I have had a roadside assistance plan in one form or another since I started driving at 16. My dad put me on the family AAA plan and continued to give me a policy every year for Christmas until I got married. When I was married, my ex-husband and I went back and forth between AAA and the roadside assistance plans that came with the warranties on our vehicles. Either way, I have never been without some way to call someone if my car breaks down, gets a flat, run out of gas, or need a tow.

Admittedly, I used my roadside assistance a lot more when I lived up north and got stuck in the show from time to time. I have slid into my fear share of ditches. I also used to lock my keys in the car fairly often. Thank goodness I grew out of that bad habit.

I still carry AAA, because now it is what my mother gives me for my birthday every year. Is it just my family that finds a roadside assistance policy to be a phenomenal gift? I cannot help now, but think of things like AAA as something I should give as a gift.

I guess this is on my mind right now, because I have a car out in the driveway that needs towed – again. I cannot seem to keep the battery charged. The car is small, inexpensive, and paid off. I do not have it insured right now, because I have not been driving it. A lot of people ask why I bother to keep the thing tagged and registered. I guess I just hate the idea that if something happens to my van I would have to go out and buy a new car when I could have this backup car available in an emergency.

The last day of school for Gigi was Tuesday. My last day was yesterday. Some of the teachers went in today, but I was told I could stay home, which suits me fine while I sit and lick my wounds after the layoffs.

Anyway, Saturday Gigi and I are flying into Dulles. We are spending a week or so with my dad. He built a lovely home on the banks of the Shenandoah River and I can relax while Gigi runs wild and plays in the fields and in the water. We will probably take some time to go into DC, most likely so Gigi can see the National Zoo. I told her I would take her to where mommy went on field trips as a child and she is quite excited. We will also take time to drive out to see my grandmother. My daughter is fortunate to have a great grandparent alive and I feel bad that we did not get over to see her last summer. I had a set of great grandparents alive until I was about 13, and then another great grandmother who lived until I was 23. I was super fortunate and I want to make sure Gigi appreciates the time she has with Grandma Dot.

I know when we come back into town I have to resign a lot of my time for a job search, so I am determined to make the most of relaxing at the beginning of the summer break. I will be SO happy when I am finally at a place where I have a continuing contract with the school district so I can let down my guard just a bit.

Today was a very surreal day at school. The students put on a series of assemblies to celebrate Black History Month. I have been looking forward to seeing the performances for a while now and considered it my good fortune that I had an opportunity to attend the performance during second period.

About halfway through the assembly, one of the assistant principals came to the front of the auditorium to ask the teacher sponsoring the event to stop the assembly and allow him to announce that they needed to evacuate the auditorium. I heard the words death and dying a couple of times, as I was sitting right behind them.

The students were evacuated due to a “medical emergency”. To make a long and emotional story short, one of our teachers collapsed at the back of the auditorium. Although EMS was called in immediately, they were unable to revive him and he subsequently passed away. It appears to have been a heart attack.

I did not know him well, but I did know his reputation. The kids were fond of him. He had a lot of close friends at the school. In any event, to look over and see one of my peers, someone not much older than me, receiving CPR – it was sobering. As I rush through my days, allowing fatigue to steal time away from my time with my daughter, or my hobbies, or my friends, I have been allowing days to blend into weeks until months have passed in the blink of an eye.

Each day counts. We all know this on an intellectual level, but we are hurried along by the rigors of life. I decided to take the situation and learn from it, reaffirm that I need to slow down and look at the world around me, enjoy my daughter’s childhood, savor the things I learn from others every day.

It’s about more than stolen credit cards, hacked online accounts, and bad checks. Identity thieves could be using YOUR identity when they commit crimes.

I was a victim of identity theft back in 2004 and the police officer who wrote up the report in the state where it took place told me I should keep a copy of the police report on me at all times in case I am ever pulled over for speeding or something and the police find warrants out for my arrest that may have been committed in my name by the person who stole my identity.

Think that sounds unlikely? Thin again. Here is a news item from the Tampa area this morning.

A Temple Terrace police officer pulled over a man yesterday afternoon for playing music too loudly in his car (the music could be heard more than 150 feet from the vehicle.) When the man was pulled over, he gave his name as Bryan Harmon and gave a birth date, saying he only had a Pennsylvania license.

The police officer ran the information and found a current Florida license issued to a Bryan Harmon with the same birth date, but the photo did not look like the man he had pulled over.

At that point, the officer contacted the police in Lakeland, Florida and they went to the address listed on the Florida license. It turns out the real Bryan Harmon was home and said he had not given anyone his information to use. After being taken to the scene of the traffic stop, Harmon said he did not recognize the driver.

The driver continued to insist he was Bryan Harmon, all the way to the jail on Orient Road. At the jail, he was identified by the fingerprint scanner as Joshua A. Smoot, 28, of Tampa. According to the affidavit, Smoot never volunteered the information about his real identity.

