So the fair is going on in the big town. Everyone goes to the fair. The kids are given a few days off school (some of them the whole week so they can work at the fair), the seniors are temporarily employed hawking fudge and candy, traffic is backed up for miles, and of course it rains. It always rains during fair week.
Last year four of us went to a concert at the fair. It was raining and the stage seating (the ground between the stage and the grandstand) was of course muddy. Two of us remembered to bring ponchos and ended up sharing them with the other two. So picture two mud-splattered tent-looking contrivances, each one with two heads sticking out of it, one of those heads wearing an umbrella hat. Yes, I did say umbrella hat!
I bought one at the dollar store for the sole intention of wearing it to the fair. I could take a regular umbrella but it takes one hand to carry it. I need both hands free for the fair; one to bring whatever gastric delight I've just purchased to my mouth, and one to toss dimes and/or play bingo. An umbrella hat was the obvious answer. By the way, I am the dime-toss queen, y'all. That totally goes on the resume if I ever apply for a job in Alabama.
Now picture the umbrella-hat-wearing head holding a fried dill pickle in one hand and flipping dimes with the other. Occasionally interchange "fried pickle" for "cheesecake on a stick" and "flipping dimes" with "playing bingo" and that's pretty much me at the fair.
Oh, and we aren't going this year. It's not raining.
Friday, September 30, 2005
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Countdown To Freedom!
Sunday: Invited friend over and baked cookies all afternoon. Subs for dinner, didn't feel like cooking after five hours in the kitchen.
Monday: Got broken fingernail fixed. Mailed cookies to a friend in Mississippi. (He lost everything to Katrina... others were helping with the stuff, but cookies might cheer him up.) Got frantic phone call from stepmother, who had just lost her brakes driving downhill in town. Picked her up and took her to get the truck from Dad. Received a package from Australia... thanks K! Big hugs to you! Ate dinner on the fly.
Tuesday: Worked. Broke another fingernail ($#@!!!) but it wasn't bad so I was able to fix it. Got a letter from the bank stating they were unable to withdraw our loan payment because our account was locked (see earlier rant about Em and Tee). The loan is through the same bank, and they were able to take out other charges, and B can withdraw/deposit money... so why couldn't they take out the payment? It was there! Called and griped about it, decided to switch banks ASAP. They have done nothing but jerk us around since we found out about them paying out of our account for an obviously fraudulent e-check. They don't want to take responsibility. And they owe us a lot of money too. Having tamales for dinner.
Wednesday Plan: I'm going to go to work late so B and I can have a little chat with the bank manager face-to-face. Have to call garage to arrange truck inspection, if Mike will ever answer the phone. Roasting a chicken after work.
Thursday-Saturday Plan: Work, possibly drop truck off at Mike's, call credit union about transferring our loan from Em and Tee, close account and tell manager we'll be looking forward to our reimbursement check. That was supposed to be our vacation money... grr. Now it might be Christmas money. Come home and begin vacation prep: laundry, clean out fridge, begin packing. Actually I'll probably procrastinate until Tuesday night and then run around like a maniac until three in the morning, but at least I'm able to go anywhere with a single duffel bag. Most women can't do that!
Sunday Plan: CARLISLE!!! We were discouraged to find out that the Fall Carlisle car show (one of the biggest of the year) was the weekend before we left, when we're trying to save what money we do have, but it turns out we'll be able to carpool down and spend the day drooling after all. They have worship services on Sunday too. At a car show! How cool is that?!
Monday: Got broken fingernail fixed. Mailed cookies to a friend in Mississippi. (He lost everything to Katrina... others were helping with the stuff, but cookies might cheer him up.) Got frantic phone call from stepmother, who had just lost her brakes driving downhill in town. Picked her up and took her to get the truck from Dad. Received a package from Australia... thanks K! Big hugs to you! Ate dinner on the fly.
