Made in America?

Over the last few weeks I’ve felt like I’ve had writers block and couldn’t come up with any ideas about what to post on my blog.  Well, let us just say that it is in fact Christmas and I imagine there are a great many of you that are like me.  I don’t do the holidays very well and I’m not sure why.  It may be that I feel like I never get it right or perhaps I am like my father.  He didn’t do Christmas either! 

When I was in the Army, it seemed like Christmas was always that time of year when the enemies of our great nation would act up and I would spend it on alert somewhere, hanging out in an aircraft hanger with a thousand other guys waiting for something, anything to happen.  What ever the reason, just know that I have never been able to get the hang of it.  I’ve learned to leave it all for my wife and that way, I can just tag along for the ride to see what happens next.  

Every year she starts humming Christmas songs, and wanting me to go shopping.  Saturday we went to one of those boutique shops for a single sheet of construction paper.  Three hours and five hundred dollars later I once again found myself to be the proud new owner of a cart load of Chinese made stuff.  Who put China in charge of making our Christmas decorations anyway?  I looked; there wasn’t one item in the store that was made in America. 

It’s not just the decorations, after that we went to one of those do it yourself major discount hardware stores, and I was glowing.  I needed a few small items and was very content that after our shopping spree at a man’s store we would go out for a late lunch.  So I started checking prices on tools, and inspecting labels to see where the items were made and for the life of me, I couldn’t find one tool that wasn’t made in China. 

”What the hay?” I said to a floor person, she only smiled and said, “We don’t make tools in America anymore.” 

I was flabbergasted, not one tool is made in America?  Maybe it’s just me but by this time I was on a mission.  I was going to get something made in America or bust!  Long story short, we went to lunch at Páblanos Restaurant on Rivers!  It was Mexican food but at least it was made in America!  I might add that the food was fantastic and the prices are great!  Páblanos is a great place for lunch and dinner.  I highly recommend it!  

I guess I can get past this grumpy old man stage, once we’ve spent all the money we are going to spend for Christmas.  Oh, and at the major discount hardware story that sells nothing but tools made in China, I ended up buying some hard wood lumber.  It was grown right here in the United States and for Christmas presents everybody in my family is getting a hand made chopping block from yours truly!  On the back, I am going to write “Made in America!”   

Here is the link to my Amazon Author’s page.  It is a great place to keep up with what I am up to with my writing.  And as always, please feel free to join me on facebook! 

Steve