So Much For The Great Pumpkin

Another Halloween has come and gone and once again, we didn't get any trick-or-treaters at The Compound.  It kinda sucks.  But I don't know why I thought we would have any tonight - we haven't had any kids come around on Halloween in 3 or 4 years.  Maybe next year.

Something You Don't See Every Day

I experienced something very surreal during church this Sunday.  We always sit on the last pew along the main aisle, given the fact that I'm in charge of security for church and as a security monitor, that is a prime viewing spot.  That having been said, this past Sunday, I noticed an older African American gentleman, in his late 50's, sitting directly across the aisle from me.  Before you get all upset and say I'm racially profiling, let me explain.  The only reason that this man stood out is because he was sitting there in the pew reading the Daily Racing Form.  I can only imagine he was looking for some Divine guidance in picking out some horses for the opening day at the fall meet at Churchill Downs.

Something You Don't Hear Every Day

Overheard from a coworker this afternoon as I was leaving the office.  The identity of said coworker will remain anonymous to protect their ignorance. 

And I quote: "How many feet are in a yard?"

Link Of The Week

I got something very cool this week - it was a charger cord but it looks like an octopus, plus two more legs.  There's 10 different plugs/cords on it that are for any Apple product and for just about any cell phone or tablet, and there's a plug for the wall current, the car cigarette lighter or the computer USB port.  And it only cost me $2.99 plus a minimal shipping charge.  And I got it at Yugster. 

Visit http://www.yugster.com and sign up to receive their deal of the day email - every day they will email you with 3 or 4 very cool products and a ridiculously low price. I've bought a half dozen items from them so far and they definitely get the Thumbs Up endorsement from TWIT.

Security Tip Saturday

If any of you faithful readers live east of here, you should already have your family's emergency kit together and ready to go with the Super Storm set to hit very soon.  For those just tuning in to TWIT, it's not too late to start on your family's kit.  Each Saturday for 20 weeks I will post a list of items for you to purchase or compile and at the end of the 20 weeks, your kit will be complete. And remember - when the list calls for one can of soup, vegetables, fruit or gallon of water, they mean one per person in your family.   As always, go back into the TWIT archives and get your lists for the previous 8 Saturdays to catch up.

Week 9

1 can ready-to-eat soup
Liquid dish soap
Household chlorine bleach
Heavy duty garbage bags
Antacids
Contact lens care kit (if needed)

Flashback Friday

I had to drop off some work stuff up the street last night at my boss' house, and on my way home I decided to treat myself to a Holiday Mint McFlurry at McD's.  The giant plastic spoon they put it in reminded me of the old school plastic medicine spoons as seen on the left.  I did some quick research and found out that the medicine spoons are still around today.

Whoever invented the medicine spoon should have made a fortune from it - I'm sure mothers everywhere bought them like crazy to use to give their kids the standard pink liquid medicine prescribed by the doctor.  Today, I'm told the liquid medicine comes in a variety of flavors.  But I digress.  I remember Mom and Grandma using the spoon to give me cough medicine.  I'm sure most of the cough syrup would have ended up on me or them without using said spoon.

Question Of The Day

Why must all fast food places,restaurants, grocery stores and convenience stores post a sign in their restrooms that says "All Employees Must Was Their Hands Before Returning To Work."????

How pathetic and scary is it that a person has to be reminded of regular hygiene. 

All Clear!!

I'm happy to report that Mom went to the doctor this morning and got the cast off of her foot, and now she's completely mobile again.  Well, not completely - she's using one of Dad's fancy hand-carved canes but she's getting around great.  She even walked from the doctor's office out to the car.  Her doctor told her not to do any break dancing for a few days, and to come back on Monday so she can check and make sure the swelling has gone down.  But she's been given the All Clear.

If we thought the last week and a half was hard, it's just gotten harder; we'll probably need to sit on her to keep her from overdoing it and walking too much. 

Thanks to everyone for their prayers and well wishes.  Mom said she really appreciated your thoughtfulness and concern.  And so did I.

Remembering Grandma

It's hard to believe that it's been 13 years since Grandma left us.  My dear friend JTB remembers the day every year because she has it written in her prayer book, and each year on the anniversary of Grandma's death, JTB will either call or email me and say she's praying for my family today as we remember and celebrate Grandma's long life.

