Wednesday, August 31, 2005

People are goin' freakin' nuts!!!

I knew there was going to be a problem when I heard one of my co-workers hang up the phone from talking to her husband and say, "Well, gas is $3.89."

When I left work, traffic was backed up more than usual. The reason? There was a gas station on the corner and people were lining up to fill up. I got to the next light and had to sit through it twice. Why? There was a gas station at that corner and people were cramming themselves into that parking lot to jockey for a place at the pump.

The highest priced gas I saw on my way home was $2.92, however there was no less then 20-30 cars in que to get gas at every gas station I passed. Man! I'm glad I filled up when it was still $2.58 and had my choice of pumps the day Katrina hit.

I know that things are going to get worse. They always do the weekend of a holiday and with Katrina having wrecked havoc it just exacerbates things to the nth degree.

Car pool, anyone?

Sunday, August 28, 2005

Hello from Red's Sister!

Greetings all your Red readers! I am Joan and for those of you that don't already know this, I am Red's sister.

While Red is on vacation with the Captain, she is asking me and her son (my nephew) to fill in for her. We are all inconsistent bloggers at best, so this should be interesting! LOL!

I wanted to share one of my favorite memories of my sister when we were younger: When I was little, and even a little now that I'm grown, I was scared of storms. When I was 3 or 4, it had been an especially stormy Spring and I woke my parents up regularly to get into bed with them because the lightening and thunder terrified me. Finally they had enough and told me that I was not to wake them up that night and to stay in my own bed. Lo and behold, a big storm with big lightening and thunder came and I was scared to death and alone in my room. The lightbulb went off over my little bitty head and I went to my Sissy's room. She sleepily pulled back the covers and I got into bed with her and instantly felt safe enough to sleep. The next morning, my parents were panic stricken when they peered into my room and saw that I was not there. They checked the entire house from top to bottom EXCEPT for my sister's room. Finally, they opened the door to her room to wake her up to help them look for me, and found us curled together in her bed. Because they had been so scared, they fussed at us, but neither of us had done anything wrong. I didn't wake them up and I found a place to be safe - with my Sissy.

To say that I adore my sister would be a massive understatement. She is one of the two most important people in my life - the other being my nephew - and I love her more than I can say.

:-)

Saturday, August 27, 2005

We're Off

And not to see the wizard!

"The Trip" is upon us and the hub and I will be out of town for week. In the interim I have asked my son and my seaster to guest blog for me. No telling what kind of treats you are in for!

Also AC is back! Check out his new blog via blogrolling on the left. I have recently disovered another blog of a poetic woman, Contraptions. Check out her writings also and leave them all a note or 2 that you visited their blogs and what you thought!

See ya in a week.

Unless I get some really great pics.. then I will post them!

Red

Friday, August 26, 2005

Friday's Funnies

NEW DRUGS FOR WOMEN

D A M N I T O L -Take 2 and the rest of the world can go to hell for up to 8 full hours.

ST. M O M M A'S W O R T - Plant extract that treats mom's depression by rendering preschoolers unconsciousfor up to two days.

E M P T Y N E S T R O G E N - Suppository that eliminates melancholy and loneliness by reminding you of howawful they were as teenagers and how you couldn't wait till they moved out.

P E P T O B I M B O - Liquid silicone drink for single women. Two full cups swallowed before anevening out increases breast size, decreases intelligence, and preventsconception.

D U M B E R O L - When taken with Peptobimbo, can cause dangerously low IQ, resulting in enjoymentof country music and pickup trucks.

F L I P I T O R - Increases life expectancy of commuters by controlling road rage and the urge toflip off other drivers.

M E N I C I L L I N - Potent anti-boy-otic for older women. Increases resistance to such lethal linesas, "You make me want to be a better person .Can we get naked now?.

BUYAGRA - Injectable stimulant taken prior to shopping. Increases potency, duration, andcredit limit of spending spree.

J A C K A S S P I R I N - Relieves headache caused by a man who can't remember your birthday, anniversary,phone number, or to lift the toilet seat.

