Saturday, February 28, 2009
Really??!!! Somehow not surprised...
Please just kill me....I am just speechless....well not speechless, but the things I want to say would be so inappropriate so I will just let go....
Hollywood Group Visits Iran for 'Creative Exchange'
With the world still wary of Iran's plans for its nuclear program, the country is welcoming a band of unofficial cultural ambassadors from the U.S.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed to AFP on Friday that it had sent a group from Hollywood to Iran — emphasizing they are on a strictly cultural mission of creative exchange.
"I can confirm that a group of Academy members... are currently in Iran" on a "completely private initiative for educational and creative exchange and with no political agenda," AMPAS director for communications Leslie Unger told AFP.
Iranian media had reported that the delegation included the Academy's president, as well as actress Annette Bening, saying the group would hold meetings Saturday and Sunday in Tehran.
Diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Iran have remained strained since Iran's Islamic revolution 30 years ago, in which the U.S. embassy in Tehran was stormed, setting off a prolonged hostage crisis.
Since then, the tension has focused increasingly on Iran's nuclear program, though President Obama has signaled he intends to form a new strategy for dealing with the country.
Hollywood Group Visits Iran for 'Creative Exchange'
With the world still wary of Iran's plans for its nuclear program, the country is welcoming a band of unofficial cultural ambassadors from the U.S.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed to AFP on Friday that it had sent a group from Hollywood to Iran — emphasizing they are on a strictly cultural mission of creative exchange.
"I can confirm that a group of Academy members... are currently in Iran" on a "completely private initiative for educational and creative exchange and with no political agenda," AMPAS director for communications Leslie Unger told AFP.
Iranian media had reported that the delegation included the Academy's president, as well as actress Annette Bening, saying the group would hold meetings Saturday and Sunday in Tehran.
Diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Iran have remained strained since Iran's Islamic revolution 30 years ago, in which the U.S. embassy in Tehran was stormed, setting off a prolonged hostage crisis.
Since then, the tension has focused increasingly on Iran's nuclear program, though President Obama has signaled he intends to form a new strategy for dealing with the country.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Weather Freak
I am the weather freak of my friends and my office. I get made fun of for calling everyone at any time of day or night to make sure they are paying attention to the bad weather. I get teased, but I will wear that badge with honor if I can make sure all I love are safe. It is not a scared thing, it is a safe thing and a fascination thing. I should have been a meteorologist. I would love it!
Speaking of weather, today has been fun! We went from gorgeous, windy and 70 degree weather yesterday and last night to storms and tons of rain. They think a tornado dropped down about 4-5 miles from our office. It may have been straight line winds...they still have to check. The main thing has been the rain. Just this afternoon, some places have gotten almost 3 inches. It is going to continue to rain tonight and tomorrow. THEN something else may happen, but I will save that for another post if it happens! Fingers crossed!
Because of the storm, our office lost power so the best boss in the world sent everyone home. I am lucky enough that I can do work here, so it has been great working in The Big Green chair with sleepy schnauzers all around.
It has been very dark today. All the post lamps in the neighborhood are on. My NOAA weather alert is still going off. We are still under flash flood warnings and there are still tornado warnings for counties south of us.
I just took the pups out. We are all soaking wet, but they pee'd! YEAH! They don't like the rain.
I took some pics today and some of the TV. I will explain:
Here is what we look for in the South when radar is up. It is a hook echo. That means the storm is wrapping around itself and that is when a tornado could drop:
Here is cloud wall out of Demopolis, south of us. Sorry for the pic..taking pics of the TV. This is the type cloud that a tornado would drop out of and please note the barge going right into it:
Now here are the pics from the house...
We are almost lucky enough to have a lakeside home! We have what should be a wonderful field of grass across from the house, but all the grass is dead and I would like to thank the yard people for continuing to mow the dirt. It just makes it worse. So now I have my lake. I don't have a super zoom on my camera so I circled the "lake".
Here is some of the water pooling in front of the house. I can't through the pic explain how swampy it is out there. We don't have enough grass to hold the water so it is just soup! Seriously nasty muddy wet!
And after many, many, many tries and hanging out the window, I got this water drop coming off the dying buds (they will come back...not really dead) of my tree. I am proud of this shot! Still learning....
Speaking of weather, today has been fun! We went from gorgeous, windy and 70 degree weather yesterday and last night to storms and tons of rain. They think a tornado dropped down about 4-5 miles from our office. It may have been straight line winds...they still have to check. The main thing has been the rain. Just this afternoon, some places have gotten almost 3 inches. It is going to continue to rain tonight and tomorrow. THEN something else may happen, but I will save that for another post if it happens! Fingers crossed!
Because of the storm, our office lost power so the best boss in the world sent everyone home. I am lucky enough that I can do work here, so it has been great working in The Big Green chair with sleepy schnauzers all around.
It has been very dark today. All the post lamps in the neighborhood are on. My NOAA weather alert is still going off. We are still under flash flood warnings and there are still tornado warnings for counties south of us.
I just took the pups out. We are all soaking wet, but they pee'd! YEAH! They don't like the rain.
I took some pics today and some of the TV. I will explain:
Here is what we look for in the South when radar is up. It is a hook echo. That means the storm is wrapping around itself and that is when a tornado could drop:
Here is cloud wall out of Demopolis, south of us. Sorry for the pic..taking pics of the TV. This is the type cloud that a tornado would drop out of and please note the barge going right into it:
Now here are the pics from the house...
We are almost lucky enough to have a lakeside home! We have what should be a wonderful field of grass across from the house, but all the grass is dead and I would like to thank the yard people for continuing to mow the dirt. It just makes it worse. So now I have my lake. I don't have a super zoom on my camera so I circled the "lake".
