Ma Ma Jacquie's Blah Blah Blog

It's been 29 years since this adorable little boy changed our lives forever. Happy Birthday, Randy! Zippidy-doo-dah, Zippidy-day! My, oh my, what a wonderful day!

I was watching TV last night and I learned that:

This sleeping aid could cause drowsiness the day after use.
This hearburn pill could cause stomach upset.
This weight loss medicine could cause swelling.
This cholesterol medication could cause irregular heart beat.
This anti-depressant could cause mood swings.
This pain reliever could cause headaches.

Huh?

So, I just wanted to apologize if the story about Nate's toes didnt' come over as VERY FUNNY like I thought it would. It started as an innocent little joke, then as I got better and better at telling it, it actually sparked some major concern in some. Especially when the people I was calling didn't answer their cell phones and I had to leave my serious message about what happened to Nate's toes. Weeeeellllll.... he started it!

So, here's the joke: Have you heard what happened to Nate? Well, let's just say, he doesn't have all of his toes on one foot. It's true! He's got five on each foot!

I was really very innocent, you see. But it was truly heartwarming to witness the concern from all of you about Nate's mishap. Nate, you should feel loved.

Current Balance - 52.31

It may not sound like much but it's.... well, you know the story. Keep those cans and bottles (glass and plastic) comin' in! Ask your friends to donate. I asked at my office and now they have a container where they keep their empties, then I bring them home when it gets full.

So, what's it mean when you are sitting in the family room watching TV with your husband of 30 years and he turns to you, points the remote at you, and presses a button?

I started riding my bike again last weekend. It's hard for me to get out of the rut, (my tires are low, my light needs new batteries, my bike is behind a bunch of junk in the garage, it's cold and windy, I'm lazy) but I did it. I found out that riding a bike at moderate speed for 1/2 hour burns over 300 calories while walking 4 mph (that's fast for my short legs) burns under 200. So now I'm back to 1/2 hour of riding, and hoping to push myself for further and faster.

I'm sure it inpires others to get out there when they see "people like me" out pumping the pedals. Just my little contribution to the health of our fair community!

Some people think that if they fill milk jugs or other bottles with water and place them on their lawn it will keep dogs from pooping on and moles from burrowing in their lawn! I'm not kidding. Have you ever seen it?

When we lived in Arkansas we saw this. People actually thought it worked. We always laughed and thought it was such a joke. Just a hillbilly thing. Then we moved back to Ventura and we had a neighbor who did it also.

I checked out a few web sites and found out that the belief goes back to old folk lore tales that ghosts, witches' curses, and vampires cannot cross over water. So in many cultures, lining bottles of water around their houses was to keep out bad luck, ghosts, disease and other unpleasant things. I guess dogs and moles fit into the "unpleasant thing" category.

I think it might work if you put the bottles side to side, all over your whole lawn so that the animals can't find a place to "go". But, one time when our wild Weimaraner was trying to make a break for freedom, I chased her down and where did I find her? Running around in the neighbors milk bottle yard.

Ya know those big plastic owls that people put on their roof because they think they keep other annoying real birds and critters away?

and...

Remember in the movie The Birds, that part where the lady is walking the girl down the street and all the black birds are covering the street and lawns and cars making those creepy clicking and squawking noises?

Well, I was out taking my walk this morning, and I heard that noise! I looked up at a big ham-radio antennae one of our neighbors has on his house and it was covered with crows. They were just sitting there all still, making that creepy noise. It was kind of cool actually. But the funny part was, right in the middle of the flock of crows, hanging down off one of the antennae arms, was one of those big owls! He was just hanging there helpless while all the crows laughed at him.