Monthly Archives: November 2025

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Don’t they have X-ray machines?

50 Comments

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My husband arrived home from his reunion trip happy and tired, with a suitcase full of dirty clothes and a very large box that contained the antique phone I blogged about yesterday.

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The package Fed Ex wanted over $600 to ship from North Carolina to Maine?

Cost $40 to put on the plane. Wee bit of difference there.

But after paying to have it carefully wrapped and tightly packed for travel?

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TSA tore the whole thing open to inspect it… which made my husband worry it would rattle around and be broken by the time he got it home. Why couldn’t security just put it through the X-ray machines they use to scan baggage… and us for that matter?

😡

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We hefted it out to the man cave/Barn Mahal and got busy unpacking, hoping for the best.

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Clearly my husband looked like a dangerous terrorist and was singled out for smuggling.

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Was there some shrink foam padding in the box?

You betcha.

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Along with 2 miles of bubble wrap and 40 yards of tape.

But after cutting and disentangling it from it from its plastic prison…

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We found it in perfect shape and not at all damaged.

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Viola!

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I think it looks great…

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And fits right in with our rustic vintage vibe.

But the best part? It works.

https://youtube.com/shorts/v9TU02bj2Nw?si=Uzh3Xy1f0LofmdEM

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😊

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Bite me Fed Ex.

35 Comments

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My husband flew to North Carolina last month. He traveled solo as the reason for the trip was a Marine Corps reunion of sorts…. and sorry, but I’ve been there, done that, have no desire to do it every two years. I certainly don’t begrudge him the time with his fellow Devil Dogs but we both know he has a better time without me standing around looking bored and checking my watch every 20 minutes.

Anyhoo… he spent a week there and it should come as no surprise to any of my loyal readers that some of that time was spent antique shopping.

What did surprise me was the fact he found the one particular item I’ve been searching for since we turned our barn into a man cave extraordinaire five years ago.

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An antique wall phone!

Oh, I’ve seen them up here, but they’re either in terrible shape, ridiculously expensive or remodeled to modern standards.

The one he found in Wilmington, N,C. was perfect.

From the early 1900’s, in amazing shape with original hardware, a cord that wasn’t frayed and operational crank and ringer.

Score!

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The husband called me immediately, texted pictures and said he’d talked the owner down from $295 to $265… a decent price. Naturally I wanted it and knowing he’d have to ship it home, he bought it quickly and headed to the Fed Ex down the road before they closed.

It was late Friday afternoon and he was flying home the next day. We knew it would be pricey to pack and ship, but figured paying another hundred or so was worth it.

Needless to say we miscalculated slightly.

Packing was $66. Understandable as it was an awkward and fragile item and the husband happily agreed. But when the clerk rang up the shipping cost at $610? My guy almost had a heart attack.

$610 to mail a box! Is it me, or is that completely insane?

Husband took the packed box and vowed he’d bring it on the plane with him the next day even if he had to buy it a separate seat. Which ironically, would be cheaper.

Oh, and here’s another question – have any of you run into the “convenience fee” stores are charging now if you use a credit card instead of cash?

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We haven’t seen it in Maine yet, but North Carolina is clearly on board.

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Maps.

23 Comments

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They’re not just for navigation anymore.

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My sincere sympathies to the women of Thailand.

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Did I read this wrong, or does my state have the most QTips and old codgers?

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Minus 70?

Damn!

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The only speeding ticket I ever received was in the south, so I can’t disagree.

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The fact that DC ranks first says there’s even more pork barrel spending than we thought.

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Maine has one. Susan Alford, whose father owned Dexter Shoes.

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Clearly the Northeast knows bagels.

❤️

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News you can’t use.

30 Comments

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The not so newsworthy news.

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It was only a matter of time.

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I hate when that happens.

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I’m going to go out on a limb and say don’t eat zucchini.

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Yes, they ate the liver. But did they serve it with fava beans and a good Chianti?

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Buy a banana?

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It’s literally impossible for me to care less what any of the Kardashians do. Or wear.

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A toilet paper orgasm.

42 Comments

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These pictures popped up in my Facebook memories the other day and I just have to share.

Years ago we took in a stray cat and named him Huffington. He was a beautiful boy,… loving, gentle but spirited and boy, did he love to play.

Sadly he was only with us two years before he was run over by a car and killed in front of our house. It completely wreaked me and is why our current royal feline walks on a leash.

But back to the pictures…

One day I heard a noise in the house. It was intermittent scratching and thuds. Tracing it back to our spare bathroom, I flipped on the lights and found this –

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Huffington had found an open toilet paper package.

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And yes, he enjoyed it.

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A little too much.

When I tried to clean up the mess and take it away from him?

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He didn’t want to let go.

🤣

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Man, I miss that little guy.

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A vial of vile…

39 Comments

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As many of you know, I blew out my right knee 5 years ago (deep root radial meniscal tear and ACL damage) and have been dealing with constant pain ever since.

I’ve seen three orthopedists, had multiple cortisone shots and done weeks of physical therapy with little to no effect. The only treatment that did give me some relief? Acupuncture, which my insurance refuses to cover.

Considered “alternative”, though it’s been practiced for over 2,500 years, I did it for a four month period back in 2022 and saw a dramatic reduction in swelling and stiffness. But at $125 per session and 2-3 sessions a week…. I also saw a dramatic reduction to my bank account and reluctantly gave it up.

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Until last week when some seriously debilitating pain drove me (and my checkbook) back to the office.

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Looking like a porcupine again…

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I’m hoping for a similar level of pain reduction this time around.

Part of being treated with acupuncture involves a total body holistic approach. And since menopause has wreaked so many parts of my life, my practitioner recommended an all natural herbal remedy for my hot flashes.

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She warned me the liquid was pungent, and quite bitter…. but I was willing to give it a try.

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Good thing we don’t have any crow steaks in the freezer this month.

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The bottle came with a small dropper and I was instructed to take 3 full ones, three times a day.

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Oh. My. Freaking God.

I’ve swigged some awful stuff in my life and lived to tell the tale, but this?

Nope. Uh uh.

I couldn’t do it.

The smell was bad enough, but the minute it hit my tongue? Instant gag. There aren’t enough words in the English language to describe how absolutely horrendous this vile black liquid is.

Repulsive. Abhorrent. Ghastly. Foul, and revolting barely touch the surface.

Stick me with a hundred needles from head to toe, I won’t flinch. But that little black bottle?

Reduced me to a quivering mass of jelly.

The tiny bottle tested my resolve… and won.

🤢

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