Friday, March 31, 2006
Wunderbar
This is the name of a restaurant in our Lehigh Valley Mall. It is referred to as a restaurant, but once you step inside you feel like you've been transported to Germany, or a Bavarian beer fest at the very least. It is called Dunderbak's Market Cafe. We just call it Dunderbak's.
Whenever I go there I feel like I have truly escaped whatever it was that was weighing heavily on my mind prior to my visit.
I'm part German (my maiden name oozes kraut) and I would love to visit Germany. But at this stage of my life I feel that will never happen. By going to Dunderbak's every once in awhile, it makes me feel closer to my roots.
There is a bar (beer only, thank you) with every kind of beer imaginable. They mostly offer sandwiches (and believe me they are delicious); some other items on the menu include:
Weinerschnitzel, grilled wursts (all kinds), German chocolate cake, beer battered shrimp, German potato salad ~ are you hungry yet?
Yeah, me too. I so look forward to my next visit.
posted by Cheyenne at 12:06 AM comment(s) made:
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Thursday, March 30, 2006
Potted Kitten Or Kitten On 'Pot'
I was going to post about something entirely different, but I've been wanting to show this picture for awhile. It was taken a month ago.
That's "Junior" in the pot. He/she got the name because he/she has its mother's colorings. I have no idea what sex these strays are until one shows up pregnant. We've been lucky so far. Only one female has had two litters. (That would be Junior's mom.) I think another is carrying but I'm not sure. Time will tell.
I shot this through the kitchen window. Every day usually brings a new adventure with these kittens. There are four of them. The other one in this picture is Junior's aunt, Linus.
They wait for me in the morning when it's time to feed them. They will come within 5 feet of me, lie down, and be very watchful. I have no idea what they think I would do to them. One false move out of me and they back off.
They're there again in the evening when it's feeding time. One of the kittens likes to take up residence in the mulch at the foot of the tree with the bird feeder in it. He will curl up, in the sun, and snooze. Or just sit there and peer into the tree watching the birds.
I cannot even begin to tell you how much we have spent on these stray cats as far as food is concerned. Enough to make me want to get them a social security number so I can claim them on my income taxes. But as long as they stick around, I will feed them. They give me great pleasure just watching them. That's worth the price of their food.
posted by Cheyenne at 12:21 AM comment(s) made:
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Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Speaking of American Idol...
For some reason this week's show was really weird. I wonder if there was something in the water.
They had to pick a song from the 21st century. That's a little over six years' worth of material. And the majority of it is still fresh in peoples' minds, so naturally they will want to compare to the original. That sucks.
What was worse, is that the judges were really nasty, especially Simon. Sure, these kids need criticism but not to the tune of being belittled on national TV.
Needless to say, not one contestant sang anything outstanding. Not for me anyway. But, come on, they didn't have much to choose from either. I for one would like to think this week never happened.
There were a few highlights, however: Taylor, Elliott, Bucky and Chris. My money is on Chris winning the whole enchilada.
posted by Cheyenne at 12:21 AM comment(s) made:
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Tag I'm It!
Okay...I was tagged by Clance over at The Church of The Great Oval. I've never done this before. I was asked to do an anagram of my blog title "Muse & Amuse." There were quite a few, but here are some of the sillier ones:
AMUSE ME US
EMMA SUE US
A ME SUES MU
A ME USES MU
A MUSES EMU
USA MEME US
MA EMU SUES
SEA SUE MUM
SEA MUSEUM
OK, that's enough for now. I hope I never get tagged again. It's alien country for me.
posted by Cheyenne at 12:15 AM comment(s) made:
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Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Newest Family Member
This is my niece's first child. Her name is Sasha and she was born March 5th.
I am one of three children. My older brother has two sons and those sons each have two sons. My younger sister has two daughters. Her oldest has two daughters and her youngest just had a daughter. And I have one daughter.
I'm just wondering if this genetic thing will ever be broken.
posted by Cheyenne at 12:28 AM comment(s) made:
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Monday, March 27, 2006
The Winner (Whiner) & The 'Losers'
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
What?
Oh...sorry. I just can't stop laughing about what happened to JJ in Sunday's race.
Yes, I know it's not nice to make fun of other people's misfortunes.
Let's see, both Hendrick drivers got their comuppance in the race. Like I always say, What goes around comes around.
