I am way behind on posting these and they are all for my own personal record to keep things straight.
We've had to do a lot of maintenance lately and I don't want to forget.
Thank goodness dh has done all of the work lately, as a few months ago we had that $1000 set back when we spent hundreds in labor to a shop.
I started out interspersing the posts when they should have been posted, but then I felt like that would mess up my 500 posts count (who cares?).
Until next time.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
SORRY for all the Auto Maintenance Posts!!
Labels: auto maintenance
Auto Maintenance PF 9-18-07
Labels: auto maintenance
Rack and pinion $399.99
Labor $150.00
Caliper front right $89.99
Rotor brake front $29.99
Pads brake front $27.99
Labor $150.00
Spark plugs $11.94
Distributor Cap $29.99
Rotor ignition $12.99
Labor $90.00
$979.57 Total OUCH
Auto Maintenance PF 10-12-07
Labels: auto maintenance
Monroe shocks. $93.58
[Update 1-26-08: These were not top of the line and ended up bottoming out and needing to be changed by January 26, 2008.]
Auto Maintenance PF 11-29-07
Labels: auto maintenance
Replaced half axle drive axle shaft, driver's side front.
Auto Maintenance PF 12-17-07
Labels: auto maintenance
Changed the u-joints to the front short drive shaft.
Auto Maintenance PF 12-27-07
Labels: auto maintenance
Inner and outer bearings on the front passenger side of the Pathfinder.
Auto Maintenance 1-26-07 241878
Labels: auto maintenance
Changed oil, but not the oil filter. $10.78
Changed air filter. $8.64
Changed plugs, putting in Bosch Premium Spark Plugs. $38.85
Last weekend:
Changed transmission fluid, but not the filter. $19.44
Replaced shocks with "advanced technology". $176.03
Our mileage had dropped to 17 mph from 18/19mph. The shocks purchased in October 2006 were bottoming out already, they were the cheapest ones.
The Day I Became a Moron
Labels: Aggravation
Dh and I went to the grocery store yesterday morning. Years ago, a visit to the grocery store was preceded by careful studying of the weekly ads, writing everything down carefully with the cost beside it. I no longer have any control over the amount of money spent in this household, so there's no point for my even trying to keep us to a budget. I'm not sure how to do it, without becoming a shrew.
At any rate we got to the store and it seems they are having this bizarre buy nine items get $9 off sale. First off, I thought you had to buy nine to get one free. So, ten for the price of nine. But I was wrong on that.
All over the store, there are ads like this:
Your Final Cost When You Buy 9... Buy 9, Save $9.
While looking at these crackers, we realize we can't use nine boxes in a year, so we don't get any.
At this point I called my boss and asked her if I should buy some for work. She asked me to pick up 18 bottles.
Here I'm wondering who in their right mind would buy nine super size bags of potato chips unless they were having a giant party?
At no time did I stop to read the fine print, which said, "Buy 9, Save $9 Instantly When You Buy Any Combination of Nine (9) Participating Products." DUH. Ding, I just turned into an idiot.
Apparently the limit of 2 credits, meant two per receipt!!
I'm entering the purchases into Quicken today, and realize they only gave us TWO CREDITS. I'm thinking, they cheated us out of FOUR credits! The 18 bottles of salad dressing was worth two all by itself.
So I call the store, and customer service explains we're only allowed two credits per receipt. I'm aghast and completely in shock by this statement. Thinking it can't be true. I laughed, and said, "Thanks, can I speak with a manager?"
Here's some more great customer service, as someone answers the phone:
"Hi, can I help you?"
Me: I was waiting to speak to a manager.
"You've got her, how can I help you?"
Me: Can I have your name, please?
"Rosemary."
Me: Okay, Rosemary, your customer service person is trying to tell me there was a limit of 18 items and all over the store and in the ad it says I have to buy NINE of one item in order to get the sale price.
She goes on to argue with me that it's in the ad, they have been handing out flyers at the door and telling people that is how the deal works AND they instructed the cashiers to tell people as they are checking out, how it works.
I was still aghast. I told her my cashier didn't say one word to me, and I even commented to him on how they must have brought in five truckloads in order for people to have to buy multiples of nine of everything. I think I even mentioned wondering how someone could use nine super size bags of potato chips. He didn't say a word to me. And there weren't many people in the store, so it's not like he was so busy and stressed out that he would have forgotten.
So finally she tells me they aren't restricting the number of items you buy, you just have to get separate receipts.
I'm still aghast.
Finally she sighs and says if I bring in my receipt they'll fix it for me.
Okay, here's how I would have handled that situation, as a manager.
"Hi, this is Rosemary, how can I help you?"
