I'm going AWOL!

I decided to skip out on the rest of the A to Z Challenge.

Sorry, peeps!

I've let myself get behind and it's been stressing me out! 

I had ideas for topics for most of the letters and I just really can't bring myself to sit down and use my brain to write! 

I feel much better now.  

A sad Friday...

Our little Maddie crossed the Rainbow Bridge on April 4. 

We adopted her - or I should say, she chose the Spawn - from the Humane Society back in July 2012.  We'd gone in to see the cats available and she kept reaching out thru the cage door at the Spawn, so we asked to visit with her, and she came home with us that day.   But once she met the Spouse - he was her hooman. 

We had no real idea of how old she actually was, but she getting to the stage where she was losing weight (she was never a big cat to begin with), it was hard to keep herself groomed and she would occasionally lose her balance while walking.  

Right after we brought her home.  

The Humane Society said she had pink eye, but after a visit to a specialist, we found she had an ulcer on her eyeball that could easily have popped with simply jumping off the couch.  They wanted to do surgery, but they also said there was a 30% chance it would heal on its own.  It did. 

She was the Work From Home Supervisor.  She also attended Zoom meetings & classes. 

With her favorite hooman. 

She definitely had resting bitch face! 

So anyway - lunchtime last Friday, she'd jumped up on the kitchen chair and then onto the table to demand attention from the Spouse.  She'd been really needy in the couple days leading up to this.  He held her for a while, then she went & napped in her little hidey hole that's near his work area. It's on the kitchen counter behind a plant stand where she could see him.  I got home from work and right after that, he carried her into the bedroom saying she couldn't stand up!  

We spent the evening snuggling her and she would have bouts where we couldn't tell if she was hurting or just mad. Probably both.  Once the grandkids went to bed, we decided to take her to a 24-hour emergency vet that is only a couple miles from our house.  She's never liked riding in the car, but she laid there in his arms and looked out the window and up out of the moonroof & was fine!

We told the ladies at the vet's office what was going on & they checked her out.  Found out it was neurological - they said it was either she'd had a blood clot go into her brain and cause her limbs to do their own thing (that's why she was mad - she knew she had legs, they just didn't work!) or she had a tumor.  But since it came on so quick, we're assuming it was a clot.  We could have paid a lot of $$ to get her tested and try to get her better, but would she suffer?  Would it even work?  How long would it last?  So, we opted for helping her to cross the Rainbow Bridge. 

The ladies at the vet were phenomenal.  Very compassionate and respectful.  They let us take all the time we needed.  Once we made the decision, I filled out all the paperwork so we wouldn't have to deal with that later, etc.  It was kind of funny that they brought in a doorbell to ring when we were ready for them to come in - but the doorbell was mounted on a metal weenie dog (I can't even get spellcheck to help me spell the actual name of it!) sculpture with big marble eyes.  

I was morbidly fascinated with the whole process, tho.  They took Maddie out and put the IV with a long tube in her leg and brought her back to us.  That & the initial checkout was the only time she was out of the Spouse's arms.  When we were ready, the vet tech came in with 3 huge syringes.  The first was sedation.  She would feel no pain, would be relaxed, but she'd still know we were there.  The next was a simple flush for the tube.  The third looked like Windex - it was anesthesia, and they basically OD'd her on it.  It was super quick.  

I love this picture.  This was before they took her to put the IV in.

The other 3 cats we've lost are buried out in the back yard, but since it was a really crappy day on Saturday, we decided to have her cremated instead and now she has a beautiful little redwood box that matches the one our dog has and is sitting on the plant stand by her little hidey hole.  

#AtoZChallenge - Furniture Restoration / Building

My theme this year is basically things that I’m interested in.  This could be things that I’m currently involved in and would maybe like to increase my knowledge… or things that I’m not involved in but still fascinate me in some degree anyway. 

This is something I'm not involved in but I get sucked into watching the videos on YouTube! 

Furniture Restoration. 

These just amaze me how they can take something ugly out of the trash heap and turn it into something so beautiful! 

These are some of my favorite channels to watch...

AT Restoration

FlippingDrawers

This guy also takes cat breaks. 

I like them!

#AtoZChallenge - Errr

My theme this year is basically things that I’m interested in.  This could be things that I’m currently involved in and would maybe like to increase my knowledge… or things that I’m not involved in but still fascinate me in some degree anyway. 

Yeah, I had a hard time coming up with something for this one! 

For some reason exercise popped into my head. 

