tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88468232024-03-15T21:11:27.318-04:00Patti O'Shea - Where love finds adventureA peek inside the glamorous and exciting life of a published romance writer.Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comBlogger3560125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-55085254156191426242024-03-14T09:00:00.001-04:002024-03-14T09:00:00.135-04:00New Obsession<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTObKMM6FsoaHqa8xSaxcUvd50wp7pvBfdLw4WFNzMPJAhmlxBEHg6boujLk2oS9dRwURcC8WDtIrVYZ8RHNTDaJjxu0uafJLIZfb2en6Ko4l0BJb4rVb2VbPG5tTHQbzbpwTBg38G-pnfd8Pu_hgcOvdjw2B9ysV5zfiJmmJcjL4eV3G8Oe-mUQ/s459/Podcast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="423" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTObKMM6FsoaHqa8xSaxcUvd50wp7pvBfdLw4WFNzMPJAhmlxBEHg6boujLk2oS9dRwURcC8WDtIrVYZ8RHNTDaJjxu0uafJLIZfb2en6Ko4l0BJb4rVb2VbPG5tTHQbzbpwTBg38G-pnfd8Pu_hgcOvdjw2B9ysV5zfiJmmJcjL4eV3G8Oe-mUQ/s320/Podcast.jpg" title="" width="295" /></a></div><p>In my February newsletter I talked about my latest obsession and believe me, it was a shocker.</p><p>I've <a href="https://pattioshea.blogspot.com/2024/02/podcasting-annoyance.html" target="_blank">blogged about how annoyed</a> I've been with having to pick up some of my podcasts on YouTube because they're either not audio only at all or the audio is released a long time after the actual show. While I was over on YouTube to find a podcast, the algorithm had a suggestion. It was about a village that had a lot of survivors of the plague in the 17th century.</p><p>I don't know why the algorithm suggested this video because I've watched nothing remotely related to it, but I happen to have an interest in the plague. Years ago, when I still lived in Minneapolis, PBS had an hour-long documentary about a gene mutation that helped people survive the plague.</p><p>The description for the documentary YouTube was recommending sounded as if it was going to involve this gene as well. (And it did!) It's called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8zFzbgfgWw&ab_channel=Chronicle-MedievalHistoryDocumentaries" target="_blank">Plague Mystery</a>.</p><p>Then I got another plague documentary recommendation that led to more history recommendations and somehow I've found myself particularly interested in the Tudors--King Henry VIII, Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth I.</p><p>I even looked for audio podcasts with more English history. I found one specific to the time of the Tudors, but my favorite is called <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-history-of-england/id1541274334" target="_blank">A History of England hosted by David Beeson</a>. He's got a delightfully sarcastic sense of humor and the episodes are short. He also started Episode 1 with the Tudors.</p><p>In school, the only English history I learned was how it impacted <i>American</i> history. I was in AP American History, but there was no European history class at my high school, and I never sought it out in college.</p><p>I'm not sure how long my English history obsession will last, but for the moment, I'm enjoying everything that I'm learning.<br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-59501620851243897272024-03-12T09:00:00.002-04:002024-03-12T09:00:00.140-04:00Mug Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAX9PKwfgo04RF9CheOFcjFoqBQti0HtMLl-BKNpsa7UfBbP_ohzDScLSvja4pizBLxIqMPZfLI-q5uVCCwK1Z058TUVCpHJwsV7FM_Wn9peKy3XyYz1p3YMpJVO070pJZn_Kn3hbeggl_yLgbWSV3mBeQ8F5c9FQT_S7xqJ6HB-T0WC75Rc0pg/s4437/2024-02-04%2017.11.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4437" data-original-width="2085" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAX9PKwfgo04RF9CheOFcjFoqBQti0HtMLl-BKNpsa7UfBbP_ohzDScLSvja4pizBLxIqMPZfLI-q5uVCCwK1Z058TUVCpHJwsV7FM_Wn9peKy3XyYz1p3YMpJVO070pJZn_Kn3hbeggl_yLgbWSV3mBeQ8F5c9FQT_S7xqJ6HB-T0WC75Rc0pg/s320/2024-02-04%2017.11.28.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><p>My 40 ounce water mug has arrived and I've had a chance to use it for a little while. Since maybe I'm not the only one dithering about what to pick up, I'm going to give my review. </p><p><i>(I am not compensated in any way for this review and I'm still angry about the coupon crap this company pulled, so....)</i></p><p>This is the Brumate Era in the 40 ounce size. The color is verbena.</p><p>First, I'm brutally disappointed with the shade of pink. It looks so much more vibrant in the pictures than it actually is. It's more of a flat dusty rose. I thought the pictures I saw online from other customers were an accident of lighting, but then my images turned out the same, so it photographs prettier than it is.</p><p>I know there are people who will be elated that the cup is more dusty rose than bright-ish pink, but I'm someone who loves neon shades. The brighter the better.<br /></p><p>Second, 40 ounces is <i>heavy</i> when the cup is full of water. But all the 40 ounce mugs/cups are going to have the same issue so it's not unique to this brand.</p><p>About the cup itself, it is completely leak proof. I tested it. I filled it to the top with water, followed the instructions for the lid, and tipped it upside down over my sink. Nothing came out. I shook it. No leaks. Major win!</p><p>The lid has three settings: Sip, Seal, and Open. The sip setting has a little bead-like thing to mark it and the seal side has a little depression. To open it, you position the piece in the center of those two markers. It comes with a sticker that says where each position is. I washed the lid with it on, the sticker stayed in place, and I'm leaving it there for now.</p><p>The top of the straw is silicone and comfortable to drink from. My water stays cold enough even after hours in the cup. The cup/mug came apart easily for washing and reassembled just as easily. It says dishwasher safe for the top rack. I did put the cap, straw, and the other upper pieces in the top rack, but I put the actual cup on the bottom because of its size. It came through the experience just fine.</p><p>The bottom of the cup has a layer of rubber/silicone so it doesn't slide when I set it down.<br /></p><p>One of the things I am having an issue with is that the mug is top heavy. I know it's designed to fit in a cup holder in cars, but I've almost knocked it over a few times reaching for it and missing the handle. I guess the cup holder trade off is stability.</p><p>I started thinking I wanted the 30 ounce size because of the weight and the stability issues. A smaller cup would sit closer to the table and be less tippy, I think. But then my 32 ounce coffee mug arrived. A 30 ounce water mug wouldn't hold enough water.</p><p>Picture of my 22 ounce coffee mug, the 32 ounce coffee mug, and the 40 ounce water cup for comparison:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxqfU99p6rYt8FZ8I652Z-pRJK6JLqkdJjmIkbndj8Ksreip-htraqMa1p1MT4AofoB9daROcrP2MNauO8Ayzp2bAcaeIaLMpD7b__HJoTH45le0JAo4iNVNsl3_-G9V1BUWVJoEYp6XOptlk9XMrDNYNvU7MeqwfGWljqAVzdgMYEbSULQNjzg/s4651/2024-02-04%2017.58.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="4143" data-original-width="4651" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxqfU99p6rYt8FZ8I652Z-pRJK6JLqkdJjmIkbndj8Ksreip-htraqMa1p1MT4AofoB9daROcrP2MNauO8Ayzp2bAcaeIaLMpD7b__HJoTH45le0JAo4iNVNsl3_-G9V1BUWVJoEYp6XOptlk9XMrDNYNvU7MeqwfGWljqAVzdgMYEbSULQNjzg/s320/2024-02-04%2017.58.52.