Snow in the SouthWoods

     Greetings of the day to one and all visiting here,  said day being the 29th day of the month of November, the 11th, and next to last, such month in this soon to be used up year of 2011AD.  Good Morning to everyone, even the critters that run our lives, live in our homes, and have a firm grip on our hearts.
     The residents of the Manor House woke this morning early to see snow piled lightly on the Dodge.  Whatever fell on the hardtop, grass and other surfaces has disappeared aready, but the Dodge held on to the evidence.  Not all that much, but it IS still there.  32°F now with an expectation of rain through the day, mid 40s for the highs.
     The following is what was written not too long before this old Bird felt the call of the big feather bed, the Lady of the House, and our four little 'owners', the little ManCats we call 'the Mouskateers of Five Oaks Manor.  Thought I would drop it in here.

_________________________

MikiCato taking charge of the evenings' duties of
the security detail's chief guard, observer, and
box warmer at Five Oaks Manor.
I think he was asleep here.

     "So, this evening I be looking over my right  shoulder out the window as I type, watching the big fat snow flakes coming down.  More rain than snow, but the flakes are humongonous.  Don't think it will stick, and so I was told by my better half, our local TV channel's Chief Meteorologist doesn't think so either.  Whatever, I'll sleep through it all (I hope!)
     Speaking about looking out the window made me think of the large feeder I have hanging there for the Mouskateers' benefit.  They all love Bird TV, and in past years the programming has been great.  
     Just recently the bird feeders are becomming populated again.  The Cardinals are just now coming around here, and I did see one Chickadee amongst a small flock of maybe 4 Sparrows this afternoon. The doves are not back yet.  Ah, but they will come.  I've a large container of feed just for the larger feather dusters.  And those feeders are ready to be put out. 
     This past summer is the first summer we did not keep the small bird feeders full. Up until then, we always had dozens upon dozens of many breeds of birds visiting and feasting, a lot of those I could not identify. 

This one was taken a while back, when there was
a regular visitor there.  Lady Cardinal took a liking
to MikiCato and the two of them struck up a mite
of a friendship.
I always dropped some seed on the window ledge
so she would have an 'excuse' to flirt with the Cat.

     Now they all have to find the place again. We have had a full contingent of Ruby-throated hummers all summer long. Actually three regulars. They nested in the big Christmas cedar in the front yard. Ever so often I would look out and see 8 - 10 - 12 or more visitors swarming the feeders. Now I haven't seen the three in over a week. I'm thinking they have joined the flock going south, or I should say, they JOINED the flock. Ah, but they will come back. 20 years here and always at least a pair spending the summer either in the honeysuckle on the car port or in the cedar. 
     Kitties were thrilled to see the birds on the feeder today. All four insiders were in one window shoulder to shoulder gazing and chittering away at the cardinal and the little ones.
     Everyone have a great night, and sleep well.  This old Owl is out and about the threads of the secret forum, got some blogs to update, and a few dozen friends' blogs to visit and make smart remarks about.  That 'friends' list on Blogspot.com is growing like a weed on steroids.  Oh, don't get me wrong, I love it, I really do, but I try so hard to be lazy and I wind up making more 'work' for myself every time I turn a corner.  
     Life is good, isn't it?  
     Be safe .... "

     Well, we DID get snow here in the NE section of SouthWoodsUSA (Mississippi to those not in the know), and we survived it.  I told everyone reading along once upon a time that us Southreners are a sturdy stock.  We can stand anything ..... just as long as what ever it is we have to survive is somewhere but where we are.
     The Owl here, making with the glad words, filling my obligation to make with said glad words, preferably on a daily basis, but of recent times, not so daily.  That problem we'll tend to with the proper expedience and decorum as should be afforded such a fine document as this Blather Blog has become.
     In just a few short minutes I will turn this computer off, get the cleaning goodies out and proceed to ignore all of you while I clean in, around, and under the prized tower, monitor, and other assorted and sundry add-on whiz boxes and thanamajigs attached to said tower.
     And for what it's worth, and for the benefit of those guilty of what I speak, THANK YOU, one and all.  I can't ever say that enough.
     That said, I'm thinking it's time to do an extensive update to the files titled 'My Documents.  Gotta store what I don't use often, and make room for the stuff to come.
     Heh!  One thing I noticed when I was moving pix from the Docs to the 'family pix' folder.  Buddy Bear's folder had, before I moved the last 80+ there, 846 pix of that particular plump little dust mop.  Reluctant to look at Miki's folder to see THAT number.  I'm thinking he is the winner in the 'most pictures' category.
     Whatever, time to get up and get with it, or rather, get down and get with it.  I'll be crawling around this console for a while for sure.  Well, I'll have lots of company what with the House Panther and brother Yellow Fellow always meddling and wanting to 'help'.
     The day promises to be one of rather short range activity, what with the rain and the freezing temps ..... 'Manor House' is NOT as big as the 'name' implies.  Me Da used to say "This place ain't big enough to cuss a cat in!"  I'm thinking he would be saying that if he visited here, and, ya know, he would be RIGHT ON!  But as to the cussing of the cat ..... everyone knows I would NEVAH cuss a cat.  NEVAH!  It's not in my mild mannered, even tempered, sweet self's makeup to do such a dastardly deed.
     Getting deep in here, huh?  Mayhap we should stop and move on the the titivating of the computer room and all goodies therein.  ME?  No, I'll get MY cleaning the first Monday of each month ..... that ordeal due in just shy of a week.          
     We shall speak of such at a much later date, trust me.

Now I'm gone, I being, of course, ME!

aka KnightOwl aka Large One
I am also theWizard they call Sergeant Pop

A bit of a puzzle here, just for the heck of it.

Here's a shot of the northern sky taken this past summer (2011),
 from the front yard of the Manor House.
There have been sighted (3) three cats in those clouds.
Lets see how well you remember
those long hours of lying in the field of summer grass, gazing up at the clouds,
searching for 'stuff and things' in said clouds.
I myself, have found three.
How many do YOU see?

________________________________

Monday - A word or three for all

And a good Morning, Monday style, to one and all.
Welcome all to the Blather Blog called KnightOwl's Roost.

     Lets see ..... what else am I supposed to say here?
     Maybe I should type these intros up before hand so I can get them posted quickly and get on with my daily duties of being the Supreme Lord and Master & Official Editor In Charge (SLAMOEIC) of Five Oaks Manor notes and blathers, of all things posted by those attendant to, and a part of, Buddy Bear's Cats' World Web Community (BBCWWC), and all extensions, add-ons and other attachments you shall find here. 
     The day is cold, dank, dreary, dribbly, and dull.  And I are cold!  I just realized, when I posted the word 'cold' that I am still running around in the thin T worn this past night in the big feather bed.  Must needs make some changes to this absent minded old fool's apparel doncha think?
     Did I mention that it is COLD?  Well, it is!
     Mayhap we'll be fiddlin around off and on the Cat Porch (our carport) later this morning so the 'work' apparel choice will definitely be of somewhat much heaver duds.  Since it's only 33°F here, and the high for the day has been prognosticated at only roundabout 40°, Winter clothing is the choice of the day.

