Ok, time for the long version.

My mom is a tough, old tom-boy. She grew up in a broken home in Illinois and Texas in the post WWII era. Her dad is (still) a tough, WWII vet who could hunt and kill anything (even killing squirrels with a sling shot). Her mom is (still) a cook and caretaker, always offering to fix you some food or wash your sheets.

In the last decade or so, my folks have lived and worked (hard) on this ranch raising and training horses, mending fences and toilets, and raising wild amounts of flowers. (Mom has always marveled how many hundreds of her plants died in Amarillo yet here anything will grow.)

Several years ago, mom was diagnosed with colon cancer. She fought through, a hard fight, and got back to normal. Later, cancer showed up in her liver. Again, she fought through.

She got into competitive trail riding. She had great times and made great friends. She even bought a ratty old RV to stay in on the trails which she named Sadie, and fixed up cute as can be. (That must be where I got my need to name my things.) We have lots and lots of pictures of her riding Sassy, just as happy as she could be.

About six months ago, while we were all working to put together Mom and Dad’s 50th anniversary party, a kid on his way to work at the Walmart lost control of his car and hit mom’s little Escort wagon head on. Another fight. Badly broken bones and internal trauma. We all had a feeling that this fight would be the worst.

She did get back home and was working on physical therapy, walking with help, when her liver got plugged up. Back to the hospital. More surgery. More struggles. But again, she fought through.

She was still weak and sick when the whole family came down for Thanksgiving. We had a good time visiting, even though we knew Mom felt so sick.

Now, a week later, Mom is back in the hospital. Her dizziness, nausea, and headaches had gotten so bad that Dad brought her in. A CAT scan found bleeding in her brain, likely a ruptured tumor (although they don’t know for sure). The doctors’ plan was to fly her to Austin for brain surgery, likely removing enough brain tissue that she would not be able to walk or speak. This time, mom’s fighting spirit was in the other direction. She told the doctors, “No.” And, as usual, she won the fight.

The prognosis is that in the next few days (could be a day, could be a week), that the pressure on her brain will push her into a coma, and then stop her breathing. Not a bad way to go, if you think about the alternatives.

So, family and friends are here, saying their goodbyes. We all cry and blubber, but Mom just smiles and says kind words. Mostly it includes, “I’m not hurting. I feel good. Don’t cry for me. Cry for yourself, but not for me.”

Sabra reads all the blog comments and emails to her, fighting through tears. (I thought I could do better, but I can’t. Turns out I really am a wuss.) Mom loves hearing all the nice things people say about her, recounting memories and wisdom that she passed on. She says, “This is great! It’s like being at my own funeral.”

Last night she told me, “It’s amazing how much stuff you can not care about. My house. My things. I don’t have to worry about what Obama’s going to do!”

Thanks to everyone for the well wish and prayers. We are all good here. At peace and making the most of the time.

Now, go call your mother!

Clicky clicky for Mom’s blog.

I’m packing up to head to the ranch again. I don’t have time for details. Just please pray for my parents, both. Mom is going to hospice. Pray for controlled pain. And pray for Dad.

‘Tis the season for gluttony, greed and lust. So this week’s white board quip is a gentle reminder to keep your holiday wish list in check and your holiday serving sizes reasonable.

You can’t have everything. Where would you put it?
– Steven Wright

I’m sure you saw the news for yesterday’s sad loss. Actor Leslie Nielsen passed away at 84.

Yes, he had a slightly above average acting career. Yes, he had comic genius rather thrust upon him when, as a previously serious actor, he played the dead pan doctor on “Airplane.” Yes, he went on to be a fixture of the slap stick and silly, such as the Naked Gun series. So why would I devote space here for a tribute?

Well, have you read my blog’s title and tag line?! Duh!!

Hopefully, you haven’t seen too many previews for Megamind. I managed to avoid most of them. And as such, all but a couple of the gags were really funny and the various plot twists were actually surprising. I can’t say the script completely avoids predictability. It is Hollywood, after all. But it is thoroughly enjoyable.

Megamind is your classic turn-the-stereotypes-upside-down tale that Shrek (you know, the good one, before it became a pathetic franchise) set the bar for. Whoever was in charge of casting on this show deserves every award they can get. The “hero” is a gag-me-sweet, suave media darling. (Brad Pitt… Heck ya!) The “damsel in distress” is a wry, sarcastic wise-cracker. (Tina Fey… Nailed it!) And the “villain” is a cutely naive klutz with a crush. (Will Ferrell… Have you seen Elf?!)

