MC Daughter, #1 Son, and DD Daughter - Halloween 1988

Word of the Day

Disasterbacle - An event or procedure that has gone terribly wrong.


Happy



Halloween!



Everyone!



It's Halloween! *sigh* The most I've done to celebrate is to post pictures of past Halloween's on my blog. I didn't even buy a costume for Gypsy. To be honest, I was tempted but I'm really not the type who goes around putting clothes on a dog. Oh well...I've got candy. Yummy chocolate candy! I'll store it in the freezer tomorrow and nibble on it until Christmas....if it last that long.

Someone had promised to give us an estimate on our drywall problem out on the back patio yesterday afternoon. He never showed up. HTP left a message on his phone but I'm not at all sure how reliable someone is who just doesn't show up for an appointment. HTP and I were stuck at home all afternoon waiting for him to show up. Of course...we don't get out much...but I would have liked to go stop at the store to pick up a few things but didn't because this guy was supposed to be coming. I guess we'll have to call someone else. In the meantime, I've already called our bug man and he's coming the first week of November. I also called the guy that washes our windows and he's coming on Friday. I hope whatever drywall work we have done doesn't mess up my windows.

Murphyism of the Day

Law of Survival

It's not who is right, it's who is left.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument.

-- William G. McAdoo (1863 - 1941)

DD Daughter, "Ewwwww, Pumpkin Slime!" -- October 1988


MC Daughter and #1 Son Giving Mr. Pumpkin the Eye -- October 1988


Word of the Day

The Dirty Bin - A large bin of discount products such as unwanted toys or DVDs that can be found at large supermarkets.

Happy


Anniversary!


MC Daughter and


D Buddy!

It's MC Daughter and D Buddy's wedding anniversary today! Happy Anniversary! They got married in Paris....Paris, Las Vegas. It was a beautiful wedding. A beautiful reception. Two beautiful people joined together to start a beautiful life. Happy Anniversary!

*******

I need to take a picture of Gypsy retrieving her duck. Cracks me up every time. The stuffed duck is almost as big as she is and yet she doesn't seem to have a bit of trouble as she leaps across the yard and flies into her basket to bring that duck back after I've thrown it. Repeatedly. Hilarious. We've made a practice of playing every morning as I attempt to sip on a cup of hot coffee. I use the word "attempt" because I usually end up spilling coffee all over the patio during our play sessions.

Gypsy and I are developing a routine, house-breaking and other. Her house-breaking is doing great! Last night I took her outside at 10 PM and then, this morning, I didn't get her up until 6 AM. That's 8 hours! No accidents! Of course, I still keep a really close eye on her. She doesn't bark or tell me that she has to go outside. However, she does have some "tells" that let me know that it's time to take her outside. Wandering off is a big "tell". She doesn't like to leave my side so when she does...I take her outside.

When Gypsy and I get up, I spoil her with a half container of Cesar Puppy Food while I'm getting my coffee in the morning. Then we go outside to play for a while. After that, it's time for her to sit in the basket under my computer while I blog or answer e-mails or play Pogo. During this time I'm usually listening to talk radio via live-streaming on my computer. She usually settles down during this time to take a nap but if I get up to get a cup of coffee, she wakes up immediately to make sure that I'm not going to disappear for too long. If it looks like I'm planning on disappearing, she hops out of the basket to follow me around.

I don't spend the entire day on the computer. While I make breakfast and while HTP and I are eating breakfast, Gypsy goes outside to sit in her outside basket or nibble on some dry food that I keep in her bowl by her water dish. Dry food isn't her favorite but a dog has to eat and I refuse to feed her that expensive Cesar food exclusively. It's not good for her teeth...her very sharp puppy teeth. After breakfast, Gypsy and I sit down to watch the news while I work on a Sudoku puzzle and if it's nice outside (it normally is really nice outside here in Arizona) and Gypsy chews on one of her "bones". If there's nothing on TV, I'll sit outside on the lounger sipping on coffee and working on Sudoku while Gypsy chews on her toys. Gypsy likes to chew and I make sure that she's got plenty of things that are acceptable to chew on. So far we've managed to avoid any shoe chewing incidents. If she decides to nibble on my fingers, I substitute a chew toy...fast.

Actually, the only times Gypsy spends in her kennel are when it's too hot outside (which happens here in Arizona)for her to be outside and I'm doing something that I can't do with a puppy at my feet or when it's bedtime. She tends to want to settle right on top of my toes and tripping becomes a real issue. Hazardous for Gypsy and hazardous to me. Plus...I still don't trust her 100% in the house-breaking area. If I can't keep an eye on her, she needs to be in a place where she won't get into trouble. Her kennel. She likes her kennel and plays quietly (aside from the squeaking of her toys)or naps cuddled up to her stuffed frog.

Most of the day, Gypsy is either sitting right next to me, draped across my lap, or sitting at my feet. We go for a walk in the afternoon when I go pick up the mail. She needs some training on walking etiquette but that will come. It's not like she's taking me for a walk. Rather, she tends to walk in such a manner as to make me walk trippingly up the sidewalk as I attempt not to step on her. If I stop, she settles herself at a sit between my two feet which makes starting up again a bit of a challenge because I now have to avoid tripping over the leash. *sigh* Not the ideal situation but at least she's not fighting the leash or jerking my arm out of its socket. This is a good thing.

Last night Gypsy and I watched a special on TV about Charles Schultz. Must I explain that he was the creator of the Peanuts cartoons? Anyway, as I watched the special, with Gypsy on my lap, I was struck by how very real and true all his cartoons were and how his cartooning reflected his own life's realities, happy and rather sad. And then they showed Charles Schultz sitting comfortably with his own dog followed by this one cartoon he drew of Lucy hugging Snoopy, "Happiness is a warm puppy." I think my Gypsy would make a good Snoopy. Happiness IS a warm puppy.

Murphyism of the Day

Engler's Rule of Innovation

Innovation requires bypassing--not building upon--existing expertise.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

You cannot live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you. -- John Wooden

DD Daughter and MC Daughter Carving Pumpkins - Halloween 1988(9)?

Word of the Day

Dinophobia - Extreme fear of dinosaurs.

I'm moving kind of slow today. Gypsy is doing great when it comes to house-breaking. Not a single accident so far. I think she may be able to make it through the night without having an accident but she went to sleep last night at 9 PM and I woke her up to take her out at 10 PM but she didn't seem to want to take advantage of that "walk" so I decided not to risk an accident and got up at 4 AM to take her outside to "do her thing". I woke her up, took her outside, she "did her thing" and then I put her back in her kennel. She's used to me getting up early so she started complaining at 6 AM. She didn't have to go outside but I took her outside anyway. She wanted to eat and play...not necessarily in that order. My puppy loves playing. I'm pretty sure she'd rather play than eat. Oh well....I put her back in her kennel because HTP doesn't appreciate a third bed partner. After a few heart-rending complaints, she settled back down until I decided that it was time to get up at 7 AM.

The thing is that I wanted to watch something on The History Channel last night. A special on a new Nostradamus book that was discovered. Plus, two specials that were repeats of Nostradamus's' writings. I really tried to stay awake for them all but I dozed off with Gypsy in the middle of the show that I hadn't seen before which doesn't really have a thing to do with the quality of the show. I just dozed off. I was rather upset because I really wanted to see that show and then I discovered that they were playing the same show again right away. I hadn't missed it. Actually, after I took Gypsy outside and put her in her kennel for the night, I'm afraid that I still may have missed parts of the show. I dozed off again. I'll have to check the TV Guide to see if it's going to be played at another time, during the day, when I'm not so sleepy. I'm afraid I tend to get rather sleepy between 9 and 10 PM, even if I can't actually fall asleep right away. I know with my insomnia that it'll take a while for me to actually turn off my brain enough to nod off. However, lately, I seem to nod off a lot easier. (I'm thinking that it may be partly because of that bag of chocolate candy I bought for Halloween. I've been sneaking...oh heck...let's be honest...I don't even sneak it, I just eat it, and I don't care how much caffeine chocolate may have in it, caffeine tends to put me to sleep.) Add a sleepy puppy to the mix at 9 PM? I'm out for the count. Apparently, Gypsy has a sedative affect on me because normally I'm an experienced insomniac. Takes me forever to settle down and fall asleep.

