Christmas Shopping; How stupid can you be?; Senior Bowler

Well, it's that time of year again. Summer is over, Halloween is in a few days, Thanksgiving will be upon us before we know it, and then WHAM! it's Christmas. I hate fall because all the color of the world turns to gray and brown. The trees lose all their leaves and our beautiful surroundings become bleak. It also means that the snow is not far away and I really hate snow. Actually it's the cold I hate. The snow is very pretty. I just wish I didn't have to go out in it. Plus, fall is the season in which my dad died. October 29th, 1998. It's been 9 years. The year he died, I was Christmas shopping at Walmart and had the worst anxiety attack right in the middle of the store. I couldn't breathe, I got really hot and started sweating, I thought I was going to pass out! So, I ran out of the store leaving my cart full of stuff right in the middle of the store! I was better wonce I got to the car (I had my tracker at the time) and even better when I was on my way home. I went back at 2 in the morning and was able to shop. Ever since then, I have done Christmas shopping on line or out of catalogs. My goal is always to be done by Thanksgiving. But, I never really meet that goal entirely. I usually have the Quillens (my brother and sister in law) done, the Arkansans done, and Dean's brothers done by then. So, it's really not too bad, I guess. I have pretty good handle on it this year already. Emily and Shannon are done. I know what I am getting Dave, I just have to order it. I have a few things for my sister, just need 1 or 2 more, then her boxes of Tea bags. I always send her Red Rose tea. It's the best and you can't get it in Arkansas. Remember the monkey that played the piano on the commercial and sang Red Rose, Red Rose, Red Rose in a voice that was similar to Jimmy Duratne's? I have our friends Lisa and Tom done. And I have Dean and Jordan started. Can't think what to get ol' Tyler boy. I have 1 out of 4 office gifts, so that's one more person done, I know what I am getting my brother, again, I just have to order it. Don't know what we're getting Sara yet. And it's prolly a gift card for Dean's bro Mark, then there's Vinnie. Last year we got him a subscription to Dirt Late Model Magazine. Don't know 'bout this year. So, all in all, I've got a pretty good start this year. I'll keep ya posted.......................
_____________________________________
So, how stupid are some people? In the Trib the other day in the section called p.m. Nation, a man named Robert Gillespie was apparently reading a text message while driving his car at 2 a.m. in Eugene, Oregon. Police say Gillespie's car crashed into the side of a Union Pacific freight train. His 38th birthday was the day before and he was on his way home from an evening long celebration when the crash occurred. They found him trapped in the car, but alert and talking. This is when they found out about the text message. He was charged with a DUI and careless driving.........................
In Carson City, Nevada, a killer's execution was halted 90 minutes before he was set to die amid arguments from death penalty opponents that the state should wait until the U.S. Supreme Court reviews the constitutionality of death by lethal injections. The NEVADA Supreme Court issued a stay of execution to William Costello who beat an elderly woman to death with a tire iron. Costello said he was ready to die for what he did and declined to make appeals to his death sentence. Now why on God's green earth would death by lethal injection be considered unconstitutional? The poor woman he beat with a tire iron? Was that constitutional? We ought to go back to hangings, firing squad, and the electric chair! Come on people!
___________________________________
I have had a comment posted to my "What is a Hillbilly" blog by someone who calls themself "Senior Bowler". Now, I found it a little unsettling that someone commented on blog that I do not know. Or maybe I do know them. Is it some one I bowl with every other Saturday that is older than me, or has bowled longer than me or is a better bowler than me? The latter is not hard to do. LOL. Anyhoo, when I read who the comment was from, I had a slight wave of panick. Should I not have pictures of my family on here? Should I not share such personal thoughts on here? Should I not say where I work, or shop or where I live? Should I not say things about the locations of the races we go to? With all the identity theft and people being stalked and perhaps killed after someone has read their "My Space" or My Face page or even this type of blog, it makes me feel a little uneasy..........................Senior Bowler, just let me know who you are!!!

What is a Hill-Billy?; The weekend's overview

In an earlier post, I referred to a Jeopardy question that was about Hope, Arkansas' famous Watermelon Festival and that most people thought Hope was only famaous as the birth place of former President Bill Clinton. With next year being an election year, it looks like Hillary Clinton will run for president herself. So, I ask you, do you know what a Hillbilly is? Well, some seem to think this is one!

