A Blustery day

They said on the news that Saturday was going to be a very windy day. I hardly took notice knowing that it had nothing to do with me. Then about 1:15 pm everything in my house shut down. When this happens I usually hold my breath for a minute hoping that it will go back on fast enough to retain the programs on all my electronic stuff. When it lasted more than 5 minutes I thought Oh Shucks. I had already reset the clock and VCR (including adjusting the recording programs) upstairs to reflect the new time and would now have to do it again. Once I got over that disappointment I picked up a new book.

When I started to get hungry I went through all the usual, I'll just have..... Everything I was just going to have required a burner, microwave, toaster or something. So I waited. Maybe the power would come back on before long. It started to get dark.

Rita, who did not lose power, brought over a fluorescent lantern that she had and offered to take anything from my freezer that might spoil. Like if I had Ice Cream or anything. She wanted to make sure that I knew that ice cream wouldn't last very long so if I had ice cream she would take it for me. I assured her that I had no ice cream and as long as I didn't open the freezer everything should be fine. When she came over I had been reading by the light of two candles on my side table. The lantern was a bit better. The instructions said it should last 6 hours. After 3 hours the light was dim enough that the candle power beat it out. So I went back to candles.

I realized that I was still hungry and settled for crackers with peanut butter. The peanut butter jar was low. Did you ever try to scrape the bottom (and sides) of a peanut butter jar by candlelight? Just can't do a good job.

You want to see something funny? Picture an old lady who needs two handrails to make it safely upstairs trying to go upstairs with two lit candles and an open can of Pepsi. I left one candle burning as a night light figuring that even if it burned out, when I woke up it would be daylight. I woke up when the candle got far enough to the bottom that it shattered the candle holder and the pieces fell onto the desk. There was no flame by that time so not to worry.

It was daylight when I woke up, but still no power. I gleaned another couple of crackers worth of peanut butter out of the jar before I threw it away. Rather than sit around powerless all day I decided to go to the casino and took the windsor bus trip.

When I got home about 8 pm. the power was back and had been since about 5. Long enough to heat up the house and cool off everything in the fridge. The freezer stuff is just fine.

Now my TV is all messed up. The channels are coming in fuzzy and then disappear alltogether. The cable ones are not coming in at all right now. They were fine when I first reset the channels. I don't think there is much I can do about it tonight, I'll call the cable people tomorrow.

Drugs have worn off

My root has been cannelled and all the numbness is gone. Seems like a trip to the dentist used to leave one unable to eat or feel your lips for hours and hours. Even with the nitrous and novacain I still can't help crying. This Endodontist was a new person and he was feeling bad. He asked me if my eyes always tear up and I said "only when I cry".

I heard a piece on NPR about our Proposal 2, regarding a constitutional ammendment banning same sex marriages. It seems Michigan already has a law banning same and the passage of this proposition will not change things considerably. Nobody mentioned that without the ammendmant the existing law would be subject to challange in the courts.

I have received my official letter from the membership committee. As of November 1st I am on the waiting list for transfer to 34721 Spring Valley.

Racing again

I just saw a promo for and met the contestants on Amazing Race 6. It starts a week from Tuesday on the 16th. There is the requisite old couple in their 60s, more than one modeling couple, a sister team and some party people.

My hard drive has been periodically squeaking lately. Anybody know what that means. Also every once in a while (like this morning) the computer is off when I get up. I don't turn it off at night.

I've got about one more hour before I have to leave for the dentist and root canal. Yuch.

Immagine me, a guru

There is actually someone that knows less about computers than I do. I am Jeannette's computer guru. We got her all installed with aol tonight and she is happy as a clam. She has never really had actual internet with her Juno, just email. She is very excited that the aol welcome screen shows you the current weather etc.

She was here when I was talking to Adrienne on IM and couldn't believe we were able to have a "real time" conversation. She is excited about that and has already tried it with me since I got home.

Now, if we could only find a way to incorporate her existing address list. I showed her how to use the aol help and its on her to-do list for tomorrow to ask aol how to do that.

Thinking family

You guys are the best at thinking red. We have the St. Louis/Boston world series and now St. Louis doesn't have to win anything any more. We want Boston all the way. In 4 please. If St. Louis wins one the Bostonians will get nervous.

I ran into Susie (Suchy's cleaning lady) this morning and told her I was still in the market if she knew anybody. I had already asked her but she didn't have time to add new clients. She said she is thinking of getting a helper and taking more jobs. I told her to keep me in mind.

