Honey Baked Lunch winners!

Well ladies! It looks like LeslieVeg, Tamara B and Yevette all get to win a free HoneyBaked ham lunch! I do hope that your local HoneyBaked will accept these freebie coupons, since it sounds like you all have visited there before. With no HoneyBaked ham stores around here, it sounds like I am really missing out on some good stuff! I am off to email you all now, have a wonderful lunch!

It's a Cathouse over here!

Ok. It happened. Deja has decided to inform the public that she lives in a cathouse. Now for her, that means living in a house where there are four furry felines.

But, judging from the reactions of the people she told while waiting in line at the store, you'd have thought it was the Cathouse, live from Nevada. You know, the show on HBO that you might have seen late nite after the kiddos have gone to bed. (guilty as charged.)

One woman even told me, "Geez, you shouldn't have her saying that." Um, she is SEVEN years old and thinks being in a cathouse consists of having four felines sleeping, playing, hissing, spitting, eating and pooping while all trying to get along. I guess there ARE some similarities with the show after all, lol.

But that is as far as it goes. I don't have Air Force Amy lurking behind my door and the only money that changes hands in my house is when hubby hands over most of his paycheck to me so I can pay the bills for that month.

With kids, frisky is definitely out. Unless it pertains to cat food. Plenty of Friskies there. And locked doors, late nights and LOUD TV. In the meantime, welcome to my cathouse. Where the fur flies, the meowing echoes late into the night (unneutered male cat from dad, soon to be remedied) and the scent of litterbox freshener is filling the air. Glad you could stop by for a visit!

Mana Moon Studios-Follow Your Dreams

I have to admit, I am usually not a bracelet person. Not because I don't like them, but because it draws attention to the huge scar I have on my forearm (as you can see from the pic).

When I found out I was the second chance winner of the lovely Follow Your Dreams bracelet (can you believe the first winner never claimed their prize???!!) I was very happy-and when the bracelet came a few days later along with certificate of authenticity as well I was in awe. First, the shades of blue were gorgeous. I love blue, that is my favorite color-so this bracelet definitely fit into the color scheme of things. I have never owned wire wrapped jewelry, and was surprised at how durable this bracelet was-and how heavy! At first, I was a bit worried about how it might be too big for me. My 7 year old daughter's hands are almost as big as mine now, but she lovingly reminded me that I could always save it for HER.

I was able to mold it into shape to fit my wrist without slipping off, and it now fits just fine. I have worn it to work and out and about and have already gotten several compliments on my unusual piece of jewelry-a couple of mothers at Deja's daycare actually had me take it off to try it on themselves! This style of bracelet goes for about $42.00 on their website see a few of the styles here: http://www.manamoon.com/wwb_kazuri_bracelets.html Looking at this bracelet, I can't seem to see where the wire started-or where it ends. Sharon's designs are very unique, and definitely original. If you are looking to splurge a bit for a one of a kind design that takes your breath away, a signature piece as unique as the wearer, then you definitely need to check out Mana Moon Studios (http://www.manamoon.com) Thanks so much Sharon for such a gorgeous piece of jewelry!

Another snowstorm is on the way---

so where the heck is my first class ticket to Tahiti? I am sick of snow, sick of falling snow, shoveled snow, mountains of snow, and even yellow snow.

2 inches per hour they say, with a total snowfall in my area of a foot or so. It could be worse, I could live in the mountains and get 2 feet of snow. Deja is excited, snow means snow angels, snowball fights, making forts and sledding. Ahh, the life of a child-so fun until you have to shovel the stuff, clean it off your car, or drive in it.

It is time to be thinking Spring, and I am thinking mud season this year is going to be brutal. Besides, how can I think Spring if everything has a new white coating measurable in FEET?

I am heading to the kitchen now to cook nachos-maybe if I can smack my wooden spoons together hard enough I can wish myself away to a beach in Cancun, where I will be basking in sunshine and drinking a Sex on the Beach. Anyone wanna join me?

Help! I've been skinned!

I had heard about Unique Skins thru another blog, and was really happy when I won a $15 GC to use there last Fall. Unfortunately, I had to wait a bit since I changed cell phone companies and was getting different phones for hubby and I.