Here is some of the water pooling in front of the house. I can't through the pic explain how swampy it is out there. We don't have enough grass to hold the water so it is just soup! Seriously nasty muddy wet!
And after many, many, many tries and hanging out the window, I got this water drop coming off the dying buds (they will come back...not really dead) of my tree. I am proud of this shot! Still learning....
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Octomom
Seriously...I am all about women having IVF if that is their only way to have children....I do have a problem when you have 8 babies in addition to your other 6 and you have no job, income, house and any way to take care of the babies. I read today that child services may not release the babies to Octomom. GOOD! Adopt those babies out so they have a chance for a wonderful life. They are sure to have some health issues being so preemie and there is no way this woman can take care of them. She is a nut job AND that doctor should be arrested and put in jail!
I look at the Duggars in Arkansas and they have 18 kids, but you know what? They are debt free. They had their kids one at a time and can afford them and take care of them and they have raised wonderful kids. This chick has a screw loose.
I think the thing I am so mad about is how are these babies going to live. What is their life going to be like? Will they always be the freaky Octomom's kids or will they be able to be adopted and live a normal life? Will they be able to see their siblings? Will their needs be taken care of? I don't want them to be farmed out separately, but is someone willing to take all or at least let them all keep in touch as they get older? It is probably the saddest story....I worry so much for all 14 of her kids and her parents.....am I wrong?
I look at the Duggars in Arkansas and they have 18 kids, but you know what? They are debt free. They had their kids one at a time and can afford them and take care of them and they have raised wonderful kids. This chick has a screw loose.
I think the thing I am so mad about is how are these babies going to live. What is their life going to be like? Will they always be the freaky Octomom's kids or will they be able to be adopted and live a normal life? Will they be able to see their siblings? Will their needs be taken care of? I don't want them to be farmed out separately, but is someone willing to take all or at least let them all keep in touch as they get older? It is probably the saddest story....I worry so much for all 14 of her kids and her parents.....am I wrong?
The Reason for the Camera
So you all know that I don't have children but I do have my pups and they own me to the Nth degree. The whole reason I wanted a good camera was to take pics of them, but that blossomed into all the other things I want to take pics of. You never know what the eye will see. Take your camera everywhere.....so to back up....here are the kids doing their snuggly sleepy thing:
6,005 Piercings and Counting
Seriously....what is wrong with people? I could put some other spine tingling pics out here for you, but I decided to spare ya' and you are welcome!
Emma Kate's Surgery
Brooks called and Emma came through the surgery just fine! Doctor believes they repaired all the damage. Keep your prayers coming that it works so they can bring her home!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Brooks' letter to Emma Kate's future husband
PLEASE read the entry below first then scroll back up to this one. I have no words....a dad's love...
Dear Future Son,
It is a Sunday morning in February. February 22nd to be exact. I am sitting here with your future wife, Emma Kate. And as I hold her, my thoughts keep going to you. You have been on my mind a lot this week which is strange because I am not sure if you are even alive yet.
You see, my Emma Kate is fighting hard to meet you one day. She has not eaten today, and has not for the last week in order to correct a complication from surgery. Her second open heart surgery in her short 5 months of life. And this road isn’t finished yet. We will head to Atlanta tomorrow where they will perform another surgery to hopefully correct this complication.
It has been a rough week on me and Bethany. Watching our sweet angel cry because she is hungry has, at times, been too hard to handle. But for some reason, thinking of you makes me smile. I smile because she won’t remember this. She fights hard today, so that one day she will know nothing but happiness. Sure, times will be challenging, but nothing will compare to this. And she can overcome anything.
I smile because she has inspired me more in 6 months than I will be able to inspire her in a lifetime. And you better be amazing, because I can guarantee that she is. Know that I will not make it easy on you. Not because I don’t like you but because she is worth it. And I will have to make sure that you are worth it. She is not fighting this hard now for nothing later.
Every day, until I give you her hand, I promise to kiss her good morning and good night, with hopes that you will do the same. I promise to dance with her in the living room to cheesy Disney songs, with hopes that you will do the same. I promise to read her fairy tales of knights in shining armor, in hopes that you will be the same. I promise to listen to her and get to know her heart, with the hope that you will do the same. And I promise to love her unconditionally, forever, with the hopes that you will do the same.
One day I will walk her down the aisle and hand her to you. But know that my love for her will never stop growing. My prayer is that you will love her even more than I do, which in my mind right now is impossible. But I pray that you will strive every day to reach that. Her heart is fragile and I pray that you will make it whole. I pray for you daily and promise to do so for the rest of my life. I pray that God is molding your heart right now to beat perfectly with hers.
But most of all, I pray that God draws your heart to His. I pray that He teaches you how to be a man after His heart. I pray that He teaches you to love others more than yourself. That you will know how to love Emma Kate’s heart through how you have loved your mother’s heart. That you will respect her how you have respected your father.
And I pray that you are a better man than I am.
Love,
Brooks
Dear Future Son,
It is a Sunday morning in February. February 22nd to be exact. I am sitting here with your future wife, Emma Kate. And as I hold her, my thoughts keep going to you. You have been on my mind a lot this week which is strange because I am not sure if you are even alive yet.
You see, my Emma Kate is fighting hard to meet you one day. She has not eaten today, and has not for the last week in order to correct a complication from surgery. Her second open heart surgery in her short 5 months of life. And this road isn’t finished yet. We will head to Atlanta tomorrow where they will perform another surgery to hopefully correct this complication.
