Opinion

Sayonara

/ cyrakitty / 2 Comments

Well, I think this will be my next to last post.  It is not my last post as I did have family ask that I finish my vacation series.  But as I am not exactly drawing in the crowds I expect my “critique” was correct.

You see, I had posted some of my writing on a website and asked for some help and guidance.  What I got was an eye opener.  One response.  “Have you considered painting?”

So I think that sums it up.  Should I lay everything on what this one person’s “help” was?  Probably not.  But it was from an unbiased third party.  Most of my frequent readers are family who think anything I do is wonderful.  And since I cannot get anyone to participate in any way on this blog, I think it is high time I gave it a rest.

I would like to give a special shout out to Tim, who helped me heave myself out of the self-wallowing pit of despair and all around pity party that ensued after this.

To the few readers I do have, I hope you find peace and happiness.

Mahalo, Namaste and kissy, kissy, snog, snog

Good Golly, What a (3 Day) Weekend!!

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Wow!  I will try not to run on too long but it has been an amazing weekend!!  Saturday morning we headed south for the Virginia Scottish Games.  This is held on a huge field area where you can tell they train horses.  But there were tents for animal groups, clans, merchandise and of course food!!  Some traditional, some not so traditional.  There was also areas set aside for Highland games and dancing.  It had rained just enough to make it muggy, where sweat just rolled down you – yuck!!

After the festival, we left Virginia for New York.  Our route takes us Virginia – Maryland – Pennsylvania – New Jersey – New York.  We have our Google Maps printed out and our Sat Nav, we should be good to go.  And we were.  We had no problems getting to Nanuet, New York where we had found a pet friendly motel.  We get in at about 5 or 5:30 and order in food, since we are not allowed to leave Sammy in the room by himself.  We eat, watch Hop on HBO and hit the sack a little before 10, knowing we were heading out again early.

Now here is where it starts to get interesting.  We had planned on hitting Sleepy Hollow on our way up to the Catskills to see the ceramic cats they have displayed.  However, the Sat Nav from hell decided to rear its ugly head.  Instead of having us take 87 across the Tappan Zee, it sent us on 9W up and around and way out of our way!  So instead of getting to Sleepy Hollow in about 20 minutes, as expected, we found ourselves already close to the Catskills!!  So we decide to swap our plans around and see the cats first.

“FLY FISHING CAT” by Amy Radley

“XLC IRONCAT” by Stephen Flach

The cats were amazing!! I wish I could post all the photos I took.  The “litter” had 43, we saw 40 and one was M.I.A.  But it was great to see the whole street lined with ceramic cats every so many feet.  I really hope to see them in future years!!

Ok, cats were seen, now we start the journey back south again and finally hit Sleep Hollow, which we missed on the way up.  OMG!!!  What a stunningly beautiful area.  I would love to be able to live here.  Sadly, tourist wise, we didn’t have the best of luck.  We didn’t make it into town until about 3 PM, and everything closes at 4:30!

So we hit the gift shop at the Philipsburg Manor, got some information on the cemetery, and headed in that direction.  Sleepy Hollow has the graves of Washington Irving, William and John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie and Walter Chrysler.

After we finished, it was time to head back for home.  We reprogram the Sat Nav so it would include toll roads (the reason it screwed us on the way to Sleepy Hollow!!).  Next thing I know . . . I WAS IN NYC!!!!  Yeah, baby!!  For about 20 minutes anyway.  It was hysterical, I was like a little kid, excited trying to crane my head to look at everything.  My mom, on the other hand, said in a resigned voice, “I hate you, Sat Nav.”

But we made it – there and back – all in one piece.  It was a blast!  We didn’t get back to the house in Virginia until 10 PM.  We pretty much collapsed into bed.  Monday morning came around and we were both still pooped, so we decided to stay close to the house and rest.  We had breakfast and then stopped at a few of the Manassas Battlefield sites.  We even got a nap!!  God, I miss nap time.

Before dinner we go back into Manassas, so I can pick up something at Best Buy and hit my favorite store up here – World Market.  I love this store and I have to stop by every time I get up here.  On our way home from dinner, we pass the Manassas campus of NVCC and what do we see?  Deer – lots of deer!  And Canada geese – lots of them too!  So we pull over and try to get some pictures.  However, I have bad luck.  Being dusk, it was getting difficult to get a good photo.  Also, for some reason, I could not stabilize the camera – so just about every photo came out blurry.