Above you can see Deja on the front and Demetrio on the back of my Motorola phone. I can't tell you how many compliments I have gotten from co-workers, friends and just people off the street that have noticed my unique skin and asked me how I got it done. Most people don't even know it's a skin at first, they think I had a new faceplate done, but when I tell them it is a skin you just peel off and put on your phone they can't believe it. And for $6.99 to $7.99 for a custom phone skin back and front, well, that is pretty affordable in my book.

Case in point: These skins attract attention. Hubby went to work Friday night and made the mistake of leaving his phone (with his custom skin of our daughter) in his car. When he came out of work in the morning, his car was ransacked, and phone was gone-skin and all. His new phone is coming in the next couple of days, and guess what he already has asked me for?

If you don't want to use your own pics, you can use one of their many designs. And while I was a bit intimidated at first in how to upload the pics and make my own skin, the website is very user friendly and you can fix your mistakes and start over until you get it just the way you want it. The cool thing is that these Unique Skins are not just for cell phones, you can put them on your laptop, iPod, game console, you name it.

I have had my skins now for a couple of weeks, and they show no sign of peeling or coming off. And I am pretty darn hard on my phone too. Check out the website here: www.uniqueskins.com to see what you can do with your own design!

Honeybaked Ham Box Lunch Giveaway-3 winners!

I got these awhile ago when going on vacation from a guy on Ebay. I thought I'd be able to use them, but unfortunately the HoneyBaked Ham store I wanted to visit in San Antonio was way across town from where the convention was, and I was unable to get there to try them out.

Now this guy lived in Missouri, and perhaps this is what the 404 means on the back, the store number or something. There are no HoneyBaked Hams stores in Maine, so while I'd love to try them I doubt it will be in the near future. As you can see, no expiration date and no restrictions listed as to being store specific. Maximum value appears to be $7.15 for the boxed lunch-and I'd love to give these away to someone who can use them for a nice lunch in their area. I hate to toss them out, and if you can use them, please enter!

Anyways, who said there is no thing as a free lunch, right? I want to make it really simple to enter-just leave a comment, that's all. Be sure to leave your email or a way to contact you in your post or through your blog. Starts today and ends Wednesday, February 25th at 11:59 pm. I will pick 3 winners thru Random.org and mail them out once I get your info! Good luck!

And the Rain-X winner is.... TIM!

Woohoo the winner is Tim! Great job, and it goes to show that those extra entries count. (Tim won for his separate comment that he was following me) Since he already says he's used Rain-X for awhile and needs all the help he can get, I am sure he will love the little prize package he will be receiving.

I didn't have that many entries for this giveaway, since I had to take an unexpected break from blogging for a week due to my dad's passing away. But I do thank those that took the time to enter, and my loyal followers on both Twitter and my blog-it was great reading your comments and also reading your kind words in regards to the death in my family. It's great that through blogging you can meet such wonderful people. So a big congrats to Tim! I will be emailing you soon to get your info.

Staying Warm during a Maine Winter...

We love our Land's End heated throw-it's been years since I have had any type of electric blanket, but they sure have come a long way since then.

I love the fact that it is so soft, and you can't even feel the wires because they are so tiny! Another thing, there is no static electricity at all. No grungy looking lint nubs or cat hairs attracted to it like many other blankets I have had that go from looking new to looking gross within days. We've been using it for about 2 months now, and hubby comes home from work, goes into the living room, turns it on and promptly falls asleep. Yup, I'm feeling a bit neglected so it looks like I will need to get one for our bed too ;)

We live in an older, Saltbox style home. There is no heat source for upstairs since it is forced hot air heat. I really need new windows upstairs, but until I can get them one way my teen son can stay warm is with one of these heated blankets/throws. Last week he was curious and went to try it out on the sofa. He called me at work and told me that he wanted one for his bed, so it looks like I will be getting him one in the future. Right now, he and hubby are fighting over sofa time under the heated throw.

Land's End has many great products, and they have been around for ages. While I haven't washed the throw yet, I expect it to have the same durable quality that I have come to know with Land's End. I wanted to wash it last month, but hubby won't part with it long enough to let me wash it. Besides, it doesn't even look dirty, despite the light color-which is a real plus in my book. I love the fact that you can save up to 10% on heating costs using this throw, heating oil is so darn expensive and will continue to climb in the future. Geez, I can remember when heating oil was under a buck a gallon, those days are now long gone...

