It's Trevor Time!!!!!

WOW - any Brewer fans out there are walking around with blank stares wondering what has happened.

Well - so is Trevor and the Brewers.

It seems some home sabermetricians (Sabermetrics is the analysis of baseball through objective evidence) have been working overtime and have found some interesting data. In a nutshell Hoffman has always been a pitching robot. His mechanics year in year out are the same, velocity vs. spin angle of his pitched ball are constant throughout his career.  The problem this year is that he has no control over his change-up and you will notice that he is pitching MANY MANY more "fast" balls!

His release point and all other parts of his delivery are the same yet the spin angle on his change-up is all over the place and as we all know - the change up is why he is in the Majors.

Add one more tiny problem, his 4-seam fastball seems to be missing the corners and going towards the middle of the strike zone.  His velocity has not changed but he is not hitting the corners.

I know he feels horrible about this. How can he not.  The only hope is that once the problem is found it will not be too late.
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Caydence update.

All is going well with Josh and Jenny and Caydence.  Jenny and Caydence participated in a sturdy yesterday which involved Caydence sitting on Jenny's lap in a dark room.  A camera is trained on Caydence. Then a small light is turned on to the right and Caydence looks to see what it is and as she looks a voice in Italian speaks to her. 

Same thing on the left, light, Italian voice and it's over. Here is a Tee Shirt and a pen, thank you for playing and be sure to get a copy of our home game.

I think I saw this in LOST episode 37 didn't I?  

Oddly just before bedtime Caydence said  "I' m. sonnolenta ora genero, posso avere certo latte?"     

She is such a happy little girl (unless she is cranky but that is seldom). She has this total 100% joy on her face when she is laughing.  She has so many expression's. I wonder if children with Down Syndrome have more expressions because they have a greater problem with words? So they use their faces more to express themselves?

All I know is this is one happy kid!

Here she is getting ready to go home after a fun time at Gram Grams and Mr. Melottes house!

And here she is in her bouncy chair. It was sort of hard to get a focused photo. DJ and Jenny were singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider song (DJ finally has an excuse to sing it) and she kicks her feet with joy and starts to bounce up and down in rhythm!

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I have a slow drip of Ibuprofen going today (and the last day or so) from digging and my back hurts a little.  I have to remember to stop the pain killers 6 hours before I want to work in the garden so I remember I'm in pain.

We had farmers market yesterday and I purchased two more Purple Cone Flowers and four Jolly Bee Geraniums.  You will not see Jolly Bee's after July 1 2010 as a court has deemed that Rosanne and Jolly Bees are DNA alike so you will not find them in a few months.

So was on the Garden Web and posted a few photos and all of a sudden people are asking to see more flower photos -  I started a new photo blog.  This one will have mostly photos of flowers and landscaping and so forth.  The goal is to document what is going on with the gardens in our yard and the Boulder wall and so forth.

Melotte Photo Imagery - Flora     I have a lot to add and it's not really a story blog but a photo blog with information about each plant!

Yesterday I was at the Farmers Market and took a few photos of some annuals (I think). Here is one close-up.  As always - click on it to enlarge.

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The City Wide Garage Sale will be held May 7th and 8th.

I want to congratulate Dan Jensen for becoming Weed Commissioner of Columbus. I'm sure he will do a fine job. 

There MIGHT not be a blog tomorrow as I will have a Furlough day and waking up late and as we all know - the best time to write is early early morning before my brain actually kicks in.

HOW BOUT THOSE MILWAUKEE BUCKS!!


FEAR THE DEER!!!

Hang on to your hats as it's going to get REALLY windy today - sustained 25mph - watch this graph today as it whites out!  it's already kicking up to 25.

Cheers
Rod

Hello Columbus . . . OHIO!!!

I'm glad y'all enjoyed the Fruit Cake Lady - she is a stitch isn't she? 

