I saw a new entree in the frozen food section the other day; fish breaded with potatoes.  You just pop them into the oven and when they are done, you get fish AND chips.  YUM?

One of the attractions at the mall is a hurricane machine.  After depositing your money, you step into this phone booth sized machine.  When the machine starts, you can experience that wind force of a hurricane.

I suspect that it does a real number on your hair.  I wonder what it does to your clothing?

The other day, I went to the store to buy a box of burgundy wine.  Since I like the high priced cheap wine, I looked for Almaden.  But, they didn’t have any.  Rats!

Next, I tried Franzia but they didn’t have any either.  Then I tried Peter Vella but they too were out.  So, I ended up grabbing a Cabernet Sauvignone.

I was surprised to see that there was no burgundy to be found anywhere.  I guess there was a run on burgundy.

I am always surprised when I find a vending machine in a public restroom.  And I am always curious as to what they are vending.  So, when I discovered one at the mall, I had to look to see what they were selling.

First, there was aspirin.  I guess this makes sense.  If you have a headache, it is nice to get an aspirin for it.  But, at $2 a shot, I doubt that they get many takers.

Then, there are the breath drops.  I suppose if you had just eaten at the food court, you might need some breath drops.  After all, you never know who you will meet at the mall so it is always good to be prepared.

Next are the fake tattoos.  Now, this one seems a little strange to me.  The aspirin and breath drops are natural but not the tattoos.  I mean, what kind of urgency could there be for a fake tattoo? Maybe they are there to attract young boys into the mens restroom.

Finally, there are the glow sticks.  I suppose that they could come in handy if the power went off but I suspect that they may have a more perverted use.

Regardless, since the machine requires 8 quarters, all of the purchases must be deliberate as most people don’t carry that kind of change on them.

As I went past the gas station this morning, there was an ambulance sitting there with lights and flashers going.  I wonder if the price of gas had any thing to do with it?

When we heated with wood, I spent just about every Saturday, in the spring and fall, out in the woods.  If I wasn’t cutting wood, I was splitting it and hauling it.

Now, I always enjoy classical music, so when I would take a break that is what I listened to on the radio in the truck.  That is also what I listened to as I hauled wood through downtown Lowell.

But, the real kicker was driving through downtown Lowell and listening to opera on Saturday afternoons.  Somehow, it just seem to be counter cultural.  And, of course, I would get some looks from people on the street as some soprano was singing her heart out in Italian.

Well, I guess even red necks can have culture.

According to the weather last night, we were suppose to get a major winter storm with snow and ice.  When I got up this morning, I was advised by the weather folks to stay inside if possible. But, when I looked outside, there was no freezing rain and ice.

So, despite warnings to the contrary, I took my car out on to the road.  And, to my amazement, there was no ICE!

Well, I guess it didn’t happen.  Better luck next year.

July, October and December have their own colors.  July is red, white and blue, October is orange and black and December has red and green.  But, what about the rest of the months?  Do they have colors too?  And, who decides the colors for the months?  Nobody asked me.

Since I eat breakfast in my office during the week, I quite often nuke one that is frozen.  3 minutes in the microwave and it is done.

I used to buy one brand of frozen breakfast that was scrambled eggs and sausage.  But, then the store came up with their own that was exactly the same but half the price of the name brand.

Now, other than the price and the label, I couldn’t tell the difference.  So, I started buying the store brand.

Then, one day, the store brand disappeared.  Rats!  But wait, the name brand is now the same price as the store brand.

I guess the store and the name brand came to a consensus.

Like most of the states in the US, the Governor of Michigan want to tax pensions.  And, of course, some people do not like the idea.

One poor woman was lamenting that she had just purchased a new house and a new truck and could not possible afford the new tax.

Now, if you tell me that you can’t afford to pay your utility bills or buy groceries, I will feel sorry for you.  But, some how, a new house and a new truck just doesn’t illicit visions of poverty.

I suppose some people will complain that the new tax will force them to drink domestic champagne!