Tuesday, February 26, 2013

They can't steal my joy


This is our stereo, it is built in the wall.

I think I told you about the stereo before, well it broke. First I noticed it was cutting out and the next thing you know it just died. Big Daddy took it in for repair, this is the second time we have had to repair it in the 20 or so years we have lived here. It came with the house. The only time we use it really is for the news and traffic in the morning but that is important. I am not sure we even have a cassette tape to test that appliance out. Punkin Head thinks we are crazy getting this fixed.

The visit to the blood-taking place was a horror story. The woman that was there was Ms. Nasty Grumpy and yes I have a lump where she took the blood. On a high note my blood pressure was 107/74 which is normal. When I go to the doctor it is always high. Oh, and for the second time in a week I have seen a new number on the scales. Don't know if my body finally admitted I am on a diet or the increased thyroid medication is responsible.

I have investigated improving my cholesterol and losing weight without having to take statins for the cholesterol. Green tea, physical activity, eating properly, oatmeal and fiber were the biggies. So, I went to CVS for some more Benefiber and that turned into a mess.  They did not have any and I ended up with some other stuff that seemed kinda like it. Then the clerk asked me if I found everything and I said there was no Benefiber, he called a manager who after checking insisted the stuff I had was Benefiber under a new name and package from the same company. When I got home and checked this seemed false. So I checked on the Internet and called the Benefiber company. They informed me that no the stuff I bought was not theirs, but, tada . . . there is no Benefiber because of some blah, blah, blah, which I interpreted as corporate bullshit for there is a huge problem and we can't make it right now. So, there is no real or phony Benefiber. WTF.

Well, we are supposed to get 6 to 12 inches this evening so we will see.

Monday, February 25, 2013

Gotta rant for a minute

I hesitate to lay the blame right at Obama's feet but where else would this belong. As many of you are aware the cost of insurance has gone up recently. Some of us must pay a portion of our insurance and yes we noticed. And it cost more than the free shit I get now.

We are going through our yearly doctor appointments for the first time in 3-4 years and have completed almost all of it. One or two tests remain.

Tomorrow we have to go in and have blood work done for the company insurance requirements so that our insurance will not go up again.

I am calling bullshit on all this crap required by the insurance company. And I am calling double bullshit on this saving any money for anything or anybody. Repeating tests just for the hell of it is stupid. In my opinion this is simply to collect data on people that cannot be obtained from the doctor's records. And what is this shit about having your picture taken to go with your file? If the highly trained and competent idiots in the TSA cannot figure out picture ID I am supposed to believe the clerks in insurance companies making minimum wage can tell if I have a new hairdo or not. I don't think so.

And who is paying for my fuel to drive my car and increase my carbon footprint in order to have all this testing repeated? Just found out mileage reimbursement is .565 per mile for this jaunt.

Everything is already documented to keep the lower rate, Big Daddy had to report how many steps he took every day for awhile,  and now this. I think I need a tin foil hat.

And the thing that really pisses me off, 95 % of the time I have a problem with the taking of the blood. Not long ago as I walked out of the room blood started running down my arms onto the floor. I had to go back and get pressure bandages put on and sit there. Once the bruise and swelling was so bad it was 2 weeks before I could use my arm.

I hate this shit.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

The Weekend Snippets

Friday morning was pedicure time and wouldn't you know it we had a snow storm. An unpredicted snow storm. They said a flake or two and I had 4 inches on the front of my car in 90 minutes. Big Daddy cleaned it off before he left and I still had a mess. That reminds of a past snow cleaning. I was in Tennessee on a business trip and our return flight was delayed due to the weather. It was a bad snowstorm and we were flying into Detroit Metro rather late at night. It was extremely cold and all the cars were buried under a massive amount of snow at Airlines Parking. All except mine. Big Daddy had traveled to the lot and scraped the snow off my car. I don't know how he convinced the people he was not parking only scraping but he did. And I was teased for awhile on that one. 

Saturday was hair day and we altered the front a bit so I look less like a crone and friendlier, still blond blond of course. 

We made a new recipe from our Christmas present to ourselves cookbook, Screen Doors and Sweet Tea, pimento cheese. And it is delicious. I cannot wait to eat it today. And we are making lasagna which I have not made in 4 or 5 years so that should be interesting. Saturday we had duck cassoulet and it was divine. 

