Moose and Buddy Rabbit

College Aged Moose

2012-02-19T15:05:00.000-05:00

Pulled out the photo album and found a picture of college aged Moose. Thought I'd share. This was probably mid 1970's.

He was a skinny kid way back then.

Local Shopping; Not!

2012-02-18T15:01:00.000-05:00

The local printer cartridge refill shop must love to try andrip people off.

I have a Canon printer. It uses a cheap cartridge that I canget new on the internet for about $25. I can buy a 2 pack at Costco for $40.

Since about the only thing I print these days are Grouponcoupons, I figured I’d get a refilled cartridge from a local company. I’vebought those on the internet and never had a problem. Considered buying onlinethis morning, but I thought, “I’d like it today and I can support a localstore.”

I headed to the shop down the street; gave the counterperson my printer model number. She looked it up on her computer; said “Yes, wehave that. It will be $30.”

My mouth fell open. I told her the cost of a new one is $25.She simply smiled as I walked out the door.

Came home; bought 4 off Amazon for $27 and free shipping.

Near Boone NC

2012-02-17T17:29:00.000-05:00

There is a lake near Boone NC that we love. Really pretty location...

Role Playing At Psycho

2012-02-16T17:22:00.000-05:00

Moose got drafted a few years ago to help in a scene at the Psycho show...

Buddy Rabbit

2012-02-15T17:20:00.000-05:00

I'd rather lay under my bed than on it.

Old Barn

2012-02-14T17:10:00.000-05:00

An old barn from the Gatlinburg TN area.

Gatlinburg TN Area Fall

2012-02-13T17:11:00.000-05:00

Tree taken in fall along the Foot Hills Parkway near Gatlinburg, TN

Fall Scene

2012-02-12T17:06:00.000-05:00

Taken down

2012-02-11T18:39:00.001-05:00

I took down today's post. Figured I'd get a lot of flack for it at home. Back tomorrow.

Beaver

2012-02-10T16:57:00.000-05:00

Feeding the Ducks

2012-02-09T16:53:00.000-05:00

We love to go to a nearby lake to feed the ducks & geese.

Tulips

2012-02-08T16:55:00.000-05:00

Last year's tulips.

Winter picture

2012-02-07T16:51:00.000-05:00

This is from last year. We love snow and haven't had more than a dusting that hasn't stuck this year. But here's hoping....

Chili Burger

2012-02-06T16:47:00.000-05:00

Another favorite meal is our chili burger dinner. In a bowl, layer garlic mashed potatoes; a grilled, extra lean burger, homemade chili. Garnish with shredded cheese & French's onions.

Chicken wraps

2012-02-05T16:44:00.000-05:00

I love to prepare simple, fast meals. One of our favorites is a chicken wrap consisting of mixed salad greens, chopped tomato, grilled chicken, bacon & ranch dressing in a large tortilla. Easy & tasty.

Random picture 2/4/12

2012-02-04T16:38:00.000-05:00

Pictures from a trip to Gatlinburg TN.

Random picture 2/3/12

2012-02-03T16:32:00.000-05:00

I don't know where this came from, but thought it a cute moose. Not cute enough to buy, though.

MLK Day Rant

2012-01-16T14:39:00.001-05:00

Today is the Martin Luther King holiday in the USA.

It got me to thinking. Right now, gay people are probablythe last group in the US where people think it’s ok to oppress us.

I read recently a gay bar was raided in Atlanta. There arebeatings and murders of gay people on the streets. There is bullying of gaykids in schools to the point where the kids commit suicide.

All this is a supposed “Christian” country where the main ideabehind the religion is “love” and “treating your neighbor as you would like tobe treated.”

Also there is the gay marriage issue.

Now, I have lived with the same man for a long time. In May,it will be 21 years. We have a monogamous relationship; own a home together;and argue just like any other couple.

But the big difference is that we don’t have a piece ofpaper to say we’re a couple or that we’re married. That means, if somethinghappens to one of us, we can’t automatically make medical decisions for theother. If one of us dies, the surviving partner will have to pay inheritancetaxes on the home, the joint checking account and the joint savings account;even though it is jointly owned property that both contributed to.

Will lack of that piece of paper stop us from loving oneanother? No! Will our inability to marry prevent us from having sex? No!

When I did some research, I found that the reason governmentgot into marriage was to promote stable families which in turn promoted stablecommunities. Well, wouldn’t gay people in stable relationships add to stablecommunities?

When I hear bigots on TV screaming that the LBBT communitywants “special rights,” I think, “Wait a minute! The only ones here that havespecial rights are the heterosexuals with special rights granted throughmarriage.” We’re just asking to havethose same rights and protections.

When I die, it is fundamentally unfair to tax the man I havehad a relationship with for 21 years just so that he can keep the house we’vepaid for together.

When I hear people saying we shouldn’t have marriage, I thinkthey are really saying that they don’t approve of gay sex.

Guess what, we don’t have to have marriage to have sex. So, get over it. What will benefit GLBTcouples and communities as a whole is stability and equality.

Call it what you will, but GLBT people deserve to have the1000+ laws protecting their relationships that heterosexual couples have protectingtheirs.

My Thank you note to the Live It Up Podcast

2011-12-30T19:04:00.000-05:00

Background: I won a little contest on the Live It Up podcast. I sent them a thank you note for the prize. This is that note. I thought you'd enjoy

***

I promised myself that if I got any extra money this holidayseason, I was going to put it toward a new phone.

My old phone, Jeeves, a 3GS has been a faithful helper and companionfor several years now. He’s been terrific, always by my side and available fora quick Google or important text message. Jeeves is the closest a man of modestmeans, such as myself, will ever come to having a butler; thus the name.

But Jeeves was showing his age. His battery didn’t last aslong as it once did; his screen wasn’t as responsive to my touch as it once wasand he was getting a little slow.

When your check arrived, it put me within reach of a new 4S.I went to the Apple Store not anticipating the crowd that I found there, but Iknew what I wanted. I told the greeter; who added my name to a clipboard with along list of names of people waiting to see a sales person; exactly what I wanted:a 32 GB, black 4S with a case, extended warranty & screen protector.

She pointed to the wall where I could select a case &screen protector while I waited for the sales person. I had those items in myhand in no time.

The wait wasn’t too bad. The salesman, Jeff, introducedhimself and asked if I needed any information on the iPhone. I told him no andlisted the features I wanted. He punched that info into his iPod; asked whichcarrier I wanted; asked for my payment information and I was done; an easytransaction.

The hard part was to follow. At home, I plugged the 4S intothe computer to add applications, music and so forth. But the really hard partwas what to name the 4S. I thought that maybe I should go with something cute,or dirty, or… I just didn’t know.

I decided to keep with the butler theme. I thought andthought trying to remember a butler’s name. I thought of Mr. French, the butlerfrom “Family Affair,” but those kids suffered pretty gruesome fates; so Irejected that.

Then I thought of the most famous butler I knew. Batman’s butler…the ever faithful, ever helpful, the keeper of Batman’s secret identity… shit!What was his name?

Albert, I decided. I looked at the phone, but it didn’t looklike an Albert. Albert is a fat kid’s name.

I sat for a few more minutes. My brain kept telling meAlbert. It didn’t feel right, but I typed it in. My phone, Albert. A littlevomit rose in my throat.

I carried Albert all evening, playing Words with Friends,Tweeting, listening to podcasts. Albert performed flawlessly.

But later that night, I went to bed with a troubled mind.Maybe I was just having buyer’s remorse over Albert.

I tossed and turned finally waking with a start at 3:15 AM.

I thought, “Albert! Albert was the name of the actor, EddieAlbert, in Green Acres! He wasn’t a butler! And Albert would blab everything. Hewas married to that Gabor twin in that show! She’d leak anything in the worldto Boris Badinoff in a heartbeat! Hell; Eddie Albert would try to grow corn inthe bat cave!”

“Albert wouldn’t keep any secrets! It was Alfred! AlfredPennyworth! Alfred would keep Batman’s identity secret! Alfred would keep thelocation of the bat cave from the bad guys! Alfred would even clean up the batcave after Batman does the nasty with Robin!”

I rushed upstairs and renamed the 4S to Alfred.

Thank you so much for your assistance in getting Alfred. I’msure he will be my faithful companion for many years or until my contract runsout… or a newer more handsome model is introduced.

Buddy's Version of "The 12 Days of Christmas"

2011-12-14T17:58:00.000-05:00

On the 1st day of Christmas my true love sent to me:
a chew toy under a pear tree.

On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love sent to me:
2 bunny massages;
and a chew toy under a pear tree.

On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love sent to me;:
3 Ripe Cherries;
2 bunny massages;
and a chew toy under a pear tree.

On the 4th day of Christmas my true love sent to me:
4 willow wreaths;
3 Ripe Cherries;
2 bunny massages;
and a chew toy under a pear tree.

