We're just staying inside today. It's drizzling out there and it's supposed to rain later today. We have several birthdays in the next 10 days as well as Christmas and New Year's Day.

I keep thinking about the poor guy run over by a garbage truck. What a weird way to leave this world. I want to be lying in bed, smelling roses and gardenias, with candles lit, and hearing someone read the "Tibetan Book of the Dead" with cool music in the background. Maybe a bite of rocky road candy, too. But, as a friend used to say, we all have different paths down the road and we don't know why people choose certain other paths. That's for sure.

Bush Says He Hopes to Sign $500 Billion Budget Bill, if Democrats Accept Funding for US Troops By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (Associated Press) -- President Bush said Monday he is hopeful he can sign a $500 billion-plus catchall spending bill emerging on Capitol Hill, but only after Democrats agree to accept funding for U.S. troops in Iraq. Bush's Democratic rivals introduced a year-end measure that mostly sticks within Bush's budget even as it shifts billions of dollars into politically sensitive domestic programs he sought to cut. "We're making some pretty good progress toward coming up with a fiscally sound budget, one that meets priorities, helps on some emergencies and enables us to say that we've been fiscally sound with the people's money," Bush said Monday.???? !!!!!!!!!! The mammoth 1,482-page bill has been shorn of Democratic policy riders that drew White House veto threats, such as an attempt to ease restrictions on aid to overseas family planning groups that provide abortions. Also dropped was a House provision to expand the Davis Bacon Act, which requires contractors and subcontractors to pay workers locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits, so that it would apply to Homeland Security Department projects. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "...we've been fiscally sound with the people's money." You can't be serious...does anyone think this administration has at any time in the last 6 or 7 years been 'fiscally sound' with the people's money??? We are in debt up to our ears, what surplus Clinton left has disappeared, and billions, maybe trillions when all is said and done, has gone to occupy and fight in Iraq. Bush is living on another planet. He is apparently so buffered from the truth by his side-kicks, as well as exhibiting certain behaviors which would call for psychiatric treatment for anyone (who says he isn't receiving it now, eh?) else, he is absolutely out of touch with life in the USA. I knew his dad was out of touch during the debate with Clinton when someone in the audience asked each candidate how much a loaf of bread cost. Clinton was close, but Bush's dad tried to put everyone's attention on his wife, saying grocery shopping was something Barbara, a female, would know about. Ahem...He was clueless. And we have seen that it runs in the family since 2000. Thank Heavens we elect a new president in 2008 and it's almost here...