on the 66th day of Christmas....

Are you kidding me?

GS and I aren't into looking for the perfect gift for one another each year. The fact is it might just be some kind of gag gift or novelty.

This last Christmas we determined to fill in the spot where the spinet piano with the cracked sound board used to sit (just inside the front door, if you walk straight ahead toward the hallway to the bedrooms). The space has been vacant (with a few exceptions) for the past couple of years.

Let me backtrack. We really decided to fill it even before we sent the piano north. We just hadn't decided with what. We only knew it had to be skinnier (narrower?) than the piano. In fact we wanted something a lot smaller than any piano... and we wanted it to fit the decor of the living room, whatever it is.

We looked at bookcases. We looked at small sideboards. We checked out all kinds of things That are about 30 inches high, no more than 48 inches wide, about 15 - 20 inches deep and not modern. The search could have gone on forever. It was a case of, "We'll know it when we see it."

Now bear in mind that the living room has seen little use... other than as a traffic area between the kitchen & family room and the back of the house (where the bedrooms, bathrooms and den are)... since we remodeled almost 20 years ago. The most it is used is when we have the carpet cleaned in there.

So, anyhow, GS happened across just what we were seeking on the inter-tubes sometime last October. We discussed it some and she placed an order. There's more to the story but I don't want it to become one of those shaggy frog duck stories I've been known to tell. This was our Christmas gift to each other.






It arrived this Tuesday morning





(click the image for a more detailed view)

but shipping was free
.

The what!

The Caltrans Twitter feed reported southbound I-5 closed at the South Yreka around 7:35 p.m. due to whiteout conditions. The message states that it's unclear when the road will be opened again.

Really?

I'm here

The headline:

"State protection for wolf sought..."

The story:

"A group of environmental activists petitioned California wildlife officials on Monday to place wolves on the state's endangered species list, even though just one is in the state, and it may be heading back to Oregon."

There's more, to be sure, but what I wanna know is: Who do they think is going to pay for it?

there's no money now
for law enforcement
.

Threat

I've explained before how this blog began. Unfortunately I can't remember exactly when and I don't intend to start searching so I can link. If you're that curious, just go back to the beginning and start reading.

I kinda want to say it's evolved. I'm not certain is has. I'm just a little more selective [most of the time] about what I post.

After a bit I started a second blog. It was to be serious. This was to be wacky. That didn't quite work because I didn't have an editor. I turned the other into a photo blog [more or less].

Sometimes it does get serious and that's mostly accidental because... well, sometimes we can just take ourselves too seriously ...like thinking it's necessary to post something every day. I must not believe that since I didn't post every day in 2010 (but I more than made up for it last year).

Anyhow, I may... or may not have a post each day.

just sayin'
.

The heck with the weather

Let's talk gas prices. That's what all of the newscasts are doing now.



I'm not complaining...

...we're still cheaper than about anywhere in Europe
.

Maybe they're onto something?

They're all doing it.

It seems every news broadcast I've watched lately has a reporter on the street telling us gas prices are rising really fast.



Maybe they're doing this for the benefit of hermits ...or those who don't drive.

Then there are those reports about police doing warrant searches. The ones where the police won't provide any information ...but the media will spend a couple of minutes during every broadcast for three days telling us they don't know anything new.

I think I've figured it out.

They need something to say, besides commercials, between the four weather reports they provide during each newscast

dry and windy

Sure Happy It's Thursday

Basic BLT sandwich



Instructions:

I wasn't sure what I was going to post about today

Then I found out about this...

...it was a sell out

If I'd known four days ago, I'd have gone to Des Moines instead of Paradise

Update WTF!

Remember a certain creature, who shall remain nameless?

It's still in the local news (even though the darn thing's been parked most of the last month in eastern Lassen County, which is so barren and forlorn that even Nevada doesn't want it. Folks in these parts, though, just can't seem to let go of the subject and now that it's (yeah it's a male, but I'm not gonna give it even the benefit of gender because it really is almost a non-topic) on the move again because there is no there, there. Critter headed west again and in a couple of days traversed the eastern part of Shasta County (our county) on it's way back to whence it came, or so the locals hope.

