The Committee (Kay, Marc, Lo) plus the young committee (Kris) put together an awesome 40 year anniversary party for the Burt man and I. Good friends, good food, much laughter and not enough wine! I should have remembered our friends are all winos. In fact a gift from the Claus' underlined the point with a bottle from "now" Pinot Gris, and a bottle from "then" Mateus. Oh yes, we thought we were on the cutting edge of sophistication in the early 70's when we graduated from good ole Boone's Farm to the urbane taste of the Portuguese red rose. Ahh heck it still tastes good, if not a little sweet.
I contributed several bottles of white, red and bubbly, but we ran out quickly. There was a late showing of the infamous 25th anniversary video narrated intentionally or not, by one photographer Larry Mc. Anyone who knows Larry understands. Hilarious as amateur productions tend to be. All of the family were there on the Sweet side, including our Wisconsin contingency-Nic, Caryn, Aly and Joe; and representatives of all branches of the Ide clan. Towards the end of the gifts and crazy cards it was almost like the story "The Gift of the Magi" Burt presents me with a ruby ring that he went through many hassles and gyrations to obtain and I, presented him with his gift of a ruby/diamond tie tac that I went through, yep, many hassles and gyrations, to obtain it on time. Then the story got even more interesting....
To me September, the start of the Fall season has always seemed a time of renewal - faster pace, crisper air. It feels like the beginning rather the mournful herald of winter's dark and cold. The colors are more vivid, the skies are bluer, and the feeling of everything coming back to life is closer to me than any other time of year. Our anniversary, my sister's birthday, the beginning of the school year and now something else that I will always remember about September.
As I left for my workout yesterday morning I looked over to the right and saw Mama doe and her twin fawns staring at me for the longest moment, until they ran in mock fear leaping over hedges and disappearing towards the river. Butterflies, both yellow & white(that I call Mothers and Daughters) were bombarding me all day wherever I went. Then my daughter handed me a special gift from her and her husband. I was puzzled as I unwrapped a small picture frame with a rather unusual black & white design in it and one word - BABY.
Yes my beautiful daughter and son-in-law presented us with the news of the impending birth of our first grandchild. Love is in the house little J-Bird. Thank you.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
TOO LITTLE TOO LATE (Chapter 1)
Strange phenomenon over the past 3 years. We have been trying to get our roof redone, and if we like you how about siding too? Not jobs that I would think desperately seeking contractors would turn their noses up. And a cash deal. Hmmm. What could go wrong?
Contractor #1 - Comes over, does the walk-around,takes measurements and NEVER CALLS BACK!
Contractor #2 - Several months, or a year later we get a call from someone who used to work for contractor #1 and he asks "hey did you ever hear back from contractor #1?" Now how did he know that? Hmmm. He is now working for Contractor #2 so he asks if he can bid-sure, we innocently agree. Comes over, does the walk-around, takes measurements and NEVER CALLS BACK FOR 8 MONTHS! When we say no thanks, he is confused! 8 months for a call-back and I'm going to use you for potentially sensitive and crucial changes to my house? Right. He is offended. I swear you can't make this stuff up!
Things mosey merrily along but, we really need this done! We do get flyers in the door from "drive-by" contractors offering your roof done, no questions asked-we restrain ourselves from biting.
Contractor #3-see him working on my street-roofing no less. I stop and ask if we can get a quote, or a visit, or a howdy do. Sure, sure. 2 weeks later he stops by and says did we get a call from anyone? Uh, no. We got the routine down by now. He says he will talk to his partner who does the quoting. 2 weeks later finally get a call-set up appt for the visit, walk-around, measurements. Bets are made by various interested parties. Another 2 weeks and several calls and I call...
Contractor #4! He visits immediately, walks around takes measurements and....
Contractor #3 finally calls back and wants to meet 2 hours later. Really. I'm at work, Burt man is out of town. I say can you come Friday night-No, Saturday-No. Ok does he want the job or not.
