Thursday, February 26, 2009

I'm not a twit(ter)

Ok, I'm listening to the news and all the talking about twitter

Let me say here that while I consider myself pretty savvy about technology for an old broad, I do not Twitter

I also do not do text messaging on my cell phone

It's not that I think I couldn't

With the phone it's more a thing of no one I ever talk to on the phone (except my daughter) does texting either, so I can't justify the extra fee each month to have texting enabled on my phone. (Guess this shows a deplorable lack of techie friends)

As for twitter--

Let's say first that my computer is in the basement, and I go there every morning first thing and spend a couple of hours or so reading email and blogs and downloading any orders to be filled, etc.

After that, I go upstairs and I work on other things --- like sewing and beading and drawing and knitting --- well, you get the idea

So that whole idea of being right where the computer is and "tweeting" to people all day long is pretty strange, at least from the logistical point of it

I'm guessing this little piece of technology is just going to have to go on it's merry little way without my participation!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Music to my ears

I watched the president's speech last night.

This is a new experience for me. During the past 8 years I was interested in what was happening, but I couldn't stand to listen to the butchering of the English language and the outright lies that every presidential address was.

And during the times before that, frankly I was busy trying to juggle full time jobs and running a small business and being a good parent and was just too exhausted most of the time to pay attention.

Last night the president was back in his campaign style uplifting mode for the most part.

And for me, here is the line that gave me a real thrill:

"But I also know that nearly a century after Teddy Roosevelt first called for reform, the cost of our health care has weighed down our economy and our conscience long enough. So let there be no doubt: Health care reform cannot wait, it must not wait, and it will not wait another year."

And the oddest couple in the Senate, Orin Hatch and Ted Kennedy will be the standard bearers for this legislation.

And NEXT WEEK(!) the discussions begin.

I'm at odds with some other things that are still going on, but I have hope that part of the country's biggest nightmare (and, yes, my own) will at least have someone seriously working on it.

yes, it's music to my ears

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

About to become a statistic?

So it would seem.

I recently was notified that my current health insurance plan is probably going to be eliminating individual coverage in my area.

So I applied for another plan, and was turned down because as a woman of my age I take medication for a couple of health issues. Seems I don't fit their "insurable profile".

Programs for the folks that fit my age and "health issues" are available, but we're talking something with a $10,000 deductable and a $500 plus per month premium.

I don't qualify for Medicaid, I'm too young for Medicare

If my current insurance company truly does cut individual coverage here, I will be joining the millions that have no insurance, which means if I should have some serious medical problem, it's just going to be "too bad for you"

health care reform can't come fast enough

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Official Dog Duties

It's been pretty nice the last couple of days (after a Saturday full of fog and cold) such is the joy of living in the mountains!

Our dog has assigned herself to an official duty.

Every morning after breakfast, she and the DH take the bucket from the kitchen out to the compost bin (she'll sit at the back door and wait for him to come from the kitchen with it).

Later in the day she'll go out from time to time and make sure no squirrels are helping themselves to any "tasty treats" that she can't get to.

It's good for a labrador to be busy -- it keeps them out of trouble!

Friday, February 13, 2009

Snow and Seeds

It snowed last night.

We were only supposed to get a "dusting" but it was more than that.

The last little snow wasn't enough to even shovel, but this one was.

You just can't ever tell how much snow you'll get!

The seeds arrived yesterday.

Mmmmmmmm, garden on the hoof, so to speak, and by extension, lots of good fresh veggie meals toward the end of summer and hopefully enough tomatoes to can.

The plain white packages at the right are the Burpee seeds --- all very business like and such, but the other ones are from Baker Creek, and the packages are a lot more interesting and colorful.

I ordered two more seed catalogs this week --- blame it on Martha Stewart and the show she had earlier in the week talking about gardens --- even if we don't order from them this year, they will be a good resource for next.

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Making hay while the sun shines

We live in an area that gets snow, and we're in snow season right now, but for the last week or so it's been pretty nice -- no snow, so warm in fact, that even in the back yard that never sees the sun, almost all the snow is melted.

We decided to take advantage of the brief week of spring-like weather and do some garden preparation

Last fall, before the first snow, the DH built the wood frame for our compost "heap".

Originally we were just going to use an area along the back fence where we could start with a hole and work from there, but we have a dog.

A big, black lab that thinks anything that ever passed through the kitchen in any form should be eaten

(why is it that dogs have a very keen sense of smell, but they'll eat anything --- leading to many a dietary indiscretion!)

but I digress

Shortly after the wood frame was built, the weather got too cold to even paint it, so it had been sitting on the back patio with a blue tarp over it since.

This week, it was warm enough. So the DH put a coat of paint on all of the wood surfaces (something not really required, but it does extend the life of the wood, especially when it's outdoors).

Then yesterday we wrapped the chicken wire around the outside, fastened it all down with heavy duty staples and carried it out to it's assigned spot in the yard.

This morning I put in the first deposit -- coffee grounds, orange peel and the remains of some strawberries that had been ignored long enough in the fridge to begin the transformation into some sort of alcholic beverage -- the dog is still trying to figure out how to get to it --- pacing around the pen, sniffing, looking longingly at those "goodies"

Mission Accomplished!!

and just in time --- tomorrow we're supposed to get a boat load of snow