tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38806048942954816852024-03-28T23:29:41.869-04:00Writing It All DownI never thought I'd write anything like a blog, because, after all, who'd care what was on my mind? But after years of people telling me I should write a book, I decided to start with something on a much smaller scale. This blog will be about life in general, politics, hobbies, animals, people and just random musings, with some humor thrown in. I welcome your comments, complaints, suggestions and whatever else might help me become a better writer.Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-14007458320278412922013-08-24T13:44:00.000-04:002013-08-24T13:59:30.801-04:00What in Hell Was I Thinking? We Adopted Another Dog<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On the
morning of Sunday, May 5, my husband and I were in Saugatuck, MI, having
breakfast outside a charming little restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were enjoying the last day of a splendid weekend spent with my
favorite photography group, when a woman from the Allegan County Animal Shelter
walked by with the most adorable little white dog. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman said it was a female Havanese mix,
estimated to be about 10 – 12 months old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And she was up for adoption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I absolutely was not looking for a dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, for me,
it was love at first sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My husband
didn’t feel the same way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But before we
finished the three-hour drive home, he was on board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, he chose her name as he drove –
“Hannah.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Little did we know that he
would soon put “Horrible” in front of that name!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On line, I
read that Havanese are difficult to housebreak (an understatement).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, she had “accidents” in our house on a
daily basis, and we’d been taking her out about every 90 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She seemed to want to just sit on the
sidewalk or lie in the grass and look around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then she’d come in and poop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d
never been so frustrated with a dog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And the
little darling had separation anxiety like nothing I’d ever seen before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During her second week with us, we left the
house for about five hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we came
back, I was horrified to see our kitchen blinds chewed into pieces on three
windows and bite marks on a few of the others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’d left her in the kitchen with three baby gates keeping her on the
wood floor, but she knocked one of the gates down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we had also potty accidents in other rooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since then, she’s always in her crate while
we’re gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She has
other bad habits, as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She jumps
really, really well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like from the floor
to the kitchen table with one leap (and, no, she doesn’t have long legs).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She ate my sushi when I got up from the table
to hug my son after a visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the
other day, she ate some moldy cheese that I put on the island counter, intending
to throw out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, she’s gotten into
lots of stuff in places where she never should’ve been.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Oh, and she
loves to chew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She got my reading glasses
and did such a good job on them that I had to guess what some of the scattered pieces
were from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while she was on the
nightstand, she ate an entire container of my shea butter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also chewed the toes off a doll I bought
for our granddaughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And imagine my
horror when she chewed a disposable razor that she dug out of the trash (yes,
she’s a garbage picker – we now have new waste baskets with lids). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought what I saw on the floor was a piece
of foil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, no, it was the actual
blade, all bent up and, somehow, without Hannah's blood on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hannah also runs
away every chance she gets. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can’t let
anybody in the house until she’s been leashed, because she squeezes out the
door like a little rat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last time I
chased her, I thought I’d have a heart attack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The only reason she stopped running was to sniff another dog’s
poop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s when I tackled her and
almost fell into it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s just plain
rude in so many ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She breaks into
rooms by body-slamming the doors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or she’ll
slam into me, when I don’t let her off her leash to chase a squirrel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The papers from the animal shelter said she
was turned in by a police officer. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
figures - she was probably in jail, because she’s definitely a criminal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So why is
she still here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, she’s the most
loving and loveable dog I’ve ever had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She bonded with me instantly, as if she knows I’m the one who saved
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She follows me from room to room
and even stays up into the wee hours with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And we’re making progress with her rude behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We found an excellent trainer, Kat Stevens (KatStevensDogTraining.com),
who has us using a clicker (it really works!) to make Hannah pay attention to
commands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This week, we’re working on
door etiquette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No more running out the
door or jumping on visitors. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we’re
making progress with her potty behavior. Hopefully, we can “click” her into a perfect lady,
like her sister, Maddie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(And then we
can call the carpet cleaners in, even though we’re doing an admirable cleaning job
on our own.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The bottom
line is we love Hannah too much to give up on her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when I make a commitment, it’s for
good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the meantime, I’m using humor
to get us through this rough patch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Hannah
has a Twitter page – it’s: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>twitter.com/HannahHavanese)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s a spirited and special pup, and from
the moment I saw her, I felt like she was supposed to be with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we’ll just keep clicking her rudeness
away!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-39908731975373334402013-01-07T02:48:00.000-05:002013-09-09T20:47:27.659-04:00Create Beautiful Jewelry at Fritz and Friends<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggo8Jk8b3GtrYqnZia2y88LQzXki_0deVB0RPCnUmtvlei5ZuCm-C7tcpzw0CxeGYso0Db_FXDawXYD7JLdnGKyQP6wECRFtRFv9JiMpda5mX_Uac9lawgpVHaj4N0ehDzd7lqu3dM0fim/s1600/Fritz+&+Friends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggo8Jk8b3GtrYqnZia2y88LQzXki_0deVB0RPCnUmtvlei5ZuCm-C7tcpzw0CxeGYso0Db_FXDawXYD7JLdnGKyQP6wECRFtRFv9JiMpda5mX_Uac9lawgpVHaj4N0ehDzd7lqu3dM0fim/s320/Fritz+&+Friends.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">If you’re in southeast
Michigan and have ever thought about making beautiful metal jewelry, you’ve got
to check out Fritz & Friends! About
10 years ago, I learned how to make a Byzantine chain bracelet. I needed to buy supplies, and the people at
the jewelry supply place told me about Fritz & Friends. (Back then, it was Fritz Willis.) And I’ve been there ever since!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Fritz and Friends is a stand-alone
jewelry studio in beautiful Franklin, Michigan, where your creativity has no
limits. It offers a fun, friendly and
well-equipped learning environment for the study of both basic and advanced
techniques in metalsmithing and jewelry making.
Lead instructor, Susan Hoge, has multiple qualifications, including a
Masters in Fine Arts from the Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bachelor of Arts
(Studio) from the University of New Mexico, Bachelor of Arts (Creative Arts)
from the University of Michigan and Associates in Applied Science (Jewelry
Studio) from the Fashion Institute of Technology at the State University of New
York.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
studio offers specialized workshops on the weekends, as well as a 10-week
session of three-hour day and evening classes (cost is $27 per class;
tuition for all 10 weeks is due in full before the session starts).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Fritz & Friends is
unique in this region. Students of all ages and walks of life come to learn and
work at different levels and paces. And
it’s the kind of place where you can’t help but enjoy yourself. I like to say that I stick with it because
it’s cheaper than therapy. That’s
because I can come in exhausted after a bad day, and by the time I leave, I’m
energized and smiling. </span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOOW97LqJnhfU9U8hd4AvPYT6NovAXJthJO52LV2F2CTER_Y060bzwmL5GUKTzqfWNzsu140muB3BHIm8sJOkASr5tU4NYu_1pDPZEwsL-82kuY49aa1YIsH1Yj5NGUjcqDaIrbnu69TO/s1600/Fritz+&+Friends+Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOOW97LqJnhfU9U8hd4AvPYT6NovAXJthJO52LV2F2CTER_Y060bzwmL5GUKTzqfWNzsu140muB3BHIm8sJOkASr5tU4NYu_1pDPZEwsL-82kuY49aa1YIsH1Yj5NGUjcqDaIrbnu69TO/s320/Fritz+&+Friends+Blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Don't miss out! A new session begins this week, September 9. It's not too late to start! Or you can reserve a place for the Winter session, which starts in January. Call Jayne at 248-762-4810, or visit fritzandfriends.org for more information.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-1632066652564355262012-12-22T07:49:00.000-05:002012-12-27T19:39:50.556-05:00I'm Back . . . Finally!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKFgwYfAe1FL3l1_Q-i29VS5WKijVVV9b_9i-oFwooDUwyX7pVw4dgF7BqV0AJawoAbFWwFACjVgoDGydPruXoq3Icsy8kJTZD9-Hqk2QjXGshYRltdPoq4G-vDTAPefVmvYovxB7xU4a/s1600/HospitalBed+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKFgwYfAe1FL3l1_Q-i29VS5WKijVVV9b_9i-oFwooDUwyX7pVw4dgF7BqV0AJawoAbFWwFACjVgoDGydPruXoq3Icsy8kJTZD9-Hqk2QjXGshYRltdPoq4G-vDTAPefVmvYovxB7xU4a/s320/HospitalBed+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hospital Bed<br />
By: Nathan and Jenny<br />
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nathan_and_jenny/4295768760/</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s been a
year since I’ve done a blog post, a year filled with concern over some crazy
health issues that came out of nowhere.
It all started around last Christmas, when I began having mild migraine
headaches, along with a scary variety of migraine auras (actually called
“ocular migraines” – who knew?). These
headaches, although not severe, were with me literally 24/7. And that frequency lasted until March. I was convinced I had a brain tumor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By the end
of March, I’d had an MRI that showed there was no brain tumor. But there were other “issues” that needed to
be investigated. So began my yearlong odyssey
of doctor, hospital and lab visits, which I will condense in</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">to a few paragraphs. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
first neurologist I saw put me on a treatment regimen that actually increased
the frequency of my headaches.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So I switched
to a team of doctors who sent me for tests.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Then they told me to see a hematologist, who
ordered more tests, which identified a genetic mutation that has nothing to do
with the headaches. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As of today, they’re
pretty much gone, but I still get the auras daily, every time I’m exposed to
bright light. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And nobody knows why the
headaches began or why they’ve stopped.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It turns out that neurology is still in its infancy, because relatively
little is known about the brain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Adding to my
health concerns, in October, I experienced the worst upper abdominal pain of my
life. I couldn’t sleep at all that night
and almost went to the ER. Instead, I saw
my doctor first thing in the morning. He
asked if it could be food poisoning and if I’d been to a restaurant. I told him I hadn’t, that I’d made a vegetarian
stir-fry the previous evening, so it couldn’t have been food poisoning. Well, because of the extreme pain and the
abdominal swelling, he sent me to the ER, where I had several tests. They found nothing that would account for the
pain, but said I had a very high white count.
So I got an IV bag of antibiotics.
One of the tests did find a 6mm kidney stone, which was a shock. And, although the stone wasn’t causing any
immediate problems, I saw a urologist about it.
