not much of a movie

Gumby and I saw the movie "Eat Pray Love" yesterday.  Gumby thoroughly enjoyed it.  I could take it or leave it.  I saw "Sense and Sensibility" not too long ago and was thoroughly mesmerized by that movie ... "Eat Pray Love" does not measure up to it.  Maybe I'm just too critical about the overall concept in the first place, and desired more "heroism" in the movie.

putting a cabinet together

I've just spent hours putting this cabinet together.  It was a deal.  I saw it on clearance when I was at Office Depot.  When I checked out, the price on it was $20.  What a deal.  It's not solid wood and the veneer on it is really cheap, but it's better than plastic.  I got it to replace a 3-bin stacking plastic rack whose wheels keep falling off.

I've put a lot of stuff together, but this one was a doozy.  Now I'm tired.

new jeans

If you've followed by blog for a while (I mean a reeeally long while), you might recall that I have difficulty finding blue jean pants that fit my specifications.  I like them plain, straight leg, no stretch, and preferably of good weight.  The pair that I last purchased at a brick-n-mortar store was one size too large.  I've sported the baggy look for some years now and I've gotten comfy with those jeans.  But they're wearing out.  Some days I do wish they weren't baggy around my hips but overall they're comfortable.

Being that it's back-to-school time, jeans are among the items on sale and thought I ought to take advantage of the sale. The other day, I went to the same store where I previously got my jeans and again was unable to find the right fit.  So once more I bought one size larger.  They will require a belt; but they don't look all that baggy.  We'll see how that works out ... they have some stretch to them.

Today I went to Old Navy and bought two skinny jeans.  Yeah, I backed off on the "no stretch" requirement.  Seems I had to give that up to get any jeans at all.  I tried on two different styles and discovered that "low rise" means "I want to show the public my butt crack."  So I opted for the classic rise instead.  And since the jeans fit reasonably, I just went ahead and got a second one since there wasn't another style suitable.  Actually, Gumby insisted that I get the second one.  Else I'd be perfectly content to walk out with just one.  They fit snug around my legs but a little loose around my butt and hips ... apparently I don't have much butt.  I like a slightly loose fit anyways.

I think it was the 80's when they had "tapered" leg jeans.  Those were pretty much the same as "skinny" jeans, except in those days they hadn't made the jeans stretchy yet. So if you had tight jeans, they were indeed tight.

On leaving the parking lot, I saw skinny jeans in action on a young guy and it looked good on him.  And I also saw it on a woman; except that on her, due to her shape the skinny jeans made her legs look like chicken legs on that body.  Folks, you might want to watch out for the "chicken legs" effect.

Perhaps one day the classic blue jeans will return. Just a little loose, of good weight, plain, no stretch, deep pockets, straight legs, uniform in color (not pre-faded) -- built for working in.

just what's going on

I'm hoping to do product development. The product would be me. I've applied for financial aid for education. Awaiting verdict. If all goes well, classes start at end of September, and after about 5 months, I'd have a set of skills to market.

************
We've been to a vigil service yesterday and a funeral mass today. They were both beautiful.  We're exhausted.

************
It's been crazy hot here in Texas.  Awaiting reprieve from the heat and looking forward to the forecasted rain.

TV shows I like

I don't watch much TV. I don't even watch the news with any regularity, which I think is not good. But there is a show which I have yet to miss an episode:  Friday Night Lights (on NBC). Odd, since a football theme wouldn't attract me. But Gumby watches it, and once I saw it I was hooked. It's not about football. It's about ordinary people just living the card they're dealt.

Another show which I like is Brothers and Sisters (on ABC). Sally Fields ... need I say more? Also has Rachel Griffiths, who is new to me but apparently is another award-winning actress. I like her. Waiting for it to come back in the fall.

Women Religious vs. the Vatican

Ouch.  There seems to be a battle between some women religious and "the Vatican."
http://ncronline.org/news/women-religious/speak-our-women-religious

I repeat that I don't understand the issues.  But on the surface, any battle against "the Vatican" just feels wrong.  At minimum, it is a house divided.

Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. (Luke 12:51-53)

Perhaps it is very good indeed that I have not been able to join a religious order.  Let's see how all this boils over.

grass jelly drink

Today I tried:
Chin Chin Grass Jelly Drink, Lychee flavor
http://www.thaiindochine.com/products/popup_product_info.asp?pid=DCG030CN

Yes, it actually has dark jelly floating in it.  Tastes okay, somewhat like a mild tea with a touch of sweetness.  You'll want to drink the liquid with the jelly; jelly itself doesn't have much flavor.  Unfortunately, I didn't keep the can, since the dark jelly makes the can look yucky.  But I think it has less sugar and less sodium than Sprite and Schweppes Ginger Ale.


Sprite sugar: 38g (per 12 oz. can)
Ginger Ale sugar: 32g (per 12 oz. can)
grass jelly drink sugar: 28.6 (per 11 oz. can)


Sprite sodium: 65mg (per 12 oz. can)
Ginger Ale sodium: 60mg (per 12 oz. can)
grass jelly drink sodium: 59.8mg (per 11 oz. can)

I do believe it is devoid of nutritional content.

just doing the unemployment thing

Unemployed.  Searching and applying online for jobs.  Looking into a certificate program at the local community college. Looking into financial aid for education. Applied for deferment on my current student loan while I'm unemployed. And continuing DIY house repairs.

Yes, I want a different job.  Yes, I understand that I'd be starting at entry level.  Yes, I would accept the lower pay.  Employers probably look at my resume and assume that I wouldn't accept the lower pay (and lower "status").  sigh...

