I'd Celebrate That!!!! April 8 - 11: Appomattox Day on Tuesday, April 9

**  I'd celebrate it.

APRIL 8

DOG FARTING AWARENESS DAY--  Yep, they do.  Just don't blame them when you fart.

NATIONAL DOG FIGHTING AWARENESS DAY--  **  This is terrible.  And, what it has done to the reputation of pit-bulls is absolutely horrible.


APRIL 9

APPOMATTOX DAY--    Lee Surrenders.  Well, being of Southern persuasion I can't say that I celebrate this day.  But I am glad that the war was finally over.

NATIONAL FORMER POW DAY--  **  What they had to endure for us is unimaginable.


APRIL 10

AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS DAY--  **  It is amazing how cruel some people are to animals.

SALVATION ARMY FOUNDERS' DAY--  **  One of the great relief organizations anywhere.


APRIL 11

NATIONAL PET DAY--  **  Those pets have us trained so well.

INTERNATIONAL LOUIE LOUIE DAY--  **  The song's writer, Richard Berry was born on this day in 1935.

SUBMARINE DAY--  **  When the U.S. bought its first submarine, the Holland, in 1900.

Remember Those Prisoners.  --RoadDog

EGGCELLENT EASTER JOKES:  Q:  What is the Easter bunny's favorite kind of music?  A:  Hip-Hop of course.

I'd Celebrate That!! October 1-7, 2018: Teachers Day This Friday

OCTOBER 1, MONDAY--  Vegetarian Day**  I like my veggies, just not exclusively.  Homemade Cookies Day**

OCTOBER 2, TUESDAY--  Custodial Workers Day**  Fried Scallops Day**

OCTOBER 3, WEDNESDAY--   Boyfriend Day    Techies Day

OCTOBER 4,   THURSDAY--    World Animal Day**  Golf Lovers Day   Taco Day**  Load mine, please.

OCTOBER 5, FRIDAY--  Teachers Day**  Since I was one for 33 years.   Do Something Nice Day**  Yep, and you'll feel better for it.

OCTOBER 6, SATURDAY--  Noodle Day**  As long as it has sauce.

OCTOBER 7, SUNDAY--   Frappe Day  Not if it is an iced one.

COOKIE!!  --RoadDog

MURPHY'S PHOTOGRAPHY LAWS:  Any surviving best shots are ruined when some opens the dark room door.

The Problem With Chipmunks

Good thing I love those furry lil' varmints or else they would be having some serious problems.  We're essentially overrun with them.  I've seen as many as four scampering about and climbing things in our back yard.

To me, they are close cousins of the wily squirrels.

You can challenge them, but you are not going to win.  Just try to keep them out of a bird feeder when they like the seed.  Ours are particularly fond of safflower and sunflower seed.  At first you could just yell at them and they'd jump off, but now I almost have to walk over to the feeder before they jump off.

Right now, though, I have one who has trained me well.  When I go out on the deck and eat peanuts in the shell, he (or she) comes up to me and impatiently waits to be fed.  They are so funny when they eat, especially when they stiff the peanut or shell in their mouth and it bulges out the sides.  I'm hoping to get him to take the peanut out of my hand one of these days.

The Little Rascals.  Yes, Boss.   --RoadDog

LIFE'S LITTLE TRUTHS:  Brain cells come and go, but fat cells are forever.

JSS-- Chipmunks-- Squirrels-- Birds-- New World Songs

JSS--  Just Some Stuff.

1.  CHIPMUNKS--  I just finished having an early lunch of chicken rotisserie OD (On the Deck) with a friendly local chipper (as we call our chipmunks).  I don't think they are much afraid of us anymore.  he was enjoying something he found and then a piece of chicken I threw to him.

2.  SQUIRRELS--  We haven't seen too many squirrels around here for the summer, but a few days ago, Liz had to chase a gray one off the schoolhouse birdfeeder where he was hanging upside down and really chowing down.

3.  BIRDS--  We have some pampered feathery friends in our yard.  They have a regular smorgasbord of seeds in three feeders.  The schoolhouse features sunflower seeds, the sparrow feeder a regular mix, and green mesh one has safflower.

4.  NEW WORLD SONGS--  Bob Stroud will do songs relating to the New World in honor of Columbus Day on his Ten at Ten show on WDRV, 97.1 FM, Chicago today at 10 a.m. and 10 p.m.. I'm sure "New World Man" by Rush has to be one of them.  It will be interesting to see what the others may be.  It streams.  I'll print them up after the show finishes.

JSS:  In a Columbus State of Mind  --RoadDog

THE MALE POINT SYSTEM:
You go out to buy her flowers (+5)
But return with beer (-5)

Most Beloved Animals and Pets on TV

From the April 18, 2012, Vanity Fare/Animal Nation.

Rin Tin Tin  "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (1954-1959)
Eddie  "Frasier"  (1993-2004)
Flipper  (1964-1968)

Lassie  (1954-1974)
Wishbone  (1995-1998)  Not sure about this one.  Looked it up.  It is a children's show with a Jack Russell dog.
Murray  "Mad About You"  (1992-1999)
Santa's Little Helper  "Simpsons"  (1989-present)

Salem Saberhagen  "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch"  (1996-2003)
Marcel  "Friends"  (1994-2004)
Mr. Ed  (1958-1966)

--RoadDog

HOW TO LIE TO THE BATHROOM SCALE:  Weigh yourself after a haircut, this is good for at least half a pound of hair (hopefully).

N.C. Summer 2015 Trip-- Part 3: 'Possums, Shopping, 'Cue and Shrimp

July 22, Wednesday

After breakfast, Bob and I took the two opossums he had caught in his basement out to a wooded area and let them go.  He has an indoor/outdoor cats and a cat door which the opossums most likely used to enter his basement.

