So Done With 2012; New Hope for 2013

What a year 2012 has been for us.  It’s been a year of some fun trips – some local, some a little farther away.  We didn’t go far and it seemed that every trip had some “interesting” memories.  We tore up the Fit in Pendleton and spent over a week marooned at the Casino there…not a bad place to be stuck though, all things being equal.  In total that ended up being a pretty good trip.

Our number one boy was sidelined with increasing mobility problems but still he soldiered on for a time.  We said a sad good bye to Rusty in July but his memory lives in our hearts forever.


The biggest blow came in June when I lost my sister (center) suddenly and unexpectedly.  But this is life, and loss, while hard, is a part of life.  We go on.

The rest of the summer was wonderful right here at home with family and grandkids visits to keep us company.  The grands did their annual show, this time with a Beatles theme. 

We had a visit from a couple using the Boondockers Welcome website and they were such great people.  We had backyard visits from Judy and Everett, Allen and Lolita, Ed and Carol, and Betty and Joe.  We met the Weavers at our favorite Roaring Rapids Pizza Parlor, and met up for a second time with Sue and Mo.  I hope I didn’t forget anyone but that seems like a pretty good social year for meeting bloggers when it feels like we didn’t travel much!

We started on what was supposed to be a trip to Glacier National Park in September but, after a nice night boondocking in Dave and Carol's driveway, we again had a problem with the Fit.  Still, while our plans changed and we didn’t go where we had planned, we did have a wonderful trip eventually.  The best thing about that was getting rid of the Even Brake and getting the Stay in Play Duo.  Best thing we ever did!  No disrespect to the Even Brake as I know others have had great success with it.  I just don’t think it works well in the Fit.  We are VERY happy with the Stay in Play set-up.

Today to end out the year, I have the 5 teenaged grandkids here for a sleepover.  Grandpa is on duty right now while I take a much needed break and write my blog.  Whew!!  Love those grands but they sure do have the energy.

The day did not start well as we said goodbye to Punkin kitty.  She had a sore on her foot a couple of weeks ago and we bandaged it up and it seemed fine.  Last night it broke open again and bled profusely.  We took her to the vet today and found out it is a rare form of cancer that is not curable.  So Punkin joins Rusty at Rainbow Bridge.  At least she found a great home with us when she adopted us 12 years ago and she had a good long life. 

So what lies ahead for 2013?  I have only positive expectations.  It has got to be better than 2012.  We plan to do more travel and we are excited for the future.  We are leaving the past where it belongs, and moving forward into whatever lies ahead.  Life still holds endless possibilities and we intend to grab those that we can.

And you know the best thing about 2013?  It  is NOT a presidential election year…can I hear a big AMEN ha-ha!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone and we’ll see you down the road.

Christmas Memories

This Christmas has been a bit strange for us.  It’s the first Christmas that I have been without my sister.  To say I miss her is an understatement.  She has only been gone for 6 months so the loss still seems very fresh.
 
One of my favorite memories is the year my Grandpa played Santa Claus and Sharon and I had our picture taken with him.  This was somewhere is AZ but I can’t remember the city.  I think it was Mesa but I can’t tell for sure.  It’s another one of those instances where I wish I could phone mom and dad and ask them, but I’m afraid those days are long gone too.

It’s also the first Christmas in 15 years that we have not had the Best Dog Ever, Rusty, here to celebrate the holidays with us.  Rusty was a true Party Animal!  He always had a present or two under the tree, and he LOVED to unwrap them.

He loved to help others unwrap their presents as well, but he was polite and would wait until he was invited to help.  Then he would gently take an edge of the paper and pull it away from the package.  I always wondered how a dog could know that just the paper was supposed to come off.  He never tried to chew through the box the paper covered.

This dear boy was never more happy than when he was surrounded by family and lots of Christmas wrappings. 

Amid all the hustle and bustle of Christmas, it’s good to stop and reflect on all the good memories of years gone by.  Although this Christmas is tinged with sadness, we do have so many happy memories, and those are what I choose to embrace.

I can never get Sharon or Rusty back and I miss them both so much.  But I can celebrate and remember the Christmas times we enjoyed together.

