Happy Thursday everyone....

Had dinner with a girlfriend last night at Panera's... Kept to my diet, and I was wanting more when I finished, but... I was strong.. In fact, only had one piece of candy when I got home instead of two, because they gave you more than 8 oz. of soup, and the bread was bigger than a small baguet...

Really would like to exercise in some way tonight.. Maybe I will get on the treadmill.

Henry, my rabbit is absolutely amazing... He can't move, except to lift his head. He is propped up on a blanket, and can reach his water, and all he wants to do is eat. He still gets excited when we come out on the screen porch, and we always bring him something. He comes in everynight and we set him up in a dog bead, that has a nice cushion, we cover it with plastic and put a towel down, and cover him up partially. When he messes, the towel we have him covered in gets washed and a new towel is used the next night. Everymorning I bring him out, give him carrots, celery, scraps from our lunch (apple cores, pear cores, tomatoes) and we hand feed him grapes that I cut in half, and he is as happy as he can be... Aren't animals amazing... he finds and accepts he situation, doesn't feel sorry for himself, in fact, he can be pretty stubborn sometimes. I try to treat him good and pamper him as best I can. I really don't think he is in any pain, and he seems to get a tremendous amount of pleasure out of eating, so we do for him what makes him happy.

I am concerned when I leave next week, but that is just me. I don't think George will bring him in every night, but I know he will spoil him with attention and treats. I hope everything goes ok next week while I am gone. No visits to the emergency room, since I know Mathie will be a little out of sorts with me not there.

Other than that, just want to get the week over with. I feel terrible saying that, and bad because I keep harping on this, but the whole situation just stinks.

Got an e-mail from a couple down in West Palm last night. She said she hopes that our family situation has settled down some, and all I think is, it never will. Well I hope I live long enough to see it settle down. And I mean that sincerely.

Well, more in a day or two....

Hallelujah, it is Friday....

Tomorrow is weigh in, and hopefully I did as well as last week.

Also, I have decided that I am going start my weekend by doing what I want to do, and that is to get out in the court yard and work on my plants. Lots of things have to be re-potted. I will need to buy a few pots, not many, and really should first decide how many I need.

I think we will go to Lowe's tomorrow morning, get the things off our list, and also get some pots. All this after weigh in, and breakfast.

Labor day weekend is booked for Fort Wilderness, but we will go to another weekend.

Pledged $90 to WMFE this morning. The thank you gift I chose was the sound track from Prairie Home Companion, The movie. George liked Meryl Streep's singing, and she did most of the singing, so figured it was a good choice. Also, they were giving the CD, Andrea Bocelli- Amore, which sounded. Maybe next time...

On a not so good note, yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled that evidence confiscated by police when they raid a house, enter a house to be more specific, with out the announce and wait rule, is admissible in court. Now in and of itself, this doesn't sound so terrible, but if you look at a graph of our rights as citizens in the United States, you would see it slowly on the decline. There is nothing we can do about it. It is extremely depressing. I listen to public radio every morning on my way to work, and every morning I get out of my car more and more disgusted. Things are really bad, and getting worse, and I wish I could say that they will turn around, but honestly, I don't think they are. They are getting worse. The affect on me personally, right now, today... nothing really. My fear is that one day, while I am going about my business, I will turn the virtual corner, and be hit with a big surprise. My dilemma....? What can I do about it. I have been involved in politics. I have been considered the "activist"... I have tried to make a positive change, but I truly believe what ever it is I am working against is much bigger than me, bigger than the Democratic Party, or the Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, Al Gore, John Kerry, all put together. It it wasn't, we wouldn't be in the situation that we are in. So my little quote at the top, from Martin Luther King, Jr.; well I think it would have worked once, but not anymore. I will still speak out when given the opportunity, but to actively go out and beat myself up, and more accurately, be beat up... I can't do that anymore....

I have to tell you, for the past week or so, since the head of the Taliban in Iraq was killed, all I hear is George Bush on the radio. Oh my god!!!!! I can't stand it anymore.... really, please some one tell me, are there really people out there who think he is a President...? I mean really, do you think he would win again... can there really be people out there who have a Bush bumper sticker on their car yet, and know it is there. I mean really, they have had to have forgotten that it was there, or it just keeps slipping their mind to pull that thing off.

The guy is a joke, really! My Father is suffering from advanced infarct dimensia, and he has more brain cells working than George W. Bush?

