I search the Internet for stupid stuff so you don't have to. I have no idea what a Lady Gaga performance is like.
But I do like seeing college kids using their god given talents instead of getting drunk and throwing up all over each other.
Go Ducks.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Farm Report
Finally we've got some action in the garden. These photos were taken last week so everything is much bigger now. We've got fancy lettuces, kale, spinach, arugula, brussell sprouts, cabbage. The sugar snap peas have really taken off, but I must have forgotten to take a photo. I'll do that next time I'm out there with the camera. I think I can make a salad for dinner tonight using some of the fancy lettuces which look big enough now to be eaten. On Sunday I added tomatoes, basil, and yesterday I bought a green pepper plant. I was trying to do everything from seeds but sometimes the need for instant gratification takes over. I'm only human you know.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Look Away, Look Away, Look Away Down South in Dixie
I am now officially sick and tired of the Civil War. To clarify: I am sick and tired of the glorification of the Civil War. For crying out loud, it was about owning and exploiting human beings, and about destroying the United States. Which one of those events shall we celebrate?
I could not believe it when I read Gov. McDonnell's first Confederate History Month proclamation, before he was forced to acknowledge that slavery was a factor. Duh, guv, like maybe THE factor. I read his original proclamation and got a sick feeling in my stomach that I get when a history whitewash is taking place, and knowing that in our low-information culture, it isn't that hard to convince people that event A was actually event Z. Throw in a few socialisms, and gun rights, and the constitution, and the haters are putty in your hands, ready to buy whatever steaming load of crap you're selling.
So let me see if I have this right: the sore losers whine about getting back to our constitution. A subset of the sore losers are neo-confederates. So in 1861, it was OK to rip apart our country, constitution be damned, but now they are mad as hell that a black man is allowed to live in the White House and be commander-in-chief. No wonder their poor feeble heads are exploding.
Recent polling of the tea partiers reveals something shocking: they are white, well-off, older men, by and large. Every time our country makes significant strides forward in civil and human rights, these creeps come out of the woodwork and start yelling about their taxes, their constitution, and their values. And waving their moth-eaten stars and bars. And because the media loves a catfight, the cameras run the whole time, with constant replays and rehashes of every stupid thing these neanderthals say. And then we have to hear from John MCain, who is no longer a maverick, so has more time to go on all the talk shows and expound on how much better off we'd be if he and that con artist P.T. Palin had won the election. And also, by the way, can we please hurry up and bomb Iran?
Speaking of the con artist, would anyone pay a bit of attention to her and Michelle Bachmann if they weren't so dog-gone pretty? Such pretty girls saying such stupid stuff. Please, can we watch again?? Aren't they pretty! What are they wearing today? Oooh, listen, one of them just smacked down the President! Wow, they are awesome! Maybe they'll turn on each other and start some hair-pulling and biting and call each other bitch. Better keep the cameras rolling.
What has set me off on this tangent is seeing this in my morning newspaper. I wish I could include the photo too. Do you think they invited any slave re-enactors? Nah, probably not.
I could not believe it when I read Gov. McDonnell's first Confederate History Month proclamation, before he was forced to acknowledge that slavery was a factor. Duh, guv, like maybe THE factor. I read his original proclamation and got a sick feeling in my stomach that I get when a history whitewash is taking place, and knowing that in our low-information culture, it isn't that hard to convince people that event A was actually event Z. Throw in a few socialisms, and gun rights, and the constitution, and the haters are putty in your hands, ready to buy whatever steaming load of crap you're selling.
So let me see if I have this right: the sore losers whine about getting back to our constitution. A subset of the sore losers are neo-confederates. So in 1861, it was OK to rip apart our country, constitution be damned, but now they are mad as hell that a black man is allowed to live in the White House and be commander-in-chief. No wonder their poor feeble heads are exploding.
