Halloween in September

That's right I did Halloween in September. After Labor Day, Disneyland got gussied up for Halloween.

2016 Chinese New Year Celebration

Last night was the family get together to celebrate the Lunar New Year which, if you don't know already, is the year of the Monkey. Out of all of us, we only have 1 Monkey, my oldest niece.

I get into Chinatown with plenty of time to spare. As I near the new restaurant we were going to try, I see my youngest sister approach me. She stops me and says, "I think this is the place." I stare at her because she's not pointing to the restaurant we were meeting at, but at a little joint that has a line coming out the door wrapped beyond it's store front.

Another Desktop

My almost 5 year old laptop was slowing down. The last year or so I started recording and editing videos. The laptop just took too long to do all I need to create a finish product for upload to my Youtube account.

Worthwhile Dumpster Dive

My sister brought several of these home -- the speaker, not the player. I even like the blue. I wish she was able to get a couple more speakers, but they were all gone when she went back. If we had a couple more, then they would be put in other rooms and our Bluetooth devices that can tap into them.

Behind the Wheel, Not Today

Someone is telling me I should not be behind the wheel today. Really.

Our zoo had free admission today. I was going to go and take my sister and her kid.

I headed out to go get them. As I was backing out of their driveway, I did not see the car that was coming towards my right. I got a honked, I stopped and watch the car drive around me. I guess I was distracted by my convo with my sister.

We almost got to the zoo. I was in the left turning lane waiting for the light to turn green and watching all the traffic that the free zoo admission was causing. BOOM! I got hit from behind. I think the kid who was sitting in the back felt most of the impact. My back bumper got more scratched than damaged. I guess it adds to all the dings and scratches it has accumulated through its 10 years. The car that ran into me got majority of the damage -- mangled license plate, left headlight hanging out and black plastic pieces on the ground.

As the County Sheriff was on hand to direct all the traffic that the zoo was causing, one of them drove right over without us calling anyone. The Sheriff shoved the hanging headlight back into her car. Bad thing, I got to head into Newark to pick up the police report versus our local police department. I don't like driving to cities where I'm unsure of whether there is parking. I'm not a fan of parallel parking.

As this is the first major accident I was involved in, I didn't do what the insurance company says you need to do. I only took the other person's name and phone number and a couple of pictures (handy to have camera on phone). I guess I'm counting on the Sheriff to have taken everything (insurance and driver info) for the police report. I'll see what my insurance agency says. I can always call the driver. Poor thing was distracted by the zoo traffic and thinking about the wedding she had to go to. Plus, it was her third accident.

We decided not to go to the zoo. It most likely will be crowded as cars were backing up the traffic. I drove sis and the kid home and headed back to my house. As I was waiting at major intersection for the car in front of me to complete his left turn, a car from my left zoom pass me. It ran the red light!

After seeing that, it's safer for me to stay home today. Yep, no more driving for me today.

Mosquitoes & Their Bite

Mosquitoes must have been the first vampires. What!?! Do they not suck your blood?

I went to my brother's BBQ on Saturday. Unlike some of the others, I just sat, fanned myself, ate and chatted with my brother's in-law relatives. It was too hot, 90's, and humid to run around. As I was under the trees in his backyard, I was the feast for some other critters. I do not think the bug-off spray worked. I guess it made me tastier.

When I got home, I went searching for my cortisone as some of them were saying "scratch me". I keep a tube a round as I easily get hives when I'm totally stressed. I could not find it anywhere -- emptied the pocketbook and brief case and shoveled through my carry-on. I must have left it in the office or hotel bag. Gotta have something to put on the bites or I'll never sleep. I hightailed it back to the car for a quick trip to my Shop-Rite. I picked Aveeda's 1% hydro-cortisone. Smeared it on myself and went to bed with mine over itch.

I woke up with more mosq bites screaming for scratching. Put more Aveeda on myself and had my sis help with the ones on the back. Not much relief; maybe an hour.

I posted on FB and twitter about my misery with my mosq bites. I got some very interesting advice...

