Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Stars..........
My sister's son's wife's father died yesterday morning after a long and very tough fight with cancer.
His 4 year old grand daughter said: "Opa went to become a star yesterday", and promptly drew and colored a card for her grandmother with stars on it.
We had been waiting for this man to end his journey. I did not know him personally, may have met him once, but he is/was part of our extended family, and my thoughts are going out to my nephew and his wife and his two small children, as well as my sister, who lost her husband 25 years ago from lung cancer. She was still so young, with two little boys to raise.
It must have affected her deeply, especially since her anniversary was October 24th (just like ours) and even though is has been a long time, every year we all go back in our minds to those days. This was compounded yesterday I am sure.
My brother in law died two days before Bugs was born. He was only 37 years old, my sister 27.
It seems though, the older we get, the more profoundly it affects us when someone passes away, as we're becoming more aware that we too are getting older and closer to the end of our lives.
The last few days have been quiet here. No big upheavals, no big problems.
Boo-boo is becoming a real toddler. Her mom cut her hair, and all of a sudden she has this personality. She is climbing on everything, launches herself on my bed, gets into some rather narrow spots (see picture from yesterday) and we have to keep our eye on her every second of the day.
Today I decided to stay at home, not go anywhere. The library story time is now a thing of the past as she was getting too big for that group, and the new group....well....I suppose I should give it a few more tries, but I wish they would have a different 'teacher.'
Gas is down to $2.20 today.
I watched Obama's infomercial last night. It was slick I guess, but giving the other side plenty of ammunition to whine. We are starting to get phone calls from local republicans running for office.
I find those phone calls very offensive, as they are all 'canned' You can't even react or speak to the person. So I hang up the second I hear what it is.
I am so nervous about this election's outcome, I'm a nervous wreck. I try not to read about it, or watch TV about it, I just wish it was Wednesday and the whole thing was over with.
People here in Georgia are lining up for hours, sometimes 4 - 6 hours, to do their early voting.
It is amazing.
Where we went there was no line, we went in, we were done within 15 minutes.
Oh the joys of living in the neck-of-the-woods! In our county we also don't have to get our car's emissions checked. And getting your car tags, or any other government issue taken care of is a sinch. Never any lines, usually friendly, unhurried clerks. (y'all)
(I still don't like it here though *lol*)
We are listing a bunch of CDs on eBay again, as we're anticipating paying for the new wheelchair and the 6 months hormone shot for Wheelie coming up.
I got one of my auctions pulled by eBay because my picture showed a nude girl.
Perhaps some of you remember the album, Blind Faith, with the blond nude girl on it holding a model airplane, blue skies behind her.
Oh, I understand the reason. In this day and age with the internet and the prevalence of kiddie porn running rampant, but my first reaction was: Geesh, how anal are we becoming.
How afraid we are these days.
Is it a good thing? To be made more aware? Or is it overblown?
The worst thing my parents ever worried about was that we would be accosted by a flasher.
We called that a kinderlokker.
I personally think we are being frightened too much. We should feel free and safe to let our kids play outside again, like in the olden days.
I am getting off my subject, I had better stop. Time to clean up the toys and put my feet up.
SGMKJ!
His 4 year old grand daughter said: "Opa went to become a star yesterday", and promptly drew and colored a card for her grandmother with stars on it.
We had been waiting for this man to end his journey. I did not know him personally, may have met him once, but he is/was part of our extended family, and my thoughts are going out to my nephew and his wife and his two small children, as well as my sister, who lost her husband 25 years ago from lung cancer. She was still so young, with two little boys to raise.
It must have affected her deeply, especially since her anniversary was October 24th (just like ours) and even though is has been a long time, every year we all go back in our minds to those days. This was compounded yesterday I am sure.
My brother in law died two days before Bugs was born. He was only 37 years old, my sister 27.
It seems though, the older we get, the more profoundly it affects us when someone passes away, as we're becoming more aware that we too are getting older and closer to the end of our lives.
The last few days have been quiet here. No big upheavals, no big problems.
Boo-boo is becoming a real toddler. Her mom cut her hair, and all of a sudden she has this personality. She is climbing on everything, launches herself on my bed, gets into some rather narrow spots (see picture from yesterday) and we have to keep our eye on her every second of the day.
Today I decided to stay at home, not go anywhere. The library story time is now a thing of the past as she was getting too big for that group, and the new group....well....I suppose I should give it a few more tries, but I wish they would have a different 'teacher.'
Gas is down to $2.20 today.
I watched Obama's infomercial last night. It was slick I guess, but giving the other side plenty of ammunition to whine. We are starting to get phone calls from local republicans running for office.
I find those phone calls very offensive, as they are all 'canned' You can't even react or speak to the person. So I hang up the second I hear what it is.
I am so nervous about this election's outcome, I'm a nervous wreck. I try not to read about it, or watch TV about it, I just wish it was Wednesday and the whole thing was over with.
People here in Georgia are lining up for hours, sometimes 4 - 6 hours, to do their early voting.
It is amazing.
Where we went there was no line, we went in, we were done within 15 minutes.
Oh the joys of living in the neck-of-the-woods! In our county we also don't have to get our car's emissions checked. And getting your car tags, or any other government issue taken care of is a sinch. Never any lines, usually friendly, unhurried clerks. (y'all)
(I still don't like it here though *lol*)
We are listing a bunch of CDs on eBay again, as we're anticipating paying for the new wheelchair and the 6 months hormone shot for Wheelie coming up.
I got one of my auctions pulled by eBay because my picture showed a nude girl.
Perhaps some of you remember the album, Blind Faith, with the blond nude girl on it holding a model airplane, blue skies behind her.
Oh, I understand the reason. In this day and age with the internet and the prevalence of kiddie porn running rampant, but my first reaction was: Geesh, how anal are we becoming.
How afraid we are these days.
Is it a good thing? To be made more aware? Or is it overblown?
The worst thing my parents ever worried about was that we would be accosted by a flasher.
We called that a kinderlokker.
I personally think we are being frightened too much. We should feel free and safe to let our kids play outside again, like in the olden days.
I am getting off my subject, I had better stop. Time to clean up the toys and put my feet up.
SGMKJ!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
For those of you who use handicap toilets while there are able toilets availabe
Be forewarned.
This is a really shitty story.
Literally!!
A long time ago when I worked in a local department store, there was a disabled wheelchair bound lady who tried to get to the public toilet, only to find the handicap stall occupied, she had to use a regular stall.
She didn't make it.
When I came in the restroom, our janitor was on her way with a bucket, wearing large rubber gloves.
The back wall of the toilet was completely covered with crap.
The lady came out looking so upset and terribly embarrassed.
Her feelings washed over me, and I pledged then and there I would NEVER use a handicap toilet ever again.
Even though I've had to deal with these accidents with my mother in law, and having had to deal with diapers and such with my children, nothing really prepared me for the reality that faces us now.
Wheelie has had these accidents all too often. Thankfully they mostly happen at home, but we have also experienced harrowing times when we were driving around somewhere, trying to find a bathroom. Finally finding a MacDonalds, and trying to go into the men's bathroom, get him cleaned up, and get out with his dirty clothes, and having to ask the staff for cleaning stuff and a bucket. I wasn't about to have them clean the mess.
One of the other times was when we were lost in Atlanta, trying to find the new IKEA store. We were in an industrial part of town when the urge hit.
I found a building which looked like a business of some sorts, and asked the receptionist if we could use their restroom. One of her older co-workers saw the problem immediately, and she let us use their facilities. Same story. Huge mess, took an hour to clean it all up. I wanted to send that lady a note, but I can't for the life of me find the street or the business. The whole episode was just so surreal.
We always carry a backpack with supplies and a change of clothes, that's not the problem, it's just that sometimes when the shit hits the fan (or the wall) a disabled person cannot get into the large stall, because some perfectly able person feels entitled to use the big stall to go potty, even though there are plenty of regular stalls available.
This morning I was so damn grateful it happened at home. But it is becoming a bigger problem, when my own body is not cooperating, when I can't lift my arm or bend over.
Still, we cleaned up the mess, cleaned the bathroom, changed his clothes, get the washing machine going, and we're were off to the races again.