It was stunning though.  Even a couple young deer were playing together.  Then dad comes along to help keep an eye on the kids.  And everywhere we looked there were more deer!  We must have seen close to 2 dozen by the time we made it home.  How lovely to see them in the wild – and healthy – unlike the one we saw at the beginning of my trip.  It is nice to see they have found some salvation near the historic battlefields.

In closing, I would like to apologize if this post has been a bit incoherent, but I am tired and am having difficulty concentrating.  So, until next time – kissy, kissy, snog, snog!!!

Lazy days of vacation

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The first full day of vacation wasn’t too bad if I do say so myself.  Nice, relaxed and lazy!  Just as vacation should be, right?

Yup, and I am going to enjoy it and nothing will give me a problem!!  Did you just hear screeching brakes?  You should have because that was Mother Nature and with a flash of light and an evil Muwhahahahaha, I was saddled with Nature’s Curse.  I am a bit miffed about this as it always seems to happen to me when I am least prepared.  I am just thankful that Mac1949 reminded me to pack essentials in the event this should happen.  But why now?  Why couldn’t you wait until after Monday and we get back from the Catskills?  *Pout*

My mom and I had a very pleasant evening.  She was able to get out of work a little early and spent some time talking before we left for supper.  I learned a ton about shelties.  My mom loves shelties and is very active with NVSR – the Northern Virginia Sheltie Rescue.  They are having a picnic at the end of September and my mom organizes the bake sale.  So if you are in Northern Virginia next month, check it out and pick up some yummy stuff for you and your dog!!  Anyway, she just

Sammy

adopted Sammy at the beginning of the year after she had lost her previous one, Jasmine, to old age.  I have no idea what Sammy’s previous owners did to him but he is a bowl of quivering jelly!  Even after 8 full months of living with my mom who pampers the heck out of him, he is still timid with almost everyone.  No worries though, I am slowly wearing him down!!

While we were driving to Manassas for supper – with my seatbelt stuck on “decapitate” – we saw a deer along the way!  (I mentally kicked myself because I had planned on bringing my camera and didn’t.)  It was both a good and a bad thing.  It was amazing to see a wild deer very close but it was obvious that she was struggling and probably sick.  She was amazingly thin and you could see her ribs.

When my mom moved to Aldie, her development was pretty much the only fish in town – or at least it seemed that way to me.  The area was not developed and was surrounded by tree groves and tiny winding roads.  Now it is being ripped up for more development, which is a shame.  The area was beautiful and it was wonderful to go through.  And I imagine all this encroaching construction has compounded that poor deer’s problems – as well as other herds.

I am not likely to post until we return from the Catskills.  So keep an eye out next week for more adventures while being out of Florida!!

kissy, kissy, snog, snog

Ah, joyous vacation . . . I hope

/ cyrakitty / 1 Comment

Well, let’s just say it hasn’t started out that way.  Here is what happened so far.

Due to car issues, I arranged to get to the airport via the airport shuttle.  Aside from arriving a bit earlier than scheduled to pick me up – it wasn’t a bad experience.  However, that may be because I lucked out.  There was only one other passenger, whom along with the driver, were very pleasant to talk to.

So I arrive at Tampa International Airport in plenty of time for my flight.  Already armed with my boarding pass (ah, online check-in!!) I decide to head directly to airside.  Even security was uneventful.

Now, having successfully jumped through all the hoops, I still have roughly two hours to kill.  And correct me if I am wrong but this now leaves only two things to attend to: FOOD and ALCOHOL!!!  Sadly, there wasn’t anything of the former that struck my fancy so I decide to settle for Chili’s.  And I do like Chili’s but I just wasn’t in the mood for it, but I am a trooper, so I can make do.

So I sit down, order and await my caloric suicide.  After all, I did order something called chicken crispers with fries, a Coke, and a double Kahlua and cream for good measure.  Actually, the waitress asked if I would like to have the double and I felt so pressured I eagerly bubbled over with “YES!!”  Once the food arrived I was a little perturbed.  You see, I thought I was ordering your typical chicken tenders.  What I got were very thickly battered chicken tenders, similar to what you get in a Chinese restaurant – only bigger.  Just looking at them I could hear my mental calorie counter clicking away in overtime.

