text:
Miscarriage not only hard but It's just very hard for a woman specially who was carrying her baby since few months/days and no matter WHAT the circumstances! It's usually unexplainable, and at that moment doctors don't seem to have anything comforting to say, because they are really not comfortable in the loss of a baby. Take the story relative of a lady who was miscarried 6 times in the first 5 years of her marriage. They thought that they were never going to have children, and just as they were looking into adoption. But she became pregnant with the first of their 5 healthy, beautiful children.
But what about those who get pregnant, FINALLY, after months and even years of infertility treatment, and lose their babies? The total cost of my miscarriage is $2500. And we'll have to do it all over again when we're emotionally not ready to try again
So, how do we deal with this unexpected, traumatic, unexplainable loss? It's certainly not by paying the doctor off. It's by reaching out to others, who care about you. It just happens that you have several friends who have miscarried recently, and amazingly enough, they've lost their babies after years of infertility treatment! So, you never will feel alone!
Adoption's not out of the question, and it's not the end of the world to wait a few years to think about it.
Self-acceptance, and peace, come when we discover that it really isn't our fault. Yes, it will take time – some longer than others – but it WILL heal.
How to deal with Miscarriage after infertility treatment:
Spontaneous abortion (SAB) or miscarriage is the term used for a pregnancy that ends on it's own, within the first 20 weeks of gestation.
Spontaneous abortion (SAB) gives many women a negative feeling so lets say is Miscarriage. Miscarriage is the most common type of pregnancy loss. Studies reveal that anywhere from 10- 25% of all clinically recognized pregnancies will end in miscarriage.
Estimations of chemical pregnancies or unrecognized pregnancies that are lost can be as high as 50-75%, but many of these are unknown since they often happen before a woman has missed a period or is aware she is pregnant.
Most miscarriages occur during the first 13 weeks of pregnancy.
The reason for miscarriage is varied and most often, the cause can not be identified. During the first trimester, the most common cause of miscarriage is chromosomal abnormality-meaning that something is not correct with the baby's chromosomes.
Most chromosomal abnormalities are the cause of a faulty egg or sperm cell or due to a problem at the time that the zygote went through the division process. Other causes for miscarriage include (but are not limited to):
- Hormonal problems, infections or health problems with mother.
- Lifestyle (i.e. smoking, drug use, malnutrition, excessive caffeine and exposure to radiation or toxic substances).
- Implantation of the egg into the uterine lining does not occur properly.
- Maternal Age .
- Maternal trauma .
- Factors, which are not proven yet cause of miscarriage, are sex, working outside the home (unless in a harmful environment) or moderate exercise.
What are the chances of having a Miscarriage?
For women in childbearing years, the chances of having miscarriage can range from 10-25%, but with the healthiest women the average is about 15-20% chance.
- An increase in maternal age changes the chances of miscarriage .
- Women under the age of 35 yrs old have about a 15% chance of miscarriage .
- Women, aged 35-45 yrs old, have a 20-35% chance of miscarriage.
- Women over the age of 45yrs old can have up to 50% chance of miscarriage.
- A woman, who has had a previous miscarriage, has a 25% chance of having another miscarriage (only a slightly elevated risk than for someone who has not had a previous miscarriage).
What are the Warning signs of Miscarriage:
If you experience any or all of these symptoms, it is very important to contact your doctor or get to a medical facility as soon as possible:
- Mild to severe back pain (often worse than normal menstrual cramps).
- Weight loss .
- White-pink mucus .
- True contractions (very painful happening every 5-20 minutes).
- Frequent bowel movements.
- Brown or bright red bleeding or spotting with or without cramps (20-40% of all pregnancies can experience some bleeding in early pregnancy, with about 50% of those resulting in normal pregnancies) .
- Tissue with clot like material passing from the vagina.
- Nausea.
- Decrease in signs of pregnancy or loss of breast tenderness .
The Different Types of Miscarriage:
Miscarriage is often a process not a single event. There are many different stages or types of miscarriage. There is also a lot of information to learn about healthy fetal development so that you might get a better idea of what is going on with your pregnancy. Understanding early fetal development and first trimester development can aide you in knowing the things, what your health care provider is looking for when there is concern of a miscarriage occurring.
Most of the time all types of miscarriage are just called Miscarriage, but you may hear your health care provider refer to other terms or names of miscarriage such as:
- Threatened Miscarriage:
Some degree of early pregnancy uterine bleeding accompanied by cramping or lower backache. The cervix remains closed. This bleeding is often the result of implantation.
- Inevitable or Incomplete Miscarriage:
Abdominal or back pain accompanied by bleeding with an open cervix. Miscarriage is inevitable when there is a dilation or effacement of the cervix or there is rupture of the membranes. Bleeding and cramps may persist if the miscarriage is not completed.
- Complete Miscarriage:
A completed miscarriage is when the embryo or products of conception have emptied out of the uterus. Bleeding should subside quickly, as should any pain or cramping. A completed miscarriage can be confirmed by an ultrasound or by having a surgical curettage performed
- Missed Miscarriage:
Women can experience a miscarriage without knowing it. A missed miscarriage is when embryonic death has occurred but there is not any expulsion of the uterus. It is not known why this occurs. Signs of this would be a loss of pregnancy symptoms and the absence of fetal heart tones found on an ultrasound.
- Recurrent Miscarriage (RM):
Defined as 3 or more consecutive first trimester miscarriages. This can affect 1% of couples trying to conceive.
- Blighted Ovum:
Also called an anembryonic pregnancy. A fertilized egg implants into the uterine wall, but fetal development never begins. Often there is a gestational sac with or without a yolk sac, but there is an absence of fetal growth.
- Ectopic Pregnancy:
A fertilized egg implants itself in places other than the uterus, most commonly the fallopian tube. Treatment is needed immediately to stop the development of the implanted egg. If not treated rapidly, this could end in serious maternal complications.
- Molar Pregnancy:
The result of a genetic error during the fertilization process that leads to growth of abnormal tissue within the uterus. Molar pregnancies rarely involve a developing embryo, but often entail the most common symptoms of pregnancy including a missed period, positive pregnancy test and severe nausea.
Treatment of Miscarriage:
The main goal of treatment during or after a miscarriage is to prevent hemorrhaging or infection. The earlier you are in the pregnancy, the more likely that your body will expel all the fetal tissue by itself, and will not require further medical procedures. If the body does not expel all the tissue, the most common procedure performed to stop bleeding and prevent infection is a dilation and curettage, known as a D&C. Drugs may be prescribed to help control bleeding after the D& C is performed. Bleeding should be monitored closely once you are at home and if you notice an increase in bleeding or the onset of chills or fever, it is best to call your physician immediately.
Prevention of Miscarriage:
Since the cause for most miscarriages is due to chromosomal abnormalities, there is not much that can be done to prevent them. One vital step is to get as healthy as you can before conceiving to provide a healthy atmosphere for conception to occur.
- Exercise regularly.
- Eat healthy.
- Reduce the stress.
- Keep weight in healthy limits.
- Take folic acid daily.
- Do not smoke.
Once you find out that you are pregnant, again the goal is to be as healthy as possible, to provide a healthful environment for your baby to grow in:
- Keep your abdomen safe.
- Do not smoke or be around smoke ,.
- Do not drink alcohol .
- Check with your doctor before taking any over-the-counter medications.
- Limit or eliminate caffeine.
- Avoid environmental hazards such as radiation, infectious disease and x-rays .
- Avoid contact sports or activities that have risk of injury.
Emotional Treatment:
Unfortunately, miscarriage is not prejudice to whom it touches. It can affect any couple or family. Often, women are left with unanswered questions regarding their physical recovery, their emotional recovery and trying to conceive again. It is very important that women try to keep the lines of communication open with family, friends and health care providers during this time.


text:
Used Furniture Toronto Ideas
Used Furniture Toronto Ideas - Opt For some shapely seating - Squashy sofas might be secure, however to in an instant rock a mid-century look, uncover a layout with a picket body. this gives the piece the. Used Furnishings Shop Packed Entrancing Mid Century Modern furniture Toronto Tagged. Diy make-up vainness table ideas interlocking patio pavers for sale apartment lighting fixtures solutions. Residing Room Design Ideas and Remodels. The prime patio furniture shops in Toronto are many and varied, and so they are. That they have got no proposal while the cushions are coming in. i'm hosting an.
The producers this store has picked used vast materials not commonly. Frontier sales Fixtures & Home Decor Toronto Satisfactory Used Furnishings - virtual Showroom - Mid-Century Modern Teak table - 55" x 27" x 29" $279.ninety nine | See. moment Hand furniture shops In Toronto Used furniture On Exhibit Most Appropriate Design. Suggestions furniture Retailer sales near Me Fixtures store Peak layout furniture. Multifunctional, remodeling furnishings from Aid Fixtures makes each square foot work harder. Wall Beds : Made in Italy via Clei, our selection of 60+ wall.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
There are artists who hire incredible dancers to perform behind them and trick us into thinking the artist has serious moves, and then there are artists who are the incredible dancers in their own right. Jennifer Lopez is one. Madonna is in there. Michael Jackson for sure. And Jason Derulo.
In 2016, no singer can touch Jason Derulo's dancing abilities.
In Derulo's latest release Get Ugly, the classically trained entertainer gives us a good old fashioned dance video, complete with a faux New York background and a hair salon. Dance videos love hair salons.
What makes Derulo's Get Ugly and all his recent videos that showcase his talent as a dancer even more incredible is that it wasn't that long ago that the singer broke his neck while preparing for his tour with Lady Gaga, almost paralyzing himself in the process. We're still calling it a comeback.
Contrary to the name of the song, there's nothing ugly about Derulo's third single from 2015's Everything Is 4. With a retro 80s vibe that includes neon everything, the video is a fun and colourful dance party. Where was our invite?


