Just got word from my attorney that my closing is Nov.1 at 3 PM. This it it, folks. I am signing my life away!
I'm excited but scared. I know that's normal but I really DO hate signing papers. I mean, I know what it's like for buying a car so I can just imagine the papers I have to sign for a house.
I am glad that all this jazz will be over. But then I've got moving to which to look forward; that takes place Nov. 5. We're trying to be good, packing up a little bit day by day. Plus, we don't have to be out in one day because we decided to pay an extra month of rent for that very reason. Sound advice from my friend, Deborah, in North Carolina. Thanks, Deb, I owe ya one!
Boy, will I need a BIG DRINK after this!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Saturday, October 27, 2007
And Away We Go!
We should be in our new home on Nov. 5, God willing.
Have to share one bit of funniness with ya'all. Tom, the quintessential packrat, has taken to retrieving just about EVERYTHING I'm throwing out, saying, "Honey, what are you throwing THIS out for?" or "You're not throwing THIS away, are you?"
Yes, I am because I don't want our new house to resemble Sanford & Son. But, he replies, our new house is four times the size! Yes, and that means that it can hold four times the junk and I am not having any of it.
I think I'll save the real purging for when he's not home. :-)
{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{SIGH}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
Current Mood: amused
Have to share one bit of funniness with ya'all. Tom, the quintessential packrat, has taken to retrieving just about EVERYTHING I'm throwing out, saying, "Honey, what are you throwing THIS out for?" or "You're not throwing THIS away, are you?"
Yes, I am because I don't want our new house to resemble Sanford & Son. But, he replies, our new house is four times the size! Yes, and that means that it can hold four times the junk and I am not having any of it.
I think I'll save the real purging for when he's not home. :-)
{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{SIGH}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
Current Mood: amused
Friday, October 26, 2007
Bush's Mistake
I have no clue who Ed Barr is but he wrote this powerful piece that someone shared with me today:
President Bush did make a bad mistake in the war on terrorism. But the mistake was not his decision to go to war in Iraq. Bush's mistake came in his belief that this country is the same one his father fought for in WWII. It is not.
Back then, they had just come out of a vicious depression. The country was steeled by the hardship of that depression, but they still believed fervently in this country. They knew that the people had elected their leaders, so it was the people's duty to back those leaders.
Therefore, when the war broke out the people came together, rallied behind, and stuck with their leaders, whether they had voted for them or not or whether the war was going badly or not.
And war was just as distasteful and the anguish just as great as it is today. Often there were more casualties in one day in WWII than we have had in the entire Iraq war. But that did not matter. The people stuck with the President because it was their patriotic duty. Americans put aside their differences in WWII and worked together to win that war.
Everyone from every strata of society, from young to old pitched in. Small children pulled little wagons around to gather scrap metal for the war effort. Grade school students saved their pennies to buy stamps for war bonds to help the effort.
Men who were too old or medically 4F, lied about their age or condition trying their best to join the military. Women doubled their work to keep things going at home. Harsh rationing of everything from gasoline to soap, to butter was imposed, yet there was very little complaining.
You never heard prominent people on the radio belittling the President. Interestingly enough in those days there were no fat cat actors and entertainers who ran off to visit and fawn over dictators of hostile countries and complain to them about our President. Instead, they made upbeat films and entertained our troops to help the troops' morale. And a bunch even enlisted!
And imagine this: Teachers in schools actually started the day off with a Pledge of Allegiance, and with prayers for our country and our troops!
Back then, no newspaper would have dared point out certain weak spots in our cities where bombs could be set off to cause the maximum damage. No newspaper would have dared complain about what we were doing to catch spies.
A newspaper would have been laughed out of existence if it had complained that German or Japanese soldiers were being 'tortured' by being forced to wear women's underwear, or subjected to interrogation by a woman, or being scared by a dog or did not have air conditioning.
There were a lot of things different back then. We were not subjected to a constant bombardment of pornography, perversion and promiscuity in movies or on radio. We did not have legions of crackheads, dope pushers and armed gangs roaming our streets.
No, President Bush did not make a mistake in his handling of terrorism. He made the mistake of believing that we still had the courage and fortitude of our fathers. He believed that this was still the country that our fathers fought so dearly to preserve.
It is not the same country. It is now a cross between Sodom and Gomorra and the land of Oz. We did unite for a short while after 9/11, but our attitude changed when we found out that defending our country would require some sacrifices.
We are in great danger. The terrorists are fanatic Muslims. They believe that it is okay, even their duty, to kill anyone who will not convert to Islam. It has been estimated that about one-third or over three hundred million Muslims are sympathetic to the terrorists cause...Hitler and Tojo combined did not have nearly that many potential recruits.
So...we either win it - or lose it - and you ain't gonna like losing.
America is not at war. The military is at war. America is at the mall.
