3/2/2016
Today, while waiting for the cashier to start ringing up my things, I heard/saw the oddest thing. The lady in front of me wanted $100 cash back. No biggie I think. Well, turns out I was wrong. When the cashier told this woman that the money was dirty, the customer began to freak out. The cashier had to assure her that the money wasn't "dirty" as in a laundry scheme, just dirty.
When you think about it all money gets dirty, since it goes from hand to hand. The customer wouldn't accept several of the larger bills and made the cashier count out a large number of ones and fives that met with her approval. All the time while waiting, I'm thinking that the world has probably revolved around at least once, since the subject of dirty money came up.
The cashier offered hand sanitizer to the customer, which she rejected. I was fully expecting for the customer to demand that the cashier go to the office and get brand new crisp bills. Really? If this situation upset this woman so much, I would hate to think what other things might set her off. She seemed to me a bit "mental" and I know all about being mental!
Who knows maybe the woman when she got home, ran the bills through the washing machine!
P
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Why Can't Things Stay The Same?
3/2/2016
I have a "little" OCD habit (actually more than a little if I were honest) and when I like something, I see no reason for that product to change. After all I'm not contacted by the manufacturer who, for the love of a dollar, doesn't let me know that my favorite lipstick color is discontinued, because it's not selling well.
Once I like a product, I am steadfastly devoted. I have only worn Chloe perfume for more than 30 years. Have I looked around for another scent? Nope. Why would I do that? The Chloe perfume that I use has been - you guessed it - discontinued. Why did I do about it? Plenty. I went on Ebay and bought practically ever bottle, used/unopened/box/no box I could find. I have those bottles lined up in my spare bathroom like soldiers waiting for battle. I used to also use Chloe dusting powder, but finding that discontinued item is scarce. And, if you do find the dusting powder, the price is prohibitive - over $100.00!!
I have used only one shade of lipstick for years. And, if you think it has been discontinued, you are right. Why am I not advised about this? I have a few tubes of lipstick left, but once they are gone, then I'm screwed. How many new lipsticks will I have to buy to find one that most closely looks like the color I'm used to wearing? More than a few I suspect.
The problem with discontinued items is, besides their being discontinued, is that if you do happen to find said item, the price will be over the moon. For some of Revlon's discontinued lipsticks, the price on Amazon is over $35.00. That's just too much and besides they don't have the shade that I like.
I know things have to change. But do I have to accept those changes? Eventually I will have to, I'll be left with no other choice. I may have to change, but I'll be kicking and screaming all the way to the cashier!
P
I have a "little" OCD habit (actually more than a little if I were honest) and when I like something, I see no reason for that product to change. After all I'm not contacted by the manufacturer who, for the love of a dollar, doesn't let me know that my favorite lipstick color is discontinued, because it's not selling well.
Once I like a product, I am steadfastly devoted. I have only worn Chloe perfume for more than 30 years. Have I looked around for another scent? Nope. Why would I do that? The Chloe perfume that I use has been - you guessed it - discontinued. Why did I do about it? Plenty. I went on Ebay and bought practically ever bottle, used/unopened/box/no box I could find. I have those bottles lined up in my spare bathroom like soldiers waiting for battle. I used to also use Chloe dusting powder, but finding that discontinued item is scarce. And, if you do find the dusting powder, the price is prohibitive - over $100.00!!
I have used only one shade of lipstick for years. And, if you think it has been discontinued, you are right. Why am I not advised about this? I have a few tubes of lipstick left, but once they are gone, then I'm screwed. How many new lipsticks will I have to buy to find one that most closely looks like the color I'm used to wearing? More than a few I suspect.
The problem with discontinued items is, besides their being discontinued, is that if you do happen to find said item, the price will be over the moon. For some of Revlon's discontinued lipsticks, the price on Amazon is over $35.00. That's just too much and besides they don't have the shade that I like.
I know things have to change. But do I have to accept those changes? Eventually I will have to, I'll be left with no other choice. I may have to change, but I'll be kicking and screaming all the way to the cashier!