I belonged to a Yahoo group for Caregivers. I had to stop because the stories I kept reading were so depressing. One thing I learned though is that compared to some folks, we have it very easy. And believe me folks, I do count my blessings. It could be so much worse. It might get much worse, but for now it's not too bad.
Nevertheless, and I am sure you will agree with me, that the handicap bathroom in public places should NOT be used by able people.
You never know when some soul who cannot get to the pot fast enough is going to be in dire need.
And know that I WILL say something to you when you leave the handicap stall, looking perfectly able!!
SGMKJ
This is a really shitty story.
Literally!!
A long time ago when I worked in a local department store, there was a disabled wheelchair bound lady who tried to get to the public toilet, only to find the handicap stall occupied, she had to use a regular stall.
She didn't make it.
When I came in the restroom, our janitor was on her way with a bucket, wearing large rubber gloves.
The back wall of the toilet was completely covered with crap.
The lady came out looking so upset and terribly embarrassed.
Her feelings washed over me, and I pledged then and there I would NEVER use a handicap toilet ever again.
Even though I've had to deal with these accidents with my mother in law, and having had to deal with diapers and such with my children, nothing really prepared me for the reality that faces us now.
Wheelie has had these accidents all too often. Thankfully they mostly happen at home, but we have also experienced harrowing times when we were driving around somewhere, trying to find a bathroom. Finally finding a MacDonalds, and trying to go into the men's bathroom, get him cleaned up, and get out with his dirty clothes, and having to ask the staff for cleaning stuff and a bucket. I wasn't about to have them clean the mess.
One of the other times was when we were lost in Atlanta, trying to find the new IKEA store. We were in an industrial part of town when the urge hit.
I found a building which looked like a business of some sorts, and asked the receptionist if we could use their restroom. One of her older co-workers saw the problem immediately, and she let us use their facilities. Same story. Huge mess, took an hour to clean it all up. I wanted to send that lady a note, but I can't for the life of me find the street or the business. The whole episode was just so surreal.
We always carry a backpack with supplies and a change of clothes, that's not the problem, it's just that sometimes when the shit hits the fan (or the wall) a disabled person cannot get into the large stall, because some perfectly able person feels entitled to use the big stall to go potty, even though there are plenty of regular stalls available.
This morning I was so damn grateful it happened at home. But it is becoming a bigger problem, when my own body is not cooperating, when I can't lift my arm or bend over.
Still, we cleaned up the mess, cleaned the bathroom, changed his clothes, get the washing machine going, and we're were off to the races again.
I belonged to a Yahoo group for Caregivers. I had to stop because the stories I kept reading were so depressing. One thing I learned though is that compared to some folks, we have it very easy. And believe me folks, I do count my blessings. It could be so much worse. It might get much worse, but for now it's not too bad.
Nevertheless, and I am sure you will agree with me, that the handicap bathroom in public places should NOT be used by able people.
You never know when some soul who cannot get to the pot fast enough is going to be in dire need.
And know that I WILL say something to you when you leave the handicap stall, looking perfectly able!!
SGMKJ
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Just a quickie
Gasoline is $2.34 at Ingle's today.
We went to vote on Wednesday. On TV we saw the 3 to 4 hour long lines in other counties around here, but here in Redneck city we had no one in line, and we were in and out in 15 minutes.
At least we don't have to join the hordes on November 4th.
Humana approved the wheelchair!! Pays 80%, now we wait to see how long it takes for the wheelchair people to make this thing.
Nana has been calling both me and Bugs and leaving messages. I told Bugs she needs to call her back and tell her that until everything is settled with daddy, she doesn't want any contact with the family. Bugs should have done this last week, but, always the prograstinator....
So this morning she promised to call her....we'll see
We were called out of our Ambien induced psycedelic dreams at 7:30 this morning by the delivery guys from Lowe's. They would be there in 20 minutes.
Yikes!
But, true to their word, they were here on time, and now I have a nice clean new fridge, and a nice clean floor behind it too. hehe
I quickly put everything back in and my pictures on the doors...looks like the old one...except it's CLEAN. And it WORKS.
Boo and I went grocery shopping. I decided to leave the 'old' freezer stuff at Bugs' she can use the food, hell, she said she already ate half the carton of icecream anyway, she doesn't want the veggies :>)
It stopped raining, the sun is out and it's a beautiful day.
SGMKJ!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Sears 0 - Lowe's 1
Well, the fridge truly bit the dust.
Yesterday was one of those days where I had one nerve left and everyone and everything was getting on it.
Not a good day. No way was I able to make a decision about whether to buy a new fridge, or call Sears and have this one repaired. A few other issues played along with my confused state of mind, not in the least the turning weather.
We tried to take the temperature in both the freezer and the refrigerator parts, and it was clear by 5pm that even though the motor was hummin', it was defrosting.
At that point I took most of my frozen food to Bug's house and filled her freezer. The rest I tossed.
Since the fridge part still felt cool, I left all the stuff in there overnight.
Having been blessed with a decent night's sleep, I woke up with a few less cobwebs in my head, and I thought I'd give Sears repairs a try.
I called the 1-800 number and weaved myself through their voice activated system, which is completely frustrating as even if you clear your throat or sniff your nose, you get the response: Sorry, would you repeat that, I did not understand."
I was finally forwarded to a breathing being, one who had a definite accent, and who's call center is probably located in Bumfuck - India somewhere.
The guy tried though, I will give him credit for that, and his English was much better that the usual yahoos that answer these calls.
He proceeded to tell me that a repair person would cost $75 to knock on my door, then a charge for diagnostic work,
Then he launched into his spiel about how I should buy a service contract for a year for a mere $299.99. IF the repair person was not able to fix my fridge, I would then receive a coupon of $500 towards a new fridge.
Let's see, that's $500, minus the $299.99, minus the service call and diagnostic costs, which probably add up to about $500.
I asked him why he thought this was such a good idea. He didn't answer.
I then asked him when they could come out and look at my fridge.
He said: "November 4th!"
I told him: "Thank you!" and hung up.
It doesn't take much for me to become a "former" customer. You basically get one chance in wowing me with your customer service, and if you don't live up to the challenge I just go to the next company.
Maybe that sounds a bit anal, but that's me.
So we decided to try Lowe's. (We haven't shopped at Home Depot for ages, since that stuff with Nardello happened)
It was raining cats and dogs, not to worry. We braved the rain and followed our noses to the sign that said: Appliances.
After ten minutes of browsing, we found what we wanted for a decent price.
We walked up to the service desk, told the fellow (Alvin) we wanted "that one" and we were interested in their 12 month, zero down, next day free delivery and pick up of old fridge, no interest credit plan.
He plugged all our information in on his computer and sent us to the credit desk to handle the application.
After 15 minutes we were done.
Point for Lowe's. They've got a new customer.
So now the stuff that is still viable and didn't rot overnight is in my laundry sink in 6 bags of ice. You know, the milk, the juice, Opa's juice (beer) the butter, the mayo....etc.
Tomorrow morning we'll have a new fridge, and we'll have to replace a whole bunch of groceries again.
Yippee!
As I said, it's raining. It's also cold. Boo came and was in a shitty mood. I let her run around for 30 minutes and then put her down. She's out. Whew.
Gasoline is down to $2.47 this morning.
My whole body still aches.
But emotionally I feel a tad better.
Which is a good thing.
Happy 27th Anniversary, Wheelie, here's your gift: a brand spanking new fridge! *lol*
SGMKJ!
Yesterday was one of those days where I had one nerve left and everyone and everything was getting on it.
Not a good day. No way was I able to make a decision about whether to buy a new fridge, or call Sears and have this one repaired. A few other issues played along with my confused state of mind, not in the least the turning weather.
We tried to take the temperature in both the freezer and the refrigerator parts, and it was clear by 5pm that even though the motor was hummin', it was defrosting.
At that point I took most of my frozen food to Bug's house and filled her freezer. The rest I tossed.
Since the fridge part still felt cool, I left all the stuff in there overnight.
Having been blessed with a decent night's sleep, I woke up with a few less cobwebs in my head, and I thought I'd give Sears repairs a try.
I called the 1-800 number and weaved myself through their voice activated system, which is completely frustrating as even if you clear your throat or sniff your nose, you get the response: Sorry, would you repeat that, I did not understand."