I’ll see him again in a few months to further assess the situation. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">By the way,
here’s a quick tip – the urologist said to drink Crystal Light lemonade if you
have kidney stones, because the citric acid sometimes helps break them
down.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(At least, I think that’s how he
said it.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So why all
the terrible stomach pain? Well, within
three days, I was back to a normal diet and feeling absolutely no pain. So I decided to have some of that veggie
stir-fry before it started to go bad.
And within three hours of eating that damned thing, I was doubled over
again. Yes, I had poisoned myself twice
on the same crap! Because I added
cauliflower, broccoli and snow peas after the other stuff was cooked, they never
got hot enough to kill any bacteria.
And, although they say washing veggies with water is enough, I’m proof
that’s not always the case. I figure I must
have needed another big doctor/hospital bill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Anyway, after a year of
anxious doctoring, I’m left wondering whether my gene cesspool will cause health
problems in the future. (Fortunately, it hasn’t made any trouble yet, and the
doctors and I are hoping it never will.) And
I wish I knew what will happen with the kidney stone. Will it suddenly start moving on Christmas
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Probably the
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<!--EndFragment-->Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-34562260869917354522011-10-15T17:57:00.004-04:002011-10-15T18:17:48.132-04:00Penny Black - New Restaurant in Rochester, MI<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92lbEd_Hdkumt8tssz5gyggQhkv0ApjYNSf_q9apzTEPXxdMl61pi2aY7G25j16gptMhfUBqdVoqpwjaFUGTdUtfJ41WdlHHuVz3e_V7okeA-v6c1zxtjt-GxcyZBMoJhIFduX1um0Rrj/s1600/PennyBlack.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663846054294042114" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92lbEd_Hdkumt8tssz5gyggQhkv0ApjYNSf_q9apzTEPXxdMl61pi2aY7G25j16gptMhfUBqdVoqpwjaFUGTdUtfJ41WdlHHuVz3e_V7okeA-v6c1zxtjt-GxcyZBMoJhIFduX1um0Rrj/s320/PennyBlack.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div align="left">This past summer, my husband and I went to Penny Black, a new Rochester, Michigan, restaurant for the first time. Back then, the food was mediocre, at best. We were completely unimpressed and had no plans of returning. But as of October 10, it’s new all over again, with new ownership and management. And you just have to check it out!<br /><br />The restaurant happens to be in Rochester’s original post office building, on the corner of Walnut and W. 4th Street in downtown. Thus the name, “Penny Black,” also the name of the world’s first adhesive postage stamp, issued by the U.K. in 1840. (I love historical tidbits.)<br /><br />Anyway, a friend found out the restaurant was under new management, so I agreed to try it again. And I was pleasantly surprised. The menu of reasonably-priced lunches and dinners is appealing. I was tempted by the Shrimp Quesadilla with white bean dip and a cilantro oil drizzle and the Grilled Vegetable Entrée Salad. I settled for the Grilled Vegetable Salad and loved it. Next time I’m there for lunch, I’ll try the Shrimp Quesadilla.<br /><br />This evening, when my husband and I were at Penny Black for dinner, I had the Atlantic Salmon, seared in an apple cider reduction, with sautéed herb potatoes and French green beans. The salmon was perfect, the green beans were nice and crisp and the potatoes were sautéed with diced red bell peppers – delish!<br /><br />My husband had the Chicken Fajitas, which included the best Spanish rice I’ve ever had. It was moist and delicious, not the dry stuff that usually comes with fajitas. We also tried a side of Mac and Cheese, since it’s our granddaughter’s favorite dish. And I can honestly say it’s the best mac and cheese I’ve had anywhere in the Rochester area.<br /><br />So if you ate at Penny Black before October 10, you simply must go again! It’s a whole new restaurant, and it’s well worth the trip. Oh, and they have live entertainment Thursday through Saturday nights. Penny Black is located at: </div><br /><br /><div align="center"><br />124 W. Fourth Street<br />Rochester, Mi 48307<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="left">The phone number is 248-841-1522. And they’re open from 11:00 AM ‘til 2:00 AM Monday through Saturday and from 11:00 AM ‘til midnight on Sunday. Here’s the website, where you’ll find the menus: <a href="http://www.pbrochester.com/">http://www.pbrochester.com/</a><br /><br />Enjoy!</div><br /><br /><em>Photo by: Sandy Laurence©<br />Title: Penny Black</em>Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-48352875645379071012011-10-09T03:43:00.003-04:002011-10-09T03:50:49.065-04:00Photographed My First Wedding<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YKl8DwtEPXBqZyMoR1IX5Z3Dj-iU_Mn5qgaj8wPpzJDb_qrFPy6Y7dV3eeLUxobqjXmaY0SnK53DAAEBKxPR67wNQnKr2QEtJkGYMZiMhiw1_gmHXz1cPHosOY4QxMczkwDadOIM5Ejc/s1600/Wedding.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661395803125974114" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YKl8DwtEPXBqZyMoR1IX5Z3Dj-iU_Mn5qgaj8wPpzJDb_qrFPy6Y7dV3eeLUxobqjXmaY0SnK53DAAEBKxPR67wNQnKr2QEtJkGYMZiMhiw1_gmHXz1cPHosOY4QxMczkwDadOIM5Ejc/s320/Wedding.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />About a month ago, I photographed my first wedding. No, I’m not a professional wedding photographer - far from it. I volunteered to do my niece’s wedding, because she and her fiancé wanted to keep the wedding small and simple and decided not to hire a photographer. And since I’ve taken pictures at family gatherings for as long as I can remember, I said I’d be happy to do so at her wedding.<br /><br />I can’t begin to tell you how nervous I was. In preparation, I read “Wedding Photography - A Guide to Posing” by David Pearce, a fantastic book, and took some classes to better understand my complicated camera. And off I went to the wedding chapel.<br /><br />The ceremony took place outdoors, in bright sunlight that was broken up by wood slats that formed a latticework ceiling of sorts over the seating area. It was a challenge avoiding the dark shadows cast on faces by those slats. Additionally, the guests’ chairs were set up on gravel, which crunched every time I moved around to get a particular shot. No matter how hard I tried to move during pauses in whatever was being said up front, I couldn’t avoid crunching the gravel.<br /><br />After the ceremony, we had very little time for photos, because the reception dinner was to be at Vinology in Ann Arbor. And because U of M was playing Notre Dame that night, parking would be practically nonexistent. Incidentally, the food and service at Vinology was fantastic. But if you’re having an event there, don’t do it on a U of M game day – the cost of the dinner was doubled because of the game.<br /><br />The reception photos proved to be easier than those taken of the ceremony. And when I reviewed the prints on my computer that night, I was pleased to find that they were better than I’d expected. But I have a lot of adjustments to make in Photoshop. Fortunately, I’m enrolled in a class at a local college to learn more about the software. But, for the time being, at least, I’m going to leave wedding photography to the pros.<br /><br /><em>Photo by: Sandy Laurence©<br />Title: Wedding</em>Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-43753344822872854752011-09-12T02:06:00.001-04:002011-09-12T02:10:50.403-04:00Rochester Hills, Michigan, Apartment to Sub-LeaseDue to an unexpected job change, my sister-in-law, Kim, needs to move. The lease on her apartment ends on April 30, 2012, but she needs to be out on or before September 30. It’s a lower-level luxury apartment located at:<br /><br />Village Green of Rochester Hills<br />1901 Village Green Boulevard<br />Rochester Hills, MI 48307<br /><br />It’s a squeaky-clean 900 square-foot unit, with one bedroom, one bath, washer/dryer in unit, ceiling fan, new appliances and garden tub. Here’s a link to the floor plan:<br /><br />http://www.villagegreen.com/Apartments/module/floorplan_organizer/floorplan_image[url]/49e7183173b80265.jpg/floorplan_scale[value]/1.17<br /><br />Kim’s phone number is 734-578-7310. If you know anybody who’s looking for a charming and reasonable apartment in a great location (M-59 and Dequindre), give her a call.Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-47268778882283696812011-08-05T23:57:00.006-04:002011-08-06T00:11:31.186-04:00Update on Wen by Chaz Dean Hair Loss<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkqYf5jDuKjOfPPJc1f_ggAQJN4WFtScYvrINPu8FilQLxyHyH1uUD8DUZBRD-8P758_hMT4wJ2fdQm5o4F4lrzw0wxUcO3avUPS8muF0KUbk42HoUUWNAKrELgPCs51X9cl-vLujvJHu/s1600/Wen+Resized.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637587596338749746" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkqYf5jDuKjOfPPJc1f_ggAQJN4WFtScYvrINPu8FilQLxyHyH1uUD8DUZBRD-8P758_hMT4wJ2fdQm5o4F4lrzw0wxUcO3avUPS8muF0KUbk42HoUUWNAKrELgPCs51X9cl-vLujvJHu/s320/Wen+Resized.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Well, my last post was about how I’ve been losing hair since using Wen by Chaz Dean Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner, even though I stopped using the stuff before the 24th of June. If anybody’s interested in seeing complaints from others who’ve lost hair after using Wen products, here are some links:<br /><br /><a href="http://wen-haircare.pissedconsumer.com/wen-shampoo-made-my-hair-fall-out-20110122217733.html" target="_blank">http://wen-haircare.pissedconsumer.com/wen-shampoo-made-my-hair-fall-out-20110122217733.html</a><br /><br /><a href="http://wen-haircare.pissedconsumer.com/wen-cleansing-conditioner-causing-hair-loss-20101228213461.html" target="_blank">http://wen-haircare.pissedconsumer.com/wen-cleansing-conditioner-causing-hair-loss-20101228213461.html</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.wenshampoo.org/wen-and-hair-loss.html" target="_blank">http://www.wenshampoo.org/wen-and-hair-loss.html</a><br /><br />The last one listed is a blog on Wen's site that makes light of the problem. I left a comment about my hair loss, along with the FDA's phone number, and, of course, it wasn't published.<br /><br />So what am I doing about this? A lot. I contacted the FDA (cosmetic area), as mentioned in my last post, at 888-723-3366 and filed a complaint. The person I spoke with seemed very interested and concerned about the issue. In fact, she also told me that anyone who’s had a problem with Wen products should save the bottles, because the FDA wants the expiration date and the lot number, if you file a complaint.<br /><br />My bottle of cleansing conditioner had no expiration date on it, and the lot number is almost invisible. You’ll find it on the bottom of the dark brown-colored bottle. It’s NOT the tiny number on the bottom of the label. I had to use a magnifying glass, after a Wen employee told me where to look for it. It appears to be in black ink, and it’s very faint. At first, I told the woman that there was no number there. Why on earth would they make it so difficult to find the lot number? But trust me – it’s there. My lot number is T1088A.