tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-127451182024-03-13T00:33:35.588-04:00Life According to MeThis is about the world and life as I see it. Take what you like and leave the rest.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-33648973784604562632015-09-12T13:58:00.000-04:002015-09-12T13:59:33.560-04:00Clearwing Hummingbird Moth in My GardenThis is a Clearwing Hummingbird Moth. Captured him in my garden yesterday. They fly upright and, to the untrained eye, can look a bit like hummingbirds. They like the butterfly bush, I find them there all the time.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLBwi3Tg4CFCH0Q34aQbsJ2AH2rdgrAi2z6mkNC9oMUi7Y39FOwzfQhwvPNL7-SZbB3jCxcpGsfdyrqkFMEr3dju6Uuy7U_sM45dVDCew-paDpFUdafdrmWl8QdpekN9rV1_u/s1600/1CR_DSC3537+%2528Large%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLBwi3Tg4CFCH0Q34aQbsJ2AH2rdgrAi2z6mkNC9oMUi7Y39FOwzfQhwvPNL7-SZbB3jCxcpGsfdyrqkFMEr3dju6Uuy7U_sM45dVDCew-paDpFUdafdrmWl8QdpekN9rV1_u/s640/1CR_DSC3537+%2528Large%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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I love how you can see the pattern in his wings here.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-87625655412643730112015-09-09T13:29:00.002-04:002015-09-09T13:29:30.485-04:00Ch-Ch-Ch-ChangesI haven't been here in a very long time. Finally sold my house in Michigan and moved to Pennsylvania. I like it real well here.
I've gotten very interested in photography these last couple years and I've decided to try something different. I'm going to post a few of my favorite photos here just for fun. All photos are copyrighted and I'd prefer you ask permission to copy and use.
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So, to get started, here's a photo of a Monarch butterfly from my garden. We've seen more Monarchs this summer than we have in the past. I'm glad to see them. They like my tall Zinnias that I planted this year in the garden.
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I'll try to post more in the future, but you know how it is, life gets hectic from time to time.
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Thanks for stopping by. MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-10397815705627121402012-03-10T22:01:00.002-05:002012-03-10T22:17:49.712-05:00It's been a loooong time....Guess I've had a busy year. A very busy year. We put our house on the market to sell it and well, nothing happened. In the year we had it on the market we only had about three people look at it. Things are so bad in some parts of Michigan that there is just no one really looking for houses unless they can get them for $30,000 - $40,000. Well, we really can't do that, since we paid $30,000 for it 33 years ago and we've put so much into it. Now, if it was in the same shape as it was when we bought it in 1979, then yeah, I'd do that. But, not now, no way.<br /><br />Sooooo.... we decided to just get a second home in Pennsylvania closer to family. We bought a co-op apartment which is kind of like buying a condo, but much, much cheaper. Our apartment is cute: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, living room, kitchen and utility room. Not real spacious, but somewhat big enough for the two of us. We've been working on some decorating, just finished putting a new floor in the kitchen and plan to take out the ugly pink (can you believe it?) living room carpet and painting this spring. The floor in the living room is hardwood so we're hoping to be able to just refinish it and buy a room-sized rug instead of getting more carpet. I'm not overly fond of carpeting and our house has all hardwood and laminate floors. <br /><br />We became grandparents again this past February with the birth of our grandson, Emerson. He's a little cutie. And, Morgan seems to be adjusting well to having a new baby in the house too. My life is pretty full these days. <br /><br />I've been here in Pennsylvania since December now and plan to go back to Michigan in April for doctors/dentist appointments. Then when that's all done and taken care of, I'll be back here again. I like being closer to my daughter, son-in-law and grandkids. I'm looking forward to watching Emerson grow and change. Morgan is always a treasure too. She's so much fun these days, she'll be two the end of this month. It's always a new adventure with her. <br /><br />And, that's about it.