Gas Prices. Again.

Isn’t it interesting that last night gas was selling for $1.049 a litre and today, the Friday before a long weekend for us and our neighbours to the south, that the gas prices shot up to $1.109?

They weren’t bad last weekend, considering. It was close to 95 and 96 cents a litre, but it started creeping a penny here and a penny there for the past two or three days. Then all of a sudden, overnight, we have a major increase.

Sure, some bozos up in Ottawa got some other bozos to do a “study” and concluded that there was nothing “unusual” going on with the gas companies and long weekends. It is just a co-incidence.

BULL DOO DOO!!!!!!

Once is a co-incidence. Twice? Possibly still a co-incidence. But when it happens 8 out of 10 weekends??????? Definitely suspicious.

How would they even know? Do they ever drive their own cars anywhere? Do they ever have to dig deep in their pockets and even stoop to pick up pennies? Because enough of those little suckers and you can buy one more litre!!!!!! Do they even know where the gas tank is on the vehicle they sit in?

I doubt it, very much.

My own little protest, especially when there is no one else at the service centre is to punch in the numbers through my debit card to take exactly 10 litres. Not 10 dollars, 10 litres.

I have unlimited debit card transactions on my bank accounts and I use it to my advantage. I keep my car tuned up, I drive responsibly, tire pressures correct, no a/c, etc; all to conserve gas. So my 10 litres does me pretty darn good. It might be hard for other drivers to do that, because they may have longer distances to go, and my protest may be inconvenient for them. But if dollar cost averaging is good for mutual funds, then it sure as heck can work for my gasoline. When it’s a reasonable price, then I fill up. But until then, thank heaven for the “pick another amount” button.

Too Bad He Doesn't Know

Every Sunday morning we treat ourselves by going out to breakfast at The Ranch House. It is a wonderful little family owned and run restaurant that we have gone to for YEARS.

It is so nice because when you walk in every one says hi and it is like one big family in there. Any way, today was like most others. We were there early and had a wonderful breakfast and pleasant conversation. It was looking to be a beautiful day.

We left their parking lot and had to wait for a red light at the intersection of Queenston Rd and Walter St. We were the second car in. The light changed, the car ahead went through and just as we got to the line a guy on a bike, moving very fast, came through against the light. I jumped on the brakes and he came right on through. Never even saw us or looked or anything. He actually passed within four feet of the car!

If I had not seen him, he would have hit the car right before the front door and flown over the hood. He may have hit the curb or the lamp post or who knows what. Goodness knows how badly he may have been hurt. My heart was pounding. It scared the crap out of me. The driver that had stopped for the light saw it all. I looked at him and he just shook his head.

Why is it that a lot of bike riders seem to think that a helmet and two wheels means they don't have to obey rules or even look where they're going? Now, I am all for people that want to ride their bikes. Good on ya!!! But for heaven sake pay flipping attention to where you are. Remember, you are a vehicle too and in ANY argument with a car you ARE going to LOSE!!!

So many times I see them riding the wrong way or zipping in between stopped vehicles or dashing through against the light. And when someone gets hurt, right away they want to blame the drivers. Most of us take care when maneuvering our vehicles, but we can’t see everywhere. Some drivers don’t care and think they have the right to go where and when they want because they have ‘a license’. Those are the ones the bikers have to watch out for. They think they own the road.

And that goes for the bike riders as well. They SHOULD NOT be on sidewalks and going the wrong way on one way streets. They have to start taking responsibility for their own safety. It’s about time the realized that through physics alone, that they do not stand a CHANCE against a car. They must ALWAYS be thinking ahead to what a driver is doing. They can make it easier on them selves by at least following the rules of the road.

Any way, I am very angry at that guy on the bike. He did not even realize what almost happened. But it upset and scared me for a good many hours after wards. I think his life flashed before my eyes. I know I saw what his life would have been after he hit us and THAT frightened and saddened me.

Sirens and Traffic

Okay, whose brilliant idea was it to give the ambulances and police cars these new multi choice sirens?

They ought to live near an ambulance station for a week and then see how good that thought was.

The station is one block from our house and by the mere location the majority of them pass by our front door. Sure you get used to them and, because it’s a one way street, they usually turn the siren off after they have made the corner. Unless there is lots of traffic or it’s a critical case. How some ever, why, in heaven’s name do they have to try out every sound they can make. Lots of times I swear it is just the fun of having a new toy.