text:
By B15m1lah. Chair. At Monday, July 22nd 2019, 01:16:20 AM.
Let's start with the basic and obvious premise that for any business to survive, they must take in more dollars over a course of time than they expend. This is certainly true for a company that provides church chairs as well. There is an overall cost to obtaining chairs (either through manufacturing them or importing them) and then delivering them to the end user (churches across the country). The company must receive for their chairs an amount of money from their customers that will cover all of their expenses.
Folding chairs really are one of the most practical inventions of past centuries. Wherever you need a space-saving solution whether in the garden or in the home, some great looking folding chairs can help. Of course, it is not only in the home where you will find such chairs; public halls and conference rooms will have hundreds of chairs neatly folded away for important functions.
If you experience neck pain look for a chair that comes with an adjustable headrest. Again you will need to measure your back to ensure you do not pick a chair that has a back that is too high or too low, otherwise your headrest may end up turning out to be detrimental rather than helpful. Many people suffer from lower back pain from having a chair that does not have proper lumbar support which is why it is crucial to find a chair that offers built-in lumbar support, adjustable lumbar support, or air lumbar support to prevent lower back pain.


text:
Our aviation-themed show for lema?, an Abu Dhabi Education Council outreach program, is launched at the Abu Dhabi Science Festival.
For the past few month's we've been developing Prepare for Take-Off, an aviation themed science show for the Abu Dhabi Education Council's 'lema?' schools outreach program.
Prepare for Take-Off was performed to its first audiences this week at the Abu Dhabi Science Festival, a 9-day event in the heart of Abu Dhabi. The dual-language and -presenter show has gone down very well with audiences, with people of all ages enjoying the show's comedy and live demonstrations of flight phenomena.
We've been training the show's presenters over the past weeks,helping them develop into confident performers who are able to effectively manage the challenges that a live-science show can bring.
The presenters have become a tight-knit team in this time, resulting in an entertaining on-stage dynamic between the presenters that really brings the show to life. This presenter-led energy is infectious and audiences have been swept up in the show, eager to call out answers, repeat key phrases and enthusiastic to volunteer
After the festival finishes the show will become part of the regular school outreach program offered by lema?


text:
New pope could bring glory for Rome, Argentina tourism
U.S. tour operators specializing in religious travel expect a jump in demand for travel to the Vatican with the election of the new pope Wednesday.
It's a given that Catholic faithful would be drawn to the Vatican and other holy sites in and around Rome, but some operators believe Argentina may benefit as well.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 76, who is now known as Pope Francis, was born to Italian immigrant parents and raised in Buenos Aires.
KEY FACTS:Meet Pope Francis
PHOTOS:Catholics celebrate new pope
"With Pope John Paul II, there was an interest in walking in his footsteps in Poland," where he was born, says Mike Schields of Globus, which operates a religious tours division. "I can see once this pope becomes a little better known, that people of faith will do the same thing with Argentina."
At the Catholic Travel Centre in Los Angeles, owner Scott Scherer has been hearing from group leaders interested in switching tours from Spain and elsewhere to Italy in light of the announcement last month that Pope Benedict would resign.
"They're calling and saying, 'It's time to see the pope,'" he says.
Based on first impressions as Francis addressed the crowd in St. Peter's Square, Scherer predicts travel to Rome and the Vatican could benefit.
"He has a personality — prayerful, humble, grandfatherly — that is going to draw people," he says.
If Benedict's resignation took the world by surprise, so did the speed at which a successor was named. Rome-based TourCrafters had scarcely devised a five-night Rome & Papal Election package (starting at a bargain $402 per person, land only) with departures from March 16 to April 30 by the time puffs of white smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel. The election may be over, but the tours continue.
In Charlotte, Keane Travel owner Joann Keane believes increased demand for tours will be immediate. But with Easter just two weeks away and no word on exactly when the papal inauguration will be, the creator of custom pilgrimage tours worries about Rome hotel rates spiking.
At any rate, the installation isn't suited for every traveler, says Keane, who attended the beatification of Mother Teresa in St. Peter's in 2003.
"The crowds were immense," she says.
10Best:Things to do in Rome


text:
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Note To Soundmen
I play with a multi-effects processor, into a D/I box. I generate no sound except what the guitar does acoustically and what you let get through the PA system.
During soundcheck in venues where there is no monitor mix, when we're asking for more or less sound, I will ask for enough volume that I can hear myself. I am sensitive to the idea that others don't want me to completely overpower what they're doing, and that, in a guitar/keys/vox setup, the singer wants to take most of the queues from the keys.
This means, at the end of sound check, I am literally running at the lowest volume I can effectively hear myself at. If you decide to lower my headroom, there might be a place I can push myself, but you are giving me a choice between not being heard and sounding like a garbage disposal.
I do not want to be a prima donna.
I do not want to be silent.
I do not want to sound like a garbage disposal.
If given a choice between silence and garbage disposal, I will pack up my gear mid-song next time. Just watch me.
5 comments:
- Pribek said...
It's a constant dilemma it seems.
One possible fun solution: actually sample your actual garbage disposal and midi it up through one of your gizmo banks. Hit it when you have the dough-head sound guy messing with you.
rave on...
- Thursday, 17 November, 2011
- Dave Jacoby said...
That is an idea.
Normally, where I play there's some sort of headphone monitoring, and as long as I can hear myself and what I'm playing along with, I know I'm doing the best I can do and what the soundman does with it is not my problem. I of course want my playing to hit the ears of the audience and make them happy, but I've decided I cannot let myself care about that.
It's when they hinder the ability to hear myself, to keep me from doing my best, that's when I get upset. And I've slept on it and I'm still upset.
- Thursday, 17 November, 2011
- Pribek said...
yeah well, if you have a sound guy it is inherently his duty to worry about sound out front. You shouldn't have to give it a thought.
If you can't hear yourself properly, you can't attain the proper feel and you end up digging in too much, playing too hard.
If you have made the guy aware of it and it's still not happening...not much you can do.
- Thursday, 17 November, 2011
- Dave Jacoby said...
We're not talking "digging in". We're talking wanting to have Chet Atkins cleans and having to dial in Kerry King grind just so I can hear myself a little. But yeah.
Patrick got me to consider getting small computer speakers, so I have something to fall back on when I have nothing.
- Saturday, 19 November, 2011
- Dimaension X said...
I don't think I have EVER had the opportunity to work with a soundman that ACTUALLY knows how to set up a good monitor mix. I've always had to put my tiny combo on a tilted stand, pointed directly at my head, and crank it beyond a comfortable level, just to hear myself over the drums, which always seem to be the only thing in the monitors (huh? why would they put the loudest thing in these tiny clubs through the PA?). It would be great to have a soundguy who knows what he's doing, but I don't think they really exist.
- Tuesday, 17 January, 2012


text:
A new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) approved by Southampton City Council earlier this week will put restrictions on public drinking and begging in 5 locations across Southampton. The plans went through in spite of a 38 Degrees petition signed by 1,250 people which accused the order of "criminalising homelessness" and posing "a threat to civil liberties"
The PSPO has been established as a result of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which gave new powers to local authorities to tackle 'conduct that has caused, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to any person'. It means anybody found begging in one of the 5 designated areas – Southampton city centre from Town Quay to Archers Road, Bitterne Precinct, Portswood Broadway, Shirley High Street and Woolston High Street – could be fined £100 and have alcohol confiscated.
Southampton City Council claimed the PSPO was aimed primarily at "bogus beggars": people who are not homeless but pretend to be in order to make money. One homeless person living in Southampton, who wished to remain anonymous, agreed that these "bogus beggars" were operating in Southampton and that they should be punished for doing so.
However, he also said that the problem was being exaggerated and in particular that The Daily Echo's claim that beggars could regularly make £200 per day were ridiculous. He told Wessex Scene that someone he knew had been begging for 10 hours the previous day, and had made only 10p.
There is also nothing in the legislation to suggest that the PSPO will not affect those who really are homeless, as anybody caught drinking or begging is liable to be fined. The human rights and freedoms charity Liberty said that the order would result in pushing more "vulnerable individuals into the criminal justice system-rather than divert[ing]them away from it." The homeless person we spoke to said that police were already interfering with people who were genuinely at risk. One homeless person, he claimed, had £180 taken away by police. The money apparently was saved from benefits and intended for a landlord.
Begging and sleeping rough remain criminal offences under the Vagrancy Act 1824.


text:
Another year has rolled by, and with it comes the chance to reflect on what has happened in the Kentico community and my own blog here at Mcbeev.com.
2015 started out with a bang, with the release of Kentico 8.2 in early January. 8.2 turned out to be one of the best releases of the year. All of our projects at BizStream quickly upgraded to this new version because of the increased performance and stability. I think everyone would agree that 8.2 rocked.
The year continued with all sorts of new activity for Kentico enthusiasts. The Kentico Developer Roadshow ran through 4 cities. We added a few new Kentico MVPs to the mix. Kentico DevNet itself saw a lot of new and interesting updates. And of course the Kentico Connection conference in Melbourne, Orlando, Brno once again proved it is the premiere Kentico event of the year.
Finally 2015's biggest news is that Kentico 9.0 was released this past November. Kentico 9 allows for faster website development through CI, Modulularity improvements, and optimized auto scaling in the cloud. It also gives marketers a way to optimize campaigns for more insight into their results, and has better support for semantic content editing.
2015 was an exciting year for sure. Now on to my best of lists for Kentico Related Posts.
The following posts were created in 2015 and are in order of which received the most traffic.
The following episodes of the Kentico Rocks Podcast were created in 2015 and are in order of which received the most downloads.
The following posts are my favorite posts or what I feel are the most informative posts by either Kentico employees, Kentico MVPs, and/or Kentico enthuiasts. They are in no particular order. The list is too hard to get down to 10, so a few extra snuck in.
Well there you have it. The best Kentico related blog posts of 2015. Hopefully this list helps out any new developers who have just started their journey with Kentico, or rings a bell with long time Kentico developers. I know it did for me. Here's to a great 2016! I can't wait to see what Kentico 9.x brings. Up next for me is completing the upgrade of the Mcbeev.com to Kentico 9.0.
Kentico MVP, Co-Founder BizStream at BizStream
I have over 17 years of experience in web development, mainly at BizStream. I'm passionate about software platforms and technologies that can help solve real world problems. I specialize in architecting solutions that use Kentico CMS, Kentico EMS, ASP.NET Content Management Systems, and the Microsoft Azure platform.
I enjoy hanging out with my wife, chasing around my three children and vigorously rooting for the Michigan State Spartans and Detroit Lions.