BD is now hooked on House of Cards, that is such a good show. TV is boring right now, Survivor and Swamp People. Nashville returns next week. 

I just finished The Beach Trees, a book by Karen White and it was pretty good. Murder mystery in the south both Biloxi and New Orleans are featured. Next I am reading Private Berlin by James Patterson. I am ordering A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy, I did not know there was one left to publish after she died. I just adore her books. 

Next, our music story.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

The adventures of Big Daddy

Big Daddy had to return to West BFE this week as they are not capable of making car parts that meet the agreed upon specifications. That is because their machine will not run. They are not quite sure why. The guy who would be sure why does not work weekends or Mondays. In an attempt to placate BD they told him a part for the machine was ordered Monday. As they did not know why the machine would not work and the machine fixer guy was not there this seemed fishy. Upon review of the tracking number it was discovered the number would not be active until late Tuesday in Germany, well it seemed all their talk was hooey.

The next bunch of malarky was trying to keep BD and his comrades under lock and key, not allowing them to freely wander the facility looking for scrap and repair and containment. They wanted him to stay in the conference room and wait for them to report in and be late for meetings. Ha, BD did not fall off the turnip truck this week. He waited until the three headed dog went on break and asked the replacement dude to bum a smoke. Then he went to the back door where all the smokers hung out and asked for a light. Quick as a wink he told them it was too cold too smoke and traded the cig for entry in the back door of the shop.

Sauntering about the shop floor what should he spot but his main contact screwing around on Facebook. As he snapped the dude's photo with his Blackberry BD's comrade almost peed his pants laughing.

The moral of the story, idle hands are the devil's playthings.

I was the devil as I had to remind BD of the cig to get in the back door. He is much too kind to remember this kind evil. He is more apt to show up first thing or at lunch with food. That also works and when you friendly up with the worker bees they will tell you all the intel you need.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Beautiful daffodils


Tada, 2 days later

I love these things, Punkin Head told me story about when they first got these in at a store he worked at on the east coast. The manager put them out all in water. The flower department was beautiful 2 days later.


Teacup from my mother.

When my mother broke up her house last year she gave me an assortment of teacups. She was a collector. I had a few she gave me a few years ago and this is one of them. I loved it because of the green and gold. There are no markings on it so I have no idea of the origin but I believe it is hand painted.

For Lent my "good" thing is self improvement so I am drinking green tea every day and using the teacups as it brings me some enjoyment.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Daffodils



Trader Joe's dry daffodils

This time of year the dry daffodils are out and I love them. When they open up I will post another picture and a close up of my tea cup of the month.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Funeral Event Planning


This is my quilt

It is not like I don't have enough on my plate what with watching trash TV, reading cookbooks and taking the dog out-now I have to deal with funeral wishes. My MIL has sent out an email stating that she wants her funeral decorated with some of her quilts. She is a quilter and after outfitting her home with quilts she made one for each child and then each grandchild. When she bemoaned that she had run out people to quilt for I said she could make one for all the in-laws. She made me a beautiful green and purple flowered one. As Big Daddy's brother goes through wives like some men go through socks this also kept her busy.



Well, when she made Big Daddy's, it is a smaller one-more like a throw for the end of the bed, we used it. It is unusual, black with pink roses. I noticed before we went to China it was in need of some TLC. This quilt is raggedy ass on the edges. I just know BD's sisters are gonna want all the kids quilts at this damn funeral and I cannot take a raggedy ass quilt in for display. And I can't call my MIL and tell her this quilt is falling apart. No one else's quilts are falling apart. Mine and Punkin Head's are still good. WTF. This is all gonna back on me as being a serial quilt killer.


Raggedy edges that actually separate in places

And you know if I don't get this fixed she is gonna die right away. It is like the "carry an umbrella and it won't rain" thing. This is a terrible burden. How was I supposed to know this was a display not a "use" item.

You know I don't have a great track record with funerals. From cousins throwing themselves into the coffin, aunts throwing themselves across coffins, BD being told he was not a member of the family and had to sit in back, almost falling down an icy hill in January at one cemetery and we don't even want to talk about my dad's funeral. Now I have to deal with the quilt situation. And it is faded. Woe is me.