The sad thing is, this guy is just plain stupid... period, I mean really stupid... No joke people, the guy is a moron! This is not a progressive ailment he has... he was born this way. He was a giant "L" the day he was born.

Did you hear the latest, he gave a reporter at a press conference a hard time, he actually chastised this guy publicly during the press conference because he had sun glasses on. He went as far as to say to the audience, (which in turn became a TV audience) that it was not a sunny day, and that there was no reason for him to be wearing sun glasses. Turned out the guy has an dengenrative opthamalogic disease, in which he experience pain in natural light, even on over cast days. It is a disease which has caused him to be legally blind. How embarrassing, that the President of the United States is an all time, world class loser. But then again, we all know how he feels about people with disabilities.

When the main vocabulary of the President of the United States is: uhhhhhhh; heh, heh, heh...., you know you are in trouble. But again, how did he get elected. Did people actually vote for him?

I am ashamed of the leadership of my country. I am ashamed to be an American, truly. I eluded to that in a previous post, well, I am not eluding anymore. I am fully ashamed to be an American, because, as an American I am associated with the likes of those that voted for this government.

I guess this blog is getting pretty boring... no pictures, just daily boring life that most people are sick of their own, and have no interest in some one elses... I usually update this at work, so I don't have access to my hard drive with my pictures. In fact most of my pictures are on discs.

George found my blog yesterday... which is fine, don't know how he found it, probably from another blog that I posted to.

The camping trip to Fort Wilderness is in the planning stages, and all we have to do is call to make the reservations. Carol wanted her nephew to make the reservations for us to get a discount, but actually, I would rather do it all myself, and skip the discount. That is just me. For no real reason, other than I hate depending on someone else. It is just easier that way, I know what I have done, and what to expect, and in the long run, it usually works out better that way.

Tonight I am making a spaghetti squash dish. Not sure how it will turn out, but hopefully it is good. Nothing worse than anticipating something all day, preparing it, and then not liking it.

Other than that, nothing is new.

Cleaned mostly yesterday. It is such a big house to clean in one day. George helped me by vacuuming. He did a really thorough job too. Moved furniture, the whole works. I have to get the floors next week. Saturday was a bear, it was so hot, and since we take George's car to run all the errands, and he has no air, it was pretty rough.

Hope my glasses come in today. It is getting pretty hard working with glasses that are 3 and 4 years old. I can manage, but I find myself making mistakes.

I was thinking about planning a camping trip for Labor Day weekend. Another one to Fort Wilderness. I will talk to George about it and see if Carol and Richie are interested.

A tropical storm is supposed to skirt central Florida over the next few days. It rained alittle bit this morning, and hopefully will rain a fair amount more, we sure do need it. I really want to get out to the courtyard and work out there. Everything takes priority over that, and it is really starting to get to me.

Actually now that you mention it... alot is starting to get to me. I am hoping it passes really. But I can't seem to find a nitch to settle into lately.

Hmm, oh well, I guess I will see what happens. I think as always, I feel like everything is just hanging out there. No, goals, no beginnings, no end, just hanging. I think alot has to do with my Dad, and family situation. I can't explain it, but it just isn't right. I am antsy and uneasy, about everything.

I lost 3 pounds. So, 17 more to go.

Yesterday was an unbearably hot day. Without AC in George's car, made the chore of running errands a bear, and actually made us both feel sick by the end of the day.

So this morning will be spent doing house work. Hopefully by 3:00 or 4:00, I will be able to get in the court yard and work in the garden.

Sent Father's Day cards to my Dad and Uncle Richard today. Hope the staff at the nursing home sees the card I sent my Dad. He may not realize he got it, but if they do, maybe they will realize that he is someone's Dad, and he is special.

Other than that, nothing else is new. Electric bill cam in and it was pretty steep. I have turned the thermostat down 1 or 2 degrees, to see if it will help a little. It is kinda cool in here a lot of the time, so maybe we won't feel it comfort wise too much.

Two weeks before I leave for NC, and have to say, I am not looking forward to it. Not sure what I am going to run into, but it probably will not be good, what ever it is. I just don't know how I am going to handle that situation. I am not sure there is a way to handle it.

Been watching the Osprey's on the cell phone tower. I think they have babie up there. I really want to get a pair of binoculars so that I can watch them more closely. I was afraid that there was only one up there, but I have seen another one coming and going with food, so I guess there must be babies, and one has to stay by and watch them.

