A Local Blog

In addition to this blog, I decided to create a blog about my hometown of Independence, Kansas, since I could find very little information online about our local businesses and community's events. If you're ever in the area, please feel free to visit our great little town and all that it has to offer.




Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter.




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The New Big Brother/Sister

Met one of the kid's Big Brothers and Sisters today. She's a high school kid here in Independence, KS who seems nice enough and hopefully will be a little more responsible than the last Big Brother/Sister we had.

And if all goes well, we can maybe put both of the kids in Big Brothers and Sisters sometime in the near future.




Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter and you visit her official website at www.theinsanewriter.com.



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My Love For Tea

Instead of drinking stuff like sodas and coffee, I have this highly insane addiction for teas. Of course, so does my husband. Not too long ago we discovered a tea shop right here in our home town of Independence, Kansas. It's a small town and because of the economy, I often wonder how long it will be before we lose our favorite place to buy tea.

Much of the reason we love the shop so much is because their teas are all-natural. The teas are grown around Independence and there are so many unusual and wonderful teas. The last time we visited the shop, we found a tea that has a smoky flavor from being roasted over pine wood. It was delicious. Tonight I'm enjoy another tea we purchased that is a white tea with the citrus pieces of an orange, lemon and lime. It is very yummy.


I still wonder how our favorite little tea shop will fare in this recent crisis and I wonder our other tea shops like the one I wrote about, The Tea Infusion Cafe in Orlando, FL. I'm guessing since Orlando is a big city, it's probably doing much better than most! Only time will tell.

XR and John Chow Giving Away $6000 for a Wonderful Cause

When I first decided to launch an official site, I worried that the URL would be too long. Then, I realized that it wasn't so bad compared to my blogger url. For those that have blogger accounts you could easily redirect your url using a domain name, but what if you can't afford a domain name?

If you're like me and trying to make ends meet, XR.com allows you to create a TINY URL for free.
All you need to do is head to their website and sign up for an account. There are no fees involved. Once you have signed up, you can type in your blogger URL and reduce it to a smaller link for visitors to click on.

Once a visitor clicks on that URL it takes you to your page. Through XR's website you can select whether you want your page to be framed or non-framed. For those that want to keep the page framed, visitors can easily click a link that will allow them to remove the frame from your page.

You can also use them to shorten all of your bookmark links if you wanted to. For me, it really doesn't make much of a difference whether they are short or long.

The only disadvantage that I saw with this company is that my page took a few seconds longer than normal to load. This might be a problem if you use dial up, however for those that use anything faster it shouldn't be very noticeable.

Now, the best part about XR is they are giving away $6,000 along with the help of my favorite blogging entrepreneur John Chow. $5,000 will go to a charity of your choice and the remaining $1,000 can be spent on whatever you want to spend it on. Deadline for the giveaway is December 24th and the winner will be drawn on December 27th.

Now I'm really not expecting to win, but if I did I think I would want the $5,000 to go locally to the food bank here in Independence, Kansas. I'm not even sure that is possible, but I think it would be a wonderful way for our small town to share with those here who do not have enough food for the holidays.

Each year the Independence, Kansas food bank runs out of food around Christmas and they are always needing donations. Unfortunately we're a small town, so not many people are able to help as much as they would like. And with the economy in shambles, more and more people are losing their jobs or they are being laid off until next year.

I think donating to the bigger charities is wonderful, but there are some smaller charities who need just as much help as the bigger ones do and $5,000 would do so much for our community!

Snowing soon in Independence Kansas

Last night our local weather station called for a chance of snow. So, we brought out a bunch of movies to watch this weekend, just in case it did. Generally, most people drive in snow and have no problems with it.

However, you do not know what my husband's truck is truly like. He can barely make it to and from work, so driving it out of town is a big no-no. If there are places we need to go that require driving a distance, we borrow his dad's jeep or we ride with someone else.

With the winter weather now here, one thing I know he doesn't have is tire chains. As a matter of fact, very few people do have those around here. I wonder why that is. You would think when there is a lot of snow and ice on the ground, tire chains would come in handy. Last year we had a really bad snow storm.

So bad that my ex-boss and I couldn't see coming back from Amazon. The roads were very slick and our town's highways had numerous accidents reported that year. One of them happened to be my husband who slid into a ditch on Peter Pan Rd. Luckily it wasn't a serious accident.

The Increasing Cost of Insurance and Taxes in Independence, Kansas

As of our last renewal date, our insurance increased. This concerns me because prior we had a really great friend who worked for the insurance company that we deal with. Now that she is no longer working there, she is unable to help us specifically with the higher cost of our home and auto rates.

