TaggsWorld

Living Room Detail Pieces

2009-04-11T19:29:00.005-07:00

Some of the pics I've put up really don't do the woodwork justice, a buddy left a camera to play with so..... Natually Photobucket's lost it's mind, but it's cool Here I can load them right off the Hard Drive, other Places you need a link. But for now
Here are the Pieces on the Big Aquarium, this is J's work, the big one is a jewelry box.
the two smaller flanking ones are post apocalypse wire sculpture, J is a wildman for detail. Right now we're gathering the parts for a mobile robot sculpture, lots of lights chrome and cool paint with some wood trim to give it contrast.
In the mean time Here's another Jewelry box in the living room.The Table was Made Here too, we're pretty Multi Medium, Wood, Glass, Metal, Food, Upholstery, whatever, its all fun.
To Create Feed's the Soul, to Destroy is to have lost it.
Most of My Wood work is either much smaller, Pipes, Pinewood derby Cars or much bigger, Guitars, Amps & Speaker Cabinets. Metal's the same way, it's either really big, or I do the details. Mainly though I just keep the computers running and do the absolutely bizarre electronics on the cars. The Wiring on the Conti would piss off the Pope, It's got all the original Gauges, Lights and Switches, plus a full set of Moderns Hidden down the dash. An Extra Pair of Electric Fans on a thermistor, Running Lights on the Rims and the Stereo right now consists of 5Disc Pioneer in the trunk, 4) 12', 4) 6" mids, 4) Ribbon Tweeters, a 2 channel 500 watt on the woofers (electronic x-over at 200hz down), 2 channel 300 watt, (electric x-over at 150 hz up), and a passive x-over at 2500hz down for the mids and 2000hz up for the tweeters.
Subject to change as cars and parts become available.

Woot
big fun

New Frittata

2009-04-11T16:42:00.003-07:00

Another case of Tagg pushing the Brunch Envelope,

It seemed such a waste to finally get the kitchen clean and not utilize it. I'm real big on using things up, I hate it when everything in the fridge turns into a science project, so, cruising the fridge and the cupboards I ended up with this, I'm definately adding this to my fun foods.

1 cup cooked brown (or Dirty) rice
1/4 cup diced onions
1/4 cup diced cooked chicken
1 link elgin (what can I say, its Texas) garlic sausage cooked and diced
5 eggs
2 tblsp cold butter diced
2tblsp heavy cream
fresh diced cilantro
small roma tomato, diced
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack
salt & pepper (I use Salt gone Wild)

I used my big aluminum Saute' pan for this

turn the oven to 400
start the pan on a top burner
just enough Olive oil to cover the bottom and sides
I usually wipe it with a heavy (those brown ones) paper towel to spread it thin

and the onions, and the sausage (don't scorch, it will stick) just soften the onions without browning
while thats happening in a bowl break the eggs, add the cream & the diced cold butter, whip with a fork, add salt & pepper, whip to a froth,add the rice and stir

add the chicken to the sausage and onions
remove from heat
add a dash more EVOO, toss around
pour in the egg mixture, stir lightly and place in oven

after 5 minutes pull it out and lift around edges to let uncooked egg run under
return to oven 5 more minutes
it should be almost set at this point
sprinkle 1/2 cilantro over the eggs
spread the Monterey Jack over the entire Frittata
place under broiler just until cheese starts to brown & bubble
cover with tomatos & remaining Cilantro
Remove to serving Platter
Serve in Wedges with Salsa or pretty much whatever

The Brown Rice Frittata is born
Next I'm going to try it Cajun
with Red Beans, Rice & Shrimp

Betic

2009-04-11T15:58:00.004-07:00

Three day weekend, Betic and the Train Catchers are down for the weekend. First thing he did was grab a milk crate full of cans and jumped in the pool for a warm up before they go out tonight.
It will be Betic, he lives for this, Jjr. he's into it too, but likes taking friends, M. will go, he's not an artist, but if your not supposed to do it he's in. It's always fun when the vagabonds drop in, somebody's always up, and generally someones passed out on a couch. Right now we've got Betic doing his thing in the pool, somebody crashed on the couch, J's out back working on the 455 heads

Jjr just left to watch the Diamondbacks game, and M's working on the Sx, I'm kinda wandering around playing with the computer and dealing with Fingus, she's pissed because it's raining and she wants to go out, she thinks if I won't turn off the rain like I do the shower it's incumbent on me to give her constant attention.
I have to share food too, she's turning up her nose at the current flavor of dry, but she'll eat my pancakes.
Yesterday I spent with Fingus in the Front yard, turning giant shrubs back into trees, it took 3 truckloads to haul it off, but they do look like proper trees now.
Just in time to, with the rain today they'll be exploding by the end of the week.
I'm really starting to get into the whole gardening thing, not just the herbs and vegetables for cooking, but the whole yard. It's really calming, Plants don't talk back, they don't wander off, and nobody gets upset if you kill and eat them...
It is cool, though, I mean you start with this little rock looking thing, some water and some dirt, and somehow this rock turns into something delicate and green fighting its way out of the dirt, its so fragile at first that you have to be careful watering it. Then it grows and thickens, the stalk firms up, then it blooms. I think everybody who has kids should try gardening, the principal is the same, even when their grown and bearing fruit, sometimes it's too heavy and they need some support. Next I'm going to plant a couple of avacado trees, It will be at least 10 years before they fruit, but somebody will enjoy them...
Fingus is climbing in my lap and on the keyboard and slapping the mouse, so that will be that for now.

The Stray Cats

2009-04-09T22:11:00.006-07:00

This is a Bar I occaisionally work at, Obviously it is "the Stray Cats Bar & Grill"
In real Life my Nickname is "Mouse", has been since Thanksgiving Day 1966.
Behind the Bar are Numerous Strays, I feed them (customers donate food, and all my tips go to food & getting them fixed), find them Homes when I can (Blossom is one of the Kats) their used to my voice and come when I tell them its chow time. There can be anywhere from 5-11 on any given day.
They have a pretty hard life, their life expectancy without a home is about 1yr. There are exceptions, Floozy has been back there her entire life (close to 3yrs) she had one litter of 4 before I got here fixed, I got homes for all of them, but can't find her one, everybody says she's too old, hell, she's pick of the mewling, friendliest, smartest if it weren't for Fingus I'd bring her home, When Blossom was hurting, tiny as she is she'd hold off the others and push him at the food and make him eat, she's got serious Maternal Instincts. This is Digi, one of Hers, and a Complete Success, He now lives with a Pug, that has adopted him, they sleep together, eat together and play together. As you can see, He's a little spoiled by his Humans too. So Far We've Placed 9 in the last 6 mos. I have to get them as soon as possible, after 6 mos, nobody wants them, I have no idea why
but that's how it is. It's not much of a life, but it's that or a Kill Shelter, the only No-Kill Shelters around want $250 per cat to take them in, I just can't afford it.
Just Keep doin what I can and take the Wins where I can get them.......

Tagg vs Kitchen

2009-04-08T22:14:00.003-07:00

See, I told you it would get clean, it's just easier to do it after the rest of the crew crash for the night. Of course, it's also true that it will be destroyed again, very shortly....
and, well, to be totally honest, just about the time I got this much done, went to my room to logon and give Fingus her daily requirement of attention, we hung out for a while, in the meantime,
a 327 block appeared, as did a mix and match assortment of powdercoated parts for both the 327 & 455, the seat is from the sx, the 70' Philco Tv I got going for J and now it sits in the dining nook. Gotta Love it. Full race Rims & Tires in the living room behind a chair. I do Love it, toys everywhere, hehehehe
It does seem a bit chaotic and Sanford & Son (I cooked BBQ For Redd Foxx), but, it doesn't just clutter, when we do get through with things, we're usually pretty proud of them. It's just, the projects keep coming faster than we can finish the previous ones. To really do it right takes time, that's part of the fun, watching it first disentegrate into it's component parts and then slowly, painstakingly go back together better than ever mechanically and rolling art aesthetically. Even to take wood and shape it, to release the inner form that it wants to be, it's worth it. One of my forms of creativity is food, the garden is part of it, I don't just make cold stuff hot. I start by growing it, picking it fresh, it should appeal to all 5 of the senses, if you think about it, the first thing you do is smell food, next you see it, then you touch it, and if it's crunchy, hear it, the last thing you actually do is taste the food.
All of the other senses are just as important....
Cooking is art, as are building cars, carving, painting and all of the more traditionally accepted modes.

Mare Tranquilis

2009-04-08T18:24:00.006-07:00

Of course it's not all chaos (well, alot of it is), but being OCD, I have to have small pockets of orderly around me. The Kitchen is a never ending battle akin to Sysiphus and the Rock, but the Patio I get to play with. You have to be careful opening cupboards, it could be food, dishes, carbouretors or amplifiers, doesn't everybody keep a shot peened 455 block on the floor?
I'll have it cleaned up after they all crash, it'll be back to this in 24 hrs.

The garden is starting to come up, so far sprouting I've got Bell Peppers, Beefsteak Tomato's, Sweet Basil, Chives, Jalapeno's, Chervil, Cilantro and Pablano's. When I get time next week I need to dig out and reset some of the edge bricks, when I really feel ambitious I need to dig up one 3'X3' section and raise it up level with the rest of the walk way. But for now, it will do.

Storage Units

2009-04-08T18:04:00.004-07:00

Who needs a garage when you've got a pool?
of course skateboardings out until we get it all sorted out.
Parts from the Rivieara & the 280sx
Had to get them out of the way for some frame & motor work
testing header clearances etc...
It's not as bad as it looks, most of that are parts that have been replaced, we just keep them around in case of a major oops, for testing paint & templates for additional bodywork, flares etc...

The ground effects stuff is all prepped for paint for the SX, just need to finish the top and some of the odd places, trunk/hood channels etc.... should get most of the peripherals painted up this weekend...The Camaro looks pretty naked, had to cut off one 1/4 panel to get the new fenderwell in, were going to play with the lines anyway, the 327 is coming together, still need to make some decisions, before we go much further, keep looking for the Powerglide or go with an alternate? Then we'll have a better idea of piston/cam/intake/carb combinations.

Scrub Nazi's

2009-04-08T17:50:00.002-07:00

I had to go back to the scrub Nazi's Last Wednesday. I was in good enough shape I got a straight pass to the Poke & Stick Section. Why do I always get the trainee's? At least they went for a relatively less brutalized vein. Saline, Atavan, Diloded, the usual crap. Your getting it from all sides, getting stuck in the left arm, another Trainee on the right asking questions they already know the answer too. Doctor trying to supervise both, more running in and out. They were pretty cool though, one kept getting me Hot Blankets out of the dryer. Then the fun really begins in addition to the usual Vitals, Tonight we get an EKG, I'm underwhelmed, between the IV's and the wires, it's pretty much a strait jacket to the bed. Oh, Joy, Chest X-Rays too. 20 minutes later, Repeat, apparently it wasn't angled right and the Doc wants another one. More Diloded, Something else, settled me down whatever it was. Nurse comes in with my drivers license, "would you like me to put this somewhere",
'yeah, that would be nice, how about the backpack?'
I haven't seen it since......