Another important factor is that there is an automatic shutoff, great if you forget you left it on and then head into bed-trust me, hubby has done that once or twice. Plus, it is a nice safety feature to have. Right now they have the throws on sale for $89.50 which may seem a bit expensive at first, but after you factor in the heating savings and low electricity usage you really are getting a bargain over time. Check out the throws here: http://www.landsend.com/ix/index.html?store=le&action=newSearch&search=heated+throw&imageField.x=33&imageField.y=6

We love our Land's End AntiStatic Heated throw, and send out a big thank you to them for sponsoring a giveaway earlier this year on another blog-I was lucky enough to have won it and got this really neat eggshell colored throw which helped keep us warm (mostly hubby tho'!) during a cold Maine winter. I will definitely be ordering more for next winter for the kids and myself.

On a Sad Note...

My dad passed away yesterday morning after his long battle with lung cancer. He only had 2 radiation treatments to go, was gaining his weight back, and seemed to be improving.

But we all knew this was a possibility. I got to the hospital right after my mom called me, and by then he'd already gone into cardiac arrest. They managed to start his heart up twice, but the third time was not to be. Results showed a possible infection in his lung, and pneumonia starting-so he probably felt like crap. And could have gotten sick anywhere really. I tried to avoid seeing him because having sick kids, and being around clients who are sick just wasn't something I wanted to expose him to. But at least we talked on the phone :)

Now the unpleasant business of dealing with his estate, he didn't have much so it should be easy. But when someone passes away, sometimes people get greedy or the bickering starts. Guess I had better make my intentions clear to all and make a will, because some comments were made today that I don't agree on at all. I held my tongue, for the moment. But later, I will make my thoughts clear and I could care less of what people think of me. In the meantime, I will be busy helping to clear out his mobile home to get it ready for sale. Good night Guy, (we never called him dad!) we miss you.

Design Me, PLEASE!

T'was the nite before Valentine's Day
and all over the Net
bloggy mamas were blogging
as I was beginning to fret.

I checked my number of visitors
that by chance came to my site
it was so very depressing
and most definitely not alright.

I couldn't offer roses or chocolate,
gorgeous bling or something more
to bribe bloggy visitors
to tell me it's my blog that they adore-


I insert a piece of html code here-
then insert a little html code there
head back to "view your blog"
and see the page jumbled everywhere.

I need a fresh new look-
a special makeover from a Pro
something that stands out
and makes my blog the place people want to go.

As I peruse the blogsphere this eve
what do I see?
A bloggy giveaway of course,
tailored just for me!

The prize you ask?
A bloggy makeover by Southern Girl Designs.
Go visit the Downs Gang & see for yourself-
but you must remember, this prize is all mine!

Couldn't resist the little poem above for my PLEA for help in this bloggy design thing! However there is a really cool giveaway going on right now over at The Downs Gang (http://www.thedownsgang.com/2009/02/blog-makeover.html) that ends on 2/16/09 that I am SO in need of! Do you need a fresh new look for your blog too? Maybe something for Spring or Easter? No need to go too far, I checked out Southern Girl Blog Designs (http://southerngirlblogdesigns.blogspot.com/) and found plenty of wonderful ideas. Thanks for the giveaway ladies!

Review & Giveaway Rain-X Wipers and Car Care Kit

Right now I am angry at my car. After the infamous BK incident, it seems my car is truly possessed. Today after work I briefly stopped at home before going to pick up Deja across town at the After School Care Program. Lucky I did. After I had checked out what bills decided to cross my threshold this lucky day, I headed back outside to pick up Deja. I got to the end of the street and noticed a burning smell. And as I went to make a left turn, there was a screeching sound followed by thudding and shaking. Nope. I wasn't going there-not again. I turned it right back around and headed towards home. Hubby the car care expert came out to take a look and verified my suspicions, that I did have a funky noise going on. Since it was RAINING outside, we'll put off repairs until the weekend. I seriously think that new cars are programmed to work great for five years from the date that they are sold. After that, once the loan is paid off (mine was in December) all hell breaks loose.

Back to the rain issue. It's been pretty dry around here lately, unusual for February, but I am not knocking it. This morning when I left to take the kids to school it was pouring out. I hate driving in the rain, I just can't see good at all with fogged up windows and streaks on the windshield. Whether it be rain, snow, sleet or a wintry mix, good visibility is SO important. When the driving conditions are bad already, you definitely want to take your time and SEE where you are going. I was quite surprised to find out that nearly a quarter of all accidents happen in extreme weather conditions, such as snow and rain. Just this morning there was an accident not too far from here where a young man rear ended a stopped police vehicle, causing over $12,000 in damage to the cruiser. Luckily no one was hurt, but the young man admitted due to road conditions he just couldn't stop AND his vision was impaired, so he did not see the flashing blue lights on the side of the road until it was too late.

