live from sublurbia

Actually, no. The phone company didn’t do that. I set up my phone service few years ago; basic phone service, unlimited long distance (every single member of our family lives “long distance” away) and an internet/DSL package.

And then I promptly forgot about it.

Every six months or so, we do a quick tally of our monthly bills. The phone bill has been enough the same that I open the bills every quarter or so, sending the same amount from my online account every 28 days or so.

When I opened it this month, it had gone up about $10. A few new fees, some of this, some of that. It couldn’t hurt to try and renegotiate, right? But before I called them I did my homework.

Using their website, I put together a cheaper plan. Basic phone, Unlimited long distance, cheaper DSL. I could save $20 a month! Continue Reading »

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So “dump the pump” day was pretty quiet. I ended up messing up the whole bus thing and just doing my usual routine, albeit a bit later than usual. Man, traffic after 7am is not fun.

But I got to work and back in one piece. Same as every day, actually. Gas prices are just an excuse, I like transit. :)

I think the wet weather did knock people out of the running, however. And the promise of “maybe money” wasn’t enough to drive them out in force, although there was a slight increase in ridership, according to some of the station assistants and my fellow commuters.

What has brought riders out in the past is waived transit fees. Apparently they swarm all over it, and are gone again the next day. And I wonder, why don’t they come back? They don’t mind being inconvenienced if it’s free? They confirm to themselves just how awful public transit is? They don’t like other people in their personal space?

I just don’t get it. At least Palm Beach county moved money from roads that don’t necessarily need building anymore to fund Tri-Rail for “one last year”. Time to start writing emails and letters to the legislators for FY2010 funding.

What do you think of transit? What do you think could be improved in what’s available in your area? Are you seeing more bikes, more carpooling, and do you think it’s all about gas prices, food prices, inflation?

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HAPPY SUMMER!

We’ve been busy running around with friends and family, enjoying the June showers and hot days lazy in the pool, tinkering in the garden, composting melon rinds, and relaxing in the shade.

The rains are prompting huge growth in the edible garden and the lawn stuff on the front of the house, but sadly some of my poor-draining potted onions have drowned. But we slog on, starting new bitty onion sprouts from the storebought onions, and trying to figure out where to plant our bush beans and make the garden critter-proof.

Right now my entire front porch smells of StarBucks. I’ve got a bunch of tropical low-maintenance plants adorning the porch and drive, mixed in large pots in a combination of composted soil and coffee grounds. Yum. I love the smell of coffee, but never got used to the taste. Now I can smell it all summer long.

The first time I hit the StarBucks on my commute, they had been simply tossing grounds into big garbage bags. Since then, we’ve gotten used to each other, and I pick up a few bags regularly every few weeks. I have been saving the old foil bags but haven’t brought them back for re-use; I’m not sure if they’ll let me.

Anyone have ideas for re-using these? I’ll be out on the porch, watching the kids play and enjoying all that coffee flavor.

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Mine grows grass. And weeds. Sigh. But I’ve been busy.

No longer. Today I hoed, weeded, forked, turned, and all of my beds are as clear as can be. The food and bits I’d composted were pretty much done (a few corn cobs here and there). I’ve left one of the three main beds empty: I’ll use it for composting this summer.

Everywhere else we have planted:

• 2 types of tomatoes
• 3 types of bell peppers
• 2 bush cucumbers
• 2 zucchini plants

The leafy veggies need to be replanted; they didn’t take. This weekend I’ll make my own starters of those and beans and peas. The kids had so much fun picking and eating several pounds of beans and zukes (okay I ate the zukes, I need to work on my presentation) that I’m planting my own. And the pick-it farm provided 2 hours of entertainment for 3 busy kids for under $10. Howzabout that?

So, what is in your summer garden? What was/is your main problem and how are you dealing with it? I know my problem is going to be grass again, so I’ll probably put down paver stones between the beds and cover the beds when lawn mowing (my little mower kicks up clippings).

PS don’t forget Thursday is “dump the pump” day in South Florida. I might just take the entire day off and ride the trains and busses all day just to show my support for funding and get their headcount up.

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Certainly the school break is helping numbers, but I’m seeing a lot more kids commuting with their parents on the train lately. Pre-schoolers going to daycare, or watched by family near work, older kids with their backpacks of “stuff to do” for a day at the office or summer camp. Early one morning, a troupe of young musicians and their chaperones, heading down to Miami for a workshop.

It’s easier to tell the daily commuters from the first-timers. Frequent riders usually sit quietly with their parent and toy or snack. Their touristy counter parts are generally bouncing off the walls. One 18 month old was halfway from the Miami Airport station to the end of the line at Mangonia and very tired. Mini-meltdowns out of sheer frustration and exhaustion. His parents did the best they could, taking turns walking him up and down as politely as possible (a standing-room-only day), but he was so done with traveling for the day. His parents were also loaded down with customs-fresh luggage and hadn’t any toys with them; silly faces from me and others or not, I wished I’d had a small but safe toy to give the tired little one.