To save time here's what the California Department of Fish and Game says:

Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)

At this time, there is only one documented gray wolf living in the wild in California.

On Dec. 28, 2011 a 2 ½-year-old, male gray wolf entered California after traveling from northeast Oregon. Designated OR7, his behavior, called dispersal, is not atypical of a wolf his age.

Historically, wolves inhabited California, but were extirpated. Before OR7, the last confirmed wolf in California was here in 1924 and since then, investigated “sightings” have turned out to be coyotes, dogs, wolf-dog hybrids, etc. DFG wildlife managers anticipated that wolves would eventually enter California, and have been preparing for it.

• The State of California is not intentionally reintroducing wolves.
• Gray wolves pose little direct risk to humans.
• Any wolf that enters California is protected as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act.

DFG provides these maps to show the route that Wolf OR 7 has traveled since his entry into California. The maps will be updated periodically as additional data becomes available. However, there will be an intentional delay in posting new map information to protect the current location of this wolf. This wolf's movement pattern, in terms of timing, direction and distance has so far been unpredictable. Therefore the maps will provide useful information on where he has been recently, but not where he is now.

In other news:
There still seems to be less concern about what folks around here should do if one of the nearby volcanoes should happen to act up... even though it seems to me that would affect more of us than the peregrinations of a single critter [see item above] . Responsibility for geologic emergency has been shifted to the newly formed California Volcano Observatory in Menlo Park [a real hotbed of volcanic activity on the San Francisco Peninsula]. Seriously, what has actually been done is add another responsibility to the USGS Office without adding any more personnel or funding (not that there's any money for it, anyway).

Then there's this email I received about somebody's Malignant Narcissism.
I get emails like this almost daily, but this one really frosted my @$. The claim is that it's written by an expert.

Well, a little research... very little was necessary ...tells me the expertise comes from his being a narcissist, as well as a reformed con man and swindler.

I'll spare you any further details while I do further research on Facebook [Ha!]

My work is done here...

for now
.

Didja miss me?

I didn't think so

Another blogger's having a contest. I'd enter, but... well it's better if everybody has has a chance to win.

The one thing that I really, really miss when we take these overnight weekend trips is keeping up with what various and sundry sports teams doing. I am not necessarily an avid fan of either hockey (San Jose Sharks) or pro basketball (Golden State Warriors), but I do get a little excited over a win here and there (which is about what you get with the Warriors, who appear to be about one player short of contention. The Sharks are terrific spoilers for other team's aspirations and their own fans desire to see them in the finals).

I am happy to report that I found out this morning the Sharks had a part in setting a record.

You're welcome Buck, Tom, Jim, Jimmy, and Nick (they're all Red Wings fans).

According to the NWS, the overnight storm left us with exactly .o1 inches of rainfall and an overcast sky this morning.

...beautiful over the rest of the weekend, though and the prediction is for mid 70s by Wednesday.

My good friend, the Brighton Pensioner, caught us up on what's irritated him of late. One is being called a Brit. I suppose I can relate to that. I get really uptight when I hear someone call my hometown "Frisco."

wonder how he feels about limey?
.

Headed down the road

I've always like this picture [that's why I recycled it]



Off to Paradise (it is too really a place. look it up) for a Lions District Cabinet Meeting.

back sometime tomorrow
.

Today's that day

I get to remind my brother,

"You're older'n me!!!"

Of course, in truth we know he's always older, but for about the next six months the numbers a one off.

It would be even more fun if he were here so I could rub it in, but he's off on some island [Maui] lolling around in the sunshine (or a recliner).

Happy Birthday!

it okay that this is up this late
in the day because he won't be
up and about until around noon
...Maui time
.

There's some good news, too

For bacon lovers

GS and I will be away
this weekend so I gotta
get all the posts in early
.

Update

About my little snit regarding v-words, it's explained in the paragraph on the right.



I tried the audio button... it's about as clear as the image

when are they gonna
mail our paychecks
for our work?
.

Just this...

Blogger's gone bland with the v-words. They are taking the fun out of word verification.
Here are a couple of examples of the current crop.