On the 5th day of Christmas my true love sent to me:
5 bales of hay;
4 willow wreaths;
3 Ripe Cherries;
2 bunny massages;
and a chew toy under a pear tree.

On the 6th day of Christmas my true love sent to me:
6 ducks a quacking;
5 bales of hay;
4 willow wreaths;
3 Ripe Cherries;
2 bunny massages;
and a chew toy under a pear tree.

On the 7th day of Christmas my true love sent to me:
7 stuffed toys;
6 ducks a quacking;
5 bales of hay;
4 willow wreaths;
3 Ripe Cherries;
2 bunny massages;
and a chew toy under a pear tree.

On the 8th day of Christmas my true love sent to me:
8 bags of blueberries;
7 stuffed toys;
6 ducks a quacking;
5 bales of hay;
4 willow wreaths;
3 Ripe Cherries;
2 bunny massages;
and a chew toy under a pear tree.
On the 9th day of Christmas my true love sent to me:
9 cardboard chew tubes;
8 bags of blueberries;
7 stuffed toys;
6 ducks a quacking;
5 bales of hay;
4 willow wreaths;
3 Ripe Cherries;
2 bunny massages;
and a chew toy under a pear tree.

On the 10th day of Christmas my true love sent to me:
10 shreddable phone books;
9 cardboard chew tubes;
8 bags of blueberries;
7 stuffed toys;
6 ducks a quacking;
5 bales of hay;
4 willow wreaths;
3 Ripe Cherries;
2 bunny massages;
and a chew toy under a pear tree.

On the 11th day of Christmas my true love sent to me:
11 bunny rattles;
10 shreddable phone books;
9 cardboard chew tubes;
8 bags of blueberries;
7 stuffed toys;
6 ducks a quacking;
5 bales of hay;
4 willow wreaths;
3 Ripe Cherries;
2 bunny massages;
and a chew toy under a pear tree.

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love sent to me:
12 baby rabbits;
11 bunny rattles;
10 shreddable phone books;
9 cardboard chew tubes;
8 bags of blueberries;
7 stuffed toys;
6 ducks a quacking;
5 bales of hay;
4 willow wreaths;
3 Ripe Cherries;
2 bunny massages;
and a chew toy under a pear tree.

... Wait! What was that last verse?

A Day from Hell

2011-12-06T18:10:00.001-05:00

Today was a crummy day at the ol' salt mine. Late yesterday, a server processor quit working. That server was a single processor box that is fairly old.

When we bought it, we were told, "oh, it's just a file server; so only put a single processor in. It doesn't need hot swappable parts, because it's not critical and we need to save money."

Famous last words.

Well a project that was due today depended on that server, and it sure became important to the person doing the project yesterday.

Anyway, a person on the team worked into the night trying to get the computer running, but found the doa processor. He called and located a company that could overnight the part. BUT, we have to get approval from 2 different departments for emergency purchases and they weren't there that late at night to give the approval.

The order had to wait until today; never mind the poor user that needed their files.

So today, we started the process to buy the part. We filled out forms to make the purchase. Got them signed by our director, logged in by the secretary and walked down to the purchasing officer, who, as luck would have it, was offsite for the day.

The request went to the desk of a lower level purchasing agent, who called to say the vendor had to have a credit check before we could buy from them. That credit check would require an additional 24 hours.

I Googled the part number & found another vendor, Amazon. Now, it was an Amazon affiliate, but the check would go to Amazon. I gave this information to the purchasing peon along with 10 pages of additional vendors. They found one to their liking and the purchase process was back on.

It went to our financial department next who moved heaven & earth to get the order processed. It was logged into another computer system and the money was allocated for the purchase. Next, it went back to our purchasing office for the signature of the director who, remember the director? Was offsite.

I took the piece of paper, hopped in my car & started driving; right after the purchasing peon told me, they had to fax it by 2:00 PM for the vendor to get it to fedex for delivery today. Also, I had no idea where I was going.

I plugged the address into my smart phone & with fingers crossed, started heading across town.

I got lost!

I knew I was in trouble when the mapping app started taking me on winding back roads through a warehouse district in the, well I'll say it, the BAD part of town.

But through shear determination, I finally found the place, It was a warehouse that looked like the perfect crime scene location from CSI.

I rushed in; took a while to locate the purchasing director; got a signature. 15 minutes until 2:00 for a 30 minute drive back to the office is the lights worked in my favor.

Abandoning the mapping software, I took another route back to the office. I was guessing that there had to be a more direct route since I had been near that part of town on bike rides.

I was right and got back to the office in 20 minutes only to find that someone had taken my parking space in assigned parking. I took a visitor's space, put my parking id on the dash, informed security that I was in visitor's lot & there was an asshole in my space. There referred me to the guy that writes the tickets, saying "If you don't tell him, you might get towed."

I found him; reported the issue. In his most official way, he grabbed his ticket book saying "I'll take care of this."

I didn't offer my car keys, so I figured it wouldn't include moving my car.

So next I was off to the purchasing office... in the next building...

I was 5 minutes late, but I'm keeping fingers crossed that the part will be there tomorrow.

Christmas Lights at Nearby Mall

2011-11-28T19:48:00.001-05:00

We walked around a nearby shopping mall called North Hills. I think they have some of the prettiest Christmas lights around. I shot a short video of those lights & hope you enjoy them.

In the last bit, notice the roses that are in bloom. It's pretty warm around here and yes, that was Pooh walking around in shorts & a t-shirt on November 27, 2011. It was that warm.

2011-10-31T17:00:00.000-04:00

Hubby wanted a hat. Here's our little shopping trip.

A visit to the Reading Market

2011-10-29T19:05:00.000-04:00

Recently, we went to Philadelphiafor a weekend visit. We got a chance to stop in the Reading Market and fell in love with it.

Here's a little of what we saw.

Fountain at Belagio video 2

2011-10-16T14:43:00.000-04:00

Fountain at Belagio video 1.

2011-10-15T14:43:00.000-04:00

Gray Fox

2011-10-07T20:06:00.000-04:00

I thought I saw some movement among the trees in the back yard. Grabbed the phone and shot this short video of a gray fox coming up to steal a bit of food.

It's a little dark, but hope you can see ok. BTW the tub that is in the picture normally has dog food. The back yard isn't too messy normally.

Retire?

2011-09-08T18:04:00.000-04:00

A co-worker asked if I planned to retire anytime soon since I now have 30 years in here at my place of employment. With 30 years, I’m fully vested in the retirement system and can get my full pension.

I told him that I really don’t know. I planned to work another 4 years, but so many things are beyond my control.

There are the possibilities of layoffs here and I’d retire before being laid off; hopefully with an incentive package to entice me into leaving.

But that also raises the question of whether I’d even want to live in North Carolina after I retire. NC is proposing an anti-gay marriage amendment to its constitution. If it passes, I don’t want to live here. There are a handful of states that have either marriage or domestic partnerships that I’d consider moving to.

As my partner and I get older, we are thinking more and more about the ability to make medical decisions for each other and inheritance rights. We don’t want to get stuck paying twice for the home we’ve bought together. (As an unmarried couple, we have to pay inheritance tax on the portion of the house that the deceased partner paid.)

On the other hand, if we stayed in NC, we don’t have to pay state income tax on our retirement benefits where we would in most other states. Also, our former employer pays our medical insurance if we stay here. They would pay if we move, but we’d face 40% co-pay for treatments, which would get prohibitive very quickly.

Speaking of health care, we have excellent health care here in NC in this region. Duke University and UNC Hospitals are nearby with excellent cancer care. Also Wake Medical Center has excellent cardiac care.

But again, we need to be in a location where we have rights. We’ve read about couples that have medical power of attorney and the hospital not honoring the power of attorney. It’s some crazy things happening in this country toward gay couples. If the amendment passes, it is worded in such a way that we may not have rights even with the Power of Attorney.

When we look at the list of states where we can marry, those tend to have pretty high cost of living. It will be pretty tough to get the pension to stretch far enough for us to live comfortably.

So many things to weigh in making this decision; I just don’t know what to do.

On the face of it, you would think this would be such a simple question, “When do you think you’ll retire?”

Moose and the IRS

2011-08-18T17:57:00.002-04:00

Dear, Gussy! I think I'm going to have a stroke.

Came home to a big envelope from the IRS. Thought to myself, "well this can't be good."

Opened it to see they felt I owed about $2K from 2009. Said my Mortgage interest didn't match what they received from the bank.

Well in 2009, we refinanced. They picked up the lesser of 2 statements from that year and billed me for their incompetence.

Well they don't know how meticulous I am with record keeping when it comes to tax stuff. I went to my file, pulled the 1098 form; (both of them); copied them and checked the block "I disagree".

Just got back from post office where I dropped this bombshell in the mail.

That still doesn't mean the incident is over. Maybe that's why my heart is still pounding.

Can they send me some money for adding stress to my life? I'm sure they took off at least 10 years.

