At least it is not raining---yet!

It looks like it could at any moment but am not sure if it will or not. The report on the radio just now indicated that it is mostly cloudy and he is correct, not a spot of blue to be seen from this vantage point.

Over and over today, at the top and bottom of the hour, the news features a grieving dad begging for the hit-and-run driver to come forward, who struck and killed his 21 year old daughter as she crossed a busy highway last night. It is heart-wrenching to hear the pain in his voice. The police are looking for a smaller pick-up truck with ‘obvious front end damage’. That just makes me sick, thinking about it, how someone could just drive off and not look back, so to speak. Hopefully the culprit will turn themselves in, or their family will.

On St. Valentine’s Day, since I do not have a beau to spend it with, I was pleased that my neighbors did indeed come for a while to have some wine and look at the scrapbook, etc. Monday. One of the ladies who came is in the process of being divorced by her spouse of 25 years and she was having a bad day. Michelle was so glad to be invited in and I am so glad I asked her. We swapped a couple movies as she is a movie nut. She took “Letters to Juliet” and then is passing it to Tracy and Cassidy. We are our own NetFlix without leaving the building!

Monday morning, though, I had a treat right off the bat. My friend, Judy R., called me from Winona to tell me happy Valentine’s Day, after she had called her children and grands. Her mom-in-law had passed away a week or two ago so she has been busy tying up loose ends with her father-in-law and other relatives. They sorted through the clothing and other personal belongings, deciding what to keep and what to share, doing this with her sis-in-law while the men folk took care of the legal aspect of her passing. Judy told me that awhile ago she had come upon some letters written between her in-laws in their courting days and such, saying she learned so much more about them through the letters than she’d ever have guessed. Immediately my mind went to a book some day written from these letters…perhaps after Dad is gone.

Oh boy, the news these days is nothing but unrest and upset in various parts of the world, and even in my home state! Yesterday I was lying on my back, nearly standing on my head, watching Fox News while getting my teeth cleaned and I asked the dentist to give me the nitrous oxide. The press conference was on, where PresBO was discussing the budget proposal. I am so glad I don’t have little ones and feel so badly for those who do. In running the numbers, right now, every man, woman, and child (even Angelo!) in the USA owes $12,000 to cover the debt. This is current debt, not future expenditures. I did hear something about some envoys trying to get overpayments made to the UN back again as well as getting those countries who owe money to our nation to pay up. We have to just hope and pray that China does not do the same thing to us!

The country of Italy has a 'state of emergency' because too many Tunisians are fleeing their country and flocking to Italy for refuge. Italy wants to keep the refugees moving north to other countries but at least two nations in the EU already said they would not accept them. Oh brother! The rioting in Greece last fall where people took to the streets of Athens and other major cities was in protest of changes to their entitlements including union benefits and retirement age. Rioting and protests in London, where Prince Charles and his wife were accosted, was because of hikes in tuition for college. Where do people expect the money to come from? Do they even know where the money comes from to pay the benefit packages and or pay the professors?

One of the morning commentary programs I listen to had the host talking about similar subject matter today. Parents raising kids in the 50’s and 60’s had hopes that the children would do better and have better than they had, be it jobs, advantages, or conveniences. That did happen in many cases, and to this day, most parents want good things for their kids. In Neal’s household, he exceeded his parent’s ‘lifestyle’ by having more than one car to drive. His producer, Belinda, exceeded her parent’s lifestyle by having indoor plumbing. No lie…her parents did not have indoor plumbing in their rural GA home until after Belinda had left home and was on her own. Imagine that! But now, there is less hope for that, as Belinda expressed about her young children, as the economy and such will prevent the flourishing and exceeding ‘our’ generation has enjoyed.

Last week at the Woman and Finance luncheon I attended, I had spoken with the sole male in the room (father to 7-year-old triplets) about a book I'd seen, and my regret at not grabbing it. While I cannot remember the exact title, I sure do recall the topic, about raising children in this entitlement society. On Amazon this a.m. I found several that fit the bill, including one published in 2009 which is the right time frame. In my case it would be closing the barn door after the horse has gotten away, but I think it might be good reading anyway.

Justin and his friend, Jesse, are following a ‘meat-free’ program for one week, in efforts to avoid dining at fast-food restaurants. Supposedly this would force them to eat in rather than out, but I could easily find a loophole in that thinking.

Anyway, when he picked up my food trays and such Saturday, I did give him permission to buy veggies and such for his week-long program. He also took home my leftover crackers and some cheese dip. Yesterday he was working with Jesse and his step-dad, who wanted to treat the boys to lunch at Bono’s BBQ. Oh, oh! Justin said he ate corn nuggets but I don’t know if that’s all he ate or not. Mac ‘n cheese was on the menu, too, and green beans---wait, they put bacon in their beans.

I remember when Mom would winter with me and followed a low-carb diet. She was hesitant to eat out thinking she was not able to order in accordance with her diet. Easily a burger would work, sans bun, or a grilled chicken breast served with fruit or veggies, but Mom hated to discard the bun or ask for it without the bun. This might have been prior to the resurgence of the Atkin’s Diet craze when some restaurants catered to those adherents, like Ruby Tuesday. It is possible to do most programs in a restaurant, but making the right choices---that’s the hard part!!!