I was finally forwarded to a breathing being, one who had a definite accent, and who's call center is probably located in Bumfuck - India somewhere.
The guy tried though, I will give him credit for that, and his English was much better that the usual yahoos that answer these calls.
He proceeded to tell me that a repair person would cost $75 to knock on my door, then a charge for diagnostic work,
Then he launched into his spiel about how I should buy a service contract for a year for a mere $299.99. IF the repair person was not able to fix my fridge, I would then receive a coupon of $500 towards a new fridge.
Let's see, that's $500, minus the $299.99, minus the service call and diagnostic costs, which probably add up to about $500.
I asked him why he thought this was such a good idea. He didn't answer.
I then asked him when they could come out and look at my fridge.
He said: "November 4th!"
I told him: "Thank you!" and hung up.
It doesn't take much for me to become a "former" customer. You basically get one chance in wowing me with your customer service, and if you don't live up to the challenge I just go to the next company.
Maybe that sounds a bit anal, but that's me.
So we decided to try Lowe's. (We haven't shopped at Home Depot for ages, since that stuff with Nardello happened)
It was raining cats and dogs, not to worry. We braved the rain and followed our noses to the sign that said: Appliances.
After ten minutes of browsing, we found what we wanted for a decent price.
We walked up to the service desk, told the fellow (Alvin) we wanted "that one" and we were interested in their 12 month, zero down, next day free delivery and pick up of old fridge, no interest credit plan.
He plugged all our information in on his computer and sent us to the credit desk to handle the application.
After 15 minutes we were done.
Point for Lowe's. They've got a new customer.
So now the stuff that is still viable and didn't rot overnight is in my laundry sink in 6 bags of ice. You know, the milk, the juice, Opa's juice (beer) the butter, the mayo....etc.
Tomorrow morning we'll have a new fridge, and we'll have to replace a whole bunch of groceries again.
Yippee!
As I said, it's raining. It's also cold. Boo came and was in a shitty mood. I let her run around for 30 minutes and then put her down. She's out. Whew.
Gasoline is down to $2.47 this morning.
My whole body still aches.
But emotionally I feel a tad better.
Which is a good thing.
Happy 27th Anniversary, Wheelie, here's your gift: a brand spanking new fridge! *lol*
SGMKJ!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Last Friday, October 17
I wrote this email to my cousin Iggy in Australia last Saturday. One of my little jobs in life is to wire my aunt's social security from her B of A account to her bank in Oz.
Here goes:
Well, I tried to wire your money this morning. (Yesterday I had Boo "early", Friday mornings are usually my mornings off, but Bugs had to work) so it had to be Saturday.
My usual clerk at B of A was moved to another branch (she got a promotion, they DO move the SMART ones forward, great for them, I wish them well) which left me to deal with the branch manager from the cabbage patch (the dumb ones don't get promoted, they are just schlepped from one dumb branch to another, this chick seemingly being one of them)
I am familiar with this gal, because she used to run the other branch in town, the branch that doesn't have handicap access, and where I nearly broke my hand once tripping on the stairs, where all the employees sit around with their thumbs up their asses and don't know how to do their job very well. (I tried to exchange some Euros there once, boy did that create a tidal wave of insecurity!!)
She saw me coming and her blood pressure went up visibly. :>) (I must have an assertive aura)
So anyway, she was welcoming and directing traffic, appartently the main item on her job description, and the person "in the office" was helping another client, there was another couple ahead of me, they were waiting for an answer from her for something.
I told her I didn't mind waiting, I think I even smiled very accomodating)
She became very nervous! :>)
She asked one of the tellers to come and do the wire for me. Of course the teller didn't know HOW, so she commandeered the teller away from her spot to direct the traffic while SHE was going to do the wire.
Mind you, the teller would have been more productive behind her counter as the line of people was getting long.
But, I had my form filled out, and figured it would take no longer than ten minutes.
OOPS, Calypso forgot to fill out the account number on the form.
Loretta went from red to purple. She hemmed and hawed and wondered what to do. I helpfully suggested she check her branch's copies of the other million transfers I had done there. My teeth were now staring to gnash.
Light switch on, she bent over to get it from the credenza.
Oh noooo!!!!!!!!!
The credenza was locked, and no jiggling or pulling was going to open it. What to do, what to do...
I tried to send her a subliminal message: "ask someone for FUCKING KEY", when she suggested I go home and GET the account number, CALL her with it, and she would THEN enter the information on the computer..
Uhhhhh....
nooooooo...............
I told her: " forget it, I'll come back on Monday" (when HOPEFULLY someone will be there who knows what they are doing, otherwise I am not going to fool around and drive all the way to Woodstock, which is where my very knowledgeable clerk Nicole was promoted to)
So, long story short...I will try again on Monday morning, my OTHER morning off...
Even though I am way past menopause, I still get my monthly PMS, and a little setback like this really throws me for a loop.
I asked Wheelie what I should do, go back today and really give this lady a heart attack, or wait until Monday. He told me (wow, he SPOKE) that I was overreacting a little and should just go on Monday.
The fact that he open his mouth and offered a modicum of advice made me decide that that's what I am going to do, if anything to make him feel like he DOES make a difference in the way I make my decisions.
ARGHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Love, Cous
That was Friday.
On Monday I was lucky....sort of....The woman that was there had done this transaction a few times before, and she knew how to do it...BUT...she delegated the chore to another clerk, who...hadn't...and suggested a second clerk to go and stand there and watch to see how it was DONE...
Thank God I had decaf that morning. I settled back in my chair, ready for the show.
It took FIVE tries, I kid you not! Finally the first woman sat down and "did it herself"...
but she seemed to keep running into a snag...the system wouldn't "take"
The funny part is that I KNEW what she was doing wrong, but I didn't want to embarrass her (yeah right) and was hoping she would discover her problem...hehehe..
She turned her monitor around for me to watch, as she was trying to explain that she couldn't "do it"
I let her off the hook at that point and showed her that she was putting the wrong number in the wrong spot...
AAAAAAAHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The wire sent, all was well, I thanked them profusely, and dashed out to my car where I closed the door and let out a primordial scream.....
For those of you who took the time to write me and wonder what the hell was wrong and why don't you write in your bloody blog anymore, THANK YOU! :>)
It has been a long depressing week, one little shitty thing after the other. I have been too numb and depressed to sit down and write about it.
I won't bore y'all with the continuing Bugs saga...it just goes on and on...
As soon as we arrive on the top of the roller coaster, it plunges down again...I can't wait for the damn ride to be over.
It has been getting cooler here, a nice time of year. But my body is protesting. Everything hurts.
On the positive side, the gas only costs $2.53 a gallon today; Boo is being a sweetheart, and tomorrow is our 27th wedding anniversary.
I managed to find a set of DVD's with the Smothers Brothers 3rd and last season, which was my present to Wheelie. He was thrilled! The frigging bloody left wing liberal! *lolol*
I think our fridge is broken. My freezer thawed. We're taking on a wait and see attitude right now, but if this thing doesn't freeze everything back within an hour or two we will have to make the decision to put it down and buy a new one. This one is 7 years old. I just came home from Target with 75 bucks worth of frozen food.
Time to take advantage of the baby's nap, I am going to lay myself down and rest my arm and shoulder.
SGMKJ!
Here goes:
Well, I tried to wire your money this morning. (Yesterday I had Boo "early", Friday mornings are usually my mornings off, but Bugs had to work) so it had to be Saturday.
My usual clerk at B of A was moved to another branch (she got a promotion, they DO move the SMART ones forward, great for them, I wish them well) which left me to deal with the branch manager from the cabbage patch (the dumb ones don't get promoted, they are just schlepped from one dumb branch to another, this chick seemingly being one of them)
I am familiar with this gal, because she used to run the other branch in town, the branch that doesn't have handicap access, and where I nearly broke my hand once tripping on the stairs, where all the employees sit around with their thumbs up their asses and don't know how to do their job very well. (I tried to exchange some Euros there once, boy did that create a tidal wave of insecurity!!)
She saw me coming and her blood pressure went up visibly. :>) (I must have an assertive aura)
So anyway, she was welcoming and directing traffic, appartently the main item on her job description, and the person "in the office" was helping another client, there was another couple ahead of me, they were waiting for an answer from her for something.
