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.

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?

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.

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.

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?

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!

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...

It Never Fails

I visit the dentist twice a year. Once around this time and again late in summer. Last year at this time I had to cancel my dental appointment due to a snow storm.

Two weeks ago I had a doctor appointment. It snowed. I had to rely on my husband to take me and to do that he took a sick day from work.

Well, guess what...I had a dental appointment this morning!

When I went to bed last night I looked out the window and what did I see? Snow. At least one to two inches. Just enough to mess up my taking the Mustang out. You see, it doesn't have snow tires. Simply because it is a 'dry weather' car. Even if it drove okay in sloppy weather I still wouldn't take it out in that stuff. It is my pride. It is my joy. And it only has 2600 miles on even though it is almost 10 years old.

OK so I like snow. You all know that by now. But how does it always know when I have to go to the doctor or dentist?

Another Weekend Shot To Hell

When I worked, I used to look forward to the weekends with a passion. It meant two days of just being with my husband and away from the circus/zoo/daycare. And Sunday evenings were the pits...sometimes I used to get very sick just thinking about having to go to work the following day. But since I've been away from all that, the weekends are much more relaxing for me. I no longer have to rush around like I used to. We still do the normal "running around" on a Saturday, but Sundays are so much better. Especially since the NASCAR season is up and running ~ that makes Sundays superb.

This past Saturday we finally accomplished something that we tried to do last summer. We finally found a pair of motorcycle boots that my husband had been looking for all over creation. It's not that he couldn't find them...he just didn't want to pay the price. So when we visited a western wear shop and saw the harness boots they had, I told him he should just purchase them and forget about the price. But that's all he could see: the price. I finally asked him if he didn't think he was worthy of paying that much for something he really needed and wanted? He hemmed and hawed but he finally came over to my way of thinking and got the boots.

Our Saturdays usually fly by fairly fast. I am glad to get them over with so Sunday comes quicker. Yes, it's due to the races. And depending on when the race comes on TV, I usually scurry around like a nutcase trying to get my work done. Like today. I made the spaghetti early, stored it in the microwave, and when he said he was hungry all I had to do was heat it up, which didn't take long as it was still warm.
I used Paul Newman's sauce for the first time. Sock It To Me Sockarooni or something like that. It was really good.

As far as the race is concerned, it was boring, boring, boring. I don't like when one driver leads for most of the race. I hate to admit it, but I also fell asleep when there were 50 laps left and woke up when there were 35 left. Junior started 18th and he hovered in that spot for the majority of the day. Again, very boring. I was getting so frustrated thinking "Here we go again." But then at one point he was in 10th. And then the last I saw before the final caution flag was 17th. And all I could say was "Oh sh*t." But then there was the green-white-checkered and when it was all over, he finished in 11th. I was thrilled. And he also moved up one spot in the points from 6th to 5th. So now it's on to Las Vegas ~ another track that doesn't like him. Two weeks to wait and find out how he does there.

So all in all, this was a good weekend. The Olympics are over and I will miss them. Some of our Americans could have done a lot better (especially that spoiled brat skier whom shall remain nameless because he let me down.) I am looking forward to the summer Olympics in two years. And they will be here before me know it.

Ahhhhh...Much Better

37 degrees and VERY windy but, dang it, don't that sky look wonderful?!?

Not What I Imagined

If someone told me the Russian skater would finish 3rd in the Olympics I would have said they were crazy. I wanted Sasha Cohen to win but with her leg wrapped, my hopes were dashed. I knew the results before they were televised. I cheated and watched a newscast earlier in the day.

I never expected Japan to win the gold. It is their first medal of the games, and the first gold medal for them in figure skating. And Sasha, despite falling on two jumps, hung on for a silver.

Just a tad disappointed.

I Found Them!

Yay...I found my "lost" photos. This is the one with the storm clouds that I wanted to post with my "Stormy Weather" story.

They were in the recycle bin all the time; I just didn't look far enough the first time. And I refused to dump the recycle bin till I found them. I can be VERY determined at times.

So perseverence paid off.

On The Subject Of The Dreaded Phone

While reading another blog, I was prompted to write about telephones today. That person said, at the very ripe old age of 25, that as far as answering phones where she works she is burned out. So badly that she hates when it rings at home.

Well...

Let's talk about me and the above situation. At the ripe old age of...er...uh...let's not go there. On with the subject.

I could never see me doing customer service work ~ ever. Not in my entire lifetime. I am the worst person to deal with cry baby customers calling about where the hell their stupid freight is. Yeah, that's right, their freight. Like in my last job. At that stage of my life, I had had it up to you-know-where with people like that. I hated telephones with a passion. Still do. Therefore, whenever I would look for a new job, I usually made damn sure no phones were involved other than the normal ordinary phone work. Certainly not being on the phone constantly.

Whenever I hear those two words ~ customer service ~ I envision someone totally opposite of me. For the most part, I am what you would call a "loner." I like to keep to myself, mind my own business, and only chat with people on my time and about my thoughts. Selfish, I know...but that's just me. Don't ever try to bring me into a conversation because I won't add very much to it.

In the past, I have always voiced my opinion on paper. It is the only way I can truly express my thoughts. If I have to talk about something, or am questioned about something, I get tongue-tied and look like a fool. I've always been this way. While I was growing up I was very shy and I still am to a certain degree. Get me angry enough and you will catch my wrath. I have come out of my shell to a certain extent...especially when I am being wronged or someone is on a subject that I think I know more about than they do.

Other people see me as "hard to get along with" or "unapproachable" (as a former co-worker testified at my unemployment hearing.) Well, too bad...

Does anyone know the real me? Doubtful. Why? Because I never let them know me. My father was like that too. And I always admired him for that.

So, when "the man" took a major job away from me in order to force me to answer the phone and do customer service work at my last job, I sucked it up and tried. I really tried. But in the end, it still wasn't good enough. Nothing ever was for him. Still isn't. So after 13 years at that job, they finally "stuck it to me."
Kicked me to the curb. And I had so much knowledge and experience that could have been put to use in other tasks, but they decided I needed to be treated like someone fresh out of high school just to answer those damn pitiful phones.

Well, the truth is he got rid of me because he knew I didn't like him. I am more at peace with myself now than I have ever been. And it took him only a little over a month to "deal" with me. Did he do it on his own? Hell no, he had lots of help. But I won't go into details here today as I have written about those in the past.

No, I have gone on to a better place in my life. He and his cohorts, however, will be dealt with on another level. At another time. Not by me.

What A Crock Of Sh*t

These two along with their boss, Rick Hendrick, belong behind bars.

They just pulled off the biggest heist in NASCAR!

No points taken from anyone on the team? What a slap in the face to us fans!

Whoops!

Here's the birdie.



And here's the kitty.

