5/27/06 "Il pochi il fiero i blabbermouths" We *will* sail again Part 12

[BWVPam]

Just pretty hard for me to fathom when right now is 15 with wind chills below zero. And Monday's HIGH is supposed to be SIX degrees!!! YIKES!

It was so windy today it blew our flag pole over. Yup, just bent at the base and now it's laying on the ground!!!

Karen -- can't believe it is so cold there right now. We finally got rid of our bad weather and it is short sleeve weather outside. Low 60's and lots of Sunshine. Stay safe!!

 

[ohiominnie]

Karen -- can't believe it is so cold there right now. We finally got rid of our bad weather and it is short sleeve weather outside. Low 60's and lots of Sunshine. Stay safe!!

It is cold, that's for sure. We even had to bring our outdoor cat in yesterday. Thing is, he and the indoor cat hate each other (lots of hissing and batting and rollin around) so outdoor cat is in the basement. Not like he'd be allowed to roam the house anyway....he got kicked out making the world his litterbox and there is no WAY I'm letting him in other areas of the house!

 

[Dancind]

Uh oh, had to go hunting for our thread.

Jim, that's what I'm saying. There's not going to be any perfect place to live. Actually, OM, they were saying that heat and dryness will apply to southern part of the US. The northern part will get wetter. More snow, and they specifically said Seattle will get more rain. As if they don't have enough now. I guess this year just doesn't fit the pattern.

We had a nice afternoon. Kevin is at Blue Hole for the weekend, so Alicia and I took in a chick flick and went to dinner for soup and salad. "Catch and Release" with Jennifer Garner, not too bad. Did a minimum of shopping, too. Alicia drove to the West side of town, and drove home again. She's not too far from getting her license.

 

[scuba diver]

Alicia drove to the West side of town, and drove home again. She's not too far from getting her license.

All parents of driving teen agers should read up.

Matt completed a two day driving course yesterday. It's called Collision Avoidance Training for Teenagers. (CAT). It was put on by the Sheriffs department and sponsored/designed by parents who lost their son in a driving accident.

It is for licensed drivers, age 16 & 17. The first night they spend going over physics of driving, braking, tires, stopping, etc.

The second day they all take their own cars to the Sheriff's driving track and do driving exercises. Skidding, going off the side of the road, locking the brakes, swerving, backing up, acceleration. One of the instructors gets in their car as they do all the excerses. Matt got pretty good at hiting cones.

The whole point of the class is to teach them how to avoid an accident and what to do if things go bad. Better to learn on a closed course then on the highway!

He had a great time. He took the Jeep and learned how to do all the moves while shifting. Matt said every teen should take the class. He took drivers ed through school, but it was nothing like this. In school they learned the laws. In CAT they learned the real world stuff.

They don't advertise this class in our area. I found out about it through work. You may want to check iin your area to see if they have it.

 

[mickeymo]

Good Morning All!

GO BEARS

Getting together with 2 other families for our traditional "Souper" Bowl feast.

John is making Tortilla Soup. yum! Also on the menu if the line isn't too long from the tamale truck - tamales and queso. The Tamale man sits by the side of the road in a food service truck selling homemade tamales and queso. Exactly the kind we usually avoid if it wasn't for a recomendation. Christmastime the lines stretch very long and the wait time this year was about 3 hrs. Not sure what dessert will be.

 

[RachelTori]

All parents of driving teen agers should read up.

Matt completed a two day driving course yesterday. It's called Collision Avoidance Training for Teenagers. (CAT). It was put on by the Sheriffs department and sponsored/designed by parents who lost their son in a driving accident.

It is for licensed drivers, age 16 & 17. The first night they spend going over physics of driving, braking, tires, stopping, etc.

The second day they all take their own cars to the Sheriff's driving track and do driving exercises. Skidding, going off the side of the road, locking the brakes, swerving, backing up, acceleration. One of the instructors gets in their car as they do all the excerses. Matt got pretty good at hiting cones.

The whole point of the class is to teach them how to avoid an accident and what to do if things go bad. Better to learn on a closed course then on the highway!

He had a great time. He took the Jeep and learned how to do all the moves while shifting. Matt said every teen should take the class. He took drivers ed through school, but it was nothing like this. In school they learned the laws. In CAT they learned the real world stuff.

They don't advertise this class in our area. I found out about it through work. You may want to check iin your area to see if they have it.

