The Taste, free flowing blog from last Thursday's show.

The Taste 2/13/14

EXTRA NOTE:  I’ve had cat problems (will blog about that later) so I meant to put this up before today – now I’m blogging about the finals I thought I’d better put up last week’s show. 

Note I free wrote what was going on and my opinion on the fly of the show and cleaned it up after.

So the show is “good with beer”  I hate beer but that is beside the point.  I thought Lee would do good because he is always pulling out beer…. But his mentor is an Idiot.   Anthony takes Lee out to have some fancy stuff that I’m not even going to try to spell here --- that consists mostly of the weird stuff.  Organ meat, testicles, tongue.  Oh sure it was good, but Lee TOLD Anthony that he never had the stuff… so what does Anthony do?  Stocks his pantry with the stuff!  And then goes oh it never occurred to me that he wouldn’t be able to cook with the stuff (something like that).   I’m like you MORON.   Lee is the only cook left in your kitchen– give him stuff he is familiar with.   Lee has no idea how to cook organ meat.  

Commercial.  

Anthony just said to Lee “We defiantly don’t want to go in a direction you are not comfortable with”.   So we will see how this goes!

Ok so now Anthony told Lee to go with a meatball – because they are stuck with what else to do.

In the meantime- Ludo wants to work with Seafood – so Jeff is going with “bar food” – so shrimp scampi – fried.  Which sounds good actually.   Then Louise is happy because she worked in a bar.  She is doing a beer-battered fish taco thing… I missed the full name.  

Oh and here we go the contestants are criticizing people again.  Oh here we go Marina doesn’t drink (alcohol)   I do… but I’m in the same boat I don’t drink beer.  She figures beer is bitter and tea is bitter so …. Make something that goes with tea.

Looks like Sarah is going with the organ meats – she is doing a Lamb kidney.  This is Marcus’ kitchen – and the challenge is to do something exotic.  LOL Nigella just compared Marcus’ kitchen with a “spell making session in hog-warts.”

Ok back to Lee – doing meatballs.   Nigella is going from kitchen to kitchen.    It occurs to me… Lee--- has ALL Gold stars, but as he is the last member of his team – if the guest cook picks his dish last – then he’s out.  That’s almost not fair as I’ll bet he is the best cook there.    Anthony just said “just make it delicious” .

A note: I was going to do this on my first blog post on the taste but I ran out of time.  I admit I like Shehu   - Right now Sarah is upset because Marcus is spending so much time with Shehu.

To be honest… I like Shehu because he reminds me of a warrior… standing there with his arms crossed tall and strong.  I want to strap a sword to his back.  OR give him a large hammer and make him a blacksmith – I think it’s great that a guy that could play the part of a fantasy warrior is a cook.

Oops he just cut himself!  Well that happens.  Don’t know what’s up with the other chef ragging on him.  I cut myself the other day cutting garlic… though not badly. 

Sigh.  I like but to be honest I know Shehu isn’t going to make the final.  I don’t think he’s good enough. 

Now back at Anthony’s kitchen and Nigella says that Lee’s food tastes too salty… but they were PUSHING the food to be salty.   Sheesh.  

Ok it’s the big Rush.   About ready for the chefs to try the dishes and choose.   Ah commercial break.  :)

Gah… I’m starving myself.  I think I’m just going to have a bowl of cereal.  :D

Ahhhhhhh… Ludo’s going crazy… now it’s stopped…. I don’t know who picked what – other then Lee of course – his dish defaults up there.

Oh the guest guy looks jolly. 

I hope no one’s dish is very bad.  I hope it’s a hard choice. 

Lets see… first … oh he’s doing the meatball with French onion soup first.  That sounds good too.. oh and Nigella… French onion soup is VERY salty.   (I tried it once thinking Id like it because of the onions and it was too salty for me and I *like* salt)

The guest Judge likes the size and crispiness…. He doesn’t like the garlicky taste – huh?  Garlic is good.  He thinks the sauce is off.

Ok next, Marina’s was picked… shrimp and cucumber.   – He likes the crunch – flavors inside good… little dry but not so bad that he doesn’t want another.  

Now.. Sarah’s… kidney – sweetbread and shrimp. Sweetbread is like organ meat, it’s the weird stuff, hearts, tongue etc- it doesn’t say what she used here.  (wiki it) .   Great Asian taste – but he doesn’t like the spice.   Said “A good effort”  

Ok now the guest chef says it would be a hard choice… so… best dish…. Ludo!

Oh boy.  That’s great… but now what?   It’s Lee or… Sarah/Shehu.   I’m torn… I almost want it to be Lee so that Shehu will go through but that wouldn’t be fair.   Really Shehu should go home.

Poor Anthony – he said that they are standing there like condemned men.

…. The guest chef is standing there having a hard time deciding.  And now… commercial.

… and we are back.. and the lowest ---- it’s Marcus!   So Lee is through.. but now it’s between Sarah and Shehu.  and sorry but I think Sarah is better.  Marcus doesn’t want to let anyone go home.

His issue with Sarah is almost every time he picked Sarah’s dish .. they have been on the bottom.   As for Shehu Marcus says he hit a brick wall.. now they each are talking about themselves.    Wow.

Yep… Shehu is done.  :(    I do like that Sarah feels bad about it… I think some of the people are really tied together which is nice.  Of course others --- snipe behind the backs – but that is also in part what snips the producers decide to put forward.

I like what they said about him at the end. 

Now it’s the solo challenge - … the challenge is to make something WITH beer – that is beer is the ingredient. 

A promised Lee if he got through he would give Lee court side seats to the Knicks… looks like he is going to pay off. 

(I wonder if that is allowed)

Now this is interesting the guest cook – Jonathan – when salting something he says to salt up high to spread it out.  Huh.  Maybe I’ll try that (and get salt all over the stove…)

I like the way they talk about Marina – how she is a wild card… someone just said if they dropped all the contestants in the desert with a butter knife, Marina would win.  Lol

Oh… they get two hours instead of one.  Louise says she’s not sure about the extra hour – because they would expect more.

Well … Anthony says that the idea of the extra hour is so they can make dishes that would be impossible to make in one hour.

Now… we have 5 people left Louise, Jeff, Marina, Sarah and Lee.

Louise is making chili.   And she says her chili normally cooks all day.  Hey I wonder though – she is putting beer in it – I wonder if they will taste that    Jeff is braising pork with beer and adding cheddar biscuits.  Marina --- they haven’t said what she is making – but she has a lot of pressure cookers.

Sarah is making a Meguez sausage with other stuff… (went to fast on the screen for me to write it all) brazing again with beer.  Huh. 

The mentors are chatting about their chefs.   And… while I type this I have a kitty (Onyx)  who has for some reason burrowed under the blanket – is up against my foot.  She normally is in her little hammock or behind me on the loveseat.

Marina is making Fried stuffed pastry balls.  I missed where the beer came in.

She said “anything you throw at me I’ll cook it”

LOL .. Lee is making sloppy joes with Pork and Blood sausage.   He thinks it’s easy.  Now the mentors are talking about how nervous Lee was during the team challenge.

Jeff is afraid of the pressure cooker.  He has no backup – if it doesn’t work he’s screwed (and that’s what he said.) 

Whew I’m going to have to go back and spell check this! 

Oh no!   they are up to an hour left but there is one more challenge  -- they have to make an extra dish – one that complementary dish with what they have.   Then there was an oops Lee made a comment of surprise and Jeff told him what a complementary dish was – and Lee goes I know BLEEP what it is.  I don’t know exactly what he said but he cussed and the guest mentor thought it was for him. Ooops!

OHHHHH Sarah is frying Smelt as a side dish… wish I knew how to do that.. I feed smelt to my garter snakes. :D   (wonder what she would think of that.)

Huh I wonder though… do you eat the bones?   The smelts I get are slit in the belly but they have the backbones.   I like that because it gives my snakes calcium but – I’m not sure I’d want to eat that (nevermind the head…)

Now… Lee is flipping out. Minutes before he was comfortable – then this he has no clue what to make with sloppy joes!  I’m like something green.  But… different people eat sloppy joes with different things… see Joes are hot and can be a little spicy (though they don’t have to be)  full of flavor.  I prefer to complement that with a salad – something cool and bland.    The Chef mentors seem to not like the subtleties of a bland dish though.  

Oh man…  he’s got 15 min and Lee doesn’t know what he’s going to make.  Holy cow! 

Now we are back with Jeff and the pressure cooker –opening it… and…… and…..

Yes!  And it’s perfect – pork is soft. 

Now we have “ball” jokes with Marina.

Back to lee – who is going to do avocado fries.. which IMHO would work I don’t like avocado BUT it is a “cool” ingredient so that may work.

