break. The forecasts have the temperature climbing back up into the high 80s and mid 90s again next week, and staying there for a couple of more weeks, at least.
Ah, well, I'm sure that in a few months, we will all be wishing for some of this hot weather to warm us up. One thing that I've noticed in my lifetime is that every really hot summer is usually followed by a really long, cold, snowy winter (have you noticed the tails on the squirrels lately?). So, I'm going to sit back and continue to enjoy this lovely cool morning while I can. By the way, in the time it took me to write this entry (about ten minutes), the temperature has risen to 74.
My last post prayed for the end of winter and the beginning, finally, of spring. It seems that Mother Nature forgot to have spring this year. We went from the rainy misery of April and May straight into the blast furnaces of June, July and August. I'm not sure, but if I had to guess, I'd say that we had a record number of days over 90 this summer. And here we are, at the end of August, still having to run the air conditioner due to the excessive heat.
These horrible heat waves (and there have been a couple of breaks, so it is plural) have severely limited my outdoor activity. Some days, the air conditioner has gone on at 10am and stayed on until after 10pm. A couple of days, I haven't turned it on and simply sweated through temperatures in the high 80s. When the temperature is so high with the amount of humidity that we get here in Illinois, it is extremely hard to draw a full breath outside of an air-conditioned environment. Short trips to the post office and to get groceries (by car) and walks across my parking lot to the garbage dumpster have been about it. And that's a shame because I finally have a doctor who has found the correct medication to help my arthritis and I would have been capable of doing a lot more, if it hadn't been so darn hot!
Anyway, school started here yesterday, and that is usually a harbinger of cooler weather. Unfortunately, it appears that the little break in the weather that we're experiencing this week (mid 80s instead of mid 90s) is only that - a little break. The forecasts have the temperature climbing back up into the high 80s and mid 90s again next week, and staying there for a couple of more weeks, at least.
Ah, well, I'm sure that in a few months, we will all be wishing for some of this hot weather to warm us up. One thing that I've noticed in my lifetime is that every really hot summer is usually followed by a really long, cold, snowy winter (have you noticed the tails on the squirrels lately?). So, I'm going to sit back and continue to enjoy this lovely cool morning while I can. By the way, in the time it took me to write this entry (about ten minutes), the temperature has risen to 74.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Will Spring Ever Really Come?!
Here it is, May 12, and the temperature outside is 55 degrees - still. We had some really nice weather a few weeks ago, but since then, it has been cold and damp and dreary. I've been spending most of my time indoors getting rid of a cold. In one way, it has been driving me nuts being so house-bound. But, in another way, it has been a productive time. I have actually been working hard on my county fair entries during this time.
So far, I have managed to work on four crochet projects, all of which are in different stages of doneness (is that a word). I am almost finished with a shawl that I'm crocheting using a bamboo blend yarn (very soft and eco-friendly). I have a baby afghan that is about half-way done and I've designed a table runner from cotton yarn that should be done soon, too. The big item (actually, the smallest but most technical) is a pair of crochet socks. I've never crocheted socks before, but I was intrigued by the pattern (they have two cables down the front), and I really love the feel of sock yarn. The socks start by making the toe sections. Easy-peasy. Then I started working on the foot of the sock.
I have been working on the first sock for four days now and am finally getting to the heel gusset. The reason for that is that last night (very late last night) I realized that I had been doing the cable pattern incorrectly, which is why the cable didn't look like one. So, at 11 pm I ripped out everything that I had done, back to the first cable switch and re-worked the entire foot back to where I had ended earlier. I then added two more sets of the pattern to take it to the length it needs to be to start the foot gusset before I finally went to bed - at 5 am this morning. It now sits there waiting for me to begin the next section, which I'll probably do some time this afternoon. I've been reading the pattern, trying to make sure that I actually understand what the next step is. I don't want to rip anything out again if I can help it. And to think that when this sock is finished, I have to finish the second one, too.
