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A Dalek Christmas
Dec. 19th, 2012 09:40 pmThe real reason why Daleks hate humans. Must be the humiliation factor of being dressed up in globes and antlers for Christmas....
The dog and snow and twigs
Feb. 27th, 2010 02:18 pmFirst, here's a photo I took yesterday. I now think this is my favorite shot of the dog :)
Mind you, we DO feed the dog. In fact, he's fed a bit too well. He's fat. He just likes to chew things. Twigs, paper towels, socks, etc. ;)
Mind you, we DO feed the dog. In fact, he's fed a bit too well. He's fat. He just likes to chew things. Twigs, paper towels, socks, etc. ;)
Some Christmas photos! The trees are up!
Dec. 24th, 2009 10:11 pm
The tree in my room. Notice the Dalek (not decorated, but at least he's there), next to a glass penguin (in front of Dalek) and if you squint, the cute glass pig. At right, you can barely make out the new Godzilla Xmas tree ornament.
( Read more... )
CSI: Pumpkin, or Zombie Bambi Returns!
Oct. 31st, 2008 10:46 pmA ghostly visage seen inside the house tonight!
Well, every year we do a little Halloween setup. Drag the skeleton out of the closet, etc., stick it in a chair. Ah, wish I'd had a Bear Stearns cap or something to put on its head. Adults appreciate that warped sense of humor, although some of the kids were like "ooooh!" when they saw the skeleton.
( Halloween crime scenes photos under the cut )
Well, every year we do a little Halloween setup. Drag the skeleton out of the closet, etc., stick it in a chair. Ah, wish I'd had a Bear Stearns cap or something to put on its head. Adults appreciate that warped sense of humor, although some of the kids were like "ooooh!" when they saw the skeleton.
( Halloween crime scenes photos under the cut )
And how was your weekend...?
Aug. 19th, 2007 08:16 pmLet' see, car accident, pit bull encounter, found skull in river, and oh, waxed the car!
Details below.
( Read more... )
Okay, was going through my friends on LJ and someone mentioned the joys of picking blackberries and I went 'oh, the wild raspberries. I should check and see if there are any left.' So I did, at eight o'clock at night. Was going good picking away till the mosquitoes zoomed in. I now have five nasty lumps, but a big bowl of berries! Plus scratches and puncture marks from the bushes. Man, they're nasty things.
Here's a picture of what some of them, along with a wedge of Haagen Dasz German Chocolate Cake ice cream, looked like about five minutes ago. They were delicious :)
Here's a picture of what some of them, along with a wedge of Haagen Dasz German Chocolate Cake ice cream, looked like about five minutes ago. They were delicious :)
cold, Cold, COLD!!!
Feb. 3rd, 2007 09:37 pmWoke up this morning, wondering how much snow we would have gotten (between 1-3 inches, depending) and it was about an inch of crusty frozen sold stuff not quite covering the ground - and the car. Took 10 minutes to get the crust chiseled off and the inside warmed up.
And they say it's going to be COLDER tomorrow and worse on Monday. Eek!
Before I cooked up a roast, trimmed off all the fat and threw it outside and the crows had a festival eating that. Nobody eats the fat here anyway and the dog sure as heck doesn't need it (can we say "waddle"?)
Cute video
Dec. 31st, 2006 01:57 pmCheck out http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/01/0127_060127_puffer_video.html to watch an otter try to scarf down a Tanzania puffer fish which humorous results.
Well, 2007 is just hours away, at least here in the States. Was at Yahoo news and saw pictures from Australia where it's already 2007. Spent part of the day disposing of severed remains of one of audrey's progeny... sigh, that bush has spread far and wide in the yard. I should hack it all up and make a fence. Nothing would get in the yard then! ;)
Here's just one shot of "Audrey'...
Summing up 2006...
Dec. 23rd, 2006 06:40 pmJust a rambling commentary on the best and worst of the holiday season...