Daytona 500

Not exactly the Daytona 500 outcome I was looking for, but Junior finished 8th and is now 6th in the points, which is a good start to his season. He received 10 bonus points for leading the most laps.

Tony Stewart: WTH was he thinking all day? He did a complete 180 from his Shootout comments about others killing someone during a race. Don't get me wrong...I love Tony Stewart, but I don't know what planet he was on yesterday. And to quote Jimmy Spencer: "Smoke had a bad day." I'll say.

I am so proud of the way Dale Jr and his team performed. He had a fast car and gained 24 positions over the entire race. That Brew Crew was cookin'! Hendrick told his guys that if all of Junior's pit stops were under green, he would have had a lap on them.

Sixteen laps from the end, Junior was pushed back from 8th to 21st because he lost the draft. However he gained eight spots in the next two laps and went to 4th with five laps to go. And then the caution came out.

As far as the winner is concerned, I won't even give him mention on my blog. He's still a jerk.

During the race Dale Jr and his team usually make some comical comments over their radio. The funniest one from yesterday was "The motor is like an old man; it will wake up and run for a while, and then fall back asleep." They even broadcast that one over the TV.

At the end Jr was asked why he made the decision to do what he did on the final lap, and his answer was "I'm not here to run 5th or 8th or whatever we finished. I can live with myself knowing I at least tried to win rather than stay in line."

That's my boy!

Stormy Weather

I was so pissed off at myself yesterday. I shot a photo of some ominous black clouds coming our way from the west. I also had six other shots in memory, one of which was the same area but with Canada Geese and a beautiful late afternoon sky.

After I took the shot of the storm clouds, I downloaded all of them to the computer, made sure they were all there, and then I deleted them from the camera. I really would like to classify my photos and put them in their respective newly-titled folders (which do not exist yet). I attempted to do that, but did not know how to go about it. No, I don't believe in reading things first...I get too antsy and just start clicking here and there until something happens. Well, something happened all right. There was one photo that I wanted to delete before messing with the folders. I guess when I did that the rest that I had just downloaded were also deleted.

I did manage to save one as it was taken on a different day. So what did I learn? Don't delete photos from the camera until you are done screwing with them in the computer.

Eventually those nasty clouds found their way to my house, chased the sun away, and then had the audacity to pour rain on us. And it got very windy. The storm didn't last long but the high winds stuck around for a bit. I heard that the winds toppled several trees in my county. They classified it as a "severe thunderstorm" but there wasn't any thunder. Just my own thunder when I dumped my photos. Live and learn I suppose.

Hope Springs Eternal

I originally took this photo because of the Snow Geese across the road in the farmer's field. But I also captured our newest edition to the landscaping. It's a Snow Fountain Weeping Cherry tree on the left. We planted it last year after the "blossoming" season, so we haven't seen it's flowers yet, only the leaves that were on it.

Every time I have looked at it since planting, it has given me hope. Like the old Merle Haggard song "If We Make It Through December (everything's gonna be all right I know)." Well, we've made it through December and then some.

After all the snow is gone, after all the cold bitter weather is gone, and when the sun is warmer and shines brighter, that tree will have white flowers cascading down each limb, giving me hope that life does go on no matter what else happens to us in our life.

Hope ~~ what a small word that does so much!

Dale Jr Is "Hung"

This photo (taken from inside) is of two things I enjoy: snow and Dale Jr.

It was very warm Wednesday and a lot of the snow melted, but the Speed channel kept me inside all day, as it had NASCAR related programs on from 11:30 am right on up to 8 pm. Needless to say, I spent the major part of my day in front of the TV, having gotten my daily chores and walking out of the way earlier in the morning.

Dale Jr's Busch car is really cool. But this is the first of his diecast cars that I didn't buy in the 1:24 size. I did get the 1:64 which is the only size I will be collecting from now on. I just don't have the room any more. I have every diecast car that Jr. ever drove going back to his very first ride. Three of them are autographed. Collecting all of them was fun too because I didn't start at the beginning of his career. He started racing in the Busch series in 1998 and I started collecting two years later. The fun part was finding the cars that I needed. I won't go into too much detail, but a few of them were very expensive. Well, more than a few. My daughter, who is also a Jr. fan, will inherit all my NASCAR memorabilia. Everything is still in its original packaging.

Cheaters Never Win...

...and winners never cheat. Except for Jimmie Johnson who has his crew chief, Chad Knaus, to thank. But then, look who their role model is: owner Rick Hendrick, who has in the past been known to do a lot of cheating. Just ask Honda (bribery and mail fraud etc) and the Labor Department (failed to pay overtime to his employees for two solid years).

Lord only knows how many races were won by that organization due to cheating. And yes, my friends, I also allude to Jeff Gordon's championships. Granted, the majority of the time the driver has no idea what is going on as far as what the crew chief does to have a "winning" car. I just wonder how JJ and JG feel looking back at their careers. How much was gained by cheating?

Chad Knaus was "ejected" Monday from all Daytona 500 activities. That means he will be at home until the Daytona 500 is over next Sunday. There may be fines and/or points deductions forthcoming, but we won't know about those until after the race.

I wasn't going to write about this, but the more I thought about it the angrier I got. Do we blame JJ? Not really (although I don't like him). Do we blame Chad? Probably (conniving cheater that he is). But the majority of the blame lies with the owner Rick Hendrick. Why? Because he has cheating in his blood ~ it's all he knows. And he is teaching those around him that it's okay to cheat. His message to them is loud and clear: Look at me, I am a cheater, I have cheated, and people still look up to me. I guess it has something to do with his having gone through the leukemia thing and the airplane crash that took the lives of many of his family members last fall. But that doesn't give him the right to go on with his dishonorable ways.

Truthfully, to get back into the grace of fans, if I were Hendrick I would have fired Knaus's ass a long time ago. But by keeping him around, he is just making it look bad for himself. Not only does Hendrick cheat, but he condones the cheating of others (Knaus). Idiot.

Purty Ain't It?

We didn't get as much snow as I had anticipated, but I guess it will do...for now.

I am posting this very early (almost 1 AM) because I won't be around much tomorrow.
I have a doctor's appointment and we have to visit the courthouse for paperwork needed to send to the state as they have money that belongs to me (and my deceased mother).

Hey!

Did I get your attention? Ok then...I have no idea what is in store for us with this so-called snow storm that is headed our way. When my husband came home from work he said a lot of people went grocery shopping and the shelves will probably be empty when we go later today. I never understood their reasoning as to why they do that. If a storm hits us and we were snowed in for a month, I'd have enough food in this house to feed us that long, and probably then some. Of course, we wouldn't have the usual eggs and bread that everyone seems to think they can't do without, but I would be able to get us through that long.

