Before/After Siding!

This is my shed "Before"

Cost of siding ... $O (found box of it in attic)

Cost of labor ... $O (did it all myself)

Cost of tools ... $O (made do with a hacksaw and snips)

Shed "After" ...

PRICELESS!!!

Top 10 Differences Between Buffalo & Myrtle Beach

1. In Bflo you take a shower to warm up ... In MB you take a shower to wash the sweat off!
2. You enjoy looking at the colorful leaves on the ground in Bflo... In MB all you see is piles of dead pine needles.
3. In Bflo it takes 10-15 minutes to drive 10 miles ... in MB it takes about 30-60!
4. In Bflo you seal around the door and windows to keep the cold out ... in MB you do it to keep the lizards out!
5. In Bflo you have to wipe the rain/snow off the dogs feet when bringing it in ... in MB you have to wipe the sand off!
6. In Bflo you open all the shades and curtains to let the sunlight in to warm up the home... in MB you keep them all closed and live in a cave to try and keep it cool inside!
7. In Bflo you stop mowing the lawn in October ... in MB it's finally cool enough outside to be able to go out and mow the lawn!
8. In Bflo you keep an eye on the weather forecast for lake-effect snow ... in MB you are looking out for hurricanes!
9. In Bflo the people are all locals, visitors, or tourists ... in MB they are either Yankees or Rednecks!
10. In Bflo I have 80% of my family nearby all the time ... in MB I only had 20% nearby, but I get to see them in the summer months now anyway!

Before/After Dog Grooming

My daughter, Michele, treated my dog, Darma, to a "Spa Day" at the groomer's (thanks Michele and Wendy, the groomer). Here is a shot of "Dirty Darma", whom we were calling "Dognilla" since I doused her with too much vanilla scent earlier in the week ...

Here is the new "Diva Darma" after LOTS of bathing and brushing and combing and trimming ....

Another Before/After

My dog knocked over the table that held a great lamp I had customized to match my living room and it crashed into pieces! My granddaughter provided me with this UGLY, rusted brass and green glass lamp to replace it:

Thank God for the miracles of spray paint ... from which came this transformation:

Queen Of ......................

SPRAYPAINT!!!

I have been doing some very inexpensive decorating by spraypainting my furniture and accessories to match. Here is a before and after pic of a very outdated brass and glass table and mirror (which was situated very dangerously at the bottom of the staircase) that now matches my white wicker and bamboo dining room, where it was moved to:

Top Ten Reasons I Haven't Blogged Lately

10. Had nothing to brag about
9. Had nothing to complain about
8. Have been busy packing and moving
7. Have been busy fixing things that break faster than I can keep up with
6. Hands and fingers are literally too sore to type much
5. Any little free time I had was spent watching Big Brother
4. SPENDING time with family has become more important than WRITING about them
3. Trying to get the house organized and THEN organize my thoughts to share them
2. It hasn't been really that long, has it?
1. Does anybody really read these anyway?

Harvest Time

I had the help of my two granddaughters, Gee-Gee & Samantha, checking on the bounties that grow here at Leisurewood. They enjoyed eating the ripe raspberries as they picked them and we even tried a few apples, although they were a bit sour but VERY crisp! This year we discovered a new, and hidden, gift from the earth that is not quite ready yet... walnuts! We found a black walnut tree growing and I will revisit it soon to pick from it!

Holy Shit ....

That's a LOT of candles !!!

And we did have a lot of fun spending Michele's birthday at the casino today too! Happy Birthday, again, to my wonderful daughter!

Vaping Is In - Smoking Is Out!!!

Today I begin a new "trend" of using an electronic cigarette for smoking, rather than the usual ones that are now called "analogs"....hehe! It is called "Vaping" because the E-cigarette uses a rechargable battery, which activates a vapor infuser when puffed on, and creates a puff of vapor (rather than smoke) filled with water and nicotine!

I have researched the system completely and there are so many users who prefer this method and have given up "analogs" totally ... and they even find them now disgusting and distasteful!

It is another way of "going Green" since there are no more disposed butts, no more dirty ashtrays to clean, no more lighters to be bought! Also....no more second-hand smoke or smelly clothes or car! The only negative thing is that it contains nicotine (which I cannot do without), but no longer am I inhaling tar and other numerous carcinogens which promote cancer and heart disease!

It is also a less expensive habit (and refilling the nicotine solution yourself saves much more $$$), produces much less mess and virtually NO smell, and can be used where smoking is prohibited!

So far I do like it and prefer it even ... we shall see if it's a permanent change for the better!

Social Networkingitis !

