Big Lots News Flash

We thought we'd try some of Big Lots' Oxyclean rip-off for $1.99, and guess what. It works! Howie got stains off a patch from his baseball cap and we're going to try it out on some stubbornly stained clothes we've given up on trying to get clean. Wooo!

I need a life.

Boring Search Hits

Man, every other blogger I know gets hits for a wide, weird variety of searches. I get them for things like gardenwife, gardenwife.com, microsurgery, and microsurgery photos. Those last two brought people here because of the entries and photos I posted of my brother-in-law Steve's injured arm. I suppose I should be happy people have remembered the word Gardenwife and searched for it, but c'mon! I guess I just don't write about very hot topics, LOL!

Let's see if this helps: bathing beauties, lips, kitty, blogging, bloggers, love, sex, romance. I won't do the x-rated stuff. I don't know if I want someone searching for that stuff to find my blog! ;)

A Wee Christmas Package

Christmas day was really nice for us, for we got to visit with our best friends again. They had an especially nice Christmas gift this year. This gift is small, only 6 pounds or so, and has lots of hair. And her name's Gracie. :) If it were us I was talking about, surely I'd be talking about a cat or a puppy. But I'm talking about another couple, so Gracie is a human. A wee newborn human, just born December 17 and brought home with her adoptive parents on December 21. She's precious! She's got an older brother, Noah, who absolutely adores "his baby". I can't think of a better Christmas present for our friends to enjoy than this special package.

Happy Christmas to All

Our Christmas Eve was nice, just hanging out with family. Howie and I went to my folks' home for goodies and coffee (and a gift exchange, hee hee) and we fiddled with mom's laptop until it was again able to connect to the web. Weirdest thing...The quickstart menu's shortcut to her dial-up was trying to open her USB smartmedia card reader. Who knows how that happened. When we tried going to the networking window and clicking on the original dial-up networking icon, it still tried opening the smartmedia reader...Even though looking at the dial-up connection's properties showed everything as usual. Howie deleted that connection and made a new one, problem solved.

But I digress...It was a nice time with family tonight. We had our gift exchange and then drove over to my MIL's home together. Everyone wasn't able to be there tonight, but we still all had a nice visit. My nephew Luke and I played a game of Scrabble on the Travel Scrabble Game Folio, which Howie got from mom and dad. That is the coolest little thing! We have the original Deluxe Travel Scrabble in the hard plastic case, but we were always frustrated when we wanted to put a game aside for a while. This new version solves that problem with these nifty little snap-in letters. They even snap into the letter trays. Best yet, you can also snap the full trays in their spots, fold the game back up and zip the portfolio closed until you're ready to finish your game. Very, very cool. :)

We packed into the car and drove around a bit looking at lights before heading to our church's 11:00pm Christmas Eve service. It was nice seeing folks and singing those familiar songs together, just remembering why we celebrate all of this hoopla. Our pastor spoke about the legend that "The Twelve Days of Christmas" were really a means for the persecuted church to learn the catechism. It's a nice thought, but from what I've read, it's just not true. At some point, someone probably made the parallels between the song's lyrics and items from the Christian faith, but I don't think it was ever used in such a manner originally. Still, it made for an interesting sermon and we sang a different version of the song afterwards, substituting the various "hidden meanings" for the traditional ones.

The Last Place You Look

I figured out why the network wasn't running correctly. There's this kinda buff colored cable, you see...And it plugs into the laptop at one end and the router at the other end. And, well, the end connecting to the laptop had jiggled loose and wasn't connected securely. *{Blush}* I'd tried just about everything to try and get the darned network to recognize both computers, and that's all it was. A loose cord. Sheesh!

Confucious say, things work best when plugged in.

I Love Hand-Me-Down's

What an unexpected and appreciated Christmas present! Our best friends gave us a hand-me-down Pentium 350 a year or two ago, and now they've upgraded again, so we've traded THAT one back for their latest hand-me-down, a Pentium III 866. Whooo! The old 350 will go in their son's room; their son's only three, so his games aren't real processor or graphics intensive..yet, LOL.

Anyway, we swapped out pieces parts and did a fresh install of Windows XP and I'm happily installing all my goodies back on my hard drive. The one bad thing is, our version of Norton Systemworks is 2001 and it won't run on XP. Therefore, I can't do a ghost of my hard drive once I have the drivers and network stuff installed. I'll live. ;) I am having trouble getting the network to work again since we did the new install. Once I get that figured out and can share files on the network again, I will be the happiest camper in the world. Until then, I can't get to my backed up data without using our little USB drive to transfer files back and forth.

Just rambling here on Howie's laptop until some updates are finished on the desktop. God bless us, every one.

Our church, Vineyard of Licking County, had its first official service in the new facility yesterday. Wow, what a cool building it is. I'll link to pictures soon.

I sew wish...

That is, I wish I could sew like her. These are incredibly intricate and beautiful quilts by the wife of one of the members at Dave's Garden. Wowsers, what talent! I'm so glad her hubby is proud of her work and made sure people would see it.

Battered Brian Barely Beats Bumpkin

I know...Old news. Still, that headline from Survivorfan.com made me snort. Poor Brian...First his wife won't choke down a big, juicy cockroach for him, and then when he gets home, he has to call the authorities because she's hauled off and punched him in the nose. Gee, I wonder if things are better since he won the million. Maybe it was just the stress of wondering whether he was going to get a million dollars or only one hundred thousand. Pardon me if I'm a bit jaded here.

You know, toward the end, I actually was rooting for Clay, especially after the final two were grilled by the jury. I have to wonder if Helen only said that to Ted about Clay's supposed racist comments to get Ted to vote against Clay...And I'm with Jeff Probst on wondering why in the HECK someone didn't realize Brian was a huge threat and vote him off of there! Early on I thought Helen would have a really good shot at being in the final two, but that sure didn't happen. I think most of them kept Clay around thinking he'd be the perfect one to bring along because so many disliked him.

Just some scattered thoughts here. We just finished watching the three-hour backstabbing-fest on videotape and my thoughts haven't quite gelled yet.

Starting Fresh

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in, forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day, you shall begin it well and serenely... " -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

My day is finished and I am off to bed. I will read this quote tomorrow and try to follow Mr. Emerson's good advice. We can't go back and change yesterday, so we must squeeze all there is from today and go from here.

Hearts Big as Texas

The more you love, the more you let yourself love, the harder some things are. This story by Big White Guy touched me so deeply. I'm still sniffling, because I know how horrible a decision these folks had to make and I can only imagine how hard it was for them.

I'm a Randy Gal

Looks like I'm Randy. How about you?


Which A Christmas Story Character Are You?
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The Siren's Song

Just a bit ago, I was fixing some toast in the kitchen and heard the distinctive siren of an ambulance as it sped by our home. Our street is not a main thoroughfare, so that in itself was pretty unusual. That sound always gives me pause, and of course it raises my curiosity - what if it's heading to the home of someone I know? We have several elderly neighbors on this street, and the possibility of one of them being in need of an ambulance troubles me.

This time, though, the ambulance pulled into the gradeschool parking lot behind our house. It was followed by a firetruck. The school parking lot and adjacent running track/field often serves as a landing pad for the medflight helicopters, so it was hard to tell why the vehicles were parked there - for the school, or for a pickup. I've not heard any helicopter approach, so I assume it was for someone at the school.

What struck me about all of this today was the child, a little girl. She and her mother happened to be walking out of the school building when I peeped out the window of our back door. Mom was holding the girl's hand with one hand and carrying some sort of bundle (maybe a younger sibling?) in the other, and walking. The girl, maybe six years old or so, was skipping. She was eyeing the big emergency vehicles and skipping happily along. To her, it was hubbub and excitement - the flashing lights, the wailing sirens, the uniformed drivers! To someone else, there in the school, it might have been life or death.

I looked back at the mom and wondered if she was, at that moment, thinking about how lucky she is to have her girl skipping by her side? Did she make the connection that, were it not for circumstance, it could have been her child the ambulance was there to aid? I hope so, and I hope it made thankfulness well up in her heart for the blessings in her life. For some reason, it reminded me of this passage from Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

``And how did little Tim behave?'' asked Mrs Cratchit, when she had rallied Bob on his credulity and Bob had hugged his daughter to his heart's content.

``As good as gold,'' said Bob, ``and better. Somehow he gets thoughtful, sitting by himself so much, and thinks the strangest things you ever heard. He told me, coming home, that he hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk, and blind men see.''

Seeing the ambulance made me think about how fragile our lives really are, and turned my thoughts toward thankfulness to Him who loves and keeps us.

Trade me heads?

It's a sinus-migraine day here at home, bleah. I need to get our humidifier cleaned up and ready for use, and I need to find/order a replacement wick for it. The dry air is really hard on the respiratory system, and I've been having a lot more headaches since it's been cold and we've had the heat on 24/7. Once we get some moisture in this house, things should be better...And once the basement work is completed, it will be interesting to see if some of the problems I've had have been caused by the mold down there. If I suddenly am headache-free, we'll certainly know it had a major role in them! In the meantime, does anyone want to trade me heads? I'd like to keep my brains, though, so maybe just the sinuses would be negotiable?