And a big shout out to the people in Columbus Ohio!   I know you are there!  NBC4!  You can't hide from me my little pretties!  How's that flea thing going at DOH in Lancaster!  And come on - Let Bob go barefoot in your Capitol, his feet are probably cleaner then your shoes. At least he knows when he has stepped in crap right?  I know if I would have been barefoot yesterday I would not have walked into my house with THAT on my foot!
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So The Amazing Race has won eight Emmys in the "Outstanding Reality-Competition Program" awards but now the Donald  is getting all hissy saying the only reason AM is winning is that they "know how to politic the Emmys."

No - it's because it's a great non-scripted show. I say non-scripted because some people get all anal about the word "reality" saying "IT'S NOT REAL YOU KNOW". Well, I know many comedies that are not actually funny so deal with it. remember Life on a Stick? 

Is that Adam Lambert?  

That is Amy Yasbeck crooning over Adam. Amy was John Ritters wife and took the gig as a healing process after Johns death.

I tell ya - that ad just makes me want to rent this show from Netflix.


So Donald Trump says that Amazing Race does not deserve an Emmy and that Celebrity Apprentice deserves an Emmy. . . . . . WHAT?  Last time I looked The Apprentice was ranked 27th, Amazing Race 16th Survivor 8th and Dancing With the Stars #1.

I suppose that since the category is "Outstanding Reality-Competition Program" that "Dancing" the #1 show on the air should win but in my book this years Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains is just a fantastic show.  Serious good with the best players from 20 shows (I would have been on this show  . . . if I was ever selected in the first place) showing why they are the best!  This season of Survivor will change how the game is played.

In future Survivors you will see people playing a much bolder and chancy game and probably looking silly.   Anyway - I vote Survivor.
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Am I missing a lot of America Who Are Us?  I thought it was every Sunday???  hmmmm I'll have to look at the recording on my DVR, I thought it was set up for ALL!!

I'm fascinated by the American Revolution and wish they would have covered it more.  One of the big problems the British had was NORMALLY, in a war once you capture a large city or Capitol the war is over. But not here.  The area is so spread out that once they had a city the other ones didn't care and CONTINUED to fight!  THE NERVE!!

Another problem was that any time they had to communicate with Europe the letter would take 2 months to get there.  They never "texted" information, not even an email. Stupid British!
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Yesterday in 1951 General Douglas MacArthur Visited Milwaukee - he did not return.

Tomorrow marks a pretty big day! On April 29th the Universe was created! No one was around to record the event but German mathematician and astronomer Johannes Kepler believed that the sun, not the earth, was the center of the solar system.  HELLO KNOCK KNOCK ANYONE HOME?

Using his numbers and calculations, scientists created the "controversial" Big Bang Theory and Johannes numbers are off by 13.6 BILLION years!!  Of course the simpler explanation comes from the Bible which states "God created everything in 6 days on the 7th day he rested".  it is what it is! simple, concise and right to the point.   No need to look farther (further?).

BUT then there is Stevens Hawkings who is warning the scientific community to STOP sending out welcome signs to the aliens.  Any aliens passing the Milky Way (known as not the friendly place in the Universe) are PROBABLY not friendly!  remember, Christopher Columbus came in peace and it certainly did not help the Native Americans living here.  just say'n

We don't want no "Vs" coming here with their Blue Energy and sexy leaders making baby armies.  OR OR curing all diseases but also making every one sterile so that sooner or later there will be no humans because there are no baby's!  YEA !!  Think about it next time you hear someone getting "fixed" by a so called "doctor".

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ATTACK OF THE LOOSESTRIFE!!

So in my clay garden I have a plant that looked like a good idea at the time but I was considering something else this year. So I did some research (oh! that was different - adding a photo has changed) and you do NOT want this creature in your garden.  It's called loosestrife and people on the garden web are telling me to RIP IT OUT!  I read in my Wisconsin Perennials book and it says "somewhat annoying" meaning RIP IT OUT NOW!!

So last night I take my shovel and WOW - IT'S EVERY WHERE!!   AAAAGH!!  I hope Round-up kills it as a shovel is not doing a lot of good! I put like 1 drop on every little alien mouth.

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I think I'll dust off my garden blog with new photos.

Gotta run
Cheers
Rod

A Short One.

