I have added a new blog to my list of Blogs I Visit (Often). His name is David Felio and his blog is entitled The Frustrated Cynic. David is an old friend from my college days and Jim's days at the Information Network of Arkansas.
David is a VERY Christian man and takes his religion very seriously. (I definitely mean that in a good way.) He also takes grammar very seriously. His posts are quite humorous as he points out the absurdities in language usage among many in the media.
So go visit! Be forewarned, however, that he's a computer guy and will post about computer things a lot. Those are the posts that only he and Jim can understand. I skip those.
Go vote whether his wife's garage sale find is "Hot or Not"!
Friday, May 18, 2007
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Just my $0.02
I tried to mail a bill yesterday. I signed the check, sealed the envelope, put the stamp and address label on it, and headed out to the mailbox.
Wait.
Wasn't there a postage increase?
Didn't it start today?
Hmmm. My stamps just say "First Class". They don't SAY 39 cents. Surely the post office isn't smart enough to change designs.
But what if they are?
Oh, drat. I'll wait.
Fastforward to today:
Setting: post office customer service line
First customer: I need some 2 cent stamps.
Clerk: Ok, that'll be something something. (I couldn't hear how many she bought.)
Second customer: I, uh, forgot about the postage increase so I need some 2 cent stamps.
Clerk: Ok, that'll be......
Third customer: Some 2 cent stamps please.
Clerk: Ok, that'll be........
Me: Hi, I need some 2 cent stamps.
Clerk: How many?
Me; Um, oh, 20 I guess.
Clerk: Ok, that'll be 40 cents.
Me: Thank you!
At this point everyone laughed because we were ALL buying 2 cent stamps.
Then when I get home, I realize I only have 11 remaining 39 cent stamps. I've now got 19 2-cent stamps. I guess I'll save the remaining 8 and use them on the NEXT postage increase.
Wait.
Wasn't there a postage increase?
Didn't it start today?
Hmmm. My stamps just say "First Class". They don't SAY 39 cents. Surely the post office isn't smart enough to change designs.
But what if they are?
Oh, drat. I'll wait.
Fastforward to today:
Setting: post office customer service line
First customer: I need some 2 cent stamps.
Clerk: Ok, that'll be something something. (I couldn't hear how many she bought.)
Second customer: I, uh, forgot about the postage increase so I need some 2 cent stamps.
Clerk: Ok, that'll be......
Third customer: Some 2 cent stamps please.
Clerk: Ok, that'll be........
Me: Hi, I need some 2 cent stamps.
Clerk: How many?
Me; Um, oh, 20 I guess.
Clerk: Ok, that'll be 40 cents.
Me: Thank you!
At this point everyone laughed because we were ALL buying 2 cent stamps.
Then when I get home, I realize I only have 11 remaining 39 cent stamps. I've now got 19 2-cent stamps. I guess I'll save the remaining 8 and use them on the NEXT postage increase.
Temperatures
Here is my rant about your child's temperature.
We all know that 98.6 degrees farenheit is normal, right? Ok. That's about all that's agreed upon, though.
The doctors will tell you that anything UNDER 100.4 is NOT a fever. Well, try telling that to the school or day care. The school says that if a child's temp is 100.0, then he/she should stay home. The day care doesn't have a set rule (at least ours doesn't), but if you walk in and say "she's running about 99.8 on temp, but she's ok", they will probably not let you stay. Some day care directors are more anal than others. Our previous one would not have let your kid stay if you said her temp was 98.7
We saw a doctor yesterday who told us that he doesn't REALLY consider it to be a fever unless it's 101 and above.
What's a mom to do??????
As for how to take a kid's temp, there are also a million different ways. The ear thermometer seems to be the most popular nowadays. If it's under the arm with a mercury thermometer, then you add a degree to the result. I had a nurse at our previous doctor's office who told me that with a rectal reading, you had to subtract a degree. Why you would do that when you are taking the child's temp from INSIDE their body is beyond me. I had never heard that one before. But this was a pediatric nurse!
And then there's the whole "don't return to school until you have been fever free for 24 hours". What does that mean? Say your kid's temp is 99.5 at bedtime after going all day with no tylenol. In the morning, it's 98.9. Can they go to school or not? Is 99.5 a fever? And what's so special about 24 hours? It's not like your body suddenly goes "ok....23 1/2 hours....still contagious.....wait...wait.....NOW! Fever free!"
Anyway. I'm writing all this because Beta is home for her second day with strep throat. I want to take care of her while she's sick, but she's up and running around and says her throat doesn't hurt at all. The only symptom she has is a fever.
Wish us luck!
We all know that 98.6 degrees farenheit is normal, right? Ok. That's about all that's agreed upon, though.
The doctors will tell you that anything UNDER 100.4 is NOT a fever. Well, try telling that to the school or day care. The school says that if a child's temp is 100.0, then he/she should stay home. The day care doesn't have a set rule (at least ours doesn't), but if you walk in and say "she's running about 99.8 on temp, but she's ok", they will probably not let you stay. Some day care directors are more anal than others. Our previous one would not have let your kid stay if you said her temp was 98.7
We saw a doctor yesterday who told us that he doesn't REALLY consider it to be a fever unless it's 101 and above.