It has been a rough week on me and Bethany. Watching our sweet angel cry because she is hungry has, at times, been too hard to handle. But for some reason, thinking of you makes me smile. I smile because she won’t remember this. She fights hard today, so that one day she will know nothing but happiness. Sure, times will be challenging, but nothing will compare to this. And she can overcome anything.
I smile because she has inspired me more in 6 months than I will be able to inspire her in a lifetime. And you better be amazing, because I can guarantee that she is. Know that I will not make it easy on you. Not because I don’t like you but because she is worth it. And I will have to make sure that you are worth it. She is not fighting this hard now for nothing later.
Every day, until I give you her hand, I promise to kiss her good morning and good night, with hopes that you will do the same. I promise to dance with her in the living room to cheesy Disney songs, with hopes that you will do the same. I promise to read her fairy tales of knights in shining armor, in hopes that you will be the same. I promise to listen to her and get to know her heart, with the hope that you will do the same. And I promise to love her unconditionally, forever, with the hopes that you will do the same.
One day I will walk her down the aisle and hand her to you. But know that my love for her will never stop growing. My prayer is that you will love her even more than I do, which in my mind right now is impossible. But I pray that you will strive every day to reach that. Her heart is fragile and I pray that you will make it whole. I pray for you daily and promise to do so for the rest of my life. I pray that God is molding your heart right now to beat perfectly with hers.
But most of all, I pray that God draws your heart to His. I pray that He teaches you how to be a man after His heart. I pray that He teaches you to love others more than yourself. That you will know how to love Emma Kate’s heart through how you have loved your mother’s heart. That you will respect her how you have respected your father.
And I pray that you are a better man than I am.
Love,
Brooks
Prayers needed for Emma Kate and Gracie
I work with Brooks. He has a 3 year old sweetie named, Anna Brook. He is married to Bethany. They have a 5 month old daughter named Emma Kate. The baby needs some prayers tonight. She was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. This is:
"In hypoplastic left heart syndrome, the left side of the heart -- including the aorta, aortic valve, left ventricle and mitral valve -- is underdeveloped. Blood returning from the lungs must flow through an opening in the wall between the atria (atrial septal defect). The right ventricle pumps the blood into the pulmonary artery and blood reaches the aorta through a patent ductus arteriosus."
I got this on the internet, but you get the idea that this precious baby's heart was underdeveloped. She had her first open heart surgery at 3 days old. About a month ago, she had her second open heart. During that surgery, her lymphatic system was damaged. Brooks and Bethany were able to bring Emma home for about a week, but fluid started building in her chest cavity causing her to have trouble breathing.....so back to the hospital. A chest tube was inserted to drain. She has been in the hospital now for about 2 weeks. UAB did everything they could to stop the fluid, but alas.....she now has to have surgery to repair. She was taken to Atlanta yesterday by ambulance and will have surgery in the morning. Please pray for her. This WILL work! She will have at least one more surgery between the ages of 2 and 3, then God willing....she will go on to a happy, healthy life. PRAY peeps, please! Here are a couple other pics of her. She is the sweetest, most smiling strong happy baby!
ALSO, please look to the left at my blog list. Brooks wrote a letter to Emma Kate's future husband on his blog. I tried to read it, but started crying and had to stop. I tried to include Bethany's blog but it would not let me....she is a strong, strong mom and I have so much respect for her and Brooks. You can link to her blog from Brooks' blog.....look to the right on his blog and click on "These Nine Months". Their faith in God is keeping them going. Please lift them up in your prayers too!
AND after reading Bethany's blog...Gracie needs prayers too. Her story is below:
From Bethany: "I would like to ask all of you to keep our little friend Gracie in your prayers tonight. She was scheduled to have her Glenn, but her doctors determined that her heart would not be strong enough to withstand the surgery. She was then placed at the very top of the donor list and waited for just a short time for a heart. She received a heart today, but her body is rejecting it. If her heart is rejected, she will not be re-listed for another transplant. Please pray for little Gracie tonight. Pray for her sweet family and for God to heal her."
My heart is breaking for these babies......do your thing my prayer warriors! Lift them all up, please!
Monday, February 23, 2009
LulaBelle Sandwich
LulaBelle loves to play with Daisy by hiding between the big floor pillows I have set up for them in my room. She will wait for Daisy to come find her but tonight Daisy was having none of it and for some reason, LulaBelle never moved from between...my lovely idiot dog is now the meat of a big pillow sandwich!
AND
AND
AND
AND
Angel Butt Box and "antiques"?
I love going to antique stores. You never know what you will find. I like finding little chotchkies. No big expensive things, just fun stuff. Years ago I found the "Angel Butt Box"! It was maybe $10 bucks and I love it and I bought it for Mom. I still look for little things like this box:
At an antique store in Destin, I found my bear....$5 bucks! He is super cute! He has no purpose except to collect dust, but at least he is not stuck in that big antique mall...he has a home! Love my little buddy!
AND by the way.....in addition to the Slanket being so warm and snuggly...who knew how great it was going to be to use as a background for crazy objects!
At an antique store in Destin, I found my bear....$5 bucks! He is super cute! He has no purpose except to collect dust, but at least he is not stuck in that big antique mall...he has a home! Love my little buddy!
AND by the way.....in addition to the Slanket being so warm and snuggly...who knew how great it was going to be to use as a background for crazy objects!
Spit gap and the Larva
Just for fun....me and the spit gap! My spit gap is back. I don't know why....maybe because I am 40 and everything moves in an up and down and sideways pattern. The front teeth are moving back apart. I wonder if I could find my old retainer in a box in the basement? No way that would work. At least the gap is good for easy flossing!
In this pic, Mom did do a good job on my hair. Super tight and high! Love it!
