It's Finally Here!

I just love the racing at this track. It should be very interesting this year with the new surface. Almost like racing at a new track. Everyone will be on the same playing field. No one has an advantage. Should be quite interesting. And to make it more intriguing, it's an impound race.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Dale Jr. taken at last week's track in Kansas. I wonder what he's thinking? I just love that look on his face. Go get 'em Junebug. Show 'em you own Talladega, just like your Daddy did.

This Changed Our Plans

There are a lot of places we want to visit now that we are able to go during the week. One of them is Country Junction which is north of us, about an hour of driving through some very nice scenic country. It is located at the foot of the Pocono Mountains. Country Junction is billed as the "World's Largest General Store." It covers three acres, and there are three buildings.






Up until earlier this week, those were our plans; however, there was a fire and everything is gone. All the buildings and everything that was in them, including some animals that were in the pet shop. That is the saddest part of it all.











So I guess we will have to wait until next year to visit, as the owner stated he plans to rebuild. So much for the best laid plans...

A New Chapter In Our Lives

No, we did not file Chapter 11. That's the best image I could find for this post. Sorry if I got you all excited.

Life is filled with many chapters. Some people just have more than others. Some chapters are good, some not so good, depending on how you look at them and life itself.

My husband and I are starting a new chapter. You know how they say the best is yet to come? Well, we are hoping that time is here, now. As of October 2nd, we are both officially retired and because it's so new for us, having never done it before, we are not sure whether it's good or bad. I'm sure it will take some time for us to adjust. Maybe, maybe not.

Neither of us chose to take retirement at this time of our lives. I had a lot of good years left in me to stay in the workforce, as did my husband. But there's something about young people these days not being able to work with or deal with people older than they are. It's like they don't even want to be around them.

I used to laugh at that idea when I was just starting out way back when. But older folk were so different back then compared to people of the same age today. Like 100 years different.

We're not ready to be put out to pasture. We're not ready to be brushed aside as if we don't exist. We are a force to be reckoned with.

It took me many months, well actually a whole year, until I was able to reconcile with the fact that I was no longer working. It's hard to get over a certain routine. But my reconciliation had more to do with just a routine.

I was angry. So angry that I started this blog and tried to rid my anger here. It didn't work. Not until I wrote my first anniversary post. That's when all the anger finally left me.

I fully expected my husband to be angry after he visited his former workplace to turn in the key to his tractor trailer. He lost his job because of a very young (under 25) female manager of one of those coffee franchises (starts with an S and ends with an S). It seems she didn't like his sense of humor last Thursday when he made a delivery there. She called her corporate headquarters and they in turn called my husband's corporate headquarters. He never stood a chance. You see, the trucking company we both worked for has to cater to that coffee company and treat them with kid gloves.

I have no idea what went wrong with her and I can only think she was having a bad day. Either that or she is simply a man hater. Yeah, that makes sense. My husband has a terrific sense of humor, and he got along with everyone, including all his customers. And to tell the truth, I would love to pay her a little visit. Say hello to my little friend.

So we closed one chapter and move on to the next. I'm sure it will be quite painless. Our house and both vehicles are paid for. We have no credit card debt. We are now free to come and go as we please. No alarm clocks. No deadlines. And this winter when it snows we can stand inside our house and watch all the other lunatics trying to get to their place of work. And we will finally have the last laugh.

Written Prior To His Freedom

(I typed this a few weeks ago. Little did I know what was coming down the road. I will post about that tomorrow.)


"They" used to pick at me all the time.
I kept to myself; tried to mind my own business.
In the end it wasn't enough.
"They" proved to be oh so much stronger than me.
I knew it, but I prolonged it as long as I could.
But "they" won and I lost. (Or so they thought)

And now "they're" at it again with someone who is very very close to me. Picking away ever so slowly.

Why is it when a person (if that's what you want to call some of those low-lifes) is put in charge of people, they no longer act human? Why? They actually go back to some of their early ancestors and act just like them: cavemen. What is it that changes them? Power? Their ego? Or is it just "I'm better than you..."

I saw such changes from my little corner of the world. And there was nothing I could do about it. Oh, it's not that I didn't fantasize, because I did that on a daily basis. It was the only way I could keep my sanity, what little I had left.

I don't care who it is or where they work, no one should have to fear being where they are. Ever. The biggest employment problem today is that the majority of states (Pennsylvania included) are "at will" states, meaning employers can fire anyone they darn well please at any time for any reason. Employees of those states HAVE NO RIGHTS!

You'd think with new management (hah, that's funny, a possible oxymoron if you will ~ well, the moron part is right), would be more considerate. Find out about your "new" employees before you nitpick. I lost all respect of the one that was in place, and the new one never had any of my respect. Never will. And it makes me sooooooo happy to be able to say that.

Gee, I guess I'm still a bit angry. Ya think?

Hopefully we wll be the stronger for it all because as I always say "What goes around comes around." Those are my famous last words. I learned that saying from the lawyer that taught my law class. I use it all the time. And darned if it isn't coming true. "They" know who I mean.

Oh, the little devil at the top? He represents "them."

People In The News

I have nothing to say about T.O.'s situation until all the reports are in. But I do like one of the headlines in the newspaper: The Blame For This Media Circus Lies With The Media, Not Owens. Amen!