P
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Spring Is Here
3/1/2016
I know you are probably checking the calendar for the "official" first day of spring, which is on the 20th. But today, while I was on my pee and poop morning watch outside, it felt like spring.
It makes me want to put the snow shovels in the basement and though physically limited, play in the dirt. Last year I was able to put in new plants by sitting in a lawn chair and using a child's shovel, dug out a hole. Probably more interesting to watch, than actually doing it. Oh, to have sons still at home!
I don't think it's quite warm enough to start opening up windows, but I am tempted. We keep one of our bedroom windows open 24/7 all year long. In the winter, we don't have the window opened up quite as much as we do at this time of year. Besides, with the blinds and windows open, Mister Sam (who can't see much of anything because of his cataracts), can stare out and make sure we're safe.
Benjamin is coming for a sleepover on Friday. We bought him a sleeping bag for Christmas and he hasn't been able to use it, since it was more or less intended to be used at Mom-Mom's house. We have a spare bedroom, which actually has an empty bed, but he won't sleep in it. When he was a toddler, we bought him a nap "sleeping bag". Their was a built-in pillow and once he slipped inside, you could throw the sheet over him. This was fine when he was 3 or 4 years old, but he outgrew it a long time ago. And, though he would like to, sleeping in our bed is no longer an option. Between Jeff and I, Maggie and Mister Sam, there isn't room for anyone or anything else in the bed!
Perhaps this afternoon, I can sit on the porch swing and watch the world go by. At the top of a cul-de-sac, there is very little activity to watch, unless you count squirrels!
Finished watching the Oscars yesterday. It's amazing how quickly the show goes by if you (a) skip all the commercials; (b) skip all the acceptance speeches; and finally (c) skip the songs that were sung. I did enjoy Chris Rock passing out Girl Scout cookies for sale in the audience. If memory serves me right (and it always doesn't), I think he managed to receive $65,000.00!!! Apparently, movie stars must not carry real money like we do - you know, ones, fives, tens and the occasional twenty. It would take a lot of little money to come up with $65,000!! Good for him.
Today is National Peanut Butter Lover's day, as well as Share a Smile Day.
P
I know you are probably checking the calendar for the "official" first day of spring, which is on the 20th. But today, while I was on my pee and poop morning watch outside, it felt like spring.
It makes me want to put the snow shovels in the basement and though physically limited, play in the dirt. Last year I was able to put in new plants by sitting in a lawn chair and using a child's shovel, dug out a hole. Probably more interesting to watch, than actually doing it. Oh, to have sons still at home!
I don't think it's quite warm enough to start opening up windows, but I am tempted. We keep one of our bedroom windows open 24/7 all year long. In the winter, we don't have the window opened up quite as much as we do at this time of year. Besides, with the blinds and windows open, Mister Sam (who can't see much of anything because of his cataracts), can stare out and make sure we're safe.
Benjamin is coming for a sleepover on Friday. We bought him a sleeping bag for Christmas and he hasn't been able to use it, since it was more or less intended to be used at Mom-Mom's house. We have a spare bedroom, which actually has an empty bed, but he won't sleep in it. When he was a toddler, we bought him a nap "sleeping bag". Their was a built-in pillow and once he slipped inside, you could throw the sheet over him. This was fine when he was 3 or 4 years old, but he outgrew it a long time ago. And, though he would like to, sleeping in our bed is no longer an option. Between Jeff and I, Maggie and Mister Sam, there isn't room for anyone or anything else in the bed!
Perhaps this afternoon, I can sit on the porch swing and watch the world go by. At the top of a cul-de-sac, there is very little activity to watch, unless you count squirrels!
Finished watching the Oscars yesterday. It's amazing how quickly the show goes by if you (a) skip all the commercials; (b) skip all the acceptance speeches; and finally (c) skip the songs that were sung. I did enjoy Chris Rock passing out Girl Scout cookies for sale in the audience. If memory serves me right (and it always doesn't), I think he managed to receive $65,000.00!!! Apparently, movie stars must not carry real money like we do - you know, ones, fives, tens and the occasional twenty. It would take a lot of little money to come up with $65,000!! Good for him.
