A Disabled Crane Can Mean Trouble for Your Business

With all the action going on outside Jeffrey's office the other day, I thought it was quite timely when I was asked to post the following information about disabled crane parts.  I'm sure there is no good time for a crane to break down, but it would be especially bad in the middle of a big job like moving a huge milk tank into place.  I think the best advice here is to be proactive and have some spare parts on hand so you're ready when a breakdown occurs and don't have to wait for some new parts to arrive.  That, and finding a reliable source so you can get what you need when you need it.

When you take on any job with your overhead crane, big or small, you are expected to deliver. Your client is relying on you to get the job done in order to keep the entire project on schedule. You've got more jobs lined up and employees that are counting on you as well. When you have a disabled crane, it brings everything to a grinding halt. The next time that you need disabled crane parts, don't waste your time. The ProservCrane Group stands at the ready for you.

Find the Parts You Need When You are in a Bind
That dreaded moment when your overhead crane breaks down can be extremely frustrating. Take it in stride when you have a reliable source for parts. With the ProservCrane Group, you'll find a full listing of parts for every model and make of overhead crane. Simply pull up the website, browse the list of parts, and place your order. You are a priority and your parts will arrive at your earliest convenience to get you up and running once again.

Be Proactive
You've been in this business long enough to realize that you have certain parts that are going to burn out. Order what you need the most often from the ProservCrane Group and have your parts on hand. You'll be ready to take on repairs when they arise, ensuring you can deliver the quality service that is a part of your business.

Be Prepared for Regular Maintenance
Take care of your equipment and maintain it well with help from the ProservCrane Group. When you're ready to work on your equipment before the next project, line up your parts with the ProservCrane Group. Representatives are always ready to assist you when you need help finding exactly what you need.

Explore Your Options
The ProservCrane Group goes above and beyond when it comes to overhead cranes. Not only do they offer you a comprehensive assortment of parts, they can help you with installation, servicing, refurbishing, and maintenance. Turn to the team at the ProservCrane Group to take care of your equipment. Your satisfaction is a top priority.

What is the Purpose of Wedding Pictures?

I've just been looking through our wedding pictures.  Yeah, looking through that wedding photography halifax page the other day got me thinking about those pictures.  It really is nice to have them, and looking through them sure brings back memories!  Wow - we were all so young back then!  And there were quite a few people in those pictures who we haven't seen in years and years, and some who are no longer with us, like my grandparents.

While there is at least one picture that I really should delete and destroy, because I really don't look good at all, and there are others where I wish the flash hadn't reflected in the mirror or that someone had told me how to stand so that I'd look better or told Jeffrey to move his arms so his tux jacket didn't pull weird, overall I like our wedding pictures.  No, nothing is perfect or perfectly posed, or even super creative, like if we'd hired someone like the photographer at halifax wedding photography, but we have a good overview of what our day was like and the people who were there to share it with us.  When we pull the pictures out, like we occasionally do, they bring back memories, and isn't that why we have pictures in the first place?

We remember that our flower girl cried the whole way down the aisle - but she still dropped those flower petals.

It's just that she was used to her daddy waiting up there at the end of the aisle - she'd been a flower girl before.  This time, it wasn't her daddy performing the wedding; it was mine.  He was waiting at the back of the room to walk me down the aisle, give me away, and then step around to the front and make sure he didn't get me back. She made it as far as the front row, found Jeffrey's mom, and spent the rest of the wedding on her lap.  She was fine afterwards.

We remember the lovely ladies who baked and help serve our cakes.  And punch.

We remember that our parents were younger than we are now.  How is that even possible?  Though Dad didn't have much hair even back then.  

And we remember that our wedding day was just the beginning of the life we would build together, and that is the most important thing of all.  It will be 27 years this June, and sometimes it seems like just yesterday.

But They're My Kitties

I think my cats have deserted me.  They've decided they like this guy better.

