It's Back to School Time

By request, I was asked to send along this update from our cousin in the north, up Pennsylvania way.

The summer fun is over, the weather is (finally) cooler, and everyone is paw deep in their school studies.

Back in my day, writing term papers meant slogging to the library, pouring over periodicals, and writing notes on index cards. These kitties today just log on to wikipedia.

Keep your whiskers to the grindstone.

Paris? non. Royaume magique? oui!

We were interested in visiting Paris, France this fall. However, that was going to be expensive. So we decided on an alternate destination of Orlandeaux.

Orlando, I should say. The one in Florida. We will be amusing ourselves in  Walt Disney World this October. And staying at the Port Orleans Resort French Quarter. So we still get that French experience, but with a Creole twist. And sanitized to remove that stale-alcohol-and-pinesol smell.

http://www.portorleans.org/

We will have passes that let us visit all four of the theme parks
- Magic Kingdom
- Epcot Center
- Disney's Hollywood Studios
- Disney's Animal Kingdom

It's going to be fun, we are looking forward to it.

Hoppy Easter

Hey everyone, happy Easter from your cartoon pals at the C&C compound. We are doing very well. It's a bright and sunny Easter day, perfect for hiding eggs and finding them except we're inside.

We are trying something new today. I am dictating this using Dragon speech recognition software, and actually it works. I am even doing this on my iPad so this might inspire more postings because usually I'm too lazy to write anything. We'll have to see how that goes.

Anyway, hope you're enjoying the kitty pictures, will be sure to post a lot more of them. That's all for now.

Sunday Catinee

Well, it's been about 3 weeks now. Things are calmer than at the beginning. The wee ones can stay out overnight now. Although they still stay in their secure area during work days.

So far, only 1 vase and 1 wineglass are listed as casualties.

Thought it would be fun to share some movies of our first day together.






And what does Rocky think of all this?


Well, he's getting a little better with time.

Mom & MIM

While Mom was in town for a long weekend we thought we would check out the "Museum of Musical Instrments". The MIM provides you with a pair of earphones to use as you view the exhibits. You may wander from continent to continent and explore.


There's even a "Petting Zoo" where you can bang, strum & pluck to your heart's content.



For a music geek such as myself it was a real treat.



If this is your cup of tea,... don't miss it.
http://www.themim.org/

-e

Santa was good to us

I got an iPad

Eddie got a 55 inch 3D tv

Rocky got some ribbon to play with

Last night we were in the hot tub. Mainly just so we could say we did. We like to rub it in.

So what did you all get?

Merry Christmas

Posted via my HTC android on I-10 driving west
(I'm not the one driving, relax)

The Random Rocky Picture of the Day*

Santa Claws is coming, everyone look busy.

Let's play Where's Waldo Rocky

Can you spot him now?

*Not a daily feature

Thanksgiving day

6:30 dessert time - kahlua pumpkin cheesecake, marionberry cobbler, vanilla ice cream. It's good to be king


4:00 potatoes mashed, turkey sliced, prosecco popped. time to dine


3:30 the bird is out, the cobbler is out, the potatoes are boiling


3:00 the berry cobbler is in the oven


12:30 the bird is in the oven

Halloween year 2

We had help from the Halloween Elves Union

I'm a happy fellow this year

Somewhat cat-like

And here's Pawand Maw

Happy Halloween everybody. It's 90 degrees here today. Ha ha ha.

Another Birthday Already?

Seems like it was only last year, but here we are again with another notch on the martini swizzle stick.

If I recall, we said we would take it easy this year. And we did.
Only some light digging in the backyard.
A few sprinkles of rain.
Some tile work.
Some more tile work.
Boycotts and Girlcotts.
Couple of hot months.
Window screens.
Attic insulation.

Sometimes, you just need a wee drinky-poo.

Autumntime, and the livin' is eas(ier)

It is autumn time.

When I was a kid, I never cared much for the fall season. Summer is over, the weather turns cool, and children have to go back to school.

Now that I'm an adult, I find I actually look forward to autumn. Summer is over, the weather turns cool, and children have to go back to school.

Funny how the same things look different when you are on the other side of them. So now that fall is an enjoyable time of year, I am developing an enjoyment of the colors and symbols that reflect the season.

I notice when I travel to the east, there is much more on display in the neighborhoods and yards. I have always found that to be fun and festive, so I am interested in bringing some of that here to the C+C household.

Celebrate National Remote Control Boating Month

...the thing I just now invented.

Anyway, here is Thirsty Howell the Tird taking the ol' SS Mildew out for a three minute spin, a three minute spin.

Inauguration Day

Summer's here, the time is right
For jumping in the pool.


It's triple digits, that means the water is warm enough for me to get in.

Enjoy your summer

Birthday: Coda

The inevitable conclusion

No, I didn't eat it all................. Ed got one piece

Quiz Master

Are you ready for a quiz?
My dad is world famous for these, they are a staple of birthday celebrations.

Here is the quiz that is all about
43

My answers are in the comments. Feel free to add your guesses, or correct mine.

Have fun, work in teams.

