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December 27, 2004
Let it snow, let it snow..let it...
..WAIT..STOP..where's my snowplow guy? There may only be about 6-8 inches of snow out there..lovely light fluffy stuff BUT my snowplow guy is AWOL.
hmmm...I don't recall receiving the summer/fall phonecall from him to recommit to plowing. I'll call him. Hhhhmmm..I don' thave his number in my "records". His number is only on the top half of his bills; the send with remittance form. hmmm..he isn't in the yellow pages....Hhhmmm he isn't in the white pages! Yikes, we don't have a snow plow guy lined up and there is a freakin' snowstorm going on!
Sigh...I called my neighbor whose husband plows..thank goodness he has agreed to take us on. whew...and we'll get a run first as he leaves the neighborhood for his other plowing jobs. Thanks Mike!
Sooo we made it through Christmas 2004 without too much difficulty. We tried to go minimalist this year. Low keyed...no knocking ourselves out last minute shopping for "stuff" no one wants or needs. Even the tree was small...maybe 5 feet, 2 strings of lights, a few special ornaments and a couple of cats taking up residence underneath..what more can a person want? Lisa and David arrived from Maine with fresh lobster meat so we were able to dine on the traditional lobster stew Christmas Eve. It was a stellar batch of stew if I do say so myself....must have been the fresh lobster meat.
We awoke Christmas morning to enough snow to make it "white"..that was nice. I feel awful for all the travellers who got shafted by the weather and airline snafus though. Glad we weren't among them..somehow or another I don't think spending Christmas at PHL or Cincinnati would be my idea of a good time. ComAir gets the 2004 Boobie prize I suspect.
At any rate...I plan on catching up on some reading and more relaxing well into the New Year..Have a pleasant week all!
Posted by frani at 11:37 AM | Comments (1)
December 19, 2004
Fun and games
Remember all those fun snowflakes you used to make in school out of paper and scissors? Welcome to the internet...have fun with this version: Create a snowflake
Thanks to Ellen ......and Beancounters
Posted by frani at 08:13 AM | Comments (0)
December 17, 2004
Over the river and...
.....through the woods to Grandmother's house. Oh wait I AM the Grandmother!
Actually we are going home this evening so if you see us on the interstates wave howdy!! We'll be drinking our Nicaraguan Maragogype coffee and chuckling over Dave Barry's Tricky Business tape; we won't be hard to miss.
Ohhhhhhhh today as I was going out to run more errands, I saw this huge bird flying around. he landed in a tree near-by and I swear he looked like a turkey vulture..he had red stuff on his head above his beek. I noticed he had a mate flying around there too...no, I didn't have the camera with me but I wouldn't have been able to get a photo anyway. He was BIG though.
...and I saw another submarine pulling into port this morning too..this one had people on deck...could be this was their last duty since it's an honor to stand on deck coming into port. I hope that was the case for them. Still gives me a thrill to see them, even days apart.
Have a good weekend all.......
Posted by frani at 03:36 PM | Comments (0)
December 15, 2004
hhhmmm again
So I was surfing away reading other weblogs when I found someone who was willing to share the secret to all traffic to their site...duh, some of us have to be hit over the head with a 2x4...it's the referrals, stoooopid..........of course now it's probably too late for all of that...everyone is referred up the ying yang! Anyone left you hasn't signed up for Blog Explosion. yet?? Use this link..please.
To comment: Click on Sign in link, After signing in, go back to comments and right click on the "sign-in" link and then click on "open in new window". THEN you should get the comment window!
Posted by frani at 04:08 PM | Comments (0)
Now there's a blog moment
All spring and summer since occupying this apartment, I have become used to the hammering and sawing next door..you know, general reconstruction noises. There was a gala event upon completion of the makeover ..the peace and quiet has only lasted a month, though
The reconstructionists have moved over to the house next door to the last one. The hammering...the sawing...the pounding...this morning, something is diiferent...
Pound pound pound...hammer hammer hammer..AAARRRRGGGHHHH....pound pound pound hammer hammer hammer
Twice now..........
Shall I call 911 if I hear it again?
To comment: Click on Sign in link, After signing in, go back to comments and right click on the "sign-in" link and then click on "open in new window". THEN you should get the comment window!
Posted by frani at 07:59 AM | Comments (2)
December 14, 2004
What did you say?
..or my fling with $20,000...I knew it wouldn't last. sigh...
Nice Bank Lady: Good Morning ..this is Melinda, how may I help you?
Me: Well Good morning Melinda, Yes I have an inquiry concerning a deposit made to our checking account.
Nice Bank Lady: May I have you account # and to verify please give me the date and amount of last deposit.
Me: (gave information)
NBL: Now then which deposit have you a concern with?
Me: November 18th
NBL: Yes I see it here...the amount is $20,000 (plus some random change)
Me: yes, that is the one.....
NBL: ...and the problem?
Me: I don't know where it came from
NBL: pause...I beg your pardon? You said you don't know where it came from?
