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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27583153128083465032020-09-18T05:46:21.086-04:00Golden to Silver ValNow a senior citizen.....tightly clutching my sense of humor for dear lifeGolden To Silver Valhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-44293433631313899342020-01-20T21:29:00.000-05:002020-01-20T21:29:16.608-05:00Can't believe it's been FOUR years!Hardly anyone I know blogs anymore.....but I really do miss it. I miss all my old blogger buddies. I know all of us have gone through changes during these four years, myself included. My daughter and granddaughter (teenager) now live with me. In today's economy it just seemed to make more sense than running two separate households. I am a great-grandma now. He will be two in March. I am now fully retired and have been for several years. I do really miss work but not some of the people I had to deal with. Almost everyone I worked 25 years with in the police department has retired; some have relocated to warmer climates.

I still have my dog, Abby. She will be 16 this year and she's feisty as ever.

Just putting some feelers out to see if anyone still reads blogs and to see if it's worth it to continue writing. Facebook is addictive but it just doesn't give one the satisfaction that having Blogging Buddies does.

So.....if you're out there, please comment. I'd like to start posting again and would love to hear from you.

Keep Smilin'.

Golden To Silver Valhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-9835469131810392232016-02-03T22:16:00.001-05:002016-02-03T22:16:56.962-05:00How I started the new year.....
 A few days after January 1, I hurt my foot. I thought perhaps I had stepped on it wrong and sprained it. I knew I had a doctor's appointment coming up so I figured I would wait and see what he said. Each day that passed found me in more and more pain. I was unable to sleep; the mere touching of the sheet to my foot put me in extreme pain. What in the world had happened to me? Well to make a long story short, I had gout. I never, in all my life, figured I would ever get that. I thought that only heavy drinkers and old men got gout. Well, now I know that's not true. It has taken a full month for me to be almost back to normal but I had to start this story out with my ailment so you could appreciate my dilemma. For what it's worth......this gout was the worst pain I can remember having and that is including gall bladder attacks and childbirth.

So, anyway, while in the middle of having gout (right foot) I noticed an odor in my house. Just a whiff now and then .....sort of smelled like spoiled hamburger. I searched but could not find the culprit. The next day it was worse. I looked everywhere but the basement because I could not manage the stairs in my condition. I had to wait until my granddaughter came by the next day and have her check my freezer downstairs. By the next day you can imagine how bad the odor was. Sure enough my freezer had quit working and everything that was in it had thawed. It was still running and blowing hot, stinky air out into the basement.

I mostly had veggies in that freezer, but did have a 12 lb. turkey and some packages of chicken. THOSE were definitely the culprits. With her help everything was cleaned out and put into the garbage cans. I'm very lucky that I didn't have more in there and also that I was able to get everything out of here before some real damage was done.

These are but two of the MANY bad luck things that have happened since January 1st. I'll tell you more next time. Keeping my fingers crossed that the bad luck gods have become bored and are through toying with me.

Golden To Silver Valhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-53142534910144878522016-01-23T13:51:00.001-05:002016-01-23T13:51:41.293-05:00Knock, Knock............is there anybody here? Boy, have I been lost for a while, but it's all good. Now, I wonder if any of my old friends are still around. Give a wave and a holler if you are.Golden To Silver Valhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-30533399876001370152014-09-18T03:42:00.002-04:002014-09-18T03:42:41.925-04:00As I crawl out from under my rock.....

Yes, I've been vegging for months. Didn't really get much accomplished but I think I have re-discovered ME.

Sorry I left like that but a gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do.....right?

So, I'm hoping to maybe re-open this poor neglected blog even though not much interesting goes on in this little corner of the world.....but maybe that's a good thing, huh?

Hope all of you are well and happy. I will be visiting your blogs soon. Hope you haven't forgotten me, I haven't forgotten any of you. Honest! Til next time, Hugs!

Golden To Silver Valhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-90421582265543675642014-01-11T21:51:00.001-05:002014-01-11T22:10:38.583-05:00It's Totally Out of Control.....

I'm lucky enough to have a phone that will block numbers for me. Every time I get one of those solicitation calls, I save it and block it. Only one thing wrong though.....when I get one of those calls that I've blocked, my phone will ring once or sometimes just a half a ring and then disconnect it. So it still is disturbing to a point. Like today, I thought a nap would be nice; I get sleepy around 1:30 or 2 in the afternoon. It was a foggy, rainy, sleepy kind of day. I laid down and got comfy. My phone had already blocked 3 calls, one at 10:46 a.m., another at 11:08 a.m and finally at 11:10 a.m. The 11:08 one was different from the other two. A nap was not to be, however. Shortly after lying down, I received these calls: 1:14, 1:33, 2:03, and 2:51....all from the same 800 number (1-877-213-6163, this, according to Google is from the Cancer Foundation and has really ticked off a lot of people due to their tactics. Note that they called me 6 times today.)  I gave up the idea of a nap at that point and got up. To round out my day, I received my last call at 8 pm from the same one who called me at 11:08 a.m.(1-877-870-7409; this is the one where the aggressive, pushy people try to get donations for the cancer society....even if you give, they will pester you the following week for more.The way they have annoyed me has totally turned me off donating to them ever again. They have called me at least twice a day for weeks and weeks now)  No, honest, I'm not kidding. These calls start as early as 8:30 a.m. and I've received them as late as 9:15 pm. This is harassment. It is an invasion of our privacy. I had signed up for the DO NOT CALL list, which is a huge joke. Most of these callers are able to skirt around that by claiming they are charities. Even when you ask over and over to stop calling, they still call. I often get another call too that isn't an 800 number, it originates from PA. (this is the one where they say "this is your LAST CHANCE to save yourself interest on your credit cards.....blah blah blah". Yeah they've been saying that last chance bit for months now.)

I saw a program on TV about some people who formed a class action lawsuit against these companies. On the program, which was fiction, there were 73,000 people suing. I wish we could do something like this. These calls have gotten totally out of hand and soon they will be plaguing us on our cellphones. Something has to be done about these pests.

I googled the numbers calling me and they have been annoying hundreds of other people in many different states. I don't know about you.....but I think getting 8 solicitation phone calls in a 10 hour period is just WAY out of line. And yes.....my number is unlisted, which is also a big joke.

So......how was YOUR day?

Golden To Silver Valhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-53610067477087850532014-01-06T12:18:00.000-05:002014-01-06T12:28:58.287-05:00Scary weather.....

This is a small excerpt from the weather bulletin issued this morning.
.WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS EVENING... ...WIND CHILL WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 AM EST WEDNESDAY... ...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DETROIT HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS EVENING. THE WIND CHILL WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 AM EST WEDNESDAY.

HAZARDOUS WEATHER...

* WIND CHILLS WILL DROP TO BETWEEN 20 AND 30 BELOW ZERO TODAY AND THEN BOTTOM OUT NEAR 35 BELOW ZERO TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING.

* WESTERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 20 TO 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS BY MIDDAY...LEADING TO EXTENSIVE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW INTO THIS EVENING.

* LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL ALSO DEVELOP AND BRING ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 2 INCHES.

We have over 12 inches of snow on the ground and more is expected. I work for a municipality and I was called Sunday evening and advised that the building was going to be closed except for emergency services (police and fire) and not to report for work Monday. Needless to say, I was happy I did not have to venture out but also concerned about the drastic weather we've been having nationwide. Of course there is nothing I can do about it except worry and wonder. I am an old bird and honestly cannot remember having weather as extreme as this for such a long period of time. It really makes you stop and consider just how many blessings we really do have because we are warm and dry. As usual in severe weather, I always think about the homeless and then think about the outside pets of people who often get too busy to think about bringing them inside or making sure their shelters have been upgraded to provide sufficient and lifesaving protection.

My dog is definitely puzzled by the depth of all this snow. She loves it to a point, jumping around in it like a little deer, but when it comes to doing her potty thing, she's having a hard time figuring out just where to go. In between times she lounges on my Laura Ashley comforter and at night sleeps with me UNDER the covers. She sure has it better than some of her cousins, that's for sure.When I woke up this morning, my yard guy (who also does snow) had already been to my house and cleared out the driveway and front walk.

This year is not starting out too good in ways other than the weather; I heard from a relative that my half-sister is in dire condition and has been since before Thanksgiving. She is now residing in a hospice after she contracted MRSA while admitted to a hospital for tests and possible brain surgery. I don't have all the details as yet but will be talking to my niece in a day or so and find out more. Then my daughter called this morning and advised that our beloved Pastor passed away from a heart attack after shoveling snow. We are all still numb over that news. What a well-loved, special man he was!

So, all of you, please use caution when shoveling snow. If you absolutely have to do it, then do just a little bit at a time and rest in between. Stay safe out there and I hope you all are warm and dry. I have friends in Florida who are drinking iced tea by the pool in 78 degree weather and sending me funny pictures about being snowed in. Yep.....I'm really laughing!!! Wow, it only seems like a couple months ago I was complaining about near 100 degree heat during the summer. I think I would love to complain about that again right about now. Stay well!

Golden To Silver Valhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-81979629358781071552013-12-29T12:36:00.001-05:002013-12-29T12:44:21.398-05:00How Time Flies.....

