Miscellaneous Missives

Although I typically spend most of my summer reading in the sun, this summer packing, shredding, and purchasing "big ticket items" seem to have taken over my time. Tonight while watching the news and Keith Olbermann, I packed the items that will remain in totes under the stairs in the new place. While watching I was able to view my new favorite commercial... funny stuff. Let's hope the Verizon network comes in full force with me to my new location.

The fifth Sunday and the first Sunday of the month are community meals. This being the fifth Sunday meant seven to eight hours working community meals. I work with lovely people. My favorite is a family that works the entire day with me. These five kids ages ten to fourteen(?) work harder than most adults, and they crack me up! It's sibling rivalry at a different level. Actually this isn't necessarily true since I've never seen a fight or heard a nasty word. Today was as close as I've heard. I wish I remember the first line, but the follow up line was "Yeah, well you're an underachiever." Of course, I laughed and went to tell their mother how much I enjoyed her kids.

I suppose there are two reasons I am reticent to start packing although I actually made some progress today. My first reason is I don't want my apartment cluttered with packed boxes; I want it to be friendly. The second reason, fear of leaving my neighborhood, is probably the primary reason. One suggestion I need to follow through with is to get my bike, so I feel more connected to Uptown. It would be a short ride to the neighborhood. Today I did a trial run to the hardware store closest to my new place. Although they didn't shine, the store is acceptable. After using language that showed my knowledge on the subject, I received some help. It's a good thing I was fairly certain about what I needed. I will admit that most of the time I know what I need, so it won't be a problem. Moving further away from Magers and Quinn will be a problem hence the main reason for using my bike to travel across the bridge. Most people find Barnes and Nobles a great visit. I alwa...

My dad made me a fabulous television stand (pictured above) for my new place. As one can see, it is beautiful. I picked out the stain without a piece of my flooring, so I hope it is complimentary. He also took time to make a new top, sand, and stain the oak stool that I had stripped. After I stripped the stool , I had posted the change. I think this change is more dramatic.

Today was my first trip to Fleet Farm. Let me say the store (Is it a store?) is much larger than it looks on the outside, and it looks huge on the outside. Since I was told that I could get the big plastic containers cheaper at Fleet Farm, I thought I'd give it a chance. I was blessed to have someone with me to make it less overwhelming. Fleet Farm is a cross between Target, Home Depot, and Shoppers Supply (an Iowa store?). One can buy almost anything: candy, greeting cards, saddles, mufflers, outdoor furniture, rubber boots, cleaning supplies, laundry baskets, and your typical hardware stuff. Although I was pleased with my purchases, I'm not sure that I would frequent Fleet Farm, let alone go again, but it was fun to see what they had. It might be fun to take my father and brother. I also spent the day driving. With gas at $3.99 it seems crazy that I drove down to Fleet Farm then up to Sears in Brooklyn Center, and ended at Slumberland. All of the driving was product...

The Women's US Open is being played at Interlachen in Edina, so the scores are on the local news. Michelle Wie shot a nine (quatruple bogey, I believe) on one hole. Why does this make me feel better about my golf game?

Although I normally save Veterans' Day or a similar occasion to talk about our nation's vets, it is on my mind this morning as I prepare for my day. Yesterday I helped a friend clean out her father's house after his passing, and today I will drive again to help in this daunting task. As I was a appalled by the mess and the amount of "stuff," it occurred to me that our nation is partly responsible. Her father was a Vietnam vet. I couldn't help but think maybe it explained the way he lived after all it was probably much better than the way he lived on his tour of duty. Driving home I felt sick not because of the filth. I felt ill because we have more vets that are coming back from Iraq with similar issues of the Vietnam vets, and our government seems to do little to help these men and women. Maybe a little history lesson would have kept us out of this war and/or helped the troops as they came home (and for those who continue to come home).