Chatbug Karen

I watched a fun movie the other night. When in Rome is a romantic comedy starring Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel. Other parts are played by some of my favorite comedians including Kristen’s in real life boyfriend, Dax Shepard.

Kristen plays Beth, a career girl who has good business sense but doesn’t fare as well in the romance department. While in Rome to attend her sister’s wedding, she has a pity party for herself and while doing so, takes a few coins from a fountain. Not realizing that the coins were thrown into the fountain in order to perpetuate a love spell brings on a mess for herself. Yes, the fountain is the “Fountain of Love”.

Taking the coins results in her being pursued by an unusual band of suitors. Danny Devito, Dax Shepard, Will Arnett and John Heder each have a crazy part in the movie. Danny Devito is a sausage magnate who is mesmerized with Beth. Dax Shepard is obsessed with his body and feels that Beth should feel the same. The scenarios lead to several hilarious moments. Will Arnett portrays an artist who paints rather large and provocative paintings of Beth all around town and then there is John Heder. From making e cigarette s disappear to stealing watches, he is a street magician like no other.

While her suitors make her life crazy, a truer love waits. This is a fun movie.

I just finished a survey via my cell phone. I know that many think surveys are aggravating and take up valuable time but I think they are, sometimes, the only way a company really finds out how we feel about their service. I recently sent my laptop in for repair. Thank goodness I have good laptop insurance, and got it back in a jiffy. It works so much better now. It is getting old so I know that one of these days, a new one will be forthcoming. For now, I am glad for good service!

Did you catch the segment on “The Early Show” Tuesday that talked about venting about companies and how to do so to get the best response? It was very interesting. There are websites set up to help you get a response when you have a complaint.

my3cents.com/
- Provides class action updates
- Guides you to federal offices for help
- A one-stop complaint shop, covering everything from food to phones, cars to computers, travel to banks. It’s free, and requires you to register with your e-mail and password, user name, and zip code. The site has seen had the most volume among complaint websites since 2008.

ConsumerAffairs.com
- Watches for trends among complaints
- Lawyers check it out
- Offers scam alerts
- Lots of complaints about banks on this one.

ComplaintBoards.com
- Focuses on airline, appliance, and insurance complaints
- Lists international companies
- Lists companies suspected of fraud
- Covers lots of businesses and products, but is known for airlines, appliances and insurance complaints.

What do you find when you see a mama bird flying to the same spot, over and over? Hungry babies!
These babies are in the bushes outside our backyard.

I was anxious to watch Alice In Wonderland because I enjoy the works of Tim Burton. It seems to me that his mind works differently than most in that he sees things in an animated sort of fashion. I usually work on my laptop while watching a movie or television show but I really didn’t feel like writing a review about rv repair or the latest and greatest travel spot and so I actually “watched” this movie. It helped that my favorite actor, Johnny Depp, was in this movie.

I hate to admit that I have never read the book, Alice In Wonderland and I have never seen the films, past or in recent years. I could not tell you what Alice in Wonderland was about. I now know!

What a wonderful story. 19-year-old Alice returns to the magical world from her childhood adventure, where she reunites with her old friends and learns of her true destiny: to end the Red Queen’s reign of terror.

Adapted from the original book, where Alice dozes in a garden, awakened by a dithering white rabbit in waistcoat with pocket watch. Curious about the rabbit, she follows him and falls down a hole. The story takes one on an adventure where Alice faces peril and fun.

I recommend that you watch this movie not only for the fun story but for the interesting and fun tidbits for which Tim Burton is known.

I see, while reading other blogs, that others run out of things to talk about on their blogs. I actually prefer to read about their randomness. It makes my days feel more normal instead of boring. So, having said that, here is what has been going on with me.

I have been getting prices on our medications. We might change our insurance coverage to the type which would require us to pay for our own medication. OMG! Was I ever shocked at the cost of blood pressure and cholesterol meds. We are going to have to compare that cost to the savings of a different policy to see if it is worth switching. These $1000 per month premiums are killing us.