Now that we have a roll model for the younger generation I feel it is my duty to help out.  So I bring you.

The Fruit Cake Lady

So last night I'm struggeling with an image that I really like but I can't seem to get it exactly how I want it.   So in disappointment I remove myself from the computer and turn on the last 24 seconds of the Bucks game which takes 10 minutes.

Then once the Bucks win I turn on the Brewers who are AGAIN beating the Pirates 8-2 so I figure I'll watch the Brewers bat and go to bed.   HALF AN HOUR LATER the Brewers are winning 17-2 AGAIN.  

It was funny - in the 7th inning they are showing the Brewer bench and they are all happy and laughing except for Casey McGehee who is 0-3 and 2 strike outs. One inning later he has a walk and a Grand Slam. 

Also Suppan came in in the 9th and pitched one inning and gave up 1 run.  His ERA barely budged!
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The mystery plant is a Black Eyed Susan that I planted next to the Astors.

-----------------------------

Anybody else watching  AMERICA - The Story of US on the History Channel - outstanding show.

Plus - any Dancing with the Stars people out there?  I wonder how Kate would have done last night!

OH MAN - I just read that I'm more likely to be killed in a vending machine accident then winning Powerball.  WOW - I'm staying away from vending machines!!!  

Gotta run

Cheers
Rod

I don't kow what to say about that photo!

Is your male dog board? Does he sit around all day chewing on things nervously? Does he seem uptight?

A coworker found just the perfect plaything for Fido! And yes - you can really buy this.

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The 2010 Columbus Businesses of the Year Luncheon is coming up on May 17th 11:45am-1:00pm at the Cardinal Ale House - the guest speaking will be Tammy Baldwin (who seems to like Columbus).

Tickets available from Steve Sobiek (email address)

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Microsoft came up with analysis about passwords.  It makes absolutely ZERO sense to have to keep changing your passwords. All it does is add frustration to our lives.  The reason is that if someone does get your password they are not going to sit on it for a month, they are going to use it right away!  It's like a car thief finding your car keys and he is standing next to your car. He's not going to wait.

So changing your password every 6 weeks makes no sense and wastes time.
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Saturday we went to a nursery that I had never been to called Americas Best Flowers.  It is sort of a mini Flower Factory. The place is just the other side of the Door Creek Golf Course and I saw a few people in our league there.

Then we took a trip to Johannsens Nursery and finally the Flower Factory. Between the two of us we spent about $80 on different ground covers and perennials.  Jolly Bee Geraniums, Veronica repens (Creeping Speedwell), Veronica prostrata-Alba, Sedum selskianum 'Variegata' (Stonecrop) and some Sweet Woodruff.  I'll have photos of all of those once I process them.  Basically our rock wall is ALMOST finished.

We spent most of Saturday outside working on the wall and arguing about whether we need a perfect triangle over here or over there.  My MO for planting a garden is to find a spot ,dig a hole, and plant. While Elweed in all his analness wants to measure EXACTLY and plant with precision, not 16 inches apart,  not 17.5, but 17 inches.  And the Jolly Bee can't be 6 inches from the rock wall but 8 inches because 6 inches is too close.

On the good side is that while gardening takes 4 times as long, it WILL look good!  A one hour process can take 4 hours but with exactness. So, I'm not really complaining that much. It's just a little frustrating at times.

The question I have for YOU is WHAT is this??  It's in my butterfly garden and I'm not sure if it is friend or foe.  I don't THINK it is friend.  It's where the asters were (I believe) but now I see there IS something . . . . . .

Upon further research I have one photo July 6th 2009 showing something! I can't find a later photo showing any flowers    hmmmmmmmm  Looks like it's suppose to be there though!!

I'll be documenting all of my plants this year - should be interesting . . .to some.
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So the Packers ended their draft. The USA Today gives them a "C" and MSNBC gives them a "B".  Most like Bryan Bulaga but say he does not have the reach as a prototypical "O" linesman, meaning he has short arms.

I don't no - not seeing it but that is why they are the pros.


