I'm not a nice person

I've been called a lot of names in life.  Some nice, some not.  My lovely bride has called me all sorts of names over the past 30+ years, some of them I deserve. 

Anyway, I bugged out early from the office and got home with enough daylight to do a long walk with the dogs.  As I was just getting back home, my wife called me and was wondering if I wanted to get Chinese food (she thought I was driving home at the time).  Normally, I wouldn't blink at getting some Chinese food, but I had already gotten home and had pretty much unplugged from the world.  I have a few pet peeves and one is having to go out again after you get home.  My answer was a kinda whiney "I'm already home and just got back from walking the dogs and didn't want to go out" response.  Now, she was busy taking care of her parents for most of the day and that was probably not the answer she wanted to hear, but since it was my birthday penumbra (will explain later), she gave me understanding "that's o-kaaay" response.  So after cleaning up the kitchen, I called her back and asked what kind of meal she wanted.  I drove out to our local cheap-a$$ Chinese place and got our usual orders.  When I came back home, I unloaded the food and set out dinner for me knowing she wasn't going to be home for a while.  Took the following picture of her dinner and sent it to her on her cell phone.
 

Claire is guarding your food for you...

I know, I am an asshole at times. 

Friday at last

Here I sit.  Momma has is off at bunco.  One dog at my feet.  The other is sleeping out on one of mom's "Oh No you didn't" quilts.  Been a long week.  I figured, that, since my boss was off the grid for a week, this week would be some serious coasting time.  No worries.  Let's get this party started.  Au contraire.  I had plans to get a lot of things done but life has a way of throwing you curves.  I guess I should be glad I made it to the weekend in one piece, but just not sure in what condition.   

I sit here with a glass of scotch and one needy dog (Claire) and surf the net to see who or what is out there.  I'm listening to one of my favorite musicians, Jesse Cook, playing a mean flamenco guitar.  I got hooked on him about 10 years ago out in Fredricksburg while wandering through an antique/art shops.  Was so infatuated by his music (Tempest), I bought the store CD.  Literally.  I bought the dang CD they were playing in the store.  Been a huge fan of his ever since.  Ok, there was one or two CDs that I wasn't as impressed with, but, overall, I like his style of music.  I even managed to hook my redneck, opinionated, "A" personality brother onto his music, so there has to be some social benefit there. 

Ya'll have a nice weekend.  I am working on mine.

Life with kids & dogs. 

It never gets dull.

Friday Follies

Busy week. So little time, so many people to do.

The good thing about be overloaded, it makes the week go by really, really fast. Now, if they could only outlaw Mondays...


Just a few nuggets to ponder for the weekend ahead:

• Deja moo; the feeling you've heard this bull before.


• Law of the workshop: any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.


• What do you call a song sung in an automobile? A cartoon.


• What do you get when you cross poison ivy with a 4-leaf clover? A rash of good luck.


• What do you get when you cross a cat with a tree? A cat-a-logue!

Merit Bages

As kids, we loved to get trophies/awards/recognition. Best player, championship team, top bowler, etc. My son's room has a handful of various achievements from a soccer trophy to scouting awards to medals for scholastic achievement. Some are the generic awards you get for just being there while others are for some major accomplishment. In Boy Scouts, each Scout is encouraged to advance in rank by earning merit badges. Currently, there are 121 Merit Badges a Scout can earn, some take a few hours or a weekend to achieve while others take several months to complete. To achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, you must earn at least 21 Merit Badges but many kids earn twice that number.

Sometimes, I think that, as adults, we need some recongnition for the things we do, even the mundane. While cruising the net the other night looking for gift ideas for my brother's 60 birthday, I stumbled across a site where you can get patches for various "accomplishments". Since my brother has been heavily into scouting for years, I am already pondering a few to get him.

Old geezer

Of course, with two mutts under my roof, there are one or two I might qualify for...

Poop Patrol

Friday, at last

The end of another three-ring circus week. It's been one of those weeks where retirement is looking better and better. I used to have a First Sergeant in my Armor company that, after a week like this, he would just look at me, shake his head and mutter, "One More Day to Retirement". One of the good things about coming home to two kooky dogs is, no matter how bad or long your day has been, they are always enthusiastic to see you.

One of the few pictures I took at the motivational seminar on Monday. Sitting about 25 feet from the speakers. One of my co-workers noted it was interesting to get up close to several big names that could have been (or might be) elected to higher office one day.

I always try to keep a sense of humor (it keeps me sane). So I am trying out a new feature: Joke of the week (I ain't got enough good ones to make a joke of the day). Some may be old, a few may be corny, many may be plagiarized. I got this one yesterday:

Yesterday I was at my local Wal-Mart buying a large bag of Purina dog chow for my loyal pet, Biscuit, the Wonder Dog and was in the checkout line when woman behind me asked if I had a dog.

