Another trying day in Paradise

Today my car insurance payment was due. The price of car insurance has doubled over the last two years. Inflation?? That’s 100%!! I am hopeful that President Trump will not only “Drill, Baby, Drill!”, I would like to see President Trump create an Executive Order to facilitate a National Emergency Mandate that for six months, Regular Unleaded would cost American citizens $.99/Gallon and Diesel would be $1.49/Gallon. Between the price of Premium fuels and Overseas Oil sales, the Oil Companies would make it work. The lower and middle classes would see reduced inflation and increased buying power IMMEDIATELY! As far as car insurance goes, as much as I detest regulation, something needs to be done. What, ain’t exactly clear. During these trying times, I recommend Oatmeal as a meal several times per week. I add bananas and raisins or cranberries. I also like to add trail mix or tropical dried fruits. Top it off with dark brown sugar and half n’ half and it is more like a dessert. It’s healthy, it’s inexpensive and it is good for any mealtime. For the last two years, I have cut down on our beef consumption; once a week or not at all. I love a good Ribeye but, not only is it very expensive now…it is also hard to digest. As a senior, I just plain feel better after a hot bowl of Oatmeal. Another feel good food is a tuna sandwich. Mix a can of tuna with a teaspoon of Sweet Relish, two teaspoons of Mayonaise and use a multi-grain wheat bread for a quick lunch. For dinner you can make an unbelievable salad by adding (to a bag of salad greens) nuts, cranberry, Croutons, Olive Oil, a splash of white vinegar, and two tablespoons of Mayonaise. Sliced meats or cheeses make it a complete meal. I do not buy chips, ice cream, donuts, cakes or cake mix, pastries or desserts. Far too many Americans are obese; even children are obese now. You only have one body and it can last up to a hundred years if it is well maintained. I thank the Lord that I had the common sense to quick smoking after a hundred or so cigarettes while in my teens. Watching other kids at a party, chain smoking, I thought, “They’re all trying to look Cool. Right then and there, I decided that I did not need cigarettes in order to ‘Look Cool’ and that was it. No more smoking. I still kept a pack of Marlboro on the dash of my Buick Riviera to ‘Look Cool’ but, I did not smoke. My Doctor says I should live to be one hundred. I told him, “I do not know if I want to”. To which he replied, “It’s nice to have a choice”. Take care of your body. Don’t drink to much alcohol, don’t eat late and drink lots of water and juices. AND EXERCISE. I take my dog, Shaka, on a walk in a heavily wooded park every day for about 1 1/2 miles. It’s good for both of us. She was a hundred pounds…I got her down to 85 lbs. I feed Shaka twice a day. I dice up a large carrot, a cup of rice and a fresh filet of fish cooked in Olive Oil. She loves it!! No more dog food!! When I was a kid, you didn’t ‘have a Vet’. When you did take your dog or cat to the Vet, it was $15. Now, dogs have allergies, diseases and mental health issues. I believe that pet foods are full of bad ingredients. The Veterinary Industry is now Big Business. A Spay or Neuter is anywhere from $350 to $1100. Vet bills are adjusted according to what you drive. My daughter was told ‘by her Vert’ that to Spay her Boston Terrier would cost $1000. It occured to her that the last time ‘Sonny’ was taken to this Vet, it was $1000. She made some telephone calls and had it done elsewhere for $350. You have to navigate this new world; there are rocks everywhere.