Now everyone is rushing to get stuff done on time.   One minute left and people are plating.  I don’t think I’ve seen anyone miss-plate – other then last week when someone forgot the lime zest… which is miner. 

Wow.

Now they are going to serve it up. 

Oh and Lee’s first.  He just wants to beat Jeff… lets see what they say.

Salty… greasy… ut oh.   Anthony doesn’t have a problem with it… Of course – he thinks it’s good that way.   Some people like the avatar but others don’t see the link.

Marina made slaw with the ball.  Nigella felt that the side dish was better.  Ut oh… they don’t like the fact that there isn’t enough meat… they didn’t like her dish.  I think she makes very unique dishes and well… in the past they either love it or hate it.   I admitted earlier on in the show I thought Marina was going to go.  But as it got to this point she started cooking things that they liked… so I’m disappointed that the Judges don’t like her dish now 

Man there is still 45 min left – how can they string out a 2 hour show like this?  I guess they are going to play a lot of commercials. 

Jeff is up.  He had the pork and his side was a kimchie… spelled wrong I know.  Ooo mostly positive comments.   They loved the match between the main dish and side.

Now Sarah – brazed cabbage and lamb sausage with the smelt fris.   She said it goes sweet and salty.   Oh they don’t know what it is… potato not cooked enough.  Wow Anthony thinks it’s salty.  He normally likes salty.

Louise is next with chili and cornbread.  Perfect (imho).  Anthony said “no way this is chili”.  Why is everyone mentioning the salt.  Why is everything too salty?  Mixed comments.  

Oh they are done?  Ok I guess Jeff is going to get all the gold stars because he got the best comments.  Now the judges are saying this was disappointed -   wow.  And Anthony didn’t like the sandwich etc… and ended with the bowl of chili – they thought it was too easy and done to fast.  Chili needs to SIT.  It’s not that fast.  

In the contestant lounge - Sarah is talking about making her own sausage – but you know I’ll BET they have no clue that she did. 

Now they are talking how there are 5 of them and 8 stars – so maybe someone will get a gold and red.  I’ll bet it’s more focused on one or two people on each side. 

-------

They are back – Anthony said he is disappointed. 

Boy he reamed all the cooks!

Ok best --- Anthony – Jeff (uh huh.)

Marcus – Jeff (yep.)

Nigella – Jeff (surprise surpise)  lol!!!!

Ludo- Lee!   Ha ! he’s upset because Lee is the competition and Ludo keeps picking him.

Now – Kimchi (needed the spelling good for cc)  they are praising Jeff.  Anthony says he at least embraced the challenge. 

Now lets see – if Lee gets a red star. 

Worst:

An- oh yeah… commercial.   He gulps and goes I didn’t see that coming.  I wonder if he picked Marina – he knew what Lee made so… he shouldn’t have picked Lee and said that.   But he was uping Marina a lot.   We. Shall. See. 

A- Marina – ye p thought so. 

M – Lee --- hehe.

N – Lee – again.

L – Sarah – wow – that was a surprise.  She just said – every red star she has gotten was from Ludo.

Funny Louise didn’t get either and she sneaks though.

Worst – Marina explaining it – Anthony’s complaint is that it was bland right.  No one can find the beer – too much dough.  

Lee- Nigella thought there was a proportion issue – too much bread again … not enough meat – and the cheese on top was too much – loved the side dish but not with that.   It’s sloppy joe he needed more meat -  - and he said he didn’t want to get it all over them  er.. it’s SLOPPY JOE. – it’s SUPPOSED to get all over people :D.

Ok now Sarah – she had the smelts – The complaints:  the side dish was salty and the potatoes was not cooked.  Of course she thought she embraced the challenge better then anyone else – you know if you are on the lower end… you should be honest that you failed.

Lee- this is the first time he’s been in the bottom – and he’d love the opportunity to continue.

Now they want the three to say – who should go home.

Marina said --- Based on the result of the competition – Sarah.

Sarah – of course said Marina.  Duh

Lee- also said Marina – he tasted her dish and didn’t like it – but over all likes her cooking.

So now the mentors get to debate and they are finally starting ice skating on TV   - so I’m ignoring the people discussing who should go home.

Sorry for the sidetrack.

Oh back to the show.. but now the Judges are debating.  And of course defending their favorites.

Hmmm. See now they are talking about how Sarah’s dish was over salted… Sarah says she barely put salt on it. You know… I think it’s the BEER.   Now I have to ask my bro if beer is salty I’ll bet it gives the dish that component.

Ok … so who is going home?

Lee got through.

OK  Sarah was sent home.   And now I want to watch ice skating so I’m not going to watch the final interviews.

So I’m going to Sign off now as I just wanted to blog about the taste.  

The Taste

Hi.  This is not a review.  I'm not a pro.  These are just my thoughts on stuff. :)

The Taste.   Ok. I debated with myself on if I wanted to write about this show now because I've since forgotten some of the things I wanted to say.   I’m also not good with people.  Some people look alike (Like Lee and Jeff --- one has earrings and the other doesn't otherwise they look very similar and I can’t recall who has the earrings or who is in what kitchen unless I’m watching the show.)  I also can’t spell… so I know I’m going to royally mess up these names.  I may go back and correct them after looking them up.  

Anyway… I’ll try to recall my thoughts.

The first show I watched was not the *first show*.   I also believe there is at least one previous season.  Basically, after I got my new TV I got back into watching TV.  I like chopped, but as that is a “cable” show that I've only been able to watch at my parent’s or friend’s house, I really don’t see it much.   So I decided to try “The Taste” as a substitute.

First thing I noticed, unlike “Chopped”, “The Taste” is formatted more like “American Idol”.   In fact… I’d say “Idol” was/is the template for shows like this.   The – start with a bunch/group of people and whittle it down to one winner over the course of a season format.   There are many shows like that now – in fact I’m seeing commercials on TV about a home development/decorator show with the same idea… and I’m like REALLY?   I guess these are the new “reality shows”.   In fact now that I read a little blurb of the set up (which I missed) the show sounds close to “The Voice” I actually would prefer “Chopped” which has 4 different people each show and is formatted more like a game show.

ANYWAY….

I missed the first epi of this season which must have shown the Chefs’ selections as to who will be in their Kitchens.   So the first epi for me was the first eliminations.   One of the things I noticed right away is the clash between Nigella  and her cooks.   Now me… I do not like cooking. I am afraid of cutting myself, I have burned myself before so I don’t like taking stuff in and out of the oven… and it just plain takes too long.   So… with me I could understand her telling me/showing me how to cut things but I’d think a pro cook (which I thought all of these people were) would KNOW that.  So QUIT TELLING THEM HOW TO USE THEIR KNIFE AND QUIT WORRYING ABOUT THEM CUTTING THEMSELVES.   On the big cooking shows even the pro’s cut themselves… I even heard of - I think on Iron chef- someone cutting the tip of their finger off.

Then she clashed with a lady whose name I've completely forgotten – who reminded me of her.  Even the other contestants said that this lady dressed like “N” did.  But they even sounded the same (though the lady didn't have the same accent) as they argued.   Total clash.  Really.

So when N’s team lost the team challenge I really wasn't surprised when “N” let this lady go, even though her dish wasn't the one picked and therefore not the one that lost the challenge.   There was a clear personality conflict.

Then N lost another member in the individual challenge.  I admit I felt sorry for Jay… as one of my cats is named “Jay”….  (yeah yeah I know I’m weird. – and the cat is actually Jacinth… I just call him Jay.)

I have seen every epi since then and there was a few things that struck me.

First, Audrey, the food blogger.  I was curious about her blog so I did look it up.  I’m not posting it here as I’m not sure it has what I was looking for yet or not.   It irritated me that the other contestants seemed to be bothered by her mentioning her blog --- but apparently behind the scenes the *producers* kept pushing her to mention her blog. (Ok she said that on her blog… so she could have been lying but I seriously doubt it.) 

When she was eliminated she came out and said she had a pain disease.  (I forgot what it was called.)  This hampered her because of course the episodes are not filmed as wham bam thank you… so it was a lot of waiting around the set in hard chairs.    I feel for her… but I also winced because I’m sorry it sounded like an excuse.  *whine* I was in pain and thinking about quitting anyway *whine*.   I don’t think she meant it that way and it can be hard to decide when to mention something like this but, I honestly believe she should have said this up-front.  In fact… I think this kind of thing should be *required* to be disclosed prior to someone being on a show like this.   Can you imagine someone winning American Idol for example and then you find out that the person has cystic fibrosis which will kill them in a few years… worse – as it is a lung disease – may mean that they won’t be able to sing for very much longer?  (I just looked this up to make sure I was thinking of the correct disease – I was but it looks like the life expectancy has been improved… when I was in Collage in the 90s the life expectancy was in the 20s.  Now it’s in the 30s to 40s.)  