Doc comes in I've been here about 12 hours,
"your potassium's low, and your dehydrated, we'll have your bloodwork back on Monday"
'Same Shit?'
"well, we really don't know"
'Same Shit!'
"we can hold you for a couple of days"
'would you have a clue then?'
"well, we can't say for certain"
'I'm going home'
"here's your prescriptions, take it easy for a week,
no exertion, eat as much as you can, Hydrate"
(I get pissy in hospitals)
'Yeah, Doc, thanks, see ya'

Walked Home
Went to Bed
Fingus slept on my Neck
my favorite kind of uncomfortable

The Rest of the Living Room

2009-04-08T14:42:00.007-07:00

In all honesty we call our decor "Brady Bunch Gone Wrong" With Fantasy Wood Bric a Brac.
Then of course is our ongoing Ugly Lamp Contest

Most of the Wood Pieces are J's, when he gets in the mood he does amazing work.
He goes through cycles, the Cars, Woodwork, Upholstery, Bowling Balls or any combination thereof...

This is a speaker made from a bowling ball, 3) 6" in the ball, and 1) 10" under it

Big Fun, always plenty of new toys to play with...
Right now its Camaro time, the ancillary engine parts have already been cleaned up prepped and powdercoated. The Subframe we'll finish welding up this weekend. He got the right side fenderwell replaced and welded in this weekend. He had planned on some more Paint & Clear Coat on the Rivieara But the Wind was kicking up too much.
M's been doing alot of the prep on the 280sx getting it ready for Paint, the Bodyworks Ready, just Final Wet Sand and Shoot. (J's really pushing him to just get it fully street driveable, the paint will wait) It's driveable ie: starts, runs, gears & clutch function perfectly, front brakes are good, rears need a new solenoid. No Electronics Function, Headlights, Horn etc, the whole harness came out with the engine swap, and its all going to have to be hand run through the rails. Gee, wonder who's gonna get to do that? HEHEHE big fun, as long as its warm out..

Fingus has a bird in the living Room
I've gotta go.

The Aquarium

2009-04-08T13:15:00.003-07:00

This is the big aquarium in the Living Room, another one of J's constructions, as are the wood pieces on top. The aquarium is fully operational, the pump is up, it's got clarifier in the water, Lights operational, and it's home to 6 Bowling Balls. It's a really nice piece but it did seem like a bit of a waste. The Big Octagon one in the by the corner is totally empty, no water, no pump, nothing, so it doesn't bother me as much. I've got Jackie(the Betta)Chan in a little tank in my room. J's got two other tanks in his room, fully operational and full of fish. Then theres the Bowling Balls Underwater. J's been complaining that one of his gourami's is killing/assaulting the other fish. A-Ha, Let's put the big Gourami in solitary with the Bowling Balls.
I'm Glad J did that and not me, damn thing was too big for the net, so he grabbed it with his hand, it flopped out behind a chair, he got it, in the tank.
So, now the bowling balls will no longer be lonely & the gourami can pick on some one his own size.

Off The Wall Snack

2009-04-08T12:33:00.002-07:00

This is totally non-sequitor but I had the munchies today and made one of my favorite all time healthy munchie foods,

too easy

equal parts of

Karo Light Corn Syrup
Peanut Butter
Powdered Milk

Stir it all up real well in a large bowl
roll out some waxed paper
heavily dust it with Powdered Milk
Knead/Roll it into the Powdered Milk Until the Outside isn't sticky

Roll it Out to about 2" thick
Roll it up tight in the waxed paper
Refrigerate
When Hard, Slice and Serve

the fun thing is you can do anything with this
roll it out and cut it out with cookie cutters
add a filling and roll it up jelly roll style
and you can add anything to it
from cheerios-granola
raisins/craisins-dried banana's
choclolate chips

it's one of my favorite stealth health snacks for kids

The Dude

2009-04-04T09:57:00.004-07:00

Last weekend I was getting up, heading for coffee, (about 4am), and just as I'm pouring some strange dude comes in the back door. That's actually fairly normal around here. So the obvious questions is "hey, hows it going, who the hell are you?"
'Oh, like, dude, I'm just down for the weekend'
"cool, want some coffee?"
'yeah, dude'
So we hang out in the living room for awhile, he's cool, just a little dudish.
Back to the room, play with the computer for a few hours, by now everybody's up. He's friends with the rest of them, and they have plans. Cool, it's all good. Back to minding mine, they all go off to do they're thing, I'm just chilling. I hear some stuff in the backyard, its the Dude, now I know why he's here.
The Dude at work
For those of you unfamiliar with the "art" Dude does what he calls rolling canvas, ie, he paints train cars. Now that might sound like common vandalism, its not, there's a whole subculture out there that are into it. The artists, the benchers (they just walk around train yards taking pictures of what they like), bags (lousy artists). Anyway all the artists sign their work, the benchers then post up the ones they like the artist and where they took the shot. The artist's love seeing their work all over the country. They take it very seriously, Dude's tag name is Betic, to see his work just go to flickr and search for Betic, all his works are tagged that way. Dude stays up north, theres trains, but not like down here, so he comes down & Jjr and he go out and do there thing. The Train people are actually pretty tolerant if it really looks good and you don't cover up any of they're markings.
One of Betic's
Dude's Back this weekend, they're on a mission. The new light rail is up and running and all the local taggers have a bounty on it. First one to tag it and get it
to stay on for 24hrs, only one attempt (i'm aware of) has been made and he got caught. They're not as understanding as the Railroads.
He wants to do some work in my room, but I kinda want the brush work, to seem into whats already there, I've got one wall finished and the rest prepped, I'm holding out though, the guys are magic with the cans but, I want the texture.

L8RZ Dude's

The Garden

2009-04-02T18:55:00.003-07:00

Well, I've pretty much garden setup. The first sprouts are coming up. Although, I'm a little concerned with anything under the drippy faucet in the corner, they might be drowning. The rest are coming up nicely, I'm getting sprouts from all three varieties of peppers, the flowers in the corner and in the last box are shooting up. I've got a few tomato sprouts. No sign of the chives, basil or sage yet. I'll give it another week and if there's still no sign, redig and replant. But for now, I'm enjoying it and playing with toys (this one is just for show obviously)
Next it's going to be some Ivy to cover that bare wall, and a few cuttings for the ugly fence by my window. I'll get to that in a few days. I'm supposed to be taking it easy for a few days.

Fingus and the Great Out Doors

2009-03-24T06:23:00.002-07:00

Iĺl never under stand it. The bedroom window is open, the back sliding glass door is open, thatś not good enough. She giveś me crap, head butting, whining and running around the feet when I try to walk. Finally, you give in, open the door to the driveway, she runś out. She can clear the fence from the ground, she can bounce straight up to the roof, but going out the only door thatś closed is it. Sheĺl come in through the bedroom window, but going out, itś gotta be the only closed egress...
The window, she knowś I hate it cold. When itś warm and itś open, she wont go in or out of it, but let it get cold, sheś doing the whole whiney thing, she wants it open. Fine, I open the thing so she can go out. Does she? No, she just sits there and looks out it, as soon as I´m doing something else, she slinks off into the bathroom where its warm, I might not notice, and she can nap while I shiver.
The same thing goes for water, in her dish, it´s got to be clean and fresh, every 4-6 hrs, not even her own cat hair in it, but outside, any nasty stale puddle is fine.
Whatś up with that?
Dry Food, as long as there´s plenty of it is no problem, but canned. It has to be a seafood flavor, the flavor must be changed at least every 48hrs. If you give her more than a tablespoon she won´t eat it and it will get dry, then she won´t eat out of that bowl. If itś a pate´ style twice is it, she wants the shredded type. She turns up her nose at every cat treat ever made, but will be a pest until she gets a bite of my sandwich. She wont touch Tuna, but if I dont drain the liquid into a bowl for her thereś hell to pay. She loves that crappy bagged cheddar flavored popcorn, but wont go near catnip. Any of those cheap cheese and cracker comboś are great, the Ritz Bitz with peanut butter are cool, but cat treats just arent happening.
Pizza boxes have to be weighted down, she can open them, and will eat off all the toppings leaving nothing but a dessicated crust. Anything Im eating at the desk, she considers worth investigating and wants a bite. Outside, if it moves in the yard, she will kill it and eat it, but put it in her dish, all of a sudden sheś finicky.
Iĺl never understand Felines or Females, and the combination drives me to drink, but at least the Felines dont wreck the car or sell the motorcycle.

M s Turn

2009-03-22T10:35:00.002-07:00

M is M, heś our crash tester. He practices falling down riding bikeś home from bars. Heś pretty good at it and heals fast, but he does whine a bit about self inflicted injuries. He blew through this morning after a night out, and was tearing his room apart looking for clean clothes for an impromptu snowboarding trip. Heś headed for Flagstaff now. Heĺl come home with some new and improved way of hurting himself.

Jr. revisited

2009-03-21T07:42:00.004-07:00

Jr. is Jr. he does all the graffiti artwork around here. He works with me part time as a cook, and spends alot of time hanging around tattoo joints learning the trade. Heś pretty anthropomorphic, he prefers being alone in his room to being around groups. Of the 4 of us heś the least interested in the vehicles, other than painting them, putting gas in them and getting from point a to point b heś just not into it. His ride is a nissan pickup, he putś gas in it and lets us know when itś making a noise or wont start. Heś got a beautiful Bianchi single speed, I woke up to the sound of the grinder, he removed the kickstand and ground down the mounting tabs to make it more aesthetic. To the best of my knowledge heś only ridden it once. All in all, heś a good little bro to have around, he fitś in perfectly in a dysfuntional juvenile delinquent household.

Jr.

2009-03-21T07:40:00.002-07:00

The Patio

2009-03-21T07:23:00.002-07:00

Ive been working on the Patio/Garden, itś pretty much cleaned up. I need to get to Home Depot for seeds and get them in on the next day off. I still need to get one of the roomies to help me move those rain gutters, and chrome for the Rivieara to a new location. The next step will be a sheet of 3/4¨ 4X8 adx cut in half the long way, a 1/2 gallon of varathane, and 3) 2X8ś Iĺl slice up here, Im going to build a bar around the Palm Tree, and hang some Coleman lanterns from it. Big Fun.

One of the Drifterś

2009-03-21T07:10:00.001-07:00

This is one of Mś Drifter Friends,
getting some brake work done.

The Lair

2009-03-21T06:56:00.002-07:00

Tagś Lair, well, actually itś Fingus, but she lets me stay as long as I clean the litter box and open cans.

Toys on the Floor

2009-03-21T06:27:00.005-07:00

I was going for the morning espresso, when I noticed a couple of blocks by the rear kitchen door. Fresh from the shop for cleaning a 455 for the Riviera and a 327 for the Camaro. The 455 is getting a little pump up just because itś going to be moving alot of metal, we lightened where we could but thatś still alot of iron. So, a cleaning bore, Solid Lifters, low lift long duration 3/4 grind cam,the Intake is an Edelbrock Hi Flow aluminum, The Carb is an 850 double pumper, 9.5/1 pistons and the exhaust was fabricated by J, itś 2.5¨ off the head, match length 4 into 1 with a 3.5¨ collector. The body is pretty much spread around the backyard. The Motor is spread out from the Kitchen Door, Powder Coated Parts are on the dining room table, the rest is on the patio.
The 327 is pretty much theorhetical at this point, the body is stripped bare. The block is fresh and on the floor, 9.5/1 pistons in the box in Jś room. It came with a 3speed on the floor, weŕe going to try and find a powerglide and rig up a slap shifter. J will fab the pipes, weĺl probably cam it up a little, Electronic Ignition system, weĺl probably just use one of the Holleyś cluttering up the kitchen cupboards, But itś definately going to need a tall aluminum intake. If we can score the glide weĺl have to make some adjustments to the rear end, try to hustle up a posi that we can make gear changes on. Get a really tall stall speed and use the revś, balanced and set up we should be able to dyno 350hp and a theorhetical red line just under 8grand.
The Camaro Looking Bad and On Blocks.