I absolutely love the latest TV ad that the Swann campaign is running. Very humorous. It's the one about the current governor's ad stating there will be property tax cuts for all Pennsylvanians. They don't say when. Actually it might occur sometime late next year, if not then in 2008, according to the guideline dates I found yesterday. The current governor made the campaign promise in 2002 saying he would give all home owners significant property tax relief. However, should he not be voted to stay as governor this fall, his campaign promise will not be worth much. Property tax cuts? I'll believe them when I see them in my tax bills. Right now it's just a big joke.
Tokyo Rose is dead. Boo hoo. I don't know much about her other than hearing her name now and then in my early years. After reading the article about her in the newspaper, I now know more than I really wanted to: namely that she never existed as just one person. There were several women that demoralized American servicemen via the radio. This one particular woman, Iva Toguri D'aquino aka Orphan Ann, just happened to be the one that was prosecuted. Poor baby...Not!
Juan Pablo Montoya ~ is this just the tip of the iceberg as far as other drivers in different racing venues wanting to get into the lucrative sport of stockcar racing? It uneases me a bit. Irregardless, Mr. Montoya, or is that Senor Montoya from Colombia, will make his debut October 6th in the ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway. I for one will be watching very closely. If all goes well, Juan Pablo will be in the No. 42 Dodge next season driving for Chip Ganassi in the Nextel Cup Series.
And finally I would like to talk about Matt Kenseth. How can one person be so dang funny and not crack a smile at the same time? He cracks me up almost every week. I just can't help myself. I never used to appreciate his humor, but I do now. I'm not a big Kenseth fan, but he's ok in my book ~ till he does something dumb on the track. But that doesn't happen very often as he is a careful driver. I guess it's not what he says so much as how he says it. Kind of like an "aside." Funny guy ~ who'da thunk it?

Of course, I just had to post a photo of Matt with Junior. For my sake.

I Make No Excuses

For those few readers that I have, I sincerely appreciate when you visit. For those of you who come here looking for NASCAR writings, you won't find much. This is not a NASCAR site per se. For the most part, my NASCAR posts are, and probably always will be, devoted to my driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. I make no excuses for that because I don't see much beyond Dale Jr. and I have always admitted that.

There are other drivers who I can count on one hand that I like and I do celebrate their good fortune(s). The only other time I write about NASCAR or its drivers is if I am severely pissed off at them. And that happens nearly every time there's a race but even then I try to refrain from bashing them merely because most of them are not worth the waste of my time and energy.

So, with that in mind, I would like to make one tiny comment about the current Chase for the Nextel Cup:

I am glad that Childress Racing is doing so well right now. After all, that's where Junior's father was employed at the time of his passing. With two races done and eight to go, I am not writing off Junior's chances in the Chase as most of the media has and will be doing for the remainder of this week.

There's a strong possibility he may not win the championship but I do think he will climb higher in the points. Why do I say that? Because the first two races were not a team effort. I think his team is letting him down by not providing first, a good handling car and second, better adjustments to make an ill-handling car better. I also think DEI better get their act together and find more horsepower for their engines. Junior is driving his butt off, but it doesn't mean anything if the car will not cooperate. Remember that...

The Good The Bad The Ugly

A neighboring water authority has been fighting to get public water in our little village for more years than I care to remember. We, as a community, kept fighting against it. But, as the "little man" knows, the "bigger man" won. And so we are supposedly moving up in the world. Bah!

The Good ~ I currently have unlimited usage of fresh water thanks to our well. That means I can shower as long as I want, wash my hair every day, do lots of laundry, and not have to worry how much I used or what it will cost.

The Bad ~ If we hook up (and it's not mandatory that we do, nor will it cost us anything if we don't), we will have to monitor our water usage. I absolutely hate when I have to do something like that. Anyway, they claim it would cost around $60 per quarter. Yeah, I know how that goes. Next year it would jump sky-high. And then it's too late.

The Ugly ~ If we do decide to hook up, we will pay a tapping fee of over $1100. That's just the fee. That doesn't get us any public water. Then it would be another $1000 or so to bring the water to the lateral in front of our property. However, that $1000 will be waived if we hook up within 90 days of availability. And then the fun begins...money-wise. It's our responsibility to find a plumber to bring the water from the lateral to the house. I can just hear the money clinking already.
I enjoy my well water. It's free and it tastes good. Public water just plain downright sucks. I have yet to taste any decent public water.

Currently, we are wavering as to what to do and our mind is not definitely made up yet as to what we are going to do. If we do decide to go with public water, we are still going to keep the well and use that for the outside spigots. However, I wish we could also keep the well water for the laundry room and bathroom, and just have public water for drinking purposes only. I think that can probably be done but it would cost a lot of extra money to do so. It is illegal to have water commingle.

We have to make up our minds soon because we are one of the last houses for the initial pipes being put into the ground, and they are currently working just below our house.

So once again, our household has a major decision to make. Don't these decisions ever go away? I am thinking that I would just love to move to the boondocks of Alaska, get my food and mail flown to my property, and just kick back and say to hell with everything else. How about it?

Another Hang 'Em High Story

I had a post a few weeks ago about someone who opened a farm enclosure and let 20 steers run all over creation. Only 13 survived if I remember correctly. It happened locally, as did the following story.

Well, before that happened, another group of young males did something so horrific that I couldn't even set my pen to paper for a rough draft, let alone a final post. But because an animal rights group was so incensed by how the boys got away with murder, it surfaced in today's newspaper again. I, for one, am so glad that the whole issue isn't being shoved into the background only to be forever forgotten. Things of this nature should never be overlooked.

The five teenaged boys (15-18 years old) got off easy. They were charged with criminal trespass and only had to pay $425.00 in fines and court costs. A mere slap on the wrist.

What did they do?

First they broke onto private property. Then they attacked four baby goats that were in a pasture. Using a baseball bat, they beat those baby goats. All of them either died that same day or a few days later as a result of those attacks.

