I haven’t felt much like writing these past few days partly because I have been working a lot and partly because things are so depressing around here right now that it just hasn’t felt right to write.

I have moved to a rural part of Virginia and have started working in a small rural hospital. I had been working in a small hospital on the Outer Banks and I loved it. We saw a lot of poor people there and did a fare share of indigent care but nothing like what I am seeing here. Around here there are a lot of proud people who have lost their jobs and when they lost their jobs they lost their health insurance. They all do the same things; they don’t make eye contact they just look at their hands. It’s sad. This is why I am for universal health care. People should not have to worry about going bankrupt when they get sick. I guarantee you a lot of people are going to become disabled or die during this recession because they could not afford to go to the hospital for “just a little indigestion”. Some people abuse the system but most people don’t. We as a society need to change our view on health care; we need to make it available and affordable to all.

We need to pay to train new doctors. North Carolina had a nursing grant that I took advantage of. They “loaned” me money that I could pay it off in one of two ways. I could work in North Carolina for an agreed amount of time or I could pay the loan off in cash. The United States could do the same thing for Doctors. Work in under served areas like family medicine and preventative care and get part or all of your schooling written off.

In 2000 the world health organization rated the US 37 out of 191 in over all health care. In 2005 we spent 15.2 % of our GNP on health care. An article I read in The New York Times World’s Best Medical Care? - New York Times was informative. We can do better than this. People should be able to look me in the eye when they seek health care, they should not think twice about coming to the hospital with “a funny feeling” in their chest. People should not die because they don’t want to risk losing the family home.

• When I sat down at 6pm tonight to eat dinner I noticed that it was not totally dark outside. The trees were black silhouettes against a gray sky. The days are getting longer and that tends to give me spring fever. I know that spring is more than 7 weeks away and that there is a lot of cold weather yet to come but…….
  

• There has been some closure on my barn that burned down last August. One of the men involved in the “accidental” arson has been sentenced to 4 years in jail. I don’t know if that is fare or not because no one has discussed the case with me. No one asked me how I felt or gave me any ideal of how this case was going to be handled. The only reason I know what the verdict is, is because I read it in the paper. I was contacted only once by the common wealth attorneys office and that was because they wanted to know the value of my barn. I guess I will call the common wealth’s attorneys office on Wednesday just to see where things go from here who knows maybe they will tell me something. I don’t expect to ever see the barn money, lets be honest, the guy is being sent to jail for 4 years, after he is released he has to find a job and then pay off me and the insurance company that paid off the farmer who had his equipment in my barn. Unless the state of Virginia offers technical school in jail I don’t know how he is going to do it. I’m not holding my breath

I finally made it to the The Sun Music Hall in downtown Floyd. A friend and I went to hear William Walter & Co. I must say I had a very good time. The music was really good and the band looked and sounded like they enjoyed what they were doing. My friend that told me about the group said she was told that they “kinda sounded like Bruce Springsteen and the E street band” I disagree with that description, I think they sound more like Train, my friend said they reminded her of Van Morrison. No matter what the music was good.

I very much liked checking out the folks that were there to listen. Where I come from most of the bands play in bars, and those bars are for the most part not family friendly. What I saw at this event were baby’s in mother’s arms and people that easily could have been those baby’s grand parents all dancing together. I did not dance. I just sat in the seats provided sipping my cappuccino (no beer for me I had to drive too far =-( and enjoying the music. I was not really impressed with the acoustics of The Sun Music Hall. I have been to hole in the wall bars where the sound was better but the band was good and they for the most part were able to work with what they had. In my opinion The Sun Music Hall may not be a perfect place to play music but it offers a good space for a bunch of people to listen to music and enjoy a night out with family and friends

“As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers ... our found fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.” Barack Obama

I have started a new job and did not think that I would be watching the inauguration today. My orientation syllabus had me working until the12:30pm lunch break and while I had mentioned on Monday that I had really wanted to watch it I had no expectation of being able to. When class started today the instructor informed us that her husband had commented on how surely she would be letting us watch the inauguration and that we would be taking our lunch break early.

