fenwaydav's Blog

Like a house of cards one by one Boston politicians are falling.  This time Chuck Turner with his hand in the cookie jar.  No it wasn't being stuffed into his bra, but the $1000.00 changed hands in a swift handshake.  How many more will come tumbling down?  Mr. Turners remarks...."The FBI is corrupt".  That may be so, but now they are joined by the company of Dianne Wilkerson and Chuck Turner. UT OH, Who's next?

I was reading Joe Battenfeld's blog on Dianne Wilkerson (Bye, Bye Wilkerson).  As I read the responses, I decided I would write one also.  I found I was going on and on and decided it needed a blog of it's own.  Don't get me wrong, I don't want this to sound that I condone what she did in any way.  As a matter of fact, I wrote a piece when the story first broke saying how discusting what she did was. One of the responses In Joe's piece started  "JUST ANOTHER TYPICAL LIBERAL".   Like in the history of the world there has never been a crooked Conservative Republican.  Anyone remember the lines "I AM NOT A CROOK"?   I am sure if I Google crooked Republicans I would get hundreds of pages to go through.

Again what Dianne Wilkerson did was terrible and may even deserve a prison sentence, but now is not the time to gloat.  Those people in her district put their trust in her.  For many years she has done good for them.  What makes a person go bad?  Who knows...Everyone thinks they are going to be the one that gets away with a crime. But to pin this on ALL LIBERALS, is certainly not right either.  God knows how many other's out there will fall from this and other crimes against government.

In a strange way, this reminds me of the Priest Scandal.  One day it was only one Priest who was diddling with boys, the next the whole Church fell.   It's a sad day, when we vote for someone and they let us down.  It has happened before and you can be sure it will happen again.  This crime and other's are  equal opportunity,  Democrat and Republican, Liberal and Conservative. 

One other observation if I may.  Joe you throw these things out here and people fight back and forth.  I find that rarely if ever do you come back to respond to any of the chatter going on.  It's almost like you are sitting back laughing at us.  I hope that is not true.

Who's more at fault?  Tom Brady or Fox?  Sitting at a window seat in a North End Restaurant with latest flame Giselle is not the smartest move for him or anyone with the notoriety he has.  Sucking face and chomping down dinner like a silent movie just makes it a perfect combination for a good barf.  Please Tom the next time ask for a sit in the back.  Dummy!

In these days of hard times and lay offs, why would anyone want to jeopardize their job.   It seems that's just what a cemetery worker has done.  He was caught on camera pumping  gas into his van at work.  Cameras also caught him drinking down 2 beers while at lunch.  As a foreman his job was pretty easy.  He'd delegate to other workers what to do.  Part of his job was to protect those very tanks from thievery from other employees.  I guess his 80 thousand  dollar a year job was not enough.  Now Paul Hamm finds himself  out of a job.  That's what happens when you are a PIG!

November 22, 1963, I just turned 10.  Mrs. Beck my 4th grade teacher walked into the room with tears in her eyes telling us we'd be going home the President was shot.  For 3 days I  listened and watched with my family Walter Cronkite taking us from that moment in Dallas till JFK was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.  Our Country was in mourning.  In that same span right before our very eyes Jack Ruby killed Lee Harvey Oswald.  I think that was  a tragedy in a sense that we would never really no the truth.   We might have still never known the real truth but now it was for certain.  Who could forget the blood stained dress of Mrs. Kennedy as Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as our President aboard Air Force One.   A young widow and 2 children without a father.  Last year when I wrote a similar piece on this subject, people felt compelled to tell how he got what he deserved.  All political beliefs aside,  no one deserves to have their brains blown into their wife's lap.   If it were to happen to any other President whether I liked them or not it would be no less of a tragedy.  On this day I will remember John Jr. also, and how he played in the Oval Office who's life was also  tragically cut short.  Like it or not, the Kennedy's have left their mark and have also done alot of good for the USA.

I have been criticized for criticizing President Bush in the past.  His days in office our numbered.   I haven't been the only one out here or for that matter any where with something not nice to say about the out going President.  As a matter of fact, In the history of poll taking, Mr. Bush leaves office with the lowest ratings ever.  That's right folks, a whooping 76% of the people disapprove of him.   The only good thing he has done for the USA, has kept a terrorist attack on our shores.  That is seriously a real big thing.  Unfortunately the public feels that was not enough.

I watched a 2 hour show on PBS.  I'm sorry Fox, but sometimes I stray.  It showcased Queen Elizabeth II.   The program was a behind the scene look at the going on at Buckingham Palace.  Also featured was her and Prince Phillip's resent trip to the USA.   At 82 she shows no sign of slowing up.  Her mother was 101 when she died. 3 major things kept coming to mind as I watched this show.

1) The Queen has alot of clothes and changes them sometimes several times during the day.  She must sweat alot.....

