Okay, so you know I'm a reader, right? I love to read. Sometimes my eyes and my brain get to craving something to read so badly I imagine it must be near to what an addict feels when they need that cup of caffeine, or that Marlboro or that hit off the pipe.
Me, while I buy some books, the majority of them I borrow from the library. I read almost anything and everything. Best sellers, foreign novels, etc.
HSM loans me a lot of books. She always says that people spend their money on what's important to them. To her, books are very important. She reads books that are well written. She says it's a bunch of hooey when people say 'well, at least so and so is reading' when caught with some poorly written piece of crap. She says our brains will rot if we all we 'feed' it is trash just like our teeth will rot from too much candy.
The most recent book HSM has loaned me is Mudbound by Hillary Jordan. HSM bought it from someplace on line, but I've seen it at Sam's Club.
I just finished reading the book this morning. I've been working on it for weeks. No, it's not a huge book, just a tad over 300 pages. And it's not as if I'm a slow reader, because I'm not. I read quickly, always have.
What held me up was the story itself. It's set in Mississippi, in the Delta area, shortly after World war II. It revolves around two families—one white, one black--and the hatred and racism that was so prevalent in that time. Hell, truth be told, racism is still alive and well and it's some sixty years later.
It's not a woman's book, although a woman wrote it. This is a well-written piece of fiction. If you're a reader, or you know someone who is, I think this is a worthwhile read.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
tawny_ford@yahoo.com
www.tawnyford.com
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Just Another Day
Some way, some how I have misplaced my winter scarf. It's a really nice one that I crocheted a few years ago. Long, really long because I like to be able to wrap it around my neck a couple of times for extra warmth. I always put my stuff back where it belongs so I'm baffled as to why I can't find it.
But okay, like I crocheted that one I can crochet a new one. I worked on the new one for almost a week. Every spare minute I had found me with a crochet hook in my hand. Mohair yarn all soft and lovely, and a nice stitch pattern.
I finished the scarf last night. Some time around midnight. This morning when I got up I tried it on. I just knew it was going to be the loveliest, warmest, best scarf in the whole wide world.
Word to the wise: When you're crocheting something, even something as simple as a scarf, try it on as you go.
My new scarf is long. Yep. It's long enough to be too long for even Shaquille O'Neal the basketball player! It goes all the way to the floor on me.
So now I'm sitting here slowly, as in very slowly, taking one end apart so I can shorten it.
Just another day.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
tawny_ford@yahoo.com
www.tawnyord.com
But okay, like I crocheted that one I can crochet a new one. I worked on the new one for almost a week. Every spare minute I had found me with a crochet hook in my hand. Mohair yarn all soft and lovely, and a nice stitch pattern.
I finished the scarf last night. Some time around midnight. This morning when I got up I tried it on. I just knew it was going to be the loveliest, warmest, best scarf in the whole wide world.
Word to the wise: When you're crocheting something, even something as simple as a scarf, try it on as you go.
My new scarf is long. Yep. It's long enough to be too long for even Shaquille O'Neal the basketball player! It goes all the way to the floor on me.
So now I'm sitting here slowly, as in very slowly, taking one end apart so I can shorten it.
Just another day.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
tawny_ford@yahoo.com
www.tawnyord.com
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Okay, Don't Laugh!
And I'm serious, do not laugh! Remember, we all do things differently.
Yesterday I went to the big mall. I haven't been there in a couple of years. I don't have anything against the place; I'm just not a person who goes to the mall. I purchase most of my clothes online, as well as the music I listen to. Everything else I get at Costco or Sam's Club, or the outlet mall (and I probably only get there once a year) or at small stores around town.
Twelve Oaks is big. Walking around the mall for the three hours I was there definitely let me get my exercise on. I passed numerous people, walkers, who seemed to be there primarily for the exercise. They walked quickly with their arms pumping and woe to you if you got in their way.
I only went in to a few of the stores. I wasn't there to shop. I just wanted to go someplace different and see some different things. I was there early, right when it opened up, because I wanted to avoid the crush of Christmas shoppers that I figured would descend upon the place by noon.
I went into the music store. I bought a compilation CD of old blues music. Forty-four different songs on 2 CDs. John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Little Milton, Johnnie Taylor to name just a few of the blues legends featured on the CDs. I listened to them last night and it's all good.
I also went into the Rocky Mountain Candy store. They sell all sorts of candy but what I'm interested in is their apples. They take huge Granny Smith apples, put a stick in them, and then dip them in all sorts of wonderful stuff. I bought two. An apple dipped in caramel, then dipped in chocolate, then covered in pecans, and an apple dipped in caramel, then dipped in white chocolate, then covered in apple pie spices. They are so good! I ate one last night and the other one is calling my name for tonight.
My last purchase was lunch. I ate at the food court. There are maybe a dozen different restaurants in the court. I chose Japanese…a plate of bourbon chicken, sesame chicken and fried rice. I love Asian food.
I'm sure you already know this; you probably get to the mall way more often than I do, but damn! Stuff is expensive! How do people afford to dress themselves, much less their spouse and their children? Even with 30% to 75% off the prices were outrageous.
I saw interesting stuff. Pretty stuff. Stylish stuff. But they wanted so much for it and, because it was 'in style', if you were the least bit fashion conscious, well, you sure weren't going to want to wear it next year. And x-number of years thereafter. Which is what you'd have to do to get your money worth.
I realize I probably sound like a country bumpkin who just got in to the big city. But I'm not, honest. I live in Farmington Hills. It is a good-sized city in an affluent suburb. I'm employed, I make good money, and I own a house.
But I'm still blown away by how much everything cost at the mall. Even the two apples I bought, Fifteen dollars and some change. Used to be it was less than ten dollars. Granted, that was at the outlet mall, but still. I spoke with Tallulah this morning and she said perhaps it's because store rent at the Twelve Oaks is higher than at the outlet mall. That makes sense. But it's still a lot of money for two apples.
I guess I shouldn't be shocked at the high prices at the mall. Everything has increased in price over the last few years, even at places I always shop. But wow! I still wonder how can people…regular people, not the wealthy…afford to dress their family at the mall?
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Tawny
tawny_ford@yahoo.com
www.tawnyford.com
Yesterday I went to the big mall. I haven't been there in a couple of years. I don't have anything against the place; I'm just not a person who goes to the mall. I purchase most of my clothes online, as well as the music I listen to. Everything else I get at Costco or Sam's Club, or the outlet mall (and I probably only get there once a year) or at small stores around town.
Twelve Oaks is big. Walking around the mall for the three hours I was there definitely let me get my exercise on. I passed numerous people, walkers, who seemed to be there primarily for the exercise. They walked quickly with their arms pumping and woe to you if you got in their way.
I only went in to a few of the stores. I wasn't there to shop. I just wanted to go someplace different and see some different things. I was there early, right when it opened up, because I wanted to avoid the crush of Christmas shoppers that I figured would descend upon the place by noon.
I went into the music store. I bought a compilation CD of old blues music. Forty-four different songs on 2 CDs. John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Little Milton, Johnnie Taylor to name just a few of the blues legends featured on the CDs. I listened to them last night and it's all good.
I also went into the Rocky Mountain Candy store. They sell all sorts of candy but what I'm interested in is their apples. They take huge Granny Smith apples, put a stick in them, and then dip them in all sorts of wonderful stuff. I bought two. An apple dipped in caramel, then dipped in chocolate, then covered in pecans, and an apple dipped in caramel, then dipped in white chocolate, then covered in apple pie spices. They are so good! I ate one last night and the other one is calling my name for tonight.
My last purchase was lunch. I ate at the food court. There are maybe a dozen different restaurants in the court. I chose Japanese…a plate of bourbon chicken, sesame chicken and fried rice. I love Asian food.
I'm sure you already know this; you probably get to the mall way more often than I do, but damn! Stuff is expensive! How do people afford to dress themselves, much less their spouse and their children? Even with 30% to 75% off the prices were outrageous.
I saw interesting stuff. Pretty stuff. Stylish stuff. But they wanted so much for it and, because it was 'in style', if you were the least bit fashion conscious, well, you sure weren't going to want to wear it next year. And x-number of years thereafter. Which is what you'd have to do to get your money worth.
I realize I probably sound like a country bumpkin who just got in to the big city. But I'm not, honest. I live in Farmington Hills. It is a good-sized city in an affluent suburb. I'm employed, I make good money, and I own a house.
But I'm still blown away by how much everything cost at the mall. Even the two apples I bought, Fifteen dollars and some change. Used to be it was less than ten dollars. Granted, that was at the outlet mall, but still. I spoke with Tallulah this morning and she said perhaps it's because store rent at the Twelve Oaks is higher than at the outlet mall. That makes sense. But it's still a lot of money for two apples.
I guess I shouldn't be shocked at the high prices at the mall. Everything has increased in price over the last few years, even at places I always shop. But wow! I still wonder how can people…regular people, not the wealthy…afford to dress their family at the mall?
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Tawny
tawny_ford@yahoo.com
www.tawnyford.com
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
The Best Laid Plans
Like I said the last time I wrote, my plan was to write you tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day, while at HSM's house. Well, her computer is down. Something is wrong with her Internet Explorer 7. She's been working on her computer for a couple of days trying to fix it, but it's still not right. So, thanks to the kindness of TWG, here I am.
One of the downsides to not having the ability to post my own blog from my own house is that when I have notes filled with material to share with you, well, sometimes I misplace some of them. And that's happened again. Oh well.
Here are a few of the websites I haven't misplaced:
www.swapadvd.com
www.myloveforyou.typepad.com
connectedtv.yahoo.com
www.wolframalpha.com
wave.google.com
Hope you find them interesting.
I am wishing you a happy Thanksgiving Day tomorrow. Remember though, each day is a day to be thankful for our blessings, not just the last Thursday of November.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
One of the downsides to not having the ability to post my own blog from my own house is that when I have notes filled with material to share with you, well, sometimes I misplace some of them. And that's happened again. Oh well.
Here are a few of the websites I haven't misplaced:
www.swapadvd.com
www.myloveforyou.typepad.com
connectedtv.yahoo.com
www.wolframalpha.com
wave.google.com
Hope you find them interesting.
I am wishing you a happy Thanksgiving Day tomorrow. Remember though, each day is a day to be thankful for our blessings, not just the last Thursday of November.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Imagine My Surprise!
Truly, imagine my surprise when I found an empty computer space at the library this morning! Every time I come in here with the intent of writing to you, well, all the spots are taken. Perhaps it's the crappy weather this morning that has everyone home. I don't know and I don't care, I'm just thrilled to pieces to be sitting here at the keyboard!
Remember me suggesting a book to you, Pain Free by Pete Egoscue? Well, the library called me yesterday to say that their copy, the one I'd reserved weeks ago, had finally been returned and was waiting for me. Hurray! I picked it up this morning. Okay, the book is for chronic pain sufferers and I'm not chronic, but I have way more than I'd like and I'm looking to get rid of at least some of it. I'll let you know how the book goes for me. And if you've read it, or are using it, let me know how it's working for you. And remember, I have a new email address at yahoo. I'd put it down here but, well, I can't remember it. Maybe I need something for lousy memory, too (smile). Anyway, it's on the contact page of my website (www.tawnyford.com).
Any snow where you're at yet? None here so far. In fact, temperatures are mild, between 40 and 50 nearly every day. And two weekends ago, get this! It was close to 70! I went to Walled Lake, Michigan, a small natural lakeside community maybe 20 minutes from my house. Once upon a time Walled Lake was a summer resort community, now people live there year round. Anyway, it was so warm and sunny I sat down by the lake for a good four hours. And I got a sunburn in November in Michigan!!!
Do you like pomegranates? I LOVE them! Costco has them by the case, six huge (the size of grapefruits!) for $12-and-some-change. I'm on my second case. Thing is--and it would happen anyway because the juice is the kind that stains, but it's happening even more so because I'm eating two a day--my fingers, particularly around my fingernails, are a wierd sort of red color. I scrub and scrub them, even with lemon juice, but they're still wierd looking. Since I'm not about to lay off the pomegranates I guess it's just something I have to live with until Costco stops carrying them this season (smile). If you've never eaten one get thee to Costco, or Sams Club, or anyplace that sells them. The big ones are the best.
I have a list of websites sitting on my desk in my office that I want to share with you. Don't you know I finally scored a computer and I forgot and left them home. Oh well. On Thanksgiving Day I'll be having dinner at HSM's house, she has a computer, and I'll try to remember to bring my list so I can share them with you then.
Speaking of HSM, did I tell you her #1 Son made the honor society at his college? They are so proud of him!
And they adopted a kitten the day before yesterday! A little fiery red and white tabby female no bigger than minute and weighing maybe 3 ounces of air (smile). They named her Aidan, Celtic for fiery. HSM's husband, ABM, called home and told her there was this teensy stray kitten sitting at the back door of the body shop....a few minutes later HSM and #2 Son were on their way to ABM's work to bring that bay home. Aidan joins Brodie, their puppy.
Well, that's about it for this morning. The librarian says, even though I have a good 35 minutes left on the computer (they give you an hour at a time, you can use up to 7 hours a day), that I have to sign off because they're starting a computer class in here in five minutes. Okay, I'm outta here.
You be good and be careful, take care, stay strong and don't let all this crazy stuff happening in the world get to you. It's going to be okay.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Remember me suggesting a book to you, Pain Free by Pete Egoscue? Well, the library called me yesterday to say that their copy, the one I'd reserved weeks ago, had finally been returned and was waiting for me. Hurray! I picked it up this morning. Okay, the book is for chronic pain sufferers and I'm not chronic, but I have way more than I'd like and I'm looking to get rid of at least some of it. I'll let you know how the book goes for me. And if you've read it, or are using it, let me know how it's working for you. And remember, I have a new email address at yahoo. I'd put it down here but, well, I can't remember it. Maybe I need something for lousy memory, too (smile). Anyway, it's on the contact page of my website (www.tawnyford.com).