Now...please let me get back to continuing what I do best: laugh at Hendrick drivers that screw up and finish badly.
posted by Cheyenne at 12:36 AM comment(s) made:
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Friday, March 24, 2006
Dang It!
Qualifying for Bristol was cancelled due to bad weather. Currently it is cold and raining and they are expecting snow over the weekend. It is, however, supposed to be okay to race on Sunday weather-wise.
Anyway, because only five races have been run thus far, NASCAR goes back to the owners' points from the last race run in '05. That means Junior will be starting 19th. Ack! Smack dab in the middle of the pack ~ a bad spot to start at this tiny bullring. Definitely a bad starting spot. He has said he likes to start at the back of a race so he can have fun working his way past everyone to get to the front. But not at this track. (Had they used this year's points, he would have started 7th.)
Since they didn't have qualifications we'll never know just how far to the front he would have started. He is either "better off" with 19th or screwed if he could've qualified higher.
posted by Cheyenne at 4:51 PM comment(s) made:
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Ya Gotta Love This Guy
BRISTOL, Tenn. - Kevin Harvick apparently has some pent-up frustration remaining from an on-track incident with Kurt Busch and David Stremme on Monday at Atlanta.
When asked at the end of a news conference Friday if there was any perception about him that he would like to correct, Harvick said: "I think I would have whooped Kurt Busch before now. Obviously, he forgot about getting punched in his nose last time from Jimmy Spencer.
"I probably shouldn't have said that," Harvick added to a room full of laughter. "I'll still tell you what I think. I'd still like to whip his ass. Before the year's over, he'll make a fool out of Roger Penske. It's hard not to pick on a guy when his ears are pinned back."
Early in Monday's race at Atlanta, Harvick was caught in the middle, with Busch on the outside and David Stremme on the inside. When Stremme moved up the track, bringing Busch and Stremme both into Harvick, the No. 29 Chevrolet was damaged.
Busch was not immediately available Friday for comment.
posted by Cheyenne at 4:48 PM comment(s) made:
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Well...This Is Freakin' Depressing!
My local newspaper, which covers the Lehigh Valley and beyond, apparently ran a poll last week asking "Who's your least favorite NASCAR driver?"
Here are the results:
Tony Stewart ~ 25.9%
Jeff Gordon ~ 25.5%
Dale Earnhardt Jr ~ 19.3%
Kurt Busch ~ 19.1%
Kyle Busch ~ 10.2%
There were 512 total votes, so that means that approximately 27 people that voted don't like Junior. I am so biased that I can't see why anyone dislikes him.
Kurt and Kyle Busch at the bottom of the list makes me cringe. Those two should be at the top.
Tony Stewart? He is what he is and I for one like him just the way he is. No holds barred. He adds much needed spice to racing.
Jeff Gordon ~ I only dislike him when he's on a winning streak. Otherwise, he's just one of the guys (I think).
So I ask, where the hell was Jimmie Johnson's name on this list? After all, he IS first in points. I do believe that whoever made up the poll must be a JJ fan and they were afraid that he'd be the number one least favorite by a huge margin.
Really huge.
This week's question is "What is your favorite NASCAR track?" That's a no-brainer. It's Bristol, baby!
posted by Cheyenne at 12:34 AM comment(s) made:
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Thursday, March 23, 2006
Wednesday Sucked
This photo shows how I felt all day Wednesday. For the first time in a long time I was speechless and had nothing to write. So I guess I owe a long post. Here goes...
Weighing heavily on my mind is the fact that I could possibly hold the key to our problem of health insurance. I realize that if I were able to secure a job with benefits, that after 90 days I would qualify for coverage. At that time, should my husband want to retire, he could.
That, my friends, is easier said than done. It sure looks good in print, doesn't it?
But the downside is:
Depending on the position, I probably don't have the proper attire and I would have to buy an entirely new wardrobe. Not very cost effective there.
Since '74 I had been working in the trucking field and jeans were the norm.
Also, a third vehicle would have to be purchased for the winter months. (Remember, my Mustang isn't taken out unless the conditions are dry.) And another vehicle would mean another registration fee not to mention more insurance coverage. Again, not very cost effective.
When I was "left go" from my last job, we had absolutely no debt whatsoever and we still don't. Our house and vehicles were all paid off. Any charge cards I use are always paid in full. So there's no worriment there.