Senile Virus

This is frightening. When I read this warning, I recognized that some of my friends are afflicted with it (you know who you are). But what's worse is, I think I might be, too!

Just got this in from a reliable source It seems that there is a virus out there called the Senile Virus that even the latest Norton AV cannot take care of, so be warned. It appears to affect those of us who were born before 1950!

Symptoms of Senile Virus

1. Causes you to send same e-mail twice.

2. Causes you to send blank e-mail.

3. Causes you to send to wrong person.

4. Causes you to send back to person who sent it to you.

5. Causes you to forget to attach the attachment.

6. Causes you to hit "SEND" before you've finished the

Ads.com, RIP...Joe Boxer Lives On

Ads.com, say it isn't so! What do you mean you "weren't able to raise the funding necessary"? You were a website featuring nothing but corporate commercials, for the love of Rosie! I am so bummed. But at least the reason I went to Ads.com just now is still out there. Joe Boxer just tickles me!

By the way, do any of you use the K-Mart's Bluelight.com internet, or know someone who does? We're shopping for a new low-cost ISP for the folks, neither of which are online much at all. Bluelight even has a local access number for our town - wooo.

Scavengers

Remember the Chevy I listed on eBay for one of Howie's coworkers? Well, it sold offline to one of the people who'd seen the listing, so this fella decided to have us get him a laptop on eBay for his daughter. We bought an a used IBM Thinkpad 600 and had it shipped here so we could get everything configured on it for the friend. The display on that IBM is so much brighter and nicer than the one on my hubby's Micron - you can tell it was a lot better made to begin with.

Well, combine that obvious disparity with the realization that my old Sony monitor is still functional, and what do you get? A scavenger, that's what! Quick as a wink, Howie had his wingback chair and cart re-arranged so the old monitor was hooked up to the Micron and perched atop The Cockpit. Hey, it was easier than carrying it down to the basement. Plus, with the headphones on and the room lights dimmed, it makes for a pretty darned nice movie experience, all curled up in the wingback chair there.

Old Dog. New Trick.

Well, it's new to me, anyway! Here's my mom's cat Tigger, in a nifty little pop-up window. I peeked at somebody's code and learned something new tonight - woooo!

Freezing Rain'll Do That To Ya

I am bummin', I admit it. I'm really missing my spot on Lisa's porch right about now. The weather's been cruddy in Ohio and I've been missing the rope hammock and the nice sunny days in the 60's and 70's. Whimper. If I were magically teleported there right now, I'd plant my behind in that comfy hammock chair and read. Little anole lizards would again creep out from their hiding places in the ginger plant on the porch and join me in sunning. Oh, and all the sweet birds! The titmice and chickadees, especially, would again come to the feeder hanging right above me, chittering their gossip to all who'd listen. *sigh* And Miss Sally could teach me new things from her five-year-old perspective. Ahhhhhh....I've gotta quit this!

But we Ohioans are made of strong stuff (though not nearly so strong as Minnesotans) so we'll muddle through this somehow. Sometimes I can see why people become snowbirds!

Barely Blooming Yet

I read this in today's Dave's Garden newsletter and loved it:

"As seedlings of God, we barely blossom on earth; we fully flower in heaven."

-- Russell M. Nelson

This-N-That

I'm overdue in posting Tuesday's This-N-That from the Passionate Ailurophile, but here goes!

1. Real or artificial tree?
Artificial for us - no needles, no waste, virtually non-existant risk of lights igniting a fire, and stronger branches for holding ornaments!

2. Real or artificial wreath?
Artificial, though I wouldn't mind having a real one made with the trimmings from a fir tree (hmmmmm....have two of those out back).

3. Open gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day (or do you do another holiday such as Hannukkah)?
Some of each, usually. As a kid, we'd have dinner, go to the midnight Christmas Eve service in town, then drive around looking at Christmas lights. Magically, Santa always came while we were away from grandma's house. ;)

4. "It's A Wonderful Life" or "Miracle on 34th Street"?
They're both great, but I guess "It's a Wonderful Life" - I love Clarence.

5. Outdoor decorations, or just indoors?
Both! Bummed that the basement work this year is keeping us from putting up indoor decorations (save a tiny 2' tree on the table). We're "on call" for having the work done, so there's no telling when they'll be here to do it, and we're afraid of extra dust making the tree into a nightmare clean-up job!

6. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" or "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer"?
Rudolph, always. I like "Here Comes Santa Clause", too. It's all fun!

7. Miniature lights or the larger ones?
Miniature inside, big fat ones outside (plus miniatures!).

8. Store-bought or hand-made ornaments?
Both. We have a really eclectic tree, full of ornaments both gaudy and lovely - all memorable and cherished.

9. TV Specials: The Grinch or Charlie Brown?
Another tough choice! We just watched Charlie Brown Monday evening and loved it, all over again. Gotta love those dancing kids at rehearsal. But the Grinch is a classic - I'd probably go with him.

10. Will you be staying at home for the holiday, or going visiting?
Well, considering we went to Louisiana for Thanksgiving, I think we'll just stick close to home. We always do, anyway, since both my folks and my MIL live in the same town. It makes things very simple! When I was a kid, I lived in Illinois and we travelled to my grandma's in Ohio each year for Christmas. *sigh* - I miss those times at grandma's.

PromoGuy's Monday Mission

I'm finally getting back into my blogging routine after vacation. And here is the most regular of the regular, Promoguy's Monday Mission. Hey, as I typed Promoguy, I accidently spelled it Promogoy. He's not Jewish, right? So either name would technically be considered correct, right? It's not often typos work out that well. Kinda reminds me of The Missing Consonant. ;)

1. Do you get sick very often? What illness do you find that you've had most frequently?

I am the sinusitis poster child, but other than that I get a few colds per year. I'm weathering one of those infrequent treasures right now, actually.

2. I know a man who flat out refuses to go to the Doctor's office. You'd need an ambulance to get him near a hospital. Not me, I'd rather go as soon as I feel sick so I can get better. Do you mind going to see the Doctor when you get sick? Do you know anyone who just refuses to go to a Doctor when they get ill? Any idea why they are like that?

Yes, I know several people like that. Part of it could be the fear of finding out something worse is wrong with them than they thought, I think. Some refuse to go because of costs involved. And some are just stubbornly prideful that they just don't need anyone's help (though I suspect that's rooted in fear a lot of the time).

3. How about visiting the Dentist? Do you go get a check-up every 6 months? Or do you dread going?

When we had insurance, we did. When we didn't have dental insurance, we didn't. Now that we have coverage again, we do. My toofers got a clean bill of health this last time, but Howie's gums are in poor shape. He has to go for deep cleaning/scraping appointments, and they hope his gums will heal up well following all of that. No fun!

4. I've heard about a diet pill called "Thermolift" that allegedly gives you quite an energy rush (oh boy mentioning this will surely bring us all a ton of Google hits won't it?). Although I've thought about getting some of these pill for the times I need a boost, I'm probably not going to take the plunge. Have you ever taken any diet pills, energy pills or energy drinks? How did they make you feel? Do you still take them? How come?

When I was in high school, I took Dexatrim. It gave me plenty of energy, but made me nervous as heck (not a good thing for an already angst-filled, messed up teenage girl). I've never consumed energy drinks, just SlimFast when I've wanted to jump-start a diet.

5. Have you heard about "Gastric Bypass" surgery that many celebrities are doing to loose weight? (The process reduces the size of your stomach to facilitate weight loss) What are your thoughts on this procedure? Would you ever consider it? How would you feel if a relative were to decide to undergo the procedure?

I am not one to have elective surgery, except for things which cause me great pain (i.e. hernia and a funky gallbladder). My husband and I are both very overweight and need to get back to a healthy routine. We did it once before, and lost weight, but lapsed into old habits and gained a lot of it back. I don't think such surgery would be of benefit to us -- we just need to do the right thing, and stick to it. I suppose that, in cases of extremely obese individuals, this prodedure would be helpful in weight loss. But it is so extreme!

6. What do you think the opposite sex needs to experience to fully understand what it is like to be your gender?

Every man should experience the unbridled joy of stopping to ask for directions, and being able to drive straight to his destination. Also, men need to experience a good bout of anxious, depressed PMS. It's the pits. They joke about the anger and erratic behavior, as do us women (if we didn't laugh, we'd cry...Or kill), but boy do they need to experience it!

7. And to lighten things up a bit before we go...What's the most worthless gadget, infomercial item or "looked like a bargain" item you have ever purchased or owned?

The Butter Butler. That's is the hands-down worst thing we've ever bought. In theory, it's supposed dispense a thin ribbon of butter as you turn its handle. If your butter is unrefrigerated, it might work for this, but it sure doesn't when the butter's in its next-best-thing-to-ice state. The handle is very hard to turn, and once the butter finally starts squeezing through the little slit at the end of the tube, it's hard to stop. I e-mailed the company we got it from (The Gadget Source) and they were as nice as pie about it, giving me a full refund without even asking I send it back first. I still have that stupid thing in the cabinet - all cleaned and re-packaged. How sad is that? I could re-gift it, but I wouldn't give that thing to anyone I liked.

BONUS: Why can't every day be like Christmas?
Elllllllvis!! Whatta guy.