Early this morning, Mom and Dad and I had coffee out on the back porch, and we had an awesome time of reminiscing about Grandma. Grandma was one of the best cooks ever, so a lot of our memories this morning were of her cooking or of foods she liked or didn't like.  For instance, she couldn't stand root beer, olives or mushrooms.  But she enjoyed a good pizza; her favorite was from Mr. Gattis. And she loved Orange Crush. 

I still miss you, Gram.  Not a day goes by that I don't think of you.

Summer, Part Two

The weather the past two days has been gorgeous. But it's been unusually hot for fall. It was 80 yesterday and today, and they're calling for 80's all week long.  I don't like summer weather in the fall.  I realize I'm in the minority on this, but fall is supposed to be cool, not like the summer. 

With Mom still having her foot in a cast and being uncomfortable I won't complain about turning the a/c back on because she's cold natured; I'll just look forward to Saturday when the high is supposed to be 60. I couldn't get to sleep last night because I was warm, even with my ceiling fan on and a window opened.  All I will say is bring on the cool again.

Link Of The Week

We all know people that rock -people that go way beyond and are awesome people.  This week, I found a site that can help you pay tribute to people that rock.  Visit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/greatest-person-of-the-day and nominate your greatest person of the day.  I know that everyone of you knows someone that deserves to be the "greatest person of the day".  Nominate them.  They deserve it.

Security Tip Saturday

Here we are at week 8 of our 20 Weeks To Preparedness - a weekly shopping guide posted every Saturday to purchase items for your family's emergency kit.  At the end of the 20 weeks, you should have purchased and compiled enough food and supplies for you and your family in the event of an emergency.  Please visit the TWIT archives if you're a new reader and catch up on your shopping lists.

Week 8

Scissors, Tweezers
Thermometer
Tongue depressors
Liquid antibacterial soap
Disposable hand wipes
Needles (the sewing kind)
Petroleum jelly

Flashback Friday

My old friend, coworker and faithful reader SH was talking to me today about having to work at her daugther's school's fall festival tonight.  That conversation brought back a bunch of memories from my elementary school's fall festivals.

SH was assigned to work in the pumpkin painting booth tonight. She was hoping for an easy shift and not too many messes. I asked her about the booths that they have at the fall festivals, and she said that the most popular booth is still the cake walk.

Back in the day when I was in elementary school, the cake walk was the most popular booth, too. It was a walking version of musical chairs.  The classroom floor had numbered squares marked off in a circle, and everybody paid the admission and stood on a number and when the music started you started walking around from spot to spot.  It was also my family's favorite fall festival booth.  I remember all five years that I was at Greenwood Elementary School, Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa all attended the fall festival, and we all five played the cake walk, in an attempt to increase our odds of winning.

In addition to attending my elementary school's fall festival, we also attended other fall festivals in the neighborhood, and I'm proud to say we won quite a few cakes over the years at the fall festival cake walk booths.

Day Four With The Patient

Mom is doing better.  She's not as bummed out now as she was earlier in the week over not being able to walk, and she's gotten the hang of using her knee scooter.  There's no stopping her as she scoots through the house.  She spent a couple of hours out on the back porch today just watching and reading. 

And Dad has turned into the cook.  Once again tonight he fixed supper. I have to say I'm very impressed.  Best of all, Mom had a good appetite tonight and ate a plate full of cabbage and a scoop of mashed potatoes. She even told us to save the leftover cabbage for her lunch tomorrow.

All in all, she's doing much better than earlier in the week.  We're still hoping and praying for an All Clear from the doctor next Wednesday when she goes back for more xrays.

Cry Baby

With the exception of my office, everywhere I went today I encountered a kid crying. Never mind that a lot of us in the office felt like crying today.  But I digress. 

It started this morning when I stopped at McDonald's to use my Monopoly free smoothie game piece.  The drive-thru line was wrapped around the building but there were only a couple of people inside so I parked and went in to order.  In front of me was a young woman with not one but two crying kids.

At church tonight, as we were walking across the parking lot we heard a kid crying. It was the daughter of one of our ministers of music who in my opinion has the best singing voice I have ever heard.  Yes, I rank her up there with Patsy Cline, Ann Wilson and Emmylou Harris.  I'm here to tell you the kid has a set of lungs like her mother, with the way she was wailing in the parking lot. 

