Goodbye Satellite Radio

My Sirius radio has given up the ghost. It was struggling to keep powered up for a few months now, the last weeks being agonizing, turning off whenever I hit a bump, but I hung in there until it wouldn't work at all before canceling my service, mostly because of my beloved Springsteen channel.

I swore I'd never subscribe to a radio service. My parents were in love with the XM that came with their car, but I remained very happy with the scan button on my car radio that was easy enough to hit when I was annoyed by a commercial. Then Howard Stern announced he was going to satellite and I succumbed. When I activated the cute little unit I got from my family for Christmas I discovered more than I could have wanted - Howard AND Bruce. At that time there was also a Rolling Stones channel. Bliss!

Bruce was short lived, ending 1/31 that year, but he did come back and seems now to be a fixture of Sirius. Believe me it was hard to give him up, but here is why I did. When XM merged with Sirius suddenly all these DJs appeared. I thought it was a feature of XM. It annoyed the hell out of me. I'm not paying to hear you talk, when I want talk I go to a talk station. I'm paying for uninterrupted music and you're not providing that any more. I'm hearing prattle and jingles between songs. I just want music.

A few weeks after the merger I asked my sister what she thought of it(like my parents, she has an XM in her car). Without hesitation she asked 'What's with all the DJs' and I had to laugh. 'My thoughts exactly' I told her.

Howard and Bruce were enough to keep me paying the subscription price indefinitely. The DJs are enough to keep me from spending the $100 to replace the radio.

So bye-bye, satellite. I will miss you.

Disney Planning DVD

Each year Disney offers a new vacation planning video or two. Most years they don't change too much, but they're free and fun to collect. When the kids were younger we'd pull them out on a rainy day and through them, commenting on little changes here and there or just enjoying the visit to the parks/cruise line/Vacation Club through our TV. If you'd like to start collecting these DVDs (we've been at it since they sent VHS tapes!) go here and sign up.

Smartsource.com

Although I'm not fan of conventional grocery stores, nor of most of their products, I do occasionally need something that comes from there. When I do, I like to check for online coupons since we only buy the Sunday paper now and again so I'm not likely to have paper coupons for the product on hand. My first stop is always this site.

What sites do you like for online coupons?

Headed to Walt Disney World?

If you haven't discovered it already, you won't want to miss this site for LOTS of fantastic savings and codes.

To help plan your meals, make resort choices and find other things to do I can't recommend any site more highly than AllEarsNet.

I've been a fan of these two sites since, well, as the saying goes, since way back when.

Junk Mail Gems Giveaway

Take a look here at some new products being shown by Junk Mail Gems. You can give your opinion of the top three and be entered to win a neat set of JMG magnets!

Disney's A Christmas Carol Train Tour.

Check here to see if this free event is coming to a location near you. While you're there taking a look at the free fun to be had, you may also wish to consider entering the sweepstakes for a trip to the London premiere.

I Love Cloth Napkins.

As continued evidence of my gushing love for cloth napkins, I present this photo. This is 70 cloth napkins made from pink ribbon fabric for my niece's bridal shower. While I am sure there will be other napkins there, I like the idea of giving everyone a little something to take home and try out. They can be used in the kitchen or kept in one's purse for a hankie or prayer cloth. We'll bring a cloth bag for collecting any extras for the guest of honor to take home.

I gang cut the fabric by folding to the size I wanted then cutting through many layers at once. The edges are a simple four thread serge, two regular, two wooly nylon. Took just an afternoon to do them all and I am pleased with the result. Maybe they'll bring about some converts to the paperless kitchen, don't you hope so too?

Local Honey Joy

On the way to the vet's office my daughter pointed out that 'the Local Honey guy' had his stand set up. We decided to stop there on the way back and I am so glad we did. Turns out 'the local honey guy' is truly local, not just someone who thought that his sign would lure in locavores. We were immediately drawn to a large jar of gorgeous looking Wildflower honey, which at $3.50 was a steal. We decided to sample the votive candles too, choosing the non-bleached, deeper yellow one. It smelled as wonderful in my hand as it does burning on the ledge here. It appears his site is still being developed, but it is definitely worth bookmarking as he has many varieties and does ship this delicious product.

Why Do I Love Glass and Stainless So?

Did you happen to notice that weirdo at the end of your aisle fondling the cases of canning jars? Or that loop-de-doo gazing longingly at a stainless steel mixing bowl?

Lean in a little closer, I need to whisper.

That loon is me.

Now shhhhhh! Stop gasping and pointing in horror. Glass and stainless are great materials. You'll have these objects forever, as opposed to replacing plastic versions over and over.

So come, share the love, and take to replacing your worn out plastics with durable metal, glass and ceramic. You'll be glad you did.

Work is a Privilege.

I am so grateful to be able to work. I am also grateful to have been blessed to spend many years at home raising children. But I also spent a year and a half housebound due to illness. I'm told that many aspects of my personality changed after that. How could they not? With hours and hours and hours spent in a recliner with nothing to do but think, what more is there to do but to pray and to examine what is truly important in life?

I am so grateful to the RD/CDE who figured out what was wrong with me and helped me 'cure' it. I am grateful that my husband has always been able to provide for all of us; that his medical benefits allowed unlimited visits to the RD/CDE for a person with my medical status.

It looked like I would never be able to hold a full time job outside the home. I have always looked at work as a privilege. Now I see not only the ability to work as a blessing but also the fact that we all have jobs.

Thank you, Lord, for providing health, skills, ability and the availability of transportation for my family and for blessing us all with jobs when so many others are struggling.

Coats for Cubs

I just learned of this program and hope folks who have an old fur they'd rather not have now know where they can donate it without worry that someone else will be promoting cruelty by wearing the fur they donated.

Coats for Cubs is a program of the Humane Society of the United States. Fur items donated are used by rehabilitators to comfort orphaned wildlife. Those who own or inherited furs can't turn back the clock and prevent the item from being made in the first place, but they certainly can do good with them now.

Send Grammy's old stole to HSUS. She nurtured you, now the stole you won't wear can carry on her nurturing and love with a wee one who needs comfort and warmth to grow.