Dear Newt Gingrich, USA presidential candidate, please quit calling us.
We are on the do-not-call list.
Please do not say that you can telephone every day because you’re a political candidate or a non-profit agency.
I am a registered and elected Democrat and usually do not vote for Republicans. Although that might be questionable if you show me a Republican who stirs my heart.
Why are you calling us?
What have we done to deserve it?
Outside our kitchen window. Imagine Christmas music playing. Wind howling.
Let’s not talk about Newt any more.
Dear readers, hello, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year! We are now at home in our Little House in the Big Woods.
We traveled so smoothly and exquisitely and without-wheelchairs that you are, I’m sure, proud.
No melodrama.
No exciting stories.
We left Georgia yesterday, we dined in Detroit, we hit Marquette by 5:30 p.m., we drove two hours through the woods to our house. I fell asleep last night by 8:30 p.m., honest-t0-goodness.
What it looked like outside my brother-in-law's window in Georgia
Today has been busy, even though I can’t get to the post office to retrieve our mail. You may think this is not a big deal, but it is. Somewhere in the depths of the post office sits my property tax checks. It is time to receipt them. (All you new readers: you are sitting at the stoop of a Property Tax Collector. That’s one of my official part-time jobs. I collect property taxes for 1,600 parcels in our teeny tiny township.)
So today, since we arrived home from Georgia, I Caught Up. You guys know about Catching Up, don’t you? It’s a national occupation, at times. We look at everything we haven’t accomplished, and wade through it.
That was today.
I didn’t even go into work at the school.
I did go for a long walk up the road, listening to the train-engine sounds of the roaring wind. We have an inch of snow on the ground, but it proves treacherous for walkers. It is also almost 40 degrees (4.4444 and about twenty more fours.)
Walk at your own risk.
Barry and I just finished opening gifts from our kids and my parents. Oh, how fun it is to stretch Christmas for a week or more! We just called everyone to offer thanks. The kids didn’t answer. However, my parents did.
The last of the Christmas ornaments on this blog--I think
You guys can not–in a thousand years–imagine where I am bound at the end of January.
Would you like hints?
It has to do with pelicans. It has to do with a wedding. It is not in this country.
You’ll hear more, I’m sure, if you keep reading in January.
In the meantime–here we are, in this fascinating week between Christmas and New Years. It’s fascinating because we’re wrapping up the old year. We haven’t yet reached the pinnacle of the New Year.
We’re suspended between realities.
The only reality that I would appreciate not receiving is Newt Gingrich’s phone calls.
Please do not continue to call, Newt. I am not voting for you and do not want to hear your spiel.
But I do wish you a Happy 2012, as long as you are not our new president.
Love, Kathy
Lake Superior Spirit 
but it’s OK if Sarah Palin calls, right ? 😉
OK, Sybil, you got me! I am laughing so hard, I’m choking. How funny! It is NOT OK if Sarah calls. Unless she wants to talk about snow or blogging. Then she can call. LOL!
I was about to type Thank you to you…
for reminding me that at least I am not getting such calls
And then I realized that by doing so, i’m probably inviting IT.
I am glad to have something to begin my gratitude list now.
You have made me laugh, too. Big smile! I am glad Newt isn’t calling you. But then, why again, does he have OUR phone number????
uhmmmmmmm cause he luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrves us so??
(let me hit you with this brick so I can show you how much–maybe you will understand this joke kathy)
I think I would rather listen to Newt than what’s her name from card member services who calls me three times a week trying to get me to fall for their scam.
Funny! I think we’ve screened most of those scammers through the do-not-call list, but I’m not sure how to get rid of the rest of the unwanted calls. Maybe in all lives a few unwanted calls must ring? LOL!
Thank God he is not calling us–at least not yet! Clearly the fact we’re democrats won’t keep the calls away, if you are any example. Though I guess it could be worse. I’m not sure how—but Rick Perry might be worse–or Michelle Bachman (sp?).
Welcome home to the Gig Woods. Glad you are safe and cozy and warm.
Hugs,
Kathy
I am grinning at your reference to the “Gig” woods. Is that like Gigabytes Woods? Oh Kathy it is so cozy and warm here. It’s nice to be back by our woodstove. Let that wind howl! We won’t care… P.S. I haven’t actually picked up the phone and talked with Newt. He’s only adorning our caller ID. I’m suspecting it’s probably not HIM, in person.
Kathy – So glad you are home safe and sound. I, also, am on the no call list and keep getting all the political calls as well. What to do? I hate it! Also get hit with a lot of scams from folks pretending to represent my credit card company and wanting to lower my interest rate if I will just ‘give them the last 4 digits of my SSN and the code number on the back of my card. Do you believe that? They are very smooth and make it sound legit.
