From The PTA to the Vice Presidency

I just finished watching Alaska Governess Sarah Palin accept John McCain’s offer to be his running mate and my reaction is, “Are you fucking kidding me?”

If this were April 1st I would get the joke and would be laughing along side both of them, but this isn’t a prank. Although it appears that John McCain’s tongue is pressed firmly against his check, he is serious. He is telling us she is the best, most qualified person he could select as a running mate.

What in the hell happened to Huckabee or Romney?

However, as I watched her speech, and kept my eyes on McCain, it all became clear. He thinks she is a hot piece of ass.

Watch for yourself. He stares at her ass constantly throughout.

As she introduces her “world champion snow machine racing” husband (again… are you fucking kidding me), McCain stands there with a sly grin on his face, unconsciously playing with his wedding band and checking out her ass several more times, and the crowd jumps to their feet.

As Ms Palin refers to herself as an "average hockey mom" John McCain is seeing something completely different. His eyes glaze over and he sees her in her navy blue power suit, arriving home from a long day of governing. She puts down her briefcase in the foyer as she enters and immediately moves to the bedroom where she looks in the mirror at her reflection. She unbuttons her blouse to expose her generous cleavage, takes off her smart-girl glasses and pulls the comb from her hair, shaking her head ever so slightly so that her hair sways in slow motion and falls around her shoulders.

She may look like a corporate tiger but if John McCain’s grin tells us anything, he is clearly not thinking about the economy. His mind in on invading and occupying Sarah “the sex kitten” Palin’s rear flank.

Now of course that is a joke, but everything about this is comical.

John McCain is salivating over her ass and the crowd is wildly applauding her husband’s snow machine racing trophies. What do we get next – an ultimate fighter for Secretary of State? The American people love this shit.

After milking the crowd regarding her oldest son’s military service she introduces the rest of her brood and I am thinking, “she wants us to accept her as the next in line to the most powerful position in the world, and she can’t ever put shoes on her infant son.”

John McCain's stunt casting would be laughable if it weren't so tragic. Trying to woo the female vote, he has offered the vice presidency to a completely inexperienced person simply because she is a woman (and a hot piece of ass).

Does he seriously think that by teaming with her he will gain the votes of the former Hillary supporters?

I wasn't backing Hillary because she was a woman. I supported Hillary because of her accomplishments, intellect, and because she was, in my opinion, the best person for the job.

In her stead John McCain has plucked a "team mom and part-time coach" who has been the governor of Alaska, a state with less people than bears, for two years.

She looks like she should have been announcing the winner of the local spelling bee, or Miss Skagway pageant, not announcing her run for the second highest office in the United States.

This race may now have piqued my interest. When does Saturday Night Live start new shows? Its going to be a fun fall.

Did The Democrats Get it Wrong?

Tonight I watched Hillary Clinton at the 2008 Democratic Convention in Denver, CO and was, and still am, emotional and saddened - not at what she had to say -I've always championed her eloquence and strong and positive message for America - but that over the past year or more, people did not get her, understand her, and were blinded and bullied into believing her to be something other than what she is... a passionate advocate for woman, children, and America's lower and working classes.

Watch Hillary's speech in it's entirety and tell me what you think!

George W Bush and John McCain = McSame

The Arrival of Christopher Sterling Duflo - Part VIII

Christopher is home.

Jon, Michelle and Noelle went to the hospital late this morning to pick him up and then came directly over to our house.

We had friends, and his Aunt "T" over for a bbq, a kinda welcome to the real world bbq and play in the pool party.

Jon took a slew of pictures and I planned to put them on my computer before they left but things got hectic.

I know I am biased, but he is a beautiful ball of joy, or should I say he gives me a lump of joy in my heart. He is so little. Noelle was never this small and 7lbs is not that small but it has been so long since I have a seen a baby so small... but his feet and hands look disproportionately large ... all hands and feet.

I will post more pictures soon.

Thank you to everyone who sent out positive thoughts and prayers for him.

Blessed am I.

I once inherited two beautiful children, then was chosen to have special twin girls, and now have gifted with another two - Noelle and lil Christopher.

Thank you Michelle and Jon for expanding my heart and family, and allowing me to be so involved.

The Arrival of Christpher Sterling Duflo - Part VII

Tonight after work Michelle called and asked if we were planning to come up to the hospital to see little Chris. We weren't planning on it. I was tired from working all day but I had the suspicion that she wanted us to come up.

I hung up the phone and called Fettit to meet me some where in between so we could go together.

When we arrived Michelle was sitting in a chair holding Christopher. His eyes were open - the first time I've seen his eyes - big and dark - certain to be blue.

Michelle needed to pump so she offered for me to hold him but I deferred to Fettit. I wanted him to be the first grandparent to hold him. It was a small thing for me to do and I knew it would mean a lot to him.

