Halloween party ideas

This year my husband and I thought we would do something other than the traditional trick or treat night.  Going from house to house in the dark is a bit dangerous anyway, so I've been scouring the web for fabulous ideas.  Here are a few you're just going to love.

Martha Stewart  for these wonderful ideas and more.

Spoonful  has numerous crafts, games, and more.

I will be adding a ton of great and tasty recipes for this Halloween season.  I'm certain there will be many tasty and spooky treats for you and your monsters to cook up.

Have a hauntingly good time!

Halloween

It's almost that time of year when the spooks come out to raise the hairs on the back of our necks and the witches stir their wicked brews.
For the month of October, I am going to keep with the tone of Halloween, giving you great ideas to make this the best and safest Halloween ever.  I will research and add a long list of spooky novels, scary movies(good for adults as well as children), recipes for haunted dinners and parties, crafts, and costume ideas.  Also, one can't forget about staying safe this year, so I will make certain to list ideas that will help keep everyone safe this holiday season.
There are several blogs out there that are also featuring Halloween, including a great Haunted Palooza, which I won't be missing.  I'll add all of these wonderfully spooky sites as well, so keep checking back or look for my tweets.  It's going to be a hauntingly good time.

Is Wicca Devil worship?

I have heard on more than a few occasions people around town mentioning other religions and saying that they were satanist or Devil worshipers.  This misguided belief about Wiccans comes from ignorance, plain and simple.  These people fail to properly research the religion to find out what it is that Wiccans actually do.  Instead, they point their finger screaming, "Satan worshiper."  Some have looked it up online, but only on sites written by those who practice the same religion as them.  It's not accurate information people, it's biased.  Expand your research to individuals who are not judgmental.

Here are some definitions on Wicca, Satanists, and Devil worshipers.  I do not subscribe to any of these religions, but I always try to understand someones religion prior to forming any opinion about it. 

Wicca
The Wiccan religion is based on nature as well as the Pre-Christain belief systems of Europe.  These people do NOT worship that which they do NOT believe.  That being said, Wiccans do NOT subscribe to the belief that Satan actually exists and therefore cannot worship him. They believe in a natural balance of positive and negative forces in the world.  To say that they are Satanist or Devil worshipers, is false and completely ignorant.

Satanists
Most Christians, Jehovah's witnesses, Mormons, and others, believe these people worship the Devil. In reality, they typically do not believe in the Christian Devil. The word, Satan, actually means 'Adversary'.  To Satanists, the Devil is an IDEA of all that is against Christianity. They refuse to allow churches to tell them what to do.  Satanists do, however,  perform rituals that mock Catholic Mass.

Devil Worshipers
This is a belief that is actually very rare, but some people take to the belief that the Christian Devil is more powerful and better than the Christian God.  They feel that he is the one who is in control of our world and so their loyalties lie with him.

My religion prevents me from passing judgment on any of these people, however I do not subscribe to these beliefs.  I do like some of the Wiccan ideas such as their extreme love for nature and all living beings.  
As you can see, Wiccans DO NOT worship the Devil.  Would you worship a being you did not believe in?  Of course not, so to believe that Wiccans are Devil worshipers is simply you wrongly judging them because you think that ALL people should follow your beliefs and those that do not are destined to be thrown into the depths of Hell for their sins.  

I've asked this before and I'll ask it again;  How do you know that your religion is the one and only truth?  Did God himself come to you and tell you exactly what to believe?  Did he tell you that ALL others of this world would be damned to Hell for not believing the same as you?  I doubt it, but if he did please send me the video of the conversation.  I'd love to see it.

A simple truth

On religion

For the past few days, there has been much-a-do about the Wiccan religion around here.  My daughter is Wiccan.  Now, I am not a Wiccan, however I did study it for a class in college where I had to completely submerge myself into it for a good grade.  (I got an "A" by the way) What is bothering me here is that my daughter's soon-to-be in-laws believe that it is a satanic religion and therefore she has a demonic aura around her.  They want nothing to do with her even though she is about to have there grandchild.  

When I was studying this religion, I found out that it is actually derived from one of the oldest forms of Christianity.  When the church changed the religion they claimed that all of those (persons who stayed with the old Christianity-now Wicca/slightly revised) who refused to adapt to the new religion were witches.  Hence the burning, hanging, and drowning of so many men and women long ago by those who supposedly did God's bidding (Really?  What happened to not judging others or, Thou shalt not kill?).  If you didn't change your beliefs back then when the church TOLD you to, you were a satanist and put to death.  

