BETTER THAN A GIRLFRIEND

This will will probably be my last blog posting for 2011. With year 2012 only a few hours away, I end this year, not with resolutions, but reflections of many years ago.

My memories of life are that I have always been somewhat of a "nester" when it comes to where I lived.  In my youth -- at least through the end of high school -- my family lived the majority of the time in only two places: Rochester, New York & then in Honeoye, New York.  Always in the same house in each town.  No moving.  "Nested". 

I went off to college & spent two years in Utica, New York.  I lived in an apartment & later in an on-campus dormitory.  I guess -- living in two places in two years -- would be my "non-nesting" phase.  It didn't stick.

In 1967 I ventured down to Memphis, Tennessee.  The main reason was to continue my education, but the secondary -- & also important reason -- was to keep my "deferment" from the then military draft.  There was the very unpopular Vietnam War on-going at the time & being in college kept me out of the hands of Uncle Sam.

Two moves later -- to apartments, along with a "wife" who was soon gone -- had me again "nesting" throughout my 29+ years in Tennessee. The apartment stretched for 11 years & the condo which followed, was 17 years. True "nesting".

Now I am 15+ years living in Arkansas.  It will officially be 16 years at this location come September, 2012.  Again, once I "move" ... I then stay put.  "Nested".

I was never a "job hopper" either.  I stayed with Maybelline for almost 34 years & another two & a half years with Caboodles Cosmetics. I like things to be familiar, comfortable & manageable.  My job & my home.

Since 1969 -- which is as best I can figure/remember -- one thing has followed me & been with me.  It's the large "desk" in my home office. [Actually it's not really a desk.  More like a library table.]  I bought it at a used office furniture store in downtown Memphis for $20.00.  It was money well spent.  I've certainly got my value out of it.

The desk is six foot long & almost three feet wide.  It has a good amount of surface space for all kinds of projects & writing, as well as a large area to share with cats & several hundred pens & markers.

I should note that I was once "forced" to give the desk away to a co-worker.  I was on the losing end of a relationship where my wife had better uses for "the space" the desk occupied in our apartment. Luckily for me, I got rid of the wife & the new owner of the desk, got rid of a husband.  I jumped at the chance to get the desk back. [See.  Good things do happen when couples split up. (I hope Katy Perry is reading this.  Call me !!)]

Somehow this one piece of furniture has been with me for the past 43 years.  Not too many other objects -- or even people (well ... maybe Weiner counts for "time served") -- have been with me all this time.  It's a bit strange to reflect on the fact, but to the credit of the desk, it has stood firm & fast & provided me daily support whenever I have needed it. I've been in relationships which didn't even come close to all those attributes.  The desk is BETTER than a girlfriend !!

THINGS I HATE -- #1

I have strong opinions on a lot of subjects.  Not that I am smarter or more knowledgeable than other people, it's just that in a number of areas I don't go along, or get along, with the habits of my fellow human beings.  This ill-regard for many of the happenings in every day life, "caused" by other people, may be a defining reason why I live alone & have had no serious love interest in my life for many years. 

I guess I just hate ... people.  Well, that's kind of strong, either to write or to say.  It's more like I don't do a lot of things other people do & I don't think like most people either.  I'm probably turning into one of those curmudgeonly old men.

Now I know everyone has "issues" with various happenings in the world & no person really agrees with EVERYTHING going on around them, be it at their job, their relationships, political affiliations, etc.  I think we all agree, we disagree.  I am just more opinionated about ... "the little things".

I thought I would attempt to cleanse myself of some of the items I encounter in my life which more or less get me ... "steamed".  These occurrences may result in nothing more than me cursing under my breath ... or ... may find me confronting someone about something they did, realizing I might get my nose flattened in doing so.

I plan on writing about some of my "dislikes" -- which is a better word than HATE -- so I can "share" these thoughts & maybe find others who have similar feelings.  I'll start today with one of my pet peeves:  Shopping Carts Left Unattended In parking Lots.