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Overall, I really like this water mug and it's done its job--I'm drinking more water. This is has been something I've been bad at. It met my biggest requirement--leak proof--and if I can get it in the same neon pink shade as my coffee mugs in the picture above, I will love it.</p><p>I'm giving it 5 stars and trying to pretend I never had a coupon.<br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-23392752013113245792024-03-07T09:00:00.007-05:002024-03-07T09:00:00.158-05:00Adventures with OneNote<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQzz8_e19Tp4NJ6RM2-MyGTPcMp_zZ7NLZICXeO9KWam-wDzkxxml6-cUn5V6k9Rdp4LiKbwQoFszHZHWYc1n8iC8P-msNVy-v1kL3guU5Sg523MdOLVjwzFxGziLuRj1i8Vc1q9nmbAu9s2B21m_d4LUtK3WQ_foUJvWeRAmvwm-kTEuJYtehIg/s750/Frustration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQzz8_e19Tp4NJ6RM2-MyGTPcMp_zZ7NLZICXeO9KWam-wDzkxxml6-cUn5V6k9Rdp4LiKbwQoFszHZHWYc1n8iC8P-msNVy-v1kL3guU5Sg523MdOLVjwzFxGziLuRj1i8Vc1q9nmbAu9s2B21m_d4LUtK3WQ_foUJvWeRAmvwm-kTEuJYtehIg/s320/Frustration.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div><p>Yes, I'm talking about OneNote again.</p><p>I began (and I mean barely) trying to merge my two Paladin League notebooks together. First, let me tell you that this is a totally miserable experience.</p><p>I did discover that about 85-90% of the content is identical. The problem is that I have to check each page to see if it is <i>fully </i>duplicated. This became tedious quickly.</p><p>If the content had been 100% the same, everything would be easier than what I'm dealing with because then I could just delete the page or section. Sadly, I can't do this.</p><p>I put an emoji in the title of the partial notebook so I can tell them apart at a glance because they are named the same. Why did it let me name the file the same thing? I have no clue.</p><p>I didn't make it far before I kind of gave up and decided I didn't have time for this project. This is going to have to be something I do in tiny pieces because UGH!</p><p>Also, I need to figure out why my other notebooks didn't show up in this version of OneNote when they are in the Windows 10 version of the app. Or maybe I should just not worry about the whys and simply figure out how to move them over. That's probably the best answer.</p><p>Anyway, I can't recommend this experience and I'm worried I'm going to zone out and delete something I need/want. More venting to come.<br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-80510394050572829272024-03-05T09:00:00.019-05:002024-03-05T09:00:00.151-05:00Every Day Delivery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtew25ydIZhhH-gU5jKaplOuGL7OkxvPzD0ugMuCoL2_J08vk2PxGuRFbuGHalEO2aRy7elpIYSR_GRKr6KHGjfnFS5ujUjeamrpE39gmOPCzLt0EakO98G6Vth5douwHEgX5nE7wJU_eWVndL3ABjI57ZUoXqHFB4FyiXLAFDXcXBVpCEkAgKw/s581/Stunned.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtew25ydIZhhH-gU5jKaplOuGL7OkxvPzD0ugMuCoL2_J08vk2PxGuRFbuGHalEO2aRy7elpIYSR_GRKr6KHGjfnFS5ujUjeamrpE39gmOPCzLt0EakO98G6Vth5douwHEgX5nE7wJU_eWVndL3ABjI57ZUoXqHFB4FyiXLAFDXcXBVpCEkAgKw/s320/Stunned.jpg" title="" width="248" /></a></div><p>I saw a headline while I was on social media, something about an Amazon delivery driver ragging on visiting the same houses every day with deliveries. I didn't read the article, but presuming the headlines are accurate, I was like, really? Really?</p><p>So I get my Subscribe and Save shipment at the beginning of the month. I was supposed to receive all my items on my day. So the Amazon delivery driver should have only needed to make <i>one</i> stop at my house for the entire week. That's not how it worked. Not because I ordered anything additional, but because of how Amazon shipped them.</p><p>Friday: Four items arrive.</p><p>Saturday: Three items arrive.</p><p>Sunday: One item arrives.</p><p>Monday: One item arrives.</p><p>That Amazon driver ragging about visiting the same house every day could be my driver after this week, but this was all supposed to be <i>one </i>shipment. Everything was supposed to come on Friday. The other days? That's Amazon's fault.</p><p>Which is my long way of saying that the driver complaining about the same house every day thing is totally bogus. Maybe he should complain about his employer sending things piecemeal instead of all at once like they said they would.<br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-77429359599945990742024-02-29T09:00:00.011-05:002024-02-29T09:00:00.305-05:00OneNote Duplication Follow Up<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwo2ZrYrI9ctVo6JjFpHgWDDZ7koNT2eJiossOuG5YFnupOnEyjfkePNvGJtt4czs_ipIt1vBLWLbyH9OYyIsAQQ_l4yohtoQDrsO2O6MfAuXPMtzyakKUi2QUkHUFvZjmUgNnLvBwf248zA1fPm6yArPX9GvLcewQpMiIx7EfE_al8HlEaPD0qA/s500/Argh.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwo2ZrYrI9ctVo6JjFpHgWDDZ7koNT2eJiossOuG5YFnupOnEyjfkePNvGJtt4czs_ipIt1vBLWLbyH9OYyIsAQQ_l4yohtoQDrsO2O6MfAuXPMtzyakKUi2QUkHUFvZjmUgNnLvBwf248zA1fPm6yArPX9GvLcewQpMiIx7EfE_al8HlEaPD0qA/s320/Argh.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>On Tuesday, I blogged about discovering I had two versions of OneNote on my computer and that they were not in sync with each other. I also mentioned I was going to search and find out how to combine them into one document.<br /><p></p><p>Guess what?</p><p>No, I can not click a button and have OneNote update the data between the two versions. I will literally have to drag and drop, copy and paste in order to get the data I saved in OneNote 365 into OneNote Windows 10. Hurrah. Since sarcasm doesn't necessarily translate in words, I'm holding up my hand and saying that hurrah was most definitely sarcastic. :-)</p><p>I did learn I'm not the only person who's done this. I'm not surprised since it literally never occurred to me that the versions wouldn't sync.</p><p>It makes me wonder if I should transfer everything from OneNote into Loop instead. Loop appears to be Microsoft's answer to Notion. The thing that would be nice about loop is that I could have a different workspace for each book. It seems like that might be more organized?</p><p>The other positive aspect would be the fact that I haven't used Loop and so it's not full to the brim with books and series information.</p><p>But I do like OneNote. Apparently the Windows 10 version is going away? So it might make sense to move everything to the 365 version. The only thing I don't like about the 365 version is the tabs are across the top instead of on the side. I prefer them on the side.</p><p></p><p>Pictures below. 365 app version is on top, Windows 10 app version below it. The layout looks so much cleaner to me in the Windows 10 app with everything on the side. <br /></p><p> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioEDR_ABDO_lZY98iCpxvx16UeUCSeshqalRtMcHjgOS7NHkGwm65CziaOzf3ll7A6vdsvoLlGSqRQoB49ePpPNMfUP_GtGbc5-oQe_NQzG2dLf2SeUBTncv-E1qJpeAhHDuuo2vo7vTvNI4ozWI8wHiMzyQg4dmWT6RoUunB8YGIleyYTYZ1BJQ/s1427/OneNote365.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="301" data-original-width="1427" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioEDR_ABDO_lZY98iCpxvx16UeUCSeshqalRtMcHjgOS7NHkGwm65CziaOzf3ll7A6vdsvoLlGSqRQoB49ePpPNMfUP_GtGbc5-oQe_NQzG2dLf2SeUBTncv-E1qJpeAhHDuuo2vo7vTvNI4ozWI8wHiMzyQg4dmWT6RoUunB8YGIleyYTYZ1BJQ/w640-h134/OneNote365.JPG" title="" width="640" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">OneNote 365 App</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2iPaZTnBTTYeuXKW8zM6boPdYqOBhuw14F7wsDvmLPW5SKLzfzN0n3kXpPKEbXC4iGeq70W0GpUTsV3F7qu8DUgM8gWqnL-7sRmwt1EbInC8xAVgaKsT6w1OS3fTtVslOJvYwTFqpvl0v_xETNsygeHqI7gP8MBSnh2_-9QNibL_b0oWIewX1CA/s422/OneNoteWin10.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="422" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2iPaZTnBTTYeuXKW8zM6boPdYqOBhuw14F7wsDvmLPW5SKLzfzN0n3kXpPKEbXC4iGeq70W0GpUTsV3F7qu8DUgM8gWqnL-7sRmwt1EbInC8xAVgaKsT6w1OS3fTtVslOJvYwTFqpvl0v_xETNsygeHqI7gP8MBSnh2_-9QNibL_b0oWIewX1CA/s320/OneNoteWin10.JPG" title="" width="320" /></a></div><p> </p><p>OneNote Windows 10 app</p><p>ETA: Apparently BOTH Paladin League notebooks are in OneNote 365, but