Contractor #4 visits "on our schedule" and lays out the plan, quote and credentials. Success, maybe-I've been burned before. Dare I hope? Gave Contractor #3 a chance to get back with us then finally pull the trigger and make deal with #4. I leave a message for #3, as he never answers his phone, and tell him we're going with a different contractor. Calls back in 60 seconds (we timed it) and he is all upset-I let it go to voice mail (good will on my part now over-you know my patience limit). He is all up about "I thought you would call me when you were available". Huh? Us keep begging him to meet with him, again rightttttt.
Sign deal with Contractor #4 and sign goes in front yard. Fingers crossed!
Oh yeah Contractor #4 gave us the number of one of his subs to tuck point (pick mortar out) and fix our chimney before the roof is done. Yep, you guessed it, they won't call us back!!!!! WTF?
Hope springs eternal, we are sitting here waiting for an 11:30 call or visit from the concrete guy working down the street as we also need work done on our porch. Anyone want any of the action about whether he shows up?
Contractor #1 - Comes over, does the walk-around,takes measurements and NEVER CALLS BACK!
Contractor #2 - Several months, or a year later we get a call from someone who used to work for contractor #1 and he asks "hey did you ever hear back from contractor #1?" Now how did he know that? Hmmm. He is now working for Contractor #2 so he asks if he can bid-sure, we innocently agree. Comes over, does the walk-around, takes measurements and NEVER CALLS BACK FOR 8 MONTHS! When we say no thanks, he is confused! 8 months for a call-back and I'm going to use you for potentially sensitive and crucial changes to my house? Right. He is offended. I swear you can't make this stuff up!
Things mosey merrily along but, we really need this done! We do get flyers in the door from "drive-by" contractors offering your roof done, no questions asked-we restrain ourselves from biting.
Contractor #3-see him working on my street-roofing no less. I stop and ask if we can get a quote, or a visit, or a howdy do. Sure, sure. 2 weeks later he stops by and says did we get a call from anyone? Uh, no. We got the routine down by now. He says he will talk to his partner who does the quoting. 2 weeks later finally get a call-set up appt for the visit, walk-around, measurements. Bets are made by various interested parties. Another 2 weeks and several calls and I call...
Contractor #4! He visits immediately, walks around takes measurements and....
Contractor #3 finally calls back and wants to meet 2 hours later. Really. I'm at work, Burt man is out of town. I say can you come Friday night-No, Saturday-No. Ok does he want the job or not.
Contractor #4 visits "on our schedule" and lays out the plan, quote and credentials. Success, maybe-I've been burned before. Dare I hope? Gave Contractor #3 a chance to get back with us then finally pull the trigger and make deal with #4. I leave a message for #3, as he never answers his phone, and tell him we're going with a different contractor. Calls back in 60 seconds (we timed it) and he is all upset-I let it go to voice mail (good will on my part now over-you know my patience limit). He is all up about "I thought you would call me when you were available". Huh? Us keep begging him to meet with him, again rightttttt.
Sign deal with Contractor #4 and sign goes in front yard. Fingers crossed!
Oh yeah Contractor #4 gave us the number of one of his subs to tuck point (pick mortar out) and fix our chimney before the roof is done. Yep, you guessed it, they won't call us back!!!!! WTF?
Hope springs eternal, we are sitting here waiting for an 11:30 call or visit from the concrete guy working down the street as we also need work done on our porch. Anyone want any of the action about whether he shows up?
Sunday, August 21, 2011
AUGUST FLIGHT STORIES
Well update on the HumBee marauders continues. We are up to about 4 of the little beasties feeding at the sugar tube. Juice is going down fast. I think the original HumVee HumBee has slowed down a tad. He is still the little piggy running others off their perch. Some have learned to hover and sip before the kamikaze owner comes flashing down with murder in his heart. He doesn't even let the little female get too long a perch before he knocks her off. His latest ploy is to hide in the bush below and like a great white shark come zooming straight up to dislodge the interloper. Hilarious!
