Life's TooShort To Use Dull Razors (Re-post)

Hi All, it's a re-post summer Wednesday.  Hurrahhh!!  It has been suggested that I repost the original post - and the reason for the blog name.  Great idea - so all - here it is from August 4th, 2012.  See you all with something new on Friday!

I'd wanted to start a Blog for years, and for some reason I found the thought to be overwhelming! 

Well, thought conquered and Blog started - welcome to day one and an explanation to my title and Blog name (note: originally posted on August 4, 2012).  

And I want to add, life is hard, we may as well laugh through it.  This is where I hope to come in, any time I can make someone laugh out loud, or in their mind, is a good thing!

 

Here is the inspiration to why I wanted to start a Blog so many years ago - an interview on Oprah.  No, not some enlightening interview, with warm fuzzy feelings of happiness, but one that just shot home a sense of reality and a really big thought (which I'll share later).  The show was about frugality, good show premise, but again, not what struck a chord in me.  And wow, what some people do to save a few nickels.  I'm frugal and we recycle, but the show was about really, really frugal stuff. 

So now - the reason for my title -

There were two adult daughters who had written in to Oprah and had told of their mother’s use of disposable razors.  They had said as long as they can remember, long before they had went off to college, moved out of the house and had families of their own, their mother had always used the same two pink razors.  Not the kind of razor that you can change the head and put on new blades as they wore down, but the ones that are a solid plastic mold casting in bubble gum pink (you know the ones).  In your head, flash to a picture of the razors in the woman's bathtub.... that's what the show did, it's a good visual. 

(plus I just found a picture online - this is it folks - the original razor, not the one I took in my shower shown above.... added 6/12/13)

It wasn't that mom just loved the brand and only bought this type of razor; it was that these two razors were the SAME TWO RAZORS the girls remembered from their youth.  

Mom never ever switched them out or bought new ones.  Dear old mom said they still shaved her legs just fine, even though they were more than a decade old.  OK, first thought - ewww, second thought – really? And third thought - OMG, how old are my razors??? 

At that time in my life, money was super tight, I was single, living blocks out of Detroit, working two jobs and razors were not on the top of my priority list.  But after seeing that show I thought, why am I using old dull razors?  Surely I could swing the extra couple bucks for a multi-pack and make sure to change them out every two months.  At what point in my life am I allowed to only use sharp, new razors?  Is there an age this decision is made?  This lady never made it.    

So I made a decision right then and there - Life's too short to use dull razors!

Young and in my 20's, shaving my legs was a super important thing.  My first job was an office job, my second job was bartending - both places I wore skirts (the latter called for shorter ones, to pull in the dough).  And I was in my twenties, hello, the only time your legs are ever going to look that fabulous without any effort!!

Well, I believe Oprah went on a visit to the woman's house, brought her some new razors, made her shave then and there and then asked what it felt like.  She confessed it felt great and promised to change out her razors more often, although I don't believe it was a very convincing promise.  If Oprah were still doing her talk show today she could do a revisit to check if the razors she gave her are still on the edge of the tub, ten plus years later.  My bet - yes.

As for the other two people they featured: One saved all the water that came out of the sink in the bathroom and kitchen.  They disconnected the U drain plumbing, set up buckets and caught all the dirty water that came out the drain. That also gets an ewwww.  I can't remember what they used it for, it seemed a bit extreme, especially if they didn't have a gray water tank setup to decontaminate/purify the water - or whatever it is they brilliantly do with those tanks in the west (i.e. New Mexico Earthships come to mind).

The other, the person saved all the soap chips from old bars of soap and put them in those mesh bags that oranges and onions come in.  They cut the bags down, fastened them, then continued to use the soap chips in the bags – forever,  basically hardly ever allowing anyone in that house to ever use a new bar of soap.  I don't know, this is the one I thought probably just saved mere nickels a year.  God Bless them all, green before it was trendy!

So, get off your behind and go get yourself some new razors - your legs will thank you!! Go,go now!!

Got OJ?

