It isn't Christmas without Bing Croby, but here are some new Christmas songs that I love:
Michigan Christmas - Brian d'Arcy James. Click the link to listen via YouTube. Brian is from Saginaw and you can buy this album in iTunes.
A Michigan Christmas Card by the Meijer Choral Group. Click the link to go to a safe download site for the mp3 file. This brings back happy childhood memories. :)
They play both songs a lot on 96.1 WHNN. No matter where you live, you can listen to their live broadcast via their web site.
A snowstorm is predicted for tonight. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Monday, March 08, 2010
My Favorite E-Book Gadget
A while ago I wrote about how much I love my Book Buddy II, a pillow designed to hold hardback books. I was thrilled when Reading Comfort released a similar product, the E-Buddy, for use with e-book readers!
I chose a beautiful Lapis design for my Kindle. Now that I have tendonitis in both elbows even holding the 10.2 ounce Kindle (which is lighter than most paperback books) can be uncomfortable. (Knowing that makes me feel like a total wimp!) Now I read comfortably again. I recommend Reading Comfort's many products for book lovers (and e-reader lovers) of all ages.
UPDATE: I just discovered it's also the perfect size for paperbacks!
Friday, March 05, 2010
Why the Government Shouldn't Run the Post Office
Now that we've survived moving and are getting settled in our new house, we've noticed that we don't get much mail. My husband especially misses his daily Wall Street Journal.
Monday I filled out the change of address form at the Post Office, thinking that it would only take a couple of days for our forwarded mail to start arriving. After all, this is what happened the last time we moved (just a year and half ago).
Today I stopped by the Post Office to find out what happened to our mail. Silly me! I assumed the change of address would be handled by the local Post Office, but no!, it's being done at a major P.O., probably Detroit. Once our new address is entered in the system, we'll be notified and our mail delivery will resume. In the meantime, our mail is piling up in some other P.O., probably Detroit, and we can't even pick it up.
If that weren't frustrating enough, I asked how long it might take to get our new address in the system. Hold on to your socks: at least a week, maybe two. By the time the P.O. figures out where we live, we'll have a BOX of Wall Street Journals waiting for us, not to mention our regular mail, and all the junk we usually just throw away. SIGH.
What would Ben Franklin think of his Post Office? Maybe, like me, he'd think someone more efficient than the government should be running it.
Monday I filled out the change of address form at the Post Office, thinking that it would only take a couple of days for our forwarded mail to start arriving. After all, this is what happened the last time we moved (just a year and half ago).
Today I stopped by the Post Office to find out what happened to our mail. Silly me! I assumed the change of address would be handled by the local Post Office, but no!, it's being done at a major P.O., probably Detroit. Once our new address is entered in the system, we'll be notified and our mail delivery will resume. In the meantime, our mail is piling up in some other P.O., probably Detroit, and we can't even pick it up.
If that weren't frustrating enough, I asked how long it might take to get our new address in the system. Hold on to your socks: at least a week, maybe two. By the time the P.O. figures out where we live, we'll have a BOX of Wall Street Journals waiting for us, not to mention our regular mail, and all the junk we usually just throw away. SIGH.
What would Ben Franklin think of his Post Office? Maybe, like me, he'd think someone more efficient than the government should be running it.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Another Snow Day!
The University of Michigan-Flint will close at 12:00 p.m. today, Monday, February 22, 2010 due to the anticipated winter storm. All late afternoon and evening classes, events and activities that begin at 12:00 p.m. or later are canceled. Only essential personnel should report.
Woo hoo! Another snow day! The barometer change is making my sinuses hurt, so it's a good day to curl up by the fireplace (among the boxes) with a good book and a snuggly cat. This the third time U of M has closed this winter; since we hardly ever close, that must be some kind of record!
Woo hoo! Another snow day! The barometer change is making my sinuses hurt, so it's a good day to curl up by the fireplace (among the boxes) with a good book and a snuggly cat. This the third time U of M has closed this winter; since we hardly ever close, that must be some kind of record!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
RIP Dick Francis
I didn't hear this sad news until Entertainment Weekly arrived today (click to enlarge):
I love his wonderful stories which often have a horse-racing connection and always have interesting characters and excellent plots. I'm glad his son Felix will continue writing but I will always miss his unique writing style. I like to think Dick's in Heaven now with his beloved Mary, chatting with the Queen Mum about horses.