Second flight story. While breakfasting at a local eatery before our morning errands a whole slew of corvette clubbers take over the restaurant. We already had our food, so I'm cool. Heading out to the parking lot, however we see the rather startling scene of a classic car rolling gracefully backwards towards the parked cars. At some point during its escape we noted no driver, short or otherwise at the wheel! Holding our breath, we watch it glide to a stop mere inches from the nearest parked car. Gear-slipping, yes, but apparently the frame is perfect as it took a very direct route backwards.
My safety background kicks in. We decide the car's probably locked and if we touch it, it will probably be enough to start it rolling again and actually cause damage to other cars. So I scoot back in to the restaurant to try to find the hapless parker. I should have realized my mistake, but I headed for the "chevy" clubbers and said "is anyone driving the classic Chevy Chevelle, cause it's taking an unapproved glide through the parking lot." Condescending smiles and negative head shakes greet my announcement. Apparently they are CORVETTE chevy lovers, not classically restored Chevelles. Cruised the restaurant looking for a worried patron, and nobody bit. Having done my civic duty, we carried on and out. Probably the person was too embarrassed in that crowd to admit they liked an old muscle car over the sleekly sexier classic corvette. Ah well.
Second flight story. While breakfasting at a local eatery before our morning errands a whole slew of corvette clubbers take over the restaurant. We already had our food, so I'm cool. Heading out to the parking lot, however we see the rather startling scene of a classic car rolling gracefully backwards towards the parked cars. At some point during its escape we noted no driver, short or otherwise at the wheel! Holding our breath, we watch it glide to a stop mere inches from the nearest parked car. Gear-slipping, yes, but apparently the frame is perfect as it took a very direct route backwards.
My safety background kicks in. We decide the car's probably locked and if we touch it, it will probably be enough to start it rolling again and actually cause damage to other cars. So I scoot back in to the restaurant to try to find the hapless parker. I should have realized my mistake, but I headed for the "chevy" clubbers and said "is anyone driving the classic Chevy Chevelle, cause it's taking an unapproved glide through the parking lot." Condescending smiles and negative head shakes greet my announcement. Apparently they are CORVETTE chevy lovers, not classically restored Chevelles. Cruised the restaurant looking for a worried patron, and nobody bit. Having done my civic duty, we carried on and out. Probably the person was too embarrassed in that crowd to admit they liked an old muscle car over the sleekly sexier classic corvette. Ah well.
IS IT OVER YET? SUMMER THAT IS.
So many things to rant about. Stock market continues to bounce as traders take quick profits. Love how they toy with our futures like that. No real progress on the "jobs, jobs, jobs" agenda the "r's" ran campaigns on. Ahh not happening boys and girls. Though the crackpots that keep climbing out of the primordial slime to throw their prospective chapeaus in the ring are amusing, if not downright scary! So I have an idea, let's vote for them again. Definition of insanity I believe.
There is such a frenzy on putting a negative spin on everything they want to pick on the prez for going on vacation??? Ahh the bushman took a month at a time, since I suppose technically he wasn't running anything anyway. That kind of proves it I think. If you still don't believe go back and watch the tape of him reading to the kiddies when all "hell" broke loose in New York and he just sat there because he really didn't know what to do-a show of being in charge would have been nice. And hello, (don't you hate valley girl slang) do you really think the prez isn't connected six ways from Friday no matter where he/she is-this ain't horse and buggy days folks. Geez.
Now let's start passing laws on "social issues", huh? Jobs, jobs, jobs remember and stay the hockey puck out of my bedroom and doctor's office. Independents, older people, young people and women do vote don't you know. Though the new rules on showing six pieces of ID, stating your "party" to vote and not allowing students access to voting in their college town smacks of a conspiracy of fear the "r's" have of losing their power grab status. Everybody needs to start showing some respect for the intelligence of the people they represent instead of telling us what is good for us. Two ears and one mouth for a reason folks. Whew-that rant was cathartic. I feel better.
