Aussie!

So, I'm just getting ready to get my supper out tonight and the phone rings! Damn!

But, to my surprise it's my friend from Australia, John, affectionately known as "Aussie". What a great surprise! I love it! Aussie ~ it was SO good to hear from you.

We had a great chat. I can't believe that his girls are getting as old as they are - "Hello, Mia and Lisa". He's after me to come visit him. I've always wanted to go to Australia ~ just may have to look into it ~ especially on a cruise. He's outside of Melbourne - southern Australia. It's winter there now. A good plan for a winter to come. I could fly down, visit, then cruise around the coast or back to Hawaii. Hmmmmmmmmm, gonna have to look into this. Anyone want to go with me?

Shennie

Shocker

I went out this morning to run some errands. I got on one of the main divided roads heading east. I knew I needed to get gas so I was checking the various gas stations on the westbound side figuring I'd stop on my way home. Some were at $4.09 and some were at $4.05. I made note of the two at $4.05 and decided to stop at one of them on the way back.

On my way back, I pulled into the station, did what was needed to do at the pump and started pumping gas. About half-way through I glanced at the big sign at the edge of the property. Where it had said $4.05 half an hour ago, it now said $4.09!!!!! It was too late now. And don't you know it ~ the other station a little farther west was still at $4.05 when I went by it after filling up at the other station. Sh!t.

I put $50.01 worth of gas into my car this morning! I have NEVER put $50.00 worth of gas into my car at one time. That used to be an impossible task. $50.00 used to be a month's worth of gas; hell, that used to be 2 month's worth! But, I figure I'd fill up before I went to Connecticut ~ it's always 10 cents more/gallon down there and I'm going there on Thursday for 5 days.

Thank God I only have to drive 7 miles to work each day.

Shennie

A Follow-up To Missing Items

I was talking to a friend of mine the other day ~ an elderly woman~ who has one of the local landscapers come in and mow her lawn weekly. The cost of mowing the lawn (and he ONLY mows the lawn ~ no edging, weeding, etc.~ she has someone else who does that) has not gone up. HOWEVER, he has added on a charge of $11.20/bill for fuel.

That is allowable - he is mowing the lawn and I don't expect him to push a handmower over her 1.5 acres. I'm sure, however, that he uses his leaf blowers at other clients.

It is a sign of the times.

Shennie

O'Fallon

Last weekend I flew to St. Louis/O'Fallon to visit my sister and her family. It was great fun. They are all so much fun. And, I finally got to meet the Street Geeks. Now, I probably met them at Peaches' wedding, but who remembers that? I discovered that they're similar to lawyers and/or doctors. There are three geeks in the room, ask one question and you get four different answers!

Anyway, we played in the pool, ate out, picnicked, cooked, gabbed, played games, and in general had a fun time. To prove it here are some shots of our escapades.

Jessica and Aiden mugging for the camera.
In the background is Bob, Justin, Craig, and Carl.

Jessica practicing.

This is Ben, the father of my unborn great niece. Lord help us!

This is Justin, Ben's nephew. King of the Hill.
It must run in the family.
His loyal subjects, Bob and Carl, are ignoring him!

The pool was perfect. The temperature was much warmer than I care to be in, but the pool helped to cool things off. Everyone had a great time. The guys were in for hours ~ I'm sure they were prunes by the time they went home.

A great time was had by all!

Shennie

Missing Items

Has anyone noticed that you hardly ever see anyone out in their yards raking any more? Especially the landscape folks. They walk around waving those loud, polluting, leaf blowers. Did anyone tell these folks that the price of gas is sky high? Everyone in the country is cutting back on their gas usage; they're biking to work, they're telecommuting, they're working 4 days instead of 5, they're carpooling, they're doubling up on errands, they're cutting back on vacations, you name it, but these morons are out there blowing away!

You see them everywhere. When you follow their trucks with trailers down the road you see all these gas-fired pieces of equipment with cans of gasoline, shovels, and other implements but nary a rake! Is there a stash of gas for landscapers that no one else is able to use? I'm sure that even the guys who do my lawn use the leaf blowers to get rid of the grass clippings off the driveway. Well, they better not charge me more to make up for the increased price of gas. I'll buy 'em all rakes! And I know they have a gas-fired weed-whacker! How do I know? They weed-whack all my plants and leave the weeds!

I realize it speeds up the process and, God forbid, they should have to exert any energy, but someone should remind these guys that the Arabs are getting rich on their equipment. There should be a restriction on using these machines. Seriously, how can they justify using them when gas is over $4/gallon? Cut back on the amount of gas and you can hire another guy or two to rake. I'm sure you're not paying them much above minimum wage.

Just don't raise my prices!

Shennie

I'm Leaving On a Jet Plane

Tomorrow at 11:00 I'll be winging my way to Illinois. Going for a short stay/long weekend with my sister and her family ~ or what's left of her family in Illinois.

All my bags are (not) packed... It's opened up on the sofa and I am mentally noting what I want to bring.

I'll be early morn with Kathy picks me up to go to Logan Express. Traffic shouldn't be too bad going into Boston tomorrow morning. It'll be really quiet after the 4th of July celebration on the Esplanade.

Well, lots to do to get ready least of which is laundry. Luckily I have no big BBQ plans as it's

I tried a new pattern last night and finished it this morning - a towel for over the handle of your oven. Easy, easy, easy! The hardest part is yet to come ~ I have to sew a button on! Where's Mommy when I need her?

So, I'm signing off for now. Happy 4th to everyone. See you in 25 hours.

Shennie