We were sent on our lunch break at 11:45am and I quickly set out to find a TV set. I knew that the patient waiting areas had TV’s but I did not know exactly were these areas were. It wasn’t long before I heard the sound of thousands of people cheering and knew I had found a TV.

The waiting room I found was empty except for one patient waiting for an X-Ray. I went in acknowledged him and sat down to watch. Right after Biden was sworn in as vice president others slowly began to join us. We chit chatted while the music played. “What time is it” I commented “by law Obama has to be sworn in by 12 noon because that’s when Bush stops being president” shortly after that the TV announcer whispered that technically Biden was president because he had taken the oath office and Obama had not. Those of us in that waiting room waited patiently for our future president to be sworn in. We commented on how nice he and Michele looked. Aaaa’ed when one of the Obama girls squinted one eye shut while looking into the camera and sun. We were quietly enthusiastic. I had the sense that all of us were hopeful but not expecting much. We listened as Obama was sworn in as our president and then we listened to his speech. Those around me seemed to feel that the speech was well done. We then introduced our selves to each other, we would be working together at the same facility and hopefully would be seeing each other again and then I quickly made my way back to class. I may have gone quickly but I was still late. To be honest I don’t care that I was late; somethings are more important than making a class on time.

Ombam’s speech was good. I especially liked the paragraph that I have posted above. I agree that “As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals” I have a bumper sticker on my Jeep that has a quote from Benjamin Franklin it says “They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” I put it there when the government said that not every one was entitled to habeas corpus. I will keep the sticker there because I believe in liberty ABOVE all else. I hope that the new powers that be can let go of the restrictions placed on that liberty by the past administration but I know that It is very hard for power to let go of power.

I am so bummed. I have to work today and I will most likely miss the inauguration. Damn!! I wanted to see this one in real time. I have a lot of hope for this Pres-to-be after what we as a nation have been through these last four presidencies, Regan, Bush, Clinton (dumb ass I like him but he screwed up big) and Bush 2 (very few sequels are ever as good as the first, and while the first wasn’t the worst Pres he wasn't that good either). No matter what at least for the first time in a long time I don’t hear a lot of negative comments on our top leader. It won’t last long. He will screw up some how or another because no matter what anyone thinks he is not the second coming. I wish him well and with that I wish the American people well. We deserve it.

This was the view this morning as I was leaving for work. We had a dry fluffy snow last night that was pretty much gone by the time I got home this afternoon.

Today is ending on a positive note. Friday’s deep freeze froze my pipes so since Friday I have not had any running water but after talking to a friend and running some ideals by her and trying them I have running water. I will climb under the house before I leave for work tomorrow and see if I have any leaks. Another positive is that it is snowing. I love the smell of snow. I might not like it tomorrow when I have to drive to work but tonight its beautiful.

Burrrr freakin rabbit its cold out there!! As I write this its 14 degrees. The high today was in the 20’s; the low tonight is to be around 7. Like I said Burrr freakin rabbit!!

I have been pretty much hold up inside today this the last day before I start my second half century on this planet, well any planet. I have looked forward to the big #50. I spent my first 25 years growing up. The second 25 years raising kids and I hope to spend the next 25 doing what I want. I don’t know what the future will bring I really don’t care. Life is too short to sweat too much of the small stuff.

Another week has gone by. I have started a new job, it’s an hour from home and I’m not a morning person. I have to leave by 5:45am to make sure I am at work by 7am. When orientation is over I will switch to nights. I have had the long commute before and it was no big deal but I sure am gonna miss the short drive.

Nothing has been done on the house again this week. I did talk to my builder and he finally explained to me that he is finishing up another house so the owner can get his occupancy permit. I told him I understand but I would like my occupancy permit also.

I tried to post this yesterday(Friday) but my Hughes Net internet would not let me.

Shortly after my 17^th birthday my mother took me to the NC DMV in Mt Holly to get my first drivers license. We had landed in Mt Holly just a few months earlier, I don’t know why we just moved around a lot, anyway I got my drivers license and a few weeks later we moved to Pennsylvania. Well I never got a PA license and 3 years later I was back in North Carolina and that’s were I stayed. I had the same driver’s license number for over 30 years but today I got a new one, today I got my VA license. Bummer. I love where I’m living but NC was home for a long time and it was good to me.

