CHRISTMAS WITH SAFE-T-INSPECTOR

Every year for the past four years, we have gone to my son Joe (Also known as SafeTinspector to you blog readers) and Heather's house for Christmas Eve. This year was no exception. Though, the amount of people who participate has grown. This year was Riley Louise's first Christmas. She was all chubby and cuddly, and laughed at everyone, especially here grandmother, me. Samantha was very grown up at 5- 1/2, helping with Riley, handing out presents, and even taking her own toys out of their entrapment in their store boxes.

Here is a picture of Samantha and Riley in their Christmas dresses:

Also present -- Jerry, his steady girl, Irene, Lisa, Vicky, Brett, and Papa, also known as Tom, my husband. Tom spent a lot of the evening holding a sleeping Riley on his lap and getting very adept at opening his presents one handed. We tried out having a gift exchange this year for the first time, so everyone did not have to buy a present for everyone. That worked out well, except Heather and Joe got each other. Tom went his own way, getting a present for everyone anyway. May not be a bad idea, as we informed everyone they had presents at our house and would have to drop over to get them.

I did take pictures of our Christmas Eve gathering, but will post them later. Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night.

I AM SELLING THE CAR I DROVE IN HIGH SCHOOL-- A 1961 CHEVROLET IMPALA CONVERTIBLE

Well, after 45 years, my 1961 Impala and I will be parting company. She was a 46th birthday present for my mother in 1961. You may remember the admonition to make sure you do not buy a car made on a Monday or Friday, because it would not be made as well due to absenteeism and hangovers. Well this one certainly was NOT made on a Monday or Friday. Though the engine was only 283 cubic inches and was an automatic, she performed more like a 4-speed 409.

When I got hold of her after I got my license, I quickly learned I had to be careful on hot summer evenings when tooling through the Chuck-a-Burger on Florissant Rd in Ferguson, MO. If I wasn't, any quick acceleration would cause the Impala to lay rubber, which the Cop hiding in the used car dealership across the street would not appreciate.

She always looked like there were risers on her front springs, and when I took her down to the truck highway in St. Louis where the cops let us drag at night, she always won, beating 327's and 409's. Once she even beat a huge Harley. Of course she would not have won in a longer race, but in the quarter mile, her quick pick up could not be beat.

I even had some of my opponents, males, of course, claimed I had switched the insignia on the car from saying 327 to 283, and demanded to see the engine. I showed it, and as the hood rose, I would hear--"Well, I'll be @*#@% ! It is a 283!" (Explicative deleted). They were also amazed that she was an automatic. In fact, I took to pretending to be shifting when I was challenging someone to race, because sometimes guys would not bother to race me, figuring I would be a pushover, and a waste of time.

The fastest it was ever driven was when my friend Alice, who got her license before us, drove all of us to Suntan Beach. We got up to the top number on the speedometer--120 miles per hour on the straight flat country blacktop that went there. None of us were allowed to get on the Interstate, so could not try out the speed there.

We also sometimes took it to 'Seven Hills' near St. Charles where we accelerated until the car flew in the air over the sixth hill. I slowed down after that. I was not brave enough to speed over the seventh hill--- I did not know if I could make the sharp 90 degree right turn at the bottom of the hill. (If you tried and failed, you would go over the bluff and into the Missouri river about 30 feet below. Ouch!)

But mostly, on Friday nights, if we did not have dates, I would pick up three or four other girls. We would go to the Clark Station, each put a dollar in the tank (enough to cruise all night) and each buy a 25 cent pack of cigarettes, then off to cruise the drive-in eating places.

Round and round we went. Ferguson Chuck-a-Burger, Florissant Steak-N-Steak, Kings Highway White Castle-Big Boys & Steak-N-Shake, even Snidhorst Big Boys in South St. Louis was sometimes on our route.

Once in a great while we would go to "The Rock" across from the Jennings Steak N Shake. This was the parking lot of the Rock of Ages Baptist Church, and this is where you could get adult beverages from the guys who managed to buy it, or steal it from the liquor store. Boys had to pay. For some reason, they gave it away to the girls.

