French teenagers mug Santa Claus

BBC NEWS | Europe | French teenagers mug Santa Claus

Now that is one way to get taken off the nice list and put on the naughty list for sure!

Yahoo! News - Toy maker equips train with condom

Yahoo! News - Toy maker equips train with condom

Gee....that makes Christmas see all the more "special".

Not skiing this year

Well, as that times are a little tight, financially speaking, I am not going to do my usual winter ski trip this year. Although I really would love to do so. We had such fun for the past several years. Maybe I can squeeze in a short trip sometime to do a weekend of skiing before spring hits.

A Winter Waltz

A Winter Waltz - animated Flash ecard by Jacquie Lawson is a cool online Christmas card that a friend sent to me.

I didn't do a ton of decorating this year....just the tree and a few snowflakes. I am so lazy.
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ABC News: Woman Auctions Father's Ghost on EBay

ABC News: Woman Auctions Father's Ghost on EBay

what bothers me about this isn't so much the fact that they are actioning off their father's ghost.....but that fact that several people bid on it. Of course, I would have thought that a ghost would sell for more than $80.....I guess that the shipping and handling charges might be excessive though on an item like this. After all, I am not sure that UPS ships ghosts.

Road Sign Romance

Check out these signs. They tell the story of a relationship...but you have to be creative in your interpretation of the road signs.

Bush Uncensored Gives the Finger!

How did President Bush celebrate his winning? Take a look at his one fingered victory salute that he gave when thought the camera was off! This is a movie, and will take a moment to load.
bushuncensored.mov (video requires Quicktime)

Late hours

Well, it is about 6 pm now, and I am about to head out to work. Yep....gotta work tonight. And it sucks. I have some burglar alarm problems to sort out, and need to be able to get into the buildings when nobody else is there....so it is a late night tonight.

Tomorrow at work will be the killer......If I work till 2:00 this morning, it will be about 3 by the time I get home and in bed. Then at 6:30, it will be time to get up and start all over again on the regular dayshift.

I hope tomorrow's dayshift is quiet, because I will probably be out of it by the end of the day.

Here are some pics from last weekend's Arkaquah Trail hike. It was a great hike...although it was totally socked in by fog. We still had a good time though!
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Some of The Dixie Boys BBQ Team made it onto film recently! This could be trouble!
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Arkaquah Trail - GeorgiaTrails.com

We are off tomorrow to hike the Arkaquah Trail in northern Georgia with friends. Bonnie and I are driving up early tomorrow morning and carpooling with them from Atlanta.

The trail looks to be a good one.....a bit uphill at the beginning, with a long, steep descent at the end. It may become a GWS event down the road.

Some photos are also found at this webpage.

BBQ

Well, I made it back from the big BBQ bash in Douglas, GA. It was a bunch of fun and a really well ran event. The Best of the Best was an invitational bbq contest....only the top teams from around the country were invited. $30,000 in prizes brought them in. Almost all of the big national cook teams were present.

On the following day, a second contest was opened to both pro and amature cooks. $20,000 in prizes given away that second day. Plus music, art sale, holiday bazaar, and flea market. Lots of fun.

And the best thing of all.....no political ads! HURRAY

APOD: 2003 October 1 - An Unusual Event Over South Wales

APOD: 2003 October 1 - An Unusual Event Over South Wales was a daytime fireball that was caught on film. You don't see this sort of thing everyday...fortunately. Other photos of the disappating smoke trail are found in the info below the photo.

Best of the Best Barbecue Contest

Best of the Best Barbecue Contest will be where I am off to this weekend. I am judging on Friday and Saturday at this national bbq competition.

Think about over 100 teams cooking on Friday and Saturday.....yum.

A guide to Cows

A guide to Cows offers a funny look many different types of cows.

Wacissa River Trip

The 2004 Wacissa River Trip went really well. We had a big turn out and enjoyed all of the silliness, fellowship, and wildlife. Use the link above to see many photos from this page

STOMP is coming!

STOMP is coming to town in February. I got tickets for Bonnie and me....a little pricey, but I think worth it. I have seen their performances on tv, but never in person.

Made you smile!
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WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?

WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?

GEORGE W BUSH
We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road or not. The chicken is either against us or for us. There is no middle ground here.

COLIN POWELL
Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.

JOHN KERRY
Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road I am now against it!

RALPH NADER
The chicken's habitat on the other side of the road had been polluted by unchecked industrial greed. The chicken did not reach the unspoiled habitat on the other side of the road because it was crushed by the wheels of a gas-guzzling SUV.

