Tales of a Human Cannonball

She's Bionic Pt4

2011-09-04T09:30:00.000-04:00

So I get home from HUP at about730 and decide to make some dinner. I had picked up a small steak for myself the following day and decide to grill it up. I find a rub Mags bought for me and I coat the steak lightly, because while it has a great flavor it is a bit on the spicy side. I then chop up some red potatoes and asparagus, mix them with some dried herbs and EVOO and stick them in the oven. I sear my steak on the stove for a few minutes before throwing it onto the grill. I put my iPod in the docking station and turn it on....a nice dinner, music and (try) to relax.

It works a little and after dinner I take CrazyDog in the yard for some catch and then when he has had enough I plop on the couch and watch a movie. I call the CICU at about 11 to check on Mags then go to bed. I was pretty tired and thankfully slept through the night.

It's Sunday morning so traffic is light when I go to HUP. I bring tea for me and a real coffee for Mags. We talk and enjoy our day together. Her nurse again is Alpha who is incredibly. He checks on Mags every hour or so and tells her she may be going up to a regular room tomorrow. This makes us happy. Dinner time rolls around and after dinner Mags starts to not feel so good. She starts to get anxious and is clearly not ready for me to go. I offer to spend the night with her. She calls her nurse in and asks if that would be okay. He smiles and says "of course it is okay. I will just let your nurse who comes on at 6 know." Mags breathes a sigh of relief and soon Alpha is wheeling a large brown recliner into the room. He positions it about three feet from Mag's bed, 'out of the way in case we need to get in here' he explains. That's fine with both of us. We watch tv and her overnight nurse Chris comes in. He's a very nice guy and asks me if I think I would like anything. I tell him two pillows and two blankets will do me good. He returns in about a minute and soon I'm hunkering down for the night.

And apparently I was very tired because during the night, Chris and another nurse were in the room trying to give my wife an IV and I never woke up. Never even stirred apparently. This was a source of great amusement to everyone present. When breakfast finally arrives I go to their Cafe (which is far better food-wise than the actual hospital food) and grab a small breakfast sandwich for me and some fresh fruit for Mags. Also, some real tea. Tazo, the stuff you pay 2.09 for at Starbucks? .99 cents.

So after breakfast we watch some tv and at this point Mags is feeling better. Physically and emotionally. She has seen a team of doctors who assure her she will not need a pacemaker as was once feared, and that she would indeed be getting out of CICU this day.

So a team of doctors is doing rounds and they come in. It's a mixed group. The lead doc is in his, I'm guessing 40's, the others vary in age from 30 to I think 14. seriously, who was that kid?? The lead guy is Polish or something and he has a slight accent. Nice guy, speaking to Mags about her situation and talking to her about her impending IV.

Let me break there. The staff has told her that she will need an additional IV before she leaves the CICU. Mags argument is why would she need two IV's to go to a regular floor and not need two in CICU? Valid right? They tell her in case something goes wrong with the original line on the floor then they have a backup. Mags argues for a long time because for all of my wife's wonderful qualities, she has crappy veins. And whenever someone tries to give her an IV, the blow a vein. Even the 'experts' have trouble getting them. Seriously, when someone comes in and says "I'm the best at this", my lips curl at the corners into a faint smile because I know whats coming. The best even have trouble getting a line in her.

So back to the Polish doctor. He tells her she needs the IV, yadda yadda...and then he says they could put it into her neck. He looks at her neck and says even those are hard to find. He then looks at me and in the weirdest moment I've had in this hospital he says "now your husband, that's a great vein. I can see it from here." I was sitting on the windowsill 5 feet away. I smile politely and Mags shoots back, "Good. Stick it in his neck." Everyone laughs and the doctor tells Mags she looks great and she will be moved upstairs today and that he would send 'the expert' in to do the IV. Mags and I share a look and nod. I wait another couple of hours for either the 'expert' to show up or for her to be wheeled upstairs. Neither has happened by 11 and we then wonder what we'll be charged for being in the garage overnight.

We decide I should go so I give her a kiss and say a prayer for her and hit the road.

She's Bionic Pt. 3

2011-08-28T12:50:00.002-04:00

When the phone rings before 6 am, it's always bad news. Right? Nobody calls you at 6 am to tell you they've won the lottery. No, they call you sometime late at night, 10 or 11 pm, and they are drunk somewhere...maybe even in the bar of a Caribbean island where they have decided to live the rest of their rich, happy lives.

when my youngest sister Jen died, we got the call from the hospital at 5 am and if I recall, my father-in-law passed away before 6am. So when the phone rang at 53o I have to admit, I was nervous. I answered the phone and it was Mags. She was relatively calm and the she started the conversation normally, "were you asleep?"

"Yes, kinda...it's 530. What's wrong?"

She responded with the following. "Everything is okay but there's something I have to tell you. Now remember, everything is ok."

By this point I know that things are not, in fact, ok. Now my heart is racing.

"What is wrong?"

"My heart stopped last night?"

Me mumbling incoherently. "Whaaaaaaat?"

"I'm fine. They are actually saying my heart only paused."

Me still trying to clear the cobwebs and digest this nugget of information. I tell her I will be right there. She says to take my time that she's ok.

I feed the boys and let them out into the yard for a few minutes before hitting the road to Philly.

The ride is ok because of the early hour and I get there in about an hour. I make it to the ICU and find my wife sitting up in bed struggling with the awful hospital food. In all honesty the staff at HUP is fantastic. Freakin' awesome. Everyone who works there from the Docs and nurses to the food service folks to security...everyone. The food however, falls into the other end of the spectrum God-awful is what I'd call it. I at one point said to Mags "It cannot be that bad." She gave me a look and pointed at her French Toast. "Try it." So I did. I mean, how can you make bad French Toast? The kitchen at this hospital can. I can only say it tasted like foam peanuts covered in sugar-free syrup. Horrible.

So, back to Mags. She was sitting up in bed looking totally wiped out. She relayed the previous nights event to me best she could. Apparently at some point she felt like she was going to pass out, then she felt it was something more and began to moan as she lost consciousness. Her bitch roommate was yelling at her because she was trying to sleep and yelled over and over at Mags "What's wrong with you? Just call the nurse!" Her heart having stopped, she could not. Thankfully the nurses did come into the room and notice that Mags heart had stopped. They had put special pads on her chest and were getting ready to zap her when Mags came to. They were all talking to her, asking her questions, and really trying to get a feel for what exactly had happened.

At this point they decided to get her back to CICU pronto. So, as Mags tells it, there is a group of 5 nurses, doctors and interns, all rushing her in her bed down the halls and into the elevators to get her to CICU. Once in CICU they set her up in a new room and she is told she will be kept there for a day or two for observation.

Her nurse for that weekend (during the days) was a young African dude named Alpha. I honestly can't tell you how great this guy is. Seriously, top-notch. Great guy. Great nurse.

So I spend the day with Mags at HUP. I run across the street to a little sandwich shop called Potbelly Sandwich works (Freakin' awesome subs. If you can find one check 'em out.) for some lunch. And later to McDonalds for dinner.

6pm rolls around and I tell Mags I should head home for the boys but that I will be back tomorrow. When I leave she is in better spirits and seems to be doing better physically. I tell her I'll see her tomorrow and head for home.

She's Bionic Pt. 2

2011-08-14T15:20:00.004-04:00

When I finally settled down and got myself somewhat calm, I called the hospital. Mags was still doing good and they had actually gotten her into a chair. she was in bed for days after her first open-heart surgery, so the fact that she is sitting up a mere 36 hours after her second open-heart and a surgery that was much worse than the first was happy news.

Two days later she was in a 'step-down' unit. The 10th floor which was for heart-surgery patients. I called her and she seemed to be in pain and was less than happy with the food.

So we talked briefly and I let her go because she was so sleepy.

Going to work was hard. Trying to concentrate on my duties was difficult knowing Mags was in the hospital so far away. I went up on that Saturday and let me tell ya', for someone who was practically cut in half and had her heart worked on she looked really good. The nurse came in and actually got her up to walk a bit. I was happy to spend the day with her. She slept most of the time but that was okay. After dinner I drove home and did some relaxing.

During the week, Mags was moved out of the step-down floor to a regular ol' room. Meaning she was a step closer to coming home. I was so happy because she was doing so much better with this valve-replacement than the last one. She was doing sooooo good.

This made all of us who care about her very happy. Progress was being made, the strides she made were tremendous...until the following Saturday morning, when, at two am, her heart stopped.

She's Bionic Part 1

2011-08-10T12:51:00.009-04:00

Yes I speak of Mags. I should have posted earlier but things have been kinda crazy here. I'll start on the 27th, the day of her surgery. We spoke briefly by phone the night before and I told her I would be there when her surgery was done, figuring I wouldn't be able to see her before the surgery since it was scheduled for early morning. So on my way up the Turnpike her son calls me to tell me the surgery has been postponed until 1pm. so this is good for me because I get to see her before she goes in, bad for her because it's just dragging it out. So I got to see her before she went in, her mom and her mom's Pastor were there too and they waited with me the entire time.
Time has never moved so slowly, let me tell you. The surgery was supposed to last 3-4 hours. Well it lasted almost 7 1/2. I paced a rut in the hallways at HUP. (Wait, they won't charge me for that, will they?) Finally at 9:15pm the surgeon came out and said things were done and he was happy with the way everything went. He also said that because of the damage to Mags' heart it was one of the toughest surgeries he's ever done. He said the valve was so calcified it was like cutting through bone. So he patiently answered our questions and explained what he did and we all thanked him several times. He is a really nice guy. Very humble, down to earth. So once we knew Mags was done, her mom and her pastor decided to hit the road. It is about an hour plus ride so I said goodbye to them and told them I wanted to wait and see Mags to make sure everything was ok before I left. So the nurse in the family waiting area (we were the last ones of the day waiting) directed me to the CICU. I found it and told the nurse at the desk who I was here to see. She kindly explained to me it would be another hour plus until she is in the room and set up and directed me to a family waiting area. She also showed me some vending machines and I asked her "which one has the beer?" she laughed and said " tell me about it." So I watched something on TV and chatted with a woman and her son whose father/husband had just had surgery. They were nice, and nervous and we talked for about half an hour before they could see their patient. We wished each other luck and I sat, alone, for yet another eternity. My second eternity in one day! Am I good or what??
Soon Jackie, the nurse who would be watching Mags came to get me. Let me tell you something, even thought you know what to expect, it is still a bit scary when you see someone who has just had open-heart surgery. There are tubes and wires running from your loved one and several monitors and IV's and this and that and noises and it is a little hard to take in.
I asked a few questions and quietly told Mags "You made it!" Jackie looked at me and said "I don't mean to blow my own horn but I've been doing this for 25 years. Your wife is in very good hands."
She then looked me over and using all her experience and knowledge that can only be gathered from years of medical experience decided I looked like shit and was completed fried. She said "Long day huh? Have you been here all day?" I explained that I arrived at 9am and the surgery was pushed back, yadda yadda..." She spoke kindly and said "You've had along day too sweety go home and get some rest. You can call the desk any time, day or night to check on her. But you need some rest too." I always appreciate the kindness of nurses. So I took her advice told Mags I loved her and would see her soon and dragged my tired self out to to the parking deck.
I don't mind driving long distances. I don't. What I mind is traffic. If you're on a road trip and you're going to be stuck in a traffic jam, I probably not the guy you wnat in the car with you. Well, wait a minute, I guess if I'm not driving...no...I hate sitting in traffic. You don't want me with you in a car that is just sitting in traffic.
So when I left HUP it was after midnight. I don't mind driving late at night either. The hospital is right off RT76. So I jump on the highway, follow my trusty GoogleMaps directions and head for home. Thankfully I have my iPod plugged in and it's cranking. The variety of radio stations in that area, if you are 'old' like me and prefer classic rock to hip-hop or rap sucks. Honestly, aside from WXPN the music scene in this area sucks.
So I do the whole rt76 to rt676, the Betsy Ross Bridge to rt73...everything going smoothly....then the New Jersey Turnpike...
Ughhhh where to start? There is always always always traffic on the Turnpike. It is 1230am people!..so I hit a slow down around exit 6 and unfortunately I am going to exit 8...thankfully, again, I have my iPod. B.B. King comes on and starts on and starts singin' bout Lucille and I stare at the parade of brake lights in front of me.
Traffic opens up about a mile later and I gaze over at the south bound side..stopped. Parking.Lot. So I am soon thankful I'm not heading south.
Soon the traffic clears and I'm flying towards home. The music has helped me greatly. I find music very therapeutic and tonight the good music does me a world of good. I pull up to my home at a little after one. My mother in law made me promise her I would call when I get home. I hate calling her at this hour but I figure she may still be up. I call and she answers on the first ring. I tell her I'm home safe and I'm going to bed. work tomorrow and all. She tells me goodnight and I sit on the couch and give the dog and cat some attention, they've been home alone all day. After some ear scratching and some treats I head to bed. Completely exhausted I feel Ill be to sleep in no time...wrong I lay in bed and stare at the ceiling til almost 3....

Long Time No See

2011-07-17T08:39:00.006-04:00

Yes I am still amongst the living. Blogging has just not seemed important lately. I haven't had motivation to write even though plenty has been going on. So where to begin? At the beginning I suppose. Since I've written last, Mags has been hospitalized 3 times. Twice at RWJ and once in UPenn. There has been something very bad going on with Mags as those of you who read my blog/Facebook know. It has been an issue of pneumonia/water retention/ lung things...etc. It has also been something of a dilemma because her (former) cardiologist has sworn it was her lungs. Her Pulmunologist, the lovely and talented Dr. Trisha Gilbert has said "no, it's your heart." So back and forth we go. Mags asked her cardiologist if perhaps it was time to replace her other valve, since we know it is leaking 'slightly'. He cardiologist said "You won't need that valve replaced for 37 years," with a wave of his hand. Now being he is head of cardiology at the local hospital, we kinda went with that. During her last stay at RWJ, she found she needed a certain procedure they at RWJU hospital could not do. (Weird right?) Dr Gilbert recommended a doctor at UPenn for the procedure Mags needed done. Actually the doc who did it is one of the few in the country who would do this certain procedure.
Long story short, her Mitral valve needs to be replaced. ASAP. The doctors at Upenn wanted to actually keep her and do it immediately, but Mags said no, she wanted to come home and let it sink in that she would be enduring this again, just 7 years after her first open-heart surgery.
I have to admit, when Mags called me that night from her hospital room in UPenn and told me I kinda broke down. Okay, I cried like a little girl whose Barbie was just run over by a freight train and then raccoons carried away the pieces before I could glue them back together. I mean seriously? How much more can the woman take? She's so tough I'm considering nicknaming her 'Nails'.
So on July 27th Mags will be getting herself a new Mitral valve. It will be performed at UPenn hospital which seems like a very good hospital. I was only there once but all the staff I had contact with were really nice, even the food service kids.
So back to her former cardiologist, he was stunned, to say the least, when Mags called him and told him. I am thankful that Dr. Gilbert stayed on the case. She really busted her butt and went above and beyond to help Mags. So thank you Dr. Gilbert and also to her associates whom she consulted on numerous occasions.

Work has been busy. We lost our department lead. I can't go into it here but I'll say we miss the guy. He was a nice guy, hard worker and nobody knows the job like he did. Man I hate politics.

For Easter Mags bought me the book "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." Excellent excellent excellent! Go buy it and read it. Right now....

Yesterday we went and treated ourselves to a new recliner and box spring and mattress. The sounds you hear is our backs rejoicing. Can't wait to get them. Then we had a killer lunch at Longhorn. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm steeeaaaaakkkkk.

So that's it. Nothing too exciting right?

My Kingdom for an Electric Blanket

2010-12-23T22:24:00.003-05:00

So Old Man winter has finally started showing his mean ol' face here in central Joisey. The weather has been brutal to say the least. I think today it might have been about 32. Now factor in the 'wind-chill' factor and you're looking at temps around the 20 degree mark. I don't know how windy it was, but the wind moving between my and my neighbors house sounded like a jumbo jet passing through. I was wondering if Sully was puttin' er down on my street and coming in for tea. The sound was pretty loud and our faithful dog more than once raised his head from his nap to go room to room to make sure all was in order. The cat was of course, unfazed by all the sound and snoozed contently on the couch.

I had another round of PT tonight. This time with a different therapist. A young dude who introduced two ways to create pain. It is getting easier but tonight I do have some pain. Not aches, pain. I'm not getting too upset because I have been doing good as far as pain goes. Hopefully tonight we will both get a good night sleep and wake feeling better.

Mags has been under the weather lately. She is off from work until Monday. Hopefully that helps her. Her job is way too stressful and add to that the stress of the Christmas season and you have an unhappy Leprechauness.

I am done shopping and before I go any further BIG thanks to the dolts at Kohls.com. I ordered Mags something she has wanted for a couple years. Worked a bunch of overtime to ensure we had the money for it and ordered it online. They told me it would be delivered between the 9Th and 12Th of December. On December 8Th, the UPS truck pulls up to our house and the driver rings the bell. Mags, who is sitting by the door, opens it. I run in and try to intercept her but too late. Why too late you might say? Wasn't said gift in a separate box or even a shipping 'bag'? No the brain-trust in the Kohls warehouse didn't feel the need to wrap or box this gift. They simply slapped a shipping label on the box and sent it on it's way. Are ya' F*%$@ kidding me? So surprise ruined. I wrote a letter asking if anyone may have thought this would be a Christmas gift and if it was indeed their policy to ruin Christmas surprises around the country. I got a return letter apologizing for this act of idiocy and they would be happy to, as a show of just how sorry they are, refund my shipping. Yeah. I responded by asking them if they could instead erase my wife's memory of that day so she can be surprised on Christmas morning. I've yet to hear back.

Well, time to head up to bed I think. Stay warm

Yes I'm Still Amongst the Living

2010-12-04T13:59:00.004-05:00

Yes, I know, long time no post. Working hard, here and at work, you know the routine. Work has been busy the last few weeks and next week we will be having our Winter warehouse sale. So I'll be getting some much needed overtime. It's easy really, unless I get stuck out in the parking lot directing traffic. I volunteered to do that during the spring and summer sales. Standing outside making overtime?? Hell yes I'll do it. The winter sale however, not so eager.

I finally broke down and went to a doc about my constant low-back pain and after examining me deduced that all the muscles in my lower back are 'spasmed' and I would benefit from physical therapy. So I signed up and have had 4 sessions already. It is mostly stretching and 'strengthening my core'. Which translated to lay mans terms really means, 'bending you like a little pretzel until all your good remaining muscles burn like they are ready to leap through your skin, kick you in the face and run out the door into the night'.
I'm no sissy by any means but this is sometimes a challenge. I was told by my therapist that because of my condition, one side of my back has been compensating for the other side for the last 30 or so years and now it is catching up to me. So that's where I'm at.

I have almost all my shopping done. Just a few little things left to get for Mags and something for Tom. I think today the tree is going up. This involves a trip to the attic and passing things down to my lovely assistant then bringing everything down to the living room and setting up.

It is cold today and feels like it may snow. My back is really achy but that comes with the weather I 'spose.

The Devils are playing some pretty crappy hockey lately and that vexes me. They have a great roster but can't seem to get on track. They are playing today and I forgot so I wont see the game. I haven't caught one game yet this year, of course I'm not really missing much.

That's all. Stay warm

The Smallest E.R. 'Room' in the Universe

2010-09-11T11:27:00.005-04:00

So on Thursday I get a text at work. Mags saying, "Hey.... feel like I've just been hit by a jumbo-jet while parasailing and fell 350 feet into a pit of hungry porcupines....Going home early." Well, she didnt say that exactly, (I took liberties with that part) but she was sick. So I come home to find my lovely wife in the Chair, semi-conscious. She looked like she was battling something and I felt just a bit worried. I made some chicken noodle soup and she ate just about half a bowl. Not a good sign. So we chatted for a bit before she retired to the bedroom. Once comfortable in her floral nightshirt she got cozy on the bed and flipped the tube on. Her mom called and said that Tom had been there earlier and brought her a salad from one of her favorite restaurants and would I mind going to get it? Of course not. So I drive the mile to Bubs' house and pick up said salad.
After salad Mags feels a bit better having eaten and is soon asleep.

When 5:30am rolled around I crawled out of bed to get ready for work. I peek over at my wife who now looks like she is much sicker. And she was. She could barely walk under her own power and felt she may need a trip to the ER. I went downstairs and called out of work and made tea. Once some tea got into me I felt a little more awake, as for Mags, not so much and at 930 or so she decided a trip to the ER is what she needed. So we drive to Robert Wood Johnson in New Brunswick and she is taken in right away. Once they see she has an artificial heart valve, she is usually taken ahead of the rest.

Before I go any further I want to say this. This hospital and all who are employed there are just awesome. Seriously. I think the head of RWJ goes to other hospitals in a trench coat, follows all their best employees into a dark alley and says "psssst...hey buddy.." He then offers them a job at his hospital and there you have it. Seriously if the guy who did all the hiring here was a scout for a baseball team they'd win the World Series every freakin' year. Everyone who works there is top-notch. So when I tell you about the 'room' Mags was in, it is no slight to this place at all.

So Mags is taken to a 'room' is another part of the ER. She is, like I said getting preferential treatment because of her history. Her bed is wheeled to a nook, that's all can call it. It's really not even a room. It's a bed with a curtain around it. Honestly, there are broom closets in Russian Gulags that are bigger. It was made comically worse when our neighbors daughters tried to move alongside their mothers bed because, how do I say this nicely??? Hmm...they both had exceptioanlly large arses. No, they weren't asses, they were shelves. And when they moved along their mothers beds, their booties stuck into our 'room' so much, they were practially on Mags' bed.
There is a shelf behind her filled with bandages and stuff that nobody could get to unless they actually climbed on Mags' bed and the curtain that seperated us from poor Mrs. McCutcheon in the bed next to us was almost right against Mags' bed. Not to mention there was no chair.
Mags had the usual battery of tests. Bloodwork, EKG, yadda-yadda. Long story short, her electrolytes were out of kilter and after some IV fluids and a tunsfish sandwich, served up by her nurse Jim Christie, she was feeling better. It was about 5 hours but we knew we were going to get quality care.
Now to our neighbor, the poor woman. She was an elderly black woman who was in because she actually needed blood. I don't know how she made out but she was a freakin' trooper. Let me tell you. She had to be in her late 70's and she was really feeling like crap. One of the bad things about not being in a "room" is that you hear everything that is being said or done to your neighbor. At one point, her doc told her he needed to do a rectal exam. She was unhappy, as I'm sure I would be. I however would be able to leap over the doc and sprint away. Jerome Bettis couldn't have stopped me from escaping. She, being about 30 years my senior could not. Sadly, we heard everything. We felt awful about his. She seemed like a sweet old lady. She recovered from that and only about 45 minutes later did the staff come back for blood. Sadly the woman had no workable veins and they needed to go into her neck. Yes. Her neck. She protested quietly. Her daughters protested louder and told her mother "Nuh-uh! You don't have to have that done."
Look. I know it's your mom and you care about her but when a doctor tells you 'need' something, especially in an emergency situation, it's almost always wise to let them do it. The mother relented and they gave her a little something for pain but the poor woman was really hurting, and we heard it all. I felt awful as did Mags. I think the woman cried a bit. Heartbreaking.... for the next four minutes, then; whatever they gave the woman for pain, kicked in. Strong. She was happier than a pig at a Rabbis convention and told every male employee that came to help her how handsome they were. I'm glad her drugs kicked in. I just wish they gave it to her five minutes before they stared poking her carotid artery with a needle.