Today is National Peanut Butter Lover's day, as well as Share a Smile Day.
P
Monday, February 29, 2016
Happy Leap Year Day!
2/29/2016
I know how you all are in awe of my fact finding missions, and today won't be a disappointment. Between 1900 and 2020 there will be 30 Leap Years. By 2020, I'll be 71 years old-yikes. This day is added to the calendar in leap years as a corrective measure, because the Earth does not orbit the sun in precisely 365 days. I didn't know that.
The Egyptians were the first to come up with adding an extra day to the calendar and later the Romans added the 29th to their calendar as well. The creators of our calendar, introduced in 1582 decided to omit leap years three times every four hundred years. This would shorten the calendar every so often and rid it of the annual excess of 11 minutes and 14 seconds. So in addition to the rule that a leap year occurs every four years, a new rule was added: a century year is not a leap year unless is evenly divisible by 400. This rule manages to eliminate three leap years every few hundred years.
This ingenious correction worked beautifully in bringing the calendar and the solar year in harmony, pretty much eliminating those pesky extra 11 minutes and 14 seconds. Now the calendar year and the solar year are just about a half a minute off. At that rate, it takes 3,300 years for the calendar year and solar year to diverge by a day.
So there you have it. Every four years, we have an additional sunrise and sunset as well as an extra 24 hours to do something or nothing - that depends on you.
P
I know how you all are in awe of my fact finding missions, and today won't be a disappointment. Between 1900 and 2020 there will be 30 Leap Years. By 2020, I'll be 71 years old-yikes. This day is added to the calendar in leap years as a corrective measure, because the Earth does not orbit the sun in precisely 365 days. I didn't know that.
The Egyptians were the first to come up with adding an extra day to the calendar and later the Romans added the 29th to their calendar as well. The creators of our calendar, introduced in 1582 decided to omit leap years three times every four hundred years. This would shorten the calendar every so often and rid it of the annual excess of 11 minutes and 14 seconds. So in addition to the rule that a leap year occurs every four years, a new rule was added: a century year is not a leap year unless is evenly divisible by 400. This rule manages to eliminate three leap years every few hundred years.
This ingenious correction worked beautifully in bringing the calendar and the solar year in harmony, pretty much eliminating those pesky extra 11 minutes and 14 seconds. Now the calendar year and the solar year are just about a half a minute off. At that rate, it takes 3,300 years for the calendar year and solar year to diverge by a day.
So there you have it. Every four years, we have an additional sunrise and sunset as well as an extra 24 hours to do something or nothing - that depends on you.
P
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Washing Rugs
2/28/2016
A blog devoted to washing rugs? Really? Yes to both questions. I have in the house a number of throw rugs that because of muddy feet or paws or "accidents" need frequent washing. Should be simple, but it isn't always.
A rug in Jeff's office was one with the rubber/latex backing. Somebody, probably Mister Sam, thought that it was okay to use the rug as his personal bathroom, rather than going outside. I took the rug and because my washing machine still has an agitator, threw in a number of rags to balance the load.
Imagine my surprise when the washing was done, and I discovered the remnants of a rug. And I do mean remnants. The washing machine had literally torn the rug up into pieces and the washing machine was filled with rug fibers. The rug, obviously, was taken to the trash and in doing so, I left a trail of rug bits behind me.
I had to take all of the rags outside and shake them free of the rug bits. Oh, and I had to wipe the inside of the washing machine, to remove more bits. I did learn one lesson though - don't buy rugs with rubber or latex backings. All of the other throw rugs I have in the house are two-sided, so it's the same on both sides. These are much easier to wash.
So rug washing or not, is my tip of the week. And I know each of you are breathless with the knowledge I've just shared!!!
P
A blog devoted to washing rugs? Really? Yes to both questions. I have in the house a number of throw rugs that because of muddy feet or paws or "accidents" need frequent washing. Should be simple, but it isn't always.