A Brand New Thing

2011-07-27T17:14:00.000-04:00

After a million years evolution;
A billion trips around the sun;
I sit here with pen in hand;
To write a brand new thing.

A thought, a wish, or something cleaver;
Anything my muse reveals;
My only goal, let it be told;
To write a brand new thing.

Alas my thoughts escape me;
Not a twinge of prose from my muse;
I curse this day! This day set aside
To write a brand new thing.

Absence explained

2011-07-03T16:51:00.000-04:00

I haven't put anything on the blog lately.

Sorry about that.

Lots of stuff has been going on. Where do I start?

Let's see. We went to Nashville to see Les Miserable. It was the new production; restaged in London. It was a Christmas from my Hubby.

Obviously the plans were made months ago. We were to fly Southwest directly to Nashville on a Friday; see the play that night & have a relaxing weekend until a flight early Sunday.

Well I woke up that Friday feeling a bit quezy. Didn't think much about it. Figured it was just nerves. I'm not the best flier.

We flew to Nashville; checked into the hotel, the Hutton, and did a bit of shopping during the afternoon. Let me say this about the hotel. The Hutton was fabulous. Flowers in the lobby; lovely, big room. I'd live there if I had the money.

We went to the hotel restaurant for a light lunch. Decor modern; seating comfortable; new American cuisine. The only issue was that I had no appetite. Since I didn't eat breakfast, I decided to order a little something anyway.

When the food arrived, it looked great but the smell almost made me hurl. I pushed the plate away uneaten. Hubby wasn't happy since the lunch cost big bucks.

After lunch, we went shopping and sightseeing in town. Now hubby grew up near Nashville and if truth be told I think spent many of his wild younger days in the city. He lived there for a couple of years after college in which he admits to drunken debauchery.

Friday afternoon he showed me some of his old haunts. Places where he met a number of now famous musicians, but back then they were all struggling 20 somethings trying to find their way in the world.

The tour was a lot of fun. We filled the afternoon until it was time to head back to the hotel to dress for the theatre. After dressing, we took the limo to a small restaurant near the theatre.

Again, I wasn't hungry. Well, more than that. Food repulsed me. I ordered chicken soup ; took one bite and thought I'd throw up. Now homemade chicken noodle soup is usually a winner with me, but not that night. Hubby tried a spoonful and said it was delicious. Not to me!

We saw the play and it was delightful. I'd recommend it to anyone. This was the revised version from London. Gone is the turntable that spun props on and off stage. They simplified the sets and that allowed the audience to focus on the important parts of the scenery. Good production.

We went back to the hotel; got a good nights sleep.

We went out the next morning. Hubby wanted to take me to a place for breakfast that he went to as a kid. At the restaurant, I ordered a sausage biscuit; took one bite and couldn't eat any more. Could hardly swallow that one bite.

It was good, don't get me wrong. I just felt like I couldn't eat. We took a limo back downtown for some serious shopping. Hubby wanted boots and maybe a jacket. You know the type. Stuff that looks like one just finished herding cattle to a stockyard.

He found a jacket; worn, soft leather that was just what he wanted. No sale after seeing the price. There are small countries that operate all year for less than the price of that jacket. But it was beautiful.

After shopping he was feeling a bit hungry. We went to a chain restaurant to grab a burger. He ate. I ordered and threw the food away.

He was getting concerned at this point saying I had to eat. Last meal was Thursday night and it was Saturday. Still couldn't force food down.

After lunch, We walked along the street with lots of bars and clubs. The street was Broadway. We stopped into old record stores, junk shops and bars.

We found one bar with no cover and live music. The band played covers of 80's rock and a bit of country. They were good, the lead singer was pretty, it just felt right to spend the afternoon listening to them.

I ordered a diet Coke and was perfectly content. After a couple of hours though I noticed that it was really cool in there. I had to step outside to warm up in the 90 degree Nashville afternoon heat.

But still, we had a really good time listening to the band. We stayed until the band finished; called the limo and headed back to the hotel. Hubby went to the bar; I went to the room for a few minutes. I needed some warmer clothes.

I met him in the bar shortly thereafter. He had a nice glass of Cabernet poured. We met some lovely people and struck up a conversation. I was getting colder by the minute so I excused myself and headed back to the room.

Hubby found me a hour or so later bundled up under all the covers I could find in the room. I was burning up with fever but was shivering.

It was a rough night; kept waking alternating between hot and cold. But I was determined to beat whatever was wrong with me. I was going home in the morning and I knew I could wait it out.

In the morning I felt much better. Fever was way down; chills gone. I packed then we headed to the airport. Hubby ate breakfast at the airport before the flight. Me, nothing.

Flew back home and was doing fine until I tried to stand to get out of my seat. I doubled over in pain. I asked hubby to get me to the emergency room. We went right there. They took some blood; pressed my lower abdomen. More pain.

A surgeon came to me and told me the bad news. Appendicitis. But the good news was it was routine surgery and would be over in an hour.

I think he regretted saying those words. The surgery took three hours. The appendix had ruptured. When I woke up, He said it was really nasty and wanted to show me pictures. I couldn't handle that and declined.

So anyway that was my lovely Christmas present. Hubby was well meaning and I enjoyed the trip and the play. But the fates were plotting against me. I hope to get back to Nashville soon. It's a lovely city.

So if you have it in your heart, please forgive my neglecting the blog for a bit. It's been a busy spring.

Server; Finally seeing the large drive

2011-04-22T18:02:00.000-04:00

Got Win 7 in today. Loaded Win XP again. Then installed the Win 7 upgrade.

Now I see the drive array. Formatting it now and then will share it.

Finally good news w/ this project.

Server build update

2011-04-22T11:50:00.000-04:00

Feeling totally defeated by the Unix installation.

I ordered a copy of Windows 7 Professional. I'm waiting for it to come in.

I feel really good about the hardware build. The equipment has been running for a couple of weeks with the only down time happening when we had a power failure when the tornadoes move through our area a week ago.

As soon as I get the Windows license in, I'll pop that on the computer and will give another update.

Home server continued

2011-04-08T18:58:00.000-04:00

Got the FreeNAS installed on the computer.

The OS is building the drive array. Had been running for 2 hours and reports that it's completed 14.48%.

Kill me now!

Windows limitation

2011-04-08T12:45:00.002-04:00

So I ran into a Windows XP limitation when I tried to get the OS to see the drive array. XP Pro supports Raid, but has a drive limit of 2 TB according to the array controller manufacturer.

I deleted Windows and installed FreeNAS on the boot drive. I'm in the middle of configuring it now.

Wish me luck. I'm going to need it because I'm not used to Unix.

Building a home server

2011-04-07T16:50:00.000-04:00

I have been wanting to build a home server to house all my media files that have accumulated over the years.

I have an old PC that I no longer use that had plenty of drive bays. Well, how hard could it be? Right?

Here is the old pc.

Lots of wires in this thing. The power supply isn't very old, but I decided to replace the hard drive that will house the OS.

The chassis is one of the no screws needed models. Should make for quick work.

My SATA Raid 5 controller. I'm going to hang 4, 2 TB drives off this.

Bought bare drives so had to buy SATA cables. Since the chassis is old, I also had to get power converter cables.

5 Seagate Green drives. OS is 500 GB and the rest are 2 TB.

Drives installed in the chassis.

SATA & Power Cables connected to drives.

A cold beverage for the technician.

I had Windows XP Pro from the previous build. Pro supports Raid, so why not use it.

The Raid setup screen.

Windows installed and there is a utility to format the drives.

This was pretty easy.

You may be getting tired of pictures

2011-04-05T15:01:00.000-04:00

We went out on a boat tour on Tuesday, early afternoon. Thought I'd share some pictures.

More Pictures. Some of the Beach

2011-04-05T11:06:00.003-04:00

More pictures from Fort Lauderdale

2011-04-04T13:01:00.001-04:00

Here are more Florida pictures. I love the little Smart police car.

Interior pictures of the hotel.

Even more Fort Lauderdale pictures

2011-04-03T13:13:00.001-04:00

In Fort Lauderdale

2011-04-03T12:57:00.000-04:00

We are in Fort Lauderdale for a vacation. I just wanted to post a few pictures from the courtyard of our hotel, The Pillars. This place is really beautiful and the rooms are great.

They have gardens all around the place and the flowers are beautiful. We are on the sound side, but it's still really pretty.

Hope you enjoy the pictures

Rabbit getting a massage

2011-03-03T18:00:00.004-05:00

Bunny Video 3-1-11

2011-03-01T18:00:00.001-05:00

Bunny Video 2-27-11

2011-02-27T18:30:00.003-05:00

Various Thoughts on the Christmas Season

2010-12-19T15:19:00.002-05:00

Been thinking a lot about the holiday season and want to share some of my feelings:

It doesn’t matter the size or quantity of the gifts; what matters is the love you feel all year long.
It’s more important to have love in your heart than to have a Benz in the driveway.
No amount of gifts can replace the feeling of snuggling with a loved one in front of the fire.
A gentle kiss on the cheek can express more love than a thousand words.
Love is getting your back rubbed without having to ask.