text:
We're finally getting some winter-like weather here in the southern part of the central valley of California. We have had the mildest fall ever. I am still riding in long sleeve tops with no jacket!
Thursday's high was supposed to be 54℉ with a low of 41℉. Friday is supposed to be cooler with a high of 52℉ and a low of 37℉. We're also having a little rain and a lot of humidity. For us, this is winter; it's doesn't get too much colder than this.
I am not a fan of blanketing. Instead, I keep my ponies with a full winter coat. I tend to go with what nature intended as often as possible. It's not that I think there is anything wrong with blanketing, I just don't. Well, not very often that is. I have more blankets than I can count, most of which are from my endurance years. I always blanket away from home since it's almost always colder elsewhere, but our barn is very snug, our winters very mild, and horses have a built in apparatus for warming themselves.
A few years ago, Montoya got hung up in her blanket and injured herself enough that she was out of competition for almost a year. She ultimately healed, but it reinforced my no need to blanket creed.
Speedy has been blanketed twice this season after getting pretty sweaty during his Monday night lessons. I don't like to put him away wet and naked. If he's damp, he gets blanketed until the next morning.
On Thursday night, I finally caved and tossed blankets on both my boys. I told our barn owner to leave them on during the day since it's not going to be any warmer. This way she won't have to put them back on tonight. We're going to Hubby's work party so I can't get to the barn to blanket myself.
Click photos to enlarge, especially since they're so good!
To blanket or not ...


text:
WHY HAVE I HAD THIS SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD FOR THREE DAYS?!?!? Probably because I've been listening to it nonstop for three days now…Not entirely sure how the hell that happened. Looking up Iggy Pop on Youtube then clicking on related videos somehow brought me to Meat Loaf and ever since then I haven't been able to stop. Whatever haha.
Anyway, I ran today! Yay! Apparently a few days off was just what I needed, because I felt pretty darn good today.:) I did three easy miles, that didn't exactly feel easy because of wind gusts of up to 40 mph. That definitely made things interesting, but kinda fun actually. What was not fun was the fact that it was 62 degrees. I do not like the hot 😦 (and with that, the whining about warm weather has officially started). I guess this means I'm going to have to start waking up earlier, and I won't be able to meander around my house for as long as I want to before I run anymore. I'm going to have to start getting out the door as early as possible, before the sun gets all the way up and heating up the pavement. Bleh. I'm really not looking forward to summer running.
Speaking of the weather, it's been pretty crazy here today! We've been under three different warnings through the day. We've been under a fire weather warning for a week or two now, We were under a wind advisory from 1-6 pm, and we're currently under a tornado watch. That started at around 3 pm. So yeah, no one is suppose to burn anything in pretty much the whole state of Kansas, there's been trash flying around my neighborhood today and every once in a while I'll here something get knocked over by the wind, and the conditions outside are ideal for tornado weather right now. Fun times!
The whole tornado thing doesn't really bother me though. I've lived in the Midwest my whole life, so tornado watches are just a very common occurrence in the spring and summer. I even lived through a tornado that touched down near my parents' house in Illinois 5 or 6 years ago! Granted, it wasn't a very big tornado, but it's still cool to be able to say that. 😉 And besides, I don't even live in tornado ally. The crazy amount of wind and fire advisories are still kinda new to me though. Back in Illinois I lived on a flood plain and near enough to the Mississippi river that wildfires weren't something we really had to worry about, but apparently here in Kansas it's something we have to be mindful of.
So I know I tend to drone on and on about the weather, but this kind of stuff absolutely fascinates me! Especially severe weather. A lot of people think I'm crazy, but I absolutely love watching thunderstorms roll in. It's literally my favorite pass time in the summer. I get super excited every time I see a thunderstorm in the weather forecast, and have spent a lot of time sitting on my front porch here in Kansas or my mom and dad's back deck in Illinois just watching lightning. Maybe I should have been a storm chaser or something haha. I mean, sometimes I plan my runs around thunderstorms. I really like going out right before a storm front moves in and then try to get my run done before the storm actually hits. I usually end up getting rained on, which I don't mind one bit, but that's probably a dangerous game to play. But come on, life's no fun without a little bit of danger. 😉
So even though I'm not a fan of summer and I absolutely hate hot weather, at least I have something to look forward to during the summer months. I'm just hoping this year wont be as dry as last year was. That was no fun…
What's your favorite kind of weather?
Running in the rain, yay or nay?
Are you excited for summer and the coming of warmer weather?


text:
Soon the summer will arrive and John Reno was searching for an air conditioning for home. His little flat in the top-floor is very warm when the hot weather arrives. So this year is definitively the time to take one profiting that his electric fan is broken. "Away will be the hot days sweating how a pig" thought John, while he was driving to a store of air conditioners in the outskirts of the city.
The seller, a pretty blonde woman of blue eyes, flirted with him to engage the most expensive apparel, but when she realized that in reality John was flirting with her too, trying to touch her hip and approaching too much of her slender body, she turned around and ran quickly for the corridor escaping of the person that was becoming octopus.
Finally John came back at home carrying a cheap electric fan in his hands. He remembered that Paris Hilton had invited to pass this summer in her house. She needed protection for one of her Pomeranians and searching in the Yellow Pages found John. So, sure that if she cares him how to her dogs, sure that it will be the best and more refreshing summer of his life.
NEVER POST | OLDER POST ›› WRITTEN AND DRAWN by JUAN RUBIO


text: BUSINESS 'Bee' format sales sing loudly worldwide 5:00 AM PDT 4/4/2008 by Steve Brennan , AP FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Empty The singers may be warbling out of tune in dozens of languages, but it's all sweet music to the creators of variety game format "The Singing Bee," which has notched up foreign versions in some 24 territories prior to a planned sales push at MIPTV, which opens Monday in Cannes.Although NBC has removed the show from its schedule, the global format sales for producers the Gurin Co. and Juma Entertainment have been striking up a slew of production deals around the globe, according to the show's creators and executive producers Phil Gurin and Bob Horowitz.Territories with local versions of the show include Australia, Belgium, Chile, China, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, the Middle East, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Russia, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands and Tur-key. (Video clips from some of these productions are available on THR.com.)Spain's Antena 3 has commissioned an additional 45 episodes following a successful Christmas special version of "Bee," according to Ana Rivas, director of programming for Antena 3, who said that the show serves the broadcaster as family viewing. RAI in Italy also has ordered an extra five episodes for a primetime slot. RTL4 in the Netherlands is producing it as a weekly show as is Sweden's TV 3 ,which airs it in an 8 p.m. slot, according to Thursday's pre-MIPTV an-nouncement by the show's creator-producers. Chile's Canal 13 also has ordered an addition 12 episodes.Overall, the ratings data from local productions that have premiered to date shows growth in time slots across the board, the producers added."While the basic format remains the same from territory to territory, there are some unique territorial differences. For example, the French version has doubled the number of 'Honeybee dancers,' whereas in the Israeli version, there are none," he added. The show is basically a sing-along in which contestants must accurately re-member and sing the lyrics to popular songs. A big element of the show is a female dancing team called the "honeybees.""We are so excited moving forward with 'Singing Bee' at MIP. It's working in so many different territories, we couldn't be happier," said creator and executive producer Phil Gurin, who added that international product licensing has become a big element of the sales effort, with games, apparel and novelty items being merchandised. FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Steve Brennan firstname.lastname@example.com @thr AP email@example.com @thr


text:
|Richard Gray's Power Company 600s Power Conditioner
|Saturday, 01 June 2002
Page 1 of 2Introduction
Power-related products are gaining greater acceptance as more AV enthusiasts are realizing the benefits of cleaner power delivery and the negative effects it has on audio and video playback. This is a field that has had its history tied to high-end audio for years, where the benefits have been known to make substantial improvements to detail, depth of soundstage and low noise floors.
The Richard Gray's Power Company's 600S is the latest AC power product featuring their previously reviewed, patented choke inductor technology. This eight-and-three-quarter-inch wide, six-and-one-quarter-inch high, 11-inch deep enclosure is a very dense 22-pound package that splits the product line between RGPC's 400S ($750) and the powerhouse 1200S ($2,000) for larger systems.
The 600S is for the consumer who wants the most performance out of gear and has a moderate-sized system that doesn't require ultra-high current capability. Although there are nicer packaged power treatment products on the market, the 600S does look like a purist high-end component, with a switch-operated backlit logo centered behind a cutout on the thick aluminum faceplate that you can get in either black at a cost of $1,200 or silver for an additional $50. Using one of the same patented choke inductors that are used in the 400S, the 600S provides six beefy Hubbell outlets for your audio/video components in a 20-amp system.
The Technology
When it comes to power conditioning, the desired result is to get clean, accurate power without sacrificing low-level detail or dynamics. Some products like PS Audio's Power Plant models successfully use power regeneration, converting AC power to DC, then back to AC. This approach has its own sonic signature, because the Power Plants are basically their own power amplifiers. Other less effective AC products use filters that can constrain dynamics and introduce a thinner-sounding presentation.
The 600S addresses fluctuations in current caused by power shared by your neighbors using the same transformer that supplies your home. These fluctuations can also be due to components with switch-mode power supplies, like microwaves, TVs and digital gear, which definitely adds noise to your AC lines. Because all of these devices can be tied to the same electrical circuit of your home that serves your audio and video gear, there is an effect.
What Richard Gray's Power Company simple, patented technology brings to the table consists of hundreds of feet of copper wire connected to an iron core to produce a large inductor, which stores a relatively small reserve of power that is immediately available through the six outlets on the back of the unit. Unlike standard power-line conditioners, isolation transformers and sine wave amplifiers, which are wired in series, the 600S is wired in parallel to the AC power and does not limit the supply that your system needs during transients, providing very stable current throughout the continuous dips and spikes on all home electrical systems. The 600S is effectively a transformer at the point of use, i.e., any audio/video gear that you would like to enhance. The 600S' surge suppression system provides the only dual stage protection from both the lethal spikes and constant smaller surges that plague electronic parts, causing eventual failure, making components work harder to overcome line anomalies. Should the "huge surge" manage to make it all the way through the 20 pound inductor (with over 1000 feet of wire), and it is of the intensity and duration, then hidden behind the inductor is a device which merely trip the replaceable fuse. Other surge protection devices, such as Power Line Conditioners (PLCs), attack the power surge problem with isolation transformers, ferrite rods and air core chokes, which can limit the available current to your amplifier under heavy loads. This is because the isolation transformer is smaller than the one on the pole outside of your home. For more a more detailed explanation of the inner workings of RGPC products, see Jerry Del Colliano's May 2001 review of the 1200S.
Getting Started
The RGPC products are very user-friendly, as they require no special provisions, ventilation or wiring to start using them. Although there are no directions for actually bolting a 600S into a rack, two 600S's will conveniently fit side by side in a 19-inch rack for easy storage.
An interesting aspect of all RGPC power enhancement devices is their claim that all outlets that are on the same circuit as the outlet that has, say, a 600S plugged into it, will benefit from the technology. The power reserve offered by the 600S is available to your components even indirectly through your home wiring.
RGPC also suggests that you use their "Star Cluster" approach for using more than one Power Company device. Starting with one Power Company plugged into a wall outlet, you then plug an additional Power Company into the first, thereby doubling the effectiveness of having two units wired in parallel to your AC source. Adding a third, inserted into the first unit triples the effectiveness. You don't have to have a component plugged directly into a clustered RGPC to obtain the benefits of the "Star Cluster." The stored power readily transmits through all of the units to the component requiring it. In this configuration, it is possible to add and remove Power Company devices to determine what is optimum for your setup.


