Balloon ahoy!

Look what May Bee and I saw while on our walk this morning at Red Bud Park! 

Later (after the Balloon Chase Team had peeled out of the park to track their partner in the sky), while May Bee and I were plodding along in the August heat, my preacher's wife went jogging by, effortlessly running without breaking a sweat--and putting us to shame.

Balloon aloft! (Just a few seconds after asking his passenger, "Are you afraid of heights? No? Good!")

Owl Babies, All the Way!

I don't know if this will work or not, but if this embed code works, you may be able to see owl babies. OWL BABIES! FOR REAL!

Live Streaming by Ustream.TV

Double Rainbow, all the way.

GREAT weekend at Bethany & Catrin's new house on The River, but since I only had my cell phone camera and have to email myself all of those photos as phone messages, it will be a while...

In the meantime, turns out that, as usual, I'm a month late and a dollar short. When the guy on Marketplace Money was talking about the Double Rainbow Joy guy, I didn't have a clue.

Here's the scoop, for you other old-timers like me who missed the Rainbow Exuberance...and I'm NOT making fun of him, either! If more people were moved to tears by double rainbows, this world would be a lovelier place!


UPDATE: River weekend pics are up! Click HERE to see 'em! All taken with my cell phone...and turned out surprisingly okay.

Oh, and Russ just sent me the N.C. lottery's parody of Mr. Double Rainbow, All the Way...and it turned out surprisingly funny!

I write like...

I write like
Cory Doctorow

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

I've never used the words "sweet" and "spider" together before...

...but this video is actually sweet and scary and spider-related all at the same time. (What a sweet couple!)



This one, otoh, is just sick.

Wordless. Tearful.

It's been a little hectic, to say the least!

We've been in Germany for THREE WEEKS now, and I haven't had time to post even once. All I can do is say that it's been go, go, GO every single day which is just the way we all like it.

In the meantime, you can check out pics on Flickr!

Auf Wiedersehen,
me

Oberammergau...I can hardly believe it.

 I have wanted to go to Oberammergau's Passion Play ever since I first heard of it, even before I took German at Governor Mifflin Junior High and with Herr Douple & Herr Leininger at Wilson High School! It is hard to believe that, Lord willing, our group will be watching the 41st production of the Bavarian village's play next month. (In fact, while watching this video, emailed to me by Kirsten yesterday, I cried. Cried!)

Miss the NPR puzzle? I gotcha covered.

Today it was my turn to transcribe the NPR puzzle for the Google Group and Topica list. Enjoy!

               * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Synopsis of
NPR Weekend Edition puzzle
with Liane Hansen & Will Shortz
2010-05-30


Liane and Will both began the puzzle segment with mea culpas (meae culpae?) and corrections. Liane said many listeners informed her that Eleuthera Island is in the Bahamas, and Will had to admit that Shakespeare did have a character named Edward, namely King Edward in Richard III.


The Current Challenge, given 20100523), from:
http://n.pr/dvxbv8


Name a country that is spelled as a solid word. Change two consecutive letters in it to a single R. The result will name a problem that this country has traditionally faced. What's the country and what's the problem?


The answers were Malaysia & malaria.


Liane reported more than 1,000 entries. The on-air player, randomly drawn from among the correct submissions, was Dave Taube of Eugene, Oregon, who says he's been playing the puzzle for about a year and a half. He's a "house dad" and a landlord who rents to students attending the University of Oregon. There is an amazing story about Mr. Taube at http://bit.ly/cZ6eFi , and I'm so glad he got a chance to play on the air with Will & Liane! Dave listens to KLCC, hittin' Eugene with 81,000 watts of power at 89.7 FM.


THIS WEEK’S ON-AIR PUZZLE: Will gave Dave, Liane, and NPR listeners a word. Puzzle players were to change one single letter of that word to come up with a common name for a newspaper. For example, if Will said "tomes," the answer would be "Times."


CLUES (answers at the end of this synopsis):


1.  tribute

2.  posh

3.  hedger

4.  glove  (Hint: "There's one in Boston.")

5.  resister

6.  empress

7.  would

8.  reword

9.  deporter

10. lender

11. onion

12. preps

13. nets

14. sue

15. stay



Matt Dembicki, the editor of a graphic anthology called Trickster: Native American Tales ( http://bit.ly/aZ6HVh ), read Dave the list of prizes he won for being the on-air player. (I've already ordered 2 copies of Trickster for my library!)