What did she think I had, an elephant? So since I'm retired and have little to do, on impulse I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, I was starting the Purina Diet again. I added that I probably shouldn't, because I ended up in the hospital last time, but that I'd lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms.

I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load your pants pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete so it works well and I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in line was now enthralled with my story.)

Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food poisoned me.

I told her no, I stepped off a curb to sniff an Irish Setter's ass and a car hit us both.

I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard. Wal-Mart won't let me shop there anymore.

Better watch what you ask retired people. They have all the time in the world to think of crazy things to say.

Friday follies

Ever had one of those weeks where just making it to Friday night is a major milestone?
I swear that some people are put on this earth just to test me.

Thank god for weekends and scotch. I would probably gone postal by now, if not given an outlet for my agnst. The good thing about having more than one needy, highly affection and attention deficit dog is that it does tend to take the edge off. Hard to maintain my grumpy attitude when I am greeted by two goofy smiles and a pair of asyncronous wagging tails. I've been in nonstop meetings/conference calls since Wednesday. It's been one of those wheels came off the bus weeks for me and I am sincerely glad to see Friday arrive.

Both mutts are glad to greet me at the door with a smile on their butts. More of Claire is showing every day . She is an absolute sweetheart and knows how to work the system. You gotta feel sorry for her with her sparking smile, shaved belly and cone of shame but I see a little skamp in her eyes at time. Grayson is jealous of any attention she gets so any time I am petting one dog, the other shows up in short order. What I find funny is that when Grayson is parked at my lap getting some serious headscratching, Claire will meander in with her cone of aloofness and shoulder her way into the situation (kind of like a snow plow clearing the area). I feel sorry for her, but I swear that, at times, she is using that cone to muscle out Grayson for some extra attention. Both dogs have gotten along well. Despite her recent surgery and condition, Claire acts like she is ready to party. Grayson, being the consumate teenager, is always ready to rumble. Between the two, I have my hands full.

On the new great nephew front, momma & pappa are tired but doing well. Juliana is a getting lots of attention & loving as the new clan member. I am quite sure she will be properly spoiled.
----
Side note: When I talked with my son Thursday night at college, I broke the news to him that he is no longer the youngest member of the family.

Friday Follies

Off again!

I told ya that I had a bunch of vacation to kill. I have turned into that old guy at work that had so much vacation stocked up in the year that, come November, he wound up taking off every Friday through New Years.

Four day weekend ahead! Time to start some mega shopping. Hope to get the lights up today before it starts to rain (no snow :( ). I am trying to sign up for one shift to build some bikes at Elves & More. Of course the highlight of my day is that I am heading off to the doctor this afternoon for my annual physical (BOO-YA!). Nothing gets me more in the Christmas spirit like getting "up close & personal" with my internist. Should be ok, but it is kind of like taking the truck in for a service - you never know what they will find under the hood on those high mileage check ups (need a new set of shocks, tires need to be rotated, transmission's leaking). Nothing cheap or easy to fix. Not really looking forward to it but I want to get it done before the end of the year and the new deductible kicks in. I expect to have a follow up to a gastroenternologist for my heartburn - ANOTHER fun filled adventure to enjoy.

Confirmed that son is coming home next week. He called last night to pass along some good news. Now, keep in mind that my son doesn't really call me to chat. He typically calls me when there is some vehicle problem or some major change in his status (translation: $$$). But last night he informed me that he had entered the student lottery for tickets to the BCS Championship game on January 7th and he got picked! Was all sorts of fired up. Amidst trying to finish a project and study for finals, he was trying to figure out the logistics of getting out to Pasadena, CA and where to stay. Lucky kid.

Have a great and warm weekend and try not to ponder that there is only 14 days until Christmas!

Addendum: Doc gave me a clean bill of health. Ya gotta love those paper gowns with no backside to them. I'd like to meet the sadistic sob that designed them.

Sometimes you're the dog, sometimes you're the fire hydrant...

Friday Follies (gurgle, burp)...

OK. Mildly overdid it. Better than previous years, but still had too much. Need to run extra 5 miles just to pay for the pie.