• A Note here:  I am NOT a friend of cold weather, do not live in an area of the good ole USofA with a excessively cold climate, so therefore my assessment of the condition of the day, ie. COLD, is correct, and emphatically reasserted herein.

     IT IS COLD HERE!  I do apologize for the shouts now and again, but what better way to get my main point across.
     Well, the 'Velcro Lap-robe House Panther' (VLHP), aka MikiCato, has just decided my lap is too warm, moved his rangy little frame from my lap to the nest behind my head, curled and flaked out again, after sinking that one little claw into my shirt sleeve, just to make sure he knows when I move from the area.
     I can now be up and about the task of feeding my face and cranky tummy, as long as I carry the above mentioned VLHP with me.  I usually do that anyhow, so I am up, out and about my chosen task.
     Everyone, be safe, stay warm and dry, hug the critters and the others, have a mug of hot whatever, and come when you can.
     Enough arready .....
     I'm gone ......

Roy, Sr.
aka KnightOwl aka Large One
I am also theWizard they call Sergeant Pop

To remind us what Summer looks like, here's this one from
a couple three summers ago, taken just down the road from
the Manor house.
This is Kudzu Creek.

__________________________________

Saturday Morning - Gonna be another one of those days .....

     Good Saturday Morning everyone.  Happy Day.  I woke up!

One of the local residents back last
spring.  I had just filled the Bird TV
in front of the computer room window
where Buddy and the boys spend a
goodly amount of time, playing 'lazy cat'
and surveying the world outside.
I confess:  I watch a lot too!

     NO, I am not feeling well, and I am cranky, but, then again, thinking back on the many mornings that have passed, I am ..... NORMAL after all.  Sorry for the shouting there.  Every day up and about is another day I beat the old Grim Reaper.
     What's wrong with me, you may ask.  Everything actually!  I need a tune up, a trip to the body shop, new treads, new glass, and could stand a better amplifier on the radio and CD players.  So, what's it to you?  Writing a book ..... I'll leave the last half of that last well known phrase out of the morning's greeting.  Lets let that one go, OK?
     Looking for rain in the afternoon, fog now, temp now = 55°, temp this afternoon amid all the moisture predicted, 71 - 73°.
     Wonder what will happen when I go out the door again (went out at 6 to take the crunchy din din bowls to the little girlkits, saw three strange, half starved looking hunting hounds snurffling around the car, chased them off, watched them wander to the neighbor's house, two of them cocking a leg on the neighbor's SUV .... Heh!  NO!  We're still not friendly, the neighbor and I/Me [whatever]).  Wonder if they circled back just to spite me.  I like dogs, actually, just as long as they, and their care and upkeep, are someone else's worry.  Lets leave that 'whine' for a later date, 'K?

The SouthWoodsUSA trail, looking down the
 road from Five Oaks Manor, the west view of the
round-about circle I walk, when I walk.
This was taken a few years back
during the summer.

     Anyway, the day has begun and is proceeding to look like it's going to stay around, so I'll get out and about, see if I can get some miles on the old track shoes for a change.  May just walk guard around the acre instead of taking a chance of getting caught down the way when the rains come.  Can't get caught in the rain ..... I would melt!
     Now, all that said, I shall attempt to get the Bear off my foot, the Mik off my lap, unhook Tegar's claw from the back of my T shirt, get up and carefully step over the Rowdy one, head to the fun room, dose up my mug, heat the water, and try for another mug of lemon/Earl Gray with a dose of honey.  Possibly a huge bowl of milk and crunchy (I know Miki will like THAT), and after the stuffing of the face routine, another check on the Catladies of The Five Oaks Manor Cat Porch and Laundry Room Boudoir (Ms Princess and Ms Smokey).
     Anyone just now tuning into this series of blathers and blurbs from yours truly curious about these names I keep dropping, check out Buddy Bear's Cats' World's Blather Blog.  You might also be interested in Buddy Bear's Cats' World, a Tribute to the Cat.  Rather large place with more than a few add-on sites to Buddy's credit.  (shameless Spam and unsolicited advertisement there.)  Oh, for those who are leery of visiting new and different sites, those are all, advertisement free, all lacking porn and profanity, and are, above all, Cat Safe.  Y'all join us!

     Geez, Just typing all this I feel worn out.  Not the effort of it all, just another wave of lightheadedness and a touch of nausea.  Ah!  Just the mileage, as I've said before.
     All of you take enjoy the weekend, be safe, stay warm, keep dry (unless of course it's your time for the annual bath and butt scrubbing .... this IS Saturday after all), be happy, and come see us when you can.  Lisa and I will be around.  I'm sure she will top me with the attendance till whatever is 'bugging' me is defeated, or at least dosed with the proper chemicals and other such necessary bodily additives.  OK!  That makes me think.  Did I take my morning pills?  And, if so, did I add enough liquid to my stomach to offset the large amount of foreign substances the Doctors have forced on me for the duration of my next 30 years?  Damn!  I need a drink!  Well, we know about that need don't we?  Caffeine too!   Seems all my 'vices' are verboten.  Well, it was fun while it lasted.
     Y'all come ......


Roy, Sr.
aka KnightOwl aka Large One
I am also theWizard they call Sergeant Pop

Having been absent from this site for so long, I came in expecting to find it NOT on the web, or at least locked.  Really, I don't know what I expected, but, to my delight and too, to my chagrin (is that the right word?), I find it ready and waiting for my new post.
     What post?  I've nothing to say, nothing what so ever.
     Now that I said that, I think there might be a thing or three I could blather about.  For now, though, lets just say that I do hope I can get back to the regularity of posting here, as I've just recently done on Buddy Bear's Cats' World's Blather Blog.  Of course there is no guarantee I'll continue.  I could get bored for lack of interest on the part of my fans and followers, but that should not ..... I say SHOULD NOT, have anything to do with my posting.  As I've said in many places on the WWW, I write because I like to.  I don't like the sound of my own voice, but here that's not an issue ..... only when I mess up and have to delete, back space, retype, and edit ...... foul mouth old Bird for sure.

Weather (the favorite subject of those of us who have nothing set in mind to toss a hissy about) here in the SouthWoods is getting on toward Winter.     Night temps have been hitting middle 20s to lower 30s, yet daytime runs sometimes into the upper 70s.  And it's all playing hell with a lot of our systems (body, not computer, thankyouverrymuch), causing much misery, whining, and general discomfort.  What I'm saying is, cold weather is upon us and we are fighting the sniffles and worse, big time.  This old Bird has had the start of the flu a couple times already, but managed to fight it off, I guess because of the meds I am on daily.  Hopefully that fight will continue to be won by MY side.

