The Pond

Bass Spits Up Ring

Karen — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:29:29 +0000

I always enjoy sharing happy news. A story on Fox News reminded me of when my husband lost his wedding ring. If we had been in the Outer Banks rentals when he lost it I would have given up hope of ever seeing it again. Hubby lost his ring while working in the backyard. We looked and looked but never found it. It wasn’t until after we sold the house that the new owners found his ring. They were doing some remodeling on the garage and found the ring in the dirt. It was amazing to get the ring back. Hubby has since lost it again but that is another story.

Back to the Fox News story…A man lost his class ring decades ago and you won’t believe how he got it back.

Rustic Tree

Karen — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 03:56:07 +0000

I was on a mission last Friday. We tried to put up our Christmas tree and the lights did not want to work. We had already put a strand on one part of the tree because the lights didn’t work last year. Now, two parts of the tree, which came with lights, did not work. That was the point of having a pre-lit tree. No need to string lights. I hate stringing lights! That tree needed a new home and I was off to find a replacement.

Our lodge room is made to feel like a log cabin or hunters lodge. It has a high ceiling and cedar paneling. I wanted to find a tree that looked more rustic. Does that make sense? A rustic Christmas tree. Well, here ya go…a picture, since I don’t know how to describe the kind of tree I wanted. I found it! It is 9 feet tall and skinny.

Sears and Holiday Wishes

Karen — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 03:45:29 +0000

When a company offers to help our soldiers, I want to get the word out. The holiday season reminds me of those who are sacrificing time with their families so that we can sit in our comfortable homes. Defending our freedom is especially hard on our soldiers and their families during the holidays. The Sears Heroes at Home Wish Registry offers us all a way to say thanks and to help military families this holiday season. All donations will be turned into Sears gift cards and given to families who have registered with the program.

Sears has joined forces with various non-profit organizations in an effort to help military families see their holiday wishes become a reality. This holiday season, Sears has expanded its Heroes at Home program by allowing Americans to make monetary donations online that will allow these families to see their holiday wishes come true.

Go to Sears Heroes at Home Wish Registry to see how this wonderful effort has already touched the lives of soldiers and their families. Check out the top 100 wishes that have been made by our military families. It will touch your heart. You may even want to dig into your pocket book and donate to the Heroes at Home Wish Registry.

Doggie Love

Karen — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:44:58 +0000

I just received a shock. I checked on products to help my dog get over his bad breath. You know those Greenies that are good for cleaning their teeth? Well, they better work good because they are expensive. There is a substance that can be added to your pet’s water to help them have good breath. I didn’t buy that. Maybe next time.

What is it about our pets that makes us put up with bad breath, messes on the carpet, drinking from our bathroom faucets and waking us up in the middle of the night? They are so doggone cute! They are a constant source of enjoyment. They love life and love us.

It seems that being allergic isn’t enough to keep most people from giving up their pets. It would be unfortunate to find out you were allergic to that sweet bundle of fur once they nuzzled their way into your heart. The Obamas propose to get a dog that is hypoallergenic. They are going to have to look hard because there is no such thing.

From CNN online: Pet allergies are not caused by dog hair, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology noted in a recent statement.

“The allergen is produced in saliva, urine, dander– it’s not just hair,” said Dr. Wanda Phipatanakul, an allergist at Children’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. “Even with a hairless dog, there are still allergens.”

So, if you want a pet and find out you are allergic, stock up on antihistamines and tissues.

Remembering the Holiday

Karen — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:22:52 +0000

So, how was your Thanksgiving holiday? Ours was so nice. Busy but nice. I had hoped we would get to the theater to see Twilight but we did so much each day that come evening we were too tired to go to the movies. It wasn’t as if we had mesothelioma but we certainly had tired brains from figuring out where to be at what time and who had the food.

My sister and her husband came from eastern Kentucky and stayed at my Mom’s house. She lives about 10 minutes from us which made it nice to get together. My sister is good about getting us to sew a project while she is here. This time we made Christmas table runners. We visited a few fabric shops to get the required fabric and then we sewed.

My son and his fiance arrived on Thanksgiving day and ate their second big dinner of the day. Poor things. LOL They suffered through the good food at two households! One of these days, we might have turkey dinner at their place. Greg and Taryn are both wonderful cooks and bakers.

Bloggers Unite for World AIDS Day

Karen — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:43:55 +0000

I read on BlogCatalog’s website that nearly half of all AIDS cases in the U.S. involve people 13 to 24 years of age. I had no idea that AIDS was still prevalent. If I had no idea, perhaps there are others who need to be informed also. So, I am joining other members of BlogCatalog to write about this problem. If my post just touches even one person and convinces them to get tested or helps someone learn about AIDS prevention, it will be worth it.

