And The Stars Look Very Different Today

I have always loved music in (nearly) all it's forms.  I was an original Kiss Army member, the Bee Gees are way up there for me, I like a lot of country music and I really like all genres.  Prince has always been a favorite, mostly because he is very unique and somewhat ahead of the trends.  But through it all, there has always been one artist that I would call my absolute favorite.

From the first moment I heard is music in the early 1970's, there was no doubt.  He was so far beyond brilliant, there are simply not words to express the depth of his gift.

He wasn't simply a trendsetter.  He WAS the trend. 

Ziggy played guitar...

And he said goodbye to us with his last work.  That in itself is a special gift to all of us.

He succeeded wildly at it.

It certainly was never boring while he was here!

A look at the life of David Bowie

I've seen several different people that this quote it attributed to.  But it sums it up perfectly:

"If you're ever sad, just remember the world is 4.543 billion years old and you somehow managed to exist at the same time as David Bowie."

Hackers

We've been hacking and coughing for days and days.  The cold bug Bill shared with me is still hanging around.  It's actually a lot better, but I have asthma and it has been triggered big-time.  He still has the cough but he doesn't have asthma so even though he's still coughing, he's actually better than I am.  I'm getting there, it just takes a while.

It's been a busy week, even with the cold.  Bill has been thinking that he needed to get a second-hand car to drive, with the intention of parking the El Camino until at least the Spring.  It doesn't like winter and it hates icy weather.  But then Otter's car has been acting up and he's had to deal with it for her a few times.  It's still having the problem with the radiator/air/antifreeze, etc., that it was having earlier.  He thinks he knows what it is, but the weather was cold and rainy and then he was sick.  In additional, he took the El Camino to get something checked and since it's a 1976 it's kind of hard to get the part!  So, we decided it was time to just buy me a new car, Otter will get the 2008 I've been driving for a few years and he will get the 2002 that we sold to her earlier this year.  Sold being a not totally descriptive term!  Anyway, we went back to Enterprise this week and bought me a new toy.

We got a really good deal on a really nice car, it's a 2015 Chevy Impala (silver again) and it has less than 14,000 miles.  It still has the majority of the original warranty so we did not buy an extended warranty on this car.  It does not have the remote start feature, which I'm sure I'll miss in the winter, but it is bluetooth enabled and my phone is compatible.  I've enjoyed that feature, actually.  We got a very good financing offer and the payments will start in January.  When we first discussed buying a new car for me last year, I commented that I was tired of silver cars but apparently silver Impalas are just what we're supposed to have.  Not that I'm complaining!  It also has a sunroof, which I will use some but probably not that much.

The 2008 will officially be transferred to Otter and the 2002 will be transferred back to us, probably sometime next week.  We'll go to the insurance company and take care of all their needs in person, because it's going to be a little confusing.  Same thing with the tag and titles, since we are playing musical cars at the moment.

Otter and I went to the flea market at the fair grounds today.  Our favorite movie guy was there and he did his usual "discount and deal offers" which is part of why he's so much fun.  We usually buy a lot of movies from him.  Today, he had something that I've been wanting for a while but have never, ever managed to find:

This one is very rare.  Extremely rare, in fact.  He had it priced at $30.00, (which was already a very good price) but he let me have it for $20.00 with the stipulation that I buy another movie from him - which was already going to happen because I had another one in my hand and so did Otter, but he knew that - he's a lot of fun and he always makes good deals.  Then he gave us a free movie.

Bill's activities for today included replacing the faucet in the kitchen sink.  It started leaking on him this morning and when he took it apart the gasket basically disintegrated in his hands.  He went to Lowe's and found a similar one that would work and he had it installed by the time I got back from literally spending all day shopping with Otter.

I'm still coughing and actually have now lost most of my voice.  Which Bill probably thinks is a good thing, but I'm going to convince him that it is actually a bad thing!  Until then, we're watching animated Star Trek!

Serendipitous Fleas

We ventured into Tulsa today.  Twice, actually.  The first time, we went to the Tulsa Flea Market and had a good time while we were there.  We found the movie guy and bought a few movies.  I saw a few Fenton pieces but I didn't buy any.  Bill saw one pachinko machine, but it was a modern and his machines are vintage.  But the seller said he does come across vintage machines sometimes, so Bill gave him one of our cards.  We went to a few other places after the flea market, then came home and just did stuff around the house.  Bill's cell phone was kind of going crazy today, he's had a lot of calls lately about pachinko repair jobs but then he got a call that was from the guy we gave the card to this morning.  Or that's what we thought, anyway.  He said he had several machines and that he wanted to sell them.  So, back into Tulsa for us!  Turns out, he was not the guy we gave the card to after all.  But he got the card from him.  He had mentioned to the man who had the modern machine that he had several vintage machines and wanted to sell them, and the seller gave him our card.  Bill almost didn't go with me to the flea market today, I think he's really glad he did!  The man had 7 machines and they are all vintage.  He and Bill came to an agreement on price, $40 each.  To prove that we will get the rest of the machines tomorrow (we were in my car), Bill bought one of them today and it turned out to have a couple of special features, so he thinks he should to give the seller another $10 for it tomorrow and then the rest will still be $40 each.  We can't get that many machines in my car, so after church we'll take the El Camino and get the rest of them.

I think I need to go buy more yarn now!  After all, Bill's stash has increased.  So, shouldn't mine?!

Otter's moving plans are firmed up.  They will go in to the apartment early in the week and sign the new lease.  They are going to move into the new apartment on Friday, but Otter has to work Friday morning.  I'm going to take off early, probably around noon, and head over to their apartment but I'm probably stopping to pick up a couple of pizzas first.  We will move as much as we possibly can on Friday afternoon, but I'm not sure if we'll be able to get it all moved then or not.  They will pay rent on the old apartment for one day, Saturday (the 1st) and then we'll get it finished up then.  They may pay for Sunday as well, because along with moving out of the old one and into the new one, the old one will need to be cleaned.  But I'm thinking that we can probably get it all done Friday and Saturday and finish cleaning on Saturday afternoon.  It won't be a lot of cleaning.  Vacuuming, the bathroom is small so it won't take too long to clean, the kitchen is probably the biggest but it won't be too much to clean either.  Once everything is actually moved, they can unpack, assemble, etc. as they have time.  The main thing is going to be getting everything across the hall and out of the way so we can clean the old apartment up.

Something tells me that today was a lot more fun than next Saturday is going to be!  :)

Spring?

I know it's not officially Spring until this coming Friday.  But it sure feels like it today.  It was rainy all day Friday, into early yesterday morning.  Then it was cool and overcast most of yesterday.  But today started out nice and has stayed that way.  Warm-ish but not hot, the sky is blue and beautiful.  It's slightly breezy.

Unfortunately, things are beginning to bloom and I'm a little sneezy when I'm outside.  But it's worth it, at least so far, just to get to be outdoors.  The ground is a bit soft from all the rain and it is muddy in places - my dogs have spent quite a bit of time decorating the kitchen floor with a paw print pattern!

We had intended to go back to the Methodist church today but we overslept.  We'll go back there next Sunday.  Bill brought me a cup of coffee in bed this morning, it was nice to sit in the dark and wake up slowly.  I still am not a fan of Daylight Saving Time!