Happy Holidays, Y’all!

Christmas Pictures

2010-12-04T16:10:00.000-05:00

Toy soldier in entry

Living room fireplace

Another toy soldier

Dining room

Living room tree

Toy soldier

fireplace

Console table

reindeer

entry

front steps

Frosty

Sleigh

Santa

Bedroom

Buddy Decorating

2010-11-28T08:00:00.005-05:00

It's a little dark but this is Buddy trying to help decorate. He's helping us place the tree skirt around the tree.

Outdoor Christmas lights.

2010-11-27T18:12:00.000-05:00

The first nights of our outdoor Christmas lights running 11/27/10

Video of the Play Date w/ Roger Rabbit

2010-11-26T15:27:00.000-05:00

On 11/26/10, Buddy went to visit a bunny that is up for adoption named Roger. This is a short video of Buddy & Roger's first meeting.

They got along pretty.

Roger is full of life, very curious. Buddy, being older, is way more reserved. But anyway, here is the video.

Zip line video

2010-11-06T21:10:00.000-04:00

When in Gatlinburg, TN, we went on a Zip Line tour with a company called Climb Works. They were great. I strapped a camera to me, but the footage is a lot shaky and very rough. If you can do the real thing, you really should. but here is the video.

Halloween Monsters Setup 2010

2010-10-31T15:18:00.000-04:00

Drive down Foothills Parkway

2010-10-26T08:00:00.002-04:00

Riding the chair lift down mountain

2010-10-25T07:49:00.014-04:00

Bunny snack

2010-10-24T16:45:00.000-04:00

My Father Sees a Ghost

2010-10-11T18:23:00.000-04:00

Today, I was riding my mountain bike through the woods. Alone, riding under dense cover my mind began to wander. I recalled a story my father told me when I was a boy that I’d like to pass along to you since Halloween is coming up in just a few weeks.

My father was a child of the Great Depression. He grew up on a farm, one of nine children. His father and the older boys grew crops and had a small lumber business. But when the depression hit, the lumber business dried up, so they had to make do with what little they could grow on the farm.

After harvest, my dad’s father grew ill. They didn’t have the money to pay for a doctor, but they didn’t think whatever he had was particularly serious.

He stayed in bed for several days trying to get well. My father, about 9 at the time, went with his brother to the field behind the house. They kicked dirt clogs and ran in the field for quite some time when they saw a man coming from the house toward them.

They stopped their running when they recognized it was their father.

“You boys get back to the house. Your mother is about to put dinner on the table,” their father called out.

“Yes, sir!” my father replied. They ran over to him.

“Are you feeling better now?” the brother asked of his father.

“I’m feeling really good now. You boys get inside and eat your supper.”

They ran in leaving their father in the field looking at the cleared land.

Sure enough, their mother was putting the food on the table. “Go wash up and ask your daddy if he feels like eat’in anything.”

The boys looked at each other. “What do you mean? Daddy is in the field out back. He said he felt fine.”

“Well, he’s still in the bed!” replied their mother.

They went into the bedroom and found their father had passed away that afternoon.

My father, to his own dying day, swore the story was true and so did his brother.

Just thought I’d pass it along since it was this close to Halloween and all.

A relaxing bunny video

2010-08-31T22:31:00.000-04:00

This is just raw video of Buddy getting rubbed and hopping around. He seems pretty contented.

A Little Christmas Slide Show

2010-08-25T12:00:00.005-04:00

It's early I know, but Christmas is only about four months away. So here is a little something to get you into the spirit early.

Halloween is fast approaching

2010-08-20T12:00:00.004-04:00

We love Halloween and it is coming up pretty soon. Here is a little slide show that we hope to scare you into the mood....

A little video of you know who...

2010-08-17T15:51:00.000-04:00

Fight of the Century

2010-07-07T08:21:00.005-04:00

A radio announcer's voice, "Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen and welcome to the big fight."

"It's the battle of the wills: Man vs. Rabbit."

"And in this corner weighing in at 9 lbs and 23 inches long, Buddy Rabbit. In the other corner, the Man: measurements unknown at this point, but he's pretty big."

"At stake, the man wants the rabbit to go to his pen to eat and sleep. The rabbit wants to stay out all night and play."

"Who'll win this battle of wills?"

[ ding - ding ]

"And there's the bell. The man approaches the rabbit and with a firm voice says 'Bed.'"

"The rabbit hunkers down for a back rub. The man gives a couple of rubs including a tickle to the belly. Again says 'bed.'"

"The rabbit, ears lowered, turns and snaps at the man but doesn't connect. He hops under the desk. What will happen next?"

"Still saying 'bed,' the man approaches the rabbit who hops out and hunkers down for a rub. The man falls for this. Fight delayed."

"A few rubs later, the man again says 'bed.' His voice is wavering; already showing signs of fatigue. The rabbit makes his first move toward the stairs, but fakes; running past the man back under desk."

"More coaxing, the rabbit comes out and moves again toward the stairs. He stops, looks at the man, tries his fake again but is blocked."

"We're in the hall now. Buddy Rabbit hides behind the curtain by sticking his head in but forgets his hide quarters. The man tickles Buddy's back and the rabbit is off. Threw a cat tunnel, tosses a toy and stops at the top of the stairs."

"He turns, cocks his head. More head scratches from the man. I think the rabbit should at least get points for being adorable."

"Ooops, I see movement."

"Sensing that this position is vulnerable, the rabbit hops down the stairs to cuddle with his stuffed bear."

"He's so cute, the man has to stop and rub the rabbit. Point for the rabbit."

"This might take a while, so let's take some time for a commercial break."

[ Commercials ]

"And we're back. After much rubbing, the man resumes his quest to get the bunny to bed."

"He repeats the word "bed" several times."

"The rabbit looks at him like he's crazy."

"Buddy makes general move toward the sun room and his pen. The rabbit makes some general movement toward his pen, but is down again for more back rubs. The man doesn't fall for it. 'Bed' he commands."

"Buddy reluctantly hops into the sun room. He looks at the backdoor as if he needs to go out. 'Bed' the man repeats."

"Buddy moves toward the pen. He looks in... But no! He goes under the curio cabinet. Score another for the bunny!"

"Wait, what's this? Buddy smells piles of food placed in his pen. Nose wiggles. He comes out to stare at the food."

"Buddy looks at the man. Gets more head pats. Hops into pen. It's over! The rabbit went to bed! All's well with the world!"

DADT

2010-06-10T19:30:00.002-04:00

I recently wrote my Senator, Richard Burr asking him to support repeal of DADT. Today, I received a response from Senator Burr and thought I’d share his view.

I’d like to jump down to paragraph 4 of Senator Burr’s letter and I will quote:

“I strongly oppose and condemn unjust discrimination and would not support a policy that encouraged harrassment against any American. At the same time, our country is currently at war, and any changes to our military personnel policies must be carefully reviewed to ensure they do not jeopardize the security and safety of our men and women in uniform, including the gays and lesbians who are currently serving our country bravely. For this reason, I do not support a change in policy at this time.”

Well, Senator Burr. When it comes time for you to run again for office I hope you will understand when I don’t give money to your campaign.

And Senator Burr, I hope you will also understand that I will no longer vote for you to return to Washington.

You see, Senator Burr, I also “strongly oppose and condemn discrimination.”

Hello, World

2010-06-10T12:50:00.001-04:00

“Hello, World!”

That’s the first thing that many programmers output from their first computer program when learning. At least that was the output back when I was in school.

“Hello, World” seems like such a simple thing to say, but it’s important in many ways.

It announces to the world that one is here and ready for the stuff the world throws at us.

So come on world! I’m here! Dish you your best!

A Shameless, Unsolicited Endorsement

2010-06-03T11:40:00.001-04:00

Howdy!

Dad and I started listening to a new podcast called Flat 29. Three guys talk about a single topic on each episode. It’s a fun, tongue in cheek take on various subjects mixed with music.

We’ve fallen in love with this podcast. The guys are really talented.

Please give it a listen over at http://www.flat29.com/

I think you’ll like it.

Hawk

2010-05-18T11:46:00.001-04:00

We saw the red tail hawk today. He’s a small one and the crows were chasing him away from the yard when we saw him.

He was still big enough to do some damage. We don’t want him to hurt one of the smaller birds in the yard or our precious bunny.

I feel really conflicted because the hawk is a beautiful bird.

To reward the crows for their hard work, we put out piles of peanut butter crackers. They love those.

It’s nice to fight nature with nature, but the crows are eating lots of food these days. Also, our mocking birds hate the crows. But for the most part, the wild birds seem to get along pretty well.

Our wild rabbit is living in the yard a couple of doors down from our house. As long as he’s safe and happy, we’ll keep putting out food for him too.

We have a lot of happy animals living around our house.