I know I posted this last year but it is my favorite version of my favorite Christmas Carol…another memory that I will cherish forever.  This is my then 7 year old granddaughter singing a capella, “O Holy Night,” and catching us all by surprise when she goes for and hits the high note at the end! (Note to Bekah:  I wouldn’t turn down an update, hint-hint!!)   Merry Christmas everyone.

Read This Blog

One of the most thought provoking blogs I have read recently was posted as a link on Merikay’s site tonight.  I think everyone should read it.  A whole different perspective and one we need to consider and do some thinking about.  I don’t have an answer for the dilemma faced by the writer but it would behoove us to try and find one.

P.S.  Thank you all for offering to taste test (!!) my fudge efforts  and a  special thanks to Sue Malone for sending me the recipe to See's fudge. Wish I could share some with ya'll.

Oh Fudge

For years I made the Easy, marshmallow cream fudge…but haven’t made any for many years.  I want to make REAL fudge this year…you know, the rich old fashioned kind that melts in your mouth and is full of rich, chocolate flavor.  I want the kind you have to beat until it loses its gloss…or your arm falls off, whichever comes first.

I went yesterday and bought about 6 different kinds of chocolate (good stuff, not just chips).  I got cream and corn syrup and sugar and canned milk…all the things I thought I might need.  Now I have been perusing recipes online and I am stumped!  There are so many I don’t know which to choose.  So…please…if you have a great chocolate fudge recipe that you would be willing to share, I would love to have it.  You can post it here or send it to me at grandma_kr at yahoo dot com.

I want to fill the house with the smells of Christmas and there is nothing like making fudge and cookies to help accomplish that goal.  I have a bunch of tins that I plan to fill up for family, so I can make and bake to my heart’s content and then send it all away!!

Meanwhile, here is a short video of Carol of the Bells, from my granddaughter’s (Bekah) middle school concert.  This was in November, so the kids didn’t have a lot of time to practice since the beginning of school and I think they did a great job.  They have a wonderful teacher.  Enjoy!

The Need to Know

Note:  NOT a travel post, just something I needed to get off my chest.  This is just one side of the coin and is my opinion only.

No doubt everyone has heard the news about the latest catastrophic shooting incident, this time at an elementary school in Connecticut.  Just a few days ago there was a shooting at a mall near where my daughter and her family live, in Clackamas, OR.  Both incidents are tragedies, to be sure.  What I am about to say is in no way meant to diminish the  seriousness of these events, nor the grief these incidents bring.   I am really at a loss but am trying to think through the sadness that surrounds such circumstance.

My personal reaction is not meant to be dogmatic, as I could well be wrong in my assessment.  However, I wonder about the reporting that happens when something like this occurs.  Is it really necessary and responsible to report continuously on the tragedy?  I was out shopping this morning and knew nothing about the situation until we returned home.  I turned on my computer and on Yahoo the story of the shooting was at the top of my news feed with the headline, “20 Children dead in Connecticut shooting.”  Right below that was a link to “continuous live coverage.”  I’m sorry, but I think that is just a little bit sick.

Don’t these parents, friends, relatives, and response personnel have enough to deal with without the news media sticking microphones and cameras in their faces?  Do we really need to see little children running for their lives and crying in terror?  Does this do anything to help the situation?  Do we really have a “need to know?”   Before the internet and the availability of 24 hour news stations, we would not be bombarded with the coverage we now endure.

I did NOT watch any video but I did see a few of the still shots of the children outside of the building, and that was enough.  I do not want to be an ostrich but do I really need to know all the gory details?  I wonder if the limelight given to perpetrators of this type only encourages others to act out their own fantasy and claim their own infamy. 

On Face Book I saw that someone had posted their reaction to the tragedy, along with the news about 20 school children in China who had been stabbed to death yesterday.  My question is, what do we gain by knowing this?  Yes, it is tragic but can we do anything about it?  My mother used to tell me is I was not part of the problem nor part of the solution, then I had best stay out of it.

The only person I can control is ME!  The only people I can influence are those close to me.  Do I influence them positively by participating in the feeding frenzy generated by the news media?  Or, is it more important that I focus on the more positive quality of life?