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-12332572462410466252011-04-03T16:03:00.004-04:002011-04-03T16:29:33.545-04:00Some Days<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxjTHKzuIL-KI3TP1UUfqdmmprBOZXu0GIKQQKfMAv4FsBqAGREbWlVDo_QAL-HigE3MQXEfxS-vB4KdTc4YHxEJ-OYHle7GdSOME6Q02ype7Of_eEKO21VRpWxcKxuS5kCny/s1600/DSC_1848A-2+%2528Medium%2529.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 314px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxjTHKzuIL-KI3TP1UUfqdmmprBOZXu0GIKQQKfMAv4FsBqAGREbWlVDo_QAL-HigE3MQXEfxS-vB4KdTc4YHxEJ-OYHle7GdSOME6Q02ype7Of_eEKO21VRpWxcKxuS5kCny/s400/DSC_1848A-2+%2528Medium%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591451501212827538" /></a><br />I've really kinda been feeling down the last few days. I miss Rusty, who went to the Rainbow Bridge in November, 2010. He's kind of left a hole in my heart. I know those of you who are pet owners understand exactly what I mean. More than anyone else in the world, next to small children, our pets love us unconditionally. They never criticize us, never tell us we said or did something stupid. They just love us completely no matter what we do. We will never find that in any person. They all have their judgments of us. They never completely accept us for who we are. That's just how it is. And, for those of you who have never had a pet, well... I feel you really have missed something. <br /><br />Rusty passed away November 6, 2010. He lived to be nearly 20 years old. He was something. Those last few days were hard for me, I knew he wasn't doing real well, and that last day when he stopped eating everything, including his beloved whipped cream, I knew. I took him to the vet hoping there was a quick fix, but I think deep down in my soul, I knew. He deteriorated so drastically that last day, and the next morning I called the vet and took him in. Now he sits in a wooden box, today he's on my computer desk. I originally put him in the window where he liked to sit, but now he's here with me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-M8TxXnWbXrzstHDDTHVa4jgIOy3Yjq9ceckGmuSa2sT4Ka8eNFu5xDM3G5lpaZvEzoUG-ZwPzQH0vx0QaK10P_mKf-cnu8CEImgW3wbNG-wNP_3RZgN-7VoxFY1OT-mIHMf/s1600/DSC_2409A+%2528Medium%2529.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-M8TxXnWbXrzstHDDTHVa4jgIOy3Yjq9ceckGmuSa2sT4Ka8eNFu5xDM3G5lpaZvEzoUG-ZwPzQH0vx0QaK10P_mKf-cnu8CEImgW3wbNG-wNP_3RZgN-7VoxFY1OT-mIHMf/s400/DSC_2409A+%2528Medium%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591454346852941474" /></a> I miss him a lot. I know some people would wonder about that since he did become a quite crabby guy in his later years, but as I age, I think I understand that too. It's not easy getting old. Don't let anyone kid you. There's no gold in those golden years, they're quite tarnished these days. No one wants to deal with or be bothered with you when you get older. <br /><br />And for anyone who's interested and would like to meet my Rusty, his blog is here: <a href="http://rustykitty.blogspot.com/">Rusty's World</a>. He was such a part of my life for a very long time.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-61739815786465362272011-02-22T17:16:00.004-05:002011-02-22T17:36:54.069-05:00Morgan<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83bpsaMyaFiYa-xh0_A7-eQjzJDpluhmWSeRhg9gMSZRqgXdipKgYbfLVUi0yftlZABL0MRnwr0wk0rlHq6RFX19rE2jjcSOvoYzNjXw2jWna8d7QwJvgkH6U0J8lTFULY7qb/s1600/DSC_2141-1+%2528Medium%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83bpsaMyaFiYa-xh0_A7-eQjzJDpluhmWSeRhg9gMSZRqgXdipKgYbfLVUi0yftlZABL0MRnwr0wk0rlHq6RFX19rE2jjcSOvoYzNjXw2jWna8d7QwJvgkH6U0J8lTFULY7qb/s400/DSC_2141-1+%2528Medium%2529.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576643657523257346" /></a><br />We were invited to our daughter and son-in-law's for Valentines Day. We all decided that it would be nice if Manda and Nathan could spend a night, just romancing and having fun without the responsibility of Morgan-care. Not that Morgan-care is a bad thing, in fact, I think it's WONDERFUL! So, they went out to dinner on Saturday and spent the night at a hotel, just having fun and time away. And, Poppa and Nana took care of Morgan. <br /><br />I was a little nervous, at first. Not that taking care of a baby is difficult or hard, but I didn't really know Morgan's habits and all her likes and dislikes. Manda told me specifically, "Mom if she gets up during the night and wants a bottle, don't talk to her, except in a whisper. She needs to know that this is night time, not play time." So, I followed Manda's advice. I did all she said, and sure, when Morgan woke me up