LiveCam Mill Avenue Tempe AZ

Check this out... It is a live cam on Mill Avenue in Downtown Tempe. You need to hit the refresh button to see different angles of the camera. Mill Avenue is the hotspot for all the students at ASU. It is a tourist hotspot too. You should see it when it's Fiesta Bowl time.... or New Year's Eve. Look close you might even see me strolling by the camera. www.tempe.gov/millcam/

Download Picasa 3

Sunday, my husband was checking his football picks on my computer. His computer and our laptop got stolen during the burglary September 29, 2008. My old computer was not taken. My computer is really slow. My husband decided to "fix" my computer. In his "fixings" my computer crashed. Everything was gone. OH NO! So he ran the recovery system back through. He also had to download AOL. I could have killed him at that point because all my pictures were gone.

He went back to work on Monday and left me with my computer to now really fix! I had pictures I could not replace. I collect cookie jars - there are 450 plus throughout my house. I had taken pictures of all of them. There were pictures of my kids, grandkids, ..... you know all that important stuff. I found my blog. I had downloaded Picasa before and had to download it again ( since it was gone, too). When I redownloaded Picasa 3, it asked if I wanted it to check for pictures other than in My Pictures. I clicked ok. Picasa 3 found the pictures I had previously on my computer. Woohoo!

Everything else is still gone.

Look for my ad on CraigList Phoenix - Free Husband

Free Krispy Kreme donuts

Krispy Kreme is giving away free donuts to anyone who comes in on November 4 - Election Day - with a "I Voted" sticker. In Arizona, we have 3 stores in Phoenix

1. 274 East Indian School Road

2. 620 East Roosevelt Street

3. 12629 North Paradise Village Parkway West

and one store in Mesa

1. 6626 East Superstition Springs Blvd

Be sure to Vote! http://www.krispykreme.com/

Life

Two years ago, I left my job. I was permanently injured. It took two years to the day, I was "declared" disabled. I got the decision today in the mail. I called my lawyer to see what happens next. He said in 30 days I should get a letter summarizing the money amounts I should receive. I need to call him to make sure it is correct. And pay him his fee :(

I'm not glad to be disabled but am glad the court decision is done. What I don't understand why it had to take two years. With many doctor verifications, I assumed it would have been determined immediately. As I have now learned - it is a long process.

I guess one could say I won. ?

Little Fluffy

Remember all that aloe vera I was trying to get rid of? Today I found something else growing in the aloe vera.... a kitten! Normally I would be ticked pink. But .... we just got Bandit our rottweiler puppy. I don't think we can add a kitten to our family of two cats and two dogs. It looks just like Fluffy, the neighbors cat that lives three house down from us.
I hope the good news of winning my case puts my husband in a good mood - we might have to add a kitten :)

Hello Bandit

We picked out our new puppy last night. We comprised - we picked a female, my husband named her Bandit. Mindy, our Himalayan Siamese, informed Bandit that SHE is in charge of this house!
Last night as we tried to get the dogs to go to sleep, we found out Bandit can howl. Loud howling....
I've never had a puppy before. I wonder if I'm am teaching her or... she is teaching me.
Welcome Bandit - our new rottweiler puppy!

Welcoming Committee - Woof!

We have two Siamese cats and a little Papillon. My husband has always wanted a "big" dog. After our house got broken into and our little Papillon got attacked by a Pit Bull, he said "We are getting a Rotty."!!! He's been watching in the newspaper for some rottweiler puppys. He found some. We are going tonight when he gets off work to pick one out. He wants a boy - I, of course, want a girl. We'll see who wins this. We were throwing out names for the new puppy last night. I'm thinking Colt for a boy and Zena for a girl. He wants Apollo for a boy - no girl. We'll see who wins this one too.
Just when I've gotten the cats to adjust to Trixie.... hiss hiss meow meow

Scary Election Night

Just getting ready for Halloween. Gotta make sure the plants are decorated. I put out my wicked witch lives here sign .... (as if the neighborhood didn't know already, hehehehe)

I won't be carving pumpkins this year. Last year, Fry's gave pumpkins ( the big ones!) away free - not this year.

