Patriotism.........love of country!

I just spent 4 1/2 days at an RV rally in Tucson, Arizona. This was out first rally of any sort but this one was for Monaco coach owners and labeled "The First Annual New Frontier" rally. Why the first annual new frontier, because it's the first rally under the new company after going through bankruptcy and a sale of assets. It's seems the company will survive and under the new ownership and new money should be back on top in the near future.

As I said it was our first rally and we learned a lot and met a lot of nice people and all of them with the love of RVing. The rally included catered breakfast each morning and a catered dinner each night along with the festivities of the evening, entertainment, announcements, introductions etc. During the day there were vendors selling their wares and new and improved products to make our RV shine and run better, vendors with gadgets to make living in our RV more pleasant and comfortable. The rally itself was a happening, over 500 RV's and well over 1000 folks all meeting, visiting, renewing old acquaintances and making new ones. To borrow a statement from Country Joe (of Country Joe and the Fish of Woodstock): Like man it's a city dude, we have a city here man............folks getting married, babies being born etc. Well that's what my kids labeled the rally, a bunch of old hippies getting together in their RV's rather than Chevy Vans!

OK, now your wondering what all this has to do with patriotism and love of country well let me tell you. The first night we all gather in the very larger pavilion for dinner, and as I look around I see from every post and pillar in the place flags hanging. I'm looking at two flags hanging from each post throughout the hall, the American flag on one side and a military flag on the opposite side. Yes all branched were represented including the Merchant Marines and Coast Guard and being an Air Force Veteran I wanted to sit near the USAF flag. Yes this was a very large building filled with our countries senior citizens and one hell of a lot of them Veterans and proud of that fact as I was about to see. The president of the Monaco company LLC was the MC and got our attention and we started the evening with The Pledge of Allegiance to our Flag. At this time I couldn't remember the last time I said the Pledge but surely hadn't forgot one word of it, and even got this big lump in my throat and the eyes started to tear up a bit. We no sooner finished the Pledge and he called someone up to lead us in the National Anthem, not just ours but then we had someone lead us in the Canadian Anthem too! We then had another guest go up on stage and lead us in prayer, for the fellowship and the meal we were about to eat. This wasn't just the first nights happening, the Pledge and prayers were said each evening before whatever else was planned took place and it just made me feel damn good and proud to be an American.

This is what I feel our country is losing, my generation has said the Pledge all our lives and grew up with it I can't help but feel if asked the last two generations don't even know the words. We don't need to take God out of country we need to put God, the Pledge and the National Anthem back into our schools and teach our children patriotism, honor, and love of country and what it means. So go ahead and call us a bunch of old hippies gathering in our RV's but don't forget we're veterans, patriots, and not afraid to pray and show respect for our for Fathers and what they intended for our country.

Are you in fear of Czars?

You do realize that roughly only 50% of Americans voted for and approve of this President. Does the 50% that approve ever think about the 50% that don't approve and why they might not approve? These are your friends, neighbors, relatives, they sit in the pew next to you at church, are you totally correct in your thinking or just too blind to the fact that the anointed one might not be the person you thought he was? Have you never found yourself questioning some of the things he's doing and the real changes he wants to make to OUR country? Have you watched any of the before and after video's of his promise speeches or counted how many promises he's already broken? Has it ever occurred to you that when you type his name spell check does not recognize it and wants you to change or correct it? Have you really looked at some of Obama's Czars? Do you have concerns when it comes to the people our President surrounds himself with?

I just deleted eight paragraphs with a bit about 6 Czars and two advisers, these paragraphs went into some detail of each and their beliefs. I figured you'd probably start reading but quit part way through so why bother. If you want to get scared a bit and worry for our country, just check the following folks out and look into their beliefs. You'll find some of the most radical, racist, communist/socialist people you'd ever want to put a finger on. Just do yourself a favor and look up what you can find on these Czars for yourself, Energy Czar Carol Browner, Diversity Czar Mark Lloyd, Science Czar John Holdren, Regulatory Czar Cass Susstein, Communications Czar Anita Dunn, Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett and last but not least Chief of Staff Rahm (Rahmbo) Emanuel, and Ex-Green Czar but still hanging around Van Jones. We have a diverse mixture of Socialist, Communist, Mao worshipping, abortion advocating strong arm individuals, look for yourself please.