Murphyism of the Day

Ellis's Law

Progress is the exchange of one nuisance for another.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

No great deed, private or public, had ever been undertaken in a bliss of certainty.

-- Leon Wieseltier

DD Daughter and MC Daughter - Halloween 1982

Word of the Day

Dinch - A meal, usually between lunch and dinner, eaten after lunch time, 12:00pm to 2:00pm, and before dinner, 6:00pm to 8:00pm. The compliment to brunch. One of two meals eaten by those on a two-meal-a-day diet.

I need to wash my hair. I haven't washed it since I got it cut, styled and dyed at the beauty parlor. *sigh* I know that I'll never be able to get it to look like she did. I'm just not handy like that. I'd need to have more arms than an octopus in order to get the job done and I refuse to use tons and tons of styling products that will guarantee that I'll just have to wash my hair again tomorrow. I love the hair cut but....will it look good after I wash it and try to style it myself? Probably not. *sigh* Regardless, I have to wash my hair because I refuse to make a weekly run to the beauty parlor and spend gobs of money to have the professionals wash and style my hair. I'm not related to John Edwards. (Presidential candidate who doesn't sweat it when he pays his stylist over $400 for a haircut....Geez! I wonder how much his wife pays for a cut and style?)

Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble. I forgot to add the yeast to my wine mixtures last night. I got busy doing absolutely nothing important and forgot. So...I added the yeast this morning and I'm sure the delay won't make a whit of difference. I'm really curious about how the Prickly Pear Wine will turn out. I noticed that one of my neighbors has a prickly pear cactus growing in their front yard. It's loaded with fruit right now. If this experiment turns out, I may see if I can wander over there, knock on their door and offer to de-fruit their cactus for them. Either that or I'll see if I can grow a prickly pear cactus of my own.

My plans for the day aren't to grand. I think I'll cuddle up with Gypsy and read a book or work on a Sudoku puzzle. Aside from that, I need to go out to the store and pick up the Sunday paper. HTP plans to subscribe...next week. I think he was hoping for some kind of smoking deal to get us to subscribe but instead we've only seen mediocre deals.

Murphyism of the Day

Ogden Nash's Law

Progress may have been all right once, but it went on too long.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing. -- George Bernard Shaw

DD Daughter - Halloween 1981

Word of the Day

Dimp - A person who insults you in a cheap department store by asking, "Do you work here?"

I finally got all the pomegranates that I needed for wine-making cleaned and squished at about 8:30 PM last night. After that it was just a matter of measuring out water and ingredients into each of the two large buckets and then covering them and carrying them to the guest room/library/wine cellar. They were heavy. I haven't added any wine yeast as yet. I'll have to do that tonight. After that it'll be bubble, bubble, toil and trouble. A good bit of toil and a good bit of trouble before I can actually bottle and cork my 2008 vintage wines. I wish I had Sis here to help. I spent at least two hours after carrying those buckets to the guest room/library/wine cellar, cleaning up the mess in my kitchen.

After cleaning and squishing a laundry basket full of pomegranates yesterday, I took one look at the remain pomegranates that I have sitting here in a box in my kitchen and thought...I really should clean these pomegranates, juice them, and freeze what I'm not going to drink right away. *sigh* My hands don't agree with my thoughts. Right now my hang-nails have hang-nails. Besides that, I can't seem to get one of those little cactus spines out of my little finger. Oh, the things I do in the scientific pursuit of wine-making.

Baby Gypsy now has a duck. A stuffed plush Mallard duck which has joined her growing accumulation of toys. It's my Mom's fault. She's the one who said that Gypsy should have a duck and then when I was out shopping the other day....there it was and it fell into my cart. If it hadn't quacked, I might have been able to resist it. It actually is almost as big as she is. That doesn't stop her from playing fetch with it. I saw it at the store the other day and couldn't resist. It quacks as she pounces on it and chomps around to get a good grip on it. Watching her fetch this huge duck is hilarious to watch.

I can't believe it's Saturday already. Heck! I didn't even know that yesterday was Friday until I heard my favorite talk show host scream his weekly, "It's Friday!" And this morning I was greeted by The Garden Guy. I'm not fond of The Garden Guy because he's doesn't have too many answers for us here in the desert. Oh well...the thing is, I tend to lose track of time. Maybe this is because I don't wear a watch anymore. Maybe it's because I keep my calendar out of sight inside the cupboard door. Probably, it's because, it really doesn't make too much difference what day it is unless I have an appointment or a scheduled activity. I do have appointments and scheduled activities but I don't let them bother me too much. I noted that some of my neighbors have put up Halloween decorations. Maybe I'll do that next year. For me. I think it would be fun for all us "seniors" to dress up and go trick-o-treating around our age restricted neighborhood.

Murphyism of the Day

Huxley on Progress

Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.

-- Bertrand Russell

DD Daughter - Halloween 1980

Word of the Day

Dillrelict - The last pickle in the jar that avoids all attempts to be captured.

I'm exhausted and I still have a way to go before I sleep. My wine-making supplies came in the mail yesterday afternoon. I had no excuses left not to pick my pomegranates. Lots of pomegranates. I stopped counting but I picked enough to start four batches of pomegranate wine and still have plenty of pomegranates leftover for juice. Right after breakfast I tackled the job of picking the pomegranates and trimming the pomegranate tree back...quite a bit of trimming. I called my neighbor to ask if she wanted to try and root some. I'm told that you can root the cuttings and end up with more pomegranate trees. I don't need any more pomegranate trees...one provides more than enough pomegranates for me and HTP. I just figured my neighbor might want her own tree. Anyway, my pomegranate tree was planted near our AC unit which wouldn't/shouldn't have been a problem except the pomegranate tree seems to want to engulf the AC unit. I had to trim back all the branches that were draping themselves over the unit. Then....I counted out the number of pomegranates I had to see how many batches of wine I would be making. I wouldn't know how many pounds of white raisins I'd need to buy until I knew how many pomegranates I had. Plus, I wanted to experiment with some prickly pear wine. So...off to the store I went. 5# of white raisin. 15# of sugar. 8 prickly pears. That was the extent of my shopping. This was the easy part.

I started a batch of prickly pear wine and it's sitting in a bucket in my guest bedroom/library/wine cellar. I only ended up with a couple of cactus spines in my fingers. Not bad. I hope I can say the same for the wine. Then....I started cleaning the pomegranates. I'm still cleaning the pomegranates. I only have 12 more pomegranates to clean and squish before I can get my pomegranate wine started and settled into the guest bedroom/library/wine cellar to sit next to the prickly pear stuff. I'll have plenty more pomegranates that I will be cleaning in the coming days but I want to get the wine started so it'll start working and be well on its way and ready to bottle before I head back to Wisconsin next spring. I'll clean and make juice of the rest of my pomegranates when I feel more up to the task.

I'm taking a break from pomegranate cleaning so I can write my blog and because my fingers are all pruney and starting to look a bit discolored and strange. Besides, I hate to leave poor Gypsy all by her lonesome too long. She likes to sit at my feet while I blog. I hate to deprive her of all that toe-licking.

Murphyism of the Day

Linus's Law

There is no heavier burden than a great potential.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Winning may not be everything, but losing has little to recommend it.

-- Senator Dianne Feinstein

That One Looks Just Like Daddy - Halloween 1978

Word of the Day

Dignitude - A dignified attitude.

Gypsy is content. Right now she's sitting in her basket at my feet. She's just finished licking my toes and is happily lying down with her head anchoring one of my feet so I can't escape. She knows when I get up to answer the phone or do something other than sit at the computer. So...I don't dare get up without taking her with me. Not that she would do anything bad but she'd just probably follow me wherever I went and that includes if I just have to follow the call of nature. I've already spent some time playing fetch with her outside. I'm hoping that I wore her out a bit.