And while the owner is still there, it is often difficult to work with him because he doesn't always understand what we need no matter how clear we make it. So I'm wondering if we'll need to look elsewhere for cheap auto insurance in the near future.

I think the reason the insurance has gone up is because this city and county continues to raise taxes. We learned not too long ago that it is cheaper to live in northern Kansas or northern Oklahoma than to live here.

In northern Oklahoma a friend of my husband's is paying $284 a year in taxes on a $100,000 home and $44 a year for taxes on a 2000 vehicle! That's insane compared to the $1220 a year we pay on our $60,000 home and $56 a year in taxes on the hubby's 1979 vehicle!!!

Working For the City

I have a friend who works for the Independence, Kansas Police Department and I've often wondered if they have the option of purchasing their own clothing or if they must abide by the city's choices.

I'm really not even sure if he needs to wear something like tactical pants, but if so, I wonder if he or even the city could save some money by shopping around. The pants come in three different colors which is nice and I noticed there's plenty of pockets for storage.

I think the pants would also be great for anyone looking for a pair of work pants, especially if you're looking for comfort! What do you think?


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AneMae's, Kids and Buckwheat

One thing I have noticed in this family is that the kids refuse to touch anything that doesn't contain some form of sugar. While a little bit of sugar is not such a bad thing, I've been trying to get the kids to eat healthier. Around here we lack the energy to do much of anything.

On Saturdays we try to head downtown which is less than 4 blocks and by the time we get there, the kids are so tired that they want to sit down for the rest of the day. I know adults tire easily, but you would think kids have more energy!

Going back to the sugar, the only way the kids will eat lunch or dinner is if it has sugar in it. Now by that I don't always mean cookies, candy, etc. What I mean is processed foods that contain con syrup, sugar, etc.

Lately I've been trying to cut back on those things and fix healthier foods that are not processed. We do include desserts as a special treat on some nights, but even that has become a problem lately. Unless there is dessert for after dinner, the kids won't eat. To eliminate the problem I've tried explaining to them if dinner is not eaten for the week, desserts are not allowed. It doesn't work. They won't eat unless the dinner contains some form of sugar. Lately they've even refused to eat pizza! They will eat some fruits, however!

So now I am wondering if the problem is that their addicted to sugar. I was thinking of trying to wean them off of it, but I don't feel it's right to eliminate treats all together. After all they're kids and even I love to indulge in a bit of chocolate or sweets once in a while.

Today we stopped by a coffee shop here in Independece, Kansas called, AneMae's. AneMae's also carries health foods which is awesome for a little town like ours. They also serve organic and healthy lunches!!! They are my second favorite specialty store here, the first being Magnolia's Health and Home where we buy our teas.

The kids chose juice that was 100% pure and they loved it! They also chose apples and ate those too. While the juice and apples are both a natural sugar, at least there is some hope when it comes to the kids' health. While we were there I picked up some buckwheat mix for pancakes and waffles. It contains cane juice (sugar), but at least it's a little healthier than your average white flour.

So, tonight I'm planning to make buckwheat pancakes for the kids and I for dinner! Wish me luck because I know damn well I'm going to need it!!! LOL

Neewollah

This past week was Neewollah. It's our town's local event that has actually made a very good reputation for itself. As a matter of fact people come all the way from California just to be here.

For us, this year almost never happened, however. My husband was recently transferred to night shift at work and because the company he works for is short on decent employees, they're behind on their work. And of course being behind means they have to work even on their original days off. Does it mean more money? Not really. Uncle Same gets a majority of it.

However, at the last minute the company decided to let its employees off a little earlier than planned since the employees worked their asses off and then put up a fight about missing out on Neewollah. So, my husband was able to go downtown to enjoy the festival with us.

We had planned to do a few activities since money is always tight. However, we ended up splurging more than we probably should have.lol We enjoyed different foods from the vendors. Our favorite was cheesecake on a stick although the kids decided it was just way too much for them in the end. Then we headed for the white tigers cages where my husband was able to feed a full grown tiger. I'd tried to snap pics, but unfortunately my camera decided to pull a "Let's Stop Working" number and I was unable to snap any pics. Ironically after the feeding the darn camera started working again!

After visiting the tigers we headed for the haunted house which was more funny than scary. The kids enjoyed themselves, however. Our final stop was the rides, but because it cost $3 a ticket to ride, the kids got to choose one ride only. After that we listened a little to country music singer Terry Clark. I had never even heard of her until Neewollah announced her show.

