May 31, 2008
Put That Down!
I have two stories to tell you involving my two nieces, Jesse and Sydnee.
The first one involves Sydnee. I was not there, so I am trying to relay it as best I can.
My parent’s had taken Jesse & Sydnee to get pizza at Donotos. Since the weather was so nice, they decided to sit at an outdoor table. As they waited on their food, Sydnee ran around, picked something up and brought it back to the table. She sat it down right in front of my mom. My mom asked her, “Do you know what that is?”
Sydnee said, “It’s a chicken.”
Mom told her, “No Sydnee, that’s a dead bird.”
Sydnee said, “No, it’s a rubber chicken! It’s a rubber chicken!”
When mom looked down at what Sydnee had laid before her, she saw a goopy, unborn, featherless bird. She said the waitress from Donotos came out and offered to clean the table. Upon her return, she used a cloth rag to get the remains. I’m not saying anything else. I just hope she threw the rag away!
It turns out they were sitting at a table under the Donotos sign. A bird had made a nest in one of the letters and the baby had fallen out and died.
I talked to Sydnee today about the incident and she said she didn’t know it was real. She said she thought it was rubber.
I can’t imagine being a child and wanting to pick something up that looked dead – plastic or not. It didn’t seem to bother her or have any lasting effects.
The second story involves Jesse.
(You know, I have to document these things or we won’t remember them years from now.)
Jesse was playing in my front yard today. All of a sudden she ran up to her mother and said, “Mommy! Look at these pretty rocks!”
Jennifer, my sister, looked at me and said, “Is that what I think it is; a cat turd?”
“Let me see.” I said.
Upon gazing at the pretty rocks, I said, “Yes. Those are two dried up cat turds.”
We made Jesse throw them away and immediately wash her hands.
Do you think the kids will be too afraid now to pick up anything? Probably not.
Posted by tami at 11:15 PM Comments (4)
May 30, 2008
Garbage Woes
In the last set of comments Miss L said she was concerned about the Herbie and asked if it was a rubbish bin. It is a rubbish bin and I have no idea why we call it a Herbie. We put all our garbage into it because this town doesn’t really care about recycling as far as I am concerned.
They do have a recycling center, I will give them that. It is located right next to the place where all the other garbage is sent, but it is a recycling center none the less. The problem I have is that I have to sort out the items from home and then lug them all down to the center myself. I am one of these people who wouldn’t want to save garbage for weeks on end, so I would be lugging my recyclables downtown every other day.
Lexington, a city which is only twenty minutes away from here, but much larger, gave its residents 65-gallon Rosie bins. Rosie = Recycling. Lexington offers Household CURBSIDE Collection. This is a wonderful system and I know many people use the service. I know I would love to have this system in place in Winchester. I wouldn’t mind at all having a blue bin full of recyclables. It would make me feel like I was doing some good. Since I am aware of the opportunity downtown, I do feel bad about not recycling, but not bad enough to lug my own garbage down there twice a week.
I know that Miss L has a compost pile. I wasn’t raised doing this, so it is totally foreign to me. I don’t think we would have much that could be put in a compost pile because we use a lot of prepackaged food. Maybe I am wrong. Maybe someone needs to write a post about their own compost pile and tell me what they put in it, what they do to it, and how the compost is used.
Winchester will pick up yard waste, so I don’t understand why they won’t pick up recyclables. I assume it all boils down to money. Maybe they would have to charge the community more on their bill each month and the community does not find it worthwhile. This is only an assumption. I have no idea their reasoning.
I have many readers in Winchester, some who rarely if ever comment. I would like to hear your opinions on this matter (and those who live out of town too). Would you really recycle if a Rosie was offered to you? Remember, you are under the cone of safety here, so if you answer no, no one is allowed to bash you ;)
For those who have never commented:
It is very easy. Click on the comment bar right under this post. Scroll down and fill in your name (some people use fake names and this is okay), email address (this will not show up in your comment and no one will know how to contact you), the URL is for people who have websites. You can leave this blank. Type your comment in the box. Type the security code (the numbers you see in the box) in the space provided. Click on POST one time.
* Name
* Email
* Comment
* Number
* Post
That’s it. It's as easy as can be.
Posted by tami at 9:11 AM Comments (3)
May 29, 2008
You Can't Take It With You
I watched a TV program a few days ago that showcased a house which had been renovated. The owner had a hollow box prepared above the fireplace specifically for a flat screen television. Although we don’t own a flat screen TV, I know many people do.
