Greetings to all, and welcome new friends to the East Wing.
A couple weeks ago I kept looking forward to the weekend weather, every day the weather report kept saying just you wait till the weekend. I could hardly wait. After all its summer time, ‘cause it started Sunday the week before with putting up the flag up and all, and I wear shorts in the summer time.
It rained Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of that week. I wore my short paints in the rain on Friday when I took my mama to lunch at Richards of Toto. Mama laughed at me and told our server I was half naked. We got soaked in the rain. It’s fun to get soaked in the rain with your mama. My wish for the world is everybody gets soaked in the rain once every May with their Mama.
Come that Saturday Morning, I’m ready for a really great weather day. It starts out cloudy, not cold, but cool at 56° when I woke up. The weather is ok for shorts. Almost raining, but not quite, but almost. I only stayed at my office for a couple hours that Saturday, decided if it’s gona be a cloudy day, I’d go home and play with Pup Baby James. When I get home the Pup Baby was asleep, so was Gray Lady James as well as Sophia
It was easy to tell the girls were excited ‘bout me coming home early, each opened one eye and went back to sleep. But I did see Sophia grin a little bit. I don’t think she went back to sleep, maybe she just took a little cat nap. Now Pup Baby, Mustina, she snores, I’m telling ya, this little dog sometimes snores when she sleeps. When she does, I push on her side and she quits. I think Mustina’s snoring stems from her heart worm infestation from several years back. Don’t know if I told ya ‘bout the Pup Baby the body snatchers.
It all started as just routine part of Mustina’s semiannual check at the doggy doctor office where they all go twice a year. The routine included testing for heart worms. Having administered medication every month from 6 months forward to prevent heart worms, the thought never crossed my mind we’d ever have to deal with that Dog Angel of Death. We had to deal.
The blood sample was drawn and we sat in the lobby waiting our lab results me and the 2girldogs, both setting by my side like statues. The doctor came out, sat down, and placed her hand on the Pup Baby’s head and said “Bob, Mustina’s tested positive for heart worms, the Gray Lady’s fine, but not Mustina”. Talk ‘bout a sinking feeling in the bottom of your stomach. My first thought was, it can’t be, I’ve given her medication every month from six months on. The vet said sometimes it just don’t work. She went on to explain.
Heart Worm infestation is 100% fatal if left untreated. The treatment for heart worms is almost as deadly as the heart worms themselves. Many dogs die from the treatment alone. The treatment consists of weighing the dog, based on precise weight, calculate a lethal dose of arsenic. Inject ½ of the total dose into the dog. If the dog is alive exactly 24 hours later inject the other ½ of the arsenic.
The vet explained that if any of the dog’s body filters (liver, kidney, etc.) are not working at 100% efficiency, the dog will die before the second dose can be given. And so it was with that cloud of doom and despair gathering over our heads that I cradled the Pup Baby in my arms as she received ½ of her only chance for life.
They asked if I wanted to leave the Pup Baby at the office, as most people don’t take their pets home after that first shot. The Pup Baby came home with me. If Mustina was to die, she wouldn’t die confined to a wire cage in the still of the night. She would die in the East Wing with me at her side.
On the way home I couldn’t help but think how ironic it was that just a short one hour ago, we were on our way to the routine vet visit, having a great day, and now she’s’ maybe going home to die. By the time we got home I could detect a change in Mustina.
She didn’t jump out of the car when the door opened. She just carefully got down from the seat to the floor then to the ground, always before one leap, seat to the dirt. Not today. She slowly walked to the front door. I live in a house with lots of stairs, three levels of house with stairs everywhere. Mustina didn’t offer to go up the first set of stairs. She simply laid down in the floor of the West Wing. I picked her up and carried Mustina to her couch in the East Wing at the other end of the house. Within two hours I noticed a distinct change in her breathing. In two more hours she didn’t open her eyes, had very pronounced and labored breathing almost gasping for air, not panting like a tired dog, but more like an asthmatic attack in people.
The long night had begun. Sleep nor the thoughts of sleep come to the forefront when ya think your dog’s gona die that night. I sat by the Pup Baby, held her paw, and said her name. She ever so slightly wagged her tail and never opened her eyes. She knew I was there. I cried.
I prayed a lot that night, knowing that inside the Pup Baby the struggle of life and death was being waged. An unseen war of which I had no control, nor input into the decision making process. I’d been relegated to the spectator section, as God and Mustina worked it out. I prayed “God please don’t let my Pup Baby die, but if someone there needs a really good dog, she’s a really good dog”. I took some comfort in the thought that “all good dogs go to Heaven”, ‘cause she is a good dog.
Gray Lady James knew, she just knew there's something wrong, something terribly, terribly wrong with Mustina, her baby. As I carried Mustina to her couch in the East Wing, the Gray Lady got on the other end of the couch and laid beside her. The dogs had not laid on the same couch since Mustina was a little girl. They each have their own couch. That day and night the Gray Lady stayed by her baby and wouldn’t leave her side.
At the normal “let’s go out to pee before we go to sleep” time that evening, Mustina never moved, nor did the Lady. I sat with my 2girldogs throughout the night, wondering if at dawn would there be three or two on the couch. The silence of that long dark night was deafening as biological warfare exploded within the silence of the East Wing, in the still of the night.
Early morning in the East Wing is always a special treat. With sun so bright ya need sunglasses many morning. And so it was that morning of the first day in the war of the heart worms, the Pup Baby was still alive, barely breathing, but still alive. We had to be at the vets office at 4:15 PM, more than 10 hours away. We were not out of the woods on this first day, not by a long shot, but we were over half way through that dark woods. It seemed to me the sun rise gave us hope, at least me and the Gray Lady. Mustina’s eyes remained closed.
Shortly after sunrise the Gray Lady wanted to go outside, Mustina never opened her eyes or wagged her tail, she hardly breathed. I held my dog’s paw and prayed some more. Within minutes the Gray Lady wanted back inside, she went straight to the couch and licked her baby’s nose, and again laid down beside her. The mother had told her baby she was at her side.
It was close to noon that Mustina opened her eyes, weak but open eyes. She looked at me and we still didn’t know. I still held her paw and prayed. By 2:00 O’clock she seemed to breathe differently. I was sure she didn’t sound the same as last night, but was it improvement or the final death thralls played out before my eyes and ears, I didn’t know. Within minutes I had the answer. Mustina opened her eyes, looked at me and we knew she had won the first round. She licked the back on my hand while I held her paw. I hugged my dog, she wagged her tail a little harder this time. At 3:30 the three of us went back to the clinic.
At the vets office Mustina received the last ½ of her life or death. Again the offer to abandon her to spend the night in the clinic was turned down. We’d come too far, me and my 2girldogs to separate us now, not while the Pup Baby’s life still was hanging in the balance, we would not, we could not be separated. Again the vet explained that if during the past 24 hours Mustina’s kidneys and liver had not functioned perfectly, she could very well die within the next 12 hours. She said within 12 hours you’ll have the answer, we’ve done all that can be done for Mustina.
Mustina had walked to the car to come to the vet this afternoon. She and the Gray Lady walked back to the car. By the time we got home, Mustina was in a worse condition than the previous night. As I carried her to the East Wing I told myself it may be for the very last time I hold my Pup Baby alive in my arms.
The feeling of sadness was almost overbearing. The sadness seemed to engulf the sheer heart and soul of the East Wing. It was as if we had walked from the shadow of the valley of death, came ‘round the mountain and stepped back into the shadow, and it was cold. The Gray Lady assumed her spot beside her baby. The Lady on one side, me on the other. We were prepared to stay for however long it took. Once again I held her paw and prayed.
It started to rain that afternoon, late, and as the shades of nighttime closed around the East Wing, the thunder rolled while the lighting walked about. I chose not to turn on the lights. The East Wing would be illuminated by Gods Magic Light Show across the sky and by the yard lights. What would happen would happen in the darkness. With the Lady on one side and me on the other, if Mustina had to go, she would go in the presence of family. And so thusly we sat, awaiting the final outcome, the proclamation of the conqueror, the life or death of Pup Baby James.
It was shortly after 2:00 AM I felt Mustina lick the back of my hand. I got off the couch and turned up the soft lights of the East Wing, looked at Mustina and saw for the first time what she’d said when she’d just licked my hand. The Pup Baby smiled at me and said “I’ve won”.
We hugged, we talked, we petted, we cried, the three of us, me and my 2girldogs. Within an hour Mustina got off the couch, went over to her drinking dish and caught up on the last 36 hours of water drinking. And as my dog drank the essential element of life, it reminded me that I too was thirsty, hungry, sleepy unshaven, unkempt and probably smelly, but the Pup Baby was alive and drinking water. The world was good. God had smiled on the East Wing and brought Mustina home from the brink.
To this day Mustina shows some effects of that experience, she coughs a lot, which is indicative of the lingering effects of that illness. But to have survived two life endangering events, both the Attack of the Badger and The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, it’s the reason the girls at the vet clinic call Mustina“Wonder Dog”, and so she is, my Pup Baby James.
Thank you for sharing your last Sunday in May with us this evening in the East Wing, as usual we so much enjoy you company.
Stay safe in Afghanistan
From the East Wing, Me And My Mama Singing In The Rain, Mustina And The Body Snatchers
I wish you well,
BobbyRay
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
From the East Wing, With Other Quantum Mechanics, Sophia On TV, Flying the Flag, Skipping Rope, And Passing Out Cows
Greetings to all, and welcome new friends to the East Wing.
Right up front, I’ve gotta clarify a few things ‘bout Quantum Mechanics, as some people had different ideas of what I’d been talking ‘bout last week. First off, let me make it absolutely clear that these Quantum Mechanics are not, I repeat, are not competitors of Mr. Good Wrench. They’ve never been or will ever will be in the future.
It’s also important to know that Quantum Mechanics are not those mechanics under 5’ 4”. Nor do Quantum Mechanics only work on little tiny cars. There are no Quantum Mechanics Shops in North Judson IN, and I don’t believe one to be anywhere in Starke County. I don't have a telephone or web site where they can be reached in Indiana. Also please note that Quantum Mechanics are not employees of or otherwise associated with PEP BOYS in any way.
And finally, I want to make it perfectly clear there’s no QUANTUM CAR in the NASCAR Series. That statement alone should dispel all rumors ‘bout the Quantum Mechanics that work for NASCAR.
Now with that all being said, if ya still think that the Quantum Mechanics can fix your problems and be of service to ya, and ya don’t want to drive too far, I know they had some Quantum Mechanics at The Ohio State University when I was over there a while back, so ya can call over to Columbus and see if they’re still in business over there, or maybe a better idea is just drive down to West Lafayette and go the Chancellors Office right there on the Purdue Campus. They can surly help ya out. Ya see the Chancellors Office is kinda like the information booth in the mall, only it’s at Purdue and not at the mall. But they know where everything is.
When ya get on campus there at Purdue, ya may just want to ask the first students ya see if they know any Quantum Mechanics, or know where the garage is located. Ya might be surprised, some of those Purdue students might just be Quantum Mechanics, and you’d save a trip to the Chancellors Office. It they’re not, at least they’ll be able to get ya to the Chancellors Office, and they’ll take care of ya there.
Why I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if one of these students ya asked ‘bout Quantum Mechanics, they’d be glad to even take ya right up to the Chancellors Office personally. Those Purdue students are real helpful like that, even the ones that aren’t Quantum Mechanics.
If by chance ya can’t find any Quantum Mechanics at Purdue, ya could always try Indiana University at Bloomington, but they’re a school of a different color. So I’m not sure they’d even have a Quantum Mechanics Garage there. Don’t know for sure what they specialize in down there at Bloomington.
I do know several years ago one of their faculty members taught a class in furniture moving. As I recalled they had an online demonstration, it wasn’t really an on line thing like today, it was a live TV demonstration. That was a little before “on line” came on line. But it was a good knight.
Seems this same faculty member also taught a speech class from time to time. Such classes were taught with special importance being place on local colloquial speech, as I understand from a student who’d attended some classes, the instructor placed particular emphasis on a specific action in reference to ones mother.
After that attack on the GENERAL, I expect to hear lots of whining from Bloomington, but ya gotta remember that’s a school of a different color. I for one was never a fan of Bob Knight. I always considered him a public embarrassment to higher education in State of Indiana. The only thing more embarrassing to me was the fact that Bob Knight came for my alma mater, The Ohio State University.