After a storm it's only a matter of one day or so before everything is cleared away. It's not like the food suppliers can't get through either. So why do people do that? Why do they insist on clearing out the grocery stores before a storm? I know I am repeating myself, but it just aggravates me to no end.

***********************************************

I watched Speed channel today from 2:00 until 8:00 and I was in heaven. Dale Jr. has a car that he can do what he wants with, it will go pretty much anywhere he asks it to go. He is happy with the car and just plain happy that he is back to racing. And when Dale jr. is happy, I am happy. He picked a 19th starting spot. That is the spot he had when he won in 2003. Also, he was the 19th driver to choose a number. Of course, I would like to see him win the Bud Shootout again. I would like to see him take the first or second spot when they qualify on Sunday for the 500, and then I would like to see him win the Daytona 500 again. In a perfect world, he would. But there are 42 other drivers out there that are hoping for the same thing. (Only 20 others for the Shootout.)

And so, by tonight, I will be hearing those magic words once again: 'GENTLEMEN, START YOUR ENGINES!"

Ahhhhhhhhh...music to my ears.

And I Didn't Have To Dance!

Snow is coming! Snow is coming!

Depending on how it all comes together, we can get anywhere from 6 to 12 inches ~ maybe less, maybe more. WhoHoo! One more thing to add to the excitement of my weekend (NASCAR and The Olympics).

Well folks, I am going into hibernation now. Just me and my TV (there will be a husband floating around somewhere too). But for the most part, I am totally inaccessible until December (on weekends anyway).

I will still be posting daily, but with all this excitement I can't guarantee what will come out of my head. Until December that is.

Happy Dance! Happy Dance!

I Don't Need No Stinkin' Food

Why is it that we can put on weight without even thinking about it, but it is so damn hard to take if off? My problem isn't eating fat-laden foods ~ it's sugar-laden foods. And it's taken me a long time to realize that fact.

No, I still don't eat fat-laden foods. Some turn me off real badly. I refuse to eat poultry skin. Ever since I can remember that has been one of the "grossest" things I could ever eat. Right next to spinach (aka seaweed). Oh, and clams or oysters ~ ewwwwwww, slimey!

I have been eating what they call healthy since I was a teenager. But I have fallen off the wagon many times. Too many times as a matter of fact. This last time, once I had made up my mind to behave, I did it before the holidays rather than after them. I knew if I waited it would be that much harder. Not to mention more weight that would have piled on.

My favorite things to eat contain sugar. And if I don't watch it, I have no control because the devil on my shoulder says "Eat it, eat it." He always wins too for the most part. The angel on the other shoulder says "Don't do it, don't do it, it's wrong."

When I say sugar-laden foods I mean pie, cake, cookies, donuts, and other foods with hidden sugar. Donuts don't actually bother me. Unless they're filled with lots of cream (the white stuff, not the pudding). I don't indulge in donuts too often.
Ice cream? I have always tried to choose the low fat or non fat with no sugar added. So that's not a problem either.

Since Thanksgiving my weight has been up and down only because I wasn't really serious, but I was serious enough to keep any large weight gain at bay. Since New Years Day, however, I became very serious. Within a month I had lost around five pounds. Well guess what. Those five pounds found their way back onto my body. Thanks to my husband and his sugar-laden foods that he seems to think are staples of our diet. Give me a break here...I am home alone surrounded by those goodies. What do you think I am going to do. For one, I have to get my willpower back. Once I get a grip on that, I can conquer the damn sugar issue. I just have to talk myself into it.

Lost World

Bird Of Paradise

Wow, what a discovery! This legendary bird was first described in 1897 and has been elusive ever since. At least 40 new species (to scientists) were found on a remote province of Indonesia on New Guinea island. Actually the Foja Mountains in Papua province.

This discovery is very exciting for me. I always love it when new things to our young world are found. It gives me strength to know there are still places out there that are untouched by human hands. And once they are it's usually "good bye, nice to know ya" because humans can be so destructive.

For instance, one of my pet peeves is what man has done to rain forests. They just keep taking and taking from them. Rain forests are very necessary to keep this world on an even keel with the rest of nature.

Getting back to this new discovery: the birds and animals had no fear of the scientists that explored the region. Give them time. One hedgehog even allowed a scientist to pick it up and take it back to base camp.

They referred to the area as a "Garden of Eden." I'm sure it is, but how long will it stay that way? It actually was "found" twenty years ago but it supposedly took them this long to actually go there to explore. They spent two weeks exploring, and I am just wondering how much refuse they left behind?

Winter Olympics ~ Bring 'Em On!

I love most sports and I love watching them. I say most because there are obviously some that just bore me to death ~ like basketball, soccer, hockey, golf (although I do watch Tiger Woods).

When the Olympics are on, I usually watch everything that I can within reason. Although I am a little biased in that I will watch a "boring" sport only if someone from the U.S. is participating.

In the past, I have had problems being able to see a lot of the Olympics. It was called work. Funny how that gets in the way of a lot of things, isn't it?

The only time I remember that I was able to see them for a solid week was back in the 80's when I had flu and stayed home that week. My daughter was sick too so the two of us had nothing to do but watch TV. It was just the two of us at the time. No man to mess up our lives.

So here I am: able to watch as much as I want, when I want, because I am NOT working. It feels so good to say that (the part about not working).

Needless to say, I am VERY excited about the upcoming Winter Olympics. I will, however, miss the majority of the opening ceremonies and a lot of whatever is going on over the weekend. Hey, much as I love the Olympics, I love my NASCAR that much more! And with Speed Channel starting major NASCAR coverage on Friday at 2 pm EST I will be doing a lot of flipping back and forth.

So by Friday afternoon I will be in sports heaven, and I think even my quest for snow will be taking a back seat. Don't bother me until the Olympics and the Daytona 500 are over. And after that? Leave me alone whenever the race is on the weekends after that ~ be it Saturday evening or Sunday afternoon. I won't be rushing home Saturdays to watch a lot of the Busch races because Martin Truex, Jr. has moved up to Cup racing.

But even so, it looks like my sports plate will be very full for a long time and I'm happier than a pig in poop.

Prescription Nightmare

At the first of the year, my husband's employer decided that the prescription plan we've had for the past two or so years wasn't good enough. So they switched to another service. Are they better? That remains to be seen. Are they competent? Now THAT'S a different story.

I gathered all our scripts from both our doctors, followed the correct steps and mailed everything to them. And then it began...

The first problem resulted in someone not being able to read. As you know, almost all prescription services push generics. I don't have a problem with that. After all, they are a whole lot cheaper than brand names. And as far as I am concerned they are the same as their brand name counterpart. So, yes, I am a firm believer in generics.

