Froggy Bottom
Fireworks a Poppin Day.
Fireworks a Poppin Day.
This is a maybe hosted cafe.
Stick around to see who’s here
Stick around to see who’s here
Newcomers and lurkers jump in.
Welcome and join the party.
Welcome and join the party.
|
For non-poppin people
the kegs are already tapped. |
Please recommend
(and unrecommend the Cafe/Lounge from earlier) |
May the 4’s be with you
The celebration continues. One and all join in.
Congrats to all!!!
Where did you get the fireworks photo?
It looks like a composite of many bursts & I hope I`m wrong. It is very hard to take this kind of shot & you chose well for the occasion.
Hi Knucklehead.
I don’t remember where that one came from.
How’re you doing today?
Me I`m just cruising like a fish. This is a pond I built last year.
What a beautiful spot! Thanks for sharing that image with us. Very serene. Good work!
Whoa, I agree with WW. That is a most beautiful spot.
Here`s another shot of the cruisers in the pond. I `ll post one of a pond I just finished a few days ago.
Here`s a bunch of pix from a pond I just recently completed. It`s not grown in yet like the previous pix but give it a few months.
I’m here. I took a sick day to grade papers. I’m always behind.
Plus, I’ve been basking in the glow of victory today.
Hi Toni.
You took a sick day to work? Have I taught you nothing? 🙂
I am hopeless.
But, grades are due tomorrow and I really needed to get caught up.
How are you, FM?
Well just as long as you take numerous breaks. 🙂
I’m doing fine. Just trying to get things caught up around here in the house.
You need to get the slackerly message out in a more effective way. :::yawning::: Or maybe not.
I just have to repeat my comment from last cafe.
“GOOD Morning! I’m at work so I can’t tarry long. I’m just wondering….WHY did the owners allow the Dems to win so big? Could it be that they wanted to rein-in “W” and this was the only way they could do it without openly splitting with him? Just wondering…. “
And now Rummy is out. Ya Hoo! But with Gates, it’s still a “family affair”.
Any thoughts anyone?
To repeat my comment too. 🙂
Hi Puget. I don’t know how to answer that one. I know we’re only at the beginning and will have to see how things will turn out.
Don’t work too hard.
Tis a puzzlement. I never used to be cynical. But when it comes to republican politics, what can I say?
I’m there with you Puget, but I have to think if the repug let this happen, then there is no hope. I have a lot of hope today. Only time will tell.
Just wondering if I thanked you for your nice words in fOtofair.
“Thank You” Puget 4
You are most welcome!!! I’m still working my way through all the diaries. I’ve viewed only about 1/3. LOTS of photos…
Maybe, just maybe, it will turn out that we’ve been the owners all along, and we’ve just been lazy and let other people run the show for us for far too long?
Just a thought.
I don’t want to be a total drag, so I’ll say I’m willing to keep the lights on and hope and hope.
Iirc, the recent spin is that Rove was happy to lose the House, but not the Senate. Then again, your question addresses The Big Boys, not Rove (who, we might recall, wasn’t a favorite of Daddy Bush. Ousted from his political campaign, in fact, which likely played into that weird Oedipal thing).
Since the picture of what occurred isn’t entirely clear yet, I’m not sure we can say our progress was actually allowed — or if undue confidence was vested in Rove by the GOP leadership. Apparently, too, the recent spin is that Rove’s talent is actually in recounts, rather than in dealing with a national campaign, although he did this very successfully for Bush Jr. prior.
The spin, of course, still comes from said Turdblossom ..
I think W’s life is one big weird Oedipal thing, except I think he’s scared on Big Momma. Rub Poppy’s nose in it, Flip off Scary Mom, raise a little hell because the grown-ups can’t tell him what to do anymore.
As I’m an aspiring courtier to Family Man’s Royal Court of Slackerdom, I arrived too late at the morning cafe. Here are some random adventures from yesterday.
OK, I think I’m awake enough to write something halfway coherent now. Mrs. Dem and I got up at 4 am yesterday so we could be at our respective precincts when the polls opened at 6. We were there to do some last-minute campaigning, but our primary task was to watch for any attempts to disenfranchise voters and report any shenanigans, should any arise.
The local party set up hotlines so we could respond quickly and get help from both local attorneys and one in Washington DC if need be.