I can't tell you how important it is to get your car road ready for extreme weather. Your car needs to be ready to handle any situation, and you need to be prepared just in case you end up stuck in your car during a snow or ice storm. We keep blankets, energy bars, some water, heat packs (like hunters use for cold feet/hands) gloves, some extra clothing, kitty litter and a small shovel in my trunk. Also, we make sure that when it gets cold, we get our gas tank filled up-condensation can cause the lines to freeze if you don't have it at least half full-and we also add dry gas as well. The last thing you want to have is frozen lines or a stalled engine. We also check our tires regularly for signs of tread wear and make sure the air pressure is good as well. Also, check lights to make sure the bulbs haven't burnt out, keep your windshield washer fluid tank full, use antifreeze if needed and make sure you have windshield wipers that show no signs of wear or streaking.

My husband was very jealous when I received a pair of Rain-X Latitude Wiper Blades http://www.rainx.com/Products/Wiper_Blades/Latitude.aspx and a bottle of Rain-X X-treme Clean glass and plastic renewer, and a bottle of Rain-X Weatherbeater 2-in-1 Glass Cleaner + Rain Repellent to try out. Since rain was predicted last night, I made sure I had hubby install my wiper blades. They went on super easy and today driving the kids to school in the pouring rain I noticed a BIG difference in visibility. No streaks, just a clear line of vision. And you know how sometimes you have some blades that made annoying squeaking sounds when you use them? These ones had no noise at all, which was just great. Here are some some of the neat features of these wiper blades:

Easy to install-

For use on either originally installed standard or curved style wiper blades
Pre-installed with small j-hook adapter and contains multi-adapter for side pin, large j-hook and bayonet wiper blade arms
Rain-X Latitude® Version -2 wiper blades fit I&L (Insert & Lock) and PTB (Pinch Tab Button) wiper blade arms
High performance wiper

Contoured design applies even pressure along the entire blade length
Specially blended graphite coated rubber blade delivers the ultimate smooth, clean, chatter-free wipe
Built-in aerodynamic spoiler significantly reduces drag, noise and wind lift
Ice resistant frame

Prevents ice and snow build-up through the elimination of exposed metal components
Durable, rubber-encased substructure increases wiper flexibility and adherence to the windshield in harsh conditions

I haven't had the chance to use the other two items yet, but hubby has threatened me with bodily harm if I take "his" Glass & Plastic renewer because this is one product he can really use in the summer time as he works nights and he gets so many dead bugs on his headlights.

I, on the other hand, will be using the 2 in 1 Glass Cleaner & Rain Repellant on a regular basis, as it will help with rainy weather year round. Rain-X products can be found nationwide at several retailers, VIP and Walmart to name a couple in my area. It's always a great idea to keep your eyes on the Promotions page as well, since there are currently a couple of rebate offers going on. http://www.rainx.com/Promotions.aspx
Wanna win a set of wipers and car care products for your car? Thanks to the good folk over at Rain-X and My Blog Spark (www.myblogspark.com) I have a set to give away!

Giveaway starts today and will end at 11:59 pm EST Friday, February 20th. Giveaway is open to US residents only. You don't have to be a blogger to enter, but you must leave an email in your post so that I can find you to let you know you've won. If you win, keep in mind that you will need to let me know the year, make and model of your vehicle so that I can share this information with the sponsor so they can send you the correct wiper blades.

For your first entry, please visit Rain-X (www.rainx.com)and check out the products they have. Tell me the name of a product you'd like to try OR look through the Tips & Information section and come back and tell me a tip or something you have learned.

EXTRA ENTRIES: (leave separate comments for each additional entry please)

1. Follow me on blogger for ONE entry. If you already do, leave me a comment letting me know.

2. Follow me on Twitter AND send out a tweet about the giveaway for TWO entries. Come back here and leave me a comment with a link to your tweet.

3. For FIVE extra entries, blog about this giveaway with a link back to this post AND to Rain-X. Come back here and let me know you did it.

Good luck!

This wonderful giveaway opportunity was made possible by My Blog Spark!