The problem was, when the doctor wrote out the script, he wrote the brand name in the body. At the bottom of all scripts it states "Substitution permissable," and if the doctor wants you to take the brand name, he will write it in there because it also states the prescriber must hand write 'brand medically necessary' on the script. None of those notations were on the script anywhere, so a ninny could see it was for a generic pill.

Whoever filled the prescription used the brand name medication. Fortunately I caught it when I checked my order online before it was sent out to me. I might add here that it would have cost me $80.00 instead of $20.00. So I called them and after a long phone conversation they finally understood the problem. And then I was told that they would have to contact the doctor and get another script faxed to them for the correct medication. Excuse me, but they had the right script for the correct medicine, but I wasn't going to argue.

OK so now I think I am all set with them, and we should receive our medications in less than a week. Not!

A few days later I received a letter from them saying we had duplicate therapy meaning two of the scripts were the same medication, just different generic names. Hello! I don't THINK so. The letter stated they would be holding the one and not sending it until they heard further from the doctor. They didn't think it was safe to take the two at the same time. Oh my God, does it get any better than this? And to top it all off, both generic names in their letter weren't the generic name of the medication my husband takes!

Needless to say I had to call them again questioning the contents of the letter. The customer service person I got hooked up with looked into the computer "file" for my husband and said she couldn't find anything about duplicate therapy or duplicate medication or that there was a letter sent and they were waiting for feedback.
I kept that letter. It came from them and it was addressed to me. It did not materialize by itself. And they have no record of it being sent to us.

Incompetent? You be the judge. All I can say is it's a scary feeling knowing that these people are filling my prescriptions and we have to place our trust in them.
Holy shit.

Where Is The Snow??????

I am so disappointed with the so-called winter we are having thus far. Where the hell is the snow anyway? This is my first winter that I do not have to drive in the stuff and there ain't none. Yeah I know that's crappy English, but that's how I feel.

I want snow! Lots of snow!

I want to be like a little kid and run from window to window watching it fall gracefully to the earth. Softly, noiselessly. Beautiful.

And I want to watch it pile up, higher and higher. Higher than me. That would be most wonderful.

But, for heaven's sake, it's currently 55 degrees here.

I guess I just have to do my snow dance.

Lead The Way My Son

Kally & Her Kittens

Kally is on the right. She is the mother of these four kittens. The black and white one on the left is Kitty, so named by my husband because it looks like the cat he had when he was younger. The orange tiger is Twin. It's replica was killed at a very early age on the road in front of our house. The solid black is, of course, Blackie. And the calico is Junior, not for my driver, but because it's a calico like its mother only its colors are a lot brighter. As you can tell, we did not take great liberties when naming these cats. We grabbed at the first name that came to us at a particular moment.

Mom is due to deliver another litter any day. She'll have them somewhere on our property (hopefully in the garage/barn out back), and after a month or so she will bring them out for us to see, proud as a peacock like the first time. For an "untamed" cat she is the best mother I've ever seen. Her kittens always come first. Even now, when she needs nourishment the most, she makes sure they eat first. And there's always plenty there so no one goes hungry. They get fed canned food twice a day and there's always a supply of dry food and fresh water.

These are my "kids." They still keep their distance, but they seem to be getting braver week by week. Maybe one day one of them will let me get near enough to pet it. I have been referring to them as "it" because we don't know what sex they are. We always thought Kally was a male, but she has since proved differently.

So, time will tell.

Vengeance is mine...

...sayeth the Lord.

One of my former co-workers who "spoke" the loudest against me and caused them to "let me go" after 13 years of faithfulness GOT FIRED!!!!!!

One down, a couple more to go.

I've been patient ~ and the Lord has "spoken" on my behalf.

P.S. See my post on 07/26/05 for background to this post.

Snow Geese

The snow geese in this photo made a stopover on the farmer's land adjacent to us yesterday. This photo was taken from our deck. The geese are in the upper left portion sort of under the branch of the tree. (Click photo for larger image)
Apparently they are on their way back to their nesting grounds in the arctic Tundra region.
They have white plumage with black under their wing tips. They are a majestic sight not only while flying but as they land too. Every time I see a flock it takes my breath away. Something like this only happens a few days a year usually in late February. They are earlier this year than other years. And this is the first time I have witnessed them in this particular field. I used to see them on my way to work.
I am wondering if this is a sign of early spring for us, or are they just in a hurry to get back "home."

Newspaper Carrier Has A Problem

My newspaper carrier is currently playing games with me. Why, I don't know. I have never seen him/her. The only thing I can think of is that we don't give him/her a monetary gift at Christmas. I never started that and I don't intend to do so with anyone in the future.

The paper is delivered very early in the morning via the carrier's personal vehicle. Our plastic paper sleeve, where the paper is to be put, used to be across the street. And as I have said in the past, the state road in front of our house is like the Daytona 500 at times (without restrictor plates I might add). So we moved the sleeve to our side of the street and put it at the end of the driveway. We are not the only home to have it on this side of the street in this neighborhood. So that should not present a problem to the carrier either.

When it rains, our paper is rarely put in a plastic bag. After that happened several times, I called the office and complained. I have had to call them about this issue three times in the past couple of weeks. Have you ever tried to read a sopping wet newspaper? It ain't easy. The best part is, sometimes it is in a plastic bag, but there isn't a raindrop in sight. Ever. The last time I called they said they would mark that in my file and let the carrier know that the paper is to be put into a plastic bag when it rains. And they would tell the manager. Obviously the carrier was warned. Because now all sorts of things are happenening.

One day last week we received half a paper. There were at least 8 sections and we received only 4. I know it was deliberate. If I am the one delivering papers, I think I would be able to tell if parts were missing just by the look and feel of the paper for that day. I called and complained again about that.

Sunday we didn't receive the majority of our sales supplements. I know for a fact that we didn't get Kmart, Sears, Kohls or Target. Those four are always in with our Sunday paper. So now I am really getting pissed off.

I told the people at the paper that I am going to stand at the end of my driveway with a whip. My husband usually brings the paper in before he leaves for work. That is somewhere around 6:00 am and the paper probably is delivered a little before that time. So you know when it is raining it doesn't take much to saturate it.

Granted, every time I call and complain they credit me with another day added onto my prepaid subscription. I haven't called about Sunday's mishap; I really am getting a bit tired of this chicanery. All I want is to get what I paid for. A dry newspaper with all its parts. Is that asking too much?

Here It Is

It took me a long while to figure this out but I think I finally got the hang of it. It also took 5 minutes to upload ~ yep, I have dialup. We're not privy to DSL yet but my server told me it is coming within a few months. I will be first in line.

This photo is the one I took yesterday for experimentation. (click to enlarge) It is my Earnhardt wall and is to the left of our front door entrance. This is what everyone sees when they come into our house. And if they don't like it, they can just turn around and leave.

Look Out!