After church, I dropped off Dad and then went to the library, and imagine my surprise in front of me in the line as I was waiting to check out my books was yet another kid crying.  On second thought, this kid was screaming. Evidently she didn't know that you're supposed to be quiet in the library.

After putting my books in the car, I walked through the shopping center to Walmart to pick up a few groceries, and lo and behold, on just about every aisle that I stopped, there was a kid crying.

Believe me when I tell you that when I got back to the car with my groceries, I felt like banging my head against the steering wheel and having a good cry myself.

Day Two With The Patient

It's been a roller coaster ride with The Patient (aka Mom) today.  Other than being agitated and disgusted by not being able to walk, she had a pretty good day until suppertime.  She felt good enough to scoot around the kitchen and help Dad make supper, but when it came time to eat, as soon as we got her settled in her chair at the table, she got nauseated and only had Sprize Zero and saltine crackers.  About a half hour later I fixed her some Progresso chicken soup and she ate about half a can. 

I'm just guessing that her being nerved up over not being able to walk is making her sick at her stomach.  It has me a bit worried tonight, I'm not ashamed to say. 

As always, I'll keep you posted.

But You Know I Don't Cook

I fixed supper tonight, faithful readers. We had hot dogs with chili sauce, leftover pinto beans, and Doritos.  But I got it all together.  Why, you ask, because you know I don't cook?  Mom had a little accident on Satuday and is now sporting a cast on her right foot and can't put any weight on the foot for two weeks.  The doctor said that she didn't see a break but she did see some bone splinters that could have been from where she badly twisted her foot or they could be from where she broke the same foot 10 years ago.  They said that in two weeks they would xray it again because sometimes a break will show up later. 

After we got her home from the ER today and got her settled in and got lunch, I ran across town and rented a very cool knee walker.  Believe me when I tell you I would have paid my last dollar to have had one of those when I had my foot reconstruction.  But I digress.  Mom can get around the house now faster than we can.

So after supper I was feeling even more domestic and did a load of whites. I'd love to type more but the dryer just dinged and I've got to get my clothes out. 

I'll keep you posted on how the patient is doing.

Link Of The Week

Ever since I had a cell phone that would let you have cool ringtones, I've always tried (key word) to make them myself from songs and other MP3's that I had downloaded.  Most of the time, I was successful, and I'm proud to say that today I can make a ringtone out just about anything - an MP3, a video, and now, a YouTube video.

If you have a favorite video that's on YouTube and you want to capture a line from it for a ringtone, I've got just the site that will help you do it. Visit http://www.vidtomp3.com/index.php.  Bring up the video in YouTube and then copy the URL and paste it in the box at the vidtomp3 site and it's done.

Security Tip Saturday

It's hard to believe we're' one-third of the way into putting together the family emergency kit.  If you're new to TWIT, every Saturday for 20 weeks, I'll post a list of items to buy, and at the end of the 20 weeks, you will have compiled the recommended items for a family emergency kit.  Visit the archives for the previous 6 Saturdays to catch up.  Remember - when I list 1 gallon of water or 1 can of juice or fruit and vegetables, it's 1 per person in your household.

Week 7

1 gallon water
1 can ready-to-eat soup
1 can fruit
1 can vegetables
Sewing kit
Disinfectant (bleach, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol)

Flashback Friday

Way, way back in the day, my Grandma was a New York Yankees fan.  October was her favorite time of the year with the MLB playoffs and the World Series. It was the one time of the year that she didn't mind her soap operas being preempted for baseball games.  She would schedule her day around the playoff baseball games.  She planned suppers accordingly.  We had lots of soups and chili suppers on nights when there were playoff games, but that was cool with the family.

Much to our family friends' dismay, Grandma loved the New York Yankees, mainly because she loved Reggie Jackson.  I'm not sure how this happened but it did.  Somewhere in the basement, there is a picture of Grandma in her rocking chair wearing a Yankees ball cap.  I'd give anything if I could find it. I've been on a massive search for the past few nights and if I can find the picture, I'll scan it in and post it on here.  Till then, we'll just have to live in the memory of Gram wearing a Yankees cap.

Better Luck Next Season, Reds

TWIT is very sorry to report that my beloved Cincinnati Reds will need to buy a ticket if they want to see the World Series this year because they lost this afternoon in the playoffs 3 games to 2 against the San Francisco Giants.  The Reds started like gangbusters and won the first two games in San Francisco, only two lose the next three games at home. It's typical.

