So much for which to be thankful.
My son.
Being able to breathe - story for later......
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Changing of the Guards
Ok, I'm making it officially cold. Going to wash and put away the light-weight robe and am wearing the heavier warmer robe. Sheet change this week will consist of the flannel ones.
Windy and cold. Oil is too expensive to keep the furnace going at a comfortable temp. Gotta stay warm some how. Even the kitties with their fur coats want to snuggle. Yes, this includes Natashaprissypants.
Windy and cold. Oil is too expensive to keep the furnace going at a comfortable temp. Gotta stay warm some how. Even the kitties with their fur coats want to snuggle. Yes, this includes Natashaprissypants.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Traffic
This was sent as an email to my New Hampster friends, yet I feel it makes good blog material. It's my blog, and I can do what I want.
There is a point to this email, and I will get to it in a moment.
I'm driving along wonderfully this evening when all of a sudden the traffic become nuts to butts on the 16 right before exit 2. It's like this all the way to just before the toll. I call a friend who is way too busy to pick up her phone (ok, so she may have not even been home - whatevah!), so I call my Mom who is now 3000 miles away. She is nice enough to answer her phone when she sees my mobile number. I ask her to log onto WMUR and see if there is anything regarding traffic. There is nothing, but then she starts muttering about calling 511. I ask if she's talking about New Hampshire, because just a moment ago, she was muttering about California. Curiosity gets to me. I thank her and hang up. Well, guess what folks?? 511 is a New Hampshire Department of Transportation traffic alert. There are some kinks to work out as the IVR (Integrated Voice Response - you speak into the phone instead of pushing buttons.....) seems to think "Dover" is the same as "Pellam". Now, I can understand "Dover" and "Durham", or perhaps "Pellam" and "Plymouth", but DDDDover and PPPellam???? Nope. So, when the manvoice realises that isn't going to work, he asks me to enter the first three letters of the town about which I'd like to inquire. Annoyed, irritated fingers don't press the correct buttons, so manvoice gives me a third option. A girl likes it when a man gives her options..... ;) Anywhoo - the 3rd option is to press the route number into the keypad and press #. This sort of works and sort of doesn't. I don't get the 4 or the 16 I'd like. So, back to the main menu, and guess what??? Manvoice gives me yet another option! Press another key for urgent road conditions. After hearing all about the booming metropolis of Manchvegas and environs, I give up and hang up the phone. I was at the toll booth anyway, and traffic was starting to move. Now, if manvoice had just reminded me to take exit 7 instead of exit 9.......
And there you have it.
There is a point to this email, and I will get to it in a moment.
I'm driving along wonderfully this evening when all of a sudden the traffic become nuts to butts on the 16 right before exit 2. It's like this all the way to just before the toll. I call a friend who is way too busy to pick up her phone (ok, so she may have not even been home - whatevah!), so I call my Mom who is now 3000 miles away. She is nice enough to answer her phone when she sees my mobile number. I ask her to log onto WMUR and see if there is anything regarding traffic. There is nothing, but then she starts muttering about calling 511. I ask if she's talking about New Hampshire, because just a moment ago, she was muttering about California. Curiosity gets to me. I thank her and hang up. Well, guess what folks?? 511 is a New Hampshire Department of Transportation traffic alert. There are some kinks to work out as the IVR (Integrated Voice Response - you speak into the phone instead of pushing buttons.....) seems to think "Dover" is the same as "Pellam". Now, I can understand "Dover" and "Durham", or perhaps "Pellam" and "Plymouth", but DDDDover and PPPellam???? Nope. So, when the manvoice realises that isn't going to work, he asks me to enter the first three letters of the town about which I'd like to inquire. Annoyed, irritated fingers don't press the correct buttons, so manvoice gives me a third option. A girl likes it when a man gives her options..... ;) Anywhoo - the 3rd option is to press the route number into the keypad and press #. This sort of works and sort of doesn't. I don't get the 4 or the 16 I'd like. So, back to the main menu, and guess what??? Manvoice gives me yet another option! Press another key for urgent road conditions. After hearing all about the booming metropolis of Manchvegas and environs, I give up and hang up the phone. I was at the toll booth anyway, and traffic was starting to move. Now, if manvoice had just reminded me to take exit 7 instead of exit 9.......
And there you have it.
Friday, November 09, 2007
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Updating
Hey folks - or folk as I'm not really sure anyone even reads this.....
