This post starts out with lots of caveats. First, I'm a big fan of donations and charity. I think philanthropy, volunteerism and giving back in general are among the most important things a person can do. Only through these actions do I think we can have stable, healthy, thriving communities.
I also know that as Americans, we have it pretty good. Sure, it isn't perfect (hello 10% unemployment), but compared to many places in the world, we have a sweet deal going.
But. You knew there was one.
The US almost defaulted on its bills. And yet, I just saw a news story about billions we are giving in aid to places like Somalia. (Somalia really needs some help. If you want to contribute, you can donate to Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF or a number of other organizations working to care for people there.)
Despite how much Somalia and other countries may need help, I believe you have to take care of yourself first. It's the "put your oxygen mask on before helping those around you" concept which as you know from flying, even includes before you help your kids. You are more help to others when you are in good shape yourself.
If we (like me and Ross) couldn't pay our bills, well, then no matter how much we love puppies or hate cancer, we wouldn't be able to donate to those causes. But admittedly this US problem is akin to not being able to pay your very fancy cable bill but still wanting to make donations. Yes, the cause you are donating to is more important than fancy cable but if you really believe that and want to live that way, the answer is not neglecting your cable bill. The answer is turning off the cable and directing those funds to a higher purpose.
If the US wants to continue to provide international aid and help elevate all peoples, we must cut the fluff from our expenses first. Because when we run out of money, we will be of zero use to those struggling people who need our aid and in fact, may find ourselves in line for aid.
Aug 12, 2011
Aug 9, 2011
August 9
There are two people so special, they needed their own blog entry today. None of this including them with the book reviews post nonsense. A post dedicated just to them and to August 9.
Ross
Today is Ross' one year anniversary at the Georgetown Fire Department. (See some pretty awesome pictures from a year ago when I followed him around the house in a bathrobe while he got ready for his first day of work.) As of today, he is no longer a probational fire fighter, he is a fire fighter. He is also in the union, is a little better paid and is being rewarded for his college degree. He's practically been holding his breath, walking on pins and needles waiting anxiously for today.
But it's finally here! The big day! Woohoo! Way to go babe!
Mom
Today is also Mom's birthday. She is one year wiser and prettier today. Kevin and I are well aware that we hit the mom-jackpot but let me share with you a few reasons why we know this to be true.
RossToday is Ross' one year anniversary at the Georgetown Fire Department. (See some pretty awesome pictures from a year ago when I followed him around the house in a bathrobe while he got ready for his first day of work.) As of today, he is no longer a probational fire fighter, he is a fire fighter. He is also in the union, is a little better paid and is being rewarded for his college degree. He's practically been holding his breath, walking on pins and needles waiting anxiously for today.
But it's finally here! The big day! Woohoo! Way to go babe!
Mom
Today is also Mom's birthday. She is one year wiser and prettier today. Kevin and I are well aware that we hit the mom-jackpot but let me share with you a few reasons why we know this to be true.
- She took Melissa and I to dinner once and let us eat backwards, dessert first.
- She made my lunch just about every day all the way through high school.
- She went to as many baseball, cheerleading, lacrosse, dance, etc practices as we did.
- She was my Girl Scout troop leader and by showing me the horror of latrines, taught me a deep appreciation of running water.
- Speaking of Girl Scouts, she obliged in driving me all the way across Houston to Conroe for Girl Scout summer camp for five years, despite that there was a beautiful Girl Scout camp less than 2 miles from our house.
- She's really just quite swell.
Elephants & Confessions
Book review time!
In my mind, a relaxing vacation means I read at least one book. And Canada was very relaxing so I read 1.5 books.
First, on the flight there I finished Water for Elephants. The book stars Jacob, a Cornell veterinary student whose parents are suddenly killed in his last semester of school. In his grief, he drops out and runs away with the circus...unintentionally but nonetheless. It's a B rate outfit he finds himself with and they are more than happy to have an almost-vet to care for the animals. Needless to say, the circus characters are quite colorful and range from a crazed equestrian director and a lady of ill-repute to a hard-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside dwarf and a beautiful horse performer. Alternately told from the perspective of young Jacob living with the circus and the perspective of old 90-ish Jacob living in a nursing home, the story is sweet and charming, if somewhat predictable. But being a sucker for a corniness and love stories, I enjoyed it. Verdict: read it.
Then I read The Confession by John Grisham. I should tell you, Grisham and I have a love-hate relationship. On the one hand, I love his suspenseful, Southern law dramas. Addicting. On the other, well they are all suspenseful, Southern law dramas. And they all have a philanderer and most have racial tension. They say to write about what you know...I know Grisham is a southern lawyer and heck, maybe marriage isn't his strong suit. Anyways I've started to have to put months, sometimes years, between his books or they just run together. It had been easily a year though since my last one so I was ready for The Confession (and it was on my 2011 reading list).