"rubbing alcohol on cotton balls, blot. works for me"
"ice also helps a little bit"
"Aspercreme! It has a numbing agent and takes away the itch!"
"Drink a beer or a hard cider...itching disappears for some reason"
"if you have Maalox rub that on the bites and it will stop itching"
"go ahead and scratch"
"sometimes Benadryl helps w/ the itching. Does for me but it makes you tired. Also After Bite if you have it there works"
"make a paste of meat tenderizer and water and put it on your bites. It works believe me. Crazy but true."
"try the Dr Burt's res-q ointment. It is made by Burt's Bees"

The Benadryl reminded me that I can take Claritin as it decreases the histamines in the body. I forgot that I took that along with smearing Cortisone on my hives. I found my Claritin and took one. Still major itch screaming. I looked at the advice given and feel Aveeda is better as moisturizing company and headed to my local CVS.

I liked the aspercreme comment but CVS did not have that but they had their brand. Picked that up. Picked up rubbing alcohol, too, as you cannot go wrong with having that in the house. Benadryl actually puts out an extra strength itch stopping cream. It's like the aspercreme as it contains a topical analgesic. Cheapo me went with the CVS brand which contains the same ingredients.

Got home and smeared the CVS itch relief cream on. It actually works. Bites went into a murmur. I don't know how much this was helped by the Claritin I took earlier. I have the CVS quasi aspercreme as a back up in case I need a stronger numbing agent. Aspercreme is for arthritis.

Well, Monday early I had to get on a plane. I took my Claritan and guess which cream I used. I used the CVS pretend aspercream as I did not want to hear from the bites at all. They only gave little squeaks until I deplaned. I think the usage of my legs woke them all up.

It's Tuesday and they have all quieted down with occasional murmurs that I can easily ignore. I did not put anything on them today. However, I don't appreciate the red splotches that are the remnants of the bites.

My sister has requested that my brother hold his next BBQ indoors. Her boyfriend has more bites than I did. He did not become aware of them until Sunday and Monday when some of them wanted attention.

Next time, I'm bringing the citronella candle pot I have.

My Day

I did not go to the Macy*s Thanksgiving Parade this year. It was a bit too cold to stake out a spot for 2+ hours. It was great sleeping late. Though my brother woke me up at 9 with some Black Friday shopping news and a request for me to be a dutiful daughter.

Got lots of buzzing from my phone all wishing Happy Thanksgiving. They sure love texting. Thank goodness I purchase a text plan or they will continue to cost me a pretty penny -- 20-25 cents a message. I'm definitely thankful for the friendships I have and have made this year. They know how to put a smile on my face.

All of us, 17, gathered together two weeks ago to celebrate Thanksgiving. I and Pointy was going to spend the day at home. Mom would be by herself. I decided this one time to be dutiful (I guess it can't always be about me) and dragged Pointy down to Mom's with me. My brother was so proud of me as I rang him to be sure he did not go. If he did, I was not going to. Gotta figure out what he can do for us as pay back. Just kidding. We got lunch and surprised Mom. She was sleeping in, too :D Now you know where the daughters have learned to sleep in. Though Pointy got up in time to watch the parade on telly.

We brought in lunch and watched WANTED with Mom. She, like us, love action movies.

A large coffee in Chinatown is smaller than a large Starbuck/Dunkin Donuts/McDonald coffee. And nearly costs as much. Got some Chinese buns for the next couple of days -- baked roast pork, custard, and others

As I was driving home, it gave Pointy and I time to shoot the breeze, especially waiting to get into the tunnel for New Jersey. At home, we generally do our own thing which is usually in front of our own laptops and tellies.

I told her a story of a TSA and a consultant. The consultant, not I, forgot his passport and driver's license at home. He needed to provide some form of ID before the TSA would let hiim pass through airport security. He took out his client ID and the TSA accepted it -- both ways which mean there are two idiotic TSAs. Why idiotic? The ID has his picture, "Government Contractor" and his name. No where does it say what government he works for. No government logo. Nothing. Anyone can produce this ID on a printer and laminate it.

Pointy figured out correctly that the Florida car in front us did not really want to go to New Jersey. Poor person. He had to pull over as soon as it got out of the tunnel. Hope he got the help he needs to get where he needs to go.

We dropped by KMart. All the buy game get one free were gone. Breezed through the store and came out with nothing.

Nope, not doing the Black Friday shopping. I'm sleeping in again :D and catching up on my work backlog :( and laundry -- though not 6 months worth ;)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING however you spent it!