Horse Racing; March Madness

What an interesting sports weekend! The Wichita State University Shockers have made it to the Final Four in March Madness; the Florida Gators, however, fell to the Michigan State Wolverines by 20 points. - Ouch!! - Will be rooting for the Shockers next weekend. The other participants are Louisville and Syracuse.

  Thoroughbred horse racing had a big weekend, also. In the South African Classic, Love Struck overcame an objection by second-place finisher Tellina to get the winners purse, while Gitiano was third. Tellina and Love Struck had a ding-dong battle down the stretch, which Love Struck won by a short head. Tellina's jockey objected that Love Struck's jockey had struck Tellina over the head with his crop during the tightly contested stretch run. The stewards did not uphold the objection.

   In the Dubai World Cup day of racing at Meydan in Quatar, there was $27 million up for grabs. The richest purse was in the Dubai World Cup, worth $10 million. An American racer won this year - Animal Kingdom, the chestnut colt who won the 2011 Kentucky Derby, was the winner. He was followed by Red Cadeaux and Planteur. .... In the $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic, Coolmore colt St. Nicholas Abbey was the winner, with Gentildonna of Japan second, and Qatar runner Very Nice Name in third. .... In the other Dubai races, the winners were: in the Al Quoz Sprint, Shea Shea was best; in the UAE Derby, Lines of Battle; in the Gold Cup, Cavalryman crossed the line first; and in the Godolphin Mile, Soft Falling Rain.

   Down south, in the USA, Orb was the winner of the $1 million Florida Derby. Itsmyluckyday ran second and Merit Man was third; the Juvenile champion Shanghai Bobby ran fifth. In the $1 million Louisiana Derby, the winner was Revolutionary, with Mylute in second, and Departing in third.

Go Gators! Go Shockers!

It's a gorgeous, sunny morning with temperatures near 50 degrees already. The kits are running in and out, and I've enjoyed two walks, with Boo and Finn. Skippy slept with me again last night, but decided to use guerilla tactics to try and make me get up at 5. I did get up, but I placed him out in the hall and closed the door, going back to bed for another hour.

  Today is a big money day in thoroughbred racing - the Florida Derby, the Louisiana Derby, and the $27 million races in Dubai are happening today. .... But, on the down side, the Governor of Oklahoma signed a new law yesterday - Oklahoma's 50-year-old ban on horse slaughtering was lifted Friday when the governor signed a new law that will allow facilities to process and export horse meat, despite bitter opposition by animal rights activists. - Many horses today have been given anti-biotics, steroids, and other drugs that help the horse, but should not be consumed by people or pets. Does the Oklahoma slaughter house have a way to test these poor horses prior to killing them? Will they test them? Or will it be another nail in the coffin for unwanted horses that can be given away, or purchased cheaply, and then sent to die for a profit? It's just plain sick and inhuman.

   The Florida Gators have made it to the Elite Eight in the March Madness Basketball Tourney. Today I'll be cheering for the Wichita State Shockers...

Odds and Ends

It started to snow here about 3 yesterday afternoon - there's about 6 inches on the ground here at the apartment. Bea and I are going to have brunch at Turley's this morning, then go over to "the big house" and watch movies and talk today... I've got a nice, plump roasting hen for the oven, as well as potatoes and carrots (and I'll make gravy), I'm cooking buttery, peppered green beans, and I'll make brownies. We also have a white-almond cake with chocolate butter cream icing from Lucky's bakery that I picked up yesterday, just as it began to snow.

   Skippy slept with me again last night; Finn barked a couple of times from his room, but there was nothing visible outside - I think he wanted company, more than anything else, but he's not allowed to run free inside at night. Rosie and Remy had a blast out walking and playing yesterday, and I met Katie, who will be staying with them this week.

   The CSU Rams defeated Missouri in the March Madness tourney Thursday, and will play Louisville today. The CU Buffs lost to Illinois yesterday, Georgetown lost, and the Florida Gators won. .... There was another arson incident at an abandoned house in Modest Town on Metompkin Road in Accomack County, Virginia on Thursday night. This fire makes 72 confirmed arson incidents since 12 November of last year. .... The last big north-easter did a lot of damage to the beach on the Virginia end of Assateague Island, according to reports. .... The Mayor of Gainesville, Florida has made the news - he was found asleep at the wheel of his crashed car about 12 miles outside of town. He was charged with DUI, having a blood alcohol level of .069 and with one count of property damage. The car was lodged in a ditch on the side of the road. Mayor Craig Lowe is scheduled to be in a run-off election for the Mayoralty next month. .... And, for some reason, folks are raising their brows over the fact that Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper is a good friend of the father of a man accused of two murders in Texas and a deadly shoot-out in Texas. John has been a good friend of Evan Ebel's father for over 30 years, and is extremely sorrowful that his friend's son has turned out to be such a bad apple. The young man is believed to have killed a Denver-area pizza delivery driver and then used that man's pizza work jacket and a delivery box to get the head of the Colorado Prison system to open the door to his house. Tom Clements, the prison director, was shot and killed in his doorway. The young man ended up in a shoot out with police and sheriff's officers in Texas. Evan Ebel had been in prison here in Colorado for murder, and had joined a white supremacy gang while serving time. It is currently thought that Mr. Clements was killed in "a gang hit" and that Governor Hickenlooper's and Mr. Eben's friendship have absolutely no ties to the killing. (Talk about strange twists and turns of fate!)

