Category Archives: Misc
Zapped again
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Just when you think you might be a little ahead, ZAP something goes wrong. In our case, it was the washing machine. It died last night. The final load finished the rinse cycle when the machine decided that it no longer wanted to spin. I was saying a few choice words while wringing out clothes by hand so I could throw them in the dryer. I am so glad it was a small load.
The parts to fix our old washer are no longer available. Therefore, I am now in the process of raising our credit card debt by a few hundred bucks to purchase a new one. Decisions, decisions do I buy a front loading water saving model or do I stick with the tried and true top loader. What brand do I want? I’ve been researching washers until my eyes feel as though they are bugging out of my head. I know a couple I don’t want; they had so many bad reviews that I won’t even consider them.
I swear our bank account is hard-wired into our appliances, when we seem to have a bit of a cushion, one of them decides it is time to croak. Last time it was the freezer.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
Thank you Chuck!
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I have to thank Chuck for coming over and getting the furnace at the MIL’s house to run properly. The man is one hell of a great friend! I was afraid we were going to have to call someone in and pay through the nose to have it done.
In spite of disabling pain from breaking his back–not once but twice, Chuck came down, found the problem, and corrected it. Thereby saving us a bundle. (Take a bow Chuck, you earned it!)
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Tags: Author, Best friends, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, friends, friendships, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, old friends, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
Finding fresh ideas
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Fishing season began today without us. We never go for the first week or so. There’s too many first timers around. After a couple of weeks they soon get bored and find other things to do, which leaves the river banks clearer for those of us who enjoy going all the time.
I look forward to sitting on the riverbank and daydreaming or bird watching while my hook awaits the nibble of a fish. It gives my brain time to relax and that helps stir up the writing urge. Since it’s been a long time that we’ve gone fishing, I’m hoping for some fresh ideas.
I carry a notebook and pen along with me to write down things I see, hear, smell, and even the taste. There’s nothing like the taste of a picnic lunch along the river. Another bonus I’ve found is that there’s never a shortage of characters along a riverbank.
Posted in Misc, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, fishing, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
You have to spend money to make money
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I am here to tell you that it is true. The only way we’ll make a dime selling the MIL’s house is by sinking more into it now. The cheapest thing we’ll do is paint every room.
The most expensive things will be putting tile flooring in the bathroom and kitchen. The toilet and sink need replacing and so does the medicine cabinet. Then we must do something about the back of the house. A deck would be nice but I think we’ll only be putting in steps to go up to the sun porch above the garage.
Then there’s that all important curb appeal. I’ll have to do some gardening over there putting in some brightly colored flowers, which will help the outside look nicer. The handicapped ramp needs power washing and a good stain. There’s a lot of trimming needed on shrubbery in the front and back yards and I know someone who we can hire to do that. If I’m lucky, I can get a discount. The lower areas of the house need new stucco and we already spoke to our neighborhood roofer about repairing the garage roof and inspecting the rest.
All of the above comes AFTER we clear out the house. We’re getting closer to that day.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Home, Home improvement, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
The treasures keep popping up
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Yesterday we uncovered another treasure. Under a pile of stuff in the basement, we found a first edition James A. Michener ‘Report of the County Chairman’ with a dated autograph. We weren’t really working down there. We took a friend down to check out a few things he wanted to buy.
With the friend’s help, we were able to put Grandpop’s mattress and box spring out on curb for the garbage. This means that one bedroom is almost completely empty. All that remains in there are the dresser and armoire I am keeping and an antique radio that I need to find a home.
We lifted the rug to see what the hardwood floor was like underneath it and it looks to be good shape.
G collected a ton of wire hangers and put them in a recycling bin to go out on Sunday while I worked on garbage detail, and filled several bags. We are making progress!
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Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, James Michener, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
Today and yesterday
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Off again today to do more work on the MIL’s house. We hope to clear another bedroom. Sunday we took down all the curtains except for one window in the living room and about died from the dust. With the curtains gone, the rooms are much brighter. There are blinds to keep nosy neighbors from peering in to see what we’re doing. Unfortunately, we couldn’t take down the curtains in the living room because there are no blinds behind them.
I put ribs in the crock-pot so when I get home we should have a tasty meal ready and waiting. All I’ll need to do is whip up some side dishes.
DH had his MRIs yesterday and we’ll hear about the results when the neurologist let’s us know. After spending that much time at the hospital, he was shot for the rest of the day. Gavin and Patty seemed to sense this and behaved themselves…for a change.
