Category: Glimpses of Life

Woke up to a temperature of 12 degrees.

Was glad that we have indoor heated parking.  When I drove Phil to work, the streets were all white.

At first, I thought the roads were icy.  Actually they are just salty.

The sun is shining now and the day is pretty.  When I look at the snow, it appears to be frozen.

Minnesotans have a quick step when they walk — from the car and quickly into the stores, coffee houses, etc.  I still haven’t seen anyone wearing a really heavy coat.

I’ve been told in time this will change.  The stores that sell coats advertise up to what temperature they will keep you warm, i.e. up to -30.

I have noticed that when we go house hunting, there are a lot of exercise “rooms.”  Most have treadmills but some have weights.  Unless one likes the snow and cold, I believe most people stay indoors.  Especially in January and February which I hear are the coldest months.

March supposedly brings the most snow.

We’ll see.

So far, my asthma has not kicked in.  It doesn’t like cold and wind and I’ve been careful to stay indoors when it happens (not frequent thus far).

Today we had a notary come and bring us the paperwork to sign for the closing of our home.  It’s actually a pre-signing since closing is not until November 30th.

The paperwork had the HUD form that shows the estimated settlement costs.

Unfortunately, the numbers did not add up.  The bottom number was correct but the numbers listed were not right.

It was frustrating as the escrow company was closed.  When I called my real estate agent, Carrie Pierce, she got on the phone right away and had someone call me who walked us through the paperwork.

Fortunately the man knew what he was talking about as the notary told us he can’t answer any questions.  He’s only here to watch us sign the paperwork.

We muddled through it and I called the real estate agent to let her know how things went.  Seems like she called the escrow company as I received a call from them apologizing for how the process went.

And they are not going to charge us for the notary.

He was a nice gentleman.  He just didn’t have any answers to our questions and didn’t seem aware of some of the processes that the state of Washington has.

But, all is good.

In the midst of a freezing ice storm, our real estate agent took us house hunting.

We now have two top choices.

I’ll look at some more tomorrow but I’m not sure they’ll top these two.

One is more contemporary and the other is more cabin-ish.  Neither is on the water but both have lots of trees and very private.

One even has a swing set (in case we have grandchildren over).

Choices, choices.

Woke to up freezing rain this morning — the worst they’ve seen.

Last weekend we had the 2nd worst snowfall.

At least we’re getting all the records out of the way.

The freezing rain should subside in a couple hours.  Then we’re off house hunting again.

Today I sent a request to Congresswoman Michele Bachmann to discuss the new TSA guidelines.

I really am appalled by everything that is happening and have decided to get involved.

If people don’t write to their representatives how will they know that we are upset.

It’s time we stood up for our rights.  If we can’t defend them even by just writing letters, we have no right to them.

Dear Senator Klobuchar,

I have recently sent a note to President Obama re the recent new guidelines that TSA have adopted.

I would also like to share my concerns with you re the guidelines.

I have had 2 attempted sexual assaults in my life.

From what I am reading about the new guidelines, a TSA employee can put their hands all the way up to my crotch, feel my breasts and say “thank you for your time.”

All this in the name of national security.

I don’t understand where our rights as U.S. citizens have gone.  We should not be searched unless there is cause and it is hard for me to believe that every person (or random person) has cause for being searched in such a manner.

Nor does the new scanner that shows us basically naked a good alternative.

I have read many instances now of people who have been humiliated while going through these procedures and I do not want to be one of those people.

I would appreciate knowing your stance on this matter and the justification of why we have to submit ourselves to these types of  searches.

The country of Israel does not require their people to take off their shoes, get rid of liquid or go through these personal assaults.

Can’t the TSA be trained in like manner?

I would rather die with my rights than die being humiliated first.

Thank you for your response.

Sincerely,

Dear President Obama,

I am appalled over the allowance of TSA personnel to hand search the bodies of U.S. citizens.  Or even to use scanners that show us basically naked.

I have had 2 attempted sexual assaults in my life and when I think that a TSA agent could put their hands all the way up to my crotch or feel my breasts it sickens me.

Perhaps the TSA should be looking at what other countries, like Israel, are doing to keep their people safe.

Right now, it feels like what they are doing is a quick solution for them but at the expense of our rights not to be searched without cause as citizens of this country.

I would appreciate your looking into this matter more thoroughly.

Sincerely,

Friday I travel back to Seattle to meet the movers coming on the following Monday to put our things in storage until we find a house in Minnesota.

This will be a bittersweet trip as I am looking forward to seeing all the friends I left behind but am not looking forward to the TSA groping that has been reported by so many people.

Ever since TSA started their new guidelines, many people have been upset about the supposed rights TSA believes it has over traveler’s bodies.

I don’t know what I would do if a TSA agent grabs my crotch.  I believe instinct would kick in and I would kick the person between their legs.

So many videos on Youtube and blogs abound about the new “security” measures that don’t have anything to do with anything.

And people are calling the police before they leave the area to report assaults by TSA agents on themselves and/or their children.  So far, the police have been cooperating with the people and not TSA.  But every city is different.

We’ll see what happens but I feel a little anxious about this trip.

We attended the St Paul First Seventh-day Adventist Church today.

St Paul First Seventh-day Adventist Church

The church was quite full although we were told that a lot of people were away for Thanksgiving.

The congregation is very diverse.  We were invited to tonight’s talent show several times although we won’t be able to make it.

One woman has been at this church 53 years.  She is 56 years old.  Her grandmother attended this church when she was a little girl.

They had a female guest speaker who spoke on “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” from Matthew 6:21.

It was a good sermon although she had trouble getting through it.

Afterwards the church service we went for a drive through different neighborhoods.

It was a beautiful sunny day today in Minnesota.

We had decided, after all the driving we’ve been doing, to stay “home” for Thanksgiving by making reservations at a restaurant and having someone else do the cooking for us.  Instead of driving 4 hours or 7 hours to be with family.

What a pleasant surprise to have my sister-in-law and her family from Fargo call and offer to meet us halfway so that we could have Thanksgiving with them.

It brought such joy to my heart!  This is truly what family is about.