Anyway I feel these shows should make you sign a disclaimer form about such things.  It may have helped – because they would either have not allowed her to participate or would have been able to accommodate her better to allow her to perform to her true potential. 

And speaking of hiding things vs telling them … how in the WORLD did a vegetarian cook get on that show without anyone knowing about it?   I mean REALLY?   That was the other thing that bothered me.  I think the lady was Cassandra and she doesn't want to try her mentor’s dish because it has meat in it and he looks surprised when she admits she is a vegetarian!   Like I said earlier I missed the “selection” shows but gee.. I would guess she had cooked a veggie dish to start with and when picked I’d guess that they would have to explain the dish right?   So at that point she should have said – well you see I’m a vegetarian and…  etc.   He should have KNOWN.   They should have KNOWN… and either not allowed her on the show or not FORCED her to cook with meat.   I mean the other contestants were criticize her in the little blurbs about “how can she be a chef if she can’t taste her own cooking”  well, gee… (sarcastic) I wonder.  I mean HELLLO!  in the real world she isn’t going to cook with meat!  She’d be a chef for a vegetarian restaurant or run a vegetarian catering service or something of that nature and of COURSE then she’d be fine tasting her own cooking then!    

When I first saw her I wondered what kind of vegetarian she was --- the kind that ate for preference and/or health – or the kind that ate veggies because she didn't  like the killing of animals – which quite frankly meant she shouldn't be on that show as those type of people typically don’t like ANYONE eating meat and are more radical.  However, as she went ahead and tried stuff anyway – even if she didn't like it (and I don’t think I’d like goose liver either)  to the delight of her mentor.   In fact, her mentor (I’m forgetting who it was and am running out of time to write this.)  totally fought for her.  But what’s weird to me with her – and with some of the others that left – people were acting like they would NEVER see them again.

Friends, possibly more, mentor/student – all upset.  And I’m like… this is not the 18^th century people!   There is facebook, email, smart phones with nationwide calling plans and unlimited minutes… you can keep in touch with each-other it is NOT the end of the world! 

Anyway (I know I keep saying that)  there was more I wanted to say but it’s late now and I wanted to post this Wed, as the next “The Taste” show is tomorrow and I wanted to try to blog it as I watched it --- though I’m also watching the Olympics. 

I checked Wikipedia and it looks like there is only two more episodes.   But there are SIX people left – so I wonder, 2 more tomorrow and then like the first season (according to Wiki) 1 dropped and 1 winner with 2 runner up?  Or… 3 tomorrow?  I guess I’ll find out. 

Signing off. :)

February catch up. 2014

Note: I’m going to backdate this a bit because I don’t want two posts on the same day.

Stream of consciousness typing.

I can’t recall when I last updated this and I don’t want to go back and check.  

I’m sure I mentioned my sick co-worker (Calling her “N”).   But maybe I didn't.   She had cancer and unfortunately passed away in October.   I am doing her job now – this wasn't how I wanted to take over her Job – she was supposed to retire 1/2014

I lost a spider I liked. (died not lost lost.)  I wasn't expecting to find it dead.  I’m also having trouble keeping track of my new Klassi slings… they bury themselves deep and won’t show up to eat.  I've unburied two of them a few times now and limited the substrate they have.  Most of the time my T’s the burrow still are obvious within the burrow – but not these guys.

For Christmas my two big gifts were a heated seat cover type thing and a TV.  The TV was a 32” Vizeo – a step up in size from my 19” LG – but not in quality.   I HATED the fact that the channel appeared in teeny tiny writing.  AND the channels wouldn't change right.  I’d put “4” in there and it wouldn't change.  I had to type 4-1.   Oh and I’m on antenna btw… Don’t do cable/satellite anymore.  So….. I had my parents take it back – they gave me the money they spent on it and I put it toward a new LG.   When I went into the store (best buy) I took the remote for comparison purposes.  (between what remotes looked like.)  To my surprise, the remote operated the LG tvs in the store! LOL.  Even though they told me over the phone that the TV’s were not hooked up to receive over the air stuff (like costco isn’t) I WAS able to change the channels and receive OTA.    I was able to see that YES the menu worked the same… I still got my little box with 9-1, 9-2  etc when I typed in 9.  (Even though the company said the newer TVs didn't have that anymore – I think they didn't understand what I was talking about when I emailed them.).   The box is on the other side but the number are still  a nice readable size, and if I type 4, it goes to 4-1, 9 goes to 9-1…. Etc.  If I want 9-2, I can just hit the down arrow.  

The only problem I’m having isn't with the TV.  I bought a Htmi (?) cord and hooked it up to my read/write DVD player.  Well – it worked fine at first.  Put the antenna through the DVD and fed the DVD into the TV.  I even recorded something.  But now… it doesn't work.  There’s no sound.   I have two antennas – one older and one bought with the new TV.  Both work with either TV (I still have my old one.)   But neither work well if I plug them into the DVD player first.   Also tried to connect the DVD player to either TV… and two different types of connections.  No go.

I think maybe the player is supposed to have an amplifier or something – and maybe the TVs do to… and whatever is in the DVD player stopped working.  It’s annoying because I wanted to record the Olympics.

Last night I just pointed my video camera to my TV then left for bible study – recorded ice skating that way.  :D 

I’m trying to not go off on a tangent but it’s hard.   I've wanted to write things about the Olympics and The Taste and what is going on with my cats but… I don’t want to lump everything in one post.  So this is supposed to be my catch up post… but I know I’m leaving stuff out that I’ve forgotten. 

I also still don’t really know how to sign off….

Blog Monday 10/7/2013

Hello out there. Don’t think many people read this but I kinda use it as a journal. I am furlowed right now due to the govn shut down. The govn shut down October 1^st due to stupidity on both sides of the aisle. On top of that, my internet has been going in and out. I’m working on cleaning house but thought – you know… I should blog. I’m horrible at blogging. I think of things all the time and never put them down.

Well – I guess I can catch up a bit now. I found my last blog postings saved in a temp file on my computer. I see I left off with a thing about Syria. Wow. I haven’t heard anything about Syria in a while!

That shot across the bow never happened because PUTAN (spelling?) of all people stopped it. (For reference to myself for later Putan is currently president of Russia)

In fact he apparently has been nominated for the noble peace prize. Really. I think I read somewhere he was X KGB. Anyway…. He talked (we think) Syria into giving up the chemical weapons. BUT I haven’t heard anything after that. Did they really? Has there been inspections? Hmmm….. we are all focused on ourselves right now – I wonder if we are really noticing anything that may or may not be going on over there.

Anyway this first post is about the flooding we had a few weeks ago. My parents had just left for vacation. The rain started on I believe Tuesday the 17^th. Then it rained on and off for a just about a week. There was flooding from Greely (way north) to Colorado springs (way south.). The flood rivaled the big tompson flood back in the 70s. If I recall correctly 8 people lost their lives. Homes were destroyed all across the front range. Roads are still closed currently because of the flood. And I really should have blogged about it at the time it happened.

With me – it put off my painting again. I had visited the blue house I liked and got someone to tell me that the paint was from Lowes… so I went there and got a bunch of paint samples but wasn’t able to compare them to the house. I also visited my parent’s house to find that their basement partially flooded. It wasn’t too bad – but several cardboard boxes got wet – so I had to move them and their contents out of range of the water. (It was on just one wall and only 1/8” or so deep).

I’m sure people can look up and will be able to look up pictures for years. That and I’m getting ready to go to the library to get on the internet to post this so I admit I don’t feel like going into great detail.

Ironically, on my way to the library - I heard on the radio that there is a company dismantling weapons in Syria – which is interesting because I just said saying above I had not heard anything.

So I'm sitting at the library right now being frustrated because I havn't used this netbook in so long things need to be updated. I had updated some stuff before – but fire fox is vs 12 (I hate that they put out new versions every few weeks – just update it dang it. Don't redo it and call it a new version. ) I mean – 12 was last year so – now at home it's prompting me to go to 24 and that's 12 versions in a year!

I just clicked to update but I think it's updating vs 12. And apparently the newest version of flash I just installed works best with 17 or above so I can't load my game all the way. PLUS the internet is really slow here.

Yes btw there are way more important things. Just sitting here waiting so thought I'd type stuff. I'd also much rather complain about the internet then the furlough or any major things because you see if I think about stuff like that it's depressing. I do take the time to pray for people and I do have times I check the news and stuff. I

Ok now it says I have vs 24 – so trying farm ville 2 again. I noticed before my whole computer slowed down. Hmm I'm hearing the music... hope it isn't too loud I'm a room. Lets see if I can turn the V. down a bit....

Ok did that – but lost connection before game loaded - I might as well be at home. :( Oh well at least I can do everything else. It is annyoing though - that this game has to be SO complex that it can't load and stay loaded on basic DSL. At least I can type here better now.