Weather, Sports, & Critters

It's chilly out this morning - 28 degrees - but the sun is shining. We had a ten minute rain shower yesterday afternoon, but that was all that happened; more wind than rain. The news services are still going crazy here about the killing of our Prison Systems head, a Denver-area pizza delivery man, and the man in the wild chase and shoot-out in Texas. Besides that, Colorado has just approved Civil Unions for same sex couples, and we have more stringent gun laws that will take place on 1 July. We are expecting rain or snow tonight, with up to 10 inches of snow falling during the weekend. Even if we get that amount, it won't make a dent in the amount we need to get our snow and water levels up to the accepted normal....

   Black Caviar cruised to her 24th straight racing win in Australia today. She won easily by 4 lengths, and goes into another thoroughbred racing history entry. .... The CSU Rams (Fort Collins) won last night in their first "March Madness" round and they will play again tomorrow night. The CU Buffs, from here in Boulder, are scheduled to play this afternoon. .... And a rare baseball card, printed in 1909, has a current bid of $1.4 million.... And, if you live in a state that has the Power Ball lottery, tomorrow's drawing is expected to be for about $320 million. I think I'll buy a couple of chances...

   I slept with Skippy last night; wasn't the same as sleeping with Lovey and Nedi. They were very happy to see me yesterday evening and again this morning. I miss them - and I've become used to sitting at my desk, using my PC, and having the TV on, so I can listen to it and glance up and watch it. I can't do that at Finn and Skippy's - the computer is in one room, and the TVs are in other rooms, while the fireplace, which I might use over the weekend, is in another room (the parlor), where the only thing I can do is sit and think or sit and read.... Decisions, decisions...

Cats, Dogs, Knights Templar & March Madness

I don't know why, but I was surprised to see that Jacques de Molay was burned at the stake on today's date in 1314.  Considering that King Philipe of France had him arrested on October 13, 1307 - I guess I was amazed that Philipe took so long to actually execute the leader of the Knights Templar on the Ile de la Citie in Paris.  I suppose that the King and his puppet Pope had, after 6 years and 5 months of imprisonment and torture, wrung every thing that they could out of the Grand Master.  And, of course, once de Molay had admitted anything under torture, as soon as he was able to regain his wits and his strength, he immediately recanted whatever he had admitted.  Philipe the Fair turned out to be a very nasty King; and, of course, his daughter, was known as the She Wolf in England, even though she was portrayed very differently in Mel Gibson's Braveheart.
   I am still stunned by the sudden death of my friend, Kathryn.  I am happy that she did not linger and suffer for a long amount of time, but it still seems as if it's a dream (nightmare, really).  I've told Mary that I will be happy to help and/or assist in any way that I can - but she's in Gainesville and I'm here in Boulder....
   I felt funny Friday, when I saw VT and did not reiterate an invitation for him to bring his dog, Jack, and visit Mona and Boo and I this weekend.  Turns out something was tickling my subconscious; Friday night Mona came into season.  Since Jack is an intact male, I am very happy that we didn't all get together, as I am not ready to be god-mother to a litter of Plott Hound/Pit Bull puppies.  Mona is a rust-color, with dark brown and black brindling; Jack is black, with rust colored brindling.  They'd make beautiful pups, but as I said, I don't need to be looking for a home for un-planned pups.  I think VT is a little too macho to get Jack neutered; nephew Mike just hasn't taken the time to get Mona spayed...
   The kits slept on top of me last night. Then, at four this morning, Nedi decided to have a wild-hair crazy run - he ran around and about, knocking over a pile of books, clattering through glasses in the kitchen sink, and banking off the hallway door and the insides of the bath tub.  I just hope my neighbors were able to sleep through it!  He's currently sacked out in the cat tree, while Lovey is supervising my blog-writing. Since yesterday was St. Paddy's Day, I wore my kelly green T shirt that has Devine written in "The Book of Kells" letters, with a dragon gracing the D.  Since both the Hoyas and the Gators are playing today, I've got on blue shorts (for the Hoyas) and my Gator T.  The poor CU Buffs were eliminated last night.
   I hope your Sunday is wonderful.  - Oh, and brother-in-law Jim finished fourth in his age group in the Moab Marathon yesterday.

The Day of Saint Padraig

Most people will be wearing green today to celebrate the Irish and St. Patrick's Day.  Padraig was a well-born British-bred teenager, who had no interest in religion when he was kidnapped in Wales and sold into slavery.  He was a slave for 7 years in Ireland, learning the Irish Gaelic language, herding sheep, and farming.  He became a convert to the Irish Christian church, and one day, ran away and returned to England.  He studied with priests in England for several years and then returned to Ireland to convert the masses.  At one point in time, trying to explain the idea of the Holy Trinity, he picked a clover leaf, or shamrock, to show that while the leaf had three separate lobes, it was still a single entity.  He was respected in the northern areas of Ireland, and tales of him spread through the southern part.  He died in the late 400s, and was buried in Armagh.  March 17 is the official feast day of St. Patrick, which has become a world-wide celebration of being Irish.
   My kits have been very happy to see me when I've been able to stop by the last two days.  I'm getting used to hearing Mona's tags jingle throughout the night, but will sleep better back here with the kits.  Mike is due home sometime this afternoon or evening, and I can return home.  Kathy and Jim are off in Moab, running in a marathon and half-marathon today.  They'll return tomorrow night.
   Three of my four college basketball teams have advanced in the NCAA March Madness tourney, so I'll be rooting for the Colorado Buffs today and the Florida Gators and Georgetown Hoyas tomorrow. I hope they all get to the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight groups....