Ed Barr
President Bush did make a bad mistake in the war on terrorism. But the mistake was not his decision to go to war in Iraq. Bush's mistake came in his belief that this country is the same one his father fought for in WWII. It is not.
Back then, they had just come out of a vicious depression. The country was steeled by the hardship of that depression, but they still believed fervently in this country. They knew that the people had elected their leaders, so it was the people's duty to back those leaders.
Therefore, when the war broke out the people came together, rallied behind, and stuck with their leaders, whether they had voted for them or not or whether the war was going badly or not.
And war was just as distasteful and the anguish just as great as it is today. Often there were more casualties in one day in WWII than we have had in the entire Iraq war. But that did not matter. The people stuck with the President because it was their patriotic duty. Americans put aside their differences in WWII and worked together to win that war.
Everyone from every strata of society, from young to old pitched in. Small children pulled little wagons around to gather scrap metal for the war effort. Grade school students saved their pennies to buy stamps for war bonds to help the effort.
Men who were too old or medically 4F, lied about their age or condition trying their best to join the military. Women doubled their work to keep things going at home. Harsh rationing of everything from gasoline to soap, to butter was imposed, yet there was very little complaining.
You never heard prominent people on the radio belittling the President. Interestingly enough in those days there were no fat cat actors and entertainers who ran off to visit and fawn over dictators of hostile countries and complain to them about our President. Instead, they made upbeat films and entertained our troops to help the troops' morale. And a bunch even enlisted!
And imagine this: Teachers in schools actually started the day off with a Pledge of Allegiance, and with prayers for our country and our troops!
Back then, no newspaper would have dared point out certain weak spots in our cities where bombs could be set off to cause the maximum damage. No newspaper would have dared complain about what we were doing to catch spies.
A newspaper would have been laughed out of existence if it had complained that German or Japanese soldiers were being 'tortured' by being forced to wear women's underwear, or subjected to interrogation by a woman, or being scared by a dog or did not have air conditioning.
There were a lot of things different back then. We were not subjected to a constant bombardment of pornography, perversion and promiscuity in movies or on radio. We did not have legions of crackheads, dope pushers and armed gangs roaming our streets.
No, President Bush did not make a mistake in his handling of terrorism. He made the mistake of believing that we still had the courage and fortitude of our fathers. He believed that this was still the country that our fathers fought so dearly to preserve.
It is not the same country. It is now a cross between Sodom and Gomorra and the land of Oz. We did unite for a short while after 9/11, but our attitude changed when we found out that defending our country would require some sacrifices.
We are in great danger. The terrorists are fanatic Muslims. They believe that it is okay, even their duty, to kill anyone who will not convert to Islam. It has been estimated that about one-third or over three hundred million Muslims are sympathetic to the terrorists cause...Hitler and Tojo combined did not have nearly that many potential recruits.
So...we either win it - or lose it - and you ain't gonna like losing.
America is not at war. The military is at war. America is at the mall.
Ed Barr
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
We Interrupt Your Regular Program...
Do you remember what the weather was like last Sunday, Oct. 7? I do. To refresh your memory, that the was day that they cancelled the Chicago Marathon halfway through, where someone died on the course. When the temps hit 92 degrees at noon. I don't even know what the humidity was but it was way up there.
Well, that was also the day that I, and some of my running club buds, were doing the Long Beach Island 18 Miler, a race I've done 4 years in a row with no consequence. My goal was to beat my best time of 2:47. I finished in 3:08. That should tell you something, but it doesn't tell you the whole story which is here, taken from the Essex Running Club web board:
"I should add that I felt fine during the race and at the finish. Yes, it was very hot but as my time attests (Yikes! That's slower than my Philly Marathon pace!), I wasn't trying to be a hero today. I took walk breaks after every 3 miles and around mile 9, I just wanted to finish.
"After the race, I hooked up with Tom at the post-race party at the finish area. I collected my stuff and changed into dry clothes in the bathroom. It was while I was changing that I began to feel well, weird. I didn't feel as if I was going to lose consciousness but I definately did NOT feel like myself. I knew I had to get outside and get fresh air. I found a bench in the shade and lied down. Then it hit me: I had the absolute worst calf cramps I had ever had in my life! So bad, that I could not move my legs without horrific pain. Then my arms began to go numb. I was VERY scared. Nothing like this had ever happened to me before.
"I saw Tom come out of the men's room and I yelled to him. I told him that something was not right (I think I scared the bejesus out of him). He ran to get the medics.
"An EMT guy came over and immediately put me at ease. He said I was going to be all right, I was just having lactic acid build up. He kept telling to try to calm down and take deep breaths. It was decided (not by me!) that I should be taken by ambulance to the hospital for observation. Once in the ambulance, I was put on oxygen and within minutes my legs began to feel better and the feeling came back into my arms.