There is such a frenzy on putting a negative spin on everything they want to pick on the prez for going on vacation??? Ahh the bushman took a month at a time, since I suppose technically he wasn't running anything anyway. That kind of proves it I think. If you still don't believe go back and watch the tape of him reading to the kiddies when all "hell" broke loose in New York and he just sat there because he really didn't know what to do-a show of being in charge would have been nice. And hello, (don't you hate valley girl slang) do you really think the prez isn't connected six ways from Friday no matter where he/she is-this ain't horse and buggy days folks. Geez.
Now let's start passing laws on "social issues", huh? Jobs, jobs, jobs remember and stay the hockey puck out of my bedroom and doctor's office. Independents, older people, young people and women do vote don't you know. Though the new rules on showing six pieces of ID, stating your "party" to vote and not allowing students access to voting in their college town smacks of a conspiracy of fear the "r's" have of losing their power grab status. Everybody needs to start showing some respect for the intelligence of the people they represent instead of telling us what is good for us. Two ears and one mouth for a reason folks. Whew-that rant was cathartic. I feel better.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
I AM NOT AMUSED SAYETH THE JUDGE
Well the Burt-man had his day in court as jury member number 4.(you're always number 1 with me!). Anyway a simple domestic abuse charge-though I suppose you can never call that simple, managed to last all day until after 6 o'clock. What is amusing or tragic depending upon your point of view, the jury was out 20 minutes, did one paper vote and came back in "guilty". Apparently that could have been decided several hours earlier.
The first 3 hours were spent reviewing 7 medical records by prosecutor, defense and one witness. Couldn't you have stipulated those pieces of evidence before you tied everybody up all morning? As I told the boy when he left, remember justice is swift. Especially since I was waiting for him to get home to go to an event with me. His take on the whole thing was pretty much everyone appeared to be lying except the cop. As each witness did their utmost to destroy any previously submitted testimony it became "circus-like".
He enjoyed the judge who liked to cut to the chase when the defense went into long-winded hash and rehash of every question. At one point the judge said "you're going to ask her this" "her answer is that" move on. WTF? Was the lawyer getting paid by the hour? Oh yeah, he was. LOL.
The first 3 hours were spent reviewing 7 medical records by prosecutor, defense and one witness. Couldn't you have stipulated those pieces of evidence before you tied everybody up all morning? As I told the boy when he left, remember justice is swift. Especially since I was waiting for him to get home to go to an event with me. His take on the whole thing was pretty much everyone appeared to be lying except the cop. As each witness did their utmost to destroy any previously submitted testimony it became "circus-like".
He enjoyed the judge who liked to cut to the chase when the defense went into long-winded hash and rehash of every question. At one point the judge said "you're going to ask her this" "her answer is that" move on. WTF? Was the lawyer getting paid by the hour? Oh yeah, he was. LOL.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
NOT SO AMUSING
This picture illustrates why universal health care is needed. This is an actual picture from our break room at work on behalf of a student intern with no benefits. It is asking fellow workers to drop in their change to help a child fighting cancer. Working parents should not have to rely on charity to save their daughter's life.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
JULY AMUSING
Busy July makes you wonder what is so horny about October when all these were conceived? July 16 is the paternal unit's 87th. In descending order - Saint Burt and Dr Mark attained Social Security status while young Jamie is only 9 months shy of terrorizing the neighborhood when he gets his learner's permit. That's just on the Sweet side with a couple more on the Ide side as well.
The occasion(s) will be suitably noted by our usual mix of potent libations, liar's poker and general hilarity marked by nasty and extremely judgmental (though witty) comments on old age. Works for us with paybacks both brutal and expected.
The occasion(s) will be suitably noted by our usual mix of potent libations, liar's poker and general hilarity marked by nasty and extremely judgmental (though witty) comments on old age. Works for us with paybacks both brutal and expected.
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