Now, for some reason, I can't like Hillary. I did like Bill. But I can't like her. I think my presidential vote next year will be for Rudy Juliano. I like the way he handled the whole 9-11 ordeal in New York. It takes a great leader to do the things he did.

We had a full weekend this weekend. Sara and Jordan came and spent the nite on Friday. Saturday morning we went to breakfast as per our usual, then took Sara grocery shopping and back to her apartment. Jordan stayed with us until Sunday evening. He is so busy! He is really starting to repeat things you say, so, it's easier to understand what he's saying. When he's done eating, he says "I Done" and tries to pull off his bib. So funny! He has a great personality, too.

Well, for some unknown reason my left tricep is extremely sore. I am thinking a combination of carrying heavy groceries and carrying Jordan at different points during the weekend. Then, at work yesterday, we had our water main break, which means the plant couldn't operate because A) the machines are water cooled and B) we couldn't use the bathrooms. So, the machine operators left at 9:30 and I left at 10:45 after I got my orders done and they could be shipped. I came home and finsihed the last 3 loads of laundry leftover from Sunday and then decided to wash the truck. In between, I did some emails, so if any of you were wondering why you got emails from me during the day, that's why. Dean and I went for wings last nite and when we got back, he and I put a coat of wax on the truck. But don't you know, it started raining 2 hours later, and still hasn't quit at the time of this posting. Well, it's almost time for my shows; NCIS, Dancing results, then Boston Legal. Did you see Marie Osmond faint last nite? I thought she was just being funny till I saw the look on Tom Bergeron's face! They say she's okay, so we will see tonight.

Hope ya'll like the picture of the HILLary-BILLY Clinton!

What? No spoon?

Today is mine and Dean's wedding anniversary. 5 years. Man it has gone by fast. But we're as happy now as we were then. So it's all good.

(This pic is from New Year's Eve;thus the line on Dean's face is the elastic band from the party hat)

After work, I came home, freshened up, changed clothes and we went to Amel's for dinner. For those that don't know it, it is a quaint restaurant that uses family recipes based on middle eastern cuisine.

Their logo(symbolizing the middle east with a genie)

part of the dining room

We had the munchie platter for an appetizer which consisted of 4 buffalo drumettes, 3 zucchini planks, bruschetta on bread, deep fried feta, deep fried mozzarella wheel, halved. Very good. For my Entree I had grilled salmon with apricot glaze and garnished with carmellized leeks, rice pilaf and green beans for the sides,and it started off with an Amel's side salad with Amel's dressing. Amel's dressing is lemon juice, olive oil and fresh mint. It's awesome. Ice tea with dinner, and pita for the bread. I must say, they make an awesome hummus. Dean had filet kabob, salad, and rice pilaf. Also ice tea. Dean worked there when he was a teen. His mom had been a waitress there for a number of years. Our reservation was for 6 pm, and we just made it with how heavy traffic was! Since the owners all know Dean, they bought us an after dinner drink. I had Kaluha and Cream, and he had Crown and ginger ale.

On the way home, the sign at Bob Evans said "knife and fork: $5.99" 6 bucks and you only get the knife and fork? What if I want a spoon? For 6 bucks, there ought to be a spoon.

So, on home for dessert. We always get an almond batter cake with purple flowers for our special day. Same as our wedding cake. We opened our cards, had our cake and watched the Knoxville Nationals Dirt Late Model Race on Speed Channel. That's it. That was our anniversary. No pillow talk. Mother nature has a warped sense of humor and decided it was the day to show up, so no romance tonight. Or the rest of the weekend fo rthat matter. TMI? Sorry, Dave.

You know your town's famous when.........

Tonight, on Jeopardy Kids Week, in the category Annual Events, one of the answers were: Hope, Arkansas has this annual festival, and don't get in the way when the seed spitting contest of this picnic food begins. Of course, it is the Watermelon Festival.

Here's this year's winner as the largest melon. This festival is obviously a big deal. No pun intended.

And you thought Hope, Arkansas was only famous as the birthplace of Bill Clinton.

Spiders are not aerodynamic;Dallas sucks

You know how when you drive you sometimes get a little hitchhiker on your windshield? The other day, I had a bee on the windshield. He rode for quite a while, or until I got up to about 50 mph, anyway. Since bees fly, I figure they must be pretty aerodynamically shaped in order to get through the headwind when they fly to the hive and to the flowers.