I can't believe that it has been so long since I posted. I have been so busy with so many different things and time really has flown.

Last I posted I was in the middle of getting repairs done. Those all got successfully finished and then about a month later I hear from my insurance company.....one that I've had since 1984....telling me that when my homeowner's policy runs out in June of 2014, they will not renew it because I need a new roof. ????!!!!! Hello!!! The roof was one of the reasons they were here in the first place and they knew it was getting repaired. Frankly, I think they are mad because I made a claim, even though it was a small one and in all the time I've had their insurance (29 years) I believe it was only the 5th time I've made a claim. So I called my agent and he said that he would notify the department who handles that and they would come and inspect my roof and then I would get a letter from them. HA. No letter so far and I spoke to him the first part of November. I can see that I will have to make another call to them. In the meantime, I'm going to try and have positive thoughts and live my life drama-free.....if that can be possible.

The holidays were wonderful for me. My daughter is feeling the best she's felt in years and had both holidays at her house. Both meals were suburb and the company excellent. My family is tiny but there is a lot of love there.

To some of my old pals; thank you for the Christmas cards....made me feel sooo good. You know who you are. xo

If any of my old readers are still hanging in there (I hope.....I hope), remember I love you and wish each one of you the safest of holidays and the best new year ever. Any new readers.....I will try to post a LOT more often this coming year and, everyone, may this new year bring you all happiness and most of all, peace.

Golden To Silver Valhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-37996136594194406212013-10-03T21:35:00.001-04:002013-10-04T21:24:52.760-04:00Phishy Phishy in the brook.....

That sign is two years old so you know the stats are even higher now.

The other day when I was in the middle of all the pounding on my roof I received a phone call from a lowlife scammer, phishing for information. I had no idea it was such a widespread operation at the time. A few days later I googled the phone number from my caller I.D. and was very surprised to see so many complaints exactly like mine. I went to a couple Forums and put my complaint in and tomorrow I will notify Federal authorities. The following is a copy of what I posted there and tells the story in a nutshell:

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Received this same call on Sept. 25 at 2:56 pm. Caller I.D. said it was from Voice Network I and listed 248-742-3843 as the number. It was a female with a very heavy accent that I thought may have been Asian but since reading the complaints.....it may have been Indian. My first impression though was Asian. She told me that everyone would be getting new Medicare cards from the government and she needed to verify information to make sure the cards went to the right party. She then repeated my name to me and asked if it was correct. She did the same with my address and then my phone number. She had all correct, which is a bit unsettling. She then said that she needed my banking information to verify I was the right person. I stated I was not going to give her that. She argued that it was needed to confirm my identity and asked for it again and I refused again, this time loudly. She hung up on me. This made me especially nervous since it was coming from my own area code. I will be reporting this to the proper Federal agencies. Hoping these lowlifes get caught.

I wondered why the lowlifes didn't block their number but after reading the complaints on the Forum, I found that the number was a non-working number. They have managed to manipulate caller I.D. into displaying that number. They could be calling from anywhere. So....don't ever trust your caller I.D. either!! Such a shame that life is like that now. Remember the old logos from "The X Files"? Trust No One. Really hits home now.

On a brighter note......my roof is finished and it looks wonderful. The company I picked was so easy to work with. They worked well, cleaned up all of their mess and did a great job. Who could ask for more. Next is the attic cleaning in two weeks.

Keep Smilin'

Update:
A little after 6, 10/4/13, I received another one of these phone calls. Caller was middle eastern male, phone number 617-284-1955; caller I.D. said "Massachusetts call". The dialogue started out basically the same but I interrupted him and said "you people are all going to hell for what you're doing....every one of you" He then started yelling "f--k you" over and over....while I kept responding with 'shame on you'. He then hung up on me. I have reported the first call to AARP Senior Medicare Patrol, 1-800-799-4638. She took down all information and advised me that there have been an abundance of these calls the last month or so. They are doing all they can to advise all seniors. After making certain that I had not divulged any information to those lowlifes, she advised me to contact the Attorney General's office of my state, which I did do. I was advised by them that they are also aware that it's been happening using many different phone numbers. Keep on your toes, my friends, and stay safe!

Golden To Silver Valhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-14032458805220005302013-09-24T18:19:00.002-04:002013-09-24T18:24:23.039-04:00As the Worm Turns.......

or....continuing on with the drama of the raccoons. I last left you with my fears that I would be locked into a contract that I did not want.

Well, the rep for that company turned out to be much better than I had given him credit for. Either that or he could see that there just was not that much money to be made. He came out to see me and when I once more told him that there was no way I could pay more than double what the insurance had given me, he stated that he would then rip on the contract. He was very nice about it....so I was greatly relieved.

I finally picked the roofing company that offered me the most for my money and he was willing to work with me on financing. Plus that he was local and had some very good recommendations.....like even from my employer.(the Township has used him previously) So now I just had to make sure the raccoons had vacated.

After a week and a half of not hearing them in the attic and the trap not being tripped, I correctly assumed they were gone. I started making calls to companies that offered the service of decontamination and insulation replacement. One place boasted $7. a square foot for both. My attic is 1100 sq. feet. There was no way I could afford this. I started to think about only getting half the attic done as less than half of the attic was damaged by the coons. I sat at my desk at work and thought....my eyes coming to rest upon a business card in my in box. It was from a company we've long done business with that specialize in crime scene cleanup and fire board ups. But I decided to call them and see if they could recommend someone for my particular problem.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that they do that type of work as well. A rep came out, went up in my attic, took pictures and got back to me via email the next morning. They came in about $5500 cheaper than that $7700 quote. This includes disposing of any contaminants, disinfection and blown-in insulation over my complete attic. So....they are going to start as soon as the roof is completed.

Next up....a handyman to fix the ceiling over my tub, finish and paint it. I believe I may have found one but I won't know for sure until I meet him and that won't be until the attic is finished. But he's a friend of a friend so it's not like I don't have any idea about what kind of guy he is.

The shingles for my roof were delivered today and sit in neat stacks on top of my house. Things are coming together and not a moment too soon. I've heard reports of a vicious winter for us here and I'm glad to get this all taken care of.

Now.....if all that pounding doesn't give me a headache, all will be well. I'm headed to the kitchen for a Margarita.Golden To Silver Valhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-37220865347523377852013-09-04T11:29:00.002-04:002013-09-04T11:36:09.315-04:00Is honesty a thing of the past?.....I feel as if I have walked down a long dark alley full of mysterious and dangerous people who would slit your throat for promise of a cigarette. I'm not out of that alley yet, but I can see light at the end and I know my journey is close to its end.

Journey you say? Why yes.....yes a journey of devious lies and charming salesmen all in the name of making a buck. The best prey......a lone and vulnerable woman. Ah....but some might do well to remember you can't always judge a book by its cover.

I am alone. yes. I am quite vulnerable, yes. I know a little about a lot of things but not very much at all about construction. Therein lies my vulnerability.

My problem is not unique. I have a damaged roof and since I live in a heavily wooded area, raccoons took advantage and also took up residency. Not being very considerate freeloaders, they did some damage. I simply needed a company to fix the damage and I also needed a new roof before it started springing leaks like a sieve.

I went to the yellow pages.....the entrance to the dark alley......and researched. I picked companies that were located in my area. At first I picked large companies but only found out that the larger the company, the larger the quote. (SOMEONE has to pay for all those TV ads and yellow pages referrals, not to mention all those employees). Never in my life had I expected such a HUGE difference in prices. They ranged from $16,000. to $5,800. In the case of the $16,000 quote, it was for metal shingles that last 100 years, so basically I shouldn't even count that one. The next quote down for just regular shingles was $10,400.....then another company gave me $7,850.....then another $7,000 and finally $5,800. These quotes are for exactly the same repairs and work to be performed. Amazing.

I hate being humiliated by these salesmen trying to get me to sign a contract for triple the amount of money I can comfortably spend. I did sign a contract with one company to do only the repair work the insurance company would pay for. That amount ended up being $4,000, which I thought was very generous of my homeowner's. Now THAT company is trying to say it's going to cost double that amount to do the job and they want ME to pay the extra. This is only for replacing some insulation and repairing the damaged ceiling in my bathroom.....nothing to the actual roof itself. I wish I would have never signed that piece of paper......I would get someone else to do the job if I hadn't. I'm glad, however, that I did make him put on the contract that it was only for work paid for by the insurance company. I called my insurance adjuster and even she agreed that he was high pressure and had acted the same way with her. Does anyone know how long you have to cancel a contract? It's been 8 days since I signed it, counting weekends. I feel this company is trying to take advantage of my situation.

I may be old.....but I'm NOT stupid and I've been around the block enough times to realize when someone is taking advantage of a bad situation. Shame on them. Stay tuned.
Golden To Silver Valhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-336239636592523982013-08-21T12:36:00.001-04:002013-09-12T15:14:55.237-04:00Pests.....

I know.....I know....they are cute. But they are also pests that can inflict a lot of damage....on people as well as your pets and your home. Right about the time I noticed that I had a problem with them, I also had a problem with some mice.

