Rear View Mirror

I have noticed lately when I have been driving many stupid things hanging from rear view mirrors. I know people have been doing this for years, such as the fuzzy dice back in the 60’s, but there are 3 of the current day versions that I really think are dumb.

1. The Mardi Gras Beads – These are just plain annoying. No this isn’t New Orleans (Even though we both have had floods), we don’t have women lining up on Grand Avenue flashing for beads…….So why do we have to put the beads on the rear view mirror? Another thing that strikes me as odd is a lot of the people driving these cars are old. I am hoping that one of their kids got the beads because that makes for a bad visual.
2. The Handcuffs – Does this mean that you are a hardened criminal? Or is this to imply some kind of bedside manner. Whatever the case, it makes you look like white trash.
3. The Visor (Hat) – I don’t know why this really bugs me………It just doesn’t make since. Why put a visor around your rear view mirror? If anyone has an answer to this let me know. Does this help block the sun out when you are driving??

Peanuts

I was eating dinner the other night at Texas Roadhouse with a couple of friends of mine. At each table there is a bucket of peanuts to nibble on. One of my friends asked me, how are peanuts grown..... and you know what, I didn't know. After doing some research later that night this is what I found (just in case you are as clueless as I am).

Many people are surprised to learn that peanuts do not grow on trees like pecans or walnuts. Peanuts are legumes, not nuts. The peanut plant is unusual because it flowers above ground but the peanut grows below ground. Planted in the early spring, the peanut grows best in calcium rich sandy soil. For a good crop, 120 to 140 frost free days are required. Farmers harvest the peanuts in the fall. The peanuts are pulled from the ground by special machinery and turned over to dry in the fields for several days. The combine machines then separate the peanuts from the vines and blow the tender moist peanuts into special hoppers. They are dumped into a drying wagon and cured by forcing warm air through the wagons. Afterwards, the peanuts are taken to buying stations where they are inspected and graded for sale.

Cleaning Up Christmas

Now that Christmas is over, it is time to start cleaning up. My least favorite part of the cleanup is taking down the tree. We use an artificial tree in our house, which makes the clean up a pain in the neck. Why don't they make the boxes that the tree comes in a little bigger? Why must it be jammed packed into the box in the first place? I know that this saves space, but come on! Every year when the time comes we have to try and shove the tree back into the box. This usually consists of having someone sit on the box while I try and wrap duct tape around it (looks like a weird game of twister, branches are poking through the corners and ripping the box up. Maybe I am the only one that has problems like this?............

Oh well, at least it only happens once a year. Maybe next year I will celebrate Festivus and just have a metal pole instead of a tree!