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How is everyone today?
but I sure do like the cartoon.
Are you still basking in the glory of being a day-time empty nester?
Yes, I am. I have one off to school already, and another one looking for his tie so he can catch the bus in about 20 minutes.
I need to go catch the work bus (or at least go get ready to catch the work bus).
Ta.
Right after I post in the old one a new one starts. LOL I love the cartoon.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/03/30/sanchez.chelsea.slap.cnn
Here is one of the shirts I will wear to the state convention in June.
Proud OBAMA DELEGATE
Nice shirt and I’m sure you’ll proudly wear that proudly designed which proudly proclaims its proud message.
LOL You would never guess I was a mild mannered, meek person would you?
I’ve always thought of you as a sort of Clark Kent — all mild-mannered guy who releases his big superhero self whenever its needed (well, except that you prefer the lycra on other guys). 😉
As long as they have the body for it, which we all know my body and lycra is not a good mix. LOL
That’s why we have the winter olympics, isn’t it?
and don’t forget the summer ones.. LOL
I was so surprised!
ROTFLMAO!!!
I recognized your voice and also the shirt you said you would be wearing. And your laugh is unmistakable…:)
Thanks!!! I guess everyone hear has heard me on my podcast. Well, now you know what I look like as well. Just think if I hadn’t lost 60 pounds since moving to Austin, they would =have had to use a wide angle lense for just my face.
Wow, 60 lbs? That’s how much I have to lose. It just seems impossible. Pass the Tostitos….
Well, I have another 80 to go. LOL
Flying penguins
except that Jim will be gone on field trip for the rest of the week.
click for larger
Sure, show-off all that water.
Today we had “hurricane force winds”, which I thought was tricky – seeing as we have cyclones (in the southern hemisphere), not hurricanes.
Good morning, Andi and keres!
We had a messy, stormy night – much cooler this morning and sun, sun, sun (once it is up).
Believe me, I would be glad to share all our wet with you. I’m very tired of rain and Jim would like to have a dry field trip (they go to an outdoors education lab) … and now I gotta go take Jim to school (gee I sound like CG).
Ta.
Make sure he washes behind his ears and brings plenty of clean underwear.
Ick. We’ve had our wet, thanks.
The good news is that we had a high of 72 yesterday, and I didn’t need a jacket to go to DL. Major improvement.
Oh, and my daffodils are in full bloom now. Yippee!
We need pictures of the daffodils!!!! Probably my all time favorite flower.
Yes, pictures! All we’ve got are some crocuses so far.
we need pictures of the crocuses also!!!!
my resident nerd, and point out that “hurricane force winds” – which we just had all night and it was quite the wild ride – are a measure on the Beaufort scale of windspeed, and are the highest rating, referring to windspeeds of above 63 knots.
So our Bureau of Met was entirely correct.
bloody yanks :p
Written 200 years ago and reads like sheer poetry:
Less than 1 Calm Sea surface smooth and mirror-like Calm, smoke rises vertically
1 1-3 Light Air Scaly ripples, no foam crests Smoke drift indicates wind direction, still wind vanes
2 4-6 Light Breeze Small wavelets, crests glassy, no breaking Wind felt on face, leaves rustle, vanes begin to move
3 7-10 Gentle Breeze Large wavelets, crests begin to break, scattered whitecaps Leaves and small twigs constantly moving, light flags extended
4 11-16 Moderate Breeze Small waves 1-4 ft. becoming longer, numerous whitecaps Dust, leaves, and loose paper lifted, small tree branches move
5 17-21 Fresh Breeze Moderate waves 4-8 ft taking longer form, many whitecaps, some spray Small trees in leaf begin to sway
6 22-27 Strong Breeze Larger waves 8-13 ft, whitecaps common, more spray Larger tree branches moving, whistling in wires
7 28-33 Near Gale Sea heaps up, waves 13-20 ft, white foam streaks off breakers Whole trees moving, resistance felt walking against wind
8 34-40 Gale Moderately high (13-20 ft) waves of greater length, edges of crests begin to break into spindrift, foam blown in streaks Whole trees in motion, resistance felt walking against wind
9 41-47 Strong Gale High waves (20 ft), sea begins to roll, dense streaks of foam, spray may reduce visibility Slight structural damage occurs, slate blows off roofs
10 48-55 Storm Very high waves (20-30 ft) with overhanging crests, sea white with densely blown foam, heavy rolling, lowered visibility Seldom experienced on land, trees broken or uprooted, “considerable structural damage”
11 56-63 Violent Storm Exceptionally high (30-45 ft) waves, foam patches cover sea, visibility more reduced
12 64+ Hurricane Air filled with foam, waves over 45 ft, sea completely white with driving spray, visibility greatly reduced
You haven’t lived until you’ve spent a few hours on a small island with 105 mph winds gusting to 120…
🙂
ROTFLMAO!!!! Been there, done that. I’ll pass. TY
I was making a ( very lame, apparently) joke.