To be sure, evil exists in this world and it is not that hard to find examples.  It would be easy to sink into a morass of of negativity and “the world is going to Hell in a handbasket” mentality.  But that does not solve anything.  The 24/7 reporting of negative news does not solve anything.  What is truly gained by the entire world knowing about the tragedy in Connecticut or the one in China?  Does it change the outcome?  Does it change what the “good guys” can do about it?  I think not.  Those of us who abhor violence will still abhor violence regardless of what we see or read in the media.  Those who feed on such news will continue to absorb all that the media dishes out.  The only ones who benefit from this type of news coverage are the news media, their advertisers, and sadly, the perpetrator who was looking for validation and recognition.

I don’t know the answer.  I know the media reports what the public wants to hear.  Have we developed such blood lust and are we so inured to the pain of loss that we must view it over and over?  What does it accomplish?  Why do we not hear of the many schools who made it through the day without even a hint of violence? 

I don’t have an answer and I admit my reaction here is on a visceral level.  I am sick and tired of hearing nothing but negative reports.  That doesn’t mean I think everything is rosy and there are no problems, I just question the wisdom of the non-stop reporting of tragedies and our hunger to feed on such news stories.  There is much good in the world and I only wish we could hear more reports on that.

Those who so vociferously decry the violence and really want to effect change should consider turning  off the TV and  volunteering at a school or a homeless shelter where they might actually have a positive influence. 

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 (Christian Bible)

Family Portrait

Russ asked for ONE thing this Christmas, a family portrait.  Knowing this would not work well in a studio, I set up the big camera in the living room, put it on self-timer mode and snapped a few shots.  We got some funny ones, but I think this one is a keeper.



Merry Christmas, everyone.

Thankful X2

I haven’t been on the computer much lately.  Between having some tendonitis problems and just being in a funk, anything on the computer has been pretty sparse.

We had a great Thanksgiving in Portland with our kids up there.  Took Therapy and parked her in the street in front of John’s house.  It worked great.  We were able to be right there with the family and yet have our own space when we felt tired.  Poppy went with us and was a very good dog (like always).  John did most of the cooking with the rest of us just filling in a few gaps.  I put some photos up on FB for the family, or anyone else who is interested.

Last Saturday we had a Civil War party at my sister, Laila’s house.  Along with her hubby, Brian, we had a great time watching the Ducks chew up the Beavers.  Too bad we lost that one game to Stanford, but the Ducks should still get a good bowl berth…probably the Fiesta Bowl.


Us four oldsters decided we had not had quite enough Thanksgiving, so today we got together for another TG dinner!  It was a surprise for Brian and Laila as they had gone out on Thanksgiving and their meal was less than stellar.  We made up for that today.

I had the grocery store cut a turkey in half so that we wouldn’t have so many leftovers and it worked just great.  We had turkey, stuffing, mashed taters and gravy, yams, homemade applesauce, home made cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, fruit salad, raspberry whip (mousse), and yeast rolls.  It was all SO good and it was nice to have a meal with my sister.  I only wish my brother and his wife lived closer so we could have shared with them as well.


It was fun to get out the Christmas dishes and make a big spread, but boy, am I tired!!  Not quite as easy as it used to be!!

No one went away hungry and after dinner, as is our Thanksgiving custom, we watched National Lampoon’s “Christmas Vacation.”  It’s a movie you either love or hate and we just happen to love it.  So freakin’ funny!!



Updates to this blog may be sporadic for the foreseeable future.  Have to come to some decisions about how I want to proceed.  I may not comment as much as usual, but I do enjoy reading and keeping up with what you all are doing out there. 

Have a wonderful holiday season and Happy "2nd" Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving

From our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving. 

Free HP Ink

Just a short note today to offer some free ink.  I purchased a new printer and have several left over ink cartridges from my old printer.  If anyone uses HP #02 print cartridges, please let me know and I will be happy to send these to you.  These are genuine HP cartridges, not refills.  I don’t have all the colors but I do have still sealed in the package:

1 black
3 lt. magenta
1 yellow
2 lt. cyan

In addition, I have the new black and yellow cartridges I just installed in the printer a few days ago and all of the ones in the printer with varying levels of ink left in them.  Most are almost full.  You can email me at grandma_kr AT yahoo dot com if you are interested.  I hate to just throw them away but I can’t use them.  I will send them to the first person who wants them.