around 4am or so, she thought going to the kitchen and making a bottle was fun. But, I didn't talk much (a difficult thing for me as most my friends know) and I just said a lot of "shhhhhh... shhhh..." to her. She had her bottle and then I put her back in her bed. And, off to sleep she went. No problems. <br /><br />In the morning, we all got up and played. I'm glad that Manda and Nathan got together time for themselves. I'm glad that Poppa and Nana got the time to spend with beautiful Morgan. <br /><br />She is the light of my life (well, after her mother, well maybe before her mother... heh heh). But, she is my joy. I watched her turn from a baby-bump full of promises and plans to a real person who is now walking and having such a good time with life. She is the best. <br /><br />I never really knew how much fun a grandbaby could be. Now I do.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-385533712219766572010-11-30T16:48:00.002-05:002011-02-22T17:43:07.367-05:00Life ChangesI have not been here in a long while. I'm sure that no one even looks at this blog anymore. But, whatever, I feel a place to express my thoughts, for what they're worth.<br /><br />Rusty, my beloved kitty, was gently helped to the Rainbow Bridge the beginning of this month. It broke my heart, but as explained on his <a href="http://rustykitty.blogspot.com">blog</a>, he deteriorated so quickly I knew then that there was no bringing him back. He lived be be nearly 20 years old, I never dreamed that he would live that long. But, I didn't take it quite so easily, and it still breaks my heart losing him. And so... we listed our house for sale, the house we've lived in for nearly 32 years. This is also breaking my heart. <br /><br />But, I keep trying to tell myself, this is not something you're leaving. This is something you're going towards. Going towards my family. My daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. That going towards my granddaughter is the important part. She is the light in my life. She is my joy these days when I am losing so much. <br /><br /><center><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiniz-DplSr2v9jhdqYmS2P_vtGHXTbsNxIWr4Q6vdo-2cAl6Xh3R1y7EibDVPaalJ_GBD57lGINSvjqeMakgsNbJZU-NB49dGIjjzHtOBcZ_-F0O0EK_RWaxqk1N6Q2P6frgQa/s1600/DSC_2124+%2528Medium%2529.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiniz-DplSr2v9jhdqYmS2P_vtGHXTbsNxIWr4Q6vdo-2cAl6Xh3R1y7EibDVPaalJ_GBD57lGINSvjqeMakgsNbJZU-NB49dGIjjzHtOBcZ_-F0O0EK_RWaxqk1N6Q2P6frgQa/s400/DSC_2124+%2528Medium%2529.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545465852173093218" /></a></center><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Sometimes, I think, if it wasn't for her, I might go down that lost road that my own mother went down when she got old. She is my heart, and I know I want to be closer to her as she gets older. She is my one joy in life these days. I am so grateful for her to be here.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-2523045152433027512010-04-01T09:45:00.000-04:002010-04-01T09:54:23.218-04:00New ArrivalWe have a new arrival in our family. <br /><br />Morgan Elisabeth made her debut on March 28, 2010 at 6:56am. She weighed 5lb 14oz and is 19 inches long. She's beautiful.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOJIBjmYcYE75Pb5-mYNvNKJBhR-wUItrmm-N9TnsWIbZ0IDm2Epi3B1lzAlcUtCcKnRegyWnpWlzozE35ZF57KpUr3F9jXzWH4pn1FAYc9vGADIFFEM0QTNqaHOwbiQcFmOl/s1600/Dsc_0571A+(Medium).jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOJIBjmYcYE75Pb5-mYNvNKJBhR-wUItrmm-N9TnsWIbZ0IDm2Epi3B1lzAlcUtCcKnRegyWnpWlzozE35ZF57KpUr3F9jXzWH4pn1FAYc9vGADIFFEM0QTNqaHOwbiQcFmOl/s400/Dsc_0571A+(Medium).jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455166714056124546" /></a>MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-4809000715950951012009-04-16T09:58:00.000-04:002009-04-16T10:06:31.956-04:00Good Night's SleepWe finally broke down and got a new bed. We bought a sleep number bed. The biggest selling point for us? It comes in pieces and you assemble it. We have a partial circular staircase that goes upstairs and getting a box springs and mattress up has always been a nightmare. I have to confess, the box springs we were still using was nearly 40 years old. They had such a difficult time getting it up there when we moved in, no one ever wanted to try getting it down and a new one up. So, it just stayed. I woke up every morning aching. Now, no more! With the new bed, it came in just three boxes, which we were able to open up downstairs