Senior Daze

by Katie Bourg

About Katie: Having arrived in time for the Great (?) Depression, WWII, and all other 20th century problems, I am endowed with long and varied memories. Writing classes have long been my home away from home. Other people's stories are fascinating, and sharing is growth at its best. Hope you seniors will join me with your stories. Try it. You'll like it.

Well, we made it through Easter. My daffodils have ignored the weatherman, showing a bright and noisy display, which had Charlie, the cat, a little confused. He sat in the picture window smearing up the glass and watching the snow/sleet/whatever trying to beat the yellow beauties down. They held their ground, and now a number of big red tulips are joining them.

I think we finally have spring. It is time. The dandelions are already gaining on me, and I can't find time for weeding. With the exception of a day now and then, it's still too cold to work in the yard.

I have the bottom half of a wishing well together, although not exactly the way I wanted. Started working with my grandson, whose ideas didn't exactly mesh with mine. Then the weather turned bad again. It is sitting in the backyard, with its uprights reaching to the heavens. Kind of looks like it is imploring the sun to come back. I wanted it to keep friends from parking where they shouldn't. We are not allowed to park on the street in my neighborhood, so friends and family must plant their cars on the grass.

The large number of family cars is something I didn't take into consideration when choosing this place. Would not have stopped the sale. I like my little house.

But it will be nice to get outside again, as activities slow for the summer. Longer days will keep me away from the TV, improving my disposition.

Political rhetoric has me grumbling. I'm awfully tired of hearing about the president's birth certificate. I've found the latest ranting by a well-known moneymaker doubly irritating and inexcusable. Our seated president won the election, by vote of the people. You and I may or may not have wanted him, but the majority did and said so. He is the de facto President.

The rule itself is of questionable value to the nation and its citizens. Had President Roosevelt's son wanted to run for the office, he would not have been allowed. The only reason: he was born at their summer home just across the border in Canada. He spent years helping his father during most of the Roosevelt administration. Being born here does not guarantee greater loyalty or willing service.

The men (no women) who made the rule were not born in the United States. On the continent, but until after their signatures were affixed to the Constitution, there was no United States. They made an extra little rule to serve their own desires, and several of them became President. Nice work.

There appears to be an assumption among politicians and press that swaying public opinion by shock and smear is an acceptable method to reach one's goal. I may be old-fashioned, but where I come from, dirt is dirt, and what you play in is what lodges under your fingernails. The public might want to check out a candidate's nails before giving them support. I sure would.

I'd like to see a few elections that concentrated on issues of importance to the rest of us. Like the high cost of petroleum, compared to the high profits of said companies. Or messy foreclosures after government bailouts of involved banks. Or the loss of needed talent, when we can't or won't support schools adequately.

But if we must play the smear game, maybe we shouldn't stop at birthplaces. Maybe we ought to also know what tax breaks are involved when a millionaire pays off one dumped wife and acquires another, and then does it again. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, when the smear flavors the game.