So I was setting traps inside for mice and my son was setting a trap outside for raccoons. I caught 4 mice in all....not fully grown. As for the raccoons, so far we have caught 2 plus my neighbor's dog, a Lab, killed 2 (that was scary as a raccoon can make fast work of most dogs). We've also found a possum in the trap.

These coons have made a mess of my roof and attic. Close to the entry point, they have made a small hole in the ceiling over my shower. I know they have rearranged the insulation in the attic because I could hear their claws on the bare floor of the attic. My attic is barely accessible as it is....you can't stand up in it, or even sit down....you have to lay down and crawl. I will have to have it decontaminated. My homeowner's insurance may cover some of the damage....an adjuster is coming here next week to inspect. Hopefully we will have caught all of them by that time.

I had to have a roofing company come out and give me a price on a new roof. The price has doubled since the last time I paid for a new roof. Just like everything else.......sigh.

Golden To Silver Valhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-44997757864685366142013-06-28T06:42:00.002-04:002013-06-28T06:50:30.068-04:00I love them.....

Trees. I love every leaf on their branches and their majestic beauty makes my heart swell. I guess that's why I've been happy living among so many of them for over 40 years.

I have 26 mature trees in my yard....most of them Oak. Most people take trees for granted and never stop to think about the benefits they offer us. Trees and other plants are vital to our existence in more ways than just providing wood and paper products.

A couple years ago the house next door to me sold and the new people moved in. A young couple who have since had a child. They are good people but keep to themselves, like most everyone else in my neighborhood. One day shortly after moving in he visited with me over the fence for a few minutes. He told me then that he "hated trees". He was originally from a huge farm where there were few trees to get in the way of their farming operation. After fall came and went and he experienced all the work involved with raking all those leaves, I'm sure his dislike for trees only grew.

Yesterday it was hot and humid and I was inside with the AC on. I let my dog out only to see a bunch of workmen in my neighbor's yard with chainsaws. I watched in horror as a perfectly healthy beautiful tree nestled against my fence that separates his property from mine was being cut down. Several more in his yard met the same fate. These were healthy mature oak trees and I felt like someone was hurting one of my children. The chainsaws grated on my nerves and the realization that something that took so many years to grow was being needlessly eradicated almost made me physically sick. That area in my back yard looks strange now since there has been a tree there for the 40-some years I've been here and for probably a 100 more before that.

There is nothing I can do. They are on his property and he has the right to cut them. I won't say anything to him either. A good neighbor knows when to keep their mouth shut. One of the biggest trees in the neighborhood sits on the corner of his property and I'm just praying that it's big enough that he won't tackle that one next.

Sigh. Us older folks hate changes anyway but we understand that a lot of changes are necessary. I just have a hard time dealing with the unnecessary ones.

In other news.....I am now all caught up with Downton Abbey. I watched all 3 seasons and all I can say is "wow". Terrific series that proves you can have a winner without nudity and obscene language. I have also watched two seasons of The Game of Thrones and I love it. A lot more nudity than is necessary, the obscenities are frequent both in word and gore, but the plot is terrific. I watched Downton Abbey through Roku and The Game of Thrones by DVD that I purchased. If you have not watched either one, they are both worth your time.....unless the things I've mentioned above would bother you. One cute thing.....Baby Dragons!!!!Golden To Silver Valhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-85820763183719444172013-06-20T12:58:00.002-04:002013-06-20T12:58:41.502-04:00Something new for me.....

First of all.....this is not a paid advertisement. I'm getting nothing for writing my praises on this little gadget, although if the company offered...............

But, I must continue.....for I am excited that I've found a good product that works well. I never...ever praise a product unless I've tried it and I like it.

This is a Roku®.... Roku 3 to be exact. I found out about this little gem through a co-worker who is about as technically challenged as I am. When she assured me that it was easy to hookup and easy to use....well, that sold me. My TV is not that old.....maybe 2 years. I don't know if this works with older TV's.

This purchase is part of an on-going attempt to get my monthly bills decreased. My cable bill has been a thorn in my side for many years.....although, to be fair, I must say that the cable company has been most generous with me lately. Every time they increase my bill (roughly 3 times a year), I call and complain and they cancel the increase and set me up for a "deal" and I end up paying less than what I was paying before the latest increase for the exact same service. I appreciate this gesture, but....my bill is still too high for what I'm getting. It has always been my argument that we should only have to pay for the cable channels we actually WANT and watch. I have only basic cable with internet and it allows me to view 99 channels.....no paid channels like HBO. I only actively watch about 25 of those 99 channels but I still have to pay for all those that I never watch. Not Fair! Whoa.... I'm veering off the path here....so let me get back on track.

I ordered the Roku® and hooked it up with no problem. I attached it to the back of my TV with a HDMI cable (bought separately for around $6). Plugged it into an electrical outlet and then plugged an Ethernet cable into it which allowed internet access (cable bought separately for about $15). If I had a wireless router, then the Ethernet cable wouldn't be necessary, but my router is not wireless. I am a big fan of Amazon.com and purchase almost everything from them. I found out that if I joined Amazon "Prime", then it would not only give me free two day shipping on nearly every purchase, but would allow me to view movies and TV shows for free through streaming video, either through your PC or through another source, such as Roku.

I am simply amazed....to the point where I'm nearly speechless, about all the popular uncut movies available to me for no charge other than paying $79 a YEAR to be a Prime member. That's a YEAR! That is $6.58 cents a MONTH!!! And remember, that fee gets me FREE two day shipping on my purchases. This is in addition to my Internet fee, of course.....but I have to have Internet....so I didn't add in that cost. I went through last night and made up my "watch list"....all free through Amazon Prime .....movies as dated as the old Charlie Chan mysteries right up to documentaries and episodes like "Walking Dead". Yes, some things you have to pay $1.99 or $2.99, depending on what it is, but the free content is absolutely amazing. Newer movies are available for $3.99 to $4.99.....but I'm more interested in the free content.

You don't have to join anything extra if you don't want to.....but with everything you get for only $6.58 a month (through Amazon Prime), it would be foolish not to. You can also join Netflix, Hulu Plus, Crackle, and a bunch others I can't think of right now. But I'm more familiar with Amazon, so I stuck with them. I'm not sorry.

The Roku 3 was $99, they have other models with less features that cost less. This model has earbuds that you plug into the Roku remote so you can listen without disturbing anyone else in the house. I can walk as far as the bathroom with the buds in and still hear what I'm watching as it's controlled by a radio signal. Any earbuds will work. Eventually I'm hoping to cancel my cable TV and just have Internet supplied by my cable company.....and with this little gadget, it may be possible sooner than I thought. This new season I will watch Walking Dead through Prime and see if I can enjoy it without commercials.

This is a win-win situation. So, if you're like me and want to try and save some monthly fees, you might want to give this a try. So far, I'm extremely happy with it. Not to mention, it also comes with a free Angry Birds game you play right on your TV using the Roku remote.

Again, this is NOT a paid advertisement.....I just like to let others know when I find something that works well and can save you money. Keep smilin'.

<o:p></o:p>
Golden To Silver Valhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-91309133285881339072013-06-15T22:00:00.001-04:002013-06-15T22:00:49.779-04:00A humble hero.....

is a hero nevertheless. My daughter's friend called her Friday and told her what happened when he went shopping at a local store that morning.

He went to a discount store to pick up one item. He parked next to a vehicle that was occupied by a little girl, perhaps around 8 or 9 years old. He glanced at her, noting that she was the only one in the car and he then went inside. He wasn't in the store long, only a few minutes and when he came out and went to his car he noticed that the little girl was outside of her car with a guy. He had her by the arm and was obviously leading her somewhere. She wasn't making a fuss or yelling but she had a certain look about her that caused my daughter's friend to take particular notice. Let me just call my daughter's friend "Joe" to make it easier.

Acting on pure instinct, Joe asked the little girl if she knew the man who was leading her away and she answered 'no'. The man, who was in his early 30's, told Joe to mind his own business. Joe ignored him and asked why she was leaving with him and she said that the man had told her that her mother had sent him to get her. Joe grabbed the man's arm and told him to let go, and at the same time yelled for passers-by to call 911 as this guy was trying to take this child. A struggle ensued and Joe.....wanting to keep the guy there so police could question him.....knocked him out.

Police arrived in record time and took the man in custody. Mother came out of the store screaming and crying over her daughter. (She needs to be reported to protective services for leaving her child alone in the car as far as I'm concerned.....she very nearly lost her child by her neglectful actions.)  Anyway, all turned out well....everyone around, and there were plenty of witnesses in the parking lot, slapped Joe on the back and the police officers told him beers were on them anytime he wanted to take them up on it. The store offered him a reward for his heroic actions. The press wanted a story with pictures. Joe humbly turned it all down with a smile, tip of his hat and a "happy to have been of some service" attitude. All he needed was a white horse to ride away on.

You know, there are a lot of those kind of people walking around.....unsung heroes......some people call them angels. And they really are. We don't hear about them because that's the way they want it. In your prayers tonight, thank God for Joe.....and all the other Joes and Jo-annes out there. I hope that little girl's mother is thanking God also.

Golden To Silver Valhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-24695536244453674832013-06-12T13:00:00.001-04:002013-06-12T13:03:23.826-04:00This n' that.....

to go with a refreshing fruit salad.