Sounds great! Having already had 2 teenage drivers, plus knowing Tori is only a couple years away........ Geesch, Georgia took Drivers Ed out of the high schools because it was "too expensive".


Georgia is finally getting a clue and these types of courses are becoming more common. Atlanta local news recently had a story about CAT - it should be mandatory. (BTW, call me a "meanie" but neither Eric nor Rachel got their permits/licenses when they were first eligible and neither will Tori. I'm pleased too that Georgia keeps adding requirements so these kids really have to earn the priviledge of driving.)

Was I on a soapbox?

 

[kikipug]

Skidding, going off the side of the road, locking the brakes, swerving, backing up, acceleration. One of the instructors gets in their car as they do all the excerses. Matt got pretty good at hiting cones.

The whole point of the class is to teach them how to avoid an accident and what to do if things go bad. Better to learn on a closed course then on the highway!

Sounds just like what I've experienced in the last 3 days driving between the my hotel near the Miami Airport and South Beach... I have NEVER seen such horrendous drivers and ungodly traffic in my whole life.

 

[RachelTori]

Good Morning All!

GO BEARS

Getting together with 2 other families for our traditional "Souper" Bowl feast.

John is making Tortilla Soup. yum! Also on the menu if the line isn't too long from the tamale truck - tamales and queso. The Tamale man sits by the side of the road in a food service truck selling homemade tamales and queso. Exactly the kind we usually avoid if it wasn't for a recomendation. Christmastime the lines stretch very long and the wait time this year was about 3 hrs. Not sure what dessert will be.

Monica, I'm not sure about that
GO BEARS part (sorry!) but Tortilla Soup, Tamales & Queso......... YUMMY!!!

Have fun!!

 

[RachelTori]

Sounds just like what I've experienced in the last 3 days driving between the my hotel near the Miami Airport and South Beach... I have NEVER seen such horrendous drivers and ungodly traffic in my whole life.

Miami drivers were recently voted among the nation's worst -- and that was by the insurance industry!! Stay safe, kiki!

 

[kikipug]

We watched a show about Anheiser Busch the other day, the making of the beer, etc. It's kind of neat to think that I know someone who works for them. Okay, so I'm a little weird, but you already knew that.
It IS really cool that the company does that for people in need. A lot quicker response from Bud than the government, I'd say.

That was a really good show... I DVD'ed it to use at work... the CD-Rom training component that we have is the same info but soooo boring... I think if we show that instead, our new employees will do better on the test. (Yes, there's a test on all that...)

They are a great company- they had water to us in 10 hours. But really, its the individual wholesalers (like our company) that make it all happen once it gets there. Last time I spoke to my boss (our owner) yesterday, he was in the middle of a destroyed mobile home park moving debris with his pickup truck and cooking burgers for the volunteers... that's just the way that he is.

He said the TV reports do nothing to adequately show how bad it is.


Yes, Diana, I DO love my job. Last night, I was at a private Jimmy Buffett concert on South Beach! So much fun!!! No game tickets for today, but I'm going to someone's house for a BBQ with a few other Bud people who don't have game tickets.

 

[scuba diver]

As happens with teenagers, we continue to learn more abuot Matt's driving class.

He got to drive the sherrif's patrol car for the skid exercise with the lights going. No sirens.

He also got to ride in the back of the patrol car. I hope that is the time he sees that part of the car!

 

[WDWLVR]

Had a very scary morning. We woke up this morning to a colder than normal house. Turns out the gas valve on the furnace broke - on the coldest day of the year! Thankfully I'm married to a wonderful man who is very handy and was able to fix it with some spare parts from work. He's ordering a new valve and will replace it later in the week.

We are truly blessed that we only had 5-6 hours of cold. I know that there are many throughout this country who experience these kind of temperatures all winter long.

 

[WDWLVR]

Jim - that class Matt went to sounds fantastic. Wish every driver had to take something like that!

 

[justmestace]

Sounds great! Having already had 2 teenage drivers, plus knowing Tori is only a couple years away........ Geesch, Georgia took Drivers Ed out of the high schools because it was "too expensive".


Georgia is finally getting a clue and these types of courses are becoming more common. Atlanta local news recently had a story about CAT - it should be mandatory. (BTW, call me a "meanie" but neither Eric nor Rachel got their permits/licenses when they were first eligible and neither will Tori. I'm pleased too that Georgia keeps adding requirements so these kids really have to earn the priviledge of driving.)