So we're home and hopefully this will a relaxing weekend. Hopefully.

You Just Can't Make This Stuff Up

2010-08-21T16:10:00.006-04:00

I speak of the nitwit that goes by the name of Justine Winter. She is the selfish bitch (there are better words but this is a family blog) that decided to kill herself once her boyfriend cut the crazy ho loose.
In text messages to him she basically said well...Im going to kill myself. She attempted to end her life by driving at 85mph down a long stretch of road and then, instead of lining up a tree to eat, she crossed the highway and slammed into a car carrying a woman and her 13 year old son. Worse still, the woman was 4 months pregnant. The accident killed all of them.

Does the story end there, with a harsh jail sentence? No of course not. This is Amercia after all, the land of the unexpected, the tried and true and of course, the frivolous lawsuit.

Yes lawsuit. This little ahem, person, is suing the estate of the woman she killed claiming (good Lord I cannot believe the court didn't thump the attorney who filed this on the head with a dump truck full of walrus crap) claiming the woman she killed Erin Thompson, was operating her vehicle in a negligent manner. Yes the woman driving her young boy home from a school event, driving along at 30 mph, in her own lane, on he side of the highway, obeying traffic laws and such...it was her fault. Not the person who crossed into oncoming traffic at 85 mph. Seriously. Did this really happen? Are you guys messing with me? No. It happened. Her and her Dad Randy Winter, also filed suit against three separate companies that are supposed to maintain the particular stretch of road the attempted suicide took place on.

The suit was filed in the court by Justine's lawyer Dooshy MacBaggums, and apparently the court felt that this big steaming pile of crap had some merit to it. Really? Are you guys in Montana that bored? Are you just following the trend of screwing the victim? This poor guy lost his wife, child and unborn child in an act of recklessness, a deliberate intent to hurt and you've allowed a suit to be filed against him??? Wha????

In a perfect world the judge would have read proposed lawsuit, chuckled heartily, then grabbed the lawyer by the lapels and thrown him out the nearest window. But alas, we do not live in a perfect world. We live in America. While I love my country, people take this whole "it's my right" shit waaaayyy too far and until someone in the courts system grows a pair and puts an end to this nonsense, it will continue to happen.

As far as I know, nothing new has developed in the case of the killings of these poor people. The little snot could get up to 200 years in prison without chance for parole, and she is going to be tried as an adult....but we'll see.
Lets hope justice prevails in this one and the Thompson family is spared a long trial and of course, having to deal with that moronic lawsuit.

Sunday

2010-08-15T15:36:00.003-04:00

Well, here it is Sunday afternoon. The weekend is wrapping up. The weather here lately has been no less than miserable. Temps have been in the 90's for the last month and we have had and I shit you not, less than an inch of rain in that time. Everything is dead. The grass is pretty much burned. It would be none existent if I had not violated the townships 'watering ban'. The section behind my fence, the one that is free of dog urine, looks okay. Our plants are suffering. It hasn't been good.
Yesterday I took advantage of the cooler temps (only around 83) and went down to the Englishtown Auction. It is a massive outdoor flea market. You never know what you'll find there. Everything from coins, baseball cards, replica sports jerseys to fresh veggies and fruit brought in that morning form local farms. Not to mention the people. Lordy talk about people watching. If this is something you enjoy, the market is for you. People in all sizes colors and states of dress. It makes for an interesting walk.

I try to go a few times a year. I usually don't buy anything but you never know what you'll see. I did get some nice tomatoes and some peaches for Mags.
Mags was down and out yesterday so she didn't venture out. Today she got up early and made some raspberry muffins and brownies and she felt good enough for a trip to our local Wal-Mart. We may be buying me a laptop soon as my trusty Dell is sadly on it's last leg. This has been such a good computer but I have had it almost 7 years and never had a problem with it. I'll keep it because there is still a lot of stuff on it we will use and the new computers all have Windows7 and the programs I have won't work on Windows7. So we browsed at Wal-Mart and nothing really thrilled me.
CrazyDog got grrrroomed yesterday. Thank you Jaime for making the dog look less like a lunatic who just spent three years in the jungle living off berries and squirrels and more like the little heart-breaker he really is. I'm telling you, wherever I go with this dog he gets all kinds of compliments. Two words. Chick.Magnet. Woof.

Tonight I'll be making a chicken marsala dish. Mags has already whipped up a salad and if I were a betting man, I'd say she was having a catnap in the chair downstairs. Me, I'm just sitting writing this listening to some tunes on my computer.
And, are you ready? It is raining. Yes. Just a sprinkle but I'm hoping the skies open and it pours. The temps have actually dropped and it could almost be a fall day.

So that's it. Exciting right?

Maybe BP is the Root of All Evil

2010-07-28T21:46:00.009-04:00

Well things are rolling along at a placid pace here in my little slice of the scorched Atlantic corridor. We just watched the end of the PBS special regarding Sir Paul and his appearance at the White House. This guy still puts on a great show. We missed the first hour whilst catching up on "Rescue Me" but thankfully we are in a certain area of the country where we have three different PBS feeds and it will be repeated at 10 so I set up the DVR. God I love that DVR machine thingy. Technology...

Speaking of technology. I was sitting with some of my coworkers before clocking in and we were discussing the BP fiasco. I said "it is amazing that we have the technology to build a spacecraft, send that spacecraft on a five-year journey to Mars, the machine will rove the terrain of this far-away planet and even collect and analyze soil samples for goodness sakes! Why can't we fix a f**king hole in the ground??"
My coworker Tom, an older gentleman who is very cool and very wise looked at me and simply said "that's because BP didn't design the Mars Rover." So true Tom. So true.
Can you imagine if BP did design the Mars Rover? It would be gone for ten years and when it finally touched down it would be in a sand trap on a golf course in Tempe and when the soil samples came back, the folks at "BP Mission Control" would be pissing themselves with excitement because "the terrain on Mars is just like the terrain in Arizona!!" Meanwhile poor ol' retiree Albert is trying to pry the rover off his golf ball which laded in the trap ten seconds ahead of the misguided MarsCraft.
Suddenly though, as Albert is just about to wedge his new Titleist free from the foot of the Mars Rover, it would spring a leak and spray Albert with a mixture of oil and "hi-test" rocket fuel. Killing him instantly and destroying every blade of grass and living creature in the confines of the "Happy Hills Retirement Community". It would then rise up powered by the remaining fuel, spiral out of control and crash into the densest, driest parcel of forest and start a forest fire that will for all intensive purposes, destroy the entire west coast, burning it to a crisp.
Then, under intense scrutiny from everyone from the concerned citizens that are left alive, the EPA, President Obama and those yeast-infected wingnuts on 'the View', the latest in what will be a long string of successors to the BP throne will up-sticks and quit, all the while whining about how he "just wants his life back."
(As I am sure the people who died in the oil-rig explosion do.)

On top of all this, rumor has it BP was pivotal in the release of mass murderer Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, on a 'compassion' pass or something because the cock-bag supposedly had three months to live, due to prostate cancer. You'll be consumed with joy to know that a doctor has since checked Killer-Abdel out and he seems to be okay, may even live another ten years. Awesome. Just think how many more planes you can blow out of the sky in ten years. But hey, BP can drill for oil in Libya now. High-fives all around. I don't know all the details but here is an interesting article
Uggh maybe Im just angry at the crazy crap going on around with these dipshits...

This and That

2010-07-11T11:30:00.003-04:00

Firstly, Happy Birthday to Mags. Thursday was her B-day and as you know Ive been lazy about posting. So Happy birthday QT.

Lots going on here. Lots of stressful events which, for our privacy (and what remains of our sanity) I won't get into.

So King James is going to Miami. Do any of us give a rats ass? No. Only the people in Miami. Weird that people in Cleveland were burning LeBrons jerseys in the street. I'm like "Dude. You probably paid a hundred bucks for that Jersey!" I guess since the economy is so good people can afford to just throw money away. And If anyone feels that way, Ill send you my address and we will put it to good use. We'll probably just do something silly with it. Pay a bill, get prescription medicines, you know....we're kooky like that.

It finally rained yesterday. Granted it was only for an hour or so but the Earth here in Jersey is literally scorched. We have a water basin next to my place of employment that is usually a couple of feet deep, complete with Canadian Geese, little swallows flitting down to snipe water-bugs and of course, hundreds of the tiniest frogs I've ever seen. By Friday it was nothing but a dried layer of pond scum sitting on the ground. There is a 'water restriction' in our town, so watering can only be done by hand-held hose or watering can. I'm sneaky and put the sprinkler out back, but only for ten minutes or so. Just to keep the grass from combusting.

Work has been a little crazy. For one thing there is no A/C. And by ten am it is about 90 degrees inside. Don't even ask what it's like by 130 or 2. I'm usually soaked with sweat(Sexy right?), stumbling around and mumbling incoherently about the singing penguins and the juggling mice. (Hey it's my heat-induced hallucination). Thankfully they've been giving us an extra break around one and some days they buy cases of Gatorade for us. So that is nice. Someone last week also snuck into the break room and lowered the thermostat 5 degrees. But I don't know who that was.

Hopefully today will be a day of relaxation. We need it.

Take My Face Off the Milk Carton.

2010-07-03T10:45:00.002-04:00

So i havent blogged in forever. lots going on. Mags was again hospitalized and this time it was pretty bad. She spent a week in Intensive Care. She is now back to work and feeling better. Finally. She has been sick so very long and now, hopefully, she's back on track. It's hard to see someone you care about go through this. Harder still is when people ask you how she is and then say "she's still sick?? How can that be?" They just don't understand.

So work is busy, lots going on. We had yesterday off and the company had an "Employee Appreciation Day" at the local park. lots of food and an intense game of WiffleBall. lots of fun. Plus we got paid for the day. What could be better than that.

B.P. is continuing to destroy the planet, thanks for that guys. May the maggots of twenty dead manatees infest your underwear drawer.

Ive already watered my poor lawn. We are in kind of a drought situation here in Jersey. Scorching heat for two weeks and no rain in sight until next week. The forecast has several times promised rain but the rain just passes us by. Gonna be in the 90's from Sunday until Wednesday, when it may rain. Maybe.

So the boys from America are out of the World Cup. Thanks in no small part to the shitty officiating. Bad calls and non-calls sunk us again. And to the referees, see above regarding the whole underwear drawer thing.
Don't know whats going on this weekend. Might go to the shore tonight to walk the boardwalk. Playing it by ear.

So thats it. Hopefully I can get motivated to write more often. The news is full of crazy crap so we'll see.

Forgive me Father it Has Been Three Weeks Since My Last Post

2010-03-31T20:23:00.002-04:00

So aside from laziness, the only excuse I can offer is that there is really not alot going on.

~We have been getting a ton of rain. As we do every year at this time here in New Jersey. When people ask me about the weather in New Jersey I say "Yes I love the three seasons of New Jersey." Yes three. We have Summer which lasts until about October 27, when it will be 85 degrees and Winter starts the very next day and the temps will be no higher than 40. Seriously. The leaves all turn color and fall off the trees that very day. So, we do have Fall, but it only lasts twenty seven minutes. If you're indoors you will miss it. Too bad for you, try next year.
Then on the twelfth of February, the third New Jersey season, Rain,starts. Rain is the period form February twelfth until about May 11th, when all we get is, well, rain. We've had about 9 inches of rain in the last two weeks. Seriously. Theres flooding, power outages, trees down..pandemonium. Soggy, damp, wet, miserable pandemonium. But on the 11th of May, the skies will clear and the temperatures will rocket into the 80's and we will start a sweltering summer. Yay.

~ The last rain storm was so bad, our power was out for 24 hours, and the hurricane force winds actually blew rain through the flashing on the side of our house and across the sub floor of our 2nd floor guest-room. I can't tell you how much fun Mags and Meself had fixing that. boy hardy!

~Mags has a dose of bronchitis and is currently an unhappy camper. Seriously can't the woman get a break?

~ I woke up under the weather yesterday and felt like not going to work. Couple that with the fact that it had been raining since Sunday and yesterday was the worse of all three days, torrential rain gale 30 mph wind gusts...the decision to stay home was easy. Of course crazy dog wanted to be out in the horrible weather all day. It was tough keeping him in the house.

~Work will be picking up soon. We will be taking on a lot more work. By 'we' I mean my coworkers Sean and Mark and Meself. I can't describe exactly what we do without going into a lot of detail but all I can say is we have no room now. They will be doubling our workload. Meaning we will need twice the space that we have now. We, as a company, have already outgrown the building we just moved into last year. I'm wondering how the heck we will do it.

~Very excited for the openening of the baseball season. All eyes will be focused on Fenway Park Sunday night for the season/home opener against the much hated Yankees of New York. I hope we take all three. I work with alot of Yankee fans and sometimes they are hard to take.

~Okay thats about it. Thats what Ive been up to....

Your Car is Now Safe to Drive

2010-03-07T13:22:00.003-05:00

So I got up early thismorn and followed our neighbor Keith to his place of employment where he is the head guy in the repair department. We got there early, 815 a.m., early for a Sunday anyways.
The weather here is great today, really. No clouds, a nice deep blue sky and the temp is a balmy 53 degrees.
The ride was about 30 minutes and traffic was light. I was first in line at 8:15 and when the doors opened at 9, I rolled right in. The waiting area here is really nice. Several chairs and roundtop tables (which I made us of) and two large flat screens tuned to HGtv. There was also one of those fancy coffee/tea machines, which I also made use of.
I had a book with me so I made tea and settled in. I was distracted by the tv, however and got very little reading done. Hey, when you go into a house and rip it apart, then rebuild it...what do you expect. Guys like that stuff.
Long story short, two hours later Mags' Camry was now refitted with a new computer and safer gas pedal. And they washed the car for me.
Thanks to Keith and the staff at Brunswick Toyota.

Happy Birthday to Me

2010-02-28T11:27:00.002-05:00

Seen here is Myself with my birthday present from Mags. A brand new grill. This is a new kind of grill. It cooks by convection? Instead of the flames directly hitting the meat, there are hoods over the flames and the grill sits on top of stainless steel plates that have hundreds of little holes in them. Im not too sure how it works, but it does.
My sister in law Steph went with me last weekend to pick it up but we were told we couldn't take the floor models so I had to have one assembled. It would be ready Monday Im told. So I call Lowes at noon and the grill assembly guy wont be in until later. So it will be ready by 7pm. I call Steph and tell her not to worry about it and could she do it tomorrow? She says her and Dave could and will do it tomorrow.
So tomorrow rolls around and I get a call from Steph. She is at the store to pick up my grill and there is a problem. (this is about 3 hours before my car crapped out on me by the way) Whoever assembled it put a massive dent in the front of the stainless steel panel. Dave tells them there is on way he is taking the grill like that.
So he gets the manager and the manager agrees to let him take a floor model after all. I tell Steph they can use their discretion about picking one out because they like the good stuff and won't take anything unless it is perfect. So they picked out the best of the bunch (which looks great as you can see) and drove it to my house.
They also gave me a card and in said card was a $15 dollar gift card for Wegmans, with a note saying "get yourself a couple of steaks or some burgers. Enjoy your new grill!" Nice huh?
So yesterday between Mags and Meself we got the grill from the garage, through the house and onto the patio. I then grilled some doggies and some burgers and later that night a London Broil. I think I'm going to really like this new grill, so thank you sweety! And thanks to Dave and Steph for picking it up for me.

When it Rains it Pours. Literally and Figuratively.

2010-02-24T08:37:00.002-05:00

It all started almost two weeks ago when the thermal fuse on our dryer blew. It has been a steady downhill slide since.
The people we called to repair it came out almost immediately and diagnosed our problem. Sadly the repairman did not carry the part we needed. Since it was such a small part Mags assumed he would have it. His reply, was, "If I had to carry every part I could possibly need, I would be driving a tractor trailer." A simple "don't have it handy ma'am" would have sufficed. He could get the part but it would take 5 days. Okay. One more week.
Yesterday the rains came and rain it did. Torrential, driving rains. A dirty 'oul day to be sure. So I'm driving home and suddenly my temperature gauge shoots all the way up to hot. Hot hot hot. I, vexed, call my brother in law Dave who is a mechanic and knows plenty about cars. He advises me to pull over immediately and call AAA. I pull into a small plaza and run into a pizza parlour and ask the man behind the counter for the street name I'm on. I know it's route 33 but street name is helpful. He tells me Rte 33 so I thank him and leave. I run into the next business, a printshop and approach the man in said store. He immediately screams at me to get "behind the front desk". He then takes a phone call and when he is done he storms over and asks me if he can help me. I calmly tell him I only need to know the street address. My car has died and I need to give AAA an address. He bellows "Well I'm not Triple A!" Really? Oh it was the printing presses that through me. Thanks for your time cock-bag.
I run back through the lashing rain and call AAA and wait. It could take up to an hour. Super. Luckily the flatbed pulls up in only 5 minutes. However, the driver backs up to the wrong car. I got out of my car because, I thought, silly me; he was here for me. When I called Triple A I told them I drive a 1999 Camry, four-door, silver, so it baffles me when the driver backs up to a 2005 gold, 2door Chevy something or other. I walk over, in the still torrential rain and ask him if AAA sent him. He says yes and I tell him he is about to hook up to the pizza delivery guys car. He looks baffled and says "they told me it was gold". I did not want to get into the whole different color, two less doors, completely different model thing..
So I'm towed to Daves and he says he will get right on it.
Mags gets home and I relay the news. She takes the news well. I guess. As well as you could take that kind of news. She saw my car wasn't home and was worried I may have been in an accident. Luckily no.
So back to our dryer. The company called and Mags returns said call and is told our repair man, while he has said part, it may be several days before he can come back and install it. This is not satisfactory to Mags and she makes it know. So we are up in the air as to when our repair will be made. We are waiting for a call from them telling us that maybe Friday it can be done.
Dave then calls and tell us that on top of the water-pump, the timing belt is shot and needs to be replaced.
So if anyone at all could send us some good vibes, Mojo, Juju whatever, we'll gladly take it.

The Death of an Athlete

2010-02-20T08:54:00.004-05:00

Today in a small town, somewhere in Russia, friends and family will gather to say goodbye to the young Georgian Luger, Nodar Kumaritashivili.
Nodar as you know was killed in a practice run on the luge track in Whistler, BC. He had even called his Dad earlier and said the track scared him. This is remarkable because Nodar was trained to ride his luge down an icy slope and expected to reach incredible speeds. He knew he'd be cookin', but this track was too fast.He was scared. When someone who knowingly hurls himself down an icy slope while riding a small fiberglass sled, knowing he will reach speeds of 85 mph on a regular basis tells you he is scared there is something wrong.
Nodar died doing something he loved. He died preparing himself for an Olympic event. He was representing his country and had hoped to medal.
This is sad on so many levels. His family, his friends, his teammates, his countrymen, anyone who knew the young guy. His age, too. Only 21. Too young to die at all. Sadder still, was the networks decision to keep showing the crash. And it wasn't just him flying off the course, out of sight. No, you saw him fly off the course and strike an unpadded cement column at 88 mph.

From a very young age, little boys (okay and some little girls) dream of becoming athletes. We want to play a sport for a living. We admire our sports heroes. We see them on tv, we read about them in the papers. They become a part of our everyday lives. We hang on their every word, every action, every success and every failure. When we grow up, we want to be them. To replace them. We want to excel and we want to be the best. We want the money, the adoration of fans, to make our parents proud,
to be the best in our field. Some people would prefer to be on the pitch at Old Trafford, the frozen tundra of Lambeau field, maybe hitting the ice at the Boston Garden, while some of us (including the author) would prefer to stand at short-stop in the idyllic baseball shrine that is Fenway Park.
Once we get a little older and we realise we will never reach that dream, we revert to our hero worship. We watch these talented men and women and we live vicariously through them. We enjoy the talent and the speed and the skill....the things that make them great athletes. All the things we could never quite do.

So when something tragic happens, all of us that love sports, that admire athletes, it affects us. It saddens us as we think about how this person died doing something they love and how they may never acheive the goals they set for themselves or how they may never accomplish more than they have.

The Olympics will carry on, the best athletes in the world will continue to vie for a spot on the platform and we will watch. Memorials have sprung up around Olympic village for Nodar, I'm sure he will always be remembered. But I'm hoping he is remembered for being a fine young athlete who died doing something he loved, and not just 'the guy who died luging at the Olympics'.

To Nodars family, I offer my condolences. I wish you peace and comfort in your time of mourning.

Snow Way I'm Going to Work Today

2010-02-11T16:17:00.003-05:00

So we have survived the Blizzard of 2010. Snowmageddon, whatever. My place of employment closed yesterday and today. And rightly so, the storm has dumped over 18 inches of the white stuff on us and clean-up will take months. Okay maybe not months but a long time.
On Tuesday night the snow started falling. Softly and beautifully. And when we awoke Wednesday, it fell 'til about 1030 then stopped. I wondered out loud if that was it. Had Mother Nature steered the storm off to the sea? Sparing us any more aggravation and back-breaking cleanup? no. The bitch did not. At around 130 the snow started again, and this time it was not softly and beautifully. It was mean and freakin' nasty and it snowed well into the night. When we awoke we were literally buried. Im talking 16 inches on top of the 19 that fell only on Friday. I do have to say, from my seat at the kitchen table, it was amazing and beautiful. My back yard abuts a wetlands so there are no houses behind me. Just acres and acres of trees. The snow covered all the trees and weighed down their branches. The sky was an amazing deep blue against the snowy Earth. Very serene. Until, of course I had to go clear away snow.
So I went out early to clean off the cars and unbury them in our snow-locked driveway because Mags place of business decided that their employees were expendable and opened for business. I suggested she use a day to stay home where it was safe and warm and not, well...work. She agreed and called out.
I had to use my shovel this morning because I was getting her car ready to go at around 630 (before I knew she would not be going in).
Long story short, I finally finished the task at around 1030 and when I went into the house Mags mentioned that pizza might be a good idea for lunch. Who am I to say no to pizza? So we called Luigis and ordered up a pie and I made the three mile trip to get it. The trip took twice as long as it should have because the roads were not completely cleared. But that was okay because, well....pizza.
After a nice lunch I went out and dug out our mailboxes. Fun.
Then we ventured over to Bubs' place and once there, I resumed my shoveling duties.
Mags dad has had many strokes and is bed-ridden. They had a cement ramp poured up from the driveway to the back deck. I shoveled the ramp out and then the decks. Bubs insisted I didnt have to do it all, just a spot on the deck for her Boston, Lucy. I insisted because if, God-forbid they need to get JW out of the house, it has to be via the ramp. I'm not sure how long it took but it went pretty smoothly. Of course shoveling uphill is a bit more challenging and if you saw me shoveling the ramp from the deck to the house you'd have a good laugh. Because I kept sliding backwards on the wooden ramp while trying to shovel 'uphill'.
I did have a brief break for tea and then I went out to finish up. Lucy, was looking curiously out the door and seemed a bit put-off by the shovel. But she's happy now that she can go down the deck into the yard where I shoveled out a small spot for her to...well you know.
Bubs was very appreciative and thanked me several times. I don't mind at all. They are both very nice and have been very good to me in my years with Mags. It was my pleasure. My back may disagree later but hey, we're family.

Now we're home resting up. I'm sure we'll both be going to work tomorrow.
If I weren't feeling so tired, I'd have taken pictures but you can watch the news and get the idea. Stay warm.

Now That Was Easy

2010-02-06T19:52:00.001-05:00

So last night New Jersey got some snow. I guess we got about 17 inches or so. Gusty winds and really, really low temperatures. Lots of drifting too. A good day to stay indoors, right? Well...someone has to clear the snow. Which leads me to my entry title. Since I've met Mags, her son Tom, has been very good to me. He's a great guy and we get along really well and he will do anything to help us out. He has done much for me also. He knows of my ailing back and one day during the summer came to the house with a self-propelled' lawn mower for me. He bought it second-hand and using his mechaincal know-how, refurbished it and gave it to me, telling his mother "Connor should have one of these. He shouldn't be pushing a regular mower." Nice right? Well, last year he found a used snow blower and same deal, reworked it, tuned it up good and brought it to me. However, last year I just couldn't get it started. I have problems with those 'pull start' devices. Same thing this year. Last night, however, he came by again and primed it up for me.
I was hesitant because I had so much trouble in the past. Well this morning I tried again and no luck. Frustrated I came into the house and told Mags, "no deal"
She suggested taking a break and trying again. Which I did. Well, this time the puppy fired up right away.
The difference between shoveling and and using one of these cannot be described. It was soooo much easier. The hardest part was the crap at the end of the driveway deposited by the snow plows.
So easy in fact, I did our neighbor Shirley's driveway. Her husband is having back woes and she is a good neighbor so I dug her out. They were pleased and I then stepped across to help another neighbor do the very end of her driveway.
Then it was across to Keith and Staceys to help them out.
It was almost fun. Okay. It was fun.
All in all I got alot accomplished. It's a good feeling when you can help a neighbor out.

~Good things are happening with the Devils. They picked up Ilya Kovulchuk from the Atlanta Thrashers. The big Russian comes in with 31 goals already and he has more moves than a street hustler. This guy can stick-handle in a phone booth. The Devs played an exciting game last night against the Maple Leafs, Scoring three goals late in the third; including two in the last minute of regulation for a huge win.
I watched the game in between shifts on the snow blower.

~Got to visit with Keith and Stacey our groovy neighbors across the way and their 3 crazy pooches. After that came home for a beef stew I did in the slow-cooker. It was okay but could've been better. Live and learn. Mags made a good suggestion as to how to spice it up and next time I will follow her sage advice.

Well, my body is achey and I think I may be turning in soon. Stay warm everyone.

The Best Two and a Half Minutes of Your Day

2010-01-31T17:03:00.001-05:00

Two Englishers in Amish Country

2010-01-30T10:37:00.002-05:00

So yesterday I decided to take the day off. I did it with the intention of hanging out with Mags and maybe doing something fun because on Monday she will be returning to work. I figured we could do something, anything, so she could go into the weekend on a relaxed note.
I suggested a trip to PA. Amish country. Intercourse to be exact and this seemed to suite Mags fine. We were misinformed about the business hours of the local merchants and seemed content to run an errand before we hit the road. Right before we left I Googled the store and found the hours were very different and opened at 9, rather than 12 as we were told. So after a stop at the hospital we hit the highway.
The drive was about two hours and it wasn't all that bad. Its simply down the PA Turnpike to 76 and then onto the smaller county roads. And it does get pretty scenic once you get onto 76 and get further into the state. Lots of rolling hills and farms. nice.
Our first stop was the Kitchen Kettle Village. An assortment of little shops and restaurants. We moved quickly from store to store because it was very cold yesterday. Only about 21 degrees. Still we had a good time. We then went to the building next door, the Old Candle Barn and browsed through their for a bit. Mags picked up some little things and then it was next door to another little shop that sold 'country' type stuff and of course, Amish goods.
From there it was down the road to an Amish furniture store. We browsed through their showroom and Mags may have found a desk she wants. Let me tell you, these Amish craftsmen are freakin' good. The quality of the work is superior to most of the stuff that's sold in retail stores.
Wrapping up the day we headed to a large buffet, oops sorry, smorgasbord, style restaurant called the 'Shady-Maple'. (On the way home I suggested to Mags that maybe we could open a strip club right next door and call it the 'Shapely Maple' but that was only met with a look over the top of her glasses and the sound of crickets chirping)
Her Mom raved about it and we figured we would try it out. It wasn't bad and there was a ton of food. All you can eat for 10 bucks. They had a massive gift shop downstairs so we perused through there before hitting the highway for our trip back home.
So overall, except for the temperature it was a good day. Maybe we'll get back in the summer and spend a little more time.
Later I'll post links to the sites we saw.
Thats it from Joisey. Stay warm.

This and That

2010-01-16T09:37:00.002-05:00

Well it's been a while. Truth is nothing too exciting is going on here. Work is busy. Lots of receives to receive and then we 'split' the bulk shipments we get down into smaller shipments to be sent to other, smaller branches. Heavy work but the day goes by faster when you're busy.

Mags desktop finally died and she replaced it with a laptop. She had always wanted one and the day after Christmas she finally got one. A week later she called me at work, very upset, she was having problems with the new 'puter. I had planned on leaving work early because I was feeling like crap so I told her when I get home I would have a quick cup of tea and then we could go back to Best Buy and return it. Which we did. With no hassle, and got an exact replacement. This one is working fine, thank goodness.

Weather here has been freakin' cold. Only yesterday, and supposedly today, will the temps get above 30 degrees and hit almost 40! Heatwave!

So I'm beginning to wonder if my new building is built on some ancient burial grounds or something. Since I've started there, several co-workers have lost family members.

In the past two weeks alone, my boss' Mom has died, two days later another supers' wife lost her Grandmother, a co-worker's father has died and his sister and mother are amongst the missing in Haiti. Seriously? Did we, as a group, piss someone off? Some spirits that inhabit our little plot of land in the new industrial park? Seriously, shouldn't the guys who bought and developed the land be getting all this? Or am I just reading too much into it? Could be....

We had a kitchen mishap last night. Mags had put together a fantastic steak dinner (with caramelized onions of course) and a salad. Half-way through the cooking process our smoke detectors went off. All of them in the house, screaming all at once. We could not figure out what the heck was going on. No smoke, but an acrid stench filled the air. I thought it was smoke. So I hurry up the stairs to see what is burning. Nothing I can see. So we sit down to eat and then suddenly Mags jumps up "I know what it is!" At Christmas I bought Mags two new cookie sheets and she simply put them into the oven for storage. She did not, however, remove the paper tags that were glued onto the sheets. So after dinner I spent over an hour trying to remove all the paper and glue that was baked onto the new cookie sheets. I did get everything so now hopefully they are salvaged. If not, I'll just have to buy new ones.

Weather should be nice today so I may wash my car and remove the inch of salt and road grime that is covering it.

I think that's all. Enjoy your weekend.

Snow Joke

2009-12-19T15:33:00.003-05:00

Well greetings form the snowy wasteland that is central New Jersey. We are in the midst of the biggest snowstorm ( well the only one actually. so far) of the year. It is being heralded by the Weather Channel as "Blizzard 2009!". It's going to dump over a foot of snow on us here in the great Garden State and is wreaking snowy havoc elsewhere along the Atlantic corridor.

The storm started early this morning. Before I was awake for work. Yes I was going to go to work today. Last night over dinner I said to Mags "I bet nobody will show up for our big sale. I can't believe they won't cancel" Rescheduling is out of the question. I can't fully explain the madness involved in setting this thing up or breaking it down, but I'm guessing they will not reschedule. But the events of this cold early am leave my mind open to expect anything.

So after a horrible, restless night for both Mags and myself ( Mags did tranq me at about 130) I crawl out of bed at 630 and go into the kitchen to make tea and feed the boys. I get up extra early because I feel that the roads will be slick as the crews probably haven't been out yet. I have a small breakfast and get my winter gear on. I head out and sure enough, the storm has started. The road crews here in my area are pretty good about keeping things relatively clear. But I was out early before them and the going was slippery at best. My 20 mile commute involves mostly two-lane country roads. Except for 15 minutes of 'county highway' rte. 130 (four-lane road). My job is south of me. So as I go further south, the storm gets heavier, visibility is near zero and the roads are absolute crap. It is slow going and the trip takes me almost 50 minutes as compared to the 35 it usually takes. Not awful but still...

So I get to within, I dunno, a fucking mile of my job, my cell rings. I look at the caller id and it is Mags. I assume she is calling to make sure I got to work o.k. (She's sweet like that) I pick up the phone and this is our conversation....

Me: Hey babe

Mags: Con? You aren't going to believe this.

Me: okay......

Mags: "Someone just called and asked for you. I told them you had left a long time ago and were headed to work..."

Me: "and?"

Mags: (slightly upset) "They said to turn around and come home. The sale has been cancelled."

Me: Are you fucking kidding me? I'm a mile from the place."

Mags: "Sorry. Why did they wait until ten minutes before your shift was going to start??"

Me: "Got me."

Mags: "Well come on home and be careful."

I turn around in the parking lot of a small soccer complex and begin the treacherous drive home.

The roads are continuing to get worse and I crawl along the side streets to rte 130. One of the bad things about winter in New Jersey is all the big SUV's and the people that drive them. They feel like they are completely safe and snow won't affect them. Therefore they drive like ass-bags.

The roads are covered in snow, covered and I have these people riding up my butt then roaring past me. I hope they all got where they were going in one piece.

So I come home, make tea and Mags continues to try and figure out why the company would do something like that.
Well good news is, I made home in one piece and now we will sit and watch the storm from the warmth of our little home.

If the storms got hold of you, i recommend you do the same

Not Good

2009-12-18T19:32:00.004-05:00

So I'ma at work today and I'm finishing loading a trailer. I put the dock plate down but the end of the plate, the part that extends from the plate to the truck won't fold down.

Let me paint a picture, if I can. The plate is flush in the floor. When you want to load/unload a truck you raise it. You do this by pulling a ring that is in a hole in the plate. The ring is connected to a chain that raises/lowers the plate. At the end of the plate is a piece of steel that flips out when you raise the plate (to connect dock to truck) and when you pull the chain again, the piece of steel should fold back down and then the plate falls back into the floor. Got it? Good.

Well the small piece of steel at the end of the plate won't fold down so I decide to do it manually. The only way to do this is to stand in the trailer and push down. So push and push I did. With no result. I took a deep breath and pushed again. This time success! However, my foot is beneath the small piece of steel and instead of that small piece just folding down, the entire plate comes crashing down. On the end of my foot. My foot is pinned between the dock plat and the edge of the trailer. Not good. The pain, at first was pretty bad. I was able to get most of my foot out of my shoe in time but my poor big toe and his neighbor suffered the most. I did not go the the e.r., doc whatever. Because it really only hurt for a hour or three. I have since then looked at my toe and it looks like something Prince would wear on Halloween. Not pretty.

I was actually going to take a picture of my foot jammed in there but my brain was too busy processing the pain. Maybe I can recreate it tomorrow.

A Dirty 'Oul Day

2009-12-13T14:25:00.002-05:00

I speak, again, of rain. It's bucketing here. Again.

So it's Sunday and I've not posted in a week. Honestly, nothing has been going on. Ive been working. Picking up some O.T. as we are having our warehouse sale. Even worked yesterday. Six hours. I'd rather be home but I'll enjoy the extra scratch in my check.

Got home from work and Mags had gotten herself all dolled up (She's cute without make-up too) and decided we needed to go out to eat. Sh'e right. We haven't been out in sooo long and really, who deserves it more than us? So we headed to our local Chilis. Dontcha just love Chilis? We were lucky to get in when we did. We were seated immediately and within ten minutes it was packed to the gills. We got the two for $20 deal. Our appetizer was the Tostada chips and salsa (which I think I could live on) and I had the ribs and Mags had a pulled pork sandwich. I'm not sure what 'pulled' pork is exactly. Maybe the pig that fought the hardest at the round-up? Not sure but Mags liked it. For desert we got the hot fudge brownie with vanilla ice-cream toppin' it. A very good dinner for under 30 bucks.

Next stop was to say hi to her folks and then it was home to watch 'Body of Lies' Interesting flick. Decaprio and Crowe did a good job on this one.

One of the best parts of winter coming is that we have broken out the down comforter. This thing is sweeet. It would keep you warm if you were sleeping outdoors in January. Seriously.

Well thats it for now. Exciting, I know. Stay warm.

Rain, Rain and More Rain.

2009-12-05T13:58:00.002-05:00

So the weekend started with both of us 'sleeping in'. That phrase is in quotations because really, 730 is late for us. I get up and 530 for work and Mags usually gets up with me. So sleeping 'til 730 is quite a happening.

Weather today is just crap. Heavy driving rains that might turn to snow later. Super. The dampness is killing me. Might need to take something for my back. Perfect day for a hot-tub.

We (Mags) decided that today we would put up the tree. (pictures will be posted soon) Not a big deal. The hardest part is getting into the attic and passing all the stuff down to Mags and then carting it downstairs to the living room and getting it all set up. We have lots of ornaments and decorations and usually it takes us a day or two to get everything set up. Our only real problem is Chainsaw. He is too interested in the ornaments, more specifically, the old-style glass ones. But just the tear-drop shaped ones. He is weird. So just about three minutes after putting the last ornament on the tree he reached up and flipped one of the old-style, glass, tear-drop-shaped ornaments onto the floor and broke it. Well, at least we have that out of the way. That was a new record by the way. Good job you little prick.

So I ran out and grabbed some lunch at our local Wendys and now we're just chillin'. Hoping something good is on HBO tonight.

What Do You Mean Tomorrow is Monday?? Really??

2009-11-29T18:33:00.002-05:00

Well, my 4-day weekend is coming to a crashing halt. It is nearing 7 pm on Sunday night and my 4 day weekend is all but over. It was, to a point, restful. I got a lot done around the house. We had a quiet dinner at home with Mags son showing up to join us. The pets were happy as they always get a little plate of turkey on the Turkey-related holidays.

I did get lucky and got to see a couple of Devils games. They are on a hot-streak and considering they have a lot of young guys up from the farm team because of injuries, it makes it even more exciting.

I had some trouble sleeping last night. Mags and I were both stressed out and we were up until almost 1130. Very late for us. We decided to hit the sack and Mags was soon fast asleep. I laid in bed staring at the ceiling. The ceiling stared back at me, mockingly, as I tried to sleep.

I sometimes will put my iPod on and listen to some tunes until I grow very tired and then slip off my headphones and go to sleep. Didn't work last night. I laid awake until 1:30 am when finally, I fell to sleep. I awoke promptly at 3:11 am and was awake until well, 5 when I decided to get up rather than toss and turn. By this point my back was aching and I needed to take something to relive the pain. I groaned and rolled out of bed. At this point, Mags, who had been awake for a minute or two said "I'll just get up with you." I tried to tell her to stay in bed because she has been sick but she was now wide awake too.

So we went to the kitchen and put the kettle on for tea. Mags fired up the heating pad for me and I got into 'the chair' and flipped the tv on. I caught the tail end of 'Hockey Night Live!' (it was really not live, but taped from last night but I am grateful for hockey hi-lites when I can get them) Mags laid on the couch and was soon fast asleep ( "If you put a show on with men talking about sports, I'll go right to sleep") and she did. I did not. I watched two episodes of Law and Order and the started a third when Mags awoke and said to me "just go crawl back into bed", which I did, and slept until 10am. She was shocked to see me up and about so early having just had under 4 1/2 hours sleep total for the night. They weren't even consecutive hours of sleep...How was I?? Imagine "Night of the Living Dead"...except I didn't feel the need to feed on human flesh.

Mags had been down and said that a trip to Target would lift her spirits. So we ventured out to the store and did some shopping for our young nephews. I usually don't like shopping but I think I was just so tired I didn't care. Besides, Mags is very sick and needs my support and I'll give it any way I can. And really, if it means making a trip to our local Target, then I'm her man.

I did make it up to myself by shoplifting a watch band and some Hello Kitty lunch box decals. No, I really didn't. Honest.

So that's it. We came home, wrapped the gifts, got them packed and I took CrazyDog into the yard for some play time and then just vegged in front of my computer.

I dread going back tomorrow. It's always hard going back after such a long lay-off.

Hope you all had a restful four-day weekend and good luck getting back into the groove tomorrow.

May I Present...Mr. Buns

2009-11-27T19:41:00.006-05:00

The funny looking terrycloth bunny you see here is 'Mr Buns.' He belongs to our cat, Chainsaw.

Way back when when I first met Mags and was wooing her, I met her dog. Sandie was a sweet little Sheltie who really took her time getting to know/like me.

I felt the best way to win this dog over was as you would any other female. I bought her a gift. The little plush bunny you see above was actually a dog toy. No squeaker, no jingles, just a plain ol' bunny. I walked into the living room where Sandie was sitting and she watched me tentatively. I walked to her and produced Buns. Sandie sniffed him, looked up at me and walked away. Mission failed.

Enter Chainsaw two years later. We were settling into bed one night when we heard this plaintive wail and then heard it again. And again and again. We were curious what was going on with the cat and walked out of the bedroom to see.

There was the cat with Buns hanging out of his mouth, continuing to cry. Very odd I thought. I told Mags and we had a laugh. Well, we figured this was a passing phase. But no, no it was not. Buns is Chainsaws S.O. apparently. The two are never far apart. They sleep together and very often we will find the cat with the bunny in his mouth or simply on the rug licking him.

If we put Buns on a shelf or counter, Chainsaw will whine and cry and reach his long grey arms up to whack the rabbit down to the floor.

Late at night, every night, we will hear the sound of the cat meowing like he is being tortured. He is really actually calling out to his terry-cloth amigo and he will continue this until he finds him. He will then pick up the rabbit, crying still, carry him up the stairs into our bedroom and place him on the floor. He will then curl his body around him and go to sleep.

Since the rabbit spends most of his time in the cats mouth, we have washed him before. Each time we do, the cat freaks out and will lick the rabbit a thousand times until he stinks again.

Weird huh?

We Have An Answer!!

2009-11-16T18:57:00.003-05:00

Yes, finally. An answer to Mags' situation. She had a TTE test on Friday morning which involves a long hose-type thinger being forced down your throat and the little camera that is attatched can peek around in one's chest.

Mags' cardiologist, Dr. Jack. is head of cardiology at the hospital Mags was in and he happened to be at the hospital visiting her at the time of the test. He took his own time and went down with her for support/comfort/and to get a look at what the heck was going on. Great guy this doc.

Well, end result is periocarditis. An infection on the heart valve. They call it 'vegetation' growing on the heart valve. Ironically, it is on her Mitral valve and not on the artificial Aortic valve that she had installed in '04. The odds of getting the infection on the artificial valve were slim but the odds of getting it on the mitral were even slimmer. Talk about crappy luck.

Soon after the test results were dropped Mags was told she had to have a PICC line inserted into her arm, into a vein that runs to her heart. She will be getting intravenous antibiotics twice a day at home. A nurse came to the house to show us how to do it. Her name is Cindy and she is super nice and a smart cookie. She gave us the rundown and spent three hours at our house, answering questions explaining the PICC line, etc.

So heres to hoping the anti's work. If they don't Mags faces the possibility of yet another open-heart surgery to replace yet another heart valve.

So please keep her in your thoughts and prayers and send any positive vibes or good Mojo you may have her way.

Still We Wait...

2009-11-12T22:17:00.003-05:00

For a clue as to what could be ailing Mags. Four doctors are working together to crack the case.

Went to see her tonight and she was in okay spirits and very, very sleepy, (it was pocket watch) So I came home and did some housework. Wash kitchen floor, laundry etc...I'm so domesticated...

Central Jersey will be getting some 'soaking' rains tonight accompanied by high winds. The wind is howling, but so far no rain.

Well, dryer is done. Fold then bed.

..Or You Could Be This Guy.

2009-11-07T07:53:00.002-05:00

Mags Hospitalized. Again

2009-11-06T21:57:00.006-05:00

I just got in from the hospital where my lovely wife will be residing for the next few days. She had a CTScan done earlier in the week that was supposed to show her pulmonologist what was ailing her. She had an appointment with said doctor today who looked at the scan and simply said "You belong in the hospital." To which Mags replied "Whatchoo talkin' 'bout Dr. LungMan??"

He told her to go the the ER and he would call her PCP and they would get her in. And they did.

Mags was fortunate enough to get her 'favorite' doctor in the ER. He is a very competent and caring guy and seems to really know his stuff.

So anyways, you read about Mags previous bad experience with her room-mate last time...well great news, she is in a private room this time! And it is in a wing of the hospital that was just refinished and her hospital room looks like a hotel suite. Seriously, I made her wrestle me for the bed. She won obviously, because I'm here with my lunatic Sheltie and neurotic cat.

Honestly. Hardwood floors, 36 inch flatscreen, frosted wall lamps, leather recliner..and dig this. This windows in her room that run along the hall and the glass in the door? Well, Mags says to the wonderful nurse Eleanor that is helping her get settled, "Ummm I think the light from the hall may bother me, and I don't know if I want people looking in...." The nurse smiled and held up a tiny finger, "check this out," says she. She pushes a button on the wall and the glass somehow frosts over! Can't see in, or out! Neat-o.

So all funny biz aside, Mags is in the hospital and I am worried. She is tougher than Chinese Arithmetic but whatever this is has really gotten her down. I'm hoping someone can figure this out.

And again, I cannot say enough good things about the staff at CentraState Hospital. Everyone there. You guys are great! Thanks for giving Mags such good care.

Re: Zach Christie

2009-11-03T08:02:00.001-05:00

The school board did indeed overturn their moronic ruling and Zach will soon be (if not already) back at school.

Congrats MadDog.

Clara Virginia 'Gang' Cosgrave July 15, 1912 ~ October 14 2009

2009-10-20T16:40:00.004-04:00

Pictured here is Mags grandmother, 'Gang' and Meself. This was taken sometime last year I believe.

This is a hard post to write. I really don't know if my words can do her justice but I'm going to give it a whirl.

'Gang', as she is known by most everyone who knew her, passed away on October 14th. I got the call at work from a crying Mags. "Gang died," was really all she could say. I told her how sorry I was and told her I would be home from work soon.

Gang was born to parents Harry H. and Clara V Getzendanner Wolfe. The Wolfes had 8 little ones total and Gang was the last surviving of them all. On the day Gang was born, Taft was in office, Photography had been invented & Teddy Roosevelt was shot by a saloon keeper just before he was to give a speech. With a fresh wound and bullet in him, he would give said speech although he would lose to Woodrow Wilson. After Wilson, Gang saw 16 more Presidents elected including the countries first African-American President, our man "B".