I did my absentee ballot yesterday. I hadn't heard one word about it but we have a proposal on the ballot for same sex marriage. It says "This proposal would amend the state constitution to provide that "the union of one man and one woman in marriage shall be the only agreement recognized as a marriage or similar union for any purpose." Should this proposal be adopted?

I have zero trust in my fellow Michiganians to expect the correct outcome of this proposal.

Good Job, Keep Thinking Red

We did so good getting Boston the AL Pennant. Now we have to think red for the cardinals on the St. Louis uniforms.

Think Red

We all have to think Red for Boston tonight. I have always felt a little bit guilty since Detroit beat them out in 1968. Now they finally have another shot against many odds.

Baby Steps

I don't mean to steal Erika's thunder by posting this before she did but I am just so geeked. Jackson took two (count them - two) baby steps toward Lyle last night. He had been taking one a couple of times between the ottoman and chair and such, but he was examining the buttons on the DVD player last night and Lyle held out his arms and Jackson took two steps to him. It looked like he didn't even have to think about it.

I had such a great visit this weekend. Jackson is just wonderful. Look at me, I'm preaching to the choir.

We had Erika's movie thing at Sammy's house on Friday night. The movie we saw (Casa de los Babys) should only be seen for the purpose of having a discussion. If you see it on your own and have noone with which to share interpretations, there's just no point.

We went to the Casino and discovered that Harrah's has redecorated their lobby area and have added a 50s diner. We ate there on our way out and it was very good. So that will be our Indiana Casino of choice if we get to one while Adrienne is here.

I told Erika that Adrienne and I are driving down there with her (separate cars) the weekend after Thanksgiving so that if she and Lyle wanted to plan themselves an adult outing, Adrienne could handle the running around part of the babysitting and I can give the hugs.

transfer

I submitted my papers for transfer yesterday. After receiving all my quarterly investment statements I was armed with my financial information necessary to do that. The Unit I am requesting transfer to is Kitty-Korner from Rita and now all I have to do (assuming that my request is approved) is wait for the lady that lives there to move out or die.

Broken In

Finally broke in the dryer. For the first load I forgot a dryer sheet. First time in a long long time that has happened to me. This dryer has a cool down period before the buzzer goes off (oh, first time in a long long time for a buzzer too) so everything was nice and cool. I'm used to hot clothes. I just had to take out one nightgown and all the underwear came with it. If it had been dark out, I could have lit up the whole basement.

Toilet repair guy plunged and flushed. He didn't see any seeping water so I must have immagined it. The heck with them. What do I care if the floor gets ruined. One of the tiles behind the toilet is cracked to I don't think the seepage I noticed was the first time.

Today is Kelly's birthday. His email is kjsheedy@netzero.net

Wet and Dry

You teen people who don't post because nothing is going on in your lives just keep reading my blog and see how boring life can really be.

I lugged my laundry down (as far as the kitchen) this morning. I was going to use my new dryer for the first time. I have been feeling pretty good, leg-wise lately and figured I could do a few trips to the basement today. I am incredibly lazy and any misc. pain is a good excuse to put off most tasks. But today I get to be relatively pain free and still indulge my laziness.

I noticed last night that when I flush my upstairs toilet, the bowl fills up and then water seeps out onto the floor in the back. Not all the water, just some of it. So I called maintenance this morning and she is sending someone out, maybe even today. So, on the assumption that when they come they will have to turn the water off... and nobody wants the water to get shut off while they are doing laundry... See where I'm going?

The sacrifices I make.

Endurance and other TV

I have become a big fan of the Saturday morning kids show, Endurance 3. Its like a kids version of survivor except I think they are fed regularly and have sleeping quarters. They complete missions in teams of two (boy, girl) and the winners send two opposing teams to the Temple and only one team returns.

This week they picked their teammates and one poor girl had to team up with "girly boy", Marvin (or Melvin or something). He's way more "girly" than any of the girls and should provide some comic relief.

I don't mean to make fun of him, I'm sure his mother loves him and I would be very happy if he proves me wrong and wins the whole thing.

I liked the outcome of the Complex Malibu. Its not so much that I was hoping they would win, I just hoped nobody else would.

I also came across a show on TBS called The Mansion where a team of 8 or so are completing renovation challenges for prize money, and the foreman of each challenge has to distribute the money at their discretion in predetermined amounts. The last foreman kept all the money. She has some p-o'd teammates.

