I wanted to take a moment to talk about something that has been on the news in our area. No I am not officially back but this was on my mind and an important message.

It has saddened me very deeply and last night I could not hold back the tears any longer for this small child who was so innocent. I need to speak about it.

Over the last few weeks we have had a major story in our general area where a child was lost in the park. The police were called because this woman had passed out and collapsed from a medical condition and when she came to, there were only three of her children with her. One was missing who was a cute little boy three years old who was autistic.The children were foster kids and this particular child had been known for going off on his own and getting lost. In fact that was one of the reasons he was taken away form his biological mother.The foster mother was frantic and she was taken to the hospital because of her medical condition. The story broke and a search party was sent out to find this child. Everyone in the neighboring communitites joined in the search and looked high and low for this little boy. The foster father went on national tv pleading with the public to help them find their son. A few days later the mother went on tv but was so overwhelmed that she could barely speak and hold her head up. She pleaded for anyone who had saw her in the park to come forward with information if the saw anything and to help find her precious little foster son whom she loved dearly. Seven days passed and people became very concerned. There were thousands of people who did not give up searching even though the police called off the search officially. Too much time had passed and hope was fading.

Now here is the real story of what happened to that precious little boy. We get a glimpse of evil and the terror that that little boy faced. We find out he was not lost at all but that the foster parents confined him in a closet for two days while they went to a family reunion out of town. When they came back they said he was dead. The details have been pouring in and it sickens me. This small three year old child had been bound with his arms behind his back with tape. He was wrapped in a blanket and more tape was around his whole body to confine him. This was not the first time this had happened to him. This autistic child was left that way in a dark closet for two days were he died terrified and lonely. When they returned and discovered he was dead they took his body out to some deserted remnants of a house and burned his little body in an old chimney. Not once, but mind you three times they came back to continue burning him to get rid of the evidence. They dumped the remains into the river where police are still searching for what is left of this child. There are all kinds of details coming in about these people who were his foster parents and we learn that the foster care system failed this little boy terribly. The man had a police record of domestic violence. Yet they were able to not have one foster child but several. We learn that he hated being around the kids and took off and when he returned a month later he brought a live in girlfriend to live with him and his wife. That alone is fucked up. We learn that this child had been dead nearly ten days before the fake little trip to the park where she supposedly passed out. This was all planned and if it didnt work there was a back up plan where they were going to go to a major amusement park and say he had been snatched. Yet these mother fuckers get on national tv and cry and say how much they loved and cared about this little boy. We learn that the case worker came to pay a visit yet was turned away because she was told the child was sick. He wasnt sick he had already been killed. We ask ourselves how the foster care system could not check out the details and place this little child who needed care and attention in a home like that where he was abused and mistreated and eventually killed. His home with his real mother was not the best life for him yet this was a serious error in judgement for this child's life.

This story gets to me because I know exactly how the foster care system is. I am not saying it is all bad because there are some good people out there willing to give a child a good home and love them. They have the best interest of the child in mind. But many many many homes do not. Many take on foster kids for the extra money. The foster parents above were getting $3000 a month to take care of these children. The man did not even work or hold down a job. I had many foster families that did it for the money. It wasnt because they cared about me. I lived in several of those kinds of homes myself when I was in the foster care system. I saw first hand how the case workers are so overloaded that they dont have time to check up on each child assigned to them. Forget it if the child has any type of special needs. I was visited by my caseworker maybe twice or three times the whole time I was in the system. Nothing has changed in 40 years. If anything there are more cases and less pay for social workers. Yet we as a society put more priority on airport baggage getting checked than we do children's lives. What I want to know is why arent the children of the world who need us the most the highest priority of all? We should be on fucking red alert when it comes to our kids.

Every day I hear story after story of how a child or a baby was raped or beaten or killed by these son of a bitches who keep on hurting others because they keep getting away with it! They get a slap on the wrist or detention in a prison with other abusers while they have a place to sleep watch tv, work out in weight rooms, have recreation, get their medical needs taken care of. Yet children are dying and being killed everyday. That is one fucked up system. What is stopping them? Not a damn thing.That is why it keeps happening and will continue to happen while we all sit on our laurels shaking our heads with sadness.

