Blowing in the wind ...

The county has "improved" our trash collection system. We now make runs to a local waste collection station if we have items too large to fit into the one, the only, the official, wheeled, EZGO, 64 gallon waste cart, which was forced on us provided by the county. If a household wants an additional cart, the county gets $50 for it. Big Ed and I did just such a run, this morning. The item that would not fit into the EZGO cart was a truly defunct gas lawn mower.

The associate at the collection point treated it as if it were made of gold, setting it carefully aside after lifting it from the trunk for us. "Good for parts," he said.

It is indeed an ill wind ...

A little metaphor goes a long way...

Today seemed to be patterned after that phrase of Ramses (and Seti), in The Ten Commandments: "So let it be written, so let it be done."

My last wild Christmas gifts were hunted down and brought to the fire, all in one morning. I only wish it were: "So let it be written, so let it be wrapped." That's next.

Well, to be truthful, I need some gift cards but that's an easy hunt. The warriors should be back at their quarters by noon.

Unless there are surprises along the way ...

Goodness ... gracious

A positive thing about reserving books online, for pickup at our library, is that one can delay the date for the books to arrive. A less positive thing is that if one doesn't watch carefully, the reserve date can creep up and guess what?

One can be notified of eight books being held, with two more in transit. If this happens just before a family wedding, with Christmas to follow, one can find oneself in a "so many books, so little time" situation ... with books that can't be renewed because they are on someone else's wait list.

:-O dear!

Thank you, Zeta ...

Black Friday.

This year, which is the first time we participated in this post turkey-day sport with full intent and planning, it was by invitation. Zeta and Last Chance (Nordstrom's outlet) seem to have an unadvertised standing appointment on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Zeta shared her enthusiasm with us and so we left the house at 7:35 AM. This meant rising even earlier but that is implied in the statement: "left the house." J declined to take part in this exercise.

I have to say, we had a great time. When we left, Zeta was still finding bargains that were amazing. We would have stayed but my staying power is much less than I had imagined it was.

And Black Friday?

I never realized that the name is derived from merchants moving their annual bottom lines from being "in the red" to "in the black" on this one day.

Who knew? Probably everyone but me ...

Not so happy for the turkey ...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Up early this morning filling the slow cooker with the part of the turkey that goes over the fence first (besides its beak, that is). The coffee is hot and waiting. We're not out of milk which used to happen regularly but I'm getting better at keeping it on hand.

I like a home-done latte which involves microwaving the cup after adding enough milk to the right amount of coffee. The amount of milk which constitutes "enough" is subjective. Other family members consider it a form of environmental pollution to pour milk into perfectly good coffee.

More for me ...

Please, no more ...

This is how at least one cat looks after having too many pictures taken. Whataya mean, smile ...

Waiting for the photographer to focus? Disgusting, evidently.

Revue noir ...

Finished "Bridge to Terabithia," don't recommend it for kids under the age of, say, 75 or 80. Disney movies surely have changed.

Remember Dragonslayer, which was the first Disney film noir? The little dragons snacking on the princess? Well, Bridge is a film noir of a sort, too.

Heroine dies. In a Disney movie, I ask you. They tried to cobble together an ending to lift the spirits and it doesn't work. I am bummed and I'm old enough to know better. I would not recommend it for young'uns. Old'uns either ...

I need to go hug the cat.

Mew has an upgrade...

Mew is on the penthouse of a three level condo that J's mother gave her. She barely fits but she is so flexible, sleeping curled into a ball of legs and tail is not a problem. She turns her head upside down when she wants the world to go away.

Ignoring the camera's flash is a feline art form.

I have become fairly consistent at riding a stationary bike for thirty minutes, every day. If I don't, the blood sugar will creep upward. I like to watch part of a DVD or watch something that holds my attention on TV such as Jeopardy. The time flits by mindlessly and so does the bike ride.

In this vein, I am watching Bridge to Terabithia in half hour daily installments. It really is a children's film and I am probably the only one in our house who would watch it. I won't inflict it on the others. But I do want to find out if the two kids fell in the creek they were swinging over and the rest of the movie is a coma-dream or something.

Such a twist would make it similar to, but not exactly like, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, in which the protagonist was not in a coma but was hanged. Twilight Zone, remember that one?

I'll let you know if the end is that depressing. Hope not.

Not only books ...

The Hollywood Video, on the road named after a bird, closed its doors last week. It is sad to the the jumble of shelves turned every which way inside, as we drive by. But it did remind me of a service we have not used recently.

I went to the local library's web site and reserved three DVD's: The Bridge to Terabithia, Transformers, and Spiderman 3. The first one is already awaiting pickup at our nearby branch.

Hey, free is good ...

Dum-de-dumdum to youuu ...

This balloon first appeared in my life in July, thanks to Zeta, M, and the boys. It is the largest of its kind that I have ever seen. Although not quite as plump as it was four months ago, it still floats at the full length of its tether, just short of the ceiling.

This is the longest lasting birthday I have ever had ...

This just in ...

Southwest racked up 33 points against Gables. Unfortunately, Gables replied with 48. From the high scores, it seems as if the defense for both sides phoned in their efforts. But, Gables had the louder ringtone.

Speaking of ringtones, I downloaded the "angry cat" from the Bellsouth (now AT&T) website. It is set to respond to calls from Big E because we both think it's funny. (Mew thinks my phone sometimes has a bad attitude.) The other day, while sitting by myself in an optometrist's inner waiting room, the angry cat wailed from my purse.

When it's the cat, I always know who's calling ...

Dooom time?

J says that Southwest will play Gables on Friday, the 9th, at 7:30 pm. Dooom time? We'll have to see. Zeta has been looking toward this one, I know.

Upon consideration, the purple pride banner is waving proudly. There is such a thing as a moral victory and I believe they have achieved one.

How to break the news?

Big Ed let the Southwest cat out of the bag, in his comment. Yes, they lost in the first round. The first string q-back was still hurt and didn't take the field.

I was going to break it gently. Maybe this was the better way: it's just one clean cut, rip the bandage off, yank out the loose tooth, dig the thorn out of your paw, and howl.

There's water in the tank, can you tell?

This broke a while ago and J asked me to go and buy a new flapper, i.e., the orangey looking thing in the middle of the shot. I took this picture to a plumber supply and, even with this image to refer to, there was a lot of discussion behind the counter as to which one would do the job. I finally came home with a blue one that works just fine.

I was thinking how the digital age has changed our lives. Before being able to take this image along, I might have made several trial and error trips back and forth. When we unhook sound equipment, which is not very often, we take a digital shot to be sure we know how to redo the hookup.

If only people could take a digital shot of life experience and show it to the young'uns.

That might also save some trial and error trips ...

Almost over? Oh, ye of little ...

The Herald announced that Southwest, Sunset, and Braddock will participate in a Kansas Tie Breaker on Monday. J says that the quarterback for SW hurt his arm against Varela.

Home Depot or Lowes, which one?

We went to Home Depot to look for a ceiling fan plus light. I was so impressed by the way the nearest store (on the street named after a bird) has been remodeled and re-organized. Evidently, the threat of Lowes, whose advertising we see locally even if a visit to the store requires us almost to leave the county, is enough to make Homey pull up its sox.

Competition is a wonderful spur. I wonder if all the stores in the semi-tropics are scheduled for a remodel and re-organization?

Establishing a factory ...

Zeta's mango factory is really growing. I am so impressed with its progress. They are taking great care of it and I am sure it appreciates this and will reciprocate with a plentiful supply of fruit.

If our wishing will make it so, they'll have scads of 'em.