For Every Mother

It's Monday...What Can I Say

Back in the day when I had a job to go to, I used to hate Mondays with a passion.  I hated them so much that by Sunday afternoon I would start feeling ill.  It wasn't always like that, though.  It was just that last job I had.  The company used to have a terminal closer to my house which was ideal for me.  I only had a few miles to travel.  Then they decided they were going to move half an hour away from that terminal to the west, farther away from my house.  I was given certain promises of things I would not have to do concerning my job duties by the terminal manager if I would make the move with them.  Needless to say he only lasted a few years and those promises went out the window.  Making a long story short:  Succeeding terminal managers, one by one, made my job suck.  Up until then I was really enjoying work and life and all that goes with it.  Of course, the long journey to and from work wasn't the best of conditions, but it was good money.  Now that the gas prices turned ridiculous I consider myself fortunate that I no longer have that commute and feel the company actually did me a favor, in a small way.

So here we are today.  I love Mondays.  They no longer represent what they used to back then.  Today a Monday is just another day for me.  I enjoy each day and try to get the most out of them since life is short and one never knows when they are going to get called to duty with the big guy.

It's been quite a few days since I last wrote anything here only because nothing spectacular has happened.  Believe me, had anything great happened, I would have written about it.  I don't like to let a lot of days go by without putting something here.  

Once my 5 days of antibiotics were done with, it took another two days for me to get back to where I was a month ago.  That was my first UTI (I know, too much info), and I don't want another one.  They are not the most fun things to have.  Very uncomfortable.

Yesterday's NASCAR race was so-so.  Junior started out with a great car, one he felt might have won the race for him if he would stay out of the wrecks and the car would not go south.  One by one guys were having engine problems and that is because it was a hot day and the way NASCAR restricts things on the cars it makes them run hotter than usual due to the small restrictor plates and the grill openings.  Once the #88 team realized what was happening, they backed off from trying to run wide open, cruised around mid-pack during the middle of the race, and toward the end is when Junior decided to try and move up to the front as best he could muster from the car without putting himself out of the race by overtaxing the engine.  Lord knows he does not need a DNF (did not finish) due to engine failure at this point.  He went into the race 5 points out of the lead for the championship and when the race was over he only lost 4 points, putting him 9 out of the lead and in third place.  It could have been a lot worse due to all the wrecks he so magnificently weaved through.  This coming weekend's race is at Darlington, the most unforgiving track of all.  Let's hope it likes Dale Jr.

 

Under The Weather

The good news is we got the permit to go ahead and have the shed put on our lot next door.  We have to stay five feet away from the lot line but it will be under the mercury vapor light we have in our backyard.  

The bad news is I have not been feeling well the past few days.  And the antibiotic the doctor has me on (one more day to go) makes me nauseous at times not to mention being lightheaded, which are both side effects of the pill.

The weather still hasn't gotten much better but it looks like there is light at the end of the tunnel in a few days.  

I have no idea if any of my readers are followers of NASCAR, but when I set this blog up it was to write about my favorite driver, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.  For the past couple of years, well a lot more than just a couple, he has not been doing all that well.  This year, however, is a different story.  Things are looking up and hopefully he will win a race or two before the season is over at the end of November.  He finished second in Saturday night's race and is now five points out of first place for the championship run.

Till next time...

I'm Half German, Don't Mess With Me

Since we bought the Harley we also need something to put it in.  For now it is crammed in our one-car garage with my '97 Mustang.  It works, but is not feasible.

We are having a mini barn shed (similar to the one above) being built as we speak.  We wanted to put it alongside the garage wall of our rancher.  I have a flower bed there and we had already dug out the hostas and put them in a new bed along our little shed behind the house.

Our township needs a permit for every little thing...I guess they are afraid they will miss out on something they want to be taxed.  This shed will not be permanent; therefore, it will not be taxed and that is why we went ahead and ordered one without consulting the township before getting a permit.

Husband went to the township Monday morning to get the permit.  Our land covers a little under three acres.  It is split into two separate lots.  One has our house, a small shed, and the large barn-type building we built back in the 90's.  Our lot next door has nothing but a few trees on it. 

The township informed my husband that all owners are only allowed their main dwelling and two other buildings on their property according to the acreage we have.  When my husband told me that, I immediately said, Put it on the lot next door.  He liked that idea.  So he called the township back and told the girl in charge what he wanted to do, but the head honcho of the zoning board was in Jamaica and wouldn't be back until the next day.

If they turn us down and do not allow the shed to be put on our lot next door, we will have to cancel the shed being built.  I have no idea what happens to the hundreds of dollars we put down on it already but someone is going to have a lot of explaining to do. The other alternative is applying for a variance.  I have seen how our township works when it comes to granting variances:  slow and backwards...and the variance would cost us an additional $750.00.  Ouch!

I can understand if our property was small, then there would be crowding and people would get out of hand as to how many buildings they have.  But our property is huge.  Both lots across the front are 230 ft. total and the depth is 543 ft. so what they are saying doesn't make sense.

I am so angry right now I could spit...

Short And Sweet

Nothing happening over the past couple days but we did celebrate our 22nd anniversary by going out to eat Saturday evening.  We have been doing that every year and it's nice to have that to look forward to; however, with each passing year it seems as if the anniversaries are getting closer and closer.

We are in the midst of nothing but rain and more rain and it is causing dampness in the house and in my bones.  Had to turn one of the infrared heaters back on which is something I had hoped would not be needed till it gets cold again.  The one good thing about this rain, other than we needed it, is that I don't have to water the hostas we just transplanted.  Once we moved them, the outside cats thought we made them a new bathroom, so we had to put rocks amongst the plants.  Darn cats.

On Sunday, Dale Jr. started the race in 7th and finished in 7th.  He was running up front for the entire race and was in 3rd for awhile.  Martin Truex Jr. led most of the race but was swept aside by Denny Hamlin who went on to win with only a few laps left.  That did not make me happy at all.  The race was at the Kansas track and it was boring.  I look forward to each race with such enthusiasm but once it gets started and nothing happens, such as cars passing other cars, I get bored and take naps.  Hopefully this weekend's race at Richmond on Saturday night will keep me awake.

And that's all I have going right now.  Boring, boring, boring...

Back To Normal For Now

I restored back to the old interface by clicking on the gear and clicking on the drop down menu.  They are saying changes are coming in April (we are more than halfway through April), and I am wondering what happens if we don't do anything and April is long gone.  Will my blog explode?

I don't like to be told what to do.  Blogger wants us to download Google Chrome and then we won't have problems.  The last time I checked I was still living in the US.  Who are they to tell us what browser to use?  

I currently have Internet Explorer and Mozilla FireFox as my browsers.  I do not "Google,"  I "Bing."  I try to stay away from Google for several reasons.  

Moving on to other topics:

We are having beautiful weather finally.  A few days ago it was almost 90 degrees, we came one degree short of that but we did tie a record for that day at 89.  Today it is absolutely gorgeous outside with 75 degree weather.  (I wish I had that little circle to denote degree instead of having to spell it out all the time.)

Our four cats are all doing well, with the two youngest getting into the most trouble.  There were several litters born outside with one of them being born right in the greenhouse.  After two days of the hustle bustle that was going on, momma moved them elsewhere.  I know where she moved them but I haven't checked on them since so she could have moved them again.  The others are way out back of our property tucked away till their mommas decide to bring them up to the house.

I still haven't ridden on the Harley yet but that day is coming.  Each time we were going to go somewhere the weather was nasty so we took the truck instead.  Now that it is warmer we can plan to ride. 

Until next time...

Blogger Hijacked Me

I was all ready to put up something new on here when I spied a little tag that said I should update.  I made the mistake of clicking on it.  Good Lord, it told me my browser no longer supported Blogger and it wouldn't work, probably.  Well, they were right.  I never learn.  The fact that they said something new was coming in April is what drew me into their sticky web.  Stupid, stupid me.

Luckily this is working with my Firefox browser.  The notice also told me I could download Chrome and then things would be OK.  I had Chrome once before and didn't like it.  Also, I need to keep Internet Explorer for obvious reasons.  I don't want three browsers. 

When this all took place it was like watching my life flash before my eyes.  I felt like I had lost contact with the outside world and I would no longer be able to post anything.  I felt like my readers (what few I have) would think something happened to me.  And I am not liking this one bit.  