BEST - Although I'm not a huge DR. WHO fan, I do quite adore the homicidal trash cans (otherwise known as "Daleks") - someone decorated a full-size one for Christmas at http://flickr.com/photos/elwynsattic/318331657/ - Very cool!
BEST - Dr. Dredd took a silly "Shoot the Sheep" BBC game (see post below) and turned it into a great story (see comments in post below for link).
WORST - That awful TV ad for BMW cars - this kid gets a present, starts screaming at the top of his lungs and pawing at the package, and continues screaming until they cut to another angle and he's pumping his arm up in the air yelling "Yes! Yes! Yes!" Geez, hate to see what would have happened if he hadn't gotten what he'd wanted. Dreadful ad. If it comes on, I change the channel or press mute immediately.
BEST - Tons of schmaltzy holiday movies. There are good ones, awful ones, but they're just fun to watch, and it's guaranteed that Teryl Rothery (Dr. Frasier from Stargate SG-1) will be in one of 'em.
Speaking of Daleks, a cute shot of a group of 'em - http://flickr.com/photos/elsie/5135279/ - waiting in queue for the bus. Daleks really are over the UK, aren't they? I don't think we have any phenomenon like that in the States....
WORST - Most of the drivers, many in high-end SUVs, Beemers, Audis, Lexus... studies (by whoever) say cellphones won't give you a brain tumor, but they sure lower the IQ down to the level of a high-watt appliance bulb. I never saw so many people today yakking on cellphones while driving (a fineable offense here), shooting red lights, not using signals, etc. etc.
BEST and WORST - I really thought that the Tom Cruise crud was the worst the entertainment industry had to offer us until Britany Spears decided to forget her panties, giving everybody a glimpse of parts of the anatomy best left covered. That was, until the Miss American - Donald Trump - Rosie O'Donnell debacle which proves the old adage that money can't buy class. The latter two folk definitely aren't poor but their manners are less than two brats squabbling in a sandbox. They're annoying yet perversely amusing, hence, the best and worst category.
BEST TV - Still enjoying STARGATE ATLANTIS (thanks to sources up north), and SG1 repeats all over the place so I sorta ignore it and get out the DVDs instead which have no ads. Much nicer. Although I'd been wary of the David Tenant version of DR WHO (having rather liked the Chris E version of last year), I do really liked the DR WHO series. Darn, now it's over for the season and Skiffy (aka Sci Fi) will be showing new series (whose ads just don't do a thing for me). SGA won't come back on the air until April? Argh..... Meanwhile, only new series I can think I enjoy is UGLY BETTY on ABC; it's a pleasant, fun show. Avoid all reality shows. NCIS, CSI, the guilty pleaure LAS VEGAS, still fun.
WORST TV - I've avoided it. I think I have. Any reality show constitutes 'worst' in my book. ;)
BEST SGA FANFIC - The one I keep re-reading... Kodiak Bear's It’s Always Autumn in the Old Trees of Despair - available at fanfiction.net or By http://kodiak-bear.livejournal.com/53379.html#cutid1 - there's a lot of great fanfic out there but this is one that really sticks in my head due to the hurt/comfort, angst, character development...
Well, running off to Walmart so will end here for now. Might do some more.
BEST - Although I'm not a huge DR. WHO fan, I do quite adore the homicidal trash cans (otherwise known as "Daleks") - someone decorated a full-size one for Christmas at http://flickr.com/photos/elwynsattic/318331657/ - Very cool!
BEST - Dr. Dredd took a silly "Shoot the Sheep" BBC game (see post below) and turned it into a great story (see comments in post below for link).
WORST - That awful TV ad for BMW cars - this kid gets a present, starts screaming at the top of his lungs and pawing at the package, and continues screaming until they cut to another angle and he's pumping his arm up in the air yelling "Yes! Yes! Yes!" Geez, hate to see what would have happened if he hadn't gotten what he'd wanted. Dreadful ad. If it comes on, I change the channel or press mute immediately.