The owners of the farm have moved to another state. They are also pursuing a civil lawsuit against each of the boys' parents. And I say good for them, take it to the Supreme Court if they have to.

If it was baby goats five months ago, what will it be next? Someone's child? Any young person who commits such heinous acts on any animal will eventually grow up to be a wife beater, a child beater or will commit murder. They are nothing but bullies and it makes me wonder what their home life was like.

Just give me a few hours with them and we'd see justice done. An eye for an eye...

Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah!

As most of you know, I've been a Mets fan for as long as they've been around, and I have been nervously watching them ever since they literally "took off" at the beginning of the season, all the while holding my breath and hoping they'd get as far as they have. And they did. On April 6th they took over the lead in their division and never relinquished it. As of this past Monday, they are the first team to clinch a division title, that of NL East. And...it's their first title since 1988.

They tried clinching the title three games ago, but the Pittsburgh Pirates were just too tenacious and denied them of any wins. And so it was the Florida Marlins that gave them the win for the title. By doing that, the Mets ended the Atlanta Braves' reign as king of the NL East. The Braves had won 14 straight division titles, including 11 in a row after they were moved over to the NL East Division.

I wish Mike Piazza were still on the team. And I miss Bobby Valentine, too. He was their colorful manager a few seasons back. But this is a new team, it's a new day, so let's hope they indeed do go..all..the..way!



Pardon me now while I go do another happy dance...


I just had to work that Bud in somehow:

Gone But Not Forgotten

A fellow blogger recently lost one of his rabbits (10-year-old Greyton), and so I would like to share with you my past experiences with our rabbits. I dedicate this post to Greyton...may he rest in peace.


We have been the "parents" of four rabbits since 1992. They were all females. Thank goodness, because they are more docile than males.

Our little rabbit venture all started when my daughter brought one home from her end-of-the-year agricultural class at vo-tech. Students were asked if they wanted to take it home and she volunteered. Didn't ask Mom first, but it was OK.

I called her Peter J Rabbit despite the fact that she was a she. I have no idea where that came from, but eventually it got shortened to "Pee Jay." I don't remember how old she was when she got sick. She was an "outside" rabbit and since I considered her my daughter's responsibility, she and her then boyfriend took Pee Jay to the vet. He injected meds and sent her home. During the night she passed away. She had pneumonia. I found her the next morning and cried like a baby. I had become quite attached to her because it was me that fed her and me that kept her hutch clean. So much for my daughter's responsibility.

I needed a replacement and my husband came to the rescue when he brought a tiny black bunny home that he had gotten from a co-worker. She was a mixed Dutch rabbit. We named her Shelby (after the Mustang model.) Being new to raising rabbits, we were not aware that females should be spayed. It prolongs their life, as they are "cycling" constantly. And because of that they are prone to cancer.
Shelby looked a lot like Pee Jay except that she had three white splashes on the back of her neck, like a collar.

Shortly after we acquired Shelby, my father decided that my husband needed a rabbit of his own. He said he felt sorry for him. My Dad worked the small animal/poultry building at the Allentown Fair and he found a bunny for sale. It was a white Netherland Dwarf and looked like this one:



Both Shelby and Cobra (aha...there's that Mustang model again) lived outside. However, before Cobra could be put outside, another pen had to be built to accommodate her. Unbeknownst to us, outside rabbits are prone to get sick. And they both did. We lost Cobra after about a year of caring for her, but Shelby was saved by the vet. It was then we decided she would live in the house with us. We got her a dog crate/pen and put her in the living room. She developed cancer at the age of 6-1/2 years because she was not spayed. This time the vet could not save her.

It was then that I decided no more rabbits. However, my brother-in-law had other ideas. He met someone who asked if he knew of anyone who would be interested in a baby bunny. And he immediately thought of me. He brought her to the house while we were both at work and then he called me at work to tell me what he had done. My husband got home before me. Behind the house, under the plum tree, our wheelbarrow had been turned upside down and put over a cardboard soda box that contained the bunny.

This is a photo of a Mini Lop and it is very close to what Jasper looked like.

I didn't want to get too attached to her so no name was given. I put a sign up at work to see if someone wanted to adopt her (but I insisted on visitation rights.) No one came forth and by that time she had wedged her way into my heart. And so she was named Jasper (after the engines)...and now she is gone too. We lost her on May 11th of this year.

She had other names too: Sweetie Pea, Munchkin, Jazzy

A lot of people don't understand rabbits. They make wonderful pets if they are cared for correctly. They don't like to be dirty so they constantly groom themselves, much like a cat. They crave affection and it's very rare when they don't want to be bothered. They give much affection in return.

My little Jasper was a real warrior up to the end. She gave so much love that I will never forget her. I promised her I would see her in heaven. And I asked that she be taken care of there by my parents. I know she's in good hands, because they have all crossed The Rainbow Bridge.

My Husband's Opinions

My husband and I were having a discussion the other night about who the Chase contenders are for the NASCAR Nextel Cup. When I mentioned each name, he made the following comments:

MATT KENSETH ~ He's a good driver but he's just too consistent, although that's how he won his first championship. And that's one of the reasons I'm not in his corner this year.

JIMMIE JOHNSON ~ He's too much of a whiner and a blamer and he would be absolutely nowhere were it not for his crew chief, Chad Knaus. Besides, he's a Hendrick driver.

KEVIN HARVICK ~ I always liked Kevin and I love the way he drives. If he wins the Busch and the Cup championships it would be OK with me.

KYLE BUSCH ~ He drives for Hendrick so I'll say no more, except that I hate the way he 'talks' with his eyes.

