Politics

I haven't posted much lately and I have not been political when I did post.  It was a really bad political season and it seemed to go on forever.  It should be over today, but I don't think it is. Not by a long shot.

I did the one thing I said I would never do.  I voted for Hilary Clinton.  I absolutely can not stand her and there is very little that she stood for that I agreed with.  But I dislike and distrust Trump even more.

I was surprised when he won and not surprised at the same time.  I'm not quite sure where to go from here, I guess we'll have to figure that out as we go along.

OK So it's Tuesday

And I don't really have a lot to talk about, but I am going to try to get back into the blogging thing!

I don't want to upset Froggy, after all!  :)

I was looking back over some of the stuff I posted in the past.  This year has not been very busy at all, especially compared to last year.  The last 3 or 4 years, we were dealing with Bill's job/hell-on-Earth situation and then last year had a lot of car/Otter/Otter's roommate/Otter's multiple moves happening.  But this year has been fairly calm.  Which is a Very Good Thing.

The Presidential election is in a very short few weeks.  I will be so glad when it's over!  It's one of the dirtiest I can recall.  I'm not impressed with either of them.  I'm not normally quiet about who I vote for, but this year I may be.  It's just not a good choice, either way!

I like this one:

And this one:

But I think I have a better choice:

Maggie Moo & Babbicat!  (Babbiecat is J's cat).

July 4, 2016

Thoughts on Orlando

I am a conservative Christian.  That has not and will not change.  But I'm realizing that I have also been very judgmental.  That is something that needs to change.

I still believe and always will believe that some things are not right, they are against what the Bible clearly says and as such they are against God's laws.  Man can make his own laws but that does not change God's laws.

However, we can all make our own lifestyle choices.  And we shouldn't be judged for that.  We should be respectful of each other and each other's choices.  I don't have to agree with specific choices that people make.  They don't have to agree with mine.  What we all need to do is accept that we are not all the same and that we don't have to be.

What happened in Orlando on Sunday night was an act of terrorism.  There is no doubt about that.  At this point, it may have been anti-gay or it may have "just" been anti-American.

But the actual reason for the shooter's actions don't really matter in the long run.  Innocent people were murdered.  Families are torn apart and everyone of those people had parents, friends and people who they loved and who loved them.  Parents and families that are now having to deal with the worst pain possible.

No matter what choices we make in life, we are all special to God.  And we are all, hopefully, special to other people - friends, family whether family is by blood relationship or not.

And nothing, NOTHING, can excuse the taking of another's life.

We are all diminished by the death and pain caused Sunday night by a madman.

Memorial Day 2016

Let us not forget them.  Any of them.  And what they were willing to do for us.

74 Years

Never Forget.

Amen

Veterans Day 2015

Thank you.  All of you.

Are We Really Surprised?

Because nobody should be.

Not Surprised At All!!!!!

In Memoriam

Never forget.

To Remember

December 7, 1941

Never forget their sacrifice.

Cold Stuff's a'Comin!!**

It's cold and has been for days.  But it's fixin** to get colder.  And the forecast also includes what we refer to as the "S" Word:  SNOW.  It's not expected to be much.  However, it's a documented fact that our weather people do not know what they are doing until and unless it is happening "now" so one of two things will happen if we do get snow:  a)  not much or b) SNOWMAGEDDON.

 

I think that it will be a), but I'm always prepared anyway.  I got dog food yesterday, but I literally ran out completely yesterday morning and almost didn't have enough.  Actually, I didn't have enough but they got a torn up slice of bread with what little kibble we had left and a couple extra morning treats.  I stopped for milk this morning, we weren't completely out but were close.  While I don't think we'll get much, if any, I really don't want to have to get out to go buy milk if it is as cold as is probably will be.

 

I did not forget about Veteran's Day.  I posted something on Facebook and was going to post it here but I got busy and by the time I remembered it, it was too late and I was too tired.  But I still want to say THANK YOU to all our Veteran's.  Lots of them are family and many of them are gone already (like my Dad).  But still, THANK YOU.

 

Anybody need me this weekend, I'll be curled up in front of the fireplace with yarn in one hand and a hook in the other!

 

**(Remember, I am TEXAN.  We have our own language.  That includes our own punctuation and our own pronunciation!)

Wednesday?

I know what day it is, but I have had to be reminded all day.  I don't know why, but I have been off on what day is actually is all week long!

 

Yesterday was Froggy's birthday.  I did get a card in the mail to her and I texted her birthday wishes.  But that's about the only thing I know for sure this week!