Last Tuesday evening me Sophia the Republican Cat watched the election primary returns. The cat insisted on Fox News Chanel, I’m thinking she’s gona be disappointed in the results, so I go along and we watch Fox News Chanel. Wow was that ever a mistake. The Tea Party Guy form Kentucky won hands down early in the evening and shortly after Arlen Specter gets his butt kicked after switching from republican to democrat trying to hold on to his senate seat. Sophia laughed and laughed at the defeat of Arlen Specter. Calling him a #@$%$#@&^* *&^&*)(*&^ turncoat anyhow.
Sophia was beside herself, I’m telling ya the cat was smiling ear to ear. She wanted the 2girldogs to do high5’s but the Pup Baby said no way José . It was shortly after the AP Wire Service called the Arlen Specter race that Sophia’s cell phone started to ring. As the national spokescat for the Conservative Calico Cats of America (CCCA) , as well as the spokescat for the NRCCC. (National Republican Calico Cats Conference), Sophia was expected to make a public statement. The cat obliged .
Did ya ever see one of those big ole satellite dishes setting on top of a truck? Two of ‘em showed up in the driveway to do the uplink interview with Sophia the Republican Cat. Those trucks are kinda cool. They’re like a little self contained city almost. Having their own electrical generating system, outdoor lighting, on poles even, and private restrooms. Not those portapotty things, these are the real deal, hand washing facilities and all.
One of the trucks even had a little kitchen with both stove and refrigerator. Not a microwave in site. You would’ve thought they’d have a microwave. They didn't, said cooking microwaves messed up the other stuff in the trucks. And ya know what else ya can do inside those trucks. Watch television! I’m telling ya, ya’d be surprised at how many TV’s are in those trucks. That was the first time I’d ever watched TV inside a truck. I even saw Sophia on TV inside the truck. Sophia looks good on television, even inside a truck. Like Sophia said “When ya got it ya flaunt it” as the cat promenaded.
Didn’t think Sophia would ever stop lauding the virtues of the Kentucky Tea Party, as she turned her best side toward the camera with the little light glowing red on top. “It’s an in your face slap to democrats and republicans alike” Sophia exclaimed as she relished in the bright lights on the tall aluminum poles from inside the big truck. The telescoping light poles reminded me or Ron Popel’s “Pocket Fisherman” just pull ‘em out and you’re in business. Those were such cool trucks. When I was a kid, one of my dreams in life was to drive a Schwan’s Truck. Still is.
Long into the night Sophia played to the camera as only a Republican Calico Cat can do, and lord knows we’ve all seen ‘em play out from time to time. The first one I recall was Thomas Dewey, when he won the presidential election in 1948. I’m sure you’ve seen the photo of President Truman holding up the New York Newspaper with bold headlines blaring “ DEWEY WINS” ! Talk ‘bout an Uh Oh moment.
Almost instantly Sophia became accustom to the lights, and in no time at all she had developed such a fluid delivery of her message as she pranced back and forth between the little lines drawn on the ground as her reference points. Sophia was told by the TV people to stay within the lines so she wouldn’t get out of the camera field of view, and so it was within those little lines drawn in the dirt, the cat danced the night away.
Watching Sophia in front of the TV Cameras reminded me so much of the Television Preachers. Ya just know they had to practice the delivery, the walk, the moves, the body language, the pause for impact of message, the smile, the false expressions of both concern and jubilation, the projection of sincerity.
She had ‘em all, that Calico Republican Cat. Toward the end of Sophia’s air time I’d recognized the talent in her ability to deliver the message. It’s no wonder why she is the spokescat for both the CCCA and NRCCC, this cats got not only the talent but also the hootsba to bring the message home.
Just how persuasive Sophia could be was not demonstrated until after the bright lights were turned off, the plug had been pulled on the satellite link and while the crew was packing their magic back into the trucks with the big dishes on top, Sophia asked that all work be stopped for a brief moment to allow her to thank the crew for coming all the way out in the country to give just a little mild mannered house cat a chance to humbly state her point of view on such major topics of the day.
As the crews stopped their work and gathered around, Sophia preached her gospel. It was such a time, such a time. Jimmy Swaggart would have been proud. Jim Baker would have be envious. Billy Graham would have enjoyed. He’s republican ya know. Oh sure, Calico Cat and all.
And then she hit ‘em. Sophia The Republican Calico Cat asked ‘em all for a small monetary donation to assist either the CCCA or the NRCCC, the donor’s choice. And proposing such donations be in memorial of Calico Cats gone before us. One of the TV Producers, said she only had a $100.00 bill, and no change. As Sophia plucked the hundred dollar bill from her fingers, she said “this is change”. The cat’s got a pompousness ‘bout her that’s hard to ignore. As the last of the big trucks pulled from the yard, Sophia was counting her “love offerings”. The TV Crews left some $1,022.00 lighter than when they arrived. Sophia The Republican Cat had learned the real secret to television evangelism. Get the money. Sophia has the gift.
Sometime last Wednesday Sophia had conversations with the National Tea Party Leaders and it was decided that Sophia would form a support group called the National Tea Cat Association (NTCA)
While telling me of this new endeavor, I could just see the excitement in the cat eyes. When the cat’s in the cradle ya know you’re in for a big time. And this cats in the cradle. I’m sure there’s gona be more coming from the NTCA. Tea Cats?
One of the fun things I look forward every year is putting up our outside flag. This year was not different. We get a new flag every year, me and the1wife. By the end of summer, Old Glory is tired and worn out from so much waving in the wind. It’s a most enjoyable site, looking out the East Wing Windows to the South and seeing the flag, our flag, moving on the wind. At the East Wing we start the summer when the flag goes up. Last Sunday Afternoon ‘bout 2:00 O’clock right outside the East Wing Windows, I started summer. I was happy, I was glad, I love summer. Here comes summer, oh happy days.
If ya stop and think ‘bout what all that flag represents and how many have died for the beliefs that flag stands for, you’ll get shivers, ya just will. And if ya don’t, then maybe you’re part of the problem. Those who tend to ignore the importance of some things just seem to always be on the wrong side of the rope of life. Now I’m not telling ya which side of the rope to be on, don’t misunderstand, I’m just telling ya it’s important to be on the right side of the rope. The challenge in life is to figure out which side is the right side. If ya have any doubt ‘bout where ya are, get on the other side.
Some folks can and some folks can’t and some folks wish they could. Did ya ever learn to skip rope? One of the fun thing ‘bout growing up in a family of girls, ya learned how to skip rope, really, really skip rope. So fast ya could hardly count ‘em. Skip rope on one foot, oh sure. Skip two ropes at the same time, of course. Skip rope blind folded, no, but after getting the rhythm, close your eyes and skip as long as ya wanted and never miss, unless of course the twirlers changed speed. When I was a kid most everybody skipped rope. We skipped rope and played Hop Scotch. And if ya were really good at both, play Hop Scotch and skip rope at the same time. I don’t skip rope now as much as I used to. But I still play Hop Scotch, from time to time.
With all the discussion ‘bout Arizona and ‘bout illegal aliens all over the country, some thoughts come to mind.
A few years back at the height of the “Mad Cow Disease” scare, our Federal Government was able to track the movement of a single 3 year old cow all the way from where she was born outside this country to the exact location of where she was on a farm in the state of Washington. Now I don’t care who ya are, that’s impressive cow tracking at its best.
One of the major problems with illegal aliens, according to our Government, is the inability to locate these 10 – 12 millions illegal aliens in our country. Our Government doesn’t know where they’re at.
Maybe we should just give ‘em all a cow.
This beautiful spring Sunday, has been a glimpse of summer, a promise that will be kept. Your company today had made the this glimpse of summer special to us all. Sophia just reminded me to tell all that she’ll be mailing Tea Cat Membership Applications soon and reminds everyone that a contribution should be included with the completed application . (damn republican cat)
Stay Safe in Baghdad and Afghanistan
From the East Wing, With Other Quantum Mechanics, Sophia On TV, Flying The Flag, Skipping Rope, And Passing Out Cows
I wish you well,
BobbyRay
Right up front, I’ve gotta clarify a few things ‘bout Quantum Mechanics, as some people had different ideas of what I’d been talking ‘bout last week. First off, let me make it absolutely clear that these Quantum Mechanics are not, I repeat, are not competitors of Mr. Good Wrench. They’ve never been or will ever will be in the future.
It’s also important to know that Quantum Mechanics are not those mechanics under 5’ 4”. Nor do Quantum Mechanics only work on little tiny cars. There are no Quantum Mechanics Shops in North Judson IN, and I don’t believe one to be anywhere in Starke County. I don't have a telephone or web site where they can be reached in Indiana. Also please note that Quantum Mechanics are not employees of or otherwise associated with PEP BOYS in any way.
And finally, I want to make it perfectly clear there’s no QUANTUM CAR in the NASCAR Series. That statement alone should dispel all rumors ‘bout the Quantum Mechanics that work for NASCAR.
Now with that all being said, if ya still think that the Quantum Mechanics can fix your problems and be of service to ya, and ya don’t want to drive too far, I know they had some Quantum Mechanics at The Ohio State University when I was over there a while back, so ya can call over to Columbus and see if they’re still in business over there, or maybe a better idea is just drive down to West Lafayette and go the Chancellors Office right there on the Purdue Campus. They can surly help ya out. Ya see the Chancellors Office is kinda like the information booth in the mall, only it’s at Purdue and not at the mall. But they know where everything is.
When ya get on campus there at Purdue, ya may just want to ask the first students ya see if they know any Quantum Mechanics, or know where the garage is located. Ya might be surprised, some of those Purdue students might just be Quantum Mechanics, and you’d save a trip to the Chancellors Office. It they’re not, at least they’ll be able to get ya to the Chancellors Office, and they’ll take care of ya there.
Why I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if one of these students ya asked ‘bout Quantum Mechanics, they’d be glad to even take ya right up to the Chancellors Office personally. Those Purdue students are real helpful like that, even the ones that aren’t Quantum Mechanics.
If by chance ya can’t find any Quantum Mechanics at Purdue, ya could always try Indiana University at Bloomington, but they’re a school of a different color. So I’m not sure they’d even have a Quantum Mechanics Garage there. Don’t know for sure what they specialize in down there at Bloomington.
I do know several years ago one of their faculty members taught a class in furniture moving. As I recalled they had an online demonstration, it wasn’t really an on line thing like today, it was a live TV demonstration. That was a little before “on line” came on line. But it was a good knight.
Seems this same faculty member also taught a speech class from time to time. Such classes were taught with special importance being place on local colloquial speech, as I understand from a student who’d attended some classes, the instructor placed particular emphasis on a specific action in reference to ones mother.
After that attack on the GENERAL, I expect to hear lots of whining from Bloomington, but ya gotta remember that’s a school of a different color. I for one was never a fan of Bob Knight. I always considered him a public embarrassment to higher education in State of Indiana. The only thing more embarrassing to me was the fact that Bob Knight came for my alma mater, The Ohio State University.
Last Tuesday evening me Sophia the Republican Cat watched the election primary returns. The cat insisted on Fox News Chanel, I’m thinking she’s gona be disappointed in the results, so I go along and we watch Fox News Chanel. Wow was that ever a mistake. The Tea Party Guy form Kentucky won hands down early in the evening and shortly after Arlen Specter gets his butt kicked after switching from republican to democrat trying to hold on to his senate seat. Sophia laughed and laughed at the defeat of Arlen Specter. Calling him a #@$%$#@&^* *&^&*)(*&^ turncoat anyhow.
Sophia was beside herself, I’m telling ya the cat was smiling ear to ear. She wanted the 2girldogs to do high5’s but the Pup Baby said no way José . It was shortly after the AP Wire Service called the Arlen Specter race that Sophia’s cell phone started to ring. As the national spokescat for the Conservative Calico Cats of America (CCCA) , as well as the spokescat for the NRCCC. (National Republican Calico Cats Conference), Sophia was expected to make a public statement. The cat obliged .
Did ya ever see one of those big ole satellite dishes setting on top of a truck? Two of ‘em showed up in the driveway to do the uplink interview with Sophia the Republican Cat. Those trucks are kinda cool. They’re like a little self contained city almost. Having their own electrical generating system, outdoor lighting, on poles even, and private restrooms. Not those portapotty things, these are the real deal, hand washing facilities and all.
