I So Want To Be Wrong This Time

There are times when I get feelings and so much of the time those feelings have basis and purpose.

Back in late 2007 or 2008 I wrote a blog and posted it regarding our nation's economy and gas prices and how I felt we were on the tip of having the worst set back economically since the Great Depression.

A few months later, exactly what I thought would happen, did.

Since that time, slowly, but surely, our economy has been trying to rebound.

The mistake that the oil companies made back then was that prices rose too fast and the economic state of our nation rebelled.

This time, however, the changes have been suttle. Eight cents here, twenty cents there, back them down a nickel, and people tend to not notice what's happening.

Looking at gas prices as we close out this year and where they are should frighten the hell out of any clear thinking American.

The economic death knell is sounding again, but it's a quiet knell this time, and people aren't seeming to notice it as much.

But it's sounding, and it's coming, folks, it's coming.

Gas prices are going to head right back up to the mid $4 range this year, and probably be even closer to $5. We are getting ready to fall back economically, and though the oil companies think they've got a handle on it this time, trust me, they don't. They are messing with the very core of our nation's economy once again, and maybe this time, just maybe, they will succeed is driving us into economic oblivion.

If people can't afford to buy gas, they quit driving as much as they can. They quit driving, they put less miles on vehicles, less miles, no reason to buy a new vehicle. New vehicle sales drop, production of new vehicles drops. Production drops, companies that provide goods to the auto industry cut production, workers aren't needed. People lose jobs, income drops, no money being spent, government once again spends billions more in unemployment benefits and the national debt continues to rise.

Gloomy picture, isn't it?

Worst of all, it's coming once again folks, and the idiots in control of our nation are going to sit back and do NOTHING about it, because, it's not going to affect them as much as it is you and me.

Hmmm, it's an election year, so many of those who are in control of Congress are going to do everything they can to make the nation's leader look bad in an effort to get him voted out, regardless of what it does to our nation as a whole.

And the worst part of it all is that it will succeed somewhat, and the idiots that put these idiots in Congress will probably go back to the polls and give them the opportunity to do it to us all once again.

Pass the vaseline, please!

I hope and pray that I am wrong, but I don't think so, and I think it's just a matter of time that 2008 will seem like a great year considering where we are headed.

Wake up America, before it's too late.

The clock is ticking and time is indeed running out.

Update

For the first time ever in my life, I woke up alone on Christmas morning. Peggy spent the night at the hospital in Richmond to be with her Dad. It was a strange feeling, and one I never, ever hope to have to go thru again.

Christmas morning, after I ate a quick breakfast, I made the drive to Richmond as well, all 54 miles of it, and I spent the morning and about half the afternoon sitting in the cafeteria reading my Kindle, while Peggy and her sister spent time with their Dad.

Later on during Christmas Day, her Dad was moved into a regular room.

Peggy's Mom spent her Christmas Day in Methodist Hospital in Indy, recuperating from surgery to repair her broken leg while tests were going on to find out where she was losing blood and also to treat an embolism on her lung.

Her grandmother spent Christmas also in Methodist being treated for a bowel obstruction.

I left Reid Hospital later Christmas afternoon and Peggy left about 90 minutes after me. We celebrated Christmas, finally, between 8:30 and 9PM Christmas night. We stretched it out and finished upwrapping gifts to each other between 10 and 10:30.

The day after Christmas, Peggy and her sister again headed up to the hospital in Richmond as they once again began trying to use the feeding tube that had aspirated on Christmas Eve and put Roy back in ICU. They had to make decisions regarding treatment for Roy should the tube aspirate again, which thankfully did not.

Yesterday, Roy was transferred from Reid to Millers' Merry Manor in Rushville, eliminating that long drive each day to Richmond. Last night Roy was laughing and acting like a different person. While he is still paralyzed and cannot talk, he's acting much more like himself and his sense of humor seems to slowly be coming back.

This morning, Peggy's grandmother was released from Methodist and sent home, the treatment for her bowel obstruction a success.