That's not really anything I really ~want~ to learn more about.

I know I need to do it - I just need to DO it! 

Euchre?

Just take my Michigan card from me, since I don't know how to play. 

Embroidery?  

Maybe.  

I grabbed this off my IG from Easter 2019 - and I haven't gotten much further on it!

Maybe I'll drag that back out and 1) put it on the frame the correct way and 2) hopefully finish it!

#AtoZChallenge - Dance

My theme this year is basically things that I’m interested in.  This could be things that I’m currently involved in and would maybe like to increase my knowledge… or things that I’m not involved in but still fascinate me in some degree anyway. 

Let's Dance!

So I personally was never "a dancer" per se - I learned a few line dances / two step at the bar back many moons ago in my early US Navy years (I was enlisted 1992-2000) but that's about the extent of my abilities.

The Spawn (aka my daughter) was 2 1/2 years old when she and I moved home to Michigan.  When she was 4, I signed her up for dance classes thru city recreation.  That was the beginning of something I can't even describe.  She did 2 years thru the city, then I found an actual dance studio to enroll her at.  That became her second home until she was 20!  

Putting a kid in dance is like enabling an addiction.  She started out doing one jazz class a week.  Then hiphop & tap.  Then she wanted to try lyrical.  But ballet was a requirement for lyrical.  Once she hit 12 years old, she wanted to try out for the studio competition team.  Now we have comp & recreation classes. Throw some pom and pointe in there. Then one of her instructors who was trying to start his own studio "borrowed" some dancers.  So add another jazz, pom & hiphop.  And don't forget the dance team at school and the USPBL ball park near our house.  

Funny that her first time on stage with this other team ended up with a big trophy, fancy jackets & medals!

Her senior year of high school, she was in 13 (or maybe 15 - I don't remember!) dances in the recital!   My family called the recital "the Spawn Show" since she was in so many.

Most kids quit dancing at the studio when they graduate, but she did 2 more years because the director asked her to.  Those last couple years I felt like I was working to put her thru dance.  Thankfully they only planned for a trip to Nationals every other year!  

Of course I post about them, too

Oh - and I also have a physical photo album of her in every costume she's ever worn. I thought I had a post with her final year's costumes, but apparently it's a Facebook album.  Every other year her pics were taken by the professional photographer that came to the studio, but that last year, she was working and didn't have time to get individual ones done there - so I did them.  It was a lot of fun! 

Her very last competitive dance was worthwhile!

Here's the video....

If you have a child - be warned this could happen to you!

For your entertainment - this is the recital that I was in with the Spawn - her very last one.  

I'm in the pink muu-muu and the Spawn is in the leopard pants & sparkly top. 

I did the best I could, but my knees were really jacked up. I went to physical therapy not long after this. 

and this one's not personal, but I have watched this video 100 times by a dance troupe called CDK.

They're amazing! 

#AtoZChallenge - Calligraphy

My theme this year is basically things that I’m interested in.  This could be things that I’m currently involved in and would maybe like to increase my knowledge… or things that I’m not involved in but still fascinate me in some degree anyway. 

Calligraphy. 

It amazes me the control these people have when writing like this.  And in the video below, there are many different types of pen they're using.

Please note that I can have nice handwriting for a short time, but as my hand gets tired, my writing gets sloppier.   And if I'm taking notes in a class or something, literal chick scratches.  And my mind will move faster than my hand, so I miss letters or misspell things. 

#AtoZChallenge - Birdwatching

My theme this year is basically things that I’m interested in.  This could be things that I’m currently involved in and would maybe like to increase my knowledge… or things that I’m not involved in but still fascinate me in some degree anyway. 

Today it's birds.   I like to watch them! 

I snagged these photos off the "Birds of Michigan" wiki page because it's tough to get decent pics thru the windows/screens in my house.  

Of course, there are many other kinds of birds in Michigan, but these are the ones I see most often on / under the feeder in my backyard.  I'm very sad that I've never seen an owl!  Other than the one at the nearby nature center and at the zoo, that is.   There's a nature preserve a mile or two up the road from us that's been designated a Blue Heron Rookery - they're neat to watch.  And a couple years ago, an eagle pair built their nest there, too.  Weird that they're so close and I've never seen them flying around!  

Blue Jay

Cedar Waxwing - these guys are the sole purpose we replanted a cherry tree in our yard after the old one died! 

Some years I'll actually get a cherry or two before they clean them out. 

Chicadee

Mourning Doves

I love watching these guys toodle around. 