I still love you, Reds.  Better luck next season.

Get Well Soon, Cuz

I'd like to give a shout out to my cousin in Georgia, aka Cuz, and send get well soon wishes.  Last week, he had a procedure done which included getting a stint inserted in a very, uh, delicate, area, in an attempt to get rid of a pretty big and painful kidney stone.  Today, he underwent another procedure where they zapped the kidney stone and pulverized it.  He was resting comfortably when we checked on him this afternoon.  So get well soon, Cuz.  And while you're recuperating from the kidney stone, be thankful you don't live in Louisville, the #1 city for allergy and sinus problems.

Way To Go, Ann and Nancy Wilson

TWIT would like to say way to go to Ann and Nancy Wilson of my all time favorite group Heart for being nominated again into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  I'm betting the house that you will get in this year.  If not, then, well, I don't know what I'll do.  Just saying that if anyone deserves to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, it's Ann and Nancy Wilson for the thousands, no, millions, that they've inspired, myself included.

We're Number One!!!

No less than five friends called, texted or emailed this weekend, telling me that they heard about the 'Ville in the news.  One of the Big Three channels had a story on their morning news program about the top cities in the country that are affected most by allergies, sinus issues, or asthma.  Guess what the #1 city was????  Yep, Louisville!!  And for that, we are proud.

I'm testimony to this acclamation.  Saturday and Sunday, I felt like a zombie thanks to allergies and sinus issues.  I spent most of the weekend on the couch or on the bed.  And when I got to work this a.m., one of the guys that works for me should have stayed home today with sinus problems but he came in because another guy in the department was already off.  So I rest my case.

There's not much we can do except take meds, use saline spray to flush out our nasal and sinus cavaties, or move to Phoenix or Las Vegas. Right now, Las Vegas sounds pretty damned good.

Link Of The Week

I copy this well-phrased information about the Habitat For Humanity ReStore.  This totally receives the Thumb's Up from TWIT.

Habitat for Humanity creates an affordable home improvement center


You may have heard of the Habitat for Humanity program. If you're lucky, there may even be a nearby Habitat program where you live, and perhaps a Habitat ReStore, also. Habitat for Humanity builds homes for low-income people, selling them at a discounted price with low interest loans. Numerous fundraising projects are a big part of how the Habitat program is subsidized. The ReStores around the United States and Canada have become a growing part of the Habitat program and its financial structure.

If you enjoy wandering through the home improvement centers in your town, gathering ideas for home problem-solving and new home projects, and you savor the bargains you discover at thrift shops, then you will absolutely love sauntering through the Habitat ReStore and snatching up the treasures that you find. Habitat stores are staffed mainly by volunteers. They're stocked with donated items.

The commitment to recycling is the cornerstone of the Habitat ReStore program.

Ed Begley, Jr., actor and environmentalist, says, "Recycling just seems like the right thing to do. It makes us responsible for the messes that we make. It's all about picking up after you, not shoving our trash in oceans and streams. We might as well reuse it before we lose it."

The Habitat ReStores are a true model of responsible recycling as they actively promote reusing building and other home- related materials. According to the website on of a Habitat ReStore in a small Midwestern college town, "The ReStore assures that over 200 tons of material never make it to the landfill each year." That's a rather impressive statistic.

Your Habitat ReStore specializes in selling donated goods.

ReStore merchandise come from individuals like you with unsold items from garage or estate sales and from large corporate donors, as well as leftover materials from Habitat homes built. Habitat for Humanity is equipped with trucks and heavy lifting tools to pick up larger or difficult to transport items, such as refrigerators and dining room table sets.

Habitat makes it very easy for you to donate items that you no longer need.

If you see something you want to purchase from the Habitat store, grab it now; someone else may have purchased it by tomorrow.

Each Habitat store looks different, but sells the same types of products. Expect to find items like building material, cans of paint and stain, tile, furniture, tools, kitchen cupboards, cookware, toilets and sinks, home decor and knick-knacks, gardening needs, and appliances like washers, dryers and dishwashers, and electronics like TVs and computers. Some stores sell nuts and bolts by the ounce, which is a great deal if you only need one of something. And, don't be surprised if you spot unexpected items like a copier, fireplace tools, a wood burning stove, bicycles, or a lawnmower.

Habitat ReStore prices are amazingly affordable.

