A Little Whine with my Cheese and a Huge Dose of Stupidity

The week started out ok, I guess, except for the fact that I had to take a day off on Monday with some crud type stuff.

I catch my bus at Days Inn at 6 am and get back at 5:30 pm. Yeah, it's a long day but I suppose I'm getting used to it. Below my hill is a plant and a road that leads to it; probably about 1-2 miles in length and pretty straight. The speed limit is 25 mph which is really hard to stay at....really hard for me anyway. My kids tell me I drive like a grandma on the main roads but tend to go too fast on the side roads. So, I got a speeding ticket for the first time in many, many years. I had one years ago and swore never again. The policeman followed me a good distance which I gathered after the fact. I had already started up my hill and turned into my neighborhood before he put his lights on. I had no clue he was after me. A long drawn out speech ensued and then he came back and said he was only going to give me a ticket for not using my signal at the turn and a warning for the speeding. Scratching my head because it's not really a turn to go up the hill. I do use my signal when people are coming down because it's a "Y". Then he said the reason he was only going to warn me about speeding was because he had picked up several of my neighbors and warned them and not to talk about it. Weird, I thought. His parting words were I better not contest the turn signal ticket or I WOULD get a ticket, meaning my life is over in my township. I would be watched like a hawk. No points on my record but the $25 fine turned into $108 with fees due in 10 days. Stupid me! LOL...the neighbors did talk. We were all clocked at the same speed, so it was said, down to the .10 of a point. Truthfully, I know I was going over the speed limit but not the speed that was quoted but nonetheless I did deserve a ticket. Phooey! A lesson has been learned.

My dryer is still acting up so I decided to check for lint. The hose from the dryer to outside sounded like it had pebbles in it so I got Joey to take it off. Ugh....a chipmunk had crawled in and got fried. We had noticed an odd odor in the summer but it went away. Joey is as squeamish about dead critters as I am. My BF came over and took the back off of the dryer. He thought I might have a bunch of lint. I didn't but he did see the timer and can fix it. He's gonna get his handyman fron his apartment complex because he has the same dryer. Whoo hoo! One less problem right now.

So, can you all read my journal or blog (hate that word) now? I tried almost all 200 of the backgrounds and came up with this one. I refuse not to use a stretch template. Are all my words inside the lines? It looks like it to me but at work my properties are different. LOL...this thing was a hot mess on that PC.

And, the comments. Yep, I do like the new format but have decided to stay with the old one. I like the pictures and don't want to give them up. I know I could click on the name and bring the profiles up but I'm lazy. I have several who comment with the same name. I minimized my box for now but I may just go back to the two page style.

Hope you all have a lovely Sunday! The sun is shining although it's pretty chilly. I need to get out and take a walk. I haven't been walking because of the rain we've been having. I'll leave you with some autumn snags.....HUGS Chris

This is my first time adding a photoslide so it should be a challenge. I would also like to add a tag. We'll see. I took my mixpod music off and added a song through rockyou. The lyrics are below my entry.

I took my stroll today and took some pictures of the foliage. This is really one of the saddest years for leaves in western Pennsylvania. They are usually a vibrant array of reds, oranges and yellow. The yellow has seemed unchanged but the red and oranges are just drab. Many lost the leaves without changing anything but a drab brown. They say it was the lack of rain.

I took a picture of the hill I fell down. My mom was at my house about five years ago, and Grizzly got loose. He took off through the woods and backyards and ended up on the main road. A truck was coming up the hill. Griz was just standing in the middle of the road. The guy driving the truck didn't see him. I had a bright red shirt on and literally flew over the hill screaming the pooch's name. The only reason the truck stopped was because he saw this huge ball of red rolling down the hill. I sort of startled him...lol...along with myself. That's when he noticed Grizzly still standing in the middle of the road like a dufus. So, I call that Grizzly's Bluff.

Getting ready for another week. Today was actually nice and pretty warm. It's going down to 32 again tonight. My car will be frozen. I was totally chilled last night, and my ears hurt. Luckily, it seems to have gone away.

Hope you all have a lovely week and that your trees are prettier than ours this year.


I got a pocket, Got a pocket full of sunshine
I got a love and I know that it's all mine
Oh, oh, oh
Do what you want,
But you never gonna break me,
Sticks and stones are never gonna shake me
Oh, oh, oh
[Chorus]Take me away (take me away)
A secret place (a secret place)
A sweet escape (a sweet escape)
Take me away (take me away)
Take me away (take me away
To better days (to better days)
Take me away (take me away)
A hiding place (a hiding place)
I got a pocket,
Got a pocket full of sunshine
I got a love and I know that it's all mine
Oh, oh, oh
Wish that you could,
But you ain't gonna own me
Do anything you can to control me
Oh, oh, oh
[Hook]There's a place that I go
Where nobody knows
Where the rivers flow
And I call it home
And there's no more lies
And darkness is light
And nobody cries
There's only butterflies
The sun's on my side
Take me for a ride
smile up to the sky
I know I'll be alright

To Snoop or Not to Snoop/SNAGS

Well, of course, "ghouls" love to have fun which reminded me of the photoslide I did on Labor Day when the girls and I went to Presque Isle which leads me to my title. Looking back at that video, it's sort of painful to see Becky smiling and having fun. Little did I know that even on that day, she was sliding into a dark hole. At that point in time, there was some laughter still in her soul. I'll link it in case you never saw it and want to take a peak. Becky is the pasty colored one.