Today, I had a little, tiny spider hitchin' a ride. Problem is, he didn't get far. I think I was only up to 15 or 20 mph, and the little guy blew off. Not aerodynamic at all. Hope he didn't get hurt when he fell...........
_________________________________

We have a football pool at work every week. $5 per week and you get a paper with all the team matchups for that weekend's games + the Monday night game. Well, I rocked this week and got 11 of 13 right (excluding the Monday game). The thing is, the boss' son had 12, but had picked Dallas for tonight's game where I picked Buffalo. So, if Buffalo wins, I have 12 as well and we go to the tie breaker which is guessing the total points scored in the Steeler game. The one closest without going over wins in the event of a tie. If everyone guessed over, then it is just who was closest. Well, it was a tough game, and Dallas got a TD, 2 point conversion, the recovered their own onside kick, then, with 2 seconds left, got a field goal to beat Buffalo 25 - 24. Dallas totally sucks........

My Sister is coming!!! My Sister is coming!!!!!!

Yes, it's finally going to happen. My sister called last night to tell me she is coming to the Burgh for Christams week. She will stay half the week with me and Dean and the other half with our brother, Billy and his wife Patty. I am so glad. It will be really rough on her during the holidays this year, so if she comes to Pittsburgh, at least she's not in her own house thinking about her hubby all week. Wonder if she's bringing the Cee Cee? If we have snow for Christmas, the poor dog will be shell shocked! But if she does bring her, she'll adjust, I'm sure. And she's more than welcome. The more dogs the better, I say. Especially when they're tiny like Cees.

So, my excitement meter is maxed out. I feel like I'm bouncin' off the walls and it's over 2 months away!

Well, now I feel like I have a reason to really do up the Christmas decorations!

Think I can decorate more than this of years past? Watch me!

Soapbox item ahead........

Well, since I haven't been officially on the soapbox in a while, here's one for ya. Britney Spears.
what is the girl thinking? I think she got married too soon, definitely had kids too soon and now what a mess she has! She became a star at a very young age, and as history has shown, kids that become stars always seem to make a mess of their lives with drugs and/or alcohol. Todd Bridges, Drew Barrymore, Danny Bonaduce, Corey Heim any of the Brat Pack kids.........And now Britney.
She hasn't followed the judges orders that would allow her to keep custody of her kids. So, the media is having a field day with this. They act like she's the only mom in America that has lost custody of their kids because she won't stay away from the drugs and alcohol. WRONG! I know a little girl who was recently adopted by the people that were here foster parents for over 2 years because our court system drug it's feet about terminating the mom's parental rights. I think that if other criminals get the 3 strikes and you're out policy, so should moms who's kids have been put in foster care. If you don't do the parenting classes, the drug screens or (this is ludicrous) the visitations scheduled with their child, then they should automatically be terminated as a parent. If you can do the right things in the first place, then you are given the chance to make things right and still don't, then the courts should just end it. Finally, the girl's rights were petitioned for termination. AND SHE CONTESTED! What is she thinking? Eventually, she withdrew her contest and the adoption went through.

Where was the media for all of this? AND this mom had another child that CYS (Child Youth Services) should have taken as soon as it was born and didn't. Guess what? She broke that baby. She claims that the handle on the baby carrier broke while the dad was carrying it down the steps at the grandmom's house and the baby fell out and down the steps. Then the story was that they were going somewhere and they put the carrier on the trunk lid and it fell off. Then the story was it was on the roof of the car. Come on. How stupid do they think we are? So, the baby was taken to the hospital with bruised ribs, a concussion, fractured skull, black eyes and bruising behind the ears. Hospital people do the right thing and call authorities for suspected abuse. Since she never get the story straight, she is arrested on child abuse charges. Someone posts bail for her and they show her release on the news along with an interview by mom's grandma. Grandma says that the girl is a wonderful, caring mother and would never beat a child. Nice choice of words. And if she was so wonderful, why does she have a child already in foster care with pending petition for adoption? As they show the girl walking to a vehicle to leave jail, she says she never hurt the child and then says "I want my kid back!" Nice.
So, the trial is now taking place and there's been nothing on the news at all. So, where's the media when it's not Britney Spears?

see what I'm talkin' about here:
www.kdka.com/ambridge couple
www.wpxi.com/woman accused of infant abuse turns herself in