K and I decided to do the cheese tour. You see, when you visit Heini's Cheese Chalet, you get to sample all of their cheeses. It is delightful! Yesterday, I tried some different cheeses I hadn't tried before. One was kefir cheese.
It tasted as if I had just licked the hoof of a horse that just walked through manure. Hubs was laughing so hard at my reaction that I seriously think he was on the edge of crying. Seriously, it tasted like fresh manure smells. It tasted awful.
If I were at home, I would have spit it out. Unfortunately, I had to continue to chew and swallow, hoping for a highly flavored cheese down the line. Thankfully, there were a few with onion that killed the flavor.
Whew. I know that people loved it, but I had to share my opinion. If you like the taste of manure covered horse hooves, Kefir cheese just might be for you!
:cringing face:
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Friday, February 14, 2014
The 17 Year Traditional Anniversary Gift: Furniture, Fever and Flu or Fugazi?
The short answer in my house is that neither I nor my husband went traditional. He went to the local CD resale store and purchased 3 Fugazi CDs and a DVD for me for our anniversary. One CD is called "Furniture," so he gets partial credit, right? I gave him a gift card to said resale store and Resident Evil 6.
On to fevers and flu. K woke up and told me that she hadn't slept well and was feeling like garbage. I took her temperature later. Yup. 102.4 F. The weekend plans were canceled. :( She cried.
The traditional colors of the 17 year anniversary? Yellow and turquoise. Well, yellow is on my CD covers and turquoise is on his game cover. That counts. Right?
Fugazi and killing zombies. Wouldn't work for most people, but it works for us. Until then, we have a strep culture test awaiting us at the pediatrician's office. Good times!
Happy Valentine's Day!
ETA: K had a stomach virus that had an up and down fever (no Motrin involved) with a spike to 102.9 F. She was kind of food sensitive for a few days, but is now back to nearly full speed.
On to fevers and flu. K woke up and told me that she hadn't slept well and was feeling like garbage. I took her temperature later. Yup. 102.4 F. The weekend plans were canceled. :( She cried.
Fugazi and killing zombies. Wouldn't work for most people, but it works for us. Until then, we have a strep culture test awaiting us at the pediatrician's office. Good times!
Happy Valentine's Day!
ETA: K had a stomach virus that had an up and down fever (no Motrin involved) with a spike to 102.9 F. She was kind of food sensitive for a few days, but is now back to nearly full speed.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
The $10,000 challenge.
It made your eyes perk up and it brought you here to read a story. No, it isn't some get-rich-quick thing. It is a story of my husband asking my father for my hand in marriage.
Hubs went to ask my father for permission to marry me. They talked about a great many things, including the fact that I believe that my father thought I was high maintenance. (I'm not no maintenance, but definitely not high maintenance.) In the end, my father told my husband that before he could marry me, he had to have $10,000 in the bank. That's a lot to ask of a young man who just graduated from college and who was doing an internship. Hubs was doing his internship through the Student Conservation Association at the local National Park. He was making 50 cents an hour and working full time at the internship, if memory serves. He was also working a job at a plastics company through a temp service so that he would have money to pay bills. Despite all of this, he accepted the challenge. He had one year. We had already decided that we would marry the following Valentine's Day.
This started Hubs and I on the way to talking about finances and how to manage to save $10,000.00, have money to live on while paying for a wedding and I was still in school.
Hubs worked for The Davey Tree Company during the summer as a tech. We agreed that whatever money he made, he would put away as much of it as possible. I would pay for the wedding.
Then my wisdom teeth went south. They needed to come out and while my parents had insurance for me, the balance left was $350. I made payment arrangements with the oral surgeon's office.
We found a hall and loved it. I made payment arrangements with them for the hall and food.
I paid an installment plan for my tuition. All through college, I would pay as much as I could and take out as little as I needed in loans.
We agreed that we would get rid of all credit card debt before we got married. Hubs had his credit card maxed out at all of $500 limit. I had a card from Kaufmann's and a Visa card. Neither one carried an overlyesque balance, but an agreement was an agreement.
