SOME THINGS THAT BOTHER ME IN MY OLD AGE

IT SEEMS THE OLDER I GET THE MORE BOTHERED I AM BY THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING BY THE WAY SIDE. HOW MANY THINGS ARE THERE? LET ME COUNT SOME OF THEM.
1. Irrigation. I was raised in a small Mormon community in a high mountain valley in New Mexico. The people that settled in that valley in the 1880's went a few miles west and constructed a dam across a river that flowed through the valley. They donated money to pay for the dam and those donations amounted to water shares for irrigation. The valley was ditched so that every one in the valley had access to irrigation water. When I was growing up in the 40's and 50's, every one raised a garden and there were many acres of hay and grain and corn raised in the valley.  Now, I return to visit and the people that live there have moved away and then returned and live on a retirement pension or the government dole. They drive to a nearby town and buy what they want or need. There seems to be no incentive to plant a garden, much less a field and grow any thing to eat. And it bothers me.
2. On a note from the above post, people now days don't seem to want to work. The old ones retire and just want to travel or porch sit or something. But work. Nope, been there done that. The young ones seem to want to play video games or "hang out" or something. So this leaves the ones on the middle to do all the working. Have to wonder if this would change if the State and Federal governments would take away to dole from those who don't really need or deserve it.
3.My wife and I were raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We are used to going to Church each Sunday. We also know that in the area where we now reside, there are many Christian Churches. We also know that in years past, these churches had large congregations. Businesses were closed on Sunday. Yes, I know that not every one went to Church, but most people did. Now, as we go to our church on Sunday, we see businesses open and apparently thriving, people working in their yards or heading to the lake or the mountains to recreate,and the cars at the various churches have diminished to the point of almost non existence in some cases. And that lack of church attendance bothers me. 
4. Back to the posts 1 & 2. School supplies.  Every year there are drives to get supplies for kids to return to school. News reports say that it costs hundreds of dollars to out a child for school. This includes paper and pencils, or whatever the equivalent for those are these days, clothes and shoes. Uh! question. Did they toss all the paper and pencils left over from last year? And they out grew all their clothing just as school is starting? Seems to me that a lot of hype over this is unnecessary. Also have to ask, where do all the school tax dollars go. Apparently not to school supplies or teacher salaries either. Time for the tax paying parents to be checking into this. And the news talking heads are always reporting on various programs to assist those in need and "it's free". UH. No it is not free. It is tax payer funded. And the fact that they won't report it that way bothers me. 
5. We had a recycling program in this area. Now the powers that be have decided that it is too expensive to recycle so the program has been cancelled. The recycling bins are discontinued and now all trash goes into the land fill. I know that other places and other countries recycle. I know that we can also, if the local politicians would just get off their duff and make it work. But they won't and refuse to do so in spite of the outcry from the populace. And that bothers me.
6. And the last post for the edition. The second round of the Democratic debates begin tonight. I won't be available to watch, and probably wouldn't watch even if I was. Joe Biden seems to be the front runner at this time, I REALLY don't want Elizabeth Warren or Kamela Harris. If I was a Democrat and had a chance to vote in their Primary election, I would cast a vote for Tulsi Gabbard. But even though she will be in the line up for the debate, the news talking heads hardly ever even mention her name. And that bothers me.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK