Wednesday, January 31, 2007
gps vs cps
Since the first experimental satellite was launched in 1978, GPS has become an indispensable aid to navigation around the world. For someone like me who gets lost easily this is a dream come true. Unfortunately, I do not have GPS...
...so, tonight for the second time this month when I was lost in Orlando, I used my CPS (call Patricia Seguine.)
A GPS receiver calculates its position by measuring the distance between itself and three or more GPS satellites. Measuring the time delay between transmission and reception of each GPS radio signal gives the distance to each satellite, since the signal travels at a known speed. The signals also carry information about the satellites' location. By determining the position of, and distance to, at least three satellites, the receiver can compute its position using trilateration.
CPS calculates my position by hoping that I can come up with the street I am on and a cross street. On a good day, I can actually tell CPS where I am going.
The cost of maintaining GPS is approximately $400 million per year. The cost of maintaining CPS is time and emotion, which I love sharing and spending. The monetary amount is right up my ally...free!
I love my CPS!
Thanks for getting me and my girls to the Temple tonight Tricia! My YW were mad impressed!!!
Monday, January 29, 2007
happy birthday darling!
Next we went to Babette's Furniture Store in Leesburg where he ordered himself a glider to sit in my herb garden. This item of furniture has been the subject of some debate in our house. I think we will BOTH enjoy it very much.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
doug one year old
pictures from mom
Thursday, January 18, 2007
temple trip
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
worth the wait
The Dallas Morning News
Whatever charm winter weather may have held with North Texans, much of it has melted away...
There is a plastic strip that covers the start button on my dishwasher that has been pushed so many times that the plastic finally gave way. The dishwasher works just fine, but the hole in the plastic has been annoying me. Today I decided to call Asko and see if I could order a new plastic strip.
I got the familiar message "my call would be answered in the ordered received". I put my phone on speaker, hooked the phone on my shirt and went about my tidy-up duties. It seemed like a really really long time went by. I looked at my phone--oh, it had only been 18 minutes. I decided that I would carry on for a while longer since I had invested that much time. After another 3 or 4 or 5 minutes my call was answered. I was almost surprised since I had about decided that no one was working the lines at all.
The woman was very nice, and after I told her my request she apologized for my long wait, even though I had not mentioned it. I told her I was quite pleased that someone answered in the end. She said that there had been horrible ice storms in Texas that morning and people couldn't even get to work. She then ordered the part I needed and explained to me how to install it. She was great! I hope she got home safely.
Monday, January 15, 2007
mlk holiday
Sunday, January 14, 2007
300 million and counting
Friday, January 12, 2007
snakes
The week was a little complicated by the fact that I had ward council on Tuesday night, YW at my house on Wednesday night and Presidency meeting at my house on Thursday night. But now I have the next nine days off from teaching and plenty of time to think about how I am ever going to come up with a Friday activity as cool as making snakes. Any suggestions? We are reading a story called Dear Mr. Blueberry, which is about a whale.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
herbs planted!
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
yw
You know why I blog about my YW activities most Wednesdays...because I spend a lot of time with my YW most weeks. Dare I say...an old Primary Gal like myself, that I really enjoy my YW. I never, no never, thought I would get "into" this experience. And I find myself more and more grateful for the opportunity to lead this group of girls. I am sure I will sound very Young Woman leader-ish when I say that they truly are an amazing group of girls!
Of special note tonight: Andrea got contacts and she smiled for the camera...gotta remember that and what a thrill it gave me!
Monday, January 08, 2007
the collar
When visitors come, he goes nuts. He barks his head off and keeps them awake all night. Doug has to resort to some serious dog managment procedures.
So after the family left Shooter was his good ol' self again...for one day...maybe he missed his all nighters. I don't know, but this bark collar has given Doug the opportunity to catch up on some lost sleep.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
B's back!
Saturday, January 06, 2007
herbs
With the purchase of the roses, it was time to think about the herbs. Since I will be working all day next week, it seemed that today was the best option for herb shopping. Several weeks ago, we met the kindest lady at the Seminole Springs Herb Farm. She has been helping us to prepare our dirt for this project with suggestions. We were ready having purchased the dirt, and Doug has rearranged the sprinkler system to accomodate the roses and the herbs.
So today, we were heading toward the herb farm when we decided to make a stop off at the Ingall's house on the lake. Ho and below, the Ingalls were there! They joined us for our adventure at the herb farm. We had plenty of beautiful organic herbs from which to choose.
Later we walked around Mt. Dora, checked out some new housing developments with Roxanne's parents in mind and had dinner at Vincent's Italian. It was a very enjoyable day!
Friday, January 05, 2007
roses
Doug and I took off on what can only be described as "one of my adventures." Although we got lost for a few minutes traveling the way back and country roads and lanes of Apopka, we finally sighted the sign for the business we were looking for
Dewar Roses.
As we turned down the road, our breath was swept away as we beheld thousands of roses. The fragrance in the air was incredible and every bit as wonderful as you might imagine.
We continued driving around and decided to find the business headquarters for this establishment. I walked in and talked to the woman at the desk who reiterated the purchase requirements and then handed me a pricelist.
The roses were $8.80. We couldn't believe our eyes! We were going to have to buy a lot more roses! In the end, we decided to buy 9 yellow roses--8 for the planter beds and an extra for good measure. The climbers were a little more expensive and we bought two climbers to put on either side of the birdhouse in the center planter box. We figured that should tally up just about $100.
When we went to pay, the lady said, "Oh, I can give you a discount!" The bill came to $89. Confused, I said, that we would go and get another yellow rose. "Oh, no", she said, "don't worry about it." And charged me $89.
What a find!
Doug worked until late completing the ten step lasagne planting method that was recommened to me. At the last minute, just before dark, I remembered to grab my camera.
And this picture is for my girls, who have hundreds of visuals like this in their memory banks. Thanks sweetheart for all your labor!
Thursday, January 04, 2007
classroom duties
During the past two days,I cleaned the classroom and the cleaned the work closet from top to bottom. I planned all my lessons for the upcoming week and outlined the weeks ahead.
Brianna and Natalie sang songs with the kareoke machine, sharpened pencils, played on the playground, visited people they found at school and cut and pasted.
Brianna is going to her grandma Karla's house in Ocala on Friday and Doug has a scout meeting in Orlando on Saturday, so I will return to school to finish up then.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
wii tale
This is a piece of the opaline inverted dome after Chezzie put the Wii remote through it celebrating what I understand was an amazing golf putt.
I then spent hours and hours on the internet searching...trying to find someone somewhere who could help me replace the glass. After a more or less fruitless search, I went with Doug to get some sprinkler parts at Lowe's.
YEAH LOWE'S!
Monday, January 01, 2007
christmas 2006
picking lemons with Courtney and making lemonade...