*seething*

Mrs. T, a close friend of ours, Aikidomayland's 2nd mom, was in the hospital a little while ago. She has a large ridgeback dog, named Suzy, who is her guard dog and companion. Suzy doesn't normally bark unless she is given cause, a stranger coming into the driveway, a rat in the back yard. She is kept in her enclosed back yard.

While Mrs T was in the hospital, Suzy barked a few times. Probably stress related, and the person taking care of Mrs T's house did her best to quiet Suzy. The neighbor behind her complained, and the situation was explained to him. That Mrs T never allows Suzy to just bark and bark. (And she doesn't)

He said "%#%$#^ thing should be poisoned, that would shut it up."

A few days later, Suzy is deathly ill, vomiting, staggering and falling, losing weight rapidly. Taken to the vet, it was determined she ingested something toxic, and her symptoms were treated empirically. It took a few days, but she did recover, and now is in the process of gaining weight and getting her strength back.

There is no proof the bastard living behind her poisoned her, but Mrs T is scrupulous about Suzy and her care. And there is no way her house sitter did it.

Why is it

When you are clearing out something, a closet or cabinet,  a place where things just kept getting placed, you make a huger mess than if you had just left it alone?  (rhetorical)

Had an antique table, which was stacked with old VHS Movie/tapes, that any and everything kept getting piled up onto.  I brought out the old card table, offloaded everything from the old table, wiped off accumulated dust, and then began the process of sorting, tossing and keeping.

Brought in the other bookcase I had gotten from Drhoz, and shifted all TV Series dvds onto the upper shelves, and put the vhs tapes on the bottom shelves. Have two shelves left open. What this did, though,is open three shelves on the other dvd bookcase,  made the room a helluva lot neater and easier to clean, and created a nice spot for the new cat tower.

Cat's new playground

My son helped me put it together.

And Loki likes it!

I like how Loki is looking over his shoulder at Keito as if daring him to come and play. Poor Keito, he is just so afraid of anything new.

Adopting an older cat

My hubby, aikidomayland , and I have been on a waiting list with two pedigree breeders. Not for a kitten. Kittens are cute, but they don't stay kittens long.But for an adult cat. One that needs to be re-homed due to losing it's family (illness, relocation, job loss) or taken from a home due to abuse, or a retired queen.

We got a phone call last night. There is a 2 yr old marbled Bengal queen who is retired. She has a sweet disposition, and likes being around other cats (or even a dog!). We are going to go see her this weekend, as we believe that cats pick their people, not the other way around. If all goes well, we go back home, and prepare the house for the new addition, and to let the boys get used to having a girl around the house.

There are many cats available at shelters who are between the ages of 1 to 6 yrs old, sweet lovable cats, that need to be re-homed. That is where we got our sweet Affy (well, he wasn't so sweet when we first got him. He had been abused by previous owners, and it took time, dedication and gentleness to turn him from a terrified cat, to a musher). Everyone I know who has adopted an older cat has not regretting it for a seond. :)

LOLCat, Starring Loki!

moar funny pictures

Busy long holiday weekend

Happy Chinese New Year! It's the year of the Ox. Luck to those born that year. Had a pleasant evening with Delicious Irony, Discordia13 and Bunny-M . Yes, Bunny, you were ill, but you company was still appreciated and enjoyed.

Starting the celebration off with a BANG!

Lion is 'fed' for good luck and blessings.

Close quarter Lion dancing. :) And dayam! they were good.

Australia Day, 25th anniversary of Skyworks

Green!

Pretty in pink!

Red and Gold.

Perth Skyworks 2009

Brilliant red lights up the jetty and the Swan River.

Gallery

Perth at Night

Lumix DMC FZ30
Focal Length 22mm
Exp 3.2 sec at f/6.3
ISO-80

Gallery

Maybe I used words that were too big first time

Lets see if this is understood:

Constitutionally, at 12 noon on January 20th, Bush was no longer president, and at 12:01 pm, Obama was president. The swearing in ceremony is a public spectacle, rather like a concert, but for our benefit.  It isn't a necessity, and neither is the use of a Bible.

P.S. This is being addressed to the anonymous rubes who left me some really nasty comments.  Your hate and bile just prove my point. Legalities and the Constitution mean nothing to you.

Right whiners err wingers grasping at illusionary straws

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Affy, in charcoal

He might be gone, but not forgotten

Like this is a surprise

Your morality is 0% in line with that of the bible.

 

Damn you heathen! Your book learnin' has done warped your mind. You shall not be invited next time I sacrifice a goat.