The Japanese have finally figured out a way to get even with us for World War II and the atomic bomb:

It's called a Toyota and there's one coming to a NASCAR racetrack near you.

Digital Camera 101

Although I received my digital camera and photo printer a few weeks ago, I only took the camera out of the box this morning. Up until now it sat here behind me doing nothing. I knew it was there. But I avoided it. Finally, I could no longer do that.

I have just not been in the mood to "deal" with it. I don't know why. Maybe because I think it is too complicated ~ although I don't know that. I have had all kinds and types of cameras over my lifetime and never had a problem learning to use them. Sometimes I didn't even have to refer to the manual to get started.

This, somehow, is different and I need to master it before I even attempt to download the software for computer usage of the camera. Oh boy, just thinking about it gets me fuzzy.

So I sat in the family room this morning contemplating it, which to me was a very major task. Even to the point of depressing me somewhat. And I thought, "Why did I ever buy this camera? What was I thinking?"

But I did eventually get started. I removed the tiny camera from its bubble wrap, and I started reading the "Quick Start Guide." So far, so good ~ reading is one of my strong points. Converting that reading to hands on technology is something of a different nature where I am concerned.

I inserted the batteries and then the memory card. That was easy. Then I set the date and time. Again...easy. I took a picture of my "Earnhardt" wall, then played it back, and damn...THERE IT WAS! Wow! I'm a genius. OK, OK I know...anybody can do what I did.

My next job is to install the software. I'll work on that later. I need to rest now. Just bear with me and I'll master this puppy in no time.

Yeah, I can hear all of you laughing your asses off at this greenhorn. Go ahead...get it out of your system. I'll be OK.

9-1/2 Years!

It is so difficult to believe that it will take that long to get to Pluto. The planet, not the Disney character. Well, cross that off my list of places to visit. I just don't have the time, or the patience for that matter. My snacks would run out after the first 9 hours (or less probably). So if anyone out there is thinking of going to Pluto in the near future, don't call me ~ I'll call you. Oh, and don't hold your breath on that one either.

Odds 'n' Ends

Just to clarify my post about the TV repair yesterday...when he said no charge, it meant no charge for the parts and no charge for the service call. No charge whatsoever. You have no idea what I have gone through over the past year with this TV and the repair people. They have been nice, I have been nice, but it was a bit stressful. And I guess they realized that, so that's probably why I wasn't charged anything for yesterday.

Now This Is What I'm Talkin' About

I found this at another site.

"Dale Earnhardt Jr. is looking pretty good. The Bud team kept Junior on a pretty short leash for most of the test, but in his final practice Junior worked the draft to perfection. Two times he was able to blast from the back of the pack to the front of a group that included Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth. Before the team's struggles last season, the Budweiser Chevy was often the only car on the superspeedways that could pass without drafting help. Junior was able to do that again in the test, which should mean he'll be a threat to win it all on Feb. 19."

Finally...

We have a 61" rear projection TV which we had upgraded from a 52" a little over six years ago. About a year ago, while I was watching yet again "Dances With Wolves", the screen started going darker and darker until it was so dark that all you could see was the whites of their eyes. White eyes ~ no pun intended.

We hauled out our 19" TV from the bedroom, put it on a teacart, and watched that until the repairman came to see what was wrong. He tightened something after taking the front panel off and it was working again. Well, that went on almost every couple of months. It would darken, I'd call and he'd come and tighten whatever again. Finally, he said something else had to be done. Because he was out of options, he called the manufacturer. He agreed with us that this TV is just not old enough to replace it yet. And we just couldn't go on having him come out every couple of months to tighten the sockets.

Believe me, I am so not ready to purchase one of these new TVs. First of all, they are letterbox panoramic and everyone looks chubby and short-legged. You have two options. Panaromic and square, where there is a black frame all around the picture. And then your picture becomes so much smaller but the people are normal, so why bother getting a larger screen in the first place. We looked at them over the holidays and I just could not get a good answer about why people "just don't look normal." The one salesman said he's used to it. Say what? I, for one, do not call these new sets progress. And I truly hope that by the time we are ready to buy a new one that the technology is better than what we have today.

Anyway, back to the repair part: When he called the manufacturer they must have had an answer to our problem because I was told the parts were ordered. That was sometime back in October. By December 20th one of the three parts (sockets) was still not in yet, but he came out to make an adjustment, or what he called a "quick fix" that would last till the other part came in.

It lasted almost four weeks. Friday evening a week ago, it started going dark again. Of course we had to drag the other TV out and hook it up once again. I had planned on calling them the following Monday morning, and that was my first priority when I got up. They beat me to it. Yep, they called me. The third part was finally in so they set me up with an appointment for today.

The repairman left a little while ago. I asked if they were going to send me a bill, thinking this was easily a couple hundred bucks. The man said "this one is no charge."

What A Difference A Day Makes

Yesterday was nice enough for us to be outside cleaning up the yard here and there. Actually it was quite balmy. We have 3 acres so there's a lot to cover.

The tarp blew off the old truck, which is where one of the cats (and maybe others) uses as sleeping quarters. So we fixed that and rolled the window down a little farther to make it easier for them to get inside. And we also tied two single pieces of rope, with a knot on the end of each, to a tree branch and left them dangling a few inches from the ground ~ giving them something to play with besides chasing leaves when it's windy, not to mention the white sock they found somewhere that they drag around.

I brought the empty bird feeder up to the flowering plum tree by the house and filled it. That tree is a gathering spot for tiny finches of all colors. It's right outside the kitchen window so I get to see a lot of activity.

The Christmas tree was tossed outside last weekend, so I dragged it out beyond the deck and popped it in a cement block (the 2-hole kind) for other birds to use.

The weather today is very different from yesterday. Late last evening it started to rain, and that changed to sleet and snow by morning making things a tad messy. It was what they refer to as a "wintry mix." Hello winter: I see you are back full force.

And to make matters worse ~ today is supposed to be the most depressing day of the year. Why, I don't know. But I DO know that it hasn't affected me in any way.

BTW when I had my background changed I lost the ability to be able to italicize words and I miss that. So now I just make them all caps. It works I guess but it's just not the same. When I press that icon it says "insert italic tags" and when I do that the tags print in my post. Has anyone else had this problem? And if so, how do I change it? Same things goes with the BOLD icon.

Super Bowl Bound

Congratulations to all you Steelers and Seahawks fans.

It's not exactly the Super Bowl I wanted to see, but I will watch at least for the commercials. And hope that they are better than last years.

I'm not a Steelers fan, but since they are from Pennsylvania I guess I'll cheer for them.

Good luck to all!

The Fine Print Will Get You Every Time

After Christmas I decided I needed a digital camera, so I started checking them out online. And with a camera like that, one also needs a photo printer.

