Suggestions From a Common Citizen to Solve our Crisis in Washington.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Land That I Love

There is no greater place on earth than the good old U.S.A

Let's keep it that way

 

 





I am not a politician...not by a long shot. I’m not even considered political. Now, don’t get me wrong. I search out candidates and their backgrounds, platforms etc and vote. I believe in democracy and the American way and all that good stuff.
 

So here is my take (solution) to the problem the government is in today. Not all the problems, mind you.....just the one all over the news of the government shutting down unless something is done quickly.
 

Let’s ask (demand) that the president, senators and representatives all be sequestered to their chambers for at least until the end of the year. They are not to leave except for eating and sleeping and then the food is to be brought in......no fancy meals with wine and champagne. The typical day’s menu I would suggest is as follows:
 

Breakfast:

Eggs

Bacon and/or sausage

Toast with butter

Coffee or Tea

Choice of juice
 

Lunch:

Soup. Make this a hearty soup as they are going to be busy. Also a different kind each day unless there are enough left-overs for another meal.)

Crackers and/or Cornbread

Water, Iced Tea, Coffee or Tea
 

Supper (or as some might call it, dinner.)

A different meat each day of the week. Suggested meats are: Hamburger (this can be in casseroles, as hamburgers, spaghetti, etc.), Fish, Chicken, Pork and Turkey.

Two or three vegetables.

Pasta or Potatoes

Rolls (homemade)

Water
 

One dessert each day that can be at a time of their choice. Coffee can be served with this.
 

Before each meal there will be a prayer of Thanksgiving.
 

Now, my further recommendations concerning time out of chambers. Each one should have 10 hours out of chambers in order to shower (please EVERYDAY for this), one 30 minute phone call to family, and 8 hours of sleep. Also there will be 10 minutes given for bathroom breaks each hour.  And no smoking at any time! 
 

Sleeping arrangements would be as follows: Stay at the Capitol or White House (surely there is plenty of room in both.) One Democrat and one Republican per room. This includes the president, as his wife and children will be at Days Inn or equivalent during this time. (I like Days Inn!)  At this time they are to share personal things about themselves, their hopes and dreams for their families and their country.....but NO politics! And right before lights out they should take turns leading in prayer.
 

 

 

Very nice "hotels", don't you agree?

 

 

The daily meetings should begin with scripture reading and a prayer for guidance. The meetings each day should end the same way.....scripture reading and prayer.  I would suggest a citizen from each district be present at all meetings and if anyone is caught napping, disinterested, playing on their phones, I-pads etc, interrupting or trying to argue they be reprimanded by a sharp tap on the shoulder, hand or head with an appropriate sized switch or stick.....nothing huge, mind you, just large enough to get their attention.  Hey, I'll volunteer for this duty!
 

I suppose that would be enough suggestions for now but will have to finish this off with the most important of all.........
 

During this time they will not get any salary from their government job or anywhere else, and neither will their spouses. Oh yes, and the families of these fine people will not be taking any vacations while their spouses are away nor for one year after their "release." All of the money they would have earned (and I am probably using that term loosely when thinking of some of them) would go toward the deficit.
 

Think anyone will take me up on this? I think not!



I Cannot Imagine Life Without a Dog!

I'm sure you've heard the old saying,  "Every boy needs a dog."  In my opinion almost everyone needs a dog.  I can't imagine life without one.  Now, before some of you get your feathers ruffled I need to clarify that.  Really everyone doesn't need a dog because there are people who hate dogs.  I wouldn't want them to have the meanest, most vicious dog around.  I'll just say most people would be a lot happier, and the world would be a better place, with dogs in good homes who would love and care for them.

And that leads me into my latest post......

Our 17 year old Cocker Spaniel died in June 2008. She was more Doyal’s baby than mine, but I loved her from the day I gave her to him as a 38th anniversary present. Neither of us were ready to fill that void in our lives for awhile. As the months rolled by I realized that I needed another fur baby. I began searching for just the perfect dog as I knew the time would come for him as well as it would for me.

 

Here is Annie at age 7 years old, 10 years before she died.

I wanted a small dog, one that didn’t shed and was not likely to cause allergies (several of our family members suffer from allergies). I also wanted one who was not high energy. Remember we are older than most who get a puppy and we don’t seem to be getting any younger as the days roll into months. I also wanted a dog that was good with all ages. Finally after about a month or two of searching the Internet I came to the conclusion that a Shih Tzu would be the perfect dog to fit the qualifications I had laid out. We were visiting our daughter and family in Oklahoma at the time and I searched in and around Oklahoma City to no avail. Our next stop was a couple of weeks with another daughter in Batesville, Arkansas. She knew someone who knew someone so we called. The lady had just sold her last puppy from the last litter and was not expecting anymore for a few months so my hopes were shattered on getting a puppy in Arkansas. Our next stop was Huntsville, Alabama. I should have known that all good things come from the Heart of Dixie and sure enough we found our pride and joy.

