• The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage does not allow any pets in our domicile. Something about cleaning up their mess and fleas and other things that I cannot recall. When our last child moved out of the house so did all pets. They are now just fond memories, at least on my side.
• So no pets are roaming around our house but I do have a variety of pet peeves. My wife graciously allows me to keep my pet peeves as long as I keep them to myself and that they do not mess up the house. For the most part, I try to do that, but occasionally one of my pets escapes from its pen.
• A pet peeve that recently escaped from its cage is, people taking something out of context to prove their point. You can make anything say and mean anything you want it to say or mean. The politicians have perfected this art and I think it ought to remain within the confines of Washington DC.
• It always amazes me that politicians can virtually say the same thing to different crowds and have it mean different things to separate crowds. Nobody can twist and turn words like professional politician. Just think what these politicians could do if they put this great talent to benefit the people of the United States who elected them.
• Getting back to my pet peeve. Perhaps a few examples might help explain what I am talking about.
• In Pennsylvania, we have a saying that if you do not hear the whole thing you might just misunderstand what it is about and jump to the wrong conclusion. The saying goes like this, "Throw Papa down the stairs..." and if you stop here, Papa may go tumbling down the stairs. However, it is the end of that saying that changes the whole meaning of that phrase, "... his hat."
• If you focus on the first part of the phrase, you completely misunderstand what it is all about and poor old Papa will suffer the consequences. I wonder how many people have been thrown down the stairs because somebody just heard part of what was actually said.
• Another one has to do with my wife. We have been married for over 40 years and get along famously but every now and then she will say, "Who do you think you are?" The first time I heard this I was rather stunned.
• If I would take that question by itself and divorce it from its context, I might flounder in the sea of despondency. After all, if my wife of 40 something years does not know who I am, something is amiss.
• Perhaps, after all these years, she is losing it, whatever "it" is. On the other hand, after all these years she still cannot figure me out. I find that rather silly myself. I am

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