OK, maybe that's not exactly true.  But now they're both just as likely to want to sit on his lap as they are to sit on mine or to snuggle up next to me.  Once in a while he even has both of them at once - and since Tillie wants nothing to do with Weasley, that's really saying something.  The first time they did this, I grabbed my camera to get a picture.  As soon as Weasley saw the camera, he left.  I guess he thinks I'm the paparazzi.  This time I just used my phone, and he didn't seem to mind.

Last night Weasley even expected Jeffrey to take him to bed.  That's supposed to be my job!  Every night when it's time for bed and I start moving that way, Weasley will run out into the middle of the living room floor and stretch out, expecting to be picked up and carried to bed.  Lazy little munchkin can't walk!  If I ignore him, he'll grab at my legs or run quickly to get in front of me and lay down right in my path.  So, yes, I pick him up and throw him over my shoulder and carry him to bed.  He's just a bit spoiled.

Well, last night Jeffrey was headed to bed before me, and Weasley ran out into the middle of the room and stretched out waiting to be carried to bed.  So Jeffrey picked him up, but he didn't throw him over his shoulder - so Weasley started complaining and wanting down.  Jeffrey put him down, figuring that he didn't really want to be carried to bed, but Weasley wouldn't let him go anywhere.  He kept after his legs complaining all the while.  So Jeffrey picked him up again and tossed him over his shoulder - and Weasley stopped complaining.  And let Jeffrey carry him to bed where he was waiting for me when I got there.  I guess I've been replaced - but at least he expects to be carried to bed the right way, regardless of who carries him.  I really wish I'd gotten the whole thing on video because it was hilarious, but I didn't think of it until later.  I was too busy laughing.

Oh, and Tillie?  She sleeps on the bed with us now, at least for part of the night.  She's usually on the bed when Jeffrey gets there, and she is not going to go anywhere.  She's just a bit stubborn.  And no matter how much Jeffrey might complain about having no room on the bed because of the cats, he manages to get into the bed without disturbing her too much.  I bet he climbs in on my side just so he won't disturb her.  But I haven't asked him.

Looks like they're Jeffrey's kitties now - or he's theirs.

My Poor Honey

He took a loaded trailer full of stuff back to Champaign with him this afternoon/evening.  The weather wasn't the best today, but thankfully it was raining all day and not snowing.  And thankfully our sweet son Cory came home last night and helped packing up, cleaning out, and loading last night and today.  (He also got his laundry done and went back to campus with quite a bit of food)

Jeffrey set off a bit earlier than usual today, because it takes longer when pulling the trailer and because he had to unload everything from the trailer and into the storage locker by himself when he got there.  All I could do was watch him go and pray for him to get there safely.

He called a couple hours later to say it was tough going.  It had been OK when he left here, but he ran into quite a bit of wind, and the van wasn't happy pulling the loaded trailer in that wind.  The check engine light was coming on, and she was drinking gas like crazy.   They're calling for those strong winds to be here tomorrow, probably coming from that way - so maybe if we'd checked the weather we would have known he was going to have that to deal with, but we were busy.

I feel bad that he had to deal with that.  And I hope the van's OK.  She's had to work a lot harder in the last few months, pulling that trailer, than she's ever had to work before.  But, just a few more trips like that - for both the van and the husband.  Thankfully they made it safely and got unloaded.  I'm sure Jeffrey is looking forward to weekends that don't involve lots of driving.  That has to get old even when he's not hauling a trailer full of stuff.  And I'm looking forward to not having to say goodbye at the end of every weekend.  Just so much stuff to get sorted and tossed and packed before that...

Related articles

• Time to Pack

Our Government at Work - Golden Guernsey Shuts Down

Golden Guernsey Dairy (Photo credit: jimmywayne)

We pretty much saw this coming as soon as the DOJ first brought the suit.  Dean Foods fought it while the DOJ dragged it out, never being 'ready' for any of the court dates.  Finally, to avoid continuing legal fees, Dean Foods settled and had to sell the Waukesha plant for pretty much nothing - to an investment firm that knew nothing about running a dairy and didn't want to put any more money into it.    And, for the record, the Waukesha plant didn't ship school milk to that part of Wisconsin or Michigan's Upper Peninsula - that would have been the DePere plant, which Dean Foods was allowed to keep.