"At the hospital, everything checked out fine: blood pressure, temperature (it was actually a bit BELOW normal). I was told that I suffered from mild heat exhaustion due to loss of electrolytes and build up of lactic acid. They kept asking me if I had any Gatorade on the course. I told them that took Gatorade and water every chance I could get. The problem was that the Gatorade wasn't being offered until about mile 10 or 11 or so! It really should have been made available from the beginning, especially in temps like we had yesterday.
"I should also add that for the first 3 or so miles, there were major problems with the water stations. One station actually ran out of cups, another had those spring water containers with the push button. Do you know how long it takes to fill cups with those? Runners had to actually stop and wait while cups were being filled, crowding the water stations. The organizers should have been better prepared, especially on a hot day like that.
"When I got to the ER, almost all of the units were being occupied by other runners! One RN actually remarked: "Whose bright idea was it to hold an 18 mile race today?" From what I was told, there were people there in a lot worse shape than me; one was brought in with a fever of 105, another couldn't even remember his name. I hope they all made it out OK.
"After being released, Tom & I hitched a ride back via ambulance to St. Francis where the awards ceremony and post-race banquet took place. I stepped out of the ambulance and I felt like Paris Hilton being released from jail: I was immediately surrounded by volunteers who began clapping the minute I walked through the door! I never dreamed my red carpet moment would be like this.
"I plan to write a letter of praise and appreciation to the EMT staff. They were terrific. They responded quickly and put my mind at ease and were just all-around nice folks. Thanks to Tom for not freaking out, thanks to Mick for his patience and to everyone (Lynne, Catherine) who called and expressed their concern. I am feeling 100 percent better today (just suffering the humiliation of my horrible finishing time)."
Well, that was also the day that I, and some of my running club buds, were doing the Long Beach Island 18 Miler, a race I've done 4 years in a row with no consequence. My goal was to beat my best time of 2:47. I finished in 3:08. That should tell you something, but it doesn't tell you the whole story which is here, taken from the Essex Running Club web board:
"I should add that I felt fine during the race and at the finish. Yes, it was very hot but as my time attests (Yikes! That's slower than my Philly Marathon pace!), I wasn't trying to be a hero today. I took walk breaks after every 3 miles and around mile 9, I just wanted to finish.
"After the race, I hooked up with Tom at the post-race party at the finish area. I collected my stuff and changed into dry clothes in the bathroom. It was while I was changing that I began to feel well, weird. I didn't feel as if I was going to lose consciousness but I definately did NOT feel like myself. I knew I had to get outside and get fresh air. I found a bench in the shade and lied down. Then it hit me: I had the absolute worst calf cramps I had ever had in my life! So bad, that I could not move my legs without horrific pain. Then my arms began to go numb. I was VERY scared. Nothing like this had ever happened to me before.
"I saw Tom come out of the men's room and I yelled to him. I told him that something was not right (I think I scared the bejesus out of him). He ran to get the medics.
"An EMT guy came over and immediately put me at ease. He said I was going to be all right, I was just having lactic acid build up. He kept telling to try to calm down and take deep breaths. It was decided (not by me!) that I should be taken by ambulance to the hospital for observation. Once in the ambulance, I was put on oxygen and within minutes my legs began to feel better and the feeling came back into my arms.
"At the hospital, everything checked out fine: blood pressure, temperature (it was actually a bit BELOW normal). I was told that I suffered from mild heat exhaustion due to loss of electrolytes and build up of lactic acid. They kept asking me if I had any Gatorade on the course. I told them that took Gatorade and water every chance I could get. The problem was that the Gatorade wasn't being offered until about mile 10 or 11 or so! It really should have been made available from the beginning, especially in temps like we had yesterday.
"I should also add that for the first 3 or so miles, there were major problems with the water stations. One station actually ran out of cups, another had those spring water containers with the push button. Do you know how long it takes to fill cups with those? Runners had to actually stop and wait while cups were being filled, crowding the water stations. The organizers should have been better prepared, especially on a hot day like that.
"When I got to the ER, almost all of the units were being occupied by other runners! One RN actually remarked: "Whose bright idea was it to hold an 18 mile race today?" From what I was told, there were people there in a lot worse shape than me; one was brought in with a fever of 105, another couldn't even remember his name. I hope they all made it out OK.
"After being released, Tom & I hitched a ride back via ambulance to St. Francis where the awards ceremony and post-race banquet took place. I stepped out of the ambulance and I felt like Paris Hilton being released from jail: I was immediately surrounded by volunteers who began clapping the minute I walked through the door! I never dreamed my red carpet moment would be like this.
"I plan to write a letter of praise and appreciation to the EMT staff. They were terrific. They responded quickly and put my mind at ease and were just all-around nice folks. Thanks to Tom for not freaking out, thanks to Mick for his patience and to everyone (Lynne, Catherine) who called and expressed their concern. I am feeling 100 percent better today (just suffering the humiliation of my horrible finishing time)."
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