One of the trucks even had a little kitchen with both stove and refrigerator. Not a microwave in site. You would’ve thought they’d have a microwave. They didn't, said cooking microwaves messed up the other stuff in the trucks. And ya know what else ya can do inside those trucks. Watch television! I’m telling ya, ya’d be surprised at how many TV’s are in those trucks. That was the first time I’d ever watched TV inside a truck. I even saw Sophia on TV inside the truck. Sophia looks good on television, even inside a truck. Like Sophia said “When ya got it ya flaunt it” as the cat promenaded.
Didn’t think Sophia would ever stop lauding the virtues of the Kentucky Tea Party, as she turned her best side toward the camera with the little light glowing red on top. “It’s an in your face slap to democrats and republicans alike” Sophia exclaimed as she relished in the bright lights on the tall aluminum poles from inside the big truck. The telescoping light poles reminded me or Ron Popel’s “Pocket Fisherman” just pull ‘em out and you’re in business. Those were such cool trucks. When I was a kid, one of my dreams in life was to drive a Schwan’s Truck. Still is.
Long into the night Sophia played to the camera as only a Republican Calico Cat can do, and lord knows we’ve all seen ‘em play out from time to time. The first one I recall was Thomas Dewey, when he won the presidential election in 1948. I’m sure you’ve seen the photo of President Truman holding up the New York Newspaper with bold headlines blaring “ DEWEY WINS” ! Talk ‘bout an Uh Oh moment.
Almost instantly Sophia became accustom to the lights, and in no time at all she had developed such a fluid delivery of her message as she pranced back and forth between the little lines drawn on the ground as her reference points. Sophia was told by the TV people to stay within the lines so she wouldn’t get out of the camera field of view, and so it was within those little lines drawn in the dirt, the cat danced the night away.
Watching Sophia in front of the TV Cameras reminded me so much of the Television Preachers. Ya just know they had to practice the delivery, the walk, the moves, the body language, the pause for impact of message, the smile, the false expressions of both concern and jubilation, the projection of sincerity.
She had ‘em all, that Calico Republican Cat. Toward the end of Sophia’s air time I’d recognized the talent in her ability to deliver the message. It’s no wonder why she is the spokescat for both the CCCA and NRCCC, this cats got not only the talent but also the hootsba to bring the message home.
Just how persuasive Sophia could be was not demonstrated until after the bright lights were turned off, the plug had been pulled on the satellite link and while the crew was packing their magic back into the trucks with the big dishes on top, Sophia asked that all work be stopped for a brief moment to allow her to thank the crew for coming all the way out in the country to give just a little mild mannered house cat a chance to humbly state her point of view on such major topics of the day.
As the crews stopped their work and gathered around, Sophia preached her gospel. It was such a time, such a time. Jimmy Swaggart would have been proud. Jim Baker would have be envious. Billy Graham would have enjoyed. He’s republican ya know. Oh sure, Calico Cat and all.
And then she hit ‘em. Sophia The Republican Calico Cat asked ‘em all for a small monetary donation to assist either the CCCA or the NRCCC, the donor’s choice. And proposing such donations be in memorial of Calico Cats gone before us. One of the TV Producers, said she only had a $100.00 bill, and no change. As Sophia plucked the hundred dollar bill from her fingers, she said “this is change”. The cat’s got a pompousness ‘bout her that’s hard to ignore. As the last of the big trucks pulled from the yard, Sophia was counting her “love offerings”. The TV Crews left some $1,022.00 lighter than when they arrived. Sophia The Republican Cat had learned the real secret to television evangelism. Get the money. Sophia has the gift.
Sometime last Wednesday Sophia had conversations with the National Tea Party Leaders and it was decided that Sophia would form a support group called the National Tea Cat Association (NTCA)
While telling me of this new endeavor, I could just see the excitement in the cat eyes. When the cat’s in the cradle ya know you’re in for a big time. And this cats in the cradle. I’m sure there’s gona be more coming from the NTCA. Tea Cats?
One of the fun things I look forward every year is putting up our outside flag. This year was not different. We get a new flag every year, me and the1wife. By the end of summer, Old Glory is tired and worn out from so much waving in the wind. It’s a most enjoyable site, looking out the East Wing Windows to the South and seeing the flag, our flag, moving on the wind. At the East Wing we start the summer when the flag goes up. Last Sunday Afternoon ‘bout 2:00 O’clock right outside the East Wing Windows, I started summer. I was happy, I was glad, I love summer. Here comes summer, oh happy days.
If ya stop and think ‘bout what all that flag represents and how many have died for the beliefs that flag stands for, you’ll get shivers, ya just will. And if ya don’t, then maybe you’re part of the problem. Those who tend to ignore the importance of some things just seem to always be on the wrong side of the rope of life. Now I’m not telling ya which side of the rope to be on, don’t misunderstand, I’m just telling ya it’s important to be on the right side of the rope. The challenge in life is to figure out which side is the right side. If ya have any doubt ‘bout where ya are, get on the other side.
Some folks can and some folks can’t and some folks wish they could. Did ya ever learn to skip rope? One of the fun thing ‘bout growing up in a family of girls, ya learned how to skip rope, really, really skip rope. So fast ya could hardly count ‘em. Skip rope on one foot, oh sure. Skip two ropes at the same time, of course. Skip rope blind folded, no, but after getting the rhythm, close your eyes and skip as long as ya wanted and never miss, unless of course the twirlers changed speed. When I was a kid most everybody skipped rope. We skipped rope and played Hop Scotch. And if ya were really good at both, play Hop Scotch and skip rope at the same time. I don’t skip rope now as much as I used to. But I still play Hop Scotch, from time to time.
With all the discussion ‘bout Arizona and ‘bout illegal aliens all over the country, some thoughts come to mind.
A few years back at the height of the “Mad Cow Disease” scare, our Federal Government was able to track the movement of a single 3 year old cow all the way from where she was born outside this country to the exact location of where she was on a farm in the state of Washington. Now I don’t care who ya are, that’s impressive cow tracking at its best.
One of the major problems with illegal aliens, according to our Government, is the inability to locate these 10 – 12 millions illegal aliens in our country. Our Government doesn’t know where they’re at.
Maybe we should just give ‘em all a cow.
This beautiful spring Sunday, has been a glimpse of summer, a promise that will be kept. Your company today had made the this glimpse of summer special to us all. Sophia just reminded me to tell all that she’ll be mailing Tea Cat Membership Applications soon and reminds everyone that a contribution should be included with the completed application . (damn republican cat)
Stay Safe in Baghdad and Afghanistan
From the East Wing, With Other Quantum Mechanics, Sophia On TV, Flying The Flag, Skipping Rope, And Passing Out Cows
I wish you well,
BobbyRay
Sunday, May 16, 2010
From the East Wing, With Quantum Mechanics, Ice Saints, Sophia In Arizona, Laboratory Frogs & PLayboy Mansions
Greetings to all, and welcome new friends to the East Wing.
Quantum Mechanics, did ya ever hear of such things as Quantum Mechanics? Well it’s talking ‘bout how little things work, I mean really, really little things, things ya can’t even see, how those things work. It turns out that even little things we can’t see, they have a particular way of doing business in nature. It’s the way the universe works. It’s the reason the universe works.
Last week I had an opportunity to talk ‘bout Quantum Mechanics with a friend of mine. We neither one fully understand Quantum Mechanics, but we sounded like we did, unless ya knew more ‘bout Quantum Mechanics than we do. It has to do with energy and matter and time and how they all work with each other, and especially the really little bits and pieces that make up that matter part. Kinda cool stuff, that Quantum Mechanics. Can ya just imagine all the matter in the universe condensed to a size of a baseball? Me neither.
We didn’t talk ‘bout that too much when I was a kid in Toto. We just talked ‘bout other things and never got around to that Quantum Mechanics. But I’m sure there were a lot of people in Toto at that time that knew all ‘bout it. Especially the Toto Volunteers, we knew ‘bout a lot of stuff. But I’m not sure if we knew ‘bout Quantum Mechanics then or not. We may have, but not all of us.
It was fun to talk ‘bout photons and electrons, and things even smaller than those, had not done so in a long time, a long time, and it was time to do so again. It was fun, talking ‘bout Quantum Mechanics. Little stuff, really, really little stuff, those protons and electrons. Ya can’t see ‘em but I know ‘bout ‘em, ‘cause they’re everywhere. Everywhere I look, kinda like hillbillies in Starke County.
Did ya feel the chill of winter last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Morning? Could’ve been the Ice Saints. Ice Saints? Oh sure, Mamertus, Pancras, and Gervais , these are the names of three Saints of the Catholic Church. Their Saint Days are May 11, 12 13th , and ya know what, almost every year these three or four days are a cold period. Saint Boniface’s Saint Day is May 14th, and he’s also associated with the cold snap of the Ice Saints.
It used to be that farmers wouldn’t plant until after the frost of the Ice Saints had pasted. In Germany this time was known as the Icemen Days. Blackthorn Winds are sometimes associated with the Ice Saints. A few days near mid May when the wind blows cold, almost every year, the Ice Saints cometh.
Oh, the month of May! Named after Maia, the Roman Goddess of spring and growth. May used to be the third month, then somebody jerked around with the calendar and May ended up the fifth month, go figure.
I think it was Jules Cesar, or one of those Caesars’ that jerked around and May ended up fifth. it’s hard to tell with those Caesars’ ‘cause they all look alike. Did ya ever see pictures of those Caesars? They wore bed sheets, even in the day time, which is kinda cool. Sounds like something they still do in San Francisco. Oh there’s some pretty boys out there for sure, bed sheets and all. That San Francisco crowd, Nancy Pelosi’s hometown.
When May comes to Indiana, the world turns green. The cold of winter’s gone and the heat of summer’s not yet come. Stuff starts to grow in May. In fact, it’s hard to keep stuff from not growing in May. The world turns into one Giant Green Thumb when May Days come by.
Grass grows, flowers bloom, trees blossom, forsythia, dogwood, violets, lilacs, jack-in-the-box, lily of the valley, along with that pretty little springtime friend of mine, that pretty little dandelion. Wow! That list could go on and on. Birds are setting on their eggs tucked inside their warm nest come May. Baby birds are just a few days away. My outside cats are looking forward to the baby birds.
May is an important month in the Catholic Church. The month of May is devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God. Gentle Woman, Mother of God. We can all learn from gentle women.
Kentucky Derby, Cisco De Moy, Mothers Day, BobbyRay’s Birthday, Indianapolis 500, Memorial Day, are some of the biggies in the month of May. Now there’re some lesser know but just as important special days in May, such things as International Respect for Chickens Month, National Skin Care Awareness Month Better Hearing and Speech Month (Think I could use both of those) National Duckling Month.
I think there should be an National Hillbilly Awareness Month, but I don’t know any Hillbillies to be aware of. Yeah, right.
Now I don’t know ‘bout you but that International Respect for Chickens Month is not real popular with most people I know. I guess it’s just hard to demonstrate a lot of respect for chickens. Especially if ya go to Richards of Toto on Sunday for a Chicken Dinner, like my mama does every Sunday. I don’t eat much chicken, my mama eats enough for both of us. But I do collect ‘em.
Got ‘bout 15 or 20 ceramic chickens, both inside and outside. Some big, some little, Pretty chickens all. More boy chickens than girl chickens, but just enough to keep everybody happy. And everybody knows that a happy chicken is like starting your day in the sunshine. Almost forgot, I got a couple stone chickens. Think ‘bout it, ya want to see something funny, “a stoned chicken. A stoned chicken is that gift that keeps on giving.
Last Thursday Sophia got back from Arizona, been out there in support of their new law on illegal aliens.
She said that over 75% of the people in Arizona support the law, the other 25% are the illegal aliens. They’re against it. DUH !
Heard an interesting exchange the other day on C-Span, the Attorney General was before a subcommittee, and when he was asked if he had read the Arizona Law which he had criticized on national television a few days back. He said no, he had not, he had concluded his opinion from the news media coverage which he took to accurately reflect the law in question. It turns out that even those most vocal in opposition haven’t read the law. The President didn’t and he criticized the law. The Attorney General of the United States didn’t. It seems hardly anybody has read the law, just jumped on the band wagon. Lemmings marching to the sea, wow, wonder who’s the piper?
