Don’t forget the biiiig sparkly belt buckle (you know what the say about men who wear big belts don’tcha? Yep. He’s got big belt loops.), fitted jacket with darling gold braid, and precious stacked-heel cowboy boots from Prada. Ole’!
Yeah, Mr. Gonzales did look good that night. 
I think I talked about the saga of the paper at the Bumbahousehold before, but for those who are new to the class, I’ll tell it again. When we bought our big old ‘gramma’ house, (an 1890s Victorian) 16 years ago, we arranged for daily paper delivery from the big newspaper in Portland (The Oregonian), and for a coupla-three years it was fine. Every morning the Oregoniam would appear on our porch, and we were happy. Then things changed. <cue ominous music here> We got a new paperboy. :eek: Apparently getting the paper onto our porch was a process so complicated, so time-consuming, so fraught with danger, that it completely eluded his grasp. We tried to explain to the in-charge-of-paper-delivery guy that we liked finding the paper on our porch, instead of in the roses, under the car, or out on the sidewalk, for a couple of reasons, we didn’t have to put our shoes on to get it off of the porch, and the water-proof plastic bags they put the paper in, weren’t. (This is Oregon, it rains a mite bit here.) And a wet newspaper does not a Happy Bumba make. All of this was too much for the Oregonian and their delivery minions, so we cancelled it.
But wait, there’s more. If you don’t take the Oregonian newspaper, they, the Oregonian people, get worried that you aren’t getting your minimum daily allowance of advertisements, so they put you on their list to get the ‘Food Day’ paper, a free publication which consists of most of the ad papers, plus a section about food (with some pretty good recipes, I’ll admit) and a small section with teasers about all the wonderful news stories you’d be able to read if you’d only take the daily paper. We usually get this on Wednesday, encased in the usual not-really-waterproof plastic bag, so it’s usually wet too, at least during the rainy season (Sept. thru June). Fortunately the garbage can is right there beside the garage.
To be honest, we do get the Sunday Oregonian at the store, (cheaper than the TV Guide), and we do read parts of it.
There’s a little local paper too, but the less said about that the better.
Rodeo riders are gay? :eek:
Practically all of 'em Bumba! It’s like figure skating but with hooves. It’s the sparkly outfits that give them away. And I hate those food day things they shove in my teeny mailbox. Stupidheads; don’t send me things I didn’t request 'cause you’re smooshing my real mail.
Gasp! Swampy, was it Mr. Gonzales junior or senior? Because I’ve heard stuff.
See, Ashes[sup]2[/sup] sometimes Mr. and Mrs Gonzales senior like to dress up in special outfits when they’re alone in the house. Problem is, they forget to close the curtains so everybody knows about it, we just don’t talk about it. Well, except over cocktails.
Bumba maybe you need one of Mama Tiger’s special signs too. BTW, the peach soap is wunnerful! To quote a certain somebody, “Makes ya smell like a peach cobbler.” Fortunately, I happen to know that’s a good thing.
Eons ago, I took the paper, but I found I was just reading the funnies and Dear Abby and skimming the first section. I never bothered with sports or business or classified or ads, so most of the paper was plopped in the recycle bin unopened. So I quit taking it. And since I can find most of what I want to know on line, including the local news from my old county, I don’t need a print paper. Washington Post tried to get us to sign up but we steadfastly refused and they eventually came and took their paper box, as did the county paper people.
There is a pretty comprehensive website that covers southern Md, so I check that out frequently. They also have a message board which pales in comparison to this one, of course, but I can use it to get recommendations of local services or restaurant reviews by just plain folks. I try to avoid the chit chat forum because it makes my head explode. Ignerence is rampant around here, and I do my best to avoid it, lest it stick on my good shoes.
I started my Monday with a flashing light. Flashing lights are rarely good, and I expect this one will cost me some money. No, I didn’t get a ticket. I had just passed a pokey-joe driver (yeah, I floored it) and my Check Engine light started flashing. I’d never seen it do that before, so first opportunity, I turned around and went home. It stopped flashing, but I was still worried. Yeah, I overreacted. But I called my mechanic guy and he couldn’t get me in today, but I’ve got an appointment for tomorrow. After unemotional thought, I figured it’s probably just my oxygen sensor, so I went to work a bit late.
Glad I went, too - I sold the fold-up roll-away bed that was left behind here. Since I bought some real furniture for the smaller guest room, I don’t need the roll-away. So now I’ve got $25 and the old thing is gone. Yay.
While I was in the parking lot selling the bed, my sweetie called. My office mate actually answered my phone, thinking it might have been the buyer calling to say he’d be late or something. Anyway, office mate picked up the phone and said “Michelle’s desk” - since that’s my name and all. The conversation was relayed to me as such:
Sweetie: I didn’t know Michelle’s desk was masculine!
Office Mate: And buff, too! [yeah, he’s a comedian]
S: Kinda makes you wonder why she married a short, fat guy. [he’s not that short, and he’s just kinda pudgy]
OM: She went to her car to sell something.
S: So what does that make you, her pimp?
OK: No, I’m her broker.