Retirement...........

We all hope to retire someday, most of us strive to retire at as early an age as possible to live out and fulfil our dreams. For the average middle class wage earner this is becoming increasingly harder to do, to retire at an age where your young enough to still do those things you've dreamed of. I worked for right at 50 years, yes actually was drawing a wage even though it wasn't taxable at the time it was still a wage. I sold garden seeds, flower seeds and all occasion cards door to door at the age of 12 and 13 years old. Living in Iowa then I also mowed lawns and shoveled snow for income, you see growing up in Iowa gave us willing to do so year round work. My folks couldn't afford to buy me the type of jeans I wanted to wear or some of the other things so I earned to buy those things myself. I had a paper route in Sacramento, California and had a supervisor that believed in teaching young men business and how to run one properly. A paper route in Sacramento at the time and under the tutelage of Mr. Vigor was not just throwing a newspaper on someones porch and collecting a few bucks weekly. This was run like a business, learning to use a checking account, incentives for new subscribers and collections made on time and all this with no complaints from customers, I'll never forget Mr. Vigor and all he taught me about business. Anyway to get back on the subject, no matter what you've done for work or how much you earned you most likely still never put enough away for your retirement. You get to a point were you think your close, you think you have it all figured out and any number of things can derail your plans. Like the mess we've been going through as a country the past couple of years, this damaged ecomomy has thrown alot of folks including me and my wife into a tailspin. The future was looking bright, we had what we wanted and could see bright skies off in the distance and then we had the rug pulled out from underneath us! We will figure out a way to survive, we will figure out a way to retire together and still have some fun, and we will do this because we want it. Let me just say, if your still young enough and retirement is still a few years off what ever you do don't forget your retirement account. No matter what your investing into your retirement now is probably not going to be enough, so make it more even if it hurts a bit becasue you'll be glad you did. I hope no one younger that I has to go through with their retirement funds what we've had to endure the past couple of years, but don't let that detour you from building that nest egg because it will be worth it.

social security today.......

Just heard our President has decided to for go the annual cost of living increase for social security recipients and instead give us another "stimulus" check for $250 in 2010. He feels with the economy being negative we won't need it in 2010 but that the meager stimulus check should help get our economy going again! Let's see do I make a credit card payment with my big check or take the kids out for dinner or invest in the dollar (OMG don't do that) or a tank of gas for the RV and say F___ it all and hit the road. Mr. President why don't you keep the $250 to help pay for this monstrosity you call a health care reform bill, I'd rather chip in now than strap my grandchildren with your bullshit full of half truths. Take our $250 behind closed doors with those other crooks and figure out how you can bankrupt our country. By the way no matter what you call it, increases here and increases there to all these medical suppliers, insures, hospitals etc. the bottom line is it's going to be a TAX on middle income folks. Hide it anyway you'd like but in the end those you promised not to screw, your going to screw royally!

Matt & Family heading home!

Well it's been right at 3 months since Matt was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and as most of you know he's been staying with us since leaving the hospital on July 7th, 2009. Well after his last doctor visit (with his cardiologist) the doctor said he'd improved enough to go back to his house and that was great news. We didn't get a new EF (ejection factor) number but the news was still good, according to the doctor as long as Matt feels good and is not getting sick his heart is healing. The meds he's taking are strengthening the heart muscle and his diet and exercise is helping those meds get the job done. We really got used to Matt, Dayani and Dalila living with us, for the most part it has been one big happy family since Lisa and Jack are here also. But as much as we hated to see them go, we're also very happy for Matt and his steady recovery and know this too can only help as long as he tows the line with diet and exercise.

There can be a strain on any relationship when families of adults try and live together under one roof and we had a few days ourselves, but all in all it was a good experience and very rewarding at the same time. The biggest strain might have been on Bev and myself, as soon as we can see clear to hit the road I think we might just do that. Don't get me wrong, there's not anything we wouldn't do for the kids or haven't already done but we could use a little time to ourselves now that Matt is improving so. Matt calls tomorrow to set up his appointment with the University Medical Center in Tucson, initial testing and who know what else to get approve for a transplant if and when that time ever does arrive. As long as he keeps improving this will be just a back-up in case things don't get better, but the way he's going right now we're hoping never to have to utilize their services..................cross your fingers and prayer with us!