(sticky) discernment event

WHAT: Life Awareness Weekend is a vocation discernment retreat devoted to providing information about religious life vocations
WHO:  unmarried Catholic men and women between the ages of 18 and 45
WHEN:  July 23-25, 2010
WHERE:  Houston, TX

more information:
http://www.houstonvocations.com/2010/life-awareness-retreat/

been painting

I've been painting. We have a little foyer (more like a short hallway from the front door to the rest of the house). We're giving it two colors plus a different color for the trim. We picked out the colors over the weekend and Monday, we picked up the paint and tweaked the colors with help from the paint folks. We moved stuff
from the foyer and the wall later that day and Monday night I washed down the walls and did just a little spackling.

Tuesday (today) I sanded the spackling and caulked around the door frame. The folks who installed the door forgot to caulk. Either that or they just left it because there isn't much space around the sides of door frame and you can't see whether it's caulked. Pretty hard to get the caulk gun just right for that tight space, but I managed.

One wall will get a deep color, so it had to be primed with the appropriate base color. I didn't get the primer on evenly, so I'll have to give it another coat. The other wall didn't need priming so I finished painting it. I really want to apply the second coat of primer and be done with that, but I'm tired. Plus I need to have the front door open to paint the door opening, and I'm not leaving the door open at this time of night.

I have three cleaned off paint roller covers sitting by the sink right now. I had used three different paint colors (not all at once). Rollers are great for getting the job done; but man, they take forever to clean. I also had two paint brushes. I'll need one of the brushes for the the corners when I apply the second coat of primer; gotta wait for that brush to dry anyways.

Man, I am tired. Pardon me if I am incoherent; I'm just tired.

video blues

One of the most frustrating things for me is video. There is a multitude of formats and it's all quite confusing. Video from our Xacti is .mp4; video from our TV tuner card is .ts.

Just getting video from our tuner box to the computer is an adventure in itself.  The signal is undoubtedly sent to the box as digital. It is converted to analog at the S-video output, which I then feed into my TV tuner card.  The tuner card takes the anlog signal and converts it to back to digital signal again.  For me to burn a DVD, I'd have to then take that digital file and convert it to analog for the DVD.  (I think DVD video is analog, not sure).

Right now I am struggling with mp4 files from the Xacti, and trying to figure out how to get the video into Windows Movie Maker.  I go through a plethora of free converters.  I've done it before, but I can't remember what I used or did.  Dang it.  When is video going to be less of a headache?  I can't imagine how the "average" user is going to ever be able to burn a recording onto DVD.

what I learned: scratched toilets

Sometimes when trying to clear a clogged toilet, you might end up scratching the bottom of the toilet.  I'd recommend avoiding the risk of scratching the toilet.  Use a toilet auger with a protective vinyl throat or such.  But if it's already said and done, then Bar Keepers Friend will remove the scratches.  It turns out that this stuff is good for cleaning surfaces of glass, ceramic, copper, brass, porcelain, chrome, and stainless steel.

cycler's utiltiy belt

I've been looking for a utility belt of sorts to carry stuff.  Many of my dress pants don't have pockets.  I guess women are supposed to carry purses/bags.  Those things just don't do well with me.  They slide right off my shoulders.  You get to a restaurant and there's no place to put it.  But worst of all, I tend to forget and leave stuff.

Here is an interesting belt.  Apparently made for cyclists because it includes a loop for holding a U-lock.  They have several other styles and lots of other colors.

Fabric Horse
http://www.fabrichorse.com/index.php?page=utilitybelts&item=170

fast friends with a sewer auger

I had the morning to myself since Gumby is sick and slept late.  I fed the critters, routine for my mornings, and since I now number among the unemployed I looked for jobs and applied online to two.  Not a smooth process since I'm a little rusty.  One company asked for the manager's name from each job I had, and I couldn't hardly remember the the one from my temporary job in 2006.  I did my best and coughed up a name.  I hope it's right.  The resume isn't polished and I don't have a cover letter.  I also had to get re-acquainted with the e-mail address I use for job hunting;  I needed a password reset to get into it.

Then I had a late breakfast and got hooked on watching TV.  One show was "Flip This House" where some people bought a house, renovated it and sold it for some $50K profit.  The next show was "Drill Team" and in this episode they majorly renovated a basement in six days.

Gumby joined the living around noon.  I was going to paint the entryway and asked Gumby what were the colors picked out.  After at least an hour of looking through swatches we had on hand and the Sherwin Williams color tool online, we gave up.  The onscreen rendition of the colors doesn't match the swatches.  This would have to be a project for another day.

Gumby was hungry and wanted grits, eggs, and toast.  So I proceeded to cook while Gumby went to wash up.  I had the grits going and was buttering the bread for cinnamon sugar toast when Gumby called me.  As the water drained out of Gumby's sink, bubbling would occur in the toilet.  So I'm thinking "hmm...what happens if I flush?"  We almost had water overflowing the toilet bowl is what happened.  So I stopped the cooking and attacked the plumbing.

It turned out that both toilets were not draining.  Plunging had no effect.  Since Hurricane Alex brought torrential rains in the area, we thought maybe the sewers were backed up.  We called the water company; they sent a guy out.  Nope, not the sewer lines, it's the house.  By this time, I had finished cooking, but the grits didn't turn out right.  I gave Gumby the food but I guess the grits wasn't palatable.  I had to start and stop on the grits several times and judging by the results, it looks like I can't do that.

