musicchick2’s mindless musings

Bug OFF!

nobody@vox.com(musicchick2) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 14:44:17 -0700

Hi neighbors! I remember reading on one of your blogs about ants
sneaking into the house, especially in the summer. And a bunch of you
commented that you had the same problem!

Well, I just opened my new (July) issue of Good Housekeeping and found
some "hints from Heloise" for you (on pg. 32):

"Sponge shelves with white vinegar.This wipes away the scent trail
that the bugs left for their buddies to follow. Transfer your pantry
items into airtight glass jars or heavy duty sealable plastic bags.

"THEN I prepare my favorite deterrent: cotton pads dabbed in
peppermint or spearmint essential oil. Stuff these into shelf
corners.

If that doesn't work, mix 1 Tablespoon of boric acid powder with 1/4
cup of sugar (sugar? Really? That's what she says!) - similar to the
mix used in commercial ant baits - and place it around the pantry in
small lidded jars with holes punched in the tops.

"The ants nibble the grains & take some back to the nest; if the
queen eats the mixture it can wipe out the whole colony. But beware:
The powder is toxic if ingested, so keep it out of reach of kids &
pets."

Heloise has a weekly podcast with more tips at goodhousekeeping.com/hearheloise

Let me know if this works for you! I've used the boric acid powder
before, when I lived in Hawaii & all manner of creepy crawlies try to
come visiting, & it worked! Fortunately the cute little geckos didn't
find it! They were a free resource for bug control. *schluuuuurpp!!
Ahhhhh!!* ;-)

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UPDATE: The Prodigal Returneth!!

nobody@vox.com(musicchick2) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:45:06 -0700

OMG you guys! I went out there with my stupid walker & Tipper came
with me. I walked down the length of all the apartments, calling
real loud like a crazy person "Pooh Bear! C'mere! C'mon! Mommy's
got treats!!" & shaking the bag of Whiskas Temptations as loud as
possible. The cute guy taking his dog out for a pee looked at me
like..."Whoa! Ok. Let's give THIS chick some room!" I'm bent over
the dumb walker ('cause both of my knees are contracted & can't
straighten. I basically walk on my toes & the balls of my feet.) and
I ask him if he's seen a fat white cat with tabby cap, tail, & a few
splotches on his back. He says he's only seen the black one. (The
black one is one of the feral kitties in the complex. He has one ear
almost torn off - I call him Van Gogh).

ANYWAY...Tipper & I go further, me ( & Tipper!) calling &
shake-shake-shaking the treats. And all of a sudden there he is, like
he materialized out of thin air! He's meowing at me & I'm promising a
plethora of treats if he'll follow me. And Tipper hears "treats" &
RACES back to the apartment. So Pooh follows me ....s l o w l y ....&
finally he goes inside. HALLELUJAH! Needless to say, they got a
handful of treats, Tipper smacked Pooh around a bit for scaring him
AND Mommy to death, & the universe is finally back in alignment. He
was gone for four hours!! I know this isn't the end of the world, but
I was skay-oohed! :-( Now Pooh is grounded for LIFE!

Thanks to anybody who sent out prayers & positive energy. You helped
Pooh materialize out of thin air. Thank you thank you thank you!

Later dudes & dudettes! Love to all of you, along with all of your
miscellaneous furry, feathered, scaled or gilled children.

GOSH I wish there was some vino around here right now! Why was it
that I stopped drinking? I fergit at this particular moment. ;-)

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There's been an escape :-(

nobody@vox.com(musicchick2) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:03:32 -0700

Hey neighbors. I want to ask all of you to pray (or your belief's
equivalent).

I had to go to the pharmacy today. I was backing out of my sliding
glass door, squirt gun in hand to deter kitty escapes & fighting to
get my walker out over the track in the floor, etc. I turned my head
for one second and WOOSH! They both ran outside! I had a cab coming
any minute, it was nice outside, & Tipper has ALWAYS been there when I
get back (this has happened 3 or 4 times since Nov.). SO....I very
reluctantly locked up the apt. & went to catch my cab.

