Saturday, January 27, 2007

I Was Tagged----the ABC's of Me

A. Available or married: married.34+ years.
B - Best friend: none really. Not the trusting type anymore.
C - Cake or pie: squash pie-but make it rarely-I like the crusts the best.
D - Drink of choice: hot tea
E - Essential item you use everyday: prescription stomach medicine
F - Favorite color: vibrant red
G - Gummy bears or worms: worms-all sugary too
H - Hometown: born in-Flint , MI---reside - Flushing, MI
I - Indulgence: rubber stamps
J - January or February: February , its short and we're almost over winter
K - Kids & names:Courtney, Benjamin,Heather (birth name Shannon)
L - Life is incomplete without? sunshine
M - Marriage date: Oct 11, 1972
N - Number of siblings: 4-3 brothers, one sister -one deceased-at least one "supposed" half-never met
O - Oranges or apples: apples especialy the Aussie varieties-can't stomach oranges anymore-too much acid
P - Phobias or fears: heights-so flying is out, large crowds, water deeper than my ankles, high winds, driving long distances. I could go on.
Q - Fave quote: "The miracle isn't that I finished. The Miracle is that I had the courage to start". John Bingham
R - Reason to smile: spring is coming! Then summer!
S - Season: Summer-hot hot hot!
T - Tag 3 or 4 people: Ben, Johanna, Jennifer, Toby
U - Unknown fact about me: I am not capable of hating anybody. I didn't get the gene.
V- Vegetable you don't like: mushrooms-allergic
W - Worst habit: Being too nice to people-who then take advantage of me-which leads to not trusting anybody anymore.
X – X-rays: my whole body at one time or another. I have been zapped mightily.
Y - Your fave food: peanut butter
Z - Zodiac sign: Sagittarius

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

County Fresh-City Strange




We were driving to the dealership to check out my car damage-see previous posting-and there on the side of the same road I crashed on was a huge cow! I had my camera all ready and it was getting dark, so Ron pulled into the lot and I got these photos. I wanted Ron to sit on this-to be Paul Bunyan. But the cow is a cow and not blue and not an ox. If I were the owner, I would have put a wreath around its neck and strings of Christmas lights. Do you think cows get embarrassed?


I really think old Ruthie needs to be milked and soon! But it was a big smile on a nasty, snowy, sleety, schools closed and strangely odd day in mid January. Go see it if you are local to the Flint area-in front of the new VG's store at Corunna and Linden.

Monday, January 15, 2007

I Fought the Trailblazer and the Trailblazer won!

Here are some of the photos we were able to get of my 2006 Aveo. I tangled with a Chevy Trail Blazer-hitting the back end trailer hitch on Corunna Road last Wednesday about 6 PM. The work has already started and many are saying after a crash like this, I should sell the car and get something else. This baby is paid in full-so don't see a reason to sell. I did say if they totaled it, I would not buy another, but got voted down. I hate driving to begin with, usually 5-6 thousand miles a year, so maybe staying home isn't such a bad idea. I would miss going to the gym but that is about it. I could live without my trips to Micheal's and Joann's and get my groceries delivered. We shall see.....


This is the right side (passenger side) and you can see where the metal was bent toward the right of the photo. They have started to straighten it, hoping to re-use as much as possible to keep costs down. As long as the integrity of the car is not compromised, I am all for recycling.


This is the radiator, air conditioner, part of the hood, the plastic bumper(decorative purposes only I suspect). None of this is re-usable, so I get all new innards!I have no idea what that black square thingie is. Maybe a protector of the engine-a fire wall maybe? It had wires and stuff coming out of it.


Here you will see the left driver side-amazing the receptacle for the washer fluid is totally intact. Every other fluid was lost from the front end-my precious 2.30 cent gasoline is still in the tank-almost a full tank I believe. See the red steel bar over the left tire? That is where the sensor for the air bag is/was. You can see a blue cap about where it would be positioned. The air bag never went off and I was going about 40-45 when I slammed on the brakes. The seat belt worked! I have a bruise to prove it!!



A better look at the hood-scrunched up. Not re-usable. I am still amazed at the damage that I saw with glass, plastic, hissing noises (it didn't blow-so the movies are so bogus!). I hope these guys recycle!.






Now you will have to use your imagination here. We were surprised they had already started work on this. All the crushed metal is gone, all the broken glass hauled away, stripped plastic in another photo above. Pretty ugly now-but not half as ugly as the night of the crash.








The remains of the bumper-this black beauty probably saved me broken limbs. It was buckled in several places but didn't break and neither did I. The first thing I did when I stopped was feel my knees, which have taken so much abuse in recent years. Then I felt my mouth and all my teeth were still there!



Unlocked my belt and wondered why no big white balloon went off-that still really concerns me. I see all those ads on TV with cars hitting walls and stuff-and a big white balloon poofs out-but not for me.

Here is what it will look like again once all the new parts are on and its painted all purdy. I have a sun roof-and an air deflector on the back-but neither were harmed. My air bags did not go off-apparent the sensor wasn't tripped but they are going to check to see that it was actually capable of going off. Everyone seems amazed they didn't, and that I had only a bruise on my left knee and the burn from the seat belt.

I am 99.9 % sure the other driver did NOT have her lights on. But I hit her in the back, so I am guilty. She moved her car twice even tho I said not to. No other witnesses-actually no one stopped to even ask if we needed help. Sad society we have become that getting home 10 seconds faster or making the light is more important. I am so glad Marley wasn't with me as he usually is. He has a seat belt but if you turn your back on him-he wiggles right out of it! Artie thinks that is so funny! But Artie doesn't like his seat belt either and sometimes it mysteriously unlocks itself!! He was so funny-he was glad I wasn't hurt but even gladder it wasn't Ron's car with all the buttons and gadgets that wasn't wrecked. Typical guy!

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Just Desserts-Because It's 4 AM and I Am Starving!

You Are Strawberries with Cream

Fresh and uncomplicated, you are always enjoyed but often overlooked.
You're confident in who you are. You don't need a facade to feel better about yourself.

Friday, January 12, 2007

What Sort of Personality Am I?

You Are An INFJ
The Protector
You live your life with integrity, originality, vision, and creativity.Independent and stubborn, you rarely stray from your vision - no matter what it is.You are an excellent listener, with almost infinite patience.You have complex, deep feelings, and you take great care to express them.
You would make a great photographer, alternative medicine guru, or teacher.