DENNY HAMLIN ~ I'm not so sure a rookie should be in the Chase. He hasn't been around long enough to merit it. Have you ever noticed how he pronounces his Js? Just sounds like chust. Are you sure he's from Virginia and not around here?

DALE EARNHARDT JR ~ Well, I can't say enough about him. I always was and still am a fan of his father. He may not drive aggressively like his father did, but he gets the job done when it needs to be done. Do I think he deserves to win this year? Of course, I do.

MARK MARTIN ~ Sh*t or get off the pot already with the retirement stuff. I don't think he has a chance to win it.

JEFF BURTON ~ I like to listen to him and I like the way he handles himself in the spotlight, but I think he, too, will fade toward the end.

JEFF GORDON ~ Can we just move on to the next name? Well, he's a Hendrick driver, isn't he? Need I say anymore?

KASEY KAHNE ~ He's a good kid and he has five wins but even that almost wasn't good enough to get him into the Chase. I like the fact that he earned his way in though.

Well there you have it. I know everyone has their own ideas and opinions as to whom they'd like to see win the championship.

Remember, these are my husband's opinions, so don't shoot the messenger.

It's A Mystery To Me

When it was raining on a daily basis a few weeks ago, I threw together some make-shift shelters on the deck for the cats so they at least had someplace to go to stay dry. Just two heavy duty cardboard boxes and some old towels for bedding.

After a few days I decided to encase the boxes in garbage bags as they were getting very damp. I also put an old plastic tote out and laid it on its side, again with old bedding inside.

One day last week, after the bags were a bit weather beaten, I found one of the boxes partially covered and the other box had its bag completely gone, nowhere to be found. We're talking the 33-gallon size.

The following day I redid them but I took more care, making them tighter to the box plus I used a whole lot more duct tape.

Imagine my surprise when I looked out one morning and saw only one box with the garbage bag gone and, again, it was nowhere in sight. That made a total of almost four full bags gone.

So by now I'm really scratching my a...er, head. Totally bamboozled. Where the heck did those bags go and who or what did it? It looked like something only a human was capable of doing. I know for a fact that it wasn't the cats. I walked to the side of the house and looked over the side of the deck and at least I found the one box that was missing. It was near the groundhog hole that's in the one window well. A hole I thought had been abandoned.

About an hour later I went out the front door, walked alongside the house, and as I turned the corner there by the box was a groundhog. He dived into the hole.

Let's back up to a few weeks ago when I came out on the deck one morning and found that very same groundhog ripping into a garbage bag full of trash. Well, it wasn't full of trash anymore as it had most of the trash strewn all over the deck. At first I hadn't seen it and once it spied me (while I was standing almost on top of it), away it ran. I have no idea what it was after because we don't throw any food whatsoever into the trash. And if I hadn't seen the groundhog in action, I would have blamed it on the cats. Well...maybe. In the back of my mind I would have held another critter responsible for it.

So, I put two and two together and came up with the fact that this groundhog is garbage bag crazy. Addicted? Who knows.

To make matters worse I would've sworn as I rounded that corner that morning, the groundhog was on its hind feet doing a happy dance thinking he'd pulled one over on me and he was probably trying to figure out just how to get the box down the hole where the garbage bags already were.

What else am I supposed to believe?

Hail To The Heroes

After five years there are still no words to express the sorrow of what happened that day...

Relief

Boy, am I glad that is over with...what a night of white knuckles, a small headache, an upset stomach ~ you name it, I had it. Why? Maybe you can say I was just a tad worried about my boy making the Chase. But he did it. And he did it the hard way. A huge brake problem. And when it was all over he said he was glad and that he was exhausted. God bless him; he drove his little heart out and now he is in the Chase.

So whatever happens in the next ten races doesn't matter for me. All I wanted was for him to make the Chase. I get so tired of the media ragging about how he missed it last year. That gets a little old after awhile. Now maybe they will lay off of him and let him do his job and race to his heart's content.

I was a little sorry about Tony "Smoke" Stewart not making it, but like they said someone had to be sacrificed. But, hey, Kasey Kahne drove himself into the Chase. So he earned that spot.

Congratulations, Dale Jr., for your sixth place in the points and for making the Chase. On to bigger and better things. Good luck for the remainder of the season.

Anyone Care To Caption This?

I wouldn't try and caption this with a 10 foot pole (no pun intended there), but y'all go ahead and be my guest and caption it if you're brave enough. Don't be afraid now. I can take anything you have to say. Within reason. You can get as down and dirty as you want, but no bad words please. Thankyouverymuch...

Pretty Darn Close...

You are dependable, popular, and observant.Deep and thoughtful, you are prone to moodiness.In fact, your emotions tend to influence everything you do. You are unique, creative, and expressive.You don't mind waving your freak flag every once and a while.And lucky for you, most people find your weird ways charming!

The Not So Fair, Fair

This past Sunday we were finally able to take advantage of a rain-free day to go to the Great Allentown Fair. We always go on a Saturday but it poured all day, so our traditional day was changed. Another tradition (a Yocco's hot dog) was taken away because Yocco's couldn't make the fair due to finding out too late that their tent for the stand wasn't usable. It's the only one they had (custom made). I may not have had my Yocco's hot dog, but I made sure to have a Vince's steak sandwich. They are better than any Philly steak in my book. But the fair is the only place you can get them.

Here are the acts that appeared this year:
I'm not a Civil War buff but I do like to read up on it and have quite a few books covering the subject. This display is in the Agricultural Building. It was there last year too so I am thinking it is an all-year display. And since I didn't have a digital camera last year, I took a picture this year.

