On Cold Winter Days- Stay in Bed!

Dolly Snoozing comfortably

This morning when the temperature outside was near 19F, our Weimaraner Dolly and Dachshund Franklin preferred to stay in bed. Here's picture proof. :) 

Franklin sharing the other side of the bed. Too comfy!

Donate to a Great Dog-related Organization

I only give monies to dog-related charities. I made that decision years ago and have found many. Most recently, I learned about the Doris Day Animal Foundation (DDAF), a national, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1978 by legendary performer Doris Day. 
*Currently, the DDAF is asking Congress for tougher puppy mill legislation: A federal Puppy Uniform Protection Statute (PUPS), which will amend the AWA and force high-volume breeders who sell directly to the public - including over the Internet - to comply with federal licensing and inspection requirements of the USDA.  **Puppy mills are horrendous places, that operate as dog breeding grounds, and don't maintain them in good health, in fact, filth. 

OUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH PUPPY MILLS: Two foster dogs that Tom and I had for a couple of days were rescued from puppy mills. They had matted fur, were filthy, had bad teeth, way overgrown nails and didn't know what grass was when we put them outside (we had to carry them outside). They also had never, ever been held before. These dogs were about 6 or 7 years old! Horrible.

* So, consider donating to the DDAF to get rules imposed on Puppy Mills or put them out of business.

CONTACT: Doris Day Animal Foundation, 8033 Sunset Blvd., Suite 845, Los Angeles CA 90046
To Donate: http://ddaf.org/dd/?page_id=107

NBC Nightly News- shows satellite image I sent!

One of the coolest things about my job is having access to cool satellite imagery. Yesterday we got a request from NBC news for a satellite image of the storm and I knew right where to get it, thanks to the NASA GOES Project folks. It appeared in last night's NBC News story with Brian Williams, right near the beginning! Cool!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Late Night's Stephen Cobert (3 min. video) Another "brilliant" idea from a politician:

Late Night's Stephen Cobert (3 min. video): Another "brilliant" idea from a politician: Curtis Oda wants to give Utah residents the right to shoot or decapitate feral animals.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Mr. Smith Goes to the State Legislature Then Later Possibly Washington - Curtis Oda
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog</a> Video Archive

Watch the Big East Coast Snow Storm from the GOES-13 Satellite

One of the great perks of working where I do is having the ability to tap into the latest satellite imagery. So, I grabbed this animation today from the NASA GOES Satellite Project of last night's and today's big East Coast Snowstorm. (In the beginning there's interference (there was SNOW on the receiving satellite dish that one of our scientists cleared off , improving the signal).
This animation of GOES-13 satellite data runs from January 25 at 1431 UTC (9:31 a.m. EST) to 1431 UTC (9:31 a.m. EST) on January 27, 2011. It shows the movement of the low pressure area moving from west to east over the last 2 days.
Also visible is the snow on the ground that it left behind in the mid-Atlantic. The animation was created  by the NASA GOES Project, located at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The GOES series of satellites are operated by NOAA. CREDIT: NOAA/NASA GOES Project

AP Video: Comics "Fantastic Four" Will be no more?

Almost 50 years after the first issue of the Fantastic Four debuted one of the four superheroes is going to die. (Of course, most of them come back)... The video gives away which one of the characters it is...
To see the video : http://video.ap.org/?f=SCSPA&pid=YcKc13MwdssWao6uc0fg2BpbOhLirzw1

For those who don't know the characters: The four core individuals traditionally associated with the Fantastic Four, who gained superpowers after exposure to cosmic rays during a scientific mission to outer space, are: Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards), a scientific genius and the leader of the group, who can stretch his body into incredible lengths and shapes; the Invisible Woman (Susan "Sue" Storm), Reed's wife, who can render herself and others invisible and project powerful force fields; the Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Sue's younger brother, who can generate flames, surround himself with them and fly; and the monstrous Thing (Ben Grimm), their grumpy but benevolent friend, who possesses superhuman strength and endurance due to the nature of his stone-like flesh.