So The Confession: nearly 10 years ago east Texas high school cheerleader Nicole went missing and eventually was assumed dead, despite the lack of a body. A bogus tip leads the authorities to Donte, a black star football player accused of sleeping with Nicole (who is white) and ultimately murdering her. Donte is found guilty by an all white jury and sentenced to death. Fast forward to present day and Rev. Keith in Kansas is visited by an ex-con claiming a need to confess. The next thing you know, the ex-con, Travis, and Keith are racing down the interstate to Texas for a whopper of a confession and hoping to stop an execution. What Grisham does almost too well here is Travis the ex-con. The way Travis leers at Keith's wife...well I'm glad I wasn't reading it at home alone. It was enough to give you the serious creeps.
The elements written about Donte and his family suffering through his sentence are gripping. If you are against the death penalty, this is a rally cry. If you support the death penalty, you will be forced to confront your belief head on.
And on an odd note, right as we started flying over Texas toward Austin, I finished the book which ended in Austin. Book and reader, same destination.
Verdict: read it but only if it's been 6 months since your last Grisham.
Now I'm reading Safe Haven by Nicolas Sparks. He's not one of my usual authors but I like variation in my reading and I figure Sparks and Grisham are about as night and day as two contemporaries can be.
In my mind, a relaxing vacation means I read at least one book. And Canada was very relaxing so I read 1.5 books.
 |
| From GoodReads.com |
Then I read The Confession by John Grisham. I should tell you, Grisham and I have a love-hate relationship. On the one hand, I love his suspenseful, Southern law dramas. Addicting. On the other, well they are all suspenseful, Southern law dramas. And they all have a philanderer and most have racial tension. They say to write about what you know...I know Grisham is a southern lawyer and heck, maybe marriage isn't his strong suit. Anyways I've started to have to put months, sometimes years, between his books or they just run together. It had been easily a year though since my last one so I was ready for The Confession (and it was on my 2011 reading list).
 |
| From JGrisham.com |
The elements written about Donte and his family suffering through his sentence are gripping. If you are against the death penalty, this is a rally cry. If you support the death penalty, you will be forced to confront your belief head on.
And on an odd note, right as we started flying over Texas toward Austin, I finished the book which ended in Austin. Book and reader, same destination.
Verdict: read it but only if it's been 6 months since your last Grisham.
Now I'm reading Safe Haven by Nicolas Sparks. He's not one of my usual authors but I like variation in my reading and I figure Sparks and Grisham are about as night and day as two contemporaries can be.
Aug 8, 2011
The Many Faces of Lexi
Lexi has multiple personalities. That's the only explanation.When she's off the leash, she's a little puppy angel. She greets people and other pups with licks and sniffs and love. And in addition to being sugar sweet, she sticks right by us, which of course is why she can go off leash. She's constantly underfoot, follows us around with no seeming interest in leaving ever.
When she's on the leash, she's...something else. And it's not just her inner honey badger shining through. It is, in fact, a little embarrassing. She's more assertive to say the least. Maybe it's like keeping a short "leash" on your kids or spouse and they simply rebel. And she pulls, pulls, pulls on the leash. Like she's gonna run away for miles. Newsflash Lexi, you are way too clingy the rest of the time for me to think you actually want to run away. Run after a squirrel or cat yes, run away, no.
People with puppies: do you have this experience too? Does your sweet, cuddley puppy become a barking, marathon running beast as soon as that leash hooks on? What's the deal?!?!
Aug 7, 2011
Our Canadian Education
Things aren't all that different in Canada but we did learn a few things about our northern neighbors on our adventure.- Their highway lanes merge really fast. Really really fast.
- 100 kilo/hour is 62 mph.
- Wayne Gretsky has a vineyard.
- They don't really do lemonade.
- The exchange rate is now in their favor.
- Our recycling program is pathetic in comparison.
- Tim Horton's is king. But they also have a place in their hearts for KFC, DQ and Wendy's.
Aug 6, 2011
Canada Eh
We're home! We just spent 5 very relaxing days way up north in Ontario, Canada. In summary...
Monday morning we caught the first flight out on Southwest into Buffalo. We rented a car (they originally said Chevy Aveo but we got a Chevy HHR which is ugly as sin but more comfortable and spacious) and drove to Toronto.
There we rented bikes through Bixi Bike (rec of a partner at work) and explored the city a little. We mostly covered the area along Lake Ontario, most specifically this little harbor type spot. It really reminded me of Sydney, especially with the CN Tower there in the background (right behind our heads, other pics have the whole tower in it). Then back in the rental car and up Yonge Street toward the highway. On Yonge we passed through an area that reminded us of Times Square and another that reminded me of Brookline. It was like Toronto was a patchwork quilt of Sydney, New York and Boston. Loved it.