Today's Comment Question: I have a new, faster computer and I am ready run some new programs and have fun. What do you like to do (games, programs, etc.) on your computer for entertainment?
I'm a photogeek. I love editing digital pictures and doing creative stuff with them. You'd never know it from my website, though, because I procrastinate and never quite get my online gallery ready and uploaded. Next to that, I love watching movie trailers and short films online -- I sure missed this broadband while we were on vacation!

Sushi Cues

If you're trying to find just the right gift for your favorite sushi lover, look no further. Where else can you get a sushi clock, sushi candy, and a host of other (more normal) Japanese stuff?

He Got His TV, I Got Mine

My Christmas present is right in front of me as I type. Howie got me a new monitor for the desktop today, my early Christmas gift. My old 17" Sony Multiscan 200sx has been a real workhorse since we got it in 1996, but it's days are numbered. The display is so dim and flickering, I could no longer edit photos and know they were true-to-color. I'd bring up my photos on other peoples' computers and think, woah - who took this??.

HH Gregg has a sale on Envison 19" monitors this week, $199 with a $50 mail-in rebate, so we picked up the Envision EN-910e. One selling point, other than the price, was the product's warranty. It's 3 year parts and labor. The salesguy at the store didn't even try to change my mind when I said right off that we didn't want to buy the store's extended warranty. It's like he said, for something only costing $150 to begin with, with that long of a full warranty, it would be crazy to purchase something extra. By the time three years is up, 19" CRT monitors will probably sell for $50 brand new, you know? Food for thought.

My initial reaction to this monitor is very positive. The text is crisp and the colors bright. And it's huge. Huuuuuge. It's quite a jump going from the 15.9" viewable on the old one to the 18" viewable on this. I still have the new one set at 1024x768, but it can go as far up as 1600x1200 with a 75mHz refresh rate.

Well, I won't bore you with the specs; go to Envision's site to read them if you are interested. I'm happy. :)

Everyone's a PUNdit

"I think that over the years my puns about eyes have got cornea and cornea." -- Graham Rawle

Profundity of a Five-Year-Old

What is it about kids? They can just be rambling, chattering about all sorts of trivial stuff (trivial to most adults, anyway), when suddenly some pearl of wisdom just pops right out. A friend's daughter and I were talking about assorted things last Friday when she piped up and said, very solemnly,

"I remember my dreams, my feelings, and my friends."

Woah. The deeper meanings of that simple sentence washed over me and I rushed to type her words into a document so I would not forget them! Do I remember my dreams? Not just the ones I had last night, but the dreams I had as a child? Do I still have aspirations? Do I remember my feelings? Not just the hurt ones, but the marvelous ones which came as surprises along the way? Do I remember others' feelings to the exclusion of my own sometimes? Do I listen to my gut feelings, those God-given ones that tug us in the right direction? And do I remember my friends, both near and far away? What do I do about it when I do remember them, when they stick in my mind?

No wonder Jesus said we are to come to God as little children.

Back in my cockpit

This entry is bound to be long, so sit back and get comfortable or bookmark it so you can finish it later. ;) Finally, after a nearly 24-hour odyssey, I am back blogging in my cockpit (aka my desk). The desk and office are clean, thanks to my last-minute cleaning frenzy before vacation. Aaaaah. It is SO good to be home.

Lisa and family dropped us off at the airport around 6:30pm Monday, right on time for early arrival. Howie and I had our pre-printed boarding passes all ready and headed for the curbside check-in when we saw how long the Northwest Airlines line was inside. The guy there tried to access our information on the computer, but couldn't get it to come up right for him. He had us follow him inside to the regular check-in and instructed us to wait at the side while he had someone there print our luggage tags. It was not to be...Our 7:00pm flight out to Memphis was delayed, so our boarding passes were useless and we had to wait in line. It was a long line. Howie sat things out on the sidelines, guarding our carry-on luggage, and I pulled the two large, wheeled suitcases behind me, two great teal canvas dogs on short leashes.

Flash forward about 20 minutes and several chapters of my Dean Koontz novel. The NWA clerk, Paul, tells us the chances of our catching our connecting flight in Memphis are slim to none, that we can either spend the night here in New Orleans, or spend it there in Memphis. I asked if the airline would provide lodging, and Paul told us they would not - it was weather-related and not mechanical. We would get distressed traveler's rates, however. Not cool, but it could be worse, we thought. We were trying very hard to make lemonade with the lemons, you know?

Waiting for the plane, we spoke with a few other passengers and actually had an enjoyable time. One couple, Jody and Emily, is expecting a baby in March AND getting ready to move to Africa next summer; Jody is in seminary, and they are going to be missionaries there. We traded e-mail addresses and look forward to hearing how they do.

Our flight finally taxied out the runway and into the air about 8:15pm. By the time we got to Memphis, our connecting flight to Columbus had left. Making our way up to the ticket counters at Memphis, we waited in line to make arrangements for our overnight stay and flight home Tuesday. The lady in front of me had many, many piercings and a really interesting hair-do with little braids scattered around her head. She was in bohemian sort of clothes and had funky glasses. When she learned I was from Ohio, she told me she'd just bought a car from someone on eBay, and had flown to Dayton to pick it up. She was on her way to Amsterdam this night, but like us, had missed her connecting plane due to the delay.

She said she'd been told the airline would not cover the rooms, too, but she said some people were told they would. So, armed with that information, I walked up to the next available clerk, smiled, and said "some of us were told in New Orleans that Northwest would pay for our hotel room here." The little clerk, Norma, couldn't have been more helpful and friendly. She arranged for us to stay for free at the Marriott, and gave us $26 in dinner vouchers and $10 in breakfast vouchers. When she saw the 8:20am flight only had one seat avaialble, and that the next available flight wasn't until 9:20pm, she scurried off to her supervisor and got permission to book us on the two emergency row seats (normally not assigned until just before the flight) so we would definitely have seats in the morning.

Within a half hour we were on our way to the Marriott in their shuttle van, with Clarence at the helm. He was really outgoing and friendly with everyone, a great ambassador for his employer. When we got to to the hotel, it was nearly 11pm and the restaurant was closed. We'd not eaten since about 2:00pm, and we were hungry! Knowing we had meal vouchers, Clarence took it upon himself to call a restaurant within walking distance and ask if they accepted the airline vouchers. When he learned they didn't, he went up to the hotel's bartender and found out we could still order dinner from the bar for another five minutes.

When you are hungry and tired, nothing tastes quite as good as meatloaf, garlic mashed potatoes, and steamed veggies at 11:15pm. Especially when it's free. We ordered a couple of draft beers, thinking they'd be maybe $3 or $4 each, and were flabbergasted when we saw they were $7.50 each. We could almost get our two complete dinners for that much in Ohio! But they went down sweet and helped us untangle the knotted muscles in our shoulders and backs. The room was beautiful, complete with an attractive wooden TV armoir/dresser combo, desk, reading chair with ottoman, and desk with an executive chair. The hotel definitely caters to business travelers, and it was nicely appointed for them. When we'd checked in, the clerk asked if we wanted phone service, and we declined, thinking it meant voicemail and all of that. Turns out you have to pay a $30 ammenity fee to even be able to dial toll-free numbers from the rooms, and there is a per-call charge on local calls and a $1.00 per-call charge on modem calls. I can't imagine what the average room tab ends up being there!

We stretched out to sleep around midnight, each of us sprawled in a full-size bed and more comfortable than a human being has a right to be. Howie slept well, but I was coughing all night and five o'clock came around far too soon. This was supposed to be the morning we slept in late, dogless, in our own bed at home, remember? That's what ran through my mind when the phone rang for our wake-up call.

We made coffee in the little complimentary coffee pot and watched some local news, showered and dressed in the previous days' clothes again (yuck!), then headed downstairs for the 6:30am shuttle back to the airport. Another friendly shuttle driver loaded up our little band of displaced passengers and drove us through the beautiful sunrise to the awaiting planes.

We made our way back to the gate and waited for our 8:20am flight to begin boarding. Then came the announcement that the flight had been oversold. Considering us displaced folks who missed our flight last night, this didn't come as a big surprise, I guess. We were bumped from the flight, but it wasn't such a terrible thing...They gave us each a voucher good for free round-trip airfare anywhere in the continental US! We also received $20 in meal vouchers since we'd be at airports all day.

They were able to book us on an 11:50am flight to Cleveland with a 5:05pm connecting flight to Columbus. It was a pretty round-about way to get home, but considering we'd still be home by 6pm and now held vouchers for travel anywhere we want, we dealt with it. We caught our last two planes, on time, and with no problems. When we got to Columbus, our suitcases were waiting for us by the baggage claim office (remember, the suitcases went to Columbus back at 8:20am!).

Mom and dad took us to Pizza Hut for dinner, and we brought the dogs home from my BIL's house an hour or so after we got back in town. Dogs and bedding bathed, new TV in its cabinet, Howie headed to bed about 2:30am. I'd been snoozing since midnight, too zonked to stay up with him, especially once I took some NiQuil.

So, that's the saga...24 hours in airports and two round-trip tickets ahead of the game, we're home and happy!