The past couple of weeks I kind of just stayed out of every ones way and spent a lot of time in the RV. Bev and I slept there each night but I spent a little extra time out there just to make things better for Matt and Dayani in the house, and I think it helped leaving them help handle their meals etc. It seemed there were times I tried to over due things and it just wasn't worth getting Matt upset and I think it worked out well. With Matt working for Beverly, we'll still see him in the office a few days a week and the rest of the time he'll be working from home. We're all going to miss Dalila very much.............what a little doll!

Yep it's still morning, me and Jack had eggs and bacon and taters for breakfast and now I'm going to try and catch up on bills for the end of the month. At present I'm hoping Bev continues to be a little bit busy, but I also would like to hit the road for a couple of weeks. Bev can work from the coach on the road but actually needs Matt in the office to take care of some things and make sure folks know the office is still staffed. With his doctor's OK to go back to work full-time and hopefully Bev can keep him busy, maybe we can see clear to some sort of road trip in the near....near future! Wish me luck!

I'm hoping for a change in the weather after this weekend, we should be heading into the greatest time of year and the greatest weather you could ask for................ya whoooo!

Had a good visit with Matt's cardiologist yesterday, we didn't get a new and updated EF number (to our disappointment) but the doctor says normally that's done every 3 to 4 months on weeks. Sounds like he'd prefer to see and bigger jump in the number by waiting rather than small increase and be somewhat disappointed at the time. Basically he said Matt looks good, things sound good and Matt feels good and that's the main concern. As long as he feels good things inside are healing according to the doctor, we don't want Matt to start feeling sick or the like. He recommend going back to work full time and doing more walking and making the walk as brisk as possible. All in all in was good news because Matt sure looks 100% better and feels the same and right now that's important.

Matt and his family will be moving back home most likely this weekend or next week, we'll miss having them but then too I'm sure they'll be glad to get back into their own digs. Maybe Beverly and I or just I can get away for a week or so in the near future, get this RV on the road before winter hits the Midwest and east.

The economy

I just sent some pictures and a couple of links to a good friend of mine showing and talking about the new "City Center" in Las Vegas. While in Las Vegas as a quest of the MGM group I stayed at the Luxor and Mandalay Bay and while in my suite I watched a video on the new City Center project. This is an amazing project and should be another beautiful addition to Las Vegas and the strip and all wealthy visitors. The MGM group with what sounds like a bit of help from our friends in Dubai are building a spectacular community right in and on the middle of the strip. Now these condos and shops will be a bit out of my price range even for a few days of shopping and dinning but I will take a tour of what we can visit when it's done just to see how the other half lives so to speak! Looking at this massive expansion going on just shows me that our economy isn't in as bad a shape as we think maybe and if your not strapped to a mortgage that's killing you and working your probably not in too bad a shape.

We fix things and our economy fixes things on it's own if just left alone to do so.........I see bright spots all over our country and that's good!

Hopefully we're not too old to learn..........

Received this e-mail this morning and I’m not exactly sure I’d agree that we’re stupid, because usually we learn from our mistakes and maybe we’re just getting a whole lot to learning right now! I guess we’ll see one day down the line………….

Two Quotes to Ponder:

“Life's tough......it's even tougher if you're stupid.” -- John Wayne

“My friends, we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world.
I hope you'll join with me as we try to change it.” -- Barack Obama

Are we now beginning to understand what the second quote means and what the first quote says about us?

DID I HEAR YOU RIGHT MR. PRESIDENT?

Did I hear correctly today, our president after GM declares bankruptcy our President says to all his people especially all those additional folks that are about to lose their jobs along with the hundreds of thousands that are already out of work that we are to sacrifice for the sake of the next generation. Is that the "American Dream", do sacrifice for the next generation? We've lost hundreds of millions of dollars in our pension plans and retirement plans and 401K's, but that's not enough, lets do some more sacrificing for the next generation.
Please tell me where this Cat comes up with this crap................even you far left tree hugger's have to be getting a bit tired of what comes out of this fellow's mouth at times! Mr. President, we do not want to live in a socialistic state, we actually like our democracy and would like you to leave your hands off.