The Original Cab's Creations from AOL: We Just Want to Have a Good Time & We D

I have had a blogspot account for over a year. Why? My daughter, Becky, had a private blog here that she gave me access to read, which I did, at least at first. It was a way to crawl into her brain for a while and know what was happening. It also was one of the many reasons I wasn't thrilled with the now ex BF, "M."

I just happened to be flowing through my very numerous favorite links and saw the blog. I opened it this morning. She stopped blogging August 30th for personal reasons. Wow, that was a few days before we went to Erie. I almost cried again.

She still keeps a Twitter, which is sort of a daily update, one line thingie, which shows just how unhappy and lost she is at times. I know one day things will be better. Or should I say I pray that one day things will be better. It's very difficult to actually witness the words, especially since the panic, etc. started long before August. Would I have recognized it had I kept up with her blog? In hindsight, it sticks out like a sore thumb. Hindsight is like that. I'm thinking I probably would have fluffed over the words at the time. Becky has always been a very intense, serious person.

My BF has some type of flu type bug. He went for his six week check up on Tues and is or was doing very well but his dr. didn't think he should get a flu shot just yet. My son is at a wedding. I'm not doing much of anything besides playing in PSP so I may add another entry.

It is very cold today, only in the 40's but sunny. I feel the lazy bug biting me because I hate cold weather. I definitely need to take my old boy for a walk tonight (lol..Grizzly.)

Oh, by the way, you can get comment alerts. LOL...Jeannette, who just got back from Madagascar, told me how. Now, let's see if I remember. You go to customize, then click settings. Look at the top and click comments. There is a space for you to add your e-mail address at the very bottom. I think it says e-mail notification or something like that. Click save and voila. Now, how about that, and Jeannette is a real newbie to Blogger.

Have a great weekend...HUGS Chris

I'd Lose My Head If it Wasn't Attached or so says my Mom

Tada...lol. This is the extent of my fall decor outside. It's located in my wildflower patch. It used to have a really neat split rail fence around it but the darned thing rotted out. I didn't get it replaced this past summer. ::sigh:: shooting for next year.

My pumpkins got rained upon, as you can tell, but I had to add an animation which distorted the pumpkins' color in the animation shop. Oh well. I was going to get a couple of mums but I always kill em, and they looked half dead already in the store.

So, my adventures into craziness this week have been driving me nuts. I took my car to Auto Zone. They run the computer scan for free to trouble shoot the service engine light. It came out with something to do with gas and vapors. Said to check the gas cap. Well, my gas cap was totally off and very neatly laying inside next to where you put your gas into the car. The ouside door thingie was closed. I got gas Thurs night, put 145 miles on the car and the light came on Saturday afternoon. Nothing makes sense. If I had driven away without putting the cap on, it would have been flying around with the door open. But for two days and that many miles. If somebody was syphoning, would they be so anally neat if someone almost caught them? Seriously doubt it. I almost feel it was done on purpose but who the heck would do it? I don't know anybody where I live. So odd....but eerie so now I obsessively check my gas cap constantly.

Then yesterday, I get off of the bus, and my keys weren't in my purse. Ugh... my BF was bringing my spare set down to me but my son had night school and the house was locked. When my BF got down there, I picked up my raincoat that I was dragging around and heard a jingle. The keys....I was relieved but thinking I'm losing it for sure.

Then I get home and could not find the shampoo I bought on Saturday anywhere. The pretty little bag with the pink tissue paper was under the sink; shampoo nowhere to be found. I tore the house apart. Then I was going to bed. LOL...it was on Megan's night stand. It was black and upside down and looked just like the remote. I swear I am sooooooo absent minded.

I'm thinking my dog needs a walk. We've had some rain, and it's chillier so we've been lazy at night again. I'm still keeping up with the walks at lunch.

Here's a Halloween snag. Where is time flying to? HUGS CHRIS

Sanely Insane SNAGS

Actually, for once I didn't have one of those days but most times I feel like my head is stuck somewhere it shouldn't be.