Late this afternoon, Peggy's Mom was transferred out of Methodist, also to Millers' in Rushville. So, everyone is back in Rushville for the time being, and hopefully things are going to start getting better for everyone.

Roy will be undergoing intense therapy to help him regain his speech and his mobility.

Sue will be undergoing therapy on her leg so she can begin using it again.

I am so thankful that everything seems to be going well right now. Only time will tell for each of them, but for now, things are better than they have been for over 2 weeks.

As 2011 draws to a close, I thank each of you, my Faithful Few for hanging in there with me for another year. I hope next year the blogs get better and you find the page interesting and fun to visit and check back with.

Hold those you love near to you and try and get alone, because you never know just how much time you will have with anyone, and the relationships you have with everyone are so important.

I've had a lot of personal losses with friends and family this year, and I truly hope 2012 is a much better year in that regard.

Richest wishes and blessings are sent to you all for a most wonderful and prosperous 2012. I wish you happiness and peace, as always.

Smile Source

Like the pulsating
Flash
Of a synapse,
The detonating impulse
Powered into his heart,
Driving blindly forth
And filling his soul
With a depth
Of convoluted emotion
That caused tears
To stream down his cheeks
As his lips pulled back
Into a smile
That refused to leave
His face.
She
Had done this.
He smiled even wider.

Not What I Was Expecting

For the first time in 33 years, I was looking forward to a different kind of Christmas season. No longer working for the post office, I thought this would be a totally enjoyable Christmas season.

One thing for sure, it's going to be different. There will be parts that will be enjoyable, I know, but everything leading up to it has been totally unexpected.

My earlier blog regarding my father in law was just the beginning, Faithful Few.

Roy has been transferred to a different hospital, another 50 minutes away. My cold that has been holding on and refusing to let go has kept me from being able to visit with him, but with him already having pneumonia, I knew it best to keep away.

Earlier this week, Monday if my memory is correct, and I'll have to assume for the moment that it is, my mother-in-law, who has been divorced from Roy for 46 years, fell after delivering an Avon customer's order and broke her leg. This was the same leg she had a knee replacement in a short while back. She was taken to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis and underwent surgery to repair the break and have a metal rod put in her leg.

She comes thru surgery fine, and during a chest x-ray Tuesday morning, they discover that she has an embolism on her lung, so, she is now on medication for that, has been receiving blood tranfusions, and was told that she won't be out of the hospital until after Christmas.

As she is under the knife Monday evening and getting the necessary surgery on her leg, her mother, Peggy's grandmother, is rushed to Methodist Hospital (yes, the same one) with a bowel blockage. She went thru total hell with this back in June, and after two surgeries, is now suffering the same symptons all over again.

So, indeed, this is going to be a very unique Christmas season for us, but nothing at all like the Christmas season I was thinking it was going to be. Each time the phone rings right now, I dread answering it for fear something else has gone wrong.

Anyway, not meaning to cry, piss and moan, but this is going to be the most unusual Christmas we have ever had. Hopefully, when all is said and done, the good Lord will grant a complete and thorough healing to them all.

It appears as I write this that sometime in the near future, barring any other complications, Peggy's Mom and Dad, who divorced 46 years earlier, will probably be doing rehab in the same nursing home. How ironic.

In case this is my last entry before the Christmas holiday, I will take just a moment and wish each of you all a very Merry Christmas and our Lord's richest and abundant blessings to you all. I hope each and everyone of you has the best Christmas ever.

And if you could be so kind, please keep Peggy and myself in your prayers as well, and please mention Roy, Sue and Mary as well, and ask the Lord to bless them all with a total and complete healing.

Merry Christmas, 2011, to all of my Faithful Few.

Insincerity

empty, meaningless words,
void of emotion
trail of insipid vegetation
spewing behind them
inflicting
conflicting
a deadening art of being,
soft heartedly spewing forth
bits of bitterness
savoring the stinging
of insincere tears,
releasing nothing more than
camouflaged emotions
aiding only the narcissism
of their true intent.

sparks

lightning,
quick
bright
blinding,
shocking and awakening,
permeating
power,
brightening
the dark,
seeking
awareness
boldly,
perceiving
solutions
unavailable
continually asking,
seeking
yet
receiving
nothing.
and so it shall continue
into another life,
as the next flash
erupts.

