Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
It Wasn't Even Gift Wrapped
In November, Mr. Fixit’s big television in the living room blew. He began watching the 13-inch set that had been in the kitchen. I offered him the 19-inch that I watch in the computer room, but he said it was too much trouble to disconnect the components; he just sat very close to the screen on the little set. We put the huge, 27-inch set on the floor in the living room.
The day after Christmas we took advantage of the sales and purchased a new television. He got a very nice 37-inch HD TV that gets a wonderful picture. It has a thin screen so it is very light. No, we didn’t pay extra to Directv to get the HD channels because we would have had to lease or purchase a HD receiver plus pay the extra monthly fee. Not only do the sets cost the earth, you have to pay through the nose for all the things needed to get the HD channels.
In the meantime, the old set just sat in the living room floor. The thing weighs a ton. It took the two of us to get it from the entertainment center to the floor. Mr. Fixit has been working or the weather was bad so it sat there until today. He loaded it onto a hand-truck and I helped him get it out the front door and down the front steps. We were going to take it to the recycling center, but we couldn’t lift it into the pickup. He suggested that we leave it on the street for the city to take.
Our little town has very stringent rules regarding garbage pickup. All garbage must be in plastic bags. All bags must be in the city-issued garbage container. If your container is full and you put just a plastic bag beside it, they won’t pick up any of your garbage. In order to have the city pick up big items like appliances or furniture, you must call and ask them to pick it up. They then will pick up the items within a few days. If you don’t call, your old fridge could sit there for years like a lawn ornament.
After he placed the TV at the end of the driveway, I tried to call City Hall with no success. Apparently, there was a problem with their phone system. Mr. Fixit decided to go to Wal-Mart. He was gone maybe 45 minutes. When he came in, he said, “Wow, that was fast. The TV is gone.” I told him that I wasn’t able to make arrangements for the pick-up of the TV; someone else must have taken it.
I feel sorry for the person who took it. They probably suffered a hernia lifting a heavy television that doesn’t work.
The day after Christmas we took advantage of the sales and purchased a new television. He got a very nice 37-inch HD TV that gets a wonderful picture. It has a thin screen so it is very light. No, we didn’t pay extra to Directv to get the HD channels because we would have had to lease or purchase a HD receiver plus pay the extra monthly fee. Not only do the sets cost the earth, you have to pay through the nose for all the things needed to get the HD channels.
In the meantime, the old set just sat in the living room floor. The thing weighs a ton. It took the two of us to get it from the entertainment center to the floor. Mr. Fixit has been working or the weather was bad so it sat there until today. He loaded it onto a hand-truck and I helped him get it out the front door and down the front steps. We were going to take it to the recycling center, but we couldn’t lift it into the pickup. He suggested that we leave it on the street for the city to take.
Our little town has very stringent rules regarding garbage pickup. All garbage must be in plastic bags. All bags must be in the city-issued garbage container. If your container is full and you put just a plastic bag beside it, they won’t pick up any of your garbage. In order to have the city pick up big items like appliances or furniture, you must call and ask them to pick it up. They then will pick up the items within a few days. If you don’t call, your old fridge could sit there for years like a lawn ornament.
After he placed the TV at the end of the driveway, I tried to call City Hall with no success. Apparently, there was a problem with their phone system. Mr. Fixit decided to go to Wal-Mart. He was gone maybe 45 minutes. When he came in, he said, “Wow, that was fast. The TV is gone.” I told him that I wasn’t able to make arrangements for the pick-up of the TV; someone else must have taken it.
I feel sorry for the person who took it. They probably suffered a hernia lifting a heavy television that doesn’t work.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Sunday, December 30, 2007
The Best Christmas Moment
Our family Christmas celebration was held at Jason’s house. After all the presents had been handed out, there was one left. It was a folded sheet of notebook paper with Noah’s handwriting: “To Mom and Dad from Noah and Owen.” Inside the paper was a sweet “Merry Christmas” message and a dollar bill.
Of course, Jason and DIL had taken the boys shopping for presents for Mom and Dad, but I think Noah wanted to give them something of his own. He even included Owen as a gift-giver. He has to be one of the sweetest, most caring little boys I have ever known.