When the Impala was filled with both boys and girls, we would take my Chevy to the levy and go rat stomping (those rats were the size of puppies), or see what was up at the nudist camp, watch the submarines go down the Mississippi, or the spaceships land by the schoolyard. (It was not until I was middle aged that I found out that submarines had gone down the Mississippi past St. Louis, but during WWII, not the swinging '60s. I do not think the spaceships had ever been real.)

In the winter time, we sometimes still road with the top down. The heater would be going full blast, the girls in the back would have a blanket, all the windows would be up, and so would the volume on the radio, and so would be our arms, even the driver, when we went under railroad over passes. Sometimes we would stop on a deserted street, get out of the car and dance. Sometimes we would just all say-- "Let's Dance! No, lets not, and just say we did." Somehow this was amusing, but I do not remember why.

Anyway, all good things come to an end. In 1968 someone put sugar in the gas tank at my parents home in Spring Lake Michigan. The engine was ruined and had to be replaced. It was replaced with another 283, but she never won a drag race again.

My mother continued to drive the car until she passed away in 1984. Dad kept it for a couple of years, then, turned it over to me permanently, as my mother had wanted. I thought I would keep her until I passed away too, but I really could not drive it every day, or even very often. She was just too old now for that, and I had gotten used to FM radio, air-conditioning and power windows. Finally I figured out what I wanted more than anything was a brand new convertible like my mother got for her 46th birthday. So I got a 2006 PT convertible. All the fun of the Impala, with heated seats, FM radio, CD player, and power windows. It also has great cup holders.

I just hope the old girl goes to a good family. She is for sale on eBay for about two more days. Check out her auction by clicking on the title of this posting.

Here is what my son wrote about my 1961 Chevrolet Impala Convertible when he posted the auction through his on-line eBay store Auction It Today on eBay III :

WOW!! What a cool ride.. This is a nice driver that is probably ready for a little restoration as the current restoration was done about 20 years ago. A little bit about the history of this rare GM convertible: this car has been owned by the same family all it's life. It was purchased as a birthday gift in 1961 for the current owners mother, then passed down to her in 1984.(really 1987) The car has not been driven much since then, only on special occasions.

This is what we know about the car:

• 82,158 Original Miles on Chassis
• Not Original Motor - Replaced in 1968 with a different 283ci
• Carter 2 barrel carb
• New Top and Paint approx. 20 years ago. Some touch up paint here and there covering chips, nothing major.
• Car was repainted the original color (Bamboo Cream)
• Top is in great shape
• Original AM Factory Radio - still works
• Body is solid with no rust-throughs
• There is one case of bubbling on the front passenger quarter behind the wheel
• Original Back Seat and front passenger seat upholstery
• Driver seat was reupholstered (not quite a match to passenger seat, but the white stripes are still original)
• Car starts and drives well - runs without problem
• Transmission shifts smooth
• Does have a transmission leak - but may have been a result of overfilling, as the level is good. Was told by one mechanic that it was the result of sitting for a long time.
• Chrome is only in fair condition with numerous dings and scrapes.
• After market Cruise Control - Unsure if it works
• Service Records included, dating back to the 1961 original sales paperwork!

Well at least, after the Impala is gone, I will still have my 1947 Frigidaire Refridgerator. He has been working continually without repair since my parents bought him when they were expecting me.

FLAG DAY-- HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOTHER

My mother, Marian Catherine Holmes Starcevic, would have been 91 today.

Happy Birthday Mother

Mother died in 1984. I still miss her terribly.

Mother told me that when she was growing up in Greenfield Ill, population 1200, she thought everyone flew the flag for her on her Birthday. Since her father owned a grocery store and therefore was one of the important members of the community, her assumption was not that far fetched. However, of course, the flags were for Flag Day, not Mother's birthday.

Still, every Flag Day, for that one day only, when I look upon the Stars and Stripes waving in the breeze, I remember Mother.