Police: S.C. Woman Burned Puppy Who Chewed Bible

This story is an example of is what is totally WRONG with religious fanaticism.  Right-wing religious fanatics go over the edge of sanity "in the name of Jesus" and justify brutality, hatred, and even murder "in the name of God" just as this wacko did.  She also showed NO remorse.

Brutally killing a puppy by hanging and lighting him on FIRE because the puppy chewed on a bible is INSANE. This sick, sick woman is just an example of what religious fanaticism can do to the mind. She's only getting 180 days in prison. She should suffer the same thing she made the poor puppy endure. She's a BEAST. 

Here's the story from the Associated Press:

Police: S.C. Woman Burned Dog Who Chewed Bible

65-Year-Old Arrested for Animal Cruelty, Accused of Hanging and Burning Dog who Chewed on Her Bible; Called it "Devil Dog"

(AP)  COLUMBIA, S.C. - A Spartanburg County woman has been charged with felony animal cruelty, accused of hanging her nephew's pit bull with an electrical cord and burning its body after the dog chewed on her Bible, authorities said Monday.
  When questioned by police and animal control officers, Miriam Smith told them the female dog named "Diamond" was a "devil dog" and she feared it might harm neighborhood children, according to an incident report from the county's Environmental Enforcement Department.
  Smith, 65, was arrested Sunday and remains in the Spartanburg County jail. Bond has not been set. Officials said she doesn't have an attorney yet and there was no phone number listed for her Pacolet Mills home.  She faces 180 days to five years in prison if convicted.

  Authorities said the 1-year-old dog was kept outside on a chain and chewed the Bible that had been left on Smith's porch. The dog's remains were found under a pile of dried, cut grass. Part of the orange cord was still around the dog's neck and a smell of kerosene still hung in the air, the animal control officer wrote in her report.
  The dog was killed about two weeks ago when Smith's nephew was forced to spend several days away from home because of winter weather in the area, authorities said.
 Smith is the first person is Spartanburg County to face a felony charge under South Carolina's tougher animal cruelty law, said Jaime Nelson, director of the county's Environmental Enforcement Department.
  Smith's mental state will likely affect what kind of penalties she faces, Nelson added. He said he was stunned by how flat the woman's emotions sounded as she recounted on tape what happened to the dog. "She just acted like - what's done has been done," Nelson said. 

Lunchbreak: Is There a Full Moon This Week???

Is there a full moon this week? Are the stars mis-aligned since someone suggested adding a new astrological sign to the zodiac?  I ask because each day there have been stupid things to irritate the heck out of me.
1) World Gym Billing Fiasco (now called something else because they apparently lost the franchise name)- I had a membership there and haven't been attending for a long time because the facility was in a state of disrepair (little a/c in the summer, little heat in the winter). So, I swallowed the bullet and paid a lump sum to cancel my membership back on April 19. I spoke with their billing dept. at that time, told them this was a cancellation and they gave me the whopping pay off figure (several hundred dollars) which I paid in good faith. End of story? NO.  This past Saturday in the mail I received a bill from their billing company for $83. For a $20 monthly fee in Feb. (what??), a $34 late fee, and another $29 penalty fee. *I was NOT happy. I called the gym. They said my membership was canceled and they had record of the payment. I called the billing folks (not working Saturday or Sunday of course) on Monday. They said they think my membership was still active and "rolled over." They said that whomever took all of money to close the membership apparently didn't do that. They're now canceling the membership. I called again Tuesday at lunch and talked with a nice guy named Rob (go figure) who waived the other fee and agreed this is foolish. He's also checking with the gym to see if they'll waive the annual $20 monthly February fee.
2) Nasty Neighbors - I was walking the dogs at lunch today, Tuesday, when someone got in their car (which was parked in their driveway). They started the car, so I stopped all three dogs on the sidewalk so the man could back out and we'd safely wait until he was gone. *Just then, an older woman opened the front door YELLING at me to "Go find another sidewalk to have your dogs crap on!"  I shouted back that I was just waiting for her housemate to back up so I could move on, and I ALWAYS pick up after the dogs. I was steamed. She looked at me and waved me off.
3) Mental Illness- No, not me, my mom (sadly). Dementia goes through cycles with people and my mom's dementia is progressing. At night I find she's at her worst, but I can't call during a work day because she loves to ramble about 1951, 1962, 1973, 1986, 1990, well, you get it. *My brothers and I have been paying for snow plows to plow out her driveway and walkways (she lives in very SNOWY Mass.) this year. So, she found out I sent a check for last week's 1 1/2 feet (the plow charges by the inch). She was furious. Why? Because "they didn't plow right and wipe my car off." Uh-huh. She also said she'd rather be plowed in, but can't stand being in the house (all in one breath) and can't handle a big house. I mentioned moving to an over 55 complex and her head spun 360 degrees and my phone was melting. I finally said "I can't talk with you anymore."
SO, I ask... is there a full moon this week?

