Merry Christmas.... Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas to all
Happy Holidays
Be kind
Be thankful
Tell those you love that you love them
Be healthy
Be happy
Take nothing for granted

From me to you.

Lenexa, Kansas HATES Their Small Businesses & Has Forgotten Its Roots

I have lived in Old Town Lenexa, Kansas for 23 yrs., I have seen the city officials attitude toward the Old Town area go from bad to worse. They are even building a multi-million $$ shopping center and have had the balls to call it the "new downtown."

It is as if our city officials aka mayor, city council, city admin and other policy makers want to forget the roots of this city and bulldoze the entire area. When all around us the other communities are embrassing their old downtown areas, they have created vibrant, busy, centers of their respective communities.... but not Lenexa.

Tonight was the "Lighting Ceremony" our Old Town businesses have been strung with lights and are all lit up and pretty. The lights on my shop are plugged into MY electrical outlet so I get to pay the bill. Most of the other shops are plugged into the street light outlets so they don't get an additional $50 tacked on to their December electric bill.

I would not complain about this if the lighting ceremony was held in the Old Town parking lot where it had been held for many years but last year (my first Christmas in business) the ceremony was moved across the RR tracks to the community center so that all the activities could be held indoors. The rational behind this is "because it is cold outside." No shit people it is Dec. in Kansas!!!! But no, the powers that be don't think that folks have the common sense to bring a jacket and stand in the cold for an hour, at the most.

They have a group of kids that dance..... can't their costumes include tights??? Can't their be a blow heater of some type put up on the stage to keep the dancer's warm? Give me a fucking break, these kids get out and play in the snow, walk to school in the cold, play in the cold, why can't they dance in the cold.

Last year I purchased snacks, hot chocolate and cider thinking that the event would be held in the parking lot and customer's would wander into the shop during the event. Boy was I ever surprised because of course the Old Town Merchant's were not informed of the decision to move the event across the tracks.

This year I didn't bother to do anything special and as I was preparing to close the store I had a small rush of customer's. These were people who had come to watch the lights get turned on but were watching from the parking lot to have a better view. I had a few sales and lot's of conversation with these Lenexa resident's who feel like I do about the whole lighting ceremony thing.

All of the businesses in this area are small independantly owned businesses who would benefit greatly from having a hundred or so warm bodies mingling in their immediate area.

The activities and events that Old Town Lenexa has lost since I have lived here are;

• 4th of July Community Days
• Farmer's Market
• Old Town Lighting Ceremony
• Car Show

The only event still in Old Town is;

• The Chili Challenge.... and they will probably pull that pretty soon

In this economy there are events and activities the city and parks and rec can still pull together and hold in Old Town with minimal cost. This would not only bring the community back together but would bring exposure and business to the small businesses in the area. Aiding small businesses boosts the tax base and we all win. The crime rate in our area has risen but studies show that when people, especially youth, feel connected to their community the crime rate goes down.

A group of citizens tried to pull a group together but it fizzled out after a couple of years. I would love to bring the Friends of Old Town (FOOT) back together but I am having to put all of my energy into keeping my business alive.

Old Town Lenexa is rich with history and is a beautiful area it is truly a shame that the city officials including parks and rec. do not see this or flat out don't give a rat's ass anymore.

Shame on you all..... shame on you.

Tiger Woods Is Buying His Wife.... Ummm isn't that called a prostitute....

I am feeling a little sorry for Tiger, I like Tiger Woods and I am not a golf fan.

Sure he messed up by fooling around with other women but we had a President do the same thing and as far as I know he and the Mrs. are still married.... a good, solid marriage can survive this type of indiscretion.

Now it is being said that Tiger is going to up the ante on the pre-nup, shorten the amount of time she has to stay with him and give her 5 mil or more to agree to stay with him. Does this now make her a prostitute? She is being paid, and very well I might add, for staying in her marriage plus a bonus when she divorces him in 2 yrs.

I would just kick her to the curb and say if we can't make this work you don't get the money honey. I will be by to get the kids this weekend.

What he did is not right or moral but what he is trying to do now is plain assinine.

I Have a Beef, So What Else is New....

What is it these days with women using the excuse of being pregnant when they don't want to do something? Since when did pregnancy become an illness or a condition that hampers day to day activity when in fact it a very normal and natural bodily function for women.

If you are getting proper prenatal care and taking care of your physical health, the pregnancy should not limit daily activity. Yes, you have aches and pains. Yes, you might get a little more tired than usual but this only occurs in the last couple of months of a full term pregnancy.