A N T I-T A L K S I D E N T - A spray carried in a purse or wallet to be used on anyone too eager to sharetheir life stories with total strangers in elevators.

N A G A M E N T - When administered to a boyfriend or husband, provides the same irritation levelas nagging him.

Thursday, August 25, 2005

The Trip

Check this out!

Be sure to view the photo gallery also!

The Trip is getting close!

I Just Love This...


Think before you say something stupid!

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Where does your surname come from?

As we all know I am intrigued by Genealogy. Today I thought I would post something kinda fun. Yes they want you to "buy" their membership but seeing the origins of your surname is free and kinda cool!

Try it!

Search for your surname origins here!

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

A Tuesday Tantrum

Tipping Etiquette goes both ways. We are told via news articles or TV stories that standard tipping is 15% for lunch, 20% for dinner. We can even buy the little tipping cheater charts billfold size for all those times pressure is high, (or you have has a wee bit too much to drink) and you can’t think quickly on what that amount should be. Restaurants hire servers at a low wage with the intent their tips should bring it up quite well. (so I guess actually the guilt trip to tip starts here.)

But what about tipping etiquette for wait staff?

The hub and I have gone out, relaxed and had a nice meal. The service was good, my tea glass kept full, and the waitperson has checked with us just enough times to tend our needs but not be annoying. They leave the bill with out making a production of it and step away.

Upon their return to see if we are ready to pay and collect their little black book, they make the mistake of opening their mouths and saying one version of:

“Do you need your change?”
“Do you want your change?”
“Do you want me to bring back your change?”

Ever had a sentence or phrase or statement that just made your skin crawl? This is one of mine. Any version of one of the above sentences makes me wish I hadn’t or wouldn’t have tipped my server. The server is assuming what is in the little black book covers the meal and the rest is for them. (My momma taught me to never assume as we all know what that does.) They are just rude questions in my book.

I want to retort with:

“Of course I need my change!”
“Of course I want my change!”
Or a rousing “Hell Yeah I want my change back!”

But I don’t, as I do not want to stoop to their level. Instead my face flushes red as the irritation rises and the “momma instinct” in me wants to scold them and teach them some manners. They may have been better than a say 20% tip server but they just blew it. The hub and I work hard for the money and a dinner out is one of the things we enjoy from our hard work. It’s like the server is laying a guilt trip on you for wanting any of your money back. IE: a $10 meal and all I have is a $20 to but in that little black money eating server book. Now don’t get me wrong, the hub and I are good tippers if we get good service, usually more than the 15 or 20 percent we are all taught. The hub likes to make the bill come out to even dollars which more often than not works out in their favor. Also my first few employment opportunities where being a waitress, anywhere from a burger joint to a truck stop. I TOTALLY understand the servers need for tips.

What ever happened to the simple, non-assuming polite phrase:

“I’ll be right back with your change.”

OMG such a simple phrase!

Doesn’t that sound nice even?!

It puts me at ease, shows the servers have manners and actually makes me like that server more. All things which more than likely would lead to more tip. It also puts the ball in my court and opens up the floor for me to say:

“The rest is for you, thank you.”
Or
“Just plain, “Thank you!”, if I happen to have only a large bill(s).

One day I am going get up the gumption to give a little "what for" speech to them..
maybe..
Every time I think I can, I hear my mom lecturing me on manners in the back of my mind. One of her standard statements was “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”
What I would say would not be nice.
So I choose to say nothing.

But I do think the next time it happens I am going to ask for the manager and tell him what I think. This should be part of the training of wait staff and any manager should frown upon hearing anyone say the above, abrasive, irritating phrases.

If I ran a restaurant it would be one of many teaching points for my team!

Friday, August 19, 2005

Friday's Funnies

After a hardy rainstorm filled all the potholes in the streets and alleys, a young mother watched her two little boys playing in the puddle through her kitchen window.

The older of the two, a five-year old lad, grabbed his sibling by the back of his head and shoved his face into the water hole. As the boy recovered and stood laughing and dripping, the mother runs to the yard in a panic.