My immediate reaction when I saw this was, what a way to save space!
This got me thinking about ways we are saving space better than we ever have before. Our photos for example are taken, for the most part, on a digital camera. If I really need a hard copy to mail to someone, I can easily put the photo on a thumb drive and take it to any store to be copied for a minimal fee. 99% of my photos stay on my computer which is a huge space saver.
Most of the music I listen to is also on my computer. I do have a ton of CD’s, but they are no where near as accessible as the music on my computer, so I don’t listen to them as much as I would like. I still save lots of space by not having CD’s of every song I own.
My home videos are now stored on my computer. It’s been a long time since I actually made a hard copy of any video. Now all I do is record using the camera and send it straight to the computer. No mess and no wasted space.
Space and things are on my mind and have been for some time now. When I was younger, I used to wonder how some elderly people could have so much during their life and then end up with virtually no items in the end.
Now, as I age, I see how piece by piece, things are sold, donated to charity, or given to friends or relatives. It is amazing the toys and clothes Ashley has already gone through. Granted, we have containers full of things in the attic, but we have given away a lot. This, to me, is a good thing.
I have learned to take pictures of things I want to remember, but don’t need physically. A perfect example of this was with Andrew’s science boards. In 6th, 7th, and 8th grades he had to complete science projects which included assembling science boards. Since so much money was spent making his boards, I kept them. I also kept them because I thought they may serve as some sort of reference for the following year (they never did).
Andrew graduated high school, twelfth grade, in May 2007. These boards were still sitting beside my refrigerator after keeping them 5, 6, and 7 years. I had convinced myself that they may be of reference for one of Ashley’s projects. When I conveyed this to Kevin he about died. He said, “Why don’t you just take a picture of them?”
Brilliance. Pure. Brilliance.
Why had I never thought of this?
I snapped the pictures and then we threw the boards into the Herbie. It felt good to have that space freed, but it also felt good knowing I could look at those boards any time I wanted.
This is how I cope with freeing myself of objects. I take a picture and then I let the object itself go; whether it is to the Herbie, or Goodwill, or a relative. Pictures for me no longer take up space, they are easily accessible, and I have them forever or until I forget to back them up … we won’t go there.
I believe this way of thinking is also reflected on this site. I like to keep it clean and as uncluttered as possible. I like to keep my links as current as possible.
I don’t like feeling bogged down by clutter and now understand how the elderly often end up with so little. They understand the fact that they can’t take it with them, so they may as well give it away if it is not used.
For the things I do not use, which have no meaning, or I no longer enjoy, considering things this way makes life and letting go a lot easier.
Posted by tami at 6:53 PM Comments (1)
May 28, 2008
When Did Prayer Become Dirty?
I will be the first person to tell you that I am not perfect. I do stupid things and words fly out of my mouth before I think about what I am saying. Growing over the years, and having a very calm, composed spouse, I am a better person than I was. Watching him and often taking his lead, has made me make better decisions and handle calamities in ways that I wouldn’t have before I met him.
Even through my imperfections, I am not ashamed to use the words pray or prayer and to tell you that I pray. I pray constantly; all day long at different times. I can have a person’s name come to mind for no reason at all and I will pray for them.
A few weeks ago, a lady’s name came to my mind. I had not heard her name mentioned in a while, but I took her name coming to me as a sort of signal that I needed to pray for her. So, I did. To my knowledge she is perfectly okay, but it didn’t hurt for me to say a little prayer for her.
It bothers me that the word pray seems to be almost a dirty word on some blogs. People like to use the word thoughts instead of pray.
Keep me in your thoughts.
I will keep him in my thoughts.
Energy seems to be another word that’s becoming more and more popular.
I will send good energy your way.
In the past, I have asked for prayer for certain people. That is exactly what I would like; prayer. No offense, but I don’t need your thoughts. What good are your thoughts? I need you to pray.
I thought unless you were atheist, you prayed to something, someone.
Christians pray to God.
Buddhists pray to the Buddha within themselves.
Muslims pray to Allah.
I could go on and on. My point is this; why not say, I am praying for so-and-so or will you pray for so-and-so? Why say, I will keep her in my thoughts? Just because you are thinking about someone does not mean you care for their well being and you want the Lord (be it mine or yours) to bless them.