Dream Byte

By the way...I dreamed last night that I was getting pummeled by potatoes; someone was throwing them at me (probably Lisa). I could feel these things hitting my chest, really hitting hard! I woke up pretty quickly, let me tell you. It was just Stinky Leroy, one of Lisa's cats. I'd rolled over on my back in my sleep, and the dear kitty had walked up on my chest. His icepick-pointy feet made their way into my dream. When the mental fog cleared and I saw it was him, I broke out giggling and Howie about it (sorry if I woke you, hon). Sometimes the reality is funnier than the dream itself.

Homeward Bound

We went out in the bayou and to a lake with Jesse in the boat today, then we enjoyed some great live Cajun music at a local place. What a way to end things! Yep, our southern getaway has reached its end, and we fly back to Ohio tonight at 7pm. We're going to miss these folks so much! But we have a standing invitation to come back, so the parting is a sweet one. :) I don't even know where to begin when it comes to encapsulating a ten-day respite into a blog entry or two. I sure am not going to tackle that until we're back in Ohio and I've slept a good eight or ten hours. These are just some random thoughts before I crash for the night.

Howie's a good doggie daddy; three new Hartz chewy bones are going in the suitecase so our pups have goodies when we bring them back home Tuesday afternoon. Tuesday morning we will happily sleep late while the dogs are walked at my BIL's home. Hey, our flight doesn't get into Columbus until just before midnight Monday night...We're sure not showing up to get the dogs at 2am, ya know?

Lisa's packed us a bit of turducken and we bought some andouille sausage to bring home; both are frozen and ready to pop in the suitcase at the last moment before we leave. Oh, we're leaving....waaaaaah! :(

Still, it will be good to get home and unpack, unfurl, and stretch out in our own bed. It has nice clean sheets on it and we can sleep until we just wake up rested. Aaaaaah. As great as vacations are, it's always nice to be home. Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz has it right.

We have a goodie to come home to: A whoppin' big 27" TV. This makes The H-Man verrrry happy. OSU beat Michigan, so he's very psyched about watching the big January 3rd Ohio State game on a big ol' screen. Argh-argh-argh. So, thanks to a great Day-After-Thanksgiving sale at Wal-Mart and a way-cool dad who braved Wal-Mart at 5:30am, this is reality.

Hey, get this: He even struck up a conversation with someone in line ("how long have you been in line?"), then just waltzed right on in the store with this stranger when the door opened. No, as my mother said, it was certainly unBOBlike! We didn't have anything to do with the line-jumping strategy, though we roared when we heard his methodology and appreciate his getting there to get us the goods in our absence.

Aiyeeee, I'd better go hit the pillows myself; it's late and we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. He bought some of that Breathe Right snore spray at Wally World tonight, so in a few moments I will see if it's working. He's been in bed a while now, and has had a chance to work up to his full schronking, roaring glory. And he had the nerve to say I need to spray some in my throat, too. The nerve! ;)

Testing

I can't get my webpage to come up. If you can read this, will you take a moment and e-mail me with the link at left? Aaaaaargh!

Crab Bawlin'

We had our first boiled crab Sunday night, and it was pretty good! A bag of seasoning, including whole allspice, is put in a kettle of boiling water along with corn, onion, peppers, potatoes, and spices. Then the crabs are dropped in and boiled for abour 20 minutes. They then sit in the hot water for a bit and are then put in an insulated container to keep warm. The potatoes and corn come out quite spicy, but the crab doesn't pick up much of that flavor. It was just sweet and good. It sure is a lot of work for a little bit of meat, though; it's good the meat is very tasty! We also had speckled trout, fresh oysters, shrimp and soft-shelled crab, all deep fried in various breadings. Those were wonderful! I knew Lisa could cook great, but she also makes it look so easy. We kidded her, saying they're just fattening us up to feed to the gators.

Ironically, we've not seen one gator since we got here. We've seen anoles, egrets and one lone pelican, but no gators. Friday or Saturday, we're going out on the bayou with our friends in their boat, so maybe THEN we'll see them. Lisa says it's cool here, and the gators are sluggish. To us, these temps in the upper 60's to lower 70's are lovely and spring-like, but to folks (and reptiles) used to weather up over 100 degrees, I guess it is chilly. It's snowing in Ohio, though. Hee hee hee.

We've already picked up the turducken (complete with seafood stuffing), and that will be baked Thanksgiving day; we're also deep-frying a turkey. I am so on food sensory overload. I can't believe how good it is here. Even the buffets are good here. At home they taste drab and homogenized, just assembly-line food. But here, there are spices in the food. Amazing. And have I mentioned Lisa can really cook?

Not only that, but their house just feels loving and welcoming; it's been the nicest vacation ever, just spending time with friends. The surroundings and history, the wildlife...it's all interesting, all beautiful...But feeling so at home is the best thing of all. And to think our paths probably would never have crossed were it not for Dave's Garden. It's just mind-boggling, this whole Internet thing. Almost as mind-boggling to me as the sightings here of plastic snowmen and Santa Clauses standing next to planted banana trees and tropicals in folks' front yards down here. But in a good way. ;)

The Mile High Club (Blogger Style)

Well, we're heeeeere! We've been hanging out and relaxing with Lisa's family, so I just haven't gotten online much. Like smarty-pants says, "Kimberley's got a life!", LOL. But I was thinking about my blog on the first flight, and I typed this on the laptop while heading to Memphis, Tennessee.

We’re cruising at xx feet, on our way to Memphis, and I’m so excited! The airport experience was great. I printed boarding passes right from Northwest Airlines’ site yesterday, and we just cruised right on through.

As we took off, I couldn’t hide my excitement. Yes, I know I look like a tourist, folks. Gee, maybe that’s because I’ve only flown four times or so in my life and I LOVE it. Going from cold, rainy dismal Columbus to a place high above the clouds is incredible. I had my face pressed to the window for a long time, just looking at the clouds below us. They look like snow, so beautiful. And it’s sunny up here. Aaaaaaah.

Really, our flights could not have gone more smoothly. I had our receipts and boarding passes printed and ready, so when my folks dropped us off at their airport, we just checked our bags at curbside, and proceeded unobstructed from there. We are fortunate we didn't fly out just before Thanksgiving - I can't imagine what a crazy place it will be then; we don't fly home until Monday, December 2, so that should be slower, too.

The first plane was a fairly small one, and our view from the window was predominantly of a big engine. The row of windows were beneath the wings. But that didn't dampen my enthusiasm, for I really love flying. I love the sensation of acceleration and lift-off, the sensation and sight of the earth slipping away behind us. There's nothing like it! And it's so neat to go from a cloudy, cold day and suddenly break through the clouds to unubstructed sunlight.

The connecting flight from Memphis was on a slightly larger plane. And, thanks to a rather odd man, that flight was quite memorable. Across the aisle from us was a pretty strange guy. I could tell he was really nervous about flying, for he kept putting his face in his hands while the plane taxied down the runway. When the flight was underway, he counted -- and recounted -- a wad of cash. Not the brightest bulb in the lamp, I'd say. It was more than showing off, though; he seemed more obsessive compulsive, complete with repeated hand movements.

A little later, he reached down and grabbed a large plastic bag, the type you'd get at a gift store. He opened it and peered inside.I was afraid he was going to throw up.

But he didn't hurl his lunch, thank goodness. He did, however, floss his teeth with the edge of the bag. Ugh. It was quite a production, too. He got both his upper and lower front teeth with the edge of that plastic bag. I had a hard time not staring at him. After a while, he took a piece of paper and rolled it into a little tube. This tube was perfect for a number of things, but what he chose to do with it was pick at his ears. I don't know how his seatmate could stand it. She had her eyes closed a lot of the time, probably feigning sleep and wishing to God the flight would be over soon.

Refreshments were served, wee packages of salted pretzels and our choice of beverages. Mr. Strange bought a wee bottle of something with a percentage on the label. By the time we landed, he was loosened up (probably relieved he survived the flight, too) and very talkative. By then, his seatmate got to be regaled with his stories and expansive hand gestures. Oh, my.

Really Crunch Time

I am taking a breather here. With the exception of stuff that's out because it belongs in other rooms of the house, the office is really clean. O Heaven! O sweet rapture! The vacuum is defnitely on its last life, though. O phoey! There was a loud buzzing noise coming from the rotary brush, and I noticed there were pretty normal-size pieces of cat fuzz still on the carpet after I'd made several passes. Closer inspection showed me that (1) the plastic housing of the vacuum is very loose and (2) there was a stray bracket banging around above the brush, and this loose bracket was keeping the brush from spinning. Presumably, this bracket normally sits above the brush and guides it...But no more. It's sitting on the footstool now, and the vacuum seems to be running okay without it. At least for now. ::sigh:: I hate unexpected expenses.

One the other hand, I love getting a new gadget, even if it is a vacuum cleaner. Maybe I'll be more motivated to clean, right, Naomi? ;) I am going to get a bagless one, maybe the new Eureka they advertise with the little dust wand that has its own nifty de-dusting tube on the vacuum. I'll have to scout around Epinions and see which vacuums have the best ratings. By the way, I saw on Eureka's site that they have a new Pet Stain and Odor Remover...It says it's non-enzyme based, so I wonder just how effective it could be on odors, really.