Anyhow, I called the neighborhood Ace Hardware store for advice and they said I could rent a sewer auger.  So off I go.  I love our local Ace.  They are very helpful. Probably all the houses in the neighborhood were built by one or two builders, it means that houses here share similarity in hardware and brands.  Ace seems to stock the right replacement parts.  Also, at Ace I could buy low quantities of fasteners.  I only needed one bolt or one washer, I can get that at Ace.  But I digress.  Today, they rented me a sewer auger and talked me through how to operate the machine.

Since I was in a hurry, I just set up the way I was instructed and used common sense where safety is concerned.  Thank goodness it wasn' raining, but I was being eaten alive by mosquitoes until Gumby gave me the OFF spray.  I forgot we had that spray.  All went well and the toilets got to draining and I was finished before dark.  Others advised that I run the auger again tomorrow before returning the machine.  They also said to run a water hose into one of the main lines to help flush everything out.  Ok, so I'll get up early in the morning to run the auger again, but I'm not dragging a water hose in here.

In conclusion, I'd like to recommend to Ace that they include a safety sheet with each rental.

Apparently I had taken a few risks:  Yes, I was standing in water.  It had been raining and the yard was wet.  Yes, that was an electrical appliance I was using while standing in water.  No, I didn't think to test the GFCI before use.  Yes, I had shoes on.  No, I didn't wear safety goggles or gloves.  The manufacturer recommends ONLY leather gloves and I don't have any of those.  I suspect I will have blisters on my hand tomorrow.  Yes, I know to keep stuff away from rotating machinery.

time to bring out the pig of happiness!

perfect french fries

The story of how the recipe cam to be:
http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/05/the-burger-lab-how-to-make-perfect-mcdonalds-style-french-fries.html

The recipe itself.
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/05/perfect-french-fries-recipe.html

I came across this when trying to figure out what I can do with the french fries I do have.  I don't usually eat them, but apparently they rung me up for fries when I ordered my hamburger last night.  So now I'm trying to figure out how to make eating them more enjoyable, so that I don't just throw them away.

scooter

I saw this thing at a convention center today.  Some lady was zipping around in it.  I flagged her down and she told me http://www.travelscoot.com/

So awesome.  If I had the duckeys, I'd get one for Gumby.

searching for a solution

Hurricane season is upon us. An active season is predicted for this year. When I was unemployed several years back, I cut plywood for all of our windows. They were to be used with Plylox and fit into the window opening. When Ike came through, we were able to board up the windows in no time flat. The Plylox worked great, though there was a moment when I thought one of the boards was in danger of being pried off. After Ike, I got another pack of Plylox so each board will have another pair of clips the next time around.

Recently we replaced our windows with double-pane vinyl windows. Great for energy savings. However, the Plylox can no longer be used because the window is "thicker" and reduces the "setback". That is, the window doesn't sit deep into the opening.  Plylox require at least 2 1/2 inches setback. They don't say so on their website, but I've seen it in a news article.

So I've been trying to find another solution without having to cut new plywood (to overlap the window opening, not sit in it) or having to drill into our brick. So far:

• Storm Brace http://www.stormbrace.com/
• Hurricane Bar http://www.hurricanebar.net/index.html
• Panel Lock http://www.hurricanepanellock.com/howwork.html
• and I saw reader comments on some blog that said to cut a 2x4 the same size as the window opening and then tap it into the opening with a hammer. Space three of those per opening and then fasten your plywood to the 2x4.

and a solution that requires more setback than I have but seems nifty:
     Quick Shutter http://www.quickshutterclampingsystem.com/

At this time, I am still searching for a solution. If I run out of time, then I'll probably go with the "tap-in 2x4" solution and use our exisitng plywood. I still have some fence screws and can use those.

been painting

Some discoveries made while painting:
1. It's difficult to tell where you've painted if your paint is like your primer. Primer is flat white, and so is the paint. If I had hired someone to do the job, I'd be unable to check the work.

2. Latex paint doesn't do well over rust. Just a wild guess, but maybe the water content in Latex paint aggravates the rust problem. I had to switch to oil-based paint. We'll see how that goes.

3. Which leads to the next one: paint brushes aren't much good for painting small diameter rods. I tried. These were maybe 3/8-inch diameter rods. So I used the "sponge on a stick" type of "brushes." I had a whole bag of them of various widths. Must've been from Walmart. Works out good with the oil-based paint, because I simply throw away the used sponge-on-a-stick. It doesn't do well for corners and joints because in tight spots, all you can do is dab with the sponge. You can't brush it out as with a brush. I mean, I did use them for the whole job but the results aren't pretty at the joints. But that's ok. I mainly wanted to stop the rust, seal over it and make it look better (better looking than rust, that is). The oil-based paint is satin. I would've picked glossy, but they were out of those so I got the satin finish. Not bad. Better than flat finish for what I was painting.

The thing now has two coats of latex primer, one coat of latex paint, and one coat of oil-based paint. When I get some time, I'd like to give it yet another coat of oil-based paint.

Prior to painting I did go over the rust with a wire brush. Then a little sanding (I got tired of that quickly). Wipe down to remove dust. Then a coat of rust converter, sprayed on then wiped smooth and allowed to dry. Rust converter was re-applied anywhere rust reappeared after priming and after painting. With the oil-based anti-rust paint, I hope to NOT see rust peep out again. I am uncertain because I didn't use the primer the paint specified. So we'll see...

funny

at TargetI like! (but not buying)

Happy Sunday to all

Happy Sunday to all.  Based, on Jesus's promises, it is better to be resurrected than to be dead.

Which leads to the question:  "What does the Church mean when she says 'resurrection of the dead'?"
and why would we look forward to being 'resurrected'?

