Of all of the nasty characters involved in the health care debate, Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas, now takes the prize for biggest hypocrite of all. I am referring in particular to his new advertisement organizing a petition drive against our new healthcare legislation. He claims he is a Bible following Christian, but I don't see how that's possible if he is willing to repeal healthcare reform returning the American public back to dark ages of insurance company "death panels" that happily kicked the chronically ill, and children, off of policies in the middle of treatment. Fox News is up the proverbial butt of big insurance, and Huckabee and Palin are major pawns. I can't believe the average American is fool enough to fall for this charade, especially the death panel scare, but if they do, then shame on them.

The big controversy today is over letting Medicare pay doctors for end of life counseling...this is something not previously coded. How many of us want to linger on life support, costing the system, and our families, for useless medical care? Getting educated about choices available only makes sense. Visiting your physician yearly is especially important with rapidly evolving technologies and new legal options.

I believe Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin, and others like them, are simply shills for Fox News and their partners in big insurance. They will spend any amount, and tell any lie, to scare, and mislead, the American public about the greatest attributes of the new healthcare reforms. I don't need to read the bill to know when I see a scam in action. The crime is not with the new legislation, it lies with the opposition.

In Sealy we have an Anytime Fitness...it is a franchise that obviously almost anyone can buy into. This morning, as usual, the cubbies were dirty, there was body dust all over the treadmills, and the temperature was a bit hot. It makes my temperature rise to pay for something that isn't really clean. There is nothing in the club to wipe your hands on, and there wasn't toilet paper, or towels, in all of the bathrooms. The disninfectant bottles were mostly empty, and only a few old dirty looking towels were laying in the rack. The franchise owner was present, but it wouldn't do any good to complain to him. He can see the state his place is in, and he is smart enough to know how filthy it is. At the Sealy location this is normal, and the clients really don't know any better; they never get around to any other fitness centers, but I do!

The one at my hometown in Chickasha, Oklahoma, is sparkling clean. In fact, someone is busy cleaning at that one all day long. Same with the location in El Paso. The guys use lots of Pine Sol, and they keep a huge stack of clean fluffy hand towels to wipe down the equipment. Diseases are easily spread in fitness centers. I can't believe the risk people are taking at the Sealy location. I have also visited a location in Chandler, Arizona. I went on a weekend, and all of the equipment was extremely sanitary. If you want to see a beautifully maintained Anytime Fitness, visit the one at Abilene. They have a huge workout area, a hall to greet guests, and everything is spic and span, smelling completely fresh. They also are not afraid to keep the temperature down, so you can workout really hard without getting heat exhaustion. 

We have a nice big fan at our location in Sealy...but today a grown man whined about the cool air. Makes me wonder how he survives any kind of workout at all.

I plan on keeping my membership at Anytime simply because I can use these other much nicer locations. I believe this franchise is a great investment, and I would love to have one. The sad thing is, I can't recommend the one in Sealy. But if you live elsewhere, and you travel with work, then Anytime is a great workout option for you.

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Before we finish one meal this holiday, we are already planning another. This morning I went to the workout, and guess what...I couldn't run! My son's grandmother is an excellent cook, a chef actually. She once owned a very popular panhandle restaurant. She still cooks tamales and enchiladas for holidays and special events. Most people would consider me lucky to have such a woman in my home; I am not happy because I am about to get much fatter. Today we went to the market and bought tons of fresh garlic, peppers, onion, tomatoes, and so forth. We also went over to Bollilla's and bought two bags of fresh Mexican pastries. We made the meat market for steaks, buffalo, and fresh jerky. We toted in bags of nuts, cheeses, sauces, and spices.

My counter tops are covered with wine bottles, breads, and crackers. We have Ketel One Vodka and Bombay Sapphire Gin, special carbonated blackberry juice, fresh lemons and limes, vermouth, and a couple of new martini glasses that sparkle in the light. She does not drink.

Today I drank a gourmet beer in a dainty little can, a glass of red wine with my steak, and I simmered mushrooms all afternoon in butter with cabernet. I made my martini dry, and now I am ready for bed.

Yeah, I will head back to the workout in the morning, but I don't see me fitting in that gauzy evening number anytime soon. I love all of you.

More tomorrow!

I have to apologize to everyone for not taking the time to write. The truth is, I have had no time to do anything but work. When I get home, I wash, run around and do a little shopping, wrap a present or two, take a hot bath, and get a nap in my big comfy bed.

So many interesting things have happened lately: more tax cuts for the whiny rich, an extension of benefits for the hopelessly unemployed, a kick in the teeth for the gays, and a happy outcome for the young immigrant.

The funny thing is the rich, and the rest of us, may not get a tax cut at all because now the ultra left wing democrats are mad at Obama for winding up the fight early. I know Obama well enough, and I believe he just wants to get on with the Christmas party.

As for me and my little boy, we are going to spend quiet nights at home, visit the Houston ballet, open a big pile of presents, and drink lots of eggnog and soda.

I apologize for not writing anything substantial lately...I have been so busy. But I have a lot to say, and I am still here. My comments are open, and all of my topics are relevant. So please, don't abandon me. More to read later!