BEST - Tons of schmaltzy holiday movies. There are good ones, awful ones, but they're just fun to watch, and it's guaranteed that Teryl Rothery (Dr. Frasier from Stargate SG-1) will be in one of 'em.
Speaking of Daleks, a cute shot of a group of 'em - http://flickr.com/photos/elsie/5135279/ - waiting in queue for the bus. Daleks really are over the UK, aren't they? I don't think we have any phenomenon like that in the States....
WORST - Most of the drivers, many in high-end SUVs, Beemers, Audis, Lexus... studies (by whoever) say cellphones won't give you a brain tumor, but they sure lower the IQ down to the level of a high-watt appliance bulb. I never saw so many people today yakking on cellphones while driving (a fineable offense here), shooting red lights, not using signals, etc. etc.
BEST and WORST - I really thought that the Tom Cruise crud was the worst the entertainment industry had to offer us until Britany Spears decided to forget her panties, giving everybody a glimpse of parts of the anatomy best left covered. That was, until the Miss American - Donald Trump - Rosie O'Donnell debacle which proves the old adage that money can't buy class. The latter two folk definitely aren't poor but their manners are less than two brats squabbling in a sandbox. They're annoying yet perversely amusing, hence, the best and worst category.
BEST TV - Still enjoying STARGATE ATLANTIS (thanks to sources up north), and SG1 repeats all over the place so I sorta ignore it and get out the DVDs instead which have no ads. Much nicer. Although I'd been wary of the David Tenant version of DR WHO (having rather liked the Chris E version of last year), I do really liked the DR WHO series. Darn, now it's over for the season and Skiffy (aka Sci Fi) will be showing new series (whose ads just don't do a thing for me). SGA won't come back on the air until April? Argh..... Meanwhile, only new series I can think I enjoy is UGLY BETTY on ABC; it's a pleasant, fun show. Avoid all reality shows. NCIS, CSI, the guilty pleaure LAS VEGAS, still fun.
WORST TV - I've avoided it. I think I have. Any reality show constitutes 'worst' in my book. ;)
BEST SGA FANFIC - The one I keep re-reading... Kodiak Bear's It’s Always Autumn in the Old Trees of Despair - available at fanfiction.net or By http://kodiak-bear.livejournal.com/53379.html#cutid1 - there's a lot of great fanfic out there but this is one that really sticks in my head due to the hurt/comfort, angst, character development...
Well, running off to Walmart so will end here for now. Might do some more.
ACTRA strike, mindless purchases and gas
Dec. 20th, 2006 07:22 pmChecked the news. Looks like ACTRA may just strike on the first of the New Year. According to Variety at http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117955958.html?categoryid=18&cs=1 , "More than 97% voted in favor of striking if the two sides, which have been locked in rancorous on-and-off talks since October, fail to reach an agreement before the current Independent Production Agreement expires Dec. 31." If this occurs, all production in the provinces except British Columbia will grind to a halt, and I wonder if the B.C. unions (which have a separate contract) would strike in sympathy?
Meanwhile, ended up making two impulsive purchases (fortunately before I drove by the gas station). I was at Walmart just shopping for necessities when I decided to wander through the DVD area, see what was coming out, etc. There, stuck in the corner, was INVADER ZIM, a cartoon about an alien mad scientist type that comes to Earth and masquerades as a school kid (he's small) while plotting his diabolical, er, plots. Very funny. Anyway, it was the entire series, and heck, it was $17! Last time I saw that list it was a lot higher. So I bought it. .... then, an email came from Borders. 40% off boxed DVD sets. I went to Borders, looking for a few sets. Of course, they didn' thave them, but they did have season 1 of X-Files and I do want to eventually get it all (tapes are getting old) so I got that for a lot less than any place else.