For the summer, my granddaughter is coming over to stay with me on the days that I don't work This is doing everyone some good and keeping me on my toes, so to speak.

After work on Monday I went grocery shopping at a different store than I usually go to. I used to shop at this store a lot before I retired because it was conveniently close to my work. I was surprised to see that they have replenished their supply of rider carts and now I can confirm they have the best ones anywhere around. I actually got a cart that didn't go dead on me halfway through shopping......and it was at the end of the day too!

I bought stuff to make a refreshing fruit salad as the day was hot and humid and it just sounded good. After stopping to pick up my granddaughter, we came home and cut up the fruit and made the dip:

1, 8 oz package of cream cheese
1, 7 oz container of marshmallow fluff

Beat up the cream cheese until smooth, then add the fluff a little at a time and mix well. You can either carefully (so you don't smash the fruit) mix it into a bowl of fruit or put it in a separate container and use it for dip. Yum yummy

During grocery shopping I observed some women who desperately needed to look in a full length mirror before going out in public. I am no beauty queen......my shape definitely needs to be redefined to put the curves back in the right places.....but I, at least, do try and make myself presentable. I am embarrassed FOR these people who obviously don't care if they make our eyes bleed. Their motto....if you don't like what you see....then don't look.

The one that got me the most was this middle aged lady who had poured herself into a pair of leggings. They were stretched to the max....showing her white underwear. I kept waiting for them to explode. She was about 100 lbs overweight, which did not help. She also did not have a bra on and her generous endowments hung halfway to her waist. Her short hair was smashed in the back (bed-head)......maybe she had just arose from a nap and suddenly decided she needed groceries and bolted from her home in a rush. Anyhow, it's one of those circumstances where you don't want to stare but you can hardly contain yourself. Mentally I was putting her in a different outfit and visualizing it taking off 50 plus pounds. Who needs Wal-mart to people watch?

Oh yeah.....another thing. I have now confirmed that I totally suck at video games. It looks so simple.....I don't understand how it can be so hard. I just hope granddaughter doesn't lose respect for me because I killed off every one of the soldiers in my unit. Thank goodness for the 'save game' feature.

Don't you wish real life was like that? Make a mistake? No problem.....just do that part of life over. LOL

Keep smilin'.Golden To Silver Valhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-28535724554803565622013-06-04T17:39:00.000-04:002013-06-04T17:47:10.200-04:00Once a year.....

into every pet's life a little rain (pain) must fall. Hopefully no more than once a year.

Yes, it was that time again.

I purposely schedule her shots so it's nice weather when we have to go to the dreaded vet's office. As soon as her leash comes off the hook she gets all excited. She knows that she's in for a car ride and thankfully she associates car rides with something pleasant so the first part of our event is rather nice.

Then we get to the parking lot of the vet's office. She knows that something is up but....forever optimistic, she runs around peeing on spots that have been peed on hundreds of times before her. It's not until we open the door and go inside that this happy little dog turns into a quivering mass of Jello. If it was possible for her to climb up the front of me and slide into the back of my sweatshirt and into my bra....she would gladly do so. There was only one other dog there at the time....a huge black Lab who was also shivering and shaking while giving pleading looks to her owner.

We got her the two shots that she needed....her checkup and her heartworm test. Then her heartworm medication, her flea preventative and her nails clipped. She's in good health, a perfect weight and beat all land speed records in exiting the building. How such a small dog can morph into something so powerful is beyond me....but, trust me, it happens.

My bill for the 50 minutes I spent there was $298.00. I will get a $20 rebate on the heartworm meds in the form of a credit card lookalike, which I will put into my wallet and forget about until it has expired. I figure a lot of people must do this because why else would they issue a rebate in the form of a card? HA....so dummies like me can forget about them and they end up not having to pay you anything. They aren't dumb!

I honestly do not know how people who have 3 or 4 pets can afford it. I personally know a guy who has 6 dogs.....he uses them for hunting but they still have to be licensed and vaccinated and take heartworm preventative.

So we are home now. My dog is exhausted. She is now in a deep sleep and I know ..... from past experience.....that she will sleep like this until tomorrow then she'll have all her energy back so she can once again go outside in the backyard and tell off all of the much bigger dogs whose yards borders ours. They just mostly give her that "yeah, yeah, whatever" look and slowly walk away from the fence. She takes that as victory I guess as she prances around the yard feelin' big.

How much are vet bills in your area?Golden To Silver Valhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-38445301434326175782013-05-30T22:02:00.002-04:002013-05-30T22:02:27.640-04:00This was NOT an AHA moment.....

My almost 11 year old granddaughter came for a several day visit. I planned out a bunch of things to do that I thought would be fun cause I'm a trendy, modern grandma. Yeah, sure I am.

We have always approved of video games for the kids as long as they are played in moderation and are age appropriate. We have found that it promotes good reading and comprehension skills as well as focusing on the tasks at hand and carrying them out correctly. This means PAYING ATTENTION.

She brought her Xbox and a video game to play that had belonged to her older brother. The storyline of this game was great and soon I found myself immersed in the plot....as she played the game. A few times I noticed that "hell" was used....like "get the hell out of here" but I let that slide. They hear worse on regular prime time TV now. You could chose male or female as the main character and we, of course, chose female. We were really getting a kick out of the fantastic feats our heroine was able to do.

I was beginning to feel a bit sleepy last night as she continued to play. As we were in my bedroom, playing in the TV in there, I was all comfy in bed watching her. I was just beginning to nod off when she asked me a question that caused my eyes to pop open....."grandma, what's a c0nd0m?" Ahem....cough, cough....sorry, honey, what did you say? She repeated it and it was what I thought she said the first time. Oh brother!!!

Why do you ask I inquired sweetly. She said....lookit....see here....it's for sale at the store in the game...it's the only thing I have enough gold to buy......as she clicks on it and purchases it. Then she asked me again.

Now let me say right here that we have never been a family who have raised kids with fairy stories when it comes to the facts of life. None of this 'under the leaves in the cabbage patch' garbage. We figure if a kid is old enough to ASK the question, they deserve an answer.....an accurate answer. We never go further though....just answer exactly what they ask and nothing more until they ask for more....which may be years away. You never know. So I felt compelled to tell her the truth yet I really didn't want to. This was supposed to be her mother's job. RATS!!

Family tradition won out and I told her briefly what they were for. In the next frame of the video game THEY told almost word for word my own explanation. If she would have waited a few seconds, the GAME would have told her and she wouldn't have had to ask me. We are being replaced by video games!

But what I can't believe is that video game has a store in it .....era 1600 or thereabouts.....that sells c0nd0ms. Another 20 minutes or so into the game and one of the characters talks, in passing conversation, about wanting to find some c0ncubines for sale. OMG.....thankfully granddaughter was talking and missed it. This is a game that is supposedly suitable for PG13. I'm not quite sure if I should be miffed that a game has such adult tones to it or should I be thankful that the creators are promoting safe sex. Hmmmmm did they even HAVE such things in the 1600's?

Anyway we had a nice time together and grandma learned a thing or two. sigh.Golden To Silver Valhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-64011203190835405742013-05-26T12:47:00.001-04:002013-05-28T06:39:38.024-04:00And every year they come.....

I heard them quite a while before they passed my place. They come every year, just like the migratory birds. They pass my house in waves of probably 30 bikes to start, most with a double rider, each wave around a minute apart. There were more this year.....about 6 waves of them, the last waves more sparsely numbered. The rumbling from their powerful engines vibrate the floors of your home and you can shut your eyes and almost picture a gigantic herd of wildebeest thundering through your neighborhood. Anything that numbers over a hundred can be quite intimating, no matter what it is.

They go to a gathering at a house halfway around the lake from me. I've been here for forty years and they come every single year....for Memorial Day weekend. During this ceremony they honor their fallen comrades, among other things. I've gone past the house before when everyone had arrived and the event was in full swing. I honestly don't know where they put everyone as the house is just a regular house on a double lot.....but they manage. And they never cause any problems. I suspect any troublemakers are handled within the club....privately and quietly.

There is a lot of fear that goes with motorcycles and their riders but the stories you hear are not always fact. These group of people can be very compassionate and generous to a good cause. My ex and I had road bikes (albeit much smaller than these huge hogs) and we rode for a couple years but were never into any gang other than friends and relatives who also enjoyed riding. He later opted for motocross racing and that was just too much for me so I chose the role of spectator. We met a lot of biker people who are absolutely wonderful. Yes, you have your bad apples no matter what.....but they aren't ALL bad.

Isn't that true of most everything.

And getting off topic here a bit.....as I left work on Friday I could hear calls of "Happy Memorial Day" being said to each other from the employees. On the ride home I got to thinking.....HAPPY? This is an oxymoron if ever there was one. I've NEVER had a HAPPY Memorial Day. It's always been a day of sadness for me.....missing people who I loved and are no longer living. Maybe there is something wrong with my thinking......but like I told you before, my mind races in many directions.

Have a SAFE holiday.

Golden To Silver Valhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-34205395040619143712013-05-25T00:16:00.001-04:002013-05-25T00:19:03.505-04:00Good grief.....I'm almost obsolete

Today at work one of our police officers (a baby) who has been with us for about four years came into my office to report that the cable back in the police department was no longer working. I said maybe the company was having a problem as the fire department was out as well. I added that the cable in my office has never worked well. I said it was like viewing a TV that had reception from rabbit ears and all it's set on is the news..