I told her I didn't mind waiting, I think I even smiled very accomodating)
She became very nervous! :>)
She asked one of the tellers to come and do the wire for me. Of course the teller didn't know HOW, so she commandeered the teller away from her spot to direct the traffic while SHE was going to do the wire.
Mind you, the teller would have been more productive behind her counter as the line of people was getting long.
But, I had my form filled out, and figured it would take no longer than ten minutes.
OOPS, Calypso forgot to fill out the account number on the form.
Loretta went from red to purple. She hemmed and hawed and wondered what to do. I helpfully suggested she check her branch's copies of the other million transfers I had done there. My teeth were now staring to gnash.
Light switch on, she bent over to get it from the credenza.
Oh noooo!!!!!!!!!
The credenza was locked, and no jiggling or pulling was going to open it. What to do, what to do...
I tried to send her a subliminal message: "ask someone for FUCKING KEY", when she suggested I go home and GET the account number, CALL her with it, and she would THEN enter the information on the computer..
Uhhhhh....
nooooooo...............
I told her: " forget it, I'll come back on Monday" (when HOPEFULLY someone will be there who knows what they are doing, otherwise I am not going to fool around and drive all the way to Woodstock, which is where my very knowledgeable clerk Nicole was promoted to)
So, long story short...I will try again on Monday morning, my OTHER morning off...
Even though I am way past menopause, I still get my monthly PMS, and a little setback like this really throws me for a loop.
I asked Wheelie what I should do, go back today and really give this lady a heart attack, or wait until Monday. He told me (wow, he SPOKE) that I was overreacting a little and should just go on Monday.
The fact that he open his mouth and offered a modicum of advice made me decide that that's what I am going to do, if anything to make him feel like he DOES make a difference in the way I make my decisions.
ARGHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Love, Cous
That was Friday.
On Monday I was lucky....sort of....The woman that was there had done this transaction a few times before, and she knew how to do it...BUT...she delegated the chore to another clerk, who...hadn't...and suggested a second clerk to go and stand there and watch to see how it was DONE...
Thank God I had decaf that morning. I settled back in my chair, ready for the show.
It took FIVE tries, I kid you not! Finally the first woman sat down and "did it herself"...
but she seemed to keep running into a snag...the system wouldn't "take"
The funny part is that I KNEW what she was doing wrong, but I didn't want to embarrass her (yeah right) and was hoping she would discover her problem...hehehe..
She turned her monitor around for me to watch, as she was trying to explain that she couldn't "do it"
I let her off the hook at that point and showed her that she was putting the wrong number in the wrong spot...
AAAAAAAHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The wire sent, all was well, I thanked them profusely, and dashed out to my car where I closed the door and let out a primordial scream.....
For those of you who took the time to write me and wonder what the hell was wrong and why don't you write in your bloody blog anymore, THANK YOU! :>)
It has been a long depressing week, one little shitty thing after the other. I have been too numb and depressed to sit down and write about it.
I won't bore y'all with the continuing Bugs saga...it just goes on and on...
As soon as we arrive on the top of the roller coaster, it plunges down again...I can't wait for the damn ride to be over.
It has been getting cooler here, a nice time of year. But my body is protesting. Everything hurts.
On the positive side, the gas only costs $2.53 a gallon today; Boo is being a sweetheart, and tomorrow is our 27th wedding anniversary.
I managed to find a set of DVD's with the Smothers Brothers 3rd and last season, which was my present to Wheelie. He was thrilled! The frigging bloody left wing liberal! *lolol*
I think our fridge is broken. My freezer thawed. We're taking on a wait and see attitude right now, but if this thing doesn't freeze everything back within an hour or two we will have to make the decision to put it down and buy a new one. This one is 7 years old. I just came home from Target with 75 bucks worth of frozen food.
Time to take advantage of the baby's nap, I am going to lay myself down and rest my arm and shoulder.
SGMKJ!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Dorf Goes Fishing and my new job at Disney World......
I paid $2.85 / gallon of gas today, times are-a-changin'
I've discovered a new author of mystery books, he's not NEW new, but to me he is.
His name is G.M. Ford and he writes the Leo Waterman mysteries. These stories play in Seattle, and this guy has a great way of writing. If you like Kinky Friendman (the one of 'friend-of-Willie Nelson' fame; the guy who ran for governor of Texas, who was also in a band named Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys) than this is the guy for you.
Anyway, as I was reading his book "The Bums Rush" I ran into something he said about Dorf Goes Fishing. You might remember the hilareous Tim Conway movies.
So I got up and checked online to see if there were any Dorf movies available on eBay.
While searching and flipping through the pages I ran into an auction for a 4 CD set of The Smothers Brothers 4th (and last I think) TV season.
WOW! How timely! With all the hinting these days about the Vietnam resistance movement, the Weathermen....the palling around with terrorists, all THAT stuff going on in the early 70s....
I've been looking for this for ages! Didn't even know it existed on DVD!
So I bought it immediately, to hell with the high price, and felt giddy as a little kid with a new bike. This will be the perfect Christmas gift for Wheelie!!!
We are inundated by Christmas/and other catalog these days. That's nothing new or remarkable.
But some of these catalogs enable me to relax and dream. One of those catalogs we got yesterday was from Restauration Hardware. Man, that furniture they offer is scrumptious. Beautiful Mission style stuff, super expensive.
So I browse the pages, pretending I just won the lottery and picking out the new furniture for my new house, the one on the river, with a few acres of woods and a long driveway lined by thousand year old oaks....
Yeah right!
This morning I had a dream that I was driving by this Dutch looking farm, there was a sign (subliminal of course) that they were hiring, so I got out and me and Boo-boo went for an interview. We met this friendly gal who hired me on the spot, my new title: Secretary of Agriculture for Disney World. The job involves dealing with cows, and aligators.
I was thrilled!
Of course the commute it going to be a killer. Oh! And it's an evening job, so I can go to work after I put Boo to bed!
Speaking of whom....we went to the library this morning and she has been in bed since 11:15. No sleep, just a constant stream of babbling and laughing in there. That's ok with me. I don't know who she is talking with, but it seems to be a friend.
And no, I did not watch the debate last night.
I am sick and tired of politics.
It doesn't matter, whatever happens happens.
No, I am not a defeatist or fatalist, I just know there is nothing I can do about whatever will come from all this.
I just hope my side wins and that the little snake from Alaska will go back and crawl back under the rock she came from.
:>)
SGMKJ!
I've discovered a new author of mystery books, he's not NEW new, but to me he is.
His name is G.M. Ford and he writes the Leo Waterman mysteries. These stories play in Seattle, and this guy has a great way of writing. If you like Kinky Friendman (the one of 'friend-of-Willie Nelson' fame; the guy who ran for governor of Texas, who was also in a band named Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys) than this is the guy for you.
Anyway, as I was reading his book "The Bums Rush" I ran into something he said about Dorf Goes Fishing. You might remember the hilareous Tim Conway movies.
So I got up and checked online to see if there were any Dorf movies available on eBay.
While searching and flipping through the pages I ran into an auction for a 4 CD set of The Smothers Brothers 4th (and last I think) TV season.
WOW! How timely! With all the hinting these days about the Vietnam resistance movement, the Weathermen....the palling around with terrorists, all THAT stuff going on in the early 70s....
I've been looking for this for ages! Didn't even know it existed on DVD!
So I bought it immediately, to hell with the high price, and felt giddy as a little kid with a new bike. This will be the perfect Christmas gift for Wheelie!!!
We are inundated by Christmas/and other catalog these days. That's nothing new or remarkable.
But some of these catalogs enable me to relax and dream. One of those catalogs we got yesterday was from Restauration Hardware. Man, that furniture they offer is scrumptious. Beautiful Mission style stuff, super expensive.
So I browse the pages, pretending I just won the lottery and picking out the new furniture for my new house, the one on the river, with a few acres of woods and a long driveway lined by thousand year old oaks....
Yeah right!
This morning I had a dream that I was driving by this Dutch looking farm, there was a sign (subliminal of course) that they were hiring, so I got out and me and Boo-boo went for an interview. We met this friendly gal who hired me on the spot, my new title: Secretary of Agriculture for Disney World. The job involves dealing with cows, and aligators.
