Steaming Pile’s Recent Comments

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  We've considered this long ago.

  Christmas is just an excuse to go out and buy a bunch of USELESS crap just to be buying it.  Anyone who doesn't believe me is invited to go visit their local shopping mall and prove otherwise.  We made up our minds a long time ago that Christmas at our house was getting downsized.  

  Not having little kids helps.  That means we no longer have to spend money on cheap plastic crap.  Since the price of heating oil has gone up, and the default thermostat setting down in response, we've been seeing a lot more sweaters and hoodies under the tree than anything else.  I think overall, we probably spend something like $500 on Christmas, and I suspect that's far below the national average.

  Now if we can just get other people to dial their thermostats back to the low 60's (conspicuously green Wal-Mart is a big offender here), I'll be happy.On Are you brave enough to say no to a high-stress holiday? posted 1 year, 12 months ago 51 Responses

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  Warmed-over coffee sucks the big one.

  I like the Thermos idea.  I have a nice one from when I was on crutches earlier this year and couldn't carry a cup of coffee across the room without making a huge mess.  Perhaps I will resurrect it, although to be honest, a pot of coffee tends not to go to waste at our house.On Umbra on reheating coffee posted 2 years ago 20 Responses

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  Cats are better than pesticides.

  I'm sure you all would rather I add to the ecological problem of hazardous materials in the environment - pesticides in this instance, but I prefer a more natural solution, hence our two cats.On Umbra on cats and birds posted 2 years ago 72 Responses

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  So I'm lucky to have vermin in my basement?

  Of what benefit to mankind is an overabundance of vermin in our environment?  Please enlighten me.On Umbra on cats and birds posted 2 years ago 72 Responses

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  Small mammals means mice, right?

  Good weather after a couple of hard winters that reduced the number of predators has resulted in an overpopulation of mice in the Northeastern United States.  Maybe you all just love the little critters, but I do not.  I'd just as soon let our little monster kill the buggers to their hearts' content.  I don't see many dead birds, but they average something like three or four mice a week between them (that they bring around for me to find), and that's a good thing.On Umbra on cats and birds posted 2 years ago 72 Responses