Window Shopper

Welcome back!

Recently, our local television station, KAIT8, had a telethon for United Cerebral Palsy. Each year, they take the time to do the telethon so that some day, children and adults with this horrible disease may have the hope of a cure. They take a Sunday and have the telethon all day. Each of the anchors for the news are there helping with the pledges along with many volunteers from the local area.

This year, they raised $112,000+ which was a fantastic amount. Each year, they show people who have the disease and each year, as well, they show the list of possible cerebral palsy symptoms so that you, as a parent, can be on the lookout for this insidious disease that may start as soon as at birth. Others develop it later.

We are proud of our area taking the time to collect for this very worthy cause.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

It always happens. When there is tragedy, someone comes up with the idea that those people who have already had problems, they should have more. I am going to state here that most of the people who are around tragedy step up and help those who need it most. For instance, our television station that covers the whole Kait8 viewing area, had a drive going to “Pack A Pickup” to take to the damaged areas to give people some hope and goods who need it most.

That is all about caring about your neighbor. They are at least 75 miles from the closest major damage and at least 150 miles from some other places with damage. The path of the storm is very big with three counties being called disaster areas, thus allowing them the chance to get federal help.

In the Mountain View area, it was an EF4 tornado. In Highland, Sage, Clinton and other hit areas, it was a EF3. The damage ranged from Atkins, Arkansas to Highland, Arkansas, many miles apart. Now, they are saying that ONE tornado did all that damage, destruction and death.

Through all this, you would think that there would be kind hearted people, all willing and able to help in any way possible. Not necessarily. Police and Sheriff troops were called in from other places to help with controlling the looting that always seems to come in the wake of a storm. Then there are the leaches, acting like helping individuals, who are really taking advantage of the situation and getting big bucks in the process. I will not state the type of actions they were taking but the greed is obvious. A service or item which normally would cost around $45 now costs well over $100. Is it because of the huge need of that service or item, do you think?

YES, most assuredly that is the reason. Now, I imagine that some are thinking that they should have been here to get in on the action. NO!! That is so cold hearted just as those who, in the past, were seen as being kind, considerate and helpful, are now extremely greedy in the face of tragedy. If the item or service was not needed they would just waste away like they ought to do. Some day, they will regret their actions because (and I really hate to use this phrase) what goes around, comes around. Some day, they will have needs too and watch the greedy jerks come out to claim theirs back.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Yesterday, we were out and about voting and getting provisions for the possible bad weather coming through our county. Stopped at a couple of stores and got some nice produce and a boneless ham. I love the ham salad we can make with that ham. It’s truly great. After that, we went home to watch the weather and news. Our niece headed over to my Mom’s house because it was karate night.

The tornado came through knocking out the electricity so that we could not watch the weather reports. That reminds me that we are going to get a battery operated scanner sometime soon so that will not be a problem anymore. My sister called in hysterics because my bro-in-law was IN the tornado coming through close by. He got picked up and rolled around and set back down right side up in the minivan he was driving. Neither he nor the van sustained more than minor damage.

But now, the devastation is horrible. Many businesses and homes are now gone or damaged beyond repair. Too many folks are dealing with this. But there is a bright side. There were no deaths or major injuries in our area. There were several deaths and injuries in other parts of our states and the state east of us. We were truly blessed.

In the days after the storm, I am certain that people will pick up the pieces and begin again because that is what happens. Many of the businesses that are gone will rise again because that’s what we do, endure and keep going. It is expected that there will be power back on for most of the region this week.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

For many years now, we did not have to even file taxes because we are on Social Security. There was no requirement for us to have to do that…until this year. We do have a small income right now so we do have to file taxes this year. ACK!! Not my favorite time of year then.

On another note, the timing is such that we also have to get a renewal on our auto insurance. I thought this year I might take a look around and get an auto insurance quote or two before I go back the the company we have been with for about 3 years now. What about loyalty to the company? Well, they started out to be pretty high because we had let a policy lapse once back a while ago. Now, they have a pretty good rate so it would be tough to beat it but I usually do take a look anyway, just in case.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

One of the things that is such a pain is that there seems to be no time left to do anything we like. If we need to put up blog posts, then there isn’t any time to go out to the store. If we have to go to the store, there is no time for the one show we watch every week, no matter what. And if we need to do any of that, there simply is no time to do that special blog post. Sigh. I think I need some time management.

One of my favorite things to do is sit down and just read books. You know, those weird looking things that have pages with writing on them? Yes, I did almost forget what they were myself. With all the time taken blogging and shopping, it is so hard to just relax with a good book, living in fantasy land. I love it. The last one I read was a mystery/love story. It’s when they combine the chair gripping mystery with the love story that it touches me. I love them and recommend that combo for books to read when you have the time. Ugh. Time.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

The long awaited Super Bowl Sunday is here! We have been actually looking forward to this since last year because we missed the last Super Bowl altogether. Gearing up for a game day is not the easiest in the world when you have thought of little else….well, other than the family, blogging, income, bills, pets and the weather, I mean….except the goodies and expecting the phone to ring right when the best play of the game comes on.

Ahem. So, we went to the store the other day to pick up the game day essentials like potato chips, dips, makings for the Frito pie we planned on making and a few other goodies that escape my mind at the moment.

The adventure was in Walmart, otherwise known as….if you love the product, don’t expect to see it ever again. We happened on an end cap that had a new form of Pringles! I usually do not get excited over potato chips. After all, they are just potatoes cut up into thin pieces, then dumped into grease to fry. YUCK! But I have a weakness for potato chips nevertheless. When suddenly, what to my wandering eyes did appear but a whole shelf of Pringles Extreme! Never having seen such a sight, I stopped and peered at the latest and greatest form…“Screamin’ Dill Pickle”!! Oh my!

If the product was anything like the name, I would be in snack heaven. I love pickles and add a favorite comfort snack food like Pringles, now that’s fantastic. So, we bought a couple of cans of the newest offering and took them home. These were supposed to be for the Super Bowl Sunday game. My curiosity would not allow us to let those cans sit. If we did and they were a disappointment, there would be nothing we could do about it. That would be the middle of the game when we opened them. NO! We had to do something and quick!

The plastic lid was removed carefully. The inner seal (which is the biggest pain to take off but I still am grateful since it means nobody has gone before us) whooshes off. There they are. Little chips stacked up nicely. I took one out, very carefully bit off a small portion and waited. It did not take long. BANG! Huge pickly chip taste straight to my mouth! It was as if a giant pickle was pressed into a potato chip, joining them together in a blissful taste.

Of course, we ate them already. Are you serious?!!! Yes, we did have to go back and get a few more cans. After all, we could then put them on a sandwich and be able to have the best of both worlds, pickle AND chip sandwich. WOW!!!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!