     As with most writings I do, our little cats, the 6 Mouskateers of Five Oaks Manor, always pop up into the missive somewhere some how.  Well, you know how it is, a man having a mess of children wanting to talk and brag about what the kids did today and such.  Anyway, be forewarned about that particular happening.


     As I get back into the saddle here so to speak, I'll be adding pictures I, and my family, have taken, not only of the pets, the kids, and an occasional group shot, but of what we see around about the places we live, work, and play.

     Now, I'm going to leave this one, call it FINI, at least for the day, and take myself over to the blog at Buddy's place, make with the post there, then take a stroll down the hallway to the fun room, with my escort of at least 1, sometimes 2 of the little cats leading the way, make myself a large mug of Earl Gray, lemon laced and lightly sugared, get out the cookie jar, and read a couple three chapters of my latest James Patterson detective/super cop book, which is almost due back at the local library.

Must get with that program if I'm to remain in the good graces of the fine people staffing said establishment.

Here's three of the 6 reasons I first came to the WWW to blather, post pix
and generally hangout, bother family and friends while saving money on
long distance telephone calls all over the world.
From top to bottom, left to right we have Buddy Bear, Tegar, and MikiCato.
Rowdy was with his Mom, Ms Smokey and Ms Princess were chasing rabbits
outside where they have their own little boudoir just off the Cat Porch.

     Everyone take care, be safe, stay warm/cool (whatever your part of the world calls for at present), and come visit with me next time.
     I am

Roy Sr,
aka KnightOwl

Friday - A Stormy Day In the Southland

   
     This has been a very slow week on the web hasn't it?  At least here at the Roost.  Guess the 'new' has worn off huh?  Or did I insult everyone and you're all ignoring me maybe?  Thas arrite, the kitties still love me.  I think.
     Had a very nasty day today, starting early (about 6 AM our time) with heavy clouds moving in, blotting out all the light everywhere.  For a few minutes there, I though, what with the sound of the rumble from the heavy morning traffic coming from the interstate just a click and a bump over the hill from us, that we were due for another possible tornado.
     For the roughly 20 years we've been here in the SouthWoods we've had tornadoes  flying around ripping up the countryside nearby, but never really getting to us.  This time, for a few minutes at least, I thought, "Now it's OUR time.  What do we do, what do we do?"
     I walked outside to take stock of our possibilities (as if I hadn't done that dozens of times in the past years), and I saw it was a different situation altogether.  All of a sudden the rain swept in like pouring water out of a big bucket.   Winds were not all that bad, but the rain ..... according to the local weather prognosticator on the evening TV news we had roughly 7 inches of rain in our burgh, just a mile and a half away as the crow flies.
     Thankfully the ground was like a sponge soaking it up almost as fast as it fell.  Well, anyway, I didn't see all this happening, just the start of it.  I was taken to the feathers (bed) by the 4 Mouskateers (the cats).  Since they comfort me when I'm disturbed, ill, and distraught, I figured it was my duty to repay the debt.  Kinda hurts to see the little guys all bundled into themselves full of fear, not knowing what is happening around then and definitely not liking it one little furry bit.
     Well, we slept, at least I did, through the most of the morning and on into mid afternoon, at which time I was up and at table as demanded by my tiny Wife-mate.  Shortly after, with the thought of just relaxing and catching up on my reading, I again joined the little furrbutts buried amongst the bed linens and pillows, only to drift off to sleep again.
     We, or at least I, awoke shortly before 6 this evening finding the sky cleared up, the day still, and the ground showing signs of rain, although signs of the heavy rains I heard about were negligible .  The little plastic matchbox we call a car was definitely clean, I can say that much for the downpour.  There wasn't a single streak left on that dark green (almost black) little Dodge.  Cat porch, at least the north end, was a flood, although only minor.  I left that little bit for the kitties and the soon to come night life types that roam our share of the neighborhood, as if that were the only place rainwater is standing, fresh for the lapping and slurping.
     Now, needless to say, the damn 'skeeters are out in full flight, deeply engrossed in tight aerial tactical exercises fit to run the little cats into the high grass on the back corner of the acre.  I ain't goin out there without my 'Bounce Softener' sheets attached to my bony old person.  (best anti 'skeeter application I've found yet.  Good smelling, not greasy, and easy to apply.  For those not in the know, it is not a joke, it works.  Try it!
     I may be already put half you folks asleep with this diatribe, so we'll call this one finished and take ourselves back to the world of here and now, proofread the little House Panther, MikiCato's copy, and see to getting it posted on the House Panther Blog.  And I quite sure one of the other kits has started something for Buddy's Blog as well.  We are definitely behind on our posting, so the thought around the manor is that we shall correct our errors while we can.
     This said, we shall be out and about.
     Later .....

     Y'all come.  And bring/send your neighbours and friends.
     Newbies/Characters are welcome too!

___________________________________

___________________________________

    

Is it Morning, or is it Night?

     Where am I?

     I gotta tell this one.  It shows the confusion of the 'retired' mind I'm thinking.  This was a couple three days back.
     I woke rather suddenly, sat up and shook my head to clear the cobwebs of sleep.  The old Big Ben clock on the shelf let it be known it was but a few clicks and a beep before 8:00.  I looked over and my shoulder at the other side of the big bed and saw cats, but no wife, and from habit, I assumed she had fallen asleep in the fun room while curled on the futon reading (common enough happening for both of us from time to time.)
     Glancing out the window I noticed it seemed a bit dark for that time of the morning.  I remembered Lisa saying that the local weather prognosticator had mentioned something about possible rain and storms one day in the immediate future.  Thinking this was the morning for said showers and ugly stuff, I turned my attention back to the here and now.
     With creaking and popping of age worn joints, I arose from the feathers, trying, as I did, not to awaken the heathen cat (Rowdy) I discovered sleeping curled tightly in a ball in my arm.  If he woke he showed no signs of it.  Anyway, after finally managing to right myself in the bed, I set about getting myself together to be up and about and to go have some quality time with the lady of the house, her clowder of kits, and to check on the two little kits out on the 'cat porch'.  It was past those two little ones' feeding time, that being my job.
     I kept glancing out the window wondering when the storm would start, if it would rain, and would we even have anything but clouds and a mite of wind.  Finally, up and on my still unsteady feet, I lumbered into THE room for the morning ablutions and other such necessities.  As per the norm at Five Oaks, said ablutions were cat assisted!
     Upon completion of the usual morning activities, I noticed MikiCato curled in the linen closet, drowsily eying me with one eye half open like "are you back so soon?"  I couldn't believe the little guy had spent the night in there.  That's something he has never done in all his 8 years.  He usually curls in with me early in the morning and stays abed a while after I'm up and out and doing the days things that I do.  Ah, well, new things happening every day.
     Out the door, down the hall, and Voila, there sits the love of my life, deeply engrossed in the latest best seller recently gleened from the shelves of the local library.
     "Oh, Hi Honey!  Did you sleep well?  Want some tea and cookies?  I just finished a new batch.  They are already in the jar!"
     That's not right!  She does NOT bake before sunrise ..... NEVER!  Where's the clock?  Ayup, it IS after 8.  Well, late again.  Not exactly the first time such has happened since retiring.  Actually that is the first thing I had in my mind when I made the decision to retire some 9 ..... or was it 10, years ago.  Whatever!  Been a while and it's not important anyway.
     Just then, I was given a big shock treatment when my tiny little Lady love of 47 years said "Don't forget to take the trash out before you go back to bed.  Remember the Garbage Guys come in the morning!"
     I sat down to table with my cup of hot Earl Gray, looked at her and said "Is it morning or night?"
     Realizing something was not right with me (well, there's always been that problem but usually not of this sort) she casually asked if I felt OK.
      "Just wondering why it's so dark outside at this time of the morning."
     "It's Monday night Honey.  You fell asleep reading and I put your book and glasses on the night stand.  That was around 3.  The cats piled in with you just as I turned the light out.  I've been baking cookies and watching TV.  Oh, and your daughter called ...... "
     I went back to bed and read most of the night.
     I hate this getting old and feeling lost and useless.  I was always told the first thing that goes is your memory, then you can't ..... but wait, that's a subject for another time and definitely NOT this public writing place.  Gotta have privacy for that one.