Irving Berlin was in vogue as well as a thriving blues and Jazz scene in Chicago and New Orleans.

Folk music legend Woody Guthrie missed sharing her birthday by only a few hours.

She, in her younger days, was fond of going to the local 'beer joint' and cutting the rug. She met and married Robert Lester Cosgrave (who would go on to become one of Montgomery Counties first motorcycle officers) and they settled into Silver Spring, Md where they would have two girls, Virginia (Bubs) and Judy.

She was heavily involved in her grand children's lives, Mags and her siblings living just a few feet away when they were growing up in the area. She helped raise them and was an influential part of their lives.

She was a great cook and although there were times they had little food or money, she would always share what she had. A lot of people claim to be good Christians and good people, but Gang was the real deal. She professed her love for the Lord and prayed several times a day. And not just for herself, everyone. You could call Gang at any time and ask her to pray for you and she would. Sometimes, if you wanted her to, she would pray on the phone with/for you. Folks referred to her as a 'prayer warrior'. My prayers go into God's inbox, but when Gang prayed, he cleared the phones and took her calls.

She made several trips a year to New Jersey to visit the New Jersey Cosgrave clan and I am glad I go to spend the time with her I did in the 9 years I knew her. She was as sweet as I am short and she truly loved everyone. She was a great cook and actually drove her own car until two years ago and tended her own garden and cooked all her own meals up until last year.

There were many trials in her life but she never lost her faith. It's what go her through the tough times and what helped her life to be 97 years old.

Earlier in the year she was diagnosed with breast cancer and she held on, fighting every step, until she could not longer battle. She wanted actually, to die at 97 like her mother did before her, which she did and when she died, she did so peacefully in her home with a smile on her face.

The service in Maryland yesterday was very well done. Gang would have been pleased. Several people stood up and spoke and there was music and of course a lot of tears. A tribute to the person that was Gang.

Gang leaves behind 2 daughters, 9 grand children, 19 great grand children and nine great-great grandchildren. not to mention a boatload of nieces and nephews. Not to mention a lifetime of happy memories. All who knew her loved her.

The world has lost one of it's finest inhabitants but Heaven has gained a bright new star.

Gang we love you and will miss you always.

“Death must be so beautiful. To lie in the soft brown earth, with the grasses waving above one's head, and listen to silence. To have no yesterday, and no to-morrow. To forget time, to forgive life, to be at peace.” ~ Oscar Wilde

Thank God This Little Monster is Off The Street!! PHEW!!!

2009-10-16T20:42:00.003-04:00

That was sarcasm by the way. Some time ago I spoke of things in the news that make me say "Are you f*cking kidding me??." This is one of them.

In Delaware a six-year old boyo, seen here with his Mum and Dad, was suspended for bringing a Boy Scout knife, sorry 'camping utensil' to school to eat with. Well, not a knife, you know..like a combo-Swiss army type thing. Spoon, fork, knife, sewing kit, frying pan, trampoline...they all fold out... don't make me draw you guys a picture.

So anyways, young Zach had just become a Boy Scout and was proudly showing off his new Boy Scout camping utensil, and rather than covering his face in the blood of a freshly killed Doe, running his flag up the pole in the school yard, taking over the school screaming, "I'm in charge of this shit now mofos!", ( as officials feared was going to happen when they saw the spoon part of said weapon of destruction) he was simply planning on eating lunch with it. You know, fork, knife, spoon...

School officials decided that the wee lad had violated it's zero-tolerance policy on weapons and suspended him and decided he should serve 45 days in the districts reform school. Honest. Stop laughing, it's true..

Again, are you fucking kidding me? 45 days in a reform school for a camping utensil?? The little dude is 6 years old. It is a camping utensil, it's not even really a knife. OK, there's a knife in there somewhere between the emergency blanket and carrot-peeler. But really, the knife is not quite big enough to slice through Mondays special of Crab cakes and Macaroni, although some eyewitnesses swear they saw the carrots tremble.

He actually had to go before a disciplinary committee with character witnesses. How does a 6 year-old find character witnesses? His mom, of course, her fiancee, Zach's Karate instructor. That of course didn't help, because Zach was in Karate, the committee assumed, he was lookin' for trouble.

Zach's Elmo doll was called but his only complaint was that Zach snored and was a bit of a blanket-hog

The committee got past that and did seem to soften until Zach's Rugby coach came up to speak. "Zach has a big heart and he never quits. He's a team player that gives his all. I love this freakin' kid!" In closing though, he referred to Zach by his on-pitch moniker, maybe hurting his case "MadDog would never hurt a fly." At which point the panel all looked over at Zach and nodded. Politely.

"There is no parent who wants to get a phone call where they hear that their child no longer has two good seeing eyes because there was a scuffle and someone pulled out a knife,” said George Evans, the president of the Christina district’s school board. He defended the decision, but added that the board might adjust the rules when it comes to younger children like Zachary.

"He pulls that knife out and there is no telling what will happen. Don't forget. He's a Boy Scout. Before we know it he'll be whipping up a campfire, tying snares, trapping bears, training the bear to attack his playground rivals, snapping asses with the emergency blanket....just causing mayhem. We can't have mayhem."

So young MadDog waits, as do his parents, for an outcome to their appeal. Hopefully, the school board will overturn their stupid-ass decision and let the little guy go back to school.

What Do You Mean You're Cutting Back on My Treats???

2009-10-06T19:39:00.003-04:00

So tonight I harnessed CrazyDog and drove up to Route9 to see his vet, Dr. Scott. It had been a little over a year and the pooch needed two shots and a physical. Dr. Scott is a great vet and he truly cares about his patients. And he's cool too. He'll actually spend the time with you and explain all that needs 'splainin'.

So generally, CrazyDog is good in the car. He's a bit nervous by nature and he will not sit in the car. This makes his owner/chauffeur nervous, but we get there without incident. Last time we were here, CrazyDog dropped a few little Havanas on the tile floor of Dr. Scotts office. I offered to clean up after him but was told that was not necessary. A young guy, an intern I'm guessing came out of the back with a scooper and bin for the offensive offering. This time, I'm happy to report, the only thing dropped on the floor were two drops of drool. (From me when I saw the bill....)

So CrazyDog got a clean bill of health aside form one tiny thing. He is overweight. 5 pounds or so. Now I have to cut back on his feedings. And honestly, I thought his servings were spot on. 'Not so', said Dr. Scott. So he gave me a recommended dose and said to work the pooch a little more. More exercise, less treats. Bummer eh?

Anyways ...the dog is good and healthy for another year.

Woof.

Much Ado About Nothing

2009-10-03T15:09:00.002-04:00

So Mags has been home a week now and she is still down and out. She coughs alot and is still feeling like crap. She awoke again the other night with horrible 'night-sweats' and is now developing another problem. She is under the care of some good doctors but still the time it is taking her to heal is frustrating to all of us. Especially her. Her son came over today and the boy was clearly worried about her. He began to lecture her on various ways she should be taking care of herself. I think it bugged Mags a bit but he is worried about her and it wouldn't show anymore on his face if her were wearing a neon-sign across his chin that said..well..."I'm worried about you." He left a bit frustrated. He is a great guy and is sincerely concerned about his mother. He expressed concern about her medication and was mentioning that one of the greatest threats was an error made by hospital or pharmacy regarding her medication. Wrong pills. Wrong dose. Etc. I tried to assure him that I take care of her meds and I am very careful about reading directions, warnings, side-effects etc. He was still shaken when he left. At the moment, Mags is lying down having a little siesta. Whatever this is it is kicking her arse. She apologizes for sleeping so much and I tell her that it is okay. This is part of healing. She needs the rest.

Last night and this afternoon we spent a few hours catching up on everything I had DVR'd while she was hospitalized.

I spent the morning weeding our flower beds. Getting them ready for winter. I pulled out some nasty looking things and we now have a creeping flowery kind of thing in our yard. I don't know where it came from but it is tough to remove. I also laid some of that fabricky stuff you put down to keep weeds from growing up. You know what I mean...like a blanket and you cut around the plants...I just don't know what its called. Pleased with myself, I went to the shed for some mulch to put over that and realized we had none. So tomorrow I'm going to Lowes for a bag or two of mulch. Glad I got it done early because now it is raining.

Speaking of the shed, there is no longer any signs of the rat.

Work is going well. We are having some issues with the second shift guys but hopefully that will be remedied soon. I'm really liking this job I think. The bosses are cool and my coworkers are cool too.

I am continuously putting songs into my iPod. It's amazing how much is there and there are still cd's I haven't loaded. Maybe today....

A Hospital is For Rest. Right?

2009-09-26T20:41:00.003-04:00

Well, Mother Nature has been promising rain all day, the sky covered in heavy gray clouds, and now finally, she's making good. Thunder is rumbling somewhere south of here and seems to be getting closer. The rain started to fall in tiny drops as I was leaving the hospital and now home, it is falling heavier.

I just got in from a visit with Mags who is still not feeling good. Her lungs are in bad shape. She is on oxygen and still getting breathing treatments with Albuterol. The most crucial part of her recovery, rest, is not available to her because of her roommate. Her roommate is an 84 year old woman who, apparently has dementia. The woman shouts and yells all day. Her kids (who are in their 50's and 60's) come to see her and they don't talk to her. They yell. Mom is as deaf as a rock even with her hearing aids, and everything must be screamed into her tiny little ears. So they yell back and forth to each other for all of the alloted 10 hours of visiting time. She howls all night. For the nurse to come. For my wife (who she is convinced, has a twin sister staying in the room with them) to help her in and out of her bed. (She's actually always in bed) She hallucinates and one of them she was sure as certain that her doctor called her and told her she had a brain tumor and apparently she called all her kids in the middle of the night to tell them this. She yells for her kids at one in the morning. Mags has not had more than one night of sleep. That one night was her first night when her roomie a pleasant little old lady of Czechoslavakian decent. Sadly she left. The room. Not like 'this World' or anything...

Anyways. The nurses have had to come in and tell her to be quiet several times per night because she is disturbing her roommate. She becomes beligerent and this goes on and on. I wondered aloud why they couldn't just give her a little sumpin' in her Taipoca to knock her ass out, but apparently that is not allowed.

Today, after yet another night of no sleep because of Mamma CuckoPants, Mags demanded her roommate be moved. They told her no, but we can move you. Mags was like "no freakin' way. I was here first and I have a window view. Besides I'm not the problem." So her nurse today (who was excellent by the way) told her problem patient was being moved. Never happened. Hopefully tomorrow.

She'll Be Getting Her Own Parking Spot Soon

2009-09-22T21:24:00.003-04:00

I speak of my lovely wife, who is hospitalized. She has been sick for some time now and this past weekend she was really down and out. I mean this girl is tougher than Chinese arithmetic but man oh man, she was worn out. She had run a fever since Thursday, alternating freezing, sweating buckets and slept alot. A-LOT. Not to mention the horrible cough than had her awake most of the nights. Not only does that hurt your ribs, throat etc, but it is also tough on your ticker.

On Monday she finally decided to go to the ER and she was promptly admitted.

She is receiving IV antibiotics and steroids. Plus breathing treatments and she is on oxygen. I went for a brief visit tonight and she seemed better although the cough is lingering. Hopefully she will be home tomorrow or Thursday.

She is in good hands as the staff at CentraState is taking excellent care of her.

Now We're Talkin'

2009-09-19T15:20:00.002-04:00

$5605.00

I Smell a Rat..and See One Too

2009-09-19T12:33:00.002-04:00

So this morning started early. I awoke with Mags and trudged downstairs to make her tea at 430 or so. She, in the meantime, had gotten up to take a hot hot shower hoping that the heat and steam would warm her and help clear all the crap out of her head/nose area. While she was showering I stripped the bed and threw the sweat soaked sheets into the wash. Mags went down to the chair and put a movie on while I crawled into the bed in the guestroom and was able to get a nice hour nap in.

After that I went out to our shed. The shed needs to be cleaned up once or twice a year and Thursday when retrieving the mower, I noticed all the bags in the shed..grass-seed, rose fertilizer, grass fertilizer, etc, etc had massive holes chewed in them. As did the large plastic snap-top container which held bird seed. Now these holes were too big to be made by the resident field mouse. I suspect a rat and when I put the mower away, something small, fast and hairy darts into the corner. I'm too tired and a little leery of tangling with a rat. So this morning I go to the shed, pull everything out ans sweep up mounds of bird seed, grass seed and rat poo. I dispose of all the offending stuff and start to put everything back into the shed.

I feel that the wee beastie must be in there still and when I almost done I decided to check my golf-bag. I lift my nine iron and sure enough, like he is being shot out of a cannon, a rat propels himself out of my bag, off my chest, down my leg and into the woods behind the shed. I close up the shed, go to the house and wash my hands with anti-bacterial soap three or so times and now I'm searching the web for ways to get rid of said rodent.

PS... anyone want to buy a set of golf clubs?

The News Makes Me Angry Sometimes..Some Examples...

2009-09-18T19:01:00.002-04:00

Long time no post..I know...chalk it up to nothing but laziness and a lack of anything to say. Amazing, right. At the moment, Mags is sick. She is battling a horrible cold and is down and out. Thankfully, Nurse Connor is on the job.

So I enjoy the news. Mostly. I like to know what is going on in the state, country and around the world. However, lately I'm seeing alot of stuff that is well, pissing me off. I enjoy the better side of news, as we all do, but there are things that make me say "what the f*ck". Here are some examples...

~In India recently a 12 year old girl died from massive bleeding while giving birth. Yes. Giving birth. Her 44 yr old husband was said to be somewhat distraught, but he did have a nice little 13 year old at home doing his laundry and plucking a chicken for dinner. 12. say that out loud. 12. years. old. Married to a 44 year old man. Earlier in the week, in elsewhere in India, a 42 year old man beat his 10 year-old wife almost to death. 10...A lot of poor families sell their kids into marriage because the pervs that 'buy' them promise to provide a good home and not to have sex with them until they are of age.

Both of these guys need to be kicked in the sac with such extreme force that professional boxers will watch and grimace. Maybe we should have professional boxers..or maybe some UFC dudes

( or dudettes) do it.

Am I wrong here? And please, I don't want to hear any of that "but it's their culture" bullshit. A 44 year old man has no right being married to, never mind having sex with, a 12 year old girl.

I could go on and on, but man, what else can you say??

~Four young dudes from Hofstra were falsely accused of forcible tying a girl up and raping her. The girl later recanted and said the sex was consensual. She said she made up the story because she didn't want people to think she was...well.. a slut. Well, we now we know that, not only are you a slut, you're also a liar. Super. The good news is the kids were aquitted of said crime. After having their mugs splashed across the newswires with the word 'rapist' attatched to them.

~A guy from right here in New Jersey has been sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison after being convicted of his...are you ready...? 16th drunk-driving conviction. Yes. 16. There were 16 seperate times when this idiot was nailed behind the wheel while he was drunk. 16 seperate time he could have killed an innocent person or persons. The good state of New Jersey felt that after 16 DWI offenses, maybe this guy may or may not have a problem and maybe they should do something. He has had his license revoked for 39 years. His license has been suspended 78 times in the 24 or so years he has been driving. That's about every three months.

Sorry for the bummer entry...I'll work on something funny for tomorrow.

A Full Day

2009-09-07T07:53:00.002-04:00

So yesterday started like any other day. CrazyDog panting by our bed needing to empty his tiny little bladder at around 550 am. We were both up soon and Mags decided the mini-blinds in the living room needed washing. So after two cups of good strong tea, I filled the tub and proceeded to wash said blinds. All I can say is yuk. The blinds were dusty and had the hair of one certain cat whose name will go unmentioned on them. It took me the better part of two hours but all the blinds were washed and rehung to the approval of Mags.

We then decide, well, Mags decided, we needed new valances in the living room so it was off the BBandB to see what they had.

Before I go any further let me say this. In central New Jersey the weekend is a very busy time for our stores here. Very. Busy. I say this because usually finding a parking spot is harder than I dont know what ( I really have nothing clever to put ehre. Sorry. It's still early)

We rolled into the parking lot and it was packed. I got that feeling in my head that I usually get when I go shopping and pulled into the first aisle we came to. Well, the shopping gods must have been smiling on us because as we came up the aisle, a woman in the first freakin' spot was leaving! Woo-Hoo! Maybe this won't be so bad...

We did not find a valance but we did run into Jen and Carly who used to live next door to us before fleeing the nuttiness of Joisey for the humidity and bugginess of Florida. They were back less than two years later. Carly is the youngest of Jenn and Ed's two girls and man is she getting tall..only 8 and almost as tall as me. OK, maybe that's not a good guide...never mind. We chatted with her and then headed up to Ruby Tuesdays in our local mall for lunch.

The mall parking lot was the same. Packed to the gills. We did, again, get lucky and score a spot right near the front. Of course it helps that we have a handicap tag. Still...

Lunch was great. I had some Memphis dry-rub ribs and a Sam Adams Oktoberfest whilst Mags had some fried shrimp and her favorite drink to get at Ruby's, a Sangria. Which I think she enjoyed more than anything else. I knew she really liked it when she asked our server if she could get one in a 'sippy cup' to go. Our server told her no, but we left a nice tip anyways.

Off into the mall briefly.I stopped in at Teavana for some loose tea. The young kid who waited on me started running down a list as long as my arm..again, bad example..I stopped him and said "I just want something strong and black. Nothing fruity. Nothing flowery. Nothing that tastes like candy." He opened a tin and started waving it across the top, trying to get the scent to me. I pretended I approved even though I couldn't smell a darn thing. The tea cost me, for just over 3 ounces, 19 bucks. Hey. I like good tea. He tried to sell me a "Special loose-tea preservation container" for 27 dollars. It was really just a can with a snap lid on it. I laughed, "Seriously?" He just shrugged and said my tea would get stale if I did not but the tin can with the word 'Teavana' printed on it. I assured him I was willing to take that chance. He also, eager beaver that he was, tried to sell me a pound of said tea at the cost of 96 dollars. Yes you read that correctly. I, again, declined, and took my mere 3 oz.

Off to Sears for a shot at finding more valances but no dice. Mags was feeling a bit knackered so I walked back through the mall and out to the car and drove around to get her to save her the hoofing. (This is why I make her sit back and call her Miss Daisy).

We then visited my SIL Leslie who was in nasty car accident some time ago and is in a wheel-chair due to massive injuries to her leg. She was her usual chipper self ( it may have been the pain-killers really because her leg is really badly injured.) and we were, as always, welcomed warmly into their home. Bob, her husband, has been taking very good care of her, even sleeping by her bed for a week while she was in the rehab facility. Good guy that Bob.

We enjoyed about half an hour with them and then....yes there's more..we headed home. Or, should I say, towards home, passing and stopping at the local factory outlet complex. It wasn't awful. There were only about half a million people there. Ok, maybe 300 thousand...or thereabouts. Mags was dying to see the new Coach store. So I dropped her at the door (there was a waiting line outside..honest. Something silly about the fire-code or some such nonsense) and parked, again scoring a decent spot.

We waited to get in and once finally in the door, I think I heard Mags heart do an extra flutter. This girl loves her purses and this was a fine moment for her. The prices were great and she spent some time perusing before settling on two new bags for herself. She was very happy with her finds and she really needed to get herself something. She hasn't bought herself anything in a long time. She spent the money she received for her birthday on bills and part of it went to repair my car. So I'm happy she got something nice.

Wheff...ok I think that's it.

So I'm Laying Awake Thinking the Other Night...

2009-09-03T20:58:00.005-04:00

So I'm thinking the other night ( yes sometimes I really do) and the darnedest things cross my mind.

Seen here is my youngest sister Jen who passed in June 0f 07 ( I still cannot believe it's been two years ). So anyways, while I think of her often I found myself the other night laying in bed staring at the ceiling, waiting for my delivery from the Sandman when I started recalling something to do with Jen that really irked me.

When Jen was younger, she was on an all-girl softball team. She was decent in the field, she played shortstop I think, and could really swing the bat. As one of my friends can attest to. He pissed her off one day at our house. He was probably 13 and tall for his age. She was, I'm guessing 9 and a runt. She told him to stop and he continued. We all knew this would lead to trouble as Jen was born with an extra helping of 'fiesty'. She promptly returned with an aluminum baseball bat and chased him down the hill and around the corner where she eventually got a shot in at his ankle.

Any ways, my point is, she could handle a bat. Now what made me mad was this. Her coach, who ironically was a woman who walked with two crutches, had a military (men's) hairdo, coke-bottle glasses, and was born with an extra-helping of nasty; would never let Jen take her cuts.

She would say "go in there, scrunch way down so they can't pitch to you, and take your base."

ARRRRGGHHHH! You could see the frustration on Jen's face as she 'took her base'. Jen knew it was a cheesy move and wanted to let rip with the ol' Louisville Slugger. The one time she disobeyed and had at it, she tagged a nice shot down past the third base man for a single.

Is that weird that that would bother me 25 years later? Or am I just weird?? Be honest....I can take it.

Lucky Number 7

2009-09-01T20:17:00.004-04:00

So yesterday was our anniversary..Luck number 7.

Every year I try and do a 'Happy Anniversary' Post but last night I just did not get to it.

Mags and I have been through a lot together. Too much for some people I guess. But together we plod on. I wish I made more money so she could quit her stressful job. She's a very good person and deserves to at least have a good job. I mean, she's already got a great husband, so really, isn't that half the battle??

We are pretty good together I must say. We work well together. We are currently in a rough patch, given the illness of her Dad and Grandmother and the stress of her job. But we will survive. Hey Hey. We will survive....sorry

Every year we treat ourselves to a nice Anniversary dinner. So this year we go to Longhorn for our anniversary last night and we arrive early and are seated right behind the hostess station. By the door. Not my first choice, but it is a nice place and i am, after all there to celebrate my 7yr anniversary with Mags.

Trouble begins when the only other two people in the place, who are seated right freaking, next to us, start talking. Well it was only one of them. A woman, who had to be in her 60's and her elderly mom. The mother was a small woman in a wheelchair, eating her apple-thinger desert. The daughter opened her mouth and started yelling to her mother like she was in Canada. I wish I could actually demonstrate this for you but the best thing i can tell you is to cup your hands over your mouth and scream like your getting an alien anal-probe.

"Mom!! How does it feel to be 85!!??" She then, in her best 'evacuate-the-building-there-is-a bomb-in-the-basement' voice, starts doing the math, out loud; trying to prove to her mom that she really is 85. The mother is silently praying for a jumbo jet to fall on her head.

The mother, looking shocked replies (quietly) that she would like to go back to the nursing home. The daughter insists, and people in the nearby Wal-Mart will attest to this, that "no she doesn't" (scream this like you're on fire)

The mother is quietly and quickly chipping away at her desert because her friends will miss her and she wants to get back. And her ears hurt. At one point she tells the daughter "Shut your gob and help me with this pie."

The yelling continues and we ask our server to be moved into another part of the building. She tells Mags 'sit where ever you want'. Mags pics a table across the street and we order.