Any snow where you're at yet? None here so far. In fact, temperatures are mild, between 40 and 50 nearly every day. And two weekends ago, get this! It was close to 70! I went to Walled Lake, Michigan, a small natural lakeside community maybe 20 minutes from my house. Once upon a time Walled Lake was a summer resort community, now people live there year round. Anyway, it was so warm and sunny I sat down by the lake for a good four hours. And I got a sunburn in November in Michigan!!!
Do you like pomegranates? I LOVE them! Costco has them by the case, six huge (the size of grapefruits!) for $12-and-some-change. I'm on my second case. Thing is--and it would happen anyway because the juice is the kind that stains, but it's happening even more so because I'm eating two a day--my fingers, particularly around my fingernails, are a wierd sort of red color. I scrub and scrub them, even with lemon juice, but they're still wierd looking. Since I'm not about to lay off the pomegranates I guess it's just something I have to live with until Costco stops carrying them this season (smile). If you've never eaten one get thee to Costco, or Sams Club, or anyplace that sells them. The big ones are the best.
I have a list of websites sitting on my desk in my office that I want to share with you. Don't you know I finally scored a computer and I forgot and left them home. Oh well. On Thanksgiving Day I'll be having dinner at HSM's house, she has a computer, and I'll try to remember to bring my list so I can share them with you then.
Speaking of HSM, did I tell you her #1 Son made the honor society at his college? They are so proud of him!
And they adopted a kitten the day before yesterday! A little fiery red and white tabby female no bigger than minute and weighing maybe 3 ounces of air (smile). They named her Aidan, Celtic for fiery. HSM's husband, ABM, called home and told her there was this teensy stray kitten sitting at the back door of the body shop....a few minutes later HSM and #2 Son were on their way to ABM's work to bring that bay home. Aidan joins Brodie, their puppy.
Well, that's about it for this morning. The librarian says, even though I have a good 35 minutes left on the computer (they give you an hour at a time, you can use up to 7 hours a day), that I have to sign off because they're starting a computer class in here in five minutes. Okay, I'm outta here.
You be good and be careful, take care, stay strong and don't let all this crazy stuff happening in the world get to you. It's going to be okay.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Remember me?
Okay, I'm starting again. I had a bunch of stuff written here and then all of a sudden it disappeared on me. Kind of discouraging. Oh well.
I've been on the miss tip writing-wise because my new internet access appliance (I bought another webtv) is not compliant with this blogging site. It's perfect for everything else I want to do--surf the internet, shop, send + receive emails--I just can't post here. My friend, TWG, always offers to post what I write but I hate bothering people, you know? And I've been a little leery of using the library computer.
Why am I leery of the library computers? Swine flu. Okay, I'm not afraid I'll catch it. I've asked God to keep me safe from it. But I think I have a responsibility to not act foolish after asking for His protection. Like, say I asked God to keep me safe when I crossed the street, yet I continually dart out into oncoming traffic. See what I mean? That would be foolish.
I keep disinfectant wipes under the seat of my truck and I use them all the time when I'm out and about. I keep my hands away from my face, then wipe them when I get back to the truck. I think we all have a responsibility to do the best we can to stay healthy.
Are you going to get the swine flu shot? I'm not. I don't get the annual flu shot either. Call me paranoid if you want, I don't care. I don't trust the shots, but that's just me.
Weatherwise, how is it going where you live? Here it's been interesting. We had lots of rain in October. Wet Falls suck. Now it's cold for a few days, then it warms up. The grass is still green and still needs an occasional mowing. And, while there are many leaves on the ground, there are just as many still in the trees. I wonder if they'll all be on the ground by the time the first snow flies? That happened one year and it was wierd.
HSM told me about a book she's heard good things about, Pain Free by Pete Egoscue. It's supposed to be a great help for people suffering from chronic pain who don't want to go the pill or surgical route. I'm going to order a copy. Not that I have chronic pain, I don't, but I have some and it wouldn't hurt my feelings if it all went away (smile).
Well, that's it for today. The clock on the computer says my minutes are dwindling away.
You be good and be careful, take care, stay strong. And let me hear from you. I miss you.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
I've been on the miss tip writing-wise because my new internet access appliance (I bought another webtv) is not compliant with this blogging site. It's perfect for everything else I want to do--surf the internet, shop, send + receive emails--I just can't post here. My friend, TWG, always offers to post what I write but I hate bothering people, you know? And I've been a little leery of using the library computer.
Why am I leery of the library computers? Swine flu. Okay, I'm not afraid I'll catch it. I've asked God to keep me safe from it. But I think I have a responsibility to not act foolish after asking for His protection. Like, say I asked God to keep me safe when I crossed the street, yet I continually dart out into oncoming traffic. See what I mean? That would be foolish.
I keep disinfectant wipes under the seat of my truck and I use them all the time when I'm out and about. I keep my hands away from my face, then wipe them when I get back to the truck. I think we all have a responsibility to do the best we can to stay healthy.
Are you going to get the swine flu shot? I'm not. I don't get the annual flu shot either. Call me paranoid if you want, I don't care. I don't trust the shots, but that's just me.
Weatherwise, how is it going where you live? Here it's been interesting. We had lots of rain in October. Wet Falls suck. Now it's cold for a few days, then it warms up. The grass is still green and still needs an occasional mowing. And, while there are many leaves on the ground, there are just as many still in the trees. I wonder if they'll all be on the ground by the time the first snow flies? That happened one year and it was wierd.
HSM told me about a book she's heard good things about, Pain Free by Pete Egoscue. It's supposed to be a great help for people suffering from chronic pain who don't want to go the pill or surgical route. I'm going to order a copy. Not that I have chronic pain, I don't, but I have some and it wouldn't hurt my feelings if it all went away (smile).
Well, that's it for today. The clock on the computer says my minutes are dwindling away.
You be good and be careful, take care, stay strong. And let me hear from you. I miss you.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Monday, October 19, 2009
Maybe This Will Come In Handy
Remember me telling you last week that, in order to claim the free dinner for eight that I'd 'won', I had to sit through a fire safety demonstration? Well, I learned two things at that demonstration. Okay, really I learned three--that the contest was a scam and I should report them to the Michigan Attorney General's office--but maybe the two other things will some day come in handy for you.
Did you know that fire/smoke alarms don't last for ever? I thought they did. I thought all you had to do was yearly replace the batteries and you were good to go for ever. Not so.
Did you know that 9 volt batteries can start fires? The guy that did the demo said that if you toss a 9 volt into your garbage can/wastebasket (even a dead one), if it touches/rubs up against a piece of tinfoil it can start a fire. He demonstrated that by rubbing a piece of tinfoil against the outward prongs on a 9 volt. Sure enough, it started smoking, then burst into flame.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Did you know that fire/smoke alarms don't last for ever? I thought they did. I thought all you had to do was yearly replace the batteries and you were good to go for ever. Not so.
Did you know that 9 volt batteries can start fires? The guy that did the demo said that if you toss a 9 volt into your garbage can/wastebasket (even a dead one), if it touches/rubs up against a piece of tinfoil it can start a fire. He demonstrated that by rubbing a piece of tinfoil against the outward prongs on a 9 volt. Sure enough, it started smoking, then burst into flame.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Friday, October 16, 2009
Chilly Friday
So here it is October, mid-October at that, and my furnace is already turned on. There were snow flurries just north of here last night, and it's cold. Cold and damp. I don't mind Fall, actually I love it, but dry Fall is what I love. Not rainy and cold. Not windy. Dry, lovely Fall. The kind of fall where the multi-colored leaves are on the tree branches and not on the ground.
It could be worse though. I saw on yesterday's news where central Pennsylvania and parts of New York state had snow. Measurable snow. That definitely isn't in my definition of Fall.
The weather guy says next week is warm-up time. Not Indian Summer, you have to have temps in the 80's to be Indian Summer. We're expecting 60 degrees. Compared to what we've been having, well, 60 will feel like summer (smile).
My friend Tallulah is down here. She drove down from the UP last Saturday. Snow was licking at her windshield. She said when she came out of the casino in Christmas, MI (it's a small town in the UP) it was snowing. Tallulah couldn't wait to get down here. She was thinking it would be warm. And it is warmer than it's been in the UP but not warm like what she was hoping for.
My new internet access appliance is supposed to touch down by the end of next week. I'll be able to 'talk' with you a lot more then. Getting to the library and snagging an available computer is an exercise in, well, patience.
Hope you're having a good day.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
It could be worse though. I saw on yesterday's news where central Pennsylvania and parts of New York state had snow. Measurable snow. That definitely isn't in my definition of Fall.
The weather guy says next week is warm-up time. Not Indian Summer, you have to have temps in the 80's to be Indian Summer. We're expecting 60 degrees. Compared to what we've been having, well, 60 will feel like summer (smile).
My friend Tallulah is down here. She drove down from the UP last Saturday. Snow was licking at her windshield. She said when she came out of the casino in Christmas, MI (it's a small town in the UP) it was snowing. Tallulah couldn't wait to get down here. She was thinking it would be warm. And it is warmer than it's been in the UP but not warm like what she was hoping for.
My new internet access appliance is supposed to touch down by the end of next week. I'll be able to 'talk' with you a lot more then. Getting to the library and snagging an available computer is an exercise in, well, patience.
Hope you're having a good day.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Thursday, October 15, 2009
No Such Thing As A Free Meal!
I enter lots and lots of contests. Primarily ones I see around town. I figure I have the best odds of winning something locally because not as many people enter. So far I've been right because I've won quite a few. Once it was for $100 worth of free groceries!
Okay, so I won another one I entered at my local grocery store. I was notified that I'd won last week. What did I win? Second prize--dinner for 4 couples! Not bad at all.
When the woman called me to let me know I'd won and to give me the particulars on how to redeem my prize, surprise to me, she said I'd won dinner for 8 at a local Italian restaurant. Okay, I was good with that, I'd been to that restaurant before and the food was good. But the big surprise was that along with dinner, we had to sit through a short fire safety demonstration. Hmmm...okay, we could do that, maybe we'd learn something.
Last night was dinner. Well, there is no such thing as a free meal and some contests are not what they appear to be.
We got dinner. Chicken parmesan with a side of penne and spaghetti sauce, bread, salad and one (make that ONLY 1) glass of pop. The food was only slightly warm and exceedingly rubbery. Hmmmm.
Now the fire safety demonstration? Well, not exactly. True enough the guy did talk about fires and getting out alive and fire alarms. But it was all just a fakeout to sucking us in, playing on our emotions and trying to get our addresses and the best time to come call on us to sell us new (sold only by his company) fire alarms.
He told us numerous times that people who'd attended his demos and who didn't buy his new alarm system, well, a goodly number of them had house fires shortly thereafter. What??? So I'm telling you this here and now and would like very much for you to remember it:
If, God forbid, I have a house fire and you hear about it on the news, those people set it. I'm not joking. What are the odds, particularly after this demo guy told us that those who didn't buy his sytems had fires? I say the guy (and his company) are arsonists who, if they don't make the sale, torch your house so they can add it in to their antecdotes to try and sell systems to other people!
I'm going to call the company this morning and complain. The whole contest was a sham. A pretense. And that's not nice. Not at all.
On another note, the guy who lives across from me, a neighbor told me that his house is in foreclosure. I don't remember when he moved in, probably at least a couple of years ago. He hasn't been the best neighbor in the world but damn! he's losing his house. He lost his job and now this. It all sucks.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Okay, so I won another one I entered at my local grocery store. I was notified that I'd won last week. What did I win? Second prize--dinner for 4 couples! Not bad at all.
When the woman called me to let me know I'd won and to give me the particulars on how to redeem my prize, surprise to me, she said I'd won dinner for 8 at a local Italian restaurant. Okay, I was good with that, I'd been to that restaurant before and the food was good. But the big surprise was that along with dinner, we had to sit through a short fire safety demonstration. Hmmm...okay, we could do that, maybe we'd learn something.
Last night was dinner. Well, there is no such thing as a free meal and some contests are not what they appear to be.
We got dinner. Chicken parmesan with a side of penne and spaghetti sauce, bread, salad and one (make that ONLY 1) glass of pop. The food was only slightly warm and exceedingly rubbery. Hmmmm.
Now the fire safety demonstration? Well, not exactly. True enough the guy did talk about fires and getting out alive and fire alarms. But it was all just a fakeout to sucking us in, playing on our emotions and trying to get our addresses and the best time to come call on us to sell us new (sold only by his company) fire alarms.
He told us numerous times that people who'd attended his demos and who didn't buy his new alarm system, well, a goodly number of them had house fires shortly thereafter. What??? So I'm telling you this here and now and would like very much for you to remember it:
If, God forbid, I have a house fire and you hear about it on the news, those people set it. I'm not joking. What are the odds, particularly after this demo guy told us that those who didn't buy his sytems had fires? I say the guy (and his company) are arsonists who, if they don't make the sale, torch your house so they can add it in to their antecdotes to try and sell systems to other people!
I'm going to call the company this morning and complain. The whole contest was a sham. A pretense. And that's not nice. Not at all.
On another note, the guy who lives across from me, a neighbor told me that his house is in foreclosure. I don't remember when he moved in, probably at least a couple of years ago. He hasn't been the best neighbor in the world but damn! he's losing his house. He lost his job and now this. It all sucks.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Putting Up Food
Well, hello there! I was starting to wonder when I'd be able to get back and 'talk' to you some more. Being totally internetless is, well, interesting.
How's the weather by you? It's been chilly here. I'd say cold but we all know, at least anyone from the midwest knows, that we ain't seen nothing yet in the cold department. January, when it's sub zero and the snow and ice are plaguing us--we'll look back at 35 degree nights as down right balmy (smile).