(I know, this has nothing to do with Pentecost Sunday.  It was just on my mind at the moment, was all.)

time gone

Where did the time go?  We've spent the evening sorting and paying bills.  We still have to make a grocery run, drop off some the payments, and fill up the car.  Sure hope the run is going be quick.  I'm hungry.

where's the rice?

Why is it that when you order take-out from a Chinese food restaurant, they don't give you enough rice?  In this case, it's not rice, but crispy noodles.  It's as if the noodles are just an appetizer.

new vocations website

I'm a little behind the times on this one, but here it is:  the new vocations website launched by the USCCB
http://www.foryourvocation.org/

switch timer

The other day, I installed a switch timer for the front porch light. Works great. I enjoy the convenience.  It comes on at a certain time and goes off at a certain time.  Switch timer plus switch plate came out to less than $31USD.

I saw it at the local hardware store but didn't buy it at first because I couldn't figure out how to make it work with my existing two-gang switch electrical box. Thanks to Amazon.com, I was shown the way when they suggested the switch plate to go with the timer. Nowhere on the timer packaging does it say that it fits a decora plate; it ought to indicate that it does fit.

I get home after dark.  With our new glass door, it is very important that the porch be lit. If the porch is not lit and the light inside the house is brighter than outside, you could see in.  With the porch lit, it is more difficult to see inside plus it allows us to see out to our porch VERY well.

I'd certainly recommend a switch timer for anyone who wants to leave their light on all night and ensure that the light is off in the morning.  No more forgetting to turn off the porch light.  (so long as you program the timer)  It is compatible with CFL bulbs.  The tiny screen is difficult to see; you might need a magnifying glass.

This particular switch timer has an internal rechargeable battery that doesn't need replacing and will keep your settings in the event of a power outtage.

Absolute DO turn OFF the circuit breaker to the light (and therefore, the switch) BEFORE removing and replacing your old switch!

pet of the week

Pet of the Week: 'Ziggy Bear' the cat

Young cat reminds me of our cat who just died recently.  Tempting, but no, I'm not looking to get another cat.  I'm trying to reduce the complexities in my life and have less stuff.

at the skate park

We had some kids with us yesterday and we took them to the skate park.  Exposure for them (they don't skate) and to satisfy a curiosity for us.  We wanted to see where the park was and we thought it'd be fun to see some of the action.  While walking, this kid stopped me ...

he:  Hey, will take a photo of me?

I: How will I get it to you?

he: Put it on Facebook.

I: (shaking my head) I don't do Facebook.

he:  What do you use?

I:  I don't use any of that. (pause) I can e-mail it to you.

he: okay. (He poses, leans over on the girl next to him. She fusses. He stands back.)

I:  OK.  Just you then. (flash)

he:  OW! OW! OW!  (rubs his eyes) Let me give you my e-mail.

he:  (to the girl) you got a pen?
she: no
he: make up pencil?
she: gives him a "look"
he: Ok, well, just post it and tell your friends you saw this cool dude at the park.
I show him the photo on the camera and we parted.

So dude, here's your photo.

random shot

cat toys

a thing of the past

It used to be that when you go to a hardware store to get house numbers, you'd find large wooden numbers.  At least that's what happened some twenty years ago when I picked up our house numbers.  I wasn't looking for anything in particular; I needed house numbers and that was what was offered.  They were wood with rounded edges on the front surface.  I screwed them onto the front of our fascia over the garage.  They were so big that their bottoms hung below the fascia.  But they were great.  You can definitely see them from the street.

We replaced our fascia last year and in so doing discarded the numbers, which I had never properly painted (they only got  a coat of primer) and had gotten dilapidated.  So I went looking for their replacement.  Perhaps not as big this time, but generally of the same style.

No luck.

Not in the stores.  Not easily found in the internet.  Wooden house numbers are apparently a thing of the past.

Happy Easter

HAPPY  EASTER!
May everyone find hope and joy during these 50 days of Easter.

breakfast

Small TV dinner and juice from a young coconut.  I eat so that I can take my medicine.  Then I have to run off to help set up in church this morning for tonight's vigil mass.

pharyngitis

I've been gone since 2:45 p.m., just getting home at 7:30 p.m.   I've been to the doctor, then through rushhour traffic to the pharmacy.  Sorry no record of the prescription having been called in.  I called Gumby, who has been through this dance many times before.  Gumby calls back.  They have it, give them half an hour to fill it.

I have insurance, but I don't know how it works for medication.  So I pay and will file for reimbursement later.  Cost of medicine: $115.78.  Ouch.  I'm counting on tomorrow being payday.  Look at the size of those pills.  I have a sore throat.  It REALLY hurts to swallow.  Plus I have to take the medicine with food.  I haven't eaten anything since breakfast; and breakfast (a frozen dinner) didn't sit well with me earlier.  I sure don't feel like eating.  Or swallowing.  Doc thinks it's pharyngitis.

No, the Gatorade didnt help with the headache.  Neither did two capsules of Tylenol combined with two tablets of Mucinex.  The vinegar and honey didn't make the lump go down.  But it did make a rather interesting searing pain ... something different from the other pain.

Now I better go eat.  And medicate.  And investigate pronto how to file for reimbursement.  And yes, I feel lousy.  Dinner will be a croissant with butter.

you can make your own rosary

Instructions here on how to make your own rosary out of #36 nylon twine.

sick

I have a sore throat like I've never had before. The ones I've had would be soothed by running fluid across it, as in drinking. This sore throat feels like a lump and it hurts like crazy to swallow. Last night the lump was bigger, almost affecting my inner ear. It's gone down but it's still there and still hurts if I swallow.

