Lets say I go out and get a $20,000 grant to buy and rehab a piece of property.

That’s about the gist of the sales talk I heard the other day.  Of course, this company wanted to get a fair share of the money to be made for helping you get your business going.  It sounded great, until I started wondering about the grants.  After all, I like money, too.  I’d love to be rich and I’d love to make a few million in the property market.  There’s a lot of money to be made now.  So, lets look at it closely.

I add to the community by hiring people to work on the house, so that’s good.  I provide decent housing for the community, so that’s good.  I make money, lets don’t underestimate how good that is!  So, what’s the problem?  I don’t have to pay it back!

So, where does grant money come from?  Our goverment hasn’t been working in the black for years, so the grant money is borrowed money.   Borrowed in the name of the people of the United States of America.  And, yes…somebody is going to have to pay back that $20,000 .  Who?  The taxpayer.  My children, your children, all of us.  So, what’s the big deal?  It’s only $20,000 after all.  But, it isn’t only $20,000.  It’s millions, billions…even trillions.  As it is, they’re giving away borrowed money.

One day that money is going to come due and here’s the worse part.  All those years it’s waiting to be paid, that debt is growing.  It’s seeped into every nook and cranny of the government…one department keeps track of it, the other dispenses it, the other finds more to give away, and one (our beloved IRS) sucks it out of each and every taxpayer. 

All that government overhead does nothing but build up more debt and I want no part of it. 

Not such a good deal anymore, is it?  More like, really bad karma.

I Love Money!

I’m turning this blog post over to Maj. L. Caudill USMC (Ret) because I believe our country is in a dark place right now, and it’s important to let people know what’s important about the Second Amendment.  Don’t miss his post.  It explains things perfectly. 

The Gun is Civilization, 

By Maj. L. Caudill USMC (Ret)

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Human beings only have two ways to deal with one another: reason and
force.

If you want me to do something for you, you have a choice of either
convincing me via argument, or force me to do your bidding under
threat of force. Every human interaction falls into one of those two
categories, without exception. Reason or force, that’s it.

In a truly moral and civilized society, people exclusively interact
through persuasion. Force has no place as a valid method of social
interaction, and the only thing that removes force from the menu is
the personal firearm, as paradoxical as it may sound to some.

When I carry a gun, you cannot deal with me by force. You have to use
reason and try to persuade me, because I have a way to negate your
threat or employment of force.

The gun is the only personal weapon that puts a 100-pound woman on
equal footing with a 220-pound mugger, a 75-year old retiree on equal
footing with a 19-year old gang banger, and a single guy on equal
footing with a carload of drunk guys with baseball bats. The gun
removes the disparity in physical strength, size, or numbers between
a potential attacker and a defender.

There are plenty of people who consider the gun as the source of bad
force equations. These are the people who think that we’d be more
civilized if all guns were removed from society, because a firearm
makes it easier for a mugger to do his job. That, of course,
is only true if the mugger’s potential victims are mostly disarmed
either by choice or by legislative fiat — it has no validity when
most of a mugger’s potential marks are armed.

People who argue for the banning of arms ask for automatic rule by
the young, the strong, and the many, and that’s the exact opposite of
a civilized society. A mugger, even an armed one, can only make a
successful living in a society where the state has granted him a
force monopoly.

Then there’s the argument that the gun makes confrontations lethal
that otherwise would only result in injury. This argument is
fallacious in several ways. Without guns involved, confrontations are
won by the physically superior party inflicting overwhelming injury on
the loser.

People who think that fists, bats, sticks or stones don’t constitute
lethal force watch too much TV, where people take beatings and come
out of it with a bloody lip at worst. The fact that the gun makes
lethal force easier works solely in favor of the weaker defender, not
the stronger attacker. If both are armed, the field is level.

The gun is the only weapon that’s as lethal in the hands of an
octogenarian as it is in the hands of a weight lifter. It simply
wouldn’t work as well as a force equalizer if it wasn’t both lethal
and easily employable.

When I carry a gun, I don’t do so because I am looking for a fight,
but because I’m looking to be left alone. The gun at my side means
that I cannot be forced, only persuaded. I don’t carry it because I’m
afraid, but because it enables me to be unafraid. It doesn’t limit the
actions of those who would interact with me through reason, only the
actions of those who would do so by force. It removes force from the
equation… and that’s why carrying a gun is a civilized act.

God Bless America

My job is to tell the people how to access the good stuff and avoid problems with the not-so-good stuff.  Not all houses can be cured, and not all houses need to be.   A house with good feng shui should just feel good.  Very simple.  If you aren’t comfortable in your home, it could be the feng shui.