Win a beautiful work of Art!

with Valentine's Day coming right up, who wouldn't want to win this gorgeous work of art by Monica? I would love to win this for my home, my daughter Dejanera loved the Angel of Love she is giving away pictured above. Please be sure to check out her blog and enter before February 28th when she will choose a lucky winner!

Pepsi Rocks!

I love drinking diet colas, and Diet Pepsi is one of my favorites. You might wake up with a coffee, I wake up to the sound of a pop top snapping while opening an ice cold can of refreshing Diet Pepsi.

They had a really cool Pepsi promotion this past year where you could get neat stuff with Pepsi points and also win prizes. I got several nice things AND won a Zune for my son and hubby won a Zune and Flip Camera. A couple of years before that, hubby won a cool RAZR phone from them, again by entering codes from the caps. Told ya we drink alot, and with friends and family saving them for us too, I was really enjoying Pepsi this past summer.

Every year around this time, they have a promotion for the Superbowl, combined with Lay's products. Since we love Tostitos and Pepsi, I always manage to do the rebate and combine it with CVS Extrabucks offer as well-to make the deal even sweeter :) While searching blogs for info about Pepsi, I saw that many blogs were having giveaways of a huge Superbowl prize package. All that football stuff was great for hubby and my son, but my prize was those 5 coupons for Frito Lay products and 5 coupons for 24 pks of Pepsi for free, I scarfed up those before they even noticed they were gone from the box. Everything they sent was nice quality stuff, and I was so pleased to get it from such a wonderful sponsor. Unfortunately, due to a shipping error, mine arrived the day AFTER the big game. No big deal for me, I already had my back up plan of Tostitos, a taco dip and my Pepsi 12 packs I had gotten from CVS deal waiting on the sidelines.

Boy, was I impressed when I went to my mailbox yesterday and had another huge box. I didn't recognize the address and come to find out it was another gift from Pepsi! A gorgeous duffel bag (which hubby has already stolen!) another cool baseball cap and a Superbowl program. Inside was a note apologizing for the shipping delay, and offering these items to make up for the error. Wow! I was so impressed with their commitment to satisfaction. Heck, I was happy enough to have won anyways, so this was just icing on the cake-or should I say ice cubes in the Pepsi? Thanks so much Pepsi, for providing a wonderful prize package and caring about your consumers enough to go over and above the norm to make us happy! And big thanks to Dawn over at Blonde Reviews http://blondereviews.blogspot.com/ for being one of the generous bloggers who hosted this giveaway (and selecting me as a winner :) I may not have made it to the Superbowl, but lemme tell ya this prize package sure made up for it!

Dust? Not in MY House!

Will be posting again soon-busy with work (left the office at 7:30 pm!) and trying to clean house for my new waterbed delivery the 21st. What is making things difficult is that there is so much dust, and I am very allergic to it. Usually I do major cleaning in Spring or Summer, where I can open the windows and let the dust out. I was lucky enough to win a nice new can of Pledge and received it a couple of weeks ago. Believe me, it has been a big help and also leaves a pleasant smell behind. I have used Pledge for years, and in addition to the great job it does it leaves behind a pleasant shine on my furniture. I am impressed with the variety of products they have come out with lately, and would love to try out the pet hair product they currently have! With 3 furry felines, I need all the help I can get!

Anyways, I am trying to clean in sections-little by little since I become miserable fairly quickly. The ceiling fan circulating the air has been helping some, but with the dust and cat dander my throat is scratchy and my eyes red and teary from rubbing them so much. Not to mention the horrendous sneezing! Claritin is so NOT helping this time around...

Will be having a very cool giveaway soon, am currently reviewing the products and waiting for nasty weather predicted for later this week... (hint: windshield and car care products!) On a last note, I have to say that dusting is my least favorite chore to do (it rates right up there with cleaning the litterbox!) because of my allergies mostly, but also because no sooner than I dust and get everything looking shiny and sparkling, the next day I can see more dust! It's a never ending battle! What's your least favorite chore?

Natural Shelving?

I am not even going to justify this post with a pic. Last night I decided I'd let hubby out of the doghouse long enough (see the Burger King incident below) to go to a local Mexican restaurant about a half hour away so I could eat my nachos and have a good, strong drink. (yes, it was one of THOSE days at work!)

After a bit of running around we got settled inside the restaurant and I realized something. The shirt I had on wasn't stained...yet. Jose knew when I glanced down at "the girls" that I was checking to see if the shirt had previous battle scars (i.e. food stains) from a prior incident.