     _________________________

     I, hopefully am now back on the blogs, and again, hopefully, with a few tales and interesting thoughts to share with everyone brave enough to sit through the reading of an old man's Blathering.
     Here's to everyone having a good day, a very pleasant night, and better control of your senses and memory than the old one behind these keys.
     I'll be back .....
     Later .....

 

_________________________

Sunday - Catching up again

     There's nothing going on here worth Blathering about today.  It's chilly, the sun is neurotic as hell hiding behind clouds and such, and the neighborhood is soggy.  Even the birds are roosting outside the window.
     Bird TV sucks today.  Well, so does the regular TV.  I'm so glad we packratted the years and years of tapes, records, and CDs we accumulated here and there, and even the MIDIs on the computer.  At least we can choose what we want to bore us.
     Haven't had my pills today, not hungry, not interested in junk food (even if we had any), out of juices, can't drink booze, buttermilk or even soda, so I walk around with a 32oz mug of lumpy water (read here water with ice cubes added, OK?) in my hand.

Of course Rowdy and Tegar drink most of it.  

Every time I sit down somewhere 

one or the other of those little trouble makers 

are there patting the top of the mug wanting 

me to take it off so they can guzzle my water.  

Whatever.  

Cats run the house anyway.  

     What's the word?  Bored!  Yeah, I'm that arrite.  Just plain and simple.  I haven't thought of going for a stroll around the SouthWoods yet, but that just might happen.  Must needs get some sleeves on though.  Naaah!  That's too much trouble getting dressed to go out and work up a sweat plodding up and down the road, getting barked at, being followed by little kitties with cuddle in mind, and being glared at through cracks in the curtains of this and that Mobile Home as if I am a Terrorist with Mayhem in mind.
     Which hits on a subject I tend to concentrate on a good bit lately: Mental breakdown in the neighborhood just below the Manor house.  All the newbies moving in (and they move in and out almost daily) all think they are being put upon by this and that neighbor and tend to hang the family shotgun by the front door.  I'm thinking it's inherited actually.  Well, yes, definitely to the shotguns, but I was talking about this mental breakdown bit.  I've been walking the same route up and down these roads for close to 20 years, sometimes twice a day, and have not stolen the trash cans nor dog-napped any of the rangy mutts roaming the yards to selling to this and that lab for experimental purposes.  Still, I am suspect.  Well, I did my time in Nam, so I'm used to eyes glaring at me from the bushes and deep inside the dingy looking hovel they call home.  Another subject is needed her toot sweet!
     Just on the side here, have you ever noticed, those of you who regularly read my ramblings, that I very seldom have anything nice to say about my neighborhood, nor few, if any, of the people living in it?  Well, I guess that's mainly because I have discovered, over the years, that in talking up the nice in the neighbors, the good things they do and such, I wind up having to feed a whole slew of strange 'friend' types that come over just to get a free handout and watch my big TV, all operating on the 'friendly neighbor' principle that 'the Owl is a soft touch, and they (Owl and Lady Owl), are all alone and lonely and need some company, and we could get some good eats there and borrow some tools and forget to bring them back.'
     As to the TV, they all wanna watch the same thing: a bunch of idiot men in funny looking uniforms run up and down a big cow pasture ploughing into each other, stomping on each other, and trying to throw a warped, out of shape ball away, while others in different colored but identical uniforms keep grabbing it and running around like they wanna play keep-away.  And when one program is cancelled, there's always another on another channel with two different bunches of idiots doing the same thing, just wearing different gaudy looking uniforms.
     Summertime viewing is just as nertzy as winter.  In the summer it's two bunches of idiots, same thing with the uniforms, this time with a fist sized little ball they keep throwing at each other, like they are trying to knock the other guy's teeth out ..... and this is men on their own side.  Then this one guy walks up to a spot on the field and dodges that ball as a dude in the middle of the field tries to get them teeth.  (bet they have hellacious dental bills at the end of the year).  What seems to be the aim of the game is for the guy getting thrown at to hit that ball with a stick of wood and drive it into the crowd out there.  Guess they wanna either get rid of the ball, or get revenge on some of the loudmouthed drunks badmouthing them and then ignoring them when they do something that's supposed to be good.
     And the ladies that visit and spend the weekend while the men stink up the fun room.  Cackling, hens with some of the weirdest looking hairdos and skimpy clothes I think I've ever seen.  Never could understand why women would pile on the clothes around the house but when they go out to visit and socialize they always take most all the clothes off.  Just backwards of when I was used to as a young lad.  Now I wanna tell you something about these females.  They AIN'T all that young most of them.
     Just sayin .....
     Actually, most all of the young women would NOT stoop to our level ..... they gotta be out and cruisin the roads, listening to some Ahole yabbering about sex, bad dope, and cheap women.  And they all LOVE it.  (The yabbering I'm talking about.  Not sure about the rest, but lately I'm wondering .)
     And we raised these young people?
     Just askin!
     Maybe I should stop this and get off the keyboard.  I HAVE had a couple three threatening EMails of late talking about my badmouthing the younger generation and the neighborhood in general.  No biggie.  I know where they all live so their threat of "Remember, we know where you live!" don't hold no water.  I have Google Earth and Maps too.
     Anyway, I will shut up, edit this, pick a picture for the day, and go on to other things.  Perchance my Muse is awake and can take over and keep me out of trouble with the neighborhood.  Actually that is no problem there.  They all have wireless computers and leach off my account signal, at least until I set the modem to stand by, just, if for nothing else than to piss them off.  (I do that a lot lately!)  I mean, I gotta have SOME fun don't I.
     Y'all come when you can.  And bring/send your neighbours and friends.  Newbies/Characters are welcome too!  I'll be here, if not right quick like, then shortly thereafter ..... maybe.

