HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRYSTAL

PERSONAL:

I awoke this morning at 6am today after 8+hrs of sleep to a 3, took my pills, it was at freezing on the south deck and but dry and a beautiful sunrise to put out my flag. I did go out to feed the birds on the west deck and they were anxiously waiting. I am going to have to get to the backyard bird store and get some more seed. And today is niece Crystal's Birthday; HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRYSTAL!

I didn't get posted yesterday because I did make my retiree meeting, and went to lunch with brother Mike and then went and got an appropriate get well card for brother Bob. I did get a phone number from Julie at the NWOLC for Glenn Shuck and I will try to remember to give him a call today to get his address and new website. I will report on the news I heard at Building Trades Tuesday about brother Shiprack and that Judi did get a response from Judy Shiprack. She told me they were at home and it appears the surgery was successful and she will get their address and I'm sure a few cards would be appreciated. Michael Ross did arrive yesterday and I am really looking forward to seeing him.

I did email the Molly Malone Irish Dance studio with my phone number but I haven't heard back from them and I still haven't heard from sister Danni as she will get some shoe sizes (still waiting) but Erin did let me know who we drew for Christmas.

We also received Christmas cards from Al and Clare Schropshire, Judi's cousins in Georgia; Brother and loyal follower Dan Gardner and an email cards from "here come da Judge" Larry and betsy Pahut and a poem from good friend Craig Schommer that I sent around and it will be a good read at Christmas, if I can figure out how to download it from U-tube. Judi did have some Christmas Cards and I will try to get them in the mail, maybe even before Christmas.

Judi did decide what she wanted for her Birthday, a day trip to Spirit Mountain, with Mike and Mary Botkin, lets all hope for good weather from Christmas to New Years. My progress with the Ampya is going well, so far. I still hope the Ampyra helps enough to make my road trip this summer. I did not post Uncle Hank's letter today, so I hope my blog is much shorter today but I sill have to check my email and I am looking for a link to Glen Shucks newest “cause” Hire a vet. I did add my choice for our AOH charity and put a direct link on the blog. I did get the address for Brother Shiprack and I will put it in my “OTHER STUFF” section when I get it.

Don't forget to say THANK YOU, to all those servicemen and women who have served or are serving. Christopher is back in Afghanistan and I understand he will be stateside earlier than I thought; he is looking forward to taking down his yellow ribbon next summer; but I understand nephew Rhyon is heading back there but we should see him first, so a prayer a day for them from all my readers would sure make me feel better until then.

I will put the prayer to St. Jude in here again for Andrew McVey's Mother and because I didn't make it to brother Dick Coyle's funeral. I did get a real nice card from Dick's wife for the funeral spread we sent, so please add them to your prayers also.

** For Brother's Andrew's, Bill's and Dick's families **

Prayer to St. Jude for Eternal Life
You are my solace, St. Jude, in the face of loss and sorrow. I pray that you will guide my heart away from the darkness of fear and into the light of Christ. May the hope that St. Jude keeps alive in my heart be a source of comfort to all those who grieve. For in that hope, we know God's mercy, and we trust God's promise of eternal life. My soul longs for the fullness of life, which is only to be revealed when I meet my Maker in heaven. Stay by my side, St. Jude, so that my soul will always know the power of your healing love. Amen.

God grant that I may live to fish until my dying day, And when it comes to my last cast, I then must humbly pray. When in the Lord's safe landing net I'm peacefully asleep, that in His mercy, I be judged............Good enough to keep.

**** My daily prayer, is to Mary Mother of God…..”O Most Blessed Mother, heart of love, heart of mercy, ever listening, caring, consoling, hear our prayer. As your children we implore your intercession with Jesus your Son. Receive with understanding and compassion the petitions we place before you today, the welcoming of Uncle Sandy, Frances's aunt, good friends Bob Spicher, Jim Fox, brother Dick Coyle, Andrew's Mother and good friend Bill Gallager's father into the house of the Lord; cousin Mick, brother Shiprack, nephew Arron, Kelli's Mom, good family friend Pat Percin, and those who are having health issues; protecting Christopher and Rhyon and all in need. We are comforted in knowing your heart is ever open to those who ask for your prayer. We trust to your care and intercession, those whom we love and who are sick or lonely or hurting. Help ALL of us, to bear our burdens in this life until we may share eternal life and peace with God forever, Amen.”
Thank You, Mother Mary, for your help and assistance, especially for BRINGING DANIEL HOME SAFELY,; for the safe delivery of Brandee's new baby girl, Larry's big win, Mick and Gloria; and those, NOW covered with Health Care.

I know I have been repeating things, apparently too much, on my blog; but some of this stuff I need to be reminded of and some of this stuff others need to be reminded of.

M.S. REPORT:

This is my attempt to keep track of my experiences with my LDN treatment for my Neurologist and his RN. So far with the 4.5mg, I think I'm noticeably better, I have changed the LDN to coincide with my noon regimen and I am experiencing better days now that I'm doing the L.D.N., at noon. I have started that brand new FDA approved pill, Ampyra and unless they screw it up it is only supposed to be a $20 copay. My BP is 132/80/60 at 8:30am. I did get a questionnaire on my satisfaction from my last visit with my neurologist but the space for my personal statement was to small and I had to add my own little letter and I did get it in the mail. After my visit to “membership services” at Kaiser Sunnyside, in their New office, with a New “service person” I am even more concerned, because she could not find my previous “compound” receipts in the computer system. She did give me a copy of the “Non Plan” form for my LDN refill and my receipt, hopefully they won't lose that one. And I did get a “comparison” between Kaiser and the self funded plan and after Judi and I reviewed it we decided a change was not timely.

