Reykjavik

This is why I love Reykjavik.

Watch the whole video, it is all amazing!

I read an article on the internet.

A biologist (or some kind of person who should know something about this) is advocating for the de-catification of New Zealand.

I’m sure, just like me your first thought was, “What in hell as Max done this time.” I checked his passport. He has never been to New Zealand.

The man is saying that cats eat too many of the native birds and rodents. The man may have a point, but the man has never met Max. Both Richard and I got a good chuckle out of movie in our minds as we watched Max try to catch a wild anything. Perhaps if he tripped and fell on the poor prey he could injure the little critter.

Spike, on the other hand has caught a couple of house mice. He is a hero in my book!

A couple of mice in eight years! Hah! I think the litter box is a much bigger menace to planet earth!

Today is National Bubble Wrap Day.

In honor, I wrapped Richard in bubble wrap and threw a cat on his body. It wasn’t as funny as I had planned. Richard and Max are both planning law suits.

Umm... don't do what I did. Learn from my mistakes.

Happy Birthday!

 

Today is the birthday of two of my favorite people.

I was going to be rude and announce their ages right here and now, but when I pulled out my abacus to do the calculations, I found there weren’t enough beads on the abacus to reach that large of a number!

So, dear Bethie & Puds, your secret is safe with me. At least until I get a bigger computer!

Ducks fly high!

I’m sure that many of you immediately thought that the title of this post was somehow in reference to the legalization of marijuana. You people are so wrong. I live in Oregon. It was Washington that legalized marijuana. Granted Washington is only 13 miles from my house, but I am still required to fly under the radar. Get your ducks in a row before you jump to inappropriate conclusions.

I am in reference to the University of Oregon’s Men’s Basketball team, which is 6-0 in Pac-12 conference play. The last time Oregon was 6-0 in conference play, the Ducks were the Webfoots, it was the Pacific Coast Conference and Calvin Coolidge was president. The year was 1926. This may give some insight as to why the terms “University of Oregon” and “powerhouse in men’s college basketball” are seldom used in the same sentence.

Yes, UO has had some success in basketball. They were the 1939 NCAA champions and they have had a couple of other moderately good runs in the tournament. Maybe, just maybe, this is the Year of the Ducks!

QUACK, QUACK, QUACK!

It has been a week.

And I’ve been asked, “How has it been? Are the family dynamics still intact?”

Define, “intact”! Do you mean, “Does Ralph still reign supreme, even in his absence?”, or are you thinking, “Has Max totally taken over the family, with little input from his late brother’s sister and his own little brother?” Or perhaps you are just thinking, “Have Mac and Richard totally lost control of their tiny house and the animals that live there?”

Umm… the answers are “yes”, “yes” and “yes”.

I’d write more, but Max has just called a family meeting and Richard isn’t here. I want to make sure there is at least one human voice heard. And there could be critical votes.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Richard’s latest production is the American classic, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”.

I’m sure you can imagine Max’s excitement. He already thought of himself as a star, and assumed that this was his chance to achieve theatrical greatness; his chance to rub shoulders with the Barrymore’s and the Hammerstein’s. Now, there were just a couple of glitches. Number one, Max wasn’t too enthused about the “Hot” bit. He was more inclined to go with “Warm”. And he’s a moderately graceless cat, so instead of “Roof”, which implies great heights and potentially great falls, perhaps he could substitute “Love Seat”.

Gently, Richard tried to explain to Max that there were valid reasons Tennessee Williams named the play as he did. “Cat on a Warm Love Seat” didn’t convey the same raw emotions and sexual desires. (Just a foot note here: for those of you who, like I, thought it would be funny as tarnation to call Mr. Williams, “Tennessee Ernie Ford”, beware. Richard’s sense of humor does not include such desecrations.)

When Max learned that he didn’t get the part it caused some friction in the household. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a butter knife. Or a set of cat claws: that would have worked, too.

If you happen to talk with Max in the next couple of months, you might want to steer the conversation away from plays or stages or roofs or cats or costumes or lines or… Well, you get the picture. It’s best just to discuss politics or religion instead of controversial issues.

Dear Abby,

Where will I turn for sound advice?
Signed,
Lost & Confused

Memories

January 14th, 2013

A bitter day in the Upper Valley. Yes, it was cold and there was a stinging wind. But it was clear and beautiful to look at. It wasn’t the weather that ripped my heart out.

We lost Ralph today. (Yes, we checked under the bed. Don’t be a smartass.)

He couldn’t stand on his own anymore. His footing, after I hoisted him to his feet, was shaky. More times than I care to remember, he fell. He was frustrated. I hope he wasn’t in pain, but I know he wasn’t comfortable.

I know it was the right decision. I know it was best for Ralph.

But, my big buddy is gone.

A Fresh Snow

Just a skiff overnight.

But you may notice something odd about this picture. Mac is home, but his pick-up is not. Could that, coupled with the fact that Mac now has Rivers Edge Towing and Taylor's Auto Repair on speed dial on his phone mean that the red truck has been a bad boy?

Or could it be that the poor little pick-up was abducted by aliens, and they are holding it ransome until Mac forks over a small fortune?

Or is that the same thing?

‘Tis the Twelfth Night of Christmas!

Hope you all gave your loved ones twelve drummers drumming today. Richard was napping so it wasn’t all that greatly appreciated here. Oh, and it wasn’t really twelve drummers: it was more like one man with a pot and a wooden spoon, two dogs thumping their tails, one cat screaming and a second cat hiding in the loft. But the thought was there, in its own weird way.



As the old saying goes!

QUACK!!!

QUACK!!!

QUACK!!!

Beverage du Jour

I like to call it the Fortified Cranberry Spritzer.

1 part vanilla vodka

1 part cranberry liquer

1 part soda water

Stir and serve on the rocks. After three or four of these, you're younger, better looking, more intelligent and able to stagger to bed without the help of... who am I kidding... you're going to need help.

Tell me it ain't true!

We have to wait until midnight! OMG, am I screwed!

Happy New Year

If only I could party as hearty as the cats!