Elected officials refusing to recognize a U.S. Supreme Court decision

It's disgraceful that elected officials are refusing to recognize a U.S. Supreme Court decision to not post religious displays in public buildings. It's happened in Virginia. 

Despite a U.S. Supreme Court Decision, a school district in southwestern Virginia is re-posting copies of the Bible's Ten Commandments in all county schools. It is unconstitutional.  It's great that people have religious beliefs, but this was decided upon by the U.S. Supreme Court. We have to abide by it (even if someone doesn't like it). After all, if we post Christian material, then we should post stuff from ALL of the religions practiced in our country. All or nothing. The U.S. Supreme Court voted "nothing" and now idiots in one county are thumbing their noses at it.

The story is below. 

ASSOCIATED PRESS:  The five-member Giles County School Board voted unanimously to restore the framed, 4-foot-tall, biblical texts after parents and local ministers complained about their removal from the district's five schools and its technology center. The decision was made even though the board's attorney advised that such Christian displays represent unconstitutional government endorsement of religion.
The Ten Commandments were up on school walls in Giles County for at least a decade next to framed copies of the U.S. Constitution. School officials took them down and replaced them with the Declaration of Independence in mid-December after a resident complained. The board reversed that decision Thursday after several parents and pastors, joined by a throng of supporters, told the board that the schools had a moral obligation to reinforce God's teachings. *WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!! Pastors are NOT lawyers.**
FULL STORY: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jan/23/ten-commandments-restored-at-virginia-schools/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS 

Record melt from Greenland icesheet in 2010

Greenland from NASA's Terra satellite 2002.Cr:NASA

IN THE NEWS TODAY- 

Paris (AFP) Jan 21, 2011 Greenland's icesheet, feared as a major driver of rising sea levels, shed a record amount of melted snow and ice in 2010, scientists reported Friday, a day after the UN said last year was the warmest on record. The 2010 runoff was more than twice the average annual loss in Greenland over the previous three decades, surpassing a record set in 2007, said the study, published in the US-based journal Environmental Research Letters.
Ice melt has now topped this benchmark every year since 1996, according to the paper, derived from long-term satellite and observational data.
Were it to melt entirely, Greenland's icesheet would drive up ocean levels by some seven meters (23 feet), drowning coastal cities around the world.

Based on computer models, lead researcher Marco Tedesco, who heads the Cryosphere Processes Laboratory at the City College of NY, estimated that runoff in 2010 was 530 gigatons, or billions of tons, compared to an average of 274 gigatons for the period 1958-2009, and 285 gigatons for 1979-2009. "The process is far from being linear, and it is not possible to simply draw a line" into the future, said Tedesco.But over the last 30 years "there has been an increase in runoff," he said.