A TRIBUTE TO HENRY FORD AND JUDY

More particularly, this is a tribute to Judy. Judy is a nurse at Henry Ford Jefferson Clinic.

I sent in a request on Wednesday, via e-mail for a referral to my Chiropractor. First of all, I had been told my insurance did not cover chiropractor, so had never asked before, but the billing clerk in Dr. Kay's office said my insurance told her I was covered. So, nothing ventured, nothing gained, as the saying goes.

I sent the request on Wednesday, but first of all, expected the e-mail to go ignored or be miss filed with someone who was never in the office, or even misrouted by the Henry Ford server to an entirely unrelated clinic or specialty. All of which have happened in the past when trying to use their e-mail system. But to my surprise, amazement and gratitude, my request got to Judy, who called me the first thing Thursday morning and said she was getting the referral I asked for processed, but needed to know why I was seeing a Chiropractor. I told her. Even then, I expected to either never hear of this again, or get a rejection several months from now.

However, on Friday, Judy called again. Not only had she submitted the referral request, but it had been approved starting the day she asked for it, Thursday. She also said she had faxed the completed referral to Dr. Kay's office, but was going to call and make sure they got it. She would also mail me a copy of the referral for my records.

I got the copy on Monday. Hurrah for Judy! Hurrah for Henry Ford Health System!

I was so encouraged by Judy's prompt actions, I decided to try the e-mail prescription renewal option on the Henry Ford Health System web site. A process that failed me more than once in the past. Maybe it will work this time.

Check out Henry Ford Health System by clicking on the title above. Check out Dr. Kay's practice by clicking here--> Yellow Pages Web Site (pay no attention to the pictures, no one from Dr. Kay's office is in them)

Again, HURRAH FOR JUDY!! Thank you for the prompt attention to my e-mail request.

MY DADDY CAME TO SEE ME THIS MORNING

My Dad, looking much like the picture here, taken in the late 1930's or 1940's, came to visit me this morning, though he has been gone from this earth for over two years. I know I was not dreaming. I know it was him. He was watching me in bed. Maybe he has done that all along, however, today, I caught him. My husband and I were lying in bed sort of watching morning TV. I was on my left side facing my husband's back, when I felt someone watching me from behind. I turned over and there was Daddy, standing there looking down at me and smiling. Then he must have realized I saw him too, he turned quickly, and left the room, swinging the door open as he left. I swear!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAFETINSPECTOR

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR JOE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU----AND MANY MORE----

Ah, I remember the day you were born. I was there you know. I remember it like it was yesterday and not ______ years ago. Did you know you could have been born in Grandma's convertible? And that after you finally made up your mind that it was time for your appearance, you were pretty fast getting here. Typical of you ah? Grandma had come from Michigan to be with me and help me when you were born. You started and stopped many many times in the two weeks leading to your birth. I guess you just could not pay attention even then. But on the morning of June 7th, I knew it was time. I told Grandma that we were going to the hospital. I said it calmly. Grandma was sometimes known to get flustered when pressured. She said something like-- "That's nice" and just kept cleaning out a closet in my apartment where her cloths were. I waited patiently, but contractions were already 5 minutes apart. Finally I said, "Mother, we need to get into the car now." She replied. "Really, I thought you were in false labor again" So, we finally got in Grandma's 1961 Impala convertible and drove from Granite City to Alton to the hospital. I was amazed and relieved that Mother had driven so calmly on the way to the hospital. She started up the winding hill to Alton Memorial Hospital, drove sedately around the curve to the Emergency entrance, then floored the accelerator instead of putting on the break and almost crashed into the back of an ambulance. If she had I probably would have had you there and then. As it was you came 2 hours and 45 minutes after I told Grandma it was time to get in the car. In a hurry even then. When I first laid eyes on you, you had a huge red and blue bump on the left side of your head. I got hysterical-- "Who dropped my baby?" I screamed at your father. He hurried off to find out. The doctor came right away to explain that no one had dropped my baby. You had just been in so much of a hurry to be born you had not waited until there was room in the birth canal and had bumped your head on my pelvic bone. Yes that was you my boy, my 9 lb baby boy who was in such a hurry to be born. At least you were not the twins or 12 pound monster the doctor predicted in the delivery room, or the fried egg in an incubator I dreamed you were a few weeks before your birth. Just my active Joey who has been a joy, a trial, and a blessing for over a third of a century. I am so proud of you the adult Joe. You are a fine man, husband, father and son, but I remember. Would you believe you were less then 6 months old in the picture above?