not in OneNote Windows 10. I found the second one when I closed all the
junk notebooks that were open. I thought maybe all my notebooks were in the 365 version, but as I
compare the two side by side, that is not the case. So I don't know
what's going on. Now I need to compare the second notebook to the notebook in the Windows 10 version to make sure everything is there.</p><p>ETA2: I found a way to move my tabs to the side like I have them in OneNote Windows 10, which is a good thing because as I've been investigating, I discovered support for the Windows 10 app is ending in 2025 and the 365 app for OneNote is the way forward. I will be moving all my notebooks to the 365 app when I have some time.<br /></p><p><br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-56504351232429587712024-02-27T09:00:00.001-05:002024-02-27T09:00:00.265-05:00OneNote: Say What???<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwn8_ozz-jSB7hwUUdTLMTLBOR-owodUZVGqPr0fvlcxriccsosB8qF-jZF8ByxnfwqHxlviHwHsCITHSrO8I4nbc705v2yV5mp8yEpsPD-FZGdyXjqtB6-Eov0HMNqG5AHiMQCIGGD7o_9rrTjWnYxhsto5kPPDiUtIzlhUjsIvjz0YWRMesgRg/s2048/girl_no_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwn8_ozz-jSB7hwUUdTLMTLBOR-owodUZVGqPr0fvlcxriccsosB8qF-jZF8ByxnfwqHxlviHwHsCITHSrO8I4nbc705v2yV5mp8yEpsPD-FZGdyXjqtB6-Eov0HMNqG5AHiMQCIGGD7o_9rrTjWnYxhsto5kPPDiUtIzlhUjsIvjz0YWRMesgRg/s320/girl_no_2.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div><p>I've blogged in the past about how I keep everything straight in my books/series. I use a combination of Microsoft Excel and OneNote.</p><p>I knew there were two versions of OneNote--The app version and the Windows 10 version. I knew I had both of them on my computer. I assumed that when I saved or updated one of them, it would update both since they sync with the web.</p><p>Guess what? They do not sync with each other!</p><p>How did I find this out? I updated the app version to the latest and greatest to get all the bells and whistles and I was like, <i>hey, where are the pages I created for Case and Nyx? How about Deck and Frankie?</i> That's right. They were NOT there!</p><p>OMG!</p><p>I can't tell you how many times I've been using the Windows 10 version and looking for something I <i>knew</i> I saved and could not find it. I'd search and search and it wouldn't turn up and I thought I was not remembering correctly.</p><p>Oh, I was remembering. I just didn't realize I'd saved it on the other version of OneNote. I found stuff today that I'd been searching for in the past. Lots of stuff.</p><p>When I finish blogging, I'm going to do an online search and see if there is some way to combine the two versions into one without deleting/copying over anything. This is a living document and I don't want to lose anything, but I also don't want to copy everything from one version to the other.<br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-88251460608534506362024-02-22T09:00:00.001-05:002024-02-22T09:00:00.140-05:00Coupon BS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibEo3dg2IyOot-uU1Wc9Jqu69rdbve3WgBsvMEBRaihSPQKxpc3HLlw8cRbLotbKfmULGHzYWHHC0NoFXndclmnccFIx-M4T466I_P0KK988d01WnxsH2-Hkwn6WmgG6avMDGDVkNMNEQ9ojZAjKu4TZsuMF5qesCgE_YPIUvjFb0Vw7BNTo7fmA/s500/Argh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibEo3dg2IyOot-uU1Wc9Jqu69rdbve3WgBsvMEBRaihSPQKxpc3HLlw8cRbLotbKfmULGHzYWHHC0NoFXndclmnccFIx-M4T466I_P0KK988d01WnxsH2-Hkwn6WmgG6avMDGDVkNMNEQ9ojZAjKu4TZsuMF5qesCgE_YPIUvjFb0Vw7BNTo7fmA/s320/Argh.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div><p>I briefly mentioned this as I blogged about cups and more cups, but now I'm going to bitch about this in more length.</p><p>Brumate's coupon BS.</p><p>I'd been eyeing their cup for a while on Instagram and they had this spin the wheel and win a coupon thing. When I was ready to buy, I spun the wheel and got 10% off. My guess is <i>everyone</i> gets 10% off, and to my annoyance, I had to sign up for their newsletter to get that coupon. Argh!</p><p>But I decided to go ahead and do that because I was going to order the cup anyway and they'd probably put me on their newsletter list then, so at least I'd get a coupon out of the deal.</p><p>So I put in my order for an aqua cup (no longer available, of course) and go to check out. It won't take my coupon.</p><p>I try again. And again. Still no dice. I check the small print on the email with the code. Among the many, many caveats, it's not available for the Era cup I'm trying to order. Argh! and Grrr!</p><p>Now I'm irritated. (BTW, you should see the caveats on this coupon. It's probably applicable to like three products.) The next day, I get an email about my cart and then a second email with a 20% off coupon. Hmm. They know I ordered the Era since that's what I have sitting in my cart.</p><p>I was on my phone, and I prefer to order from my laptop, so I go to my office and bring the computer up and look at the email. And this time, before entering anything, I check the caveats at the end.</p><p>You guessed it. Not applicable to Era.</p><p>So my 20% off coupon is still usable for a few more days, but I can't apply it to any of the products I'm interested in ordering. Like for example, the large Toddy that's on sale because (of course) the coupon isn't good on sale products. Or bundles. Or sets. Or about a half dozen other things.</p><p>Seriously. If you're going to offer a coupon, I can accept some limitations, but they really limit it. I've never seen so many restrictions on a coupon before. I like the on product of theirs that I currently own and use, but boy they make it tough to actually buy anything from them without paying full price. <br /></p><p><br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-34862696393199843532024-02-20T09:00:00.001-05:002024-02-20T09:00:00.231-05:00Decision Made<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-bL_zaN5oCyfN19J-eqaBoARouI-Ft6z1qzxSI0ApL2RkAF0q_szTG_b3Jbq5nCHu_lFsY2pdnT-dYy-Nc_atFuBFZbwAPfz-a933y6b2khyUuh8I8yptW3AZZSVegBYl3wO4cp8FDVNMIQnr6XMXFqauAUD-zk29x7RhHHMKrgMpe23s4fKUyg/s3078/2023-12-29%2013.59.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="3078" data-original-width="1987" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-bL_zaN5oCyfN19J-eqaBoARouI-Ft6z1qzxSI0ApL2RkAF0q_szTG_b3Jbq5nCHu_lFsY2pdnT-dYy-Nc_atFuBFZbwAPfz-a933y6b2khyUuh8I8yptW3AZZSVegBYl3wO4cp8FDVNMIQnr6XMXFqauAUD-zk29x7RhHHMKrgMpe23s4fKUyg/s320/2023-12-29%2013.59.56.jpg" title="" width="207" /></a></div><p>I'm sure after my previous post where I went on and on about 40 ounce water cups, that you're excited to see more, but I made a decision and ordered my cup. I went with the Brumate in the color verbena, which is a pink. Not my favorite neon pink like the cup in the picture to the left, but at least it's in the family.