Tuesday: Worked. Broke another fingernail ($#@!!!) but it wasn't bad so I was able to fix it. Got a letter from the bank stating they were unable to withdraw our loan payment because our account was locked (see earlier rant about Em and Tee). The loan is through the same bank, and they were able to take out other charges, and B can withdraw/deposit money... so why couldn't they take out the payment? It was there! Called and griped about it, decided to switch banks ASAP. They have done nothing but jerk us around since we found out about them paying out of our account for an obviously fraudulent e-check. They don't want to take responsibility. And they owe us a lot of money too. Having tamales for dinner.
Wednesday Plan: I'm going to go to work late so B and I can have a little chat with the bank manager face-to-face. Have to call garage to arrange truck inspection, if Mike will ever answer the phone. Roasting a chicken after work.
Thursday-Saturday Plan: Work, possibly drop truck off at Mike's, call credit union about transferring our loan from Em and Tee, close account and tell manager we'll be looking forward to our reimbursement check. That was supposed to be our vacation money... grr. Now it might be Christmas money. Come home and begin vacation prep: laundry, clean out fridge, begin packing. Actually I'll probably procrastinate until Tuesday night and then run around like a maniac until three in the morning, but at least I'm able to go anywhere with a single duffel bag. Most women can't do that!
Sunday Plan: CARLISLE!!! We were discouraged to find out that the Fall Carlisle car show (one of the biggest of the year) was the weekend before we left, when we're trying to save what money we do have, but it turns out we'll be able to carpool down and spend the day drooling after all. They have worship services on Sunday too. At a car show! How cool is that?!
Politicians At Large?
Romans 1:21-22
Their thinking became useless.
Their foolish minds were filled with darkness.
They said they were wise, but they became fools.
Their thinking became useless.
Their foolish minds were filled with darkness.
They said they were wise, but they became fools.
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Friday, September 23, 2005
Stuff n' Nonsense
Changed my mind on the hunting post, at least for now. Some ultrasensitive animal activist might flame me from here to the Happy Hunting Grounds if I write what I originally intended.
So... work sucks. Everyone's getting shifted or laid off for the rest of the year, which creates scheduling hassles for me. Not to mention fewer people to share the workload. Ah well... T minus 10 days until I forget about it for a couple of weeks. I'll assess the damage when I get back.
Yesterday was the first day of autumn. We've been complaining about the unseasonably hot weather here, but today it was like Momma Nature flipped a switch and POOF it was fall. Seems like the colors started changing overnight, the weather got cooler and the breeze picked up... I'm loving it. It's my favorite time of year!
I just joined another message forum. After reading the posts and replies for twenty minutes or so, I realized just how good ours is. I was stunned at the things I read. Not one of the members there would last past their first post on our site... they'd get nuked immediately. I decided to unjoin pronto... thought I'd have to claw my eyeballs out for a minute there when I clicked on a topic and was confronted with a picture of... well... never mind, I don't even WANT to go there. Ewwwwww........
Prayers going out to those in Hurricane Rita's path. Y'all bootscootn'boogie on outta there, y'hear?
I'm out.
So... work sucks. Everyone's getting shifted or laid off for the rest of the year, which creates scheduling hassles for me. Not to mention fewer people to share the workload. Ah well... T minus 10 days until I forget about it for a couple of weeks. I'll assess the damage when I get back.
Yesterday was the first day of autumn. We've been complaining about the unseasonably hot weather here, but today it was like Momma Nature flipped a switch and POOF it was fall. Seems like the colors started changing overnight, the weather got cooler and the breeze picked up... I'm loving it. It's my favorite time of year!
I just joined another message forum. After reading the posts and replies for twenty minutes or so, I realized just how good ours is. I was stunned at the things I read. Not one of the members there would last past their first post on our site... they'd get nuked immediately. I decided to unjoin pronto... thought I'd have to claw my eyeballs out for a minute there when I clicked on a topic and was confronted with a picture of... well... never mind, I don't even WANT to go there. Ewwwwww........
Prayers going out to those in Hurricane Rita's path. Y'all bootscootn'boogie on outta there, y'hear?
I'm out.
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Hi Y'all!