     Everyone take care, be safe, be happy, and most of all, smile.  Confuses the hell out of the enemy.

       

     

___________________________________  

Way back in the younger days

That's my little friend and Owner, Terry Lee 

trying to keep me awake.

I think I remember putting him to sleep that time.

It was fun whatever happened.

___________________________________  

      

Friday - Late Pondering and Musing - Bitching Again, actually!

   
     I am Baaack!  Not really sure what the subject of the evening's discussion will be, but we will just wing it.  Works for the Birds and the Bees don't it?  Heh!  Lets not go there, not at MY age.  No, No!
     Now, I am just in, washed up, and cooling down after doing a 'controlled burn' on the acre.   Report was turned in to the Deputy on the desk at the County Sheriff's office just as I lit the first piece of old newsprint to start the conflagration in the back corner of the acre.  The call was definitely necessary tonight, since, not more than 4 or 5 hours before I started mine, the neighbor had a nasty oil/gas/auto tire fire get out of hand just behind their house.  Local Volunteers came roaring out with the little 1 ton emergency truck, head volunteer came whizzing out in his slick shiny bright red pickumup, and things were swiftly 'under control'.  Not sure what about that.  By the time I saw the problem the little red trucks were roaring in, along with a half dozen other pickumups with sturdy volunteers ready to 'git er did!'  Well, they did and I didn't play nosey neighbor.
     Thus the call for a 'controlled burn'.
     Me, my trusty 100 water hose, the long handled yard rake, a little hand cultivator/claw/hook&pull type thingie, along with a pair of antiquated back issues of the local version of a newspaper, and an equally antiquated disposable lighter that still, after 20 something years, works quite well.  (found it in the bottom of a ready to be discarded home made tool chest, along with $300 or so worth of hand carving and wood lathe working tools I thought I had sold at auction) [ Story on that one later.], went stumbling out to the corner trash pile vintage 5 - 6 years old (some of the wood and limbs have been piled here and there even longer) ...... whatever.
     Tonight was the night I was to rid Five Oaks of the eyesore in my back yard.  I just knew the old wood would burn well even thought I had not loaded the stack with leaves and pine needles, cones, and limbs.  
     Anyway, the fire started easily, it spread through the pile very well, and surprisingly the old Ash and Oak saplings that were cut and pushed over the fence into my acre some years ago, caught and begun burning first thing.  "Now we gots it goin" I though as I shuffled and shifted the small stuff around the outer edges toward the heart of the blaze.  "This should be fun tonight!"
      I soon found my self caught up in the 'fun' of the moment, and begun running back and forth from the double row of young pines we planted some 18 or more years ago as a wind break along the east side of the acre, raking, picking up, and trotting the armful over to the fire.  Things were burning right along, no wind what so ever, and no one screeching at me to "watch the other side, it's burning the grass" or "you need some over here quick!"  The evening was pleasant, the two little Girlkitties were out and observing the proceedings, the one little cat, Miss Princess, again, was seated on  her predecessors' stone grave cover, directing the proceedings, just as the original little Black Fluffball Granny Kitty, Princess Ebony did years back.
     I still get a jolt to the heart rhythms sometimes when I look up and see that little cat perched there watching me.  Deja Vu I'm thinking.  Princess Ebony used to sit there when it was the site of the stepping stone storage pile.  She'd be up there in the air about 10 flat stones in the air, and talking her little head off to anyone who would answer and talk with her.
     Now, on to what I was going to tell you.  (you should know by now I am very long winded when I get the urge to join my Muse and prattle on.  So settle back, relax, open a cold one, and read on my Friend.
      I dislike grass, especially that grass that is brazen enough to breed and reproduce in MY yard.  And I double dislike it when I don't gots no lawn mower to cut it with.  A neighbor waked up, while I was having fun talking to the kits, burning the 'burn pile' and generally sprucing up my back corner of the yard, and had  asked me first thing "when are you  going to get cutting on this yard.  It's a disgrace to the neighborhood."
     I looked at this old fuzzy headed, scanky looking dude, to see if there was any hint of humor on his leathery, weather worn old face.  Not a hint.  When I asked what he meant, he went into it with both hands flying.  "The whole neighborhood is looking so good, all the yards are cut, the borders trimmed, the dead grass raked and removed, (more like thrown in the drainage ditch down the way, the one that has to be dredged every year or so to get the stuff and trash that people keep throwing in there out so we won't be flooded like we almost were this year) and you are not keeping with the program man.  Have you no pride?"
     We live 8 miles out in the damn country and this dip stick has a pair big enough to tell me that my yard makes the neighborhood look bad?  What with the abandoned and falling-apart trailer homes just down the hill, the devastated quarter acre next door with the residue of the dismantling and burning of an old trailer home (the junk and residue is still piled there) and weeds, saplings, and wild hedge is growing in wild profusion.
     And I am supposed to live like I am in the middle of the city, following ordnances and laws set up by prudish, well to do matrons and their 'do it or sleep in the other room' husbands, shelling out big bucks to have what little trash I do have of my own picked up once a week if the people doing the picking up think about our area, or feel up to doing anything for their bloated weekly checks.  (if this last hurts some feelings here, live with it.  I single out no individual.  You all know what I'm talking about.  Remember, this missive is of my writing, and the opinions are MINE, Mine, mine.  Take em or leave em.
     Well, after a few short words, that can NOT be repeated here since I write this Blog with the 'Child Safe' flag waving over the keyboard at all times, the old meddlesome Dofunny waddled back to his pickumup, cranked up, and burned rubber roaring off down the road to spew some more 'tales of the dangerous old man up the hill, the one that 'burns trash in his yard, and on Sunday, no less', and chases the preachers off when they come looking for donations.
     Charity begins at home my friends, especially when you are one step shy of needing food stamps and welfare assistance to pay the damn bloated hospital, clinic, and over-priced med bills.
     So, the evening that began quite pleasantly, with make do type work mixed in with a long time needed task of ridding the acre of it's share of Mother Nature's cast offs, sort of ended with a bad taste in my mouth.  Thus I am spewing forth here, hopefully to get it off my chest and forgotten, and mayhap, to give someone a good chuckle.  If I step on toes then damn well and good.  I do that very well with out thinking a good many days of the week as it is.
     I might mention here, the health of the Lady of the House, although not the worst in the world, is not all that good.  She's getting along well, we are both, in fact, and she is giving me a mite of a headache what with the wanting to cut out this med and that med cause "it costs too much and I can do without it" even though the Dr. was firm in his admonitions to "take your meds or I'll visit you in the hospital, or worse".  Must be that Sicilian blood flowing through those little veins that brings that on, ya think?
     I am doing well, making my quarterly appointments on time, having the procedure quietly, and going on my way.  I've picked up on the exercise, walking a good bit more lately, now that the weather is agreeable, and I'm thinking I can plan on another couple three decades of harassment, devilment, and mischief in the neighborhood.
     Well, someone has to do it, yaknow.
     I will now commence to begin to leave this one to the Blog browsers, and Family and Friends, and take to the hallway, or I should say 'the cat track' since the boys are having their crazy 15 minutes out there ..... they sound like a THoE (thundering herd of Elephants, for those who do NOT serve and wait table for Cats.)
     I'm gone for my Earl Gray, some quality time with the Small One and her kitties, the 6 Mouskateers of Five Oaks Manor.  See the latest updates of the Mouskateers escapades on Buddy Bear's Cats' World Blog.  And check there for the soon to be added guest spot MikiCato will be hosting on another of the fine  Cat Blogs that we have here on Blogspot.com.  If I can remember, I will make a note of it here as well, in a post and also in a separate link in the side bar.
     Everyone take care, be safe, be happy, and most of all, smile.  Confuses the hell out of the enemy.
     Y'all come.  And bring/send your neighbours and friends.