So, in the end, there's still no competition for the school milk business in that little part of Wisconsin and the UP - and 100 people have lost their jobs.  I'm thankful that Jeffrey got out of there and feel really bad for those people who are now affected and don't know what happens next.  Thanks to our wonderful government.

Waukesha dairy plant Golden Guernsey suddenly closes

Waukesha - The Golden Guernsey dairy processing plant in Waukesha that supplies milk to schools and supermarkets was closed suddenly Saturday when employees showed up for work and were told not to stay, sources said.

Lynn Hiemke, president of Mapleton Dairy Haulers in Oconomowoc, said he was told by Golden Guernsey managers early Saturday that the plant was shutting down.
Hiemke said he was stunned by the closing and left scrambling as he tried to find alternate supplies of milk for hundreds of local schools.

"There's going to be schools without milk on Monday morning - a lot of them - and they don't know it yet," he said.

The dairy operation at 2101 Delafield St. has been under new ownership since last year.
Open Gate Capital, a Los Angeles private equity firm, bought Golden Guernsey after its former owner, Dean Foods, was required to sell the plant to settle antitrust concerns.

The U.S. Department of Justice - along with attorneys general in Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan - had raised concerns that Dean Foods would have too much of a share of the school milk supply in Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. As a result, they required Dean to sell the Waukesha plant while allowing it to retain its dairy processing plant in De Pere, just south of Green Bay.

An employee who did not want to be identified said the workers were notified Friday night that the plant would be closed. Another employee who arrived at the plant Saturday morning was told not to come to work Saturday or Sunday, a source said.

The plant was locked Saturday afternoon, with vendor trucks parked outside and Golden Guernsey trucks behind the locked fence. The cow statue in front of the plant was still adorned with its festive Christmas hat.

An Open Gate representative did not return a phone call and email seeking comment Saturday. Company president Brad Parks did not return an email or a phone call, and a woman at his home declined to comment.

Golden Guernsey supplies milk to Pick 'n Save as well as other area grocery stores.
Department of Workforce Development spokesman John Dipko said he was unaware of the closing.

Under state law, employers are required to give 60 days' notice of any shutdown to city and state officials, and to pay their workers severance payments for 60 days leading up to a shutdown or mass layoff.

The plant had roughly 100 workers, according to employees.
Dean Foods had acquired the De Pere and Waukesha plants from Foremost Farms USA of Baraboo in 2009 for $35 million.

The U.S. Department of Justice intervened the next year, saying the De Pere and Waukesha plants supplied more than 50% of the school milk purchased in Wisconsin and the U.P.

Hiemke said his company has been serving the plant, delivering milk to schools across the region from the dairy, since 1976. Mapleton has 14 employees.
"This could take me right under, and I think it's going to," he said.

"The Department of Justice has no clue," Hiemke said. "They have wrecked our plant. It's the federal government going in there, and they wrecked our plant."

Hiemke said he was working to find alternate suppliers for milk for the schools that have been buying Golden Guernsey. "I hope our schools understand we are trying as hard as we can," he said.

jsonline

Related articles

• Golden Guernsey in Waukesha suddenly closes, sources say
• Dairy plant in Waukesha shuts down

He's a Handy Man

My husband is really handy to have around.  If something needs fixed around the house, he can take care of it.  Me?  Well, that's why I have him, of course!

Except that these days he's living elsewhere all week and only home on the weekends.  Now, when something breaks or isn't quite right, I hope it isn't too serious so that he can fix it on the weekend.  Or I figure out how to do it myself, like changing the light bulbs that Jeffrey usually changes.  It's not really that difficult; I just need to find a step-stool so I can reach them.

I also take advantage of technology to try and let him know what is going on, so he can figure out how to take care of it ahead of time. Several weeks ago the toilet in the master bathroom started acting up.  The tank just would not fill up properly.  How do I explain what is going on to him?  Take video with my cell phone and send it to him!

