We have some pretty bad things happening in America these days. I don’t think anyone who has their eyes and ears open will dispute that. There is a huge divide, neighbors against neighbors, families at odds with each other – and it has happened for many reasons. All the lying. All the fake stories. All the fear mongers out there keeping so many people worried. Fearful. Fear has been used as a tool. We can look back in our history and think about the huge abyss that brought on the civil war. States against states. Seeing now what is going on I think it feels like we are headed that way again especially since states are taking on their own power, and making decisions that put them directly against other states.

So much of what is happening is due to all the fear that many Americans feel right now. They have fear of losing freedoms, of losing their guns, fear of ‘others’ who are not like them, fear of the other side enacting laws against them, fear of losing rights over their own bodies, and even fear of our Supreme Court becoming too political. Fear is everywhere.

I believe that a lot of the fear is done intentionally. Listen to the talking heads on certain networks. Even look at their expressions. They are trying to make Americans feel afraid and worried. Politicians are experts at using language to make you think we are doomed unless we agree with them, their side.

It’s been working well. Gun sales are huge. People walk around now all the time thinking somebody is out to get them. We have road rage. We have people shot at front doors and on driveways. People think they need to carry a gun everywhere. Why?

Fear.

People are living in fear.

Christians are living in fear.

But – Of all people, come on, Christians should NOT live in fear.

“Fear not!” Says the Lord. “I am with you.” “Though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Your rod and your staff comfort me.” Psalms is loaded with verses to comfort. “God is our refuge and strength.” And – “When I’m afraid I trust in you.”

“They cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.”

I just googled ‘fear and the Bible’ and the verses are numerous. It is clear that God says over and over to have faith, not fear, and to put trust in Him. Christians are never told to pick up weapons and kill those who do not agree with them. They are never told to gather an arsenal, and are never supposed to come to the door with a gun loaded and ready.

Here lies so much hypocrisy. Non-Christians are watching. It’s not a pretty view.

I ask: Christians – who do you put as your number 1? Who guides your life? The peaceful messages of faith in God? Or, those who promote gun sales, and want to have you live in a constant state of fear?

I admit that I have lost a lot of confidence in my fellow so called Christians. I have trouble understanding how they walk the line of being Jesus followers and gun enthusiasts. I don’t get it. I am disappointed by those who put gun freedom over childrens’ lives. Again, what would Jesus do??

I believe Christian church leadership needs to speak out. We are at a tipping point right now. Speaking out – and doing something is vital right NOW! Out in the open. Not just in the safe sanctuary on Sunday morning. Who better to start to turn this huge “fear ship” before it hits the iceberg and we sink? Are Christian churches AFRAID to speak out? Why? Are churches so lost from their mission?

I cant’ help but wonder what God thinks as he watches ‘His flock” these days. We let Him down all the time I realize, but we are so far from living in faith. Fear is winning.

It makes me very sad. What is going on in America with God’s people is so disappointing. We can do better. Seriously!! We have God on our side. We can live in faith – and put fear away.

Good: Today is Maundy Thursday. Today is the day Christians remember Jesus dining with his disciples and sharing his body and blood through bread and wine. It was their Last Supper together (yes, like the famous painting), and Jesus commissioned a new commandment: Love one another. He did not add ‘only if they are look like you’ or ‘only if you like what they do.’ What a challenge for us was given that night through those three simple words. Remember WWJD? What would Jesus do? He would love one another – everyone. And He wants us to love also. Above everything else.

Good. It’s Masters Weekend! I love watching golf the next four days. With heavy rain expected Saturday and Sunday it may go beyond the weekend. Who will put on the green jacket at the end?

Bad. My sister-in-law Linda had a stroke about two weeks ago, and while in the hospital tests were run. Yesterday we got the results back on a biopsy of cells from her mass on her pancreas. Cancer. Stage 4, which means it has spread beyond the pancreas into the liver. It’s not good at all. We all know of people, some famous, some friends, who have gotten this diagnosis. As Linda’s sons and siblings decide what is best for her, she still has short term memory loss from the stroke. So, she has been told about the cancer but quickly forgot it. A blessing in disguise.