The other evening, for example, co-incidentally, the same day they protested the shortage of crew and vehicles, I was out in the yard and could hear in the distance, the European siren. It kept coming and coming, getting closer and closer. I’m starting to think there must be a very bad crisis for this siren to be going for such a long time. It sounded like it was coming from downtown. Anyway, it kept getting louder and louder, closer and closer. I’m thinking what could have happened in our area? An evacuation? Huge accident? Large, out of control fire?

The ambulance cleared the intersection here, turned off the siren and went into their garage????!!!!!!

Little stupid, don’t you think? Lot stupid!! There were no other ambulances coming out of there at the time and they didn’t go in and trade vehicles or anything. Must have been quitting time.

Anyway, just curious. I really do appreciate all the work and effort they, as well as police, and fire fighters put in. It can’t be any easy life. But let’s go back to the everyday siren and quit playing with the darn thing.

My traffic thing. Again.

Love sitting on the porch watching the bozos going through the intersection. Every single night I am amazed that there are not more incidents here. So many people run the red light or jump the green light that it is just a question of time before we have a major accident. Every single night there are several idiots that will come around the corner a little too wide and nearly clip the dope next to him. The driver of that car has to lean on his horn and express his total displeasure with that idiot, traffic, life, and the world in general. At least now that the weather is better, windows are open and I am learning some new words. None that I would use here, but what the heck.

They also have to speed up the hill, gradual slope actually, and yell some more or at least do the testosterone ‘my vehicles tougher that yours’ thing.

There are two lanes turning left at said intersection. They are turning onto a three lane road, BUT, one lane is there for people coming the other direction and turning right. When I learned to drive I was told that if you are in the right hand lane before the corner you should be in the right hand lane after. If you are second lane out then follow that around the corner and you should still end up in the second lane. There are a lot of the same vehicles going by there every night. I know because I sit out there every evening waiting for my husband to come home from work. I recognize certain cars. Why haven’t some of them learned YET that they have to stay in their lane???????

Why do they think they can cut inside the truck coming around the corner? What do they think that sign “This vehicle makes wide turns” means? And why so darn fast?

Same as the people making the right turn. So many times I have seen them come around there and swing two and even three lanes wide, mainly because they are also going too fast. We actually had some one come around that corner one night that lost control and took out a ten foot tree in front of my neighbour’s house. Now that house is the fifth one from the corner!! We still haven’t actually figured out how he did it, because from the direction he was coming he ended up facing back the way he came in order to get the tree. Even more amazing is that he managed to lose control but miss a fire hydrant on one side and a street lamp post on the other. Threaded it through about 12 feet of open space.

Recycling and Garbage

I have a problem.

I have always operated a compost heap. It’s a great way to get rid of all the leftover bits when you do anything with fruit and vegetables. Well now, the city has given me a nice big green bin that will take all the stuff I normally put in my own composter PLUS all the bits you're NOT supposed to because it will attract raccoons and other critters.

Today was our collection day. I only got my green cart last week, but was able to have it almost three quarters full by garbage day. And it is not even the start of the fresh fruit and vegy season! I also had my little green bin, to take stuff to the big green bin, full. That went to my home composter.

This is good. Or is it? What do I do with all the excess plastic left over from my green garbage bag because I had didn't even have enough to fill it? And, hello, I can now put things like greasy pizza boxes, paper bags, facial tissues, freezer paper, microwave popcorn bags, paper napkins, plates and cups, paper towels and waxed paper in my green bin. That is going to cut down on my paper supply for the blue box people. (Are they related to the Blue Man Group?). You can line your bin with a paper bag (hard to come by) or newspapers (have lots). Luckily, the blue box and the green bin are collected by the same people so they should be okay about things.

But I can also now put dryer lint, feathers, (do I have to buy some if I don't have any?), dog hair (have a dog, so I'm okay there), sugar and donuts and flour and meat, all in my green bin. What will the garbage people think when I have less and less for them and more and more for the green bin? Will they maybe stop picking up my garbage all together? I mean I have recycled for a long time, but I have always had a little something to offer them. Am I going to be putting them out of work? I know recycling is a good thing, but will the garbage guys union be angry at me because I don't have my one bag that I am allowed each week? I wouldn't want a picket line in front of my house

Oh, and do I feed my own composter and starve the city's? What will the neighbours think if I don't put out a full green bin? How do I keep my own composter going?