I don't know if he could actually tell what was going on from that video, but he went to Menard's and got the parts so that he could fix the problem when he came home for the weekend.  I had to turn the water to the toilet off and use the one in the hall bathroom for a few days, but I didn't have to call the professionals from plumbing toronto or even our favorite plumber from Minnesota, and now our toilet works perfectly.

I ought to start compiling a list of local professionals, though - just in case something goes wrong that can't wait until the weekend.  NOT that I expect anything like that, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared, right?  I could always leave the list for the new owners when we sell the house, because maybe he won't be such a handy man.

OK, Time to Move

OK, it's a new year - time to get this house sold so I can live with my husband again!  We got to be together for more than a week and a half, with going to Lexington, my staying in Champaign with him, and then him having a long weekend because of the New Year holiday.  Now he's gone, and I'm starting to miss him already.  I kinda like having him around - even after all these years.

Yes, I really like our house, and it's kinda weird to think about someone else living here, and I like being close to the kids, and the grandson, but it's time to move on.  I'd rather be close to my husband - living in the same house, sleeping in the same bed, hanging out together.  We'll find a new house we like.  We'll visit the kids or they can visit us - thankfully Champaign isn't all that far away.  New year, new house, new life, right?

So let's all pray that we have some buyers come and fall in love with our house and that they offer us the right price for it so that we can move.  Soon.  Then we can call a company like déménagement montréal for their moving and storage services, or pack everything up and load the trailer a few more times and start living together again.  That will be nice.

Thank You, Unknown Neighbor

I haven't been online much because I've been interacting with people in person - outside of the internet and social networks.  Yes, I do that once in a while.

We attended the Winter Family Weekend hosted by the Church of God Cincinnati in Lexington, KY.  This was our 4th year attending.  It's a great event that includes plenty of fun, food, and fellowship with wonderful friends.  We eat, we drink, we talk, we laugh, we stay up way too late, we play sports we don't usually play and end up in pain, and we would really hate to miss it.  This year my parents even came for a couple days!  Usually we go visit them after the weekend is over, but this year we didn't have the time, so it was nice that we got to see them anyway.

This year we headed home afterwards so Jeffrey could go back to work on Wednesday.  I decided to stay with him for the rest of the week - just because.  For some reason I still like hanging out with him...

So I've got a few days here alone in the apartment.  I thought I'd have to survive without internet access - unless I wanted to go over to the laundry area where they offer free wifi, along with the noise of washers and dryers - but, when I booted my computer up yesterday afternoon, it found an unsecured wireless network and connected.  So, I just want to thank the unknown neighbor who is graciously allowing me to use his internet! 

There are 8 other wireless networks I can see, but all of them are secured.  This one will probably end up being secured eventually, but I'm only here for a few days...

How Weird is This?

Not only is Jeffrey moving into an apartment in the same apartment complex that we lived in many years ago - he's moving into an apartment in the exact same building!  (that one right by the pool, with the brick)

Though it sounds like he's around on the other side of the building and not right by the pool where we were before.

My Husband Left Tonight

... to go start his new job tomorrow.

So things are going to be a bit different around here.  He'll be in Champaign all week working while I'm here.  And then he'll be home on the weekends.  We did this about 15 years ago - only in the opposite direction.  Then, I was down in the Champaign area, and he was spending his weeks up here working.  Back then I had two little kids, too.  So this will be easier, right?

Jeffrey is staying in a hotel this week, and then he'll go and sign a short-term lease on an apartment somewhere near the end of the week and be able to move into the apartment next Sunday when he goes back.  He was thinking of staying in an extended-stay hotel - and he got a decent rate on that at $40/night - but by getting an apartment he'll be able to stay there for 4 months and only spend about as much as he would have for 2 months in the hotel.

Hopefully that will give us a nice window of time to sell our house, find a house down there, and get everything moved - starting next weekend when he takes a trailer full of stuff that he's going to need for living in the apartment. Yes, we got a trailer this last week - something Jeffrey has been wanting for a long time, and something that will really help with the move.  After all, he's going to be driving back and forth most weekends so he might as well make the most of those trips, right?  And then he'll be able to use it for sound gear or whatever else it is he needs it for.

