Home Inspectors! Arrrrgh!!

Potential buyers for our townhouse hired a home inspector to go through it this week, and he came back with a long list of nitpicky things, and a couple of surprises. One was "the new HVAC (heat/a/c unit) isn't working correctly and MUST be checked by a licensed technician."

WELL... after driving to the townhouse late yesterday (takes 1 hour round trip), and 2 techs spent an hour testing the inside and outside units and thermostadt, they said the unit was in "Perfect working condition" and that the home inspector obviously didn't know what he was talking about.

SO...to the inconvenience and cost of myself and the HVAC company and hours lost in the day, we checked out a false claim. There is nothing more frustrating than wasting time. Our realtor said "anyone can grab a flashlight and say they're a home inspector." Obviously, this guy was one of those. Lesson Learned - Stupid people CAN waste your time and money. :(

The Not-so-Joys of Selling a House

Well, it's happened. I have one contract on the townhouse, but they want part of the new roof altered/fixed, and a little mold in the attic removed (which is estimated at 2K), a couple of small plumbing issues; insulation and some roofing material removed from the attic (which was left there when the roof was replaced), and get this- the home inspector said "when I turned the Auxiliary heat to 112F it only reached 97F in the house. This MUST be fixed." Who in the hell would put heat up so high? I dunno. Anyway, I've got an HVAC person coming this afternoon. I'm glad I'm not married to a home inspector. Can you imagine trying to cook for a person like that? What a pain in the #%(^ they'd be.

Springtime, Sinusitus, and Sunshine

Meteorologically, Springtime arrived March 21st. I can't tell. Temperatures have been below average (except 2 days) since then. Our average high is 64F, but our high temps have been in the upper 40s or low 50s since. Yesterday it was a whopping 46F with clouds and drizzle. Maybe tomorrow we'll see the sun, and temps crawling into the 60s. Like most of the northeastern U.S., I'm tired of using spaceheaters and wearing sweatclothes indoors.

With the change of seasons comes tree pollen. With all the rain (every 3-4 days since Oct. 24th, 2007) we've had, tree pollen is abundant - thus, I have a sinus infection. It's a challenge to think straight without it! Add the cconstant headache and congestion, and you need pots of coffee to stay awake!

From WEBMD.COM, here are some home treatments of Sinusitus:

Decongestants, such as pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, which reduce the swelling of the mucous membranes in the nose.
Analgesics, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen, to relieve pain.
Mucolytics, such as guaifenesin, which thin the mucus.

When those don't work- see the doc for antibiotics. Happy Spring!

Go see "Nim's Island" / Movies I Like to Watch Over Again

This week, we got to see a great new family movie called "Nim's Island" - which is really worth seeing. (Starring Gerard Butler and Jodie Foster (right) and Abigail Breslin not pictured) It's about a young girl who inhabits an isolated island with her scientist father and communicates with a reclusive author of the novel she's reading. Fun and adventurous! You can catch the Movie trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhPqz1VS4xU
Coincidentally, "Mom" Feldhaus sent me a survey about movies I would watch over and over. That got me thinking that they fall in three categories… and each category includes several, especially the Superhero category. Below are my favorites. What are yours?

1) Superhero: Batman Begins, Superman Returns, The Shadow, Daredevil, Hellboy, Superman 1-4; Spiderman 1-2, V is for Vendetta, Punisher, X-men 1 and 2, the Phantom, Ghost Rider, Fantastic Four 1-2, Catwoman.
2) Adventure/Drama: The Sixth Sense, Ghost, Footloose, Tombstone
3) Dolly Parton movies: 9 to 5, Straight Talk, Steel Magnolias, Rhinestone