I have been trying to change the cable on our televisions to work with the cable boxes that Comcast requires us to use. We are going through the whole change from digital to analog or something like that. I was enthusiastic to get ours to work after mom and I were able to get her three televisions set up with little effort. It couldn’t be that easy at my own house. You would think I was setting up home security systems with all the cords that run to our five televisions. I have four working but the fifth television has me stumped. I guess the Comcast guy shall have to make a call to our house. Ugh.

Those are the tasks I have been working on in between laundry, mowing grass and having company. Our company includes a five year old. Oh my goodness! I have to be one step ahead of that child. She is so much fun.

Here is the casualty of a baby doll left out where one of our dogs could find it.

While visiting a few of my favorite blogs, I noticed in the sidebar at Motherhood Unscripted, an advertisement for Melissa Gilbert’s book, Prairie Tale: A Memoir.

As described at Amazon.com, in this book, Melissa tells how she was adopted as a baby into a legendary show business family, and wrestled with questions about her identity and struggled to maintain an image of perfection her mother created and enforced. Only after years of substance abuse, dysfunctional relationships, and made-for-television movies did she begin to figure out who she really was.


I am always on the lookout for good books to give my mother in-law. I am putting this book on my list of unique gifts for her. I recently gave her the new book, Spoken From the Heart, by Laura Bush. I am waiting her to finish it so I can read it. Hmmm, sounds like I have ulterior motives for buying her the books I want to read!

While traveling through Ohio and Kentucky last week, we searched for quilt shops. We also searched for eating establishments that were locally owned. We found a wonderful place in Burlington, KY, near Florence, KY. Washington Square Cafe and Catering is one place that I am anxious to return to and share with my husband.

My sister, mom and I had the most wonderful meal that included a “to die for” bread pudding. We needed no Mesothelioma treatment after that filling meal. I had a meatloaf sandwich while mom and Grace each ate the Rueben sandwich. We tried to eat light because a man who was eating bread pudding told us that we absolutely had to have some. We took him at his word and OMG!, was he ever on the mark.

The restaurant is located in the Joseph Graves House, the 1817 building may be the oldest brick structure in Burlington and is one of the few surviving structures built on Union Square. Built facing North on lot 16, it was originally the residence of Joseph Graves (1773 to1836) an early prominent citizen of Boone County, born in Virginia. The Graves family moved to Boone County in 1797. Graves was instrumental in the development of Burlington as the county seat. In 1816, he and several others were appointed to draw plans for the new courthouse. Graves served as Boone County Sheriff from 1820-1822.

Washington Square Café & Catering – c. February 2010

Today Joyce McNeely is living her dream of owning and operating a hometown, family owned restaurant in this historic Burlington Community. Joyce along with her family, Dee & Mike Dragan & children Patrick, Ashley, Drew and Chelsea; Dawn & Brad Denham & son Kye; and mother Sophia Brinegar are proud to serve you at Washington Square Café & Catering.

One of the places we visited this past week was a wonderful antique shop, Wilma’s Linens and Lace. I have never been in a cleaner antique store and I have been in many. Wilma and her staff must dust every old fashioned bottle containing hair loss products for men, each tea cup bearing price tags of $25 and $40 each and other such interesting collectibles.

My sister happened upon a vintage Singer Feather Weight sewing machine after looking for some time. The price was right on this well kept machine. I was so excited for her. Feather Weights at reasonable prices are hard to come by as they are highly collectible. The Singer Featherweight portable sewing machine is a model made by that company between 1933 and 1964.

Whenever I am away from home for a few days, I enjoy coming home. I see my house through different eyes. Sometimes I see things that need fixed. From the step on our back porch that oozes sap to the uv pond filter that keeps breaking down, maintenance is a never ending battle.

I do enjoy sleeping in my own bed. Our bed is a king size and it makes it difficult to sleep in a queen or double bed. I am spoiled.

My husband and I have been mowing, washing cars and doing laundry. There is so much to do after vacation!