My bill arrives and it is pretty much what I expected at $27.27.  The thing that threw me off is when I looked at the itemization.  My drink cost more than my meal!  Yes, that lovely and still very small double Kahlua was $11.59 while my meal cost me $10.89!  Maybe it is because I only drink alcohol on rare occasions – and even then make them at home – that I am so out of touch with how much they cost in a restaurant setting.  But there you go.

Now, with only 45 minutes to kill, I make my way to my gate – a whole ten feet – and perch myself in an empty chair.  Now the people watching begins.  I can fully appreciate why so many people have this as a hobby.  I saw a little girl, blonde hair in pigtails decked out all in pink.  But it is what she was carrying that caught my attention.  It was a dinosaur – – also decked out all in pink!  Then a saw a lady walk by with long yoga-type pants that said “I LOVE PINK” all down one leg.  And what color were the pants?  Yup, dark blue.  I suppose this could be homage to the singer but I think she would have better merchandise than that.  But what do I know, right?

The gate is beginning to fill more and more and it was about this time that I knew I was in for a rough flight.  This is because a lady sat across from me and pulled out a kindle.  Shortly after she sat down, she noticed another lady that she knew.  They began talking and the first lady was talking about how excited she was to see Ann Romney and Trey Adkins – in that order!!  Seriously??  I mean I like to know the garbage guy is arriving but I rarely pay attention to him.  So, yup, I was screwed.  I had a flight inundate with Republicans!!!

Boarding begins and I am one of the last zones to board.  Not usually a big deal.  However, this time, by the time I had reached the gate the cabin overhead bins were reaching capacity and I was forced to check my small rolling luggage.  Now, I normally pack very light when going on a trip for the simple fact that I despise checking my luggage and then having to wait at the baggage claim carousel of death.  Plus you never know when they will go through your luggage or break something!!  On one trip many, many moons ago, I open my bag when I got home to find a letter inside stating that my bag had been randomly rummaged.  Lucky me.

can you guess what airline took me to DC?

As more bad luck would have it, I was wedged between two strangers.  “Ok, it is only a two hour flight, I can manage,” my inner trooper spoke up again.  And it wasn’t until about 15 minutes into the flight that I noticed it – silence.  No one was talking.  Even the family sitting in front of me was not talking.  It truly was a flight of Republicans – where everyone was treating everyone else as a leper who didn’t deserve to make eye contact, let alone speak to you.

While the cockpit crew did an excellent job, the cabin crew underwhelmed me.  They were unsmiling, unfriendly women who looked as if they would pull a wooden ruler from their back pocket at the first sign of unacceptable behavior.  The only good thing I knew I could look forward to was the Sky Mall catalog.  I love these things!  I am too poor to purchase much of it but I sure do love to look at all the fun toys!!  Ah, the beverage trolley slowly makes it way toward me.  I get another Coke and expectantly await my peanuts.  But no peanuts!!!!!  What kind of a flight in the year 2012 does not have peanuts????  So needless to say, I was pleased when the captain came on to announce our initial decent into Washington, DC.  You can finally see scenery again out the window and you can hear the landing gear being lowered.  The wing flaps were extended and they must have been doing too good of a job because all of a sudden the plane sped up while approaching the runway.  My brain immediately goes, “Dive, dive, dive!!!” Ah, I love the silent games I play in my head.  Sometimes it’s the only entertainment I get!

After deboarding and spending 20 minutes waiting for my luggage, I was off in search of the Metro, which is now – due to all the delay – right in the middle of rush hour!  What could be better?  Once I get to the Metro, as usual I can’t figure out how much money I needed to get to my destination.  So I get a card with $5 thinking that should be plenty.  While I am trying to figure out if I need the platform on the right or the left, my mechanic calls.  So getting distracted I go to the platform on the left without being certain that was the one I needed.  Shit, now what?  So I look for a map to check and I did not see one.  So I go back down the stairs to double check, found out I was right in the first place, grumble to myself and head back up the stairs.

Now, don’t forget, I am standing around with luggage and a camera case.  To me this would scream “Tourist!” but apparently not in DC.  I must have looked like a Metro guru because I had a lady come up to me to ask if she was on the right platform.  So I shrug and look dumb.  But she had a map!!  So I was able to help her and she was fine.  Then along comes another guy and asks if this is the right platform to get to Vienna.  Since I was now an old hat at this Metro game I was able to confirm he was in the right place.

