Do Not Plant A Garden Yet!

This morning when I let the dogs outside, they both went for a slide as they slipped on the ice that had formed on the deck. I then looked at the roofs in the neighborhood and saw they were all covered with frost. Later on in the morning as we drove into town, we saw a fresh layer of snow on the peaks. It looked like it was down to 9,000'. This is why I refrain from planting a garden until AFTER the first week of June. I will have fun next week explaining to vendors what happens at 7,000' elevation next week when they ask if we are hot here in AZ.

Has Anyone Seen A Canoe Lately?

What is up with this rain? First we had a dry March, then a warmer than normal April which caused fears that we were in for a long hot dry summer plagued with forest fires. May came along and started normally, (dry and windy) but suddenly has been acting near monsoonal. Don't get me wrong, we really need the rain, but it seems out of place for May. I just hope we still have the monsoon in July.

A Man And His Dogs

Tuesday night we rented and watched Marley And Me, a movie I have been avoiding watching due to a fear that I might react to it in a most non-male manner. There is something about movies mixing end of life and canines that will stir deep emotions in boys and men. The reactions in such flicks are stronger than during Bang The Drum Slowly or Brian's Song. If one wants to test the sensitivity of a grown man, plop him down in front of a T.V. set (or movie screen) and show him Old Yeller, or similar. As Marley And Me ended, I thought of the pets my family or I have had and how they left this earth. Towzer, a wire hair terrier died as a result of a dog fight where he was on the receiving end of 3-4 other dogs punishment. He was the dog I knew as a child and died when I was in the 3rd or 4th grade. During his final hour, I was busy playing a hockey game that my team lost. My brother's dog, Bear, an Old English Sheep Dog mix that he got when I was in the 4th grade succumbed to kidney failure when I was in college. When I was a Junior in college, my brother's next dog had a litter and I was given a pure white Shepherd/Malamute/Siberian mix with one blue eye and one brown eye. I named her Freyja and nicknamed her the "white wolf." She died suddenly some 7 years later while I was working for the forest service in South Dakota. Her litter mate, Marja died of old age a few years later. My wife had a poodle, Frisky, who suffered from old age/kidney failure was put down in the late '90s. Tungsten, a Siberian/Malamute/Whatever mix died after a seizure somewhere around 2001. Zmboni, a whatever mutt mix became ill, (some form of enteropothy) and was put down at the young age of 4. Narvik, another Husky mix died of old age 2 days before I was going to "do the deed." To this day, I believe she let herself go to save me the pain. I remember having lunch at a restaurant with friends when I felt a sudden "flash" and knew she had passed. Despite my daughter being alive for Tungsten and Zamboni, she was old enough to understand the finality of Narvik. For the next year, she blamed her grouchy moods on the loss of Narvik. This continued until we let her know that Narvik was no longer an excuse. We currently have a Yellow Lab named Star and a medium sized black "Rez Special" named Bear. I am not prepared for when what happens in movies happens to them. When the time comes, I will need to watch a movie about a sports hero who contracts a terminal disease and dies a long, painful agonizing death to cheer myself up.

A Golden (Or Maybe Amber) Opportunity

For whatever reason, I have become more aware of television ads for law firms lately. I am sure you have seen them too. They tell of the devastation that has occurred after/during/as a result of certain medications that one may have received during surgery. Many of these involve "life saving" procedures. I even saw one the other day that was for denture adhesive. Yes, it is a tragedy that people have been harmed or died as a result of something that was done during surgery. It is a tragedy that people have been harmed or died as a result of a medication. I do take issue when the immediate reaction is to sue for the highest amount ever awarded. Again, I believe the individual would have died without the procedure, ( IN SOME CASES!) therefore question the belief that they died because something went wrong with a blood thinner/procedure/dental adhesive. I am sensing an opportunity here. Shoelaces that become untied, causing one to trip, fall and suffer an injury or even death. I am sure some brands of shoelaces are more prone to this than others. How about beer. Imagine the voice over: Have you or a loved one been injured after failing to correctly ambulate due to compromised coordination as a result of consumption of this dangerous beverage? Numerous women have even said yes to intercourse and wound up pregnant after a night of drinking. Even more men have succumbed to a condition known as "beer goggles" and spent the rest of their suffering ridicule from their friends. Please call the law firm of Dewey Cheetham and Howe. You may be entitled to a large settlement.

If You Experienced Great Service, Ring The Bell.

The sales rep gave me a phone number to call to get my order status.
I dialed the 1-866 number.
Recorded Voice: Thank you for calling ________, for order status press 1.
I press "1."
R.CV: For order status, press 1.
I dutifully press 1
R.V.: That option is not valid. Good bye. (click)
I repeat cycle with same results
I Repeat again. - same results.
I try again, but do not press anything and wait for other options.
R.V.: We did not understand your response - good bye. (click)
I determine the site is temporarily down and go to bed. ( The store was closed at this time, so it was pointless to call the sales guy.)
Morning comes and I try again
Same results.
I repeat with a corded phone and get the same results
I try one more time
R.V.: For order status, press 1.
I press 2(!) - I was feeling rebellious
R.V.: For order status, press 1
I obey, thinking I can press 2 a second time next time. Hell, I'm ready to work my way through the numbers. I might even try calculating delta T, S, or even U if necessary - I've still got my old P. Chem books.
R.V.: Please hold while we access your information -- your delivery will arrive today between _____ and ____. Thank you for using _____.
I was so surprised, I nearly did a number 2. Which makes sense seeing as number 1 was only pissing me off.

Bowling For Birthdays

Our daughter had her birthday at the bowling alley Saturday. It was a blast as all the kids as well as adults had a great time. I have found these work out much better that the ones held at "Upchuck Cheese" and clones thereof. This is our daughter attempting to pick up the spare. Is she ready for the pro bowler tour?