<br /><br />I also wrote a letter to QVC, which sells Wen by Chaz Dean hair products, even though I didn’t buy the stuff from them. I explained what happened to me and told them that I’m working with the FDA. And I ended the letter by saying:<br /><br />“At this point, I’m working with the FDA, hoping it will eventually require warning labels on Wen products. And I would think it advisable for you to require warnings, as well, since it’s inconceivable that you would knowingly expose even a small percentage of your customers to unexpected hair loss.”<br /><br />In response to that letter, I got a call from QVC’s Office of the President, asking if they could forward the letter to their buyers and a vice president. The woman who called had me on the phone for at least 15 minutes and said they would be looking into my claims. I also gave them the websites above.<br /><br />Finally, I visited my dermatologist, who said that she’d never heard of some of the ingredients listed on the bottle. So she can’t speculate on which one caused the hair loss. She told me to start taking Biotin and to come back in two months to see if the hair loss has stopped. <br /><br />I still can’t believe that Wen doesn’t warn people that some percentage, however small, of its customers will lose their hair. All I want at this point is for Wen to put a warning about hair loss on its label. It would also be nice if they’d identify the ingredient that they suspect is causing the problem. But to do that would be an admission that they’ve ignored their customers’ best interests in favor of profits. If my hair continues to fall out, you can bet I’ll be talking with Wen again.<br /></div><br /><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo by: Sandy Laurence©</span></em></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div>Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com155tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-85030201717821853932011-07-24T01:55:00.003-04:002011-07-24T02:01:07.449-04:00The Jaguar XJL - Better than Sex!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAi_U0AGZx4-InJwM4ab14N3z0jLg3GwyvMs5SYY1R5-wH1NyuSiVUprOQCTJX0ePFf3uu90Qyn39XBNgeV4xUruiSLKPoaMYwgAFQ9pjl-htREY-8W3MtZPwOtt_t-fi96lj2cToC3lIT/s1600/JaguarXJ.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632794229915228690" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAi_U0AGZx4-InJwM4ab14N3z0jLg3GwyvMs5SYY1R5-wH1NyuSiVUprOQCTJX0ePFf3uu90Qyn39XBNgeV4xUruiSLKPoaMYwgAFQ9pjl-htREY-8W3MtZPwOtt_t-fi96lj2cToC3lIT/s320/JaguarXJ.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Maybe I shouldn’t listen to audio books in the car anymore. Because how could I have failed to notice the Jaguar XJL? Two days ago, I saw it for the first time, and it took my breath away. Just <em><strong>look</strong></em> at that back end, those taillights and the jaguar leaping across the trunk. I haven’t been this excited about a car in years! (Back in my early 20s, I lusted after the Jaguar XKE. But that was probably as much about the guy across the street who drove one, as it was about the car.)<br /><br />Anyway, this magnificent machine is absolutely beautiful, and it has all the muscle I need in its 385 horsepower 5.0L V8. I think it looks best in black, but I like the dark blue, too. The interior is fantastic, with all kinds of extras. But it was the sleek exterior styling that made me wish I was a car thief. The only drawback, aside from the price, is the mileage – only 16 in the city and 23 on the highway. But that’s a small price to pay for something this smokin’ hot.<br /><br />Alas, I’ll be driving it only in my dreams, because the XJL costs $80,000. I always swore that even if I became wealthy, I’d never pay that kind of money for a vehicle. But this car has made me realize just how narrow-minded I’ve been. Now I’m going to start looking for a job again. Age discrimination be damned – I’m coming out of retirement. I want an XJL!<br /><br />Now you’ll have to excuse me while I take a cold shower!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo by: natetherobot©<br />Title: Jaguar XJ<br /></span></em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/34888294@N02/4338872050/"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">http://www.flickr.com/photos/34888294@N02/4338872050/</span></em></a></div>Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-21630430394475846142011-07-11T01:40:00.006-04:002011-07-18T15:19:35.367-04:00My Hair Fell Out After Using Wen by Chaz Dean!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNVqYgMdCf4H2xcVJHKC6fvPgEG-5kiKBeTHKwzHn_dOwkoFQn0B2WrzcV9q3lq5m95vX1N5WTiiMTCPmrSRZeWY6-MeenFgcNygZHCmZcgJgMiIfT1PEnIRWgU9HSD4X-deC_bix8r1x/s1600/WomanWashingHerHair.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627965948347284770" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 215px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNVqYgMdCf4H2xcVJHKC6fvPgEG-5kiKBeTHKwzHn_dOwkoFQn0B2WrzcV9q3lq5m95vX1N5WTiiMTCPmrSRZeWY6-MeenFgcNygZHCmZcgJgMiIfT1PEnIRWgU9HSD4X-deC_bix8r1x/s320/WomanWashingHerHair.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />For years, I’d heard good things about the hair products from Wen by Chaz Dean. Well, last month I decided to try it, and I ordered the Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner. It arrived, on June 10 or 11, and I used it within a couple of days. I was very happy with the initial result. My hair was much less frizzy, even in the hot and humid weather we were having. And it looked great.<br /><br />Unfortunately, about two weeks after using the stuff, I started noticing more hair than usual in my brushes. It seemed odd to me, but I wasn’t overly concerned. Then, as the days went on, there were long hairs all over my shoulders. Starting to suspect the Wen product, I decided to do a little research on the internet.<br /><br />That’s how I discovered that hair loss is a known problem with some Wen products. When I called to cancel future shipments, the guy asked me why I was cancelling. Then, after I told him about the hair loss and asked why they don’t have a warning label on the products, he quickly turned me over to a ”specialist”. She asked me when the hair loss started and if it had stopped yet. She told me to stop using the product and that they’d immediately credit my account for the shipment that was enroute to me. She never admitted that the Company is aware of the problem. I’m guessing their attorneys don’t want it discussed with the victims.<br /><br />Well, this is crap! For Wen to completely ignore this is unconscionable. I realize that not everybody loses hair from Wen products. But there are enough of us who have lost hair to require, at the very least, a warning on the label. And, for starters, we should also get our money back.<br /><br />Here’s what you can do: Call the FDA (cosmetic area) at 888-723-3366 and file a complaint. In my case, the woman at that number directed me to the local FDA person in the Detroit metro area. If you’re in southeastern Michigan, that number is 313-393-8189. We shouldn’t put up with this kind of corporate disregard for our health and wellbeing. By ignoring all the complaints, Wen is acting like the Toyota of the cosmetics industry. And it’s got to stop!<br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo by: </span></em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hygienematters/"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">SCA Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget</span></em></a><em><span style="font-size:85%;">©<br />Title: Woman Washing Her Hair<br />Location: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hygienematters/4505231340/</span></em>Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-78157643982784770332011-07-06T00:10:00.003-04:002011-07-06T00:22:55.416-04:00Costco Carpet - Not Such a Good Deal<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9yqYmaQnPr-lIcD4F7QyhC8VlmhNMWOVMHIoCtnvrE4LZJsTP-miM45a_wZmRs20jyijxtWyExxg3bjShIsnFZZ58DT2bOdSzstfUtVUVLh3X3XCrd7cmdASTWe4wJtag9ExRewZuubA/s1600/Carpet+Photos+for+Blog+002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626088149946825362" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9yqYmaQnPr-lIcD4F7QyhC8VlmhNMWOVMHIoCtnvrE4LZJsTP-miM45a_wZmRs20jyijxtWyExxg3bjShIsnFZZ58DT2bOdSzstfUtVUVLh3X3XCrd7cmdASTWe4wJtag9ExRewZuubA/s320/Carpet+Photos+for+Blog+002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Let me start by saying that I absolutely love Costco. It stands behind its products, is an excellent employer and is a good corporate citizen. But we learned to be very careful when buying carpeting, which is sold from one of the kiosks that are lined up on the way out of the stores. Our first experience with a product from a kiosk was window treatments. We bought Hunter Douglas blinds last year and were very satisfied with the product and the price. So, when we decided to get new carpeting, we went back to the Costco kiosks. We were in for quite a surprise.<br /><br />The way Costco sells carpeting is through “designers” with whom it contracts. The designers go to a customer’s home, measure and help the customer select an appropriate carpet. In our case, the first problem was that our designer over-measured our carpeting by 405 square feet! For those of you who aren’t paying attention, that’s a 20’ x 20’ room! And as she measured, she mentioned that she’d won awards for her measuring. I’ll bet.<br /><br />Then she detailed the $13,600 cost, which included $39 per room for moving a maximum of five pieces of furniture; $400 for labor on the stairs (curved staircase), $115 for the staircase spindles and $1,168 to remove our existing carpeting. Oh, and they tacked on a $10 fuel charge. Wouldn’t you think that on an almost $14,000 order, they could waive their stinking fuel charge?<br /><br />Needless to say, we didn’t get the carpeting from Costco. We spoke with an owner of a local floor covering store, and he told us that he’d had other customers complain that a Costco designer had over-measured their homes. (The over-measuring may be a problem in this area only – we don’t know.) Anyway, we ended up getting comparable carpeting for almost $3,000 less from Georgia Quality Carpet Outlet in Holly, MI (<a href="http://www.georgiaqualitycarpetoutlet.com/">http://www.georgiaqualitycarpetoutlet.com/</a>). So if you need carpeting, check out Georgia Carpet’s website. If they have what you want, call their installer, Bill O’Neal, at 810-234-8318. He’ll give you an even better price than you’ll get in the store.<br /><br />So now I’m wondering if Costco compares actual carpet purchases with customer appointments booked. I suspect that Costco’s designers’ rip-off installation fees and, if applicable, over-measuring could be driving potential customers away. Hey, Costco, it might be beneficial to know what percentage of appointments result in a sale. This time, you might be in for a surprise.</div><br /><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo by: Sandy Laurence©</span></em></div>Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-52051484427363471412011-06-26T18:33:00.001-04:002011-06-26T18:44:13.838-04:00Lunch at Lobdell's In Traverse City - Yum!Have plans to visit Traverse City in northern Michigan between now and July 28? Don’t miss an opportunity to experience gourmet lunches at Northwest Michigan College’s Great Lakes Campus. The restaurant, Lobdell’s, is run by culinary students under the supervision of Chef/Instructor, Joel Papcun, and Dining Room Coordinator, Patty Huhta. <br /><br />It features regional bistro cuisine, or upscale casual dining, where lighter fare is offered, using local products whenever possible. The restaurant, located at 715 East Front Street in Traverse City, sits a mere 67 feet from the Bay, where you can enjoy both the excellent cuisine and the outstanding view. It’s open from 11:30 AM until 2:00 PM Tuesday through Friday, except for July 5, when it will be closed.