Halloween won't be half as scary as Election night. Make sure you vote - I see the the media wants us to think Obama has this election all wrapped up. Maybe they think that if we think Obama is going to win, we'll all just vote for him. They did a survey of people voting for Obama and asked them about his running mate Sarah Palin. ALL the people really liked her. Not one realized that she is not Obama's vice president pick. Bill Engvall, the comedian, would have been busy that day handing out "stupid" signs!
Remember your vote is our future!

Indian with one testicle

There once was an Indian who had only one testicle and whose given name was 'Onestone'.
He hated that name and asked everyone not to call him Onestone.
After years and years of torment, Onestone finally cracked and said,' If anyone calls me Onestone again I will kill them!'
The word got around and nobody called him that any more.
Then one day a young woman named Blue Bird forgot and said, 'Good morning, Onestone.'
He jumped up, grabbed her and took her deep into the forest where he made love to her all day and all night.
He made love to her all the next day,until Blue Bird died from exhaustion.
The word got around that Onestone meant what he promised he would do.
Years went by and no one dared call him by his given name until a woman named Yellow Bird returned to the village after being away.
Yellow Bird , who was Blue Bird's cousin, was overjoyed when she saw Onestone.
She hugged him and said, 'Good to see you, Onestone.'
Onestone grabbed her, took her deep into the forest, then he made love to her all day, made love to her all night, made love to her all the next day, made love to her all the next night, but Yellow Bird wouldn't die!
Why?
OH, come on... take a guess
Think about it -
You're going to love this!
Everyone knows...
You can't kill Two Birds with OneStone!

Reels & Wheels Tempe Az

I always thought this would be fun to do. I wish the grandkids lived a just bit closer. I'm not complaining - I've got 3 of 8 here in Arizona. Anyway...
They show movies in the evening here. Just bring a blanket and some snacks and enjoy a night with the whole family. http://www.tempe.gov/recreation

Texas Cheerleading Mom

I was talking to my daughter yesterday. I had to tell her about the washing machine. She was excited about me not having to use the 2 2X4s any more. She said... Mom, I'm going to take a picture of me and send it to you, hold on. - This her driving her Hummer. She was on her way to pick up GiGi and take her to cheerleading practice. - I said... Isn't that kind of unsafe to drive with one hand and take pictures with the other.

And with her Southern Texan drawl she said.... Mom, that's why I drive a Hummer. As I sigh, saying ...oh ok.

GE Profile HydroWave Washer

Do you remember just a couple weeks ago my washing machine broke and I was propping it together with 2 2X4s? The warranty had run out and I had to have it repaired twice since then.... well, Sunday it broke again for good! Monday, my husband and I went to Sears and bought a top loading GE Profile HydroWave.

When we bought this house three years ago, I bought all new appliances. I had bought the new Frigidaire front loading HE washer and dryer set. It was nothing but problem after problem. I went back to a top loading washer.

My husband had done a lot of research on the computer to find the "perfect" washer. That one had all positive responses. So that is the one we got. I am just happy I don't have to use a wash board :)

*** Day Two - I had a lot of laundry waiting to be washed. This is my 10th load and so far I really like this washer. 1. It is as quiet as they say! 2. The tub, even though it is the same size as the front load washer I had, seems to fit more clothes in it. 3. No more bending to get the clothes out of the tub. 4. The spin cycle works great. I don't seem to have to dry the clothes for as long as the other one. 5. It was less $$ than that front loader and works better! They say if mama's happy everyone's happy. I'm happy.

I'm using my HE detergent in it. I have four bottles of it in the pantry left over from the front load HE we just got rid of. It seems to work ok.

