The first A to Z Challenge Sunday

I am very used to sitting here writing my thoughts as they occur and then posting.  During the A to Z Challenge, those random thoughts get shoved aside so that I can concentrate on my A to Z posts and those of others participating.  So, on my free Sunday, here is a wrap-up of what has been going on.

I've been retired from public life for more than five years and yet on Wednesday someone came up to me and said 'Aren't you Denise Hammond?'  Never met the guy before.  At least I haven't gotten so old that no one recognizes me, but I think I just may start wearing my make-up more often so I don't look a wreck.  I have the feeling that if I was sans make-up he might have not said anything and just told his wife later that I was not looking too well.

We had one nice day this week when I got outside to do some early trimming and check out what winter damage there is.  Several trees and shrubs have the bark chewed off of them and since these were covered with snow almost all winter, I am thinking it is from rabbits.  Pretty sure I have lost some roses which I will not replace.  Also took a few minute to wash the windows here in my office.  It is so nice to look out and not see dirt.  At least in one room.

Cold and rain came back with a vengeance on Thursday and just continues.  Snow on Saturday.  Yuck.

And speaking of all this 'global warming', I was watching a program about how ice was carved from lakes and stored during the summer back in the days before refrigeration.  Seems there was one particular lake in Massachusetts that finally went bust in the 1920's when the winters starting getting warmer.  Wonder who the climate freaks are blaming for that occurrence?

I have finally settled on a carpet for my family room.  After listening to folks tell me about their love or disdain for wood floors, there seems to be no middle ground, I have decided that while I like the look of wood, I prefer the comfort of carpet.  And to me personally, it makes no sense to put down good hardwood and cover it with carpet with seems to be what all my friends with wood do.  DUH!  Besides, the wood would make my room darker totally defeating the purpose of my skylight.  I'll stick with the light color carpeting.

And again I am so glad I have the Internet.  My Advantium microwave oven was acting up.  Sometimes it would heat and other times nothing.  I Googled the problem and found that there is a switch in the door that can go bad.  Who knew?  I got it repaired and the unit works as good as new.  Most people assume they have a problem with the magnetron and get a new microwave, as one of my friends just did.  I am so glad I checked the Internet before I made that mistake.

Now that the ground is visible again, I will start having the dog-doo issues.  I saw this sign at a small outdoor market in Birnau, Germany.

I need a large one on a swinging pole so that I can whack my idiot neighbors in the head with it when they let their dog go on my lawn.  I am pretty sure their dogs cannot read and they are so busy talking on their phones or texting they will never see anything on the ground.


Here is a lovely shot of Birnau:

Back to A to Z tomorrow with the letter F.  Any guesses?

Reviewing the News

Now that we are one week into 2014, I hope that the newspapers are done re-hashing last year. I usually skip over everything that smacks of 'old news' when I read the news at this time of year. I am pretty sure that I did not miss anything earth-shattering.  I also don't need to be reminded of all the inconsequential stuff that hits the papers as 'news'.

But, when I was reading our local paper called the 'Beacon', I did find some rather interesting items I missed. There on page 2 was a section titles 'Crime Briefs of the Year'.  In all honestly, I did not even see that title at first.

What caught my eye was what I thought must have been a misprint: 'Farting boyfriend causes neighbors to call police'.  Admit it.  You would also think someone had made a typo.  But no.  Seems a woman was yelling "stop" and "no" and the neighbor, apparently thinking she was being hurt, called police.  Turns out the woman was yelling at her boyfriend to stop farting.  Sounds like a scene from one of those idiotic 'guy movies'.

Next I go to page four and see a headline: 'Women tussle over pretzel dip'.  Two women arguing over pretzel dip at Auntie Anne's with a security guard and customers getting hit with nacho cheese.  Same movie, different scene?

And it didn't end there.  Here, in my own community, two men, ages 51 and 45, were playing a game of smacking each other in the genitals.  In what universe did they think this was a good idea?  Surprise, surprise that an argument ensued and a gun was drawn.  Did I mention that they were drinking?

Not to be outdone in the 'weird news' department, the Oakland Press ran an article about weird ordinances.  My favorite has to be the now repealed ordinance from neighboring Rochester that required all people bathing in the public waters in town to have their suits inspected by the local police chief.  That conjures up all sorts of images for modern times. 

Maybe I should have paid more attention during the year.  I am sure I would have had a few more chuckles.