All the precinct committee people had copies of the state voting regulations in hand. I ran into one voter who had misplaced her drivers license and had to get a state issued voter ID from the local bureau of motor vehicles in order to cast her vote. She was charged a $10 fee, not realizing that the ID’s were supposed to be free as touted by the Mitch Daniels administration.
I had a copy of the law and was able to send her back to the license bureau for a refund. Ten bucks is a lot of cash to some people. We’re compiling a list of this and similar problems to pass on to the ICLU and state party for the suit against the ID law.
It was a soggy morning, but we still managed a 50%+ voter turnout, got rid of some nasty characters in government and generally had a fun day. I heard this morning that our statehouse will be back in the hands of Democrats come Jan. 1. I won my local race with a 1200+ vote margin and Mrs. Dem won a seat on a township oversight board. Thanks Andi and Jim!
Although we have won some battles, there’s still much more work ahead as we press to move centrist Democrats to the left. Now the netroots have a track record and should have plenty of clout and credibility to throw around.
We’re leaving shortly to travel around our district to pick up signs this afternoon. Here’s hoping everyone got some candidates from their wish list elected.
You always have a place at the Court of Slackerdom, but it sounds like you’re going to be pretty busy.
Congrats to you and Mrs. Dem.
Congrats on your win!!! High 5’s to both of you!
Nice work!
To you and MrsDem…woohoo!…big night for Indiana!
Thanks everybody! Still have not left to get the signs – the phone keeps ringing off the hook. We were able to clean out a real nest of vipers at the county offices. Very gratifying!
<no viper photo provided as a concession to the viperly squeamish>
As a viperly aqueamish person, I thank you. 🙂
Here’s a hearty, virtual slap on the back. Get to work and give ’em hell for all of us.
Emjw’s song & Supersoling’s Peace Wreath.
Hi DJ. A lot of hard work ahead. Good to see ya.
Ok FM, that’s at least twice now you’ve mentioned “hard work”. Careful now, or someone will sweep you off the throne.
Take that back. Would any slacker- pretender to the throne even think of sweeping?
Hi Kidspeak. I don’t mind mentioning it as long as I’m not the one doing it. 🙂
Hmm. Give some people a high position and they become a “benevolent dictator”. Whoda thunkit??
You’re saying give some people a high position. I can’t have taken what I didn’t aspire for. Plus to become a “benevolent dictator” sounds like to much work. 🙂
I’ll stick with the couch and watch the world go by during breaks in my naps.
Couches are high positions. Oh, yes. Why right now, ours is being fought over by the Gang of 4 and 2 of their seniors. Don’t give me that “I’m just a humble couch-dweller” routine. Doesn’t fly, er . . doesn’t nap!
Ah yes but a nap can be taken anywhere. A couch is not a requirement, but an extra bonus. Inner-slackdom and inner-napdom needs no help. It just is. 🙂
I bow before the wisdom of your nappitude, oh Grand Wazir of Slackerdom. My eyelids fill with heaviness at the mere thought. Selah.
I see you have reached the first plateau of slackatude. Your trip will be long, but numerous naps will send time wisping away as you travel farther toward your goal. 🙂
The dog is still snoring on the couch, and outside it looks like it’s shaping up to be a beautiful spring day. Oh, and there’s that stuff that happened in the US.
It was a very odd election for me – some of the people I voted for actually got in. 😮
Good morning keres.
Good Morning FM. I’m having a nice leasurely morning (OK, I did water the garden at 6:30am, but that’s only because we siphon the bathwater onto the veggies and our housemate needed me to empty the tub so that she could shower).
One of these days I want to ask you how that system works out. I was thinking with soap/shampoo, etc in the bath water, how does it effect, or are there any effects on the vegetables.
We use “handmade” soaps and shampoos (from a firm called “Lush”) that are all vegetable in origin.
Soaps break down waters’ surface tension (i.e its tendancy to gather into droplets rather than flow evenly), so a little soap actually helps water penetrate into the soil. Obviously, too much soap might hurt the plants, but we’re not lather freaks.
When I lived in NM, I was able to get a laundry soap that broke down into plant neutrients within two days, so I ran my laundry “greywater” directly into subsoil pipes under my fruit trees and berries. Obviously, we couldn’t wash on “hot” or use bleach, but both are environmentally unsound anyway.
Cool thanks for explaining that to me. I was just wondering what ya’ll were using to make it more incheck with the plants.