I had to turn on Comment Verification. This blog doesn't get much traffic, but within 15 seconds of a new post yesterday I had 3 comment spammers. I'm not wasting time going back and deleting them, so CV is on. Sorry to the couple of folks that are nice enough to leave comments.
I should get some self-tanner for my ankles. High heels with a sock tan is not fashionable. It screams Redneck!!! As if anyone needs proof.
Speaking of... you might be a redneck if someone mentions how they wish they had another 2 inches, and the first thing you think of is a lift kit for a pickup truck. You know the speaker is a redneck if that was, in fact, what he was referring to!
One from the Forum: You might be a computer redneck if your username indicates that you are the spouse of another forum member.
You might be a redneck if -ing endings do not exist in your vocabulary; rather, you use -in'.
As in fishin', huntin', swimmin', muddin'...
You might be one if a coworker sees you wearing anything other than your work clothes, and says they've never seen you without a baseball cap on... and you're female.
You might be one if Fireballs just ain't as hot as they used to be... if you know Tootsie Rolls are better after you've softened them up in your pocket for a while... and if you buy Dum-Dum lollipops at Halloween and eat them all yourself.
Coming up: Hunting recap. 'Tis the season soon! Now y'all excuse me, I have to get to the store... I'm out of ammo.
I should get some self-tanner for my ankles. High heels with a sock tan is not fashionable. It screams Redneck!!! As if anyone needs proof.
Speaking of... you might be a redneck if someone mentions how they wish they had another 2 inches, and the first thing you think of is a lift kit for a pickup truck. You know the speaker is a redneck if that was, in fact, what he was referring to!
One from the Forum: You might be a computer redneck if your username indicates that you are the spouse of another forum member.
You might be a redneck if -ing endings do not exist in your vocabulary; rather, you use -in'.
As in fishin', huntin', swimmin', muddin'...
You might be one if a coworker sees you wearing anything other than your work clothes, and says they've never seen you without a baseball cap on... and you're female.
You might be one if Fireballs just ain't as hot as they used to be... if you know Tootsie Rolls are better after you've softened them up in your pocket for a while... and if you buy Dum-Dum lollipops at Halloween and eat them all yourself.
Coming up: Hunting recap. 'Tis the season soon! Now y'all excuse me, I have to get to the store... I'm out of ammo.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Today's Tidbits
I wrote an article for our company website/newsletter about what the company is doing for Hurricane Katrina victims. Hoping it gets published. I may well be the only person there who can spell, so I think I've got a good shot.
Debating whether to see "Transporter 2" or "March of the Penguins" tomorrow night. It's been a few years since the hubby and I have been to an actual movie theater... am waiting semi-anxiously for "Tim Burton's Corpse Bride." Burton, Danny Elfman, and Johnny Depp... it. must. be. good. (Did anyone else know that Tim Burton was an animator for the Disney movie "The Fox and the Hound?" How cool is that?)
Tomorrow afternoon the hubby is going up to Dad's to do something with the tractor and help clear trees. I might go, but I might also stay here and rearrange some furniture. *scoots wheeled desk chair six inches to the right* Well, that's done. I guess I'll go along.
Two and a half weeks... not another movie title, but the time left until we go on vacation! This is going to be interesting. My husband hates flying, and for the first time since we've been together we're NOT driving. He hasn't been on an airplane since he was in the Marines and said he actually preferred jumping out of one to having to stay in it... I, on the other hand, like to fly. The world looks so different from up there! I hope we aren't over the wing.
I've never been allergic to anything in my life. Suddenly, I have allergies. Might be my place of employment, might not, but either way the doc gave me Allegra. I'm going to lose weight now... about 5 pounds of sinus pressure, that is. I feel like a bobble-head doll. Little body, big ol' heavy head... I think I'm allergic to poinsettias. And I think it's psychological. Bet I feel better after I kick a couple of them.
A funny website: www.stuffonmycat.com A few minutes of mindless entertainment.
I just read Janet Evanovich's latest, "Eleven On Top." It's one of her Stephanie Plum novels. She went full-tilt on this one, laying on the improbability incredibly thick. Wasn't nearly as funny as the first six or seven in the series. I still giggle thinking about Grandma Mazur shooting the turkey. At least Stephanie hasn't blown up the Buick... I'll stop reading them if that happens. The Buick is my favorite part of the series, and IMO the best returning character. A car! Of course!