Links:
Dick Francis on Stop You're Killing Me!
Dick Francis author web site
I love his wonderful stories which often have a horse-racing connection and always have interesting characters and excellent plots. I'm glad his son Felix will continue writing but I will always miss his unique writing style. I like to think Dick's in Heaven now with his beloved Mary, chatting with the Queen Mum about horses.
Links:
Dick Francis on Stop You're Killing Me!
Dick Francis author web site
Friday, February 19, 2010
Moving, at Last!
A week and half a later than expected, we now know when we're moving! We get the keys Wed., Feb. 24 and the movers will be here Sat., Feb. 27. Yay! The end is now in sight! Best of all, I'll have my spring break (Mar. 1 - 7) to unpack the essentials. After that, I don't care how long it takes to unpack. :)
Only one more week of listening to the shrieking neighbor children...
Only one more week of listening to the shrieking neighbor children...
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Snow Day, Packing, and The Bismarck
I'm doing my happy dance because I had a snow day today AND Lost is on tonight! The only way this could be better would be if my husband also had a snow day. The poor guy has a night class and has to drive home in crappy weather.
I spent my afternoon packing, with much feline assistance from Sophie. We packed photos, games, and models. When I found the model of the Hood, guess what song got stuck in my head? Let me share it with you:
"Sink the Bismarck" by Johnny Horton
In May of 1941 the war had just begun
The Germans had the biggest ship that had the biggest guns
The Bismarck was the fastest ship that ever sailed the sea
On her decks were guns as big as steers and shells as big as trees
Out of the cold and foggy night came the British ship the Hood
And every British seaman he knew and understood
They had to sink the Bismarck the terror of the sea
Stop those guns as big as steers and those shells as big as trees
CHORUS
We'll find the German battleship that's makin' such a fuss
We gotta sink the Bismarck cause the world depends on us
Yeah hit the decks a runnin' boys and spin those guns around
When we find the Bismarck we gotta cut her down
The Hood found the Bismarck and on that fatal day
The Bismarck started firing fifteen miles away
We gotta sink the Bismarck was the battle sound
But when the smoke had cleared away the mighty Hood went down
For six long days and weary nights they tried to find her trail
Churchill told the people "put every ship asail
Cause somewhere on that ocean I know she's gotta be
We gotta sink the Bismarck to the bottom of the sea"
CHORUS
The fog was gone the seventh day and they saw the morning sun
Ten hours away from homeland the Bismarck made its run
The Admiral of the British fleet said turn those bows around
We found that German battleship and we're gonna cut her down
The British guns were aimed and the shells were coming fast
The first shell hit the Bismarck they knew she couldn't last
That mighty German battleship is just a memory
Sink the Bismarck was the battle cry that shook the seven seas
We found the German battleship t'was makin' such a fuss
We had to sink the Bismarck cause the world depends on us
We hit the deck a runnin' and we spun those guns around
Yeah we found the mighty Bismarck and then we cut her down
What can I say? I was raised on WWII movies...
I spent my afternoon packing, with much feline assistance from Sophie. We packed photos, games, and models. When I found the model of the Hood, guess what song got stuck in my head? Let me share it with you:
"Sink the Bismarck" by Johnny Horton
In May of 1941 the war had just begun
The Germans had the biggest ship that had the biggest guns
The Bismarck was the fastest ship that ever sailed the sea
On her decks were guns as big as steers and shells as big as trees
Out of the cold and foggy night came the British ship the Hood
And every British seaman he knew and understood
They had to sink the Bismarck the terror of the sea
Stop those guns as big as steers and those shells as big as trees
CHORUS
We'll find the German battleship that's makin' such a fuss
We gotta sink the Bismarck cause the world depends on us
Yeah hit the decks a runnin' boys and spin those guns around
When we find the Bismarck we gotta cut her down
The Hood found the Bismarck and on that fatal day
The Bismarck started firing fifteen miles away
We gotta sink the Bismarck was the battle sound
But when the smoke had cleared away the mighty Hood went down
For six long days and weary nights they tried to find her trail
Churchill told the people "put every ship asail
Cause somewhere on that ocean I know she's gotta be
We gotta sink the Bismarck to the bottom of the sea"
CHORUS
The fog was gone the seventh day and they saw the morning sun
Ten hours away from homeland the Bismarck made its run
The Admiral of the British fleet said turn those bows around
We found that German battleship and we're gonna cut her down
The British guns were aimed and the shells were coming fast
The first shell hit the Bismarck they knew she couldn't last
That mighty German battleship is just a memory
Sink the Bismarck was the battle cry that shook the seven seas
We found the German battleship t'was makin' such a fuss
We had to sink the Bismarck cause the world depends on us
We hit the deck a runnin' and we spun those guns around
Yeah we found the mighty Bismarck and then we cut her down
What can I say? I was raised on WWII movies...