First he's going to be taking stuff for the apartment - which, by the way, is directly across the street from where he'll be working and also the same apartment complex we used to live in way back when we were first married and when both kids were born.  We have plenty of 'extra' stuff around here so he shouldn't need to buy anything to furnish an apartment.  It might not be perfect, but it will do.  He's already got a bed, dresser, futon, tv stand, coffee table, and more loaded into the trailer.  Getting some of the stuff out of the house is hopefully helping it to look better when people come to look at it, so that's another benefit.

After he gets moved into the apartment, we'll start loading the trailer with all kinds of other stuff - from the basement, the garage, the shed, etc. - and he'll rent a storage unit to store it all down there.  And we'll be getting rid of stuff as we go.  We have already - donated to Goodwill, recycled, thrown away - and I'm sure we'll do more of that, too, but there's still a lot of stuff that needs to be moved - and he's going that way anyway!  I just have to stay busy and pack things up so he'll have a trailer-full to move, if not every week, at least every other week.

This week I've got to pack him up all the little things he's going to need in the apartment, like dishes, pots & pans, towels, etc.  Getting some of the dishes and stuff out of cabinets, closets and drawers is also going to help them all look better here, and even though I really do use most of the stuff in my kitchen, I really can make do with less for a while.  I really need to make a list!  I already got him some sheets, blankets and a comforter for the bed, and a shower curtain, and some other things as I thought of them, but I'm really going to have to get organized and make sure I get all the important things packed up.  I'll also be packing and cooking him some food and meals, so he won't have to go out all the time.   And so I can start cleaning out the freezer and the pantry - so we don't just have to pack it all up and move it when the time comes.  Yes, he could go shopping for all the basics, but we might as well take it out of what we already have.  This week I just sent him some sandwiches, cheese & crackers, boiled eggs, and stuff like that because he just has a mini fridge in the hotel room and no way to cook anything.  Next week he'll have a stove.  And the microwave from the basement - the one we got when we were first married, the one we had when we lived in that same apartment complex.  And a whole apartment.

And you wonder why I don't have time to blog...

My Husband, My Hero

I had a meeting at the library yesterday, but before I left I threw a rug into the washer to rinse.  (The rest of my laundry was all washed and the last load in the dryer.)  When I came home 2-1/2 hours later, the washer was showing an error code.  I didn't really pay much attention to the code, just figured it was telling me the load was unbalanced, because I get that periodically when I'm just rinsing or washing one rug (blame Tillie).  So I tried adjusting the rug and starting it again, only to check a few minutes later to find the error code again.  This time I read it - different error code - the LE error code.

I looked it up in the manual, and this code said something about the motor, and the solution was to turn off the water and unplug the machine - and call customer service.  Yup, I'm thinking something is really really wrong with my washing machine.  So I told Jeffrey I needed him to look at it -  and he did and called customer service - and couldn't get it working.  At which point they told him to leave it unplugged for half an hour and then plug it in and try again. 

So he did.  And when he plugged it back in, it worked!

I threw a couple towels in with the rug after that so the load was more balanced, and it worked fine.  Then today I washed towels.  I was going to blame Beth for moving in and bringing tons of laundry, but apparently the motor just overheated and needed to rest.  I don't know why it didn't stop like normal when there's an unbalanced load, but it just tried too hard - and I wasn't home to notice.

Scary for a little bit, though.  I kept thinking, "What am I going to do without my washing machine?"  Thankfully I had my wonderful husband to get it going again.

A Visit with Jack

Image via Wikipedia

Since we're so close - about 3 hours - Jeffrey just had to visit the Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg, TN.  He talked about it last year but decided it was more important to stay and spend time with family.  This year he just couldn't pass it up again.  We took Mom & Dad with us so we got to spend time with them on the car ride there and back - and during the tour.

