WOULDN'T IT BE NICE IF ALL PEOPLE WERE AS PERFECT AS I THINK I AM. OK, that includes me. It would be nice if I were as perfect as I think I am. This is leading up to a comment or three about things that people do that irritate me. And I am sure that I do things that irritate others. So, does that make us even?
1. Handy cap parking. Many years ago, we had a sister in law that was handy capped. She didn't get out much toward the end of her life, but still, when she did get out, she needed these spaces. I once saw a man who parked in a handy cap spot. I ask him to move his car. When he said why, I said, cause you aren't handy capped and that spot is for those who are. Well, he said, I'm just going into the post office to get my mail. I'll only be a few minutes. I ask him what a handy capped person should do if they came to the post office while he was parked there for a few minutes. He just looked at me, said I get your point and he moved his car. Yep. Surprised me too. This was recently brought to mind when a daughter put up a facebook post on this subject. She has a handy capped daughter and she also needs these spots when she takes her to school, or other places.
2. This one can't be totally blamed on people. Well, the fuel buying public type people. Nearly a year ago we purchased a diesel pickup. Now, when we need to fill up, we go to the local station, just like every one else does. What we have learned, though, is that most service stations have only one pump island with a diesel pump. There may be several lines of gas pumps, but only one that has a diesel pump. It is irritating to pull up to the station and see empty gas pumps, and someone in a gas burning vehicle fueling at the one pump that has diesel service. Of course, you can't put the blame on the gas buying public, not when the station owners put gas nozzels there for them to use. I have to admit I have been guilty of this in the past. I try to pay more attention now when I fuel a gas burning vehicle.
3. Manners. Where did they go? This seems to be a hurry up society. Get it now and don't worry about any one else. Language has falen so low that it is embarrasing to go to most movies and watch a lot of TV shows. Or go out in public and see the droopy pants and sloppy shirts with obscene sayings on them. On the other hand, I have to say, not every one falls in this category and I pay tribute to those who still respect others.
4. Lastly. A little tongue in cheek comment. They have had, and are still having, a lot of snow back East. So much, that they are piling it up and have no place to put it. So, what do they do with it? They are trucking it out to, and dumping it in, the ocean. I think there is enough water in the ocean. A better solution would be to put the fire fighting bomber planes in use and load the snow in them and fly it to the South West and dump it like slurry over the country side. That would solve the snow removal problem of the East and help alleviate the dry conditions of the South West. Just Saying
Now that I have that off my chest, we all need to work on being as perfect as I think I am. Mostly me that needs work.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Monday, February 17, 2014
WE SURPRISED THEM
YEP WE DID. Long time readers of this blog, all one or two of you, know that I don't post a lot of personal things on this blog. I have done a little of it, but not much. So, today I will break from tradition and post a little about me and my wife.
53 years ago today we said I Do. We were young, then, and in love. But because we were young, some said it wouldn't last. Oh! they didn't come right out and say it to us, not really, but there were murmurs around that we heard of those who were skeptics. Well, here we are, 53 years later and still together. And now old and still in love. And it has been a smooth ride. NOT. We have had our ups and downs like every one else. I have worked for the government, for private industry and moved around a little. Not too much. 7 children have came from those 53 years. 2 boys and 5 girls. And they have produced 24 grandchildren who have produced, so far, 6 greatchildren, and number 7 soon to arrive. A legacy. Well, maybe, but that is shared with others, as the family trees limbs and roots spread all over the country. All of those who call me grandpa, also call someone else grandpa. So, the legacy is not all mine to claim. Still, there is much to be happy and proud about as a result of those 53 years. But mostly I can say
If not for my wife, who has been by my side for all these decades, where would I be today. I shutter to even think, sometimes. She has had the children, mostly raised them while I went to work, all types of shifts and rotating days off. It is she who put what ever stability we had in the home. It was she that saw that the girls had their hair done before going off to school, who saw to it that the boys faces were clean, who kept their clothes clean and saw to it that they had regular meals, and that they got to the places they needed to be. All of them have left the home now and are on their own. Each successful in their own way. So, on this day, as I look back a little, I can remember that day, as we stood in front of a Mormon Bishop, in her parents home and said I DO. Not knowing what lay ahead of us, and probably best we did not. So, I pay tribute to my wife Inez, and say, Thanks for the memories and may we make many more. Happy Anniversary to my wife. I love you.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
