Places to go, people to see, things to do

OCTOBER 1, 2007
For all my forum users:

Praiseline Peters: We are aware of the issue with MySQL slowness and our engineers are working on it.
Jim Skipper: So basically my websites are going to be down until you guys can get it fixed because nothing is coming up at all now.
Praiseline Peters: I am able to access the Web site, it is loading slowly.
Praiseline Peters: The issue will get resolved as soon as possible.
Praiseline Peters: Is there anything else I can assist you with today?


I have had a FatCow for six years. Recently they upgraded to MySQL5 and nothing has worked right since. GoDaddy offers the same service for less money (and so far the one GoDaddy phpBB forum I set up has not seem to have any problems. But GoDaddy's website is so cluttered. It is a web design catastrophe. I cannot stand to look at their main page.

It has been a busy and expensive week. I had to have the starter replaced on the 4-Runner and L~ had to have both her batteries place and a lot of other minor maintenance on the truck.

This weekend, Hank had his JROTC picnic. They let parents participate in the Pushball game this year and I was the only one who did. It was as much fun as I thought it would watching from the sidelines last year.

I got to chat with AJ bit, then tossed the football with Marissa and Jake. Marissa has a pretty good throwing arm. I did pretty well myself, but now my shoulder is killing me. I think I am going to go buy a football and Hank and I can toss it on the weekends.

SEPTEMBER 24, 2007
Well, I am plumb wore out. Saturday, I spent the day cleaning up around the yard, raking the roof and pressure washing the driveway.

Although is the first day of Fall, our oak tree has been thinking it is fall already because acorns have been falling on everything. That and pine needles off the pine trees and it makes for a lot of raking and sweeping.

The driveway was about black and I only got half of it washed (it took much longer than I thought). Problem is, now all the oil stains and acorn stains show up. Acorns can really stain concrete when you crush them under your tires. I have no idea what I did in the evening, but I know I fell alseep on the couch.

Sunday, we went down to James' and I put a couple hundred pounds of feed in the feed room. AJ showed up and was ready to do more cleaning up on the property, so he and I worked on that while the girls chatted and planned their ride or whatever.

I went to the pasture to help L~ load up a horse. She didn't want to pull into the pasture and wanted to load up on the street, but Missy wouldn't have anything to do with it. I have some rope burns from trying to hang on to her lead rope while she was rearing up. Got my gloves back on quickly. After several tries, I recommended she try another horse and evntually she decided to take Blue.

I spent the next few hours working with AJ hauling old parts, clearing brush and generally fixing up James' yard. It was good hard work, but it was hot and I am sore still. The results were good, but there is still more to do.

The girls got back from their ride and I helped L~ take Blue back to the pasture. She still didn't want to drive in, so I had to haul a bail of hay from the street to the barn.

I plan, next weekend, to build a hayloft in that barn so I don't have to haul hay but once in a while. I need to make a list of supplies. Gotta have a pully.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2007
Gotta hand it to our Congress. They cannot pass any legislation to take action on the war in Iraq (wait, what war - I was told we had accomplished the mission by the President), but Congress can pass a resolution condemning MoveOn.org for exercising their Constitutionally guaranteed right to Free Speech.

Way to go Congress! Wave your flags and accomplish nothing. That is why we are heading to a dictatorship of the Presidency, regardless of what party is in power because Congress has given away all of its power and is unwilling and unable to use what power it has left.

SEPTEMBER 19, 2007
There is another PetSmart with a State Line Tack department that is shutting down, so L~ went up there yesterday after work. Taking a cue from my efforts Sunday, she saw they had a bunch of empty wall-mounted, swiveling, saddle blanket racks. She got six of them for $21. That was a sweet deal. Now we have to get our own barn.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2007 - SWEDISH ARTIST DEFENDS HIS RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION - MAYBE EVEN TO DEATH?
Swedish artist goes into hiding following Al Qaeda death threat

Let's face facts: there is no such thing as inalienable rights. If there were inalienable rights, we would not need the Bill of Rights. The only rights that do or can exist are those rights that are enforced by the State or by yourself.

So Lars Vilks has the right to draw pictures of Mohammed with a dog and if some Muslim kills him, even if he gets the caught and executed for murder, Lars will still be dead and his assassin will be a martyr and hero. Lars will not be a martyr because most people have more sense than to do something stupid like provoke radical Muslims. This Vik fellow sounds like a knucklehead anyway.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2007 - OUT OF THE LOOP
I am not up with the latest trends.
Pinkberry apparently is the latest forzen yogurt craze that is being called Crackberry. Remember TCBY? This is more addictive apparently, at least in trendy big cites like LA and NY, but not anywhere else

In Houston, we have something else that apparently got so popular Budweiser now markets it. Chelada is mix of beer and tomato juice, in the Budweiser case, Clamato, but V8 would probably do. This appears to be an Hispanic thing, since all the billboards and name are in Spanish. At first glance, it seems to be a weird mix, but what about Bloody Marys?