I don’t expect to get a response from the people who actually refuse to use the word prayer. They are also the ones who would think this would cause some sort of controversy and are always politically correct. Sometimes trying to be politically correct will get you no where.
Let me set one thing straight. I love hearing how other people live and how they feel - their deep thoughts. If you give an opinion on this blog, you will not be ostracized. I will not allow malicious comments against me or another person. If this happens, the comment will be deleted.
I really want to know; what do you have against using the word prayer or what do you think other people have against using the word prayer?
Posted by tami at 12:41 PM Comments (6)
May 27, 2008
Damage Control
I told you about our hot water heater bursting on Wednesday, May 21st. That day, we rented an air blower and paid $400 for a new hot water heater.
Thursday, May 22nd, we installed the new hot water heater. On this day, we also noticed an odor.
The hallway has laminate wood and laminate does not mix well with water. We have read and also been told that it will swell and have to be replaced. We noticed many places where it was trying to swell, so Kevin put books on each bad spot and then put two of Andrew’s weights on top of the book. We want to do all we can to try and salvage this floor.
Walking through our hallway has been like walking through a landmine.
It’s not fun in the dark.
The thresholds having been removed make it especially unsightly.
Friday, May 23rd, Kevin discovered the odor was coming from the carpet in Andrew’s bedroom. Andrew’s bedroom is straight across the hall from the utility room which houses the hot water heater. When the heater burst, the water went straight out into the hall and into his carpet. When we rented the air blower, we put it under his carpet and kept it there overnight, but the padding was dripping wet and could not be saved. For this reason and because we were afraid of mold, we removed Andrew’s carpet. Kevin used a water/bleach mix and wiped down the floor. Currently, there is only concrete subfloor in this room, but the horrible smell is gone.
Kevin contacted our insurance agent Friday afternoon. Because of the Memorial Day holiday yesterday, the claim will be submitted today. Our insurance company should be calling us tomorrow.
Posted by tami at 12:58 PM Comments (2)
May 26, 2008
My New Favorite
Since childhood, my favorite cola has been Coca-Cola Classic:
In middle school, we had a blind taste test between Coca-Cola and Pepsi. I immediately knew which one was the Coca-Cola and chose it as my preference hands down.
More than a few years ago, Kevin and I made the plunge into "diet-only" drinks. Once we saw how many calories were in the regular colas, we asked ourselves why we were taking in so many calories when we could be drinking diet and getting no calories. I have heard it said many times that a person can easily drop five pounds or more just switching from regular drinks to diet. There is no doubt this is true.
Sadly, I did not enjoy Diet Coca-Cola or Diet Pepsi, so my new favorite drink became Diet Sunkist:
Diet Sunkist is awesome, but it’s an orange drink and entirely different from a coke-type drink. I truly never thought there would be another coke-type drink I could enjoy.
Ashley started drinking Coca-Cola Zero (we just call it Coke Zero). She told me I needed to try it and claimed it tasted just like regular Coca-Cola. Well, I thought to myself, what could she know about Coca-Cola Classic – she’s only eleven!
We ran out of Diet Sunkist one day last week, so I was forced to try a Coke Zero.
Guess what?! It’s my new favorite, favorite, favorite drink and it has NO calories whatsoever!
I am a huge fan! I admitted to Ashley what my former thoughts had been and apologized for doubting her wisdom. I told her that it really does taste just like a Coca-Cola Classic. She said, “I told you.”
I know some of you don’t drink cola, but for those of you who do; you need to try this and save yourself some calories. You can thank me, I mean, Ashley later!
Posted by tami at 3:52 PM Comments (3)
May 25, 2008
Completed Chores
We had a beautiful Saturday. Normally we drive to Lexington, shop, and eat out. This Saturday was different in that we spent the day at home doing outside tasks.
We:
* Opened the pool – This involves: taking the winter cover off, cleaning it, and then putting it in storage for the summer; attaching hoses to the pool pump, and putting chemicals in the pool water.
* Kevin patched some holes & I painted the storage room & ceiling (this took the majority of my day, but was worth it).
* Kevin made a new box to conceal the dryer vent in the storage room because the old box was thin and unsightly. I was painting.
* Kevin mowed the lawn & used the weed eater. I was still painting.
Kevin cleaned the back gutters & installed gutter covers. I helped hold the ladder and hand him the tools needed because I finished painting!