Which brings me to another point..... "but I am a single parent" oh my gosh if I hear that one more time I am going to barf. I was a single teenage parent and was single until my daughter was 8. I had her when I was 17.

Back in those days (late 1970's) you could not go to a public high school if you were pregnant, I was kicked out in my juinor year. The only thing I knew for sure when it was just my daughter and I was that we had to eat and have a place to live. I got a lousy job but I was able to take my baby and her playpen to work and avoid the cost of child care.

I eventually got tired of working for pennies and started at the local community college. I did get my GED and then my Assoc. of Applied Science. I now have a BS degree.

No I am not some heartless uncaring person. I have volunteered many years with a child support advocacy organization, I volunteer with an anti-bully org., I spent many years with a youth group as a volunteer, board member and every thing else you can thing of.

I just get very tired of hearing the excuse "I am a single mother so I can't ....." or I am a single mother that is why my child misbehaves so badly. Don't thing of your self as a single parent..... you are a parent.... you must put on many hats and work your butt to the bone but you are simply a single parent.

Okay I am off that soap box for a while.... whew......

My Daughter's Wedding Was Beautiful

My eldest daughter got married this past Saturday. It was a beautiful wedding and reception, with a sit down dinner for 100, all done for less than $3,000.

She and her now husband had family come in from all over the U.S., California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Washington State and I don't know where else. Her father's family was there in force including her step-mom (her father passed away 3 years ago and we have been divorced since 1978).

How is it possible to put on such a lavish affair for so little money? You call upon your good friends. She asked each of her best friends to cook 1 dish to feed 100 people, her neighbors smoked and BBQed several briskets, turkeys and lamb, of course family members brought a dish and I contributed fruit, cheese and cracker plates as appetizers on each table while we waited for the bride and groom to get to the reception. My neighbor made her stunning wedding cake and gave it to her as a wedding gift. A photographer friend of mine made me a deal I could not refuse on photos. She also had several friends taking photos therefore we have a wonderful selection of pictures of the big day.

I used my tax ID # to purchase all the flowers at wholesale prices and my sister-in-law and I made the bouquets, corsages, centerpieces and boutonnieres. Her dress was on sale for $30, regularly priced at $300. Members of the wedding party wore dresses they already owned in black, white or both.

They searched high and low for a reception hall and found one for $200 which included the tables, chairs, wine glasses, a kitchen, stage and DJ area. Music was a Bose stereo hooked up to an IPod with a wide selection of music. She knows a beer delivery guy and he got them 10 cases of beer.... free. The wine and champagne were all that had to be purchased as far as alcohol goes. The wedding was held in a local park in a beautiful area surrounded by big trees. My youngest daughter took on the task of creating an aisle of shepard's hooks, chiffon and rose petals.

Yes, it was a lot of work for all but the end result was a very expensive looking affair that cost very little. Everyone had an amazing time. I even had a friend of mine who is with a Flamenco dance group to come in and do a wonderful performance of their dance.... this was a huge hit with all.

It was a very memorable and wonderful day for all and one I don't think anyone will soon forget.

One down and one to go...... she will not be able to do her's on $3000.

Cash for Clunkers and We Go 2 TRILLION Deeper in Debt

All I have to say is that I plan on keeping my 1989 Cadillac De Ville with 60,000 original miles on it as long as it will run. The last time I went car shopping it took me 3 weeks to find a car that did not look like every other vehicle on the road and I refused to get an SUV due to the gas mileage and nuisance they are with their height and bulk.

My Caddy found me and it was love at first sight.

Another bust Obama, I guess your next big hit to our pocket books will be your dumbass, unthoughtout health care reform.

Kansas Snow In March

The interesting thing that one can say about Kansas, and not start an arguement or create disention is, you never know what the weather is going to do.

Last Saturday we got 9 inches of snow at my house... WHAT?!?! I slid on down and opened the antique shop and actually had one customer but about 4 pm. I packed it in and went home.

This time of year when the flowers start peeping their little heads through the leaf mulch, the trees are budding and the grass is greening up is my favorite time of year. I actually get Spring Fever. I cannot think or fully function, I want to be outside doing something even if it is just sitting in a chair doing nothing. Then 9 inches of snow and cold weather comes along and shoots it all to hell.

Maybe we will be back to Spring next week.

For anyone who attended Singapore American School in the 1970's or early 1980's

I have posted photos of the reunion we had here in the Midwest last summer. Feel free to take a look at them and go back to that fun time in our lives.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=72549&l=146a8&id=601620739