Well I never got FV to work. It loaded – and I harvested a wheat or two – then it froze and crashed. :(. But Tetris worked fine! FV is just too complex. sheesh.

I'm going to stop now so I can load this to blogger.

Stream of thought on Syria... Written Friday Aug 30th.

This was written impromptu on Friday (Aug 30^th) while listening to the ACLJ – Jay Sekulow program – I don't normally listen to talk shows much anymore for either side just because they have some annoying habits – like repeating themselves- that I don’t like.  They are conservative though which I follow – and they will point out things the president is doing RIGHT – whereas others tend to just toss him under the bus when they don't agree with him.)    

This is kinda stream of conscious.

Thoughts about the “shot across the bow.”

One – the pres said IF. This will work… etc    So it’s not set in stone.

But history says that a shot across the bow – a warning doesn’t work.

Two.  This is on Syria.  If this is REALLY a civil war -  and one side did the chem weapons… then WHAT IS THE OTHER SIDE DOING?

If the other side isn't mobilizing themselves, isn't condemning it- isn't trying to stop it… then IMHO – ALL of Syria is a problem. So we wouldn't be “taking sides” if we struck.  

Ok.  Show just said that it was Assad – the current power – that used the weapons.  (really?)   supposedly the rebels don’t have weapons.   But apparently the rebels are al-kada.  (unsure of spelling)  Who would not hesitate to use the same chem weapons.   And if they got into power they would be worse.  

Also if a normal election was held the Terrorists would win.

So to me… are two choices sound like “do nothing at this time” (and risk seeing more chem. Attacks)  or b.  Full scale war – get rid of both regimes.   (eek!) 

NOTE:  Program just said that Assad has had these weapons for years and that it HAS been suspected that many of the weapons were from Iraq before out operations there started.   And the point was – he has never used them against the USA or Israel.   This was in response to the question is if there is a direct threat to the US.    – which the white house spokesperson won’t fully answer. 

My op:  I really think it’s hard to tell.    Just because he hasn’t used them for years against us doesn’t mean he wouldn’t have in the future.     

Other things in July and August.

Spider:   I think this happened a week before the 4th – I discovered on a Thursday that the cube then held my 2-3” B. klassi (tarantula) was open – and the T was gone.  Now a day or two before that I had discovered Mordox’s (my bearded dragon) cage open.  (I was in a hurry and a failed to latch  it – unlike the above where the T most likely pushed the lid off.)   -  I didn't notice the T gone then , but if it was it may have ended up munched.  :(   It is the end of Aug now and I never found it.

Car:  Ok… Back when the credit union confirmed my loan I had asked about the need to come in to open an account and was told at that time I didn't have to come in, that the dealership would give them 5 bucks and they would open it.   However, after weeks of no word from either the dealership (who had told me I had to open an account but to wait until I heard from them that my paperwork had been processed)  -  or the CR – I called again.   This time I was told they were mistaken the first time and I *did* have to come in after all.   I did that July 29th.     Once that was done, the CR rep said she was emailing the dealership to let them know.   In which case I internally groaned, as I figured the dealership must have been waiting on that to process my title.   SO I assumed they would process in the next few business days.

Then I waited for most of the month of August for my title card from the DMV.    I called the DMV around the 5th of August – to find they hadn't received my paperwork from the dealer yet!   - I called the dealer but they just transferred me to the VM of the finance guy – and I admit I didn't want to talk to him.  SO I called the CR – they said they would check and get back to me.   They asked me to be patient for a little while yet because things were backed up.    Then later –I think the 16th  It was a Friday – I found a message from a different person at the CR on my machine when  I got home from work.   I was a little concerned about this because I didn't know what it was for.   Turned out it was the “welcome wagon.”     I called on Monday and  ended up telling this person my problems too and he said he’d personally handle it.    He called the dealer and found out they *still*  had not sent the paperwork in because they were behind.  (rolls eyes – should have been processed right away as part of the sale IMHO and then been ready to go when the CR confirmed).   He wanted me to wait another week and then he’d help me file an extension.

But then.... I called the DMV again Friday the 23rd.   I wanted to make sure if I filed an extension that I would get it right away at the DMV and not have to wait for it in the mail.   When I called I decided to check on my title again and lo and behold...  they got the info from the dealership a few days before.  BUT there was no way that they would be able to process and get a card out to me by the time the tag expired.  SO I was about to ask my question about the extension when the lady said "Tell you what I can do...."   and proceeded to say she could pull the info and process it herself!  Then call me back later with the title.   I was like "sure!"  and that is what she did... SO I was able to go in and get my licence and registration processed the following Monday - a week before the deadline.  :)  

Perseid Meteor shower 2013

I keep putting off writing things in this blog just because I haven't written about prior things.   So I have yet another catch up post in word that I never quite finish... first worked on in May then June then July.

Well... I may post that in the future.  If I do, I'll back date it to the end of July and mention that.

But right now.... I'm not going to wait.

I live in the suburbs and have a street light on the south side of my home.  So I have a narrow window from my backyard for viewing... and plenty of light pollution.  But I feel safer with my locked gates then I would going to a park.

I got up at 3:30 am.  Watched from about that time to 5:15 when it started to get light out with the breaking dawn.   Most of the time there was at least a thin layer of cloudes that I watched move accross my range of vision... which was mostly stright up.   There was clouds on the horizon to the north-northwest - which is normal.   But there were also thick clouds to the south --- normally I can see stars over the roof of my house in that direction.  Not this time.  So my view was made narrower.   I belive I only saw the bright "fireballs".

In the time I viewed-- (looking mostly at what I believe to be cassiopeia -- the "W" -  I'll have to check)    I saw a total of 15 meters and one satellite as a bonus.   (At least - I think that is what it was.... someone pointed one out to me at the horizon before and I thought you could only see them at the horizon.  But it definitely was not a plane - no blinking.   Just a very small star sized pinprick steadily moving across the sky.  Roughly North to South.)

I heard on the news while I was out there listening to the radio (I like to listen to the Christian teaching broadcasts) that the peak is supposed not only be Sunday to Monday but Monday to Tuesday as well.   They had that on the 4am news --- but not the 5am.   So I may or may not go out again tomorrow.

Now if I don't fall asleep in the middle of the day at work that would be great.....

tty.

Time Flies....

Here I am again.  Time flies.

NOTE: posting this Sept – but Dating it when most of it was written – at the end of July.

Before this gets to much away from me here is the Major updates.

Despite taking a week off to “catch up”  in mid-June, I am not caught up.  Stupid weeds are overwhelming me.  Again.  Mom has since helped me again with the back.  Though I have noticed some areas that were weeded have less weeds coming back- others are just the same or worse.


Some things are working better then others plant wise.  The roses are finishing up their first bloom so got to dead head them.   The butterfly bush is just starting to bloom.  Some of the plants I put in are still alive.   I still haven’t finished planting all I want to though.   I don’t have much left in my landscape fund (about 500-600) and the guy who was helping me messaged me recently (July) about doing my pathway… for 2800.  (about 8 per sq foot as I already have materials)   Still wayyyyy more then I want to pay for it.   When I told him I just had enough for the first section, he didn't reply to me.   :(.   Now if he took CCs I’d do it…. I can “borrow from myself” somewhat.   Now I wonder what the steps are.  Because I probably could level the ground and put the weed barrier down and lay out the flagstone (because the guy who helped me get it broke it into very nice manageable pieces)  – I just can’t take the rock from the pile and move it over and dump it and spread it – too heavy.  

In other news- we’ve had more fires in CO.   Another devastating one in Co. Springs.  At first it was more then 500 houses destroyed, now they have revised it to “only” 400 something (don’t recall exact numbers.)  Still horrible IMHO.    They are (again IMHO) building where they should not.   This should not happen.  Of course if they cleared the area better, made wide roads as a fire break and didn't make the neighborhoods like rabbit warrens maybe they wouldn't have this problem.

ANNNNd… I started writing this at the end of June so didn't have the major part in mind.

I bought a car.

I wasn't planning on it… I was planning on it next year – but they had an even at the dealership and offered me 4k for my old car through the cash for clunkers program though I don’t think it’s a clunker. (poor car).   This is several thousand more then I’d have gotten for it normally.   It almost didn't happen.  If I have time I’ll write up the hassle in another post.   I bought the car July 5th.   I have not received financial paperwork yet. (It’s July 26th) even though the credit union confirmed the loan.   My first payment is supposed to be Aug 31st so if I don’t see anything after this weekend I’ll have to call them.

Now reading back on this – I've typed up the “hassle” on message boards so I’m just going to copy paste it here.
************************
Chevy dealer was having 4th of July sales - I went to just look... ended up buying a used/new to me car. Wasn't really planning on it - one thing that helped... 4k for my car under special deal that happens once a year for a limited amt of cars and the fact that it's worth only about 1k.