However, I do have income. It's half of what I cleared while working. So it's not like I'm not contributing. And then there is my inheritance money. Sweet.
The pros of my not working far outweigh the cons. It all comes down to those damn benefits. They're like gold these days. Well, I did not ask to be put in this situation. The new tyrannical manager that arrived a few months before my 'demise' saw fit to f*ck with my life. His rep preceded him, I formed opinions about him, and certain co-workers ran with that and the rest is history. You can't win 'em all. In all my years of working (and I have been since 18 years of age), I have never had a problem on the job. Ever.
I certainly don't miss working there anymore. However, another manager probably would not have treated me the same way. I would probably still be there had it been a different manager brought in. I guess because I was the longest working employee at that terminal, it may have bothered him. There are plenty bosses out there whose people don't like them, and they know it, but they don't connive to get rid of their employee.
Whatever.
So, while I am enjoying being home and not having to work, I still would have liked to work until retirement age at least. Being put out to pasture before that is a real kick in the ass. But the view in the pasture is really nice.
posted by Cheyenne at 12:17 AM comment(s) made:
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Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Hump Day
Sorry, I am just too tired to post anything on my own, so I copied this for your enjoyment.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Yeah, it was a great run. This was a great effort by the Budweiser team. We got behind a couple times with a flat tire and got the lucky dog and had to come from back again. Had a loose set of tires that took us all the way back to 25th. We kept getting back to the front. They gave me a great car. Just an awesome pit crew. Great bunch of guys back at the shop that put these things together. They're a pleasure to drive this year. I couldn't be more happy.
Steve Byrnes: You're smiling. Are you going in the right direction?
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Well, my cars are just fun to drive, and they have been every week. And I haven't been able to say that in the past so I've just got to thank the guys that are building them back in the shop and the road crew that works on them when we're here trying to practice and stuff. All the fabricators and engine guys at DEI. We're just having a great time right now. I'm really, really proud of them
(As I am proud of Dale Earnhardt Jr!)
posted by Cheyenne at 4:38 PM comment(s) made:
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Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Canis Lupis
Like anything else man did not "understand," the Gray Wolf was almost wiped out to extinction. To me, there is no other animal as beautiful or as powerful as the Gray Wolf.
At one point in our married life, we entertained the thought of raising a hybrid wolf pup. Breeders were abundant back then. For some reason, those breeders (or sellers) have dried up.
The more we read up on this beautiful creature, the more we knew we could not possibly raise one where we live. A wolf needs a lot of room to run. But they cannot be allowed to "run free," or one would lose their initial investment.
So we gave up on the idea of raising one and adopted one instead. Lakota was living in Denali National Park in Alaska under the guidance of a caretaker. For a small fee, we received a document stating he was our "adopted" wolf. We are still listed as a protector of the Gray Wolf. But that was the end of our ever raising our own wolf pup. It saddened me when I came to terms with that. I so wanted to have my very own wolf. But it was not to be. So, I decided I would eventually get an Alaskan Malamute as they are about as close to a wolf one can get in a domestic dog.
It all comes down to the fact that we can't always have what we want. Sigh.
posted by Cheyenne at 3:56 PM comment(s) made:
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Monday, March 20, 2006
Hey Everybody...Junior Finished 3rd!
And believe me, I ran the gamut of emotions today during that race. I literally held my breath for the last 20 laps once Junior moved into 3rd place.
On lap 210 he thought he had a tire problem and finally pitted under green on lap 212. (The right front tire was cut.) He was in 7th place at the time. While in the pits he went a lap down. My heart dropped TO THE FLOOR! When he returned to the racetrack he was in 32nd place, according to the what I'd heard on the radio. The TV had him in 29th. (I may have that backward.) Anyway, he fought his way to being the first in line for the Lucky Dog spot in case of another caution. That happened when Clint Bowyer brought out the caution on lap 221. Little by little he worked his way to the front. By lap 307 he was in 4th. A lap later Robby Gordon, who was in 3rd, had to pit and that put Junior in 3rd where he finished. Not bad for starting 26th, moving up to 7th, back to 32nd, and then to 3rd.
Before the race he was 11th in points. He moved up four spots into 7th. I am hoping he stays in the top ten in points now. All I have to do is Keep The Faith and believe in Him (and Junior too).