They don't inspire nearly as much as the previous, more colorful verification words [sic]






I really do have a difficult time with change, despite protestations otherwise.

the new reply feature
in comments is
kinda cool, though
.

A friend showed this to me last night

I had to share...

'cause I got nothin' else
.

So, Uncle Skip, when are you gonna write a post about connubial bliss?

Before I begin to even think about writing such a post I should explain how I even came to think of it. First off it's Valentines day... and then there's this


So, a certain blogger, who shall remain unidentified (unless he reveals himself or somebody is able to figure out who he is by reading the info on the sidebar), is regaling the blog world with tales of courtship and marriage, and the happiness that follows. I will mention here that he will only be celebrating his fifth wedding anniversary. That means he is far from expert it those relationships. Just because he and HIS WIFE only have anniversaries every four years isn't gonna get him off.

Anyhow if you can figure out who I'm talking about, go pick up on his little series and read. It is worth the effort.

It appears I'm not the only blogger motivated to post about this. Another of the denizens of the sidebar had posted a brief tale. I won't mention his name either.



The short answer is I'm not... at least not in the near future

might, though,
around the anniversary
.

Little shaky?

It wasn't here. But over toward the coast (about 120 miles) there was a 5.3 magnitude quake at around 1:00pm. I didn't feel it, but a friend says he did.

And about 8:00pm last evening there was a lighter (magnitude 4.3) quake to the southwest in Sonoma County.

Why am I telling you this?

It beats talking about the weather ...but it will be the weather guys talking about it on the tube tonight

and I almost forgot
to mention that Friday
the 13th came on
a Monday this month
.

.

Oh boy!

Saw this on another blog ...really like it






GS and I are off to assist the Cottonwood Lions Club serve their monthly breakfast.

wonder if they'll feed us?
.

Recap

Today is:

Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk Day

Don't even try to infer anything else from that. It's just a statement

It wasn't all work (and the rain stopped real early) at the logging conference parking lot. We had ample opportunity to browse the displays, some of which were even interesting



The highlight of the model train (for kids, anyway, and me) were the prairie dogs that came out of their burrows after the trains would pass.

The best interesting part of patrolling the VIP parking at the logging conference is observing the actions of attendees. I will start off by stating that I can only conclude that everyone wants to park next to the main gate. Barring that, they will drive around and around the entrance lot for upwards of 45 minutes rather than going to one of the other parking areas, even though it is no further to walk to get into the fairground.
I won't even comment on how some people drive in the lot

as Dave Barry would say:
a Florida license is on the way
.

Just checking

I wanted to see if anyone is here

It may be a little wet in the parking lot this morning. The local forecast covers just about every possibility. It's already raining

I should probably remember to bring a chair

or better yet, an umbrella
.

Wednesday Bucket List

...or whatever you want to call it.

First off... it rained almost all day yesterday ...everywhere around here except the airport, where the official measurements are made.

Officially, we had .15 inches of rain, while just west of downtown Redding there was .64 inches

The rest of this post is links

I'm glad I hope I don't have problems like this

...and some child-rearing advice

This is post that gave me the idea for the title. That's the only idea I got from the post

I probably should take a few days off... for a couple of reasons:

1) I'm really reaching to find things about which to post [the muse is on vacation or something]
2) For the next couple of days the Lions Club has charge of the VIP parking [and restroom patrol] for the Sierra Cascade Logging Conference at the Shasta District Fairgrounds. We don't have to do much, but it provides us with monies for community service activities

.

Rain!

There isn't much, but we'll take it. Most of this system is to the south of here

Buck's second post yesterday reminded me that many of my favorite things have changed.

As a kid I used to look forward to visiting toy stores. I wasn't necessarily to get a toy, but just to see all of the neat stuff ...and to kind of create a wish list. As an adult [almost wrote mature adult] I still like the old fashioned mom 'n pop toy stores, which are almost extinct, but they've been replaced in the status as most favored by kitchen shops. I have actually found myself almost coveting some cookware. And don't even get me started on cutlery. The worst of it is ...or is it the best? Anyhow, that only scratches the surface because there are all kinds of distractions in better kitchen shops, not to mention some truly appealing and desirable appliances that will enhance any kitchen.

