Pony Express

I went to the Post Office yesterday to mail a package to my granddaughter for Valentine's Day. There were 7 days to go, so I thought I had plenty of time. I told the young lady to post it the normal (cheapest) way. She said it would get there by Friday, the 15th....(8 days) She then explained to me that recently the USPS has had all packages mailed from Lincoln, NE routed first to Des Moines,Iowa then on to it's destination. Des Moines is 188 miles to the East of Lincoln, NE. So my pkg goes 188 miles to the east before it can then redirect and go to Tacoma, Wa. She also told me that all letters mailed from Lincoln, Ne first go to Omaha and then on to their final destination. So all mail goes east first from Lincoln, even if it is actually destined for places West.

The Pony Express made it from St. Joseph, Mo to Sacramento, CA in about 10 days normally. The record was 7 days! 7 days...does that ring a bell? 8 days for my package to get to Tacoma, WA from Lincoln, Ne by 2013 mail, 7 days for the Pony Express to get mail from Mo to Ca. I really understand now why the USPS is in such financial difficulty. They're still using horses! So I paid for the quicker delivery and Maybe they will actually put it on a plane and a truck.

Gotta Love Dennis Miller

Dennis Miller Radio: Videos - Video: Miller in the No-Spin Zone

Thank you for your support Mr. President!

We all have heard Korean singer Psy's song "Gangnam Style" I've heard it. I like it. It's catchy. But how many of us know what he sang about before? He was a rapper who espoused the killing of American Soldiers and their families. Here is a sample of his lyrics:

"Kill those f...ing Yankees who have been torturing Iraqi captives. Kill those f...ing Yankees who ordered them to torture. Kill their daughters, mothers, daughters-in-law and fathers. Kill them all slowly and painfully."

As the wife and mother of a soldier, I am deeply offended. Not just because of what he sang about. I can handle stupid people saying nasty things. What I am truly offended about is that our President, yes, the President of the United States of America, the Commander in Chief of the same soldiers PSY sang of killing, met with this guy. He met with him after a performance in Washington on Sunday at the Christmas in Washington concert. Not only did the President watch him sing, but he met with him after the performance and shook his hand. He introduced his daughters to this man.

Rappers have long been known for lyrics that offend, degrade and glorify crappy lifestyles. But this is a little different. This guy actually sang, many times that American servicemen and women and their families should be killed. He apologized right before the concert. I won't question the sincerity of the apology. I don't really care how he feels. I care about our country and the men and women who spend their lives protecting it. I care about a country led by a man who doesn't seem to care. He knew a couple of days before the concert about the past of this singer and his incredibly offensive song. As president he could have easily asked the concert directors to uninvited PSY. But he did not. He sat and listened, enjoyed himself and then met with the guy!

The president of the United States of America should hold people to a higher standard, especially people he meets in public.

I can only speak for me. But I'll bet there are thousands of American military who feel the same way. Thanks for the support Mr. President!

Fine dining without the fat and calories!

Recipes from Skinnytaste.com

Crock pot Santa Fe Chicken... Making this for dinner. In the crockpot now. The house smells soooo good.

Dark chocolate and mint chip clouds... Made these for dessert.

Self Portrait

I've been taking a class at the local Junior College...the principals of Photography I. I'm loving it. But what I really have learned is how much I don't know! A common phrase around here is I have achieved a "higher level of ignorance". When you know a little about a subject matter, you may feel like you know actually quite a bit. BUT...(there's always a big BUT), when you begin to really learn how much information is out there, as opposed to how much you really know...well, let's just say it's a long process. I'm committed to photography II, III, IV. It may be a couple of years before I feel like I can take a good photo. In the meanwhile, I'm having so much fun taking photos and using different settings, actually understanding my camera... This is what I have been playing with today. Large aperture, shallow depth of field, low light...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Kitchen cabinet redo Before and After

Before

After

Before

After