Look out Bristol, here we come!!!! (My absolute all time favorite track)
posted by Cheyenne at 3:23 PM comment(s) made:
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Race Postponed Due To Rain
So, what does one do while waiting during a rain delay? We did absolutely nothing. Nothing at all. Oh I lied...I read my book. But other than that, it was a boring day. Too cold and windy to go outside and do anything. Too comfy and lazy to do anything inside.
I hate rain delays. And I used to hate postponements caused by rain. Sunday's race has been postponed to today. 11:00 am to be exact. But it doesn't look good weather-wise. More rain is in the forecast. Flooding even. Maybe they could give the drivers oars and they could have a boat race. No? Just a thought.
If the race doesn't happen today, then I have no idea what they will do. Racing on Tuesday is pushing it a bit. Either day, if it does happen, I am ready, willing and able to watch it. That's what's nice about not working...I don't miss much race-related programming.
posted by Cheyenne at 12:07 AM comment(s) made:
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Friday, March 17, 2006
Better Late Than Never
I couldn't post last night. Blogger had me down for maintenance. That is so frustrating. At first I thought I lost everything, till I nosed around and finally much later got a message from them. Then when I tried to find that same message again, I couldn't. I wasn't looking for it the first time. Oh well, so much for that.
Anyway, I hope I didn't offend anyone with my two posts on the basketball tournament going on till God knows when. I know there are people out there that like that sport, but I don't have to like it. And I told you why.
So here it is, Friday already. The older you get, the faster the weeks fly by. Funny, when you're a kid you think a certain day or weekend will never, ever arrive. As we all know, it eventually does. Now, once the weekend is here, for those of you that work you probably wish the weekend would never be over. Or that you could have a three-day weekend every week. But it does leave only to tease you that another one will be forthcoming. I'm rambling here, I know. Forgive me.
So, today is qualifying day (or night, since it won't happen until 7:10 pm.) For some reason, I am not that excited about it. I read so many columns on Junior and they leave me saddened and wondering just who it is they are writing about. One columnist said he needs a new owner. That he should stay where he is (DEI) but that they need a new owner. I disagree. My momma always taught me (or someone did), that if you can't say anything nice about someone, then don't say anything at all. I can't tell you how many times I have gone against that advice. But I am not some big shot columnist. They get paid big bucks to shoot someone down. I don't know about you, but if I read nasty things about me day after day, week after week, sooner or later it is bound to get to me.
I try not to read the bad reviews. Or the bad previews. Hey, I don't talk trash about the drivers I don't like (except one ~ JJ), so I don't like when others are talking trash about my driver. Just because of who he is. If they'd let him alone to do his own thing, let him climb out of the shadow of who his father was, let him make his mistakes, eventually he'll learn from them and go on to be his own self. I believe in him. Given the right circumstances, he can win races; he can win a Championship. And he will...just believe in him and give him time. After all, good things take time.
Atlanta Motor Speedway...what can I say about that track. I like it, I like the racing that goes on there. I especially like the "racing" that goes one there. Because, finally, we get to see some real racing. Actual, honest-to-God real racing. And no basketball.
posted by Cheyenne at 12:38 PM comment(s) made:
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Thursday, March 16, 2006
Basketball: Same Day. Same Station
One of my readers said "they put it on because some people love basketball like you like NASCAR." (I watch one race per week for approximately four hours, and half of them are on cable channels. There are very few on any major channel.)
Another said "to be able to say that for a few weeks in March, they shined (sic) above all other college teams in the nation." (Sorry, I don't buy it, and I could care less.)
I certainly don't want to "chase" both those commentors away. Every blog needs its readers. I read their blogs as well. And I enjoy reading them, too.
So, back to basketball:
I can understand maybe one or two nights but it has already started earlier today and just ended a few minutes ago. And it will be back on at 7:00 tonight again. Tomorrow the same thing, as well as Saturday. And then again next week.
I could also understand if they only televised the Final Four. That's when it might (I said might) get exciting. I ask: would you all sit through that much golf? I thought not. I'd rather watch an ant carry a crumb 5 times its size. Now THAT'S exciting.
This is my blog, these are my opinions, and I think I can trace this back to my high school days when I played in the band. I had to also play at basketball games. And I hated it from start to finish. But it was something I had to do and it was forced on me. I don't like when something is forced on me. So please, understand where I am coming from, and for those of you who like basketball: watch all the games and enjoy them. Every blessed one of them. I have a couple ants I need to see after...
posted by Cheyenne at 5:30 PM comment(s) made:
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I Don't Need No Stinkin' Basketball!