PAT BUCHANAN
To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

RUSH LIMBAUGH
I don't know why the chicken crossed the road, but I'll bet it was getting a government grant to cross the road, and I'll bet that somebody out there is already forming a support group to help chickens with crossing-the-road syndrome. Can you believe this? How much more of this can real Americans take? Chickens crossing the road paid for by their tax dollars. And when I say tax dollars, I'm talking about your money, money the government took from you to build a road for chickens to cross.

MARTHA STEWART
No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.

JERRY FALWELL
Because the chicken was gay --- isn't it obvious? Can't you people see the plain truth in front of your face? The chicken was going to the ''other side'. That's what they call it the other side. Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay too. I say we Boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal media whitewashes with seemingly harmless phrases like "the other side."

DR. SEUSS
Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY
To die in the rain. Alone.

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR
I envision a world where all chickens will be free to cross roads without having their motives called into question.

GRANDPA
In my day, we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS
Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heartwarming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish it's life long dream of crossing the road.

JOHN LENNON
Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together - in peace.

ARISTOTLE
It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

KARL MARX
It was an historic inevitability.

CAPTAIN KIRK
To boldly go where no chicken has ever gone before.

SIGMUND FREUD
The fact that you are at all concerned that the chicken crossed the road reveals your underlying sexual insecurity.

BILL GATES
I have just witnessed eChicken2003, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook, -
and internet explorer is an integral part of eChicken.

ALBERT EINSTEIN
Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

BILL CLINTON
I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. What is your definition of chicken?

AL GORE
I invented the chicken!

THE BIBLE
And God came down from heaven, and he said unto the chicken THOU SHALT CROSS THE ROAD. And the chicken didst cross the road, and there was much rejoicing.

COLONEL SANDERS
Did I miss one?

Pee Wee Bush is at it again!
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The Database of George Bush Accomplishments

The Database of George Bush Accomplishments....enter any social or federal program, and it will tell you what President Bush has done about it.

How to be a Hurricane Reporter

Excerpts from The Handbook for Roving Hurricane Correspondents:

Welcome to the exciting world of hurricane journalism!

While your highly paid colleagues on the anchor desk are broadcasting from the dry safety of a heavily fortified television studio, you and your camera crew will be out in the maw of the storm, risking your lives for no good reason.

• What you should wear: Always choose the flimsiest rain jacket available, to visually dramatize the effect of strong winds. All foul-weather gear should be brightly colored in the event you're swept out to sea or sucked down a drainage culvert, and someone actually goes searching for you.

• What you should televise: The first rule of hurricane coverage is that every broadcast must begin with palm trees bending in the wind. Never mind that the puniest summer squall can send a coconut palm into convulsions, your producer will demand this meaningless shot.

Once the storm begins, you can forget about swaying palm trees and concentrate on ficus, banyans, oaks and Austrialian pines -- the ones that actually go down.

Fallen-tree video is absolutely essential to hurricane broadcasts. The most sought-after footage is, in order of ratings:

1. Big tree on strip mall.

2. Big tree on house.

3. Big tree on car.

4. Small tree on car.

5. Assorted shrubbery on car.

Note: The Hurricane Broadcasters Code of Ethics forbids correspondents from purposely knocking down any native vegetation with a TV satellite truck to simulate weather damage.

• Where you should go: The days before a hurricane are the most challenging for roving correspondents, because not much is happening. Needless to say, if you've got a choice between hanging out at the local Home Depot or cruising the beach, head immediately for the surf.

When the storm finally comes ashore, always stand dangerously near the rough water and position yourself so that the spray hits you directly in the face. If it's not raining yet, take off your hood and let the wind mess up your hair.

Remember: A wet, tired and weather-beaten appearance is crucial to your credibility as a hurricane journalist.

• What you should say: When covering a hurricane, there's no such thing as overstating the obvious. And, let's face it, how many different ways can you say it's rainy, windy and miserable?

To break the monotony, you might take a guess at how high the ''storm surge'' will be, even though you won't have a clue. Tedious lulls in the action will also offer the opportunity to ramble on about ''feeder bands,'' which is the slick new term for squall lines.

And when the dry, well-fed anchorfolks back in the air-conditioned studio ask you to sum up the situation in your location, always say the following:

``Conditions are deteriorating, Dwight.''

• Whom should you interview: As a hurricane advances, it's standard procedure to chat with evacuees, hotel owners, utility workers and disappointed tourists.

The two mandatory video loops are (a) worried residents boarding up and (b) harried residents standing in long lines to purchase water, batteries and other supplies.

