Spring is a Time for Change

Hubcaps and Gravy is making some changes. During our time of transition we will be temporarily suspending our website. We hope to have our website back up and running in the not too distant future. In the meantime you can still find all of our great gift items on Ebay. Just use the Advanced search option, click on Find a member, and enter hubcapsandgravygiftshop in the User ID field. Check back here and on our Facebook page for updates. To contact us, you can email us at hubcapsandgravy@sbcglobal.net. We’ll keep you posted.

What's new?

Lots of new items are showing up at Hubcaps and Gravy. We are gearing up for holiday shopping season; so many new jewelry items are hitting our catalog on a daily basis. We expect to be adding many more items over the next month; so keep your eyes peeled.

Some of the new items are coming from our tried and true suppliers because we know our loyal customers expect the styles and quality they have come to love. In addition, we are proud to announce our very own line of jewelry, Juney Moon Designs. Our in-house designer is working hard to create fashionable jewelry that is not only beautiful; but also affordable for anyone. Look for these items to show up any day now.

Already here is our line of themed charm bracelets. We have everything from nautical designs to cowgirl themed bracelets. These bracelets are fun for just about any age; and make terrific gifts.

We have some stunning new diamond simulant earrings in many different styles. These earrings provide the look of diamonds without the huge cost. Perfect gifts for girlfriends, wives, mothers, or just about anyone. One of our favorites is our Champagne Diamond Simulant Rose Gold Filled Dangle Earrings.

We don’t want to leave the guys out; so we are trying hard to find and create new designs for men. Check out our Mens Skull Black Leather Bracelet for those who like edgy fashion.

Over the next few weeks we will be posting new items on our Facebook page as they arrive. So, if you haven’t already, be sure to like us on Facebook. Also, visit hubcapsandgravy.com often to see all that’s new.

           

Have We Lost Our Sense of Humor?

Seems like every week I read in the newspaper or see on Facebook that someone is bent out of shape about something someone else said; and is suing, protesting, or just generally lashing out. On the surface, this seems reasonable. However, many times the things that are said are done in humor. Have we become so overly sensitive that we can’t take a joke anymore?

I was taught as a child to be considerate of others feelings. That included not saying hurtful things. My parents were fun-loving people; and they both knew how to inject humor into just about any situation. I learned that “poking fun” in a non-hurtful way was harmless; but even this now seems to be off limits. If comedians stop poking fun at themselves, their families, or others; how will they write their material?

Many times when the average person attempts humor, the words that come out of our mouths go too far; and as soon as we’ve said them we wish we could take them back. We should be apologetic for these instances to the appropriate people. However, I don’t believe we should be condemned or ostracized for life because we simply made a blunder. After all, it is just a mistake; and we all make them.

I know that sometimes celebrities and others in the public eye cross the line. When this happens it seems they are blasted from every angle. They may lose their job or be boycotted. Should they be made to pay dearly for voicing their opinion? I think not. I believe we should just chalk these instances up to a bad joke or possibly plain old stupidity.

The point I’m trying to make here is that we all need to lighten up. Life is much too short to sweat the small stuff. Don’t we all have bigger things to worry about? So remember, “Sticks and stones…”; and laugh it up!

Plan a Party with Pizazz

Independence Day is only a few days away; and many of us are celebrating by throwing a party. Whether you are planning a barbecue with paper plates and a paper tablecloth or a formal dinner party with the finest linens and china, our tips will help your party be a success.

Parties are meant to be fun for everyone, even the host. Having a party can be stressful if you don’t have a plan. We have found it is best to write out your plan. Doesn’t have to be an elaborate spreadsheet with charts and graphs; just put your thoughts in writing. This will help you to remember things that you may otherwise forget.

Determine the number of guests before anything else. This number will affect everything from the location of the party to the amount of food you need to prepare. Next, where will you have this party? At a park? At your home? Another location? Remember some locations require reservations and may need to be booked well in advance.

Now that you have your guest list and location, what will you serve at the party? Perhaps your gathering is a child’s birthday party where you will only be serving cake and ice cream; or maybe, you are serving a five course dinner. Either way you need to make a menu. This will allow you to easily make your shopping list. Don’t leave anything out. If you are having hamburgers and hot dogs, will you be serving them on a bun with mustard and ketchup? You get the idea. Think about the time you will have to prepare food on the day of the party. Come up with ideas for dishes you can make ahead of time or perhaps buy ready-to-serve items. You don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen the whole time. You want to be able to spend time having fun with your guests.

As soon as you have planned your menu, start your shopping list. Don’t wait until the last minute. This is a surefire way of forgetting something. If you shop at the same store all the time, you can list items in the order they are in the store. This is a big time saver; and will also help you not to overlook an item on your list.