Sprite's Adoption Event

Today I spent 2 hours at the Golden Ring Mall (Baltimore, Md.) Petco, doing an adoption event with Sprite.  - It went well once I got situated. The staff accommodated me with a table and chair near the entrance- which was good for exposure as people came into the store.  

 - I taped a sign for the "Coast-to-Coast Dachshund rescue adoption event" on the table, brought a "Welcome sign" with a dachshund, a photo of Franklin in a stand up frame and adoption materials and a description of Sprite and his behaviors/habits. Sprite sat on his bed on the table with me. 

 -There were about 20 people that came over to pet him and meet him. One woman seemed especially interested and took his picture with her phone and sent it to her husband. She just lost a dog and seemed to immediately fall for Sprite. I had her pick him up and hold him, and she seemed to melt. She asked how he was with cats, and we brought him over to the cats up for adoption-in another part of the store. He ignored them! (She has 2 cats and a dog).
- A couple of others took the info about Sprite and said they would consider him or pass the info along to someone they know. So, it seemed to be successful, at least in terms of interest. A couple of people said they'd check out the rescue as well, hopefully to help out! 

An Old U.S. Air Force Video: Cats in Antigravity

Sky and Telescope magazine on-line found this old U.S. Air Force video, and I just had to post it. Poor cats!

Our friend Steve Hosts this NASA Briefing on the Glory (Climate) Satellite

Our friend Steve works at NASA Headquarters, and he hosted yesterday's Press Briefing from Washington, DC. The briefing is about NASA's next Earth monitoring satellite called "Glory" that will help understand Climate Change. It will measure the sun's direct and indirect effects on Climate and how natural and manmade aerosols affect climate change.

UK Judge Finds Gay Couple Were Discriminated Against in Hotel

Hoteliers who denied a gay couple a double room were breaking the law, a judge ruled on Tuesday in a landmark case involving Britain's tough equality laws. GOOD.


Ban on Gay Couples Sparks Court Case
  In 2008, couple Martyn Hall and Steven Preddy, who are civil partners, were denied a double room at a hotel in Cornwall owned by self-described devout Christians Peter and Hazel Bull.
  Mr and Mrs Bull denied the couple a double room, they said, not because of the couple's sexual orientation but because they had a strict no sex before marriage policy, something which had been in place since they had opened their home as a hotel in 1986. They pointed out that the rule applied to heterosexual couples as well, as was in keeping with how they interpreted their faith.
  Seeing this as an unlawful de facto ban on gay partners, Hall and Preddy launched a legal challenge under Britain's Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations of 2007 which state that civil partnerships must be treated in the same way as marriages. The gay couple were supported from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). In turn, the owners of the hotel found support from the Christian Institute.
  During the case, Martyn Hall and Steven Preddy's lawyer Catherine Casserley told the court that, "The defendants have entered into a civil partnership, booked into a room at a hotel but were not able to occupy it because they were not in a heterosexual partnership. If you are an unmarried couple you could lie and get a double room, but this is not an option open to same-sex couples. We say the claimants were treated differently to a married couple, and the only difference between them was their sexual orientation."
  Owner Mrs Bull told the court during a hearing in December how, due to an oversight, she had failed to explain the hotel's married-couples only policy for double rooms when the booking was made:
She explained that she took Preddy's booking over the telephone when she was ill and so failed to explain the hotel's policy. "There is no way I would have let them make the journey only to be disappointed," she said. "We were very surprised when the two gentlemen turned up the next day.  "This is our home; it's not some large corporation. We feel that under the eyes of God we need to feel comfortable there – and that includes sleeping arrangements.
  "We feel that our faith and conscience means we are responsible for what happens under our roof and that the teachings of the Christian faith are opposed to sex outside of marriage."
  Mr and Mrs Bull also said they may close their business should the judge rule against them because their religious convictions, they claim, prevent them from treating gay couples in civil partnerships the same way as they would treat married heterosexual couples.

