Sunday, September 30, 2007

Link Of The Week

You can't hardly drive anywhere these days without seeing at least one abandoned shopping cart.  I pass by alot of steep ditches going to and from work, and in this part of town, that's where you usually find most of them.  I found a very interesting site this week that has a very cool photo gallery of abandoned shopping carts in Los Angeles.  Visit http://www.polarinertia.com/nov06/cart01.htm and check it out. If you click on the "home" button, you can find link so other cool photo galleries at the site, but I thought the shopping cart photos were the best. 

 

Saturday, September 29, 2007

The $36 Dish Soap

I let the 'Rents read yesterday's TWIT entry, and almost simultaneously, they said "You didn't mention about the $36 bottle of dish soap."  I had hoped they wouldn't bring it up, but since they did, I felt compelled to let you all in the know. 

As I mentioned, it cost a total of $36 for the three of us to get into yesterday's Country Living Fair.  The brochure stated there would be "samples galore".  Well we sure couldn't find them if they were there.  But we did find one freebie -- a booth was giving away full-size bottles of new Dawn dish soap.  Not being one to pass up a freebie, I elbowed my way to the table and snagged my bottle of soap.  And let me say, I used it last night to wash the supper dishes.  So there you have it - the story of the $36 bottle of dish soap.  I agree - it's not a very interesting story, but the 'Rents wanted me to add that to yesterday's account of the Trip From Hell. 

Friday, September 28, 2007

The Trip From Hell

I'm deviating today, and instead of the usual Flashback Friday, I feel the need to tell you about our fun, fun trip.  Today I was on the trip from hell.  If I'd had my cell phone voice recorder on, I could have recorded the 'Rents saying the same exact thing.  This morning, we embarked on the adventure to end all adventures.  My cousin wanted to see the Country Living arts and craft fair, and she decided to combine that with a visit with her Kentucky relatives.  So the 'Rents and I agreed that we could handle just about anything for family's sake.  When my cousin said the words "country" and "fair" we were under the impression that it would be a fair like we were used to attending - with corn dogs and elephant ears.  Boy were we wrong. It was held at the workshops of a master furniture craftsman, and for those familiar with our St. James Art Fair, it was about the same except out in the country.  This was the second year for the event, and they were expecting hundreds to show up - not thousands.  Here's a brief account of our day in terms of numbers:

Adults travelling in an Odyessy mini-van: 7

Duration of entire trip: 11.5 hours

Total hours spent in the Odyessy:  8.5

Hours travelled one-way to Morrow, OH: 2.5

Hours spent waiting in traffic to get to the craft fair: 2.5

Minutes spent waiting in line at the Port-A-Potty: 30

Minutes spent waiting in line at the food stand: 20

Price of admission per person $12

Price to park in a field 3/4 mile from event: $5

Wrong turns taken during entire trip: 1

Ounces of Jack Daniels whisky consumed when I got home: ?

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Let The Fun Begin

I'm surprised that I was able to sneak off to the computer room to type this without a Relative hanging on me, but I have a few minutes of privacy.  The Relatives are all here and are in full vacation mode.  The first "issue" I have to report is that I took a luke-warm bath this morning because 3/4 of the relatives took very long showers and Mom ran the dishwasher.  But at least I'm clean and that's all that matters.  I made a mental note to check into buying a bigger water heater.  Other then that, it's been pretty smoothe sailing. 

I was able to sneak off earlier this morning after my luke-warm bath and seek refuge in my room, and watch two episodes of my beloved "All My Children" in peace.  But please don't get me wrong - I love my kin folk, and I've been looking forward to spending time with them, but suffice to say a little of them go a long way.

I'll have to sign off for now - the last of The Relatives just arrived and I guess I need to go in there and be my congenial self. 

Stay tuned - I'm positive there will be more stories later tonight or tomorrow.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Mullet Watch

It's been awhile since I spotted a mullet, but my dry spell is over.  Yesterday, I witnessed what we'll call the Trifecta of Mullets.  First of all, the party portion of the mullet was long, permed, and gelled.  Second, the mullet bearer was wearing acid washed jeans that tapered at the ankles and fake snakeskin cowboy boots.  Third, the mullet was driving a black Trans Am.  You don't get much better than that.

Mullet count: 32

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Vacation, Here I Come

At 4:30 this afternoon, I officially started my vacation.  It's been a long time coming, let me tell you.  My last vacation of length was in January when Diva Stacy and I had DLV2.  Other than taking a day or two here and there to make a long weekend, I haven't had any extended time off.  Until now.  I'm off from work until Thursday October 4.  I have to thank The Relatives, because if they hadn't been coming to visit, I probably wouldn't have taken that much time off at one period.  But with work and training for our new computer system, and with everything else going on in my life right now, I sure do need some time off. 