A few other things that many have not grasped about the religion is that Wiccans believe and worship God.  They also respect and love all of nature because it was given to us by God.  As far as witchcraft is concerned, spells are nothing more than glorified prayer.  I had to do some of this while studying it and every spell was more like a ceremonial prayer.  Instead of simply kneeling down and praying, these men and women go all out on thier prayers.  What's wrong with that?

If you know the bible, then you are aware that Cane and Able gave gifts to the lord.  They set up a sort of alter and placed their offerings upon it.  Wiccans don't sacrifice anything like Cane had done, but many people seem to be under the misguided impression that they do.  They do set up an alter however, much the same as Cane and Able had done.  Also, they go by a set of Wiccan laws that covers ALL of the ten commandments.  

I'm not sure how so many people, without knowing about this religion can judge so easily.  After all, don't those religions go by the bible which clearly states; 

Luke 6:37  

New international version: 

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Or perhaps; King James Version: 

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Both version of the bible is currently being used by many Jehovah's witnesses, so why do they judge others?  Not to mention that many religions believe theirs is the only TRUE religion.  

I ask this question: How do you know for certain that every other religion is wrong?  Did God himself come down and tell you and therefore you are the blessed ones who were gifted with the truth of life, death, and everything in between?  I doubt it, so STOP passing judgement.  That's not your place, it's God's!

Eye opener!

When your daughter says, "I'm pregnant!"

It was a beautiful morning today, at least until the kids woke up, then it was screaming and fighting and "mom he has my money!" "Mom she's touching me." Wow, that can mess up the most serene sunrise ever seen.  However, I've now dropped the kids off at school and the house is back to its peaceful state for the time being.  So what am I doing with my wonderful, quiet rest of the morning?  Well, my mind is whipping around thoughts of my twenty year old daughter.  She just got engaged a couple of months ago and we had been trying to plan for her wedding next fall, but we hit a major bump in the road and are in the process of trying not to plummet off the embankment.  My daughter is now pregnant.  

She woke me up at four in the morning a couple of days ago saying, "Mom, can you read this?  I don't know what it means."  I rolled out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen, put on my glasses, and picked up the pregnancy test.  Half asleep, I glance at it and in a groggy voice I respond:  "It says your pregnant."  I slowly turn away when my eyes pop wide open and I spin around, "Wait....What!   What the heck did I just say?!" That news will wake you up faster than three cups of espresso and a bolt of lightening.  The look on my daughters face said, she to would not be returning to bed.  

Initial surprise and Oh my freaking God! is finally out of the way and we are now fairly excited about the news.  He fiance is happy as well.  All we have to do is rework the wedding around the pregnancy because my daughter does not want to be a basket ball bride.  I told her she could either step up the wedding plans or keep the original date which is four months after the baby is due.  She should be back to her old self by then and I could care for my grand-baby.  I'm just in the process of thinking about the cost of the wedding, cost of baby items, and the cost of having the baby.  I'm not sure how to pull all of this off in one year.  Wow, what a bill its going to be!  Were theres a will and no other real choice, there's a way.

Just let him go for crying out loud!

Abusive relationships     

For the past few months, my sister has been telling everyone that her abusive ex-husband moved to Arizona.  She wound up selling everything she owns and told the family that she just needed to get away and was planning a trip to California.  She should be leaving today from what we all understand.  What I found out is that she had actually sold ALL her belongings, worked for a couple of weeks at McDonalds to earn some travel money, and is indeed going to California...where her abusive ex-husband actually lives.  She just didn't want the family to know she would be moving back in with the man who hit her and left her lying on the floor in a seizure to beat up her son then got angry with her when she came around and called 911 for herself.
     He would up doing a year in prison for that and blames her for the whole thing.  His mother lives with him as well and the last time my sister went to visit this lady, the woman slammed her head into the camper trailer door several time, then took her and her son(my nephew) a couple miles away and simply dropped them off.  They sat for hours in another state, in the cold, at a gas station after having called us for help.  Finally, her ex-husband picked her and her son up.  I simply cannot understand why a woman would choose that lifestyle when she is already free from it.  Why the Hell go back!?
     I do wish her the best of luck and under the circumstances, she's going to need it.

For help if you are a victim of domestic violence:

Safe Horizon

Joyful heart foundation

About.com

Get the help you need.  You do NOT have to allow this in your life.  Remember that we all deserve better.

Doctor say what!!!

This is too funny I have to share. Sorry in advance to my daughter, but I have to.

Went to the Doctors office with my daughter and they ran a couple test on her.

Nurse comes in and says: "So does three lines mean twins?" He says no more, leaving with a puzzled look on his face. (obviously, the doc and him were in on this together.)