I try, I really try, but it's very hard!

I kid you not, I'm trying and trying to snuggle up to this president because he is the president but he makes it so oh so hard to do!
This guy could just go down in history as the president that ruined our country financially, with too much government interference where there should be none. Our financial system takes care of itself in due time, corrections are made and things do get back to normal eventually if you let them run the courses. The housing industry with NO help from Obama is slowly making the corrections needed and will recover despite what our President does or doesn't do. What stimulus, talk to a handful of mortgage brokers and lets see if his plans are helping or if folks are just working it out for themselves and picking up great deals in the process.
No Mr. President, mind your own business of running the country and try bringing some troops home rather than keep sending more over to YOUR war in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Oh did you think we forgot about the troops and the war and your promises to bring the boys home in whatever was your ridiculous number of days........................spend some time in the oval office and less time burning jet fuel hopping around the country in AF1.

GM....Government Motors

Well it's now official, our government is in the auto industry with both feet! "I don't want to run GM"..............thank you Mr. Obama we don't really want you to, try running our country from the oval office and not the front row seats at a Broadway play or the theater. Try running our country from the oval office rather than from the Tonight Show, or Air Force 1, or Las Vegas (where you tried to ruin their image as the convention capital of the world and vacation destination with your comments that even pissed off the democratic Governor of that state) and keep that gas burning jet on the tarmac please! You should have let GM go into bankrupcy from the get go rather that give them more cash upon more cash, but no that's not how you take control of a company and force them or TRY and force them into making cars a handful of tree huggers want on the roads. No, you wanted to be sure all those millions upon millions of dollars in donations from the UNIONS got repaid and now they too own more of the company the original owners! Wow.........and you don't think your nearing the point of socialism yet?

Another day another government "suggestion"!

Here we go again..........what's today's words of wisdom from the man at the top? Now this is coming from an experienced "community advisor or advocate or organizer"..........whatever, his demand today is that GM revamp the board of directors. Yes, he'd like GM to get rid of some and replace them with some new advisers from the failing auto industry. Right now if your keeping score with the auto industry and the auto dealerships the score is Dealers - 0 Unions -1, here we go again!

Has the King spoken?

Here we have a Senator that did not finish his first and only term, and now he's president and from what I see on TV and in the news he spends about as much time in the White House as he did the Senate...........which wasn't much. Every Wednesday he has a two hour meeting with staff going over polls and focus group studies so he can decide which way he needs to swing this week. Well this past week it was...........dude we need more money, we need to raise taxes on more than just the top 5% of American wage earners! Let's see how will they not notice us taking more of their hard earned dollars from their welfare checks, I mean employment checks so we can maintain we're not raising taxes on 95% of Americans. OK here's our plan..........let's kill two birds with one stone, for the sake of health care and with Coke and all soda being bad for you, let's put a killer tax on all Coke (soda) purchases to help Americans with their health (and our money problems via the huge tax). Let's see and I also want to talk to the head of General Mills so we can have them stop telling Americans their Cheerios are healthy and good for them! Oh yes and one last thing this week, get me the CEO of Chrysler I need to tell him to cut his advertising in half and that will surely save them some money (may no help sell cars...)! A day in the life of our King.

Setting the record straight on David Feherty

In a earlier blog this morning I mentioned David Feherty's comments being tossed around in the press today, let me add this: It was in a magazine article not on the air as you may have understood and it was a US soldier not you or I in the elevator. Below is the exact quote from the article................
"If you gave any U.S. soldier a gun with two bullets in it, and he found himself in an elevator with Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Osama Bin Laden, there's a good chance that Nancy Pelosi would get shot twice, and Harry Reid and Bin Laden would be strangled to death." Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/05/11/2009-05-11_a_red_herring_called_wanda.html#ixzz0FDzySzMJ&B

Lighten up folks..........

I didn't hear David Fehery's stab at humor live, but have read about it in Internet sports columns. My God people you hear these kinds of things everyday in your work place, on the playgrounds, out with the boys or with the girls and you either laugh or blow these types of comments off. So then why let our more and more liberal press stir up crap like this and cause good commentators to possibly lose their jobs.
I will tell you this, his comment (I'm paraphrasing) if you were in an elevator with Pelosi, Reed and Osama and had a gun with only two bullets what would you do? Shoot Pelosi twice and strangle the other two, is something over 50% of this country might not have a problem with.
Holy cow..........lets just lighten up a bit.