The people of Arizona read the law, and loved it. I read the law. It’s less than a dozen pages, simple and very straight forward, easy to understand. One thing I found interesting was with all the volumes of opposition to that law, there were no links in any of the opposition statements on the internet allowing a simple click and read and let we the people decide and make up our minds on the issue.
Ya gotta go to the Arizona Government Web Site to find a copy of the law. It ya read it ya may be surprised. I was. I do expect to see many more states enact a very similar law. I wonder if there’s some sort of racial profiling going on in Washington DC. Is the Federal Government in Washington profiling the citizens of the State of Arizona? Is the state of California racially profiling the citizens of Arizona.? I wonder if the State of California has any problems with illegal aliens. Maybe they should ask those bed sheet people in San Francisco ‘bout illegal aliens in California. Didn’t the Governor out there used to be an alien? That’s probably why they don’t have any illegal alien problem in California.
Can’t figure out why we have so many laws that are never enforced, ever. And when someone insists that current law be enforced, everybody’s in an uproar. I’m not comfortable with anybody trying to tell me how to think, be it Rush Limbaugh or that joke of a Senator from Minnesota.
Thinking’s free and I know a whole lot of men and women who’re risking their lives the very minute you read these words, just so I’m free to do that sorta thing, that thinking part, and what’s so neat ‘bout the deal, everybody’s included all at the same time. Yes, thinking’s free. And so easy to do even when we’re wrong.
Not only are we free to think, but we’re free to shout our thoughts from the proverbial roof tops should we choose to do so, and many times we do choose to do so, right or wrong. It doesn’t matter when we choose to do so. For some people it seems that thinking just another word for nothing else to do.
Springtime nighttime sounds in the darkness fill my soul. Not having heard such in so long, I’m still enjoying my newly refound sounds of springtime nighttimes. The Bells of Spring, those little boy frogs.
Did I ever tell ya ‘bout the time I used frogs in a Medical Laboratory? Was a while back, when black & white TV dominated the air ways. I operated a Clinical Laboratory on the near North Side of Chicago, 1150 North State St. for those knowing that city, right down the street from the Playboy Mansion for you sinners that know Chicago, on the North side.
We provided laboratory analysis on various type samples taken from human bodies, I’ll not get into gory detail ‘bout some of that stuff, but it’s ok to talk ‘bout the frogs. We used the frogs to perform pregnancy test, using urine samples. Done a lot of ‘em, ‘bout 175 tests per day, 5 days a week. We used 2 frogs for each test. Now that’s a lot of frogs, do the math.
Got my frogs delivered every other day by UPS. 144 dozen frogs every week, delivered by UPS. Summer frogs came from upper Michigan and Wisconsin. Winter frogs came from South Africa. A long way for a frog to go to get a job, but there’s always been high unemployment is South Africa, even in the frog communities. Ya just do what ya gotta do, when it comes to work. They were called African Clawed Frogs.
And oh yeah, they’re all boys. Ya could only use boy frogs for the pregnancy test. It didn’t work with girl frogs, had to be boy frogs. Did anybody ever tell ye how to tell boy frogs from girl frogs? NO! not that way, shame on you, there is a better way. Boy frogs have thumbs, girl frogs don’t. That holds true cross the whole species of frogs, over 5000 species and all the boys have thumbs. Girl frogs from boy frogs, and another one of those little East Wing Jewels popped out into the world.
“Bout the Playboy Mansion, I used to have to go over there twice a month on a Monday morning to draw a fasting blood sample from one of the ladies who took care of the girls. Didn’t ever see anything though. But unlike most I can truly say I’ve been to the Playboy Mansion many, many time, too many to count. Didn’t ever see anything though. The 1wife was not too excited ‘bout me going to the Playboy Mansion. Invited her to go along, but she declined, I’m glad, ‘cause I’d have been really embarrassed to have to take my wife to work when I went to the Playboy Mansion. But I didn’t see anything though.
One of my management styles while I operated Medical Laboratories was to never assign work to a lab tech that I would not do myself. That management style served me well in dealing with the professional staff. They all knew I could and would do their work assignments. It was just that management style that required me to assign myself the job of the sample collection at the Playboy Mansion. I had some techs who offered to switch jobs with me but I didn’t want to impose on ‘em, so I just went ahead and done the job. But I didn’t see anything though. I did see Hugh Heffner one time.
It’s kinda neat that when ya see somebody famous, ya remember ‘em forever. I don’t think Hugh Heffner remembers BobbyRay. I shook hands with Richard Nixon one time, I don’t think he remembered me either, and I’m not even gona tell ye the story ‘bout me and Elvis when he appeared live at The Ohio State University when I was a graduate student back in 1974. Me and Elvis, it was such a time.
I’m forever amazed as to the extent people will go to state their opposition to our President. Late Friday Evening I received the following email. I can only conclude that the sender does not agree with the political agenda of the current President of the United States.
The email stated: “Just wanted to let you know - today I received my stimulus package for 2010. It contained two watermelon seeds, cornbread mix, and 10 coupons to KFC. The directions were in Spanish.”
One short email that offends black people (watermelon seeds) hillbillies (cornbread) my mama (KFC) and those illegal aliens in both Arizona as well as San Francisco. Not to mention the illegal aliens in Logansport Indiana or Starke County for that matter.
I couldn’t help but wonder if that cornbread mix was the kind with sugar, I hate that kind with sugar. It’s a hillbilly thing, hating that sweet cornbread.
That is one of the milder emails I get on a routine basis. Some of these things I would never print in mixed reading. One of the good things ‘bout writing from the East Wing is half think I am, and the other half thing I'm not. And guess what? They’re both right.
As the shades of evening are just starting to get ready to start to close, thank you for stopping by early this beautiful Spring Sunday, this middle of May.
Stay safe in Iraq and Afghanistan
From the East Wing, With Quantum Mechanics, Ice Saints, Sophia In Arizona, Laboratory Frogs & Playboy Mansions
I wish you well,
BobbyRay
Quantum Mechanics, did ya ever hear of such things as Quantum Mechanics? Well it’s talking ‘bout how little things work, I mean really, really little things, things ya can’t even see, how those things work. It turns out that even little things we can’t see, they have a particular way of doing business in nature. It’s the way the universe works. It’s the reason the universe works.
Last week I had an opportunity to talk ‘bout Quantum Mechanics with a friend of mine. We neither one fully understand Quantum Mechanics, but we sounded like we did, unless ya knew more ‘bout Quantum Mechanics than we do. It has to do with energy and matter and time and how they all work with each other, and especially the really little bits and pieces that make up that matter part. Kinda cool stuff, that Quantum Mechanics. Can ya just imagine all the matter in the universe condensed to a size of a baseball? Me neither.
We didn’t talk ‘bout that too much when I was a kid in Toto. We just talked ‘bout other things and never got around to that Quantum Mechanics. But I’m sure there were a lot of people in Toto at that time that knew all ‘bout it. Especially the Toto Volunteers, we knew ‘bout a lot of stuff. But I’m not sure if we knew ‘bout Quantum Mechanics then or not. We may have, but not all of us.
It was fun to talk ‘bout photons and electrons, and things even smaller than those, had not done so in a long time, a long time, and it was time to do so again. It was fun, talking ‘bout Quantum Mechanics. Little stuff, really, really little stuff, those protons and electrons. Ya can’t see ‘em but I know ‘bout ‘em, ‘cause they’re everywhere. Everywhere I look, kinda like hillbillies in Starke County.
Did ya feel the chill of winter last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Morning? Could’ve been the Ice Saints. Ice Saints? Oh sure, Mamertus, Pancras, and Gervais , these are the names of three Saints of the Catholic Church. Their Saint Days are May 11, 12 13th , and ya know what, almost every year these three or four days are a cold period. Saint Boniface’s Saint Day is May 14th, and he’s also associated with the cold snap of the Ice Saints.
It used to be that farmers wouldn’t plant until after the frost of the Ice Saints had pasted. In Germany this time was known as the Icemen Days. Blackthorn Winds are sometimes associated with the Ice Saints. A few days near mid May when the wind blows cold, almost every year, the Ice Saints cometh.
Oh, the month of May! Named after Maia, the Roman Goddess of spring and growth. May used to be the third month, then somebody jerked around with the calendar and May ended up the fifth month, go figure.
I think it was Jules Cesar, or one of those Caesars’ that jerked around and May ended up fifth. it’s hard to tell with those Caesars’ ‘cause they all look alike. Did ya ever see pictures of those Caesars? They wore bed sheets, even in the day time, which is kinda cool. Sounds like something they still do in San Francisco. Oh there’s some pretty boys out there for sure, bed sheets and all. That San Francisco crowd, Nancy Pelosi’s hometown.
When May comes to Indiana, the world turns green. The cold of winter’s gone and the heat of summer’s not yet come. Stuff starts to grow in May. In fact, it’s hard to keep stuff from not growing in May. The world turns into one Giant Green Thumb when May Days come by.
Grass grows, flowers bloom, trees blossom, forsythia, dogwood, violets, lilacs, jack-in-the-box, lily of the valley, along with that pretty little springtime friend of mine, that pretty little dandelion. Wow! That list could go on and on. Birds are setting on their eggs tucked inside their warm nest come May. Baby birds are just a few days away. My outside cats are looking forward to the baby birds.
May is an important month in the Catholic Church. The month of May is devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God. Gentle Woman, Mother of God. We can all learn from gentle women.
Kentucky Derby, Cisco De Moy, Mothers Day, BobbyRay’s Birthday, Indianapolis 500, Memorial Day, are some of the biggies in the month of May. Now there’re some lesser know but just as important special days in May, such things as International Respect for Chickens Month, National Skin Care Awareness Month Better Hearing and Speech Month (Think I could use both of those) National Duckling Month.
I think there should be an National Hillbilly Awareness Month, but I don’t know any Hillbillies to be aware of. Yeah, right.
Now I don’t know ‘bout you but that International Respect for Chickens Month is not real popular with most people I know. I guess it’s just hard to demonstrate a lot of respect for chickens. Especially if ya go to Richards of Toto on Sunday for a Chicken Dinner, like my mama does every Sunday. I don’t eat much chicken, my mama eats enough for both of us. But I do collect ‘em.
Got ‘bout 15 or 20 ceramic chickens, both inside and outside. Some big, some little, Pretty chickens all. More boy chickens than girl chickens, but just enough to keep everybody happy. And everybody knows that a happy chicken is like starting your day in the sunshine. Almost forgot, I got a couple stone chickens. Think ‘bout it, ya want to see something funny, “a stoned chicken. A stoned chicken is that gift that keeps on giving.
Last Thursday Sophia got back from Arizona, been out there in support of their new law on illegal aliens.
She said that over 75% of the people in Arizona support the law, the other 25% are the illegal aliens. They’re against it. DUH !
Heard an interesting exchange the other day on C-Span, the Attorney General was before a subcommittee, and when he was asked if he had read the Arizona Law which he had criticized on national television a few days back. He said no, he had not, he had concluded his opinion from the news media coverage which he took to accurately reflect the law in question. It turns out that even those most vocal in opposition haven’t read the law. The President didn’t and he criticized the law. The Attorney General of the United States didn’t. It seems hardly anybody has read the law, just jumped on the band wagon. Lemmings marching to the sea, wow, wonder who’s the piper?
The people of Arizona read the law, and loved it. I read the law. It’s less than a dozen pages, simple and very straight forward, easy to understand. One thing I found interesting was with all the volumes of opposition to that law, there were no links in any of the opposition statements on the internet allowing a simple click and read and let we the people decide and make up our minds on the issue.
Ya gotta go to the Arizona Government Web Site to find a copy of the law. It ya read it ya may be surprised. I was. I do expect to see many more states enact a very similar law. I wonder if there’s some sort of racial profiling going on in Washington DC. Is the Federal Government in Washington profiling the citizens of the State of Arizona? Is the state of California racially profiling the citizens of Arizona.? I wonder if the State of California has any problems with illegal aliens. Maybe they should ask those bed sheet people in San Francisco ‘bout illegal aliens in California. Didn’t the Governor out there used to be an alien? That’s probably why they don’t have any illegal alien problem in California.