And then I see Suppan was demoted to the bullpen. WOW - didn't see THAT one coming did you!  Who knew that a guy that has gotten worse every year for 4 years, had a bad spring and a worse first 2 outings would be even ON the team!

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Have a humpty dumpty day!  

Rod

Secret Subterranean Gardens

I can't not believe the Packers missed the chance to pick up Tim Tebow in the 1st round. We could have had a REAL QB instead of this Rogers guy that is filling in for Favre. sigh - THOMPSON YOU IDIOT!  OH - we get an offensive lineman - what good are they at scoring touchdowns  LOL

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And I have to say - THIS IS THE BEST SURVIVOR EVER!! I know many of you recorded it and have not watched it yet so no spoilers except to say this is the most outstanding Survivor ever. Can it GET ANY BETTER? (yes - if I was on it, but otherwise, no).

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Also - a retraction from yesterdays star blog. What you are seeing is MARS (orange) then Regulas down and to the left, THEN Saturn lower and more left and finally Spica.

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While waiting in the Doctors office I found a news magazine that I think I like. It's called The Week and takes a digest of the week's news and editorial commentary from global media.  I can't decide if it's left or right but I like the global part as you see news from a slightly different perspective.

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I've been railing on the Columbus Chamber of Commerce this week but I have to say in all fairness that when they put their minds to it they can really do a great job.  I felt PE Days last year was an outstanding success. People from everywhere were commenting to me about how great the event was. Tourists were stopping and taking hayrides and touring the city and I had entire families tell me it was great fun.

Yet - the organizers feel it was a failure and will not have another one. Seems the BARS in Columbus did not reap huge amounts of money and have talked the Chamber into thinking it was a waste of time.  Julie of Julies Java House did a fantastic job and I applaud her for her efforts.  I honestly can not see how this could even come close to being a failure.

The Chamber having a broken website just irritates the hell out of me!!  It's like giving a middle finger to any perspective business.  Websites are SO important.
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Speaking of Columbus.  The CDA is forming a Strike Team.  The vision is to have a squad of organizations on hand to talk to perspective business.  For instance.  If a company is planning on opening up business they will be invited to a meeting which will have as school representative , Water & Light, Main Street Org , CDA, City Hall (Garbage collectors?) and so forth to tell them about Columbus.  This would show them that this is a community that is on the go and organized and WANTS their business.

Columbus is in a Catch 22 situation. We have Sun Prairie to the south and Beaver Dam to the north. A business looks at this and while it likes Columbus sees that both other towns are much larger with more customers.  So we have to work harder at selling them that Columbus is a GREEN community!  That is the selling point at the moment and we're getting a lot of recognition for this.



We're one of the first of ten "Energy Independent Communities" designated by the State of Wisconsin and awarded with the largest energy independence grant.

On track to become the first city in Wisconsin to convert all street lights to LED (just so our downtown does not look like Waterloo, MAN I hate those light!)

Featured in Wisconsin Builder Magazine’s March cover story, "Leading the Charge" for groundbreaking energy sustainability efforts

Starting the Columbus energy efficiency home program to build 5-10 solar, high energy efficient homes for sale and for public education.

First city in Wisconsin to install energy sustainable municipal parking lots, including NEV/hybrid electric chargers and LED lighting,

Installing 10,000 foot mirror to reflect the suns rays onto the crops surrounding the city for faster crop growth.  
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I was out at lunch yesterday taking photos of the Tulips and went to a little secret Madison garden to take some photos.

At 1 N Pinckney  across East Washington from the glass bank in the square is a little subterranean garden. Elweed found it and told me to take some photos so I'm been lurking around like a homeless guy looking for a place to sleep. I decided I better tell them I'm just taking photos so I entered Engberg Anderson Inc and told them what I was doing.

Here is the little secret garden that nobody ever notices. 

These are Creep Charlie - the funny thing is if you google Creeping Charlie there are a lot of sites that will tell you how to KILL CREEPING CHARLIE!!!

These flowers are just a tad over 1/4 inch.  I was pretty close to them. 

.

and one of the many Tulip shots!  Like I'm the only guy taking photos of Tulips in Madison! 