We'd been there one other time, but not since Jeffrey became a Tennessee Squire, and mom & dad hadn't been before.  It was a gorgeous day, warm and sunny enough for Native Sunglasses, and the tour is really interesting.  If you have a chance to go - do it!  It's free, takes about an hour, and you get to enjoy some great smells.  You can't actually have any whiskey because the Distillery sits in a dry county - but the smells are great, and it's fun to see how this little place puts out all the Jack Daniel's whiskey produced in the whole world.  Everything involved in the process of creating this Tennessee sipping whiskey is done right there in the Hollow - building the barrels, making the charcoal, making the sour mash, mellowing the whiskey through 10 feet of charcoal drip by drip, aging the whiskey in the barrels until the taster says it's ready...

We also got to see the World's Largest Bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey, and we got to go into the Squire's room where Jeffrey got a gift for visiting and we got to see some more Jack memorabilia, most of it donated by other squires - a room we hadn't been able to visit last time. I have a feeling Jeffrey will want to visit again one of these days.  He says he's going to buy one of those barrels (Single Barrel) one of these days.  He'll have to go then to choose his barrel.  I guess we'll see.

Related articles

• Tour the Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg (examiner.com)
• Buy The Barrel - A Whiskey Lover's Dream Come True (forbes.com)
• Jack Daniel's Toasts Failure Of Proposed Whiskey Tax (huffingtonpost.com)

Time to Get Back in Shape

Now that I'm back home, it's time to get back in shape - and hopefully get Jeffrey back to walking.  He hasn't been walking with me for a while because he was having knee pain.  He still is some, but he went to the doctor when it didn't go away, and the doctor said he's getting arthritis in that knee.  So he's been taking some kind of medication that will hopefully help him.  Did you know that the regular medicine for joint health has shellfish in it?  We didn't, so that's what I bought him at first - then we found some without, so he's been taking that.  It did make me wonder when I read the introduction to the What the Bible Says about Healthy Living Cookbook where Rex Russell, M.D. (who wrote the book What the Bible Says About Healthy Living) talks about his quest to eat only what God would have him eat.  He cut out pork and shellfish and, among other things, realized within a month that his arthritis was gone! Kinda makes me think that shellfish isn't good for joint health after all - not isopure at all!

Anyway, I don't think I really gained any weight while we were gone, even though we had plenty of good food to eat.  It's just that I didn't get as much exercise as normal - though I did walk as often as possible, but under half a mile to get up to the Lodge doesn't really add up to much exercise.  So, since I've been home, I've gotten back to walking every day and exercising with some of the videos I get from our on-demand stuff from DirecTV.  I'm really liking those because they make me work different muscles, so I feel like it's working.  Having sore muscles means they're getting toned, right?

And next week, I'm just going to get Jeffrey moving and back to walking.  Why next week?  Daylight Saving Time ends next weekend, so we'll have a little extra light in the mornings.  We figure it will be easier for him to get started if he doesn't have to start in the dark!  Oh, it's so hard to get up in the mornings when it's still dark outside!  Eventually we'll have to, but it's better to ease into it.  It's time to get my honey back into shape!  There was also a diet (way of eating) on Dr. Oz last week that I'm going to check out.  Dr. Oz had some people eat that way for a week (I think) and they were already losing weight and lowering their blood pressure and cholesterol.  Definitely worth checking out - along with that cookbook I mentioned earlier.

When is a Warranty not a Warranty?

When you get it with MSi - that's when!

One of the reasons Jeffrey decided to buy the computer he did was that it came with a 3 year warranty from MSI.  It also had a really good sound card and other things he needs for running sound and doing the things he needs to do.  Everything was fine until the latch that held his battery cover on broke - and then it didn't hold the battery in like it was supposed to.  So he called customer service to see if he could get it fixed.  First of all, they made him pay to send it in.  Then, after they had received the computer, they called several times telling him how much it was going to cost to get it fixed.  Ummm... warranty!?

After much discussion, he got them to agree to fix the problem at no charge, which they should have just done in the first place since the computer was under warranty.  But when he got it back, took it out of the box and turned it on, there was a crackle in the speakers that had not been there before.  He called MSI and reported the problem and finally got them to agree to pay to have it sent back to them so they could fix the problem.  Guess what?  They couldn't find the problem.  They couldn't even tell there was a problem.  So they sent it back without fixing it.  The crackle in the speakers?  Jeffrey booted the computer up, I bent down and heard the crackle they couldn't find within about 10 seconds!  Yep, their tech department over there at MSi is great!  Maybe they could fix a problem if only they could or would admit there actually is one.  Maybe.

