Bogieblog

How Dark Is Your House?

When I get up to let the dogs out in the early morning (usually about 1:30 AM), I don't have to turn on any lights. Our bedroom is on the lower level, and the door to the fenced area is just on the other side of one of the bedroom walls, in the laundry room. Next to the outside door, we have set up a night light so no lights have to be turned on to let the dogs out. One of the doors to the bedroom opens up into the laundry room. This door is always open so we get a decent supply of reflected light from the night light. Of course the bedroom is also lit with two alarm clocks.

The door to the downstairs bathroom faces the night light, so making a pit stop at night does not involve turning on any lights as long as you don't close the door.

In the den, also on the lower level, is where the computers are set up. There are lights from the spike protectors, the cordless phone and the monitor for the main computer (it drives me nuts that the monitor has no "Off" button so even when the computer is off, the monitor still has an orange light shining to let me know it has no video signal). Additionally the cable modem has a row of little green dots that are illuminated.

Speaking of Reading

Yesterday I had a couple of appointments, for which I knew I would be waiting for, so I needed a book to read (having finished up Stephen King's The Dark Tower last weekend). I had recently gotten a book, book 4 of a series. Then I got to looking at it, and although I've got several books by the author, I don't have books 1 or 3 of that particular series (apparently I had done the same thing last year and gotten book 2 - haven't read it though). Hmm, I gotta have a book - and not one that starts me out in the middle of a series.

So, since Buffy had recently posted about it, I dug out Lucifer's Hammer and started re-reading it. Reading it certainly made the time fly while waiting for my dentist appointment (everything is good there) and waiting for my truck to be serviced (11,250 miles already after only 5 1/2 months of ownership).

While digging out the Hammer from the shelves, I saw another book that needs a re-read. I'll have to read Robert McCammon's Swan Song after I'm done with this one.

Reading

Buffy has recently read  Lucifer's Hammer and is currently "reading" the unabridged version of Stephen King's The Stand (actually she is listening to the 22 audio tapes).

One of my favorite books of all time is The Stand. I read the original version so many times that the poor book was literally falling apart (it was paperback). When I deemed it time to replace the book, I was in luck because the unabridged version came out and I could have fun finding the several hundred "extra" pages that were included in the new version.

Strange

I just noticed that TypePad is giving totally false days and times to my posts (I posted that previous one at 4:27 AM, on Novemeber 16). I'll have to investigate the problem!

Somthing is Bruin

We had a bear visit us Sunday night. I was watching the football game, and around nine o’clock, I decided to call Tory in for the night. I opened the slider, and started calling when I heard a great commotion in the trees behind the clothesline. At first I thought I had startled a couple of deer and they were bounding thru the leaves. Then, I realized that although there was a great deal of noise, whatever it was wasn’t moving away very fast. Unhurriedness means one of two possibilities; moose or bear.

The clothesline holds two birdfeeders; a new thistle feeder (close to new – I got it 3 months ago) and a large suet feeder. I turned on the backyard light, and could see a small reflection of light coming off the ground under the clothesline – exactly underneath where the thistle feeder hangs. I couldn’t see light reflecting off the spot where the thistle feeder should have been. I added 2+2 and got, um (hold on, I gotta use my fingers) 4! I could still hear the animal moving off in the woods, unconcerned with any noise he might be making and I figured it would be a while before Tory would show up. Actually, it was less time than I figured – about 10 minutes.

Rough Morning

This morning, although I had 2 pet-sitting commissions, should have gone fairly smoothly. First I would take Mocha for a walk, feed her and the sheep, then check on the chickens (Deb remembered to leave them plenty of food and water - but I told her I would check on them anyway). Then I would stop at the house next to Debs to take Amos and Rufus for a walk, feed them and the bird, then come home. This shouldn't have taken more than 50 minutes between the two of them.

A Bit of Linkage

This is the funniest mouse chasing story that I have ever read!

Ooh! Pretty pictures! (thanks to Siflay Hraka for the link).

Mocha and Amos and Rufus, Oh My!

We got the first snow that "stuck" yesterday. Although it isn't much, most of the snow has congregated in the ditches, which is going to cause problems with raking out the leaves. Maybe I'll stick to plan "B"; clean O'Hara's cage and the birdroom floor. Birdies cage was cleaned not too long ago, so I won't have to do anything other than my weekly changing of the papers for him.

If the snow melts today, then I can rake leaves tomorrow.

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As of Monday, I had the whole weekend off from pet-sitting. Tuesday I picked up Mocha and her sheep (and let's not forget the chickens). I started taking care of her last night and that will continue thru Monday night (twice per day). Maybe I can score some chicken and sheep manure for the huge compost piles I have going.

Wednesday, I picked up a cat, taking care of him two nights (last night and tonight). Then Thursday, I picked up Amos and Rufus (dogs) for tonight and tomorrow morning. The cool thing is that all of these customers live on my street, or just off it, so the drive time is negligable.

Saving Private Ryan

The television stations in NH and Boston did not air Saving Private Ryan last night. They were concerned about breaking FCC rules (especially after the JJ fiasco during the Super Bowl). People seem to be up in arms over this because (pick one): it was Veteran’s Day and SPR was a great movies so they should show it; the religious right is running the FCC - they should just relax the rules; it’s not like there was any sex in the movie, just some violence and swearing; and, other stations are airing it, they’re just wimping out.

Segway Spell

Here is proof that Cop Car tried out the Segway while she was up here in NH.