Then up to the lakehouse with Mike for a relaxing grilled dinner. (FYI the lakehouse is owned by our good family friends and we totally just crashed the hubby, Mike's last week of his extended summer vacation. Very kind of them. Thanks y'all!) When we got there the first thing Ross and I both exclaimed was "there's water in that lake!" And I mean real, up-to-the-shore water unlike the little puddle that is Lake Travis. I guess it really is the little things huh?
Tuesday we slept in and then headed to Fenelon Falls to hike the Victoria Rail Trail, an old railroad trail turned into a hike-n-bike (shout out to Sally for the rec). The Victoria Rail Trail was lovely. Compared to last year's Rocky Mountain hiking it was definitely more of a walk but was lakeside and so pretty. Oh and it was a perfect 85-ish, enough that we broke a little bit of a sweat after an hour+ of walking but still very comfortable.
All good and sweaty from our walk, we grabbed lunch at a little spot on the canal there in town. We get to our table outside on the porch and are very surprised to realize we're right on the Fenelon Falls. Like the waterfall.
Back to the lakehouse for an outdoors workout together...we think the neighbors thought we were doing some kind of rain dance when they walked by our arm circles but they spoke French so...eh, whatever. They'll just think Mike and Brenda have some pretty strange friends. And wrapped up the evening with happy hour, another relaxing dinner and board games with cocktails well into the evening.
Wednesday we woke up to crap-tastic weather. Rain. (I guess here in Austin we would say we woke up to a miracle but on vacation, crap-tastic.) We had plans to go walk this crazy suspension bridge over a forest and then hit up a local beach. The rain looked like it might not extend as far away as both those so we gave it a shot. OMG we could barely see the car in front of us. We made it a little more than halfway, grabbed lunch and since it was still raining with no signs of slowing, threw in the towel. We spent the rest of the afternoon lazing around reading, playing cards and such. It did eventually clear up and we busted out with the telescope for some awesome star gazing.
Thursday Mike took us out on the boat. I can't tell you enough how beautiful the lake was! Such green foliage around the shore, such a big open, full-of-water lake to play on. It was great! We also stopped for some absolutely fantastic moose tracks ice cream on our adventure. Fantastic I tell you.
Then we helped load the boat up and get it on shore for the winter. Next door to the neighbor's for happy hour (lovely neighbors all of them). A few nights before one of the neighbors told me he'd been to 22 US states. After my Seattle trip soon I'll have been to 23 (not counting ones I just drove through, that's hardly fair). When I told him this, he whooped me by saying he'd been to 39 countries which would be approximately 34 than me. But he is after all over 70 so I suppose it's OK.
We wrapped up our time at the lakehouse with dinner in Fenelon Falls at a place called The Boathouse and just check out that sunset will ya. Wow.
Friday morning we finally got up at a decent hour, unlike every morning before. Quickly packed our bags and the HHR and hit the road. We drove the 3 hours from the lakehouse to Niagara Falls, the Canada side.
Let me tell you, Niagara Falls is one of the most amazing sites you'll see. The sheer size! The volume of water! The power! It really blew us both away.
We had lunch at a Falls-side restaurant, The Keg, atop the Embassy Suites (thanks to Rae and Age for the rec). Great great great views (OK food). Then even though time was tight to get across the border and to the airport, we decided to make our way down right to the falls.
We got soaked. :)
But it was great! Ross even made a couple short videos of the Falls, one of which I have an awesome cameo in because I didn't realize he was making a video.
Then we raced back to to the car and headed for the border. We gave ourselves about an hour to get across (coming in to Canada we saw crazy traffic headed into the US). It took about 10 minutes. We got to the airport with time to spare and headed home.
(Tangent: With 60 minutes until our flight, I realized I left the Christmas ornament I bought in Niagara Falls in the rental car. That's what I collect from our trips so to not have it...well, that's just not OK. I called Alamo car rental, they found it in our rental car, and so I left Ross at the gate, sprinted out of the airport and to the Alamo desk. I got my $6 ornament and sprinted back to security. A security guard had known the scoop and told the lady at the priority line my story so they let me go straight up to the no-line security check point and get myself re-screened. I arrived back at the gate with 15 minutes to spare, a little sweaty and winded but with my ornament. Ross said I was insane.)
It was a great vacation. We had so much fun and came home so relaxed. It was different from Austin (ample water, green vegetation, under 90 degree days) in all the ways you want an August vacation location to be. So glad we went!
Monday morning we caught the first flight out on Southwest into Buffalo. We rented a car (they originally said Chevy Aveo but we got a Chevy HHR which is ugly as sin but more comfortable and spacious) and drove to Toronto.There we rented bikes through Bixi Bike (rec of a partner at work) and explored the city a little. We mostly covered the area along Lake Ontario, most specifically this little harbor type spot. It really reminded me of Sydney, especially with the CN Tower there in the background (right behind our heads, other pics have the whole tower in it). Then back in the rental car and up Yonge Street toward the highway. On Yonge we passed through an area that reminded us of Times Square and another that reminded me of Brookline. It was like Toronto was a patchwork quilt of Sydney, New York and Boston. Loved it.