Good and bad. Ex-president Trump has been indicted, was briefly arrested, and then arraigned on crimes of fraud and cover-up. Why good and bad? No one is above the law, even someone who held the highest office in our nation, who once worked with the top people in our justice system. This case is a New York State indictment of charges, but Trump is also surely going to be indicted soon on at least two federal cases. He will be in the news for months ahead for the criminal activity AND because he still plans to run for president again. It’s actually quite unbelievable. But, so is he. I have written volumes in the past about the man, and I truly believe either you know – or you have your head in the sand. The piles of sand were brought to you by a group of liars, conspiracy creators, and those only caring about getting rich.

Bad. The Nashville school shooting. It just keeps getting worse. On top of the pain of 3 children and 3 adults senselessly killed in a mass shooting, now 3 Tennessee state Democratic Representatives may be censured for their right of freedom of speech and peacefully protesting with Nashville students in the courthouse. Do you realize how dangerous this is? I am actually beside myself over it.

Ugly. I’m not talking physically ugly. Instead what is ugly is the people who allow children to die by guns – now the number one killer of kids. I have experienced some ugly-ness on Facebook lately by some who won’t even consider gun safety progress because they want to hold on to their guns like it’s a ticket to paradise. I have never understood a deep desire for a gun, or for feeling like any object is that important. Especially when comparing it to letting children live.

Good. I have got to finish this post with some good. Right? For me it’s watching my garden come back to life. It’s pulling weeds (I love pulling weeds) and planting some annuals. I picked up some impatiens yesterday and plan to put them in the ground today. I also got a few other flowers to put into pots. Spring has sprung. Easter is almost here. Life – and re-life. Plants I thought were dead are coming back, reaching up, and getting ready to show their beautiful flowers. Just as Jesus died and everyone then thought it was over. God knew otherwise. Death was conquered. Not the end. Easter is hope. Salvation. Reunion.

So, I will end this with a final thought about the fact that my Dad’s body is still holding on (at 96 years old, after hip surgery) even though he desperately wants to experience Easter. For his sake, I hope it happens soon.

This past week I have experienced the joy of celebrating my granddaughter’s 2nd birthday and the sadness and concern for my 96 year old father who went through hip surgery.

As we know a baby coming into the world isn’t always easy. My daughter can tell you that! She had a long labor, and various interventions were used to bring her first child into the world. It took days, not hours. It was very painful. The worst pain she had ever experienced. Granddaughter Madelynn finally arrived and she needed some tests run right away to make sure the birthing process didn’t do any damage. That meant she spent a few days in the ICU. It was a scary time for the new parents who had to wait for test results, and to watch her in her tiny hospital bed.

Thankfully all tests came back good, and Madelynn came home – and now I can look back on the Timehop pictures from 2 years ago and smile, knowing she is a normal little toddler today. She is a blessing to the family and this Mimi enjoys her immensely.

Hours after the 2nd birthday party celebration I got a text about my father falling, and going to the hospital with a broken hip. We all know that people in their 90’s have weakened bones, and a loss of balance, so it was not a surprise that he fell. He had been using a walker to get around but he let go to grab a sweater in his closet and down he went. It was that quick.

Family rallied, and I flew up to be there too. On Monday dad made it through partial hip replacement surgery. On Tuesday he had a pretty rough day, with post-surgery pain and the start of physical therapy, yet at times he had a clear enough mind to think about what happened, and how much work was ahead to gain the ability to walk again. As I said he is 96 years old. There were times on Monday he called out to the Lord to take him. There were times he swore – and that’s not something he does in his every day life. Times he looked at me – saying ‘why’ with his eyes.

My sister-in-law kindly said ‘God is not ready for you yet’ and he and I both wondered out loud if God makes this decision. If He does, then WHY doesn’t he take my dad now to escape the hard work ahead, to only have another issue eventually take him. My dad has lost much of his quality of life. For years he has resided in an assisted living facility. He has needed help for basic needs – for food and to get dressed and showered. His hearing is poor. His short term memory is weak. He has lost his appetite and barely eats.

My dad was a Lutheran pastor for his whole career and he served churches in several states. He was the one there when church members had their babies and shared in their joy at baptisms, and he officiated at many of their funerals too. At retirement he became my mother’s full time care provider as Parkinson’s took her away slowly. He has now lived 20 years without her.

