Who what where....uhhh say again?

Well its been crazy for me as of late. Been through NY, PA, MD, WV, VA, TN, GA, AL, MS, SC, GA, NJ and CT all within the past 30 days and a few of those states two or 3times. All by road trip too. Gaaack!

I had come back to the North East in April for jury duty, dental and medical appointments. May 4th I recieved word from the Hospice that Dad was actively passing on from this mortal plain. I had just gotten my 2 younger brothers to the Airport that morning so they could see him before the end that morning as well.

Well the call came to me about noon time and I contacted my brothers immediately via cell phone gave them the bad news and they along with Mom went straight to the Hospice. The situation for them was grim and I was in NY at the younger but not youngest brother's home to look after the dogs during this visit. Change of plans the Sister in Law took the animals to a kennel and I went to my older Brother's home to get with him for the road trip south.

On Thursday May 5th while at my older brother's home we recieved word that our Father had finally crossed the threshold of life and joined with his Parents, sister and other family members. Slightly later we started our journey to MS for the funeral

Paul & I arrived at our Mother's Home in MS on Sunday morning and joined with our brothers Pierre & Andrew already there as I had brought them to the airport the preceeding Wednesday. A bit of a madhouse would best describe the emotional states of all.

Well the Funeral was on Tuesday with the internment at the National Cemetary in Biloxi, MS. Immediate Family, Cousins and Neighbors all attending.

I really can not express my Thanks to the neighbors enough for all the assistance they provided my Mom & Dad over the preceeding months.

At the end of the services provided by Fr. Bob, Ex Airforce Chaplain, I stepped away from the mourners and played Amazing Grace on the Bagpipes.

But seriously everything was occuring so quickly the events seem as a blur. On Wednesday Afternoon I took My two brothers and one sister-in-law to the Airport in Gulf Port MS for their flight home and on Thursday morning Paul & I departed for MS.

So that is a quick run down of what I've been up to for the past few weeks.

So if you hear me ask "What am I doing in this Hand Basket and Where am I going"....
You'll at least understand why.

Well be safe all and now to see what happens next.

Cheers.

May 2011, Missives & Musings

May 2011 and the Long Strange Trip continues.

Yesterday was the old Celtic Festival of Beltaine a holiday welcoming in the spring, a day of feasting and joy at the end of winter and the time to welcome the returning warmth of the growing season. For the Germanic Tribes the name of Walpurgis should ring similarly.

In our more modern times the Pagan or Traditional Holidays have taken an altered form. Thanks for this turn of events should be given to the likes of Karl Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and a host of others. For the confirmed communist and the departed Soviet Block we had Military Parades in Red Square of Moscow and as an Alternative we had the more bucollic and pastorial Loyalty Day Picnics at Parks and Open Spaces here in the U.S. Either way some one was having a party claiming how one system was better than the other.

Over time the U.S. Loyalty day has mellowed and the May Day Parades of Military Hardware and Massed Troops have faded with a couple of noticable exceptions where a dictator grasps at control still.

Regardless some tribal groups still cling to May Day as a time to gather and experince fellowship. For myself this includes the annual Chicken Bar-B-Que hosted by A.B.A.T.E. of Pike County Pennsylvania, Chapter 41. As for why this date is chosen, Its generally one of the first really nice comfortable days of springs and much of the winter annoyances of snow, ice, salt and sand have vanished from the roadways making 2 wheeled travel fun and enjoyable. What, you wanted something deeply profound and philosophical?

Well That is a bit of how May has started for myself. April on the other hand has been a rather busier than desired month. Between placing my father into a Hospice, doing about a 1300 mile road trip to; be dismissed from jury duty, too close and association to the defendant; have my semi annual Dental check up and get a crown on a tooth broken on Christmas Eve; Make the Lab appointment and have my annual skin cancer screening; and other odd bits of life which constitues membership in a civilized society.

Speaking of Civilized Societies, This morning I read in the local News Paper that A world reknowned terrorist and mass murderer by the name of Osama Bin Laden, whose family has connections to the Saudi Royal Family, has been killed in a military action. While this brought forth some actions speaking of the magnitude by which he was loath by U.S. Society. I propose that we should not exault at his demise. As he has lieutenants and sycophants who would gladly hasten to his grave as an homage site and to continue his plan of action to cause grief and harm to any nation they conclude refuses to heed their message of hate. I suspect as does the Intelligence Agencies of the various Nations on this planet we shall see acts in retribution for the death of this assasin called Bin Laden.

Now with storms pummeling the interrior of the U.S.. A nuclear crisis in Japan after the Tsunami severly damaged an electric power generation station. Increasing fuel and food costs. One might wonder why a nation supposedly as advanced as the U.S.A. hasn't taken action to prepare its citizens for even harsher realities. Well the truth be told we're a nation of Idiots. Oh I'm not talking the congenital defective window licking short bus riders. They aren't the problem causing agents. No I'm refering to the Extremist & Polarizing Politicians and the Electorate that places & returns them to power.

Why is it when the vast bulk of the working population has been forced out of defined pension programs for 401K and 407K retirement programs. Our politicians still have a pension for life that they protect mightily? Why when Health Insurers refuse to pay bills while they have been paid in full each month for the services we are supposed to have; they aren't investigated by our Governmental watch dogs? The radicals of the Left and the Right rail and scream propose changes in plans which would cripple those who've been paying into and supporting for years & decades but yet would be unaffected themselves. Why are we returning our politicians to office where they become ensconced and the monied lobbyists become their guiding light? Its because we've become lazy as a whole and entitlement programs have become too generous.

OK that last line would and could get me pilloried in a different era. Today it sets me off as an extremist to the Extremist Liberals. However at what point has anyone considered the implications of our current governmental policies? The Government has programs to support the poor and marginalized, yet when you look upon the people paying the Tax burden They are also being taken down to poverty levels by the inherent corruptness of a system which does not tax all fairly. For example Exxon Mobil does not pay the same level of taxes I pay and every time I purchase their products I'm paying the taxes on it as a consumer. Meanwhile the Senior executives have tax loopholes aplenty due to the influences of paid lobbyists paying off the elected represntatives of the electorate. What the nation needs is a Lobbyist Tax. Yes a tax on Lobbyists. Oh hey lets use a Billion Dollars a head as a real number for individuals representing Multinational Corporations. Why I'm sure the U.S. Budget could be balanced by the equitable redistribution of Corporate Wealth. Add to that Tort reforms and Government investigative oversight of the Health Insurance Industries and Iwould suspect Millionairs and Billionaires would be screaming for my head on a silver platter.

But anyway that diatribe out of the way i'll progress to more mundane matters. Seeing and being with a few of my friends and former co-workers over the past weeks has been a most pleasant of diversions. Getting together for a few meals of beverages in areas as far apart as Danbury, Connecticut; West Point, New York; Dingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania; and points in between where up lifting and actually eased my mood & raised my spirits. Yes I can be off putting by making horrific jokes about the placement of my Father into Hospice last month. Yet by the same token thats just a way I find of coping with a difficult situation. Yes, Its difficult being seperated by 1300 miles from people you care about and doing whats correct. Also I see this as potentially leading up to a more semi permanent change in locations from the northeast to the south. So while I haven't the same problems the younger work force has concerning relocation I also find it troubling just the same.

So for my friends and family in NY, CT, & PA. This appears to be the beginning of another adventure for this Accidental Tourist. While I'll keep this blog as a method of communications I'll also be mucking about on Facebook as well. By June I suspect I'll have a hurricane watch station and won't concern myself with snow storms and blizzards.

Also a few photos I think were warranted.

Cheers All.