Daughter: "What's that mean?"
Me: "I think he's joking, hun."

Doctor comes in and says

: "Do you want the good news or the bad news?"
Daughter

puts her head in her hands and begins to freak out. "Just give me the bad news."
Doctor

: "How far along do you think you are?" Winks at me as my daughter shakes her head, which is still cradled in her hands.  Her breathing was becoming so fast, I thought she might hyperventilate.
Daughter

: "What!...What!"
Doctor

: "Just kidding."
Sondra

: "That's just mean."
Doctor

: "That's what makes it funny."
I couldn't help but laugh. The look on her face was simply priceless. I wish I had a video camera at the time.

Neighbors killed my cat!

Momo update.

This is my post on facebook about my cat being missing.

My cat, Momo never came home after going for her afternoon walk. She had been pretty sick for a long time after her surgery and antibiotics, but seemed to be doing a lot better. Now, I fear she went somewhere to pass away. That's what animals do sometimes. We haven't seen her in three days. I miss my old lady and I hope she finds peace wherever she is.

Updated post on facebook about what actually happened to my cat.  I just found out yesterday after having searched for her all this time.

I know what happened to my cat Momo now. She was feeling better and was ready for her second surgery, so I thought it wouldn't hurt to let her go lie in the sun for a while. She wandered into the empty lot next door and the neighbors picked her up that day and took her to the humane society then had her put down. She died four days ago and even though they saw us hunting for our cat, they said 

nothing until my kids went to their house to play with their daughter. They told my 3 year old and my 7 year old that they had their cat killed and buried her in their back yard.
It is taking every bit of will power I have not to go over their and beat their asses for what they have done. She was finally healthy enough to survive her second surgery and they took that chance away from her then broke the hearts of two little kids.
I love you Momo and I'm so sorry. I should never have let you outside.

Progressive Auto insurance

Progressive Auto Insurance

I just received this email and thought I would put it on my blog for all of you to read...very disturbing.

You know their TV commercials, the ones featuring the ditsy actress all dressed in white.

What you might not know is that the Chairman of Progressive is Peter Lewis, one of the major funders of leftist causes in America .

Between 2001 and 2003, Lewis funneled $15 million to the ACLU,

the group most responsible for destroying what's left of Americas Judeo-Christian heritage.

Lewis also gave $12.5 million to MoveOn.org and America Coming Together, two key propaganda arms of the socialist left..

His funding for these groups was conditional on matching contributions from George Soros,

the America-hating socialist who is the chief financier of the Obama political machine.

Lewis made a fortune as a result of capitalism, but now finances a progressive movement that threatens to destroy the American free enterprise system that is targeting television shows on Fox News.

Peter Lewis is making a fortune off of conservative Americans (who buy his auto insurance) that he then applies to dismantle the very system that made him wealthy. He's banking on no one finding out who he is, so STOP buying Progressive Insurance and pass this information on to all your friends..

Chairman Lewis' gift helps the ACLU promote their anti-Christmas agenda such as:

· Removing nativity scenes from public property

· Banning songs such as Silent Night from schools

· Refusing to allow students to write about the Christian aspect of Christmas in school projects

· Renaming Christmas break Winter break

· Refusing to allow a city sponsored Christmas parade to be called a Christmas parade

· Not allowing a Christmas tree in a public school

· Renaming a Christmas tree displayed on public property a Holiday tree

In addition to their war on Christmas, the ACLU uses gifts like that from Chairman Lewis to:
( In a personal note:  I have to say that I agree with the following; legalizing homosexual marriage.  It's no ones business who you love. )

· Sue states to force them to legalize homosexual marriage

· Force libraries to remove porn filters from their computers

· Sue the Boy Scouts to force them to accept homosexuals as scout leaders

· Help legalize child pornography

· Legalize live sex acts in bars in Oregon

· Protect the North American Man Boy Love Association whose motto is "sex by eight or it is too late"

· Censor student led prayer at graduation

· Remove "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance

· Remove "In God We Trust" on our currency

Verify at: http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/a/aclu-lewis.htm

All of a sudden I don't care for their "funny commercials".

Hell Happens

Warren Buffet's quotes.

Warren Buffet

Warren Buffett, in a recent interview with CNBC, offers one of the best quotes about the debt ceiling:              "I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC. "You just
         pass a  law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more       
         than 3% of  GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible
         for re-election.

         The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds)
         took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified!  Why? Simple!
         The people demanded it. That was in 1971 - before computers, e-mail,
         cell phones, etc.
       
         Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took one (1) year
         or less to become the law of the land - all because of public pressure.
         
       
     Congressional Reform Act of 2012               
         1. No Tenure / No Pension.

         A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no
         pay when they're out of office.

         2.  Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social
          Security.

         All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the
         Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into
         the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the
         American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

         3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan,  just as all
        Americans do.

        4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise.
         Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

        5. Congress loses their current health care system and
         participates in the same health care system as the American people.

         6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the
         American people.

       7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void
         effective 12/1/12. The American people did not make this
         contract with Congressmen/women. 

         Congress made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in
         Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers
         envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their
         term(s), then go home and back to work.

         If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people with this message,then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message.  Don't you think it's time? 

Psychic dreams?

Psychic dreams or what?

I've been having some crazy dreams in the past few years and a lot of them have actually come true all the way down to the last detail.  They aren't crazy Medium-type dreams with a killer on the loose and I'm the only one who can bring them to justice, but they are beginning to give me pause and I'm not really looking forward to crawling into bed at night for fear that I may dream something I prefer NOT to dream about at this particular time.

It all started with a dream I had three years ago.  This particular dream was disturbing because I thought it had actually happened.  I had a dream that my husband was on the phone talking to his mom about his grandmother's recent passing.  They were discussing the plans for the funeral and such.  For the next couple of months I felt bad for my husband because he didn't even mention his grandmother at all, so I thought he was having difficulty getting through this emotional time, until I heard him on the phone talking to his grandmother.  I was perplexed.  I waited until he got off the phone then I said, "I thought your grandmother passed away."  He told me he had no idea what I was talking about because nobody in his family had passed away.  I felt a little weird, but I had heard of people having dreams that to them seemed very real, so I dismissed it until the next year, same month and my husband's grandmother actually did pass away.  There my husband stood on the phone having the exact same conversation with his mother that I had over heard him having in my dream.  Crazy, right?  Well, it didn't stop there.  

I had a dream prior to Christmas last year.  It was Christmas morning and I was sitting on the couch opening the present my husband had bought me.  Once the wrapping was off and I pulled out the gift, I saw that it was a reborn doll kit.  I said, "Wow, it's beautiful."  My husband said, "I'm glad you like it.  I went all the way to Pueblo to pick it up from Hobby Lobby." Then the dream flashed forward to next year's Christmas, but I don't want to get into that part of it, because I didn't like it at all and there's no way that part could possibly come true anyway.  We're not on the X-files, after all.  Anyway, the next morning, I told my husband about my dream.  He said nothing, just stared at his computer screen while my daughter gave me a strange look.  I let it go and got busy with my chores for the day, but later my nephew came out of his trailer and said, "Aunt Beth, I can't believe you had a dream about what you were getting for Christmas, that's just crazy."  So, needless to say, when Christmas came and I opened my gift, there was a reborn doll kit in it that my husband had purchased from Hobby Lobby in Pueblo.

Soon after that dream, a few months ago, I had a dream that ALL my husband's fish were floating at the top of the pond, dead.  I told him about this and said that I thought he should wait another month before putting the fish into the pond.  He didn't listen since he was so anxious to get the ponds going for the summer time.  The very next morning ALL of his fish were floating at the top of the pond, not one had lived.  

I typically do not believe in prophetic dreams and such.  I just get a creepy feeling about it and refuse to approach the subject.  It had, for a long time, seemed like a bunch of hogwash to me, but now I'm not sure.  I just want to know when in the heck I'm going to dream about the lottery.  I've been waiting on it and it just hasn't happened yet.  

How many other people are experiencing this?  I for one, wish it would just stop.  It's creeping me out.

Freed

I recently had a dream the something very bad happened at a school or a church.  I couldn't tell which for certain.  Whatever place it was, it had a stage and seating place for either a sermon or school play.  Anyway, a man was there who apparently injured or killed at least one young man and a person in a position of authority.  I sure hope this dream doesn't come close to coming true.  It scared me so much I couldn't go back to sleep.

Collective Conscience continued.

Collective Conscience.

Studies and scientific theories of the collective conscience.

     I thought I would write a bit more on this collective conscience theory. The collective conscience is defined in several different ways, but collective still means: forming a whole; combined and Conscience means: The complex of ethical and moral principles that control or inhibits the actions or thoughts of an individual.
     I still don't know where I stand in regards to this widely believed idea that all our thoughts combined create the world we live in and that we could possible make a change for the greater good of the people, but I think it is worth a try. Of course, making our world a better place by any means is always worth a try. 