Otter came over yesterday to do laundry. We went to Wallyworld and I got sheets for the futon, as well as a couple of pillows.  I also bought a desk lamp which is very similar to the Pixar logo.  I didn't realize that until the cashier mentioned it - he was a friend of Otter's from high school, which explains why he always looks so familiar to me!  Anyway, the lamp works very well beside the desk.  Bill checked the light fixture in the ceiling and found out why it was so bad - two of the three bulbs were burned out!  Amazing how much brighter it is in there now...

As we were walking out of Wallyworld, there was a girl scout troop setting up a cookie booth.  Needless to say, we bought some.  I have about 7 or 8 boxes in the freezer, I'd like to get a few more boxes, hopefully I'll see at least one more booth but they only sell them through the end of March I think.

My tendinitis is really bad in my left arm.  It's actually better than I've had it in the past, it's just that I keep forgetting about it and using my left arm for something I shouldn't and then it hurts.  So, I'm forcing myself to take a crochet break.  Believe me, it ain't easy!  I had a few craft projects I had on the shelf but hadn't gotten around to yet so I'm working on them now.  I got the base coat of paint on the shadow box and part of the first coat of blue.  I was hoping it would only need one coat, but I think it's going to need two for an even color.  Otter always says that it is not a good day unless she gets paint (or markers, glue, etc.,) on her hands.  So I guess it must be a really good day for me!

Movie review: Big Hero 6.  I was pleasantly surprised by this one.  It's funny and the storyline is good.  A little predictable, but still good.  The animation is pretty good.  The best part?  The Stan Lee cameo!  It's actually an end-of-credits scene but it's really great.  Bill told me to put this one on the "to buy" list.  It was cute and I highly recommend it.

Just a Dusting Today

Both snow and real dust!

The forecast was for a light dusting of snow, dry and no ice really expected.  They seem to have gotten it right, which is somewhat scary in fact! :)  Anyway, it's very cold and that actually started last night.  The flurries were supposed to start overnight but they were a little later than expected.  It might have finally quit now (mid-afternoon) but the snowfall was heavy at times this morning.  It's only sticking a little bit on the ground, it's a fine powder and grainy.

I've also been dusting in the living room.  We cancelled the satellite tv service a couple of weeks back, since we pretty much never watched it.  Even before Otter moved out in October, we didn't watch it very much and we watched it even less after she moved.  We probably should have cancelled it a while back but it didn't really occur to either of us until we decided to switch internet providers.  The equipment was rented, I couldn't remember if we bought it originally or if we were using their.  Since it was theirs, they sent us a box to return it to them in and a list of what they needed back.  Bill had to get on the roof and get something off of the dish itself, which he did Thursday - before I got home, even though he insisted that I had to be here in case he did what he's known for!  When I got home with a carload of groceries as originally scheduled, he'd already been up there and got the piece.  The receiver box, both remotes and some other equipment needed to be unwired from the tv and that's what we did this morning.  We had to get the attic access cleared again because some of the wiring, etc., was in the attic.  Bill didn't realize that until AFTER he'd put all the pachinko machines back in place after the recent clogged drain/leak we had.  So, all the machines had to be moved back out of the way and Bill got to get up in the (very cold!) attic this morning.

While he was up there, he also got another plastic shelf set out for Otter - he couldn't find the last piece so she's getting a 4-shelf unit instead of a 5-shelf set but I don't think she'll care.  She has a complete one now, she's using it as her pantry shelves since her apartment doesn't really have one.  She wants to use one as her craft stash shelf since her dining room is now becoming her craft room.  I think she'll probably use the 5-shelf set as her craft shelf and switch the pantry stuff to the 4-shelf unit.

Also, Bill got a small wooden rocking chair that was stored up in the attic.  It was Otter's when she was a toddler, she used to sit in her little rocking chair in the living room at our old house and play with her toys or watch Sesame Street on tv.  She used it a lot and she still has fond memories of it.  It's hers and will always be, but I'm going to use it as a decor item in the craft room (that's what I'm calling her old room today.)  I'll post pictures later, when I get it situated.  It was pretty dusty, I didn't realize that it was not wrapped or boxed but was just up there.  I wiped all the dust off when I was dusting the rest of the living room and I think I'm going to hit it with pledge or whatever wood cleaner spray I have - I forgot what kind it is.

The main dusting was the entertainment center, which I hadn't done in a while, and the Fenton glass that was on it.  After the satellite receiver was undone and off the tv, Bill also removed the surround sound unit.  It was going out, two of the four speakers quit a while back (the ones by the couch) and Bill took the rest of it down today.  All that's left besides the tv is the vcr/blu-ray and the vhs recorder (we occasionally use it) and that left two shelves empty.  Which means that we now have enough room for all the dvds/blu-ray movies we have and the Bibles which were stored on one shelf are now being moved to my library shelf so I have plenty of room for the Fenton now.  I dusted it as I put it back on the entertainment center and it's only somewhat arranged.

I did quite a bit of rearranging in the craft room yesterday.  This is the current state of the Stash:

The two smaller drawer sets are stacked on top of the 5-drawer units.  The purple one in the corner doesn't have the wheels on because one of them kept falling off so it looks shorter than the rest but they are all the same size.  I took the wheels off the two smaller units.  On the flatter set, the top drawer is holding the doilies for my eventual curtain and the white 3-drawer set has netting in the middle drawer instead of actual yarn.  The netting will be used for dish scrubbies, eventually maybe if I ever get around to it and my skin cooperates!  Netting is pretty hard on the skin when crocheting with it.  I did get a little more yarn at Michael's last week, but the Stash hasn't really grown much.  I just spread it out a bit.  I have labels in front of each drawer showing what kind is in the drawers.  The two with TEXAS stickers has the Really Good Yarn.

I would love to actually get to use it, however the tendinitis is really bad at the moment.  It was getting better, treatment is mostly just resting my arm and I've been doing that.  But I did aggravate it a bit when I was rearranging my craft room yesterday but I was still able to put two rows on KN#3's blanket yesterday.  But then we had to move stuff around today and all the stuff I've mentioned already, and the end result is that my left elbow really hurts right now.  I'll rest it again a few day and let it recover.

This is the doily project I have in mind.  This is the window at a specific vintage/antique store that Otter and I go to whenever we get a chance.  When we were in there a couple of weeks ago, I asked it I could take some pictures since I got my idea here originally.  The lady that owns the store was quite happy to let me and very interested in what I'm going to do.  She wants to see a picture when I get it finished, but that may be a while.  It will take a huge number of doilies.

She used a pink fabric on the curtain rod to give her curtain a little color but I'm using different colored doilies in mine and it's going to be on a window that will have a minblind so I probably won't use the fabric underneath it.  Also, she has a shaped pattern and mine probably won't.  She said that her doilies are pinned together but I'll probably sew mine to attach them to each other.  It's really pretty in person and she did a great job.  I've bought a lot of my doilies there, she realizes that they are not worth a whole lot of money and sells most of her for anywhere from 50 cents each to a buck or two for the bigger or fancier ones.  Which is a fair price, but I still see them in antique stores/booths for several dollars each - for the little, plain ones!  They aren't that hard to make, I just don't like thread crochet and I don't mind paying a little more for the old ones or intricate ones.  But plain doilies in one color with basic stitches?  No.