A rug in Jeff's office was one with the rubber/latex backing. Somebody, probably Mister Sam, thought that it was okay to use the rug as his personal bathroom, rather than going outside. I took the rug and because my washing machine still has an agitator, threw in a number of rags to balance the load.
Imagine my surprise when the washing was done, and I discovered the remnants of a rug. And I do mean remnants. The washing machine had literally torn the rug up into pieces and the washing machine was filled with rug fibers. The rug, obviously, was taken to the trash and in doing so, I left a trail of rug bits behind me.
I had to take all of the rags outside and shake them free of the rug bits. Oh, and I had to wipe the inside of the washing machine, to remove more bits. I did learn one lesson though - don't buy rugs with rubber or latex backings. All of the other throw rugs I have in the house are two-sided, so it's the same on both sides. These are much easier to wash.
So rug washing or not, is my tip of the week. And I know each of you are breathless with the knowledge I've just shared!!!
P
Saturday, February 27, 2016
Oscar Fever
2/27/2016
Tomorrow is all about the movies and those little golden statutes. Jeff and I are not regular movie goers, so we can only root for the one movie we saw - The Martian. I don't believe the movie itself will win an Oscar, but Matt Damon was incredible in his role.
I like movies, but they are very expensive now. Well, they would be cheaper, if yours truly didn't have to have popcorn and a soda! What can I say? I love popcorn - correction - buttered popcorn!
Jeff goes generally to only one movie a year, and he's always surprised at how much a two hour event costs. The movies always make their way to Netflix and the cost of admission is simple: no talking, popcorn and soda. Then off to our own recliners we go to enjoy the movie with the added benefit of the pause button!
I have set the Tivo to record the Oscars. What I really like about these award shows is watching what the actresses wear. I have to continually remind myself that they can afford to have any designer make their dress, someone else to "paint" their face and be dripping in jewels (which are on loan). And even with all that help, sometimes I wonder what these ladies were thinking. Okay, maybe they weren't thinking.
I'm not a prude, or at least much of one, but I still have trouble accepting that it is now acceptable to have more of your body hanging out of a gown. than actually in the gown. The gowns have plunging fronts, which is where duct tape (kidding) comes in handy! Backs are bare and slits are long. Maybe I'm just jealous, because nobody wants to see that much of me - even I don't like seeing that much of me! Unlike actresses, my body already has the ever increasing number of old lady spots, which really aren't attractive. As for the rest of me, I'm not overweight, just under tall!
Here are pictures of an elegant gown, a really baaaaaaaaaaaaaad idea, the requisite slit in the gown and true elegance:
It's so much fun to watch the Red Carpet ceremony. Since I have only seen one Oscar nominated movie, I will be concentrating on seeing who's wearing a gown from which designer.
P
Tomorrow is all about the movies and those little golden statutes. Jeff and I are not regular movie goers, so we can only root for the one movie we saw - The Martian. I don't believe the movie itself will win an Oscar, but Matt Damon was incredible in his role.
I like movies, but they are very expensive now. Well, they would be cheaper, if yours truly didn't have to have popcorn and a soda! What can I say? I love popcorn - correction - buttered popcorn!
Jeff goes generally to only one movie a year, and he's always surprised at how much a two hour event costs. The movies always make their way to Netflix and the cost of admission is simple: no talking, popcorn and soda. Then off to our own recliners we go to enjoy the movie with the added benefit of the pause button!
I have set the Tivo to record the Oscars. What I really like about these award shows is watching what the actresses wear. I have to continually remind myself that they can afford to have any designer make their dress, someone else to "paint" their face and be dripping in jewels (which are on loan). And even with all that help, sometimes I wonder what these ladies were thinking. Okay, maybe they weren't thinking.
I'm not a prude, or at least much of one, but I still have trouble accepting that it is now acceptable to have more of your body hanging out of a gown. than actually in the gown. The gowns have plunging fronts, which is where duct tape (kidding) comes in handy! Backs are bare and slits are long. Maybe I'm just jealous, because nobody wants to see that much of me - even I don't like seeing that much of me! Unlike actresses, my body already has the ever increasing number of old lady spots, which really aren't attractive. As for the rest of me, I'm not overweight, just under tall!
