Heidy-Ho, Blogging Pals!! Oh my gosh! This is just too good to keep to myself.
So... the spousal-unit has very specific eating customs. Some of you are aware of this. Others are not. Let me just summarize his customs for you:
1) Meat? Eat it.
2) Potato? Eat it.
3) Bean? Eat it.
4) Bread (all variations including tortillas)? Eat it.
5) Green (other than LeSeur peas)? Don't go near it. It will hurt you.
6) Vegetable other than corn or LeSeur peas? No need for any of that nonsense!
7) Fruit? Consider it when in the bi-annual mood for same.
8) All else? Proceed with extreme caution. Only trusted items are corn and LeSeur peas.
I hope you have a complete understanding of the very limited diet the poor man chooses. I don't know how he stands it. There really is no actual variety there.
At any rate... we were over at my aunt's house for lunch one day. The menu included pork chops (see #1 above), corn bread (see #4 above), turnip greens (see #5 & #6 above), and a pot full of items that had the appearance of boiled potatoes (see #2 above).
My aunt's plate was on the table, I returned to the table with mine, and the spousal-unit headed into the kitchen to serve himself. Imagine my surprise when he returned with several small, boiled, white items on his plate!!!! My surprise, clearly, was due to MY knowledge that they were TURNIPS!!! Why on EARTH would he even put those on his plate? Surely he KNOWS they are turnips? But then... even after the 19+ years I have known the man, he still surprises me sometimes. This may be one of those times. I am not going to say anything.
So, Debbie has now seated herself with her plate and we have all begun to dine. Debbie and I both happened to glance at the spousal-unit about the same time... the moment that the first fork with small, boiled, white pieces hit his lips. I only wish you all could have shared that moment with us. His lips pressed together, then twisted. His eyes shot from side-to-side. His nose crinkled exactly as one expects Santa's to do after hearing "The Night Before Christmas." I have never seen that face. I immediately turned my eyes back to my own plate after a brief glance at Debbie. Debbie was nearly choking on the sip of water she had been taking. I just kept eating, thinking that he would simply not continue with the turnips after having had that experience.
Nope. I was wrong. His mother (thank you, Kathy!) had raised a polite man. He completely covered the offensive vegetables with salt and a blackening pouring of pepper. He then proceeded to put a piece of cornbread followed by one of the offending pieces of turnip on the fork. I couldn't watch any more. Debbie said he didn't even chew the forkful. He would just swallow and have a drink of water. In short order, the turnips were gone.
So... after we had retired to the den for a little mid-day news and conversation with the aunt, I couldn't help myself. I looked across the room at the sweet, polite spousal-unit and asked, "So, Ron-Man? How did you enjoy your turnips?" Again, I wish you all had been there with us. He looked at me, eyes as big around as saucers, and said, "I THOUGHT those were the nastiest potatoes ever!" My aunt, Debbie, and I just about fell out of our respective seats laughing. He went on to tell us how he could not understand how the "potatoes" had turned out tasting so badly. He thought the cook had perhaps used the "green" water (from the turnip greens) to boil them. He also didn't know why they were so "mushy." Blogging Buddies... I cannot begin to explain to you that moment of recognition... when my beloved spousal-unit realized he had actually consumed TURNIPS!!! I was even more amazed that he kept them down!!
Needless to say, I'm fairly certain my fine spousal-unit will approach anything and everything with a bit more skepticism in the future. I suggested that it was perfectly okay to not eat something if, after tasting it, one did not find it tasty. I think he is just going to approach everything more cautiously... and maybe ask what's in the pot!
As we approach the beginning of the next decade, I wish you all a safe, happy, prosperous, and healthy New Year. Live each day to the fullest and don't get caught up in the small stuff.
Until next year!!!...
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS 2009
Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!! And a fine Merry Christmas to you all.
It's a lovely, sunny day here in southwest Louisiana. Colder than we like it... but lovely nonetheless.
Debbie and I took my aunt out to view the Christmas lights around town a couple of nights ago. Just in case you have not been fortunate enough to see some this year, I am going to post some for your viewing pleasure. Some were sacred, some secular. It didn't matter as the spirit of the Christmas season shone through either way. I will comment on a few but most will simply be there for you to enjoy without my babble!!
Many thanks to Debbie who was my photographer for the evening. We had her in the back seat, able to switch from side-to-side at a moment's notice to capture a display worthy of our attention. Heck... she even got out to get closer to some displays. That is a photographer you don't want to lose! LOL!! I was doing my best to drive at a turtle's pace without getting us run over.
I will mention that T-Claus in his pirogue pulled by his gator made his appearance in my front yard this year. Some of you recall this from Texas. :)
It's a lovely, sunny day here in southwest Louisiana. Colder than we like it... but lovely nonetheless.
Debbie and I took my aunt out to view the Christmas lights around town a couple of nights ago. Just in case you have not been fortunate enough to see some this year, I am going to post some for your viewing pleasure. Some were sacred, some secular. It didn't matter as the spirit of the Christmas season shone through either way. I will comment on a few but most will simply be there for you to enjoy without my babble!!
Many thanks to Debbie who was my photographer for the evening. We had her in the back seat, able to switch from side-to-side at a moment's notice to capture a display worthy of our attention. Heck... she even got out to get closer to some displays. That is a photographer you don't want to lose! LOL!! I was doing my best to drive at a turtle's pace without getting us run over.
I will mention that T-Claus in his pirogue pulled by his gator made his appearance in my front yard this year. Some of you recall this from Texas. :)
While we were out, we stopped at Debbie's, my friend's, and my aunt's friend's house, Sue, to enjoy her display. Sue had not yet turned the lights on but graciously scrambled to get them all on and running as we arrived! Debbie took a picture of Sue by the car, my aunt (well, actually just the top of my aunt's head!), and me at the wheel from Sue's yard. You can see we are all in fine form for the evening... even Sue's display!