It’s really hard to understand why so much of life has been tough on him, and also on my older sister who became his chief caregiver when he could no longer take care of himself.

But, just like how coming into the world can be difficult, it seems that going from it can be too. Does God hear my dad asking to take him? Does dad’s and my praying make any difference? I have always been told that God HEARS all prayer yet He may not answer the way we want Him to answer them. Of all people, dad devoted much of his life to teaching about God, and in spreading the Good News of Jesus. But I also know that we Christians live in this world and we experience all of the hardships of it. Biblically, the Christ followers were persecuted. They suffered greatly.

Is suffering a test? I hope not.

The joy of a baby coming into the world is certainly celebrated. Milestones of childhood are too. When my dad leaves this world as a very old man, one who has lived through so very much, I will celebrate that too. His suffering will end.

Today is International Women’s Day. I don’t know if there are any men quietly thinking ‘they don’t deserve a special day” but I hope not. Here’s why:

Females are half of the world’s population (maybe a bit more) and throughout history they have been held back, or kept in a box, and around the world still today women are still dealing with men who stop them from reaching their full potential. It’s getting better for women in some countries, including America, but it’s only through pushing for equality, for being brave, by some strong women not afraid to put themselves out there. Women who are bold. Women speaking out. Women who care about other women.

As I have grown older, and because I am a mother of two women, I have felt the responsibility of using myself to better the lives of women. Young females who are starting out need freedom and they deserve the right to be whoever they choose to be. Young mothers are busy raising children, and young business women are starting careers, and some are doing both at the same time. So, when you finally reach a certain age, like me, when those parts of living life are behind you, then it becomes important to ‘pay it back’ or as Tim sings “when you get where you are going, don’t forget to turn back around and help the next one in line.”

We tend to focus on our small world, and that’s okay. We can make a difference to women in our families, and in our neighborhoods. Women do so much good!! Women can give advice to each other, support one another, encourage, accept, and even push them when needed. But, today as we think of ALL the women of the world (it is international womens day after all), we can provide a hand financially, or give to them through charitable work, and we can voice concerns across country lines and borders, and we can share our love. Women are so much better than men in uniting and giving back. Right? Women can be competitive, but still support each other.

So, today is a day to stop, pause, and think about women – those who do ALL the amazing things they do around the world – and who are selfless in their nourishing, in feeding others, in working towards equality, in lifting up, and in believing in themselves and others. Do men feel the same way about their gender? I think not. Women are so blessed to have the genetic makeup that they do, and to own the qualities unique to women kind. (Wait – don’t read that wrong. I’m all for ANY and ALL women: straight, lesbian, soft, butch, poor, wealthy, black, white, red, yellow, rural, urban, short, tall, etc.)

Today we celebrate ALL women everywhere. All kinds. All places. All deserving. All equal.

I love going to live concerts! It’s one of my favorite things to do. I love the connection of the musicians with the audience. It’s a special moment in time. I feel it, and I love how music brings people together.

Interestingly, today I heard a listener’s letter read on the Bobby Bones Show and the writer had just been at Bobby’s recent concert at the Ryman. Bobby and Eddie, from the radio morning show that I love and listen to often, perform as the “Raging Idiots,” fun comedic musicians. They often do charity events. The letter writer said he was disappointed by the noisy people around him and how it made it difficult to enjoy the show.

Then a bit later today I listened to the NPR podcast called the “Political Gabfest” and at the end of it one of the commentators talked about going to see country music artist Morgan Wade in concert last week and that young women were around him and they were constantly on their phones: sometimes holding them up videoing, and other times checking messages, sending some, etc. and rarely just listening to the performance.

My daughters can attest: I have a problem with obnoxious concert goers. The girls have been with me and have heard me complain about loud talkers, about people going in and out all the time for more beer and bathroom needs, in the same row and needing to go by me all the time, and just not caring about the people on the stage and seeing the talent, enjoying the moment. Ugh!!! I mean – please!!! Why are you even there???

To top it off these people pay BIG BUCKS for these concert tickets! Most of the time I try and get good seats, and I pay pretty good money to be there. I want to be as ‘up close and personal’ as I can be. So, the people around me do too.