In between all this, we cooked out (you know how we love to cook out):
Ashley spent the majority of this beautiful day inside playing The Sims™:
I tried to get her to stay outside a little, but she pouted and made it very clear that she was unhappy and wanted to be inside. I want her to be happy. Besides, I couldn’t think of any reason she should be outside. It’s not as if she’s overweight and needs to run around the yard. The only thing she would have done would be to sit and read a book and I don’t need to make her do that; she reads enough on her own.
We accomplished a lot and I am glad!
Posted by tami at 9:22 AM Comments (1)
May 24, 2008
Pugalicious
A while back I told you about my Cabbage Patch Kid.
It will probably come as no surprise to you that I still have the birth certificate and adoption papers.
The adoption certificate:
I even kept the brochure that came with the adoption papers:
Genny looked like the last doll in the middle row (the one with red hair). Its funny my parent’s would give me a red headed doll because I ended up having a red headed child. Was that a little bit of foreshadowing?
If only I had kept the actual doll! No, seriously, I think she is at my parent’s house and I wouldn’t know what to do with her if I did have her. I have places to keep papers and cards, but I don’t have a place to keep all of my childhood toys.
*****
I have a friend who bought me a few presents for no reason other than the fact that she knew I would love them and she is SO thoughtful.
A Pug plate:
And a Pug statue:
I was delighted to receive these gifts! Thank you Deanna! You are the best! :)
Posted by tami at 9:23 AM Comments (1)
May 23, 2008
Awards & Flags
Yesterday, our new hot water heater was installed and we all took hot showers. You don’t realize how much you depend on something until it’s gone. Washing dishes and hands and taking showers all need hot water and I am thankful to have it back. The verdict is still out on our floor. Right now, we believe it is still damp underneath, so we are withholding judgment for a while.
Last night was Honors Night at Ashley’s school. To receive an award for a particular class, the teacher for that class has to nominate the student. Ashley received an award from one of her teachers and was very happy:
It is turned around backwards so that no one can read the writing. Sorry! The Internet sometimes equals freaks.
I ordered a new flag from the United States Flag Store online. They promptly shipped it and I now have it less than a week after ordering. I am very happy with the size and quality.
I think they have sold out of the Democratic Party flags. Just kidding!!!
Posted by tami at 7:45 AM Comments (1)
May 22, 2008
Stop Signs?!
My parent’s live in an area that is a magnet for wrecks. I have explained this before. We stopped having yard sales once a year because people were looking at the things being sold in my parent’s yard and not at the road! The city really needs to make this a 4-way stop and paint crosswalk markings for pedestrians over the street. This would eliminate many wrecks. Several years ago, I believe two children were trying to cross the street and one was hit by a car. Had there been a stop sign, they could have crossed safely without having to dodge speeding cars.
Last night we took Ashley to my parent’s house so she could take a bath. (Remember we have no hot water.) Guido went with us and was so wound up by the time we arrived that he could barely breathe. My mom, who had no clue we were bringing Guido with us, said before she opened the door, “I can hear you breathing!” Yes, he was that excited.
We hadn’t been there ten minutes when, once again, there was a wreck. They happen all the time no matter what time of year because people try to make left hand turns into heavy traffic or because they simply are not watching the road.
Police cars, an ambulance, and fire truck were all on the scene immediately. Neighbors came out of their houses to see what was happening. We sat on the porch and watched. Guido said hello to a beautiful solid black Cocker Spaniel walking by and he barked hello at another brown dog. He loves people watching on the front porch and the big rooms of mom and dad’s house. This must be how Woody feels every day.
The wounded sat in the grass:
Over the years I cannot tell you how many wounded people have sat waiting in that same spot. Actually, cars have run up in that yard and sat in that spot too!
Within no time, the scene was cleared and traffic was back to its usual flow. Ashley was in the tub and missed the entire incident.
We left with her smelling wonderful.
Posted by tami at 11:37 AM Comments (2)
May 21, 2008
The Offender
In case you have been out of the university setting for a while, let me show you what $159 buys:
Yep. Last night Kevin had to spend $159 on one book for a summer class. Fortunately, his other summer class doesn’t require a book.
This morning, the first words I heard out of his mouth were, “Grab as many towels as you can!”
You never want to hear those words at 6:15 in the morning.