My grandma, Honey (Dad's mom), made this pic for my Dad. He was in Vietnam and did not meet me until I was at least 6 months old. How strong is Mom to have gone through all that by herself? Mom's water broke and Granddaddy with Grandma (Mom's parents) and my aunts/uncles all piled in the car to go the hospital. Granddaddy was nonchalant about it and stopped by the post office to mail a couple of bills while Mom was in labor. That was so Granddaddy!
Anyway...this pic was sent to Dad in Vietnam. I affectionately call it "Laura the Larva!"
This is the message on the back of the pic. It was sent to Dad at Christmas in Vietnam....he DID save it and it came back. And now that I think about it, I was born in June and this was sent to him in December.....maybe I was almost 1 before Dad met me.
You can double click the pic to make it bigger so it can be read.....
In this pic, Mom did do a good job on my hair. Super tight and high! Love it!
My grandma, Honey (Dad's mom), made this pic for my Dad. He was in Vietnam and did not meet me until I was at least 6 months old. How strong is Mom to have gone through all that by herself? Mom's water broke and Granddaddy with Grandma (Mom's parents) and my aunts/uncles all piled in the car to go the hospital. Granddaddy was nonchalant about it and stopped by the post office to mail a couple of bills while Mom was in labor. That was so Granddaddy!
Anyway...this pic was sent to Dad in Vietnam. I affectionately call it "Laura the Larva!"
This is the message on the back of the pic. It was sent to Dad at Christmas in Vietnam....he DID save it and it came back. And now that I think about it, I was born in June and this was sent to him in December.....maybe I was almost 1 before Dad met me.
You can double click the pic to make it bigger so it can be read.....
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Sandra Bullock is Back!
I am so excited! Watching the Oscars and there was a commercial for Sandra Bullock's new movie, "The Proposal". I can't wait to see this! Sandra and hottie, Ryan Reynolds. All over this one!
You can go here to read more about it. It comes out on June 12th.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1041829/
You can go here to read more about it. It comes out on June 12th.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1041829/
Tiffany Lamps
We are obsessed with Tiffany lamps. Here are a few:
Mom's fave in her room:
My fave in my room:
Two faves in the living room. The first one has a cherub which I love:
Main lamps in the living room:
One more.....dining room:
Believe it or not, there are more, but I wasn't in the mood to take any more pics. I love lamps and hate overhead lighting. Lamps make a house warm and cozy and relaxing. Overhead lights are harsh and yucky.
Mom's fave in her room:
My fave in my room:
Two faves in the living room. The first one has a cherub which I love:
Main lamps in the living room:
One more.....dining room:
Believe it or not, there are more, but I wasn't in the mood to take any more pics. I love lamps and hate overhead lighting. Lamps make a house warm and cozy and relaxing. Overhead lights are harsh and yucky.
Mom's Cross Stitch
My mom has done the most beautiful cross stitch. I have a couple of tattoos and I want to have one of her cross stitches done on my shoulder. It would take a ton of money and someone with a lot of talent to capture her work! She has mad skills.
This is the one I want as a tattoo, sorry the pic is crooked:
Here are the rest. I have to learn how to take pics without the flash and glare...that is why they are all to the side. But please note....there are a ginormous amount of stitches in each and every one:
Van Gogh's Water Lilies:
This is Mom's fave that she did:
Lilies:
This is the one that made me cry. She totally surprised me on my birthday. She worked so hard on this one in secret. I love my birds and my fave is "The Mad Bluebird" picture. Below is the pic and below that is Mom's cross stitch:
Here is a closer look at her work. So awesome!
Thanks Mom!!!
This is the one I want as a tattoo, sorry the pic is crooked:
Here are the rest. I have to learn how to take pics without the flash and glare...that is why they are all to the side. But please note....there are a ginormous amount of stitches in each and every one:
Van Gogh's Water Lilies:
This is Mom's fave that she did:
Lilies:
This is the one that made me cry. She totally surprised me on my birthday. She worked so hard on this one in secret. I love my birds and my fave is "The Mad Bluebird" picture. Below is the pic and below that is Mom's cross stitch:
Here is a closer look at her work. So awesome!
Thanks Mom!!!
House cleaning and product placement
Over the past 2 days we have done spring cleaning. Just needed to get it done! I wish I had taken a before and after pic of the kitchen table, but I didn't. This table is teak and it needs to be oiled/moisturize or whatever because it dries out a little. Mom found this new product on QVC and it is AWESOME on wood. I love it! The table looks great as does all the wood in the house. I used it on the kitchen table, the dining room table, the bathroom cabinets and all my bedroom furniture. Everything is very shiny and clean. LOVE IT!
Here is the product:
Here is the table:
I also got the bathroom so clean and shiny. Thank you Fantastik! You can also see at the bottom of the pic how nice and shiny my cabinets are. Thank you Regency Gold!
AND finally...you may have notice a couple of candles on the kitchen table. Yes...they are made of wax and yes they have a nice smell BUT they are battery operated. No fire...they have a timer and come on at the same time every night and stay on for 4 hours and then shut off....we have them all over the house. I know this is a shocker, but got them on QVC...just go there and search "flameless candles". They have so many beautiful ones. We used to spend a buttload on candles at Pier 1 and then found these. Love, love, love!
I got this set for Mom's room. Her room is blue and these little birds are so sweet and again....battery operated and flameless from QVC:
Here is the product:
Here is the table:
I also got the bathroom so clean and shiny. Thank you Fantastik! You can also see at the bottom of the pic how nice and shiny my cabinets are. Thank you Regency Gold!