I'm Impressed

Finally some media political commentary that was actually helpful. Last night after the VP debate they showed a comment by Cheney saying that it was simply not true that he had ever accused Saddam Hussein of being responsible for 9/11. Then NBC cut to an interview on Meet the Press from 2003 where he said exactly that.

Then this morning on NPR they explained Cheney's comment that even though he was President of the Senate he had never met John Edwards until yesterday. They said that Cheney had met very few Democrats and that he mostly went to the senate to preside over the Republican luncheons.

Maybe I will start paying more attention to the media. Then again, maybe not. I managed to pick up these gems at my current level of attention.

In other news. The dryer saga continues. It seems that a delivery truck has damaged some shingles on our carport in Lot 12. Since I was the only one to have a delivery last Thursday (the damage was noticed on Friday) the consensus is that it was the Sears delivery truck at fault. I have called the delivery people and lodged the complaint but the problem is that no one saw it happen. The truck people said they would have someone contact me within 48 hours. When that didn't happen, I called them again and you'll never guess what. They had no record of my call. I gave them the name of the girl I talked to but that didn't help. Now I have a new name and they have another 48 hours to get back to me.

In health news. Last Saturday I determined that I would call the doctor on Monday about my neck pain. By Monday I no longer thought that was necessary. Today my neck and legs were in such good working order I even went shopping and I learned that my back pain is just waiting there in the wings for me to be able to walk far enough or stay on my feet long enough for it to engage. The good part about that is that when I sit down it goes away.

So life is good.

A Winters' Night

We just spent a great evening at Stephanie's. Rita came with me and we were the only ones there out of Steph's generation. They had about 10 friends over, most of whom were helping them cook and set up.

We had burgers and french fries and salad with all the trimmings for each. We had multiple choices of fruits and melons for desert and then in the middle of the Trivial Pursuit game she made some chocolate chip cookies. I was teamed with Bryant for the TP and we had the most pies when the game broke up.

She has a passable two bedroom apartment. It was very hard to find. The layout of the property reminds me of beach rentals and such. A low flat building with about 4 apartments in it built out behind the main house. It is enough in the country that they have horses next door.

The address of the main house is 14170 Huron River Drive, Romulus, MI. Her new phone number is 734 229 0325.

Arn is still working at the hospital and she is working at the airport doing menial work on Northwest airplanes. She didn't seem to get a lot of hours, and she said they didn't pay much. But after the probationary time, if she gets on full time, the benefits are pretty great. Including, but not limited to, free flying advantages for family members (grandparents included).

We can be proud of our Steph. She picked a good husband and has very nice friends.

Necking for senior citizens

Spent the whole day watching tv, trying not to move my neck. Didn't pick up my book during commercials, put my crocheting (afghan for Elise) across the room so I wouldn't pick it up by accident, didn't come over to the computer, BORING. If any of you ever have to try this, let me give a little piece of information I certainly never thought of. When you start to nod off and your chin gets closer and closer to your chest, that is bending your neck and the twinge will wake you up.

As my reward, today I can look up and I can look down and I can look this way and I can look that way. I can't look behind me, but who really needs to do that anyways. I am ready to resume normal activity and see what happens. I have to be limber for my dentist appointment tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow evening I am going to Stephanie's new appartment . They are having family over for hot dogs etc. This makes me think that they have yard space suitable for barbequeing. The directions I have for getting there sound easy enough. I also got a call from Arn saying that Steph had to give up her cell phone, so the only way to reach them was thru Dana.

My dryer will be delivered between 1:00 and 3:00 this afternoon. It's very pretty. It's going to feel out of place in my basement, poor thing.

Keeping my powder dry

I did go back to Sears but this time I was armed with some model numbers and prices off the internet. I didn't see the salesman I talked to yesterday so already I felt reassured. There were two models on sale that I was interested in and I was glad that I could look at and compare them in person. The price differential was only $20.00 and I got the higher one. It had one extra knob on the top which to me was almost a deal killer (I like on and off) but the door opened down as opposed to sideways and I liked that part.

The dryer should be delivered and installed tomorrow. My salesman's name was Paul and he was my new best friend. Then as I was signing the credit card receipt he mentioned how glad he was that I came back after I had told him yesterday that I was going to shop around.