53 years ago today we said I Do. We were young, then, and in love. But because we were young, some said it wouldn't last. Oh! they didn't come right out and say it to us, not really, but there were murmurs around that we heard of those who were skeptics. Well, here we are, 53 years later and still together. And now old and still in love. And it has been a smooth ride. NOT. We have had our ups and downs like every one else. I have worked for the government, for private industry and moved around a little. Not too much. 7 children have came from those 53 years. 2 boys and 5 girls. And they have produced 24 grandchildren who have produced, so far, 6 greatchildren, and number 7 soon to arrive. A legacy. Well, maybe, but that is shared with others, as the family trees limbs and roots spread all over the country. All of those who call me grandpa, also call someone else grandpa. So, the legacy is not all mine to claim. Still, there is much to be happy and proud about as a result of those 53 years. But mostly I can say
If not for my wife, who has been by my side for all these decades, where would I be today. I shutter to even think, sometimes. She has had the children, mostly raised them while I went to work, all types of shifts and rotating days off. It is she who put what ever stability we had in the home. It was she that saw that the girls had their hair done before going off to school, who saw to it that the boys faces were clean, who kept their clothes clean and saw to it that they had regular meals, and that they got to the places they needed to be. All of them have left the home now and are on their own. Each successful in their own way. So, on this day, as I look back a little, I can remember that day, as we stood in front of a Mormon Bishop, in her parents home and said I DO. Not knowing what lay ahead of us, and probably best we did not. So, I pay tribute to my wife Inez, and say, Thanks for the memories and may we make many more. Happy Anniversary to my wife. I love you.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
Monday, February 10, 2014
SPILLS, THRILLS, CHILLS
AND OTHER THINGS. Once again I am posting on a few different, but related, subjects. Kinda. Or if not related, at least they will fuse into each other, I hope. So, here goes.
1. On 29 January the Round House in Santa Fe' was filled with kids. For any who may read this and wonders what the round house is, that is where the legislature meets. Any way, the kids were to express their right to be outside. This was an event organized by the State Land Commission to promote a "Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights". This was to say that kids should be outside playing. Mostly it was a way for the commision to bring attention to the state wildlife, air and water and land quality and how we should take care of it. Yep, maybe a good way to get kids outside and away from the evils of watching too much TV.
2. On another note, the Olympics are going on in Sochi, Russia. I enjoy watching the Olympics to some extent, and root for the USA to medal. This TIC shot is toward President Obama and our Country's leaders. Russia has a strong anti gay law. According to the news. OK. Much of the United States is more liberal toward gays. I am not going to get into the gay versus straight subject here, but want to say this about our country's leaders. President Obama deliberately made a statement about Russia's law and chose gay athlete's to go to Russia as a protest against their law. This is wrong. We do not have to like their law. but we are guests in their country, so we obey their laws and we do not go to the games to protest what they do. This does not build good relations between the two governments. At least the Athlete's are having fun. Mostly
3. OK, then on to the Olympics. The U.S. has won two gold medals in the new sport of Slope Style. They go down a course on a snow board and do tricks while in the air. And well, if you watch you know what I mean and if not, then I can't explain. Torah Bright, a member of the church I belong to, placed 7th. She is from Australia and is representing that country, although she trains in Utah. Her speciality is th eHalf Pipe and she will be competing on that later this week. I will root for her to win. along with Shaun White for the men. A last comment. 36 year old skier, Bodie Miller, favored to win the gold on the men's downhill, placed 7th. Several others had went down the course and did well. Bodie had an excuse. No, it wasn't just, they did better, or that he had not skied well. Nope, he blamed a change in the weather from when he had practised earlier. Well, duh! just admit you didn't do as good as you could have. The others skied the same course in the same weather.