Recent polling of the tea partiers reveals something shocking: they are white, well-off, older men, by and large. Every time our country makes significant strides forward in civil and human rights, these creeps come out of the woodwork and start yelling about their taxes, their constitution, and their values. And waving their moth-eaten stars and bars. And because the media loves a catfight, the cameras run the whole time, with constant replays and rehashes of every stupid thing these neanderthals say. And then we have to hear from John MCain, who is no longer a maverick, so has more time to go on all the talk shows and expound on how much better off we'd be if he and that con artist P.T. Palin had won the election. And also, by the way, can we please hurry up and bomb Iran?
Speaking of the con artist, would anyone pay a bit of attention to her and Michelle Bachmann if they weren't so dog-gone pretty? Such pretty girls saying such stupid stuff. Please, can we watch again?? Aren't they pretty! What are they wearing today? Oooh, listen, one of them just smacked down the President! Wow, they are awesome! Maybe they'll turn on each other and start some hair-pulling and biting and call each other bitch. Better keep the cameras rolling.
What has set me off on this tangent is seeing this in my morning newspaper. I wish I could include the photo too. Do you think they invited any slave re-enactors? Nah, probably not.
What’s Happening: Old Virginia Soiree is held at Woman’s Club
MARSHA P. GROSSMAN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Published: April 18, 2010
Published: April 18, 2010
Following a grand tradition, the Celebrate South Committee of the J.E.B Stuart Memorial Foundation hosted its 13th annual ball -- the Old Virginia Soiree -- April 10 at the Woman's Club of Richmond on East Franklin Street.
A volunteer committee headed by James H. Cochrane Jr., and spearheaded by Marc Ramsey, put together an evening of Civil War-era festivity, frivolity and fancy footwork to benefit the Museum of the Confederacy and the Richmond Battlefields Association.
Formally opening the program was a presentation of the Color Guard of Virginia comprised of 15th and 21st Infantry re-enactors and led by Ramsey, of the Fighting First Regiment.
The Hardtack & Sowbelly String Band supplied toe-tapping Civil War-era music as dance master and mistress Drs. Briant and Karin Bohleke led guests through reels, waltzes and polkas.
Eighty of the 120 guests were attired in reproduction uniforms and shimmering ball gowns of the era -- many handmade by the wearers.
Among the re-enactors were members of Lee's Lieutenants, some of whom traveled from as far as Colorado and West Virginia to participate. Most were in full character as historical figures such as J.E.B. Stuart and spy Belle Boyd.
A singalong of favorite Southern tunes and prayers for soldiers currently serving in the military brought the evening to a close.
"It is a rare occasion that so many good folks can come together to have some great fun in a unique historical setting while supporting two very worthwhile causes," Ramsey said. "This benefit was a definite success!"
Christopher J. Evans is board chairman of the J.E.B Stuart Memorial Foundation.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Woe is Me part II
As you will recall from part I of this whinefest, I am driving my husband's manual transmission vehicle while mine is being repaired. More on that later. It makes me very cranky to shift gears. I have cursed more than once while clutching and shifting.
On Sunday night there was a cat fight in our driveway. We heard the screeching and Moses and I raced out to see what was happening. I saw a neighborhood bully cat scurry away into the bamboo forest across the street. Tippy and Tux were under the car.
Moses and I returned to the den. Several minutes later, the feral cats raced through the open deck door and went upstairs. When I went to bed, Tippy seemed OK but was grooming her back leg in a way that made me think something was hurting. I knew for sure something was wrong when she did not come downstairs for breakfast the next morning. Tippy has never missed a meal. I found her upstairs sleeping on a pile of blankets in the bottom of a closet. She was hot to the touch and did not want to be picked up and fussed over.
I took her to the vet as soon as possible and learned she had a 105 temperature. Normal for a cat is 100-102. The vet began treatment for a bacterial infection and hooked her to an IV.