I sincerely hope this new fan-dangled thing is going to work and not give me any problems now or in the future.  I do not like change.  I do not believe in messing with something that has been working.  It's just not my nature.  The devil made me click on that update button.  See what happens when you jump into the den of iniquity?  

I always have to learn my lesson the hard way...

The Easter Bunny Is Gone

When last seen he was being escorted out of town by the greyhound posse.

Also gone is most of the ham, the green beans, the mashed yams, and the lettuce with hot bacon dressing. And let's not forget the cherry crumb pie.

I hope your Easter was as yummy as ours.

The Easter Bunny Is Coming

Easter was always a big deal when my parents were still around.  We used to spend the entire day with them.  I would buy Mom a different flower every year and I would also get them an Easter card.  Good times.

My brother and his wife and family as well as my sister and her family (she divorced and never remarried) would gather at the dining room table and we would have a magnificent feast.  Of course, those days are long gone.  Both my parents have been gone now for over eight years.  My sister has since moved to California and my brother forgot he has a sister living here in the same state.

My daughter will be coming to visit the day before Easter.  She has not seen our trike yet and she is also anxious to visit with our cats...especially the kitten, Eli.

What's left?  My husband and four cats...and we will be celebrating Easter in our own little way just like we have been doing for the past years.  I always loved Easter.  It's a wonderful reawakening of the spirit and I especially love that it arrives in the Spring (my favorite season of all).  It is also the reason why our wedding anniversary is in April.

This year it will be my husband and myself on Easter Day, and at first I was only going to make some ham slices and a few trimmings.  We went to the grocery store today and there were these brown sugar hams that were so tempting we just couldn't pass them up at $1.49 a pound.  And once again I will be making a ham for Easter.  I can smell it already.  

At this time, I would like to extend to all my readers my wish for a Happy Easter...and don't eat too much candy. 

It's A Harley!

As many of you will remember out there, I requested someone to buy this for me for Christmas.  Nobody stepped forward so we took matters into our own hands.

My quest started late last year, maybe around October.   My husband wanted to go look at the bikes at a certain H-D dealer that recently changed hands.  When we got there they had a red trike on the floor and it was quite a beauty.  Literally breathtaking...but a little too rich for my pocketbook. We looked, chatted and left.  Of course I left my phone number with them for when the blue one came in so we could see it and make some kind of decision then.  Eventually they called us about the blue one, but at that time I had made up my mind that if I did get a trike, it would be black.

After the passing of a few weeks, the purchase of a trike was out of my head; too many other things were getting in the way of a purchase that expensive.  Christmas came and Christmas went and by February we got another call telling us the black one came in, did we want to look at it?  I told them that is the only color I would consider buying and added I wanted to wait till the weather got a little warmer before we would be back up.  Anything to delay having to go and talk to them again.  As much as I wanted a trike I didn't feel like parting with that much cash.

Meanwhile we got a notice about our taxes going up across the board for 2013, and after finding out exactly how much due to a reassessment by the county, I again said no bike, and ended up talking myself out of purchasing this trike yet once again.  And that went on for a few weeks...back and forth, back and forth...till finally one day I had had enough. 

Finally, I gave myself a good talking to, and the main idea I had was taxes or no taxes...I will not let them stop me from doing what I want and enjoying what time we have left.  One never knows when their last day on earth will be.  So if you have something you want to do just do it and don't ever look back.

Here it is just after bringing it home:

(Note to Peruby:  I know you guessed a bike, but this is not a bike ~ it's a trike.)

The Excitement Is Building

One more day...

And then the fun begins.

I can hardly contain myself.

One For The Road

A loud pounding on the door awakens a man and his wife at 3 o'clock in the morning. The man gets up and goes to the door, where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a push.

"Not a chance," says the husband, "it's three o'clock in the morning!"
He slams the door and returns to bed. "Who was that?" asked his wife.
"Just some drunk guy asking for a push," he answers.
"Did you help him?" she asks.
"No, I didn't, it's three in the morning and pouring rain!"
"Well, you sure have a short memory," says his wife, "don't you remember about three months ago, when we broke down and those two guys helped us? I think you should help him, and should be ashamed of yourself!"