text:
Contact Info
South Metro Fire Rescue
Mike Dell'Orfano
9195 E Mineral Avenue
Centennial, CO 80112
Phone: 720-989-2232
Fax: 720-989-2099
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: www.southmetro.org
- emergency response
- fire
- medical
- rescue
- dispatch
- fire prevention
- public education
- emergency management
- 911
- code enforcement
Hours of OperationM-F 7:30-4:30
About Us
South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) protects 179 square miles in Douglas and Arapahoe counties. The SMFR provides emergency and prevention services to approximately 203,500 residents and thousands more who come into our communities to work. SMFR serves the cities of Castle Pines, Centennial, Cherry Hills Village, Foxfield, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, and Parker, as well as Castle Pines Village, Louviers, Centennial Airport, the Denver Tech Center, Inverness, and the Meridian Office Park as well as unincorporated portions of Arapahoe and Douglas counties.
South Metro Fire Rescue takes every precaution to help protect you and your property from a wildfire, but we can't do it alone. We need you to prepare, too. Successfully preparing for a wildfire requires you to take personal responsibility for protecting yourself, your family and your property at home and on vacation. Here are some tips you can follow:
- Read your workplace and school emergency plans so you know how those organizations will protect your family members in emergencies;
- Ensure family members know how to use gas, electric and water shut-off controls;
- Plan and practice different escape routes from your neighborhood;
- Assemble an emergency supply kit as recommended by the American Red Cross, FEMA or similar organizations;
- Create an evacuation plan for your babysitter or children in case such an order occurs when you aren't home;
- Inventory your home so that insurance claims can occur faster


text:
Everyone has unique expressions. We move our facial muscles in a repetitive way and over time those repetitive movements cause wrinkles and fine lines. When you start to experience the signs of aging, Botox®, Dysport, and Xeomin are available to diminish unwanted wrinkles and creases in your face.
Botox®, Dysport, and Xeomin lock the release of a chemical called acetylcholine, which triggers the muscle contractions that create wrinkles. Botox®, Dysport, and Xeomin essentially paralyze the muscles and stops them from contracting. Results from these treatments are visible within two to four days with results that can last anywhere from four to six months.
Botox®, Dysport, and Xeomin be used to improve:
- Worry lines in your forehead
- Lines between the eyebrows
- Smile lines
- Laugh lines from nose to mouth
- Crow's feet
Generally, anyone in good health who has fairly shallow fine lines and wrinkles are good candidates for these treatments.
Most patients require retreatment to remove wrinkles and lines as they begin to reappear, but after each injection the wrinkles return as less severe as the muscles are trained to relax. The procedure does not require anesthesia and usually takes just a few minutes to perform. Both men and women enjoy these treatments to rejuvenate and revitalize their appearance.
For more information call LUX ~ A Medical Spa.
Watch A Live Botox Treatment By Susan Coker, PA-C
Learn how to earn Reward Points with your Botox Treatments


text:
Kojima Holds Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker Interview... on Twitter
The director speaks about development themes and gives a progress report. Plus, the first in a series of gameplay trailers!
Are you supposed to be holding interviews on Twitter? Because that's what Hideo Kojima just did.
The interview was conducted by Kadokawa Shoten's Kenji Yano. Basically, Yano and Kojima exchanged Tweets, with Yano asking questions and Kojima responding.
The Kojima English Twitter translated Kojima's side of the interview, but made them sound like they were individual posts rather than responses. Here are the official English translations along with what Yano asked.
What did you have for lunch today?
"Tomato base spaghetti with mozzerella cheese."
How is Peace Walker's development going?
"I am doing the last rounds of checking for PW. After the checks, this becomes the product that people will have in their hands of course after it is pressed. We are running parallel with the overseas version as well so after the Japanese version, checks for the overseas version starts. I am also working on the trailers, at the same time, brainstorming plans for events."
In a prior meeting, you said "Once Peace Walker is done, it will be a masterpiece." When did you get the confidence for this?
"PW has many aspects that previous MGS titles haven't had. I was confident, but worried at the same time when each element started to develop. Then around November, these elements started linking and I started seeing the entire picture. Not only did I see this, but team members started seeing the concept develop and at that point, I remember that I felt confident And reassured about this project."
Is the game a masterpiece in story or gameplay?
"PW is going to be released as a portable game, but it is a TRUE MGS game in the saga, not a spin off. Of course, we have put a lot of power into the story. It should be pretty exciting. The potential of a portable game, an innovative system that changes the nature of future MGs is what makes this a game a title to look forward too."
I've heard that there's a landmark element to the gameplay systems. Is this something that's there because of the PSP platform?
"We put a lot of thought into gameplay that handhelds excel at. 'Teamwork,' 'multiplayer,' and 'trade,' are all great components but that is not everything. We also wanted challenge toward a new game design. This is something we couldn't have achieved if we had developed PW for a next gen console."
Was PSP set as the platform from the start of development? In other words, was PSP selected in order to realize this game design, or was it like with Metal Gear -- born from considering the special capabilities of the platform.
"Our goal was to create a traditional MGS game for PSP in the beginning. How do we translate it over on the PSP...but once we started the planning the direction slowly shifted toward a 'MGS that evolves on a handheld.' We did not think about the low specs, moreover we decided to make a Next-Gen game on a portable device."
You've said that you want MGS to be played by young players. Are there any features or elements that were made with young people in mind?
"We studied what young people liked and without changing the MGS world, added different elements for gameplay. System, characters, story, voice acting, etc. We just made the entrance into the MGS world bigger without changing the core. A product with a serious story along with a strong message."
Your works always have themes. Following "Meme," "Gene," "Scene" and "Sense," what is Peace Walker's theme?
"The theme for PW is 'Peace.' I have always included an anti-nuke/war message in previous MGSs but war and explosions have not gone away. 'Why do we need armies and nuclear weapons?' I wrote a script regarding this issue of this balance... only kept through the existence of armies and nuclear weapons as 'deterrence' to maintain 'Peace.'"
Kojima and Yano will conduct another interview session tomorrow.
Today's interview was accompanied by the start of a series of Peace Walker gameplay trailers. You might recall some recent Kojima Tweets about plans to release a large number of gameplay trailers leading up to release. The first one hit today, and sure enough, aside from a single splash screen, it's all gameplay.
You can view it in streaming form here:
The next one will hit some time next week, although Kojima admits that he's yet to actually assemble it.


text:
We've had these Mitten ornaments for years. I've taken a couple photos of them over the years as I really love the colors against the tree. I hope that it gives you the same warm feelings for the holidays that it does for me.
Christmas Mood | Desktop
in Photos, 365 Project, Desktops


text:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 35314547400
Website: www.sportsfile.com
Below is a small selection of my work to illustrate my experience & aesthetic.
Determination - 7 August 2011; Shane O'Neill, Clare, in action against Owen Teagle, Galway. GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship Semi-FinalRead More
Big Clearance - The Limerick goalkeeper Eoghan McNamara clears under pressure from Waterford corner forward Patrick CurranRead More
Respect Starts At An Early Age - Players from Ferns GAA Club, including three-year-old Paudie Moynihan, third from left, shake hands with the Camross GAA Club, Co Laois, players after their gameRead More
My Ball.... - Seamus Hickey and Richie McCarthy, Limerick, in action against Mark Kelly and TJ Reid, Kilkenny, during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-FinalRead More
Clash of giants - Peter Harte, Tyrone, and Tom Cunniffe, Mayo, clash shoulder-to-shoulder in the sixth minute of the All-Ireland football semi-final. Harte subsequently left the field following this clashRead More
High ball - Michael Murphy and Neil Gallagher, Donegal, are outnumbered by Mayo's Donal Vaughan, Lee Keegan, Séamus O'Shea and Colm Boyle during the second half of their quarter-final clashRead More
Scrum Half Under Pressure - Action from Old Belvedere against Blackrock College. Ulster Bank All-Ireland League Division 1A, Old Belvedere v Blackrock College RFCRead More
Captain Geoff Curran on The Jump Jet - Captain Geoff Curran on The Jump Jet in advance of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian GamesRead More
Catch me if you can - Eoin Kelly, Tipperary, 2008 All-Stars, is tackled unconventionally by his Waterford namesake Eoin Kelly, 2009 All-Stars. GAA Hurling All-Stars Tour 2009, Hurlingham Hurling Club, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina.Read More
Catch me if you can - Eoin Kelly, Tipperary, 2008 All-Stars, is tackled unconventionally by his Waterford namesake Eoin Kelly, 2009 All-Stars. GAA Hurling All-Stars Tour 2009, Hurlingham Hurling Club, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina.Read More
WINNING IS SO SWEET - "Darren Sutherland, Ireland, celebrates after his middle weight quarter-final victory at the Beijing Olympic Games "Read More
Limerick fans young and old - Limerick supporters Brendan Carr, five years, from Pallasgreen and Ger Pigott and his terrier before the Munster Semi Final.Read More
Anyone Buying or Selling A ticket? - Anyone Buying or Selling A ticket?Read More
- Waterford's Ken McGrath, left, is consoled by Limerick captain Damien Reale after the All-Ireland semi-final in August 2007. Ray McManus SPORTSFILERead More
- Josephat Kipkoviv of Kenya on his way to winning the 5,000-metre final during the Special Olympics World Summer Games at Dublin's Morton Stadium in June 2003Read More
Ray McManus is a photographer living in Dublin, Ireland and the current President of the Press Photographers Association of Ireland. He began his career in 1975 and, in 1980, he set up the Sportsfile agency which specialises in sports photography. Ray has travelled the globe covering events as diverse as international soccer and the Olympics Games. Other international highlights include the Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2003 and the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and he has attended the past five World Special Olympics World Games. Gaelic football and hurling, the two national games of Ireland, are Ray's main sporting passion. He has worked at every All-Ireland Gaelic football and hurling final since 1980 and for the past 16 years he has published "A Season Of Sundays" which chronicles the Gaelic games season. Ray has won numerous Press Photographers Association of Ireland AIB Photojournalist of the Year awards and was voted the Irish News Photographer of the Year in 1987. This year, in addition to the World Press award, he has been awarded first prize in the 'Sports Action' category of AIB Photojournalist of the Year.