Rain

2010-05-17T10:49:00.001-04:00

Rain drops crash against my window pane mingling with the dust as they tentatively inch toward the sill.

The rain is a welcome sight. For too long, we’ve watched as the grass turns from vibrant green to sickly brown. But today, wilted plants spring back to life as they gulp the life giving water.

Slowly and steadily, the rain falls with little ticks against the pane. Its rhythmic music lulls me to sleep as I curl on the window seat.

Book in hand, my head too heavy for my neck to hold upright. Head falls on to my chest; I start awake to watch this simple miracle of nature.

Gray clouds block the sun as they slide silently through the sky. A wisp of wind blows more droplets against the glass causing the rabbit to perk his ears toward the sound.

Yes, some would be disheartened by the gloomy sky, but today it brings joy to my being. A quiet day at home with a loving family and the rain; what could be better?

allowance

2010-05-12T14:36:00.000-04:00

Maybe pets should get an allowance.

Here’s my thinking: I had to steal dad’s credit card last month to make a donation to the Humane Society.

I just need money for good causes like that one, so I don’t need much. I’d never be selfish and buy toys even though I love the pet toys.

Speaking of which, Dad, I need a new bunny rattle. I accidentally ate the willow ring off the one I have and then kicked the wood part into my litter box. It’s a little messy now.

I know; Gross!

But back to the main topic, maybe a weekly pet allowance. Set a little aside each week for a bunny to give to charity. After all, we give so much to the humans every day.

It’s just a thought.

Just a picture

2010-05-11T15:53:00.001-04:00

Just a quick picture post of a relaxie bunny. Have started 2 stories, but don't know where they are going just yet. They need a lot of work.

A Spring Day

2010-04-20T15:14:00.002-04:00

My mind is totally blank as I stare at the computer screen. I’d like to write something for the blog, but I’m at a loss for words right now.

I’d like to say something about how happy I am to be alive on these warm spring days; to say how refreshing it is to wake up to a brisk chill in the air; to say that I enjoy the warmth of the sun streaming in through the back porch as the day progresses.

The sight of azaleas bursting open, full of pink flowers, fills every nook and cranny of the yard. Fragrant blooms attract birds and butterflies as our garden awakens from its long winter nap.

The air is crisp without a hint of the humidity that saps one’s energy in the summertime here in the south.

But my muse hasn’t come to visit me today. Yes, I’m at a loss for words. They just won’t flow from my finger tips into the electronic ether.

Oh, but if that sprite would come, I could entertain and enthrall with witty banter.

But instead, my mind is filled with chirping birds, flitting butterflies and pink blossoms.

They distract me so.

So, please come again another day; a rainy day perhaps. Maybe the rain will drive my muse to my side and push away my distractions.

Even More Pictures

2010-04-15T11:58:00.003-04:00

Even More Pictures

2010-04-14T13:39:00.000-04:00

More Pictures

2010-04-14T13:34:00.003-04:00

Just some random pictures.

Buddy Pictures

2010-04-08T13:32:00.002-04:00

Getting my back scratched

Sleepy Time

Snack time

Chicken pose

Just a thought

2010-03-11T15:26:00.001-05:00

Do you love him?

That line appeared in a movie I was watching.

It’s a pretty heavy thing to ask, if you think about it.

Ode to a Peanut Butter Cup

2010-02-18T12:27:00.000-05:00

Oh, Peanut Butter Cup!
How you tempt me;
Your smooth peanut butter
Covered in creamy milk chocolate
Call out "Eat Me!"

It’s been six weeks;
Six long weeks since this diet began.
My resolve weakens before
Your gooey goodness.

Oh, Peanut Butter Cup!
You don’t fight fair.
From the tips of my ears
To the bottom of my ample bottom;
Every molecule of my being
Is drawn to you.

The crinkle of your wrapper teases.
It slips off with such ease.
That first whiff of chocolate rushes my nose.
No! No! I must resist!

Oh, Peanut Butter Cup!
Sitting there on your cardboard tray.
How innocent you look.

But not for long.

Wright Island Tale (part 2)

2010-02-09T17:07:00.002-05:00

Note: The first part of this story was back in August and can be found here. http://buddyrabbit.blogspot.com/2009/08/wright-island-tale-part-1.html

I don't know where I'm going with this. Just letting it kind of flow out of me. More later.

***

“Hi… you ok?”

Walt started at the sound coming from above him. He rolled over on his side groggily; squinting at the sun. He could make out the form of a man, about his age, standing over him.

“I… I was afraid you were hurt or needed help in some way,” the fellow stammered. “You looked dead.” His voice trailed off to a whisper.

“I must have fallen asleep,” muttered Walt glancing at the ocean. The tide was completely high. He must have slept for hours. “What time is it?”

“It’s about 1:30. I’m Barry, by the way.” Barry stuck his hand out to shake.

Walt felt his thick penis flop against his leg as he started to stand up. He had forgotten that he pulled his swim trunks off. He reached for them and quickly slid them on as he stood.

“Walt” he said extending his hand. He blushed slightly, “Sorry about the no clothes thing. Didn’t expect to sleep so long.”

“No problem. I was worried about you. Sorry to wake you, but you were so still.” Barry stumbled for the right words.

“Better safe than sorry. You surf?” Walt scanned the waves and thought he might be able to ride a few.

“No, I’m just up here walking. Wanted to get away for a while and clear my head. You go ahead.”

Walt grabbed his board, tucked it under his arm effortlessly, and trotted to the water. When the water was just above his knees, in one fluid motion slid the board into the water, landed on top and started to paddle out just as a four foot wave broke at the board’s nose. Automatically, he forced the board under the wave as he ducked his head and continued to paddle.

He broke free of the wave, gliding in an easy rhythm further out to sea. When he sensed he was in the right spot, he whipped the board around and almost immediately caught a wave. It wasn’t a wave that would win an award at a surfing contest. It was just a little six footer, but he milked it for all it was worth only to turn around and do it all again.

**

Barry wanted privacy.

He woke up that morning expecting to go to class but as he dressed, his stomach started feeling like it was tied into a knot.

He felt an internal turmoil that he couldn’t explain and didn’t know how to deal with. He should have been on top of the world. He was about to graduate from college with honors. He had a good job lined up. He just had one problem. He was in love with his roommate; his male roommate.

He didn’t know what to do. He hadn’t acted on his feelings, keeping them a secret. But every time he thought of moving out of the apartment and into his new life, he felt like he would throw up.

“Was he gay?” he wondered. He hadn’t had much time for dating, but he used a heavy course load as an excuse. He could be just scared about entering a new phase of his life, but he wasn’t sure.

All he knew for sure was that he had to get some time alone to think.

Barry decided blow off his classes and head to Wright’s Island, to the north end where it would be totally isolated. He knew that he could get his head together there.

**

Barry got to the island midday. The sun felt hot on his skin, so he left his shirt in his car. His lean six foot frame hadn’t seen too much sun having been stuck in classrooms for the last three years.

He’d set a goal of graduating before he turned 21 and he would graduate three months shy of his twenty-first birthday; for that he felt proud. But he hadn’t had much time to do social things that other people did in college. No time for dating, few friends, almost no parties. No, he had a plan that he stuck to.

He hadn’t counted on the handsome roommate moving in to share expenses during his final year. From the moment Barry saw him, he felt a longing he hadn’t felt before.

Barry saw a few people close to the island’s parking area, so he headed north. The tide was high, so he had to walk close to the sandy dunes. He knew that almost no one went up here. He’d most certainly have it all to himself to work out his demons.

He walked a long way before seeing the naked man lying between two dunes. He stopped not knowing what to do. He stood and stared at the almost perfect body lying ever so still. The man was darkly tanned with ropey long muscles stretching down to a perfectly sculpted butt. The man didn’t move and Barry just stood there staring.

He didn’t know for how long he stood there, but Barry decided that he had to meet the man. But how? It appeared he was sleeping, but he could have been in trouble.

Corporate Political Contributions

2010-01-22T13:23:00.001-05:00

I watch too much TV. I admit it. I really like watching courtroom dramas.

And if there is one thing courtroom TV shows have taught me is that if a lawyer, juror or judge is involved in some personal way with a case, that person has to step aside.

The Supreme Court just ruled that corporations can give and give large amounts of money to political campaigns. Now while I think that is not a good idea, the Supreme Court thinks it’s fine and dandy.

Who am I to argue with the Supreme Court?

Now in my opinion, since companies can give large amounts of money to campaigns, we don’t want any signs of our politicians appearing that their votes are for sale.

We need a new law here....

To avoid looking improper, if a politician accepts campaign money from a company, they should not participate in any way in voting for or against a law that might affect that company. Further, they should not even voice an opinion regarding that law while it’s being debated.

This non-participation period should run for at least two full terms from the time of the contribution and one term prior to the contribution.

Just a thought.

Moose

Refection on MLK Day

2010-01-20T11:11:00.003-05:00

Buddy’s dad here.