4. One final comment. Ice skating. It has been superb. there have been spills, of course, but most have skated well, but some have been brilliant. the USA team dancers are excellent. But there is a Russian girl, 15 years old, that is so supple I don't know how she does the things she does, and while on skates on the ice. She will be a force in this sport for years to come, I think. AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
1. On 29 January the Round House in Santa Fe' was filled with kids. For any who may read this and wonders what the round house is, that is where the legislature meets. Any way, the kids were to express their right to be outside. This was an event organized by the State Land Commission to promote a "Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights". This was to say that kids should be outside playing. Mostly it was a way for the commision to bring attention to the state wildlife, air and water and land quality and how we should take care of it. Yep, maybe a good way to get kids outside and away from the evils of watching too much TV.
2. On another note, the Olympics are going on in Sochi, Russia. I enjoy watching the Olympics to some extent, and root for the USA to medal. This TIC shot is toward President Obama and our Country's leaders. Russia has a strong anti gay law. According to the news. OK. Much of the United States is more liberal toward gays. I am not going to get into the gay versus straight subject here, but want to say this about our country's leaders. President Obama deliberately made a statement about Russia's law and chose gay athlete's to go to Russia as a protest against their law. This is wrong. We do not have to like their law. but we are guests in their country, so we obey their laws and we do not go to the games to protest what they do. This does not build good relations between the two governments. At least the Athlete's are having fun. Mostly
3. OK, then on to the Olympics. The U.S. has won two gold medals in the new sport of Slope Style. They go down a course on a snow board and do tricks while in the air. And well, if you watch you know what I mean and if not, then I can't explain. Torah Bright, a member of the church I belong to, placed 7th. She is from Australia and is representing that country, although she trains in Utah. Her speciality is th eHalf Pipe and she will be competing on that later this week. I will root for her to win. along with Shaun White for the men. A last comment. 36 year old skier, Bodie Miller, favored to win the gold on the men's downhill, placed 7th. Several others had went down the course and did well. Bodie had an excuse. No, it wasn't just, they did better, or that he had not skied well. Nope, he blamed a change in the weather from when he had practised earlier. Well, duh! just admit you didn't do as good as you could have. The others skied the same course in the same weather.
4. One final comment. Ice skating. It has been superb. there have been spills, of course, but most have skated well, but some have been brilliant. the USA team dancers are excellent. But there is a Russian girl, 15 years old, that is so supple I don't know how she does the things she does, and while on skates on the ice. She will be a force in this sport for years to come, I think. AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
ONE MORE TIC SHOT
JUST A THING OR THREE: I found a few things of interest in the news lately. For reasons I chose not to elaborate on, I have felt that I will post less about all the things political. Then something happens and I just can't help myself. I just feel to put my uneducated opinion in print. So, Here goes.
1. The TEA Party. I have posted in the past that when the TEA party was first organized it was for any one to join and stood for Taxed Enough Already. I admit I have not joined the party, although I do submit to the TEA mantra about taxes. However, over time, the TEA party has somehow become a Republican thing. Almost as a sub party with in the Republican party. So, it was with some amount of humor that I read in the local paper recently that a Democrat had been elected as chairman of the local TEA Party chapter, or what ever it is they call a group. Seems the mantra does cross party lines. At least here. And this is a Democratic County within a Democratic State.
2. A new news story I read this day went by the headline: DEMOCRATS IN SENATE PRESSURE BARACK OBAMA AS ELECTION APPROACHES. I will not quote the article verbatim, ( that means word for word, I think ) but I will hit the highlights of the article. In 2010 Indiana Democrat Joe Donnelly ran ads disassociating him self from President Obama, Senator Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. he won the election. Now, Democrats that are running to be relected are again distancing them selves from the President. Many are distancing them selves from the ever unpopular Obamacare. others for his not approving the Keystone pipeline, others for his failure to end the war in Afghanistan or closing Guantanamo or to curb the NSA's collection of metadata that was exposed by Edward Snowden. Harry Reid has slammed the President for passing two trade deals. And on and on.Will be interesting to watch and see what comes of it all.