Have a wonderful day and if you are heading south, have a safe journey.

RIP Printer!!

It’s all the fault of John over at Travelin’ with John.    A few days ago I mentioned my thoughts about getting another dog.  I’ve pretty much decided I can’t handle a puppy and I think I will just do nothing for now.  Then John had to go and send me a picture of Skippy.

Remember Skippy?  He was the office dog at the park John was staying in while he was in Elephant Butte.  He is about the cutest little guy ever and EXACTLY what I want in a dog.



I pleaded with John to drive the 1000 miles back to Elephant Butte, dognap the little fellow and send him to me.  I even said I would pay the shipping.  After all, I wanted to be fair.  But John wouldn’t do it.  Can you believe it???

So all that remained to me and my broken heart was to print this picture and tack it up on the bulletin board by my computer.  SIGH!!!!  But when I tried to print to picture it came out more like this:


Well that little dog deserves better than that!!!  I did all the usual things, checked all the ink cartridges, even replaced black and yellow even though they still showed some ink in them.  Ran a diagnostic, etc.  Printed the picture using another program to make sure it wasn’t an error with PhotoShop print settings that I was missing.  Same result.  So I am stumped. 

The printer is about 6 years old and I’m thinking it will be easier to replace it rather than repair.  I’m looking at another HP at Costco.  It’s a four-in-one for under $100 so I may go with that.  I may have some still sealed HP 02 cartridges to give away in the near future.  Isn’t it crazy that they all take different cartridges?  My computer is HP so I want to stick with that brand.  Makes set-up simple and I'm familiar with the brand.  I don’t need anything fancy so I’m hoping that one at Costco will fill the bill. 

And when I get it, you can bet the first thing I am going to print is that picture of Skippy!!

 

Election Day Thoughts - WARNING: Political post

It’s finally here, the day we look forward to – an end to the the asinine political ads on TV and the endless computer generated phone calls.  However, this year, I fear election day will not end the wrangling that has beset our country and has caused such division amongst our people.  Already lawsuits have been filed in some counties in Florida regarding election procedures.  We haven’t heard the end of this.

It almost seems we are a bunch of kindergarten children, selfishly declaring that I must get everything I want and to heck with the rest of you.  If I can’t have all the best toys, then I am not going to play. 

Unfortunately, in a country with well over 300 MILLION people, no one will EVER get everything to go their way.  No TWO people will agree about everything so how can we expect 300 million to agree?  My point is that grown-ups learn to listen and compromise.  No, compromise is NOT a dirty word.  It is simply a recognition that someone who disagrees with you has as much right to their opinion as you do to yours. 

What has happened to civility?  Why can we not work with one another to effect the changes we desire without having to run rough-shod over anyone who disagrees?  I fully advocate standing up for your individual ideals but recognize that others have ideals that, while they may be different, are just as closely held.  We can engage in civil debate and discourse without alienating those with whom we disagree.  We can work within the system to change those things we think need to be changed, while realizing that we will not get “our way” 100% of the time.  And we can be civil about it.

Congress has set a terrible example for our citizens by refusing to reach across the aisle and work together to get things done.  Our citizens have embraced this ethic to dig in their heels and refuse to listen to anything other than their own party’s rhetoric.  We have become selfish to the point where we can see no other point but our own.

I am not saying that we should lay down “arms” and discontinue fighting for what we believe in.  I am only saying that we need to recognize that compromise is inherent in a democracy.  You will not get everything you want because everyone has rights that are just as important as yours.  In a democracy where everyone has a say in how our country is governed, nothing will get accomplished unless we are willing to sacrifice some of our desires in order to see others come to fruition.  And we need to do it with civility.

With that in mind I am making this declaration:

If my candidate wins, I will not gloat, but will be gracious in victory.

If my candidate loses, I will not pout, but will accept defeat with honor.

I will respect the office of the President, even if I disagree with the politics or the person in that office. 

I will replace the energy I waste on tearing down an elected official with working in a positive manner to see the changes made that I believe in.  (I wonder what we could accomplish if all the time and energy directed at making political jokes, false accusations, sending out disparaging emails, were instead turned into positive and productive action?)

I will not abandon my beliefs or my desire to see change but will work to effect that change without rancor towards the “other side.”