Can’t figure out why we have so many laws that are never enforced, ever. And when someone insists that current law be enforced, everybody’s in an uproar. I’m not comfortable with anybody trying to tell me how to think, be it Rush Limbaugh or that joke of a Senator from Minnesota.
Thinking’s free and I know a whole lot of men and women who’re risking their lives the very minute you read these words, just so I’m free to do that sorta thing, that thinking part, and what’s so neat ‘bout the deal, everybody’s included all at the same time. Yes, thinking’s free. And so easy to do even when we’re wrong.
Not only are we free to think, but we’re free to shout our thoughts from the proverbial roof tops should we choose to do so, and many times we do choose to do so, right or wrong. It doesn’t matter when we choose to do so. For some people it seems that thinking just another word for nothing else to do.
Springtime nighttime sounds in the darkness fill my soul. Not having heard such in so long, I’m still enjoying my newly refound sounds of springtime nighttimes. The Bells of Spring, those little boy frogs.
Did I ever tell ya ‘bout the time I used frogs in a Medical Laboratory? Was a while back, when black & white TV dominated the air ways. I operated a Clinical Laboratory on the near North Side of Chicago, 1150 North State St. for those knowing that city, right down the street from the Playboy Mansion for you sinners that know Chicago, on the North side.
We provided laboratory analysis on various type samples taken from human bodies, I’ll not get into gory detail ‘bout some of that stuff, but it’s ok to talk ‘bout the frogs. We used the frogs to perform pregnancy test, using urine samples. Done a lot of ‘em, ‘bout 175 tests per day, 5 days a week. We used 2 frogs for each test. Now that’s a lot of frogs, do the math.
Got my frogs delivered every other day by UPS. 144 dozen frogs every week, delivered by UPS. Summer frogs came from upper Michigan and Wisconsin. Winter frogs came from South Africa. A long way for a frog to go to get a job, but there’s always been high unemployment is South Africa, even in the frog communities. Ya just do what ya gotta do, when it comes to work. They were called African Clawed Frogs.
And oh yeah, they’re all boys. Ya could only use boy frogs for the pregnancy test. It didn’t work with girl frogs, had to be boy frogs. Did anybody ever tell ye how to tell boy frogs from girl frogs? NO! not that way, shame on you, there is a better way. Boy frogs have thumbs, girl frogs don’t. That holds true cross the whole species of frogs, over 5000 species and all the boys have thumbs. Girl frogs from boy frogs, and another one of those little East Wing Jewels popped out into the world.
“Bout the Playboy Mansion, I used to have to go over there twice a month on a Monday morning to draw a fasting blood sample from one of the ladies who took care of the girls. Didn’t ever see anything though. But unlike most I can truly say I’ve been to the Playboy Mansion many, many time, too many to count. Didn’t ever see anything though. The 1wife was not too excited ‘bout me going to the Playboy Mansion. Invited her to go along, but she declined, I’m glad, ‘cause I’d have been really embarrassed to have to take my wife to work when I went to the Playboy Mansion. But I didn’t see anything though.
One of my management styles while I operated Medical Laboratories was to never assign work to a lab tech that I would not do myself. That management style served me well in dealing with the professional staff. They all knew I could and would do their work assignments. It was just that management style that required me to assign myself the job of the sample collection at the Playboy Mansion. I had some techs who offered to switch jobs with me but I didn’t want to impose on ‘em, so I just went ahead and done the job. But I didn’t see anything though. I did see Hugh Heffner one time.
It’s kinda neat that when ya see somebody famous, ya remember ‘em forever. I don’t think Hugh Heffner remembers BobbyRay. I shook hands with Richard Nixon one time, I don’t think he remembered me either, and I’m not even gona tell ye the story ‘bout me and Elvis when he appeared live at The Ohio State University when I was a graduate student back in 1974. Me and Elvis, it was such a time.
I’m forever amazed as to the extent people will go to state their opposition to our President. Late Friday Evening I received the following email. I can only conclude that the sender does not agree with the political agenda of the current President of the United States.
The email stated: “Just wanted to let you know - today I received my stimulus package for 2010. It contained two watermelon seeds, cornbread mix, and 10 coupons to KFC. The directions were in Spanish.”
One short email that offends black people (watermelon seeds) hillbillies (cornbread) my mama (KFC) and those illegal aliens in both Arizona as well as San Francisco. Not to mention the illegal aliens in Logansport Indiana or Starke County for that matter.
I couldn’t help but wonder if that cornbread mix was the kind with sugar, I hate that kind with sugar. It’s a hillbilly thing, hating that sweet cornbread.
That is one of the milder emails I get on a routine basis. Some of these things I would never print in mixed reading. One of the good things ‘bout writing from the East Wing is half think I am, and the other half thing I'm not. And guess what? They’re both right.
As the shades of evening are just starting to get ready to start to close, thank you for stopping by early this beautiful Spring Sunday, this middle of May.
Stay safe in Iraq and Afghanistan
From the East Wing, With Quantum Mechanics, Ice Saints, Sophia In Arizona, Laboratory Frogs & Playboy Mansions
I wish you well,
BobbyRay
Sunday, May 9, 2010
From The East Wing, Talking Hoosier, The Lion Walks Tonight, Aching Bones, Post Election, Fudd & Bunny
Greetings to all, and welcome new friends to the East Wing.
The older one becomes, the more precious is it to hug your mother. I hugged my mama this Mothers Day. Another gift from God.
Did ya ever notice how, here in Indiana, we tend to do and say things that other parts of the country may think somewhat odd? Well we just do. And they sometimes do think we’re kinda strange and unusual. But ya gotta remember, strange and unusual is in the eye of the beholder, and I’ve beheld some strange and unusual stuff outside Indiana. We do things like when we end our sentences with prepositions, as in 'Where's it at?' or 'Where's he going to?' We say things like catty corner, and we know what it means. Hoosier Talk, gotta love it. The 1wife’s florist is caddy corner from my office in downtown North Judson.
We also do things that tend to be uniquely Hoosier too. We drink pop, not soda, we drink pop. We allow kids and dogs to ride in the passenger seats of cars and the bed of pickup trucks. We all know people who’ve hit a deer at least once.
The retail community of Indiana learned a long time ago that anything sells in Indiana if ya call it “Amish”. Oh, it don’t have to be real Amish, it just has to be called Amish. A good example of such labeling success in retailing is none other than that highly renowned, widely acclaimed, “Amish Moo Shu Pork”.
Now closer to home, right here in Starke County, we’ve got some rather unique attributes of which we can be most proud, such as when we say down south it means Kentucky, nothing else south of Kentucky. We carry jumper cables in our cars all the time. If we want someone to hear us, we holler at 'em. We know that baling wire was the predecessor to duct tape. We know that strangers are the only ones who ever comes to our front door, while everybody else uses the back door, like we do.
Few thing in life feel better than the warm winds of early springtime. Too soon we’ll have grown accustom to the warm wind and no longer view it as a true gift from God. It surly is. One of the neat things I see from my vantage point here in the East Wing is the amazing changes of the season. And every time ya know, ya just know, that a full change of season is under way, I always think this is the one I love the most, and I do.
Speaking of amazing sites, I watched Sophia The Republican Cat stalk a bird for over 15 minutes the other day.. Two Robins were on the ground in the south yard near the west Maple Tree. Sophia saw the birds while she was a good 40ft or so away. It was such a neat thing to see. Now you’ve seen films of lions stalking their prey, well Sophia must have seen the same movie, ‘cause she had the moves.
In a flash, Sophia is crawling along the ground on her belly. Between the cat and the birds, there is a large emerging green plant in one of the front gardens. Sophia is successful in reaching the hideout undetected by the birds. She’s now within 10ft of the unsuspecting birds. The wind is blowing rather strong and Sophia has the birds up wind. 10ft so close, yet so far. The birds continue to peck on the ground and walk along. They walk toward Sophia’s lair. The Cat’s ready, the trap’s set. Fate rules the playing field. Destiny comes into play.
As one of the birds continued to walk directly toward Sophia, a slight flicker of her tail told me she’s ‘bout to go. With a Robin within 1 ¼ cat lengths, Sophia launched. Sophia didn't jump at the bird, she jumped toward a space in the sky above the bird. Sophia jumped forward and skyward, Sophia jumped above the bird. By the time Sophia reached her selected altitude, the bird also arrived on time. In a fraction of a heartbeat, cat and bird were joined in mid air. Cat and bird came to earth as a single unit with cat in charge.
It was the shortest of short action movies, a fraction of a second, if ya blinked, ya missed it, and it was all over. When Sophia touched down from her suborbital flight, she was in full control of the bird. She walked toward the East Wing with bird in mouth, I’ll swear that cat swagger in her step, she came maybe 30-40ft toward the East Wing and then done the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen in nature. She laid down still holding the bird, with her paws stretched forward on the ground, opened her mouth, and in an instant the bird flew away. Had I not seen that whole thing played out I would not have believed it. It brought to mind a whole new meaning to the old gospel song “Some Glad Morning When This Life Is Over, I’ll Fly Away”
I considered it a special privilege to have witnessed such an act of nature. Before my eyes, unfolded thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of years of evolution played out in a swan song repeated from the time of creation of birds and the creation of cats. The stalking instinct of cats. The blindness to danger of birds. The only thing I couldn’t figure out was the turning loose part. I thought a lot ‘bout the cat turning the bird loose, couldn’t figure it out at all so finally I just had to ask.
I asked, Sophia said “that bird’s republican, what a ya gona do, ya cant’ eat a republican bird”. I sometimes wonder if that bird was really a republican, or not, ‘cause Sophia doesn’t need to hunt for food, she eats well in the East Wing. The girl cat hunts for sport, even in Sophia, there’s a part of the jungle cat, the hunter part.
From big cat to little cat, the lion walks tonight. She stalks because she’s born with such ability. Much the same way Gray Lady James, as a German Short Hair Pointer, has the ability to point out birds in the bush. Now Pup Baby on the other hand has limited ability to point birds in the bush. But she does have pointing ability, just that she doesn’t know what to point. Pup Baby points butterflies when they land. Pup Baby’s pointing skills are limited for sure, but I love Pup Baby, ‘cause she’s a real good “just be your dog”, dog.
Wonder if I took Sophia fishing, she’d turn the fish loose after I took her picture holding ‘em up. Maybe we’ll go fishing someday, me and Sophia and the 2girldogs. Maybe she’d get the freed Robin to help dig the worms, after all, that Robin does owe Sophia big time. Ya’d think any bird would be more than happy to dig a few worms in return for being able to fly freely from the shadows of the valley of death. I’m proud of the that Republican Cat, not killing that bird. I don’t like to see anything die.
“Oh, my aching bones. . It must be about to rain.” Ever heard anybody say that? Bet ya did some time or another. May’ve even said it yourself. Now the idea that aches and pains can predict weather is older than dirt. This is one of the oldest of old weather lore, and the one most recognized by everyone, even those who don’t care ‘bout the stripe on the woolly worm caterpillar. Or even those people who don’t care ‘bout the red sky in the morning, or night. Even those folks know ‘bout the aching bones predicting the weather.
And ya know what, they’re right. While some of the old wives tales of weather lore are not always the most reliable, the aches and pains associated with weather predictions are true. This part of the old weather wisdom is supported by medical research. Back in the 1960’s is was established that patients sought medical attention for pain related issues with the approach of weather changing conditions. Patients with arthritis were the ones who were most affected. Increased pain from nerve disorders, recently healed fractures, migraines, toothaches, corns, and even scars, when the weather was about to change were studied in a controlled manner and the results were consistent.
It has never been fully established why this occurs, but it does. Just like many things in life, Ya just take it as fact and go on down the road. The most likely cause is a change in atmospheric pressure which happens just before a storm begins. It is a known fact that atmospheric pressure changes can dilate blood vessels in the body which can stimulate the nerves in sensitive parts of the body, like sore joints, creaky knees and stuff like that.
From what I got in the email, I propose the State of Indiana start the “Name The Indian Sate Casserole Contest” real soon, ‘cause I hear from a whole lot of folks who’ve got names ready to submit. Also got an email from a lady in Cannelton IN saying she thinks maybe she’s heard of this casserole before. I assured her she could not have possibly heard of this casserole as the Indiana State Casserole was just passed into law a few day ago.