Would you like to know something that really, really disgusts me? It happens every year around this time. It's the NCAA Basketball Tournament aka March Madness. And it wipes out all CBS programming for an eternity it seems. And every year I bitch and whine about it just as I am now. Oh, I can do without CBS for a couple weeks, that's not the point. The point is, not everyone likes basketball for that long. So why the hell is it being jammed down our throats year after year after year on a major network?
(You can tell I am really pissed about something when my words turn salty.)
I would really like to know why such drivel is broadcast on a major network rather than a sports channel like, say ESPN. Or another cable channel.
Am I the only one that feels this way? I would hope I am not alone in my thinking here.
posted by Cheyenne at 12:21 AM comment(s) made:
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Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Are We In Kansas Yet?
It was 9 pm and we had just turned on the second hour of American Idol when the power went out. It was a total blackout. I went to the front door and stuck my head out to look the situation over. No one else had power either and all the street lights were out. It was very weird...eerie almost.
So I tried to make the best of it. I grabbed a flashlight and started with the book I am currently reading. But I couldn't concentrate, so I started writing a draft of what I am now typing instead.
The fact that it was very windy may have had something to do with the power outage. We have had two days of very high wind alerts.
My thoughts were darting every which way. We have three freezers...one in the basement, another in the garage, and the one that's part of the refrigerator. Of course, one always worries about frozen food going bad, and then there was the alarm clock...how would my husband be able to get up in time to go to work. Luckily I have two alarm clocks with back up.
And as I sat there in the dark with my flashlight, I thought about all the things we take for granted. We depend so much on power that when it does go out, we don't know what to do or where to turn first. Nothing works. Nothing...and that makes one feel so utterly helpless.
Well, I was helpless for half an hour. Thank God it wasn't an all night affair. Once the power did come back on I had to go around and reset all the clocks. Joy. And when that was done everything was back to normal.
Let me tell you, it's a scary thing to lose power...
...and then it dawned on me: It's full moon! Any damn wonder.
posted by Cheyenne at 12:06 AM comment(s) made:
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Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Intruder
This is a groundhog aka woodchuck. He is kin to Punxsutawney Phil. He is how Pennsylvanians determine whether we will have 6 more weeks of winter or not; I never put much thought into it.
This guy was probably eating the corn that the birds threw out of the feeder. This is the first time I've seen one up this close to the house since I put the bird feeder up. I also had suet up but had to take it down because one day there were so many blackbirds in the tree I couldn't find the tree. I don't like blackbirds.
Anyway, these critters use the deck as a refuge. They're quite destructive and we have given up on any kind of vegetable garden. They eat everything in sight it seems. They have just come out of hibernation too. And they dig holes everywhere they please. There's no way to get rid of them either, so we have just learned to live with them.
posted by Cheyenne at 12:10 AM comment(s) made:
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Monday, March 13, 2006
The Best Is Yet To Come
"I was a rookie...and I was in Rockingham," Earnhardt Jr. said.
"We took a provisional to start the race. I was really down in the
dumps. My daddy and I sat down in his bus and he looked at me
and he said, 'You'll have days like this and tomorrow you might
win the race. Don't ever let it get you down because the next
day can be the greatest day you'll ever have."
--Dale Earnhardt Jr. March 2004
For those of you who watched the race Sunday, you'll understand why I posted this quote.
posted by Cheyenne at 12:07 AM comment(s) made:
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Saturday, March 11, 2006
Something To Look Forward To
With the warm weather we experienced Friday we will soon be able to see a lot of these. I don't particularly like tulips even though there are still a few that pop up in front of the house. (Leftovers from the former owners.) We have lived here 20 years and I still haven't gotten them all out of the ground. And I have no idea why.