Him: I've never seen a TV with rabbit ears.
Me: Well, the picture is all snowy and distorted.
Him: oh....well, I guess I'm lucky then. LOL I've only known cable.
Me: Yep, once TV was free.....and really, the programs were pretty darn good.
Him: Oh yeah.....I've heard about those old black and whites....like Mayberry.
Me: Hmmmmm..... Ever played an 8 track tape?
Him; nope
Me: how about an LP record.
Him: no
Me: 45?
Him: gun?
Me: No....a record.
Him: ah, no Well, I've got to get going, I've got warrants to swear to and get signed.
Me: Ok, I'll make sure they hear about the cable. In the meantime, Lord help me find some Geritol, I suddenly feel very old.
Him: Geri.....what?
Me: Oh nevermind.....go to court!

sigh

.

Golden To Silver Valhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-23159117192982328982013-05-20T15:02:00.001-04:002013-05-20T17:13:25.955-04:00One thing after another.....

Call me a pessimist but I'm the type of person who never rejoices when things are going right. To me, it's like thumbing your nose at the Fates.....daring them to screw you up. So my life seems to be always waiting for that "other shoe to fall"....even when things are going right.

And things were going along pretty good for a while. I dared not let myself think about it. Then one morning I went out to start my car and noticed a humming noise. I thought it might be the radio but it wasn't. So I backed out of my driveway, went one and a half miles to a busy intersection and when the light turned and I attempted to turn.....I could barely turn the wheel. My power steering was gone! Well, crap!

So I drove to work.....6 miles from that point and figured that I was low on fluid.....but then wondered why and so I figured I must have a leak. Well, one thing led to another and when it was checked, it was a leak all right but not as simple as a hose. It was leaking down by the rack and pinion.....I think those are the right words. But nevertheless, it means a major repair, taking some time to do it. My car has been at a friend's house for over a week while he looked for parts and then found time to work on it. He says I may have it back by Tuesday.....I certainly hope so.

Then my computer started acting up on me. Shockwave keeps crashing and I have NO idea why. I just have to reboot, which is a pain in the patootie.

Then yesterday it finally did warm up into the high eighties. It felt good, but was also humid, so I flipped on the central air. It is not working. I wasn't even surprised.

Sigh.Golden To Silver Valhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-17780458098122720042013-05-04T23:37:00.001-04:002013-05-05T00:17:02.805-04:00I guess I watch too many movies.....

I got up this morning and did this and that....let the dog out in the back yard and made note of what a beautiful day it was going to be. I had my coffee, watched a little TV and then happened to glance out my front window. There was a pickup truck backed into my driveway......and as far as I could tell, there was no one in it.

This is not a picture of the actual truck or of my driveway either....I'm just using it to help you visualize.

Now my first thought was that it was my yard guy, but his truck is white. I looked outside anyway but didn't see a soul. I went to the back deck and the same was true back there. Hmmmmm

Now my imagination started up. What if it was stolen? Worse yet, what if there was a body inside? Hmmmmm. Maybe it was a drunk that couldn't make it home so he parked it. But it's backed in....pretty good driving for a drunk. I tried to call my son and have him come over and investigate, but couldn't reach him. Twenty years ago I would have grabbed my gun and gone out there to check it out myself. But now, I'm not so spry anymore. I paced my living room and thought. Then decided that I'd wait for a little bit and see what happens. I made another cup of coffee.

Then got to thinking again. It could have been there all night for all I knew....this was the first I'd noticed it, but that didn't mean that it hadn't been parked there for a long time. So I called my neighbor who is a retired cop. He came over with his phone in hand and we talked while he checked. He said no signs of anything weird inside. He didn't think it had been stolen as there was a GPS in it. No keys though. He told me to call the local cops and have them check it out.

Now I'll have to say here that this vehicle was totally blocking me in. If I would have had to leave, there would have been no way I could get past this truck. So I waited about 10 more minutes, then called. They were pretty prompt and just as he was going to run the plate, a guy came running from straight across the street, saying it was his truck. He got in it, started it up and left post haste.

God, I hate wasting a cop's time like that.

Seems as though my neighbor had some mowers for sale and this guy just pulls into my driveway so he can check them out. Why he didn't pull into the guy's driveway who is selling the mowers is beyond me. Now, I felt kinda bad calling the law on the guy and now I've probably got a reputation as the neighborhood bitch..Then I figured....screw him...he could have told me he going to park there and it would have been fine and it wouldn't have freaked me out. But I guess he didn't care that he blocked me in while he perused the guy's mowers way behind his house......not to mention having me thinking there were 19 dead bodies in there to boot.

This is an example of how people are now. They think only one step at a time and don't stop to consider the consequences of their actions. A-hole.Golden To Silver Valhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-46375747976013550302013-04-30T23:14:00.002-04:002013-04-30T23:18:43.477-04:00Z.....is for Zebra

Zebras are unique in more ways than one. Now I'll give you a short walk down zoology lane as I tell you some facts about Zebras you probably didn't know.....and I wouldn't have either except I helped my granddaughter with a report.

The stripes on a Zebra are unique, just like fingerprints are unique on each human. It is being studied, but at this time it's unknown if Zebras are able to recognize each other by their striping. When a foal is born, it is brown and white striped rather than black and white. And since we are on the subject of stripes.....rather than black stripes on a white background as previously thought, it is white stripes on a black background....underneath the white, the skin is black.

When a foal is born, the mother keeps all other Zebras away for 2 to 3 days so it will recognize her scent and her striping as well as her unique call. Their calls sound more like a puppy yelping than what you would figure they would sound like.....a horse. A foal can stand within a few minutes of being born and can run within an hour.

They have exceptional eyesight and hearing and even have night vision as well as an owl. Their sense of smell and taste are also extremely keen. They sleep standing up and always alert. They tend to stay in small herds, one stallion to a harem of mares. The stallion, however, doesn't always stay with them. There will be a dominant mare who is always at the front of the line with her foal.....the pecking order aligns with their place in the line. Rather than being scattered about, they walk in a single file line, the dominant mare in the lead....each foal right behind its mother. They form family groups and even if they later join a larger herd, each family group will stick together within. Each member of the family will look out for the other members of their family, even coming to their aid in the event of an attack.

Their diet is similar to that of a horse and since their teeth are always grinding up the grasses, some of them quite dry, they get worn down. Therefore, their teeth are always growing.

It is thought that the striping confuses predators when a lot of Zebras are bunched together, making it look like one huge animal rather than a lot of smaller ones. If Zebras are attacked, the mares will gather the foals and circle around them for protection while the stallion fights off the threat.

I've just covered the basics here as there are different sub-species and their striping is a bit different, some with wider stripes or narrower stripes. The more narrow the stripes, the better it acts as a repellent from horse flies and the dreaded tsetse fly , which is another strange fact.

Ok, we're through with zoology for today......and this is also the end of the Challenge. Hope you all have enjoyed it.

In participation of the AtoZ Challenge
Golden To Silver Valhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-9213896541145677992013-04-29T21:48:00.000-04:002013-04-29T21:48:09.520-04:00Y.....is for Youthfulness

Youth is something that us humans have coveted for centuries. We've searched for miracles, magic and medicine to trap youth and have it bend to our will. Plastic surgeons are made astronomically rich by people who continue to have procedures done so they can look decades younger than they really are.

The cosmetic industry makes billions upon billions of dollars by tempting us to use creams and lotions that guarantee radical changes without going under the knife.

When we were young, we dreamed of being older. We didn't realize that to age isn't always pretty in the eyes of society. The aging process includes wrinkles, thinning and gray hair, changing eyesight and a mind that isn't quite as sharp. No wonder we've searched for the secret to being forever young.

But, it's not going to happen. Oh some may get to look younger, but the rest of our body is aging.....some slower than others, but aging nonetheless. Personally, I think each wrinkle on a very elderly person is beautiful in its own way. Each one tells a story. Hiding or eliminating my own wrinkles with surgery doesn't interest me.....but being able to get around without aches and pains certainly does!

I will have to admit that I have wished for the same bounce in my step that I had in my 30's many times. I could get so much more accomplished!!! But I'm also a realist. I can't afford plastic surgery or even Botox. I do good to use some stuff on my face that I think helps. Because....my skin is now a lot drier than it was way back so many years ago.....when I was wishing so hard to be older so I could do just what I wanted to do.

HA!

In Participation of the AtoZ Challenge
Golden To Silver Valhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-62260811510172326542013-04-27T10:54:00.002-04:002013-04-27T10:56:58.134-04:00X.....is for a kiss

Well, we are all the way to "X" already.

So today I'm going to give you all a little history lesson.

A while ago I was thinking about this and that and then one thing led to another, which seems to be a way of life for me. But anyway.....I wondered how it came to be that an X meant a kiss when you were writing to someone. So I decided to research it and sure enough, the Internet came through again.