After much evaluation of the information I had, I finally settled on Canon products. Like I have said in an earlier post, I never owned a digital camera. Therefore, I wanted something for a novice, easy to use, but I also wanted a lot of bang for my buck.

Once I found what I wanted, I then started looking into the printers. And I figured it would be best if I bought the same brand as the camera. I also wanted a printer that would work alone ~ without the use of a computer.

Upon all my digging around I came across a rebate that Canon offered. There were many combinations available. It just so happened that both my selections fell into the rebate category on the form. I would be able to get $50.00 back.

I printed the form, filled it out with the serial numbers etc., cut the UPC bar codes from each box, gathered both invoices, and addressed an envelope to where the rebate was going. I decided that I needed to make copies of the invoices so I would do that some time today.

AND THEN I READ THE FINE PRINT

"Both products must be purchased at the same place and appear on the same receipt."

Well, there goes my fifty bucks. Is that stupid, or what?

Back In The Saddle Again

The sun is shining brightly and it is now 53 degrees. It was 33 when I went out this morning to feed the cats, but because of the sun it felt warmer.

My blog has a new look. Much thanks go to Denise at Moodswing Creations (you can click on her link over to the right). She did a wonderful job working with me.

Now, just because I have my favorite driver as my background, I will still be posting on various subjects just like I was before the change. I don't want to scare anyone away thinking it has turned into a NASCAR blog. But come NASCAR season, I probably will post more about Dale Jr. Especially if he does well.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

This site is currently under construction. Bear with me until we get the colors of my past posts corrected so they are readble. All good things take time.

Truck Driving School

Prop up your feet and grab a snack, this might take awhile.

Back in the very early 80's I had an apartment and was raising my very young daughter.

At one point I was not working, as the place I had last been employed at closed its doors to bankruptcy. It was a trucking outfit.

All my life I had always wanted to drive a tractor/trailer, a "big rig" as they were referred to. So I went to school to learn how. And it turned out to be one of the most memorable times of my life.

I was on unemployment and the school accepted me when I had one week of benefits left. The Government paid me X amount of dollars for mileage back and forth and that was enough to help me financially. It wasn't much but I was also getting a whopping $25 a week child support. And that, folks, is not just another story, it is a whole book!

The course lasted around 15 weeks. We were taught the necessary paperwork like keeping logs for the first two weeks, and then it was hands on learning. No new students were accepted during the entire course and no one left either. Ages varied and the female to male ratio was fairly even. We even had a married couple that eventually got a job with Mayflower Moving.

We learned using both a C.O.E. (cab over engine) and a long nose Mack. You don't see very many cabovers on the road today.

We had one male that wanted to use the truck constantly during "practice" which took place while one instructor was out on the road with one or two students.
We were supposed to take turns doing different things, so if I didn't learn everything I can blame him. One move I didn't like was backing up against a dock using the "blind" side. That meant backing up with no visuals ~ you had to give it your best shot and hope for the best. I truly admire people that can do that without blinking an eye (like my husband who is an excellent truck driver and has been driving for a living since his late teens).

When the course was coming to an end, every member of the class then had to go to the state police barracks where driver testing was held. Both on paper and on the course. We had to uncouple the trailer from the tractor, pull ahead, back up and then recouple. We also were taken out on the street during the test. And I can't forget to mention the pretrip inspection before we even started to drive. That is a must for all truck drivers.

What was really funny then was that some of the guys failed to pass and had to retake the test, where I passed on my first try. And I even missed a gear in town. I heard it, I knew it, but I think my test instructor was a tad deaf ~ or he was impressed that I was a 120 lb. female trying to break into a then mostly male field.

I remember one time driving through Bethlehem with a full load of heavy tiles in a dry van. I don't remember the length of the trailer, but it was the longest allowed on the roads for that time. I was driving on a two-way side street with cars parked on both sides. But there wasn't room for the truck and a car. I felt on top of the world when the car coming toward me had to back up. The power I held at that time. It is unbelievable how some people are so intimidated by trucks. Except those that like to tailgate them or drive alongside them on the highways. Or dash in front of them and expect them to be able to stop on a dime if something would happen.

We finally graduated that October with a small ceremony at the school. Afterward we were all treated to food and drink at a local bar.

I never did get a job driving truck. Not that I didn't try. No one wanted to hire a female back then. One of the other female graduates and I did go to look at used trucks. We had an idea that we were going to go into business together. Except she had no money to add to the partnership and that broke up our friendship.

So I ended up pushing papers at another trucking company. That's where I met my husband. And the rest is history...

Tidbitz

This morning as I was looking out my kitchen window, I happened to see two birds pecking away at the ground. I had never seen anything like them before, so I did some research. They are Yellow-Shafted Northern Flickers. I think it was a pair; I only watched the male as he was more colorful and I never checked out the other one. I think I was really thrilled to witness these birds. They are really neat. The one I watched had the black bib at its throat with a red crescent on the back of its head. Also the undersides of the wings were yellow, and its belly was gray with round black spots.

********************

Lynn Swann, former Pittsburgh Steeler, is in the running for Governor of Pennsylvania. I am wondering, if elected, will he be able to run with the ball? I know he can catch it. I used to watch him do it all the time. I am fairly stoked about him running for the position. I'm not exactly thrilled with the Governor we have now (Ed Rendell). For one, he used to be mayor of Philadelphia before becoming Governor. So his allegiance lies with that city, and they always come first in whatever he does.

There are three candidates running for the office and one of them will then square off with Rendell. I guess we won't know until February 11th. C'mon Lynn, catch the ball and run with it.

********************

One last thing: why is it whenever I open new bottles of shampoo and conditioner, the conditioner gets empty long before the shampoo does? I have short hair, but no matter what length I have, it's always the same. It drives me insane. So now I try to buy two bottles of conditioner to one bottle of shampoo.

Brrrrrrrrrrr...

It was freakin' cold yesterday morning, but on cold mornings like that it's a treat for me to see my stray cats waiting for their breakfast.

I remember when it snowed significantly awhile ago and my husband made a path from our deck to where I feed them and then all the way back to the garage/barn for the cats.

Every morning when I go out and start making the "it's time for breakfast" noises of feeding, one by one they start lining up every five feet or so. And when the path was there it looked comical ~ like little planes lined up on the runway waiting for takeoff.

I wish I could put heat in that big old "barn" and feed them back there, but it's a long walk and it's kept locked. The cats get inside through a hole that something chewed open over a year ago. The barn is where we keep our vintage Mustangs but not to worry, they can't damage them. None of them are in pristine condition as far as paint jobs go.

The cats must be doing okay in there and I'm glad they're using it to get in out of the bad weather. It's not only a haven for them, it is also keeping them from roaming too far and getting in trouble or hit on the road in front of our house. That is like the Indy 500 at times. Many animals have been butchered by the crazed drivers that use the road, even though there is a traffic light in the village.