Dayś Off

2009-03-21T05:40:00.002-07:00

I dont know when or how she got them, but those two huge pigeons that were nesting on the patio are MIA. It was just a matter of time, I spotted some featherś in the alley. She wont look me in the eye. I dont mind the pigeons, noisy, nasty, flying rodents and not exactly endangered, but she does know sheś not to touch the Owl that lives in the palm tree. We had issues with palm treeś a few years back when lived in an apartment complex. There were a bunch of Pigeons nesting up in these 2 palm treeś right outside our front door. She would go straight up a tree, snatch a pigeon, jump over to the roof of our building and bounce back down to the ground. Problem was those Palms would rub her stomache raw, then she had to have a bath and lotion on it. I finally convinced her it wasnt worth it. She adapted well, she would bounce up on the roof, hide behind an AC unit in the shade and between her and a tree. If one flew too low, she snatch them right out of the air. We did have certain arrangements though, No Toys in the house, if it was once or is still alive it stays outside. Stay out of the Kitchen, I know you can open & close cupboards but I dont want you shedding on Pots, Pans, Dishes or Food. Dont Flush the Toilet, Yes, the water goes away, No, You cant stop it, Dont keep flushing it. Once after a monster pigeon eating marathon, (I keep telling her not to eat the heads, feet or feathers) she yakked on the carpet, this means no canned food for 3 days, no matter how much you whine or bitch, it´s not going to happen. I wake up early on the 3d day and was making my way to the bathroom, when I saw it just before stepping on it. It was perfectly arranged, Lungs with the Heart still attached, Lovingly placed for my personal enjoyment. Looked like Hannibal Lechters Childhood Bird. She was waiting in the living room, all nonchalant. I gave her canned food.
Dayś Off are never dull around Fingus.

Tagg's Big Adventure, The Hospital round 2

2009-03-13T09:23:00.003-07:00

I've got the boogie bag and the backpack, so I'm feeling a little more confident. No time to even get a book out. IV in the left arm, the Doc pulls up a stool, he's going to give me a local, when the doc gets that comfortable and puts a tray and towel under the hand, it's not good. The damn local hurts more than anything so far, do the stoic thing and look away. Put brain on hold.
Gotta see what's going on, my for finger has been sliced open and now he's using a small knitting needle to pack some weird medicated 1/4" wide elastic into it. Kind of detached watching this...
Time to go upstairs, this time it's the 3d floor and exactly 1 room off my last one so it's right in the nurses station line of site, marvelous. They remember me, so, the side of the bed by the door is my right, they can put the IV infusion pump anywhere, they put it on my right, oh, the IV has to go in my left, so all the tubes go across the body, effectively trapping me in the bed. We have a go round about that, the compromise reached is that I get enough extension to make it to the bathroom (requires a bit of ballet) and to my closet but not to the door. Still goes across the body, foiled again.
As soon as that's sorted out, it's back to business, vitals, questions, pain level, drugs,
good ones too, all the usual, atavan, diloded, potassium, plus the broad spectrum's and saline in the IV.
Finally left alone, check out the length of the teather, I can reach the backpack, a shot of gin with emergence C and the same Eastwood film festival on AMC, bust out a sci-fi novel and a cookbook, adjust the bed and settle in. Routine until the RN comes back, how's the pain?
Fine
she looks at the 'puter
and hits me with diloded again
a couple of pills and out.

I wake up having a spazz, don't know where I'm at, can't find Fingus, chained to a bed, freak & panic attack.... Hit the button.
RN A.... comes flying in instant vitals, everything is way out of tolerances, she wants a crash cart, but I've got a living will, no extreme measures, no paddles, no feeding tubes, so it's chemical only, more IV hits, the vital stuff stays attached, she hangs out to monitor and talk me into calming down. I snap back to it's the hospital again, Hated but necessary. The medication kicks in and finally back to sleep.
Breakfast, Woot!, Scrambled Eggs, Hash Browns, Biscuit, Grits, Coffee (double woot), Couldn't eat it all, but it was good, felt much better.
The morning routine, Clint, Read, Vitals
Lunch, always good, it's the one meal with dessert, I don't usually eat them, but heck, I''m already sick...
The Doc comes in, they took culture's again, apparently they missed a bit of fang inside the knuckle the first time around, and aside from the cartilage damage it's causing this really fun infection that has yet to be identified (again). We'll get back to you. In the mean time it's multiple broad spectrums that will make you nauseus and screw with your stomache. Whoopee...
This happens before he leaves, he's right outside the door giving the RN instructions when the stomache lets loose, into the convenient container provided. I managed to make it to the restroom for round 2, Nurse A.... came in, she knew immediately, got me back in bed, took care of everything then wheeled in the 'puter cart, did the vitals thing and hit me with something, I had her write it down, can't find the paper right now, the stomache was instantly settled, couldn't wait for dinner. Wow. I want a gallon and a diy IV kit.
More Routine, Clint, I can't watch "for a few dollars more" again, find one of those cop show marathon's, cookbook, nap repeat...
Dinner, it's good, but whatever, I'm too out of it, need a cigarette, tell the RN at the next Vitals, "I NEED A CIGARETTE", she says ok, I'm baffled, she hits me in the IV and gives me a pill, What's a cigarette?
Routine all night, book, nap, back to clint,
ooohhh backpack.... shot of gin and emergence C
Routine
Breakfast, Woot!
OK, it's showtime,
call the nurse,
I need a shower, I'm going to have to be disconnected
OK, do you need anything?
No, I think I've got it.
I'm Free
Run through the shower, brush out the hair, street clothes, long flannel
I'm out, shut the door behind me, the elevator, and fire it up....
back inside buy a 50cent paper back, upstairs, back in the room, back in the shower, fresh pj's and hair back up. Back in bed, door still shut, over the loudspeaker, "this is a drill, no cell phones, no texting, no phones outside of building, this is a triage drill" repeat 3X's
cool, their going to be busy, I leave the door shut and chill with a gin and some Clint. It's pretty quiet out there, I peek out the door, Just the floor nurse at her station, right by my door and facing the elevators, blast...
Waiting, I hear the all clear, quick, into a nearby phone booth, street clothes, hair down, out the door and down. Puffin away... back inside buy a paper back, upstairs, the elevator doors open, one step out, eye contact with an RN on the phone, I'm busted, She looks down, giggling, she's going to let me make it. Back in the room, through the shower, back in the bed, door open, here comes the on duty RN cruises in and it's back to the Routine.
WOOTsquared, It's Rowan (screen name) She & Scott (screen name) had posted up on my Home Forum Where I was and why I wouldn't be posting. She had even brought me printouts of the Responses, Made MY Year. She hung out for about an hour, then I told the RN, you have to unhook me so I can walk her out. I'm Free, I walk Rowan out, we have a smoke, she heads for the Cat to meet Scott.
Back to the Routine
Dinner
Sleep
Doc, Your responding well, possibly out tomorrow
WOOT! get on the Phone (I Hate Phones)
Rowan In the am maybe,
Call me
cool
call the Boss, maybe in the am
cool
can't sleep, can't read (on book 3), can't watch Clint
2 vital's and 2 sleeping pills later I crash
Breakfast, good, whatever,
Doc, I could release you now, but because your still draining I can't clear you to work, and, well, knowing your history, if I let you go, you will find some new and fascinating way to reinfect it, so I'm recommending one more day, and yes, I've already notified your Boss's of this, so walking out would be a waste.
Expletive Deleted
The Hated Phone
Rowan, not today
no one at or from work is answering
they'll figure it out, Rowan Texts J-o the bartender for the day and she says cool.
I'm back to the routine, extra atavan, I'm out of gin.
7pm shift change, I get to wake up for vitals and an introduction, it's S***** from episode 1, She recognizes me,
you are from the downstairs smoking one, you are not to moving, not smoking....
she bustles away, back with a tray of stuff, we go through the vitals, and then she hits me, I lost count at 3 in the IV and 4 pills, she won that round, this time not only the atavan and prosonix but a nicotene patch on each shoulder blade, and I didn't wake up til she was off shift... score one for S*****
Breakfast
I'm up, I want a shower,
"not until the Doc's seen you"
crap, Long Leash I pack up everything but a cook book and the street's I'll be wearing. (Cigs & Lighter in the Flannel)
In bed when the Doc Shows, Take your Med's as Prescribed, and it does not say "To Be Taken With Beer!"
'can I go now?'
Yes
WOOOOOOOT!
Dreaded Hated Phone
Rowan 10:45
I'll be there
Restless Pacing Disconnected, showered ready
10:20 I'm in front of the Nurses station with bags
I'm Leaving
Wait, I've got your paperwork and prescription
Fine, you've got 4 minutes
Sign stuff
take papers
elevator down,
out the door
walking fast, almost to the street when I see her car, dive in, Light a smoke,
stop at the store, pick up a 40, she drops me at the house, I take a shower, and it's off to work...
woot, cater that night too...double woot

Tagg's Big Adventure, Work a Brief Respite

2009-03-12T10:57:00.003-07:00

Damn, it's good to be back at work. I missed everybody. Still got the Padwan on Friday Nights, He's soloing on Monday's, but I still have to be there 5-10 on Friday's in case it gets busy.
Lots to do, I have to get the place put back together, I'm anal about my Kitchen. Everything has to be clean, neat & organized, I can cook in the dark in my Kitchen. All the reg's missed me, I've been doing ton's of specials. Big Fun.
The hands doing ok, except for that forefinger it's really swelling, I'm getting pain and soreness in the forearm and inner bicep. I just figured it was old age twinges, I hurt myself all the time and don't notice.
I take a look on Saturday morning, it's really starting to hurt, there are red streaks running along the veins where the pain is. This is not good. I don't feel well, cramping, muscle spasm's. I had filled a boogie bag the night before but forgot it this morning. Not that it will do any good, my only relief is a Boss, and he won't be in until 4:30pm. I can't close the kitchen, it's only me and a newbie bartender, and even if there was another cook to call, I'm the only one that can do breakfasts. Its slow, resting in the pit alot. The bartender and a couple of the reg's noticed, I had a spaz behind the bar, they want me to go to the emergency room now. I can't, Scott (screen name) want's to drive me now. I can hang on an hour and a half, and I have to get the boogie bag.
4:35 I hear the Boss's whoopty pull in, I tell the bartender he's here grab Scott and were off, grab the bag, in the emergency room, straight to a cubicle, doctor right there, Vital's Time, Consultation's, More Dr's
We're going to lance it, but that's just for starters, your going upstairs.
Whoopee..

to be continued

Tagg's Big Adventure, The Hospital

2009-03-12T09:21:00.003-07:00

The Emergency Room is pretty crowded, mostly family and friends. I ask the nice lady where to sign in, she hands me a clipboard and a pen. I go find a seat as far from the madness as possible and as close to the bathroom as possible. Fill it out, turn it in, have a seat, answer the questions, "wait to be called".
Check on the back pack, Head out for a smoke, gotta nick out while you can. Back to waiting, thankfully I've got a good thick book in the backpack, and some snacks. Suprisingly the wait is only about 10 minutes. The take me to a screened off cubby hole all the way down the hall, Vitals time, 5min, Blood Draw Time, 10 minutes later a happy chubby guy comes in introduces himself as my rn and asks what I'm reading, turns out he's a sci fi buff and bibliophile too, cool. Doc, come's in takes one look at the hand, orders an IV and says prep him for upstairs.
I was thinking this was going to be a local and drain, what's with the "upstairs".
Doc takes off, RN says looks like you'll be staying, you'll be here for a while until they get a room ready, better go to the bathroom while you can.
Good Advice.