The sun is shing right now and that's a good thing. It's maybe 49 degrees and while that's not shorts and sandal weather, it's not winter coats and double layers either. The weather people say it's going to rain all week, every day but Thursday. So far they're wrong about today.
Yesterday I went out to Blocks, a farm stand for want of a weather way to describe them. I was on a quest for collard greens. See, at Blocks, this time of year, they're harvetsing the collards and you can buy them fresh from the earth. So fresh in fact that they're just whacked--macheted maybe?--right at the base and you buy the whole plant. My plan was to fill up the back of my pick-up truck with collards. But plans...They hadn't harvested any yet yesterday morning so instead I bought 2 cases of collards. By the case you get them cut from the plant, but you still have to cut the stems off, devein them, cut and wash them, etc.
They were $8.59 a case. Didn't sound bad to me. I spent all yesterday afternoon cleaning and cutting and cooking them and only got half a case finished. Today the plan is to do a whole case, then the other half one tomorrow. Then when they're cooked and cooled and doled out into freezer bags, into the freezer they'll go for when I want collards for dinner.
I don't know how to 'put up' or can. I can make jam and jelly but that's it. So what I do is buy produce, cook it, and then 'pretend' it's leftovers and freezer bag them and toss them into the freezer for when I want them.
I did hundreds of ears of corn just like that a few monthes ago. Scraped them off the cob, cooked them in butter in a skillet on the stove, and then froze them in portions. I've eaten some of it and it's good. The corn will go good with the collards for dinner this winter.
Do you like apple cider? I do. I took two gallons of apple cider and cooked it down until it was almost a glaze or a syrup. Then I used some for 'frosting' on an apple cake I made and the rest as a butter/syrup on hot biscuits. Oh my!
If you want to try it, take maybe 6 cups of good apple cider. Put it in a good sized pan on the stove, on medium heat, and whisk it. Keep whisking it all the while it's on the stove. It'll take maybe an hour for it to cook down, but you'll see it getting slowly lower and lower in the pan. When it gets to where there's maybe a cup left in the pan and it coats the back of a spoon, it's done. You can put it in the refrigerator until you want to use it, then slightly heat it up in the microwave. I don't know how long you can keep it. Mine is gone within a day or two of cooking it down.
Got to go. The library is filling up......
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
How's the weather by you? It's been chilly here. I'd say cold but we all know, at least anyone from the midwest knows, that we ain't seen nothing yet in the cold department. January, when it's sub zero and the snow and ice are plaguing us--we'll look back at 35 degree nights as down right balmy (smile).
The sun is shing right now and that's a good thing. It's maybe 49 degrees and while that's not shorts and sandal weather, it's not winter coats and double layers either. The weather people say it's going to rain all week, every day but Thursday. So far they're wrong about today.
Yesterday I went out to Blocks, a farm stand for want of a weather way to describe them. I was on a quest for collard greens. See, at Blocks, this time of year, they're harvetsing the collards and you can buy them fresh from the earth. So fresh in fact that they're just whacked--macheted maybe?--right at the base and you buy the whole plant. My plan was to fill up the back of my pick-up truck with collards. But plans...They hadn't harvested any yet yesterday morning so instead I bought 2 cases of collards. By the case you get them cut from the plant, but you still have to cut the stems off, devein them, cut and wash them, etc.
They were $8.59 a case. Didn't sound bad to me. I spent all yesterday afternoon cleaning and cutting and cooking them and only got half a case finished. Today the plan is to do a whole case, then the other half one tomorrow. Then when they're cooked and cooled and doled out into freezer bags, into the freezer they'll go for when I want collards for dinner.
I don't know how to 'put up' or can. I can make jam and jelly but that's it. So what I do is buy produce, cook it, and then 'pretend' it's leftovers and freezer bag them and toss them into the freezer for when I want them.
I did hundreds of ears of corn just like that a few monthes ago. Scraped them off the cob, cooked them in butter in a skillet on the stove, and then froze them in portions. I've eaten some of it and it's good. The corn will go good with the collards for dinner this winter.
Do you like apple cider? I do. I took two gallons of apple cider and cooked it down until it was almost a glaze or a syrup. Then I used some for 'frosting' on an apple cake I made and the rest as a butter/syrup on hot biscuits. Oh my!
If you want to try it, take maybe 6 cups of good apple cider. Put it in a good sized pan on the stove, on medium heat, and whisk it. Keep whisking it all the while it's on the stove. It'll take maybe an hour for it to cook down, but you'll see it getting slowly lower and lower in the pan. When it gets to where there's maybe a cup left in the pan and it coats the back of a spoon, it's done. You can put it in the refrigerator until you want to use it, then slightly heat it up in the microwave. I don't know how long you can keep it. Mine is gone within a day or two of cooking it down.
Got to go. The library is filling up......
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Friday, October 02, 2009
Hotels 4 Less
Don't you just hate it when you keep forgetting things? It happens to me a lot.
Okay, in case you aren't aware of this place www.checkinncard.com and you travel from time to time, and you want to save money (and who doesn't want to save money, right?), this is the place for you.
Tallulah told me about them and, while I haven't used them yet (although I am a member), she has and she's saved so much money each time she checks into a hotel/motel, and they're nice places, not sleazy places.
Be good and be careful, take crae, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
Microsoft + Me
So someone asked me on the phone the other day why in the world, after being a Micrsoft customer (webtv and then msntv2) for over twelve years, why did I ditch them? Well, it's like this.....
In 1997 I purchased my first webtv. I was in love! Not only did it give me internet access--emails, newsgroups, surfing, etc.--but the unit (the webtv) cost me a hundred dollars after the rebate. A hundred dollars and I was on the internet super highway! Okay, there was a monthly access fee of $19.95, but who didn't (and still has to) pay a monthly fee? And what computer cost a mere hundred dollars???
I loved the webtv so much that I bought one for HSM and her brood. and at least six of my phone customers, after hearing me talk it up, bought ones for themselves and their family members.
Maybe four years later, when webtv developed a newer model, a new classic is what they called it, I purchased one. It was faster, it had more bells and whistles, and I loved it. Okay, monthly access increased to $21.95, but so what? The new classic cost me another hundred dollars. Big whoop.
This past August my webtv gave up the ghost. The consensus seemed to be that it was the video card that went bad. Unfixable. Webtvs are no longer in production. But Microsoft still had some of their newest model, the MSNTV2, in stcok. And such a deal they were offering!
The unit, the MSNTV2, was free. Yes, free. Pay shipping and handling charges of roughly $6 and the unit is yours. And pay for one years worth of service up front. $199.00. Such a deal! I got one. It was a refurbished unit, refurbished by Microsoft, and Microsoft backed it with a 1-year warranty.
And you know what? as much as I loved using the webtv, the MSNTV2 was that much better. It was faster by about ten thousand light years. It went places and did things that the webtv only dreamed about. I could open pdf's! It even represented like a computer when you sent things to people. It was amazing.
On the downside, and you know there's always a downside, the doggone thing had trouble connecting. It couldn't dial out from my phone line to the MSN access number, no matter what access number I tried to use. I made over 8 calls to tech support over a two week period. I spent hours on the phone with the techies. Some were helpful and nowledgeable and some, well, some of them should have been throttled for their incompetence.
One of them even said it was my phone line, not their device, that was the root of all trouble and so I had my local phone company come out twice, TWICE!, to check my phone line. And, each time, there was nothing wrong with my line.
Anyway, one night, after the techie, a nice sounding man in his 60's, threw up his hands and said what I had been saying all along--ma'm, your unit is defective--did I toss in the towel. The next morning I called MSN and told them I was through.
I think it's a doggone shame that the MSNTV2 wasn't beta tested better than it was. I spent a lot of time in msntv2 user newsgroups and just about everyone was having problems. I seemed to be unusual with my connecting troubles, but everyone else was having their fair share of problems too.
I understand that Microsoft is notorious for releasing a product--think Windows, any version--and then relying on thier customers to let them know what needs fixing, but, well, I think it sucks.
The MSNTV2 is a marvelous product IF it works properly. I think Micrsoft dropped the ball with this. I think the units should be in production again (currently they are not being produced) and I think that they should hire a whole new tech team to throw out the bugs and make them work properly. Then an aggressive ad campaign should be launched so people know rhe unit is available.
I think it would be a great product. I think it would sell well.
As for me, now that I no longer have an internet access appliance at my house, when you email me, well, give it a week for an answer. I'm using HSM's computer and the one at the library. Or better yet, pick up the phone and call me. Don't be afraid (smile).
The next time Tallulah comes downstae we're going to go look at netbooks. I'm thinking that might be what I want. See, I don't want a big computer. All I want to do is email, surf and shop on the internet. That's it. My needs are small. Anyway, whatever I purchase, Tallulah will be my tutor. I'm not computer literate. Internet savvy, computer illiterate.
In the meantime, until I get my own access, you be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
In 1997 I purchased my first webtv. I was in love! Not only did it give me internet access--emails, newsgroups, surfing, etc.--but the unit (the webtv) cost me a hundred dollars after the rebate. A hundred dollars and I was on the internet super highway! Okay, there was a monthly access fee of $19.95, but who didn't (and still has to) pay a monthly fee? And what computer cost a mere hundred dollars???
I loved the webtv so much that I bought one for HSM and her brood. and at least six of my phone customers, after hearing me talk it up, bought ones for themselves and their family members.
Maybe four years later, when webtv developed a newer model, a new classic is what they called it, I purchased one. It was faster, it had more bells and whistles, and I loved it. Okay, monthly access increased to $21.95, but so what? The new classic cost me another hundred dollars. Big whoop.
This past August my webtv gave up the ghost. The consensus seemed to be that it was the video card that went bad. Unfixable. Webtvs are no longer in production. But Microsoft still had some of their newest model, the MSNTV2, in stcok. And such a deal they were offering!
The unit, the MSNTV2, was free. Yes, free. Pay shipping and handling charges of roughly $6 and the unit is yours. And pay for one years worth of service up front. $199.00. Such a deal! I got one. It was a refurbished unit, refurbished by Microsoft, and Microsoft backed it with a 1-year warranty.
And you know what? as much as I loved using the webtv, the MSNTV2 was that much better. It was faster by about ten thousand light years. It went places and did things that the webtv only dreamed about. I could open pdf's! It even represented like a computer when you sent things to people. It was amazing.
On the downside, and you know there's always a downside, the doggone thing had trouble connecting. It couldn't dial out from my phone line to the MSN access number, no matter what access number I tried to use. I made over 8 calls to tech support over a two week period. I spent hours on the phone with the techies. Some were helpful and nowledgeable and some, well, some of them should have been throttled for their incompetence.
One of them even said it was my phone line, not their device, that was the root of all trouble and so I had my local phone company come out twice, TWICE!, to check my phone line. And, each time, there was nothing wrong with my line.
Anyway, one night, after the techie, a nice sounding man in his 60's, threw up his hands and said what I had been saying all along--ma'm, your unit is defective--did I toss in the towel. The next morning I called MSN and told them I was through.
I think it's a doggone shame that the MSNTV2 wasn't beta tested better than it was. I spent a lot of time in msntv2 user newsgroups and just about everyone was having problems. I seemed to be unusual with my connecting troubles, but everyone else was having their fair share of problems too.
I understand that Microsoft is notorious for releasing a product--think Windows, any version--and then relying on thier customers to let them know what needs fixing, but, well, I think it sucks.
The MSNTV2 is a marvelous product IF it works properly. I think Micrsoft dropped the ball with this. I think the units should be in production again (currently they are not being produced) and I think that they should hire a whole new tech team to throw out the bugs and make them work properly. Then an aggressive ad campaign should be launched so people know rhe unit is available.
I think it would be a great product. I think it would sell well.
As for me, now that I no longer have an internet access appliance at my house, when you email me, well, give it a week for an answer. I'm using HSM's computer and the one at the library. Or better yet, pick up the phone and call me. Don't be afraid (smile).
The next time Tallulah comes downstae we're going to go look at netbooks. I'm thinking that might be what I want. See, I don't want a big computer. All I want to do is email, surf and shop on the internet. That's it. My needs are small. Anyway, whatever I purchase, Tallulah will be my tutor. I'm not computer literate. Internet savvy, computer illiterate.
In the meantime, until I get my own access, you be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
It's Finally Friday!
And that's a good thing. Why? Because Friday is almost Sunday. And Sunday at sunset is the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
I don't fast for Ramadan. I can't. I always get sick when I do. So the former Catholic in me comes out and I give something up for those thirty days instead. And I donate one hundred dollars to those in need.
This Sunday, as celebration, a bunch of us are getting together at HSM's house at sunset and having dinner. We've ordered a deli tray, a HUGE deli tray, from a restaurant that has the best corned beef around.
This deli tray will be corned beef, an assortment of cheeses, new dills, old dills, rye bread, 2 kinds of mustard, tuna salad (none of us like chopped liver so tuna is the substitution), sweet pickles, hot peppers, olives, lettuce + tomatoes, russian dressing, cole slaw and potato salad. I think I'm forgetting a few things...
HSM and her family will provide the desserts and beverages.
I'm really looking forward to it, both to the food and the companionship. It's going to be big fun.
So if you go to call me Sunday evening, well, I'm not going to be here. I'll be with friends and family feasting on corned beef.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
I don't fast for Ramadan. I can't. I always get sick when I do. So the former Catholic in me comes out and I give something up for those thirty days instead. And I donate one hundred dollars to those in need.
This Sunday, as celebration, a bunch of us are getting together at HSM's house at sunset and having dinner. We've ordered a deli tray, a HUGE deli tray, from a restaurant that has the best corned beef around.