So now I am sitting here waiting for more bad weather. It was supposed to start around 6 AM this morning as ice. As of right now, there is no precipitation at all. I am sure if I were still working we would have gotten tons of ice by now. But because I am not working we get nothing. Pbbbbbbbbt!

Amazing Theft

Here's another one taken from the headlines that read: "2-Ton Moore Sculpture Stolen."

My initial thoughts were:

1) Why would anyone do this in the first place?

2) Where would they go with it?

3) How does someone "fence" such an item like this?

You can't exactly stick in your pocket or glove compartment. Then I thought maybe they plan on melting it down because it's bronze and sell it for scrap metal.

Now, how does one hide a 2-ton sculpture, let alone steal one. That's a real head scratcher. Wouldn't someone at the other end wonder where it came from, or why it was there or how it got there even. I know I would, not knowing all the details.

I could understand the melting part but it's still not easy to cart one of those things around on a flatbed trailer. It is bound to bring attention to it somehow somewhere by someone. And yet no one saw anything. Unless it was done by a magician like the Statue of Liberty.

So I ask again, how the hell did this happen? And I haven't read anything about it since it was stolen.

Steal something small and you get caught...steal something huge and no problem.

Oh, the theft was filmed by security video.

Taking Too Long To Get Here

Exactly four weeks from tonight will be the Budweiser Shootout!

Yippee!

How agonizing is this for all us NASCAR fans? The waiting is excruciating.

At least I will be home to view all the daytime programs leading up to the Daytona 500 this year.

My prediction? The driver finishing first will be the winner. Seriously folks, I guess you know who I want to win.

Till He Got It Right...On The Head

Four times this "shall remain unknown" gas station was robbed between December 15th and January 4th in a nearby community. The robber remained unknown and uncaught ~ left to roam the streets and do more damage to others.

Another attempt was made this past Tuesday. With one difference. The clerk (a cousin to the owner) said he got tired of being robbed. Well, duh, I would think so. How many times do you need to get robbed before you get pissed off anyway? So finally he decided to do something about this latest robbery: he grabbed a wooden baseball bat and started beating on the guy. Around the head and shoulders no less.

A tip led police to the home of an 18-year-old (with head injuries I might add). He also confessed to the other four robberies at the same station.

I guess he felt it was an easy mark so he just kept robbing them. Easy pickings. Like taking candy from a baby.

He should have been stopped the first time. Being the victim of an in-house robbery, I only have high praise for that clerk. But it sure took them long enough to act against the punk.

Oh, and the police kept the bat for evidence in the case. But not to worry. It has been replaced with another. It's metal.

A Little Explanation Here

This is not a NASCAR blog. Far be it for me to think I am an authority on that subject. I write about whatever is on my mind on any given day. The subjects are very different from day to day.

Fo me to post solely about NASCAR would mean a lot of copy/cut and paste on my part. I do it occasionally but do not want to get in the habit of doing that.

I like to speak my mind. Sometimes what I write about is peppered with some salty language. I can keep up with the "best of the best" when it comes to all those so-called bad words. But I don't want to scare people away. Or have them get the wrong idea about me. I'm not just talking about cussing either.

And when those words do slip into my post, you will know that I am very passionate on what I am writing about.

Now...getting back to NASCAR. For the most part I can't see much past Dale Earnhardt Jr. Sorry, but I am not going to apologize for that. It's just the way it is with me.

I am very anti-Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch, for obvious reasons I would think. I have come to tolerate Jeff Gordon because you can't deny his talent.
And if someone does Junior "dirty" they too will remain on my shit (see?) list for possibly the remainder of the season and sometimes well into the next one. Like Mike Wallace last year and for what he did to Martin Truex Jr. all season. Yes, I am naturally a fan of Truex. And I hope both Juniors kick ass this year. Especially against those Hendrick boys. (the flaming fairies as TIREDAWG put it so well in his blog.)

By now you know that I am anti-Hendrick because of his sordid past ~ yet he is so sanctimonious. And I am also anti-Roush because he thinks he can rule over everyone with all his teams ~ especially when he put 5 of them in the Chase. That stinks. And yet he wasn't able to win the championship. Thank you Tony Stewart ~ you are my hero!

Well, there you have it. You now know where I stand where NASCAR is concerned. Take it or leave it. I don't sugarcoat things.

Grrrrrrrrrr...

I am posting this in the color purple today because I am livid, because that is the color of my face right now. The following letter to the editor appears in the current issue of NASCAR Scene which I received today:

"We have been watching NASCAR races for a long time and we are disappointed with all the praise and advertising for Dale Earnhardt Jr. He wouldn't be anything today if it wasn't for his father."

Well, if it wasn't for his father, he wouldn't even be here! Idiots.

It's statements like that, that piss me off, and I mean piss me off.

Dale Earnhardt made all his kids work for what they have today. He handed them NOTHING on a silver platter. They earned their way to the present. Every one of them. I cannot comment on Taylor Nicole because she is out of the limelight.

It's dumbasses like those people that I'd love to knock upside the head. It is total nonsense; they don't know what the hell they're talking about in the first place.

People! Read my lips...

Dale Earnhardt Jr. did not get to where he is today by riding on daddy's coattails (as some people like to put it).

Get that through your thick skulls.

Please!

Dale Earnhardt Jr ~ Git-R-Done!

"At the DEI race shop, the sky looks blue, the grass looks green and the No. 8 Chevrolet looks fast for 2006. Earnhardt could be the bounce-back story of the year."

This is not my quote above...but when I read it, it made my heart swell with pride.

(I had a good post going here, but I hit a wrong button and wiped it out. And after I got done swearing at myself, I decided to try again. However, it won't be as good as the other one. Dammit.)

Anyway, I have watched Dale Earnhardt Jr. grow up and into a smart savvy young man. And I might add he's very easy on the eyes.

Dale Jr. is and always will be my number one driver no matter what he does or doesn't do.

One thing I do not understand is why people like to bash on him. If you don't like him why must you say nasty things about him? Honestly, I cannot understand why anyone doesn't like him. What's not to like? I think it's mainly because of who his father was. A lot of people think Dale Jr. had everything handed to him. If they did their homework, they would know differently.

Junior is not like his father. They are two separate individuals. His father could make a 'bad' racecar into a good one. He would race anything on wheels. Granted, so would Junior probably. He lives to race. He is not as aggressive on the track as Dad. But he's learning. And he has accomplished so much more than his father did at his age. He's only 31.

I also think they don't like him because they are jealous. Jealous of the fact that Dale Earnhardt Sr. was and always will be the greatest stockcar driver on God's green earth. There is no comparison to any other driver. And Junior just happens to be his son. A damn fine son too.

