Went to the rare bookstore the other day and I bought Anne Franks' Diary, not the book but THE diary, paid a fortune for it but it IS a collectors dream and will increase in value. (see picture and click to enlarge)
A-CHOO gotta go now.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
If You Don't Like It Wait An Hour
I am referring to the weather here in Texas. We are just five days from jumping on board the cruise ship and heading south. Today it's 79 degrees, sounds great doesn't it? Tonight it will be 38 with a high tomorrow of 43 then dipping to 31. By Saturday it will be 65. So what is one to do in preparation for a vacation? STAY INDOORS. You leave the house today in shorts and polo shirt, do some shopping, leave the mall around five and potentially freeze your tootsies off. You then catch a cold, run a 102 temp, shiver, sweat, cough, sneeze and wheeze and by Sunday (day of the cruise) you wished you were in a pine box waiting for the dirt to fall. Your house is a controlled environment therefore stay in it.
Went to the rare bookstore the other day and I bought Anne Franks' Diary, not the book but THE diary, paid a fortune for it but it IS a collectors dream and will increase in value. (see picture and click to enlarge)
A-CHOO gotta go now.
Went to the rare bookstore the other day and I bought Anne Franks' Diary, not the book but THE diary, paid a fortune for it but it IS a collectors dream and will increase in value. (see picture and click to enlarge)
A-CHOO gotta go now.
Friday, January 23, 2009
We Are Getting Close
The cruise is only one week away and I must say I have covered most of the bases. Bought new luggage and it has arrived, reserved and prepaid for parking on pier, ordered a few bottles of Pinot Grigio for "The Madge" and will be chilled and delivered to the room by the time we set sail. I have also booked some shore activities for "The Madge" on some of the islands, this will be a surprise for her. After carefully looking over the 100 plus excursions that the cruise line offers I decided to deal directly with some locals and get the unusual tours.
Tour number one in the Cayman Islands
This should be a good one for her.
If she enjoys that tour I am sure that this second one in Jamaica will really excite her.
I of course have already made arrangements for myself.
Tour number one in the Cayman Islands
This should be a good one for her.If she enjoys that tour I am sure that this second one in Jamaica will really excite her.
I of course have already made arrangements for myself.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Pat's Birthday
I tried to publish this on You Tube for the whole world to see, however it seems there is a copyright infringement with Time Warner. I will work on this and WILL get around it, so stay tuned.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
And You Wonder Why They Fail
About six months ago I closed an account account I had with Chase Bank, everything went smooth and the funds were transferred over to another bank/account. Last week I received a statement from Chase showing that I have a balance of $.01, I thought this can't be right and immediately called their service center. The woman on the other end of the phone was extremely polite and explained that when the account was closed the computers calculated the interest for on the balance for a partial day. OK, I can accept that but how can we make this one more piece of unneccessary mail go away. She explained that I would have to write a authorization letter or go down to the Service Center with this letter allowing me to withdraw the funds. Funds?????? "It's one penny" I explained "so why don't you keep the change". Nope, that's not possible. "So you want me to write a letter, either pay postage or drive over to the Service Center (13 miles), allowing me to withdraw one penny?" "I have a better idea, you can continue to send statements showing no interest was earned on this penny and then you will have to send me tax statements showing activity on this account, and will probably cost the bank about $150 a year". "Thank You and have a nice day".
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Small Investments With Major Returns
That was the headline that caught my eye. I think we are all interested in "major return" on an investment, plus if a small investment would yield a major return then what would a major investment yield? What a disappointment the article was and here's why;
"And, unlike your typical investment tip, these returns are pretty much guaranteed. What's more, you won't have to call your broker to make any of these moves:
a. Buy a Bread maker, You can buy one for $55. If it saves you just $4 a week on store bought bread, that's 208 a year. A 208% return. Bread maker at Williams Sonoma - $149, bread mix from "JBDough" $13 per package. You eating your baked bread all the time = membership in a Gym to lose the 45 pounds of weight you've gained $39 per month. Nope not a good deal
b. Get a credit card with a great sign-up bonus. Like a AirTrans Visa card. Cost: $40 annual fee. After your first purchase you get enough reward miles for a free flight. Seems to me that people getting credit cards and obviously not having the fortitude to to cancel nor not to spend is one of the reasons this country is in a mess. Not a good idea.
c. Replace your premium cable package with a netflix subscription and a $100 set-top box. You can download movies and TV programs as well as getting DVDs through the mail. Cost $100 for the cheapest set-top box, plus $17 a month for a three movie subscription. If it replaces a $50-a-month cable package, that's a 98% return on investment. I haven't checked this out and this might be good assuming you can download as many as you want with the max three at one time.
d. Take out a local library card, Cost: Nothing. If it saves you $10 a month on books, that's $120 a year. Return: Infinite. Note: Some libraries now let you borrow electronic books over the Internet as well. I certainly hope people have a library card, whoops I don't. There are sites on the Internet to download books for free but unless you want to print it out you are stuck to the screen. The Madge reads one book every two days, and she buys them. A few times a year she drives over to Goodwill and drops them off getting a blank receipt for a tax write off.
