Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Just a silly post

Since I haven't finished any books but feel like sharing, this will be a hodge-podge post.

One for the "If only he'd gone the other way" file:


I did manage to snap a photo of the red-headed woodpecker sitting on that wire, just prior to his nosedive, but still . . . it would have been awfully exciting if he'd been on the other side of the line when he took flight.

Other sightings . . .

While eating out after swim practice, youngest son and I spotted a firefighter who looked like Stretch Armstrong before the stretching. Seriously. We did one of those silly dances around each other when I was headed to the drink machine and the firefighter was leaving. You know, where you're both trying to get around each other and saying, "Excuse me," but you can't quite work it out?

Once Stretch Firefighter had left the building, I commented to youngest that I'd never seen anyone quite so muscular in my life. Son said, "His biceps were as big as my thighs. That's unnatural. You think he's on steroids?" I said I think it's a strong possibility.

Not a great photo because they were a bit too far away, but an incomparable sight which I'll call "Pas de deux for red-tail hawks":


They were circling the trees adjacent to the student parking lot at kiddo's school. This was youngest son's last day of school, incidentally. He said something to the effect of "Yes!!!" when I picked him up. Think he's happy about summer break?

My husband is at a baseball game in St. Louis. Does it seem like he has all the fun, or is it just my imagination? Okay, sure, there are all those wonderful red-tail hawk sightings he's missing out on, but at least he gets to get out of Dodge.

Maybe I'll forgive my husband for planting the ugly pear trees if these turn out as good as they look:


We still don't have a single tomato on our plants, but I noticed we do have plenty of aphids. Maybe that's the problem.

This is unusual for me . . . TV chit-chat for two paragraphs:

I don't usually watch American Idol
because it just doesn't keep my attention until they get to the good part with less chatter and more great performances, but I tuned in on the last song sung by both Blake and Jordin and Jordin blew me away. I just loved it when she got all choked up; and, I'd love to know why she did that. Did the song lyrics touch her deeply? Was she nervous because it's getting so close to the end? Did she realize just how fabulous she sounded and get choked up because she knew? Inquiring minds want to know. And, what on earth was up with that Daughtry guy and the eye makeup??

I actually sat still through the show that followed, as well: On the Lot. It had a little of the dog-eat-dog aspect that keeps me away from reality shows, but I think I hung on because the process of film-making fascinates me as much as the end product. I just wish they'd show the short films that got those folks to the lot in the first place. I almost turned off the TV several times, though - every time the host (hostess?) showed up. Wow, was she annoying. Thank goodness she was only on briefly.

My cat seems to be having a serious relapse. She screamed when I picked her up (twice), she's been hiding under the furniture instead of sleeping in the usual napping spots on higher surfaces, and she went outside to lie on the driveway, apparently for the warmth (I was doing housework and had the air conditioner blasting pretty fiercely, at the time), but what's really bizarre is that she didn't want to come inside. Sunshine is usually terrified of the outdoors and only goes outside briefly to munch on weeds. I tried to call the vet but got a busy signal and then passed the veterinarian in traffic. I wanted to shout, "Wait! My cat needs you!" Tomorrow she's probably getting some pills, poor baby.

We're almost out of them, but still enjoying the Kinder Eggs hubby brought home from Europe. I'll have to photograph some of our favorite toy surprises, some time. Hubby discovered Kinder Eggs when he went to Germany (yes, without me - several times, in fact), many years ago. Ask me if I forget easily when the husband goes to the really good places without me. No, don't. You already know.

From my very first photo album . . . Can you tell which of these animals is not stuffed?

That's my childhood cat, Queenie, on the left. The puppy on the right was my father's toy and I can't remember his name, but he had jingle bells in his floppy ears. The teddy bear came from my grandmother's maternity store (it was musical; I drove my family crazy listening to it at night when I couldn't sleep - I've always been a bad sleeper) and the snake eventually became the mechanism for turning out the bedroom light from the top bunk in my dorm room. That loud bedspread probably goes a long way toward explaining why I turned out the way I did. Not pictured: the red, white and blue beanbag, my early reading retreat. I was mashed in between a wall and the bed when I read, but it was nice and squishy and I was thin. I loved being thin.

Enough chatter. I'm off to have a good soak in the tub. Nighty-night!

14 comments:

  1. I like your new header with the hawk, so cool.

    I didn't know you liked kinder eggs! I'll send you some any time you want.

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  2. Anonymous6:05 AM

    Love the pear picture.

    Can you imagine being Jordin in front of all those people? The energy must have been amazing. Jordin nailed that song.

    Chris looked weird w. all that eye makeup. I wonder if his marriage has survived his success. His lyrics are interesting.

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  3. Nik,

    Thanks. I may have to change that header out, soon, because I've since gotten some better photos. But, I was excited when that fellow flew over my head. He's actually a great blue heron. I don't know if he was down in the creek and I couldn't see him or what, but it was really unexpected!

    Yep, we love kinder eggs! It's getting a little hot, so maybe I'll take you up on that in the fall, when they're not likely to melt in the mailbox. That would be great, thanks for offering. We have a lot of fun opening them.

    Nancy,

    Thanks. We haven't had much luck with the pears - maybe they'll be worth eating, this year.

