Saturday Night With The Dovers, Or, Can you top this? Friday night we were out to dinner, and so I wasn’t too disappointed Saturday that there was a huge storm brewing as bans from Hurricane Bill passed by on it’s way north. In a mad moment, even though it was looking ominous, and thunder was rumbling in the distance, I decided to cook Chili from scratch!  I had purchased most of the ingredients the day before.That meant we had to go back to the store for crackers, root beer and Bud Light to go with the Chili. Arriving back home we found there was no root beer or Bud Light. It had been left in the bottom of the shopping cart! Drat! Back we went. A man approached me, but poor guy, before he could utter a word I said, ” No, don’t even dare to ask me anything. Out of the way” You should have seen him jump as I  stormed into the store, Herb behind me.. A sweet bag boy recognized us, and came running with the two containers. I grabbed them and stormed back out. Once at the car I felt regret that I had only said thanks, but had not given him anything to show our appreciation. Back again I went, and  once more we headed for home, .  Now, when I say from scratch I mean, I browned the meat, and followed the directions as stated so clearly on the eye catching  packet by the two stately men, father, DR. Ghazi Taki, Food Scentist Founder, & his handsome son, Adam Taki, Co-Founder. The Amazing Chili was for 6, and only Herb was going to eat it, but never to be deterred I persevered.  Luckily it proved to be easy to make, and Herb thought it delicious.. I say that because he didn’t complain.   Next problem, what to do with 5 more servings! I have always put my storage containers on the second to bottom shelf of a long cabinet.. Being a little older then when we moved in 18 years ago I soon realized, as my back was giving out from bending down so low, that a change had to be made. We must put the assored seldom used stuff on the lower shelve, and rearrange the contains by size on the higher shelve.  How come  you put away containers tops & bottoms together, but when you get them out few tops fit bottoms and vise-versa?.  Behind all that was a chopping blade for a container Herb used when he cooked. Out it went.  Things were shaping up. Next problem,  How to fit three chili containers into an already stuffed freezer! I can’t believe I ever saved so many leftovers we will probably never eat. I must remember to give them to someone who will think each a great treat. So Dear Friends, here I am 2&1/2 hours later writing this as the thunderous storm roars over head. I am too tired to be scared. If the worst happens I don’t believe you have to clean shelves in heaven on Saturday night do you?. What do you think?.                                     Roberts Mo

More Musings
Or

How To Make Lemons Into Lemonade!

Lemonade!
There was a time we lived in a lovely little villa, perfect for two, overlooking a lake surrounded by lovely friends and neighbors,

Lemons!
Then came that fateful day in March 2009 when all that fell apart due to mold and mildew. Our life, as we had known it also fell apart, to say the least.

Lemonade!
After many weeks of redoing the outside, and finally the inside, we are happily ensconced in our little villa by the lake.

Lemons!
No one wanted to tackle rehanging shutters hung the first time with out a permit. The city finally suggested a firm I quickly called. I told the owner some of my dreary story. He came out and said since the city had recommended him he would be happy to rehang them for us.

More lemons!
Months went by. No one called or came. I made plea after plea to no avail. Finally on August 13th. the owner came out with a crew to show them what was required.
You had to see these charming fellows to believe they were really going to do the job. The Boss and his crew looked like a huge version of the seven dwarfs. I kid you not! Each one had a white pony tail, small beard, and a huge smile. You had to trust them. They may have been awaken from retirement for the job, but each looked and acted like they were looking forward to working again. I didn’t ask when their last job was. I figured I didn’t need that information, right?

A little bit of lemonade mixed with lemons, can’t be all bad!

No one showed up Tuesday, but bright Wednesday morning they arrived, and started to check the existing shutters for code violations. Next they began the task of hanging some of them In about two hours I heard a knock on the door They had come to explain that they were done for the day because one had cut his thumb badly, and also a finger on the other hand. I tried to give him a bandage which he refused because he is under a doctors care for brittle skin that cracks easily. I said how about a towel so you don’t get blood on the seat. No he said, he would shoulder his way home and take care of it there with the medication & bandages the doctor gave him.
I truly hope they show up tomorrow and that he is wearing gloves.
Keep tuned, time will tell. Will it be a lemon tomorrow, or lemonade?
Living in excited expectation I remain,

Dear Rhonda,

I am going on my first job interview in twenty years. I am over 50 and petrified for so many reasons that I can’t even count them. I am not sure what experience you have in this arena, but if you do, do you have any advice on what I should or should not do or what I should or shouldn’t say?

Thank you,

Gladys

Dear Gladys,

What shouldn’t you do? I can tell you right off the bat…don’t fart. No offense, but your age, combined with your level of nerves can result in a complete and utter loss of control. It’s a little known fact that most don’t talk about, but sadly true. I’m sorry I brought it up because now that’s all you’ll think about.

