The Comment Game

It's time to play the comment game again. We are at the boat for the weekend (what else is new). Now play nice okay.

Here's how it goes: I'll start the game off at the bottom of this post by choosing two words or phrases, like coffee or tea, and which ever one you prefer you choose. You can also explain why. When you have done that you do two new words or phrases for the next commenter to choose from. Feel free to come back as often as you like. Just have fun. If someone derails the game will one of you put it back on track? Thanks.

First comment: warm weather or cool weather?

Kids on the Ocean

1. This is a picture of an octopus. It has eight testicles. (Kelly, age 6)

2. Oysters' balls are called pearls. (Jerry, age 6)

3. If you are surrounded by ocean you are an Island. If you don't have ocean all round you, you are incontinent. (Wayne, age 7)

4. Sharks are ugly and mean, and have big teeth, just like Emily Richardson. She's not my friend any more. (Kylie, age 6)

5. A dolphin breaths through an asshole on the top of its head. (Billy, age 8

6. My uncle goes out in his boat with 2 other men, a woman and some pots and comes back with crabs. (Millie, age 6)

7. When ships had sails, they used to use the trade winds to cross the ocean. Sometimes when the wind didn't blow the sailors would whistle to make the wind come. My brother said they would have been better off eating beans. (William, age 7)

8. Mermaids live in the ocean. I like mermaids. They are beautiful and I like their shiny tails, but how on earth do mermaids get pregnant? Like, really? (Helen, age 8)

9. I'm not going to write about the ocean. My baby brother is always crying, my Dad keeps yelling at my Mom, and my big sister has just got pregnant, so I can't think what to write. (Amy, age 6)

10. Some fish are dangerous. Jellyfish can sting. Electric eels can give you a shock. They have to live in caves under the sea where I think they have to plug themselves into chargers at night. (Christopher, age 7)

11. When you go swimming in the ocean, it is very cold, and it makes my willy small. (Kevin, age 6)

12. Divers have to be safe when they go under the water. Divers can't go down alone, so they have to go down on each other. (Becky, age 8)

13. On vacation my Mom went water skiing. She fell off when she was going very fast. She says she won't do it again because water fired right up her big fat butt. (Julie, age 7)

14. The ocean is made up of water and fish. Why the fish don't drown I don't know. (Bobby, age 6)

15. My dad was a sailor on the ocean. He knows all about the ocean. What he doesn't know is why he quit being a sailor and married my mom. (James, age 7)

Hat tip: Dr. Vern B.

Meeting Pete Wilson

Although I don't have a photograph of me and then Governor Pete Wilson I probably would have kept it because I really liked him. I wasn't with hubby then and was dating a guy that was the director of planning and research for the state of California. Because of that I was invited to the governors Christmas party. At the bottom of this post is the invite that I framed. It was a fun night.

Pete Wilson was elected the Governor of California in 1990, defeating the former San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein, who would go on to be elected to Wilson's former U.S. Senate seat two years later. Wilson was sworn in as the Governor in early 1991.

Wilson's eight years as the Governor saw California go into a strong economic recovery. Inheriting the state's worst economy since the Great Depression, Wilson insisted on strict budget discipline and worked to rehabilitate the state's environment for investment and new job creation. His term saw market-based, unsubsidized health coverage made available for employees of small businesses and additional anti-fraud measures credited for reducing workers' compensation premiums by as much as 40 percent.

Wilson also enacted education reforms focused on creating curricular standards, reducing class sizes and replacing social promotion with early remedial education. Wilson also promoted additional programs for individualized testing of all students, teacher competency training, a lengthier instructional year, and programs focusing on a return to phonics and early mastery of early reading, writing and mathematical skills.

Wilson led efforts to enact tougher crime measures and signed into law the highly popular "Three Strikes," (25 years to life for repeat felons) and "One Strike," (25 years to life upon the first conviction of aggravated rape or child molestation.) Wilson also supported resuming the death penalty in California, after 25 years of a moratorium, and he signed the death warrant for the execution of Robert Alton Harris in April 1992. A total of five people were executed under his administration (the first two by the gas chamber, the latter three by lethal injection).

Wilson spoke at the funeral services for former First Lady Pat Nixon in 1993 and former President Richard M. Nixon in 1994 at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, California. Two years later, Wilson became, to date, the most recent Governor to speak at a California gubernatorial funeral, that of former Governor Pat Brown.

In Wilson's 1994 successful campaign for re-election against Kathleen Brown, his two signature issues were his opposition to the billions spent by the State funding services for illegal immigrants and the race based quota components of Affirmative Action. Support for the overwhelmingly popular Prop 187 helped give him a landslide win.