Christopher is doing much better. He is taking 2 ounces of milk every couple of hours and is only on the oxygen now - the same percentage as what we breathe. He just needs the little push the tubes offer.

The doctor says he will be home no later than a week from now... I'm thinking it will be sooner.....

The Arrival of Christopher Sterling Duflo - Part VI

The news just keeps getting better.....Over the past couple of days Christopher has continued to show great improvement.

HURRAY!

He is no longer in that tanning bad contraption, and is now in a regular crib.

The CPAP machine has been removed (as has the hideous headgear)so his face is exposed and the nurse said he has two of the biggest blues eyes she has ever seen... Noelle's eye - Grandpa's eyes.

All intravenious tubes have been removed, except for some oxygen, and his intake is down to 24%, which is fantastic. We breath 21% oxygen so he is close to being off of it completely. Who knows as of this morning he may he off the oxygen completely.

He can now be held, although I haven't yet, and is drinking 2 ounces of milk every couple of hours.

He is reaching all of the goals they have set for him and now that he is feeding it won't be long before he gains a few ounces, and I suspect he will be home very soon.

The Arrival of Christopher Sterling Duflo - Part V

Last night after work Fettit and I drove to the hospital in North Scottsdale to visit Christopher. Of course, when we arrived it was shift change and during that time it is parents only (grandparents do not count).

Twenty minutes later we were allowed in to see him and we only stayed a brief time...it's not like we can play catch with him or anything.

He has one the most Gawd-awful headgear, and was lying there sleeping. So Peaceful and precious.

Fettit lightly touched his little back. I was too afraid - didn't know what to do.

Michelle held him for the first time yesterday and she texted me earlier that if I came up I might be able to hold him. He is so tiny I would be afraid I would hurt him. She later told me I wouldn't have been able to hold him...phew!

I think Noelle saw him again today. I don't have a take on what she thinks of him. To her he probably looks like one of her dolls that she wants to lay on the floor and cover with dish towels.

His oxygen numbers are improving and they are now giving him milk through tubes. It won't be long before he will be off the CPAP machine and on his own.

I am hoping to get some more pictures soon and as soon as I do they will be posted here.

Thank you to all for the kind words of love, support and encouragement. Never under-estimate the power we each hold.

The Arrival of Christopher Sterling Duflo - Part IV

This morning I received a text message from Christopher's mother (Michelle) stating that he was down to receiving 50/60% oxygen, which was good news. A few minutes later I received a call from my her, obviously upset, telling me that the hospital had decided to transport him to a hospital in North Scottsdale because they had better equipment to handle his condition.

I left work and joined them at the hospital to lend moral support.

Michelle decided that she wanted to be released so she could be near her little boy and a doctor and a slew of nurses flooded in and out for the next couple of hours talking to her and examining her.

Going home 24 hours after a c-section is quite uncommon, but the hospital staff obliged and she was released.

We re-grouped an hour later at Scottsdale Healthcare - Shea and Michelle and Jon immediately went in and spent sometime with their newborn. Jon came out a few minutes later to allow me and Christopher's Aunt, Christy, to visit. It was her first time seeing him.

We entered the room and approached a contraption that looked like a minature version of my fake and bake tanning bed, the only thing I can compare it to, and there was this beautiful little boy (nicely bronzed) splayed out with a little gizmo covering his nose and tubes in his mouth, and coming out of his arms, and machines were beeping and displaying his latest statistics.

I was instantly transported back twenty-four years to when his mother, at one and a half years old, and only double his weight, was recovering from her pulminary artery replacement surgery. The memory of that and the reality of his situation, made my eyes start to water.

Christopher, like his mother so many years ago, will make it. He will be fine. One of the nurses even commented on what a fighter he is.

I think he just needs a littles hooplah and drama to accompany his arrival. Either gifted or cursed, he comes by it naturally. Grabbing for, or at least expecting, attention is a common trait. Melodrama is another common trait - one I can live without.

A little star he is and a little star he will be, but he can now knock the crap off and get well so we can craddle him in our arms and welcome him into the world the right way.

The Arrival of Christopher Sterling Duflo - Part III

The doctors are saying that Christopher is experiencing Respiratory Distress which can be common among babies born c-section. They are monitoring him and giving him oxygen and if he doesn't improve after 6 hours they may transport him to a different hospital.

So we wait - and pray!

The Arrival of Christopher Sterling Duflo - Part II

Born: August 5, 2008 8:08am
Weight: 6 lbs 15 oz
Length: 20 inches

The Arrival of Christopher Sterling Duflo - Part I

I write this as I am preparing to go to bed. When I wake up in the morning I will have a cup of coffee or two, shower, and Fettit and I will make our way to Scottsdale Memorial Hospital for the arrival of Christopher Sterling Duflo - the first male in my bloodline.