I really don't have anything new to blog about today. I know that there are things that I should be doing. I did the laundry yesterday. I'm washing sheets today. Other than that? Well...I think I'll make my version of stuffed green peppers for supper tonight. My version doesn't bother with actually stuffing the peppers. My version just cuts up the peppers into small chunks and cook the whole thing up like a casserole....which it actually is but I use a stuffed green pepper recipe.

It's getting warm outside today. 90°F already and it won't actually reach the high of the day until 5 PM. I really don't mind the heat, but I did turn on the AC. I'm told that tomorrow or Saturday, we'll start experiencing the effects (smoke/pollution) of the massive wildfires that are burning in California right now. Many are comparing this wildfire disaster to that of Hurricane Katrina. Only...the response of the government (State and Federal)for this disaster seems to be completely different to the response for Katrina. I think much of this is due to the differences in the leadership at the State levels. And...IMHO...the inability of those people who had lived for years under a "the government will always take care of me" welfare state of mind. I'm not sure what the coming days will bring to the people in California who have been most affected by the wildfires, but so far I've been very interested to see that the only "looting" that has transpired so far in California is a couple of illegal immigrants who were paid to steal loads of rescue/relief supplies from Qualcomm Stadium where the supplies were needed for evacuees. Lovely.

Murphyism of the Day

Baker's Bylaw

When you are over the hill, you pick up speed.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Calendars are for careful people, not passionate ones. -- Chuck Sigars

DD Daughter - Halloween 1978

Word of the Day

Digiocrity - The culture of replacing high quality analog systems with lower quality but more convenient digital systems.

Happy


Birthday



D Buddy!



It's D Buddy's Birthday today! I'll lift my glass of Shiraz tonight and wish him Salud!


Old Grey Frog is not so very grey right now. I went out to get my hair cut, styled, and colored. It's not easy to do this when I'm at The Lake. Although there are lots of beauty shops in our town at The Lake, ummmmm...I like to get my hair cut, styled and colored here in Arizona at the place where I pretty much know what I'm going to look like after they're done with all the chemicals and scissors. The last time I colored my hair...I did it myself at The Lake and ended up with hair color splattering the sinks and the walls and the counters. It isn't easy to dye your own hair if you've got long hair. I did a pretty good job...if I do have to say myself...however, I made a bit of a mess that I was able to clean up...eventually but I'm reluctant to dye my own hair unless I absolutely have no other alternative. I also got my hair cut. I'm sure HTP will ask me "which hair did you have them cut?" but I actually had them cut off a good four inches and layer the rest. My hair is still long but now only reaches a bit longer than shoulder length. Long enough for HTP but short enough to take some of the weight off.

I finally found the baby books. My children's baby books and photo albums. I'd been looking for them since we got home here in Arizona. They were stored in a box in our office. A box that had a number on it but no clue other than that as to its contents. When we moved from our last house here in Arizona to this one, four years ago, HTP printed out number labels for all the boxes and then recorded the contents of each box on an computerized spread sheet. He is so organized. Unfortunately, it took me a while to find the spread sheet to check out what was in the numbered box that was buried under other numbered boxes inside the closet in HTP's office. I'd been looking for the books because I want to send DD Daughter's baby book to her now that she has a daughter of her own...and space to store such stuff. Besides, I wanted to find a picture of DD Daughter's 1st Halloween.

Murphyism of the Day

Peterson's Principle

Traditions are solutions for which we have forgotten the problems.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

A treasure of memories is a very special happiness. -- Margaret Lindsey

Dalbergia sissoo - Indian Rosewood (Photograph found on the Internet)

Word of the Day

Differentiality - The practice of being different.

We've been busy. HTP and I went out and bought some replacement plants to plant in our yard. We replaced the dead tree in the front of our house with a Dalbergia Sissoo (Indian Rosewood). It's supposed to withstand some fairly cold temperatures but if it really gets cold like last winter? My neighbor planted two of these trees in the front of her house last year...before the freeze...and although they lost all their leaves, they came back just fine. I wish I could say the same for my Brazilian Pepper trees. Oh well...I only lost the one...so far. I need to go out and stake our new tree a bit better. It seems to be drooping a bit. Weak trunk syndrome. That happens when a tree depends a bit too much on a splint/stake when it's growing up. I removed the splint and it looks like I need to re-splint the poor tree for a bit until it gets used to standing on its own a bit better. My passive wind support stakes are doing the trick.

Aside from planting the above tree....we replaced the blue hibiscus that croaked over the summer with a Red Fairy Duster. Again, the blue hibiscus was another victim of last winter's freeze...the really cold and the really hot were just too much for it. I think the fairy duster will be a bit more hardy than the blue hibiscus. I'm also hoping that last winter's freezing temperatures were an anomaly.

Lastly, we replaced a dead pygmy date palm in our backyard with a Mediterranean Fan Palm. I noticed that the Mediterranean Fan Palm in our front yard wasn't bothered at all when it came to our freezing temperatures last winter. HTP and I do not want to spend every fall and spring replacing landscape plants. This is becoming a back-breaking annual event for us and we've both noticed that we aren't getting any younger.

However, I did buy some petunias to plant near our fountain. I don't mind planting a few colorful annuals to enjoy during our winter months here even though planting things here plays total havoc on my hands. The soil here tends to mummify your hands and I don't always remember to bath them in lotions. I'm starting to lose hope on annual flowers here in Arizona. At least, I'm afraid that I haven't had much luck when it comes to annuals near our fountain. I don't think they like it there. I'm hoping that petunias will like it there a bit better than everything else I've tried. I may see if I can find a couple of hanging baskets to add some color. I already have a double shepherd's crook out in back that I used to have for hummingbird feeders. Only...I'm a bit burned out on hummingbird feeders right now from all the hummingbird nectar I ended up making while at The Lake. I think I'll take a break from the hummingbirds. They still seem to come and visit anyway. Bathing in our fountain.

Aside from our landscape repair work, HTP and I had someone come to look at our patio. HTP and I are wondering which of us will be closer to what the actual estimate comes in at. We'll see. I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, I've got to keep all those paint flakes cleaned up or a certain baby puppy will put them in her mouth.

Speaking of baby puppies, Gypsy has been given a clean bill of health. No parasites. I didn't think she had any but it's always good to make sure. She's an active little girl and seems to like to put everything in her mouth right now. She loves to chew on everything and it's not easy to keep a constant eye on her. Landscape gravel, paint chips, the towel in her kennel, the lambskin that lines her baskets, my sweatshirt, and somehow her dog tags and collar? .... Yes, she does have chew toys. She munches on them too. She's a baby. I'm sure she'll grow out of this phase eventually. She loves to play and clown about which is great fun to watch.

Murphyism of the Day

Shaw's Maxim

Virtue is insufficient temptation.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains.

-- Dutch Proverb

How to Carve a Pumpkin - DD Daughter and HTP - Halloween 1980









Word of the Day

Dietribe - An irate sermon or lecture on healthy eating.

I'm wearing jeans and a sweatshirt this morning and I'm still cold while I'm sitting by the open window next to my computer desk. 58°F feels a lot colder here in Arizona then the same temperature in Wisconsin...at least to me. There is a perfectly good scientific explanation for this if you'd care to look it up on the Internet. I'll leave that up to you. It's all about dew points, humidity and windchill etc if you can dig past all the scientific mumbo jumbo...which I really don't feel like doing. I know why it feels colder here than there. I also know it'll warm up this afternoon but for right now, I'm cold. I suppose I could close that open window but I'd rather be cold and enjoy the fresh air streaming in from outside. I'm weird that way.

DD Daughter sent me some pictures of how their neighbor decked out their house for Halloween. She also sent me a picture of Ms. En in one of her Halloween costumes. I'm feeling a bit nostalgic. Since HTP and I moved here...to this house...in an age-restricted neighborhood, I haven't bothered decorating for Halloween. I've got all the decorations but with no kids...I haven't bothered. There doesn't seem to be much of a point in it. I may, however, go out to buy some of that candy in the store...for old times sake. We won't have any trick-o-treaters but.....

