Here I was sitting happily avoiding the work I needed to be doing. Listening to the news I thought of folks I knew were in Las Vegas.
A classmate has just left Henderson, and oh, wait! My niece and her family live there. But hey, it's a big area and pretty sure she's busy ferrying kids and getting set in a single-parent life.
No way those kids are affected.

I text my sister and say the same, only to be informed my niece was at the concert. WTF!
But she's called and other than shaken up, she's OK.

Amazing.
It brings up all sorts of thoughts of consequences. Heck, the niece is late 30s, what the hell is a NY girl doing in a country concert?
Then I remembered that's where I fell in love with the (old, classic) country music at 15 or so. - Be aware I also loved the rock and roll that's called Dowop now.

I am just thankful niece, sister and family is OK, and the black suit will only - as far as I presently know - be pulled out for one occasion this month; to say good bye to a great guy who was awarded and earned a Silver Star, a few Bronze stars and a couple of Purple Hearts in a far away land in what seems a long time and sometimes just last year; back when we thought being thirty was over the hill and only the bad guys lied.

From reading and being in this site, I know there are a few folks that live or frequent the area.
My condolences to everyone that may have been affected.

Happy New Year!
May the world and Life treat you right.
May you treat others right too.
Don't forget to treat yourself right too.

Yes, the Cubbies won. But not withstanding my last blurb, the Cleveland Indians were worthy opponents. They also gave their best. My hat is off to both teams.
I hadn't watch too many playoffs in the last few years but I wanted to watch this one and I'm glad I did. Parts of it kept me on the edge of the chair.
Somehow, this time I didn't feel I was watching for-profit sport syndicates, just enjoying a good baseball game.

The Cubbies did it!
Congratulations! And to all the Cubbies fans, glad you kept the faith.

Hold my beer while I applaud a lady here...

I had just woken from a nap and there's the lady saying:
"It's a good thing you didn't wake up to me screaming a minute ago."

After recovering from an UH-OH! moment, I realized she's holding tears back and shaking slightly.

I hold her for a minute.

I do know she's more scared of spiders than I am, but usually in moments when she's face to face with danger she goes immobile and speechless.
Then she cusses and takes action.

Apparently she had her toolbox by her feet while she worked on her crafts.
Her tool box pliers, screwdrivers, etc. is usually in the garage, but she had brought it in a week ago and had been close to her in her workroom lately.

She says:
" I reached in my toolbox and ...and...something moved!"
Naturally I asked: "A speeder?"
"NO", she says, "A snake!"

"Hell, where is it?"
"It's outside now"
"The tool box, or or snake?"
"The tool box, with the snake inside"

I'm baffled! She closed the box with the snake inside and took it all outside?
I expected she, just like I would have, slammed the box closed and gotten the hell out of that room and then figured out what to do next.

As I go get some shoes to go outside and figure out something, she's already outside and I hear noises.
I reach the garage side-door as she's coming in.

"What happened?"
"I opened the box and the snake is out there in the patio."

Well, hell, I don't want that snake insinuating its way back in the house; there's two doors through which it could do that, (one of them to my bedroom!) or lay in wait in the yard for me, so I grab the heaviest thing handy, a piece of marble 6"x 20" and proceed to guillotine the poor, harmless nasty snake. It looks like eight inches long, and apparently already slightly damaged.

I ask if she "hit it?"
"No, it's moulting, that's what that is around her neck"

Yep, she's right.
And she now identifies it as a garden snake. It still looks like an asp to me.

Two years ago I had seen shed skin in the front yard close to the house while doing yard work. it was around 15 inches of it. Twice.

Hmm, do you think...?

Maybe I can talk her into letting her cat sleep with me. smiley: wink

I'm taking her to her favorite Tex-Mex place tonight.

I hate it when you offer someone a sincere compliment on their mustache and suddenly she is not your friend anymore.

(Shamelessly stolen)

A rare moment in the blogs:
When I signed into the blogs page,
Tight_wet-lips headed the latest blogs, the Most Viewed blogs column and the latest blog updates column.

Congrats, Little lady!

My best wishes to all for a Happy, Great New Year.
May you always have reason to smile.

Celebrated a milestone birthday the other day.
This close to Christmas I am used to it being a minor event. But this year...Made out like a bandit!
Well, maybe with the exception of the little bucket with a "Bucket List" label by the granddaughter's mother, grin.
At first I thought it was a gag gift, but no; she looked serious.
The granddaughter did do a gag gift with a Hooter's calendar; even signed by some of her friends and coworkers!
(Nicely returned gag for the one I pulled on her birthday last year. -Another funny story).
I still want to take a flight in a glider though. So I mentioned that.
yep, still managed to make out in another way.

There is something very special about the smile she gives you when you approach her from behind to hug her. It seems to last long after the promise is fulfilled.