Otter come over yesterday after she got off work.  She brought the car back for Bill for this coming week, brought her laundry (of course!) and brought fixins* for the salsa she planned to take to J's Oscar watch party today.  She used my Ninja blender to make it.  I suggested she make more than she intended to, salsa has a tendency to disappear fast and hers is pretty good.  She used Bill has her taste-tester and then she make sure to leave him a bowl full.  He ate his already!  Anyway, she had asked me to take her to J's mom's house for the party and since we were concerned about the weather for today I actually took her over there yesterday.  J's mom was glad to see her and she'll be there for a couple of days.  On the way, they live in a small town that's not exactly neighboring to our small town but is still pretty close, we went to a thrift store.  We went to Goodwill and they were more crowded than I have ever seen them.

Turned out, all their clothing was 50% off and they were selling a lot of it.  Otter and J are going to TNT this summer, they have already decided on their cosplay and Otter's basically consists of a purple suit (pants and jacket) and a bright green shirt, with a bright orange necktie.  She found a pair of pants that are slightly too big but we can take them in easily.  She found a blazer style jacket that is not even the same brand and the pants but it's almost the exact same color, it might be a little big but that will actually work for what she's going for.  She found a long sleeve not quite acid green shirt and the entire outfit costs her less than $10.00.  She is probably going to buy some bright orange fabric, possibly felt, and make the necktie.  She's going to use on of Bill's ties as a pattern template.  The pants and blouse were fine to be washed in the machine so I tossed them in with my laundry today.  The jacket has to be dry cleaned, I was going to take it this morning when I got out before the snow got too heavy (it never did actually get heavy) but they were closed  I'll drop it off tomorrow and pick it up Thursday.  She's still working on the shoes she'll need, but she does know she'll need a short green wig - bright green.

This is the costume idea, the Joker and Harley Quinn from Batman, specifically from The Animated Series:

(Ignore the small kid in the middle of the picture, this just was the best picture I could find that would show the costume characters).  The Joker has a darker tie in this picture but her idea is orange and a regular necktie, as he's shown in a couple of different ways and the orange tie will still be Joker appropriate - it does matter in the cosplay world!  Same thing for the shoes.  The makeup will be easy, basically just white with bright red lipstick for the Joker's mouth and probably Harley's as well but I'm not sure about that.

However, there is a twist to their idea.  Figure it out yet?  Go back and reread the paragraph before the picture if you haven't quite got it yet.  I think they have a wonderful idea and it will probably set them apart from just about anyone else who decides to go as the Joker and Harley.

Which is what they are going for, actually.

*Fixins is one of our favorite words!

Early

We have a tradition of going to the Dollar store on Christmas Eve, and if we can, we also go to a thrift store.  It didn't start out to be a tradition, it just kind of became that.  Otter will be out of town over Christmas, she's going with J and his mom to spend Christmas with his mom's family - and she's nervous about "meeting the family" also!  :)  They are leaving on the 24th, so we decided to still get our traditional shopping in.  We just did it early!  When Otter brought her laundry over, we went up to the dollar store and it was very crowded.  We also went next door to WalMart for something I wanted and they were busy but not as busy as I've seen them on a normal day.  Otter did not let me forget about a thrift store, we hit Goodwill as our last stop.  She found a couple of things there, I did not but it was still fun.  They were pretty busy, too.

 

While she was here, Otter got her chocolate chip cookies made to take with her over Christmas.  She made a few dozen and Bill got the "leftovers" so he's not feeling left out.  Actually, her got the ones that were a little too brown but he's not complaining.  :)

 

What I bought at WalMart is 4 Rubbermaid boxes with lids to hold Otter's fabric stash.  They hold about 18 gallons and stack well.  They fit very neatly into the closet.  I combined two smaller, flat boxes and one large flat box into three stacking boxes and there was still room for a little more.  I have one more box to fill and two flat boxes to empty still.

 

We finally rented the movie Guardians of the Galaxy.  I might be in the minority, but I really thought it was stupid. Not good stupid, just stupid.  Otter saw it when it came out and she liked it already.  Bill enjoyed it, but I was really bored and not amused.

 

Froggy, I did finally discover that Blogger has added the word verification to all the blogs.  It's an anti-spam measure, I'm not so sure it works though.  I still get spam comments, but they don't go through because I have comments emailed to me to approve.

 

As of today, Billyboy has one week left in being married to a younger woman!  I catch up with him next Saturday.  Toadles, you still don't get a motorcycle!

They Actually Got It Right!

It snowed.  They got it right! Start time, duration, coverage and amount.  Which might be a sign of the apocalypse!  The point is, we got snow and no ice.  The ground was warm enough that it melted on streets but cold enough that it stuck on lawns and grassy areas.  Otter had the car, she got to work fine but it didn't start until after her shift started.  When she headed back to our house, it was still coming down but not too bad.  She did have to clean snow off the car, however.  She hasn't really driven in it, and today wasn't really bad conditions but it was still a new experience for her.  She'll eventually have to drive in bad conditions, she does live where we get winter after all.  But I'm not in any hurry for her to have to!

She brought her laundry and we cleaned out a few of her books while it was in the machine.  I took her home, with a detour to Tuesday Morning.  I found the other towel I wanted and a bathmat, finally.  I think the guest bathroom is finally done!  There's still a little work in the guest/craft/YARN room but I've been doing a little in there as I have time.

 

I got two rows put on Otter's blanket today.  I didn't work on it at all yesterday, I had another crochet project so I did get to play with my yarn and even de-stashed a little (tiny, very small) bit!  But my elbow muscles are a little sore today, which is a tendonitis issue, so I'm probably going to take a break from it for a few days.  I don't like it when I have to take crochet breaks!  But it's either a break for a few days or I don't get to crochet for days and possibly weeks if I push through and keep doing it.  So, a break it is.

 

Meatloaf is in the oven at the moment.  I made pinto beans yesterday, we'll have some of those with the meatloaf and I'm going to make brown gravy - yes, Froggy, it is Pioneer brand!  We had discussed Bill's Famous Mashed Potatoes but decided against them tonight.

 

I have been reading the Stephen King book, Dr. Sleep, this week.  It's the sequel to The Shining which was tremendous (the book, not the movie - the movie was typical of King's books that are turned into movies:  completely different and frankly not that good.)  It's really good and I enjoyed it.  But it's a little different than most of his books.  It's slower paced and the action scenes are a little less, as well as not as intense.  But it was still good and I am glad I finally got a chance to read it.  But there is one other difference:  it has an actual happy ending!  That almost never happens in his books, while specific characters might have better endings than most, very often the main character dies or doesn't have a happy life afterwards but this one has the stereotypical "happy ending" and it was a nice surprise.  This book is on my "to buy" list, I borrowed it from someone.  When Otter cleaned out her books, all her Stephen King books became mine (but she has visitation rights) and she had quite a few.  I'm thinking that I'm going to attempt to collect all his works.  For the most part, Stephen King is an author that you either really like or really dislike.  Obviously, we like him.  But his best work, in fact probably my all-time favorite book, has to be The Stand.  It's also the only one that really worked on film, and that's because he controlled everything to be sure it was done right.  It showed.  I just might have to watch the mini-series again, we have it on dvd.  When I have a couple of days to do nothing else!

Sad News

The ones that burn the brightest, burn out the soonest.  Too soon, way too soon.

Robin Williams was a super nova.

Otter said it's like losing a favorite Uncle.  But to me and Bill, he will always be Mork from Ork.  He was something special, there will never be another one like Robin Williams.  We are all poorer for his loss.

It's a Jungle Out There!