 

I spoke with Toadles yesterday.  He reminded me about something today, which I knew of but hadn't done the math for yet:  Dad earned his Purple Heart 70 years ago,

 

Rain today!  Lots of it, at 3:30 when I left work the radio news was on and they were reporting that Tulsa had received at least one inch of rain.  Just since mid-morning.  It came down all day and some of the rain was heavy.  It's quit now, but there is probably still more on the way for tonight and tomorrow.

 

Bill got the first truckload of firewood yesterday.  He went to the lumberyard and loaded up the back of the White Lightning, but when he went to pay for it - they told him he could just have it for free this time.  We've made a good start on the wood we need for this winter, but we want to get more.  Anywhere from 2 to 4 more truckloads.  He was going to get another load today, a little rain wouldn't have been a problem but it was too much rain today so it'll be next week sometime.

 

The "sometime" is subject to change.  I'm getting Billyboy to the doctor tomorrow, he has a spot on his left hand that is in all probability the next skin cancer to be removed.  It's actually been coming up for a while, but there were some changes where Bill works and they were unable to take any time off at all before July 1st.  But since the dermatologist couldn't get him in until tomorrow, it doesn't really matter I guess!  He's not seeing the same doctor he saw last summer.  For good reason, that dermatologist turned out to be the one I went toe-to-toe with when Otter was little and she got sub-standard care.  Sub-standard would actually have been better than this guy!  But we didn't realize that until Bill saw him the first time last summer and we decided we didn't want to change doctors in the middle of treatment.  However, we knew that when it was time for the next skin cancer removal (there are always more!) that we'd be finding a different doctor.  The one that Bill really liked retired a few years back, but we are going to the same office he was out of and Bill will be treated by another doctor in that practice.  Keep your fingers crossed that he's a good doctor and that Bill likes him!

 

I'm taking tomorrow off, Bill is off both tomorrow and Friday.  The doctor may say that he wants to just do a biopsy and then have Bill come back later for the removal, but Bill will not go for that.  He'll need to get it all out at once, or at least give it a good try.  So, I took tomorrow off and Otter is off on Friday if Billyboy needs home nursing - which he might, but I don't think it will be like last year's skin cancer removal from the bridge of his nose.

 

I'm tired.  Otter had to be in to work at 5:30 this morning, so she got up about 4:00.  Bill woke up somewhere around that time, they both tried not to wake me up but I think the lights on in the office/pachinko workroom and Otter's bedroom were just enough that I was aware of them.  I tried to go back to sleep for a while, but it was hopeless so I got up about 4:30.

 

Friday is the 10th Anniversary of when we moved into our current home.  Our tradition is that we get pizza, since it was the first meal we had here.  When we moved out of the old house, we had McDonald's because that was the first real meal we had there - it was actually before we moved in, but the house was ours at that point because we had closed on it that afternoon.  We decided to continue that tradition here.  If we ever move (I'm not planning on it!), our final meal here will be pizza as well.  We have pepperoni pizza every August 1st or as close to it as we can.

 

Pizza Pizza!

Where We Stand

Happy 4th of July! (And Other Stuff, Too)

Home of the free, because of the brave.

 Now, for the other stuff:

 

 Froggy, it might be a few days before I can get anymore work done on Uncle Crazy's blanket.  Blame one of these:

 

 

Left hand, forefinger just below the lowest knuckle on the inside of my finger.  The Alaskan ulu knives have to be carefully hand washed and the water has to be kept from the wooden handle.  We used ours on pizza tonight, and it worked wonderfully by the way.  But when I was getting ready to wash it, it had a little cheese still stuck on it so I rubbed it on a wadded up paper towel that I had in my left hand.  And that's when I learned just how razor-sharp they really are!  It's not a bad cut, but it is in a bad place.  And I'm a Redhead, so of course I bled.  A LOT.

 

The final week day of our vacation started out with going out for breakfast.  We discussed the Hog Trough, but they don't offer breakfast during the week so we went to a local well-known place and had a really good meal.  Otter and I went shopping, Bill begged off so we took him home first.  Among other places, we went to the mall.  I wanted to get some leather cleaner/conditioner at the Coach store.  They carry it, no problem at all with getting it.  But then I made a mistake (well, I don't think it was a mistake...) and talked to the sales clerk.  She promptly told me about the specials they have and the clearance corner had plenty of specials!  Needless to say, another Coach bag came home with me.  $298 marked down to $149, black leather and it's very nice.  Love it when I get a good deal!  They also tossed in another dust bag for the one I got at the outlet store in Austin, one came with the new purse and I also bought the cleaner/conditioner.  Otter was more than willing to enable me help the sales clerk with her pitch!  Yes, I know - 1 or 2 is fine but 3 makes a collection!