More than 250,000 people are estimated to be HIV positive and not know it. And more than 1 million are estimated to have AIDS.

Of course, AIDS is not limited to the U.S. There are an estimated 33 million people with AIDS worldwide. It affects every country, city, and town in the world. And, the most frightening thing about it is that is going largely unchecked. In fact, that is one of the reason that worldaidscampaign.org is continuing its “leadership” theme, which it developed after learning that many leaders who promised to support AIDS were not keeping their promises.

Let’s join together. Your words, voices, videos, and actions can all help people become more aware about AIDS and how to prevent it. Let’s get the word out.

You Wanted That New Model

Karen — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 01:09:10 +0000

Some people just know what to do. They know how what to do with huge quantities of food. They make contacts and help the needy. They know what to do with old eye glasses. The Lion’s Club gets them to the right people so that people who cannot afford glasses can utilize them. That brings me to our old useless cell phones. What do we do with our old phones when we update? There has to be a valuable way to use these little packages of technology. You wanted that new model but what do you do with your old phone?

Flipswap is an online service that gives you an instant estimate of the value of your old phones. You can also donate your cell phone to women’s shelters and women’s groups to give to battered women/at-risk women so they can call 911 in case of emergency. Check with your local police department. Check out www.phonesforgood.com. Up to $50.00 goes to your favorite charity from each sale. AT&T has donated more than $500,000 worth of prepaid phone cards to Cell Phones for Soldiers and is now offering more than 2,000 company-owned wireless store locations across the country as drop-off sites to help recycle used cell phones for the program, through July 2009

Nikon Promo

Karen — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 03:09:26 +0000

My husband dreams of shooting the trophy deer. He longs for that perfect chest shot. Nikon BDC Slam Hunter’s Package is the perfect gift to help him with his long range shooting skills. At a saving of $144.90 I can surprise him with this special Black Friday deal from Nikon & Lee & Tiffany Lakosky. Included in this terrific package are:

-ProStaff 3-9×40 Riflescope with BDC Reticle
-ProStaff Laser Rangefinder
-Silent Technology Rangefinder Case
-Mastering a Long-range shot with BDC DVD
-$50 NikonProGear Gift Card

With purchases of Nikon Monarch Binoculars, Trailblazer Binoculars, Nikon Action 10×50 Binoculars and ANY Nikon ATB Binoculars you will receive gift cards valued between $25 and $50! Nikon’s short term offer of special pricing of an extra $20 off will help you surprise the hunter in your life with Nikon’s Action Extreme ATB 10×50 Binoculars. There are many more specials so be sure to check out the website at Nikonpromo.com to find online dealers and dealers near you. Hurry, this offer ends December 1.

Finding Fabric

Karen — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 02:39:20 +0000

I am stuffed! Hubby fixed a large ham and we have been stuffing our faces with it for two days. I love ham fixed with mayo and mustard on a couple slices of fresh bread. We have eaten every leftover from Thanksgiving dinner. Even the pie has left the building.

I do believe that we have worked off most of the calories we acquired eating this holiday season. We walked around a few stores and checked out the bargains. We also hit the fabric stores to see what bargains we could find. We were pleasantly surprised to find a few sale items that most might have missed. While others were at the electronics stores we were finding new fat quarters and yardgoods at our favorite quilt fabric stores. I just wish we had more time once we finished shopping so that we would be more enegized to sew. It is either shop for fabric or sew. There doesn’t seem to be enough time to do both. Oh, and cook, clean and make sure we have clean bath towels.

How was your holiday season this past Thanksgiving?

Found: Cable

Karen — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 23:52:01 +0000

Oh my goodness, it has been a busy day! I hope everyone enjoyed the sales this black friday. If you were like me, you stayed home and checked the online deals for the best deals. My son, however, was watching TV because he does not have cable at his apartment. I have been looking for some of the best deals for him and I found out that Charter is offering High Speed Internet, Digital Cable, and home phone service in a bundle. You can get one for just $25, two for $75, and three for $150. If you go to http://connect.charter.com/landing/cpg/learnmore_PPC.asp?ID=197&OriginatingID=420136 and order their Ultimate Bundle, you will get a $250 gift card AND a chance to win an Xbox 360. This is certainly the best holiday deal for bundled services, and is the best price available. I am going to have to get this for my son. He is missing out on all of his favorite shows, and he is getting tired of having such slow internet. I guess I had better hurry and get this great deal before it is too late. This is really going to be a great Christmas present, both for him and for myself. I think I should keep the $250 gift card for myself! He can keep the Xbox if we win it, though.