51 thoughts on “Our Daily Thread 9-29-17”

  5. Back in the Spring I bought a dress that I have worn a lot. Not too long ago I was in the store where I bought it and the sales lady remembered me. She said she had tried to find me because she sent me home with the medium instead of the small. Yesterday I was in there again with BG. She asked about the dress. I told her I loved it except that at one point when I washed it, it got a small hole in the left shoulder. She told me to bring it back and she would exchange it since she had send me home the first time with the wrong size. I said no, I had worn the dress for about 6 months now and didn’t feel that was right. She insisted so I took the dress I had back and exchanged it.
    Two things have occurred to me.
    1. What great customer service that after 6 months she remembered this and exchanged the dress.
    2. She still had several of the dresses in the store (that is rare) and it is probably better on her books to write off a defective dress that was exchanged than to discount them and write them off at a loss. Of course the dress is Army green so it may sell better in the Fall than it did in the Spring.
    I have liked wearing it.

    Liked by 7 people

  6. Chas, the alarm goes off at 4:58am on the days I go into the office. I could probably sleep a little later, but I need time to “adjust” in the morning. I need to drink coffee, check in with all of you, and ease into the day.
    There was a time in my life that I slept until 6:30 and made it to the office by 7:30. I am at a different pace in my life these days.

    Liked by 4 people

  9. Congrat’s Aj.
    Kim, @! 6:50, and probably a customer forever.
    I visited a men’s shop in Hendersonville the first year I was there.
    He tried to sell me some stuff I didn’t want’
    I never went back.
    He still sends me sales literature, even in Greensboroj.
    But I never went back.

    Like

  11. I have always been amazed at the athletic ability of some men. Like Gene Kelly who could (as these) jump on a table flat footed, and swing a 110 pound woman around.
    Like I once saw on TV a pro basketball player hold a female TV host, host up so she cold dunk a ball.

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  12. Oops! That is in celebration of the Happy Anniversary of AJ and Cheryl!.

    We had a big night out at the Christian Library International fund raising dinner. We carried two of my church lady friends and had five people from Art’s church join us. We left at 2:30 in the afternoon to pick up the ladies and drive almost an hour to get to the location. We left so early to avoid traffic. Art’s new pastor and his wife were there so it was great to meet them.

    Liked by 4 people

  14. Happy Anniversary to The Real and Cheryl!

    My father loves the Platter’s version of ‘When Smoke Gets In Your Eyes’. We had one of those old Reader’s Digest Anthology of Popular Melodies, and that was the first song I learned to play out of it for my father. He gave us an musical appreciation education not only in the classical genre, but also in the golden oldies.

    Never get tired of seeing the Nicholas Brothers dance in ‘Stormy Weather’.

    Speaking of music and dance appreciation, I had an unexpected treat yesterday afternoon. I go to class in the morning, and normally, after going to Bible study at the church over lunch, I go home. Yesterday, I returned to the campus since I needed to do some work in the library that couldn’t be done at home. On the wide quadrangle in the centre of the campus were troupes of First Nations dancers [The university is on land granted to six of the Nations in return for their support during the War of 1812, so the faculty have in recent years been trying to let them use the land, including constructing a traditional learning circle]. I stayed to watch for about an hour, and it was delightful. They wore their beautiful traditional clothing and they were skilled dancers. They would invite onlookers to join them for the simpler dances, and thus one had the spectacle of Central Asians, East Asians, Caucasians, etc. wearing the dark colours typical of casual Canadian dress amongst the bright colours of the First Nations.

    Liked by 4 people

  16. I Goggled this but didn’t find anything . 🙂

    Anyhow, I was listening to Glenn Beck on the radio as I was taking TSWITW to the Adult Center.. They were saying that in Saudi Arabia, (WRT female drivers) they found that each time a woman goes shopping she loses half her brain power.

    Muslims have contributed so much to the scientific world.

    No! I don’t believe she loses half! 😆

    Liked by 1 person

  18. Chas- The Saudis also said that driving a car causes a woman to have reproductive problems, or something along that line. (I saw that on the CBS Evening News the other day.)