So no matter what this year brings, good or bad, I know that he will be out there doing his best. That's all we can ask for now, isn't it?

I Am Hap-py Oh So Hap-py

I watched Dale Jr's news conference today from Daytona.

What he said makes me feel good about the upcoming season.

It has been a very long off season for me, as well as all other Nascar fans I am sure.

Dale Jr also tested at Daytona earlier today. He and Bill Elliott were the only drivers to put two cars in the top ten of the speed chart. Bill was 3rd and 8th fastest, and Junior was 7th and 9th fastest. A little note here: I am also a big fan of Bill Elliott's and have been following his career for a long time.

I connected with Junior in '98 when he came on the Busch racing scene. And I have not disconnected since. Even if he finished last in the points for the rest of his racing career, he would still be my number one driver. A real Junior fan is that dedicated.

So there!

Out With The Old

Yesterday I collected all the Christmas decorations from all the rooms and got them ready to take downstairs. That will be done today. Unless I get sidetracked. That happens a lot. But it's a good thing.

We bought some new decorations. Dale Jr #8 mainly for my "all Dale Jr #8 tree." So now I plan on getting rid of all the decorations that haven't been used in years. A lot of it is plastic items, so those can be burned. One of my favorite things to do. Burn. I was really maniacal when I burned a lot of stuff from my parents' house. I guess because it wasn't my stuff. They didn't throw too much out, so a lot of it was easy for me to burn.

Ok, I'm getting sidetracked here again. Getting back to why the tree and decorations were still on display as of yesterday: we decorate and put the tree up fairly close to Christmas. Because of that we don't get tired of it once New Years Day rolls around.

Another reason is, my husband is half Russian and his Christmas fell on January 7th this year. So everything stays put till after that day. Last year I took the tree down on January 15th.

And if I were still working the tree would probably be up until this coming weekend. I would not have time to mess with it before then. But because a "crazed despot" decided I wasn't needed where I worked, I now have all the time in the world to do what needs to be done a whole lot sooner. Lucky me!

This Is So Not Right

We received our new prescription benefits card and information through my husband's employer (which, by the way, used to be my employer also).

Normally we purchase our prescriptions four times a year and receive three months' worth of meds for the price of two months. That's how it used to work. Last year our prescription provider was the same as the health benefits provider. I guess they felt it was too overwhelming to handle both duties. For some ungodly reason, our prescription provider was changed for this year. And all I can say is, Oh boy, here we go again. I don't know whose decision it was to make the change, but I can tell you I am not very happy with it at all.

First of all, one of the medications that we both take has gone from $50 to $100 each. I wouldn't mind so much if it only affected just one of us, but that is not the case. Now, as a result, we will be paying $800 for the year rather than $400 for just that one prescription. What I cannot understand is the fact that our benefits did not change in any way shape or form. But because one provider charges double what the other one charges, we are at their mercy and must pay it. Some of the other pills are different in price also.

I e-mailed the new provider stating that if our benefits didn't change, why should we have to pay more for that one medication. They have yet to get back to me. Between the two of us we take 12 meds. I am thinking we are both going to have to re-evaluate this situation with both our doctors. This cannot go on.

I read in the paper daily about the horrors of the new Medicare Part D prescription plan and I just want to vomit. I dread the day we have to tackle that! Why can't this country get anything right when it comes to the health of its people? What the hell are we going to do when my husband no longer works and is no longer covered by an employer's plan? Actually the way things are going, it doesn't matter who covers you because everything is just getting so out of hand. It's almost as if the medical profession and the pill makers are holding the people of this country hostage. And it stinks.

And to make matters worse, if the cost of our medications are over $250 each time (and they certainly will be), they will have to contact me to make sure it is me ordering them with the check card they have on file. The last time that happened to me another prescription provider said they tried contacting me via phone. I suppose they only tried once because the pills never arrived and after awhile I called them questioning where the pills were. They had my e-mail address and my mailing address, but I guess they didn't think that far. After all, that was too easy.

Opening Another Window

I don't own a digital camera...ooooh, how can that be you say?

Actually I've been using plain disposable cameras ever since my 35mm stopped working a few years ago. I know, how sad is that.

I have no need these days to take pictures ~ my albums are overflowing. My parents are gone, my family is scattered here and there, and my daughter has no children; thus, I have no grandchildren to dote on and take pictures of them.

Soooooo...

I have decided to get a digital camera anyway. Nothing expensive or fancy. I need to get involved in something like that. I need to broaden my horizons instead of wondering how many days I have left on this good earth. No, I'm not that old, but I still think about it.

I've done my homework on cameras and printers, and I have decided that Canon is the only way to go. The camera is a Consumer Reports best buy, and the printer will allow me to be able to print without using the computer if I choose to. I only hope I can figure out what to do with the pictures once I've taken them. But I am a fairly determined person and I am sure I will be OK.

Knock Knock Who's There?

Sorry folks, but I wasn't able to post lately. Been very very busy. I watched the Penn State game which was on until 1 AM. It went into triple overtime but they finally pulled it out and won 26-23. Yay! And our local boy, Austin Scott, made the first touchdown for them and the last one for them. How neat was that?

My husband had a scheduled day off so he could visit the surgeon that did a total knee replacement for him a year ago this month. That is where we were Wednesday. The good news is, he is exactly where he should be as far as the knee operation is concerned. The bad news is, he has pain, lots of pain! He thinks the pain is from the operation. He has a "knocking" knee and numbness at times on the side of the knee. And sometimes he feels like there is a 20 lb. bag of cement in there instead of the knee replacement parts. His doctor assured him that his knee is fine. They took X-rays again. So he goes back in a year. And I have to listen to his whining about the damn pain. We tried to tell him it is coming from another source and manifesting itself in the knee area. But he is old school and believes what he wants to believe. The knocking and numbness are part of the operation results for the majority of people who have it done. They are very common complaints.

Well, I can't let well enough alone either. When he complains about the knocking, I always have to make a "knock knock" joke. And I am fast running out of them too.

Where Did It Go?

Every time I log onto my current post I can only see the last two lines. Is anyone else having problems viewing my blog today?

Liar Liar Pants On Fire

No New Years resolutions for me. I'm so perfect I don't need to make any resolutions.

OK.....I'm waiting.....

Are you all done laughing your asses off? Yeah, me too.

A truer lie has never been spoken.

Be that as it may, I still don't make resolutions anymore. Year after year it was always the same thing: to shape up and lose weight.

Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. Mostly it didn't.

My weight problem is on my mind 24/7. Has been for a long while. Probably will be till the day I die.

At the age I am now, I would say I am approximately 20-25 lbs overweight. If I were 4 inches taller, I'd be my correct weight for that height. I need to find a 'stretching machine' somewhere. Or I could try and lose the weight.

Guess I gotta lose the weight, huh?