On to my title today, I know everybody has "that" house in the neighborhood that goes so far with decorating that it's downright tacky. LOL..well, just when you thought I was bordering tacky with this "house" of mine here at Blogger, I had to go and add more toys. Oy, lol. I think that after a day or two, I will go back to my plain old white (in fact I'm sure I will) unless I make my own background. Thanks, Indigo! Obviously, I found the web site. I'm going to mess around with making my own when I get some time. Anyway, indulge this old crow for a day or two.

My BF and I went out last night to watch the football games at the Days Inn lounge. He was my DD. It was a very good night. He did super well because the crowd was small. I actually got to spend the night.

I called the dealership about my service engine light today. It's a second generation thingie and has to do with emissions. They said to just let it go. It may go off by itself in a week or so. It probably is a sensor. I'm not sure if it's covered by my warranty or not. I may have my son take it to the place he used to work and put it on the computer to make sure it's nothing essential. I really don't think it is but Megan is going to DC with it on Halloween weekend.

Becky continues to feel somewhat better each day. Megan is having a heck of a time with her job applications. She graduates in two months and has been getting flat out turn downs. She is having a heck of a time finding a part time job in the meantime. Betty, I told her about your prayer list and to be positive. She just laughed and asked that you pray extra hard for her because she doesn't feel lucky.

Whoo hoo, I gave my BF his scale back after he got home from the hospital because he needed to make sure he wasn't retaining water. I was shocked when I stepped on it last night and lost 5 more lbs. Probably about 12 since July. I guess the walking and tweaking the diet a bit is helping. Since I'm tall, my clothes are only starting to get loose.

I still didn't get my outside decorations up yet. Dang, I'm lazy. I did buy a scarecrow but refuse to pay $6 for a bale of hay so back to Walmart for cornstalks and pumpkins. I was supposed to do that today but did nothing except grill a pork roast and potatoes. And back to work again tomorrow. Where does time go when you aren't at work??????

Happy fall, ya'll....it's still warm but air has that fall scent to it. HUGS n LOVE CHRIS

Opinions Puhlease

Because I make huge graphics, I have to use a stretch template. I have tried several backgrounds from cute blogspot.com but they just don't jive with the minima stretch's.

Are you all having trouble reading this thing???? LOL...my old eyes are plus I think it looks way too busy and doesn't fit right. Of course, this one isn't as bad as the lower ones but still.....

What do ya think? Scrap the background and go back to white???

Honest answers wanted.....Huge hugs, CHRIS

Sunny Saturday SNAGS

Halfway through the long weekend. I mustered up the courage to migrate my last journal which happens to be my very first one created Oct 5, 2005; A Day in the Life. I'm sure many of you never knew it existed but that was my baby; my first attempt at telling the internet my story; my life. I couldn't even add a graphic and had no readers when I started. I actually wasn't worried at that time. I just loved to hear myself talk on "paper." My current journal was born from my PSP addiction in December of 2005. I kept them both up and running but it became far too much. I actually used this graphics journal as a semi-private one because my children never paid attention to it.

Day in the Life got shelved because my son blew my cover. That's when I made the decision to add the chitchat to the graphics and merge them. My last entry in DIL was Nov 2007. I wiped the dust off of it and migrated because I didn't want to lose it. I didn't realize just how much it meant to me. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it....archive it or add entries to it. I actually have 4 readers here for that one. Oh, decisions. I procrastinate and hate to make them.

I got my hair done today. Dark black with red chunks and spiky. Yikes that is one big old head. My kids think I'm narcissistic posting so many pictures of my sorry old self.




So, my BF and I tried to get out for a bit last night. It's been five weeks since his surgery but it was a wee bit too much. People kept bumping his leg with all the grafts taken out of it. We did make it about an hour. I come home because he was sore as could be and needed to get some sleep.

Becky hasn't texted me today which is a good sign. She texts me pretty much non-stop when she is stressed or upset. I hope and pray each day for my child.

Last but not least, I am so thoroughly disgusted with that car of mine. It is in the shop every month. I just had the calipers repaired the day before my BF's surgery. I come out of the beauty shop and my service engine light was on today. Blah...grrrr. It has something to do with emissions. If it's a sensor, I don't think the warranty covers it. I swear that I can pick them. 32,000 miles on the darned thing. I would trade it in but dang I'd probably get another doozy anyway.

Today is lovely. Tomorrow is supposed to be also. I haven't walked yet so I need to get my butt in gear. Maybe tomorrow...lol. My son is at a bachelor party so the house is quiet. Hugs to all......CHRIS

A Blast from the Past/Where's Witchy

Well call me lazy but this is a tag from two years ago. I migrated my journal tonight. It actually failed 9 times before it took. It showed up as nine journals in my Dashboard. I'm hoping it was only in mine. Now, it's here and safe, I supppose. Now, one more to go...my original Day in the Life which was 3 years old on Sunday, Oct. 5th.