The nachos were yummy-with lots of chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro and of course the guacamole and sour cream too. Very cheesy with beef and on a bed of refried beans too. Now this was my kind of meal! I dug in, starved since I hadn't had lunch earlier and it was now pushing 6 pm. Jose had fajitas, Deja had chicken fingers-it was a great meal. Except for little by little I started to wear it. My natural shelving caught any stray food particles before they hit the table. First a stray tomato hit, mmm...a nice red tomato juice stain on the left side. Then a semi refried bean slipped off a chip, leaving a brown stain in the center. And finally, knowing all hope was lost for this shirt, a piece of ground beef hopped off to join the others and contribute a nice greasy looking stain on the right side.

When we pass the high chairs with bibs in the restaurant Jose looks at me and smiles. He even took one once, and I refused to wear it. After all, I am an adult and I shouldn't be bibbed unless I am eating lobster.

I actually thought I was totally alone in suffering from natural shelving, and I could have sworn that My Humps was beginning to be my new theme song. But my coworker suffers from it too! Only she's smarter than I am and carries a Tide To Go Pen in her purse.

Later that evening, we came home and watched a movie in bed. I was turned towards the TV and Jose reached over me to get the control once the movie ended. I still had my same shirt on from earlier at the restaurant and heard hubby laughing. The control had been in the vicinity of my shelving and when he reached for it something fell off it. He picked it up to show me and couldn't stop laughing. I turned towards him and peered at the object he held between his fingers... and saw it was a piece of tomato that had hitched a ride between the girls. Geez, I used to be thrilled when I was younger and things were perkier. Now that gravity has hit me, I could keep a dozen pencils under them and there is no way those suckers are falling out. Heck, I probably couldn't even FIND half of the pencils afterwards when I went back to retrieve them!

All you crafty people out there on Etsy...got any ideas for a mommy bib? It's gotta be stylish and removable, so it's easy to wash... HELP!!! Because I am bringing home the bacon...but in a whole different way! (yup, we had breakfast at the office today, and guess what hitched a ride with me today?)

Lunch today was supposed to have been quick, to the point-and uneventful. H & R Block gave me a quick call this morning while at work and I happily woke hubby up telling him I was picking him up for lunch so we could go sign our tax forms. After grumbling a bit, Jose decided it was in his best interest to come with me at lunchtime to do this-rather than facing the wrath of a bitchy wife later on.

It was busy at the tax office, but I was glad we only were in there 15 minutes waiting. It seems everyone wants to pop in at lunchtime to sign their forms. (note to self: adjust your lunch hour temporarily during tax time next year so it is NOT between the hours of 11-2!) With tummies rumbling, we decided we'd get an order from Burger King to bring home and then I'd head back to work. Easy, right?

Jose was driving. He has this macho man thing that he cannot be in the car when I am driving. Most likely because I am a cautious driver, don't take risks or give it the gas or do anything remotely resembling a Nascar race. My style is more tour bus, slow, always on the lookout, and sure to reach my final destination-which is in all likelihood not wrapped up around a tree someplace.

The BK drive-thru was packed. The restaurant was busy and there were tons of people inside sitting and eating in full view of the drive thru. As the line of cars began pulling up, I told Jose to pull the car ahead. He hesitated, and then did so. Normally, I would have thought it was strange for him to hesitate, but my mind was working overtime trying to process how I would be spending my Earned Income Credit. So I paid him no attention and began to recite the order into the speaker. We pull up verrry slowly to the first window to pay and as I hand the cashier the card my car starts to act like it is possessed.

My odometer starts going thru the numbers a mile a minute and I am seriously thinking that I have hit some time warp or something. It is just like all those Sci-Fi movies I watch where the plane hits the Bermuda Triangle and you just know the shit is gonna hit the fan. You see a closeup of all the instrument controls going nuts and you pray it will never happen to you. After a minute of surging power, similar to taking its last breath, my car dies. Now mind you, we are sitting in a packed Burger King drive thru window getting ready to go to the next window to pick up our food.