e. Order a packet of seeds and plant them in a window box or garden. Growing your own herbs, spices and even vegetables - depending on the amount of space you have - is a great investment. If you spent just $10 on seeds and saved a mere $50 in the year, that's a 400% ROI. Huh???? Obviously this person is sitting in Kansas. We tried growing herbs and spices, you have to constantly water, feed and spray for bugs. If the bugs don't get em the heat will. My advice buy in a air conditioned store.
f. Switch to a prepaid cellphone, Cost $20 for the phone and maybe $100 a year for minutes. Move the rest of your talk time to free Internet call and stop hemorrhaging $60 a month on a cellular plan. ROI: 500% This is excellent advice assuming you are not a teenager. We pay $85 a month for two phones with 700 minutes between the two of them. Last month we used 28 minutes. We have a house phone with unlimited minutes of local and long distance for $39 per month. Go to the prepay phone and stop making unnecessary calls from you cellphones.
g. Start making your own coffee to take to work each morning. Cost: $20 for a Thermos, $10 for a filter and papers, and $60 a year for ground coffee. Then skip the $4 a day drive-thru. If that saves you $1,000 a year, the return is more than 1,000 %. I have a better idea - stop working or if you can't, stop drinking coffee.
"And, unlike your typical investment tip, these returns are pretty much guaranteed. What's more, you won't have to call your broker to make any of these moves:
a. Buy a Bread maker, You can buy one for $55. If it saves you just $4 a week on store bought bread, that's 208 a year. A 208% return. Bread maker at Williams Sonoma - $149, bread mix from "JBDough" $13 per package. You eating your baked bread all the time = membership in a Gym to lose the 45 pounds of weight you've gained $39 per month. Nope not a good deal
b. Get a credit card with a great sign-up bonus. Like a AirTrans Visa card. Cost: $40 annual fee. After your first purchase you get enough reward miles for a free flight. Seems to me that people getting credit cards and obviously not having the fortitude to to cancel nor not to spend is one of the reasons this country is in a mess. Not a good idea.
c. Replace your premium cable package with a netflix subscription and a $100 set-top box. You can download movies and TV programs as well as getting DVDs through the mail. Cost $100 for the cheapest set-top box, plus $17 a month for a three movie subscription. If it replaces a $50-a-month cable package, that's a 98% return on investment. I haven't checked this out and this might be good assuming you can download as many as you want with the max three at one time.
d. Take out a local library card, Cost: Nothing. If it saves you $10 a month on books, that's $120 a year. Return: Infinite. Note: Some libraries now let you borrow electronic books over the Internet as well. I certainly hope people have a library card, whoops I don't. There are sites on the Internet to download books for free but unless you want to print it out you are stuck to the screen. The Madge reads one book every two days, and she buys them. A few times a year she drives over to Goodwill and drops them off getting a blank receipt for a tax write off.
e. Order a packet of seeds and plant them in a window box or garden. Growing your own herbs, spices and even vegetables - depending on the amount of space you have - is a great investment. If you spent just $10 on seeds and saved a mere $50 in the year, that's a 400% ROI. Huh???? Obviously this person is sitting in Kansas. We tried growing herbs and spices, you have to constantly water, feed and spray for bugs. If the bugs don't get em the heat will. My advice buy in a air conditioned store.
f. Switch to a prepaid cellphone, Cost $20 for the phone and maybe $100 a year for minutes. Move the rest of your talk time to free Internet call and stop hemorrhaging $60 a month on a cellular plan. ROI: 500% This is excellent advice assuming you are not a teenager. We pay $85 a month for two phones with 700 minutes between the two of them. Last month we used 28 minutes. We have a house phone with unlimited minutes of local and long distance for $39 per month. Go to the prepay phone and stop making unnecessary calls from you cellphones.
g. Start making your own coffee to take to work each morning. Cost: $20 for a Thermos, $10 for a filter and papers, and $60 a year for ground coffee. Then skip the $4 a day drive-thru. If that saves you $1,000 a year, the return is more than 1,000 %. I have a better idea - stop working or if you can't, stop drinking coffee.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Recent Survey
In a recent survey carried out for leading toiletries firm 'Brut', people from Chicago have proved to be the most likely to have had sex in the shower!
In the survey, 86% of Chicago's elite residents, and government official's(almost all of whom are registered Democrats) said that they have enjoyed sex in the shower.
The other 14% said they hadn't been to prison yet.
Many thanks to Bob Truesdale for this.
Many thanks to Bob Truesdale for this.
It's That Time Of The Year Again
Wow, Jan 11 one year ago "The Madge" turned the big 60. This year it won't be quite as extravagant and unlike today's businesses the reason has nothing to do with the economy. So, even though when it involves "The Madge" it's special, Colleen and Mark will join us for a nice quiet dinner at Perry's Restaurant. As usual, the birthday girl bought herself a gift from Shannon's Jewelry (thank you Kathy for this discovery) and will unveil it Sunday evening at her birthday dinner. I can hardly wait.
If you care to send her a birthday email it's "themadge@comcast.net".
