My New Vacuum November 26, 2007

I’ve had the same old vacuum since I got married 5 1/2 years ago and, after looking at online reviews for my sister who was planning on buying a new vacuum over the weekend, I decided it was time for me to buy a new one!

My old vacuum was fine for a married couple living in a tiny apartment, but now that we have a cat, a dog, a baby, and a good sized house, I need a few more bells and whistles. After some online searching, I decided to buy the Eureka Capture Bagless Upright.

I found it on sale at Wal Mart, brought it home, put it together, and went to town! I vacuum every day but Sunday, so I, of course, had vacuumed with my old cleaner this morning. I was disgusted at what the Capture picked up off my carpet! Ok, and a little excited that my new vacuum is so much more powerful. It also has a handy attachment for stairs and furniture with a separate rotating brush – a must-have if you have pets!

Here’s my new vacuum…

More Toys Not Made in China November 17, 2007

In shopping for Christmas presents for my son and his “friends” (he’s 10 months old, he doesn’t really have friends!), I’ve discovered a few more companies that are either exclusively made somewhere other than China, or have some items manufactured elsewhere:

• Mega Blocks – exclusively made in Canada. Check the label! Although I have yet to find any of their products manufactured anywhere other than Canada, you can’t be too careful!
• Playmobil – made in Germany. Again, check the label. I’ve found some products that are made in countries of which I have never even heard, but so far, no China.
• Fisher Price has a few items that are made in Mexico. So far I’ve found their Stacker Rings, Shape Sorter Blocks and Bucket, Sit and Stand Giraffe, Counting Corn Popper, and Shape Sorter Wagon – all made in Mexico! I never thought I’d be so excited to find stuff made in Mexico!
• Step 2 – Check their website. We ordered their big Fire Engine for Two, which is made in the USA.

Good luck with your Christmas shopping!!

Jonesborough Library Pulls Homeschool Meeting at Mayor Jaynes’ Request November 6, 2007

I posted this over on my political blog, but I thought it was fitting to post it here as well.

Local Author/Homeschool mom, Sonya Haskins, had scheduled a homeschool informational meeting for this Thursday at the Jonesborough Public Library. After a phone call to the library from County Mayor, George Jaynes, however, Mrs. Haskins was informed that her meeting had been removed from the library schedule.

According to Mayor Jaynes, because the public library is a public-owned facility, they have an obligation to support other public entities, such as the public school system. In Jaynes’ opinion, holding a homeschool informational meeting would be detrimental to the public school system.

Jaynes is apparently forgetting the fact that Haskins and other homeschool parents are taxpayers, too.

Aside from censoring Haskins, not because of profanity or imminent threat to the public but because he doesn’t like what she has to say, Jaynes seems to be more concerned with the fact that homeschoolers “cost” the county money.

Jaynes told Newschannel 11 that the county loses $7000 for every student that is homeschooled. Well la-ti-da. What about the money homeschooling parents lose when they pay for both public education through ridiculously high taxation in addition to the money they spend to give their children a superior education at home?

Jaynes is now saying that the whole thing was a “miscommunication.” He claims that he never told library employees to cancel the meeting, but suggested that they think twice before placing such events on the schedule in the future. Right. Sounds like damage control to me.

I’m just glad that Haskins is one tough homeschool momma and wouldn’t take Jaynes’ censorship lying down. At the advice of County Attorney Rambo, the meeting is back on.

In case you’re interested in attending the homechool informational session at the Jonesborough Library, it is this Thursday at 2pm.