Bo Bo Bo!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, everyone!



















The "Real Thing" is finally a real thing!

(The cleverness comes straight from my sis at the farm! Thanks sis!)

I'm Spock!

Only in Norco II

Last nite was the first annual "Parade of Lights" Christmas parade down Norco's main street. Like Sis Magz used to say about Norco's parades (she used to live here, you know) you can always count on there being more people IN the parade than the ones lined up watching it. This one was no different, the entrants were locals who either walked, rode their horses or dressed up one of their vehicles with banners and streamers and walked the 6 blocks or so from the freeway to Nellie Weaver Hall at the far end.

So that was the premise. The reality was lots of folks passing by, some in Christmas finery, most just shined up their best riding attire and all (well most) (ok, a few) draped a pitiful few strings of battery operated lights across themselves or their tack and sang Christmas Carols, occasionally hollering out at the sidewalk to someone they knew. What could be seen from the sidelines was hilarious! Mind you, Norco is a horse town with dirt sidewalks and very few if any street lights between the long blocks. So it was very dark indeed, a perfect backdrop to this "parade of lights" where all you could see was a few floating strings of lights going by. The clip clop of hooves and jingle of sleigh bells let you know when a horse was passing, a stream of dark bodies and an occasional glint of tinsel was really all it amounted to. The occasional flash of a camera gave an instant of clarity to see, then back to darkness (darker than before while your eyes readjusted). This was topped off by a super cold Santa Ana wind storm and plenty of us regulars lined up along the horse trails drinking beer and chatting with friends and neighbors.

This could only happen in Norco. I hope they have it again next year!

A Geek with Tennis Shoes

"A Wilderness Scavenger Hunt"
"Running While Playing Chess"

"Orienteering" is an obscure land navigation contest started in Scandinavia a century ago, combines hiking, trail running, Easter Egg hunting and the ability to decode lines on a topo map while on the run and dodging tree branches and ruts in the road. The objective is to navigate by map, compass and your wits to find a series of "control markers" (hidden by the event staff before a race) and make it back to the starting point before the next guy. Or before your previous best time. Or… at all.

A new sport! I'll let you know how it goes after my first meet on Dec. 11!

Sign on the dotted line

WOOO HOOOOO!

It's officially official, I am now in business for myself as a half owner in So Cal Motorcycle Training in San Bernardino, California! I'll write more after the ink dries on the signed contract.

Only in Norco

The town I live in is referred to as "Horse Town USA" and the census boasts an average of 3 horses for every person counted. The sidewalks are unpaved and designated as horse trails, the crosswalk buttons at lighted streets are raised high enough to push from horse back, and there is a hitching post or corral in front of most businesses including McDonalds, the grocery store and most churches as well of course in front of the local watering hole, the "Saddle Sore Saloon". Well it was yesterday late afternoon I watched as a fire truck pulled out of the new station near my house, the lights already flashing and cars beginning to pull to the right. The siren was started almost immediately. Then, almost like a choreographed dance, as the truck approached 2 horse riders the siren was extinguished, a hand was held out of the drivers seat window in a wave of acknowledgement to the riders, a wave of thanks back from the riders, the truck passed, the siren restarted and the truck zoomed by. I smiled at the bucolicy. Only in Norco.

I'm a Geek!

Ok, here's where I've been hiding of late:
GEO-CACHING!
http://www.geocaching.com

I'm now an official techno geek, complete with a hi tech gizmo and lusting after more! Using a handheld GPS unit and plugging in coordinates found from aforementioned Geo-cache site I follow hints and directions till I find hidden treasure! Usually the booty itself isn't much, but the satisfaction of having found it, been undetected while searching for it, and replacing it surreptitiously is the reward! The size of the caches range from micro (film canister) to regular (tupperwareish) to big (ammo can or coffee can).

It's a hoot! And the more you do it, the more you find the need for a pda to download the coordinates and clues into, a laptop to wirelessly connect to find caches while on the fly, mapping software to pinpoint locations and topos, and … what else is there? I want it! I need it! For right now I'm happy just carting around a big notebook and a pen, but you just wait! It wont be long before I feel the need to wrap some tape around the nose piece of my sunglasses!

Now, if you'll excuse me I am off to go locate N 33° 52.005 W 117° 41.421!

In Memory 1998-2005

Funeral services will be scheduled sometime in the coming days for H. Plant, who took a turn for the worse after a long illness. He is survived by his caretaker of 7 years, Allison, as well as 2 cuttings, and several grand-cuttings.