Or at least it looks like it in my front yard.  I called someone we know and he is going to either come out here in the next day or so, or possibly send one of his crew over here.  Probably tomorrow.  Maggie Moo will be pleased, she's afraid of getting lost!

 

Bill's doing pretty good, just a little stir crazy.  Not that I blame him.  It's hard not to use your hand, but he's trying very hard.

 

Froggy, I know what you mean about women and their purses.  Many times, I've seen a woman shopping and the basket with her purse in it is either behind or, our several feet away.  I've seen more than one nearly be stolen, just my presence and obviously seeing the person has been enough to have the would-be thief walk away.  Otter has noticed it pretty often as well.  In fact, if she and I are shopping together and notice it we will make a point of walking by the basket/shopper in question and loudly (so that she hears us) commenting to each other how someone could have grabbed that purse and the owner would never have even noticed it.  Otter thinks she should print up cards to leave on top of the purse with words to the effect of "I could have stolen your purse and you'd never have seen me" as a warning.  I remember one time walking into a grocery store and hearing a woman yelling that her purse had been taken out of her basket.  I also went to Sunday School with a woman who had her bag stolen out of her basket at a clothing store.  There are enough bad people in the world, why make it easier for them?  But it happens.  Very frequently.

 

Migraine today.  This is the 4th one this year.  I usually average about 3 per year.  This is only August, I still have several months left in 2014.  I hope that it is not a trend!  I did have ranch dressing on my salad yesterday, I usually don't eat ranch dressing unless I can read the label on the bottle because it usually has msg by the ton in it, but this was a prepackaged salad and I just didn't think about it.  Hidden Valley brand is one of the worst, and it's also the most commonly used ranch dressing.  Well, it does taste good.  I think it's the most likely culprit.  The headache hit about 11:00 or so, I had planned on getting lunch and bringing it back to the office so I could crochet but crochet and migraines do not mix!  I was a little nauseated, which is also common with migraines.  I went ahead and ate lunch, I had a tuna sandwich at Subway and it helped.  I managed to stay at work but I left about 30 minutes early.

 

Otter needed to get something at Hobby Lobby and I had already asked her to wait for me so I could go with her, so I forced myself to go (not that it was all that hard.)  I actually need to buy yarn this time, I bought 5 skeins for Uncle Crazy's lap blanket but it's going to take 6.  At least.  I cruised the yarn aisles while Otter was getting her stuff, the fall colors are starting to come out and they are nice!  I was able to resist, but I'm not making promises for any future trips!

 

Froggy, you do realize that you are now an Official Conscript of the Pachinko business!

 

We just saw an advertisement for a can't miss movie:  Into the Storm.  All I got to say is, Yeah Right!  As Otter says, anybody who lives in Tornado Alley should know just how B.A.D. that one is going to be.  I'm pretty sure we'll pass on that one.

Trekkin' Monday

Monday ain't exactly my favorite day, but when I turn the tv on and pick a station at random and its showing (Original Series movies) TREK, it's always a good day.  Especially when it's one of two specific # movies - both are even-numbered, in case you are wondering.  (Even Numbered Trek Films Don't Suck).  The best one is the 2nd one, The Wrath of Khan which we refer to as TOS TWOK, or sometimes just TWOK.  Tonight's movie happens to be # 4, The Voyage Home or TOS TVH or just The One with the Whales.  I think the station may be running a marathon, because # 3 was just ending when I turned the tv on.  Which means that I'm turning of OFF OR CHANGING THE STATION as soon as this one is over, because nobody (I mean NOBODY) watches the next one!

In fact, we don't even refer to it by number if we can avoid it.  And we do avoid it, at all costs.  It's the one we prefer to forget about and frankly, wish it had never happened.  It's just that bad.  Well, it is an odd number - the oddest of them all!  (It was originally meant to be the last in the series of TOS movies, but we are all thankful that the powers that be realized that to end TOS with that drivel would probably be the final Sign of the Apocolypse.)

 

Otter just came in and saw what was on tv.  Then she yelled "It's the One About the Whales!"  There are times when I feel sorry for Billyboy, he's a little outnumbered on multiple levels.  :)

Anyway.

I've been doing some research on coyotes because I'm wondering about some of Frasier's habits.  Such as more or less walking with all four of his feet in "single file" (putting each foot in the step of the one in front of it.)  Coyotes do that, it turns out.

Like this:

 

That's coyote tracks in sand, but it's a pretty good example of how they walk.  With Frasier, it's more the front feet than all four but he will walk with all four feet in a line at times.

 

Bill is probably going to start getting firewood soon.  The lumberyard had a sign out that they have firewood available now.  $10.00 for a pallet full, we'll get at least two of those and maybe a third one as well.  So, he went out into the dog yard and checked on how much we have left from last year's.  He thinks it's about half a rick, or about a quarter of a cord.  He got out the chainsaw and cut some of it to smaller lengths - yes, the chainsaw and no injuries!  I cleaned up after the dogsters, they leave little "gifts" in the grass and Otter normally get that job (Lucky! Not really) but she was down with a migraine all day yesterday so it didn't get done.  So, I got the job today.  I dug down into three different mole trails in the back yard, found the tunnels which are very shallow and then I left them a "gift in the tunnel before burying it all.

 

It is going to be pretty cool this week, for last July.  It could well be in the 80's this week, and we may get rain Wednesday and/or Thursday.  Guess I'd better get busy and get as much water out of the rain barrel as I can.  I discovered today that the dog's outside water was growing another crop of skeeters.  The frog has not been seen in a while, we were afraid he might have become snake or hawk food but I almost stepped on him yesterday morning when I went out on the deck.  He was hopping around and seemed quite happy.  Otter was watering the crop (jalepenos!) so she watered the froggy as well - he seemed to like it, then he hopped off into the honeysuckle area at the edge of the deck.  He probably hopped back underneath the deck after that, he sometimes stays under there.

 

Speaking of frogs, tomorrow is Froggy Day!

Warm Wednesday

OK, it's not bad weather at all for this time of year.  It's warm, but it is not hot at all.  It is supposed to be like this the rest of the week.  A little on the cool side for this time of year, but it is really nice.

 

Yes, Froggy.  I do remember Mom taking us to the zoo many times.  But I don't remember the story about Uncle Buck's kiddo and the water.  Was that maybe before I showed up, or maybe I was too young to remember?  I know we went to the zoo with "the cousins" as we referred to them, many times.  I do remember the elephant rides, and also monkey island with all the monkeys and goats.  We also always went to Breckenridge Park after the zoo and rode the train.  The Tulsa Zoo has a train, but it is inside the zoo.  We usually ride it, but we were all hot & tired yesterday and didn't take a train ride.

 

Today's vacation fun was shopping.  Unsuccessfully, I might add.  I went to the booth store and the store you reminded me about, I saw a few things but nothing that really "talked" to me.  I think that Otter and I are going thrifting for a little while on Friday, and to at least one fabric store.  Yes, Froggy.  I will get the pattern and license plate for you!  There are actually several on the list you sent me that are in the general area of where I live or close enough.  Otter won't let me go to a fabric store without her.

 

I got two rows on Uncle Crazy's blanket this morning.  I was hoping to have more time to work on it this week, but not so far.  However, I don't think that anybody has anything planned tomorrow so maybe I can get in a crochet marathon.