NEXT WEEK’S CHALLENGE comes from Eric Iverson of Eagan, Minnesota.: Take the name of a nationality and write it in lower case letters. Remove the first letter and rotate one of the remaining letters 180 degrees. The result will be another nationality. What nationalities are these?



Answers must be received by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday.
One entry per person. NPR no longer accepts entries by e-mail. Be
sure to include a telephone number where you can be reached if you
are selected as the winner.  Entries may be made at the web page:
http://www.npr.org/templates/contact/index.php?columnId=4473090
(Puzzle enthusiasts can navigate there easily from:
http://www.npr.org/puzzle )


               * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Editorial notes:

Puzzles & contents of Weekend Edition/Sunday puzzle segment
are copyrighted by Will Shortz and NPR. Reprinted here with
permission.



This summer's puzzle transcription schedule:

2010-06-06        Jerry
2010-06-13        Richard
2010-06-20        Joe
2010-06-27        Jerry
2010-07-04        Joe
2010-07-11        Richard
2010-07-18        Joe
2010-07-25        Jerry


We expect to resume our regular schedule in August:

1st       Kristy
2nd      Richard
3rd       Joe
4th       Jerry
5th       Richard


Our email addresses:

Kristy Fowler gmail.com>

Richard Renner igc.org>
Jerry Miller muohio.edu>
Joe Wander gmail.com>


So e-mail for next week's synopsis goes to Jerry Miller muohio.edu>.


    * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


Guest editor’s notes from Kristy:

Liane's story on World War II veterans stated that only 10% of our nation's WWII veterans are still alive. Here is Thursday's obituary for John W. Finn, the last of the 15 Navy sailors who received the Medal of Honor for heroism at Pearl Harbor.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/28/us/28finn.html

 
President Obama's weekly address, this week entitled "Honoring the Fallen."
http://bit.ly/c1ydA7


Read the entire text of Richard III at http://bit.ly/dciXAk . 



Passport? Check. Camera? Check. Baggallini (designed by flight attendants!)? Check. Deutschland, hier komme ich! (I will, however, leave the applesauce at home.)
http://bit.ly/afCALa


    * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

From this week's mailbag:

Nichts.


    * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


Editor’s notes from Richard Renner (email: rrenner igc.org ):

I distribute these free weekly synopses of the NPR puzzle segment, with the help of a crack team of substitutes.  You can read more about this free distribution at:
http://groups.google.com/group/nprpuzzle/topics
You can subscribe from this page, too.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to:
nprpuzzle-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at:
http://groups.google.com/group/nprpuzzle?hl=en

If you want to remove your address from the former Topica list, send a blank email from your account to:
nprpuzzle-unsubscribe@igc.topica.com
To change the email address of your subscription, remove the old one (from the old email account), and add the new Google subscription (from the new email account).  For more information about this list, and an archive of those distributed by Topica.com, visit:
http://igc.topica.com/lists/nprpuzzle@igc.topica.com/read
or, for more information about the Topica mailing service, visit:
http://lists.topica.com/

NPR posts the weekly challenge (and the previous answer) on its World Wide Web page.  Go to www.npr.org, and select "Weekend Edition Sunday” from the "Programs" pull-down menu. You can also  pick up a recording of Weekend Edition Sunday program in the Real Audio format, after noon Eastern time each Sunday.

In the alternative, for the text of the weekly listener challenge, you can go directly to:
http://bit.ly/NyGkQ

Podcasts are available at:
http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_directory.php

From:
http://bit.ly/3Ys9XT
How do I subscribe to this podcast?
Copy the URL [above this paragraph] into your preferred
podcasting tool software (e.g. Odeo, iTunes, iPodder). You will
automatically receive this podcast each time it's published.