AND finally...you may have notice a couple of candles on the kitchen table. Yes...they are made of wax and yes they have a nice smell BUT they are battery operated. No fire...they have a timer and come on at the same time every night and stay on for 4 hours and then shut off....we have them all over the house. I know this is a shocker, but got them on QVC...just go there and search "flameless candles". They have so many beautiful ones. We used to spend a buttload on candles at Pier 1 and then found these. Love, love, love!
I got this set for Mom's room. Her room is blue and these little birds are so sweet and again....battery operated and flameless from QVC:
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Recipes
Tried 3 new recipes tonight. I loved them all. I will post the recipes later.
Chicken salad with celery, pineapple, mandarin oranges, pecans, seedless red grapes....then....
Carrots, chick peas, garlic, red onion, olive oil, and pine nuts....then
"Killer Corn Bread" with flour, corn meal, crushed pineapple, creamed corn...so good! Probably too much corn bread on the plate but I LOVE corn bread. I would take it over any bread, roll, biscuit, bagel or doughnut....
Chicken salad with celery, pineapple, mandarin oranges, pecans, seedless red grapes....then....
Carrots, chick peas, garlic, red onion, olive oil, and pine nuts....then
"Killer Corn Bread" with flour, corn meal, crushed pineapple, creamed corn...so good! Probably too much corn bread on the plate but I LOVE corn bread. I would take it over any bread, roll, biscuit, bagel or doughnut....
Sisters?
How would you even guess that we are sisters? What gives it away? The ears? No way....that is just silly....
We don't even like each other...
We don't even feel comfortable around each other...ewwwwwwww!
We don't even like each other...
We don't even feel comfortable around each other...ewwwwwwww!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Shooter and the Vizio
I am so ready for sleepy time right now, but I had to throw this last post out. I flipped around the channels and ended up on Mark Wahlberg's movie, "Shooter". It is midway through so I just clicked on it to kill time until sleep takes over.
At the point I clicked on the movie the police were confronting Mark with a German Shepherd. In the movie, the dog started barking and going nuts....and here is the point that I thank Vizio 120hz TV's.....the Kids went bezerk when the dog started barking on TV. Daisy May May was running behind the TV thinking the dog was hiding back there. The sound and pic on the Vizio is awesome! The dogs were fooled and that is funny!
Seriously...I am out now...nite nite!
P.S. Being a good girl...got the bite guard in! Must protect teeth!
At the point I clicked on the movie the police were confronting Mark with a German Shepherd. In the movie, the dog started barking and going nuts....and here is the point that I thank Vizio 120hz TV's.....the Kids went bezerk when the dog started barking on TV. Daisy May May was running behind the TV thinking the dog was hiding back there. The sound and pic on the Vizio is awesome! The dogs were fooled and that is funny!
Seriously...I am out now...nite nite!
P.S. Being a good girl...got the bite guard in! Must protect teeth!
Monkeys are BAD
I used to live in Eufaula, AL. That is a wonderful town and the Eufaula Pilgrimage (http://www.eufaulapilgrimage.com/) is really cool. And I have to mention that my Dad is buried there and I have the best memories of that town. It is small, but with the lake there....much fishing and much nature and history.
ANYWAY....I used to go to Kindergarten in a converted house. It was on the main street with all the other houses and all the kids went there. It was a huge house with several classrooms and a big wrap around porch. I will never forget this....we were outside and all the sudden there was a monkey. For those of you that listen to "Rick and Bubba" - WIN, PLACE, SHOW - you understand the WIN, PLACE, SHOW phrase means you are telling the absolute truth - there was a monkey. As I remember, a college student came home with her pet monkey and it got loose. It came to the school. I remember the monkey on the porch and I JUST HAD TO PET IT! Bad idea. Monkey was a little panicked by all the screaming kids, BUT I did get that pet in. Again, bad idea.
From what I understand, the monkey came after me. I was running from the monkey, but it still got me. Bit me in the thigh. Mom said the teachers had to throw me in a closet because I obviously have some sort of smell that promotes monkey hate. Not something to be proud of. I don't remember that part, but I do remember sitting in a teacher's lap in a rocking chair in a closed/locked room with all the other kids waiting for Mom to come get me.
NOW this is the funny part....they called Mom and said, "You need to come get your daughter...she has been bitten by a monkey!" I wish I had been old enough to remember Mom picking me up. I wish I knew the thoughts going through her mind at that time. Your kid is just doing the usual kindergarten school thing and you get the call.....not a scraped knee, not a fever, not a homesick.....NOPE....child bit by monkey! That is awesome! Not many mom's can say that they have that as an experience!
Here is part 2 of the funny....apparently earlier, not that day, I called Mom a bitch. She calmly explained to me why that word was not appropriate and not to call someone that. I still latched on to the word and Mom said as we were walking out of the emergency room, I looked up at her and said, "Mom, THAT monkey WAS a bitch, right?"
So that leads into this story. It is sickening! You can hear the 911 call, but don't. It will haunt you and it still makes my stomach turn. I pray for the victim and wonder if she would want to live. I don't know her faith or background, but I know God has her in His hands. Monkeys are bad and the woman that owned this chimp should be held accountable for having this animal. NEVER own an animal that you can't take! No snakes, tigers, cobras, chimps, lions, nothing. I know if Lu or Daisy got rabies or just went nuts.....I could take them....no worries of anyone being horrifically injured.
4 teams of surgeons operate on chimp's victim
Woman mauled by rampaging pet making progress after 7 hours of surgery
The Associated Press
updated 3:39 p.m. CT, Wed., Feb. 18, 2009
STAMFORD, Conn. - Doctors say a Connecticut woman mauled by a 200-pound chimpanzee is making slight progress after more than seven hours of surgery by four teams of surgeons.