Happy Birthday from your MaMa

06/06/06

The sign of the beast. Well, I do not know about that. I am Christian, but Revelations always stymied me. It makes about as much sense as a Nostradamus quatrain. However, yesterday, 06/06/06 was not my best day, at least technically. To begin with, I was awakened by a phone call from the Marina. Jim was calling to apologize for sending me a harsh e-mail. He said he had been reading the e-mail I sent him about the blog I set up for our Marina. He clicked on a hot link in the e-mail which lead to the blog, and at the blog, had clicked on an e-mail link and found himself inside his marina e-mail box. He did not know how I had gotten access to his marina e-mail box, but somehow he thought I had the expertise to do this, until---- his son's girlfriend, a more PC savvy person, told him that since he was already in his marina email box when he clicked on the link, of course it took him back to his marina email box. Hence his apology for the harsh e-mail to me. That's nice, but I am retired. A call later in the day would have done just fine.

The second thing that happened was that a Buy It Now eBay Buyer e-mailed me that the checkbook cover and FREE bookmark she had paid for had never arrived. I had mailed it to her on May 25th. It surely should have been there. The US Post Office web site says first class mail is suppose to arrive within 2-3 days. Even allowing for Memorial Day, it was now way over 2-3 mail days.

I immediately made plans to replace the items. In fact, I made the inserts, put them in the vinyl covers, and even produced a new receipt and printed the address on an envelope. The ironic thing was that this buyer lived within 25 miles of my home. If gas were not so expensive, I could have just driven the item to the buyers door. Because of the closeness, the buyer, at first agreed to pick up her replacement at my son Joe's, aka SafeTinspector, store, Auction It Today on eBayIII. But in a subsequent e-mail, my buyer decided she would rather just have a refund.

I immediately sent a refund. Almost immediately she sent an e-mail stating her mail had been delivered and the checkbook cover had arrived. Where that envelope with the buyers purchase had been for 12 days (another two 6's) is beyond me. I mailed one of my checkbook covers to England once. It got there in less time then this envelope took to go 25 miles. Weird but true. Now I have to wait for her to pay me again for the checkbook cover and FREE matching bookmark.

But, oh no, that was not the end of the weirdness on 06/06/06. Another buyer had ordered a Sunflower checkbook cover. The one with a very vivid yellow sunflower against a bright blue background. I sent the command from my PC to my HP printer to print out this checkbook cover. Freakishly, the printer added a wide lilac stripe in the middle of the sunflower checkbook cover. Had to print it over. It printed perfectly the second time----------------------

The mistake, however, was pretty enough, so trying to salvage my cost at least, I decided to scan it into the computer and put it on eBay for sale. I started scanning it. In the middle of the operation, it just stopped. The software being used to scan seemed to freeze, I could not get it to close even. I used Ctrl Alt Delete and told my computer to end the non responding program. Even though the window indicated it had closed, it had not. I tried to use the shut down choice on my start menu. I got a message that the PC could not shut down as it was still scanning. By this time, I had even turned off my scanner. I was forced to reboot with the little reset button.

I tried scanning it again. The scanner and the software worked perfectly now. Next I set about printing another checkbook cover insert which another buyer had won on one of my auctions. The printing was fine, but when I went to put the insert in the vinyl cover, I noticed a small hole in the cardstock, which must have been a manufacturing defect. Problem was it was right in the middle of the checkbook cover insert, making it unusable. Had to print that one out again too.