</p><p>Amazon actually got the cups in stock for like five minutes and I ordered right away. I went back to look and already there are only two colors still available.</p><p>I'm still lamenting not getting neon pink, but I'd really like to ditch the old Gatorade bottle I'm drinking water out of now and I had a gift card from Amazon so it made sense to buy it there while it was in stock. Rest assured, I will review the cup when it arrives in like two weeks. So much for two day shipping.</p><p>The picture in this post is the 22 ounce Brumate Toddy which I really love. I'd been debating getting the 32 ounce, and decided to just drift along with that for a while.</p><p>I was on the Brumate website, though, and saw it was last call for the 32 ounce size. Apparently they're not selling them any longer? I don't know for sure, but that's what it sounded like. They had the large Toddy on sale for 20% off. No neon pink available. Of course.</p><p>Amazon, though, had the 32 ounce Toddy in neon pink without the discount. But shipping was free and Brumate insists on charging a $1 fee to offset carbon and there's no way to get it out of the cart. I tried, but every time I went to check out, it was back. Because of the shipping fee and the carbon fee, the cost difference between 20% off on their site and full price at Amazon was around a buck. I decided it was worth a dollar for neon pink.</p><p>The 32 ounce Toddy might be too much coffee, but I don't have to fill it to the top, right? And I know this cup is leak proof, truly a toss-in-the-bag-and-go cup. <br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-88773642724846125632024-02-15T09:00:00.001-05:002024-02-15T09:00:00.263-05:00A Mug Dilemma<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiep1w173AxcmI58Tdlm84s7f1e9kdvhnhvETZHIDyW-rABpHzlnq-glHgkgG0cbF8w0FFgHqsSFwA4QK8YHQHD0KaNfualEFAa4EJ7LDb_cK312ys9L8h4mmCj1TLZTfdl0b4wLbyaBdZzsrJsaDWMc7Rx2fwDfxL1COweYgjj6KXfWghmV73PFA/s3078/2023-12-29%2013.59.56.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="3078" data-original-width="1987" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiep1w173AxcmI58Tdlm84s7f1e9kdvhnhvETZHIDyW-rABpHzlnq-glHgkgG0cbF8w0FFgHqsSFwA4QK8YHQHD0KaNfualEFAa4EJ7LDb_cK312ys9L8h4mmCj1TLZTfdl0b4wLbyaBdZzsrJsaDWMc7Rx2fwDfxL1COweYgjj6KXfWghmV73PFA/s320/2023-12-29%2013.59.56.jpg" title="" width="207" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>This post contains affiliate links which means I might earn a small commission with no extra charge to you.</i><br /></div><p>I'd heard about the <a href="https://amzn.to/48GiDAi" target="_blank">Stanley Quencher</a> before all the hullabaloo hit the news with people camping out (!!!) to buy limited edition colors. But the cup is not leak proof, which means it's not toss in my bag and go.</p><p>I need toss in my bag and go. Like my coffee cup to the left. This is a <a href="https://amzn.to/490xuoP" target="_blank">Brumate Toddy 22 ounce</a> cup and it is leak proof. As long as I make sure the lid is on correctly. I bought a decal with my name on it from an Etsy store, but in my impatience, I didn't put it on straight. I've decided to live with it.</p><p>Brumate makes a water cup, too. <a href="https://amzn.to/48EWDWd" target="_blank">The Era</a>. It comes in two sizes, 30 ounce and 40 ounce, but the 40 ounce was out of stock the last time I checked and the neon pink isn't available. I tried their website, signed up to get a coupon <i>which they did not tell me would not work on Era.</i><br />Neon pink is sold out there with only a Notify Me option available.</p><p>Now I'm looking at <a href="https://amzn.to/490xF3t" target="_blank">Swig Life's Mega Mug</a>. I really like the bright colors they have available, but I don't know. I'm waffling. I think I might like the Brumate Era better and I know their Toddy line is completely leak proof, so I'm sure their water cups are too.</p><p>I wish it wasn't such a big decision, but at $50 a piece for these mugs, I don't want to pick one I won't love. My current system is to refill an old Gatorade bottle with water and drink from that, but it's less than optimal. A big mug that keeps my water cold until I finish it would be better.</p><p>So do I wait for neon pink to come back in stock at Brumate? Do I go for Swig Life? Do I keep searching for a third brand that is leak proof? I hate making decisions like this. Do not even ask about my phone case decision, which left me with five phone cases that I don't use.<br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-60576058839500585572024-02-13T09:00:00.001-05:002024-02-13T09:00:00.160-05:00Podcasting Annoyance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8apyY_0k5lT8mVN-6Yo4Cmm-xZfi4IXOmeD546ni0X0yx8L_W4HStTw7Ermf9kCr9TfXBxFM45FSbM9She21O-AVgYexn-9hwaua0EaR0O_bq-B1bGdI1JhBA7DMhTUcspubsJB452Lbm6mK-GAx2EFYGDBJhj48s-zLmc31iU9LyT5hPHhD2Og/s459/Podcast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="423" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8apyY_0k5lT8mVN-6Yo4Cmm-xZfi4IXOmeD546ni0X0yx8L_W4HStTw7Ermf9kCr9TfXBxFM45FSbM9She21O-AVgYexn-9hwaua0EaR0O_bq-B1bGdI1JhBA7DMhTUcspubsJB452Lbm6mK-GAx2EFYGDBJhj48s-zLmc31iU9LyT5hPHhD2Og/s320/Podcast.jpg" title="" width="295" /></a></div><p>You guys know that I'm a big fan of podcasts. I've reviewed some on the blog in the past. They come and go. One that might be my favorite for months suddenly falls off the list. Or one that I hardly listen to becomes a regular, but I always am listening to something.</p><p>There's a new trend, though, in podcasts and I'm not a fan.</p><p>Podcasting on YouTube.</p><p>Or is it called Vodcasting?</p><p>What I've seen happen is the podcast gets posted on YouTube--sometimes via a live--and later gets posted to the podcast feed. I can live with that if the podcast is updated promptly. It isn't.</p><p>For example, I listen to <b>Foul Territory</b>, a baseball podcast. It's two hours of YouTube live from 1pm to 3pm Eastern every weekday. Later, they break it up so that each guest (usually a player) is uploaded to the podcast feed as their own segment and then an hour episode with everything else.</p><p>This would be really cool except that sometimes it takes them days--<i>DAYS</i>--to post the content to their feed. During the off season when they have a reporter updating us on signings or rumors of signings, waiting two days to listen is pointless. By then, the news is old and who cares?</p><p>I find it hugely annoying, but even more annoying are the people who only podcast on YouTube and never have a podcast feed at all.</p><p>I get it. It likely costs more money and it takes some technical savvy to make it work.</p><p>Here's my problem--I listen to podcasts while I'm driving. I can't watch YouTube while I'm behind the wheel and I'm not paying the ridiculous monthly fee Alphabet wants to turn off the screen and just listen. Then there are the mid-roll ads. I get that, too, but they're not timed for a break in the discussion. Someone can be mid-sentence and boom! There are ads. By the time they finish, I forgot the first half of the sentence the person was saying.</p><p>Again, $13.99 a month to get rid of ads. That's too much for the small amount of time I spend on YouTube. Although if this trend in podcasting continues, I might be spending more time on YouTube than I do today.