DUCKS & SPEEDOS

Six days a week I try to do exercise which will get my heart pumping, along with using some of the muscles I still have -- not many -- in some vain attempt to keep from getting fat (again) as well as try to hold back the ravages of getting old. It's a losing proposition, but I keep doing it.

At home, I do stretching exercises, lift weights & do sit-ups. I then hit the road & traverse a course of 2.5 miles; jogging &/or briskly walking, or a combination of both.

Once or twice a week, I usually go to the Hays Center for my exercise. There I have a 60 minute work-out each time; 30 minutes/3 miles on the treadmill & 30 minutes/2 miles walking the track.

Sunday's are my day of rest. No weights, sit-ups or running & certainly no Hays Center. Wearing my stop watch & keeping up a set pace is prohibited. I walk my local 2.5 mile course, enjoying what is (usually) a relaxing, early Sunday morning.

Yesterday I was joined on my early morning walk by two things: A GORGEOUS sunrise, filled with BEAUTIFUL color shades of red, orange & finally, maroon. There was also the sound of so many LOUD gunshots, it sounded like a war already starting between North & South Korea.

It's hunting season in Arkansas & no doubt, the shots I heard where not tanks -- although they sounded like them -- but the sound of duck hunters enjoying themselves. I assume it's not as much fun for the ducks.

My good buddy, Kenny, sent me a photo of a recent duck hunt he was on. I think he indicated they shot/killed 50 or 60 ducks. Kenny is the fella in front, where I hope he stepped in a three foot hole in the water, just after the photo was taken.

Now for all you Northerners ... these are NOT "Red-Necks", although Arkansas sure has it's share of them. These are "Good-Old-Boys". At least Kenny is. [I'm really not sure of the others in the photo.]

Kenny has always told me that there are two major things necessary for "successful" duck hunting; cold weather & plenty of water. Since Thanksgiving day, we have had plenty of both.

Weather conditions good for duck hunting don't really lend themselves to being favorable for outdoor exercises. I had another reality check in that regard this A.M.

Today' weather forecast was for rain. 100% ... all day.

I checked the computer radar before I went for my jog this morning. Lot's of green showing, indicating rain to the West. It looked like the rain was far enough away that I could get in a 30 minute run before the rain arrived here.

NOT !!!

I made it down to the main road -- too far to turn around -- before I got caught in a MAJOR down pour. I'd call it a "frog-strangler". To the "Good-Old-Boy's" it would probably be a "Duck-Drowner".

I had to keep running. It was the only way to keep from getting hypothermia.

I actually had a good work out. My clothes absorbed so much rain, I was most likely caring an extra few pounds of water soaked clothing during the majority of my exercising, adding to the resistance for my jog. [Good thing I know the route. It was raining too hard to see anything with rain covered classes in the downpour.]

As I got closer to home, I realized when I had left, only two cats were inside the house. Nibblets had gone outside earlier, before the rain. She was NOT waiting on the steps or on a window sill when I returned. I knew then a hard-target search was necessary

So ... I had to strip all my wet clothes off me on the porch. I got the umbrella, slipped on my shoes & went outside to look for my cat ... in only my underpants.

NOTE: No photos available of the trek through the yard, in 50 degree temperatures, carrying an umbrella, looking as if I was wearing only "Speedos". (YOU do the "brain picture". It's not pretty, I'm sure.)

I found "Miss Nibs" in the storage building, much drier than me. We both scurried back across the yard -- again, that "brain picture" -- to the house ... Nibblets to get fed & me to have a needed, warm shower.

Tomorrow ... I'll excerise again. Hopefully ... I'll be much drier.

WHERE'S THE LAWNMOWER ??

In Wednesday's newspaper (November 24, 2010 ... Arkansas Democrat-Gazette) there was a small article detailing how the United Stated Department of Agriculture has declared all 75 counties in Arkansas as ... "natural disaster areas". Due to the hot, dry weather conditions the state experienced this year, farmers are now entitled to apply for emergency loans at a low interest rate.