OK...to be honest...I LOVE CHOCOLATE! Another addiction and this is the bestest time of year to buy it...that and Christmas, Valentine's Day and Easter. I figure that the reason I have a freezer is so I can stock up on chocolate when the buying's good so I can nibble away on frozen chocolate during the times when they jack up the prices and make you feel to guilty about buying it. I love DARK chocolate. The darker the better. Milk chocolate always seems to be a bit too sweet. I'll eat it but dark chocolate is so much better and since I'm on a perpetual diet, I'd rather not waste my daily intake of calories on milk chocolate unless I have no alternative. However, milk chocolate is acceptable if I'm totally out of dark chocolate and I'm going through chocolate withdrawal. Heck....when I NEED chocolate, I'll dive into the chocolate chips in my baking cupboard. White chocolate? That's not even chocolate. Blech! Why bother! Oh well...the doctors are now claiming that dark chocolate is good for you. I'll stick my fingers in my ears so I can't hear any of the disclaimers or follow-up studies on this subject. I've heard enough. I can now eat my dark chocolate and imagine that it's actually doing something wonderful for my body. I'm told that dark chocolate is supposed to lower your blood pressure and be healthy for your heart. They're claiming it's an anti-oxidant. Now...I know that there are lots of pills out there that claim to do the same thing but given the choice of taking another pill or supplement or eating a really good dark chocolate candy bar? I'll bite the bullet and munch on some chocolate. Having said all this....I think I've got some dark chocolate whispering to me from the freezer. The sound is a bit muffled because I haven't had any breakfast yet but I can hear it. Maybe later this afternoon. I'm still enjoying my cup of coffee that the doctors are now telling me is healthy too. "Want a drug that could lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and colon cancer? That could lift your mood and treat headaches? That could lower your risk of cavities?" Thank goodness I don't have to feel guilty anymore about drinking my coffee in the mornings.

Murphyism of the Day

Russell's Rule

Don't worry about avoiding temptation - as you grow older, it starts avoiding you.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

It doesn't make a difference what temperature a room is, it's always room temperature.

-- Steven Wright



Russell's Rule

DD Daughter - Halloween 1979

Word of the Day

Dialup - Something that is very slow.

My whole schedule has been thrown off. That's OK. I love talking to my daughters. MC Daughter needs to learn about the time differences between where she's living and where HTP and I are living right now but...that will come. I was awake. I wasn't up yet. I was thinking about getting up and thinking about taking care of Gypsy and then the phone rang. Only, the phone near my bed decided not to work this morning. I need a new phone by my bed but I'm reluctant to replace the one I've got because it's one of those neat combo phone/clock radio things. Only...even though the radio is still functioning just fine, the phone part works erratically which isn't a good thing so I'm going to have to bite the bullet and buy a phone and a new radio. Which...of course, will take up tons of space on my nightstand. Oh well...

Anyway, MC Daughter called at around 7 AM this morning before I was up and about. Normally, I'm up and about a lot earlier but I stayed up rather late last night reading a book. I bought books while I was out shopping yesterday. I've read two of them. *sigh* I am such an addict when it comes to books. So, I didn't get to sleep until around 2 AM with full expectation of getting up at 3 AM to take the puppy out for a walk. Thus, I decided not to jump out of bed this morning at my normal 6 AM. If I hadn't read those books, I would have gotten up at my normal 6 AM, I would have fed and walked Gypsy while I drank my first cup of coffee. I would have answered the phone at 7 AM, using the functioning phone in our kitchen instead of having to call MC Daughter back after the phone by my bed hung up on her.

Oh well...I called MC Daughter back and got to talk to her while I juggled with Gypsy because by this time Gypsy wanted to get up and out of her kennel. And Gypsy is such a good puppy that she waited patiently for her food until I got off the phone with MC Daughter (who is doing just fine and has started her job which I'm not going to discuss because I'd have to kill you....only kidding...but HTP doesn't like me to go into details about stuff because he's HTP and he figures people don't need to know everything about everything that goes on with our family and I tend to blab about too much stuff).

After hanging up the phone, I went outside to check on Gypsy. She'd gotten into some paint chips. *sigh* The ceiling of our deck is cracking along the seams where the drywall should be joined and huge bits of paint are peeling off and falling onto the deck. We're going to have to hire someone to come out and fix it. The roof isn't leaking. I think it's a drywall/paint problem. The drywall tape is pulling away from the drywall and the paint isn't sticking to the drywall. Too bad the warranty doesn't cover this kind of mess. So while I was on the phone with MC Daughter, Gypsy was busy nibbling on bits of paint. I'm sure she'll be just fine but I quickly cleaned off all the paint chips that had fallen overnight while we were sleeping. Then, I mixed up Gypsy's puppy food and sat with her, drinking my morning coffee (which only had a hint of vinegar taste because I rinsed the coffeemaker with a couple of pots of clean fresh water yesterday after I'd cleaned it with vinegar).

I made coffee and I forgot to open the shades because my schedule was all off whack. Of course, HTP pointed out that I'd forgotten to open the shades which is a part of my normal routine. He blamed it on my preoccupation with Gypsy. Not so. Gypsy is a really patient puppy. I blame it on my addiction to books which started the snowball of events that threw off my entire morning schedule.

I'm back on "schedule" now. Gypsy is happily sitting at my feet while I blog. Breakfast was made and eaten. Dishes are in the dishwasher and the dishwasher is running. There's a cool breeze coming in from the open window by my computer desk. I'll have to close the windows soon but I'm enjoying the breeze so there's no need to hurry on that little chore. Besides, I like listening to the sound of the water cascading in our fountain which I can't hear when our double-pane windows are closed. It's Sunday. I'm not going to think too hard on the To Do List that I should be making. I'll wait until tomorrow for that. I plan to spend the day doing absolutely nothing. Content that I heard from all my children this week/weekend, I don't feel the need to do anything more than maybe go out to get a Sunday paper. HTP hasn't renewed our prescription (editted to say...subscription. However, this just might have been one of those Freudian slips that everyone talks about.) to the paper yet and it's nice to have a Sunday paper. I got to talk with #1 Son earlier in the week when he got his new cell phone. I got to talk to DD Daughter yesterday when she called to tell me about the new washer and dryer she and GI Joe got and all the really neat Halloween decorations their neighbor was putting up. And I got to talk to MC Daughter this morning about all the doings in her and D Buddy's life. Schedules are all well and good but talking to my children is far more important to me than any schedule. Schedules can end up turning into ruts if you're not careful and sometimes ruts are kind of hard to climb out of before you even realize you've fallen into one.

Murphyism of the Day

Twain's Observation

If you abstain from drinking, smoking, and carousing, you may not live longer -- but it will feel longer.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Always new. Always exciting. Always full of promise. The mornings of our lives, each a personal daily miracle! -- Gloria Gaither

Gypsy With Her Funny Green Ball - October 2007

Word of the Day

Detrivenient - Being convenient to the point of detriment.

Once again I find myself sitting at my computer with a puppy (Gypsy) at my feet. She knew right away this morning that the basket under my desk was "her place" and got right into it when she followed me out of the kitchen this morning after our morning play session outside. It's becoming a ritual of sorts. After her breakfast, she wants me to play fetch for a while with each of her toys. Gypsy fetches. All I have to do is toss the toys. I'm not really sure which of her toys is her favorite. I do know that the squeaker on the funny green ball with feet tends to drive her to a frenzy but I don't think it's because she hates the noise. So far, she hasn't attempted to remove the squeaker. I had one dog a long time ago (Betsy the basset hound) that would grab any of those squeaker toys and with great purpose gnaw out the squeaker so it would never squeak again...in other words, she'd kill it. She really wasn't a toy-loving sort of dog and she seemed to hate the squeaker noise.