I was blessed to get a son and daughter from my ex-wife when I married, and my dreams came true two years later when I was given the gift of twin girls. Then. after a troubling and turbulent twenty-four years, Noelle Marie Duflo entered the world, and my life, and I felt instantly proud and chosen again.

The years between his mother (and Aunt’s) births were more than turbulent. They were devastating as I learned to cope with, or maybe forget, the lives that I had created, worshipped, lived to be a part of, and lost early on, but my faith in the right thing and happy endings endured, even when I didn’t consciously have faith that it could happen, and yet today I have a full and wonderful family.

Perhaps our lives are not traditional, but love abounds in this crazy world, and tomorrow our grandson joins us, and Fettit and I couldn’t be more excited.

Throughout the next few days I will be posting photos, and perhaps videos, of my namesake, that Fettit and I plan on calling CJ – Christopher-James.

Michelle is having a C-section at 7:30am in the morning. I need to go to sleep, but please keep her (and Christopher) in you thoughts and prayers as she labors to bring him into the world.

Bush Tours America To Survey Damage Caused By His Disastrous Presidency

Bush Tours America To Survey Damage Caused By His Disastrous Presidency

I typically prefer to write my own assessment of the Bush administration, but for some time now I just haven't had it in me.

Although I prefer this blog to be more than clips I am mined from other sites, when I found this in depth, insightful and well researched news clip, I had to post it here.

Hopefully it will inspire me to come up with something original to write.

(They are at it again!)

MONEY DOWN THE SHITTER

Last night after work Fettit and I were discussing finances and he took from his pocket $400 in various denominations and placed it on the coffee table. We then went out for drinks and dinner at our favorite Mexican cantina.

When we returned home our friends Steven and Josh (you may remember them from videos) were waiting for us for an evening dip in the pool.

We talked and laughed in the pool, as we always do ,and finally Fettit got tired and went to bed. Steven, Josh and I stayed in for another 30 minutes or so before getting out.

After I finished drying myself I entered the darkened house and stepped on a piece of paper so I leaned over and picked it up and was instantly mortified.

I hadn't stepped on a random piece of paper, it was half of a $5 bill and as I looked around there was more money on the floor.

I must have let out a sound of anguish or something because Steven and Josh opened the door and inquired why I had yelled so I pointed to the money covered floor and explained to them that $400 of the mortgage was ripped up on the floor.

While we were enjoying ourselves in the pool our obnoxious steel-gutted puppy had had a field-day.

The three of us then scoured the house for pieces and remnants of 100s, 50s, 20s, 10s and 5s.

In the end I found a $100 bill completely intact and various pieces of other bills cut in half or thirds that I was able to match together; however, the total of all the salvageable bills was only $125.

There are missing halves of another $75 and two $100 bills were missing completely.

Steven and Josh left shaking their heads and laughing their asses off. I on the other hand was terrified because I knew Fettit would wake up in the morning and I would have to tell him what Kitty (the puppy) had done.

An hour or so ago I got up and went into the house and found Fettit and broke the news of our disappearing mortgage payment.

At first he wanted to kill Kitty but cooler heads prevailed and now he is making jokes about it.

And now we wait...

Happy Damn Birthday Donna Jean

Click to Play

It is July 7th over in Iraq and it is Fettit's sister Donna's birthday.  She is currently serving in Iraq and so we put together this video to put a smile on her face and let her know we are thinking of her.

July 4th Rantings

Happy July 4th everyone. I’m off for five days and am enjoying the break.

I’ve been off for two days and spent yesterday morning preparing for the annual 4th of July party that Fettit throws. I’m usually out of town on this weekend so I am never a part of the festivities in the house.

This year we discussed going to Michigan for the week but after my disastrous travels over Memorial weekend I was not too keen on traveling again anytime soon. I regretted that decision two weeks ago and attempted to make arrangements but it was too late.

I checked flights everywhere, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, and Rapid City. Nothing was reasonable. That is my own fault.

Instead I resigned myself to five days in the heat and the possibility of getting to the many chores around the house that have been neglected for far too long. The garage needs to be gone through, and organized, and many of my belonging need to be integrated into the house. There is also the linen closet that needs to be completed since the remodel a year and a half ago. The storage room that was created when he added onto the back of the house is in complete disarray and I thought maybe I would get to organizing that as well.

So far all I have done is work to make yesterdays party a success – I guess I have accomplished something and there is still three days to go.

Yesterday I woke up early and was at the grocery story by 7am. On my way out the door Fettit handed me $40 and said not to go overboard, as we often do.

The bill at the market was $300 but I didn’t go overboard. Dog food and booze costs more today.