The above photo -- taken at the local Sam's Club -- shows someone having used a shopping cart to take their purchases to their vehicle ... THEN NOT RETURNING THE CART !!  They just leave the cart in the parking lot & drive off.  It's the classic example -- which I also ... ah ... "dislike" -- of people having no consideration of their fellow man.  "Let someone else worry about it".

Yes ... whenever & wherever I shop ... if I use a shopping cart outside the store, I take it back to the store (Yes ... inside.) or, return it to one of the enclosed "cart returns".  That's why they have those & yet people find it requires too much effort to use them.

Most of my issues are the result of ... people.  But, since I have to share the world with them & I can only "limit" my interaction with others, I am always going to fuss & swear about ... things I hate.

SNOW VS. RAIN

All that rain we got on Sunday & Monday -- along with the resulting flooding -- had stopped by Monday afternoon.  Come Tuesday morning, the flooding on my property had reseeded. [Not so for other locations close to me, where the flooding was damaging, with standing H2O still & closed roads.  I was lucky.]

The cold front which pushed through the weekend rains did provide snow to the mix last night.  It's just added to the damp, chilling feeling which goes with the low temperatures & abundance of H2O.

While the above area was covered in H2O as of Monday, it is now looking quite different, with the creek having returned to ... ah ... "normal" ... which it really isn't, due to the addition of the snow.

As compared to another recent posting photo, the above shows how the snow can be covering the ground in some places & there be almost no snow in other areas.

As I write, it is getting brighter out my window, as the sun starts to penetrate the clouds. All the snow -- for now -- will soon be melted & gone.

AT LEAST IT IS NOT SNOW .... YET !!

Parts of the state of Arkansas are starting to feel the effects of the massive cold front coming down from our neighbors in the "Great White North". [Ah ... that's CANADA.]  I'm not sure if the snow/sleet associated with the cold front will make it to the central part of the state, but right now, such conditions might seem like an improvement from all the rain we have had in the past 36 hours or so.

Since Saturday night, the weather radar screens have been almost a solid green, if only dissected with the color yellow, indicating heavier rain.  This morning, the white & pink colors on radar now include the emergence of snow & sleet, respectively, into our forecast.

For the month of November, Arkansas received an all time record of over 14 inches of rain. December is not starting any better.  With the ground saturated with H2O from last month, the six or more inches of rain we have received since Saturday night has had no place to go.  The net result is all the streams & rivers are full, with many over their banks & flooding.  That's happening -- AGAIN -- on my property.

From my back lot, the photo above shows the culverts which act as one of the "bridges" across my creek, are once again under the flooding H2O.  Not quite as bad as two weeks ago, but still a mess.  Even after the H2O recedes -- usually in 24 hours or less -- the ground takes a long time to dry out.  Think mud on shoes/boots & cat paws.

The back lot has plenty of H2O on it & since the creek is full, the drainage is slow.  Another bridge -- this one NOT under H2O -- is in the upper left corner of the above photo, along with a pile of leaves & debris (look closely), which were removed just recently from the last rain.

And obviously, as shown above, the fire pit will not be hosting any fires for a few days at least.

One thing to be thankful for: if the temperatures had been in the low 30's or below, all this rain would have equaled about three feet of snow.  No thanks !!  I've lived through that many times in upstate New York & it is something I can do without !!

MEOWATHON - 2011 ... ONE MORE TIME

I just received a copy of the photo taken at the "awards ceremony" at this year's MEOWATHON. All the medal winners had photos taken as a free service of Business Visuals of Memphis, who volunteered their services & photography for the MEOWATHON.  They also have a cute photo from the event -- of a "visiting" kitty -- on their blog.

After getting the medal, I had my picture taken with ... "The House of Mews ... Mascot" (?).  I don't remember the name -- of either the cat, or the person in the suit -- but I'm including the photo as just another reminder of the good time I had this year in Memphis.

Now ... getting ready for the 2012 MEOWATHON.  "Run for the Claws" !!