and carry the various pieces upstairs. Since we decided to save the money and put the bed together ourselves, it was an interesting experience, but we succeeded. Now I wake up in the morning and no more aches! I don't know if I can attribute this to the sleep number bed, or just the fact that we finally got a new mattress and box springs. <br /><br />It was a nightmare getting the old box springs down the stairs, now we have to do some painting in the stairway where we gouged the walls trying to get it down. <br /><br />As I said, for us, the real advantage to the sleep number bed was the fact that we could easily get it up the stairs into our room. For that reason alone, it was a good investment.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-42219200707677393332009-02-10T12:35:00.000-05:002013-01-31T18:54:11.975-05:00A lot has happened!Since the last time I posted. My husband finally began receiving his retirement money. <b><i>At Last!</b></i> We got the first deposit the beginning of November. It really helps out around here these days. He's still working though. Doesn't mind it a whole lot and I'm still collecting unemployment (maybe, I'm now up for my first extension). <br /><br />Things are falling apart here in Michigan at a fast clip. Unemployment is up to 11% and jobs are being lost on a daily basis. There's no available jobs at all here in the County I live in. The newspapers are just full of foreclosure notices. It's like falling into a pit. Michigan has been going downhill for a long time, much longer than the rest of the country. <br /><br />We dealt with a lot of death in the family last year. First my mother passed away in June and then my sister in November. My mother died from pneumonia, my sister had a brain aneurysm that burst and caused extensive damage to her cerebellum and brain stem. Irreversible damage. They pulled her off life support on November 1st and she passed away immediately. She was only 51 years old. It was a difficult time for the family, since she was the baby of the family.<br /><br />This winter has been so horrible! I will be so glad when it's finally over and spring comes! Way too much snow and COLD! What happened to global warming????? Today is supposed to be near 60 though, which is great since we surely need a respite from the cold.<br /><br />That's about it in a nutshell for now.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-84822550928489302202008-10-14T16:58:00.000-04:002013-01-31T18:53:04.374-05:00Life ContinuesLife continues on. We're doing ok, not fantastically, but ok. <br /><br />The market has crashed, and while I'm sure our money is out of there, I hope that's truly the case. If the market can stay down for just a few more weeks, we can get our money in there and hopefully, next year, can come out like bandits. Not a bad proposition, if you ask me.<br /><br />I've tried to stay out of the political arena, but I have to say in my opinion, that so far for my life's circumstances, Obama is offering much better options than is McCain. So, I guess that's the direction I'm leaning in these days. That's all I'm going to say about it.<br /><br />Manda's wedding plans next May continue on. She's got the hotel booked in St. Thomas at a very good price and we've got our plane tickets scheduled. I'm looking forward to a fabulous Caribbean vacation in the spring. I've never been there and I've heard that St. Thomas is fabulous. So, I can't wait.<br /><br />Finally, finally, life is beginning to look up for us. It's been bad these last couple years, but I guess not as bad as it could have. But, then, we have only ourselves to congratulate for that. We kept ourselves out of debt, managed our finances very closely and kept ourselves on track. Granted we did without a lot of things we would have liked to have had, but that's what happens when the economy kicks you in the butt. You've got to tighten up those purse strings and keep yourself afloat. Hopefully, next year will be better (I keep telling myself that).MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-92202691847637121722008-10-08T17:39:00.000-04:002013-01-31T18:51:42.953-05:00It's been a long timeOk, so it's been a long time since I've been here and written anything. I mean, really, no one really cares what I think anyhow, do they?