It's Cold Everywhere

Well, it was quite a week, last week. We had an ice storm that knocked out power all across North Arkansas. I realize that some folks still don't have electricity, and I'm sorry about that, but I didn't have electricity for forty-eight hours, and it IS all about me, you know. I suffered!

I tried to stay warm by "layering". I put on heavy socks, sweatpants, nightgown, robe, and a shawl that Kell knitted for me. Quite the fashion statement.Then, I got into my recliner, which warmed up pretty quickly, and covered myself with a wool blanket that Kell brought me from Scotland. Just as I began to feel comfortable, I began to feel that familiar urge. I had to pee. So, I threw off the blanket and the shawl and went into the coldest room in the house. When I got back, the chair had gotten cold and I had to begin the layering process all over again, with the shawl and the blanket. This was repeated off and on for two days. Between trips, I got hungry. Oh, man. Going all-electric used to seem like such a wonderful plan. No gas bill to pay. But, I would have emptied my bank account for a gas stove that week.

The worst thing about it, surprisingly, was the boredom. It was not quite bright enough in the room for my elderly eyes to read and, if it had been, I would have had to put on goves to hold the book. Awkward.

It's over now, though, except for the cleanup. It looks as though almost every tree in the apartment complex suffered some degree of damage. Jay drove all over the area taking pictures, and said there was devastation everywhere.

-----

The best thing about being out of power was not hearing the news of the latest Presidential appointee's tax problems. It's simply beyound me that someone like Tom Daschle, who has been in government for so many years, would accept an appointment and not disclose the fact that he owed over $100,000 in taxes. He says it was an honest mistake, as did Tim Geithner, another nominee, but all I know is if I earned the kind of money that they obviously do, I'd have an accountant doing my taxes for me, and I wouldn't have to worry about "forgetting" to pay up, or not realizing you had to pay taxes on something.

I don't know much about the vetting process, but I have a feeling that one of the questions they were both asked was, "Is there anything in your past that might cause embarrassment to the President if, after he offers you this job he is likely to see splashed across the fron pages of the New York Times and the Washington Post the next morning?" That would be your cue to say, "Well, there is one pesky little tax problem........"

-----

President Obama seems to have quite an uphill climb convincing the Republicans to engage in a little bipartisanship. Evidently, they still think they can continue their long-standing habit of obstructionism by all voting against everything that would benefit the American people. I think it is about to become abundantly clear what they are doing. Then, I hope their "people" will let them know that they don't appreciate their efforts.

By the way, please forgive the spacing, or lack thereof in this post. I have tried to fix it numerous times, but it just insists on doing it however it wants to. I don't know why Blogger even has an edit feature, if it never works right. (sigh)

Stay tuned.