"Why on earth did you do that to your little brother?", she asks as she shook the older boy in anger.

"We were just playing 'church' mommy," he said. "I was baptizing him in the name of the Father, the Son, and in the hole-he-goes!"


OK so if nothing else, have a good day!

Red

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Natures signs of things to come?

OK I am already afraid of snakes, any snake would be harmful to me because I am sure I would injure myself trying to get away from it. But can you imagine this ?
And then in the sea that I oh so love to be near, these creatures are trying their tenicles at land-lubbing.

Doesn't it make you wonder what is going on that drives them to this? And both of these happening now?

Hummmmmmm Natures gotta be telling us something, but will we listen? Can we hear?

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Wednesday Bit O' Genealogy



Give a hearty raise of the mug to: George Abernethy DeBarrie, born about 1580 in Barrie, Strath Isla, Baniff, Scotland. His father's name was Thomas.
George had at least 2 sons; Robert A. Abernethy and William Abernethy. Robert was my first relative on the Abernethy side to come to the U.S. (1652). (More on Robert another time.)The name Abernethy was anglo-sized to Abernathy after they came to the states.
The legendary beginning of the Abernathy or Abernethy name is from the 5th century AD in Scotland. The name is first mentioned, as a church, in the famous Pictish Chronicles, which lists the founder of the church at Abernethy as King Nectan (Nathan) about the year 470 AD. He may have been the Nectan who was converted to Christianity at Restinoth, the monastery in the parish of Forfar, by Boniface, an Israelite and a descendant of the Jonah, father of the apostles Peter and Andrew. According to the Chronicles, Nectan had been banished to Ireland by his brother, but St. Brigid of Ireland had prophesied that he would return to possess the kingdom in peace. When he did return as prophesied, he built the church at Abernethy to honor St. Brigid, who is said to have died there in 518 AD. Later, a second larger church was built there by King Gartnaith. In the 8th Century AD, the holy man, St. Donald lived with his nine virgin daughters at Ogilvy in Forfarshire. After he died, his daughters moved to Abernethy and established a monastery near Banff in Scotland, though legend says that they first lived in a hollowed out tree. The monastery at Abernethy, with its famous, still existing tower, built about 850 AD, is one of the three most famous towers in Britain. This tower was used as place of refuge by King Malcolm III and his family. The location of this church, near Perth, is at the confluence of the mouths of the Earn and Tay Rivers. The Nethy river flows into the Tay very close to Abernethy Church, which in Gaelic means- by the ford (Aber) of the River Nethy. Another possible meaning of the name is Ab Earn Ne Tay, meaning by the ford of the rivers Earn and Tay.
My Abernethy family is of the Clan Leslie.

Cheers George!

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

The Trip

Well it is coming up on about 2 weeks before we go on

THE TRIP
TRIP
Trip
trip

We are going to be near here and here and I read that agates, amethysts and such are found on the beaches and nearby paths. So guess who will be combing the beaches?!?!

Between the B&B inn stay, these 2 areas and seeing this area,
me thinks our time is going to be full!

Did you know:

Many victims of the Titanic sinking are buried in 3 of Halifax city cemeteries and they have an extensive collection of Titanic artifacts?

Friday, August 12, 2005

Friday's Funnies

A young blonde was on vacation and driving through the Everglades . She wanted to take home a pair of genuine alligator shoes in the worst way, but was very reluctant to pay the high prices the local vendors were asking. After becoming very frustrated with the "no haggle on prices" attitude of one of the shopkeepers, the blonde shouted, "Well then, maybe I'll just go out and catch my own alligator, so I can get a pair of shoes for free!"

The shopkeeper said with a sly, knowing smile, "Little lady, just go and give it a try!"

The blonde headed out toward the swamps, determined to catch an alligator.

Later in the day, as the shopkeeper is driving home, he pulls over to the side of the levee where he spots that same young woman standing waist deep in the murky bayou water, shotgun in hand. Just then, he spots a huge 9-foot gator swimming rapidly toward her. With lightning speed, she takes aim, kills the creature and hauls it onto the slimy bank of the swamp. Lying nearby were 7 more of the dead creatures, all lying on their backs.

