Gaggles and Googles

Mother Goose?

We’re getting really old… (What do you mean getting? I’m sure Gina will comment)

We live in a community with several lakes, barrancas (flood channels with grass bottoms) thriving with rabbits, possums, raccoons, paddling ducks, geese and an occasional starving coyote…it’s also a feeding ground for noisy crows who eat whatever they can find, including rabbits and dead things…coyotes travel the barrancas and enter our community through concrete drain pipes from an adjacent community…they fear no one and look a bit underweight… residents walking their dogs have been seen carrying sticks and nine irons...
The rabbit population is also dwindling…

For the past few months geese have been walking around the streets of our neighborhood unafraid of cars and people, like they owned the place…they stand at nearby street corners maybe looking for coyotes sneaking in in cars...
Our street is adjacent to a barranca and from our front balcony we can see everything…
Yesterday we watched the geese walking up and down the street and barranca…some of them seemed to be fighting each other while others were cruising back and forth three feet off the street…it may have been the same bunch who were doing all the work...they're hard to tell apart...

I was watching golf and reading the LA Times unclear of what they were up to when I got the computer out…

A goose’s life span is 20 years and most weigh 20 to 25 pounds,
A bunch of geese is a gaggle, a baby goose is a gosling …
Charles Dickens gave them away as Christmas presents…
There are migratory and resident geese…the migrates come from Canada and fly 2 to 3000 miles annually…the residentials were either born here and don’t know how to migrate...if a migratory goose gets injured here they became residents…
Mating season is February and March…
Nesting season is from March to May and they hide their nests of eggs in the brush and rooftops…

Because geese mate for life the ‘fathers’ guard the nests by walking and flying around as to not give away the location of nests to predators…
We sat in awe of our surroundings...

Now I know there are sometimes better things to do than playing golf?

And the winner is…

YIKES, A WESTERN BAND!

OK...THAT'S BETTER

We had dinner a few nights ago at the Black Angus in Lake Forest…we ‘shared’ a rib eye steak, baked potato and desert…I had a tall Sam Adams and Donas had a virgin Bloody Mary with no salt on the rim but a small salad-like bunch of stuff in the glass, some of which were olives and celery stalks…
Sharing used to drive me nuts until Donas started eating less and we left food on our plates almost every time we ate out…it was time I started eating less too…
Now we have discovered that when you toss in a salad, appetizer and entree and share it there’s room left for some cheesecake without feeling stuffed...

While we were eating we talked about the kids, grand kids, who called and who e-mailed and who blogged…
we’d pretty much talked ourselves to quietness when we began to ‘hear’ the music being played…not a live band… it was all Western Music, all the words and music sounded the same…peoples’ problems were all the same…NAH!... Country Music sounds are too twangy for me…

My favorite is the Blues…even though the artists pretty much sound alike and lyrics are repeated over and over and the ‘stories’ are about peoples’ problems…

But THAT'S some nice mellow sounds to eat by…

Any Blues lovers left out there?

A driving dilemma...

In the middle lane of the freeway yesterday I was behind a car that had its left turn blinker on for miles…when I had a chance I switched to the fast lane but stayed behind the car’s rear afraid it would decide to finally turn into the fast lane…

If YOU decided to pass but stayed side by side with it, is there a hand signal you could give making the driver aware that the turn signal is on?


(Flipping the driver off is not nice)

Get down-to-Earth-Day

Tomorrow, Tuesday April 22 is Earth Day!


Whatever you're doing for Earth Day I'd like to hear about it...it's a chance to do your part...The government is trying to achieve results some of which are to:

• clean the air
• promote land conservation
• improve water quality

Unfortunately taking a hike on a golf course is not one of them...although the carts operate on battery power...

but then they have to be re-charged with real electricity...bummer!

WOULDN’T IT BE FUN IF SPORTS TEAMS IN THE NFL, NBA, MLB, AFC, & NFC PLAYED EACH OTHER?

Orioles – Blue Jays –
Indians – Braves
Angels – Devils
Saints - Angels
Mariners – Dolphins –
Sharks - Dolphins
Mets – Jets –
Nets - Mets
Cardinals - Orioles
Cubs – Bears
Grizzlies - Bears
Pirates – Buccaneers
Giants – Titans
Tigers – Bengals
Cowboys – Indians
Lions – Panthers
Broncos – Colts
Seahawks – Eagles
76ers – 49ers
Magic - Wizards
Bears – Bruins
Canadiens – Canucks
Kings – Royals
Reds - Blues
Bulls – Spurs
Ducks – Penguins
Red Sox - White Sox

WHAT’S HIGHLY ADDICTIVE, SOMETIMES REWARDING AND HEALTHY FOR YOU?

You know what it is....

It is all these things and more if I didn't have to post a blog so bad with time running out...