text:
Her nose pressed to the chilled glass of a gelato case, a towheaded girl in teal Keds raised up onto her tippy toes to scan every last fruit-laden, chocolate-drizzled metal tray. After laboring considerably over her decision, she decided on a dark berry concoction. Savoring her prize, the girl meandered back to a table full of adults. Astoundingly, for a cafe named after and peddling rich Italian ice cream, she was the only kid in sight.
At Gelato Cafe in Meridian, it's more about the big kids. It's the only ice cream shop with a full bar I've seen outside of Italy. Gelato Cafe takes a dessert that already cracks the awesomeness scale, feeds it 3 ounces of booze, then watches the scale's springs go flying. Though the place also serves an array of Italian deli food, gyros, fresh sushi, coffee and smoothies, the gelato martinis are the joint's glimmering golden calves--sinful concoctions demanding fawning idolatry with each liquor-laden sip. Divided into fruity and creamy varieties, the martini menu urges you to pop the top button of your jeans and get comfortable with options like the Dreamsicle ($7)--orange juice, vodka, triple sec, amaretto and milk poured over orange gelato--or the Extra Chocolate ($7) with vodka, Bailey's, vanilla and dark chocolate shaken with chocolate gelato. The cafe even named a particularly decadent martini the Wet Dream (with vodka, Kahlua, Bailey's and stracciatella gelato) after an editor's pick in BW's 2008 Best of Boise.
Strutting up to our tall pistachio green table with matching velour chairs on a recent Tuesday evening, a broad-jawed man with wisps of gray in his dark hair introduced himself as Brian Wetzel, head busboy, though we deduced he was the owner. Wetzel's joking rapport quickly charmed my dining companions. While we ogled the martini menu, Wetzel let fly a truism I'm sure he's used on plenty of past patrons: "Gelato martinis are like women's breasts: one's too little and three's too much." After an awkward chuckle, we decided to save the groping for dessert and ordered a bottle of Salmon Creek chardonnay ($12). Though we had made the trek out to the Elm Tree strip mall in Meridian hoping to throw back a few Superb Sushi rolls, we found out that the cafe is sadly sans sushi on Mondays and Tuesdays.
The Mediterranean pizza ($6.75) arrived first, with charred bubbles of mozzarella hugging wine-cured kalamata olives and sun-dried tomatoes. The second pizza, the artichoke veggie, was a white and green beauty with pesto, chopped artichoke hearts, three types of cheese and fresh scallions scattered on top. While the salad ($6.75) provided a nice, not overly dressing-laden crunch, it didn't stray too much from the classic Caesar theme. The pizzas were also winners, not too cheese heavy with thin chewy crusts. Unfortunately, the pizza's slightly gourmet, hand-crafted taste was thrown off by the vessel it arrived on--a thick white paper plate. A quick scan of the restaurant's interior showed the same conflicting aesthetic. A kitschy toddler-sized ice cream cone statue lingers in one corner, while a grown-up leafy indoor plant occupies the other. Cartoony painted sandwiches float on the front windows, yet the walls are adorned with tasteful paintings. As random as the decor and menu seemed, with our dinner polished off and gelato martinis in hand, everything started to make sense. When I return on a non-Monday or Tuesday evening for a Crane Creek roll and a gelato margarita, I imagine it will begin to make even more sense.
--Tara Morgan says, "Domo arigato, Mr. Gelato."
Gelato Cafe takes its name from the rainbow of gelato presented in a chilled case placed at the center of the strip mall restaurant. There, pans of the cold confection are displayed like an edible kaleidoscope accented with chocolate drizzles and fruit-flavored swirls, swooped peaks and whimsical garnishes.
In addition to frozen dessert, espresso beverages and gelato martinis, the fast-food-style cafe's Italian/Greek menu offers nine pizzas ($6.75), pitas ($5.95), gyros ($4.75) and submarine sandwiches ($4.75-$6.95) with salami in dry and Genoa versions, cappicola, roast beef, Black Forest ham, and fresh mozzarella. It also offers sushi at the Superb Sushi counter inside.
To sushi or not to sushi? Superb Sushi's mother ship is in downtown Boise, and having eaten there before, I removed this tempting satellite from my initial assessment. Afterward, I wished I hadn't.
I selected a 9-inch garlic chicken pizza while my husband chose a beef and lamb gyro (with feta, 60 cents extra). We hopped aboard the largest four-top in the dining room: four stylishly modern pub chairs upholstered with lime green micro-suede and an oversized pub table topped with lime green laminate.
The pizza's thin, stiff crust tasted like a cross between a cracker and a dry tortilla. Pale chicken breast chunks and the whiteness of melted mozzarella and fontina cheeses formed a visually bland canvas sparingly topped with shriveled slices of baked red onion, flecks of bacon and diced tomato. As I evaluated the dish before me, I noticed most of the other patrons digging into colorful sushi rolls. I wished I had chosen to sushi.
The gyro was large enough to require both hands to manage it and earned a solid seven on a scale of one to 10. My husband only wished it had more tzatziki sauce on it (50 cents extra). On our way out the door, we ordered a small cup of sweet-tart lemon gelato ($1.95) and it just about made up for the pizza.
My next visit to the cafe was for Superb Sushi and gelato martinis.
Be warned: Choosing a martini ($7) was tough. Lemon? Orange Dreamsicle? Bailey's with cookies and cream liqueur, perhaps? I suppose one could order according to the weather: light and fruity on sunny days, rich and creamy on gray ones. A grapefruit gelato martini was the right choice for the warmth of the spring day on my second visit.
Be further warned: Each of those suckers contains 3 ounces of booze, so have the number for a taxi handy just in case.
Sushi was another tough choice. My all-time favorite roll from Superb Sushi is the unconventional Dragon's Eye roll ($6.99). Thin strips of fresh lemon rind are a classic complement to salmon and whole scallion wrapped simply in rice and nori. Lemon sauce squiggles atop slices that are not too thick, making them easy to consume in one lady like bite. I also like the enormous Sumo Roll ($11.99). Made with ahi, unagi, crab and avocado, it is large enough to satisfy a ravenous student out on lunch break.
I selected one Dragon's Eye roll and then also tried the Insane roll ($8.99). Biting into it, a pandemonium of sensation erupted on my tongue as fresh jalapeno pepper tangoed across my palate with spicy salmon, while dried red chile pepper flakes wrestled with wasabi and Sriracha hot sauce for dominance. Tempura shrimp, sliced avocado and lemon sauce tempered the insanity and kept the spicy lunatics from completely taking over the flavor asylum.
Two visits to Gelato Cafe produced more hits than misses. Grapefruit and sushi are my new favorite flavors for spring.
--Jennifer Hernandez has a cape of red and matching stilettos.
Showing 1-2 of 2
Comments are closed.