Darn finance guy was a pain though. would NOT guarantee the % from the floor or give a full quote until he got commitment. Got both myself and my Dad (who I brought along mostly for his knowledge of cars -- but him just buying a new/used truck came in handy too.....) mad at him. Ended up going through the system anyway to get the %. I have to join the credit union apparently once the paperwork is filed... but both my parents have done that before and it's no biggie.

It's a Chevy cruze. But I like my Saturn. :( I felt God gave me that car -- it had a Jesus' fish on the back (which I can't get off.) when I bought it and it was just right. [NOTE added: I used some spray adhesive remover to get the icon off the car.  It’s now on my inside garage door magnetted on. – I bought a new fish for the new car later.]

This one... I did go - ok God now what?

When I was about to test drive a 20k 2013 "new" car and they said they could get it down to my payment price... but it didn't have cruise control and was just a step up from basic model. (as in it was automatic instead of manual- I'd have thought most people now preferred auto.. but manual is the standard.  ) Anyway right after that the guy came back out with the license plate needed for the test drive and told me he just found out about a used car they got in recently. So that was the 2012 cruze... it has 45k miles on it - a bit much but it looks like it may have been a company car (car fax - doesn’t say for sure but there are some hints)

So that was cheaper - with cruise control, a better radio... a turbo engine (don't care but point is better engine.) and some other stuff - for less money.

But I'm now physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted. A part of me doesn't want to give up the Saturn and wished they were still making them. but... it's out of warrantee - will need breaks soon - and the coolant light keeps coming on even though the oil change people tell me that the coolant level is ok.
Oh and it's burning oil -- I almost ran out last year without realizing it. (luckily another light came on to tell me...)   [At this point I signed off online]

Getting a new car made since and I was saving up to get one next year so bought it a year ahead of planned.    Note: I really like the car now.  There was some other drama involved but that will be a different post.

They made it! (and other stuff)

First of all - I got my replacement spiders today.  They made it!  yeah! I have them set up in their new homes, now I hope they settle and web.

Next - My landscaper was able to fill my planters and start putting up the lattice work - but he is behind on projects that are going to give him more money - and quite frankly have more demanding peeps.  (I think he's doing stuff for a housing development.)  So he is leaving for several days to do this big project.  Stupid snow - got us way behind.  However at least I'll be able to plant what I wanted to next week.  I really don't need the lattice work up until the end of May so I hope he will be able to find time to  do it.

He left his measure tape (hopefully not his only one) over here though - I grabbed it before it started to rain and I just messaged him.

oh yeah and it's raining.  And it thundered and lighteninged earlier so First thunderstorm!

It looks like the TICA cat show I wanted to attend in July will be canceled. (I heard back from the lady.) :(  So I guess no summer show unless I somehow *can* go to the one in TX.  - Oh well.  Speaking of, the carpool peeps never answered me back - so I guess I'll email them again to make sure I didn't put them off or something.

I emailed the kitty pictures for the awards last night.  I haven't heard anything back from them either so I emailed earlier asking them to confirm that they got my pictures ok. I'd kinda like to know well in advance of the deadline.

Outstanding/ongoing  projects:  New garden area;  lattice work; tomato area; plant stuff outside for May.  Weed, weed, weed, weed.   Set up cage for snake.  Fix up spider room.  Catch up with cleaning.

Outstanding issues: Snake that won’t eat,  Reply from CFA peeps about car pooling for June Awards.

Catch up Post 6 – last “catch up” post. End of April, First few days of May events.

Hi.  Blogs tend to put things backwards, with the first thing posted at the bottom of the page.  If you have not read the posts labeled “Catch up post 1” through “Catch up post 5”  please do so first.  :) (Well you don’t *have* to but IMHO it would be easiest). 

Alright I think I’m about caught up.   Here is what’s been happening most recently. 

[note written from May 3rd to May 6th]

Garden:  My landscaper finally was able to cut the front yard.  He has taken out two dead bushes in the back and cut the boards for my new garden bed.  He has them laid out but not attached yet.  --- because it snowed – again!   It’s mostly melted now (May 3rd) but he is behind on other projects and won’t be able to finish mine until (maybe) this Sunday.  – Update – he should be in my yard working as I type this. (May 6th)

I think I mentioned I finally planted my lettuce and other similar seeds – did that on Monday 4/29 – then I put my Onion sets in Tuesday. 

I am behind with my seeds though.   I planted my tomato seeds over the weekend of the 27th- 28th – and they are sprouting already which is about what I expected.  (May 3rd)  I have one where I somehow put 4 seeds in the pot – I will trim that down to two.   They were barely sprouting in the morning, and by evening they already were over 2” high.   I hate when they do that.  But tomatoes seem to be more hardy and they haven’t fallen over – yet.    I need to re-arrange them a bit though.   Even though the room gets very bright with sun – I think they still will follow the window and I should put a more direct light closer to them.   I have since put my bearded dragon’s light over them.  Will add extra light sources later.

I also planted moonflower and morning glory and nasturtium seeds that are already coming up. 

 (May 2nd) I FINALLY planted the lettuce etc inside.  These are my “extra in case” plantings.

I planted the rest of my herbs and flowers over this past weekend – May-4th-5th. I hope to have a few weeks of plants started before I plant them outside – most likely on or around Memorial day.

Spiders:  My favorite tarantula seller recently acquired some Avaculara geroldi, a species I’ve been looking for since the one I had died in 2010. (Right before I moved into my new house.)  He answered my initial email asking how many he had (4!), but then surprisingly didn’t answer my follow up email.  I wasn’t sure if he’d hold them, so I went ahead and ordered them, along with another species I’ve been wondering about.   I got 2 of the A. geroldi and 1 of this other species.   Later I found out he was doing a show in CA, which is why he was slower to follow up on emails.  It also may mean that he did not pack them – but someone else did – when they were sent out on Monday.  (April 29th)  When I opened them Tuesday, I unfortunately found that both the A. geroldi did not make it.  :(   The other spider was fine.   I immediately took pictures and emailed him.   We have been going back and forth a bit, but it sounds like he is going to send replacements – this coming Monday.  (Got the tracking a little earlier)   So I hope and pray I get them ok this time.  

Reptiles:  Wednesday (May 1) evening I pulled out my cell phone to call my landscaper and let him know I had a payment for him.  I discovered I had a VM so I checked it.  Turned out it was from my vet--- reminding me of an appointment I had set up for May 2 – Thursday.  :O  I had completely forgot about it. 

First, I called and left a message for my vet – letting them know I had forgotten and I needed to check with my boss to see if I could get a couple hours off.   Then,  Thursday I checked with my boss to make sure I could leave at 3… I let her know I had forgotten about the appt.   She said sure.  So I called my vet to tell them I’d be in.

Even leaving at 3 I was late.  (Was supposed to be there at 4:20 – got there at 4:30)   - Of course this was because I had to pack everyone.   I took 4 ball pythons, 7 garter snakes and my bearded dragon. 

Everybody seems to be fine.  Mordox – the bearded dragon – is older (11 years) and is starting to lose muscle mass in his hind legs.  – My vet mentioned that they could do blood tests now.  So we did that.  She called me with the results this morning (Mon the 6th) – and his numbers came back fine, except of course for lower protein figures.   He won’t always eat.  Sometimes I have to hand feed him now.  I most likely will have to give him a supplement – brushed or smeared on his favorite greens.  (Collards – which I’m trying to grow.)    The new BP I got was confirmed female by my vet – she did a probe.  We may re-do the sexing when the snake gets older.   I am concerned though, she has only eaten once in my care.  I was really happy when she took a frozen thawed rat pup 4-5 days after I bought her at Repticon (April the 6th) – lets see I’d have fed her that wed – so the 10th.   But I haven’t been able to get her to eat since then.

I tried FTs twice and this past Sat – after the vet gave her a vit B stimulus shot on Thursday – I tried a pre-killed.   She didn’t even try – didn’t follow it or anything.   I realized now that it’s been almost a month since she ate.   – Now BPs are notorious for fasting.  Suddenly not eating for 3 or 4 months.   I’ve had other snakes (garters) do that before – and of course Mordox the bearded dragon does that.

The thing that bothers me is she is a year old and about 280 grams and I’d like her to weigh more before deciding on a fast.    I don’t know how often her original owner/breeder fed her.  He said at the show 2 weeks – but now I’m wondering.    She is still in her original shoebox where she supposedly spent all her live so far.  I’m going to try to set her up in a larger cage with better heating and hope that  that helps her appetite. 

Ok I can’t think of anything else right now.

Outstanding/ongoing  projects:  New garden area;  lattice work; tomato area; plant stuff outside for May.  Weed, weed, weed, weed.   Set up cage for snake.  Fix up spider room.  Catch up with cleaning.