Me: Fuss, grumble, gripe, complain
"I'm sorry ma'am, we've had several complaints on this. We've been trying to bring this to our shoppers' attention by handing out flyers and our cashiers were instructed to mention it as well. I'm sorry if you weren't told about it, but if you bring your receipt in we'll be happy to fix it for you."
See how easy that could have been? Twenty-five years ago that's what would have happened, too.
I saw many other people with baskets loaded up with nine items of many things. I bet some people didn't even look at their receipt, just assumed they got the sale prices.
Dang it. Now we have to stop by the store after church tomorrow so they can fix the problem.
One Happy Water Pump
Labels: Just Stuff
I've mentioned before on my blog that we haul our own water from the community well and chronicled the task in this series here:
High Hopes Part 1 of 3
We Jes' Call That Bein' Neighborly Part 2 of 3
Loading the Water Tank Part 3 of 3
Kev took over the responsibility of keeping our tank filled with water. He's mentioned the woes and trials of getting water recently in these posts:
When Getting Water Isn't Easy
When Getting Water Isn't Easy - Again
Last year, when our temperatures dropped down to 8°F, our pipes froze and our pump broke. We were without water for several days. MIL and her hubby showed up to rescue us and replace the pump.
Last year, dh was away from home for several months, but thank goodness he's home with us now, and he took the initiative to cover the pump and give it its own warming lamp. It's one happy pump! :-)
Until next time.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
My Pooch is Okay, Whew!
Labels: LJ
Poor boy, he does not like car rides. When I get the leash out, he loves the idea of it; but once we're on the road for a couple of miles, he's trembling like a leaf and trying real hard to get in the front seat onto a lap, someone's lap, anyone's lap!
When I was the main driver, my dear husband half-heartedly tried to keep him out of the front seat, and LJ knew all he had to do was push real hard and he'd get his way.
It was less of an issue when I was driving, since dh doesn't mind having a one hundred and four pound dog sitting on his lap, and can keep LJ from lurching into my lap when his anxiety level rises.
But since I'm not the one driving, and I can't tolerate a one hundred and four pound dog sitting on my lap for fifty miles, he stays in the back. He was trying to get up with us to the front seat with all his might, and he packs a lot of might behind those one hundred and four pounds of solid muscle, lemme tell you.
So we got to work early this morning, when no one was there yet (as usual). I walked him around a bit so he would know where he was at, then we went back to my office and I shut the door to keep him in with me. He did really well when my door was closed. I had to leave my office without him a number of times, and my absence caused him a great deal of anxiety to where he was whining and trying to get my attention but I ignored him until he laid down. A couple of times I corrected him with a "tsss" ala Dog Whisperer. He met a LOT of new people today. Probably thirty or more. He did so wonderfully and everyone loved him. One of my coworkers threw her arms around his body and hugged him, she said he was so lovable. I am truly blessed to have a wonderful pooch like this guy.
He is not 100% comfortable with meeting strangers, as most people like to go patting the top of his head, which Cesar Millan (The Dog Whisperer) says you shouldn't even do to a dog you are meeting for the first time. You should act aloof, like you are part of the popular crowd and let the dog approach you, rather than advance toward the dog. But LJ did wonderfully with all the attention.
Here are a few pictures of him being a good boy. We even worked in my boss's office for about an hour, and he'd laid down quietly and waited for me to be done. He is just incredible.
My mother-in-law had hoped to meet up with us today, to get a child-sized picnic table that dh had built for his niece/mil's granddaughter. She came with us into the appointment at the vet's office. I will definitely thank her for that as she was a wonderful distraction. I have not been in vet's office many times, and at least half of those few times have been very stressful.
Like when LJ was sick with parvo. He had one set of vaccinations, when he was neutered. I learned that sometimes dogs can contract parvo, when they receive vaccinations.
He was neutered at the vet's office where we went today, when he was 10 weeks old. The vet says he weighed 20 pounds at that time, and asked us if we'd like to weigh him on the scale, as he was pretty sure he'd gained some weight since then, hardy-har-har. No kidding, doc. ;-)
He weighed in at 104.2 pounds. Our electricity meter reader calls him, "...a pitbull on steroids."
The doc says he has what is called a histiocytoma. He gave us several options, and told us doing nothing was perfectly fine. We are going to wait a couple of weeks and see how it goes. He told us we could have the tumor biopsied, which would cost a couple hundred dollars, shoot some cortisone into the tumor to see if we could get it to shrink, put over the counter Cort-Aid onto it, have surgery to remove it, which would cost $300 to $400, or do nothing. He did say the thing could go away on its own.