Pepper also needed to go to the vet but I couldn't handle both in one trip, so I made a second trip back to the vet late in the day, for Pepper's medication check, and to see if Tippy could come home. I had no cat carrier for Pepper since I'd left it at the vet.
By the end of the day, when it was time to take Pepper, I was tired of driving this retarded vehicle. Pepper roamed all over the car, making her most horrible meow, which sounds like reeeeoooowww. Over and over again. Walking across my arms to look out my window, then back to the other side. Reeeeooowww. From the back seat .....reeeooowww.
I was really doing some cussing by this time.
Pepper's hyperthyroidism was found to be responding well to the pink pills we have to administer twice a day. We are happy about that since she looked mangy and bug-eyed prior to starting the pills. Tippy's fever was only down to 103, so she spent the night at the vet.
The ride home was peaceful with Pepper in the carrier.
The next day I drove to Charlottesville to have lunch with grandson Jackson for his birthday. I had made an appointment for Tux to get his rabies shot at 4 pm, and to bring Tippy home at that time.
Tux offered very little resistance to being shoved into the carrier and going for a car ride. His meows are rather delicate for such a large cat. While there I learned that Tux weighs 13.6 pounds. Tippy is 10.3. Pepper gained a half a pound since taking her pink pills, so she is about 6 lbs now. She was wasting away in addition to her other symptons.
Tux got his shot and Tippy was released. I asked if someone could carry the two of them in the carrier out to my car. I can barely lift my right arm from all the damned gear-shifting and they weigh almost 24 pounds together.
Somehow I managed to get them into the house where they were greeted warmly by Moses, who sniffed Tippy all over to make sure she was OK. She has a bare spot on her back leg where she was bitten, and her front right leg was shaved for the IV so she looks like a goth biker kitty.
Naturally I had to take a short nap after all of this.
Back to the car trauma. My car has been sitting over at the repair place all this time while they searched the entire country for a new transmission. The car is driveable with its current transmission as I think the case is cracked but it still shifts the gears AUTOMATICALLY, as modern transmissions are supposed to do.
Paul asked me if I wanted to keep waiting and leave the car there, or have them fix the tailpipe and drive it as is until the transmission comes in.
My response was: "grrrrrrrr aaaargh what do you think????? reeeeoooowww son of a bitch" .... and other words like that.
Moses also needs to go the vet to find out what the big lump on his side is all about. I told Paul he'd have to take him as I have had enough of the vet this week.
Happy driving everyone!
On Sunday night there was a cat fight in our driveway. We heard the screeching and Moses and I raced out to see what was happening. I saw a neighborhood bully cat scurry away into the bamboo forest across the street. Tippy and Tux were under the car.
Moses and I returned to the den. Several minutes later, the feral cats raced through the open deck door and went upstairs. When I went to bed, Tippy seemed OK but was grooming her back leg in a way that made me think something was hurting. I knew for sure something was wrong when she did not come downstairs for breakfast the next morning. Tippy has never missed a meal. I found her upstairs sleeping on a pile of blankets in the bottom of a closet. She was hot to the touch and did not want to be picked up and fussed over.
I took her to the vet as soon as possible and learned she had a 105 temperature. Normal for a cat is 100-102. The vet began treatment for a bacterial infection and hooked her to an IV.
Pepper also needed to go to the vet but I couldn't handle both in one trip, so I made a second trip back to the vet late in the day, for Pepper's medication check, and to see if Tippy could come home. I had no cat carrier for Pepper since I'd left it at the vet.
By the end of the day, when it was time to take Pepper, I was tired of driving this retarded vehicle. Pepper roamed all over the car, making her most horrible meow, which sounds like reeeeoooowww. Over and over again. Walking across my arms to look out my window, then back to the other side. Reeeeooowww. From the back seat .....reeeooowww.
I was really doing some cussing by this time.
Pepper's hyperthyroidism was found to be responding well to the pink pills we have to administer twice a day. We are happy about that since she looked mangy and bug-eyed prior to starting the pills. Tippy's fever was only down to 103, so she spent the night at the vet.
