Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Spreading a (Very) Little Sunshine

Gasoline is very scarce here. Some people are waiting in line in some places up to five hours. Wal-Mart (Murphy) had none last night, and Exxon had only regular. Cole has a baseball tournament in Myrtle Beach this coming weekend. They have reserved a campsite. The gas situation is even worse there than it is here in the Upstate. I hope they don’t get marooned. Their Expedition gets about 9 miles to the gallon when towing the camping trailer.

Last week when I spoke to the broker who suggested that we put our IRA into an AIG annuity, I asked that he send us the documents necessary to withdraw our funds. He hasn’t sent them. There is the ongoing investigation that began a couple of years ago concerning their accounting practices (brings Enron to mind), and now the FBI is instituting a new investigation into possible mortgage fraud. WE WANT OUR MONEY AND WE WANT IT NOW! I realize that taking our money out is not the best idea (rather like rats deserting a sinking ship), but I’m sure that the amount we have in there seems a pittance to AIG. We could be left with nothing if the worst happens. Those of us with the least need it the most.

I went to the doctor last week for a checkup. Things aren’t so hot; liver function out of whack, kidneys not up to par, glucose levels up, and blood pressure up. There’s not much to be done about the kidneys and liver except to watch my diet (I’ve been watching it all along—going to hell in a handbasket). He increased the insulin and blood pressure medication. He also said that I should monitor my blood pressure. Having that gauge makes me feel like a hypochondriac.

Monday the periodontist performed a little surgery on my mouth. It didn’t hurt during the procedure, but it hurts like a son-of-a-gun now. The ends of the stitches are hanging down in my mouth. Gross! I thought the pain factor would be like having an extraction. I’ve never had to take pain medication for extractions, but I am very happy to have it now. It makes me sleep all day though.

Yesterday I was sitting on the deck reading (and feeling miserable) when a hummingbird darted within a couple of feet of my head. He hovered over the hibiscus blossoms for a bit before flying past me again. If I hadn’t ducked, he would have hit me smack dab in the forehead.

Our country is in the midst of the worst financial crisis since 1929, we are fighting wars on two different fronts, we are all being affected by energy crisis, and another tropical depression is forming in the Atlantic. So why is Clay Aiken's sexual orientation all over the news? Does anyone really give a hoot? Not me, that's for sure (insert old codgerette grumbling here).

Enough of this doom and gloom! The weather this week has been absolutely glorious! Bright blue skies, fluffy clouds, and temperatures in the high seventies. I can’t ask for better than that!

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