Even though I didn't get any photos from the festival, I did manage to snap some cute pics of the kids during the kiddie parade. An event that sadly my husband did miss because of work. I hope you enjoy the photos as much as we do.

Tea, Neewollah and a Haunted Corn Maze

Today we stopped at our favorite tea shop again. If you live in or near Independence, KS and you haven't been, you have to check out Magnolia Health and Home! They carry so many wonderful teas that are locally grown! Today we bought grapefruit, white tropics, coconut, and a roobius mate tea. Magnolia also carries herbs for cooking and health as well as some yummy smelling candles and bath and body products.

This weekend we're headed to the Neewollah Carnival downtown. Unfortunately my husband may have to work the weekend again which means he might miss it this year. Every year the Neewollah carnival has soo many great foods that are never here during the rest of the year. There is also rides, games, crafts, musical concerts, parades, contests etc. It is always so much fun.

Next week we're planning to go to the Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze again where there will be a haunted Corn Maze Tour. So many wonderful things, so little time!

Picking Up the Trash

Last Sunday my husband and I took the kids to Reichenberger's Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch which is just outside of Independence, Kansas. The kids had already been there once before because the school took a field trip there. However, it was nice for all of us to go together and just enjoy the day, like my husband said.

One of the really fun things to do there is to go through the corn maze that is shaped like a scarecrow. We let the kids each lead in turn until one of them got us lost and then the other would lead.lol It was a blast.

But the most amazing part of our day there was my husband's determination to keep the maze clean from trash. Just about every step of the way he was looking for trash that others had left along the trail or in between the corn stalks. I was impressed. It's the first time I have ever seen him go out of his way for something he did not have to do.

I guess he was having a really good day.lol After the corn maze, we picked pumpkins to carve for Halloween. Mine is a white pumpkin. Then, my husband and the kids chucked pumpkins by slingshot, into a bucket for a chance to win prize money or beef for a year. The kids also had their pictures taken courtesy of my sister-in-law! Check it out! It was a great time.

The Power Went Out Again

Our power went out again today. This is not the first time it has gone out. At one point we were left without power for nearly 7 hours. Yet, it's not our fault. The transformer on the corner is actually the culprit, so unfortunately we are not the only ones who are experiencing the frustration of losing power so often.

Now I'm not all that familiar with how the electrical problems work, but I would assume the electric company is responsible. Sure, they've been out there every time to temp fix the problem, but the next week they are back fixing the problem again.

While it's more frustrating that anything, the main worry is, what happens when they're unable to temp fix the problem. Will we lose all of our food? Will we be the ones responsible for replacing it? My husband seems to think so. However, I do not. I don't think we should be replacing food for a problem that isn't our doing.

I remember when I lived in base housing in New Jersey and we lost power. Once everything was said and done and the power was back on, almost everyone on base had lost all of their groceries. So to correct the problem, the base refunded us with shopping vouchers at the commissary. It was nice to know that they weren't making us replace our own food.

So I would assume the electric company would need to do the same. We've already had one incident where the power was out for a very long time, I'm just worried that it will happen again!

So many teas and loving it

Since my husband had to work last Saturday, I decided it would be nice if the kids and I got out of the house for the day. So we window shopped downtown. Well, sort of. You see, a few weeks ago I was listening to our local radio station when they announced a shop that I had yet to discover downtown on Penn street in our little town of Independence, Kansas. The shopped offered the one thing my husband and I cannot get enough of... Teas!

So the kids and I stopped in the Magnolia shop. To our surprise they carried much more than just your average tea. There are at least 20 different flavored teas, from white, green and black, as well as homemade scented body and hair products and homemade scented candles! All locally made and all of our favorite goodies in one store! We were even able to sample a tea and some homemade lotions. The kids loved it and I ended up buying a few teas that they decided on. A cream tea and a sour apple tea.

So today, I talked the hubby into stopping by Magnolia. At first he didn't want to go. His reason, he knew he'd spend money on tea if he went in. Well, he was right! He ended up spending a little under $3 total for two teas. A vanilla rooibos tea and an almond oolong tea. So very yummy!


Now I'm just wondering how long this shop is going to last. It seems every time we find a shop we really love, they end up going out of business. Small towns can never seem to keep great store around!

Is the School Responsible?

About 3 1/2 weeks ago the kids got into trouble for fighting with each other on the school bus here in Independence, Kansas. Because they did not need to ride the bus directly after that for the next three weeks, we had to drop the bus slips off at school. We told the school of the situation and they told us they'd get the slips to the bus barn.