Yes, I let out a few f-bombs. And I said them in front of the cashier, who made it the whole damn restaurant's business to know that my car had just died. Patrons stood up, gawking. Personnel stuck their head thru the other window. A woman in back of me started swearing, giving the term "fast food" a whole new meaning. Jose jumped out of the car and I got into the driver's seat as he started to push. A couple of cars back, another guy waiting in line jumped out as well, and helped to push. If I knew who he was, I would have bought him a Whopper...or a beer or two. :)

I called my coworker (thank you Rhonda!) and asked her to pick up poor hubby. Thankfully she did and he went home and got his car and battery cables and charged me up enough to get home. From there, I waited about a half hour while he got the alternator out in the freezing cold and we brought it to Autozone. Yup, that's what it was. A couple of hundred bucks later, my car is running fine.

Man, was I embarassed by all of this. I swore not to return to Burger King-at least in this century anyways. Jose got me at work with my car and we picked up Deja at afterschool care. She was hungry. Burger King was on the way home. Jose swings in and heads for...you guessed it, the Drive Thru. I am huddled down hiding in my seat, hoping all the lunch personnel have gone home. As we make it to the first window to pay, the manager sees us and says-"Back to try again, huh?"

I could have just about died. Jose laughs and tells him it was the alternator. I keep my mouth shut, mortified. He tries to make me feel better telling me it happens all the time. I think I will be using the other Burger King for awhile...the one WAY across town. As an added note: Jose tells me that the car was acting funny right before it died and it didn't have any juice to make it to the first drive thru window. But he didn't want to tell me that, because he knew I'd freak out. I think I deserved fair warning, dont'cha think? Guess who's in the doghouse tonight?

Waterbeds...have an opinion?

Flashback to the 80's-I had a waterbed back then and loved it... of course it was a basic frame with the full motion mattress and the heater, etc... It was really comfortable and the heat felt good after working 2 jobs and coming home to a nice warm bed. But then I got a cat-and that was the end of the waterbed.

My cute little kitten had her toy stuck between the wooden box frame and the full motion mattress. And she was determined to get it. I arrived home late that Saturday afternoon to find a very soggy situation indeed. Living in a mobile home, the situation was already precarious having a bed that weighed over 1000 lbs on the floor-and now the floor was very, very wet. I ended up pumping out the rest of the water and hurrying down to the furniture store where I worked PT on weekends after making an emergency call. They set me up with another type of waterbed, one that has the cylinders INSIDE, so kitty couldn't get to them-and the outside looking like a regular mattress. Lucky for me, I only lived right up the road and was an employee, so I got a delivery after hours.

Lately Jose and I have been buying lower end mattresses for our queen bed-at about $300 a pop. We have been comfortable on them for about 8-9 months and then after that, the springs pop out or there are sink holes and we end up feeling like crap in the morning when we get up. These darn mattresses have a life of 1-2 years and it was getting quite expensive. So yesterday, I brought him to a store about 45 min. away that still sells waterbeds.

We both decided that at our age, we did not want the full motion waterbed. They did have the ones with cylinders, which Jose had never seen before and he was quite amazed at that. I made the salesman unzip it to show it to him because trying to describe it in Spanish just wasn't working. They also had a floor model of the classic waterbed similar to the one above-for about $975 or so. It included everything, the underbed drawers, headboard (which is slightly different-no glass doors just bookshelves) and the waveless king mattress. This bed is HUGE. The mattress is nice, waveless, no heater needed and it has a zip top so no kitties can wreck havoc with my new bed. I haven't gotten it yet-we are pretty sure we will-it does have a few dings and dents mostly on the footboard part of it for being a floor model, but those can be quickly fixed by hubby. A new setup like this would run about 3 grand or so the salesman says. I think maybe around 2 grand since I have been pricing them on the internet-but I definitely need a durable bed that the cats can't get into and ruin. (they like to dig, and have ripped out the bottom of the boxspring and hubby is NOT happy) With this setup, they can't even get under the bed, and we will have extra needed storage as well.

Any opinions on waterbeds? Do ya have one? Did ya have one? I enjoyed the time I had mine-and wish I hadn't sold it to a neighbor, but since I was moving I couldn't take such a huge set with me. Now that we have our own home, no more moving as I plan on staying put. My home may not be in the best area of town, nor in the best condition-but we are fixing it up little by little. And with taxes/insurance the mortgage is cheaper than any 3 bedroom apt. around here, which is why we bought it. Although we were approved for a higher loan, we decided to play it cautiously and bought something that we could afford even if one of us had a job or if we only had part time wages. Considering the crisis the housing industry is in now, I'd say we did just fine. So, back to waterbeds-whaddya all think? What are you sleeping on?

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