<br /><br />This is the first time Lobdell’s has been open during the summer, and it’s been a huge success. So don’t go without a reservation, because it sells out every day. It’s <strong><em>that</em></strong> good! Call 231-995-3120 for your reservation – you’ll be glad you did! I’ve been there twice and loved it.Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-54957355008562626922011-06-19T20:39:00.005-04:002011-06-19T20:51:49.613-04:00Let’s Stop Catering to Attention Whores<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJJcvcvefSi3zCHImooDPNrHzghMbs1bOkZFM6Yq4gLkx9AW00YOtw0EXDrEt_4axbfgYD8_7kxTQmm0wupszSCbnO_rF5Xh8SeF4Ty49MdY3U0oqcwzv_fPapKEntY9NtZnysM3rFyor/s1600/PastorinBlackLeather.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620097708076784978" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJJcvcvefSi3zCHImooDPNrHzghMbs1bOkZFM6Yq4gLkx9AW00YOtw0EXDrEt_4axbfgYD8_7kxTQmm0wupszSCbnO_rF5Xh8SeF4Ty49MdY3U0oqcwzv_fPapKEntY9NtZnysM3rFyor/s320/PastorinBlackLeather.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />So now the asshole from Gainesville, Florida – the so-called pastor, who burned the Quran – is back in town to make trouble again. I’m not a violent person; in fact, I abhor violence. But I fear that I would feel nothing upon hearing that someone beat the hell out of Terry Jones, the idiot in question. How dare he come to Dearborn, the home of Michigan’s largest Arab population, to march and condemn Muslims during the Arab International Festival? What possible good can come of it?<br /><br />The twisted pastor is here for one reason – his picture will be on the front pages of local newspapers, and that surely makes this attention whore’s private parts tingle. But it makes me absolutely ill. What’s wrong with us? We know how to stop people like Terry Jones - turn off the damned cameras! Attention whores wither and die when cameras and reporters disappear.<br /><br />Everybody knows their game. We’ve all worked with them, people who have to be in the middle of everything all the time. And in every office or plant, there’s a rabble rouser – somebody who isn’t content unless they’re stirring up shit. They don’t worry about the consequences or who they hurt, they just thrive on the tension they create and the resulting attention they get. We have to stop feeding their narcissism.<br /><br />We need to grow up and turn away from these walking human car wrecks. Don’t give them what they want. They’re ignorant malcontents who aren’t satisfied unless they’ve gotten everybody inflamed. Walk away! And don’t watch Fox News, master of distortion and leader of the attention whore media. Fox News loves the feeding frenzy. Ignore Terry Jones, and he’ll crawl back under the rock from which he slithered.<br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo by: M.V. Jantzen©<br />Title: Pastor in Black Leather<br />Location: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mvjantzen/5495632992/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/mvjantzen/5495632992/</a></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:78%;">License: <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/deed.en">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/deed.en</a></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></em>Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-26986789337307137102011-05-15T20:46:00.004-04:002011-06-26T18:50:42.831-04:00Out of Time - Too Many Interests<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2APw54Wu79MnyeP2TP6CN0E3VbCUrvoqeJDCH71IveV0N7PYBuLvs_O2dEi385NnTE-ShJq-yBOyt3oYtkzq709Z9T5Pw3JXTaqlcX6NQg5c2yNDYwPS4nnpAlIsTKtUlQE0xjup7uq79/s1600/Boyne+Garden.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607115765142844978" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2APw54Wu79MnyeP2TP6CN0E3VbCUrvoqeJDCH71IveV0N7PYBuLvs_O2dEi385NnTE-ShJq-yBOyt3oYtkzq709Z9T5Pw3JXTaqlcX6NQg5c2yNDYwPS4nnpAlIsTKtUlQE0xjup7uq79/s320/Boyne+Garden.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />April and May are my busiest months of the year. That’s because I try to get all the required Master Gardener volunteer and education hours completed during those months. (Yes, the woman who hates working outside in Michigan’s hot and steamy summer weather is a Master Gardener.) Then, for the rest of the year, I can pursue my other interests and volunteer assignments without concern over whether I’ll be re-certified by the county M.G. folks.<br /><br />Well, that often leads to conflicts, like this one. Yesterday, I showed up at a gardening center to report for my 1:00 – 5:00 volunteer shift. I didn’t see the Master Gardener info table in its usual place, but it was raining, and I figured it had been moved inside. So I went in search of the owner to see where I was supposed to be. When she saw me, she laughed and told me that I’d shown up on the wrong weekend!<br /><br />But I knew I had an assignment for yesterday, so I drove home to check my planner (thankfully, it wasn’t far). And I saw that I was supposed to be at a local hardware store’s garden center instead, and that I was now 20 minutes late. So I flew to the hardware store. As I was driving, it occurred to me that I’d recently committed to volunteering at a farmer’s market the same weekend that I’m supposed to be at the other garden center. Plus, because it’s my husband’s birthday that day, we were supposed to go out to dinner that evening.<br /><br />So, because I don’t back out of commitments, I’ll be showing up at the farmer’s market at 8:00 a.m. and working ‘til noon. Then I’ll head over to the garden center for the afternoon shift. And we’ll go out for dinner another evening. It’s a good thing that the Mr. is easy going about stuff like this. He’s already proven that, since we never did celebrate his birthday last year. It kept getting put off, until it became silly to continue rescheduling it. Yes, everyone close to me suffers during April and May.<br /><br />Photo by Sandy Laurence©<br />Title: Boyne GardenSandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-34348792723590782252011-05-09T01:04:00.005-04:002011-05-09T01:36:11.962-04:00Caring for Your Cockatiel<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqO-J7PPbW-uDOQLuDGFgsxzVKKnyCB0dQZQzzZojYjrFolxza9bGy47Hgm4YJxKn2hrvxQzfaAhL_wOyFkVn7ZBR65jierDpJC2pdC5VthfDm0E9fSy0X1CsO8CucfGFpm1WUBqBLlL2/s1600/Cockatiel.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604581747638153058" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqO-J7PPbW-uDOQLuDGFgsxzVKKnyCB0dQZQzzZojYjrFolxza9bGy47Hgm4YJxKn2hrvxQzfaAhL_wOyFkVn7ZBR65jierDpJC2pdC5VthfDm0E9fSy0X1CsO8CucfGFpm1WUBqBLlL2/s320/Cockatiel.jpg" border="0" /></a> So you have a new cockatiel! Well, I used to breed parakeets, then cockatiels and then lovebirds and have learned a few things about having birds as pets. Whenever someone bought one of my cockatiel babies, I gave him or her a handout similar to what I’ve written below. I hope this info helps you raise a healthy and happy cockatiel!<br /><br /><strong>Health and Safety</strong><br /><br />• Keep a night light on for your bird. Cockatiels may “thrash” in the dark. That is, they flap their wings and fly into the sides of their cages. This can result in broken blood feathers, which can be very serious. (The experts don’t know what sets the birds off, but it can be as insignificant as a shadow from an outside light or even an insect, like a spider.)<br /><br />• If your bird breaks a blood feather, use styptic powder (brand name: Qwik Stop) to stop the bleeding. If you’re unable to stop the bleeding, you’ll have to identify the broken feather and use tweezers or needle-nose pliers, depending on the size of the bird, to pull the feather shaft out from as close to the base as possible. Then put styptic powder on the wound. (Although I’m not aware of other birds that thrash like cockatiels do, any bird can break a blood feather. So you should always have styptic powder on hand.)<br /><br />• As with all pet birds, keep yours out of any drafts and avoid severe temperature changes.<br /><br />• All birds spend a good part of their day sleeping off and on. However, if your bird is “fluffed up” with its eyes closed most of the time, it is ill, and you should see an avian veterinarian. In the Detroit metro area, I recommend Dr. Julie Cappel of Warren Woods Veterinary Hospital (586-751-3350). (Most vets recommend an annual check-up for pet birds.)<br /><br />• If you use non-stick cookware (Teflon, T-Fal, Silverstone, etc.), do not keep your bird in the kitchen! If any of these surfaces becomes very hot or burns in the process of cooking, the fumes could kill your bird instantly. The safest thing is to not use that kind of cookware.<br /><br />• Many plants are toxic to birds, so it’s best to keep all plants away from them.<br /><br />• Many fumes and the accelerant in aerosol sprays are toxic to birds, as well. Air fresheners, cleaning solutions and combustion fumes to name a few, can kill your bird. It’s best to remove the bird from the house, or at least put it a few rooms away, when using chemicals.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Nutrition</strong><br /><br />You can contribute to your bird’s longevity by feeding it properly. In the wild, cockatiels eat insects, grasses and other greens, seed, fruits and vegetables. When we feed our birds only seed, they become malnourished. The following are some of the recommended foods:<br /><br />• Vegetables – just about anything is fine – broccoli, celery leaves, beans (all types), squash, carrots, sprouts. Avoid onions.<br /><br />• Fruits – apples, grapes, pears, bananas, kiwi, most berries, including cranberries, oranges (infrequently, because of the acidity), raisins, etc. Avoid avocado, since parts of it are toxic to birds.<br /><br />• Grains – whole wheat bread, pasta, rice (preferably brown rice, which is more nutritious), cornbread, cereals (Cheerios, Rice Krispies, Cream of Wheat, Oatmeal). Avoid sweet cereals.<br /><br />• Protein – eggs (hard-boiled or scrambled with very little fat), chicken (not fried), fish.<br /><br />• Of course, change your bird’s water daily or more often, if necessary. They may put food in the water or get droppings in it, which could lead to bacterial growth and illness. Also, always keep seed or pellets available to your bird.<br /><br />Since cockatiels don’t eat much, put only small amounts of fresh food in the cage, and remove it within a few hours to prevent bacterial growth.<br /><br />The “people” food choices are practically endless (avoid fried foods). Your cockatiel may seem uninterested in what you put in its cage, but keep trying. Eventually, the bird will play with the food and taste some in the process. Then it just might decide to eat more of it.<br /><br />There are also many excellent pelleted bird foods available, including Zupreem, Harrison’s, and Roudybush. Check with an avian vet for a recommendation. Pellets provide much more nutrition than seed, so I encourage you to provide them.