Well, break's up. I'm sure this is thrilling reading for you all. I just didn't want to start surfing the forums at Dave's Garden or checking my e-mail or I'd never get back to work!

Crunch Time

We leave for Louisiana in less than two days. Man, oh, man...I've been cleaning, finally. Even with our departure looming, it's been so hard to get motivated to clean and get ready. I hate cleaning, anyway (at least until I get started, then it's okay), but this has been bad. Some of this has to do with sinus headaches verging on migraines early this week, some has to do with the shorter days having me a little blue, and some is just plain old procrastination.

Tonight I tackled the worst of the cleaning first, knowing the rest would be easy once this was done. The bathroom? No. The kitchen? No. The office. I started with the ceiling fan, using that wonder of wonders, the ceiling fan blade attachment for the ShopVac. I was set. I doubt if Angie or any of our friends know the Lucite wasn't supposed to look frosted. Boy, are they in for a surprise next time they visit:

Next to be conquered was my desk. Once I recovered from the initial shock of seeing the surface again, I was motivated. I've been working my way around the office's perimeter, alternating between the ShopVac's handy attachements and a nifty dust-clinging dust rag. I'm maybe half way done, and I have the rest of the house to go tomorrow. At least I have the laundry done so packing won't be a crazy-making thing. But the last-minute cleaning and details...Aaaaaaaargh!

But at least the fan looks pretty! I'm tired, though, so the rest is waiting until tomorrow. I have 12 hours to kick some house cleaning butt! If I'm smart, I will power down the PC as soon as I post this tidbit, and I won't reboot until I'm done with what I need to do!

Heini's Old West Cheese Saloon...
Err, Bathroom

Chari's bashful bladder reminded me of something. Nestled in the heart of Ohio's tourist-trodden Amish country, Heini's Cheese Chalet is a beacon of all things cheese and good. What does a cheese empire have to do with water closets, you ask? Heini's is not only home to some of the finest cheese you'll find around these parts, but also to what has to be the strangest bathroom I've ever seen in a public place. In any place, really.

Walking in the door, you're first struck by the tile work. It's not the tile which sets this bathroom apart, for the majority of it is just your basic glossy white. It's the grout. It's not that it's dirty (though it might be...Hard to tell). It's painted blue. Bright blue. The stall doors are painted this identical shade of blue. But it's not the door color which sets this bathroom apart, no.

It's the doors. They're double swinging doors, like you'd see in an Old West saloon, only they're solid with scrolled Pennsylvania Dutch sort of edges on them. There's a good one inch gap between the doors, too. Oh, and these free-swinging doors have no latches. So, when in the midst of toilet acrobatics (you know what I'm talking about, ladies), your worry isn't that that someone will see you through the crack, but that someone won't. You brace yourself for a body barreling right through those swinging doors to give you a concussion. Dribbling is the very least of your worries at Heini's.

To their credit, though, the tile-covered stalls do go from floor to ceiling, cutting down on the wafting factor. All except for that door gap, that is.

Stooge Spam

People of sendoutmail, listen to me: I DON'T WANT A THREE STOOGES TALKING WALL CLOCK! Quit sending me the stupid spam already.

::pant pant:: Thank you.

Reiner's Time-Travelling Studio Audience

When I was little, I watched "All in the Family". I still do watch it, and it's stood the test of time. Anyway, as a child, I didn't understand "before" could also mean "in front of". So, when Rob Reiner would say "All in the Family was filmed before a live studio audience", it confused the heck out of me! I only knew "before" in the chronological sense, so it blew me away to think they could film the show before the audience even got there -- and you still heard them laughing. My thinking has always been strange; it's just easier to disguise it as odd wit now. ;)

Strike another tickmark down for Joanie, for she clued me in to I Used To Believe, a site that's chock full of such youthful malapropisms and misunderstandings. And, of course, when I first saw the title, clueless about its content, I thought it to be a site explaining why its author no longer believes in God. I like this a lot better.

This-or-That for November 19

The Passionate Ailurophile's posted Tuesday's questions...

1. Long or short hair?
Mine comes mid-way down my back and is all one length, so I'd say long. Long and untangled would be better, but hey.

2. Microwave or conventional oven?
For reheating most stuff, a microwave's great. For truly crusty and fluffy baked potatoes, though, you've gotta use a conventional oven. There's no comparison.

3. Plain or Peanut M and M's? (Can't use the and sign with Blogger. Stupid, ain't it?)
Plain. More chocolate per pound. ;)

4. "101 Dalmations"...animated or live-action version?
Animated, all the way!


5. Drink out of bottle/can or pour into a glass?
It depends on what it is. I'm fine drinking almost anything out of a bottle or can, but I think beer tastes better when in a glass.

6. Sunlight or moonlight?
Especially now that our days are shorter, give me sunlight!

7. Kermit the Frog or Miss Piggy?
Kermie Baby.

8. Glasses or contact lenses (or neither)?
Glasses.

9. Action movies or chick flicks?
Both! Why choose? If I have to choose, probably chick flicks because the character development is usually better. Good thing my DH likes both genres, huh?

10. Toilet seat...up or down?
DOWN! And I am fortunate to be married to a guy who never leaves it up. Oh that visitors would take the hint!

Pin-Up Gal

Okay, Joanie, I'm the Playful Retro Gal. Does this come as any great surprise, DH? ;)


What Type Of Retro Gal Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Monday Mission 2.46

Since Promoguy has questions up, I don't have to write another song parody like I did on Friday...Lucky you! Here's this week's questions:

1.Promoguy says, "When I was a teenager, I used to ride all the "spin-y" rides at the fair and fun parks. I'd never get dizzy or sick, and I could ride them all day. My favorite was the Tilt-A-Whirl. Now I should call it the "Tilt-A-Hurl" because it seems I can't even get on a Merry-Go-Round without feeling queasy." Is there anything you used to be able to do physically that you no longer can? What changed?
I used to be able to read in a moving vehicle for hours. Now, it makes me queasy, especially if there are hills involved, or other vehicles passing us. It's a bummer, because I love to read and I'm usually the passenger when Howie and I go anywhere. What changed? Probably too many years of sinus infections; there's some truly frightening stuff up in my head to this day, LOL.

2. If you could go to lunch with someone famous, anyone living or dead, who would you choose? What questions would you ask them?
I think Jay Leno would be a lot of fun. I'm not sure what I'd ask him, other than to tell more of his stories. I'm not feeling very inspired today, sorry!

3. On that same thought, there are probably several Bloggers you enjoy reading but have never met in real life. Which one Blogger would you most like to meet for dinner? Why did you pick that person? What would you talk about? What do you have in common? What would you do after dinner?
Oh, I think Busgirlie is the person I first want to meet. I picked her because her blog is the one I've read the longest and I know a little more about her (still have some catching up to do, though!). I think we'd laugh ourselves silly and stay up late telling stories many would find repugnant - but we'd also be able to connect about depression and have a good cry.

4. Money (or the lack thereof) is the number one cause of arguments amongst couples. Do you find this to be true? If there really was a "Money Tree" you could go an pick, would this really solve a couple's problems?
Oh, I know it's a huge source of conflict amongst couples! My DH and I subscribe to the "one pot" theory, and we've always just kept a joint checking account together. For a long time, I made more than him. Now he makes more than me (I'm a homemaker, so that doesn't take much, LOL). Either way, having the money be both of ours has been a good thing. There's no "his stuff" and "my stuff" going on. I don't think having a money tree would solve anything about money arguments, because the selfishness and insecurity that drives such conflicts would remain.

5. Speaking of arguments, have you ever been drawn into any nasty, hateful arguments? The kind where hurtful things were said that had nothing to do with the fight at hand? What was that all about? How did it turn out?
Of course I have. They're the pits, nomatter how you look at them. The pleasure of zinging a person is temporary, and then you're left doing clean-up and regretting the words that so easily flew from your mouth in anger.

6. When was the last time you had to admit you were wrong about something? How did that go?
You mean the last time today, or what? I'm frequently admitting I'm wrong. I often get worked into a huff with my mom. The gap between my ideal of how I want to be and the reality of how I sometimes am to those I love is a wide one. I'm wrong a lot of the time -- who isn't? I don't have a problem in admitting it - I'm human, just like everyone else.

7. Now for a slight change of theme....what song should never have been written?
Hmmmmm, probably the theme to "Three's Company". Because if it never was written, that might mean the show never would have aired. I see the reruns while flipping through the channels and I can't believe I loved that show when I was a kid.

BONUS: Are you ready for a new sensation?
Yep, and I'm about ready to experience one. We're heading down south on Friday and I get to experience cajun-induced indigestion. Up to this point, I've only experienced midwestern-indigestion!

eBay's Lunatic Fringe

We're getting down to crunch time with our vacation; our flight leaves in six days! We're once again on the lookout for a nice 5' tall walking staff for Howie, and while crusing eBay we saw this stick while perusing the listings. Is it just me, or is that really strange and gross? I wonder if it howls with every step. Speaking of weird auctions, Disturbing Auctions is worth looking at if you fancy seeing what some of the lunatic fringe has offered up for sale on eBay. I would hope that nothing we list would ever come close to qualifying for inclusion at that site!

The Day The FridayFive Died...