     There are several people who have written about this subject, many scientists who are studying it, and many people who read about it, but are not sure, just as I am, as to the validity of the claim.

As written by: Robert Kenny, MBA

© 2004 Robert Kenny and Leaderful Teams Consulting

This is only a small bit from Robert Kenny, but a link to his well written and informative article follows.  

Foreward and Overview

     A growing number of people are discussing collective consciousness and wisdom. When I first published an article about these topics in 1992¹, my literature search turned up only one line of related scientific research, begun in 1979, regarding the social effects of “unified field” consciousness, accessed through group practice of transcendental meditation (TM).² A year later, the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) lab began studying how focused group intention and attention – or “field consciousness” -- brought order to random computer output. In 1995, Roger Nelson and Dean Radin began researching similar effects that occurred when mass attention was captured by events like the O.J. Simpson trial. In 1998, the Fetzer Institute and the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) co-sponsored two national dialogues exploring group consciousness and synergy, which my wife, Julie Glover, organized. Fetzer published a report,Centered on the Edge: Mapping a Field of Collective Intelligence and Spiritual Wisdom, three years later, and supported creation of this website in 2002. The following year Rupert Sheldrake published a book about “extended mind”, and IONS and the Association for Global New Thought co-sponsored the first conference on collective wisdom, which was attended by 2,500 participants. When I did an Internet search regarding collective consciousness in October 2003, I got more than 64,000 hits. In its May-July, 2004 issue, What Is Enlightenment? magazine ran a feature article on collective consciousness. Clearly, the topic has been increasingly infiltrating our social discourse.

     Is There Scientific Evidence? If more and more people are talking about collective consciousness, is there any scientific evidence to back it up? Yes – and that’s important. Rigorous science helps us avoid the fuzzy thinking and unquestioned assumptions that too often characterize spiritual and New Age discussions. Moreover, science may ultimately introduce mainstream society to collective consciousness and demonstrate how it can benefit us all.

Over the past 12 years, I’ve studied a good deal of intriguing research about collective consciousness. It suggests that we influence each other in many subtle, yet powerful ways, and that our collective wisdom and creativity can be harnessed for the common good much more than we do presently.

To read the rest of this terrific and insightful article visit: What Can Science Tell Us About Collective Consciousness?

Durkheim's Collective Conscience:  
   
     If we can say that in some sense collective representations exist outside of individual consciences, it is because they derive not from individuals taken one by one, but from their interaction, which is very different. No doubt each one brings his own share in the elaboration of the common result; but private sentiments become social only in combining under the pressure of sui generis forces that this association develops. Following these combinations and the mutual alterations that result from them, they become something else. A chemical synthesis occurs which concentrates and unites the synthesized elements and, by this very process, transforms them. Since this synthesis is the work of the whole, its stage will also be the whole. The resultant that comes out of it thus extends beyond each individual spirit, just like the whole extends beyond the part. ... It's in this sense that it is outside particular individuals. ... To really understand what it is, we have to take into consideration the aggregate in its totality. It is it that thinks, feels and wants, although it can only do this through particular consciences. That is also how we can see that the phenomenon of society is not dependent on the personal nature of individuals." (Sociologie et Philosophie, Presses Universitaires de France, 1963, p. 35-36 - my translation)

Here is a great article that further explains Durkheim:  

Durkheim

     Check out these and other articles on the collective conscience then come back and read the previous posting here.  
What do you think?  Should we try this out or not?  What could it hurt to simply try to make a better world?

Collective Conscience

Collective Conscience

Make a better world

     It is said by many that as a collective conscience, we create the world that we are living in.  Every thought we pour out into this world adds to the millions of other thoughts and paints the world into whatever crazy Picaso painting we imagine.  Many people around this mobile home park are thinking about the natural disasters, war, famine, and child abuse in this world.  I have read many tweets and facebook posts that also show that other's minds are on these things as well.  I am included in this.  If this theory of the collective conscience creating the world we live in is true, then we have made one heck of a depressing world indeed.  Everywhere you look you read about famine, poverty, war, violence, disease, etc.  I don't know if this theory is correct or simply bogus, but I sure hope that we did not think this place up in the dark folds of our mind and unleash it upon ourselves.  

      I have a way to test this theory however, but there needs to be enough people involved in order for it to work IF this theory is correct.  

     December 20th 2012 at 9 pm Central time, everyone around the world sit and close your eyes.  Imagine a world that is perfect and free from famine, disease, war, and violence.  Imagine a world where we stand as brothers and sister, where everyone IS created and treated equally, a world where we actually love one another and teach our children to as well.  For only thirty minutes, imagine a perfect world from 9 pm to 9:30 pm.  What could it hurt?  It's no more difficult than spending nearly an entire day thinking about living in a world that isn't perfect.  It's no more difficult than spending countless hours reflecting on war, the violence around the world, natural disasters, and children dying from disease or famine.  These are things you think about everyday.  Can you say "no" to thinking about something better?

