Rush this...

How fun - Rush Limbaugh is back-pedaling from his comments about phony soldiers hot on the heels of the MoveOn ad. And, here is one of the phony soldiers commenting back to Mr. Limbaugh, whose never been in the military and claims he had a medical reason to not serve in Vietnam.

Ingrown butt hair, it seems.

Apparently, although his medical records suggest that he was healed, his ass is still bothering him. Maybe it's that boil on his ass that causes his vituperance and mean spirited statements.

I must now report that my interest in a Phaeton is deader than a doornail. The stories I read last week about the significant mechanical issues, and the expected dealership experiences killed it, when added to my level of frustration at my treatment at David Taylor, and other Houston area dealers over the last twenty years.

Went to Nicole's grandmother's this morning to sit with her while she had another estate sale - got a bunch of wooden hangars, cleaning supplies, ash trays for Bram's courtyard, a hall tree for the office. Met David at Red Robin for lunch, and had fun watching a private ambulance pull out of the parking lot and rip the nose off of a Toyota Corolla in the parking lot. I swear that the driver was considering just driving off, but then he realized that there were people watching, and he stopped.

After that, home to meet up with a guy from a Craigslist ad that I posted who was interested in some of my model trains. He was a tad early, and he bought five locomotives from me. Then, we went to Target, picked up my Byetta prescription ($242.00) and went to Petco and bought a new clipper for Jackie's forest of dirty hair, came home. Was planning on going to Baytown to look at the desk. I called, and the guy wasn't around. He's called a bunch of times to tell me I could go over there, but my intended window was already closed. I haven't listened to the messages yet.

Then, we had a nap - well, I had a nap. It was a hard nap, in which one awakens in a dazed state. My dazed state included waking from a dream that I was being choked by my room mate. NOT the most fun one can have. Time to make another Psych-K appointment, I'm guessing. It IS my birthday, so it's something I can give myself.

I'm invited to a party tonight; why do I so NOT want to do these things?

Friday stuffage

Thought I had a developing flat tire this morning heading in to work when the dash warning popped on and said "you have a tire about to go flat, dummy. Didn't you CHECK the tires?" Stopped at Discount Tire - they pulled all four, dunked them into the water and found .. nothing. One tire was three pounds low on air, but big whoo.

Yesterday, I had the car over at the OTHER tire place - NTB for a rotate/balance and alignment. I picked the car up and as I was waiting for them to print the paperwork, one of the technicians was looking out the front windows and said to those of us at the counter "That sure is a beautiful car. I want to talk to that guy when he comes in."

The guy who was finishing my paperwork says to him "which car?" The tech says "That red Bonneville - that's even that GXP model. They didn't make very many. It's just so beautiful."

I said "uh, hi there - that's my car. Thanks!"

It's always a great feeling of validation when a car guy is openly admiring your car. I guess I should wax it this weekend, huh?

Have a guy coming over tomorrow after lunch to look at some of the model trains, which would be AWESOME, as I could convert those he buys into new desk furniture for myself here at the office. I have found some in a Baytown warehouse (owned by a guy that Judy knows) that is SO awesome - it's .. well, I'll just post some pictures.







Isn't that yummy looking? It would be so much more attractive than this tackarama metal furniture that's here now.



You can't really see it from MY side, where the drawers are all busted, the formica is all chewed up and so on.

More Dexter watching tonight, it seems. I'm SO glad to be re-Treo'd. You have NO idea.

Friday stuffage

Thought I had a developing flat tire this morning heading in to work when the dash warning popped on and said "you have a tire about to go flat, dummy. Didn't you CHECK the tires?" Stopped at Discount Tire - they pulled all four, dunked them into the water and found .. nothing. One tire was three pounds low on air, but big whoo.

Yesterday, I had the car over at the OTHER tire place - NTB for a rotate/balance and alignment. I picked the car up and as I was waiting for them to print the paperwork, one of the technicians was looking out the front windows and said to those of us at the counter "That sure is a beautiful car. I want to talk to that guy when he comes in."

The guy who was finishing my paperwork says to him "which car?" The tech says "That red Bonneville - that's even that GXP model. They didn't make very many. It's just so beautiful."

I said "uh, hi there - that's my car. Thanks!"

It's always a great feeling of validation when a car guy is openly admiring your car. I guess I should wax it this weekend, huh?

Have a guy coming over tomorrow after lunch to look at some of the model trains, which would be AWESOME, as I could convert those he buys into new desk furniture for myself here at the office. I have found some in a Baytown warehouse (owned by a guy that Judy knows) that is SO awesome - it's .. well, I'll just post some pictures.







Isn't that yummy looking? It would be so much more attractive than this tackarama metal furniture that's here now.



You can't really see it from MY side, where the drawers are all busted, the formica is all chewed up and so on.

More Dexter watching tonight, it seems. I'm SO glad to be re-Treo'd. You have NO idea.

Thursday -

So, I am slogging along here, trying to get motivated.

I think I've met my new boyfriend.

It's been glorious weather of late. The new hibiscus on the courtyard are thriving. The garage is coming up for scrutiny tomorrow. The floors are as well. And, touch-up painting, I think. Maybe some carpet shampooing, even.

The Byetta that I was prescribed on Wednesday costs $225 per month instead of the $120 I was told earlier. I think I need to call around on that.

Going to Orlando for the first time ever for Matticia's 30th birthday and Halloween. Don't think I'll tell my Dad I'm there - Hmm.