All of The Relatives visiting us have lived here previously, and have been here to visit probably twenty times, so fortunately for us, we don't have to haul them all over Louisville doing tourist things; they all said they'd be happy for us to just hang out together.  We don't have a whole lot planned while The Relatives are here, so you'll still be getting your daily requirement of TWIT.  And as I've mentioned previously, it's a given that you'll be getting lots of "interesting" stories about us and The Relatives in the next week and a half.  As I said before, The Relatives put the "fun" in "dysfunctional."

Let the vacating begin.

Monday, September 24, 2007

The Ohio Valley Crud Continues

We're nearing the end of September, and yesterday marked the first day of fall.  But today we set another record for high temperatures.  It makes no sense.  Today, the official high was 96 - it beat the previous record of 93.  And they're calling for mid-90's again tomorrow.  It's still hot and dry, like it's been for the past three months.  We had a little relief two weeks ago when we had a good soaking rain on Saturday and Sunday, but then it dried back up.  All of us who have been suffering from the Ohio Valley Crud (allergies, sinus trouble, coughing, sneezing, etc etc etc) were overjoyed - we hoped the rain would wash all of the Crud out of the air.  Well it did, for a few days.  For a short, short period, there was no sneezing or coughing.  People were happier because they felt better.  But that was short-lived and then the Crud came back. The weatherazzi has our hopes up this week, with rain in the forecast for Wednesday.  I'll believe it when I see it.

For those that are non-believers, let me tell you a bit about the Crud.  It's not psychosomatic - it's a true medical condition. I'm not the real name is, but it's like I described above - sneezing, coughing, sinus trouble, headaches, etc etc etc.  We just call it the Crud.  And the Crud can cause permanent damage.  Not life threatening damage, but permanent damage nonetheless.  Here's two examples.  The first example is me.  Four years ago, I had a bad upper respiratory infection in January and it lingered.  In May, I had a severe viral infection.  I never fully recovered from that, and it developed into pneumonia in July.  The next February, I had another upper respiratory infection, and when I went to the doctor, she wanted to take a chest xray, just to make sure there was no pneumonia.  A week later, the doctor called me at work, informing me that they found spots on my right lung, and wanted me to get a CT scan.  Well, needless to say, I immediately thought I had lung cancer; never mind I'd never smoked a cigarette in my life.  When they saw the results of the CT scan, the doctor said the spots were calcification, caused by the climate and air here in the Ohio Valley.  They went on to say if you took chest xrays of everyone in the Ohio Valley, about 90% of them would show calcification.  My father was the same way.  When he was getting discharged from the Navy and had to take a physical, they, too, found spots on his lungs and made him take more tests before he could be discharged. Yep, you guessed it.  The doctors told him it was calcification. 

So this brings us to the end of September, and even though the temperatures are still in the 90's, the Crud continues.  I just want to sleep one night without waking myself up coughing.  I don't think that's too much to ask.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Link Of The Week

If you've had the opportunity (or should I say priviledge) to go out with me, you one not-so-top-secret thing about me: I always carry a Tide stain stick in my purse.  I honestly don't go anywhere without it.  I've got quite a few people turned onto them, too - including a guy that sits two rows in front of me at the Bats baseball games.  One week, he spilled mustard down the front of his blue and white searsucker shirt, and he was sold on the Tide stick when it got out most of the mustard stain. 

For bigger things that would take a Tide stick the size of a baseball bat, you'll probably need to use an alternate method of cleaning.  I found a cool site this week that will help you.  Visit http://www.howtocleanstuff.net and check it out.  If you have some cleaning tips that you swear by, post them, and for every tip that they post, they will donate 25 cents to the Clean Water Fund. 

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Is Nothing Sacred Anymore?

Mom and I went to the funeral home last night to pay our respects to the family and friends of a dear sweet Auxiliary member who passed away Wednesday.  The side parking lot was full so I drove on to the back parking lot.  Imagine my surprise when the first row of parking was blocked - I couldn't get through and had to drive on to the next row.  It wasn't blocked because the lot was full or anything like that; it was blocked by family members of the deceased partying out in the parking lot.  Hand to heaven, I am not making that up.  They had 4 SUVs and trucks parked side-by-side and had the truck beds full of coolers and even had a bar set up in the back of one of the trucks. We parked and walked in to the funeral home, and couldn't help but gawk at the partiers out in the parking lot.  It reminded me of the mass of twenty-somethings I encountered in the parking lot at this year's Thunder Over Louisville. 

I'm afraid and saddened that this is not an isolated incident; this is the third time I've seen parking lot partying going on at a funeral home this summer.  Now, don't get me wrong - I'm all for having a good time, and I realize that people grieve in different ways, but to me, this is just downright disrespectful.  Their loved one is laying in a casket inside of the funeral home while they're out in the parking lot partying.  It just makes no sense to me.  This old world sure has gone crazy. 