You mean you’re a Yank? How did you get so lucky as to end up in Australia?
My partner is Australian.
I’m from California originally (I’ve also lived in NM and OR). Come January 1st, 2007 I will have lived in Tasmania for four years. In late November, 2007 I will be eligible to become an Australian citizen – at which point I can get more political here because they can’t throw a citizen out of the country.
Only one year to go. I’m very happy for you.
Hi Omir. Been waiting for the Happy Dance. 🙂
I didn’t picture you appearing this way, Omir. Looks like a good dance though.
You can check my Myspace profile for another look at me. (As well as some silly stuff my kids have sent me, and I back at them.)
Alas, my evil overlords have blocked it here at work.
You don`t look a day over 41
I just hope I look as good as the guy in the picture when I’m 52.
When you get that guys age, you better hope you look that good at 75. 🙂
May I have this dance? 🙂
Or should I get on my Pinky Slinky?? 😀
Janet, I hope that the Intel thing goes well for your husband.
Thanks. But they’ve let so many go lately and to see they’re “investing” in a plant in Vietnam… just made me sink a bit. Just a bit.
I put in a transfer application for Asst. Wine/Beer Steward. Hopefully that’ll help with better hours/schedule for me at the company I LOVE WORKING FOR!! 🙂
I, still, love my job. 🙂
but, but … beer isn’t pastel!
I know.. and I don’t even drink beer… but I’m good with people and I have really good customer service skills and I love knowing weird deets about beers and wine as it is. One doesn’t have to drink a ton of wine to have a passion for sharing the love of good drinks with people.
I have a knack for helping people find “a new favorite” 🙂 From hockey people to ritzy people. I can morph.. .and I truly want to learn so much more about it all.
Last night a Romanian couple… I sold them our last three bottles of Vampire wine 🙂 and they were so happy too.
This sounds like a pretty good job for you. I hope the promotion works out. I don’t drink (at all) but I could always understand why some people were fascinated with wine.
I truly don’t drink much of it. I have my favorites though 🙂 I do like rum and tequila pastel drinkies 🙂
I really like the wineries and how wine, the bottles… the drinking of it – is so “artistic”.
Plus it’s another way to support the local desire here to keep things organic, sustainable farming and support local farmers/growers.
Okay… I’m gushing. I’d best get ready for work. Love!
As a zymurgist, I can tell you anything you need to know about beer. Really, go ahead and ask me something. The difference between Ales and Lagers – the yeast and the temperature at which it is active. Ales use a yeast that likes higher temperature and floats at the top of the wort. It usually takes a few days to a week for “top yeasts” to convert the malt sugars to alcohol. Lager yeast are active a lower temperatures and can take a month or several months to convert all the sugars. The colder temps and longer conversion times are said to impart a smoother character to Lagers. Most Lagers, unsurprizingly, came from more northern countries and climes, and were brewed during the winter months to drink in the winter and spring. Once the weather got warmer, everybody brewed ales for the quick turnover times.
This has been another edition of long-winded answers to simple questions.
Oh, forgot to mention that Lager yeasts sink to the bottom of the wort and are therefore known as “bottom yeasts.”
I haven’t a single doubt that you’re a super-salesperson and, you know, when I was in Germany they had (ugh) raspberry beers that were sort of pastel.
Thanks (((((((Andi)))))) but the store doesn’t seem to want me to go off to another store… but we’ll see how it goes…
They have pumpkin ale here now. WTF is that? 🙂
Big Dude Customer: Uh… got any good beer?
Me: This is pretty. See, the bottle? It was created by the owners daughter. It’s organic and alot of guys are saying it’s wicked good.
Big Dude: Uh… well I dunno…
Me: Your girlfriend will think you’re cultured and you’re more apt to get laid.
Big Dude: Can I back my truck up to the store and fill it up?
Me: Shhhhhuuurrr 🙂
They have pumpkin ale here now. WTF is that? 🙂
Oh goodie, my first question already.
Beer can be made from any fermentable sugar. Traditional european beers are made with barley sugar (maltose). In many beer recipes some portion of the malt is replaced by other sugar sources, usually fruit or vegetable sugars (fructose). Addionally, corn sugar (sucrose) is frequently used in beers, but other more “exotic” sources like milk sugar (lactose) are occassionly used in some specialty beers.
Basically, if it’s a sugar that can be converted by yeast into alcohol, someone somewhere has made “beer” out of it.