Baseball caps?

Does anyone even think about the baseball cap in the sense of why was it invented and why we actually wear them? A hat or cap that does not have a brim go completely around the hat, what kind of hat is this? Well the cap was made to keep the sun out of your eyes without having a big cumbersome hat all around possibly obstructing over views.
So here's to this generation and the generation before it, the "baseball cap" as it's come to be known is NOT for shading the back of our head and it is truly NOT for shading your ears, and the slightly curved bill is for the same shading of the eyes!
You want to shade other area's of the head get yourself a panama hat and leave the baseball cap alone!

How he's keeping a promise.......

OK I just figured out how Mr. Obama's campaign promise of us average citizens being able to have health insurance just like the good old boys in Washington will work. To get that elite form of health insurance given to members of Congress and the Senate for life would be oh so cool and that's what we've been promised, now how's it going to happen? In order to get this type of insurance you first must be in the government so that plan is already starting to take shape. The government now runs our banks for the most part and our government is now getting into the auto business by owning the majority of GM stock and a share of Chrysler stock, so already if your in the banking industry or the auto industry your now being run by the government thus employed by the government so your eligible for that sweet government insurance at no cost to you! Now as the government continues to take over other businesses we'll all be under that blanket and therefore also be eligible for that sweet insurance. Now I get it, this is all going according to the Obama plan which is probably the Bilderberg group plan anyway!

What was I thinking for all those years?

More of the same, the top stories this morning were GM wanting the government to become share holders of the company, Chrysler the same but not quite as big a share holder. The President sending AF-1 on "fly-bys" over New York City for some new photo album stuff and swine flu.
I sat having a cup of coffee and watching the news channel and it hit me all of a sudden, what was I thinking all those many years as a registered democrat. I used to agree with the idea of BIG GOVERNMENT and MORE GOVERNMENT and the ways of the TAX AND SPEND liberals. I don't believe this is the way our founding fathers had planned things to work, was this sort of government what sent us packing across the Atlantic in the first place?
Can someone come up with the figure of just what this president has spent in his first 100 days, you know it's definitely a new record of some kind and he's not done yet and and don't forget someone is going to have to pay!!!!!

I woke up this morning to the news that our President and his staff wanted some new pictures of Air Force One with the statue of liberty in the back round for who knows what. They planned this and informed local law enforcement but also told them to keep it hush hush and under their hats! Hello Mr. President, remember 9/11 and the panic that followed, it's a bit late for your "April Fools" jokes. I guess you just wanted to keep the folks of New York City on their toes and to be prepared in case of future attacks, this way we could see their reactions. Dude...it worked, you scare the hell out of many, many folks in New York City and oh yes thanks for telling us later "sorry, and it won't happen again".

Conservative Iowa......not anymore!

It seems everyday is filled with something that you thought you would never see in your life time, like same sex marriage in my home state of Iowa! I guess I feel gays are welcome to do unto each other whatever they do unto each other and be happy, whatever makes them happy is fine with me. But now I can't help but feel after watching many of the political pundits in Iowa all excited over this news that the excitement is over what they feel will be a great economic boom for the state.....millions of dollars is what their looking for! Does that make it right, pass something like this only because of and for the economic reasons? If that be the case why not legalize prostitution and open up some clean whorehouses in Iowa for the economic benefits, just like casino's. What has happen to Iowa, what has happen to that conservative state with conservative principles, what have the liberals done with Iowa? Let the gays live together, do what they will to each other but come on Iowa.............marriage! Have the liberals completely taken over the state of Iowa, can you imagine the folks rolling over in their graves right now, like Ray, Branstad, even Harold Huges for Gods sake...........................................