October came and despite all of the different financial stuff we had going on, Hubs was able to present my dad with the savings passbook from the bank to prove to him that he was able to save $10,000. My dad couldn't deny Hubs marrying me that coming February.
It was a crazy thought in the beginning, but 2 months after we were married, the wheel (yes, wheel) came off of my car, whirled through the air and landed on the front lawn of a local country club. Damage to my car was $1400. 4 months later, Ohio eCheck blew my motor. I still owed $3700 on my car. We had to pay it off and get a new car. We could only afford to lease a compact car, but we eventually bought that car after lease and kept it for 16 years.
This is where I tell you that the money that my dad made Hubs save came in handy. We had a savings from wedding gifts, too. Still, it was nice to have it.
2 1/2 years after we were married, we bought a house. We put a down payment on that house and though it wasn't a huge down payment, it came from that initial savings of money we had.
Many things have come up through the years, but we've continued to have savings. We've had money stowed away in an account that we ignore. My dad insisted that it all start that way and while it seemed like it was a tall order to ask of a new college graduate and a college student, but we managed it and we were glad to have it.
So my engagement was tagged with a $10,000 challenge. We won! :)
Hubs went to ask my father for permission to marry me. They talked about a great many things, including the fact that I believe that my father thought I was high maintenance. (I'm not no maintenance, but definitely not high maintenance.) In the end, my father told my husband that before he could marry me, he had to have $10,000 in the bank. That's a lot to ask of a young man who just graduated from college and who was doing an internship. Hubs was doing his internship through the Student Conservation Association at the local National Park. He was making 50 cents an hour and working full time at the internship, if memory serves. He was also working a job at a plastics company through a temp service so that he would have money to pay bills. Despite all of this, he accepted the challenge. He had one year. We had already decided that we would marry the following Valentine's Day.
This started Hubs and I on the way to talking about finances and how to manage to save $10,000.00, have money to live on while paying for a wedding and I was still in school.
Hubs worked for The Davey Tree Company during the summer as a tech. We agreed that whatever money he made, he would put away as much of it as possible. I would pay for the wedding.
Then my wisdom teeth went south. They needed to come out and while my parents had insurance for me, the balance left was $350. I made payment arrangements with the oral surgeon's office.
We found a hall and loved it. I made payment arrangements with them for the hall and food.
I paid an installment plan for my tuition. All through college, I would pay as much as I could and take out as little as I needed in loans.
We agreed that we would get rid of all credit card debt before we got married. Hubs had his credit card maxed out at all of $500 limit. I had a card from Kaufmann's and a Visa card. Neither one carried an overlyesque balance, but an agreement was an agreement.
October came and despite all of the different financial stuff we had going on, Hubs was able to present my dad with the savings passbook from the bank to prove to him that he was able to save $10,000. My dad couldn't deny Hubs marrying me that coming February.
It was a crazy thought in the beginning, but 2 months after we were married, the wheel (yes, wheel) came off of my car, whirled through the air and landed on the front lawn of a local country club. Damage to my car was $1400. 4 months later, Ohio eCheck blew my motor. I still owed $3700 on my car. We had to pay it off and get a new car. We could only afford to lease a compact car, but we eventually bought that car after lease and kept it for 16 years.
This is where I tell you that the money that my dad made Hubs save came in handy. We had a savings from wedding gifts, too. Still, it was nice to have it.
2 1/2 years after we were married, we bought a house. We put a down payment on that house and though it wasn't a huge down payment, it came from that initial savings of money we had.
Many things have come up through the years, but we've continued to have savings. We've had money stowed away in an account that we ignore. My dad insisted that it all start that way and while it seemed like it was a tall order to ask of a new college graduate and a college student, but we managed it and we were glad to have it.
So my engagement was tagged with a $10,000 challenge. We won! :)
Monday, February 10, 2014
Hooray for new brakes!
My brakes were making a weird grinding noise. I couldn't tell if some large clot of snow or ice had gotten caught up in the wheel or if it was a bad brake thing. I brought it up to my brother, my brake repair guy, a couple of weeks ago. It was then that the weather went straight back down to -10.8 F. Two weeks passed and I felt something grinding. I gave him a text. He texted back. He got to business yesterday.
