Wowee and CROAK, Croak, croak...

... what a week it has been. I discovered why I have suddenly become a grumpy old frog. It's because of decreased levels of testosterone in my system.

This is really great. I have a name for what ails me (could it be 'the grumpy old frog' syndrome?). Which means that I, a frog, have achieved the ultimate in Americaness. I have an identifiable disease. I am a victim.

In the American way, it means that I have an entitlement. As a victim, I will receive reparations. I will be able to visit the dentist and hold my head high. No longer will I have (post of 2/28/05 - Modern Life) to be at the whim of wooden soldier bankers dancing in the 'Nutcracker Ballet". This is almost as good as being (to use a line from The Jerk staring Steve Martin) "In the phone book"!

Wow, and no menopause envy here. I have my own hormone problems.

The rest of the good news is that I will now be totally eligible for the new and improved draft and will be able to do my part to help normalyze the Social Security Demographic (post of 2/15/05 - Fix Social Security). Back into uniform for me. I love it!!!

Delightedly yours,

Kermit the Bogfellow

PS - cancel the delightedly - I'm grumpy now :( :( :(

The Advent Wreath at the little chapel here in the bog. The statuette behind the Advent Wreath is from Medjugordje.

Welcome to the Supremes...

I am including the 1st Ammendmant to the Constitution of the United States of America here so that any of the Supremes (the dressed in black rap group from D.C.) or representatives of the ACLUseless that may drop by the Bog can read it. Somehow it seems to me that some of these folks dreamed the Constitution right out of their minds.

Amendment I
Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression

Ratified 12/15/1791.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Your peaceably assembled bog buddy,

Kermit

Ah, the vagueries of...

... modern life.

Or, to put it another way, the nexus of points where health insurance, dentistry and banking come together.

1) Health insurance is a wonderous thing, especially the the escoterica of things like the "high plan dental option". Through the adroit application of smoke and mirrors, this gives the impression of a real mouthful of Dental Coverage. Which is as it should be, especially since the services provided by it's upgraded premium price have remained unused for several years. But hey, I'm a Republican and have no problem with the profit motif.

2) Now the Dental plan meets Dental Reality in the dentist's office. The $1500 payout to the Oral Surgeon is okay with him. But it is not okay with the other specialists in the practice who are adding in another $2900 to make the shiney new plates (ah the costs of a picture perfect smile). So, as a joint practice (I really hope these guys have the routine down pretty good for those prices and because this is the faculty clinic at the dental school - these yohoo's are teaching future dentist), they demand that the patient pay upfront for the services and we get to keep whatever the insurance pays out.

3) Enter here the bankers, marching about like the wooden soldiers in the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. I had forgot rule #1 of banking. You know the rule. "We can only loan you money if you don't need it." "If you have to borrow money because you don't have it right now, then you are a bad risk." "However, if you would like to buy a $25,000 pickup truck, we can write that up immediately". "No, we cannot loan you $4000, even though Insurance will pay out $1500 and you are putting in $1000 up front." "You see, having paid cash for everything for the last 15 years, you have no credit history".

It's enough to make a feller want to do things the old fashioned way. Get drunk. Get in a barfight. Get the rest of the teeth knocked out. Go to emergency room. Let insurance pay the whole thing (emergency care clause). And have the shiney new teeth in less than 2 weeks at an affordable cost.

Sometimes the old days and the old ways just seem so...

warm and wonderful...

Peace and all good,

Kermit the Wonderfrog

Tadpole's #1 daughter - Also Known As Hattie, who was previously seen modeling the Christmas Tree Hat 

Tadpole's #1 son - Also Known as Jack 

Coming soon in...

... this very spot (well - BlogSpot) will be some family recipes requested by Cousin Cindy. The recipes are from Aunt Gertie and go back into the family several generations. None of them, however, deal with ShooFly Pie - a frog favorite...

Peace and all good,

Kermit

Who says that a...

... picture is worth a thousand words? The preceding picture of Kermit the Monster Bog Frog is worth at least two thousand words and a hearty round of yawns. After all, it was smuggled out of secret vault in Central Virginia by by a New Yorker who was suffering a psychotic episode which was the result of her kidnapping by an Alien Space Craft being broken up by a South Bronx street gang which was really working undercover for the Central Intelligence Agency.

The picture is, however, real. It relates to one of my favorite groups

Locks of Love

http://www.locksoflove.org/

which makes wigs out of donated human hair for children who have lost their hair because of disease or chemo/radiation treatments for cancer.

Peace and all good,

Kermit

PS - Letting your hair grow out to give away is fun. It is especially fun when it aggravates the snot out of your boss for 6 months. It is especially fun if he can't fire you for having long hair. Oh well, I've really mellowed out in my current state of maturity. The picture is from when I was wild, carefree and 59.

Kermit, the swamp beast.