</p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-35821702330693337232024-02-08T09:00:00.001-05:002024-02-08T09:00:00.149-05:00A Little Bit About Case<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOu6lP0t70xPMWJ2SaYHdGMiBnT-b0JA76u9hwlrdv3sE-qdVdtvlRR8HvLcCilcE1aRzS4zgqeg9_asUQsCIPpTkixxkBHCmglPTDJ140yaMtdsh5wRPnIRhogyo3QL8IA90bF74SSRlxzpezJgA3VWytxZWm7rR92d6V8gyMFX2DBeXhcvTWaw/s300/Wicked-Suspicion-200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOu6lP0t70xPMWJ2SaYHdGMiBnT-b0JA76u9hwlrdv3sE-qdVdtvlRR8HvLcCilcE1aRzS4zgqeg9_asUQsCIPpTkixxkBHCmglPTDJ140yaMtdsh5wRPnIRhogyo3QL8IA90bF74SSRlxzpezJgA3VWytxZWm7rR92d6V8gyMFX2DBeXhcvTWaw/s1600/Wicked-Suspicion-200x300.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></div><p>I've <a href="https://pattioshea.blogspot.com/2023/12/lie-to-me.html" target="_blank">blogged in the past about Case lying to me</a>. I think I've even mentioned that I'm used to characters doing this to me. Either by omission or flat out telling an untruth, this happens all the time.</p><p>Mostly, it's omission. They just don't want to tell me about their pasts. This is what happened with Damon from <b><a href="https://books2read.com/Ravyn" target="_blank">Ravyn's Flight</a></b>. He didn't drop info about his past until I was halfway through the book and it required a lot of work on my first round of revisions.</p><p>Case, though, just plain lied to me, but I understand why and he came through with the truth shortly after I started his story, so there won't be a ton of work waiting for me when I finish the first draft and start to revise.</p><p>I was going to share Case's secrets here, but I deleted what I wrote. It might be something of a spoiler for <b><a href="https://books2read.com/WickedSuspicion" target="_blank">Wicked Suspicion</a></b> and I decided I didn't want to take the chance. Maybe the reveal of his past won't be that big a deal in the book, but I don't know yet, so I'll err on the side of caution.</p><p>I can tell you that Case is from Minneapolis. He has blond hair, blue eyes, and is six-foot-two. He has a degree in mathematics that he earned after joining the Army. He enlisted as soon as he finished high school. He's 27, but if you've read the earlier books, you know he looks younger than that. Nyx, his heroine, however, is not fooled by his baby face.</p><p>I always have inspiration pictures for my characters (and for places, vehicles, etc). If you'd like to see the <a href="https://cdn.62management.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/12234643/Tristan-Burnett-Shoot-01.jpeg" target="_blank">inspiration for Case, you can check out this link</a>.<br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-9719740878430932272024-02-06T09:00:00.001-05:002024-02-06T09:00:00.147-05:00It Stuck<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbEdRcPKICF3u7QVrWBP5Q24z7tr4D5flHxEPX0BTOMu-8iZutAEuDO2ia_4D-ZwbIBcdwjSRB5NQKEXZjjgc1yS_KmZxd7GN3QD4t6EIFvddZ5tlfA4A9rAwfw0VaewF7ZSv_f_LcR4lwViTWKm2VaKA7BgmrtXXzy84DDQfY-xu5_b_yzV1mg/s581/Stunned.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbEdRcPKICF3u7QVrWBP5Q24z7tr4D5flHxEPX0BTOMu-8iZutAEuDO2ia_4D-ZwbIBcdwjSRB5NQKEXZjjgc1yS_KmZxd7GN3QD4t6EIFvddZ5tlfA4A9rAwfw0VaewF7ZSv_f_LcR4lwViTWKm2VaKA7BgmrtXXzy84DDQfY-xu5_b_yzV1mg/s320/Stunned.jpg" title="" width="248" /></a></div><p>It's kind of funny some of the things that stick with us. Or maybe I should say the things that stick with me.</p><p>I noticed it when I realized I still stand in the doorway between the house and garage and wait until I hear the garage door close. And stay closed.</p><p>Why? Because when I lived in Minnesota, sometimes the wind would blow snow up against (and under) the garage door. Over time, it would build up, and when the garage door hit that ridge, it would go back up again because it thought there was an obstruction. I'd have to grab a shovel and clear the snow.<br /></p><p>You guessed it. There were times when it went back up again and I didn't know it until much later. It became a habit even in summer to wait until the door was down and stayed down. And although I've lived in Atlanta since 2012, I still stand and wait for that door to go down and stay down.</p><p>I've decided I'll just keep doing it. It's only a few extra seconds and it's not a bad habit.</p><p>Another habit that I've hung on to came from the pandemic. I wash my hands for twenty seconds. It feels like forever, but I always wait for my Apple Watch to ping, letting me know the time is up. I figure this is a good habit since all kinds of viruses get transmitted by touching something and then touching the face.</p><p>I'm sure there are more, but those are the two that come immediately to mind. Funny how it all works.<br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-5100609926068594232024-02-01T09:00:00.001-05:002024-02-01T09:00:00.191-05:00Those Wheels Go Round and Round<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-q0PpILYYi2Z-mAcD7FMA1AXGkHjmarKRGjN0HVdJ85Mjl8f5aqUnLgYBvafeWGwEdPCMd0DXKqXd-GictYs_oETXBIYTMHIkBksKQYa6LR3W7jzZVLX1UaNQpHyJYHmI-iFIlNl99zewmjr-fkNPfB72VmkDbHbrwHe7uelJ2NyqPS8M8eemNQ/s500/writing.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-q0PpILYYi2Z-mAcD7FMA1AXGkHjmarKRGjN0HVdJ85Mjl8f5aqUnLgYBvafeWGwEdPCMd0DXKqXd-GictYs_oETXBIYTMHIkBksKQYa6LR3W7jzZVLX1UaNQpHyJYHmI-iFIlNl99zewmjr-fkNPfB72VmkDbHbrwHe7uelJ2NyqPS8M8eemNQ/s320/writing.jpg" style="outline: red dashed 1px;" title="" width="320" /></a></div><p>One of the things that continues to amaze me is how long it takes me to figure out why I'm spinning my wheels and getting nowhere. So many times, it's because I wrote something my character would not do and they've gone on strike.</p><p>Despite this being a regular occurrence, it always takes me weeks to come to the answer.</p><p>In my defense, sometimes there are other reasons, but so many times, it's the characters protesting what I had one (or both) of them do.</p><p>It happened again last month. I'm stuck. I can't understand why. I have notes, I brainstorm more notes. I should be going ahead as planned. Then finally, after about two and a half weeks, I thought, <i>hmm, I wonder if I messed up?</i> </p><p>
So I took my notebook to lunch one day and did some thinking.</p><p>And epiphany struck. Case wouldn't say some of the things I had him saying. Maybe ten or fifteen minutes later, I realized I had Nyx also saying things she wouldn't say. Problem solved!</p><p>Well, sort of.</p><p>I went in that evening and editing the dialogue that caused the strike by my hero and heroine. It was the next day when I realized I had another place where Nyx was in deep revolt. Another edit done.</p><p>Onward. At last.<br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-41423041497184163902024-01-30T09:00:00.001-05:002024-01-30T09:00:00.142-05:00As the World Turns<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicT2SsGMj2Ryw_RWFRkoxBRKak_aACpJ-R20vFc1KEOnkzGUTzJnkQ_BPmAYZlx5Bw_WRfp8uQVY9MX5Dhx5S1q_bDJ18YVhYek4eYPiw2NXpkwnoft2oUqJxhViKRbI6wlB-JRZTeMoHvCSvZQP0hCY4wNaBAkgxmn3dvQ6TzDHu4kyP4mV_gEg/s2048/2018-01-13%2017.38.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1818" data-original-width="2048" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicT2SsGMj2Ryw_RWFRkoxBRKak_aACpJ-R20vFc1KEOnkzGUTzJnkQ_BPmAYZlx5Bw_WRfp8uQVY9MX5Dhx5S1q_bDJ18YVhYek4eYPiw2NXpkwnoft2oUqJxhViKRbI6wlB-JRZTeMoHvCSvZQP0hCY4wNaBAkgxmn3dvQ6TzDHu4kyP4mV_gEg/s320/2018-01-13%2017.38.54.