Me: That's correct...I am pretty sure I would remember making a deposit of over $20,000 BUT I don't. Could you tell me anything about it?
NBL: Welllllllllll, the deposit ticket has your account number on it
Me: So it was a actual customer deposit...not some automatic deposit from some random place, is that right? As if I had to actually walk into the bank with deposit slip and some check or cash or something for $20,000plus...I don't recall doing that............ever.
NBL: Yes that would be correct, and this is your account number on it..
Me: (feeling the $$ slipping through my fingers) While it was nice to see that balance, I'm afraid when the statements go out, some nice person will be upset that their account is not registering a $20,000 deposit. However, I'll accept it if you can't find another home for it. I'm very accomodating that way.
NBL: Ahhhh....The account numbers are very close and I'll put in your request for a correction to your account...I do apologize for the mistakes
Me: (Assuming there is a name which is not mine attached to the deposit slip for which she looked up their account) Not so fast there missy...if there is any chance that money is mine, I want it...
Ok...actually I said something like: Well I assumed it might be easier for all concerned to straighten this out if I pointed out the error on my end...sigh...BUT I would still be willing to accept the deposit and raise it as my own.
NBL:Thank you again for bringing this to our attention; is there anything else I can do for you today, Mrs. J?
Me:No....No I think that is quite enough, thank you. Have a nice day.
Sigh....I knew it wasn't my money; I shouldn't be depressed it is gone. However, it would have been nice if the bank was giving away random deposits as goodwill gestures...you know...Thanks for your patronage - Have some extra money. Guess they don't do that, huh?
Posted by frani at 08:49 AM | Comments (1)
December 13, 2004
hhhmmm.....
Seen while shopping...
Boot Sale!
Buy one, get one free
hhhmmm...what a deal?
Posted by frani at 04:16 PM | Comments (0)
From there to here..again..
We're back in Connecticut again...my how time flies when we are home. I didn't accomplish much while there although I think I have this "knitting in real life" under control. I don't think it will be all that great a skill in my life but it's another one of those things..." Yeah, I can knit...yeah, I can crochet...yeah, I've jumped out of a perfectly good airplane..." At any rate, I didn't accomplish much of anything I had thought about doing while home. next time, maybe.
The snow over the weekend was nothing to get excited about..didn't make the traveling difficult. There were still plenty of left lane hugging flat-landers to contend with..the snow didn't keep THEM away. Actually I think snow draws them north for skiing.
I saw a beautiful big old hawk sitting in the median...waiting for some unsuspecting motorist, I'm sure....
Shortly after getting to the apartment, we saw a submarine returning to base...still gives me a thrill when I see one going by.
..and now for something completely random........
Most of the time TV commercials drive me insane; I try not to listen, BUT every once in a while a campaign comes along that facinates me. This time it's HP's Photosmart printer ads...you know the one...they use the song "Picture Book" by the Kinks...and they have all the picture frames around real faces becoming photos and photos becoming faces. I just love that one. As much as I like the song, it's really the graphics that impresses me! Hey, it's a big deal when I can actually remember what the product is in commercials. (so if I was clever, I'd put the commercial on the blog but you're just going to have to click on one of the picture book links yourself)
Off to do some important things...have a good day all.......
Posted by frani at 08:44 AM | Comments (3)
December 05, 2004
Home again..
Ahhhhhhhhhh.......we got warm greetings from the kitties.
At what point during the process of changing a flat tire does one go about beating the tire with hammering like motions? Hhhmmm, I didn't think so either. (As seen on the side of I-91 in Massachusetts; I just typed that all out to show I can spell it...same for Connecticut)
At anyrate...we had a good weekend in Stamford with all the kids. Friday night we got to put the little ones to bed while their parent's went out to the company Christmas party. Ok, we only got "had" a little bit. Maura was able to prolong her process and stay up long enough for Auntie Nora to return from fetching Uncle Morgan from the train station. Of course that was helped along by the fact that while Pop Pop was dealing with Miss Maura, I had Kieran. He was quite agreeable as long as we were reading books and conned me into at least 10-12 of his favorites. Hey, I thought he was supposed to point to his bed when I suggested it was time to hop in there. Well, I can only be conned to a certain extent...when he asked for another book, I asked him if he wanted to take it into bed with him. A very agreeable nod yes and off he went to his bed...nary a peep out of him. A few more minutes of discussion of why Kieran was a Baby...beacause he can't draw faces yet...was all that was needed before Morgan and Nora were drawn up and into the bed process. Not bad at all and not too much past their bedtime. Grandparents rule! Yeah right...I think they went easy on us.