Alternative Medicine for Pets
Gross Picture but this site says these growths will go away within about three months
About.com
I asked the vet if he looked in good condition and the vet says he looks like an athlete, very muscular. One of my coworkers was saying he was fat because you should be able to feel his ribcage slightly. Well, I don't know about this boy being fat. He's pretty active.
Off to bed. I'm one very happy lady, thrilled that my pooch is okay. Whew. He loves sleeping under the covers, snuggled along the length of my body. He's so warm. I love him so much. You know I haven't loved a dog this hard since I was ten years old. In fact I didn't think I'd ever love a dog this much ever again. But this boy just stole my heart. And I'm doubly blessed that my dh loves this boy as much as I do.
Until next time.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
"Just Because" Flowers
Labels: LJ
I had a rough day today.
I worked with my boss first thing this morning and we were talking and I told her my dog has a growth that was a little bump like a mosquito bump and within a couple of weeks it has grown to the size of a dime and about 1/3" tall. I told her I didn't know what to do about it.
She said, matter of factly, that I needed to have it checked out. She said, quite logically, that it might be benign and easily removable right now, but if we wait too long it might turn into something worse. I agreed with her and said she was right. She shared with me about her brother's two dogs that he had lost to cancer. We continued to work together for another half hour or so, and I was feeling a deep sense of unease inside. When I finally got back to my office, I closed the door, sat at my desk and cried. For you see, this dog of mine means a lot to me. He is the first dog I've loved this hard since I was ten years old (34 years). I am truly one of "those people" that I used to think were off their rockers loving their dogs so much. I don't know what it is about him, but he is just so lovable, and to top it all off, he's an American Pitbull Terrier, the one breed of dog I swore I'd never own. We fostered him from the age of 3 weeks, and he will turn two on Valentine's Day. He is hands down, the BEST dog I've ever had the pleasure of owning. He's intelligent, good natured, happy, loving. He's a wonderful dog.
I called my friend who gave him to us to foster. Well, actually I emailed her first, and she was very kind and soothing to me. She gave me her favorite vet's number and encouraged me to have the lump checked out. So I made an appointment for Thursday.
The upside to this is I get to bring my dog to work for the day! My boss was very impressed when she met him about nine or ten months ago. I brought him in and I sat down, and he laid down right at my feet and went to sleep. She said he was very mellow and a good (and huge!) dog. She said most people who come to her house with dogs, the dog runs all over sniffing everything, but not my LJ. He just laid down at my feet (because I asked him to) and went to sleep.
I asked if I could bring him in for the day, and my boss asked me what else had I planned to do with him? Later in the day I thanked her for her words of encouragement, and she said she couldn't let anything happen to that big lug of a dog.
About 2:30, my boss called me up to the front desk. I got up there, and this beautiful bouquet of flowers had been delivered for me. From my sweet hubby. And the card said, "Just because".
I hope my pooch will be okay, and my husband is a keeper.
Until next time.
Heath Ledger - Dead at 28
Labels: Just Stuff
I was just talking about Heath Ledger yesterday. One of my favorite ever movies is A Knight's Tale. I watched that movie dozens of times, I've always like hearing different accents, especially the Australian accent.
Yesterday, I discovered that Heath Ledger portrayed one of the gay cowboys in Brokeback Mountain. I was shocked to learn that. Just shocked.
And just a few minutes ago we saw on the news that Heath Ledger is dead. Barely 28 years old.
Sad.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Hey, A Word I Finally Recognize!
Labels: Just Stuff
I have Dictionary.com's Word of the Day on my site and the words are almost always new to me.
I know this word because at my job we use it to describe a person who has lost vision later in life, rather than someone born without vision.
For example, a person in an accident who loses their sight, but up until that time had vision.
Until next time.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
The Sneezing - It Comes From Out of Nowhere
Labels: kefir
I woke up sneezing this morning. It's not like someone was dusting at 5:30am, it's much too cold for leaving windows open for dust to come in. My nose has been running and I've been sneezing throughout the day. Intermittently I have some relief and it stops as suddenly as it started.
I was first made aware of my problem with allergies when I was in the eighth grade. I was taking wood shop class and my teacher asked me if I had allergies. I told him I thought I had a cold, but I wasn't sure. He told me when his allergies acted up, they affected him like they were affecting me.
Now when my nose acts up it's almost always allergies. Every so often I'll catch a cold, but not very often. The way I can tell best if it's a cold is if my nose begins "running like a faucet". You know, drip, drip, drip when I don't know it's going to drip.
Apparently allergic reactions exacerbate asthma. I didn't have asthma until I had pneumonia in 2002. Neither did ds1. But the doctors are fond of claiming one condition has nothing at all to do with the other. Funny how I never had trouble breathing without medication until AFTER the month long bout with pneumonia.