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div><p>It struck me the other day how much everything has changed since I sold my first book in 2002.</p><p>This picture shows a mere fraction of my reference books, including dictionaries and thesauruses. And I realized that I haven't opened any of them in what seems like forever.</p><p>Need to find a synonym? Internet. Need to look up a word? Internet. Need a name for a secondary character? Internet. Need to research something? Internet.</p><p>When I first bought many of these books, I had dial up. It was painfully slow and it was easier to keep a thesaurus next to me rather than brave the internet.</p><p>Now? With fiber broadband? It's quicker and easier to hop online.</p><p>Which leads me to dwelling on whether or not I should prune my research collection and which books should go? Some of them <i>do</i> have information that would take time to hunt down online. It wouldn't be impossible, but it would take some digging. I should probably keep those books, but where is the line? And getting rid of books? Gah! I've done it before, but it still seems daunting.</p><p>I wish ebooks had been around when I amassed this collection because then the space they take up wouldn't be an issue. It for sure would have made it easier to move.<br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-61585067461419601842024-01-25T09:00:00.001-05:002024-01-25T09:00:00.140-05:00I'm so Confused<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckImlQfOfwIQs3BuSNr9u7iaB9Za2bvNPyZgtJt5EXk6eOEin4SnvXElRQVtGkVY3onb0Krjqrt_09LGR4Q8Rn-cQbC1bgDWwVoVk-yhhnhQpS2SEuZhcueyG3-uL6TILNASZEm8bNHFaOmkQgaEPkKSHwYqjXWr1yybIESNigKPWcQsf2eR__Q/s426/TrashDay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckImlQfOfwIQs3BuSNr9u7iaB9Za2bvNPyZgtJt5EXk6eOEin4SnvXElRQVtGkVY3onb0Krjqrt_09LGR4Q8Rn-cQbC1bgDWwVoVk-yhhnhQpS2SEuZhcueyG3-uL6TILNASZEm8bNHFaOmkQgaEPkKSHwYqjXWr1yybIESNigKPWcQsf2eR__Q/s320/TrashDay.jpg" title="" width="300" /></a></div><p>Holiday weeks leave me so confused about my garbage day.</p><p>I've checked the garbage company's website and they say on holiday weeks, garbage day is one day late. Except that last Memorial Day, we didn't put out the trash for Wednesday, thinking they'd come on Thursday and guess who I saw?</p><p>That's right. The garbage truck.</p><p>Luckily, the way our neighborhood was laid out, I had a few minutes to run around the house, gathering garbage bags to toss in the can and run out to the curb. I barely made pickup.</p><p>And then there's Christmas week. I put my trash out on Tuesday. None of my neighbors did, though. And I'm left wondering if I messed up and trash day was moved to Thursday.</p><p>Indeed, they did pick up on Thursday. My question is how did all my neighbors know this, but I didn't? Why did garbage day move Christmas week, but not Memorial Day week? I don't have any idea.</p><p>I usually put my trash out early, too. Usually before most of my neighbors. I wonder if on holiday weeks if I should wait and watch how many trash cans are out? I just hate to be stuck in a position where I'm racing to beat the truck.<br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-70426702152637278282024-01-23T09:00:00.001-05:002024-01-23T09:00:00.261-05:00So Close, but Not Quite<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VZMU-24S7qTskfpQLmUeDRXk2nfMuMpinv90HMCNhSqljouCJ8ASBXvyFahmHTL_c8xgCwwKANmAMWNz7Zc-mAt_iS4Y1nBH93HlS3BcsjlbuEq6r5mtTtbaKAllzl_0glW0l7n1QykjQwGjIBVaoFXhIHfsR7x-kuFd6OAGSTXDAg2ftyJbwA/s581/Stunned.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VZMU-24S7qTskfpQLmUeDRXk2nfMuMpinv90HMCNhSqljouCJ8ASBXvyFahmHTL_c8xgCwwKANmAMWNz7Zc-mAt_iS4Y1nBH93HlS3BcsjlbuEq6r5mtTtbaKAllzl_0glW0l7n1QykjQwGjIBVaoFXhIHfsR7x-kuFd6OAGSTXDAg2ftyJbwA/s320/Stunned.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><p>I think I've blogged about my travel mug that I take to work every day. Maybe? In case I didn't (or if you don't remember/are new to the blog), I have this travel mug I really like. There's nothing spectacular about it except that it is 100% leak proof which means I just toss it in my tote and go.</p><p>It only had one small problem. I wanted more coffee than it could hold.</p><p>So for a couple years now, I've kind of been keeping my eyes open for a replacement. I was hoping I could buy the same one in a bigger size, but alas, this is the only size.</p><p>This wasn't any kind of priority, but I was so disappointed when I ran out of coffee and wanted <i>more</i>!</p><p>It's possible I have a small addiction to coffee. :-)</p><p>Back to the story. I saw an ad on Instagram. I see a lot of ads on Instagram and when I check out the products that interest me, they mostly have mixed or bad reviews. This travel mug, however, had thousands of great reviews on Amazon. I perked up. The travel mug wasn't too much bigger than my current one, but an extra few ounces would be welcome.</p><p>I ordered the mug. I tested the leak-proof claim immediately because if it did leak, I was returning it ASAP. I filled the mug with water, put on the lid, and shook it while it was upside down over my kitchen sink.</p><p>It didn't leak!</p><p>I was elated! More coffee.</p><p>And then I ran into one small problem. The coffee would run down my chin when I drank from the mug. :-( I didn't see any reviews mention that piece of information. Maybe it's the way I drink? I started using a straw. That's right. I'm sticking a bendable straw into my travel mug to drink my coffee.</p><p>Also? Travel mug could be a little bit bigger. There's still not enough coffee. They have a bigger size, but my bendy straw won't reach the bottom of that one. If I could drink out of it without looking like I stuck my face in a vat of coffee, I'd consider buying the bigger size. Consider because the tote bag is getting heavy with the size I already use. A bigger one might be too heavy.</p><p>So this travel mug is nearly perfect. Nearly, but not quite.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="3078" data-original-width="1987" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9zQidmkIGHfvjrOtuXBGz8Sv0cgJ6t70e88Qje8nAQtiz1NAF1I7qjSon49qKvDHpxyEFSppUM34MLTV4h0S2_00326Ny7gY0sZTIZjrnQ5zliUuXz4PnjIvSoGcgfgz-7NoBRPa4mKHD8GKRmcSbgrM3uEqhRdJ8J4mc0L5GNzkDGLl8VRqbQ/s320/2023-12-29%2013.59.56.jpg" title="" width="207" /></div>