I also am not a Jack Roush fan. This is Greg Biffle's show car. Sometimes I get angry at Greg, other times I am Ok with him. In other words, I can take him or leave him; it all depends on what he is up to on the track and who he is bothering.

When I came to this little fella I felt right at home. That #8 Bud car is always on my mind...

While we were in the Agricultural Building looking at all the crafts and hand-made quilts, we were quite surprised to find out that Lynn Swann, former Pittsburgh Steeler who is running for governor of our state, was touring the fair. I posted about him awhile back stating that I was glad to see him running for the position. I don't like the current governor. He used to be the mayor of Philadelphia and his allegiances still lie there. Sad thing is, he will probably be elected again. Shoot.

Of course, you know fairs tend to lose a lot of their uniqueness as one gets older, so after about three hours of walking we were ready to leave. After all...a night of racing was waiting for me on TV.

Another Track Conquered

Congratulation, Junior, on your second place finish at Fontana and moving from ninth to sixth in the points.

Good luck Saturday night at Richmond, the final race before the Chase for the Championship starts.

Questions, Questions, Questions

1. What color are your bedroom walls? OFF WHITE
2. What book are you reading now? THE JOURNEY OF CRAZY HORSE
3. What's on your mouse pad? DALE EARNHARDT JR
4. Favorite board game? DO NOT PLAY BOARD GAMES
5. Favorite perfume? TOVA
6. Favorite smell? COCONUT
7. Favorite color? ANY SHADE OF PURPLE
8. Least favorite color? BROWN
9. Favorite magazine? NASCAR ILLUSTRATED
10. Most important material thing in my life? MY 1997 MIDNIGHT VIOLET MUSTANG GT
11. Favorite flavor of ice cream? PISTACHIO
12. Do you break the speed limit daily? ONLY WHEN I DRIVE
13. Do you have a stuffed animal in your room somewhere? YES, I HAVE SEVERAL
14. Storms ~ cool or scary? SCARY ONLY IF I AM ALONE
15. Favorite drink? ANY DIET PEPSI
16. When is your birthday? SEPTEMBER 23RD
17. Favorite vegetable? BROCCOLI
18. If you could have any job, what would it be? I HAD A NICE JOB BUT IT WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM ME
19. If you could have any hair color, what would it be? I CAN HAVE ANY COLOR RIGHT NOW IF I WANTED TO CHANGE
20. Have you ever been in love? YES, RIGHT NOW WITH MY HUSBAND
21. Top 3 movies (in order)? DANCES WITH WOLVES, A KNIGHTS TALE, THE ROSE
22. Do you type with your fingers on the right keys? YES, THAT IS HOW I LEARNED
23. What's under your bed? PORCELAIN DOLLS (MINT IN BOX) & BOOKS
24. What is your favorite number? 8 ~ GEE, I WONDER WHY?
25. Favorite sport to watch on TV or in person? NASCAR RACING
26. What is your single biggest fear? NOT BREATHING
27. Favorite CD of all time and right now? ANYTHING BY TOBY KEITH
28. Favorite TV show of all time and right now? THE PRICE IS RIGHT, 24
29. Hamburgers or hotdogs? HAMBURGERS
30. The coolest places you've ever been? BAHAMAS, FLORIDA, CHARLOTTE NC, ON THE MISSISSIPPI
31. What wallpaper/screensaver is on your computer right now? DALE EARNHARDT JR WHEN HE WON HIS LAST RACE AT RICHMOND
32. Does McDonalds skimp on their fries and do you care? PREFER BURGER KING FRIES
33. Favorite chain restaurant? CRACKER BARREL
34. How many rings before your answering machine picks up? I THINK IT'S FIVE
35. If you could learn to play an instrument overnight, what would it be? GUITAR

A Tale Of Horrible Consequences

Almost seven weeks ago vandals, who obviously thought they were really funny, opened a barnyard gate and chased 20 steers out into neverland at a local farm.

These steers were being fattened up to be sold so that the owner would be able to use the money to get his family through the winter. Sometimes that's how it's done...whatever it takes to feed your family and pay the bills.

Only 13 of those 20 survived and they are now back where they belong. And the vandals were never found, caught or punished. They should rot in hell for what they did. Not only by taking food off that family's table but for putting the animals in harms way.

The last steer was found this past Sunday. It had to be killed because when it was finally found it was just about to walk out into heavy traffic. Four others met their fate a few weeks ago for the same reason. One died after a reaction to a tranquilizer dart. The seventh one met its fate when it made the mistake of walking in front of a tractor trailer that wasn't standing still.

I don't know the circumstances as to why five steers had to be killed because they were "near busy roads," and it's easy for me to ask why they couldn't be saved. I'm sure the farmer did all he could in his power to try and save them.

But it still disturbs me that they were destroyed.

I know...saving something that will eventually end up at the slaughterhouse anyway. But that's not the point.

In the end, after the final steer was found, the farmer had this to say:

"It was so draining and disgusting. I always thought that when you think of a farm you would consider it as a safe haven in this world, but obviously it is not."

What would I do to those almost-rustlers? Hang 'em high...

Follow-up to Past Posts

That pesky varmint, ole pointy face the opossum, seems to have moved on. I only actually saw it two nights and they weren't in a row. It may have been back other times, but not where I could see it. The nights I waited, it never showed. Eventually I gave up looking for it. I read they are very nomadic vagabonds and just wander aimlessly looking for food and shelter whenever they need it. They never stay in one place too long even if there is a supply of food. So I guess we were just one convenient stop along the way.

About those Geico commercials with Burt Bacharach, Charo, and Little Richard? They are all hideous I have decided. Give me the gecko any day.

