Im back. We had to go off line for a while until we paid comcast somemore money.
Huntington decimated our account by letting a lawyer garnish money from an account that is solely from Social Security. This is a no no. The bank blames the lawyer, the lawyer blames the bank and they both say that I must spend money to hire a lawyer to fight this. In the mean time, we get screwed. Oh, by the way, that medical bill that they were garnishing for had already been taken care of.
What is the difference between and lawyer and a snake. The snake hates being put in the same sentence as a lawyer.

One week until Christmas.
They have now named the presidency of Bill Clinton. It will be called,"Sex between the Bushes".
Here is a Christmas greeting we can all associate with. "Moneys tight, times are hard. Here's your freeking Christmas card."

Gm and Chrysler are now looking at merging to keep from going under. Ford is doing ok but could use some help. No one is talking about Saturn. Is it possible that they got it right?

Granholm has said that she won't except a position of Obamas staff. I guess it is better to turn down the possibility of getting the job then to be left out in the cold.

Super stars and famous people have things thrown at them like flowers, gifts, and underwear. Bush has a reporter throw both of his shoes at him. Both shoes missed their mark, something like Bushes Iraq strategies. Since it has got so bad that reporters are throwing articles of clothing at him, all future press conferences will be done in the nude. "Will the real bush please stand up".

Lets start out another fun filled week.
Last week, Liz was diagnosed with degenerative arthritis of the spine. She has been in a great amount of pain, and has a hard time even walking. With all her other problems, this was not needed. We are waiting for the doctors decision on what to do next. The pain pills and shots do not work as she is still in a great amount of pain. This has kept me very busy taking care of everyone and everything.
Cat and Sean will most likely move into their apartment after the first of the year. When they move out, we will take their room since it is on the main floor and will be easier access for Liz. We might even do it before then.

Today I had to go with Cody for his pretrial hearing. He was caught fishing in a forbidden stream. There were no signs posted and nothing to show that it was a closed stream. When Cody went in, I was not allowed because he is 17, they found him guilty. It was posted in a book that he got with his fishing license. He is suppose to remember every stream. Ignorance is not a excuse. Here is a young man who decides to fish and stay out of trouble. He was hit with $120.00 fine. When we went to collection I asked how they expect him to pay this fine if he doesn't have a job? I explained that he is in high school. He should drop out of school, get a job so he can pay his fine. This is another great example of how our court system fails. If he doesn't find a way to pay this fine, they would put him a jail. I don't know who is more ignorant. DNR busting a young kid for fishing in a unmarked, and closed stream. I know, they were just doing their job. DNR's failure to mark the stream and use the excuse of, "it's in the handbook, you should have known." The court failure to look at the big picture and just be more concerned about not hurting the DNR's feelings. It is the courts rational that for example, the state does not need to post speed limits on the highways because everyone know what it is. You should not need to post no trespassing signs because it is understood that trespassing is forbidden. It's the law and we as citizens should know all the laws, speed limits, and other minor things, should be memorized. Ignorance is not an excuse.
If you spend time and listen to people at the county court house and you will understand how a system can go so bad. One women was there on an arrest warrant for shoplifting. When walking thru a store, her young daughter reached out and took a $1.50 pin. She was found guilty because her daughter is her responsibility. A man was found guilty because his dog got out of a fenced in yard. His dog was licenced, but because he was running free, he was fined over $100.00. The law is the law. this was the first time that his dog got loose.
We need reforms, not obscure fines that nickel and dime us to death. The next time someone says that our prisions are overcrowded, or that crime has risen, stop and see what laws are being violated.
I could have hired a lawyer to defend Cody, but that would be cost prohibitive. Once again they are hoping to feed the system. I was prohibited from defending Cody because he is an adult in their eyes, and since I was not a lawyer, I was not allowed in. These are some of the reason that crime has risen. People will just pay the fine and plead guilty. It is cheaper. Guilty until proven guilty.

I met a friend at the doctors office yesterday. You know you are getting old when you meet friends at doctors offices. This friend of mine had hurt his finger in his garage door, and all those broken finger jokes came rushing back. I held my tongue and did not share my lack of intelligence. Why is it that some of us will try to crack a joke at someones misfortune. Are we cruel by nature, or do we think that this is a way to cheer someone up. My friend, a man a great intelligence,would have laughed along because of his gregarious nature and kind soul, but I'm sure his finger still will hurt after all the jokes are told. I think that it might be that little devil in me because I know he will read this and have to respond with his finger either sutured or in a splint and that could cause a chuckle or two as he tries to type out a response.

It's December, it's snowing, and it's cold. Winter has really roared in this year.
Liz was helping me this week and hurt her back. Just what she needs, one more thing to go wrong.
Cody had his first basketball game last night. This was the team that I coached last year, started up, and had it taken from me from a teacher who gets first choice. They lost, and Cody sat the bench. He is one of the top guards in the area, he worked hard to get his knee in shape after having his ACL replaced, and the coach says that he need to try harder. He missed two practices due to doctors appointment and court. I feel this was more directed at me in a effort to say that he is in charge. The coach has now gone as far as insisting that the team call him coach. It drives him crazy when I show up to pick up Cody and all the team members were still calling me coach. I have done everything in my power to butt out and not offer my opinion. My biggest question is, " This coach has pretty much the same team as last year." " He now has a home gym(all our game last year were on the road), new uniforms (home and away), a team bus, a larger basketball budget to buy more basketball and other equipment." They look worse then last year and have not improved at all. The Question is, "Should I be smiling or shaking my head in disbelief?"