Smoot was charged with identity theft, resisting a law enforcement officer and driving with an invalid license. He also was arrested on warrants accusing him of tampering with a victim and failing to appear on charges of delivery of cocaine and possession of cocaine.

He was also He was also cited for playing music too loudly.

Don’t believe all the hype about Labradoodles.

They are definitely cute, but keep in mind that they are not yet considered a breed and therefore, the puppies that come from the breeders are still coming out every which way but loose. The coats are hard to guarantee when it comes to color, texture, and curliness.

My sister recently got a Labradoodle puppy and she’s an absolute cutie. Honestly, I think she looks mostly like a typical Lab, only with a coat that feels longer and wilder. She is a first generation pup, which means her parents were a Poodle and a Lab, which many breeders feel gives the dogs more genetic diversity. It also means less chance for some of the breed-specific genetic disorders.

Super, the Labradoodle my sister and her family just got from a breeder here in Florida, has a great disposition. Nothing bothers her and she is brave and strong. But, she sheds and the hard sell some of the breeders are giving folks about the non-shedding aspects of the “breed” is what led my sister to choose a Labradoodle.

They absolutely shed. If you really want a non-shedding dog, stick to a full poodle or something like a Maltese.

When things get difficult, people often turn even more to God and the security of religion. The local Tampa Bay area all-news TV station Bay News 9 reported that many Bay area churches are seeing an increase in contributions.

First Baptist Church in St. Petersburg says they have seen a 14 percent increase in offerings compared to last year. They attribute it to new members tithing, existing members tithing more and an overall up rise in people actually giving 10% or more of their income.

I think this pattern stands to reason. People do turn to God and church when they are going through rough spots. With the rising price of food, housing, and gas more and more people are seeing their monthly financial budgets having to stretch further than ever before. There is an age old adage that says that the more you give, the more you will receive. When your focus turns away from self and back to God, blessings tend to enter your life on a bigger scale. I’ve seen it in my own life. It takes a tremendous leap of faith to take a tight budget and actually give more in contributions. That faith leads to amazing blessings in the end.

Did you buy any Girl Scout cookies this year? I think I bought four boxes, which is less than I used to buy in the past. But then, it’s just me and my daughter now and we don’t need that many cookies. Still, it is an annual tradition for a lot of people and I know that Thin Mints come but once a year.

I sat with one of my best friends as she and her daughter stationed themselves outside a local Blockbuster Video and sold cookies. They did very well. It was a wonderful spot and on a Friday night the crowds were ripe for the picking. People were coming to Blockbuster to rent movies for the night and as they came out they realized that cookies were the perfect accompaniment to the night at home watching the newest releases.

I also sold Girl Scout cookies when I was young. I went door to door in my neighborhood and I was always able to meet my goal. I never sold as many as another girl in my troop, LanVi. She was the champ year after year. But, she never sold anything like the Michigan girl who sold 17,328 boxes of cookies this year. She apparently did it by setting up a cookie stand on a street corner. Her troop as a whole raised $21,000 selling cookies and that is amazing, since the troops don’t actually get a whole lot per box. The girls are going to use the money to travel to Europe for a 10-day trip.

I am not a coffee drink. Well, I should be clearer. I am not a coffee drinker anymore. I love coffee. I adore coffee. I have been drinking it since I was six, because my pediatrician told my mom it would help my asthma.

I think it was about 2000 that I decided to go off of daily caffeine. I took myself off coffee at the office and put away my coffee press at home. It was a painful process, but I did it mostly so that I would be able to user caffeine when I had a migraine headache. That little headache tip does not really work if your body is used to regular caffeine.

This morning I was craving iced coffee, so I made a bog glass and because I am not used to caffeine on a daily basis now, I am flying just a little bit. I am trying to use it to my advantage: laundry, blogging, other website upkeep, sorting through my daughter’s old clothes. But, my mind is a tad unorganized due to the additional stimulants. So, I’m just flitting around doing a little of this and a little of that. It’s not terribly effective.

Ideally, I just need to go out in the backyard and burn off some energy on the mini trampoline or by pulling a couple of hundred weeds from the flower beds.

I was married longer than Paul McCartney and Heather Mills were married, but because Florida has a law about alimony and marriages less than 7 years, I got nothing. In fact, I am not even living in the house we still own together. I do get child support, but that is to benefit my daughter – not to ensure that I am able to maintain the lifestyle I had before the divorce. I was proud to be able to stay home with my daughter, as I believe children with a parent at home are better adjusted. I am forced, however, to be a working single mom.

Heather Mills, on the other hand, is receiving at least 16.5 million pounds in a lump sum settlement. There could actually be more involved, but the courts in the United Kingdom are wise and keep divorce details private. I wish that were the case in the United States. Do you want to know how I found out my ex had filed? I got a letter from an attorney offering her services. Classy, huh? She had gleaned the information from public records. I should have reported her sorry carcass.

