...from Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop

10 of My Absolute Worst Pet Peeves...

Pet Peeves, the things that really, really bother the OCD side of our personalities because we can not fix these traits in someone else even though we would really, really love to do so!

10)  Being trashy--not picking up after yourself in public, because [wherever] has a janitorial staff and it's their job, or just because you are plain lazy and don't want to deal with it.  (Trash accumulates and is really, really nasty.)

9)  People talking loudly, especially on their mobile phones, in a public place.  Yes, everyone wants to have a good time with friends, and everyone has a mobile nowadays, but I do not want to be a part of your conversation.  It is just downright rude!

8)  Line jumping.  You are not more important than the other people ahead of you in line, and poor planning on your part, does not make it an emergency on mine.  Plan accordingly and wait your turn.

7)  Failure to use your turn signal while driving.  Let folks know what you are going to do with your car; it could be really important.

6)  People who won't yield to a fire truck, an ambulance, or a funeral procession, because they think that what they have to do is more important than a fire truck or ambulance's lights and sirens or paying last respects.

5)  Using the last of an item and putting the box back on the shelf as if it still had some contents remaining.

4)  People who try to drive and talk/text on their mobile.  They wreak havoc on everyone around them.  There are those who can do it well--carry on, but to those who can not, pull over and talk or hang up and drive.

3)  Hypocrisy.

2)  Screaming babies in public.  I love children, but I do not go out to eat, to the movie, to shop, or board a plane to hear someone else's child scream because a parent chooses not to do their job.  On the rare occassion that my brother or I threw a tantrum in public, Mom stopped what she was doing, scooped us up, took us out of there--either to the restroom or packed us in the car and home we went.  It's not convenient for the parent, but you don't have to do it but once or twice.  Instead, everyone has to suffer the screams, and everyone has to be inconvenienced.  I do say something, even as my husband hides under the table.

1)  Mean people.

Google Overhaul

I love to write.  I love reading, and for me, blogging has provided an outlet for those two passions.  I find I don't talk to myself as much as I used to because I blog.  I found I read what other people had to say about the thoughts they had on any chosen topic, so I decided I would return to writing.  I ended up creating two blogs--one about fly fishing, and one about everything else besides fly fishing.

I have been a teacher for 22 years, and my students have taught me a thing or two.  The kids who have lived with technology all their lives are called Digital Natives; everyone else is a Digital Immigrant.  Digital Natives despise the "how-to" manuals and just play.  They make mistakes, learn from those mistakes, and play and create, wonderfully imaginative creations.  So, I copied the kids.  I chose Google's Blogger over Wordpress after dabbling with each provider's blogging features.  I like being able to use my own pictures for my backdrop (FishOn! the Fly was taken in the Seychelles, and Musings was taken at sunset in Islamorada, Florida).  I like how easy Blogger's templates are to navigate.  I like that I can write and then manipulate the html coding to create a wanted effect.  I like being able to chose a layout from a template.  The template has already been thought about as to what is pleasing to see and read, so I just pick the one I like best.  I like adding third party Java Script and manipulating the Favicon to make my site even more personal is pleasing.  I liked a lot about Google, and I already had a Google Mail account, so maybe the choice had already been made.

However, will all these things that I like create a problem with Google's reinvention of itself?  Will a name change be mandatory for all Blogspots?  Will links still work?  I don't receive many visitors other than close friends and family on my personal thoughts blog, so it won't be difficult to manipulate the changes.  However, my fly fishing blog will be a nightmare to re-link and re-post and may not even be worth it.  Google hasn't posted any details, yet, but the changes have been in place for a couple of weeks and should be occurring for about four more.  Two good articles as to what is happening with Google and their move to Google +.

Blogger & Picasa Renamed

Google +

The Wild Things Are Where?

My precious Aunt and Uncle live in a city--in a developed neighborhood--with two major thoroughfares in near proximity.  When I went to their home, Thursday, for a lovely visit, I was quite surprised at the tale I heard and evidence I saw.  My Uncle bought an animal trap for opossums and raccoons!  In the city, they are having a rodent invasion.  First, they trapped an opossum.  Now, the only time I ever knew an opossum to be cute is in Mem Fox's Possum Magic.  My Uncle took the trapped creature across the street for the two girls to see, and after they oohhed and aahhed over it, their dad conveniently shot the hissing, snarling rodent.

Then, the next opossum came, but this 'ole boy was a smart one.  He munched on the marshmallows laid out leading up to the trap, but no going in to that trap.  Instead, he waddled the other way, jumped in the pool, swam quickly to the other side, and got away.  After the opossum, a lengthy trench appeared running along the house foundation, so my Uncle laid another marshmallow trail.  Trapped and escaped that raccoon did.  Modifications--tightening the trap door--made, and the trap was again laid.  Second raccoon caught and trapped. 

