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Your Stimulus Check
This is soooooo true......
Below is some helpful advice on how to best help the US economy by spending your stimulus check wisely:
If you spend that money at Wal-Mart, all the money will go to China.
If you spend it on gasoline it will go to the Arabs.
If you purchase a computer it will go to India.
If you purchase fruit and vegetables it will go to Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala (unless you buy organic).
If you buy a car it will go to Japan.
If you purchase useless crap it will go to Taiwan.
And none of it will help the American economy. We need to keep that money here in America.
You can keep the money in America by spending it at yard sales, going to a
baseball game, or spend it on prostitutes, beer (domestic ONLY), or tattoos, since those are the only businesses still in the US.
A Five Year Old Grandson will......
 screw the bottom of the soft gel deodorant so when you open it, half the gel is in the lid,
turn the lock on the screen door so when you go out you can't get back in,
take several bites out of an apple and leaves it on the kitchen counter,
find scissors and cuts his bangs in the bathroom,
get in the Halloween candy jar and leave wrappers on the coffee table,
use half the band aids from the box,
then he says "how did you know it was me?"
PUT YOUR CAR KEYS BESIDE YOUR BED AT NIGHT!
I never would have thought of this....
PUT YOUR CAR KEYS BESIDE YOUR BED AT NIGHT. Tell your spouse, your children, your neighbors, your parents, your Dr.'s Office, the check out girl at the market, everyone you run across. Put your car keys Beside your bed at night.. If you hear a noise outside your home or someone get in your house, just press the panic button for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery dies. This tip came from a Neighborhood Watch Coordinator. Next time you come home for the night and you start to put your keys away, think of this: It's a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain.. It works if you park in your driveway or garage. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break in your house, odds are the burglar/rapist won't stick around... After a few seconds all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won't want that! And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way there. This is something that should really be shared with everyone. Maybe it could save a life or prevent a sexual assault.. Suggest that your parents carry their car keys with them in case they fall outside and no one can hear them. They can activate the car alarm and then someone will know there's a problem. It would also be useful for any emergency, such as a heart attack, where you can't reach a phone.
What's Next?
 More and more information is coming out about the wrong that is being done in Washington by our Senators and people handling the money of others. We've known for years it was happening but finally some of the news people are telling it all even tho there are those that refuse to live in reality. Today's news says Barney Frank steered 12 million dollars to a bank in his state that was about to go under. How can the committee members put the man in charge of the Treasury Dept.and IRS, that admitted to not paying all his own taxes? Wasn’t this supposed to be the era of post-racialism? Robert Reich apparently didn’t get that message. In his appearance before Congress on structuring the stimulus plan on January 7th, Reich suggested that the package should discriminate against white male workers. Then there are the two rappers that are spouting a song "Black President" that should be not be allowed to be heard by anyone. I definitely foresee a lot of understanding and give and take that will be necessary to get us all back to where we were ....or do we want it back like that, without Mr Madoff and people like him of course?
Granny's Best List for Saving and Living Cheaper
 With the economy being so bad (at least that is what they say) I thought I'd pass on some of my Granny's Best Tips.
Always pay your bills FIRST before you pay any thing else. If you have credit card bills and can't pay the whole amount, pay more than the minimum payment EVERY month. When one credit card bill is paid off, don't charge anymore on it but DO NOT close it out (the amount you can borrow is good for your credit rating - just don't use it). Now take that money you have been paying on that credit card and put it on the other credit card payments, medical bills, house payment or car payment. Remember your goal is to pay all your major bills as soon as possible. Any time you get a pay raise take that money and put it in savings and continue to live on the amount of money you have been living on before the raise. Clip coupons (http://www.zoinkies.com/coupons/) each Sunday, from the paper or from web sites that offer coupons to print out. Use only coupons that are for items you REALLY need, not just because it sounds like a good deal. Check the paper and ads for buy one, get one free or coupons that give rebates. Check around for grocery stores that offer to double coupons. Try to go grocery shopping only once or twice a month. You can go extra times for little things, like milk and bread, but make a list and only buy those few items. Don't shop, go straight to the items and then leave. Never go shopping if you are hungry. Eat first, then go to the grocery store. Go alone, no kids or spouse. Make a list before you go and don't buy things you think just look good. Try to prepare meals that you can make and freeze. You can not only save money but time. If you have a farmers market or road side stands, get your fruits and vegetables there. They are cheaper and fresher than in the store. Check the internet for new recipes under quick meals, frozen casseroles (http://www.squidoo.com/cookaheadcasseroles), (http://www.zoinkies.com/recipes/), etc. There are lots of recipes that taste good and yet may only require three or four items for preparation. Just search under the types of meals you like. You can also save money by having the deli thin slice their meat for your sandwiches rather than buy it by the package. Shop at places like Sams and Cosco, where you can buy in bulk. Do not buy groceries at quick shops or Drug stores, their prices are way higher than a grocery store. You can also get the best prices for things like trash bags, laundry soap and cleaning supplies at stores like Dollar General or Dollar Store. Try to do all your shopping in one area if you can. After all, if you have to drive all over town, you are spending your savings on gasoline. If you have children, there is the matter of clothes and other things. Since kids outgrow their clothes in a matter of months, don't spend a fortune on their wardrobes. Look at consignment, thrift stores and garage sales. You can find a whole winter wardrobe of jeans, cotton shirts and sweatshirts. Even sneakers and jackets can be found that look like new. You will be surprised at how many name brand items you can get for a quarter to a dollar. You do need to do your garage saleing in the summer as there are not many in the winter. If you find something that is really nice but might be a little large, go ahead and get it and put it away for next year. As an example, Backpacks, which can take a bite out of $30 at the store can be found in abundance for a dollar at most garage sales. If you need a bicycle, that is also something there are plenty of for far less than a new one costs. If you see an ad for a consignment conventions like Just Between Friends be sure and check it out. As they put it "It's a 21st century, stadium-sized garage sale—with moms selling to other moms at rock bottom prices. " You can check out their website at www.jbfsale.com. They guarantee clothes at their sales will not have stains or tears and will be in lightly worn condition. You can also find things like strollers, bikes, toys and lots of other kids and baby items. You can also redo lots of things you find at garage sales with just a little paint or cleaning (http://www.squidoo.com/ideasforgaragesalefinds).