How do they make that stuff in white cans with “BEER” on the label?
First, they buy whatever grain is going cheapest that day (mostly stuff swept off the floor after the better stuff got used). Second, they sprout the grain (by weting it) to convert the starches into sugars. Third, they quick roast the grain to kill the germinating seed. Forth, they put the now-malted grain in water, and heat the wort to cause the sugars to become liquified. Fifth, they add hop flower for flavor and to introduce oils which retard spoilage. Sixth, they let cool and add yeast. The yeast essentially eats the sugar, “burping” CO2 and “peeing” alcohol. When all of the sugars have converted to alcohol the yeast die. The wort, minus the dead yeast at the bottom (the trub) is transfered to cans or bottles and a portion of the CO2(this process makes lots of CO2), which was saved in a separate container, is injected back into the beer to make it fizzy.
As to generic beer, the question is not how did they get it into the can, but, “why in the world would anyone ever get it out again?”
This has been another edition of long-winded answer to simple questions.
When I drank beer somewhat regularly, my friends and I were dead broke. It was cheap. We weren’t picky. A useful combination.
I must add that when I read your comment to Kidspeak, She made a shockingly, uncharacteristically caustic remark. She said that if someone slapped a color picture of a Tasmanian bird on the “BEER” can and called it “Black Currawong,” it would for $7.50 (US) a liter. I was shocked, I tell you, shocked.
Actually, that’s pretty much what passes for beer here in Australia (which Imogen once likened to “a urine sample from a mule). “Good” beer here tastes like crap US beer, no matter how they dress it up. And, to add insult to injury, the cheap stuff goes for over two dollars a bottle (around $14AUD or about $11.50USD a six pack).
If you are absolutely insane and want to buy imported Bud, it costs a whopping $18/six-pack.
Microbrews are just starting to take off here, so there is hope.
In the mean time, I brew my own.
Bad beer in Australia? I am honestly stunned. I thought of Australia as a big beer drinking place and assumed the beer was good.
But for now, keres, I’ve hit the wall. Good talking with you as always. You are a fount of information. One of these days I’m going to have to help you figure something out. But I’ll be damned if I know what that could be. Have fun today and maybe this will be the day for a long, soaking rain.
I once had beer fermented in prison from toothpaste. Was I really drinking beer?
But that’s just the Germans. So yes, as a mildly fermented drink, it qualified as “beer.”
Keres, you are truly amazing. How did you know it was a German prison?
Ich habe mit der Warden gesprechen.
I did eventually learn what “Ich habe mit der Warden gesprechen” means, but if I could have spoken German, I never would have had the opportunity to drink the Zahnpastabier.
DJ, is the customer always right? What about the Frat Boys for Bush Beer Bust Fellows? What do they get served?
As long as the Pinky Slinky is a cocktail dress and not a negligee. That’s what it was, right?
Nope… it’s still my Pink Slip with the peace sign and target Sharpied on it. 🙂
Except now I just look better in it than I did a few months back. 😀
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y193/azulism/Homesweethome091.jpg
Now I’m thinner though and the peace sign has a shooting target on it. And… I have a much nicer bathroom 🙂
Here`s a pic Janet sent me a while ago. I wonder if she sent you a different one.
Betty Boop is a crackup, especially the unreconstructed pre-Hays Office version. 🙂
Just got called to run an errand downtown.
Back in awhile.
Doesn’t this cut into your nap time?
Well in FM speak an errand could also mean a nap, but a nap is always a nap unless you have to run an errand. To which you could be taking a nap or running an errand. It pretty much comes down to doing what you want, when you want. Can’t be more slackerly than that. 🙂
Hey! Cheery cork-pops & hugs full o’ kudos to one & all who kept the faith, walked the talk & helped bring our nation just a bit further into the light from an exceptionally dark place. The larger landscape remains the same, but the colors have changed; vision clarifies, as it does before the sunrise.
As is my latest awful habit, I’m just steppin’ in for a peek & a howdy before heading to bed for a bit. Was up all night with KO & didn’t even get a donut.
Later, froggy friends. Enjoy!
Enjoy WW. Dream sweet dreams.
OK… Back to work you slackers!
lol jk
🙂
about to GO to work, silly 🙂
Happy Wednesday CT!
Good luck getting the new gig!
I Love You! Missed you too!
(((I love you too.))) And all that you do.