MEOWATHON - 2011

It's hard to believe, but it has already been a week since I traveled over to Memphis, Tennessee for the annual MEOWATHON.  This 5k run/walk was the 8th "Run For The Claws", held to raise money & support for The House of Mews in Memphis.  This small, non-profit organization, located in the Cooper-Young District of Memphis, is a no-kill cat sanctuary & adoption facility.

As with many of my trips to Memphis, an early start was in order & I left home shortly before 5:30 A.M.  I was of course, out of bed hours before that, to be sure my own three "girls" had time for their normal morning exploration outside & be safely ensconced in the house before I left, as I knew I would not be returning till much later in the day.  As it turned out ... much later in the day.  

The MEOWATHON is held in Overton Park, a centrally located public park which is also home to the Memphis Zoo. The pavilion -- partially shown above -- is the center location for the event, as well as the silent auction, snacks & refreshments & the awards ceremony.

My Mother, Hilda -- who lives in Florida -- hand-made the above red Teddy Bear & sent it to the HOM for inclusion in the silent auction. It was combined with other items, making up a nice gift basket, with a bid value of $50.00.

The race this year had several hundred runners/walkers.  It's always a mixed group of folks, with many experienced & serious runners, all the way to families looking to enjoy walking together through Overton Park on a pleasant Fall morning.

I always enjoy the run & the people. This was my fifth straight year to partake in the race.  The first year, following so soon after my heart surgery, I mainly walked the course.  Since then, I have run .. ah ... jogged ... the 3.2 mile course, always trying -- hoping -- to win a medal.

This year I finished third in the men's 60-64 age group & won the medalion above.  Yes, I was very proud.  I have worked hard all year long, putting in long hours at the North Little Rock Athletic Club, always trying to increase & improve my conditioning. [I'm already "training" for the 2012 MEOWATHON.]

Another highlight of the trip to Memphis, was another "annual" event:  having lunch with my close Tennessee friends (L-R) Sharon, Kathy & Larry. It's always a good time, filled with laughs, friendship & an excellent lunch at Mosa Asian Bistro.

Note:  At these annual get-together, Sharon's husband -- Marty -- never seems to get into the photos, since he's the one taking pictures.  Well, this year I've been able -- via editing out a sleepy-eyed Sharon -- to include Marty as well.

Of course, even with the best of plans, not all goes as expected.  In this case, there were major traffic delays going home on Interstate-40 in Arkansas.  I never did find out the reason for the tie-up, but an extra 90 minutes was added to the drive home.

Now ... on to the MEOWATHON - 2012 & once again ... "Run For the Claws".

RECORD RAINS ??

Despite what the talking heads on Fox Noise want me to believe about the subject of "global warming", I have a -- STRONG -- belief in the changes taking place with good old Planet Earth.  If for no other reason than SEVEN BILLION people are now using up the resources of our planet [breathing & eating], along with spewing carbon dioxide back [breathing & ... well, you know what else], the Earth & atmosphere can't handle it all.

On the non-Fox Noise News the other night, [okay ... NBC] there was a story on how the weather is becoming more sever, more often.  Examples given included the tornado's this year in Missouri & Alabama, the Halloween snow storm in the North East, along with the fires & drought affecting Texas & Oklahoma.  Blame it on El Nino, Global Warming.  Whatever.  Something is changing.

In the past 15-plus years, due to the location & elevation of my land, I have had several instances where the creek in the back of my property has not been able to "handle" the volume of H2O flowing through it.  Results: Flooding. According to Jim Cantore on The Weather Channel, the rain & thunder storms we had earlier in the week resulted in a foot of rain in Arkansas. I don't know how much rain we received locally, but I know this was one of the worst examples of flooding on my property which I have witnessed.

Monday was a mess at my home.  While my house is elevated enough not to be affected by the H2O, the resulting flooding from the rain -- while quickly dissipating -- leaves behind a soggy mess, which in itself, takes several days to dry out.  Below are some examples.

                                         MONDAY

                                         TUESDAY

                                          MONDAY

                                          TUESDAY

                                          MONDAY

                                          TUESDAY

The clean-up has started & hopefully it will be a long time before we have any more "record rains".