Nothing’s Ever Perfect
I’ve been pondering yet another glaringly obvious thought, that each season has its own special needs, and thank goodness we don’t have all those needs at once (usually). If there’s enough rainfall, we spend our time on mowing and our money on fuel for the mowers and tractors. If there’s a drought, we water and that bill goes sky high. The propane charges rise in the winter. Electric bill’s higher in summer. Gasoline and diesel are high all the time now. And food.
Once in a while you catch a break. Seems the miracle mesquite killer Remedy has dropped in price, a reaction to its patent running out and much competition from generic brands. (Same with some prescription drugs). Hooray for free enterprise. The original manufacturer is no longer legally allowed to gouge us on the price of a gallon of this stuff —or our monthly meds. One generic equivalent of Remedy is called Clear Pasture. I called it Everclear by mistake earlier today in town, and we had a good laugh. Freudian slip. I must have dredged that up from the Stygian depths of some demented, college memory. It even caused the twenty-something clerk to crack a smile.
During times of drought, about the only things that grow with wild abandon are weeds and undesirable plants like cedar and mesquite. Drought also seems to cause huge pecan limbs to crack off —and large trees of all kinds to fall unexpectedly. We experienced this phenom a couple of years ago, and it seems to be starting again. At this point, we have about a hundred piles of brush and limbs to burn. But because each season has its own special conditions we aren’t allowed to start fires. Obviously in this dry time, the burn ban is in force.
I was trying to imagine recently how we might economize further in these tough times, and most people I know are pretty much down to the bone, so I’m at a loss. The things we don’t do/ have or never did/ have can’t be cut. These are luxuries now, things people might previously have taken for granted if they worked hard and wanted to reward themselves occasionally or have a little help. These are things like buying steak, lamb chops, or fresh seafood without a second thought, employing occasional household help, acquiring new vehicles when necessary, taking vacations to locales farther away and more exotic than Dallas or Austin.— Things like enjoying occasional meals at restaurants, memberships to clubs, tickets to games, musical or dramatic presentations, symphonies, ballets, operas, etc.
Let’s just take one telling example. Now that a visit to a ball game would cost a family of four well over a hundred dollars for tickets and refreshments, these heretofore acceptable pastimes are sadly out of reach for most folks.
It’s come to a point where people can’t afford the gas to take them to a job that doesn’t earn enough to justify the fuel. Small businesses can no longer offer help with health insurance for employees. Unemployment and welfare in some cases pay more. What’s wrong with this picture? If folks are choosing between their prescription drugs and gasoline, you can bet a vacation to Europe is pretty much out of the question. Boarding pets is about equal now to what a stay in a nice motel was a few years ago. And President Obama’s answer to everything is to raise taxes.
It’s obvious that our President and his advisors are aiming our country toward a Socialist society. Take from the rich and give to the poor. It is obvious that the older among us will get the shaft. I never before had a problem with helping the underdog. But it’s gone way beyond that. Those who have done the right thing all their lives are now in the position of living frugally after a lifetime of saving — in order to support a welfare state including many illegal immigrants. I don’t mind my tax dollars legitimately helping someone in need. I don’t mind legal immigrants who want to work. But to pay for people with no interest in pulling their own weight, paying their own way or supporting their own children is unacceptable.
Every season has its needs. And the season of my older years now looks as if it will be severely limited by government beyond my control, as experience and common sense fall into the minority in this country and stupidity and short-sightedness take over.
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