As before, Tipper was fooling around under the bushes on the other
side of the fence that separates my apt. patio from the softball
fields behind & couldn't figure out how to get back. I reached down &
lifted the bottom of the chain link fence where was already kind of a
hole, & he squeezed underneath & ran back to wait for me to open the
door.

POOH, on the other hand, is nowhere to be found! I've called & called
& looked & looked & I can't find him! I'm thinking MAYBE a neighbor
took him in or something? But he has a collar around his neck with
his name & my cell number clearly embroidered in large block letters.

I'm going back out to look again. It's going to be dark within the
hour. He won't starve or anything....you've seen how chub-i-licious
he is. But I want him home! Why would someone coax him inside & not
call or anything?? Btw.... I've been informed (by the maintenance
guy) that the neighbors that live right next door are a bit "off".
"Strange" is the word he used. I guess if I can't find him I have to
knock on their door. :-/

Anyway....its been a really awful day, but losing Pooh is putting me
over the edge. So PLEASE pray that I find him & he's ok, alright?
Thanks guys! :-(

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And The Winner Is..... insert drumroll here

nobody@vox.com(musicchick2) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:53:20 -0700

Ok.....I tried the Ben & Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream &
Safeway's store brand of the same flavor.
The Ben & Jerry's had a fresh, clean, homemade kind of flavor. The
flavor of cheesecake was MUCH more subtle, so much so that, if you
didn't know it was supposed to taste like cheesecake you might mistake
it for vanilla. There were pieces of fresh strawberries inside & the
graham cracker crust taste mixed throughout. The graham cracker must
be incorporated as crumbs though, giving the ice cream kind of a
gritty feel in your mouth.
,
B & J's did NOT have the intense unmistakeable cheese cake flavor that
Safeway's has. Safeway's also has little chunks of real cheesecake
with the graham cracker crust.

The strawberry in the Safeway brand is alot like strawberry preserves
that has been mixed in. No cut fresh strawberries here.

Overall, Safeway's seems noticeably sweeter & very rich tasting. Ben
& Jerry's is like that home made fresh ice cream made at a church
social on a sunny Sunday afternoon. The kind where everybody took
turns cranking it over & over again.

They're both good, & taste is such a subjective thing. But if you're
looking for the flavor of CHEESECAKE, Safeway wins easily.

FYI...Safeway's Caramel Caribou arrived also, but the Haagen Dazs
version (dulce de leche) did not. So no comparison test available for
that. *sigh*

Ok my neighbors! It's summer! Go get yourself some nummy ice cream!
And let us know if you discover any 'OMG you HAVE to taste this'
treats out there. Enjoy!

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And The Groundbreaking Research Continues

nobody@vox.com(musicchick2) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:22:16 -0700

This news just in, from Seattle, WA.

The "Ice Cream Wars" will wage a new battle today. Our intrepid
researcher, known only as "MusicChick2" to shield her identity, will
put popular national brand ice cream up against Safeway markets
in-house brand ice cream..

The fights being waged on Monday are:

Safeway's Strawberry Cheesecake ICE CREAM goes up against Ben &
Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream product. An anonymous
spokesman for Ben & Jerry's scoffed at even the notion of such a taste
test. "OUR product is all natural & has no HFCS (that's 'high
fructose corn syrup') or any other ingredients not created by God
himself. We answer to a Higher Authority". Puzzled, this reporter
whispered "umm....isn't that Hebrew National's slogan? And they're
referring to kosher meat, right?" Our B & J's source replied "sh**!
Oh yeah. But WE'RE kosher too!" & quickly scurried away.

The other slug fest today will be between Safeway's 'Caramel Caribou'
ice cream and Haagen Dazs's 'Dulce De Leche'. Both products are
toffee flavored ice cream with ribbons of caramel woven throughout.
Safeway's version boasts an advantage, bragging that their Caramel
Caribou ice cream is chock full of little chocolate cups with caramel
inside.

We were unable to obtain a statement from Haagen Dazs, but we DID
receive an odd telephone call. No one spoke, but there was the
distinct sound of bowls rattling & mixers whirring in the background.
And just as our incognito researcher was about to hang up on this
prank call, she says she clearly (but faintly) heard what sounded like
a whispered "Börk! Börk! Börk!" before the line went dead!