The other day I was running errands and saw a surfboard on top of a car. Now, normally, this would be a regular site for me. When I lived in Encinitas. Living in New Hampshire, seeing a surfboard on top of a car in November makes a person go, "huh". I've gotten used to seeing canoes and kayaks on top of cars. When I first moved to San Diego many moons ago, it did take me awhile to get used to seeing Christmas trees sticking out of convertibles. That, and lights strung around palm trees. Each region has its own specialty. I love New England.
A friend of mine from work has found love and is moving to Arizona because of it. She has a cat who needed a home lest he become a kitty snack for one of the dogs. Shadow has joined our family. Natasha isn't so sure about this addition. She no longer rules the roost. Poor prissypants.....
Mom is coming to visit this weekend. She needs her Andrew and autumn fix. I need help with fall clean-up. Win win all around if you ask me.
Mornings are getting brisk. Trees/leaves are becoming quite colorful. Yes, I have to say I have missed the changing of the seasons.
Kansas Jayhawks are undefeated in............... wait for it.............. FOOTBALL. They are also undefeated in Basketball, but that is to be expected, and, they have played a whopping three games so far. But, football? Jayhawks? There must be something about the Rock Chalk Jayhawk chant, or the fight song, or the REALLY large coach..... ;)
Tomorrow is Friday. Thank gawd!!!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Guest
Ladies and Gentlemen!!! We have a guest blogger today! :)
Mom was asked by a good friend to write this:
Bob Dacey asked me to put my thoughts and feelings about last week in writing, so here it is. I'm sending it to you just in case you are interested.
Last Monday was the worst day of my life.I am just now unpacking the suitcase and the car. Also, sweeping and scrubbing down floors (even garage) and furniture. Not sure how the dust and ash got into the house since we kept it closed tightly unless someone needed to go in or out, which we didn't do often because it was so awful out. I'm headed to Home Depot this week to get a supply of furnace filters. We are encouraged to change them once a month for the next few months.
I'll guess I will begin with last Monday. I was awakened at 6 am by a reverse 911 call (never heard of that till last week), telling us that there was a fire in San Marcos (about 5 miles to the East) and to be ready to evacuate. Evacuate??? How does one do that?? This is all new to me. By 6:45, three neighbors had contacted us to make sure we got the call (our neighbors are wonderful).
I am the type who, if I can't control it, I don't worry about it. So I went merrily on about my business, doing Monday laundry, cleaning, etc., till Lynn from next door came over to tell us that San Elijo Hills was being forcibly evacuated due to the San Marcos fire. That got my attention. SEH is a housing development just on the other side of the big hill/mountain we can see at the East end of our street.
I got out the suitcase, the cat carrier and started thinking of what I had heard people say they wished they had taken with them during the 2003 fires. You remember those! I grabbed wills, income tax stuff, check books, airline tickets, address book, insurance info, tickets to The Jersey Boys which we are going to see next week (I do have my priorities, you know), the animals' food and a case of bottled water. Oh, yes, my notebook of receipts from things we've done to the house and some family pictures. Although, we still have the family, so they were strictly for sentiment. I had car and suitcase packed so that we could get out of here within ten minutes if necessary - providing I could coax the cats out from under the bed. Louis is always up for a ride in the car, so he was no problem.
By now, I had a killer headache and horrible stomachache.
Our neighbors to the west were terrific. Jim suggested we cover the attic vents to the outside with foil. Windblown embers can travel for several miles and use vents to gain access to attics. I supplied the ladder, stapler and flashlight and he supplied the labor. I don't do well with attics. We agreed that we would all stay put unless and until we saw flames over one of our hills. We kept in close touch all day and, I guess, they slept in shifts. We woke up Tuesday morning and were happy to see that we were all alive.
Late Monday afternoon, Dave's cousin called to say they were being evacuated from their retirement park in Valley Center. I invited them to stay with us and they readily agreed. "They" included two adults, two cats and a dog. Louie was the perfect host and now has a new girlfriend. He was sad to see her go home.
As soon as I got off the phone with Billee and began fluffing pillows on the guest beds and making sure everything was ready for them, my aches magically disappeared. It was amazing. I guess I felt there was safety in numbers. Billee and Joanie are delightful ladies and we kept each other laughing. It helped. They were allowed back in their park Thursday morning, so headed home.
Dave could not work out and we could not let the dogs out for any length of time, so they all felt like they were trapped. Dave gets grumpy(er) when he can't exercise. He gets over it, though. He's back at it this week.
San Diego has definitely earned its title of "America's Finest City" during this time. We have heard of very little looting and speedy arrests of the few there were. Volunteers were on the spot with supplies for Qualcomm Stadium and the Del Mar Fairgrounds where the refugees went. There were amazingly few traffic jams and I have heard of no anger issues. Just people helping people. A bit different from New Orleans in their time of terror.