    Like

  19. Happy Anniversary AJ & Cheryl

    I got up late for me, 7:30, so will be on the run to get the animals fed and then get out of here for work.

    Our new Word Press platform we’re now using is nice in some ways, cumbersome in others. There are so many things we need to do now for our stories (boxes to check, extra social media decks to write, outside media to embed) that it can slow you down a lot. Seems like it takes forever just to write and turn in a story now, there are so many extra steps. It’ll get easier.

    And our editor is drowning, lots of extra steps for him, too, as he reads, posts and gets out stories otherwise into the system.

    Today is another ‘goodbye’ to a longtime colleague — our newsroom librarian whom everyone loves. We’re all going out for lunch to the Lazy Dog Cafe nearby. I has happy to hear that he’ll still be freelancing his popular local history blog posts for us, though.

    Another departure next Friday and then I think we’re done. We hope.

    Meanwhile, foundation job may (finally) get started. Soon. Maybe.

    Liked by 1 person

  22. Janie was spayed on Monday, & ready to play & be rowdy by Tuesday. Of course, a girl puppy isn’t allowed to play & be rowdy after such an operation, so she’s had to stay in her crate while Nightingale has worked during the day (Tues., Wed., & Thurs.) except for the brief times I took her out to feed her & go outside to go potty. Every time we would come back inside, she would go to my door, hearing Heidi on the other side of it, & want to go in to play with her. This puppy doesn’t seem to know she’s supposed to take it easy.

    Nightingale has today off, after working six days in a row, so Janie is a happy puppy to be on her tie-out while Nightingale takes care of the leaves in the yard. Tomorrow afternoon/evening when Chickadee & I childsit The Boy, she will finally be allowed down to play with Heidi. (Nightingale says her incision is healing so well, you can barely tell it’s there).

    Liked by 1 person

  23. After referring to Little Guy as “The Boy” (I had originally typed it as “the boy”, then decided to capitalize it), I’ve decided to change his name on here to The Boy. He may still be “little” in age, but he’s a big boy for his age. And I often refer to him as The Boy at home, so might as well do that here. 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

  28. Pennsylvanians: get used to your coyotes.

    http://www.yourerie.com/news/local-news/community-fed-up-with-coyotes/820797839

    ______________________________

    … “Like a lot of wildlife species, they are a part of the natural ecosystem, now; and they’re here to stay, he said. “And we need to adapt to a certain point the way they have adapted in order to coexist with them.”

    Marino said concerned residents are not left with many options.

    “I love animals,” she said. “I don’t like killing anything, but I don’t want my cats taken either. I don’t want my pets taken.”

    The Pennsylvania Game Commission estimates that there are more than 100,000 coyotes occupying the state with the predators found in every county. …
    _______________________________

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  30. Yay. Foundation work finally scheduled to begin Oct. 16.

    It should take about a week and since it’s so late in the year I have very little expectation of getting the window people in anytime soon after that (they’re typically booked a couple months in advance and I suspect are especially busy leading up to the holiday entertainment season).

    So next year I can plan the windows and painting, asap (as soon as the rains are done).

    Liked by 2 people

  31. Yea! We can talk paint colors in the spring. It will be like spring cleaning. Bonus is you won’t have to wash windows, they will be new!

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  32. Until Wednesday, the weather was unbearably hot and humid, now it is autumnally cold and wet.

    Last lecture of the day is Middle Eastern history. The professor talked about WWI today, and that meant he mentioned the genocide of Armenians, Anatolian Greeks, and Assyrians. A Syrian Christian and a Kurd in the class contributed to the discussion about the genocide, with the Kurd admitting that her people had been involved, at the instigation of the Ottoman government, in perpetrating the genocide, and the Syrian saying that it depended on the military officers in command, that it wasn’t done systematically. Afterwards, I overheard the Syrian and the Kurd amicably discussing the recent referendum and vote to form an independent Kurdish state, which is something the Allies promised them after WWI. Honesty about the past helps bring reconciliation in the present.

