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.