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Where do the years go? My two kids just had birthdays. One was 46 in December and the other was 47 yesterday. Both my kids were born in the same year but in different months. I have to laugh about the times I took them to the clinic when they were little and they would ask me what their birthdays were. i would say 20 December 62 and 13 January 62 and the person asking would say "Oh they are twins!" I would jut shake my head and let it go rather than try to explain. We had this picture taken of the kids when we lived in Turkey.
 They had matching sweaters and the photographer got such a great shot that this has been my favorite picture of all. I used to make the kids sit for pictures using this same pose until it got to be such a hassle. As teenagers you would have thought they would catch something from each other if they had to sit that close. I hope you both had a good day and don't mind getting older...........Love Mom
To All The Kids......
 I'm not sure where I got this or who sent it to me but enjoy anyway........TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED THE 1940's, 50's, and 60's !!
-First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.
-They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can and didn't get tested for diabetes.
-Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-base paints.
-We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had baseball caps not helmets on our heads.
-As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, no booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires and sometimes no brakes
-Riding in the back of a pick- up truck on a warm day was always a special treat.
-We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.
-We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and no one actually died from this.
-We ate cupcakes, white bread, real butter and bacon. We drank Kool-Aid made with real white sugar. And, we weren't overweight. WHY?
-Because we were always outside playing...that's why!
-We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.
-No one was able to reach us all day. And, we were O.K.
-We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride them down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times,we learned to solve the problem.
-We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's and X-boxes. There were no video games, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet and no chat rooms
WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
-We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.
-We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
-We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.
-We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.
-Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment.
Imagine that!!
-The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
-These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever.
-The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
-We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.
If YOU are one of them? CONGRATULATIONS!
-You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good.
-While you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave and lucky their parents were.
-Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it ?
Connected by CaringBridge
 I just heard about the neatest web site. A childhood friend is currently getting ready for chemo treatments for cancer and her daughter set up a free website where all her friends and relatives could send messages of support for her. It is called CaringBridge. You might take a look and if you know someone who might like to set up a free site for a loved one, this is the place.
About CaringBridge
CaringBridge® is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit web service that connects family and friends during a critical illness, treatment or recovery. A CaringBridge website is personal, private and available 24/7. It helps ease the burden of keeping family and friends informed. Patients and caregivers draw strength from loved ones’ messages of support for loved ones during critical illness, treatment and recovery.
Connected by CaringBridge
* 150,000 families have created free, personalized CaringBridge websites
* Over half a billion visits by families and friends
* 20+ million guestbook messages of hope and encouragement
* 150+ new personal CaringBridge communities created daily
* Used in 190+ countries around the world
Wishes for a New Year
 My daughter recently asked me why didn't anyone want to spend more time on our downtown square. The city is working hard to regain our downtown with First Friday events (1st Friday evening of each month, local and area musicians will perform free entertainment at shops, restaurants and galleries), when weather permits there is dining outside on the sidewalk, there is Enid Lights up the Plains with fireworks, music and food to start the holiday season, and of course the many parades and celebrations held downtown on the court house square. We discussed what we would like to see again from the past. Lots of shoppers walking around the square and having lots of stores to visit. Wishing we had a place like we used to, Woolworth or Downs Pharmacy with their soda fountains where you could get an ice cream or coke and visit with friends. Then there is the outdoor drive-in theater that stands alone, long ago overgrown with weeds where the speakers used to be. Why isn't there someone who would want to re-open it, at least in the summer, so everyone could go back to watching a great movie from the seats in your car. Even downtown, where there used to be three movies theaters, someone could open a movie instead of having to go to the mall. We could sure use a nice cafeteria like the one we used to have. A place where everyone went for lunch after church or for a nice meal during a week day evening. It is really sad how the squares of small town America have gone by the wayside. Our town is trying to regain those days, even to keeping the old buildings with quaint brick fronts and dates of 1900s on the front. It is so much more inviting than a Mall with its big parking lots and empty stores.
Friends and Age......
A life long friend sent this to me and I want to share it as we start a new year:
I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.
I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon, before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.
Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60's &70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.
I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They, too, will get old.
I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.
Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.
I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.
As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.
So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it).
MAY OUR FRIENDSHIP NEVER COME APART, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART!
MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE A RAINBOW OF SMILES ON YOUR FACE AND IN YOUR HEART FOREVER AND EVER! FRIENDS FOREVER!
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