Happy Birthday, Ry Ry

Ryan Patrick is two years old today. (number 5 grandson).

6 grandsons, 1 granddaughter. I have 12 direct descendants.

It's a wonderful life.

Interesting

You know how I like my sitemeter? Well, one of the nice search things is 'by referral". so it turns out someone found my page by searching for "vampire cats".

This makes me laugh. and yes, I did once do a post on cats of that.

But it makes me wonder if whoever-it-is has a problem with vampire cats?

heh

Dogs

Boob and Kim got a puppy and it is the cutest darn thing. Judging by the pictures I think she will turn out almost a twin to Mercy. (color-wise and what not - probably better trained- but! Mercy still has the corn row ears) Mercy was blonde as a puppy, too.

And here she is, she comes in here with me to "play computer" - this is what I used to tell Einstein - "Let's go play computer" - and he would immediately head for this room and lay in here as long as it took, although I don't think he ever understood why we were doing this. (nor do I) That's the thing with retrievers; they are happiest being wherever it is you are. Up and down the stairs - Einstein actually learned what it meant when I told him "Be right back!" and he would wait at the bottom until I came back down - if I didn't take too long.

Anyway, here she is, laying in Einstein's spot.

Hey - I think you gotta have a dog that's what I think.

Bob

.. because everything is named Bob.

Anyway, he's got the deck all torn up and it's beginning to be eerily similar to The Year He Dug Up The Yard. Maybe tomorrow I can show you a picture.

He's trying to fix the water problem in the laundry room and I sure hope it works. and I sure hope he will slow down and work in what I call "segments". I have been pushing this theory on him because he does whatever he does, TOP SPEED FULL TIME. I know today he probably spent at least 8 hours straight on it and this usually means a life flight to the Clinic. I have threatened him with everything I know how to threaten about not going there for Thanksgiving.

I have no control; what can I say. He is usually happiest when he's up to his elbows in DIRT, go figure. Can't understand it.

and it's fun for the dog, too - she's out there eating rocks while this is going on.

Hey - I'm not the only crazy person here.

Pants

Here's my advice: always wash new clothes before you wear them. ok, I know that YOU know and already do that. sigh. I do too.

Usually. But, because I am a weak and sinful person and thus fully deserving of all the afflictions you can think of giving me (I just had to have a "root scaling" done on my bottom teeth - yes, that is as awful as it sounds - oh, yeah, and that Christmas cactus) - one time I didn't. ONE TIME! about 3 weeks ago. and it was PANTS.

so the first day I had a red stripe across my stomach and thighs, and because of the fact that I'm an idiot WHO NEVER LEARNS ANYTHING (this is not the first time) I just self-medicated with ointments and what-not which did NO GOOD WHATSOEVER and I didn't even take benadryl until two weeks later at which point I am now covered from head to toe in an itching painful rash. But still I did nothing. Most of it was still covered with clothes.

Until today. Because now I have it in my face and eyes. This morning I could see part of my face without looking in the mirror. (I know some day this will kill me - and I know this is the point where I really should see the doctor - and I told him; this doctor; "this face thing is all because of PANTS" - this is where I got "the Look" - you know the one (or do you?) - the baffled look of trying to understand the consternation) I think sometimes I don't explain things clearly; I skip the middle part.

Doctors. They didn't understand the cat food cut, either.

So I got a shot, and I got a lecture about coming sooner, and I start the steroids tomorrow, which is what I always have to do, and should have done immediately. I'm throwing the pants out (worn once). Everything has to be cotton from now on.

At least it took my mind off my teeth.

If you see someone frantically scratching their sides like a monkey, that would be me. All from PANTS. Whoudda thunk it.

Thank you, Mom. (where I got it from- along with that cactus)
How come David got all the good stuff?
;)

and that dang car

I just took it to Rusty in the Land Far Away to have it all scoped out (winter) and now I have it back. dang.