I have been watching a ton of new movies and I STRONGLY recommend "Gran Torino", and "The Express". Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino" is still in the theaters and I understand that "The Express" will be out on DVD Jan 20th. "The Express" is a football movie depicting the life of Ernie Davis, while it is a guy movie, parts of it will appeal to the girls.
"Gran Torino" will reintroduce you to ethnic slurs like, Spooks, MIC's, WOP's, Gooks, Dago's, etc. etc. These are used constantly in this film so be prepared, but a great movie. I have also seen "Twilight, Changeling, Marley, Seven Pounds, Valkyrie, Australia, and Che: Part One", none of which received my vote. I have watched part of "Defiance" which I understand will be released in theaters next week, so far it's a Thumbs Up.
If you care to send her a birthday email it's "themadge@comcast.net". I have been watching a ton of new movies and I STRONGLY recommend "Gran Torino", and "The Express". Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino" is still in the theaters and I understand that "The Express" will be out on DVD Jan 20th. "The Express" is a football movie depicting the life of Ernie Davis, while it is a guy movie, parts of it will appeal to the girls.
"Gran Torino" will reintroduce you to ethnic slurs like, Spooks, MIC's, WOP's, Gooks, Dago's, etc. etc. These are used constantly in this film so be prepared, but a great movie. I have also seen "Twilight, Changeling, Marley, Seven Pounds, Valkyrie, Australia, and Che: Part One", none of which received my vote. I have watched part of "Defiance" which I understand will be released in theaters next week, so far it's a Thumbs Up.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Once Upon A Time
Here we are seven days into the new year and things are chugging along. I always remember reading a night time story to our girls which they seemed to enjoy. Unfortunately these books were thrown out years ago so it's time to buy some new ones. Boy have times changed, here are a few of the new ones I picked up. I sure hope the grandsons find these interesting.
We had our first precruise meeting at our favorite Italian restaurant the various assignments i.e. ice duty, snack patrol, making the buffet to the room sprint with hors d'oeuvres and stocking up on the "booze to be smuggled on board". All these jobs have been assigned and the six of us only have five more meetings to discuss other things. Picture of the first completed task "The Booze".
Caden's other Grandfather David, a man of many talents, built the little guy a toy chest. I am sure that the way this was constructed that it will be passed down for generations. So here is Grandpa Struck making heirlooms while Pops Murphy stocks their library.
We had our first precruise meeting at our favorite Italian restaurant the various assignments i.e. ice duty, snack patrol, making the buffet to the room sprint with hors d'oeuvres and stocking up on the "booze to be smuggled on board". All these jobs have been assigned and the six of us only have five more meetings to discuss other things. Picture of the first completed task "The Booze".
Caden's other Grandfather David, a man of many talents, built the little guy a toy chest. I am sure that the way this was constructed that it will be passed down for generations. So here is Grandpa Struck making heirlooms while Pops Murphy stocks their library. 
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
More Pictures from New Years Day
Good pictures and actually have one of Caden crying.
Yes he cried but five seconds later he was laughing
New Years eve dinner, Surf and Turf
Yuk, what is this stuff
Erin having a tough time looking at the lobsters
Buddy didn't have any toys to play with so let's ride the dishwasher
Mom said we are going home and I have to leave Mimi and Pops
Yes he cried but five seconds later he was laughing
New Years eve dinner, Surf and Turf
Yuk, what is this stuff
Erin having a tough time looking at the lobsters
Buddy didn't have any toys to play with so let's ride the dishwasher
Mom said we are going home and I have to leave Mimi and PopsThursday, January 1, 2009
It Is Now Time To Nap
First things first, HAPPY NEW YEAR. Here are some excellent panoramic views from around the world. The entire family is now gone and this is the first opportunity I have had to get on the computer without interruption. As previously reported the gang started to arrive on the 22nd, then more on the 24th, 25th, and 26th. Christmas was actually celebrated on three different days. The gift swapping seem to be a non stop event and when it was finally over, the feast started. After this Christmas I have made a New Years resolution to lose a little weight, maybe about 175 pounds. "The Madge" out did herself for yet another year, she had to make numerous trips to the supermarket to restock, even though both refrigerators were stuffed with food they seemed to be empty every other day. Being the host and hostess certainly takes it toll, we stayed up with the people that did not have children and while those people were able to sleep in the morning, we were up early with the grandsons. Both Buddy and Caden were practicing being roosters and managed to awaken both Mimi and Pops within of them getting up. Caden made little grunting sounds and Buddy screamed loud enough to peel paint. Now it's time to prepare for our little cruise that happens on Feb 1 but before that "The Madge" has lined up NUMEROUS doctor appointments for me. She was really happy to see that my cholesterol was ONE point too high and suggested to the doctor that I take "Crestor". ONE POINT !!! Madge's is through the roof and here I am just one point out of the normal range so the both of us are now taking medication. I am thinking of REALLY watching what I eat and dropping it back down to MY normal level of 130 now that would really upset her. Nothing really funny happened that I can report without making someone mad at me, but here's a few pictures of our Christmas.
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