Once the storm is imminent and the coastlines are evacuated, your interview possibilities will be reduced to:

1. Police and emergency personnel who are out on the streets because it's their job.

2. Amateur ''storm chasers'' and other wandering dolts who wish to experience the force of a hurricane up-close and personal.

3. Surfers.

Of these, surfers are by far the most entertaining interview subjects for TV. Unfortunately, you could easily die trying to talk them out of the water.

• What to do when the hurricane actually strikes: Obviously the sensible move is to broadcast from the protected lee of a strong building, but for that you could get fired.

Your producer will instead order you to step into the teeth of the storm, where you risk being clobbered by flying glass, coconuts, shingles, patio furniture or surfboards.

This is an act of utter derangement, but it makes for amusing television. If you survive, your next mission will be to find and film a major piece of hurricane debris -- the money shot.

Remember, your viewers' expectations are high. They've watched that big slow mother whorling across the Doppler for a week, and they've been primed for devastation on a biblical scale.

Take no chances. Proceed immediately to the nearest trailer park, being extra careful not to crash into other TV crews on the way.

• What to do when the worst is over: A friendly reminder -- The Hurricane Broadcasters Code of Ethics strictly prohibits drinking on the air. However, only you and your camera crew need know what goes on in the privacy of the satellite truck. If anybody asks, you know what to say: ``Conditions are deteriorating, Dwight.''

borrowed from an article by Carl Hiassan in the Miami Herald.

Last weekend, we hiked in North Carolina. Lots of fun. I love way the mountains appear to float in the morning fog in this photo.
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Ebay to the rescue!
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The new post cards are now available in Florida.
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Hmmm....here is our politcal candidates, only they have been cross gendered.

Scary Bush

Edwards looks happy

I think I have seen Cheney here in town!
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Sheep Apron

Ok.....we have all seen aprons or t-shirts with cute things printed on them that make the wearer look like a muscle man or such....but this is just odd. Sheep Apron

Native American Celebration.....something to do tomorrow

The Ocmulgee Indian Celebration is back in town...out at the old indian mounds at the Ocmulgee National Monument. Always a good time.
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Do the Funky Chicken

I am not sure why you would ever want to do the funky chicken....but in case the mode strikes, I stumbled across a website with the instructions for this most odd dance.

Do the Funky Chicken

I want one!

Be a dolphin! Yes, you too can be a dolphin in one of these snazzy little submarines. They are quick, sporty, and just look cool.

My head is going to explode! I went camping this past weekend with family, and caught my brother's cold. I haven't seen him more than 5 minutes in the past 3 months, so I spend one weekend with him and I catch his headcold.
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I left this morning about 3:00am for work and got in at 6:00pm. Long day when you used to doing a standard 8 hour one. The wind was really bad here. Tons of trees down, a few buildings damaged, boat loads of limbs down, lots of roads closed due to downed power lines and trees, and about 68,000 households and businesses without electricity. When we got there this morning, we had about 20 schools without power. This evening, the number is down to about 13 or so. No school again tomorrow for the kids and teachers.

On the way to work, on US-80, I spotted one of those $650 metal carports sitting on the side of the road.....see photo. It blew from a good ways away. Probably 40 yards or more, plus crossed the four lane highway and ended up on the shoulder on the far side. After seeing what happpend to this one, I got worried about mine, and what condition that it might end up in, as that the wind was still whipping when I left home at 3:00am...but it looks pretty good.

I lost a bunch of limbs from the pecan trees, and one big dogwood tree (next to chickens on the far side of the garage) blew down....but no other trees were totally lost that I could see this afternoon. That leak in the valley of the roof over the kitchen leaked again. It was dripping out of the attic fan this morning....but seemed to stop as the day went on, even though the rain as been steady. So far we have gotten about 7 inches the weatherman said, although it seems like more. The Ocmulgee is up to the banks and predicted to get out of the banks a little bit tomorrow....cresting at 20 feet. Normal level is about 8 feet, and flood is considered at 18 feet.
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Hurricane's a coming

Panoramic photo composite from Jensen Beach near the anticipated landfall point for hurricane Frances. The webpage has photos from the beach, along with weather data. Currently, the hurricane is still well offshore, but the beach has a steady wind of 45-50 miles per hour with higher gusts.

To zoom in on the photo above, click it. To see more recent photos, use the link in the text.

IRLP - Internet Radio Linking Project

IRLP - Internet Radio Linking Project has live streaming (Real Player) audio from various shortwave operators to give live updates on conditions in their areas as Hurricane Frances approaches Florida, and to pass along warning and watch information, storm damage reports, and such. The livestream is intermittent...just depends on who is chatting on their ham radios at the time.