2hrs later I'm being wheeled up in my gurney, the nurse up here wants to know if I'm ambulatory, Yeah, I can walk, its my hand, see, (I get pissy in Hospitals).
I'm still in my street clothes, a real fashion statement in long john's and shredded jeans, and SRH t-shirt, wallabee's and a 420 baseball cap.
The Poking will now commence, the left arm gets a 3 into 1 I.V.
It's cold, here comes another Nurse, She's going to be my RN for the evening, she writes her name on the board, shows me how to work the call button and the tv, pulls in this totally cool stand with a laptop, full vitals setup and various other bells and whistles.
Vital's time again,
the computer is fired up, and the questioning begins, everything is covered, not just medical, religous, philosophical, moral, an hour later, after 3 pills and another bloodletting, she leaves with "call me if you need anything"
The Television selection sucks, CNN Live, 3 Local Network channels, Espanol, Fitness TV, TBS, Disc Advertising (seriously), AMC (the best of the lot), Discovery, Medical Television, PBS
that was it.
The book,
The Doctor comes in, tells me it's serious, they took cultures in the meantime its going to be broad spectrums through the IV, how's the pain?
'I've been better'
"I'll send in the Nurse, with a couple of things, and we'll talk in the morning"

back to the book,
here she comes
"Here's Ice Water, Swallow these"
small cup 3 pills,
I down em
"How do you react to 2milligrams of morphine?"
'I don't know, never really thought about it"
she pulls this monster needle and rig out, gets this little tiny bottle out, and sucks it into the rig.
It's hard to look stoic and cool looking at a 4.5" needle.
She unscrews and disposes of the dreaded needle, plugs a soft plastic tip into it, and screws it into an empty y-connector on my IV, she pushes down the plunger,
I smell this weird chemical odor, the brain is fuzzy and the body is numb,
when I woke up it was really dark in the room, I heard a tap, then the door opens, its Vitals, time. From Now on its at least every two hours, every shift change and before all medications. Whoopee.
I ask for some crackers, I was going to eat later at work, but ended up here.
She says sure and takes off, with her puter.
Nap, Read, Nap
She pops, in, hands me a plastic container with a tuna sandwich, it was a little soggy but I scarfed it, and thanked her profusely. She asks about the pain, Not much I'm still pretty numb, She hands me a pill, I'm out again.
Wake to Vitals, Read,
Cool, Breakfast in bed
Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Biscuit, Grits, Juice & Milk
Read, Nap, Damn IV's beeping again, time to change some damn thing.
Doc come's in, it's pretty serious we're narrowing it down, your going to be here at least a couple of days, if you had waited much longer you could have lost the hand.
If he's trying to scare me it's working. How's the pain? It come's and goes. I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Nurse comes in (a new one) How's the pain (she's looking at he computer thingy) it says here you've got some serious choices, diloded, demerol or morphine, which do you want?
I don't know?
Here, this is what they gave you last night.
Woot!
another visitor, An elderly lady wanting to know if I have any religous needs.
No Thank You.
another visitor
May I take your orders for lunch and dinner?
Oh Yeah,
2 entree's
12 Drink choices, up to 4
it's great
another visitor,
do I have Insurance
Nope
would I like to fill this out and see if I qualify for free medical
Yep
30 minutes later that's done
Nap, Read
Lunch, Damn good too, cherry cheese cake for dessert
getting bored, nothing on tv, eyes hurt from reading, head hurts from sleeping and I want a cigarette,
I buzz the nurse,
she comes in,
I need to use the restroom, can you disconnect me?
No Problem.
She Splits, My room is just to the side of the Main Nurses Station which faces the elevators. I'm in street clothes and it's crowded and busy out there, none of the nurses are looking my way, I'm waiting for one to open when I remember my smokes are in my flannel shirt, I grab it through it on and cruise to an open elevator.
Going down, just follow the crowd out to the front success. Ahhhhh, getting light headed from it.
Get lost going back, find a fire exit sign and memorize the floor plan and all exits. Should have thought of that sooner. Find the elevator, back up, easing back to the room, the floor nurse gives me the eye but doesn't say anything, I stash the shirt in the closet and get back in bed, find some clint eastwood film festival on amc and lay back. 30 minutes of freedom later the nurse comes in and chains me back down to the IV, more pain killers and pills.
Clint, Nap, Read,
Dinner, Woot,
I'm Getting shaky, the Nurse notices BP's through the roof, she' hits me with a couple more IV shots, and talks to me for a while, constantly monitoring she wants a crash cart, that shoots the BP up, she hits me again and I'm out.
Breakfast
Doc, It's looking good, swelling down if this keeps up, we can switch you to oral meds tomorrow and maybe out the next day.
Cool, get me out of here.
The Routine continues,
oh, wait, new scam,
Nurse can you disconnect me, I need a shower.
OK, here's everything you need, would you like a gown?
There's no way in hell, I'm wearing one of those damn things
She disconnects me,
I take a nice hot shower
crap, no brush, just a hair pulling comb.
I open the bathroom door, She's got 2 sets of blue striped flannel pj's laid out for me, I put on the streets and the flannel, and make a break for it, downstairs, puff it down, back in the room, another quick shower, into the pj's, stash the street clothes back in bed.
More Routine, finished the book.
Bored, Clint, Bored, Some Kid (about 17) pops his head in the door, I'm a volunteer is there anything I can get you?
Hell Yes, Here's $2 down by the front door is the gift shop, by the door they sell used books for .50 and a $1 I want you to go buy me the 2 thickest paperbacks you see. Can you do that?
He got close enough, he came back with one, A really thick Tom Clancy I hadn't read and my change, he can't count to 2 but he's a good kid.
Routine
Doc, Says Disconnect and he wants me to walk around the floor.
MUhahahahahaha
I'm Free
The Nurse of the Shift is S*****, her english is heavily accented, she's smothering in a nice way but smothering nonetheless.
It's 1am, the meds have worn off, I'm bored to tears and I want a cigarette, I head for the elevator, almost there, she comes around the corner, I'm busted, I keep heading that way, she says NO
"back to your room, late, sleep, take pill"
'I'm going to have a cigarette, I want to breathe polluted air, and see stars without a window'
"no! you go back to room, no smoking!"
'you can't keep me here against my will, ask the head nurse'
she turns, the floor nurse just shrugs, she knows I'm right
I get to the elevator she's still saying no
"all doors are locked you no go out"
I get on the elevator and get downstairs
somehow she gets downstair 10' behind me
all that studying of the fire exits pays off
I go to the employee's cafeteria, there's an outside door that leads to their smoking area, that's never locked, I go out and spark up, she locks the door, an employee is out there smoking too, she has too unlock it. I finish and go to the door,
'do you want me to come back in or not?'
she unlocks the door and quietly berates me in her native tongue until I'm back in bed, Poor S*****, she sedates me heavily, and while I'm out puts a nicotine patch on my back shoulder where I can't reach it, Point to S.....
I get out the next day, they want me to stay for more tests, but I'm outta there, walk home, buy a couple of 40's and a pack of smoke on the way.
Can't wait to see Fingus, Back to work tomorrow.

to be continued

Tagg's Big Adventure, Home Addendum

2009-03-12T08:44:00.002-07:00

I carry Him into the living room, another roomie and two friends, (somewhat sedated) are lounging on the couch. I set the carrier on the floor and warn them,
"Satan is in this nylon pouch, do not touch, open it, pet it, feed it or eff with it in any way shape or form."
Jr grabs a chair.
I head for Jr's room to set up,
(I talked Jr into letting him stay in solitary in his room for 72hrs, it's going to be enough of a culture shock without Fingus & Magic. Besides, their both pretty anthropomorphic, it'll be fine.)
So, Set up a litter box, Food & Water Dishes, Nice Padded Milkcrate to hide in. Alls, well, I had back for the Living room.
This guy is standing by the carrier with a stupid look on his face and blood on his arm. "that's not a nice kitty"
'You were warned'
He had tagged him through the breather vents when he tried to pet it through the carrier.
I take it to its new room, close the door, open the zipper, there's an orange blur.
It's all over the room, 3 minutes of looking for a non-existant exit at warp speed. Finally, into the closet behind some paintings and teleported away. I head back for the living room, bust a 40 and grab a chair.
Doofus, "He put that cat in your room?"
Jr 'Yeah'
"Are you going in there?"
"eff that, I'm going to my girlfriends I'll be back when it's tame or gone!"
He did have to go to his room to grab some things, he never saw or heard anything, then true to his word he was gone.

I pulled doubles the next 2 days, the hand is still swelling, I go check on the cat. No sign of it anywhere, I get a flashlight, I can't find Blossom. M's door is open and he's on the 'puter,
'Hey, dude, have you seen the cat?'
"No man"
'Have you seen Jr?'
"no man."
Back in the room, a little of the dry has been nibbled. He's in here, but where?, I do another flashlight search, Nada.

Later, Jr comes home,
'Have you seen the cat?'
"no, but I'll look"
10 minutes later,
"I don't see it, but there's no way to get out"
we both go in, start looking,
"there's no way it's in here, and no way to get out"
'then he's got to be here,' something possed me to push over his over stuffed arm chair, much hissing and an orange blur, he had crawled up inside the spring cushion. He was back in the closet. Jr showers and takes off again. I go back to doubles for 3 days. The hand is about 3 times its normal size, this isn't good.
Jr's door is open,
'where's the cat?'
"I let it out, it crapped on some of my stuff, it didn't want to be here."
'is it around?'
"it got out the back door, we've been leaving it food, it's getting eaten, and magic won't go in the backyard at night unless somebody's with him"

next night at work, it's kinda slow, Both Bosses during shift change, The Boss that was tending bar that day says, "you need to go to the Emergency Room"
'It'll be fine, I'll go tomorrow'
"you need to go Now, Boss B, Look at his hand!"
"are you done with checkout?"
"yeah, I'm heading out the door"
"Tagg, your going or your fired"
"take him too the Emergency Room Now"