I have also been working on a counted cross stitch project for the past few weeks, too. I've also finished the top for a new lap quilt. Since I've picked out 27 items that I want to enter into the fair, I really need to keep working on them now. Don't want to be rushing to finish everything the weekend before the fair judging. (LOL - I'm always rushing to finish things at the last minute. It's when I do my best work.) I actually have started on 10 of the 27 items and have chosen the designs for another 10, so far. If I can keep up this pace, I should have all of the entries in the works by June 1. Of course, the real problem is getting them all finished by the end of July. We'll see. I may have to pare down my list of entries.
In the mean time, I will keep working away on the projects I have started, all the while wishing that the weather will finally warm up and I can get out of the house more. Or at least, open the door to let fresh air in without freezing!
So far, I have managed to work on four crochet projects, all of which are in different stages of doneness (is that a word). I am almost finished with a shawl that I'm crocheting using a bamboo blend yarn (very soft and eco-friendly). I have a baby afghan that is about half-way done and I've designed a table runner from cotton yarn that should be done soon, too. The big item (actually, the smallest but most technical) is a pair of crochet socks. I've never crocheted socks before, but I was intrigued by the pattern (they have two cables down the front), and I really love the feel of sock yarn. The socks start by making the toe sections. Easy-peasy. Then I started working on the foot of the sock.
I have been working on the first sock for four days now and am finally getting to the heel gusset. The reason for that is that last night (very late last night) I realized that I had been doing the cable pattern incorrectly, which is why the cable didn't look like one. So, at 11 pm I ripped out everything that I had done, back to the first cable switch and re-worked the entire foot back to where I had ended earlier. I then added two more sets of the pattern to take it to the length it needs to be to start the foot gusset before I finally went to bed - at 5 am this morning. It now sits there waiting for me to begin the next section, which I'll probably do some time this afternoon. I've been reading the pattern, trying to make sure that I actually understand what the next step is. I don't want to rip anything out again if I can help it. And to think that when this sock is finished, I have to finish the second one, too.
I have also been working on a counted cross stitch project for the past few weeks, too. I've also finished the top for a new lap quilt. Since I've picked out 27 items that I want to enter into the fair, I really need to keep working on them now. Don't want to be rushing to finish everything the weekend before the fair judging. (LOL - I'm always rushing to finish things at the last minute. It's when I do my best work.) I actually have started on 10 of the 27 items and have chosen the designs for another 10, so far. If I can keep up this pace, I should have all of the entries in the works by June 1. Of course, the real problem is getting them all finished by the end of July. We'll see. I may have to pare down my list of entries.
In the mean time, I will keep working away on the projects I have started, all the while wishing that the weather will finally warm up and I can get out of the house more. Or at least, open the door to let fresh air in without freezing!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Getting Closer to Spring
Since my last post, we have made great progress towards spring. Although the temperatures this week are back on the low side, last week we had several days in the mid-60s and it felt great. The weatherman promises that the temps will go back up again by early next week, and I think that we just might have a pretty Easter this year. Of course, I'm not sure yet where Easter will be. We've got two people who want to host it, so no decision yet. I'm sure we'll figure it all out this week-end. In the meantime, I'll just go ahead and make my Easter projects for the greats.
I love my fellow crafters on-line. They always manage to find me some really great ideas. Take this year's Easter project for the greats. I usually fill a couple of dozen eggs with money and candy for the Easter Egg Hunt, but this year, I've decided to give each of the kids a carrot for Easter. Yes, I said a carrot. Thanks to one of my cyber-sisters, I found the instructions for making Easter carrots a few weeks ago. I won't explain the process here except to say that they are really cute. I'm making a couple of moderations to mine, but here's the link to the original posting for those who want to see what I'm talking about: http://www.allfreecrafts.com/easter/jelly-bean-carrots.shtml It's a really cute craft for Easter.
Speaking of crafts, in my last post, I was lamenting about my lack of crafting ambition. Well, I must have sparked my crafting muse, 'cause since then I've done a bunch of stuff. I did more work on the quilt that I talked about, made 5 new pieces of jewelry (including finishing a beaded cabuchon broach and a white pearl bridal necklace), and started a simple sweater for myself out of sock yarn. I had bought 3 balls of the yarn to try to make myself a pair of socks, but I didn't really have the patience to figure out the sock pattern. Instead, while watching a needlework program on TV, I was inspired to create a simple, block-type of sweater using the yarn. Of course, I had to go back and buy more yarn in order to finish it, but I am happy with how it is turning out and it will be a nice little topper for spring. I hope to have it finished for Easter.
