Summer Recital

Pictures of my granddaughters summer piano recital at the teachers house. There where about 12 kids who played at varous levels of skill.......one small girl who has had 2 lessons and played the "scale" for us....to an older boy (high school level) who played "Bach" and a composition of his own. Everyone did a super job......of course by granddaughter was the best!! Her brother is one of her biggest fans.

Republican

I wonder if the Democrats have a similiar list.........Sure would like to see it!

Empowerment

For many years now, I have been involved, one way or another, in the political process. I have worked on several campaigns, been to the rallies, made phone calls on behalf of a candidate, delivered yard signs and passed out literature, even had one candidate running for Governor come to my house,..... but I have never "called my congressman" in Washington....until today. At the Delaware Country Fair parade, the Republicans had a Float (of sorts...a pickup with banners) and were handing out small fact sheets. It urged citizens to "Call their Senator" and tell them to vote NO on HR 2454.....The Cap & Trade bill. I did...called both of my Senators...one Democratic and one Republican. I felt a sense of empowerment......I had actually told my Senators exactly how "I" feel! Unfortunately, too often today citizens do not get involved in the political process...but are the first ones to complain when things don't go the way they wanted or expected. You may recall that several years ago the Democrats tried to push through a Bill which gave amnesty to illegal aliens. The Washington switchboards were flooded with calls from citizens who were outraged at the thought of rewarding those who broke our law. The Bill went down in defeat. Phones calls do matter. We can stop all this wasteful spending if we "Flood" the switchboards with our opinions.......we just need to CALL!

Tractors

This is a picture of old "Farmall" tractors. They are in a grove of trees next to the road to our house. I am not sure if they are one mans hobby or several owners who put them there. They showed up just before the 4th of July. People stop to look at them. Note the visitors toward the end of the row. Pretty Cool!!

Picnic

A picture of Backbone Lake located in BackBone State Park. BackBone is about 15 miles NW of Manchester. It is a huge park and was the first state park created in Iowa.

This is the swimming beach with the boat house in the center of the picture. You can rent various paddle boats and kayaks.

Setting up for the Weenie Roast... The fire is going.

Enjoying the food...Hot Dogs,

Brats, Hamburgers, Chips, Watermelon, etc.

Sitting around solving

all the worlds problems..

taking a nap (Bruce)

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With our friends we had an old fashion picnic today. Went to Backbone State Park and had a Weenie Roast. The weather was beautiful...high 70's - low 80's...but we were in the shade and there was a cool breeze. Perfect! We stopped for ice cream cones at Strawberry Point on the way home. We decided we have to do it again this fall.

Construction

We are doing some remolding to the exterior of the house. It all started when we realized we need a new roof. We figured as long as the workers are already here we'll have them do some other work. It's taking a lot longer than we had planned on. Our project is low on the totem pole for the construction crew. They are building a huge house and are behind schedule so they get to us when time allows. The top two pictures are Ella's play house being move. Ella and Murphy do not use it anymore so they agreed to give it to a couple of little girls around 3-4 years old. They are thrilled with it. Their dad did the moving. The left middle picture shows the lower deck and hot tub gone. We're not sure exactly what we're going to do back there but we do have some ideas. That will be next years project. The right middle picture show the workers and scaffolding for the shingles. It had rained quite a bit so the front end loader really tore up the yard.....front, back and the side. We really can't plant seed until they are done. The larger bottom picture shows the wall and water fountain gone. We are pouring a new slab, steps and side walk. The idea is to create a garden like setting where the fountain used to be. There will be a shorter wall to define the area but it won't be as long. Hopefull the workers will get back the week of the 13th, and get the cement poured. They are also going to rebuild the steps from the laundry room down to the back yard.
So many projects....so little time and money!!!

Lies

Listening to a guest host for Glen Beck the other day, I was amazed at what he was saying. Although I have known about everything he was saying, I never put it together as a "whole picture" Obama LIES!! On the campaign trail he said "Anyone making less then $250,000 will not see their taxes go up...not one dime...not just payroll taxes but any type or form of tax." He has said this on several occasions. He is now proposing a new tax on cigarettes. I guess everyone who smokes will get a card saying that they make less than $250,000. They'll just show the card to the clerk who will then deduct the new tax from the pack they are buying. He is also proposing a "surtax" on cell phone usage of around 25%. Everyone who has a cell phone (which is just about everyone these days) will have the new tax on their monthly bill. He is pushing hard on the "energy bill" which will raise taxes on those who use gas and oil, which is just about everyone! The cap and trade bill is a joke as Spain has already proven and it will hurt those who can least afford it. Why do we always think WE can do something better at what someone else has already failed at?? Canada and England health care for instance. And speaking of health care, the additional cost for health care will be an employer tax which YOU will end up paying for through payroll deduction. Chris Dodd said on the Senate floor "there are 50 million Americans without health care." #1.... There are not 50 million...a more accurate number is a little over 46 million.....(notice the "round up?) #2.....10-12 million are not Americans....They are illegal aliens. I know I have gone through the numbers before, but the actual number of Americans who do not have and cannot get affordable health care is less than 12 million. 12 million is a lot of people ...but it is only 4/10ths of one percent of the population....WE DO NOT HAVE A HEALTH CARE CRISIS!!! It is a manufactured crisis. Do we need tort reform and reform on the health insurance companies, the hospitals and doctors?....absolutely! Work on that, instead of just throwing more money at the problem and adding another "Entitlement"....which seems to Congress' only solution.
Remember when Obama said shortly after his inauguration "if we don't pass this stimulus bill by this Friday, unemployment will go to 8.2 to 8.5 %. The 750 billion dollar stimulus bill was rushed through and passed. Guess what.....the unemployment numbers came out yesterday and it's at 9.5%. We could have saved the 750 billion dollars as it didn't make a difference. I also heard that only 6% of the 750 billion has been spent and most of what has been spend has not been job creators. Obama and his handlers do not have a clue on how to run a country. Independent voters, as well as some cross over Republicans and some Democrats (according to a survey) who voted for Obama are mad and wish they hadn't voted for him. Why?....because his spending is out of control and he is more liberal than they were led to believe! They don't trust or believe him anymore. Well duh!!
We can only hope that what damage is being done can be reversed in 2010 when the Republicans regain control. By the way, Mitt Romney is the Republican front runner, at this time, for the 2012 presidential election. A news commentator said "He's squeaky clean and brilliant when it come to finances. The liberal press keeps harping on his Massachusetts Health Care Program when he was Governor. They keep saying that 27% do not like his health care program. What about the other 73%. My guess is that the 27% are hard core Democrats.
We survived Jimmy Carter and we will survive Barack Obama (although Iran and N. Korea might have something to say about that). After the Jimmy Carter fiasco the Republicans had 12 years of the Presidency.
Get your yard sign early....."Romney for President"