Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Smart Stuff

There’s a lot of “smart” stuff out there—telephones, tv’s, etc. While my phone and my television aren’t smart, there is one smart product I do use—Smart Potatoes. Yep, that’s right, smart potatoes.

I was very surprised to find in the produce department of a local supermarket bagged Idaho potatoes labeled “Smart Potatoes.” I haven’t decided yet what “smart” means in this case. Does it mean intellectually gifted? Or perhaps stylishly chic?

Would a gifted potato peel itself and hop in the pan with little help from the end user? Would it have the ability to cook perfectly, no under-cooking or burning? Hmm—I don’t think so. I accidently scorched the ones I was cooking for lunch  just the other day.

I’ll admit they are rather good-looking, but I don’t think they would turn heads on any red carpet or runway. They are very clean compared to other potatoes.

To be honest, I don’t really care if my potatoes are smart or stupid, stylish or frumpy. I only care that they go well with  butter, sour cream, cheese, or any other add-on that makes the potato so versatile and tasty.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

From Our Deck

A glorious morning in South Carolina—temperature 70 degrees, high wispy clouds, a slight breeze—very unusual for August.

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Monday, August 25, 2014

Google Does It Right

Today’s Google Doodle is in honor of Althea Gibson’s birthday. While the animation cannot show her tremendous athletic ability, you can see her style and class. Ms. Gibson, in the animation, is wearing the standard tennis fashion of the day. The skirt hits about mid-thigh, and the shirt has short sleeves with a modest vee neckline.

I’m not a big Google fan, but sometimes their doodles hit the mark. 

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Lucy P. Locket

I’ve been meaning to write this post for a long time, a long, long time, but I’ve been putting it off. You may be asking yourself, “What does the “P” in Lucy P. Locket stand for—Patience, Penelope, Phoebe?” No, none of those. Today I am coming clean; it’s Procrastination. Yep, Lucy Procrastination Locket.

Years ago, when there were no executive assistants, I was a secretary. There were no computers, no smart phones, not even floppy disks. Every document I typed (My first job was in an attorney’s office.) was done in triplicate. There were no copiers either. I thought carbon paper was a gift from the Almighty. I did the whole secretarial thing; I typed, took shorthand, and filed. To be perfectly honest, I filed only when I could  no longer see over the  “To Be Filed” basket on my desk. I hated (hated is much too mild a term) putting all those sheets of paper I had typed in those beige folders.

I was reminded of it yesterday when I noticed my email “In Box” had several—make that, many—hundreds of messages needing to be put in folders or deleted. I scrolled to the end of the list. The first one in the in box was dated June, 2013. Aargh! Times passes quickly when there’s filing to be done.

Of course, I do delete those important missives from Penney’s, Sears, Travelocity, the home improvement store where Mr. Fixit had his second career, Amazon, etc. that are received daily. I do transfer to folders the monthly bills I receive online most sometimes.

I do have a good excuse though for procrastinating. There are so many books to be read and  so many onlines games to be played. Let’s face it, at this stage of my life, my time is finite. When there is a choice to read or to clean out my in box, there is only one choice and it’s not filing, that’s for darn sure.

Monday, August 18, 2014

‘shrooms or ‘oadstools?

Today as I was finishing some yard work I had started last week while Mr. Fixit was helping our sons with some painting, I noticed the results of a wetter than normal summer.

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These are a few of the more interesting ones, but the really pretty bright red one had disappeared. They have popped up all over the yard. I was a bit disappointed that there is not one fairy ring formation.

The few squirrels that are left in the yard have been munching on them. Hmm—if some of these are poisonous to humans, why aren’t the squirrels affected? Aha! Maybe that the answer to my mystery of the missing squirrels. Perhaps some of the toadstools have the same consequences as “magic mushrooms” and the squirrels are stoned out of their little minds somewhere.

Monday, August 11, 2014

Computerese

This morning after asking Mr. Fixit to replace the battery in my laptop:

Me: “Should I turn off the laptop? Uh, what I mean is, should I shut it down.”

He: “What’s the difference in turning it off and shutting it down?”

Me: “ ‘Shutting it down’ sounds  more like I am THE WIZARD.”

I received the usual head shake and eye roll.

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Heartbreaking

Yesterday when we arrived at the oncologist’s office for Mr. Fixit's appointment, there was a young man waiting for the office to open. He looked to be about 19 years old. I was shaken to realize that he was a patient. He’s so young, too young, to have such a horrible thing happen to him.

He was alone.

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Is This News?

This morning as I was reading the Google news I scanned the headings—World News, US News, Business, Sports, Entertainment—this one left me almost speechless.

Megan Fox said in an interview her husband, Brian Austin Green “doesn’t get any intimacy whatsoever.”

TMI, Megan, TMI!

By the way, who the heck is Megan Fox and why should anyone be interested in her husband’s lack of intimacy except him?

I know, I know. My codgerliness is showing.

Note: I don't know Brian Austin Green either.

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Guests

For the past week, we’ve had guests. Some more of Mr. Fixit’s family came to see him. They stayed at Jason’s which helped me a lot. I worry about Mr. Fixit’s health, and I get a bit uptight. It seems there is at least one little episode when people are here. Maybe he overdoes it a bit He slept until 9:00 am his morning.

It didn’t help when we had a problem with the car that he had to fix. While the car was out of commission we were using the truck, but, of course, it had a problem, too, but Ben helped him with that one.

They weather was great while they were here. I think the temperature was in the 80’s  every day.

Friday, August 1, 2014

So There!

A few days ago Mr. Fixit had a blood pressure problem after cleaning out the car. His bp dropped very low. It scared me a bit.

Last night after we left a family dinner the “low tire” warning light came on during the drive home. It happened once before a few days ago. I called Ben to ask if he would ask Cole to come over to help Mr. Fixit find the problem with the tire. I didn’t want another bp drop.

This morning Mr. Fixit said to me that he was going out to start working on the car. I said, “No you’re not.”

He said, “Why not?”

I replied rather tartly, “Because I said so, that’s why!" Then I realized what I said. "Wow, I haven’t said that since the boys left home.”

“And I just stood there like a kid,” he muttered.

Hey, it worked. He’s sitting downstairs waiting for Cole.