Have a great weekend
Rod

Don't forget the Heine Ride registration

Well - I'm wondering if I let the cat out of the bag when I mentioned the Columbus Space Port. I know many of the people that live in Columbus never make it to the Main Street area so it's been a pretty easy secret to keep. However - a few nights ago there was this "assumed" meteor the media was all a twitter about. I happened to be in town last Wednesday and took this photo BEFORE the alleged meteor and if you go down town today you will not see this giant . . . .  erection. 

Yea - need I say more??

Did I mention you can now get Columbus WI postcards at Walgreen's?  I had to fill out a form saying I was not a biological terrorist.  WHEW - I'm glad they have that form as I feel much safer now.

ANYWAY - knowing that Columbus will soon be getting visitors from other worlds I have been looking at the stars the last few weeks and there have been three very very brilliant stars almost in a straight vertical (about 45 degrees actually (  /  )  line when looking south that I have noticed.  Upon researching they are Spica,  Saturn and Regulas.  If you get a chance AFTER the upcoming storms check them out.

Regulas (the little king)  is the top star and one of the brightest stars in the sky.  It is 77 light years away so what you see is from 1933. The REALLY neat thing about Regulas is that it is 3.5 times larger then our sun and spins at a torrid speed of 709,000 miles per hour (compared to our suns 4,470 mph).  In fact it is spinning so fast that if it spun 16% faster it would tear itself apart.   It is so fast that gravity darkening occurs and it is shaped like an oval.

So with Regulas about to blow itself apart (or maybe has already) look lower and to the left.  This is  Saturn (yawn) and then even lower and more to the left is Spica.

Spica is a blue giant and is 260 light years away. So the light we see now happened about the same time Ben Franklin flew his kite into the air looking for electricity (it seems like just yesterday doesn't it). 

Spica is 1900 times more luminous than the Sun - sunglasses are mandatory on planets near Spica. Sadly Spica IS a supernova problem and could blow any day (or has already).  If Spica was OUR sun, earth would have to be 3 times FARTHER then Pluto to be livable.

All this has me thinking that I have to go buy Avatar today!  I RARELY buy DVDs . . like never,  but this is one I want to get.   Blu-ray of course. The thing about Blu Ray is not the video but the audio is SO much better on blu-ray.  It's the difference between a normal DVD and HD but in audio terms.
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I failed to mention yesterday that The Red Baron (Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen) was shot down yesterday  92 years ago.  He was 25 years old and oddly some guy with a rifle on the ground  shot at him and hit him in the chest!  He managed to land his plane as as solders climbed up to the plane Richthofen's last word was "kaputt". 


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NOTE - Heine Ride registration cut off is April 25 .That's not to say that somebody can't ride just because he/she is not registered.
 To find more information on the 2010 Heine Ride follow the link.   DJ and I are PLANNING on attending man we have just not been able to get out and ride!!  Still - PLANNING but . . . . . .

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Did see that Columbus was awarded $150,000 for LED Street Lights?  And remember when you were a kid and got the Weekly Reader?  Well Katie Barczykowski from Columbus wrote an editorial for the WR and it was published.  The category was on whether schools should have bake sales and her response was "If a majority of students at schools are overweight, then the schools should have other types of fund raisers instead"!  BRAVO!    Jamie Oliver would be proud!

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I think I'll start a campaign to get the Columbus Chamber of Commerce off their butts OR - dismantle them completely.  They are doing more harm then good for Columbus! Why to businesses give them money anyway!  Where does the money go???

Their website says "The official Web site of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce representing businesses in Columbus, Wisconsin, and Columbia, Dodge and Dane Counties. Visit our communities for shopping, tourism, dining, lodging, festivals, horse shows, Christopher Columbus Statue; Museum, fishing(??), family fun and economic development."

and it's been broken for THREE YEARS! 

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The Columbus Department of Public Works will be holding spring yard waste pickups on the following dates Thursday, April 29, Thursday, May 6, and Thursday, May 13, 2010.

Rod - OUT!