Now, I know we all enjoy music in different ways. I get that. But, we are there together, enjoying it as a group – and my gripe is about the fact that some feel ‘entitled’ to do what they want to do, without concern with how it affects the experience for others. Some people say ‘I paid for it so I can do what I want’. And, there lies the problem. Right?

Music should unite people, and often it does. There are concerts I go to, and music festivals, where I feel a true connection with most of those who are there. Country music especially really has a family feel and that is one of the many reasons I love it so much.

But there are a few (not the majority – thank goodness) who can ruin it for many. It’s humanity. it’s the few but they are the loud and the selfish.

They need to take a class in concert behavior. They need to care about the music experience for everyone.

I admit it – I have gotten caught up in the Alex Murdaugh murder trial and the story behind the Murdaugh family of Walterboro, South Carolina. I, like so many others, have been following closely the case against Alex Murdaugh in the murders of his wife Maggie and his 22 year old son Paul.

It is a sad story of a long time prominent family in an area of South Carolina known for ‘good ole boys’ and family connections. This area of South Carolina one could say is a bit stuck in time, not progressing with other areas in the state and in the country. In a way living in this rural Lowcountry area of South Carolina is ‘slow and easy’ and change isn’t easily accepted. People like it that way – and if you don’t, well then you can go live somewhere else. They will tell you just that. It’s about fishing and hunting, and going to church, and running into the same faces all the time in the grocery store. I know this because I live in a similar place. I’m a few hours up the road from Walterboro, and my town has a history much the same, with certain names that everyone knows. These are the people who have the power and the money.

The Murdaugh name was known around – in town, in the county, and even beyond. Alex’s father and grandfather held the solicitor position for years. All of them were lawyers. His brothers lived near by. Nobody moved away.

The story that is unraveling now, is long and rather complicated, and some parts are still a mystery. The murder trial is still ongoing and Alex will have more legal troubles due to the millions of dollars he stole from so many people, including his own clients, ones he helped win settlements and financial awards for in court cases. His son was involved (probably driving) a boat when it hit a bridge pylon and one of the young women on board flew out and died. Paul was due to go to court about it. Or “Pawpaw” As Alex called him. Families in the south have lots of affectionate nicknames.

But what is now known is that this man, Alex Murdaugh, was a perpetual liar, and he did it extremely well. He was smooth. He used his name to win people’s trust, and then he stole from them. Over and over and over again. He lived his life with lots of comfort and with plenty: having more than one home, huge properties, nice vacations, and more. He presented himself on the outside like a man of honor, working to help others, using his legal skills to get justice for people who needed it. He was considered an ‘upright’ solid man by most around there. But, he had a very dark side. He has testified in court to having dealt with a many years long addiction to painkillers. He blamed the addiction for his ‘need’ to steal because he needed more money for the drugs. But under his public persona he was also making bad real estate decisions, and losing money in other ways. At one point he had someone shoot him and make it look like a robbery on a desolate road – and he lied about that too. He has lied – over and over. He is a perpetual liar.

The financial troubles and the effects of addiction may have gotten him to the brink – and maybe the family was putting a lot of pressure on him. So, maybe he snapped and he did murder his wife and son. And, maybe he was smart enough to quickly cover it up, to lie to the police, and at the same time be the distraught husband & father, and then again maybe he didn’t. Maybe he is innocent and he did not pull the triggers of the guns.

I would not want to be on his jury. One thing that is obvious to them, and to all of us, is that Alex Murdaugh is a user – of drugs, of people, of situations. He took from people for years and had no regret as he did it. He found a way to justify his actions in his mind. As I have watched the trial I have felt that I am watching a narcissistic person who used his name to get away with immoral and illegal actions – for years. He had no sense of shame. He did not allow himself to care for those he hurt ( he was their lawyer and helped them win cases – but then cheated them out of their money.) He felt privileged and felt that he lived under his own rules.

Do you know others like him? I can’t help but think of our past president who constantly lied, who also was smooth with twisting the English language, who only cared about what benefitted himself and not others. The two even look alike.

I also am thinking about the disparity in our court system. The reason this case has caught my eye, and has lots of attention, is because Alex Murdaugh is supposed to be a protector of the legal system, yet he abused it, and he knows how to play the game. The trial is happening in his backyard. A picture of his grandfather hangs in the courthouse. The jury members are local. Everyone in the county knows the Murdaugh name. This was a vicious crime allegedly done by a white man – in rural South Carolina.