I will also comment on the display below. I had not been aware Santa was from the Caribbean. I had only heard North Pole!! But these fine displays make it clear that Santa hails from parts tropical and might even enjoy a little rum in his egg nog! :)
(Yes, Santa has an "umbrella drink", a parrot, and flip-flops. I call this one "Smart Santa!")If you think Texans take their trucks a little too seriously, sometimes... check this out. It is full-sized, licensed, and used for business. While Debbie is a very accommodating photographer, I didn't think it wise to ask her to jump the fence to get the shot. I still think it's pretty recognizable!
Alright. I will let you all just enjoy the remaining pics. There were some very lovely displays and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
Peace and love to you all. I wish you a very Happy and Prosperous New Year!!
Until next post...
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
CUSTOMER SERVICE - AN OXYMORON
Hello again, Blogging Pals!! Thanks for stopping by!
Okay. I know the title makes you think a rant is coming... and you are right but only to a point. Having recently encountered four terrible "customer service" experiences, I am beyond ranting. I am simply at the point of no return... to those who have so badly wronged me (actually "us" as one experience was solely the spousal-unit's!).
The contest for First Place (Worst Possible Customer Service Known to Mankind) was a tie. I will score them both as #1 below. :)
#1 - A large computer firm. The spousal-unit had purchased three occurrences of "assistance" when he found his laptop shut down with a virus. He had a GREAT experience with the individual who assisted him and encouraged me to contact them to have my laptop "shadowed" and checked out. I had experienced some slowness and had a couple of pop-ups that were very suspicious. Even though I don't click on anything I suspect, I know it is not always necessary for me to do so for infection to occur. With that said... I set aside an afternoon, knowing it would likely take some time. This is when the nightmare began. I called the toll-free number on the receipt he had received in the mail when he had purchased these "assistance" calls. Without boring you with the detail, let's just say that when I reached the fifth person (which took one hour... I was timing each transfer!), I advised him I would not be transferred again and that I would hang up if he told me that was his intent. Another hour later (as he "shadowed" my laptop and pretty much didn't know any more than I did... AND he fouled up my HotSynch for my Palm Pilot!), he pronounced my laptop running much faster (it wasn't) and highly recommended that I purchase Norton 360 which he could provide to me (since he had removed my downloaded "free" spyware and told me it was that which was causing the slowness... which was not correct). I was so worn down and unable to process logical thought, I told him to send it on and leave me alone. It arrived about 3 business days later, I installed it, and my computer continues to run at about the same speed it did before I spent two hours sending my blood pressure through the roof. I will never, ever again purchase a product from this firm. That's my little way of fighting back.
#1 - A large wholesale club. Again, this was so incredible, I can't even begin to tell you how ridiculous it was. Bottom line: Found an item online that we wished to purchase. Price was good. No shipping info provided, however. We had found a similar product in one of the warehouses but it was not the size we needed. Could not purchase and put into truck to bring home. Tried to figure shipping but it turned out to show more than the item cost!! The three units we wanted would run about $180. The shipping for those three units would run about $297. LOL!! So, thinking I would try to email Customer Service, I submitted an online inquiry about how to determine actual shipping costs. The answer I got was to a) place the order [we're talking a commitment here!], b) contact Member Services with the order number, then c) Member Services would submit a REQUEST for a refund of shipping costs "for review." Are you getting this, Blogging Buddies? I am to commit to $300 in shipping costs for $180 worth of product then they will THINK ABOUT maybe refunding my shipping charges... or not. Uh... no. I fire back advising I need something more substantial and I will not allow charges on my credit card without some assurance they will be backed out. This is what I receive:
"Thank you for contacting XXX. A shipping quote can be given depending on quantity of item,
item has to be delivered to a commercial address with a dock, and if the member unloads truck. If you are fine with this, please provide the answers to the information requested. I apologize for any inconvenience" HUH??? Oh... and it has been nine days since my initial inquiry. Okay. So I email back the specifics on the order, advising it is for residential delivery AND that I have gone back to the web site to find a 42% increase in price for the product AND a "shipping charge" of $99. Maybe they added the shipping charge after one of my earlier emails? Dunno'. I include in my email response my concern that the pricing has changed dramatically and that, had this firm responded to me in a more timely manner, I would have been able to purchase at the previous price. I even suggest we would be happy to drive 50 miles to pick the items up if the firm can have them delivered to the store nearest to us!! What else can I do to make it easy for you to sell me something?!?!?!?!?!? Excuse me. I'm alright now. So... eight days later (we are now 17 days into this!), I get the following: "Thank you for contacting XXX regarding product information. A LTL quote can be given depending on quantity of item, item has to be delivered to a commercial address with a dock, and if you unload truck." Sigh. No one read what I wrote. No one paid any attention to my email which was VERY specific about lots of things... including the delivery was to a residence and the driver would need to unload the product. So... I fired back the final email advising I would not be doing business with them and my disappointment at the inability and/or unwillingness to actually respond to my very specific questions. Sigh.
#3 - A local flooring/countertop firm. On September 18th, I contacted this local firm asking if I could send measurements and photos to obtain a quote on countertop replacement (kitchen and two bathrooms). Absolutely. Send them on. I put together a package with photos and a diagram with measurements and emailed the on September 20th. I received a confirmation from the individual I had spoken with advising: "I did recieve the pictures and they are very good. I will forward the information on to the company and have an estimate for you as soon as possible." Okay. They would sub-contract this work out. That's fine. Today is December 22nd. I have had no further communication from this firm. You ask, "Well, Mary Nell. Why don't you call or email them to ask them why you haven't gotten anything?" I respond to you with this: With our nation in its current economic state and my quest to become a paying client, I should not have to beg anyone to take my money. I received a confirmation that my information was received. Someone, not me, should be following up. If I had handled my real estate clients this way, I would have never made a dime!