1. Is 43 a prime number?

2. What are the prime factors of 43?

3. What is the Roman Numeral designation for 43?

4. Does the 43rd line of West Longitude circle the earth?

5. What is the 43rd book of the Bible?

6. How many books of the bible have at least 43 chapters?

7. How many times is the phrase ‘forty-three’ or ‘forty and three found in the Bible?

8. Numbers 26:7 These are the families of the __________________, and those who were numbered of them were 43,730.

9. What was the 43rd State to join the union?

10. Who was our 43rd president?

11. 43rd verse of Gen: And the gold of that land is good; the bdellium and the onyx stone are there. What is bdellium?

12 The sum of which two prime numbers equals 43?

13. If you open a book, the number 43 means what?

14. On Interstate-43, if you pass exit 43, and then mile marker 43, which direction are you generally traveling?

15. On which day would a horse have to be born in order for it to be a ‘yearling’ for 43 days?

16. What is your cardinal age?

17. What line of longitude lies directly opposite of the 43 degrees West line of longitude?

18. In a number system with a base of 43, how would you designate the number 44?

19. How would you designate ‘43’ in binary code?

20. What time would it be if it was 43 minutes before 3:00 am?

The Plan- Finale

... and in the end, a very inviting sight.

I hope that one day soon, you will be cock-tailing with us in sublime repose... in "Ye Ole Cemente Ponde".

We look forward to seeing y'all soon.
-e









PS- Now Dad, that doesn't mean "Nov thru Jan". LOL -eddie

Birthday Salute

It's happy birthday time for my sister...... the dragon slayer?

She has the dubious pleasure of residing in the congressional district of one Representative Brian Baird, Democrat. You may not recognize the name, but you probably remember his comment:

"What we're seeing right now [referring to town hall protesters] is close to Brown Shirt tactics. I mean that very seriously."

After reversing his refusal to stoop to actually meeting in person with those he represents (see above comment), he held a Town Hall meeting last September. My sister attended and spoke. Let me have her tell it:

They held it in the auditorium at the community college which seats 500. They had an overflow room of about 100 and that maxed out too. We got there 30 minutes early and there was no room. Anyone who wanted to have 3 minutes to ask a question or give a comment signed up and got a number. Then they put the numbers in a lottery and drew them out. I was the 11th one picked. So I actually got to speak. I had to stop 4 times for people clapping too loud to be heard. I told the Congressman it was bigger than health care. It was TARP with increased Government regulations at tax payer expense, followed by the Stimulus, the Energy Bill which no one read because it was rush, rush, rush and this Health Care bill is again rush, rush on a bill that will change our whole country.

His response was he voted for TARP because everyone was told that the whole country would collapse if it wasn't passed immediately. He voted against the Stimulus. He held out against the Energy Bill but when he saw it would pass, he bargained to save the northwest forests and pulp manufacturing in exchange for his votes. And he says he was pushing for waiting on the health care. He actually has introduced an amendment for tort reform and is a cosponsor for the Audit the Fed bill. He has also introduced a bill that would require the bills be on the internet for 10 days before a Congress vote.

Well, I guess we know how all that turned out:

"Weighing the concerns against the benefits of the legislation, and considering that the status quo is unsustainable, I will vote for this legislation," Baird said in a statement.

So, what’s happened since that meeting? He announced his retirement last December, after six terms. Coincidence? You decide.

Congratulations to her and thanks for being willing to actively participate in our democracy. We should all do nothing less.

Happy Birthday Mom

Today is my mother's birthday. Here is a salute to her.

She gave me life

A voracious reader, she fostered my enjoyment of reading as well by taking us kids with her to the library frequently, making it an event to look forward to.

A multitalented artist and craftist, she has dabbled in just about every art imaginable, both fine and applied. I learned to play piano by watching her.

She has both a culinary arts degree and an English degree, both of which she finished later in life after making the sacrifice to stay at home to raise her children. Something that, even without realizing it at the time, I am extremely grateful for.

Compassionate, kindhearted and gentle, but with a resolve of steel and an unshakeable adherence to a strong moral and ethical code. And you don't get over on her, ask anyone who has tried.

Today she is enjoying the bucolic life in rural Pennsylvania, where her chief role is grandmother to three girls and mother to one cat

Happy Gnu's Ear

Generally, I'm not unhappy to see 2009 in the rear view mirror. It was a year of ups and downs.

The majority of it was occupied by real estate dealings - selling one house and buying another.

It was a year of new starts - the birth of my third niece and the hatching of this blog.

It was a year of promise and promises - not enough of them realized or kept.

2009 began with a sense of cautious optimism and ended with a sense of optimistic caution. Make of that what you will, it sounds cool.

Our hope for 2010 is that of a year filled with delight, pleasant surprises, surmountable challenges, and always love.

Enjoy your 2010, it's the only one you get.

The Random Rocky Picture of the Day*

Rocky is travelling to Pennsylvania this week to see his friend Crystal. It is very cold in Pennsylvania right now. This is how we stay warm...

Update!! Well, we got home just in time. The entire east coast is getting buried under snow. Back at the C&C mansion, the skies are blue and sunny, and we are wearing our shorts outside to go shopping. You have our sympathies.



... And winter white.




*Not a daily feature