We were singin'
Bye, bye good ol' Friday Five
The questions get so stressful
It's no wonder you hide
That crazy Busgirlie must be bursting inside
She's found a way for us to get by...
She's gone and let her own questions fly...

If you're brave, download the song. ;)

1. Love. describe it.
Well, it's more than a feeling, for feelings are fickle. It can be all warm and fuzzy and wonderful, but it can also take you right out of your comfort zone and put you at risk. But it's worth it.

2. What is the one thing you would fight for... or even give up your life for?
In the real crunchtime? My family. In honesty, I have a ways to go before I can say I would give up my life for my faith; I couldn't do that in the flesh, that's for sure, but I think with God's strength I could do what needed to be done.

3. Describe heaven.
Indescribably beautiful. I think all the metaphors we hear of Heaven being paved with gold and stuff are just ways God gave us to visualize. I think our human minds are not capable of imagining what it will be like, so God has given us pictures. The Bible says there's no sickness or death there. That's awesome to consider.

4. Be honest... does anyone really really know you?
No one on earth knows me better than my husband. And I know God knows me even better than that. And I know they both love me, though my husband's love is easier to fathom most of the time because he's tangible and I can clearly hear him when he speaks to me.

5. If someone did, or does- what do you think they might love the best about you?
My husband would probably say he loves that life is never boring with me around. ;)

Silliness O' the Day

I have no Friday Five today, *sniffle*. But I do have a funny link for you to see. Lisa, this one's especially for you. Be sure you have your sound on, just not too loud. If you don't have the MacroMedia Flash player, get it for free.

Whatever Happened To Baby Mike?

I was blown away when I saw the latest pictures of Michael Jackson this evening. What on EARTH would make someone do this to himself? His personality just got more and more weird as his outer appearance did, too. How could it not? There's a chronicle of his facelifts and cosmetic alterations at Anomalies Unlimited. Just be forewarned: The writing is wickedly funny, so don't accidently blow pop out your natural, wonderful, unmodified nose. Let's be careful out there.

Basement Blues

Preface: I don't know how one can go into politics without becoming a politician; likewise, I don't know how one can go into sales without becoming a salesman. I guess I can't fault the guy for being a salesman - it's like the old "you can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy" thing. I'm just full of useful analogies today, aren't I?

This leads me to our appointment with the salesman today. Things got a little bit emotional for the first twenty minutes or so the salesman was here, and I must admit I did ambush him with a bad attitude to begin with. I'd been stewing over this for a whole day, corresponding with the ex-employee, doing more research, learning about alternative methods. In the meantime, he had no clue that I felt this way, and never saw this coming. He got defensive, I got defensive, and it was ugly for a while. The facts don't shine through much when everyone's upset and each has his or her own agenda. (This is why I hate political discussions, LOL).

But then, mercifully, we calmed down and all talked. We pretty much hit a dead end when we tried to get a yet lower price, though he did agree to take off an additional $200 for an online coupon I'd found online yesterday, something they normally only apply to an undiscounted price (who knows...). In all, we're paying over $2000 less than what he originally quoted us.

He took time to straight-out explain the stand-by thing and it did make sense when he laid out the scenario. Customers who want to pick the date the crew starts will pay the premium price, while those who agree to be flexible to within a 24-hour notice time period will get a break on the price. He said the majority of their customers are 2-income professionals who want to know a definite timeframe because they must arrange for someone to be home while the work's being done, so it's a financial incentive when a customer's willing to be flexible. From a business standpoint that does make sense. Having jobs available at short notice keeps their crews busy, plus those customers can get the work done more quickly than they might otherwise, and they save some money.

As for the work itself, the other company we'd considered was B Dry, but they do not guarantee against dampness on the walls, only that there will be no water seepage. They basically drill holes at the base of your basement walls and channel that water into a drain around the perimeter of the basement. The drain is not even cemented over, from what I've been reading. What good would that do us, considering we're finishing the walls? EverDry, however, does guarantee we will not have dampness on the walls.

The EverDry salesman said that EverDry does charge a premium price, but they also guarantee against a lot more. He said EverDry could do the same job B Dry proposes, and beat their price, but it would not solve our problem. And after all the reading I did yesterday (my eyes are still uncrossing), I can see this.

They'll come out and install the EZ-Breathe ventilation system, included in this package, next week (after our 3-day back-out period is over) and get it to work on pulling mold spores, moisture, etc. out of the basement and house, and then we'll be on stand-by following our return from Louisiana. I'll be posting updates, of course! It's like I told him, if I am happy with the work and the results, I will spread the word. I'm not one to only say something when things go wrong; I believe good work should also be recognized and rewarded.

EverPressured by EverDry

My mother-in-law will be moving in with us this coming summer. This is a great thing. She's a sweetheart and I'm really looking forward to having her here. Our basement already has a shower and commode in one corner and a semi-finished rec room with a fireplace, so we're finishing those areas and converting our garage into another room. She'll have a kitchenette of her own and a private bath - what more can you ask for?

Our problem: moisture and black mold in the basement. Before we can do any finishing work, we must remedy those issues. We've done our homework and have pretty much decided on a contractor to do the work. Ouch, what a pricetag. But we're talking health issues here, and we're talking getting it done right the first time so our finished basement rooms don't have to be ripped out to fix a problem down the line.

What I'm writing about isn't so much all of that, but my general disgust at sales tactics by EverDry (aka Ohio State Waterproofing). Since talking to this contractor's salesperson (who, of course said "I'm not a salesperson. I'm a manager with the company and I'm in town doing scheduling work" blah, blah, blah), I've done my homework online, and I've learned how just about everything the guy said to us is his company's standard line. We were given a schpiel about "downtime" and how we can save money on the job if we're willing to be on standby for a crew to come in and work with 24 hours notice. Of course, he cautioned that he only had TWO slots to fill for such customers in our area, and he needed to know in 24-48 hours.

This guy was a good salesman, I'll give him that. He drew little pictures and explained the problem (as they see it) and the steps to solving it. He had pictures. He had statistics. He had hundreds of satisfied customers names and addresses. (We knew one of them - saw her name when he wasn't looking - and called her later.)

I have to tell you, though, I hate pressure tactics and I abhor scare tactics. And that is the standard MO of EverDry. Throughout our cozy livingroom appointment, he kept using the phrase "want me to scare the hell out of you?" and then would proceed to tell us statistics about black mold, sinus infections, etc. He also said that his company had inside information that the government would, in seven months, release data of a study showing that our internal body temperature is the perfect temperature for mold spores to grow, inside our lungs. Jeez!!

I did some deep digging online and found a former employee of the company. He and I have been corresponding, and he's given us much enlightenment. I guess I shouldn't be surprised at just how much of this salesman's words were company lines, but I was. And I felt like we were lied to, manipulated. It made me feel gullible and used, frankly.

The thing is, I've also found through research that the package they offer, this multi-step system, does look like a thorough solution, even if it might be overkill. DH doesn't want to spend a few grand on redoing gutters and grading alone, only to find that the moisture problems persist. I can see that. Better to get it all done, and to have a guarantee. One thing this ex-employee told me is they are good to their customers after the sale.

Blargh. This is so stressful!

Sitting Pretty

Emma has this thing about sitting on things. It's not enough to sit on the chair next to Sarah; she wants to sit on Sarah. Same thing with the footstool or anything else handy. She's so bony and leggy, it's no wonder she wants more cushion. Being amply-cushioned myself, I can only imagine...But that must be it, right?

Sarah was grumbling, by the way. ;)

Tuesday's This-or-That...

Thanks to the Passionate Ailurophile, I now am inspired on Tuesdays. :)

1. Hershey's Kisses: with or without almonds?
Just straight chocolate, thanks. I'll eat whichever kind, though, if given the chance. Chocolate is Heaven-Kiss't.

2. Wizard of Oz: Scarecrow or Tin Man?
Scarecrow's a loveable sort, but his innate floppiness gets on the nerves. I'd have to vote for Tinman. Although Scarecrow is much lower maintenance, could double as winter mulch for a rosebush, and would be a comfy place to rest (ask Dorothy!). Oh, and Tinman is heartless, at least most of the time. Perhaps Scarecrow would be better. This is a trick question, one obviously not thought up by the brainless Scarecrow. Oh, the torment!

3. Meat eater or vegetarian?
Meatsa! Meatsa!

4. Buy books or borrow them?
It really depends on the book. Most novels I just borrow unless it's an author I know already, then I buy paperbacks used or deeply discounted retail. Art, humor, photography, gardening and other more research or coffee-table type books, however, I will buy because I like having them around.

5. At the bank: ATM or human teller?
Usually ATM, unless I am depositing money; I like seeing a face and getting a hand-stamped receipt in that case.

6. Oil or gas (or other) heat?
Gas heat is warm heat. ;) Seriously, it's nice.

7. Pen or pencil?
Lovely smooth-writing, non-fading, non-smudging, archival gel pen!

8. Drive or use public transit?
Public transit? What's that? I'd have to drive my car into the city in order to enjoy public transit, but by that time, what's the point?

9. Who IS James Bond: Sean Connery or Pierce Brosnan (or any of the others in between)?
Oh, Sean. Always. Schmashing chap, that Sean.