Then up to the lakehouse with Mike for a relaxing grilled dinner. (FYI the lakehouse is owned by our good family friends and we totally just crashed the hubby, Mike's last week of his extended summer vacation. Very kind of them. Thanks y'all!) When we got there the first thing Ross and I both exclaimed was "there's water in that lake!" And I mean real, up-to-the-shore water unlike the little puddle that is Lake Travis. I guess it really is the little things huh?
Tuesday we slept in and then headed to Fenelon Falls to hike the Victoria Rail Trail, an old railroad trail turned into a hike-n-bike (shout out to Sally for the rec). The Victoria Rail Trail was lovely. Compared to last year's Rocky Mountain hiking it was definitely more of a walk but was lakeside and so pretty. Oh and it was a perfect 85-ish, enough that we broke a little bit of a sweat after an hour+ of walking but still very comfortable.All good and sweaty from our walk, we grabbed lunch at a little spot on the canal there in town. We get to our table outside on the porch and are very surprised to realize we're right on the Fenelon Falls. Like the waterfall.Back to the lakehouse for an outdoors workout together...we think the neighbors thought we were doing some kind of rain dance when they walked by our arm circles but they spoke French so...eh, whatever. They'll just think Mike and Brenda have some pretty strange friends. And wrapped up the evening with happy hour, another relaxing dinner and board games with cocktails well into the evening.
Wednesday we woke up to crap-tastic weather. Rain. (I guess here in Austin we would say we woke up to a miracle but on vacation, crap-tastic.) We had plans to go walk this crazy suspension bridge over a forest and then hit up a local beach. The rain looked like it might not extend as far away as both those so we gave it a shot. OMG we could barely see the car in front of us. We made it a little more than halfway, grabbed lunch and since it was still raining with no signs of slowing, threw in the towel. We spent the rest of the afternoon lazing around reading, playing cards and such. It did eventually clear up and we busted out with the telescope for some awesome star gazing.
Thursday Mike took us out on the boat. I can't tell you enough how beautiful the lake was! Such green foliage around the shore, such a big open, full-of-water lake to play on. It was great! We also stopped for some absolutely fantastic moose tracks ice cream on our adventure. Fantastic I tell you.Then we helped load the boat up and get it on shore for the winter. Next door to the neighbor's for happy hour (lovely neighbors all of them). A few nights before one of the neighbors told me he'd been to 22 US states. After my Seattle trip soon I'll have been to 23 (not counting ones I just drove through, that's hardly fair). When I told him this, he whooped me by saying he'd been to 39 countries which would be approximately 34 than me. But he is after all over 70 so I suppose it's OK.
We wrapped up our time at the lakehouse with dinner in Fenelon Falls at a place called The Boathouse and just check out that sunset will ya. Wow.Friday morning we finally got up at a decent hour, unlike every morning before. Quickly packed our bags and the HHR and hit the road. We drove the 3 hours from the lakehouse to Niagara Falls, the Canada side.
Let me tell you, Niagara Falls is one of the most amazing sites you'll see. The sheer size! The volume of water! The power! It really blew us both away.
We had lunch at a Falls-side restaurant, The Keg, atop the Embassy Suites (thanks to Rae and Age for the rec). Great great great views (OK food). Then even though time was tight to get across the border and to the airport, we decided to make our way down right to the falls.
We got soaked. :)But it was great! Ross even made a couple short videos of the Falls, one of which I have an awesome cameo in because I didn't realize he was making a video.
Then we raced back to to the car and headed for the border. We gave ourselves about an hour to get across (coming in to Canada we saw crazy traffic headed into the US). It took about 10 minutes. We got to the airport with time to spare and headed home.
(Tangent: With 60 minutes until our flight, I realized I left the Christmas ornament I bought in Niagara Falls in the rental car. That's what I collect from our trips so to not have it...well, that's just not OK. I called Alamo car rental, they found it in our rental car, and so I left Ross at the gate, sprinted out of the airport and to the Alamo desk. I got my $6 ornament and sprinted back to security. A security guard had known the scoop and told the lady at the priority line my story so they let me go straight up to the no-line security check point and get myself re-screened. I arrived back at the gate with 15 minutes to spare, a little sweaty and winded but with my ornament. Ross said I was insane.)
It was a great vacation. We had so much fun and came home so relaxed. It was different from Austin (ample water, green vegetation, under 90 degree days) in all the ways you want an August vacation location to be. So glad we went!
 |
| View from lunch in Niagara Falls |
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)