I also went through the premium book for the Kankakee County Fair, which is scheldule for the first weekend in August, and made a list of the items that I'd like to enter. I came up with 27 of them. Based on projects that I currently have working and others that I've wanted to try for a while, I'm pretty confident that I can get most of them finished in time. But only if I keep crafting, so I'd better get back to it. The sweater is my first priority. Maybe I'll be able to post some pics later. Until then, I hope all are well and happy. Later.
I love my fellow crafters on-line. They always manage to find me some really great ideas. Take this year's Easter project for the greats. I usually fill a couple of dozen eggs with money and candy for the Easter Egg Hunt, but this year, I've decided to give each of the kids a carrot for Easter. Yes, I said a carrot. Thanks to one of my cyber-sisters, I found the instructions for making Easter carrots a few weeks ago. I won't explain the process here except to say that they are really cute. I'm making a couple of moderations to mine, but here's the link to the original posting for those who want to see what I'm talking about: http://www.allfreecrafts.com/easter/jelly-bean-carrots.shtml It's a really cute craft for Easter.
Speaking of crafts, in my last post, I was lamenting about my lack of crafting ambition. Well, I must have sparked my crafting muse, 'cause since then I've done a bunch of stuff. I did more work on the quilt that I talked about, made 5 new pieces of jewelry (including finishing a beaded cabuchon broach and a white pearl bridal necklace), and started a simple sweater for myself out of sock yarn. I had bought 3 balls of the yarn to try to make myself a pair of socks, but I didn't really have the patience to figure out the sock pattern. Instead, while watching a needlework program on TV, I was inspired to create a simple, block-type of sweater using the yarn. Of course, I had to go back and buy more yarn in order to finish it, but I am happy with how it is turning out and it will be a nice little topper for spring. I hope to have it finished for Easter.
I also went through the premium book for the Kankakee County Fair, which is scheldule for the first weekend in August, and made a list of the items that I'd like to enter. I came up with 27 of them. Based on projects that I currently have working and others that I've wanted to try for a while, I'm pretty confident that I can get most of them finished in time. But only if I keep crafting, so I'd better get back to it. The sweater is my first priority. Maybe I'll be able to post some pics later. Until then, I hope all are well and happy. Later.
Thursday, February 04, 2010
So, Enough with Winter, Already!
Here it is, February 4, and we're expecting another 1-2 inches of snow today. The temperature is in the low 20's and it has been overcast for days. I have no motivation to do anything, whatsoever. These mid-winter blahs are just getting me down.
Not that I don't have some creative ideas. I do. It's just that the weather is causing me pain in my hands and it's hard to force myself to work when they hurt so much. I've got pain medicine that helps, but it's so strong that I end up in a fuzzy state for most of the day. (Case in point, I took a pill about 30 minutes ago and it's starting to kick in. I'm trying to finish this entry and my breakfast before the fogginess kicks in.) Fuzzy states are not really conducive to being productive.
And I really have some great things that I want to work on. I took one of my "jelly rolls" of Moda fabric (a wonderful group of colors called "Allspice Tapestry") and have designed a simple, but unique, quilt top. The first step of the process is sewing four strips together before cutting them into blocks. I have the fabrics all sorted and put into groups, but I have only managed to get one group sewn together so far. I'm going to try to get the other nine finished today, then I can iron the seam allowances and cut the blocks and arrange them. The pattern is a simple "Warm Wishes" type with a slight design change and, if I wasn't feeling so blah, I probably could have had it finished in a day. But here I am, a week later, and no closer to being finished than I was the day I started it. UGH!
I've also laid out the designs for a couple of wedding jewelry sets. I know that I have all of the materials that I need to make them, but every time I think about starting them, I rub my hands and think of what all that fine workmanship will do to the pain level in them. So, there sit the idea layouts, just waiting for me to get to the motivation to actually make them.
I've also started thinking about what I want to enter into this year's county fair. It's only five months away, so I need to get started on those projects now in order to have them done in time. And while I'm pretty sure about what I want to make, I just haven't been able to make myself get started. Knowing me, though, I won't really get into production on those items until May, which means that I'll have to work like a demon to get everthing ready before the deadline. Ah, well.