I thought he was in jail?  Isn’t he in jail?  He’s supposed to be in jail.  

I’m sure TMZ was just making fun of him last week for his lack of form.  In other words, massive weight gain (ok, not massive, but he’s certainly not taking advantage of the prison weight room…..) and he was wearing orange scrubs/jumpsuit. 

So, how on earth did he end up in my neighborhood?  Hmmm, I suppose if you broke out of jail in California, hiding in Detroit might be a good thought.  Then again, hiding in Detroit is probably impossible.  

Not only will people know who you are, I was working in the hood (really, very smart bums wheeling shopping carts with “portable” fires in them to keep warm, looping around our multi barbed wired, dual fenced, highly security guarded, place of employment) – when the first non-conviction came about – the place was none too pleased.   And I'm sure if I were working anywhere else in the city that day - the response would have been exactly the same.

We all had the radio on when the conviction came through – sir, you did not get a single cheer. If I recollect – the air was sucked out of the place with a collective gasp when you were proclaimed not guilty.  

So if you are seeking cover here, I do not think you will find it.  We are not a star struck people in this city, so don’t expect your “celebrity” to buy you any cover whatsoever…. 

And if you're looking for Kwame - well that criminal moved to Houston - he may have been your only bet.  The rest of us are smarter than that. Oh, wait, maybe he's in jail too - yeah, I think he's here, but his butt is in jail too.

 

Of course, OJ is in jail for not possessing the ability to lay low once he amazingly beat the double murder rap years ago.  Invincible sir, you are not.  Karmas such a bitch!

So again, why are you here, near me?  Is this like a wanted poster? Got OJ?

Maybe Al Cowlings moved here after all the hoopla died down?  He might be welcome in Detroit.  Certainly lots of us have been convinced to do stupid things for friends before.  

Yeah – Al could live here – It’s a bit of a change for a former NFL Player from ritzy high dollar living California, but I like it here – so yeah, Al could be my neighbor – that might be ok.   

As for the Bronco – it still looks great!

Should Have Been Trouble

So a few weeks ago I briefly introduced you to our new “gift” dog – without a name.    

Well, she has a name now – a new precious, sweet Petite Fleur of a name and a cute little red flower dog tag to match.  We call her Rosie – innocent and sweet, well mannered and behaved -little Rosie… HA!

After we named her, we realized we selected the wrong one – you see it should have been TROUBLE – yes we should have called her Trouble, because that is a name that would fit her enormous personality much better.   

Our other dog, if given a vote, would probably have named her Interloper, because truly she didn’t ask for her and would enjoy some peace and quiet and would be most happy if she were to go away.  

Linebacker also would have been a good choice, since she tackles the big ole sweet dog like she were participating in a game of football, when all she is doing is standing there.  

Really we didn’t need to name her at all – as my husband has discovered, she mostly responds to a wolf whistle - that is - when you get a response.

The other day, as she was running like Usain Bolt across the road chasing yet another squirrel, bird, rabbit, bee – whatever, faster and farther than I could catch her, I found I became my father.  

This was the fourth time in as many weeks that she has shot across the road into oblivion, beyond buildings and hills – to nowhere.  Behavior like this is so unexpected in our world, of all the dogs we have had in our life, precisely NONE have been runners.  So not cool…

Oh, how did I become my father you ask?  Well…. Whenever I was in trouble as a youth, pops would use my middle name – when that came out of his mouth, you stopped in your tracks and turned around to face the music.

Now I didn’t know this, but Rosie has a middle name, I gave her one, unconsciously.  As she was zipping over the hill I screamed ROSE MARY and she stopped, dead in her tracks, turned around and rolled over on her back – belly to the world.

Huh, who knew – middle names – the great equalizer, universal in all species for stop immediately and face the consequences.  Good to know!

 Looks like she's just missing her whiskey on the rocks -doesn't it? Trouble......

Off The Clock (Re-post)

Hi all -   Putting up another favorite for your enjoyment on this re-post summer Wednesday.  I'll be back with something new on Friday.  Enjoy!