Ok, so that is what I want for my birthday. A pair of good binoculars and a set of paniers for my bicycle. On the record....

Short post today....

Feeling good, I think my diet this week resulted some net "loses", but we will see tomorrow...

Not going to splurge tonight, George agreed, no sense in adding a pound, that we could have potentially lost, especially with weigh-in tomorrow.

Went over on my breakfast, but I think I am under on my lunch.

Not sure what I am doing for dinner...

I am going to try and figure a nice sit down meal for the weekend...

Well, better go...

Oh yea, the fiasco from the SCDEC, Carol, Ed, Tony, et al... well, apparently someone sent an e-mail to one of Carol and Eds potential customers, a candidate with DemsLink, and said some not so nice things. Of course there are no details, but the rumor is that they are checking IP addresses and have retained an attorney...

In my opinion, it is a ruse, and they are just trying to scare some people. Unless this individual lied about their character (and what ever went on the blog, was 100% from what I could tell), there is nothing an attorney can do, and if he takes the case... he will be milking them, and potentially opening this up to the media, and not such good press.

But be that as it may...I am done with them, and it wasn't anyone that I care about, so, let them have their fun...

Recently there was an exchange on another blog, about the Seminole County DEC. I contributed to that blog, periodically, one of my contributions was deleted by the moderator... not sure why, except that I stated some facts that, more than likely did not please some, regardless of whether they were "true" facts or not.

But... alas, the debate became heated, with as would be expected, not agreement or compromise, (I am not sure if the moderator really thought that it was possible) and she took down the blog. With an essay on how she respected and cared for everyone that contributed, naming people who did and didn't. Never passing an opinion, (totally expected... wordy when it suit her purpose, but when faced with direct questions, and inquiries on her opinion, suddenly she became jello), just making excuses. Well, I am not finished.... So here I will put one piece, my piece that no one can delete, or take down.

The leadership of the Seminole DEC is a smoke and mirrors show. A giant illusion. They don't have any standing in the state, in reference to DEC's and certainly don't have any real standing in the county. Honestly, do they think that Palm Beach County DEC looks up to Seminole DEC? Give me a break, you are not measured on your website, your Power Point presentations, the facility you have your meetings in, or how attractive (? that one I don't get at allllllll!) your chair is (supposedly, personally I don't see it, now bring on the jealousy remarks...)

In reality, the DEC is measured by the members. I have to say in our height, which was right around the summer of 2002, we were big. Bob Poe was the chair. He wasn't the greatest, and eventually stepped down, but it really had no bearing on the DEC. We didn't have a website, we met in the Seminole County Library, where we were thrown out promptly at 8:45. We had a few speakers, no Power Point. But we had sincere, active and excited members. Amazingly Bob didn't treat anyone different. In fact he was indifferent to the members. He didn't surround himself with fans.... most of the people involved were the original die hards that were around before the 2000 election.

The difference was the energy was created by the membership. Well, he stepped down, and I have to say, the reason or reasons were unjustified. He happened to be the State Chair at the same time, and his stepping down from that position, probably made more sense, but that is another story....

Then came Vic. He was a good guy. Tried hard, got involved in the right things, but unfortunately after losing the Governors election in 2002, people were just tired. Along comes the presidential election in 2004. I am not sure what happened there. Other than, egos. And not those of the chair or board, but of the volunteers. We brought in alot of new people. Not alot of members, but alot of people. But, they didn't have experience, and they didn't want to listen, and everyone wanted to be a leader. I happened as it was to back away at that time. I had illness in my family, and was traveling to NC through that summer, in addition to dealing with my own health issues and concerns. I am not sure where the breakdown came in, but it did, and when it was time for a new election, Vic was voted out.

Well, Carol and Ed (they are a team, Carol is the official chair, but Ed has way too much input, and output, from his mouth that is....) eventually became the head of the DEC. Initially they were new, young, had big ideas, and wanted to bring technology into the DEC. However what they did in the process is replace the passion, and energy of the members with that technology.... Well, say what you want, when was the last time you got passionate over a Power Point production. And, I am sorry but Carols personality quotient is down in the negatives. She may be bright, she may be technologically savvy, but in the passion department.... no way. She sapped the energy out, as she become more recognized. She became closed to outside ideas. She micro-managed every single angle of the DEC. She stopped letting club presidents speak, she was destroying the grass roots aspect of the DEC. Then Ed started with his behind your back comments. He started talking about people, passing rumors, building alliances. Clicks started forming, and it was fast becoming you against them.