 

We went to a thrift store before we took Bill home, then Otter and I hit another one.  We also went to our favorite used book store and found a few books, and we hit Wallyworld.  Apparently, we are among the few people who DON'T wait until the last minute to get supplies for things like picnics on the 4th of July!  They were so crowded.  We found the smallest checkout line and got in it, then a lady from the jewelry department was roaming the lines and getting people with small enough amounts of items and checking them out in the jewelry department so we didn't have to wait as long as we could have.

 

We had "cardboard pizza" from wally's deli for our 4th of July dinner (the ulu knife worked so well on it.)  Otter found her sparklers from last year, she also had a few smoke bombs and some poppers but I'm not sure if she's going to set them off with the sparklers or not.  But I did tell her that I had a heavy-duty yardstick to duct tape to her back if she needs to be held upright!!!

 

The living room has been reclaimed from the pachinko mess junk trash pile work area.  Bill got it all finished up this afternoon.  Otter and I got all three of my yarn drawers moved into the living room, after I vacuumed and cleaned up the area where the pachinko stuff has been for the last few years.  While we were at Wally, I bought two under-bed Rubbermaid type boxes and we put a lot of the stuff that had been in tote bags and on the shelf in the office closet into them.  There is still some stuff that is in our closet, and a few other things that were on my desk.  But they will eventually find a better storage space.  They're out of the way now, mostly anyway.  I'm going to move one of the plants, probably a peace lily from the bedroom, to the sofa table.  We're also going to get mini-blinds for the living room window and I think at that point I'm going to get rid of the curtains in that window.  I was going to go by Lowe's today, but I decided to wait and do that one day this week on the way home from work.

 

Now, it's time to enjoy the fact that I have my living room back!

Pachinko Room Progress Report, Day One

Actually, we had already started some of the project before today but today was the first day we really had time to get a lot done.  I moved my desk out from where it was at to a temporary spot in the office room, vacuumed several places and got a lot of Bill's stuff on the shelves in the closet.  When Bill got home after work today, we moved his desk to where mine was originally, then I moved my desk from the temporary spot to where his had been.  Bill moved the 2-drawer wooden filing cabinet we have in there.  We moved the plastic milk crate cabinet, I vacuumed and dusted, we rearranged quite a bit of stuff, cleaned out some stuff to donate and Bill also moved the wireless modem box which is now attached to the wall.  There is still some work to be done in there, but mainly it's things like the several weeks worth of filing I have to do and some work on the shelves.  But mostly we are done with the big stuff, Bill's about 3/4 of the way through with a restoration project and he's going to finish it before he moves the actual machines, tools, parts and 2 plastic drawer units back there.  He's at a point where the restoration project can't really be moved - too many parts that can be lost, and it's a commissioned job (not his machine in other words) so it's not worth taking a chance.  But the light is at the end of the tunnel and it's very bright!

 

Otter had to be in at 5:30 this morning, Monday is Truck Day and she's part of inventory control now.  She also out-worked most of the male truck crew; 2 of them basically did everything they could NOT to do their actual jobs - which she'll probably mention to someone.  She was supposed to get off at 1:30, but about 12:45 her boss told her to go home and get some rest because she was obviously tired and he knew how hard she'd been working.

 

I got up with Otter at 4:30, Bill got up at 5:00 and she left about 5:15.  He left at 6:00.  And about 10 minute after that, I went back to bed!  Actually, I went to the couch and not actually to bed, but I got about another hour and a half of sleep - after I had a visit from a very large, furry dog who was overjoyed that "mama" was there.  Frasier eventually decided it was ok to lie down and then Maggie Moo discovered my presence on the couch.  So it was probably closer to 6:30 when I fell asleep, after I'd decided that I might not be going back to sleep because of the poochsters.  When I woke up, they were both snoozing right beside the couch.

 

Along with the work in the office/pachinko room today, I also did some housecleaning.  The kitchen floor gets regular sweeping, but Fraiser is fluffy and he sheds so much in the spring and summer.  He's had a couple of brushings, I tackled him either yesterday or Saturday afternoon and brushed the bejeebers out of him.  Filled up a plastic grocery store bag with fluff from him and there is still more!  He looks very sleek now, he loves the brushing out but he still had a lot that he was shedding and it seems to all collect on the kitchen floor for some reason.  I did a few loads of laundry and vacuumed the house in general.  I also watered Otter's crop of jalepenos, mint and rosemary out on the back deck and then I refilled my watering can from the rain barrel because I'm eventually going to transplant the wandering jew.  I bought a larger plastic pot for it, but I'm not really sure if it's going to be big enough.