10. Your ideal breakfast: full (bacon/sausage, eggs, pancakes, etc) or continental (bagels, muffins, fruit, cereal)?
Full. *burp* Preferably the Sunshine Skillet or Pot Roast Hash at Bob Evans, served with a steaming cup of black coffee, buttery biscuits, mind you, not toast or rolls. Aaaaaaaaah.

Sweet Chevy

I've been working on an eBay listing for one of Howie's co-workers this week. I liked how the photos came out, so I thought I'd put together a gallery for my site. Man, it was so fun photographing this car last weekend. The cars from the 1930's and 1940's are so fluid and fun, especially when you can see stuff reflected in their paint. I'd love to hae a classic car some day; we could afford a newer classic car, but I'd be concerned about upkeep and finding parts for it at a good price. In the meantime, I can just look at these shots, lurk around eBay Motors and dream. Presenting...JT's 1941 2-Door Chevy Sedan. Droool.

Popeye Arm

For those of you who've been wondering how my brother-in-law Steve is doing, I've updated the webpage about him. Again, I strongly caution you if you have a weak stomach for nasty medical pictures. His arm was crushed in a machine accident at work on August 19, and I took pictures for him at the beginning of September and posted them. At the bottom of that page there's an update, along with pictures just taken last night. Like I said, don't go there if you're squeamish.

For those of you who'd rather skip the images, let me just say that prayer and talented doctors can work miracles. He's doing great! Here's the text from the website:

Steve's arm looks so much better now! He had the hardware removed some time ago and had a skin graft done. They took the skin from his upper arm (the very pink skin you see is new growth at the site where they removed the top layer of skin for the graft).

He said the place they removed the skin from hurt worse than his whole arm hurt, ever. Can you imagine? You know how it hurts when you get a bad abrasion - ouch! As you can see, though, things are healing up really well. There's still a lot of swelling (we jokingly call it his Popeye arm), but he continues to regain use of his arm and fingers.

The scar tissue at his elbow limits his movement, so he'll have to endure a few more surgeries as they remove/modify scar tissue to allow more movement for his arm.

Like Sands Through the Hourglass...

Actually, it's Sand in the Gears I'm reading lately. This is some good stuff! From politics to his four-year-old's epiphany and resultant curiosity about breastfeeding, he kept me reading - and thinking.

P.S. Waaay on the other end of the breastfeeding spectrum is this.Yipes!

Tear-Stained Chicken Feet

Jan lost it again on Survivor Thailand. It wasn't a bat this time, but a chicken. Its pieces-parts are now snugly nestled in beneath the sand next to young Oliver the Bat's wee grave. With Helen spouting off recipes like she does, I'm surprised she didn't come up with one for chicken feet. I've a friend in South Carolina who swears by them (crispy!). And I know some Cajuns down the Louisiana way who definitely would know how to make good use of them, though it'd be a lot of work for just two bites. That's why we've told our friends not to divulge the ingredients in our meals until after we've consumed them, LOL. Anyway, I think the Survivors are a little too well-fed if they don't consider the feet as something marginally edible. Shii Ann would have eaten them. ;)

Vikki's Friday Five

Vikki's home-grown, very own Friday Muses. Now these are questions I feel comfortable answering. Whew!

1. If this planet wasn't named Earth, what would you name it?
The Planet Formerly Known As Earth or maybe Earth...NOT!

2. Does 'black' go with everything?
It goes with everything except dog and cat hair.

3. What one food/drink gets your bowels moving the fastest?
Tomatoes. Lookout, people, lemme through!

4. Out of all of the hardwoods, which makes the best wood for building mountain dulcimers?
I prefer a softwood. That makes my dulcimer far more portable, as I can fold it neatly into a square for packing.

5. Do you sprinkle Parmesian cheese on your pasta?
If at a restaurant, yes. At the Olive Garden I tell 'em to be generous with that grater, baby! If at home, no. I mix it into my sauce while cooking it.

Wow. That didn't hurt at all!

Dare I say again...Friday five time

Friday Five, and I've not much to add.

1. Did you vote in your last elections?
Yep. Braved the cold and the rain and did it.

2. Do you know who your elected representatives are?
Mostly.

3. Have you ever contacted an elected representative? If so, what was it about?
Nope.

4. Have you ever participated in a demonstration?
Nope.

5. Have you ever volunteered in an election? What was the result?
Nope.

Gee, do you notice a trend here? I'm one of the marginally-apathetic masses. I do study up on issues and vote my conscience, but I don't rally, march or argue.

Real Guts

Jacqueline Saburido has a lot more intestinal fortitude than those who are afraid of looking like wusses if they don't grab their keys, stagger to their cars and drive their sorry asses home. I think this speaks for itself, but I'll still say it: Yo - Don't drink and drive, ever. This could be one of the folks in the car you plow into because your reflexes are just a little too slow. It could be your wife, or your husband. It could be your mother. It could be your child. Or you know what else? This could be you.

God bless you, Jacqui, and thank you. You are a woman of exceptional courage and I wish all the best to you.

One for the Big White Guy

Yes, it's Gardenwife.com, serving your gold monkey lamp needs since 2002. A picture which Randall posted in his blog last week reminded me a lot of this monkey, so I thought I'd post him here. This lamp is but one of a bunch of shots I took at Hobby Lobby. Have you ever been in a Hobby Lobby? Wow! I was just blown away by that place, as the staff could see; they saw me excitedly wandering around there with my mom for a full three hours one evening a few weeks ago. It's some of the best merchandising I've ever seen; the colors are coordinated and the collections are displayed in a really eyecatching way. I had to take it all in. I had to take pictures. I was conspicuous, but I didn't care. The folks there are proud of their store, and they should be!

Sushi Blues

I finally tried sushi today. Don't ask me what it was, for it was at a buffet at our local Chinese restaurant. There was some sort of green paste in a dish, too, so I took a dab of that on my plate. I have one word for this experience: YUCK. I thought it was as good a time as any to try it, seeing how it was on the buffet, but...Ewwwww. I like just about anything if it's batter-dipped and deep-fried, and I like some fish broiled or grilled, but this raw stuff was really not my thing. I barely touched the tip of my tongue to the bitter, nasty green paste and that was enough to spoil my appetite. But then I further tortured myself by likewise barely touching my tongue to this rolled up concoction. *sigh* I will never be trendy or hip.

Got Cramps?

This has got to be one of the strangest and most disturbing inventions I've seen. Anyone tried 'em?

The Friday Five

Time (already??) for the weekly Friday Five...

1. Were you raised in a particular religious faith?
I wasn't raised in one at home, but my grandma in Ohio was a Christian and she and I talked about God sometimes. In gradeschool my mother and I began attending a church and I got involved with their Pioneer Girls program. In about fifth grade or so, I prayed to accept Jesus as my Savior, but I didn't have a lot of follow-up or encouragement so I never really grew in my faith until years later.

2. Do you still practice that faith? Why or why not?
Yes, I do. I think I have mellowed a lot since rededicating my life to the Lord in high school, though. Back then, I was extremely black and white in my views. I was also hard-headed and really judgemental of people who didn't fit my image of what I thought they should be. I've learned grace.

3. What do you think happens after death?
I think there is an afterlife, that our spirits are eternal.

4. What is your favorite religious ritual (participating in or just observing)?
I love to observe worship dance. At our church, there is a ministry team that does the most beautiful interperative dance to music. It's more than just dance, though; they also incorporate beautiful, fluid sign language into the dance and interpret the words of the music. As far as what I like to participate in, singing is what I enjoy. There is something just so right-on about singing with a group and harmonizing. It's the greatest.

5. Do you believe people are basically good?
That's a tough one. I think mankind is fallen, that the horrid things people do to one another point to this, but I think there's the potential for great good in every person.

The Big Hand is On...Wait! There Are No Hands!

In response to my smart-aleck husband's comment, "You think she is forgetful, wait 'til she tries to tell you what time it is in her car", I write this. This has to do with my dental visits, oddly enough. On Wednesday, the day of my initial consultation, I left my headlights on when I went into the office and returned to find my battery dead. I was in there for just under an hour, and all I got was a few clicks when I turned my key.

Because the only folks I saw walking around nearby were very elderly (I'm talking unsure-on-their-feet elderly, here) I didn't want to ask for someone to jump my poor battery. I called my knight in shining armor, instead. He drove out to jump my car, bless his heart, and I went on my merry way to finish my errands.

This is where the confusion began. Flash forward to Thursday morning. I noticed the car's clock was off, but not by very much. As I drove to the dentist's office, I did some mental calculations (and this is the source of my DH's smart-aleck glee). I knew that my car's clock had been an hour fast (due to the time change and my reluctance to figure out how to reprogram it on this goofy car stereo). I was fine with the discrepancy; I just remembered it was an hour fast and I was okay with that. But then came the dead battery.

No problem...My car's clock had been an hour fast before, so I subtracted an hour. I realized that it had been 11:30am when Howie jumped the battery, which in turn re-set the clock to Noon. Okay, so it also gained a half hour. So what did I do? The logical thing: I subtracted an hour to compensate for daylight savings, then added that other half hour back in to arrive at the right time. With me so far?