I don’t know what the rest of the conversation was, but my cell phone was in the van (we’re not allowed to take them into the building) so Sweetie called me there and told me about his chat with OM. I cracked up! When I went back to my office, he was sitting there with this grin on his face, and I just said: “Broker???” and he cracked up! So now I’ve got to introduce the two of them - I just know it’d be very entertaining. I’m going to miss my Office Mate when I get moved in about a month. Wonder how long I can string out the last of my training??
Where are my manners today!? I forgot to say something.
**
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY DOGMOM AND DOGDAD!!!**
No offense, Ashes, but I know of one who isn’t. Jewel, the yodeller from Alaska, came onboard my ship one Christmas when we were off the coast of Italy. She brought with her a Current Boyfriend, who, friends told me, was the top Bronco Buster at the time in the whole dang world. Even was on ESPN2 during prime time. So if’n he was, ahem, with Jewel, I’m thinking his bronco gate only swings open in one direction.
'Course, after she’s done with him, he might swear off wimmen forever.
I think I’m going to trade in my new glasses. I was talked into getting the smaller rectangular frames instead of the bigger frameless ones I’ve had for years. But I cannot get used to actually seeing a thick rectangular square whenever I try to wear them. Givin’ me a headache and all.
I used to have a subscription to the local bi-weekly paper. But the town was so small then, the Thursday paper, had the same news as the Tuesday paper. Except on Tuesday, you could read about how successful all the church functions were the previous weekend. And on Thursday you read about the church functions for the following weekend, plus yard sales.
I have to point out I have the same problem: I paid $20 for the Times Union once. And I have the Times UNion every single day until Kingdom Come, apparently, since they won’t quit and I haven’t paid again once. And don’t plan to! I keep calling them but they won’t quit!
Did anyone else think, the start of a Humphrey Bogart film?
What is this? It’s been almost an entire day and we’re still on-topic?! That’s got to be some kind of a record.
I am a news junkie. I subscribe to our local paper and read it religiously. I used to subscribe to one of the Seattle papers too, but they were just a huge pain in the ass, and frankly, I wasn’t able to keep up with both papers. It was a real busy time in my life. At any rate, I start with the comics, and then move on to local news, national news, business and finally sports. I MUST do the crosswords that appear in the paper. It a very sick compulsion and I feel weird if I don’t do them.
In addition, I read all the internet news sites too. What can I say, I like to be informed. Yes, yes, the papers and even the news sites all have various bias or slants to them, but I take them all with a grain of salt and form my own opinions.
Today, however, I didn’t have time to read the paper or do the crosswords. My father had to go in for heart surgery today. They didn’t have to do as much as they thought they were going to do. All the same, they did put two stints in his heart, and one of them isn’t far from the first one they inserted in 1996. The doctor is not happy with the condition of his arteries and veins and he is now on five medications a day, twice a day. The problem with this lies in the fact that my father is a very stubborn man and is in a bit of denial about his problem. We were told by his doctor that he must, must, must take these meds twice a day and cannot skip them. He must also watch his diet.
Barring any problems, he should be able to go home tomorrow morning and only has to limit his activities until next Monday. He was very upset that he couldn’t go home today. He MUST be feeling better because he wasn’t being a very good patient. I must say his color was 100% improved and he kept saying how good he felt. The nurse told us the improved circulation in heart would definitely make him feel better, but I honestly think the drugs had something to do with it too. 
He was slurring his words. It was quite funny actually. At any rate, I left around 2:00 pm so he could get some rest.
I think I’m gonna eat something now. I haven’t eaten all day and I’m feeling slightly peckish.
Taters, what internet news sites do you read? I have a customized Yahoo page that I peruse, but sometimes more would be nice. Are you talking CNN type stuff?
I read Yahoo, CNN, FOX, ABC, CBS, MSN, BBC, and the local tv station news sites. There are probably a couple more, but those are sites I can think of off the top of my head.
I’m the granddaughter of a newspaperman (Grandpa was managing editor of a small city paper at the end of his career), so I’m genetically predisposed to newspaper reading. And to subscribing. Seven days a week for me.
These days, though, my news(and other stuff)-absorption methodology is as follows:
- Wake up to NPR and more or less get an idea of general news of interest.
- Read newspaper, ignoring anything I already heard enough about on the radio. If there’s enough time, read a few articles in full. If not, skim enough to get the idea. Always read the important funnies: Dilbert, Funky Winkerbean, For Better or For Worse, Doonesbury, Sally Forth, sometimes Agnes, sometimes Get Fuzzy, Opus on Sundays. Read horoscope and find it irrelevant. Scan advice columns for humor value. Used to do the crossword and word jumble, but have gotten out of the habit.
- Supplement with net news as time permits. I like Google news, although I’m still figuring out the best way to use it. I’m leaning toward reading several takes on specific news items that interest me. I also read a few non-English-language news sources occasionally.
I just about never watch TV news though.
Sorry to stay on topic for so long.
Sounds like the surgery on Dad went well, Taters. I would think it’s a good sign that the patient is grumpy.
Officemate and FCD’s conversation made me laugh, FCM. Thank you.