The highest wind speeds last night were 120km/h. The windows rattled so hard we got hardly any sleep. Even Luna wanted to come inside (at 3am), and she loves the wind.
Here is one of my latest designs and a link to my diary about it. LOL
I Survived the Texas Two-Step
I Survived the Texas Two-Step. Did You? diary
Because we got ’em (thank you abandoned homesites).
click for larger
Good morning!
Image of spring, but where is it?
It’s April; we shouldn’t have to wake up with low 30s.
Otherwise, a gorgeous day coming up.
Yeah, spring is being pretty elusive. I haven’t even unplugged the dog’s heated water bucket yet.
But I just checked the long range forecast and saw that for the first time this year, there’s a week ahead with the lows every day above freezing.
I laugh every time you mention the heated water bowl. I guess living in the mild Texas climate I would never think of having one of those and when I was growing up in NC they didn’t exist.
Until the dogs figure out a way to use a stick to bash through the ice, they’re pretty much required around here.
Why would they do that…that is what humans are for. LOL
Right now what they are telling me people are for is to go take a walk in the dim morning light before the rain arrives. So, see ya later and have a good day.
Thank you!!!!! I love them. The house I spent all of my youth in had a daffodil flower bed that was 3 feet wide by 25 feet long in the back yard. There were all types from double blossoms and every color that they came in.
I saw your request and went out yesterday to check the two old homesites where they come up. I was disappointed at the first place that they hadn’t opened yet but got lucky at spot no. 2.
They are beautiful and I consider them and crocuses the first real sign of spring.
Nice daffodils.
I shorted out my desktop keyboard yesterday, and now I can’t even log onto my big computer because the “a” key won’t work for my password. I guess I’m shopping this morning. I have a bad feeling that I need to take my macmini with me, because I have an older version of OSX on it that doesn’t work with their new keyboards…luckily I have the newer OS sitting on my desk already.
And I have to come to some sort of final decision on finishing my doctorate this week. There’s been another tuition increase, and I just can’t rationalize spending all the money for something that won’t increase my pay or change my job significantly. As my mom said, “You could invest that $50-60K (tuition plus lost work time to finish doing full-time clinical rotations) in real estate or something else and get some more financial security that way.
I’ve never quit anything but high school before, so it feels weird to even think about it. Ugh.
If you feel that the work you’ve done has useful (such as providing you a better base of knowledge, better writing and research skills) but don’t see what you’re going to gain by going on, then it’s not so much quitting as adjusting your investment strategy, particularly if you aren’t getting any — for want of a better word — enjoyment from it.
That pretty much sums it up. I don’t think it was a waste of time or money, but the benefits from doing the rotations are, for me, somewhat minimal. I would honestly be better off just spending an extra 10 hours a week on billable time and bank that. But there is the added credibility I would get from having the degree with people who don’t already know me through work.
I’m going to get some feedback from a friend in the industry before I make my final decision, but I think (after a few tears yesterday when I realized what the “right” decision probably is on this), I’m okay with not finishing. Although I was surprised at CBtE’s response when I talked to him about it this morning: “But you’ve worked so hard on it, how could you not finish?”
Heh, I’ve wondered from time to time about the wisdom of law school as an investment of my time/money. Thank goodness all the loans were paid a few years back.
That’s the thing: I’ve gotten all the coursework done without incurring any school debt, but can’t do this without a big loan. And with the economy in the toilet, I’m not keen on doing it without a better return on the investment.
It’s a difficult choice. I spent (via loans) in the low 30k’s in the late 80s/early 90s. If that had been well invested, I might be comfortably well off today and not just another civil servant.
My daughter just graduated with 25K in student loans and a degree in anthropology. Sigh.