Outstanding issues: Replacement spiders, snake that won’t eat, cat pictures to J, replies from Romo cat club about July cat show (TICA) & from CFA peeps about car pooling for June Awards. 

Catch up Post 5: Springtime in the Rockies – Cat show.

Note: HHP=Household pets.

So – April 13th and 14th was the spring cat show.   This show I had a friend from bible study helping me.   She enjoyed it immensely.  And I admit I do like showing better with a friend.   It is easier to set up, tear down and carry both cats the show ring. 

This show started with 16 (gasp!) cats so this is what the points were based on – though 1 cat dropped out after the first ring due to non-cooperation  (hissy kitty), so most of the show we were really competing for 10 out of 15 slots.    Even so, we did really well!  I was stoked. 

Onyx seemed to hiss the first ring and did not place.  But after that she was fine.  In fact she did better with the two lady judges that cuddled her a bit.  She doesn’t like seeing the crowd of people and always wants to hide.   One Judge even pet her after putting her back in her cage – this is what she needs. 

Jay was his normal – “touch me in the right spot and I’ll respond” self.   I really think it’s a “knee jerk” reaction.  Just like when the doc taps your knee – you will kick, regardless if you want to or not -   if you touch the base of Jay’s tail on his back – he will arch his back and raise his tail.   I jokingly call it the “sweet spot”.   On the first day, Jay received 3 7s and an 8 and missed one ring.   Onyx was all over- earning anywhere from a 2 to a 10 and also missed in one ring.

The 2nd day was interesting.   Jay finaled in ALL the rings.   I should back up here.

Because there were so many cats we were not all called up to the rings at the same time.  There are only 12-13 cages up there.  So they called most of the cats, then would call the rest.    On the first day most of the judges were simply flipping down a few signs, then calling the rest of the cats and – then if they decided against one of the cats in the 2nd batch, they would put that cat’s sign down and might call one of the cats from the first batch back.   Thus they would narrow it down to 10 cats.   Well I had thought that my cats were sneaking in the finals, because most of the time the cats that went back from the first “group” were  at the low end – the cats that were first called.   (cats are numbered males then females, in the order registered.  I registered later so both my cats had higher numbers – but not so high that they were in the few cats of the second group.)  So I wondered about that.

The next day though – Sunday – most of the judges really did send all the cats back, then figured out the 10 finalists and call them back.   So this felt more real if I made a final.   But it was a bit of a pain because at this show, the rings were all along one wall.   This meant that two rings I was benched close to, and two rings were far away – with one in the middle.     My helper went to church Sunday morning (I went Sunday evening – because my church has an evening Mass.)  and I didn’t have her help for what turned out to be 2 and ½ rings.   

If I recall correctly the first two rings were a near ring and the next to last ring.    Because of the format with the Judges having all the cats go back – I started just keeping Onyx out.   I didn’t want to put her back and then haul her out 5 minutes later if she got called back for a final.  (and she made 4 out of the 5 that day.)  

The third ring was the last one in the line.  And I had been hoping that my friend would have shown up by then.   But we were called earlier then I expected.   This guy took out the cats and looked at them briefly and put them back.  I noticed with Onyx that he held her up stretched under the lights.  (Which she let him do without fuss, thank goodness).   He was more of a “coat” judge.   At this point I had Jay on my lap because the judge had put down the sign with the cat’s number – which is the indication that you need to take your cat.   Anyway I didn’t want to walk alllllllll the way back to the benching area --- and then come back and get Onyx.  So I waited.  Then I thought.. .now what.    I decided to go ahead and attempt to carry both. (I’ve seen people carrying two cats before – just the cats are normally smaller…..)   I had asked someone else about carrying two cats at once and they told me that they typically avoid it due to the possibility of the cats fighting.  Well mine are brother and sister and tend to cuddle together and step on each other etc.   I probably could stuff both of them in the same cat carrier ok.   So I figured carrying them together would be ok.   It was… up until I almost was to my benching area with the show cage (which btw is made of mesh and material)  -- which for some reason I had zipped closed.  Jay tends to recognize it and start pushing off me toward it.   I think he’s trying to use me as a spring board to jump to it.    At this point I’m struggling to hold on to both cats – and somehow unzip one of the doors to let Jay inside.

So I decide to plunk Jay down by the show cage as I think he will just try to get in and not go anywhere.   I do that, but by this time Onyx is squirming so much that I drop her and she slinks under the table.   I grab her like 2 seconds later.    Then I manage to get Jay into the cage and carry Onyx over to the raffle area because I thought I might as well look at the prizes while I’m waiting. 

This guy took awhile.  So I wondered back to the benching area and sat there with Onyx on my lap.  – BTW a side effect of me doing this is that Onyx will bug me at home to sit on my lap – which I consider to be a good thing -   though she seems to prefer me sitting at my desk then on the loveseat – which means she bugs me while I’m tele-working.  Oh well. 

So I’m sitting there, petting Onyx and kinda zoning out – when I hear over the loud-speaker:  “crackle, babble, snap, 158 – household pets”.   I’m like…. What!?   158 btw was the cat of the people I was benched next to-   my cats were 145 (Jay) and 155(Onyx)  so I decided I’d better go over there and check. 

Still carring Onyx I wonder over, trying to see the numbers before I got there.   But I had a hard time doing so.    I found Onyx’s number – 155 – and was looking for Jay’s.  I didn’t think Jay made it but finally found his number (it was the only cage the judge was in front of – he was setting up and walking back and forth and every time I moved he happened to be at the right angle to block that cage! Lol.)   So I quickly put Onyx in her cage and went back for Jay.   By the time I was heading back – they did a third call for him! :o   I didn’t even  hear a *second* call.   I’m like “I’m commmminnnng”.   

So we started the final and the judge first went through all the cats in line, commenting on their color, markings etc.  He seemed to be more of a “coat judge”  that is, he judged more on coat and appearance then personality.   When he got to Onyx he kept mention how shiny and smooth her coat was.  Black shows well under the show hall lights. 

Jay came in 10th.   The further he got the more I thought.. .ok Onyx has to be next.   I figured she had to be relatively high because of how he talked about her.  Still I knew other cats tended to get higher.  He went past 5th place, 4th place and 3rd.    Finally we were down to 1st and 2nd.   So the judge presents the top two:  Onyx and Jasmine – my neighbors (and mentors – they helped me figure out this show thing) cat.  She – Jasmine wins a lot.   So I was thinking another 2nd place – Onyx had received a 2nd the day before.  

The Judge talked about each of the cats at this point, commenting again on their coats and color and health etc.  Then he says he knows Jasmine and he’s given her top cat in the past.   Then he pauses – the suspense builds and - ---   no today Jasmine is his 2nd best cat --- Onyx got best cat!   This is the first time either one of them had received a best of the ring.   I was ecstatic.   As I was processing that, someone tapped me hard on the shoulder.   I thought it was one of the other HHP people tapping me to congratulate me, but no it was my friend!   She had come in during the finals and had been standing quietly in the back.   I think she was more thrilled then I was.  (I had her carry Onyx for most of the show, as she – the cat – is the least sociable of the two and I like to give her exposure to other people.  )  She (my friend) was starting to think of Onyx as her cat.  :)  All in all it was a great show – better then the V-day show.   – Also I found out my kitties got points even though I wasn’t registered and that they were just HHP.    The points are based on how many cats you beat – which is based on the highest shown in any ring.  Thus since there were 16 cats shown – even if it was just one ring – then the first place cat beats 15 cats and gets 15 points.  After that the points go down 5%.  So the 2nd place cat gets 95% of the points the first place cat got – in this case 14.25.   The lowest place: 10th would be 55% of 15 or  8.25 points.  

After the show – my kitties were in 10th (Jay) and 13th (Onyx) place!  Top 15 get an extra prize.  (No money however.) 

The next weekend was the last Region 3 show for the show year.  (Which is May through April – so May 2012 through April 2013 in this case.)   That show was in TX and of course I didn’t go to it.   But even after that show there was little movement and officially my guys placed 10th and 13th for the year for HHP!   I don’t know if I can attend the awards show though (which is also in TX), if I can’t I will have to have someone accept the awards for me as apparently they are not mailing them this year.  – I’m working on it. 

Catch up Post 4: April (Snow!) Showers bring May…..?

This post covers my OTHER (non bulb) flowers, plantings in general, landscape plans and the month of April.  (except for the spring cat show – that will be the next post.) 

Let me see--- where to start.  