I had severe chills last night too. My teeth chattered and my muscles are sore from shivering. I was so exhausted this morning. I slept through much of the day. But when I sleep too much, I get headaches. An e-mail I received several weeks back indicated that drinking two glasses of Gatorade will relieve a headache. It also indicated that mixing equal parts of white vinegar and honey and taking a tablespoon of the stuff six times a day will relieve a sore throat. So here I go.

I've had two doses of Tylenol and Mucinex today.  Maybe I'll take another dose.

Every now and then I have to take "space heater therapy" where I toast myself in front of a space heater to relieve the chills.

Triduum

Wishing everyone a holy and most blessed Triduum.  For those who have never attended a Holy Thursday mass or Good Friday service, perhaps this is the year you'll try one.

goodbye, my friend

Tuxedo cat died at 15 years of age.  The fella never hinted that he was old.  Sweet, sweet, handsome cat.

for real

Yes, there is a company named "Big Ass Fans"

whew

What a week.  The workers finished the work on windows and doors on Monday.  Now the doors are waiting to be painted and stained.

Monday night we attended bible study.

Tuesday Gumby went into the hospital.  It was just precautionary.  They did tests on Wednesday.  While Gumby was in the hospital, I was the runner to get any needed stuff.  This evening (Thursday) I picked Gumby up from the hospital.  With all that running around, I haven't been able to get the house back in order.

Our oak tree in the back is dropping leaves like crazy.  I guess the tree is kinda "molting."  New growth is coming in as the leaves are dropping.  I suppose I have a tree worth of leaves in the backyard.  The two trees in the front had green buds Tuesday morning and today those buds have grown into baby leaves.

Work is crazy.  We were pretty much told today that if it takes living at our workplace to meet the schedule, then that's what we have to do.  Missing the schedule is not an option.  As usual, I'm behind schedule.  Let the floggings begin.

I pray for the miracle of not being irate at work, to remember that it's JUST a J-O-B, and to somehow be Christ for others.

installed

The doors and windows are installed, though not quite finished.  We're enjoying them.  We finally have doors and windows that are functional.  The windows have a greenish tint to them; probably an effect of the argon gas in them.

The house is still topsy turvy.  Things have not been put back in place yet.  After the workers left, we had to deal with the dust.  It's concrete dust from when they were taking out the old windows.  We've done the kitchen as that was the first order of things.  Yucky to have gritty kitchen:  floors, counters, you name it.  I've vacuumed the floors where I can and mopped the front and back entries (but not the kitchen).  It's been busy, I haven't gotten to it.

Doors have glass inserts.  We're getting used to them.  With the light coming through them, we get the feeling that the door is open.  We're actually using the front entrance now.  We used to just go through the garage.  We have some stuff we have to do tomorrow (Saturday), but I hope to put up some new blinds as well as finish clean up of at least one area and get things back to there.

doors and windows

Repairs are continuing with the house.  Last year we got the fascia replaced.  It was rotting and the previous contractor we hired didn't replace everything, didn't do a good job where it was replaced, and simply didn't finish the job.  On the second go-around the new contractor replaced all the fascia including the work that was half done, and painted the trim around the house.  The new fascia is Hardi-plank and we shouldn't have to worry about it rotting.

We hired another contractor to look at the roof.  They did spot repairs on the roof and installed new gutters in the front and back of the house.  They will also be replacing our front and back doors and the windows.  Our replacement doors and windows arrived this past week and are sitting in the garage.  We also have new locks to go with the new doors.  All together, it's a LOT of dollars.

One of our windows has been broken ever since we bought the house.  It's a small hole in the glass.  For the most part, we seldom open the windows because it is very difficult.  The doors has always had a big gap in them.  We stuff the gap with a yardstick and towel.

We look forward to having these problems corrected.  We don't know yet when the workers can come.  But all the parts are here.

sick

I've been sick for a week now. The symptoms keep changing. Sinus, cold, allergies ... any one of those probably occurred some time during the week. I've a cough that just won't quit. I've tried just about every color of Mucinex. Delsym worked for me at one time, but it doesn't seem to do anything this time around. This past week I have tried eating oranges, drinking hot tea, hot apple juice, and hot apple cider. I went to the doctor on Friday and he prescribed a cough syrup with codeine and Zyrtec D. I think the Zyrtec is throwing my body for a loop. It did dry me up (too much, I think) but now it's time for another dose and my body is still feeling drugged though my nose is running again. I couldn't get they cough syrup because the pharmacist needs to talk to the Doc and it was Saturday when I tried to fill that prescription. So I'm trying super duper strength Robitussin DM.

I learned Thursday night that a friend of mine passed. I was able to confirm it on Friday morning. He was a good guy. We're not real close but I do try to call him on his birthday and perhaps any one of those military days (Veteran's Day, Memorial Day, Pearl Harbor Day, etc.).  He had been bed-ridden for years.  I was not able to attend any of the services for him because I found out too late (the funeral was at the same time as my doctor's appointment).  May his soul rest in peace.  And may time heal the sorrow of his friend who had taken care of him through all those years.