It is suspected that the murders were done with two of the family hunting guns. The guns were most likely loaded and sitting out nearby. They were not safely locked away – which might have stopped this from happening if it was a sudden crime of passion. The weapons have not been found.

There is a documentary on the Murdaughs on Netflix. There are more than several podcasts devoted to them. I even watch a woman who is married to a defense attorney, who lives in NC, with her own daily updates and opinion videos. It is like when the OJ trial was happening – it was the talk everywhere! And everyone had an idea about what must have happened.

So, for me, now, I think the jury will not be able to get beyond a ‘reasonable doubt’ and therefore Alex Murdaugh will be acquitted of murdering his wife and son. But, he has already testified under oath about all the fraud, and the millions of dollars he stole, so he will be found guilty of those crimes in a later trial. As it was with OJ Simpson, no other killer will be found. Why? Because there was only one responsible for the murders and he will be found not guilty.

I’m a hummer. Most of the time I don’t even realize that I am doing it. I hum when I walk, or when I’m doing housework, when I am gardening, or in the shower – or really anytime that it is quiet. I hum.

I have all my life.

The other day I wondered WHY I hum, and if I am just really weird – ha. So, I took the time and I googled what it means to hum a lot.

The sites I visited online offered two main reasons for lots of humming. First, it is a stress reducer. And, yes, I get that, and I think it is something I subconsciously do to stay calm. The other reason listed said that humming is an expression of satisfaction and happiness. So, I’d like to think that is why I hum too.

If you are wondering, do I hum a specific song? No. In fact when I realize that I am humming it is my only little song that I make up as I go.

Somehow I am wired to create music in my head, be it for a sense of even rhythm, to relax myself, or to ‘have a song in my heart” to feel good – and what I always thought was quirky now makes me feel special.

😊 🎶 😊 🎶

This past week was one more example of political interference in our lives, and how party ‘angles’ or ‘spin’ is used with most everything that happens to divide us.

I’m talking about the Chinese balloon flying high above the US. It became THE topic for the week once it was discovered by American civilians, curious about that white dot way up high in the sky. Commercial aviators saw it and reported it. Oh – It’s not the first one. From what I have read, there have been spy balloons identified over our country a few times already, and they flew in the sky during both the Trump and Biden leadership time. The past ones just did not get the media and civilian attention.

Satellites circle the earth constantly taking pictures, and looking for ways to get some secret locations, or movements, from adverse countries. The US is big in satellite surveillance.. But the balloon technology allows this surveillance to be closer, and slower, and it can go undetected at times. It’s like a drone way up high, instantly sending back pictures, all the way around the world.

I got a bit of an education about the spy technique this past week once the Chinese balloon was discovered and was made known to the public. We all did. All of the news outlets led their nightly programs with pictures of it, maps of it’s path, and guesses about what it was doing. All of the ‘talking heads’ on opinion shows had a field day speculating about the balloon.

As a person who lives on the coast of South Carolina I was able to go outside and look into the sky and see it, and I also saw US military planes flying below it. Monitoring it. And, not a half hour of seeing it over my head, it was shot down into the ocean right off of where I live. Because it happened so near to me it made it seem ‘more personal.’

There was talk all week from conservatives and the news networks that they want to shoot it down immediately! They were upset that our leadership decided to let it float along. This group said our president was weak, and not showing how bad ass America can be when it comes to foreign relations. People who never ever thought about spy systems before talked like experts and exclaimed disappointment in Pres. Biden. Keep in mind – they could. Because they did not have to make the decisions about it. And, it was the ‘other’ side.

That ‘other side,’ our president and the party in power, took time to calculate the options, to consider where debris from the balloon might fall, and maybe most important to think about how China might re-act to a harsh action. US – China relations are not good already. Every move means something. So – caution is key. Well thought out response was needed. Pres. Biden even admitted he told the military to shoot it down, but the experts in the technology and in foreign affairs, said ‘wait’ – and Biden listened to them.