Do You Have Biblical Morals?
Take More Quizzes

via Weishaupt

Clinton sworn in after Senate confirmation

The Senate today approved the nomination of Hillary Clinton as secretary of state by a vote of 94-2. Speaking from the floor, Sen. John McCain urged a quick confirmation. About an hour after the vote, Clinton was sworn in during a private ceremony attended by her husband, former President Clinton. She also formally resigned from the Senate

Congratulations, Madam Secretary!

It's 1am my time

And I am watching history in the making.

Wow.

It's m'own damned fault

My hands are sore. And it is my own damned fault for letting my 'script lapse for so long.

I looked at my guitar, sighed and put it back into the case. Dr N said the stiffness and pain should go away in few weeks or month.

Scorched Hillside

When aikidomayland and I drove to Wembly yesterday, I took a photograph of the riverside of King's Park.

Just a few days prior, this was a lush green hillside. This is the result of one f&&king firebug. Warning to those on Dial up, full sized image is 1 meg, but you can see the details of the devastation. :(

Holiday rush is over, so why this time?

I had to get a car charger for my GPS. I found one at a good price, ordered it and waited for it to arrive. And waited.. and waited... and waited.. and waited some more.

So I emailed the seller, and I was told "No later than Wednesday". I waited some more. Emailed him again on Friday as it still hadn't arrived.

Turns out Australia Air Express did a drive by on the 6th of January, and according to the records, during the 10 minutes I was taking a shower late afternoon. But he didn't leave a "Sorry to have missed you" card.

*sigh*

It will arrive tomorrow.. sometime.

Battlestar Galactica Season 4, Ep 11

Since the last episode was a helluva cliffhanger maybe I was expecting more.

*SPOILER SPACE*

*SPOILER SPACE*

*SPOILER SPACE*

*SPOILER SPACE*

*SPOILER SPACE*

*SPOILER SPACE*

Kinda figured Kara would find her 'body' in the Viper. Was shocked as all get out with how Dee offed herself. Was not surprised about Ellen being a Cylon, as a few friends of mine kept saying she was "Floozy #6" model.

Wouldn't it be a hoot if all the people in the fleet were not only Cylons, but descendants of Cylons?

Why I don't like

"The Good Guys".

I have tried to get major and minor appliances there, and end up just leaving. Why? Because of their stupid rule of not giving you the model number of said appliance.

My old Simpson stovetop died. It needed replacement, and since I didn't want to do a full on kitchen remodel, I needed to know if the one I was interested in was a certain size, so needed the model number, as I had printed off which models fit the dimensions I needed. I was told "We don't give out model numbers." Ok, I left, went to RetraVision, asked the same questions, and got the answers I needed.

Three guesses which store we got the stovetop?

Then again, last year, the wall oven died. Once again, Good Guys, even though I told thiem I needed to know what the model number were so I could pick the one that would fit into the existing opening in the wall. Again I was told "We don't tell or give out model numbers."

Second Verse, same as the first.

Until they change that policy, I don't see me ever getting any major (or minor) appliances there.

Let's give these pilots a hand.. or a medal, a raise, a statue.. SOMETHING

'Miraculous' landing in frigid Hudson

Passengers scrambled to get off a sinking jetliner today after it went down with more than 150 people on board in New York's Hudson River. All passengers are believed to have escaped from the US Airways jet, which was en route to Charlotte.

The pilots angled the plane so it belly flopped and then slid along the top of the water. Hydroplaned, and no pun intended. From what I have read, minor injuries only, and all passengers have gotten out.

Not quite melting

I had to get a new swimsuit, because the seam on the back of my old one started unraveling. Didn't snap, just unraveled, leaving me mooning the world. I am very grateful it happened when I was at home. I knew I had to replace it, as the chlorine from the hydrotherapy pool pretty much ate the elastic around the legs, so the suit would be me a colossal wedgie.

Was warm today. Very. It's going to be hotter tomorrow. 40c (104f). I spent about 90 minutes, split between two sessions, in my pool today. Have a feeling I will be repeating that during the heat of the day.

Had nice visit with Jean, Un-son, Robin's mom. Coffee and good conversation.

*Sigh*

'Fantasy Island' actor Ricardo Montalban dead at 88
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Actor Ricardo Montalban, star of the hit TV series "Fantasy Island," died Wednesday in Los Angeles, a family spokesman said. Ricardo Montalban attends the opening of a theater named for him in 2004 in Hollywood, California. Montalban, 88, was in deteriorating health over the past several days but "died peacefully" at 6:30 a.m. at his home, son-in-law Gilbert Smith said. He understood "it was his time," Smith said. The cause of death was not given.