Probably will have more folks on during the evenings, and as the hurricane approaches. Some of the ham operators do have battery back up, so some reports should continue even after power is lost in the damage areas.

After the hurricane passes, this service may drop off.

Hurricane Frances to ruin Labor Day?

The National Hurricane Center / Tropical Prediction Center is predicting a possible landfall with Hurricane Frances on early Sunday morning in Florida....of course, that is still several days away, so forecasts will probably change. I plan on being on the Suwannee River in south Georgia and north Florida Saturday-Monday. Hmmmm....could be a wet weekend.

Maybe the forecasts will change.

A shot of all of the tents from this past weekend's BBQ contest in Manchester, TN
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Weekend marathon

The weekend was crazy. I went up to Manchester, Tennesse for a week of BBQ. I was a judge at the Smokin on the Square BBQ contest. It was the usual bit of craziness....32 teams competed. Plus we had a huge lightning storm pop up that forced all of the cook teams to abandon their smokers and head inside at the urging of the police due to lightning and a tornado a few miles down the road. But it passed without too much damage, and it was back to cooking. The town also had a nice community festival that was a lot of fun.....arts and crafts, music, parade, fireworks, etc....

So it was time to come back home from Tennessee and thought I would make a trip over to visit all the relatives at the family campsite on the way back. I called my parent's home the night before and that morning without any results, so I knew that they were there...and even if not, there is always a bunch of relatives up there on the weekend. (this is family owned property that everyone goes to as a weekend retreat) So I detour across the twisty mountain roads to arrive at the campsite and not a soul is there. Nobody. My mom and dad have been looking for property to buy to eventually build a cabin on, to retire in. So I figured that they might not be at the campsite, but somebody would be there. Nope.

As it turned out, my folks found a piece of grassy bottomland (a little less than 5 acres) in a valley way up in north Georgia, about 2 miles from the North Carolina line and decided to put a bid in on it. So they left to go home about 10:15 that morning. I arrived about 11:00. A distant cousin of mine's husband died, and all of the other relatives who regularly camp up there decided to go to the funeral. So I ended up scribbling a note and leaving it on my folk's camper.

Then I decided to drive up the hill to see in my aunt was in her cabin. It has been a few years since I was last there. And that one time was the only time that I ever had been to it, so getting there was a bit sketchy. I took a wrong turn and got a bit lost.....ran off the road in the ditch when trying to back down a narrow driveway....got back on the right road.....and eventually found the cabin. Nobody home.

So I gave up, drove to Cartersville, visited with my grandma, uncle, and aunt for a bit. Then started home to Macon. I-75 came to a snail's pace around Marietta, then I made it through downtown, and thought I had it made. Then somewhere around the airport, I read on one of those DOT electric signs above the interstate a message that said, "ACCIDENT 2 MILES SOUTH OF HUDSON BRIDGE EXIT, SOUTHBOUND I-75, ALL 3 LANES BLOCKED"

Great! So I figured it best to try my luck going to Griffin on the US Highways. Good idea. Then I came to Barnesville. Now there is a highway that goes from Barnesville over to Forsyth.....and that is what I wanted to take. Except that apparently the population of Barnesville must be illiterate, because they didn't bother putting up any signs pointing the way to Forsyth. So I come to this sign saying Roberta is up ahead. Rather than go that far, I decide to strike off east, figuring that I would eventually pop out somewhere that I would recognize.

200 cows, a cornfield, 3 stray dogs that chased my truck, and 3,492 potholes later, somehow came out at the town square in Forsyth. The remainder of the trip from there home was uneventful. I ended up home about 7:15pm.

So it took me just over 4 hours to drive up there, and I spent almost 11 coming back...less 2 at grandma's house.

Chickens Missing

Over the past week, I have had 2 hens turn up missing. I did find some feathers from the first, and then this afternoon, I heard a gunshot from next door. My neighbor spotted a neighborhood dog (not one that really lives at any one house) with one my chickens in its mouth running off.

He went in and got his shotgun...not to shoot the dog, just to try to scare it off. Afterward, I talked to him and he said that he had previously called the animal control folks for the county about the dog. I placed a call to them too afterward, but the officer only works days. So I left my cell number with them. I know that all animals need to eat to survive, but maybe this dog can eat at the pound till someone adopts him.

Hopefully, he will be able to catch it and solve the problem. If not, I may need to take more drastic actions....something that I would not rather be involved in.

So I am down one Plymouth Rock and one Jersery Giant hen. Bummer.

