The Wall

Today I shipped "the Wall", and hopefully it won't be back. The Wall is the big, black case that Dad calls the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey, the cats call a cool perch, and the boss calls the wall.

The Wall and other boxes shipped out today

Actually it's a trade show display in a case. When it is assembled it's something like 8 feet tall and 10 feet wide, and is the backdrop for a trade show booth. On it hangs about $2,000 of custom graphics. How the wall got here is a long story.

Back in July the wall was shipped from Ohio to a trade show in Texas. It arrived with the lid torn off. The boss called me up and asked me to make a damage report. After the trade show it was picked up for inspection. Then it was lost. So the claim had to be escalated. I had to gather a paper trail of receipts and explain over and over again why 69 pounds of poles, fasteners, lights, stands, panels and graphics were't removed from the case and carried on the plane so only the empty case could be turned in (DUH!!!). As the days wore on, the wall obviously wasn't turning up, and since the shipping company lost it after they picked it up for inspection, any bird-brain should know they were responsible and better pay up!! (they kept denying the claim).

Finally the boss had to order another $1,000 wall and $2,000 worth of custom graphics for the trade show in October. THEN the old wall was found. So again the shipping company didn't want to pay up. Finally after two more weeks of phone calls, faxes and letters, the claim was approved and paid (and yes, I got paid to hassle the shipping company). Now that the company owned two walls, the old one was getting a new home. So that's how it ended up here, so Dad and I could figure out how to securely attach the lid so it could be shipped to North Carolina.

In other news, I was real happy to receive my replacement AVSA magazine (the Sep/Oct issue never turned up). Lots of good articles and pretty pictures. I also went shopping and picked up ingredients for tomorrow's dinner. I'm cooking and I'll tell you tomorrow how it turns out.

It works!!!

We tried our Crofton food sealer today and it works!! I am so happy! It comes with two sized bags and you can buy more bags from any manufacturer. We sealed 2 pork roasts and two bags of pork chops, plus one beef roast. All the meat was frozen, although the pork roasts had been in the refrigerator for a couple hours.


The first pork roast we sealed leaked a very tiny bit of juice, but not enough to affect the sealing. The directions say to use a paper towel to absorb it. The second roast, pictured on the left, has a paper towel added as a barrier between the meat and the opening. I might add that if the frozen food has frost on it that starts to melt you should be careful of that as well. The machine exerts quite a bit of force when extracting the air, so you don't want it sucking up moisture. Here is a picture.

First roast on the right, second on the left.

Now those roasts should last a very long time with no freezer burn. I am very happy with this unit. Only $35 at Aldi.

Oh, forgot to mention, I got my Nov/Dec AVSA magazine last week. Should get the missing Sep/Oct one soon because I called them last Monday.

Be thankful for water

Did you know that Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth? It is, and not only that, some parts of the country have endured extreme drought for ten years. Yes, that long. People there practice water conservation in many different ways, mostly because they have to to keep from running out of water. My younger daughter and her husband have a rainwater collection system that channels rain from the roof into a large tank. They use that water on the gardens. They also have a "gray water" system that diverts used water from the washer to the lawn, and I think the orange tree, which is producing much better with that added moisture. We can certainly have too much water here in the US in the form of rain or snow. If only we could spread it around a bit!

Tonight for dinner we had Dad's still experimental tamale pie. It was a tad dry this time. Is that why I thought of the drought? Oh my, I hope Dad doesn't read this!!! But it was still yummy. Tonight's movie was "Martian Child" with Joan and John Cusack. It was good, touching.

Winter is around the corner

I guess the nice weather couldn't last forever. It was nice being able to open the windows nearly every day, and in November! I finished the concrete job under the front door, just in time before it started to rain.

I'll tell you how mild it's been---the tomato plants and Inpatients have yellow leaves. Normally they just turn black from frost. There are still a few peppers to be picked. The zucchini plants died, though.

