Mother's Day 2011

Just a few years ago my mom Kate and I celebrated mother's day one on one. Usually a movie and a new restaurant for something different. My Mom is pretty unique and very loving, and loves her two boys. Brother Ken never fails to connect and shower Mom with something special if he can't be here.

Last weekend I found myself involved with SEVEN mothers. And that doesn't count Lisa's soon to be mother-in-law Nora! So, wife Jeanne (#1) and I picked up Kate (#2) and went up to a brunch with her son Daniel and his girlfriend's family. Guess what? There is a new ring on my step-son's girlfriend. Daniel and Danielle are to be married! Danielle (#3) has a son Dylan from a previous marriage so she is already a mom. That is them to my left past Jeanne above.

Her sister Desiree (#4) and husband Jason have a little boy Jackson on the way! Joe and Renee (#5) were there because Renee is mom to Danielle and Desiree and youngest daughter Tamara. (Renee, Joe, Jason, Desiree above)

Then there is Renee's mom Dianne (#6) and husband Wayne along to add to the grandmother contingent. Tamara is right of Kate.  Jeanne connected with her mom Lorrae (#7) on the phone as she is in Chico with brother Pierre. Phew.... did I miss anyone?  Lucille's Barbecue was delicious and we had a great time discussing all the new fun we are going to have together. Speaking of fun, how about horses?  Renee and Joe have a Board and Ride ranch in Winchester.  So we all went to check it out! Kate rode the electric cart to save walking and got to see all.

Some of these belong to owners who board their horses and come out to ride,  some belong to Renee and Joe, and Danielle, and ???  Jeanne likes horses I found out. Especially little cute ones!

Some of these great animals are soooo gentle, and love attention.  May have to go for a ride sometime...with all the mother's I have in my life. By the way,  I talked to my daughter Renee (#8) this morning who posted great pictures of my grandson Danny up in Colorado with one of my favorite moms of years past. Renee and husband Ale are featured at: http://www.miqueridafamilia.com/ . Hope you had fun with someone's Mom last weekend!

Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead!

Just as the Munchkins in OZ celebrated the end of the oppression wrought by the Wicked Witch of the West, we Americans are celebrating the decapitation of one of the Al-Qaeda terror cells, the one responsible for the 9/11 mass attacks. With a brave decision to move Navy Seals in for a personal kill, our president finally showed some backbone and capitalized on the intelligence, special ops and Gitmo water boarding techniques George Bush put in place against the votes of Senator Obama (at the time) and got something tangible done.

This kind of killing shows the sad level we have to descend to in order to wisely rid ourselves of ones so clearly evil. I'm proud that in the face of grave danger our Seals eliminated this monster without harm to citizens in Pakistan, or themselves. The demise of any human is loss on the purely humanitarian level, so I'm glad we don't practice the scale of inhumanity people like this practice. Though my heart wants retribution on the same scale, I refuse to lower my behavior to that level allowing the dark forces of life to win twice. America is a class act for bringing justice to this man, who can never pay for what he has done with his single life. Respect for this soul in quick, clean burial will show many Muslims we understand some of their ways and don't utterly disrespect them as a people even as they practice a religion that advocates "killing the infidel" (us). If this satisfies the politically correct crowd (for the wrong reasons) so be it.  I like the way it does what the Bible advocates: heap coals on the heads of your enemies. Make them accountable, then in death treat their source with more than they deserve.

More to unfold in terms of history here.  I hope the world is thinking about this in terms of the long view.

Yet Another Bridge

Today I went to work for Hewlett-Packard.  I'm thankful to be employed. I have been every single day from the time I graduated from San Diego State University in 1974.  I went to work at UCSD Medical Center and remainded there for 22 years.  In 1986 left to pursue an opportunity at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) to work on the military medical system world wide. I had many other projects at SAIC without leaving the company as we had many contracts.  The last contract I worked on was the Information Technology (IT) outsourcing for the County of San Diego. When that contract expired and I got my termination notice it marked the end of stable employment in terms of who I worked for.

I have continued to work for the same customer, but under the banners of SAIC, BearingPoint, Eclat, Attain, and now Hewlett-Packard. With each bridge I have become a little less uneasy, but in a bad economy, with underfunded governments, lawsuits, buyouts, changing managing contractors, and narrow profit margins, you can bet the competition for work is fierce in my profession. Still, I am blessed to have yet another job. This contract ends 2017! That is good. Once again, however I start with all my co-workers at "new hire" vacation allowance: 10 days/year.  I get one new day for each year of seniority.  It will take me seven years to attain the vacation allowance I just left behind to accept this position. Lord give me strength,...and thanks for the job! Amen.