Our hot water heater had burst and water was everywhere including under the wood laminate floor he installed a few years ago. We used every towel we own, including beach towels and kitchen towels, to soak up the water. Kevin brought the water hose in from the back yard, hooked it to the hot water heater and drained the remaining water out into the yard. We rented an air blower which will cost us $25 a day. Kevin had to pull the thresholds up and then raise the wood laminate off the subfloor so air could blow underneath. This will hopefully dry it out so that the seams don’t buckle.
To top it all off, Guido pooped on my bathroom rug. Kevin let him out this morning to pee, but the stress over everything else must have been too much for him to handle. Even though he has never done this before, he did get in trouble just because I want him to know that he can’t be pooping in the house every time he feels nervous.
We went in Lowes to look at the hot water heaters. As Kevin was talking to a floor guy about our potential problem, I swear I almost started crying in front of the guy. It took everything I had to hold it in. I know this would bother anyone and Kevin keeps reminding me that there is nothing that can’t be fixed.
I keep thinking not only about money, but also that Ashley’s birthday is coming up fast and she wants to invite friends over for a pool party/slumber party like she did last year. We also want to have family over for cake and ice cream. I want everything to be as perfect as it can be. I don’t want Ashley’s friends or their parents to think we are living in squalor.
Kevin asked me if I had been praying for patience. “Yes” was my immediate answer. He then told me (jokingly) that this was my entire fault and said, “You should never pray for patience.” He said when you pray for patience, God puts more on you in order to test you. This seems a bit unfair to me. Do you believe this is true?
We have a man that will install a new hot water heater, but we have to wait until tomorrow because he is on another job site today. I will let you know what happens.
This is the "offender":
Posted by tami at 10:52 AM Comments (3)
May 20, 2008
Remembering Chi-Chi's
I miss Chi-Chi's, a Mexican Restaurant that used to have a location in Lexington on Nicholasville Road. My parent’s would take me and my sister here to eat at least every other weekend. The waiting room was standing room only on a Friday or Saturday night. Looking into the bar, I remember it was always packed too.
The Spanish style of decorating wasn’t well known to me at this time, so it was almost like visiting a different world. I loved the colored tiles and the rounded booths which had long curtains separating each one. The music was lively and loud and the atmosphere joyous. You were there to eat and have a great time.
I love black olives and my sister loves cheese, so my dad always ordered us a small bowl filled with our favorites. We were special; not everyone else’s dad would have done that!
I still have menus from 1980 and 1984.
This is the menu from 1980:
Kids twelve years of age and under were given a menu which could also be worn as a sombrero. Yes, I still have that too:
In 1985, my parent’s took me, along with two male friends, to Chi-Chi’s for my thirteenth birthday. My dad quickly wrote this down and handed it to our waitress:
I don’t remember what present they gave me that year. It doesn’t matter because this trip to Chi-Chi’s, every trip to Chi-Chi’s will always be prominent in my brain.
I found these two commercials on YouTube:
Chi-Chi's Restaurant Commercial (1990)
The sound isn’t great on this one, but it doesn’t matter:
Chi Chi's Mexican Restaurant TV Commercial
Posted by tami at 3:12 PM Comments (2)
May 19, 2008
Calling All Butterflies ...
Earlier, I told you about Ashley’s Cell project, so now I will give you her final grade. Since I told you about the project, I would have given you her grade if it was bad or good. It happens that she earned a superb grade and several nice comments to boot! She scored 200 points out of 200 possible points. The teacher commented, “Nice work Ashley!” and “Very detailed!” (She wrote a lengthy paper to go along with the project.)
This makes me very proud of her. She knew what she wanted and executed it with flair. As a mom, I said, “Wonderful! I am very proud of you!” I have learned from previous experience that these projects can be a pain and even worrisome, but they only come once in your child’s life. Complements and comments in general do matter and the child will remember if you paid attention to the scores they earned and the effort put forth.
*****
This weekend we went flower shopping:
Before planting:
*****
This morning, several thoughts came to me from Guido telepathically. He said, “It is 6:15 in the morning. You may be getting up, but I’m not moving. No way. No how.” The connection ended there.
This afternoon I planted a perennial called May Night Salvia:
This plant enjoys full sunlight and attracts butterflies. We need some butterflies around here!
Posted by tami at 1:53 PM Comments (3)
May 15, 2008
You Do Not See These
You know me better than to ever think I would buy three additional books after just having bought FIVE others only ten days ago.
No. I would never do that!