Well needless to say, about 7 months ago, Ed and Carol took an oppurtunity to take their click or alliance, and turn them against George and I... I actually was not part of the prey, but, I made myself such, because what you do to George, you do to me....

To make a long story short, when he realized they were not happy with him, he offered to resign, of course the two of them were shocked by the mention of this, and told him that was not necessary, however, with in 4 weeks, he received an e-mail telling him that he must want to resign, so they will accecpt his resignation.

Now some background.... The Longwood election was first week in November. Election day I had an opthamologist appointment, to check my vision after the stroke. I was told that my vision was affected by the stroke, and that it might pass, but I was also told that I was developing Glaucoma. So, that night we decided not to go to the "victory" party. I was not in a festive mood, and I also did not want to be around the likes of Carol and Ed. George complied, and we opted to stay home. The results came in, and the DEC backed candidates did not win. At about 9:30, George got a call from Carol. She told him that they were having a wrap up meeting the following night at Shari's house. It was at 7:30. We agreed to go. I told him when he hung up the phone that this was an oppurtunity to throw him under the bus, and he needed to be aware of that. Also, that when the slaughter started, I was getting up and leaving. It didn't matter if I had to walk home, I was not going to sit there and listen to them.

The next day, I left work early for a doctor and dentists appointment. When I got home, Eric, our cat was ill. He had experienced and episode of a bleeding disorder in the past, and had almost died. The vets office was closed, so I called George, and told him our only option, after calling various vets offices, was to take him to the emergency clinic after my dentists appointment. When he got home he agreed, and that was the plan. On my way home from the dentist I called Shari to tell her we might not be able to make it to the meeting, because Eric was ill. She actually chuckled on the phone. I am serious, she laughed. She apparently found it humerous that we would not want to show up for the meeting... (the meeting they were going to gather people around to have and "intervention" with George, and apparently set him straight.) I told her that if he was ok, and we felt comfertable leaving him home after the visit to the emergency clinic, we would come. She chuckled again and said, the meeting is at 7:30, you should be able to make it. I told her I knew, and I we could make it we would. Eric died that night, he bled to death internally. Needless to say we didn't go to the meeting.

Oh but the meeting went on. 45 minutes of the meeting was dedicated to slaming and slandering George. Mostly by Ed. The way we know, Richie Chapetto was there, and he said at one point that he was not going to sit there for another minute and listen to this, especially if George was not there to defend himself. In fact, it was Ed Burns, who was just blown away by the fact that it would take two people to take a cat to the vet. Shari, must have really put her spin on the whole event. And Ed, finished it. I believe Richie said to them at one point, you better hope that cat doesn't die. Well, Eric did. I still get very upset when I think about it.

About 3 days letter, Carol Cox sent George a rather nasty e-mail, stating that she was willing to accept his resignation, based on the fact that he doesn't show up for meetings, chooses to "insult" people (?) among other things.... Then come to find out that members of the board were telling people that George resigned because he didn't get his way.

Sounds like alot of nonsense doesn't it. Sounds like alot of petty individuals. Well you are right, they are, each and every one of them. And that is why Goerge and I don't care to be around any of them. Not Shari, Ed, Carol, or any that were involved at the time. Also, then come to find out that Mr. Hot Head Ed Burns starts telling members that George was fooling around with someone behind my back while I was sick.

So Martie Anderson can say what ever she wants on her blog. She can think the sun set and rises in Carol and Ed eyes. She can tell me how she admires George and I, but you know what... it doesn't matter. She chose sides. She didn't care about the kind of people they are. She didn't care how they can hurt someone so deeply, and she expects everyone to just "get along".

Not with the like of them... I will continue to tell people what they are like.

This is just my story. There are others that have affected others, but they can start their own blog and post them. I don't have the time, nor do I want to spend another minute on them.

Suffice it to say, they are not good people. Plain and simple. I don't respect them, I don't wish them well, and I really wish they would go away.....

I heard a piece on NPR this morning by Robert Reich.... It was very good, so I turned it up..loud. See, I was at work, and it was before 8:00, so, it was before regular work hours, and nobody could say anything... but there were people here, so I know that people heard it.