Wake up people and take a stand for our children because if we dont do it and stop this madness of abuse and killing ...who is going to? What if that was your child? What if it were YOU? It was me and that is why I am so passionate about this. I have seen this world over my lifetime of this and how the world works when it comes to abused kids. Not a whole hell of a lot has changed in the foster care systems and in fact in many ways it is worse. The frequency is more and we hear about it everyday on the news.. I ask you when is it going to stop?

When it's too late? It's already way too late because another child has died.

Hello all my wonderful friends... this big ole bear is going hunting for salmon and I don't know when I'll be back. I promised that I would never just deactivate and leave my friends wondering what happened. Over the next day or so I will be answering all the comments from my previous posts that I have not had the chance to do so.... I appreciate all the wonderful people I have come to know and love. You have made me laugh, cry, and feel joy and sorrow in your times of triumphs and tribulations. You've nearly made me pee my pants on several occasions as I sit laughing til tears run down my cheeks staring at this little box as you have shared your lives with me and I with you. We have supported one another and become a real community of family here and I appreciate that more than you'll ever know. I am not saying this is the end of the road for me here in our wonderful little stream, however I do know I need to take this time for me right now. So until next time, take care of yourselves and one another. Play nice..okay?

Love,
PolarB ;)

This is an actual account as relayed to paramedics at a chili cook-off in Texas.

 Note: Please take time to read this slowly. If you pay attention to the first 

two judges, the reaction of the third judge is even better.

For those of you who have lived in Texas, you know how true this is. 

They actually have a Chili Cook-off about the time Halloween comes around. 

It takes up a major portion of a parking lot at the San Antonio City Park.

Judge #3 was an inexperienced Chili taster named Frank, who was 

visiting from Springfield, IL.

Frank: "Recently, I was honored to be selected as a judge at a

Chili cook-off. The original person called in sick at the last moment and 

I happened to be standing there at the judge's table, asking for directions to 

the Coors Light truck, when the call came in. I was assured by the other two 

judges (Native Texans) that the chili wouldn't be all that spicy; and, 

besides, they told me I could have free beer during the tasting, so I 

accepted and became Judge 3."

 Here are the scorecard notes from the event:

 CHILI # 1 - MIKE'S MANIAC MONSTER CHILI

Judge # 1 -- A little too heavy on the tomato. Amusing kick.

Judge # 2 -- Nice, smooth tomato flavor. Very mild.

Judge # 3 (Frank) -- Holy crap, what the hell is this stuff? You

Could remove dried paint from your driveway. Took me two beers to put 

the flames out. I hope that's the worst one. These Texans are crazy.

 CHILI # 2 - AUSTIN'S AFTERBURNER CHILI

Judge # 1 -- Smoky, with a hint of pork. Slight jalapeno tang.

Judge # 2 -- Exciting BBQ flavor, needs more peppers to be taken seriously.

Judge # 3 -- Keep this out of the reach of children. I'm not sure

What I'm supposed to taste besides pain. I had to wave off two people 

who wanted to give me the Heimlich maneuver. They had to rush in more 

beer when they saw the look on my face.

 CHILI # 3 - FRED'S FAMOUS BURN DOWN THE BARN CHILI

Judge # 1 -- Excellent firehouse chili. Great kick.

Judge # 2 -- A bit salty, good use of peppers.

Judge # 3 -- Call the EPA. I've located a uranium spill. My nose

Feels like I have been snorting Drano. Everyone knows the routine by 

now. Get me more beer before I ignite. Barmaid pounded me on the back, 

now my backbone is in the front part of my chest. I'm getting shit-faced 

from all of the beer.

 CHILI # 4 - BUBBA'S BLACK MAGIC

Judge # 1 -- Black bean chili with almost no spice. Disappointing.

Judge # 2 -- Hint of lime in the black beans. Good side dish for

Fish or other mild foods, not much of a chili.

Judge # 3 -- I felt something scraping across my tongue, but was

Unable to taste it. Is it possible to burn out taste buds? Sally, the beer 

maid, was standing behind me with fresh refills. This 300 lb. Woman is 

starting to look HOT ... just like this nuclear waste I'm eating! Is chili an 

aphrodisiac?

 CHILI # 5 - LISA'S LEGAL LIP REMOVER

 Judge # 1 -- Meaty, strong chili. Cayenne peppers freshly ground,

 Adding considerable kick. Very impressive.

 Judge # 2 -- Chili using shredded beef, could use more tomato. Must admit 

the cayenne peppers make a strong statement.