text:
Springfield, IL | Bloomington, IL | Peoria, IL | Champaign, IL | Decatur, IL | Jacksonville, IL | Quincy, IL
Just want to tell you that the granite looks spectacular!!! I am so thrilled that I bought granite...it is awesome. I walked straight into that kitchen and I could hardly quit smiling. So, thank you both with this purchase. You were both easy to work with, fun, and accomodating. It is very much appreciated."
"Linda - Thank you so much for your help in picking out my granite countertops! Even though you guys wouldn't let me have the one in your showroom, I just love mine! Ha! Tell everyone - John, Mike, Jim, and the group who installed it - thanks so much!!! What a great group of people to work with!!!
Just a short note to thank everyone for the wonderful job you did on our countertops! Linda was a great help when we chose our granite. She talked us through the process and answered all our many questions and concerns. The entire operation from beginning to end was stress free because of the kindness and knowledge of all of your staff members. We will highly recommend US Marble and Granite to everyone!
We love our new granite countertops!! Thank you!!
Countertops look great. Guys did a great job installing them. Thanks so much!
Thanks so much for all of your help. The design of our new shower was better than perfect! The installer was great and we couldn't be happier with the outcome! US Marble & Granite and The Tile Room employees ROCK!
Thanks so much Mike! It turned out beautifully!!
The countertops look beautiful! The gentleman who did the templates, to the group who installed the countertops, did a great job. We have raved about you guys to the neighbors and our realtor. I believe you may be getting more customers. Also thanks to Mike, it was nice working with you when purchasing the granite.
Thank you for a great job from start to finish. We love it! Looking forward to doing business with you again!
Thanks everyone! I absolutely love my kitchen. John, you were great!
I recently had a granite counter top installed and the kitchen sink started pulling away from the countertop in less than 1 week. This was the second countertop that this granite company had installed for us as the first top wasn't satisfactory. I contacted the granite company about the problem with the sink; however they didn't call me back as promised and left me no choice but to call someone else. The same day I called US Marble & Granite, they arrived at my home within a few hours to correct the problem. They were very knowledgeable and their work was done in a professional manner.There was also numerous other problems with the first granite company which included false statements, broken appointments, the stove wouldn't fit in the opening after the tops were installed, damaged woodwork, and a dusty mess after the install was completed.The reason I chose the first granite company was because their bid was the lowest. As the saying goes, "you get what you pay for."
Bill,I couldn't be happier with the way that the bathroom turned our and the service you provided. I look forward to my next project.
Mike and Jay,I LOVE IT! The granite looks absolutely beautiful! It really did change the looks of the room. The black around the perimeter and then the design on the island just makes it! I wanted to wait until the granite was in before I picked out the wall tile for the backsplash, so that is next on the agenda, along with the new bar stools (AMEN!) and the cabinet hardware! Oh yes, that sink looks awesome!Your installation crew was fanstastic! They are very organized and did a great job. I was thrilled that they came in the AM and then I had the afternoon free to put everything back together in my cabinets.Once it is all done I will be sure to send you a picture. i can't thank you enough for all your advice and help, I greatly appreciate it.Have a nice day and thanks again!
I wanted to let you know that we are so pleased with our counter top and tile work for our kitchen. The employees that we have been able to work with are a pleasure to do business with and I would recommend you to everyone we know.The counter top fit perfectly and we are still amazed at how nice it looks. Bill and Greg in The Tile Room were so helpful and Noah put in the tile backsplash and he did a wonderful job and is such a pleasure to work with.Thank you again
The counters and sinks look fabulous! Thank you so much for all your help. It was a pleasure dealing with your company.
I just wanted to send an email to let you know how satisfied we are with our granite countertops. This is the first time we have had granite in our home and we absolutely love it. I find myself just admiring my kitchen countertops and thinking how pretty they are. My favorite is when the sun is shining in, I love the sparkle.
US Marble & Granite = My new best friend. Thanks!!
Jay, Mike, and Staff,We are so grateful to you for making the type and color of stone available to us and getting it installed before we left on vacation! We absolutely LOVE the result and the guys you had come and install were outstanding and represent your company very well. We will look forward to doing business with you in the future.
Hi Linda,Thanks US Marble & Granite for making my new house so beautiful! I'm so glad I decided to put granite on every counter surface in my house...it is not only gorgeous, but it's so easy to take care of! The granite makes a "statement" in every area of my home!
John,I just wanted to say that the moment we walked in the door of your establishment, we were greeted immediately. We told you what we had in mind for granite and you showed us several options. You gave us a quote that fitted perfectly within our budget and we were able to get the granite that we wanted. When I saw the completed counter tops, I was impressed with the workmanship and professionalism of your installation staff. Thanks for a job well done!
USM&G has an outstanding selection from which to choose from for the foundation of your kitchen and/or bathroom. Installation was a breeze, simply choose your desired stone product and it is done.
Hey Mike,I am often accused of not being able to make up my mind when it comes to remodeling choices. The truth is - I take my time to process - even if that consists of SEVERAL visits!Each and every US Marble & Granite employee - the salesmen and women, the pattern maker, the craftsmen who cut and polished, the owner and the installers - were most helpful at every step of the process.The best - and most fun part of it all - was making my choice from the huge slabs of granite on display instead of choosing from a 2-inch sample. The end result is fabulous!
Our experience with US Marble & Granite was awesome. They went 'above and beyond' to find the perfect granite slab that I was seeking. Installation went smoothly. The guys were friendly and experienced. Everything fit perfectly. Our counter tops are so beautiful! :)
Hi Mike,Rob and I just wanted you to know how extremely satisfied we are with our granite countertop in the kitchen, bathrooms, and downstairs entertaining area. I can honestly say that we felt like everyone we were in contact with at US Marble & Granite treated us with respect on this project as though the granite was going into their own home. You were courteous, knowledgeable, patient, and very helpful. With an entire house to pick granite for, and with as many quality pieces you had to pick from, it was a bit overwhelming at times. However, there was never a bit of pressure and you gave wonderful suggestions. The guys positioning the templates and cutting the granite were amazing. They paid special attention to how the end product would look and pointed out things we may not have thought of. All in all you have a wonderful team at US Marble & Granite. The time, effort, suggestions, and attention to detail made the difference between the granite looking good and looking spectacular. Overall, we couldn't be happier. We will recommend you to anyone that asks!
US Marble & Granite,Our granite counter tops look fantastic!We want to take the time to thank all of the people at US Marble & Granite for their outstanding work. From the beginning of the process of choosing the granite, to the installation, everyone there did an exceptional job.John and Mike were always ready to answer my questions. Jay was a tremendous help in choosing just the right stone, and the installation crew was courteous, efficient, and did flawless work. The result was amazing, and we couldn't be more pleased.We especially want to recognize Jim, who did the templates, for making the extra effort to get my template precisely right. There was a critical cut in our granite for the new stovetop, and Jim came to our home twice to make sure the cut was exactly where it needed to be. There was no margin for error; a mistake in the cut would have resulted in an expensive reconfiguration of our cabinet below the stovetop. The cut was "spot on" and perfect. Thanks so much!
Hi Jay and Mike,Just wanted to let you both know that we were very pleased with the installation of our granite tops and sinks. As soon as the cabinets were ready for countertops, your crew was on the scene. You guys did a fantastic job on the fabrication and installation. Please let your crew know that their work is appreciated! Thanks to both of you for all of your information and assistance throughout this process. We really appreciate everything and will definately recommend US Marble & Granite to others.Thanks again!
Your installation crew showed up this morning about 8:30. Installed our new granite in about 2 1/2 hours. Excellent work. You are lucky to have these guys.The fit and finish of the granite couldn't be better. Looks beautiful.
WOW and thanks - my kitchen was transformed from 1996 to 2014 in 30 minutes — Great Crew.....From the initial phone call to the service call to matching the granite to the template measuring and right thru to installation....awesome job — 100% Satisfaction!!!!
Hi Mike, We love the countertop! It's such a big change with the new countertop and cabinets, but it's a good change. The kitchen will look complete when we put the backsplash up (next project). Thanks for all your help, I greatly appreciate it!
Mike,Thank you for all of your assistance/help with the kitchen and bath granite, sinks, and faucets. We love our new look and have had nothing but compliments on the change to our kitchen and our new bath.We will certainly be referring friends and family to US Marble & Granite! Everyone who came in to help with the project from the measuring to the install were all so nice and answered any questions we had. Customer service like we had is so hard to find but you all were wonderful to work with. Everything came in the timetable given and the installers were on site in a very timely fashion...which is great!Thanks again for everything. We will certainly be returning for any of our future projects.