He was talking about repealing the estate tax. He gave some very interesting facts. I am no good are repeating this information, my mind is like a sieve and what goes in... although I comprehend it, it then goes right out... (I hate that!) I will see if I can find the clip and post it here...

On another note, I got a call from my girlfriend in Pennsylvania, NY, Orlando. Well, this is a long story. We met in NY, almost 30 years ago. She moved to Florida, then recently moved back to NY and sometimes in Pennsylvania. Any way, in August George and I are going to Philadelphia for a convention. So, she will be in Ambler, Pa., and I will go visit her. I don't want to spend all my time there, I mean in Ambler, but it will be nice to get to see her again. She is a nut, but aren't we all to some degree. She is happy, and if she is happy now, that is good.

I have learned that we have to appreciate the little things that can make us happy. There is so much crap out there, between people, and life events, that when you get a perk, you have to savor it. Especially as you get older. I worry about things now that I am getting older. Like what will happen to George and I when we get older. I mean health wise, and how will be able to take care of one another? I used to think that family was the answer to that... but my recent experiences have proven my theory on that flawed. So, now I have to concentrate on trying to cover the bases.

Oh, on the dieting note. It must be going well, because I am hungry alllllll the time. I can't say I am straving, famished, hungry, but hungry. Maybe it is boredom, and I need to occupy my time with something else other than that piece of candy. I have to admit, I am eatting... not much, but I have been eatting.... My oatmeal days are killers. That is alot of calories, (that I don't enjoy) and then the rest of the day I have to be pretty careful. George wants to make Friday night the fun night. I guess that is ok, except, we have weigh in on Saturday morning.... For example, he wants to have Mexican this Friday night... I am all for it, except this is a small privately owned Mexican Restaurant, so the chances of getting even a hint of the caloric intake will be impossible. But then again, it is impossible in Bennigans also.... Well, I will have to think about this, and try to figure out what it would be. I don't want to say no to our once a week treat, but I also don't want to suffer all week, and then blow it all, for one splurge a week.

The weekend is here, and almost gone... It turned out to be a pretty good one too. Yesterday we started out diet. I went over yesterday, but that is OK. Went to a concert in The Villages yesterday. It was a folk singer from Massachusetts, Peter Donnelly. He was very good. I bought one of his CD's and Carol bought one of his CD's.

Today I just worked around the house and the courtyard. It is a bigger house than I am used to, and usually I am alot more ambitious in the beginning of the day, and more tired than I anticipated at the end.

Also created a spread sheet for out diet. I think it works very well, I don't think George has looked at his yet. Set it up with formulas and everything. Pretty nifty.

Ate at Bennigans last night. What a shame. I really like that restaurant, but the service leaves alot to be desired. That is at any Bennigan's I have ever been to. Also, did you know that you can not get nutrition guides for Bennigan's restaurants. Not at the restaurant, not on line, no where. I wonder why that is.

Anyway, it looks like it is going to rain now. I hope it does, I love the rain, and really miss the afternoon showers we used to get here in Florida. Rain is just so cleansing. I really love the rain.

Well, still doing laundry, and need to get cleaned up for the night. I will write more tomorrow.

Happy Friday Everyone!! I am so happy it is Friday. I can sleep in tomorrow... Clean my house and maybe even work a little bit on my plants..... It don't get much better than that...

Plus, tomorrow is the first weigh in for the project. The project is that George, Me, Carol and Richie are all going to work towards (not compete necessarily) losing a goal of perhaps 20 pounds each.

The plan is that we will all meet at Publix at 9:00 every Saturday for 10 weeks, and have a weigh in. The reason this isn't a contest, is because we are supposed to helping and encouraging each other in this endeavor.

Of course George is already on the program, counting calories. I have decided to enjoy myself until I officially start. One thing I will tell you though... I have to make up some sort of tracking sheets. George has been keeping track of his calories on pieces of paper, and that is just not going to work.

The other thing we need, will be the "official" weigh-in cards. I was hoping George could make them up. Then we will trade them off, so that someone else will actually be keeping track of our weekly weights.

I made my reservations for the end of the month to go to North Carolina. I called my Mom to let her know also. Here's to hoping that everything runs smoothly, all the way around.

Other than that, nothing else is new.... Have to start finding more pictures that I can post. Always makes life more interesting.

So until the next time....