Friday, September 21, 2007

Flashback Friday

Do kids today even look forward to Saturday morning cartoons like we did?  I'm guessing not - since there's the Cartoon Network and a dozen other kids channels on cable, the can watch cartoons anytime they want.  Back in the day, you lived for the Saturday morning cartoons. 

There was no sleeping in on Saturday mornings when you were a kid - oh, you got to sleep in an hour, but that was it or else you'd miss the "Buggs Bunny/Road Runner Hour."  After that, I'd change the channel and watch "Lancelot Link: Secret Chimp."  When that was off, I'd change the channel once again and watch the very bizarre but entertaining "The Bugaloos."  After that was off, it was change the channels once again for "Josie and the Pussycats" followed by "The Harlem Globetrotters."  Then it was "H.R. Puffenstuff", "Scooby-Do" and "The Monkees" and to end the awesome morning of non-stop TV, "American Bandstand" and "Soul Train." 

This was a Saturday ritual.  It was the only time Mom and Grandma would let me eat a meal in front of the TV.  I'd get to have my breakfast on the TV tray as I sat on the couch watching cartoons, and later on during "American Bandstand" I'd get to eat my lunch from the TV tray, too.  What a way to spend a Saturday morning.  It sure beats the hell out of cleaning and running errands like I do every Saturday morning now. 

The Saturday morning TV line-up was a big deal back then.  The Friday night before the new Saturday morning season started was a big deal, too - they would show clips and talk about all of the shows on the new Saturday morning season.  Each of the three networks would have a show on like this, and they usually aired at different times so you could catch all three and then make your Saturday morning viewing choices.  Now, you don't hear a word about the shows on Saturday morning.  With cable TV and satellite, I guess it's just no big deal.

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Friends Don't Let Drunk Friends Climb Down Chimneys

Drunk man gets trapped in ex's chimney

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) -- Firefighters had to tear though a wall to rescue an intoxicated man who became stuck while trying to climb down a chimney into the residence of his former girlfriend.

Alejandro Valencio said he was drunk when he got into the chimney about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday.

"Everyone do stupid things sometimes when they're drunk," he said.

Firefighters requested assistance from police after arriving because they said Connie Deweese was hampering the rescue effort by blocking the fireplace.

"I told them to leave him in the chimney and let him die," said Deweese, who received misdemeanor citations for disorderly conduct and interfering with a firefighter.

Deweese said she had known Valencio for about eight months but had told him to stay away from her residence. She said she locked the doors but "somehow he got to the roof."

"I've dated a lot of psychos in my life, but nobody like that," Deweese said.

Valencio returned to the residence after being treated at a hospital and was filmed by a local TV station as Deweese hit him with a garbage can and pelted him with bottles.

"Get off my porch, and don't you ever come back here," she yelled.

Valencio said he had a job and would help pay for the damages incurred from his rescue.

I've witnessed some pretty bizarre behavior from people when they've been liquored up, but I've never seen a drunk person try to imitate Santa Clause.  The only thing I can say is I wish the entire incident had been caught on film.  I'm sure it would be the #1 most viewed video on YouTube. 

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Fall Cleaning Update

The sand has almost run out of the hourglass, and the arrival of The Relatives is just one week away.  Yes, in one short week kinfolk from California and Alabama will descend upon The Compound for 8 days.  The ice maker has been hooked up and is cranking out the ice cubes, and in a few days the new fridge will be stocked with food to feed the crowd.  The carpets have been cleaned, as well as the recliners and the couch, and the first thing we're going to do is tell The Relatives to take their shoes off and make sure there's nothing on the seat of their pants before they get comfy.  There's just a little bit of tidying up to do in the computer room, but other than that we're ready for their arrival.  Three will be arriving next Wednesday afternoon, and one more will get here Thursday afternoon, so hopefully the staggering will help the Rents and I get used to having twice as many people here in the house. 

In addition to spending time with The Relatives, I'm also looking forward to time off from work.  Yes, I'm taking a well-deserved vacation.  I'll be off from work next Wednesday through the following Wednesday.  It's hard to believe I'll be off for an entire eight days.  I honestly don't know what I'm looking more forward to - visiting with my family or being on vacation.  But never fear - just because I'm on vacation doesn't mean I'll be a total slacker; I'll still be reporting in to TWIT every day like I always do.  You can count on some interesting stories, too.  For, you see, The Relatives are from the side of the family where they put "fun" in "dysfunctional."

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Let's Go To The Longbranch

As I've mentioned before, Diva Stacy and I are huge Gunsmoke fans.  We watch at least one episode every Sunday afternoon.  We're not content to just sit back and watch; there's usually extensive commentary.  This Sunday's episode raised the question about saloon girls and prostitution in the Old West:  Why didn't Marshall Dillon bust Miss Kitty for having prostitution at the Longbranch Saloon?  Matt Dillon was in the Longbranch at least two or three times every episode, so you know he saw the saloon girls in there hanging all over the men and even taking some of the men up to their rooms.  I did some research and was very surprised at my findings. 