Baryshnikov

Mikhail Baryshnikov dances to Vladimir Visotsky (or Vysotsky)in the movie "White Nights"

apostolic visitation

A representative from Rome is visiting the U.S.A. women religious congregations.  It's not new news; I just haven't paid it much attention.  However, the visitation seems to have caused quite a flurry.  Here is National Catholic Reporter's collection of "stuff" on the topic: http://ncronline.org/apostolicvisitation

As someone seeking to enter religious life, I ought to be keenly interested.  I've just been too pre-occupied with my own fires.  I am surprised by the negative views of the ordeal.  Of course nobody likes audits.  Usually the grumbling is along the lines of it being another inconvenience.  In this case, the grumblings go far beyond that into issues that I don't understand and have no awareness of.  It'd be nice to sit with some women religious over some bubble tea and hear what the big hoolabaloo is all about.

C'mon T.O.

C'mon T.O., if you're still lurking, please e-mail me.  It's been a while.  I think your blog was LAMLand.  Like I said, it's been a while.  Please.

Little Portion Hermitage

Last year, there was a fire at Little Portion Hermitage, the community founded by John Michael Talbot.  They are rebuilding.  If you are able, please help them by giving a donation.  Thanks.

awesome ice cubes

I love this idea!


via bookofjoe

checking in

We went to see Avatar again. IMAX. 3D.  Still cool.

We just came back from a potluck at the church.  Father was giving an educational lecture/presentation on the topic of "the Mass."  It was very good.  It'd be wonderful if can just go to be now, but alas, that is not to be.

This week is another hectic week at work.  We will be having all-day meeting for the whole week.  Oh boy.

easy way to help

Cory pledges to donate $300 to the Haiti relief effort for every 100,000 views of this video on YouTube.  (originally seen on MSNBC)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URBdbxZjXlA

update:  the author has pulled the video ... lame

You can also help at any time by visiting the Hunger Site and click daily.

the passing of time

I'm in a very vibrant parish with lots of diversity in ages and ethnicity.  One thing about being a member of a parish such as this for a while is that I get to see young families grow and the kids grow up.  Now I don't connect with these folks, and that's my doing no doubt.  But I do see them almost every week and can recognize some of them.  It's really just amazing to me to see those little tykes grow up to be adults.  Really, it's just amazing.  I think I'm starting to understand the phrase, "I'm not getting old, they are."

meager posts

I hope everyone's year is kicking off well.

I think posting on this blog will be sparse (even more so than it's been) for a while. We are now required to work 10 hour days.  Plus I like my 1-hour lunch.  Plus the 1 hour commute.  So that comes out to 12 hours minimum to the job.  We've some major stuff coming up, so I've actually been putting in more hours than that.  It's okay considering that the job pays the bills (at least so far).  Several years back, there was a time when I was looking for a second job ... that would have been even more hours working plus a second commute and another set of job conditions to deal with.  So considering that, I'm not complaining.

New Year's Resolution

I don't normally have a New Year's Resolution. But my spiritual director said "Aim for nothing, get nothing."

Hmm... 

I resolve to finish reading at least ONE book this year.

I think I have a learning disability: put a book in my hands and I fall asleep.  Printed-texta-hyper-somnia. The fix? Read in short blurbs; stop before the zzz's invade. Seriously, I read much of the bible that way: only a few lines each night.

Avatar 3D IMAX

It's Great!  Go see it.  Something along the lines of "Lord of the Rings."  I was pumped on "Avatar," but on further thought, LOTR is better.  Still "Avatar" is a definite must see on its own merits.

My eyes did get a little bleary. That many hours of 3D requires some getting used to.

happy new year

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!

new template

New template for the blog. I'd like something new. But it's a pain. Because I'm really not a programmer and every time I change the template, the widgets get lost. Then I have to fiddle around with the skeleton of the blog. The raw template needs massaging. Wish me luck. Please.

bracelet

"Home is Where Your Pet Is" bracelet available at The Animal Rescue Site

It made me think of Natty.

Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all!!!
or in some places, Happy Christmas!

gripe

Christmas is a great occasion. Yes, it's good to celebrate. But it ought NOT to be an obligation. Sure, I'll be at midnight mass. I'll do my church gigs if I'm up. Outside of that, I do have a job that I'm trying to maintain. I'm up to my eyeballs with work. I have deadlines. When I say I'm friggin busy, I mean I'm busy. I did fund the Christmas meal. We did do grocery shopping. I did put some lights up. But please cut me a break and take into some consideration that I have other obligations, and being festive isn't on the front burner. *grumble*

busy

Been busy. Have had several nights this week in which I only got 2-3 hours of sleep. Today I went to a day of prayer.

What took all that time was Christmas cards. We don't do it every year, thank goodness. We sent out over a hundred. Signed them all, hand addressed them all, and for those who are close, included some personal message. Else they all have a hand-written "Merry Christmas!" even if it's already on the print.

We bought these cards some years ago. It was tough finding the cards we wanted. We bought several different designs. We copy the card and then keep a tally of who got what design so that they won't get the same design the next time around. We only track the ones that come multiple in a box. We don't track the "one-of" cards.

wheels for your meals

you can get it here

I wonder if it's difficult to clean.

movies

"2012" - It was ok. It'll hold your interest, but once you've seen it, you can forget it and go on to something better. I'd rate it on par with "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."

"Precious" - This one can be quite depressing. If you're not afraid to look at the darker side of humanity, then go ahead an watch this one. Yes, good does win out, but this isn't "It's a Wonderful Life." Absolutely do NOT take the kids to this one.

"The Blind Side" - This one is uplifting. Sandra Bullock's character is unforgettable. You can take mom to see this one.

great presentation

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday. It's an American thing. I've been out of town. We've just collected the critters from boarding today ... I'd estimate their boarding in total is about as much as our hotel cost.

Anyhow, here is something far more entertainining and far more educational than my thoughts. I'd say it's approved for all audiences, regardless of your background, age, or interests. Please check it out. Video is 76 minutes including introduction at the beginning and questions and answers at the the end; Brother Guy will keep your interest.