Was I on a soapbox?

I love your soapbox! No more Driver's Ed here, either.
Megan took a test offered through our insurance company, and Jordan will do the same. And we did the same with both Megan and Jordan that you did. Neither got their permits when they "could" have, and neither got their license when they could have....age-wise. I've seen so many of Jordan's friends who are already driving, simply because it's easier for the parents...but they shouldn't be allowed to drive. It's scary!

I'll have to look into that CAT program. Even I would like to take that, as a refresher! Especially if they'd let me drive the patrol car!!

 

[justmestace]

Had a very scary morning. We woke up this morning to a colder than normal house. Turns out the gas valve on the furnace broke - on the coldest day of the year! Thankfully I'm married to a wonderful man who is very handy and was able to fix it with some spare parts from work. He's ordering a new valve and will replace it later in the week.

We are truly blessed that we only had 5-6 hours of cold. I know that there are many throughout this country who experience these kind of temperatures all winter long.

Yea Mark! And thank goodness you didn't have any leaks!
I'm glad you're okay!!!

Now, does he want to come fix my thermostat? I've had "repairmen" in by the handful and they can't fix it. It just stops working sometimes, and the furnace won't kick on......and YES....it does too get cold here at night!!

 

[justmestace]

No Super Bowl plans here. Will watch the commercials, though.


I HATE pro football, it's so boring! I like watching college ball, though....

 

[Dancind]

That course does sound like a great idea, Jim. I hope there's one here. We renewed Alicia'a learner's permit. She's not ready to drive alone, but she's doing a lot better. And she needs to get over the idea that she will just be able to take the car and go somewhere, school and dance will be it for a loooong time.

I guess we will be rooting for Da Bears too. They have a NM connection, #54.

 

[ohiominnie]

Yea Mark! And thank goodness you didn't have any leaks!
I'm glad you're okay!!!

Now, does he want to come fix my thermostat? I've had "repairmen" in by the handful and they can't fix it. It just stops working sometimes, and the furnace won't kick on......and YES....it does too get cold here at night!!

Sounds like me and the plumber. The guy has been out to fix the master bath shower a couple times since the last time I wrote about it. This last time he cut a whole in the ceiling of the foyer and installed an access vent. And he "washed his hands" of the problem (his words) He says he has tried everything he can possibly try and he doesn't know what else to do. So if it leaked again, we had to call someone else.

Guess what? It leaks. And he somehow destroyed the piece that fits over the drain in the shower so it won't stay in. It's flopping out all the time. And it's covered in black lead.

I'm still a little too ticked at him for just walking away like this to even call him. The shower still leaks--although Mike uses it every day. It just leaks through the vent and onto the floor. Better than it leaking on the ceiling drywall.

I realize the guy is frustrated and that he's been here 4 or 5 times and hasn't gotten paid for it (it was all covered under the initial work) but is he allowed to leave the situation WORSE than he found it??

(sigh)

U TOP!!

pdfg

 

[ohiominnie]

No Super Bowl plans here. Will watch the commercials, though.


I HATE pro football, it's so boring! I like watching college ball, though....

We're going to Mike's dad's house (hey, last year we took Scoopie to their house for the Super Bowl!) It was supposed to be a celebration of Nick and Mike's birthdays, and it turned out this was the only day we could all get together. I'm HOPING we can leave at halftime.

And I'm only in it for the commercials too.

 

[justmestace]

Sounds like me and the plumber. The guy has been out to fix the master bath shower a couple times since the last time I wrote about it. This last time he cut a whole in the ceiling of the foyer and installed an access vent. And he "washed his hands" of the problem (his words) He says he has tried everything he can possibly try and he doesn't know what else to do. So if it leaked again, we had to call someone else.

Guess what? It leaks. And he somehow destroyed the piece that fits over the drain in the shower so it won't stay in. It's flopping out all the time. And it's covered in black lead.

I'm still a little too ticked at him for just walking away like this to even call him. The shower still leaks--although Mike uses it every day. It just leaks through the vent and onto the floor. Better than it leaking on the ceiling drywall.

I realize the guy is frustrated and that he's been here 4 or 5 times and hasn't gotten paid for it (it was all covered under the initial work) but is he allowed to leave the situation WORSE than he found it??

(sigh)

U TOP!!

pdfg

I can't believe you're still having trouble with that! Tell HH it's all his fault for not coming to fix it when you asked him to!!