And

Prisoner star Patrick McGoohan dead
Emmy-winning actor Patrick McGoohan, famed for his role in the cult 1960s television series The Prisoner, has died in Los Angeles aged 80. McGoohan, who played the un-named Number Six in the surrealistic series about a secret agent trapped in a giant prison disguised as a seaside resort, passed away following a short undisclosed illness, agent Sharif Ali said. "He was writing up until the end, there was a lot going on," Ali told AFP

Ouchc

With seven days left until he surrenders power, Bush will have to do a heck of a sales job to convince the nation of this. Further complicating his last-minute legacy rehabilitation: Nobody seems to be paying attention. The White House had high expectations for yesterday's final, historic news conference. "ONE CORRESPONDENT PER ORGANIZATION," proclaimed the bulletin sent to reporters. "STANDING ROOM ONLY FOR NON-SEAT HOLDERS." But when the appointed hour of 9:15 a.m. arrived, the last two rows in the seven-row briefing room were empty, and a press aide told White House interns to fill those seats.

Non sequitur of commericals

I recorded something late last night. So, after midnight the smutty ads start flying.

One ad: Download Girl On Girl videos directly to your phone! (shows girls kissing and rubbing, typical teenager mentality masturbation material etc)

The very next ad: GOOD GUYS appliance store and shop for house and family!

What a combo.

*Boggle*

Aikidomayland cracked the outside edge of the safety tab on the food processor lid about 2 months ago. The entire safety tab has finally fallen off. I can, by virtue of slender sewing tool, bypass the safety catch and use the food processor, but not a good idea to do this.

So, I spent a goodly part of yesterday searching for a supplier of parts. I think the supplier must be in the witness protection program, because it took a lot of time to find and then call said supplier. Only to be given another phone number to call.

Parts have been ordered. This is my boggle. It cost $10 less to get 2 replacement parts (the chopping blade has a crack in the plastic from someone *points above* putting something that should haven't been loaded into the food processor before it had been cut into quarters) than it cost to originally get the entire thing!

*Boggle*

Calling all gourmets and gourmands in W.A.

I am looking for Asadero cheese or it's equivalent. It's needed for a recipe.

Ayudame, por favor?

Archery, friends, Sunday

We got up before the sun to get ready for archery today. We wanted to get our rounds in before it got too stinkin' hot. Shot with the longbow and new string. Still had vibration. Chris was there today, and he shot the longbow, and told aikidomayland there was most definitely vibration, and the new string didn't fix the problem.

Chris unwound his flemish twist, removed his string silencers and put them on my bowstring. What a difference. No more hand feeling as if I had been handling a power drill for an hour.

Went to Foo Gwai with Discordia13 and Delicious Irony . Pork Buns were duly sacrificed to Akire-yta .

Came home, and floated and cooled off in the pool. Totally knackered now, want to sleep.

Must.... find.... coffee.

That explains why

aikidomayland took my long bow down to Molinjer Long Bow Company, and I found out why I my knuckles and wrist being sore after using it.

The guy sent it with a quick flight string, for modern recurves, not for a long bow. The vibration caused by this string is what caused the knuckles/wrist pain.

The gent running Molinjer had the proper string in stock, and I will give it a try tomorrow. If I am still getting vibration, I can use 'string silencers'.

It's official

Greatest Journal is dead. You get a page telling you to use LJArchive to save your journal, but the kicker is you get a data base error when you try.

Can I take a break yet?

Nary a chance!

Last night, some friends of ours, Chris and Kira, came in from Newman, so we had a nice get together with them, as we always do when they are in town. We had dinner out at "The Oyster Bar". Then had a nice catch up conversation for a few hours. Will be seeing Chris at the archery range this Sunday.

Brought Alan to the U.S. Consulate in Perth to update and renew his passport. All went well there. We did find it amusing all the exact documentation we had for him to get his 'Proof of Age" card wasn't good enough for the DMV, but it was just dandy for the U.S. Consulate.

Finished that up, and headed home, then off to pick up Kae Dash and Aescapulius to have lunch at Foo Gwai. Unfortunately Mynxii couldn't join us as she had to study for exams. Maybe next time?

With aikidomayland , Alan, and two more guests, we had a party of seven. We all then had a 7 way pork bun sacrifice to both Akire-yta and Mynxii.

Was a lot of fun, as we don't get to see that many friends at once, or that often. Must do it all again soon!

On the way home, pit stopped at Bunnings to get a water feature water pump for my pool for circulation, and after I put an old nylon stocking on the outflow for filtration. After setting that up, I spent close to an hour in the pool.

Now I know it wasn't a fluke

Back was sore again this morning, so I went out the pool, uncovered it, added a bit more water, and then floated and exercised in it for 90 minutes.