It is great to have my son down here, even if for a very brief time. He is working on a project for one of his classes so he has to go back early Sunday but momma's ecstatic to see him. Of course, it was interesting last night as we watched the game. You see, my son, Bless His Heart, attends that other university that just happens to be the rival to the Alma mater that I attended. In spite of my best efforts at indoctrinating/cajoling/brainwashing him, he chose his own path and he elected to attend the other institution and has done great. Outstanding grades, top of the class, already has pulled in three intern slots over the past three years and those were not lightweight jobs. So, he made an excellent choice in his academic selection and I have not doubt that he will be a great success in life, but, once a year, when the two football teams meet on the gridiron, things can get heated. Somewhere along the line last night, I think momma said that if the other team wins, he's on his own for spring tuition. In the end, my team didn't lose, they just got outscored (again). In the morning light, everything alright with world again and, no, he does not have to pay for his tuition.


Black Friday. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Stuffed with Turkey & dressing, and oozing giblets and gravy, the masses have descended upon the malls/stores early this morning. Armed with adds and shopping lists cranked up on coffee and leftover pumpkin pie, the mobs are wandering the retail landscape like some seen from Zombieland. Already hearing reports of mall parking lots being 1/2 full (and it is only 0645). Given the choice of braving the malls/traffic, hanging the Christmas lights, raking up leaves, or heading west, I chose the latter. I am headed out to the Pecos region with my brother for a short hunting trek. Scored an open slot on the lease and, since I was off next week anyway, thought I would snatch up the opportunity. Should be back in a few days.

Vaya Con Dios!

Have a great weekend and enjoy the rest of the holidays!

Friday Follies

Help! I was kidnapped by aliens and haven't been able to keep up with my blog duties. I finally broke away by singing my best rendition of Sting (Roxxxxaaaannnnne).

Up to no good. Been trying to catch up at work and stay below the radar. We have 7 weeks left in the year and I have to burn 2 weeks of vacation (or lose it). Because of our system implementation/testing this year, I have not used up my vacation like I normally do so I am left with a challenge to use it or lose it. Interesting dilemma to have. Basically I will be taking off just about every Friday until the end of the year (Whoo-Hooo! 4 day work week!). Ergo, I am off today getting ready to head out to another weekend rally with the parents/brother. Should be a packed weekend. We are heading out to an unknown destination (it's a mystery rally) for an unknown agenda. It is kinda like a scavenger hunt (for old people). We head out to a specific spot west of town and stop in at the local RV dealer and get the next clue on where to go. Should be interesting. Hopefully, everybody can decipher the clues to get to the rally. The only clues I have is that it is within a 2 hour radius of where we live.

On top of that gig, I am signed up for a dog picnic this weekend. The rescue group (GBGRR) that we got Grayson from is having a 10th anniversary picnic this Sunday. They have been fostering and adopting Goldens for over 10 years and have placed roughly 2-3000 dogs over the past decade. This weekend the group is holding an anniversary picnic to celebrate. So far, there are over 250+ dogs signed up to attend. I have just got to go just to see that many tail wagging, face licking, flea bearing fur bags in one group. It will look like a freakin golden convention. This group is excellent about promoting its cause so I am certain it will wind up in the local paper.

Ya'll have a great weekend and remember, always drink upstream from the herd...

Friday follies

Ever see a really good idea and you just want to steal/copy it?
Well, along the lines of Life is Good and Silver Lining Saturday, I thought I would start a similar thread on my meager blog along the same line and see how long I can keep it up.

Anyway, another week in the bag. Work's about as much fun as trying to give a cat a bath. With one buyer out on a vacation cruise, another buyer out due to a death in the family, my boss is on the road somewhere in Minnesota or Pennsylvania, that only leaves me and one buyer to run the whole she-bang. Between part problems, month end activities, 20 different emergency orders, project testing, and assorted office drama, life has been anything but boring. This is one of those weeks I am glad to have made it to Friday alive.

Weekend looks to be even more fun. Time to hitch up the team and head north to Austin. I am helping my off spring relocate to college this weekend. This is year 4 for him and, this year, he is moving off campus to an (unfurnished) apartment. We are helping with the major stuff (table, chairs, bed) while he is loading up his car with all sorts of essentials (do you really need 2 guitars?). I am planning a commando run to Austin. Gonna try to sneak out from work to pick up a small trailer, go across town to get the bed from my parents (and anything else they try to give to him), check out a new desk at a thrift shop and then head back home for the rest of his junk. The bus pulls out in the morning (not as early as I would prefer) and we should be in Austin by 1300. I figured it was gonna be a late night so I scored a sweet deal on a hotel for almost nothing (did not want to drive back late in the day). My only worry now is what to do with the stinkin' trailer while in Austin. It is way cheaper to rent this rig for two days & drag it all over Texas (~$30) than do the one way drop off thing ($110). Even the dog is getting a treat. Will spend the day getting pampered/spoiled at my parents. I'm sure my mom will cook up a steak for him. We'll see if we can survive the weekend!

Happy Trails, Ya'll!