Okay, maybe waiting til the balloon went over the ocean was too long to wait. I sure don’t know. In fact, we may never know. Maybe China got some pictures that will help them know more about our missile silos, and our military bases, but it’s doubtful much was discovered that they don’t already know. Maybe our experts said the balloon was not getting any more info than what Google Earth can show these days.

So – one political side had the ‘luxury’ to cry wolf loudly, and to get upset that we didn’t blow the balloon out of the sky immediately. They could easily blame the president and the other party. They had nothing to lose in being loud and saying THEY would have handled it differently.

I believe that somewhere in the middle is the truth.

I believe that this spy balloon was not immediately dangerous, and that we Americans were not in dire trouble. If we were, I have enough trust to know our military would have done what had to be done quickly. I also trust the hundreds of American civil servants, who are not political, who work their whole careers (during both Rep and Dem power reigns) to do whatever they can to keep us all safe. I know many have much more knowledge than you or I on spying, and I know they weigh all the possibilities to make a good decision. They are not concerned about winning elections, or putting a majority in Congress. They work free of all of that. They work for us.

But, you know what? That’s not exciting. Thinking, waiting, watching – it’s not attention grabbing. And, it’s so much more fun to point fingers and to throw around blame for the other side. It’s so much better in keeping some people mad, and divided.

Because, being in the middle – might really get us the best answer – the most truth. But it’s not political.

I just finished a book called “Untamed” by Glennan Doyle. I’m writing a post about it today because I think it’s a worthwhile read for every woman in America.. I highly recommend it! The book is an autobiography of Glennan’s life and even though I do not relate to her personal life experiences (her struggles with bulimia, alcohol and drugs, finding real love with a woman after being a wife & mother in a traditional marriage) her analogies in each chapter had me agreeing, and saying ‘yes – that’s right.!’ I dog-eared a bunch of pages!

I’m an avid reader – of all kinds of genres – and I love books for many different reasons. Some are easy and fun reads, some are historical so I learn about the past, some are wonderful ‘who dun its,’ some delve into social issues, some let me know about other cultures, and of them all some of them I want to hold on to to reread from time to time. Glennan’s book is one to keep to refer back to when I need to read some wise, encouraging words – from a talented author who says it so well.

I’d have to this book is up there with John Pavolitz’s “If God is Love Don’t Be a Jerk” which I now keep in my car to pick up from time to time , for moments when I have a few minutes to fill. Both of these books our books that I can randomly open to any chapter and read a bit and feel my thoughts are validated. Both books speak to me about how we are to live life – as a woman, and as a Christian.

Also – both books have some humor in them which is important, along with some deeply profound thoughts. Both books are positive, and they offer a way to see the world in as it changes.

I was happy to learn that my daughters have already read “Untamed.” They already knew all about it. I hope other young women do as well.

I’m sitting on a Saturday morning watching CMT music videos. It’s been awhile since I spent time catching up on the hit songs & videos. It brings me joy! This year I need (yes, need) to enjoy more country music concerts. I already have my tickets for the CMA Fest in Nashville in June, and I am heading up to my bestie’s in PA for a similar country music weekend event on the Jersey shore the following weekend. I also have tickets to see Lainey Wilson at Coyote Joe’s in Charlotte next month. But, I definitely need to make it to a few McGraw concerts this year. And, I will always go see Keith, Dierks, and Eric. I might have to travel – but I will. Life is short. I have good health and can do it now, so I need to do it! 😊

Music makes the world go round!

So do grandkids! I’m off to babysit my granddaughter on Monday for a whole week. Will it be exhausting? Caring for a 22 month old little one? Physically. Probably – but it is SO WORTH IT! These are precious moments! The troubles of the world disappear when you hang with a toddler. The time will be good for my soul!

I live in a rural area by a river and it’s duck hunting season. So every morning now, about ten minutes before sunrise, the hunters start shooting – 6:45am ish. These guys get up really really early, and head out in their little jon boats (often camouflaged with fake grass and reeds) in the dark, find a spot, and wait for when it is legal to start shooting. It’s pretty cold out there too. But they are dedicated, and they like shooting down ducks. I’m not really sure how it works. Do they wait for them to start flying? Do they make a noise to stir them awake? Do they bring home the ducks, prepare them, and eat them? Do the hunters ever think about the loud sounds of gunfire that wake people? (No!!) I don’t get the thrill of duck hunting but I realize we all have different ‘hobbies.’ I also realize it is something passed down from generation to generation, one never in my family’s story.