Something in the water?

Something in the water

Not to long ago, my husband and I, with the help of my step-dad, removed a few water pipes from the mobile home park because there was a water leak and the landlord didn't want to loose anymore money on it.  When we drug on of them up, it was a galvanized pipe that had been rusted and corroded for years.  I asked when the pipes had been last worked on, but it seems they have been the same pipes for thirty plus years.  Of course, when I mentioned capping off the end of that pipe, filling it with water, and offering it as a glass to the landlord, no one wanted to do it.  However, I think if the landlord is willing to let us drink water that is fed through a pipe that disgusting, he shouldn't mind drinking it as well.

I don't know for certain, but I do believe that the water is causing people to become ill in this park.  So far two ladies in lot 6 both died from cancer, the preacher behind me was diagnosed with cancer, my mom just fought cancer, the little boy who used to live in lot 1 had kidney failure when he was here, the man who lives behind my mom has cancer, my gall bladder became abscessed, I'm getting cysts on my ovaries, my sister was just told she has to have part of her intestines removed due to pre-cancer cells, and people are being diagnosed with H-pilori, a third world country bacterial infection that can cause cancer, which generally comes from contaminated water or feces.  I asked if the landlord was going to replace the pipes here and was told he would, but so far, there is no work scheduled anytime in the near future.  He simply doesn't want to dish out the money at this time.  He owns a million dollar home, his wife wears fur coats and has a diamond ring on every finger, but they can't afford to replace the pipes at this time?  He said that this was just his retirement and he didn't want to deal with it, which is one of the reasons why no one in the park is allowed to have his number.  I was going to take the pipe to the health department, but it was thrown away, so I may take a sample of the water and have it tested.  I just have to figure out where to take it.

Second very long trip--wildfires are out of control

Colorado wildfires are out of control!

Send out a prayer for our wonderful state.

I left for Loveland, Colorado at 5pm yesterday.  It was hot out and we had NO air-conditioning in the car, so our windows went down instead.  On our way into Colorado Springs we saw smoke billowing from the mountains of Waldo, Colorado (devouring over 2,000 acres, I read later).  We could smell the smoke as we drove through.  Over 5,000 residents of Manitou, Springs were evacuated from their homes and evacuation orders have been issued for the west side of Colorado, Springs and in Ute Pass and Cascade.  

Still driving, we begin to enter Loveland, Colorado and off the the West we saw huge plumes of smoke coming off the mountains there.  Not only could we see the smoke, but we could also see flames blazing through the forest as well.  The fires there have burnt over 181 square acres and destroyed at least 191 homes.  The fire near Estes park consumed 21 structures.  Crews are now mopping up after that while trying to contain the other seven fires blazing across Colorado.

Fire fighters are working around the clock, but unfortunately with the heat continuing and no rain in sight, it may get worse before it gets better.  

We could learn a lot from our children.  Stand with them and thank our firefighters for taking time away from their families and lives to fight hour after hour to help save our State and the lives of the residents here as well as our precious wildlife.  

For information on how you can help reduce the chances of future fires this summer, please visit one of these sites:

How stuff works

Smokey Bear

Emergency Management

We CAN help prevent disastrous fires in our state if we all do our parts.

Send out prayers for our firefighters and all the families and wildlife that are affected by the horrendous fires that are destroying our state.  Make no mistake, we are ALL affected!!!

Help save this babies life.

Bubba fund

Here is a little boy who is desperately trying to live and a young mom who's desperate to save his life.  I can't imagine the strength a mom would have to have or the heartache she would no doubt have to go through.

http://www.gofundme.com/Bubbafund

Crazy, long trip and possible bath salts users

Long trip

     Day before yesterday my eldest daughter had a fit because she wanted to pick up her best friend and didn't have the money nor did she want to make the drive alone.  She had fifty dollars, which was almost enough to pay for the gas up there, but she spent it ghost hunting.  I know, I know, what the Hell, right.  Who does that, but anyway, she flipped out and in the end this push-over of a mom decided to shut her up and spare my furniture from future beatings by taking her up to Loveland to pick up her friend. 

It took four hours to get there and once on the road, prior to leaving, Loveland, a man without shoes on stood at the crosswalk with his arms in the air like he was imitating a duck.  He stood there for a while swaying back and forth, then skip-waddled across the street in front of me.  

