The Birds

Yes, it is the most horrible picture ever, but down near the bottom so small you can't even see it is a Cardinal. The first bird I have seen in months. I was so excited. I can barely see the top of my gargoyle.

I am starting to get used to a more regular job without so much stress. I have been able to start doing the NYT crosswords on a daily basis again. That is wonderful.

Yesterday they sent the plant home early again and today no work at all. That snowstorm in Kentucky shut us down. I feel for those folks, I don't know if there is a snow plow in the entire state.

So I am home today with Brunhilda and she had a panic attack on me. She left a note last time about needing Windex and Big Daddy said he had plenty of Windex she just missed it. So he put it on the counter this morning and she looked under the sink and got upset. She was so happy when I handed her the Windex.

Yesterday I got 4 issues first thing in the morning. So I spent quite a lot of time taking photos to document everything. One of the issues was new, and fairly serious and I took the best photos ever. Just when I was getting ready to start data reporting I got a call, by the way Missy those are not your parts. Damn, that was some of my best work. I almost wanted to send them to the proper person.

Well, I have TV shows to watch and vacation plans to make.

Red Tail Hawks

At the right side top of the bench is a hawk. Our new resident hawk. Big Daddy says he is hanging out on our patio because it is lush. He is hanging out now for about 3 days. He shits a lot.

Sammy  The Spanky Dog got his spa day Saturday and I am wondering if the hawk is eyeballing Sammy.

BD says it is a Red Tail Hawk. We will try to get better pictures.

I am on vacation now and should have more interesting photos and conversation for a few weeks.

Dueling Hounds and Housekeeping

Personal Regimens are changing the longer I am off work. Used to be the first thing was turn on the radio so I could keep up with the news while getting ready for work. This was a music, family talk station so you didn't have to try to hard. Nowadays sometimes the radio does not go on for hours. So I hear noises, every noise in the world. I've always been a scardy cat and thinking about living alone amplifies my fears.

Now I have been here alone before when Big Daddy traveled and I am somewhat used to being jumpy. I try to justify the noises as they were always there, you just didn't hear them because of the radio. However lately joining the creaking and moaning I have heard a machine gun (aka Woody the Woodpecker) people being attacked (aka nuthatch, goldfinch, and blue jay) and a werewolf (aka the BeagleDog). This morning I had to accept the noise was probably not a werewolf as it was daylight-but something definitely horrible was happening outside. So I made Big Daddy go do recon. Alone. Well lo and behold it was a naturally occurring phenomena-BeagleDog being a beagle. WTF.

Big Daddy: It's the beagle.
Sweetie Pie: What is wrong, what in the world happened, are the police coming?
Big Daddy: No, it's the beagle.
Sweetie Pie: Why is he making that awful noise, what is wrong.
Big Daddy: Nothing is wrong, beagles make that noise.
Sweetie Pie: Why?
Big Daddy: It is what beagles do. They bay.

Oh hell to the no. Ain't gonna be no beagle baying all the time. Nope. Not gonna happen. Then Big Daddy says that GrrDog howling can be heard across the street. I don't think so, my 4 and a half pound poodle cannot be heard across the street. Oh yea, said Big Daddy. Then I remembered one day a long time ago. I was on the computer and I heard this painful, awful, terrifying noise. I raced to the dining room to save GrrDog from lions and tigers and bear, oh my, I found him curled up in his bed with his little head lying on the cushy arm. He was smiling at me. The little fucker did not move, did not sit up, did not exert one iota of energy to make more noise than could be believed. He snuggled down and howled like a banshee for no other reason than because he could. Guess I should shut up.

Our Bissel hand held steamer we got a few months ago (when we were working) is the best cleaning tool I have ever seen. Cleans without chemicals in a lot of places. Soap scum in the tub, gone. We have aluminum windows in the family room, cleaned perfectly. The floor unit does the job better than the Swifter without any solution, just water. However you cannot steam a plastic shower curtain liner. Nope, won't work.

No Detroit new news today so I have to go with Honda. Now, if you know me you know I am not real fond of Japanese cars. I just can't get over the Pearl Harbor thing. But looking at their ad in the NYT magazine I had to crack up. Their ad showing how efficient the car is (Accord EX-L) points out an H on the wheel, shiny chrome window trim, and power windows. Now wait a minute-this is beyond stretching. A logo on a wheel helps how? Chrome versus stainless steel is better for what, and why is that? And when was the last time you saw a car with manual windows. Once, at Plant Loco, when they asked me how to control glass stall I mentioned manual windows. Didn't go over real big. Oh and guess what else, Honda has discovered red paint and apparently that helps overall efficiency in some obscure way. I always thought red cars help you get a traffic ticket.