After The Storm

  

All Grown Up

 


The geese of Remington Pond. 

A Pathetic Fish Story

Last month, Bucky Dennis set a record when he reeled in a 1,280 lb hammerhead shark off of Boca Grande, Florida.

Her age was estimated to be between 40 and 50 years.

She was pregnant with 55 pups.

Congratulations, Bucky. You killed 56 living creatures for no particular reason whatsoever. If you're trying to compensate for something, may I suggest buying a hybrid SUV?

What a stupid, pathetic lot we humans can be. No wonder Mother Nature gets so pissed with us at times!

Enjoying

Strawberry Wine from Spookhill Farms in Adams, New York.

My husband's review: "You can taste the spirit of the strawberry in this wine!"

And more to the point, it's on sale for three bucks a bottle right now.

Well, what a coincidence!!

A Welsh psychologist has determined that, statistically speaking, today is the happiest day of the year!

This morning, the DHL courier arrived at my door, bearing a large envelope. I was a little confused, as I hadn't ordered anything recently.

The letter inside read:

Dear Rose:

CONGRATULATIONS!! You have been selected as a first prize winner in the "Ultramodern Electrosol Second Chance Sweepstakes." We are pleased to enclose your prize of an Apple iPod!

On behalf of Reckitt Benckiser, we wish to thank you for your interest and participation in the "Ultramodern Electrasol Instant Win Game," and we hope that you enjoy your prize.

Sincerely,

Maggie Bystron
Promotion Management

And Lo!
And Behold!

I held in my hands a 2 gigabyte iPod Nano. It is a thing of beauty, no?

Thank you, Maggie Bystron. Thank you, Reckitt Benckiser. I had completely forgotten about entering that contest. I think it was sometime last year. Obviously I didn't win the grand prize of a Mini Cooper, and I was unaware of any further drawings.

Electrasol Gelpacs and iPods RULE!

Just a few miles to go

I was pleasantly surprised, and somewhat perplexed, to see dozens and dozens of cyclists on my road. It was only when I mentioned to my husband that I had seen a rider on an arm bike (hand powered recumbent) that I clued in to the fact that all of these cyclists were participating in the 2006 Pedal For Medals Ride to benefit New York Special Olympics. It's a 300 mile, 4 day trek from Saranac Lake to Cortland County.

The man on the recumbent was none other than SSG Roy Mitchell. He uses an arm bike because he lost his leg during combat operations in Afghanistan.

Gentle reader, dear friend, please check out the Pedal For Medals site. If you feel inspired in any way, please click on the "donate" icon, and put the name "Roy Mitchell" in the comments section of your easy-as-pie Paypal transaction. 

Madame Butterfly

 

Thompson Park Zoo, Watertown NY, 21 June 1006 

When nostalgia hurts

From time to time, I like to read the online version of my hometown newspaper.

Unfortunately, my internet rounds this morning constituted such a time.

I say "unfortunately" because the news from my hometown is particularly disturbing today.

A high school classmate - a hometown boy who made good, a nice guy who finished first, a good kid who by all accounts went on to become a good man and a great teacher - has been charged with sexual exploitation and luring a child through the internet. A publication ban, imposed by the Justice of the Peace who granted bail to this man, precludes any understanding of just what the hell that means.

I want to believe that he is innocent. I want to believe that this is a horrible misunderstanding. I want to believe in my own abilities as a judge of character.

And at this moment, I want a martini to wash away all thoughts that I could be wrong.

The proper use of celebrity

Cher - yes, that Cher - has teamed up with Operation Helmet to help raise awareness of problems with helmets used by the US military.

She is making headlines, mostly in the entertainment section - and it's a good start. A quick Google News search shows that this isn't front page, "serious story" material yet. Hopefully that will change. Cher will be appearing before the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces this afternoon.

This is very important issue to us.

Thank you, Cher.

The deer on Fort Drum are bold and ubiquitous, but this is the first time I've managed to get a picture of one. 

Four guys named Jack. 

Presenting the world's most smoochable baby, my nephew, J.P. 

Batman and Spiderman, ready to save humanity.