After several hours later in an unheated garage with the door wide open, having given us a lot of time to talk, he replaced the front brake pads, the back rotors and pads. He said if it would have gone much longer, I would have had to use those front rotors we bought just in case.
Parts were $150. I asked what I owed. He said $40. I paid $75. (Hazard pay.) He didn't want to take it, but I made him. It was slave labor wage given what he did. He even changed my windshield wiper blades and ribbed me for what the driver's side blade looked like.
I ripped it. A lot. I ended up pulling hunks of ice off of the blade and shredded it.
It's all fixed now! Hooray for stopping!
After several hours later in an unheated garage with the door wide open, having given us a lot of time to talk, he replaced the front brake pads, the back rotors and pads. He said if it would have gone much longer, I would have had to use those front rotors we bought just in case.
Parts were $150. I asked what I owed. He said $40. I paid $75. (Hazard pay.) He didn't want to take it, but I made him. It was slave labor wage given what he did. He even changed my windshield wiper blades and ribbed me for what the driver's side blade looked like.
I ripped it. A lot. I ended up pulling hunks of ice off of the blade and shredded it.
It's all fixed now! Hooray for stopping!
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Of kitties, cold and grades.
Miss Leia has extra toes. We call them fingers since they are on the front. Well, little miss thing uses these extra fingers as thumbs. The opposable kitty thumbs are used to help her to grab things like the scroll work bowl holder (spilling water) and allowing her to take the clip off of the cat food bag, allowing her unlimited access to the bag of food causing her to get kitty food drunk.
Good times.
I purchased a latching lid container to foil those kitty thumbs only to find that Hubs forgot to put the lid on, giving Miss Kitteh full access to the food-- again! UGH!
The lid ain't gonna work if we don't use it people!
It was -3.6 F when I woke up on Friday morning with a biting wind chill and wonder of wonders-- WE HAD SCHOOL! Color me shocked. My cousin said that her daughter's teacher told her that the kids had to stop missing school and that they just needed to get used to the cold. At this point, it's not getting any better. We're in a cycle and it's cold. Above zero feels like a breezy day, so it is what it is. My coat is filthy because it has been too cold to risk washing it and not drying it fully before I have to go out again. K's is the same. In fact, I'm going to try to sneak them into the wash here in just a bit.
To note, I did double check with the office staff and our guidance counselor to make certain that all kids have coats and that they don't need any. I reminded them that the PTA has money set aside for such things and if they need, please let us know. We don't want any child running around without a coat. Brrr.
Finally, I try not to be a big horn tooter with this because we know where we've been and how it feels to be there, but look at what K brought home:
How a year and a different teacher makes a HUGE difference! Her prize from me? 2 Harry Potter books and a new balloon air pump. What did Dad get her to celebrate the occasion? A new whoopee cushion. :insert rolling eyes: Needless to say, she loves it! She actually loves all of them. So proud of all of her hard work!
ETA: The coats are laundered! HOORAY!
Good times.
I purchased a latching lid container to foil those kitty thumbs only to find that Hubs forgot to put the lid on, giving Miss Kitteh full access to the food-- again! UGH!
The lid ain't gonna work if we don't use it people!
It was -3.6 F when I woke up on Friday morning with a biting wind chill and wonder of wonders-- WE HAD SCHOOL! Color me shocked. My cousin said that her daughter's teacher told her that the kids had to stop missing school and that they just needed to get used to the cold. At this point, it's not getting any better. We're in a cycle and it's cold. Above zero feels like a breezy day, so it is what it is. My coat is filthy because it has been too cold to risk washing it and not drying it fully before I have to go out again. K's is the same. In fact, I'm going to try to sneak them into the wash here in just a bit.
To note, I did double check with the office staff and our guidance counselor to make certain that all kids have coats and that they don't need any. I reminded them that the PTA has money set aside for such things and if they need, please let us know. We don't want any child running around without a coat. Brrr.
Finally, I try not to be a big horn tooter with this because we know where we've been and how it feels to be there, but look at what K brought home:
 |
| The "O's" stand for outstanding and they are for social skills and study habits. :) |
ETA: The coats are laundered! HOORAY!
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
A paid day off and a pot of soup.
