Observations

[larryJ]

Sunday afternoon.....................my nap this afternoon was rudely interrupted by two sounds.  One, the sound of thunder and two, the sound of a cocker spaniel that has never heard thunder before.  Hearing the thunder and not knowing what to do about it, he could only bark at it.  R.A.M.B.O. just stared at him like he was an idiot.  Which, he probably is as he kept running out the doggie door to see what the noise was.  Cockers are water dogs so the rain doesn't faze him.

Observation:  Unlike the Midwest, SoCal, well, the Los Angeles area rarely gets a thunderstorm.  Our rains are more semi-tropical.  The rain moves onshore and hangs around a for a while.  Usually, the rains are soft and can last a day or two.  Our average yearly rainfall is about 15 inches.  We do get hard ground pounders on occasion, but rarely lightning and thunder.  Over the years that I have lived here I have seen hailstorms once in a while.  This is such an uncommon occurrence that people come out into their garages and open the garage doors and watch the light show.  The forecast says that this storm will move through quickly, tho, and the night will be clear.

As for the babysitting trip yesterday, the baby and her mother were at a birthday party when I arrived.  They arrived back home around 3:30 and my son and his wife left around 4:00.  She was asleep and was put to bed.  She didn't wake until 5:30 and she would not leave my side all night.  She would cry when I went to the bathroom and she cried while I was in the kitchen fixing her dinner. As soon as I returned to the sofa where she was she would stop.  I think she might be a KSU fan, though, as the game was on and she watched with rapt attention.  When the game was over, she whimpered at the loss.  She was soon happy when I found "Beauty and the Beast" on another channel.  As I type this it appears the storm, at least the lightning and thunder have moved on.

Larryj

[larryJ]

I let the dogs in early this afternoon, anticipating the oncoming rain.  The weatherman says we could get up to one-half inch or so.  Well, that is what he said yesterday.  Today, he has decided it might be less as the storm will not hit us head on.  Anyway, I didn't want the dogs outside just in case.  The patio is covered so they would stay dry, but I was being nice.  Which, of course, they managed to make enough noise to wake me from my nap.

Observation:  Upon waking from my brief nap, the news channel was talking about a basketball game..............in Coronado..........
a college game............attended by the big O and Mrs. O in honor of veterans......................on the deck of an aircraft carrier!

How much do you think it has cost us, the taxpayers, to stage this game on an aircraft carrier, complete with a wood court, hoops, lights, bleachers, big screen TVs, seating by invitation only, I think.  No mention of how much the tickets were, but I bet it doesn't cover the cost of pulling this game off.  Was this set up by military personnel or were civilians used?  What would happen or will happen if this rain storm gets there?  Well, that's not likely.  The rain would not get there before the game will be over.  But, all that equipment will still be there for the most part and get wet.  I am shaking my head at whoever made this decision.  What were they thinking?  Especially on Veterans Day when there are homeless veterans who could use some help with that kind of money.  In a word, I am....................................................................

DISGUSTED!

Larryj

[larryJ]

Addendum..................now I hear there is a duplicate setup below deck in case of rain! 

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Larryj

[jarhead]

Especially on Veterans Day when there are homeless veterans who could use some help with that kind of money.  In a word, I am....................................................................

DISGUSTED


You aint the only one Larry

[larryJ]

Not wanting this to become political.............I have not been a big fan of the Obama administration, feeling that his policies are a little misguided, to put it nicely.  If this was his idea, this basketball game, then I really don't like him much.  Even so, if one of his lackeys came up with this brainstorm, he didn't say no. 

Obviously, this game had to go through some hoops (pun intended) to make it happen.  The Department of Defense, The Secretary of the Navy, etc.  How come somebody didn't say "no, this is not a good thing." 

Okay, I'm through with this.  This is not what I meant for this thread to be.  I will sign off on this one and go back to the lighter side of life.

Before I have a stroke. 

Larryj

[larryJ]

Observation: or question:  Is it me or my computer or is it the forum clock that is still on Daylight Savings Time?  My computer seems to be on the correct time, therefore, I am on the correct time.  Yet, I notice that posts are being made before the time has actually happened, taking into account the two hour time difference.  Heaven forbid, maybe I am getting senile! 