<br /><br />Seed is like the “McDonalds” of bird food. Still, some experts recommend feeding limited amounts of seed, along with pellets and fresh foods. For my rescue birds, who were fed only seed before they came to me, I buy Kaytee or Sun Seed mixes that have little or no sunflower seeds, which are high in fat. I do sprout sunflower seeds, however, by soaking them overnight, draining the next day and leaving them in a collander for a day or two to sprout. In this form, sunflower seeds are nutritious. I also soak soft wheat (available at feed and health food stores) the same way. They love this.<br /><br />Do NOT give your bird – any bird – chocolate! It can be deadly.<br /><br />Many bird owners supplement their pets’ diets with vitamins. If your bird eats soft foods, such as rice or vegetables, you can buy powdered vitamins and mineral supplements to sprinkle on that food. If it becomes strictly a seed-eater, you can buy liquid vitamins to add to its water. But if the bird eats a variety of fresh fruits, veggies and some protein, it won’t necessarily need vitamins. An avian vet can check the bird’s vitamin levels.<br /><br /><strong>Training</strong><br /><br />Many cockatiels can be taught to talk. Usually, males learn to talk more easily and quickly than females. However, many females do talk, and many males don’t. If you want to teach your bird to talk, it’s important that you begin when it is very young.<br /><br />Start with a simple two- or three-word phrase. Consonants are easier for birds to pronounce, so phrases like “Pretty bird” are good first words. Begin by putting your pet on your finger or a perch held at about your chest level and softly repeating the words over and over again for about 15 minutes.<br /><br />Do this twice a day, if possible, making the session pleasant for the bird by speaking in a soothing voice and petting it occasionally. Many cockatiels will begin repeating your words within a few weeks; however, some take longer, so don’t give up. If your bird doesn’t talk after months of training, it may never learn. So just enjoy it for the great pet it has become and consider teaching it to whistle.<br /><br />Cockatiels are excellent at imitating our whistling. Whistle a favorite song repeatedly when you’re around your bird, and it will start imitating the tune. One of mine whistled “Jingle Bells,” and another did “Sweet Georgia Brown.”<br /><br /><strong>Miscellaneous</strong><br /><br />Birds, like any animals, can become challenging or frustrating at times. For example, sometimes during the spring, sexually mature birds may be “nippy” with their owners. This is natural and will usually pass within a few weeks. Never strike or in any way hurt a pet bird, because it’s not only cruel and ineffective – they also never forget it.<br /><br />If your bird develops an attitude, the first thing to do is clip its wings, if they’ve grown out. Have a veterinarian show you how to clip the flight feathers. I recommend keeping the wings clipped at all times for both behavior and safety reasons. Full-flighted birds tend to be more independent, because they don’t need you to help them get around. Clipping the flight feathers usually makes them a little less likely to act up.<br /><br />Also, a full-flighted bird can fly out an open door or window or off your shoulder, if you forget it’s there and walk outside. Or it could fly into a window, ceiling fan or something cooking on the stove, with disastrous results.<br /><br />If the aggressive behavior persists after the wings have been clipped, you’ll need to try some corrective measures. Immediately after any unacceptable behavior, say “NO!” firmly, but not too loudly, and return the bird to its cage. After about 10 minutes, let it out again. If the behavior continues, repeat the process. Don’t shout or scream at the bird, because that will just make it become more riled. Plus, they tend to repeat behavior that results in a dramatic response, especially if they don’t get much regular attention.<br /><br />With some of my birds, I used a “time-out” box. Save a box that’s just large enough so that the bird can flap its wings without touching the sides, and its head doesn’t hit the top. When the bird misbehaves, say “NO!” and tell it that it’s going in the box. Then place the bird on some paper or paper towel on the floor or other flat surface, and put the box on top of it. Birds don’t like being confined in a dark place and will usually straighten out to avoid it. Never leave your bird in the box for more than a few minutes – I limited it to five minutes. And I did this with only one bird, an Eclectus parrot that was going through the “terrible twos” and was biting. So this is something I used only in a severe case of misbehavior.<br /><br />These are just suggestions. Hopefully, you won’t ever need to use any of them. Cockatiels are people-oriented and get very attached to their owners. If properly cared for, they don’t usually exhibit behavior problems.<br /><br />There is a wealth of information available from breeders, in books on cockatiels and on the internet. I recommend that every bird owner purchase a book on the breed they’ve chosen. And if you have questions on anything not covered here, feel free to email me at: <a href="mailto:SLaurence50@gmail.com">SLaurence50@gmail.com</a>.<br /><br />Photo by: hddod©<br />Title: Cockatiel<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hddod/69054930/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/hddod/69054930/</a>Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-58448398370825173142011-02-27T01:41:00.004-05:002011-06-26T18:50:42.832-04:00Repotting an Orchid in a Hurry<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVUgHpLNBj4MMUHzbL0tZ62neJMnWI3_FkUtLmn4pbBFj5YpCvZruVwlFRNsudAjD8Lp_K_oSGARQOnX9pGBX5ErYi3ddVowK_Sl60EOLe19o5GpnOQjTtH513xGPUpa96Y6lb4BN8zPu/s1600/OrchidsInAPot.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578261475822719298" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 239px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVUgHpLNBj4MMUHzbL0tZ62neJMnWI3_FkUtLmn4pbBFj5YpCvZruVwlFRNsudAjD8Lp_K_oSGARQOnX9pGBX5ErYi3ddVowK_Sl60EOLe19o5GpnOQjTtH513xGPUpa96Y6lb4BN8zPu/s320/OrchidsInAPot.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I used to love growing orchids, watching them come back into bloom season after season, in spite of being under-watered and under-fertilized. That’s right – I’m not a good orchid mom. My 36 plants are under lights in the basement, and sometimes I can almost hear them screaming out for water. I feel guilty about the half-assed care they get during the winter. All summer long, they’re out on the deck, getting watered pretty much every day and fertilized now and then. And until a few years ago, I used to be diligent about their care while in the basement. But I lost my enthusiasm a few summers ago, when the plants came back into the house in October with an entomologist’s dream assortment of bugs.<br /><br />First, of course, there were tons of spiders of all types and sizes (and I don’t like spiders). I even brought a few huge orb weavers in. Then the phalaenopsis orchids were full of mealy bugs, which I can’t stand, because they’re very difficult to get rid of without strong chemicals. Next came the aphids on about half of the orchids (not on the phals). And this year, we have a new problem – scale insects. And they do like the phalaenopsis.<br /><br />Well, the other night, I decided to water the orchids. It had been over a week since I’d watered them. One pot was so incredibly heavy every time I carried it to the sink for water that I dreaded picking it up. I knew that the pot itself was too deep and too thick, which made it heavy. But I also suspected that the orchid bark had long ago broken down into rich compost. (Yes, it had been years since I’d repotted that plant. I already told you I’m an orchid abuser!)<br /><br />Anyway, I couldn’t take its suffering any longer, so I decided – at 1:30 AM to repot that orchid before watering the rest of them. I was tired, and I just wanted to get the orchid out of the pot to see what was going on. And what a mess it was. The roots were just sitting on top of old orchid bark that had almost completely broken down. I had to either use most of my supply of new bark to fill that big pot or find something to take up space in the bottom of it.<br /><br />Since I’d bought orchids that had those styrofoam packing “popcorns” at the bottom of the pots, I figured I’d take some out of the boxes I’d received in the mail and use them to fill up that too-deep pot. And I thought I was SO clever! I covered the popcorns with orchid bark, buried the roots and watered the plant. To my amazement, when I lifted the pot out of the sink, there was all this white goo floating around the drain. For an instant, I was puzzled . . . and disgusted at the sight of it. But within seconds, I realized that I’d used those environmentally-friendly popcorn things, and they disintegrate when wet.<br /><br />So now my plant is slowly sinking in the pot, as the white slime slips out the bottom, into the saucer. And I have to repot the damned thing again, only the right way this time. Anyone want some buggy orchids?</div>Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-61075947515973189632011-02-20T21:11:00.007-05:002011-05-15T21:28:32.980-04:00I Finally Have a Kindle!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9iCZiXkp7whc1QTsWGqIcyhWkYuAFhx9ad_LuRNKxKkqFgjYmFy1aRaQU4cY-AmgVBA9G8cH1XkgGQ6lyaT92X8FBvn4swSgvGhS08e1nYYqMtfjxHGuIZiBiFIpVVWGL9_bxeQROhuKP/s1600/Kindle+Photo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575962550652061490" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9iCZiXkp7whc1QTsWGqIcyhWkYuAFhx9ad_LuRNKxKkqFgjYmFy1aRaQU4cY-AmgVBA9G8cH1XkgGQ6lyaT92X8FBvn4swSgvGhS08e1nYYqMtfjxHGuIZiBiFIpVVWGL9_bxeQROhuKP/s320/Kindle+Photo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I’ve wanted a Kindle since the day they came out. And when Amazon lowered the price to $139, I decided to get one as a consolation gift to myself, after selling our weekend place in northern Michigan. My plan was to buy the Kindle after we closed on the sale of the house. And since we were just weeks away from closing, I was excitedly anticipating my purchase. So I went to Amazon.com to compare the $139 model to the one for $189, which my son had told me was the one he preferred. He said something about WiFi not being the best option for downloading new material while away from home. That’s because I’d have to depend on somebody nearby having a public network that I could use. He told me to get the more expensive 3G model, but I planned on going with the cheaper one. I’d just download from home.<br /><br />Well, a few days later, my husband brought an Amazon.com box into the house with the mail. I hadn’t been expecting anything, so I figured it was a backorder or something I’d forgotten about. But when I opened the box, I saw another box inside, with “Kindle” printed on it. I slammed the box shut as if I’d seen a ghost and quickly set it aside. My husband asked what was wrong, and I mumbled something about not remembering that I’d ordered that item.<br /><br />Now this had me concerned. I’d been forgetting names of people when I ran into them in public and momentarily losing a word I wanted to use, but this was different. How could I not know that I’d placed an online order? And what’s next – making phone calls and not remembering? Forgetting where I’m going, or, worse yet, how to get home? I started thinking it was time to see a neurologist. It had to be a brain tumor! In the meantime, I didn’t touch the box again for a few days, intending to return it, in the event the sale of the house fell through.