Back ache is gone again. And if the relief lasts as long as it did yesterday, then I know it's a viable method of pain relief. I will be glad not to taking so many pain meds.

Too bad I didn't have this pool over 2 years ago.

I had my head resting on the rounded edge, laying out full length with room to spare!

An old familiar face is gone

Character actor Pat Hingle dies at 84

(CNN) -- Longtime character actor Pat Hingle, a veteran of early television dramas, Westerns and four "Batman" films, has died at age 84, his family announced Sunday.

Hingle died Saturday evening at his home in Carolina Beach, North Carolina, after a two-year battle with the blood disorder myelodysplasia, his cousin, Lynn Heritage, told CNN.

"He was awake one moment, and in the next breath, he was gone," Heritage said.

Hingle began his acting career in the 1950s, appearing in numerous television theater shows. His first movie role was an uncredited appearance in 1954's "On the Waterfront," which won eight Academy Awards; he played the by-the-book judge opposite Clint Eastwood's vengeful marshal in 1968's "Hang 'Em High," and appeared as Sally Field's father in 1979's "Norma Rae."

In 1989, he appeared as Gotham City's Commissioner Gordon in Tim Burton's "Batman," carrying on the role through three sequels. His last film role was in "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," released in 2006.

Float *sigh* float

I has a pool!

Meegan and Daggles gave me an inflatable pool for the holidays. Alan and I set it up today (hat tip to Jedi Nightwolf for his suggestion of using the vacuum cleaner).

I spent close to two hours floating and doing some exercises. It was the first time in ages that I haven't had lower back pain.

Got a tarp to put over it to keep yard litter, and possibly birds, out of the water.

A muti-agenda message from the pope

Pope Palpatine the First has stated that the Pill 'polluting the environment' and causing male infertility. Scientists are saying his non-scientific conclusions are hogwash. The percentage of male infertility is still the same, in keeping with the increase in population.

This is just another attempt by the patriarchal Vatican to control women, and make them nothing more than walking incubators, and to once again try to inflate Catholic populations. Remember, unwanted pregnancies are women's 'punishment' for having sex outside of marriage. Never mind that men have been having sex outside of marriage/partnerships for as long as human history has been recorded

And The Vatican wonders why Catholics, especially female Catholics, are leaving them in droves.

Medieval Tapestry

Antique Medieval Tapestry showing a Lord and Lady out hunting their falcons, hunting hounds, and their attendants, and castle in the background. Even though it has been properly cared for and hung, there is distortion of its shape. I didn’t crop it or skew the perspective as this is an antique, and didn’t want to erase its ‘history’.

Photograph taken with permission of the owner, Mrs. G Tulette of Kalamunda W.A.

Gallery

Stargate Atlantis, Season 5, Episode 20 (Last Episode)

Talk about a roller coaster episode!

Not going to spoil, but I loved the tribute to Don Davis aka "General Hammond".

Now it's just a wait to see what the Stargate Universe will be like.

You know it's hot when...

You cat shoves the bath mat into the corner so he can lay full out on the tile floor.

Ex-Sen. Claiborne Pell, proponent of student grants, dies

(CNN) -- Former U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell, who was largely responsible for the Pell grant program for U.S. college students, died Thursday morning at his Rhode Island home, his family said.
Pell's great passion lay in education and the arts and humanities, believing that the country's people were its greatest asset. Largely through his efforts, Congress created Pell grants, which are need-based awards to low-income undergraduate and certain other students, in 1973.

I know many people who managed to go to college, and get their degrees because of the Pell Grant. Here's hoping his good works continue.

Happy New Year, everyone

Fundamentalism is fundamentalism, no matter what 'ism' you follow.

Atheist Wants 'God' Out Of Inauguration
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Exactly three weeks before Barack Obama is sworn in as president, a local man is trying to make sure God is not included in the inauguration.

Michael Newdow, a self-proclaimed atheist, is most known for his fight to change the Pledge of Allegiance to remove the phrase "under God."

On Tuesday, Newdow and 17 other plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington, D.C. The lawsuit says that a pastor should not be allowed to say prayers at Obama's swearing-in ceremony and the chief justice of the Supreme Court should not be allowed to end the oath of office with "So help me God."

My personal opinion on this, if it was Newdow being sworn in, he would have a say in what oath of office he would take. Since it's not him, or the other like-minded people, being sworn in, I don't think he has any right to dictate to P.E. Obama what he says for his swearing in.

As for the "Under God" in the pledge of allegiance, I agree it should be removed, as it was added in 1954 during the McCarthy era, under the notion that commie spies wouldn't say UNDER GOD, being commies and all that. I just never said "Under God", as was my choice, but I didn't force it on anyone.