    On the Saudi ban on women driving, it was one official who made the claim about it affecting women’s brains and apparently he didn’t convince enough people with his rhetoric, since Saudi Arabia has lifted the ban on women driving: http://world.wng.org/content/saudi_arabia_agrees_to_let_women_drive

    Liked by 2 people

  33. Kim, well the bad news is that they’re not replacing the windows, this is a company that restores historic wood windows (and ideally can keep the original glass) — though they do completely refit them and add weather stripping so they’re much better — I currently have some that won’t close or open, these are really big oversized casement windows from the original house, 1923, beautiful, but they need work; I not only preferred to save the existing once but it also will cost me a whole lot less than replacing them with vinyl or some other more contemporary material). 🙂

    So I called the window company, they’re going to have the scheduling person call me back, she was out on an errand. I really am hoping that because I’ve been “in line” for so long (since last November?) that they can find a way to move me up and get those windows done before the end of the year. The job will take a day, they basically have their entire crew come in and go work, two guys per window.

    It’s kind of a niche company, all they do are old windows, so they’re in pretty constant demand.

    http://windowrestorationandrepair.com/

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  35. I will need suggestions from Kim on new window coverings at some point — thinking simple shades and muslin curtains. I like sheers, too. NO MORE BLINDS, really over the look.

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  36. Windows also will get new hardware.

    Their take on why to restore rather than replace, at least in older homes:

    Top Ten Reasons to Restore or Repair Wood Windows

    1. Your windows fit your house. Quirky as they might be, your older windows fit your house. Care was taken to match the weight and style of window to the building, the trim, etc. They have expanded and contracted with the seasons. With proper weather stripping they can be made to fit and seal even better. Replacement windows have a rigid structure that fits within your window openings. Old houses move and shift over time and frequently the gaps that open up around replacement windows and the window openings result in more drafts that the original windows.

    2.You appreciate good craftsmanship. The true mortise and tenon construction of antique windows is incredibly strong and even when it begins to weaken is easily repaired. Many unique window shapes were created because of the craftsmanship with wood joinery. Antique windows were built to last and not land in landfill.

    3. You value good materials. Antique wood windows are constructed of old growth timber. The wood is much denser and more weather resistant than today’s tree farmed softwoods. Delicate profiles are possible because of the density of the wood. The reason these windows are still around, even with years of neglect, is because the wood is of very high quality requiring no cladding or additional materials to give them weather resistance. Without all the ugly paint, your wood windows are usually quite beautiful, graceful, and strong.

    4. You love the character of antique glass. Even the glass in antique windows tells a story. It may be roundel or cylinder glass, each indicating a certain era of manufacturing. Old glass has varieties of color and texture that are a delight to the eye. Two layers of glass are better than one, and in an antique home that second layer of glass should be the storm window that protects the original window.

    5. You think a warranty should be more than 20 years. Chances are your windows have done their job for fifty or more years already. Sure, they may be a little creaky and may not be as attractive as they once were, but it’s a far better investment to repair a proven performer than to sink money into a new window that only has a 20 year warranty at best. With proper maintenance your antique windows should last another 100 years. Heck, even without maintenance they may last that long!

    6.You want to avoid vinyl. Poly vinyl chloride (PVC) is becoming one of the greatest concerns in the building industry. Not only does the production of it create an environmental nightmare, but the gases it emits over time are becoming a concern. Heaven forbid your house catches fire, and PVC burned will release toxic amounts of dioxin. If you are concerned about lead, please understand that it is used as a stabilizer in the manufacture of PVC. If you are concerned about our planet’s health you should read up on efforts to reduce the use of vinyl.

    7. You want more light. Replacement windows are set into the window opening, and the sash is smaller than the originals. You get less viewing area and less light. Who wants less light?

    8. Windows are a functional part of your house. Weights and pulleys are the best balance systems every invented. There is a prevalent myth that a lot of cold air comes in through the weight pocket. If there is cold air in the weight pocket it’s generally because there is a gap between the outside trim of the house and the siding. It may also indicate a poor seal at the floor joists. Replacing easily serviceable weights and pulleys with vinyl jamb liners or invisible balance systems means installing a system that has a maximum life span of 10-20 years but generally fails in less time. You can’t believe how joyful it is to open and close windows easily with onehand when everything is restored to the way it was designed to work!

