In GENERAL......

In General....who cares?  I guess the press and the Pentagon and the White House needed news.  Thank you Generals and your baggage.  No longer are we worried about the economy or the fiscal cliff or even foreign policy.  We're devastated that two of our illustrious generals have been involved in a bit of hanky-panky.....As Jay Leno said last night, It's disgusting that these men are acting like.........well..........Congressmen!!!  Actually, who cares?  Bill Clinton?  I personally think it's quite a coincidence that General Petraeus resigns just short of his testifying before a Congressional committee on the debacle in Benghazi....Perfect time for a scandal.....OK, I've been watching too much TV.  Call Olivia, she'll handle it....We all know big wig politicians have "handlers" and what better diversion for a dead ambassador than a sex scandal.  Really? what press box do they think we just fell off? ( I know..I ended a sentence with a preposition) 

Gawker.com has graciously provided the world with a flow chart to help sort out the nation's latest crisis.

If you feel the need to be more informed about the Generals and their "internal affairs", just turn on the TV...it's everywhere. The gals on the "View" are already casting the movie and I'm sure the ladies of the "The Talk" will be happy to give you the latest updates on who's entering who's foreign territory.

Stay Tuned!

Whew! #6 in the bag!

We went around the world in a week-end and we had a blast. Mother Nature cooperated and we had a great 65 degree morning to celebrate Miss B's 6th birthday. We had yummy food (thanks Dave), great cakes (thanks Mommy) wonderful gifts (thanks friends and family) and relaxing bloody marys (thanks Russia!) Other contributing countries were Spain (Spanish omelets), Belgium (waffles),Poland (sausage), France (French toast), Greece (yogurt), Canada (bacon), USA (OJ) and Brazil (coffee)!!  It was a delectable journey for our tummies!

After a little clean up, Bailee, Jess and I were off to one of our favorite places....Hope Lake Lodge at Greek Peak. The girls went directly to the water park and I relaxed on the big comfy bed in our suite. I took in a little football...less than favorable results and a little SU basketball..SUccess!  We enjoyed a nice supper with grilled rib eyes, baked taters, salad and dino nuggets.. guess who had what? We passed on the bonfire and headed back to our room with blueberry cheesecake, chocolate PB pie and a chocolate sundae....into our jammies and R-E-L-A-X was the word.  It's such a great place for R & R.

Just because a picture is worth a 1000 words..... Here's a short story!!!

It's a cupcake world:-)

A mini world cake

Time for a dance with Hunter in the cottage

From Jillsy and Jim

A world ornament from Aunt Kyle and Uncle Ray

Love the water park

REAL captain's pilot wings from Uncle Jeff

A brand new "Mommy made" blankey!

The (my) fiscal cliff

Today the press is all a-twitter about the impending fiscal cliff and what will happen when we all fall off.. It appears that that fall will cost each of us around $2500.  That's an extra $5000 that my household will have to cough up... and I say that literally.  Obamacare is so wonderful that our health insurance will cost a mere $1200 a month when the new year rings in and that includes a $1000 deductible for each of us.....cough-cough!  The only way to stop our plunge is to play well together in the congressional sandbox and get along well enough to build some bipartisan structures and programs. We may very well catch colds from each other or maybe even the flu but Obamacare will have that covered.  Elections are over and it's time that Johnny, Barry and the other kids in Congress get their act together and do what they know has to be done to stop the financial bleeding and start to heal the wound.  I think if the "It's mine, no, it's mine" mentality is set aside, it can be done. After all, it's not really any of theirs, it's ours!!! (and if it can't be accomplished outside in the fresh air, go inside and sit in time out....we really don't care how you get it done at this point!!)

The "Eyes" have it

The vote is in and in my humble opinion (and obviously Wall Street's) we're in for 4 years of rough sailing.  I think there were many factors for the loss.... including but not exclusively linked, to hurricane Sandy, Romney's wealth, miscommunication, media hype and our obvious deluge of minorities in the US...( Hispanics, blacks, women, etc).  I'm also not a fan of the Electoral College....never have been even when it gave the White House to a Republican.  I'm not sure what to expect for the next 4 years but unless we can learn to get along in the sandbox, we're in trouble.

Yesterday's cataract surgery was....well..... eye opening!  It took longer to get prepped than for the surgery.  It's a great place....Surgicare in Ithaca.  The staff was extremely professional, courteous and skilled.  Is my eye better? .....not so much:-(  There is no pain...scratchy and extremely blurry.  I know that things should be better after the Left eye is "repaired" but I was expecting to be able to see something clearer through my right one.. My glasses are not the correct prescription now for my R eye but even if I take them off, I cannot decipher any words or even faces. I'm heading in for a post-op visit shortly and I'm hoping he says things are A-Ok.  Guess miracles don't happen and I was a little too optimistic to expect... so..  We'll see.................hopefully!

