Cold in L.A. California? Time To Use the Fireplace

Once in awhile it gets cold in L.A. This is how I handled it this year.

The temperature has been dropping into the 50's at night and this house seems to get even colder than it is outside at times. Well I figured it was just about time to do one of my husbandly duties. Something Wifeypoo will forever leave for me to do in spite of the Romantic Implications the Disney cartoon gives to the job.

Clean out the fireplace.

Now I know that this is something I should have done at the beginning of spring after the last time it was used and I would have done it too except the timing just didn't seem right to me somehow. Besides I wasn't sure, at the time, WHEN would be the VERY last time it would be used.

Plus I have the enviable ability to put things off and since I like people to envy me I figured this was just one more way to accomplish just that.

So! Now the timing was right.

Break out the SHOP-VAC!

Drag it into the house. (Sure glad it has wheels! It must weigh 8 pounds!) Junk drawer for extension cord. Move the screen aside, tilt the grate up and back, plug in the SHOP-VAC.

Contact!

Switch on!


(Whirring sound starts here!)

Suck up the ashes!


Wonder if Tim Allen could soup this baby up? - Whoa! - Don't think he'd need to. Look at this machine just suck the bricks clean!

Sure am glad that that last year I didn't use any wood with nails in it. When I cleaned it out last fall I had to deal with nails clogging the hose. This is great. Cinderella should have one of these pig machines. Then she wouldn't have to complain about working so hard and maybe even her evil and wicked step-sisters would be envious enough to do it for her. This is almost like fun. The corners need a bit more work than the middle. I should have done this last spring but then people would have said I don't have the enviable ability to put things off. I am raising a bit of ashes though. Not enough to worry about. 99.99% is going down the tube. But it is getting hard to breath with my head stuck in the fireplace. Maybe I should take a bit of a break.

OH NO!!!

What the???

I forgot to put the filter in the stupid shop-vac the last time I cleaned it!

Scheesh! What-a-mess!!!

Wow!

Good thing Wifeypoo and I have a deal.

I clean out the fireplace and she cleans the rest of the house...

Epilogue
Most of this story is true. I did stray a bit from reality while my head was stuck in the fireplace and I imagined the filter being off the shop-vac. At this point I looked behind me, was relieved to see all was OK and carried on with the work. The last sentence was what I imagined I would say to Wifeypoo.

We all know how that would have gone over.

~~~~~
Technorati Tags -
Life -
Humor -
Family -

~~~~~

Update - I should have and forgot to mention that this posting is a result of my visit to a special blogsite and a posting that got me going to tell this story - Thanks to Chris at - Book Hunter's Holiday -

Don't You Just Hate It?

True Story:

Wifeypoo & I are having an argument. It ends though when we figure out that we've been agreeing with each other from the beginning. We were just using different words to express the same thing.

Hey!!! We were both right.

It's so satisfying to end an argument that way.

~~~~~
I love the English language.
~~~~~

- While posting this I discovered that typing "ARGUEMANT" gets the squiggly red line underneath that shows it is mis-spelled.

So I've mis-spelled the word and know I've been doing so for years. Google search pulls up a number 23 for the hits (prying1 "arguement") But I know some of those are duplicated and some are from pages where other people mis-spelled it but my name was involved because I was a commenter or innocent bystander.

Only ten times tops! Don't believe me? I'd like to argue all day over it but I don't want to start an arguement. Oops! - That's eleven.

Dictionary.com expects me to change my evil ways and spell it "ARGUMENT".

Now! Should I continue mis-spelling it or straighten up my act?

~~~~~
I vote for cleaning up my act.
~~~~~

Which brings me up to the quote of the day:
- from Who Was She - a short story written by Bayard Taylor

...if confession were not good for the soul, though harder than sin to some people, of whom I am one....

~~~~~

~~~~~
Technorati Tags -
life -
Humor -
Family -

~~~~~
Write in Cary Cartter for President in 2008
~~~~~
Visit Cary Cartter at
- "I'm Thinking of the "O" Word..." -

Children, Chapstick, Cats and Motherhood

This one take the cake. Happy Mother's Day!

A Mothers Day story by Sylvia Carey

Why My Lips Stayed Chapped on Mother's Day


We had this great 10 year old cat named Jack who just recently died. Jack was a great cat and the kids would carry him around and sit on him and nothing ever bothered him. He used to hang out and nap all day long on this mat in our bathroom.



Well, we have 3 kids and at the time of this story they were 4 years old, 3 years old and 1 year old. The middle one is Eli. Eli really loves Chapstick. LOVES it. He kept asking to use my Chapstick and then losing it. So finally one day I showed him where in the bathroom I keep my Chapstick and how he could use it whenever he wanted to but he needed to put it right back in the drawer when he was done.



