To me, Momma lion looks bored - or like she's sending a silent "help me" plea
Riding at Middle Woodbatch Farm near Bishop's Castle in Shropshire, England
Antique pierced tin lanterns in New Hampshire
Saturday, April 7, 2012
My Odd Brain
Today, I will be cheering for a 49-year-old starting pitcher; Jamie Moyer is the oldest starting pitcher for any professional baseball team, ever. Jamie starts this afternoon/evening for the Colorado Rockies; it's the second regular game of the year, and it's against the Houston Astros. The Rockies won their game yesterday - here's to a sweep, and praises for Jamie Moyer. The Rockies first home game will be Monday. - And, tomorrow, Easter Sunday, Tim Tebow will be the person giving the guest sermon at the Celebration (non-denominational) Church in Georgetown, Texas; they are expecting in excess of 30,000 people to hear the young football star in an out-door ceremony.
I don't normally eat out a lot - and I usually go to Applebee's or IHOP; but occasionally, I have to admit, I do stop at the one of the big three - McDonald's, Wendy's, or Burger King. McD's and BK are on the east side of 28th Street, and Wendy's is on the west side - Wendy's is directly across the street from the other two, which are side-by-side. I, occasionally, like to get a Smoothie and a sausage McMuffin for breakfast - especially if I'm caring for several houses, and need to travel a lot in the morning. I can't decide why I am so bummed about the following news: the Wendy's will close Monday, and will be razed to the ground to make new parking spaces for a liquor store that's opening behind their current location; and the McD's will be razed (and then rebuilt - greener, supposedly). That will leave only BK as a "fast-food" option. Why does that bother me? There are more than 30 restaurants within a 6 block radius of my apartment; the two that will go are 3 blocks away; am I becoming so stuck in my ways that I can't accept change?
I spent two hours laying in the sun on my patio this morning - I had taken care of Ooch, and had visited Lynn Thore's house to see how to turn the hot water valves on and off - she has a leak in her basement, and I need to be there for the contractor on Monday... Lynn herself is already in California - and she called me twice yesterday, and three times today - we're definitely staying in touch. The kits were puzzled by my sprawl in the recliner and my lazy pencil application to a puzzle book - but we all enjoyed each others company. Lovey laid down under my chair, and Nedi was half-heartedly chasing a couple of squirrels. It was a great way to spend a quiet morning.
I don't normally eat out a lot - and I usually go to Applebee's or IHOP; but occasionally, I have to admit, I do stop at the one of the big three - McDonald's, Wendy's, or Burger King. McD's and BK are on the east side of 28th Street, and Wendy's is on the west side - Wendy's is directly across the street from the other two, which are side-by-side. I, occasionally, like to get a Smoothie and a sausage McMuffin for breakfast - especially if I'm caring for several houses, and need to travel a lot in the morning. I can't decide why I am so bummed about the following news: the Wendy's will close Monday, and will be razed to the ground to make new parking spaces for a liquor store that's opening behind their current location; and the McD's will be razed (and then rebuilt - greener, supposedly). That will leave only BK as a "fast-food" option. Why does that bother me? There are more than 30 restaurants within a 6 block radius of my apartment; the two that will go are 3 blocks away; am I becoming so stuck in my ways that I can't accept change?
