Good Luck, Mr. President!

This president was elected. The outcome was not favoured by many. In fact, it was outright indignation. How could that have happened, they wondered?

I watched from the sidelines, an observer from another country, whose 25 year free trade pact with the president's country, was nullified recently and a new one put in place. I thought why not? I'd do it, too, if I felt my citizens deserved better. But I am not a politician, just a former teacher, a wife, mother, grandmother, pet owner and friend. I blog, too, but that is the result of being a mom and being encouraged to write by a young'un. I saw the folly of some things back then and still do. We must realize money has its limits. Spending should, too. Fostering things we think we need is better then owning them, outright.

The midterms juggled the status quo. (I wonder why there are such complex elections every two years? Why not just do it all - every four?) Anyway, it has been a volatile time since Mr. President was voted into power, by Republicans, some of whom were probably Democrats and Independents masquerading as Republicans, deep down inside. Voting is always by secret ballot, anyway. We can change our minds inside the voting booth, in an instant. That is called democracy or just being brilliant.

The business of voting is our business and both a privilege and a right. . ... In Canada, at the beginning of the last century, women were not persons and could not vote. Terrible! People from many countries have died, trying for voting rights. Thank goodness times changed. We should be exercising that privilege each and every time elections are held. Our voice matters.

Mr. 'Art of the Deal' President, is implementing what he promised. Most of Hollywood seems to hate him. Their voices and opinions do not matter. Anger has a habit of turning on its 'owner'. He is not presidential, some have said. Might be a good thing. The drain the swamp motto he has espoused is ringing true. The anger is everywhere but why are his employees being attacked? They need a job just like everyone else. He resonates with those who have been ignored by previous leaders who were focused on other things. Leave office and get a book deal worth millions. Is that why some try for the highest in the land? To get a good table at a restaurant, too?

It's always about money. In government, raising taxes helps some programs while topping up salaries and the benefit packages of those voted into office by us, their employer. Is government a cumbersome make work project designed to give power to those who could never achieve it anywhere else? It certainly feeds the ego and the bank balance.

Is Mr. President trying to level the playing field? Isn't that the purpose of government? Take home pay is everything!! Nothing matters more to any of us. Quality of life is tied to it. Reducing silly regulations that can add layer upon costly layer of fees to any start-ups makes the hope of employment for all more arduous. Taxes and tariffs, those burdensome costly barriers to the gross national product only serve to muddle the marketplace. Be reasonable. Someone has to pay. You want free? Take it from the lottery tickets. Lots of dollars there. It's all about money, anyway. 

 

Stop picking on corporations without which jobs would not exist. Try operating a company, large or small, for one day! Lessons will be learned! Then there is immigration. We are all immigrants, it would seem. My parents came to Canada and became citizens of this country. There is a process that must be respected and followed. Otherwise, we have chaos, instability and crime. 

The world is noticing the United States, maybe for the first time, ever. Action creates the climate for change. But sometimes, no one is listening. When anger sets in, words are not pretty. Quality of Life does matter! Just ask the millions who are being ignored. It is not nice. The president was music to their ears but not to others, I know. The radical new leader just wants to protect his country, inside and out. At times, I cringe, "Why did you have to say that!"

Resistance, obstruction go nowhere. Discussion and resolution do! Let us not be distracted. Maybe other countries are failing, too. Don't be surprised. No one is immune. corruption exists, in all shapes and sizes. Address it. Then let's stop pretending it does not exist because it does - everywhere. The United States is a great country. Every world needs an anchor. Good Luck, Mr. President!

He Simply Wouldn't Budge!

Regardless of what I said or did, he simply wouldn't budge. He was motionless. Our Mr. Wiggles had his sights on someone else. There was a stranger in the house. Though his other master was present, he knew only one 'man' could save us if trouble broke out - our precious Mr. Wiggles.

We were thinking of changing our heating system. The invited stranger had come calling to advise us. By the time this man had entered our garage, our Wiggler knew something was up. He was ready, just in case. By now, it was too late to get our dog outside with his boisterous sister, Sally, the 10 year old sprint star, formerly of the cirque du soleil and last year's 'professional' patient. Promising him treats, if he would leave, did nothing to get him to go. He had a job to do. Nothing could deter him from that.

He stood there, watching this non-family member enter his domain, our house. Mr. Wiggles was an immovable rock, a watch dog like no other, a sentinel on guard like those soldiers guarding the Royal family at Buckingham Palace. Nothing would distract him from the task at hand. I motioned him to move. 'No way'! I implored him to follow his sister. 'No thanks', he seemed to say. His usual boisterous, loving, in-your-face persona, so expected when others came calling, was gone. This 'intruder' was different, a person whose sole reason for visiting us was business, not social. 