Other flowers:  Well – the first year I planted Johnny jump ups or violas, I didn’t have much happen.  I had a few come back last year (2012), and get bushy – but that’s it.   THIS year however, is a different story.   I have a scattering of JJs popping up in the area they are supposed to be in – that CLEARLY reseeded….. and I have a few that aren’t where they should be.   I have a line in the area between my brick porch and a wooden “frame”   There is about 4-6” gap that I think once was filled with sand – now weeds typically grow there.  I’ll take the JJs any day.  There is even one growing in the middle of the patio – between bricks.  (I also end up with way too many weeds on the patio.)    There is also one growing between stepping stones.     These flowers have survived the snow waves intact.   Now I just have to make sure I don’t accidently pull the non-flowering ones as weeds.  I have a ton of weeds starting and I want to get out there and dig /pull them up but have been doing other things planting wise.

I noticed that I have several columbines coming back.  Woot!  I admit that sometimes I have a hard time getting them established.  If they die mid-summer – they aren’t coming back.  :(  The snapdragons, however look like they died.   If your confused, as snapdragons are an annual, let me explain. 

When I lived at my condo, to my amazement my snapdragons never fully died.   I’d go outside and see green and small leaves at the base in December, January, February.  The tops died, but the bottoms never did.  Then they would “bush” back up in the spring, larger then ever.   This was NOT re-seeding – though they did some of that too – this was the original plant never fully dying.  

I was hoping that they would do the same thing here – as I planted them in the same area – the warmer south side of the house.   They appeared to do this somewhat last year (from 2011 snaps)  but this year they just look gone.  

Other things that are coming back:  My strawberries.  Second year – I heard they spread – they are.  I even have a small one growing in the pathway.   There is a LOT of dead material left on top of them though.   I’ve left it there because I figured that kept the plants underneath warm, possibly was breaking down into nutrients the new growth can use, and keeping weeds down.   However, I am going to have to remove that soon to allow the new growth to come through better.   My chives.  Really unexpected, I thought chives were annuals.  I just moved them though… from the side of the “lettuce”  area to the front.  I left a big dirt ball around them so I hope they take.    My oregano.  Ok ok so that IS a perennial – it just looked so DEAD that I didn’t think it would really come back.  But now I see new grown mixed in with the old.   And a re-seed surprise ---- I think my celery re-seeded. 

The story:  I planted three small celery plants in 2011.  I never did anything with them because they were supposed to have an insanely long growing season in cool weather which wasn’t going to happen.   Well they never died in the winter of 2011-2012.   So they bushed back up in the summer of 2012.   I DID eat some of it – though I didn’t really try to harvest like they said (your supposed to “bleach” or blanche or something it.)  so I don’t know if it was any good.   It SMELLS good though… so I bought some celery seeds this year.

Except I may not have needed to do so.   See the celery went to seed last year.    This year I was in the process (this past weekend) of pulling up the dead plants to clean the garden area.   I noticed lots and lots of little seedlings around the base of the plant that I was also pulling up.   I swore I got a wiff of celery.   I sniffed the seedlings.   Celery.   The ground is COVERED in that area with 100s of itty bitty seedlings.   The area to one side is strawberries – the area to the other – mostly bare ground with very few weeds yet.   So I doubted these were weeds.   I smelled the seedling blanket.   Smells like celery!  

We will see if it really is celery or if the ground somehow absorbed the smell.  – Hope they don’t die in this latest round of storms.  

Landscape:  Well I wanted to get some stuff done by the end of April.  Mainly cutting the front.  But the snow kept pushing us back more and more.  My landscaper is actually my neighbor across the street and down two houses or so from me.   (I can see his house from mine).    He doesn’t charge me much but I’m probably lower priority and he is behind on his other jobs.   Well he was finally able to cut my xeriscape down on Monday – ready for fresh growth.   He also took out two dead bushes in the back and started on my third planter box.   There are still a few things left for him to do – that he is going to try to do by Sunday of this week because he will be getting VERY busy soon.   I had forgotten I wanted him to help me with bookcases as well – putting them together.  Now I don’t know if he will have time for that.  :(

I’m going to be putting up (well having him put up) some latticework that I HOPE I’ll be able to cover with morning glories, moon flowers, and another flower that I can’t spell without looking at the packet.  N something.   I’m trying to grow some from seed right now but at least half I’ll sew directly into the ground rather then transfer seedlings.  Most likely at the end of May.    

The third garden bed I plan to put some potatoes, and my radish and carrots.    I already got my onion sets in, as well as lettuce, spinach and collards.  I’m also going to try to plant snow peas – I like them in the pod.  I’m putting them in the same place I’ll be putting squash plants.  They will be finished about the time the squash really gets going.   They will be put in a row at the back of the bed and also have a piece of trellis/lattice to lean on. 

Seeds:   Indoors I’ve planted my tomatoes and started some morning glories, moonflowers and the “N” plants I mentioned earlier.   I haven’t had time to do the others yet, but I plan to plant (hopefully tonight – May 1st) extra lettuce, collards and spinach  - in case the stuff outside doesn’t come up.  And carrots, radishes etc – even though I’m planting them outside later, I’d like a back up inside.  Just a few plants.   I’m not planting squash inside because of the large seeds I’ve never had a problem growing them from seed outside.   Then I have to do my flowers.   I have mixed results – I tend to kill them inside so this time I’m hoping just to get them up and a few inches tall and then plant outside.  Last year I must have scattered hundreds of baby snapdragon seeds – and nothing.  Inside I put what I think is about 4 seeds in and end up with 20 sprouts – that get leggy and do nothing and then die.    I hope to plant them outside before they get to that point – and hopefully they will establish themselves outside better then directly sowing seeds outside.   I’m doing baby snaps, tall snaps, columbine (of which I already have two decent plants that I started several months ago), and violas.  (seeds I got from last year’s plants).   I also have some Red yucca seeds from one of my plants.  (It’s name is misleading as it’s not a yucca – and the flowers are more hot or deep pink then red.)   - It’s a sloooooow growing plant but I’d like to try.  

The last thing I’m plant… though I may regret it… is apple seeds.   Some at bible study last fall passed out apples from her apple tree.   And I saved some seeds.    Don’t know what I’ll do with the result if it’s a success but hey- I’m planting a few just to see.

Oh! I almost forgot about the snow!   Ok first – I telework most Monday’s now.   And for several weeks in a row it snowed Mon-tue.   For two of those weeks I ended up teleworking Tue as well.   The first of those storms was the 8th into the 9th.  I believe that is the storm that dropped 10-12 inches.  Roads were horrible and we got permission to telework Tue --- so I just worked from home both Mon and Tue.   It was nice to watch the snow come down – and know I didn’t have to drive in it.

Then the next week – there were two storms.  15th into 16th and 16th into 17th.  So I ended up teleworking Mon AND tue again (15th and 16th).  Wed I went to work, but the snow intensified so much that we were let early on Wed the 17th.   Another 10 or so inches… just divided by 3 days.   By the weekend everything was melted EXCEPT for the spot I wanted to plant my lettuce.   (I’m just glad that it was perfect weather during the cat show – the 13th and 14th)  .   

One of my bosses had wondered if it was going to become a habit.  (For me to work tue as well as mon)  I told her that I don’t think so because it can’t possibly snow three weeks in a row.   

Really shouldn’t have said that --- it did. 

But this time I NEEDED to be at work – it was starting to get into rush and I had to be there to do the deposit if needed.    Tuesday it took me 3x as long to get to work.  I made it… but was almost an hour late.    This time the snow stopped before the afternoon and it was clear by the drive home.    

-- But it again delayed my plans for landscaping and planting.  

Now (this week)…. it is one day off.   The snow that is.   Originally they were predicting a rain/snow mix and high of 49 on Wednesday, May 1st.   – That changed to a high of 34 and snow.    So it’s snowing right now --- as I type.   The road was warm enough that the drive to work was fine this morning- I don’t know what it will be tonight.   But then again I’m not posting this until tonight.   Hopefully this will be the last *snow* storm this year.  (bring on the T-storms!) 

Catch up Post 3: Bulbs and taxes.

This post covers mainly the last half of February and all of March.

I wish I can recall if I had more to say – I’m sure I did.

First – Bulbs.  It is interesting to note the progression of bulbs coming up at my house.   I noticed the first crocuses blooming in front of my “bow” window (I tend to call it a bay window – but according to the people who fitted my blinds it’s a bow window)  when I went to the valentines’ cat show.   There they were – as I hurried to the car with a cat carrier in my hand.   I had to stop and look! I was shocked, it wasn't even March yet and here is a splash of yellow color. 

This was joined about a week later by several other flowers.   As March progressed, other bulbs started to come up.  I had the crocuses blooming and some other unidentified small blue flowers.  I had thought they were “glory of the snow”  and bought more bulbs – but when those started blooming I could tell they were different then the blue flowers I already had.   I took pictures and eventually will go to a garden center and show them the difference to see if I can i'd for sure the mystery blue flowers. 

