Eating Out

SO Spousal Unit & I went to Augusta Restaurant this evening.

He had this giant steak, it was cooked perfectly. And I had chicken cordon bleu

All in all not bad. Augusta is kind of a funny place

I like their mismatched decor-tables and chairs are a mish mash. And I really like the salt & pepper shakers-it's like someones great Aunt Phyllis left her salt & pepper shaker collection with you...heck maybe she did!
 Funny thing too, is they had like 3 server/hostess people, and when you walk in, they ask if you have a reservation-we did- and then they act like it's a HUGE DECISION where to seat you. HELLO? You knew we were coming....and as you can see we went early (5:30) and it's not like there were no tables available. So the hostess person says, oh let me see where I should put you...really? gee that's a tough one, hon. Anyways, I like to keep the little businesses IN business so it was a good thing to go there, just kinda funny.

Valentines from the Dump

Quite a few years ago, our Great Aunt Grace passed away. Members of my family-and me too- went to her home in Pawnee City Nebraska. Her house had been cleaned out in preparation for the upcoming auction. My sister and me, had the brilliant idea to go to Pawnee City's open pit garbage dump to see if we could recover some items that we felt sure had been thrown away as trash.  Now I don't remember what made us do this, but we asked for directions to the dump and sure enough uncovered a treasure trove of Great Aunt Grace memorabilia. Thinking back, I can't believe we went digging in the dump, but thankfully the folks of Pawnee City were pretty clean dumpers.  Anyways there was this little box that had once held stationary, and inside were a few letters and a few cards and these wonderful valentines.

If of me you sometimes think, send me back this heart of pink. What a sweet boy must have written this one.

I just love this one-it's obviously hand made and I guess she didn't return it. Poor guy.

This is just gorgeous-it's embossed and has Grace's name on the back. Can't you just imagine someone spending their hard earned money on this fancy valentine?

awww, faithful valentine...you don't hear that much these days do you?

I think Mattie might be Grace's sister Martha, but I can't quite make out who it's from.

 This one kind of creeps me out a little..it's almost like they wanted to combine St. Patrick's' Day and Valentines day since the little fairy guy looks pretty darn irish in his green coat and top hat.

 And of course let's have some affections offering  and good wishes. No name on this one, I'm guessing it was in an envelope maybe.
So that's what you get when you do digging around in the dump. These days they'd probably arrest us!

I'm like Alec Baldwin.....

 

I love words with friends. I can take or leave facebook in general, it's not all that to me, but words with friends is awesome. I have I think 4 games going there and one on my Incredible phone too.

I wish I could figure out how to show a photo of the board I have with my sister-she just played beguiles for about a zillion points!  I don't think I would risk getting evicted from a plane like ol' Alec, but I can sure see getting in a word before hand!

Butterflies Are Free

 Remember when I blogged about these horrifying jars with moving butterflies inside of them here...
It sounded like a good idea on paper...
 Well I was in Kmart again today and these look MUCH better!

See butterflies are free instead of banging themselves to death against a jar! Much Better Idea!!!!

48 boxes

Sing along now, 48 boxes of laminte flooring at home, 48 boxes of laminte, take one down and lay it out, 47 boxes of laminate flooring...

.

It's just hanging around waiting for the agreed upon date for installation, when that agreed upon date is, however, yet to be agreed upon.

3 Valentines

So I joined another swap. This one is over st Aunt Peaches....here.
All I have to do is make 3 cards, and mail them to random strangers-who also signed up to swap (hush, Dannie!) and some random strangers will mail me 3 valentines. (Hush Dannie!) See DD says I'm liable to have a serial killer mail me a bomb or something. Somehow I doubt there are a lot of serial bombers reading Aunt Peaches blog.
So don't you like superman flying a valentine across the map?! Yes! Nothing fancy coming from this stranger, that's for sure!

Dual Flush, yup I said Flush

 So awhile back I saw this cool thing on Ask This Old House-YAY for PBS-, a dual flush toilet. Now I don't spend a lot of time thinking about flushing, but it did seem like a cool idea. Especially if you live in an area where water is expensive and in short supply.

Ask THis Old House
So then I was at the dentist at the Iowa College of Dentistry, and checked out the new bathroom in the new building they added on, and look.... (and don't think pervie thoughts about taking pictures in the bathroom!)

They have dual flush toilets! I bet a lot of folks have no idea what the deal is, but I knew! Sometimes I'm so darn smart I can't hardly stand it.

Mending....

I haven't been doing much in the way of interesting things, but I have been doing quite a bit of mending for other folks.

Beltloops back on and the hole fixed,

Darn pockets always are a problem,

There that's better!

and the inside is not too bad either!  A few more pairs to go now. Oh I almost forgot a pair of John's!

Target Targets

If you're not familiar with Rube Goldberg contraptions, here's the deal... ANd here's the article about St. Olaf's project!

When Target needed a big Rube-Goldberg-like contraption, it called St. Olaf College.
The Northfield school has a team dedicated to building such machines, which perform simple tasks through complex chain reactions. (Think of the game Mouse Trap.)
Prof. Jason Engbrecht got the call. As an associate professor of physics, Engbrecht teaches the course in which students study engineering design while fashioning one of the elaborate machines. He gathered current and former team members.
"All Target told us was that it needs to be spectacular and it needs to incorporate Target products," Engbrecht said. "They preferred that we not destroy their products... But by and large, we had pretty free reign."
The video begins by following a runaway red shopping cart. Rolling soup cans, tinkling silverware and flying clothing star, as well. The video was originally shown at an employee event last fall. But Target publicly released it for the New Year:
The St. Olaf team constructed the machine in a Maple Grove warehouse. The space was exhilarating. During their competitions, the students build within a 6-by-6 foot space. This time, they had 40-by-90 feet.
But the filming process added its own complexities. The lights heated up the set, messing up the carefully-calibrated tension of the catapults' ropes. "That became very hectic," Engbrecht said.
It took 40 takes to even get to the catapults. During take 41, as the machinery moved toward the finish, Engbrecht yelled "Go catapults!" As they flew, the group cheered.

