Unbelievable
October 17, 2005
Get your minds out of the gutter, my husband is out of town so that isn't happening this week.
I was scouring eBay in hopes of finding a hidden steal of a deal on a spinning wheel. Yes, I've been assimilated. My life will never be quite the same.
Anyhoo, I found this vintage Saxony style wheel (pretty much what the average person thinks of when they think of a spinning wheel). For.......
wait for it.....
$9.99 currently with $69 Priority shipping from the Netherlands.
This got me thinking. Steve is in the Netherlands, what if he could pick it up and just check it with his baggage and forget about the delivery fee. Hmmmmm.
So I emailed the seller asking if this was possible. It is. But not for that particular one. I emailed them a few more questions about specifics and they mentioned they have about 70 wheels in stock.
So I'm thinking some more. If they are willing to part with a spinning wheel for so little money, what if they have a style more to my liking, still reasonable in price? I am being realistic though, I don't think I would be able to buy it for $10 American. But still, if I can get it for under $100 I'll be all over it like white on rice. So I'm anxiously waiting to hear back from them, but since they are 8 hours ahead (currently, 2 am there I think), I don't anticipate hearing from them until late tonight or early tomorrow.
When this current obsession cools off a bit, I'll try to stop alienating my non-fiber art readers.
I was scouring eBay in hopes of finding a hidden steal of a deal on a spinning wheel. Yes, I've been assimilated. My life will never be quite the same.
Anyhoo, I found this vintage Saxony style wheel (pretty much what the average person thinks of when they think of a spinning wheel). For.......
wait for it.....
$9.99 currently with $69 Priority shipping from the Netherlands.
This got me thinking. Steve is in the Netherlands, what if he could pick it up and just check it with his baggage and forget about the delivery fee. Hmmmmm.
So I emailed the seller asking if this was possible. It is. But not for that particular one. I emailed them a few more questions about specifics and they mentioned they have about 70 wheels in stock.
So I'm thinking some more. If they are willing to part with a spinning wheel for so little money, what if they have a style more to my liking, still reasonable in price? I am being realistic though, I don't think I would be able to buy it for $10 American. But still, if I can get it for under $100 I'll be all over it like white on rice. So I'm anxiously waiting to hear back from them, but since they are 8 hours ahead (currently, 2 am there I think), I don't anticipate hearing from them until late tonight or early tomorrow.
When this current obsession cools off a bit, I'll try to stop alienating my non-fiber art readers.
October 05, 2005
By the time the A/C guy came to check out our system, it was 86 degrees in the house. And Hu. Mid.
Since both our A/C and furnace are original to the house we are getting them both replaced at the same time. Apparently there is some government regulation thing that will be going into effect next year that would add over $1000 to the total of what I am spending currently (as if a 64% increase in natural gas prices isn't enough).
He threw around terms like 100,000 BTU, 10 Seer, but I can't remember details. I think I may have blacked out when he told me that the total would be $4000.
It was, however, cooler on the floor.
Since both our A/C and furnace are original to the house we are getting them both replaced at the same time. Apparently there is some government regulation thing that will be going into effect next year that would add over $1000 to the total of what I am spending currently (as if a 64% increase in natural gas prices isn't enough).
He threw around terms like 100,000 BTU, 10 Seer, but I can't remember details. I think I may have blacked out when he told me that the total would be $4000.
It was, however, cooler on the floor.
September 28, 2005
I've been informed by my mate that we've been spending like bleary-eyed drunken sailors and it has got to stop.
And in other news, a Japanese team is the first ever to have photographed the giant squid in it's natural habitat.
And in other news, a Japanese team is the first ever to have photographed the giant squid in it's natural habitat.
September 27, 2005
Jim Caulfield, a member of the school board here in District 203 in Naperville has taken issue with the textbook that was chosen for the enriched biology class for the high schools. He is uncomfortable with the fact that the textbook discusses contraception.
I guess he thinks that high school kids don't have sex.
He feels there should be an option to opt out of the discussion about contraception, as they can do in health class. He offered, "We have to understand some parents do not want their children being educated in things like contraception by strangers".
Susan Crotty, a neighbor and school board member, had a realistic response to this. She said, "My feeling is if it gives the kids one more person to talk to about it, then it could be beneficial". And I completely agree. There are still way too many parents that let their kids enter puberty (and beyond) without any real knowledge of sex and contraception, and the consequences of the failure to use it.
Interestingly, the book has been on display at the public library so the community can review it and submit any concerns they have with it before the textbook gets ordered. Did Mr. Caulfield do that? Apparently not, as the textbooks have been ordered. If he succeeds with his protest, District 203 would try to sell the books so they could by replacement textbooks.
You know, if this were the only issue Jim Caulfield had with the book, I wouldn't be so uptight about it. Can you guess what his other issues are?
GAH!
My husband and I are planning on attending the school board meeting on October 17th. This shit is bananas.
For the whole story go HERE.
I guess he thinks that high school kids don't have sex.
He feels there should be an option to opt out of the discussion about contraception, as they can do in health class. He offered, "We have to understand some parents do not want their children being educated in things like contraception by strangers".
Susan Crotty, a neighbor and school board member, had a realistic response to this. She said, "My feeling is if it gives the kids one more person to talk to about it, then it could be beneficial". And I completely agree. There are still way too many parents that let their kids enter puberty (and beyond) without any real knowledge of sex and contraception, and the consequences of the failure to use it.
Interestingly, the book has been on display at the public library so the community can review it and submit any concerns they have with it before the textbook gets ordered. Did Mr. Caulfield do that? Apparently not, as the textbooks have been ordered. If he succeeds with his protest, District 203 would try to sell the books so they could by replacement textbooks.