Flip flopping in the kayak

I took the kayak down the Ocmulgee river yesterday with a bunch of the GWS folks. Seven of us took swims (note that I am including myself in that count). And for those readers who have a fast internet connection...or at least some patience on a dial up connection....can view a short video of this by clicking here. I had my digital camera strapped to the kayak deck...and you get to see the rapid, the roll, the underwate, and the recovery. You will need to have Windows Media Player to see this file.

Two other problems were caught on the camera, although from a distance, so it is not so clear.

Tom & Ben and Cecil and Sid

Eating out

Went to town with friends for Chinese...very tasty stuff. And stuff is the key word...as in, I am stuffed! Tomorrow is Friday....hurray.

SeatGuru.com - Your Enlightened Guide to Airplane Seating

SeatGuru.com - Your Enlightened Guide to Airplane Seating is a great resource for the frequent flier. It works with most browsers...but not all. You first select the airline, then the particular airplane that your flight uses. You then get a nice diagram of all of the seats. My moving your mouse over the different seats, you get a description of that seat. Great comments are given about little details that you might not know when booking the flight....such as no window, extra leg room on this seat, very noisey location, seat doesn't fully recline, etc...

I got a new rooster at the flea market today. Hopefully, he will work out with the flock. So far so good. I will probably keep them all in the pen for a few days before letting them bck out into the backyard, as usual. If you click on the little photo, it should enlarge it, so you can see him better. His previous owners did keep his wing flight feathers clipped, so his wings are a little short. That will grow back in the next time he molts (once a year or so). As to his breed, I think he is a mutt. He exhibits traits of several different breeds....large, dark comb, feathered feet, and so on. But I still think he is a handsome bird.
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Brrrr....ok, so it isn't that cold. But 63 is quite cool for an August morning. The record low is 60, so very unusual. It is still supposed to be 88 this afternoon....but that is a lot better than the 100+ that we have had recently. I am off to try to get the grass cut before it gets too warm this morning. How exciting is that?
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Tomorrow is it....the teachers have been back in the classrooms for a few days now, and tomorrow the students return! Summer is officially over...except for the heat. It was again in the upper 90's today.
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All ready for bed
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Some of my ladies strut their stuff
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Cell phone proof wallpaper

Hurray for no more cell phones in the movie theaters! Scientists develop wallpaper that blocks cell phone signals, so no more irritating rings during the movie, at the hospital, or in the restaurant....coming soon.

Late for work? No problem. Get ready on the way.

Late for work? This video is trying to sell something, I am sure. But I don't have a clue as to what it might be. All the same, I love the look on the people's faces around the main character.

Let's face it, we all see people driving around in their cars in the mornings doing their hair or make up or eating breakfast on the run. This video just takes it the next step. Enjoy!

This Land.....great political parody

This Land is a great political parody that pokes fun at both of the nut cases that are trying to win the presidency this fall. It does take a few moments to load, but worth it.

Keep at it...even when it seems to be over

The following link details the life of Hiroo Onoda, a Japanese soldier who never got the word that World War II ended. He continued to live in the world of 1944 on an isolated island until 1974. You have to wonder what was going through his mind when he finally returned to Japan to see how it had changed in his absence.

THE MEATRIX

Everyone loved the movie "The Matrix"....well here is a take off on it that exposes the conditions that really exist on some commercial farms.

Go to THE MEATRIX

How rich are you?

As an American, I take a lot for granted. But here is a website that will make you think and realize how rich most Americans are, as compared with the majority of the world. Go to the Global Rich List and enter your annual salary....in either US dollars or British Pounds. It will shock you!

Brain Farts

Ummm....errrr....ahhh.... yes it is those moments when you can't get the words to come out right. Enjoy these silly and really dumb quotations.

Cat Butt Magnet Set

NEW! Cat Butt Magnet Set. Yes, that is right....cat butt magnets.

Now you can have refrigerator magnets of the rear ends of your favorite breed of cat.

What will they think of next? And who buys these things?

Tumbling Bears

Tumbling Bears are found at this website. After it loads, just move your mouse across the bears....no clicking is needed. The bears will tumble as you pass over them, then hop back up. It is a simple, but neat program.

Sloganator

Takes a moment to load, but cute.

Bush and Kerry

I have been watching a bunch of Bush and Kerry political ads on television and I have come to the conclusion that perhaps it would be better to have a third option. After the past four years, Bush just doesn't seem to have any sense of what is right and wrong when it comes to the civil liberties that our nation has held so high. On the other hand, Kerry doesn't seem to have anything firm to base his candidacy on, with the exception of the fact that he isn't Bush.

What is a voter to do?