Have to start thinking about our Christmas card photos soon. Last year we set up the tripod at a scenic spot, only to have power-plant security come check us out and run our license plate. I guess they own the view, along with everything else in the area. The year before, we wanted photos taken in our hunting gear but Wal-Mart wouldn't let us bring our guns in with us. Not even unloaded! People are so suspicious anymore... *grin* It was fun asking, though.
And again with the shoes... made the mistake of driving past Boscov's last Monday and the gravitational pull was too strong to resist. Got a pair of Skechers for 10 bucks. Tres passe, but I needed new sneaks. "You get more mileage from a cheap pair of sneakers..."
I've decided I'm on Team Aniston. Life-altering, isn't it? NOT.
With that, I'm out.
Debating whether to see "Transporter 2" or "March of the Penguins" tomorrow night. It's been a few years since the hubby and I have been to an actual movie theater... am waiting semi-anxiously for "Tim Burton's Corpse Bride." Burton, Danny Elfman, and Johnny Depp... it. must. be. good. (Did anyone else know that Tim Burton was an animator for the Disney movie "The Fox and the Hound?" How cool is that?)
Tomorrow afternoon the hubby is going up to Dad's to do something with the tractor and help clear trees. I might go, but I might also stay here and rearrange some furniture. *scoots wheeled desk chair six inches to the right* Well, that's done. I guess I'll go along.
Two and a half weeks... not another movie title, but the time left until we go on vacation! This is going to be interesting. My husband hates flying, and for the first time since we've been together we're NOT driving. He hasn't been on an airplane since he was in the Marines and said he actually preferred jumping out of one to having to stay in it... I, on the other hand, like to fly. The world looks so different from up there! I hope we aren't over the wing.
I've never been allergic to anything in my life. Suddenly, I have allergies. Might be my place of employment, might not, but either way the doc gave me Allegra. I'm going to lose weight now... about 5 pounds of sinus pressure, that is. I feel like a bobble-head doll. Little body, big ol' heavy head... I think I'm allergic to poinsettias. And I think it's psychological. Bet I feel better after I kick a couple of them.
A funny website: www.stuffonmycat.com A few minutes of mindless entertainment.
I just read Janet Evanovich's latest, "Eleven On Top." It's one of her Stephanie Plum novels. She went full-tilt on this one, laying on the improbability incredibly thick. Wasn't nearly as funny as the first six or seven in the series. I still giggle thinking about Grandma Mazur shooting the turkey. At least Stephanie hasn't blown up the Buick... I'll stop reading them if that happens. The Buick is my favorite part of the series, and IMO the best returning character. A car! Of course!
Have to start thinking about our Christmas card photos soon. Last year we set up the tripod at a scenic spot, only to have power-plant security come check us out and run our license plate. I guess they own the view, along with everything else in the area. The year before, we wanted photos taken in our hunting gear but Wal-Mart wouldn't let us bring our guns in with us. Not even unloaded! People are so suspicious anymore... *grin* It was fun asking, though.
And again with the shoes... made the mistake of driving past Boscov's last Monday and the gravitational pull was too strong to resist. Got a pair of Skechers for 10 bucks. Tres passe, but I needed new sneaks. "You get more mileage from a cheap pair of sneakers..."
I've decided I'm on Team Aniston. Life-altering, isn't it? NOT.
With that, I'm out.
Monday, September 12, 2005
No Pictures Today
I tried to upload some pics from yesterday's car show fundraiser using the image function, but for some reason they aren't working.
We went to support a friend of my husband's sister, who has cancer and is trying to raise money for treatments. The turnout was incredible, the cars (and trucks, and motorcycles) incited visible drooling from yours truly, and the weather was as perfect as it could be. There was a moment of silence in recognition of 9/11 and a nice memorial speech, plus a Chinese auction, raffles, and a bake sale that found repeat customers from our table. Whoever made the shortbread cookies needs to market them. Seriously, they were fantastic!