As we all know, Gunsmoke was set in Dodge City, Kansas in the 1870's.  During that time period in America, Dodge City was known as "The Wickedest Little City In America" - a distinction that was not portrayed in the TV series.  In the real Dodge City, I was very surprised to find that it did have a Longbranch Saloon.  It wasn't owned and operated by a woman named Miss Kitty, but there was in deed a Longbranch in Dodge. 

As mentioned above, we saw Miss Kitty and some of the saloon girls in almost every episode of Gunsmoke.  The saloon girls were hired by the saloon owner to serve drinks and offer companionship to the men that patronized the saloon.  Contrary to what we have been led to believe, research shows that saloon girls were rarely ever prostitutes.  This occurred only in the shabbiest of saloons.  Even though "respectable" ladies considered the saloon girls to be "fallen", most of the saloon girls wouldn't have been caught dead with an actual prostitute.  Their job was to entertain the guests, sing for them, dance with them, talk to them and flirt with them -- inducing them to stay in the saloon, buying drinks and playing poker. 

I was very surprised to find that the actual Longbranch Saloon in Dodge City was nothing like the Longbranch Saloon that we see in Gunsmoke.  The actual Longbranch did not have saloon girls, as it's location all saloons employed saloon  in Dodge City’s north side of Front Street was the “respectable” side, where guns, saloon girls and gambling were prohibited.  Instead, music and billiards were the main activities while drinking.  Records show that afive-piece orchestra played nightly at the Longbranch, and soon the saloon became the most popular and refined place for the cattlemen of Dodge City.   The Longbranch served milk, tea, lemonade, sarsaparilla, all types of alcohol including champagne, and of course beer. Incidentally, Anheuser-Busch was the original beer served in the Longbranch. Everything was kept cold in the winter from ice that came from the river, and in the summer it was shipped out on the train from the mountains in Colorado.


 

Monday, September 17, 2007

Thanks For The Warning, Bill Gates

As a rule, every Sunday afternoon is spent at Diva Stacy's, where we socialize and enjoy each other's company.  It's usually a peaceful, relaxing afternoon.  Unfortunately, yesterday wasn't the case.  We spent almost two hours sitting at her computer, trying to get her daughter's new MP3 player to work.  Believe me when I tell you we were never as frustrated as we'd been in a long time. 

The first bout of frustration came when we couldn't find the proper CD to attempt to download onto the MP3 player.  Diva Stacy asked her daughter about two or three CDs, and each time got the same response: "I don't know where it is."  No problem.  She was able to find the popular "High School Musical" CD soundtrack so we thought it would be a breeze to get it onto the MP3 player. Not so fast.  We tried and tried but couldn't get the song tracks to show up on Windows Explorer.  After about 40 minutes of fooling with it, we finally were able to get the tracks to appear, only to be hacked off when we discovered that they weren't downloading onto the MP3 player.  Diva Stacy had the bright idea that maybe we should purchase a song from iTunes using a gift card her daughter got for her birthday.  Well, it sure made sense to me.  Imagine our surprise when we spent another 40 minutes trying to get the downloaded song (from the group "Panic At The Disco") onto the MP3 player.  Yes, I did say the word "trying."  No luck, either.  After another 40 minutes of trying everything over and over again and rebooting the computer about a dozen times, it was finally Surrender Dorothy time. 

We gave up, and later last night, Diva Stacy had an epiphany.  It dawned on her that we were trying to download to the MP3 player using a new computer that was running Windows Vista -- it was not compatible with the slightly older MP3 player.  All we will say is thank you very much Bill Gates and Microsoft for giving us the head's up on Vista possibly not being compatible with slightly older electronic devices.  So you've been warned, faithful readers.  Read the fine print (if it's available) if you are using a computer with Windows Vista. 

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Link Of The Week

This was probably the best weekend weather-wise that we've had in months here in the Ohio Valley.  It was sunny and mid 70s both days.  It was perfect weather for any outdoor activities, but we all know that the fall rains aren't far behind and neither is the cold weather.  For those times when you can't get out of the house due to the weather, I've got a great site for you.  Visit http://www.bored.com/tvshowgames/ and you can play the online versions of popular TV game shows.  For instance, you can play the popular "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth-Grader?" and see just how smart you are.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Crime Report

This horrific crime report of a kidnapping was in reported in yesterday's Courier Journal newspaper.  Please be warned: it's not for the faint of heart.

KIDNAPPING

40220 zip code
Upper Highlands Swim Club, 2413 Parkdale Ave. An 18-year-old woman said someone walked in on her and another person having sex at the club about 12:45 p.m. Aug. 19. The intruder followed them to a storage shed, where their personal items were, and told them to finish what they had started. The suspect made comments to both victims and would not let them leave until they finished having sex.

