I should do this more often

WOW!  What a great birthday so far!  I took the dog out this morning at oh-dark-thirty to find the temperature at 63 degrees.  Woohoo!  Then I came back in to a big plate of brownies K made for me, complete with "Happy B-Day" written across it.  I would show it to you, but I've already eaten "Happ..".  Yes, I had a brownie for breakfast.  Sue me. ;)

Today is supposedly the first day of my semi-retirement, but all I see ahead of me is work.  Besides the client I met with last Saturday, another one of our homeowners from 16 years ago has sold their home and wants us to build them another.  I've been helping them look for some property, and yesterday they made an offer on one and it was accepted.  Looks like the next step is to visit the architect.  Then another one of our homeowners, this one from 14 years ago, wants to meet today to discuss building them a new home, too.  Looks like I'll have to postpone "sleeping in" for a while longer.

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Looks like this election will be the most expensive ever....to the tune of $2 BILLION dollars spent, which means at least that much was donated to the politicians all combined, right?

OK, let's think this through:  We have a TRILLION dollar deficit and our Congress / President are beating the bushes looking for ways to save a buck.  They've come up with the noble idea of closing tax loopholes and ending expensive subsidies to selected companies and industries, ideas which have been (on the surface) universally praised.  

At the same time rich individuals and large corporations and their PAC's have donated the vast bulk of that $2,000,000,000 the politicians have in their re-election war chests.  So we're to believe they're giving generously to politicians to show their support for them for closing THEIR tax loopholes and ending THEIR subsidies?

Why yes, I would like to buy a time share in a high-rise ocean-view condo in Nebraska, complete with a private white sandy beach and palm trees.  Who should I make the check payable to?

S

The end is near!

The end of our long holiday weekend, that is. I'm the world's worst about looking forward to time off, and dreading seeing it end, too. Right now K and I are drowning our sorrows non-alcoholicly at Starbuck's. K does this every Sunday, but as I usually work Sunday afternoon's, this is quite a treat for me. My instructions are to sit here and read for hours on end. And if my butt starts hurting, shut up and keep reading. Haha!


I saw on the Internet that Eurostat, the EU agency that keeps track of all the statistics, says that the UK has the highest obesity rate in Europe, and Italy has the lowest. Italy, with all the pasta and bread they eat? How's that possible? If I ate that kind of food daily I'd be the size of a house! I'll just stick with my meat and potatoes. Um....wait...


I read in the newspaper that Sergio Scaglietti has died. If you've ever admired the beautiful lines of a vintage Ferrari, you've admired the genius of Mr. Scaglietti. Just look at the cars driving around today (IMHO usually very bland) and you'll appreciate his sense of style even more. RIP, sir.


A family birthday party tonight, then it's back to the cold, cruel world tomorrow. :(


S

Another day in Paradise...with photo

My beloved 'lil Audi is getting spruced up today.  "Detailed", that is.  It's pushing 5 years old with 83,000 miles on the clock, and in great mechanical shape, but in need of a shave and a haircut.  I get those Living Social emails daily (similar to Groupon) and not long ago they had an offer for auto detailing at 1/2 price. DEAL!


Another nice benefit of me cleaning up my car is the rain.  It's common knowledge if I wash my car it will rain.  A simple wash, a little rain.  With a full-fledged detailing, I'm expecting a LOT of rain.  Maybe not as much as my friends in Virginia and the Carolina's will be getting in a few days (and hopefully they'll all come through unscathed but just wet), but rain none-the-less.  If I don't see rain here within 48 hours I'm going back and asking for a refund.  Breach of implied promise, or something.


My birthday was a good one.  I heard from all my loved ones, even the little ones who can only slobber and mumble.  A new season of Top Gear was aired last night in my honor.  Thank you BBC.  :)  K and I had a nice dinner at home as we're going out with All My Children on Wednesday to celebrate.


Other than that, the days drone on.


Adios mi amigos,


S

Looks pretty good all cleaned up, huh?

Two women I love share their birthdays today

Today my wonderful wife and my youngest daughter celebrate their birthdays. It's the Big 30 for daughter Erica, and...umm...just a couple more than that for K.  Happy Birfday, ladies!  *huge applause*


Now for a complete 180...At last night's Texas Ranger baseball game a guy fell over the upper deck railing to his death trying to catch a foul ball for his little son sitting next to him.  It just goes to show how fleeting and fragile life is.  One second you're having the time of your life, treating your little son to a Major League Baseball game, not a care in the world, then a foul ball comes your way...a fans dream...and in the blink of an eye you're dead.  Lesson learned: Enjoy every second God gives you on this earth.  Condolences to his family. 


Clarification:  The fan who died was trying to catch a ball that had gone foul, but was picked up Ranger Josh Hamilton and tossed up into the stands as a souvenir, a simple goodwill gesture that went very wrong.


TGIF  :)


S