Astronomy, God, and the Search for Elegance (video) presented by Brother Guy Consolmagno, SJ at the Lunar and Planetary Institute. Brother Guy is a curator of meteorites at the Vatican Observatory.

wine

Yellow Tail, Ecco Domani, Franciscan

Shiraz, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot

Smuckers, of course, is not wine ... just happened to be there and I didn't bother to move it.

No wine for me though. No desire for it or any other alcoholic beverage. I don't think my body likes it.

free "rental"

Father Corapi's personal testimony in audio format is currently a "free" rental. If you like good story-telling, check it out. If you've never heard Fr. Corapi, here's your chance. It's well worth it.

homemade

Although we don't use firewood much, I occasionally keep some. Here is a homemade rack built with wood recovered from a fence nightmare project. It's not very well built, but for now it's working ... two weeks so far. The firewood is from branches I've trimmed from the tree. The bigger chunks are from my neighbor, who trimmed another neighbor's tree. It was a lot of wood, but I only took some of the bigger chunks, leaving probably 95% remaining on the curb for the garbage guys. At the time I took the firewood, I didn't have the rack and didn't know where I would keep it. I used whatever nails I had on hand, and in this case they were galvanized but very long. The nails went all the way through and were very tough to drive in, given that it's a rather flimsy frame and difficult to brace properly for hammering. I contemplated not knocking down the nails but then made some effort to do so. Anyhow, there you have it for homemade.

me

Lest people think that the "religious/spiritual" part of my life is dead ...

Yes, I am still involved in two volunteer gigs at my parish. I had at one time considered dropping out of them, but didn't. On one, they seemed shorthanded as it is, so I stuck. On the other, I spoke to the person in charge and was discouraged from dropping out, so I'm still there too.

Yes, I still go to spiritual direction. I went this morning. Advice is still the same (seeing that I haven't changed any of my habits): develop a personal relationship with God, find time for personal prayer. That is, set aside time dedicated to prayer, and not just pray while I'm doing something else.

I pray my usual prayers in the car as I drive in to work. I pray a little thanksgiving as I drive off from work at the end of the day. And I pray a quick formula prayer as I crawl into bed at night. Those are the usual staple. Other moments of prayer are sporadic.

I am only somewhat involved with the Dominicans, being that my schedule is swamped and my energy is almost non-existent. They had a discernment event some months back and I attended that, and that was the last time I saw them.

I have started reading 3 books and haven't made much headway on them. I seem to have some attention deficit in this department. One is a religious allegory, another is a collection of talks by a monk, and the other is a collection of stories of visions of heaven and hell. I also have the New Testament as an audio book ... I think I'm on Acts. It's been a while since I last played it.

I still listen to Christian (though non-Catholic) radio in the car at lunch when possible. Unfortunately, I've stopped going to mass at lunchtime. I so desperately need to grab a few zzz's during the day and lunchtime affords a few minutes.
---
Peace to all.

rechargeable batteries

I don't know if I have a defective batch, but the Duracell rechargeable AA batteries I picked up a few weeks ago seem to self-discharge. Prior to that, I had Energizer ones. I got the Duracell because it was 2650 mAh vs. the Energizer 2450 mAh.

I charged up the Duracells and gleefully put them in my camera. Weeks later, I took my camera out and noticed that the charge was low (maybe around half) even though I hadn't used the camera. I recharged the Duracells and repeated. Sure enough, the batteries were again below half after a few weeks of sitting up.

So, I vote for the Energizers. They've never given me this problem. I can leave my camera sitting up for months and the Energizer batteries still kept their charge.

beware of the Casio calculator

Beware of the Casio calculator: its "%" key doesn't function as expected. When I put in 100 + 10 then press "%" I should get 110. That doesn't happen with the Casio. I have two Casio's, different models purchased at different times, which have the same frustrating "feature."

yummy punch

Tropicana Peach Orchard Punch is yummy. We try to look for alternatives to soda. Usually it's lemonade, tea, Hawaiian punch and maybe occasional other something such as the V8 Splash punches. This peach punch is the best. Yum!

On a side note, I had once thought that carbonation was bad for your health. However, I do believe carbonation has been exonerated of such charges. Still, we look for alternatives to soda anyways. We do try to keep some Sprite on hand for easing upset stomachs; they often get consumed even when there are no upset stomachs.

lamenting the loss of a great feature

"Smart" phones seems to have lost the "alarm" functionality. My cell phones that were primarily phones with added features were great alarm clocks. They were loud. They'd still give an alarm even when they were turned off. They were great.

I inherited the Cingular 8125 smart phone when Gumby got the iPhone. Maybe I just don't know how to use them, but neither one of these are good at being alarm clocks. The alarm isn't very loud, and they only work when the phone is on. That sucks.

My old Nokia candy phone finally died about a month ago. I had been using it for years as my alarm clock. It also had a timer function that used occasionally. Now I'm using my old Motorola to wake me in the morning; it was my cell phone until about a month ago. I could take a lunchtime nap and be confident that the Motorola would wake me. Not so with the Cingular 8125.

Does anyone have tips for extending the usefulness of the Cingular 8125? I've never updated the OS, so it's still Windows Mobile 5.0. Its main feature for me now is that I can play Sudoku on it.

milestone

Lookee. The principal balance on the student loan is finally less than the principal balance on the mortgage. I had to pay more on the student loan than on the mortgage for three years before I got to this point. Yup, like paying for two houses.

