itzikel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_zLkKXXga0

If you can get this link to actually work, I have been listening to Got Radio and Celtic music. Every once in a while this little piece would play. It doesn't sound Celtic to me, more like Fiddler on The Poteen. I Like it.

If the link doesn't work try You Tube and type in Itzikel, click on the young man playing the fiddle all by himself.

29th Olympiad

Holey Moley, They flew this guy around the stadium to light the torch which until the last 30 minutes of the opening ceremony had not even been in sight. Phew!

I agree with the television commentators, this was absolutely spectacular! Fireworks beautifully done. Dramatic scenes depicting 5000 years of Chinese History. I think my favorite part of the floor show was all of the boxes that rippled up and down,made splashes and were all done by PEOPLE inside the boxes, perfect coordination.

The only boring bits was waiting for all the athletes to march in. The Americans were dressed in very dark blue or black sport jackets, white beret, white shirts and shorts designed by Ralph Lauren. Hmmm.

On the other hand, the costumes worn by the 15,000 actors participating in the show were beautiful things.

I shall watch what little coverage we have here courtesy of the network. Wonder who the Eddie Eagle will be this time?

Another colorful dream

It's about 4 am, I woke from a combination sky diving, geo-treking, puzzle solving dream. I actually leaped off a very high place with a companion jumper. I was not afraid but I was worried because I couldn't see the ground through a layer of clouds. So off I went. I touched hands with whom ever I was diving. So naturally I consulted my dream site for which I got the "you can't go there now" message and consulted an alternative dream interpretation site. Remember, you must not take things literally is the advice given. So the only topic I would find was sky. I didn't look up diving, falling, etc. here ya go.

Sky: To dream of the sky, signifies distinguished honors and interesting travel with cultured companions, if the sky is clear. Otherwise, it portends blasted expectations, and trouble with women. To dream of floating in the sky among weird faces and animals, and wondering all the while if you are really awake, or only dreaming, foretells that all trouble, the most excruciating pain, that reach even the dullest sense will be distilled into one drop called jealousy, and will be inserted into your faithful love, and loyalty will suffer dethronement. To see the sky turn red, indicates that public disquiet and rioting may be expected.

Wow I seem to have dreamt of one of the signs of the apocalypse. Weird. The sky was not red so I do not have to worry about public disquiet and rioting.

I think I will make pancakes for breakfast.

UPDATE ON BROKEN GLASS FILE

Well, Heck! I was all set to give my gentle "let me help improve your customer service" speech to the Knife Store people. I called about my second broken glass finger nail file shipment and after some poking and prodding the lady on the phone told me they would send out a third glass finger nail file and don't worry about anything, they will make sure it is packaged properly.

Well...gee...thanks...but,but I was all set to blow off some steam y'see an..an..

gulp. Thank you Knife Store. (Hope the mailing gods are feeling efficient).

The rest of the blooming cactus

I took this picture this morning, the remaining blossoms have opened up amongst the several ( I would estimate between 6 and 10) other small cactus. I wonder if they need pollinators in order to reproduce, if so perhaps there is a non carnivorous spider species that will take care of that.

We decided to run away to Coos Bay today and of course ate out at Pancake Mill. Breakfast for husband consisted of veggie omelet, scrambled eggs and rye toast. I had the Strawberry waffles. Um!

We also went to Freddy's to purchase more paint and a ladder. We have two already; a small step stool and one that extends clear up to the roof, needed an between size.

Amazon.com, The Knife Shop and UPS hmmmph

A few weeks ago I decided to try to replace my lost glass fingernail file (It went with me to Idaho but I couldn't find it when I got home). I went online to Amazon.com and could no longer find the German Zinger glass fingernail file which was QUITE superior, I might add. I then clicked on a single rather dainty looking glass file from The Knife Shop people via Amazon.com. It came by way of UPS in a very large bedraggled padded mailer. I opened the very large envelope, found many inserts,ad inserts and the glass finger nail file snapped into three pieces...sigh.

I mailed it back by wrapping some of the padded mailer about the remains of the glass finger nail file and sending it back two ounces first class utilizing the handy dandy return mailing label. I also called the nice 800 number somewhere in Georgia to let them know the broken glass finger nail file was being returned. Thank yew.

In the meantime my finger nails were getting a bit raggedy so I again ordered some glass finger nail files and five very colorful ones came within a couple of days. EVERYone in my house now owns a glass finger nail file. I am not really pleased with the new ones as they don't rongeur off enough nail like the very nice Zinger did.

Today,I received the above raggedy envelope from The Knife Shop by way of Amazon.com and UPS. I opened the envelope and found the replacement glass finger nail file snapped neatly in half. OY!



I called the nice 800 number in Georgia and the nice whiskey tenor lady was very apologetic and asked me if I would call Monday to speak with the lady who handles the Amazon.com customers.

Yep, I shall make my point clear, the Knife Shop people need to scream really LOUDLY into the ears of the Amazon.com people to pack their shipments a little better and perhaps add "Fragile" to the package so UPS won't drive their trucks over the package before delivery. Pant! pant! pant! gasp! pant!

I think I shall print off this portion of my blog and send it with my return this time as a pro-active consumer.

Blooming cacti Gas prices and Stuffing

Came out this morning to hop in the car to go to Fraziers for breakfast and there were these two HUGE blooms coming from the rather smallish cactus that have been perched in the same spot for about three years. The blooms are so big I'm afraid the blooms will suck the entire bodily parts of the cactus into producing the flowers. Hey, First Nation, you know anything about blooming cactus? Will my little cactus now shrivel up and die? Will your alien cows come and eat them? Just curious.



The price of gas has dropped from a high of $4.35 to $4.19. Oh the dizziness of it all.



Felt like cooking, so after breakfast at Fraziers, stopped in local market to pick up onions and a couple ribs of celery. Went home and drug out a bag of croutons, a frozen block of very hearty stock. I melted the stock, chopped onions and celery and threw them in to simmer. Added black olives,halved to find those pesky lurking pits and then added the cubed bread bits. Combined in a large mixing bowl, let sit for a few minutes to cool and cracked in two eggs and stirred some more. Poured into lightly oiled casserole dish, put in oven 30 minutes at 350 degrees. The above is the before picture as the after picture while golden, brown and delicious was out of focus.

Oh yes, Breakfast at Fraziers consisted of one special for husband consisting of Country Fried Steak, scrambled eggs, country potatoes,gravy on the side, rye toast, blackberry jam. My breakfast consisted of one slice (HUGE) of French toast, two slices of crispy bacon, one scrambled egg and a side of country potatoes, maple syrup for the French toast. Cost 20 bucks plus 15% tip for a very attentive waitress. Business was brisk for a Friday. Yummy. Must take a nap now.