Identified: King Richard III

The Ravens won the Super Bowl last night, and Joe Flacco, the Ravens' quarterback, received the Most Valuable Player award for throwing three touchdown passes. I was saddened that most of the big-name commercials had been shown prior to the game, but two of the three ads I liked best, I hadn't seen before... For tenderness and caring, I pick the Budweiser Clydesdale foal-to-team-leader ad; for sheer laughter, I liked the Doritos "Goat 4 Sale" ad; but the one that really moved me was the Dodge Ram ad with Paul Harvey reading his "... The Farmer..." minute piece. It was wonderful to hear Mr. Harvey's voice again - even though, at the end of the ad, when the Dodge Ram truck image appeared, I wished it had been voiced by Sam Elliott (but that would have given away the sponsor, wouldn't it?). And, I guess my mind is so fixated on the ex-Gator Tim Tebow that it wasn't strange that, once I fell asleep after the Super Bowl, I kept having dreams in which Tim Tebow would just walk in a door, or up to me outside, or wherever I was in the dream, and just talk to me... I really hope that Tim will be allowed to succeed in the NFL!
  I am still coughing up gunk like there's no tomorrow - my lymph nodes are all swollen, I've blown my nose raw (even though I'm using tissues with lotion and vitamins), and I am just so tired of coughing. I have a humidifier running constantly, a large iron kettle simmering on the stove, I take steamy showers, I breathe in from steaming pots of eucalyptus and mint oils, I gargle 4 times a day with salt water; I drink so much green and chamomile tea that I constantly have to run to the bathroom.... I am staying at home and resting, reading, and researching. I am taking all the MD's medicines. I have been ill since Christmas. Why the heck isn't this clearing up? Dr. Little just had me sit out in the sun and "bake it out" of my chest when I lived in Florida, but that's not possible in Colorado.
  It was announced today, by the University of Leicestershire, that the skeleton found buried beneath the city parking lot in Leicester, is the skeleton of King Richard III. Since I became a history reader, I have always known that whoever wins a war, tilts the written past toward their view. Richard Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester, seems to have always been maligned. References to him, during his brother's, King Edward IV, reign almost always paint Richard in a good light, unlike their brother, George, Duke of Clarence. George was born with a thirst for power, and had no qualms about changing sides and betrayals of those closest to him. Richard, the youngest brother, with his small stature due to his bent back, however, led his men in battle for his brother the King many times. People tend to forget that the two Princes in the Tower were declared Bastards by the Archbishop and the Parliament, and that Richard was begged to become King, so that the kingdom would not fall apart, or come under the rule of the Tudors. No one, in current letters, ever referred to a "withered arm" on Richard, although quite a few do mention his "crouch back" that made one shoulder (and that, his sword arm) appear higher than the other. Ah, well... The question now is, where shall he be properly buried? There is a monument in the floor of the Leicester Cathedral awaiting the placement of his remains; some people want him buried in Westminster Abbey. But, before his death, he and his queen were having a Memorial Chapel built in the city of York - where Richard spent a great deal of time. Should he be buried where he had hoped to be? Should he be buried in Leicester, where his naked corpse was displayed for 3 days to prove he was dead? Or should he be in London? - All I know is that I hope he is buried with honor.  For more information, visit:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-21063882  and check out the Interactive part...

I Don't Know How to Say This.... Ummm... It's Snowing

Yep, the white stuff is still floating out of the sky.  Nedi and Lovey are disgusted; they want a clear back yard and places to run.  Instead, they have to leap into 20 inches of snow, or stay on the patio or play inside.  They both decided late last night that swimming in the snow isn't that much fun.  In some places in the back yard, the snow has piled up to the height of my waist - now, I'm only 61 inches tall, so that really isn't that incredible.   In both Pinecliffe, to the southwest, and in Jamestown to the northeast, they have recorded over 52 inches of snow so far.  The weather folks say that the snow should end by noon today - and that we should only have an accumulation of about another half-inch this morning.
  I've been to the grocery store this morning.  I thought I had a huge package of toilet paper in my storage area, but I found out I was wrong.  So I walked over to the store for TP...  I also grabbed a warm bagel.  My friend Dee laughed when she saw what I was buying.  
  A lot of people are already talking about the Super Bowl commercials.  I have no wish to see them early.  That's part of the fun of watching the game!  There was an annoying commercial on earlier this week - it got Lovey and Nedi upset, and grated on my nerves.  Last night, our local entertainment reporter said that the dogs barking the Star Wars theme was a teaser for the "real VW commercial", which will air tomorrow... even though it's been viewed more than 3 million times on You Tube.   -  Me, I still like the Budweiser ads best - the frogs, the Clydesdales, the Dalmation and the Clydesdale, and the sheep streaker at half-time (my number one pick!).
   Rachel Alexandra and her Curlin colt are back at the farm, having been discharged from the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital.  I guess if she were mine, I'd have sent her to the clinic for observation, too - especially since she was still exhibiting signs of pain from her delivery five days after the event.  That is not normal - but she and the colt have been sent home with clean bills of health.
   Tomorrow - Go, Giants!

Nothing New...

I firmly stand behind and/or beside my diatribe yesterday concerning TV advertisements. - And I had to laugh, because as I was hitting the Send button, John Hickenlooper's first ad for the governorship of Colorado played. Currently the Mayor of Denver, the capitol of Colorado, John Hickenlooper steps into a shower (fully clothed) multiple times - each time he sees a negative political ad. He says he feels "dirty" each time he sees one and needs to wash off; he says he hopes he doesn't need to continue doing so; and, finally, he reminds voters that Colorado needs to conserve its water resources. That's the kind of political ad we need to see!!
The kits, Suki and Boo, and Remy and Rosie are doing fine. Kyle Orton, the Broncos first string QB, signed a contract extension. After taking a couple of mighty wallops making a TD on the final play of the first pre-season game, Tim Tebow has missed two days of practice. The word is he has bruised ribs. Fans are terribly upset. I ask, Why? Tebow is the third string QB for the Broncos - he has a lot to learn and a lot to prove before he's anywhere near Orton in experience. C'mon folks! It's pre-season!!