     My daughter's friend said, "roll down the window, so I can tell him he's a freak." 

     "You don't know if he's on bath salts or something," I say.  "He may run over and start eating your limbs." I proceed in locking doors and making certain all windows are completely up.

     So, we're off again, heading towards Canon City.  I look down as we enter Colorado Springs and notice that the gas took a plummet.  I suppose something is wrong with my daughter's gas gauge.  Anyway, I pull in to a gas station and lock all the doors, so I can go inside to prepay.  A man at the pump next to me started growling, then began to bark loudly like a pissed off and rabid dog.  I glance quickly around me, but both my daughter and her friend had high-tailed it into the gas station, leaving me alone with the barking loon who may or may not eat my face off.  I quickly get into the gas station and pay for the gas.  I stand there at the door waiting until the barker's tail lights fade in the distance. 

     By the time, I made it into Canon City it was almost 2am.  I'm almost ready to slip into a coma and the girls are falling asleep after hours of texting.  I'm just hoping they weren't texting one another because...wow, that would be strange since they were in the same car together, but I have seen it before.  Tonight, as I sit here writing this, I am mentally preparing for the long trip back.  I do have to take her friend home, you know.  I did entertain the thought of purchasing a greyhound ticket, but it would cost more than my budget allows.  I'll let you know if any more crazies bark at me or try to rip my face off.  Wish me luck, guys.

Hate Must Stop

Stop the hate.

Hate must stop now!!!

I'm sick of it and I know I'm not the only one! 

My sister had a friend over recently and he is African American; the nicest man you could ever meet and funny as heck.  After he left, another person in the park commented about him having been here and actually used the “N” word.  He was angry because a man of a different color had chosen to come into this trailer park.  I was disgusted by this and I am fed up with all the HATE.  People are hating Jewish people, African Americans, Native Americans, poor people, elderly, Mormons, people who are fans of the wrong football team, and the list goes on.  It seems that people simply WANT to find something to hate in another person.   Imagine if you will that suddenly everyone is the same color.  Everywhere you walk ALL people are purple (why not?  I like purple), all people are the same age, and all people are straight.  I’m willing to bet that people will still find reasons to hate one another.  Perhaps it will be because they are wearing the wrong designer jeans, or they’re not styling their hair the way everyone else is, or they’re riding the wrong type of motorcycle.  When is the hate going to end and when are we going to actually advance as a human race?

Here are just a few things I found.  I am hoping to open your eyes to the hate that happens every single day against men, women, and even children due to peoples’ apparent inability to extinguish “HATE.”

Hate mob Trip Messick

Police tracked down and arrested 6 people, they say, beat a North Carolina man outside an Applebee's on March 17th.
Police arrested Teryn Robinson, Tray Holland, Justin Alexander, Derick Williams, Kino Jones and Montrez Jones. All of the suspects face a charge of assault and battery by a mob. They were booked into the Oconee County Detention Center.
Since the investigation showed that racial factors contributed to the incident, police sent a copy of the case to the FBI to determine if the case should be pursued as a hate crime under federal law.
Police say at this time, the case will remain under active investigation and they will proceed with the state level charges.

 3 White Supremacists Found Guilty of Beating Black Man at Bus Stop News one staff

Charles Cannon, 26, Michael McLaughlin, 41, and Brian Kerstetter, 32, were all convicted of a hate crime today by a federal grand jury for assault of a 29-year-old Black man, according to a press release from the Department of Justice.
The jury decided that their attack of the victim at a bus stop in downtown Houston violated the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act enacted in October 2009.
When you hear that a black man was savagely beaten by some white kids, then run over by their truck, you don't want to think it happened here in America. This generation of teens is supposed to be more accepting, more open. These sorts of racially-motivated horrors are supposed to be just a memory, a tragic one, but a blast from the past all the same.
But the teenagers who are accused of getting drunk, then jumping in their truck with plans to go "f--k with a ni---r" are Americans alright. Eighteen-year-old Deryl Dedmon lives in Brandon, Mississippi. And it was just this past June that cops allege he led the vicious attack that claimed the life of James Anderson, a black auto plant worker.
The whole thing -- from Anderson being beaten to his death as he was run down in the parking lot -- was caught on video. Now Dedmon faces murder charges, and an accomplice, John Aaron Rice, also 18, has been charged with simple assault for the part he allegedly played in Anderson's death. Watching the video is hard. The hate is palpable. A kid actually screams "white power":

Another White Man Critically Beaten: 20 Black Racist Thugs Assaulted Him Citing “Justice For Trayvon” Scott Baker

