SmartyPig

https://www.smartypig.com/

What a GREAT way to save!! SmartyPig is a free online piggy bank for people saving for specific financial goals like a wedding, a vacation or a flat-screen TV. You get 2.15% on your money - which beats the hell outta a bank's savings account! You can set up specific goals and dates, and SmartyPig will automatically deduct the $ from your savings/checking account...you don't have to do a thing but set it up. You can get your money back three different ways - on a gift card (where you get bonus $ - which would work great for Christmas!), on a debit card, or deposited back into your bank account. It shows you the progress, and you have control - you can stop it when ever, change the amounts or dates.

Check it out!

Summer time

I love summer. I love the heat, the sun, the long days. So there.

Fair Time

Summer is officially here...we attended the first fair of the season. I love those wrist bands that allow the kids to ride as many rides as they want...what a godsend. I think the boys "rode" the funhouse about 35 times, the bouncy castle about 40 and the big slide at least a dozen.

Happy Anniversary

The Ol' Man and I are coming up on 5 years together in August. He bought us a new Nikon camera for our anniversary gift. He bought it now because 1) after hours of research, he found the camera he wanted, and it was on sale, and 2) we can use the camera to capture summer-with-the-boys pictures. Now, I just need to learn how to use it...according to the advertisement, it takes "incredible pictures" and is "incredibly easy"...we'll see...right now, I'm just trying to figure out how to upload the software!!!

Here we go AGAIN

From today's Wall Street Journal,(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/25/AR2010062500675_pf.html)regarding the banking bill: "a teary-eyed Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.), who as chairman of the Senate Banking Committee led the effort in the Senate. "No one will know until this is actually in place how it works. But we believe we've done something that has been needed for a long time. It took a crisis to bring us to the point where we could actually get this job done." The Honorable Mr. Dodd also opined, "This is about as important as it gets, because it deals with every single aspect of our lives," said Sen. Christopher Dodd (D., Conn.), a chief architect of the compromise." (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703615104575328020013164184.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_LEADNewsCollection)

Are you F'ing KIDDING ME? "No one will know" how it works even though it will deal with EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF OUR LIVES??? What's wrong with that picture? Images of Health Care "reform", anyone?

The first article goes on to say, "...the legislation would establish broad new oversight of the financial system. A new consumer protection bureau housed in the Federal Reserve would have independent funding, an independent leader and near-total autonomy to write and enforce rules. The government would have broad new powers to seize and wind down large, failing financial firms and to oversee the $600 trillion derivatives market." Yeah, that's just what I want...more government. Can anyone tell me where the $ is going to come from to fund this new "consumer protection bureau"?

How much longer is this country going to last before it's totally destroyed by the politicians?

You Might Be A Redneck...

If your Ol' Man shoots a coyote, then hangs the skin on the wall above your quilt frame....

Hot Dogs

When I do obedience training with the Hounds of the Baskervilles, I use hot dogs as rewards. I get them from Aldi (a "generic" food store) and they're only 75cents (where's the cent key on the keyboard??)for a pack of 8...which, actually, is considerably cheaper than dog treats, and they LOVE them. However, by the end of training, my hands are slimy with dog drool and hot dog schmeg. Lovely.

A House

Abe Lincoln in his speech on June 18, 1858, at the Republican State Convention, and Jesus (Matthew 12:25) said it best, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." How much longer will this house stand? This Administration is doing it's best to tear this nation apart, and I can't, for the life of me, understand why.

1 - Suing Arizona, slamming them, verses tackling the problem, standing beside them, supporting them and helping them with the Illegal Alien problem; playing politics with the whole mess

2 - Taking from the "have's" to give to the "have-not's" (Anyone actually read the 2800+ health care "overhaul"?). I read that taxes are going to have to increase to help "pay" for it...although I seem to remember Congress saying that the overhaul was going to cut the deficit....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!

3 - Failing to actually DO something about the oil spill (gee...it's STILL gushing over 60,000+ a DAY, and we're heading into day 64!!!!!), not to mention strong-arming BP and appointing a...claims czar (?) to hand out BP's money. This is not what I want my government to be doing.

4 - Anyone in the least bit concerned about our National Debt? $13+ TRILLION dollars that our elected leaders have no idea how to pay off. Not to mention that Congress has decided that they're not going to be able to pass a budget this year....

5 - How about the Economy? Unemployment is still over 9% (says the US Government). I suspect it's a lot higher. I'm waiting for the "double dip" to hit the fan....

When was the last time you read any national good news? When is this madness going to end? November 2010? 2012?

The MIL

The Mother-In-Law (MIL) is coming for a visit next week. She is, truly, the Queen of the Pie Crust. The Recipe was passed down from Grandma (and, Grandma won't let you forget that). I've mastered the making of the Crust, however, I'm still struggling with getting it formed in the pie tin. There will be a "pie symposium" when the MIL arrives. I will learn the secret.

Hamburger

I just finished up with 5 continuous days of Motorcycle Safety. Spending 5-6 hours on the range/asphalt makes my feet feel like hamburger. Unfortunately, the RiderCoaches don't get to do all that much riding; we stand around watching the students ride. There's quite a bit of walking too...and when it's 85+ outside, the pavement gets pretty hot. I need some Dr. Scholls Gel inserts!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

To my DAD, and my Ol' Man. Dad's are very special people...and I've been blessed - twice! I've got a great Dad, and the Ol' Man is a fabulous father to the boys. I love you both!

The Hunt for the End of Red October

It's 1991. I'm in Saudi Arabia, it's the War - Desert Storm. It was the days of VCR tapes and snail mail. We're all sitting in the MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) tent, and someones wife sent a tape with The Hunt For Red October recorded on it. We're all sitting, engrossed in the movie, and about 10 minutes till the end, when the climax is hitting high gear......the tape ends. Just like that, it's over and we have no earthly idea how it ends! There was a huge groan that emitted from the crowd, and we all walked out, terribly disappointed. There was no Internet available for us to find out the end...we were lost.