text:
Sarah waited until she heard her husband's deep snoring beside her. She carefully pulled back the covers and placed her bare feet on the floor. The bedframe groaned with the sudden shift in weight. Sarah froze in place.
She looked over at Jeff's prone silhouette in the darkened room. He hadn't moved. She breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't going to wake up anytime soon. Not with that much alcohol sloshing around in his bloodstream. The longer he stayed passed out the better. She had things to do.
As she padded down the short hallway to check on her kids, she felt a sharp pain in her left foot. She hobbled to the bathroom and shut the door behind her before flipping on the switch. Bracing her foot against her knee, she discovered the reason for her pain.
Glass. A healthy shard of it, too. Undoubtedly from the vase Jeff threw in her direction earlier. She bit down on her bottom lip as she pulled it out. She tossed the piece of glass into the sink with a clatter and looked at the damage to her face in the mirror.
The harsh fluorescent lighting wasn't kind. But even if the illumination in the room was softer, she still couldn't dismiss the battered image looking back at her.
Is that really me?
Quick tears filled her eyes, but she willed herself not to cry. Things hadn't always been this way. There was a time when the two of them were happy. Young and naïve and without a dime to their name, they had tried to make a go of it. For the baby's sake. And she loved Jeff. Or at least she had back then.
Combing back her dirty blonde hair with her fingers, she tried to look past the bruises and see the woman she once was. She couldn't find her.
She would turn twenty-five next month. She felt much older.
Disheartened by the stranger looking back at her, she opened the medicine cabinet to look for some Tylenol and a Band-Aid. She thought about the chain of events that led up to their latest fight.
It started out routinely enough. Jeff was late – again – coming home from work. And already drunk after spending several hours at the local watering hole. She held his dinner. Jeff took one look at the food on his plate and griped, "Leftovers again?"
Sarah started to reply, but Jeff cut her off. "Just get me the ketchup."
She brought him the bottle and he poured ketchup over his meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans. He wolfed down his dinner, then lay on the couch in front of the TV and flipped through the channels with the remote. Long accustomed to his volatile mood swings when he drank, Sarah steered herself and the kids away from him.
After washing the dishes, she read a story to their three year-old, Michael, and tucked him into bed. Then she gave Matthew his bedtime bottle and laid him in his crib. She kissed his downy forehead. "Sweet dreams, baby boy," she said softly and turned out his nightlight.
When she came back into the living room, she was surprised to find Jeff still awake. She hoped he would pass out on the couch and leave her in peace. Her nerves were frayed from walking on eggshells around him.
"Nothing good on tonight," he muttered. Tossing the remote onto the floor, he got up from the couch and made his way on unsteady feet to the kitchen. Moments later, his booming voice resounded throughout the bungalow.
"Hey! There's no more beer!"
Jeff's large frame filled the space in front of the open refrigerator door. Sarah didn't know what to say. He slammed the door shut.
"I'm sorry," she said. "We needed diapers. I'll go tomorrow, okay?"
He started to reply, but his attention was drawn to the leaky faucet at the kitchen sink. In the heavy silence, the steady dripping seemed overly loud.
Jeff cursed under his breath. "I thought you were going to get that fixed today!"
Sarah could hear Michael stirring in his bed in the next room. "Jeff, you're going to wake up the babies," she said. He ignored her.
"Why didn't you call a plumber like I told you to?" His face had turned an alarming shade of crimson. "I swear... I can't count on you to do anything around here!"
"But—I did!" she stammered. Her stomach and mouth felt sour. She sensed the situation was about to spiral out of control. "The plumber came this morning. I found one who would do a free estimate, just like you said, and he took a look at it." She stopped.
Matthew started to whimper in his crib. "Jeff, please," she whispered. "Keep your voice down." Again, he ignored
"So why didn't he fix it?" he demanded, as he took a step toward her. Sarah backed away.
"The estimate was too high," she answered. "Something about a gasket or something that needs replaced. He said it would cost around seventy-five dollars." She paused. "We don't have that kind of money."
Jeff glared at her. "What is that supposed to mean? You're saying I don't make enough money! Isn't that what you meant to say?"
Sarah knew it was a loaded question. She swallowed hard.
Sarah shook her head. "I—I didn't say that, Jeff."
He let out a string of expletives as he quickly walked toward her. Sarah pressed her back against the wall. A surge of adrenaline coursed through her as he closed the distance between them. But then he brushed past her through the doorway and into the living room.
"I get no respect from you," he said. His tirade continued as he scattered the evening newspaper across the floor and lifted up the sofa cushions in search of the remote control.
"I go to work every friggin' day and bust my hump at the plant while you sit at home with the kids doing nothing." He turned to look at her. "I mean... what kind of work is that?"
He found the remote next to the coffee table. "Not that you could get a job. God only knows you're too stupid to get anything that pays any real money. If you're gonna sit at home on your butt all day, the least you can do is keep this place clean and have a decent meal ready when I come home at night!"
Sarah pressed her lips together as a bubble of anger simmered inside her. She knew he was grasping at anything to bait her with. Their tiny, two-bedroom bungalow was spotless. As well as her kids.
Jeff began his protests anew as he settled onto the couch to watch a football game, but Sarah tuned him out. She leaned against the doorway and stared out at the night through the living room window.
It was frigid cold outside. The bare branches of an ancient oak tree in the side yard scratched its fingers against the windowpane. A sliver of moon was captured in the upper left corner of the window, stark white against a starless sky.
The forecast called for snow tomorrow. Maybe she would bundle the kids up and build a snowman. Matthew had never seen snow before. The scenario made her smile.
Her thought processes were interrupted by the sound of the baby's muffled crying. She turned on her heel and started toward their bedroom.
A sudden explosion went off next to her face. At first she thought a gun had been fired. But then a shower of broken glass rained down on her, and she instinctively ducked her head and covered her ears. She whirled around to find Jeff glaring at her from across the room, his lips drawn back in an angry snarl.
"Don't you walk away from me when I'm talking to you!" he bellowed.
She looked down to find the remaining pieces of the glass vase scattered across the carpet at her feet. Behind her on the wall, the thin plaster was caved in where the object had struck.
Her heart pounded in her chest. Jeff had been aiming for her head. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she turned to face him.
"Have—have you lost your mind?"
Jeff's hands balled into fists at his sides.
Without thinking, she picked up the jagged bottom of the vase and hurled it back at him. It bounced off his meaty shoulder and landed on the floor. Sarah turned and ran for the bedroom.
* * *
Sometime later, Jeff stumbled out the front door and climbed into his truck, leaving Sarah in a crumpled heap next to their bed. She could hear Matthew wailing in his crib. She knew Michael had to be awake as well.
She listened as Jeff revved the engine and drove away. Tears dripped off her chin as she uttered every foul name and word she could think of. She slowly got to her feet. On her bureau, a glass paperweight in the shape of a bird caught her eye. Jeff had given her the trinket a long time ago, when his words and hands were soft and never hurled at her in anger.
She picked it up and felt the heaviness of it in her palm. Before she knew what she was doing, she threw it across the room and shattered a hole in the window.
"I hope you die!" she screamed. "Just die! Die! Die!"
She stopped crying and wiped the tears from her face. Her children needed her.
Lifting her youngest from his crib, she gave him a bottle and then crawled into bed beside Michael. While Matthew only wanted to be fed and was too young to understand, it was obvious her older son knew something wasn't right. He wound a lock of her hair between his fingers and nestled his head in the crook of her neck. It took him a long time to fall back asleep.
Not knowing what else to do, Sarah changed into her nightgown and stuffed a hand towel in the hole left by the paperweight. She had no idea how she would explain it to Jeff. She was too exhausted to think about anything more tonight. She went to bed, where she willed herself to slip into that peaceful place where reality no longer exists.
* * *
She was awakened by the sound of Jeff as he stumbled into their bedroom. He reeked of cigarette smoke. Mumbling under his breath, he fumbled to remove his shoes and pants by the side of the bed.
Sarah lay still, praying he would fall into bed and pass out. Please, God... please. Don't... let... him... touch me.
She imagined his rough hands pawing at her, his kiss sloppy and tasting of stale beer. He had done it before, coming to her after they had fought, oblivious to her battered physical and emotional state. Slurring his apologies, telling her it would never happen again. Breaking her resolve until she felt obligated to give him what he wanted, feeling utterly empty inside even as Jeff's body filled her own.
Thankfully, Jeff fell into bed beside her and passed out almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. Her mind a jumbled weave of emotions and thoughts, Sarah felt a spark ignite within her. Her heartbeat quickened as the spark grew into an ember, then a fiery flame.
A part of her truly hated him now. She listened to his noisy snoring, smelled the cloying stench of liquor coming off his body. The walls pressed in on her, squeezing the air from her lungs until she could no longer draw a breath. The thought occurred to her, not for the first time, that one of these days he wouldn't stop punching.
And then this man will be raising your children.
The ice in her stomach turned to steel. And it was at that moment Sarah knew she had to leave, this time for good.
* * *
Brought back to the present by the sound of Matthew stirring in his crib, she closed the medicine cabinet door and went back to her bedroom, favoring her left heel as she moved quietly about the house.
Taking an overnight bag and an old suitcase from the closet, she emptied out her clothing drawers. She packed Matthew's diaper bag, then crept into the children's bedroom, where she filled a large laundry bag with clothing and shoes and a few favorite toys and books. She wanted to take more but knew she had to travel light.
Money, she thought. I need money.
She found Jeff's work pants in a tangled ball on the floor. She found his cell phone in one pocket and his keys and wallet in another. She opened his billfold. Not much cash. But his credit cards and ATM card would come in handy tonight. She put the items in her purse. Then she went to her bureau and eased the bottom drawer open. Tossing aside their wedding album, she pulled out her Michael and Matthew's baby scrapbooks and put them in the laundry bag.
Dressing quickly in jeans and a sweater, she pulled on her coat and gloves and quietly opened the front door. A blast of frigid winter air stung her face and cut lip. As she walked toward the old station wagon beneath the carport, she glanced over at Jeff's truck, parked at a sharp angle across the curb. Sarah marveled he had made it home.
Charged with adrenaline, she looked over her shoulder as she carried items to the car, certain she would suddenly find Jeff's hulking form standing over her, demanding what she was doing and where did she think she was going.
After several trips, she was finished. She then bundled the kids in blankets and took them to the car. Michael woke up as she was carrying him down the front porch steps.
"Shhhh... it's okay, big man," she said. "We're going for a ride." He fell back asleep.
She harnessed Matthew into his carrier and buckled Michael into his car seat next to him. She carefully closed the car door. Then she turned to face the small clapboard house she and Jeff had shared. Not a home in any sense of the word; just a wood and concrete structure where four people had once lived together.
Looking up at the night sky, she searched for that same slice of moon she had seen earlier through the living room window. She found it high above her, hidden amongst the feathery foliage of a towering evergreen. She watched the plume of her breath materialize in the cold air as quick clouds skirted past. Within seconds, the moon was gone.
Sliding into the driver's seat, Sarah prayed the car would start. Then she prayed the sound of the engine turning over wouldn't wake Jeff. The carport was right next to their bedroom window. She turned the key. It started. She backed out of the driveway, keeping an eye on the front door of the house, her heartbeat pulsing in her throat.
No sign of Jeff. She put the car into gear and pressed the gas pedal.
She drove into town and pulled into an all-night convenience store. She started to get out but stopped short when she caught her reflection in the rearview mirror. She fumbled through her purse and put on a pair of sunglasses to conceal the swollen, purple flesh surrounding her eyes.
Inside the store, she quickly went down the aisles, filling her buggy to the brim with formula, diapers, bottled water, and snacks. At the checkout counter, the cashier looked at the contents of her cart, then took her credit card without comment and ran it through.
"Uhhh... this one's maxed out," he told her.
Undeterred, Sarah pulled out another card from Jeff's wallet and handed it to him. "Try this one."
The transaction went through, and Sarah loaded her purchases into the car and filled the tank with gas. Then she found an ATM and emptied out their checking account. It wasn't much, but it would have to do.
Heading west out of town, she stopped at the first bridge she came to. She took Jeff's cell phone and wallet from her purse and went over to the railing, where she hurled the items across the dark expanse of water.
"That should slow you down for a while," she said.
Back on the freeway, she decided she would drive a few hours and then find someplace to stop for the night. She wanted to get as many miles as possible between herself and Jeff before he woke up and realized what she had done.
She had no idea where she was going. She had purposely gone in the opposite direction of her mother's house in Pittsburg, because that was the first place Jeff would look for her. He had tracked her down twice before. The first time, her mother told her that surely it wouldn't happen again, and Sarah gave Jeff another chance. The second time, after he broke her nose and two of her ribs, they were pulling weeds in the vegetable garden when Jeff suddenly appeared on her mother's back porch, looking contrite and holding an enormous bouquet of flowers.
"You know, honey," her mother whispered, "sometimes a woman's gotta take the bad with the good."
"Sorry, Mama," Sarah said softly now as she drove through the night. "I'm not you."
As the miles wore on, the landscape changed from rolling hills and rural countryside to industrial factories and paper mills, their massive smokestacks stretching giant fingers toward the sky. In front of her, an endless ribbon of gray highway rolled out toward the horizon.
Afraid she would fall asleep at the wheel if she drove any further, Sarah took the next exit and searched for a motel. She found a Ho-Jo's and a Holiday Inn, but they were too expensive. Several exits later, she drove into another industrial district, passing one city block after another lined with warehouses and factories, with an occasional diner or drugstore tucked in.
She was about to retrace her steps back to the freeway when she spotted a lit sign for what appeared to be a motel. Pulling into the parking lot, she peered through the windshield. The lobby windows were frosted over. She couldn't see much except for a faint glow of yellow light. She glanced at her watch. Nearly three a.m. She decided to give it a try.
Inside the cramped lobby, she came to a thick acrylic partition, scratched and yellowed with age, with a circular hole in the middle for the exchange of keys and currency. She wondered if it was bulletproof.
No one was behind the desk. Looking around, she took in the water-stained ceiling tiles and scuffed linoleum floor. In the corner, a lifeless philodendron sat in a stand, its limp leaves turned a sickly yellow-green from lack of water and light.
The place was a dive. But she was too tired to care.
Not wanting to leave her kids outside in the car any longer than she had to, she knocked loudly on the partition. "Hey! Is anybody working here?"
She brought her face as close to the filthy partition as she dared. Through a narrow doorway, she saw a pair of blue-jeaned legs propped up on a table and a black-and-white portable television. A male voice floated back to her.
"What?" she said.
Finally, the night clerk pushed back his chair and ambled over to the window. If he thought it odd to see a woman standing in front of him wearing dark sunglasses at three a.m. in the morning, he didn't show it.
"Yeah?" he muttered.
Sarah cleared her throat. "How much are your rooms?"
The answer was thirty-five dollars a night, plus tax. Sarah passed two twenties through the circle. The clerk handed her a single key and her change.
"Any chance breakfast is included with the room? Donuts or something?"
The clerk sneered. "For thirty-five bucks a night, lady? I don't think so." He shut the cash register drawer and went back to his television.
Sarah carted Michael and Matthew to the motel elevator, and the ancient contraption slowly groaned its way to the second floor. When she came to room 212, she inserted the key and opened the door. The smell of cigarette smoke and sour laundry hit her first. Her nose crinkled as she flipped on the light. She was greeted by drab plaster walls and threadbare carpet so stained it was hard to determine the original color. To her left in the tiny bathroom, dark rust streaks stained the sink and toilet. There was a single towel and washcloth on the towel rack.
"It's not the Ritz, but it'll have to do," she muttered.
She locked the door behind her and carried Michael to the nearest bed, where she turned back the thin chenille bedspread and tucked him in. Then she laid Matthew down on the other bed and surrounded him with pillows so he wouldn't roll over onto the floor.
She rubbed her arms. The room was freezing. She went over to the radiator below the single window and turned it up as high as it would go, but it gave off only a meager amount of lukewarm heat. When she pulled the sheer drapes aside, a graffiti-filled brick wall stared back at her. She turned around and stood in silence as she took in the sparse contents of the room.
So this is what my life has been reduced to. Two twin beds and a coffee pot.
The first threads of fear and doubt began to weave their way through her mind. "What am I going to do?" she murmured. "How am I going to take care of my kids?"
Her entire body began to tremble and she burst into tears. Her knees gave out and she fell to the floor, racked by sobs. "Please, God. If you're real, please keep my children safe. Please show me what to do. Please!"
Physically and emotionally drained, she didn't bother changing out of her clothes. She climbed into bed next to Michael and pulled the covers up to her chin. She had just fallen asleep when she was jarred awake by the sound of a phone ringing.
She sat up in the bed. The sound had stopped. It couldn't have been Jeff's cell phone. It was lying on the bottom of the river. And she didn't have one. She looked over at the phone on the bedside table. Had Jeff found her somehow? But... that was impossible!
She turned on the bedside lamp and dialed the operator. After five rings, the same detached voice as the man in the lobby came on the line.
"Did you just forward a call to this room?" she asked.
"No calls," he mumbled, and started to hang up.
"Wait!" she said, as she thought of another possibility. "Did a man come into the lobby after I checked in? Tall, big shoulders, with short dark hair?"
"Look, lady. I don't want any trouble, okay? If your old man's after you, you need to get yourself someplace else. Find one of those hideout places for women or something."
"You mean... like a shelter? But... I don't even know which town I'm in! I don't know where to go!"
"It ain't rocket science," he told her. "Look in the phone book."
Her hands shaking, Sarah hung up the phone and took a wooden chair from the corner and braced it under the doorknob. She checked the lock again.
In the bottom drawer of the nightstand, she found a tattered Yellow Pages directory. She had no idea how current it was. Flipping through the pages, she looked under the S's for Shelters but didn't find what she was looking for. Next, she tried the W's for Women's Services. Nothing.
Then the directory fell open to the C's, and her eye caught an ad for a local church that sponsored a women's shelter and soup kitchen. In bold print was a number for a twenty-four hour crisis hotline.
She hoped it was still in service. After a few rings, a woman's voice came on the line. She said her name was Ruth.
Sarah fumbled through the conversation and soon found herself pouring out her heart to this complete stranger. The woman didn't interrupt her. She waited for her crying to slow down before she asked Sarah where she was.
"I—I'm not exactly sure of the name of this place," she said. "I think it's on Beaumont Street."
"Oh, that's not far from us at all," the woman told her. "Why don't I give you directions and you can come by in the morning after you've gotten some rest. Do you have a car?"
"Yes, I do. But... my kids. I have to keep my children with me. Will that be a problem?"
"Not at all, honey. Be glad to have 'em. One of our mothers moved out yesterday. She had the largest room. Plenty of space for the three of you."
The woman then gave Sarah directions to the shelter and she scribbled them down. She thanked the woman and crawled back into bed next to Michael and closed her eyes.
* * *
Matthew was up before the sun, wanting a bottle. Sarah fed and changed him and took a quick shower while Michael was still asleep. Then she packed the kids in the car and followed the directions the woman on the phone had given her.
Three exits up from the motel, she found the address. It was a church. She pulled into the small parking lot.
"This can't be right," Sarah mumbled. The church was in a rural area, surrounded by a few farms and fields. Behind the white clapboard building was a modest ranch-style house with a towering oak tree in the front yard. A detached garage sat behind it, with a staircase on the right side.
She checked the address again and sighed. There was a dark sedan parked in front of the church. "Maybe someone here knows where this place is."
Thinking she would run in for just a minute, she locked the doors and told Matthew she would be right back. She hurried over to the door and went inside. The hallway was dark and she didn't hear anyone bustling about.
"Hello?" she called out. "Is anyone here?"
A door opened to her left and a slice of light lit the hallway. A woman in a cranberry knit dress greeted her. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't know anyone was here."
Sarah hooked a thumb behind her and said, "My kids... they're in the car. I just need directions."
She showed the woman the address and told her about her call to the hotline.
"Hotline?" the woman asked. "What hotline?"
"I, um... I'm looking for the women's shelter."
The woman appeared flustered. "I'm the new church secretary. I've only been here a few weeks. I don't know of any hotline or a shelter. Let me give Pastor Dave a call."
Sarah waited in the office doorway, where she could see her car through the glass exit door. The secretary's cramped space was a mess, with piles of papers and books and sticky notes tacked everywhere.
The woman hung up the phone. "He'll meet us in the parking lot. He lives in the parsonage next door."
"I don't want to be a bother," said Sarah.
"No bother. My name is Margaret, by the way. Pastor Dave is such a kind soul. He won't mind." She prattled on as they walked down the hallway. "I've been trying to put things in order back there. Lord knows it's a mess. Pastor Dave's wife died a few months ago. She was the church secretary."
A man was waiting for them in the parking lot, dressed in jeans and a heavy winter coat. He extended his hand and smiled. "I'm Pastor David Williams, but you can call me Dave."
Sarah shook his hand. He was a tall man, with salt-and-pepper hair and kind eyes. She noticed he kept looking at her swollen bottom lip and sunglasses.
"You said you called the hotline?"
Sarah nodded. "The ad was in the phone book for a women's shelter and soup kitchen. A woman answered and gave me these directions. She said her name was Ruth."
Pastor Dave's face turned ashen and his mouth went slack. Margaret stared at her with a look of bewilderment. "We haven't had a shelter or soup kitchen in a while," he said in a thin voice. "We used to run one in the city. My wife ran the hotline. But it was disconnected over a year ago."
Sarah's heart sank. "Must have been a mix-up. Sorry to have bothered you." She turned back toward her car.
"What else did this woman say?" he asked.
Sarah didn't want to waste any more time here. "Uh... just that I told her I have children and she said another woman with kids had moved out yesterday so there was a large room available."
A look passed between the pastor and Margaret. "Thanks anyways," said Sarah. She went to her car and unlocked the door.
"Wait," he said. "I have a place you and your kids can stay."
Sarah looked at him.
"Come," he said, beckoning with his hand. "Get your children and I'll show you the apartment over the garage. My daughter and grandchildren left yesterday to go back to Florida. It's empty now."
Sarah didn't know what to do. Margaret came over to the car and offered to help her with Michael and Matthew. Sarah noticed the woman's eyes were brimming with tears. "Ruth sent you here," she said. "I don't know how, but she did."
"What are you talking about?" Sarah asked.
"Pastor Dave's late wife – her name was Ruth."
Sarah felt strangely numb as she followed them up the stairs to the large room over the garage. The space was clean and furnished, with a crib and two small beds made up with quilts against the far wall, a separate bathroom, and a kitchen just big enough for a refrigerator and stove. A coffee maker sat on the counter.
Two twin beds and a coffee pot.
A wave of peace washed over then, like nothing she had ever felt before. She knew this was from God and that right here, right now, He was with her. Not within the walls of a stained-glass cathedral or the hushed halls of some ancient place of worship, but here in this humble efficiency apartment on the outskirts of rural Pennsylvania.
Michael ran over to the nearest bed and climbed onto it. "Can I have this bed, Mommy?"
Sarah smiled.
Published in Lady Literary Magazine
Sign up for my blogs and updates here!
Titles available in my Shop!


