My new vacuum sucks-and that's a big change from the old one. That one didn't suck at all! ; )
Yes, I'm being punny, but I'm so excited. I bought a Dyson vacuum cleaner today. I'm tired of spend $150 every few years for a new vacuum cleaner. Hopefully, since I spent more than that, this one will last more years.
My last vacuum was a Eureka. Never, ever buy a Eureka. I should have known better. My first vacuum was a Eureka and it started on fire while I was vacuuming! Not good. Then we had a Hoover which barely lasted a year. Then a Dirt Devil which didn't even last a year and then the other Eureka, which died today after three years. This last Eureka, though, was the worst. I've replaced the hose and the beater brush, not to mention umpteen belts (seriously, like one every other month for the past year or so) and bags up the wazoo. My new vacuum has no belts and no bags. I love it! I vacuumed yesterday with the piece of shit and when I vacuumed with the Dyson today it looked like I hadn't vacuumed in months. The canister was FULL. Nasty!
I'm also a very happy girl because I paid *way* less for a Dyson at the Exchange than I would have anywhere else. Yay me!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Happy Birthday, Linda!
My friend Linda has a birthday this week. Bad me, I can't remember if it's today or tomorrow, so I'll cover all bases!
Happy birthday, Linda! I'm still not happy you abandoned me in Tennessee, but I hope your day is a great one!
Happy birthday, Linda! I'm still not happy you abandoned me in Tennessee, but I hope your day is a great one!
Lights Out!
I don't know what it is about this area, but our power is constantly going out. It's only for a second or so, but it's long enough to screw everything up!
I'd say in the past week or so we've lost power three times. And it's like this every week, without fail. It's not usually out for long, although there have been a few times where it was out for a couple hours.
Yesterday it just did a quick flash, off and then on again. Of course, that means the DirecTV had to reboot. And the computers had to reboot. The clocks need to be reset. And my dryer stopped. It's gotten to the point that I don't even bother to reset my clocks because I know I'll be doing it again in a few days. I have a good old-fashioned analog clock in my living room, so I rely on that instead of the VCR or microwave.
The thing is, the power isn't going out due to a thunderstorm or rain or anything. It's apparently going out because it can. Or because this is The South and that's the way things work around here. It's just really annoying and yet another reason I can't wait to get the heck out of here!
I'd say in the past week or so we've lost power three times. And it's like this every week, without fail. It's not usually out for long, although there have been a few times where it was out for a couple hours.
Yesterday it just did a quick flash, off and then on again. Of course, that means the DirecTV had to reboot. And the computers had to reboot. The clocks need to be reset. And my dryer stopped. It's gotten to the point that I don't even bother to reset my clocks because I know I'll be doing it again in a few days. I have a good old-fashioned analog clock in my living room, so I rely on that instead of the VCR or microwave.
The thing is, the power isn't going out due to a thunderstorm or rain or anything. It's apparently going out because it can. Or because this is The South and that's the way things work around here. It's just really annoying and yet another reason I can't wait to get the heck out of here!
Sunday, July 15, 2007
July Book Review
Moving is Murder by Sara Rosett© 2006
Kensington Books
It's about time there was a mystery with a military wife as protagonist! Sara Rosett has written an engaging mystery featuring Ellie Avery, Air Force wife and mom to a newborn.
The Avery's have just moved to their new duty station when Ellie discovers the body of a murdered neighbor. Before she knows it, Ellie is drawn into the investigation and her own life may be at stake. Moving is Murder is a delightful book. It's light and cozy, but never cloying. Ellie is not one of those perfect characters-she struggles with a crying baby, bed head and not enough hours in the day, just like the rest of us. But she's also determined and devoted to her family which makes her a very believable amateur sleuth. The details of military life and all it entails are funny-and too true. I personally loved when Ellie mutters to herself that she thought she and her husband had left "yard of the month" competition behind when they left on-base housing. I can relate.
If you're looking for a witty, entertaining read, look no further than Moving is Murder. Rosett's second mystery, Staying at Home is a Killer, is also available from Kensington Books.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
The Bronx is Burning
It's been a long time since a television program caught my interest, but after one episode, I'm addicted to The Bronx is Burning on ESPN. The show follows the 1977 Yankees in their pennant race, along with other events occurring in New York City that summer, namely the Son of Sam murders.