What will you do at this party? Maybe you, your family, and friends just enjoy spending time together laughing and talking. Perfect! No need to plan anything else. However, sometimes other activities can be fun such as playing a game. If this fits into your plan, make sure you have everything you need beforehand. You don’t want to find out during your party that you forgot a key item for the game.

Give your party a festive theme; and make it memorable. If you are having a Christmas party, chances are you have already decorated your home for the holiday. If you are throwing a fourth of July bash, then you may want to show your patriotic spirit by decorating with red, white, and blue. Check your local “dollar” stores for inexpensive items that will give your party that special something your guests will remember. For example, instead of flowers for an Independence Day celebration, group small flags in a vase for the table centerpiece. Place small blue paper cups filled with red candies and tied with a white ribbon at each guest’s place. You can write each guest’s name on the cup if you want to have a seating arrangement. Don’t go overboard. You don’t need to decorate every nook and cranny. Use your imagination; and have fun with your theme. Do your decorating a day or two ahead of time. You’ll be glad you didn’t put this off until the last minute.

Have a back up plan. You planned a picnic; and the weather forecaster says it will rain. Does the picnic area have a covered shelter? Can you move the party inside your home? Not having an alternative location in mind could spell disaster. Even if the weather cooperates, you still need a back up plan. Your guests have arrived and are enjoying hors d’oeuvres and cocktails while you finish cooking dinner. Uh oh! You burned the beans. What now? Having some frozen veggies that cook quickly or a ready-to-serve bagged salad on hand can be a lifesaver. When all else fails, order pizza. Your guests need not know about the beans; or maybe you all will have a good laugh over the crispy critters.

Above all, relax. If you go with the flow, your guests will feel relaxed, too. Bottom line, it really doesn’t matter if you sit around a gleaming dining table eating prime rib or you serve frozen pizza on paper plates and eat cross-legged on the floor. If you make your guests feel welcome and at ease, all of you will have a great time.

Much Ado About Nothing

Today’s blog is about nothing. Yes, I said nothing. I thought I had an idea; however, I was wrong. So in lieu of something insightful, thought provoking, or informative, I will attempt to write about nothing at all.

First, what is nothing?  The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines nothing as follows:

nothing pronoun \ˈnə-thiŋ\

1. not any thing :  no thing nothing to the imagination>

2.  no part

3.  one of no interest, value, or consequence nothing to me>

Does providing the definition of nothing mean that I just wrote about something? I suppose some would say so. I say nothing means nothing; and I’m writing this, so there.  I do realize there are times when nothing does mean something like when a husband/boyfriend asks his wife/girlfriend what is wrong. If she replies”nothing”, guys it DEFINITELY means something. Watch out!

I have come to the conclusion that most of us do nothing most of the time. I’ll prove it to you. How many times do you call up a family member or friend and ask them what they are doing only to hear the reply “Nothing”. Happens to me all the time. Also, when I get the calls; and am asked, I reply “nothing” proving that I’m just as lazy as anybody. Admit it. You say you’re doing nothing, too.

There is another instance when many of us seem to embrace nothing. When asked “what would you like for your birthday?”, we reply “nothing”. Some of us really mean nothing while others mean something; but are just being nice. I admit that I’ve been guilty of saying nothing when I meant something. Okay, okay, I’m a material girl. I don’t believe that disqualifies me to write about nothing. Besides, seems like I’m pretty good at it.

To sum up all this nothingness, I would simply like to say that even when you don’t have an idea in your head, there is still nothing. Maybe next time, I’ll write about “something”.

Family Gatherings - Celebration or Chaos?

We know many of you have a big family gathering planned soon. You’ve most likely just spent days cleaning and cooking in preparation for the celebration. You are excited, exhausted, and a little worried. Will your mom hover over you while you prepare the meal, telling you everything you are doing wrong? Will Grandma hound your thirty-something sister incessantly about when she will marry and have a baby? Will your dad insist on carving the ham while waving around the carving knife in front of your new husband? Will Uncle Billy drink too much and tell Aunt Martha the reason she never married is because she looks like the rear end of a buffalo? What do you do outside of hiring a family therapist or a bouncer to be in attendance? We have a few hints and tips that just may help keep the peace.

Family members who try to help by telling you where you are going wrong usually mean well, especially moms and dads. If the torch has passed to you to host the holiday festivities mom and dad may be feeling a little left out or useless. This could be the underlying cause of their well meant yet unwanted “help”. Let them be helpful. Think about it beforehand; and put them in charge of a task that will keep them out of the kitchen. Ask dad to serve the drinks; and mom to set the table in the dining room.

One of our best helpful hints is that some topics should be avoided like the plague such as politics and religion. However, if someone does tread into these waters and a heated discussion arises; try not to take sides. If asked your opinion, sidestep. An answer like “I’m much too busy enjoying my meal to voice an opinion on that right now” can diffuse the situation by bringing the involved parties minds back to the meal.