text:
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Fantasy Advice
While you won't always agree with the suggestions (this week the site recommends selling Van der Vaart, someone I am very high on) it gives a useful second opinion and is a great confidence boost if it suggests the same transfer you already had in mind. This is exactly what happened a couple of weeks ago when I started to get cold feet about dumping Hutton for Coleman. Fantasy Advice recommended the same course of action, I made the transfer and Coleman has gone on to score 12 points over the past two weeks.
My philosophy for fantasy sports is that you rarely come across a situation where too much information or too many opinions is a bad thing. Fantasy Advice can be useful in both these instances and deserves a bookmark next to other fantasy sites such as Fantasy Football Scout, and of course, this humble blogger!
4 comments:
- auburn.tigers2011 said...
Nice find Chris. I will add this to my list of fantasy help websites. I currently use your blog and fantasy football scout for extra help.
- December 22, 2010 at 9:12 PM
- clarky1979 said...
I started using this from the end of last season, and whilst you should never take an opinion as gospel, it's always something to take into consideration.
It sometimes throws some transfer suggestions out which I'd never go near, but on the same token also suggests I wouldn't have thought of - match it up to my spreadsheet and the half a dozen other views I've taken on board and it's certainly a help overall.
Just don't take everything it says as a must do transfer. Be sure to think for yourself too.
- December 23, 2010 at 7:17 AM
- Gummi said...
Nice Chris! I´ll check it out when I get home from work.
I also like to check out http://www.fantasyleague.tel/ . It´s some guy who seems to be doing very well and has good general comments for the picks of the week.
Thanks again for a great blog.
- December 23, 2010 at 8:39 AM
- Chris Glover said...
Thanks Auburn
Clarky - totally agree
Gummi - thanks for the suggestion
- December 23, 2010 at 2:58 PM