This is It

Trailers and stuff here.

There is no denying that Michael Jackson was very gifted. Absolutely genius. As has been said, "Nobody moves like Michael."

Yeah, go see it and be entertained. Some might be inspired.

kudos to NASA

Yay. Nice launch of the test rocket.

iPhone app picks

iPhone rocks! Gumby has one and I've been setting it up. Here are the chosen free apps in alphabetical order:

Alarm Clock Free: I don't know what it does yet, but it looks like a nice clock interface.
AOL Radio: So we can go beyond our music collection and listen to other stuff.
Around Me: Mainly so we can find near by eats.
Balance: We're going on a trip; this will help tally up the cost.
Catholic Calendar: Because it's Catholic. And it's free.
Catholic Lite: A little too lite; candidate for deletion.
The Catholic Directory: So I can find near by parishes, their phone numbers and mass times. Also has the mass readings.
Dictionary: of course
DigiDrummer Lite: just for fun
Drum Meister Lite: more fun
eReader: in case we get a hankerin' to reading a book
ESPN ScoreCenter: for those rare moments when we actually want to know the score
Falling Balls: mindless fun activity; candidate for deletion
Google Mobile: find info fast
iTV: 'cause we don't have a TV Guide
iDict: In case we have to communicate in another language.
iHandy Level: just handy
Note Me: 'cause folks have said it's good
NYTimes: news
Pac-Man Lite
Quick Graph: Never had a graphing calculator. Neat to see stuff graphed in 3D.
Shazam: to ID music we hear and like
Space Shooter: mindless entertainment
Soduko: of course
uDrummer Lite: fun
USA Today: another source of news
Virtuoso Piano: fun. This one lets you do glissandos. It will span the whole keyboard, but difficult to do so smoothly. It's the same graphic, but the pitch changes.
The Weather Channel: weather, of course. This is in addition to the weather app that comes with the iPhone already. This one might get replaced ... still to be determined.
Yelp: mostly so we can find near by eateries
Feb 2011 update: (too many to discuss them)

digital camera review links

The following sites are not hard to find. They'll show up on a search for digital camera reviews. These are just the main ones I'd look up instead of wading through all the links that are available.

Jeff's picks at Digital Camera Resource Page My favorite page for doing a quick look. Nice large photos, picks are arranged by price and there is a brief commentary for each pick.
Dave's Picks at Imaging Resource Here the picks are arranged by function if you need it that way. If you scroll down, there are picks arranged by price. It's a longer list to browse and the pictures of the cameras are much smaller. If Jeff's picks were too few, maybe Dave's list will do the trick for you.
Ken Rockwell My favorite page if I don't need a lot of options. He gives a "This is the best camera, hands down" opinion. He does have some other picks but if you're tired of thinking about it, take the "one best camera" advice and run with it.

Steve's Digicams and Digital Photography Review (links below) have a list of favorites as well. If I see a camera show up as a favorite on all of these sites, then I figure it must be good. These lists are good place to start. I really don't want to read through the entire plethora of digital cameras on the market, so I start with these shorter lists. From there, I can check out in-depth reviews of whatever camera I want to zoom in on.

My favorite sites for an in-depth review:
Steve's Digicams This is my first love as far as camera review sites goes. The format has changed recently. I'll have to get used to it.
Digital Photography Review Steve can't review them all. So between Steve and this site, I should be able to find most any model.

Then if I want to see what the "general word on the street" is on a camera, I'd browse a larger set of websites. For example, I think the micro four-thirds format is promising. I would scan several articles on that instead of heading straight for the in-depth review.

Each of the above sites have other features as well. They're worth checking out. Have fun.

annoying

It is safe to say that Beyonce's singing annoys me. There is no depth to her singing; there is a serious lack of expression.

persimmons

Persimmons. I had picked them from the tree at the other property just last Saturday. I've been seeing them change to a brighter orange as they sit on the counter. Now they seem ripe already. I had one. It wasn't bad. Probably one more day of ripening would be safe.

flashlights ... hee

Like it? You can get it on the Animal Rescue Site.

took the day off

I decided to take the day off today. We took the critters to get blessed, on the occasion of Feast of St. Francis (of Assisi). We had three crates in my car: one for each of two cats and a medium one for the Labrador. We were late getting there and almost missed it. And since we were late and most people were gone, we were able to park right by the curb. Father came over to bless them in the back of the car; all the crates faced outward. Minutes later the other Father was picking up the holy water bucket when he saw us and offered to sprinkle them. Fortunately, all the critters came forward to the crate doors and they all got sprinkled.

Then we went to check on the other property, then stopped on the way back to get pie slices, then another stop to get lunch to go.

Unfortunately, we took too long to get back. The black and white cat is on diuretics for his heart condition, and urinated just as we got in our neighborhood. Oh well. That's why I had a mat in there, just in case of such accidents.

The cats are in a big cage at home. They get to come out when we're home and can watch them. Today they pretty much spent the day in their cage.

You see, I took the day off. I had lunch, then took a long nap. Woke up, took a shower, went out and got dinner, fed everybody, then washed dishes, and I'm going to go to bed in a little while. Cat bathing, crate cleaning, and house cleaning will have to wait until tomorrow at best.

update: Yes I did bathe the cat on Sunday. He's very sweet and gave me no problems. Then I took him out to the front porch and dried him with a hair dryer. He did try to leave a few times but that was all. No hollerin'. No biting or scratching. I did it outside since all that hair was flying. The time before, I had bathed him without blow-drying and he was pretty badly matted afterwards. So now I know I have to blow-dry him. It took a while.

random shot