Posted by tami at 7:52 PM Comments (6)
May 14, 2008
Sad, But True
I read with curiosity Tammy’s post about her Aphid problem. In case you don’t know, this is Norman’s “Woman”. I find it interesting how other people handle bug problems and what bug problems they have.
We are currently experiencing problems with Carpenter Bees. These bees like unpainted wood and can do a lot of damage. The males don’t sting, however the females do especially when trying to protect their nests. This stinging will become a big concern in a few weeks when we open the pool since the bee chose our deck stairs for its home.
This is the damage we have on one of the steps leading up to our deck:
We will buy Sevin Dust and puff it into the hole because this was recommended to us by an expert/relative of ours. It is also recommended by the University of Kentucky Department of Entomology. I cannot ask for better advice than that!
What is amazing to me is the perfect holes they make:
If painful stinging wasn’t involved, I would leave it alone, but that is not the case.
Posted by tami at 5:40 PM Comments (4)
May 13, 2008
Playing In Puddles
These are the last of the photos I took at the cemetery on Saturday.
Someone put these roses in the angel’s hand:
We had never seen this statue of a little boy holding an umbrella:
This is a closer look:
You can imagine him splashing through puddles.
When some people think of a cemetery, all they can think of is death. In some cemetery’s I have visited, I can see the reasoning behind this. However, the Lexington Cemetery is alive.
It is a cemetery and people are buried there, however it is park-like and there are so many things living here. All you have to do is look around to see the squirrels and chipmunks scampering, the ducks waddling, turtles relaxing in the sun, and fish devouring bread crumbs. There are also 200 species of trees, gorgeous herbaceous borders, and beautiful flower gardens at the right time of year. I have shown you evidence of these things in THIS gallery and again in THIS gallery. I cannot think of a better place I would want my loved one when the time came. It is truly beautiful.
Posted by tami at 10:58 AM Comments (4)
May 12, 2008
Child Statue
As we drove through the cemetery on Saturday, Kevin spotted this statue of a child:
He commented that the same statue is at the public library:
He then pondered how the same statue could have such different meanings in different settings.
I believe he is right. At the cemetery, I think of her as lifting up her hands to Heaven and God. At the library, the same little girl seems to be dancing as if joyous. Thinking about it now, I suppose they are symbolic of elation in both places. What do you think?
This bush is so perfect, it almost looks plastic:
*****
Before our visit to the cemetery, we visited with Kevin’s parents. They surprised me with these three pots of flowers:
I was delighted!
Posted by tami at 12:07 PM Comments (2)
May 11, 2008
Margaret Thelma Scott
Another photo gallery set to music:
Posted by tami at 4:03 PM Comments (2)
May 10, 2008
Feeding The Ducks
This afternoon we fed the ducks at the Lexington Cemetery.
Kevin and this duck had an immediate connection:
Kevin was thrilled that he ate the bread right out of his hand. Other ducks were too afraid.
In the photo below, Kevin is telling the duck what a good boy he is:
Ashley and Kevin called this one ugly, but I disagreed:
And here are some ducks sunning themselves:
I will show you more from the cemetery soon :)
Posted by tami at 9:01 PM Comments (2)
May 9, 2008
Do The Dew
My uncle works for Pepsi which also makes Mountain Dew. He helped my dad get started on a new collection.
Mountain Dew bottles:
Now you would think since he works for Pepsi, he would been able to purchase all the special Mountain Dew bottles he wanted and you would also think he could have bought these before they went public. However, you would be wrong. He had to wait and get his bottles as he spotted them in stores just like everyone else.
I know my dad bought some of the older bottles from eBay because they are no longer made.
This set is complete only when you put the bottles together:
You can check out the special Mountain Dew bottles HERE.
Posted by tami at 7:36 PM Comments (1)
May 8, 2008
Update On Andrew
Everyone should read Tipping: A Thesis and watch the YouTube video she has attached to her post if you have the time. I agree wholeheartedly with Nevis’s beliefs on tipping.
*Update on Andrew*
He is still in Missouri. He had to run NINE miles today – everyone did – in order to make the MP program. He said he ran all nine miles, but now he is paying for it. He has extreme pain in his hip and one of his knees. He went to the hospital for x-rays, but doesn’t know the results as of yet. He said they gave him inserts for his shoes and a knee brace. He will be on light duty for the next two weeks. His cab was pulling up as he told me this, so that was all the information I got. He promised to call me back tonight.