 

Hmmm I wonder if the Upper Highlands Swim Club is accepting new members?

Friday, September 14, 2007

Flashback Friday

                                  

Track listing:
   
1. The Way Of Love 
2. Gypsys,Tramps & Thieves
3. He'll Never Know   
4. Fire & Rain    
5. When You Find Out Where You're Goin' Let Me Know
6. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
7. I Hate To Sleep Alone  
8. I'm In The Middle    
9. Touch And Go
10. One Honest Man 

Thursday, September 13, 2007

No Spaghetti On My Grocery List

I know it's the afternoon as I post this, but there's still time for us to join our Italian brothers and sisters out of solidarity and boycott pasta today.  Not the eating of pasta - just the buying of pasta.  Consumer groups in Italy are calling for a one-day pasta strike today to protest a big price increase.  Italian government officials say the one-day boycott of the country's national food will be useless, because the price is linked to a world-wide increase in the cost of grain. 

I have a friend in Chicago that is full-blooded Italian, and my cousin's husband is Italian, too, so I'm going to call them both tonight and see if they received any forwarded emails about today's pasta boycott.  You know what I'm talking about - I want to know if their inbox was full of emails telling them to not buy pasta today, just like we get the emails urging us to boycott certain gas and oil companies.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

More Non-Words Overheard At Work

1.  Sall - "I sall a big wreck on my way home from work."

2.  Genesis - not used in the normal context of the first book in the Old Testament. "I sall that in the Genesis Book of World Records."

3.  Preception - synonymous to an impression. "We want their first preception of our products to be positive, not negative."

4.  Insignificant - "The check bounced because of insignificant funds."

5.  Napoleon - not the French military leader, but the chocolate, vanilla and strawberry striped ice cream.  "I can't decide which flavor I like best in the Napoleon ice cream."

6.  Wreched - "I wreched up through the tree but my arm wasn't long enough to get the apple."

7.  Altimers - "I heard that Tom's mother is in a nursing home with Altimers."

8.  Resume - "The news said that the coroner is going to resume the body to get a DNA sample."

9.  Suppose-ofly - "She supposeofly graduated from high school, but she sure can't spell."

10. Pacific - not the ocean on the West coast of the U.S. "Are you here for a pacific reason?"

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

New Appliance Day At The Compound

                                        

It's a happy day here at The Compound; not just because it was sunny and the temperatures never got above 80, but because new refrigerator was delivered today.  Friday evening, Mom decided that she didn't really want potato salad popsicles for supper, so she made the executive decision that the time had come for a new fridge.  So Saturday morning, she and I made the trek downtown to an awesome store called Bargain Supply Center.  They have great prices on everything in the store, including major appliances, plus the store manager is an old friend of the family.  Dad was down in his back, so the responsibility was on our shoulders. I really didn't care what they bought, but Mom informed me that since they were spending part of my inheritance, it was only fair that I got to pick out the new fridge.  Their only prerequisite was that it wasn't stainless steel, and that the freezer was on the bottom.  The GE model in the above picture was the first one our friend showed us, and it was love at first sight, if you believe in love at first sight with appliances. 

 

Monday, September 10, 2007

In Search Of A Pill Box

                   

Today's journal entry is written by my dear friend MP. 

I define the late 1980s as the salad years of my life in which youthfulness was synonymous with invincibility and caution was thrown to the wind.  It was also a time when I knew that if I were to try something new in my life, it should be daring and thrilling enough that I would be able to reflect upon it in my older age. Along came Sun-kist in 1988, an older model metallic orange Honda 550 motorcycle that was a bit larger than necessary considering my more energetic slimness at that time.  I considered it an alternate form of transportation but came to rely on it for after work escapes and its ability to sip gas.

Puddin and I often visited the ChiChi's on Dixie Highway after work for Tuesday evening happy hour when server Darlene would serve us lethal frozen margaritas topped with generous dollops of whipped cream to cut the sweetness.  A complimentary appetizer buffet was also served during happy hour which worked out beautifully given my salad year status at the time.  Great ideas were pondered and dreams of grandeur were discussed during the Tuesday Darlene sessions. 

The Tuesday evening of June 6, 1989 was unusually abuzz with mid Eastern unrest due to the death of Ayatollah Khomeini just a few days before.  After a raspberry margarita with Darlene, we both decided a motorcycle road trip was in order to express our freedom from work and to celebrate separation of church and state - something uncommon in mid-Eastern countries.  Puddin dropped her car off at the compound and gingerly advised that she was taking a motorcycle ride.  I quickly said hello to the parents and Grandmother and thought it was rather odd that no one seemed to panic or express concern that their only offspring was about to embark on a dangerous mission.  Puddin's only concern at that time was that Sun-kist's older condition may not make the steep Muldraugh Hill in Meade County.  The cycle scored the hill effortlessly on the way to Elizabethtown. 