It is a long and rather humorous story that I’ll share personally if anyone is interested. But, long story short 3 ½ month old, Sweet Dixie Lailai, The Belle of Boaz came into our family around 11:00 p.m. on July 6, 2009. We didn’t name her for several weeks as nothing quite fit. Doyal called her Sweets all that time. We asked for suggestions that would suit her Southern heritage and one of our grandsons-in-law came up with the name Dixie. We kept the Sweet in her name and added Lailai which means small in Fijian. And she is the Belle of Boaz as she came from Boaz, Alabama.

Here we are with Dixie early morning July 7th (just after midnight) when we came back to Claudia's.  You can tell we are all three already in love with that little fur ball.

 

Soon after we arrived home in Indiana we entered her in Puppy Training classes, then Intermediate classes and then Advanced (two different levels). She graduated all of them with flying colors, took her Therapy Dog test and became a certified Therapy Dog. She now brings joy to our local nursing home as well as other places. I’ll share another time how and why she attends Wednesday night Bible classes.

Dixie's very first class July 24, 2009.  Ben is already teaching her to sit.

 

Here she is November 12, 2009 giving Ben a kiss for her certificate from Intermediate Class.

As she was going through these classes a friend of mine asked why I wanted to qualify her to be a Therapy dog. I told him what all she would be able to do and where she could go....nursing homes, hospitals, schools, etc.

 

Here is Dixie waiting to visit her friends at RidgeWood Care Center.

"Why in the world would you want to take a dog to a nursing home?" He almost shouted.

I began explaining how dogs cheered people up and before I could continue he broke in and said, "If I ever go to a nursing home I would want to go to one where dogs and children are not allowed."

I was horrified! I cannot imagine being anywhere and never seeing an animal or a child. I cannot imagine not having the joy of touching and loving on a pet or hugging a child. I did let him know if he goes to a nursing home Dixie, nor our Bible class children will come to see him.

I’m happy to say that he has changed his mind about both the children and Dixie.

So, now you have met Dixie. I told Doyal when we named her if I got a dog up North I would name it Mason (Mason/Dixon line) never intending to get another dog....NEVER.

These pictures taken September 21, 2013

I’ll tell you all about Mason in a later post. :)

Mark 9:36-37 He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." NIV

Psalm 71:9 Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone. NIV

Introducing my Husband

 

February 2013

 



I thought it might be a good idea to introduce my family, especially to those who don't know us and might come in contact with my blog.

Here's #1 in my life, Doyal Clayborn Wright.  A quick run-down of his life includes:

Born in Cordova, Alabama to Jim and Millie (Musgrove) Wright.  Sister 2 years older.

                    Funny how we see a resemblance in some of our great-grandchildren.

Reared in Opelika, Alabama where his parents worked in the cotton mill.

 

Doyal and Billie

 

Graduated Clift High School in 1948.
Serves in United States Army from June 1948-May 1952....Stateside and in England.

 

Wow!

Met me in September 1952 while both of us were attending Opelika Vocational School.
Engaged December 1952.
Married April 1953 (And they said it wouldn't last!)

 

10 children entered this union some to stay and some to leave.  There are 5 by birth and one by choice (our Fijian son).  Three nephews came to live with us in 1971 and each stayed until they finished high school.....(1973, 1976, & 1980).  After all the children left home we had a "son" through Children's Services for 3 years and have no idea what happened to him.  Proverbs 14:26  He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge. NIV

Entered Alabama Polytechnic Institute (Now Auburn University) September 1953 under the GI Bill.  Graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering December 1956.

 

Baptized into Christ at West End Church of Christ, Opelika, Alabama June 13, 1954 two days before our first child was born.  Has been an active member wherever he lived from that day till this!

 

Baton Rouge, Louisiana from 1956-1961 working with The Ethyl Corporation.

 

Huntsville, Alabama 1961-1963 with Red Stone Arsenal.

 

Put Engineering on the "back burner" from 1963-1970 while doing mission work in first New Zealand and then The Fiji Islands.

 

1970-1977 North Dakota working with the Corps of Engineers.

 

1977-1986 Ohio working with The Department of Energy.  Retired at age 56 from government.

 

1986-1995 Cincinnati, Ohio with Fernald (later Westinghouse) and retired from there at the age of 65.

 

Living in Lawrenceburg, Indiana now....preaching for the Lawrenceburg Church of Christ and enjoying life.

 

From time to time we will have more pictures and updates on this guy. And I'm also sure there will be stories about people and places that have had an impact on our lives as my blogging life continues.

 

I could go on and on like most people do about how wonderful, handsome, good, kind, fantastic, etc. etc. this #1 fellow is but will just leave that to your imagination.  I will say he is all of that and more!

 

Is it Worth it?

 

Do you remember when ads like this were popular?  Such a refined lady in her fancy hat and clothing, drinking her steaming cup of coffee and relaxing with a cigarette.