The temperature was in the low 70s today. Very unusual for this time of the year. So I guess I can kiss any thought of snow goodbye until later this year.
posted by Cheyenne at 12:06 AM comment(s) made:
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Friday, March 10, 2006
Anticipation
Finally Friday has arrived. And Friday brings with it the NASCAR cup qualifications for Las Vegas. As the day progresses my excitement will build ever so slowly to an almost ear-splitting crescendo when qualifying starts. I just hope I am not setting myself up for disappointment. But I always tell myself, Junior is a lousy qualifier. And it doesn't matter where he starts anyway, because he usually can find his way to the front, or the top ten at least. But this is Las Vegas. A track that hasn't been very kind to him in the past. Information filtering out of DEI however does give me hope. Junior and his cousin, Tony Jr, have great hopes for race day. That gives me a boost in confidence too. Before the race ever starts, I usually try to figure out where he's going to finish the race. At the very least, I ask a higher being to keep him safe and let him finish in the top ten. So far this year it's been working out rather well.
posted by Cheyenne at 12:14 AM comment(s) made:
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Thursday, March 09, 2006
I Missed A Day
Sorry but I just didn't feel like posting anything yesterday. I had a bad day feeling sorry for myself and very bored. So I bought a movie through pay per view. "Cinderella Man." It was ok. I like Russell "Bad Boy" Crowe. He was really good in "Gladiator." I apologize because I don't know how to use the italics when I post. Or the bold thingy. When I use them I get funny looking arrows. I miss using both those. Oh well, just one more thing I have to learn to live without.
I was thinking. And I didn't get in trouble either. No, really, I was thinking that it has been over nine months since I worked at a job. And then I said to myself "Gee, I could have had a baby in that time." What a joke. My baby-making days are long gone. But something unique has happened to me over these past nine months. A different kind of birth you might say. The birth of me as a new and improved person. At least I think I am. Others may not. Who cares. I am the only one I have to please since my husband likes me just the way I am. No argument there.
I really can't put a finger on why I felt the way I did yesterday. Maybe it's because Friday can't come soon enough so that I can watch qualifying for the race. The season got off to such a good start with the Daytona 500 ~ except for the idiot that won the race. Then we were subjected to the California race, ho-hum how boring was that? And THEN we had to watch the Busch race from Mexico no less. So maybe, just maybe, it's because we got the pie first and then the spinach. Know what I mean?
posted by Cheyenne at 12:29 AM comment(s) made:
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Tuesday, March 07, 2006
My Pride & Joy
1997 Mustang GT (Deep Violet Clearcoat Metal) built in October 1996 to my specs. This was a birthday present from my husband. He took me to the dealer and told me to order what I wanted. And so I did...
It's a 4.6L engine, 8 cylinders, automatic, with optional ratio axle. 16" cast aluminum wheels. Don't let that 4.6L engine fool you...this baby can move! I'm talking "off the line" move.
As of this morning, it has 2605 miles on it.
I will probably post more pictures of it as we get into the warmer months. But these will do for now.
Want to see it better? Click the photos.
posted by Cheyenne at 12:53 PM comment(s) made:
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Monday, March 06, 2006
My 'Take' On The Oscars
That had to be one of the weirdest Academy Award shows I have ever watched. And I have been watching them since as far back as I can remember. And, trust me, that's a long time.
I was stunned almost every time an award was handed out. I mean, what were these voters thinking? The only two awards I was happy with were Reese Witherspoon for best actress and George Clooney for best supporting actor. That's it. Everything else just reeked.
Who would ever have thought that best song would be won by a rap group (Three 6 Mafia)? Cripes ~ I've never even heard of them. And the title of that song was so out of place. I felt a bit dirty at that point in time. Leave that trash for other award shows, where they belong. Certainly not at the Oscars. I also cannot understand why there were only three songs this year instead of five like other years. Were all the other songs from last year that bad that they couldn't have at least found two more to throw in the mix?
Anyway, let's move on. Who would also have thought that Brokeback Mountain wouldn't win best picture, or that none of the stars that were in the movie that were nominated (3) wouldn't win anything either?
However, I felt very good about Reese Witherspoon winning best actress. Up until seeing her in Walk The Line, I wasn't that big a fan. I never felt she was "Oscar" material. But she did June Carter real proud. She "mattered."
Now, Philip Seymour Hoffman as best actor? Not in my book. No, no, no...should have been Joaquin Phoenix. The character Hoffman played always made me want to gag whenever I used to see him all over the place back in the day. The only good thing he ever did, in my eyes, was write "In Cold Blood." That book scared the bejesus out of me. I used to look under the bed before I crawled in, even though my husband was already there.
I was also surprised that an old-fashioned animated cartoon (Wallace & Gromit) won over two computerized cartoons. Hooray for what used to work. Progress isn't always the best.