3. Since I mentioned the Keystone pipeline, I will comment on that briefly. Much of what is needed is already in place. And it will provide several construction jobs and then a few permanent jobs after it is completed. Environmentalists are opposing it. As a person who was around when the Alaska pipeline was built, I remember hearing the same arguments against it then. It was built any way, and so far all the environmental disasters have not come to pass. Nor has it interupted the life of the wildlife. So build Keystone and quit dragging your feet.
4. Well, the tics and Hollywood are tightly knit in a lot of ways. So I will make a short comment on the death of Phillip Hoffman. Not being a fan of movies made in the past few years, OK decades, I am not aware of his work. I just can't convince myself that he was as great as the news would have you believe. Aside from that, there were many people who died that day who were just as important in their own sphere as was Mr. Hoffmas in his, and these other people are not mentioned at all. Except in there local circle. Just can't feel all the love the news people have for all things Washington, D.C. and Hollywood. Just can't.
5. And finally. # My wife recently posted on her facebook page a comment that she didn't understand the # thing. This created a fierstorm of comments from friends and family. Mostly family. Some humorous and some serious. But much was said. I read the comments and even posted a couple of my own. After all is said and written, we still don't understand the purpose of the #. This used to stand for number and in some instances it stood for pound. As in weight, not what a hammer does. Guess I am getting old. And turning into my father. I remember him feeling like this about some of the things I said or did when I was young. #And that's the way it goes.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
1. The TEA Party. I have posted in the past that when the TEA party was first organized it was for any one to join and stood for Taxed Enough Already. I admit I have not joined the party, although I do submit to the TEA mantra about taxes. However, over time, the TEA party has somehow become a Republican thing. Almost as a sub party with in the Republican party. So, it was with some amount of humor that I read in the local paper recently that a Democrat had been elected as chairman of the local TEA Party chapter, or what ever it is they call a group. Seems the mantra does cross party lines. At least here. And this is a Democratic County within a Democratic State.
2. A new news story I read this day went by the headline: DEMOCRATS IN SENATE PRESSURE BARACK OBAMA AS ELECTION APPROACHES. I will not quote the article verbatim, ( that means word for word, I think ) but I will hit the highlights of the article. In 2010 Indiana Democrat Joe Donnelly ran ads disassociating him self from President Obama, Senator Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. he won the election. Now, Democrats that are running to be relected are again distancing them selves from the President. Many are distancing them selves from the ever unpopular Obamacare. others for his not approving the Keystone pipeline, others for his failure to end the war in Afghanistan or closing Guantanamo or to curb the NSA's collection of metadata that was exposed by Edward Snowden. Harry Reid has slammed the President for passing two trade deals. And on and on.Will be interesting to watch and see what comes of it all.
3. Since I mentioned the Keystone pipeline, I will comment on that briefly. Much of what is needed is already in place. And it will provide several construction jobs and then a few permanent jobs after it is completed. Environmentalists are opposing it. As a person who was around when the Alaska pipeline was built, I remember hearing the same arguments against it then. It was built any way, and so far all the environmental disasters have not come to pass. Nor has it interupted the life of the wildlife. So build Keystone and quit dragging your feet.
4. Well, the tics and Hollywood are tightly knit in a lot of ways. So I will make a short comment on the death of Phillip Hoffman. Not being a fan of movies made in the past few years, OK decades, I am not aware of his work. I just can't convince myself that he was as great as the news would have you believe. Aside from that, there were many people who died that day who were just as important in their own sphere as was Mr. Hoffmas in his, and these other people are not mentioned at all. Except in there local circle. Just can't feel all the love the news people have for all things Washington, D.C. and Hollywood. Just can't.
5. And finally. # My wife recently posted on her facebook page a comment that she didn't understand the # thing. This created a fierstorm of comments from friends and family. Mostly family. Some humorous and some serious. But much was said. I read the comments and even posted a couple of my own. After all is said and written, we still don't understand the purpose of the #. This used to stand for number and in some instances it stood for pound. As in weight, not what a hammer does. Guess I am getting old. And turning into my father. I remember him feeling like this about some of the things I said or did when I was young. #And that's the way it goes.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
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