I spent two hours laying in the sun on my patio this morning - I had taken care of Ooch, and had visited Lynn Thore's house to see how to turn the hot water valves on and off - she has a leak in her basement, and I need to be there for the contractor on Monday... Lynn herself is already in California - and she called me twice yesterday, and three times today - we're definitely staying in touch. The kits were puzzled by my sprawl in the recliner and my lazy pencil application to a puzzle book - but we all enjoyed each others company. Lovey laid down under my chair, and Nedi was half-heartedly chasing a couple of squirrels. It was a great way to spend a quiet morning.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Good Friday
Today it's glorious outside! It's about 70 degrees now, and there is a nice breeze. I'm still waiting to hear from Lynn as to whether I need to be at her house tonight or Sunday... She said today at first, then said her boy-friend Paul would be there until Sunday, then said she wasn't sure. I've sent her both an e-mail and voice mails to her home and cell phone. If I don't hear from her by the time I go back to Ooch, I'll just stop by the house and take my chances of running into Paul (whom I've never yet met). I took the red kids over to the Snow yard - Mona is starting to go out of season, but she's still prancing and romancing Remy. Remy thinks he is the king of the world. I throw Rosie's blue bone for her and Boo's ball, and Mona entertains Remy - so Remy gets out, and has a short walk, and then he can lay in the sun, or sit and throw his chest out for Mona. Rosie runs around like a maniac and gets running exercise that she wouldn't at home.... Ooch is his usual self. He greets me at the door, and escorts me to his dish; then he serenades me while I fix his next meal. While he's busy chowing down, I clean the litter box, and then open the blinds; today I also watered all the inside plants. Then I sat down and gave him a lap to be loved in...
My kits are enjoying my time with them, and the wonderful weather - I'm spending a lot of time on the patio, enjoying the fresh spring breeze.
My kits are enjoying my time with them, and the wonderful weather - I'm spending a lot of time on the patio, enjoying the fresh spring breeze.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Various
A flowerhorn fish
A male Great Blue Heron brings sticks to his mate; she will weave and make the nest from what he provides
Wooden statues (idols, or church figures?) from the late 900s in Kievan Rus before the Mongol invasion
Family Secrets
I've spent an hour with Ooch this morning, and am due to walk the red kids this afternoon, as they are at the groomers' this morning. Jim is mowing the apartment yard, so I have the patio door closed, as the kits think the mower will eat them alive. The Encore Western Channel has begun showing a Canadian-made series called Dead Man's Gun that was aired from 1997 through 1999. It's an interesting anthology show that follows the path of a "cursed" .45 that gets passed from person to person; yesterday, the episode starred Ted Shackleford as "The Mesmerist." I was amazed at how well written, acted, and directed that episode was - and, of course, it had it's spooky "from beyond the grave" sequence - and that was well done, too. I'm going to have to start watching this series - Kris Kristofferson is the narrator for all three seasons.
VT returned to the Arapahoe Village Shopping Center today. He is still training Chris, his replacement, and he will be here on Thursdays and Fridays for a while. That way I can get my weekly dose of Russian testosterone, and not miss chatting with him so badly. He'll be here this Monday, working with Chris.
While digging up more information on one of Jim's cousins for the Snow family tree, I hit a gold-mine on Franklin Benjamin Sanborn... He was one of the "Secret Six" who supplied money and arms to John Brown both in Kansas, and before the Harper's Ferry Raid. He also lived in Concord, Massachusetts, and was good friends with Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, the Alcott family, and he proposed marriage to Ralph Waldo Emerson's daughter. When she refused him, he wrote rather nasty letters to both of her parents, and they wrote nasty letters back, and "became quite cool" towards him. ... I do find history fascinating!
VT returned to the Arapahoe Village Shopping Center today. He is still training Chris, his replacement, and he will be here on Thursdays and Fridays for a while. That way I can get my weekly dose of Russian testosterone, and not miss chatting with him so badly. He'll be here this Monday, working with Chris.
While digging up more information on one of Jim's cousins for the Snow family tree, I hit a gold-mine on Franklin Benjamin Sanborn... He was one of the "Secret Six" who supplied money and arms to John Brown both in Kansas, and before the Harper's Ferry Raid. He also lived in Concord, Massachusetts, and was good friends with Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, the Alcott family, and he proposed marriage to Ralph Waldo Emerson's daughter. When she refused him, he wrote rather nasty letters to both of her parents, and they wrote nasty letters back, and "became quite cool" towards him. ... I do find history fascinating!
