Good grief, Mac! You really could make better decisions.

Heh. That is pretty much what I said to my mother -- It wouldn't be my choice, but you can wear whatever you want to your mother's funeral!

I went out with my sisters and bought a new dress for my dad's funeral. Pretty grey and yellow thing. Problem was I never could wear it again without remembering the reason I bought it. Since then I just wear something I already own to avoid the associations.

The last however many years I have either shown my voter id card or my license. The book has my prior signature that the voter checker person checks out.

Where I vote, I go to my polling place, tell them my name and address, and they look me up in a huge book. The book has my signature in it. They cover it up, and I sign the book.

That's how I have ALWAYS voted in Ohio, until the 2012 presidential election. Actually, they don't even cover up our signature; we just sign next to the copy of our signature. I imagine that even with a copy right next to you, it would be hard for someone to reliably forge a signature they had never seen before, on the spot.

But in the 2012 presidential election, they asked for photo ID and then gave us the book to sign. Not a huge change, and I wondered if all the precincts were actually doing it, or just the ones with poll monitors.

Good grief, Mac! You really could make better decisions.

That is what I meant to say, without all the cursing.

I bought myself donuts to help with the angries.

msbelle, I cannot begin the count the number of times I tried to explain to the boys how much easier life would be if they just cooperated. Not to mention less stressful and fun for all parties. That was a whole bunch of wasted breath. This too shall pass. At this point I am hoping that they get a clue about when they turn 30, and feel really bad about what jerks they were. (I used to hope for 25, but that may be too soon)

KIDS.

FWIW, my childhood friend who basically skipped a year of high school (without his parents knowing, as far as I know) is now a successful-enough adult.

I think I am just going to put away money each month so that when E leaves home I can take as much vacation as I have and just go. I think a minimum of $100 a month will be a good start. I am going to set up this savings account right now.

Also on the voter id thing: for the number of cases of proven voter fraud (very VERY small), the increase in the expense for a) changed procedures at the polling place, b) state offices getting a big increase in requests for photo ids, plus c) voters having to spend money they may not have/spend time they may not have to get a voter id. All that expense -- at taxpayer expense directly and indirectly -- for a nearly non-existent problem.

msbelle, that is a fabulous idea!

Just to bring together three conversations, here is a picture of Freddie Mercury with cats (on the internet) which I pasted on Facebook a few weeks ago, before we started talking about Freddie Mercury or cats.

[link]

Post-Toasties: My uncle literally stepped on a yellow-jacket nest yesterday! Was stung so many times he had a massive allergic reaction, literally had to crawl back to the house, where he passed out in my aunt's arms.

Holy cow.

Anyway, an EMT was able to make it up the mountain quick enough to epi-pen him, set up an IV and an airway, et cetera, et cetera. (My aunt used to keep a couple epi-pens in the medicine cabinet, but they got old so they were tossed.)

That's just a little too close for comfort! Aunt and uncle are taking it very easy today, plus an exterminator is being called to take care of the nest and scout for others.