Dr. Kevin Miller of Stamford Hospital says 55-year-old Charla Nash suffered extensive facial and hand injuries when she was attacked Monday. He says stabilizing her condition took more than seven hours of surgery.
Nash was attended by hand specialists, plastic surgeons and specialists in orthopedics, ophthalmology and trauma.
Miller says it's good that Nash has made some progress, but she has a long way to go.
Nash was attacked by a 14-year-old domesticated chimpanzee owned by her friend, Sandra Herold of Stamford. Police shot and killed the chimp.
Earlier Wednesday, the owner of the domesticated chimpanzee backtracked on whether she gave the animal the anti-anxiety drug Xanax.
Sandra Herold told The Associated Press on Wednesday that she "never, ever" gave the drug to her 14-year-old chimp, Travis. However, Herold said in an interview aired Wednesday morning on NBC's "TODAY" show that she gave Travis the drug in some tea less than five minutes before he attacked Nash — she even showed a reporter the mug.
Police have said Herold told them that she gave Travis Xanax earlier on Monday to calm him because he was agitated.
In humans, Xanax can cause memory loss, lack of coordination, reduced sex drive and other side effects.
Dr. Emil Coccaro, chief of psychiatry at the University of Chicago Medical Center, said the drug can also lead to aggression in people who are unstable to begin with.
"Xanax could have made him worse," if human studies are any indication, Coccaro said.
Criminal charges possible
Stamford police have said they are looking into the possibility of criminal charges.
A pet owner can be held criminally responsible if he or she knew or should have known that an animal was a danger to others.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said Wednesday that a defect in Connecticut's laws allowed Herold to keep the chimp in her home, probably illegally. There are rules requiring large primates to be registered by the state, but officials have some discretion in enforcing them and violations carry only minor penalties, he said.
"This animal probably was illegally kept, so far as that statute is concerned," Blumenthal said. "Clearly, some kind of permission was necessary for this animal to be at that residence."
Authorities are trying to determine why the chimp, a veteran of TV commercials who could dress himself, drink wine from a glass and use the toilet, suddenly attacked.
Investigators said they were also told that Travis had Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness with flu-like symptoms that can lead to arthritis and meningitis in humans.
"Maybe from the medications he was out of sorts," Stamford police Capt. Richard Conklin said Tuesday.
Nash had gone to Herold's home in Stamford on Monday to help her coax the chimp back into the house after he got out, police said. After the animal lunged at Nash when she got out of her car, Herold ran inside to call 911 and returned with a knife.
After the initial attack, Travis ran away and started roaming Herold's property until police arrived and set up security so medics could reach the critically injured woman, Conklin said.
But the chimpanzee returned and went after several of the officers, who retreated into their cars, Conklin said. An officer shot Travis several times after the animal opened the door to his cruiser and started to get in. The wounded chimpanzee fled into the house and retreated to his living quarters, where he died.
911 tapes released
In 911 tapes released by police Tuesday night, Travis can be heard grunting as Herold cries for help: "He's killing my friend!"
The dispatcher says, "Who's killing your friend?"
Herold replies, "My chimpanzee! He ripped her apart! Shoot him, shoot him!"
"Hurry, please! He ripped her face off," she is heard begging.
After police arrived, one officer radioed back: "There's a man down. He doesn't look good," he says, referring to the disfigured Nash. "We've got to get this guy out of here. He's got no face."
Nash was in critical condition in Stamford Hospital on Wednesday.
Herold, a 70-year-old widow whose daughter was killed in a car accident several years ago, told "TODAY" that the incident was "a freak thing."
She said Travis "couldn't have been more my son than if I gave birth to him." She rejected criticism that chimpanzees are inappropriate pets.
"It's a horrible thing, but I'm not a horrible person and he's not a horrible chimp." she said.
Travis appeared in TV commercials for Old Navy and Coca-Cola when he was younger, and at home he was treated like a member of the family. Don Mecca, a family friend from Colchester, N.Y., said Herold fed the chimp steak, lobster, ice cream and Italian food.
Colleen McCann, a primatologist at the Bronx Zoo, said chimpanzees are unpredictable and dangerous even after living among humans for years.
"I don't know the effects of Lyme disease on chimpanzees, but I will say that it's deceiving to think that if any animal is, quote-unquote, well-behaved around humans that means there is no risk involved to humans for potential outbursts of behavior," she said. "They are unpredictable, and in instances like this you cannot control that behavior or prevent it from happening if it is in a private home."
Chimp got exemption
Connecticut law requires primates weighing more than 50 pounds to be registered with the state. But state Department of Environmental Protection spokesman Dennis Schain said Herold's chimp was exempted because it did not appear to present a public health risk and was owned before the registration requirement began.
Blumenthal, the attorney general, sent letters to legislative leaders and DEP Commissioner Gina McCarthy, asking them to support a proposed law that would ban all potentially dangerous exotic animals, such as chimpanzees, crocodiles and poisonous snakes, from being kept in a residential setting in Connecticut.
McCarthy is seeking a similar law banning large primates. Her agency is also asking the public, police officers and animal control officers who are aware of large primates being kept as pets to report the animals to the agency.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29227429/
MSN Privacy . Legal
© 2009 MSNBC.com
ANYWAY....I used to go to Kindergarten in a converted house. It was on the main street with all the other houses and all the kids went there. It was a huge house with several classrooms and a big wrap around porch. I will never forget this....we were outside and all the sudden there was a monkey. For those of you that listen to "Rick and Bubba" - WIN, PLACE, SHOW - you understand the WIN, PLACE, SHOW phrase means you are telling the absolute truth - there was a monkey. As I remember, a college student came home with her pet monkey and it got loose. It came to the school. I remember the monkey on the porch and I JUST HAD TO PET IT! Bad idea. Monkey was a little panicked by all the screaming kids, BUT I did get that pet in. Again, bad idea.