If you think your house could do a better job of supporting you and your family,  let me know and we’ll check it out.

 We say horses who are nervous or jumpy are “spooked”.  Well,  those horses are literally being bothered by “spooks” in one form or another and I’ve had great success getting rid of them.   One horse was impossible to ride, another just difficult.  One “spooked” at one spot in the pasture, while another showed extreme animosity toward his farrier.  All these horses had something very real bothering them, and all are much, much better now that those things are gone.

Today the clouds were fluffy and the horses were gorgeous.   I’m thankful to be able to enjoy such a day with some of the most beautiful animals on earth.      But, what I really love is being able to do something that will keep those beautiful animals from hurting their owners or the farriers who work with them.

Lexington Kentucky

If you have a horse who is hard to manage, or a horse who has changed from being gentle to being dangerous, please call.   My fees are very reasonable, and you don’t pay until the job is done and you are satisfied.   

859-492-0582

When I was a little girl I often went to visit my grandparents in Barbourville, KY.  Their farm on that same Cumberland River was a showplace.  The back porch looked out over a beautiful river bottom where every year the floods would come and replenish the land.  Backwater in spring meant fertile land for good crops in the coming summer. 

Back then there was very little flood control.  The levee protected parts of the city, but for the most part the town was prone to flooding every spring.  People looked at floods as a natural risk when you lived on the river.  I remember going to visit a neighbor who had his house on the riverbank.  In the ceiling there were hooks where he would hang his furniture when the water got high.  He would never dream of moving.  For him, life on the river was worth it.

Nowadays we are used to having control of our environments.  We flip a switch to turn night into day, push a button to regulate the temperature in our homes, turn a key to drive anywhere we want in perfect comfort.  We can have tomatos out of season, even fruits and vegetables delivered from all over the world.  There seem to be no limits to our control.

Then nature speaks and we must listen.  The city of Nashville will heal, and as it does it will grow in strength and beauty.  And, people will remember for a time what happened that day nature showed us all who’s in charge.

When we do a Feng Shui Consultation we take into account the the landforms, the buildings around the property, any natural water features, the roads to and from that property, and the facing direction of the building to the exact degree…BEFORE we ever walk into the house. 

Drawing up the Flying Star Chart tells us where the beneficial energies are, and where the non-beneficial energies are located.

Most people think Feng Shui is all about decorating when that is only a small part of the picture.  Feng Shui is about making the most of the property.  The layout of the house is no more important than the land and forms around the house.  For good Feng Shui, both must work together.

This is not to say that you cannot have good Feng Shui in an area that is less than beautiful.  You can!  But, you’ll have to do more inside to encourage the beneficial energy to be strong and the non-beneficial energy to mind its manners.

If you have a home you need to sell, a Feng Shui Consult would be advisable.  There are Feng Shui techniques that can help you sell your house quicker.  And, if you just want to see if Feng Shui can make your life better, pick up “The Idiots Guide To Feng Shui”.  Or you can call a Feng Shui Master…  I’ll be glad to help.

859-492-0582

A View Of These Kentucky Thoroughbreds Is Good Feng Shui

and my favorite…because I was personally involved…Lockheed Martin.  Even the rocket scientists know this stuff works.

How long do you think it will take before more businesses are finding out about Feng Shui?  Or, maybe a better question would be, “How long do you think it will be before businesses are not embarassed to admit they use Feng Shui?”

Poor George.  The home he loved so dearly played a large part of his early demise.  Within 2 years his wife, Martha, died and Mount Vernon began its spiral into neglect.  Mount Vernon was never successful as a private home after his death.  After falling into near ruin the estate was bought in 1858 by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association.  They have painstakingly restored it to its former beauty.  Mount Vernon is second only to the White House in the number of visitors it welcomes; a fit and beautiful tribute to the father of our country.

Mount Vernon Palladian Window

When we look at the years following Washington’s death we see that the 7th period and 8th period water stars were not supported.  This explains why the mansion had deteriorated so badly in those years.   With no support, there would be no money. 

In 1853 the Mount Vernon Ladies Association was formed to purchase Mount Vernon for $200,000.  Period 9 was ruling and the water star had its water.  The water was headed down the river, so wasn’t strong, but it still was enough to help bring the mansion to the attention of patriots who would contribute what they could to bring Washington’s house back to its previous glory.  Wealth had returned to Mount Vernon, but it would be another 40 years before it would get comfortable.  In 1904 the 3 water star was back in the Potomac, bringing home vibrant energy once more.