The DJ had some catchy nostalgic tunes going... I boogied my way from car to car, admiring just about all of them for one reason or other. Oddly, I found myself drawn to the former duds... a Chevy Luv pickup, a Maverick with a pea-green and tan plaid interior, and an absolutely gorgeous Edsel. And of all things, a mint-green four-door Buick Skylark... that Buick thing again! Gah. Resistance is futile...
Other highlights were a Dodge Warlock pickup, a Shelby Mustang GT-350, an El Camino (that sadly didn't have a FOR SALE sign on it anywhere), a couple of sweet Indian bikes, a mint '54 Vette, and one of my personal dream cars: a '66 Barracuda fastback (with that huge rear window). There must have been over a hundred cars there... No Grand Nationals, darn it, but one guy did have a Grand Nat engine and drive train in his Cutlass. I was jealous... wanted to do the same thing with my own car.
Speaking of Buicks... mine has been sick. It's been smoking and losing power on the hills and the engine light goes off and on. Same thing happened when the last oil pump went out, so I was afraid we'd have to tear it down and put yet another heavy-duty spring in there. We checked it out today... turns out the breather filter (the small one on the side of the air cleaner) was clogged solid. Three dollars later and it's fixed! That has got to be the cheapest fix EVER for that (insert expletive) car. The downside is, if it's running I'll have to drive it through the winter again, and it doesn't do well at all in snow. I need to invest in snow tires.
Or just get over my protective paranoia and drive the Bronco... is it wrong to pamper a truck? I think on some redneck level, it is... at least my dad makes fun of me for it. I won't even drive it up the mountain to his house if the bushes haven't been trimmed back to avoid scratching the sides. Dad: "It's a TRUCK, for cryin' out loud!" Me: "But it's a NICE truck! I wanna keep it that way!" Dad: *eyeroll*
Yeah, I got it bad. But I'm going to have one of the sweetest original Broncos out there someday. Then I'm going to sell it and buy a late-60s El Camino. See, I have a plan....!
We went to support a friend of my husband's sister, who has cancer and is trying to raise money for treatments. The turnout was incredible, the cars (and trucks, and motorcycles) incited visible drooling from yours truly, and the weather was as perfect as it could be. There was a moment of silence in recognition of 9/11 and a nice memorial speech, plus a Chinese auction, raffles, and a bake sale that found repeat customers from our table. Whoever made the shortbread cookies needs to market them. Seriously, they were fantastic!
The DJ had some catchy nostalgic tunes going... I boogied my way from car to car, admiring just about all of them for one reason or other. Oddly, I found myself drawn to the former duds... a Chevy Luv pickup, a Maverick with a pea-green and tan plaid interior, and an absolutely gorgeous Edsel. And of all things, a mint-green four-door Buick Skylark... that Buick thing again! Gah. Resistance is futile...
Other highlights were a Dodge Warlock pickup, a Shelby Mustang GT-350, an El Camino (that sadly didn't have a FOR SALE sign on it anywhere), a couple of sweet Indian bikes, a mint '54 Vette, and one of my personal dream cars: a '66 Barracuda fastback (with that huge rear window). There must have been over a hundred cars there... No Grand Nationals, darn it, but one guy did have a Grand Nat engine and drive train in his Cutlass. I was jealous... wanted to do the same thing with my own car.
Speaking of Buicks... mine has been sick. It's been smoking and losing power on the hills and the engine light goes off and on. Same thing happened when the last oil pump went out, so I was afraid we'd have to tear it down and put yet another heavy-duty spring in there. We checked it out today... turns out the breather filter (the small one on the side of the air cleaner) was clogged solid. Three dollars later and it's fixed! That has got to be the cheapest fix EVER for that (insert expletive) car. The downside is, if it's running I'll have to drive it through the winter again, and it doesn't do well at all in snow. I need to invest in snow tires.
