Below is a chart of the home value of our previous home in Streamwood (dark green line. The light green represents the average in the area). The dollar sign represents the date of our sale. Neither Jenny, nor I, can claim responsibility for the fact that we sold it at just the right moment, but we’re very happy that it happened when it did.
The men of Kootenai Church served Easter Breakfast to the church. It’s a tradition but this year Thomas was asked to be in charge. Nobody died.
Yes, we (Jenny, a friend Ron, and myself) went to a tea party in Coeur d’Alene. I think these tea parties that took place on April 15th were different things to different people. So, forgive me if I went for reasons that you might not value as mush as I do. For me it was not so much an “Anti-Tax Protest” as a “Anti-Spend Rally”. Besides my conservative values, I’m a very strong believer in smaller government especially on the federal level. In short, corruption asside, the elephants and donkeys have, with good intentions, done many disservices to our country in my lifetime. The biggest is that both have taken the country away from the original constitution, and what government should be, to the biggest, most uncontrolled consumer/spender of money this world has ever seen. I’m pro-tax, but there needs to be limitations. And a country that spends less, can afford to tax less. In short – I’m the best spender of the money I work hard for every day and within reasonable limits (that’s the problem), the government deserves some of that money.
OK, so enough politics. I was suprised that two of the larger cities in our area drew a combined 1700 people. We went to the one in Coeur d’Alene and were greeted by a bunch of friendly folks who, for the most part, were not targeting individual leaders (past and present) but rather the overall dissappointment in the way our government is managing our money. It was quite festive with a bandshell, music, speakers, and lots and lots of signs. We went away feeling as though we’re not the only people who value conservitive fiscal responsibility. We’re also very glad to observe first hand the difference between our experience at the rally and what the liberal media saw.
I don’t think I’ve been in a crowd this size in years.
These guys were the photo op of the crowd. Very cute but very sad.
And I had to get this woman’s picture. As an attender of the rally, like us, clearly she must be an extremist. The sign of this sweet little lady reads, “I’m a Dangerous Person”. Unfortunately, this seems to be the attitude of the general media and Homeland Security.
Jenny came in to complain about having to wipe the snow off the satellite dish today. 1/2 inch of “white rain” fell and coated everything. It immediately began to melt.
Guns are a common sight around here. Most everyone has one it seems. In Idaho, you can carry a gun in public although it’s very rare to see that kind of thing. I have to admit, I’m getting less sensitive about seeing them. A few weeks ago, I was filling my car with gas and I saw two older gentlemen talking by the open door on their pickup truck. It wasn’t long before I realized that one of them had a rifle. I observed without giving it much thought. Imagine, men with guns and my heart didn’t skip a beat. They continued to talk as one man was clearly showing the features of the gun to the other. I put the gas cap back on, got in and drove away. I hadn’t given it much thought other than the realization that it wasn’t a big deal here, where as in the hyper-blue state of Illinois, these guys would be facing weapons charges.
It’s interesting that with so many people owning guns around here that somehow gun crimes aren’t that common. Guns are simply a well respected hunting device and not always a dangerous weapon. And about as common and noteworthy as a nice power tool.
With the ice on Cocolalla Lake finally beginning to give way to spring, I couldn’t help but get this shot of two fishermen welcoming spring…in a puddle. Winter is long here, and all of us have been cooped up for what seems like forever. So, at any given opportunity, we’re all doing our best to ignore the fact that winter doesn’t wish to leave any time soon.
(Click to enlarge)
Here’s a shot of the beast that broke the heart of dear-sweet Jenny.
Yes, this monster has crossed the line and hurt my wife. How? Many moons ago, before the snow began to fall (which seems like 5 years ago), Jenny was out planting flower bulbs and dreaming of the day they would sprout in the springtime. Her favorite flowers are tulips and sure enough, spring came and from the earth dug with her little hands appeared the fruit of her labor. Each day we’d enjoy these new little plants as they grew to 4 inches tall. Then the vagrant came! In the dark of night, while only God was watching with tears welling up in his eyes, the beast systematically devoured each helpless little plant, ripping them from the earth as their tiny roots tried to resist this relentless creature. The end was surely slow and painful.
The day after, I discovered the crime scene and my heart sank for I knew that poor Jenny would be be hurt by this monster. The news stunned her.
Jenny would like a 12-gauge for Christmas, if not sooner… much sooner.
Once again we visit the justification for buying “toys”, or what I mean is “tools and equipment”. Example, you get a flat tire on your car and find that the rim has welded itself to the axle of your car. All the kicking, hammering, and banging in the world would not free the rim. Solution: let “Cammy” do it. Cammy, by the way is my ATV named by Jenny after the camouflage paint job. Shown here working hard, Cammy gets that rim off the car in no time. Cost justified, marriage saved …again.