<br /><br />Then, as I was worrying about my mental health, my son called to ask if I’d received a package from Amazon. It turns out that he’d gotten a promotion at work and decided to buy me the more expensive Kindle as a gift! I was SO surprised and so very touched by his generosity. But I was also uncomfortable about accepting something that cost $189 from my son, even though he could easily afford it. You see, my father pounded it into his children’s heads that we shouldn’t expect or accept anything from anyone. As children, my siblings and I used to try to return the small amounts of money that our grandparents gave us on special occasions. And even though, as an adult, I realize just how ridiculous that was, I still have difficulty accepting gifts, especially substantial ones like this.<br /><br />But, happily, I’m handling it. And I absolutely love my Kindle! Even more important, though, is my relief at realizing that I’m not losing my mind. At least, not yet!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo by Sandy Laurence ©</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span>Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-14922134608989885082011-02-20T12:16:00.004-05:002011-02-20T12:31:03.963-05:00The Little Neighborhood Boy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRc4gMdr9cjjXPpDkEI71JECVISjyCXayYrTDBopEPmBBA0nzNh7UNI-b3dPK4EXfDcEQVn_ZzAP1Ygkrfz5bX11gkMG0tcRIcmSGVBBCzrbGAcztuEbnfQKTgmtvrIub26vk-Ydr1RQM/s1600/Yummy2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575825157810432130" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRc4gMdr9cjjXPpDkEI71JECVISjyCXayYrTDBopEPmBBA0nzNh7UNI-b3dPK4EXfDcEQVn_ZzAP1Ygkrfz5bX11gkMG0tcRIcmSGVBBCzrbGAcztuEbnfQKTgmtvrIub26vk-Ydr1RQM/s320/Yummy2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>A neighbor called yesterday to say that her little boy, who’s going on five, was on his way over to bring me a small coconut shell. They had enjoyed coconut-flavored Island Way Sorbet after lunch, and she told her son that I sometimes use coconut shells as toys for my parrots. (Island Way Sorbet is a delicious frozen treat that comes packaged in nature’s own containers.)<br /><br />When the little guy arrived, I thanked him for the shell, and we talked a while, as he explored the kitchen. Then, as I knew he would, he asked if he could go to the basement, where I keep some of my grown son’s toys for visiting kids to use. He wanted to select a few Matchbox cars to play with at home. Of course, I told him he could. I was busy in the kitchen, so my husband took him downstairs. And when they came back up, my little buddy showed me the three cars that he was taking home. We talked for a few more minutes and said “good-bye” as he walked toward the door.<br /><br />But just as I turned back to the sink to finish cleaning vegetables, he ran up behind me, put his arms around my waist and hugged me. Naturally, I turned around and hugged him back. I kissed the top of his head and then walked him to the door. I noticed his darling three-year-old sister coming to meet him in the yard and told them that I’d watch them as they walked home. But before they got more than 20 feet away, the boy ran back and called, “Miss Sandy!” And he blew me a kiss. Now if that isn’t enough to melt your heart, I don’t know what is!</div><div> </div><div><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo by: Ernst Vikne ©</span></div><div><span style="font-size:78%;">Title: Yummy</span></div><div><span style="font-size:78%;">http://www.flickr.com/photos/iboy/5442925234/in/pool-childrensportraits</span></div>Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-25395295151438204832011-01-06T03:26:00.003-05:002011-06-26T18:50:42.833-04:00Crime Doesn't Pay - Stealing Wild Flowers<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCxuMFW-e3d4aR3_ZPBtW6RM0LzQ70un6I8atJ7e0AY-dlmJpM-yYTHtvFKGfzvTeu9htNov_sXr_vorV5GJvDqc2c8WTF6UHfWryIh5sdEAR0pVv3pDJaFbjHcHM1ejRprdX_mYTLpNUx/s1600/4580512369_eaaeecf105.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558986755846063938" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCxuMFW-e3d4aR3_ZPBtW6RM0LzQ70un6I8atJ7e0AY-dlmJpM-yYTHtvFKGfzvTeu9htNov_sXr_vorV5GJvDqc2c8WTF6UHfWryIh5sdEAR0pVv3pDJaFbjHcHM1ejRprdX_mYTLpNUx/s320/4580512369_eaaeecf105.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A former employer owns a large piece of wooded land that lies adjacent to its facility. The acreage is completely wild, with a river running through it and all kinds of animals and beautiful wild flowers. Fortunately for the employees, the Company had three walking paths made through the area, so that we could get some exercise and fresh air on lunch hours. I absolutely loved those woods, because once I hit the gravel, the tension from work just evaporated. On nice days, there were lots of people walking, running or eating lunch on the benches that were placed in scenic areas. And for a couple of years, I walked those paths two or three times a week through spring, summer and fall.<br /><br />Part of the attraction for me was the abundance of beautiful shade-loving wild flowers, including Jack-in-the-pulpit, Mayapple, Tiger Lily, Trillium, Trout Lily, Lily-of-the-Valley and more. Oh, how I wanted some of those flowers in my yard. Unfortunately, in Michigan, it’s illegal to dig up wild flowers. But, I’m ashamed to say, I packed a brown lunch bag with a trowel and a Ziplock bag with a wet paper towel inside it to keep the roots happy. And my walking partner and I hit the woods, looking like we were going to have lunch out there.<br /><br />When we got to the various areas where we wanted to dig up flowers, we’d listen for other walkers, as I dug up what I wanted. Every few minutes, I’d have to stop, hurry over to the bench and act like I was getting ready to pull a sandwich out of my lunch bag. When the coast was clear again, I’d resume my covert operation. I rationalized that I was just moving them to another wooded area, as our yard backs up to woods that separate our sub from the one north of us. And I knew that I’d take excellent care of those plants. So what harm would come from my crime?<br /><br />That evening, after work, I lovingly planted those wild flowers in my yard, in the shade just beyond the trees at the edge of the woods. And by the next morning, most of the Trillium flowers had been chopped off by sharp little teeth. I don’t know for sure if it was the deer or the groundhog family that we suspected lived under our deck. By the next day, the rest of the Trillium flowers were gone, as well as some of the other transplants. All that remain today, more than 10 years later, are the Lilies of the Valley.<br /><br />Forget about turning me in – I’m sure the statute of limitations on wild flower theft has run out. And I learned my lesson. I’ll never do it again. But I think I’ll sneak back into those woods again this spring, because I’d like to see that spectacular wild flower show just one more time.<br /><br /><em>Photo by: yuki_september© </em><br /><em>Title: Lily of the valley </em><br /><em>http://www.flickr.com/photos/yuki_sept/4580512369/</em>Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-8571153367927858212011-01-01T15:32:00.003-05:002011-01-01T16:10:50.204-05:00Happy New Year - Pull Out Those Guns!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3Rz0RFAI4F2mgIpbWEPRCS0Q_e9cwb7MkhYNVLXrW2vrUtQrlyPJ9ALZm3W969Y7x5OLwwZyMfMcN4-7f-rWNQJW60Sx9vrhqbrS41HjIp4BcPalgEKV-ETnQf4hHqmbTkhVq8cElnGj/s1600/GunBlog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557325422918538258" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3Rz0RFAI4F2mgIpbWEPRCS0Q_e9cwb7MkhYNVLXrW2vrUtQrlyPJ9ALZm3W969Y7x5OLwwZyMfMcN4-7f-rWNQJW60Sx9vrhqbrS41HjIp4BcPalgEKV-ETnQf4hHqmbTkhVq8cElnGj/s320/GunBlog.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />What’s happening to this country? I live in an upscale Detroit suburb, a neighborhood where, for the most part, neighbors coexist peacefully and life is good. In the 15 years that I’ve been in this house, there’s been only a smattering of guns fired on New Year’s Eve. I used to think it was a few drunken idiots doing what idiots do. But last night made my blood run cold. I heard so many guns firing that our sub could’ve competed with the worst areas of Detroit. It made me sick. I wouldn’t even let the dog out until 1:00 a.m., fearing she’d get shot. WTF?!<br /><br />This country is alone in the industrialized world in promoting the widespread ownership of firearms. I won’t even talk about the gun lobby, because I’m not a violent person, but my wishes for those twisted people are definitely from my dark side. We are going to regret caving in to them 100 times over. Just think about what’s going on here.<br /><br />I’m constantly hearing how just about anyone can buy a gun. There are exposes on TV shows about how individuals get caught selling guns to people without permits, or in one case that I saw recently, without even a driver’s license. Individuals apparently don’t have to do background checks, so any nut case can get a gun.<br /><br />And what’s a typical gun buyer like? The NRA would tell you it’s a law-abiding citizen trying to protect his or her property. Bull shit! Have you gone into a gun shop or sporting goods store to see what kind of people are looking at guns? I’d love to see detailed stats on gun buyers, because I believe they’re largely uneducated people, many of whom surely have personality issues (anger, obsessive-compulsive, paranoia, post traumatic stress disorder from the horrors of war, etc., etc.). Are those the people you want walking around with guns? Spend a little time at a gun counter, especially one in a more rural location. It’ll open your eyes.<br /><br />Of course, the typical gun owner is male, although plenty of women are succumbing to the gun lobby’s scare tactics. To a lot of men, guns are power. And it’s the best ever phallic symbol. Hell, if you have a gun, you don’t need any enhancements, if you know what I mean. It gives some of them that “mine’s bigger than yours” warm and cozy feeling. And it allows them to be the shoot ‘em up cowboy of their childhood whenever they feel the urge.<br /><br />I know of people who have three guns within reach at all times in their homes. And they live in decent neighborhoods. What in hell are they preparing for? If they’re going to get robbed, it’s most likely to be when they’re not at home. And guess what’ll end up stolen – yep, their weapons, so that the thieves can use them to commit other crimes.<br /><br />Obviously, most of these guns aren’t for hunting – they’re strictly intended to use on people. That’s not to say I think hunting is fine. <strong>For me</strong>, unless your family doesn’t have enough food, and you’re hunting to put meat on the table, it’s wrong. Some Christians say that God put animals on earth for us to use. So he created bears, so that you can mount a bear head on your wall? Yeah, that makes sense to me. I wonder how your God will judge you for killing his creatures because you think blowing them away is a “sport.” I’d love to hear that conversation.<br /><br />Finally, Michigan’s become known for its crack-pot militia groups. Have you ever read or watched an interview with any of those people? That’ll keep you awake nights. Yes, we’re going to regret that the gun lobby has prevailed, when the original right to bear arms was because we lived in a newly-settled and uncivilized land. Back then, the guns protected and fed the settlers. Now the citizens need to be protected from the guns. God help us.Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-38186657469427123332010-12-11T03:56:00.004-05:002010-12-11T04:19:23.090-05:00Babysitting a King Charles Cavalier Puppy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-OpfuzCU7Do5IfUy5cPb2WzMD1emPfD_M6ejO2VUnUqjiXDGscDrh4fiWqb1zgqxWOUtQA9I9y0rbDbDrxpkU7kd3itMO8fo_sPImwHMkrmpYcwxYwYQGn8r_diitk_r2tLS2WAB5opB/s1600/Bojan.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549346203907088242" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-OpfuzCU7Do5IfUy5cPb2WzMD1emPfD_M6ejO2VUnUqjiXDGscDrh4fiWqb1zgqxWOUtQA9I9y0rbDbDrxpkU7kd3itMO8fo_sPImwHMkrmpYcwxYwYQGn8r_diitk_r2tLS2WAB5opB/s320/Bojan.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This past weekend, I had the pleasure of babysitting a friend’s King Charles Cavalier puppy. Lilli’s absolutely adorable, and I was SO excited to have her here. Her mom dropped her off on Thursday evening and would be picking her up sometime on Sunday. I’d initially planned to do some writing and to start decorating the house for Christmas, thinking my husband would be there to help with Lilli. But he ending up going out of town on business until Saturday evening, so I was on my own.<br /><br />Let me start by saying that no writing took place, and I didn’t do any Christmas decorating, either. Somehow, I’d forgotten what it’s like to have a puppy around. She got into everything. And she put it all into her mouth. I must have pulled at least five forbidden items from her mouth, including a paperclip and part of a golf shoe cleat. I don’t even know how a golf shoe cleat came to be in the house.<br /><br />By the end of the day, after Lilli had been here only six hours, I was wiped out and decided to go to sleep early. Her mom had told me that Lilli slept with her and that she loves to cuddle. Well, Lilli ended up sleeping on my pillow, wrapped around the top of my head. I kept moving her, but she kept coming back. I ended up getting less than three hours of sleep that first night. And I had a stiff neck from the way I had to stay crunched up, so that she wouldn’t be pushed into the headboard.<br /><br />On Friday and Saturday, it was impossible to do anything, because she wanted to be picked up, or she wanted me to throw toys to her. If I was moving from room to room, she was literally under my feet. Thank God for our dog, Maddie, who played with Lilli much of the time. The only time I got her to rest was when I watched television for an hour. She was content to lie on the sofa next to me and sleep. Otherwise, she was in constant motion.<br /><br />And she was funny as hell! She barked at her reflection in the fireplace glass. In our little office, she spotted some Beanie Babies on the floor, and she barked and charged at them, until she finally figured out that they weren’t alive. I laughed a LOT last weekend! She challenged my Amazon parrot to a fight by barking incessantly every time she saw him. I had to watch them, because he climbed down his cage and was hanging off the stand, trying to reach her. Like I said, I couldn’t take my eyes off her for even a minute.<br /><br />And probably because she was in a new environment, she had accidents. I mean she really had accidents. By Saturday evening, she’d peed in five different rooms and had also pooped five times in four rooms. And I was taking her outside at least every two hours! But then, a few hours after my husband came home from his business trip, Lilli outdid herself.<br /><br />I was folding towels in the bedroom, and I had Lilli sitting on the bed, so that I could keep an eye on her. As I looked up from my laundry task, I saw Lilli squat. Realizing that she was about to pee, I said, “Lilli, NO!” Well, that scared her, so she started squirming to get away from me, peeing as she moved. I ended up having to wash the sheets, mattress pad, a down blanket, a fleece blanket and a pillow. I couldn’t believe what had just happened.<br /><br />We were finally able to go to bed at 3:00 a.m. All my husband said was, “I thought she was housebroken.” Hopefully, it’ll be years before he finds out that Lilli also chewed the molding on the bottom of an antique desk. (I colored it with one of those furniture fixing pens.)<br /><br />I love Lilli, and her mom’s a good friend, but I think I’m going to hold off on babysitting her until she’s at least a year old. For one thing, we’re getting new carpeting soon – need I say more? And I’d rather wait ‘til Lilli gets past that high-maintenance puppy stage, so I can really enjoy her.<br /><br />Photo by Dedi Sharabi<br />Title: Bojan<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dedish/4177023692/in/photostream/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/dedish/4177023692/in/photostream/</a>Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-25741660785922514592010-12-11T03:06:00.007-05:002011-01-15T12:53:49.262-05:00Communicating with Dementia Patients<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWXlRYO5q7ahQSRzvcR0SF4TR91f5DNo5XNG30WSS5hbyCAFSPqaoJM_a0Y-aLpY0-M7hIe78PxrHhQmNRxUp3Ee2EtlXaMwpk0M-Mkekz7MuM0cWpCwvyAhTDKWlb-yN7HYoY9DY6Bgf/s1600/Elderlywoman.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549333894295295458" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 255px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWXlRYO5q7ahQSRzvcR0SF4TR91f5DNo5XNG30WSS5hbyCAFSPqaoJM_a0Y-aLpY0-M7hIe78PxrHhQmNRxUp3Ee2EtlXaMwpk0M-Mkekz7MuM0cWpCwvyAhTDKWlb-yN7HYoY9DY6Bgf/s320/Elderlywoman.jpg" border="0" /></a> I wrote this article for Type-A Parent (http://typeaparent.com/) and thought it was important enough to repeat on my blog. As the population ages, dementia is becoming a huge problem. And the woman in the article has found a way to communicate with dementia patients, even after they stop speaking.<br /><br />Here’s a link to the article:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.parade.com/health/2010/11/21-unlocking-the-silent-prison.html">http://www.parade.com/health/2010/11/21-unlocking-the-silent-prison.html</a><br /><br />It’s frustrating for grandchildren of any age to witness a beloved grandmother going downhill because of dementia. Unfortunately, lots of young people don’t visit their grandmothers because they’re uncomfortable with the disease. They often don’t know whether to attempt a conversation, or what to say when they do. It’s especially difficult for the young, because they usually haven’t had much exposure to dementia.<br /><br />Well, Michelle S. Bourgeois, a speech-pathology professor at Ohio State, has come up with a method of making those conversations go a little more smoothly. According to an article in the November 21, 2010, issue of Parade Magazine, Bourgeois discovered that Alzheimer’s disease first strikes the part of the brain that controls learning and memory processes. But, because reading is a skill that becomes automatic, after doing it all our lives, patients are often still able to understand simple printed explanations.<br /><br />For example, while volunteering for hospice, I had a patient who would ask about every five minutes when her daughter would return home. Bourgeois suggests using flash cards with simple messages printed on them. So I could have printed “Your daughter will be home at 6:00” in large letters. And in many cases, patients understand the message and stop asking so often. If they do repeat the question, simply tell them that the answer is on the card.<br /><br />Reading can help even in cases of anger and anxiety in people with dementia. Bourgeois tells of a situation where the patient refused to shower. So her aide made a card that read, “Showers make me feel fresh and clean” and gave it to the patient when it was time to shower. It actually worked. Bourgeois said, “Even when dementia is so advanced that people cannot speak, they can read if the words are large enough.” She goes on to say that spoken words aren’t stored in memory, so they’re ineffective.<br /><br />In another situation, Bourgeois tells of a patient who told her daughter, “You’re not my Susan.” So the daughter gave her mother two photos, with notes written under them. One said, “This is my daughter Susan at age three.” And the other note said, “This is my daughter Susan now.” When the patient looked at the two photos and notes, she replied, “As beautiful as ever.”<br /><br />I am really excited about this and will definitely try it with my next dementia patient. I’ll also share the Parade article with my patients’ caregivers and the hospice organization for which I volunteer. (In the meantime, if any caregivers out there try this with a dementia patient, I’d love to know if it was successful.)<br />But I’m writing about it here, because it would be tragic for grandchildren to stop visiting grandmothers afflicted with dementia. Bourgeois says that people tend to treat these patients as if they’re not the persons they were, “But they’re still here.”<br /><br /><a href="http://typeaparent.com/spending-time-with-grandmothers-who-have-dementia.html">http://typeaparent.com/spending-time-with-grandmothers-who-have-dementia.html</a><br /><br />Photo by: Charlmers Butterfield©<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Sba2">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Sba2</a><br />Title: Elderly WomanSandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-88027788070907924572010-12-06T19:58:00.003-05:002010-12-06T20:24:12.444-05:00Christmas is Shrinking at Our House<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jhNihyewIaiuW4mmPx0qvI7y4oeS-JsehnyxjtF8RQocOt_U1VoqRpxauKcX_DMty8sHJ4iqh9679veHXmD1jPpejlC_9c_19cmkbcn9WiIwhFxDQTTQvgPvygG1tU1uvnaB3Z-7stfE/s1600/Christmas+Decorations+%252709+023.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547742120144648626" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jhNihyewIaiuW4mmPx0qvI7y4oeS-JsehnyxjtF8RQocOt_U1VoqRpxauKcX_DMty8sHJ4iqh9679veHXmD1jPpejlC_9c_19cmkbcn9WiIwhFxDQTTQvgPvygG1tU1uvnaB3Z-7stfE/s320/Christmas+Decorations+%252709+023.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Where did this year go?! Everybody always says that as we get older, time passes ever more quickly. But I didn’t expect it to be like this! I need more time to “do” Christmas the way I usually do it – 4½ trees (two 6-foot, a 7-foot, a 12-foot and a 4-footer that stands on a table in the vestibule); garland everywhere; snowman, Santa, nutcracker and Baccarat collections; holiday dishes and glasses, etc., etc. But why? What in hell was I thinking?!<br /><br />I had become a slave to the season, making my house into a shrine to the retail gods. Don’t get me wrong – people say I haven’t crossed the line between festive and gaudy. But the amount of time I’ve invested in the decorating and the money spent on some of those ornaments . . . well, it’s just insane. But I’m through with that! We already gave away two trees, and I’ve decided to give away lots of house decorations and tree ornaments.<br /><br />I also gave away several nutcrackers, and now I’m going to dramatically thin out the snowman and Santa collections. Oh, and I forgot about the Snow Babies. When I started buying all this stuff 100 years ago, I told myself it was an investment, that I’d sell them one day and make a small fortune. Uh-huh. Now eBay’s driven down the price of just about everything, and I can’t even get what I paid for those collectibles, in some cases, over 30 years ago. Since there’s not much use in trying to sell them, I’ll be giving them to family members. I hope they’ll take good care of all my little gems.