<br /><br />The summer was busy, I lost my job in August, a complete surprise to me, I never thought THAT would happen. But, it did. <br /><br />We're finally, FINALLY, going to get my husband's retirement money! After waiting nearly TWO years for it! We're supposed to get a check the end of this month which will be turned over into an IRA that he can start drawing on with no penalties. It will come in very handy these days, now that I'm not able to find another job (who wants to hire a 57 year old lady, with only a high school education and an A+ certification?) Doesn't mean much these days.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-68286674981853796562008-04-06T13:53:00.000-04:002008-04-06T10:53:56.267-04:00Finally!The weather has FINALLY gotten nice! This weekend sunshine and temps in the lower 60s. It's about time! I'd just about had enough of those last snowstorms in March. <br /><br />Coney's got the Alfa running now and we took it for a spin yesterday. No top down, yet, I'm afraid it's still a bit too chilly for me. <br /><br />Soon we'll have to get out in the yard and do some real cleanup and get the herb garden ready for spring planting. I've already gotten some potted herbs, basil, cilantro, and mint. They're just sitting in front of the living room window waiting for it to get warm enough to be planted outside. I can't wait. I've really missed my fresh herbs all winter. I still need to get some rosemary, oregano, thyme and Italian parsley.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-61778587211671876082008-03-13T17:36:00.000-04:002008-03-13T17:42:07.762-04:00Spring Is Here!I know it's been a long time and a long, yukky, dreary winter. But, IMO, spring is finally here!<br /><br />My favorite restaurant is open for the season. They usually close around mid-December and open sometime in March. AND THEY ARE NOW OPEN!!!!!<br /><br />http://www.webbersrestaurant.samsbiz.com/<br /><br />Best Long Beach Ice Tea I've ever had. Best crab-stuffed mushrooms and other wonderful seafood.<br /><br />I remember wonderful sunny afternoons sitting on their outdoor patio enjoying a Long Beach, watching the boats cruise by on the Ottawa River and thinking, "I must be in Heaven!"<br /><br />So, if you're in SE Michigan or the Toledo, OH area, stop by Webbers and enjoy a seafood feast (and the best Long Beach Ice Teas in the world).MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-72335340685522289612007-08-19T12:31:00.000-04:002007-08-19T09:40:12.532-04:00PittsburghManda, Nathan and Bastien are all in Pittsburgh. They left Grand Rapids on Friday. We're going to visit them next weekend and we're looking forward to it. Manda said Bastien made the move ok, although she called me a few times when he was crying and acting funny in his carrier. She had gotten some tranqs from the vet, so most of the time he slept. Poor guy, it was about an 8-hour trip in the moving truck. They still are working on moving Nathan's stuff from New Jersey. Nathan doesn't start his new job until Tuesday, so they have today and tomorrow to get reasonably settled in.<br /><br />So, now she's without a job or internet service, but she does have a couple job interviews this week. I'm sure she'll find something pretty quickly.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-62157973959646343542007-08-18T13:11:00.000-04:002013-01-31T18:50:07.153-05:00Labor LawsDo you know that in nearly all states, you can be required to work the whole day on your job with NO breaks? Not for lunch, not for bathroom, not for any reason. You can imagine my surprise when my husband is starting a job working in a factory through a temp agency for only $9.00/hr and he gets 2 fifteen minute breaks over an 8-hour period. I always thought that employers were required to give 1/2 lunch hour break after each 6 hours worked. At least that used to be the law mandated by the Federal Department of Labor. My, my, how things have changed! This is from the Michigan Department of Labor website:<br /><br /><i>Employees under 18 years of age may not work more than 5 continuous hours without a 30 minute uninterrupted rest period. There are no requirements for breaks, meal or rest periods for employees over 18 years of age.</i><br /><br />Which means, in the state of Michigan, if you're over the age of 18, an employer is NOT required to give you ANY breaks. Period!