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Critters
Pelicans in flight, Assateague Island, Virginia
A rhinoceros ratsnake
A western screech owl
Nedi's Birthday was Sunday
I completely forgot that this past Sunday was Nedi's second birthday. He's such a quiet, undemanding guy, and he's fitted in to both my and Lovey's lives, that it's hard to realize he's only lived with us for 22 months. He and Lovey chase each other, play tag, make kamikaze and sneak attacks - and they are just delightful company. I'm sure that Lovey occasionally misses Banichi, as I do; but Nedi has been a wonderful companion since he chose me at the Humane Society. I need to find my camera, so I can take some photos of my now adult "little man."
The tornadoes that tore through Dallas yesterday, and the resulting destruction, along with the video of tractor-trailers being tossed in the air like flower petals, were awe inspiring. My heart goes out to anyone and everyone who has/had a home or property in that area.
And I made my first (and, I hope, only) mistake in my pet-sitting business earlier this week. I developed a migraine as the owner and I untwisted where things went wrong yesterday afternoon and evening. In the original contact regarding this period of care, the owner specified certain beginning and ending times of care. That's what I put on my "booking calendar"; the owner kept sending several, "... oh, by the way, I just thought of..." e-mails. I read them and replied, and filed them. The day before the owner left, I received four e-mails, mostly telling me things previously covered. But, in one, she re-wrote her times and days; and the return day and time had changed from the original. I did not notice, see, or "catch" this change. The return date and time added on 57 hours of extra care and I did not notice it. Luckily, as I walked by I realized that no-one was yet at home the first evening, and I fed and watered, and walked the dogs and let them out before bed-time. The next day, early in the morning, there were vehicles in the drive, and movement, and the dogs were in the yard. I assumed the owners had returned. Then, yesterday, I got an e-mail (from the owner) requesting an update on the dogs, whom I hadn't seen in 36 hours. Luckily, the maintenance man had been there three to five times each day, and he had watered the dogs and let them out in the yard with each visit. However, that meant that the dogs were not fed for 36 hours, and that one of them had missed 3 doses of thyroid medication. I felt terrible about that, both then and now.
I notified my other clients, and then double-checked the dates and times I have on the calendar for each of the other homes I care for. I am happy to say that all of those dates and times were correct.... but I still goofed. And some one's beloved furry friends had to do without food, exercise, medication, and love and comfort for 36 hours... I will not let it happen again.
The tornadoes that tore through Dallas yesterday, and the resulting destruction, along with the video of tractor-trailers being tossed in the air like flower petals, were awe inspiring. My heart goes out to anyone and everyone who has/had a home or property in that area.
And I made my first (and, I hope, only) mistake in my pet-sitting business earlier this week. I developed a migraine as the owner and I untwisted where things went wrong yesterday afternoon and evening. In the original contact regarding this period of care, the owner specified certain beginning and ending times of care. That's what I put on my "booking calendar"; the owner kept sending several, "... oh, by the way, I just thought of..." e-mails. I read them and replied, and filed them. The day before the owner left, I received four e-mails, mostly telling me things previously covered. But, in one, she re-wrote her times and days; and the return day and time had changed from the original. I did not notice, see, or "catch" this change. The return date and time added on 57 hours of extra care and I did not notice it. Luckily, as I walked by I realized that no-one was yet at home the first evening, and I fed and watered, and walked the dogs and let them out before bed-time. The next day, early in the morning, there were vehicles in the drive, and movement, and the dogs were in the yard. I assumed the owners had returned. Then, yesterday, I got an e-mail (from the owner) requesting an update on the dogs, whom I hadn't seen in 36 hours. Luckily, the maintenance man had been there three to five times each day, and he had watered the dogs and let them out in the yard with each visit. However, that meant that the dogs were not fed for 36 hours, and that one of them had missed 3 doses of thyroid medication. I felt terrible about that, both then and now.
I notified my other clients, and then double-checked the dates and times I have on the calendar for each of the other homes I care for. I am happy to say that all of those dates and times were correct.... but I still goofed. And some one's beloved furry friends had to do without food, exercise, medication, and love and comfort for 36 hours... I will not let it happen again.
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