This has made me think more about the commuting I’m planning with my kids, and I’m comparing notes with my friends, both the seasoned family travelers and the newbies. Continue Reading »

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After a nice couple of weeks with occasional afternoon showers, just like in the “old” days when I first moved down here, it’s been dry again. While that’s good for my commute, it’s not so great for the garden. I’ve been watering my few plants by hand, and just letting the grass go. I’m not a fan of grass to begin with, not in this super-manicured version it must be maintained in.

But it looks like the Lake is getting some water in the latest deluge. Good thing - it needs it.

And I’m going to stop city-watering the garden. We’re getting our gutters repaired in the next few weeks, and the step after that is rain barrels. I’ve found some locally on a local website, all ready go to, but eh. I did a search on the person selling them to find their website and found it, but found out other information about the seller that gave me pause, so rain barrels are on hold for now. I’ve found a place further away that sells plain food-grade barrels, so I’ll make that my summer project: borrow a pickup truck and make my own system.

News reports are indicating that a dry May means August hurricanes, according to one meteorologist. I guess we’ll wait and see. But rain barrels are a’comin!

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This image and story caught my eye recently. A gent named Simon recently moved into a home with a built-in pond. Small children and other considerations taken, he went to remove the pond and found a letter. Read the original at the link for more information.

Which makes me wonder about messages left for others here and there. Not just the graffitto of taggers, or the initials of lovers, or the invariable “wash me” indicators. What have you left behind, to be found later on? Old love letters tucked into seats of busses or trains because you couldn’t bear to throw them away? Messages to future home remodel enthusiasts?

We did an experiment in grade school, both in message-sending and wind drafts. As part of a class fundraising project, postcards and balloons were sold to the students, with our message and school address affixed. We let them free all at once on a windy day, and shortly thereafter, started receiving the cards by return post. Mine was among those that went the furthest, about 250 miles, although I don’t know if it was due to the extra balloons I purchased to augment my card with or the kindness of a traveling stranger helping my card along that extra distance.

What messages have you left, sent, or found?

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So I’m enjoying playing with our Wii Fit (early morning run to a big box score netted us one on opening day). A few minutes here and there while dinner cooks or the kids dress themselves (though that slows them down as they watch me play).

One of the kid’s favorite games is a sliding game, involving catching fish. The youngest will insist on having a turn on the board (a few dummy ones we made up don’t thrill her at all) and that’s about the only game I’ve unlocked we can “play” together.

She’s not quite got the hang of the game, so I usually sit behind her and tap the board to score her enough points to “win” the game. She doesn’t always notice my help, but enjoys it either way. However, she wants to “help” me when it’s my turn, doing the same move of tapping the board to “help”.

Playing these games with her has helped me discover a way to really mess with your friends’ sense of balance (and scores, all in fun) in the game …. Continue Reading »

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{think of a something thursday} … maybe use your listening ears thursday …

Dear Mom, Dad, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Teachers, Cousins, Friends, Significant Others, CoWorkers, and random strangers on the street:

Yes, you told me so. See? Continue Reading »

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Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens …

Despite the many years of crazy auntie and mommying under my belt, we’ve not had any really prolonged stretches of boredom or inactivity. But I’m reminded by this week’s themed Works For Me Wednesday that boredom does happen.

We’ve got the usual treasure tricks in our corner - tents indoors or out, dress up clothes, musical instruments, coloring, decorating shirts and bags, tending our gardens indoors and out. But hurricane season is starting: we need to entertain two of them this time should a storm hit. In the dark. With no air conditioning.

For our hurricane party this year, I’d probably pull out the dominoes and play stacking games. Get out my battery-powered tape recorder and tell stories. Get on the big bed and snuggle with stories. Make a race track series out of cardboard bits from the recycle bin and race dried beans or little toy cars. Send our dolls and stuffed animals on an ocean voyage with us in the hurricane-safe room, finding treasure and outrunning pirates (or being them).

One of my mom friends came up with a brilliant plan for summer boredom: Holiday Gifts! Last year was a blur of late nights making ornaments and presents for the teachers, friends, and family. But this year, shop early for supplies, plan it out, and break out the ready to go craft at an appropriate time. Last year we bign and wee hands produced an army of snowmen. Maybe this year we’ll just go wild with snowflakes and glitter. Then run outside in the sprinklers until the glue has all washed away …

June 1 has passed, we’ve already had a named storm. For once, my hurricane closet is fully stocked. Planning for games and activities is usually a last-minute thing. Maybe this year I’ll take advantage of my preparedness on the food and flashlights front and pull together some games.

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