I'm joining the crew!

Which sci-fi crew would you best fit in with? (pics) created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Serenity (Firefly) You like to live your own way and don't enjoy when anyone but a friend tries to tell you should do different. Now if only the Reavers would quit trying to skin you. Serenity (Firefly) 81% Heart of Gold (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) 69% Babylon 5 (Babylon 5) 63% Deep Space Nine (Star Trek) 63% Nebuchadnezzar (The Matrix) 56% Moya (Farscape) 56% Galactica (Battlestar: Galactica) 50% Bebop (Cowboy Bebop) 50% Andromeda Ascendant (Andromeda) 50% Millennium Falcon (Star Wars) 44% SG-1 (Stargate) 38% Enterprise D (Star Trek) 31% FBI's X-Files Division (The X-Files) 25%

Photography Scavenger Hunt!

Attention Scrapbookers!

It's time, again, for another photography scavenger hunt ... and the winner (randomly drawn) will receive a package o' scrapbooking goodies from ol' Latharia! Get your batteries loaded & lens caps off ... it's time to HUNT!

Locate & snap a picture of the following:
1. something slippery
2. diamonds
3. a branch
4. the inside of a dryer
5. an engine
6. something with four feet
7. music
8. water
9. something that smells divine
10. hands

Post them to your blog by 11:59 pm, Central Time (US), Saturday, October 27th, then link back here with a comment so we know to check out your blog.

Self defense comedy

See? Martial arts aren't THAT hard....

Update on Tails Humane Society hoarding rescue

Thank you for your generous donation! Thank you so much for your donation! It is TRULY appreciated! As you know, TAILS was called in to remove animals from a residence in Lee County. They were living in complete filth with every surface, including the floor, countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms, bathtub and walls covered in feces, hair and urine sometimes inches thick. All of the dogs and cats had horrendous flea infestations and many were malnourished, dehydrated, had old, infected wounds, etc. In spite of the horrible conditions, the vast majority of the animals are friendly and clearly very happy to be in a safe, clean place. In the end, we removed 106 dogs, 157 cats and 35 birds. We'll continue to care for them until the Lee County State's Attorney's office notifies us that we can begin finding them homes. This has taken a huge toll on our organization's finances and your donation will help ensure that we will be able to continue to provide care for these animals and others like them. For more information including the most up-to-date information we have regarding placement of these animals, please be sure to visit our website at www.tailshumanesociety.org. If you would like a paper donation receipt mailed to you, please email the shelter at tailshumanesociety@tbc.net and give us your address so we can send you one. Thanks again, Beth Drake Executive Director

Uh ... a snake?

So I was in downtown Chicago yesterday...and as I'm dining at a sidewalk cafe, lo! and behold! a dude walks by wearing a python. At least I think it's a python. I don't know what other snakes get that big & are wearable. Then I started thinking...does this guy just take his snake everywhere? Or is it a "be back in 15 minutes, I have to take the snake for a 'walk'" kind of thing? Or is he, perhaps, transporting the snake for a friend? The possibilities boggle the mind. I don't look twice at people walking their dogs ... but, uh ... a snake? Yeah. I'm lookin'. And I'm grabbin' my camera. *grin*

My surroundings

I opted to participate in Turning The Pages of Life's challenge to share some photos of our surroundings, so I made a little slideshow for you, the viewer. If you'd like to hear the music for the slideshow, please press pause on the black playlist on the left-hand column of my blog, then press the green arrow play button in the middle of the slideshow screen.



This time of year is especially beautiful. In the last 48 hours, we've seen a tremendous change of color, so it was wonderful to have another reason to be outside, with our camera, playing around to get the "perfect" shot. The lighting ranged from extraordinary to tricky -- and the photos reflect this range!

The barn shots are held over from a different fall trip, but a spot not too far afield from home base. It fit in nicely with the rest of the photos from our day today, so I decided to include them in the slideshow. Enjoy!


edit: P.S. Some folks are having difficulty with the slideshow ... so here are some of the pictures, to keep frustration to a minimum.