Not to beat a dead horse, but Carl Edwards says he has thought about his past actions and will be a good boy from now on. Gee, I wonder who finally got through to him...or did they? Time will tell. See, this is what I mean about him: because he works out and has great abs, he thinks everybody should be scared of him when he gets in their faces.

I did eventually get through to the local newspaper, but it wasn't until Wednesday afternoon, after trying many times starting Monday morning. Their excuse was that they were moving their distribution center. What on earth that has to do with my not receiving a newspaper is beyond me. It's delivered by a person who drives their own personal vehicle. And I learned that we just got a new carrier as of July 12th, so I can't blame it on the other doofus we had. I guess they are all from the same mold.

And about the newspaper box that someone tried to murder a few weeks back...I guess we won't be getting a new one after all, since we are using the beaten and battered one. Yes, my husband brought it back to life somehow.

Comments On Recent Sports Headlines

Tiger "Cinks' Birdie Putt To Win Bridgestone...

Glad to see him back on top. He's won his last four starts making it his longest winning streak since late '99.

No Bumping Or Grinding At Bristol...

With three races to go (including Bristol) before the "Chase For The Championship" starts, most teams in the top 13 in points weren't taking any chances. Bristol in the Spring is a much more spirited race, but with 3 to go? Huh uh, baby. (One thing I'd like to point out here is I wish Junior would not get himself in such a stew days before certain races, Bristol in particular. He'll surely end up with an ulcer. Besides, his team has his back. Qualify 40th? Not to worry, the team will get you where you need to be. Just drive the darn car and chill.)

Here's your winner, Matt Kenseth, who swept the Busch and Cup races this past weekend at Bristol:

Marco Gets First IRL Victory...

And at 19 years of age he has made IRL history by being the youngest driver to win in that series. With his grandfather being Mario Andretti, and his father being Michael Andretti, how can he lose from here on out? Watch out for this kid...he's on his way.

Other Stars Align To Let Agassi Shine...

Andre Agassi ~ he's the only reason I've ever watched a tennis match, and now he is retiring. Seems like I remember him just getting started not too long ago.

Cowboys Fine Owens...

Oh no, my boy has been a bad boy again. I so hoped his errant ways would stop. He was fined $9,500 for missing a team meeting and a rehab session and also being late for an offensive meeting. Oops!

Jerry Rice

I've been a San Francisco 49er fan for as long as I can remember. Or, at least as long as I have been a fan of football. In other words, when I first "discovered" football, the 49ers became my team. Montana and Rice...it didn't get any better than that.

There are two players that stand out above all others over the years: Joe Montana, of course, and none other than Jerry Rice. I always figured Jerry would retire while playing for the 49ers, too.

There has never been, nor will there ever be, another Jerry Rice. So when I heard he signed a one-day contract so that he could retire as a 49er, I was very pleased and overwhelmed.

To quote Jerry: "This is where I got my start. This is where my legacy is. This is where my heart got started, and this is where I'm going to end it."

Amen!

From 40th To 3rd!

You go Junebug! Good job tonight at Bristol.

Woe Is Me What Do I Do?

There will be no picture accompanying this post simply because what I am going to write about isn't very pretty.

Let's talk about the opossum. I have never seen an opossum close up unless it was roadkill. But as of a few nights ago that all changed. There's one in the neighborhood and it comes visiting every night feasting on the dry cat food. That brazen little whore has the audacity to climb the deck steps, walk across the deck and then stick it's gol-durn ugly face in the food dish.

When I discovered it the other night I was a bit shocked because I didn't know what it was at first. It sure looked a little weird to be one of the cats, until I looked closer. I tapped on the patio door window and the little bastard ignored me. I slid the door open a little, stuck my head out, and told it to go away. It still ignored me. So I'm thinking, this is one stupid animal. Finally I got its attention and I guess it must have thought I was ugly too, because it toddled off the deck and disappeared into the shadows.

Have you ever seen one of those critters walk? They are bowlegged and walk like they are drunk. Funny as hell. Better yet, when they try to run. It's no wonder so many of them end up as roadkill ~ they can't get out of their own way.

So I did some research on how to get rid of them. Not an easy task. There is a product called Shake Away which is simply fox urine powder. It's supposed to put the fear of the fox, a known enemy of the opossum, into them so they stay away. That wouldn't work for me because it would probably scare the cats away too and I don't want that to happen.

The other alternative is trapping them in a cage. But the bait has to be something only an opossum likes but not cats. Finding the cages in our area might prove to be a little difficult. So if anyone out there has any other suggestions, I am open to them. Just remember, no harm to my cats. I know if I don't put the food out for the cats, old pointy face might get disinterested, but the cats have to eat too. So I am really between a rock and a hard place with that one.

The Unreachables

Lately it seems that more and more places/businesses have become more unreachable than ever before. There are two I have in mind. The first one is PennDot driver licensing centers. They have no telephones and you cannot reach them at all. No way, no how. You must go through Harrisburg. And good luck getting through to them. Don't try it on your lunch break or you'll never get to eat. I think I can understand why they are unreachable, maybe.



The other one I've recently tangled with is our local newspaper. The one that has a monopoly on the market as they are the only newspaper still going these days. So it's go with them or go without. I cannot go without. I need my newspaper to get my day started along with a cup of coffee and some good old quiet time. I get the newspaper delivered by a motor carrier. They provide their own vehicles. And I have had my problems in the past with newspapers that weren't delivered for one reason or another. All I had to do was make a phone call and they would deliver one for me. Recently, however, I had noticed some slight changes in their policy but not enough to make me sit up and really notice. Until Monday, that is...