#4 - A local tire company. The spousal-unit found himself with a flat tire one morning. I suggested a local place that I knew of for him to take it. He returned, an hour and a half later, with a fixed tire but with a very bad taste in his mouth about the experience. The actual repair time for his tire was about 5 minutes. The actual cost for the repair was about $20. The problem? He was the only other person waiting. There were about 4 employees, all working on replacing rims and tires on another vehicle. That vehicle's owner was waiting, also. Instead of taking one person off of the rim/tire replacement job for five minutes to handle the repair on the spousal-unit's tire, these 4 employees continued working on the other vehicle until they were finished with it before addressing the 5-minute repair needed by the spousal-unit. He sat for nearly 90 minutes for a 5-minute repair. Hmmmmmmm. What about the concept of at least checking for his problem to determine if one of the four employees could handle it quickly? I dunno'. Call me customer-service queen!! Do ya' think?
Whew!!! Sorry about this one, folks. Just had to get these rants off my chest. I know now why Nordstrom's remains the poster-child for Customer Service Excellence. They actually provide it. There are tons of tales about how excellent their Customer Service has been over the years. They say a dissatisfied customer will tell 20 people about the bad experience whereas a satisfied customer may only tell one person.
Do you think folks just shrug their shoulders and continue doing business with firms that treat them so poorly? I don't know about that one. I know I have a few firms on my "banned" list and I will never darken their doors again. My refusal to do business with them will not cause them to go bankrupt and it may even create an inconvenience for me. I know that. But it is the only way I have to fight back against a system that rewards bad behavior. I encourage you to do the same. Do not tolerate poor service. You don't have to scream about it. You should let the representative or even his or her supervisor know when you feel your situation has been poorly handled. On the other side of that coin, you should take a few moments to let a supervisor know when one of his or her representatives has done a GOOD job for you!!!
Goodness! I really rambled on this one. Guess it is just that important to me.
We may be going to see Christmas lights this evening. I will try to capture a few worthy ones on digital and provide them to you in the next few days.
Thank you for listening. Until next post...
Okay. I know the title makes you think a rant is coming... and you are right but only to a point. Having recently encountered four terrible "customer service" experiences, I am beyond ranting. I am simply at the point of no return... to those who have so badly wronged me (actually "us" as one experience was solely the spousal-unit's!).
The contest for First Place (Worst Possible Customer Service Known to Mankind) was a tie. I will score them both as #1 below. :)
#1 - A large computer firm. The spousal-unit had purchased three occurrences of "assistance" when he found his laptop shut down with a virus. He had a GREAT experience with the individual who assisted him and encouraged me to contact them to have my laptop "shadowed" and checked out. I had experienced some slowness and had a couple of pop-ups that were very suspicious. Even though I don't click on anything I suspect, I know it is not always necessary for me to do so for infection to occur. With that said... I set aside an afternoon, knowing it would likely take some time. This is when the nightmare began. I called the toll-free number on the receipt he had received in the mail when he had purchased these "assistance" calls. Without boring you with the detail, let's just say that when I reached the fifth person (which took one hour... I was timing each transfer!), I advised him I would not be transferred again and that I would hang up if he told me that was his intent. Another hour later (as he "shadowed" my laptop and pretty much didn't know any more than I did... AND he fouled up my HotSynch for my Palm Pilot!), he pronounced my laptop running much faster (it wasn't) and highly recommended that I purchase Norton 360 which he could provide to me (since he had removed my downloaded "free" spyware and told me it was that which was causing the slowness... which was not correct). I was so worn down and unable to process logical thought, I told him to send it on and leave me alone. It arrived about 3 business days later, I installed it, and my computer continues to run at about the same speed it did before I spent two hours sending my blood pressure through the roof. I will never, ever again purchase a product from this firm. That's my little way of fighting back.
#1 - A large wholesale club. Again, this was so incredible, I can't even begin to tell you how ridiculous it was. Bottom line: Found an item online that we wished to purchase. Price was good. No shipping info provided, however. We had found a similar product in one of the warehouses but it was not the size we needed. Could not purchase and put into truck to bring home. Tried to figure shipping but it turned out to show more than the item cost!! The three units we wanted would run about $180. The shipping for those three units would run about $297. LOL!! So, thinking I would try to email Customer Service, I submitted an online inquiry about how to determine actual shipping costs. The answer I got was to a) place the order [we're talking a commitment here!], b) contact Member Services with the order number, then c) Member Services would submit a REQUEST for a refund of shipping costs "for review." Are you getting this, Blogging Buddies? I am to commit to $300 in shipping costs for $180 worth of product then they will THINK ABOUT maybe refunding my shipping charges... or not. Uh... no. I fire back advising I need something more substantial and I will not allow charges on my credit card without some assurance they will be backed out. This is what I receive:
"Thank you for contacting XXX. A shipping quote can be given depending on quantity of item,
item has to be delivered to a commercial address with a dock, and if the member unloads truck. If you are fine with this, please provide the answers to the information requested. I apologize for any inconvenience" HUH??? Oh... and it has been nine days since my initial inquiry. Okay. So I email back the specifics on the order, advising it is for residential delivery AND that I have gone back to the web site to find a 42% increase in price for the product AND a "shipping charge" of $99. Maybe they added the shipping charge after one of my earlier emails? Dunno'. I include in my email response my concern that the pricing has changed dramatically and that, had this firm responded to me in a more timely manner, I would have been able to purchase at the previous price. I even suggest we would be happy to drive 50 miles to pick the items up if the firm can have them delivered to the store nearest to us!! What else can I do to make it easy for you to sell me something?!?!?!?!?!? Excuse me. I'm alright now. So... eight days later (we are now 17 days into this!), I get the following: "Thank you for contacting XXX regarding product information. A LTL quote can be given depending on quantity of item, item has to be delivered to a commercial address with a dock, and if you unload truck." Sigh. No one read what I wrote. No one paid any attention to my email which was VERY specific about lots of things... including the delivery was to a residence and the driver would need to unload the product. So... I fired back the final email advising I would not be doing business with them and my disappointment at the inability and/or unwillingness to actually respond to my very specific questions. Sigh.