Now, my Aunt and Uncle phoned a city department to come pick up the raccoon.  Until said department could arrive, my Aunt and Uncle had to keep the raccoon fed, hydrated, and cool, because if the trapped raccoon died while under their "care," they could be fined for cruelty to animals!  They put a misting fan blowing on it, fed, and watered it.  They also had to put heavy stones on top of the cage, because the raccoon kept rocking the cage, using its little hands to manipulate the door and stones trying to escape.  Good try raccoon, but no such luck, because said department worker finally arrived.  My Aunt asked the young man what they were going to do with the raccoon, and he said they were going to euthanize it!  A couple of days later, the worker returned to let my Aunt and Uncle know that the raccoon was a nursing one, and they should be on the lookout for the little ones.  Papa raccoon had left evidence of his presence, but he has not been caught, yet. 

My Uncle decided that the inability to catch the other rodents was because they had become trap shy.  So, my Uncle got their Christmas garland from out of the attic and meticulously weaved the garland in and out of all the cage's bars.  I had seen the decorated cage in the garage, but I didn't know what it was until someone told me.  Next came more marshmallows and it was time to set the trap.  Now, I had my doubts about the camouflage working, but boy was I wrong.  On Saturday, my Mom phoned me saying she had just heard from my Aunt that they had trapped another opossum!  I don't know its fate, but the contraption works.  For Christmas, my Aunt and Uncle are adding lights; afterall, these are city rodents.

The Closers

New Home Owners

Well, in a process that was easier than I thought it was going to be, we signed papers and paid money to become the new owners of a house Cody and I picked out together.  Now, we are landlords for the next three weeks, because the former owners can not move in to the house they bought until the people from whom they bought their house move out.  That couple can not move out until their new house is built, and so fall the dominoes.  We look forward to moving-in, so we can start making the new house our home!

One of "Those" Phone Calls

When the phone rings, you never know what to expect.  Most of the time, it's a friendly chit-chat, but there is always that one phone call that catches you off-guard.  Cody and I had one of "those" phone calls, this afternoon. 

Our dear friend Jason phoned just after a quiet and enjoyable lunch, and the look on Cody's face told me something was different about this call.  Cody put the call on speakerphone, and Jason told us about the adventure Dawn and he had Friday evening.

Jason and Dawn left Jason's home to go eat a late supper around 7:30 p.m.  Jason is a pediatrician, and so he has a phone service.  Being on-call this weekend, it was not surprising that the service called while they were at the restaurant.  However, the conversation was a first, and hopefully won't ever be repeated.  At 8:45 p.m., the service secretary said, "Dr. Jason, one of your neighbors is on the phone calling to say your house is on fire.  Would you like to talk with her?" 

Well, yeah, and after a brief conversation with the neighbor, Jason and Dawn left the restaurant and headed home.  Only, they had to park at the end of the street, because there were 42 firemen in 12 firetrucks, including two hook-and-ladder units, and a Salvation Army truck tending to two injured firemen parked up and down their street.  Jason's 15 year old hot tub's wiring suddenly sparked a fire, disintegrating the hot tub, surrounding decking, yard, and jumped the fence to the neighbor's yard and back part of their house.

The hot tub was located at the end of the deck at the back of the house.  Jason's back doors, a couple of windows, an electrical circuit in the garage, and the t.v. cable were damaged from the heat, but that was the extent of the damage at Jason's home (even the Green Egg survived).  Their neighbor's home, however, was partially burned, but fortunately, the homeowner was not home and had no pets.  Jason has a lab named Corona, who is crate-kept whenever they leave the house.  Corona's crate is at the back door, and when Jason and Dawn were putting Corona up before they left, they saw nothing wrong with the hot tub or the deck. 

We love our friends, and after getting over the initial shock of what happened and what might have been, Cody and I have thanked the Lord often that no one and no animal was hurt, and we all know everything damaged can be replaced.  Jason and Dawn are okay, and Jason's house is structurally sound and smoke-free.  Besides, Jason was planning on getting rid of the hot tub, anyway; it just happened much differently than planned. 

House Inspection

Well, today was a long one, in that we had the house inspection completed.  We are relieved that there are not many items that need attention.  We contact the realtor, tomorrow.  Hopefully, it's then on to the closing!  Whew, this process has been relatively easy, but the stress a "change-in-life-status" causes is most annoying!
 

Front of house, which faces north





Northeast corner



Northwest corner



Southwest corner





Back of house, which faces south





Southeast corner