Then I drove by the gas station. $2.60 a gallon!?! I paid $2.39 just five days ago!!! ARGH!!! And I won't say anymore as I'm sure LJ's have language filters for bad, bad language, right??
I need to cave at some point and get a paid account, so I get more icons and fiddle with better layouts....
Meanwhile, ended up making two impulsive purchases (fortunately before I drove by the gas station). I was at Walmart just shopping for necessities when I decided to wander through the DVD area, see what was coming out, etc. There, stuck in the corner, was INVADER ZIM, a cartoon about an alien mad scientist type that comes to Earth and masquerades as a school kid (he's small) while plotting his diabolical, er, plots. Very funny. Anyway, it was the entire series, and heck, it was $17! Last time I saw that list it was a lot higher. So I bought it. .... then, an email came from Borders. 40% off boxed DVD sets. I went to Borders, looking for a few sets. Of course, they didn' thave them, but they did have season 1 of X-Files and I do want to eventually get it all (tapes are getting old) so I got that for a lot less than any place else.
Then I drove by the gas station. $2.60 a gallon!?! I paid $2.39 just five days ago!!! ARGH!!! And I won't say anymore as I'm sure LJ's have language filters for bad, bad language, right??
I need to cave at some point and get a paid account, so I get more icons and fiddle with better layouts....
Disasters in housework
Dec. 10th, 2006 11:34 pmNo good deed goes unpunished.
Went back to Ikea to return a rug I bought (see previous Ikea entry). It was a nice rug, but... too white. Well, too white with a DOG. So I went back looking for a darker color. Nope, didn't see one. Figured I'd escaped with a refund. Ha! ANother lamp, base for decorate glass sphere I got last time, more towels, and geez, a stuffed weasel. They weren't there a couple weeks ago and as stuffed toys go, quite cute and well, cheap too. It sits on top of the chair now.
Anyway, spent half the day vacuuming and cleaning. Baby Godzilla is gone. I noticed him missing from the family grouping of Godzillas atop the TV... either the cat got him or the nephews/nieces the last time they were here. Darn. I'll have to see if anybody else has the tiny Godzillas....
Now to tackle Xmas cards. ARGH!!!!
UPDATE: Piccie below of the new weasel with the godzillas, plus that's the Ikea illuminated wreath which is really quite cool. Too bad when I put it up I knocked the clock off the wall. Blast. Back to Ikea after the holidays to get a new clock.
Went back to Ikea to return a rug I bought (see previous Ikea entry). It was a nice rug, but... too white. Well, too white with a DOG. So I went back looking for a darker color. Nope, didn't see one. Figured I'd escaped with a refund. Ha! ANother lamp, base for decorate glass sphere I got last time, more towels, and geez, a stuffed weasel. They weren't there a couple weeks ago and as stuffed toys go, quite cute and well, cheap too. It sits on top of the chair now.
Anyway, spent half the day vacuuming and cleaning. Baby Godzilla is gone. I noticed him missing from the family grouping of Godzillas atop the TV... either the cat got him or the nephews/nieces the last time they were here. Darn. I'll have to see if anybody else has the tiny Godzillas....
Now to tackle Xmas cards. ARGH!!!!
UPDATE: Piccie below of the new weasel with the godzillas, plus that's the Ikea illuminated wreath which is really quite cool. Too bad when I put it up I knocked the clock off the wall. Blast. Back to Ikea after the holidays to get a new clock.
I went to Ikea this weekend.
For those who don't know, Ikea is the land of simple pine furniture, pseudo-futuristic lamps and $1.00 big cinammon buns which don't kill you with an overdose of sugar.