**Special Note: I've had this washer for over a month now. I really like it! It is quiet. It washed my king size bed comforter with no problem. I can't wait until the Frigidaire dryer breaks again. I'll go out and buy the matching dryer to this GE.

Grasshoppers on Dumbar Street

Lately our weather has cooled down to the low 90's. I've turned off the air conditioner and have been leaving the back sliding glass door open when we are home. Last night as we were watching TV, I heard strange sounds coming from the game room. The sounds increased so I got up to check it out. A grasshopper was in the game room and Mindy, our Himalayan Siamese cat was chasing it. Si, our other Siamese, got up from his nap and came in to check out all the noise too. So Mindy and Si were both chasing the grasshopper.
Trixie, our little papillon, decided she didn't want to be left out of all the fun came in and watched the cats chase the grasshopper. As the cats were playing with the grasshopper, it jumped and Trixie jumped. In one swallow the grasshopper was gone.
It's not safe to be a grasshopper on Dumbar Street!

Precious Stringsters Riddles

My husband and I were watching a movie this afternoon and of course, snacking. There are jokes on the Precious Stringster cheese. Here are four of them:
1. Where does a monkey go when he loses his tail?
2. When is a door not a door?
3. What goes up when the rain comes down?
4. Why didn't the skeleton cross the road?

give up?

1. a retail store
2. when it is ajar
3. an umbrella
4. he didn't have the guts
Have a great weekend!

We Love Sheriff Joe

I bought this "sheriff" because I thought he was cute. I didn't realize he was wine bottle holder when I bought him. I bent the "holder part" so it would hold a pot. He kind of blends into my block fence. I named him Sheriff Joe after the sheriff here in Phoenix.
We love Sheriff Joe!
Today I worked on the side of the house. There are 30 huge over grown cactus that I repotted. Then there are hundreds of Aloe Vera.... I stood out on my sidewalk and tried to give them away free. ummm I found homes for 10. I still have hundreds to go. I want to dig up that area and put a herb garden.

Chihuly The Nature of Glass Tempe AZ

About 6 years ago I saw the Dale Chihuly exhibit in downtown Phoenix. It was beyond words - exciting, fabulous, outstanding, stunning....

Then I saw the exhibit at the Beligio in Las Vegas during Christmastime. Above are some of the pictures I took at the Beligio.

November 22, 2008 through May 31, 2009 the exhibit will be at the Desert Botanical Gardens at Papago Park in Tempe Arizona.

If you are in this area -

this is a must to see!

Things to do Tempe/Scottsdale

Casino Arizona is really close to The Scottsdale Six drive-in. They have good buffets there. They have entertainers. Close by fun place to go if you have some money to lose... http://casinoarizona.com/

If you haven't been to a ProBass Shop, go! Each ProBass is unique to the area it is in. Anyone from out of town, I take here. I don't want to spoil it and tell you what you'll find inside. I will tell you that their homemade fudge is fantastic! http://www.basspro.com/

We have a six screen drive-in here called The Scottsdale Six. It shows movies every night. Since our winters are not like any other states, we have movies all year long. We bring lawn chairs and put them in the back of the truck with a large cooler. They have double features. It is fun and cheap way to entertain grand kids.

My sister makes jewelry. So one time while she was down here visiting, we went in Beads Galore. It doesn't look like much on the outside but... inside is amazing! They make you put your purse in a locker at the front door so I wasn't able to take any pictures of the inside. They do have a web page. If you ever want to kill an hour or two, just browse this store. http://beadsgalore.com/

Just North a few blocks of Beads Galore is Cookies From Home. This store is tucked along side a bunch of diverse businesses and would be hard to find unless you already knew it was there. It is well worth the find!

They have a web page that shows all their "goodies." I have bought and shipped from this store many times. Gifts from this store are always a delight. Their customer service is A Plus!http://cookiesfromhome.com/

We also have an IN-N-OUT. You kind of see ASU stadium in the background. I love their burgers, fries and shakes. This is a popular college hang out. It is on the North side of Tempe Town Lake. It is right next to a new 5 star hotel... and some condos selling for 1 million dollars. http://in-n-out.com/

1776 - David McCullough

When I gave up on Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck, I started reading 1776 by David McCullough. I'm at page 22 but it seems quite interesting. There are a lot of facts to digest. This book might take a while to finish.