The shopkeeper stood on the bank, watching in silent amazement.

The blonde struggled and flipped the gator onto its back.

Rolling her eyes heavenward and screaming in great frustration, she shouts out ..

"CRAP... THIS ONE'S BAREFOOT TOO!"

Friday, August 05, 2005

Friday's Funnies

A man approached the minister at his church...."Reverend," he said, "We have a problem. My wife keeps falling asleep during your sermons. It's very embarrassing, not to mention disrespectful. What can I do?"

"I've noticed this and have an idea if you're up to the task," said the minister. "Take this hat pin with you. I can see when Mrs. Jones is sleeping, and will motion to you. When I motion, you give her a good poke in the leg with the hat pin."

In church the following Sunday, Mrs. Jones dozed off. Noticing this, the preacher put his plan to work. "And who made the ultimate sacrifice for you?" he said nodding to Mr. Jones.

"Jesus!" Mrs. Jones cried out as her husband jabbed her in the leg with the sharp hat pin.

"Yes! You are correct, Mrs. Jones!" came the minister's quick reply.

Mrs. Jones then turned and glared angrily at her husband.

Soon, Mrs. Jones again nodded off. The minister noticed. "Who is your redeemer?" he asked the congregation, motioning toward Mr. Jones.

"My God!" howled Mrs. Jones as she was stuck again with the pin.

"Right again!" Bellowed the minister, a slight grin on his face. Mrs. Jones again gave her husband a real hard threatening glare.

Before long, though, she again nodded off. This time however, the minister did not notice. As he picked up the tempo of his sermon, he made a few hand gestures that Mr. Jones mistook as signals to sharply poke his wife with the hat pin again.

The minister asked, "And what did Eve say to Adam after she bore him his 99th son?"

Mrs. Jones jumped up and shouted, "You stick that thing in me one more time and I'll break it in half and shove it where the sun don't shine!"

"Amen!" replied all the women in the congregation.

Thursday, August 04, 2005

"The Trip"

Time is getting closer for "The Trip"


trip
trip
trip
hear that in a deep, thunderous, echoing voice.

Although time is not passing as fast as I would like!

The Hub and I have booked us a romantic little nite away here Gourmet Meal and all!

Cool!

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

Meet David Tobe Yarbrough, my Great Grandfather..



He just appeared from heaven one day with a boom!
Not really, but he is the brick wall for those of us on the Yarbrough side. He had parents of course and brothers, (not sure about sisters) and according to him he was born in Florence, Alabama, April 27th, 1865. He died in Fort Worth Texas, March 8, 1938.
Whatever happened with his family started in 1905, when his fisrt wife Laura died. My grandmother (from his second wife, Nannie) really didn't know much about his family herself. Apparently her dad would not talk about it. He married his second wife, Nannie Mae Brazell(sp) July 3, 1915. She was married before to a Weshellison(sp) and had one son Euel(sp). At least that is what the 1920 Census says his name is and if you have done any research, you know that is always open to interpretation! He had one son, Charlie, that was kidnapped by a couple helping him tend the kids after Nannie Mae died. More on Charlie in the future...

Also I know he worked for the city of Fort Worth before he died and I have found him in the 1920 and 1930 Census. I am hoping someone, sometime in the future will search his name on the net and find me!

So please bare with me through these weekly posts!
Some of them will be where anyone can enjoy from either their entertaining careers, or weird ways.

Stand by for those!

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Nice little birthday gifts

I received a package from my son for my birthday, and inside was a nice little suprise...
A second gift from his friend Denise!

Written on the outside was...

This is from Denise, I told her all about you and she thought you'd like it! I agreed!

Love,

Eric



I opened it up,

Curious to what someone who doesn’t know me (except through what my son passes on) would think I like.

I carefully opened the package and inside was…..

(see pic below)

I LMAO!!!

Nice little birthday gifts