I’d stayed up to make certain he got off okay for his early morning appointment, and to take care of the dogs’ morning routine. Didn’t get to sleep until after nine a.m. and slept until almost three in the afternoon.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
Another Sunday of clearing the house
Posted by doggonedmysteries
G and I are off to the MIL’s house again this afternoon. We’re taking along another recycling bin in hopes of getting rid of most of the plastic, glass, and metal stuff upstairs today. No, we haven’t even begun to think about all the stuff in the basement or garage yet. We both dread those jobs.
I am looking forward to the day that we are down to bare floors and get working on the fix ups we need to do over there.
We have some people coming over to check out the electronics—I hope they want them. I have no idea what to do with them.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
I want to be with these two lovely gals
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It’s been a while since I’ve seen all my favorite people and horses. I miss them. These are my cousin’s Arabians. Whenever I visit, I take carrots to the horses every afternoon.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
Update on chaos house
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Sunday G and I went over to work on the MIL’s house again. Every closet is now empty. We cleared out the last of the cupboards in the kitchen and emptied out the bathroom. The hall closet yielded a ton of coats, jackets, and sweaters for donation and more garbage to toss. We loaded ten more huge garbage bags of clothes into my car to go to Goodwill. We’re running out of boxes to put things in.
Feeling a bit destructive, we cleared out, took apart the rickety microwave stand, and put the pieces out for garbage. We took the limit of five huge bags of garbage out to the curb along with the two overloaded recycling bins. I’m sure the garbage men over there have begun to hate us by now. We already have two bags loaded and ready to go out for garbage on Wednesday.
As of right now the room that shows the biggest improvement is the bathroom. You wouldn’t believe all the junk she had in there. It is all gone and the room seems twice as big. The only thing we didn’t empty was a hamper in which she’d stored all the tall, decorative ceramic beer steins I’d made for my father in law over the years. If anyone wants them, they need a home. Look out Pennwriters, there might be a couple of them in baskets or used AS baskets.
Another bad pun day
Posted by doggonedmysteries
A marine biologist developed a race of genetically engineered dolphins that could live forever if they were fed a steady diet of seagulls. One day his supply of the birds ran out, so he had to go out and trap some more. On the way back, he spied two lions asleep on the road. Afraid to wake them, he gingerly stepped over them. Immediately, he was arrested and charged with transporting gulls across sedate lions for immortal porpoises.
Evidence has been found that William Tell and his family were avid bowlers. However, all the league records were unfortunately destroyed in a fire. Thus we’ll never know for whom the Tells bowled.
A skeptical anthropologist was cataloging South American folk remedies with the assistance of a tribal brujo who indicated that the leaves of a particular fern were a sure cure for any case of constipation. When the anthropologist expressed his doubts, the brujo looked him in the eye and said, “Let me tell you, with fronds like these, who needs enemas?”
What goes clop, clop, clop, bang, bang, clop-clop-clop? An Amish drive-by shooting.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Pun, Writer, Writing
The ink went up to how much?!
Posted by doggonedmysteries
When the cost of the ink cartridges for the old decrepit printer is almost as much as the cost of a brand-new three-in-one printer, it’s time to buy a new three-in-one printer. Yep, I bought one yesterday. (Happy birthday to me…)
By taking my old printer in, I received a fifty-dollar rebate, which lowered the cost of the printer even more. I am a happy camper.
Now I can scan, fax, and print. It also has a port where I can put the card from the camera and directly print photos from there.
We have so many photos over at the MIL’s house I had no idea of what to do with them. Most of the photos we have no idea who the people are in them, no children to pass them down to, and no place to store them. Yes! I can scan them, store them on a flash drive, and toss away the mountains of photos. This idea works!
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
Eh, what did you say?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It must’ve been ‘take your toddlers grocery shopping” day. I’ve never seen so many rug rats dashing around the grocery store at one time. I spent an hour playing dodge-the-little-buggers this afternoon and never have I been happier to get out of the store.
There were running toddlers, screaming crying toddlers, and immovable temper tantrum riddled toddlers in every aisle. I longed for earplugs and tot pinging radar. I’ve made a note to myself NEVER to go grocery shopping on a Tuesday. It isn’t a day that I normally go grocery shopping and I now see what I have been missing. CHAOS!
While in the check out line, a child at the next register let loose with a screech so piercing it was almost out of a human’s hearing range. I think I heard dogs howling out in the parking lot. If we’d been near the ocean, dolphins would’ve beached themselves.
My ears are still ringing.
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
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