For most of his time as the Governor, Wilson reduced per-capita infrastructure spending for California, much as he had done as the Mayor of San Diego. Many construction projects - most notably highway expansion/improvement projects - were severely hindered or delayed, while other maintenance and construction projects were abandoned completely.

While his decision to merge the California State Police into the California Highway Patrol (CHP) was applauded by some as a better way to allocate taxpayer's money, the Highway Patrol was severely limited in its law enforcement capacity by a minimal budget, which would not be restored until Wilson's successor Gray Davis took office in 1999. Wilson remains a champion for tough-on-crime laws supported by state-wide law enforcement.

Wilson left California with a $16 billion budget surplus.

Term limit laws passed by voters in Proposition 140, and championed by Wilson in 1990, prohibited Wilson from running for reelection to a third term.

In October 1999, Pete Wilson was given the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars of the Smithsonian Institution. Pete Wilson was recognized for his 40 years of public service to the state and the country.

Source: Wikipedia

Meeting Gray Davis

Hubby and I have never been much for politicians. We were surrounded by them when we were still working and have had numerous pictures taken with them. We always tossed them when the photographs were given to us. Well, one didn't get tossed. This was taken while Gray Davis was running for governor of the State of California. I was running programs (jail alternative program) at the time. How do you like that very blond hair? The gentleman in the middle is Sheriff Les Weidman (he's retired now). Best sheriff I ever worked for. Yes, I'm sure you all can figure out which one is Gray Davis. Didn't vote for him by the way. Just sayin'.
Joseph Graham "Gray" Davis, Jr. (born December 26, 1942) is an American politician who served as California's 37th Governor from 1999 until being recalled in 2003. Davis is a Democrat who was often known as a moderate. Prior to serving as Governor, Davis served as Chief of Staff to Governor Jerry Brown (1975–1981), California State Assemblyman (1983–1987), California State Controller (1987–1995), and the 44th Lieutenant Governor of California (1995–1999). Davis holds a B.A. in history from Stanford University and a J.D. from Columbia Law School. He was awarded a Bronze Star for his service as a Captain in the Vietnam War.

During his time as Governor, Davis made education his top priority and California spent eight billion dollars more than was required under Proposition 98 during his first term. Under Davis, California standardized test scores increased for five straight years. Davis signed the nation's first state law requiring automakers to limit auto emissions. Davis supported laws to ban assault weapons. He is also credited with improving relations between California and Mexico. Davis began his tenure as Governor with strong approval ratings, but those ratings declined as voters blamed Davis for the California electricity crisis and the California budget crisis that followed the dot-com bubble burst. Voters were also alienated by Davis’s record breaking fund-raising efforts and negative campaigning.

On October 7, 2003, he became the second governor to be recalled in American history. Davis was succeeded by Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger on November 17 after the recall election. Davis spent 1,778 days as Governor, and signed 5,132 bills out of 6,244, vetoing 1,112 bills. Since being recalled, Davis has worked as a guest lecturer at the UCLA School of Public Affairs and as an attorney at Loeb & Loeb, and sat on the Board of Directors of the animation company DiC Entertainment.

Source: Wikipedia

Laura Lou

A guy was sitting quietly reading his paper when his wife walked up behind him and whacked him on the head with a magazine.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"That was for the piece of paper in your pants pocket with the name Laura Lou written on it," she replied.

"Two weeks ago when I went to the races, Laura Lou was the name of one of the horses I bet on," he explained.

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry, she said. "I should have known there was a good explanation."

Three days later he was watching a ball game on TV when she walked up and hit him in the head again, this time with the iron skillet, which knocked him out cold.

When he came to, he asked, "What the hell was that for?"

She replied..."Your horse called."

Hat tip: Frank of Foxxfyrre's Honk'n'Holl'r

Awww...Mondays #53

Join us for Awww...Mondays every week.

I Can See!

This morning the patch came off my eye and I got the first glimpse of much better vision. I closed my good eye (wait I have two good eyes now) and looked around the room. Wow, what a difference. Nothing was fuzzy anymore.

Then the nurse had me do an eye test. Keep in mind that the first eye test I did I couldn't make out that great big 'E' at the top of the chart. This time (without glasses) I made it way down the list. I'm thrilled I tell you. I've got lots of healing to do and three different kinds of drops that have to be put in that eye four times a day for a week, but I tell you I can see CLEARLY. It's a wonderful thing.

Incident vs Court

These videos were taken during the arrest of the suspects without their knowledge.

They are not the usual ones you see of a guy getting Tasered. The video is part of the Taser itself and it records what happens leading up to zapping the suspect.

