Friday Follies...
Old Man Winter is doing a number out West (several FEET of snow in some places), and temperatures have settled into their "seasonal" highs and lows most all over the country, which means that all this here GLOBAL WARMING crap must be...well, CRAP.
I've already got some ice-melt at the local big-box (to add to "my" stockpile), because I do believe in being prepared. (it's a old boy scout thing...LOL)
And it was on SALE...remember, NEVER pass up a sale for something totally PRACTICAL, for there will come a time when you NEED it, and wished to God you bought it when you had the chance...trust me.
And speaking of "practicality"...
--Wow..imagine that.
Right smack-dab in the middle of the holiday season, we get an nice early Christmas gift...
Charlie Rangel DID get censured by the House yesterday, and Pelosi looked as PO'ed as could be...I was loving it!
It was like getting a "two-fer"...LOL!
This is only the 5th time anyone got censured (the last four comprised three DEMOCRATS and one REPUBLICAN...that's gotta tell 'ya something).
Yo, Charlie...thanks for making MY week a little bit nicer.
Now, about the ETHICS violations on MAXINE WATERS...
(a stocking stuffer for the masses?)
We can but hope.
So, you got the decorations thing going on now, right?
RRRIIIGGGHHHHTTT?
Good, now you've also checked the wiring for the extension cords and all the plugs involved too, right?
Excellent!
And, you've tested the batteries in your smoke detectors as well, correct?
Marvelous!
You're pretty much set to start looking for other things you may need this season, but might have overlooked in your zealous pursuit of those "perfect gifts".
For example, do you have enough SCOTCH TAPE?
What about WRAPPING PAPER, or TISSUE PAPER (for lining gift boxes)?
And how about some RIBBON and/or BOWS to go with that?
I know I've gotten to a point in years past where I had everything ready to go...and then couldn't find wrapping paper in the house.
It's one of those things we use UP, and then forget about...at last I used to be that way.
Then, after I hit the stores days AFTER Christmas, I stocked the hell up. I could now wrap the GARAGE with the extra rolls we've bought, AND have plenty of tape to hold it together.
Still, you can snag some deals for gift wrap easily enough - ditto for the tape.
Now, if you're shipping stuff somewhere else, you'll need boxes, probably of varying sizes.
Did you keep those eBay boxes from auctions past?
if you did, you got some freebie "recyclables", and they're probably USPS boxes to boot (easy to seal, re-seal, and are sturdy).
We have stacks if such boxes in the basement for just such a situation.
Nothing ever gets wasted around our house (except ME...once in a great with with my "high-octane" EGG NOG during the holidays).
For those packages going out of town, you're going to need address labels and a sharpie and clear packing tape.
I ALWAYS cover the label with that clear tape, in the event that someone spills something on it, or it gets rained on, and the ink from the marker should run.
That eliminates ANY problem with the package getting to the destination YOU wanted it to go to.
Postage isn't going to be a killer, unless you send out a LOT of Christmas cards (as I like to do).
I have cut back the list from years past, as so many people we USED to get cards from stopped sending them.
There was a time when I was young, that our family received so MANY cards every year, that Mom used to have me tape them down the banister stiles...and they were FILLED from top to bottom. That was a LOT of Christmas cards...from a lot of good people...and from a kinder time in America.
Wifey and I were placing our cards around the cutout between the kitchen and the family room addition...that would hold a nice number of cards.
But in recent years, we've barely received any at all...just the usual ones from her side of the family (most of my side is pretty much deceased).
I'll still send some along, even if I don't get one back...just because I like doing it. It's one of those "traditions" we had at our house.
Now, if you're sending items to our troops overseas, there are some info you need to know.
** It typically take 14 DAYS for standard mail to go from Maryland (point of departure) to Iraq or Afghanistan (sometimes, it takes a little as 4-5 days).
This includes flat-rate shipping.
** Do not mix FOOD and NON-FOOD contents.
Sending cookies with deodorant is NOT a good mix, for example, because a nice-smelling underarm is ONE thing, but having those chocolate chip cookies taste like Right Guard doesn't help a soldier's morale in the manner designed...LOL
** Send your items in easy to handle boxes, and wrap it like Mighty Joe Young is handling it, because there probably IS an 800 lb gorilla in the room doing just that. If whatever you send rattles around inside the box, it probably won't survive the trip.
(and wind up as an EOD "demo" for the newbies)
** If you're wondering WHAT (and what NOT) to send, here's the link:
http://www.give2thetroops.org/items.htm
That should provide the necessary heads-up when you sending things overseas.
Now, "technically" you already missed one deadline (26 November for SAM - Space Available Mail), BUT, you have until 10 December for PRIORITY & FIRST-CLASS mail, and 18 December for EXPRESS MAIL...so what are you waiting for, hmm?
** There are prohibited items, such as horror comics, obscene articles like print, video, cards & paintings, as well as nude or semi-nude depictions, porno or sex-related items ( guess that Picasso will have to remain stateside), and unauthorized political materials (so much for a copy of the U.S. Constitution, December's Playboy, Field & Stream, or GUNS magazine).
Add to that bulk quantities of religious material contrary to the Islamic faith, though personal use items are permitted (Thank you, Jesus...oops, didn't mean to offend)
And NO pork or pork by-products.
(What? No SPAM? No VIENNA SAUSAGES? No HAM SPREAD? How bloody barbaric!)
Geez, I know if I were over there, and had such "restrictions", placed on me, I'd be SO pissed off, I could take on the Taliban AND Al-Queda single-handed...and win in SIX DAYS, resting on the SEVENTH (naturally) to enjoy those Vienna Sausages and Spam sandwiches while reading that End-of-year issue of Playboy!
You can easily see how GOOD "we" have it over here, no matter what situation we find ourselves in.
If there are any restrictions on ourselves, it's usually self-imposed, as we are the type of people that CHOOSE (freely) to NOT do something evil or wrong.
But there are those among us who take such freedom and pervert it to their own end.
And for that...we have LAWS.
They are restrictions for those without the capacity to use common sense and think logically for themselves.
We have to be careful here, because when such laws, rules, or regulations begin to intrude on those of us WITH the ability to make the good decisions and choices (which would be the vast majority of us), we tread on tyrannical ground, for we abrogate our freedom and liberty for the sake of controlling a handful. We give the government control and basically say that the civil "servants" should run the manor. (that we, the people own)
This should never be allowed to occur.
SOME people need control in their lives, for they are without any, others need someone to provide them a hand-up, and that's where being charitable comes in.
The rest of us are there to make sure that those who need are provided the opportunity to need no longer, and we allow those that need help to help themselves, restoring their own dignity in the process.
THAT is part of the AMERICAN spirit...and it's been around for some time.
Something to think about as we bring the holidays to OUR homes and families near and afar this year.
Have yourselves a fantastic weekend.
Be well, make a difference to someone...and, as always...
Stay safe out there, America.


((Remember - 22 shopping days left until Christmas))