Friday, February 15, 2013

The bad, the nasty and the evil

Is anyone else watching House of Cards on Netflix? It is wonderful in that disturbing and fascinating way, drawing you in to watch people at their worst. And Kevin Spacey once again proves he is a damn fine actor.

I am also quite enamored of Nashville, a southern soap opera of country music that does not fail to entertain. I am not a country music fan and I just adore this show-all except for when this insipid blonde with bad hair, a bad accent, and a thin whiney voice is on. Her writing partner had a loaded gun in the highlights for the next show and I am hoping he shoots her by mistake. He got the gun from his still (not X) con brother who is on the lam from the half-way house. How can you not love this shit.

And hurray, Survivor is back and for once one team is not just a sad sack of losers. This is looking to be good as I think some of the "favorites" will fight to the death instead of being voted off.

Bravo is coming out with some great trash next month so I am just happy as a clam.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Un-Valentine's Day

Well it is a good thing we had nothing planned for celebrating St. Valentine as the automotive world cannot survive without Big Daddy. Yes, they have stolen my hunk of burning love. He was directed to fly out first thing this morning on a non-stop to west BFE and save the day of all new cars built. Considering the only thing he can do is point out what other people fucked up this is sometimes not the most pleasant job. Especially when the customer is standing over your shoulder.

This is why I am sure I want to go back into that business, I feel I have lost my tact and diplomacy.
I am afraid I would say, what were you thinking when you looked at this piece of shit and decided to pack it and send it to the customer. Would you like this raggedy ass piece of crap on your car? And then it would go downhill. I remember once when the sort bill hit close to 50,000 dollars I told the Quality Manager to put a sign at the end of the line with a running charge for how much this team had cost the company per day. And that was when I was nice.

Friday dinner and a movie is out too, he will be back too late. Then he gets to go back and do it all over again next week.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Tulips


Big Daddy found tulips at Trader Joe's.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

White Trash


My brand new plastic white picket fence.

Sammy dog is flummoxed by the snow and has decided he wants to pee and poop in the front landscaping bed. Besides the fact I do not want him to kill what is left of my landscaping he creates havoc. First he gets caught on the pavers, then he wraps himself around the tree and gets caught in the rose bush. It got so bad last week I had to keep boots and a coat at the front door to rescue him all day long. Big Daddy heard my bitching and came to the party with White Trash plastic fencing.

Sammy dog tried to jump it, managed to slide past it at the brick wall and as you can see is scoping out other ways to foil this barrier. By the way, his manicured plot for his and only his use is on the other side of the walkway.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Snow stories

So all day on the television and radio there are kind warnings about how we should behave in the snow storm as we are all stupid assholes. The biggest warning is not to shovel as you will have a heart attack and die, this seems to be especially important for older males. Older being over 35.

My snow removal team shows up, 2 guys of sketchy appearance with snow shovels. The older dude has a cig hanging from his lips as he shovels.

If he dies this is not gonna be pretty. I hired the company so I will not be responsible, but I will have to call the police and answer the questions. And I never did take that damn CPR class.

Friday, February 8, 2013

Now I feel like dirt

I know I have mentioned the Flower Lady. She is getting older, as we all are, and I never really thought about that. I never think about her unless I see her or take a real good look at her house. She really does not do much anymore, the last time I saw her she was trying to shovel the snow away from the fire hydrant on fire day. The hydrant is on the corner of her property. I thought to myself how like her to try and do something helpful and nice.

No one talks to the Flower Lady because she can be a nuisance. She is not quite right and will show up at your house every 10 minutes to talk. Her husband died in the Vietnam war and I think she is very lonely now. No one wants to take the time to chat with her because that could run into hours of talking.

When the snow quit today I noticed the Expat Lady outside and wondered why is she going out, it is very cold and the wind is terrible. Well, she and her daughter (about 3) walked around the curve and shoveled the Flower Lady's drive and walkway and porch. The Flower Lady tried to help and that is when I noticed how much she has aged. I wondered how the Expat Lady would get away and guess what, she and her daughter went across the street and shoveled the awful black dog's house. That is the where the lady who tried to hit Sammy with a stick lives. And the old guy who buries weird shit in other people's yards.