You know, if this were the only issue Jim Caulfield had with the book, I wouldn't be so uptight about it. Can you guess what his other issues are?
...he believes the book takes an unbalanced approach to topics such as evolution and stem cell research.
GAH!
My husband and I are planning on attending the school board meeting on October 17th. This shit is bananas.
For the whole story go HERE.
September 01, 2005
Out of the last 100 referrers to my blog, guess which subject referred 36 people here.
Go on guess.
Give up?
Go on guess.
Give up?
Today I donated what I could to the Red Cross, I strongly suggest you do the same. The situation in Louisiana is getting desperate and people need your help.
Honestly, I would open up my house to people if I weren't so far away.
And P.S. to the asshats up here hoarding gas and the gas station owners gouging people.
Stop it! Knock it off! You are making the situation worse!!
And I'm afraid I'll have to become part of the problem if I want to get to school and Steve wants to get to work.
There have been reports of lines of cars waiting to get gas and some gas stations in Chicago charging upwards of $6 a gallon (up from around $3).
Update: This is a good illustration of why donations are so important.
Honestly, I would open up my house to people if I weren't so far away.
And P.S. to the asshats up here hoarding gas and the gas station owners gouging people.
Stop it! Knock it off! You are making the situation worse!!
And I'm afraid I'll have to become part of the problem if I want to get to school and Steve wants to get to work.
There have been reports of lines of cars waiting to get gas and some gas stations in Chicago charging upwards of $6 a gallon (up from around $3).
Update: This is a good illustration of why donations are so important.
August 31, 2005
There are no words to describe the sadness I feel for those whose homes and lives have been devastated by Katrina. You all are in my thoughts, may you be safe and sheltered.
June 24, 2005
Yet, I'm sweating like a racehorse here where it is already 82 degrees at 9:30 in the morning (humidity is in the 60% range - not awful, but not comfy either). Don't believe the forecast of thunderstorms. We haven't had rain here in weeks. And it's not going to get any better:
I think it's a good day to stay in the basement and sort out the toys.
I think it's a good day to stay in the basement and sort out the toys.
June 22, 2005
But not like last time. This time because I managed to spend $1100 without even trying.
How?
I thought you'd never ask. Here's how to do it in 26 easy steps:
1. Locking the house at night, hit the garage door button, close and lock the inside door to the garage and go to bed.
2. Wake up the next morning and when preparing to leave, notice the garage door is open.
3. Realize it's been open all night.
4. Drive kids to day camp, press garage door opener/closer as I'm leaving, watch door start going down.
5. Come home after chauffering duties to notice garage door is open.
6. Admonish youself for being an airhead and forgetting to close the garage door.
7. Go to pick up youngest daughter, press garage door opener/closer. Watch it go halfway down, stop, and reverse direction.
8. Get out of car and use extensive knowledge of garage door technology to notice broom handle in the path of the garage door.
9. Move broom.
10. Press garage door opener/closer and drive away.
11. Come home to open garage door.
12. Admonish self for being total dipshit and be thankful nothing was stolen.
13. Go to enter house, press garage door opener/closer.
14. Watch door go halfway down, start bowing, stop and reverse direction.
15. Apply vast garage door technology knowledge and repeat step #14. Twice.
16. Grab phone and go into garage. Look at sticker for repair company and dial numbers.
17. Agree on an appointment time.
18. 5 minutes until the end of the window, repairman arrives.
19. He tells you that you own, quite possibly, the cheapest most flimsy garage door ever (1990 model POS), and it's not worth it to repair.
20. You are told your only option is replacement.
21. And while you are at it, you might as well upgrade to a double steel wall insulated model.
22. Agree at a price of $1100 for delivery and installation.
23. Write deposit check.
24. Have garage door guy tell you he'll show you how to operate the door manually.
25. Garage door guy leaves without showing you how to operate the door manually.
26. Wait until Friday for installation.
How?
I thought you'd never ask. Here's how to do it in 26 easy steps:
1. Locking the house at night, hit the garage door button, close and lock the inside door to the garage and go to bed.
2. Wake up the next morning and when preparing to leave, notice the garage door is open.
3. Realize it's been open all night.
4. Drive kids to day camp, press garage door opener/closer as I'm leaving, watch door start going down.
5. Come home after chauffering duties to notice garage door is open.
6. Admonish youself for being an airhead and forgetting to close the garage door.
7. Go to pick up youngest daughter, press garage door opener/closer. Watch it go halfway down, stop, and reverse direction.
8. Get out of car and use extensive knowledge of garage door technology to notice broom handle in the path of the garage door.
9. Move broom.
10. Press garage door opener/closer and drive away.
11. Come home to open garage door.
12. Admonish self for being total dipshit and be thankful nothing was stolen.
13. Go to enter house, press garage door opener/closer.
14. Watch door go halfway down, start bowing, stop and reverse direction.
15. Apply vast garage door technology knowledge and repeat step #14. Twice.
16. Grab phone and go into garage. Look at sticker for repair company and dial numbers.
17. Agree on an appointment time.
18. 5 minutes until the end of the window, repairman arrives.
19. He tells you that you own, quite possibly, the cheapest most flimsy garage door ever (1990 model POS), and it's not worth it to repair.
20. You are told your only option is replacement.
21. And while you are at it, you might as well upgrade to a double steel wall insulated model.
22. Agree at a price of $1100 for delivery and installation.
23. Write deposit check.
24. Have garage door guy tell you he'll show you how to operate the door manually.
25. Garage door guy leaves without showing you how to operate the door manually.
26. Wait until Friday for installation.
June 17, 2005
You know that alcohol related accidents are on the rise. But this one just breaks my heart.
For those of you with weak constitutions, you may not want to look.
For those of you with weak constitutions, you may not want to look.