Cattle at Mount Vernon

The President and Mrs. Washington returned from Philadelphia in 1797 when he completed his second term as President.  The period changed in 1784 to period 6.  Because President Washington would spend six to eight hours a night in bed, and another three hours or more each day in his study, the office side of the house is the most influential on his life in these last two years. 

At Mount Vernon, the 6th period mountain star and the 2 water star are in the Potomac River.   In 1799 the 2 annual is in the river at the rear of the house, and the 5 annual is being carried in with each meal from the kitchen.  Both of these stars are capable of bringing sickness.

President Washington had retired to Mount Vernon, content and determined to live out the rest of his days at home and at peace, away from politics and power, enjoying his family and his beautiful home.  His happy retirement wouldn’t last nearly long enough.

President Washington became ill on the 12th of December 1799 and died two days later on the 14th, at home in his bed of a throat infection, most likely brought on by a chill from exposure to snow and ice.  Perhaps the most interesting part of the chart is the 7 water star.  The 7 represents head and lungs. The 7 defines the sickness that killed President Washington.  With the 5 and 2 combining to cause sickness, the 7 comes into the mix from the window at the front of the house, and President Washington dies from an infection in his throat, the connector of head and lungs. He was 67 years old.

Mount Vernon was perfectly suited to be the home of the young soldier who was appointed as Commander of the Virginia Militia and later promoted to Commander in Chief of the Continental Army.  It supported him in his campaign to develop a strong federal government, break from British rule, and even his eventual election as the first President of the United States. There is a time and a season for everything.  That the house supported General Washington’s bravery and determination was appropriate when he was a younger man.  As an elderly statesman this same bravery and determination kept him out in foul weather when he should have headed for home. His resistance was down, and he contracted a fatal throat infection after working outside in the snow and becoming chilled.

So, the moral to the story, you ask?   A house that supports a military man, a leader and a president may not be a good house for a retired statesman.

It’s my belief that the house was intended to support the country, through the man. 

The Feng Shui of Mount Vernon – Bottom Line

George Washington had most of the work on Mount Vernon done while he was away from home. 

Fifth Period: 1764-1784

Between 1774 and 1778 the study, master suite, and the new dining room were added to the mansion.  Period 4 had ended in early 1764, and Period 5 had begun.

The wings were added one at a time, with some time in between.  The study wing was the first to be built.  This section was less than half the size of the old portion, and the family did not move out for the renovation.  The main entrance to the house was through the central hallway doors, filling the new section with stars determined by the period 4 chart. The period would not have changed to a period 5, even though the additions were made then. 

General Washington left in 1774, soon after beginning renovations on the study side of Mount Vernon.  He would be fighting the Revolutionary War before the study was finished.   

When we look at the 4th period chart, (in the 5th period) after the addition of the study wing but before the addition of the new dining room, we find that the 1 and 6 mountain stars occupy the space where Washington’s study is located. 

This unfinished (and for the most part uninhabited) portion would have served as an interior mountain for those stars, busy on many days with workers, but quiet more often than not. This is a 4th period chart in the 5th period, so the 5′s are in charge of health and wealth.  The 5 mountain star is in the Potomac, which can be bad for the health of the family, and the 5 water star is in the center, normally not good for wealth, however because of the nature of the house and the location of the Potomac River, in this situation the wealth of the house would have been protected.

We also have to consider the 7 water star.  Coming from the kitchen, (in a separate building to the southwest of the mansion   1-6-7 sector) the servants would bring the 7 as well as the 6 water star when they came through the front door.  These stars would also have access through windows as well.  When the 7 water star meets the 6 mountain star (both metal stars) we have a condition known as “Clashing Swords”.  This combination brings on feelings of irritation and an urge to fight. The attitude of combat is a necessary ingredient for a man who would be in charge of leading others to fight for their freedom.  If Washington had not been so willing, we would have had quite a different result from the Revolutionary War.  He held an army together by being faithful to the cause of freedom and by being willing to put his life on the line to fight tyranny.

At the front door the 1 water star meets the 7 mountain star at the stairway.  As mentioned earlier, the conditions for exile were met.  Here the land does indeed slope, and General Washington most certainly would have felt exiled when he was serving in the war between the spring of 1775 and 1783, when the signing of the Paris Treaty ended the Revolutionary War.  

While he was away his farm manager finished the shell of the study and later the large dining Room. Both were completed when Washington returned in 1783.  By 1784 he was happily settled into his new study.

Walkway at Mount Vernon

The center of the chart changed due to the addition of the large dining room.  Now, instead of the 1 water star coming in the center front door to the 7 mountain we have the 6 coming in.  Since the 6 is the future ruling star, this was good for Washington’s finances, and his military success.

The Feng Shui of Mount Vernon – Part 7 – Flying Star Chart