to be continued

Tagg's Big Adventure, the Beginning

2009-03-12T07:56:00.002-07:00

It all started the day I was going to take Blossom Home. I had just gotten off work, my Roommate was on the way in his truck. I've got the fold out nylon cat carrier out back, and a gin & soda in front of me. Life is good. Jjr rolls up, has a stool, One of the Bosses is behind the bar, I get Jjr a heineiken. An old friend and former bartender K is on the other side, we're all just chilling.
I go out back to see if Blossom's out there, 5 cats, no Blossom, aha! I call the cats, rattle the dry food box, set up some dry and 2 cans of wet. Cruise on back in. Have a cigarette down in the Pit. Go check out back, Jackpot, Blossoms just finishing the last of it, He'll still be hungry. Pop open the carrier, make sure it's unzipped enough, set it outside the backdoor, zipper side up.
Ease on over by the cats, Blossom's finished and comes over to me, starts rubbing up on my leg, (this is too easy), I reach down, pet him a little, he's all about the purr thing, He's still hungry. I reach down and pick him up, (I've done this before, I've fed him since he was 8 weeks old), he's cool, I'm petting him, easing over to the cat carrier, it's all good, I start to ease him down, 2" from the carrier.
Satan weigh's 6.5 lbs, has a yellow and orange striped feline avatar and doesn't like enclosures.
He rolled on me so fast and with so much torque, he came out of my hands, lucky for him he had all 4 paws firmly embedded in my right forearm, while his teeth were franticly trying to tunnel through my hand, rather successfully I might add.
Thinking quickly, I shove my arm, (cat included), into the pet carrier, what a good idea, continuing in that vein, I hold the carrier closed with my left and try to scrape satan off my arm while extracting it from the pet carrier. While ultimately successful there was a toll extracted, lots of blood, all mine.
Now, I've got the cat in the carrier, all I've gotta do is zip it up, right? I can hold it down with the left, but can't get to the zipper, if I even start to let up it's 'Cat in the Box' going claws first. Ok, back to brilliant ideas, I'll take him in the bar, I'll hold him down and Jjr can zip it up. On the first attempt to carry him, he flew straight up and out, great reflexes, I caught him in the air with my left, that was not well thought out.
Back to plan B, left arm in the carrier, Proceed to step C, Back to Square 1. With more of my blood. Ok, I'll squeeze it flat, (it's got those big loose mesh breathers), with both hands and carry him in. Actually this worked, I get him into the bar, and on my stool between K and Jjr. The Boss is wide eyed as is Jjr, I'm telling him, "Zip it up, Zip it up", he's in shock. Finally he tries, he's in total panic, the cats eyes are red, claws are totally out, full hiss & hate mode. He can't do it, I freak out and try to do it my self, bad decision, back to the cat in the box, another grab out of the air, there's blood everywhere, I shove the cat back in the carrier, another round to the cat. I've got it pinned back in so I can carry it, when the Boss utters the line that makes it all worthwhile, "NO More CATS or BLEEDING in the BAR!"
"ok Boss, I'm outta here"
"it's cool, relax, I got it"
I make a dash for the back door, almost trip making the corner out, and the cat falls to the bottom of the carrier, I pin Him down there with the left, zip him up with the right, Blossom is Bagged.
I look at the carrier, it's covered in blood stains, look at my arms, I'm bleeding from about a dozen scratches per arm and multiple bites on each hand, the worst is on the right forefinger, one fang made it into the knuckle. That ones going to hurt. I need a drink. I go in, wash my hands and arms in the back sink. Dry them off, welts everywhere. Into the bar, the Boss takes one look at me and points to the back, I turn around head for the back, he's right behind me, "Your Still Bleeding! You Cannot Come In To The Bar While Your Bleeding", he heads back to the bar.
I look down, yep, not just trickles either. Wash up again, Dry off again, wait a few minutes, just trickles, another clean up, cool. Head for the bar, Boss is pissed but not saying anything, "Boss, I need a Bycicle Shot." (Jigger of Gin w/ 3 drops Roses Lime juice). "Dude, what were you thinking?",
'Boss, its cool, it won't happen again, I really need a shot.',
"Dude, one shot."
'thanks Boss, Jr, you about ready?'
"Dude, so did you let it go?"
'No, I bagged him, he's out back'
"Your effing Crazy"
I do the shot, we take Blossom Home.

to be continued

The Bicycle

2009-03-04T09:33:00.003-07:00

After being in the building for 64 of the last 80 hours, I wasn't up to riding the bike home. The boss offered me a ride, I was totally thankful. I left the bike chained up to the satellite (8' diameter) dish directly behind the building. Where I've kept it for the last 2 years. Sometime between 3am and 9am someone took bolt cutters and took the bike. This was not a random act, there were 4 other bikes locked up around the bar parking lot, most better than mine. The Chain was industrial and required some real effort. This was personal, I have a hunch, and will exact a toll on Thursday when I have a day off.
If Karma doesn't get them, I will.

Fingus New Drawer

2009-02-27T07:27:00.002-07:00

Since I was gone a couple of days, Fingus has been a bit attention starved. Well, more so than usual. So after the usual corporal purrishment, she still kept climbing across the desk and parking her butt facing my way. While not in itself offensive, when online I use the right hand for drinking and the left for smoking, ipso facto ashtray is just to the left of the keyboard. While she knows better than to spill a beer (she gets a bath immediately to get the sticky out), I'm over protective enough she's never actually burned her tail on the ashtray. She has been making every effort though, soooo....
now we've had to open another drawer (top left), clear it out, pad it, and that would appear to satisfy her. Closer to the action as it were, but at least I don't have to worry about her butt catching fire anymore, and what the hell, it was just blank DVD's, Floppies, 8mm's, usb drives and other storage media I wasn't using anyway, right?
pic's l8r

Home Day

2009-02-26T10:17:00.002-07:00

Slept in a bit, 9:00 am, got up, logged on, had a couple swigs of warm 40, lit up a Camel. Run the new posts on the forum. Open the bedroom door, Magic rolls in immediately.
Look around the room, lots to be done, time to get dressed and ready for the day.
First, Laundry, get the first load in, (first time i get to use the new washer). I should ride down to CVS to get my prescription filled, get the jacket on, bike chain, pocket check, Crap, where are my keys? I just had them and put them in my pocket. Check the desk, nope, check the floor, nope, the sweats I was wearing, nope. Damn, hope I didn't leave them in my pants in the washer. Oh, well, as long as I'm ready, might as well run to Circle K for a couple of 40's.
Get the 40's, pull out the wallet to pay, there's the damn keys. Somehow I managed to get them tangled up in the wallet and put them all in my hip pocket. Oh well, at least I know where there at.
Back to the house, the Kitchen is priority 1, sooo.... open a forty, take out the trash, pick up all the big trash on the counter. Check the diswasher, all setup from when I thought I had run it on Monday morning. Apparently it got switched off. More soap,
re run. Start organizing the counter, quick wipe on the stove. Need to get more dishes done before I can get serious on the counters. After that will be cabinet doors and finally floors. Right now its wait for a sec, when the laundry & the dishwasher are both done, both will get reloaded and then it will be time for the road trip to CVS, by the time I get back, all machines should be done. Put it all away, then start the surface cleaning.
Depending on my level of sedation, after that it will either be nap (probably) or time to start on the room.

The weather is gorgeous, the window's are open, the doors are open, magic's on my bed, Fingus is out eradicating pigeons and all is right with the world..

Home Again

2009-02-26T00:33:00.003-07:00

The day after getting Blossom home, I was at work and somebody asked about the cats. I took them out back for a look, and fed them, He had his eye on Flo, a pretty little 3mos old female, grey top, white bottom, blues, short hair. He had to talk it over with his roomate, and I had to get back to work. 2 hrs later he show's back up with the roomie and a cat carrier, Flo ain't havin none of it. After 20 minutes they give up. I tell the to just leave the carrier and I'll bag her tomorrow at eating time. Ok,

The next day the flock is out (its Sunday) and I start feeding them, Flo's still playing cagey though. I wait til she's got a faceful and snatch her up, it's successfull, but two more monster bite, cuts on the same area of the hand. Oh, success.
Monday, the hand is about twice normal size, hurts like hell, minimal motion. I goto work, Muddle through for a couple of hrs then Other Boss rolls in, one look at the hand, "Dude, your going to the Hospital."
"boss, I got too much to do, I'll go tomorrow."
Nates about to get off, He's taking you, get your shit ready."
"we can't leave the kid alone"
"I'll be here"
Nate, finish up and get Mouse to the Hospital.

20 minutes in the waiting room
3 hrs of vital signs & waiting
Upstairs, IV's in each arm, More vital signs, draw blood, take pills, don't move to much, "can we get you anything? tfoh
they give me sleeping pills so i won't jerk out the IV's
breakfast is good, not all that hungry but it was there, scr eggs, bacon, roll, cereal.
long boring morning with nothing to read and crap on tv
nurse comes in and takes my order for food the next day, cool
the axxis ladies come in and sign me up, copier on this floors broke so they take my ID's downstairs to copy, back in 15min.
Lunch Time, Mac&Cheese, mixed veg, broccoli soup, crackers a roll & apple pie
good, now I want a cigeratte..
go tell the nurse about my id, she calls down, they don't answer, I pitch a fit, I'm going down there. Stomp out, no idea where, just trying to get to the first floor.
Success a door outside, Puffin away, walk around the building once, back in main entrance tell them I'm lost, back to the room. Still no id's, about 3pm I nag the head nurse again, just to keep it in her memory. After Dinner baked chicken, rice,mixed veggies and cherrie cheesecake.
Still no ID's, and I need a cigarette, back to the routine..
by the time i get back upstairs, the ID's are there, cool, but now I need another hustle.
Take a nap, more vitals, IV changes, more nap.
Hmmm, looks kinda slow out there at the nurses station,
Grab the jacket, put the hat on backwards, nobody's looking,
slide to the elevators, in and down, stealth mission completed.
Some kid comes by, says he's a volunteer, is there anything he can do for me?
Why Yes, there is, do you know where the gift shop is?
YES,
ok, right outside is a rack of books, the paperbacks are fifty cents, here's a buck and some change, get me the 2 thickest paperbacks, theyve got.
Off he goes..
15 minutes later he returns, he's got a Clncy, Debt of Honor

WOOT
now I've got something to read..

more IV's, more pills,

Nate comes by, it's late, but they let him in to bring me a book.
we talked for a second, then he had to go.
I sleep & read until breakfast. Scrambled eggs, Bacon, Roll, cream of wheat.
Now I start asking the nurses, when do I get out.....usual bs
I read, every hour on the hour, wen do I get out
at 4pm I tell the head nurse, I'm leaving, you can't hold me, and I'm refusing all further medical treatment. Magically my file appears, my prescription appears and all the tubes are out of my arms..
Head for home, 2 forties, some cat food & a reeses.
Logon

Blossom is Home

2009-02-21T19:13:00.002-07:00

We got the all clear, a milk crate with some towels to make him a cave in the closet.
Jjr came to pick me up, food & water dish, Litter Box, and the cat carrier. This is a fold out portable thing, it's carried many a cat, somehow, they know. As soon as he saw it, he took off, all the others hung around. He Know's. We go back in for a drink and hope he'll ease back up. Half a drink later, I decide to go check, yepper's, he's by the back door again. I grab a bag of food and a can and start to feed the rest. Here he comes. I'm feeling brilliant, then I picked him up. I don't know what kicked his butt 5 weeks ago, but I don't want any part of it. If he can roll like that, sick and tired after the ass kicking of the decade, I do Not want to play with what he did.
I got him in at first, a phenomenal leap, he was out, caught him in the air, he went to tearing me up. He bit one knuckle down to the bone, it's already stiff & sore.
I managed to get him back in the carrier, (bleeding profusley) but couldn't get it zipped up. I lock it down as best I can, run into the bar and yell for Padwan to zip it. He's freaked and can't get it, the Boss is freaking, Blossom make's another jump for it, I catch him again, more blood (mine natch) get him back in the carrier, again. Boss is freaking, so I take the whole show out back, manage to get it zipped up and go back in for a drink. Padwan's just sippin a heineken.
The Boss just hands me a bottle (gin) and tells me to keep the cats out, and stop bleeding in his bar.
We manage to get him home without further incident, but there's company at the house, I set him down (carrier and all) in the living room, I tell them not to screw with the cat. Dolt wants to touch the cat, cat draws blood through the carrier, Dolt says "like dude, that's not a nice kitty"
"no shit, you were warned"

set up all the cat stuff in Jjr's room
take the cat in,
release cat
show him
food, water, litter

he's going to be in solitary for 72 hrs

back in the living room
Dolt "dude, like he just let that animal like loose in there, are you goin in there?"