*Updated*
The new Platoon Sergeant walked in and said he owed them an apology and congratulations at the same time. He said he was sorry, but no one had told him the trail they ran today was actually twelve miles and not nine. Then he said, congratulations to you all for making it. This was apparently just a preliminary run, so there will be more to come. Hopefully, they won’t be twelve miles long!
Posted by tami at 12:49 PM Comments (2)
The Joys Of Incense
Years ago when Kevin and I smoked, I would burn candles when company was coming over to cover the smell of the cigarettes. Although candles can be very fragrant, it takes a long time for them to permeate the air.
This is how I learned about the power of incense. I bought incense cones at first, however when I saw this tree which uses sticks I knew I had to have it.
Even though we no longer smoke, I continue to burn incense. It’s great for covering up food odors. You know, when you’re cooking the food and eating the food, it smells good. However, it can be unpleasant to smell these same odors after the dishes are done, the kitchen is clean, and your stomach is full. I don’t enjoy smelling fish, roast, bacon and many other foods once they have been consumed. Maybe I am just weird that way.
I bought this container years ago at Kirklands to hold the sticks. It was probably intended for something else, but works perfectly for this purpose.
My sticks are kept as snug as bugs and they have never lost their wonderful aroma.
One other great thing about incense is, unlike a candle, you don’t have to worry about blowing it out later. It burns down and goes out by itself.
Posted by tami at 11:41 AM Comments (4)
May 7, 2008
Incense & Peppermints
Since YouTube videos are so much more exciting than photo galleries, I decided I may try to switch some things around. The following video was made of pictures from my Vietnam gallery:
Posted by tami at 9:39 PM Comments (0)
The Saga Has Ended
The saga of the tobacco worms has ended. I will bore you with pictures one last time only.
This last moth decided it was time to greet the world at 10:30 PM last night. We took him outside and this is the photo from that:
Although I am as captured with them as always; I understand that tobacco worms are a boring subject for some.
This morning, around 8:00 AM, he had yet to fly away, so I took this photo:
His feather-like antennae still amaze me.
Upon my return at 10:45AM to see if he had flown away, I was surprised and worried when I saw he was still here. I scooted my finger in front of his spider-like legs, and he walked right up:
We had quite a good discussion as he sat upon my finger and refused to fly away right then:
It was only within ten minutes time that he flew away. I hope he finds shelter before the rain comes.
Posted by tami at 2:34 PM Comments (2)
May 6, 2008
God Is Listening
Today was gutter day. Kevin cleaned out the gutters and then put screens over them to prevent any more Weeping Willow branches or leaves from getting caught in the gutters. He also added a new bolt to tighten a spot and then he added two new brackets on a downspout. This gutter project sounds easy, however it took several trips to Lowe's to get just the right bits and bobs. It always does.
*****
I have avoided mentioning this, but since she has openly talked about it on her blog, I will say something now.
Please pray for my friend Ellice and her husband Brad. If you visit her blog, you will find out that she was over seven months pregnant and she just lost her baby. This was a very sudden and unexpected tragedy, so add them to your prayer list.
Posted by tami at 3:41 PM Comments (2)
May 5, 2008
Mother's Day Comes Early
Even though Mother’s Day isn’t until this Sunday, I was able to choose my own Mother’s Day presents on Saturday. I’m sure anyone who reads this blog, won’t be surprised at the things I chose!
Besides the set of Pug Shots greeting cards, the rest are books. I have never read anything by Jane Austen, so I am super excited to start that today! If you have a favorite book she wrote I shouldn’t miss, please let me know.
Posted by tami at 12:53 PM Comments (2)
May 4, 2008
So Cute!
Have you seen these mini cartons of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream?
They are only 97 cents at Wal-Mart and come with a little spoon right under the lid so you can eat them anywhere:
The Cookie Dough is only 220 calories for 3.6 ounces. The only other flavors I saw in the mini cartons were Chocolate Fudge and I believe Cherry Garcia. I’m sure those flavors differ on their calorie count.
I think it’s neat that people watching their waist line can now get their Ben & Jerry's fix and know exactly how many calories they are eating. People can now eat the entire mini carton guilt free.
I looked on their website, but did not see these mini’s listed.