Woodpecker

Grackle

Sparrow

Mallard ducks 

we're not conveniently close to water, so I was really surprised to see these guys one day!

They're so pretty!

I'm always happy to see the first robins of the year!

Starling

Going in a different direction - on YouTube I like to watch @geckoemmy and @greenbirdbrigade who both talk about bird/parrot care and have large personal flocks that are very interesting & entertaining.  You might have seen GBB on Facebook with her little blue bird who sings & dances to a "bacon pancakes" song.  So fun! 

I also have an app on my phone called BirdNET that you can record a birdcall and it tells you what is making that sound. 

 

#AtoZChallenge - Amateur Radio

My theme this year is basically things that I’m interested in. This could be things that I’m currently involved in and would (maybe / maybe not) like to increase my knowledge or things that just fascinate me to some degree.  

This sums my brain up pretty well! 

So yeah - I'm an amateur radio operator (ham). My callsign is the url of this blog!  I've been licensed since 2009.  

So this is going to fall into the category of something I'm involved in but would like to have more knowledge.  There's no way I can explain everything in a single brief post, so I won't try.  Besides definitely not knowing as much as I'd like, there's a LOT of info out there.  It's sort of overwhelming.  And the acronyms are enough to make anyone crazy.   

If you're a knowledgeable ham, don't come at me! 

There are 3 classes of operators (you have to be licensed thru the FCC).  This higher you go, the more radio frequencies and "modes" you can use.  

So there's a Technician class - or entry level operator.  

General class - sort of mid-level operator.  This is what I am.  

Amateur Extra - these operators can operate on all radio frequencies & modes. 

There are all sorts of cool things you can do with radio...

Contests of all sorts, emergency communications, you can contact the International Space Station, contact people using signals that are bounced off the moon, go to conventions.  You can chat with random people "on the air" or with Morse Code or digitally on the computer, etc, etc, etc.

I should toss this out there that the Spouse has been an active ham since the mid 80s so there's not much that he doesn't know.  And I couldn't even begin to guess how many radios he owns.  And worse yet - he's crazy smart so it's hard for him to explain things in a manner that an average person can understand. 

 

Currently - I personally only have a pair of handheld radios.  The search & rescue team that I volunteer on requires that everyone have at least a technician license.  The main reason for that is that we're based out of a county that is mostly rural and sometimes we might be called out onto a search where there's no phone signals.  With radio, we can set up relay points and get communications set up with Incident Command.  It's pretty useful.  I'm pretty proficient with comms, so that's often my assignment for drills and training.  

But give me a radio otherwise and tell me make a random contact?  I suddenly forget how to speak, I can't remember my name, let alone my callsign, and I just sound like a dork.  I need to get over that fear! 

It's almost April!!

Which means the A to Z Blogging Challenge begins tomorrow!  I better make sure my posts are good to go - at least I've kept them saved as drafts this time instead of pre-scheduled so if I don't actually have the post done, it won't go live!  That's happened to me before.  It's pretty embarrassing.  

Oh crap - Did I actually go sign up at the AtoZ April Challenge page???   BRB.....  

OK.  Done!

My theme this year is basically topics I'm interested in and may / may not want to increase my knowledge about said topic. 

Anyhooo.  

OMG - I occasionally get texts for someone named Vijaya and I can't resist messing with them....

If the pic is hard to see, it's a tent up underneath a highway overpass.....

I've also gotten offers from a realtor to sell my house, so I replied back with a pic of a pile of cardboard boxes under a huge "for sale" sign and I told them that I wasn't having any luck with my current realtor and hoped they could do better.

I've also been asked if my house at X address was still for sale - first of all, it wasn't my house or even in the city where I live (although it was a very nice house in a nice neighborhood), and 2, it wasn't for sale!  So I replied back & told them no, I traded it to the guy next door to turn into a house "of ill repute" in return for a few grams of Coke but I got gypped since he only gave me a single red can (as in Coca Cola).....

I've also been asked who I was voting for and sent them a picture of my googly-eyed skeleton Chuck and told them I was voting for Nunya Bizness.  AND THEY PROCEEDED TO ASK QUESTIONS about his views on different subjects!!   I was at dinner with Mom & Sis1 and we were falling over laughing.   

Rusty is confused about how a pillow works...