So my best "feel good" moment was when George Clooney won for supporting male actor. I haven't seen Syriana and I probably never will see it, but he is just soooooo nice. I started watching ER after he left that show and I really haven't seen him in anything other than The Perfect Storm. But he came across as such a nice guy when he accepted his award last night. And other than that, nothing else really stood out.
Just that god-awful song and the picture they chose as the best. Oh, and Joaquin losing.
Well...there's always next year.
posted by Cheyenne at 12:28 PM comment(s) made:
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Friday, March 03, 2006
Gettysburg National Military Park
I know this is old news as it happened over two weeks ago. I have been wanting to bitch about what happened ever since, but I kept putting it off. Well, now is a good time to do so.
First of all, when I read about this and saw the photos I cried, then I got angry and then I wanted to track down those dirty sonsabitches and shoot them dead. What the hell is wrong with people like that? Did they do it for kicks? Were they high on drugs, booze, what? Why?
I just don't get it. That land is sacred ~ a lot of blood was shed. So some snot-nosed kids (I presume) thought they'd get a few kicks. I'd love to land a few well aimed kicks of my own on their anatomy.
I also read that vandals have damaged the park three times within the last year and a half. Things have even been stolen off the monuments. Motorists have driven into monuments purposely to destroy them.
When I visited the park a few years ago (my second visit ~ the first time I was too young to understand), I was in total awe. To stand in places where so many lost their lives...I just can't explain how I felt.
What I'd really like to know is why things like that can't be stopped. Why isn't the park being patrolled, especially in the "off" hours. If they can put up a huge reward to find the vandals, why can't they come up with enough money to stop them in the first place?
posted by Cheyenne at 2:09 PM comment(s) made:
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Thursday, March 02, 2006
Big Disappointment
Thought we were gonna get some of this...
The weather man lied to me again. We were supposed to get a couple inches of snow and then ice on top of that. And around 6pm it was all supposed to be over and done. Well, all we have is rain. And the temperature has been hovering at 32 degrees. Bor-rring!
The photo above is from the one and only snowstorm of this season. Big deal. It hardly lasted. See that machinery to the left? That's a snowblower. A lot of good it does just sitting there all season. And we couldn't use it for the 'one and only snowstorm' of the season because that snow was too wet and heavy.
As I type this, there is a tiny coating of ice outside. But it is only teasing me. Whatever happened to the snowstorms of the past, where we used to get a couple feet of snow, not a couple inches? And the ice storms were a thing of beauty? I was all psyched thinking I was going to have a smorgasbord of pictures to shoot. And here I sit lamenting about it instead. Dang it!
posted by Cheyenne at 3:27 PM comment(s) made:
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Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Oh No ~ Not Already!
Yeah, I know, the majority of you have probably gotten your refunds and spent them by now...not us, we don't know what a refund is.
I am the worst procrastinator when it comes to filing our taxes. Be it federal, state or local. They all suck. I usually wait until the last week before I even make any attempt at them. Why, you ask? Oh, because every year we pay back more than the year before. Last year it was over five grand. Personally, tax filing time just makes me want to vomit.
This year will be no different than any other. For starters, my husband was off three months early last year for a total knee replacement. He "bought" short term disability insurance through his employer. But those checks he received on a weekly basis did not have any federal taxes taken out ~ just social security. And now it's time to pay the piper...and the piper's brother...and the piper's sister...I could go on and on.
Another problem we found out about is that for years we thought our weekly withholding for taxes was "Married with 0 Dependents." Not! Payroll never made the changes I sent to them and had been withholding as "Married With 1 Dependent." Luckily I found out just before I left and the change was made for my husband. I think. I hope. Knowing them and their track record...well, they just never get much right. They got rid of me for no reason didn't they? Well, there ya go.
So this year we are taking all of our tax info and letting someone else do them for us. I will probably try to muddle through the state and local taxes, but the federal tax filing is not going to be my headache. And I will take my checkbook along and pay like a big girl.
And it's not over yet. Next year might be worse. I will be receiving the proceeds from the sale of my parents' house (along with my two siblings). Maybe the lawyer will take the tax out for us before we get our check. Otherwise, we will be responsible when we file. Get the bucket and a mop...
posted by Cheyenne at 1:41 PM comment(s) made:
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