 

After Otter got home, she took a shower and relaxed for a little while.  Then we went to Wallyworld.  I bought Bill a new pair of pj bottoms, he seems to go through them at a fast rate for some reason.  We picked out Captain America pj's for him this time!  It's just the emblem on one leg and the words Captain America, but he thought it was funny which is what we were going for.

 

Before we went to Wallyworld, in fact when Otter got home, we had to take care of a wasp nest at the front door.  Literally right beside the doorbell.  Normally, we wait until dusk when they are all heading for home but we couldn't wait this time.  Otter was almost not able to get in the door, they seemed to view her as a threat just by her presence.  She got in, quickly, and then she brought me the spray.  I got one of them, the other one just barely managed to get away from the spray stream.  He got splashed with it, and he was flying wonky but he did fly away.  I made sure the first one was actually dead, then I got my rain-filled watering can and washed the dead one and the spray overshoot from the porch.  And that's when the first little beastie came back!  And tried to get me as I was going back in the door.  Otter brought me the spray again, and this time I got him.  With a lot of spray, I was taking no chances with this one - he was obviously aggressive and mad.  So, I rinsed the porch off again, along with the doorbell and a small plaque we have above the doorbell since I sprayed a lot and all over the place to be sure I got the 2nd one.  When we were leaving to go to Wallyworld, there was another one out there but we think he was a scout from elsewhere because he was gone when we got home and he didn't show up again as far as we can tell.  I'm calling them wasps, but they might well have actually been small hornets - small being a relative term!  Wasps are somewhat aggressive, but not like these two were.  We will watch for any returning but we think that the two were probably the only ones starting this particular nest. 

 

Otter did some sewing this afternoon, she's been working on her cosplay clothing for TNT.  It's fairly detailed this time.  She needs several different colors of felt for some of the decoration, we will probably hit a craft store in the next few days and it may well be Hobby Lobby.

 

We're so thrilled with the SCOTUS and decision they made today.  The issue is not about birth control, it is about the government not having the right to tell a PRIVATE, FAMILY OWNED business how it can or cannot operate.  The government simply does not have that right.

 

OK, cake time!  Otter made a lemon cake yesterday (or maybe Saturday) and I think I need to go keep it from getting lonely.

70 Years

 70 years.

They truly were the Greatest Generation.

We can't forget any of them, especially the ones who stayed behind.  They gave up their future for generations yet unborn.

If you ever get the chance, say Thanks.  It's the least we can do, after all.

Miss you, Dad.

Puppy Tales and Other Stuff

The dogs have been wrangled and we're now covered in dog fur.  Thanks, Frasier!

 

Anyway, they are very healthy and the vet was pretty impressed with Frasier.  He doesn't think that the cataracts will get worse, or at least not much worse.  Given the dog's age, he is in pretty good shape.  The vet found no evidence of any hip dysplasia or joint issues like shepards get sometimes, no sign of arthritis or any severe issues with his ears this time.  Maggie Moo did really good, she usually does fine until she realizes where she is and the turns into a brick.  Bricks just lie there and don't walk on their own, they have to be dragged or sometimes picked up and carried.  That's her usual trick at the vet's, but not today.  She was happy to get there, happy to go inside, happy to get weighed (29 pounds) and happy to go into the exam room.  She was happy to go with the vet tech to get her butt squished and nails clipped, she was happy to come back to us.  She was glad to see the vet when he came in and happy while he examined her.  She was a little droopy when she got her shot, but she was really not all that upset.  Frasier (71 pounds) was happy but he wasn't too thrilled with the exam.  But he tolerated it, the vet was pretty thorough checking all Frasier's joints and his spine.  The vet was fine with getting the tranquilizers refilled, I gave Frasier one last night and he slept all night - no early waking and barking.  I will probably give him one tonight and then maybe tomorrow night.

 

Both doggies were happy to get home, and they both immediately took a nap.  Maggie likes to sit underneath the coffee table, she just hangs out there and seems to enjoy it.  She is a weird little doggie, that's for sure.

 

We watched the rest of the History Channel mini-series on the World Wars.  It was pretty good, although the final episode was rushed.  There were so many things that they had to leave out, otherwise it would be months long.  But some of the things that they left out should have been included.  There were also things that I think should have been expanded.  I'm not sure if anything should have been left out.  It was very good "in general" but even as good as it was, I think it could have been better.

