Went shopping and out to dinner with eldest in one of the bigger cities Tuesday. I needed some winter sweaters and I bought daughter a pair of cute boots. I also found a Christmas present for youngest so I got that too.

Apparently nasty neighbor thinks she's found another way to get my goat. I've been letting a girl from the neighborhood cut my grass and shovel my snow this past year. She's the age of middle daughter and grew up in the neighborhood with my girls but she has some mental problems that makes the other kids keep their distance. Until her father starting training her in how to cut grass she used to spend her days playing with the gravel in the street and talking to herself. She's received disability all her life but her mother doesn't let her have any of it, so I guess this is her way of earning spending money. She was never very dependable and she didn't do a very good job, but I figured I'd help her out rather than hiring someone else. Well, apparently nasty neighbor has gotten a hold of her and turned her against me because now she won't even talk to me and instead follows NN around like a little puppy. The other day NN had her doing her lawn and hanging more Christmas lights to add to her year round collection. I just think that shows what a low life this nasty neighbor really is if she'll use a girl like a puppet that so obviously isn't in her right mind.

I've found other people to do my lawn and shovel my snow, but it's really sad that this girl will lose a paying customer because she's being manipulated by an underhanded degenerate. The other day I was telling one of my other neighbors about the shenanigans of this nasty neighbor and she says she knows this woman and she has a history of pulling stunts like what she's done here. Well, that's no surprise.

Ok. Today I put on my bitching hat and let lose on a couple of issues that have really gotten caught in my craw.

First, I read in the news where CIT Group, one of the financial institutions that we "loaned" billions to through the now infamous government bailout, has announced that it's filing for bankruptcy. This leaves its share holders with stock that is virtually worthless. Guess who one of the shareholders is? Oh yes, none other than the good ole U.S.A., i.e. "us." That means the billions we "loaned" them will never be repaid as we were promised. What do you want to bet that the other financial institutions we "loaned" billions to will soon do the same, leaving us holding the bag and a massive debt that will never be repaid.

As if all this isn't enough, I'm left to ponder the question, "Didn't our government know all along that this was something that could happen and why didn't we take steps to guarantee that the bailout money MUST be repaid? And don't even get me started on how they were allowed to give their top CEO's million dollar bonuses for doing such a good job of screwing over the American people. I'm sorry, but when do we as a people rise up and say "enough is enough."

I've completely lost faith in the so-called "health care reform." I can already tell that our wonderful government officials will make sure that whatever final bill is passed it will only benefit the doctors, hospitals and health insurance industry and we, the people, will once again be left holding the bag.

Second, our local newspaper has been covering the dispensing of the HINI vaccines and our city's health department refused to let go of its vaccine for about a month because they said they didn't have enough for everyone. Finally, they held one clinic yesterday and gave out 1,500 doses, well below the number that was needed so everyone could get some and they were turning people away who they thought weren't "qualified" to get a dose.

This is the same clinic that a couple of years ago claimed it had a regular vaccine shortage, yet it held a clinic and allowed a line to form that stretched halfway around the block. Many of these people were elderly who waited for about two hours only to get up to the door where they put up a sign saying, "Closed, No more vaccine." And because this clinic is on a very steep hill I saw one elderly woman in a electric scooter have her break fail and she careened down the hill and off of a steep concrete embankment seriously injuring herself. When someone went into the clinic to ask for help, they refused, and instead told them to call 911. What a compassionate bunch of nurses they were!

Then I read where the health department in a very small county has all kinds of extra vaccine. Their nurse manager reported that she acquired all the vaccine she needed through a national vaccine bank and she has been conducting clinics at schools and nursing homes and other places, making sure as many people as possible could be vaccinated. She also will hold a clinic tomorrow for anyone who wants a shot, no restrictions. Well, guess who is going to that clinic tomorrow?

I've decided eldest and I will postpone our trip to Chicago until after I've had a chance to get the swine flu shot. I just can't risk a lung infection with my health history. Daughter is disappointed, of course, but we will go, just not next week. I know I'm probably just as at risk here at home but at least I'd be at home when I got sick and could get some Tamiflu right away to lessen its effects. Young Frankenstein will be in Chicago for awhile. We can still go and see it.

Our health department is holding back their doses of swine flu vaccine until there is enough for everyone. Good luck with that. I think it's still going to be tough getting a shot. It will probably mean standing in long lines with no guarantee they won't run out before you get through the line. I've heard stories of some people having some very bad reactions to the shot but there is always some people who don't take flu shots well. I've never had any problems taking the regular flu shots and it certainly has worked wonders at keeping me well.