And keep in mind that I graduated with a degree in English and I’m a computer consultant so just repeat the mantra “liberal arts majors learn how to learn”.
Mr. Nature years ago finished all of his course work for his doctorate but never completed his thesis. He’s regretted it ever since, but it’s totally about the pride aspect of it. And, since Mr. Nature is a confirmed ass, you officially have gained no insight whatsoever into your dilemma by my posting that. Just an anecdote I guess.
Thought for the day: Some people are like Slinkys….not really good for anything but they bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs.
The pride aspect of finishing/not finishing cannot be totally discounted… 🙂
I can think of a few sinky people myself.
The daffodils at the other old homesite opened today. Not a great shot but the wind was blowing so I’m just happy it was in focus.
Pretty.
How do you like my new keyboard? (It’s one of those shiny flat apple keyboards, and now I’ve upgraded my desktop to OSX Tiger.) I am really stylin’ now. 🙂
Beautiful!!!!
can someone point me to the diary that explains doing clickable pictures. I would love to be able to post pictures without resizing them first. LOL
courtesy of olivia.
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
but, damn, I’m tired of rain.
click for larger
Good morning, Andi!
That tree has been around for a while.
And I agree on your weather sentiments, though I believe you’ve gotten it worse than our area.
Yep,I figure that old tree is about due to come down and make a huge hole for a lot of new growth.
Right now everything is so saturated that almost any decent rain leads to flooding in the low-lying areas. Fortunately being on top of a big hill, all we have to contend with is walking in mush and cleaning up dirty dog paws.
I better get ready – have an early appointment at the local hospital for a stress test and getting a monitor hooked up that I have to wear for the next 24 hrs (after my little episode on Monday).
And good morning.
It’s about to do some serious warming up here — 68 on Sunday! With sunshine! I hope this is coming your way.
I hope it gets here soon. It’s still downright cold here.
I am definitely ready for spring to really be here. Maybe it is — the forecast shows no lows below freezing for the next week. Yay!
I’m wishing for some nice bike riding weather.
Can I just say CNtE has the coolest bus driver ever? He forgot his belt (a dress code violation), and she actually turned around and let him run in the house to get it?
He’s sporting black hair this morning…I helped him dye it last night. Am I a bad parent?
O used to dye his hair pitch black starting when he was 15 or so and wear Goodwill clothes all the time….old man sweaters and plaid old man pants. I used to miss his real hair color which was light brown. Now he’s 26 and his natural hair is black. Damn that Italian side of his father.
That’s whjat I don’t get. His hair (as you know) is lighter than CBtY’s and mine…and last night he was excited because he matched us. ???
I was happy with the light brown he came with. It was actually reddish when he was a toddler.
what are you up to today? I’m guessing you have prettier weather than we do.
Our weather has been up and down. Cold and rainy yesterday…hot and rainy today. Our drought is easing though and that’s a good thing. But our grass is a foot high.
Today is the boy’s last day of spring break. Maybe he’ll finally finish cleaning his room.
I’m glad you’re finally getting some wet weather down there. Our grass is turning green this week (that warm wet day on Tuesday did wonders for it).
How many more weeks does he have left till the end of the year? CBtE is done on May 30, I think.
I think he graduates June 10th. Then, onto the Real World….not the show, but actually real life. Gaaa!
I loved your Hopeful pictures in the “dog training” diary; the pillow one is my absolute favorite but the toilet paper is a really close second.
Mornin Andi. I was trying to do my best Barney Fife there.
Hopeful as you know is a champion chewer upper…apparently, though she seems to have lost her taste for toilet paper….unless someone has blown their nose in it and left it in the trash. That’s one of her faves.
Sniff was a dedicated destroyer of used kleenex until he hit about 5 years old — I guess that was the sign that he was completely grown up.
Reba’s favorite was underwear. LOL Thank goodness she out grew that one. Both dogs still love paper towels-clean or dirty. LOL
Bad parent or good Deadhead. You make the call.
Good luck. My b-i-l had two episodes like yours, wore the monitor, ended up with a pacemaker, and has had no problems since.
Good luck with everything, ask.
Sending good thoughts
ROTFLMAO!!!! We are having a thunder storm here and Bette is trying her best to sit on my feet.
at least it is here — it’s Saturday, it’s not raining, Jim’s home from “camp”, and Olivia’s Sens got int the NHL playoffs.