I actually saw people drinking these in Captain's on 290 - bar mixed versions, not the Bud versions. How does something like that gain enough popularity that Bud puts it in a can?

SEPTEMBER 18, 2007 - STUDENT MIS-ACTIVISM
Student (deservedly) Tasered and arrested at Kerry forum

I hope that Andrew Meyer's experience will be YouTubed around the world and teach young people a valuable lesson: When the police decide to arrest you, they willarrest you. It does not matter that you do not think you did anything wrong. It is not your call anymore. Struggling and shouting only gets you Tasered. In older days it would have been fists and batons. Andrew Meyer was lucky.

Remember students, no one wants to put up with your crap. When the police come for you, be calm. compliant and do not resist. The police will ultimately win.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2007
I sprained my thumb (I hope no worse than that) this weekend, but I do not know how. My whole wrist aches and I cannot put any kind of pressure on the base of my thumb without there being searing pain. Just trying to towel off is to much strain. Sleeping is the worst because I toss and turn and bend that hand the wrong way - which is just about anyway it bends. I am wearing a wrist brace during the day, but I can type and use a mouse and scratch my nose just fine. I cannot even pick up Alice without hurting my thumb, but she is a bit pudgy.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2007
It was a busy weekend. Wore us out and I sprained my thumb. But, we got teased with the weather to come. The mornings and evenings were cool and pleasant.

Friday, the in-laws came over and I helped Jon install our new gas oven. Works like charm and the house has not blown up yet. It is a Maytag with a stainless steel front. It displays the temperature as it goes up, which is really handy. We had bought a thermometer to put in the old one so we could track. Goodie. Cakes and cookies are back on the menu.

Saturday, I helped a friend set up a new web page and we did some work in the yard. Then we picked up Hank at a BBQ cook-off in Pearland. We hung out at the Pearland Police Officer;'s Union and had some BBQ.

Then we went to look at some property with a couple houses on it. More on that later. Then we went to see Shoot 'Em Up. Talk about an over-the-top action movie. The audience was laughing out lot through parts of it because it was so outrageous. There were some annoying things about it, but if you like action movies, or think that things like The Matrix, Bullet Proof Monk, Sin City and so on have gotten out of hand with implausible stunts, then you owe it to yourself to see this on the big screen. Paul Giametti had really let himself go, though. He really needs to lose some weight and get healthy. Monica Bellucci on the other hand looks better than ever.

Sunday morning we went to see the property with our agent and got to look inside the houses. Great layout. Still, I don't think we can come up with the money.

After that, we drove to a couple other properties, but they were not right for us at all. Then we went to Pasedena and saw Brenda and Gina ride in a couple races. Starman caused some excitement by getting loose and running around until he ogt back to the trailer were his candy corn was.

We went to a PetSmart where they are shutting down their State Line Tack department and have all equine supplies half off. It was pretty bare, but L~ managed to spend a fair chunk of change. But the coolest thing of all was they had these eight-armed, wheeled saddle display racks they used to display and sell saddles. One was empty. I asked if it was for sale. It was. We bought it! Awesome! We couldn't by that kind of compact saddles storage anywhere for that kind of price. I could not be more pleased with myself for asking. The other rack only had English saddles on it, which I much lighter than our Western saddles. I hope it can hold up to the strain, especially my saddle which is the heaviest of the lot.

Taking Henry home, we saw a guy on a motorcycle with a T-hirt that said, "My other ride...is your mom." Henry I busted up laughing for five minutes.

SEPTEMBER 13, 2007
The new gas oven is not set up like the old gas oven and I do not think I can install it by myself. I think I am going to have to call in a professional.

The kittens are smart enough to know the difference between bare legs and clothing and know not to jump on bare legs. Unfortunately, they cannot tell the difference between thick denim blue jeans and thin, blue cotton pajamas. Ouch. Those little tiny claws are like babies' fingernails - surprisingly sharp and dangerous.

SEPTEMBER 8-9, 2007
When we got home last night, it wasn't quite the same. Instead of a gray horde racing wave-like to the door when we got home, there was just Harry and Herman. The dynamic is not the same. We will miss the little guys, but we cannot keep them all and they have all gone to good homes.