#3 - A local flooring/countertop firm. On September 18th, I contacted this local firm asking if I could send measurements and photos to obtain a quote on countertop replacement (kitchen and two bathrooms). Absolutely. Send them on. I put together a package with photos and a diagram with measurements and emailed the on September 20th. I received a confirmation from the individual I had spoken with advising: "I did recieve the pictures and they are very good. I will forward the information on to the company and have an estimate for you as soon as possible." Okay. They would sub-contract this work out. That's fine. Today is December 22nd. I have had no further communication from this firm. You ask, "Well, Mary Nell. Why don't you call or email them to ask them why you haven't gotten anything?" I respond to you with this: With our nation in its current economic state and my quest to become a paying client, I should not have to beg anyone to take my money. I received a confirmation that my information was received. Someone, not me, should be following up. If I had handled my real estate clients this way, I would have never made a dime!
#4 - A local tire company. The spousal-unit found himself with a flat tire one morning. I suggested a local place that I knew of for him to take it. He returned, an hour and a half later, with a fixed tire but with a very bad taste in his mouth about the experience. The actual repair time for his tire was about 5 minutes. The actual cost for the repair was about $20. The problem? He was the only other person waiting. There were about 4 employees, all working on replacing rims and tires on another vehicle. That vehicle's owner was waiting, also. Instead of taking one person off of the rim/tire replacement job for five minutes to handle the repair on the spousal-unit's tire, these 4 employees continued working on the other vehicle until they were finished with it before addressing the 5-minute repair needed by the spousal-unit. He sat for nearly 90 minutes for a 5-minute repair. Hmmmmmmm. What about the concept of at least checking for his problem to determine if one of the four employees could handle it quickly? I dunno'. Call me customer-service queen!! Do ya' think?
Whew!!! Sorry about this one, folks. Just had to get these rants off my chest. I know now why Nordstrom's remains the poster-child for Customer Service Excellence. They actually provide it. There are tons of tales about how excellent their Customer Service has been over the years. They say a dissatisfied customer will tell 20 people about the bad experience whereas a satisfied customer may only tell one person.
Do you think folks just shrug their shoulders and continue doing business with firms that treat them so poorly? I don't know about that one. I know I have a few firms on my "banned" list and I will never darken their doors again. My refusal to do business with them will not cause them to go bankrupt and it may even create an inconvenience for me. I know that. But it is the only way I have to fight back against a system that rewards bad behavior. I encourage you to do the same. Do not tolerate poor service. You don't have to scream about it. You should let the representative or even his or her supervisor know when you feel your situation has been poorly handled. On the other side of that coin, you should take a few moments to let a supervisor know when one of his or her representatives has done a GOOD job for you!!!
Goodness! I really rambled on this one. Guess it is just that important to me.
We may be going to see Christmas lights this evening. I will try to capture a few worthy ones on digital and provide them to you in the next few days.
Thank you for listening. Until next post...
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
CAREGIVERS - GOD'S GIFT
Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies! My apologies for the delayed posting. Those of you who know me well will understand that I was "down" with a physical challenge that precluded my ability to sit and type. Getting old ain't for the weak!! :) Thank goodness for a spousal-unit with a strong back and a mellow attitude. I am NOT a good patient!! But I am back and glad to be upright again. LOL!!
The tone of this blog is one of seriousness albeit with a little humor sprinkled in (as always!). I feel as though I have been remiss in lauding the Caregivers who kindly, tirelessly, and faithfully provide assistance to my aunt (and to others in the community). I was thinking about this the other day when I was in need of my own personal Caregiver! It is probably a relatively thankless job and I do try to remember to thank our Caregivers at my aunt's house. If I have not done so recently, I apologize for my lax attitude and want them all to know how much I truly appreciate what they do!!! In fact... I want all of YOU to know how fabulous they really are!
Debbie. Debbie became a member of the family during my mother's final illness in 2000. While my mother spent the last 10 months bedridden, she suffered no ill effects (bedsores) which is a huge indicator of the care that was taken to make sure she did not. There were other ladies taking shifts with my mother but Debbie was there during the work week. She monitored my mother's condition and took it upon herself to make sure the other caregivers were doing their best. (Understand that all of the ladies were really great during this time and I would hire any one of them again if they were seeking employment!) Debbie is one of those very special individuals who cares deeply about her patients. She becomes their friend... their confidante. She pays close attention to their likes and dislikes, making certain to provide their likes as often as possible. She listens to them even when they are not in a particularly good mood and sympathizes with the situation... whatever it is. She is a loving, caring, patient individual and one we should all strive to be like. I am so blessed that she remained friends with us all and is now my aunt's primary Caregiver. Oh... and she does all of this for others while handling her own household of one hubby and 3 boys. The boys are all out on their own now... but she still takes care of them in some ways. Thank you, Debbie, for selflessly sharing your time with us.