The cast is fantastic: Oliver Platt plays George Steinbrenner, John Turturro plays manager Billy Martin and Daniel Sunjata plays Reggie Jackson. Platt's Steinbrenner is just exactly what I always thought Steinbrenner would be like and I can't help but laugh at him. Turturro is perfectly scrappy and greasy, in true Billy Martin style. And Sunjata? Well, he definitely "gets" Jackson's ego.
Unfortunately, this is only an eight-hour miniseries. How disappointing. I mean, really! What could be better than clubhouse gossip, on- and off-the-field rivalries and a few good murders thrown in? What a winner!
The cast is fantastic: Oliver Platt plays George Steinbrenner, John Turturro plays manager Billy Martin and Daniel Sunjata plays Reggie Jackson. Platt's Steinbrenner is just exactly what I always thought Steinbrenner would be like and I can't help but laugh at him. Turturro is perfectly scrappy and greasy, in true Billy Martin style. And Sunjata? Well, he definitely "gets" Jackson's ego.
Unfortunately, this is only an eight-hour miniseries. How disappointing. I mean, really! What could be better than clubhouse gossip, on- and off-the-field rivalries and a few good murders thrown in? What a winner!
Friday, July 06, 2007
Have a Nice Day!
Maybe it's my Midwestern upbringing, or the fact that I'm just a nice person, but I bet I say the words "have a nice day" at least 3 times a day, often to complete strangers. So, tell me, is this something that just isn't done anymore? It seems like lately I get no response when I tell someone to have a nice day. Now, I'm not looking for anyone to tell me to have a nice day, but some people's rudeness just astounds me.
Today the kids and I were out and about. We went to Hancock Fabrics to get some foam and upholstery fabric so I can recover one of our office chairs. I told the lady who rang up my items to have a nice day and she just turned away. Eh, whatever.
At Target the cashier smiled genuinely when I told her to have a nice day and, from the look on her face, she was surprised a customer would say such thing. The library was another non-reaction. Burger King? Well, I'm still thinking about Burger King. It took forever to get our food (in fact, someone in line two cars behind us apparently gave up and just left without their food). When the girl finished handing us our stuff I told her to have a nice day and she grunted at me. Now, there was nothing special about my order. I didn't make her work extra hard or even ask for freaking ketchup and napkins (in fact, I didn't get either of these things). Really, did I deserve a grunt? Talk about rude.
The guards at the gate on base always say thanks when I tell them to have a nice day-and I always say it to them. These poor men and women stand outside for a four-hour shift in the heat of summer and in the cold of winter. Today, I greeted the guard, showed him my ID and told him to have a nice day. He smiled and thanked me and I drove away.
So, what's the deal? I'm always hearing about how polite people in the South are, but that's not my experience. The older people in the South are unfailingly polite. The young people, with the exception of my Target cashier today, seem to be just the opposite.
Oh well, I'm not going to let a bunch of rude people turn me into one of them. I'll keep greeting people politely and thanking them when they've rung up my purchases and I'll even keep telling them to have a nice day, even if they just grunt at me in return.
Today the kids and I were out and about. We went to Hancock Fabrics to get some foam and upholstery fabric so I can recover one of our office chairs. I told the lady who rang up my items to have a nice day and she just turned away. Eh, whatever.
At Target the cashier smiled genuinely when I told her to have a nice day and, from the look on her face, she was surprised a customer would say such thing. The library was another non-reaction. Burger King? Well, I'm still thinking about Burger King. It took forever to get our food (in fact, someone in line two cars behind us apparently gave up and just left without their food). When the girl finished handing us our stuff I told her to have a nice day and she grunted at me. Now, there was nothing special about my order. I didn't make her work extra hard or even ask for freaking ketchup and napkins (in fact, I didn't get either of these things). Really, did I deserve a grunt? Talk about rude.
The guards at the gate on base always say thanks when I tell them to have a nice day-and I always say it to them. These poor men and women stand outside for a four-hour shift in the heat of summer and in the cold of winter. Today, I greeted the guard, showed him my ID and told him to have a nice day. He smiled and thanked me and I drove away.
So, what's the deal? I'm always hearing about how polite people in the South are, but that's not my experience. The older people in the South are unfailingly polite. The young people, with the exception of my Target cashier today, seem to be just the opposite.
Oh well, I'm not going to let a bunch of rude people turn me into one of them. I'll keep greeting people politely and thanking them when they've rung up my purchases and I'll even keep telling them to have a nice day, even if they just grunt at me in return.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Independence Day!
Hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July! Celebrate our country's independence safely and don't forget our men and women who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. They truly know what it means to make a sacrifice for the freedom of all Americans!
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