 

When I  was growing up in the 1940's and early 1950's ads like this were popular.  Although I did not personally know any women who smoked until the early 1950's just about every man I knew smoked.  It was not only popular, but manly back then. 

 

I often comment, "If we only knew back then what we know now no one would smoke."

 

Of course this isn't true as we do know it now and yet people not only continue to smoke but start smoking.  Am I anti-smoking?  You bet your life I am!  Do I realize that it is a strong addiction that is hard to stop?  Again, you bet your life I do and I feel for people who battle this struggle every day of their lives until they, with the help of God, conquer it.

 

So, that brings me to our sweet friend Margie who smoked for several years....about 20 and quit about 3 years ago.  She struggled with it and we encouraged her every way we could.  My husband, a former smoker, felt her struggle and pain more than I and empathized with her.  But, it was too late when she quit.

 

In June she was diagnosed with Stage 3, inoperable lung cancer.  She began aggressive chemo and radiation therapy right away.  This was finished in late July and more scans were run only to find out that, though the tumor has shrunk, it is still present, so she is undergoing more chemo.

 

That brings us to today!  She had a rough weekend and went in the first thing this morning for fluids.  Blood work was drawn to find that her white blood cells are very low....should be between 4 and 10.6 and they are 0.4 and platelets are way down as well.  She was given meds to help her immune system and we are all wearing masks when we are around her. We are waiting to hear when she can get a blood transfusion which might be as early as tonight. At the moment she is resting in our upstairs "suite".....using that word loosely.  :)  I have an ear open for her while Doyal has gone to get young Josh and do some shopping.

 

God continues to remain in control and we are trusting that she will pull through, defeat this awful affliction and live many more years to serve Him and to see her young son grow into maturity.

 

Are the joys of a few smokes over the years worth it?  As I sit here with my heart breaking for our "adopted daughter" and her son my answer is a strong, emphatic, NO!!!

 

 

Margie and Josh in January

 

Margie last Wednesday while she was still able to smile.  No smiles today.

 



It's Not All About Me

 

 

Do you ever have those days when you feel sorry for yourself?  Perhaps not, but I do from time to time.  I'm happy to say they aren't often, but they still come to visit every once in awhile. 

 

There are days I want special attention only to get it from the dogs!  Well, I can get that special attention if I ask for it but you know women....they expect the men in their lives to read their minds.  After 60+ years of marriage I don't have a big problem of asking for that attention around the house though.  Sometimes I have to get my man's attention first though by saying something like,  "This is important.  Turn around (from the computer), look at me and listen."  He usually does and that attention doesn't take a lot of time....maybe a jiffy to tell him about an email or get a kiss (he never minds that.)

 

There are other times that the old "Pity Party" comes and wants to visit.  It was during one of those brief visits that I created the above picture.  I plan to have it framed and put next to by bedside so when I wake up each day I'll be reminded that "It's NOT all about me!"

 

Now, I'll share a secret.  I rarely want something huge like a new house or a new car or an expensive vacation.  But recently I've been thinking about our ages and how long we usually keep cars.  This one is a 1998 but still has a tad less than 200,000 miles.  (So what do I need with a new car....right?)  Anyway, I told Doyal that this time around I want to be the one to pick out the car....make, model, color and all.  He mumbled an agreement for sometimes in the future.  Now remember he is 83 and I'm 78 so we don't have much future left here on this earth and we won't need a car in Heaven.

 

Well, yesterday at least 1/4 of that new vehicle was demolished!  Our heating and air conditioning unit has been acting up for a couple of years and the old thing just died on us!  So....with winter coming on, we decided we needed to get a new one.  The young man doing the work has already torn out the old system and will get the new one installed the early part of next week.  We knew it was more than 24 years old because it wasn't new when we moved in 24 years ago.  After he began tearing it out he revealed that it was more like 40 years old!

 

So, this winter we might be driving a 15 year old car but we'll be keeping warm with a brand new heating system! 

 

Nope, it's not all about me.  It is about us and what we really need.

Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 1 Corinthians 10:24 NIV

 

 

Help from Arkansas and one of the neatest grandaughers in the whole wide world!

 

Guess who just called me and walked me through the blogging business.  I think I have it now!  Thanks Shelby Lois Ward all the way from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas.

 

I had sent email to all the family telling them all about our day and as soon as Shelby read it she called to help walk me through blogging.  I'm sure I still have a lot to learn but I am on my way.

Introduction

I have no idea what I'm doing.  So, for now I will test this out and only share the following to see if this old lady is understanding the blogging business at all.

I have been married for 60+ years and don't plan to get rid of this guy anytime soon....like NEVER.

We were blessed with five birth children and have a Fijian son who has been in our family for 44 years.  From these children we now have 21 grandchildren and are expecting our 32nd and 33rd great grandchildren in January and March of next year.

We attribute our long, and happy marriage to being united in the Lord early in our marriage.

God has blessed us richly and for that we will be eternally grateful!