We drove US 62 and decided that we need to experience the culture of the small town social scene.  That town was Boston, KY and a little nook in Boston hill beckoned to us.  Laura's Hideaway was more of a social scene and beer joint than a restaurant.  Outsiders are usually scrutinized if they dare enter establishments of this type until they are thoroughly sniffed over and deemed beneficial to the proprietor.  We were
immediately accepted as I barked out an order for a round of beers before being seated for dinner.  The restaurant was foggy with tobacco smoke but the television propped up in a corner clearly broadcasted the chilling chaos in which Iranian pallbearers were attempting to deliver the Ayatollah's body to a temple. Citizens were feverishly shoving the pallbearers in order to touch the white linen shroud worn by the Ayatollah.  The spectacle of watching the chaos unfolding accelerated the patrons' consumption of beer which delighted the proprietor who was unaccustomed to people actually buying food and drinks at the same time.  When the Ayatollah's body was tossed out of the casket into the throngs, we all raised our glasses in a toast. With that shocking revelation, we decided to continue the journey and attempt to make it back to Louisville before darkness set in. 

Proceeding to Bardstown, we contemplated stopping at a little bar resting beside a dry creek bed just outside of Boston.  We both decided to forego a visit because the bar was too far off the main road for anyone to hear our screams should we need help.  We proceeded and I wanted to explore a back road that I was not familiar with.  Because the road met the main highway at a curve at a steep angle and a stop sign was present, I could not hold the bike and told Puddin to jump.  She expediently obeyed the order and escaped injury.  Sun-kist was not injured and we continued through Bardstown and stopped at Rooster Run to alleviate the bladder pressure caused by the Boston beer.  The Rooster Run General Store is well known to many for harboring a giant rooster on a trailer hitch on the premises.  In addition to purchasing fuel, they have a terrific assortment of deli lunch meats and whole country hams.  A gift shop was also available in which travel souvenirs could be purchased such as cedar jewelry boxes emblazoned with overlays of Bardstown historic sites. Since we were the knownjokesters at work, we decided to pick up packets of Rattlesnake Eggs and Lots 'o Ants.  A packet of Rattlesnake Eggs was actually a simple mechanical prank in which a metal paper clip and rubber band was twisted in slingshot fashion inside a small packet containing rice. The packet was imprinted with a stern "Do not open" warning and a threatening picture of a striking rattlesnake.  If the packet was disturbed, the rubber band would unravel inside the packet thus vibrating the rice to create a disturbing sound and scaring the guilty holder of the packet.  I knew that my manager would not be able to resist opening the packet that was innocuously left on her desk and that Puddin would hear gales of uncontrollable laughter emanating from my work area once the intended deed was accomplished.  Puddin would also hear gales of laughter when Embry would find black plastic ants in her morning orange juice.  While continuing to shop, Puddin also found a delightful pillbox for Grandmother. 

The upkeep of an older motorcycle was becoming harder to maintain since yearly VET testing required expending additional funding to procure an exemption.  I had reservations about relinquishing Sun-kist but eventually sold her in 1991. To this day though, I still have occasional and quite vivid dreams in which I still have that bike. And I miss having those cleansing bouts of uncontrollable laughter with Puddin. On a happier note though, Puddin was gifted the cherished pillbox after Grandmother's passing and can hopefully provide a picture to her faithful readers. 

Editor's notes:  First of all, the main reason I bailed off of the bike as it was going down was because I was wearing ostrich skin cowboy boots and didn't want to scuff them.  And second, a few minor details have been left out.  What happens in Boston, stays in Boston.

 

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Link Of The Week

You probably don't know this about me, but I love the blues.  I'm a huge B.B. King fan, and one of my favorite t-shirts in my collection is a B.B. King Blues Festival t-shirt that is faded and almost falling apart at the seams.  You haven't heard the blues until you're heard B.B. and Lucille tell us "the thrill is gone." 

As I've mentioned before, I had my own band, and have had the priviledge to sing in a few other bands.  I've sang country, rock, alternative, oldies, hard rock and just about any other genre of music you can think of.  But one type I never sang was the blues.  Why?  Because I just can't sing it right.  This week, I found a site that will help me and others struggling to sing the blues.  Visit http://www.bluesguide.com and you can get tips on how to sing the blues properly.  But if you're a stickler to the guide, than chances are you'll never be able to sing the blues unless you make some big changes.  Check out the site and you'll know what I mean.

Saturday, September 8, 2007

More Renovation At The Compound

This morning when I woke up, I thought that we were almost finished with the cleaning and renovation at The Compound.  Why, I even told Diva Stacy that we were about 95% finished.  Boy was I wrong.  Just minutes ago, I was informed by the powers to be (aka the 'rents) that before Tuesday morning, I need to clear off and dismantle the entertainment center in the living room, and move the TV and my video tape collection because the delivery men that will bring our new refrigerator Tuesday morning will have to bring it in through the front door and through the living room.  Yes, I know that was a run on sentence, but I'm frustrated and it was the only way I could get it out.   Did I mention that Dad threw his back out yesterday, and will not be able to do any of the lifting and moving?   It's times like these that I wished I lived in the cardboard box that the refrigerator comes in. 