     Newbies/Characters are welcome too!

___________________________________  

___________________________________  

I'm Baaack! Late again, as usual.

     Geez!  The guys ruled the day on the forums we have on AbleMinds.com.  The chatty wimmenfolk done took to one of our best friend's Place (one of the ladies, of course) and made a day of it I suppose.  Made it quiet in there.
     That's arrite today, as I have nothing really to say.  Need to do a blather for the Blog and help MikiCato do one for the Cat's Blog too.  Need make one for Miki to post on the blog, 'House Panthers', since he is now a guest poster there.
     While I was on the forums I felt I might as well do the Blather of the week or whatever it's called now that I'm not reliable enough to do a daily even on the BBCW Blog much less on my own blog here.
     Not sure when I'll get something of interest to write about.  I think of something and before I can get to the damn keyboard I have totally forgotten what it was I had planned to write about.  I was used to that back years ago when I was into the bottle most of the time, but now?  Just ain't right.  Gets me a mite upset I tell ya.
     Lets see, of late, I wrote the final post for KnightOwl's Place Community on Yuku.com (that one is actually in limbo ..... reserve, as it were), and still have to do some work on Buddy's Forum located on the Web Site.  Have a mess of pictures to put either on the Web site or on the PhotoBucket account cause they are supposed to be shared on Buddy's Blog spot.  Still have to crop/tweak and resize them before that.  I won't trust the Bucket to do the resizing ..... just too iffy.
     The days are getting harder to handle as each new one comes along All I want to do, or at least all I seem to be able to do is walk a couple miles in the morning, drink a tea and have my pills, then go right back to bed.  I'm as sleep logged as are the cats.  It's said the cats sleep 18 to 20 hrs in 24.  I must be an honorary Cat ..... something.  At least I'm eating well enough to suit the Lady of the House or she would probably be wanting to take me to the Vet to see what's wrong with me.
     Old gears are hard to get shifted I'm tellin ya.  And Yea, I know!  There are those of you out there that are my senior by a couple three or more years and are going strong.  Bully!  I can't do it no more.
     Old Owl will play look-out and hold down the fort for you young sprouts to go out and conquer the world.  I'm conquered out.
     Still, life is good.  I gots my Ladylove, my kitty 'children' who seem to love me ..... at least they love my warm spot in the bed and don't mind sharing, they love when I talk to them, the 'children' love when I scritch and hug them, even pull their tails and play with them.  Miki and Tegar will not go to sleep next to me unless they have bodily contact, a paw on my arm at least.  Guess they have me trained.  Now if I could just train them ......
     Have a good weekend one and all.  For those who celebrate the Holiday this weekend, have a good one, be safe and enjoy.  For those of a different mind, be safe, be happy, and everyone come when you can.
     Where's the pictures?  Geez!  I did forget the pictures didn't I.  NOT!

Miki in one of his short rest stops during a recent romp through

a big pile of plastic shopping bags we sorted out.

The rest were a mite 'fuzzy', but they will

be posted anyway.

Just not here, and not this evening. 

     With that I'm thinking I best needs leave this alone, take myself out of the Blog site and tend to the family.  It's a mite noisy right now.  That means the HoWE (herd of wild elephants) are having their crazy 15 minutes through the house, up the walls, down the halls, up to the top of the cat tree and back again.  Just hope the Lady of the House is staying out of the way.

     Later .....

     Y'all come.  And bring/send your neighbours and friends.

     Newbies/Characters are welcome too!

___________________________________  

Thursday Night Late - A romp with my little House Panther, MikiCato

     Last night I had a large pile of plastic shopping bags all fluffed up and just dumped on the floor in a 'bunch'. There was a little house panther head sticking out of the side of the pile, and the little guy was sound asleep. We had fun dumping the big bag full of bags and fluffing them up. It was kinda like the finale for MikiCato's crazy 15 minutes of romp and run.
     Here's the story: Tegar and Rowdy, the two youngest of the inside ManCats, were asleep and unaware of what was going on, (thankfully), and I was replacing the computer room's empty crunchy dinner bowls with clean full ones, had just washed the water bowl and headed back down the hall from the fun room when a little black bolt of furry lightening flashed by my legs and disappeared to the right into the computer room. Almost instantly he was back, having circled the centered computer console, and loaded on the coal for a full throttle drive back down the hall.
     I replaced the water dish/bowl, sat down in the computer chair to sort the standard shopping bags from the handle-less produce bags. (Why a collection of bags? Well, just to satisfy the inquisitive mind, the standards are used for small trash can liners and for the daily cleaning of the litter boxes.) Ok? Ok! On with the tale here ......
     As I dumped the bags out on the floor, the pile exploded all over the small space we have between the chairs and the counter. Miki had snuck in and attacked.  He was raging happily under the pile.
     The little bomb was there, and then he wasn't. After raking all my bags back into a reachable pile, I sat back down and continued with my sorting, had the pile suddenly explode in my face once more, and finally heard a scritching and scratching, and mewling overhead.
     "Ahha! The lil hellion has gone 'up there'. Now maybe I can get the task of sorting these bags finished and get on with what ever it was I was planning on doing next", thought I.
     Not to be ignored, the little house panther came scrabbling and hopping down, and landed in the middle of the pile like a small bomb. He immediately dove into and under the pile. I quickly fluffed up the bags as fast as I could, covering my little guy completely. This was getting to be fun. I grabbed the camera, and began to await the chances.
     It soon became quiet, the pile of bags ceased the frantic movement, and I was able to continue sorting out the unwanted bags. I did get some rather good shots though. Maybe later we can look at them.
     As I wrote along, I occasionally glanced down beside my chair, just to keep up with what was happening and too, hoping to catch another good shot.   I saw a pair of big, happy, eyes glowing at me as if saying, "I love you Large One, but you are supposed to be playing with me, NOT that klacky sounding board thingie!"
     Oh, and with the last paragraph up there I gots me a tender tap on the arm as I turned my head back to the pile and the puddytat. He quickly laid back down, curled and looked at me with a look that just has to mean, "Hey, I'm begging here! Don't make me get hostile!"
     I did get those pictures ..... well I think I did.
     So, I lined this one off and got on with the love and play time I had going on with my little lap robe, my house panther, MikiCato. More on this one another day.
     As I hoped, we didn't get interrupted, and we played till the little one was worn out tired and I could stuff him in the feathers for a long nap. And Bastet forbid the little furrball gots me curled in with him. He put ME to sleep too.  The chores never were finished that night.
     Later .....