Before I go on, I just want to ease your concern about my qualifications in this arena.
“Dear Rhonda” did not just get handed the job writing this column out of nowhere (and I use the term “job” loosely, since Dover pays less than a Guatemalan sweat shop). Doversworld.com put me through a rigorous interview process, which included a background check, three personal essays, four in-person interviews and two fluid samples (lets just leave it at that…I had a poppy seed bagel the morning of one of the interviews and lets just say that some of the tests came back “questionable”). Needless to say, Rhonda came through with flying colors and the job!

So as an accomplished interviewee, Rhonda’s advice is to focus on what “to do” rather than on what you “shouldn’t do”. Here are four full-proof ways to land a job.

1) Be yourself: You are going to spend 40-60 hours a week there, so you want them to hire you based on the real YOU. If you fake it and get the job you will only be unhappy in the long run.

2) Be professional- Be on time, turn your cell phone off and dress appropriately

3) Be prepared – Know the company, know the job description and let them know exactly why you are the right choice.

4) If all is going well and you want the job, (now this is very important, so read carefully) ask them why YOU should take the job. Remember that an interview goes both ways. You both have to convince each other that the other is right for the position.

note: if this is a part-time Burger King or similar job, disregard #1-#4. You will be unhappy anyway, so just lie and do whatever you have to get the job, so that you can make your $7.25/hour.

Good luck,

Rhonda

My friend, Allison, sent me this video of a pony clubber having her jumping lesson in a field.
I can’t decide whether to be horrified or laugh hysterically.
In any case I wish pony, child, and everyone involved a safe and successful future!
Take a look.

Cheers!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=50oZV103X24

My sister, Dale, is always coming up with great Videos and Jokes.
Here is the one she sent for today. Enjoy!

A woman  brought a very limp duck into a veterinary surgeon.  As she  laid her pet on the table, the vet pulled out his stethoscope  and listened to the bird’s chest.After a moment or two,  the vet shook his head sadly and said, “I’m sorry, your duck,  Cuddles, has passed away.”The distressed woman  wailed, “Are you sure?”"Yes, I am sure.  The duck is dead,” replied the vet.”How can you be  so sure?” she protested.”I mean you haven’t done any testing  on him or anything. He might just be in a coma or       something.”The vet rolled his eyes, turned around and left  the room.He returned a few minutes later with a  blackLabrador Retriever.As the duck’s owner  looked on in amazement,the dog stood on his hind legs, put his  front paws on the examination table and sniffed the duck from top  to bottom.He then looked up at the vet with sad eyes and  shook his head.The vet patted the dog on the head and took  it out of the room.A few minutes later he returned with a  cat. The cat jumped on the table and also delicately sniffed the  bird from head to foot. The cat sat back on its haunches, shook  its head, meowed softly and strolled out of the room.The  vet looked at the woman and said, “I’m sorry, but as I said, this  is most definitely,100% certifiably, a dead  duck.”The vet turned to his computer terminal, hit a  few keys and produced a bill, which he handed to the woman.The  duck’s owner, still in shock, took the bill. “$150!” she  cried, “$150 just to tell me my duck is dead!”The vet  shrugged, “I’m sorry. If you had just taken my word for it, the  bill would have been $20,But with the Lab Report and the  Cat Scan, it’s now $150.”         <

I just watched this video after coming back from San Diego where I stayed with Guenter Seidel and Sean and their two Pugs, Oprah and Bentley. So when I saw this video I just had to post it on my site. Take a look and I bet you’ll love it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdLVLPoRXR4

Cheers!

RD

Sure is easier said then done! I am working on it but when you spend 7&1/2 weeks in a rented villa and have had to fix it’s problems along  with yours small stuff becomes huge stuff.For instance the insurance man just walked out after telling me how lovely things looked when the rain started and water poured down the wall on the new carpet that was guaranteed stain proof! It isn’t!  l sat on the floor and cried for a second and then said to myself “It is not my health just another small inconvenience!”When all  3 outside  walls were taken down due to mold and mildew the hurricane shutters were removed. Now no one wants to rehang them as they say they are not up to code! Small stuff indeed…unless a hurricane comes our way. So Dear Friends of Roberts Mom I am happy to be back writing a note to you. AT&T took 10 days to restore our phone service. A DSL man came out to get my computer going. Of course it didn’t work when he left. I spent almost two hours on the phone with a number he left if I had a problem. Yesterday it still would not let me retrive my e-mail so I had my computer Guru over for another hour on the phone to get positive results. Small stuff indeed. Maybe tomorrow I will be able to buy new plants . Ours got all sick looking from being out in the tropical storms here in Paridise. Thanks for letting me vent. I hope to be more up beat next time.                                    Love,                         Roberts Mom