A movie poster containing both “Dreamworks” and “Will Ferrell” may have you concerned. You don’t want your kids repeating the same fart jokes for the next month. (Ahem… Shrek.) But not to fear. The humor manages to avoid the bathroom (mostly). It’s smart enough to entertain the grown ups and silly enough to keep the kids rolling. There are several pop-culture gags that the kids probably won’t even catch. (Keep eye out for the original Donkey Kong.) And most importantly, it really is just darned cute. The character animation for Ferrell’s Megamind is brilliant. For a guy with a giant, blue head; he really can warm your heart.

Long story short, see this movie! Take your kids! You will love it!! It easily earns these four grins.

I like Sarah Palin. I think she’s a true conservative. I think she’s smart. I think she’s a great mom. But I don’ think she’s presidential. I don’t think she’s electable. I don’t think she should run.

Any conservative in the public eye, politician or otherwise, must accept Lamestream Media venom and SNL mockery. Notice I didn’t say “expect.” By “accept” I mean be able to ignore it, laugh it off, and get on with business. Sarah Palin has proven she can’t do that.

Any conservative running for public office needs have a solid resume. Conservatives, by definition, don’t care about “flair.” We care about policy. We care about getting things done. Former Governor Palin had a real chance to get some things done in Alaska, to beef up her resume. And she quit. Since then, she’s written a couple of books and is now … *sigh* … a reality TV “star.”

Before I can cast my vote for President of the United States of America, I have to know the candidate is serious. Before I can vote to put someone in charge of the big red button, I need to know they can handle the responsibility. The Leader of the Free World needs to have the nerve to sit across a table from Vladimir Putin and tell him to stuff is nuke treaty, to have the chops ignore Kim Jong Il and Ahmadinejad when they are squealing for attention, and the cojones to go nose to nose with Hippy Pelosi and put her in her place.

I like Sarah Palin, but I see no evidence she can do any of those things.

Dear Sarah Palin,

America loves you. I think your great. Please please please please DON’T RUN FOR PRESIDENT!!

Thanks,
Trint

P.S. I’m not the only one who feels this way.

This week’s white board quip (Okay, so it’s actually this month’s quip. Get over it.) is to honor those brave souls protecting us from mayhem and certain death in the skies. Of course, I’m talking about the TSA … ‘s pat-down victims.

*Knock knock* Hey, pilot! I promise not to terror you.
Paul – who is a ghost

Yep. You read it right. I’m wishing you a bad day today. Why? Why would I be so mean and hateful? Well, because November 19th is “Have a Bad Day” day, of course.

So get out there and make the worst of it!

[Cross posting my sister’s post from my mom’s blog.]

Dad just called. Mom made it through the procedure [to remove the external drain tube from her liver]. The stint is working. The docs are looking into getting her some other meds for the nausea.

However, Mom was crying from being so, so tired as she went into the procedure. She came out still tired. The nurse told Dad that Mom is ready to go, as in ready to see Jesus. Dad couldn’t talk after saying that, so I don’t know how that assessment was made. Mom is just very tired, that I know.

Mom does have cancer in the area of her liver again. She opts for no treatment, and they wouldn’t give it to her now anyway since she is so weak. There you have it. The brutal truth.

Maybe we are just all very tired and emotional. I hope so.

Today, I contacted my U.S. Representative and both of my U.S. Senators with the following letter. Please feel free to do the same.

As usual, thank you for the work you do protecting my conservative values in Washington.

I admit I have not made an exhaustive search, but I have not been able to find out your position on the earmark moratorium.

I understand that some in Congress feel that pork projects are vital to their local districts, but, as a tax payer, I don’t care.

I pay my taxes “in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity,” not to refurbish baseball parks and add airport terminals with shiny brass plaques honoring our members of Congress.

We are trillions of dollars in debt. In my house, when we can’t pay the bills, every last penny is accounted for and every last expense is curtailed until the budget is balanced and the debt is paid. (Yes, as a matter of fact, my household has no unsecured debt and we have a budget surplus. I know. I’m weird.)

Please take the time to express publicly your support for ending earmark spending, and all wasteful and unconstitutional spending by the Federal government.

Thank you.

Your constituent,
Trint Ladd