Kings

There's a new show on TV Sunday nights called "Kings" that I watched the first week and really couldn't get into so didn't tune in this week. A show it seemed about a country like or maybe it was the U.S. and we were ruled by a King that did exactly what he wanted and ran the country exactly how he wanted.
Now after hearing on the news last night about the CEO of General Motors stepping down at the request of the government, specifically at the request of our King Obama, I had to step back and say to myself "were the hell am I. "This is a person that has held more press conferences in two months than most presidents hold in the first year, and all in prime time sort of like a King would do. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that only if you borrowed money from someone like "Guido" did he have the right to ask for your job! I'm starting to become a bit scared...........

Just read this on the internet today: " Concerned about the faltering war in Afghanistan, President Obama plans to dispatch thousands more military and civilian trainers on top of the 17,000 fresh combat troops he's already ordered." Do you think this would get the same minor coverage if Pres. Bush had planned to do this? I find it funny how since Obama was elected we hear very little about the war and all the troops going rather than coming home. You folks that believe there is no bias in the media take heed, I bet you won't find this story on tonights nightly news cast on NBC, ABC, or CBS...................go figure!

Quotes from times gone by.................

I received an e-mail from a good friend which contained a number of quotes from some knowledgeable men of times gone by. It sure if funny how the more things change the more they stay the same but yet we don't always learn from experiences. Read these quotes from days and men gone by and see how applicable they are to what's happening in and to our country right now.

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." -- Thomas Jefferson

"A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul."-- George Bernard Shaw

"If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free!" -- P.J. O'Rourke

"A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money." -- G. Gordon Liddy

"I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle." -- Winston Churchill

Do you think health care is expensive now, wait until it's free....................these liberal progressives think we're rich! I consider my social security a bonus, holy cow am I scared.

Taxes and Bonuses..............

Whether you believe those folks at AIG or any other company the taxpayers are bailing out deserve those bonuses or not is one thing, but what I find scary is that in a matter of a day or so the House of Reps. can and have approved a Bill taxing those bonuses. Now when I say taxing I mean taxing, like to the tune of 90% of those bonuses on persons making over $250K/yr. In this day and age if you stop and think about it $250K is not by any means the elite rich or wealthy, you'd be surprised at some of the folks you might know making at or near that income level. I think our government is starting to get into things that they should stay out of, why must we continually insist on increasing the size of government. Many of us either are or have been involved with receiving bonuses from our employers, whether they be incentive or retention bonuses one things for sure and that's when we see the taxes taken out of that check it can be a shock. Now imagine 90% at the drop of a hat because you pissed a small group of fellows off......................
"The problem with Socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples money"....unknown

St. Patty's Day

St. Patty's Day in Sedona, Arizona........beautiful as usual is all I can say. A week of R&R away from the usual R&R has been wonderful to say the least. My brother Russ and sister-in-law Cheryl joined us at the Villas at Poco Diable here in Sedona for a few days and it's been just as stated, relaxing. Now we're getting ready to go trout fishing again this morning and hoping to have a bit better luck than the day before, not even a bite first time out and that's unusual for me not catch at least one or two of the little beauty's!
Stopped by a near by Casino for dinner last night and did a bit of gaming.......profited abut $3000 so had a real good time and a not so bad of a meal. All in all the week has been good and will do nothing but get better you can be sure!

"Taking Chance"
This is a made for HBO movie that no one should miss, a compelling story of a fallen Marine coming home. A story of what Chance goes through from his death until he arrives home to his parents and family. A story of Chance's escort and all military escorts and the service they preform for their fallen comrade. This is a must see movie and if you don't have HBO find someone that does over the next few days.
I checked and it will be airing at least over the next few days, the 12th, 13th and 14th for sure so please tune in you won't regret it.
The respect and care our armed forces give to their fallen comrades is awe inspiring to say the least and as a Veteran I too learned alot watching this movie.
"Chance Phellps was wearing his St. Christipher metal when he died on Good Friday, eight days later LtCol. Mike Strobl handed it to his Mother"

Looking for someone?
Have you ever came across and old photo or something from the distant past and seen someone you'd like to make contact with again? The other day I was looking at a photo of a vacation to Washington state to visit a friend of ours living there or at least they had moved there from Davenport way back when. Anyway, first I went to Dex and typed in the name got very little information, a few of the same names in different cities but did find one with relatives listed that would match that of my friends. So it says click here for more information on address, e-mail etc. and your then sent directly to this site or that site wanting to charge you anywhere from $1.95 to $39.95 for all sorts of data on someone that may or may not be the person your searching for. I spent the $1.95 for what I thought would be an e-mail address, but it ended up being a partial and for an additional $19.95 I could get the e-mail address and all sorts of other backround information, which I really had no business knowing unless I was a private eye on assignment or the law. Bottom line I took a couple of addresses off of Dex white pages and I'm doing it the old fashion way, writing a letter and hoping it's to the correct person or persons. Here's hoping the pony express gets me in touch with an old friend.