Saturday I installed the new dishwasher. The instructions come with a list of parts included, a list of tools needed, and a list of parts not included that you need. Fortunately, I had all the ones I really needed except some plumber's tape, which turns out I needed because I just could not get the elbow for the water line tight enough to not leak without it.

Fred had called wanting to meet for brunch, but L~ still had to take the kits to the vet, so we met him for lunch. We bounced a lot of great game ideas off each other.

I spent the rest of the afternoon finishing up the dishwasher and run some test loads. Works great.

In the evening, we drove to Pearland to meet my Dad at the Boy Scout barbecue dinner and auction, and pick up eight briskets to deliver. Had a nice chat with my Dad, ate too much (and got sick that night), and I bid on this nice cast iron cook set in a wooden box, but the scout mom's outbid my max bid in seconds. It would have been a nice set though. L~ won a Scout mug for Henry and a cat gift basket in the silent auction.

Sunday morning I was up late because I got so sick at 2 AM - mmm, rhubarb pie - and so we got down to San Leon late. They were redoing the feed room at Uncle James'. Jesse had fallen through the floor. It was just particle board and for months or years has been like walking on a mattress. AJ brought a couple of iron racks and made feed shelves.

Gina and Jesse were burning old wood and there was a bad round bale of hay they wanted to get rid of. First they tried hauling it by tying a rope around it and hooking to the luggage rack of Jessie's SUV and ripped the rack off. They hauled it into the middle of the drive with James' truck, then figured they would just burn it. Have you ever burned hay? They started screaming for AJ (volunteer firefighter) when white smoke started smothering the neighborhood. He was head down with the nail gun in the feed room, but, of all the strange things, I could hear them and let AJ know. Have you every tried putting out a burning round bale of hay?

Finally, L~ and I were able to go to the pasture and collect Missy, Annie and Blue and meet Brenda and her gang at Runge Park. There were issues with a friend of theirs who wanted to ride Annie, but eventually L~ and I got to ride. Missy has not been riding in a while and is a bit of a mess, but L~ will whip her into shape here before too long.

L~ did a great job of backing the trailer into is narrow spot next Ruby's flower bed in the dark, but then banged her knew pretty badly on the well cover or something, so it was all swollen.

Next weekend, if they weather is kind, I think we are going to have to sneak down there early, hitch up the trailer and just the two of head out to Jack Brooks to ride the trails without letting anyone else know we are down there - not try to coordinate with anyone else's schedules - just do it.

SEPTEMBER 7, 2007
Alais came back.

We made KyKy stay inside last night and she enjoyed getting to sleep in bed with Daddy like she used to when she was little and was the Only Cat. But she will not use a litterbox that any other cat uses, so this morning at 6 I put her outside and put some food out. And Alais just came walking up. I scooped her up and took her to the bedroom. L~ hugged her tight then Alais began bathing herself thoroughly and was not finished when I left. I could not get KyKy back inside though.

Alais has never been gone like that before. Never. She won't be getting a chance to do it again either. She is just going to have to learn to live with the kittens like George has.

Someone wants to more barn kittens, so this weekend we will be delivering two more. Hard to pick which two, but we cannot keep more than one.

Apparently I am not so old that I cannot get away with having nothing but deviled eggs and pepperoni slices for dinner.

But the circle of Cat Life continues. Praise be to Bast.

per-bast.org

SEPTEMBER 6, 2007
Basil is dead. Alais is missing and presumed dead. Momma Cat has been missing for a while. A week ago, the neighbor's cat was found dead with no apparent markings. Basil had a chunk taken out of him.

Just yesterday I stretched out on my back on the driveway and Alais climed on top of me and I rubbed her little head. We have dragged KyKy inside where she is just going to have to suffer the kittens. She has to go to the vet today anyway.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2007

"It's one of the seven wonders of the world — it's just incredible," Jobs told employees...

Yes, in case you missed it, Steve Jobs has announced one of the SEVEN GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS OF HUMAN TECHNOLOGY, the latest Apple MP3 player.

The new iPod Touch will revolutionize the world and be a lasting monument to human achievement for generations. This item is so INNOVATIVE that it will let you download songs in a Starbucks. A million years of human evolution and invention have led us to this.

Idiot.

AUGUST 27, 2007
I answered a summons to jury duty today at the county court annex. It was an interesting morning. The judge, Dale Gorczynski, was very personable and kept us entertained with stories. He performed two weddings while we were there.

In the first wedding, the groom seemed a little shocked and dismayed that there were so many people there. He kept looking over his shoulder at us, but it was a nice ceremony and everyone clapped when it was done.