I started tree trimming operations yesterday. I trimmed one tree. I filled one garbage can with the clippings. Rome wasn't built in a day. My pruning won't get done in a day either...unless I hire someone to do it. I really don't have all that much garbage can space and here I can't just haul the debris into the woods or burn it. I think I may be able to prune one more tree this week before our garbage pickup but right now I'm taking a break. I've got Oleander trees and I need to be really careful with the clippings. I don't want Gypsy to decide that oleander debris may be a fun play toy. Oleanders are poisonous. I'm not sure how much she'd have to ingest to cause a problem but I'm all for not having any doggy health problems. She already has attacked the tangelo tree branches that are drooping within reach. I've seen her eyeing the nice round, ball-like fruit that might just be a fun thing to play with. She's also attacked the lower fronds of the pygmy date palm. I figure the spines on those fronds will bite her back enough that she'll learn not to do that anymore. That and the natal plum spines. My baby likes to play and put things in her mouth. I noted that she brought a piece of the landscape gravel over to her outdoor basket to play with. I'm keeping an eye on her. Chew toys. I'm making sure that there are chew toys a plenty in various places wherever she may be.

I've got to go out shopping today. I'm down to my last thing of Cesar Puppy food. Who feeds their puppies this stuff as a sole source of food? I mean it's expensive and when you feed a puppy three times a day? Good grief! I've been mixing 1/4 of one of those Cesar Puppy food containers into Gypsy's dry food. She's a picky eater. I'm not used to picky eaters. Normally, I'd figure that she'd eat when she's hungry but she's a puppy and I worry that she's not getting enough to grow on and develop properly. Anyway, she eats her food a lot better (still picky but at least she's eating) if I mix in the tempting taste Cesar Puppy food.

Murphyism of the Day

Kubin's Maxim

How feeble are a man's efforts against the unyielding forces of Nature - until the struggle is recounted for the grandchildren.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

We don't know what we want, but we are ready to bite somebody to get it.

-- Will Rogers (1879 - 1935)

Total Relaxation

Word of the Day

Desuckify - To ameliorate one's situation, work, idea, item, place; to make less disagreeable.

Nothing new on the puppy front. Gypsy still hasn't had any accidents. We're up to five hours now but maybe she could last a bit longer. I'm not willing to test it out. She still likes sitting at my feet while I blog.

I got the laundry done yesterday. I ordered wine-making supplies over the internet. Until the shipment arrives, I plan to leave the pomegranates on their tree. They're not going anywhere and none have started to split or go bad. My pomegranate tree is in my backyard...my fenced backyard. I figure that a block fence is enough of a pomegranate thief deterrent. Pomegranates in the store are pretty darn expensive.

I didn't vacuum. Laziness. I'm also afraid the noise from the vacuum cleaner will scare Gypsy. That's just a lame excuse though. Mainly, I'm just feeling lazy. I didn't dust either. I did clean the bathtubs though. I noticed the strong odor of sewer gas yesterday while HTP was off shopping and getting the oil changed in our SUV. Six months of non-activity in our tubs here in Arizona while we are in Wisconsin can make the traps dry out which allows sewer gas free passage. Cleaning the tubs took care of the problem.

See? I am keeping busy.

Murphyism of the Day

Grimes's Law

Nostalgia is the realization that things weren't as unbearable as they seemed at the time.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

I appreciate people who are civil, whether they mean it or not. I think: Be civil. Do not cherish your opinion over my feelings. There's a vanity to candor that isn't really worth it. Be kind.

-- Richard Greenberg

Gypsy Bringing Me Her Frog - October 2007

Word of the Day

Destructination - The state of being destructinated, or completely decimated and destroyed; the utter annihilation of something or someone.

Day Six With a New Puppy

"OK, already, enough with the new puppy bit." I'm betting you're saying this about now. I've been feeling a bit like a Mom with her new baby. Right now my new baby is chewing on the fleece in her basket....at my feet. *sigh* Excuse me while I go get her bone for her so I don't have to buy a whole new basket after she shreds this one. At least she's not nibbling on my toes. My baby greeted me with numerous kisses this morning when I got up to take her outside. She wouldn't sit down to eat her food unless she knew I was right there watching her. I know this because she kept turning around to check up on me. "Is she still there...ok...I can continue eating now." I'm not letting her have the free run of the house...exactly. I'm not spoiling her...exactly. My Mom asked me yesterday if I'd taught her to heel yet. What?! She's too young! I am getting her used to walking on leash. I figure I've got a bit of time yet before I teach her to heel and sit on command. However, she is learning to fetch. She loves to play fetch. I'm thinking I'd better go buy a few more toys for my baby to fetch so she gets used to fetching a variety of toys rather than just the one. I mean, what would happen if the one got lost? I know that my brother's dog just loves the one toy so he ended up buying all kinds of the exact same toy....just in case. Nicky loves his ball. Gypsy loves her frog but I'm trying to get her interested in the funny green squeaker ball with feet. Humans (at least this human)tend to buy toys that strike their fancy, or funny bone.

*****

OK. Enough about my puppy. I'm actually going to tackle some other jobs around the house today. Dusting. Vacuuming. Laundry. I need to find a place online where I can purchase champagne yeast. I've got lots of pomegranates on my tree outside. Since I have plenty of liqueur, I want to start a new Vintage 2008 batch of pomegranate wine. I think I'm going to add a bit more sugar this year. Unfortunately, I can't make wine without wine yeast so...I'll have to find a reliable source online since the only place here in the big city west which might sell it, maybe, sells mostly beer making supplies. Aside from all this, I need to do a bit of bush and tree trimming in the backyard. I was really happy to find that I'm going to have my own grapefruit from my own dwarf grapefruit tree again this winter. I love grapefruit and so far I'm not taking any medications that would prevent me from eating it. I was also happy to discover that I have a lot of tangelos on my not-so-dwarf tangelo tree. All the citrus is still green. The temperatures need to get a bit colder that the sunlight days need to get a bit shorter before my fruit will resemble that which you'd find in the stores. Next month I'll have fruit to enjoy. I'm thinking of making some Arancello from the tangelo zest but...I guess you can't actually call it Arancello anymore when you're using tangelos instead of oranges. Shall I call it Tarancello? What's the Italian word for "tangelo"? Do they have tangelos in Italy? I'll have to do some more research. So far, I haven't been successful in finding the word in my Italian/English dictionary...even online.

Murphyism of the Day

Ertz's Observation

Millions long for immortality who don't know what to do on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

They say they climb mountains because they are there. I wonder if it would astound them to know that the very same reason is why the rest of us go around them.

-- S. Omar Barker

Gypsy - October 2007

Word of the Day

Destructinate - The act of destroying something entirely, leaving nothing left but atomic particles.

Day Five With a New Puppy

Ouch....she just bit my foot. Yup. Gypsy's in the basket at my feet as I blog again. I don't mind having my feet licked but nibbling is off limits. She met the Vet yesterday. Everyone in the office raced over to meet her and hold her. One took her off to the back room to be weighed and have her nails clipped. I could hear that she made a lot of friends back in the back room. She weighs 6 - pounds. Or so they tell me. I think someone must have had her thumb on the scale. Poor baby ended up getting two shots yesterday. One shot for rabies and her second set of puppy shots. The doctor tells me that she's in fine health. I need to bring her back in a month to get her last set of puppy shots and her kennel cough nose drops. No more visits to the Vet after that one....for another year. I'm supposed to bring in a stool sample sometime soon but I didn't feel like messing with it today and they don't do that sort of test on weekends so...maybe on Monday. We'll see. We're still working on housebreaking. So far, we're at 100%. No accidents in the house. It can't be this easy, can it?

Murphyism of the Day

Tallulah Bankhead's Observation

If I had to live my life again, I'd make the same mistakes, only sooner.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

If the truth doesn't save us, what does that say about us?

-- Lois McMaster Bujold

Old Grey Frog's Gypsy Lady Luck - October 2007


Word of the Day

Destinesia - Going upstairs or downstairs and being unable to remember why.

