Daily Grit by Wes Thorp

Watch my grandson Xavier try to learn to say "Happy Mother's Day"

I really love watching this video of my grandson Xavier and his dad Adam Jones.  Dad's trying to teach his almost two-year-old son to say "Happy Mother's Day."  Putting those three magic words together on video prove to be too much.  But, I know his mom loved it.  I know that his grandma did.

My grandson shows his trophies from Budapest Easter egg hunt

We celebrated Easter this year in Budapest, Hungary where we were vacationing with our daughter and family for five days.  At our rented condo near the Danube River, we made our own dinner with local wine and with a first Easter egg hunt for almost two year grandson.

Our unit was on the second floor which is the first floor in Europe.  We laid out the eggs on the groundfloor enclosed courtyard with some being really visible and some less so.  When we brought his down, he ran to each plastic egg.  It was almost instinctive.  He knew where to do.  

In this little video clip, he shows off this trophies.  They are in a hand-crocheted basket that we gave to our daughter for her first Easter.

 

Roads in war torn Bosnia are pristine compared to ours

While we were on our vacation to Bosnia to be with our kids who live there, we traveled more than 1,000 miles through their country, Croatia and Hungary.  What about the roads there?

The roads in Bosnia where they fought a war 20-years-ago seem to be just like new.  There was nary a crack, pothole or filled area that could trip up your car or truck.  At least, we didn't see any.  And the traffic was heavy in many parts.

What's the difference with Michigan?  Climate?

Their weather has to be similar if not worse than ours during the winter.  If there's frost-heaving, it's not on the roads.  The roads there are what we dream about here.  Here's a chunk of video from my Flip camera showing what I mean.

Is Wayne County, Michigan more corrupt than Chicago with the late Mayor Daley?

I was sickened when I read this story and watched the accompanying video from the Detroit Free Press about the political fundraising being done in the Wayne County Executive's office.  Citizens in the area and around the state need to start howling for an official investigation and for a response.

Look at the evidence gathered by M.L. Elrick and his team of reporters  that shows what seems to be a "pay to play" culture in Wayne County for anybody who wants to do business in Wayne County.  

Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano says he has done nothing wrong.  Is that true?  Read and watch.  What's your conclusion?

The Michigan Legislature and the Michigan Attorney General need to provide some effective oversight and take action.  

How many other local governments in our state are suffering from the same ailment?  

The Detroit Free Press deserves our praise.  This is journalism at its best.  The news media needs to be our eyes and ears.  Give us the facts and then let us react.  They did that.

 

Quotes: This is free and valuable wisdom from Winston Churchill

This is from Winston Churchill and it's pretty profound and it's worth remembering as you step out beyond today:

Sometimes you just swing at the wrong pitches and get a strike and there are times when you get a hit. Right?  It's just a matter of continuing to pick up your bat and going to the plate.

I need to remember this when I step on the scales this week.  I need to stay in the game.