Fortunately I have mild asthma. Mine is controlled pretty good with the lowest dosage of Flovent used once every 24 hours. I sometimes have to use Albuterol in conjunction with the Flovent if I'm wheezing.
I notice my asthma bothers me less when I am faithful to drink my kefir regularly.
I wonder when I'll remember how important it is to stay on my kefir? I got out of the habit of drinking my kefir for several weeks and had several symptoms return. I keep forgetting that I have to keep drinking my kefir. In another post I included this information I'd gotten from a list I'm on, "Your immune system is based in your gut in large part, and dependent upon a healthy gut flora, so it makes sense that a constant flow of the friendly microbes from kefir would help your asthma."
Until next time.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Pretty Good Day
Labels: Just Stuff
I got to stay home today while dh and ds2 went to work.
I got the kitchen cleaned up including sweeping and mopping the floor. It wasn't too bad, ds2 has been keeping it cleaned up pretty good.
I made a pork roast with potatoes and onions in the crock pot. For dinner, I strained the broth, made it into gravy, heated frozen green beans and warmed up some rolls.
Oh, I finished the vest I was knitting. Pictures soon.
I'm going to wash the dishes from dinner and tidy up the kitchen again!
Until next time.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Old School
Labels: Memory Lane
I served on a board for two years and resigned this past December. I was supposed to serve three years, but I just couldn't do it any longer. One of the women I served with wanted to take me out to lunch as a thank you.
It's always fun to discover another Arizona native! We're close in age, she's three years older than me. She's tall, slender and beautiful. Especially the slender part... as we were returning to my job I told her I'd felt intimidated by her, but didn't any longer. She asked why and I said, "Well, I was a little worried about going to lunch with you, because I thought you'd eat, like, a walnut or something." She laughed and said, "Like a bird. Well, you saw that was wrong!" Then I laughed and said, "That's when I started to hate you, because obviously you have a fast metabolism!"
Lunch wasn't so hot. Literally not hot. The waitress brought our plates with these huge oven mitts on her hands, and the food was lukewarm. The plates weren't even hot. I don't think my friend ever got her iced tea and it took forever to get our food and we never got our tab. We had to go up to the front and ask for it. My friend told me a neat little piece of trivia that she said probably not many people know about anymore. She said she had waitressed for many years and if you really like the service you received, leave your tip and one penny. She said it meant you felt your service was exceptional. And if you left only a penny, then that said something altogether different. Isn't that neat?
Whenever I meet an Arizona native, I always ask them if they can remember what the old Thomas Mall looked like. It's such a mind twister to go back in my head and visualize it, because now it looks totally different.
We talked about the various neighborhoods we lived in, and we lived within a few miles of each other in some places, but in different years. It was fun to compare notes. We talked a little about our childhoods, and how we'd made the choice to not follow in our parent's footsteps.
I had a really nice time. We had to go to the bank to get her name on the account as a signer, and take my name off. Since I'd lost my driver's license, they couldn't do anything for us, unless I had a state identification card. I felt really bad about it, but she was so cool about it and was even happy because she said we could go to lunch again. She said she never gets to go out to lunch and really enjoyed my company.
Here are some historical links to Thomas Mall:
Malls of America - Thomas Mall
Malls of America - Monkey Cages in Thomas Mall
Mall Hall of Fame - Thomas Mall
Historical Gallery of Phoenix, Arizona 1960s - Thomas Mall
Until next time.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
93 Things Grandma Loved - #4 Grandpa
Labels: 93 Things Grandma Loved
My Grandma loved my Grandpa. She married him the year she turned 30. I remember her telling me she was considered a spinster, because she was so old. I guess back then, when the life span was much shorter, no one ever figured they'd live to be 93.
Love ya, Grandma.
Until next time.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Just a Few Random Things
Labels: Just Stuff
I get to work really early in the morning so I usually have some time to get a few things accomplished. Sometimes I blog, sometimes I just read blogs. This morning I decided to spend $4 and order myself a duplicate driver's license so I can stop worrying about where mine went. That can be done online in my state. I wonder if someone could steal my identity if I dropped it someplace? Second, I ordered another of those child support EFT cards which cost me $5 to replace it - had to call them to do that.
I made a long TO-DO list. So many things to do that keep floating around in my head. Maybe if I put it down on paper I can concentrate better without it all cluttering up my head.
Here's a blog post I want to look over more carefully one of these days: Frugal Ideas from Frugal Upstate.
One of our clients who regularly brings in baked goodies to share with all of us told me about this one recipe that is a big hit wherever she takes it: Dump Cake. Totally unhealthy, but it sounded interesting...