Monday, Monday ver 1124.11

I'm starting today with a delightful piece of sarcasm and humor that I found last night; I know you won't click through to share in my amusement, so I'm going to show you here:

Care And Feeding Instructions
by Hunter
Sun Sep 23, 2007 at 05:15:38 PM PDT

Congratulations on your purchase of your new 110th Congress! These care and feeding instructions will help ensure many years of future enjoyment of your Congress: please read them carefully.

CONTENTS

As packaged, your new Congress contains:

* 1 Capitol (white)
* 435 live Representatives (also mostly white)
* 100 live Senators (mostly blazingly, translucently white)
* Congress Chow, in the form of hundreds of billions of dollars in cash
* A variety of checks and balances. You may set these aside: they don't actually do anything.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soon after installing your new Congress, a green, cash-rich buildup may occur. This buildup is a normal part of the ecological balance in your Congress; the murky green colors will fade slightly as the ratio of legislators to beneficial lobbyists finds a natural balance.

2. Do not expose your Congress to direct sunlight, as this may cause excessive "loss" of Senators and Representatives. In order to best ensure the health of your Congress, keep it in a dimly lit place, preferably near a variety of restaurants.

3. If your Congress begins looking drab, place an American flag behind the tank. This will stimulate your Congressmen into a variety of unusual displays. When the effect fades, add more flags.

4. Do not taunt your Congress. Their feelings are easily hurt, and may result in uncontrollable, deafening wailing. If this happens, add additional flags.

5. A certain amount of sexual perversion is normal. If your household includes children, place your Congress in a location where children will not have direct access to it. Positioning your Congress away from telephone and other communications equipment will help prevent a buildup of prostitutes.

6. As normal behavior, your Senators and Representatives will travel in schools. You may notice portions of your Congress from time to time erupt in panic over an unseen enemy, usually hippies or communists. This is normal, and will usually resolve itself through a series of sternly worded but ineffectual bills.

7. Your Congress is a carefully organized hierarchical society. Watch them work together to build highways, bridges, and overfunded vanity projects. Do not, however, expect them to show interest in you or acknowledge your presence in any way. If that's what you wanted, you should have bought a dog.

8. Under optimal conditions, your Congress may develop one or two Presidential Candidates. The bright colors and dramatic displays of these creatures can provide hours of entertainment. While Presidential Candidates may add excitement to your Congress, note that they are territorial and prone to fighting: keep Candidates separate as much as possible. Also, be aware that Presidential Candidates require ten times the amount of nutrition of other legislators, so feed regularly.

9. Clean your Congress every two years to remove buildup and prevent disease. Wipe your Congress with a disinfecting solution made up of cursory debate, weakly contested primaries, and embarrassingly shallow campaign coverage. It won't make the slightest bit of difference, but what the hell -- it will give you something to do.

All sales final. No refunds. May exchange for identically dysfunctional Congress only.

What a writer!! I laughed each time that I read that last night.

Went plant shopping this weekend - Houston Garden Center had 70% off of flowering shrubs, and I got four hibiscus for $24. WOW. We planted the courtyard yesterday; Jeremy did the re-potting and I put up more basket hangers, attached the three planter boxes I had purchased for the big house to the garage wall where we're going to grow herbs, and cleaned up. It looks a lot better. Not as good as it WILL look eventually, but good.

We also went to install the new garbage disposer that I got at Sears to replace the one that was leaking from every joint and connection. Got the old one out; can't get the new one in. I'm at home waiting for the plumber I called from Craigslist to come install it for me.

He's late.

Picked up the used TV that I bought a few months ago (which broke after five weeks.) $239 for the repair plus the money I paid for it - not the best decision I've ever made, but it works again. With it, I can listen to cable programs in digital stereo; without it, my receiver isn't sophisticated enough to do that.

Hard to believe that I've had that receiver nearly ten years. Well, nine, maybe. I'd have to look.

Still Phaeton-izing, and have been reading online about Phaeton owners who are (gasp) having trouble with the complexity of the car, the expense of repairs and the unwillingness of VW to have its extended warranty cover such repairs.

As in - sensors that go bad easily, but require replacement of the larger component to fix properly. Like, the torque converter. And, on the W12 model (which is the one I like so much) to replace the torque converter, you have to pull the entire engine/transmission, can't use pneumatic or hydraulic wrenches, have to replace transmission fluid (which you can't do while the engine's in the car) and other nonsense. In other words, the repair shop (by not following the instructions) could seriously screw up your car. AND, how many boys do you know that read the instructions?

I mean, I downloaded the sunroof adjustment instructions from the internet for my car. Clearly, David Taylor didn't use them.

AND, the Phaeton W12 (2004 model) has different computerized, adjustable shocks than does the 2005 and 2006, AND if one goes bad, you have to replace all four since the newer model isn't compatible with the old model and the car's myriad on board computers can't communicate successfully with a mixed set. And, "shocks" are considered a wear item, not covered by the VW warranty. And, the new shocks are One Thousand Seven Hundred Fifty dollars.

Each.

In OTHER other words, a Phaeton could produce some serious financial headaches for the un-heeled owner. Plus, many opportunities for dealer indifference, and you KNOW how well I (don't) respond to that.

Thusly, I'm thinking that the Phaeton should be relegated to the realm of "saved by the Grace of God," and it's time to move on.

The plumber has called; he should be here shortly.

OJ and Bram are both yet asleep. Bram's been sick, and who knows how late OJ stayed up last night. He's supposed to be up to supervise the plumber. Ah, well.

A ton of work to accomplish this week. Bleh. Have to order the mailers to let people know I'm not doing tax work next year, and referring them to the two people I've picked to send them to (geographically vetted, of course.)