What's a mom to do??????
As for how to take a kid's temp, there are also a million different ways. The ear thermometer seems to be the most popular nowadays. If it's under the arm with a mercury thermometer, then you add a degree to the result. I had a nurse at our previous doctor's office who told me that with a rectal reading, you had to subtract a degree. Why you would do that when you are taking the child's temp from INSIDE their body is beyond me. I had never heard that one before. But this was a pediatric nurse!
And then there's the whole "don't return to school until you have been fever free for 24 hours". What does that mean? Say your kid's temp is 99.5 at bedtime after going all day with no tylenol. In the morning, it's 98.9. Can they go to school or not? Is 99.5 a fever? And what's so special about 24 hours? It's not like your body suddenly goes "ok....23 1/2 hours....still contagious.....wait...wait.....NOW! Fever free!"
Anyway. I'm writing all this because Beta is home for her second day with strep throat. I want to take care of her while she's sick, but she's up and running around and says her throat doesn't hurt at all. The only symptom she has is a fever.
Wish us luck!
Friday, May 11, 2007
Site Update!
I did it! I figured out how to add things to my blog! All it took was READING THE INSTRUCTIONS! (aka Blogger help) It wasn't hard at all!
So let's see......the first thing you'll probably notice is the dual Harry Potter Deathly Hallows/Order of the Phoenix countdown at the top. Yes, it's gonna be one heckuva Harry Potter summer! I only wish I was 18 and part of the mugglecast crowd so I wouldn't look so silly attending any of the events. (uh, it's for my daughter....) I also wish I could get a group of friends who love Harry Potter and attend one of the major release parties. But that would be silly. And expensive. (they're in major cities like Chicago) And I'm probably too old for it and would gross out the young kids. So I guess I'll just stick with heading down to the local B&N (Barnes & Noble) around 10:00 and getting in line. Oh, I did pre-order, though. The girl said you didn't have to pay and you'd be one of the first to get in line. Sweet!
The other thing I added is a list of blogs and/or websites that I visit frequently. I've been meaning to post about the two podcasts I listen to, but I haven't had time. The first one is Mugglenet's Mugglecast. (It's about Harry Potter.....) The other one is the Manic Mommies. These two ladies (girls? they're about my age) have got it goin' on! They actually have stuff on there that you want to know about. They don't just shoot the breeze. It's really very informative.
Then there's my husband's blog, when he updates it. And my sister-in-law's blog. (Robin's) She updates hers a lot! And she has some good posts, too.
Ok. It's now bedtime. And it's Alpha's birthday tomorrow! Wish us luck! I'm hosting a party for her kindergarten class. Thank goodness it's not at my house!
So let's see......the first thing you'll probably notice is the dual Harry Potter Deathly Hallows/Order of the Phoenix countdown at the top. Yes, it's gonna be one heckuva Harry Potter summer! I only wish I was 18 and part of the mugglecast crowd so I wouldn't look so silly attending any of the events. (uh, it's for my daughter....) I also wish I could get a group of friends who love Harry Potter and attend one of the major release parties. But that would be silly. And expensive. (they're in major cities like Chicago) And I'm probably too old for it and would gross out the young kids. So I guess I'll just stick with heading down to the local B&N (Barnes & Noble) around 10:00 and getting in line. Oh, I did pre-order, though. The girl said you didn't have to pay and you'd be one of the first to get in line. Sweet!
The other thing I added is a list of blogs and/or websites that I visit frequently. I've been meaning to post about the two podcasts I listen to, but I haven't had time. The first one is Mugglenet's Mugglecast. (It's about Harry Potter.....) The other one is the Manic Mommies. These two ladies (girls? they're about my age) have got it goin' on! They actually have stuff on there that you want to know about. They don't just shoot the breeze. It's really very informative.
Then there's my husband's blog, when he updates it. And my sister-in-law's blog. (Robin's) She updates hers a lot! And she has some good posts, too.
Ok. It's now bedtime. And it's Alpha's birthday tomorrow! Wish us luck! I'm hosting a party for her kindergarten class. Thank goodness it's not at my house!
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Finished Pictures!
Here are pictures of the planted tomato plants, one pepper plant, and a strawberry plant. Just like I promised!
Serrano Pepper Plant (For Jim)
Cherry Tomato Plant (for Alpha)
Celebrity Tomato Plant (for all of us)
Strawberry Plant (for Beta)
I spoke with a farmer the other day who had homegrown strawberries for sale. He said we probably wouldn't get any strawberries from this plant this year, but next year we should. I guess they'll be worth the wait!
Serrano Pepper Plant (For Jim)
Cherry Tomato Plant (for Alpha)
Celebrity Tomato Plant (for all of us)
Strawberry Plant (for Beta)
I spoke with a farmer the other day who had homegrown strawberries for sale. He said we probably wouldn't get any strawberries from this plant this year, but next year we should. I guess they'll be worth the wait!