Carolyn. Carolyn was caring for the aunt of another lady. That aunt, unfortunately, passed on. When I was desperately trying to find someone in September of 2008 who could pull some hours, I was referred to Carolyn by the woman whose aunt had recently been in Carolyn's care. The recommendation was glowing. This was how I met my new friend, Carolyn. Carolyn came to join us and immediately fit in. She had been in the town for a good long while and knew many of the people my aunt knows. They had plenty of things to chat about and Carolyn was able to make some of those "connections" that are so important in a small town (who knows who, who is/was married to who, who is at what firm, who is retiring, etc.). She became enamored with one of the "pound puppies" that the neighbor, Susan L., brought over for a visit with my aunt and ended up adopting "Little Bit." We are now always curious and ask about how "Little Bit" is doing!! That little dog is apparently devilish, at best!! Carolyn always has a story about how "Little Bit" has gotten into something, gotten out of something, or gotten a bath due to something!! We enjoy the stories and the time Carolyn spends with us. Thank you, Carolyn, for your time and your energy.
Edith (AKA Edie). I was in a bind and needing one more person to cover the remaining shift periods needed. I found myself in the office of a local service that provides this type of care. I was speaking with the lady behind the counter while another lady was sitting on the couch and laughing with me (as you know I was likely "embellishing" my tale of woe!). After telling the lady behind the counter what hours and days I still needed, the young lady on the couch piped up with "I'll take it." This was my introduction to my new friend, Edie. She is also my spousal-unit's fiancee' which is very complicated but involved the gifting of some flea-market cast iron cookware from my spousal-unit to Edie (after she had mentioned her love of rescuing, restoring, and using such cookware) which she mentioned would mean they were engaged in some countries. I'm not certain exactly what relationship that makes Edie to me but I really don't care! She is a sheer delight!! She is always smiling. She loves to cook which makes her my aunt's new best friend (as my aunt loves to eat almost as much as Edie loves to cook!). Edie is just one of those folks you love immediately and want to keep around as much as possible. Oh... did I mention she brings "trash" magazines for my aunt to read? Oh yes. All of the best gossip rags with photos and captions and all of those things!! My aunt loves it. Thank you, Edie, for that radiant and never-ending smile and good humor.
So... while we all hope we never find ourselves in a position to have to rely on others' kindness for our daily lives, I want to tell you all that there are people out there who will gladly take us on in our need. They are sometimes difficult to find... and sometimes God just drops them down to us out of nowhere. I am incredibly thankful for Debbie, Carolyn, and Edie. I cannot even imagine what I would do without them. I watch them and try to learn from them. The job is not an easy one. The rewards aren't terribly exciting. But they so graciously take care of what needs to be done with a smile. We could all learn something from them.
That's it for today, Blogging Pals. I feel much better having told you how grateful I am for these old and new friends. I wish you all well and will post again soon.
Until next time...
The tone of this blog is one of seriousness albeit with a little humor sprinkled in (as always!). I feel as though I have been remiss in lauding the Caregivers who kindly, tirelessly, and faithfully provide assistance to my aunt (and to others in the community). I was thinking about this the other day when I was in need of my own personal Caregiver! It is probably a relatively thankless job and I do try to remember to thank our Caregivers at my aunt's house. If I have not done so recently, I apologize for my lax attitude and want them all to know how much I truly appreciate what they do!!! In fact... I want all of YOU to know how fabulous they really are!
Debbie. Debbie became a member of the family during my mother's final illness in 2000. While my mother spent the last 10 months bedridden, she suffered no ill effects (bedsores) which is a huge indicator of the care that was taken to make sure she did not. There were other ladies taking shifts with my mother but Debbie was there during the work week. She monitored my mother's condition and took it upon herself to make sure the other caregivers were doing their best. (Understand that all of the ladies were really great during this time and I would hire any one of them again if they were seeking employment!) Debbie is one of those very special individuals who cares deeply about her patients. She becomes their friend... their confidante. She pays close attention to their likes and dislikes, making certain to provide their likes as often as possible. She listens to them even when they are not in a particularly good mood and sympathizes with the situation... whatever it is. She is a loving, caring, patient individual and one we should all strive to be like. I am so blessed that she remained friends with us all and is now my aunt's primary Caregiver. Oh... and she does all of this for others while handling her own household of one hubby and 3 boys. The boys are all out on their own now... but she still takes care of them in some ways. Thank you, Debbie, for selflessly sharing your time with us.
Carolyn. Carolyn was caring for the aunt of another lady. That aunt, unfortunately, passed on. When I was desperately trying to find someone in September of 2008 who could pull some hours, I was referred to Carolyn by the woman whose aunt had recently been in Carolyn's care. The recommendation was glowing. This was how I met my new friend, Carolyn. Carolyn came to join us and immediately fit in. She had been in the town for a good long while and knew many of the people my aunt knows. They had plenty of things to chat about and Carolyn was able to make some of those "connections" that are so important in a small town (who knows who, who is/was married to who, who is at what firm, who is retiring, etc.). She became enamored with one of the "pound puppies" that the neighbor, Susan L., brought over for a visit with my aunt and ended up adopting "Little Bit." We are now always curious and ask about how "Little Bit" is doing!! That little dog is apparently devilish, at best!! Carolyn always has a story about how "Little Bit" has gotten into something, gotten out of something, or gotten a bath due to something!! We enjoy the stories and the time Carolyn spends with us. Thank you, Carolyn, for your time and your energy.