<br /><br /> Seems like this is all perfectly legal now in most states. You can find a list here of the states that do have laws regarding lunch breaks at work:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dol.gov/esa/programs/whd/state/meal.htm" target="_blank">http://www.dol.gov/esa/programs/whd/state/meal.htm</a><br /><br />If your state is not listed here, perhaps it's time to write to your state representatives to ask why there is no requirement in your state for workers to get lunch breaks. <br /><br />You know, I've never been pro-union. I always felt that the government had labor laws to protect workers. Now, I'm not so sure anymore. MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-6903818922854941482007-08-05T01:07:00.000-04:002007-08-04T22:05:12.129-04:00Yeah, It's Been AwhileI know I haven't been around for a long while. Life is still too crazy. Husband's still out of work, no jobs in sight. I'm doing the best I can trying to earn enough to support us. <br /><br />I'm studying for my Network+ Certification now too. I'm doing ok except for subnets. Trying to understand all this and how it goes together. It is all confusing at times. But, I've got a lot of learning tools, so hopefully within the next year, I'll be certified (if not certifiable).MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-12968313593897176072007-03-18T15:16:00.000-04:002009-02-10T12:58:30.614-05:00In Memory of Grady (03/1991 - 01/18/2007)On January 18th, Grady passed away. He was nearly 16 years old. He was so sick and had lost an extreme amount of weight. While we never got a confirmed diagnosis the vet felt that, more than likely, he had liver cancer.<br /><br />This is in his memory, he was a very special cat. I miss him every day.<br /><br />Grady came to live with us on April 10, 1991. He was the cutest little thing. He weighed 1lb 14oz. He was born in the attic of a store downtown, not too far from my home.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.mandakay.com/kitties/Grady912.jpg" /> <img src="http://www.mandakay.com/kitties/Grady91-1.jpg" /><br /><br />He grew up to become a very large cat, and a very handsome one.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.mandakay.com/kitties/Grady5.jpg" /> <img src="http://www.mandakay.com/kitties/Grady.jpg" /><br /><br />And, he spent a lot of time those hot summer days, lying in the catnip, his favorite spot in the garden. We buried him there. I sprinkled catnip into his grave because he really loved it and I wanted him to have it in the afterlife.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.mandakay.com/kitties/Grady4.jpg" /><br /><br />When he got older, he really became a sun-worshiper and liked lying in the sun that shone through the living room windows.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.mandakay.com/kitties/Grady6.jpg" /><br /><br />I guess he felt warmer that way.<br /><br />Rusty misses him too.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.mandakay.com/kitties/Rusty-Grady.jpg" /><br /><br />He was such a special, wonderful guy, who said very little. His eyes always spoke volumes so I guess he never really felt the need to speak. I know, deep in my heart, that he now rests in the arms of the angels.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.mandakay.com/kitties/Angel1.jpg" /><br /><br />I miss him so much and I know I'll love and miss him every day of my life.<br /><br />Grady (03/1991-01/18/2007)MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-4643858555220564002007-02-25T18:44:00.000-05:002007-02-25T15:51:40.385-05:00New PlansWell, adjustments in life require new plans. I was able to get health insurance through the company I work for. That's one very big relief that I'm thankful for.<br /><br />Retirement plans have changed, though. My husband will begin collecting on his retirement. In order to avoid any tax penalty for drawing early before age 59 1/2, he'll have to take a set amount for the next five years. Right now, the estimates show that he'll be able to collect approximately what he had been currently earning. I will continue to work for five more years and retire when I am 60. *sigh* Not what I wanted to do, but it will keep us in good health insurance and my income coming in until my husband is then able to collect a larger amount to make up for my income when I stop working. <br /><br />So, like it or not, that's the new retirement plan.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-3862796540523162132007-02-18T15:34:00.000-05:002007-03-21T12:29:26.583-04:00Life sucks!Well, my husband lost his job. After 30 years with the same company, they've gone out of business. The company had been in business for 5o years, but thanks to all the manufacturing jobs going overseas (his company's largest customer, Eaton Corporation, went to India) the company could no longer survive and they closed.