We will bring you up to the minute coverage after the Ice Cream taste
tests are complete from MC2's super secret location in Seattle. IF
there is a tie, MC2 will enlist the help of members of her research
team known to us only as "TasterTip" & "PortlyPooh".

Stay tuned for any late breaking reports as they become available. We
now return you to your regularly scheduled Vox-ifying.

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Updated: With pics! Warning! Overdose possible!

nobody@vox.com(musicchick2) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:39:18 -0700

Warning! Overdose possible!
Safeway markets have "Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream". OMG! Serious addiction imminent :-O

Click on individual pictures to read the mouth watering descriptions!

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Is it ME? Is it my "archaic" (2 1/2 yr old) Smartphone?

nobody@vox.com(musicchick2) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 03:43:22 -0700

Ok guys.... help me out here please. I'm either stupid or...?

I received news this evening that a dear friend's Mom has passed
away. She was a dear friend as well. So I start web surfing from my
Palm Treo 650 "smartphone", trying to find mobile versions of the most
popular travel websites: Orbitz, Expedia, Cheaptickets, Travelocity,
et al., in an attempt to find last minute travel deals from Seattle,
WA to Ontario, CA.

What I found was....well, not much! Some sites out there were for
just one airline. Others you could check flight departure & arrival
times but not much else. But it's hard for me to comprehend that
there are no mobile web sites for booking air travel. How can that
be? Being able to change itineraries for air, hotel, & ground
transportation WHEN YOU'RE TRAVELING seems to be a perfect example of
one great reason to have a "smartphone" in the first place, right?

So...is it me? Are there special "code words" or "secret handshakes"
that you need to know to find these sites? Or is it my phone? Is the
Palm Treo 650 (w/service from Sprint) incapable of running the sites
I'm looking for? Does one need a Windows based device? Or one that
costs more than the airfare will, like the beloved (by my son at
least) iPhone?

Not everyone travels with a laptop. I don't even own one, just my
trusty desktop PC (I DO have a flat screen monitor, courtesy of my
son, Mr. Computer Guru) and my phone. If you can't book travel
wirelessly and you're traveling,are the only options calling the
airline/hotel/car rental co? Or to get thyself to a desktop post
haste?

I'm cornfuzzled. Can anybody out there enlighten me? Pweese?

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My Very Own Personal Alarm Clock!

nobody@vox.com(musicchick2) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:12:31 -0700

My Very Own Personal Private Alarm Clock! :-D

When my phone alarm went off today this furry backup alarm patted me on the arm until he got my eyes open! :->

image.jpg

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Life is so fragile....and precious

nobody@vox.com(musicchick2) — Sat, 24 May 2008 19:32:57 -0700

The day must've started like every other day. Just an ordinary day in
the life of a large, noisy family in Nashville, Tennesee. But this
would be a day that would end in a way that no one would ever dream,
even in their worst nightmares.

On Wednesday, May 21, little Maria Chapman was accidentally critically
injured in the driveway of the family's home in Nashville. Little
Maria, daughter of multi-Grammy & Dove award winner & acclaimed
Christian music artist Stephen Curtis Chapman, was flown immediately
by LifeFlight to the nearest hospital. But she went home into the
loving arms of her heavenly Father before the flight reached its
destination. Little Maria was just 5 years old.

I heard this tragic news this morning as I was getting ready for my
day. And, as any parent would be, I was overcome with compassion &
grief for her family & all who knew and loved her.

You can read the story here on the artist's official web site.
www.stevencurtischapman.com/

Of course I do not know the Champman family. But I've admired & been
blessed by his music ministry for more than two decades. I AM part
of his extended Christian family, however. Won't you please take a
moment, right there where you are, & remember this family in prayer,
good vibes / energy, or whatever works for you? They are going to
need strength like they probably never have before to get through this
terrible, terrible tragedy. Their precious little girl has gone to be
an angel. They'll never again hear her laugh or sing, see her smile,
or listen to her prayers. But she will live on forever in their minds
& hearts.