Today we learned the kids were told by the bus driver that they could not ride the bus anymore because the driver hadn't received the bus slips. This creates a serious problem since the kids have to ride the bus to and from school each day with their mom, generally, every other week.

So I called and left a message with the principal, hoping that something can be done immediately about the situation. Since Q often has outbursts due to his autism, it isn't always easy for him to abide by bus rules. Often times his sister, T has to get him to calm down when he does have an outburst on the bus.

This isn't the first time the kids have had problems on the bus either. Last year T had to defend Q several times because other kids were making fun of him for his autism and I don't think those kids were ever disciplined for it either. Also, last year , the bus driver allowed the kids to get off the bus where we found them wandering alone on a very busy street. So whose responsibility is it? We trust our kids with the school and school buses every single day, but they never seem to be at fault.

No Jobs Here in Independence, Kansas

Lately jobs have been limited. Especially around small towns like Independence, Kansas. The reason for that is, the economy. There have been four major businesses in this town alone that have either 1) laid people off or 2) closed it's doors.

As a result of course, no jobs. So I imagine a lot of people have been visiting our local job service office or visiting online to do a job search. Some have even gone as far as moving away from this small town. I don't blame them, however. There is not a lot of job opportunities in this area and unfortunately, things are just going to get worse. We knew this was going to happen, however. We've known all along. It's just, people are just now starting to open their eyes and realize just how serious things are.

Dealing with Renting a Vehicle.

We were able to drop my oldest son off without any problems no thanks to Enterprise. I once praised this company. I don't any longer. Not because the car I was suppose to rent came back as a wrecked vehicle and not because they didn't have another vehicle to replace it with. It was because they didn't bother to tell me of the situation until after everything had closed.

To make matters worse, early the next morning they never called me back even after knowing the situation was of dire importance. Even a simple yes or no I don't have any vehicles available, would have been helpful. Instead they avoided the situation. Very bad. Very bad for business. So I told them I will not be renting from them again. Instead I rented from CM Motors.

I might not like the fact that CM Motors doesn't have unlimited miles, but at least they have better customer service!

Artwork From a Stranger

When I was still working at Microtel here in Independence, KS I had a gentleman who stayed with us from Missouri, make me and several other of our employees some beautiful artwork. One was a 3d piece and the other two were 3d drawings. I don't really know why the gentleman left us with such wonderful pieces, but I know I for one was ecstatic. Even more ironic is that his last name is the same as mine. Mr. Larry Smith. It's rare for me to get a gift. Even if it does come from the kindness of a stranger's heart.

The two drawings I would love to place in picture frames eventually. For now they sit on my fireplace mantel and that's where they will remain.

Taking a Walk

I walked 5 miles to the Independence Public library today. I really thought I was in shape for the walk, but as it turns out... I'm really not. I guess I need to start getting out and walking more often. The walk was not only exhausting, I'm tired because of it and a nap is something I can't afford to take right now.

At least it's peaceful and quiet right now.lol My son has been playing video games and watching movies constantly for the past several days. Getting out of the house did him some good. He was asking me about watching a movie when he got back and I'm holding him off for a while.lol I like the peace and quiet.

Besides, when the hubby gets home their going to be playing video games all night long anyway.The silence is so very nice.

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July everyone. I hope everyone who celebrated had a safe 4th of July. It seems a few had some problems with city firework displays. Luckily it sounds like no one was hurt. A few years ago our city's firework display went off and shook the entire town. No one was seriously injured, but it's interesting how for the past 3 years we haven't had a real firework's display. Last year was because our city flooded out and we had no water since our city's water was under water. HA!

Police Officers Who Go Above and Beyond

I have a friend who is a police officer for the Independence, Kansas Police Department. He's a great guy and does his job well. Which, is why I rarely get a chance to see him! Police Officers are on duty more than a lot of people think. They take on a very difficult job working around the clock with 6 or 7 days on the job, no time off and the pay isn't outstanding either. But then there are the rewards of knowing your helping in your community and protecting people and that of course is the best reward of all.

As off the subject as this is, I have often wondered where police departments order their police gear. Do they go through a certain company that is standard issue or can they choose their own? No matter what, I am sure the officers are allowed to purchase some things on their own as long as it doesn't go against standard and safety issue.

For example: Luminox watches are certainly not a standard issued item, but I don't see why our local law enforcement wouldn't be allowed to wear them while they are on duty.

I think they would also make a nice gift for our local officers who do go above an beyond their call of duty. Well, who knows, maybe the chief of the Independence, Kansas Police Department is reading this and might consider the nice gift idea. What do you think? Do you know of any police officers who go above and beyond their duty?

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