I went there looking for a rug, to protect the floor from the dog's paws during the wet winter months. I did manage to find a decent runner rug without latex attached to it, but once I got it home, I looked and went, er, uh, too white. I need a decent tan or better yet, brown. So, I'll return it next weekend and find something, and pick up a four pack of sticky buns :) I also picked up a nifty simple pine lamp for an end table. Most stores around here either have a really crappy selection of lamps, which are either cheap (in quality) or too pricey and too, well, yuppie-ish. I really got attached to their globe lamps but well, it doens't really fit in with the decor of the house. So, grabbed a lamp, a couple neat red bubble snow globes that look great in the kitchen, a stuffed dragon toy that the dog tried to sniff to death due to the scents on it (didn't help I had it on the front seat of the car next to the bag with the warm sticky bun).
Hopefully when I return the rug, I'll leave with just a rug, and now break down and get the KLAPPAR KROKODIL ( http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=81161&langId=-1&news=1&chosenPartNumber=30107815 ) ....
And as you wind your way through their warehouse section, I just wander and sniff in the pine (I love pine) and then .... shudder.... right before check-out you must breach the holiday-ornament laden minefield. Yes, gold, silver, red, candles, globes, etc. etc. and I did manage to resist the first time through and then, after you check out, the sticky buns await :)
For those who don't know, Ikea is the land of simple pine furniture, pseudo-futuristic lamps and $1.00 big cinammon buns which don't kill you with an overdose of sugar.
I went there looking for a rug, to protect the floor from the dog's paws during the wet winter months. I did manage to find a decent runner rug without latex attached to it, but once I got it home, I looked and went, er, uh, too white. I need a decent tan or better yet, brown. So, I'll return it next weekend and find something, and pick up a four pack of sticky buns :) I also picked up a nifty simple pine lamp for an end table. Most stores around here either have a really crappy selection of lamps, which are either cheap (in quality) or too pricey and too, well, yuppie-ish. I really got attached to their globe lamps but well, it doens't really fit in with the decor of the house. So, grabbed a lamp, a couple neat red bubble snow globes that look great in the kitchen, a stuffed dragon toy that the dog tried to sniff to death due to the scents on it (didn't help I had it on the front seat of the car next to the bag with the warm sticky bun).
Hopefully when I return the rug, I'll leave with just a rug, and now break down and get the KLAPPAR KROKODIL ( http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=81161&langId=-1&news=1&chosenPartNumber=30107815 ) ....
And as you wind your way through their warehouse section, I just wander and sniff in the pine (I love pine) and then .... shudder.... right before check-out you must breach the holiday-ornament laden minefield. Yes, gold, silver, red, candles, globes, etc. etc. and I did manage to resist the first time through and then, after you check out, the sticky buns await :)
Rain, rain, rain
Aug. 29th, 2006 07:36 pmJust gray and rainy, all day long, and even progressively grayer as the day went on, but at least the roads were passable, unlike Monday in which some yahoo rolled their vehicle on the highway (HOW do people accomplish that??) and screwed up traffic everywhere. A 20 minute commute turned into 45 minutes of crawling....
TV pretty much sucks. New season is coming up but little really interests me. I'm not into 'serial' shows like 24 and its ilk, and there is a growing bunch of shows profiling the escapades of criminals - robbers and the like. Not my cup of tea. I'd rather see the good guys hunt down the bad guys. However, should be interesting to see how they handle House considering how they ended it last season!
TV pretty much sucks. New season is coming up but little really interests me. I'm not into 'serial' shows like 24 and its ilk, and there is a growing bunch of shows profiling the escapades of criminals - robbers and the like. Not my cup of tea. I'd rather see the good guys hunt down the bad guys. However, should be interesting to see how they handle House considering how they ended it last season!
"It's dead, Jim, and it HATCHED!!"
Aug. 4th, 2006 06:32 pmYou know, you think just cuz the body is now a corpse and the smell has gone away, that it's all over with. Out of sight, out of mind. However, alas, whatever it was that had the poor taste to croak in the basement ceiling, leaving a foul stench that fortunately a bag of volcanic rocks and a citus scented candle was able to handle, has now given us its departing gifts.