Dinner was deelish and we enjoyed our anniversary meal very much. Mags even got some to take and had it again for dinner tonight.

We then went to see her Bubs and JW for an hour or so and now we are winding down. She on Yoville and me ...well..here..

So Happy Anniversary cutie!

Sympathy for the Devil??

2009-08-22T19:45:00.003-04:00

O.K. this is a tough one. Earlier during the week Lockerbie bomber and mass-murderer Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi was released from prison where he was cooling his heels for his bombing of Pan-Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie Scotland. 270 people, including 189 Americans and 11 poor Scots on the ground were killed. This cock-bag put the 'bomb in the bag', so to speak and the bag in question made its way onto Flight 103 where it caused the explosion that killed all these innocent folks. Most on holiday. Not that there is one worse time to be murdered than another, I guess its just more shocking or hurtful when you think people are heading out to visit the folks at Christmas.

The most shocking part of this is that he was released out of 'compassion' by the Scottish courts because he has terminal cancer and has less than three months to live. Really? I try to not use bad language here but are you fucking kidding me? Seriously? Compassion? For a man who blew a jumbo jet out of the sky and killed almost 300 hundred people? Wha????

I watched my father suffer and die from cancer back in 2000 and let me tell you, he suffered.

Al Megrahi getting cancer may have been the result of a little quid pro quo courtesy of the lady we know as Karma. He has three months to live and wants to die at home with his family? Well, who knows how long any of those people on that jet had left. I bet their families would love to have another holiday, cold beer or even another argument with their loved ones. Will they get it? No. And they haven't had it since 1988 and never will again. This cock-bag will get to fly home, courtesy of that whack job Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and his private "luxury" jet. Nice. And apparently on the announcement of his release, the government of Libya sent the news via text-message to every cell phone in the country.

There is a pic on the web showing the soon to be worm-food killer being greeted at the airport by enthusiastic crowds, cheering like drunken sailors and waving flags.

Outrage has been expressed throughout the logical-thinking members of the Western world.
our man B called the display "highly objectionable" which is the spin-doctors version of "those crazy mo-fos"

The Libyans have doured this event even further suggesting that maybe a deal for about 900 million bucks worth of oil played a part in the release.

In my humble opinion, he should have been left to rot, but that's just my take on it. The Bible says 'turn the other cheek', but doesn't it also say 'an eye for an eye' ? What's a good Irish boy to think?

While I strongly disagree with the Scottish courts decision, there is nothing I can do. So welcome home, I guess. The only solace the families of the victims have is that you will suffer, and you will die.

Nice Hands Kid

2009-08-17T19:08:00.004-04:00

I am speaking of course about the young Texas Rangers fan known as 'CJ'. I wish I could post the actual video here, but Blogger, like the Internet, hates me. So I can only give you the link to the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrSo17ZL7-I Josh Hamilton is at the plate and he rips a foul ball into the higher decks. CJ 'Cool Hand' MacGee, who is sitting with his Pop, leaps up and snags the foul ball. Three pitches later, same batter, another foul ball into the stands. Guess who comes up with it? You got it. CJ 'Hoover' Smith. Ok, Hoover isn't his nickname and maybe 'Cool Hand' isn't either and really, I'm guessing Smith is not his surname, nor is MacGee. But again, I digress.
The crowd goes freakin' nuts as does the young Texan in question. Remarkable really. Not only will CJ life forever in the highlight reel, but he may very well end up as the answer to a trivia question in Rangers baseball lore. The odds of catching a foul ball is like 1 in 10,000. So catching two, off the same batter in the same at bat is pretty freakin' amazing. Let me call my friends at MIT. They can crunch the numbers. I worked all day.

Foul balls are a part of baseball. A chance for the fan to go home with a souvenir. Of course the chances of catching one are like, 1 in 10,000, so his feat is pretty amazing. Most times they bounce harmlessly off seats or off of other fans hands before landing in your beer. They often times have interesting stories attached to them. Some examples here.....

Although there are no official records for foul balls, some written accounts say the mark belongs to Hall of Famer Luke Appling who, according to the accounts, fouled off 24 pitches from the New York Yankees' Red Ruffing in one at-bat in 1940 before drawing a walk. Stats guru Bill James doesn't buy that story, though, and says Roy Thomas, who played in the National League from 1899 to 1911, has the record with 22 foul balls in one at-bat.

On Aug. 17, 1957, Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn of the Philadelphia Phillies fouled off a pitch that struck Alice Roth, wife of Philadelphia Bulletin sports editor Earl Roth, breaking her nose. As Roth was being helped from the stands, Ashburn fouled off another pitch, striking Roth as she lay on a stretcher. She was not seriously injured.

Leading, 3-0, and five outs from reaching their first World Series in 58 years, the Chicago Cubs watched spectator Steve Bartman reach for a foul ball, deflecting it away from left fielder Moises Alou. Given new life, Luis Castillo drew a walk, starting an eight-run rally that propelled the Florida Marlins to the 2003 National League championship, and earning Bartman infamy in Chicago. Alou said this spring he doubts he could have caught the ball. Bartman was lead out of the stadium because, well; every Cubs fan in the place wanted him dead. He received death-threats for months after his act of idiocy.

Two years ago, Orioles outfielder Jay Gibbons fouled a pitch in the ninth inning of a game in Baltimore, striking his wife Laura in the ribs.

When former Dodgers catcher Toby Hall was playing for Tampa Bay, he went into a mid-May series in Kansas City, Mo., batting .326, having struck out only four times in April. But after hitting a 9-year-old boy with a foul ball in his second at-bat against the Royals, Hall struck out — and fanned three more times over the next two days. He hit only .224 over the next six weeks and didn't recover until after the mid-July All-Star
break

In April, Susan Rhodes of Los Angeles, sitting four rows behind the first base dugout at Dodger Stadium, suffered a concussion and facial injuries when a wooden bat swung by Todd Helton of the Colorado Rockies shattered, sending part of it into the stands. And last summer, first base coach Mike Coolbaugh of the double-A Tulsa Drillers was killed when he was hit in the head by a foul ball during a game.

So there you have it. Another rambling recount of a young fan , CJ 'No I've got it!' Winklemeyer, and some other interesting, useless facts about foul balls.

RIP Koko

2009-08-15T15:58:00.003-04:00

So today will be a lazy day for us here. Mags is still not feeling all too hot and we are both lacking in the sleep department. Although I did get to sleep until 7 this morning. CrazyDog woke me up at 430 am panting like a pervert and once I evicted him from the room, was able to go back to sleep. Mags got up around 630. Which is good for her because she usually wakes at 530 when I get up for work.

Today whilst surfing I realised blues great Koko Taylor had passed away in June. If you're a fan of the blues, you know Koko. She had tremendous talent and when she sang you 'felt' the blues. Here is something I cut and pasted from her MySpace. I was shocked because I don't remember hearing the news. So here's to you Koko.

"I come from a poor family," recalls Koko Taylor. "A very poor family. I was raised up on what they call a sharecropper's farm." Born Cora Walton just outside of Memphis, Tennessee, Koko was an orphan by age 11 (an early love of chocolate earned her the lifelong nickname Koko). Along with her five brothers and sisters, Koko developed a love for music from a mixture of songs she heard in church and songs she heard on B.B. King's daily radio show beaming in from Memphis. Even though her father encouraged her to sing only gospel music, Koko and her siblings would sneak out back with their homemade instruments and play the blues. With one brother accompanying on a guitar made out of bailing wire and nails and one brother on a fife made out of a corncob, Koko began her career as a blues woman. As a youngster, Koko listened to as many blues artists as she could. Big Mama Thornton and Bessie Smith were particular influences, as were Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Sonny Boy Williamson. She would listen to their songs over and over again. Although she loved to sing, she never dreamed of joining their ranks.

When she was 18, Koko and her soon-to-be husband, the late Robert "Pops" Taylor, moved to Chicago to look for work. With nothing but, in Koko's words, "thirty-five cents and a box of Ritz crackers," the couple set up house on the city's South Side, the cradle of the rough-edged sound of Chicago blues. Taylor found work cleaning house for a wealthy couple in the ritzy northern suburbs. At night and on weekends, Koko and Pops would visit the various clubs, where they would hear singers like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Magic Sam, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells. And thanks to prodding from Pops, it wasn't long before Taylor was sitting in with many of the most legendary blues bands on a regular basis.Taylor's big break came in 1962.

After a particularly fiery performance, arranger/ composer Willie Dixon approached her. Much to Koko's astonishment, he told her, "My God, I never heard a woman sing the blues like you sing the blues. There are lots of men singing the blues today, but not enough women. That's what the world needs today, a woman with a voice like yours to sing the blues." Dixon got Koko a Chess recording contract and produced several singles (and two albums) for her, including the million-selling 1965 hit, Wang Dang Doodle. That song firmly established Koko as the world's number one female blues talent. In the early 1970s, Taylor was among the first of the South Side Chicago blues artists to find work —and an audience—on the city's North Side. In 1972, Koko played at the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival in front of more people than ever before (including a young Bruce Iglauer). Atlantic Records recorded the festival (including her performance) and released a live album, which brought Koko to the attention of a large, national audience. In 1975, Koko found a home with the city's newest blues label, Iglauer's Alligator Records. Her first album for the fledgling label, I GOT WHAT IT TAKES , earned her a Grammy nomination. Since then, Koko's recorded seven more albums for Alligator (and received five more Grammy nominations) and has made numerous guest appearances on various tribute albums and recordings of her famous friends. She's been in movies and on television, on radio and in print all over the world. It is not easy being a woman succeeding in the male-dominated blues world, but Koko Taylor has done just that. She's taken her music from the tiny clubs on the South Side of Chicago to giant festivals around the world. She's appeared on national television numerous times and has even been the subject of a PBS documentary. Through good times and personal hardships, Koko Taylor has remained a major force in the blues. "It's a challenge," she says. "It's tough being out here doing what I'm doing in what they call a man's world. It's not every woman that can hang in there and do what I am doing today."

Taylor died on June 3, 2009, after complications from surgery for gastrointestinal bleeding on May 19, 2009.[5] Her final performance was at the Blues Music Awards, on May 7, 2009.

Fine. Eat All My Birdseed.....Sheeesh

2009-08-09T13:01:00.005-04:00

So almost every day I find myself chasing two naughty little tree-rats (squirrels) away form our bird feeder. It involves me yelling, clapping my hands and often throwing something at the offending little rodents. I don't try to hit them (OK I have once or twice) but I do my bast to discourage them from eating the food I put out for my feathered friends.

So the other day I was attempting to shoo away one little fella and he sat and looked at me. Noticing I had no weapon he taunted me...'chatter chatter squeeek chatter chatter' (or something along those lines....I picked up a stick from next to my compost pile and start waving it at him like I was shooing off a very large bird of prey. He chattered once more and scurried up the tree.

Well today I realised what his chattering meant. Apparently it meant "I have a big brother and he's going to come here and whup your little human butt," because this is what I found at my feeder this morning....

Some Pics

2009-08-08T09:13:00.009-04:00

So I have this new job and when I come home I am simply wiped out. Lots o' lifting. A job for a younger man perhaps. Most of my coworkers are 20 year old kids. Half my age and they seem to be better suited to it than I. I'm not complaining, I like my job. A lot. Just explaining my lack of posting.

So last night I watched the Sox and Yanks and hung in until the 11th inning of a scoreless pitcher duel. Always exciting when these two teams play. Much more exciting when the boyos form Boston win, but again, I digress. I awoke to find that A-Rod launched a shot into the seats in the 15th to win it for the much-hated Stanks. Bad way to start your day, I know.

I have some pics from work I will post here.

The first pic is one of two fans we have on the ceiling in our place. They are 24 feet in diameter and they are Big Ass Fans. Really. That's the name of the company that makes them. They are really niec, if you happen to be working directly under them. They will, supposedly, lower the temp of our building 10-15 degrees if they are cranked up all the way. I can't wait to see that.

The second pic is my machine. It's a Crown 3450H. Not that means a whole lot to anyone...it is a stand-up forklift. You stand on the platform (which you can barely see ) and it raises up into the air. It has a reach height of about 35 feet or so, which brings us to pic number 3. The dude on the ground is my work buddy Sergio. I'm about 25 feet up in this pic. To give you a better idea of my distance from the safety of the floor, Serg is about 6'0 tall.

The final pic is display cases I was stacking with my machine. They are stacked 5 high and are about 5' tall per rack. It's a wee bit nerve-racking being up that high with that load behind you, trying to place it onto the existing cases. They have four posts, one on each corner, and you must rest the next case on them perfectly. Whilst performing said task I looked down and the three top dawgs in the place were staring up at me , mouths agape. I lowered meself and asked what was up. They said nothing, they had just never seen anyone stack the cases with that particular machine.

Much later in the day, the head of our sight called me offer and told me that was a very good idea, but (thankfully) from this point forward we will only be stacking 4 high. Whew.

Well my lawn needs cutting and sadly, it will not cut itself.

It's Only Rain. Press the Gas Pedal..

2009-07-21T21:54:00.007-04:00

I awoke to heavy rains lashing against our bedroom window. The sound is, to me anyways, magical. It helps me sleep. Lulls me to sleep, keeps me asleep, makes me want to remain asleep, or at the least, stay in bed. But again, I digress.

I dragged my little butt out of bed and into the kitchen where I fixed, in this order, the cat's breakfast, the dog's and then my tea. I sat and watched the rain through the sliding door and tried to waken myself. I watched the song birds flit from tree to tree to our feeder and watched the chipmunks that have, apparently, taken up residence under my shed, dash out into the grass and scoot thougt the fence into my neighbors yard...now where was I going? Oh. Right.

So I hop into my car and make a quick stop at the Starbucks that is located in the Stupid Stop and Shop I pass every morning. I chat up Ruth and on my way. So here's my beef. Why is it that when it rains people lose the ability to drive? I mean really. They drive slower, brake harder, and keep a much greater distance between themselves. "Smart, safe driving Connor..that's why.." I bet you're all saying. No. Look. The road is wet. With water. Not ice. Have we not learned how to drive in the rain yet? Rain is not a new event. It has been raining for how long? I dunno... since the beginning of freakin' time...

How long will it take you guys to adjust? It's not that hard. My main route of travel is Route 130 South. Posted speed limit is 55. Most people here do 65-70. Today, because of the rain, we are reduced to 35-45. Come on. Just pull to the left and let the guy who knows how to drive get to work. Please??

I am from New England and therefore, I can drive 80 on ice. Snow does not bother me, nor does sleet, hurricane winds, moose or whatever else. Maybe I could open a driving school and give lessons in 'wet-weather driving' to these hapless New Jerey drivers.....oh I can hear Mags laughing already at the thought..

I Know..I'm Just Being Lazy...

2009-07-18T10:54:00.003-04:00

I haven't posted in over a week and I apologise to my faithful following..all three of you. The week has been busy at work and I come home wiped out. Lots of heavy lifting. It's definitely hard work but I'm not complaining. Just stating...oh never mind.

As I said in my last post Mags was down with a dose of pneumonia. She hasn't felt good for a long time. She went back to the doctor and told her so and the doctor suggested a CT Scan. The office would call the insurance company and set it up. Of course the brainiacs at the insurance company denied it saying that Mags had had a CT Scan "only 7 months ago". Thank goodness everyone at UHC is a trained physician/psychic and can determine that nothing had grown in her lungs since then. Long story short, neither of us was pleased. On Wednesday night I came home from work and found Mags in a good sleep. She had finally been able to get a nap in. I moved about the house in Ninja mode as not to disturb her and hog-tied both the animals.

When she finally came downstairs she said to me "I think I need to go to the E.R."

I almost fell over. When my wife tells me she wants to go to the E.R., she is sick. If I were to suggest it she would scoff and say something along the lines of "don't make me get you in a headlock little man." So I ate my dinner quickly and off to the E.R. we went. Luckily it was slow night and we got in relatively quickly. Herself was hooked into an IV, which she really, really, really dislikes. The nurse with the needle however, was apparently top of her class in 'I.V. needle insertion' or whatever they call it nowadays. First shot. No collapsed veins. Good job Tracy.

So then she was give I.V. fluids, taken for a chest x-ray, then waiting, then a CT Scan (both of which were clean save for the scarring in her lungs from the massive radiation she had whilst battling Hodgkin's some time ago. Her nurse Joella was also very good.

We then waited for blood work results and for the doc to read all the films. He said the pneumonia has cleared and she is just feeling like poo because of well, the pneumonia.

We rolled up to our house at midnight and then were off to bed. I made the mistake of having a Coke at the E.R. A Coke with caffeine. Big mistake. I usually don't take caffeine after 3pm because, well I won't sleep because I'm wire for sound. I laid there until 1:30 and then was awake for work at 5. Bummer right? So I plodded through the day without killing myself or anyone (or anything) else.

Good news is, Mags is feeling much better and actually went to work yesterday. She already has done some errands this morning including a stop at the beer store to pick up some Sam Adams Summer Ale for me. ( Isn't she sweet) She says it's 'Connor Appreciation Day'

It certainly is nice to be appreciated.

I had my mop clipped this morning and stopped in to see Bubs and J.W. We may be going back later.Now, while I am still motivated, I must cut the grass.

Have a good weekend all....

Happy Birthday Mags

2009-07-09T18:43:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday (yesterday) to the cutie pictured here. I always try to post on her B-Day but did not get around to it last night.

Mags is sadly, under the weather at the mo'. She is as tough as nails and when she breaks down and goes to the doc, she's sick. So I get a call at work and I am informed the lovely one has pneumonia. You heard me right. Nu-Mon-i-a.

So she spent yesterday trying to rest. I swung by the market to pick up some sunflowers to cheer her up, Mendokers to pick up her birthday cake. A nice all-chocolate cake with fresh strawberry filling, strawberry's on it and a nice chocolate ganosh filling. About 3 billion calories but worth every bite. Then across to the next town to pick up her scripts.

She was told by her doc to take the rest of the week off from work. To rest. When I called her on my lunch break she was sweeping the kitchen floor, doing laundry, grooming the cat and working on her juggling routine. Okay, maybe she wasn't juggling, but she needed to be resting.

Anyways, hopefully she can take it easy tomorrow and be feeling better by the weekend.

Happy birthday sweety!

This Post Will Ramble..Be Warned

2009-07-05T10:44:00.004-04:00

OKay so I'm in the mood to blog but have no 'destination' in mind. So bear with me..or just go read Juds. He's got a good blog so you can't lose.

On Saturday we were both awake at the crack of dawn. Again. Part of the problem is the fact that our bedroom is on the east-facing portion of our home. Add to that the fact that we have some very sheer lacy pretty curtains and they are covered by some somewhat sheer white curtains. I told Mags it's like being in a Nazi interrogation room. The room is filled with light at 505 am and being a big baby, I cannot sleep with all that light flooding in. I also need it to be almost silent to go to sleep (I'm a lot of work aren't I??). But I digress.
My back is feeling better today. I had some pretty heavy pain going on during the end of last week into early Saturday morning. I am feeling better today, although, I've been up since 5. Mags went back to bed at 7 and just got up around 1030 or so. I'm happy she did because she hasn't been feeling to good. And besides, whilst I may be slightly grumpy, I can get by on less sleep better than she can.

Yesterday we went to the in-laws for most of the afternoon and evening. We grilled some good food and Mag and her sis whipped up some salads, including potato, fruit and green. Plus Mags marinated a tasty sirloin. Dotties man Dave was the Master of the Flame for the evenings festivities. He's a really nice guy and he seems to genuinely care for Dottie. Plus he cooks a mean hamburger. So he's good in my book.

Dottie pureed a couple of burgers for the Big Guy and he enjoyed those. We sat and had some good conversation after dinner. I like to see Mags and her sis just sitting together talking. They don't see each other too often and between them they are really holding things together for their mom in this very hard time. I'm not sure what Bubs will do when Dottie has to go back to Albany. We will of course be here to assist.

There is one thing that burns my little ass and I guess maybe unless you know my SIL you can't truly appreciate this but...both Bubs and my SIL own Boston Terriers. A nurse at the rehab told Bubs that a standard collar is very bad for these dogs because a) they have respiratory problems becasue of their flattened little snouts and b) they are 'pullers' and choke themselves when you wlak them. plus c) they get hung up with a collar and hang themselves. All bad right?? So he suggested a harness. Two weeks ago Bubs asked me if I'd be so kind as to go to our local PetSmart and get her a harness. "Of course" says I, and I did. A pretty pink number with little white paw prints all over it. Now here's my problem, the SIL comes over and decides the dog would rather choke herself to death and puts the collar 'back' on her (because her dog wears a collar) And when I go over I have to put the harness back on her. Really?? What's the deal here?
I threatened last night to Super-Glue the harness on her. Bubs chuckled a bit so I think that means it's okay...doesn't it??

Today I think we may run to our local Wegmans and maybe visit again. We've had a good weekend so far, and lest I jinx Meself, it has not rained once....shhh...

Happy Independence Day Everyone

2009-07-04T08:22:00.000-04:00

Three Day Weekends Are My Friend

2009-07-03T14:37:00.002-04:00

Yes a 3-day weekend is upon us. Work was tough this week. Physically tough. For me anyways. Mix my bad back with 40-60 pound boxes of books and the lifting of said books and you've got yourself one tired and achy Leprechaun. It's cool though. It was worth it when I got my check yesterday. My wife was also pleased with the check. I learned how to use the RF scanner gun at work yesterday. My boss is cool and told me 'if you have any problems just ask. I'd rather answer 20 questions and have it done right. And don't feel like you're buggin me. Just ask." This put me at ease. So I immediately, of course had a question. As the day went on though, it got easier.
The guys I work with, except for the GM, are all younger than me. Significantly younger I think. This is weird to me. I feel my age at the end of the day and when I hear these young dudes saying " I can't wait 'til I turn 21 so I can buy my own beer..."..well geez...

This morning CrazyDog had us awake at 5. It is tough for both of us. Especially Mags who has not only a stressful job, but with her Dad being very ill, it's twice as bad. She got up early with the pooch and told me to stay in bed and see if I could go back to sleep. I was going to protest but..I fell back to sleep. Sorry hun.
I mowed early and then ran to our local Shop Rite, which was packed to the gills and then to Home Depot and then the beer store.
Then I came home to do a few household things that needed doing and then I hit the shower.
It looks like it may rain again but I have 3 days off, as does me wife. So hopefully we'll get some quality alone time in.
Well I'm off to see my pop-in-law.
Have a good day all.

Work and Such

2009-06-27T19:48:00.004-04:00

So the new job is going well. The guys are cool and the work, although very hard physically, is easy enough. The machine I drive is pretty new and seems solid. I like the feeling of knowing if I'm 35 feet off the ground the machine will keep me safe. Plus I've many years of experience and I'm confident ( but not cocky) in my operator skills.

So the biggest thing is sleep. or lack thereof. For some crazy reason, one of us, Mags or Meself is waking at 4 am or in that area every morning. It is getting really bad. We are both exhausted. Always. We get up exhausted and we go to bed exhausted.