As my husband opened the door, Mr. Wiggles stood beside his 'dad' not jumping, barking or whining as was custom. The act of growling had not entered his thinking. He was the FBI, the CIA, on four furry legs. In the nearly 50 years of pet ownership of retrievers, - the first one, an abandoned three-month-old female - 

I had never seen anything like it. This out-of-this-world behaviour of a male adult dog was a first for me! Ever! He said nothing, refused to move while doing absolutely nothing. He was a statue, unlike any 'living' statue I had ever seen.  I continued to watch and watch. Whatever was happening to our dog, it was new to 'John', but not to me. I had seen this before on a few other occasions. Describing Mr. Wiggles' unique style did not do it justice. Seeing was believing, as the saying goes. It surprised me that first time, as it still did today. How could our excitable, happy-go-lucky, in constant motion, carrying a soft teddy for all to admire or take Mr. Wiggles just stand there, staring at this stranger, without no 'chorus'. 

The magic wand of silence had anointed this excitable 75 pound, 5-year-old gentle canine soul. Nothing could move our Wiggler to join his sister, outside, where the queen of noise waited for him. He just waited, silently, and with a resolve, never ever before seen. His eyes were on this man, a nice man, who had entered our house as an invited guest. At a later date, our oldest son was a witness to this shocking behaviour. Like us, he was in disbelief, having never seen it from our wiggler. 

As the heating guy left, our Wiggler moved a bit, keeping this man in his line of vision. Can't be too careful, he was thinking. Not all people are created the same, he knew. When the door closed Mr. Wiggles resumed his normal excitable state of mind, teddy in mouth, tail wagging non-stop, once again. He was back to normal. I doubt my husband ever will be. Our precious human-like pup, carried on as if nothing had happened. But we both knew something had.

The 'Invisible' Cost on the Invoice

The machine cost over $50,000. Only his trained trusted employee could use it. With three stumps that needed to be removed, on our property, from formerly majestic trees, felled from an earlier ice storm, this employee went about the task of destroying the root system of these pine trees. It was an amazing feat of skill.

Was I watching trickery going on before me? Were these professionals going to add some chemicals into the those randomly drilled holes which would finally find their way down into the root system for their destruction? Would the stump then be set on fire? I did not want chemicals here, especially since we had a well. What about the smoke? My husband had hired this well respected company to do the deed. No chemicals were used. The machine had done its job: churning the wooden root system to a pulp, becoming part of the landscape, over time. All was well in my world.

This cute brand new red machine, a mini excavator with a drill bit attachment, did a job no man could do. Working smarter not harder is today's mantra. Slowly shredding the tree stump into tiny pieces seemed so easy. The stumps had been left there for the past 2 years after the trees fell. Only bits and pieces of wooden stump would remain. Everything looked great as they left after 4 hours of work. The bill was paid. Such good value for what I had seen. In any job, what is left is usually what we see not what was there. Unimaginable talent!

The marketplace demands value from the inventory being sold. Even the young child, after a long day at nursery school, is different, but healthy and safe. Hours of 'labour' went into his care throughout the day, though no proof 'it' ever happened. We just know. 'Labour' is never seen, only understood. The elaborate meal with its abundance of desserts and cake can only be imagined in their entirety. Many times, I have said to my husband,”I wouldn't make that at twice the price”. I have gardened, pulled weeds for its preparation, over many hours, laboured over many days then planted the seeds of tomorrow only to see my labour go to waste because of poor sunlight, soil, maintenance and watering, too. But I keep on trying.

Any holiday or celebration has at its core - food. Always expected and then devoured, in no time, yet laboured over for many hours and days, beforehand. The 'chef' is thanked then dessert, having been made then frozen for this occasion, is offered. In the marketplace, this food skill can be a six figure career. Yet this same time and effort can be applied to the construction of furniture or even outdoor landscaping whose glory can last a lifetime. Cooking can be so unappreciated; its time driven preparations, so misunderstood and overwhelming. 

In the reality show, Say Yes, To the Dress clients are shown gowns, conforming to their bridal vision for that special day. What is usually presented are beautifully artistically designed costumes, a testament to the skillful execution of the dressmaker/designer who created these exquisite masterpieces. The bride is queen for the day; her dress, a one of kind, a priceless stamp to the skillful labour that occurred months, maybe years, before! Beautifully embellished with beads, pearls, crystals or lace, in many styles, with numerous fabric choices, the wedding dress is paraded for all to see. The imagination woefully competes with the showroom of wedding elegance. 

 

As they hear the price, the brides of 'Yes' do not flinch. They understand the total cost. Cutting the fabric, sewing the parts, in a meticulous laid out plan, while accommodating the unique characteristics and properties of the fabric chosen, is paramount and a testament to the artistry(labour) of the dressmaker extraordinaire. Chiffon is sewn differently than silk. Brocade or lace, still again. The labour used in creating these elaborate gowns is never seen, only imagined. 

 

Labor is the invisible 'majority' partner to the materials used in anything, it's cost greater than imagined. Let us revere those whose experience and multi-faceted talents make it possible for us to afford what we want when we want it. Our lives are richer because of them.