Like I said, I've just got those mid-winter blues and I sure wish the sun would show up soon. Even opening the living room blinds doesn't make it any brighter in the house. It just let's me see just how miserable it is outside. SIGH! I really hate winter.
Not that I don't have some creative ideas. I do. It's just that the weather is causing me pain in my hands and it's hard to force myself to work when they hurt so much. I've got pain medicine that helps, but it's so strong that I end up in a fuzzy state for most of the day. (Case in point, I took a pill about 30 minutes ago and it's starting to kick in. I'm trying to finish this entry and my breakfast before the fogginess kicks in.) Fuzzy states are not really conducive to being productive.
And I really have some great things that I want to work on. I took one of my "jelly rolls" of Moda fabric (a wonderful group of colors called "Allspice Tapestry") and have designed a simple, but unique, quilt top. The first step of the process is sewing four strips together before cutting them into blocks. I have the fabrics all sorted and put into groups, but I have only managed to get one group sewn together so far. I'm going to try to get the other nine finished today, then I can iron the seam allowances and cut the blocks and arrange them. The pattern is a simple "Warm Wishes" type with a slight design change and, if I wasn't feeling so blah, I probably could have had it finished in a day. But here I am, a week later, and no closer to being finished than I was the day I started it. UGH!
I've also laid out the designs for a couple of wedding jewelry sets. I know that I have all of the materials that I need to make them, but every time I think about starting them, I rub my hands and think of what all that fine workmanship will do to the pain level in them. So, there sit the idea layouts, just waiting for me to get to the motivation to actually make them.
I've also started thinking about what I want to enter into this year's county fair. It's only five months away, so I need to get started on those projects now in order to have them done in time. And while I'm pretty sure about what I want to make, I just haven't been able to make myself get started. Knowing me, though, I won't really get into production on those items until May, which means that I'll have to work like a demon to get everthing ready before the deadline. Ah, well.
Like I said, I've just got those mid-winter blues and I sure wish the sun would show up soon. Even opening the living room blinds doesn't make it any brighter in the house. It just let's me see just how miserable it is outside. SIGH! I really hate winter.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
New Great-Niece
I'm a great-aunt again! The baby girl was born at 12:26am on December 30, 2009. She weighed in at 8 pounds 8 ounces and was 20 inches long. And is she ever cute! (I'm posting her picture so you can see that I'm telling the truth.) She is my sister, Diana's eighth grandchild, and was welcomed by dad Darin, mom Jill, and big sister Zoe'.
We were beginning to think that she was never going to put in an appearance. At Christmas, Jill was nicely huge, in that beautiful pregnant way. She had hoped that the baby would have come before then, but no such luck. Jill went to see her doctor on her due date, December 28th. He told her that he wouldn't induce until she was five days past her due date. Luckily for Jill, she only had to wait another day and a half before her labor started in earnest.
And the result was this beautiful little girl who's name is Jade Katherine Bowers. Welcome to the family, Jade.
We were beginning to think that she was never going to put in an appearance. At Christmas, Jill was nicely huge, in that beautiful pregnant way. She had hoped that the baby would have come before then, but no such luck. Jill went to see her doctor on her due date, December 28th. He told her that he wouldn't induce until she was five days past her due date. Luckily for Jill, she only had to wait another day and a half before her labor started in earnest.
And the result was this beautiful little girl who's name is Jade Katherine Bowers. Welcome to the family, Jade.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Oh, How I Hate The Cold
Well, winter is really, really here. The temperature outside, according to WeatherBug is -2 right now. -2!. I had gotten up early, planning on going to church, but I decided to find out what the temperature was just to be on the safe side. I'm glad I did. No going out yet for me. You see, I have two titanium knees, and they don't like the cold at all.
One of the admonitions that my doctors had give me after my knee replacement surgeries many years ago was to avoid frigid temperatures whenever possible. I didn't really pay too much attention to that during the first two years after my knees were replaced because the winters had been mild ones. Only a day or two during each of those winters had dipped into the single digits, temperature wise. And then it happened. My third winter with my new knees, I had driven over to the train station in the morning to head downtown to work. The temperature was in the low twenties. During the day, however, a cold(er) front moved in, and by the time I got home that evening, the temperature was only about four degrees above zero.