In case ya don’t know where Cannelton is, it’s a little town in Perry County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. Cannelton is east of Tell City just a few miles. Little place, Cannelton IN, maybe 1,200 people live there, 1,500 tops. But being little in Indiana doesn’t mean not being important to Indiana, ‘cause the Cannelton Cotton Mill, also known as Indiana Cotton Mill, is a National Historic Landmark of the United States and it’s located in Cannelton, Indiana. Kinda little, kinda important.
In Indiana we got our primary election out of the way this past week. Those who won are happy and those who lost make every effort to give the impression they will support the winner whole hardly, and we all know that they really want to say how much they wish they had won, ‘cause they hate the winners guts, but they don’t say that. That’s probably why I never ran for public office, ‘cause if I did and lost, I’d say how much I hated the winners guts.
With the primary election out of the way, we’ve cleared the path for the real B.S. to start being shoveled out in mass quantities. ‘Course the one saving grace is that the majority of campaigning takes place after Labor Day. Getting there is a chore. All research shows that we, the voters, don’t really pay any real attention until the last two months of the campaigns, I can’t help but wonder why these people start two years early. It seems that at every level of politics the office holder starts campaigning the day after taking office for the first time. I’m a big believer in terms limits at every level.
Much of the campaign effort from now until November will be thrust toward the national races, even here in Starke County, with both sides wanting to prove the other side wrong. Not only wrong, but un-American, bigoted, racist, liars, hate mongers, crooks, cheats, fear fanning, scalawags and womanizers . And that’s just the nice words from the list. The bad stuff ya don’t say in mixed reading.
Now the fact that each side will call the other side all those names tends to work well for the electorate, you and me, we tend to recognize that all the bad stuff said by both sides is so much crap. And as such we decide who we will vote for, not by what bad things are being said by the opposition, rather what we hear the candidates themselves say.
Sarah Palin is an example of what I’m talking ‘bout. Now I’m not a Sarah Palin fan, but I’m truly amazed by the amount of my email that’s so supportive of her position. And just as sure as when Sophia The Republican Cat goes on a rampage, she’ll get several hundred emails comparing her with Sarah Palin. One such email even had lots of detail attachments from MS Publisher, posters, cards, bumper sticker, letterhead pages, stuff like that for a Sarah & Sophia For President Campaign. I don’t know ‘bout you, but I’m not gona vote for no Calico Cat. (Damn Republican Cat)
Oh, by the way, that ‘scalawag’ word all the candidates are gona be calling each other, know where that came from? No, well, probably those who use the word don’t either. Now scalawag’s old school for sure. “scalawag” was used during the reconstruction period following the Civil War. Scalawag was the term used to describe a white person in the south who co-operated with the Federal Government in its efforts to stabilize the nation. Even though the term was meant to be demeaning, had it not been for those people willing to co-operate in the rebuilding process we would be a different nation today.
Another meaning for scalawag is a rascal, like in rascal rabbit, I'm sure that’s the Politian’s choice meaning. Scalawags all. Rascal Rabbits. Maybe Elmer and Bugs could do a better job. They probably would be in favor of terms limits. After all, Elmer’s familiar with limits on hunting rascal rabbits. But I’m not sure if they are both in the same party.
Based solely on Elmer’s hunting outfit, he just looks republican, and Bugs, the way he holds that carrot, ya can tell, Bugs is stone cold Obama democrat. Rascal Rabbit.
As this Mother’s Day, 2010 as the sunshine leaves the gardens of the East Wing , we have enjoyed your company another day. Nothing is more beneficial and rewarding than friendship, yours.
Stay Safe in Iraq and Afghanistan, especially to you two, DELTA II, DELTA III
From the East Wing, Talking Hoosier, The Lion Walks Tonight, Aching Bones, Post Election, Fudd & Bunny
I wish you well,
BobbyRay
The older one becomes, the more precious is it to hug your mother. I hugged my mama this Mothers Day. Another gift from God.
Did ya ever notice how, here in Indiana, we tend to do and say things that other parts of the country may think somewhat odd? Well we just do. And they sometimes do think we’re kinda strange and unusual. But ya gotta remember, strange and unusual is in the eye of the beholder, and I’ve beheld some strange and unusual stuff outside Indiana. We do things like when we end our sentences with prepositions, as in 'Where's it at?' or 'Where's he going to?' We say things like catty corner, and we know what it means. Hoosier Talk, gotta love it. The 1wife’s florist is caddy corner from my office in downtown North Judson.
We also do things that tend to be uniquely Hoosier too. We drink pop, not soda, we drink pop. We allow kids and dogs to ride in the passenger seats of cars and the bed of pickup trucks. We all know people who’ve hit a deer at least once.
The retail community of Indiana learned a long time ago that anything sells in Indiana if ya call it “Amish”. Oh, it don’t have to be real Amish, it just has to be called Amish. A good example of such labeling success in retailing is none other than that highly renowned, widely acclaimed, “Amish Moo Shu Pork”.
Now closer to home, right here in Starke County, we’ve got some rather unique attributes of which we can be most proud, such as when we say down south it means Kentucky, nothing else south of Kentucky. We carry jumper cables in our cars all the time. If we want someone to hear us, we holler at 'em. We know that baling wire was the predecessor to duct tape. We know that strangers are the only ones who ever comes to our front door, while everybody else uses the back door, like we do.
Few thing in life feel better than the warm winds of early springtime. Too soon we’ll have grown accustom to the warm wind and no longer view it as a true gift from God. It surly is. One of the neat things I see from my vantage point here in the East Wing is the amazing changes of the season. And every time ya know, ya just know, that a full change of season is under way, I always think this is the one I love the most, and I do.
Speaking of amazing sites, I watched Sophia The Republican Cat stalk a bird for over 15 minutes the other day.. Two Robins were on the ground in the south yard near the west Maple Tree. Sophia saw the birds while she was a good 40ft or so away. It was such a neat thing to see. Now you’ve seen films of lions stalking their prey, well Sophia must have seen the same movie, ‘cause she had the moves.
In a flash, Sophia is crawling along the ground on her belly. Between the cat and the birds, there is a large emerging green plant in one of the front gardens. Sophia is successful in reaching the hideout undetected by the birds. She’s now within 10ft of the unsuspecting birds. The wind is blowing rather strong and Sophia has the birds up wind. 10ft so close, yet so far. The birds continue to peck on the ground and walk along. They walk toward Sophia’s lair. The Cat’s ready, the trap’s set. Fate rules the playing field. Destiny comes into play.
As one of the birds continued to walk directly toward Sophia, a slight flicker of her tail told me she’s ‘bout to go. With a Robin within 1 ¼ cat lengths, Sophia launched. Sophia didn't jump at the bird, she jumped toward a space in the sky above the bird. Sophia jumped forward and skyward, Sophia jumped above the bird. By the time Sophia reached her selected altitude, the bird also arrived on time. In a fraction of a heartbeat, cat and bird were joined in mid air. Cat and bird came to earth as a single unit with cat in charge.
It was the shortest of short action movies, a fraction of a second, if ya blinked, ya missed it, and it was all over. When Sophia touched down from her suborbital flight, she was in full control of the bird. She walked toward the East Wing with bird in mouth, I’ll swear that cat swagger in her step, she came maybe 30-40ft toward the East Wing and then done the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen in nature. She laid down still holding the bird, with her paws stretched forward on the ground, opened her mouth, and in an instant the bird flew away. Had I not seen that whole thing played out I would not have believed it. It brought to mind a whole new meaning to the old gospel song “Some Glad Morning When This Life Is Over, I’ll Fly Away”
I considered it a special privilege to have witnessed such an act of nature. Before my eyes, unfolded thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of years of evolution played out in a swan song repeated from the time of creation of birds and the creation of cats. The stalking instinct of cats. The blindness to danger of birds. The only thing I couldn’t figure out was the turning loose part. I thought a lot ‘bout the cat turning the bird loose, couldn’t figure it out at all so finally I just had to ask.
I asked, Sophia said “that bird’s republican, what a ya gona do, ya cant’ eat a republican bird”. I sometimes wonder if that bird was really a republican, or not, ‘cause Sophia doesn’t need to hunt for food, she eats well in the East Wing. The girl cat hunts for sport, even in Sophia, there’s a part of the jungle cat, the hunter part.
From big cat to little cat, the lion walks tonight. She stalks because she’s born with such ability. Much the same way Gray Lady James, as a German Short Hair Pointer, has the ability to point out birds in the bush. Now Pup Baby on the other hand has limited ability to point birds in the bush. But she does have pointing ability, just that she doesn’t know what to point. Pup Baby points butterflies when they land. Pup Baby’s pointing skills are limited for sure, but I love Pup Baby, ‘cause she’s a real good “just be your dog”, dog.
Wonder if I took Sophia fishing, she’d turn the fish loose after I took her picture holding ‘em up. Maybe we’ll go fishing someday, me and Sophia and the 2girldogs. Maybe she’d get the freed Robin to help dig the worms, after all, that Robin does owe Sophia big time. Ya’d think any bird would be more than happy to dig a few worms in return for being able to fly freely from the shadows of the valley of death. I’m proud of the that Republican Cat, not killing that bird. I don’t like to see anything die.
“Oh, my aching bones. . It must be about to rain.” Ever heard anybody say that? Bet ya did some time or another. May’ve even said it yourself. Now the idea that aches and pains can predict weather is older than dirt. This is one of the oldest of old weather lore, and the one most recognized by everyone, even those who don’t care ‘bout the stripe on the woolly worm caterpillar. Or even those people who don’t care ‘bout the red sky in the morning, or night. Even those folks know ‘bout the aching bones predicting the weather.
And ya know what, they’re right. While some of the old wives tales of weather lore are not always the most reliable, the aches and pains associated with weather predictions are true. This part of the old weather wisdom is supported by medical research. Back in the 1960’s is was established that patients sought medical attention for pain related issues with the approach of weather changing conditions. Patients with arthritis were the ones who were most affected. Increased pain from nerve disorders, recently healed fractures, migraines, toothaches, corns, and even scars, when the weather was about to change were studied in a controlled manner and the results were consistent.
It has never been fully established why this occurs, but it does. Just like many things in life, Ya just take it as fact and go on down the road. The most likely cause is a change in atmospheric pressure which happens just before a storm begins. It is a known fact that atmospheric pressure changes can dilate blood vessels in the body which can stimulate the nerves in sensitive parts of the body, like sore joints, creaky knees and stuff like that.
From what I got in the email, I propose the State of Indiana start the “Name The Indian Sate Casserole Contest” real soon, ‘cause I hear from a whole lot of folks who’ve got names ready to submit. Also got an email from a lady in Cannelton IN saying she thinks maybe she’s heard of this casserole before. I assured her she could not have possibly heard of this casserole as the Indiana State Casserole was just passed into law a few day ago.
In case ya don’t know where Cannelton is, it’s a little town in Perry County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. Cannelton is east of Tell City just a few miles. Little place, Cannelton IN, maybe 1,200 people live there, 1,500 tops. But being little in Indiana doesn’t mean not being important to Indiana, ‘cause the Cannelton Cotton Mill, also known as Indiana Cotton Mill, is a National Historic Landmark of the United States and it’s located in Cannelton, Indiana. Kinda little, kinda important.
In Indiana we got our primary election out of the way this past week. Those who won are happy and those who lost make every effort to give the impression they will support the winner whole hardly, and we all know that they really want to say how much they wish they had won, ‘cause they hate the winners guts, but they don’t say that. That’s probably why I never ran for public office, ‘cause if I did and lost, I’d say how much I hated the winners guts.
With the primary election out of the way, we’ve cleared the path for the real B.S. to start being shoveled out in mass quantities. ‘Course the one saving grace is that the majority of campaigning takes place after Labor Day. Getting there is a chore. All research shows that we, the voters, don’t really pay any real attention until the last two months of the campaigns, I can’t help but wonder why these people start two years early. It seems that at every level of politics the office holder starts campaigning the day after taking office for the first time. I’m a big believer in terms limits at every level.
Much of the campaign effort from now until November will be thrust toward the national races, even here in Starke County, with both sides wanting to prove the other side wrong. Not only wrong, but un-American, bigoted, racist, liars, hate mongers, crooks, cheats, fear fanning, scalawags and womanizers . And that’s just the nice words from the list. The bad stuff ya don’t say in mixed reading.