Edith (AKA Edie). I was in a bind and needing one more person to cover the remaining shift periods needed. I found myself in the office of a local service that provides this type of care. I was speaking with the lady behind the counter while another lady was sitting on the couch and laughing with me (as you know I was likely "embellishing" my tale of woe!). After telling the lady behind the counter what hours and days I still needed, the young lady on the couch piped up with "I'll take it." This was my introduction to my new friend, Edie. She is also my spousal-unit's fiancee' which is very complicated but involved the gifting of some flea-market cast iron cookware from my spousal-unit to Edie (after she had mentioned her love of rescuing, restoring, and using such cookware) which she mentioned would mean they were engaged in some countries. I'm not certain exactly what relationship that makes Edie to me but I really don't care! She is a sheer delight!! She is always smiling. She loves to cook which makes her my aunt's new best friend (as my aunt loves to eat almost as much as Edie loves to cook!). Edie is just one of those folks you love immediately and want to keep around as much as possible. Oh... did I mention she brings "trash" magazines for my aunt to read? Oh yes. All of the best gossip rags with photos and captions and all of those things!! My aunt loves it. Thank you, Edie, for that radiant and never-ending smile and good humor.
So... while we all hope we never find ourselves in a position to have to rely on others' kindness for our daily lives, I want to tell you all that there are people out there who will gladly take us on in our need. They are sometimes difficult to find... and sometimes God just drops them down to us out of nowhere. I am incredibly thankful for Debbie, Carolyn, and Edie. I cannot even imagine what I would do without them. I watch them and try to learn from them. The job is not an easy one. The rewards aren't terribly exciting. But they so graciously take care of what needs to be done with a smile. We could all learn something from them.
That's it for today, Blogging Pals. I feel much better having told you how grateful I am for these old and new friends. I wish you all well and will post again soon.
Until next time...
Saturday, December 5, 2009
OH, THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS FRIGHTFUL
Hello again, Blogging Buddies!!
Well, they told us it was going to happen. I didn't believe it for a minute. It was only December 4th, a non-descript Friday, and it just didn't seem likely to me.
I was wrong.
The morning was grey and nippy... just another nearly-winter day in southwest Louisiana. Nothing to write home about. Then 2:40 p.m., CST, arrived. What IS that stuff?!?!?!? The poor Suburban was terrified, trying to squeeze itself into a still-full-of-boxes garage!!
Well, they told us it was going to happen. I didn't believe it for a minute. It was only December 4th, a non-descript Friday, and it just didn't seem likely to me.
I was wrong.
The morning was grey and nippy... just another nearly-winter day in southwest Louisiana. Nothing to write home about. Then 2:40 p.m., CST, arrived. What IS that stuff?!?!?!? The poor Suburban was terrified, trying to squeeze itself into a still-full-of-boxes garage!!
I was wrong.
After about an hour of light falling, the flakes began getting larger and the quantity began to be sufficient to consider accumulating!! This shot is about 2 hours into the festivities. Those large white splotches aren't aliens... or Louisianians... they are snowflakes.
Okay. So it's been fun. Can't make a snowman... or woman. Can't even make a good snowball. It will stop soon.
I was wrong.
We're about 3 hours in now. It's almost dark. Surely this won't go on any longer.
T'was the night before Saturday,
and all through the coffers,
No bets were being made,
There were simply no golfers!
[My apologies to Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863)]
Saturday was a beautiful day with sunshine but still cold weather. The low overnight from Friday to Saturday was 27 degrees according to my Weatherbug (get yours at http://ww2.weatherbug.com/aff/default.asp?zcode=z6164&gclid=CJ_Xmo6-wJ4CFdx05QodAyW7ow) so I'm guessing some of the greenery you have seen in these photos will no longer be with us in a couple of days. We didn't make it out of the 40s but we all know that won't continue. We'll probably be in shorts again (those of you who actually still WEAR shorts!) by mid-week. Sigh.
Well, it was fun while it lasted. It does not compare with the great winter snow of 1959/60, and I don't think we will ever see that again in this part of the world, but it was just enough to actually have a cup of hot chocolate and pretend it did this all winter long. On the other hand, I'm glad it doesn't. :) After all... I bleed Southern... and snow is not attractive for flip-flop wear!!
Until next time...
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
MY ANNUAL BAKING MOMENT
Hello again, Blogging Pals! I do hope you are preparing for the Feast of the Bird! My preparations are simple: Wear pants with an elastic waistband.
Alright. Those of you who know me well are fully aware that cooking is NOT my forte'. In fact, the spousal-unit probably cooks more than I do (when you live in the South, you grill all year round!)... and generally better than I do. There are, however, a few dishes I have been making for a number of years and one or two that have actually become somewhat traditional. This is one of those traditions... Sweet Potato Pies at Thanksgiving.
It all begins innocently enough. I wake up... it's drizzling outside... perfect day to bake, right? Sure! Let's just wash up those pie plates that have not seen daylight since November of last year.
That was a good start! Let's see. What do we do next? Oh yes! Boil the sweet potatoes (keeping the recipe VERY close at all times!). 
Alright. Those of you who know me well are fully aware that cooking is NOT my forte'. In fact, the spousal-unit probably cooks more than I do (when you live in the South, you grill all year round!)... and generally better than I do. There are, however, a few dishes I have been making for a number of years and one or two that have actually become somewhat traditional. This is one of those traditions... Sweet Potato Pies at Thanksgiving.
It all begins innocently enough. I wake up... it's drizzling outside... perfect day to bake, right? Sure! Let's just wash up those pie plates that have not seen daylight since November of last year.
That was a good start! Let's see. What do we do next? Oh yes! Boil the sweet potatoes (keeping the recipe VERY close at all times!). 
Okay. While the 'taters boil, we can get those homemade crusts made. Plenty of time. Let's get started on those.
33%!!!!!!!
67%!!!!!!!
(The little casserole dish is for my friend, Debbie, who has to eat gluten-free.)
That's my story for today. I wish each and every one of you all of the turkey (or other item of your choice) and fixin's you can stand. I hope we all can remember to be thankful for our good fortune. And, I hope you don't expect to make it to my "parcel" list next year. I'm not making more pies!!
Until next time...
Sunday, November 22, 2009
LA CUISINE DE BEAUREGARD!!