Saturday morning, Lori and I took Maura and Kieran to a "Breakfast with Santa" oooooookkkkk, first of all I never saw so many SUVs and Minivans parked in one place outside a car dealership! Breakfast consisted of donut holes, gold fish and mini bagels. I think not. While waiting for a photo-op with Santa, there were craft rooms and sing alongs. Silly lady did not know what she was asking for when she tried to recruit me for the 12 days of Christmas song...I declined for the sake of those in attendance..besides, I had to get some photos. Kieran was taking up residence mostly under his mother's skirt ,so he wasn't much interested in sitting with Santa. It's a good thing because, on his Christmas List I filled out for him, I wrote "pigmy goat". Well, Maura said Kieran liked farm animals and she thought he would like a goat. Ahem...how was *I* to know this was the list they were going to be giving Santa when it was their turn. Maura practically had to shout to Santa from across the room at first, since she would only inch toward him a little at a time..she finally sat on his lap..for which she was very proud after. Another milestone in growing up! Oh yes, one of the organizers of this breakfast event is a second runner-up to the 1977 Orchard School Spring Fair whistle debacle...no one in their right mind gives out whistles of any kind as a prize! I don't care if it's a birthday party, a church breakfast with Santa or a gymnasium full of crazed just released from cabin fevered elementary school children in Vermont...NO whistles! ( No, *I* wasn't responcible for the whistle debacle. MY claim to fame was the Cotton Candy disaster during the height of the sugar-nazi craze of 1983.)
Saturday afternnon, I attended a gem show with Nora......we oooed and aaahhhedd until I, at least, I was too overwhelmed to make any decisions and purchases. It's that same issue with 250 shades of white, you know...how on earth is anyone supposed to make a choice between all those gems! of course I continue to have good taste with my selections of $3000 alexandrites and $600 tsavorites...all of which they would sell to me half price. Riiiight.
We got a pretty early start home this morning after relieving Demian and Lori's holly bushes of a few of their branches....thank you!! I think I only missed a few miles of the last of the book on tape on the way home this time...I think it had something to do with the radar detector going off. Hrumph.....speaking of which...how come someone, other than me, can scream on by a state trooper sitting under an overpass at 80 mph and not get pulled over?...hello?...was he sleeping?....writing a report?...pouring coffee from the thermos? I am never than lucky. hrumph.
Have a fine evening all...ppssstt, Risa...you happier with the format back the way youu like it? (it had to do with the amount of content since I had not posted much lately)
Posted by frani at 05:34 PM | Comments (1)
December 01, 2004
Sights and Sounds
No I didn't expire from a turkey or caffeine overdose..just got caught up in what was going on around me to sit still and write my blog entry.
Coffee of the week so far has been Guatamala Huehuetenango...one of my favorites. If we have to use Mr Coffee equivalent down here in New London, we might as well grind/brew good coffee beans.
The days surrounding Thanksgiving were colorful. My SIL drove straight though to VT..14 hours arriving at 2am. She tried the front door and thought it was locked, so she slept in my car. It took a few minutes to locate her once it got light out and I noticed her truck in the driveway. I assured her if *I* drove 14 hours straight and arrived at her house, *I* would make sure she let me in and gave me a bed to sleep in.
We ate too much.
We went to the yarn store where same SIL was looking for felting materials. Her oooing and ahhhing and squeals of delight were getting a little ..umm...err...embarassing. After making her purchase (some of every color)and our learning a little about felting with wool fleece, we determined she may never need to buy the stuff again...ever...even after having sold half her stash to other felting fanatics in North Carolina. A little goes a loooooooooong way, which may explain why they sell it in ounce lots.
The remainder of items left from my MIL's move to residential care was divided up..the 3fer pile, as it was affectionately known, since all 2 or more of the 3 siblings had an interest in the same item. Again it went very smoothly with everyone quite happy with what they received. Well except for me..after everyone's departure, I noticed a box of cups I so carefully wrapped and stashed into my other SIL's pile, had been ferreted away behind my speakers in the living room. Silly goose...doesn't she realize "Santa" is coming and always in need of good ideas for gifts?
We drove to CT Sunday..in the driving rain...with left lane hugging Drivers...mostly SUVs kicking up spray as bad as 18 wheelers. Ok, *I* didn't drive and I think I only missed a total of 35 miles of the book on tape. Must be a record for me.
Yesterday I met my old roommate for an antiquing excursion to Putnam, CT. Most of the shops were closed on Mondays and Tuesdays but the largest one was open...whew. As usual, I learned a lot about we as a species...and it's frightening! It's not enough there is a lot of crap out there but someone had to think it up in the first place. We laughed a lot...a fine time was had by all.
On my way to pick up Nancy, I saw a local policeman drive into the lot of a Dunkin Donuts Shop. That is just wrong..has he no dignity?
On my way to pick up Greg from work, I heard a rendition of "Jingles Bells" sung (barked) by dogs. That was wrong too...hard to just bark along with them even though I knew the tune.
I think I am caught up here. It's raining again; better than snow for now. I have no car today but I do have my books, my yarn (I'm learning to knit...yeah right)and as long as I maintain internet access, I'll be just fine. Ahem...you all just may see me again before the day is out.
Have a good one.........
Posted by frani at 06:51 AM | Comments (4)