Mr. Plant was a longstanding member of the Home and Gardens society, attending annual meetings for research to root out poisonous indoor foliage. All who knew him say he was perennially happy, and had an affinity for those of the tropical persuasion.

He leaves a legacy of habitational harmony and will be dearly missed. Donations to the American Horticultural Assn. will be received in lieu of flowers.

Undisclothed location, his wear-abouts unknown.

Bo Bice has been recently released from a Las Vegas hospital after rather extensive and intrusive intestinal surgery. He is resting at an undisclosed location for a lengthy rehab and R & R.
After some personal research, I have it on good authority that Bo is alive, well and recovering at the Lady Luck Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas. Last spotted at the hotel pool, he was finishing his all liquid meal of blended peanut butter and banana sandwich, nacho cheese doritos and oreo and milk milk shake. He was accompanied by a small bevy of busty young cabana babes, seen flashing the Southern Cross and leading a rousing Rebel Yell with a busload of Japanese tourists. It seems Bo hasn’t quite left the building, and isn’t making any immediate plans to do so, giving his only official comment of “Git ‘er Done!”. There were also rumors that he had inquired into the real estate market values of neighboring Henderson, NV, leaving speculation that he may make the desert oasis his new stomping grounds. None of the cabana girls could be reached for comment, verifying any of this information. In fact, none of them could speak English.

A Miracle!

Hope against hope, guess who's coming around?! H. Plant!! After some experimentation, we might have stumbled on the right combination of a new pot that drains (we almost drowned him), new soil that drains (we over mineralized him), some time under the window for fresh air but careful not to burn him in direct heat and LOTS of tlc.

Throughout the rehab he's been living on the dining room table so I've come to look at his poor wilted leaves everyday. The bouganvillas have been keeping vigil under the kitchen window and the plumarias check in periodically, wafting in their perfume as support.

Thanks for any good wishes too, they must have helped!

Are there House plants in Heaven?

I have some news about a family member, the houseplant. You remember him? We've been through the years together, stuck by each other through thick and thin, dry or humid, sand or soil. Well, it was either the years or the hot summer but he is slowly succumbing to a demise. Remember our little game of droop-over-the-pot to indicate he was thirsty? Well, it seems he doesn't have the strength to pull himself up anymore. Today I staked him and tied a string under his leaves to prop him into a standing position. It was a pathetic attempt , a small sigh of resignation escaped from somewhere below the soil line. I've tried everything, a new pot, soil, sunshine, I even put him out front while the lawn was being sprinkled to invoke in him the will and pride of his wild ancestors. Nothing. I'm afraid that I am here to just make his last few days as comfortable and dignified as possible, and hope that I can be there to hold a leaf when he finally decides to let go and join the big mulch pit in the sky.

On a happier note, my plumarias are doing exceptionally well and I am happy to report that one of the newer ones has just unveiled flowers for the first time. True to the nursery's promise it was indeed a deep dark red flower with just a hint of yellow in the middle.

The occasion of both of these events reminds us all that the Lord Bloomith, and the Lord Wiltith away.

Soda with her bird.. (ok, it's a pigeon, but it tastes like pheasant!) 

Remember when....

Please allow me the literary license to shorten the list I have stolen from Dave Goodman, to be restored to its original integrity as time permits:


10 years ago .....
Had just moved to Carson City, NV from Northern California to jump start a struggling marriage and help redirect a wayward teenage stepson.

5 years ago....
Was living with Mom when the time came for her to sell the Fullerton house and move up north to Mariposa while I moved into the Norco house and began living ALL BY MYSELF for the very first time in my life!

1 year ago...
Was feeling pretty cocky, fit & feisty, had just been on a Hawaiian cruise hobnobbing with the captain and crew, looking forward to another Hawaii visit in a couple more months. Getting used to being without Mom and Sid, having no overhead, no debts, no entanglements or ties of ANY kind, I was truly truly free. Self sufficient and salient. But kind of lonely.

Oh, and Sid Dawg House the blog was born July 15 a year ago! (Whew! Could that be possible?)

Yesterday...
Paul and I took the day off and took Soda out to a Sporting Spaniel training session (with REAL birds!), then went golfing and visiting with brother John and our Mary.