I haven't blogged in quite some time, most likely due to having so many other social networks to keep up with! I have had a Myspace for quite some time (years actually), but was convinced to also join up on Facebook too. That was AFTER I started this blog which was intended to keep those same friends and family updated on my news (or lack thereof)...LOL!

Oh... can't forget belonging to Twitter too! I use that mostly for keeping up with current news, politics and early updates on different newsletters I subscribe to.

Now that I am using all three, in addition to this blog, I started (or created) a habit that is too late to break! I would probably feel lost without just any one of them and will simply have to divide my attention amongst all of them!

High Tech again!

When I moved to NY and ordered high speed internet, Time Warner wanted to charge me $69.99 (plus $5 per month rental) to install wireless, but only $19.99 to install a wired router. I knew I eventually needed to get my own wireless router, so I went the cheap way (of course).

I finally bought the Netgear router

for only $25.98 (with shipping) and received it today! It was a little more difficult to install than I expected, but I finally did manage to do it successfully and will never have to rent one from the cable company again!

Going GREEN

I was laboring over trying to get my gas lawn mower to start this year. I had taken good care of draining it completely of fuel last Fall, cleaning the oil filter, and putting fresh fuel in this year. It would not start, no matter how much priming and rope pulling I did. I took out the spark plug and planned on replacing that next. My brother-in-law Gene, who is an expert at small engine repair, told me that if the spark plug is dry, that means there is no gas going to it and that I should take apart the mower and clean the carburetor. I did take off some parts, but I could not even FIND the carburetor, let alone clean it! LOL

After some research, and a trip to the Post Office for a "Mover's Kit" which contains a 10% Lowes coupon, I headed over there and bought this beauty:

It is all electric!!! No gas EVER needed ... no oil EVER needed ....no spark plug EVER needed ... no oil filter to EVER clean ... and no pollution or carbon footprint ... and much quieter than a gas mower. Simply take it out of the box, unfold the handle and plug it in! Yes, you do have to take care to not run over the cord (they have cordless ones at a much higher price and they don't hold a charge for long), but it is just like a vacuum cleaner in that respect!

Getting a simpler and maintenance-free lawn mower while helping lessen our dependence on foreign oil and not polluting the environment is a WIN-WIN situation!

Happy Mother's Day!

I had such a great day being treated to dinner at The Melting Pot by my daughter, Michele.

There you dip each course into a fondue pot and sample many flavors!

First the cheese course, dipping bread, tortilla chips, vegetables, and apples.

Next was the main course, dipping steak, pork, chicken, filet mignon, shrimp, mushrooms, and LOBSTER in different coatings and then cooking them into hot oil until cooked. Then dipping them in assorted seasonings to eat.

Last, but not least, was the hot chocolate (with marshmallow) dip provided with bananas, cake, brownie, marshmallows, strawberries and apples to dip in it.

Along with all of the wonderful food, I was treated to a fresh red rose, two blocks of melting chocolate to take home, three balloons, a souvenir photo of the event, a $25 gift certificate to Euphoria and a few $10 coupons to return to The Melting Pot in the future. We also were entered into the contest to win a trip for two to Toronto!

Along with that, Michele gave me gifts of Clinique products and two of those glass watering globes that are advertised on TV.

I love Mother's Day ... haha ... at least this one, I did for sure! Thanks Michele!!!

Seat Belts DO Save Lives

Below is the news coverage of what could have been a fatal ending to a horrible event:

SUV flips over onGenesee St.
One person taken to hospital
Updated: Monday, 27 Apr 2009, 2:10 PM EDTPublished : Monday, 27 Apr 2009, 11:20 AM EDT
Aga Dembinska
Posted by Emma Orn
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - One victim is hospitalized after an accident in Cheektowaga Monday morning. Police say an SUV flipped over and took out a fire hydrant on Genesee Street near Meadow Place. Authorities have not yet released the victim's name or condition.

Thank God that my daughter, Michele, was wearing her seat belt when this happened to her on the way to work yesterday! She made a turn off of her side street and felt the vehicle start to literally tip over, then it flipped on it's roof and hit a fire hydrant before coming to a stop and she managed to crawl out of the vehicle! I am sure the outcome would have been so much more critical if she hadn't been wearing her seat belt. I, for one, am much more aware to put my seat belt on while driving now!

Home Sweet Home

It took a lot more than clicking my Red sequined shoes, but I did finally make it back home, safe AND sound! Lots of work to do, unpacking the truck and putting everything away, but I love "nesting" and it will be "gravy" (oh....yummmm....I AM hungry)!