The ride home was peaceful with Pepper in the carrier.
The next day I drove to Charlottesville to have lunch with grandson Jackson for his birthday. I had made an appointment for Tux to get his rabies shot at 4 pm, and to bring Tippy home at that time.
Tux offered very little resistance to being shoved into the carrier and going for a car ride. His meows are rather delicate for such a large cat. While there I learned that Tux weighs 13.6 pounds. Tippy is 10.3. Pepper gained a half a pound since taking her pink pills, so she is about 6 lbs now. She was wasting away in addition to her other symptons.
Tux got his shot and Tippy was released. I asked if someone could carry the two of them in the carrier out to my car. I can barely lift my right arm from all the damned gear-shifting and they weigh almost 24 pounds together.
Somehow I managed to get them into the house where they were greeted warmly by Moses, who sniffed Tippy all over to make sure she was OK. She has a bare spot on her back leg where she was bitten, and her front right leg was shaved for the IV so she looks like a goth biker kitty.
Naturally I had to take a short nap after all of this.
Back to the car trauma. My car has been sitting over at the repair place all this time while they searched the entire country for a new transmission. The car is driveable with its current transmission as I think the case is cracked but it still shifts the gears AUTOMATICALLY, as modern transmissions are supposed to do.
Paul asked me if I wanted to keep waiting and leave the car there, or have them fix the tailpipe and drive it as is until the transmission comes in.
My response was: "grrrrrrrr aaaargh what do you think????? reeeeoooowww son of a bitch" .... and other words like that.
Moses also needs to go the vet to find out what the big lump on his side is all about. I told Paul he'd have to take him as I have had enough of the vet this week.
Happy driving everyone!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Woe is Me
Please get out your little tiny violin and play it while you read this post:
-On Sunday I ran over a big piece of metal and messed up my car, which I love nearly as much as I love the humans and pets in my life. The big piece of metal ripped off the exhaust system (it was still slightly attached to the car) and cracked the transmission. I have to drive my husband's dopey car (and shift gears, dammit) till it gets fixed.
-On Monday my fairly new MacBook Pro lost its hard drive and all of its contents, including all of my professional quality photos and various documents of great importance.
Yesterday I was grumpy about these things and then today I see that our governor has declared this to be Confederate History Month and now I am excited about going to re-enactments and celebrating the anniversary of secession from the Union. I'll be wearing my itchy gray wool moth-eaten dress and pretending to be a nurse up at Chimbarazo while the surgeon re-enactors pretend to amputate shattered and gangrenous arms and legs. And, new this year, there will be a special area for those pretending to die from dysentery.
Come on and join us as we celebrate state's rights. There'll be corn pone and brandy for everyone!
-On Sunday I ran over a big piece of metal and messed up my car, which I love nearly as much as I love the humans and pets in my life. The big piece of metal ripped off the exhaust system (it was still slightly attached to the car) and cracked the transmission. I have to drive my husband's dopey car (and shift gears, dammit) till it gets fixed.
-On Monday my fairly new MacBook Pro lost its hard drive and all of its contents, including all of my professional quality photos and various documents of great importance.
Yesterday I was grumpy about these things and then today I see that our governor has declared this to be Confederate History Month and now I am excited about going to re-enactments and celebrating the anniversary of secession from the Union. I'll be wearing my itchy gray wool moth-eaten dress and pretending to be a nurse up at Chimbarazo while the surgeon re-enactors pretend to amputate shattered and gangrenous arms and legs. And, new this year, there will be a special area for those pretending to die from dysentery.
Come on and join us as we celebrate state's rights. There'll be corn pone and brandy for everyone!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Surprise Yard Sale
I came home after being away for several hours and found that the cats were having a yard sale with our stuff.
Hmmm, come to think of it, that's not a bad idea.
Carry on, cats.
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