Back in medieval times not many people knew how to read or write so when their signature was required on a document (which makes one wonder what types of documents existed for a population of non-readers or writers....but continuing on now before I get too far off the path), they were permitted to place an "X" on the dotted line as a substitution of their written name. This was witnessed, of course, and then the signer of the X would kiss that X as a act of sincerity. Thus.....before you know it, an X started to signify a kiss.

There is also another version that states that the X is a symbol of two lips touching.....but I'm inclined to believe the first one as being more realistic.

So.....while we are on the subject and because, like I said, one thing leads to another with me......how did the O become symbolic of a hug. Well, again there are two versions. The first one is that Jewish immigrants did not want to deform the shape of the cross by using an X for their signatures, so they used an O and then kissed it like you would do an X. The other version is that an O is symbolic of one's arms engulfing you. I guess you can take your pick which one you'd like to believe evolved into meaning hugs.

Ok, class dismissed....that's your history lesson for today. XO to you all.

In participation of the AtoZ Challenge
Golden To Silver Valhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2758315312808346503.post-25983092754182423162013-04-26T05:00:00.000-04:002013-04-26T05:30:40.840-04:00W.....is for walking

Every morning that I go to work I see this guy and his dog walking on the bicycle path....the dog looks like this one and is holding its own leash just like this one. It's about the cutest thing. As the weather warms up there will be more and more people out walking and it's surprising the number of people who take their dogs with them. Some people have two dogs at a time. I've also seen people riding their bicycles holding onto a dog leash. That always makes me wince because I'm always afraid the dog will get distracted and dart off to chase a squirrel and then....splat....bicycle rider down. The only thing I can figure out is that those particular dogs must be very well trained.

I have a variety of people who walk their dogs in front of my house. I enjoy watching what sort of dogs people have. Some of them are extremely impressive like the two huge, beautiful blue-eyed huskies. We have everything from greyhounds to chihuahuas going past. However we do not have pitbulls as they are illegal in our town. Every once in a while you will see two or three....probably new residents that don't know about that law yet. The strangest one I have seen to date was the woman who was walking her descented pet skunk. He was the cutest thing ever and she said he was a wonderful pet.

Of course, even stranger is the dog walker who drives while the dog walks like in the picture. I've never seen that myself and am not sure if people really do it......probably. You know, anything is possible.

I don't walk my dog because she absolutely hates other dogs. The walk would be miserable for both of us as she would be snarling at every dog she saw which would cause them to do the same in return. Too bad because she's such a hyper dog it would help wear her out.

In participation of the AtoZ Challenge
Golden To Silver Valhttp://email@example.com


text:
#11. Capsized
tl by danluffey
SFX: blub
SFX: blub
1: Daisuke...
#11. Capsized
2: I guess... I'm not really...
3: a hero after all...
4: When someone who isn't a hero stands in the center...
5: They die...
#11. Capsized
1: 6:30 AM - 6 hours earlier on the same day
2: Alright, I'm leaving now, granny!
3: Be carefuuul!
4: Man, I'm sleepy!
5: It's Sunday, for crying out loud! Being a working member of society is hard!
6: Morning, Take.
7: You're up early.
1: What are you doing over there?
2: Waiting for my mom.
3: She's coming home today.
4: Then we're all gonna go fishin'!
5: Wooow! That's great!
6: Come back safely!
SFX: vrooom
7: Takehikooo!!
8: Mom won't be home for a while longer, so come inside.
9: Huh, so he's going to see his mom for the first time in a while...
10: Although...
SFX: vroooom
1: They're not going to be able to do any fishing in these waves.
sign: Every Morning Newspaper - Kyushu HQ
2: Miharu, take care of this for me as well, would you?
SFX: fwap
3: But it's Sunday! Why can't all these cases take a day off?
4: It's hard to be a working member of society...
1: Mom!
2: Tomomi...
3: Mom!!
1: These are some mean-ass waves!
2: It'll probably rain a bit tonight...
SFX: fwoooosh
3: The wind's pretty strong.
4: Yeah...
5: Fishing, fishiiing!
6: Let's not go out today.
7: Yeah...
8: There's no reason to force ourselves to go out on a day like this.
1: Well that was kind of a waste.
2: Borrowing the cruiser from Suzuki and everything.
3: What? We're not gonna go out?
4: Fishing, fishiiing!
5: Takehiko, don't be selfish.
6: Fishiiiing!
7: Let's go home.
8: I made lunches, you know.
9: Sorry, Take. I know you were looking forward to this.
10: We'll do it some other time.
11: When?!
12: When?
1: I don't know...
2: This may have been our last chance...
3: What do you mean?
4: I'll tell you...
5: later...
6: You decided?
7: I'm sorry.
1: Oh...
2: Congratulations.
3: Mom,
4: congratulations.
5: So today's the last day we'll all spend together...
6: This... is the last day...
1: Wheeeeee!
2: Dad, this is scary!
3: Hahaha! You're such a scaredy-cat, Honoka.
4: C'mon,
5: we'll just do a little lap around the breakwater.
1: Mom.
2: You're so waaarm.
3: Mom, I like your boobs.
SFX: smush smush
4: I wish roads and houses were all made out of boobs.
5-8: Mooom.
1: I know, Take!
2: Wanna play hide-and-seek?
3: Yeaaaah!!
4: I'm good at hiding!
5: Count all the way to 100, OK?!
6: Come here, Honoka.
1: Honoka, do you want to live with your mom?
2: Yeah...
3: Honoka...
4: You're the older sister, so you understand that your mom and dad are getting divorced, right?
5: I've decided to get remarried with someone else...
6: So we can keep living together.
7: I'll... come and visit you now and then.
8: But... Honoka...
9: You'll always be my daughter.
1: Readyyy.
3: Let's go find Take!
4: Guess I'll have to keep going around until they find Take...
5: Let's see... Where could Take be?
1: The waves are getting rougher...
2: I'm surprised this boat can run so well on them.
SFX: pitter patter
3: Guess I'll try moving out of the breakwater a bit.
SFX: sputter...
1: Don't push!!
sign: Fukuoka Coast Guard
2: We'll release all the information!!
3: Just now, we received a report that a pleasure boat capsized in Yawatazaki!!
4: Two were rescued!!
5: Sakurai Masuhiko, 37 years old, and Watanabe Tomomi, 35 years old.
6: They left the port with their two children, who are both missing!!
7: Why do they have different last names even though they're family?!
8: Here are their children's names!
9: Hey, I'm answering here! Sakurai Honoka, 9 years old! Sakurai Takehiko, 5 years old!
10: Honoka? Takehiko?
11: Is that Take's full name?
1: Now,
2: we will set up a task force at the scene of the accident and release further information there!!
3: To all media outlets, please keep yourselves from doing investigations on your own and further complicating things!!
4: There was a shipwreck nearby.
5: We'll probably get sent out. Get ready.
6: Daisuke!!
7-8: klak
9: It was in Yawatazaki! Isn't that your hometown?!
10-13: klak
Sakurai Honoka
Sakurai Takehiko
Sakurai Masuhiko
Watanabe Tomomi
Yawatazaki, Fukuoka Prefecture
Pleasure Boat Capsized
1: Honoka?
2: Take?!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Braided Cinnamon Apple Bread with Walnuts and Bourbon Glaze
S and I ate this divine apple-cinnamon concoction for one of our #BillionDinners meals - a very late snack after he got home from soccer and I got home from visiting family. We topped fat slices with a pile of whipped cream, and washed it all down with chamomile tea. It's a messy thing to make, but it sure is good! A unique way to use up some of those extra apples you've got lying around from your recent trip to the orchard. Not that I'd ever pick more than I need - no way!
For the Dough:
1 c milk, warmed to somewhere between 110 and 120 degrees
⅓ c sugar
2¼ tsp (1 pkg) active dry yeast
3 flour, divided; plus extra for rolling
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 egg, lightly beaten and room temp
¼ c (4 tablespoons) very soft unsalted butter
For the Filling
1 c shredded apple (from about 1 medium apple)
1 c toasted walnuts, chopped
½ c sugar
3 Tbsp corn starch
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 Tbsp very soft unsalted butter
For the Glaze
½ cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons bourbon
Make the dough:
Pour the warmed milk into a bowl and whisk in the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and let set until the yeast has activated, about ten minutes.
In the meantime, combine 2 cups of the flour, the salt, the cinnamon, and the yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer. Attach the dough hook to your mixer and set aside.
After the yeast is nice and bubbly, beat in the egg, then pour over the flour mixture. Add the butter on top. Mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, scraping down dry patches of flour. When the dough looks homogeneous, slowly add the remaining 1 cup of flour in ¼ increments. Continue mixing on low speed for 5 minutes, pulling the dough off the hook and away from the edge of the bowl every so often.
Collect the dough into a smooth mass, and shape it into a ball. Coat a large bowl with oil and roll the dough in the bowl, completely covering. Gently press a piece of plastic wrap to the surface and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
As you approach the end of the dough's rise, make the filing. Combine all ingredients except the butter in a medium bowl and set aside. Don't do this too far in advance or the apples will let out a lot of their juices and become difficult to work with.
Once the dough has risen, gently punch it down to remove large air pockets. Transfer to a floured counter top, and shape into a rectangle with your hands. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 24" x 12" rectangle.
Spread the 4 tablespoons of butter (reserved from the filling portion of the ingredients) evenly over the surface of the rolled dough, leaving a ½" border around all edges. Top the butter with the filling mixture.
Beginning at the long edge of the dough farthest from you, roll the dough down toward yourself to form a tight log. Pinch the seam with your fingers and crimp the edge of the roll by pressing firmly with your rolling pin.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and oil the inside of a 9" or 10" springform pan ring. You do not need the bottom.
Using a sharp knife, slice the roll lengthwise leaving ¾" attached at one end. Working quickly, gently rotate each half outward so the cut side is facing up. The dough will be a little sticky and wet - this is ok, but the faster you work, the easier this will all be!
Starting from the attached end of the roll, cross the two halves. Continue working in this way until you reach the opposite side of the twisted rope, and pinch together the end. Transfer the rope to your lined baking sheet, and spiral into a circle that is small enough to fit inside of the oiled springform pan ring.
Place the ring around the braid, and cover with a kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm draft-free location for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, preheat your oven to 350F. When the oven comes to temperature, remove the towel from the dough. Leaving the ring in place, Bake the bread for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown and puffy. Allow to cool in the pan on a rack for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the pan and the parchment, setting directly on the rack to cool completely.
Make a glaze by combining the bourbon and the confectioners sugar. Drizzle or pipe over the bread.
Slice and serve with a huge dollop of whipped cream!
Recipe ever-so-slightly adapted from
Floating Kitchen
Recipe by
Whisk Kid
at https://whisk-kid.com/2015/10/dine-braided-cinnamon-apple-bread-with-walnuts-and-bourbon-glaze.html