"Service Engine Soon!" It says this adamantly; Rusty says it's the gas cap so I got a new one that I haven't figured out how to put on yet (I know, I know, but it's more complicated than you might think), plus, why doesn't it just say "Replace Gas Cap At Once!" instead of being so ambiguous about it; haughty old thing- plus the COVER that covers the whole gas cap assemblage is hanging by its last rusted thread; so I'm thinking duct tape but I refuse to stoop that low, gotta think of something else.

when I got the car back the driver's door had its lining? whatever it is vinyl stuff that holds the window in place I guess, all sticking out. (what did you do that for Rusty?) Today, when I got in the car to come home, the speaker that is in the door itself was dangling there about a foot down, by its wires. I swear I never touched it.

So this car is destructing itself a piece at a time. I can't wait until the parts are all dangling and flapping at once.

Hey - why is his name "Rusty"?

Monday

I will skip Mondays from now on good grief

Phone rings non-stop, some calls are from the out of state job - some of the heavy equipment did not show up - I must now find a local (to them) supplier TODAY (I did it: rowrr) - fax - scan - drawings - email; meetings - consults about state charters (is that REALLY necessary?)
some calls are pre-recorded telemarketing calls (is that even LEGAL?) some calls are from employees I didn't even know yet that we had. We are now signatory to 6 unions in 3 different states. I suppose this means we're doing good. I think.

Well, there you have it. This is why I can never die. My job is now so confusing I can't explain to anyone else how to do it.

this is also why I haven't been on here much lately - I hiss when I see a computer after work.

Speaking of computer hate:
Here's an interesting little thing: sitemeter went and did itself an update Saturday/Sunday; which update made it pretty useless to have; as I was wandering around in there for several hours finding my usual stuff which seemed to have been hidden away - this was after I spent an hour or so figuring out how to get IN it . If you don't know, sitemeter is the tiny little thing at the way bottom of here that you can click to see who's been visiting here, blah, blah. Anyway, I thought it was just me being stupid about stuff that I can't figure out, as usual.
har - it was all over the internet, people screaming about it. It's Not Just Me!!! huzzah and - THEY PUT IT BACK!! yup they had so many complaints they took the new hidden mystery thing away and gave me back my familiar good old thing. Power to the people!

Mercy Marie: Bringer of Mouse

Isn't she all pleased with herself. Out there chomping on what I thought was a stick - heh - I'm bad at identifying wild life. Then she wanted in the house so I let her in, where she climbed in Bob's chair and put it in his lap. He comes out carrying it by the tail, and says "look what your dog brought me!" (always MY dog in these situations) To which I replied, "oh, Thank God!" by which I mean of course, I'm glad it was HIM and not me. If it was me, I wouldn't even have slowed down by now.

We've lost all control - the animals are in collusion. The cats bring down the prey and leave it outside for the dog to bring in. Because cats are LAZY, we all know this. What a system. Angelo was pacing the living room, enraged because HE didn't have a mouse. Not fair.

Now I call Bob, the "Remover". Everybody should have one of these. To remove your surplus mice and toads.

Knowing Mercy, she probably wanted us to throw it back and forth for her, like we do her other "toys".

OK, I don't hate wild life but I prefer to admire it from afar. Very far afar. Wild life should be IN THE WILD not in your lap.

and, Lest I Forget:

GO SARAH GO!!
GO, GO, GO!
Yippity skippety.

McCain/Palin 2008

makes me want to go shoot me some moose.

Nurse! Refrigerator!

I know you all have a refrigerator. Go see it now, look inside, and admire the nicely formed ice cubes and the purple popsicles that have NOT turned into purple sludge inside their little bags. Listen closely and you will hear the purring motor that keeps all your food safe to eat. Admire this miracle of twentieth century technology. Pet it on its head and tell it is a GOOD refrigerator, and hug it.

GO DO IT NOW before it's too late.
I'll wait...

Back? OK.
Now go get your phone book, turn to the yellow pages and find a handy man/fix-it guy. Marry this man and have his babies.

That is my advice.

Just a minute... be right back....

OK, now go find your wonderful, well trained dog, who did NOT just chew the buttons off your favorite sweater while you were reading this, and hug the dog too; you fortunate people.

You don't know how lucky you are.