Anyways, what I'm leading to is..Thursday morning I was awake at four and could not go back to sleep. I usually try to sleep until 530 or the latest 550. Traffic is light at 615 when I leave my house and if I can grab a few extra winks I will.

On this morning I was wiped out. I was only able to get one cup of tea into me and then it was on the road. On this little side road I traverse, I am cruising along, not speeding mind you, just cruising with the windows down, letting the cool morning air blow in, trying to wake myself up. The tiny part of my brain registered something darting from the woods into the road. Suddenly all my nuerons are firing and I realise the thing in the road is a rabbit. A baby rabbit. It it scared shit and freezes in front of me. I deftly nudge the wheel and try to brake all at once. I say to it 'stay there' because I know I will pass harmlessly above it if it does stay put. Sadly, the animal is terrified and makes a break back for safety and I hit it. I hear the sickening thud under my rear wheels. I look back in my rear view and sure enough, I have murdered a bunny.

I feel like I may, cry, puke or both. I mean I love all creatures, but if it weighs less than four pounds, has fur and looks like it may be cuddly, I'm all for it.

This ruined my freakin' day. I drive to our local Starbucks and grab a tall cup of strong tea and make my way to work. I'm not feeling any better about what happened, but as Mags said when I told her, there was nothing I could do.

So I'm now working in a book warehouse and I'm putting books away ( mostly kiddie books) when I notice some of the titles. "Do Rabbits Have Christmas?" , "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tullane" (about a china rabbit), "32 Third Graders and Only One Rabbit" and the title that almost reduced me to a pile of quivering snot "Momma Rabbit Loves Her Baby Bunny." The cover which showed momma bunny nuzzling her tiny little baby.

Thankfully the day ended with me driving home without killing anymore woodland creatures and promptly consuming a frosty cold Saranac Pale Ale.

I worked today. Love that O.T. and when I came home Mags had a deelish dinner ready for me and even bought me a pint of my fave Ben and Jerrys as a 'reward' for working so hard today.

She also did groceries, cleaned the floors, did laundry and took CrazyDog tro be groooomed.

So again, we are both cream-crackered. Hopefully tonight at least one of us will get more than 5 hours of sleep.

Better Late Than Never

2009-06-22T20:58:00.003-04:00

Just a quick entry to wish my father-in-law, a.k.a The Big Guy, a.k.a The Boss a very Happy Father's Day.

He came home from the nursing home yesterday and I think he somewhat enjoyed everyone making a fuss over him.

A man and his dog...

Sweet Jaysus You People Are Kooky

2009-06-18T19:09:00.005-04:00

I am speaking not of the Octomom, the Mormon cultists in Utah or wherever those freaks live, but the wing-nuts at PETA. All the panties at PETA are in a twist over our the 'brutal slaying' of an innocent fly by our President, Barack O'Bama. (He is Irish). Our man 'B' was trying to conduct an interview on CNBC when the pesky little bugger starting swooping and 'buzzing' him. The President kindly asked it to stop and then, when the little camera-hog persisted on trying to fly up our leaders nose, he crushed him like the RedSox beating the Yankees.

Really. I'm serious...PETA sent him a letter and everything...man..read a paper you guys.
What really, umm, bugged PETA was the fact that 'B' showed no remorse over the killing and even hi-fived the camera man, screaming "I got you you little prick!", before grabbing the poor flys wee carcas in a tissue and stomping it in time to "Another one bites the dust."

PETA has also sent the Prez a few,.. oh God I cannot believe these people are allowed to breath my air, special bug traps. Yes bug traps. They safely trap naughty little pests like gnats, mosquitos, flys and earwigs, then you can ( gently) carry the traps to an outdoor locale and release them back into the wild. Honestly?

PETA is also demanding the flys be fed for the duration of it's captivity, or, they will be marching on the White House demanding the 'prisoner fly' be fed and provided clean drinknig water for all of it's 15 day long life span. When the significant cost of housing (that will be passed onto the tax-payer) and feeding a fly for that time was pointed out to PETA, the response was quick. "It is a living thing. Look, we can build homeless shelters and levies in Louisiana or we can help the flies. The choice is obvious."

Meanwhile, CNN has an exclusive report on a note found at a New Jersey dung heap where the murdered flies cousin 'Joey' was living, it was written in a hurry and was barely legible but went something like this...

"Mr. prezident, I saw you kill my couzin, boy am I mad! You think the people at PETA are mad just you wait 'til I get there you are in troubl..."

When other flies dining in said dung heap were questioned the reply was simple. "Yeah he was pisssssed..but he was 14 days old....poor guy didn't live long enough to finish the note...tsktsk..buzz buzz etc..."

The Internet Hates Me

2009-06-15T20:15:00.002-04:00

So today was my first day at the new place. We got a lot done considering that there was a crew of electricians in there on scissor lifts installing lights and there were numerous trucks arriving during the day to be unloaded. The offices are still not done, as is the break room and, sadly the bathrooms. That's right, we're using porta-potties...oh, sorry, "Mr. John". Gross.

My coworkers are very cool and this is a great relief to me. I had the 'new guy' concerns, you know..nobody bothers with you, you get the majority of the work, people aren't willing to help you too much...total opposite with these guys.

So anyway I come home to file my final unemployment claim and their website is goofy and has locked me out. I need to call and talk with someone. I call and am told by that generic computerized voice my wait will be 45 minutes. Crap. I need to do this so I hang on. When my call is finally answered by a lovely woman named Alberta (or something like that) I am asked the standard questions and she types in all my info..I am put on hold, asked more questions, put on hold, asked more questions, put on hold..you get the picture. Long story short, after waiting 45 minutes to speak to someone, being put on hold 6 times during that call, answering every question under the sun, including the old, "how much wood could a woodchuck chuck..?", I am told their system will not let even kindly ol' Alberta process my claim. So now I must wait. She said she'd call if it did not get done. So far, no call.

I then tried to apply for my benefits for my new job online. My new employee ID number is apparently invalid.

Then, I tried to log into the game on Facebook called YoVille. YoVille was temporarily down for service.

So while I had a good day at work, my computer time was slightly not so good.

New Job Update

2009-06-13T18:07:00.002-04:00

New job is going well. They are moving to bigger digs and I got a sneak peek on Thursday. The place will be big. They are still running the electric and should be done by Monday.

Today they had a big warehouse sale and I was elected to direct traffic. Easy stuff, just standing outside telling people where to go..hmmm I guess I did enjoy it after all....

Anyways, it was going well until about 2:30 when the skies opened up. I pulled my car to the end of the driveway and watched for traffic and when needed, made a dash out to the road to talk to our customers.

So the new job thing is going well. Everyone is super cool and the building will be brand new.

The rain continues to fall and it looks like it may carry into tomorrow.

I can't tell you how relieved I am to have a job again. It's a good feeling to be a productive person again. And well..making money too.. that's nice

Man Did I Accomplish Alot Today

2009-06-07T18:31:00.003-04:00

So it is Sunday, generally a day of rest...but today I felt ambitious. The yard needed mowing desperately and honestly our little Boxwoods out front were out of control. Now that I mention it, our other bushes whose-name-I-dont-know, were also growing like they were possessed.

So the morning began with Mags venturing out for a walk around the development before the heat of the day took hold. That left me hunched groggy over a cup of English Breakfast tea, praying that the caffeine would hurry into my blood stream. Mags suggested that I cook up some Turkey bacon and so I did. Good stuff too. When Mags arrived back home we made egg, bacon and cheese sandwiches. Yummy. Mags then ventured to see her Dad who is still in the nursing home. When she arrived back home she was very pleased that he seems to be getting a better grasp on his words and is trying to put sentences together! This makes us both very happy.

I mowed and trimmed the lawn, which I'm happy to say may actually look decent this year. After that I had a nice hot shower and then settled in the watch the Red Sox. A rare treat for me because they are never televised here unless they play the fucking Yankees.

About the time the third inning rolled around my mother-in-law called an asked if I would be so kind as to bring Lucy, my FIL's Boston Terrier to the nursing home for a visit. 'I would be so kind', was my reply. I set the DVR and rolled on over to my in-laws place and wrangled their zany Boston into my car. I had opened the trunk to put some borrowed hedge-trimmers in and Lucy jumped into my trunk and looked at me as if to say "let's roll!". I told her that today she'd be allowed to ride shotgun.

At the nursing home my FIL seemed to enjoy the visit form the pooch but soon wanted to go into the tv room. My MIL took Lucy home and I hung out with the Big Guy for a little bit. We watched some crap show on tv and he was trying his darnedest to tell me something about business. He gets that word and the word important out but otherwise he is struggling. He got frustrated but I patted him on the back and told him to take his time and he just smiled. He is trying and I think his speech is getting better.

Home after my visit I trimmed all our shrubbery and then fired up the grill for some burgers whilst Mags made some fresh corn on the cob.

Now that we're all fed and the kitchen is cleaned, it's time to relax. Hope you all had a great weekend.

Guess What? It's Raining...

2009-06-04T21:15:00.004-04:00

So I may have another job. This is a direct hire and will probably start Tuesday. Good company and they are growing. They're in the process of moving from a 40k square foot building to a 100k sq. foot place. I'm doing it with trepidation. I haven't worked in so very long..plus a new job is scary. Isn't it? The guy who interviewed me is super nice and I met who I think may be my boss and he's a cool young dude. So I'm hoping it will work out. The downside (of course there's a downside) is the money. Ill be making more than I am on unemployment but much less than I was at my other place. But I had been there 8 years and the former employer was somewhat generous with the loot....So we'll see.

The other night the forecast called for thunderstorms. Big deal. I like the rain. I enjoy a good thunderstorm as much as the next kook. The sound of the rain helps me sleep....however...the other night at about oh....1:30 am there was a blinding light and a crash of thunder that shook our house. Literally. Shook. the. House. It was scary. I was thinking a 747 fell out of the sky and dropped into our backyard or maybe a tornado had touched down and we were about to be swept away to Oz. I would dig hanging with the Munchkins...the flying monkeys would scare me tho...

but I digress.

Again.

So the storm was fierce. Whilst I was able to doze back I was awoken soon by the feeling that someone was staring at me. I opened one weary eye and saw in very close proximity to my face, CrazyDogs snout. The poor little guy was shaking like a leaf and doing his best to be as close to me as he could. I rubbed his little head and talked reassuringly to him in my best reassuring voice and soon he laid down and we were all able to go back to sleep.

Mags came home early today and we went to the nursing home to see her Dad. We spent a few hours with him and then came home. Maybe, hopefully we can relax and have agood night sleep.

If You Keep Giving Her Attention, She'll Never Go Away

2009-06-01T21:45:00.006-04:00

Here we go again. The uber-fertile crack-pot they call the "OctoMom" is apparently due to have her own reality show. Honestly? Did the network head honchos have a meeting and decide there just isn't enough shit on t.v. already?

"Say Wilson..what are we gonna do for the fall sweeps?"

"How 'bout a reality show?"

"About who?"

" I dunno..maybe like that guy from Murphy Brown..the painter..."

"Dead."

"They wrote him out of the show?"

"No he's really dead you horses-ass"

"Oh...." reaches for his Prozac...

"Got it!! How about that Angelina Jolie look-alike? The girl with the big lips, 22 kids and the uterus you could park a Suburban in?!"

"Crap on toast you're a genius!"

That sound you just heard was 85% of Americans slapping their open palm against their foreheads and going "d'oh!"

Tell me you're kidding please....

Aren't we sick to death of this woman? She is apparently as crazy as I am short but her dopey mug is all over the television. 14 kids? That's like a baseball team and a full freakin' bullpen. And are we to believe her and big ol' Dr. Phil are just 'friends'? (winkwinknudgenudge) She's been on his show about 87 times in the last 5 months. He's helping her. Hmmph.

The season may open with what's -her-face at the doctor discussing yet another invitro-fertilization. She will say that she plans to keep going until one of the following happens, a) she produces enough children to form her own army, at which point she will try to overthrow the government of Seychelles b). Her state-funded aid bankrupts the state of California or c) Her uterus falls out and she rents it to the highest bidder for an indoor practice facility for kids soccer. Quality t.v. no matter what. Am I right?

She has plans, so I'm told to trademark the name "OctoMom" and she is looking to put the "Octonut" name on a brand of diapers. Honest.

Also told that she has passed on an offer from Vivid prodcutions. They make the naughty movies. We'll see....once kid number 42 comes along she may start hurting for cash.

Flowers From the Side Garden

2009-05-16T15:05:00.003-04:00

Spellcheck Hates Misquitoes Too

2009-05-10T07:59:00.003-04:00

In my recent entry I misspelled the word 'mosquitoes'. I did it in Word Perfect first, then I cut and pasted the words into my blog. I ran spellcheck on both as I tend to type pretty fast and thus, screw up quite a bit. Apparently the programmers of spellcheck dislike the tiny little blood-suckers as much as I do because these are the results of my misspelling of 'mosquitoes'

Word Perfect gave me these results with definitions

machetes- a heavy knife with abroad blade

makeweights- Something added on a scale in order to meet a required weight

mikados- an Emperor of Japan

milkweeds- Any of numerous plants of the genus Asclepias, having milky juice, usually opposite leaves, variously colored flowers grouped in umbels, and pods that split open to release seeds with downy tufts. Also called silkweed.

Blogger these:

mosque- a Muslim house of worship

masque- . A dramatic entertainment, usually performed by masked players representing mythological or allegorical figures, that was popular in England in the 16th and early 17th centuries

miscue- A mistake

misc- Which really isn't a word, but part of a word.

Misti-A girl who may or not make her living swinging, partially or totally unclad, on a long silver pole in a very dark room which is in a very dark and somewhat oddly smelling building in a not so good part of town.

Seriously?

I've Been Tagged..or The Secret Plot to Steal My Identity

2009-05-10T07:49:00.003-04:00

I've been tagged by Jud and these are the questions that have been put forth to me and as with all these things I will read my answers back in a day or so, look at a question and realize there was a better, or funnier answer...

At first I thought these things were just ways of secretly harvesting personal information so's the 'tagger' could learn enough about me to steal my identity. But then I thought, 'who would want to be me?' anyways here we go....

1. What are your current obsessions? finding a job

2. Which item from your wardrobe do you wear most often? In the fall, spring my Timberland hoodie.

3. Last dream you had? Being chased, falling from great heights people trying to kill me..typical anxiety stuff

4. Last thing you bought? pizza from Luigis

5. What are you listening to? Soundtrack from ‘Across the Universe.’

6. If you were a god/goddess who would you be? Sucellus or maybe Taranis

7. Favourite holiday spots? home

8. Reading right now? At Fenway

9. Four words to describe yourself. Funny. Creative. Easily Distracted. Friendly

10. Guilty pleasure? Now if I told you that would increase the guilt now wouldn’t it? The last thing an Irish guy needs is more guilt...

11. Who or what makes you laugh until you’re weak? How I Met Your Mother

12. Favourite spring thing to do? Working in the yard....hoping my grass and flowers will have a successful season

13. When you die, what would you like people to say about you at your funeral? Wait! He’s breathing!

14. Best thing you ate or drank lately? Had a great steak at Longhorns about a week or two ago.

15. When did you last go for a night out? Don’t know

16. What album did you get a copy of most recently? Sorry I only use iTunes

17. Care to share some wisdom? A sure thing isn’t always a sure thing.

18. Song you can’t get out of your head? Good Man by Josh Ritter

19. Thing you are looking forward to? A nice night when I can sit on the patio with a cold beer without being eaten by misquitos.

20. Which disease or condition would you most like to see eradicated? Cancer, cancer, cancer

21. What is your most irrational fear? Being stalked by Paris Hilton

22. Who are your favourite comedian? Lewis Black

Update

2009-05-08T15:42:00.003-04:00

So we just came in from visiting my father-in-law at the hospital. He has had a second stroke. He needs his carotid artery cleared and a pacemaker. He is, sadly, too weak for either. This has been a tremendous strain on the entire clan. He was very weak the other night and today seemed perkier. He is having a lot of trouble communicating his thoughts but he recognizes us when we come in and smiles.

At this point, the docs say they think he can go back to the rehab center and maybe end up back at home. The word hospice has come up and as someone who has had hospice in their homes ( for my Dad who died of cancer in 2000) it is somewhat unnerving. The main goal is to get him home. He desperately misses being in his chair, being in his home and of course, he misses hiss crazy little dog Lucy.

The days are filled with anxiety as we don't know what the day will bring, minute to minute. I've always said the man is tougher than Chinese Arithmatic and I hope there is a miracle in store for him.

The sun finally came back out today. You know, that big bright thing in the sky. I was able to get my grass cut using my Scotts reel mower. Yeah, you know what I mean..like your grand-daddy used to own. Except now they weight like 22 pounds and are so much easier to handle. Best part? I no longer have to buy gas for the beast in the shed which I can't even start anymore. You'll think this sounds weird but the grass looks better when you cut it with a reel mower. The reason being the reel mower actually 'cuts' the grass, while the rotary mower 'tears' it. Stop laughing Im serious. It's the difference between getting your hair cut and getting your hair 'styyyled'.

That's it for now.

Didn't He Get The Memo??

2009-04-30T12:18:00.006-04:00

The CDC has recently released this photo as part of their ongoing campaign to fight the 'SwineFlu'. It does state that the swine flu has originated from, well, swine and then it mutates and humans can become afflicted.

It can be contracted much like a cold or the regular ol' flu. By very close and/or intimate contact, for example touching something an infected person has recently handled, being sneezing on by an afflicted person or from french-kissing a pig.

Please wash your hands..and brush your teeth so's we can all get through this alive.

Mother Nature You Vex Me

2009-04-29T08:25:00.003-04:00

So yesterday and the days preceding yesterday were super nice here. We hit the 80's and yesterday the mercury crept up on 90. This morning I awoke to find that it had rained overnight (shocker, I know) and the mercury was back down around the 48 degree mark. A drastic drop if I do say so. It is good I guess. I got a lot of yard work done yesterday. Mowing, pulling those f*&%*# dandelions, and trimming up the hedges out front. I even got some outdoor time with CrazyDog once the sun went behind the trees and the temperature dropped. His massive double coat makes even temps in the 60's kinda unbearable for him. We will be having him groomed up soon and that seems to help. But for now, he awakens us every morning with his panting. It's like being awakened by an obscene phone call. He could sleep down in the kitchen where the tile floor is always cool, but he is a pack animal and wants to sleep with us, his pack. He guards us while we sleep and if we have to get up in the night for anything, he will follow us, watch us, and follow us back to bed.
Today there are a few errands to run. CrazyDog needs his nails trimmed. I have a trimmer but I guess I'm not taking enough off. So it will be off the the local PetSmart. A trip to the bank, dry cleaners and the mall for an emergency shoe repair for Mags.

On a different note, I happened to pass a business that was very close to the one I was formerly employed in and noticed they had a sign out front advertising help wanted. I popped in and filled out the application, which only had like 5 questions on it, which I thought was slightly odd, most apps. have more like a page and a half don't they? I started to ask the receptionist but she looked unhappy, like she may be sitting on a cactus, so I rethought my previous thought, filled out my app, gave her a copy of my resume, wished her a good day and left.

Okay, time to hit the road.

Update

2009-04-28T13:21:00.002-04:00

Hey there....I'm still amongst the living. A lot of crazy crap has been going on here. The biggest news is that my father-in-law has had what appears to be a stroke. He spent some time in the hospital and has since been transferred to a rehab/nursing home type set-up. He is weak and sometimes gets very confused. He has aphasia which is when you get your words mixed up. You try to form sentences and the wrong words come out. He is a very smart man and the frustration shows on his face when this happens. He is pretty good about recognizing everyone, although when we first saw him in the hospital he called me "Willy Boy". Someone from way back in his past. Although when i went over Saturday, he recognized me right off. He needs help with his utensils and his right arm, weakened by the stroke, keeps falling by his side and smacking against the wheelchair. This has been very hard on everyone. It is so very hard to see someone you love suffer like this. I got a little shaken when I first saw him in the nursing home. I have only known him for 9 years but I know everything the man has done throughout his life and to see him like this is disheartening. It made me think of my own father when he was dying of cancer. My Dad was a many of many skills and a very hard worker. He enjoyed riding his bicycle and joind a club and did many 'century' rides and he even cycled through the wine country of France. He, like my father-in-law always worked very hard, sometimes working two jobs, to provide for his family and did almost every home-repair that needed doing himself. When the cancer hit him the hardest, he was bedridden and helpless.

I'm hoping my FIL makes a quick recovery and come home to his own home soon. It will be good to see him back in his chair by the fireplace.

The Sham Continues

2009-04-23T08:34:00.002-04:00

Okay so I've written about the trouble Mags has been having getting Monumental Insurance to make good on their policy. They are simply refusing to honor their product. Our Doctors office sent all the information over via fax last week ( they actually sent it three times but Monumental, ahem, "never got it") and Mags thought she was all set. She came home from work last night and decided to call them to make sure they did indeed have all the info they needed. Again, her chained was jerked. The rep whom she got on the phone told her that now they are contacting doctors she saw over 5 years ago to make sure she had no pre-existing conditions which would enable them to get out of paying for this loan. Funny, though, the girl at Freehold Toyota who sold the policy told us they( the insurance company) only went back three years, and it is clearly written on the contract that they go back three years.

The insurance company told Mags that they will contact every doc she has seen for the past five years and when Mags told her what the contract said the rep only said "well it's five years now". Mags then asked for a supervisor and was disconnected.

She then called Freehold Toyota and was told, again, basically, 'too bad for you'. We were told the financial manager will be calling us today. Right.....

Today I am filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and sending a letter to the local paper. Will anything be done? Hopefully, but I won't hold my breath.

Sunday Bits

2009-04-19T10:23:00.003-04:00

So yesterday was a busy day here at the Leprechaun Inn. I accomplished even more painting planted a couple more, well..plants and got our 'summer' dishes out. Mags had an appointment and stopped by one of her favourite haunts, 'Home Goods'. Although I'm not a big fan of shopping, I have to say they have some pretty cool stuff sometimes. Mags got a house-warming gift for a coworker, some trivets for Bubs and two very cool bowls. Just ceramic cereal bowls but the color is spot on the the color of our kitchen...again..Marth Stewart junior here....

I cleaned up our patio table and we enjoyed our lunch al fresco, enjoying the beautiful weather. It was in the 70's with a nice breeze. freakin' perfect! Tomorrow it will, of course, rain. And Tuesday. Natch.

Mags went back to work after a long stay-at-home to get her meds straightened out. She was filled with anxiety because at her job they change the routine like who knows what and she would have some 'catching up' to do. I told her to relax as she is a very good employee and she is sharp as a tack (or as we who grew up in Rhode Island say "my girls wicked smaaahht"). Needless to say, her three days back included some training and it all went well.

I'm still hoping to get something soon. I enjoyed the first couple of weeks off. The pets were exceptionally happy to have someone home during the day. Chainsaw would have preferred it be Mags I think but the dog was tickled because we spend a lot of time in the yard playing. He is my little shadow.Hopefully the job market picks up soon..

Today I think we'll both just relax. Maybe get a nice little lunch out. Enjoy your day all.