I was thrilled!
Of course the commute it going to be a killer. Oh! And it's an evening job, so I can go to work after I put Boo to bed!
Speaking of whom....we went to the library this morning and she has been in bed since 11:15. No sleep, just a constant stream of babbling and laughing in there. That's ok with me. I don't know who she is talking with, but it seems to be a friend.
And no, I did not watch the debate last night.
I am sick and tired of politics.
It doesn't matter, whatever happens happens.
No, I am not a defeatist or fatalist, I just know there is nothing I can do about whatever will come from all this.
I just hope my side wins and that the little snake from Alaska will go back and crawl back under the rock she came from.
:>)
SGMKJ!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Clocks............
While I was moving furniture around the other day I was trying to figure out what piece of furniture has been with me for the longest.
It was my two clocks.
I moved around a lot in my adult life time. From coast to coast several times, overseas and back.
Every time we've moved in the past 27 years we've given away most of our things, as stuff was just too cumbersome to move, or, and this IS a rather funny story, it wouldn't fit on the truck!
So much of the stuff you see around our house now is kind of new, furniture-wise. We bought the couch and chair at Pottery Barn back in California, the table right before we left there. The Ikea stuff is pretty much recent as well.
It's the small items that made it through all our moves. The picture albums, the dishes, some of the stuff on the walls, old mementos like baby clothes from my kids. The stuff I wouldn't give away or sell, and would be the stuff I'd grab in case of a hurricane or tornado.
These two clocks, however, have been schlepped around all over the world.
This particular one was found by my father on one of his garbage scrounge days. He found it on the stoop somewhere, someone discarded it as trash. It's an old clock early 1900 I think, the glass door has round glass, the clockwork itself is original. My father fixed it all up and made it work. Then he gave it to me. I was living in Holland at the time, after I left Puri, in 1975.
At one point the clock was repaired here in Georgia, but it never really worked well enough after that, and during one of the last moves it just really, really died, the glass door broke off, and the clockwork looks a mess.
Once on Bainbridge Island it wouldn't stop binging. It had a LOUD clear BING, and at one point it just kept on going. We placed it in the basement with a blanket over it...you could still hear it....bing...bing....bing....bing
It was hilareous.
It still sits on my shelf in the living room, as I just love it's shape, and the fact that my Father gave it to me.
The second clock is the one in the picture below. This particular one hangs in my mother's house, it's the "original" My dad made it, his own design. He used WWII bullet shells as weights. The wood is oak, the clockface brass. He cut out the Roman numerals very delicately.
We all loved that clock, so he had to make one for each of us.
Unfortunately, currently, mine sits on the top shelf in my garage, completely disassebled, I've tried to put it back together but don't have a clue as to how.
I don't have the heart to throw it away though, it has been with me for such a long time. Besides, it came from my father's hands.
If you are wondering about the folks in the picture....*S*...well, that's lil ole me surrounded by "the twins" Harry and Renee. I dated both of them, although not at the same time. :>)
I think this was taken at my going away to the USA party. The kid with the glasses was their cousin. I had a huge circle of friends, we all used to go dancing every Saturday at one of the local Catholic Church dance halls. We all smoked, we all drank beer (18 is the legal limit there), we drove motor scooters, and we generally had a wonderful time.
Getting back to the furniture that wouldn't fit in the truck:
When we decided to move back to California in 1999, I went out first. Hitched a Uhaul trailer behind my Ford Explorer and headed west. I had a need to live on my own for a little while, something I never had the chance to do, as I went directly from my parents home to my relatives home in California, to being married, to going back to Holland with a child, to coming back to California, etc etc etc................
At the time Wheelie was retired, or more correctly, he was laid off, as Polygram was sold by Seagrams (and later sold again to Warner Bros, and whoever owns it now, I don't have a clue)
In 2000 he got the wheelchair, but was still able to move around with his canes and pure willpower, piss and vinegar.
It felt like the perfect time for a seperation of sorts, as I felt it was the only chance I ever would get to live as a single girl for a while.
Wheelie went along with the plan...he's easy that way....:>)
So off I went. It took me 5 days to travel to California, taking one day in Utah to get very very sick, possibly food poisening from a hamburger I ate at one of the Holiday Inns I stayed at. SO I camped out for a day, in Elko, Nevada, almost there!
It was a wonderful trip. No problems at all. I listened to music, listened to books on tape, stayed at 'safe' looking hotel/motels along the way, always parking so I wouldn't have to back up, as I had NO clue how to back up the trailer without it going the wrong way.
I had already secured myself a one bedroom apartment in West Sacramento. I had a job transfer at Eddie Bauer. I was a happy camper.
Looking back it's kind of amazing how I managed all that. :>)
I spent a super 6 months being single. So different from anything I had ever done. When August came and Wheelie and Bugs knocked on my door I was sad for my 6 months to end.
Anyway...the furniture.........
Wheelie was using a fellow back in Georgia to mowe the lawn. This guy was also a real estate dabbler. He bought our house for his daughter. He also offered to move our stuff!
They rented the largest UHaul truck available. Loading the LP and CD collection first (filled the truck 3/4 of the way. Then they tried to pack everything else.
I got a call from Wheelie....:"hon...everything fits on the truck except....the furniture..."
Now this was a nice set we had bought not long ago. Red corduroy mission style oak couch and loveseat plus a huge oak table. He also couldn't fit my beautiful glass curio cabinet.
BUT...he did fit a god awful huge blue horizontal metal file cabninet he'd been schlepping around for years!!!!
MEN!
Depending what kind of house we lived in we either bought new or more furniture, or, when we had to scale down, gave it away.
We were a proverbial moving Goodwill company! :>)
So now I look around me and contemplate our possessions.
It ain't much. But it all fits well and looks nice.
I think.
We're down at a minimum, and we don't need to buy anything more.
Which is a good thing.
I guess when all's said and done you could put it this way:
We've shaken the box and the dust has settled, the crap is gone and the treasures remain.
SGMKJ!
It was my two clocks.
I moved around a lot in my adult life time. From coast to coast several times, overseas and back.
Every time we've moved in the past 27 years we've given away most of our things, as stuff was just too cumbersome to move, or, and this IS a rather funny story, it wouldn't fit on the truck!
So much of the stuff you see around our house now is kind of new, furniture-wise. We bought the couch and chair at Pottery Barn back in California, the table right before we left there. The Ikea stuff is pretty much recent as well.
It's the small items that made it through all our moves. The picture albums, the dishes, some of the stuff on the walls, old mementos like baby clothes from my kids. The stuff I wouldn't give away or sell, and would be the stuff I'd grab in case of a hurricane or tornado.
These two clocks, however, have been schlepped around all over the world.
This particular one was found by my father on one of his garbage scrounge days. He found it on the stoop somewhere, someone discarded it as trash. It's an old clock early 1900 I think, the glass door has round glass, the clockwork itself is original. My father fixed it all up and made it work. Then he gave it to me. I was living in Holland at the time, after I left Puri, in 1975.
At one point the clock was repaired here in Georgia, but it never really worked well enough after that, and during one of the last moves it just really, really died, the glass door broke off, and the clockwork looks a mess.
Once on Bainbridge Island it wouldn't stop binging. It had a LOUD clear BING, and at one point it just kept on going. We placed it in the basement with a blanket over it...you could still hear it....bing...bing....bing....bing
It was hilareous.
It still sits on my shelf in the living room, as I just love it's shape, and the fact that my Father gave it to me.
The second clock is the one in the picture below. This particular one hangs in my mother's house, it's the "original" My dad made it, his own design. He used WWII bullet shells as weights. The wood is oak, the clockface brass. He cut out the Roman numerals very delicately.
We all loved that clock, so he had to make one for each of us.
Unfortunately, currently, mine sits on the top shelf in my garage, completely disassebled, I've tried to put it back together but don't have a clue as to how.
I don't have the heart to throw it away though, it has been with me for such a long time. Besides, it came from my father's hands.