Friday, September 7, 2007

Flashback Friday

                  

If I asked for a show of hands, I'd bet that everyone gets their gasoline today from a convenience store or mega-grocery store.  We'd be hard pressed to find someone who still goes to an actual filling station.  Yes, I know there's not too many of them left, but there's a few still around.  Needless to say, back in the day that was the only place to get your gasoline.  In addition to gas, they would always check your oil and other fluids in your car, and they would wash your windshield.  When you filled up, you got more than points added to your rewards card; you got something tangible.  And it was free, too. 

Back in the 60s and 70s before the first oil crisis, gas stations would give you cool free stuff just for filling up at their station.  I'll admit the concept seems odd in a day when we fill up at the pump using our credit or debit card and 99% of the time don't even come in contact with a clerk.  When you do have to see the clerk (usually when you want to pay for your gas with cash - yet another odd concept today) chances are they're not going to give you a free plate.

One of the coolest freebies from the filling stations was Marathon's Apollo glasses and juice pitcher.  Of course, we had the entire set at one time.  And of course, over time we broke most of the set.  But we still have two of the glasses today, down in the basement in the archives.  They were awesome glasses, and I remember wanting to drink my Tang out of one, just like I thought the astronauts did. 

My favorite of the filling station freebies was the Walt Disney placemats from Gulf.  yep, you guessed it; we had the entire collection.  It helped that my Dad was good friends with the Jerry, the owner of the Gulf station in our 'hood.  They were beige on one side and had different Disney characters on the other.  I remember that I always had to eat off of the Jiminy Cricket placemat, even though the rest of the family preferred to have their placemats with the picture side down. 

 

Thursday, September 6, 2007

File Under: WTF?

Nuclear Bombs Mistakenly Flown Over US
By PAULINE JELINEK,
AP
Posted: 2007-09-05 19:09:33
WASHINGTON (AP) - A B-52 bomber was mistakenly armed with six nuclear warheads and flown for more than three hours across several states last week, prompting an Air Force investigation and the firing of one commander, Pentagon officials said Wednesday.

The mistake was so serious that President Bush and Defense Secretary Robert Gates were quickly informed and Gates has asked for daily briefings on the Air Force inquiry, said Defense Department press secretary Geoff Morrell.

He said Gates was assured that "the munitions were part of a routine transfer between the two bases and at all times they were in the custody and control of Air Force personnel and at no time was the public in danger."

Rep. Ike Skelton, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, called the mishandling of the weapons "deeply disturbing" and said the committee would press the military for details. Rep. Edward J. Markey, a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee, said it was "absolutely inexcusable."

"Nothing like this has ever been reported before and we have been assured for decades that it was impossible," said Markey, D-Mass., co-chair of the House task force on nonproliferation.

The plane was carrying advanced cruise missiles from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., on Aug. 30, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of a Defense Department policy not to confirm information on nuclear weapons.

The missiles, which are being decommissioned, were mounted onto pylons on the bomber's wings and it is unclear why the warheads had not been removed beforehand.

According to the officials, the weapons are designed with multiple safety features that ensure the warheads don't accidentally detonate.

Arming the weapons requires a number of stringent protocols and authentication codes that must be followed for detonation. And they are designed to withstand a significant impact, including an aircraft crash, without detonating.

The Air Combat Command has ordered a command-wide stand down on Sept. 14 to review procedures, officials said. They said there was minimal risk to crews and the public because of safety features designed into the munitions.

In addition to the munitions squadron commander who was relieved of his duties, crews involved with the mistaken load - including ground crew workers - have been temporarily decertified for handling munitions, one official said.

The investigation is expected to take several weeks.

The incident was first reported by Military Times newspaper group.

"There is no more serious issue than the security and proper handling of nuclear weapons," Skelton said in a statement Wednesday. "The American people, our friends, and our potential adversaries must be confident that the highest standards are in place when it comes to our nuclear arsenal."

Skelton, D-Mo., said his committee will pursue answers on the classified matter "to ensure that the Air Force and the Department of Defense address this particular incident and strengthen controls more generally."
 
Now, maybe I'm overreacting to this, but why aren't more American citizens fired up about this like my family and I were?  This would be the equivalent of me loading my Smith & Wesson, and then throwing it across the room over your head.  The liklihood of it discharging as it flew through the air and when it fell to the ground is about the same as the liklihood that those nukes would have blown up, but you still wouldn't want me throwing a loaded gun over your head, now, would you?  I rest my case. 