Posted by tami at 9:33 AM Comments (2)
May 3, 2008
From The Yard
Here are some things you will find in our yard:
This is the view up:
The Dogwood:
Bleeding Heart:
Wisteria Vine:
I believe I have said this before, but I will tell you again. I planted the Wisteria Vine because I read so much about them in Anne Rice’s novels, however I believe they flourish in the deep south; in places like New Orleans where she lived whilst writing those novels. In Kentucky, the Wisteria blooms, but I don’t think it is necessarily happy about it.
I’m surprised this flower blooms because of all the golden showers it receives from Guido:
Yes, he is in our yard too:
I said, “Smile for Mama.” And he did.
Posted by tami at 9:18 AM Comments (4)
May 2, 2008
Reviews
April’s list of movies is short, but I viewed some very good ones.
4-4-08 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
This movie was awesome! If Andrew hadn’t taken it with him to Missouri, I would definitely have watched it again by now. I left the subtitles on because I didn’t want to miss one word of this musical. It was very cleverly written and the scenery and costumes were marvelous. It was gory which I didn’t like. They could have made this movie with no gore, but since it is there, you have to cover your eyes; you don’t want to miss this one. Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and the rest of the cast were terrific. They knew what they were doing and how to get a reaction.
4-4-08 The Brave One
I enjoyed this movie, but at the same time found it depressing. Something happens to Jodie Foster at the beginning of the movie, so she decides it is her right to rid the world of the evil doers. This definitely wasn’t a happy movie, but Jodie Foster did a great job as always.
4-5-08 Click
Adam Sandler movies can go either way; they’re either really good or really bad. I thought this one was really good. Sandler is a typical dad who doesn’t have time to do everything, so he uses a unique remote control to help him along the way.
4-12-08 I Am Legend
This was another great movie. Will Smith plays the last man on earth. It’s just Smith and his dog, but he did an excellent job even though he didn’t have other people to converse with. This movie was interesting and you never knew what would happen next.
4-19-08 Hairspray
Ashley would hate to hear me say this, but I just didn’t get into this movie. From start to finish, I found the whole thing to be boring and downright silly. Maybe it was supposed to be silly, I don’t know. What I do know is I won’t sit through it again. Some of the songs were okay, but none of them were great and I found it very hard to understand the lyrics. I should have had the subtitles turned on.
4-27-08 Rugrats Go Wild
If you like the Rugrats and The Wild Thornberry’s, you’ll really enjoy this animated movie. The Rugrats go on vacation, but they don’t end up at their planned destination!
Now, I have to brag on Kevin. He was given this special plaque yesterday because the college chose him to be a distinguished student (I edited our last name):
Posted by tami at 9:49 AM Comments (3)
May 1, 2008
All The News ...
If you don’t watch a little television, you may have no idea what I am talking about, so just skip this post.
* What do I think about Paula Abdul misspeaking on American Idol?
I believe she watched the rehearsals, prejudged, and made her notes from the rehearsal performance. I do not believe this is fair to the contestants. The judges should see and hear the performance for the first time the night they perform. The contestants may not be at their best or try near as hard at the rehearsal or they may not want to strain their voice.
* What do I think of the Miley Cyrus photograph?
It doesn’t bother me. Ashley heard the news and wanted to see the photo so I looked it up on the web and showed it to her. Her reaction was, “Well, that’s no big deal.” From all the buildup, she thought she was about to see something horrible. Nope.
* What did I think of our president and his wife thanking the nation in a taped statement on American Idol for donating to Idol Gives Back? What did I think of the first lady co-anchoring the third hour of The Today Show?
I thought the taped message was very gracious (they didn’t have to do that at all, but apparently people want to poke fun wherever they can). The first lady co-anchoring was a terrific idea. It makes her seem more down to earth – if there were any doubts left.
* Was I shocked by this story in Austria?
Uh, yes! When I think of Austria, I think of The Sound of Music, green grass, blue skies, Climb Every Mountain, and all that jazz. I do not think of children being locked in a cellar and raped.
* What do I think about Adam winning Big Brother?
I’m glad he won. He’s donating $100,000 to an after school program for kids, so he deserved to win. When they asked Ryan how he planned to spend his money, he kind of fumbled and said he would donate some, but you could tell by the look on his face that he really hadn’t planned to donate any of it. Plus, he had no exact amount he wanted to give, whereas Adam quickly gave an amount.
What else would you like to know?
Posted by tami at 2:55 PM Comments (1)