<br /><br />Will I miss it? I don’t think so. My nieces and nephews liked it when they were younger, and I enjoyed seeing their eyes widen as they took it all in. But, except for three 8-year-olds, they’re grown and past being impressed by Christmas glitz. And my son, who used to love it, says that he’s become indifferent to all the trappings of Christmas. (Over-kill on my part?) But this year I think he’ll like that his mom will be much more relaxed and easygoing. And that will be a gift to everybody here!<br /><br /><em>Photo by Sandy Laurence©</em>Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-43033905950667485902010-12-06T03:44:00.002-05:002010-12-06T03:54:09.221-05:00The End of an Unhappy LifeA man with whom I used to work died recently. I read the obituary in the newspaper, and I felt nothing. Now that’s very much unlike me, since I cry at funerals when I don’t even know the deceased. But I’m not grieving for the person who died, the person I never knew. No, I’m crying for my friend or co-worker who lost a loved one, because I’m feeling his or her pain. But not in this case.<br /><br />I briefly worked in John’s department, although, thankfully, not for him. The people who did work for him had to constantly tiptoe around his feelings of insecurity or risk an attack. They either kissed his ass to stay on his good side, or he saw them as threats to his authority and set out to get them. He was a classic bully, always targeting those who were vulnerable.<br /><br />While I was there, he had three “whipping boys.” One was a defenseless little old guy who got so flustered over the constant public tirades that his face glowed red, until we thought he was on the verge of a stroke. Another was technically competent, but socially inept, and John would treat him like his best buddy one minute and then viciously abuse him verbally an hour later. <br /><br />His third victim was actually a kindly older woman. She was fiercely loyal to John, until the day when a couple of executives from another company came in to meet with him. Apparently, a minor problem came to light, and John walked over to the woman’s desk and started shouting at her in front of the guests until she began to cry. He walked away from her with a self-satisfied expression, just short of a grin, on his face, like he was on a power trip.<br /><br />I saw many of John’s ugly displays and had absolutely no respect for the man. But there was more. He had two sons, and when the youngest was in college, John and his wife decided they didn’t like his then girlfriend, who later became his wife. Nobody knew the exact details, but John and his wife cut off all communication with their son. And John seemed proud of the fact that they weren’t going to accept the woman into their family. Eventually, we heard that they were no longer speaking with their older son either. And the last I heard, they had grandchildren they’d never met. <br /><br />I wonder now if John and his wife ever reconciled with their sons. Maybe his death brought them back in touch with their mother. And maybe not. All I know is that this is the first time I’ve felt absolutely nothing over the death of someone I knew. I actually think he made the world a better place by leaving it. How very sad.Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-64948315364883460072010-11-06T23:24:00.003-04:002010-11-07T00:02:32.065-04:00This Woman Hires and Steals from Illegal ImmigrantsWould you turn in a woman who hires illegal immigrants to clean houses and then steals their last paycheck when they quit? Several years ago, when Poland was in a serious recession, my friend Sophie lost her job in Krakow and came here on a six-month visa to visit a family member. She ended up staying for 8-1/2 years.<br /><br />Now before you get angry, there are a few things you should know. First, her husband was murdered by the communists for his involvement with Solidarity, the trade union that used strikes to force the communist government to improve working conditions. She had two grown children, who were struggling to get by. Since none of them could find a job, she came here to support herself and to help her kids.<br /><br />When she arrived, she got an apartment in Hamtramck, Michigan, and, like countless other immigrant women, found a job cleaning houses. Sophie’s first employer had a cleaning service in my area. That’s how I met her in 2006 – she cleaned my house for several months. (Because she couldn’t speak English, I had no idea back then that she was here illegally.)<br /><br />Wanting to know more about her and what drove her to come here without knowing the language, I asked friends and family members to translate for us. And that’s how we came to be friends, at least to the extent possible with a language barrier. Sophie studied English with various tutors, so we were able to communicate somewhat, as long as she kept her Polish-English dictionary with her.<br /><br />When her boss sold his cleaning business shortly after I met her, she found another cleaning service, whose clients live in Grosse Pointe, which was much closer to home. And she worked like a dog. There were many weeks when she logged 55-60 hours. Her day started at 6:00 a.m., and sometimes she didn’t get home until after 8:00 at night. She started out getting paid $8 an hour, but made $10 an hour for the past three years.<br /><br />Until last year, she sent money to her children to help them out. Then the job situation in Michigan deteriorated, and the cleaning service lost several customers, when they became unemployed. Many weeks, Sophie got only 20-25 hours. And as her business suffered, Sophie’s boss became more and more unreasonable and demanding. Sophie, closing in on 60 years old, became weary of the physical toll on her body, as well as the crap her boss pulled. So she quit and returned to Poland last week, now that its economy is finally in better shape.<br /><br />The problem is that Sophie’s boss refuses to give her the $580 that she earned for the last two weeks of cleaning. And I’ve been told by several people in Hamtramck that the same thing happens to most of the women who go back to Poland. It happens every day. That’s because they have no recourse. Their visas have long ago expired, so they’re illegal aliens with no rights. They can’t even prove that they had a job. That’s because the cleaning service owners put nothing in writing – workers are paid in cash, no employment taxes are withheld, and there’s no pay statement.<br /><br />Well, I can’t stand to see anyone ripped off like that, so I telephoned the owner of the cleaning service. I told her that if she doesn’t give Sophie her money, I’ll report the theft to the police (I realize they probably can’t do anything about it), and I’ll notify immigration and the IRS about her tax-free business fueled by illegal aliens. After saying that she was justified in stealing Sophie’s money, because she didn’t give adequate notice when she quit, Sophie’s boss hung up on me. And since she didn’t deliver the money to Sophie before she left for Poland, I doubt that she’s concerned in the least. After all, there is no proof that she even has a cleaning service. (She doesn’t know, however, that I have the names, addresses and phone numbers of four of the clients for whom Sophie cleaned house.)<br /><br />So here’s my dilemma. I know that if I call the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service), they may say it’s too small to bother with, since Sophie estimates that only about 20 women are employed by her boss. But if they do pursue it, all those women will lose their incomes, and most would be deported. And the same thing could happen if I call the IRS (I’m betting the service owner doesn’t pay taxes on her income, nor does she supply W2 forms for her employees). Either way, though, Sophie won’t get her money.<br /><br />If I make those calls, it’ll be because I’m angry and want this woman punished for stealing her employees’ money (I’m sure she’s done it many times before). And I want her stopped from doing it again. But I don’t want to cause any of her workers to lose their incomes and be deported. I’m aware of the current animosity toward illegals, and I’m not saying it’s okay to be here illegally. But these women are here because they can’t make it in their Eastern bloc countries. And I don’t personally know any Americans who are lining up to do hard labor for $8 or $10 an hour.<br /><br />So do I make those calls, or not? What would you do?Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3880604894295481685.post-71590068100979098132010-10-29T10:43:00.006-04:002010-10-29T11:33:49.495-04:00We Might Be Sharing Our Home With Fleas<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPVk79b4uKGJWdvY-9QsH6zvGcy6yKcQBKfx7wYz45vZAvcntY1sGQ7lMNHMy9238e_jSIuDwqFMsc2hSQxAi48-EibHiT781kd5yBeqOuu0wp1vI9bU_by0EtUmy3cDZjVy2onuDvVtw/s1600/Boyne+10-10-10+Resized.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533491398330853970" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 149px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPVk79b4uKGJWdvY-9QsH6zvGcy6yKcQBKfx7wYz45vZAvcntY1sGQ7lMNHMy9238e_jSIuDwqFMsc2hSQxAi48-EibHiT781kd5yBeqOuu0wp1vI9bU_by0EtUmy3cDZjVy2onuDvVtw/s200/Boyne+10-10-10+Resized.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The other day, our dog was sitting on the sofa with me, as I watched the news, and she started biting at her belly. I noticed, but didn’t think anything of it . . . until, that is, she did it for the third time. I immediately started looking for fleas through the sparse whitish fur on her stomach, even though I didn’t expect to find anything. After all, she’s been on Frontline since spring.<br /><br />In the 2-1/2 years that we’ve had Maddie, she’s never had fleas. And that’s saying a lot, considering that she goes into the tall weeds along the back of our lot several times a day to chase her Frisbee. (Hey, I never said I’m any good at throwing a Frisbee.) Before that, we had a Bichon, who never had fleas in 13 years, and my son’s Cockapoo got fleas only once. But we didn’t have Frontline back then.<br /><br />Well, to my horror, I saw two fleas on our dog that night. I still can't believe that I was actually able to catch one with my fingers. But as I tried to squish it, the little vampire jumped out of my grip and onto the family room carpet. Convinced that it was a female who by then was giving birth to hundreds of babies beneath my feet, I shrieked for my husband. When I told him that Maddie had fleas, he didn’t say anything. I knew instantly, by the look on his face, that he had decided to skip her October Frontline application.<br /><br />Sometimes I think he’d do almost anything to save a few dollars, and it makes me crazy. He said he didn’t realize that October is probably the worst month for fleas, since they’re looking for a warm-blooded host to take them through the winter. Fortunately for him, the flea bath he gave Maddie actually worked. Yesterday, the groomer found only one dead flea on her.<br /><br />Life is never boring with this man. But I think when we downsize out of this house, I’m suggesting a duplex or adjoining condo units!</div>Sandy Laurencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298153062542259941noreply@blogger.com0