Monday, May 7, 2007
You say tomato, I say toMAHto
We've done it! We've finally gotten a garden! Alpha wanted to grow some tomatoes. We looked for pots to plant them in, but they were so expensive! So......with my husband's best wishes, we built a garden. Ok. ok. HE built a garden. I did, however, start chopping up sod with a shovel while he was buying the landscape timbers.
So, here are some pictures of the progression of our garden!
First, the girls and I marked off our 8ft x 4ft area.
Jim took our Honda Civic to Lowe's and bought 10 landscape timbers. Yes. A Honda Civic. He folded the back seats down so that they stretched from the front seat to the trunk. He said a bunch of guys in overalls looked at him funny when he pulled up with a Civic.
Here he is digging up the sod. What you can't tell from this picture is that *I* had actually made it that far while he was buying the landscape timbers.
Here is Alpha supervising.
2/3 of the way done!
Alpha is helping fill the garden with bags of topsoil. We used part topsoil and part Miracle Grow garden soil for flowers and vegetables.
Beta decided to "help" spread the dirt around by shoveling it OUT of the garden! She had seen me doing that earlier with the sod so she thought she was doing a great deed.
Coming soon: Finished pictures! We have 2 tomato plants and one pepper plant in our garden. Unfortunately, by this time it was quite late so I don't have pictures of the finished product. I'll post those this week, though. But I'm so excited that we are actually going to try and GROW vegetables!
Please comment!
So, here are some pictures of the progression of our garden!
First, the girls and I marked off our 8ft x 4ft area.
Jim took our Honda Civic to Lowe's and bought 10 landscape timbers. Yes. A Honda Civic. He folded the back seats down so that they stretched from the front seat to the trunk. He said a bunch of guys in overalls looked at him funny when he pulled up with a Civic.
Here he is digging up the sod. What you can't tell from this picture is that *I* had actually made it that far while he was buying the landscape timbers.
Here is Alpha supervising.
2/3 of the way done!
Alpha is helping fill the garden with bags of topsoil. We used part topsoil and part Miracle Grow garden soil for flowers and vegetables.
Beta decided to "help" spread the dirt around by shoveling it OUT of the garden! She had seen me doing that earlier with the sod so she thought she was doing a great deed.
Coming soon: Finished pictures! We have 2 tomato plants and one pepper plant in our garden. Unfortunately, by this time it was quite late so I don't have pictures of the finished product. I'll post those this week, though. But I'm so excited that we are actually going to try and GROW vegetables!
Please comment!
Thursday, May 3, 2007
The Breakfast Bandit
Well, now that I'm not quite so mad, I can post about this.
My husband swiped my breakfast this morning!
Whooosh! Gone! Down the drain!
I was half-way through my extremely nutritious bowl of generic cocoa pebbles when Alpha needed some help picking out clothes for school. Jim was going to go help her, but I said no, I'll go. Well, clothes selection took a little longer than expected, but not much. When I came back to the kitchen, BAM! NO BREAKFAST!!!!
He was standing at the sink when I looked at him in dismay. I shockingly asked where my breakfast was. He was quiet so I said, "Did you throw my breakfast away? I wasn't done yet!" He said a small word under his breath.
Things were a bit awkward from then on.
But, the story has a happy ending!
I went to Sonic on my way to work because I knew I'd be early enough. I got a yummy sausage and egg sandwich on a ciabata bun. While munching away on it, he called and asked me what I wanted from Sonic! I told him I had been there and done that. He felt bad b/c he was trying to make it up to me. I told him to get himself something and he could make it up to me later.
I now hope to have a lovely landscaped front-yard garden for Mother's Day! Or at least I get to hold this over his head and make fun of him every time we clear the table. We were laughing about it at supper tonight so I guess I'm over it now.
My husband swiped my breakfast this morning!
Whooosh! Gone! Down the drain!
I was half-way through my extremely nutritious bowl of generic cocoa pebbles when Alpha needed some help picking out clothes for school. Jim was going to go help her, but I said no, I'll go. Well, clothes selection took a little longer than expected, but not much. When I came back to the kitchen, BAM! NO BREAKFAST!!!!
He was standing at the sink when I looked at him in dismay. I shockingly asked where my breakfast was. He was quiet so I said, "Did you throw my breakfast away? I wasn't done yet!" He said a small word under his breath.
Things were a bit awkward from then on.
But, the story has a happy ending!
I went to Sonic on my way to work because I knew I'd be early enough. I got a yummy sausage and egg sandwich on a ciabata bun. While munching away on it, he called and asked me what I wanted from Sonic! I told him I had been there and done that. He felt bad b/c he was trying to make it up to me. I told him to get himself something and he could make it up to me later.
I now hope to have a lovely landscaped front-yard garden for Mother's Day! Or at least I get to hold this over his head and make fun of him every time we clear the table. We were laughing about it at supper tonight so I guess I'm over it now.
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