Now for all of you that may not have every had a real Chicago Dog............here you go!

I received this picture from my good friend and palley of some 36 plus years, Dave Naab, this guy knows Wrigleyville and know Chicago Dogs and introduced them to me before a game one Wednesday (Breadman's day off don't ya know) morning.

After the last posting I just thought I'd also not only share the Chicago Dog blog but this photo so everyone's mouth will be watering has my friend Dave's and mine are. Maybe it will be Joey's for lunch today!

Spring Training........
I had the pleasure of joining my family and one our favorite nieces and her boyfriend, who were in town from Iowa last week, to attend a spring training game. After living here in Arizona since 1984 I'm sorry to say this was only my second or third spring training game to attend. Up until full retirement I was usually working during the week and the games are always sell outs on weekends so just didn't hassle with it. Anyway we went to a Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Dodgers game at Cubs spring training park, Hohokam Park in Mesa. Now one thing to keep in mind is that being from the Midwest originally I had occasion and did attend many a Cubs game at Wrigley in Chicago, and ate some of the fare provided at and around the ballpark! Do you know that I don't care where your from or what Dog they sell it's extremely hard to beat a good old Chicago Dog, from the Field, outside vendor, or the corner bar in and around Wrigley Field. I've had a few of them let me tell you, Dodger Dogs, Diamond Dogs, Tomahawk chop Dogs, Padre Wieners, one or two Dogs from the Bay area and even those crappy ones from St. Louis. Yes I ate a few here and there but you'll be hard pressed to beat a good old Chicago Dog let me tell you. Now to get to the end of the story my nieces boy friend had offered to buy be a couple of dogs and a beer, so off he went to the Hohokam stadium concession stand, the home of the Chicago Cubs during spring training. My mouth was watering just thinking about those bad boys, couldn't wait to get my mouth around a good old Chicago Dog. Oh yes, and they even sold Old Style beer just like in Chi town, dude what the hell else could a guy ask for, I'm getting excited! Here comes Steve with a couple of trays full of grub.............holy cow as Harry would say he set those trays down and I was in shock! What the hell was this? All I see is two over sized and I mean over sized wieners with a splash of onion, relish and ketchup............I don't need a over sized wiener, give me a good old Vienna and make it right.
OK, Chicago Cubs, baseball and they don't even serve a Chicago Dog! I have a place right up the road from the house on Carefree hwy. called "Joey's" and I can get a Chicago Dog there, and I mean a REAL CHICAGO DOG............do you hear me Hohokam Park? If I ever attend another Chicago Cubs spring training game, I'll be smuggling in my own Dogs you can count on that.

Acai Berry..........Scam or just not reading!

Acai Berry; I haven't got the same complaint as most people I hear complaining about this being a scam. I'm not sure if it's a scam or not, I too ordered my 30 days supply for the shipping price of $5 and did this for the weight lose feature I've read so much about. I'm not an Oprah fan and hearing what she had to say didn't sway me to give it a try, it was Rachel Ray that convinced me to give it a go. I've been taking the Acai and Cleansing capsules for about 15 days now and can tell the cleansing may be taking place but certainly not the weight loss as of yet. But to get back to the scam part of this, if you read the invoice or statement sent with your order you'll see they are up front in telling you that you'll continue receiving 30 supplies until you call and stop the orders. Actually the one I ordered from gave me 15 days to contact them for full refund or to cancel further shipments of the capsules of both products. I made the calls, not more capsules and no more charges on the credit card. Oh sure they tried to get me to keep them coming but I told them I'd give it the 30 days and see what progress had been made and make a decision at that time whether to reorder or not, no other questions asked. Read what's given you folks and most of the time you'll be covering your butt!