I hurried from the station to where my car was parked. Since I was able to park in the "Handicap" section, my car was about 150 feet from the door of the station. I got to the car, opened the door, and went to sit down in the car. A strange thing happened. My left knee would not bend. I had to manually force the knee into a bent position to get it into the car. After letting the car warm up for a few minutes, I drove the eight blocks home and pulled into the garage. I opened the car door and had to use the leg of my slacks to pull my left leg out of the car. I was panicked.
Once I got inside, I immediately called my doctor's service. He called me back a few minutes later and asked what was wrong. I told him about my left leg. He said, "Are you nuts? What were you doing outside in these kind of temperatures?" He then reminded me that I had been warned by both him and my orthopaedic surgeon to avoid extremely cold weather. He told me that once the knee joint warmed up I would be fine, but that I should never, never, never go out in the cold if the temperature was below ten degrees. It seems that titanium doesn't really like the cold very much.
I have, of course, gone out when the temperature was below 10, but I always make sure that I have extra covering over my knees. I wear tights under my slacks and I alse wear my long winter coat instead of the more stylish short jacket. After all, I was still working until last year, and I couldn't afford to take off every time the temperature dropped too low. I have to admit, though, that it is nice not to have to get so dressed up to go out in such cold weather. As the years have gone by, my joints have all come to dislike the cold as much as my knes, which brings me to this morning.
I had planned on going to church this morning, but after seeing what the temperature is, I have decided to stay put in my apartment until the mercury starts to rise. It's supposed to get up to 15 by this afternoon and I'll try to go out then. I haven't been out of my apartment since last Monday due to the cold, and I need to pick up some groceries. In the meantime, I will continue to dress in layers and layers to keep warm. I hope you all are keeping warm, too.
One of the admonitions that my doctors had give me after my knee replacement surgeries many years ago was to avoid frigid temperatures whenever possible. I didn't really pay too much attention to that during the first two years after my knees were replaced because the winters had been mild ones. Only a day or two during each of those winters had dipped into the single digits, temperature wise. And then it happened. My third winter with my new knees, I had driven over to the train station in the morning to head downtown to work. The temperature was in the low twenties. During the day, however, a cold(er) front moved in, and by the time I got home that evening, the temperature was only about four degrees above zero.
I hurried from the station to where my car was parked. Since I was able to park in the "Handicap" section, my car was about 150 feet from the door of the station. I got to the car, opened the door, and went to sit down in the car. A strange thing happened. My left knee would not bend. I had to manually force the knee into a bent position to get it into the car. After letting the car warm up for a few minutes, I drove the eight blocks home and pulled into the garage. I opened the car door and had to use the leg of my slacks to pull my left leg out of the car. I was panicked.
Once I got inside, I immediately called my doctor's service. He called me back a few minutes later and asked what was wrong. I told him about my left leg. He said, "Are you nuts? What were you doing outside in these kind of temperatures?" He then reminded me that I had been warned by both him and my orthopaedic surgeon to avoid extremely cold weather. He told me that once the knee joint warmed up I would be fine, but that I should never, never, never go out in the cold if the temperature was below ten degrees. It seems that titanium doesn't really like the cold very much.
I have, of course, gone out when the temperature was below 10, but I always make sure that I have extra covering over my knees. I wear tights under my slacks and I alse wear my long winter coat instead of the more stylish short jacket. After all, I was still working until last year, and I couldn't afford to take off every time the temperature dropped too low. I have to admit, though, that it is nice not to have to get so dressed up to go out in such cold weather. As the years have gone by, my joints have all come to dislike the cold as much as my knes, which brings me to this morning.
I had planned on going to church this morning, but after seeing what the temperature is, I have decided to stay put in my apartment until the mercury starts to rise. It's supposed to get up to 15 by this afternoon and I'll try to go out then. I haven't been out of my apartment since last Monday due to the cold, and I need to pick up some groceries. In the meantime, I will continue to dress in layers and layers to keep warm. I hope you all are keeping warm, too.
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