Of course, Jason and DIL had taken the boys shopping for presents for Mom and Dad, but I think Noah wanted to give them something of his own. He even included Owen as a gift-giver. He has to be one of the sweetest, most caring little boys I have ever known.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Molly's Big Adventure
Jason and family went last Wednesday for their Christmas celebration with DIL’s father and his family in Florida. They left their pets, Molly, a Sheltie, and Potter, the cat, in the care of their neighbors, Jeff and Michelle. The neighbors are very nice people who have several pets. They have a key to Jason’s house to see to Potter’s needs, and Molly stays in the neighbors’ home.
Their cleaning lady doesn’t like dogs. Jeff told Michele to take Molly home and put her in the kennel until they came home from work. Molly doesn’t mind staying in the kennel; it’s the usual practice. Michelle felt bad about leaving her caged all day so she decided to let her stay at her house. When the housekeeper arrived Molly made her mad dash for freedom. Many of the neighbors joined in the search, but, crafty little pup that she is, she eluded them. (They have such good neighbors.)
Jason called me from Florida and asked that I go over to help in the search and to find out what exactly was going on. Jeff came home from work early to join the search parties. He walked the neighborhood several times and saw her once heading into another subdivision. I searched for her in the car. The search continued until dark. Jeff was very upset because he thought Michele should have taken Molly home and put her in the kennel.
There were numerous phone calls between Jason and I and Jason and Jeff. When Jason said he was thinking of coming home, I told him there was nothing he could do. After dark I suggested that Jeff stop his search. I thought she would come home when she was cold and hungry. This dog has never been cold or hungry in her life. She leads a life of ease.
Michelle came home from work about 6:30 pm and starting looking for Molly. About 8:00 pm she spotted her. She went home to get a flashlight. As she was getting back into her car, Molly comes running up to her. I bet that Molly has been safely ensconced in her kennel during the day.
There was one scary moment. As Jeff was wandering through backyards, and I, safely on the side on the road, heard a gunshot. It scared the you-know-what out of me. I thought sure someone took a potshot at the person prowling his yard. Jeff took the hint and returned to his car.By the time we arrived back home, Molly was safely in his house.
When I called Jason to tell him that Molly was safe, they were an hour and a half outside Jacksonville heading for home. They turned around to continue their celebration with DIL’s father and his family.
I wonder now that Molly has had her little adventure and several hours of freedom if she will try it again. They may have to leash her for a while every time she goes out.
Their cleaning lady doesn’t like dogs. Jeff told Michele to take Molly home and put her in the kennel until they came home from work. Molly doesn’t mind staying in the kennel; it’s the usual practice. Michelle felt bad about leaving her caged all day so she decided to let her stay at her house. When the housekeeper arrived Molly made her mad dash for freedom. Many of the neighbors joined in the search, but, crafty little pup that she is, she eluded them. (They have such good neighbors.)
Jason called me from Florida and asked that I go over to help in the search and to find out what exactly was going on. Jeff came home from work early to join the search parties. He walked the neighborhood several times and saw her once heading into another subdivision. I searched for her in the car. The search continued until dark. Jeff was very upset because he thought Michele should have taken Molly home and put her in the kennel.
There were numerous phone calls between Jason and I and Jason and Jeff. When Jason said he was thinking of coming home, I told him there was nothing he could do. After dark I suggested that Jeff stop his search. I thought she would come home when she was cold and hungry. This dog has never been cold or hungry in her life. She leads a life of ease.
Michelle came home from work about 6:30 pm and starting looking for Molly. About 8:00 pm she spotted her. She went home to get a flashlight. As she was getting back into her car, Molly comes running up to her. I bet that Molly has been safely ensconced in her kennel during the day.
There was one scary moment. As Jeff was wandering through backyards, and I, safely on the side on the road, heard a gunshot. It scared the you-know-what out of me. I thought sure someone took a potshot at the person prowling his yard. Jeff took the hint and returned to his car.By the time we arrived back home, Molly was safely in his house.
When I called Jason to tell him that Molly was safe, they were an hour and a half outside Jacksonville heading for home. They turned around to continue their celebration with DIL’s father and his family.