Follow Liane on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/nprLiane

Links of interest!
American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (Mar. 18-20, 2011):
http://www.crosswordtournament.com/
Merl Reagle’s article on constructing crossword puzzles, available at:
http://www.crosswordtournament.com/articles/inq031697.htm
World Puzzle Federation:
http://www.worldpuzzle.org
Register for the 2010 USA team's August 21 championship at:
http://wpc.puzzles.com/register/index.htm
More of Ed Pegg Jr.'s puzzles are available at:
http://www.mathpuzzle.com
To learn more about this July's National Puzzlers’ League convention in Seattle:
http://conpac.puzzlers.org/
Kristy Fowler & Joe Wander both highly recommend:
http://www.wordsmith.org/awad
You can join Kathie Schneider's email list for accessible word and logic puzzles.  To subscribe, send a blank email to:
blind-puzzlers-subscribe@googlegroups.com
For results of the 5th World Sudoku Puzzle Championship:
http://wpc.puzzles.com/wsc2010/


Richard Renner
Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto, LLP
3233 P St., NW
Washington, DC  20007
202-342-6980
202-342-6984 FAX
330-224-0359 cell

rrenner  igc.org
rr  kkc.com

www.whistleblowersblog.org



               * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

CLUES and ANSWERS:


1.  tribute: Tribune

2.  posh: Post

3.  hedger: Ledger

4.  glove: Globe

5.  resister: Register

6.  empress: Express

7.  would: World

8.  reword: Record

9.  deporter: Reporter

10. lender: Leader

11. onion: Union (Liane mentioned, "There's already a newspaper named The Onion!")

12. preps: Press

13. nets: News

14. sue: Sun

15. stay: Star



End of NPR puzzle synopsis.

It's like losing a friend. Seriously.

Texans love their trees...and we West Texans love them more than most! The respite they give us with their shade, the effort it takes to get them established, and their GREEN, VERTICAL beauty in a largely BEIGE, FLAT region of the state makes them dear to our hearts. Losing one really hurts.

Seriously, Karen and I are really sad. Every time we looked in the backyard yesterday, we just mourned...

The dogs aren't too upset. Ben wants to tinkle on every fallen branch while May Bee searches for birds' nests and squirrel babies (a.k.a. "appetizers").

I'm hoping Mrs. Squirrel and her babies found somewhere else to live. Here's a photo I took of her last month.

And we're going to miss the amazing SMELL of this beautiful tree. Last month, it was almost obscene...like standing next to a man on the elevator who went a little overboard on the cologne. (Karen was driving down the alley once in April and said she could smell our backyard before she could even see it.)

R.I.P., beautiful chinaberry tree.

The worst morning contest? I won it.

You know that horrible recurring dream about being in the shower...with a head covered in shampoo...when a giant waterbug (a.k.a., "ROACH!") falls from the ceiling and right onto your body? ONTO YOUR WET, NAKED BODY?

It happened. 

And not some petite Pennsylvania-sized roach, either, but a take-no-prisoners, TEXAS-SIZED behemoth.

I was able to kill it by stomping on it repeatedly, while screaming like a little girl...which brought May Bee to the rescue! (Ben snoozed through the whole thing.)

The team of Viennese psychiatrists it's going to take to restore my mind are going to be expensive, but worth every Euro...

UPDATE: Last night at the Bushes, as we watched 24, this commercial came on and made me laugh out loud. Maybe the roach that landed on me in the shower just  thought we were "dipping skinny."

 

UPDATE 2: So this morning, a friend suggested that I invest in the Bugzooka! It's the coolest...check out the VIDEO!

We're OLD and stuff.

 

Hey, check it out! Houston's not the only one who can grill! And yes, I do realize that the salmon is a little...umm...blackened, but it was pretty good for a first attempt! CHARCOAL ALL THE WAY, BABY!

Thanks to Christine for the asparagus from Bobby's garden, and thanks to Karen for bending the grate into shape and for the advice ("Buy a gas grill.").

In other news...when Karen and I were little, we pretended we were little old ladies named "Miss Snow" and "Miss Fondle" (long story) as we sipped our tea from playset teacups. Somehow along the way, we actually BECAME these two lively ladies. (Not sure when we got old, but old we are...as you will see from the following conversation.)

Me: Hey, do you have cable at your house?

Karen: Nope.

Me: Have you heard that there's some reality show that has a player named "The Situation?"

Karen: "The Situation?" That's his NAME?

Me: Yeah, I think so. I've never seen it.

Karen: Well, his mother couldn't have *named* him "The Situation." That's ridiculous. Do other people call him "The Situation," or does he call himself that?

Me: No clue, but I agree with you. It just can't be his real name...no mother would do that. Well, on the birth certificate, anyway. Maybe she calls him that behind his back. Like how June and Ward called their son "The Beav."

Karen: June and Ward did NOT call their son "The Beav." Only the obnoxious neighbor did that! You know. That one kid. The red-headed one. Wally? Eddie?