All in all, Mills is getting a pretty good payday for the relatively few years she was subjected to sex with an old guy, you know? I can hear you all now – but it is Paul McCartney! How can you say that? All I know is that he is my dad’s age and Mills is only a couple of years older than me. A 25 year age difference means she was sleeping with an old guy, in my opinion, and I find that icky –for lack of a better word.

I guess I should have married a rock star. Sounds like a pretty good payoff.

Tonight will be the last time you will be able to see a total lunar eclipse until December 20, 2010. You’ll also be able to see Saturn and the bright star Regulus on either side of scene. If your skies are clear, you should be able to see the eclipse for about an hour from both North and South America. The eclipse will begin at 10 p.m. on the East Coast

Those of you in Europe and Africa can see it high in the sky before dawn Thursday.

A total lunar eclipse happens when the full moon crosses Earth’s shadow and is blocked from the sun’s rays.

I usually avoid situations where I go to friends for business issues. If I have a friend with a store, I might try and patronize that store if I like the product, but for the most part I have had a bad track record with mixing friendships and business.

I mostly have small examples. I have one friend who is a hairdresser. Her clientele is loyal and she works at a high priced salon. Nonetheless, she had never done a good job on my hair cuts or color. I have given her repeated opportunities and I have never been happy. And, when I have had my hair cut by someone else, she notices and is hurt.

I have another friend who sells insurance. I made the mistake of telling him I was interested in a life insurance policy that would benefit my daughter if something happens to me. Now, instead of nice social visits at his home, dinner with my family and his family is always interrupted by him trying to hand me a llife insurance quote. I feel like I can never just go to his home for a relaxing visit. I have to be poised and ready to deal with his hard sell.

I’m not even going to start on the neighbor who harangued me about joining her pyramid scheme travel company. I never, ever felt like we could just sit and talk. She was constantly focused on recruiting new people and it permeated our time together.

I’ve never gone into business with a fined. That might be a different issue. I can see starting a small business with someone I already know and trust, as long as we had the terms set before we even started.

…or, Picasso lovers beware.

A Wesley Chapel man, Ethem Ulge, was arrested by Tampa police on felony charges of scheming to defraud, as well as other charges. Apparently, the guy had listed art pieces on eBay that he claimed were by Pablo Picasso and another by Marc Chagall.

The arrest came after police here got a tip from law enforcement officials in New Jersey. Ulge is currently out on bail.

Believe it or not, when I did a search engine query on Picasso fakes on eBay, I came up with a handful of sites that actually coach people, in great detail, on how to obtain cheap art and pass it off as something by a famous artist on eBay. There is apparently a massive market for this kind of stuff. Whoda thunkit?

I do not usually forward e-mails or post previously published stories in my blog, but this week my father forwarded me an e-mail that made me push back my computer chair, lean back, and have a long chuckle. So, without further fanfare, I give you The Dolls.

A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything. They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about.

For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but one day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover.

In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife’s bedside.

She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box. When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totaling $95,000.

He asked her about the contents. “When we were to be married,” she said, ” my grandmother told me, the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doll.”

The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with happiness.

“Honey,” he said, “that explains the doll, but what about all of this money? Where did it come from?”

“Oh,” she said, “that’s the money I made from selling the dolls.”

A Prayer…….
Dear Lord, I pray for Wisdom to understand my man;
Love to forgive him;
And Patience for his moods;
Because Lord, if I pray for Strength,
I’ll beat him to death,
Because I don’t know how to crochet.

That would be today. Today is expected to be the busiest postal day of the year and somehow I managed to make sure I am right in the thick of it. I waited until this weekend to ready my Christmas cards. I picked up my photo prints yesterday and made my cards out last night. And, they are now sitting in a stack on the couch in the living room. All I need are stamps and if I cannot find them at the supermarket, I will be plunged headlong into the lines at the local post office. Oh, misery. I loathe standing that close to other people for too long. I always seem to end up in line in front of the person with no concept of personal space, or the person who bumps your bag and steps on the heel of your shoe repeatedly.

I’ve got packages to send to West Virginia and Georgia this year, but due to the fact that it took so long to get the entire family together for Christmas portraits, our photos will not even be available until December 20, so I suppose we can count on things going out at the last possible minute when it comes to the actual gifts. I have no idea what happened to the Me that used to get my Christmas cards out the day after Thanksgiving and have all of my packages sent by the first week of December. I think that happy-go-lucky girl is long gone.

And, if it is a slow news day we can all look forward to coming home to watch the evening news that will be packed full of stories about reporters who went to the post office at Tampa International Airport to interview the poor souls standing in line there.

I need a tip about a good online address book and date reminder system. I am sitting here doing my Christmas cards and as I go though my address book I am realizing how many of the addresses are old. I just never updated a lot of my information. I probably stuck envelopes and sticky notes somewhere with the plan to do updates, but who knows where they might be now?

I have also been unable to remember birthdays. I need a system that will send me reminders for birthdays as well. It needs to be free, not send me spam, or share my info with advetisors. Anyone have any sugestions?