text:
Deck Name: Fast apocalypse
Created by: Baaliprimogen
Description: An Imbued deck. Plan to oust. Wait until "all" events are in play.
Wormwood down til 1. Then you can do what ever you want. Not tourney deck. Think it will work?
Crypt [12 vampires, average capacity: 2.91667]
2x Leaf "Potter116" Pankow inn red vis 4 Imbued:4
2x Marion "Teacher193" Per red jud 4 Imbued:4
3x Peter "Outback295" Roph red ven 4 Imbued:4
2x Liz "Ticket312" Thornto inn red 2 Imbued:4
3x Afifa, The Herald dom 1 Caitiff:4
Library [60 cards]
Master [12]
4x Angel of Berlin
1x Barrens, The
1x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Elder Library
1x Fortschritt Library
1x Not to Be
1x Powerbase: Los Angeles
1x Protected Resources
1x Specialization
Conviction [17]
3x React with Conviction
7x Second Sight
7x Strike with Conviction
Equipment [5]
1x Heart of Nizchetus
4x Sniper Rifle
Event [22]
1x Absimiliard's Army
1x Anthelios, The Red Star
1x Blood Trade
1x Blood Weakens
1x Dragonbound
1x Fall of the Camarilla
1x Fall of the Sabbat
1x Fueled by Heart's Blood
1x New Inquisition, The
1x Nightmares upon Nightmares
1x Recalled to the Founder
1x Restricted Vitae
1x Rise of the Nephtali
1x Slow Withering, The
1x Thirst
1x Torpid Blood
1x Unmasking, The
1x Veil of Darkness
4x Wormwood
Power [4]
2x Abjure
2x Respire
Crafted with: Anarch Revolt Deck Builder [Sat Dec 27 20:43:27 2008]


text:
Many of us see the terms "shared hosting", "VPS hosting" and "dedicated hosting", and our eyes understandably glaze over. It's not very obvious what the difference is at first glance, and even less obvious when each type of hosting it suitable for your business. We thought we'd put together a quick and simple run down of each type, to help you determine whether shared hosting, VPS hosting or dedicated hosting is right for you at this time – and what you might need to consider for the future.
We're going to start from the most heavy duty option, and work our way back.
Dedicated Hosting
It's easier perhaps to think of website hosting as a box. That box represents a server, which incidentally looks like an awful lot like a box.
With dedicated hosting, you are paying for the entire box. You don't have to share it with anyone, and everything inside that box is all yours to play with. Think of it like a fancy-pants mansion, high on a hill somewhere.
The sort of things you will find inside the box include a CPU (central processing unit), as well as hard drives which supply storage space for your files, and finally memory, also known as RAM. These things determine how quickly your box can process information, as well as how much information can be processed at the same time.
Dedicated hosting is generally considered to be the royalty of all hosting solutions, and is suitable for very large, very hard-working and/or very busy websites, usually with thousands of visitors on a daily basis. Ultimately, if your website grows large enough to need to be hosted on a dedicated server, that can only mean good things!
Dedicated hosting comes in two formats, fully-managed or self-managed. The difference between the two basically boils down to who will set up and maintain the operating system of the server. If it is fully-managed, then all of the necessary maintenance such as backups, updates, security and optimisation will be done for you at the server level. This should not be confused with the maintenance that will still always be required at the website level too. A fully-managed server includes just that – the server management. The website management on the other hand is something else entirely, and will usually need to be done by yourself or your web developer. These plans can come in all shapes and sizes, take a look at our dedicated hosting options to see which will be best suited to you.
VPS Hosting
VPS hosting is the middle-ground between entry-level shared hosting, and dedicated hosting. If we go back to our box analogy, with VPS hosting you may be sharing your box with a small handful of other residents. Think of it like a luxury townhouse complex!
The overall resources of that box will be divided up between all of you, and none of you will be able to use more than your allocated share.
There is still a lot of separation with VPS hosting, but without the expense of having the whole box to yourself. For instance, although you are still sharing the box, if one of your neighbours catches a nasty virus, the dividing walls inside are generally high enough to ensure that you can't catch it from them.
VPS hosting is also a lot more affordable than dedicated hosting and once again comes in two different formats, those being fully-managed and self-managed. Once again, fully-managed means all of the server setup and maintenance is done for you by a team of professionals. However, if you're very savvy with server management, you may prefer to do these tasks yourself, in which case a self-managed VPS hosting plan would suit you just fine.
VPS hosting is perfect for when you have outgrown the shared hosting environment, but you're not quite ready to dive into a dedicated server of your very own. Both managed and self-managed VPS plans come with different specifications, so chose wisely!
Shared Hosting
Shared hosting is where it all begins. This is the most entry-level hosting plan available on the market. As such, it is also the cheapest by a long shot.
If we once again go back to our box analogy, shared hosting is where you are sharing the box with several hundred other residents. Think of it like an apartment complex.
You'll be a little more packed in, and your resources to an extent will be shared. You'll still be allocated a limit of how many you can use, however there would not be enough resources on the server for all of the residents to max out their resources at the same time, so sometimes your neighbours may hold you back a little in terms of performance.
This sort of hosting is usually just fine for most small business and personal websites! Take a look at our available hosting plans if you think that they are a good fit for your needs!
If you've got any other questions about dedicated hosting, VPS hosting or shared hosting, please don't be shy! The team are always here to help.
Simply call us on 1300 MY HOST (694 678) during business hours, or submit a ticket through OnePanel and one of the crew will be in touch!


text:
Firexo: A recipe for success in the catering industry
Despite the huge levels of innovation that the catering and hospitality trades have experienced over the years, it is still an industry that is extremely vulnerable to the risk of fire. In restaurants and takeaway establishments, London Fire Brigade estimates that kitchen appliances were responsible for a quarter (25%) of fires suffered, with cookers accounting for 23% and electrical faults responsible for 17% of fires, during the last financial year.
As a pioneering firefighting liquid that can extinguish any type of fire, Firexo brings much needed protection to the catering industry, especially in the form of its sachet. The sachet can put out a pan fire in a matter of seconds – quite the contrast to the traditional firefighting methods. It is simple to utilise too, needing only to be put into the pan.
Putting water on a pan fire can turn the fire into a blaze, quickly making the situation more dangerous.
It is not just the fire itself that can have a huge impact on the business either. The consequential damage and mess created by extinguishing a fire can lead to a huge loss of revenue. Using traditional fire extinguishers, with their powder and foam solutions, can cause a lot of contamination, forcing a business to close while the cleaning operation is carried out. The Firexo sachet eliminates this too, as well as the fire itself, by taking down the fire in less than a minute, with little mess.
After a fire a business must comply with strict insurance regulations to be able to open once again – equating to more revenue lost during this process. One of these regulations is that the substance in sprinkler systems, present in commercial cookers, must be refilled before a business can legally reopen. This can be a costly and lengthy process, but with Firexo tackling a fire before it escalates, these sprinkler systems won't even be triggered.
The need for Firexo to cook up a storm in kitchens is further highlighted by the fact that, in the last financial year, cooking appliances contributed to almost half (48%) of all domestic fire incidents, according to Home Office data. This just shows how dangerous cooking appliances can be, and how regularly fires break out because of them.
Firexo is an innovation that could potentially save the catering and hospitality trades millions of pounds lost to fire every year.