This deli tray will be corned beef, an assortment of cheeses, new dills, old dills, rye bread, 2 kinds of mustard, tuna salad (none of us like chopped liver so tuna is the substitution), sweet pickles, hot peppers, olives, lettuce + tomatoes, russian dressing, cole slaw and potato salad. I think I'm forgetting a few things...
HSM and her family will provide the desserts and beverages.
I'm really looking forward to it, both to the food and the companionship. It's going to be big fun.
So if you go to call me Sunday evening, well, I'm not going to be here. I'll be with friends and family feasting on corned beef.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Finally x 2!
I have two finallys for today:
1. With any luck at all, I will never have to mention my phone lines being staticky again. The first time a repair person came out he said the lines were wet and he dried them. The second repair person (the fellow yesterday) said another telephone line was rubbing up against mine and that was the cause of the problem. He moved them apart.
Look, I realize it sounds crazy. I mean, this is a sex line, right? And the lines were wet and then being rubbed up against? I had to laugh each time the repair person diagnosed the problem (smile).
But now everything is a-okay.
2. And this is really important--I heard former president Jimmy Carter on tv yesterday talking about the disrespect President Obama is encountering.
Now my Uncle David, myself and a couple of my friends have been saying all along that the reason that yahoo from the Carolinas hollered out while Obama was speaking to Congress (you lie! he said) was because he had no respect for Obama because he's black.
You can talk all day but that's what it is. Some people (white people) say their problem with him being president is because he's a closet Muslim, because he's not a born-here-in-the-USA citizen, etc. That's all code for 'he's a nigger'.
Jimmy Carter, being as he hails from Georgia, was the perfect person to finally come out and say it. Bill couldn't have done it, makes no matter that he hails from a southern state, because he's regarded as the first black president depsite the fact that his skin is white and his ancestors were, too. It would have been nice if Bush, the last one, would have stepped up but......
So Jimmy said it. Racism. That's what the problem is.
Here it is 2009 and, despite everybody saying racism is dead and buried, long gone never to return, in all actuality it's alive and well and thriving in the hearts and minds of some US citizens.
It's not pretty to hear but often times the truth isn't so pretty. It's just true.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
1. With any luck at all, I will never have to mention my phone lines being staticky again. The first time a repair person came out he said the lines were wet and he dried them. The second repair person (the fellow yesterday) said another telephone line was rubbing up against mine and that was the cause of the problem. He moved them apart.
Look, I realize it sounds crazy. I mean, this is a sex line, right? And the lines were wet and then being rubbed up against? I had to laugh each time the repair person diagnosed the problem (smile).
But now everything is a-okay.
2. And this is really important--I heard former president Jimmy Carter on tv yesterday talking about the disrespect President Obama is encountering.
Now my Uncle David, myself and a couple of my friends have been saying all along that the reason that yahoo from the Carolinas hollered out while Obama was speaking to Congress (you lie! he said) was because he had no respect for Obama because he's black.
You can talk all day but that's what it is. Some people (white people) say their problem with him being president is because he's a closet Muslim, because he's not a born-here-in-the-USA citizen, etc. That's all code for 'he's a nigger'.
Jimmy Carter, being as he hails from Georgia, was the perfect person to finally come out and say it. Bill couldn't have done it, makes no matter that he hails from a southern state, because he's regarded as the first black president depsite the fact that his skin is white and his ancestors were, too. It would have been nice if Bush, the last one, would have stepped up but......
So Jimmy said it. Racism. That's what the problem is.
Here it is 2009 and, despite everybody saying racism is dead and buried, long gone never to return, in all actuality it's alive and well and thriving in the hearts and minds of some US citizens.
It's not pretty to hear but often times the truth isn't so pretty. It's just true.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Another Day, Another Hitch
I know the usual expression is 'another day, another dollar', but my remake on it is much more appropriate for the way my day is going.
Remember how just the other day I almost giddily told you that the phone troubles were a thing of the past? That the phone repair person had banished the nasty, squeaky, staticky phone demons?
Well, they're back.
They were gone less than 24 hours.Yesterday, when they returned, they were annoying. This morning they made it virtually impossible to conduct a conversation.
The phone company said they would send someone out as as soon as possible. Business customers are a first priority. A little while ago I received an automated message--I HATE bots!--stating that they were working hard and my phone would be right by tomorrow Tomorrow???
Okay, so if you call me today and it sounds like, well, screechy and funny, give me your phone number and I'll call you back on my dime.
Even phone sex divas have messed-up days (smile)!
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Remember how just the other day I almost giddily told you that the phone troubles were a thing of the past? That the phone repair person had banished the nasty, squeaky, staticky phone demons?
Well, they're back.
They were gone less than 24 hours.Yesterday, when they returned, they were annoying. This morning they made it virtually impossible to conduct a conversation.
The phone company said they would send someone out as as soon as possible. Business customers are a first priority. A little while ago I received an automated message--I HATE bots!--stating that they were working hard and my phone would be right by tomorrow Tomorrow???
Okay, so if you call me today and it sounds like, well, screechy and funny, give me your phone number and I'll call you back on my dime.
Even phone sex divas have messed-up days (smile)!
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Some Days Life Just Gets In The Way
I'll tell you what, yesterday I had plans to sit myself down in front of my msntv2 and write something really good. I had been working on it in my head the previous night as well as that morning and it was good. I could feel it in my bones. I knew you'd be on the edge of your computer chair as you read it.
And then......
Life got in the way. What happened? My msntv2 went crazy. It got infested with demons. I was on the phone with tech support for over two hours. The final consensus on the part of the techie was that I needed to have the phone company and 'clean up' my phone lines--get the static gone.
So I did. The phone company sent a repairman right out. They move really fast for business customers. An hour later and all my phone lines were clean. Remember that pesky static on the 1300 line? All gone!
That night I was good to go and go I did. I sent a few emails, I surfed a little bit, but I was too wore out, stressed out actually, to write the blog.
This morning I had big blog plans again. But guess what? The doggone msntv2 was infested again! The demons were back! Three hours and two tech support people later--I'm back online.
But, and I'm sure you can appreciate this, my big writing plans are on hold. I want to say it'll happen tomorrow, but I'm afraid to. What if those pesky demons pounce again?
So sometimes our best laid plans get all messed up. So if you ever thought it was just you that got turned sideways--nope, me too! Scant comfort, huh (smile)?
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
And then......
Life got in the way. What happened? My msntv2 went crazy. It got infested with demons. I was on the phone with tech support for over two hours. The final consensus on the part of the techie was that I needed to have the phone company and 'clean up' my phone lines--get the static gone.
So I did. The phone company sent a repairman right out. They move really fast for business customers. An hour later and all my phone lines were clean. Remember that pesky static on the 1300 line? All gone!
That night I was good to go and go I did. I sent a few emails, I surfed a little bit, but I was too wore out, stressed out actually, to write the blog.
This morning I had big blog plans again. But guess what? The doggone msntv2 was infested again! The demons were back! Three hours and two tech support people later--I'm back online.
But, and I'm sure you can appreciate this, my big writing plans are on hold. I want to say it'll happen tomorrow, but I'm afraid to. What if those pesky demons pounce again?
So sometimes our best laid plans get all messed up. So if you ever thought it was just you that got turned sideways--nope, me too! Scant comfort, huh (smile)?
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Living In A Neighborhood
Woke up this morning....no! not the first line of the Sopranos theme song (smile)! I woke up this morning to the sound of carpenters tearing the roof off of the house two doors down and across the street. Not a bad sound. a good sound, because that means that the family is getting something they need and people are working--the family that's paying for the roof and the fellows putting it on.
The only down side was that they started at 6am. Maybe you're up and ready to roll at 6am, even on a Saturday, but I'm not. Not any day.
I understand why they were at it early. Start early and you can finish the job in one day. It's a two story house with an addition in the back and an attached garage. That's a lot of shingles to take off and put back on. And it's supposed to be borderline hot today so the earlier you start the less time you have to sweat in the worst of the heat.
Next door to me, at the new neighbors, their dog was up early, too. From the moment they let the dog out to do it's business, until they open the door and let it back in the house, every single day, the darn critter yipes. Not barks, yipes. And it's not like the new neighbors bust their ass to let the dog back in. Nope. They let it yipe for 15 or 20 minutes.
And when they leave to go someplace, and they don't take the dog with them, the critter yipes from the moment they pull out of their driveway until the moment they pull back in, even if it's hours and hours and hours later.
On the other side of me, they have a 'thing' against trees. They don't like them. I guess they don't understand that a world without trees would not only be not very scenic, but the air quality would be even worse than it is now.
Two weeks ago they had a tree trimmer come by. 'Tawny, we're just going to take off a few branches, okay". Why tell me this? It's my tree and the branches were hanging over their fence.
Next time I looked out the tree trimmer had sawed off a limb, a whole big fat leaf bearing, shade giving limb. When I put on my mean face and confronted my neighbor (and the tree trimmer), 'we're not going to fall out about a tree are we?' she asked, her voice dripping with incredulousness. That's probably not even a word, probably spelled wrong, too. But you know what I mean. She couldn't believe I'd get worked up over a tree.
Call me crazy, but I love that tree. It gives me lots and lots of pleasure. It provides shade on my patio, it gives the squirrels a place to hang out, the birds too.
Living in a neighborhood, while it has some good points, it also has it's had points, too. This week it's been tough trying to find the good points.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
The only down side was that they started at 6am. Maybe you're up and ready to roll at 6am, even on a Saturday, but I'm not. Not any day.
I understand why they were at it early. Start early and you can finish the job in one day. It's a two story house with an addition in the back and an attached garage. That's a lot of shingles to take off and put back on. And it's supposed to be borderline hot today so the earlier you start the less time you have to sweat in the worst of the heat.
Next door to me, at the new neighbors, their dog was up early, too. From the moment they let the dog out to do it's business, until they open the door and let it back in the house, every single day, the darn critter yipes. Not barks, yipes. And it's not like the new neighbors bust their ass to let the dog back in. Nope. They let it yipe for 15 or 20 minutes.
And when they leave to go someplace, and they don't take the dog with them, the critter yipes from the moment they pull out of their driveway until the moment they pull back in, even if it's hours and hours and hours later.
On the other side of me, they have a 'thing' against trees. They don't like them. I guess they don't understand that a world without trees would not only be not very scenic, but the air quality would be even worse than it is now.
Two weeks ago they had a tree trimmer come by. 'Tawny, we're just going to take off a few branches, okay". Why tell me this? It's my tree and the branches were hanging over their fence.
Next time I looked out the tree trimmer had sawed off a limb, a whole big fat leaf bearing, shade giving limb. When I put on my mean face and confronted my neighbor (and the tree trimmer), 'we're not going to fall out about a tree are we?' she asked, her voice dripping with incredulousness. That's probably not even a word, probably spelled wrong, too. But you know what I mean. She couldn't believe I'd get worked up over a tree.
Call me crazy, but I love that tree. It gives me lots and lots of pleasure. It provides shade on my patio, it gives the squirrels a place to hang out, the birds too.
Living in a neighborhood, while it has some good points, it also has it's had points, too. This week it's been tough trying to find the good points.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
I Know It's Not Tuesday Today!
How do I know it's not Tuesday today, you ask? Because it's not raining! At least not yet. The weather man says it will later this afternoon, maybe even this evening, but for right now it's sunny and dry. Okay, a little hazy and definitely humid, but at least it's not raining.
I haven't given you any cooking tips in awhile so......
Last night I had some defrosted chicken legs with thighs attached (part of a bag from Walmart, 59 cents a pound) to cook for dinner. It felt like I'd hit a wall, I couldn't think of any way to prepare them. And then inspiration hit!
I cut up a huge onion and put it on the bottom of my 13x9 pan. I laid five chicken legs with thighs attached on top of that. Sprinkled the chicken with salt,, pepper and Mrs. Dash. Then poured a half stick of melted butter over it all. Into a 350 oven for two hours, basting it every so often.
When it was finished cooking, I removed the chicken from the pan, drained the juices in to a measuring cup and then poured off he 'fat'. The juices went into a saucepan and I added a can of (undiluted) cream of chicken soup. Whisking it together as I heated it up produced a nice sauce.
I had some left over rice from the night before. It was chicken and rice with sauce over all. Plus, a nice ripe tomato sliced and topped with crumbled feta cheese.
Dinner was very good and easy.
This was another episode of Cooking With Tawny brought to you by TMC Services (smile).
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
I haven't given you any cooking tips in awhile so......
Last night I had some defrosted chicken legs with thighs attached (part of a bag from Walmart, 59 cents a pound) to cook for dinner. It felt like I'd hit a wall, I couldn't think of any way to prepare them. And then inspiration hit!
I cut up a huge onion and put it on the bottom of my 13x9 pan. I laid five chicken legs with thighs attached on top of that. Sprinkled the chicken with salt,, pepper and Mrs. Dash. Then poured a half stick of melted butter over it all. Into a 350 oven for two hours, basting it every so often.
When it was finished cooking, I removed the chicken from the pan, drained the juices in to a measuring cup and then poured off he 'fat'. The juices went into a saucepan and I added a can of (undiluted) cream of chicken soup. Whisking it together as I heated it up produced a nice sauce.
I had some left over rice from the night before. It was chicken and rice with sauce over all. Plus, a nice ripe tomato sliced and topped with crumbled feta cheese.
Dinner was very good and easy.
This was another episode of Cooking With Tawny brought to you by TMC Services (smile).
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Is Today Tuesday?
If today is Tuesday, and I think it is, it is a rainy Tuesday in metro Detroit. It's been one of those on again, off again kind of rains. Just when you think it's over with, and it's okay to go out minus your rain gear, whoosh! here it comes again.
Rain isn't a bad thing. Well, not unless you had plans to go on a picnic, or you wanted to sun bathe, or.....Thankfully none of those things are on my list for today.
We can use the rain around here. The grass has been looking sort of parched. Not just mine, but everybody who doesn't water their lawn is in the same dry boat.