Tortilla Flat - John Steinbeck

My husband loves his TV programs. I sit in my new recliner with a book and read while he is watching TV. The dog and/or cat are usually laying in my lap. I started reading Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck. I got to page 89 and put the book down. It's about Danny and his friends, and the two houses he inherited. After 89 pages of his friends drinking wine, stealing, and burning the house down, I've had enough. Danny isn't much better than his friends.
I can just watch the news every night, if I watch to hear about drinking, stealing, and burning houses down.

Fuji FinePix Z20 Blue Camera

I got my camera yesterday. It's a Fuji Fine Pix Z20 in blue (my favorite color). I ordered it online from Target. The shipping box was damaged - there was no packing material inside. It was shipped UPS, the guys in Brown. Slow..... It took two weeks to get from Chicago to Phoenix. The camera was ok but the CD was scratched and would not download. The pictures would download into my Nikon program, though. So I took my first pictures of Trixie. These pictures were taken a week after she was attacked by the neighbor's pit bull.

I took her to the Vet last Wednesday. I was told if the pit bull had bit her any higher it would have broken her neck..... any lower and it would have crushed her back legs. Ouch!

I got the police report done. And the insurance forms filled out and sent for the burlary at our house last week. The house is mostly put back together.

Woohoo!

I think I might drive around and take pictures of some unique things I've seen in my city. Trixie can ride with me in her car seat.

**Special Note: I've had the camera for a couple months now. It's ok .... Cheap - No frills - Easy to use - ... close up pictures are not color correct, lighting is hard to adjust sometimes. I'm looking to buy a better camera. I have not decided which one yet.

Smilebox pictures of Las Vegas

Make a Smilebox photobook

feed us

This is what I look at when I am trying to use my computer. Look at Mindy and Si trying their nonchalant feed me look. It's the "We're just sitting here and if you'd like to feed us.....?"

It works everything time.

Pit Bull almost killed my dog

Yesterday, my husband was home so I felt brave enough to leave the house. I ran some errands and did the grocery shopping. When I got home, my husband came out to help me bring the groceries in. Walking back into the house he said - look someone took our McCain sign. After our house getting robbed on Monday, I'm thinking what else?

After dinner I always walk the dog, our little Papillon, Trixie around the block. We were almost home when a pit bull charged at Trixie and me. The pit bull had Trixie in its mouth. A neighbor came and got the pit bull off of Trixie. Trixie ran home. My husband called 911. The police came along with animal control. They found who owned the dog. The pit bull owners told the policeman that their pool man left their back gate open and their dog got out.
The police told me that animal control was NOT going to take the pit bull because they found the owner AND BECAUSE THE DOG ONLY HURT ANOTHER DOG NOT A KID!
My husband and I were extremely upset. My husband was so upset that he threatened the neighbors. The pit bull owners put a restraining order on my husband. Oh my!
I rushed my dog to the Animal Emergency Clinic. Poor Trixie has one broken leg and huge bite marks on each side of her little back. I got home at midnight from the clinic. We tried to sleep but.... Trixie, even with all the pain medication, whimpered and cried. I stayed up and held her.
I put her down in the morning on a blanket so I could make my husband's lunch. Mindy, our Himalayan Siamese cat, laid down by Trixie and tried to lick her sores.
My job injury disability, the car accident, my house robbed, and now my dog injured...... When does it stop?

what a way to start October

In the burglary, all my cameras were taken. I feel naked without a camera so I ordered one online. I hate blogging without pictures. So bear with me until 1. the police report is done 2. the insurance report is done 3. the house is put back in order and 4. my camera arrives.
Woohoo