UK Judge Finds Gay Couple Were Discriminated Against
  In Tuesday's ruling, Bristol county court judge Andrew Rutherford determined that the hoteliers had directly discriminated against Martyn Hall and Steven Preddy and that, while the law must be seen to uphold the rights of religious freedom of speech and expression, the right to manifest one's religious views must be limited "to protect the rights and freedoms of the claimants". As such, Rutherford awarded the two men £1,800 each in damages.
  The EHRC, however, was keen to point out that the equality laws work to protect all, including those practicing religion.

From The Guardian Newspaper:
  John Wadham, the legal director of the EHRC, said: "The right of an individual to practise their religion and live out their beliefs is one of the most fundamental rights a person can have, but so is the right not to be turned away by a hotel just because you are gay.
  "The law works both ways. Hotel owners would similarly not be able to turn away people whose religious beliefs they disagreed with. "When Mr and Mrs Bull chose to open their home as a hotel, their private home became a commercial enterprise. This decision means that community standards, not private ones, must be upheld."
  Judge Rutherford granted the Bulls leave to appeal against his ruling, noting that it “does affect the human rights of the defendants to manifest their religion and forces them to act in a manner contrary to their deeply and genuinely held beliefs”. At the time of writing, Mr and Mrs Bull have not disclosed whether they will be taking action to appeal the decision.
  A spokesperson for the Christian Institute that supported Mr and Mrs Bull during the case is quoted as saying: “This ruling is further evidence that equality laws are being used as a sword rather than a shield."
  Ben Summerskill, chief executive of gay rights group Stonewall, was happy with the decision however, commenting, "You can't turn away people from a hotel because they're black or Jewish and in 2011 you shouldn't be able to demean them by turning them away because they're gay either. Religious freedom shouldn't be used as a cloak for prejudice."

Video to Watch: White House White Board: The Costs of Repealing Health Reform

Yesterday, Republicans in the House of Representatives voted on a bill to repeal the new freedoms, control over health care decisions, and cost savings the health care law---the Affordable Care Act---provides the American people. As Secretary Geithner noted this morning, repeal would be bad for business and bad for the economy.
Repealing the Affordable Care Act would also have a significant effect on families’ bank accounts. Stephanie Cutter, an Assistant to the President who has been working on implementing the health reform law, takes to the White House White Board to explain what repealing it would mean for family premium costs and American jobs:
WATCH THIS VIDEO AND LEARN: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/01/19/white-house-white-board-costs-repealing-health-reform?utm_source=email92&utm_medium=image&utm_campaign=healthcare

From Today's News: Japan wants to bring mammoth out of extinction

FROM TODAY'S NEWS - Interesting. I wonder if this will work...

Japan wants to bring mammoth out of extinction with cloning technology    
BIG NEWS NETWORK -Japanese researchers announced Monday that they will try to bring the extinct mammoth back to life within the next five years, according to Japanese media reports.
   The ambitious project was announced by a team led by Akira Iritani, a professor emeritus of Kyoto University. They will attempt to bring the extinct Ice Age creature back to life by using tissue from a carcass preserved in Russia.
   This tissue will then be used to clone the ancient pachyderm and the nuclei of mammoth cells will be injected into an elephant’s egg cell, from which the nuclei have been removed.
   It is hoped that this will create a mammoth embryo, which will then be inserted into the uterus of an elephant so that the embryo develops and is given birth to as normal.
   The huge woolly mammoth died out in the last Ice Age and the elephant is its closest modern relative, though there is no certainty that the plan will work.

Rob's Mom May Be Near This Point..

How you know when it's time to stop driving... (look at the dog)

Today's Ice Storm

We had snow, sleet and freezing rain last night, and today the roads were like an ice skating rink.Tom went to work late (once things started to melt) and even at 7 a.m. the truck skidded on our icy street. Here's a couple of photos of some of the plants around our house, even at lunchtime. 