Rescued, hoarded animals need our help!!!!

I just found about a horrible situation just one county over from us. An animal hoarder kept more than 250 animals (150 dogs, 100 cats, 20 birds I think was the last count) in a small house. The animals were living in absolute filth, and the agency that's undertaken their rescue is under a huge financial burden as a result. They are (wonderfully, thankfully) up to their eyeballs in volunteers, but need funds for medical care, stimulation (play), clean bedding, etc. I am going to review our budget & find some money to donate ... and I am going to gather up our unused cat-toys and mail them to them. If you'd like to see the whole story, you can go here but be forewarned, if you scroll far down, there are some pretty disgusting pictures and descriptions of their living conditions. Barring that, would you please consider sending just $5-$15 to these guys? Or mailing some toys for the dogs or cats or birds?

The mailing address is: Tails Humane Society, 2250 Barber Greene Rd, DeKalb, IL 60115

Thanks!!!!

Edit: Thanks to everyone who has emailed me & who has been willing to help out!!!! One of my fellow bloggers, ScrapperJen, actually lives out that way & said she'd keep me posted on any new appeals or needs that these poor animals have!

ERROR! :D

Welcome, Autumn!

Stop getting drool all over my caramel apples!!!!!!

Hallelujah! HEAT!!

The wonderful folks at Stephens Heating & Plumbing came & replaced various parts and pieces (it's reassuring to know it really was broken, and it wasn't just me, being unmechanical in nature), and as of yesterday, we have heat. It came in awfully handy last night.

I don't know exactly how cold it got -- but it was pretty dang chilly! Now I (the exceedingly light sleeper) just have to adjust to the new noise & texture of furnace heat. I'll take the trade off: slightly broken sleep by heat vs. waking to freezing cold house & being miserable. Option A, please.

Ccccan I ggggetttt sssome heatttt???

The thermostat is set to 67 degrees F ... but it's only 59 degrees F in the house...
Yes, it's fall ... and the temperature dropping is just marvelous. I am a huge fan of cooler weather. OUTSIDE. Our furnace is messing with us, and we have no heat. It's not a problem at night, at least not if the temperatures remain in the mid-40's. Just thrown on extra blankets, snug as a bug in a run. During the day, I admit, I am not so thrilled to have to leap from a hot shower into a ice-cold robe ... or to have stiffened fingers struggling on the keyboard ... or to attempt to hand journal on a page with squiggly writing.

It is now just59 degrees in the house. (I seem to recall that one is supposed to keep one's home at 52 degrees or above, to prevent pipes from being damaged, yes?) A bit chilly for me, truth to be told. I've jiggled the furnace panel, which has done the trick in years gone by. Bits and pieces were replaced just 20 months ago, so I doubt it's anything major.

Still...regardless...it's COLD in here! I'm off to see if I need to break the skim of ice in my contact lens case. And to rifle through my recipes to see if I can find the ingredients for some muffins, or something to be baked. And possibly start some laundry, to get the dryer going. *shiver*

Hmmm....THIS movie looks like fun!

Messing with letters.

Isn't this fun? Try it for yourself, here.

Finally...the temperature is dropping!

And that means it's the perfect opportunity to kidnap my sweetheart over his lunch hour and make a tour of the arboretum. He works just a few minutes away from the spot -- but is almost always concerned about making it back on time, so I very carefully timed things out, packed some pb&j, carrots, apples, crackers, and 2 cans of soda ... and kidnapped him. We enjoyed the peace & quiet ... and he took some really nice pictures!

Uh...OCTOBER???!

It is supposed to reach 90 degrees here, today...highly atypical fall weather for us! So, the idea of engaging in fall activities (touring the arboretum, planting bulbs, wearing sweaters, sipping tea, baking treats) is just repulsive. I am glad I didn't put my summer clothes away -- I'll be needing them today! Thank goodness for air conditioning! ICK!