I will engage in debate when warranted but will remember to LISTEN as well as speak.  Perhaps someone who disagrees with me will have a valid idea (what a novel thought!)  Debate is not bad, lack of civility is.

I will educate myself on issues and candidates and will not allow the media to dictate my choices.  I will read, I will listen, and I will decide.

Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.
Franklin D. Roosevelt

Wanna Go to the Coast?

We did just that today.  Sun was shining, sky was blue... why not?  Spur of the moment ride over to Florence, OR.

First stop was the Three Rivers Casino.  Russ liked the look of the grass at the top of this dune and the way it contrasted against the very blue sky.


Poppy got out and walked around a bit then we went into the casino.  We were going to have lunch but it was too hot to leave Poppy in the car, even with the windows down.  There was very little breeze to keep the temperature down inside the car.  So we just made a quick pit stop and went down to the waterfront in Florence.

We found that we had a choice of which Florence we wanted to visit.

Since it was already well past lunch time, we decided Florence, OR would have to do for today.  We had lunch at Mo’s.  Some of their famous Potato Surprise Chowder.  The surprise is when you find a clam!!  I liked it anyway!!  Russ was happy as a clam with his platter of strips.


Whatever you think of the food at Mo’s, you have to admit, it’s in a great location right on the Siuslaw River.



After walking along the pier and inspecting the pilings underneath Mo’s, I think I might want to go on a diet before I go back!


There was a lot of rot in many of the pilings but I am sure they are inspected regularly and are as safe as can be…



The pier goes for quite a way and made for a pleasant after lunch walk.  There were several boats tied up and Poppy acted liked she wanted to board.  She was getting tired and I think she was hoping to find a bathtub to relax in!!






This old gal found a perfect perch to watch for any stray food that might be dropped on the pier.






In addition to the pier, there is also a long boardwalk with benches strategically placed to allow one to wander or just sit and watch the water.


We didn’t spend a lot of time exploring the many quaint shops in Old Town, but Russ did spy this Whirl-i-gig for our John Deere loving friends.



The sun was getting low in the sky and the haze was starting to roll in as we walked back to the car.  I wanted to try a couple of backlit shots and this is what I came up with.




And so as the sun sets slowly in the west….we headed east back towards Eugene, happy that we had listened to our inner child and took a spontaneous drive to the coast.

It’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Would you believe 73F and blue skies?  Yup, it really happened here in Eugene, OR today. 


A great day for a ride.  First the lake, or what there is left of it.  I always think the docks look so lonesome just sitting there in the mud.

Actually, it is a huge lake and there is plenty of water, just not in the marina at Orchard Point.  It is drawn down in preparation for the winter rains. 

If you look closely, you can see a lady in a blue jacket out on the boat ramp.  She had the cutest little Mini-Aussie pup.  I talked to her and she told me where she bought the pup.  It was so cute – I was too busy getting loved on to get a picture.  So that encounter resulted in a drive along the road where the puppies grow!

We didn’t find the puppy house (didn’t have an address) but the lady called me later with a name and website.  Not sure I want another dog but it will be an Aussie if I get one.

We didn’t find the puppies but how about this for a sight you don’t see very often nowadays?


I used to say I loved the smell of sunshine on the laundry – I think I like the smell of fabric softener and dryers a lot better!  That’s a lot of work to hang those clothes on the line like that.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, it appeared that the wet weather we have been getting, combined with the warmer temperatures of the last couple of days have resulted in an invasion of other worldly fungi.  None so colorful as what Al gets in Bayfield, but interesting all the same.




This looks more like someone laid a clutch of eggs in our grass!


This is not home-grown but was grown in the flower department at our local Fred Meyer Store.


Thank you, Russ, for my beautiful “Get Well” bouquet.  Hope you all remembered to turn your clocks back (except you Arizona and Hawaiian rebels!) and that all my USA friends remember to vote on Tuesday if you haven’t already done so.

OUCH!!

Toothache…

Dentist…

Cracked tooth…

BAD infection…

Bye bye tooth…

No more toothache…

FACE ache!!

Pain pills…

Good night…

A Little Work on Therapy

First off, I want to say I am glad that none of our blogger friends  were hurt (that I know of, anyway) in the nastiness that Sandy brought to the east coast.  My heart goes out to those who were in harms way and for those involved in the aftermath.  I am counting my blessings for sure tonight.