The man does as he is told, gets dressed, goes out into the pounding rain and calls out into the dark, "Hello, are you still out here?"
"Yeah," comes back the answer.
"Do ya still need a push?" calls out the husband.
"Yes, please!" comes the reply from the dark.
"Well, where are you?" asks the husband.

"Over here on the swing!" replies the drunk.

It's Getting Closer

By next Thursday I should have a new post up here telling you all about our little project. 

Keep posted.

Unless I think of something to write about till then.

Shhhhhhhhh...it's a big secret.

The Weather Outside Is...

...absolutely delightful!  It is noontime and already we are up to 75 degrees of beautiful scrumptious warmth.  This warmth will continue for at least a week when we may or may not hit the eighties.  I don't care...I am loving it. 

After next week I don't know what the weather will decide to do, but for now I am basking in it. 

We have been working on a little project which I will reveal to my readers by the end of the month at the very latest.  I can't talk about it yet because the deal hasn't been finalized, but by March 31st it should be all taken care of and in our hands. 

Yesterday's race at Bristol, TN, was going good until the final caution.  Dale Jr. was running high in the pack most of the day and was hovering in the 5th position when he fell back to the 7th...and then that dreaded caution came out so they went into the pits for gas, as they were running low and weren't quite sure they would make it to the end of the race.  The "speeding monster" in the pit area grabbed Dale Jr. and he had to go to the back of the pack of the cars that were on the lead lap...which meant he restarted in 14th position.  He never did get a grip on the track after that because it reared its ugly head and gave him a flat tire to add to his miseries and he finished in 15th place.  Very dreadful indeed. 

Next week they go to California, a track I am not at all fond of so I can only hope the #88 team does better.  As of now Dale Jr. is tied for 5th place in the points standings.

If anything major happens between now and then I will write about it; if not, don't despair...I am here to stay and I'm not going anywhere.  I hope.

Holy Smokes!

It got up to 76 degrees today people. If someone told me a few weeks ago when it was so dadgummed cold that it would reach that degree of warmth today,  I would have looked at them funny and walked away shaking my head all the while.  On this day back in 1993 we had a huge snowstorm that dumped well over 12-16 inches of snow on us.  I can't remember how much but I remember it was quite a lot. 

Eli went to the vet early this morning and had his neutering done.  He is resting comfortably in his crate till all the meds wear off.  He has not eaten since midnight and is not allowed to eat anything tonight either, so he will be hungry as a horse come the morning.  He has had water and will get some more later tonight. 

Punkin' is back to his normal self after being so deadly sick a week or so ago.  The day after we took him to the vet and he got the penicillin and other goodies, he was feeling so much better and the hacking stopped, too.  When he hacked like he did it used to rattle my bones something terrible.

I hope we are done with vet costs for awhile because between those two little ones it cost a fortune. 

Sorry If I Confused Anyone

In my previous post I wrote that texting in PA is illegal.  I meant while driving a vehicle, not just anytime.  Sorry I did not elaborate...

A Few Tidbits

Texting on a cellphone in PA is now illegal.  So how can anyone tell if someone is texting when they have the phone on their lap?  Talking on a cellphone is still legal.  What's the difference between texting and dialing?  I am so confused...
I don't use a cellphone.  I can't understand why the majority of people can't seem to live without one.  I swear teens are born with one in their hand.

Punkin' has recuperated from whatever it was he had.  It was super nasty, let me tell you.  I thought we were going to lose him.  The day after we had him to the vet and he got medicine he was a different cat.  He must have lost his sense of smell during his sickness because now he goes around sniffing at everything.

Eli (the baby) is going to the vet next Tuesday to get neutered.  I tried to think of something funny to write about that, but there really isn't anything funny about it at all.  Especially if you're a male cat. 

Dale Jr. qualifed 4th for the Kobalt Tools 400 in Las Vegas on Sunday.  No one could qualify higher than he did once his lap was done, so where he qualified he stayed. Fingers crossed that he does well.

My daffodils have buds on them and will probably bloom in a few days.  We just went through two days of very warm weather but now we are back to being cold again.   The weather people are saying it is going to get even warmer next week.  I wish the weather would make up its mind.

Have a nice weekend...

Maybe I Should Stop Reading The Newspaper

Sometimes I can get through the newspaper unscathed.  This morning wasn't one of those times.  I read a newspaper to be entertained.  I hate when I forget that's all it is:  entertainment.  And then I get all caught up in the crap that is in the paper.   

