This N That

Ernie and Sarah have Rachael Maddow on right now, after having watched Keith Oberman. I can't agree more with what they are all saying, but I've personally had it "up to here" with all the rhetoric from both sides of the health care issue. Why oh why do we keep electing officials in both parties who take office and become stubborn children? Compromise? The good of all? Strike a bargain? No way!! California has a Democrat majority in State government. It has been this way for many years. It does not have a 2/3 majority though. Any budgets passed in California has to be passed with a 2/3 approval by the State Senate. We have not had an "on time" budget for several years now. For ALL of 2008 the state operated without a budget. This year the State ran out of discretionary funds and for months had State workers taking two and three days off per month, without pay. In effect a 25% wage reduction, without their consent! Of course this did not apply to the legislators themselves, the pay raise or benefits they receive or to their staffs. Is this reasonable? The problem? The Democrats make a budget and the Republicans, en-masse, vote against it. Over and over. The Republicans in the California Senate have not created a budget, offered concrete suggestions, etc, they just in effect have "veto" power. California ranks number 49 or 50 in credit ratings among the 50 US States. How can this be for one of the richest States in the Union ? California is borrowing millions, perhaps trillions of dollars to get through this fiscal year. Even with layoffs, reduced wages, new hirees getting less benefits, massive staff reductions including in prisons, State hospitals, fire departments, police departments and the school system, California will have to borrow to pay its bills. But, NO NEW TAXES and no RETURN to the higher business, property and higher-income taxes that helped keep the gears of government oiled will be approved by the minority party. OK, new topic!!!

I am treating myself to a rare treat this week. I am having a woman come in and clean the front part of the house, dust, vacuum, tidy up. It will be soooo nice to come home to a sparky place, even if it will only last for a few days. Sometimes I think that I sound "house proud", like one of those women who clean and clean and have to have everything put in its place. This is far from the truth. I clean, I live and mess up and when it reaches some "critical point" I clean again. On the clean again binges I am angry at myself for not keeping up better inbetween times. During the inbetween times I can sit and enjoy my surroundings and not "see" the dust accumulate or the pile of "stuff" growing on the coffee table. Not that my home is filthy, it's just a little dusty and cluttered. I remember telling my oldest daughter to clean her room, three of four times, before finally saying "I want the stuff off the floors and dressers and put away". My daughter would give me an incredulous look and say "STUFF, these are my THINGS". Well, I have too many things! How does one get rid of the hand print made with love in Kindergarten. Or the painting that won a prize in 3rd grade, or the cute little knick-knacks that say "worlds best Grandma", or the stuffed animals given for comfort during a difficult time, or the "small" collection of angels that now takes up two full shelves, or the.... well, you know what I mean.

It has been too hot in the evening to take Fargo for a walk and we are both eating too well and exercising too little, so we're getting some extra stomach "muscle" (ha). Perhaps I'll force myself to actually dress at 6am and walk him then, before my coffee and crossword puzzle. I used to religiously walk 3 miles every morning. Ah, the good ole days. Peace.