I wonder now that Molly has had her little adventure and several hours of freedom if she will try it again. They may have to leash her for a while every time she goes out.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Tears of Frustration and Cayenne
Last evening when Mr. Fixit came home from work, the first words out of my mouth were not “Hi! Sweetheart, I’m so glad you’re home” or “You must be tired. Dinner is ready.” Instead the first words out of my mouth were “You made me cry this afternoon!” He wasn’t even here!
I decided that since our weather has taken a more seasonal turn that chili would be perfect for a cold, rainy day. As I browned the meat, I looked in the cupboard for the little seasoning packet that I had purchased a few days before. I couldn’t find it. Then I remembered where I had last seen it. When I brought in the groceries I was distracted and put the bag with the packet and one more item on the couch. (Yes, where all groceries bags should be left.) I also remember picking up the bag with the intention of putting the items away. My memory after that was a complete blank.
Being the armchair detective I am, I deduced that perhaps the little bag must have been mixed in with the Christmas present bags that Mr. Fixit had placed in the little used downstairs bathroom. The grandchildren were here for a little while Sunday so he stuffed all the unwrapped presents in the shower and closed the curtain. I went through all the bags. No seasoning packet.
I searched the storeroom thinking I must have put in on the shelf there. Nope!
Then I remembered that I had been to the craft store and deduced that perhaps I had brought it upstairs with the little bags of floss and needles. I went through every bag with floss, yarn, and notions. Again, no seasoning packet.
All this time I was becoming more and more frustrated. I went through everything again with the same result. In the meantime, the meat was browned, the tomatoes had been pureed, the extra seasonings were on the counter, but I couldn’t take the next step of putting it all together. The last time I made chili was a disaster because I didn’t have that little packet and used taco seasoning instead. It was not a culinary success.
I was beginning to think I had absolutely lost my mind because I couldn’t remember where I put that darned bag. I was sure that I was in the middle stages of senile dementia. I was literally in tears. It had been a trying day even before the chili problem.
I started the search again and walked to the far end of the living room. I just stood there looking around. There! I spied a small white grocery bag between the end table and the wall and inside was the missing packet. Mr. Fixit, for some reason, put it there. He tried to tell me that I must have put it there and forgotten. Yeah, just like Ingrid Bergman in “Gaslight.”
By the end of dinner, Mr. Fixit had a few tears in his eyes, too, but it may have been because I added a “little” extra cayenne pepper to the delicious chili!
I decided that since our weather has taken a more seasonal turn that chili would be perfect for a cold, rainy day. As I browned the meat, I looked in the cupboard for the little seasoning packet that I had purchased a few days before. I couldn’t find it. Then I remembered where I had last seen it. When I brought in the groceries I was distracted and put the bag with the packet and one more item on the couch. (Yes, where all groceries bags should be left.) I also remember picking up the bag with the intention of putting the items away. My memory after that was a complete blank.
Being the armchair detective I am, I deduced that perhaps the little bag must have been mixed in with the Christmas present bags that Mr. Fixit had placed in the little used downstairs bathroom. The grandchildren were here for a little while Sunday so he stuffed all the unwrapped presents in the shower and closed the curtain. I went through all the bags. No seasoning packet.
I searched the storeroom thinking I must have put in on the shelf there. Nope!
Then I remembered that I had been to the craft store and deduced that perhaps I had brought it upstairs with the little bags of floss and needles. I went through every bag with floss, yarn, and notions. Again, no seasoning packet.
All this time I was becoming more and more frustrated. I went through everything again with the same result. In the meantime, the meat was browned, the tomatoes had been pureed, the extra seasonings were on the counter, but I couldn’t take the next step of putting it all together. The last time I made chili was a disaster because I didn’t have that little packet and used taco seasoning instead. It was not a culinary success.
I was beginning to think I had absolutely lost my mind because I couldn’t remember where I put that darned bag. I was sure that I was in the middle stages of senile dementia. I was literally in tears. It had been a trying day even before the chili problem.
I started the search again and walked to the far end of the living room. I just stood there looking around. There! I spied a small white grocery bag between the end table and the wall and inside was the missing packet. Mr. Fixit, for some reason, put it there. He tried to tell me that I must have put it there and forgotten. Yeah, just like Ingrid Bergman in “Gaslight.”
By the end of dinner, Mr. Fixit had a few tears in his eyes, too, but it may have been because I added a “little” extra cayenne pepper to the delicious chili!
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