text:
Pies. One of the greatest treats ever created. Yet, if you cannot have wheat or gluten it is one of those things you may be wondering if you will ever enjoy again. Well, this crust works! And tastes great! The custard is basic for the most part, most recipes are similar. Note that the crust recipe makes 2 crusts, but the pie filling is for one. If you want to use both crusts you will need to double the filling recipe. These recipes were altered from two different cookbooks, "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon and "125 Best Gluten-free Recipes" by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt.
Gluten-free Pumpkin Pie
- 1/3 cup ice water
- 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1 cup arrowroot flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour
- 2 teaspoons guar gum
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 sticks butter slightly softened
~ Combine water, eggs and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside.
~ In a large bowl mix rice flour, arrowroot flour, tapioca starch, guar gum and salt. Mix well, then add the butter. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut butter into the flour until the mixture looks like crumbles.
~ Stir in the egg mixture until combines. It will look very moist and sticky, but will thicken. Divide mixture in half in ball shapes and place on plastic wrap. Pat into thick, flat rounds, wrap tightly, and place in refrigerator for 1 hour.
~ To make crust, allow dough to sit at room temperature about 10 minutes. Unwrap and place on wax paper. Use another piece of wax paper on top like a sandwich and carefully roll out to one inch larger than the diameter of your pie plate. Peel off the top layer of wax paper, then turn the dough carefully into the pie plate, gently pressing into place and removing the wax paper. Fix any tears and crimp the edges. To pre-bake, poke holes in the bottom and sides with a fork and bake at 425ºF for 20 minutes, cool and fill. For filled and baked pies, just fill the crust with desired filling and bake according to recipe. Edges do not require foil strips, they don't seem to get too brown. Makes 2 9-inch crusts
Pumpkin Filling:
- 15 ounces pureed pumpkin (if using canned use the plain pumpkin, if using fresh make sure it has been cooked down thick)
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar of choice
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon powdered cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- grated rind of 1 lemon
- 1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
~ Mix sugar and eggs. Stir in the other ingredients until combined. Pour into lined pie plates and bake in pre-heated oven at 350°F for 35-50 minutes. Remove to cool (will thicken as it cools). Serve with whipped cream if desired. Makes 1 9-inch pie.


text:
- Hi, I am Rachél Payne, the quirky, dedicated heart behind Creativity Tribe. Welcome to my home away from home. I have decorated the walls of this space with words, ideas, images, and imaginings so that you will be inspired to celebrate your Creative Spirit.
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Tag Archives: Earth
Full Moon Vision Board
I kept my vision board simple this month. I placed in a house that reminds me a bit of my own. We have been making progress on helping the house transform into the home we want it to feel like. … Continue reading
Posted in Full Moon Dream Board Tagged dream board, Earth, Full moon, jamie ridler studio, meditation, Moon, Polyvore, Renaissance Faire, vision board 11 Comments
Super Sized Wy-MOON
For the last decade or so, I have been mesmerized by the moon. On occasion, I have spent warm, breezy nights in her company on the edge of the water, sand between my toes and dreams lapping at the shore … Continue reading
Posted in Full Moon Dream Board Tagged BBW, creativity, Dream, dream board, Earth, Fat Girl, healing art, Health, jamie ridler, Moon, self-help, vision board, Weight loss, weight loss surgery 10 Comments
Full Cold Moon Dream Board
I have just returned from my back yard. The moon dances out her strip tease aided by a veil of clouds. The Earth's shadow still sweeps across her surface. I was mesmerized. Coming inside, I turn inward. Here is that … Continue reading
Posted in Full Moon Dream Board Tagged creativity, Dance, dreams, Earth, Eclipse, Jamie Ridler Studios, Lunar eclipse, meditation, Moon, New Year, Polyvore, winter solstice 7 Comments
Around the House
With my mind focused on reorganizing the house, it is easy to feel overwhelmed with what there is to do.
So I decided to turn my frown upside down by searching for the bright side…or maybe I should say bright spots.
Here is a collection of my favorite areas of the house. Continue reading
Posted in Creative Living Tagged art of placement, deity, Earth, Home, installation, Resin, Sculpture, wildwood naturals 1 Comment
Autumn Equinox: In the Spirit of the Spiral
So I created a simple, yet powerful event to ceremoniously celebrate what was going on in my heart. My hubby joined in. The spiral became a very powerful tool for transformation for us. I say powerful because it was filled with meaning and heralded change in us individually and as a couple. Change, like the turning of the seasons. Those things in us that needed to come into balance did. Continue reading
Posted in Spirituality, Uncategorized Tagged anniversary, art, Autumn Equinox, charm, collecting yourself, creativity, Earth, enchantment, Equinox, fat girl in a fit city, healing, intimacy, labyrinth, Magic, marriage, Oregon, Pike Place Market, Practical Magic, Puget Sound, relationship, ritual, SCA, seasons, Seattle, Society for Creative Anachronism, spirituality, the art of collecting yourself, United States, walking meditation, Washington, wheel of the year, wise woman, www.collectingyourself.wordpress.com 8 Comments


text:
Verify that your Resource Labels Exists
19 Jul 2012 2 Comments
This is part 2 of 4 in a series on how to improve the way we usually work with resource (resx) files. At least the way my team and I work with them.
I generally like to – and do – use resource files for all string constants that are shown to end-users, however I do feel that it is needlessly cumbersome, therefore these posts:
- A Good Way to Handle Multi Language Resource Files
- Verify that your Resource Labels Exists (this one)
- Find Obsolete Resource Labels
- Supercharge your Resource Efficiency with Macros
Generally these issues are generic to .NET and not specific to SharePoint, though that is where I'm spending my time writing this.
So, are you sure that your Resource Labels Exists?
The issue at hand is that you have hundreds of source files of various flavors and they are springled with references to a number of resource files. Usually only one for each project/wsp though.
So how can you be sure that you don't use one in your code that isn't defined in your resource file?
As missing resource labels are just output verbose to the end user/application this can be a major issue.
The answer is that you run the PowerShell script below, that'll check it 😉
The Script
I made a small script to check for resource labels after a major code rewrite that had me change literally hundreds of labels.
The script will, given a starting location (i.e. the root folder for your solution)
- Search recursively for resx files and store their locations
- Go through every code file (.xml, .cs, .vb, .as*x, .webpart, .dwp, .feature) and look for resource labels of the form "$Resources:filename,label_key"
- For every one of those resource keys it'll open the corresponding resx file and check that the key is present and write a warning to the console if not
Obviously this takes a minute or two – in my current project with 8500 files (including everything) it takes about 1 minute to complete (a VM on a power laptop) which is completely acceptable as you don't really need to run it that often.
Enterprising people may want to add it to the buildserver's list of tests. I haven't found the need or the time yet 😉
PS> & VerifyResourceLabelsExists.ps1 "path to solution dir"
(Tip: Download the script to somewhere, write an ampersand (&) and then drag the ps1 file into the PowerShell window and then drag the solution folder to the window.)
Sample output:
Searching for resx files
Searching for labels
Parsing resx files
Checking labels
Warning: Could not find $Resources:Delegate.XXX.XXX,ContentType_XXX_Description in file C:\Dev\TFS\xxxx\Elements.xml
Warning: Could not find $Resources:Delegate.XXX.XXX,ListDefinition_XXX_Heading in file C:\Dev\TFS\xxxx\Schema.xml
You'll likely want to pipe the results to a file and then run through your source files to add the missing labels (see part 4, when I finish it).
What it does not do
There are obviously some limitations. It will not
- Add the missing labels for you
- It simply looks at files. If you have some files that are excluded from your project files they will be counted in regardless
- It simply does pattern matching – code commented out is still included by the script
- It always works of the default non-language specific resx file – the task of ensuring that all labels are defined in all languages is a fairly simple xml comparison for which tools exists
- Handle default resource files, i.e. the case where you define a default resource file in your feature.xml files and then use the "$Resources:label_key" shorthand with no file name


text:
In this post I will rationalize what I am about to do. When I bought my Golf back in June ish, the exhaust was (I think) stock from headers to cat. Everything cat back was from a junkyard car. The stock system from the junkyard was then cut up with a resonator delete, welded poorly, slapped on the car, and topped off with a DC racing tip. A month or so after I got it (after I replaced both axles when three CV joints failed in close succession, by the way, how?) I was at the junkyard for a replacement fuel pump and I ran into the PO (typical), and he asked if I noticed his crappy weld. Uh, yeah, would have been nice to know about beforehand.
Anyways, mid-October my first patch on the exhaust failed. I was quoted $270 minimum (my balance at the time) for a straight pipe and that's it, which I walked away from and redid the same patch. Mid January, the patch failed again and I redid it. Late February, I heard the rusty pipes banging around again and put it on ramps to re-re-re-patch it, aaaaand... the previous patch was fine. A new crack had started at a bend where I could not patch. Welp.
Over the weekend that same crack finished working its way through. The muffler was now completely disconnected. So, being the genius I am, I removed everything from the first break back (about 2-3 feet behind the catalytic converter). Here's how it sounds now.
Here are the old bits. None of this is salvageable.
Next step is order the cheapest exhaust I can and install it as soon as I can. Did I mention that I am supposed to drive 200 miles home for Easter break on the 17th? That's not happening, most likely. Ebay says delivery by the 15th. Let's hope it comes Saturday.
The whole point of this post: I cannot drive this car with a straight pipe. It is ungodly loud. I also do not want to pay actual money for a not so great exhaust. I'll look at the welds before I install, and if needed, I know a few people with welding equipment.
Wish me luck, Oppo.