While certainly not a farmer, I have seen & experienced the effects of the dry conditions this year on my own property. I have had several trees suffer severe stress from the heat & lack of rain, so much so that the trees leaves were being "dropped" back in August.

Unfortunately, my largest Japanese Maple tree -- in the ground almost 10 years -- withered & died within the space of several days, despite my efforts to save it with water & reverse it's declining condition.

The only GOOD which was the result of the weather, was the grass slowing it's growth & not requiring me to cut the grass as often as I might normally. I guess I could also sight the reduction in buying gasoline for the lawnmower as a "benefit" of the hot, dry weather.

One "cosmetic" effect of the weather this year was the poor Fall coloring in many of the trees which did retain their leaves. Most of the very large Oak Trees close to my house have produced large quantities of acorns this year, but have looked lousy when it came to any leaf/tree coloration. Well ... "brown" IS a color I guess.

Without Cedar Trees & other evergreens, along with the large groves of Bamboo, the yard is devoid currently of any "color". The carpet of fallen leaves does little -- or nothing -- to make the property appealing to the eyes.

Too little, too late for the farmers, we have finally started to get needed rain. In fact, yesterday -- Thanksgiving -- we had rain ... all day long.

Not only have the creeks, ditches & other non-permanent bodies of H2O filled up -- like "Lake Hilda" in my front yard -- but accompanying the rain was a very fast moving cold front. It was 73 degrees yesterday at noon. An hour later ... 51 degrees.

It kept getting colder as the day wore on, till finally it was in the low 30's for temperatures in the night.

Cold AND damp. Winter weather is here.

What few trees in my yard which did have some colorful leaves, took a beating in the wind & rain yesterday. Above is a Parrotia Persica (common name - ??), which had some nice yellow color starting to show a few weeks ago. The neighboring trees were a combination of either still retaining their leaves, or already having dropped them.

As of this A.M., the tree still retained it's color in the lower part of the tree, but in the upper half, the wind & rain has stripped the branches of leaves & color.

NOTE: This tree has been in the ground since 1999, when I bought it via mail-order from the White Flower Farm in Litchfield, Connecticut. I have another one of the same species on the other side of the house. Both have good shape, interesting bark & -- normally -- provide me with nice Fall coloring.

The tree in the above photo is a Japanese Maple - "Bloodgood". The unique thing about this picture is that the color shown in the photo is the actual color on the tree as it was in my back yard just a few days ago. It really had a bright, pink-red color to it.

Well ... it DID have a beautiful color to it.

Yesterday's weather conditions took their toll on this tree's leaves. In fact, yesterday I sat on my couch, looking out the window -- with Precious in my lap, naturally -- watching the tree shed it's leaves as the wind & rain hit it. Sort of sad.

We HAD hot, dry weather this Summer & early Fall. Now, as Winter is just a few weeks away, the rain & cold temperatures have returned, as they do each year.

And ... the lawnmower is in the storage building for another few months.

MEOWATHON -- 2010

As usual, I was up early this morning -- think 4 A.M. -- & after attending to my roommates & making the bed, I began my morning as I usually do ... sitting at the computer getting caught up on the news & visiting my favorite -- & informative -- web sites.

I always check the weather -- current & forecast -- to gauge what the next few days will offer. Today there was a RED ALERT for Dense Fog !! Among the warnings listed were the words "Dangerous Driving". I had to laugh. Where were those warnings yesterday ??

Yesterday was the Meowathon 5K run in Memphis. I have been planning on this years race ... well ... since the Meowathon in November 2009. It's an annual event in my life.

I left here about 5:30 A.M. All three cats were in the house, which I felt was safer than one or all of them being outside, on their own for the day. [They have stayed out previously for the day. It's just not "the norm" & something I am not comfortable with.]

I doubt any fog "warnings" yesterday would have prepared me for what I faced in driving on Interstate 40 to Memphis. It was a complete "white out" for almost the entire 130 miles. Other than one or two previous occasions -- in upstate New York -- I have never ever driven in fog as heavy & thick as yesterday.