Or just get over my protective paranoia and drive the Bronco... is it wrong to pamper a truck? I think on some redneck level, it is... at least my dad makes fun of me for it. I won't even drive it up the mountain to his house if the bushes haven't been trimmed back to avoid scratching the sides. Dad: "It's a TRUCK, for cryin' out loud!" Me: "But it's a NICE truck! I wanna keep it that way!" Dad: *eyeroll*
Yeah, I got it bad. But I'm going to have one of the sweetest original Broncos out there someday. Then I'm going to sell it and buy a late-60s El Camino. See, I have a plan....!
Saturday, September 03, 2005
What you talkin' bout?
Everyone's talking about the hurricane, the survivors, and the fuel prices, so I'm not going to. I won't stop thinking about it, but I doubt anything I could say would be any different than what everyone else is discussing at work and home and everywhere else.
Therefore, I'm going to yap about something else. A favorite rant: SUV drivers vs. SUV haters.
I was on a message board last night where people were complaining about gas prices. Half the group started flaming the other half for owning "big, pretentious, gas-guzzling, environment-polluting monsters on wheels." Also "4Wd is SO unnecessary!" Okay then. You there, in the Honda Civic with the spoiler and the lo-pro tires... Come up here when there's a foot of snow on the ground and try to get up my road. Come on, you can do it! What's that? Your 3" ground clearance isn't enough? Your slick tires have no traction? Well, turn up your bass booster, maybe you can bounce your way up the mountain... No? Gee, sorry to hear that. Mind getting that useless tin can out of my way so I can get my 4X4 in gear and go to work? No problem, I'll just push it out of the road with my bumper... Come back and pick it up after next spring when the mud dries up, okay? It's not going anywhere. Oh, and remember...4WD is SO unnecessary! *Snickering as I drive off*
As to polluting the environment... vehicles today have stricter emissions standards than ever before in the history of automaking. Please tell me how my modern-emissions-equipped SUV, which passes state emissions tests annually, is pumping out more pollutants than your 1987 Econobox with the exhaust leak and the oil dripping out of the valve cover? (If you have a newer hybrid vehicle, I defer that remark. I envy you, truly.)
Having said that, Hummers and Escalades and the like really are pretentious. People that buy them and then gripe about gas prices will get no sympathy from me. Hey Hummer dude, back away from the gas pumps! Save some for the rest of us!
Therefore, I'm going to yap about something else. A favorite rant: SUV drivers vs. SUV haters.
I was on a message board last night where people were complaining about gas prices. Half the group started flaming the other half for owning "big, pretentious, gas-guzzling, environment-polluting monsters on wheels." Also "4Wd is SO unnecessary!" Okay then. You there, in the Honda Civic with the spoiler and the lo-pro tires... Come up here when there's a foot of snow on the ground and try to get up my road. Come on, you can do it! What's that? Your 3" ground clearance isn't enough? Your slick tires have no traction? Well, turn up your bass booster, maybe you can bounce your way up the mountain... No? Gee, sorry to hear that. Mind getting that useless tin can out of my way so I can get my 4X4 in gear and go to work? No problem, I'll just push it out of the road with my bumper... Come back and pick it up after next spring when the mud dries up, okay? It's not going anywhere. Oh, and remember...4WD is SO unnecessary! *Snickering as I drive off*
As to polluting the environment... vehicles today have stricter emissions standards than ever before in the history of automaking. Please tell me how my modern-emissions-equipped SUV, which passes state emissions tests annually, is pumping out more pollutants than your 1987 Econobox with the exhaust leak and the oil dripping out of the valve cover? (If you have a newer hybrid vehicle, I defer that remark. I envy you, truly.)
Having said that, Hummers and Escalades and the like really are pretentious. People that buy them and then gripe about gas prices will get no sympathy from me. Hey Hummer dude, back away from the gas pumps! Save some for the rest of us!
Taken By Storm
Isaiah 22:1, 2
What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops,
You who are full of noise, a tumultuous city, a joyous city?
Your slain men are not slain with the sword,
Nor dead in battle.
What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops,
You who are full of noise, a tumultuous city, a joyous city?
Your slain men are not slain with the sword,
Nor dead in battle.
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