I got the call at 6:15 AM to say that my place of employment was on a delay open. We usually open at 10 AM (and 6:15 AM was a little early to call) but with the 3" of snow covered with ice, it was decided that there would be a wait-and-see approach to opening.
Julia, my coworker, texted me to ask what the update on work was. She said she doesn't speak English at 6 AM. I gave her my update and called Judy back. She said to give her another hour to make a determination.
She called before that hour was up. The local university (which is a block and a half behind our store) closed, so she decided to close, too. HOORAY! A paid day off to putz around the house, load a bunch of CDs into iTunes (Pavement, CAKE, NIN, Blind Melon, Rusted Root, Squirrel Nut Zippers and onward to Porno for Pyros and Jane's Addiction and more) and cook up a pot of soup.
What soup am I cooking? It's called, "I'm making from what's in my cupboards and refrigerator!" We have turkey kielbasa, dried mixed beans, barley, corn, carrots, peas and half of a green pepper. I'll bust out a pan of cornbread and the world will be a delicious place.
Be safe!
Julia, my coworker, texted me to ask what the update on work was. She said she doesn't speak English at 6 AM. I gave her my update and called Judy back. She said to give her another hour to make a determination.
She called before that hour was up. The local university (which is a block and a half behind our store) closed, so she decided to close, too. HOORAY! A paid day off to putz around the house, load a bunch of CDs into iTunes (Pavement, CAKE, NIN, Blind Melon, Rusted Root, Squirrel Nut Zippers and onward to Porno for Pyros and Jane's Addiction and more) and cook up a pot of soup.
What soup am I cooking? It's called, "I'm making from what's in my cupboards and refrigerator!" We have turkey kielbasa, dried mixed beans, barley, corn, carrots, peas and half of a green pepper. I'll bust out a pan of cornbread and the world will be a delicious place.
Be safe!
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Kitty in a box.
 |
| Kitty in a tote. This is the tote we brought her home in. She loves her tote. |
 |
| Kitty in a work bench drawer. We've had to secure that. A work bench drawer is not safe. We found her curled up on a hacksaw. Who would have thought she would have been in a drawer full of things? |
There was no space to run.
Her bed and food bowl were litter box adjacent.
She has started to fill out a hair, or at least that is what M and I thought this morning. He mentioned it and I told him that I was thinking that myself.
We discovered that leaving a heaping bowl of food for her is not the best way. We thought it was. She is rather skinny, but we discovered that she will eat it and have ill effects of digestion later on. In short, girlfriend pooped on me. Oh, she didn't mean to. Overfeeding isn't a good thing for her.
We're all getting used to each other and we discovered that she is afraid to go to the litter box while we're present. If she needs to go and we are there, she won't. The incident that happened was because she needed to go, I didn't know, I scooped her up, snuggled her up in my coat and frankly, I think I accidentally squeezed it out of her kitty person.
Oops.
She did earn herself the nickname of "Who flug poo?" After the snuggling/pooping incident, we needed to give her half of a bath. I had her snuggled up in a towel, scratching her kitty mustache and telling her, "Awwww, you smellllled sooooo badddd." She did. Her motor was running and though the bath was a bit jarring for her, I think that she knows that we saved her from her own stench. In fact, I told her that I was certain that she finally gave up because she couldn't stand the smell of her own self.
She has gotten use out of the kitty gym we built for her from scrap pieces parts and only involved a few dollars worth of kitty toys. M built her a box at the top about the same size of a work bench drawer and we gave it a bubble moon roof. (A clear popcorn bowl we had.) We set it up with toys at night and in the morning, the toys are scattered. She has herself a grand time.
Leia has not come upstairs yet. It isn't because it isn't available to her. I think that goes back to kitty-in-a-box syndrome. She'll get to it. Just this morning she came to M and let him give her good scratches. Our basement spans the 1008 square feet of the house. She has more room down there than she has had in months. She'll come up in time. We bring her up, but her feet haven't hit the stairs yet. Poor thing is scared of everything, but she's working through that.
It's taking time. A lot of time. That's okay. We're used to kitties with issues of kittyhood. She doesn't bite, so it's all good.
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