Many things to be grateful for. I hope I can keep my ship afloat. Hope you guys are good too.


By z11375ss at 2010-09-18

 

looks great, I'm trying to get a second car into my two car garage wife is ready to kill me, I park the cars in the back yard, I keep telling her at least there isn't an engine hanging from the front yard tree

 

You might be next to it by the way it sounds. LOL! That garage is on the back of my property, no reason for the wife to go there. I dreamed of something like this my whole life. Now if the economy would just turn and let me get some business going! Almost bought me a Marauder when they came out. Still like 'em. I'm in Chicago too, well New Lenox. Where you from?

 

Or a transmission in the bathtub...

Life is good. Yesterday the ladyfriend and I took a long cruise out to the lake, had a nice dinner outside overlooking the water and we hung around the marina on a swing until 1130. Very calm, peaceful and just the right temp.

Ran into a rainstorm just long enough to make us put the top up and mess up the car but it will wash off...
All in all it was a relaxing time...............

 

Hung around on a swing???
Got pics??
Your always going to the lake Rob, you really do need to get a boat.
I thought you guys down south ate supper in the evening and dinner at lunch?, or is it the other way around?
When do you eat lunch anyway???

 

Yes, life is good. We had a micro-burst just north of here and many of my good friends and church members were at a local city park for a weekend event when it came through. Lots and lots of property damage but not a single person was inured or killed.

 

Here are a couple pics - it was dark so not much to see.
We had breakfast at lunch time and dinner at bedtime-snack time...
The last pic is the cloud that got us - just like the cow and the rock analogy...

We sometimes rent a boat at that place, but we did not have time this time. Lots of fun when we do.
What I do need is waterfront property there!

 

You don't really know how good you have it until you travel. I was in India and was overwhelmed by the poverty. Cuba is a beautiful little island but the people, although very friendly and accomodating are very poor. My garage would be a Godsend to some of these people. We have to be thankful where we live. We have to be thankful for the system of government we have and social programs that others can only dream about.

When I was in China I walked into a KFC (my agent there loved KFC and wanted to eat there). There was a policeman standing guard while Red Army soldiers watched the streets. I asked why the police were in KFC "Don't you guys have donut shops." A comment that went right over his head.

Apparently rural people come into Beijing to find work and when they can't find it and are hungry, they steal food from KFC, McDonalds or outdoor food vendors. Since the police are busy protecting these restaurants, the Red Army has to police the city. So I asked him what if someone was starving, who would help them. He said the person would starve and they usually find bodies of people and children and remove them as quickly as possible. "You're a communist country, I thought everything is supposed to be for the people, at least that's what they say." Yes he said, but it doesn't work. "What do you do in Canada when people are starving." he asked. I told him that "no one in Canada will die of starvation unless they want too. There are too many charities, food banks and government programs to make sure this does not happen." He was surprised. He had heard that in the west people care about money more than people. I told him that we do not have people starving to death, so what does that tell him. He didn't answer. I just about kissed the ground when I got home and off the plane.

In early 2000 the PM went to Africa. He met leaders from other countries that owe Canada $50 Billion for loans received. The PM said that the $50 billion will be forgiven if the leaders meet one condition. He said the $50 will be a gift that does not have to be paid back to Canada if these governments use the money to better the lives of their citizens. He said build schools for boys AND girls to attend, build hospitals, buy medicine, build affordable housing with access to clean water and the money is yours, a gift from the people of Canada. Use it for weapons or anything that does not improve the lives of your people and you will owe us everything including the interest. Recenty they asked for Canada to waive the payments as it was bringing hardship. We told them that we expect payment under the conditions of the loan.

Believe me, we are very lucky to live where we do. And we are in the minority. We won the lottery when we were born here (Canada/USA/Australia/New Zealand/Western Europe) Our Thanksgiving is the first Monday in October. I let my kids know how thankful we are.

 

That's funny, looking at the picture I thought - "looks like a suburb of Chicago garge" but then it had such a calming glow to it I thought man he must be in a great warm city where the cars can be driven all year, then I noticed the wet ground and said "hmm it did rain today maybe it is around here" anyway I'm in Oak Park where almost no one parks a car in a driveway let alone on their lawn.

 

Yeah, I wish we were in a warm weather climate. We are in August when it's 100. How about Feb when it's -10. Beautiful Chicago weather!