    No, I can't imagine what it must be like to be on stage, anyway, but to do so and know how well you're doing - that must have been awesome. She was getting a lot of what you could call "positive feedback" from the audience, wasn't she?

    I wondered the same thing about Chris - whether his marriage has survived. He seems like quite an egomaniac to me; I didn't like him when I saw him in the last portion of Idol and I like his music but can't talk myself into buying the album.

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  4. I think the pressure of that kind of competition was probably pretty hard for a 17 year old kid. She knows she's good, and the love from the crowd probably just got to her. She's so lovely.

    Is there anything better than the last day of school? I just loved that whole 'cleaning out my locker, saying goodbye to my favorite teachers, talking about summer plans,' feeling of utter freedom. I kind of miss that. Now summertime, is just more of the same...only hotter and more humid. :(

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  5. I *love* your pear tree! So gorgeous. Does it smell as wonderful as it looks?

    I always miss American Idol since I work every Tuesday night. My favorite contestants are always voted off before the finals; Elliott, Lakisha, Melinda.

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  6. We can get KinderEggs in Canada, so if you want some... :)
    And I got sucked in to American Idol too, sigh. I still think Melinda should have won, but Jordin will do.

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  7. Anonymous2:47 PM

    Uh oh. I hope Sunshine is better double quick! Pills. So much fun to give to a cat.

    I never have gotten into AI. Occasionally I listen to the hideous tryouts with delusional people (which is fun but a bit disheartening - people are that oblivious?) and the finalists singing.

    Great bird pix! I love your stuffed animals (and kitty). I had a purple (stuffed) snake as a kid. Slinky.

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  8. Kookie,

    I didn't realize Jordin is only 17! Wow. She's so poised and, yes, a beautiful young lady. I can't even begin to imagine the stress the Idol contestants go through. I sure wouldn't do it!!!

    The thing I remember enjoying about the end of school was the loads of papers they sent home, but that must be an elementary-school memory because I remember I was always thrilled to get my artwork. I never did take an art class after elementary.

    Tara,

    Thanks. The pear trees are actually quite ugly - although I can't fathom removing them, since they've become large enough to provide a bit of shade for the cars - and I don't recall a smell, even when they bloom. I wonder if it's just because that's a heavy pollen season and I'm too busy sneezing to notice. LOL

    I don't think I'll ever be a big Idol fan; we really tuned in to keep an eye out for House. We watch so little TV, around here, that we all seem to forget to tune in. And, wouldn't you know, there was no House episode. Sigh.

    Melanie,

    It's getting close to the nineties (fahrenheit), so I'll pass on the Kinder Eggs till a cool month, but thank you for offering!

    I don't remember Melinda. I tuned in a little, but I'm really impatient with American Idol; I like to watch the singing and that's about it. Last season, I kept watching from about the point that they were down to 5 - mostly because I liked Taylor and I loved that Black Horse and a Cherry Tree song that Katherine sang, but even then I could only stand watching for a short time.

    Carrie,

    Sunshine's not doing well, unfortunately. The vet x-rayed her and she has a 2-3 cm. lesion in her chest cavity. Damn. He's keeping her for the night and then I'll be dosing her with a combination of antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and prayer. She's a very sick kitty, but he said the protocol is the same whether it's a cyst, infection or a tumor so finding out the character of the lesion is not really necessary. Worst words: "It could go either way." I don't feel very much like doing a Wahoo post, today.

    The tryouts of AI are unbearable, aren't they? Yeah, hard to believe so many people are so deluded about their ability. I watched Carrie Underwood's tryout on YouTube, just a couple of weeks ago, and I thought it was really cute when she said, "I get to fly on a plane!"

    Thanks. I wish I could have gotten a bit closer to the hawks; they always take my breath away and it's unusual to see two of them flying together. Since I posted, I've been wondering what I did with that stuffed puppy. I'll have to ask my mother. He had a cute name and I can't remember that, either. I feel really old. LOL Funny that you had a stuffed snake, too!

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  9. Now I have to find out what a kinder egg is!

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  10. Andi,

    They're chocolate, egg-shaped shells (very thin chocolate eggs that are hollow) with a little plastic capsule inside. Inside the capsule is a toy and some of them are quite clever. I'll have to take a photo. I think we have exactly one Kinder Egg left.

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  11. I used to nag my mum for a kinder surprise whenever we went to the shopping centre when I was a kid. They still sell them in shops - my best mate once bought a heap of them to extract the princess toys they had in them. I say extract because she would just split them open and throw away the chocolate!!!

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  12. Acquisitionist,

    My son has been known to toss the chocolate aside to get to the little prize capsule in Kindereggs. I think we're all in agreement as to what is the fun part (the opening, not the eating).

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  13. I missed the American Idol finale but got to watch Latin American Idol in Mexico! That was interesting ;)

    Those pears look delicious! We have tons of tomatoes on our plants and they're all big, but they won't turn red...don't know why.

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  14. Chris,

    I didn't see the American Idol finale, either. I'm really forgetful when it comes to TV. I even forgot to watch House, last night, and it was also the season finale - it's typically the only show I watch.

    Our tomatoes aren't producing at all, this year. It's a weird year for tomatoes! And, welcome back. :)

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