LASIK Surgery- Keep your Eye on the Truth

Today I had my 2nd consultation for proposed Lasik eye surgery, hoping to toss out my glasses. Well, it looks like I'll always be Clark Kent for the rest of my life, but that's okay.
As with anything, it's BEST to get TWO professional opinions. I did. The first one, at Lasik Plus, said that I'm a candidate for the PRK, eye-scrubbing type surgery - and I wondered about it, so I got a second consultation at TLC Laser Center in Annapolis, Md. today.
(LEFT: Dolly and I as Krypto and Superman in Baltimore, July 2007)
The doctor at TLC pointed out that eyes are either rounded or oval (mine are oval) and that they have ridges and valleys (miniscule ones).
What's most important in LASIK is that they need to be symmetrical (identical ridges and valleys) on each half of your eye (when you separate it down the middle). Like Lasik Plus, they took soundings of the eye to determine shape, thickness, and "topography." TLC's doctor, however, showed me that each side was NOT identical in topography, and said that I am NOT a good candidate for the surgery. She said it can be done, but in 4 years, my vision would be worse than it is now. I didn't get any of that from the first place.
The doctor at TLC further said that she cares about people and wouldn't convince people to have the surgery if they didn't need it, and I don't. So, after this free exam (which was elaborate and 45 minutes), I paid nothing, and left feeling great that I actually got a doctor that wasn't in it for the money, but really, really cared about people.
Anyway, in work they call me "Superman," but will always see me as Clark Kent with the glasses. However, when I'm needed, I'll don my contacts and find a storeroom to change into my supersuit!

Now Re-Reading "Crisis on Infinite Earths!"

WHAT I'M RE-READING RIGHT NOW! - "Crisis on Infinite Earths" was a 12-issue comic book series that brought every superhero known in the DC Comics universe together. Written and illustrated back in 1985, this story explained how there were an infinite number of Earths all on a different vibrational plane of existence. (IF YOU THINK COMIC BOOKS ARE FOR KIDS, THEY'RE NOT- these are adult level concepts and characters).

This concept began in the 1960s, when comics revamped and updated heroes from the 40s and 50s; and created new versions of "The Flash," "Green Lantern," "The Atom," and updated Superman and Batman and countless others.

They explained the older versions as living on a parallel earth, called "Earth-2." Lesser known characters that DC purchased rights to over the years, such as "Shazam- or Captain Marvel" were placed on other "Earths" (Earth-S).

This series brought forth a cosmic villain that was destroying parallel Earths (and universes) with anti-matter, and brought heroes from ALL Earths together. Yes, there were 2 Supermen, one from Earth-2 (from the 1940s) and one from Earth-1 (present day heroes).

The story brought forth the demise of Supergirl and the present-day Flash (who would be replaced later by Kid Flash all grown up).

I've read this 340 plus page story many times, and it never ceases to amaze me with all the characters in it. It's truly my favorite comic book series ever!

It in turn inspired the titles of three subsequent DC crossover series: Zero Hour: Crisis In Time (1994), Infinite Crisis (2005), and Final Crisis (coming in May, 2008).

It's April Fools' Day!

According to Wikipedia: "April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day, though not a holiday in its own right, is a notable day celebrated in many countries on April 1. The day is marked by the commission of hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends, enemies and neighbors, or sending them on fools' errands, the aim of which is to embarrass the gullible."
Here's an April Fool story from 2007:
Duke researchers have trained a monkey to throw poo using a robotic arm simply by thinking about it. The lab monkey learned how to use its own brain waves to signal the robotic arm, which in turn picked up and threw a pile of poo at a group of neurobiologists.
Now, if the monkey could be trained to throw poo at mean people!
Apparently, here's what the monkey had to say: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8vC03CrpCE
Happy April Fool's Day!

When is a Weekend Not a Weekend?

ANSWER: When you work around the house like crazy both weekend days.
That's what we've been doing the last couple of weekends in the house we live in in Bowie. Last weekend we tore out carpet, padding and old tiles (underneath the carpet) from the living room, carted it all off to the dump, prepped the floor and then installed new Vinyl Tile (that looks like beige stone). It took all weekend.
This past weekend, we put the same vinyl tile in the kitchen, after ripping out a pergo floor (that resembled wood) but showed every smudge, water drop (not a good thing in a kitchen). It took 2 days to get it all in, and we were totally exhausted Sunday night.
We still have a hallway to do, and quater round to install in both rooms, too. We're sure that our dogs, Dolly and Franklin, just keep wondering what mischief we're going to get in next.
Meanwhile, SELLING THE TOWNHOUSE UPDATE: The townhouse in Elkridge has been on the mkt since Feb. 20th. So far about 31 different people have gone through it, about 4 different groups twice each. We're hoping someone will put an offer on it so we don't have to keep paying two mortgages.
OUTSIDE WORK: It was too darn cold to do outside work, so that's pending. Lots of mulching and planting on the list. Thaaat's great. Maybe we'll finally get a "weekend" in May. :)
Anyway, as Dolly Parton's new song "Better Get to Livin'" goes, "better stop whinin', pining, get your dreams in line and then just shine, design, refine 'til they come true, and you better get to livin'!" So, we're thankful for the weekends, because at least it's time together.