So, the crackle didn't get fixed, and now the computer won't recognize any external sound things like headphones, microphones or speakers - so the crackle was probably the beginning of problems with the sound card.  I wonder if they'll actually fix it?

In the meantime, Jeffrey is having some other problems with the computer so he thought the easiest thing might be to wipe it clean and start all over.  The only problem - he can't re-install the operating stystem (Windows Vista) because it was stored/hidden on the hard drive.  But the hard drive was set up really strangely - partitioned into a C and a D drive, but the C drive where everything is usually installed was really, really small, and he was running out of room to install programs.  So he called MSi, talked to a tech, and was told how to remove the D partition so that he would just have one big hard drive.  The tech said that wouldn't hurt a thing.  Not a thing until he wants to re-install the operating system, because removing the partition wiped that out.  And, yes, he could get a disc from the people at MSi to re-install, but they expect him to pay $25 to get it plus shipping.   I can understand a nominal fee to cover the cost of the disc and the shipping, but that's just ridiculous.  He paid for the operating system when he bought the computer.  It already belongs to him.  And it's their tech's fault for telling him he could remove the partition without hurting anything.

The guy said he could send the operating system disc out at no charge, if it was within the first year.   Was there something special about this 3-year warranty that made it only nominally useful in the first year and then completely worthless for the remaining two years?  All I can say is that if you're thinking about buying a computer from MSi, don't count on decent customer service or for them to honor your warranty.  From what I can tell, they're incompetent crooks, who aren't willing to stand behind their product or take responsibility for their actions, and they definitely won't be getting any holiday invitations from this household!

*I linked to them multiple times with do follow links, hoping they'll notice and maybe be a bit ashamed.

The Big Five-OH!!

Today is my wonderful husband Jeffrey's 50th birthday.  That's right -

today Jeffrey turns 50! 

So, of course, we can't let such a momentous occasion go unmarked, unremarked, and unnoticed, can we?  So, do me a favor - visit his facebook page and wish the old man a happy, happy birthday!  (If you're not friends with him on facebook and can't post on his wall, just send him a message.  And, if that doesn't work, go ahead and send him an email.)  Let's all let him know we're thinking of him!

today Jeffrey turns 50!  - today Jeffrey turns 50! - today Jeffrey turns 50! -
today Jeffrey turns 50! - today Jeffrey turns 50! -
 today Jeffrey turns 50!

I love you, honey!

25 Years

25 years ago today, I married my best friend.  25 years!  How is that even possible?  It seems like just yesterday. 

And now we’re halfway through our 50 year trial.   See, when we got married, we said we’d give it 50 years – to see if things were going to work out or not.  If, after 50 years, we decide it’s just not working out, we can go our separate ways…
 
I’m strongly leaning toward keeping him, but I’ve got another 25 years to decide for sure.
 
Happy Anniversary, Honey.  I love you more today than I did the day we said “I Do!”

Review: Robe and Chemise Set

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Like most men, my husband likes lingerie.  I still haven't figured out how, when or why he expects me to wear it.  Also, the lingerie I feel good in isn't necessarily the sexiest.  I like something that is comfortable, looks better than an old t-shirt, but isn't overtly sexy.  To quote, "What is sexy? Sexy is a feeling, it’s an aura; it’s the all around confidence one exudes."  If I don't feel comfortable or confident in something, then it's really not sexy, right?

That's why I was happy to try this robe and chemise set from lingerie.com.  It's not super sexy, but it's nice.  I really like the shiny satin material and color.  I like that the robe has a tie on the inside as well as having the tie belt - so it stays put.  The chemise is fairly simple in the front with nice detail created by the ties in the back.  Because of the ties, it is entirely adjustable to get the right fit.  That's a good thing, or it will be once I figure out how I want it to fit - lower, higher, tighter, looser...  Yeah, I'm lingerie challenged.  Once I get it adjusted properly, I think I'm really going to like it and feel good in it.  Of course, after Jeffrey gets his hands on the ties, it won't really matter, will it?

