Lucky Red Hen —

Harry Dilema

by Lucky Red Hen on July 18, 2007

Did you ever, in your youth, try that four letter word that starts with N by spreading it all over your harry legs so that the acid could slowly eat away at 2 layers of your epidermis (if it recommends 6 minutes then isn’t 9, 11 or 13 minutes better)?

How many times have you taken those cheap drugstore razor blades to your sweet ankle, pulling up gobs of fleshy meat and NOT a blade of hare (I’ve claimed shark bite and dropping a knife when I did it)?

Ever tried the electrolosis route where you pay over six HUNDRED thousand dollars and willingly let some masochist shock your harry parts with the power of a gajillion transformers (and I’m not talking about autobots here even though I saw it twice in less than a week)?

Well, I’m tired of it all and am not going to take it anymore (que Twisted Sister and their Mimiesque eye shadow). Please tell me of an alternative to torture and the path to everlasting (gobstoppers, you know you said it in your mind) silky legged bliss.

P.S. Does it bug you that I never spelled harie properly?

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Motorcyle Trailer Shopping

by Lucky Red Hen on July 15, 2007

We’re still chugging away at getting ready for the big move.

Today I asked a friend at church if he’d help me figure out what used motorcycle trailer to buy online (KSL.com hosts a FREE classified section and there is a TON of stuff on there).
Good thing I asked because he actually has a 6mo old one that he doesn’t need anymore because he’s sold his bikes! Yay!

I plan to trailer my Harley up to the new house then sell the trailer since U-know-who-hauls wants over $250 just to rent one of theirs. I’ll buy his for $450 and even if I sold it for $350 I’d still be saving $150. Now that’s good thinkin’! Plus, he’ll show me how to properly attach the bike so I don’t have to worry about it falling off (already have had nightmares about it).

Speaking of KSL.com… I’ve put some of our big furniture up there for sale that we can’t fit in the new house (we’re going from our 3301 sq ft house down to 1760 sq ft). We are a non-smoking, clean home and take pride in our stuff. Maybe you likey?

queen size futon in GREAT condition
with sliding drawers underneath
(one needs glue to keep it together)

and pillows included $200

Would anyone want this for $15?
I was hanging my necklaces on it
in my bathroom or used it for
holiday decor (Halloween, Easter
and Christmas).

Pine can-be-painted entertainment
center in EXCELLENT condition
with 3 rolling drawers (need some work
because they sometimes get stuck)
and 2 shelves $350 (27″ TV $100).

weathered black wooden & metal patio 4-piece set $25

white “shabby” solid wood table/desk $150

This was my grandfathers and needs
a little work (pegs don’t stay stuck
in their holes… need glue) with a
cool, old leather seat $75

plant stand? We used it for Piper’s books (lower shelf)
and toys/stuffed “aminals” in her room. Creamy white
with sage green detail $25

The German armoire I’ve spoken about.
HUGE and HEAVY. The left 2 doors
open to a large compartment with a
shelf above then the right door has
several adjustable shelves. 3 drawers
underneath. Breaks down into pieces
for easy moving. Some rickety pieces
since it’s over 80yrs old and shipped
from Germany $500

Matching dresser to the German armoire.
4 drawers with one missing handle (but
I actually have it somewhere and will
mail it when I find it after the move).
Marble top is cracked into 2 pieces but
it’s not that noticeable and actually
looks kinda cool. Mirror included and
sets on top of marble $250
(buy both German pieces for $50 off)

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The Easy Way to Stop Smoking

by Lucky Red Hen on July 13, 2007

Editorial Review for The Easy Way to Stop Smoking from Amazon.com:
A new edition of the revolutionary bestseller, with four million copies in print. Allen Carr’s innovative Easyway method—which he discovered after his own 100-cigarette-a-day habit nearly drove him to despair—has helped millions kick smoking without feeling anxious and deprived. That’s because he helps smokers discover the psychological reasons behind their dependency, explains in detail how to handle the withdrawal symptoms, shows them how to avoid situations when temptation might become too strong, and enables them to stay smoke-free. Carr discusses such issues as nicotine addiction; the social “brainwashing” that encourages smoking; the false belief that a cigarette relieves stress; the role boredom plays in sabotaging efforts to stop; and the main reasons for failure. With this proven program, smokers will be throwing away their packs for good.

Read the Customer Reviews about the middle of the page.

My mom and dad (who’s smoked most of their lives) and brother (who’s smoked about 10 years; he asked for a quit smoking gimmick for Christmas one year – didn’t work) quit by reading this book. They’ve tried other methods before, with no lasting success so I highly recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in kicking the habit. My brother has given this book as a gift to 6 of his friends and 10 of them have quit (are you trying to figure out the math? …4 friends borrowed the book).

BTW: it’s cheaper at Walmart.com (especially with the 97 cent shipping and $9.76 price tag). I pre-ordered Eclipse through them, guaranteed delivery on Aug. 7, and got the hardback delivered for under 12 dollars!

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Top Scholar 2007 MBA program University of Nevada, Reno

by Lucky Red Hen on July 7, 2007

This is my daddy (hi, daddy). I am very proud of my dad.