Last year on Mother's Day, we were having the typical rush around and try to get ready for Church with everyone crying and carrying on. My two boys are fighting over the toy in the cereal box. I am trying to nurse my little one at the same time I am putting on my make-up. Everything is a mess and everyone has long forgotten that this is a wonderful day to honor me and the amazing job that is motherhood. We finally have the older one and and the baby loaded in the car and I am looking for Eli. I have searched everywhere and I finally round the corner to go into the bathroom. And there was Eli. He was applying my Chapstick very carefully to Jack's . . . rear end.

Eli looked right into my eyes and said "chapped."

Now if you have a cat, you know that he is right--their little butts do look pretty chapped. And, frankly, Jack didn't seem to mind. And the only question to really ask at that point was whether it was the FIRST time Eli had done that to the cat's behind or the hundredth.

And THAT is my favorite Mother's Day moment ever because it reminds us that no matter how hard we try to civilize these glorious little creatures, there will always be that day when you realize they've been using your Chapstick on the cat's butt.

- Sylvia Carey

Technorati Tags -
Mother's Day -
Humor -
Funny -
Family -
Life -


~~~~~
Write in Cary Cartter for President in 2008
~~~~~

Where's Tim Allen When You Need Him?

I can't figure it out. Maybe I've still got too much bachelor in me. Wifeypoo starts the washing machine so I figure to throw in a few socks. Which I do.

What the??? Cold water for both cycles... Medium height on the water level??? AND MEDIUM SPEED!!!

Wifeypoo Doesn't know how to work a stupid washing machine.

I wonder if Tim Allen could come over and soup up the machine?

*** Reality Check ***

Tim Allen is an actor and really doesn't know how to soup up stuff around the house. Besides. Putting a 5HP Briggs and Stratton on a washing machine might not be cost effective.

***End Reality Check ***

Close the lid. Step away from the machine. Hope she doesn't notice the socks when she throws the stuff in the drier. Walk away...

Whew that was a close one.

But how does she expect the stuff to get clean if she doesn't have it on Hot/Hot-Full load-Max Speed?

Shut up brain and keep walking feet...

~~~~~

- UPDATE -

Wifeypoo found the socks but didn't say anything. I don't think it is the silent treatment because she said goodbye and gave me a kiss as she left for work. I did however have to carry the socks all the way from the drier to the drawer...

~~~~~

Technorati Tags -
Home -
Life -
Family -
Humor -
Funny -

Typical Conversation - True Story

True story (just happened)

~~~~~
Scene - Wifeypoo comes in the front door greeted by loving husband.
~~~~~

Hubby: Did you have dinner yet?

Wifeypoo: Did you?

Hubby: I had some pistachios.

Wifeypoo: I had some potato chips.

Hubby: OK. as long as we both ate we don't need to cook tonight.

Wifeypoo: I'll make a salad.

Hubby: Wonderful! - '24' is about to come on. Please make it quietly...

~~~~~

Technorati Tags -
24 -
Family -
Home -

For Seth

This poem was written by a wonderful lady whose faith is apparent in her emails. That doesn't mean we don't have to lift her and her family up in prayer. It would be a good thing if throughout your day and as it comes to your memory to say a quick, "Lord, protect them." for all the service men helping to bring freedom and democracy to this troubled world.

The Weavers like countless other families have a son in Iraq. After Rusty's recent departure Debbie wrote this poem.

LITLE MAN SETH

Now Big Guy you dry those tears

Take my hand and share your fears.

I’m going back--that makes you sad?

Well, come real close, listen to dad:

You know I’d rather stay home with you

But dad’s a soldier with things to do.

I’ll think of you and make some plans

While I work in desert sands;

When my duty is done at last

I’m coming home to you real fast.

So go to school, learn and play

And patiently await my homecoming day.

Love, Dad

Autumn in My Heart!

The following was sent to me from a friend who is a poet as well as a loving mother. Debbie's son Rusty is serving us in Iraq and his daughter Autumn, along with his sons Seth and Austin, needs you to pray for his safety!

Autumn in My Heart

Daddy loves you this I know

For my heart has told me so,

Though through war we part awhile

I carry in my heart a smile,

For when I'm tired, alone or sad

I just remember I'm your dad.

While I'm gone remember this:

Upon your cheek your daddy's kiss,

My whispered tales of things to come

When my duty here is done;

And in your ear my promise true

I will come back home to you.

Love,

Daddy

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------