Ah, the life of a squirrel, always so busy, running here, running there, on high alert at all times - I bet it can get pretty stressful on the little furry guys.

"Wait, is that a spa?  Do I hear a fountain running? And what are all those things swimming in the water, they are such pretty colors!  I am simply mesmerized, ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ".

Which is how I think the thought bubble should read above this little squirrely nutkin at rest. Here's the thing, I've NEVER seen a squirrel at rest and believe me this one was resting.

I looked out my bedroom window and saw this guy sitting on the edge of the pond.  I thought - oh how cute he is getting a drink of water from the pond.  I grabbed the camera and snuck outside to snap a picture or two.  I didn't want to get too close and disturb him, so I zoomed the shot in.

Then I went inside.  An hour later I looked out and he was still there and I thought, hmmm, well I've never seen a squirrel sleep before, maybe he is having a nap.  They are always so, so busy, he deserves a good rest every once in a while and the sun must be warm on his back.

An hour after that, oh my - is he dead?  Crap, did a squirrel die hanging over our pond?  Is there something bad in the water?  Oh no, are the fish dead - that would really suck. We've been "raising" Koi for at least seven or eight years now (ok, once you have them, you are stuck with them - I hear they live 50 years.... It's possible the Koi will outlast us and they keep breeding, there is no end...)

Then I couldn't stop looking, you know, like a car accident.  You want it to all be good, but you are pretty sure it isn't.  He never moved an inch and I didn't want to sneak up on him to see if he was breathing - could you imagine scaring a sleeping squirrel???

First the loud scream out of both of you and then I envision the squirrel attached to your face or arm or something you need - then comes the six weeks of rabies shots, because you know there is no catching a squirrel without a shot gun... So nope - I wasn't going to check on him for breath.

I'll wait for the hubby - that's what I'll do.  He's a pro at removing dead things from our yard, yeah - great idea!

Hubby comes home, checks him out a lot closer than I would have, determines he is breathing and we should leave him alone.  And since he has NEVER seen a squirrel at rest before either, he looks up at the big oak and decides he fell out of the tree, conked himself a bit dozy and is just hanging out in slumber land while he regains his senses.

I prefer to think he stopped, had a drink, the pretty swirling fish sent him off to lala land and he was dreaming about how to build that raft with Twinkleberry to sail off for Owl Island across the mighty waters.   ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ, sweet dreams buddy!

Note:  Many people asked it the squirrel was ok. really, he must of just been a catching a little nap - because before we headed off to bed - he was gone. 

Pavement Pounding

 

Look everybody – it’s a MONSTER Truck!! Get it!! Haha  

Oh wait, no you don’t get it… yeah, here’s why…

We were driving down the road the other day and we spotted this MONSTER truck.  I tossed hubby the phone to snap a quick photo while we were behind it, because he was in the passenger seat and free to get a good shot.  

Now, I’m not sure how the above photo was even taken, because we were directly behind the thing – directly, same lane - can’t tell that can ya?

Pretty good looking tire though isn’t it?  Yup, Looks new, barely- if ever- mudded in at all.

Lucky for you, I am getting pretty good at taking pictures while driving a car (yikers), my niece was laughing pretty loudly from the back seat about the photo skills of my hubby, so quick as a whip, I dug in my purse for my camera, hoisted it on the steering wheel, and took a quick shot.

It’s a MONSTER Truck – get it??? Yeah – hahaha.  It is funny!

I think that was pretty clever of the owner – I suppose if I were ever at an actual monster truck rally, the MONSTER Logo would be everywhere, on everything – but I’m pretty much NEVER at a monster truck rally – so I’m going with the guy/gal is super clever and sticking to that story.

And just as my husband’s picture showed so clearly above – the tires are just about brand spanking new – guess there’s not much need for a monster truck in the Grosse Pointe’s.  What they call a “Hill” has restaurants and shopping on it, no mud anywhere – for miles….

Boy that town is great for my blog!  Stories everywhere - all the time!