Worst Winter in 30 Years!

My mom sent us an ice scraper from the icy lands of Cleveland and sure enough, we needed it here in the almost-always-balmy land of Florida. Thanks mom!

Reminds Me of Home

My parents in Cleveland use this wheel-spinny doohicky to tell the gas meter reading person what they should be charged, since their meter is in the basement. You check your meter, set the appropriate levels for each gauge, and hang this card on your door via a little suction cup or magnet.

It always struck me as odd that the meters weren't designed and built to be in the front yard near the sidewalk, at easy eye level where the meter reader could walk down the block and take readings, avoiding angry dogs, locked gates, landmines and etc - I mean, putting the meter in the basement? That's not efficient at all.

It won't be long until all of our meters will be tweeting their readings directly back to the utility, and the wheel-spinny doohickies will be no more.

Fun at Mom & Dad's House

Cindy: Oh God! What IS that?

Mike: What's what?

Cindy: Is that a vacuum cleaner cozy?

Mike: (Averting gaze) I don't know what you mean.

Cindy: I mean THAT!

Mike: Oh, that's Sarah. She-

Cindy: It's creepy, that's what it is.

Mike: (Waving hands in warning, whispering) No!

Cindy: What?

Mike: (Voice even, speaking very deliberately, as if a warning) Sarah isn't a cozy. She's a member of the family.

Cindy: Don't give me that...

Mike: (Eyes wide, as if their lives depend on the next few moments, still whispering) Don't... Look her in the eye. She hates that. It's a challenge.

Cindy's eyes twitch involuntarily toward Sarah.

Mike: Just move... Careful now... BOO! (He grabs Cindy by the shoulders.)

Cindy: You ass!

Weekend Trippin!

We're going out of town to visit my Mom, Dad, Sister, and Brother-in-Law. It's always fun to visit the family!

They named it J-Lo!

Last night my sister Michelle (who lives in Cleveland) sent me the following news story.

This news takes place in my local area of Ocala, Florida and is about a chicken with two rear ends.

Cindy and I hadn’t even read the story yet, and we began discussing it based on the link text. Being the kind-hearted gal she is, Cindy felt sorry for the chicken. Being the ever-hungry devourer of egg and fowl that I am (they call me El Voraz Devorador de Pollo), I wondered if this hexed hen could lay twice the normal number of succulent eggs.

Since the chicken appears to be the result of a natural mutation, I don’t feel any special pangs of sympathy for the critter – it’s not as if it’s the unfortunate result of a diabolical gene-splicing experiment gone wrong.

If this hen and others like it could be bred with similar roosters, we might end up with super egg-layers within a few short delicious generations.

After reading the story, we discovered the chicken does not lay two eggs at the same time (which apparently is better for the chicken, since twice the eggs would mean a calcium deficiency – but could we not give the chicken supplements?).

Raising half the number of chickens means fewer to care for while maintaining the same egg production - this should equal more resources for the chickens, and hopefully better conditions, more elbow room (wing room?) in the pens, and etc.

Thoughts?

Waste of a memory stick

My sister and her hubby are on their way back to Cleveland. They enjoyed Florida, but only managed to take 1 picture while they were here. They have a digital camera, so they really have no excuse.

I told her I'd find her some pics online of the attractions they visited - I wonder if there are digital collections for just such lazy people - did you visit Orlando? Buy the Orlando Pics Pack, 500 photos for just $9.99. They could superimpose you in front of a few choice pics, for an additional fee.

They've Never Wintered in Ohio. Clearly.

It's 52 degrees here in Central Florida right now... I love it. Cindy had told me that the temp wasn't 95 year round here, but I refused to believe her. I figured it was just part of her ploy to get me to move cross country.

(Like "Free Video Card Tuesdays" at Best Buy. Can't believe I fell for her fiendish lies on that one.)

Of course, all the natives hate this 'cold' weather, (wimps!) but I just keep thinking about how I'll spend the money I'm not blowing on air conditioning.

Congratulations, Sis!

Sorry I haven't been around to post...

We left Thursday night for my sister's wedding in Ohio, and just got back last night. Everything went beautifully - the ceremony, the reception, the food, drink, dessert and company!

I might post a couple of pics if I have the chance, just to demonstrate my theory that my sister is too pretty to be my sister. One of us was adopted, I tells ya!