Day Four With a New Puppy

Yet again I find myself blogging with my feet in a dog basket and a puppy at my feet. New twist. Gypsy is licking my feet. *sigh* I'm loved. When she decided to nibble on my Sudoku puzzle last night as I was working on it, I distracted her with a chew bone. Problem solved. Thankfully, Gypsy seems to like plush toys and is limiting her chewing right now, as she sits at my feet, to her plush bone.

I'm taking Gypsy to "meet" the Vet this afternoon. I've decided that Gypsy's tail is just fine. It looks a bit bizarre to me but from what I've seen it'll eventually end up with a lot more hair. Apparently, tail docking, when it comes to this breed, is no longer popular. I didn't see even one picture of a Cavalier King Charles with a docked tail online. I'm relieved. There's no way that I want to cause my new baby any unnecessary pain. Puppy shots fall into the necessary category.

As for housebreaking, Gypsy is doing just fine so far. She woke me up at around 2:30 AM last night. I got up to take her out in the backyard. She "produced", I cuddled her for a bit and then I returned her to her kennel for the rest of the night. I didn't want to just thrust her back into her kennel after she'd been so good as to wake me up instead of having an "accident" in her kennel. Such good behavior shouldn't be rewarded by what she may consider punishment.

Murphyism of the Day

Nitzberg's Law

A home is ruled by the sickest person in it.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets. -- Voltaire (1694 - 1778)

Word of the Day

Desnigletize - 1. Process by which a word is removed of its sniglet/unword status.
2. To eliminate an unword.

Day Three With a New Puppy

Gypsy just doesn't like being on her own. Which I guess is just fine but I'm not getting too much done around the house because I feel like I'm one of those cartoon prisoners that you see with a ball and chain around her ankle. Or a horse with a hobble. During the day Gypsy insists on remaining within touching or tripping distance. On the plus side, she hasn't had any accidents in the house. On the negative side, I'm having to sit here blogging with my feet in the dog basket, a puppy curled and sleeping between my feet. Looks a bit bizarre, not at all uncomfortable because the dog bed's cushioning is kind of nice on my feet, but I'm not getting a whole lot done.

I did get the AKC paperwork all filled out. My puppy(unless the name is rejected by AKC because someone has already taken that name)has a name. Old Grey Frogs Gypsy Lady Luck. (No possessive mark between the "g" and the "s" in Frogs...I would have put one there but...you get the idea. I still haven't had a chance to take pictures. I think I'm going to have to have HTP take pictures because Gypsy isn't exactly co-operating, at least, unless I'm in the picture with her. I may have HTP employ the wonders of PhotoShop. Maybe if I take a few later today, if I find the time, I'll post it. We'll see.

One place that Gypsy doesn't seem to mind being alone...too much...is in her kennel. She reminds me that she'd rather not be alone but after a few reprimands, she quiets down at night. Still no accidents...other than the occasional "I'm so happy to see you" lack of bladder control. Sis tells me that this is common in the spaniel breed and that she'll outgrow it? Since I've never owned a spaniel before, I'll have to take her word for it....and go get the spray cleaner out. Gypsy does like playing outside...if I'm there. Her favorite toy (HTP insisted that we needed to buy her at least one toy), is a little stuffed frog. Last night she was having a great deal of fun playing tug of war and fetch with said frog. I've started using training words while we're playing and she's taken to fetching like a true retriever. Her breed is designated in the gun dog category...also the toy dog category but... She seem incredibly smart, or that may just be as seen through my puppy love eyes. HTP pointed out that she doesn't seem to bark at all and that she really isn't much of a watch dog. He's right, at least so far. No barking yet. We'll see. Early days yet. HTP isn't crying in his soup. I think he sees this as a good thing.

Murphyism of the Day

Pierson's Law

If you're coasting, you're going downhill.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Misery no longer loves company. Nowadays it insists on it. -- Russell Baker

Word of the Day

Derk - 1. Someone who presses a pedestrian crossing button more than once, or after someone has already pressed it, having the idea that it will make the lights change faster. 2. To be both a jerk and a dork at the same time. A jerk-foolish person.

Not much going on here today....(see Old Grey laughing hysterically at this total lie).

Gypsy is doing just great. Training is coming along wonderfully. She hasn't had any accidents...yet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and my eyes open.

This morning started with feeding and walking. Then I was almost late for church because someone called just as I was heading out the door. He wanted to hunt on our property at The Lake. I did not have time to deal with him. I passed the responsibility baton to my sister and her husband. Hey! I figure since my brother passed that baton to me...Sorry Sis.

So I got to church on time and played my clarinet for two services. Wonderful to be back with the group. Between services we jammed a bit...no written music just playing around. Fun stuff. I'm not too good at jazzing around without written music but hey....I had fun.

After church I headed to the grocery store with my list of things that I didn't get the other day when we first got back to town. That's right. I don't live in a town here in Arizona. I live in one of the big cities. Lots of noise. Lots of traffic. Pollution. However, I did see a roadrunner (the bird...not the car) on my way home from church today. There is wildlife here in the big city west.

I've filled out the AKC registration papers that I need to mail in. I noted that Gypsy still has her dew claws and...well...her tail was never bobbed. I'm going to take Gypsy to the vet next week. I'll consult as to whether or not I should have this taken care of or if I should just let Gypsy stay unbobbed. Now...the dew claws, well, they have to go. It's too dangerous for her to be running around at The Lake with dew claws that could snag on things and cause injury. Anyway, I plan to hear what the vet has to say. I don't mind an unbobbed tail. Aside from that, she needs her second set of puppy shots. Next week she'll be 12 weeks old. Cutey.

My day has been consumed by puppy. I'm amazed that it's already time for me to get supper on the table. I haven't even found the time to take any pictures. Tomorrow? We'll see. Thankfully, Gypsy doesn't seem to mind sitting for a while in her kennel. Of course, she'd rather be sitting on my lap or at my feet but I can't make supper with a puppy in my arms.

Murphyism of the Day

The Interest Principle

Almost everything is more popular than it used to be.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Is life worth living?
Aye, with the best of us,
Heights of us, depths of us -
Life is the test of us!

-- Corinne Roosevelt Robinson

Cavalier King Charles Puppies

Word of the Day

Der - Used to express confusion, interrogation, surprise; "huh?"

HTP brought home a newspaper yesterday. He'd gone out to take care of some Chevy maintenance. After sitting idle all summer long in our Arizona garage, our Chevy needed some air in its tires and it needed a bath. The entire surface of the car was coated with a fine layer of silt. Some people would call this dust. However, after sweeping mounds of the stuff off my back patio yesterday, the unmistakable brown/desert color of that "dust" makes me just want to call a spade a spade. Silt is silt. But...the main thing is that HTP brought home a newspaper.

Aside from the free daily Sudoku puzzle, I wanted to look at the Pet section of the newspaper. I've decided to get a puppy. In the back of my mind, I've been mulling over getting one of four different types/breeds of dog. I'm only getting one puppy.
I needed to narrow down my choices. I eliminated Yorkshire as a type. Though cute, I'm not sure if I could deal with the snappy, hyper, terrier personality plus, there's all that grooming. So, I started calling on chihuahua ads but none of them were actually AKC chihuahuas. And then...I thought...I don't think that I'm ready to get another chihuahua. Every time I look around the house, I "see" my two chihuahuas that I lost over the summer. My two chihuahuas are gone but not forgotten. I don't want to replace them. Anyway, I called on this ad for a Cavalier King Charles puppy that I saw online. Prince Charles markings (tri-color). HTP and I are going to take a look later this morning. From the pictures that I saw, this puppy really is a cutie. She has good bloodlines. No history of heart problems in either Mom or Dad or Grandparents. Mom weighs 15# and Dad weighs 18#. If I end up bringing a puppy home today, she'll have her own space here in our home. I've never been without a dog and though I probably could live without, I'd rather not. She'll fill in some of that empty nest feeling that I've been feeling.

Murphyism of the Day

Elliott's Axiom

All children are future ex-idealists.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about. -- Oscar Wilde

******

Update!