Election Day

Four years ago a new President was elected on the platform of Hope and Change.   How'd that work for us?  Today, I'm just plain hoping for a change!  I am NOT a racist although I can't say that either of my families taught me how NOT to be one.  I'm pretty sure we're all pink and bloody on the inside!  Don't get me wrong, I've told my share of racial jokes but I've also told my share of redneck jokes and I'm also pretty sure the redneck frenzy hasn't been portrayed by Chinese, Black or Native Americans with their caps on backwards and their sleeves cut off.  What I'm not too sure about is the fact that an American President has the ability to actually do ANYTHING!  Certainly they can spend billions of our dollars to merely exist. We house them, protect them, feed them, transport them, insure them and then............pay them, but what do they actually do?  They can accomplish nothing themselves.....especially this one.....I have yet to actually learn of his qualifications for the job he has held for the past 4 years.  Shouldn't you have made an impact on somebody somewhere at some time to be the POTUS?  I understand some voter's reticence to place a millionaire in the office of President but people, this country is not the Golden Arches. We need a leader, albeit Congress has the real power, who has some experience in making the wheels of what used to be the most powerful country in the world turn in a forward, successful motion. I'm really thinking that's NOT Barack Obama.  He's a nice guy, he meant well and he was up against interminable odds....but he failed.  If you fail at your job, whether it's greeting at WalMart or designing rockets, they replace you!  If you're not helping your team score points, they replace you.  I'm hoping today they call in from the bench and score one for Team USA.  We'll survive one way or the other but I have my doubts about our grandkids.  This game is for the championship and I don't want them to be the losers!

My name is Grandma Hatfield and I approve this message!!

Cottage Complete

Well the cottage is complete........almost!  One major component is missing...the game table....but it's pretty close. The tiles just need to be set and the legs attached.

Bailee arrived home from her Dad's and we spent the next couple of hours in the cottage. We read 5 books, played Simon Says, Minute to Win it and school, danced to Wooly Bully and filled the shelves with books.  I even passed on watching most of the Giants/Steelers game in favor of B-time. (not much of a concession:-)  Once Santa arrives, we 'll have lots of games to play at/on the new table.

I love it when a plan comes together♥

Cottage sweet cottage

our snuggle spot

Game table goes here

Lumiere (from Beauty and the Beast)

Filling the shelves with books!

 

Better late than never....

It's been a very busy few days with even busier ones ahead.  Halloween was fun, as always.  Betsy Ross came to town and showed us the magnificent flag she had been stitching.  We visited Great Grandma and her friends at the Nursing Home and made it back in time to take in Locke's parade and Halloween festivities at the Fire house.  Betsy and her flag won the award for best overall costume for all ages:-)  She was very excited.  We trick or treated around Locke for awhile and then headed to the "Aunts" for goodies.... They always have the best treats... popcorn balls at Aunt Wendy's, a goodie bag @ Aunt Kelly's and special treats at Aunt Kim's.  A stop at "Uncle" Dave's garnered another special bag of sugar filled snacks.... Betsy headed home with a full pumpkin and tired feet:-)

The cottage is complete...They say if you want the job done right, hire the best... I have the best electrician, painter and carpenter! ... They are all so very patient with me and seldom roll their eyes (in front of me) when I explain what I want.  They've learned that I just might know what the hell I'm doing...or at least are smart enough not to question me.....Regardless, it's coming together just as I had envisioned. Tomorrow, I'll clean and begin the phoo-phoo faze and load in furniture Sunday....just in time for B to get home from her visit with her Dad...

Next week is busy and I might not get to my babbling blog every day.  Elections on Tuesday may force me to eat all three meals at various fundraisers. Wednesday is right eye cataract surgery.  I'm so looking forward to having a non-cloudy day.. unrelated to weather :-)

Next week-end we'll all gather to celebrate Bailee's sixth birthday with breakfast around the world.  Who would think a 6 year old would want a geography birthday!  That afternoon, B, Jess and I will head to Hope Lake Lodge for an overnight and some swimming....outside!!!

So, blogging may be hit and miss but I'll have LOTS to share in the following week.  Then hunting begins, Jeff and Jerm get home and the holidays begin... along with Jeff turning 34...I can remember when he turned 4 !  The world sure spun that 30 years away?