Last year the city of Detroit, the entity who controls water in the metro Detroit area, raised the price we pay for water. Significantly raised it, I might add. They said they had to because the demand/usage was up so high.
Many people, me included, cut back on our usage. I never was one to water the lawn, but I found other ways to lower my usage. I don't leave the water faucet running when I brush my teeth or wash my face. I take shorter length showers. I have a new toilet that doesn't use as much water in the flush cycle.
Etc.
So now guess what? The city of Detroit is raising the water rates. Again. Why? Because usage is down.
Aint that a load of crap? The consumer is damned if they do and damned if they don't.
Be good and be careful, take care stay strong.
hugs,
Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Rain isn't a bad thing. Well, not unless you had plans to go on a picnic, or you wanted to sun bathe, or.....Thankfully none of those things are on my list for today.
We can use the rain around here. The grass has been looking sort of parched. Not just mine, but everybody who doesn't water their lawn is in the same dry boat.
Last year the city of Detroit, the entity who controls water in the metro Detroit area, raised the price we pay for water. Significantly raised it, I might add. They said they had to because the demand/usage was up so high.
Many people, me included, cut back on our usage. I never was one to water the lawn, but I found other ways to lower my usage. I don't leave the water faucet running when I brush my teeth or wash my face. I take shorter length showers. I have a new toilet that doesn't use as much water in the flush cycle.
Etc.
So now guess what? The city of Detroit is raising the water rates. Again. Why? Because usage is down.
Aint that a load of crap? The consumer is damned if they do and damned if they don't.
Be good and be careful, take care stay strong.
hugs,
Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Monday, September 07, 2009
Happy Days Are Here Again!
Okay, this probably isn't going to mean too much of anything to you, but I am now able to post my own stuff to this blog!!
See what happened is this: About two weeks ago my trusty webtv, the new classic model (that's to distinguish it from the old or original classic model! that's webtv tech talk smile!) went on the blink and died. The consensus of the tech support team was that my video card died. They said it couldn't be repaired. I'll tell you, it was like a member of my family died!
So what I did was I bought a new webtv. Okay, not really a webtv. A msntv2. It's made by Microsoft, the same folks who designed/invented the webtv. And while this isn't a computer, it's more computer-like in that it is able to do so many more things than my webtv could.
This new unit, the msntv2, was free. I paid shipping and handling of just shy of $6.00. And I paid for one year's worth of service upfront, around $199.00. It's a refurbished unit with a one year warranty.
At first, while I was thrilled to be back on the internet, I was unhappy because, well, I'm always unhappy with new to me technology. But a few days later and I'm loving it.
And best of all, at least to me, is that I am able to post my own blog entries! Before TWG was always kind and gracious and posted for me, and that was wonderful. And some times I went to the library and used the computer and that was fine. But it burned me that I couldn't do it by myself from my home internet access appliance. I mean doggone it, I'm gone.
Well, this new msntv2 is a wonderful contraption. Yes indeedy! I am able to do this by myself from the comfort of my living room.
Isn't technology grand (smile)!
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
http://www.tawnyford.com/
See what happened is this: About two weeks ago my trusty webtv, the new classic model (that's to distinguish it from the old or original classic model! that's webtv tech talk smile!) went on the blink and died. The consensus of the tech support team was that my video card died. They said it couldn't be repaired. I'll tell you, it was like a member of my family died!
So what I did was I bought a new webtv. Okay, not really a webtv. A msntv2. It's made by Microsoft, the same folks who designed/invented the webtv. And while this isn't a computer, it's more computer-like in that it is able to do so many more things than my webtv could.
This new unit, the msntv2, was free. I paid shipping and handling of just shy of $6.00. And I paid for one year's worth of service upfront, around $199.00. It's a refurbished unit with a one year warranty.
At first, while I was thrilled to be back on the internet, I was unhappy because, well, I'm always unhappy with new to me technology. But a few days later and I'm loving it.
And best of all, at least to me, is that I am able to post my own blog entries! Before TWG was always kind and gracious and posted for me, and that was wonderful. And some times I went to the library and used the computer and that was fine. But it burned me that I couldn't do it by myself from my home internet access appliance. I mean doggone it, I'm gone.
Well, this new msntv2 is a wonderful contraption. Yes indeedy! I am able to do this by myself from the comfort of my living room.
Isn't technology grand (smile)!
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
http://www.tawnyford.com/
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Health Care
I've been watching TV news reports of the town hall meetings being held around the country regarding health care reform. I've seen the people, predominately senior citizens, throwing hissy fits, yelling and screaming their displeasure towards the newly proposed health care plan.The protesters, again predominately senior citizens, holler that a national health care policy is socialist in nature. Okay. But what are Medicare and Medicaid? Aren't they socialist plans too?
How come the oldsters aren't ripping up their Medicare and Medicaid cards? How come they aren't violently voicing their displeasure over those plans?
Could it be because it helps them? Because they want help for themselves and fuck anybody and everybody else?
I pay for my own health care policy. I pay approximately $275 per month for what is possibly the worst plan Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has to offer. It does not cover prescriptions, no office visits, and just a teensy weensy percentage of whatever is permissible on my plan. And the rate is set to increase. Again.
Why do I pay that? Because I have to have something.
The blessing is that I am on no medications and that I am healthy.
I know lots of people with no health care. Or with woefully expensive but virtually worthless plans that are the best they can afford. And barely afford because the premiums are so high.
I resent those people throwing hissy fits about a national health care plan. Yes, they do have the right to express their opinion. But why is it that they 'have' and they don't want the rest of us to 'have' it also?
And where in the hell were all these agitators when Bush was getting us into two wars? They don't mind spending their tax dollars to kill brown people, but they resent spending it to preserve the health of their fellow citizens? What in the hell is wrong with everybody?
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Monday, August 10, 2009
What A Weekend!
I don't know how it is in your state but here in Michigan medical marijuana is legal. Supporters of the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes gathered enough signatures to get it on the ballot, and enough citizens of Michigan believed it was a good idea and voted it in.There are numerous websites devoted to this issue. A Google search will bring them up for you.
Here are a few:
www.michiganmedicalcard.com
www.michiganmedicalmarijuana.org
This past weekend there was the first ever Michigan Medical Marijuana expo. It was held in southwest Detroit. Thousands of people showed up for it, despite the fact that there were near torrential rains on Saturday and obscenely hot temperatures (93 with a heat index of 103) on Sunday, and the bulk of the expo was held outdoors.
I don't smoke weed. And I don't have any sort of medical condition that would entitle me to get a medical card that would permit me to legally use it and/or grow it.
But I wanted to go to that expo. I was curious. There is talk that, if you get in on the ground floor now, you could potentially become a grower/provider and make a good living from it.
The rains and then the heat kept me away though. We've had gloriously nice weather here all summer--that Three Bears kind of weather, not too hot, not too cold, just right (smile). But thanks to the Internet, Google is my friend! I should be able to find out lots of information on my own.
One thing I did do this weekend, aside from sweating my brains out, was go out to eat. Do you like Mexican food? This place Mexican Village has really good food. I've been going there
for years.
The city of Detroit has an area in southwest Detroit, Mexicantown they call it, and there are wonderful restaurants and shops within its borders.
Okay, it's not real safe down there. There is a serious gang war being waged on the streets in that area. But if you go during the day, at least Mexican Village is safe because the police patrol right around there. Why? To keep the “tourists” (folks from the suburbs with money) safe.
I had a great meal. Something that I needed in the worst way because the heat was wearing me down. Yes, I know, some of you have been dealing with this extreme heat all summer and you're not grumbling. Well, I don't like it and I'm grumbling (smile).
Be good and e careful, take care, stay strong. Stay cool.
hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Just When You Think All The Scandal Is Over With
After the mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kenyatta, was ousted from office last year, sentenced to a short stint in the county jail and ordered to pay the city of Detroit one million dollars in restitution; and after his aide, Christine Beatty, was sentenced to a short stint in the county jail and ordered to pay restitution of a quarter of a million dollars to Detroit, well, it seemed reasonable to think that the Detroit scandals were over for good.
Nope.
Next thing to break was a sludge scandal. The short version is that the feds indicted Detroit City Councilwoman, Monica Conyers, for bribery and she's off to serve five years in a federal prison. In case her last name sounds familiar to you, she's the wife of Congressman John Conyers.
Ms. Monica's aide, Sam Riddle, is himself facing federal prosecution for bribery. His girlfriend, I can't think of her name, has been charged as well.
It was recently discovered that the woman appointed to oversee the Detroit Police Department to make sure that they complied with a federal mandate, was having a 'personal relationship' with Kwame Kilpatrick while he was mayor. 'Personal relationship' is polite-speak for having an affair with him. During her tenure the DPD was only 39% in compliance. She has been fired and is, perhaps, being prosecuted. Her contract cost the city 10 million dollars.
The governor of Michigan, Jennifer Granholm hired Robert Bobb, a troubleshooter if you will, to investigate the Detroit school system. Robert Bobb has uncovered so much corruption it would make your head spin to hear all of it.
Among other things, Bobb discovered that there were people on the school payroll that didn't even work for the schools. Despite everyone throwing a hissy fit, Bobb made everyone come in person one payday to pick up their checks. No direct deposit. Show up with your school id if you want your check. Those who didn't show up, and there were a number of them, are being prosecuted.
The Detroit school board has vigorously protested Bobb's power. They are angry that Bobb controls all of the school monies. They insist he is over stepping his bounds. They wanted to sue him but in order to do so, they'd have to request money from him and he laughed and said, no way.
The Detroit schools are in a deficit of millions and millions of dollars. There is talk that they may have to declare bankruptcy.
The city of Detroit, in severe deficit itself, is fighting to stay out of receivership.
Yesterday was a primary election in Detroit. Six people ran for the right to get on the November ballot for mayor. Dave Bing, (yes, the former basketball player) has been the mayor since the last election a couple of months ago. Yes, I know, how many elections does one city need? But when Kilpatrick was dethroned, Ken Cockrel Jr. (the president of the Detroit City Council) became interim mayor until the election a few months ago, which Bing won. Bing is mayor until the election in November.
Dave Bing was the frontrunner in the primary, winning 77% of the votes, I think, and will run against Tom Barrow in November. Whoever wins that election will be mayor for the next four years.
Over 150 people ran for 9 seats on the city council. 18 people won the right to run in the November election.
The Detroit City Council has been a madhouse. Monica Conyers, aside from being on the take, was a nutcase. Barbara Rose Collins, who declined to run again, was a nutcase. She began singing 'Onward Christian Soldiers' during one of the meetings. And several of the nutcases joined in with her.
Martha Reeves (of Martha Reeves and the Vandellas) didn't make the cut in yesterday’s election and that's a good thing. Ms. Martha, when questioned by the press as to why she misses so many days of Council business while she's off doing tours for Motown, insisted that she was unique and she could do what she wanted. She's done/said numerous other crazy things too, far too numerous to mention here.
JoAnn Watson, who did make the cut yesterday, was busted by the press for not paying her fair share of property taxes. Ms. JoAnn was paying roughly less than a hundred dollars a year in taxes on her home, while her neighbors were paying upwards of four grand a year. Ms. JoAnn said it never occurred to her that her tax assessment was wrong. She is now repaying the city.
Hopefully, of the new folks running for council, only the sane ones, only the ones who are honest and decent, will be elected.
Detroit is in a horrible, no good, very nasty, bad way. The schools are for crap, the streets and neighborhoods unsafe, virtually no EMS when you need them, etc.
I suppose other large cities are a mess too, but I'm betting Detroit takes the cake.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Nope.
Next thing to break was a sludge scandal. The short version is that the feds indicted Detroit City Councilwoman, Monica Conyers, for bribery and she's off to serve five years in a federal prison. In case her last name sounds familiar to you, she's the wife of Congressman John Conyers.
Ms. Monica's aide, Sam Riddle, is himself facing federal prosecution for bribery. His girlfriend, I can't think of her name, has been charged as well.
It was recently discovered that the woman appointed to oversee the Detroit Police Department to make sure that they complied with a federal mandate, was having a 'personal relationship' with Kwame Kilpatrick while he was mayor. 'Personal relationship' is polite-speak for having an affair with him. During her tenure the DPD was only 39% in compliance. She has been fired and is, perhaps, being prosecuted. Her contract cost the city 10 million dollars.
The governor of Michigan, Jennifer Granholm hired Robert Bobb, a troubleshooter if you will, to investigate the Detroit school system. Robert Bobb has uncovered so much corruption it would make your head spin to hear all of it.
Among other things, Bobb discovered that there were people on the school payroll that didn't even work for the schools. Despite everyone throwing a hissy fit, Bobb made everyone come in person one payday to pick up their checks. No direct deposit. Show up with your school id if you want your check. Those who didn't show up, and there were a number of them, are being prosecuted.
The Detroit school board has vigorously protested Bobb's power. They are angry that Bobb controls all of the school monies. They insist he is over stepping his bounds. They wanted to sue him but in order to do so, they'd have to request money from him and he laughed and said, no way.
The Detroit schools are in a deficit of millions and millions of dollars. There is talk that they may have to declare bankruptcy.
The city of Detroit, in severe deficit itself, is fighting to stay out of receivership.
Yesterday was a primary election in Detroit. Six people ran for the right to get on the November ballot for mayor. Dave Bing, (yes, the former basketball player) has been the mayor since the last election a couple of months ago. Yes, I know, how many elections does one city need? But when Kilpatrick was dethroned, Ken Cockrel Jr. (the president of the Detroit City Council) became interim mayor until the election a few months ago, which Bing won. Bing is mayor until the election in November.
Dave Bing was the frontrunner in the primary, winning 77% of the votes, I think, and will run against Tom Barrow in November. Whoever wins that election will be mayor for the next four years.
