Saturday, November 24, 2012

Sarge's toolbox... and other stuff!


I have told you many times how Sarge only had two tools.  A plastic butter knife and a chain saw.  Well yesterday I had the need to get out the tv remote (rather than the cable box one) and found the repairman had a third tool in his repertoire.  Band-aids!  Who knew?  Bless his heart, he'd fix things one way or the other.

Did I ever tell you how he fixed a running toilet with a fishing bobber?  Um hmm.  I laughed so hard when I found this clicker I had tears in my eyes.  It was just perfectly "Sarge".  Honey if you can see this I know you are fixing things in Heaven as we speak.

So today is small business Saturday.  I think that's a great idea and I will be doing some of it.  Oh, and the grandkids, well, yes they are getting a check.  I'm not at all thrilled with it but that's what they want.  I was going to go with an American Express gift card but no, they'd rather have the cash.  Okay, I give up.  They want it, they get it.

Oh, speaking of checks wait until you hear this one!  I am running rather low on actual paper checks so I tried to order some online through my bank.  For some reason it wouldn't let me.  I called the bank and they told me I could not order checks, that my account has a "death hold" on it.  What?  Sarge died last January and I went in and took the death certificate and had the account put in my name only.

It's my name, my address, my SS#, my phone number and no, I cannot order checks.  I was told I'd have to go into the bank to see if they could take the hold off it.  I have had this account since 1981, 31 years last month!  It keeps getting swallowed up by bigger and bigger banks.  I thought about taking my money elsewhere but in the end I'm too stubborn I guess.

So what did I do you ask?  Well I let my fingers do the walking and bought checks through WalMart online.  A bit over five bucks for a 5 or so year supply, depending on how often those grandchildren get into them! Ha.  There's more than one way to skin a cat.  Ew, why did that come to mind?  And where did that saying originate?  

Anyway I'm off to do some spending today, mostly hair, nails, stuff like that.  Oh, and the fruit stand too!

17 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sarge was very clever !
    And I too have used a band-aid.

    cheers, parsnip

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh no! I just read what I'm getting for Christmas. I'll still try to act surprised though. :D :D

    I loved that bandaid on the remote.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Clever Sarge! :)

    You can get cheques from Walmart?? Will your bank honour them if they haven't supplied them? :0

    If I had that sort of response from my bank I'd be taking my custom elsewhere, it's disgusting!

    Enjoy your day Bee. xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. LOL. That's hysterical. And the bandaid stuck, too. hahaha! I'll try to do a new side-by-side this morning for our sidebars. Are you packed yet?

    Big hugs xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  6. That's where I get my checks, too! But I rarely use them anymore. Markie has a nice way of saying that same thing... there's two ways around every barn. At least it doesn't involve killing of furry animals. Hahahaha.

    I laughed out loud, Sarge was so much like my PopPop. He would have dones something very similar! Glad you found a little sign from him. That so sweet!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you for patronizing your local small salon business!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love the bandaid fix! Brings a smile for sure. Good for you for outfox ink the bank on the check order. How ridiculous is that? Enjoy your day today,

    ReplyDelete
  9. Good memories of your sweet man. He taught you well!

    I use Checks Unlimited, not our bank. Easy peasy.

    Tell JJ hi for me. Love your Christmas gift fix. Everybody's happy. Big hugs, honey...

    ReplyDelete
  10. There’s more than one way to skin a cat?

    To a lexicographer, all phrases are interesting, it’s just that some of them are more interesting than others ...

    There are many versions of this proverb, which suggests there are always several ways to do something. Charles Kingsley used one old British form in Westward Ho! in 1855: “there are more ways of killing a cat than choking it with cream”. Other versions include “there are more ways of killing a cat than by choking it with butter”, and “there are more ways of killing a dog than choking him with pudding”. The earliest version appears as far back as 1678, in the second edition of John Ray’s collection of English proverbs, in which he gives it as “there are more ways to kill a dog than hanging”.

    Mark Twain used your version in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court in 1889: “she was wise, subtle, and knew more than one way to skin a cat”, that is, more than one way to get what she wanted. An earlier appearance is in ’Way down East; or, Portraitures of Yankee Life by Seba Smith of about 1854: “This is a money digging world of ours; and, as it is said, ‘there are more ways than one to skin a cat,’ so are there more ways than one of digging for money”. From the way he writes, the author clearly knew this to be a well-known existing proverbial saying.

    Writers have pointed to its use in the southern states of the US in reference to the catfish, often abbreviated to cat, a fish that is indeed usually skinned in preparing it for eating. However, it looks very much from the multiple versions of the saying, their wide distribution and their age, that this is just a local application of the proverb.

    The version more than one way to skin a cat seems to have nothing directly to do with the American English term to skin a cat, which is to perform a gymnastic exercise that involves passing the feet and legs between the arms while hanging by the hands from a horizontal bar. That name may have been suggested by the action of turning an animal’s skin inside out as part of the process of removing it from the body.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I remember Sarge's tool kit. He used it often. I'm betting he's in charge of repairs in heaven too because God has a sense of humor.

    Way to go on the checks. I sure would go to the bank though. You've done your part, they need to do theirs.

    Have a terrific day honey. Big hugs. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh my goodness Bee. It seems banks are stupid but are like crooks but I'm glad you were able to work things out.
    I was told that the banks were trying to get out of the use of checks because of the electronic age. I haven't wrote a check for some time. I wonder if I could remember how to write one. Ha,ha,ha. I remember
    That man, that wonderful man Charlie and that wonderful woman being you Bee. I can't wait until I meet you my gorgeous friend. 77 lbs, wow! Will I be able to notice you when I see you? Can't wait. See you.

    Paul

    ReplyDelete
  13. I never get checks through my bank--they charge too much! Love Sarge's tool kit--reminds me of Fred's--although Fred DID have a can of WD40 in his and duct tape and one screwdriver. Seemed sufficient for any repair job.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love the band aid. I wish my husband's tool box was like Sarge's. He tried to fix a cracked light switch on Thursday before the whole crew came for dinner and guess what? No lights in my hallway for Thanksgiving! Now I have to call an electrician. I'd rather have the cracked (yet working) light switch

    ReplyDelete
  15. Happy Saturday Bee. I love that story about Sarge and so neat how he showed up and made you laugh. I was thinking of Sarge yesterday and the beautiful e card he sent me for Christmas I believe. Well you day out and I can't wait to see your toes, you know just make sure you are allowed to board.

    Big Hugs,

    Bobbi

    ReplyDelete
  16. Ciao!!!

    Oh, G. doesn't know were our toolsbox is...and in case he needs some tools...he breaks somethings!!! He has no feeling with mechanics!!!
    Have a lovely Afternoon!

    Big hugs!
    !

    ReplyDelete
  17. I *LOVE* the band-aid. And the bobber story is just precious!!!!!

    Big hugs today. Thanks for making me smile. I miss that man!

    ReplyDelete

you know i love comments, don't be shy! and if you are a spammer that got through, buggers to you. get a life somewhere else!