Hard to dispute video evidence. Shave, haircut, shower, and new suit is what the public sees, the media reports, and the lawyers thrive on...sometimes it does not work.

Image Credit: Robert Begam's Blog

The Cataract is Gone

At 5:15 this morning we were up and preparing to be at the surgical center for my eye surgery. I couldn't have coffee or anything else for that matter, so my morning started off on the wrong foot. I didn't get cranky about it, but I need my coffee when I wake up.

The prep took far longer than the surgery and in no time I was back in recovery. I was awake during the procedure but felt nothing. I wasn't sure how I was going to like being awake, but it was fine. When it's time to do the other eye I know what to expect. Talk about easy. Very. Tomorrow I get the very attractive eye patch off and I'll let you know what I think. I understand I'll be able to see very well. I'm so ready for that.

Thanks to all who sent good wishes. It was/is very much appreciated.

Valentine's

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and I've not gotten a gift or a card for my true love. I wonder if breakfast in bed would be a good gift. But then that might lead to a rollicking game of rock, paper and scissors. That can create lots of romance, right?

Why, I'll never forget that one time she said rock and I said paper and that was when the fight began, but we still have the rock and the paper to make into a memory piece along with a great colored photo of...well, that may not be something I should tell people about but I will tell you that it was photo shots of our intimate relationship playing ping pong in pink and polka-dot underwear.

When all of the sudden we heard the sound of the oven door opening where a great cake emerged for us to devour when cooled. We thought that next we should do some squats and lunges to work off the cake followed by a glass of strawberry wine but then realized the guy inside the cake had fallen out drunk, so we had to phone Martin Sheen to come and pick up Charlie AGAIN!!

After Charlie staggered out with his dad, we weren't in the mood for strawberry wine and cake any more so we grabbed for a bottle of His and Hers and hopped on the next train out of town, headed for Baskin Robbins to get Miss Bee a cake! And they all lived happily ever after cake.

Contributing Authors (in order of appearance):

Ann of Ann's Snap Edit & Scrap
Jack K. of One Man's View from Lansing, KS
Mr. Stupid of Stupidation
Barb of WillThink4Wine
Willy of Hillbilly Willy

Marg of Margs Pets
Kimmie of Pretty Amazing Grace
Sandy B of Traveling Bells
Linda of Are We There Yet??
Rajagopalan of Just Out

Jennifer of Dust Bunny Hostage
Mike Golch of Rambling Stuff aka Golch Central
Lois Grebowski of Lowdown from Lois
Buggys of Cute As A Buggy
Empress Bee (of the High Sea) of Muffin53

Tisha of CrAzY Working Mom
Dawn of Don't Know Much About Photography
Bob of Just Kicken it Around
Frank of Foxxfyrre's Honk'n'Holl'r

A great big THANK YOU to everyone that contributed to Valentine's (Story Game). This has been the shortest story yet and I'm starting to see a cake theme. You are all awesome!

The Toast

John O'Reilly hoisted his beer and said, "Here's to spending the rest of me life,
between the legs of me wife!"

That won him the top prize at the pub for the best toast of the night!

He went home and told his wife, Mary, "I won the prize for the best toast of the night."

She said, "Aye, did ye now. And what was your toast?"

John said, "Here's to spending the rest of me life, sitting in church beside me wife."

"Oh, that is very nice indeed, John!" Mary said.

The next day, Mary ran into one of John's drinking buddies on the street corner.

The man chuckled leeringly and said, "John won the prize last night at the pub with a toast about you, Mary."

She said, "Aye, he told me, and I was a bit surprised myself. You know, he's only been in there twice in the last four years. Once he fell asleep, and the other time I had to pull him by the ears to make him come."

Hat tip: Frank of Foxxfyrre's Honk'n'Holl'r

Awww...Mondays #52

Join us for Awww...Mondays every Monday.

Happy Valentine's Day

The Story Game

It's time to play The Story Game again. Here's how it works. I'll start a story. You continue it in comments. Each commenter picks up where the last left off. In a few days I'll give it an ending and post our story with the links to everyone who participated under the heading, "Contributing Authors". You can play as many times as you want. Thanks for playing along and have a great day.

Here's the beginning of our new story: Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and I've not gotten a gift or a card for my true love. I wonder if...

The Outhouse

Once there was a little boy who lived in the country. The family had to use an outhouse, and the little boy hated it because it was so hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter and stank all the time.

The outhouse was sitting on the bank of a creek and the boy was determined that one day he would push that old outhouse straight into the creek. One day after a spring rain, the creek was swollen so the little boy decided today was the day to push the outhouse into the creek. He found a large stick and started pushing. Finally, the outhouse toppled into the creek and floated away.