Untouchable

Thru his fingers
Like water
She ran
Remaining out of his grasp
But leaving behind
A wet memory
And a slickness
As black as the night
And
As obtainable
In substance
Much like a vapor

Private Interlude

She calls upon her legion
In the night,
The blue princess
Brings forth the subtle
Changes
That cry out for her
Wanting
Desiring
Needing
That which only she can fulfill.
The nectar of simplicity
Bears fruit
And allows the breezes
Of intoxication
To pour itself out,
Overflowing,
Feeding,
Nourishing
The quiet yet starving soul
As she awakens his tired soul
And brings the moonlight
Blindingly
Into view
As he searches for her
Sensing her
And realizing
How close indeed she is,
And
She sees him
As no one else does,
Stripped of his facade
And standing naked before her
His disguise gone
And
Cast aside,
Relishing in the electricity
Of her aura.

Roy

Earlier this week my father in law had a massive stroke. It was a while before he was found, but when he was found luckily he was still alive and breathing.

He is in the hospital now, in guarded condition, and he has a veritable plethora of problems going on. Pneumonia, heart issues, paralysis, kidney issues, etc.

He's a widower, so he spent a lot of time after his stroke without medical attention, and he was extremely dehydrated when he was taken to the hospital.

All in all, his prognosis is not good, but we're clinging to faith that he will pull thru this and all that lies ahead of him.

He has a long road of recovery ahead of him, should he survive this.

Those of you, my Faithful Few, that read my blog regularly, I ask you for your prayers for him, that he not only survive this stroke, but that he make a full and complete recovery.

Those of you who aren't one of my Faithful Few, I ask the same of you.

The power of prayer is a truly amazing thing, and right now, Roy needs all the prayers he can get.

Thanks.

It Feels Strange, But I Like It

What a strange feeling it is this year to be able to sit back and leisurely enjoy the Christmas season without all the fanfare and stress of work. I stopped by my old work stomping grounds a couple of weeks ago and it was indeed a strange feeling, not to have to get all up in the work end of it. It was good to see a few of my co-workers as well.

My only trip back to the post office this year will probably be to pick up a few Christmas stamps when I mail the cards, but otherwise, I don't think I'll be heading back there anytime soon.

A very busy week lies ahead for my former co workers this week and part of the next one, and I know they are up the challenge. It just seems strange that for the first time in 33 years I won't be partaking of the job of getting things from here to there for everyone.

But, it's a feeling I believe I'll be getting used to and enjoying...

Yes, retirement does indeed have its benefits.

Rest In Peace, Pops!

Today marked the 100th anniversary of my dad's birthday.

About fifteen minutes ago I was notified that a good friend of mine, who at one time many years ago was probably my best friend, passed away this morning.

The picture above was taken at my surprise retirement party on October 1st, which would have been my mom's 98th birthday, had she lived.

David W. Sailor, known to many as either "Butch" or "Pops," was one of those friends who had drifted away over the years, and while we weren't strangers by any means, we only saw each other a half dozen times a year or so, whereas, 30 years ago, we probably got together at least once a week if not more.

My friend, I will so miss you, your friendship, your laugh and your crazy sense of humor. You were a friend to so many. It's hard to imagine you are gone.

At least now, you're not suffering and your pain is gone.

This world will not be the same, ever again, without you in it.

Godspeed, Pops!

Sylvia

thoughts of confusion
an absence of answers
lies
deceit
perversion
violence
inhumanity
and the trolls of civilization
bringing multitudes
of evil
upon lost souls
for wanton reasons
of lust
and vile
i shake my head
and walk away
with still no answers
and a loss of reason
as tears of pity
fall
and the confusion
persists

A Viewing

Man's inhumanity to man...
Such a waste of time
Such a waste of emotion
Such a waste of life.
Man's inhumanity to man...
Alive and well,
Neverending.