Never Stop Hoping

Do sports teams ever decide to quit if they're behind during a game? Do they just decide to stop playing the rest of the season because there's only a slim chance they'll make the superbowl? No.
So, neither should Hillary Clinton should stop campaigning. How stupid is that to simply give up because SOME people think that one person is better than the other?
If your boss thinks that you aren't as good as your co-worker, do you quit? No. We all need to do our best and try to be the best we can.
In the words of Dolly Parton, "A Winner Never Quits, and a Quitter Never Wins."

Franklin's Weight Keeps Coming Down!

Dogs need dieting, too. Our 4 year old dachshund, Franklin is on a diet. A year ago he was over 26 pounds. That's a lot for a little guy. Now, thanks to dieting, lots of walks, and doggy day care three days a week, he's at 21.8 pounds this week!

Dolly Parton on American Idol - April 1st and 2nd!

Dolly To Be Mentor On American Idol April 1st and 2nd!
Dolly Parton is confirmed to be a mentor on this season of American Idol, America’s top-rated network television show, on April 1st and 2nd. The shows will feature the Idol contestants performing many of Dolly’s classic songs on April 1st followed by the results show on April 2nd.
The April 2nd show will also include Dolly herself taking the stage to perform at least one song (likely "Jesus and Gravity") from her new hit album, Backwoods Barbie, currently at #9 on the Billboard country albums chart!
BTW- Her first single from the CD called "Better Get To Livin'" is the best song I've heard in decades! It's a positive-attitude, get off your behind and stop whinin', keep your chin up, smile, forgive, love and cherish every day, kind of song. Very motivational! I play it about 5 times a day!

Ghostly Encounters and a Great New Book!

Because I've been able to sense ghosts since I was a teen (especially in the last couple of years), I found (and am reading) a new book called "When Ghosts Speak" by Mary Ann Winkowski. I found it this weekend at Barnes and Noble. The author has been able to see and communicate with ghosts since she was a young child - (she has a website: http://www.maryannwinkowski.com/)
The first time I saw a ghost was in 1976: I was 16 and I saw my grandfather materialize in my parent's house about 6 months after he passed away. Since then, I've seen more ghosts, heard them, and felt their cold touch. I'm not crazy, just sensitive to the energies they give off. The spirit that has visited me most is that of my puppy, Buzz Wyatt, who was killed in Feb. 2005, when his leash opened next to a street. He's moved things, appeared to me, and I felt a deep coldness on one part of my body in the summertime, but knew it was him.
During Dec. 2007, Tom, his folks and I went on Christmas tours of local historic mansions. The Marietta House at 5626 Bell Station Road, Glenn Dale, Md. (PHOTO LEFT) was the plantation home of Gabriel Duvall, an associate justice on the Supreme Court in 1811. We walked in and I developed a headache immediately, and sensed something upstairs.
(NOTE: In this BOOK- the author noted that one of her daughters, who also has the ability to sense/see ghosts, always gets a HEADACHE when she's around them... JUST LIKE ME. It's comforting to hear that - as it's easy for others to tell me that I'm making it up.)
Anyway, when we reached the "Guest" bedroom upstairs, I told Tom I felt anxious and uncomfortable. I asked the tour guide stationed in the room if someone died in there from a heart problem, as when I walked in the room, I got pains in the center of my chest. Someone did. She also said she felt anxious and uneasy. I felt it was an adult male ghost haunting the room. Turns out that Tom's stepdad felt it, too. When we went into the next room, I spoke to a woman who knew the history of the mansion, and confirmed that there was a man that died in that room where I got the chest pains.
Marietta, the Federal style brick home of Gabriel Duvall, an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built ca. 1813, Marietta remained under ownership of the Duvall family until 1902. Justice Duvall's law office and root cellar still remain today. Marietta is situated on 25 acres of lawn and wooded areas and the grounds boast two County Champion trees and lovely old boxwood. Their website: http://www.pgparks.com/places/eleganthistoric/marietta_intro.html

IF YOU HAVE A GHOST STORY- PLEASE SHARE IT WITH ME!