Monday was a national holiday here in the US honoring the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Let me start by saying that I’m an old guy, a child of the 60’s. I was 10 when Dr. King was murdered. I remember hearing the news broadcasts that he had been shot in Tennessee and the police were looking for a man driving a white Mustang.

It was over 40 years ago but I remember it like it was yesterday.

When I was little, I remember Iris, the first African American student to go to my elementary school. She was a pretty girl who came into my third grade class. I don’t remember any protests or issues at all. She was just there one day. We all played together at recess and ate at the same lunch table in the cafeteria. She was another kid, really no different from me.

The next year, another African American student entered my class and soon the schools were fully integrated. The county made the former black high school the middle school and I went there along with all the other seventh graders. From a kid’s perspective, all seemed to go pretty smoothly.

As a kid, I watched the nightly news with my parents. I saw video footage of riots in the streets in big cities. There were marches on Washington, fires and violent protests in cities that seemed so far away.

But it wasn’t just the African American community that was protesting. College kids were protesting the Vietnam War. There were people protesting at the presidential convention in Chicago. Women were protesting demanding equal rights. It seemed like everybody was upset about something.

There was violence. Every night on the news showed more: film footage of the carnage in Vietnam, footage of various protests, cities with whole blocks burned during riots. It seemed like it would never end and it was scary.

I seem to remember hearing Dr. King’s I have a dream speech broadcast on TV one night. It could have been a film shown in school, but I don’t think so. If you’ve never heard it, I would encourage you to listen to it on the web. It’s amazing.

Even as a little boy, I understood what he said. I heard the truth he spoke. I heard the passion in his voice. His words brought clarity to a frightened little boy that prior to those words didn’t understand why all the adults were fighting.

To say Dr. King was a great man may be the understatement of the century. He was a leader who could express the injustice we felt in our hearts. He could stir passion in his listeners and prompt people to try to right wrongs. He didn’t listen when people told him to be patient; that justice would come in time. He promoted peaceful protest and led people to take charge of their lives and their futures.

He is someone that I wish was here today to lead us. His wisdom could help this country in so many ways now.

Back in 1968, a murderer robbed the people of the United States of one of its most valuable thinkers of the twentieth century. We so need him today.

The Wren

2010-01-19T13:23:00.001-05:00

Monday was warm, even fairly early in the day. Sun shown through the bare branches of the few trees that dotted the parking lot of the shopping center that housed Brueggers Bagels in North Raleigh.

We sat at the table beside the big plate glass window in the front of the bagel shop. A little brown wren caught our eyes as he stood on the sidewalk watching the world go by.

He stood there as cars pulled into parking spaces. He stood there as people passed by. He even stood there when a man walked his dog (on a leach) just a couple of feet from him.

His head turned from side to side as taking it all in. He watched the people, the dog and the other birds. He didn’t seem phased by all the hustle around him.

This was his place and his time. The wren would duck under a sidewalk table from time to time to snatch a crumb, but for the most part, he just stood watch.

Most of the people didn’t even notice the wren. They were too busy shopping or talking on cell phones, but the wren saw them. And silently, he stood his ground and watched.

Pooh Balls

2009-12-29T15:43:00.002-05:00

Sometimes life gives you cherries. Other times, life gives you lemons.

But what do you do when life gives you little bunny pooh balls?

That’s what I’ve been wondering lately. Buddy Rabbit, who for his first 3 years in our home, has been wonderful. He poohed in one corner of his pen or outside in one spot, but for the last couple of days, he has been going wherever he wants to and it has to stop.

We gave him a lecture yesterday and banished him to his pen early. He poohed all over the pen last night, even on his bedding. He normally doesn’t do that.

Is there a bunny psychologist out there that can offer suggestions? Is he unhappy? Is he trying to tell us he doesn’t like his Christmas gifts? Or is he just getting old and can’t quiet make it to his regular pooh spot?

I’m beginning to relate to getting older. With 2010 fast approaching, I’m feeling my age more and more. Little aches and pains are magnified with each day and drop in the temperature.

My formerly thin body has added four inches to its waistline that for the life of me I just can’t seem get rid of. And every time I pick up a book, I have to grab reading glasses just to read the title.

Why didn’t my high school coach and health-ed teacher warn us about this phase of our lives. No, we had to learn about the evils of smoking pot (which, Coach, isn’t so evil). We had to learn about evils of alcohol (better to teach us moderate drinking, Coach).

Coach should have warned us about achy joints and middle aged spread. Of course, back in high school I never dreamed that "erectile dysfunction" would be a nightly discussion on TV.

But I guess we are lucky in some ways. As animals, humans are one of the few species that can die from old age. Maybe Buddy is just getting old. He’s three and a half which might be old in bunny years. Maybe he just can’t control his bowels the way he used to.

Nah! He’s more likely to be unhappy with his presents.

Just too Cute

2009-12-27T19:16:00.003-05:00

Found a use for the new bed; No, not laying on it but snuggled beside it.

More Pictures

2009-12-24T13:40:00.003-05:00

Kitchen before open house

Living room

Other side of living room

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-23T08:32:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas!
From:
Moose, Pooh Bear & Buddy Rabbit

More Pictures

2009-12-22T09:44:00.002-05:00

Kitchen mantle

Buddy's tree, His pen is below the windows

More Pictures

2009-12-21T10:23:00.003-05:00

Toy Soldiers guard the entry

LED Star Bursts line the roof

Wire Frame LED toy soldier near Sleigh

I strung the lights around the entry.

Covered garage door

More Pictures

2009-12-18T09:10:00.003-05:00

Frosty

Santa & sleigh

Lights on the stair railing

Buddy under the tree

More Pictures

2009-12-17T08:46:00.003-05:00

The outside of the house.

The red living room tree.

From the entry, the living room tree

A shot of the dining room.

Another angle of the dining room.

More Pictures

2009-12-16T08:59:00.002-05:00

Dining room tree detail

Dining room tree

Buddy sitting in glow of tree lights upstairs

Another picture of a toy soldier

More Pictures

2009-12-15T09:53:00.003-05:00

Arrangement in the living room

Toy Soldier

Another toy soldier

The red living room tree

A few Christmas pictures

2009-12-14T08:56:00.005-05:00

Buddy's eye view of the living room tree

Buddy under the living room tree

Master bedroom tree

Rabbit Picnic

2009-11-03T12:01:00.004-05:00

The pink apple blossoms bloomed high in the trees on this one particular warm spring day. Each breeze carried their fragrant perfume to the noses of the inhabitants of the park. And inhabited it was.

Many different type of furry critter hopped, ran and made their home here. The occasional human passer-by seldom noticed all the life around him; too self absorbed with cell phones and mp3 players to notice the music of Mother Nature that filled the park.

But the animals noticed their human visitors. They watched the strange habits of the people. One most curious activity was eating. A group of humans would spread a blanket on the ground, cover it with food and eat. A picnic, the humans called it.

The squirrels became masters of the picnic. A run close to the humans with a stop, a stare and a quick shake of the tale would elicit an exchange of food. Crusts of bread, cookies and other delicacies casually tossed to the hungry beggars.

The birds noticed too. They quickly learned that a well placed coo and waddle on the ground would earn them a tasty morsel.

But hiding from the safety of the bushes, the rabbits observed also. Naturally timid creatures, they didn’t want to make a spectacle of themselves. Full of pride, they didn’t want to beg for treats. Ever mindful of the humans, they just watched from their safe perches.

But this warm spring day, the rabbits held a meeting. They gathered in a seldom used corner of the park early that morning. They came in families. They came by the clan. They came by the hundreds.

They came from far and wide to meet with the bunny king who thumped his big hind leg, calling the meeting to order.

"No longer should we hide and cede our home to the humans. We should gather in the open for our own picnic. We should reform bonds and play and rejoice this lovely spring day together."

The rabbits looked at one another unaccustomed to not hiding. The king continued, "Our shear numbers will protect us. Let us declare this day Rabbit Picnic day."

For too long, the rabbits felt like second class citizens of the park. They had been relegated to the bushes and burrows, always hiding, always fearful. But that day they pricked up their ears in solidarity.

They’d have their own picnic at high noon in the center of the park. The rabbits scurried back to their own sections of the park to gather the food for the picnic.

Now with such a large park, not every rabbit got to partake in vegetation from other areas. Some families gathered tender dandelion greens. Others had stored away bits of dried apple from the previous fall. Each family brought to the picnic foods from their area.

At noon, the rabbit families began to gather at the park’s center bringing their contributions to the picnic. There was every kind of food the bunnies could imagine, from sweet berries to bitter kale; a true rabbit feast.

There were big bunnies, small bunnies, light bunnies, dark bunnies. Every size and color rabbit came to the picnic.

The rabbits played out in the open. They ran and chased. They played leap bunny and hopped a rabbit dance. They gathered by the hundreds knowing together they’d be safe and protected.

It was a sight to be seen. Not only did the other animals in the park take notice, but the humans too. Embolden by their sheer numbers, the bunnies accepted morsels from the humans who laughed with glee at the sight.