Today...
Happy Birthday, America! Will go back over to JP and Marys to BBQ hot dogs and ribs and then shoot off "safe and sane" fireworks after dark. Oooooo, aaaaaaah, oooooh!

Tomorrow...
Back to work to be self sufficient again.

When you dream....

oh my...

I've looked at these cars for a while, admiring, lusting, envying the poor schnooks that had to drive them. Then sis reports that there's one in the driveway of our recent hotel, and while I shunned this intruder because it probably belonged to a "suspicious sort of dubious character" and furthermore an "out-of-stater" who was probably eyeballing OUR vehicle and ready to steal 'something' out of it (I'll let Magz regale you with what she keeps under her seat while traveling), I resisted the urge to go have a peek. But O! What a car.

Ahhhhh....

A Chrysler Crossfire. And to make matters worse, I've researched JUUUUst far enough to find one at our local dealer not 6 blocks away from here.

When you dream, dream big.

Technical Advice, Please

Awwww, thanks sis! There have been some mighty nice things being bandied about on her blog… shux. I'm not worthy…..



Hey, on a technical note, may I get some advice? I have some digital picture questions…..

Number 1: After I take digital pix on a fairly fancy camera I can download them onto my computer. Once I've done that they seem to be erased from the camera. Is this normal? Permanent? Should I download in a different way? Should I put them back?

Question 2: Once the pics are on my computer, how do I tote them to a retail store to have them printed onto good ol' photographic prints?

Question 3: How do I separate the ALL the pics I now have (mostly still on camera, some on computer) into an organized fashion and have them put onto a CD for safe keeping? (mind you, I don't have the capability to "burn" anything on my own PC)

Question 4: Once pics are on a CD for safe keeping, can they be copied and tweaked via PhotoShop? Or must I do the tweaking before CDing?


Thank you in advance for any help that can be offered. By the way, how are the Technical Difficulties going over at the "Farm"?!

ok, just one more "one more"

More Bo pix? Well, ok, but only since you asked..

Number 2's Good Enough

Ahhhh. Bo Bice. Is anyone else as disappointed by the outcome of the recent American Idol? Is anyone else willing to admit that they watched the recent American Idol? I'm sorry to say I did, I watched the early part with the ridiculous entries, I know who the top 12 were, then got caught up in the final few weeks. And close to the end there was some real talent, and I'm convinced that these young people were already solicited and signed up on labels before the end, that's why no one seemed particularly sad to be cut.

But oh…. Bo. A real breath of fresh air. And it wasn't the freshness, it was the familiar oldness to the style coming out of this boy, the sound and the look of such greats as David Clayton-Thomas, Ronnie Van Zant or John Fogerty. And oh, did I mention? He's Hot. Oh, I might have said so already.

Music News

1. What is the total volume of music files on your computer?
Zero. I originally messed around with napster before it was all
over the news, does that count?

2. What is the last CD you bought?
Seal. But much like Taza, I buy as much retro replacement as
anything new.

3. What song is playing right now?
Ottmar Liebert's Surrender 2 Love, oops, now it's Santa Fe

4. Five songs I listen to a lot, or that mean a lot to me:
Pachelbel Canon in D (especially a CD called Elegance,
a collection of seven "distinctly different and profoundly peaceful
arrangements" of the same piece.)

Josh Grobin's entire "Closer" CD

Jon Secada's older stuff

Chris Isaac's "Wicked Game" and Heart Shaped World CD

Emerson Lake and Palmer's "C'est La Vie", ooh la la

5. To whom am I passing this, and why?
Well, by posting it on my blog I guess it is infinate. One would think so by the dire warnings about posting anything personal on a public forum, the possibility of scandel, pilfrage or personal harm by the shear numbers of people who have access. By my account (and according to my site meter) that number is actually only 1265. And some of you have been here twice.

Post Script

Favorite is soon to be replaced by the first recording by Bo Bice.

He's HOT!

Ok, Gemmak! I want in the club!

Does anyone else dare bare it?

circa 1965-66. Magz, do you remember

April Fool!

Why were the troops so tired on April First?

They'd just finished a 31 day March!!

Happy Springtime, everybody!

Congrats to the new family

What's this? Puppy pix on my sis' page? Are those....

Blog Dogs!

I was just wondering, whilst perusing a few old friends' blogs this morning, if what I was doing was blog-slogging? When I signed on this morning did that make me a Blogger-Logger? And my sis definitely got Blog-Flogged a few weeks ago by that no-good self proclaimed art critic. Well, I've written myself into a bit of a blog-fog, I think I'll go unclog and re-log. Blog' Voyage.