"Not any time soon, I'm going to the girlfriends for the next 3 days, call me when its gone or its tame"

'neither of those options, your just gonna have to man up'

Blossom is Home

Toys in Flux

2009-02-20T16:27:00.004-07:00

I was doing the walk around and decided to take some shots of the toys, it gets pretty wrecked when the focus is on projects and not the yard. Come the spring I'll try to work on it.

doesn't everyone have to unplug the compressor to use the dryer?
Some of the toys on the patio, Band Saw, Drill Press, Grinder, Buffer, Tig welder, the usual.

M's 240 SX

2009-02-20T12:35:00.006-07:00

He doesn't have his license back, and that's ok, the car should be fully operational just in time for him to lose it again. The SX in Flux.

the dash
is still on order
the wheels are in the living room
(can't steal em in there)
the new seats and interior pieces are in the dining room
should be finished by june,
M will be arrested by july
motor dyno's 225-250 range

More Cars in the Yard

2009-02-20T12:30:00.002-07:00

I was just out, taking pic's of the 240 and the Riviera, when I noticed J working on another one, I hadn't noticed. It was right where the Riviera parts car was, up on the same blocks and just about as stripped. It would appear we now have a Camaro, I know not whence it came, didn't even ask.

The Ride

2009-02-19T09:50:00.002-07:00

I finished the cater last night early, got all the dishes done, and had visions of gin and soda, floating around in my head. The Boss is just hanging out, waiting for time to deliver. Here it comes, "Hey, Why don't you go tonight, It'll be fun, you'll see the place". OK, I've been putting it off for as long as possible, I'm out of excuses, I can't even run around looking for dirty dishes to wash, they're all done. OK, Boss, I'll run with it tonight. Load up at 11:45.

The Truck,
I forgot, we're taking The Truck.
It, started life as a Toyota Forerunner, then it met, my Boss'es, it has been rolled (multiple times), sunk, frozen, mudded, had the top skill sawed off, a 14pt roll cage installed, rallye racing seats and safety harness'es, the last windshield was lexan, secured with drywall screws into the posts, but that one got so scratched up on a trip to mexico 3 weeks ago, that they just threw it away. Cleaning the Truck means taking milk crates of odd ass crap out to make room for the cater. I try hard to avoid loading the truck, I'll hustle until its out the back door, but, loading it safely into the truck, I don't wanna (aside, I misspelled wanna, wana and spell check came up, add the "n" its fine, my english/grammer might be slippin' but spell check pass'es 'wanna'?) be responsible.
Gotta do it, it's 38 degree's outside, theres no windshield, I have no idea where were going, I'm blind enough I have no idea where we are, it's Damn COLD, and Interminable. We're in the left lane, I've got a hoodie, hat, wearing shades (to keep the wind out), a jacket rated down to 15 below zero, 2 pairs of gloves, and we're doing 65 in a 40 zone, a Mesa cop pass'es us on the right, He just shook his head and continued, he could have retired just doing the paperwork.
We, arrive,
I'm clueless,
and cold,
the Boss, intercom's someone
some Lady comes down with a cart
the Boss loads up,
we get into an elevator,
the Boss arranges the food
telemarketers eat
the adventure in the Truck continues as the Boss takes me home.
More Cold, More Wind,
Home, Beer, Fingus, Bowl, Bed.

Fingus' Frog

2009-02-14T07:45:00.002-07:00

She got pretty rambunctious this morning. I had to work a long shift yesterday, so she got a bit bored. Actually she just craves attention. So I gave her some canned, the shredded kind she likes (a bribe), J & Jjr were watching the tube, so I went in to hang out with them for a bit. Fingus finished her snack, and cruised on in, Magic was asleep on the couch by J. She totally ignored him, jumped up on the couch, walked right over to Jjr and crawled in his lap. He's a sucker, he starts petting her. 5 Minutes later She gets up, heads for J's lap, Magic doesn't even blink, She gets more attention.
Now she's feeling good, but it's bedtime, I gotta work early a.m. so I head for the room. I leave the door open about 6", she'll be along in a second. Get ready for bed. She's in, close the door, she jumps on the dresser, She wants the window open.
"No, that's not happening, it's cold out there."
She gives me The Look
"Forget it, I'm not going to freeze my ass off while you stare out the window waiting for daylight & Pigeons, No"
I go for the light switch.
She has a frog, its soft, stuffed, about 16" from head to toe, mostly 1" diameter arms and legs, it hangs from the ceiling by a short elastic cord. She used to play with it more before we rearranged the furniture (she won't admit it but she's getting old, 10yrs in april) but now, she's miffed at me, and all wired up. She's been sleeping all day while I was at work, and now it's show time.
From the Dresser a clean leap, she hits it about an inch below the elastic, she hit it hard, caught it with both front feet, claws out and hooked.
It was more than the elastic could take, she rode it down, came down on top of it, feet down, bunny hopped into the drawer and glared at me for not using better elastic.
The Frog is back up, I used 1" elastic shock cord from one of my rockets, she's napping on the computer chair now, but when she wakes up, She's gonna try it, she can't help it. She'll probably practice while I'm at work, don't want to look uncool.
Sleeping, Plotting, Planning.

More Wierd Good Munchies

2009-02-12T21:39:00.002-07:00

We're doing a special for Valentines Day, involving 3 entree's, one of which is a hand cut tenderloin steak topped with saute'd mushrooms, onions & Bleu Cheese. The boss bought a ton of it. Just like last time, so I'm gonna have Bleu Cheese to play with. I have to use it before it goes bad, and you can't just throw it at salads. So,

14" Chipotle flour tortilla on the grill
bleu cheese to cover
bacon (pre blanched) on the grill
sprinkle onions on the bleu cheese
a few jalapeno's (optional)
Dice the bacon and spread evenly on the tortilla
fold the tortilla in half,
get salsa ready
flip it
cook until the cheese is melted and the tortilla crisped.
cut into quarters
arrange and serve.

New Wierd Good Food

2009-02-12T14:18:00.002-07:00

S is going kinda sorta vegetarian. She still eats eggs, cheese & tuna. Those being the parameters and S being one of those positive people you just want to please. I try to come up with something special every shift I work with her.
Wednesday brought on this

small pizza dough rolled out
put on the cooking screen and edges rolled up, brushed totally with garlic, oregano, parmesan and whirl, and popped in the pizza oven.
While thats happening, took some parboiled rough diced potato's, put them in a container, doused them with olive oil, threw in some onions, garlic pepper, minced garlic and medium diced bell peppers, tossed it around and threw it on the grill.
Pulled the crust out, rebrushed it with the whirl mixture, and set aside for a sec.
Tossed the potato stuff around.
3 eggs whipped with 1 tsp pancake mix, 1 tsp garlic pepper and 1tsp melted butter in a bowl.
Toss the potato stuff around again, then pop it all in the shell, Pour just enough egg mixture in to the shell that it doesn't leak out.
back in the oven.
Drain the Tuna (reserving all liquid for the cats)
add Mayo, diced pickle, minced onion, dill & garlic pepper.
Start the salad, layer of greens, a small tomato, cut in half with a frill (using a thin bladed knife, insert in a crenalate around the tomato and pull apart)
Tomato's on greens, Tuna on the tom's, olives and shredded cheddar jack for garnish.
Check the pie, add the rest of the egg mixture, return to oven.
Mix the dressing 3pts Italian, 1 pt balsamic vinegar, 1 part salsa.
Open the oven, spread Mozzerella over the pie, back in the oven.
Finish garnishing the Salad (cook other stuff) Wait 5 Minutes
Pull the pie out, brush just crust with whirl mix, slice with pizza cutter.

We now have
Vegetarian Frittata Quiche pizza with a Tommy & Tuna Salad

Blossom Redux

2009-02-12T13:14:00.002-07:00

The Vets been called, the apt made, He'll be there for a couple of days, then he's coming home with me. I'm going to get him in the carrier tomorrow and run him to the vet, it's already arranged so no other animals will be there, it's going to be alot for him to deal with as it is. When he comes home, he's setup in Jjr's room to keep him and Fingus seperated for a while, then we'll see.
She's been warned not to hurt him, or run him off, She's usually pretty good about that. Especially with hurting units. She would pimp slap Dante but never used claws when I told her not to. That took alot of self control on her part.
24hrs togo.
Blossom comes home,
wish I could bring lil Flo too, she's a beautiful critter, but I'll just keep trying to find her another home, (kinda pushin Jacko, i think it's gonna work), onward and upward.

update
Floozy
Momma K
Big D
D2
Still M.I.A.

The Bus

2009-02-12T08:23:00.002-07:00

I was riding home last night,
bundled up, it was cold (relatively speaking)
and I'm legally blind and can't see the ground
when riding the bike at night
so, I focus on the ground, looking for bottles, boards and other detritus
it's usually so late that the bus'es aren't running,
whoops, got off early
I just watch the ground in front of the front tire, and pick up the glare from traffic lights, and can tell when I should look up and grab the brakes.
I had just crossed a major street,
but then saw some red glare,
odd, crap, grab brakes
it's white, big, red light, there,
while the brakes functioned,
it wasn't enough
front tire hit bumper of the bus
complete endo with faceplant in the taillight
pulled it down,
bunny hopped the curb
shaking it off when,
the bus driver, aroused from his slumber
wants me to sign something and wait for the cops and an ambulance,
"buckwheat, your between me & my beer, cat & bed"
I bailed,
bought a 40, cat food (Fingus is way worse than the cops)
and went home,
Fed Fingus, logged on, drank beer, went to sleep.
(the right eyebrow, now matches the left, [scar from jail fight in 84])
and it's all good.

The Go Round

2009-02-11T11:26:00.003-07:00

J stayed out all night, I got home early about 12:30, M was still up, we had a beer in the living room and watched some tube, Fingus was cruising the living room but Magic was m.i.a. I assumed he was crashed with J.
When I got ready to crash, I called Fingus but she wouldn't come down the hall. Odd, but it might be pigeon season and I didn't get the memo. I head down the hall, don't pay any attention, flip on the light, the radio, slap the mouse, open a beer and light a cigarette.
I logon to my usual forum, I'm waiting for new posts to load, glance over at the bed, theres Magic. J must be gone. Whatever, play on the forums, set the alarm, kick Magic out of the bed and crash.
Wake up, can't move legs, look down, theres a dog, half my body weight lying across my legs.
"Magic, get up, I've got to piss"
he's not happy about it but he sloowwwly gets up.
by the time I get back he's under the blankets.
"No, its 6am, I'm going back to sleep, and where the hell is Fingus?"
she's on the desk behind the monitor
Magic, like its the trail of tears moves over to the rug by the dresser
Crash Time
back up, legs won't move again,
"Magic, give me a break"
he lumbers up,
i light up and logon
She's in the drawer,
all is quiet,
Magic's brain ceases to function,
for reasons unknown to god & man
he heads for the drawer, she's waiting,
he spoiled a nap & this time he will pay.
She hits him hard, he runs for the door, she comes
out of the drawer and chases him out of the room,
then comes back and lurks under my chair
sure enough, he comes back to the door,
he see's her, thinks (if you can call it that) about it
and comes in
she's in assault mode, low, ears back, tail twitching
he thinks he's safe cuz she's under my chair
(I'm staying out of it)
its butt sniffing time
she hit him
his retreat was badly planned
she's between him and the door,
he circles in front of the bathroom door,
lost,
she backs off under the desk
he bolts for the door
she chases hissing, claws out and up
she stops at the door,
he turns, thinks about it (brain seems to be functioning now)
and heads for the living room.
she has a snack and goes to sleep in the drawer
he bides his time
slithers in
and currently
she's in the drawer
he's on the bed
and I'm online

Magic's Nap

2009-02-09T11:16:00.003-07:00

I rained on and off a bit in the night and got fairly cold. So, the window stayed shut, she was pissy about that, but resigned herself to it when I went to bed. She woke me once in the night, the head butt routine, followed by "well as long as your up", she wants the bedroom door open to go exploring. Magic is sleeping in J's room with the door shut, so she can cruise the house at will.
When J gets up at 6am, she bolts out the backdoor. As soon as she does, I hear Tching, Tching, coming down the hall, he lays down by the bed I roll over and go back to sleep. When I get up and go in the kitchen to make coffee, I see her out in the front yard. By the time I get back to my room, Magic is on the bed, he won't make eye contact, he thinks I don't notice him if we don't make eye contact.
Fingus cruises in, see's Magic on the bed. She's Pissed he's way to close to her computer chair at one end, and her food dish at the foot. Her tail goes in the air and she stalks back down the hall. Magic just burrows down further in the blankets and closes his eyes. Point to Magic.
He's been there all morning now, he knows if he gets up, she'll come in and beat his tail if he tries to come back. She finally came back in, she wanted to hang out on the desk, but needed to use the mouse. I told her to leave, so she jumped down in the drawer and has been there ever since. Magic still hasn't batted an eye. Call this round a draw so far...