Monday, February 08, 2010
A Snow Day at Last?
The eastern US has is still digging out form a blizzard but here in mid-Michigan we have no snow. SIGH. I'm never going to get a snow day at this rate. I do have hope though! The NWS has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Tues morning through Wed morning, possible accumulation of 6-10 inches. It's time to do my snow dance...
Cul de Sac by by Richard Thompson Monday, January 18, 2010 (click to enlarge)
(read it at http://www.gocomics.com)
Cul de Sac by by Richard Thompson Monday, January 18, 2010 (click to enlarge)
(read it at http://www.gocomics.com)
Thursday, February 04, 2010
RIP Mia
Mia Keeler
1992-2010
Rest in peace, fiesty girl. You were my first (surrogate) cat and the reason I love kitties. I miss you already and I always will.
Friday, January 29, 2010
We Are Homeowners - Yay!
Since about 9:00am (after 45 minutes of signing and initialing papers), we are homeowners! I'm sure it will seem real after we move in -- and I can hardly wait.
The owner's son is living there and packing her stuff. He has 30 days to move, but he thinks he'll be done by mid-Feb. That would be wonderful but we're planning on a late Feb/early Mar move, just in case.
I met both realtors (ours and theirs) at the house last night to look at it again, go over any last-minute questions, and to learn how to light the sunroom heater. From the sunroom, we were treated to a beautiful view of the nearly full moon rising behind the branches of the huge trees in the backyard. It was especially lovely since we can't see the moon from our current apartment.
We want to pack as much as we can (especially things like glass, china, and Roger's books), then have movers pack the rest and move all of it to the new house. I've been researching movers and have learned a lot about choosing a reliable, professional full-service company. I think we're going to use Personal Touch Moving, Inc (located in Lake Orion, MI). Their Better Business Bureau rating is A- and they are about $1,000 cheaper than Corrigan Moving Systems (which several friends have used; Corrigan is near Detroit and has a A+ BBB rating).
I'm so excited about the house I'm having a hard time focusing on work. I've never wanted to move before and now I can hardly wait to do so. I'm looking forward to having more room, a yard (with bird feeders!), and no more neighbor kids playing Wii over my head or shrieking under my feet.
As a parting gift to our apartment neighbors, you are invited to a reenactment of Riverdance after our apartment is empty. Be sure to wear your hard-soled shoes! I'll provide loud Irish music and all you have to do is jump around a lot.
The owner's son is living there and packing her stuff. He has 30 days to move, but he thinks he'll be done by mid-Feb. That would be wonderful but we're planning on a late Feb/early Mar move, just in case.
I met both realtors (ours and theirs) at the house last night to look at it again, go over any last-minute questions, and to learn how to light the sunroom heater. From the sunroom, we were treated to a beautiful view of the nearly full moon rising behind the branches of the huge trees in the backyard. It was especially lovely since we can't see the moon from our current apartment.
We want to pack as much as we can (especially things like glass, china, and Roger's books), then have movers pack the rest and move all of it to the new house. I've been researching movers and have learned a lot about choosing a reliable, professional full-service company. I think we're going to use Personal Touch Moving, Inc (located in Lake Orion, MI). Their Better Business Bureau rating is A- and they are about $1,000 cheaper than Corrigan Moving Systems (which several friends have used; Corrigan is near Detroit and has a A+ BBB rating).
I'm so excited about the house I'm having a hard time focusing on work. I've never wanted to move before and now I can hardly wait to do so. I'm looking forward to having more room, a yard (with bird feeders!), and no more neighbor kids playing Wii over my head or shrieking under my feet.
As a parting gift to our apartment neighbors, you are invited to a reenactment of Riverdance after our apartment is empty. Be sure to wear your hard-soled shoes! I'll provide loud Irish music and all you have to do is jump around a lot.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Kindle Addiction
I'm not saying I quickly adapted to my Kindle, but yesterday I was reading a printed book and I keep wanting to click the built-in dictionary... Sad, eh?
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