The lobby is now finished and looks pretty good. Not bad to have all the decorating done before the Thanksgiving holiday. Now I can go home and just enjoy Thanksgiving. Hope everyone has a great holiday and a safe one.

Another Busy Weekend.

Well, we are done with the room.......except for hemming the drapes and purchasing the bamboo blinds.....WE ARE DONE! Ron seems to be very happy with the outcome and so am I. I still think the paint color is a bit bright but if he's happy......I'm happy!

Here are some of our Christmas trees. We have a cowboy tree, a McDonald's tree and a Surfers tree in addition to a lollipop tree and a peppermint tree. A group of volunteers come to decorate our trees every year and they do a fantastic job!

Ready for another weekend.

This weekend I hope to finish the project started last weekend. Ron and I spent two days painting his den which was in worse shape than even I imagined. The ceiling and walls hadn't been painted in at least 30 years but it could have been even longer. Ron inherited the home after his father's death so we really don't know if they had painted since the home's construction in 1967 or not. By the color of the ceiling I would have to guess NOT. It took two paint purchases before we settled on a color. Thankfully Ron is happy with it but it's a little bright for my taste. The woodwork is dark mahogany and it is hard to pick a color to go with it. I haven't convinced Ron to let me paint the woodwork YET!!!!! I will say the bright wall color has lightened up the room a bit so that helps. We finished all the painting but we have to hang pictures and take up the 40 year old rug. There are wood floors underneath so that will also lighten up the space as well. These are a few BEFORE pictures. When we finish hanging curtains, pictures, etc. I'll post the after........any helpful criticism is welcome. Decorating isn't might strong suit.

The Finished Product!

The Pride of OU

My daughter's latest clothespin dolls. One of the counselors at her school was in the OU marching band in 1985. She met her husband while at school and he was a drummer. My daughter researched their uniforms from 1985 and created these dolls. I thought they were so cute!

The auto industry

This was posted at thedailyduke.com and it was so good I had to share it here.

A plan for saving the American automotive industry, and the millions of Americans they employ!

First, a little modern history recap. Trickle down economics doesn’t work. It’s time you just go ahead and admit that. We’ve been messing around with this concept for about 20 years, and with the exception of the reprieve we had from Slick Willie for eight years or so, it has become crystal-clear that while Ronnie may have been a wonderful motivator, he and his team sucked from an economic perspective. Handing the Big 3 billions and billions of dollars is nothing more than a pure, unadulterated trickle down depth charge that will implode our economy and sink our country once and for all.

What has been proven to work, time and time again, is to free up the economic stranglehold by letting the people spend their money. Giving the Big 3 auto makers billions and billions of dollars to make more cars won’t work. You can’t build a pyramid from the top down. It’s simple physics! If you give the car companies billions of dollars, all they’re going to do is build more cars! The problem is, no one can buy those shiny new cars because we don’t have any money and the banks won’t lend us any because they’re just about as messed up as the car companies!

If you want to save the car companies, the jobs that go with them, and the economy at large, do the following.
1. Send every tax-paying U.S. Citizen a survey and in that survey ask two simple questions: Are you a licensed driver in the state in which you live? And, What is your favorite make and model of American automobile, Ford, Chrysler, or GM?
2. Once you get the surveys back, send everyone who responded a check large enough to cover a substantial down-payment on the automobile of their choice. And, this is important, make the check payable to both the survey participant AND the auto maker they chose on the survey. For example, if I said I liked Ford, then you would send me a check made payable to me and Ford Motor Company.
That’s it. The Big 3 and the economy are saved all at the same time. Don’t believe me? Here’s what would happen:
1. Upon receiving their checks, the American people would immediately begin shopping for a new car. This keeps the car dealers open and the sales, service, and administrative people employed. Unemployment rates drop.
2. Because the checks you’ve sent only cover the down-payment, the American people would go to their local lending institutions to borrow the balance of the purchase price. This keeps the banks solvent, and keeps the bankers, tellers, accountants, and loan officers employed. Unemployment rates drop some more.
3. Because the banks are solvent, they are now more comfortable about lending money for home loans. More people are able to stay in their homes and/or purchase a new one. The housing crisis is solved.
4. The car dealers would send the checks to the auto makers and the banks would send the balance of the loan amount as well. The car dealers become profitable, invest in green technology for the future and more people remain employed. New jobs are created as well. Unemployment rates drop even further.
5. New cars have to be insured. Upon purchase of their new cars, the American people would call their insurance companies and purchase more insurance. This keeps the insurance agents, underwriters, actuaries, and claims processors employed. AIG is saved. Unemployment rates drop to an all time low.
6. Because unemployment rates are now lower than ever before, there is a fundamental shift in the overall perception that the economy is bad. Things start to look better to everyone because things are better. Not great, but getting better everyday instead of worse. More and more people are able to find jobs.
7. Since more people are gainfully employed, more taxes are being fed to the beast paid to Federal, State, and Local governments. This not only eventually funds the initial Big 3 bail out, but also helps to fund the much needed improvements to our infrastructure.
And all because we decided that the only way to rebuild our house is from the bottom up, not the top down. By recognizing that it is the American people who are the foundation of our economic house. That it is the American people who must be addressed first. You don’t build your house by first putting on the roof, for goodness sake. It. Can’t. Be. Done.