<br />My travel mug with a waterproof vinyl cut out with my name. I love the pink. I love my vinyl name. Damn, though, I hate coffee rolling down my chin.<br />Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-62623369006090130662024-01-18T09:00:00.001-05:002024-01-18T09:00:00.256-05:00Missing, Presumed Lost<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgWNEQKPWRV-40QYIf2l55-LRM5qDB_iz7yQhjC2_0lC4jlpsis2wEAhuktU_DqTuyL4LuLjywfHK_clVA6j9SBuF_Xpuy6tFe3SDjHgVEVfUijREUzHUSVUTbUQQjEVdmFnFRCHp2MnUAjTzZm9IDl6sf4HkDKFLeSnXuiLz-GnCF-PUB-sSZg/s2048/girl_no_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgWNEQKPWRV-40QYIf2l55-LRM5qDB_iz7yQhjC2_0lC4jlpsis2wEAhuktU_DqTuyL4LuLjywfHK_clVA6j9SBuF_Xpuy6tFe3SDjHgVEVfUijREUzHUSVUTbUQQjEVdmFnFRCHp2MnUAjTzZm9IDl6sf4HkDKFLeSnXuiLz-GnCF-PUB-sSZg/s320/girl_no_2.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div><p>I've blogged many times about how I like doing these virtual challenges that earn me medals. One of the companies sends the medals <i>after</i> the distance is covered. I like that because it holds me accountable. No steps, no medal.</p><p>Usually, everything goes like clockwork. I finish a challenge, the app asks me if I want my medal, I click yes, verify my address, and a week or so later, there it is.</p><p>Only that didn't happen with my New York City medal. The post office showed it sitting at the same location for a couple of weeks. It never arrived and it never moved.</p><p>After a few more days, I reported it lost.</p><p>The form isn't easy to find on the post office website, but I located it and I uploaded a picture of the medal. I expected it to be found quickly and resume its progress. This isn't what happened,</p><p>Finally, after weeks of nothing, I contacted the company that mailed out the challenge. They insure it, so I wanted to let them know it was missing and get a new medal sent to me.</p><p>They asked I wait around another week because it was still in their arrival window, but if it didn't arrive to contact them. The date came and went without my medal arriving. I gave it a couple more days, and then contacted the company again. They promptly sent out a replacement.</p><p>And on the day the post office marked the medal as delivered, there was no medal in my mailbox!</p><p>The same New York City medal was missing again. Sadly, unless our good mail lady is working, we frequently have mail misdelivered. And sure enough, after a few days it did actually arrive. Guessing one of my neighbors got it, threw it back in the box, and it was picked up and re-delivered.</p><p>This all happened in October. Recently, I got an update from the post office. The original medal that I'd reported missing? Still not found.<br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-55979523494520991202024-01-16T09:00:00.005-05:002024-01-16T09:00:00.133-05:00Past the Winter Solstice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwfhREgjykhFaear3nwutPgBQFrdobQRrfolM1ZSSXRBYQjWnfhJHq7x2ANhPaRklpJEeHsdaTQzDsqZGRufeGpDo_a5GFAMfB4WctlVAcuJEvh3IeG4Y1CY3APAO7pBybe-Na7srL8ziUrQjcZ4YeWuxyNUe5m-yxm08ME39gYeBVvQkyPsx_w/s5500/WinterSolstice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="5500" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwfhREgjykhFaear3nwutPgBQFrdobQRrfolM1ZSSXRBYQjWnfhJHq7x2ANhPaRklpJEeHsdaTQzDsqZGRufeGpDo_a5GFAMfB4WctlVAcuJEvh3IeG4Y1CY3APAO7pBybe-Na7srL8ziUrQjcZ4YeWuxyNUe5m-yxm08ME39gYeBVvQkyPsx_w/s320/WinterSolstice.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div><p>We are past the winter solstice!</p><p>I'm in the northern hemisphere, so now my days are getting longer. I love the long days of summer and miss them horribly, but the worst is over.</p><p>My favorite time of year is from the spring equinox until the summer solstice. I love the daylight lasting longer and longer. When I lived in Minnesota, the daylight lasted even longer than it does in Georgia. We used to run around outside playing until nine o'clock at night because it wasn't entirely dark yet.</p><p>Fall equinox until winter solstice feels like a slog. I hate it getting dark so early. (Although nowhere near as early down here as in Minnesota!) Actually, in all honesty, I feel my spirits sag when we hit summer solstice because I know they days are getting shorter, but it really hits at the equinox.</p><p>I'm a summer person. I love warm weather and long days. My mood plummets once I have to put on long sleeves and a jacket? Ugh! I know there are people who lament the heat and humidity, but I spent most of my life in Minneapolis where the summers disappeared in a blink of an eye and winters were eternal. There's nothing anyone can say to dissuade my love of summer. :-)</p><p>And now we're past the shortest day and on our way to warm weather, green grass, leafy trees, and everything that's awesome!<br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-20290474196336678342024-01-11T09:00:00.012-05:002024-01-11T09:00:00.153-05:00Upgrade Hell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGUSr2ATq_DjxRhb52PQnBLtT9Ftr0zsqyr7Y6Ga7p0LUR50nRcolwTrp32h3Qe8CrbkgVqx0z7Ec8dfgbpiagr4lDZ3jswLO1pi6FYFn6WaIxLNiGbIBEKq8nHEdAX129dmu2r9UMqGxeJeh9qMHT0jHe_0x7lDqF2GGsHynF-2yaIdFZ7q_RA/s500/Argh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGUSr2ATq_DjxRhb52PQnBLtT9Ftr0zsqyr7Y6Ga7p0LUR50nRcolwTrp32h3Qe8CrbkgVqx0z7Ec8dfgbpiagr4lDZ3jswLO1pi6FYFn6WaIxLNiGbIBEKq8nHEdAX129dmu2r9UMqGxeJeh9qMHT0jHe_0x7lDqF2GGsHynF-2yaIdFZ7q_RA/s320/Argh.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>I have a scanner on my desk. It's not a flatbed scanner, but something with a much smaller footprint. I don't use it often because I usually scan with my phone, but sometimes there are too many pages and it's easier to just let them feed through the scanner.</p><p>A few weeks ago, I needed to scan a package of papers and decided to use the real scanner. I turned it on, put my pages in the feeder, and went to open the software.</p><p>All I get is a notification window telling me that the software has been discontinued and replaced with a new program which doesn't do as much as the software I'm used to.</p><p>Whatever. I don't use a lot of the features anyway. Just let me scan my papers because I need to leave the house and I want to do this quickly.</p><p>There was no quick about it. The software would not open. Okay, I'll download the new software. Small problem--my scanner isn't listed as an option. I scroll down and find it in a discontinued section. Well, I'm not buying a new scanner when there's nothing wrong with this one. The only problem is their damn software.</p><p>The name of my scanner is a link and I click it. And end up in some weird loop where it says there's a version of the new software available for me, but when I click, I end up back on the page I started at.</p><p>I'm not sure how long I kept circling. I'm not sure how I ended up finding something that would download, but I get the new software installed. Now I can scan my pages.</p><p>Wrong.</p><p>The scanning software opens, but throws an error message telling me to try again later, or if the problem persists, to reinstall the software. The problem persists. I try to reinstall. It tells me the software is already installed and when I click okay, the box closes and no other option is available.</p><p>I end up using my phone to scan the document because I'm cursing the scanner company at this point.</p><p>The next day, I try again. This time I get a notification window saying that my anti-virus software is blocking their scanning software and to whitelist a list of program-related files. I do that, although I couldn't find one of them.</p><p>Same error message and I still can't reinstall the software.</p><p>Somehow I find the old software. When I try to open it, I get a message about a firmware upgrade. I run the upgrade and try to scan the document. This time it works. On the <i>old</i> software.</p><p>I never got the new software to work. Epic fail. <br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-1535595451053972182024-01-09T09:00:00.001-05:002024-01-09T09:00:00.131-05:00That Gouge Hurt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfpkPBjsy-T23SHHGVhTovGyk5kEoExPSde1dbxz4gQx4MZZeIwOf7uG9y9U9kgfXRNR_Ef0RyiLf_iuCIYK3UgGqoyCzI7YKYfjiZtotLPTplsPvGiNqoZPtrb37k-7Kw4bMnRnY_9b-t6uSd_1g-QY76qEncpKg0NHH-jW6Lc1hdtEubPTi4Q/s581/Stunned.