When I go grocery shopping, do I have to remember that I want freezer paper, not Styrofoam for my meat products so that I can recycle them to the green bin? Make sure to get corn with the husks on and carrots with the tops and bananas with the peel (okay that’s stretching it). All good for my green bin! Insist that my grocery store offer me the paper or plastic choice again, because right now I don’t have it and I need the paper bag to line my bin? (Although I can go to one of a number of stores to BUY the bags, but that will use up gas and pollute the air). Should I make sure that I always get my shellfish IN the shell, and my meat ON or at least WITH the bone, my fish with bones and my walnuts WITH shells?

Seems like a hell of a way to go on a diet when you think about it, though. Come home from the grocery store and start putting things away. Shouldn't have bought the bacon. Too much fat and cholesterol. Into the bin!

Did you really need those cookies and that box of donuts? Into the bin!

And, really, jam and mayonnaise, butter instead of margarine, hell as well as margarine. INTO the bin!!!

What about the candy bar? The peanut butter? INTO THE BIN!!

Soon it will become a disorder like compostia continiuum. But that too is good, because then I’ll have to have a newsletter (paper for the bin). And of course we’ll have a meeting each week where I’ll have to serve something. (corn ON the cob, (cobs for the bin) cookies on paper plates, (plates to the bin and uneaten cookies as well), Popsicles (sticks for the bin), coffee, (grounds and filters for the bin).

Oh the possibilities!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi, my name is Sally and I am a composter.

Maybe I am getting a little carried away, but it’s MY blog.

Conspiracy Theory

So I now have this blog thing and even though I am pretty computer literate I am still figuring out how it works. I have been writing things that are on my mind at the moment and entering them on my Blog.

Except I noticed that one or two of my previous postings are no longer there. So…… Ticked off. MAJOR!!!!!!

I’m ready to call the blog police, because how dare they censure what I write. I mean this is a free country and I know the internet is worldwide but hey!!!???

I didn’t get around to it, because I was thinking I’d better be sure. Maybe I didn’t really write that stuff about drivers and what pinheads they can be. Maybe it’s more than the internet/blog police. Maybe it’s the whole government. I mean they get lots of money from drivers and stuff, what with taxes on everything and license plates and the revenue from tickets.

Still didn’t write to anyone, because I got busy with other more important things, like my kitchen sink breaking.

Then yesterday as I am writing about said kitchen sink, I post it and one of my previous posts goes missing. WTF!!??

They’re really watching me now. Look over my shoulder. No one there. Backstep my page to see how this could have happened and realize that it wasn’t the government or Big Brother or even the owner of my Blog page.

No, it was even worse. It was me. Yes, I did it. Turns out that I bookmarked the right page and the wrong page and have been using the wrong one by mistake. I now have that little problem fixed so from now on all my little pearls of wisdom and insight should show up.

Unless, as any true Coast to Coast radio show listener will know, they really are out there watching. I have just been tricked into believing it was my mistake.

An aside to this stuff. I am so glad the Hippies won the Amazing Race. They were, for the most part, the nicest young people they have had on there in a long time.

Men

The REAL Reason Men Invented Plumbing

As I have said before I am on disability, so it is hard for me to do things. I have a nice wooden step ladder that is just the right size for me to sit at the sink to do dishes. There are only the two of us in the house so I don't have many dishes to do. Now, I use to hate doing dishes, but lately I have gotten into this domestic goddess routine, and conservation thing, where I wash my dishes every night; by HAND!!!

Been doing this for about six months. Last night, I did them all, set them to dry and pulled the stopper. Strange noise. You don't really notice the water draining out every night until it suddenly changes sound. I thought it warranted looking at, so I did and what do I find but all my dish water under the sink!! Lucky for me the people we bought the house from lo those many years ago seemed to think they needed a hole for the pipe that was the same size as what you'd use to put a street pipe through. Most of the water went straight through and landed in the basement, fortunately, again, not on anything that could be damaged.

The pipe broke, (BROKE!) right below where it attaches to the sink. Too aggressive in my dish washing techniques? I don't know.

Oh well.

Course if I'd needed a new sink that probably would mean new taps. And you can't have those without getting a new counter. Then the cabinets would make the counter look bad, so I'd better replace those. Then what colour tile do I get for the floor? Oh, and the walls will need repainting. Probably a new ceiling and pot lights…….