Despite the fog, I made it to Overton Park in Memphis prior to 8 A.M., more than enough time to get ready for the race at 9 A.M.

This year is the seventh consecutive year for the Meowathon. It's my fourth straight year to partake.

The gazebo in the park is the race headquarters for registration, getting the race T-shirts & "gift bags" from sponsors, as well as the central location for the items in the silent action, the raffle drawings & presentation of race medals for the winners after the race.

The first three winners in the various age groups of runners -- I'm currently in the 60-64 group -- win a medal. I will keep trying, but I don't think it is in the cards for me to ever be fast enough to win a medal. Maybe when I hit 80 years old.

For the silent auction, my Mother (Hilda) in Florida, made this Puss 'n' Boots knitted doll & donated it for the Meowathon.

The winning "bid" was $30. This money -- as with all the funds collected through the race, auctions, etc., -- was for the benefit of The House of Mews.

As for the actual race, I did the 3.2 miles in 30 minutes & 24 seconds. Good enough to place #111th , but not enough to beat another bunch of "old guys" for a medal.

After the race, I did three of my favorite things:
1] I went to Davis-Kidd Booksellers & had an enjoyable time visiting one of my favorite bookstores.

2] I had a wonderful lunch at Mosa Asian Bistro ...

3] with my good friends Marty & Mertle. (Sound like a Vaudeville act.) So good to see them & have quality time visiting with them. I even allowed Mertle to gush over the grand baby photos she brought along to show me. (Actually, she probably has them with her ... always !!)

The drive home in the afternoon was almost as dangerous as in the morning. It was not the fog this time -- that had long ago cleared off -- but all the 18-wheelers & other odd drivers. Interstate driving -- especially I-40 -- is not one of my favorite things to do at this point in my life.

And ... to show how the cats were GLAD to see me -- NOT -- as I opened the door to the house, all three ran past me & out in the yard, as if to point out how relieved they were to again be outside.

I had just busted my hump running for 3+ miles for their kind & this was the thanks/welcome home I got.

Rotten, THUGS !!!!!

MEET ME IN MEMPHIS

Today's the day. It's here ... finally.

[Well ... of course I still have to drive the 130 miles to Memphis. In fog, no less. YUCK !!]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

When I was MUCH younger -- think 8-10 years old -- growing up in Rochester, New York, a group of us kids would go to the Monroe Theater on Saturday afternoons. Times were "safer" then & going to the movies without an adult -- & lots of other activities -- was never given a concern.

Every Saturday, the Monroe Theater would have a afternoon special of 20 cartoons & a feature film. It cost 25 cents to get in & a HUGE bag of popcorn was only 10 cents. For another two cents, you could get a Tootsie Roll Pop. Nothing like several hundred kids all hyped up on cartoons, sugar & salt.

I think my favorite cartoon characters were Bugs Bunny, along with Tom & Jerry. It was always a big moment when the next cartoon appeared on the movie screen. It was our duty to all scream out in unison.

There were always one or two Mickey Mouse cartoons every Saturday. Mickey's face would fill the theater screen & get one of the biggest reactions from the kids. Adults, if there had been any, might have reacted the same way.

Mickey Mouse turns 82 years old today. The first cartoon he was featured in was called "Steamboat Willie". Walt Disney was the voice of Mickey in the movie. What a start.

To celebrate Mickey's birthday, Nibblets brought a mouse up on the front porch this morning. I guess Miss Nibs was feeling in a festive mood & shared the moment with Precious & Wobs, who were stuck behind the storm door & could only watch from in the house.

Being the sweet kitty that she is, Nibblets "played" with Mickey's relative & provided it with "games" ... like Tag, & Hide & Seek.

Then, Miss Nibs ate it.

iPHONE & TOMATOES

FOLLOW-UP TO YESTERDAY'S POST --

Once I charged up the iPhone I found yesterday morning, I spent some time with it, trying to see if I could determine the owner by any information in the phone. I was encouraged right off, due to the opening screen picture being of a peach orchard in Spring bloom. And I knew where that orchard was located.

