Sorry for the radio silence – there have been big happenings going on.

Over at the railroad, the layout is in the process of coming apart to be moved. I’ll be over there in a bit to post some pictures of that endeavor.

Here on The “O” Word, things just haven’t been the same since Sara went to the rainbow bridge. Mostly, there has been a malaise sitting over the creativity department. Losing a friend, especially real sudden like, can have that affect on you.

Now, I’m not saying there is any way to replace Sara. There just isn’t. My readers who are dog lovers know that there is just no way in heaven or earth that you can replace a unique individual, the characteristics and the quirks, the looks and the actions. I’ve been very blue about Sara, and at one point in time was losing sleep because I couldn’t get up to help her.

While the family was in Anaheim for a short-short mini vacation, we visited the Santa Ana Zoo – and a rescue operation was having an adoption festival outside the gates. We almost came home with a little boy black lab that needed a home.

Maricopa County opened an adoption center in Metrocenter Mall.

This is Samantha.

Samantha is 99 pounds of black lab mix. Not quite as big as Sara, she is slightly taller, and has longer legs. Seven years old, rescued from a foreclosed house, and has some training. No, she is not available for adoption – well, not anymore. TMBWitW spotted her on Thursday. Friday, I went to see her. We picked her up Friday afternoon.

No, not a replacement – but TMBWitW says the light has returned to my eyes …

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

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You’ve heard the budget screaming matches – er, talks – and heard “billion” tossed around like everyone deals with that amount on a daily basis. Texas Fred, a crusty old Marine friend of mine, sent out a little missive to help us common folk, those of us not smart enuff to deal with money and what not, since we ain’t pro-fessional poly-ticks or nuttin’, git a handle on jist how much a biilyon rilly is:

A. A billion seconds ago it was 1979.
B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.
D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.
E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.

Now, in my mind, it seems like the obvious solution to not raising the debt ceiling is to quit spending money. I mean, those of us in fly-over land only have so many dollars per year to spend, and when we spend them all, we are finished. We have the common sense to stop spending. Heck, most of us quit spending before we run out of money, in case the starter goes out on the car. But not those professional politicians – no siree Bob, they spend more and more money with less and less in the pot because they are “smarter” than we are.

Remember this in November – they have no concept of what a budget is, so don’t let them control it anymore.

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

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First, be sure to drive home through Phoenix area traffic. If Phoenix area traffic is not available, try hitting yourself in the head with a full water bottle several times, until your blood pressure is up and your tolerance for incompetence is way down.

Next, go to redbox.com and find your closest kiosk. One outside of a Circle K is probably the best choice here, especially if it is the closest one and nearly two miles away.

Third, look for two movies that your daughter and your wife (substitute appropriate significant other/offspring wording here) would really like to see, especially since you all missed them while they were in the theaters.

Make the reservation online. Ensure that the card number, name, and billing address all match up, so there will be no issues with the authorization.

Wait for the confirmation e-mail (this will only take a few seconds, as they are very fast in the charging your card/sending you an email department[s]) that looks something like this:

Thank you for using redbox!
Reservation Details
Reserved For: carycartterATgmail.com
Payment Card: Visa ….xxxx
Date: 7/9/2011 8:43:37 PM
You successfully reserved your rental(s). Your disc(s) will be waiting for you until 9:00 PM on 7/10/2011 at the redbox you selected:
Circle K
6972 N 83Rd Ave
Glendale, AZ 85303-2758

IMPORTANT! Please remember to bring the credit card you used to make your reservation when you pick up your disc(s)! After 9:00 PM on 7/10/2011 the disc(s) will be made available for other customers to rent, and your account will be charged $2.2 + tax where applicable.

“Cats & Dogs: Revenge of Kitty Galore”

“Gnomeo and Juliet”

Notice that the time is stamped an hour ahead of my actual time – in other words, the online thinks that Arizona is on Mountain Daylight Time. Also notice that they will be charging the account $2.20 plus tax – this is important.

Step number – uhm, well, the next – drive to the kiosk. (since I arrived just before 8:00 pm MST, I figured this should be a slamdunk.) Tap the screen of kiosk “A” to indicate you are picking up an online reservation. Act surprised when, after swiping the card you used to make the reservation, you are told that no reservation is on file. Try the card again, just in case. Move to the second kiosk (“B”) and attempt the reservation pickup again. Be rejected again. Call the toll free number to find out what happened (866-redbox3, or 866-733-2693). Talk to the nice young man (hi Ed – this isn’t about you, and I apologize if I came across a little annoyed or out of sorts) who tells you he cannot reverse the charge on your card, but would be happy to give you two promo codes good for one free rental each. Since you do not have anything to write on or with, accept his offer to have the codes sent to your e-mail account. Confirm the email account.

Drive home. Turn your computer on, log into your email, and be very happy to see an email from redbox with the two codes enclosed:

Hello CARY,

Per our conversation, please accept the following promo codes. The codes are each valued at $1 off the initial night rental fee of any Video Game, DVD, or Blu-ray of your choice. The codes are valid for 45 days from today’s date. The codes are:

Look at that line again: “…each valued at $1 off …”

Redial the redbox help line. (hi Joe – again, this isn’t about you, either, and I repeat my apology.) Since they are very busy right now, the young man is unable to get his supervisor on the line, but he has never heard of the promo codes not covering the full cost of the rental. (I never did get around to pointing out that even if the rental was fully covered in spite of the ten cent difference per disk, I would be paying the tax twice for the same rental.) I ask for a refund of the charges instead of taking the chance of having to pay twice, even for a small portion of the rental fee. Joe assures me he has reversed the charges, and apologizes profusely for my inconvenience. He also tells me the codes would still be valid. I assure him, in return, that the customer service was fine, but the customer experience left a lot to be desired. I also assured him the codes would go unused, as redbox has managed to lose a customer in the space of less than thirty minutes.

Pity, really, as there is no viable option for convenient movie rental at such a low cost.

Yes, I am tweeting this.

Chat ya later…

Somtimes, in the early part of monsoon season here in the Phoenix area, if you don’t like the weather, wait a minute. It’ll change.

By now I’m sure you’ve heard of the gigantor dust storm that hit us Tuesday evening – 50+ miles wide, over a mile high in spots – well, with that came a little bit of relief from the heat. We haven’t been over 110 since then, and this morning it’s downright chilly – the thermometer on my back porch says 87 right now – almost enough to make me put a sweater on![sarc=OFF]

At any rate, a little busy this morning – off to pick up a box of bags for the store, and then to Discount Tire to get a slow leak fixed on the Camry’s right front tire.

Yesterday, TMBWitW went in for an MRI of her wrist – she is seeing a specialist today to decipher the image – and since she had gone through an MRI before, with a particularly nasty set of migraines, she asked our regular doctor for a mild sedative so she could make it though the enclosed machine (an open machine would not have given the detailed image needed). She took both tabs, and fell asleep in the waiting area. And the prep area. And the Xray area, where the contrast dye was inserted. And in the wheelchair waiting to get into the MRI. And, of course, in the MRI itself, in the wheelchari on the way to the car, on the way home, and after I managed to get her into bed. She woke up for a bit after I came home from church, to eat a sandwich and drink a little soda, but she’s been asleep since then. Next time, she’s only taking one of the tabs.

Gotta book – things are starting to open up around here. Hope you have a great Thursday!

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

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Good news, America – we’ve made it to another Birthday!

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

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220! I gotta cut out the soda … again …