     Y'all come.  And bring/send your neighbours and friends.

     Newbies/Characters are welcome too!

___________________________________

April - First Monday thereof. I'm back!

     Stormy day in SouthWoodsUSA™.  Way bad wind and rain and possible (they said) Tornadoes.
     Just as I started to post the latest on Buddy Bear's Cats' World's Blather Blog, we had a power surge, the warning we seem to always have for upcoming nasty weather,  the computer restarted and I had one big ole Redneck hissy fit.  I just knew that I had lost my post.  But, I forgot that Blogspot saves almost immediately after you stop typing for just a few seconds.  And since I have my browser set to reopen previously view pages the next time it opens, all I had to do was spend a half hour trying to get the damn ISP and their quirky modem to reboot together.  In the end, I left the thing burbling along talking to itself, took my weary butt to the feathers, curled the Bear (that's Buddy Bear, our little soon to be 10yr old Ragamuffin) in my arms and went to sleep.  Rebooting was a matter of unplug and replug power cords to the Modem and the wireless router.  Buddy helped!
     I'm told I slept through two more nasty/noisy/soggy storms.  Woke up after the evening news (which I'm sure I wouldn't have been interested in anyway), had a few sips of by then warm lumpy water, refilled my mug, fought off the Heathen's (that's the baby, almost 7yr old Tuxedo, Rowdy by name) attempts to drink said water down to the lumps, and went outside to take out the trash.  It was COLD out there.  Way cold.  At least, thought, the rain had stopped.
    While out there I noticed the two outsider girlkitties, Smokey and Miss Princess were at outs with each other and were sulking one in each end of the Cat Porch, their one outside crunchy bowl was finally free of those tiny little nuisance sugar ants, and the porch was half afloat with the back-wash from the drip-drip from the eave of the roof.  Doin my Kitty Daddy duties, I loved the girls, swept the porch, refilled the bowl, freshened up the girls room (read here 'converted, heated, laundry room') adding fresh dry food and water, and walked off without taking the dirty stinky goodness bowls in.  (I just now thought of that last item).
     All seems well outside now, nothing blown away, no trees blown down, yet there are Willow and Oak limbs and branches all over the acre.  Thankfully most of the remaining leaves were blown off and away, to where I do NOT know and certainly do NOT give a bit rats patootie, just am thankful they are gone.
     I did notice several of the surrounding neighbours' trash cans (tomorrow is Garbage Guy day here) had been flung about, lids missing, and contents strewn all over ..... this time, thankfully, nothing deposited in my part of the neighborhood.  Most all the loose debris is tactfully deposited down the road immediately in front of MY acre.  So be it.
     I do NOT do road pickup.  Not anymore!  Not with all these young whippersnappers ripping up and down the roadway on their two, three and four wheelers at all hours of the day and night, all living within 2 - 3 miles of said strewn garbage.  If the garbage gets in their way, THEY can pick it up.  County maintenance certainly does NOT pick up anything.  I've done my more than a few decades of picking up after someone else.  Now the task falls on other shoulders.  They wanna live in a dump they can.  My acre, other than having Mother Nature's droppings, is clean.  Thankyouverrymuch.
     Ok, bitch, whine and whimper time over.  (Did I tell anyone here that I do this quite often?  And that the thoughts, opinions, and foul language used here is/are/am MINE and all MINE.  I quote no one here but me!)  Enough of that.
     What did we do today?  Not diddly s#!(.  Went out on the Cat Porch when the first blowing storm came though with my hackles standing on end.  I'm sure most of you have heard or read descriptions of oncoming tornadoes 'sounding like a freight train coming at you.'  Well Bubala, I HEARD one today, and it passed just over my head ..... didn't touch down near or on us, but it was up there.  Winds were laying pines almost flat on the ground.  Several of the really small, young saplings DID lay down ..... they're not back up yet, so I imagine they were uprooted, or at least the taproot snapped.  Vertical rain, moving so fast it was like someone throwing rocks at you.  I thought for a minute or two that it was hailstones, but not.  Just hefty, fast moving rain drops.  Proof of rainfall is out there.  All kinds of little lakes and puddle all over the acre.
     We'll need the pontoon boat to get to the car tomorrow should M'Lady decide to make the trip to civilization for the 'forgotten' and 'just thought of' goodies we didn't pick up on the 2nd of the month.  But that's another tale for another day.
     I saw something out there today that I did not like, and I had to sit back in the corner and ask myself "Why are we being spared again?"
     Then, I asked myself "Why am I looking a gift horse in the mouth?"
     No answer for either question.  So I'll stop with this.

     I know it's not what most folks would consider read-worthy, and for those of you who DO think such, I will refrain from dropping my opinion of your opinion in here.  Read between the lines. :^)
     Just meanderings from the aged mind of theWizard they call Sergeant Pop, aka KnightOwl, the one the teachers called 'Tommy' even after me Da lit their fuses with the information that his only (he swore he couldn't stand another) son was NOT a 'Tommy' but a 'Roy'.
     Whatever!  Y'all come see us when you can, check out Buddy Bear's Blog, visit, if you will, our Cats' World's Forums, and if by chance you are on AbleMinds.com, check us out at SouthWoodsUSA™, our collection of forums there.  Of course our home is the website called Buddy Bear's Cats' World, and is open to everyone, cat lover or not.  The links to all our sites are located on the start page of the Web Site.
     Now I'll get off this keyboard so little Tegar, the creme coloured kitty can get back on to finish his nap.
     Y'all come.  And bring/send your neighbours and friends.
     Newbies/Characters are welcome too!