I stopped at the liquor store this afternoon.  And taped to the front door are 4 pictures:  three of the same man and one of a woman.  And all of them are shoplifters, the pictures came straight from the security camera and there is a sign with the pictures:  "WE ARE WATCHING YOU" written on it in bold letters.  I talked the clerk, she said that they have been in several times and that the clerks all know them on sight now.  There is usually only one person working at a time there, she said that the pictures were taken when she was working and that she knew what they were doing - they were pretty bold about it, but that she was by herself and really was afraid to confront the man.  I told her she should grab her phone and dial 911 as soon as they come in the door the next time.  She hadn't thought about that, but I think she will do that if they come back again.  I don't blame her for not wanting to confront the man, but they really should have more than one person working at any one time.

Bill is watching a particular movie at the moment.  From 1975.  One with a very specific and well-known musical score that will still cause a chill to the blood:  JAWS.  The original one.  Being part of that generation, I remember seeing it in the theater right after it came out and being absolutely terrified - not of the ocean or swimming in it, it was just a very scary movie.  But it never kept me our of the ocean, and we used to go a couple of times per summer.  But I do remember the first summer the movie was out - when apparently a lot of other people did let it keep them off the beach!

Humid Sunday

So I'm spending most of the day inside.

With my yarn, mostly.

Not ever!

 

Anyway.  It did rain a little bit this afternoon.  Just enough to make the already humid day unbearable.  Bill needed to readjust the block of wood holding the window glass in place in the driver's side window on the White Lightning.  It was sunny, but when we went outside it was raining.  But it was SUNNY at the time.

 

Otter's off with J today.  Bill's been working on a pachinko machine for someone who wanted a full restoration.  I've been doing laundry, in between crochet!  Froggy, I've gotten quite a bit done on Uncle Crazy's blanket.

 

Otter spent yesterday afternoon working on her cosplay for TNT.  She was going to make a circle skirt, she saw a tutorial online that we were going to use but it had some problems.  She put in her measurements and it came up with a pattern, but it was not written very clear so we gave up and she went to Wallyworld to see about an actual pattern.  Which is what we/she should have done in the first place!  She got the first layer cut out (it's a double skirt) and we figured out what length it will need to be.  But we got a late start on it, so we didn't get as much done as we wanted.  I say "we" but mostly my participation has been cutting out pattern pieces and helping her hold it on to see how it's going to fit.  She will be getting it done this week.  She's also going to make a blouse to go with it, she bought enough white fabric to make a full length ballgown style dress which was the original plan - same character, just a different style dress.  However, even though the skirt is smaller, it took up most of the fabric so we went to Joann's today and she got some more white fabric.

 

Frasier was a talky boy last night.  I should say this morning, to be accurate.  As in 2:15!  I hollered at him to be quiet and he did - for about 5 minutes.  Then he barked.  I went up the hallway and told him to go lay down.  Loudly!  He did, and didn't make noise again until about 4:45.  At that point, I let him out and he just about flew out the dog door.  I went back to bed at that point, I didn't wake up until around 6:15 and they were waiting patiently to be fed.  I fed them, got the coffee ready and then took it back to bed (the coffee, not the dogs!) to have with Bill.

 

Movie review:  The LEGO movie.  Otter loved it, she saw it in the theater and since she was off yesterday she got to pick the movie we watched.  It came out Friday, and that's the one she rented.  I'd been hearing a lot about how good it was.  So we were looking forward to it.  Frankly, it was probably the worst movie we've seen in years!  And that is saying something, because we have seen some absolutely awful movies.  Otter still enjoyed it, I'm glad for that.  But we didn't.  Bill's turn next Saturday, I'm not sure if there's anything out he wants to rent or not.

 

I went to the Salvation Army store in the "expensive" part of Tulsa on Friday.  This store is strange, the people who are in charge of pricing and display very seldom seem to know what they are doing.  The will usually have something that is actually worthless or worth very little displayed in the locked case with very high prices on it.  While the real "good" stuff is out on the shelves and priced at almost nothing.  I've found more than one expensive piece of Fenton for next to nothing that way.  Friday was no exception.

 

This is not the one I found, but it is one of what I found.  Mine doesn't have the sticker.  But it's in perfect condition, and it was $3.99.  While a coach purse that was so obviously fake a blind mouse could spot it from a mile off was in the locked cabinet with a price close to $200.00!  This is the same store where I found the cactus Vaseline footed compote a few years back for $2.00.  This one:

I already had one of the nappy (candy dish) pieces but I was wanting another.  However, I'd have bought it at that price even if I had a dozen.

 

I am taking the car to Chevy in the morning.  I hope that it's a 2-day job and not a 3-day repair.

 

So does Otter, otherwise I might have to drive the car she shares with Bill!

I Finally Found It!

I've been looking for this one for years, no exaggeration, years.  Many of them!

Otter and I went to the flea market yesterday, and the man with the movie booth was there.  He usually is, and he usually has a lot of hard-to-find movies, especially the vintage ones and lots of the "B" 50's sci-fi movies we love.  I had just about given up on ever finding "Them" but he had it!  It was part of a set of two 50's sci-fi movies and it was marked $10.00 but he had a special and it was actually $5.00.  I bought several other movies and he told me to pick out another one for free, but I would have paid the original $10.00 price for this one.  Actually, I would have paid a lot more.  "Them" was one of the early cautionary tales about the danger of nuclear testing, and it was a serious movie at the time.  I now have my Top 4 (War of the Worlds, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Thing and Them) and several others, but I'm still on the hunt for a few.  But at least I now have this one!  Otter bought a bunch of movies as well and she also got a freebie.  We don't go to the flea market very often, but we usually find several movies for our collection at this particular booth.

 

We went to the booth today and closed up the 2nd booth addition.  Now, we're back to the original size and at the moment it is just pachinko machines.  I might occasionally put something in it, but for now I think I'm glad to be done with my part of it.  As an experiment, it has been a success.  I had more sales than I thought I di in May.  But the stuff that was still there has been there for a while, and several items are from when we first started the booth.  I've dropped prices on things occasionally, and sometimes sold them.  But the stuff that was still there hadn't sold and I don't think it would have, some of it has already been taken to Goodwill but some of it has been put back where it was.  Such as the 3 or 4 Fenton pieces that didn't sell, and a few other misc. things.  Bill cleared out quite a bit of the Useless Collection (shot glasses), he's still got quite a few though.  Otter sold some of her creations, so everybody got something out of it.

 

It's been really humid the last couple of days.  Yesterday while Otter and I were at the flea market (it's indoors) it rained just enough to make it humid.  We were fine in a nice, air conditioned car.  But when we got out of the car, my lungs more or less shut down just on the trip from the car door to the front door.  Today was just as bad, and I've tried to stay inside as much as I can.  Which is hard!

 

I've been having issues with my jaw again.  I have TMJ Disorder but it hasn't really bothered me for years.  It's probably been about 25 years since I had to have it treated, at the time there were two main treatments:  a retainer that graduated in size to hold the jaw in place, which is what I did.  Or surgery, which turned out to have a very bad rate of failure and quite often causing severe and lasting consequences.  I've been having an occasional pain in the general area of the left side of my jaw and finally today it started to really hurt.  Since I have dentures, my jaw has a little more movement than is best at night but I left the top denture in Friday night and it was much better.  But I didn't leave it in last night and I should have.  It's really bothered me a few times today.  I'm going to sleep with the top denture in for the next couple of days.  You really aren't supposed to leave dentures in all night, the main concern is bacteria getting trapped but that really is more on a long-term basis.  I can use heat if I need to, I've been taking motrin and trying to remember all the tricks to keep my jaw in place that I used to have to use.  It is actually better this evening, I just have to be very careful the next few days.  Mom had issues with it although I don't think hers was very severe.  Otter has had her jaw pop a couple of times, but the dentist doesn't think she'll have bad problems with it like I did/do.  It ain't fun!