    9. You really can save 30-40% on heating costs.According to the Field Study of Energy Impacts of Window Rehab Choices conducted by the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation, the University of Vermont School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering laboratory the estimate first year energy savings between a restored wooden window with a good storm window vs. a replacement window was $0.60. Yup, less than a buck. In their conclusions section they noted “The decision to renovate or replace a window should not be based solely on energy considerations, as the difference in estimate first year savings between the upgrade options are small.” Broken glass, failed glazing, no weather stripping – these small and repairable items are what really affect energy efficiency in windows.

    10. The greenest building is one that is already built. Replacement windows are touted as a way to save energy. But when evaluated from the perspective of the entire production, shipping, installation and removal process replacing windows consumes a whole lot of energy, or viewed the other way an older building has a great deal of embodied energy. If the total energy expenditure to manufacture replacement windows is considered the break even period stretches to 40-60 years. In the words of Richard Moe, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, “We can’t build our way out of the global warming crisis. We have to conserve our way out. That means we have to make better, wiser use of what we have already built.” Repairs and restoration work are done by local craftspeople paying local taxes. They use a minimum of materials and resources and a maximum of labor. Restoring windows is the best use of existing materials and the best way to support the local economy.

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  43. It’s one of those things I put my foot down on. The first few guys I called for assessments didn’t think they were worth saving so I was initially disheartened, thinking it was hopeless — and my neighbor was adamant, rip them out, get vinyl. After all, she told me, whoever owns my house next someday will just go ahead and do that anyway. But I didn’t want it to happen on “my watch.”

    The 4 sets of double, wood casement windows are so much a part of the home’s charm — and replicating them due to the size would have cost way more than fixing them. I didn’t call this company until last, thinking they’d be way out of my league, but I was thrilled and surprised — not only did the guy say no problem to fix them (and they came with top recommendations), but the estimate really surprised me, not nearly as high as I was anticipating.

    Liked by 2 people

  45. So, those who watch “Jeopardy,” what do you think of this week’s champion? How long will he last, and how much money will he earn?

    For comparison, this is what Wikipedia says about Ken Jennings’ numbers: “In 2004, Jennings won 74 Jeopardy! games (in a row) before he was defeated by challenger Nancy Zerg on his 75th appearance. His total earnings on Jeopardy! are $3,196,300, consisting of $2,520,700 over his 74 wins [an average of $34063.51], a $2,000 second-place prize in his 75th appearance, a $500,000 second-place prize in the Jeopardy! Ultimate Tournament of Champions, a $100,000 win for second-place prize in the Jeopardy Battle of the Decades, as well as half of a $300,000 prize in the IBM Challenge, when he competed against Watson.”

    This week’s champion is averaging a bit under $32,000, I believe (he went into tonight a bit above that, but bet low on Final Jeopardy tonight to ensure his win, and I think he went home with something like $27,000 tonight). But he’s wild and crazy, and bets high on Double Jeopardy, and has won all but one of them, I think. (We didn’t see last night’s show, as it didn’t play on our station, but we’ve seen him three times.) It’s too early to say if he will be on it even a full week, let alone multiple weeks, but he is good and well worth watching.

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  46. Yay, dog park friend finally coming over tomorrow to start (or at least get the lay of the land) on outdoor lighting pronect.

    This house may get done after all!

    Liked by 2 people

  48. Am I the only one, then, who finds the Jeopardy champ irritating? I can’t put my finger on exactly why. It’s good that he doesn’t take himself too seriously.

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  50. Kevin, what’s funny is when he first showed up, my husband’s first comment was that he wouldn’t want our daughter to bring that guy home (bartender from New York with a ridiculous haircut). But he isn’t at all what his appearance might suggest, except the “goofy” part. He comes across as very confident, and in person might seem arrogant and a know-it-all. (I think any smart person can be misunderstood to come across that way, but he might more than most, I don’t know.) But for half an hour at a time, with his worst offenses bleeped out or actually just not shown at all (as was said on the first program), he just has an amazing breadth of knowledge and the cocky confidence to bet big and usually win.

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