Dexter Iowa Community Site

Consider this quote from Abe Lincoln

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

It came on suddenly as if from out of nowhere. One minute I’m up running around, and the next I’ve got a horrible dry cough and it feels like I’m standing inside a blast furnace. So in honor of the fact that I decided to bring whatever crud I’ve picked up this time into work with me…how about some random thoughts?

1. $892 Billion. Another supposed stimulus package brought to you, the taxpayer from your friends in Congress. In a remarkable turn of events, those on the majority side of the isle note that in most recent polls, 70% of their own constituency approves of the plan. Now, I can’t really comment on most of what is in this bill, as I would rather take the time to cataloge my report cards from elementary school, but I can smell a skunk a mile way. Just so you know I took an informal poll here too and 99% of readers think my column is brilliant. The other 1% were illiterate.
2. So from Washington to our friends at the Statehouse….Yes, they are going to get blasted by me as well. A couple of points I’d like to comment on. Does anyone in their right mind think leasing the lottery to a private source actually think it makes sense? Are we so nearsighted to see what happened when the citizens of Iowa were doped into a similar “great deal” with the tobacco money just to get the quick upfront cash? And while we are at it…someone needs to take a stick to the fellow up on the hill spouting about how Iowan’s will only spend another $50 per year with an increase of 10 cents. I’m not sure where the honorable representative from Oskaloosa drives during the course of a year but it will only take 500 gallons of gas to reach that benchmark. I fill up my truck two times a week and that’s only 5 weeks to reach the $50 mark.
3. Have you ever noticed that most times arguments and disagreements start over very little things and suddenly steam roll into huge way out of proportion deals.
4. The worst part of being sick is not being able to taste any food. The last two days I could have been eating rice cakes for all I know.
5. Another week..another fire death in Iowa. The second one in Boone county in less than a week. Please..please…check your smoke detectors!
6. Yes, we are all stressed out. Money problems, end of Winter blahs, sickness…you name it..we are all under a little too much pressure. Maybe its time to think about Spring. And Camping!
7. I have been enjoying catching up with old friends on Facebook lately. Reliving those good old days can sometimes be fun. It certainly is a great way to keep in touch.
8. Finally this week. When I was out working in the yard on Saturday I sat down for a breather and was looking at this old mud puddle that sits on the edge of my driveway. It reminded me of being a young boy on the farm. My brothers and I would go across the gravel road into the big puddle at the entrance of the field there and catch frogs for hours at a time. We’d put them in ice cream buckets and take them all around the farm. Each of us with our own private stock of frogs. Of course, the biggest event was to race our frogs and we’d set them out on the picnic table and away they would go. This worked well until my middle brother thought maybe his frog was superhuman and decided to throw him up in the air and see if he would land on his feet. Ah..those were the days..covered in muddy water…wrangling frogs.

See you next week. Remember, we’re all in this together.