YES! It's BAAAAck!

I'm so happy to have the new season of American Idol back in my life again!

Randy, I've missed you, Jennifer, you are as lovely as ever, and Steven, well I read your book.......

All Done-To the mail It goes

 

So I finished my recipe card swaps cards, and wanted to include a little thank you card for our swap hostess Lori Jean-she blogs over at

happy birds crafting haven
So here's the card I glued up for her. Oops y-ignore that bit of purple glue that isn't dry yet! I used all paper that I got in a swap on craftster a looong time ago, but it's sweet sparkly paper, and was perfect for this card.

Drive Time

So when it snows I always debate with myself about which way is the best way to go home from work. I could take the Interstate-there should be lots of sand and snowplows there, right? OR I could take state hwys -they should be good and clear for the school buses, Right? This morning I chose I80.   

Ordinarily I don't recommend taking photos while driving, but when one is driving 25mph on I80...the risk is pretty insignificant. This unfortunate person four wheel drove right into the ditch.

 

Mostly pick ups today in the ditches and whipped around in interstate donuts, pointing the wrong way to make the driver wish they had extra pants along for the ride.

 

Oh never a good thing to be on the side for the ride...

 

Yes, you are seeing another person who 4 wheeled it in a big doughnut and WOW-I bet he's glad those cable barriers have been installed-"Phew", I bet he's thinking-"I could have slid into the ditch with no serious damage, but lucky for me these cables have messed me up instead. THANKS Iowa DOT!"

 

As I got closer to my exit I saw more trucks in trouble...

 

and it looked like my exit was a parking lot.

But no troubles for me, just call me "Mrs. 25mph on the interstate" and I got home with no problems-well yes, it took almost an hour but hey, I can sleep when I get there! I wish I'd have thought of taking pictures sooner, this was only the 6 miles from the Tiffin Exit on I80 to the Oxford exit on I80. There were at least 6 others on 218.

Recipe Swap Cards

Occasionally, I join in a swap of recipes on one of my favorite crafty places. Craft sayings
They announce the theme-this time it's cakes. And then you decorate pretty cards with your cake recipe to share. After they're all done you send off the required number of cards to your hostess and when she gets them from everyone, you get a package in the mail of a bunch of recipes on pretty cards!

I'm sharing a cake recipe that I made awhile back for something or other at the church. It came out good and was very tasty too.

I used some more of my old atlas pages for the base, and printed the recipe on card stock. Then added some foo-foo pretties, and now I'm ready to laminate them. I just use the sticky laminating sheets-No machine:-(
I'll have to remember to share the package of cards I get back when they come.

P&G Thanks Mom Campaign

So, If you watch this video and don't at least smile with a tear in your eye...well I dunno, but it's a winner!

Visiting Aunt Sally

At Christmas Eve we wnt to visit my Aunt Sally at the Veterans Home. She doesn't get around on her own these days so a short visit was in order. My OLDER sister works at the home and so she gave us the 25 cent tour of the latest upgrade to the building. They added this day room to each floor of the building. It's beautiful, see there's a computer area with comfortable seating.  

There's a full size kitchen, and a TV area shown here.

This was new to me! Look, these are the dining tables. They are suspended from the ceiling. So that wheelchairs and walkers don't have to tangle with table legs. Plus it's a wonderful wide open space when the tables are up.  The whole area has wonderful huge windows all around with a nice view of the grounds and other building.

Random what?

Random Tutorial

So when you have time to kill...well do it anyways, I say! go to Random Tutorial! Click the link above. Who thinks of these things? It is fun randomness!

Well Maybe...

So I was browsing the shoes at Kohl's today, Do you think they pay much attention to their signage?

No, it IS creepy...

So, it's not just me is it? This is really creepy isn't it.

Yes, yes it is. for twenty bucks you're supposed to hang your jewelry on IT. Yeah I want a headless, armless THING to hold my jewelry......Bet a Target buyer got fired for this one.

I Won!

SO at my work they like to think we are a safe place. Yeah, whatever, anyways to prove to us how much they care about our safety the company trained all of the employees on the Safe Start program. In a nutshell, 4 things-rushing, fatigue, frustration and complacency cause 4 unsafe situations-eyes not on task, mind not on task, Line-of-fire, and balance/traction/grip. Got all that? So anyways when were were done with the traiing-5 2 hour sessions! we got the chance to call the Safe Start company and answer some questions on the phone and randomly have a chance at winning a "prize". OH BOY! A PRIZE!


They have prizes at different levels for you to choose from if you "win", A prizes are pretty cheapola, the Z prizes look pretty awesome..there's a Segway! Anyway I didn't get a Z prize but I did get a J prize! I looked at the stuff you can choose from and I got this...

Pretty nice huh?
Ben took it for a trial run...

Yum! What a good prize! And the price was right...free ninety nine!!
Now if my family watches these...

The Safe Start home DVD's then they can call in and win a prize too maybe.