Over 150 people ran for 9 seats on the city council. 18 people won the right to run in the November election.
The Detroit City Council has been a madhouse. Monica Conyers, aside from being on the take, was a nutcase. Barbara Rose Collins, who declined to run again, was a nutcase. She began singing 'Onward Christian Soldiers' during one of the meetings. And several of the nutcases joined in with her.
Martha Reeves (of Martha Reeves and the Vandellas) didn't make the cut in yesterday’s election and that's a good thing. Ms. Martha, when questioned by the press as to why she misses so many days of Council business while she's off doing tours for Motown, insisted that she was unique and she could do what she wanted. She's done/said numerous other crazy things too, far too numerous to mention here.
JoAnn Watson, who did make the cut yesterday, was busted by the press for not paying her fair share of property taxes. Ms. JoAnn was paying roughly less than a hundred dollars a year in taxes on her home, while her neighbors were paying upwards of four grand a year. Ms. JoAnn said it never occurred to her that her tax assessment was wrong. She is now repaying the city.
Hopefully, of the new folks running for council, only the sane ones, only the ones who are honest and decent, will be elected.
Detroit is in a horrible, no good, very nasty, bad way. The schools are for crap, the streets and neighborhoods unsafe, virtually no EMS when you need them, etc.
I suppose other large cities are a mess too, but I'm betting Detroit takes the cake.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Links, And I'm Not Talking Sausage
I think I've told you this before: I LOVE links! On the off chance that you do too, here are some interesting ones for you to check out.
Looking for an ATM where it doesn't cost you anything?
www.allpointnetwork.com
www.moneypass.com
Fixing up your house but you don't want to spend a fortune for supplies?
www.habitat.org
Electronic deals:
www.bensbargains.net
www.buy.com
www.fatwallet.com
www.newegg.com
www.spoofee.com
www.slickdeals.net
www.techbargains.com
Free GPS applications for phones:
www.jotyou.com
www.loopt.com
www.plazes.com
www.pongr.com
www.slifter.com
www.whrrl.com
www.zyb.com
Barter sites:
www.barterquest.com
www.swaptree.com
Send free faxes:
www.myfax.com
A fascinating magazine:
www.laptopmag.com
Hope you have as much fun with these as I did.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Looking for an ATM where it doesn't cost you anything?
www.allpointnetwork.com
www.moneypass.com
Fixing up your house but you don't want to spend a fortune for supplies?
www.habitat.org
Electronic deals:
www.bensbargains.net
www.buy.com
www.fatwallet.com
www.newegg.com
www.spoofee.com
www.slickdeals.net
www.techbargains.com
Free GPS applications for phones:
www.jotyou.com
www.loopt.com
www.plazes.com
www.pongr.com
www.slifter.com
www.whrrl.com
www.zyb.com
Barter sites:
www.barterquest.com
www.swaptree.com
Send free faxes:
www.myfax.com
A fascinating magazine:
www.laptopmag.com
Hope you have as much fun with these as I did.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Monday, July 13, 2009
Okay, You Win!
For months, shoot, years probably, people (and you know who you are!) have been after me to 'show more'--first, in the photos I periodically mail out, and then on my website.
I have repeatedly stated, both sweetly and then progressively more adamantly, that I don't traffic in 'those' kind of photos. The Internet is overloaded with sites with 'those' kind of photos, as are the adult magazines that you can purchase wherever they sell stuff like that in your town.
But I'll tell you what; I'm tired, just plum wore down from all of your begging. You win. Happy now?
So here it is, a photo of my pussy!
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs,
Tawny
http://www.tawnyford.com/
I have repeatedly stated, both sweetly and then progressively more adamantly, that I don't traffic in 'those' kind of photos. The Internet is overloaded with sites with 'those' kind of photos, as are the adult magazines that you can purchase wherever they sell stuff like that in your town.
But I'll tell you what; I'm tired, just plum wore down from all of your begging. You win. Happy now?
So here it is, a photo of my pussy!
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs,
Tawny
http://www.tawnyford.com/
Friday, June 26, 2009
Such A Peaceful Moment
When I've been having 'one of those days' and I'm at my very wits end,what you see in this photo from Tallulah is what I try really hard to visualize in my minds eye.
I imagine I'm in Ludington, Michigan, right on the shores of beautiful Lake Michigan. It's a pleasantly warm evening, a gentle breeze is blowing and the sun is working it's way down.
I'll tell you, it never fails to calm me down and give me hope. Sometimes, I even feel the breeze blowing my hair away from my face, sometimes I even smell the water.
I bet you have a favorite place too. And sometimes, when things are tight, if you go there in your head I betcha you'll feel better, at least for a moment or two. And sometimes that's all it takes to turn a day around.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
I imagine I'm in Ludington, Michigan, right on the shores of beautiful Lake Michigan. It's a pleasantly warm evening, a gentle breeze is blowing and the sun is working it's way down.
I'll tell you, it never fails to calm me down and give me hope. Sometimes, I even feel the breeze blowing my hair away from my face, sometimes I even smell the water.
I bet you have a favorite place too. And sometimes, when things are tight, if you go there in your head I betcha you'll feel better, at least for a moment or two. And sometimes that's all it takes to turn a day around.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Thursday, June 25, 2009
We All Got Stuff To Do
Summer is the time for home improvement projects everywhere, I guess. At least it is on my street.You figure I'm home all the time waiting to hear from you (hint! hint! 248-615-1300) so I see and hear my neighbors when they're working outside. And don't even say 'but Tawny, I tried calling you last week and your machine said you were out shopping!’ Even the most devout of people who work from home have to leave at least occasionally to restock their larder (smile).
The big thing, at least right now, seems to be landscaping. The folks to the left of me ripped out all of their shrubs. The guy from across the street kitty corner pulled the stumps out with a chain attached to his truck. Then those neighbors bought new trees--one of them some odd looking artsy-fartsy kind of tree that, surprisingly to me, looks great--some shrubs, and about a gazllion huge Hosta plants. I'll tell you, the front of their house looks like it could be in Better Homes and Gardens.
The neighbors down and across the street had a contractor come in and pull out all of their cement driveway all the way back to their garage. It'll be a day or two before they get 'whatever' back in its place. I'm assuming it won't be concrete just because theirs wasn't cracked or broke or anything. It looked great.
Speaking of which, I wish I'd thought to ask them if I could have their old concrete driveway. Why? Because mine is in disrepair. Cracks and buckles abound. I've gone ahead and sealed them with some stuff, but new (or new to me) would look nicer.
Even in my garage the floor is cracked and buckled. Again, I've sealed it and it's okay, but it's not pretty.
Halfway down the block the elderly gentleman who lives there just finished his new garage. He had one that was attached to his house by a breezeway, but apparently he wanted bigger and better because he knocked the old one down, tore off the breezeway and rebuilt in the backyard. And it's gorgeous! He makes furniture in his spare time now that he's retired and he's built one heck of a nice workshop.
My garage, all two and a half cars of it, isn't used as a garage. It's a workout room, a gym, filled with all sorts of gym equipment I've picked up at stores and garage sales. All the things you would normally store in a garage--lawn mower, snow blower, shovels, hoses, etc.--reside in two sheds in my backyard.
Yes, I said two sheds. One of them houses the lawn furniture in the winter.
I have a few things to do here myself this summer. The trim on the house needs to be repainted, the wood shed needs painting again, the trees in the backyard could stand a pruning of dead branches, etc. And my kitchen is in dire need of a new paint job and a new garbage disposal. And a new sink and counter tops sure wouldn't hurt. Not granite though. I'm good with Formica.
I'll bet you have your summer work projects cut out for you, too. Hope you get yours all done.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
And Another One Bites The Dust
I've been watching the reality TV show Jon and Kate Plus Eight, on TLC, for years, ever since it debuted. Jon and Kate's adorable little children hooked me. I tune in each week to get a little dose of sunshine in my day.I don't know if I ever mentioned I was a fan of the show to you or not. I'm not one to critique TV shows, I don't do it very well. For the most part, with TV and movies, I can only say that I do or I don't like it. Nothing technical, just a yay or a nay.
With TV shows it's all actors and actresses playing roles. Just because, let's say, Susie Q. Moore plays a waitress in a show, which does not mean that she's really a waitress in real life.
But Jon and Kate Plus Eight are a real family living in Pennsylvania with eight children. One set of twin girls and one set of sextuplets, three boys and three girls.
You'd just about have to be living on the moon not to know that Jon and Kate have been having marital problems. Their troubles have been on the cover of numerous magazines at the checkout aisles of grocery stores and drugstores. It's been mentioned as part of the daily news on local and national TV stations. Even if you've never watched their show, it would be nearly impossible not to be aware of what's going on with them.
None of their personal business is any of my business. I just know that the kids are adorable and I watch the show each week.
This past Monday, at the end of the show, it was announced that Jon and Kate have filed for divorce after ten years of marriage.
Again, it's none of my business.
But I'm saddened by it. Why? Because I know that the children are going to be impacted by their parents decision. Good or bad, their little lives are never going to be the same. No matter how much their parents will try to keep life 'normal' for them, it won't be. For example, Dad isn't going to be living in the same house with them. Sure, he'll still see them. But it's not the same. He'll get busy with a new place to live, a new job, a girlfriend. Maybe he'll remarry and have more kids. He'll have a whole other life.
Initially I'll bet the show was designed to let us see a real family living a real life, at least as real as life could be while under the scrutiny of a TV crew with cameras and lights.
Now it appears that we'll see a real family dealing with the heartbreak of divorce.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Some People Will Do Anything To Get A Good Photo
Like I was saying about digital cameras yesterday, you can take some killer photos with them. And once that shutterbug bites you, well, what's a little risk if it culminates in a great photo?
Tallulah, who is no slouch when it comes to putting herself in the middle of a potentially risky situation when trying to capture 'the shot', sent me this one of someone else with the same mindset.
I get the shudders just looking at that photo, much less thinking about being in his spot. As clumsy as I am, I'd fall off the edge.
Now as much as I like ducks and geese (and other assorted small wildlife), unlike Tallulah, who took these next three photos, I would never ever never get this close to a Mama Goose and her sweet little brood. Why? Because geese bite! And with my luck Mama would think I was plotting to goose-nap one of her babies.
But they are good photos, aren't they? The babies look adorable.
HSM has graciously offered to come over as soon as she has some free time and take some shots of 'my world' so I can share them with you. You know, all the things/places I talk about here in town. It's about time you got a look at them without having to plop down for a plane ticket to come see them yourself.
Yes, she knows I'm looking to buy a digital camera, but she also knows I move as slow as molasses when it comes to making a big purchase. This way she can take the photos, load them into her computer, then email them to me and you won't be waiting for months as I evaluate this camera against that camera ad nauseum (smile).
Hope you're having a good day. It's hot as blazes here!
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Tallulah, who is no slouch when it comes to putting herself in the middle of a potentially risky situation when trying to capture 'the shot', sent me this one of someone else with the same mindset.
I get the shudders just looking at that photo, much less thinking about being in his spot. As clumsy as I am, I'd fall off the edge.
Now as much as I like ducks and geese (and other assorted small wildlife), unlike Tallulah, who took these next three photos, I would never ever never get this close to a Mama Goose and her sweet little brood. Why? Because geese bite! And with my luck Mama would think I was plotting to goose-nap one of her babies.
But they are good photos, aren't they? The babies look adorable.
HSM has graciously offered to come over as soon as she has some free time and take some shots of 'my world' so I can share them with you. You know, all the things/places I talk about here in town. It's about time you got a look at them without having to plop down for a plane ticket to come see them yourself.
Yes, she knows I'm looking to buy a digital camera, but she also knows I move as slow as molasses when it comes to making a big purchase. This way she can take the photos, load them into her computer, then email them to me and you won't be waiting for months as I evaluate this camera against that camera ad nauseum (smile).
Hope you're having a good day. It's hot as blazes here!
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Monday, June 22, 2009
The Things You See When You Don't Have A Camera Handy
Some years back I bought a really nice (to me) camera. It has zoom capabilities and takes the clearest of pictures. Because I bought it so many years ago, it uses film. And that's never been a drawback for me until now.
I was always more than content to shoot photos, drop the film off at the drugstore and pick up the final product an hour later. Then it was just a matter of mailing or handing out the photos. No big deal.
But now that I have this blog there are so many things I'd like to show you and I have no easy way to do it.
Sure, I could go the film route. Then take the processed photos over to HSM's house and have her scan them into her computer. Then she could email me the scanned photos. Then I could email them to TWG and have him insert them in to the blog. That's doable, but time consuming.
I've been looking at digital cameras at the warehouse stores---Costco and Sam's Club---and reading about them online. I'm trying to determine what I want and need in a camera before I take the big step and purchase one. Hopefully I'll have it all figured out soon.
In the meantime, I spent most of yesterday out in my backyard. It's like a Shangri-La back there. Lots of shade trees and more birds and assorted wild life than you could shake a stick at!
I was wishing for a digital camera big time yesterday. There was a woodpecker (no, he didn't look a thing like Woody!) busy pecking away in one of the trees. I would have liked to have shown him to you. And there were squirrels, too. Black ones and brown ones, and one hybrid that was black with a brown tail! A bunch of chipmunks, as well. They were jamming so many peanuts into their mouths it was unbelievable.
Unfortunately I don't have any photos of that to show you today, but I do have photos of those purses I was telling you about a few months ago, the ones I crocheted for HSM.
This first one, I call it the Good 'n Plenty purse because it looks like a box of that candy. All bright pink and black. Snazzy bright pink handles on it, too.
This second one is multi-colored. It goes with everything (smile). On the down side it has a hokey handle. Looks sort of retro, hippie-ish.
Okay, that's it from here for today. You be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
I was always more than content to shoot photos, drop the film off at the drugstore and pick up the final product an hour later. Then it was just a matter of mailing or handing out the photos. No big deal.