Here are pictures of an elegant gown, a really baaaaaaaaaaaaaad idea, the requisite slit in the gown and true elegance:
It's so much fun to watch the Red Carpet ceremony. Since I have only seen one Oscar nominated movie, I will be concentrating on seeing who's wearing a gown from which designer.
P
Friday, February 26, 2016
Cookbook
2/26/2016
There was a time when it was popular and nearly mandatory for women to have a recipe box. The 3x5 recipe cards inside, were written out by hand. My mother's recipe box was made of tin, with a red top and a yellow bottom. When my mother passed away, my sister and I went through her recipes. I had, over the years, already copied most of her recipes. I told my sister that all I wanted was one or two recipes in my mother's handwriting. She could have the rest.
When Jeff and I were married in 1974 (boy that was a few years ago), my mother-in-law gave me a cookbook "The Joy of Cooking". This cookbook is filled with plenty of wonderful recipes. One recipe in particular is for a barbecue sauce. This sauce is what we use when we cook ribs, and it's delicious.
After my mother-in-law passed away, Jeff and his siblings had to deal with her belongings. I noticed a very worn copy of "The Joy of Cooking", and knew immediately that I had to have that cookbook. The copyright date is 1946, with the original copyright date in 1931. The back of the cookbook is missing and the pages are yellowed with age. It also has a musty old book smell, which for some strange reason, I like.
On page 359 of this old cookbook is the recipe for the barbecue sauce. This particular page is stained with food spills. Pages 332 and 333 look like she used the recipes on those pages quite a bit too. My mother-in-law was a good cook and meals at her house were always excellent.
Pressed between the pages of the cookbook are handwritten recipes for tea cookies, another one for oatmeal cookies. At the back of the book, are two postcards with recipes for fried diamond twists and medallions. Why do I keep this nearly worn out cookbook? Memories mostly. I am too sentimental some of my friends say. I make no apologies for being this way. At the end of each day, the one constant you have are memories. I prefer to keep my memories close by, because for the most part, they are good memories and make me happy.
By the way, you can buy this vintage cookbook on Etsy for $35.00!
There was a time when it was popular and nearly mandatory for women to have a recipe box. The 3x5 recipe cards inside, were written out by hand. My mother's recipe box was made of tin, with a red top and a yellow bottom. When my mother passed away, my sister and I went through her recipes. I had, over the years, already copied most of her recipes. I told my sister that all I wanted was one or two recipes in my mother's handwriting. She could have the rest.
When Jeff and I were married in 1974 (boy that was a few years ago), my mother-in-law gave me a cookbook "The Joy of Cooking". This cookbook is filled with plenty of wonderful recipes. One recipe in particular is for a barbecue sauce. This sauce is what we use when we cook ribs, and it's delicious.
After my mother-in-law passed away, Jeff and his siblings had to deal with her belongings. I noticed a very worn copy of "The Joy of Cooking", and knew immediately that I had to have that cookbook. The copyright date is 1946, with the original copyright date in 1931. The back of the cookbook is missing and the pages are yellowed with age. It also has a musty old book smell, which for some strange reason, I like.
On page 359 of this old cookbook is the recipe for the barbecue sauce. This particular page is stained with food spills. Pages 332 and 333 look like she used the recipes on those pages quite a bit too. My mother-in-law was a good cook and meals at her house were always excellent.
Pressed between the pages of the cookbook are handwritten recipes for tea cookies, another one for oatmeal cookies. At the back of the book, are two postcards with recipes for fried diamond twists and medallions. Why do I keep this nearly worn out cookbook? Memories mostly. I am too sentimental some of my friends say. I make no apologies for being this way. At the end of each day, the one constant you have are memories. I prefer to keep my memories close by, because for the most part, they are good memories and make me happy.
By the way, you can buy this vintage cookbook on Etsy for $35.00!
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