Bet some of you folks know exactly where this is!!


For those who don’t know, this is at AM Solar in Springfield, OR.  We went in to have our solar system checked out.  It seemed to be discharging faster than it should but the problem most likely lies in the way the charge controller reads out.  We are going to have a nice battery monitor installed so we can tell exactly where our charge level is.  That should give us some added confidence to maybe try a bit of boondocking – not too much, mind you – just a bit!!  I have been following along with Paul and Nina and also RV Sue as they camp around the Alabama Hills in one of my favorite areas of the whole wide world, and I think I might like to do that for a night or two.  I do like my creature comforts and we don’t plan to do a lot of off the grid stuff, but having the ability to make that choice is nice.  We also replaced four of our interior lights with LED lights, which will also help us conserve energy.

AM Solar sits on a beautiful piece of property and Russ could not help but take a few pictures while we were waiting.

Wouldn’t it be nice to look out of your window at work and see something like this?  (If you weren’t retired, that is!)






 

There were ducks in the pond and two cormorants high up in a tree.  The service writer told us they also have a couple of eagles that come around regularly.  It’s almost like a mini-vacation to visit AM Solar!!

For lunch we went to a new place in town very close to our house.  It’s called Wayback Burgers.  Apparently they are a franchise operation but it was one I had never heard of before.  Their website shows quite a few locations back east but only one here in the wild west.


The burger was okay but probably nothing I would go back for.


The bacon was only 60 cents extra and that’s about what it was worth!  The bun was very good and the fries were okay.  Everything is served on metal plates lined with newspaper print waxed paper.  Perhaps it is because they are new, but their service was not the best either.  Oh well, it was okay and we got to see my sister and her hubby so it was a fun afternoon.

Although we are not “on the road” we haven’t been sitting on our keisters gathering moss either!!  We have been doing some nice drives in the country.  One day we took off on a road not even knowing where it went.  It was great fun and I’ll write about a couple of those trips next time.  

Travel safe and stay warm and dry.

…and now, HEEEEERE’S Russell!!

In the spirit of the upcoming Halloween holiday, the witch would like to give equal time to the other member of the enclave!

At work…


…at church…


…and at home…


In case you haven’t caught on, we enjoy our holidays.  Even though these photos were taken many years ago, I still love to see the kids come to the door, regardless of their age.  I figure if they are brave enough to put on a costume and knock on my door, they deserve a piece of candy.

Sometimes we bemoan the fact that our children grow up so fast, but then, when they want to do something childish like go trick or treating, we tell them to grow up.  I say let them be children as long as possible.  There will be plenty of time for them to grow up and plenty of times when we wish they would slow down. 

My views on this have changed over the last number of years.  I used to be in that camp that said trick or treating was only for the younger kids.  Now I say, let them all come.  I told Russ I wanted to make a sign that read, “All Ages Welcome” but then I figured I might get some old geezers with pumpkins on their heads knocking at my door.  So we’ll just leave it at that and hope we get at least a few visitors this Wednesday night.  

BTW, Russ got his “numbers” today from recent lab work.
glycohemoglobin (A1-c) 6.6 (You fellow diabetics will know that this is pretty good)
HDL 32
LDL 81
Total cholesterol 131
Tricyclerides 90
I’m very proud of Russ but it makes me mad too!  No matter what I do, my numbers are never as good as his.  Must be a guy thing!!

Beware the Witch!!

Yup, I went to work at the bank dressed like this sometime in the mid 90s.  Can’t remember the exact date.  Some things don’t change much.  Russ made my ride. There are big soda bottles near the bottom, painted black and fastened on with black tape.  Those were my “rockets.”  If only real engines could be fixed so easily.

Rick or Russ?? You decide!!

Saw this guy at a house down the street today.  Just sitting there like a big dummy!

Looks like he has a bit of a problem with his right hand!
I couldn’t decide if this fella looked more like Russ….


….or Rick.


Could go either way I guess.

Hey, don’t blame me.  Just trying to be fair and balanced.  I report, you decide! 

And as Porky Pig would say in Looney Tunes…"Th-th-th-that's all folks!"