I remembered this blog for some reason today. After asking Google for my password, I came in and was amazed to see that at least one person read my December post and actually left a comment! Thanks to the Heifer Intl. guy for popping in. FYI incase you come back, I got my most recent news letter from you folks and will be sending a couple of bucks your way soon. Sure wish I had known about them years ago...I so would have signed on to learn to become a HI worker.
Hindsight being what it is and all...
We are freezing once again here. Our 'taste' of spring was short lived and the plants that popped their little buds out are now being frozen off. Hopefully it won't totally wipe out the majority of my blooms and blossems. I love and own many hosta's and I don't worry too much about them since they tend to be quite hardy once established. The tulips and hyacinth are wilted but we did get to enjoy some spring color for about a week before the cold moved back in.
We have a new family member. He's a pup..and a real hoot. Sadly, his first experience in learning how to clear the baby gate in the doorway went awry, and he caught his foot in it and broke his tibia. Having a puppy in a cast and trying to keep it quiet is like nailing a two year old, hyper active child made of jello to a tree. It's been a week..and we have at least 5 more to go before we will know if he's all healed up. In the meantime, I am exhausted.
There is good reason to raise children and puppies while you yourself are young. It takes a lot of time and energy and I am showing about a quarter tank on my fuel guage. Gawd!
Easter is on it's way, and this year like the last one...will be quiet. No big dinner to go to as family is either a considerable drive away, or they have moved on in their own circle. We lost our last 'elder' three years ago, and it seems that I and my siblings have drifted apart. I pretty much knew that would be the case, and while I did try to keep things together, eventually even I have come to the conclusion that things happen for a reason. We have our health and I am thankful for that. We'll be dining out at a brunch in a local restaraunt and that's fine too. I miss the family get together's, but not having to do dishes and clean up after a plethera of folk isn't breaking my heart in the least! :-)
Enjoy the holiday.
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Christmas spirit...who wants some?
I do. In September, I'm usually stoked about Christmas and have a plethera of good ideas. How and what to put out in the yard that will be festive without looking too much like a white trash extraveganza. What I think will be great gifts to give, because there is a never ending string of hints coming my way, which I of course can't recall for the life of me by Halloween. Now there's a holiday I get in too! I have more Halloween stuff it seems than most folks have stray pens without ink in a junk drawer. I started having Halloween parties in the 90's. Back before it became a gazillion dollar industry. The good news is, now that it is a big time deal, you can find some decent decor that isn't all kittens with pumpkins or smiling ghost's. I like the creepy stuff. But Christmas? I can't get into it this year. It seems like I've lost my touch for the holidays.
Now that one kid is gone and in the military, and the other is too busy being a senior in high school...there just isn't the drive to decorate and get pumped like there used to be. I guess this year it will be pretty minimal, unless something or someone inspires me to start popping the lids on those big totes full of stuff in the basement. I did decide that this year it's about others. There will be a gift or two for the kid...and I'll send something to the other one, but my major cash was spent at a cool place called Heifer International. I really like the concept of 'teach a man to fish' instead of throwing cash at a 'group' who's overhead will eat most of my donation up on someone paid to paint their nails while they answer the phone. Anyway, check it out. It's a wonderful group and they have been doing great things for people in need for years. Kind of the Pay It Forward of the livestock crowd. I can't wait to see the expression on the faces of certain family members when they open a card telling them I spent their portion of my budget on the needy. I HOPE it will inspire them to become a bit more altruistic..but they are young males and I have a hunch they will be a bit 'shocked'. Hehehehe.
I will be gifting myself with a CD burner. The one the kid in the house had has official bitten the dust and I have a couple of new CD's I really want to 'rip' to my iPod. The dog of the house has managed to throw away another Kong toy (tm) so I guess I'll be shelling out for another one of those too. He has a habit of wandering around with that in his mouth, then going to see what's in the trash can. He inevitably drops it in while rooting, and if I didn't witness the act, then it gets tossed out on trash day. Damn dog.
Be careful..it seems the rumor about gift card rip off is true. Certain cretins will go through a store and write down the number on those cards hanging on the rack. They then check the number via a web site each day to see if that cards number has been sold, and if so...how much is on the card. They then quickly spend it on line and twahlah! Your gift card is worth nada! Great little scam if that is your cup of tea. I'm all for giving them the green...as long as it doesn't turn out to be counterfeit that is!
Carry on. Let me know if you have an abundance of Christmas spirit you can divy up.