Imagine that. All that over an eight quart stainless steel stock pot. I dunno what would've happened if it'd been a new gas range.

Craig's post got me thinking about exercise. Well, actually I think about it a lot. I just haven't done much anything about it... unless you consider that I actually went into a bike shop a few years back. I haven't had the golf clubs out for over two years. The simplest thing would be to walk... probably the easiest, too.

A couple of comments on yesterday's post sent me off on a little quest for information... or something.
I found a site that appears to have most, if not all, of the big spenders commercials from Sunday's game. The best of it is they all seem to be on YouTube so they may be viewed individually.

"Football is NOT a contact sport - it is a collision sport.
Dancing IS a contact sport."
~ Duffy Daugherty

so's rugby
.

I can't say I particularly enjoyed yesterday's game

It had nothing to do with the quality of play, or even with the activities on the field. The halftime show was even pretty good ...though I never did determine if the theme was Egyptian, Greek, or Roman.
Where I found the show came up short is with the commercials. Jack in the Box caught my interest for a moment when they mentioned bacon, but then lost me at the end.

There is really only one ad I won't mind seeing a few more times:


Do yourself a favor and watch it in full screen

no, I really do like cats
.

The first Sunday ...again

Grandma Skip and I are up and out to serve breakfast at the Frontier Center this morning

This is just one of the selections from the menu. It comes with fruit, juice, and coffee or tea.

yeah it is too early
.

How to Write Good

First off, let me say that there is nothing original in this post. I snagged the idea from a Facebook post; did some Googling; and came up with an addition to the initial stuff.

The first set of rules was written by Frank L. Visco and originally published in the June 1986 issue of Writers' digest.
The second set of rules is derived from William Safire's Rules for Writers.
My several years in the word game have learnt me several rules:

1. Avoid Alliteration. Always.
2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3. Avoid cliches like the plague. (They’re old hat.)
4. Employ the vernacular.
5. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
6. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
7. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
8. Contractions aren’t necessary.
9. Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
10. One should never generalize.
11. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.”
12. Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
13. Don’t be redundant; don’t use more words than necessary; it’s highly superfluous.
14. Profanity sucks.
15. Be more or less specific.
16. Understatement is always best.
17. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
18. One word sentences? Eliminate.
19. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
20. The passive voice is to be avoided.
21. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
22. Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
23. Who needs rhetorical questions?

1. Parenthetical words however must be enclosed in commas.
2. It behooves you to avoid archaic expressions.
3. Avoid archaeic spellings too.
4. Don't repeat yourself, or say again what you have said before.
5. Don't use commas, that, are not, necessary.
6. Do not use hyperbole; not one in a million can do it effectively.
7. Never use a big word when a diminutive alternative would suffice.
8. Subject and verb always has to agree.
9. Placing a comma between subject and predicate, is not correct.
10. Use youre spell chekker to avoid mispeling and to catch typograhpical errers.
11. Don't repeat yourself, or say again what you have said before.
12. Use the apostrophe in it's proper place and omit it when its not needed.
13. Don't never use no double negatives.
14. Poofread carefully to see if you any words out.
15. Hopefully, you will use words correctly, irregardless of how others use them.
16. Eschew obfuscation.
17. No sentence fragments.
18. Don't indulge in sesquipedalian lexicological constructions.
19. A writer must not shift your point of view.
20. Don't overuse exclamation marks!!
21. Place pronouns as close as possible, especially in long sentences, as of 10 or more words, to their antecedents.
22. Writing carefully, dangling participles must be avoided.
23. If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
24. Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
25. Everyone should be careful to use a singular pronoun with singular nouns in their writing.
26. Always pick on the correct idiom.
27. The adverb always follows the verb.
28. Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixing metaphors.
29. If you reread your work, you can find on rereading a great deal of repetition can be by rereading and editing.
30. And always be sure to finish what

Thanks to Plain Language dot com

Please don't go there
I might need some
more stuff for this
blog some day
.

Mind bogglling

I guess you can't make this stuff up?



Click on the image for the full story. It kinda goes along with yesterday's post

if you forget about the duck
.

Because there's a duck

...and because it's true!

but mostly the duck
.

This is as good as any cat video

...
.