 No matter how hard you try to keep some family members from going at it; there seems to always be those two cousins who just can’t seem to stand each other. The best thing to do is keep them apart. Seat them on opposite ends of the dinner table. Put them in separate rooms if possible. If they still seek each other out so that they can have their annual argument, then so be it. Just go with the flow. Unless they try to draw everyone into their drama or start to throw punches let them be.

Use the shock factor. If you’ve gently tried to direct a conversation gone wrong into another more uncontroversial area and nothing seems to work, blow them out of the water by asking if they had sex this morning. If that doesn’t work, lie. Yes, we said lie. Say “did you know Aunt Martha is having an affair with a man half her age?” Even though you know it’s a lie you will get everyone’s attention; and the conversation will move in a different direction.

Probably our best tip of all is to use humor. Laughter helps everyone relax and have a good time. That is what it’s all about, isn’t it? Whenever you sense that a discussion is headed in the wrong direction, try to inject some humor. Most families have funny stories that make everyone laugh. Remember the time Holly fell in the creek; or when we were chased by killer bees at the fair? Trust me, it was funny! There’s nothing wrong with planning ahead and having some stories or jokes in reserve.

If you’ve tried all our hints and tips and mayhem still breaks out, grab a glass of wine, pull up a comfy chair, sit back, and enjoy the show. There’s always next year, right?

To Stop or Not To Stop?

Stop means stop, right? The definition of “stop” is “to cease moving, progressing, acting, or operating; come to a halt”. Recently, we found ourselves in a situation that provided us the chance to observe a busy four-way stop intersection. We immediately noticed that the majority of cars that traveled through that intersection blatantly disregarded the stop signs. So, we decided to do our own informal study.

Over the span of about 20 minutes we counted 60 cars, give or take one or two. Of the sixty cars, only half dozen cars actually came to a complete stop. That means 90% of the cars did not stop. We noticed some slowed almost to the point of stopping, some slowed down slightly, and some just rolled on through.

We wondered a few things about what we had seen. Is this driving no-no as common at all stop signs? Did the intersection itself encourage disregard for the law and safety? Were there other factors that affected the behavior?

Following is an excerpt from the California Driver Handbook - Traffic Controls section:


An eight-sided red STOP sign indicates that you must make a full “STOP” whenever you see this sign. Stop at the white limit line (a wide white line painted on the street) or before entering the crosswalk. If a limit line or crosswalk is not painted on the street, stop before entering the intersection. Check traffic in all directions before proceeding.

This states clearly that a full stop is required.

Additionally, the California Driver Handbook – Laws and Rules of the Road section says:

An intersection is any place where one line of roadway meets another roadway. Intersections include cross streets, side streets, alleys, freeway entrances, and any other location where vehicles traveling on different highways or roads join each other. Driving through an intersection is one of the most complex traffic situations motorists encounter. Intersection collisions account for more than 45 percent of all reported crashes and 21 percent of fatalities according to the Federal Highway Administration. 

Pay special attention to that last statement “Intersection collisions account for more than 45 percent of all reported crashes and 21 percent of fatalities”. Forty-five percent? Almost half? 21% fatalities? More than one-fifth of people die from intersection crashes? We know not all intersection crashes are due to failure to stop at a stop sign. Even if only half of the accidents are due to drivers running stop signs, then these are some pretty staggering statistics. At PubMed.gov a study shows that of nearly 700,000 police-reported motor vehicle crashes occurring annually at stop signs, about one-third involve injuries. 33%? That’s a lot in our book!

So, why don’t drivers obey the law and stop when it could mean an injury or worse, death? One reason we discovered is that some stop signs are placed where they are considered to be unnecessary. This seems to cause an increase in drivers ignoring the sign. We also found that many drivers believe they do not have to stop unless a pedestrian, bicyclist, or another car is approaching. Additionally in our “hurry-up society”, many drivers with busy lives seem to rush at everything they do causing them to disregard speed limits and stop signs. Distracted driving also causes drivers to blow through stop signs without even realizing they have done so until it is too late.

Our research turned up other studies whose results indicated even more staggering numbers. They suggested zero cars come to a full

and complete stop at stop signs. So, what is the answer? The threat of a $100 ticket for first offense; and $500 and up for consecutive offenses doesn’t seem to be working. We speculated that a police officer standing on each corner would cause every driver to come to a complete stop; however, this certainly isn’t practical.

 

We don’t have the solution; but we do have a suggestion. Think about what it would mean to your family or someone else’s family if a loved one was lost. Most of us would say that would be devastating. So, why take such a big risk when it is so simple to avoid it? When you drive up to a stop sign in the future, STOP! Count three seconds before moving on. Doesn’t matter if you count Mississippis or something else. Personally, we prefer alligators…one alligator, two alligator, three alligator. Just give yourself the time to be sure it is safe to move on. It could mean your life!