My sister Karen is 57 today. Of course, given that her husband just died, I don’t know how happy it is, but I at least wanted to acknowledge it!
Confidential to Karen- like I told you on the phone, you will get through this trying time. We are praying for you and counting on you to do so!
I am engineer, and like most engineers, I can create neat utilitarian things but I am a lousy artist. So, when one of the children had to create a 3-D model island for school, I was thankful that my artist sister was visiting and could help. And help she did!
My sister and my wife had their creative juices flowing creating their very own island paradise, while I enjoyed watching them enjoy themselves. They didn’t quite get it finsihed before my sister had to leave, so my wife helped finish it up last night. We promised my sister we’d take a picture, and here it is–
With the impending 5 1/2 percent pay cut, my budget is stretched. Very stretched. I am now running deficits, and my best estimate is that my savings and lines of credit will run out in about six months. Compounding the problem is that my lovely ex-wife refuses to live up the financial agreement she agreed to when we got divorced, so I have been forced to cover those expenses as well as my own. With the salary I had prior to the first 3.1 percent cut due to the furlough days we were forced to take in July 2009, I could cover it. Since the furlough days, I can’t. Now I really can’t.
The harsh reality is that by the time I rehire my attorney, redo the agreements based on my lowered salary, and get some enforcement of the agreement, it will be at least a year before I will see any of the monies that my ex is supposed to pay. While those monies would close my personal budget deficits, given that I can cover the deficits for six months, and I won’t realistically see any funds for a year, I have a real problem.
Given my current financial bind, I was pleasantly surprised when Number 2 handed me her tips on Saturday and told me that I should use it to pay for school lunches, which cost me upwards of $60 a week. What really bites is that even with my reduced salary of $58000 I am still considered rich by Oklahoma standards and do not qualify for reduced lunches, even with my 11 person household.
I know there are many times that Number 2 frustrates me because she does her own thing and is rarely home with the family. Nonetheless, it was a very nice gesture, and very helpful, too. Every little bit helps. I just wish that my ex can get over her pettiness and live up to her obligations.
Number 7 decided that he wanted to help me post today. Since I don’t speak one-year-old, your guess as to his message is as good as mine!
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(I suspect that he was saying “Hello” to all of his friends and family, that he has had a great day, that it has stopped raining and it is sunshiny outside, that he likes his new tennies, and life is good!)
They have one of the freeways around downtown Tulsa closed for reconstruction. Part of that reconstruction involves the removal and complete replacement of numerous bridge decks. When the contractor removes a bridge deck, they close the street below that deck so that debris and chunks of concrete do not fall on vehicles and people. Yes, it is inconvenient to have to detour several blocks, but my life is worth it. The roof of a car is no match for a falling chunk of concrete.
Imagine my surprise, then, to see a group of bicyclists riding through one of these closed down underpasses! Yes, they were wearing helmets, but if the roof of a car can’t stop falling debris, a bicycle helmet sure as hell won’t! Bicyclists constantly bitch and complain that motorists do not respect them, that bicycles are vehicles with just as much rights to the road as cars, and they should be given the same respect and courtesy. True enough; according to the motor vehicle laws, human-powered vehicles have the same rights and privileges as gasoline or diesel or electric powered ones. That is why it hacks me off so bad that bicyclists are so arrogant as to ride wherever they want, whenever they want, however they want. I can’t tell you how many bikes I’ve seen blow stop signs. And now to see a group of so-called “professional” bicyclists knowingly ride down a street that has been closed.
If you want to be treated like a car, then you must act like one, and follow the same rules and laws that cars must follow. If you are going to ignore motor vehicle laws, then motor vehicles will ignore you. It’s as simple as that!
Truth is stranger than fiction! An Oklahoma AP story from the Sept. 29, 2009, Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise.
Backpack may be related to girl’s fatal fall
SHAWNEE, OK (AP) – Police in Shawnee say the death of a 6-year-old girl after she apparently fell from a bunk bed may be related to a heavy backpack she was carrying.
Lt. Roy Gribble says the girl died Friday. He said her name is not being released pending completion of an investigation.
Gribble says the girl was apparently climbing the ladder of the bunk bed with an 18-pound backpack when she fell. He says the backpack was full of coloring books and art supplies.
Gribble says no one saw the girl fall.
When we moved in our house last October, we discovered that the house was already occupied, by several small, furry creatures. A few traps and a few weeks later, the house was mouse free – until yesterday. Sunshine texted me that she saw a critter scurry across the living room. Number 5 reported seeing it, too. I had some extra traps from the last time, and searched for them to no avail, so I will have to go out to my friendly Lowe’s down the street and acquire more. And I will need them, too, as I just saw the little bugger scurry across my kitchen. Time for Round 2 of “Man versus Mouse”.
I received the following picture and text message from Princess. I don’t know if it has been Photoshopped, but it is humorous.
When you walk out the door & see this in the sky just go back inside have another cup of coffee & stay home. It’s not going to be a good day.
Here are some creative sculptures made out of food that I received in an e-mail. I do not know whether or not these are real or fakes, or the source of the photos, but does it really matter? Enjoy!
Changes To The URL….Sort Of!
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010Since I am actively looking for a new job, I am changing things around a little bit. For the past several years, when you typed in www.t2s2.org, you were taken to the family home page, which had links to all kinds of personal stuff, including my singing, as well as a generic link to my resume and business-related stuff. In other words, I was emphasizing the personal over the professional.
Since I am now seeking a new job, I am reversing the priority, and emphasizing the professional over the personal. Now, when you type in www.t2s2.org, it will take you to the index for the business, which has a wealth of information on my professional experience. There is not a link from the professional site to the personal one; it was only a one-way connection. Therefore, you will have to remember that the blog is at t2s2.org/blog1. I will still maintain the links within the blog to the other personal sites, such as “The Fine Print”. Thanks for your patience and understanding, and have a Smurfy day!
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