Home Cookin'....or Spank You Very Much

2009-04-17T19:35:00.003-04:00

Home cooking is a sports euphemism used to describe a successful win on your home ice (field, pitch..whatever). Generally, used when a team is red hot and a butt-whooping is applied. On Wednesday, the Devils were all in the kitchen and the stove was cranked up. Way up. The boys in Red who had lost 6 of their last 10 in the regular season looked like the Devils of old. The Devs from late February...they were firing on all cylinders and opened up their playoff run with an impressive 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. The 'Canes are no slouches and have a great team but looked out of place on the ice with the Devs. The boys played mostly seamless hockey. Controlling the puck for most of the game and were at one point peppering the Canes goalie for what seemed like fifteen minutes, but I have been known to exaggerate once in awhile.

The boys looked sharp and are back in action tonight. In just a few minutes actually.

Good luck guys!

Staying Busy

2009-04-17T11:41:00.004-04:00

I woke up early yesterday with the intention of getting a lot done around here. I started the day by heading to the market for some groceries. The across the way to the bank. Then, I crossed route 9 and went to Lowes. Then I popped into Starbucks for one of their Artisan bacon breakfast sandwiches and a cup of tea. I had the intention of eating said sandwich once home, but the sandwich whispered to me....'eat me eeeaaatt meeee..' So I gave in and ate it. It was gone two miles form home. Yummy anyways.
It finally stopped raining and I was able to mow and trim the grass that I have remaining. I then filled the bird-feeder which those bastard squirrels keep emptying onto the ground, weeded the flower bed that runs along the length of our house and planted some bulbs in said garden. Whew. Oh and got some flowers planted in the shed window box.
Dinner last night was the final slow-cooker recipe of the year. Just threw some chicken thighs into the pot with some carrots and potatoes and some cream of mushroom soup and some spices. It wasn't bad but I was disappointed. It looked much tastier than it was.
We got caught up on the first two new episodes of Rescue Me. Good stuff. You should check it out.
Today will be more painting. Touching up the windowsills that CrazyDog has scuffed up by leaping up onto them so's he can see out the windows and bark at potential intruders.
Time to get crackin'.

and now...the Guestroom

2009-04-15T15:17:00.006-04:00

So the day before yesterday, when I did not get a job with Netflix, we had a nice lunch at our local Longhorn steak house. The lunch menu is pretty good and the prices are hard to beat for the quality of food you will get. We then went to our local Wal-Mart and picked up a few things, including a gallon of paint, 95% was applied to our guestroom walls, the other 5% found it's way onto the drop cloth or myself.

The paint was a very basic color. I think it was called Shea Butter. I took my time and worked somewhat productively until lunch, when Mags whipped up some chicken salad sandwiches. After lunch came the hard part. Moving the giant Armoir. It was loaded with clothes and various objects we had no room for anywhere else and it actually took both of us to get it moved three feet. Just enough that I could squeeze in and get the walls around it. More huffing and puffing and we got said object of furniture back into place and I was headed for the home-stretch. The final wall. I was really worried about not having enough paint, but I did just make it. I snapped this pic just so you could get an idea of the color. Mags did all the decorating so I cannot take any credit for that. If it were up to me to decorate a room, I would paint it a nice color of pale green or blue and it would contain exactly three things. A flat-screen TV to watch hockey on, a fridge containing beer and snacks-that-go-with-beer, cheese crackers and the such, and a very over sized chair. So, there you have it.

It is raining again here in Joisey. I think it has been raining since, lets see...February. I generally like the rain. The whole thunder and lightning bit ( odd for a guy with two steel bars screwed to his spine, I know) but it is getting a bit monotonous. I did get out early during a 'break' in the rain and apply my 'weed & feed' to our 'lawn'. We used to have a lawn, a lovely lawn, until Scott's decided it would be a good idea to apply our fertilizer treatment on a day when the temp was near 104 degrees. It just hasn't been the same since. They have, of course, denied any wrong doing. Bastards!

Speaking of bastards, we have again been told by Monumental Insurance that they have not received required forms to process Mags' loan insurance. I think it's time to call the Better Business Bureau.

2009-04-13T18:21:00.005-04:00

So I posted, or I think I did that the movie giant Netflix had called me an wanted to talk to me about a position in their warehouse in a nearby town. I finally touched base with a nice young dude named Joshua and we spoke for about twenty minutes as he asked me about my time at Dumass Shipping Inc., what I had done, how were my interviewing skills. Alas, I had never interviewed anyone as we used temps a lot and they just showed up from the agency. He also asked me to tell him how an average day would be like for me. I ran through my routine and he asked me how I dealt with things like tardiness, problem employees. One thing I told him was that, as a super, I would just set the guys (or girls) up with their job and find other boss-type stuff to do. I'd occasionally pop in and check on the crew. Because really, nobody likes a boss who hangs over your shoulder. I had a few of those and they really make me nutso. He asked me some more stuff and he actually had me on the phone for over 20 minutes but he finally told me that I really didn't have the experience they were looking for for this position. I mean he was a nice guy about it and all and he did, however, tell me he would keep my resume on hand. So I guess that's good. Of course, for all I know he was folding it into a crane and giggling under his breath while he was saying that. I hope not...

So, disappointed, I screamed "mothermuffinberrybaskets!!" or something like that, threw my cell phone out the window and drove over a freshly planted azalea. ( I was trying for the squirrel)

Okay I really didn't do any of that. But I was disappointed. Mags tells me that he had to be somewhat interested to keep me on the phone for 20 minutes.

Today I also repainted our upstairs bathroom. That weird spot to the left is actually a reflection off of Mags Make-up mirror. I don't like that mirror because it shows all my grays in shocking clarity. Man I'm gettin' old fast...

Today the bathroom...tomorrow the guestroom.

Hoppy Easter

2009-04-12T19:13:00.004-04:00

Yes I know. It is supposed to say Hoppy Easter....it's a play on words.....it's supposed to be funny. So today we ventured to church for the first time in some while. What a crowd. All the 'casual Cathos' were there. People were packed in like sardines and it was literally standing room only. I'm also happy to report that the roof did not fall in on me but I did seem to 'sizzle' a bit when the Holy Water hit me. Ouchy. It was a nice service. Father Ed was on his best Sunday game but I do miss Father O'Connor. He was our priest for some time and he was right from the Sod. He was an older gent and whilst he was very serious about his duties, he was also a very smart and funny guy (Hey. He was Irish after all). Sadly he passed this last year. The church won't be the same without him.

So after being near trampled in our efforts to leave the service, we came home and Mags put together a very tasty dinner. A nice spiral ham (with glaze....yummy) a nice salad and some au gratin 'tatoes. Very nice. Tom, my step-son popped over for a bit to visit and then Dottie my SIL and her daughter Vicki stopped by.

We just had a grilled-cheese with tomato sandwich for our 'dinner' and will probably veg in front of the TV for a couple of hours before hitting the sack.

On Friday I received a call from a dude who works at NETFLIX and he found my resume online and was wondering if I was still looking for a job. I returned his call but I guess I will have to wait until tomorrow to hear from him. Maybe something there will pan out.

Beware Toyota Loan Insurance

2009-04-10T20:22:00.001-04:00

Some time ago Mags got herself a new set of wheels. We did the paperwork, got all our info together and when we were in the loan office, she was offered 'loan insurance'. The young gal handling this told us the following...and I quote.... "the insurance will be good if you lose your job, get sick and have to go on disability or any other instance where you cannot pay your loan. The insurance will make your monthly payments for you. It even pays off the loan in case of you croak before you pay off the car loan."
It will be, after all is said and done about 800 bucks. A little bit is added to each months payment and really, what a deal right? Ummm think carefully before you decide to take this insurance. Here's why......
Mags is out of work and when she contacted the 'insurance' company, they told her they would send her the forms necessary and she would fill them out, her Doctor would fill some out and they would take care of it. She had 45 days to do this or they could refuse to pay said car payments. Well all the forms were filled out next day and faxed over. By her doctor. We receive a letter in the mail with a new set of the forms we already sent them and a note saying they never received said forms. So again, we have to drive over to the doctors office and have them fax them. A week or so later we get another set of the very same forms we have faxed. Twice. This is getting old.We have gotten this letter 4 times. It is obvious they are just trying to weasel out of paying this loan.
Mags is beside herself and places a call to the doctors office and we are assured that the forms were indeed sent two weeks ago. Our doctors office staff is very competent (thanks Lindy and co.) and are right on top of this situation. Mags has saved a copy of the forms and gets on the phone with Scammy McScammer over at Monumental (monumental pain in the arse more like it) Insurance and is told there is no sign of the form(s). Mags tells her she will fax them right now, as we have the three copies of the forms they have somewhere in the crack-den they call an office.
Now the best part.....
Mags asks the Customer Service Rep when she should expect a check. The CSR says "a check for what?"
Mags : "To pay my car loan.."
CRS: "Oh you don't get the money. We send it directly to Toyota and it is applied to the end of the car loan."
Mags: " But that's not what I was told. I was told the insurance would make the payments for me while I was out of work."
CSR: "We will send the money directly to Toyota towards your loan."
Mags: "So what about my monthly payments?"CSR: "That's your responsibility."
Mags: "But this is why I took the loan. I was told if I were out of work, you would make the payments for me."
CSR: "Well, that's not how it works."
Unbelievable right? Worse yet, Mags called the Toyota dealership where the car was purchased (and between her and her family, over 10 Toyota's have been purchased) and the head of the department told her basically "too bad for you" and we got zero results there. She told him that the insurance was sold under false pretenses but he really could not have cared less. So a warning if you plan to buy a car from these guys. They are on route 9 south in Freehold NJ. DO NOT take this 'insurance'. Unless of course you think you'd be fond of getting your chain pulled, ripped off, and developing a bleeding ulcer.
Anyways...
My Thyroid blood tests were normal but I still need to see a doc about the nodules on my thyroid. Next week I guess.
In my last entry I ranted about how I could more easily get a job and/or make more money if I spoke Spanish. Maybe I should not have said Spanish. The entry wasn't directed at Spanish folks . I like Spanish people. I liked the Asian folks, the Africans, the Chinese, etc etc. We hired lots of diverse peeps at my last job. What I should have said was simply ' if I spoke a foreign language'. I apologise if I hurt/offended anyone or gave them the wrong idea. My second favorite Southerner Jud commented asking me if I would feel the same if the job required me to speak German or French, and I'm sorry but yes I would. It vexes me that as an American, it is increasingly difficult to find a job in America because I speak the national language. The times they are a changin' I 'spose.....

2009-04-08T19:31:00.005-04:00

So due to nothing else but laziness and lack of excitement, I haven't posted in 6 days or so.

I have been doing a lot of work in the yard and reading at night. I went to our local library and picked up a book by my favorite author Howard Frank Mosher. The latest book I just read was called "On Kingdom Mountain." All Howards books are set in Northern Vermont in 'the Kingdom'.

He is a great writer, even often compared to Mark Twain. His books are fun to read as the characters are all real 'characters'. You should check him out. All of you. Now.

I also attended another 'job-fair' today. It was much closer to home than the last one, but much the same result. People looking to hire professionals. I am getting frustrated. I did get a call from a temp agency and offered me a job, but the hours were kinda wacky and I didn't ask the agent who called me any questions. I was at the hospital having an ultrasound when he called so I was on the road and I told him I'd call him back. When I got home I told Mags the good news. She said there were some things I should find out before jumping for the job. So I called his office and he was of course, not there. I left a message but he never called back. He did this morning and apparently, the job I wanted had been, in less than 24 hours, given to someone else. He did offer me another job, with slightly wackier hours, to be a 'lead person'. The pay was still less than what I was making at my other job and close to what I'm making on unemployment. Very frustrating. More frustrating is this. If I spoke Spanish, I could make more.

Look, I'm not prejudice, I like everyone and this may sound harsh...forgive me..don't call the ACLU, but why should I, as an American, have to learn a foreign language to make more money or even get a job in my own country?

Sorry...

Apparently, above mentioned Ultrasound showed 'nodules' on my Thyroid. What this means yet is any ones guess. I have to have a blood test done and see an Endocrinologist. Hopefully there is nothing to get worked up about, but given family history I'll be cautious and do the tests.

Saddened by the shocking suicide of Dr Kutner on my fave TV show 'House'. Apparently Kal Penn is leaving the show to go work with 'B' in the White house. Pretty impressive, but we will miss you Kutner.

I guess that's all...

Good News and Yard Work

2009-04-02T19:30:00.004-04:00

First the good news. We have received the results of Mags CT Scan and whatever was spotted on the x-ray is not showing on the CT Scan. So this has made us both very happy. Although she still has a nasty cough and is, still married to me. So keep her in your prayers.

So last night I had one of my Restless Leg nights and apparently I really pummeled Mags in my sleep. I feel very bad when I do this but I really cannot control it and I'm (mostly) unaware of it.

She had been having a lot of pain in her chest/side and when she finally got into a comfortable position, I kicked her like a Mick kicks a Prot. Twice. On the third kick she leapt out of bed and told me that tonight I was going to be hog-tied.

So I decided to take CrazyDog into the yard and entertain him so Mags could rest. This dog is a full-time job in himself I tell you. I stayed in the yard for about 45 minutes kicking his little soccer ball and when he started to conk out I headed out into the back of the property to try and clear some brush. See, my property abuts a Conservation easement. Awesome in all aspects including the fact that nobody can ever build behind us. Well, that's what we are told. New Jersey is so corrupt and sneaky that who knows? Up the road the government may just say "Screw the woodland creatures. Let's build!"

Behind my shed our property goes back about another 30 feet but it is overgrown with those sticker bushes and they are thick. So I spent the majority of the day hacking away at them with a pair of Fiskar shrub shears. Lots of work. Then I tried to rake the remnants into my growing compost heap. After about three hours I sat in my Zen Garden and watched the birds at the feeder. The little ones are pretty brave and come really close. This is an older pick of our Zen Garden. I've trimmed away quite a bit more of the stickers.

I then drove to our local Home Depot for some top soil and filled in the dead spots created by a certain dog whose name will go unmentioned.

Long story short, it will be a Vicodin night. Yeah me. At least I'll sleep...hopefully

Can The Woman Get A Break??

2009-04-01T10:58:00.002-04:00

So Mags is still down and out and her doctor (at Mag's insistence) finally sent her for a chest xray. We drive to Freehold Radiology and we are taken in almost immediately. I am sitting waiting when the nurse comes out and calls my last name. I'm sitting for a second thinking 'that's weird another person with that name here at the same time.' She calls it again and I realize 'Duh! She's talking to you dummy.' I jump up and walk over "Is everything okay?" I ask. "Come with me," replies nurse Betty. I start to worry a bit. "What is wrong?" She points me into the room and says "she has a bad nosebleed." Okay. But if it were that bad, wouldn't you get a nurse and not her husband?..but that's just me making sense again.

I walk in and sure enough, Mags has blood flowing out of her nose. This was the third big nosebleed in as many days and it concerned both of us. Since she is on a blood-thinner, the blood flowed freely. Nose bleed contained we headed home and Mags crashed into the chair. She, at this point, is wiped out. I don't know where I was but the Radiology Office called just about 3 hours after we got home and told Mags that they found 'nodule' in her left lung and should have it Cat Scanned immediately. Super. Given Mags history of cancer she immediately thought the worse. I tried to tell her not to rush to any conclusions until we know the facts. We are going today for the CT Scan and we are both hoping for the best.

On top of all this she is dealing with a insurance company that is supposed to be paying her car payments while she is unemployed. That's a whole 'nother entry in itself, believe me. They have been dogging her every step of the way and still have yet to make a payment for her.

On top of all that she is married to me...God help her.

Et Tu iTunes?

2009-03-28T11:24:00.002-04:00

Yes you iTunes. iTunes, the world's biggest digital music pusher will introduce a new pricing structure come April. Prices will come in three tiers: 69 cents, 99 cents, and $1.29. Record prices will get to choose how their music is priced. Apple had previously had all tune available for just 99 cents. Also, Apple gave record labels that flexibility on pricing as it got them to agree to sell all songs free of Digital Rights Management (DRM)a technology that limit's folk's ability to copy songs or move them to multiple computers. The big-head monster Apple had been offering a 'limited selection' (i.e. crap nobody else but you would want anyways) of songs without DRM, but by quarters end, they say, all 10 bazillion songs in it's library will be available that way. So Apple is going the route of "if you want a popular new song bad enough, maybe a new Beyonce or R.E.M tune, you'll pay the extra 30 cents." Kind of nasty, but well...people will pay it.

I'm just hoping that the music I like is ahem, 'old enough' to fall into the 69 cents category.

Rock on.

I Drove 45 Minutes For This??

2009-03-26T16:08:00.002-04:00

So the other day my friend calls and says there is a Job Fair in Edison, a town about 45 minutes north of here via the New Jersey Turnpike. I was excited and got some nice resume paper, copied my letter of recommendation, got some references together and go them all together.

I was up early, had a nice shower shaved, made myself presentable and hit the highway for the event. I wanted to get there early and beat the rush. It was held in the ballroom of a hotel and the parking lot was full when I arrived so I had to park next door in another hotel's parking lot.

I dashed through the rain into the lobby and found a man set up at a table and a basket that said "Resumes" on it. I dropped in a resume and he told me to go down the hall to the left. I was excited, expecting to find companies like FedEx, Costco, Sams' Club and who knows what else. What I did find was a room filled with people. The people milling about were, of course, job seekers. They were milling about the tables of 6 or so companies that showed up for the so called 'job-fair'. The companies there were 4 or 5 financial firms, AFLAC was there as was DISH Network (looking for people to climb onto roofs and install dishes) and of course, Mary-Kay I even left the room and walked down the hall to see if there were more employers. I then walked back to the man at the desk in the entry and asked "Is that it?" He shrugged and said "That's it." I wish it had been advertised as a 'professionals only' job-fair so I didn't have to waste my time and gas.

Now when they advertised this event, they listed 7 or so companies and the ad even said "Plus many more!!" Many more what? Tumbleweeds?

This is getting more and more frustrating.

Keith I'm Shocked! ....and a Little Impressed. Or, My Good Neighbors Far Outweigh the Bad Ones..

2009-03-25T09:08:00.004-04:00

So last night I drove into town to the little Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins to get Mags some soft ice cream which she had been craving. I come home and tow of our neighbors are out in the street. This isn't unusual, we often gather and chat, but it was freakin' cold here last night. I walk into the house and give Mags her ice cream and she informs me Jarod, the young guy three houses down, has lost his house keys and is locked out. His wife and baby are sitting in the mini-van waiting for a locksmith. I bring the yellow pages down to him and find our next door neighbor Johnathan, the State Trooper standing with him. Jarod tells us they are just home from California and he has realised that the keys to his house and his new Subaru (which is in long-term parking at JFK) are in California. So from JFK I'm guessing the MIL picked them up and let them use her mini-van to drive home to Joisey.

Anyways, the locksmith has been called and he says he's 15-25 minutes away. Well, we stand outside freezing for over an hour, Jarod calling and getting the ol' "I'm stuck in traffic" bit. It was 8pm and really there is nowhere this guy could be stuck. In the meantime, Keith rolls up. He asks us what we're up to and we give him the rundown. He says 'gimme a minute' and soon returns with a coat-hanger and a beer. He walks around to the patio door and sees that Jarod has placed a long round piece of wood in the track to prevent break-ins. Keith works the coat-hanger between the doors and manages to pop the piece of wood out onto the floor. We laugh at his creativity ( the State Trooper is also impressed) and he then tries to lift the door out of the lock and slide it open. He cannot. He is discouraged because "I thought I could get into any of these houses" he says .

So he goes home again to get a ladder. We are still waiting for the locksmith at this point. Keith comes back and climbs to every window, which are, of course, locked.

At this point the locksmith shows up. He is a dead ringer for Marty Feldman as 'Igor' in 'Young Frankenstein' except he is an Indian. He gets his kit and walks to the door. He sees it is a dead bolt and says "woooo....deadbolt...very hard to pick.." we all exchange glances and we know what is coming. He works the lock for maybe ten minutes and says "If I can't get it I will have to drill it out." Thankfully, he has a load of NEW locks in his mini-van. Nice coincidence huh? Jarod panics at the thought of the new lock being drilled out and, the Marty informs him, it will cost him $150 to perform this action. At this point, Jarod says "Mannn...I think there is a spare key in my Honda, but the keys to it are on my other key-ring (in CA.) Again Keith says, "wait right here..." and goes back home. He comes back with 4 things. A very large screwdriver, a long metal device with a rubber handle, what looks like the cuff of a blood-pressure tool, and a beer.

He pries the door open a tiny bit with the screwdriver, inserts the blood-pressure cuff thingy into the gap, pumps it up until the door is open enough to get the long metal thingy in there and unlocks the door.

There is indeed a spare key to the house in the center console and Jarod and his wife and their baby, are able to get into the house. Now the locksmith demands $85. Jarod tells him he didn't do anything and will not pay him $85. He does offer him $40 cash for coming out. In the end the guy did take the $40 but I'm afraid they will try and make Jarod pay for the whole deal. So if you're ever locked out of your house/car give Keith a call. I'm sure you'll be able to pay him with beer.

Spring Has Sprung??

2009-03-20T07:46:00.002-04:00

Okay so the other day I sat out on my little patio. The sun was shining, the temps were in the mid 60's, there was a nice breeze and a 'high' wind. By high wind I mean the strongest part of said breeze was just cruising the tree-tops. It made for interesting viewing, watching the tops of the trees sway back and forth and their branches clicked together like natures own windchimes. It creates a pretty neat sound effect too.

So anyways, I'm sitting in the sun, listening to our small brass wind chimes clinking softly in the background, kicking CrazyDog's ball across the yard for him, enjoying the warmth of the sun on my back and decided I'd write a blog entry. No I don't have a laptop, I did it the old fashioned way....you guys remember pens and paper, right?? So there I sat, basking in the warmth, enjoying the day..and today..the first day of Spring..it is freakin' snowing!

So I sat and wrote with all intentions of posting this on that day, Wednesday, when all those good things happened at 'the Rock' I felt I needd to pay tribute to Marty and Patty and yesterday, well..not so into the blog.

Mags has been down and out with a bad dose of something. her diagnosis can't really be pinned down to one thing but it is nasty. When something knocks my wife off her feet it is bad. For the last week she has been coughing like a three-pack a day smoker and her fever has at points, peaked out at 101.8 She has been given three new meds and we're still waiting for them to start kicking in. The worse part is that my wife is slightly, well...neurotic about new meds. It's kinda like getting Woody Allen to sip down his cough syrup. I mean, it has codein and that crap is strong stuff, combined with all the other meds she must take, I understand her reluctance.

Her lungs are full of phlegm and she's been hacking for days trying to clear it. Unfortunately not a lot is coming out. Good thing nurse Connor is on the case. No I'm not wearing the white skirt...pervs...

I went to our local Wegmans for some chicken soup and when she took a look at it, she almost hurled. No soup for you! No, it is good soup but that was another side-effect of her illness, nothing looks good and food makes her tummy tumble. So hopefully she'll be back to good health soon.

Happy St. Marty's Day or Patrick Who?? or 552 and couting...