I finally found a phone number/name in the directory which looked promising & called it. Small world ... it was my neighbor just down the road. The phone belonged to her daughter -- Karen -- who I know, since in the Summer I ride my bike to buy tomatoes & other produce at the farm her & her husband own ... where they have the peach orchard.

Last night at 6 P.M. I went to the neighbors house to return the iPhone to Karen who was visiting there. Due to all the personal items in the phone -- think new-born grand-baby pictures -- Karen was VERY HAPPY to get her lost iPhone returned to her.

I have a feeling I am going to have some delicious tomatoes next year.

NO BODY ... JUST AN iPHONE

Being a person of habits, each day I HAVE to do some form of exercise. It doesn't matter what it is -- lifting weights & doing sit-ups, jogging or just going walking (or ... all three) -- I do ... SOMETHING.

A lot of it has to do with my own past medical history. I'm trying to keep all my body parts -- especially the internal ones -- functioning & providing their necessary performance. As the saying goes ... "Use it, or lose it".

As I have written previously, I am going to Memphis Saturday to run in the annual Meowathon 5K. This run is in sponsorship of The House of Mews. It's always a well managed race & a fun event, for a very good cause.

Thus I am not only exercising for my health, but I am "training" (for lack of a better description) to run at a steady pace -- on a course with several hills (just to make it more challenging) -- for about 30 minutes in Memphis Saturday.

I have been doing "spirited work-outs" at the Hays Center in North Little Rock as part of my preparation. I was there this past Friday, Saturday & yesterday. My "plan" is to have one more hard workout tomorrow & then ease off till the Saturday race.

Well, this morning was a time when "planning" met up with "habits".

It started raining in the night. A GOOD, steady rain. The kind of rain that puts water in the creek & finally provides the needed moisture this area of Arkansas has been lacking for quite awhile.

The rain also came with colder temperatures & a stiff wind. Several million more tree leaves have been blown to the ground as a result of the weather conditions. Areas in the yard where I had previously raked/removed leaves, where again covered with them this morning.

The blowing rain & cold did not appeal to the cats this A.M. Nibblets went outside several times -- mostly just on the front porch -- but quickly made the decision to turn around & come back inside.

More of the leaf covered yard is shown above. Note Nibblets in the bottom, left corner, sitting in a brick planter. She's under the roof over-hang, but didn't stay outside very long. She soon joined the other two Girls, who both remained inside this A.M.

Now, normally on a rainy day, I will go to the Hays Center. But with my "planning", I was there yesterday. Today is a "recovery day". Plus -- again, in "the plan" -- I'll be at the Hays Center tomorrow. I'll do my hard workout then.

So, this morning, as is my "habit", I did my exercising ... locally ... in the rain. Make that "wind driven rain". I got soaked, naturally.

I did wear a good layer of clothes, as well as have on gloves. I was nice & warm, if not dry. I did a steady, sustained "power walk" with my head down, trying to avoid the rain pellets in my face.

Naturally, it stopped raining just as I got home.

When out on the roads exercising -- even in a steady rain, -- I keep my eyes alert, not only for traffic, but for anything ... ah ... different. This time of year, with deer hunting season having started Saturday, I'm sure to find deer "parts". It seems to be a custom with Arkansas hunters to discard unusable "parts" of the deer on the side of the road, or in the local creek. Very classy.

What I have not seen -- but am always alert & looking to find -- is a HUMAN body. My neighbor found one a few years ago. Some of this rural area is good for "disposal" of remains, not just of the deer variety.

What I did find today was an iPhone. Head down, rain in my face & there was the phone on the side of the road. Bingo.

I have the iPhone hooked up to the charger I use for my iPod. Maybe I can determine who the phone's owner is, or, if there is a body in the weeds that it belongs to.

KITCHEN ... "STUFF"

I was taking some photos in my library today, with the thought of responding to a blog comment received about all my books. I plan on doing that in the future, but in the mean time decided to send along some pictures of my refrigerator.

Like many homes, I have a lot of magnets, photos & assorted items sticking to my refrigerator. I just don't have the report cards & kids drawing so many families do. And don't send me any !!