That night his dad told him they were going to the woodshed after supper. Knowing that meant a spanking, the little boy asked why.

The dad replied, "Someone pushed the outhouse into the creek today. It was you, wasn't it son?"

The boy answered yes. Then he thought a moment and said, "Dad, I read in school today that George Washington chopped down a cherry tree and didn't get into trouble because he told the truth."

The dad replied, "Well, son, George Washington's father wasn't in the cherry tree!

Hat tip: Jeni of Down River Drivel

Beaujolais Bistro

A group of 40-year-old buddies discuss where they should meet for dinner. Finally it is agreed upon that they should meet at the Beaujolais Bistro because the waitresses there have low-cut blouses and really short skirts.

10 years later, at 50 years of age, the group meets again and once again they discuss where they should meet. Finally it is agreed that they should meet at the Beaujolais Bistro because the food there is very good and the wine selection is excellent.

10 years later at 60 years of age, the group meets again and once again they discuss where they should meet. Finally it is agreed that they should meet at the Beaujolais Bistro because they can eat there in peace and quiet and the restaurant is smoke-free.

10 years later, at 70 years of age, the group meets again and once again they discuss where they should meet. Finally it is agreed that they should meet at the Beaujolais Bistro because the restaurant is wheelchair accessible and they even have an elevator.

10 years later, at 80 years of age, the group meets again and once again they discuss where they should meet. Finally it is agreed that they should meet at the Beaujolais Bistro because everyone's heard it's good and they've never been there before.

Cataract Surgery

On February 17th I'm having cataract surgery on my right eye. For many months my vision has gotten cloudier and cloudier. As you can see by the photographs above the difference from normal vision and cataract vision. I can attest to the fact that I'm seeing the world through a cataract. Not fun. My doctor has been waiting for it to get ripe and that has finally happened. This surgery takes just a few minutes (about 10) to complete and when the bandage comes off the next day there will be an immediate improvement. I'm so looking forward to this procedure. Here's Wikipedia's definition of a cataract:

A cataract is a clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope, varying in degree from slight to complete opacity and obstructing the passage of light. Early in the development of age-related cataract the power of the lens may be increased, causing near-sightedness (myopia), and the gradual yellowing and opacification of the lens may reduce the perception of blue colors. Cataracts typically progress slowly to cause vision loss and are potentially blinding if untreated. The condition usually affects both the eyes, but almost always one eye is affected earlier than the other.

My doctor already told me that within one to two years my left eye will need cataract surgery. I don't care about that right now. I'm hoping for some good vision for at least a little while before the other eye decides to go south. I'll keep you posted.

Baby Back Ribs

Some time back I posted a photograph of baby back ribs along with our weekend plans with our boat neighbors. My husband loves to cook almost anything, but baby back ribs is a specialty of his. His recipe for this feast is from a Sara Moulton cookbook named sara moulton cooks at home. The recipe that hubby follows is named Slow-Roasted Spiced Baby Back Ribs. Here's what Sara say about this recipe:

One of my all time favorite trips for "Cooking Live' was to Memphis to cover the huge annual barbecue cook-off there. It is an astounding event that attracts more than 200 teams from all around the country, from funky little crews of like-minded friends to heavily financed corporate outfits. Everyone competes not just for the best ribs but also for the best booth. Some of the so-called booths are two stories high and extremely elaborate.

Although most of the teams party hard for three days straight--the beer flows--everyone also stays very focused on the cooking. If I'd never understood it before, I do now: Barbecuing, done right, is clearly and art that takes years to perfect. I have never eaten such great meat anywhere.

When it was all over, we had Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson's Barbecue, from Decatur, Alabama--one of that year's champs--come onto the show to show us how they make their ribs. Even cooking in an oven instead of on a grill, and without the benefit of the smoking process, Chris's ribs were absolutely delicious. His secret? Slow and low. In Memphis I'd heard this time and again. Everyone has his or her secret rub and marinade and sauce, but there is one thing on which everyone agrees; slow and low.

I decided to develop my own version of oven-baked ribs. Here it is.

(A word to the wise: If you boil your ribs before you grill or roast them, don't even think about going to Memphis. That is a terrible barbecue no-no.)

6 pounds baby back ribs
1/4 cup sweet or hot paprika
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup chili powder
5 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
1 recipe Rick's Barbecue Sauce (page 343) or your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce

Use your fingers to pull off and remove the thin papery skin from the back of each rib. Combine the paprika, salt, sugar, chili powder, garlic, cumin, mustard, and cayenne in a small bowl and mix well. Rub the mixture all over the ribs. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 250°F. Place the ribs meat side up in one layer on several sheet pans and bake, turning from time to time, until very tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. About 30 minutes before the ribs are done, remove them from the oven and brush liberally on all sides with the barbecue sauce. bake until very tender. Serve additional sauce on the side.

