So Much For Winter

It's hard to believe that today is the last day of February. We've barely had a winter, which personally disgusts me because I love winter and snow.  But I digress.  Like I said, today is the last day of February and we've already had tornados in January and now in February here in the area.  We dodged a major bullet here in the Louisville area, but just to the south and southwest of us, a very strong tornado touched down.

I've said before and I'll say it again: I don't like spring and I'm not looking forward to it like most people. I don't like it because of all of the storms and severe weather. But other than a few cold days, this winter has been more like spring than most of the recent springs we've had. 

You Go, Angelina

I don't care what anyone else says about her right leg or her pose.  Angelina Jolie was smoking hot at the Academy Awards on Sunday night.

Grandma Was Right

Many years ago, a friend came to interview my Grandma for an article on friends and friendship that she was writing for a magazine.  She interviewed Grandma and talked with her for a couple of hours.  During that interview Grandma said something that  is more true as the years go by.  While Grandma was giving her pearls of wisdom about friends and friendships, she said something that almost contradicted what she'd been talking about.  At the time she said it, I remember thinking about I really didn't wish it were true.  Now that I'm older and a hardass, I realize she was right for the most part.  She said "Look in the mirror.  You're going to see the one person that you can truly rely on."

Link Of The Week

My Mom has always been the bird watcher in the family.  She would spend most of her free time on their trips to Canada watching the loons and other birds with her binoculars. Here at The Compound, she keeps her binoculars handy and can rattle off what birds are currently in our area without batting an eye.

Thanks to the internet and other technology, we can watch birds online thanks to web cams.  A friend from church shared this link with us, and I'd like to share it with you, faithful readers.  The link is to a site where you can watch a bald eagle sitting on three eggs in her nest.  The nest is located in Decorah, Iowa.  Check it out at http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles.

Sorry, Andy Wrobel

After some research, it seems that Andy Wrobel did not set the world's record for pancake stacking on Tuesday as TWIT reported.  Wrobel's stack was 76 centimeters, and at the time they thought the existing record was 74 centimeters.  But it was discovered that Paul Dedroog of Belgium had the existing record of 77 centimeters, set last January.  Better luck next year, Andy. 

On a related note, it has been said by many friends and relatives that my Mom makes the best pancakes ever.  I would be the first to say that.  Her's are so good, that I never order pancakes when eating breakfast out at a restaurant.  Mom's pancakes are thin, almost like crepes.  So that having been said, I don't think Mom should try her hand at breaking the world record for pancake stacking since hers are so thin, and she'd have to make a mess of them to get them to stack up to over 77 centimteres.  That's fine with us.  She wouldn't want the glory anyway.

Flashback Friday

As part of Flashback Friday, TWIT would like to wish a very happy 60th birthday to Mr. Potato Head.

Way back on this day in 1952, Mr. Potato Head was patented and introduced.  Back then, when you bought Mr. Potato Head, you just got the plastic face and body accessories, and used a real potato, or other suitable vegetable, for the head.  Later on in the late 60's, Hasbro wanted to make even more money, so they changed things around, so when you bought the Mr. Potato Head kit, you also got a plastic potato to use, complete with pre-formed holes for the facial parts. Believe me when I tell you it just wasn't the same.

I loved my original Mr. Potato Head, and I would play with it for hours.  Giving up a potato from the potato bin was a small price for Grandma and Mom to pay for some peace and quiet around the house. And I remember how I would always stick the little plastic pipe in my Mr. Potato Head's mouth, because back then, my Dad and Grandpa both smoked a pipe.

I haven't checked online, but I would guess that there are virtual Mr. Potato Heads that kids can play with.  And I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't a Mr. Potato Head iPhone or Android app out there, too. 

I Wish I'd Said This

Following is a transcript given to me by a faithful reader.  The background of the story first:  today was her boss' birthday, but as of 9:00 this morning, none of her coworkers had remembered that it was his birthday; only my friend and faithful reader.  Not even the Lead Person in her department remembered. The transcript that follows is part of her conversation with the Lead Person in her department.

Faithful reader:  Where's the cake?

Lead Person: Nobody told me it was his birthday.

Faithful reader: It's the same day every year.


That is priceless, my friend and faithful reader.  Absolutely priceless.  That's yet another reason why you rock.