Rebooting Magic

2009-02-08T14:27:00.005-07:00

I'm online everybody else seems to be gone, just chilling with a beer. Fingus is in her desk drawer relaxing. The window is open and it's gorgeous outside. Tching Tching, we hear it, she perks up but stays low in the drawer. Here he comes, he looks around, doesn't see her, starts to relax. He's still not sure yet so he scratches himself while nonchalantly looking around the room, he thinks she's out (bad assumption) I keep surfing and waiting for the inevitable. She's down low in the drawer and coiled, she's waiting for him. He's through scratching, checks the bed, he really wants to go sleep on the bed, but first he wants attention, so he heads my way.

'Oh, Look, an open drawer, I'll just stick my nose in it and sniff'

She hit him so fast and so hard,
(she never got out of the drawer, hit him at least 6 times, she's to fast to be sure, when she's really pissed she's to fast to count the thumps)
(she immediately curled up in the drawer and went back to sleep, her disdain for all things canine know no bounds)
he's in the backyard now, waiting for J to come home for some sympathy petting.
Not that he'll ever give up, magic has the short term memory of a gnat. We love him to death, but that doesn't change reality. He knows he's afraid of her, he knows she'll kick his butt, but he'll have this momentary lapse of memory when he thinks she wants him to sniff her butt and be her friend. Then the learning process/memory restoration begins with her hitting him fast, hard & continuously (until he leaves the vicinity).
For a Magic reboot
ctrl+alt+del
equals
paw+claw+bite

Another new Munchie Food

2009-02-08T14:05:00.003-07:00

Were, (the bosses {the best bosses ever}) are supposed to have the new menu ready by March 1st, We'll see. I have high hopes, that it will be reduced and simplified. Mostly due to the economy. Lots of the menu is great food, but lets face it, people in the bar for the $1 PBR special aren't going to spend $12 for an artichoke fettucini pasta dish. Anyway, this is one i came up with for the Saturday Morning Hangover Brunch.

Amaretto French Toast Monte Cristo Bacon Sliders

Bacon on the grill, about 6-8 slices.
2) eggs in a wide bowl,
2) Tablespoons white sugar
1) Shot Amaretto
Whip with Fork

Slice one french roll on the bias about 3/4" thick
(save the ends for croutons, great for soups)

flip the bacon

toss some hash browns on the grill
(whirl up the hash browns and the spot on the grill for the french toast)

Dip the french roll slices individually In your egg wash and toss on the grill,
Now break 2) eggs in a bowl, add a dash of garlic pepper and a tablespoonful of milk and a teaspoon of melted butter and whip them with a fork.

Toss the hash browns around
Flip the french toast
Put the Bacon on Paper towels to drain,
Scramble the Eggs
Slice Swiss Cheese slices in 1/2 (1/2 slice per slider)
Assemble the Sliders
French Toast + Bacon + Swiss + French Toast
Arrange around an oval plate at one end, Hash browns at the other
Scrambled Eggs in the center, serve with ketchup and syrup in ramekins.

Munchie Food

2009-02-08T11:12:00.004-07:00

This one is absolutely stoner classic munchie food,
When Hummingbird was Pregnant I made her one she's been addicted ever since, (he's 3 now).
and Sam (she's one of my favorite bartenders ever) requests one every time she's in the building.

Lightly toast 3 pcs whole wheat bread
Fry 8 pcs bacon (i work in a restaurant so it's just throw it on the flattop)
Put the bacon on clean dry paper towels to drain
Clean the grill of any bacon or other grease
I use Whirl but any grill friendly butter substitue will work
Spread Peanut butter on all three pcs of bread
and toss on the grill (peanut butter side up, duh)
now gently sprinkle brown sugar on all three pieces of toast
then evenly distribute the bacon on 2 of the pieces
turn the piece with no bacon on top of one of the others
and proceed to stack it into a triple decker.
I know these are ridiculously simple instructions
but I have complete faith in peoples ability to do things wrong,
heck, I could win a gold if it were an Olympic event.

Day Off Revisited

2009-02-08T10:31:00.003-07:00

After working 22 of the last 48 hrs, I was finally off. Fingus bowl's all cleaned and filled. Litter box, cleaned and filled. Drink a beer, check the email, check new posts on the forum, time for SLEEP.
Crap, it's Saturday night, gotta change the station to sports talk so I don't get all those bloody infomercials at 4a.m.
Sports on radio, cats fed, email checked, ok, BED.
4hrs later,
thawhump, something with claws lands on my chest and is away.
Crap, Head hurts, gotta pee, might as well get up.
Up, take a leak, Fingus being a pest in the bathroom.
"what do you want?"
she heads for her dresser
I fill the food again,
refresh the water again,
(why is it that if there is a single piece of fluff in the water I have to change it but outside she'll happily drink out of any goat smelling puddle available?)
thats not it,
she's at the window,
it just rained, still a bit cloudy, crap! She wants me to turn it off and dry it.
I open the window, she just looks at me,
"I can't turn it off, in or out, its cold out there."
she gives me the look,
"honey, its rain, its not the shower, in or out"
she jumps up, and sits in the sill
"Look, in or out, its cold, its wet, go out and be in it but don't subject me to it"
she hops down outside, somehow avoiding even the touch of water
I close the window and logon to Cog.
about 5 posts, 1 cigarette and half a warm mickeys later,
the thumping begins
she's outside on the sill, bumping the window with her head, her subtle way of saying "open the damn window, butthead"
I open the window, she comes in, looks around, turns her nose up at the food. She heads for the bedroom door, crap, were going to play the whole house game. She wanders nonchalantly into M's room and hops up on the window ledge, he's a sucker, he opens it. Still cloudy and raining, she jumps down, he closes the window.
She rubs his leg, he reaches to pet her, she stays just out of reach and leads him down the hall (she's got him on a string) at the back door he slides it open about 4" so she can get out.
She bails, but stops as soon as the patio roof ends and theres moisture on the ground. She turns around, runs back in, catches M before he makes it to the hall and pulls the leg rub again (Sucker) he bites. She leads him to the door to the carport, he opens it. She runs out, as soon as there's no roof and moisture on the ground she stops. She comes back, game over.
She's back in, grooming herself on her computer chair, the window is open (4" I'm a sucker too) and I'm finishing a mickeys, going to take another nap and hope the rain stops so I don't get the fuzzy assault alarm clock.

Cars in the Yard

2009-02-08T05:15:00.003-07:00

The Conti's pretty much done, it needs some tweaking but it's done. I'm just waiting on J to sort out which amps and speakers go in which car. J can't leave it alone though, he's got the rear bumper off it now. No idea why.
The Riviera was (rolling stock) out front of the house when I got off work, all of the detachable body parts (quarter panels, bumper, etc) are spread around the backyard, the main block is on an engine stand on the back patio/workshop and the ancillary painted parts (powder coated: valve covers, oil pan etc) are on the dining room table. It's pushed back into the backyard next to it's parts car now. The ragtop LeSabre is still in its usual spot at the end of the driveway, semi covered with a tarp, doesn't really matter, the body is about 35% rust, not that it matters, when we get to it, were going to chainsaw it anyway. M brought his 240 sx home, so it's in the front yard, he's still trying to get his license back. With the car almost running it's just to see how fast he can lose it again. It's in dire need of paint, and still 2 whiskey dents to go, but the rest of the bodywork is done, ground effects etc...
The interior is in serious flux, were waiting on the dash, working on the wiring and arguing about the seats. Its got reccaro's now, but M wants to take out the rear's and go 7 points in front. I don't see the need, if your stupid enough to need those in a crash, your dead anyway, not to mention the car doesn't have a roll cage anyway.
The motor is semi budget tuned, it's what we can do, its a dual over head cam 2.0 with a kicked up turbo, J & M fabricated the intake and exhaust, last time we dyno'd it was right in the 225-250hp range. It's not full drift yet, which is what M wants, but we've got the brakes balanced 90/10. With the parking spring loaded, we're working on an e brake through a switch in the top of the gear shift. Just haven't had the time.
I'll try to get on it this weekend.
Jjr's truck, ugly, dependable, ya spot the weirdest crap in the back of that little critter. J's truck, indestructible doesn't begin to describe that little nissan, it has taken enough abuse that J could probably be indicted for war crimes. Insert key, turn key, point in correct direction, push pedal on right, helluvva little truck.

Strawberry

2009-02-07T22:02:00.003-07:00

Strawberry, is way cool. She works in the off track betting booth at the Cat a couple of days a week. She's of indeterminate age, but probably in the 60's, absolutely the coolest. She can cuss like a sailor but anybody uses the eff word and she's offended. I occaisionally make her a snack or something togo just 'cuz and she's always really appreciative. One time, I made her up a nice little dinner, I was working the Go Daddy Cater and had some extra, She just gushed, I asked her what the big deal was.
Apparently 10 yrs ago she got home (She has lived in the same garage apt for 18yrs) and saw policeman and firetrucks around her upstairs apartment. A drunk driver had missed a corner and hit her building. Right where the gas meter was. They told her if she had been home asleep, she would have died. Strawberry freaked out, she had all the gas turned off to her apt, had the meter taken out, same with the stove, the refrigerator (it was electric but ya can't be to careful) and the water heater. Now she lives with a coffee pot, microwave and a cooler. She takes cold showers. She's awesome. Now thats roughing it, all you wannabes remember Strawberry.
She knows the pony's too, a tip from Strawberry is gold. I'm not much of a gambler and have never understood horse racing (it eats hay, drops road apples & runs in circles, whats to bet on?) but if it's a slow day, I'll wander down to the otb and make a dime bet, or if Strawberry tells me it's a lock I'll go a $1. Usually she just picks a dime or quarter bet and tells me which tv its on. It's kinda fun when it's just a dime or a quarter, I couldn't understand betting more. Some of the High Rollers and Regular Pony Players I just can't figure it out. I mean some of them like M can afford it, it's like a video game, not a big deal. But then you get the retirees that spend all day in there nursing a coke, and playing the ponies. Dude, the Viagra doesn't get any stronger just cuz the box 3 hit on Thursday...