I pray that God will comfort them in the coming days, weeks, months, &
years. And that they will be surrounded by His angels as they begin
the difficult journey of healing. I can't begin to understand how &
why these things happen. My heart just breaks for the Chapman's! I
can only cling onto my faith that God will eternally uphold & care for
them, their precious girl, and all of His children.

May she rest in peace.

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More news... some of it is good, even! ;-)

nobody@vox.com(musicchick2) — Sun, 18 May 2008 15:48:12 -0700

Thanks for all your kind thoughts, everyone. You made me cry an' evwyting! Good tears, because somebody cares. That means SO much! *GROUP HUGZ*

Here's a follow up to my previous post. Re fusion: About 17 years ago I had my left ankle fused. There are two looong screws in there which screw the bones together until it GROWS together. I was in a cast for 3 mos, they didn't like the way it was healing. They re-cast-ed (?) me for another few months & I had one of those lovely ski boot contraptions I could wrap around it so I could walk. With it off, though, there was this E-stim thing I could put on that fit over the ankle portion of the cast, & then there was a "power pack" deal that I could hook to my waist in back. Like you see on tv when a celebrity has a wireless mic on? Kinda like that (I'll try to find a link to explain this). This device sent electrical waves into the bone to stimulate growth. Remember this was 1990 so I'm sure it's been highly refined by now. ANYWAY, eventually the bone was solid & I could walk again.

When they screwed it all together, they didn't make me totally flat-footed. The heel is raised up just enough so that I could wear "flats" with sort of a wedge heel? About 1 1/2" higher at the heel than at the toes?

The crux of this story is that I continued to have pain & lots of swelling, for YEARS after this procedure. And I regretted having it done, because the outcome was so poor. And now the thought of having my KNEES fused is really freaking me out. I just can't imagine what life would be like. I hope the Dr agrees to TRY to do the knee replacement. And I will make an appointment with another orthopedic surgeon, just to get a second opinion.

My primary objective is to eliminate the pain. Increased mobility would be a wonderful bonus. But after having a less than optimum result with my ankle so long ago. I'm really concerned about what my next step should be. Just living with the pain is NOT an option. And ALL of the Dr's I've seen are extremely negative about my using narcotics for pain relief. Well, I am too! But Alleve &/or aspirin just doesn't cut it. And what I AM taking only takes the sharpest edge off the pain. I'm still in a lot of pain 24/7. The plan is to get into a pain management program and find other methods of pain relief. I'm skeptical but willing to look into it. Especially if my primary Dr. starts dialing down the pain meds gradually. I don' want to hurt so bad that I'm in bed all the time curled up in a fetal position. Soooo.... *deep sigh*

I just can't even imagine the future with fused knees or living with this kind of pain indefinitely. Due to my compromised mobility I've already become somewhat of a hermit. I only go out to see a Dr., pick up medicine, or for an emergency ice cream run. ;-)

Josh & I went out for lunch yesterday for a belated Mother's Day/Josh's birthday celebration. And that was nice. Guess what I got??!!?? A DIGITAL CAMERA!!! *jumps up and down a la Tom Cruise on Oprah's couch*

I have to charge the battery and then learn how to use it. I'm from the "look through the viewfinder, push the button" era. But oh no.... on THIS camera you depress the shutter half way, & it focuses and adjusts for the light (I guess). THEN you press it the rest of the way and it takes the picture. I tried it but it has some kind of delay before the picture is captured, enough time for a cat to move, or stop looking at Mommy. So I guess I gots to actually read the instructions! Sheesh! ;-)

I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!!

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musicchick2’s mindless musings

Bug OFF!

UPDATE: The Prodigal Returneth!!

There's been an escape :-(

And The Winner Is..... *insert drumroll here*

And The Groundbreaking Research Continues

Updated: With pics! Warning! Overdose possible!

Is it ME? Is it my "archaic" (2 1/2 yr old) Smartphone?

My Very Own Personal Alarm Clock!

Life is so fragile....and precious

More news... some of it is good, even! ;-)

And The Winner Is..... insert drumroll here