I love the Metro.  I think it is a great idea and I wish more places had a similar thing.  The bad thing about it is the ride itself.  If you have a bad back, you will feel worse when you get off.  And with all the creaking, groaning and grinding noises it made the ride far more frightening than any flight I have been on.  Once I get to Vienna, I go to put my ticket in the slot to go out.  It spits it back out at me and proceeds not to open.  So I do it again and try to read the little display window.  It says nothing helpful.  Ok, so third times the charm, right?  Nope.  So I go to the window and she tells me I owe an exit fare.  How long was she going to watch me before helping out?  When will they change the display readout to say, “You owe money moron!”?  At least that way, I would have known right away.  Grumble, grumble, grumble!!

But now the vacation truly starts and I am expecting it to be far less bumpy than the journey.

Until next time – kissy, kissy, snog, snog

Happy Birthday!

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January 17 is an amazing day to be born judging by those celebrating their birthday today.  Here are a couple people I would like to highlight.

Benjamin Franklin was born in 1706.  One of America’s Founding Fathers who was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. Whew!

An accomplished musician, Franklin is known to have played the violin, the harp, and the guitar.  He was a composer and even invented a much-improved version of the glass armonica, in which the glasses rotate on a shaft, with the player’s fingers held steady, instead of the other way around.

But the thing I admire most is that he was very liberal.  He had common sense in spades.  During the Pontiac Rebellion, when a group of settlers known as the Paxton Boys murdered a group of peaceful Susquehannock Indians in retaliation to other Indian raids Franklin said, “If an Indian injures me, does it follow that I may revenge that Injury on all Indians?”

And who does not love my next personality?  The wonderfully spunky Betty White!  Born in 1922 and 90 years young today, this amazing actress, comedienne, author, and television personality is probably best known for her role Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls.  She has won seven Emmy Awards and nominated for 20 more.  In May 2010, she became the oldest person to host the hit show Saturday Night Live!

Betty is a pet enthusiast and animal health advocate who works with a number of animal organizations, including the Los Angeles Zoo Commission, the Morris Animal Foundation, and Actors & Others for Animals. Her interest in animal rights and welfare began in the early 1970s while she was both producing and hosting the syndicated series, The Pet Set, which spotlighted celebrities and their pets.

An amazing lady with a fantastic sense of humor!  Take a look at how President Barack Obama sent birthday greetings this year.

The stunning Ertha Kitt was born in 1927 on a cotton plantation in South Carolina.  An accomplished singer probably best known for her 1953 rendition of Santa Baby.  She spoke four languages and sang in seven, which she demonstrated with astonishing ease in many of the live recordings of her cabaret performances.

But who could forget her naturally purring voice that led her to be the most amazing Cat Woman on record.

She was an outspoken advocate for homosexual rights and same-sex marriage.

Sadly she passed away on Christmas Day 2008.

Next up is our very own current First Lady, Michelle Obama.  Born in 1964 in Chicago.  A Harvard Law graduate and an advocate for many causes including public service, military families and the organic movement.

As with any public eye, she has endured scandals (such as touching the queen of England).  However, she has maneuvered through them with a style and grace not seen since Jackie Kennedy.

I may not agree with everything her husband has done while in office, but there is no denying her kindness and generosity that radiates from her.

There are many, many more amazing people who were born on January 17 and if you would like to see a list (as well as important dates) be sure to check out the Wikipedia page here.  But I will only mention one more: the drool worthy Benno Fürmann!

Benjamin “Benno” Fürmann is a German actor born in 1972 near Berlin.  Americans man not be overly familiar with him as most of his work is in foreign films.  However, he did star alongside the late Heath Ledger in The Order.

I first became aware of him while watching The Princess And The Warrior, a German language film where he plays Bodo – an ex-soldier and drifter.  It was an amazing movie and I urge anyone who has not seen it to give it a try.  Check out the trailer:

I would like to conclude by saying Happy Birthday to a personal friend, Joseph, who has been there for me for the last 15 years or so.  I hope I have returned the favor at least a little.

Best wishes to everyone!  Many happy returns!