<br /><br />No more health insurance, no more paycheck, no more nothing. Sure sucks after giving your life to a company for 30 years. He never took sick days, always had perfect attendance and for what? He got the same crap that the guys who called in sick every week got. What was it all for? F**king nothing. Sucks, don't it?<br /><br />What do I do now? An insulin-dependent, Type 1 on an insulin pump? I am so screwed. I recently had to put my beloved kitty, Grady, to sleep after 16 years when he was too sick, there seemed to be no more help and I couldn't afford any more additional tests that may or may not have provided a solution to his health problems. Maybe someone just needs to put me to sleep too. As Jane Fonda once said in the movie by the same name.... "They shoot horses, don't they?"MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-1168296234450958332007-01-08T20:42:00.000-05:002007-01-08T17:43:54.463-05:00Diabetes Sucks!My sister has Type 1 diabetes and was diagnosed nearly 45 years ago when she was 4 years old. She's in ICU in the hospital now. She had an infection in her leg and has one in her arm. My BIL took her to ER the week before Christmas and she had to have her right foot amputated a few days before New Years. <br /><br />We visited her a couple times and she's hanging in there. She had a biopsy done on her arm to check to see what kind of infection is there and to check to see if it's in the bone. I haven't heard the results yet. The infection in her arm doesn't seem to be clearing up with antibiotics.<br /><br />Right now she has congestive heart failure from too much fluid in her system and she also has pneumonia from not being up and around. I think the pneumonia is not surprising, since bed ridden people tend to get it more easily that do those that are not. She's on diuretics to try to get the excess fluid out of her system and antibiotics for the pneumonia. <br /><br />They need to do more surgery on her foot to neaten it up so that she can be fitted with a prosthesis, but they can't do that until the pneumonia and congestive heart failure have cleared up. <br /><br />My sister is only 49. She's got a long road ahead of her for recovery. <br /><br />Diabetes really sucks.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-1166829403340505632006-12-22T18:15:00.000-05:002006-12-22T18:16:43.350-05:00Happy Holidaze!Happy Holidaze to everyone!MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-1164295225166052622006-11-23T10:19:00.000-05:002006-11-23T10:20:25.176-05:00Happy Thanksgiving!Just wanted to stop in for a few minutes before everything gets crazy today and wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-1162003356157430362006-10-28T01:40:00.000-04:002006-10-27T22:44:31.510-04:00Yeah, it's been awhile...The weather's been crappy, the Tigers are losing the World Series. My internet connection is acting up (cable lines must be too wet from all the rain we've been getting). Guess I just don't have a whole lot to talk about these days.<br /><br />Hope things are going better for everyone else.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-1157373934354128182006-09-04T11:42:00.000-04:002006-09-04T08:45:34.366-04:00Oh No!This is from the news today:<br /><br /><i>"Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin killed by stingray<br /><br />Steve Irwin, the TV host known as the "Crocodile Hunter," has died after being stung by a stingray off Australia's north coast. Irwin, 44 was killed by a stingray barb that went through his chest, according to police sources. Irwin was filming an underwater documentary at the time.</i><br /><br />Oh no! I can't believe it!MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12745118.post-1155677119017185402006-08-15T20:20:00.000-04:002006-08-15T17:25:19.030-04:00I PASSED MY A+ OS EXAM! WOOHOO!I passed it. It's over. I've never seen so many obscure and ambiguous questions about operating systems in my life. I don't know who made them up or where they found them. But I passed with a score of 673. That's enough to get my certification, you only needed 505 to pass. I should have my Certificate in 4-6 weeks.<br /><br />Right now, I've got Champagne chilling and I'm doing the happy dance!<br /><br />I'm glad it's over now. The Network+ Class starts at the Vo-Tech Center in March. I think I'll take it and try to get my Network+ Certification too.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888726051709173732noreply@blogger.com2