Today I sold the only book I have listed on Half.com. I listed it yesterday. That has to be a record! I bought it from Amazon.com for dh, it wasn't what he thought it was going to be. I used a gift certificate, it cost $11.97, it sold on Half for $10.50.
We're signed up to bring goodies for Sunday service on the 20th. I've decided on one of the things I'm going to bring. It's fun bringing the snacks! A hint: The Magic Bullet makes peanuts into really yummy peanut butter! And I have this orange blossom raw honey... mmmm...
It has become so exciting to go to the grocery store - I keep finding apostrophe abuse and unnecessary quotation marks! Dh's phone plan allows unlimited text messages and sending of photos, so I'm always asking him for his phone. He's almost as excited as I am when I find one. LOL. We are easy to entertain. Oh, take a look at the demonic manifestation in ds2's tonsil. Don't forget to check out the closeup of the eyeball. Bwah. I even caught a gander at it with my own eyes and wow, it sure looks like a teensy, tiny eyeball in there. Pastor assured him it's not a demon, as a demon wouldn't want to be in him to begin with. ;-)
Speaking of ahem, eyeballs... I think today is my father's birthday. How he managed to be the topic of my first blog post ever, I'll never know!
Nighty-night! Don't let the bed bugs bite!
Until next time.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
No Poo - 167 days
Labels: Bargain Hunting, Just Stuff
I began the No Poo Experiment on July 30th, 2007.
What is No Poo, you ask? Well, it means not using shampoo on one's hair. That's right, I discontinued shampooing -- with chemical-laden, hormone-disrupting, commercially-produced detergents -- 167 days ago. (Shhhh, I did shampoo at my hairdresser's request on my wedding day).
My hair is doing great. The first thing I noticed, and continue to notice is my hair isn't falling out like it used to. It is normal to lose a few strands of hair but when I'd shower there would always be a pretty good sized wad to deal with. My scalp seems much healthier also.
I wash my hair every other day. I have a plastic container with a screw on lid that I keep my baking soda in, and an old shampoo bottle (take THAT commercial shampoo companies!) which holds my apple cider vinegar.
I just plunk some baking soda into the plastic glass I keep in the shower, then fill it up with water. Pour it over my head and massage my scalp all over. Rinse, and do the same with some vinegar in the cup diluted to the top with water. I pretty much guesstimate the amounts, but I can tell when I don't get enough baking soda, because my hair feels heavy and can have a greasy look to it.
I love it! It's inexpensive and all natural!
You can check one of my previous posts on No Poo (Day Eleven) where I include some helpful links which persuaded me to embark on the No Poo Experiment.
Until next time.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Why Can't Every Day Be Like Yesterday?
Labels: Bargain Hunting, Just Stuff
I can't seem to find the rhyme or reason for why I have energy. All of a sudden, I'm struck with inspiration and drive to get something done. Other times, I feel like I'm trying to walk with lead shoes. Heavy lead shoes.
Yesterday started out early in the morning, around 2:30am. Dh was just getting up to get his day started and I got up for some reason - I don't remember. I immediately started in looking for things that are missing:
1. My driver's license
2. A debit card connected to child support money being sent to me (taken first from dh's check)
3. 2008 calendar to go on the wall beside me
I have no idea what happened to my driver's license. I cannot remember the last time I used it. I was asked for it, to show proof of identification when using a debit card as a credit card the other day and it wasn't where it should be. It's not on my desk, nor any other common place.
I went through a bunch of old mail looking for the child support debit card. Nada. Last night I found a stub from when they were sending checks, which gives a website that I can go to and see what is going on with the account.
I didn't look too hard for the calendars, as I discovered earlier today they are right on my desk, between the printer and the monitor.
Probably around 4am, I decided to just give up and go back to bed, because I was so overwhelmed with everything that had to be done. My mind kept whirring for a while and I discarded each concern as they came and finally fell to sleep again.
I got up at 8am and had some breakfast, a couple of chicken sausages with sauerkraut. Ds1 came out of his room. I have been giving him a trial period of keeping his room clean to see if he can do it, so I don't have to invade his territory. He has been doing a fairly good job, especially at bringing his dishes back into the kitchen. There was only a bowl and a plate in there when I asked him to bring them out. But he still needs some help, it was pretty messy. We opened a window to let in some fresh air and we began working on it together. It took more than two hours to get it completely cleaned up again.
Then I decided to clean ds2's room as a surprise to him. I also hoped it would illustrate to him how wonderful it is that he has been milking for us lately. Not every single day, but he is taking on that chore at least a couple days a week and it has really been a great thing. I don't hate milking, but some days I get home from work and I'm just worn out. It is also very pleasant to have a break from milking a couple days a week. I have been the sole milker for over a year now, and it does become a bit tedious.