I picked Howie up at work Thursday evening so we could have a little date and go out to dinner together on his lunch hour (Pizza Cottage's BLT pizza, yum!). We weren't sure how long we'd be gone, so I consulted the car stereo's clock. As we drove back to his job, I noted the time and explained how I figured the right time now.

Honestly, up until that moment, it made perfect sense to me. As I explained it to him, however, the utter ludicrousness of my methodology became painfully apparent. After he roared with laughter (right along with me, might I add) there was a pause. I said, "Please don't tell anyone this".

He replied, "that's so confusing I wouldn't begin to know how to tell anyone what you were thinking." Now, THAT'S bad.

Are you glad I am not an accountant? Are you relieved I do not chart airline traffic? Do you consider yourself blessed it is not I who handles payroll at your company? You should be. I'm a word-woman, definitely not a math-matron. My Indian name would be She Who Murders Numbers, I think.

Halloween Goof

I just got back from having my teeth clean. Mmmmm, they're nice and shiny and tartar-less. I noticed the hygienist had on a cute halloween sweatshirt and pants, along with fun earrings, but didn't think anything of it. As I was leaving, I saw the receptionist was wearing jammies and had freckles painted on her cheeks. I blurted out, "Oh, that's right, it's Halloween!" She laughed and replied, "I sure hope so! I like to dress comfortably, but I don't think I'd normally wear this to work!" I honestly had forgotten today was Halloween until I was confronted with a baby girl making appointments.

Tooth Hurty

Ok, for those of you who have never heard that riddle, here it is:

Q: What time is it when you're at the dentist's office?
A: Tooth-Hurty

Actually, my teeth don't hurt. They're just wickedly stained from coffee and I was years overdue for a cleaning and exam. We've not been to the dentist since we lost my good dental coverage at my last job and our dentist wasn't on hubby's new plan. The good news is, I have no cavities! Wooo! The semi-bad news is I have a little bit of gingivitis, but not too bad. By the time I left, I found out that both the dentist and hygienist like dogs. Leave it to me to sniff out fellow dog lovers. Howie's having his first appointment tomorrow and I'm getting my teeth cleaned. This dentist is really thorough, so the cleaning comes on your second visit. Yeah, there's not a lot going on in my life...

Oh, well, other than it only being 23 days until vacation now. Wooooo! Every day my Cajun friend Lisa's been sending me a countdown and link to something cheap/fun to do in her area of Louisiana. One link she sent was for the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans. Now, THAT looks awesome. We won't have a lot of spending money on our vacation, but that is one place we have got to see. The other thing we're definitely budgeting to do is The Cajun Man's swamp tour. One other thing that sounds fun is hearing some MUSIC. Today's countdown link was for The Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum, and their homepage says there's Cajun music nights...Only $1 to get in, so it passes the cheapness test.

Other than that, we'll pretty much hang out with Lisa's family and see some sights. I've never been to a place with a tropical climate like Louisiana, so I'm pretty excited about seeing the wildlife down there. The only other tour I would considering paying for is one of a cemetery; I've always wanted to see the New Orleans cemeteries, but Lisa cautioned that they're not safe for people to just walk around in alone, and that we'd better plan on a tour group if we want to see one. The way I zone out in my happy little world when taking photographs, I'd probably be a prime mugging target, LOL.

The Midas Touch

This is Midas, our friend's cat. As you can see, he's a very busy kitty and, though blurry, I think this shot pretty much captures that. He poked around in the woods behind us when we took a walk, taking his good old time and falling behind. As soon as I'd stop and turn around to take his picture, though, he'd dash up my way expecting scritches. Gee, think he's conditioned? ;)

I think I'll make Midas here the focus of my homepage's index page. He's just hangin' out in the woods, checking everything out, kind of like I was the day I took that shot.

It's done.

MM...With Minutes to Spare

My, what an assortment of questions today for Promoguy's Monday Mission 2.43:

1. Ever do anything over and over just to make someone else happy but discover you actually hate it?
Well, something I've discovered in life is it ain't all about me. Of course there are such things I've discovered I've hated. But sometimes in life you grit your teeth and get through the stuff you hate because you love someone enough to sacrifice and step outside of the land of flowers and butterflies. ;)

2. What kinds of obligations do you enjoy?
I struggle with enjoying obligations, per-say. That word has a negative connotation to me, equalling "joyless chore". I do enjoy being married and the obligation and permenance of that relationship. I enjoy helping my mom and mother-in-law learn the joys of computers, too.

3. What are your feelings about celebrating Halloween?
Bah-humbug. I think the trick-or-treating is fun for kids, but I don't like the really gory displays. And I have a personal aversion to the color orange because my father was obsessed with hunter's orange and the spray-painting of such things as trash can lids in said color. That doesn't leave a whole lot of love for Halloween orange, with the exception of real pumpkins, other squash, and leaves.

4. Are there any stories of bodily functions you would prefer people not share with you in conversation?
It depends on the person and the context. I dislike hearing about zits and their poppage. :P

5. What do you think is the most important aspect of personal hygiene that bothers you when people overlook it?
Basic cleanliness and deodorant usage. Oh, man, who can't afford $1.50 for deodorant every few months? And there's running water and soap just about everywhere if you really care to be clean.

6. Ponder the thought of being forever young, living on endlessly, being immortal. What would that life be like for you?
It would be lonely. I can't imagine having to leave those I love behind, to watch the decay and death prey upon them as I saw no end in sight.

7. What's the last thing you felt was "worth fighting for?"
Generally I'm a little wimpy in speaking out about issues, especially those of a more limited interest. I do, however, think the freedoms we have here in the US are worth fighting for. Just the fact that I am free to express such things - that is something worth fighting for.

BONUS: Sooner or later, they all will be gone...why don't they stay young?
Cute, considering. Forever Young.

Today's comment question: What is the last thing you do before going to bed?
Usually, if I haven't already gulped it down, I jump back up and go take my birth control pill. A decade ago, I got into the habit of taking it as I went to bed. Hey, it makes sense since bed is...well, you know, a happenin' place sometimes and we don't want kids. The association has stuck, and I've only missed a few the last 3,650-odd pills I've ingested these last ten years.

Into the Woods

We spent the afternoon at the hilltop home of one of Howie's coworkers today. She owns 13 acres and she built her cedar home up at the top of the property. The property's marvelous, full of old trees and all that wonderful understory of undisturbed woods. Her house is really cool, too, and decorated just as Howie and I would decorate. I told her, she would be the easiest person in the world for me to shop for since all I'd have to do is pick out things I liked.

This get-together was the second in a series the gardening folk at Howie's job decided to do; we've been having a potluck at each person's home every month or two, making the rounds. It's so cool to just kick back and visit, and to tour the different homes and yards. We had two types of chili today, along with a really nice, beefy veggie soup, jalepeno cornbread, rosemary bread, and all manner of toppings on homemade vanilla ice cream. *burp*

I got a chance to see more of the surrounding woods when Teresa took a couple of us to see her favorite tree on the property, a huge old oak that grew into three trunks. What an awesome tree that is! I also found, by seeing some growing on her property, that the wee little sapling I have growing at the foot of our sycamore is a cedar. I think I'll let it grow. :)

P.S. Why is there so much space between this last line and my row of thumbnails? Can anyone help me out here?

Fireworks

I love fireworks. Since I didn't get to see them this year, I thought this was pretty fun to see in my inbox just now. Enjoy the Lady Liberty Fireworks, y'all. :)

Thanks to Those Who Tend My Plot

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."
-- Marcel Proust, French author (born 7/10/1871)

Even more than those gardeners who make me happy, I thank the ones who love me enough to prune me when I have an errant cane or need some shaping. When you're pruned, it makes you grow deeper, stronger roots. When you're pruned, it makes you send out new growth. Pruning hurts sometimes, but it's a good thing. So, thanks.

Friday Five Again

In keeping with the season, Promoguy scared up some good questions this week:

1. What is your favorite scary movie?
It'd have to be Sixth Sense. It was suspenseful and creepy without a bunch of bloody, gross-out scenes. And it wasn't just a senseless violence movie.

2. What is your favorite Halloween treat?
Hmmmmm, it's a tie between Snickers bars and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Oh, and Hershey's Dark chocolate mini-bars. 'Course those little Mr. Goodbar's are awfully good, too, and Crackle bars are tasty and textured...Leave the Pixie Stix and Sweet Tarts for the kiddies and give me the CHOCOLATE, baby!

3. Do you dress up for Halloween? If so, describe your best Halloween costume.
When I'm working or have plans with our friends for beggar's night, I do. My best costume was from 1999, The Bad Hair Day Fairy, which I mentioned in my Monday Mission answers (posted late, on Wednesday of this week).

Second to that is my Gardenwife costume, which is basically a straw hat I doctored up with gardening stuff, a fan of fake credit cards in the brim, and a homemade "I break for plant sales" caution sign on its back. I wear a denim jumper, my hat, gardening gloves, flower socks and sneakers with a bold butterfly print.

4. Do you enjoy going to haunted houses or other spooky events?
Not really. I prefer a suspenseful movie to live-action stuff any day.

5. Will you dress up for Halloween this year?
I doubt it. Naaaah. My friends aren't doing beggar's night this year since one of them has to be away on a business trip, and I'm just not in the mood, anyway.