I've tried to space the first two photos together to give a full frontal illustration to the "junk" on my "double door". Note too, the woks on the top.

About this point in reading this post, I know my friend Bubba is taking off his glasses & moving his nose closer to his computer screen, trying t see the fine details in some of the door attachments.

Yes, Bubba, that's a butt in a thin thong -- say that five times, fast -- riding a bike. It's a POSTCARD I received in the mail, from Germany, from our buddy, "Sting".

It's quite a collection. You name it ... people, pets, presidents & magnets from my travels.

The photo above is the right side of the refrigerator. More room. More magnets & paraphernalia.

There is Elvis & Nixon, the Alamo, my Mother & a brother & sister, as well as two pictures of "Wemus", along with more ... "stuff", including more butts. [Cats]

The refrigerator. I also keep food in it.

HEY, EMERIL

Today seems like that one specific day each Fall when the weather indicates a permanent change in both temperature & the condition of the all plants, trees & their foliage.

Yesterday was a beautiful. Temperatures in the mid-70's & a light breeze.

Overnight it changed. A cold front came through. We had rain, the wind arrived & this A.M., many trees seemed bare & devoid of leaves. Of course, those leaves now cover the yard, driveway & the truck.

Welcome to Fall.

The temperature has now taken a cold plunge & the forecast for next week has the temperature lows heading down into the low-40's & high-30's. It will feel worse if the cold breeze we had today continues.

I did indoor exercise this A.M. I went back to the Hays Center for the second day in a row. [I like going there on Saturdays. Most of the "Old Pharts" are not there & the facility seems empty compared to some of the weekday crowds.]

I had another good workout; pushing myself for next week's Meowathon. I plan to have several more serious workout's this coming week, then taper off starting on Thursday.

Normally -- whether I exercise at home & jog on the local roads, or at the Hays Center -- I have my "breakfast" when I return home. Of course, depending on the time of day I eat, it might actually qualify as "lunch", or even "dinner". Good, sweating exercise kills my appetite.

Today when I came home, I was not feeling any hunger pains. Rather than eat, I did laundry, read for awhile & even took a bit of a nap on the couch. It was early afternoon before I actually started the "pantry hunt" looking for food.

Rather than go for a "quick fix" -- the usual such way is cereal -- I decided to make up an early dinner. After all, isn't that what "old people" do ??

I had all the ingredients -- chicken, onion, red pepper, H2o chestnuts & broccoli. It was time to cook up a wok full of my special "Kung Pao Chicken A La Billy Boy". Semi-professional home cooking at it's finest.

Whenever there is chicken being cut in the kitchen, Precious is SURE to show up. She will stand on her hind legs, reaching up with a front paw "asking" me to cut off a small piece of chicken for her. She will eat two or three small pieces -- as above -- & be satisfied.

I probably NEVER make any of my cooking adventures the same each time. I don't measure anything & I always "add" things. Today I added Chinese Noodles directly to the wok. No need for rice to enjoy this meal, which should probably be better named as: "Kung Pao Chicken & Noodles A La Super Chef Billy Boy".

Hey, Emeril. BAM !!

NOT NOW. NOT THIS TRIP.

My travels today started at the Hays Center, with a sixty minute work out. The MEOWATHON 5K is next Saturday in Memphis & I'm trying to work on my preparation & confidence to run the 3.2 miles once again.

This will be my fourth time to compete in this event. I am still trying to win a medal in my current age group (60-64 years old). It always seems as if guys who look to be in their 80's, but are in my group, finish a lot faster than me.

My next stop was the Walgreen's in North Little Rock. Time to pick up my monthly prescription refills. People with heart disease -- ME -- have to try to keep the cholesterol from collecting in the arteries. I've battled the plaque build up previously ... the hard way.

It was then off to the shopping center on McCain Boulevard that contains some of my favorite places to flash my Visa card; Target, Office Depot ... and ... Barnes & Noble.

I visited two of the three stores today -- Target, along with Barnes & Noble.

A strange thing happened to me today at the Barnes & Noble bookstore. Something I don't recall happening previously to me, or if it did, it was so long ago that I do not remember it.