He caught one in a city-supplied trap and a short time later caught one in a garbage can.  Both initially did not want to come out of their cages and had to be coaxed out.  No doubt they will be missing their free  lunch.

We then went to an IGA grocery store called Charlie C's and I got some eastern Carolina BBQ sauce and Texas Pete Hot Sauce.  Texas Pete is a North Carolina company.  Then to a place called Ollie's which is like a Big Lots and Target (the one near me at home closed).  Last was Sam's Club and Trade It where I bought a dubbing cassette deck.

We had a huge buffet at McCall's on the US-70 bypass.  AUCE BBQ, cole slaw and, just as good, Calabash shrimp.

Shrimp and 'Cue.  Life is Good.  --RoadDog


REDNECK COMPUTER TERMS:  BUG--  The reason you is givin' for calling in sick.

JSS: Interesting Weather-- Front and Backyard Chipmunks-- 35-- Chain Crawl Party

JSS-- Just Some Stuff.

1. INTERESTING WEATHER-- This morning, the driveway and front sidewalk was wet from rain and the deck in the back of the house was dry. Very strange.

2. FRONT AND BACKYARD CHIPMUNKS-- I've been enjoying watching our two chipmunks. One hangs out in the front yard and the other in the backyard. The only animals more fun to watch in the yard are squirrels.

3. 35--We got out for the 35th time in the boat yesterday, doing a boat float on Fox Lake then a slow cruise through Nippersink Lake and Pistakee Lake to McDonald's. Shooting for 40 times out for the season.

4. CHAIN CRAWL PARTY-- We finished the 40 places we had to go in the 2013 Chain Crawl about a month ago (even picked up a place which had been closed and newly reopened this past Saturday). The official end-of-the-season party for the 2013 Chain Crawl is this Saturday at Captain's Quarters.

Just Some Stuff, You Know. --RoadDog

JSS: Hawks Streak Over-- Rain and Fog-- Warm and Lakes-- Wild Life

JSS--  Just Some Stuff.


1.  HAWKS STREAK OVER--  Knew it couldn't go on forever.  But watched the Blackhawks lose Friday night at Stormy Monday then they lost again last night.  Oh well!


2.  RAIN AND FOG--  It's been raining off and on since Saturday.  Sure glad it wasn't snow!!  Yesterday and today there have been lots of fog, and I mean the heavy stuff.


3.  WARM AND LAKES--  Temps have been in upper 30s and snow is melting fast.  Right now, I'd say we have about ten small lakes in various places around the yard.  We're even starting


4.  WILD LIFE--  Thursday I am sure I saw a bald eagle across Route 12 from the Route 12 Bar right by Nippersink Lake.  Friday, we saw a flock of wild turkeys in a field south of Twin Lakes.  Saturday, I saw a squirrel meandering along the side of Sunset Road and slowed down.  As I got ready to speed up, he played dare devil with the car but fortunately ran back.

Just Some Stuff.  --RoadDog

Top Ten Colorful Animals

From the September, 20, 2010, Listverse.

1.  Panther Chameleon
2.  Sockeye Salmon (also, perhaps Top Ten Ugly!!)
3.  Bird of Paradise
4.  Terminck's Tragopan  (?)
5.  Weedy Sea Dragon (Top Ten names)

6.  Bluefooted Booby (Obviously a possible choice for names.)
7.  Clownfish  (Yeah, that funny lil' Nemo.)
8.  Lesser Flaminggo  (You should see the Greater one or the In-Between.)
9.  Sailfish
10.  Monarch Butterfly  (I always stop in the yard and watch any butterfly, but especially these.)

I Also Think Cardinals Should be On the List.  --RoadDog

JSS: It's An Animal Thing: Ferrets-- Rascwally Wabbits-- 30 Days in the Hole

JSS--  Just Some Stuff


1.  FERRETS--  The last several months, Liz and I have been participating in the internet Animal Rescue Site's animal shelter competition for Save-A-Pet in Grayslake, Illinois.  We were voting every day, but for the first time, we lost to another group for state leadership, The Greater Chicago Ferret Association.  Congratulations to them, but Louie the Lizard sure isn't going to like this.


2.  RASCWALLY WABBITS--  For some reason, we have an overflow of little bunny rabbits running around the house now.  Must have been a littter or whatever you call a group of their babies.  Cute, but don't eat my FLOWERS!!


3.  30 DAYS IN THE HOLE--  I also have an overabundance of chipmunks who are making lots of tunnel holes around the yard.  I have been flooding their tunnels, often getting a very wet and unhappy chippy emerging and running away.  Then, I get fussed at from somewhere else inthe yard.

Gettin' Overrun By 'Mules (As Bob Calls 'Em).  --RoadDog

Has a Horse Ever Called You A**hole?

I think that might have happened to me today. As we were driving back from McHenry after turning off Il-31 on Pioneer Road, a McHenry County Scenic Drive, we went by a farm which has horses.

I could see that all five were out by the corner of the fence by the road. I just couldn't resist slowing down and hollered out the window, "What are you guys doing there?"

Suddenly all five pairs of eyes were upon me and I'm sure I heard one of them calling me an "A**hole." Or, maybe he/she neighed it.

What did I think horses would be doing there. Perhaps eating grass?

I just always feel the natural inclination to slow down and moo at cows and neigh at horses (although my neighs need some serious work. I do have the moos down quite well, though.

When we pass by ol' Larry the Llama, I always want to yell his sound out the window, but I don't know what sound a llama makes.

How Did Those Horses Know? --RoadDog


MAXINE SAYS: The only way I'll drop ten pounds is by shopping in England (and that won't buy you much, either).