Me: Ooh, Eddie Haskell! 

Karen: Right! 

Me: Are you sure they didn't call him "Beaver?" I'm pretty sure they did. Do you even remember his real name? I'll bet Timmy's parents on Lassie called him stuff that wasn't on the birth certificate...like "That Imbecile Who Keeps Falling in Wells and Mine Shafts." Or "The Kid Our Dog Keeps Alive."

Karen: That's not very nice.

Me: Neither is calling your kid "The Situation." It makes him sound like he's Dennis the Menace or something.

Karen: I'll call Houston. He'll know.

Me: HA! Speaking of a situation!

Our house. In the middle of our street.

Have you ever been invited to an Uppercase Living party? Well, I recently went to one, thinking it would be just another Tupperware, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, etc. event (good thing I love all of those, btw, since I work on a faculty of ladies!), but it was really fun and different. 

Since my neighbor was having the party, I was able to run to my house with these 3 little vinyl swatches to see which color I liked the best. (If there are gonna be giant WORDS applied to my wall, they need to be a pretty color!)

Ooh, this is pretty blurry, but you can see that the Berry Red matched the hallway's second color (under the chair rail thingy) better than the Bordeaux or the Chocolate.

When Ms. Hill from Odessa (Sweetwater? Midland? somewhere west of here) delivered it, I reminded her of her promise to help me put it on the wall. (If sweet Ms. Hill hadn't helped me, it would still be in the box!) She whipped out a level and her painters' tape and went to town. She has some crazy skills.

And it's SO beautiful. I just love it. Uppercase Living, baby! Thank you, Susan, for inviting me, and thank you, Ms. Hill for making my hallway so...well...INSPIRATIONAL!

Now to find and frame some great B&W family photos...maybe with Berry Red mattes!

What would Moby eat?

Have you heard about KFC's "Double Down" sandwich?

From KFC's web site: "The new KFC Double Down sandwich is real! This one-of-a-kind sandwich features two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets (Original Recipe® or Grilled), two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese and Colonel's Sauce. This product is so meaty, there’s no room for a bun!"

And what Moby has to say (from his online journal): "a sandwich wherein the bread has been replaced by fried chicken and the pickles have been replaced by bacon. shouldn't there be a 'this will kill you if you eat itl' tax that is levied on food like this?

i mean, eating furniture would be healthier than eating this monstrosity. look at it, it even looks like some evil deep fried chicken muppet from some dark and menacing muppet swamp. like an evil creature from the dark crystal, perhaps a deep fried monster alligator hybrid. does each sandwich come with it's [sic] own team of emt workers, standing by with the defibrillator panels?"

Well, it's pretty apparent that anyone who values their heart (or hips!) is going to steer clear of the Double Down. (I personally would rather take nutritional advice from Moby, the Christian vegan, than The Colonel, widely known to be one of The Pentavirate.) :-)

Besides, Moby is an expert on the body. Enjoy "Bodyrock." 

P.S. I think these guys are *terrific* dancers. (Seriously! Moby and his friend may be alarmed, but I loved them!)

Actual family email exchange...

TO: Mom & Dad; Russ; Kristy; Houston
SUBJECT: Out of office Thursday & Friday

I’m going to be out of the office tomorrow and Friday, so please be aware that my sub will need to have access my e-mail.  Don’t e-mail any juicy family secrets, please!  LOL

Love,
Karen



*~*~*~*

TO: Mom & Dad; Russ; Karen; Houston
SUBJECT:  RE: Out of office Thursday & Friday

Hey, Karen!

San Antonio is great...and I just ran into our cousin, Jamie. He's out of prison...and five years sober (YAY!). He said his stretch in The Pen really made him reexamine his life so I'm sure he'll be fine. He couldn't stay with Aunt Dorothy because of the restraining order, but Uncle Fizz is letting him crash on the sofa until he graduates from the locksmith course.

Love,
Kristy

P.S. He said to ask you where you hid the loot. (I didn't understand his cryptic message, but he said you'd know...)

P.P.S. Oh, well, back to the library conference. There's a session at noon about which Dewey Decimal number we should use for books on peaches since they're technically a "stone fruit." The debate should get rather heated and loud, and I don't wanna miss THAT!



*~*~*~*


TO: Kristy
SUBJECT: RE: RE: Out of office Thursday & Friday

You're wicked.