Now that one kid is gone and in the military, and the other is too busy being a senior in high school...there just isn't the drive to decorate and get pumped like there used to be. I guess this year it will be pretty minimal, unless something or someone inspires me to start popping the lids on those big totes full of stuff in the basement. I did decide that this year it's about others. There will be a gift or two for the kid...and I'll send something to the other one, but my major cash was spent at a cool place called Heifer International. I really like the concept of 'teach a man to fish' instead of throwing cash at a 'group' who's overhead will eat most of my donation up on someone paid to paint their nails while they answer the phone. Anyway, check it out. It's a wonderful group and they have been doing great things for people in need for years. Kind of the Pay It Forward of the livestock crowd. I can't wait to see the expression on the faces of certain family members when they open a card telling them I spent their portion of my budget on the needy. I HOPE it will inspire them to become a bit more altruistic..but they are young males and I have a hunch they will be a bit 'shocked'. Hehehehe.
I will be gifting myself with a CD burner. The one the kid in the house had has official bitten the dust and I have a couple of new CD's I really want to 'rip' to my iPod. The dog of the house has managed to throw away another Kong toy (tm) so I guess I'll be shelling out for another one of those too. He has a habit of wandering around with that in his mouth, then going to see what's in the trash can. He inevitably drops it in while rooting, and if I didn't witness the act, then it gets tossed out on trash day. Damn dog.
Be careful..it seems the rumor about gift card rip off is true. Certain cretins will go through a store and write down the number on those cards hanging on the rack. They then check the number via a web site each day to see if that cards number has been sold, and if so...how much is on the card. They then quickly spend it on line and twahlah! Your gift card is worth nada! Great little scam if that is your cup of tea. I'm all for giving them the green...as long as it doesn't turn out to be counterfeit that is!
Carry on. Let me know if you have an abundance of Christmas spirit you can divy up.
Saturday, December 2, 2006
Who knew...
..It was going to get so cold, the squirrels would be hugging each other this morning!? While I've lived in this state forever, and it is no 'real surprise' that the temps can swing wildly from one extreme to another, (thanks to the Canadians usually)but when you go from 67F to 12F in 36 hours, it's always a rude awakening. Man..I do so dream of living in a more temperate climate. The good news is, the corn burner is cranked up and doing a 'mahvelous' job this morning. This little beauty has paid for itself in less than two years. Burning corn is simple, economical, and even the waste ash or 'clinkers' can be tossed into the garden and tilled in come spring. No waste and cheaper than natural gas per therm by a long shot! Check them out if you can.
The one we have is a Snow Flame brand and it works just fine. The only 'issue' we have had was purchasing corn in sufficient quantity and storing it on site. We purchased a red corn wagon from a farmer a year ago, painted it up and did some repair and we are good to go! One trip to the elevator in late August (before harvest starts in earnest and the price went up) and we have all the corn we need to get us through until April. Granted, we are only heating a sun porch...not the entire hovel, but since we spend the majority of our time out here basking in the available sun it allows us to keep the hovel temps down and the porch temp nice and toasty! If I figure out how to work this blog and can post a pic/link I'll do so. Until then..just google Snow Flame and see what pops up!
In the meantime, I'm off to refill my coffee mug and get my laundry list of duties to perform today finished. I often wonder what it would be like to come home from work on a Friday and have nothing to do besides lounge around and ask Raoul the pool boy to peel me another grape. I guess I'll have to sleep more to see how that all works out! Lets see if this will work. Pictures of corn burners here.
The one we have is a Snow Flame brand and it works just fine. The only 'issue' we have had was purchasing corn in sufficient quantity and storing it on site. We purchased a red corn wagon from a farmer a year ago, painted it up and did some repair and we are good to go! One trip to the elevator in late August (before harvest starts in earnest and the price went up) and we have all the corn we need to get us through until April. Granted, we are only heating a sun porch...not the entire hovel, but since we spend the majority of our time out here basking in the available sun it allows us to keep the hovel temps down and the porch temp nice and toasty! If I figure out how to work this blog and can post a pic/link I'll do so. Until then..just google Snow Flame and see what pops up!
In the meantime, I'm off to refill my coffee mug and get my laundry list of duties to perform today finished. I often wonder what it would be like to come home from work on a Friday and have nothing to do besides lounge around and ask Raoul the pool boy to peel me another grape. I guess I'll have to sleep more to see how that all works out! Lets see if this will work. Pictures of corn burners here.
Friday, December 1, 2006
The what?
While I doubt seriously I'll use this blog..other than giving me the alleged credibility to leave comments on moderated other blogs...I had thought of this name while actually eating yogurt at work with the only utensil I had. A fork. Plastic. Black. NOT a spork!! Sporks are evil and a sign of giving your soul to satan. Note the lack of capitalization of 'it's' name. I will not honor him in that fashion. So..maybe I'll waste a few electrons and maybe I won't. In the meantime..I have some 'comments' to leave on my favorite blogs now that I have jumped through this hoop!
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