Have You Seen Me? :)

Have You seen this man (Tom) acting like a cootie-pants? ;)

From "People of Walmart.com"

Our friend Jacquie sent this latest "People of Walmart.com" email to us, and this one was just a laugh out loud that I HAVE to share!  

Here's the CAPTION: Packing this rear in camouflage shorts is like trying to hide an elephant behind a squirrel.  - Seattle, Washington

Great Book! - Murder She Wrote: A Fatal Feast

Okay, so if you read this blog, you know that the "Murder she Wrote" series of mysteries are my absolute favorite. It's because they're so GREAT.

One of the latest to arrive in paperback was "A Fatal Feast" set with the Thanksgiving Holiday as a centerpiece of the story. It's authors are Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain. :)
- As always, the story keeps you involved and wanting to finish quickly. I read this in about 5 days and had a hard time putting it down to go to sleep at night! Jessica's Scotland Yard Inspector friend George from Scotland Yard is visiting and after Jessica and George help out serving dinners at a homeless shelter, their friend Doc's carving knife is missing. When it turns up in the chest of a mysterious new stranger in town, Jessica and her inspector friend investigate to find a lot of secrets that are being kept in town. EXCELLENT READ!

A New Sink! / A Gate for Sprite

NEW DOG WASHING SINK- The utility sink that we had in our laundry room wasn't really big enough to wash Dolly, our 65 pound Weimaraner, comfortably. So, Tom bought me a double-sized STAINLESS STEEL, sturdy sink for Christmas!  Awesome!  He worked on the installation on the weekend. (RIGHT: Tom Installing our new Dolly-sized utility sink)

NEW GATE FOR SPRITE - Our foster Dachshund, Sprite, hates the cold and doesn't like to stay out in the backyard to do his business unless I stand outside with him, whether that's 4am or 10pm... and this month, with wind chills in the Teens during those times, it's not pleasant for me, either!  However, I do it anyway. Because we don't care for crates, Tom found a gate that can fold up into a pen (Tom switched one of the hinges to make it work), and we put Sprite's bed in it. That way, we can ensure that he doesn't mess the carpet (again) at night when we're sleeping... and keep an eye on him. He also really seems to like going in it. Maybe because it's his own private space away from Dolly and Franklin.
  He will bark to get out of it if he needs to go outside, whereas when he wasn't in the pen, he'd quietly go to the door - even if we were sleeping (and not wake us), then decide to go in the house. Now, that problem has been alleviated. We just need to get a spot out of the carpet without destroying it!

A Laptop... sigh..

I'm being forced to get a laptop for work and this is the one they're giving me.  I hate, hate, hate laptops (yes, I know many people have them). They're clunky, cumbersome and more junk to drag back and forth to work. They're bad for carpal tunnel syndrome (I've dealt with that) and the last time I had one the hard drive crashed on three "New" apple laptops in a row. Turns out the type of laptop (which was the same over and over) were all defective. So, I've sworn off them. Now I'm being forced to use one again. Sigh.
- After reading the reviews below, I can't tell you how excited I am to get it.

DELL  Latitude E6510

Average Customer Rating:

 

 

Title:LOCK UP PROBLEM

Product Uses:architect

Review:I've had this machine for about 2 months. I use it 8 hours a day doing Autocad. After spending about 20 hours loading it up with all of my software. It locks up at least 3-4 times a day, I have to power it off and lose all information since my last save. Worked with Dell for a day running all hardware test. They concluded it was windows xp. So they sent me a new hard drive. It was supposed to be loaded with all the software I bought it with, but NO. It was not even formatted. Spent another 4 hours with Dell on the phone just loading everything that it should of had when I got it.
After that I had spent another 10 hours loading all of my stuff again. One day later...LOCKED UP.
I am running the same exact setup I have ran for the last couple of years on another Dell computer. I want my money and time back. But Dell will not do that. DO NOT BUY THIS COMPUTER.