But now that I have this blog there are so many things I'd like to show you and I have no easy way to do it.
Sure, I could go the film route. Then take the processed photos over to HSM's house and have her scan them into her computer. Then she could email me the scanned photos. Then I could email them to TWG and have him insert them in to the blog. That's doable, but time consuming.
I've been looking at digital cameras at the warehouse stores---Costco and Sam's Club---and reading about them online. I'm trying to determine what I want and need in a camera before I take the big step and purchase one. Hopefully I'll have it all figured out soon.
In the meantime, I spent most of yesterday out in my backyard. It's like a Shangri-La back there. Lots of shade trees and more birds and assorted wild life than you could shake a stick at!
I was wishing for a digital camera big time yesterday. There was a woodpecker (no, he didn't look a thing like Woody!) busy pecking away in one of the trees. I would have liked to have shown him to you. And there were squirrels, too. Black ones and brown ones, and one hybrid that was black with a brown tail! A bunch of chipmunks, as well. They were jamming so many peanuts into their mouths it was unbelievable.
Unfortunately I don't have any photos of that to show you today, but I do have photos of those purses I was telling you about a few months ago, the ones I crocheted for HSM.
This first one, I call it the Good 'n Plenty purse because it looks like a box of that candy. All bright pink and black. Snazzy bright pink handles on it, too.
This second one is multi-colored. It goes with everything (smile). On the down side it has a hokey handle. Looks sort of retro, hippie-ish.
Okay, that's it from here for today. You be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Monday, June 15, 2009
I'm Falling For You!
Haven't we all said that at least once when we met someone who made our little heart go all a flutter (smile)!
The first time I fell for someone and had a serious crush was when I was fourteen years old. Yes, I know, you had a girlfriend when you were six, so what? Not just any Tom, Dick or Harry catches my fancy. I am particular.
His name was George. He was tall, over six feet, and had dark, wavy hair. And nice? He was just the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet.
How did I meet George? He owned an ice cream truck and his route was my subdivision.
The first time I saw him the love bug bit me. Every day I bought a blue Popsicle so I could talk to him. And talk we did. A lot. He'd park his truck in front of my house and we'd chat for an hour or so each day. He'd sit on the running board of his truck and I'd sit on the curb.
That was a difficult summer for me. My mother became ill and had to be hospitalized for several weeks. Neither one of my parents ever explained to me what was wrong with her. The way they both always looked so sad I thought she was going to die. George, bless his heart, when I cried to him about it, explained in English what was troubling my mother and how no one died from it.
It wasn't just a one-way friendship with George doing everything. No siree bob! One day he showed up late and was all scuffed up. Turned out half a dozen other ice cream truck drivers (from a national chain) confronted him, kicked his ass, and told him to get his independent truck up out of their area.
I was furious and, without George's blessing or knowledge, went door to door in my subdivision, ringing hundreds of doorbells, explaining what had happened to him and asking that they boycott the national chain truck.
My parents about had a stroke when they heard about it (smile). But the folks in our subdivision, all blue collar working class for the most part, could appreciate being sqwoze out by the big boys and nobody bought their ice cream that summer! And they'd come out when they heard the national chain truck go by and heckle them (smile).
The other thing my parents weren't crazy about was George's age. He wasn't 16. Not that it would have mattered; I wasn't permitted to have a boyfriend at 14. But George was a full-grown man. He was 25. And I was in love.
For his part, George never made a move on me, never acted in any way improper towards me. He knew I was crazy about him; I wore my heart on my sleeve that whole summer. I also wrote him a poem, Ode To An Ice Cream Man, was its title. I wish I still had a copy. It was pretty good.
And I repeatedly asked him to please wait for me to grow up. I was 14, he was 25. I used to tell him just give me four years, I'll be out of high school in four years and then we can date.
But you know how that stuff goes. George, at 25, knew even at 18 it would be too big of an age difference. So the end of that summer was the last time I ever saw him.
But here it is years later and I haven't forgotten him.
So what prompted me to tell you all this? Well, Tallulah sent me some gorgeous photos of a little no-name falls near her home in Marquette. Falls--get it (smile)?!
Here are the photos. Hope you like them as much as I did.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
The first time I fell for someone and had a serious crush was when I was fourteen years old. Yes, I know, you had a girlfriend when you were six, so what? Not just any Tom, Dick or Harry catches my fancy. I am particular.
His name was George. He was tall, over six feet, and had dark, wavy hair. And nice? He was just the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet.
How did I meet George? He owned an ice cream truck and his route was my subdivision.
The first time I saw him the love bug bit me. Every day I bought a blue Popsicle so I could talk to him. And talk we did. A lot. He'd park his truck in front of my house and we'd chat for an hour or so each day. He'd sit on the running board of his truck and I'd sit on the curb.
That was a difficult summer for me. My mother became ill and had to be hospitalized for several weeks. Neither one of my parents ever explained to me what was wrong with her. The way they both always looked so sad I thought she was going to die. George, bless his heart, when I cried to him about it, explained in English what was troubling my mother and how no one died from it.
It wasn't just a one-way friendship with George doing everything. No siree bob! One day he showed up late and was all scuffed up. Turned out half a dozen other ice cream truck drivers (from a national chain) confronted him, kicked his ass, and told him to get his independent truck up out of their area.
I was furious and, without George's blessing or knowledge, went door to door in my subdivision, ringing hundreds of doorbells, explaining what had happened to him and asking that they boycott the national chain truck.
My parents about had a stroke when they heard about it (smile). But the folks in our subdivision, all blue collar working class for the most part, could appreciate being sqwoze out by the big boys and nobody bought their ice cream that summer! And they'd come out when they heard the national chain truck go by and heckle them (smile).
The other thing my parents weren't crazy about was George's age. He wasn't 16. Not that it would have mattered; I wasn't permitted to have a boyfriend at 14. But George was a full-grown man. He was 25. And I was in love.
For his part, George never made a move on me, never acted in any way improper towards me. He knew I was crazy about him; I wore my heart on my sleeve that whole summer. I also wrote him a poem, Ode To An Ice Cream Man, was its title. I wish I still had a copy. It was pretty good.
And I repeatedly asked him to please wait for me to grow up. I was 14, he was 25. I used to tell him just give me four years, I'll be out of high school in four years and then we can date.
But you know how that stuff goes. George, at 25, knew even at 18 it would be too big of an age difference. So the end of that summer was the last time I ever saw him.
But here it is years later and I haven't forgotten him.
So what prompted me to tell you all this? Well, Tallulah sent me some gorgeous photos of a little no-name falls near her home in Marquette. Falls--get it (smile)?!
Here are the photos. Hope you like them as much as I did.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Their New Baby!
HSM and ABM and their four children have a new addition to their family. Her name is Brodie and she's eleven weeks old. Here is a photo of her when she was much younger and able to fit in her water dish:
And no, she doesn't have blue eyes. That's just how the picture turned out.
Here is a photo of her as she looks now:
She is a full-blooded pit bull. She came with papers and a much fancier name than Brodie, but they aren't interested in registering her. They're not going to show or breed her. They're just going to love her.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, pit bulls blah, blah, blah. They aren't born dangerous. They're taught to be killers, not born that way.
Brodie is just the cutest little thing! Every time I see her it's all I can do not to hide her under my coat and dognap her (smile).
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
And no, she doesn't have blue eyes. That's just how the picture turned out.
Here is a photo of her as she looks now:
She is a full-blooded pit bull. She came with papers and a much fancier name than Brodie, but they aren't interested in registering her. They're not going to show or breed her. They're just going to love her.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, pit bulls blah, blah, blah. They aren't born dangerous. They're taught to be killers, not born that way.
Brodie is just the cutest little thing! Every time I see her it's all I can do not to hide her under my coat and dognap her (smile).
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Thursday, June 04, 2009
One Step At A Time
I 'stole' the title of this blog entry from the Cheryl Wheeler song by the same name. Considering how things have been going here in my personal life, and my friends and family's lives, as well as the way the world is doing, One Step At A Time seems to be the wisest game plan around.
Here are the song lyrics:
Yesterday, on top of everything else that's going on, the third shoe dropped metaphorically speaking. I learned that one of my friends--NO, NOT Tallulah or HSM!--is breaking up with her man. Taking their baby girl and moving out and moving on.
I'm not foolish enough to think that everybody stays together forever, but damn, I never saw this one coming.
So I'm embracing that one step at a time philosophy, that hard times come and hard times go belief. And praying that they find their way back to each other.
Hope all is well in your world.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Here are the song lyrics:
I'm all right, I'll get by
Hold my own, tell you why
Hard times come, hard times go
We're still here, high or low
I'm gonna take one step at a time
Gonna keep walking, walking, walking
Everything gonna be fine, I know it will
Next time try the knob before you break my door down
Before you deal me such a clumsy blow
I could build a wall with all this faith you tore down
If I could see where all the pieces go
Some days roll like a beautiful sea
Till the light comes down through the moon lit trees
Maybe we'll win, maybe we won't
Some days fly, some days don't
Yesterday, on top of everything else that's going on, the third shoe dropped metaphorically speaking. I learned that one of my friends--NO, NOT Tallulah or HSM!--is breaking up with her man. Taking their baby girl and moving out and moving on.
I'm not foolish enough to think that everybody stays together forever, but damn, I never saw this one coming.
So I'm embracing that one step at a time philosophy, that hard times come and hard times go belief. And praying that they find their way back to each other.
Hope all is well in your world.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
It's Not Always In Threes
Despite what people tend to say, bad luck or sad news does not always come in threes. Sometimes it's on it's own, sometimes it shows in twosies.
Yesterday I was at the deli counter at the grocery store waiting for the butcher to finish slicing me a pound each of beef bologna and turkey pastrami when my cell phone rang. It was a friend calling to say that another friend's sister had been murdered in the city of Detroit the previous night.
Her family and a neighboring one had been beefing for some time. A mutual friend had advised her to move before something awful happened, but she said no, she'd stick it out.
The day before she was murdered those people she was beefing with attempted to toss a firebomb into her house. She chased them away with her pistol.
They came back the next night with an AK47 and shot up her house. Her kids and grandkids were all home…none of them were hit. She wasn't as fortunate. She's dead.
Still reeling from that tragic news, my phone rang again and it was my aunt. Her daughter (my cousin) is in the hospital in a doctor-induced coma on life support. She has some sort of an infection--what kind they don't know, how she got it they don't know--but it's raging throughout her body.
They hope to be able to bring her out of the coma tomorrow because the longer she's 'asleep' the more her body will break down. Her father has come in from Indiana to help stand watch at her bedside.
I don't know if my cousin is going to survive. No one, aside from God, does.
Always trying to keep things moving, no matter the circumstances, I started cleaning my house yesterday afternoon. If my cousin passes, family will come in from all around the US. I doubt anyone will stay with me (no drinking, smoking or drugging at my house), but they'll probably come by to visit.
On the bright side, and there's always a bright side, thankfully, Tallulah chose yesterday to send me some wonderful photos of my favorite birds--seagulls! It was just what I needed to make me smile. Here are two of her photos:
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Yesterday I was at the deli counter at the grocery store waiting for the butcher to finish slicing me a pound each of beef bologna and turkey pastrami when my cell phone rang. It was a friend calling to say that another friend's sister had been murdered in the city of Detroit the previous night.
Her family and a neighboring one had been beefing for some time. A mutual friend had advised her to move before something awful happened, but she said no, she'd stick it out.
The day before she was murdered those people she was beefing with attempted to toss a firebomb into her house. She chased them away with her pistol.
They came back the next night with an AK47 and shot up her house. Her kids and grandkids were all home…none of them were hit. She wasn't as fortunate. She's dead.
Still reeling from that tragic news, my phone rang again and it was my aunt. Her daughter (my cousin) is in the hospital in a doctor-induced coma on life support. She has some sort of an infection--what kind they don't know, how she got it they don't know--but it's raging throughout her body.
They hope to be able to bring her out of the coma tomorrow because the longer she's 'asleep' the more her body will break down. Her father has come in from Indiana to help stand watch at her bedside.
I don't know if my cousin is going to survive. No one, aside from God, does.
Always trying to keep things moving, no matter the circumstances, I started cleaning my house yesterday afternoon. If my cousin passes, family will come in from all around the US. I doubt anyone will stay with me (no drinking, smoking or drugging at my house), but they'll probably come by to visit.
On the bright side, and there's always a bright side, thankfully, Tallulah chose yesterday to send me some wonderful photos of my favorite birds--seagulls! It was just what I needed to make me smile. Here are two of her photos:
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
Monday, June 01, 2009
Goodbye, GM
By Michael Moore
June 1, 2009
I write this on the morning of the end of the once-mighty General Motors. By high noon, the President of the United States will have made it official: General Motors, as we know it, has been totaled.
As I sit here in GM's birthplace, Flint, Michigan, I am surrounded by friends and family who are filled with anxiety about what will happen to them and to the town. Forty percent of the homes and businesses in the city have been abandoned. Imagine what it would be like if you lived in a city where almost every other house is empty. What would be your state of mind?
It is with sad irony that the company which invented "planned obsolescence" -- the decision to build cars that would fall apart after a few years so that the customer would then have to buy a new one -- has now made itself obsolete. It refused to build automobiles that the public wanted, cars that got great gas mileage, were as safe as they could be, and were exceedingly comfortable to drive. Oh -- and that wouldn't start falling apart after two years. GM stubbornly fought environmental and safety regulations. Its executives arrogantly ignored the "inferior" Japanese and German cars, cars which would become the gold standard for automobile buyers. And it was hell-bent on punishing its unionized workforce, lopping off thousands of workers for no good reason other than to "improve" the short-term bottom line of the corporation. Beginning in the 1980s, when GM was posting record profits, it moved countless jobs to Mexico and elsewhere, thus destroying the lives of tens of thousands of hard-working Americans. The glaring stupidity of this policy was that, when they eliminated the income of so many middle class families, who did they think was going to be able to afford to buy their cars? History will record this blunder in the same way it now writes about the French building the Maginot Line or how the Romans cluelessly poisoned their own water system with lethal lead in its pipes.