I guess you can call this my first (and possibly only) blog. Hope I didn't bore you too much.
Love, Mom
Mom was asked by a good friend to write this:
Bob Dacey asked me to put my thoughts and feelings about last week in writing, so here it is. I'm sending it to you just in case you are interested.
Last Monday was the worst day of my life.I am just now unpacking the suitcase and the car. Also, sweeping and scrubbing down floors (even garage) and furniture. Not sure how the dust and ash got into the house since we kept it closed tightly unless someone needed to go in or out, which we didn't do often because it was so awful out. I'm headed to Home Depot this week to get a supply of furnace filters. We are encouraged to change them once a month for the next few months.
I'll guess I will begin with last Monday. I was awakened at 6 am by a reverse 911 call (never heard of that till last week), telling us that there was a fire in San Marcos (about 5 miles to the East) and to be ready to evacuate. Evacuate??? How does one do that?? This is all new to me. By 6:45, three neighbors had contacted us to make sure we got the call (our neighbors are wonderful).
I am the type who, if I can't control it, I don't worry about it. So I went merrily on about my business, doing Monday laundry, cleaning, etc., till Lynn from next door came over to tell us that San Elijo Hills was being forcibly evacuated due to the San Marcos fire. That got my attention. SEH is a housing development just on the other side of the big hill/mountain we can see at the East end of our street.
I got out the suitcase, the cat carrier and started thinking of what I had heard people say they wished they had taken with them during the 2003 fires. You remember those! I grabbed wills, income tax stuff, check books, airline tickets, address book, insurance info, tickets to The Jersey Boys which we are going to see next week (I do have my priorities, you know), the animals' food and a case of bottled water. Oh, yes, my notebook of receipts from things we've done to the house and some family pictures. Although, we still have the family, so they were strictly for sentiment. I had car and suitcase packed so that we could get out of here within ten minutes if necessary - providing I could coax the cats out from under the bed. Louis is always up for a ride in the car, so he was no problem.
By now, I had a killer headache and horrible stomachache.
Our neighbors to the west were terrific. Jim suggested we cover the attic vents to the outside with foil. Windblown embers can travel for several miles and use vents to gain access to attics. I supplied the ladder, stapler and flashlight and he supplied the labor. I don't do well with attics. We agreed that we would all stay put unless and until we saw flames over one of our hills. We kept in close touch all day and, I guess, they slept in shifts. We woke up Tuesday morning and were happy to see that we were all alive.
Late Monday afternoon, Dave's cousin called to say they were being evacuated from their retirement park in Valley Center. I invited them to stay with us and they readily agreed. "They" included two adults, two cats and a dog. Louie was the perfect host and now has a new girlfriend. He was sad to see her go home.
As soon as I got off the phone with Billee and began fluffing pillows on the guest beds and making sure everything was ready for them, my aches magically disappeared. It was amazing. I guess I felt there was safety in numbers. Billee and Joanie are delightful ladies and we kept each other laughing. It helped. They were allowed back in their park Thursday morning, so headed home.
Dave could not work out and we could not let the dogs out for any length of time, so they all felt like they were trapped. Dave gets grumpy(er) when he can't exercise. He gets over it, though. He's back at it this week.
San Diego has definitely earned its title of "America's Finest City" during this time. We have heard of very little looting and speedy arrests of the few there were. Volunteers were on the spot with supplies for Qualcomm Stadium and the Del Mar Fairgrounds where the refugees went. There were amazingly few traffic jams and I have heard of no anger issues. Just people helping people. A bit different from New Orleans in their time of terror.
I guess you can call this my first (and possibly only) blog. Hope I didn't bore you too much.
Love, Mom
Thanks Mom!!
Saturday, October 27, 2007
My Mensa Child
Andrew, a friend of mine, her son, and I attended a Harlem Wizard basketball game this afternoon at the High School. It was a fund raiser for the elementary PTO.
First, a group of kids said the Pledge of Allegiance.
Second, said group of kids headed off a rousing rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner".
During the song, I hear what sounds like my son's voice very loudly ask, "Um, what song is this??" Oy.
It's a good thing our kids are cute, right?
First, a group of kids said the Pledge of Allegiance.
Second, said group of kids headed off a rousing rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner".
During the song, I hear what sounds like my son's voice very loudly ask, "Um, what song is this??" Oy.
It's a good thing our kids are cute, right?
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