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Spring Cleaning In The Fall

It's been a rough week, faithful readers.  Yes, I know it's Wednesday. And we had Monday off for the holiday.  But it's still been a rough week here at The Compound.  Why, you ask?  We've been doing our spring cleaning in the fall.  We have four relatives arriving just three short weeks from today, and they'll be here at The Compound for a week and a half.  So this past weekend, we kicked it into high gear and are cleaning and moving furinture and beds around for our houseguests.  And the 'rents are working me like a field hand.  It's not that they didn't care that I have a sinus infection and can hardly breathe; they just wanted me to keep on working in between sneezes and sniffles. 

We started on the living room, aka the music room, this past weekend.  We cleared away and hauled things to the basement to make room for one of the twin beds.  Let me be the first to tell you that there are only so many spaces you can hide, er, put, 8 guitar cases of varying sizes.  Then Mom had a brilliant idea - put the twin beds on risers, and use a dust ruffle and a full-size bedspread to cover up the bottom so we can put some of the guitars under the beds.  Good thinking, Mom. 

Then we moved to the back bedroom, aka the computer room.  This will take the most work, mainly because most of my CDs, diskettes, and various computer accessories are back there, neatly stacked in piles around the computer desk.  So I took a well deserved break to give you a report on what's going on here at The Compound.  But it's back to work now; I think I'll be making a few more trips down to the basement to stack my neat piles of stuff down there.  I just pray they don't want to clean up the basement or I'm in trouble.  I guess I could always rent one of those PODs. 

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Public Service Announcement

Did you know that in the state of Kentucky, if you want to purchase a handgun and if have a concealed carry license, there is no "cooling off" period?  All you need to do is walk into the gun store, pick out the gun you want, fill out the paperwork, and show the clerk your conceal carry license, and after you pay for your purchase you can walk out of the store with your new gun.  No cooling off period, no faxing or phoning in the information to Frankfort.  Isn't that great news to know?

Monday, September 3, 2007

A Happy Labor Gift For My Faithful Readers

I hope that everyone had a great, relaxing three-day weekend.  Unfortunately, it's back to work tomorrow.  But don't be too bummed out - I have a gift for you, my faithful readers.  Actually, it's for my faithful readers who are not on AOL.  I know that some of my faithful readers are not on AOL, nor do they have an AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) screenname, and while they want post comments, they can't because they don't have an AOL name.  I made up an AIM screenname just for you, my faithful readers who are not on AOL or AIM.  You can use it to sign in and leave comments in TWIT.  All I ask is that you leave your initials when you leave comments; you know that I don't use names to protect the not-so-innocent.  The AIM screenname is ImAFaithfulReadr and the password is TWIT27.  The screenname is not case sensitive, but the password is all caps.  And in case you want to prank me and use that screenname to sign up for contests or get me on a bizillion e-mailing lists, you can only use it for the Instant Messenger or to leave comments in AOL blogs; you can use your own email addresses for the spam. 

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Link Of The Week

It's hard to believe tomorrow is Labor Day.  Sure, it's one of the lessor-celebrated holidays, but at least we get a day off from work.  Unless you're indepedantly wealthy or have a significant other to bankroll you, you work every day like I do.  And while we work every day, it's only normal we're going to complain about something; heck, it's human nature.  We complain to each other during the day, and in the evenings when we get home we complain to our families and friends.  This week, I found another portal for our workplace complaints.  Visit http://disgruntledworkforce.com.  Just sign up with you email address and then you can complain till your heart's content.  Be sure to read the FAQs first before you post - all of the complaints need to be posted in the form of a letter.  Like, Dear Stupid Boss, or Dear Annoying Co-Worker.  The possibilities are limitless.  And best of all, you can remain anonymous, just in case your boss reads it.

Saturday, September 1, 2007

Renegades At The Compound

The 'rents had a very interesting event happen the other day.  In fact, it was a first here at The Compound.  Thursday afternoon, the donkeys got out.  In the 9+ years that we've had them, it was the first time that they'd escaped.  Mom and Dad had been working outside and came in to rest and cool off.  Dad said he had been in the house no longer than five minutes when he saw Pancho out in the side yard.  He looked out and saw Pedro about 50 yards away.  They weren't running or freaking out; they were just in search of new grass to eat. 

Mom and Dad opened another side gate and after a couple of minutes they were back inside on lockdown.  Dad examined the gate that was opened and he can only guess that one of them grabbed onto the latch with their teeth and just kept pulling until there was enough room for them to squeeze through.  Rest assured, all of the three gates around the donkey lot have chains on them to prevent another escape.

Mom said that Dad was livid.  He's been pretty hacked off at the donkeys for the past couple of months.  I'm not sure what's going on, but he's had some attitude issues with them lately, and he keeps threatening to send them packing.  We just nod in agreement whenever he says this, for we all know he'd come closer to sending his wife and only child packing than his donkeys.