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Sophie and Dick at a China Lake Rotary - Paul Harris Foundation Award Event  

January 2004 Update

[Previous Updates have been moved to archives]

Good Grief, where has 2004 Gone:

Let me summarize 2004 by saying it was a busy year:

     While the New Hampshire election from a national perspective was a personal disappointment, the result was not for the lack of active involvement of Sophie & yours truly. Sophie & I joined the the NH State Republican Party and participated in many, rallies, meetings, fund raisers and house parties on behalf of the candidates of our choice. The NH Seacoast area has been a hotbed of activity, There has been a huge influx of refugees from Taxachusettes trying to escape the middle class tax oppression of that state, however, another large contingent is attempting to colonize New Hampshire to the the liberal movement. It is noteworthy that the university and college towns have by and large followed the lead of the blue state trend and with increasing population has turned blue. The border towns and cities, including Seabrook still remain red (barely) and as a result the state barely turned blue thanks to two metropolitan areas with large academic contingents.

    Seabrook has had a building boom as the liberalization of zoning and mandates and the need to maximize tax revenue by just about every community. Because there is still no sales tax or State income tax, you can imagine that the state politics are quite heated. Property taxes have more than doubled since our real property acquisition here, under the recent liberal party governorship imposed school equalization efforts.

    It is snowing as I write this and watch the white-out at Big Bear CA on the TV. I am told that Ridgecrest is isolated today. Sophie and I have been regulars at the local gym and I can truthfully say that we are both in better shape than we have been in years. I get a regular workout from shoveling the white stuff. Still do not need a personal snow plow and the Suburban 4wheel drive is a major asset. Looking for an attachment so I can get out of the garage in the morning. The greatest need is to keep the fertile part of the yard cleared for Alta and Abby. When the weather is bad, we just hole up and stay home.

Sophie of course volunteered and was marched to the front row of the in the round seating. She was "at the rail" at the end of the rally as Himself started working the crowd. As The President reached Sophie, she put out her hand and said "I met you at Congressman Bill Thomas's fund raiser in Bakersfield in the Spring of 2000." The President stopped and exchanged a few words of praise for Bill, thanked Sophie for her efforts on behalf of the Republican Party and His re-election and posed for the second picture with Sophie. By the way I was high up in the bleachers across the arena.