The reason for the photo on my blog?  This state, as well as the county and township I live in, only want one thing from us residents:  more taxes.  The more they take, the more we give, and the less we have to show for it.  They just keep cutting things here and there or taking important things away, but they think nothing of sending millions of our dollars into projects like a hockey arena to be the home of a minor league team smack dab in the middle of town where businesses and homes were torn down to make room for it.  WTH and WTF!  All the protesting in the world could not stop that project as their mind was made up to do it whether we liked it or not.

I am so sick of being slapped with tax upon tax that it's getting to the point where I soon won't want to get out of bed to face yet another tax or stupid project that costs taxpayers more money yet again. 

We just got letters from the county for our reassessments that will raise or lower our taxes for 2013.  Right now it's a joke.  We have the right to appeal and I didn't hesitate.  They think that our taxes will be going up $1200.00 more by next year based on these new assessments.  That's their estimate so I am bracing myself for them to be higher than that.  And I have been bitching about our high taxes because they go up every year and like everything else...nothing in return.   When are they going to ask renters to pitch in with taxes?  Why should they get a free ride?   When are they going to stop taxing people who no longer have children in school?  When?  Why should I be taxed so heavily because I prefer to own my home rather than rent and give that money away to the landlord?  We are being penalized in so many ways.  Nobody cares...they just slap more taxes on the home owners.

I  honestly don't know why the people keep letting those in power get away with all the things they do...like lambs led to slaughter.  It's easy to say remember them at voting time and get them out.  The sad thing is whoever replaces them is just as bad if not worse and we slip farther yet into the mire.

I guess I know now why so many older folks say they're tired of living and just want to die.  It's a lot easier than being under the thumb of the a-holes in office -- and don't even get me started on the country's leader(s).  You won't like what I have to say about him/them.  Besides, there is not enough room here for that rant.

Hoo Boy!

Earlier today our doorbell rang and since my husband was on his way out the door, he answered it.  That job usually falls on me since I am the only one dressed to answer a door.  And then if it's for him he has to run and grab a shirt or sometimes a shirt and pants.  Yeah, I have one of those husbands.  Lucky me.

There were two females and they were trying to sell him on the magazine titled Awake which is affiliated with Jehovah's Witnesses.

I was not privy to the conversation, although I did hear one of them sort of laugh, and I didn't know who they were or why they were at our door.

When my husband closed the door and came back inside to tell me who they were he said, They were hawking a magazine called Awake about their religion so I told them I'm an atheist.

I darn near spit my coffee out across the table.  We are Christians, always have been and always will be.

Back in the day when those people came to my door I would just tell them I had my own religion.  Leave it up to my husband to get creative.

It's Always Something Around Here

I didn't realize it's been awhile since I last wrote something. I have a good excuse though.

My husband and I are just fine; now it's the cats that are sick. Baby Eli got sick first and it was so slight that I hadn't really noticed anything was wrong. He bounces off the walls and there isn't much that can keep him down so nothing was thought of it. His one eye was half closed for a day and was fine the next day because I used warm moistened cotton balls on it.  I thought that was the end of it.

Then Punkin' started hacking and coughing like I have never heard a cat do before. I thought it might be asthma but now I'm not so sure. It could be his allergies kicking up again, something that was lying low for quite some time. I thought he had outgrown those, apparently not. Today his one eye is the same as Eli's was a few weeks ago.

Yesterday (or maybe the day before) Dakota was not herself. She didn't want to eat and as a matter of fact she even spit in her food, which I then had to throw out. And her voice turned to being squeaky. Today it is stronger and she has been eating since yesterday.  Knock on wood...Junior is still OK for now.

I have no idea how this happened since they are indoor cats. The only thing I can think of is when Eli was at the vet back in January he may have picked up something then. I will never know.

At any rate, I must call the vet tomorrow and see what I should do. I have a dental appointment mid-morning so I will call when I get back.

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

The Daytona 500 was cancelled due to rain most of the day. They are planning to start it at noon Monday...despite the fact that it is supposed to rain most of the day again. I am hoping they decide to have it on Tuesday instead as I have no plans for that day. Unless I have to take Punkin' to the vet.

Like I said, it's always something around here.