Anyway watching the different bulbs come up in sequence to not only what they are but where I planted them is amazing.   Bulbs planted near the house in the front – which faces more or less south east – came up first and early.  Even the hyacinths, daffodils and tulips.  The tulips and daffodils were pretty much zapped in April though – with back to back to back 6-12” snow storms.   The blooms I have now – even the late ones that normally bloom in may – are ragged and falling over.  

The next bulbs to come up were the ones I planted further down in the xeriscape by the sump pump ditch.  This area is further east then the other place I planted them – down the pathway to the street.   What was interesting is the eastmost bulbs came up and bloomed WEEKS earler then the westmost bulbs.  And there is not that much distance – about 20 feet from the two areas. 

The very last bulbs to come up – the few crocus bulbs I put in the back of the house – the north side.   I put three around both my trees – and I only saw one bulb come up.  And this was a different bulb – a glory of the snow that I mentioned earlier – so I must have mistaken it for a crocus bulb. 

There are two crocuses blooming right now – April 30 – in my little garden bed in front of the back porch area.  Long after the other crocuses have died back.    I think I'll put more out there next year.  (next fall).

Other bulbs that I put in – flower names I don't recall now- did not bloom.  I had one bluish purple floppy flower about 2” bloom – but that’s it.  I know I put in 6 bulbs that are supposed to yield a white flower that I never saw.    I can conclude one of the following:  Either – 1. They did not survive/come up this year.   2. They came up – but didn't bloom this year.  or  3.  They came up and bloomed but were hit by the cold/snow just at the right time to curb the start of the bloom or ruin the flower and  I don’t/didn’t recognize it. 

Second: Taxes.   I got my taxes in at the end of February/beginning of March.  Pretty early for me.  As I sold my condo, I was unsure how it was going to pan out.   My tax adviser worked up the loss for the rental portion – but did not report the loss of the sale of the house.   Surprisingly, There was a possibility to be able to report both, but the rule is new and may not be set in stone yet.  So to be on the safe side (which I’m ALL for), she just did the rental loss.   

I also had her fill out corrections from last year as I shouldn't have deducted my H.S.A. contributions – as they were deducted from my paycheck and already done before taxes.   The H.S.A portion of the tax documents and instructions were NOT very clear.  (so what else is new in regards to the IRS?)   All of that has been resolved.  The Federal IRS and state both cashed my checks for the correction, and sent me refunds for this years taxes.   Next year I should be back to doing them on my own.  

Post 2. Valentines day cat show.

Catch up blog post # 2. :)

At this point it is almost May and I can no longer recall if there was anything I wanted to write about January. 

February I started attempting to get my taxes together and prepped for a cat show.   The valentines’ cat show was the one that got me started.   Last year (2012) I attended without cats to get an idea of what to do.    My first ever show with the cats was the spring show in April 2012.    Anyway - - I was shocked that the prices were higher then the other club’s shows.  (The other club being the foot of the Rockies cat club…. I’m not sure who put on the V-day event.)  They did not have lower prices for house hold pets either.   So I paid about 140 instead of the 95 I was used to.   The show was held on the 16th and 17th and benefited the Cat Care Society – the place I adapted the two cats I’m showing.   (Brother and Sister)

I did overall enjoy myself at the show.   I as normal won a few items in the raffles.   The kitties did decent.  If I recall there were 13 HHP (house hold pet) the  first day and 11 the 2nd.  One cat was pulled part way through the first day and another person was only showing Sat.  

I got a surprise on Sat as judge Betty White – who the last time I had her – seemed short and didn’t select either of my cats for the final – selected both for her final this time.  She also seemed more animate.   I wonder if the last time she was just having a bad day or wasn’t feeling well?     I have since done a “judge chart”  and note that most judges place my cats about the same.   That is the judge that places Onyx higher then Jay – has done so always.   Or the one that I’ve noted “liked orange cats” has placed jay higher.  

Quick overview for people reading this the first time and have no clue about showing:

Cats are “benched” in long rows.  You can bring your own cage or the show will provide it.  (Note apparently Tica shows you must have your own show cage – CFA shows will provide one.)   I tend to buy more space as a “grooming” area.   Cats must be in the show cage – not a carrier.   You provide water and food, bowls and a litter pan.  But the show will provide litter.  (though not always your favorite so I’ve started taking some with me.)  

The cats are assigned numbers.  When your group and number is called, you take the cat up to a “ring”.   The judging ring consists of a dozen or so small cages in a row or L shape,  (or at least the shows I’ve been to they’ve been an L)  a table with the ribbons and notebooks and toys etc on it – and a platform on the table that the cats are placed.    The judge takes each cat one at a time from their cage and places them on the platform.  They pet them, manipulate them, sometimes try to play with them – and in the meantime they are checking out the heath, eyes, coat etc.   If it’s a pedigree cat – the judge looks at the head, body, tail etc and matches them to the breed standard.   Pedigrees are ranked within breed and color as well.   Then the top 10 in the category (champion shorthair, champion longhair, premiere sh, etc)  are called back and ranked as top (#) overall.   They get points for all this – as I don’t show pedigrees I don’t understand how they work – but they do get ranks. 

House hold pets are a little different.   There are no standards so after making sure the cat is overall healthy and clean, it’s judges discretion.  (Provided the cat doesn’t bite the judge)  I have never seen a cat bite a judge – but I have seen one so upset that it wouldn’t allow the judge to take it to the ring – hungered down ears flat – hiss and a swat.  So needless to say that kitty was pulled.   Not every cat can be shown. 

Some judges seem to judge more on personality of the cat – how much the cat wants to be there, enjoys petting.. .purrs, plays etc.  Others judge based on coats.   Onyx does better with “coat” judges. 

Now – Sunday was annoying. 

See – On Saturday I noticed that they had the HHP slated as the second group to be judged ---- in three rings.   Needless to say 2 of those rings came up together – and they moved one.   So I expected on Sunday (which had the same schedule) that one of the 3 would be moved to the first slot.  

This did happen… but it was not one of the rings I expected.   It was one of the rings I’d have expected to be in in the afternoon.    In fact – the moved both the later rings up.   The result:  All 5 rings were done with HHP by noon.    

This was horrible!   Not only was I and the cats rushed.. .but it gave me nothing to look forward to later.   (You are technically supposed to stay to the end of the show even if your cat is done, because it’s a public event.) 

I came in… got the cats groomed and barely settled – when I was called to the first ring.  I was dismayed to find out it wasn’t one of the 3 I expected.   After being judged in that ring we had a little break.  I don’t recall now but I don’t think it was longer then 1 hour.

Then we were called to two rings back to back.  It was literally go in one ring, then right after was told “when your done here, go to ring x” .  I wonder what the cats were thinking as I took them from one cage --- passed their show cage (which they both know and will try to get in when I get back to the benching area) --- across the show hall to another.  

Then we had another short break… really 30 or 45 min – and the same thing with the last two rings.   One side, then right to the other side.   As I was by myself with this show – one of the cats was the first one in the next ring, and then I had to go back for the 2nd cat and he or she ended up being the last cat because of how long it took.   

And the last ring was the “personality judge”   She flat out says she is judging based on how much the cat wants to be there.  Cats that rub against her, that purr, that respond to petting etc get the highest marks.   ----- She has never placed Onyx in her top 10 and out of the 4 shows I’ve attended I’ve had her as a judge 3 times.     Onyx is my shy kitty.   Quick reminder – Jacinth (Jay) is a male red classic tabby and Onyx is a black female.    Onyx will hide in the blankets of her show cage and typically stays still but doesn’t react to the judge.   She gets judged more on her coat.   Sometimes she relaxes more and once even rolled over playfully for a judge while still in the cage.    But this time this was the last ring of the show and she had little to no time to relax between rings. 

Result:  She was a brick that did nothing but stare forward.   It is heartbreaking to see the judge hug your cat with a slight smile of anticipation (for purring or other reaction) and then see the smile drop when nothing happens and the next second the judge is putting your cat back.   Really – her getting last place (in this case 11th – she DID get a toy though.)  is ok… it happens – but the dropped smile hurt.   Not the fault of the judge really.   In fact no one’s fault.   I just have a hard time explaining why it hurt.   I know when she (Onyx) decided she liked me sitting at my desk and got all friendly and I was petting her and hugging her – it just struck me and I got teary eyed.   I know she doesn’t like the crowds – I just wish she would be more responsive… that others could see this side of her.    And it’s more then that.   It’s like if a kid is really happy one moment and then does something innocently wrong.   That is – they are thinking they are ok doing it but then get yelled at.   Their face crumples and they start to cry.   That’s how I felt watching the smile disappear from the Judge’s face – just the same as watching a happy kid go from happy to sad. 

Anyway Onyx did MUCH better at the last show I attended a few weeks ago – which I’ll post in a bit.