Oh Help Me

I imagine it seems that the moment AOL announced that journals were closing, i stopped with journal entries.. That's  just a coincidence.  Truth be known, I"ve been incredibly busy.  Now, I'm at the Renaissance Resort at Golf Village, St. Augustine, Florida for the Florida Association of City Clerks' Career Development Institute. 

The resort is gorgeous, sumptuous, opulent.  I'm an internet junkie, and t hey want $12.95 a day - noon to noon - for internet access.  not that I'm cheap, but i couldn't even figure out how to connect.  I got bored with that.

Tomorrow, we're taking a tour of 'old town" st. augustine. ..Lots of history.  Lots of good people.  I can't believe it's only Monday night.

I'm bored.

The sessions are boring.  Our afternoon session ended an hour early, because the program coordinators feared a mutiny by the attendees because it was SOOO BORING...!  Project Management <<yawn>> by a monitone presenter who literally read his power point handout to us.... <<double yawn>>. 

Thank goodness for my trusty black berry...even playing "rooster" during boring sessions affords some relief....

Michelle welcomes e-mails to keep her entertained... mdm1128@aol.com

 

Good Advice

To  my friends who enjoy a glass of wine . . . And those who  don't.

As  Ben Franklin said: 
In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water  there is 
bacteria. In a number of carefully controlled trials, scientists have 
demonstrated
that if we drink 1 liter of water each day, at the end of the  year we would 
have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli,  (E.Coli) - bacteria 
found in feces. In other words, we are consuming 1  kilo of poop. (that's over 2
pounds). 
However,  we do NOT run that risk when drinking wine & beer (or tequila, rum,
whiskey  or other liquor) because alcohol has to go through a purification
process of  boiling, filtering and/or fermenting. 
Remember:  Water = Poop, Wine = Health 
Therefore,  it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water
and be full of  shit . 
There  is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as
a public  service .--

Dreams and Drizzles

Today is drizzly, like a "northern" day.  Growing up in the Poconos of Pennsylvania, we often had days on end of "drizzly weather" - overcast and without a good hard downpour - constant drizzle. 

I did something this morning that I have not done in many many months.  I brewed a pot of coffee! Imagine the novel of it! It smelled so good brewing, that I immediately wondered why I hadn't done so sooner.  A quiet, drizzly Sunday, strong aromatic brew, and correspondences with friends. 

I have some errands I want to run today, but yesterday, my daughter's boyfriend washed my car - what a nice young man!  So, I don't want to take it out in the rain!  (what a woos I am! ) Perhaps later if the skies clear I'll venture out. 

Last night in my dream, I was with co-workers and a few of the town's "whistle-blowers" and I was concerned that we would run out of cream for our coffee.  (Do you think my dream influenced my desire to brew a pot of coffee this morning?) My favorite dream book says Coffee indicates hospitality (I spent time yesterday readying Lauren's bedroom for company); energizer; stimulator; to produce active thoughts; a psychic food.  Of Cream it says, Indulgence.  Furthering in the dream, I left the meeting place (confident there would be enough cream) and was walking down a hallway, when a woman coming toward me greeted me by name and with a sincere, broad grin, approached me, hugged me strongly (so strongly it caught me off guard) and said how happy she was to see me.  I greeted back, and asked if I knew her?  She responded no, but she knew me and was happy to see me.  I replied, "It's nice to meet you, too." And we parted.  Her appearance was common, yet she had a brightness to her - an aura, or glow that was uncommon. I don't recall her mentioning her name, yet I have this thought that her name is "Linda".  It was a very encouraging gesture - perhaps she's a guardian angel. 

In cleaning my daughter's room yesterday, I came across something she had written down:  Pain is inevitable - suffering is not.  I don't know whether  it's original, but it was impressive and memorable.  It also demonstrates an advanced thinking.

   I will leave you with these thoughts for a blessed Sunday - a drizzly, sleeepy lazy Sunday for thoughts and dreams and ruminations. 

Slow start to a Saturday

          I awoke this morning after a night of very active dreams. I first woke up at about 5:15 AM, got a drink of water, and quickly decided to go back to bed. My dreams continued. When I opened my eyes again, I could see it was daylight, but either just daylight or it was an overcast day. I got up and went into the kitchen and saw my landlord’s truck pull up out front. It was 9:15! Immediately, he knocked on the door. The “termite guy” was here for a warranty follow-up from a treatment last spring. Of course I hadn’t made my bed and I wasn’t exactly ready for company, but…hey …it’s the bug guy. He came in and did his inspection, and then went next door. I threw some clothes on and went outside to talk to Dana (landlord) about pressure washing the outside, and maybe cleaning the windows. He’s a pleasant man - “a good ole boy” . In addition to co-owning several rental properties throughout the beach (this place included) he runs a tractor business. We talked about the economic down-turn county-wide and he said his business is off about 95%. That’s very sad. “no new construction, no reconstruction - nobody’s spending money unless they absolutely have to” he said.

          With all of that, much of my night of dreams has faded away. Some images remain, however. I was in a hotel. A great deal of my dream involved this hotel - housekeeping knocking on the door, and I answered, saying I’d be checking out at 9:30, to come back then. While we were talking a grey cat with head wounds came in and wouldn’t leave (note: Mr. Needs was a grey cat with head wounds that eventually went to Animal Services…. L ) I recall walking through the lobby interacting with a group of people. Then I found myself standing in a long line. This was check out. When it became my turn , I was signing the folio, however it looked like a standard greenbar servers’ check, and it was multi-paged with carbon. To make matters worse, the counter top was like a bar, and had spots of water so the “check” was wet. I recall my room number, though, and it was 355. It seems to me those numbers have come up in another dream at another time. Then the woman at the counter said, “You need to get the documents from Molly before you leave” and I was puzzled. What? I asked, and she pointed to a woman standing a few feet next to me. “Go see Molly” and I walked over, very puzzled, wondering what could be wrong. She handed me a piece of paper and told me to go see Barbara. I took the paper and walked over to Barbara who said, “ You’d better get busy! You don’t have much time…” and then spread out a poster with all kinds of pictures and headlines and starbursts. “..Because you’ve won a trip to Nevada!” I cried out in surprised pleasure!