Hi CM1. Back to work? We are working, I think. 🙂
WHOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO…If I got any happier I would burst. All those seats and Rummy resigns also. Does life get any better.
Hi…I like the reasoning!
————————————————
MOTHERS
Mom: Hello?
Daughter: Hi Mom. Can I leave the kids with you tonight?
Mom: You’re going out?
Daughter: Yes.
Mom: With whom?
Daughter: With a friend.
Mom: I don’t know why you left your husband. He is such a good man.
Daughter: I didn’t leave him. He left me!
Mom: You let him leave you, and now you go out with anybodies and nobodies.
Daughter: I do not go out with anybody. Can I bring over the kids?
Mom: I never left you to go out with anybody except your father.
Daughter: There are lots of things that you did and I don’t.
Mom: What are you hinting at?
Daughter: Nothing. I just want to know if I can bring the kids over tonight.
Mom: You’re going to stay the night with him? What will your husband say if he finds out?
Daughter: My EX husband. I don’t think he would be bothered. From the day he left me, he probably never slept alone!
Mom: So you’re going to sleep over at this loser’s place?
Daughter: He’s not a loser.
Mom: A man who goes out with a divorced woman with children is a loser and a parasite.
Daughter: I don’t want to argue. Should I bring over the kids or not?
Mom: Poor children with such a mother.
Daughter: Such a what?
Mom: With no stability. No wonder your husband left you.
Daughter: ENOUGH!!!
Mom: Don’t scream at me. You probably scream at this loser too!
Daughter: Now you’re worried about the loser?
Mom: Ah, so you see he’s a loser. I spotted him immediately.
Daughter: Goodbye, mother.
Mom: Wait! Don’t hang up! When are you bringing them over?
Daughter: I’m not bringing them over! I’m not going out!
Mom: If you never go out, how do you expect to meet anyone?
<yawn> hi <yawn>
<yawn>
stop <yawn> that <yawn> <yawn>
election day a holiday.
I had to leave work earlier for a Starbucks emergency.
but if I have caffeine after 3:00 it tends to keep me awake all night.
What did you have? Just coffee or something … richer?
cafe mocha – we’re flirting with 90 degrees today. blech
I needed the caffeine, otherwise my drool would’ve shorted out the keyboard during the extended nap my body was demanding at the time.
did you get any sleep?
I went to bed about 3:00. And I did fall asleep because I was so tired. Although I’m sure I wasn’t as tired as the people who got up at 5:00 to be at the polls at 6:00. At least I had a normal morning.
Isn’t it GREAT? !!! I’m still pinching myself to make sure it’s real.
you’d better watch that pinching or your clients may get some odd ideas about you.
If her clients don’t have odd ideas about her, we can supply some.
nothing slackerly about your thinking.
I’m going to go open a new cafe. Back in a few.
Up too damn late with the election, then up too damn early for an eye appointment (eyes are fine, but tired — got waaaay dilated today)…definitely ready for a few zzzz’s…
Good day all around though: eyes in good shape, potential return to sanity in Congress, and I’m in first place in my hockey pool… 😉
Have I mentioned that I didn’t make it to bed last because of my amazement and excitement at how well things turned out. Please take that into account. I just want to join in the fun `while I eat some pizza and then collapse. I’m wearing my special, eight-cat harness, and our cats are trained to drag me up the stairs and into bed when I fall out of the chair and hit the floor. (I’m trying to get FM to endorse the harness, but he won’t ever show up at the meetings.)
I know some of us in the pond had some tough pills to swallow, especially regarding anti-immigration and gay-bashing initiatives and propositions. The Democratic victory party must be difficult when these ugly attacks on whole groups of people win in state after state. To those singled out for attack by the Right, we must extend a hand and make sure that their fight is part of the larger fight for human dignity. Not because it is the politic thing, but because it is the decent and honorable thing to do. We cannot give in to hate and fear.
Now, if someone gets me a beer, I’ll sit back and tell you a sad tale about Proposition 2 in MI, you know, the one endorsed by Ward Connerly and the KKK. Really.You’ll shake your head and tears will well up in your eyes. I have not been able to read widely today, as I went to work so my 24 students could have their precious education, TT, {snark, snark ;-)}, so if you’ve heard about Prop 2, stop me and I’ll go sleep here at the computer. The cats are lined up, ready to drag.
New cafe opened here