 

Title:Unusable

Product Uses:email and web

Review:I have only written a couple reviews in my life but I am extremely unhappy with this product. The standard screen resolution with Intel HD video is unusable making the screen graining and fuzzy! We bought two of these laptops both are exactly the same. No change in resolution or font size changes things. I know its a poor product because I also bought a e6410 with upgraded screen and video card, which is absolutely beautiful. We tried to send them back but missed the return deadline by a few days and after trying really hard they wont take them back now. Basically I have two unusable laptops now, and if you would like to buy the two large paper weights email me.

 

Snow Fun

 Given that we escaped big snows again this week, but New England didn't - I thought I'd share a couple of photos people from the Boston area sent in to Boston.com, and a SNOW joke that our friend Jacquie in Boston sent. Enjoy!

Downtown Boston

That's a lot of snow in that Snowman!

Boston Common

FROM JACQUIE: "I just got off the phone with my friend, Mary in North Dakota.  She said that since early this morning the snow has been falling.  It is now nearly waist high and it is still falling.  The temperature is dropping below zero and the north wind is increasing making the wind chill in the double digits below zero. Her husband has done nothing but look through the kitchen window all day.      She says that if it gets much worse, she may have to let him in. "

Good book: The Ghosts of Williamsburg

I recently finished reading the paperback book, The Ghosts of Williamsburg...And Nearby Environs by L. B. Taylor Jr.
 My brother and his wife gave me the book last month and it was really enjoyable.

All through the book the author provides pictures of the haunted places with a good amount of information. I recommend this to anyone who is visiting Williamsburg and is interested in ghosts to get this book and read the appropriate chapter before visiting each house.






For a look inside the book: http://www.amazon.com/Ghosts-Williamsburg-Nearby-Environs/dp/0962827134/ref=cm_cmu_pg__header#reader_0962827134

Renovated Bathroom Finally Finished!

The new glass shelves are finally in!

In November 2009 the renovations on our first floor bathroom began. It was finally completed just before December 2010 (yeah, I'm late writing about it).
- It took ONE YEAR to complete a small bathroom (yes, the contractor ran off with more than 6K so we had to hire another one to finish it).
- Anyway, in late November, we finally got the glass shelves in for the long window that faces the kitchen (and no, you can't see people in the bathroom).
- The shower is a "power shower" and it's like a car wash for the body. Wow. It's got a shower head and four water jets.
- It's such a relief to be able to have 2 full bathrooms again after going a year with one!

The finished shower!

Eyewitness Story: Jan. 10 Accident on Route 450 Sends One to Hospital

Close up of the silver car that collided with a dark blue car

I was walking the dogs at lunchtime yesterday and came across an accident, so I took pictures and sent the story below to the local newspaper. - Rob

Jan. 10 Accident on Route 450 Sends One to Hospital

Rob Gutro

  A two car collision occurred on Route 450 in Bowie on Monday, January 10 around 1 p.m. EST. near Moylan Drive, sending at least one passenger to a local hospital.

   Two vehicles were involved in an accident heading east-bound on Route 450 near the Intersection of Moylan Drive, just past St. Pious Catholic Church. A silver colored vehicle collided with the rear of a dark blue vehicle that was apparently stopping at the traffic light to turn left onto Moylan Drive. The hood of the silver vehicle was bent upward and the rear portion of the vehicle it collided with was damaged.

   By 1:07 p.m. EST, Rob Gutro was walking his three dogs and captured some photos of the accident with his cell phone. He reported that three Bowie City police vehicles were at the scene as was an ambulance. A woman from one of the vehicles was loaded onto a gurney with a neck brace and was being loaded into the ambulance at that time. Police were directing traffic around the incident.

CAPTION:: Cell phone photo of the accident scene around 1p.m. EST on January 10 from the parking lot of St. Pius Catholic Church. Credit: R. Gutro