The squirrels noticed the humans giving food to the bunnies. They became enraged because the rabbits were taking food that normally they would have.

The squirrels decided to mount an aerial attack. They climbed trees and started dropping acorns on the bunnies below, but the rabbit fur was so thick, the nuts just bounced off. The rabbits continued to party below.

Next, the squirrels decided to mount a ground attack. They tried to break into the group of rabbits, but the larger rabbits faced the squirrels head on. Since the rabbits were twice the size of the squirrels, they simply chased them off. Most of the rabbits never realized there was a problem.

The humans laughed at the sight and tossed more treats to the brave bunnies. The picnic continued until almost dark.

At the end of the picnic, the rabbits reluctantly parted, but they carried with them a new found freedom. They’d watch out for one another and not hide as much. They’d gather early in the mornings and late in the evenings to share food and play. They’d thump warning to one another if they spotted danger.

They realized that together they could defeat foes and that their foes would not always be apparent. Some that should be on their side would sometimes turn on them to advance their own selfish gains.

So the next time you’re in a park on a warm spring day, look for the bunnies eating and at play. And if you’re lucky, you may just stumble upon a bunny picnic.

Misc Pictures and Stuff

2009-10-08T09:57:00.006-04:00

I'm going to post some misc pictures today. Hope you don't mind. I'm also going to try to caption them so they make a little sense.

These four pictures are from our yard sale that we had last weekend. Dad2 likes to collect monsters for Halloween. And he expects me to guard the house while these things are in there. At least he put these up for sale. He sold the witch, mummy and most of the small stuff. We still have that yucky zombie though. He gives me the creeps.

Here are a couple of pictures of me. I have a favorite toy, a rattle, that I push & toss around. It stays in my night-time pen for those times in the middle of the night that I want to play a bit. I like to run around the house more. I have more toys in the upstairs hall, plus there are magazines and books to tear up. Fun, Fun, Fun!

Last is this picture that we took the night before the full moon. 10/9/09. We just thought the moon was pretty.

Exorcising Demons

2009-10-07T12:28:00.003-04:00

I’m sure some people think I’m a little crazy after reading yesterday’s blog.

Yes, I do talk to Buddy; in fact I tell him things that I don’t tell anyone else. But since he hasn’t divulged a secret in the last three years, I feel pretty good about talking to him.

I consider Buddy to be my own cute, albeit furry therapist. I just wish he could talk back sometimes.

But yesterday morning when his brown eyes looked at me, the entire blog post popped into my head. Maybe he does communicate in his own way.

I have to admit that I’m feeling guilty about not spending more time at home. What can I say? This work thing is getting in the way.

I promised myself years ago that I would balance my life between work and family but I’m finding that really tough these days. My job is demanding more and more from me; mainly because of these tough economic times.

But back to the balance issue; when I was a kid, my father spent a lot of time working. He had his own business and put in long hours. Also, he went on business trips for four days at a time every two weeks. I didn’t see him much.

At six years old, I didn’t understand the sacrifices a man in the 1960’s made to provide for his family. All I knew was that he was gone a lot. In my mind, I questioned whether he loved us because he wasn't home. Also, when he was home, he wasn’t there for us electing to nap on the sofa in front of the TV, but that is a different issue.

I grew up during a time when TV showed an idealized family. TV families were represented by the likes of June Cleaver who wore the perfect dress while cooking dinner for Ward who walked in precisely on time each evening. It was precocious Beaver who was the screw up in the family. But no matter how big the problem, it was always solved in 30 minutes.

I recognized pretty early my family wasn’t like the Cleaver’s. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not blaming TV for anything. That reference is just there for comparison.

But "Leave it to Beaver" made me want to redirect my life. When I went to college, I considered working for newspapers as a writer. I worked at my local newspaper for two years prior to college and loved the work.

But remembering the Cleaver family steered me toward a job that would allow me to have regular 9-5 hours with weekends off. That original career path wouldn’t have had weekend work or nights on call or odd hours in the office.

That worked well for my first 25 years with this company, but a few years ago the company reorganized and my hours changed a little. At first it was no big deal. A weekend now and then, but I was given time off during the week to compensate. It still allowed for balance; lots of free time for my hubby and our child/pet, Buddy Rabbit.

But then this damned recession hit. A second shift was added but not enough people were hired to cover all the time. Soon that balance between work life and family life went out the window.

Unfortunately, I feel stuck in this job because I’m so close to retirement that I don’t think I can leave. I just didn’t know how bad my lack of balance got until Monday night when I walked in at home and Buddy ran from me.

For a moment, he didn’t know me and it broke my heart. I spent a long time playing with him Monday night and that jogged his memory, but I still knew that somewhere along the line I had turned into my father. I had turned into the man that is away from home. I had turned into the man that didn’t have much time to spend with his child (even if that child is a rabbit).

Yes, Buddy is a therapist in a lot of ways and right now he’s convinced me to re-evaluate my life once again. He told me that I have to regain the balance in my life because family won’t wait for me. Without change, I’ll just be the absent, forgotten man that sleeps in the house with them and that’s not the way I want my family to remember me.

A Conversation between Buddy & Moose

2009-10-06T14:46:00.002-04:00

"Good morning, little guy! I hope you slept well," exclaimed Moose as he entered Buddy’s bedroom at 6:00 AM.

"Hey, Dad!" replied Buddy as he happily jumped around. "So glad to see you!"

"Hope you slept well," reaching down to pat Buddy’s head. Moose spied the red bell pepper he bought at Kroger the previous night. “Are you hungry? I see you didn’t eat all your dinner last night. I bought you red bell pepper. It’s nice and sweet. I thought you’d like it.”

Buddy smelled the bell pepper and pushed it out of the way. "Don’t think I want any of this. No offence."

"None taken." Moose placed the pepper in the trash. He got some salad greens out of the refrigerator and a few blueberries, Buddy’s favorite. He carried them back to Buddy who was sitting up quietly.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Bud?"

"Do you still love me?" Buddy asked softly.

"Of course I do!"

"But you haven’t been around much for the last few weeks." Buddy’s soft brown eyes scanned Moose’s face searching for an answer.

Moose was crushed. "Honey, I’ve been putting in a lot of hours at work. That’s all. I’d much rather be here with you."

Moose had not had a day off from work in 2 weeks and wasn’t scheduled for time off for another 4 days. He’d worked at least 10 hours every day and as many as 14 on some. He was exhausted, but felt guilty that he hadn’t spent more time with Bud.

By the time he got home from work on several days, Buddy was already in bed. He missed the time he usually spent playing with the little fellow, but he knew that Buddy needed his rest.

"Dad, why do you have to work so much? Why can’t you be home with us?"

Moose looked at Buddy as he patiently replied, "The company doesn’t have as many people working there as it used to. Those of us left have to do more. There is a lot of work to be done, but not as many people to do it."

"Why doesn’t the company get more people?"

"They are trying to save money. If more people work, the company has to pay more money out. They feel that can’t afford it. In my job, they can require me to work extra without giving me more money."

"But we need you here..." Buddy pleaded.

"I know, but we need the money I get from working to buy the food we eat and pay for the house."

Buddy thought for a moment. Moose reached down and scratched the back of Bud’s neck.

"Ok..." Buddy finally said, reaching for a lettuce leaf to munch. He didn’t feel entirely satisfied by the conversation.

Moose hung his head, his heart breaking and headed toward the door. At the door, he turned. "See you tonight, Buddy."

"Tonight, Dad!" Buddy replied as they parted for the day.

Picture post

2009-10-05T17:27:00.003-04:00

A couple of picture of Buddy. He likes to attack feet.

Bunny Pictures 9/30/09

2009-09-30T09:18:00.004-04:00

Here are a couple of bunny pictures that I thought you might like.

Sunday on a Bike Trail with Moose

2009-09-28T08:06:00.007-04:00

Hi and thanks for stopping by. We had a low key weekend.

It rained for most of last week which forced us indoors. Normally, we love to be outside in the fresh air and sunshine. We ride our bikes, walk around a nearby lake, work in our yard and play with our rabbit who doesn't really like the outside as much as we humans do.

It's funny, but we have to force Buddy Rabbit to stay out for an hour a day. He takes that time to use the bathroom and run a bit, but he wants to go back in the house pretty quickly, even if we're outdoors. He spends his time outside thumping his displeasure.

Yesterday, though, I left Buddy inside the house. He likes to snuggle under the computer desk and nap during the day; so he was happy.

In North Carolina during the fall, it seems we get a lot of rain. We get very little during the summer months, so we need the water by September. But I hate rainy fall days. They are gloomier than when it rains during the summer. Also, during the summer rains, there is the possibility that I can be entertained with an occasional bolt of lightening and roll of thunder.

We still get a bit restless though being closed up in the house and after a solid week of rain, cabin fever set in. But the rain finally left by about lunch time on Sunday.