That took a while, and then I started on dinner. Around 2:30 I put some of our own beef on the stove. Most of our beef is gone, but we still have some stew meat and soup meat, and a few other cuts. The soup meat are rounds of leg meat with a round bone in them, the stew meat is cut into chunks. I started that boiling with an onion and some garlic, and a splash of vinegar to help extract the calcium from the bones.
I worked on the kitchen on and off throughout the day. I cleaned the new popcorn maker so the grease wouldn't harden - I actually did that first thing in the morning.
I also took readings from our electrical meter, to see how much electricity it uses to run our dryer at the "on-peak" periods. With minimal other things turned on in the house, and only the dryer running, we used 6 kilowatt hours. On-peak costs $0.13 per kilowatt hour, so it costs $0.78 to run the dryer between 9am and 9pm, Monday through Friday. Between 9pm and 9am, it is significantly cheaper, $0.05 per kilowatt hour, coming in at $0.30.
I also ran a test on the air conditioning fan, which sometimes runs 24 hours a day... to my chagrin, I discovered it costs approximately $3.12 to run between 9am and 9pm. OUCH. No wonder our electricity bill has skyrocketed!! I have just not had the energy to figure these things out, and have just let things go on without saying anything.
I began looking at the electricity usage when I ordered this P3 International Kill-a-Watt Electricity Usage Monitor
I am also making another batch of Pioneer Woman's Butternut Squash Puree. That means I need to get the squash baking in the oven!
Oh and this morning, I used a quart of kefir given to me by my job to put into the soft serve ice cream maker and made soft serve kefir, which tastes like yogurt.
Okay, I had better back into the kitchen. It's now 2:13pm.
Until next time.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
My New Best Friend "Emby"
Labels: recipes
At least, that's what I like to call it... our new Magic Bullet which my sweet mother-in-law gave us for Christmas. A couple years ago someone on a list I was on encouraged me to look into the Magic Bullet for my kefir smoothies. It costs $50 and I found it hard to imagine spending that much money since we already have a blender that works great.
But now that my MIL gave us one for Christmas, I've been using it and wow, it is such a neat kitchen appliance!! The neatest thing is that I can throw everything in one of the tall cups for my kefir smoothie, whir it for a few seconds, remove the blades, put on a lid, rinse the blades and go! Before I had to find something to take my kefir smoothie in, like the previous day's jar, wash it, then wash the blender when I was done. This is very fast and I hope I'll be able to get back to drinking my kefir smoothies now that it is much easier!
My kefir smoothie keeps me satisfied until lunch time which means I'm less tempted to go to the kitchen and see something that I'd rather not eat, like a danish or cupcake or piece of cake.
I made a fruit slushy for Kev tonight, here are the before and after photos:
I filled one of the tall cups with ice cubes, then poured in 2 Tablespoons of fruit juice concentrate. Then about 1/2 cup water. Screwed on the blades, then set the cup into Emby. ;-) Whirred for about 20 seconds and turned the ice and juice-flavored water into an icy slushy! It is a very yummy low calorie treat!
Until next time.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Spidercats
Labels: cats
These two boy kitties just got neutered on Friday morning, and these photos were taken Sunday evening... they are supposed to be taking it easy, not climbing screen doors chasing after moths...
Until next time.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Auto Maintenance Oil Change 1-5-08 238860
Labels: auto maintenance
Oil Change. I haven't noted oil changes for several times. Will try to get back to keeping track.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Add Spice To Your Blogging
Labels: Just Stuff
I'm always looking for new and interesting ways to blog and ran across this site yesterday which listed 20 types of posts to include in one's blog. This guy claims he makes SIX figures blogging!
Check his site for the descriptions for each post:
20 Types of Blog Posts - Battling Blogger's Block
I will list them by name and indicate if I've tried this type of post, and will try to link to some of my posts of that type.
• Instructional - Yes
Purl - Continental Style
• Informational - Yes
Grilling a Turkey
The Power of Words
Palo Verde Root Borer
Day Four No Poo
• Reviews - Yes
Book Reviews
A.F. 5 Rename Your Files Program Review
Movie Reviews
• Lists - Yes
100 Things About Me
• Interviews - Yes - I haven't done an interview per se, but I have had some guest blogging.