From what I understand, the monkey came after me. I was running from the monkey, but it still got me. Bit me in the thigh. Mom said the teachers had to throw me in a closet because I obviously have some sort of smell that promotes monkey hate. Not something to be proud of. I don't remember that part, but I do remember sitting in a teacher's lap in a rocking chair in a closed/locked room with all the other kids waiting for Mom to come get me.
NOW this is the funny part....they called Mom and said, "You need to come get your daughter...she has been bitten by a monkey!" I wish I had been old enough to remember Mom picking me up. I wish I knew the thoughts going through her mind at that time. Your kid is just doing the usual kindergarten school thing and you get the call.....not a scraped knee, not a fever, not a homesick.....NOPE....child bit by monkey! That is awesome! Not many mom's can say that they have that as an experience!
Here is part 2 of the funny....apparently earlier, not that day, I called Mom a bitch. She calmly explained to me why that word was not appropriate and not to call someone that. I still latched on to the word and Mom said as we were walking out of the emergency room, I looked up at her and said, "Mom, THAT monkey WAS a bitch, right?"
So that leads into this story. It is sickening! You can hear the 911 call, but don't. It will haunt you and it still makes my stomach turn. I pray for the victim and wonder if she would want to live. I don't know her faith or background, but I know God has her in His hands. Monkeys are bad and the woman that owned this chimp should be held accountable for having this animal. NEVER own an animal that you can't take! No snakes, tigers, cobras, chimps, lions, nothing. I know if Lu or Daisy got rabies or just went nuts.....I could take them....no worries of anyone being horrifically injured.
4 teams of surgeons operate on chimp's victim
Woman mauled by rampaging pet making progress after 7 hours of surgery
The Associated Press
updated 3:39 p.m. CT, Wed., Feb. 18, 2009
STAMFORD, Conn. - Doctors say a Connecticut woman mauled by a 200-pound chimpanzee is making slight progress after more than seven hours of surgery by four teams of surgeons.
Dr. Kevin Miller of Stamford Hospital says 55-year-old Charla Nash suffered extensive facial and hand injuries when she was attacked Monday. He says stabilizing her condition took more than seven hours of surgery.
Nash was attended by hand specialists, plastic surgeons and specialists in orthopedics, ophthalmology and trauma.
Miller says it's good that Nash has made some progress, but she has a long way to go.
Nash was attacked by a 14-year-old domesticated chimpanzee owned by her friend, Sandra Herold of Stamford. Police shot and killed the chimp.
Earlier Wednesday, the owner of the domesticated chimpanzee backtracked on whether she gave the animal the anti-anxiety drug Xanax.
Sandra Herold told The Associated Press on Wednesday that she "never, ever" gave the drug to her 14-year-old chimp, Travis. However, Herold said in an interview aired Wednesday morning on NBC's "TODAY" show that she gave Travis the drug in some tea less than five minutes before he attacked Nash — she even showed a reporter the mug.
Police have said Herold told them that she gave Travis Xanax earlier on Monday to calm him because he was agitated.
In humans, Xanax can cause memory loss, lack of coordination, reduced sex drive and other side effects.
Dr. Emil Coccaro, chief of psychiatry at the University of Chicago Medical Center, said the drug can also lead to aggression in people who are unstable to begin with.
"Xanax could have made him worse," if human studies are any indication, Coccaro said.
Criminal charges possible
Stamford police have said they are looking into the possibility of criminal charges.
A pet owner can be held criminally responsible if he or she knew or should have known that an animal was a danger to others.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said Wednesday that a defect in Connecticut's laws allowed Herold to keep the chimp in her home, probably illegally. There are rules requiring large primates to be registered by the state, but officials have some discretion in enforcing them and violations carry only minor penalties, he said.
"This animal probably was illegally kept, so far as that statute is concerned," Blumenthal said. "Clearly, some kind of permission was necessary for this animal to be at that residence."
Authorities are trying to determine why the chimp, a veteran of TV commercials who could dress himself, drink wine from a glass and use the toilet, suddenly attacked.
Investigators said they were also told that Travis had Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness with flu-like symptoms that can lead to arthritis and meningitis in humans.
"Maybe from the medications he was out of sorts," Stamford police Capt. Richard Conklin said Tuesday.
Nash had gone to Herold's home in Stamford on Monday to help her coax the chimp back into the house after he got out, police said. After the animal lunged at Nash when she got out of her car, Herold ran inside to call 911 and returned with a knife.
After the initial attack, Travis ran away and started roaming Herold's property until police arrived and set up security so medics could reach the critically injured woman, Conklin said.
But the chimpanzee returned and went after several of the officers, who retreated into their cars, Conklin said. An officer shot Travis several times after the animal opened the door to his cruiser and started to get in. The wounded chimpanzee fled into the house and retreated to his living quarters, where he died.
911 tapes released
In 911 tapes released by police Tuesday night, Travis can be heard grunting as Herold cries for help: "He's killing my friend!"
The dispatcher says, "Who's killing your friend?"
Herold replies, "My chimpanzee! He ripped her apart! Shoot him, shoot him!"
"Hurry, please! He ripped her face off," she is heard begging.
After police arrived, one officer radioed back: "There's a man down. He doesn't look good," he says, referring to the disfigured Nash. "We've got to get this guy out of here. He's got no face."