There was no paper inside my foyer where my husband always puts it before leaving for work. Thinking maybe the carrier had car problems and delivered after he went to work, I checked the paperbox. (The same one that was run over in my post last week.) Nope, no paper was in the box. So my next step was to call them. And made a big discovery. Not a very nice one either.

First I got a recording stating that all circuits were jammed. OK, now I am thinking they may have had a problem with the paper. I went online but I couldn't find anything of that nature where they may be having problems, like a fire or something. So I did the natural thing and called again. And again. And again. I did give up somewhere along the line. After a few hours, I decided to call out of curiosity more than anything. This time I was told that all their associates were busy with customers, my time and business is appreciated, and if I cared to hold that my wait would be greater than 8 minutes. I held. And held. And held. For 35 minutes. Only to get another recording saying, in essence, that now I was merely crazy for holding that long. It was like they were saying "Don't you get the message? WE DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU!"
So finally I hung up and went online and filled out the form to give me credit (yet again) for a newspaper that was not delivered. I really wanted to talk to someone so I could rip them a new one. But I was to be denied. I hate when that happens.

Now fast forward to Tuesday morning. I called as soon as I got up. Again I got the recording about my wait time being greater than 8 minutes. It finally sank in...they don't want to talk to anyone on the phone anymore. They, too, have become independent, unreachable, untouchable etc. What happened to us customers? What happened to communication?

This experience has been like pissing in the wind for me. Very frustrating.

Couldn't Happen To A Nicer Guy

Dodge sneaked in a special presentation to Elliott Sadler at MIS.

Sadler drove up in a golf cart as Michael Accavitti (director -- Motorsports and SRT Product Planning and Marketing for Chrysler Group) and Michael Delahanty (senior manager -- Motorsports Programs for Chrysler Group) were introduced to reporters.

During the chat, Accavitti turned and waved over a brand-new black Dodge Ram SRT pickup to the group. He handed the keys to a surprised-looking Sadler.

"It's yours -- we can't have one of our drivers in a golf cart," Accavitti said.

Sadler, who left Ford's Robert Yates Racing for Evernham Motorsports, inspected the truck.

"That's the first time in eight years as a driver I've been given a vehicle," Sadler said.

"It's great."

Monday Musings

First of all, I would like to apologize for not having something on here for you morning readers. I just never got that far around midnight and sleep was a higher priority.

Sooooooo...with that out of the way...here are my thoughts for this first day of the week:

Does anyone out there remember Burt Bacharach, the suave and sophisticated composer responsible for so many of the top hits of the 60's and 70's? If you have no idea of who he is, then Google him and go into Wikpedia; it shows his hits, who sang them, and the year they were sung. For the life of me I cannot understand why a man like that would now do a commercial for Geico Insurance and act like he was not all together there. Do you know which one I mean? My first reaction was, "What the hell?" And every time I see it, that reaction hasn't changed. All those hits, all that money...granted, he was married four times, but come on...there is no amount of money in the world that would even tempt me to act like that if I were Burt Bacharach.

I didn't get a newspaper today. And there is nothing worse than that for me. I usually start my day with crossword puzzles and Cryptogram. Not so today. When I called all circuits were super busy. I cannot call now since I have dial-up but as soon as I am done here you can bet your bottom dollar I will call and I will raise quite a ruckus. If the carrier had a problem with the car again, they have had ample time to get one out to me by now.

I received a letter for jury duty in approximately two months. I am not thrilled. This is the second time within the past few years. I didn't have to go that time, possibly because I would not make a good juror in that I have been a victim of a crime at least two times in my life. The part that troubles me is they say you should arrive in clothing much the same as if you were going to a job interview. Hello! Read my lips: I am retired! Job interview...what a laugh. If I have to go, it will be in jeans thankyouverymuch. So sad too bad.

Now, let's get to the weekend of racing. First of all I would like to say that Carl Edwards, driver of the 99 Office Depot Cup car, is an idiot! What the hell is wrong with that boy? Just because he works out and has shown his "six-pack" on two magazine covers, that doesn't make him the poster boy to try and harm/maim/kill other drivers. A few weeks back he threatened to do bodily harm to Tony Stewart. Saturday he body slammed his car alongside Junior's driver side while Junior had his arm out the window. It was near the end of the race and they were not racing at the time. Junior's in-car camera showed him quickly pulling his arm back in and nearly jumping out of his seat. The sad thing is I hear the fine will not be all that large. What the hell is it going to take for NASCAR to wake up and smell the coffee...Carl Edwards is in severe need of anger management. His boss, Jack Roush, has to calm him down during every race where things don't go his way. Frankly, I am getting good and tired of his "Aw shucks, I didn't mean to do it" schtick. It's old and it needs to be addressed.

Junior went on to win that Busch race. And he did it like his father would have done it. Face it, Carl slowed down, Junior tagged him from the rear, and goodbye Carl. It's not like Carl told him "Hey Junior careful back there I am going to slow down." Or like they have brake lights. For the majority of the fans to boo Junior when he got out of his car was just rude and uncouth. Those are the words Junior used when Carl came into Victory Lane and grabbed Junior's firesuit at the collar while spewing obscenities at him. Did I say that boy needs anger management?

So congratulations to Junior on that win and also for finishing sixth in Sunday's GSF Marketplace 400 Nextel Cup race. He retained tenth place in the standings, there are three races to go before the Chase drivers are set, and this weekend they race at Bristol. That is my all time favorite track but believe me I will be sitting on pins and needles till that race is over.

I am off to call the newspaper now. Wish me luck.

Whoopsie!

