Posted by
William D. Dannenmaier on Friday, December 03, 2010 5:05:35 PM
Talking with my brother at our sister’s funeral, one of us commented that Walter was gone and now Ethel was gone so that left the two of us. Joe said that while he was 84 to my 80, he wouldn’t bet on my living longer. He said, “You’ve been on borrowed time for too long.” I think he was referring to my Korean adventures.
Actually, I was reported missing in action once, but the report only went back as far as Division so no one at home heard. I suspect that happened when we moved into the mountains to stop a Chinese breakthrough. Stan O’Connor, Ray Barker and I were sent out on an errand. We accomplished it, but it took two days longer in all the confusion and fragmented fighting than the Colonel expected.
Commenting on political news to Sheila, I said reporters speculated that Pelosi’s decision to remain and run for leadership of the minority party in the House would result in her victory, since so many of the “Blue Dogs” had lost, and that this would result in polarizing Congress. My unrepentant bride replied, “Good, I want it polarized. I want a clear distinction between the parties.” This “take no quarters” attitude of hers is reflected in our home, which is why everyone knows that I am an abused husband.
My father pushed us as children to get all the education we could. I remember him saying, “The only thing the government can’t take away from you is what is in your head.” I thought of that this morning while Sheila was calculating how much the government bonds we purchased for our children, and made them purchase, from their gifts and earnings, were worth. Those bonds are not worth nearly as much as I thought they were. The government has been playing games, over the years, with the interest they pay on government bonds. At least we are better off than the people who bought bonds from General Motors or Chrysler; they didn’t even get back what they paid for them when Obama “saved” the companies. Taxpayers lost also, only the unions profited.
When I talk of education, I include such things as the carpentry, landscaping and food preparation that all of my children did. They are at least as valuable, and considerably more valuable to them, than what they learned in some of the college classes they took.
On Sheila’s most recent visit to the doctor, he told her that the time had come for replacement surgery and he thought it would be best to do both knees at the same time. Naturally, Sheila wrote Gary Smith, who was once MY doctor, about the situation and he replied that, probably, surgery should be done, but she should be reconciled to the fact that it would be several months, not weeks, before she really felt better. Then he added something that may not be libel, but is certainly a slur. He said, “Bill will have to come to terms with that.” I’ll have the world know that I do a LOT of work around here, helping out Sheila with her most arduous tasks. For example, I always help her wake up in the morning so that she can make breakfast on time. I also make suggestions as to what she should prepare for our meals, sometimes I even carry my plate to the table for her and I always cut my own meat. How much more help can a wife expect?
One of my recent tasks has been feeding the neighborhood bees. A few weeks ago I spilled a bit of honey on the table on the back porch and noticed that bees came to clean it up. I began putting some out there each morning for them and soon had quite a crowd. Running low on honey, I tried some molasses, which they ate more reluctantly. I’ve also discovered that they like over-ripe pears, which I slice up for them. They never bother me, although they will come up and walk over my hands. The other day I had one on my hand when I returned to the kitchen for more honey. He stayed on my hand as I walked into the kitchen and picked up the honey. Then, thinking that Sheila might not like a bee in the kitchen, I walked through the house, out the side door and around to the porch. My hitchhiker stayed on my hand all the way until I opened the bottle and poured out more honey. Sheila always buys the cheapest brand of honey, I wonder if they would prefer a better brand? Incidentally, I get a lot of solitude on the porch, other members of the family seem to be avoiding it. Perhaps I need to shower more frequently.
My friend and Liberal critic, Dee, responded to my recent blog with the following: I loved it. “The idea that any woman, Muslim or otherwise, would want a male virgin as a ‘reward’ for anything is absurd. We have enough problems with a seasoned veteran. No one wants to take on the task of teaching an inexperienced rookie.”