Christmas Memories from Raye
Mom Mysteries
• Case Studies - No
• Profiles - No
• Link Posts - Yes
Make Your Own Kaleidoscope
Fighting With Word
This Just Made My Day
Day Eleven No Poo
Godiva Raspberry Chocolate Truffle
• ‘Problem’ Posts - Yes
Public School Breakfasts
• Contrasting two options - No
• Rant - Yes
Fit to be Tied
Customer Service is Dead
• Inspirational - Yes
Flat Tire
• Research - No
• Collation Posts - No
• Prediction and Review Posts - No
• Critique Posts - No
• Debate - No
• Hypothetical Posts - No
• Satirical - Yes
Dumbing Us Down
• Memes and Projects - Yes
They Won't Listen to Me
The Cluttered Area is Neat
My New Cubbyholes
Room Makeover
Front Porch Flyladied
Kitty Pi In One Day
38 Questions to 38 Answers Meme
Pay It Forward Meme
It looks like I might have some more blog types from which to choose.
Until next time.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Memories of a New Year Long Ago - 1970
Labels: Memory Lane
Dee Elle, RawMilkStar, RayeI have a fuzzy memory of one of my first days of school. 25 year old Mama dropped me off and drove away. 6 year old me standing there, scared and all alone. Mama owned a turquoise blue Volkswagen Bug. Mama, Dee Elle and Raye all drove away, leaving me there.
I used to be able to remember my first grade teacher's name. But I can't seem to remember it now. And I think we had a married teacher at the beginning of the year who left for maternity leave.
Just for memory's sake, I'll see if I can remember any other of my teachers' names:
1st Grade - Unit Four
2nd Grade - Murphy
Mrs. Coombs ??
3rd Grade - Skiff
4th Grade - Skiff
Miss Merrell, who later became Mrs. Marecek
5th Grade - Roosevelt
Mrs. Lawrence (the only teacher who ever disliked me)
6th Grade - Roosevelt
Mrs. Sullivan - home room
Mr. Burke - Science Lab
7th Grade - John F. Kennedy Middle
Mr. Edwards
8th Grade - John F. Kennedy Middle
???
Have a vague memory of the Social Studies or was he the algebra teacher? Big black man, very light skinned with lots of freckles
9th Grade
In the first grade I remember kids getting vaccinated. It was against our religion, so I had an exempt slip. This one boy named Steven was real brave about getting his shot, while the other children were crying and screaming.
I remember I had to wear dresses (our religion demanded it), and no shorts underneath even (we were finally allowed to wear shorts under our dresses when I was in the 5th grade). One day in PE we were required to turn somersault after somersault down a long row of mats. Well, I was wearing a skirt. I tried my best to tuck it under my legs. I remember it was an olive green gingham skirt with orange in it. It was pretty awkward trying to turn all those somersaults and keep my skirt tucked under. I don't recall if I made it without my under garments showing or not. I was sure embarrassed.
Another time I remember getting shoved into a muddy ditch. A very, very muddy ditch.
We had bathrooms in our classrooms. I remember the teacher would sit at the front of the class on a tall bar stool. I also remember birthday swats on our birthday.
There was a green rubber hose in our classroom. Everyone knew that bad kids were beat with the rubber hose. I was terrified at the thought. I never witnessed anyone being beat, at least not at school with that hose.
Since my father left us when I was five, Mama had to get a job and start working. That was our first home after we were kicked out of the home my mother and father were buying with his VA Loan. Dee Elle and Raye were put into child care. We lived in Glendale at Grand Avenue, 51st Avenue and Bethany Home Road.
I had to ride the bus home. One time I missed my stop and was a mile or two north of where I should have been. I don't remember if I just got off the bus and walked home, or if the bus driver took me back home?
I had a bad experience one morning. A older neighbor boy threatened me with a green rubber hose (what was the deal with rubber hoses?) saying he would beat me unless I did what he said. I was waiting at the bus stop. He made me go around to the back of the house and ordered me to take off my clothes. I was so scared and I was so glad I wore dresses with a slip underneath. I was down to my slip when an older girl showed up and yelled at him. I told and he got into trouble. I can't remember if I missed the bus that day, or if I just let myself in and stayed home.
I remember around Christmas time one night we were leaving to go to the store and the neighbor who lived in the front house stopped us on our way out and told us Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was showing on television. We didn't have a television and she invited us to come in and watch. Mama agreed to let us watch, even though our religion prohibited television watching.
There was a bar on the same corner where we lived. One night, a drunken man got lost and instead of going to the motel across the street where he lived, he came back to our house. He tried to get in the front door, then he went around the entire house and banged on the windows, trying to get in. We were all so terrified. We didn't have a phone and Mama jumped out her bedroom window - I seem to remember that she left the window WIDE OPEN and ran to a neighbor's house to call the police. The same neighbor who'd invited us in to watch Rudolph showed up within minutes and she must have told my mom the story of what she did, because I can still "see" her do it, although I couldn't have witnessed it with my own eyes. She was not a bit afraid of the man, she just came walking up to him and she had a gun in her apron. She showed it to him and said he needed to move along. He started to leave and the police showed up shortly after.