 

We've decided to change the booth.  We had been discussing giving our 30 days notice on Sunday (June 1st) but after we talked about it, Bill wants to keep the original booth but I don't really think I want to continue with my part.  Otter said she doesn't care either way, most of her sales were in the first month and she hasn't had anything sell for a while.  I've had a few things sell this month, but I don't think that a lot of things have sold and I'm pretty well out of things to clean out.  Also, the next logical step would be to start buying things to resell but we've "been there, done that" before and really don't want to get into that again.  It worked for eBay, when eBay was first starting and we rode that train as long as it lasted.  But that train has left the station and I think it derailed!  So, we're going to go back to the original size and Bill's going to leave the pachinko machines in it.  If I (or Otter) have something later that we want to sell, we'll put it in the booth but I think I'm pretty well "sold out" now.  I called the owner and asked him if we would have to do the 30 days notice on the half we are relinquishing, but he said we don't.  He also said we can wait until Sunday, which is actually the first, instead of getting all the stuff out of the 2nd half on Saturday.  Which was nice of him, maybe we'll have some major sales on Saturday - well, it would be nice anyway.  Bill has only sold a couple of pachinko machines, but one of them was one of the higher cost machines so the sales still outweigh the booth cost.  But Bill also thinks that it's fairly cheap as far as advertising and getting the machines into people's vision, so he'll probably keep the booth for a while even if he doesn't sell a machine any time soon.

 

However, I'm still going to shop there!

Maggie? Maaaagiiiiiiiieeeeeee!!!!!!!!! MAGGIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When we call the dogs, we have a specific way we say each of their names.  Maggie Moo has a frequent case of "convenient hearing" when we call her - which means she ignores whomever is yelling for her.

 

A few days ago, she was out in the back yard doing whatever beagles do when they are on their own.  Usually crawling under the shed in her case!  I called her several times and then I realized something.  The resident mockingbird has learned to call her, too!  Not that she listened to the bird anymore than she did to me, but it was really funny to hear the bird.  The mockingbird doesn't quite have the word down yet, but "he" had the exact cadence and pitch exactly.  I think it's probably a matter of time until the bird learns to mimic the actual word "Maggie."  Then it's going to be really fun!

 

Froggy, you asked me about Bill's shoe size:  11 1/2 Wide.  He tried on a pair at the store in question today and I know which style so I know what to get him at the discounted place.  I don't know how much the store wanted for them today, the ones I like are $108 at the store in Tulsa that sells them.  I'm sure the discounted place is much cheaper, it was the last time I was there.  I'm not sure if Otter wants any of that particular brand, I'll ask her and if she does want any then we'll go by the shoe store on Saturday after the flea market so she can pick a pair out and I'll get the size and style.  But I think she's got several pairs of sandles already so I'm not sure if she'll want any more or not.  But they do have some really cute purses...

 

I called the vet today and ordered more of the tranquilizers for Fraiser.  He doesn't need them very often, but I like to keep them on hand and I think the bottle we have now only has one or two left.  I'm thinking I'll probably give him one tonight, he's been pretty good at night but he's waking up earlier and earlier here lately.  When he wakes up, he's ready to go outside to visit the grass.  We usually get up around 5:00 on weekdays, but he's been barking his "gotta go outside" bark earlier and it was probably around 4:45 this morning.  I'm not going to let him get into the habit of thinking I'm going to get up and let him out just because he barks because I don't think he really wants out.  This morning, he didn't seem to actually want out at all - I think he just wanted me.  I'm going to break this habit before it gets going again, nobody wants to go through that again!

 

I got the oil changed in my car this morning.  If I get there right at 7:00, when the Chevy place opens, they can generally get my car done and I get on the road to work by 7:40 and sometimes earlier.  I got about 1 1/2 rows done on my current crochet project while I waited.

 

Happy news:  I bought a pair of blue jeans today.  And they are a size smaller than the ones I bought in December!  The ones I bought in December had gotten pretty loose, but I really wasn't sure if the next size down would fit me yet or not.  I was very pleasantly surprised that it did, so of course I had to buy them!  Actually, I really did need them since the other pair are pretty loose and Otter likes to tease me about wearing my jeans low - because I raised my arms the other day and the front of my jeans dropped quite a bit exposing my belly.  She thought it was really funny, for some reason!

 

We've been watching The World Wars mini-series on the History Channel.  It's really good, very well done.  It's a lot to pack into 6 hours, but they have done a very good job.

 

OK, I think that was everything I wanted to talk about tonight.

Memorial Day

We must remember the sacrifices made by others so that we can be Free.

Thank you all.

Never Forget Their Sacrifice

72 Years




Never Forget.