Stimulating and a challenge combined with getting out in the fresh air with pleasant surroundings…
Played by people of all ages…
It’s quiet with temper tantrums not permitted…
It burns up calories, lowers cholesterol levels and reduces stress…
It’s a good walk…from four to eight miles…I take a cart sometimes ‘cause I’m old and have a trick knee like Tiger Woods…yeah, that’s why…
It’s a social game with a chance to know friends better…and make new ones…
You don’t have to go shopping or have to eat out with golf friends…well maybe to the golf store once in a while to replenish tees, golf balls, hats, shirts, shorts…all the stuff you have to have…
If you’re old like me we’ve gone out to dinner with my golf buds and their wives and have taken golf vacations together…took a trip to Hawaii years ago with wives, a foursome of guys, and kids…at the time our wives didn’t care to learn to play but happily kept themselves happy shopping…and kids learned real quickly how to order drinks and food from poolside and charge to the rooms…a good reason to teach your kids to play golf with so you can keep an eye on them…
It’s fun…and a quiet game…I like quiet…
It can be enjoyed year round where we live…
It’s an easy game but hard to play…

Women have a place in golf…no skill needed to sign up for classes…clubs can be rented or borrowed from friends…a complete set is not required to begin classes…
The cost of lessons is not as high as you would think…I’m talking about group lessons, with your friends, kids and / or spouse…It’s OK to leave your spouse out of this for now…remember it’s a quiet game…
It can be expensive to play at semi-private courses but you soon discover other courses with inexpensive rates, for seniors especially and at twilight times… (Middle of the afternoon)
All you need is a pair of old sneakers and a golf cap…you gotta look cool too…

p.s. None of the wives ever took up the game…they love it when we’re out of the house…

The sister's pet...

A beautiful rabbit cage as one should look like...

My sister's cage...(for her rabbit)

***********************************************************************

Much like Gina and Julie I don't care for dogs or cats anymore...we had tons of them in the past when kids were young but now with zero kids in the house it's absolutely awesome to have none...

My sis, Lulu, real name Louise, has owned several cats at a time for the past thirty or forty years; she had climbing trees and other weird things they would play and hang around on...these lucky 'cats' even had their food bowls on the kitchen counter! Barf me out... when she had cats, when we visited her in Lodi near Sacramento, we made very sure to stay out of the kitchen ...

Then one at a time they passed away...I really think because they wanted to...who knows...

She was cat-less for several years until one day her husband saw a huge rabbit in the back yard...a beautiful black and white one with no fear as he approached it...I've seem it many times and it is good looking...so like a dummy, he picked it up and brought it into the house where Lulu fell completely in love with it...she's not a big 'believer' but swore the Lord dropped it into her yard for her to keep...did I say she's a little nuts?

Mike, her faithful husband, quickly built a rabbit cage and they've enjoyed the bunny ever since...ain't that nice!!! the rabbit who's name I can remember (I wonder why) walks around, really he hops around the house all day and when they think it's time for him to do his 'business' they escort him to his cage...she's in an electric wheelchair and chases it back to its 'red neck looking home'...

She's had M.S. for fifteen years and the bunny brings her a lot of pleasure...and I hope she doesn't read my blog!!!

YOU THINK?

I had to beg Julie to take this photo for me at the Coliseum Dodger / Red Sox game a few weeks ago…At the time, I thought this guy looked like he needed his picture posted somewhere…
He was on his second hot dog and the game hadn't started yet...I especially liked the pony tail...

If he's allowed to have children
What do you think they would look like?

God will get me for this...

‘Bum’ing around the Bay

Coming back from 5 ( cold-ish) days in the Bay Area visiting Debby, Leesa and her little ones we had an opportunity to pick up photos of both Leesa’s kids and Sarah’s (on MySpace)…the hardest time I had was not blogging…we were too busy playing with the kids, eating and drinking wine… …
Bum and I thought we’d never eat again when we got back, but sure enough we were starved the night we returned…enjoyed a superb BBQ at Leesa’s with wines from Jonathon’s wine cellar and, he took us out a few times to fancy restaurants where the wine was flowing …I enjoyed my very favorite meal of Ciopino at Scoma’s in Sausalito, YUM, with garlic bread and Chardonnay…I could get used to this life style…

"WAS MICKEY MOUSE A DOG OR A CAT"?

These report card comments are actually in the New York City public school system. All teachers were reprimanded

1. Since my last report, your child has reached rock bottom and has started to dig.
2. I would not allow this student to breed.
3. Your child has delusions of adequacy.
4. Your son is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot.
5. Your son sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them.
6. The student has a "full six-pack" but lacks the plastic thing to hold it all together.
7. This child has been working with glue too much.
8. When your daughter's IQ reaches 50, she should sell.
9. The gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train isn't coming.
10. If this student were any more stupid, he'd have to be watered twice a week.
11. It's impossible to believe the sperm that created this child beat out 1,000,000 others.
12. The wheel is turning but the hamster is definitely dead.