We have a new puppy. We're calling her Gypsy. She's the puppy that's sitting second from the right in the above picture. Of course, I'll be taking a few pictures in the coming days as well. That's the picture the breeder took. Now....all I have to do is find a name that's different enough that incorporates Gypsy to send into the AKC for her registration papers. She's sitting in her basket right by my computer, content to sit here by me. She's such a sweetheart. Quiet. Laid back. Not a shiver or shake when we drove all the way home or while we were in the PetSmart.

DD Daughter in our Arizona Backyard - Early Spring 2007....I need to clean and fill that fountain and get it started again. Not #1 on my mental list of things to do today.

Word of the Day

Depocket - 1. To fall from a pocket due to one becoming horizontal. 2. The act of unloading the contents of one's pockets before lying or sitting on a bed or couch. 3. To remove the pockets from an article of clothing.

We're Home! In Arizona. HTP and I arrived back at "Ye Ole Homestead West" at around 6 PM last night. We stopped to pick up cable boxes for our television viewing pleasure before we even got home. First task? Unloading the car. Second task? I had to get the ice box unloaded so the stuff that was frozen in there stayed frozen. I still wish I could have had some dry ice but for the most part, everything was still frozen when we got home. Unpacking the ice box as soon as I got here was important. Third task? HTP set up all the electronics. I went out to get some groceries so that we could eat supper...or at least have something to eat for breakfast. And then, after I'd put away all the groceries, I unpacked my suitcases and I was just too tired to eat any supper. Oh well...I've got breakfast. Now...I guess I'd better tackle unpacking that box where I've got our special coffee which you can't buy here in Arizona. Butternut coffee....which Folgers put their label on but it still tastes like Butternut coffee. Unfortunately, I can't buy it here in Arizona. I stock up and bring it back from Wisconsin each year.

It looks like we lost one of our trees in the front yard. It's brown. It's dead. I'll have to replace it with something. I also lost one of our bushes in the front yard. I'm thinking both of these probably died because of last winter's freezing temperatures. They seemed to be doing pretty good by the time HTP and I left here in April but they weren't exactly thriving. I may go out and buy another sage plant to replace that bush. As for the tree, I'm in no rush. In the meantime, I've got a lot of trimming to do in the backyard and I need to figure out how to stake one of the trees that my neighbor found lying on its side. She jury-rigged a support system so it looks like it will at least live until I can figure out something more permanent.

I'm going to have to sweep up all the dust storm debris today. There's a fine layer of silt covering our entire patio area. In some areas there are even silt dunes. I suppose I'll have to make a few lists of all the things that I need to do and then figure out what needs doing first. I need to get the fountain up and running. I need to set up all the patio furniture. I need to...

I need to go unpack some coffee so I can brew a pot to get this morning started.

Murphyism of the Day

Maury's Law

No one is too old to learn a new way of being stupid.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Truth has beauty, power and necessity.

-- Sylvia Ashton-Warner

Me Mum (she who signs all her comments as "Me"), DD Daughter, and Ms. En. - October 5, 2007 (I have not idea who everyone else is because they were unconnected to us other than being fellow diners at Valentino's)

Word of the Day

Dentarded - People who refuse, are afraid of, or simply ignore dental visits to the point of nastola.

Where's Old Grey Froggy? I'm in Vegas. We arrived yesterday morning. The driving was almost perfect. After we got through that initial rain, the rest of the time driving was perfect. Blue skies. Sun. A bit cold up in the mountains of Colorado but...what the heck...at least the snow that did fall, didn't fall on us. No ice scrapers or car washes were necessary after we descended the lower elevations of Utah.

We left on Friday morning. Rain. I locked the house up in the rain. I got out of the car to lock the gate...in the rain. The chain that we use to lock up the gate fell into the leaves on the side of the road and since it was still a bit dark at 7 AM in the morning in Wisconsin and it was raining, I got kind of wet as I groped around in the dark to find it. Old Grey Frog was a bit cranky at the time but as soon as I got back into the car and dried off, using my hooded sweatshirt, and started sipping on that first cup of coffee and nibbling on my cinnamon apple donut, my mood improved.

We met up with my folks in Menomonie and continued on to Omaha. After checking into our motel, we met up with DD Daughter and Ms. En at Valentino's for supper. GI Joe joined us a bit later. He was finalizing arrangements for their new apartment which they planned to start moving into after supper. HTP and I and my folks decided that, although we'd really love to see their new apartment, we had to get up too early in the morning the next day to get in their way. Moving isn't fun...we all know that.

Saturday morning we got up early...no thanks to the people at the front desk of our motel. We never got a wake up call. However, my Dad and I are both genetically predisposed to waking up at least five minutes before an alarm clock/or wake up call can actually cause us to jump or startle. I was awake when the wake up call didn't occur. So was Dad. We discussed the lack of a wake up call over our continental breakfast. The guy at the desk was apologetic but I felt his excuses were rather lame. We were all loaded up and back on the road by 8:30 AM. Destination Dillon/Silverthorne, Colorado.

The weather forecast for that area of Colorado wasn't encouraging. Cold. Snow. We got the cold but were fortunate to miss out on the snow. We had a wonderful supper at The Dam Brewery. HTP hates that place but I love it and so that's where we had supper. Dillon has these wonderful outlet stores which we didn't explore. I would have loved exploring but HTP isn't an exploring kind of guy. Oh well...I didn't really need to buy anything and we already have too much packed into our car as it is.

Our wake up calls came right on schedule for Sunday morning. Of course, I woke up ten minutes before the call came in but I never like to depend upon my genetic "gift"....or take it for granted. Besides, the motel had zooped up the heat in the place and the room was so hot that we ended up sleeping with the windows open all night. The freezing temperatures outdoors barely made a dent in the heating system at the motel. We had the AC running all night along with open windows (exterior temperature when we went to bed was 38°F...and it got colder) and we still ended up sleeping with the covers tossed to the foot of the bed. We hit the road again at 8:30 AM (which was really 9:30 AM Central time....gained an hour of sleep)after another free continental breakfast. Cold but sunny. The only snow that we saw was that which was dusting the ground on either side of the road. Pretty. Destination St. George, Utah.

Upon arriving in St. George, Utah, we were relegated to the second story of our motel for the evening. This was because every motel/hotel in town was booked solid. We were lucky that we made our motel reservations a month ago. World Senior Games? Every senior citizen from across the nation and the pond were in town to compete on everything from horseshoes to softball. Lots of physically fit senior citizens in town. Oh well, we dined on Mexican food that night. It wasn't great but what can you expect in Utah? Oh well...at least our waitress was authentic. She didn't speak any English. That was OK too...I speak Spanish. As soon as she discovered this, I think we got the best service in the place. The food was flavorful but.... I guess HTP and I were overeager to have Mexican food again. Real Mexican food...or Arizona-style Mexican food.

Wake up call at 7 AM. My eyes popped open at 6 AM and I worked on a Sudoku puzzle until the wake up call came in. We shared a continental breakfast with a lot of people who were in town for the senior games. We didn't get a free newspaper because they were all gone by the time we got to the breakfast room. Sold out motel equals no free newspapers. Oh well....we hit the road again at 8:30 AM and got to my folks home in Henderson at around 9:30 AM. How can that be? It takes about 2 hours to drive from St. George, UT to Henderson, NV. Time change. We gained another hour.

After dropping lots of our more security sensitive stuff off at my folks place along with the stuff in my ice chest that didn't completely stay frozen but...it'll be OK. The fish was frozen solid. The rest of the stuff didn't matter so much. It was still frosty and can be re-frozen without any health issues. Anyway, after dropping all this stuff off at my folks place and abandoning them to their unpacking, HTP and I continued on to Sam's Town.

So...here I am at Sam's Town. My luck hasn't been the worst but neither has it been the best. I did get a Royal Flush today but the payout wasn't huge. HTP and I enjoyed a oysters on the half shell last night before a dinner of lobster tail and meat. Prime Rib for me and Porterhouse steak for HTP. The thing is that HTP and I still can't figure out how Billy Bob's can screw up the cooking of their steaks like they do. Maybe it's just us. I can cook a mean steak and Billy Bob's steaks and meats just don't measure up next to mine. On the other hand, I don't even attempt raw oysters on my own. I'd probably poison myself. So...weighing the good with the bad...the oysters keep coming back to Billy Bob's.