[DISCLAIMER NOTIFICATION: My recollection of many events, names, places & "lost items" comes under the heading of ... "Losing my memory". Like cholesterol, it's part of the unwilling slide into old age.]

Today I went into my local Barnes & Noble ... and ... DIDN'T BUY ANYTHING !!!!

Let's face it, I usually find SOMETHING of interest on their shelves. Not today.

[ANOTHER DISCLAIMER NOTIFICATION: I was in the same Barnes & Noble last week & spent $96.00 & the other day I ordered $130.00 worth of books on the Internet from Amazon.com. I'm still spending $$ on books.]

The one book featured heavily in displays in the store was the new book by former President George Bush. He & the book have been featured in the media all this week, as he has been granting interviews for the first time since leaving office.

Even with all the "hype" surrounding his new book, I am not interested in buying it right now. I've got more than enough books which remain un-read & waiting on my library shelves.

Maybe if the book doesn't sell well, or if Barnes & Noble has over-ordered, the price may come down & I may acquire it. (I don't know what it currently costs. I didn't even look at the price today. In fact, I didn't even pick up the book to look at it.)

Yes, m-a-y-b-e, if the book appears on the "Sale Table" in the future, I might get it.

But, not now & not his trip.

ANOTHER TIME ... MAYBE

I seem to have settled into a life style which finds me (currently) satisfied to remain close to home. I'll be the first to admit living in Arkansas is NOT the most cosmopolitan of places, but the life is easy & the people are (mostly) very friendly. I suppose I could do worse.

Back in the days I was employed, I was provided the opportunity by the companies I worked for to have business appointments to most of the United States. Adding in travels Canada & Europe, as well as Central & South America, I've sampled just about the whole earth, minus Africa & Asia.

Now that I have slowed down my life, the thought of traveling does not have the attraction it once did. With all the rules & regulations -- as well as added fees & expenses -- whether by plane or hitting the road, extended/distant traveling seems like too much of a hassle for me. I don't need it.

Still ... I would like to go to Japan some day.

When I worked for Caboodles Cosmetics, as part of the relocation of the company from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to Memphis, Tennessee, I made many trips to Western Canada.

It's never "Quick & Easy" to fly anywhere from Little Rock. It's a small airport (12 gates) & most of the airlines fly to their "hub airports", where another flight -- or two ... or more -- is involved in getting to a final destination.

It was always an all-day event to fly to Vancouver. Most times, I would fly to Memphis & then catch another flight to Seattle, Washington. From there I would have to catch a commuter plane -- read that: "small plane ... with propellers" -- to Vancouver. Reverse everything to get back home to Arkansas.

Flying has often been "glamorized" for traveling. Fly often enough, & far enough, & the "thrill/enjoyment" of flying soon goes away. For me, due to the amount of mileage I had acquired with my years of travel, I was more times than not, "upgraded" to First Class. It's really the ONLY way to fly ... especially when thousands of miles of travel is involved.

In Seattle, just about every time I was waiting for my connecting flight, I would see a Northwest Airlines 747 being loaded for it's daily trip to Japan & Korea. I often wished I could be on that flight -- in First Class, of course -- & visit a part of the world which holds much desire for me to explore & see first hand.

In reality, I was either just deplaneing, or preparing to board, a MUCH smaller Horizon Airlines plane. The size difference in planes, not to mention the propellers on the commuter plane, made me realize my wish to visit Japan, would have to wait for another time.

I'm still waiting.

OLD PHOTOS

I recently revisited a web site -- Photoworks -- I previously used for photo developing ... back before I switched to a digital camera.

Like many things I now "forget" -- which is a definite clue I am advancing in age -- I was surprise at the number of "albums" I had located on the Photoworks web site. It was -- & will be -- fun to review some of the photographs taken years ago. Some of them I may use on this blog.

Of course, there are some photos which are not so fun. Some memories recall a different time/place/appearance. Such memories can be a bit thought provoking.