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfpkPBjsy-T23SHHGVhTovGyk5kEoExPSde1dbxz4gQx4MZZeIwOf7uG9y9U9kgfXRNR_Ef0RyiLf_iuCIYK3UgGqoyCzI7YKYfjiZtotLPTplsPvGiNqoZPtrb37k-7Kw4bMnRnY_9b-t6uSd_1g-QY76qEncpKg0NHH-jW6Lc1hdtEubPTi4Q/s320/Stunned.jpg" title="" width="248" /></a></div><p>I have a gas cooktop in my kitchen. I'm assuming it's what the builder installed because the woman I bought the house from hadn't owned it for very long. It's fine, but the big issue is the knobs to control the burners are plastic.</p><p>When they're taking on and off to clean around them, it's apparently easy to break them. The manufacturer was charging $25+ per knob for replacements. I know because I bought three of them.</p><p>And then another knob broke.</p><p>I didn't want to pay that much again and I wondered if I could find a compatible knob for less money. And yes, yes I did find a cheaper knob. I got <i>five</i> knobs for less than $20.</p><p>Although I was a little worried about quality, they were much cheaper to replace and they couldn't be worse than the manufacturer's version.</p><p>And then they came.</p><p>These knobs were all metal. These things are not going to break as easily when they're removed and replaced after cleaning. I immediately swapped out all the knobs. Even the ones that weren't broken.</p><p>The short version: Shop online for better value than manufacturer replacement parts.<br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-59396123532702024652024-01-04T09:00:00.000-05:002024-01-04T09:00:00.137-05:00Um, What?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6OKrzjLBTnRA0A3RKeIyFaLgGGE7AZkaqFQRL1CUWGjqPUnGH1yJN7fiTSQaHSY2k0wDxdLjIvnBpvmEqWRlgMmjuRrtK9AgYLCX3pY1stLNbAfcLaXfMC_GYGNIP7NDWDNQpkveMFzgLVwUrnKVWvtTXy2r3wAavhQpzrEtDTGM2TmYXwtV5A/s450/Confused.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="450" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6OKrzjLBTnRA0A3RKeIyFaLgGGE7AZkaqFQRL1CUWGjqPUnGH1yJN7fiTSQaHSY2k0wDxdLjIvnBpvmEqWRlgMmjuRrtK9AgYLCX3pY1stLNbAfcLaXfMC_GYGNIP7NDWDNQpkveMFzgLVwUrnKVWvtTXy2r3wAavhQpzrEtDTGM2TmYXwtV5A/s320/Confused.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div><p>For at least a couple of years now, I've seen a super strange term. Vegan Leather.</p><p>Vegan leather? Do you mean <i>plastic</i>?</p><p>I know it's salesmanship. Vegan leather sounds so much better than plastic, but the term is so odd and it legitimately doesn't make sense. It sounds like the marketing department of some manufacturing company had a brainstorming session and this was the best idea they could come up with.</p><p>Then there's the sister phrase to Vegan Leather. That would be Vegan Cashmere.</p><p>Um, do you mean polyester? Or some other synthetic material?</p><p>These terms are used prominently, too. I'd prefer just not calling out what the product is made of in the headline for the listing. Put it in the details section. Instead, the sites where I'm seeing these terms are putting them in the most noticeable place.</p><p>Maybe I'm the only one annoyed by this. Maybe I shouldn't even <i>be </i>annoyed because I know what I'm buying when I see vegan leather or vegan cashmere. For example, vegan cashmere means the sweater will be soft and snuggly.</p><p>Ultimately, I guess the terms are doing what they set out to do--explain to the consumer what they're getting, but it still irks me.<br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-86648369571967357472024-01-02T09:00:00.004-05:002024-01-02T09:00:00.128-05:00Welcome to 2024<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4Peb45WR_B4D1P20lObdx1Vuyn3jWTI-PE58JkeBHlYXuSm-aheqkxQcBO7FFzXelskEgQGEA2KqUJ7J4jNy7iKCcQSf6NZw3BZZTDjreXRhXGG3tbd7N1zrXgAoP6rvGbCwucRP2jiy7fZUREBCo6QmwxgSrFtiyEyoQ39VjHNyW_7JwHqaBg/s450/Blog2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="450" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4Peb45WR_B4D1P20lObdx1Vuyn3jWTI-PE58JkeBHlYXuSm-aheqkxQcBO7FFzXelskEgQGEA2KqUJ7J4jNy7iKCcQSf6NZw3BZZTDjreXRhXGG3tbd7N1zrXgAoP6rvGbCwucRP2jiy7fZUREBCo6QmwxgSrFtiyEyoQ39VjHNyW_7JwHqaBg/s320/Blog2024.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div><p>The title of this blog post feels like it should be a science fiction book, but it really is 2024.</p><p>Usually, I pick a word of the year, but I have nothing for the year we're just starting. I used to cut it out on vinyl and put the word in the middle of my kanban board, but I still have 2022's word up. The vinyl is kind of a pain to take down.</p><p>Maybe I'll just reuse 2023's word since I never posted it on my wall. Maybe I'll cut it small and put it on my planner cover.</p><p>Speaking of planners, I'm still setting mine up for this year. I have everything in there except birthdays and anniversaries. Those are the most time-consuming stickers to add because of all the writing it entails and because I have to go back and forth between this year and the previous year.</p><p>I think I'm going to keep this post short and simply wish you a happy and healthy 2024.<br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-10014043879527033152023-12-28T09:00:00.001-05:002023-12-28T09:00:00.139-05:00Happy New Year!<p>Wishing all of you a healthy and happy 2024!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZKdjBXGFcE0gdoxsyQ9gz2GgX2rxU99LGI9XekiZphx-O48g9cf9s25hrOFgS8q0gm2DzAVtyIUYoauwL8LwoNkK_-Nm_8KHCxVdVxE1c8TvSwRw2TMdV6De2Nu2JzxvJC0vvsJk9nWfuYS1_ohM6dMZX1KFVj4QmjOmvhw4MsgmpzYIiSRjKw/s2048/HappyNewYear-New.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1123" data-original-width="2048" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZKdjBXGFcE0gdoxsyQ9gz2GgX2rxU99LGI9XekiZphx-O48g9cf9s25hrOFgS8q0gm2DzAVtyIUYoauwL8LwoNkK_-Nm_8KHCxVdVxE1c8TvSwRw2TMdV6De2Nu2JzxvJC0vvsJk9nWfuYS1_ohM6dMZX1KFVj4QmjOmvhw4MsgmpzYIiSRjKw/w640-h350/HappyNewYear-New.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-24972804926090298632023-12-26T09:00:00.001-05:002023-12-26T09:00:00.141-05:00Enjoy Boxing Day!<p>I'm taking the holidays off from blogging. Enjoy Boxing Day, my friends!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIz1sW1cpAvWSyGe3tpLCrMzv7JWsaLCozf_7BXohudd7gAw9-cygLBthP3EJ3xXM6ugeoB4iA7hiTjgTZmGuGjlwNQCb7PGjeXE3SZ8Mmcbl1aMO4nCaCJ1RFbbcs1GSBXDNxAcFxDEbbNnrWl2mPNVD3IvQuHOargDwd4etC8_D9igcD0KABPg/s800/BoxingDay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIz1sW1cpAvWSyGe3tpLCrMzv7JWsaLCozf_7BXohudd7gAw9-cygLBthP3EJ3xXM6ugeoB4iA7hiTjgTZmGuGjlwNQCb7PGjeXE3SZ8Mmcbl1aMO4nCaCJ1RFbbcs1GSBXDNxAcFxDEbbNnrWl2mPNVD3IvQuHOargDwd4etC8_D9igcD0KABPg/w640-h426/BoxingDay.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8846823.post-17732973976634215562023-12-21T09:00:00.001-05:002023-12-21T09:00:00.262-05:00Merry Christmas, My Friends!<p>Wishing those who celebrate an early Merry Christmas!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGkbjHbmgYoRE4D81JszyvfnV7yFnQgZzq2WadbT4DtyThXkLazOerMaEsn3U5pDsUZIMWDzJ0OxmLrGMAAllu7E6ZBtlWF1OIcPczzvvi_f0YhKQJHYkHqAIy0LZmSFjxtlN2AQ15vh1wCeL9jWOmrZ5Ts7fGIGAmfoxDyxl1lgN4vWY8YN-AlQ/s2048/MerryChristmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGkbjHbmgYoRE4D81JszyvfnV7yFnQgZzq2WadbT4DtyThXkLazOerMaEsn3U5pDsUZIMWDzJ0OxmLrGMAAllu7E6ZBtlWF1OIcPczzvvi_f0YhKQJHYkHqAIy0LZmSFjxtlN2AQ15vh1wCeL9jWOmrZ5Ts7fGIGAmfoxDyxl1lgN4vWY8YN-AlQ/w640-h426/MerryChristmas.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Patti O'Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821437588597357566noreply@blogger.com