 

Frasier was a little barky this morning, but it was nearly 5:30 and nobody had let him out yet.  Maggie Moo has a new trick:  she howled in her sleep yesterday afternoon.  She sounded so funny.  They are very spoiled babies!

Happy Mother's Day! There's Other Stuff Here, Too.

My Mother's Day started out with waking up to Bill, standing beside the bed with a cup of coffee in his hand for me.  I made him go get some for himself and bring it back to the bedroom.  It was a nice, quiet time.

 

We went to Church, we actually were late and got there just after services had started but at least we made it!  And the sermon was pretty much the same one last Mother's Day, which I discovered because I mark sermons in my Bible just about every Sunday.  We are noticing that more and more lately, that Pastor Dave is re-running things.

 

After we got home from Church, we finally decided where to eat today.  We went to Cici's pizza, how's that for gourmet?!  It was still good, and I didn't have to cook OR clean up!  We went to the movies, we finally got to see Captain America 2.  It was pretty good, Otter saw it a few weeks back with J and it was driving her nuts not to be able to tell me about it.  More than once, I had to tell her to sit still during the movie and not tell me about what was fixin to happen!  But it was fun.  Stan Lee's cameo was really funny.  Nobody had room for popcorn, we were kind of stuffed from the pizza.

 

We went by the booth and neatened up between lunch and the movie.  The glass lamp that I thought was sold was apparently just moved to another booth, because it was back today.  My bookends have been gone the last couple of times I've been there, so they are probably sold and I think most of my jewelry has also been sold.  There was a framed poster in our booth that was actually from the booth next to ours.  I moved it back to where it belonged, it might just have been put there by someone who was looking at it and sat it back down.  One of Bill's friends has been sharing part of the booth with us for things that are too large for his own booth (he pays us back a proportionate amount) but he's ending his booth rental the end of this month.  At that point, the part of the booth that is Otter's and mine will expand a little and we'll move to the side where Bill's friend's stuff is.  We'll still keep the booth for a while.  I brought back my crochet hooks that haven't sold, I was attempting to "thin the herd" a bit but I still have several hooks!

 

Jury Duty tomorrow, I really hope that I don't get picked for a jury.  But I'll do what I'm supposed to, if I do get chosen.  I cleaned out my purse today, I'm pretty sure that my handy-always on hand pocket knife would not be allowed!  I also took out several misc. things I usually carry but don't want to deal with tomorrow.  I have a couple of books and scratch paper (I always have scratch paper), so I might take a small tote bag as well as my (big, green) purse.  It's supposed to be cooler tomorrow and it might be "cold" in the morning, so I'm also taking my crocheted sweater.  Seems like it was pretty cold in the jury room the last time I was stuck in there.

 

I got my coleus plants transplanted today.  They are in the fountain-turned-planter in the rock garden and there are a lot of them.  I think I put twelve small ones in there, but it still looks kind of spread out.  I think that will change as they grow.  Also, my clematis looks like it's been eaten.  Nearly all the way to the ground.  I'm thinking bunnies?  Sweetie has had hers become bunny dinner before, but they have come back so I'm hopeful that mine might yet survive.

 

I was going to work on the quilt yesterday, but I decided to crochet instead.  Froggy, I'm nearly finished with the two items for you and I think I might have come up with a third one to make for you.  Also, I finally picked a cowl pattern for my mink yarn and started it yesterday.  It's probably not something I'm going to wear a whole lot, considering that it is $99 worth of yarn!

 

The beagle just sat on my right foot.  She was probably aiming for both, but she missed!  She's got such a delicate little bottom...   There is a reason Otter says Maggie has a bowling ball butt!  It feels like a 15-pounder just landed on my foot.  Actually, I think she was really aiming for my house shoes which were sitting beside my feet - they are very soft and she seems to have a fascination with them.  She seems to consider anything on the floor as fair game to sit on.  Frasier is parked in front of the coffee table, he's been snoozing for at least an hour and he shows no sign of waking up any time soon.  Yes, he is breathing!  I did check, after he hadn't moved at all for a while.  He's a sleepy boy, I guess.  Snoozing in the sun in their yard must be so exhausting, since that's what he was doing when he was out earlier.  Silly puppies.

What a Day. Glad It's Over!

It's just been a hard day.  Really tough day at work, the Teenager was every second of his 97 years today.  I was so glad to see 3:30 roll around, in fact I announced to Younger Boss that I was running off about 10 minutes early and he just waved at me - he had the same kind of day I had!  Today, the idea of being bored stiff at Jury Duty for a few days actually sounded good!!!  (Not really.)

 

We got the other two honeysuckle planted yesterday.  Everything got watered from the rain barrel.  The 2nd barrel has a spout a hose can be attached to, it doesn't have a whole lot of water pressure obviously.  But it does gravity.  (Just using "gravity" as a verb or adverb is an accepted term in the oilfield - since I work for an oil company, I am allowed to use it!)  I was not sure about the clematis yesterday, it didn't look good at all.  But I think maybe it just didn't get enough water, it was much better today and looks really good now.  I just came in from watering the plants the hose will reach.  My arms & shoulders are still sore from carting a very large, metal, heavy-when-full watering can all over the yard yesterday to get the ones out of hose reach.  They were ok today, but they'll probably get watered tomorrow along with all the ones I got tonight.

 

We still haven't planted herbs & peppers.  Otter has had some pretty strong allergy issues, mostly because of the wind and the fact that we were outside so much at the nursery on Sunday.  They are still in good shape, I gave them a little drink this morning.  Probably tomorrow is when they'll get transplanted.

 

Otter's allergies are much better.  She was off yesterday, so she spent the day inside and taking her allergy meds.  She still has some allergies, it is Spring after all.  But she's much better.  She was scheduled to work this morning, she got off at one o'clock and stopped at Wallyworld for me for the swiss cheese I forgot to get.  When I got home, she wanted to go to Hobby Lobby with me so she was outside again but she's still much better than she was.

 

I bought a quilt top in December at an antique-ish store.  The idea was to cut it in half and turn it into curtains for the bedroom.  But I changed my mind and decided it needed to be a quilt and not curtains.  For one thing, it's all hand-stitched and someone took a lot of time and care with it.  It's not huge, but it will be big enough to cuddle up with on the couch.  If Bill's nice to me, I might even let him share it!  Anyway, it has a lot of pinkish and grey shades so I was thinking either a pink or a grey backing color or possibly something with a lot of those shades in it.  So what did I fall in love with?   White with black spots!  The pattern name is Dog Spots, it looks like a dalmation.  But I think it will be fine.  I am going to re-wash the quilt top and I'll wash the backing fabric at the same time.  I think I probably have enough batting for it but I haven't checked for sure.

 

We keep seeing advertisements for the new Godzilla movie.  It looks good.  I hope it is.  Bill and I are part of the "Godzilla generation" and we remember the original movies.  The movie made a few years back was ok, but it was not really what I (or most people, apparently) considered to be "real" Godzilla.  This one looks a whole lot better.