Tomorrow is my last day of work for this week. We have Monday off, which is Columbus Day. I'm taking Friday off also...whoo hoo! Dang, I'm tired. I haven't taken a day off in two months. Well, I did take Sept. 3 off for my BF's open heart surgery but that was no day at the beach. I'm so darned whooped. Becky is having some problems again, which isn't unusual but is draining me. I really didn't need to come home and "migrate" but my OCDish personality just had to do it.

I've noticed the music being played by blogs with playlist is super quiet. I have to turn the speakers up super high and then the buddy noises make Grizzly go whacko. It started last night. Now, is it my computer or has anybody else noticed?

I linked my old journal. I need to put it on my blog list. I have it as a separate blog. I'm sort of glad it didn't migrate into this one. That was my old world; this is my new one. I'll probably go back and fit some of the graphics better when I get time.

Good night to all.....HUGS Chris

Cab's Creations & Chatter1

A Couple of Fall SNAGS

Sunday, Lovely Sunday/SNAG

Finally, things are slowly coming together in this new world of ours except for the alerts. I'm still using dashboard plus my updates on my blog list. The privates are in my favorites. I blundered today while updating my blog list and deleted the whole darned thing...grrr. Had to do it all over again. One thing I don't like is the fonts. I like comic sans. LOL...minor, I suppose. Funny how we get used to certain things.

For those that have been asking about Becky, she is doing much, much better. An adjustment of meds, actually less than what she was taking, and something to sleep without panic attacks is helping tremendously. Megan came home yesterday to work a 12 hr shift at E&P. She had us howling with her tale of taking Becky out Friday night. It's almost like Megan is the big sis. They met a group of Megan's friends at a small pub near Megan's university. Becky was a nervous wreck but they ended up taking a cab home. Big Sis was the DD but ended up having some fun, for once. What a blessing that Megan ended up having to move with her big sister this semester. Who would have predicted??????

My 3 went to their Aunt's for dinner today (my ex's sister). It was her hubby's birthday. They just invited my children plus her hubby's son, who's Becky's age. Actually, he and Becky are very good friends. I keep trying for a love connection here. So, anyway, the BF and I went to Target, Walmart and then out to eat at a little local pub that has scrumptious steak salads. It was so good to spend some time with him. He is doing very well but still has to take it easy. It was a month on Friday since his surgery.

We had some gorgeous weather today...sunny and actually warm. I walked to the salt dome that some of you might remember I posted pics of but took the long way around to get home. Ya think I'd have lost some weight with all this walking. I think it's about 5 lbs or so at most.

I need to feed Grizzly and take him for his walk. Betty, I promise I'll get a picture of the old boy soon. He is really getting gray. Have a great week and hang in there....we're learning and growing together.

Another Day in the New Life

Some week it has been. LOL...mostly a week of panic, shock, pulling my hair out but some great joy also as I walked through this new land and started seeing so many familiar faces. I'm finally learning. Haha..those gadgets are neat. I added how many days I've lived on this earth. More than a lot. Plus either a Monet or Van Gogh painting of the day.

Blogspot will never ever be the same with the refugees from AOL. A couple of my kids have blogs here. JLand was not the typical blog world, or so say my children. Comments...hunh...what are those they say? And the graphics and tags, well they think that is tacky. I'm guessing many serious bloggers would think so also. Oh well, tough bananas.

I changed my template around but still am limited with the tag and graphic size so I'm supposing I'll have to teach myself to make smaller tags.

Thanks to all of you and the generous giving spirits. That's what made our previous world so special. Everybody was there to support and lend a helping hand. Lord knows, many of us will need it for the time being to get ourselves situated.

I'm trying to work my way around reading. If I'm missing you, please let me know.

Have a great weekend!!!!!! Hugs n Love to all....CHRIS

AOL Refugees

Day #2...is it easier? Well, some things are; some things aren't. I still can't get my graphics to post as full size. Any tips, D? How to you get your graphics in here full size. I'm taking them from Photobucket but you have to choose the size here. The largest still isn't the correct size. Drives me crazy.

Also having two journals is a killer. I bounce between alerts at AOL and try to hunt down and find people here plus keep up with the new entries. I know it will take time.

I feel a little exposed here; actually a lot. AOL was a small, closed community. I've actually seen articles about AOl today discussing JLand and how unique it was to the blogging world. Right now, I feel exposed; as if I'm sitting in my underwear in the livingroom with the curtains open.

LJ, I made a couple of AOL refugee tags. I cannot get animation to work in here for anything. D, I did what you said but keep getting all the frames from the ani shop (12 for the one tonite...ugh) Sugar has some really lovely AOL remembrance tags. I'm just glad to see so many familiar faces popping up but dang I'm totally whooped trying to figure this all out. (I did manage to get the ani in here but can't get it placed where I want. lordy lordy)

Enough whining tonight. Love n Hugs to all....Chris