If you are wondering about the folks in the picture....*S*...well, that's lil ole me surrounded by "the twins" Harry and Renee. I dated both of them, although not at the same time. :>)
I think this was taken at my going away to the USA party. The kid with the glasses was their cousin. I had a huge circle of friends, we all used to go dancing every Saturday at one of the local Catholic Church dance halls. We all smoked, we all drank beer (18 is the legal limit there), we drove motor scooters, and we generally had a wonderful time.
Getting back to the furniture that wouldn't fit in the truck:
When we decided to move back to California in 1999, I went out first. Hitched a Uhaul trailer behind my Ford Explorer and headed west. I had a need to live on my own for a little while, something I never had the chance to do, as I went directly from my parents home to my relatives home in California, to being married, to going back to Holland with a child, to coming back to California, etc etc etc................
At the time Wheelie was retired, or more correctly, he was laid off, as Polygram was sold by Seagrams (and later sold again to Warner Bros, and whoever owns it now, I don't have a clue)
In 2000 he got the wheelchair, but was still able to move around with his canes and pure willpower, piss and vinegar.
It felt like the perfect time for a seperation of sorts, as I felt it was the only chance I ever would get to live as a single girl for a while.
Wheelie went along with the plan...he's easy that way....:>)
So off I went. It took me 5 days to travel to California, taking one day in Utah to get very very sick, possibly food poisening from a hamburger I ate at one of the Holiday Inns I stayed at. SO I camped out for a day, in Elko, Nevada, almost there!
It was a wonderful trip. No problems at all. I listened to music, listened to books on tape, stayed at 'safe' looking hotel/motels along the way, always parking so I wouldn't have to back up, as I had NO clue how to back up the trailer without it going the wrong way.
I had already secured myself a one bedroom apartment in West Sacramento. I had a job transfer at Eddie Bauer. I was a happy camper.
Looking back it's kind of amazing how I managed all that. :>)
I spent a super 6 months being single. So different from anything I had ever done. When August came and Wheelie and Bugs knocked on my door I was sad for my 6 months to end.
Anyway...the furniture.........
Wheelie was using a fellow back in Georgia to mowe the lawn. This guy was also a real estate dabbler. He bought our house for his daughter. He also offered to move our stuff!
They rented the largest UHaul truck available. Loading the LP and CD collection first (filled the truck 3/4 of the way. Then they tried to pack everything else.
I got a call from Wheelie....:"hon...everything fits on the truck except....the furniture..."
Now this was a nice set we had bought not long ago. Red corduroy mission style oak couch and loveseat plus a huge oak table. He also couldn't fit my beautiful glass curio cabinet.
BUT...he did fit a god awful huge blue horizontal metal file cabninet he'd been schlepping around for years!!!!
MEN!
Depending what kind of house we lived in we either bought new or more furniture, or, when we had to scale down, gave it away.
We were a proverbial moving Goodwill company! :>)
So now I look around me and contemplate our possessions.
It ain't much. But it all fits well and looks nice.
I think.
We're down at a minimum, and we don't need to buy anything more.
Which is a good thing.
I guess when all's said and done you could put it this way:
We've shaken the box and the dust has settled, the crap is gone and the treasures remain.
SGMKJ!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Supervoices
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ll_emGqZJ8&feature=related
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO8kbEyJD4w&feature=related
Check out above urls, not the best of qualities, but you get the idea (I hope)
I've been playing a few CDs in the car the last few days, much to Boo's pleasure.
A little explanation: My sister in Holland was a member of a local Pop choir for a long time. They came up with an interesting system of singing with a large group, you didn't have to be able to read music. You were put in a group with your voice range, and studied the particular part. Once a week the choir would come together to rehearse.
Whenever I would be in Holland I joined my sister at choir practise. It was so much fun.
But the best part was that once a year, choirs just like hers would come from all over Holland and would spend the day singing. Under the name Supervoices. The morning was spent rehearsing and fine tuning.
Then in the afternoon they would record. And in the evening they would do it all over again for an audience.
I've been to this event twice, and both times, the day was so amazingly fun, just to think of it still gives me goose bumps.
Imagine 220o some people in one huge hall, all singing!!!!
The YouTube video really doesn't do it justice. Even the CDs are not as good.
But being there live, feeling the love and enthusiasm, was one of the better experiences of my life.
The great thing is, that now, Boo seems to love these songs, as I play the CDs in the car. She knows when to shout out and when to clap, and bops her head and swings her arms.
There are a few more videos on YouTube, but this one was the best.
I wish there was a way I could put those CDs on the computer and offer them in my blog, just like I do my little videos.
If anyone knows how to, let me know.
SGMKJ!
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO8kbEyJD4w&feature=related
Check out above urls, not the best of qualities, but you get the idea (I hope)
I've been playing a few CDs in the car the last few days, much to Boo's pleasure.
A little explanation: My sister in Holland was a member of a local Pop choir for a long time. They came up with an interesting system of singing with a large group, you didn't have to be able to read music. You were put in a group with your voice range, and studied the particular part. Once a week the choir would come together to rehearse.
Whenever I would be in Holland I joined my sister at choir practise. It was so much fun.
But the best part was that once a year, choirs just like hers would come from all over Holland and would spend the day singing. Under the name Supervoices. The morning was spent rehearsing and fine tuning.
Then in the afternoon they would record. And in the evening they would do it all over again for an audience.
I've been to this event twice, and both times, the day was so amazingly fun, just to think of it still gives me goose bumps.
Imagine 220o some people in one huge hall, all singing!!!!
The YouTube video really doesn't do it justice. Even the CDs are not as good.
But being there live, feeling the love and enthusiasm, was one of the better experiences of my life.
The great thing is, that now, Boo seems to love these songs, as I play the CDs in the car. She knows when to shout out and when to clap, and bops her head and swings her arms.
There are a few more videos on YouTube, but this one was the best.
I wish there was a way I could put those CDs on the computer and offer them in my blog, just like I do my little videos.
If anyone knows how to, let me know.
SGMKJ!
You can tell you're losing weight....
....when your inner thighs no longer smoke when you walk!
:>)
It's Friday!!!!!!!!!! Hallelujah, Happy happy, joy, joy!!!!!!
It has been a rough week. Emotionally and physically. The wet weather seems to affect us all, my joints are sore, my fingers stiff, my ankle throbbing. Wheelie's knees are hurting too. Boo's working on a few new molars, so she is cranky as well. Her eczema is bothering her more than usual too, so no long jammies on tonight, and we let her run around the house most of the day in just her diaper.
She LOVED that!!!
Her new talent is singing! Sometimes you can even tell which song she is trying to sing.
Very cute!
My brain is blank at the moment, can't remember shit right now, but I wanted to post for those of you *grin* who get pissy when I miss a day *ducks!*
Since the little nugget is asleep I think I'll go stand under the hot shower for a while.
I promised Wheelie we would go to breakfast at the Cracker Barrel tomorrow and have a huge Momma's Pancake breakfast.
So there!
Have a great weekend y'all!
SGMKJ!
:>)
It's Friday!!!!!!!!!! Hallelujah, Happy happy, joy, joy!!!!!!
It has been a rough week. Emotionally and physically. The wet weather seems to affect us all, my joints are sore, my fingers stiff, my ankle throbbing. Wheelie's knees are hurting too. Boo's working on a few new molars, so she is cranky as well. Her eczema is bothering her more than usual too, so no long jammies on tonight, and we let her run around the house most of the day in just her diaper.
She LOVED that!!!
Her new talent is singing! Sometimes you can even tell which song she is trying to sing.
Very cute!
My brain is blank at the moment, can't remember shit right now, but I wanted to post for those of you *grin* who get pissy when I miss a day *ducks!*
Since the little nugget is asleep I think I'll go stand under the hot shower for a while.
I promised Wheelie we would go to breakfast at the Cracker Barrel tomorrow and have a huge Momma's Pancake breakfast.
So there!
Have a great weekend y'all!
SGMKJ!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Moving furniture is mental therapy, not to mention physical
When life hands you lemons......you move the furniture!Which is what I did while trying to get rid of my anger and pissed-off-ness yesterday.
Brought the "red chair" out of the bedroom and moved it by the window; moved the couch from under the window to face the fireplace; move "my" chair (the blue Ikea with the quilt on it) in the corner by the window; moved the coffee table around; moved Boo's toy shelf under the kitchen counter; (it used to block the fireplace); moved all my plants back inside; moved the book cabinet that was under the kitchen counter by the window in the diningroom to have a place to put the plants on.