 

While I was outside while ago, I heard the first tree frogs of the spring.  They might have been in the back tree, the one behind the shed.  I didn't look for them, I just enjoyed listening to them chirp.  Or croak?  Whatever it is they say!  I also watched a robin for a while, and it was singing a lot as well.

 

I know it's not Wednesday yet, but it is close.  I might not blog tomorrow and I didn't want to forget this picture.  So, in the spirit of Wednesday (and TEXAS!), I thought I'd post this:

 

Bill's sloooooooooowly getting over the cold-ish that he had.  The one Otter gave me and it took me a while to get over, then I gave it to Bill.  He was pretty stuff last night.  I'm not sure what time it was, but he moved to the couch sometime last night.  I remember when he got up, but I thought he was just going to the bathroom.  But apparently he moved to the couch, because I woke up again when the alarm went off and he was sitting in the corner of the couch with his pillow and a couple of blankets.  But he sounds much better tonight.

 

OK, I guess that's it!

Vortexes

I heard a news report today on the forecast for the upcoming allergy season.  The words "Allergy Vortex" have been used to describe what it coming.  In other words, it ain't gonna be pretty!

 

Otter's already started stocking up on claritan and the Alka-Seltzer cold/sinus pills she uses for nighttimes.  Along with Tylenol and Kleenex!

 

It's not too bad at the moment, though.  We had rain and the air is clear.  It's also 20 degrees colder than it was a couple of hours ago.

 

We had bad-ish weather chances for this afternoon/evening.  We did get the storm we expected, it wasn't expected to be bad and it wasn't.  It was just very fast-moving.  We had some strong wind, small hail, rain, a little more hail and then a little more rain.  We needed the rain and still need more.  But we can do without the wind and hail part of the equation!  The plastic plant stand size tables out on the deck are now in other places in the yard.  I probably won't go out to get them until tomorrow morning.  They are still in the yard, just not where we left them!

 

Otter finally got to meet J and see the new Captain America movie.  She keeps trying to tell me about it, but I have managed to avoid most of it.  I don't want it to be spoiled, I want to be surprised when we actually manage to see it.  I do know quite a bit about it already, but I don't want to know anymore yet.  Although she did say that Stan Lee's cameo is good and actually pretty long.

 

It's very humid this evening, it wasn't earlier but it feels like it's getting that way now.  It was 77 degrees today and will be in the low-40's tomorrow.  Tuesday morning, we may wake to a slight freeze.  Then, it's back to Spring again!

 

Just not with the storms, please.

Just Wolves

We got almost no bad weather last night OR today.  Which is good, I'm not complaining about that.  But the forecasters did their normal thing, which is to:  chase something that isn't there and report it to people who don't care!

 

We did have some weather today, but it was very short-lived.  It hailed in a couple of spots and there was some rain, but that was about it.

 

Oh, well.  On to other things.

 

We had a local election on Tuesday.  It was county-wide, so there were a whole lot of registered voters who were eligible to cast a vote.  However, a whole lot of them didn't!  Bill went in the middle of the day, he was number 18.  Otter and I went after we hit the grocery store, we knew that there wouldn't be a long line and that the colder stuff would be fine in the car.  It was just after 6:00 when we got there.  We were number 32 & 33.  It was like that all over, talk about people that don't care what happens and are quite willing to give up their freedoms because they just can't be bothered!

 

Otter and I went to the booth today.  We went by on Tuesday, paid April's rent and collected March's sales.  On Monday, my large cookie jar crock was still there but it sold on Tuesday and it wasn't on the sales list we got for the month so I know we at least sold one thing so far this month.  Today, it didn't look like anything had sold but I had a couple of things to put in it and we neatened up a bit.  We were originally going to keep it until the end of the 3-month period, which would be this month as out last.  But we've decided to try a bit longer.  Not sure how much longer, we might just keep it through the end of May (we have to give 30 days notice).

 

I hit a thrift store at lunch today.  I found two blouses, I don't think that they have been worn.  I'll wash them anyway.  I also found a small container with some Christmas ornaments that might be plastic.  But they are bound for the ornament wreath I'm going to make, so I don't care if they are plastic or not.  I'm thinking I'm going to use a Styrofoam wreath form as a base for it.  I was originally going to use vintage ornaments, then it became candy shaped ornaments but now I'm just planning on using ornaments that I like and not a particular theme.  It's also not a project that I'm going to work on very soon.

 

We're watching Captain America on FX channel at the moment.  The sequel movie comes out on Friday.  I think Otter and J are going to see it Sunday.  I'm jealous!  I'm thinking we'll probably see this one at the theater, I don't want to wait for the Blu-ray.  But I am wondering about Stan Lee's cameo, I hope he has one.  It's become a fun game for his fans (we are legion) to spot him in the movies based on his characters.  He's usually very funny.  He'll be in Tulsa for a major convention in November, Otter's already planning on attending.  Not that I blame her!  He's pretty much the Big Dog of them all.

 

Yes, Star Trek is my first love and always will be.  But Stan Lee is supremely gifted and we love just about anything he touches.

It Is Officially Spring Today

Because we switched bedspreads!

 

Much as I love the camo quilt, it is very warm.  It's wonderful to sleep under it during the winter, but it's getting warmer and that means that it's time for my quilt!

 

Bill got up around 6:15, the dogs were still quiet and calm.  That never happens, they want breakfast at a regular time and that time is generally no later than 5:30 a.m.  He brought coffee back to me (I was still in bed) and we enjoyed having coffee without actually having to get up.  It was nice, we didn't turn the light on and just enjoyed watching the sky get lighter outside the window.

 

We've been running errands and doing stuff around the house.  We went to several stores for stuff Bill needed (usually it's for me or Otter.)  Bill and Otter just about ran my feet off, but it was fun.  One of our stops was Otter's store, Bill wanted to get stuff for his soda blaster (like a sand blaster) and I got knee pads.  My knees have been really bad lately, Bill suggested I try knee pads and Otter said that they carry some good ones so I figured it's worth a try.

 

Especially with the fact that Spring has sprung and I'm going to be outside a lot in the near future, planting things.  Lowe's and Home Depot seem to be getting their stock of plants in but I don't think that they have a lot yet.  Honeysuckle and trumpet vines are on our list, as well as a few smaller things that can be potted and put on the deck.  I put out more yarn bits yesterday.  I have seen several robins lately, and one woodpecker that was happy running around the tree beside the garage yesterday.  It's a little early for hummingbirds yet, I probably will not put a feeder out for a few weeks but we'll be watching for them anyway.

 

I also ran to Wallyworld this afternoon.  My tennis shoes were starting to get a little uncomfortable, they are Dr. Scholl's brand and weren't cheap and I was afraid that I was going to have to replace them.  But then I realized that they have removable insoles and that the gel pads were just worn out.  I bought some more Dr. Scholl's brand gel insoles and they feel much better now, soft and nearly as comfortable as they did when I bought them last summer.  Other than the insoles, the rest of the shoes are in decent shape and should last a lot longer - I've finally learned to buy better brands!  They are worth the extra $$.  I also bought foam pad insoles at the dollar store, but they are for my leather house shoes.  They have an attached foam insole which has gotten flattened out a bit but the suede is still in very good shape.

 

Otter's runnoft with J today.  He went to a local arcade and she met him up there.  She's been getting her cosplay stuff together and she needed a slightly large magnifying glass for the main character she'll be at TNT this summer.  It occurred to me that a bubble wand could be refurbished into what she needed, but when I was at the dollar store I found a plastic bug collection kit that is basically a large, plastic magnifying glass - the bug collection is in the clear handle.  I texted her a picture and she said it was what she needed so I grabbed one while I was there.