That Expat Lady is one great human being and she is teaching her daughter by example.

Snow Week

I think it has snowed every day this week. My snow removal people are happy. My Sammy dog is not happy and will not be happy until Big Daddy gets home and shovels a new poop spot. The snow is up to his shoulders now and he is not a happy camper.

The Mormons are across the street with the cops so I guess they are going to get some of their stuff. The kids half assed shoveled the snow and now the old guy is trying to start the snow blower.

Yep, we got about 4-5 inches instead of the 1-3 today so there is a fair amount of snow. We should be getting high winds later so we can get some lovely snow drifts.

Hope BD gets home on time, he has spent the week in Mexico and is travelling Monterrey to Dallas, Dallas to Chicago, Chicago to Detroit. Because it is cheaper you know. 9 hours of travel is cheaper than 3 hours of travel. And that is if there are no delays.

Off to do my hair so I look cute when BD arrives.

Monday, February 4, 2013

This is ugly



Just as I was about to put my boots on and stomp around the block to tell my neighbors that the Christmas season was over and to take down their shitty decorations, well, I heard the sirens. I did not think much of it as they were not real loud and ended fairly quickly. That is because they ended at the end of my driveway.

That cloud of white smoke covering the front of the house across the street, well that house is on fire. When I wandered to the front of  my house and looked out I was amazed. There was a bit of dark smoke coming from the upper level bedroom window and then I saw flames. I went to get the camera and this is what I saw when I got back. 

It seemed the fire department could not get water to the fire and had trouble opening the hydrant. Or maybe that is just my assessment. 

The firemen have special tools and knocked the windows out from the outside with just a whack.

That is when the flames flared up. 

The saddest part, I saw the kids come home from school and see their house burning. When it was over I saw a gurney come out of the house empty and thought great, until I saw it come back down the street with a girl in it. 

The oddest parts, there were people in my neighborhood that did not belong here. I am talking about old people that maybe were fire chasers. It was weird. 



The silliest part, the paparazzi probably from the local paper being shadowed by the wanna be photog with the better camera. 



So this is a new chapter for the Mormons, this house is trashed and they only were able to stay there for what, maybe 5 months. No one has lived there very long since Chuck died, I am starting to wonder if it is haunted. And they were the worst offenders of the Christmas decorations. Those upstairs windows were covered with plastic stick-ons. Ugh.

Winterfest



Thank goodness it got really cold again, because it is time for Winterfest. This is in front of The Dirty Dog Cafe.


This is in front of the CVS Pharmacy and the plastic flowers kinda make it look low rent. Silk would have been better.

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Fuggedaboutit



So here in the midwest we have been having some windy conditions. Not as bad as east of us where the 737 aeroplane was pushed into a fuel truck, but bad enough to say it is pretty damn windy. And for the second time since I have been home my green recycling bin flew the coop. It is nowhere to be found. It is green and holds shit in its innards and is soon to be replaced by a big ass bin with wheels.

We called the city to say our bin was lost in the last wind storm and they informed us it would cost 15 U.S. dollars to replace the bin. We asked how soon we would be switching to the new bins and we were told soon. So we decided not to invest the whopping 15 U.S. dollars to replace a plastic-petroleum product-soon to be obsolete bin. Then the resourceful Big Daddy found a similar type bin in the garage. It is green, a lighter green but green. A tad smaller. He put it out filled with objects for recycling.

No one took it.

WTF.

Now when I put bottles into the Trader Joe's paper sacks (they are really great for this) the garbage men take them instead of leaving them for the recycle dudes. When I put the Trader Joe's sacks in the recycle bin the recycle dudes take them. Now I have a faux recycle bin full of shit shunned by all the garbage type peeps.

So, I have to put the recycle shit in a huge black plastic bag and make sure it is not to heavy to carry. Then I have to put the faux recycle bin a black plastic bag to be whisked away by the garbage people.

And people wonder why I hate the greenies. Is it such a big sin to take the recycle shit in a slightly different bin? Would it kill ya to just be a citizen and take the fucking trash?