The above photo -- taken while I stood in the "Turtle Compound" -- was from November, 2005. I was working for Caboodles Cosmetics; commuting weekly to Memphis, Tennessee, from Arkansas.

It was not a healthy time in my life, for many reasons, none of which I will elaborate on in this post. What I do want to point out -- as the photo plainly shows -- was that I was FAT !!

Job stress, life style & relationship choices, as well as (very) poor eating habits had me "ballooning". At my heaviest -- probably in this very photo -- I weighed 215 pounds.

This reminds me of a time I do not want to revisit, since the "cure" for my poor habits occurred about 16 months later, when I had my chest carved open, my left leg sliced up & my "plumbing" reconfigured for my heart.

I made a lot of poor choices in my life back then & probably could have prevented much of what I went through with a bit more effort on my part.

I only want to revisit that time in my life in old photos.

With all that written ... time for my morning exercises & jog.

I CAN'T BELIEVE ...

On a regular basis, my day begins much earlier in the morning than .... ah ... "normal" people. I am usually out of bed by 4 A.M., even on weekends. If I am not out of bed by, say, 5 A.M., well, then I have slept "late".

As I am waking up each morning -- at least during the weekdays -- I usually watch the half-hour, 3 A.M. news show on NBC New York Channel 4, or, the same broadcast on MSNBC at 4 A.M. Sometimes both.

After I am up, there are several routines I follow ... each day. As noted ... they are ROUTINES. These include tending to the cats, fixing a cup of coffee & making the bed. [I will not let the bed go unmade. Ick !!]

I always spend 30-60 minutes on the computer. It's another form of getting my "news"; what is happening in the world, be it from the major Internet sources, or sites I follow dedicated to specific topics. I also have to check out my favorite newspaper comics ... which I now get on-line.

In that "routine" this A.M., two things caught my eye & captured the early start-up of my brain today. They got me to thinking a bit.

I thought -- as ... "a blogger" -- the Blondie cartoon was topical & humorous. I do "follow" several blogs daily & there are quite a few others I "sample" as I find them. I chuckle at many blogs -- as the above cartoon implies -- at the self-importance many blogs possess. I hope I am not guilty of same.

One blog I "review" had an interesting post today tittled: "Things I Love". Some nice, clear, personal thoughts which got me thinking on a slightly different tangent.

Mind games in my brain have been kicking around a slightly different bent & I decided to "share" some.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE ..."

... some people spent personal fortunes in the elections last week trying to get elected. There is something not quite right -- at least to me, & thankfully to a majority of voters -- about spending over a HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS of their own money to be elected to a job paying slightly over $200,000 a year. It's mind boggling.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE ..."

... in the same mid-term election, I voted for a REPUBLICAN candidate [who won]. Let's just say I am enforcing my own "term limits", even for Democrats. THROW ALL THE BUMS OUT !!!

"I CAN'T BELIEVE ..."

... people believe "Reality Television" is REAL. There are so many TV shows now marketed as "reality" & the people on these shows, marketed as "stars". What a joke !! Trash that is televised as "entertainment".

I watched several episodes of "Jersey Shore". Never have a bunch of morons been so self-promoting. There is no way it can be "real" with cameras & microphones following them. It's fake.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE ..."

... it took this long to fire Wade Phillips of the Dallas Cowboys. That guy always seemed like a round peg in a square hole, especially with Jerry Jones as his boss.

[NOTE: I should add a disclaimer to this thought. I HATE THE COWBOYS. I "hate" Tony Romo, Jerry Jones, & ANYTHING having to do with "America's Team". I LOVE any team playing the Cowboys. And this year-- with the Cowboys record -- I'm having a lot of lovin !!!!]

"I CAN'T BELIEVE ..."

... it's not butter.

LEAN TO THE LEFT ... LEAN TO THE RIGHT

In both August & early September, I had my lawn tractor picked up by the John Deere dealer in England, Arkansas. The first trip was for some major items -- new blades, cutting deck belts, battery, lube /oil change, etc. -- that seem to need attention ... "suddenly".

The second trip was for an over-heating issue, for which I am still not sure has been adjusted/corrected.