In other news, I have a huge pain in the neck. I think it might be from being caught in a draft at Kewadin but its lasting an awfully long time. There are many ordinary things that I am surprised I use my neck for. Like driving, typing on the computer, reading, and crocheting. I have been doing these things with impunity and last night I was beyond pain. It is much much better today and my plan is not to agrivate it. This will be my last trip to the computer today and I will spend the rest of the day watching tv without moving my head.

Comic dryers

Oh, my God. I will not tape Comics one more time. I just saw a promo for the show featuring the dog and I'm afraid that might contaminate my tape.

I went dryer shopping this morning. I went to Best Buy and the sales guy was busy so I just looked around and there were nothing but electric dryers so I left. I went to Sears and the sales guy devoted himself to me and I couldn't stand him, so I left. I will try Lowe's this afternoon if I can make myself go back out.

The Sears guy (when talking about delivery and installation which was way too much money to please me) asked did I have a shut off valve and copper pipes because if I didn't they would not install it. I asked, how would I know if I had that and he said "You can see can't you." That's pretty much where he lost me. If I end up going back to Sears I would want another sales person. I don't remember what the guy looked like and certainly didn't get his name or anything so I figure I will have to go for a female sales person.

I did go downstairs and saw the shut off valve and copper pipes. At least I saw copper and there were three shut off valves, one of which I'm pretty sure is for the outside water faucets so the other two must be washer and dryer, right?

Amish comics

Amish in the City is over. Everybody said goodbye, cry, cry, cry. One of the Amish kids took his GED while in the house and passed it with flying colors and has decided he wants to go to college. Of the five amish kids, that one wants to go to college, the other two boys want to move back to the country (they've had enough city life) but not to the Amish and the two girls want to pursue, nursing and other city options. None of them ruled out returning to the Amish some day, but just not yet.

I was getting pretty tired of the Last Comic Standing and adding Carrot Top was the last straw. With him and Jay London on the same show it has freed up a slot in my VCR programming.

Yeaa Chip, Boo Drew

I was hoping for the Cowboy on BB but, oh well. Gretchen had a good idea that the whole 13 member cast should have to get together now and watch all episodes of the show. They could make a whole new show about it. I would watch their collective reactions to each show every week.

The ending of the race had me crying copiously. I was so glad for Chip and Kim. They were a great racing couple. No whining among them and in the end it was Kim's shrewd assessment that got them ticketed on the best flights.

I still haven't seen anything on TV or in the Guide about a new Race starting soon.

Kewadin and dryers

Kewadin was great. How can so much fun be so tiring. I always have trouble sleeping before a trip of any kind so I didn't sleep more than a couple of hours on Sunday night. Monday night Jeannette and I were both wiped out by 10:00 back in our room and after setting the sleep timer, fell asleep during the poker reruns. (By the way, Yeaa Annie Duke) Shortly after my regular 4:45 bathroom break I was jarred by some really loud country music with intervals of commercials for products that could only be sold by the decible. If I turned on my right side, thus covering my good ear, the noise was somewhat muffled. For some reason, God found it amusing to put my good ear on my bad side so that wasn't a long term solution. I thought about calling the desk, or pounding on the wall but I didn't want to disturb Jeannette who seemed to be sleeping through it. After a really long time it stopped. The silence was golden. I was rudely awakened by the same stuff at 5:50 and at about 6:15 I went out in the hall and knocked on the door of the offending neighbor. I knocked a couple of times and pounded a couple of times. No answer. When I got back into the room, I figured Jeannette had been disturbed by this time and I called the front desk and asked if there was any way they could get the people in room 501 to turn down their radio. The answer was, "We can try."

Then for the next 15 minutes or so we could hear the sound of their phone ringing as well as all the radio sounds. By this time we decided to be up, and at 7:00 we called the friends we came with (Jim and Eileen) and made arrangements to go to breakfast and start the day.

So back home in my own little bed, I had a great night's sleep and felt wonderful this morning. I have taken care of 3 things on my to-do list and as soon as I finish this post the productive part of my day is over.

As for the dryer, Jan Suchy told me the most knowledgeable person on the maintenance staff about appliances was Ross. So I called him this morning and described my problem. He didn't think he would have proper access to needed parts and suggested an appliance repair place he was familiar with. I called them. It seems the words "pilot light" is what threw everybody. I guess gas dryers don't have pilot lights any more and haven't had for some years now. The guy asked me how old it was (its about 25 years old) and suggested that I should be in the market for a new one. So that's where I am.