• We had some rain last night.. and yesterday for that matter. Yesterday the weather service posted a flood watch for this area, this morning I could see why.
  

• I did get a job on Monday in the department I wanted but it’s quite a drive from here and a lot less money than I was making at the beach. I’m sure I can make it on the pay cut, the cost of living is less than at the beach but I was hoping to put a lot more money into savings than I had been. You know, spend this last 15 years before retirement save, save, saving. Now I think it’s just going to be save, save. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow.
  

• Work on the cabin has come to a standstill. Now I’m hoping to get into it sometime at the end of February. I know we need rain but I would really love to get into my own house!!

I had hoped to walk everyday but yesterday I did not, it rained too much. On Tuesday we did take a walk and I’m happy to report that I found acorns all over the place. I had heard that there were no acorns at all this year and I did not see any on my property so I know that there were a lot fewer acorns than in years past. Hopefully this decline in acorns will be short lived.

Today started out cloudy and dreary. I truly could not remember the last time it had been sunny, but dreary or not I had made a resolution to get back to walking and so the dogs and I went for a walk. To be truthful it was hard to get stated but once the walk began it became a pleasant experience. We walked to where the cabin is being built or about a mile, well I walked the boys and girls ran, once there I did some work around the property and then walked the mile back. Now I drive that route nearly everyday and I see the barns the trees and the fields but it seem like I see more of these things when I walk; today was no exception. I saw the creek, the tree that I just love, the red barn on the hill and of course Buffalo Mountain. The air was fresh and clean there was a scattering of birds singing and a touch of blue between the clouds. All of these things are so hard to experience while driving even if the top is down on the Jeep. No, to experience these sights and sounds one must walk. When I got home I felt refreshed and ready for breakfast; nothing like a good walk to wet the appetite. After breakfast while sweeping I noticed a light shining on the floor that I had not seen for a while, it was the sun. The sun came out today! The afternoon was sunny and warm. I could not stay inside so what did I do? I cleaned the windows, east and south facing, and chopped kindling for the up coming week. I spent every minute I could outside. Towards evening the clouds started to return but that’s OK because the sun we got this afternoon was like medicine for my soul and right now I feel great!

I heard the other day that astrologically speaking we are nearing the end of a period in which Pluto is traveling through Sagittarius causing a time of extremes. These two astrological entities reacting with each other bring with them a time that is “compulsively expansive and optimistic” with religious, social and political upheaval; a time when things shift from one extreme to the other quickly. During this time it is said there is a “breakdown” where things that are no longer of use are done away with and replaced by things that are useful. I’m not all that “into” astrology but it does kinda seem like the way things are.

The time of Pluto in Sagittarius is almost over. Supposedly on January 25 Pluto will enter Capricorn and so say the astrologers we will enter a time where we will contract and solidify. “While in Capricorn, Pluto will demand that the structures that secure our lives have a strong foundation in practicality, and any structure that has been weakened through irrational and unrealistic practices will be forced to transform itself in one way or another”*. This sounds good but the last time Pluto was in Capricorn there was a lot of war including the US revolutionary war.

*http://www.astrodynamics.net/Articles/Pluto-in-Capricorn.htm

Being a Capricorn myself I don’t “believe” in astrology, everything mentioned can be explained in a million different ways I merely find this interesting.

one last beach shot (for now)

It’s hard to believe that in less than 1 hour it will be the second day of January 2009. I have been away for the past week. I spent Christmas on the Outer Banks with my family and while it was great to see the family it was also great to come back here and sleep in my own bed.

December went by so fast this year; I have been going back and forth to the beach this fall to work and to spend the holidays with my family and friends but now its time to get a job here in VA and make this my home. I have planed on changing my residency and making the move to the mountains official as of January 1. On this last trip to the beach I brought the rest of my stuff that was in storage so I guess I am now a resident of the state of Virginia. I have lived in North Carolina for the past 30 years and NC has been good to me I will miss it but I am loving it up here in VA.

Happy New Year to every one and I hope the year ahead is a lot less “interesting” than this one has been.