Good morning, Andi!
I’ve been working this morning, taking advantage of the quiet before young asklet gets up.
swimmer returns from Sweden today; tomorrow will be ‘college discussion day’.
Morning Miss Andi and Ask!!!!! I am having my first sip of coffee and laughing at the Diva Dogs this am. It turned cooler later yesterday and this am and they are both being a little feisty.
Good morning and a pretty dang good day here as well. I will be single for an entire week starting this morning and the two Yorkies next door finally stopped barking so I got a decent night’s sleep. Nope….I spoke too soon…they’re at it again. Anyone got some rat poison?
Good morning Second Nature. I hope the rat poison is for the owners who ignore their animals. While I know one of mine(Bette) barks a lot and sometimes gets the other one(Reba) barking, there are two dogs in the area that sound almost exactly like them that never shut up. I had a neighbor knock on my door and wake me and the girls up to tell me my dogs were barking one night. I wanted to smack them.
Nah…I wouldn’t do anything to the dogs, but since they are directly underneath my bedroom window barking for 3 or 4 hours straight, I have no doubt it’s them.
LOL I am sure you have no doubt at all. I want to go visit my neighbors in the house behind me and talk to them about there dog but I know it is a waste. There dog barks all the time and they only come out and tell it to hush at 2am. I guess some people get immune to their dogs barking but I never do. If one of mine is outside barking, I am at the door in an instant checking to see what they are barking at and calling them inside. LOL
One of my pet peeves is when people abandon their dogs in the car for hours while they go shopping. Some of the poor things bark the whole time. Its quite annoying when the car is parked in front of our house for hours and not pleasant for the dogs, either. I’ve had fantasies of slipping an entire box of chocolated Exlax through the window, but I wouldn’t want the poor dogs to suffer through it.
Today we’re attempting a cat rescue. We have a very sweet stray in the neighborhood who has already been beaten up pretty badly by a mean old tom. We have a safe new home located for her, so now all we have to do is coax her into the cat travel box – heh…
I call animal control and have the dogs taken away when I catch people doing that. I was stunned last Saturday when one of the alternate delegates from my precinct showed up with a large dog who could not go in to the plave we were meeting and they put them in their car. I made sure she was one who was not moved up so I could send her home asap.
Good morning all! It looks like a pleasant day here in the midwest. Hope you’re back to feeling better, ask. Our annual JJ Dinner is tonight. Wonder if Hillary or Barack will show up?
Good morning.
All is well, and now the sun is breaking through. The weekend should be great.
Good to hear things are looking up. Be well.
Glad you are feeling okay and I hope your weekend is great!!!!
If the do show up, maybe you can get introduced to them since you are an elected. LOL
The local Obama headquarters was thronged with college students this week when they arranged to give away free concert tickets. I hear the tickets were all given out. Betcha there’s a lot more registered voters there now;-)
Dave Matthews?!? Man, with NC actually in play this year now I’m expecting Obama to come through with Radiohead tickets for me.
Don’t forget to get up early and get in line. The Bloomington cops were freaked out for awhile because so many showed up at once. Heard the line was 2 blocks long! I’m so far into geezerhood, I can’t remember the last time I stood in line for concert tickets;-)
No doubt it was before the computer age where scalpers buy up all of the tickets in the first minute of availability online and then sell them for ten times the face value.
Heh – think King Crimson and Peter, Paul & Mary. Saw both in Norfolk, VA.
What a great concept!!! This man and his campaign really amaze me. I know I was an Edwards supporter but I am extremely proud to be an Obama Supporter now.
Yesterday was Bette Davis’ 100th birthday and today this place is a dump. 😉 [just a little “gentle” hint to CG]
Hope everybody has a good Sunday ahead. We’re heading for a high of 68, with highs staying in the 60s all week and no chance of rain until Tuesday night. w00t.
Good morning, Andi!
Yes, kind of messy here this morning.
Looks like rain is back, but at least it is pretty mild.
You’re probably getting the rain we had earlier. If that’s the case, it will be followed by some nice weather. Yesterday was just gorgeous and today looks to be even better.
Yea, the forecast is better.
curly is up and coffee is ready, I’ll head out to get bagels and egg salad for breakfast.
Okay…