I love your brother’s beautiful window. Also love yours with the lights and snow beyond. How fun to stretch your holiday. Peaceful hours for you until you are snowed with tax monies!
Gosh, Susan, how many of us hate it? Between that and those credit scams, half of us are pulling our hair out! (Heck I am, and it’s only from the stress of seeing Newt’s name on the caller ID!!) Funny that you should mention the last four digits of our social security number. I had to call the credit card company and give them mine today. Of course, I was crazy enough to make a pin number similar to the last four digits of my soc security, so I can never remember what’s what. Fortunately, so far most recipients have had a sense of humor! (I loved Craig’s window view, too. It looked so autumn-like.)
A long story to tell in a short space: My mom is a gigantic Mick Jagger fan. Like Teenage Fanclub obsessed. Her outgoing phone message even used to say something along the lines of “Unless this is Mick Jagger phoning, don’t leave a message and just try me again later.” Anyway. The local Conservative Party candidate tried to call one night before an important Canadian election. They reached my ma’s voice mail instead. And left a message. In their geeky, long-winded, and mostly ignored message, they managed to mention “MIKE” Jagger, “MACK” Jagger, and even “MATT” Jagger, to my mother’s horror and chagrin. She didn’t vote Conservative before, and she *definitely* didn’t vote Conservative after that particular missed phone call. 🙂
I hope Newt stops phoning you. Does the Do Not Call List mean anything to anybody anymore??
Dana, thank you for sharing your Mick, Mack, Matt Jagger story! OK, I’m smiling now. That could be a blog title, couldn’t it? Guess what? We haven’t had any Newt phone calls since I published this blog. I am convinced his “people” heard and we’re now off his list. Do you think??
I’m sure that Newt’s people heard your people and started acting accordingly. 🙂
This in-between time when you are a teacher sort of feels like life stands still for a little while and lets you catch your breath, rest up, so you can begin again.
Unfortunately, I have a huge bag of papers to correct at some point … for right now I am ignoring them for a few days.
Glad you had a nice trip.
I hope you are enjoying your days and not letting those papers try to hijack you in busy-ness, bearyweather. I am always a bit discombolutated during the in-between week, although I have to go into the school to do payroll and it’s lovely having the old quiet building to myself. Pamper yourself, dear friend!
Thankfully, we’ve had no calls from Newt or any other politicians. We don’t keep a land line at home any more and so far they haven’t been able to get a hold of our cell phone numbers.
Great photographs — especially the ornament.
Laurie, ahhhh….lucky you. We still have to have a land line because there is no cell phone service in our neck of the woods. Glad you like the ornament!
Kathy, I really enjoyed your writing, especially about our Home Boy, Newt. When I heard he was running I groaned, why would he do this? Most candidates at least try to live a Simon-pure life, usually enough to get them elected. Old Newt has always been a bit of a lad and doesn’t care who knows it. He’s brilliant with Constitutional Law but I’ll bet even his own wife doesn’t really trust him. I hope you enjoyed your stay stay in Georgia even if we did have rain.
Hi Sandi! It’s wonderful to see you here on my blog’s hearth. Smiling at your assessment of Newt. I really don’t know much about him, but I’m like his wife. LOL! I loved being in Georgia. It was like transplanting back to autumn, like October here in the Upper Peninsula. The rain even felt sweet!
My guess is he’s looking for help anywhere it can be found. The poor guy couldn’t even get on the primary ballot in his home state of Virginia! Glad your travels were safe. happy boxing day . by the way , my property taxes are in the mail, wink wink,
Happy boxing day to you, Jeff! (I am pretending I know when and what it is.) You will be happy to know I’ve receipted 493 taxes thus far. I will smile when yours comes through!
I wouldn’t appreciate a call from David Cameron ((Conservative = Republican) either. I like the sound of your quiet stretched out Christmas ours was pretty gentle without stress. This in between time allows a pause to take a breath or even more, X
Hi, Claire! You know, I’m not sure I would even like a call from ANY politician. Especially not at the dinner hour. I have been known to frown at people from the Leukemia Society, which is not good. Just wishing that we would never ever get phone advertisers… Hoping you are breathing very very deeply in preparation for the New Year.
It is a strange sort of in-between week, isn’t it? I had never thought of it that way, just as “Christmas vacation week” from school or I suppose to be more politically correct, “Winter Holiday break.” I think of it as a “Much Needed break” to relax and recharge, and most likely, to blog!