Talk with other shoppers as you wander through the Habitat ReStore and you will hear stories of incredible finds. One woman states that she recently purchased a solid wooden exterior door with window that opens into a screen for outside her detached garage that looks as good as new for only $25.

The lock for it was an additional $3. Her local home improvement center sells a comparable door for nearly $200.


She also purchased a short piece of gutter for a dollar. That same is currently selling a nearly new 44-piece dish set for only $4. A similar set from a major retailer would cost several hundred dollars.

It's easy to find a Habitat ReStore near you.

Numerous Habitat ReStores can be found in 48 states, as well as in Canada. To see locations of Habitat ReStores, search online at . Look under "locations." Click on your state and then on a town in your area. You will find the address, phone number, and possibly the store hours, directions, and a map. You'll notice that Habitat has an online store as well as. It sells new items, including clothing, and helps support the Habitat for Humanity program

Make it a habit to visit the Habitat ReStore. You'll be pleased with yourself. Saving money and recycling go hand-in- hand when donating to and buying from the Habitat ReStore in your neighborhood.

Please visit the Restore store in Louisville at http://www.louisvillerestore.org/.

Security Tip Saturday

Here we are on week six of our 20 Weeks To Preparedness. As always, if you've missed a few weeks there's plenty of time to catch up by looking at previous posts.  For those just joining in, on Saturdays I will post a list of items to buy that will go into your emergency kit for you and your family.  At the end of twenty weeks, if you've purchased or gathered the items every Saturday, you will have the recommended items for an emergency kit that will sustain you and your family in the event of an emegency.  As I mentioned previously, if you're in the mood to buy on a week when there's not much to buy, you can always get a couple gallons of water or a few cans of fruit or vegetable juice.

Week Six

Sterile adhesive bandages
Safety pins
Adhesive tape
Latex gloves
Sunscreen
Gauze/roller bandages

Flashback Friday

It's hard for me to believe that this week mark's the 50th anniversary of the debut episode of the Beverly Hillbillies.  Actually, the debut was last week, but I'm using my artistic privileges and saying this week.  But I digress.

Fifty years ago, the world was introduced to the Beverly Hillbillies.  The family that taught us about the cement pond, vittles, the fancy eatin' table, and weeeee doggies.

I'm proud to say that the Beverly Hillbillies is one of my all time favorite TV shows.  I've seen just about all of the episodes, and I still watch it when it's on during the week.

I wasn't quite born yet when the first episode of the Beverly Hillbillies came on TV, but I came along a year later. And one of my earliest memories of watching TV as a little kid was of episodes of the Hillbillies. 

If this were a prime-time comedy show today, it probably wouldn't last two weeks because it wasn't filled with sexual innuendos. But I am thankful that it was on the air in the 60's and 70's, and today.

Catch Up Thursday

I sincerely apologize to you, faithful readers, for not posting yesterday. It was a very crazy, crazy evening, and I spent some time trying to make sense of some things. I guess I spent quite a bit of time trying to make sense of things, and lost track of time.  I woke up last night at about 12:30 and realized I forgot to post.


If I had remembered to post yesterday, I would have wished my cuz down in Georgia a very happy birthday, and big get well soon wishes for a quick and painless recovery from his kidney stone issues. 

You Didn't Know I Was A Wrapper

I spent most of the evening last night wrapping.  No, I didn't say I was rapping; I was wrapping.

The 'Rents picked a bushel of green tomatoes yesterday in between all of the rain, and last night after supper, I wrapped each and every green tomato in a sheet of newspaper, and then when they were all done, we took the bushel basket down to the basement to store for the next few months.  Apparently, if you wrap green tomatoes in newspaper, they will ripen very, very slowly if stored in a cool place and you can have ripe tomatoes well into the winter months.  As always, I'll keep you posted.

Not Worthy, After All

I was at the federal courthouse 20 minutes before I was supposed to report this morning, only to find out that the defendant inn the case had pled guilty so they sent us home.  My hopes for setting on a trial were quickly smashed.  I can only hope that they will call my name again in the next four weeks so I can come back and hopefully get on a trial. 

On an unrelated note, the missing brown pants have been found!! I found them this morning on a hanger, covered up by a long brown sweater that was hanging over them on the same hanger.  So even though I didn't get to be on a jury today, I'm still happy because I found my brown pants.