Of course, I am not 100 percent sure about all of the voters either. In the July 20th local election for Board of Education, the existing president of the Board of Education was being challenged by a guy who actually has been banned from ever stepping foot onto any school property, has had no job since quiting his job as a newspaper delivery person three years ago, lives with his parents (he is 51), has had a court ordered sanity examination, and seems like a person with some real issues......and he still got 24% of the vote! Amazing!

And another pic showing the newly painted walls....see post from earlier today for more info....and click on photos for a larger version of them.
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More photos
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I have been painting my living room. I still need to do the trim around the doors, crown molding, and baseboards...plus put back up my artwork onto the walls...but you can get an idea of the new color. Yes, I know. It is a big change from the pale green (you know that institutional green of the 1950's) that the walls used to be. And the curtains don't exactly match the new red walls....but it is a start. I will repaint the trim in a semi-gloss white, which should really pop and look good with the dark walls....or so I think it will. What's your opinion....drop the Riverbum a email and let me know.
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Chickens everywhere

My chickens have learned a new trick...how to uproot part of their fenced enclosure. As a result they go running around the yard. This is not truly a problem, except for the fact that they only seem to understand how to get out of their pen and not back into it at night.

For the past two evenings, the escapees have been congregating outside their pen, trying to get back into it...so they can go into the coop for the evening. I have had to go out and catch or shooo them back into an opened gate.

It is more of a headache than anything else. Plus, I worry about them being left out at night, should I go off to a movie or on a short trip. Most of them are totally clueless about the dangers that exist outside their pen.

Happy Birthday America! The fireworks are popping, the sparklers are fizzing, and the mood is a good one. I spent the day with family and had a good time. Tomorrow, I am going for a quick paddle in the canoe and then a picnic. How good does life get?
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Just a quick note to wish folks a Happy Fourth of July!
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FREE SPEECH.....We're right. You're wrong. Deal with it.
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For Father's Day Weekend, the whole clan took off to Vogel State Park in North Georgia. We had a great time hiking and goofing off while camped out there for two nights.

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Bad Day

I am really bummed today. I had a really bad day at work. Although my immediate boss seems to support me, the big boss is not satisfied with me and so planned to not hire me in my current position next year. But after 3 weeks of discussions, she was convinced to give me one more year. I never even knew about it....never even suspected it, so you can imagine what a shock it was when Len told me how close I was to losing my job.

I am very appreciative of Len and Marty's efforts to sway her decision. I am a bit upset that she would suddenly decide this without any contact with me. I have had no negative evaluations in the past few years, so I thought everyone was happy with my work. I suppose that is not the case.

So this next year will be a make or break scenario for me. I have to show some quantifiable improvement and generate real cost avoidance for the district or it will probably be bye-bye baby to me.

I am not one to get depressed, so readers shouldn't worry about that. I take things in stride. Of course, I would hate to have to go back into the job market. Chances are that I would not find any similar job in the immediate area and so would probably head back into the classroom. This is not a terribly thing...although it would be a very significant salary change. I probably would have to make some real lifestyle changes and serious decisions about some recent major purchases...truck and camper.

But I have a year to make amends and plan on doing my best to do so. And who knows what the future may bring?

Here is the eagle....I just wish I had a better camera. My digital camera only has a 3x optical zoom....of course it is nice when it comes to being on the river. I have a underwater case for it.
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Today, I went with a couple friends down the Ocmulgee River. We had a great time. The weather was warm, but the river was refreshingly cool when we stopped to take swim breaks. One highlight was when we spotted two bald eagles..one sitting on a nest. They watched us cautiously as we paddled past.
Click to see larger image

Webcam now online!

It will only work during daylight hours, but I did manage to get the webcam working. It snaps a photo every five minutes, unless motion is detected. Then it will do so more often. I have put a link to it on the left side of the page. Or go to it by clicking here.

Ok....this is a test image....my front yard
Click to see larger image

Great wildflower site

Just wanted to let you know of a great wildflower site that I have stumbled across. It is sorted by both flower color and biome. This makes it very easy to find. The photos are pretty good on most of them too.

I did it again....sorry

Hello.....yes, I feel so bad because a full month has gone by since last blogging anything here. So let's get caught up.

Work, work, work, play, play, work, sleep, sleep, work, work, play, sleep, work. Yep, that about sums it up. Actually last weekend I had a nice time riding bicycles on the Silver Comet trail. Some photos are here.

Afterward, I went with Bonnie to the Taste of Marietta street party. Lots of people, lots of food, lots of fun...good music too. I am working only 3 days this week, then off to the Smokies for the weekend (long weekend, Thursday-Sunday).