Then, when I went to print the buyers address on an envelope, my computer decided to send the instructions to the wrong printer, where the address was printed on a plain piece of paper instead of an envelope. So had to do that one over again too. By now, these tasks which would have normally taken maybe an hour or so, had eaten up over 3 hours of my time. It was time for a break. Shut down the computer and did not go back to it until 11:30 PM.

Amazingly, the lady to whom I had given a refund just as her checkbook cover was delivered- late- by the mailman, had e-mailed me to complain about my shipping and handling charges. Could not understand why it only cost me $.63 to mail the checkbook cover and bookmark, but I had charged $4.00 shipping and handling. I am afraid I lost it. I sent her a rather harsh e-mail about what I saw as ingratitude on her part. I had bent over backwards to accommodate her when we both thought the item she had ordered had been lost by the USPS. Now she was begrudging me my shipping and handling charges. I wanted to challenge her to find as unique a checkbook cover at a lower price. I have done my research. There are a few folks selling clear vinyl checkbook covers with homemade inserts on eBay, but in general, these others are commercial patterns either cut from paper or cloth and glued on a cardstock insert, with an asking price of $8.00 and up before adding mailing charges, and not unique or original designs.

Currently the most one pays for a checkbook cover with a unique computer graphic insert, designed by me alone or with my husbands artistry, is $7.89, and for that one receives a FREE matching bookmark. Without the bookmark for Buying It Now, one of my checkbook covers can be won for as little as $4.99 including shipping and handling. A bargain either way, I think.

Thus ended 06/06/06. I was gratified today, my son's birthday, by the way, to find my buyer with the late checkbook cover had left a positive feedback for me saying she liked my product and my thorough e-mail communication. I also found out from my son, SafeTinspector, that I could have refunded through the original Pay Pal payment from my buyer and saved myself $.53. Well, I guess my missing this opportunity on the Pay Pal payment record was just part of the 06/06/06 techno curse. I could swear I looked all over that entry on Pay Pal and saw nothing about refunding, though when I looked today, it was plainly there.

I do know one thing though, if any buyer ever says they have not received their checkbook cover in the future, I will ask them to wait at least three weeks before I refund their money. And I am glad that to date, not one of my checkbook covers have gotten lost in the mail.

This rant is now done. Amen

SULUSTAR CREATIONS

I have not posted very often of late. I can tell you why. In January, I revived my business name, and started selling self made Checkbook Cover Inserts in Vinyl checkbook covers on eBay. This venture has turned out to be fairly popular. I have sold well over 100 checkbook covers and related items since then.

As I make them myself and offer personalization for a fee, this endeavor has been taking up a lot of time. In fact I have been spending enough time making checkbook inserts that it feels like a job, but not a job that I could make a real living at.

Well as long as it is fun I will keep doing it, and at least I am making enough money to pay for most things I would want to buy on eBay myself, like Channel parfume, a number keypad for my laptop, a new leather cap for my husband, a new bedskirt, etc.

I have decided that I will try to limit my work on my eBay projects to every other day, just so I can get something else done in my life, like housework, bill paying, spending time with my husband, watering my Petunias, and especially enjoying my back porch, pond and family.

If you are interested in a new Checkbook Cover with a fairly unique insert like this one:





Follow the link in the title of this posting or in the list on the side.

VICKY PAYS REVISITED

Vicky our college aged daughter is away from home attending school at Grand Valley State University, my alma maitre. She saw this posting and complained. She did not think I should put her name in this article, or "write about something I know nothing about". So, I have replaced her beautiful High School graduation picture with one less identifiable, though more contemporary.

Vicky is shown standing next to a large pendulum on the grounds of GVSU, wearing the required student backpack and uniform.

But, unlike her contention that I did, nowhere in this posting have I found that I included her full name. I only ever identify her by her first name.

Oh, she may think that the cancelled check likeness, that I based this humorous fictional posting on shows her last name, but it did not. Lke the name, address, routing and account numbers of the bank, I also blurred Vicky's last name, except for the first letter. Perhaps I should have blurred that as well. ------So, now, I have.