I'm also thinking the robe, even though it matches and goes with the chemise, will be a perfect cover-up and robe for other things.  And I forgot to mention, the entire set comes with a matching purple padded hanger!  For this purple robe and chemise set and plenty of other lingerie items, be sure to check out lingerie.com. There are plenty of styles, fabrics, and colors to choose from, including plus size lingerie.  They offer free shipping on orders over $50 and a 30 day no-hassle return policy.
 
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Five Generations

We went to visit family this weekend.  Jeffrey's mom lives in Arizona, so we don't get to see her very often.  She, along with her husband Fred, was in Illinois visiting her mom - so we drove down to see them all, and so they could meet Jason.

While we had everybody together, we definitely had to get the 5 generation picture!

Beth and Jason, Grandma, Jeffrey, Mom

OR, Jason with his mommy, great great grandmother, grandfather, and great grandmother.  (That little boy has it pretty great, doesn't he?)

He Needs More Iron in His Blood

Jeffrey was supposed to donate blood yesterday.  I say supposed to because they wouldn't let him.  The iron in his blood was too low.  He says it's all my fault because I don't feed him enough red meat.  I say it's his fault for not reminding me ahead of time that he's going to be donating blood and reminding me that he needs to be sure to eat some iron rich foods.  And then, today I went looking for a list of those iron-rich foods just so I'll know what he should be eating.  Red meat isn't the only food that is rich in iron, though 3 oz. of beef or lamb provide 2.3 to 3 mg of iron.

Here are just a few other things he could be eating.

• 1 cup of brown rice - .8 mg
• whole wheat bread, 1 slice - .9 mg
• 1 cup of cooked oatmeal - 1.6 mg
• 1 oz. sunflower seeds - 1.4 mg
• 1/2 cup canned kidney beans - 1.6 mg
• 1/2 cup peas - 1.3 mg
• watermelon, 6 x 1/2" slice - 3.0 mg
• baked potato cooked with the skin on - 4.0 mg

 Get the rest of the list here

Not to say I can't feed him beef or lamb before he's scheduled to give blood, but it's nice to see that there are many more sources of iron than just meat, so I'll see if I can't get his iron up so he can donate blood soon.  It looks like increasing Vitamin C intake helps the body absorb iron, so I should also look at getting him more Vitamin C.  Sounds doable.  Now, if he needed a higher level of gold bullion in his blood, I think we'd be in trouble!

Walking for Health

Image via Wikipedia

Jeffrey has been walking with me in the mornings for a while now.  He took some time off early last year - I can't remember exactly when, but things were extra hectic at work, and he just didn't feel like he had the time.  But he started again in May, and he's kept at it pretty much ever since.  I'm really, really glad, because I'd love to see him lose some weight.  I don't want him to be the skinny little guy he was when I married him, but it would be nice to see a little less of him.  I know it'll be better for his health.  I also think that exercising, along with eating right, is a better way to lose weight than resorting to diet pills and hoping for a miracle.

Sure, there is a lot of information about which are the best diet pills and which ones should be avoided because of all the side effects, but I think the best thing is to avoid all of them altogether.  Of course, I'm one of those people who doesn't really like sweets and doesn't understand food cravings and all those other things overweight people have to deal with.  It's easy for me to look at junk food and candy and greasy foods and just say NO.  Yeah, go ahead and hate me!

Now that I'm more than halfway through my forties, I'm worried that it won't always be so easy to keep the weight off.  I've heard it works that way.  Thankfully, since Jeffrey's been walking for a while, he's started to pick up the pace, and if I don't work really hard, he leaves me behind.  That's good for me because it steps my workout up a notch, and it's good for him because it means he's getting in better shape - and good for both of us, because we shouldn't be needing weight loss diet pills!

Also, since he's mostly in front of me and not talking much, I get to listen to my books while I'm walking.