To celebrate, I grabbed a quick sandwich from a nearby shop then headed out to the bike trails.

My favorite bike trail follows a creek through a low lying area. Most of the trail is paved, but dirt accumulates in spots from flooding of the creek. Erosion adds the mud because the trail is much lower than the neighboring subdivisions. My point is that, after a week of rain, the bike trail was very messy; wet, dirty, muddy with spots of standing water. It was perfect for a dirt loving country boy.

The only real issue with riding in such wet conditions is the snakes that normally stay closer to the creek were out on the trails seeking the safety of higher ground. There is nothing like running up on a copper head unexpectedly to put a tinge of fear in me.

With all the water on the trails, the ride was a bit steamy so I ripped my t-shirt off to cool down a bit after riding about six miles. The sun felt good on my back as the mild September air cooled my chest as I continued to ride.

Like I said earlier, the trails were pretty wet, but the knobby tires on my old mountain bike gripped the dirt and in many places, mud; flinging it in wild abandon back on me and the bike frame. I didn't care. I was just so happy to be back on my beloved bike and on these trails I've ridden hundreds of times; I didn't mind looking like a mud monster.

It was a great ride, but I couldn't help to think about the coming months. Months where it will be too cool to ride outdoors. Months where it will be too dark when I get off from work to ride. Months where I'll have to get my exercise in the confines of a gym. But Sunday on the bike trail was a little piece of heaven, even if I did get pretty dirty.

Walker House Mystery (part 6)

2009-09-26T15:29:00.001-04:00

Then she looked at the floor. The boards were buckling and heaving. The house shook violently. It grew darker in the house every moment, she tried the door knob again, but this time it opened. She ran, as best she could with only one shoe, back to her car.

The wind had picked up and tree limbs fell around her car. She put the car in gear; she thought reverse. But the car lurched forward and rammed the porch. She felt the front wheels lift up as the hood pierced the side of the house. The roof of the porch collapsed on to Leslie's car as the car came to rest at the foot of the interior stairs.

Leslie was shaken up, but she pulled herself together enough to crawl out the passenger door. She stumbled from the car, not hearing any sounds. The limbs had stopped falling. All seemed eerily quiet as smoke began to pour from under the car's hood.

Leslie made it to the road and sat there in a daze until the buyer drove up and called the fire department and police.

By the time the fire truck arrived, the house was fully engulfed in flames and the roof had collapsed. Leslie was still badly shaken and made little sense when the police chief asked her what had happened.

She babbled about the house locking her in and shaking. The officer had heard the ranting of a drunk before, but he didn't smell alcohol on Leslie's breath. He figured that he would have to get the details tomorrow.

He had one of his men take Leslie back to her home. She lay on the couch for a long time to collect herself. As she lay there, the events of the last few days raced through her mind. She felt she had to calm down, so she went into the kitchen to pour a glass of wine.

As Leslie pulled a wine glass from the cupboard, the kitchen door slammed shut behind her and all the lights went out.

A neighbor heard a scream come from Leslie's house, and thought she had the TV awfully loud. Then the neighbor went on her way.

(End)

Walker House Mystery (part 5)

2009-09-26T15:16:00.002-04:00

Nick told her about getting locked into the house and the door knob burning him. Leslie glanced back at the old house. The door stood open. Together they went back to the porch. All looked normal. There were no sounds.

Leslie still paid Nick a bit for removing the one shrub and a bit extra. They agreed that it was best to call it quits on the house repairs. They parted ways.

Leslie went back to her office and listed the property on the company website. But she couldn't forget the strange events. She went online and queried the building's address. Some old newspaper articles popped up.

She found that previous owners had called the police to report strange things with the house, but the police never found anything. There was the murder in the 1970's. Those people had been the ones to remodel the house. She even found their original permits for the job. She also found that a bar fight in the 1920's had resulted in the death of the owner who converted the house to a speakeasy.

She dismissed all the articles as just coincidence. It was her job to sell the place and collect her commission, which she needed badly.

She put the Walker house out of her mind and went home for the evening. She didn't think about the place for several days until she got a call from a real estate speculator. He thought he might be able to use the land for some condos. She agreed to meet him at the property to show him around.

Leslie went to the property twenty minutes ahead of time. She had to look around to find something positive about the place. There must have been something there she could talk up to the prospective buyer.

She went back into the house; not with the idea that anyone would live there. She looked around for architectural elements that could be salvaged before the house was torn down. Those salvage items would be money in the buyer's pocket above the sale of the condos. Who knew, she could maybe be the listing agent for the condos as well.

She felt pretty happy at the prospect of making a good bit of money as she walked through the house, forgetting all that had happened to both her and Nick during their previous visits.

She made note of the few items in the house that she thought could be salvaged. The remodel in the seventies had removed any of the charming items usually found in Victorian styled houses as old as this one.

She thought that if not for the remodel, there might have been a chance that a new owner wouldn't plan on tearing the place down. Just as the thought crossed her mind, the light streaming in from the windows grew noticeably darker. "Just a cloud," she thought. She continued to her search as the front door slammed behind her.

Leslie, jumped, remembering the previous incidents. She called out thinking maybe the buyer came early. No one answered.

She took a step closer to the door, but the floor boards creaked loudly under her feet. They suddenly felt weak and sagged noticeably under her weight. With her second step, the board snapped catching her foot as it went through into the crawl space below.

Leslie yanked her foot out of the hole, losing her shoe and cutting her foot on a nail that happened to be there. A tear rolled down her cheek as she felt the pain. With her heart beating wildly, she rushed back to the door finding it stuck.

In desperation she cried out, "I hope they do tear this place down and soon!"

No sooner than the words left her lips, she felt the old house shake. She knew that there were no earthquakes in that part of the country, but that was exactly what it felt like. She glanced around with wide eyes to see if the house was really moving. Her back to the door, she saw the dishes topple out of the curio on to the floor.

(Cont)

Apology

2009-09-23T12:41:00.002-04:00

Please accept my apology. I have been super busy and have not had the time to write more on the mystery that I started.

Some may be aware that we decorate a lot for Halloween and that consumed all of Saturday. I posted pictures on the twitpic site http://www.twitpic.com/photos/moosep

There has also been tons of stuff going on with my job that is taking a lot of time. I hope to continue the mystery this weekend.

Walker House Mystery (part 4)

2009-09-19T13:51:00.003-04:00

Leslie and Nick stood in the living room and discussed what needed to be done. Nick agreed to trim the shrubs in the yard and pick up fallen limbs. Inside he was to dust the furniture and sweep the floor. Also, he was going to box up the contents of the drawers and closets for the new owner to collect.

They agreed doing that much work would make the house look much better to prospective buyers.

With Nick staying behind, Leslie went back into town. She had a title search to do. At the courthouse, she wasn’t completely prepared for what she found. There had been over 35 separate families that had owned the Walker house. None had stayed longer than 5 years.

***

Nick looked at the old house. It was a real mess that would take a lot longer to clean up than the time he quoted Leslie. He under bid the job, but it was Leslie.

She needed the break and to be honest, Nick appreciated that she always treated him as an equal; never talking down to him. She listened to his advice and always treated him nicely by bringing lunch.

He grabbed his saw and started working on a shrub near the front porch. He’d leave the one shrub right by the steps, but take out all the ones down to the corner of the house. The saw bit into the soft wood of the overgrown boxwood. With the first cut, he thought he heard a faint sound.

“The wind through some loose tin,” he thought making a mental note to look for loose metal on the roof.

He tossed the limbs of the shrub into the back of the truck. He got his pick ax and started working on the root ball. As the pick ax struck the ground, a groan sounded from inside the house.

Nick stopped and looked back at the front door dropping his ax. He carefully walked to the front door not fully trusting the old porch, He called out “Is someone there?” The only sound he heard was the wind in the trees.

He stepped into the house and called out a second time. Again, no answer. He walked to the living room, his boots raising little clouds of dust as he walked. Again, he called out. No answer.

He heard the door slam. He turned to look back at the door. As he turned, he heard the sound of a song coming from the parlor. He went to the parlor doorway and realized the radio was playing.

“But there’s no power,” he thought. He knew he needed to get out of that house.

He reached for the door, but the knob felt hot. He’s skin burned as if he had touched a hot stove.

Nick dove out the window and ran to his truck. He poured ice water on his now blistered hand.

***

Leslie’s research was interrupted by her phone. It was Nick.

She stood stunned by Nick’s words, “I quit!”

She jumped back in her car and headed back to the property. When she got there, she found Nick in the yard by his truck. The truck had a few limbs on it, but not much work had been done. He was visably shaken, swearing that he wouldn’t work at that building.

“Calm down and tell me what happened,” Leslie commanded.

“You’ll think I’m crazy.” Nick replied.

“No, just tell me.”

“When I started trimming the bushes, the house started making sounds. There's something wrong with this house.” Nick stammered.

Leslie had never seen him like this. He wasn’t making sense.

(cont)