2009-03-18T15:28:00.007-04:00

Last night history was made at 'the Rock'. Again. 35 minutes or so after Patrik Elias' bit of history.

Marty Brodeur has set the NHL record of wins by a goaltender, surpassing Patrick Roy. Patrick Roy was an awesome goaltender right up until he hung up the skates a few years ago and was in attendance Saturday night in Montreal when Marty tied his record. Ever the classy and knowledgeable fans, the Habs fans gave home-town boy Marty a standing ovation after his record tying performance. Emotional. Tuesday night in Newark, the fans were ready for the record to fall and to be claimed by our own Martin Brodeur. Mike 'Doc' Emrick claims that fans greeted him with chants of 'Marty!Marty!' as early as 5 pm in the parking lot. We love our team and Marty is the cornerstone. He survived a late goal by the Hawks late in the third and when the Hawks pulled their goalie, held tight the fort to collect win # 552. The winningest goalie in NHL history. The great thing is Marty still has three years left on his contract and who knows how many more wins he can pile on in that time? This year he can also eclipse the all time shut-out record currently at 103, held by a Mr. Terry Sawchuck. Marty is at 100 so 104 is a very good probability his season.

Here are some of Marty's achievements:

Most regular season wins (achieved in 2008-09 season)(552). Broduer passedPatrick Roy' record of 551

2nd place, Most shutouts (96)
Most combined shutouts (122, both regular season and playoffs)
Most overtime wins (45)
Most consecutive 30-win seasons (12)
Most consecutive 35-win seasons (11)
Most 40-win seasons (7)
Only NHL goalie to score a game-winning goal
One of two NHL goalies (Ron Hextall) to score a goal in both the regular season and the playoffs

Regular season

Most wins in a single season (48, in 2006–07)
Most minutes played in a single season (4697, in 2006–07)

Playoffs

Most shutouts in a playoff (7, in 2002–03)
2nd place: 22 Shutouts
Most shutouts in a Stanley Cup final (3, in 2002–03)

Tied with Toronto Maple Leafs' Frank McCool.

2nd place: 94 Wins
3rd goaltender to win the Stanley Cup with a Game-7 shutout in 2002–03.
1st goaltender in history to have 3 shutouts in two different playoff series. (1995 against Boston in the Conference Quarterfinals, 2003 against Anaheim in the Stanley Cup final.)

Awards

Calder Memorial Trophy — 1994
NHL 1st All-Star Team — 2003, 2004, 2007
NHL 2nd All-Star Team — 1997, 1998, 2006, 2008
NHL All-Rookie Team — 1994
NHL All-Star Game — 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008
Olympic gold medal — 2002
Primus World'Stars Challenge Bowl — 2004
QMJHL 2nd All-Star Team — 1992
QMJHL All-Rookie Team — 1990
Stanley Cup — 1995, 2000, 2003
Vezina Trophy — 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008
William M. Jennings Trophy — 1997 (with Mike Dunham), 1998, 2003 (tied Roman Čechmánek & Robert Esche), 2004
World Cup of Hockey championship — 2004

Happy St. Patrik's Day or 702 and counting

2009-03-18T15:05:00.007-04:00

Last night at 'the Rock' history was made twice. The man you see here was credited with a sweeet assist on Brian Gionta's second period goal making him the New Jersey Devils all-time points scorer, surpassing Mr. John MacLean (no slouch himself on the ice).

He now has 702 points in his career which has spanned 15 years in the NHL all with the Devils.

Patrik is a class act on and off the ice and even though he was presented with opportunity's to go elsewhere he chose his loyalty to the Devs. And are Devils fans glad he did. Patrik continues to be a solid performer and this Devils fan hopes he continues to do so for a long time to come.

Here's a few record Patrik holds...

Most Overtime Goals in a season, 4.
Most Overtime Winners, 15 (tied with Mats Sundin and Jaromír Jágr)
New Jersey Devils record for most points in one season, 96.
New Jersey Devils record for most points in a playoff season, 23.
New Jersey Devils all-time leader in playoff goals (39), assists (71), and points (110).
New Jersey Devils record for hat tricks, 6 (tied with John MacLean).
New Jersey Devils record for all time assists, 365.
New Jersey Devils record for all-time scoring in goals (293) and total points (702), ahead of John MacLean
New Jersey Devils record for game winning goals (60).

Pretty awesome, right?

Thanks Patrik and congratulations!

Shed Spring Cleaning

2009-03-15T14:14:00.002-04:00

Thanks to my lovely wife, I was allowed to sleep in this morning. This is a good thing. I got up & had my tea and sat in my 'just-got-up' fog twenty or so minutes until the caffeine made it's way through my system. I then had my second cup and after said cup, decided I was feeling ambitious and said to Mags "Today I'll clean the shed." Her reply was one of concern. "Sure you wanna tackle that today Tiger?"

"Of course," says Me.

The weather has been damp and that makes my always hurting back hurt more, but I layered up and went out. Our shed is pretty small but we've got a lot of stuff in it and it, for the most part, neatly arranged. It does however, get out of control when someone (me) gets lazy about looking after it. So today I decide to fix that.

I pulled mostly everything out onto the lawn and swept the floor. The floor would not need sweeping if the little bastard field mice would move out. I do, unwittingly, feed them in the form of the bird-seed I spill when filling the bird feeder and that keeps them fat and happy. And they won't leave. I tried traps but honestly, I am an animal lover and can't stand the thought of hurting any animal, even though they have destroyed a perfectly good pair of work gloves, a pair of soccer shorts, and chewed the hell out of a great Guinness golf towel, gotten into my bird seed (one ate himself to death and I found him very fat and very much dead in the top of the container) I have killed a few, unintentionally of course, over the last two years and I felt like crap. The worse was the two that were in the top of the lawn mower and got scared when I started it and tried to escape down through the bottom of the mower. It wasn't pretty. A few still live in the top of the motor but I've since moved on to a reel-mower so they're safe. Even more are in the bottom of my golf bag....but I digress.

After sweeping the floor I had to rearrange all our tools and bags of seed and fertilizer. I then reworked our shelves and finally, after just abut two hours, had success. Now to keep it looking that good, right?

We, when I say we I mean mostly Mags, is on a mission to clean up the garage. We have been on a cleaning spree and have put our Brother Label maker to good use, labeling everything in the garage. It took awhile but it's done and we now know where (mostly) everything is.

I then trimmed CrazyDogs little paws, washed the kitchen floor and had me a long hot shower. The hot shower is really just as much about getting clean as it is about loosening up my back. So now I sit and surf. Relaxing listening to some tunes.

Errands Run, Home Enjoying Tunes and Tea

2009-03-14T12:16:00.002-04:00

Yes. All my errands have been run. it is only 12:30 and I've actually been home for over an hour.

This morning I ran (well, I took the car) to the Post Office to get stamps and mail a wedding gift for my cousin Erin who is taking the plunge later this month. Plunging literally. Her and her groom to be will jump from a '53 Grumman Goose, priest in tow and by the time the ceremony is done they should float safely down to their landing site, which is the deck of one of the Kennedys yachts that is docked in Newport. From there, they will pogo-stick to the reception hall where guests will dine on Kobe beef-burgers and Alpaca tacos. Okay, there won't be Alpaca. And really, they aren't pogo-sticking. Actually, it's all a lie. Except for the wedding part. That they are doing. And really, there may be a pogo-stick or two at the reception. There will certainly be a kazoo. Sorry, I'm bored. And digressing.

So yesterday a friend and former co-worker tells me her husband tattooed a guy who is working for a business that is in the building I used to work in. And they are looking for help. So I head in that direction and pop into the Post Office in that town. I get incredibly luck and I have paid for a package to be sent and purchased a book of stamps in less than ten minutes. I drive over to my former place of employment and to my chagrin, notice my company's logo still on the door. I get out of the car and peer into the windows. Crap. The place is completely empty. So I drive back in the opposite direction and head for our local PetSmart. Once there I run in for a bag of food for CrazyDog and speak briefly with the young lass who grooms said beasty. Then I pop into AC Moore and have a look around. I grab a sketching pencil or two to replace worn down pencils and head home. Mags is not feeling so hot so hopefully we'll have a relaxing day today. We, well I will anyways, end the day by watching the main man in Jersey Martin Brodeur try for win 551. This will tie him for first in wins ever by a goaltender. Tying the great Patrick Roy. If you're into hockey, even if you're not a Devils fan, you should try and check it out. History baby, history.

Nothing is Amusing at 430 am.

2009-03-13T05:34:00.002-04:00

So we're up early. Once we stir, our animals think it is time to start the day. This is true especially of the cat, who wants to be fed every three hours. I let the dog out at 4:30 and gave the cat a few bits of dry food to hold him until breakfast at 7 am.

So here we sit. Me on my 'puter, Mags on hers...she sent me an email with some cartoons in it and I looked at them. Not too funny. Maybe, however in four or five hours they will be. I'm funny like that. My wife opens her eyes at no-matter-what-time and is instantly wide awake. I, however need much more prodding. This usually includes several strong cups of Irish tea and a hot shower. Not always in that order. I am, generally, not a morning person. I am told I am slightly wel...cranky when I first wake. Especially if it is before 6 am and for no good reason. ( example: See last entry on neighbors truck)

So anyways, I was checkingon my favorite blogs and every now and then I click the little 'next blog' button on the Blogger toolbar. You know, just to see what's out there. Can I say this without sounding like a dick? (*remember I've been awake since 430) are there any blogs written in English out there? I clicked 'next blog' more than twenty times and got one written in English and it's last entry showed a kid dressed as a BLT sandwich.

I'm not predjudice, the bloggin community is a worldwide thing and maybe soem of them are really entertaining but is there something in our Blogger settings that will bring up only blogs written in English? Someone please help. It's too early and I'm starting to get cranky..

Hooked on Adobe

2009-03-11T15:30:00.004-04:00

So as you can see, I've added a new header to my blog. Around Valentine's Day Mags was wishing we had a good photo-shop type program. We popped into our local Kohls (which we both love) and there in that same plaza is a Staples. Mags loves Staples. She has this thing with office supplies...but again I digress.

We went in and found Adobe Elements 7. It was pretty reasonable so we grabbed it. Well lately I have been really tinkering with it. If you click on Mags Simpson-type character it will bring you to her blog and you can see more of my Handy-work there. The more you use this program, the more you realise you can do with it...for example...the pic above of my niece Cassandra and Ms. Montana. I even found a pic of the microphone online and edited it to be the right size to fit Cassie's tiny little hand. Neato speedo right? She got a huge kick out of it but Miley Cyrus is now out and the Jonas Bros are in so I'm working on another similar photo except with Nick Jonas...

My new header was just something I did the other night. I was sick of the 'flatness' of my old one and went online to find free alphabets. They are actually for digital scrap booking but you can do with them as you wish. So I downloaded a bunch and dug around online and found a pic of my favorite brew in what seemed like a comfortable pub. As for the chicks, well I was doing an 'Easter' header for Mags and for some crazy reason felt the need to add these cute little guys to my blog. I was originally going to have the chicks lifting each other into the glass but found a bunch of chicks doing a ladder-type thing to the top of the pint to be much more entertaining...well to me anyways...hey and if I only amuse myself, that's okay. Often I'm the only one I do amuse. And again, that's okay.

The weather here is nasty. It's damp and rainy which means bad news for my back. I can have a hot bath and that helps..until I get out of the hot water. I'll be spending the evening sitting on the heating pad.

I've got a couple more watercolors to scan.

I'm trying to get back into art again. When I was younger I drew all the time, filling sketchbook after sketchbook. I doodled and cartooned my coworkers now and then (most of them got a kick out of them..again, amusing myself) but for the most part gave it up. But then I see site like this and it makes me want to draw again. I'm tinkering with colored pencil , watercolor and just plain ol' graphite sketching pencils. Pencils are the most forgiving but I'm liking the results of watercolors....we'll see.

I'm So Good I Got A Raise and I'm Not Even Working!

2009-03-05T08:04:00.001-05:00

Yest it's true. Yesterday in the mail I received one of those 'official' letters from the State. You know, 'tear tab one, remove tab two, tear tab 3, open inwards' deals. Thanks to a certain plan by the man in the White House, since I am on the dole I will receive an additional 25 bucks a week! Sweet right?

On a more serious note, the job market blows. There really is nothing out there. I check four sources every day and unless I decide to do landscaping or work in a factory for 9 bucks an hour, it's pretty grim. But I plod on. I'm sending in about 4-5 online apps a week. The worse part is, nobody even calls. Two jobs were online scams I think. They reply immediately and then I clicked through 6 pages of work-at-home offers and adverts for colleges in far-flung places such as Calcutta Ohio and Wilmington and Northern Georgia University (WANG U) and still can't figure out how to get any info on the 'job' they advertised. Humph. So that's where I'm at. What's up witchoo?

A Weird Quandry is 'Love Thy Neighbor'

2009-03-04T10:46:00.002-05:00

Okay so I've spoken before about the cuckoo next door with the ducks and rooster, the kids who wander the streets after 11pm bouncing basketballs and yelling around the block to one another and of course about the good neighbors, the one's you enjoying seeing, spending time with, etc.

When the good Lord laid down the Big Laws he spoke of many things, all rather bad, depending on whether or not you were interested in a peaceful and happy afterlife and not spending it on Satan's BBQ spit.

One of these here, 'laws', Golden Rules if you will, was 'Love thy Neighbor'. Now if you are indeed a Supreme Being this is quite easy. Especially if said Supreme Being did not know my neighbors. Well, he 'knows' them but he doesn't have to live near them. Here are a couple of examples of why I'm vexed on this....

~~We had quite a snowstorm the other day and when there was about a foot on the ground I decided to shovel at least the sidewalk, because by law, you must. Since it was still snowing I wasn't going to attempt the driveway. So I shoveled and cleared my part of the sidewalk and went in. Mags had made us some soup for lunch and I got up for a drink and noticed a young lad shoveling the end of my driveway. I squinted to see out and it was Steven, our neighbors son. He is about ten, I think, and I turned to Mags and told her what he was up to. I bundled up and went out there. When I arrived his mother was walking towards me with a shovel of her own. I insisted that they need not do this, whilst I was very grateful. She said to me "You nor your wife are in any condition to do this. " I started to protest but she continued "We're neighbors, we're helping you out." Great right? Before I move on from this incident I must say her husband Kenny is a Plumber/HVAC guy and on more than one occasion has helped us with our heating/ac problems for next to nothing. Usually for free.

~~The wing-nut next door with her yard full of barnyard animals. She had a rooster at one point and this little bastard would crow at the first hint of daylight, usually before 6am. Her kids are another story. They are now in the 'Lacrosse' stage and are often standing in the road flinging that rock-hard ball around by the cars. The very worse thing is if you say anything to her, she'll cry discrimination or harassment because she is not an American.

~~When the motor in our A/C unit blew, Jeff around the bend, who owns a store for such things told us he could get us a motor. He told us next day he had to order it from out of state. When it arrived he told us we only owed him what it cost him. He even paid for the shipping. The aforementioned Kenny installed it for nothing.

~~A neighbor, who I actually really like, starts his truck up every morning at 6am. What's wrong with that say you? Well, the truck is one of those massive 2 tons with the extenda-cab. You know the big construction site kinda things. Although it is brand new. Now here's the thing. He for some reason had a ahem 'High-performance' exhaust system put on. It is LOUD. It shakes the windows in our house and wakes up everyone within in a four or five house radius. He then lets it run for up to 40 minutes. (good thing gas is so cheap.)

~~Any time our neighbors across the way are going to sit out back they invite us over. they are in a pretty bad financial state but they always offer us a drink/snack and when our birthdays come around we always get a card from them. Last year I was ailing form something, down and out really, and they came over with a get-well gift. A Guinness hat/tshirt combo pack. Nice right?

~~The kids here are usually okay but on occasion they will gather in the road and blast their car stereos and when I say blast, I mean blast. The car was once thirty feet away and the pictures on my wall were shaking. They will stand in the road talking and yelling until after midnight sometimes. This is okay with their parents because at least 'they know where their kids are.'

So as you can see, 'Love thy Neighbor' is a precarious thing.

My Good Deed For The Day

2009-03-02T10:45:00.002-05:00

We are right at this very moment in the middle of a heavy duty snowstorm. We have almost 8 inches on the ground and it's still flyin'. Cold nasty and very, very windy. A perfect day for being indoors. Anyways, last night I says to Mags "I must fill the bird feeder in the morning." I scored a really nice bird-feeder from work a few years ago and ever since I hung it my yard has been the hip dining place in the local area for those cute little song birds, and sadly, one little bastard squirrel. It is the place to be if you have feathers. And a long scraggly tail. Okay squirrels are cute and all but the birds need the seed. There I go again, digressing...

Anyways, I walked out the the shed where I keep the feed, which some field mice have been enjoying too, and then out to the little clearing in the woods to take down the feeder so I can fill it. Well I get to the feeder and to my shock, there is a tiny little bird stuck inside the feeder! Don't ask me how he (she) got himself (herself) in there but it was clear, my little feathered friend was very unhappy and very scared. I gently brought the feeder of the hook and placed it on the ground. I spun the lid form the top so he (she) could fly out. Well the little guy (girl) just flapped like crazy, bouncing around in the bottom of the feeder. I then tipped the feeder on its side and waited. The bird stopped, looked forward, twisted his (her) little neck to look up at me and then hopped forward. He (she) stepped out into the snow, had a quick look 'round and then flew into the brush a few feet away. I told Mags and she says "Good thing you went out when you did." Sure is..

Anyways. I found this guys blog, A Free Man, and he was doing this experiment with bloggers. An interview experiment. He's hooking up bloggers and having them interview one another. I wrote and interview for Sharala. I'm still waiting to see who will be 'interviewing' me. If you're interested I think he's still doing it so visit his site and leave a comment on this entry.

That's all for now.

Stay warm

Watercolor

2009-03-01T10:32:00.001-05:00

Here's a painting I did yesterday. Trying my hand at watercolors.

Random Rant About FM Radio

2009-02-26T14:15:00.005-05:00

Since I was a wee lad, I've notice a tremendously disturbing fact. Radio stations play the same songs over and over and over. This has been a big pet peeve of mine for years. I even went to the trouble to call local rock stations and say "What's the deal dooods?"

I explain that while the Who is a great freakin' band, I know they released more than the three songs that you guys play constantly. The Who released about 18 albums right? and I mean 'Baba O'Riley', 'Who are You' and 'Magic Bus' are all great rock songs but man, mix it up a little. The same goes for every other band in the known universe. Queen? They did like 30 albums, and what do we hear? 'Another one Bites the Dust', 'We are the Champions', and 'Killer Queen'.

The Allman Brothers...again..awesome! but really....how many times can one hear 'Ramblin' Man' ?

The Stones? 'Satisfaction', 'Jumpin' Jack Flash'...and God help me if I have to hear 'Hotel California' one more freakin' time I'm going to remove my ears with a cheese grater.

The standard response when one calls/emails a radio station regarding the play list is something like..'blah we have no control...a station director picks the songs...we try to play a big variety...aliens have turned our brains to Silly Putty and we are now incapable of changing anything including our minds..." I'm guessing the people who select these play lists know as much about music as I know about astro-physics. Which is very, very little....I'm sure these people don't know the difference between Buddy Guy and Guy Smiley. Sad.

I then tell them, trying to be helpful of course, that the Stones have released like 50 albums and they did in fact, do more than the three songs. Ironically I've been hung-up on more than once.

I even called pretending I was a student doing a paper on the operations of an FM radio station. Again, I'm not sure they were too interested in talking to me.

I was once told by a friend who said he worked in radio (the story was later changed to 'he smoked pot in a DJ booth with a DJ' at some point during college) that a station can only play songs that were released as singles. Whatever...

The good news is there are a few stations left out there that will mix it up. The links are on the side of my blog there. 90.5 the Night is a college station right here in central Jersey. Great stuff, and the best part, no commercials. Same goes for WXPN.org. The University of Pennsylvania. again, no commercials, great mix of music. And of course, least we forget. WDST. They're up in New York state, but you can get them on the 'net. Check 'em out.

New Kicks

2009-02-26T09:54:00.002-05:00

Just a couple of pics of my new kicks. I love these Chuck Taylors with the great designs. I have other pairs and will put up a pic later. The problem is when they release a design you like 'you have to get it while you can'. These had to be special ordered from my local Journey's store. But the good thign is it's free to have them do it and shipping is free. I had my next day.

Boring, I know

2009-02-22T13:43:00.004-05:00

Not too many things have happened here since my last post. Nothing awfully exciting. I had my CT Scan on Monday, was rejected via email for a job with a company I've been trying to land with, and have decided that maybe my brain just doesn't seem to be completely in sync with me or my appendages.

The most exciting event of the past few days occured during the week at a very early hour of the morning. Why do bad things always happen before 5am? Nothing exciting ever happens at say , 1 oclock, just after you've had anice big lunch. Belly full. Ready for action. But again, I digress.

At four am Mags got up to go to the bathroom. She also decided to brush her teeth. What followed was a very panicked wife waking a very much sleepign husband. "I've done something stupid."

She was in no mood for a witty retort and I was frankly too tired to provide one. "What's goin' on?"

"I just brushed my teeth with___" (note here: it was not toothpaste) and the tube of said 'not toothpaste' warned that one should call Poison Center if this product is ingested. So we both ran downstairs to get the phone book. Mags found three different 800 numbers. None of which were manned at this time of the morning. So if you're poisoned between 8pm and 8am, you're screwed. I found a local office in the YellowBook and they actually answered! The nice man said that the warning on the tube was to protect the manufacturer of 'not toothpaste' and she should not worry. The worse side-effect may be a slightly irritated bowel thing. Relieved we went back to bed. I was the only one who slept. Mags stayed awake, still shaken and partly afraid I'd write about this in my blog.

I am still waiting for the results from my CTScan. I think Mags summed it up best when she said "bad news travels fast." So no news is good news. Right?? Anyone?? Also, no result from the blood-work part of my annual physical which was more like an 18-months physical, being a little overdue. It was a complete physical and everything seemed to be in fine working order. She even offered me the 'bonus' part of the examine, but I protect that part of my body like Israel protects it's airspace. And although there was nudity, on my part mind you, there was no screaming, fainting, gasping and most importantly, no laughing. I'm hoping the good doctor has recovered from the shock of seeing me bare-arsed. I apologise if you're reading this Dr. Mo.

When I left my job, things were being away at work. Things like office supplies, a picnic table or two, file cabinets, shelving units. One of the things I got was a 3-in-one copier/faxer/scanner/printer thinger. Wait that's four isn't it? Well, Mags needed to fax something somewhere and I finally downloaded the software for the machine, set it all up and attempted to fax said forms. I tried and tried without success. Mags, at this point, has come to help me. We both examine and reexamine the machine and go over the on-line manual. I shake my head thinking the thing is crap and that's why it was given to me. Suddenly, one of us realises something very, very important. There is no phone line running to our fax.
Weather sucks today. Raining (surprise) but it is relatively warm so the snow fore casted will probably never happen. Now if you'll excuse me I'm due for my Ginko.