Welcome back, Blogging Pals!! Hope you are well on your way to preparing for that Turkey feast on Thursday!
What better way to prepare for an upcoming Thanksgiving holiday than to attend a food festival! Yes, indeed. Gives one the opportunity to rethink that traditional roasted (or fried) turkey and dressing. Be careful! You might find something you like even more!! I attended the first one of these last year. It was not very organized and not something I felt of enough interest to share with you. The city, merchants, and organizations did a MUCH better job this year and I want you to join me there.
The whole premise here is you purchase a "ticket" for $5. This ticket entitles you to a taste of their specialty from each of the entrants. There were 10 entrants this year so there was a great variety of things to eat!! We were treated to Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (which not everyone thought was good but it was!), Bar-B-Qued Turkey, Spaghetti & Meatballs (which I wasn't really clear on since that isn't a typical Cajun/French dish!), Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya, Gumbo, Shrimp Creole, Pork Bar-B-Q, Chili, and a couple of other items that escape me right now. Now the key is you MUST taste all of the entries in order to vote for your favorite. Each booth has a highlighter-wielding person who will highlight the entry you are tasting. If you don't taste them all, your vote will not be counted. Besides, why on EARTH would you want to miss one?!?!?!? This will be the best, most varied, $5 lunch you ever had!!
Here we go... to La Cuisine de Beauregard!!
I arrived early in order to catch some photos before the crowd showed up! (You know Louisiana folks will show up for food, right?!?!?) This is the street scene (the block cordoned off for the festival) at 10:50 a.m. The festival ran from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. It hasn't even started yet!
What better way to prepare for an upcoming Thanksgiving holiday than to attend a food festival! Yes, indeed. Gives one the opportunity to rethink that traditional roasted (or fried) turkey and dressing. Be careful! You might find something you like even more!! I attended the first one of these last year. It was not very organized and not something I felt of enough interest to share with you. The city, merchants, and organizations did a MUCH better job this year and I want you to join me there.
The whole premise here is you purchase a "ticket" for $5. This ticket entitles you to a taste of their specialty from each of the entrants. There were 10 entrants this year so there was a great variety of things to eat!! We were treated to Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (which not everyone thought was good but it was!), Bar-B-Qued Turkey, Spaghetti & Meatballs (which I wasn't really clear on since that isn't a typical Cajun/French dish!), Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya, Gumbo, Shrimp Creole, Pork Bar-B-Q, Chili, and a couple of other items that escape me right now. Now the key is you MUST taste all of the entries in order to vote for your favorite. Each booth has a highlighter-wielding person who will highlight the entry you are tasting. If you don't taste them all, your vote will not be counted. Besides, why on EARTH would you want to miss one?!?!?!? This will be the best, most varied, $5 lunch you ever had!!
Here we go... to La Cuisine de Beauregard!!
I arrived early in order to catch some photos before the crowd showed up! (You know Louisiana folks will show up for food, right?!?!?) This is the street scene (the block cordoned off for the festival) at 10:50 a.m. The festival ran from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. It hasn't even started yet!
There are always opening "ceremonies" to endure. These, however, weren't bad at all! We started with the introduction of the "celebrity chef" who would be providing a cooking demonstration in the Pavilion a little later. (Sorry, I don't know who he is but the web site I provided you earlier indicates he is Joe Heacook of Sowela's culinary school. Great last name, huh?)
The young lady holding the microphone is Erika. She is the wife of one of the entrants. She sang our National Anthem, a cappella, in such a way that the day looked better when she was done. What a marvelous voice with which she has been blessed.
It is rare for any event in the South to begin without an invocation. This was no exception. The pastor who delivered it did an excellent job. Even with all of the people who had gathered by now (this was 11:15 a.m.), you could have heard a pin drop during the prayer. A resounding "AMEN" from the crowd followed.
At last!!! It was time for the ceremonial "Cleaving of the Sausage" to get this thing officially started!! This was one BIG ol' sausage to get things going! I hope you can spot it as the young lady holding it is wearing a dark top which tends to hide it!
Martha Lou (the "May-uh's" wife) was good-natured about the whole thing. The cleaver was embellished with purple/green/gold ribbons (those are Mardi Gras colors in case you are uneducated in things Louisiana) and certainly capable of doing damage to anything it might strike. Martha Lou wielded it with aplomb and relish, striking a surely fatal blow, and kicking off the festival with laughter and good cheer!!
Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners provided some excellent zydeco music under the bandstand canopy. The early dancers enjoyed lots of room but the area in front of the bandstand was shoulder-to-shoulder by 1:30 p.m.! (Everyone wanted to taste first, dance later!)
As luck would have it, I only took pictures of about five of the ten entrants' booths. I took them for aesthetic reasons but, as luck would have it, three of them were the top finishers!!! I will tell you my vote was for the second place winner (the shrimp creole was EXCELLENT!) but everything was good. Here they are in first, second, and third place order:
The Butt Brothers had a terrific Bar-B-Qued pork product. I didn't ask too much about it, though, as I had attended high school with one of the "chefs" and old prankster reputations die hard!! It was the first place winner.
(If you can't read the writing, it says: "THE BUTT BROTHERS...first we rub it... then we spank it... then we slowwww cook it." The bottom states "FORMALLY THE CRACKLING BROTHERS" and I am not going to make the spelling correction for you. :) It's their sign.)This guy, attired in Mardi Gras beads, got my vote with his excellent shrimp creole. It was the second place winner.
Finally, one of our local judges, Kerry, picked up third place with his Red Hill Farm Chili. Can you tell his school loyalty?
(The apron reads: "LSU Certified Tailgate Chef.")I hope you enjoyed our stroll through La Cuisine de Beauregard. It was a beautiful day, cooler than it has been with a lovely breeze. I know I completely enjoyed myself.