 

We've been cleaning out stuff.  Bill found 4 old boxes of household records, 1996 - 1999.  They mostly had things that could be gotten rid of, he's been keeping busy with the shredder this afternoon.  Anything like taxes are being kept, but I don't think we need receipts from when Otter was in daycare!  I think that there are probably still a few years of boxes stored around here somewhere, I'm sure he'll come across them soon.

 

Froggy, I got a little work done on your non-crochet "other thing" yesterday.  It's almost through, then I will get started on the crochet "stuff" again.

 

Speaking of crochet, which I frequently do, I started a lap blanket out of scrap yarn.  I think I already mentioned that.  It's going to take me a long time to complete, since I don't have a whole lot of scrap yarn at the moment.  I'm thinking I'm also going to make a couple of non-scrap yarn lap blankets while I'm at it.  I have quite a bit of the cream yarn left over from the afghan (I've decided it's finally big enough) and I might use some of it.

 

Movie review:  Frozen.  We were disappointed.  The animation was mostly good, but the story was basically the same story that Disney has told for years.  Except that it was worse this time.  And even though the animation was good, there were several glaring animation mistakes that Disney should have caught.

 

Next Sunday is Taco Night!  That means that next Monday (week from tomorrow) is Otter's 22nd birthday.  She's requested bacon, no surprise there.  Because her birthday is on a Monday, her birthday breakfast will actually be on Saturday.  She's off next Saturday, so that's why she's having it then.  Bacon and eggs for Bill and me, but Otter said that she'd be happy with bacon and bacon!  We usually only have it 3 times per year, her birthday is the first one.  Bill's birthday in June is the 2nd and then Christmas is the 3rd.

Yeah, Right

We will only get a dusting.

 

Right.

 

We'll be on the edge of the snow and probably won't see much, if any.

 

Right.

 

It will mostly go south of us and we won't get much, maybe not any at all.

 

Somebody tell the weatherman to look out his window!

This isn't our pictures, it's off of one of the Tulsa station websites.  But we've gotten at least that much snow ourselves, maybe more.  This picture was taken today, I'm not sure what part of Tulsa it was in but it's a perfect example of the skill (or lack thereof) of some of the forecasters.

 

But, at least it's a day when we can stay home.

 

Sort of, anyway.  We rented a movie yesterday and it was due back today.  Otter wanted to go to Target, we were going to get both stops done in one trip.  I woke up with a bad sinus headache this morning and we knew that there was at least some weather on the way so we decided to skip church.  About 8:00, I got Otter up and after she had breakfast we were going to see what the tv showed as far as timing for the snow.  It was supposed to be at least an hour later, or maybe more.  At 8:20, the snow was starting to fall and it was quickly beginning to stick to the streets.  That's a bad sign, it means that the ground is cold enough to keep the snow and any ice around for a while.

 

We got busy, got coats-hats-scarves-gloves and shoes on, then we headed to the video store.  Froggy, the first picture we texted you was from the car window (Otter took it and did the texting!) just after we'd left the house.  We dropped the movie off and decided that Target was not going to happen today.  We had to drive by Wallyworld on the way home, both are within a 3-minute drive from the house.  After we left the video store parking lot, the snow was getting heavier and really beginning to cover the street.  We went ahead and stopped at Wally, we got a close parking spot and got inside the store as quickly as we could.  We were probably in there less than 15 minutes and by the time we got out the car was somewhat covered.  We bought 40 pounds of birdseed while we were there, along with two or three other things.  We were in the minority, there were a lot of people there and more arriving - and they were obviously doing the BMT thing and stocking up.  Anyway, we put our stuff in the trunk and headed home.  We got home easily, but the road was beginning to show signs of getting slick and covered.  Froggy, the second picture we texted you was taken from the car on the way home from Wallyworld and was maybe 20 minutes or less after the first picture.  Just in the 3-mile drive from Wallyworld, it didn't look like we'd ever even opened the trunk by the time we pulled into the driveway!  It continued to snow until after noon.  I think it's finally stopped coming down, but it's really thick on the ground.

 

Right now, we're just going to play it by ear as far as tomorrow morning and work.  There could be some street clearing, so who knows.  Otter is scheduled to work from noon to 5 tomorrow, if we are home then Bill will get her there.  Because of the fact that we will be below freezing for the next several days and have another weather front on the way, the El Camino will stay parked in the driveway so Otter will have to depend on us for transportation.  I don't think she minds very much, she really does not want to drive in this stuff.  I don't blame her!

 

I filled up three birdfeeders yesterday and they were emptied by this morning.  Otter brought them in for me and they got a refill.  We've had a constant stream of birds since we got up.  There was a huge dove, several red-wing blackbirds, a male cardinal and two females.  Along with about a billion starlings and the usual crew of sparrows.  Yesterday we saw the woodpecker several times.

 

The leafless trees look like they've grown strange feathered fruit, the limbs are loaded with fluffy birdies.

By the way, we are thinking that Baked Groundhog would make a good meal today.

 

I found the next picture online and just thought it was cute.  Except that the sheep costume the dog is wearing is not knitted.  IT'S CROCHET!

We got paid for our first month's sales at the booth.  It was more than we paid for booth rent, but the booth rent was for a partial month and not as much as a full month's rent.  I took a bunch of stuff up there yesterday.  Hopefully, some of it will sell.  And it would be really nice if a pachinko machine or two (or four!) would sell.

 

The movie we rented yesterday was Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2.  When Otter was little, we read the book the first one was based on may times.  The movie was not really anywhere near the book beyond the title.  The first movie was cute, it grew on us after a while and we do like it.  It's just not like the book at all.  The second movie was not too good.  We didn't expect it to be, and we weren't surprised.  Thor 2 comes out in a few weeks, Otter saw it in the theater but Bill and I didn't.  The Riddick movie has been out for a few weeks, that is probably the one that Bill will want to get next weekend when it's his turn to pick.

 

We are not sports fans, not by a long shot.  Sometimes, we'll watch the superbowl or at least part of it.  Not often, just once in a while.  We always watch the commercials, they are released online the next day.  Some of them are out early this year.  We've seen a couple of them.  Our favorite so far is the Cheerios commercial - the sequel to the one that got all the stupid complaints last year.  The Cheerios commercial (the first one) is charming, the little girl is just absolutely adorable and reminds us a lot of Otter - especially in the fact that she puts the cereal on her dad's chest because mom told her it is good for his heart.  Otter would have done something like that when she was little.  We never could see what was so bad about it, it doesn't matter at all if they are an interracial couple.  We've already seen the sequel commercial, it's cute and very funny.  And the complaints have already started!  Which is so stupid.  What's really stupid is that a lot of the gripes are saying that it should have either been an all-white family or an all-black family, that it's "not realistic" to have a mixed family.  However, there is one major problem with that - they are a real family!  The people in the commercial are a real husband-wife-child family!  How "not realistic" is that??  It shouldn't matter!  Even if they were hired actors and not a real family, it still shouldn't matter.  Cheerios basically told the complainers to get a life and that they are going to continue to run their commercials featuring the family.

 

 

 

 

 

They get our vote, we've always eaten Cheerios and will definitely continue to now.  And Bill frequently gets the heart-shaped bowl Otter got from cheerios years ago.

 

Time to go throw another log on the fire!