Why is gun shooting cool? Why does it seem like a macho ‘right of passage”? What are we teaching our little boys?

I wonder: Why are top secret documents being so easily misplaced? And, has this been a problem with all presidents over time – but the media never made it an issue before? Were past presidents and their staffs guilty of misfiling, misplacing, perhaps because they are overworked and overtired? Were documents quietly turned in before? I feel like the found documents have become such a political issue – and a game of ‘tit for tat.’ You found mine, well then I will find yours. You sue me, I will sue you. You get a special investigation, I get a special investigation.

I asked this on Facebook the other day and I truly want to hear some reasoning on this subject: so I will ask again. One of the first things Republicans did in the House once they got a speaker and finally got down to business was to shrink the number of employees at the IRS. Why? For years the IRS has been understaffed and backlogged. Processing tax returns takes time. And, some of the returns need to be ‘red flagged’ and audited. More employees improve the system. More illegal (or accidental) wrong returns will be caught – and that means more people will owe more…. which then goes into the state and federal accounts for bettering our country. Statistically the wealthy will be most effected. Oh, and isn’t employing more people a good thing? More people working means more people contributing to the system. And more people needing charity or federal assistance. What am I missing? Can it be that some want to lessen the chance that they themselves are caught?? Do some want to get away with illegal returns??

Man, it seems there have been a lot of people dying in only in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. Way too young! The latest is Lisa Marie Presley. The poor woman had a tough life, with a famous family, as an only child, married 4 times, losing a son to suicide, and struggling with drug issues off and on. She rarely smiled in pictures. She had her daddy’s eyes and his addiction troubles. Her pain here on earth is over.

I follow a local app called GAB (Georgetown and Beyond) and I have seen obituaries lately of people in their 50’s. Here, where I live, people live hard. Georgetown is a rural southern town, yes, it’s the county seat, but it’s still full of so many people struggling to make ends meet. I wonder how much this leads to an early death. I find it interesting that some – in their 50’s – are grandparents already. So they were early parents – not ready to raise a family. I read the obituaries – and they leave me wondering what led to the early deaths. Obits rarely say the cause of death. There is still a way of life here that is mostly blue collar, factory work, with limited ways to better yourself – and there are little avenues to better life financially. Education is not stressed. It’s still about survival. It’s about ‘born here and die here.’

If you are a Dunkin Donuts person, you must try their warm avocado, tomato, and bacon sandwich. You can thank me later.

Speaking of restaurants and recommendations, when you see an online post about how good a restaurant is, do you believe it? We have a few community online sites that speak of local restaurants and thy recommend them in posts, but I have to say, I think they are usually the owners, or friends asked to write them. I don’t believe them.

Hey!!! Get over Hunter Biden. Move on. Republicans, you need to start acting like grown ups who care about important issues.

Do you have a football team choice you think will make it to the Super Bowl? Yesterday were two wildcard games and today there are two more. Hubby and I like to watch. Then it’s on to league championship games – and on to the BIG GAME! So, are you excited about Rihanna as the halftime performer? I have no interest in watching her. Tim McGraw is in concert before the game – as part of the celebrations leading up to it. I’d rather see him for halftime. But, he and other country artists don’t put on ‘spectacles’ or do more dancing than singing. It’s about the music to them. Not the ‘show.’ So, I I don’t think we will see a country artist picked for halftime anytime soon. But they perform the National Anthem. Last year it was Mickey Guyton, considered country but not really. No name has been announced yet for this year. I just checked.

I will end this with reminding you that tomorrow is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I hope you pause to think about civil rights in America. I think we need to remember the hardships, even bloodshed, that our country has gone through for what should be a simple thing: Equal rights for everyone. It is crazy to think we have not been able to live together peacefully. In fact hate crimes are on an upswing. You can’t help but think the meanness spewed about the border refugees, and the rhetoric by some in recent years, including a president, has set the US back. Rep. John Lewis said change takes generations – but to never give up. We must lose the word ‘entitlement’ – we are all in this together!!

Peace to you.