This used to be our newspaper holder. Apparently this happened sometime last Friday after my husband left for work and before he came home. I'm glad I wasn't collecting the paper when it happened. This is a straight stretch of road, no curves, so I have no idea what happened. Neither did I hear anything over the course of the day. Someone reaching for their cell phone? A drunk driver? There is a bar down the street within spitting distance.

At first I thought it was the UPS man because he was parked at that spot when he made a delivery to us during the day. But when my husband showed me a piece of gray plastic (bumper or valance shown in the photo), I was ashamed that I blamed UPS.

I couldn't believe that a plastic newspaper holder could do such a number on a vehicle. But when you realize it was two pieces of solid steel pipe side by side driven deeply into the ground, it makes perfect sense.

So if and when whoever it was that ran it over has to explain the damage to someone, be it their spouse or insurance agent (I highly doubt they will report it), can you imagine the look on the other person's face when they say, "I hit a plastic paper holder."

And, by the way, we called the newspaper for a replacement holder and were told it would take two to three weeks. Hello?

From The Sports Pages

The sports pages of the newspaper are my favorite and I usually read just about everything that interests me. I do not read about hockey, soccer, basketball and golf, unless it's about Tiger Woods. A few headlines caught my eye and I would like to share my thoughts about some of them:

There was a column devoted to Kyle Busch about his receiving five lucky dog passes aftrer being five laps down at Watkins Glen on Sunday. That means he was allowed to play catch up with each pass placing him one less lap down. He ended up finishing ninth at the end of the race. Not bad. I watched Inside Nextel Cup Monday evening and the question was brought up as to whether lucky dog passes should be limited. At first I said yes, but then I thought about it. I said yes because it was against a driver I don't particularly care for, and had it been a driver I like I would've said no, don't limit them. However, after giving it much thought, I decided that they should not be limited. If a driver is at the right place at the right time, why shouldn't he get the pass. (A lucky dog pass goes to the first driver a lap down when the caution is thrown ~ for those of you who are not race-savvy.)

Barbaro (the Kentucky Derby winner who suffered catastrophic injuries in the Preakness), is much improved after having many bad days where they thought he wouldn't make it. Last week, for the first time since his accident, he was allowed to go outside for fresh air and grass to munch on. He's not healed yet, but he is on his way to recovery. Let's keep our fingers crossed for a complete recovery.

There was also a column on Floyd Landis (Tour de France) that he should be given the benefit of the doubt. I certainly agree with that. I'm not saying he's guilty or not guilty, I just believe that there is a strong possibility someone did this to him without his knowledge. Remember, they do get to drink along the route. How easy for someone to put something in one of his refreshments. I'm just saying...


On a sad note, the Mets lost to the Philadelphia Phillies again. The good news is that they are 13 games ahead of the Phillies in first place in the East Division of the National League.

A Tale Of Two Brothers

Once upon a time, there were two brothers. They were born four years apart. I didn't know them back then. Not until they were in their late teens/early twenties.

Of course, when you meet two boys such as these you form opinions as a non-family member. And over the years you sometimes end up favoring one over the other. That gets stronger as the years go by. They are now in their mid to late thirties. I will let you decide which one turned out to be my "favorite."

The oldest one had excellent grades in high school, college and engineering school. He played football and excelled at that. He married a nurse and they had twin boys. They bought a huge opulent house once he procurred a high-paying job, with a title no less. Not that he didn't work hard for what he has, but things just kind of fell his way.

The youngest was average in school and did not go to college. He liked to work on cars and get his hands dirty. He's a truck driver. He dated a nurse and we thought they would marry. She got cold feet. Eventually he found someone else and they did get married. It didn't last long. She was a daddy's girl and missed her father, so she left and went back home. Finally he met someone who deeply cared for him. Someone with a pre-school aged daughter. He loves that little girl and vice versa. Turns out he's a wonderful father.

Well, eventually they had a daughter together. See, they couldn't get married yet. His divorce was being held up by the ex. She wanted nothing to do with him but was making life absolutely miserable for him. (Been there, done that ~ it happened to myself and my husband in our first marriages.)

Getting back to the youngest: they are expecting another little one at the end of September. A boy. They planned on getting married earlier this year, but have decided to wait till after their son is born. When he was with his ex, he bought a small modest home. He recently sold that and bought a bigger one. Things are finally going his way.

So...which one do you think is my favorite? Hint: I always pull for the underdog.

(I still cannot get Blogger to cooperate and upload any photos. This post was pulled from draft.)

Before I Lose My Patience

Blogger will not let me upload any photos at this time, and because of that I refuse to cooperate just as well. So there will be no post of any significance at this time. But trust that there will be one later today. IF the buggers cooperate with me.

Enough Already!

The headline in my morning newspaper read:

"Aniston-Vaughn Engaged? Reply Is Vehement Denial"

(with individual photos of both no less)

Really, does anyone care? At all? I thought not. Why must our newspapers report this fluff? I like Jennifer as an actress; Vince I'm not sure about as I haven't seen much of his work, if any. But what do any of us really care about their private lives. Live and let live. Go... see their movies, but leave them alone otherwise.

I'm not taking sides; I am just sick and tired of being fed this type garbage when there are other more important things going on in our world today. After the Pitt-Jolie crap, my craw is full and I just can't take anymore!

As a teenager I ate that stuff up all the time. Couldn't get enough of it. But back then times were a whole lot simpler. Things of that nature usually weren't reported in the newspaper. So I bought all the movie magazines I could lay my hands on with my then-so-very-limited income. (Usually my lunch money.)

I'm over all that now. Oh, I still like to feast my eyes on a good-looking dude (like, say Johnny Depp, Antonio Banderas, Kiefer Sutherland et al), but I now am able to do that free via my computer. If only the newspapers would take note.