 Judge # 3 -- My ears are ringing, sweat is pouring off my forehead and I 

can no longer focus my eyes. I farted, and four people behind me needed 

paramedics. The contestant seemed offended when I told her that her chili 

had given me brain damage. Sally saved my tongue from bleeding by 

pouring beer directly on it from the pitcher. I wonder if I'm burning my 

lips off. It really ticks me off that the other judges asked me to stop

screaming. Screw them.

 CHILI # 6 - VERA'S VERY VEGETARIAN VARIETY

 Judge # 1 -- Thin yet bold vegetarian variety chili. Good balance

Of spices and peppers.

 Judge # 2 -- The best yet. Aggressive use of peppers, onions,

garlic. Superb.

 Judge # 3 -- My intestines are now a straight pipe filled with

 gaseous, sulfuric flames. I crapped on myself when I farted, and I'm 

worried it will eat through the chair. No one seems inclined to stand behind 

me except that Sally. Can't feel my lips anymore. I need to wipe my butt 

with a snow cone.

 CHILI # 7 - SUSAN'S SCREAMING SENSATION CHILI

 Judge # 1 -- A mediocre chili with too much reliance on canned

 peppers.

 Judge # 2 -- Ho hum, tastes as if the chef literally threw in a can

of chili peppers at the last moment. **I should take note that I am worried 

about Judge #3. He appears to be a bit of distress as he is cursing 

uncontrollably.

Judge # 3 -- You could put a grenade in my mouth, pull the pin, and I 

wouldn't feel a thing. I've lost sight in one eye, and the world sounds like 

it is made of rushing water. My shirt is covered with chili, which slid 

unnoticed out of my mouth. My pants are full of lava to match my shirt. 

At least during the autopsy, they'll know what killed me. I've decided to 

stop breathing it's too painful. Screw it; I'm not getting any oxygen anyway.

 If I need air, I'll just suck it in through the 4-inch hole in my stomach.

 CHILI # 8 - BIG TOM'S TOENAIL CURLING CHILI

 Judge # 1 -- The perfect ending, this is a nice blend chili. Not

Too bold but spicy enough to declare its existence.

 Judge # 2 -- This final entry is a good, balanced chili. Neither

Mild nor hot. Sorry to see that most of it was lost when Judge #3

farted, passed out, fell over and pulled the chili pot down on top of himself. 

Not sure if he's going to make it. Poor feller, wonder how he'd have reacted 

to really hot chili?

Judge # 3 - No Report

;)

 

One day God was looking down at Earth and saw all of the rascally behavior that was going on.

 

So he called one of His angels and sent the angel to Earth for a time.

 

When he returned, he told God, "Yes, it is bad on Earth; 95% are misbehaving and only 5% are not.

 

God thought for a moment and said, "Maybe I had better send down a second angel to get another opinion." So God called another angel and sent him to Earth for a time too.

 

When the angel returned he went to God and said, "Yes, it's true. The Earth is in decline; 95% are misbehaving, but 5% are being good."

 

God was not pleased. So He decided to e-mail the 5% that were good, because he wanted to encourage them, and give them a little something to help them keep going.

 

Do you know what the e-mail said?

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Okay, I was just wondering, because I didn't get one either.

 

 

 

PolarB ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay... it's the weekend and today is a beautiful day... mild and sunny! All I gots to say is it is about damn time!

I thought I would brighten you day by sharing some more pictures from around my yard! So without further ado... here they are!



Here comes the sun...here comes the sun .....and I say ....it's alright.....



Lovely Asian Lilies!! I love all of them!



More... My orange ones are one of my favorite colors too but I really love them all.



Aren't they the cutest things you ever saw? I love adding little stuff like this to the gardens to give them character.



This is the bee balm again with a daylily behind it in Lovie's diamond bed.



Ahhh the angels to watch over us and protect us... They are part of the fountain in the rose garden.



Yes more Lilies... I told ya I loved em...



This is pink Yarrow. I love the tiny little flower heads...so delicate and pretty.



And of course...this is my little buttercup making sure all the little flowers are watered just right... she's a cutie and I could just look at her all day!

So there ya have it.... I will post more later this week maybe... we have a different things in bloom now and the heat has been very hard on all the plants! Hope you enjoyed!

Love yas!
PolarB ;)