2)  The Queen walks up and down alot of stairs.  The Palace has tons of stairs both inside and out and she walks up and down them.  I wonder if it was just for the camera, is there a secret elevator somewhere? Maybe someone carries her.

3)  The Queen carries a pocketbook where ever she goes. It is usually black, but I saw a silver one at a state dinner.  What the heck is in that purse.  I was obsessed with that purse. I couldn't help think what she needed.  She most likely had a hankie, or is she a tissue type of girl.  (personally I like tissues, more sanitary).  Oh yes she has to carry keys to the palace.  If her limo is pulled over, she must need some kind of I.D.  Then there is the compact, always is nice to freshen up and be able to check to see if there is any caviar stuck in her teeth.  Speaking of teeth, a package of Tic Tac or peppermint ball is a smart idea.  It's a wise idea to have a couple of Tylenol handy with those horns always blowing in your ears.  

You know PBS, this show will be repeated several times.  There are 2 or 3 more episodes to this series.   If you can drag yourself away from Fox for a couple of hours try to catch this show  I will be interested to see what you think might be in the Queens purse. 

Yesterday I made a comment on Chips blog on the proposed Government bailouts to Automakers. The short of it,  I criticized his criticism of the proposal.   I still believe the bankruptcy of G.M. or Ford would be a giant blow to our economy if not a psychological blow to the general public. 

After long and careful consideration of these bailouts I am left with one question.  Let's say the Government pours Millions if not Billions into said companies OK.  How does this help the company or the economy if still no one is buying these automobiles. 

I never claimed to be the brightest star in the sky and believe you me I am not.   And it scares me to think I am thinking more like Chip everyday.  What are we gaining puring money into these companies?  We will never have a Depression like the one seen in the 30's.   (I don't think anyway).  Maybe it's time to just let the CHIP'S fall where they may.

Yesterday, I heard Shirley Chan report that a shopping bag with about 8 thousand dollars was stolen from a car in the parking lot of a hospital in Methuen.   I was  going crazy trying to find the story on line because it just didn't seem right.  Finally today it appears in the Fox 25 local news section.  I wish you people would watch this and see if you are as sceptical as I am about this whole story.

This is the gist of the story.  An unmarried couple were in the hospital as she gave birth to their baby.   The father had left in the car a shopping bag with around $6500.00 cash and another $1500.00 in checks.  He claims that he was saving for the baby.  He also said that he recently cashed dozens of checks that he was saving for this event. 

It makes me feel sad that I have this feeling of a bull do do story is being told.  I can't understand how you can work in a convenience store and not cash all of those checks.  What did you live on?  The interview with the father left me even more sceptical. I called the Methuen Police dept to make sure Shirley reported the story correct.  She did....   God forgive me for being so untrusting of this young family.  If I am wrong, I apologize.  I just smell something fishy.

When she was three, I found her at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital.  Back and forth I walked in their adoption center.  There were exotic Persian and Siamese and cats of every shape and size.  They seem to look at me like who the heck is he.  Then there was Daisy.  The shelter called her Whitney.  When I walked past her cage, she spoke to me.  She came to the front of the cage and nuzzled the bars.  She is a Tortie.  With her iridescent orange on a field of black and some cream here and there, she stole my heart. 

I was told if I wanted Whitney (now to be known as Daisy) I would have to wait 2 days while they extract one of her front canines.   Daisy was a marked girl.  Had no one taken her in a day or 2 Daisy would be sent to the big kennel in the sky.  She knew her days were numbered when she saw a sucker in me.  Daisy is one special kitty.  When she smiles or yarns, the missing tooth makes me laugh.  They failed to tell me that her back claws to not retract and she is purr-less.   She has given me more smiles I can count.  She doesn't ask much of me.  Well I feed her twice a day and I do clean her litter box, but even now when I look over at her sleeping on the couch, I smile. 

I sing to her all the time.  I make up songs and she thinks I am one crazy person.    Here is one of my favorites.

Her daddy was a Tabby...

Her mommie Calico....

and I came out a Tortie and that's the way it goes....

la la la de da da da de.......