Nash was in critical condition in Stamford Hospital on Wednesday.
Herold, a 70-year-old widow whose daughter was killed in a car accident several years ago, told "TODAY" that the incident was "a freak thing."
She said Travis "couldn't have been more my son than if I gave birth to him." She rejected criticism that chimpanzees are inappropriate pets.
"It's a horrible thing, but I'm not a horrible person and he's not a horrible chimp." she said.
Travis appeared in TV commercials for Old Navy and Coca-Cola when he was younger, and at home he was treated like a member of the family. Don Mecca, a family friend from Colchester, N.Y., said Herold fed the chimp steak, lobster, ice cream and Italian food.
Colleen McCann, a primatologist at the Bronx Zoo, said chimpanzees are unpredictable and dangerous even after living among humans for years.
"I don't know the effects of Lyme disease on chimpanzees, but I will say that it's deceiving to think that if any animal is, quote-unquote, well-behaved around humans that means there is no risk involved to humans for potential outbursts of behavior," she said. "They are unpredictable, and in instances like this you cannot control that behavior or prevent it from happening if it is in a private home."
Chimp got exemption
Connecticut law requires primates weighing more than 50 pounds to be registered with the state. But state Department of Environmental Protection spokesman Dennis Schain said Herold's chimp was exempted because it did not appear to present a public health risk and was owned before the registration requirement began.
Blumenthal, the attorney general, sent letters to legislative leaders and DEP Commissioner Gina McCarthy, asking them to support a proposed law that would ban all potentially dangerous exotic animals, such as chimpanzees, crocodiles and poisonous snakes, from being kept in a residential setting in Connecticut.
McCarthy is seeking a similar law banning large primates. Her agency is also asking the public, police officers and animal control officers who are aware of large primates being kept as pets to report the animals to the agency.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29227429/
MSN Privacy . Legal
© 2009 MSNBC.com
The Swoosh
Got home tonight and Mom let the Kids down to greet me in the garage as is the norm. But tonight, I dropped my cell phone and could not find it. So instead of me greeting the Kids outside the car, I was still in the driver seat. They ran around and were jumping up and down to get to me. Super cute and sweet! Got the phone, got out of the car and went on upstairs. Noticed later that the kids had Nike swooshes on the same sides of their body and I am still trying to figure out how they managed that:
LulaBelle:
Daisy:
Actual swoosh:
Can we start making money off the Kids? Can we dye corporate logos on them? Could they be our biggest money makers? Let's pimp them out and see! It's a thought?
LulaBelle:
Daisy:
Actual swoosh:
Can we start making money off the Kids? Can we dye corporate logos on them? Could they be our biggest money makers? Let's pimp them out and see! It's a thought?
New Magazines
My favorite magazine used to be "People" but the price for a subscription was absolutely sick and there is the whole thing of "do I really care about these celebrities?" It is one of my weaknesses to read celeb gossip but they are not worth that money.
There are so many other cool magazines out there that peak my interests. A lot of them are trying to stay afloat so their subscriptions are like anywhere from $10 to $15 for a year.
One of my fave channels is the Food Network and they now have a magazine. We just got the first issue and I LOVE it! There are so many good recipes that are easy to make. I love veggies and there is a recipe for Carrot Chick Pea salad with pine nuts. Haven't made it yet, but it is on the top of my list! I love me some Chick Peas!
Here is our first issue:
I am only about a 1/4 of the way through this one and I am reading EVERY page unlike some mags where you just flip through.
Next magazine is "Hallmark". We got a subscription invite, but declined and just shredded that invite. Then a couple of days ago they sent us one anyway. I have not had a chance to read it, but it looks interesting. I don't think we will subscribe, but it is out there if you are interested:
And final magazine, "Garden & Gun". You have to love the South! I have a blog that I love on USA Today's website. You will find it in the Life section. It is Whitney's blog called "Pop Candy". She is so super cool and she comments on everything from TV to music to comic books to movies. Whit is from the South and she came across this magazine and mentioned it in her blog. Of course I had to check it out. I finally got my free issue. I love the paper it is printed on....it is not slick like regular magazines. The pages have a nice texture and there is no super shiny.
This magazine reminds me of Southern Living but cooler! If you go to their website, you can request a free issue. I think this one may be a keeper!
There are so many other cool magazines out there that peak my interests. A lot of them are trying to stay afloat so their subscriptions are like anywhere from $10 to $15 for a year.
One of my fave channels is the Food Network and they now have a magazine. We just got the first issue and I LOVE it! There are so many good recipes that are easy to make. I love veggies and there is a recipe for Carrot Chick Pea salad with pine nuts. Haven't made it yet, but it is on the top of my list! I love me some Chick Peas!
Here is our first issue:
I am only about a 1/4 of the way through this one and I am reading EVERY page unlike some mags where you just flip through.
Next magazine is "Hallmark". We got a subscription invite, but declined and just shredded that invite. Then a couple of days ago they sent us one anyway. I have not had a chance to read it, but it looks interesting. I don't think we will subscribe, but it is out there if you are interested:
And final magazine, "Garden & Gun". You have to love the South! I have a blog that I love on USA Today's website. You will find it in the Life section. It is Whitney's blog called "Pop Candy". She is so super cool and she comments on everything from TV to music to comic books to movies. Whit is from the South and she came across this magazine and mentioned it in her blog. Of course I had to check it out. I finally got my free issue. I love the paper it is printed on....it is not slick like regular magazines. The pages have a nice texture and there is no super shiny.
This magazine reminds me of Southern Living but cooler! If you go to their website, you can request a free issue. I think this one may be a keeper!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)