He married my mom when I was just 5, moved us around the country (California, Florida, New Mexico 5th grade through junior in HS & Washington for senior year plus a couple years) and out of it (Germany for 3) while serving in the armed forces long enough to retire a Lt. Colonel (he once had a job that was so top secret that his office was in an actual vault – pretty dang cool).
He graduated with his bachelors degree from the University of Washington in his early 20’s, flew as a navigator in fighter jets (went to the REAL “Top Gun”) and aerial refueling tanker aircrafts. He worked with the DEA tracking drug dealers and was offered a job as dean of a state university (but it was in a farming state so I’m glad it didn’t work out because I thought I’d have to walk my cow to high school). His nickname in the military was “Doc” because he’s so friggin’ smart. With all that experience, expertise and training he decided after retiring that he’d go get a job to keep him busy, supplement the retirement pay and have fun with people… so he went to a casino to be a game dealer.

Craps is our family specialty but he can deal anything. Seriously, what some call “family night” we would set up the craps table downstairs and double down and yell for 7 or 11 :o)

Anyway… he didn’t last long dealing (which is too bad because he has fun doing it) and soon moved into supervisory type positions because he was over-qualified.

Long story short he decides to sell the house in Spokane (Mead, technically, but more people have heard of Spokane… just like we say we’re from Seattle but really it’s Redmond or Woodinville), move to Reno, Nevada (Fernley, technically), and attend UNR to get his MBA, concentrating on Casino Management plus work full-time at a casino.

On May 18, 2007, my dad graduated with a 4.0 as the TOP SCHOLAR (number 1, as in no other nor a tie) in the MBA graduate program, summa cum laude, at UNR.

I wish I could’ve been there cheering him on but since I wasn’t I dedicate this post to my daddy.

“Way to go, daddy!”

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Hey Daisy!!!

by Lucky Red Hen on July 6, 2007

Daisy… look over here.

Now smile, Daisy.

Daisy… smile BIGGER!

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Blind Date on the 4th of July

by Lucky Red Hen on July 6, 2007

I set her up with…

him on the 4th of July as a blind date.

I think they look pleased with my selection.

He was subjected to all her extended family at a BBQ (and survived) then they went to the Stadium of Fire in Provo for Brooks & Dunn and fireworks.

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How Piper Got Her Name-O

by Lucky Red Hen on June 30, 2007

“How’d you come up with the name Piper?” I get asked that often when people hear her name.

With Jack, it was easy because my grandpa Jack was dying when I was pregnant and he never had children of his own (married my grandma when her kids were older). Luckily, I was able to ask him if we could name our baby after him if we found out it was a boy. He was pleased and said yes.

With Piper, it was much more tricky. I wasn’t thinking of using a family name (no particular reason, just wasn’t). Pouring over movie credits (am I the only one that does that?), book authors, newspaper articles, fictional characters, books and online… I burnt Ben out by asking him too much (at least 3 names per day). He finally put his foot down and gave me the duty of picking the name and didn’t want me EVER to ask him what he thought of a name again (I was pretty bad). Well, that was even MORE pressure and I got more absorbed into the meanings and history of names. I kept a list of names that were possibilities…

Greta
Janie (thought I could get a discount at Janie & Jack children’s clothing store)
Jillian (Jack & Jill — too much but I almost did… then thought of Lillian)
Perri
Simone
Adde
Livi (or Liv)
Clarisse (too bad Hannibal Lecter ruined that name because it WAS pretty)
Viane (pronounced vee-ann)
Quinn (“wise” and Shannon means “old wise one”)
Addelade
Ava
Cloe (what the… that doesn’t look right)
Chloe
Ivy
Demi (Ben really hated this one but it was in my top 3)
Julia (“youthful”)
Juliana/Julianna (I had crossed out the 2nd N so it’d sound like yawn not ann)
Emme
Lyla (“from the island”)
Lexy (one letter off sexy)
Lexi (“valiant defender of mankind” and a former nickname of mine)
Ella (“beautiful fairy woman”)
Carmella (“golden” – my grandmothers name was Carmen)
Carlie/Carly (“little, womanly”)
Georgia
Marilyn (too Manson these days)
Sammi
Dior
Deja (too Déjà Vu like the strip club)
Avalyn (might be a book title or township in Europe)
Piper
Luca
Adela
Mae
Adel

My mom was at the airport on her way here when I called my dad and told him I thought of the name Piper out of the blue (didn’t read it or hear it although I have heard it through the media long ago). He liked it and called my mom at the airport to tell her the name. Before he could say it SHE said she just thought of Piper as a name for the baby. Doo do doo do!

The next day she and I took Jack to Park City to kill some time. While at the toy shop I found some handmade alphabet bead cubes and spelled out P I P E R to show my mom how cute the name looks. On a whim, I decided to spend the $2.50 and buy the beads whether or not that’s the name because it’d be a fun story to tell later.

The next day was my baby shower. One of the activities (I love to play games) was having the guests suggest baby names. Well, some of the names were ridiculous; Joette wrote down her name, Aunt Diane wrote “Princess Anastasia Diane” and a good neighbor writing Cere (like it’s short for Cereal).

Ben saw the list on the counter when he got home. Glancing through the suggestions, balking at the silly ones I mentioned, he said, “Who wrote Piper?” Because of our little rule about not asking about names I said, “Why?” He replied, “I LIKE it! That’s what we should name the baby – Piper!”

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