Hubby and I share one rack of ribs so he lessens this recipe to accommodate one or two racks of ribs. I must they they are the best ribs I've ever had. Fall off the bone, finger licking delicious.

Awww...Mondays #51

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1. Mike Golch

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Is Sex Work?

A U.S. Marine Colonel was about to start the morning briefing to his staff. While waiting for the coffee machine to finish its brewing, the colonel decided to pose a question to all assembled. He explained that his wife had been a bit frisky the night before and he failed to get his usual amount of sound sleep. He posed the question of just how much of sex was "work" and how much of it was "pleasure?"

A Major chimed in with 75-25% in favor of work.

A Captain said it was 50-50%.

A lieutenant responded with 25-75% in favor of pleasure, depending upon his state of inebriation at the time.

There being no consensus, the colonel turned to the PFC who was in charge of making the coffee. What is your opinion, he asks?

Without any hesitation, the young PFC responded, "Sir, it has to be 100% pleasure."

The colonel was surprised and, as you might guess, asked why?

"Well, sir, if there was any work involved, the officers would have me doing it for them."

The room fell silent.

The Comment Game

It's time to play the comment game again. We are at the boat for the weekend (what else is new). Now play nice okay, and have a terrific weekend.

Here's how it goes: I'll start the game off at the bottom of this post by choosing two words or phrases, like coffee or tea, and which ever one you prefer you choose. You can also explain why. When you have done that you do two new words or phrases for the next commenter to choose from. Feel free to come back as often as you like. Just have fun. If someone derails the game will one of you put it back on track? Thanks.

First comment: Earth Tones of Bold Colors?

Growing Old...

Here's a beautiful message about growing old that everyone should read. I found it very useful and it also made me smile. I'm sure that it will affect you the very same way. For those of us that are older (that would be me) you can take comfort in this message. If you are young and not thinking about getting old quite yet you can take note as to what's in store later in life. Here's the message:

Well Crap... Now I forgot what it was.

Dat Ting

A girl from Newfoundland who was a virgin on her wedding night, was stunned to see the special part her husband had. She asked, 'what's dat ting?'

'My lov' he said, 'dats a special part God gave to me to please you and I'm the only man on earth dat has one.'

After a passionate night of love making the bride said: 'How lucky I am to have the only man alive with one of those!'

The next day, the husband comes home to see his new bride very upset. 'What's wrong me lov?'

'You told me you were the only man wit one of those tings and today I saw Freddie doing his Pee behind the shed and he had one dat looked just like yours!!'

Not wanting to be caught he said: 'Well honey, the truth is I had two of those parts and because Freddie is my best friend in the world, I gave him one, but it's only me and Freddie who has one.' That seemed to ease her mind somewhat.

After another night of passionate love making the husband goes off to work. Later that evening he comes home to find his new love very upset again! 'What's the matter today me luv?'

'Well' she says 'I can't get over how stunned you are!'

'Whatever do you mean my sweet?'

"I can't believe you were lucky enough to have TWO of those special parts,
and you turns around and gives Freddie da best one!'

Stolen from: Phil of Phils Phun

The Leaky Boat

Our boat is out of the water for maintenance and a leak. Our mechanic visits our boat every winter to do routine maintenance. During this maintenance we were informed that we have a leak in our transom. Leaky boats aren't good. Since we were scheduled to have the boat pull next fall for bottom work (paint and new zincs) we decided to get the boat hauled for immediate repair.

Last Wednesday the boatyard called to let us know that the boat had been pulled and it would more than likely be back in the water by next Tuesday. We took a trip up to see the boat out of the water on Saturday. She sure looks bigger out of the water than in the water. Yes, that's me standing in front of the boat. Click on the picture to biggify.
We received an email from our mechanic yesterday and he said nothing else was found. When he did some work inside the bilge he removed a screw that was too long and that's where he found the leak. A small leak, but a leak nonetheless. The mechanic replaced the screw with one the right size. They can't find anything from the outside that's a problem so Wes (boatyard boss) is going to look from the inside. So, if Wes can't find anything then whatever happened seems not to be a problem at this time. A mystery as our mechanic said. I hope it's that simple.

Do you know what the acronym for BOAT is? Bring Out Another Thousand. It's so very true.

Awww...Mondays #50

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13. Buggys 14. happilyretired 15. Wendster 16. Ana 17. RennyBA

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