I am sorry if Vicky was offended in any way, but she should not be. I am sure there is a very logical explanation for her curious memo remark on a $4.00 check, but when I saw the check, it did strick me as humorous. So I made up what I thought a humorous story to go along with the check. Here is that story:

--------------VICKY PAYS---------------

As a favor, because I know she pays little attention anyway, I have been keeping track of Vicky's savings and checking accounts. Besides at least 90% of the money contained within these accounts comes from, you know who--we, her parents.

While balancing her books on-line I came upon an interesting and puzzling cancelled check which I would have thought a newly fianced co-ed would not have written to man who is not her intended . Here it is :

I cannot decide whether I am more intrigued by her comment in the memo line "A great night!" or that this "great night" only cost $4.00. Ah, the thrifty Dutch. Willing to work for what a thing is really worth, and not for highly inflated values.

Of course if you all knew my seriously religious & fairly innocent, for her age, daughter, you would no more suspect any hanky-panky with Benjamin then the man in the moon. It must have been an innocent but not well thought out comment, written in the excitement of the moment, probably about some concert or sporting event to which Mr. Bytsma escorted her. "Dutch Treat" of course. Go Lakers!! I love you Vicky!

THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE PEOPLE

Anyone who knows me, knows I love the Olympics. I watch hours and hours of the competitions of each and every Olympics. I especially like individual competition. Gymnastics and swimming in the Summer Olympics, Ice Skating and skiing in the Winter Olympics.

But best of all, I like watching the opening and closing ceremonies. It is interesting to see what each country comes up with to entertain and celebrate. The current Winter Olympics in Torino Italy is no exception.

I watched the opening ceremony last night. I enjoyed the ballet dancing, the acrobatics, even the monstrous skirted women dolls that were paraded around the arena. Even if I do not know why.

The Italian racing car showing off it's speed and power was spectacular. What I like best of all, though in every opening ceremony is the parade of nations participating. I like seeing what they are wearing, and watching the mostly young hopeful exuberance of the athletes as they march in.

As usual, there were some aspects of the ceremony that mystified me. Why the Italians would have a Japanese reading a poem about a British song, and then having an American singing it I found a little strange. Having important women carry the Olympic flag into the area was a unique idea, with an extrodinarily famous Italian actress, metal winning elder Olympic athletes, and a Nobel Prize winner I understood, but Susan Serandan? Weird. If they wanted an important and famous American woman to help carry the flag, I can think of several who would have been a more appropriate choice. Oprah, Martha Stewart, any female US Senator, even Angelina Jollie would have been a better choice.

And the last and I think the most spectacular weirdness was that when the nations paraded into the arena, they all marched to a DJ's selection of 1970's American Disco songs. About the only songs I did not hear was Betty Davis Eyes, and Disco Duck. And when the Hungarian contingent paraded in, they did it to The Village People's Y.M.C.A.

I cannot help wondering if the strangely attired Hungarians had ever seen a Y.M.C.A. or could appreciate the deliberate Gay underpinnings of the song. Now all together, form your arms into a Y, then an M, then a C and then an A.

MY SON WENT TO A GAY WEDDING

Joe, Heather and Samantha went to a Gay wedding in Windsor. The crazy Canadians have apparently made same sex "marriage" legal. Personally, I am happy when anyone finds love, as it is hard to come by, and, I think that gay couples should be able to be joined legally, in order to insure shared benefits, financial interests, right of inheritance, and the ability to legally carry out each others wishes, file joint taxes, receive survivors pension benefits etcetera, but I do object to that joining being called marriage. Call it something else, partnership, co-mates, cohabitation contract, whatever, but just not marriage. Marriage by definition is between a man and a woman, period! If you start expanding the definition to include same-sex couples, why not two men and one woman, two women and one man, a man and a goat, a woman and a kitty cat. Why I heard that the other day a British tourist went to Australia and married her favorite dolphin. It was not legal, but it could be, why not?

Oh, and the picture is of Detroit taken from Windsor. Beautiful facade, ah?