According to the little date and time thingie in the upper left hand corner by my profile picture, it indicates, I am assuming, my sign on time as 9:10:53.  Given a two hour time difference, it is 6:09 pm here, it should have read 8:10:53.  However, I did not get my nap today so I could be a little off.

Larryj

[larryJ]

As a test, I signed off and back on again.  My sign on time was 9:22:00, and it should only have been 8:22 there.  And further, my time of sign on here is 6:10 pm.  So the forum clock is 1 hour and ten minutes off.  Somebody try this and tell me I am not totally gone.

Larryj

[flintauqua]

As a test, I signed off and back on again.  My sign on time was 9:22:00, and it should only have been 8:22 there.  And further, my time of sign on here is 6:10 pm.  So the forum clock is 1 hour and ten minutes off.  Somebody try this and tell me I am not totally gone.

Larryj

Larry, you're not wggin', the Forum clock is off.  The big hand hasn't been turned back an hour for the end of Daylight Savings Time, and the little had is right at 10 minutes fast.  The little hand gains at the rate of a minute every few weeks.  I noticed this several months ago, and made a statement to the effect that it must be a result of all the forward-thinking that takes place here!

[larryJ]

Thanks, Flint, I feel much better now knowing I have not completely lost it.  Which brings me to this............

Observation:  Philosophizing: Since I have been retired going on six years now, I wake up very early, around 5 or 5:30.  I do this naturally meaning no alarm clock involved.  I program the coffee pot to start making coffee at 4:45 so the coffee will be ready when I get up.  I pour my coffee, let the dogs out of their crates, turn on the computer and begin reading e-mails, reading the news, working the crossword, checking my bank account, and so on.  On the days when my two oldest granddaughters come here, I do set the alarm clock to insure that I am up, but I really don't need it.  

That said............many ask me why do you get up so early?  Usually, my better half has migrated towards the middle of a king size bed and is sno..........sleeping noisily.  And, I know that when I do wake up, I will not be able to go back to sleep and I don't like just laying there.  I guess the answer is that I love to see the sun come up and start the new day.  I love the peace and quiet associated with being the only one awake.  I feed the dogs and they are content to lay around with no interruptions.  I read the paper, sign onto the Forum and catch up with Elk County.  I love the solitude.

All of this comes to a crashing halt when my better half calls me on the phone (that's right, calls me on the phone)(from thirty feet away) and asks for room service..............coffee.  I make her coffee and nuke it until it's boiling and take it to her.  It is at this point I find out what I am going to be doing for the day.  

The point here is I feel I get a head start on the day, just enjoying the wonders of the morning dawn.

And then I need a nap!

Larryj

[Judy Harder]

I thought I was the only one who liked to beat the birds up.
I use to be able to sleep till 9 or 10 and then drag around the rest of day. Then I adopted Scooter (fox terrier) and his inner alarm clock is set at 12 hour intervals......meaning I can get by without him bugging me until about 5 in the morning, cause when he hears the Jeopardy theme song that is when I get up to start fixing my supper, i.e.. He is going to eat!!!.

I have tried to make it later, but was sitting with him almost in my lap and listened to his tummy growling and felt sorry for him. If mine rumbled like that I would have to eat too.

Then once I got up at that time, I found I liked it. Now, when I worked hospital work, one of my shifts started at 7 am and I had to get up early enough I was able to eat breakfast at the hospital, plus the only time I got away from family was at 4:30 each day, got to enjoying the peace and quiet and even managed to read a chapter in whatever book I was reading.

Now, in summer time, I would take my first cup of coffee out and enjoy the area waking up. Each bird and each neighborhood has its own sound. Then when it got to be a habit, and I retired........really my disability got where I could not work safely.
No one wants their baby held by someone who dropped things. Oops.

Now it is a Natural habit to just open eyes around 4 and maybe getting a short nap. If Sassy or Scooter think I am awake they will pester me until I get up.

Once up, I am up and of course, my bladder and joints tell me just how long I can stay down, too.
Enjoy your quiet time and keep up with the observations.......I am enjoying your blogging.