Yesterday in the mail, I got the invoice for both visits. I had expected the billing in October, but I was told the invoice was being "adjusted" (downward) when I called to inquire about it last month.

Gee, I got to keep my money for another month. How fortuitous.

This morning, it was time to do the nasty & write the check for the invoice. No problem, money wise. It's just that there were ... "other issues".

Not much longer than I got situated at my desk, then Precious arrived to stake her claim to the middle (writing area) of the desk. Usually it is THE WOBBLER who likes to "help" me with letter writing, bill paying & other duties at/on my desk.

Speak of the devil. Wobs jumped up on the desk & carved out a spot for herself. Now I had a "two-fer".

Leaning to & fro, I used a corner of the desk to finish writing the check for my mower service. That's "my spot" in the lower right hand corner of the above photo.

Before the next desk project -- writing a letter to Hilda -- I decided to move over to the computer desk to gain some room & make my writing a bit easier.

Well, as the saying goes: "Great minds think alike". Wobs just picked her butt up & moved over to the other desk & deposited herself flat on my writing paper.

Some words from a basketball cheer I remember from my days at Honeoye Central School came to mind at a time like this:

Lean to the left ... Lean to the right,

Stand up ... Sit down,

Fight, team, fight

When working at my desk in the morning, I often have to ... lean left & right.

EVEN SOME BAMBOO ...

Sunday, October 24th had one of those weather forecasts which came with a bit of foreboding. Along with the (much needed) rain to come, were the words ... "damaging wind & thunderstorms".

With the dry summer we have had, the same conditions moving into the Fall season made the forecast "catch-twenty-two" -- the rain was needed/wanted ... the "damaging", NOT.

A clear, partly cloudy afternoon did not give any indication of the forecast coming true. Watching a football game on TV around 5 P.M., I was suddenly aware it was becoming rapidly dark outside, along with hearing the sound of sirens off in the distance ... the signal of a "warning" for bad weather.

Changing to a local TV station, the forecast had been, shall we say "upgraded", to Tornado Warnings. Sure enough, as the sky got even darker outside my house, the TV radar began tracking a potential tornado heading my way from the Southwest.

Amazingly, as I went on the porch, figuring to run out the door to find the two cats still outside, both -- Nibblets & Wobs -- were waiting at the door & zoomed right past me & inside. I guess it was an example of "animal intuition" in regards to bad weather coming.

Shortly there after, the storm arrived, with a black sky & winds bending the trees. The rain -- in driving, gray sheets -- soon followed as well.

As all four of us took shelter in the house -- me with the big flashlight in hand & my cell phone in my pocket ... just in case -- there was a loud "thud" from outside. A large tree had split & fallen into the yard.

Luckily, the tornado never arrived & the storm conditions quickly moved off. Shortly thereafter, the Girls even wanted to go outside, no doubt to "investigate" the tree limbs, sticks & blown down leaves littering the yard. Clean-up time for me. Delights for them.

These three photos were taken on Monday the 25th.

Along with the downed tree, two other points need to be made about the contents of the above photo: (1) The still dry, empty conditions of the creek bed. Not only did a tornado not come this way -- there was one further South of here -- the amount of rain received was limited & certainly not enough to remove the "Burn Ban" currently in effect in this part of the state of Arkansas. (2) For all the people who visit my blog after Googling the word "bamboo", note the fine stand of "Gray Henon" bamboo in the upper right corner.

Very hard to see, even in larger copies of these three photos, is a small Dogwood Tree which survived the falling tree which surrounds it on the ground. The upper canopy of the tree encompasses the Dogwood, but as I have found, did no damage to the Dogwood when the tree hit the ground. Small miracles.

Most of the tree remains on the ground still. I spent quite a bit of time last week cleaning storm damage -- tree limbs, sticks, broken branches -- from other parts of my property. This tree will require me to use my trusty chain saw to cut it up ... a duty I never look forward to, if only because of my sincere distrust of chain saws & my desire to keep all my digits.

And "yes", even more of the stand of bamboo in this final photo.