Throughout all this hubbub, Wheelie sat and read his book at the table. The man knows to keep his mouth shut and his eyes averted when Mama is mad.
*lol*
Anyway, Bugs spent ONE day (of the three her doctor ordered) at home, found out her boss was going to dock her pay for her 'sick days', so she decided to go back in this afternoon, she simply cannot afford to be sick. Now if that isn't frigging pathetic I don't know what is.
Only in America...
My sister and parents are flabberghasted that she doesn't have any 'sick days', that she is being bullied, and made to work 14-15 hours a day...even when she is obviously not feeling well.
When my Mom saw the wedding pictures she about had a heart attack, she thought Bugs looked awful! Back out came the candles to burn by the statue of the Holy Mother. :>)
My Mom is sweet that way, is forever burning candles in front of Maria. Sometimes it seems to work too!
It is fall here, the trees are turning. I took Wheelie for a drive this morning, 20 miles to a bakery where I get my bagels, and even though it's dreary dark and cloudy out here, it was nice to drive for a while, get the cobwebs out.
So now I had better get ready for the little bugger. Plug in the diaperwipe heater, get her snacks ready, lock all the doors and cabinets.....
SGMKJ!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
It's raining!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, Humpday. It's raining! For how long is anyone's guess, but for now we're happy.
Bugs got really sick yesterday, her ear was numb and she had the runs and was throwing up. Called ME (Am I the 911 operator?)...then called her doctor (arghhhh) and went right over there before they closed for the day.
She was having an adverse reaction to the new antibiotics (yeah, the $70 ones, down the drain!)
Doc gave her some stuff to settle her stomach, told her to stay off the antibiotics until it was out of her system and then start a new type.
He gave her a "note for the boss" to stay in bed for the next three days, news that wasn't exactly welcomed by her employers.
She was told: I had better not see you traipsing around town!!!
Damn those people!
So Boo stayed the night here again, her cold clearing up nicely.
She is no problem, sleeps through the night, and easy to put to bed etc.
The big news is (in my eyes, and I get the feeling we're about to turn a corner for the best here) is that she and PH have been quietly talking about marriage. He wants to take care of her and wants to adopt Boo.
Awwww....
She assured us they are still taking it slow. Not many people actually know they are even seeing each other. It was news that I kind of wanted to hear, perhaps some light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.
We shall see.
First she needs to get well.
2PM:
It's raining cats and dogs. For those of you who haven't heard rain for a while, watch the video *lol*
Bugs is upset, her bosses refuse to pay her for the three sick days (doctor's orders no less) Isn't there a law against that?
She said she was ready to call her (bride) friend and talk to her about a job change.
Anyway, it's raining, a perfect time to crawl into bed and eat soup and recuperate.
As for me, I've got a large stockpot simmering on the stove, making Cajun black bean soup. I am also boiling some beets for a typical Dutch dinner, meatballs, beets and boiled potatoes. Yummm.
SGMKJ!
Bugs got really sick yesterday, her ear was numb and she had the runs and was throwing up. Called ME (Am I the 911 operator?)...then called her doctor (arghhhh) and went right over there before they closed for the day.
She was having an adverse reaction to the new antibiotics (yeah, the $70 ones, down the drain!)
Doc gave her some stuff to settle her stomach, told her to stay off the antibiotics until it was out of her system and then start a new type.
He gave her a "note for the boss" to stay in bed for the next three days, news that wasn't exactly welcomed by her employers.
She was told: I had better not see you traipsing around town!!!
Damn those people!
So Boo stayed the night here again, her cold clearing up nicely.
She is no problem, sleeps through the night, and easy to put to bed etc.
The big news is (in my eyes, and I get the feeling we're about to turn a corner for the best here) is that she and PH have been quietly talking about marriage. He wants to take care of her and wants to adopt Boo.
Awwww....
She assured us they are still taking it slow. Not many people actually know they are even seeing each other. It was news that I kind of wanted to hear, perhaps some light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.
We shall see.
First she needs to get well.
2PM:
It's raining cats and dogs. For those of you who haven't heard rain for a while, watch the video *lol*
Bugs is upset, her bosses refuse to pay her for the three sick days (doctor's orders no less) Isn't there a law against that?
She said she was ready to call her (bride) friend and talk to her about a job change.
Anyway, it's raining, a perfect time to crawl into bed and eat soup and recuperate.
As for me, I've got a large stockpot simmering on the stove, making Cajun black bean soup. I am also boiling some beets for a typical Dutch dinner, meatballs, beets and boiled potatoes. Yummm.
SGMKJ!
Monday, October 6, 2008
I am sufficiently caffeinated and roaring to go........
No, not rearing, roaring...really...
My first trip out this morning was to Staples to get me some packing peanuts. Office Depot wasn't open until 9, so, too bad, they don't get my business.
Then I dropped by Bugs to *chat* and have some coffee and see how the wind was blowing there. She only has full lead coffee, so after half a cup I was ready to levitate and fly off somewhere.
Boo really has a bad cold, poor little bugger. I am contemplating getting her some decongestant, despite what the media tells us these days. I mean, I'm not gonna overmedicate this child! She just needs some relief when she wants to sleep!
Back home I went to pack up all the darn Mushroom stuff people won from me on eBay.
We did very well, thank you. Some fellow paid a whopping $90 for four little corn dishes...still IN the box! :>)...whatever rows your boat.
So it took me all morning to properly pack stuff, include the correct packing slips, attach the correct shipping labels.
I made arrangements for the post office to come and pick up the entire lot tomorrow.
Yeah!!!
Yesterday I made another dent in listing more of the baby stuff. My, my, we (meaning this Oma) sure spent a whole lotta money on this baby. What posseses us when we have our first grand child?
Never mind, I loved and love every second of it.
Bugs has a 1:30 apointment and dropped off the kid, who wouldn't take a nap at her own house but dropped like a rock when she hit her crib here.
Joann, yes, she is drinking tons of water. I didn't know that water from the South is bad for you, Good to know. Evian, here we come! :>)
I am waiting to see what the doctor proposes and I will let y'all know.
She was feeling a bit more chipper this morning, feeling so much better after having it out with her boss. She is learning to stand up for herself, good for her (about time too)
Her new house is so nice and sunny, with the back of the house getting most of the morning sun. As oppose her old house which did not have ANY windows in the living room (sunroom had French doors, but didn't let any light in) It just makes for a happier atmosphere when the sun shines in your windows.
So life is good....today...:>)
At this point I would like to thank everyone who leaves me messages/replies to my posts. I really appreciate all of them,...... well, MOST of them.
I've been getting some weird stuff lately, and I had to delete some.
Please people, if you cannot leave a post with your blog account, at least leave your name in the body of your post. I do NOT know who writes what, as much as I claim to have some ESP.
SGMKJ!
My first trip out this morning was to Staples to get me some packing peanuts. Office Depot wasn't open until 9, so, too bad, they don't get my business.
Then I dropped by Bugs to *chat* and have some coffee and see how the wind was blowing there. She only has full lead coffee, so after half a cup I was ready to levitate and fly off somewhere.
Boo really has a bad cold, poor little bugger. I am contemplating getting her some decongestant, despite what the media tells us these days. I mean, I'm not gonna overmedicate this child! She just needs some relief when she wants to sleep!
Back home I went to pack up all the darn Mushroom stuff people won from me on eBay.
We did very well, thank you. Some fellow paid a whopping $90 for four little corn dishes...still IN the box! :>)...whatever rows your boat.
So it took me all morning to properly pack stuff, include the correct packing slips, attach the correct shipping labels.
I made arrangements for the post office to come and pick up the entire lot tomorrow.
Yeah!!!
Yesterday I made another dent in listing more of the baby stuff. My, my, we (meaning this Oma) sure spent a whole lotta money on this baby. What posseses us when we have our first grand child?
Never mind, I loved and love every second of it.
Bugs has a 1:30 apointment and dropped off the kid, who wouldn't take a nap at her own house but dropped like a rock when she hit her crib here.
Joann, yes, she is drinking tons of water. I didn't know that water from the South is bad for you, Good to know. Evian, here we come! :>)
I am waiting to see what the doctor proposes and I will let y'all know.