Now the fact that each side will call the other side all those names tends to work well for the electorate, you and me, we tend to recognize that all the bad stuff said by both sides is so much crap. And as such we decide who we will vote for, not by what bad things are being said by the opposition, rather what we hear the candidates themselves say.
Sarah Palin is an example of what I’m talking ‘bout. Now I’m not a Sarah Palin fan, but I’m truly amazed by the amount of my email that’s so supportive of her position. And just as sure as when Sophia The Republican Cat goes on a rampage, she’ll get several hundred emails comparing her with Sarah Palin. One such email even had lots of detail attachments from MS Publisher, posters, cards, bumper sticker, letterhead pages, stuff like that for a Sarah & Sophia For President Campaign. I don’t know ‘bout you, but I’m not gona vote for no Calico Cat. (Damn Republican Cat)
Oh, by the way, that ‘scalawag’ word all the candidates are gona be calling each other, know where that came from? No, well, probably those who use the word don’t either. Now scalawag’s old school for sure. “scalawag” was used during the reconstruction period following the Civil War. Scalawag was the term used to describe a white person in the south who co-operated with the Federal Government in its efforts to stabilize the nation. Even though the term was meant to be demeaning, had it not been for those people willing to co-operate in the rebuilding process we would be a different nation today.
Another meaning for scalawag is a rascal, like in rascal rabbit, I'm sure that’s the Politian’s choice meaning. Scalawags all. Rascal Rabbits. Maybe Elmer and Bugs could do a better job. They probably would be in favor of terms limits. After all, Elmer’s familiar with limits on hunting rascal rabbits. But I’m not sure if they are both in the same party.
Based solely on Elmer’s hunting outfit, he just looks republican, and Bugs, the way he holds that carrot, ya can tell, Bugs is stone cold Obama democrat. Rascal Rabbit.
As this Mother’s Day, 2010 as the sunshine leaves the gardens of the East Wing , we have enjoyed your company another day. Nothing is more beneficial and rewarding than friendship, yours.
Stay Safe in Iraq and Afghanistan, especially to you two, DELTA II, DELTA III
From the East Wing, Talking Hoosier, The Lion Walks Tonight, Aching Bones, Post Election, Fudd & Bunny
I wish you well,
BobbyRay
Sunday, May 2, 2010
From theEast Wing, Smiling in Italian, A Governor & A Gun, Organizing Coyotes, Local Poltics, The Indiana State Casserole
Greetings to all, and welcome new friends to the East Wing.
Super Saver won the race as once gain they ran for the roses yesterday, for the 136th time. The Kentucky Derby, one of the most recognized sporting events in the world, and one of the shortest sporting events in the world. That’s why the start the party a week early. It’d be a shame to come half way ‘round the world just for 2 minutes or so and then go home, hence a one week party worth coming for, and at the end of the week long party, a horse race for 2 minutes or so, before ya go home. Sweet.
Want to have a really good day? It’s so simple ya gotta love it. Just smile at someone ya don’t know. Bet they smile back, ‘cause smiling is kinda like yawning, ya see it done, gotta do it too. And ya know why? ‘Cause everybody smiles in the same language.
That’s what’s so cool ‘bout smiling, want to talk a foreign language? Look at a stranger and smile in Italian. Oh, believe me, they’ll smile back, ‘cause it’s hard not to smile back when someone’s smiling at ya in Italian, and just that quick, you know a foreign language. That’s the way I met my wife, ya know, I smiled at her in Italian. And at that time I didn’t even know hillbillies could smile in Italian, but I did. It worked.
You’ve probably seen or heard of a product called “Rosetta Stone”, it’s simply a program designed to teach you a foreign language, well save your money. You now have the secret to communicate in any language you choose, and it’s free. It’s just another one of those East Wing Freebies.
Wow did I ever get the Emails ‘bout Sophia’s Ovaltine Secret Decoder Ring. I would never have guessed how many people still have and or knew about the Ovaltine Secret Decoder Ring. Seems like there are more republicans out there than I thought. They’re probably getting secret messages from Don Rumsfeld or somebody like that. I’m sure if Don Rumsfeld is sending out secret messages Sophia is on the list.
After all she did get, as you may remember, some time back, an email from the White House asking her to do her part to promote the then health call bill.
I never saw a madder cat in my life when Sophia found out she had actually received an email from the White House. She called it an email from the dark side. No, no with Sophia it was not what you’re thinking, it was the dark side as in Vader. The real dark side. Not the one you were thinking ’bout. Shame on you for thinking bad thoughts ‘bout the Republican Cat.
Not going to get into the details of Sophia’s response to that email. I’ll just say that some of the 4 letter words used could only be spoken by those felines versed in fluent cataneese. That email alone, endeared her into the hearts and minds of many Tea Party People. ‘Course being the National Spokescat for the CCCA (Concretive Calico Cats of America) also helped with the introduction to the Tea Party. Casts of a feather……
Sure was scared that all of my fruit trees and lilacs were gona get frozen out last Tuesday night. It got cold here in the East Wing Yards, but not cold enough, it appears, to freeze my stuff. As backup I picked a big bunch and put ‘em the florist cooler. Guess one of the little benefits of having your wife own the local florist, is having access to a really big refrigerator.
Actually a very special little friend of mine made his first Holy Communion today, and it’s been a tradition in their family for a long, long time to have Lilacs at the First Communion Party. I didn’t want to take the chance they would get frozen, so I got ‘em, and put ‘em in the big refrigerator. Guess that strategic planning learned some time back as the General of the Toto Volunteers still pays off. Well at least I got the Lilacs ready for Sunday. Today they were as fresh as if I cut ‘em this morning. It was a good day.
Now I don’t care who ya are, if your stuff gets frozen in the early spring time, you’re gona have a bad day, and maybe a bad rest of the year. ‘Cause chances are you’ll be missing a lot of your other stuff that got frozen out too. Ya know lilacs don’t just freeze and leave everything else alone.
Years seem to just go better when ya can smell the lilacs in the springtime. And everybody knows ‘bout that stopping and smelling the roses part. But ya know what, ‘bout that smelling the roses thing, I try to do that a little bit every day. If ya smile in Italian at a stranger, that’s smelling the roses.
Come to think of it, if ya smile at a stranger in Italian, maybe that’ll be smelling the garlic. Seems damn near all the Italians I know, and Lord knows I know a lot of ‘em, just can’t get too much garlic. Well, I’m hillbilly, and I can. Quick, real quick. But we, me and that Italian Girl I smiled at one time, we don’t sweat the small stuff like how much garlic to use. All too often it’s the small stuff that gets ya into trouble, and the first thing ya know, you’re in some real messy stuff, so don’t sweat the small stuff, and you’ll be a lot better off. Especially if ya’ve smiled in Italian.
Still getting some email ‘bout those big frogs I was talking ‘bout a couple weeks ago. I’m telling ya, ya gotta find ‘em at Southfork. And no, I am not aware to anything close to those frogs in Texas.
That reminds me, you people in Texas think you’re so smart, everything’s bigger in Texas, well, Duh! Who cares? Only those who live in Texas. I’ve never been to Texas, but have family who’ve lived there for many years. I don’t think they’re cowboys yet, I don’t think they gotta horse. All in all, I think Texas is more wimp than not.
Oh, I almost forgot to tell ya ‘bout the pistol-packing Texas Governor, Rick Perry and the ole coyote. Well it seems the Governor was out jugging early one morning, out by himself and a little dog. From what I understand it was in a somewhat isolated area, Texas has a lot of that, isolated area that is, even in the city of Austin, when all of a sudden from the sage brush, out pops a coyote interested in hot dogs for breakfast.
As the coyote approached the Governor and the little dog, the Governor, being the good politician he is, tried to engage the coyote in conversation. Asking are you a registered coyote? The coyote said yes, the Governor said, republican, the coyote said democrat. As the coyote lunged for his breakfast, the Governor pulled the .380 pistol with laser sights from his belt and the score stood at Governor 1 and coyote 0.
Interesting enough Austin residents reported seeing 755 coyotes since January 2009, but Gov. Rick Perry is the only person known to have shot and killed one in the city limits. And some of those asked about it had concerns ‘bout him shooting a gun in the city limits.
Well HELLO! With over 750 coyotes running ‘round in your town, you’d think a lot more than the Governor would have the guts to pop ‘em off. I think whoever was criticizing Governor Perry was some of those Texas wimps I was talking ‘bout.
I think I’m gona take back all that bad stuff I said ‘bout Texas, ‘cause if ya gotta Governor who jogs with a loaded .380 pistol in his belt, well, he’s got more guts than most. Now before everybody in Texas gets on my case for badmouthing Texas, I’m just joking, ‘cept for those wimps in Austin that badmouthed the Governor for shooting the coyote. Shame on you. I guess if you’d been in the same place, you’d just fed the coyote breakfast, and get another dog.
It’s just things like that is why Texas has Governor Rick Perry and not a wimp in place of a leader. It would be interesting to really know, I mean really, really know how the other Governors of the other states would have acted. How the President would have acted. I would propose that the vast amount of the Governors would never have been there to begin with, not without “my State Police Guards”. Wimps, many.
With a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye, Sophia just told me how she thought the President would handle the situation. Sophia believes that the President would have acted in a direct and positive manner based on his life experiences. The President would first make every attempt to organize the coyote community, ‘cause a disorganized coyote community has no voice in society. Once the community had been organized, the President would bring in programs of social assistance. Programs offering free services such as housing assistance, food assistance, medical assistance, day care assistance, tattoo assistance, piercing assistance. With so many public assistance programs to be involved with, there was no time to work, so a special program would have be developed to ensure a continuance of money flowing into the community.
The new assistance program would be called Community Revenue Assistance Project. The CRAP Program was a big hit with the lazy coyote community.
Life was good in the coyote world. Lots of food, lots of money, lots of games to play, everybody’s got 50” flat screen TV, no work, life was good in that coyote community, way out there in West Texas.
And then the Governor got wind of what was going on right there in his own state. The Governor didn’t send the Texas Rangers, oh no, the Governor LEAD the Texas Rangers. They went out there, the Governor and the Texas Rangers, all the way out to West Texas. West of Midland, west of Pecos, even west of Toyah. All the way to where Interstates 10 and 20 come together, and they cleaned up that mess of free loading coyotes pretty much the same as if it had been the Dalton Gang.
There’s something ‘bout an elected official who’s got the courage to act as decisive as Governor Perry, that makes him special in the eyes of many, including Sophia. ‘Course the Governor has never tried organizing a coyote community either. Ya must also keep in mind that Governor Perry may well have missed his final chance at community organizing of coyotes. Does the term “gun shy” ring a bell? Oh, and that little dog of the Governor’s, he’s fine ‘cept for one thing, he won’t leave the Governors side while the Gov has the laser light show stuck in his belt. So don’t mess with Texas. Or maybe more appropriate, don’t mess with the Governor of Texas.
From the looks of the local papers, ya can tell it’s approaching primary election time in Indiana. The world is becoming cluttered with yard signs, newspaper ads, and junk mail in the mail boxes. Soon the airways are to be filled with many false promises and plans for a better future by people more interested in preserving their own future than mine and yours.
As usual in every election, there are both highly qualified candidates as well as those who have no more to bring to the elected office than the 2girldogs. Maybe not as much, ‘cause the 2girldogs are pretty girls.
Right here in my community there’s a classic example of such candidates, former office holders all. Now the last thing in the world I’d want to do would be to try and influence the way a person would vote, but the “Judge” knows how BobbyRays gona vote, ‘cause I made up my mind way back when. “Financial Responsibility”, now that’s a good tag line if I ever heard one. Ya don’t get more qualified than having financial responsibility.
The bills passed by the Indiana House and Senate, during their most recent session, when signed by the Governor of Indiana, become law. Most such laws become effective on the first day of the next fiscal year. For Indiana, the fiscal year starts July 1.
Some new laws get more media attention than others. Now we all know that here in Indiana we have a State Bird, the Cardinal. We all know and recognize the State Flag of Indiana. Bet ya didn’t know that come July 1, 2010 we’ll have our own Indiana State Casserole. Yes our own State Casserole. Now is that cool or what?? From this new law ya can just tell that some legislator was looking out for our best interest.