As for our trip, I have no idea when it will be. We couldn't go during the nice weather. I have a doctor appointment on the 14th, a dental appointment on the 24th and then there's Thanksgiving. And I'm still swamped with work! Somewhere in between all that, if there are a few decent days with no ice or snow we might go.

Dinner tonight was spaghetti and meatballs. Dad baked the meatballs in the oven this time. They came out better than trying to roll them around in a frying pan. It was good :-)

November 4th

This was an exciting and historic election to follow. Daughter in Australia and I followed the results online via chat, using CNN online for live updates. It was decided by 10 pm! I thought McCain bowed out with a gracious speech. The whole world stood up and noticed this election. The last time I remember being this excited about an election was in 1961 between John F Kennedy and Richard Nixon. I was 11. My parents and I lived in the California desert. Kennedy was a great orator. People would listen, and be moved, inspired. I remember feeling that energy when I heard Obama speak a few years ago. While the rest of the nation did not know him, the Chicago area did, and I think many of us already knew he should run.

Dad and I voted early, then went shopping. I was happy to find a Crofton Vacuum Food Sealer for a good deal, only $35. At least I hope it is, haven't tried it yet. I've wanted one for some time. How many times have we cleaned out the freezer only to throw away freezer-dried food!! The best deals on meat are usually bulk purchase, but just the two of us eat very little meat. The instructions say you can freeze vacuum sealed beef for 2 years, ground beef for 1 year, fish 1 year, and pork chops 2 years. If it works out that well, I'll be happy :-) I'll let you know.

Today I helped Dad fix the porch. There is a space under the front door, outside, under that metal plate you step on when you enter. I think it's called a stoop. Anyway, Dad wanted to fill the space with cement, but he can't bend over very well, so I did it. I still have a bit more to do tomorrow, if it's not raining. I couldn't finish it until what's on there sets up. We still didn't buy a new storm door, but we need to because this one is falling apart.

Running On Empty

I love that song by Jackson Browne and I wish I was on the road in central and southern Indiana right now!!! This would be the perfect time to do it! Fall colors and nice weather. But we can't. I have a bunch of post-conference work and shipping to do first. By then it will be snowing or sleeting or something rotten. So then we have to wait for dry weather and go. I have my neighbor on standby for watching the kitties and daughter on standby for taking the dog. Dad keeps looking at the map and plotting out the itinerary while I pace the floor. In any case, we intend to move next summer, even if it's just to rent until this place sells.

Running On Empty ~ Jackson Browne

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Watched a movie tonight (on TV) "All The President's Men" (1976) with Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford. Was a good movie. Makes you wonder how much is going on now and nobody is getting caught.

Salmon tonight!

Oh, I don't believe it!! After all that writing there was an error and I lost my whole post!!! Ok, starting over. Sheesh.

I wanted to say that Dad made a good salmon dinner. He basted it with lemon, butter and dill, and made a sour cream sauce with the remaining lemon dill butter and put that over it near the end of cooking it was good. I would like to find a recipe for the maple glazed salmon I had in Ohio.

Today was kind of gloomy. Monday is supposed to be back near 70. I'll take all the nice weather I can get in November. I didn't do much today. Rested. Cuddled with Sophie. She hopped up in my chair and slept next to me while I was watching TV. She's gotten real lovey in the last couple years. She was half-wild when she was rescued in Indianapolis in 2000. Now that she is tame she comes bounding out to the kitchen every day and talks to Dad. "Meow-woo wow wuh woo!" She chatters until Dad gives her treats. She keeps one eye on Murry, though. If he wakes up and looks at her she's gone in a flash. Murry is such a putz!

Sophie in Indianapolis when she was still named Maggie

Sophie in 2002

Dad and I ordered movies today but I can't remember the titles. Did I tell you we rented the new Indiana Jones movie. It was horrible! Stupid, boring. We shut it off. What a shame. We loved the other Indiana Jones movies.

Oh! One more thing. Dad and I are planning to move next year pretty much for sure we just don't know where yet. We are still planning to drive around this fall to look for an area. Might have to rent while we wait for the house to sell.