Tagg & Jacko

2009-02-07T08:45:00.002-07:00

Tagg & Jacko @ the Cat

Jacko's one of my Favorites, She only works with me a couple days a week, (she has a real job), but those are some of my most laid back shifts. Nothing flusters Jacko, you can piss her off (rarely) but you'll never rattle her.
Like all of our girls she's incredibly intelligent, reads constantly and is always trying to upgrade her education. What sets Jacko apart is the fact that inspite of being the epitome of feminity she also has no problem throwing on a pack 3/4 of her bodyweight, hiking down the Grand Canyon, swimming at the bottom and then climbing out the hard way. Jacko be badass. One of the Boss's is former 101st airborne, he's in great shape, he has trouble keeping up with her. Solid & Dependable enough to count on, and random enough to be a blast.
Jacko's lucky I'm not 20yrs younger..

Saturday

2009-02-07T08:23:00.002-07:00

Wake up, she's right there, needing something, i'm to out of it to know what yet. I head to the bathroom, she follows, apparently I'm not attentive enough, she head butts my ankles to get my attention.
"relax, let me take a leak, then I'll deal with you, give a guy a second"
nope,
now, the whining starts,
normally quiet, but not now, (I was at work, for 12 hrs and am going back after 4 and she knows it, the Queen of the Universe is not getting the attention she requires),
I clean and fill the water dish,
Same for dry food,
now a treat, tablespoon full of canned (seafood of course)
not a good enough offering
she knows i'm going
I open the window, hoping to mollify her, it might rain, but if it calms her i'll put up with it. She's gonna blame the rain on me anyway.
Now she's full Hoity Toity, sitting on the dresser under the window, I try to pet her, she turns up her nose and jumps out the window, She knows I'm going to work, she's pissed, and is going to take it out on the pigeons, good thing their not endangered, (although she is making every effort)

Calm Before the Storm

2009-02-06T15:07:00.002-07:00

She's sleeping in the drawer now, she's been down for about an hour. Magic is in the backyard with J, Jackie is just cruising the tank. The window is open, I'm going to have to close it when I leave for work. She'll be pissed, but it might rain tonight. She's still gonna be pissed. The back door will be open but she'll still be pissed. We go through this every time it rains, she wants the window open, it's raining. Now she goes to the back door, its raining, now she starts bitching. Usually quiet she whines when I don't 'turn off' the rain. She thinks its like the shower and I'm just being mean for not turning off the rain and bringing Sunshine & Pigeons back in her life. (oh, crap, tching, tching, he got to the door and made a good decision, {turned around}).
Here he comes,
Magic, lay down,
good decision
Fingus,
stand down,

She's always been fascinated by water and where it goes, sinks, showers, toilets,
she wants to catch it. It took me two years of keeping the seat down and the water off when I went to work to keep her from flushing the toilet repeatedly. It took contact paper (sticky side up) on all the counters to keep her out of the kitchen. Nothing personal but I don't like cat hair on my pots, pans, dishes, and she can/will open the cupboards while on her many rounds. She still takes showers in the summer but she doesn't like the smaller shower only setup, she likes the full tub to run around in.
I've got to go to work, she's about to wake up and want attention..
I've got her set on dry food and fresh water, (why is it that she'll drink muddy water out of a puddle in the driveway but if it's in her dish it has to be clean and less than 6 hours old?), but it's Friday, a long one, and I've gotta close the window. I'll bring her some fish when I get home...
She's not spoiled,
I have a guilt trip.

Jackie

2009-02-06T14:41:00.002-07:00

Jackie seems to be doing well. I had to pick through the food for small enough bits for her.
A Friend of mine is apartment maintence supervisor and lives on property at a major gated community. He called me at work and asked if I wanted an old school cartoonish aquarium, I said 'sure, whats in it', he told me there was about 1/2" of water and a little brown fish.
Dude, slowly pour in some room temp water and sprinkle in a tiny amount of bread crumbs, put the tank in a controlled temp environment and get it some fish food, tetra flakes or betta bites.
He said it looks pretty bad, I was just gonna flush it.
Dude, let it make it, just do what I said.
He finally brought me Jackie Chan (he named her) Wednesday night. It turns out it's a female Betta, really small, light brown and looks like she's been through the wringer. She's in a warm quiet place for now while she gets fed up and acclimated then it's going to be time for a move to a bigger cleaner home.
She's a fighter, A went through the records and she made it 59 days in the apt without food and the water evaporating.
GO Jackie

Tching Tching

2009-02-06T08:30:00.002-07:00

I heard it at the same time she did. Just having a quiet morning, drinking warm Mickeys and having a smoke. She's on the desk by the printer, her tail leaving a trail of destruction behind it. Tching, Tching, he's half way down the hall. The tail gets more agitated, pens & papers go off the desk. Silence, the tail stops, we wait. J apparently is off and not going anywhere, tching tching, out the back door, she gets up, stretches, yawns, walks across the keyboard and jumps to my lap and into her drawer.
He was silenced for a week, Jjr took a rubber band and Wrapped it around the tags.
She hated it, she was always sketchy not knowing where he was. J took off the rubber band and Tching Tching is back.
We can hear him in the backyard now, she's sleeping in the drawer.
Back to the forums, then a nap & work

Patrol

2009-02-06T02:59:00.002-07:00

J just crashed so Magic is down for the night, the bedroom door was closed, the window was shut, and yet somehow, Fingus knew instantly. Thats why I'm up, it was the usual slow head butt, she's got some real push when she wants to. Then of course its followed by the "as long as your up" look. She butts me again and heads for the bedroom door (doesn't want to push it until I'm really awake), ok, fine, I might as well its less trouble than trying to sleep. I stagger up and open the door, she's out, whole house patrol, she's in full stealth mode, under/behind furniture, ninja cat is lurking, her mission, verify the dog is behind it's cell door and secured. I check, and sure enough I've got a warm open Mickey's 40 on the desk, might as well push the mouse and see whats going on. Check the CoG first (always), sit down, light a cigarette, start sippin on the Mickeys. Might as well check all windows, I've got Cog logged on in the first one, this blogger toy on the second, it was Jjr's taxes, but I got all that filed earlier, that was an adventure. Last Desktop is file stuff, currently has Writer open, since I'm training a Padwan by the book, I thought I'd better right the book, the "mouse Guides" I'm printing out, but this is "Cat" specific.
In a few I'll figure out how to link to them, right now Fingus is back from House patrol and ready to push it. Bear in mind the sliding glass door is open and she has full access to the great out doors, but no, its time, a slow hard head butt on the shins, jump up on the desk while I'm paying attention to the screen and not her, then into the lap and kneading, ok, claws are getting my attention. She immediately heads for the dresser and gives me the "I can't possibly be cooped up in here any longer" look.
'the back door is opened'
"nooooo.....the window, I'll die!!!!"
'its cold out there'
"I'll Die"
'I'm gonna open it for 1 minute, that's it!'
(open the window 8" for a 3" wide cat)
"open it more"
'Dude!, in or out, its COLD'
"I don't know, let me look"
'in or out'
"shhh, your scaring them"
'if you'd go kill them they wouldn't be scared, Now, in or out?'
Jumps out the window, all puffed up, yeah, might hunter on patrol.
I'm still logged on, its calling me and she knows it, hit the forum, do a little work on the padwans book, she thinks she's ninja, slinking back through the window, all quiet and nonchalant, eases into her computer chair doing her imitation of lint, trying not to be noticed.
I'm going to mess with her, I shut her drawer in the computer desk, casually walk to the window, She Perks up, I slowwwwllly shut the window. She appears, she's magically on the dresser, "the window must be open! I'm on Duty"
'go out the door'
"its not the same, You Don't Understand, Open The Window"
'Fine!, I open the window, so I can get some sleep'
naturally as I'm posting this with the window open, She's heading down the hall to go out the back door.

Padwan

2009-02-06T02:41:00.004-07:00

I'm training a new Padwan at the Cat, He's a good kid, lots of potential, I don't expect him to make a career out of it, but he'll be great while he does it. He's never cooked before so there's no bad habits to fight, and it's going to be by the book. He's an artist too so he's really into the presentation aspect, and being a mid 20's male, gotta work on subtle tastes, he'll consume anything. He's still a little shell shocked from all the people interaction, he's pretty solitary and introverted. Having Sh walk in the kitchen and show us how far they'd gotten on her back pattern was hilarious. Then down in the Pit (he doesn't smoke so that's torture) somebody was proud of new nipple rings. Kinda culture shock for him. Anyway, with any luck I'll start getting Mondays & Fridays off. I did leave him with a manual though.

Blossom

2009-02-05T19:31:00.003-07:00

Blossom is an 8 month old male feral, he got into his first mating fight about 3 weeks ago, I didn't see him for almost a week, when he got back, he was a mess. I really wasn't sure if he was going to make it, actually, still not, but he is improving, believe it or not. At first he was having tremors and couldn't eat on his own, Floozy an older female (one of my favorites) started pushing him to the food, holding the others off, making him drink, and grooming him. He's still got some severe bronchial issues, and Floozy disappeared about 3 days ago, but he's pretty tough, if i can swing it this payday and Blossom comes up clear on communicables, Fingus is just going to have to get over herself, he's headin this way.

On a side note,
several of the regulars have been mia this week
plenty more showing up but, i'm getting concerned

unseen this week
momma k
Floozy
Big Dad
Smokey
D2

I still counted 11 wednesday night at last feeding
alot of new faces

Magic

2009-02-05T19:05:00.002-07:00

J's new schedule has him working long weird hours, Magic being the emo dog that he is spends most of the day with me, he's crashed on my palette right now. Hasn't moved in hours. Fingus has issues with that, they're working it out, but Magic still gets the daily butt kicking for butt sniffing. It's self inflicted, but he seems to be drawn to the pain. Just what I need a masochistic emo 65lb american bulldog. Low Self esteem, it comes from getting your ass handed to you on a daily basis by a different species 1/10th your weight that historically you should be chasing.
Fingus generally tries to avoid him, but if she's comfortable, she's not moving until he's within range, then its Aiiiieee, aiieee aiieee, down the hall and Fingus goes back to sleep.
Jackie, the new addition is a betta female, so far not much of an impact, she's not active enough to attract the other two. We had another one for about 7 yrs, "Maxx"
Fingus really liked him, he was a big flashy purple and vermillion male, real active.
She would just curl up around his tank (8" dia octagon) and they would play, it was hilarious watching a fish try to attack a cats tail through the tank....
Magic, is just gonna have to get up now, I need a nap.

Day Off

2009-02-05T17:33:00.003-07:00

wow,
a day off,
i slept til noon,
started on a warm half a pacifico, from last night,
way to dehydrated for that shit, 64 oz's of ice water later
2 cigarettes and back to the warm pacifico
(fingus is pissed cuz magic is on the floor, so she's showing her displeasure by sitting on the mouse)
anyway, kinda hungry but nothing looked good, just couldn't decide.
finally walked to circle k for a couple of 40's and a pack of camels. nothing looked good then either. get home, smoke a bowl, maybe some chips.
drink another 40, nap time.
I did get something constructive done, got the new opening book started, dang it! Fingus keeps wagging her tail across the desk, knocking crap off and messing with my typing.
goober! you need to find a new spot.