POLITICAL:

I watched Senator Jeff Merkley on the Ed Schultz show and he was a star !!

CHECK OUT PAST BLOGS FOR THE Top 5 Social Security Myths. I am only going to list the first one from now on, as it is the biggest, as far as I'm concerned and I will save space.

Myth #1: Social Security is going broke.
Reality: There is no Social Security crisis. By 2023, Social Security will have a $4.6 trillion surplus (yes, trillion with a 'T'). It can pay out all scheduled benefits for the next quarter-century with no changes whatsoever. After 2037, it'll still be able to pay out 75% of scheduled benefits—and again, that's without any changes. The program started preparing for the Baby Boomers' retirement decades ago. Anyone who insists Social Security is broke probably wants to break it themselves.

The nation's retirement deficit; the gap between your current pension/retirement savings and what you should have for retirement--is a staggering $6.6 trillion. Yet there are calls to cut Social Security, fewer people have pensions and 401(k)s have been decimated. It's time to wake up Washington and tell lawmakers to keep their hands off of Social Security and FIX our patchwork private retirement system.
Well, here we go......(John Bohener as Speaker of the house), BACK to the BUSH years? (that is in this new Contract on America) Do you suppose he is one of the protégées of Delay, even though he is soooo emotional?

MY MOST IMPORTANT SECTION!!

YELLOW RIBBON SECTION:

A NEW PROGRAM THAT IS ALSO LOOKING FOR HELP: LETS BRING EM HOME
http://www.lbeh.org/

NEPHEW CHRISTOPHER IS STILL IN AFGHANISTAN, DAMN AND IT APPEARS THAT NEPHEW RHYON WILL BE HEADED BACK. I HAVE PUT THE SOLDIERS POEM, U-TUBE LINK I received FROM GOOD FRIEND CRAIG SCHOEMMER ON HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_P6yU_ymFM&feature=share
ONE RIBBON STILL UP, FOR CHRISTOPHER, AND WHEN I HEAR FROM STEPHANIE ON RHYON HIS RIBBON WILL GO BACK UP.

DON'T FORGET, THE SOFT LANDING BILL, and thank you SENATOR PATTY MURRAY and CONGRESSMAN KURT SCHRADER for helping with it.

If you are flying the American Flag, please keep flying it until ALL our Troops return home.

At the 11th Hour, on the 11th Day, of the 11th Month a cease fire was signed to end the war to end all wars in 1918. How's that worked out so far?

SPORTS:

I did get this off to Giz and he did pass it along:
Mr. Angelos, sir, I hope you have had your people keep an eye on that Mehrens kid, that played fall ball for the S. Cal Rangers, I have been trying to follow his progress on line and he definitely has the right stuff; based on what I've read he will be making a wonderful closer. I spoke with him and he is moving up from A ball to AA and he told me he has developed a GREAT knuckleball, clocked at 79mph, and after the World Series results Texas could sure have used him. I am still looking for the website that would have his team and stats. I forwarded the email to Giz and his response to Michael Ross but he did say last night he didn't see it. I will show it to him when he comes over.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS & CHARITIES:

I did get the 2010 BULL SESSION program and results in the mail Saturday and it sure was well done, Thanks Tim. And I think I misspoke before, because after rechecking our total for 20 years it was actually $4 million. I did talk to Jim Moss and he will try to get their website to accept partial payments and he did say that the individual entry would be the same rate as last year for the Unions and members. THANK YOU JIM ! (I sure hope you found your Moms Christmas decorations)

I did get an update from Molly Smithson on her “playing for others” program so she is still working on it.

The planning for the 2011 Hood to Coast in August has started already and Judi has signed up for the walk part, and we are recruiting for the 2011 M.S. Walk which is in April. ALL HELP APPRECIATED.

HERE IS THE LINK FOR MY CHOICE FOR THE AOH CHARITY; and it does appear it is garnering more support:

http://www.marthamaryministries.org/


HELP THE KOMEN RUN/WALK – www.5.komen.org/findarace.aspx
The American Rights at Work still needs help. We must not take our eye off that MAIN issue, our two Senators haven't; E.F.C.A. Hopefully this will be a lame duck accomplishment, especially in light of that mine disaster in West Virginia and those Rig explosions in the Gulf. I watched the commission on the B.P. Disaster and, from here, it looks like the beginning of a cover up.

The U.A. Local 290 “Don Salee” Member Assistance Program.

OTHER STUFF AND COMMUNICATIONS:

MICK, BOB and CHRISTOPHER, stay positive and we will meet on the golf course and I will take it easy on all of you. I hope to be getting an email from Pat Worley on their annual trip to Bandon Dunes and maybe I can make it back. I also talked to good friend Scott Gardner and he want's to get together for some golf. BOB'S ADDRESS IS 4406 SE 76TH PORTLAND, OREGON 97206; for those thinking of sending a card.

May love and laughter light your days
And warm your heart and homes
May good and faithful friends be yours wherever you may roam
May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures
May all life's passing seasons bring the best to you and yours

Whether you attend a church service, a Mosque, GLBT gathering, or Synagogue service, please say a prayer that God; yours, mine or ours; keeps our service men and women in the Palm of their hand.

Mike; My blog is 4 pages, and over 2,200 words today, I think.