See you there Paula.

Luanne - I can't do the 15th, am leading a tour, but if you consider Sunday the 16th might be able to make it, and possibly bring another Sacramentan or two. Anita

Now you're talking sister! I'm getting a Lee Valley gift certificate in the post from a dear friend next week. Hubby got certificates for L.V. at xmas and his b-day. We're planning a trip down there in a few weeks. Yes I have the garden catalog too and I'm eyeballing stuff now for the spring. He's getting stuff to build his dream workshop bench and I think I may invest in some decent hand tools for the garden. I should be a product tester since I really put those babies through the garden mill each year. Yardworks - toasted, Canadian Tire brand - toasted, Sears - toasted. Sure they make hard tools but I find the weakest point is the handles. If the tools are not made out of one solid metal piece I usually kill the handles over time. I got a new garden spade and garden fork last year from L.V. Yes I have even snapped garden fork tongs digging out tree roots and rocks. You want to talk about vibration through your funny bones try breaking one of those - it even rattled my teeth. Hubby heard the crack from an open window that day. Yup I'm your girl for testing stuff in the garden. Lee Valley - better than any box of chocolates or flowers hands down. Well at least for me. Already have my seeds out and garden trays to start seed planting with all the dirt I got. The gift that keeps on giving with excitement as my little babies start to grow. Ya had to mention the L word, eh? Hope you enjoyed your Valentine's Day too!

"I don't call 35% taxes 'subsidizing everyone else.' Back when taxes were 50%, maybe. But since SS taxes are only paid on the first 90k or so of income, the wealthiest people aren't paying nearly their fair share." I hear this statement and I read that by, an overwhelming majority, Americans think taxing all wage income (heck even all income) provides the best fix to Social Securitys troubles. Honestly, I feel threatened and a bit ticked off. I live in an area in which the median income is $90K. Now, that may sound like a lot of money to a lot of people but our cost of living is equally high. We can move to a cheaper area but our incomes and job possibilities will also take a hit. So, moving doesnt change our lives very much. When we talk about this fix, were not talking about Nardelli, Paris, Buffet, or Bill. Not really. Were talking about some level of the middle class. Thats where the real money comes from when we talk about solutions like these. And the politicians and government budgeters know it. So, basically, the bulk of the redistribution will come from upper middle income folk to lower middle income folk. The very poor and the very rich tend to feel the least impact of such political changes. So, I feel threatened and I feel like a chump. Im solidly upper middle income. No more, no less. I paid my way through school, Ive worked hard, I save 25% of my income annually to pay for my self-funded old age and if you think thats easy, youre wrong. I pay 46% of my income in federal, state, local, and property taxes. And when, I hear that everybody wants to boost that level to 50% or higher by taxing all of my income, I feel like a chump. I wont see any compensatory level of benefit back. This year, means-testing comes to Medicare. When Im eligible and living off my hard-won savings so that I COULD stay in this high-priced area and be with my family, my premiums will be much, much higher than the premiums of those who didnt wake up and smell the coffee in time. I see my equally middle class friends and neighbors living beyond their means for the joy of owning three flat screen TVs. And I feel like a chump. I love Social Security. My grandparents didnt die in poverty because of it. Their post-Depression meager savings, a lot of family help, and Social Security gave my grandma a decent old age. Im a fan. All wage earners pay in and everybody gets something out of it. Its a win/win. So be careful when you tell us middle class saver types that we need to pony up more/ be means tested out. Americans hate welfare programs and if you turn Social Security into one, a very good anti-poverty program may very well lose the political support of people like me.