These 16 Police Comments were taken off actual police car videos around the country:

16. "You know, stop lights don't come any redder than the one you just went through."
15. "Relax, the handcuffs are tight because they're new. They'll stretch after you wear them a while."
14. "If you take your hands off the car, I'll make your birth certificate a worthless document."
13. "If you run, you'll only go to jail tired."
12. "Can you run faster than 1200 feet per second? Because that's the speed of the bullet that'll be
chasing you."
11. "You don't know how fast you were going? I guess that means I can write anything I want to on
the ticket, huh?"
10. "Yes, sir, you can talk to the shift supervisor, but I don't think it will help. Oh, did I mention that
I'm the shift supervisor?"
9. "Warning! You want a warning? O.K, I'm warning you not to do that again or I'll give you another
ticket."
8. "The answer to this last question will determine whether you are drunk or not. Was Mickey Mouse a
cat or a dog?"
7. "Fair? You want me to be fair? Listen, fair is a place where you go to ride on rides, eat cotton candy
and corn dogs and step in monkey poop."
6. "Yeah, we have a quota. Two more tickets and my wife gets a toaster oven."
5. "In God we trust, all others we run through NCIC."
4. "How big were those 'two beers' you say you had?"
3. "No sir, we don't have quotas anymore. We used to, but now we're allowed to write as many tickets
as we can."
2. "I'm glad to hear that the Chief (of Police) is a personal friend of yours. So you know someone who
can post your bail."
AND THE WINNER IS....
1. "You didn't think we give pretty women tickets? You're right, we don't. Sign here."

Last Friday I received this e-mail I thought was 'different'...it came to my BlackBerry in the junk folder but decided to open it...

I sent it to Julie, Gina and Allison

Following are e-mails sent back and forth...

-----Original Message------

From: Evangelist Mary Woodrow
To: pete@dlacorp.com
ReplyTo: evg2000wd@yahoo.com
Sent: Mar 28, 2008 10:10 AM

Subject: Adoption of my yorkies..

Hello,
My Name is Evangelist Mary Woodrow, I and my husband are on a Christian
Mission to Africa and I came along with our Teacup Yorkshire Terrier
Babies.After a While, I notice that the African Weather is not good for
the puppies.
I need someone to adopt both and take care of them.They are AKC
REGISTERED:TEACUP. HOME RAISED, VACCINES & HEALTH GUARANTEED email me on
evg2000wd@yahoo.com
Evangelist Mary Woodrow

From: Pete DiLallo
Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 11:32 AM
To: Julie at Montage; Gina Vistaunet; Allison Hibbard
Subject: FW: Adoption of my yorkies..

Here ya go!
I'll give you guys first chance at this... or I'll have to call Aunt
Kathy... (my sister-in-law who has five dogs and can always use more)

Dad'n Pops

p.s. Alli, this could work out great for you depending where in Africa
Mary the Evangelist lives...things always happen for the best...

From: Gina Vistaunet
Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 11:36 AM
To: Pete DiLallo; Julie at Montage; Allison Hibbard
Subject: RE: Adoption of my yorkies..

If I wanted them, are they shipping them from Africa? And is Evangelist Mary one of your girlfriends? And has she really had her named legally changed to Evangelist Mary?

From: Pete DiLallo
Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 11:41 AM
To: Gina Vistaunet; Hibbard, Julie; Allison Hibbard
Subject: RE: Adoption of my yorkies..

Hilarious!!!
The only possible evangelist I know is (maybe) Allison...I'll have to check on that...she IS an Angel...
The e-mail came on my BlackBerry where I get lots of spam...I sent it to my computer so you'd be able to share in this wonderful opportunity...

From: Hibbard, Julie
Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 11:42 AM
To: Pete DiLallo; Gina Vistaunet; Allison Hibbard
Subject: RE: Adoption of my yorkies..

I think African Yorkies is an oxymoron

From: Gina Vistaunet
Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 11:44 AM
To: Hibbard, Julie; Pete DiLallo; Allison Hibbard
Subject: RE: Adoption of my yorkies..

I think Evangilist Mary is a moron!!!

From: Gina Vistaunet
Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 11:56 AM
To: Pete DiLallo; Hibbard, Julie; Allison Hibbard
Subject: RE: Adoption of my yorkies..

I'm sorry, I'm working and trying to have fun. Once I get up, there is 7,000 (that's for Julie)

emails.

From: Pete DiLallo
Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 11:59 AM
To: Gina Vistaunet; Hibbard, Julie; Allison Hibbard
Subject: RE: Adoption of my yorkies..

I'm at the office with nothing to do and all day to do it...
Ergo, (that's for Gina) I'm not working and having fun...

Julie's final response:

blog baby blog
Julie Ann Hibbard

I AM getting old because April Fools jokes and pranks are not the least bit funny... unless you're in the third grade...

except, of course, for Julie's blog this morning...that one I loved!!!