PS – left you a kind of silly reply on your comment at my place. Who me, silly? 😉
Hi there, Karma! I hope you are relaxing and recharging big-time before you have to go back to school. I read your silly comment–and I loved it! Silliness can help us relax sometimes, I think… Happy New Year!
Oh dear you left me a comment on my blog which I stupidly erased could you send it again…………please!
Oh no! Does it have to be the same comment I made a couple days ago? I’m sure I’ve forgotten, but will go over and read… By the way, if you link your name to your blog when you make comments here, sometimes other readers will click on your name and go visit your blog. Just wondered if you knew that…and that also makes it easier for me to come a’visiting.
LOL! I think we are in for almost an entire year of these annoying calls. The Do Not Call list must really attract them! 🙂
Yah, gotta love this in-between week. I’m having a cook-athon for two days so I can freeze a ton of stuff and get out of cooking most of January! Since I hate winter, maybe I can sleep thru it!
Happy Happy New Year to you!
Hugs
SuZen
Your cook-athon sounds almost fun–although a LOT of work! Is there any chance that you could head way way south to escape your winter, SuZen? Of course, from the Zen point of view you could keep asking “Who is it that wants to sleep through winter?” LOL!
Please, Newt, do not run!
Welcome home, Kathy! You big tease throwing out a cliff hanger like that. 😀
Thank you, dear Scott. Honest, it wasn’t my fault about the Newt headline. I was sittin’ down, ready to write an ordinary blog, and then he called. What’s a blogger to do? 🙂
Thankfully I am pretty much non-existent on the phone lines so don’t get any calls. whew!
I love love love the last picture…wow that’s a beautiful ornament!
I am anxious to hear where your next adventure takes you! And of course see pictures! 🙂 ♥
Isn’t that a gorgeous ornament? I THINK it was on my brother-in-laws Christmas tree, although am not placing bets. I can’t believe this upcoming adventure. Simply can not believe it…and will delightedly share.
Hmmm, wedding, not in this country? I would wonder if perhaps your Chris is marrying his Korean girlfriend. Except, are there pelicans in Korea?
As to calls from Newt – or credit card scams, that is one of the big reasons we dumped land line and went to cell phones only. I really hate election years. I really hate politics. I really hate promises made to lure people into voting for them, and promises not kept. I could go on – and on – and on.
News flash, Carol–Chris and his Korean girlfriend married this year already. (I didn’t blog about it. Although may blog when they have the upcoming wedding celebration party–no date announced yet.) So I’ll share that the wedding is not in Korea. Lucky you could dump your land line. We have no cell phone service here in this corner of the woods.
I’m so glad you made it home safely and without any drama… now if only those annoying phone calls would stop, right?
Can’t wait to hear more about your exciting plans in January! (Is your daughter getting married??)
It is so strange Michaela–the minute I wrote this blog the phones calls stopped. The annoying ones, that is. I’m not saying they are over, but there is a temporary lull here. Daughter getting married? No cigars. (Ha ha, do you know that saying?) And it’s not our son–he’s already married. But, OK, I’ll hint again. It’s a relative. I’m sure that will help!
Ah yes… the in-between time. I love the in-between time, the pause before the next time.
Glad you made it home safe, sound, and without another daring dash through the airport. I will add to my gratitude list today: “I am thankful Newt Gingrich currently has no reason to phone me.” 😀
I am laughing, Robin. Good one! Perhaps I’ll add that to my gratitude list today, too. Having been truly enjoying this in-between time with some deep meditation. Happy New Year, bog friend!
This is so funny, Kathy. The title of this blog expresses my sentiments for a person I know who goes by the same name – first and last. It’s a long story and I won’t go into it. The one I know is quite the character. lol! 🙂
That IS really funny, Marianne! I am glad to have provided a chuckle. Happy New Year!
I can’t hide from the Newtster either…. even in rural Texas, he is constantly calling us…. even though we have been Dems for years and are on every no-call list they offer….
Man, if you can’t hide from Newt either, we’re in trouble! He’s everywhere, he’s everywhere! (But you might try writing a blog about it. Since I blogged he quit calling. No kidding!) I am wondering where in rural Texas you live, and if you happened to read my blog about our “escape” from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to Texas back in the 80’s? We had to escape back to Michigan. https://upwoods.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/when-we-escaped-to-texas-and-then-escaped-back-to-the-upper-peninsula/
I love the ornament! Can’t wait to see where you’re going at the end of the month…
Gosh, I guess Christmas is finally over, just another memory… I am leaving two weeks from today, Barbara. Aren’t I a tease?