Or, we could do it this way:
1. Give billions and billions of dollars to the Big 3. They build a bunch of cars for a while until the money runs out. Again. No one can buy them because we’re all broke. Still.
2. There is no # 2. THERE IS NO #2 - We’re just out of luck!

Christmas Parade

It's that time of year again. The annual golf cart Christmas parade! I've been trying to stir up the competitive juices around here but so far I only have 3 floats signed up. This year's theme is "Christmas Around the World". I'm trying to come up with an idea and so far I've all I've got is a giant House (Advent Calendar)....I thought behind each door would be a Christmas scene in other parts of the world. Anyone have any ideas?

Ikea

My five days off was great. Although we didn't spend the night in Dallas we did get as far as Frisco and to Ikea. WOW....My new favorite store. I sure wish we had one closer but I guess I shouldn't complain. It's only a 3 hour drive from here but next time I go I will go with a list, measurements, and a TRUCK! Ron and I were actually a little overwhelmed by all the stuff but agreed it was really a neat place. If you were a young couple just starting out it is a great place to buy furniture and accessories at a very reasonable price and it is all young and contemporary. I really liked it. I found the chair I went there to purchase...(one Christmas present done) Picked up a couple of really cool picture frames. I couldn't resist them but have absolutely no place to hang them. They are very large.....white....contemporary....square...and hold a 12X12 picture. Soooo I purchased some scrapbook papers in various designs and colors and tried them out. Looks really good. They will look better in my daughter's very contemporary home so another Christmas present done. We then went to the Frisco mall and did more shopping but after that we were pretty much whipped and decided to drive back home rather than stay the night. My arthritis makes sleeping anywhere but in my own bed a little difficult. Guess I'm the party pooper. We decided we will definitely think about a trip in the near future. We are so different. I'm the democrat but I live very conservatively and Ron is the republican who spends like there is no tomorrow. Maybe that isn't so far off after all. Bush definitely spent like there was no tomorrow and there nearly wasn't one.

Christmas is tight this year

Although embarrassing to admit, Christmas is tight this year. I will be making bedroom slippers for all my family and friends as gifts and I've included the directions for those who would wish to do the same.

You need four maxi pads to make one pair of slippers. Two of them get laid out flat for the foot part and the other two wrap around the toe area to form the top. Tape or glue each side of the top pieces to the bottom of the foot part. Decorate the tops with whatever you desire.

These slippers are:
soft and hygienic
non-slip grip strips on the soles
built in deodorant feature keeps feet smelling fresh
no more bending over to mop up spills
disposable and biodegradable
environmentally safe
Come in 3 convenient sizes: (1) regular (2) light and (3) get out the sand bags!

Reconcilliation

I saw this posted in a comment section on another blog and thought it was so good. This poem was received in an email in 2004. Funny how it still applies.

——
In the spirit of reconciliation with Republican friends and neighbors, I offer the following poem…

The election is over, the results are now known.
The will of the people has clearly been shown.
We should show by our thoughts and our words and our deeds
That unity is just what our country now needs.
Let’s all get together. Let bitterness pass.
I’ll hug your elephant.
You kiss my ass.

(an unknown Democrat)

I'm off work for the next 5 days and I can't wait! After my online test tomorrow Ron and I are going to Dallas. It's been over 4 years since we took any kind of trip so I'm excited just to be going anywhere. As long as we don't discuss politics I think we are safe. We do pretty well most of the time but I know his republican blue butt is in a twinge right now so it can be a little testy. I'll work hard on my own self-control (since I can be a bit vocal) and we should do alright.

WOW

We have all witnessed a historical event....our first African American President. Isn't that something? He is linked by race not only to those enslaved in this country but to their enslavers. I'm just mind boggled by the significance of this moment. I can so clearly remember an event when I was a little girl shopping in Oklahoma City with my mother and her aunt. I couldn't have been much more than six or seven years old and we had decided to go to the diner at Brown's department store. We hadn't been seated for long when a long line of black demonstrators stood outside the door. Some of them had actually come into the diner. There was a little black girl standing in the line and she was about my age. I remember asking my mother what was going on and she told me they were demonstrating for the right to be served in the diner. That was my first lesson on prejudice and bigotry. I couldn't imagine why this little girl couldn't sit down with her mother just like me. I never ever forgot how I felt watching all those people, quietly and peacefully demonstrate. It is wonderful to see so much happen in my own life time. Now, young African Americans will know without a doubt that all doors are open to them even the White House!

Be Sure To Vote

Well, I exercised my right to vote this morning. I got there about 6:45 and was out and to work by 7:30. I have to say that every time I cast a ballot in any election I think about the thousands of men and women who gave their lives so I could have that right. I never want to take that for granted or let their sacrifice be in vain. So...remember to vote no matter what your political persuasion just exercise your right and your voice.

Baby Asher as Elvis!

pumpkin house

I only put out a few pumpkins! ha

Halloween

Well, Halloween was a disappointment. I had popcorn balls, toys, and candy ready for the trick-or-treaters. I decorated the front of the house with pumpkins, ghost luminaries, etc. and then waited.....waited....and finally 4 trick-or-treaters waited some more.....and that was it! Candy anyone? Popcorn balls? Halloween sure isn't how I remember it as a kid.

I'm looking forward to next weekend. Ron and I are going to Dallas. I'm so ready to just get away. I don't know what we are going to do yet but shopping is on my list. Maybe get a little Christmas shopping done. Ron is thinking romance and I'm thinking shopping.............! Must be that Venice & Mars thing.