Then, the furniture would look terrible so that will have to be replaced. Oh, Oh, Oh, NEW APPLIANCES!!! Stainless Steel of course. Then we should really expand out over the deck and make that a nice little back room/ family/sitting/breakfast nook type room. With a fireplace and maybe another TV. Oh, a hot tub!! What colour should I get the settee in?

Alas, it turns out that the piece that broke is replaceable. All this means I don't need a new sink.

And THAT is why some man came along and became a plumber.

Don't ever let them tell you it was because they were thinking of us.

How To Treat People

Customer Service

Went out today to do some errands and visited two stores, both of which are owner operated. Talk about two entirely different ways to do business.

The first store was a bead shop in Dundas. Second time I have been there. Second time I felt like I needed a bath or should have been wearing my pearls, mink and diamonds. Silly me I had on blue jeans and a nice cotton shirt.

They looked up when I walked in and I said hi. But nobody acknowledged me. No one even smiled. They kept on talking to the other customer they had there. (Maybe I came at the wrong time. But I don't remember a sign on the door saying open to members only.) Anyway, they kept talking; the owner especially about how she was just coming from one show and getting ready for another, and blah blah blah. I looked at some beads, picked up a few containers, obviously (I thought) looking like I needed help but still nothing. Finally the other customer left. I thought maybe now? But alas, first one woman went into the back then the owner followed her. Still nothing to me. I put the beads on the shelf, could have stolen them, and left closing the door a little harder than usual. I fully intend on calling them and telling them that I will never be back and will be sure to tell all of my other beading friends about their lack of service and plain rudeness.

So, the second place I go to is my FAVOURITE yarn store, the one I have linked on my page. The owner was outside in the parking lot chatting with one of her customers. I got out of my car and was greeted with a warm smile and a cheerful hello. So very nice. Julie has been like this from the very first minute I met her. The second time I went in her shop she remembered my name and she seems to remember ALL of her customers. I do believe that is the main reason she is doing so well in her shop. She is helpful, there when you need her, not when you don't, never obtrusive, always helpful, EXTREMELY knowledgeable, and just all around nice. Very pretty too!

Her shop is the most amazing place. Yarn to make you drool. Anyway, as I was talking about service, you'll have to check the shop out for yourself. (You WON'T be sorry!!!) She was able to help me with the questions I asked. Also able to fill me in a little on what is going on in the yarn industry, trends etc. While I was there another customer came in with a question and then needed to ask her daughter something about colours for her sweater. Julie offered to let her use the phone to make a long distance call. Each customer that came in was greeted by their name and a warm welcome.

Guess which store will be getting my money? It is a big shame that some stores do not realize that customers still want to be treated like they are important, whether they are spending hundreds of dollars or five dollars. I do not go to the box stores because they have lost that customer service.

Off my pulpit, now. Thanks for listening.

Sally's Mind

Let's see. Today.
Bought gas on Thursday for 95.6 cents a litre. Now, the gas companies claim there is nothing untoward going on, but Friday morning gas had gone up by 8 cents a litre!! Happened to be a long weekend but I'm sure it was a co-incidence.
Today I saw gas prices still at $1.04+, and the price per barrel ONLY went up this morning. So how did they know? And why was the Petro Canada station, notoriously higher priced, the only one around at 95.6? Maybe they still had some of the cheap gas and were waiting to sell it off??? Yeah, and hell froze over last night, too.

What goes Through My Mind

Today I was wondering why people are so inconsiderate. I use a handicap parking spot, and have a tag to do do so, because I need a cane to walk and can neither walk far nor fast.
So why is it that I go to the store where they are so kind as to have one whole handicap spot, not conveniently placed, to find a car idling there.
Upon further inspection I see that the person behind the wheel is perfectly healthy (I know this because he got out and cleaned off the windshield) but that he is waiting for a handicap person. Now he could very easily leave the spot for someone else and wait elsewhere. I mean he is already idling there, so he knows he is not waiting long. He could wait in another spot and just be ready to pull up when the handicapped person comes out.

I saw a lady with a young kid park in a handicap spot. They both hopped out of the car and went in to do the grocery shopping, obviously thinking that because they have the handicap sticker that must belong to an older parent that it was okay to take the spot from someone else. I didn't know that being incosiderate was a certifiable handicap. Hhhmmmm!!!