Until next time!!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
FLY OR DRIVE - IT'S FUN EITHER WAY
Hello again, Blogging Pals! Welcome back!
I am now behind on posts. I have fodder for too many sitting on my desk. Let's get a little closer to caught up today, shall we?
On Saturday, November 7th, there were 3 events I attended. You have already read about the Methodist Bazaar. You won't read about the Open House at Zachary's (a gift shop) although I enjoyed it. The third event we will visit today. It was a Fly-In/Drive-In at the local airport.
We started by driving onto the airport grounds (about 1/2 mile from the house!).
Note that the Beauregard Regional Airport is at an elevation of 203' and operates on frequency 122.8 in case you should wish to fly in some day.
The spousal-unit is a licensed private pilot so you will note FAR more photos of airplanes than automobiles but the following are just a sampling of what was actually out there. I believe about 50 airplanes were flown in from different areas. There were probably about 25-30 automobiles. I hope you can enjoy the photos.
The Stearman twins were fabulous to see!!
I wasn't sure about this one until the spousal-unit explained it is an amphibious plane. (Makes sense with all the darned water in this state!) The props push the plane through the air rather than pulling it which is how most planes operate. The best part? You can land it on the water, pop the canopy, walk out on the wing, do your fishing, then head home!
Most of the planes were single-engine, two-seater types with some exceptions. If you have a crowd to move, this one would come in handy!
Now I know some of you are going to have a field-day with this one!! Yes, it does kinda' look like a Redneck Monster Truck with wings! That is not exactly accurate, however. This is a pontoon plane... another flying machine capable of landing and taking off on the water. Does it really HAVE to be that high in the air before it ever leaves the ground? Well... I don't know. But it makes for good humor!
Then there were just a couple of really good-looking planes. It's kind of like house-shopping. While the guys are typically evaluating the structural soundness and mechanical worthiness, I am generally looking at the aesthetics. Sigh. So shoot me. I can't help it. I will pay attention to the OTHER things but only AFTER the aesthetics have wowed me! These would meet that criterion!
Finally, a plane of beauty. A plane that was an integral part of providing us with the freedom we enjoy today. A plane that many fine airmen of WWII flew with a purpose. If you haven't figured it out, I love the WWII planes more than anything else.
Okay. Enough planes (although I have as many more photos as what you have viewed with me today!). For those of you less thrilled with winged flight, I have chosen two of my favorite automobiles that were at the show.
Note the LSU Tiger head on the grille of this 1929 model!! :)
And... one of my "muscle car" favorites... a 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396. They don't sound like THAT anymore!!!
Alright. Enough. I have gone on too long!! I hope you enjoyed this little tour of a very nice event. And, if you're interested, the airport we visited was the Beauregard Army Air Base during WWII. While Wikipedia shows it as DeRidder Army Airbase, the correct name was Beauregard Army Air Base.
Thanks for dropping by! I love hearing from you!
Until next time...
I am now behind on posts. I have fodder for too many sitting on my desk. Let's get a little closer to caught up today, shall we?
On Saturday, November 7th, there were 3 events I attended. You have already read about the Methodist Bazaar. You won't read about the Open House at Zachary's (a gift shop) although I enjoyed it. The third event we will visit today. It was a Fly-In/Drive-In at the local airport.
We started by driving onto the airport grounds (about 1/2 mile from the house!).
Note that the Beauregard Regional Airport is at an elevation of 203' and operates on frequency 122.8 in case you should wish to fly in some day.
The spousal-unit is a licensed private pilot so you will note FAR more photos of airplanes than automobiles but the following are just a sampling of what was actually out there. I believe about 50 airplanes were flown in from different areas. There were probably about 25-30 automobiles. I hope you can enjoy the photos.
The Stearman twins were fabulous to see!!
I wasn't sure about this one until the spousal-unit explained it is an amphibious plane. (Makes sense with all the darned water in this state!) The props push the plane through the air rather than pulling it which is how most planes operate. The best part? You can land it on the water, pop the canopy, walk out on the wing, do your fishing, then head home!
Most of the planes were single-engine, two-seater types with some exceptions. If you have a crowd to move, this one would come in handy!
Now I know some of you are going to have a field-day with this one!! Yes, it does kinda' look like a Redneck Monster Truck with wings! That is not exactly accurate, however. This is a pontoon plane... another flying machine capable of landing and taking off on the water. Does it really HAVE to be that high in the air before it ever leaves the ground? Well... I don't know. But it makes for good humor!
Then there were just a couple of really good-looking planes. It's kind of like house-shopping. While the guys are typically evaluating the structural soundness and mechanical worthiness, I am generally looking at the aesthetics. Sigh. So shoot me. I can't help it. I will pay attention to the OTHER things but only AFTER the aesthetics have wowed me! These would meet that criterion!
Finally, a plane of beauty. A plane that was an integral part of providing us with the freedom we enjoy today. A plane that many fine airmen of WWII flew with a purpose. If you haven't figured it out, I love the WWII planes more than anything else.
Okay. Enough planes (although I have as many more photos as what you have viewed with me today!). For those of you less thrilled with winged flight, I have chosen two of my favorite automobiles that were at the show.
Note the LSU Tiger head on the grille of this 1929 model!! :)
And... one of my "muscle car" favorites... a 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396. They don't sound like THAT anymore!!!
Alright. Enough. I have gone on too long!! I hope you enjoyed this little tour of a very nice event. And, if you're interested, the airport we visited was the Beauregard Army Air Base during WWII. While Wikipedia shows it as DeRidder Army Airbase, the correct name was Beauregard Army Air Base.
Thanks for dropping by! I love hearing from you!
Until next time...
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