More yard work

I finished a new and expanded chicken run for the new birds. I moved the new pullets out to their new pen and they seemed happy...although they did not want to go into the coop at night. So I had to catch them and place them in there. Hopefully after a few nights of sleeping there, they will get it in their head that they need to go into the coop at night for safety.

More flowers were planted yesterday as well.....more zinnias and lantana.

I have also been enjoying reading some of the journals of Appalachian Trail hikers at this website. Go to the JOURNALS section and then select the hiker you want to read. Some have excellent journals with pics....others don't.

BBQ, fencing, plants, and chicks

What a busy weekend....I judged 2 days at the FBA's 2004 Georgia State BBQ Cookoff, put up a new fence, planted a bunch of impatiens, english daisies, snapdragons, nasturtia, and other flowers.....mostly seeds, and bought a new larger cage for the chicks.

Tomorrow evening, it is supposed to drop below freezing, so I didn't set out my tomatoes, okra, and peppers yet....I will bring those containers in the house tonight. Maybe I can set them out next week...of course yesterday, my brother and sister in law borrowed my tiller, so I will have to hand dig it....yuck!

new pics of chicks

Enjoy the new chick pics...look at the blog pic from just 12 days ago below to see a big difference in size!

BBQ Fun

This afternoon, I had a good time at the Florida BBQ Association's judging seminar. Although I already was listed as a judge with that BBQ sanctioning body, I took the course for judging today and judged the wings, sauce, and kid-que fun competition this evening at the Georgia State BBQ Contest for FBA. I go back tomorrow morning to see if I will be selected to judge at the state level competition....I think that I will be able to do so. If so, that will meet all of my qualification to be a certified judge for FBA events. If selected, tomorrow we will judge chicken, pork, ribs, and brisket.

New Chicks

I picked up 10 new chicks today at the Feed and Seed....I got 6 barred rock pullets and 10 straight run of black giants.

Yawn

sorry so little has been posted...I am just really tired. This past weekend, I joined Bonnie and Ron at Hard Labor Creek State Park for a relaxed weekend of hiking and campfires. Ron had back surgery last year and this was his first time back camping since then. He had a pretty good time.

Difficult decison....hope I made the right one

A good friend at work has been seeing this girl for the past two or three years and seems very sincere in his wish to marry her. During the last week or two, I have heard from another friend that this girl has not been terribly faithful.

I debated with myself a bunch, and decided to go ahead and tell him.....I was very clear that everything was just what I was told, and not anything that I witnessed myself. I felt like a total heel when I spoke with him about this earlier today. I was bursting his bubble....he seemed to suspect it, but was still crushed. I hated it....but figured that if in the same boat, I would want a friend to tell me.

I kept telling him how much I hoped that I was wrong, and maybe my source misinterpretted the situation. I hope so. Of course, if that is the case, I have caused a ton of stress in his life without much cause and that pretty much sucks. I figure anyway about it, it is sort of a lose-lose situation.

I just hope that he sees that I really tried to think of a better way out of this situation....but I could not.

Good food, good times

Yesterday, I joined some of the GWS crowd for a great lunch. We were supposed to go on a canoe trip on the Towaliga River, but the recent rain has pushed the river up too high...plus it was rainy yesterday....so Kathy invited everyone over to her place for a pot luck lunch. Participants included Kathy, Monnie, Bonnie, Niki, Bud, Robby, Dave, and myself. We enjoyed a ton of tasty foods.

Today, I just don't have the energy to do much at all. I have been considering going and getting a new cat. I have about decided to wait until after my Okefenokee Swamp trip though....as that it is a five day trip and I would hate to be forced to get a cat-sitter while I was gone, especially with a new kitty.

The chickens are doing great. All four are happy and producing eggs left and right. Fortunately, one of my coworkers is always happy to get a free dozen eggs each week. I usually get about 15 to 20 eggs each week from the four hens.


This is my most friendly hen. She always gets excited and runs back and forth whenever she sees me.


These two are the watchdogs. Both always keep an eye out for anything different and will squawk loudly if they see something odd.


You can't see it in this photo because of the milk crate, but this hen has a patch of white feathers right on her head, which looks a bit odd.

The ski trip

This webpage and the subsequent pages have a bunch of my photos from the ski trip to Colorado. The trip started off early...REAL EARLY. I was up at 3:30 and out the door at 3:40am to catch the 4:00 shuttle to the airport. Arriving at 5:30 does have its advantages. For one thing, the lines at the baggage check-in counter are much shorter and the security screening lines were non-existent.