So...why am I in the room blogging instead of losing money down in the casino? Despite my royal flush, I decided that I was tired of tossing good money after bad. I'm still down for the trip. Besides, it was starting to feel a bit like work. No fun. So I decided to come back up to the room and wash my hair (note: see first paragraph about rain on Friday as I was locking up the gate). I've been battling fuzzy hair for days. Today, I noted, that fuzzy hair can also start to feel greasy. Yucko. I'm blogging with my hair in a towel, waiting for it to dry enough for me to start drying it further with a hair-dryer. I hope my traveling hot hair curlers still work or it's back to the frizzies.

HTP and I will be here at Sam's Town until Thursday. Home in Arizona by Thursday night. I'm not sure if I'll be blogging again tomorrow or not. Maybe. Maybe I'll win a huge jackpot. I have my doubts. Oh well...there's always Sudoku puzzles. We're eating at Fellini's tonight. Tomorrow night? I don't know. Our food is comped (that means free). Maybe we'll eat at Fellini's again tomorrow...or maybe Billy Bob's for their oysters.

Murphyism of the Day

Carillo's Codicil

Age is a high price to pay for maturity.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Never take the advice of someone who has not had your kind of trouble.

-- Sidney J. Harris

A Final Look at The Lake...Until Next Spring.

Word of the Day

Demonstrant - Attempting to demonstrate an idea with such enthusiasm that you are perceived as ranting. Also: demonstranting

Just the Rest of Today and a Wake Up Before HTP and I Fly South for the Winter

I'm packed...mostly. HTP backed up all the files on both of our computers. I expect that he'll be eager to break down and pack up the computers next. We need to make a run into the city for some final errands. Plus, I used up the last of our food...or I will after making breakfast this morning. We'll have to grab a bite to eat in the city while we're there. I still need to do the final clean up for the year. We need to load the car with whatever we won't be needing tonight and tomorrow morning. And then we'll try to get some sleep. I never sleep too well on the night before we head off on a big trip. Insomniacs tend to have problems shutting down and going into sleep mode, especially when they've got so many different thoughts running through their brains. No matter how tired one gets, shutting down the volume of these thoughts tends to be rather difficult. Understatement there.

Since I won't have the use of a computer tomorrow morning, or the time to use one even if I did, I'll warn you right now that I probably won't be blogging in the coming days. I will have access to our laptop but I have to share with HTP plus internet connect speeds may make blogging difficult to impossible.

Tomorrow morning you can imagine me frantically packing up those last minute items into the suitcase I'll be dragging into the hotels each night. After that, I'll be frantically packing things from our freezer into our cooler. I'm hoping our cooler will keep things frozen/mostly frozen until we get back to my folks' place. Since I used this same cooler last year, I'm fairly confident that we won't have any problems with frozen stuff thawing out completely and thus, having to be thrown out. I'm changing my methods a wee bit to improve my chances.

Right now? I've got to make one final breakfast for HTP and me. I'm just going to brew one more pot of coffee tomorrow morning for our travel mugs. Something to wash down our breakfast rolls as we toodle down the highway.

Murphyism of the Day

Anderson's Axiom

You can only be young once, but you can be immature forever.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

A fool's brain digests philosophy into folly, science into superstition, and art into pedantry. Hence University education.

-- George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)

The Lake

Word of the Day

Dementocracy - A society in which the most demented members rise to the top.

1 Days and a Wake Up Before HTP and I Fly South for the Winter

I don't have time to panic. There is just too much to do. If I take the time to panic, I won't have the time to do what needs doing. Laundry. Packing. More laundry. More packing. Clean the fridge. Make sure all the garbage gets out this one last time because I don't want to store it in the garage over winter...ewwww....stinky, not to mention mouse fodder. Clean and secure the basement for winter. That's just today's list. What about my waste of time blogging? Maintaining one's sanity is never a waste of time. Besides, the sun only just came up. This is my time to drink my coffee and reflect on the fact that I don't have time to panic. Besides, I won't have my computer available to use for much longer. HTP is going to have to break it down so he can pack it. I'm not sure when he plans to start on that particular project. Tomorrow? Anyway, just in case, my traveling rules will kick into place. HTP and I will have our laptop with us but there's no guarantees that I'll be able to blog while we're traveling (or after HTP packs my tower). We're leaving on Friday. If I don't get a chance to blog tomorrow, it's because HTP has packed my computer up before I could stop him.

Murphyism of the Day

Dumper's Principle of Neoteny

An adult is a deteriorated child.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

What can you say about a society that says that God is dead and Elvis is alive?

-- Irv Kupcinet

The Lake

Word of the Day

Delayed billelation - Any usable denomination of money, found in the pockets of a coat, jacket or pair of pants that have been put away for a long period of time, that creates a long lasting euphoric and joyous feeling of satisfaction once found.

My eyes popped open at 6 AM and despite the fact that the sun hasn't come up as yet, I decided to get out of bed and start my day. I think the sun not being up part is what tends to concern HTP when it comes to me getting up so early. I mean...a couple of months ago when I got up with the sun at 6 AM, he never gave it a second thought that I'd get up at 6 AM. I tried to explain to him that I indeed could stay in bed until the sun came up but then I'd be laying there in bed staring at the ceiling fan, mentally twiddling my thumbs. Somehow, I just can't seem to just lay about twiddling my thumbs when....

2 Days and a Wake Up Before HTP and I Fly South for the Winter

So anyway, I got up and nuked my first cup of coffee in the morning. I got a fresh pot of coffee started. Once again I felt how empty my nest has become since the passing of my two dogs over the summer. My children have all grown up and left the nest so I've been an empty-nester for quite some time but, I still had my dogs. The nest didn't feel quite this empty when I still had my dogs. I'll have to wait until we get back to Arizona again before I can start looking for just the right puppy to place into this empty nest. I REALLY don't like this empty nest feeling. Anyway, I came into our office and decided to power up my computer, check my e-mails, and blog. *sigh* The internet isn't working as I type these not-so-priceless words. By the time anyone reads this, the internet will be up and running again...the sun will be up as well. Oh well...I know how to copy and paste and work offline.

I started serious packing yesterday while HTP was in the big city. I got a lot done. Boxes are starting to accumulate in the hallway. Boxes full of things that need to go to Arizona with us. I also dragged out my two suitcases and started sorting out what stuff I'll need to have for the trip and what stuff can be sealed up in the other suitcase which I can leave in the car overnight. Normally, I would be doing laundry today but I'm holding off until tomorrow so that HTP and I will have enough clean clothes to wear for our trip cross country. One never knows when a baby will spit up/or leak on them and one may need to change into a clean outfit. One never knows when one will spill coffee down their front and a clean shirt will become necessary. And....one must never forget to wear clean underwear....just in case one happens to be in an accident. However, I have started packing my suitcases. I'm busily checking To Do items off my To Do List and I'm busily checking off items from my Packing List. I think I've packed as much as I can now until I get the laundry done. Plus, I can't pack some things until I'm done using them on Friday morning.

Murphyism of the Day

Capp's Law

The closest you can get to your youth is to start repeating your follies.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)

Deer in the Driveway

Word of the Day

Déjà view - A phenomenon that occurs after one watches a television show for the first time, then doesn't watch it again for a while. When they watch the show again later, the station happens to be re-airing the one episode they had already seen.

3 Days and a Wake Up Before HTP and I Fly South for the Winter

I made a fresh loaf of bread last night. HTP is going to bring it to the big city for his Mom. I'm going to continue packing. I guess it's time to finally print out my lists.

Murphyism of the Day

Kelly's Observation

Living in the past has one thing in its favor - it's cheaper.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

You can tell the ideals of a nation by its advertisements. -- Norman Douglas