Flies. B52 bomber size flies. ACK! I should have known! I watch CSI! Botflies or worse! Anyway, it started the other day, this thing ZOOMED past my face and I went, what the? Man, they're getting big, until the next day when I spied a black lump crawling across a face on TV and realized, crap, where are these flies coming from?
Egads, the body. Not a mouse (even though they can create quite a stench). It was a rodent - we figure (a) chipmunk, or (b) (shudder) squirrel. But it's an ex-whatever so that's good. Alas, it got in a part of the ceiling that is impossible to get to without creating some major work ($$$). Plus who needs Hanta virus? So, unlike the mouse that had the indign.ity to crawl around the corner before we could retrieve it with wires and broomsticks, this poor sucker is just gonna be a dessicated pile of bones in time
I vacuumed up about a dozen flies. Not knowing if the flies were of the hardy mutant variety that can survive being vacuumed, I taped the vacuum nozzle shut. Just in case. Can't be too paranoid with B52 bomber flies.
I just don't want any of 'em landing on the TV screen during the Stargates tonight or else, I get out the brick from Universal Studio (foam) and toss it!
Flies. B52 bomber size flies. ACK! I should have known! I watch CSI! Botflies or worse! Anyway, it started the other day, this thing ZOOMED past my face and I went, what the? Man, they're getting big, until the next day when I spied a black lump crawling across a face on TV and realized, crap, where are these flies coming from?
Egads, the body. Not a mouse (even though they can create quite a stench). It was a rodent - we figure (a) chipmunk, or (b) (shudder) squirrel. But it's an ex-whatever so that's good. Alas, it got in a part of the ceiling that is impossible to get to without creating some major work ($$$). Plus who needs Hanta virus? So, unlike the mouse that had the indign.ity to crawl around the corner before we could retrieve it with wires and broomsticks, this poor sucker is just gonna be a dessicated pile of bones in time
I vacuumed up about a dozen flies. Not knowing if the flies were of the hardy mutant variety that can survive being vacuumed, I taped the vacuum nozzle shut. Just in case. Can't be too paranoid with B52 bomber flies.
I just don't want any of 'em landing on the TV screen during the Stargates tonight or else, I get out the brick from Universal Studio (foam) and toss it!
It's dead, Jim
Jul. 19th, 2006 09:30 pmMy mouse croaked today. The computer mouse, that is (we won't get into what died in the ceiling a couple weeks ago - wretched rodents). Anyway, I had to use a screwdriver to de-ball it... and once I popped it open, cat fur fell out. Clumps of cat fur. Well, that accounts for why it just froze up. Now, all de-furred, it works nicely again :)
Well, I'm working my way through semi-disasters now. Been through a few very minor earthquakes in various parts of the country and today, after a series of nasty weather patterns basically all week, we sat at work watching the sky turn BLACK again, second day in a row, then one of the guys comes over and say he got a call from a relative about a tornado WARNING for our area. We're like, huh? So I go to the trusty internet, which is now not working. Ah hah! I go to the TV, installed for other purposes, and find the weather channel. Golly gee whiz, there's a red scroll on the botton about TORNADO WARNING! DANGER! at the bottom and as everybody's talking somewhere down the hall, I'm still watching the TV (what can I say - it's news) and they talk about where the torando was (city A), where it was going (City C) and hey, guess what, we're in City B, in between! I go 'oh oh' and everybody looks at me and I'm going, it's over there, headed there, and we're in its way.
Luckily we got just RAIN, wind and RAIN. The tornado, which they still have yet to determine if it was a funnel or not, did a heckuva lot of damage in cities in other areas.
Meanwhile, found another neato cool jellyfish picture and gotta re-find where I found it so I can credit the photographer.
Luckily we got just RAIN, wind and RAIN. The tornado, which they still have yet to determine if it was a funnel or not, did a heckuva lot of damage in cities in other areas.
Meanwhile, found another neato cool jellyfish picture and gotta re-find where I found it so I can credit the photographer.