 

Mobile police need your help to catch a mob that beat Matthew Owens so badly that he’s in critical condition.
According to police, Owens fussed at some kids playing basketball in the middle of Delmar Drive about 8:30 Saturday night. They say the kids left and a group of adults returned, armed with everything but the kitchen sink.
Police tell News 5 the suspects used chairs, pipes and paint cans to beat Owens.
Owens’ sister, Ashley Parker, saw the attack. “It was the scariest thing I have ever witnessed.” Parker says 20 people, all African American, attacked her brother on the front porch of his home, using “brass buckles, paint cans and anything they could get their hands on.”
What Parker says happened next could make the fallout from the brutal beating even worse. As the attackers walked away, leaving Owen bleeding on the ground, Parker says one of them said “Now thats justice for Trayvon.”
A witness who wants to remain anonymous describes what he says he heard at his front door Saturday night, on Delmar Drive. ”I just kept hearing him screaming, ‘Man, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, man don’t do this,’ ” he recalls.
On the other side of that door was Matthew Owen, who, police and neighbors say, was being beaten by a group of people. The weapons? Bricks, bats, even a paint can.
At first, when he heard his friend at the door, the man thought it was a joke. ”Then I saw about 10 to 15 people from little kids and women with dresses to adult men, just flooding onto the property, surrounding the car, hollering and screaming,” he says. “And then I heard Matthew saying, ‘ I’m sorry, man, I’m sorry. I’m sorry.’ And then, the next thing, before I could get to the door, because we have it all deadbolted and everything, and before I could get it open, I heard all the beating and banging.”
Even family and friends of Matthew Owens admit there was some tension on this street before Saturday night’s event. And they say a lot of this has to do with basketball. Relatives of the victim, who live on the street, say local kids often block Delmar Drive when they play basketball. They say it’s lead to some confrontations. Racial comments from both sides may have made the confrontations more toxic.

Jewish schoolboy, 12, beaten up in latest anti-Semitic attack to hit France... as school where Islamic terrorist Merah killed four receives hate mail  Peter allen

A Jewish schoolboy was punched in the back of the head and beaten up in the latest anti-Semitic attack to hit France.

The 12-year-old was walking near his Jewish school in southeastern Paris yesterday when a gang set up on him, calling him a 'dirty little Jew'.

It came as it emerged the Jewish school where Islamic terrorist Mohammed Merah, 23, gunned down four people has received hate messages warning: 'This is only the beginning'.

Iraqi Woman Beaten to Death in California, Hate Crime Suspected Olivia Katrandjian

ABC News

A woman from Iraq who was found beaten, lying in a pool of blood in her in El Cajon, Calif., home next to a note saying “go back to your country,” has died and police are investigating her death as a possible a hate crime.

Shaima Alawadi’s  17-year-old daughter found her unconscious on the dining room floor of her home Wednesday. She was taken to the hospital and put on life support, but she was taken off life around 3 p.m. Saturday.

“Our understanding is that she was beaten and she was hit with some kind of a tool about 8 times in the head. She was knocked on the floor and was found in a pool of blood,” said Hanif Mohebi, the director of the San Diego chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Alawadi was a 32-year-old mother of five children, ranging in age from eight to 17.

“A week ago they left a letter saying this is our country not yours you terrorist, and so my mom ignored that thinking it was just kids playing a prank,” Alawadi’s daughter, Fatima Al Himidi, told ABC News affiliate KGTV. “But the day they hit her, they left another note again, and it said the same thing.”

Hispanic boy, 15, beaten in hate-crime attack as he walked home from school  Associated press

Seven black teenagers were arrested on suspicion of committing a hate crime after attacking a 15-year-old Hispanic boy as he walked home from school in Southern California.

I’m reading about all of these hate crimes, and I feel nothing but disgust and sadness.  It is said that we should learn from our past, but for many, all they do is live in it and embrace the hate that keeps us fighting against one another.  We still have not learned to accept one another for our differences, we have not learned to let go of the past and move forward toward a brighter future where everyone cares for one another regardless of race, age, religion, etc.  Who are we to hate someone simply because of the color or their skin, and who are we to judge those for whom they choose to love in this world or for what religion they place close to their hearts.  Should the people of this world apologize for having the audacity to grow old, or to be born with a different color of skin, or to love a different God than others choose to love, or to be of limited means?  No one should apologize for who they are or who they are not. 

If we are to STOP hate crimes then we ALL must stop HATE, because from where I’m sitting it looks as if we are letting evil win.  I think it’s high time we defeat it.