Fast forward to 2010. The Ol' Man and I are flipping through the channels, and, lo and behold, what's on? The Hunt for Red October...Sean Connery in all his glory and Alex Baldwin looking young and handsome. We snuggle on the couch, and it begins to rain (thunder and lightning, to boot!) - WAIT FOR IT - just as we get within about 10 minutes from the end...we loose the satellite feed. AAAARRRGGGHHHH...could this really be happening? History repeating itself?

I think I've waited long enough. I'm ordering it from Netflix today. I will see the end! Nothing can stop me now.

They're not our friends

http://www.answeringmuslims.com/2010/05/of-mosques-and-men-reflections-on.html

This video explains very well what our future will be if we refuse to acknowledge the Muslim threat. The sooner America wakes up and realizes it, the better off we'll be. I am not, however, going to hold my breath. I love America, and it hurts my heart to see the direction it's going. From the abject failure of our government to control spending (National Debt edging towards $14 TRILLION - anyone have any idea's on how to pay that back?) and our borders (Arizona, anyone?), to over-the-top political correctness (say/do anything that MAY offend anyone else....HORRORS) to ecological disasters like the gulf oil spill (those pictures of the birds covered in oil just break my heart), and I think it's only a matter of time before we self destruct...and I think that time is growing shorter and shorter. Reminds me of the old "doomsday clock" who's hands inch closer and closer to midnight.

Where's the outrage when they want to build a mosque at Ground Zero? Where's the outrage when Nancy Pelosi spends $18+k a month on rent, paid for, thank you very much, by the American Taxpayer (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/14/pelosis-new-district-office-reportedly-costs-month/?test=latestnews) Where's the outrage when the Obama Administration is looking to take over another industry? (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/15/administration-oil-spill-damage-claims-white-house-says/) When are Americans going to take America back before we wake up and find Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness has been replaced by Sharia Law and Government Control Of Everything? I just wonder if that will be the result of America's financial crash.

Sometimes, I get so tired of the madness in the world...I just want to bury my head in the sand...but I can't. So, I do what I can...make phone calls to my elected representatives, try to get the word out and encourage others to do the same...to take a stand.

Of all the nerve...

Chipmunk #1 and #2 had the good sense to die quickly...the took the peanut bait, and got their little heads snapped. A quick, painless death. Chipmunk #3 (and, possibly #4?) is not so accommodating. The little bugger has the nerve to dance across the deck, while thumbing his nose at us! No peanuts for him, no peanut butter either. It's getting close to the Ol' Man calling for the jihad.

Didya Ever?

Squeeze a tube, and there's a blockage that suddenly becomes "unblocked" and what ever's in the tube comes squirting out? And I'm talkin' about glue...not the other "tube"! I did that with a tube of Super Glue and almost got my finger's stuck together, not to mention almost sticking the rubber cushion thingy I was gluing to the counter, instead of on the inside of the cabinet, where it belongs. Next time I need something "fixed", I'm calling the Ol' Man....

Is it me?

Or does the cat look like a fat baby seal?

Black Ribbon

While I'm a firm believer in destiny, it doesn't make it any easier when one of our own dies. We lost another friend in Iraq, and it makes my heart hurt. "Only those who have died have seen the end of war." (Plato) Farewell, "Pedro", and we'll see you on the other side.

Rats

I've got to teach a motorcycle safety class tonight and it's raining...it's been raining all day. A lovely, lawn soaking, steady rain. I don't ride in the rain unless I have to, and tonight is a night I'm going to "have to". Rats.

4th of July

I'm going to make a table runner and place mats for my mother-in-law for the 4th of July. She's the kind of person who has every decoration for every holiday...but (gasp!) she doesn't have a 4th of July table runner or place mats! How could that have happened? Never fear, I will come to the rescue and, with love and affection, create beautiful place mats and a table runner for her bare, un-patriotic table. Ok, I'll fess up...it's a reason to buy fabric! Off to the store tomorrow to peruse isles and isles of wonderful cloth.

Home Again

Just got back from a trip to see the folks...Grandpa had his 83 (? 84?) birthday. I should be so lucky to last that long, be that healthy, and have that many family and friends that love me. Oh, and the chocolate cake was FANTASTIC.

Cheesecake

So, there's this cheese cake shop here, and they make FABULOUS cheese cake. I, however, decided to give baking a cheese cake a try. There's this website (allrecipies.com) that I use all the time...it's got TONS of recipes, and they're rated by the members. I searched cheesecake, sorted the recipes by rating and came up with the top rated cheesecake recipe. I made the graham cracker crust in the springform pan, made the filling exactly according to the directions (almost), poured the filling in the pan, looked over on the counter, and saw the 3/4 cup of milk I was suppose to put in the filing sitting there, saying to me, "Ahem....what about me???" AAACCCKKKK! The instructions were very specific in that you were not suppose to scrape the side of the bowl or the mixer blades because the filling is suppose to be perfectly creamy with NO LUMPS. So, I proceeded to pour the filling back into the bowl, and, of course, a big glob of the graham cracker crust plops into the bowl with the filling. There was still quite a bit of the filling left in the pan, but there was no way I was going to be able to try to scrape any more back into the mixing bowl, so I let it go. I then proceed to carefully scrape out the crumbs and added the forgotten milk, mixing carefully so as not to create too many lumps. I baked according to directions, and believe it or not, it came out PERFECT. Even better than the cheesecake shop! I mean, it was the perfect, creamy texture, the flavor was out of this world...I'll try it again, and next time, I'll make sure I add the milk!