So here we are at the deathbed of General Motors. The company's body not yet cold, and I find myself filled with -- dare I say it -- joy. It is not the joy of revenge against a corporation that ruined my hometown and brought misery, divorce, alcoholism, homelessness, physical and mental debilitation, and drug addiction to the people I grew up with. Nor do I, obviously, claim any joy in knowing that 21,000 more GM workers will be told that they, too, are without a job.
But you and I and the rest of America now own a car company! I know, I know -- who on earth wants to run a car company? Who among us wants $50 billion of our tax dollars thrown down the rat hole of still trying to save GM? Let's be clear about this: The only way to save GM is to kill GM. Saving our precious industrial infrastructure, though, is another matter and must be a top priority. If we allow the shutting down and tearing down of our auto plants, we will sorely wish we still had them when we realize that those factories could have built the alternative energy systems we now desperately need. And when we realize that the best way to transport ourselves is on light rail and bullet trains and cleaner buses, how will we do this if we've allowed our industrial capacity and its skilled workforce to disappear?
Thus, as GM is "reorganized" by the federal government and the bankruptcy court, here is the plan I am asking President Obama to implement for the good of the workers, the GM communities, and the nation as a whole. Twenty years ago when I made "Roger Me," I tried to warn people about what was ahead for General Motors. Had the power structure and the punditocracy listened, maybe much of this could have been avoided. Based on my track record, I request an honest and sincere consideration of the following suggestions:
1. Just as President Roosevelt did after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the President must tell the nation that we are at war and we must immediately convert our auto factories to factories that build mass transit vehicles and alternative energy devices. Within months in Flint in 1942, GM halted all car production and immediately used the assembly lines to build planes, tanks and machine guns. The conversion took no time at all. Everyone pitched in. The fascists were defeated.
We are now in a different kind of war -- a war that we have conducted against the ecosystem and has been conducted by our very own corporate leaders. This current war has two fronts. One is headquartered in Detroit. The products built in the factories of GM, Ford and Chrysler are some of the greatest weapons of mass destruction responsible for global warming and the melting of our polar icecaps. The things we call "cars" may have been fun to drive, but they are like a million daggers into the heart of Mother Nature. To continue to build them would only lead to the ruin of our species and much of the planet.
The other front in this war is being waged by the oil companies against you and me. They are committed to fleecing us whenever they can, and they have been reckless stewards of the finite amount of oil that is located under the surface of the earth. They know they are sucking it bone dry. And like the lumber tycoons of the early 20th century who didn't give a damn about future generations as they tore down every forest they could get their hands on, these oil barons are not telling the public what they know to be true -- that there are only a few more decades of useable oil on this planet. And as the end days of oil approach us, get ready for some very desperate people willing to kill and be killed just to get their hands on a gallon can of gasoline.
President Obama, now that he has taken control of GM, needs to convert the factories to new and needed uses immediately.
2. Don't put another $30 billion into the coffers of GM to build cars. Instead, use that money to keep the current workforce -- and most of those who have been laid off -- employed so that they can build the new modes of 21st century transportation. Let them start the conversion work now.
3. Announce that we will have bullet trains criss-crossing this country in the next five years. Japan is celebrating the 45th anniversary of its first bullet train this year. Now they have dozens of them. Average speed: 165 mph. Average time a train is late: under 30 seconds. They have had these high-speed trains for nearly five decades -- and we don't even have one! The fact that the technology already exists for us to go from New York to L.A. in 17 hours by train, and that we haven't used it, is criminal. Let's hire the unemployed to build the new high-speed lines all over the country. Chicago to Detroit in less than two hours. Miami to DC in under 7 hours. Denver to Dallas in five and a half. This can be done and done now.
4. Initiate a program to put light rail mass transit lines in all our large and medium-sized cities. Build those trains in the GM factories. And hire local people everywhere to install and run this system.
5. For people in rural areas not served by the train lines, have the GM plants produce energy efficient clean buses.
6. For the time being, have some factories build hybrid or all-electric cars (and batteries). It will take a few years for people to get used to the new ways to transport ourselves, so if we're going to have automobiles, let's have kinder, gentler ones. We can be building these next month (do not believe anyone who tells you it will take years to retool the factories -- that simply isn't true).
7. Transform some of the empty GM factories to facilities that build windmills, solar panels and other means of alternate forms of energy. We need tens of millions of solar panels right now. And there is an eager and skilled workforce who can build them.
8. Provide tax incentives for those who travel by hybrid car or bus or train. Also, credits for those who convert their home to alternative energy.
9. To help pay for this, impose a two-dollar tax on every gallon of gasoline. This will get people to switch to more energy saving cars or to use the new rail lines and rail cars the former autoworkers have built for them.
Well, that's a start. Please, please, please don't save GM so that a smaller version of it will simply do nothing more than build Chevys or Cadillacs. This is not a long-term solution. Don't throw bad money into a company whose tailpipe is malfunctioning, causing a strange odor to fill the car.
100 years ago this year, the founders of General Motors convinced the world to give up their horses and saddles and buggy whips to try a new form of transportation. Now it is time for us to say goodbye to the internal combustion engine. It seemed to serve us well for so long. We enjoyed the car hops at the A. We made out in the front -- and the back -- seat. We watched movies on large outdoor screens, went to the races at NASCAR tracks across the country, and saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time through the window down Hwy. 1. And now it's over. It's a new day and a new century. The President -- and the UAW -- must seize this moment and create a big batch of lemonade from this very sour and sad lemon.
Yesterday, the last surviving person from the Titanic disaster passed away. She escaped certain death that night and went on to live another 97 years.
So can we survive our own Titanic in all the Flint Michigans of this country. 60% of GM is ours. I think we can do a better job.
Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
I'm good with everything Mike said except for adding a $2 gas tax to the already stifling, paralyzing price of a gallon of gas. Don't further gouge us! Right now, until there are alternative energies readily and easily and affordably available for all of us to use (not just those with big bucks in their wallets for hybrid cars, etc.), let's get the price of a gallon of gas down to where it should be, where we can all afford to buy groceries and drive to work.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
June 1, 2009
I write this on the morning of the end of the once-mighty General Motors. By high noon, the President of the United States will have made it official: General Motors, as we know it, has been totaled.
As I sit here in GM's birthplace, Flint, Michigan, I am surrounded by friends and family who are filled with anxiety about what will happen to them and to the town. Forty percent of the homes and businesses in the city have been abandoned. Imagine what it would be like if you lived in a city where almost every other house is empty. What would be your state of mind?
It is with sad irony that the company which invented "planned obsolescence" -- the decision to build cars that would fall apart after a few years so that the customer would then have to buy a new one -- has now made itself obsolete. It refused to build automobiles that the public wanted, cars that got great gas mileage, were as safe as they could be, and were exceedingly comfortable to drive. Oh -- and that wouldn't start falling apart after two years. GM stubbornly fought environmental and safety regulations. Its executives arrogantly ignored the "inferior" Japanese and German cars, cars which would become the gold standard for automobile buyers. And it was hell-bent on punishing its unionized workforce, lopping off thousands of workers for no good reason other than to "improve" the short-term bottom line of the corporation. Beginning in the 1980s, when GM was posting record profits, it moved countless jobs to Mexico and elsewhere, thus destroying the lives of tens of thousands of hard-working Americans. The glaring stupidity of this policy was that, when they eliminated the income of so many middle class families, who did they think was going to be able to afford to buy their cars? History will record this blunder in the same way it now writes about the French building the Maginot Line or how the Romans cluelessly poisoned their own water system with lethal lead in its pipes.
So here we are at the deathbed of General Motors. The company's body not yet cold, and I find myself filled with -- dare I say it -- joy. It is not the joy of revenge against a corporation that ruined my hometown and brought misery, divorce, alcoholism, homelessness, physical and mental debilitation, and drug addiction to the people I grew up with. Nor do I, obviously, claim any joy in knowing that 21,000 more GM workers will be told that they, too, are without a job.
But you and I and the rest of America now own a car company! I know, I know -- who on earth wants to run a car company? Who among us wants $50 billion of our tax dollars thrown down the rat hole of still trying to save GM? Let's be clear about this: The only way to save GM is to kill GM. Saving our precious industrial infrastructure, though, is another matter and must be a top priority. If we allow the shutting down and tearing down of our auto plants, we will sorely wish we still had them when we realize that those factories could have built the alternative energy systems we now desperately need. And when we realize that the best way to transport ourselves is on light rail and bullet trains and cleaner buses, how will we do this if we've allowed our industrial capacity and its skilled workforce to disappear?
Thus, as GM is "reorganized" by the federal government and the bankruptcy court, here is the plan I am asking President Obama to implement for the good of the workers, the GM communities, and the nation as a whole. Twenty years ago when I made "Roger Me," I tried to warn people about what was ahead for General Motors. Had the power structure and the punditocracy listened, maybe much of this could have been avoided. Based on my track record, I request an honest and sincere consideration of the following suggestions:
1. Just as President Roosevelt did after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the President must tell the nation that we are at war and we must immediately convert our auto factories to factories that build mass transit vehicles and alternative energy devices. Within months in Flint in 1942, GM halted all car production and immediately used the assembly lines to build planes, tanks and machine guns. The conversion took no time at all. Everyone pitched in. The fascists were defeated.
We are now in a different kind of war -- a war that we have conducted against the ecosystem and has been conducted by our very own corporate leaders. This current war has two fronts. One is headquartered in Detroit. The products built in the factories of GM, Ford and Chrysler are some of the greatest weapons of mass destruction responsible for global warming and the melting of our polar icecaps. The things we call "cars" may have been fun to drive, but they are like a million daggers into the heart of Mother Nature. To continue to build them would only lead to the ruin of our species and much of the planet.
The other front in this war is being waged by the oil companies against you and me. They are committed to fleecing us whenever they can, and they have been reckless stewards of the finite amount of oil that is located under the surface of the earth. They know they are sucking it bone dry. And like the lumber tycoons of the early 20th century who didn't give a damn about future generations as they tore down every forest they could get their hands on, these oil barons are not telling the public what they know to be true -- that there are only a few more decades of useable oil on this planet. And as the end days of oil approach us, get ready for some very desperate people willing to kill and be killed just to get their hands on a gallon can of gasoline.
President Obama, now that he has taken control of GM, needs to convert the factories to new and needed uses immediately.
2. Don't put another $30 billion into the coffers of GM to build cars. Instead, use that money to keep the current workforce -- and most of those who have been laid off -- employed so that they can build the new modes of 21st century transportation. Let them start the conversion work now.
3. Announce that we will have bullet trains criss-crossing this country in the next five years. Japan is celebrating the 45th anniversary of its first bullet train this year. Now they have dozens of them. Average speed: 165 mph. Average time a train is late: under 30 seconds. They have had these high-speed trains for nearly five decades -- and we don't even have one! The fact that the technology already exists for us to go from New York to L.A. in 17 hours by train, and that we haven't used it, is criminal. Let's hire the unemployed to build the new high-speed lines all over the country. Chicago to Detroit in less than two hours. Miami to DC in under 7 hours. Denver to Dallas in five and a half. This can be done and done now.
4. Initiate a program to put light rail mass transit lines in all our large and medium-sized cities. Build those trains in the GM factories. And hire local people everywhere to install and run this system.
5. For people in rural areas not served by the train lines, have the GM plants produce energy efficient clean buses.
6. For the time being, have some factories build hybrid or all-electric cars (and batteries). It will take a few years for people to get used to the new ways to transport ourselves, so if we're going to have automobiles, let's have kinder, gentler ones. We can be building these next month (do not believe anyone who tells you it will take years to retool the factories -- that simply isn't true).
7. Transform some of the empty GM factories to facilities that build windmills, solar panels and other means of alternate forms of energy. We need tens of millions of solar panels right now. And there is an eager and skilled workforce who can build them.
8. Provide tax incentives for those who travel by hybrid car or bus or train. Also, credits for those who convert their home to alternative energy.
9. To help pay for this, impose a two-dollar tax on every gallon of gasoline. This will get people to switch to more energy saving cars or to use the new rail lines and rail cars the former autoworkers have built for them.
Well, that's a start. Please, please, please don't save GM so that a smaller version of it will simply do nothing more than build Chevys or Cadillacs. This is not a long-term solution. Don't throw bad money into a company whose tailpipe is malfunctioning, causing a strange odor to fill the car.
100 years ago this year, the founders of General Motors convinced the world to give up their horses and saddles and buggy whips to try a new form of transportation. Now it is time for us to say goodbye to the internal combustion engine. It seemed to serve us well for so long. We enjoyed the car hops at the A. We made out in the front -- and the back -- seat. We watched movies on large outdoor screens, went to the races at NASCAR tracks across the country, and saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time through the window down Hwy. 1. And now it's over. It's a new day and a new century. The President -- and the UAW -- must seize this moment and create a big batch of lemonade from this very sour and sad lemon.
Yesterday, the last surviving person from the Titanic disaster passed away. She escaped certain death that night and went on to live another 97 years.
So can we survive our own Titanic in all the Flint Michigans of this country. 60% of GM is ours. I think we can do a better job.
Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
I'm good with everything Mike said except for adding a $2 gas tax to the already stifling, paralyzing price of a gallon of gas. Don't further gouge us! Right now, until there are alternative energies readily and easily and affordably available for all of us to use (not just those with big bucks in their wallets for hybrid cars, etc.), let's get the price of a gallon of gas down to where it should be, where we can all afford to buy groceries and drive to work.
Hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com
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