Heaven? No, Fresno

Happy Birthday, Hunny!

The big Four Six. He wasn't crazy that I reminded him that it's really the ACCOMPLISHMENT of 46 that he's celebrating. He upped the ante by reminding me that you're in the womb for almost a year before that, so it's really more like 47. Ug. Good thing I'm still only 29.

An occasion such as this merited a multi-day trip up north to visit his until-quite-recently-estranged brother and sister in law at their B & B slash vineyard slash winery. We were greeted with warm welcome and homecoming, fed like kings, wined with their fanciest reserves, and treated to a day trip where we stopped to admire a pair of bald eagles as they fished the Kings river. The blossoms on the fruit and nut trees in the central valley bloomed in competition with the abundant wildflowers. Of my 42, er, 29 years of living here in California, I've never seen such a show. We drove home leisurely along back roads stopping at cheese factories, nut houses, another place where we bought some hot-sauce from hell and a really cool birdhouse, and the Tehachipi Loop where we admired one of the 7 marvels of the engineering world (but missed the train by about 5 minutes).

Returning from this trip brought us only to Satuday, and we still had Sunday off. So we mowed, grocery shopped, tidied up and called a few of his best buddies to come over and join us for barbeque, beers, bonfire and banter to help ring in year number 46.

So I planned to make a special birthday dinner for him to come home to tonite and asked what he wanted. His answer? Griller cheesers. God I love this man!

Happy Birthday, Paul!

learning to fetch.. 

Learning to Swim 

Hello? Testing… testing….. [whsssshhhh] is this thing on?

Ahem. Thank you all for coming such a long distance this evening. And at great expense I might add, thank you for this opportunity. The reason I have asked you all to be here is this: I would like to reintroduce you to somebody back from the beyond… please…. Please everyone…. May we have some order here? Please….quiet down folks. There have been some ugly rumors being passed around, and I would like to quell the misconceptions by saying (in the immortal words of someone else) the rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Actually I'm feeling quite well, thank you! And still in love. And still have my hands full with a new pup. And a backyard full of dirt in anticipation of a new hot tub. And still working long hours in the rain. And yet more rain. And with that weeds. And yet more weeds. So really not that much has changed.
But on request, let me fill in a little more about Soda, our cracker-dog. I think I'll let some pictures tell the story:

circa 3 1/2 months old

circa 4 months

Everyone, meet Paul and Soda 

Ack Thpt

Ha-rumph. Right when you think you're so smart, an inanimate object rears up its ugly head and wins, leaving you with high blood pressure and a headache.

Take a simple digital camera for instance. And a simple CD-rom that comes in the package. Simply plug in the USB, pop the cd in and follow directions and voila, a tidy little link to dig-world.

But NNNNNOOOOOOO, it CAN't be THAT easy. Must there ALWAYS be a hiccup in the system? Did I smack myself with a blonde stick? Could it be that I got the one and only exceptional one in 100,000 that was accidentally mailed out as an unusable bit of software? Probably not, it's probably an easy fix, it's just that I am so disgusted and frustrated that I can't work on it anymore.
And has anybody noticed how the tech support is no longer available by phone? AAAAAUUUUUUGGGGHHHHHHhhhh. Phbbbbt.

Stormy

Oh my gosh I've never seen so much rain. I heard a while back that this year SoCal had matched Seattle's rainfall, and since then we've had more, the mother of all storms blew through this weekend (and continuing today) and I'm sure we're WAY ahead in the race. Horse trails have become muddy rivers, local roads are all rivers. The river is, well, a river. My yard is a lake except for where the excess water runs out toward the street, and that's a river. So I dressed all in a yellow plastic rainsuit, rubber galoshes, and a tooque under my hood under my poncho and sloshed out to work in it this weekend. Yes, people are insane enough to show up to be taught to ride motorcycles in this stuff, so we're insane enough to accommodate them. There comes a point in the curriculum however where traction becomes a factor, so day two was cancelled. I swam home to bail out the garage. Sheesh. Can it get any more crazy out here? Oh yeah. In the middle of all this let's throw in an earthquake just for good measure. When I met the man of my dreams and he said he'd move heaven and earth for me, I never dreamed he had such connections.

Good luck on your side of the world! We're holding on for dear life here!