Green onions were always three for a dollar and now they are 79 cents a bunch. It’s cheaper to be a drunk than chubby with bad breath.

I have also been trying to plan a cross country trip for my CW who lives in New Jersey.

At sixty something, she was laid off from her job and prior to returning to work she wants to drive out to Arizona, sight seeing along the way and then returning a different route to see more.

I have planned to travel with her on a portion of cross-country excursion because last summer she was cheated out of part of our trip thanks to American Airlines. She was supposed to join us in Denver on Thursday of the July 4th weekend and continue on to the Black Hills and Yellowstone.

Sydney, my niece did get to Mount Rushmore and Rapid City, SD, a place from my past that for some reason means a lot to me, but CW had to join us two days later – flying into Sheridan, WY.

Unfortunately she wasn’t able to see our greatest monument – Mt Rushmore. It is something I think every American should experience at least once in their lifetime.

I feel drawn there every few years. The Black Hills call to me each summer, just as Michigan does, but yet I only have gotten there every 10 years or so since leaving there in 1978.

I have wanted to share it with CW, actually many people for several years now, but haven’t been able to get there as often as I like, and others have not understood the importance.

Two days ago I started to plan CW’s trip and it made me question the idea of a cross country trip, at this time of inflated gasoline prices. I think it is the wrong time for her drive across the country and fulfill her dreams of seeing this great and vast country.

I priced it out and I think the gas for her car will be roughly $1100. Absurd - I hope King George’s friends can sleep at night knowing they have fucked up our economy, as well as many dreams - for many years to come.

I will talk with CW in the next couple of days and break the news to her that it is more financially sound for her to fly to Phoenix and rent a car for a month – but she won’t see anything new.

The party yesterday was a great success. Plenty of food, without going overboard, the pool and new pool barn, were perfect. The kids and adorable Noelle were here, as were the Wiley-Conforti’s – whose friendship were treasure. Eydie came with Robert and the girls, our adopted son, Aaron, arrived very late because he couldn’t pull himself away for his video games, and Lucy showed up late but better than not showing at all.

There were others, friend and friends of friends, including my new friend Jesus (not that one) who I had to take to work at 5.

Overall it was a great day – a long day but not too hectic and I was able to relax and enjoy myself.

I also got a few very welcome text messages and phone calls from my friends. I was actually able to spend 30 minutes talking on the phone with my Canadian Angel. I wasn’t able to connect with all those I was thinking of, but they were in my thoughts and heart.

The food was good, the conversations and laughter very typical, but the low point for many was probably the music.

My friends don’t appreciate my music, and I am very eclectic in my selection but I don’t have my ipod arranged with play lists for different moods and occasions.

Whether it be too many show tunes, or Queen Barbra, or maybe the Tammy Wynette of yesterday, there my song selections don’t please everyone, but there isn’t a single song on my ipod I don’t enjoy - for various reasons - but it doesn’t necessarily appeal to all, or even most.

That isn’t to say there isn’t a little something for everyone. The artists run from Barbra – who really isn’t as represented as one would think - Broadway, Elton, The Eagles, Wynonna, most of the major CWs like Diana, Gladys, and Tina, and even the new ones like Mary J and Angie Stone. There may even be a few Madonna, Janet, Norah Jones and John Mayer and JT, along with classic Michael Jackson. No one seems to appreciate my eclectic tastes.

I am now sitting under the pool barn (the patio covering my son-in-law Jon designed and built). We returned home from our friend’s (Michael) house where he had a bbq/pool party this late afternoon, early evening. We had a good time, but there is nothing like being home, sitting outside late at night, listening to the waterfall and not listening to the high pitch babble of a self absorbed, token straight girl.

If I want to endure self absorbed rantings I will talk to myself or await the arrival of ISM, who called me tonight, as I was arriving at Michael’s party, with some disturbing family news.

People and families are fucked up!

I usually don’t understand them. Even those that are suppose to be close, whom I love and share blood, but are as much strangers as those I hand money to on the street corners.

I thought the bad times brought families closer together.

We have always circled the wagons when times have gotten rough, but if I really think about it, the family hasn’t banded together for a common cause in far too many years.

It is always the ISM and me and those effected.

I don’t get it. We all share the same experiences, perhaps from difference perspectives, but we are a family. Disjointed and dysfunctional, we were always there in times of need.

It’s always been an illusion, like so much else, and disappointing.

We are given what we are given and it is how we accept it, respond to it, cope with it, and grow from it.

I sit here now, the music blaring, Ed at my feet, and I’m listening to the “Good Lord Works in Mysterious Ways” from The Color Purple, and I know it is true. The Good Lord works in mysterious ways.

I always acknowledge my blessings, and tonight is no different.

So much for a cohesive thought tonight. I have truly lived up to “Rantings from 2288 Beckley Rd.”