2/3 Down & 1/3 To Go

Left Richmond, VA at 9 am and made it to Harrisburg, PA by 3pm. Staying at another LaQuinta until tomorrow. They allow dogs, are clean, have FREE breakfast and high speed internet and I recommend them! About 5 more hrs. to get to Buffalo tomorrow and the dog will realize that we do NOT now live in a Penske truck...LOL!
Traffic was heavy today ... all those Yankees returning from their Easter vacations in the South, I guess. We have avoided any rain, so far, and will see how it is tomorrow.

1/3 Down & 2/3 To Go

We left South Carolina at 2:11 p.m. and arrived at our hotel in Richmond, VA at about 8:30 pm. The trip was pretty good and fairly uneventful ... I followed Gene and Chris with them in their pickup and me in my rental truck, towing my car behind me.

My dog, Darma, was excellent ... with an empty stomach and a Dramamine given her before we left (I found out the day before that she gets carsick)! She didn't get sick and I gave her a few little drinks of water and one dog biscuit a few hours into the ride.

Only one li'l close call occurred when I realized I could see all of Chrissy's belongs in her pickup, and especially saw her dog bed (with no dog in it, thank God) almost flying out the back. I realized her tailgate had dropped down and signaled them to pull over. Luckily, nothing flew out and we proceeded on with no other problems.

Tomorrow is about a 5 hr. drive on to Harrisburg, PA and stay overnight and then FINALLY on to Buffalo! Then the work begins again, emptying the truck at both camp and at storage. But, it's ok, I have the rest of the summer off ...haha

On The Road AGAIN ....almost!

YEAH ...for Penske! I picked up my rental truck and car dolly from them today.

The 16' truck has less than 1,000 miles on it! It is going to be a great ride. Lots of room between the bucket seats for the dog, two sockets to plug stuff in (GPS, heated coffee cup, walkie talkie, vibrating seat cushion ...haha). I have a triple jack to use and extend it to 4 total sockets!I got a few books on CD to listen to (Stephen King "Blood and Smoke" tales and Left Behind with a few CD's missing) and it DOES have a CD player. It has a light in the back and a translucent roof to see when you are loading and unloading!

Oh....AND I talked the guy into knocking off one days fees ($50) for it since they are closed on Saturday and caused me to have to get it sooner than I really need it! The total charge was $404 and that includes $100 for the car dolly and $20 for the hand truck ... cheap ... cheap ...cheap!Now all I gotta do is get busy and start loading it!

Shuffle Off 2 Buffalo

I haven't posted lately because I have been packing and getting ready for my trip. We decided to leave on Easter Sunday ... less traffic and we can take our time. We stop overnight in Richmond, Virginia ... and again in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. That will split our trip into 5+ hours for the three "legs" of it. Hopefully it won't be too tight of a fit with Jacob and me and Darma squeezed in a rental truck with only bucket seats!
I turn in my internet router on Saturday morning, but will try to post our progress from the hotel rooms on Sunday and Monday nights.
Only a few more days and I will be "Home Sweet Home"!!!

The Snowbird Must Fly

It is soon getting to be time to return to NY and I have decided to pack EVERYTHING, in case the house sells here and I do not return! It wasn't so bad living here, but not as easy as I expected (is anything ever?).
So... I went to Dollar General to pick up packing tape and markers, and planned on having to go into the nearby Liquor Store (which I have never been in, since I am not a drinker). Thank God it was stock day in Dollar General and they let me take all the empty boxes I wanted!!!
Now I am in my glory with all the packing, marking and taping of boxes. I think maybe I am addicted to moving...LOL... I am sure a lot of friends and family would agree with me...hehehe
Naw ... but I am convinced I must have some Gypsy Genes in me!

Dogs Days of ???

All I got lately to say is ... I am not liking this fickle weather! It is either too hot or too cold...LOL... but here are pics of my dog, Darma, to amuse those who are looking for some news ....maybe?

New Year....New Plan???

A bit homesick, even though I know my friends and family are literally FREEZING up there in NY! It is cold here today too ... only 37 degrees, which it hasn't been in years!
Anyway ... I like it here, but the lower taxes and the nicer weather doesn't make up for all the sacrifices in services I have encountered. I am not qualified here for any health insurance or medications, even though I am in NY. I am also not qualified for unemployment insurance either. Jacob took a large cut in SSI benefits and his medications are also not covered for him here. He will have to wait more than a year before even, possibly, being able to be placed in any job here!
So... have been looking at property back in NY and thinking of buying a double to share with Michele. We can help each other out and both benefit from it!
Haven't made a real decision on it yet, and would probably HAVE to sell my place here in Myrtle Beach (lucky I got a good deal on it)...we'll see.