The second wedding was a wedding by proxy. Apparently Texas is one of about 12 states that does not require the bride or groom to be at the wedding. He said that he has performed one double-proxy wedding, the groom was a soldier in Iraq and the bride was a soldier in Afghanistan.

Today's wedding by proxy, the bride's adult daughter was standing in for the groom. We don't know where he was. The judge says that military and prison are usually the two reasons to do a proxy wedding. He does not ask which.

He is also the judge on Animal Cops: Houston and one of the constables Christine Kendrick came into swear out a warrant to recover three donkeys.

We finally got divided into two panels; I was on the second panel. We got sent on break. When we came back in, one of the cases had dropped so since neither panel volunteered to stay, he went through an elaborate procedure (because he is an entertaining guy), drew lots and panel 2 got to leave. So I grabbed a bite to eat and rushed back to work.

AUGUST 26, 2007
We did not head down to work with the horses, so I helped a neighbor move an armoir from an antique store in the Heights to his wife's office. It was a hot day.

AUGUST 25, 2007
We were in Lowe's picking up a few things and they had a three-person, free-standing porch swing with a sun shade for $74.00. After verifying the price, we got it and went straight home to assemble it. It is very nice. Now we can drink ice tea and grill steaks with our new favorite Cowboy brand hardwood charcoal and swing side-by-side.

AUGUST 20, 2007
We were without power for 5 hours yesterday. About 7 PM, while we were out working in the yard, we heard a ZOTZ and the block went down. We have been losing power once or twice a day all last week, and that is without a hurricane coming through.

Power outages are great times to chat with the neighbors and meet new ones, which we did. The repair came out, replaced the blown fuse and it blew again immediately. He decided it was a bad transformer. Unfortunatly, the area repair crew was repairing a pole and transformer that had been knocked down in an auto accident, so it was going to be a while.

We lit candles and then I remembered we had a Coleman lantern from our camping trip. Those are nice. The power came back on at 11:59.

AUGUST 12, 2007
Can you tell I have been busy. We spent all day Saturday down south. We delivered a cat to a cousin, then had to run across country to the vet's for wormer for the horses, then to Tractor Supply to get a new light bar for the horse trailer, then back to L~'s parent's house where her dad had been working on the wiring on the trailer. He wired it up nicely and we replaced the light bar. Then we pressure washed the whole thing, inside and out, then hauled it back to James'. We unloaded 300 pounds of feed and oats and I am going to offer to rebuild the feed room for James. Then it was off to the pasture to check out the herd.

Missy has allergies or something and she was fussy when we tried to put medicine in her eyes. She slammed me ito L~, slamming her into the stall board and bruising her shoulder. Missy has a gash on her pastern.

Dreamy keeps cribbing and the spray we got does not seem to stop her anymore, so we are going to have to get her a cribbing collar. Cribbing apparently is what bored horses do apparently - it is like horse pot or something, so we are going to have to keep her busy.

Sunday we did work around the hacienda and some shopping, the result of which I am all busted up. I look like I got partway scalped, I have a gash on my knee and all kinds of little nicks and bruises. A rough weekend all around.

AUGUST 3, 2007

Imus backlash has rappers cleaning up acts

I love that. Chamillionaire looking in the audience, realize he has a big white following and if they are going to sing along, they have to say "niggah".

AUGUST 2, 2007
The other morning, I saw a white V8 Titan pickup driving along. In the back window, behind the driver was a Mickey Mouse decal. Behind the passenger was a Goofy decal. That was bad enough, but there was a trailer hitch cover with a huge enameled Micky Mouse face. My first thought was, who would buy such a thing? My second thought and more to the point was, who would dream of manufacturing such a thing? I guess it is the same macho men that come up with Tweety Bird tattoos and Yosemite Sam mudflaps.

AUGUST 1, 2007
Ghost Chili
How about this: the worlds hottest chili, over 1 MILLION Scoville units, making it 1.7 times hotter than the hottest habenaro. They call it the ghost chili because if you eat one, there is a good chance you will become a ghost.

I wonder how it compares to the Quetzlzacatenango?

The merciless peppers of Quetzlzacatenango! Grown deep in the jungle primeval by the inmates of a Guatemalan insane asylum.

KITTENS LOOKING FOR GOOD HOMES

We have 7 adorable kittens (5 boys and 2 girls) who need a good home. Their mother showed up at our doorstep and we took her in out of the rain.
See the kittens in action
If we didn't have too many cats already, we could bear to part with these little rascals.