In AA we call our anniversary of the day we became sober a birthday.  You have a friend present you with a medallion that has the year and "ONE DAY AT A TIME".  A card is past around the hall and everyone writes a little something.  Sometimes there may even be a cake.   One special anniversary is your 5th.   After 5 years sober, someone may present you with some marbles.  Yes it is said by this point your mind has cleared up and you got your marbles back.  On November 18th, I will turn 55 and it has taken about 35 of them to make it to the point I am on November 10th.  On that day I will celebrate my 7th year sober.  I have written before of some of the horrors of my years with drugs and alcohol.  I was not a nice person.  Some may say I am still not a nice person, but today I can be not nice and rotten sober.   I don't preach to others how you shouldn't drink, as a matter of fact some people I know, still do.  One of the major differences of the people I still know that drink is that the end result is not a blackout.  Also the end result is not making a fool of yourself.  God knows how many years of blackouts and fool making I have.  Living here in the Fenway, I am concerned about the amount of college kids I see and hear wasted.  I wish I could pass my knowledge of to them.  I can't...... I have heard people in the halls talk about things sobriety has given them and what they were able to go through sober.   In August, when I buried my Mother,  I did it without a drink.  I was there for my family.  I might not have been able to say that 7 years ago.  It also gives me some joy to know that my Mother who was always worried about me saw me settled into life.   Not drinking and drugging doesn't take all the problems away.  I don't walk through life with a smile constantly on my face.  Like others I am dual diagnosed with bouts of depression.  The major difference today is I don't get my cure from the bottle.   Enough with the preachy stuff.  It is so nice to be able to write this on this early Sunday morning with the sun shinning through my windows and no hangover.  Good Luck and God Bless My fellow friends out here.

You can rest assured a big yellow school bus won't be pulling up to the White House to take the Obama kids to school.   I am willing to bet that Georgetown Day School doesn't have many big yellow buses dropping kids at their door.   It's a 9 minute trip at 3.4 miles.  I will bet my left pinkie they won't be in a big black limo either.  Malia 10 and Sasha 7 seem like the girls who will arrive in a pure white Hummer.  The girls education at this point will be a mere 50 some odd thousand a year.  That is slightly more than the private Chicago school they were attending.   Michelle wants to try to keep the girls life as normal as possible.  Bologna sandwiches and PB & J will be the order of the day.  The White House Chefs will have to learn the right amount of mayo and the way to slice the sandwich. 

How great it must be for a kid living in the White House.  Hide and seek can be an all day affair.  Roller blading I bet won't be allowed but behind the closed doors sliding with socks on a waxed hallway can be just as fun.  Will we have pictures of girls playing with daddy in the Oval Office?   Will they be jumping on the bed in the Lincoln Bedroom?  I am sure already they are the envy of many kids in the US and even the World. 

No matter what your politics are, set it aside.  Enjoy the fun of seeing 2 young girls by the side of  their mother and the President.   I know the press will let them have their space like the have for families before.   Who knows, at 10 years old we may even see Malia wed at the White House.  Might be kind of young, but we will certainly see both girls turn into women right before our very eyes. 

What greater tribute to Fenway Park than to have the 2012 All Star game here.  On it's 100th birthday I also think it should be declared a National Monument.  Several Reason why that will never happen.  I think the number 1 reason is once that happens nothing can really be done any more to change the park.  The current owners have consistently made improvements to our beloved Stadium.  From the Monster seats to new and improved rest rooms.  As I go by Fenway these days the cranes are  working 24 hours a day like they have been in the last several years.  I had the honor to sit in the bleachers during the Playoffs.  The new seats there are a 1000 times more comfortable.  I haven't been in the bleachers since the 80's and what a pleasant surprise.  I was touching distance from the much more expensive monster seats.  I was directly center and they may be my new best seats.  If I have a problem with Fenway Park is the ground level entrance areas.  They are still dark and the floors are uneven.  It's a minor problem for such a Grand Ol Lady.  I look forward to the 100th birthday and hope it's around another 100 years.

From the mouth of President  Elect Obama the words Yes We Can as he described things we must overcome and repeated back by the million plus in the  Chicago park listening.   Tears of happiness  flowing down the faces of many in the crowd.  The people in McCain's crowd booed the name Obama while just the opposite when Obama mentioned McCain.   Look, it's been months of name calling and mud slinging.  We through out these blogs had some of the same heated debates.  We need to move on.  I know some of you will be mad and bitter.  My mind was made up as so often when I voted a losing team, what ever happens I and life would go on.  I hope my friends out here will now move on and put your support behind our new President.  We need to!  YES WE CAN!!!!!

Just a little side note,  Joe Bidden won his bid for reelection as Senator of Delaware.  I wonder which job he'll keep?

Yes the time has finally come and after almost 2 years of  the back and forth bickering we will have a new President by the time we wake tomorrow (or before).  At this point I truly don't care who our next President is going to be, cause the last 8 years have been exhausting.  Our once friendly status around the world has been shot to hell.  Even countries that looked up to us, scratch their heads in disbelief  of some of the moves our Country has made.   We have asked alot from our friends and I wonder if the shoe was on the other foot would we be their for them?  Yes I know we would be there and have been, but my hope is our next President, doesn't think he is the President of the World.  Countries around the world both large and small are watching this race very carefully.  That should be the first order of bussiness to right our wrongs.  I have one guarantee know matter who wins,  THE SUN WILL COME OUT TOMORROW........