She was feeling a bit more chipper this morning, feeling so much better after having it out with her boss. She is learning to stand up for herself, good for her (about time too)
Her new house is so nice and sunny, with the back of the house getting most of the morning sun. As oppose her old house which did not have ANY windows in the living room (sunroom had French doors, but didn't let any light in) It just makes for a happier atmosphere when the sun shines in your windows.
So life is good....today...:>)
At this point I would like to thank everyone who leaves me messages/replies to my posts. I really appreciate all of them,...... well, MOST of them.
I've been getting some weird stuff lately, and I had to delete some.
Please people, if you cannot leave a post with your blog account, at least leave your name in the body of your post. I do NOT know who writes what, as much as I claim to have some ESP.
SGMKJ!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
My Rowenta exploded.........
One of the few traits that I reluctantly thank my mom for is my love for ironing.
Yes! I LOVE ironing! (Don't give me that look!)
Ironing to me is like meditation. I can completely immerse myself and get lost in thoughts. Many times I've used my ironing time to figure out a problem, or cry through a rough time.
It's quiet when I iron. I can organize my thoughts, think things out, or, if I need to, tune out altogether.
One of my chores when I was a young girl was doing the ironing. At the time I despised it. It was in my eyes a cruel punishment, while my friends would play outside, my brothers never had to DO anything and my little sister was too little for chores.
Mom was extremely picky about HOW the ironing was done. HOW everything had to be folded JUST SO. And no way were you allowed to 'improve' or 'experiment' with the ironing. No ma'am!
In those days there were no steam irons. So we had to spray all the cotton things, roll them up tight and let them sit for a while.
My mom ironed EVERYTHING. Handkerchiefs, towels, underwear, sheets....
The worst were my father's shirts. And my grandfather's long underwear.
There were no short cuts, every shirt had to be without ONE wrinkle, and had to be folded perfectly.
One of the reasons everything had to be folded a certain way was purely practical. We just didn't have the closet space.
When I came to the USA, guess what...when I lived with my relatives one of my chores was....you guessed it....the ironing!
And not just the clothing and the household stuff...noooo.....we had a restaurant, remember?
We did all our OWN laundry! Which meant not only our drip & dry clothes, but all the towels and those damned apron with the long strings.
Eventually I surrendered to the Ironing God, and once I was married, and happened to have a husband who wanted his shirts to be ironing JUST SO....well....I gave up...
From then on I just started liking it.
And I still do. And since I considered this little chore of mine to be kind of special, I allowed myself to buy an expensive Rowenta iron last year.
Great iron, while it lasted. It started leaking a few months ago, and the day before yesterday I plugged it in and a huge spark ran from the outlet to the iron and after a few orange and yellow sparklers it died!
I'm no electrician, I suppose it could be the outlet, but the thing is dead. I taped up the outlet, just so I won't plug anything else in there.
So off to Target we went, Boo and me. Bought a cheaper sort this time, money being rather tight these days, a basic Black & Decker.
It doesn't work as well as my beloved Rowenta, but it'll have to do.
I've been sorting, cleaning and yes, ironing, three tubs full of baby clothes, and have been listing them on eBay.
Of course today is Sunday, my day off, and my regular laundry day.
Again I will stand behind my board, humming and letting my mind wander.
And thank you Mama, for teaching me how to, and you can be proud, my closets look like an Eddie Bauer store. Everything folded JUST SO, and in neat stacks.
News from the home front:
Bugs was diagnosed with kidney stones. Gall bladder is fine.
She had another test on Friday, where they shot some die into her veins and low and behold....
There was apparently one stone lodged in one of the ducts, which created the infection. (We're on a new antibiotic now). She has another appointment tomorrow, I understand they're going to "watch" it for a while, see if it comes out naturally, or....
She is still not well though. Is really wanting to change her life. Is really wanting another job. Her boss chewed her out something fierce the other night in front of her staff. The man is bi-polar, I swear!
She just needs a 'regular' job, perhaps with a larger company, I don't know.
She was offered a manager's job at a pizza chain. Her bride friend went to work for them a year ago and is VERY happy with her job. Reasonably hours, Good training, great benefits.
We tried to tell her that she would be a fool not trying out for a job like that...(I don't wanna do pizza....) ARGHhhhhhhhhh....
She was able to find a home for Priscilla:>), she took Hot Suy to the pound :<( and PeeWee ran away:<(.
Boo-boo has a cold, so we call her Snotty again for now.
I hope you all enjoyed the video. She is getting very good at eating with her spoon, of course her hand works even better.
SGMKJ!
Yes! I LOVE ironing! (Don't give me that look!)
Ironing to me is like meditation. I can completely immerse myself and get lost in thoughts. Many times I've used my ironing time to figure out a problem, or cry through a rough time.
It's quiet when I iron. I can organize my thoughts, think things out, or, if I need to, tune out altogether.
One of my chores when I was a young girl was doing the ironing. At the time I despised it. It was in my eyes a cruel punishment, while my friends would play outside, my brothers never had to DO anything and my little sister was too little for chores.
Mom was extremely picky about HOW the ironing was done. HOW everything had to be folded JUST SO. And no way were you allowed to 'improve' or 'experiment' with the ironing. No ma'am!
In those days there were no steam irons. So we had to spray all the cotton things, roll them up tight and let them sit for a while.
My mom ironed EVERYTHING. Handkerchiefs, towels, underwear, sheets....
The worst were my father's shirts. And my grandfather's long underwear.
There were no short cuts, every shirt had to be without ONE wrinkle, and had to be folded perfectly.
One of the reasons everything had to be folded a certain way was purely practical. We just didn't have the closet space.
When I came to the USA, guess what...when I lived with my relatives one of my chores was....you guessed it....the ironing!
And not just the clothing and the household stuff...noooo.....we had a restaurant, remember?
We did all our OWN laundry! Which meant not only our drip & dry clothes, but all the towels and those damned apron with the long strings.
Eventually I surrendered to the Ironing God, and once I was married, and happened to have a husband who wanted his shirts to be ironing JUST SO....well....I gave up...
From then on I just started liking it.
And I still do. And since I considered this little chore of mine to be kind of special, I allowed myself to buy an expensive Rowenta iron last year.
Great iron, while it lasted. It started leaking a few months ago, and the day before yesterday I plugged it in and a huge spark ran from the outlet to the iron and after a few orange and yellow sparklers it died!
I'm no electrician, I suppose it could be the outlet, but the thing is dead. I taped up the outlet, just so I won't plug anything else in there.
So off to Target we went, Boo and me. Bought a cheaper sort this time, money being rather tight these days, a basic Black & Decker.
It doesn't work as well as my beloved Rowenta, but it'll have to do.
I've been sorting, cleaning and yes, ironing, three tubs full of baby clothes, and have been listing them on eBay.
Of course today is Sunday, my day off, and my regular laundry day.
Again I will stand behind my board, humming and letting my mind wander.
And thank you Mama, for teaching me how to, and you can be proud, my closets look like an Eddie Bauer store. Everything folded JUST SO, and in neat stacks.
News from the home front:
Bugs was diagnosed with kidney stones. Gall bladder is fine.
She had another test on Friday, where they shot some die into her veins and low and behold....
There was apparently one stone lodged in one of the ducts, which created the infection. (We're on a new antibiotic now). She has another appointment tomorrow, I understand they're going to "watch" it for a while, see if it comes out naturally, or....
She is still not well though. Is really wanting to change her life. Is really wanting another job. Her boss chewed her out something fierce the other night in front of her staff. The man is bi-polar, I swear!
She just needs a 'regular' job, perhaps with a larger company, I don't know.
She was offered a manager's job at a pizza chain. Her bride friend went to work for them a year ago and is VERY happy with her job. Reasonably hours, Good training, great benefits.
We tried to tell her that she would be a fool not trying out for a job like that...(I don't wanna do pizza....) ARGHhhhhhhhhh....
She was able to find a home for Priscilla:>), she took Hot Suy to the pound :<( and PeeWee ran away:<(.
Boo-boo has a cold, so we call her Snotty again for now.
I hope you all enjoyed the video. She is getting very good at eating with her spoon, of course her hand works even better.
SGMKJ!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
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