By 7:00, I had eaten a surprisingly good breakfast of eggs, sausage, and grits in the terminal and was beginning to see some familiar faces. Soon, we were off for Colorado. Upon arriving in Denver, we gathered up our luggage and started looking for the bus from Keystone Resort......but it wasn't there. A few phone calls, and it showed up about 15 minutes late. We did the usual stopover to buy groceries.....30 folks descending on an unfamiliar grocery store at the same time, all buying food for a week is total chaos, but sort of fun.

Back onto the bus and off to Keystone. Denver had a little snow on the ground, but it was not until we approached the Eisenhower Tunnel before we started seeing good snow (over a foot deep). After checking in, we found that four of our six condos were in Keystone Gulch...which are a bit nicer and bigger than our usual stay at Flying Dutchman condos....and we hope to stay in the Gulch again in the future. Our condo had to cook the first night, so we all chipped in and turned out a very good chicken cacciatore over rice or pasta, garden salad, and brownies.

On day 2, I skied with David, Dorothy, Sue, and Steven.....and then piled into the hot tub for some relaxation. Day 3 brought on the sore legs a little....I again skied at Keystone, mainly with Sue, Dorothy, and David....although Dorothy and David are better skiers that I am. Day 4 I headed over to Breckenridge....nice skiing there. Sue and I stuck together for most of the day. All went well, except for one very STEEP hill that we got onto after a recommendation for an innocent sounding ski trail called Volunteer. Although it did offer a stunning view, the view was mostly vertical. Eventually, we made it down and called it a day of skiing, and we decided to go shopping a bit in the town of Breckenridge.

Day 5 brought horrible news that Sue's mother had passed away suddenly and unexpectly. Sue packed up and caught a ride back to Denver to fly home. I went back to Breckenridge. That night, Lisa and I decided to slurge and we went to the Alpenglow Stube for dinner. FANCY FANCY FANCY.......now I may sound like a country bumpkin, but I have NEVER eaten a more high-brow place than the Alpenglow Stube. For starters, it is a AAA Four Diamond restaurant for the past 11 years and is rated as the 7th best restaurant in Colorado by Zagat's.....Keystone also boasts the best restaurant in Colorado as per Zagat, but it isn't as adventurous of a trip getting there. To go to the Alpenglow Stube, you take not one, but two gondolas (with warm blankets!). The restaurant sits on top of the North Peak at an elevation of over 11,400 feet. You arrive and they check your coats and offer warm fuzzy slippers to wear...rather than your cold snow boots. In the six course meal that I chose, I had a selection of breads with hummus and duck fois-gras, a wilted spinach salad in a balsamic vinegrette with a pastry bread stuffed with meats and cheeses, a lemon and rose-water sorbe, veal and scallops with baby veggies, and a blueberry and pear strudel. Magnificent!

The last ski day was spent at Keystone. I felt like I improved my skiing quite a bit this year. I just wish I could go more often. We caught the bus back to Denver and flew back to Atlanta......then the shuttle back here...I ended up getting home about 1:30am.....rough going to work at 7:30, but I did it.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

I am keeping my fingers crossed for a big snow drop over the next couple of days in Colorado. I will be heading out there next week for a week of skiing. I go each year with the Kay Redmond group from Atlanta....36 of us this year.

I installed a security light at a friend's house this afternoon, and now I am off to Wal-Mart to pick up a last few things for the ski trip.

Full of fish

Last night, I went up to the Log Cabin Expo with Mom and Dad. They are thinking about building one for their retirement, and then we met up with my brother's new inlaws. They seemed like real fun folks and I think we all enjoyed it. We ate at a place called The Lighthouse, near Orchard Hills. It was terribly crowded and the table service wasn't anything to crow about, but good food. Some ordered from the menu and others took advantage of the seafood bar. I ate a bunch of shrimp, some king crab legs, tuna salad, and baked fish. Very filling, but still low carb stuff.

Today, I am doing very little. Maybe a little laundry. It is wet and cloudy and so is my brain.

Ok....back to the diet

After being off of my low carb diet since Thanksgiving, I MUST get back on it. I had lost about 35 pounds, but have gained about 20 of it back....I have been really pigging out way too much. I finished off the last of my pasta today and so I have nothing to tempt me in the house. I know that when I go on my ski trip in a few weeks, I will eat a bit more....so I figure that I had best get back to it.

It is amazing how quickly you can gain back what you have worked so hard to loose. So now, it is back to it.

Florida Canoeing

Our post-Christmas Florida Canoe Trip was a total success. We canoed on the Santa Fe River, Haw Creek, and Black Creek in north central Florida. Enjoy the pics!