The recipe for the Indiana State Casserole is an extremely complex mixture of canned green beans, Campbell 's Cream of Mushroom Soup, and dried onions. The new State Casserole has yet to be named, but plans are afoot to have a state wide contest to select a name. The contest is to be open to all Hoosier, so if a good names just happens to pop into mind simply from the description of the ingredients, write it down so ya don’t forget it when the contest is announced. It’ll maybe be when school starts back in the fall, so the kids can get involved as a school. Maybe enter the best name from the whole school.
It is being rumored around Indianapolis that Governor Mitch Daniels pushed this State Casserole bill so it could be available as a tool for PTA’s across the state to be used in fund raising efforts to assist in paying for public education at a more local level. It is also rumored that Governor Daniels will sign executive orders which will allow all Hoosiers over age 18 to purchase the base ingredients for the Indiana State Casserole sales tax exempt. Should this novel idea provide a successful revenue stream, be prepared for more delicious state dishes to come from our legislative leaders. Government at its best.
The pleasure of your company is never ending in the East Wing. We’re glad you came by today.
Stay safe in Iraq and Afghanistan
From the East Wing, While Smiling in Italian, A Governor & A Gun, Organizing Coyotes, Local Politics, The Indiana State Casserole.
I wish you well,
BobbyRay
Super Saver won the race as once gain they ran for the roses yesterday, for the 136th time. The Kentucky Derby, one of the most recognized sporting events in the world, and one of the shortest sporting events in the world. That’s why the start the party a week early. It’d be a shame to come half way ‘round the world just for 2 minutes or so and then go home, hence a one week party worth coming for, and at the end of the week long party, a horse race for 2 minutes or so, before ya go home. Sweet.
Want to have a really good day? It’s so simple ya gotta love it. Just smile at someone ya don’t know. Bet they smile back, ‘cause smiling is kinda like yawning, ya see it done, gotta do it too. And ya know why? ‘Cause everybody smiles in the same language.
That’s what’s so cool ‘bout smiling, want to talk a foreign language? Look at a stranger and smile in Italian. Oh, believe me, they’ll smile back, ‘cause it’s hard not to smile back when someone’s smiling at ya in Italian, and just that quick, you know a foreign language. That’s the way I met my wife, ya know, I smiled at her in Italian. And at that time I didn’t even know hillbillies could smile in Italian, but I did. It worked.
You’ve probably seen or heard of a product called “Rosetta Stone”, it’s simply a program designed to teach you a foreign language, well save your money. You now have the secret to communicate in any language you choose, and it’s free. It’s just another one of those East Wing Freebies.
Wow did I ever get the Emails ‘bout Sophia’s Ovaltine Secret Decoder Ring. I would never have guessed how many people still have and or knew about the Ovaltine Secret Decoder Ring. Seems like there are more republicans out there than I thought. They’re probably getting secret messages from Don Rumsfeld or somebody like that. I’m sure if Don Rumsfeld is sending out secret messages Sophia is on the list.
After all she did get, as you may remember, some time back, an email from the White House asking her to do her part to promote the then health call bill.
I never saw a madder cat in my life when Sophia found out she had actually received an email from the White House. She called it an email from the dark side. No, no with Sophia it was not what you’re thinking, it was the dark side as in Vader. The real dark side. Not the one you were thinking ’bout. Shame on you for thinking bad thoughts ‘bout the Republican Cat.
Not going to get into the details of Sophia’s response to that email. I’ll just say that some of the 4 letter words used could only be spoken by those felines versed in fluent cataneese. That email alone, endeared her into the hearts and minds of many Tea Party People. ‘Course being the National Spokescat for the CCCA (Concretive Calico Cats of America) also helped with the introduction to the Tea Party. Casts of a feather……
Sure was scared that all of my fruit trees and lilacs were gona get frozen out last Tuesday night. It got cold here in the East Wing Yards, but not cold enough, it appears, to freeze my stuff. As backup I picked a big bunch and put ‘em the florist cooler. Guess one of the little benefits of having your wife own the local florist, is having access to a really big refrigerator.
Actually a very special little friend of mine made his first Holy Communion today, and it’s been a tradition in their family for a long, long time to have Lilacs at the First Communion Party. I didn’t want to take the chance they would get frozen, so I got ‘em, and put ‘em in the big refrigerator. Guess that strategic planning learned some time back as the General of the Toto Volunteers still pays off. Well at least I got the Lilacs ready for Sunday. Today they were as fresh as if I cut ‘em this morning. It was a good day.
Now I don’t care who ya are, if your stuff gets frozen in the early spring time, you’re gona have a bad day, and maybe a bad rest of the year. ‘Cause chances are you’ll be missing a lot of your other stuff that got frozen out too. Ya know lilacs don’t just freeze and leave everything else alone.
Years seem to just go better when ya can smell the lilacs in the springtime. And everybody knows ‘bout that stopping and smelling the roses part. But ya know what, ‘bout that smelling the roses thing, I try to do that a little bit every day. If ya smile in Italian at a stranger, that’s smelling the roses.
Come to think of it, if ya smile at a stranger in Italian, maybe that’ll be smelling the garlic. Seems damn near all the Italians I know, and Lord knows I know a lot of ‘em, just can’t get too much garlic. Well, I’m hillbilly, and I can. Quick, real quick. But we, me and that Italian Girl I smiled at one time, we don’t sweat the small stuff like how much garlic to use. All too often it’s the small stuff that gets ya into trouble, and the first thing ya know, you’re in some real messy stuff, so don’t sweat the small stuff, and you’ll be a lot better off. Especially if ya’ve smiled in Italian.
Still getting some email ‘bout those big frogs I was talking ‘bout a couple weeks ago. I’m telling ya, ya gotta find ‘em at Southfork. And no, I am not aware to anything close to those frogs in Texas.
That reminds me, you people in Texas think you’re so smart, everything’s bigger in Texas, well, Duh! Who cares? Only those who live in Texas. I’ve never been to Texas, but have family who’ve lived there for many years. I don’t think they’re cowboys yet, I don’t think they gotta horse. All in all, I think Texas is more wimp than not.
Oh, I almost forgot to tell ya ‘bout the pistol-packing Texas Governor, Rick Perry and the ole coyote. Well it seems the Governor was out jugging early one morning, out by himself and a little dog. From what I understand it was in a somewhat isolated area, Texas has a lot of that, isolated area that is, even in the city of Austin, when all of a sudden from the sage brush, out pops a coyote interested in hot dogs for breakfast.
As the coyote approached the Governor and the little dog, the Governor, being the good politician he is, tried to engage the coyote in conversation. Asking are you a registered coyote? The coyote said yes, the Governor said, republican, the coyote said democrat. As the coyote lunged for his breakfast, the Governor pulled the .380 pistol with laser sights from his belt and the score stood at Governor 1 and coyote 0.
Interesting enough Austin residents reported seeing 755 coyotes since January 2009, but Gov. Rick Perry is the only person known to have shot and killed one in the city limits. And some of those asked about it had concerns ‘bout him shooting a gun in the city limits.
Well HELLO! With over 750 coyotes running ‘round in your town, you’d think a lot more than the Governor would have the guts to pop ‘em off. I think whoever was criticizing Governor Perry was some of those Texas wimps I was talking ‘bout.
I think I’m gona take back all that bad stuff I said ‘bout Texas, ‘cause if ya gotta Governor who jogs with a loaded .380 pistol in his belt, well, he’s got more guts than most. Now before everybody in Texas gets on my case for badmouthing Texas, I’m just joking, ‘cept for those wimps in Austin that badmouthed the Governor for shooting the coyote. Shame on you. I guess if you’d been in the same place, you’d just fed the coyote breakfast, and get another dog.
It’s just things like that is why Texas has Governor Rick Perry and not a wimp in place of a leader. It would be interesting to really know, I mean really, really know how the other Governors of the other states would have acted. How the President would have acted. I would propose that the vast amount of the Governors would never have been there to begin with, not without “my State Police Guards”. Wimps, many.
With a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye, Sophia just told me how she thought the President would handle the situation. Sophia believes that the President would have acted in a direct and positive manner based on his life experiences. The President would first make every attempt to organize the coyote community, ‘cause a disorganized coyote community has no voice in society. Once the community had been organized, the President would bring in programs of social assistance. Programs offering free services such as housing assistance, food assistance, medical assistance, day care assistance, tattoo assistance, piercing assistance. With so many public assistance programs to be involved with, there was no time to work, so a special program would have be developed to ensure a continuance of money flowing into the community.
The new assistance program would be called Community Revenue Assistance Project. The CRAP Program was a big hit with the lazy coyote community.
Life was good in the coyote world. Lots of food, lots of money, lots of games to play, everybody’s got 50” flat screen TV, no work, life was good in that coyote community, way out there in West Texas.
And then the Governor got wind of what was going on right there in his own state. The Governor didn’t send the Texas Rangers, oh no, the Governor LEAD the Texas Rangers. They went out there, the Governor and the Texas Rangers, all the way out to West Texas. West of Midland, west of Pecos, even west of Toyah. All the way to where Interstates 10 and 20 come together, and they cleaned up that mess of free loading coyotes pretty much the same as if it had been the Dalton Gang.
There’s something ‘bout an elected official who’s got the courage to act as decisive as Governor Perry, that makes him special in the eyes of many, including Sophia. ‘Course the Governor has never tried organizing a coyote community either. Ya must also keep in mind that Governor Perry may well have missed his final chance at community organizing of coyotes. Does the term “gun shy” ring a bell? Oh, and that little dog of the Governor’s, he’s fine ‘cept for one thing, he won’t leave the Governors side while the Gov has the laser light show stuck in his belt. So don’t mess with Texas. Or maybe more appropriate, don’t mess with the Governor of Texas.
From the looks of the local papers, ya can tell it’s approaching primary election time in Indiana. The world is becoming cluttered with yard signs, newspaper ads, and junk mail in the mail boxes. Soon the airways are to be filled with many false promises and plans for a better future by people more interested in preserving their own future than mine and yours.
As usual in every election, there are both highly qualified candidates as well as those who have no more to bring to the elected office than the 2girldogs. Maybe not as much, ‘cause the 2girldogs are pretty girls.
Right here in my community there’s a classic example of such candidates, former office holders all. Now the last thing in the world I’d want to do would be to try and influence the way a person would vote, but the “Judge” knows how BobbyRays gona vote, ‘cause I made up my mind way back when. “Financial Responsibility”, now that’s a good tag line if I ever heard one. Ya don’t get more qualified than having financial responsibility.
The bills passed by the Indiana House and Senate, during their most recent session, when signed by the Governor of Indiana, become law. Most such laws become effective on the first day of the next fiscal year. For Indiana, the fiscal year starts July 1.
Some new laws get more media attention than others. Now we all know that here in Indiana we have a State Bird, the Cardinal. We all know and recognize the State Flag of Indiana. Bet ya didn’t know that come July 1, 2010 we’ll have our own Indiana State Casserole. Yes our own State Casserole. Now is that cool or what?? From this new law ya can just tell that some legislator was looking out for our best interest.
The recipe for the Indiana State Casserole is an extremely complex mixture of canned green beans, Campbell 's Cream of Mushroom Soup, and dried onions. The new State Casserole has yet to be named, but plans are afoot to have a state wide contest to select a name. The contest is to be open to all Hoosier, so if a good names just happens to pop into mind simply from the description of the ingredients, write it down so ya don’t forget it when the contest is announced. It’ll maybe be when school starts back in the fall, so the kids can get involved as a school. Maybe enter the best name from the whole school.
It is being rumored around Indianapolis that Governor Mitch Daniels pushed this State Casserole bill so it could be available as a tool for PTA’s across the state to be used in fund raising efforts to assist in paying for public education at a more local level. It is also rumored that Governor Daniels will sign executive orders which will allow all Hoosiers over age 18 to purchase the base ingredients for the Indiana State Casserole sales tax exempt. Should this novel idea provide a successful revenue stream, be prepared for more delicious state dishes to come from our legislative leaders. Government at its best.
The pleasure of your company is never ending in the East Wing. We’re glad you came by today.
Stay safe in Iraq and Afghanistan
From the East Wing, While Smiling in Italian, A Governor & A Gun, Organizing Coyotes, Local Politics, The Indiana State Casserole.
I wish you well,
BobbyRay
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