So last weekend I road-tripped down to Ohio with Mom & the sisters to visit the brother.  Much less eventful than the last time when Mom (who is 91 years old) slipped in the hotel bathroom and fell, ending up with a lot of bruises & a goose-egg on her forehead.  We took her to the ER to make sure she was OK.  She's now getting around pretty good, holding onto someone's arm but she's a lot quicker using a walker for extra support. 

We went a different way so we could stop in this town called Berlin and visit a year-round Christmas store called 'Tis the Season" and wouldn't you know be got stopped by a slow train?  And Berlin is also in the middle of Amish / Mennonite country so we also got stuck behind a couple different horse/carriages.  It's very hilly & twisty (very pretty, too) in that part of Ohio so we couldn't safely pass them, either! 

We're already making plans to go back, since the town had all sorts of antique stores and interesting looking shops & places to eat.  And there were tons of people walking around, so it's definitely not a hidden treasure! 

The hotel we always try to stay at is across the street from a Pilot truck plaza - my Mom will happily sit in front of the window for hours and watch semi trucks pull in & out.  So she was overjoyed to discover that there was a Love's truck stop getting ready to open right next door to the hotel.  You can't see anything from the hotel itself, but she'll be able to see them going in & out of the driveway, so she should be twice as happy the next time we go down there! 

Thought this was pretty entertaining! 

I had a couple hours to myself Sunday morning before we came home.  Of course I found a couple nearby cemeteries to explore.  I realized that I hadn't told anyone where I was going to be and my GPS was taking me literally miles from nowhere, onto a dirt road, then a smaller dirt road, etc.  I texted the Spouse, back here in Michigan, and let him know I was running APRS on my phone so at least *someone* knew where I was! 

As I pulled up to the first cemetery, I saw this bird - at first I wasn't sure what it was, but it was really pretty!  So I rolled my window down and talked to it and wouldn't you know, this Ruffed Grouse followed me all over the cemetery?  I got out to change my shoes into hiking boots and it came around the back of the car and got within 4-5 feet of me.  I was tempted to give it some potato chips.  I have a couple videos and it was making a soft clucking sound that sounded similar to a chicken!    

 

OMG - ya'll! 

The grandkids had school pics last week!  

And in early June, the grandson will have his graduation from Pre-K!!!  

I am so not ready to see him in a cap & gown - the thought of him starting kindergarten in the fall at a real elementary school is bad enough!

We won't get into the fact that they're having the graduation ceremony at an event hall!  An actual fancy place where people have weddings & stuff!   Crazy.

What's up with the weather lately??  There were horrendous ice storms up in northern Michigan, but it was close to 70 down here closer to Detroit.  It's actually cooled off today, it was in the upper 40s when I left for work this morning and now at 3pm, it's 40.  We had a wave of nasty storms come thru last night - thankfully we'd already gotten home.  But the time it got to my house, we heard one rumble of thunder, had a brief 5-minute downpour and I don't even know if we had any serious wind or not.   The next county over set off their outdoor warning sirens because of the wind, we could hear them.  

I have a few things I need to finish here at work (I'm so busy, as you can tell!!) then I have a planning meeting at the VFW tonight, the post's 80th anniversary is in November, so we'll be having a celebration for that.  Then I need to upload all the cemetery pics I took this weekend to my home PC.  I'll eventually post them over on my other blog.  I like to do some research on the cemeteries I post about.  Which in turn leads me down various rabbit-holes, etc. 

Later!

A thought to ponder....

Thoughts to ponder....

 For the longest time, we had a bottle of Softsoap at each sink in the restroom at work, but recently one boring bottle disappeared, and this pretty flowery porcelain soap dispenser appeared in its place.  

Most of the ladies in my department are of a similar age - adult kids & young grandkids.  

Of course, we always cross paths in the restroom.  One day, the accounts receivable lady was in there at the same time as me.  She commented that this dispenser reminded her of being at her grandmother's house.  Which led to the discussion of WHEN do we reach the point where we start decorating our houses in stereotypical "grandma" fashion?  Fake flowers & doilies & such?   We decided we probably wouldn't ever reach that stage because we grew up listening to rock & roll.  

Hell, I have random skeletons & skulls in my house and office, and I can't ever imagine them going away!!

Speaking of.....

The holiday skeleton in my office finally got a name!

Chad. 

I took his leprechaun gear off right after I took the pic and he'll just be naked until closer to Easter. 

My SAR team conducts optional K9 training every weekend - yesterday the guy in charge posted this picture on our group chat from the park they were training at.  I promise all of my skeletons are accounted for and none of them are unclothed and hanging from the rafters of a park pavilion!