Mama used to fly kites with us. I remember one time the kite went so high up in the sky and then it suddenly dropped. Mama took all three of us girls and we drove around looking for it. It had landed in a trailer park next to where we lived. I'm pretty sure we retrieved it to fly it again.
We had parakeets. One was named Pretty Boy. He was blue. We had a girl parakeet named Shamrock, she was green. He was very tame and I could hold him. I remember showing Dee Elle and Raye a trick where I'd put his head into my mouth. One time he got mad and bit the roof of my mouth! That was the last time I played that trick.
Another time somehow the parakeets got out of their cage. I think a cat might have knocked them over. Mama was crying real hard over losing our birds but pretty soon we found them. I'm pretty sure Pretty Boy was hiding under or behind the washing machine and came walking out. Mama was so happy she was laughing with tears on her face. I'm pretty sure that Shamrock showed up eventually, too.
One time while Mama napped - she napped a lot - me and Dee Elle and Raye were playing house in Raye's crib. Mama had just bought a new blanket for Raye and I got a brilliant idea to cut holes in the corners so the blanket would fit right over the posts of Raye's crib. I used Mama's small sharp sewing scissors. After I'd done that, I figured I'd better okay it with Mama. So I tip-toed into her room, woke her up and asked permission, "Mama, I cut holes in Raye's new blanket so we could play house in her crib, that's okay, right?"
No, it wasn't okay with Mama. She got very angry and started throwing things at me. The lamp, the clock, and the radio. Luckily they were all plugged in, as they stopped short of crashing into me. Mama used her sewing machine to sew up the holes I'd cut in the blanket.
One time Dee Elle got a really bad whipping (which was not unheard in our home). We were in the bathtub playing with spray bottles. Dee Elle turned the spray to a stream and was shooting around the bathroom. (I think at some point in time Dee Elle corrected me and told me it WASN'T HER that sprayed the light). She sprayed the bare light bulb and it busted, throwing glass all over. It was probably a huge mess to clean up and Mama flew into a rage. She found a switch, a belt, a ruler and a flyswatter, laid Dee Elle over her knees and spanked her with all those things - she probably also used her sandal (she used to pull over on the side of the freeway and snatch off her sandal and spank us for misbehaving in the car).
Mama was something else when we were little kids... she's a totally different person now - heck, she was totally different with her second set of children, but she sure used to lose her temper back then, and poor Dee Elle often bore the brunt of that anger. It messed me up, because she loved me so much and then was so at odds with Dee Elle. It scared me, the thought of Mama ever being mad, or not liking me - like she was with Dee Elle. So to this day I have an extremely difficult time if someone is mad at me, or doesn't like me. I've been working on it over the years, but it is a deep seated anxiety which is hard to rid myself of.
Living at that house is also when I got my deep fear of furniture being left out in the sun and elements to decompose and rot. Mama had a beautiful wood table. The memories don't really match up because after we lived in this house we lived with Mama's parents for six months which is where the table was ruined. But I thought I remembered she refinished the table at this house? Maybe she bought this old table, refinished it and THEN it got ruined again at Grandpa and Grandma's? But that doesn't match up, since the table wasn't ruined until after we lived here. Anyway, the table was beautiful wood and it was ruined by being left out. So to this day, if something wood gets left out, I have a deep seated fearful feeling down into the pits of my soul. Like, someone's going to die over this one. Mama probably got really mad about the table getting ruined.
We had a dog when we lived at this house, that we couldn't get housebroken (duh, we were gone all day five days a week!). Mama used to lay newspapers all over the living room floor so the dog could pee and poop on them. Every evening we'd come home to piles of poop and puddles of pee on the newspapers. I think the dog's name was Lady, but I am not sure. I don't know what kind of dog she was, but she was a smaller sized dog.
I was a latchkey kid. I would get off the bus, and go into the house. One day I got a neat idea that I would clean the windows. I don't know why, but this made the neighbor lady really mad. I think she thought I might hurt myself? Anyway, she complained to my mom and after that I had to go to day care after school with my sisters. It was awful at the day care. I hated it. We had to sit and watch television. It wasn't a lady's home, it was a commercial type daycare place.
I remember another time one of us threw a flip-flop shoe out the window while Mama was driving. She had to drive back and get it. Isn't it weird the things that stick in our heads?
Mama worked as a meat packer at Smitty's. She was fired because she wouldn't stop proselytizing at work. She was a new Christian and very fired up about her religion.
When Mama lost her job, we were evicted from our home. The landlord's last ditch effort to move us out was to remove the front door from its hinges. That was very terrifying and I think it was also in the middle of winter when he did that. I remember we had to move in with Grandma and Grandpa shortly after that happened. We stayed there for six months.
Until next time.
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