What does it say about me that I read the phrase “coming out party” and just knew that there would be commentary? And that I giggled in anticipation?
Happy Anniversary DogParents!
Happy Monday everyone!
GT
This surprises me. I used to deliver that annoying Wednesday sampler of the real thing. We were specifically told that we’d be fired if we put it in the mailbox. I don’t know if it’s true but we were told that it’s illegal to put anything but genuine USPS mail in the box.
Anyway, I don’t get the paper. I used to get the Sunday one for the coupons. I’d find coupons I wanted to use but I always forgot to use them. I realized that I was spending more for the paper than I saved on the few coupons I used so I cancelled it. Wonder of wonders, the paper has never bothered me about getting delivery back and they never sent it again once I cancelled it.
I still don’t like the paper though. I’m not originally from this end of the state and to me, the paper out here is strange. For one thing, they have a different name for the Sunday paper. It’s the Sunday Republican. The rest of the week it’s the Union News. It confooses me. Also, I don’t like any of the funnies. They don’t run the same ones my hometown paper did. I feel like I missed something because I didn’t grow up reading them.
When I move back closer to my home, I’ll probably get the paper delivered. I grew up reading the Telegram and Gazette and I miss it. It never seems to change style so I never get confoosed.
Yesterday, My guy and I were startled out of peaceful sleepiness by the air conditioner. It was screeching. Apparently it does that when the electricity goes out. It was very hot and very humit and the friggen electricity went out. It didn’t come on for over 3 hours. About 5 minutes after the power was lost, TVGeek got a call from work. He ended up having to go in because the guy who works the TV station over the weekend is a tool. He’s not even a useful tool. He’s like an alan-wrench. Those things are only good for one thing - alan-screws. He was there all day. Literally. He still hasn’t come home. They made him stay in a hotel cause he works so far away and had to be in early today. I think they should pay him for the pants, shirt, undies, socks, toothbrush, contact case, lens soulution, toothpast, and dinner too.
After he left, I went back to sleep. I had to get up later though. The bunnies had to go to the groomer. But, TVGeek took his car and mine doesn’t have A/C at the moment. I didn’t want to drive 20 minutes away with the buns in a hot muggy car. But, the house was hot and muggy too since the power was still out. So, I brought the buns to the groomer. When I went to pick them up, the groomer said that she didn’t want to give them back to me. She thought I was neglecting them because one of them was so badly stained. Luckily, I had told her dad that the bun sleeps in her litterbox. So, he came to the rescue and I got my buns back. I also got some helpful tips on how to keep the fuzzy brat from sleeping in the litterbox. I also found out why my power went out. Apparently, some very intelligent person decided long ago that half the power generating thingies would be shut down at the end of May or early June. For maintenance, dontcha know. After all, everyone knows that Massachusetts never gets hot and muggy in May or June. Well, when it does get hot and muggy, they have to start those stoopid brownout things you usually only hear about happening in California. It seems that this time, it was our turn to get brownoutted.
Well, Dad wasn’t grumpy, really. He just wanted to get out of bed go. He wants to mow his lawn tomorrow :rolleyes: . You can just bet we all put the kibosh on that idea! Plus, he really wanted coffee and was complaining the nurse was a terrible waitress because she didn’t bring it right away. He eventually got some coffee, but egads, I was surprised that they did! He kept talking about all the stuff he needs to do around the house and we kept telling him it’ll keep for a week. Sheesh. My sister finally told him that she has two sons that can come out and mow the lawn if he wants it done that badly.
By the time I left he was really tired and pretty doped up on morphine because they had to pull the wire out through his groin. Before that, he quite entertaining because he kept slurring his words, like he’d had a few too many. He probably won’t remember too much of what he said, but did crack us up several times.
Well, the daughter wants to play her game now and I am reorganizing and straightening my bedroom. Better go for now.
Had another big jerk in at work today. His family was shopping, and he was standing near the back desk talking very loudly on his cell phone. My manager was at the back desk, making Important Business Calls, and he asked the guy to please move to the front of the store.
Well. This is the rudest thing you could ever ask anyone to do. Move? How terrible!
He ranted all the way to the front desk about how ignorant and stupid and insulting my manager was- “What a jerk! You, buddy, are a jerk! We’re leaving! I can’t believe you could be so ignorant! Let’s get outta here, that guy has no manners! Why doesn’t he have a fucking office if his calls are so important!” etc.
Now, my manager is the softest-spoken, shyest, nicest guy, and he asked this man to move a few feet so as not to be shouting directly into the back phone.
I rang them in, and I wish I’d pointed out that they were in fact lucky that it was my manager, and not the chain owner, who hates cell phones, shouts, and is a 6"6 bearded ranting Dutchman. Frans (the owner) would probably have thrown all of them out, shouting, “You! You stop that in my store! Get out! No cell phones! I hate cell phones!”
Is it a full moon or something?
Tonight Driving Husband is walking over and I’m going to have several drinks, and we’ll talk about how much we hate people. It will be fun.
I know a guy who looks exactly like Yoda, except he’s beige instead of green.
Just thought I’d share…