          So here it is 10:30 AM and I need to get on with the things I’d decided to do today - last night - before sleeping late and talking termites….. On ward with a smile!

 

It’s a most wonderful time of the year!

        Yesterday evening, when leaving work and pedaling my bicycle through the parking lot of the chapel next door, I noticed with astonishment and enjoyment the number of dragon flies in the air. There were so many, that it was really a swarm - a thickness. There were hundreds! I know I said “dragon fly” but that was for the benefit of those that may not know what I would mean should I say, “Skeeter Hawk”. Hundreds darting about just a few feet above my head and higher. I enjoyed them, although at times I felt I needed to duck and be sure to keep my mouth closed! I coasted briefly on my bike while I enjoyed the high speed wings and seemingly erratic darts about. Then I noticed something else: the air was lighter. The heaviness that we experience in the “dead” of summer, the thick, humid air that hangs over us and the pressure that seems to bear down on us during the months of August and September, and during “storm season”… that heaviness was gone. It was an uplifting revelation. I felt confident that the hurricanes of 2008 are behind us.

        This morning, when I first awoke, I noticed that the air conditioning had not kicked on for some time. A check of the thermostat showed it set at 80 degrees. I left this morning, dressed in long pants and a long sleeved shirt, and as I pedaled my bicycle to work along the sneaky/ hidden path and through the chapel parking lot, I felt a breeze. Not just any breeze, but actually a cool breeze! Change is in the Air! I walked into Town Hall and greeted and was greeted by fellow employees and various personnel. In an exchange with one person, I mentioned how pleasant the temperature was, and he said, “Even better tomorrow - they say lows in the low 70’s, 68 inland.”

        Many people comment on how living in south Florida denies them the ability to experience “seasons.” I’ll admit that I love fall - I love leaves turning crimson, the smell of wood stoves, apple orchards and the crispness that fills the air. But after thirty years in south Florida, I see the seasons change… not just the tourist season! or the snowbird season! Last evening, and today, is the seasons’ changing. Change is in the air and it’s beautiful. “northerners’ do spring cleaning. “southerners’ do fall cleaning - when the A/C gets shut off and the windows are flung open and the cool clean air comes through.

        It’s a most wonderful time of the year!

 

TAH DAH

Michelle's Appliance Repair Shop now open for business!

Had to borrow the nut driver from Brother Norbert. I don't know how to use the
sockets with my cordless screwdriver..kept dropping them down inside...maybe that's another YouTube video!

I tested it - it heats, it tumbles! I"m in business!!!

 

 

More than I ever cared to know

Saturday morning chores are a habit that developed early in my life and has stayed with me.  Yesterday was typical.  Laundry was at the top of the list, so I sorted and threw a load in the washer and went on with dishes, etc. The first load went in the dryer and another load in the washer.  I was well into chores when I realized that the load in the dryer was not "drying" - there was heat but no tumble.  A quick text message to brother Ken "is the dryer shot?" to which he responded, it's probably the drive belt- pop the top and see.  OK. I popped the top  (much easier than I imagined) and there it was - a broken drive belt.  How in the heck do you put a new one on?  Googled DIY clothes dryer drive belt and found a great video that showed step by step how to remove the top, the front, pull out the drum and replace the belt.  Simple enough.  I called the local hardware, "Do you carry belts for clothes dryers?" He said, Bring in the old one and I'll match it up" Hopped on the bicycle with the old belt.  "Nope" he said as I walked in,"we only carry (I didn't understand).  Sorry. The closest place would be Ace Hardware."  OK. So I get the car keys and drive up to Ace Hardware (about 8 miles up the road).  I walked ALL around Ace Hardware until finally, two clerks were standing in the aisle and asked if I needed help finding something. Yes, a belt for a clothes dryer.  "Oh, we dont' carry those."  The man speaking was about 6'4" maybe 150 lbs. and well into his 70's.  He had some very poorly made false teeth that overwhelmed his mouth. "Where you want to go is, keep driving up to Cypress Lake Drive, and turn right, then go to 41 and turn right...." and he continued on. I was only seeing those over-sized false teeth, and growing irritated with "turn right" instead of "north, east, south or west" Alright. I had to go to All Appliance Center on 41 in town.  (I hate going into town).  Back in the car, I find All Appliance, pull up in front, and see "Saturday 9:00 AM to Noon.  Of course it's 1:00 PM.  (expletive deleted!).  Practically across the street is Home Depot.   I drive over to Home Depot and walk ALL around Home Depot.  Finally, I ask a clerk.  "No. We don't carry those. You have to go to an appliance center.."  Been there, done that.  So I drove back home. Googled "parts for a clothes dryer", found a site, found a Whirlpool, found the exact belt, added to shopping cart, and went to check out.  "Orders processed before 3:00 PM will ship the same day".  I looked at the time:  3:20 PM. (story of the day, I'd say).  Oh well.  Ordered the belt, paid the $12.00, and took my wet clothes to the laundramat.  I now know more about clothes dryers than I ever cared to know.  When the belt arrives, I'll let you know how it goes fixing the stinkin' thing!