___________________________________

Monday - Just taking up the slack in here

            I'm back with a whole mess of gripes, complaints, and other assorted and sundry whines, whimpers, and boo hoos.  But before we get into those here's a hearty and supposedly happy  Good Morning one and all.  Here's hoping the day looks, and feels way better in your neck of the woods than it does in mine.  
     Another dreary looking, chilly, day here in the SouthWoods.  Supposedly a great day to start the week.  I have my doubts, but that's just my opinion.  And you know what 'they' say about opinions.  NO?  Well, 'they' say "Opinions are like a$$holes.  Everybody's got one."  Mine just stinks more so than most.  (happy now.  Learn something new every day!)
     Not to get into a favored debate this morning, but I'm thinking the grass is too green out there, and is a mite too tall for my taste.  That means, when this mess of storms has past and gone and all is dry outside, I'm supposed to get out and ride the little red engine around the acre like I can afford to spend near $5 a gallon for gas to cut the weeds and other foliage growing there.  And at that, do it most of the day, refill the gas tank, and do it all over next week again.  That ain't my way to grow old and weary in peace.  NOT!
     But that's just one man's complaint.
     As to other assorted and sundry gripes I might have this morning, I feel well supplied for a lengthy and quite boring blather here.  Mayhap we can find some photos to go with it ..... mayhap not.  We'll see.  
     Shortly after disposing of this edition of the Blather Blog, I'm gone to table ...... my pills are waiting, my tummy is rumbling, and I haven't had my morning dose of Earl Gray.  The puddytats are waiting too.  My escort service is purring and prancing at the door as I type.  'Little Yellow Fellow' (Tegar, the Cream Puff) and 'Big Spot' (Rowdy, the Tux) are antsy for a freshup and refill of the crunchy bowls and the water.  'Bubba' (Buddy Bear, the walking dust mop) and 'Ninji Kitty' (MikiCato, the house panther) are waiting in front of a cold heater (that they want turned on immediately, if not sooner!)  Must do my duties as 'they' see them.  The outside ladies, Miss Princess (aka Spooky, the hairy black basketball) and her  sissyfurr, Smokey, (the little grey tiger) have not been spotted out the window to the Cat Porch (read here, car port) yet.  Well, hopefully they are still abed in their boudoir (the laundry room at the back of the CP.)
     Well, your tough luck.  I had a whole diatribe of whine and rant laid out to dump on you, but, having mistakenly mentioned 'the table', which brought up the location of said table (the fun room, aka dining/living/kitchen type room), which contains the pantry, the fridge, and all the glorious goodies and stuff that makes this old Owl function, has caused a meltdown in the area of the belt buckle (damn noisy area that), and so, I shall make you wait until the next edition to know what has my dander up.
     On the brighter side, here's something I once heard someone call 'Eye Candy', what we 'normal' folk would call a picture ..... our picture of the day.

This, of course is the house panther, MikiCato astride his most favoured of all toys

the Small One found at the local flea market one summer day.

That cat guarded, and rode, that thing until it was in shreds.

I tried to re-cover it but it just wasn't to be.

It disappeared late one night while he slept in bed. He still searches for the thing.

Buddy never rode it but loved to try to get underneath it.

I guess he was just pulling maintenance on it ..... oil change and such.

     I'd like to add a happy Hi and Hello to an old friend that has been silent on the blogs for way too long, at least up until he dropped a comment and greeting on our last Blather here.  Eric Valentine!  Welcome back my Friend.  Hoping to see you back on the Blog and writing.  You have been missed.

     I'm gone!

     Later .....

___________________________________

Wednesday - Just Rambling On

     Not very punctual with my postings of late, am I?  Well, I never was dependable.  At least I was told that many times back when I could barely see over the edge of the dining room table.  Well, I couldn't help it.  No one told me the proper places for all the forks and spoons and glasses and plates.  Besides, my arms weren't long enough ..... then.
     Later, I was always busy with something else, a guitar, a harmonica, the old upright piano setting out on the back porch, then a bit later, the girls, the band, my drums, the girls, my new tenor sax, the majorettes, the dance band, the old Chevy Woodie Station wagon my Aunt let us have to haul the instruments and the girls in ......  well, we all know how it ended.  Off to college and the girls, the music, the dances, the stage shows, the girls ...... That ended in 1961.  That was  when I gave it all up and went off to war, made it to Germany, and fought a major battle, loosing the battle to a tiny Sicilian Lady. Got  myself hooked, I did.
     I put on my full dress blues, spit shined my low quarters, invited my platoon to the wedding, and couldn't believe it when they all showed up forming an 'Honor Guard' for the wedding.  That wedding was 47 years ago.  Hell, I still don't know where all that silverware and crystal and china goes.  I definitely know how to use it, though .....
     What does all this have to do with what I'm supposed to talk about this morning?  Nothing, actually, just thought of it and figured it would be a good lead in to the main subject.  Now, if I can just find my notes I'll see what the main subject was supposed to be and get on with the posting.  Like everything else I have gotten myself into this chilly spring day, this may be a loooong session.  Got your snacks and the cool one by your side?  How 'bout the lap robe (kitty to those who are NOT in the know).  Geez ..... wise up people.  Don't you know reading Blather Blogs is lots more fun when you have a cat on your lap?  Try it.  I'm thinking you will get a different outlook on life in general.  If nothing else you will definitely get a lap full of kitty hair.  This time of year it's flying everywhere.  You know, thinking about the cat hair all over the house and on the clothes and furniture, I am SO GLAD all the so-called friends I don't like are allergic to cats.  Saves me the trouble of having to be nice to the stuffed shirts and priss-misses.
     Don't worry, I'm not all that bad.  My 6 cats like me.  I can live with that.
     As I said before, this has been a long day, and the Spring cleanup and fix up tasks have taken much  longer than they did last year and the year before and ..... NO, it is NOT the age, just the mileage.  I'm thinking I need to take myself to the body shop for a overhaul.  If it wasn't for the fact I'm allergic to some paints, I would go for the full re-do.  Probably better I not have any changes made.  Wife and Cats are used to my looks now.  I'd hate to scare them with a new face.  It was hard enough them gettin used to the one I have.
     I have to admit here, that I don't remember what I was going to talk about, so I'm going to hunt up a couple pictures of the place, maybe a sunrise or sunset shot taken from the yard here at Five Oaks.
     I'm still trying to pull up the storage site I have my stuff and things on.  Seems the Web, and more than likely, my ISP has gone on a walkabout and forgot to take me with them.  I suspect I have to re-boot my modem.  Lots of that going on this Spring, especially with all the rain we're having of late.

     It took every bit of 5 minutes to reboot and refresh everything.  I'm liking the fact Blogspot.com saves as we type.  I would have had a major case of the mads if I had lost all these fantabulously intelligent thoughts and bits of wise and wondrous wisdom I've offered everyone here.  Not having lost anything, I think we can call this one 'Fini', and take a look see at what I found on the secret most private locked away photo storage site.  Mine, all mine, so there!

A SouthWoodsUSA sunrise back in January of 2005

That was a colorful morning

and again that evening as well. 

I only wish ..... well I did get some great looking shots

but what if ......

just a year, to the date later, I caught this sunset

Mother Nature does a good job of painting the sky

but she can pick some COLD days to do it.

     I have had a good day.  Hope you all have had the same, and will continue to enjoy the re-birth of Mother Nature's finest.  Have a happy rest of the week.  Get out and walk, and don't forget to take the camera with you.  You don't have to be a professional photographer to get some good pictures.  The memory of the shot is the thing.  

     I'm gone .....

     Later .....

___________________________________

Just one of our many Grandcats!  

This is one humongonous big guy

a very loving cuddlefluff

___________________________________