Blogless Tuesday Explained

MAN - It's 80 degrees in here today - INSIDE!!!!  We got a message "Opening building windows is frowned upon due to the tax it places on building HVAC systems"   DAMN!   Obama putting tax on heat now - Don't tell the Tea Partyers.  They will go bananas! 
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I had another mom day yesterday so that was why it was blogless Tuesday. If you ever see a blogless day it's probably due to a field trip to Fort Atkinson.Plus I have like 3 Furlough days AND 66 hours of vacation to use up before July 1st! 

Although having to be forcibly removed from the Columbus Development Authority meeting Monday might have been a good excuse to not having a blog. When I asked Boyd "In or Out" and he said a little to fast with a smile and that little evil glint in his eye "OUT" I realized I was not in the inner circle of trust.  That is fine - I have secrets too buddy!!! YEA - you WISH you would have said IN now don't you .  No? hmmmmmmmmm!  Me thinks he made the right decision because once the public see's the plans for the new Columbus Dome no one will get ANY work done.

In reality it's pretty exciting what they were planning under their cone of silence and SOONER OR LATER it'll all come out (did I hear "space port" when I had my ears pressed against the windows?).
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OH - lesson learned - do not listen to Home Depot people.  When we were buying our 3 gallons of stain it was a Wednesday.  I asked the painter dude if we should get it shaken up, he said no because it would all settle by Saturday!

moron.  (him, not me)

We get home and it's like Sesame paste on the bottom.  I mix and mix and it's good enough.  But we run out and get ANOTHER gallon and this time they shake it.  WOW - what a difference.  It's a new color!    Now adubya says we should have used Paint Mitts on the spindles instead of a rag!  What hell are those?  Why didn't they tell us about these things!   grrrrrrrrrr

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I felt the need for taking photos and after getting back yesterday and mowing the yard AND making beer and NOT golfing I took some photos of our neighbors house (they gave me permission).  They are stealing my flower thunder!!  

Actually THEIR flowers will go away about the time mine start blooming so it works pretty well.

They have done a fantastic job on their landscaping.  I had issues at first (rocks instead of mulch and Cat in the Hat trees) but their house looks WONDERFUL! 

 
An odd thing here. You know when you cook a Thanksgiving dinner and when you are done - blah - who wants to eat?  Well last night I was working on the above photo and when I was all finished - blah - who cares - not working.

So this morning I'm looking for a photo to put on the blog and - geez - that one is not too bad after all. Last night I was in the F*ck It mode and was about to delete it!  I guess the longer I work on something the less I like it LOL

The headline reads:

BIGGER BEN  - $100 GETS A MAKEOVER

MY GOD!!  IT'S SO BIG YOU CAN'T EVEN CARRY IT NOW!!   Where is the Tea Party on THAT one!!!



Better go - I gotta take off my shirt before it reaches 85 in here.    I'M WORKING IN MY UNDERWEAR!!!

Rod

KVC Double Down Sandwich

The worst sandwich ever. The KVC Double Down Sandwich.

Five executives sitting around a table thinking of the next best thing in fast food.  One guy says, Let's replace the bread in a sandwich.


Yea - great idea but . . hmmmmmm what shall we replace it with  hmmmmmm

 Silence . . . .tick. . . tick. . .tick

WITH BREADED DEEP FRIED CHICKEN BREASTS!! 


Silence . . . .tick. . . tick. . .tick - BRILLIANT.  They all stand up and give high fives to each other.  

It only has 540 calories which is no big deal!   Hardee's Monster burger has 1,300 calories and Wendy's Triple Baconator as 1,350. According to FiveThirtyEight even a Big Mac has 540 calories! It's all the other bad bad stuff, salt, fat and so forth like 145 milligrams of cholesterol (more then two Big Macs)

However - I do see a trend starting. and not the "replace the bread" wars will start!  How about Burger King making a hamburger,   WRAPPED IN A HAMBURGER!!  OR - A cheeseburger and replace the bread WITH MORE CHEESE!!

The possibilities are endless!

Did you know the first Boston Marathon was on this day 113 years ago?   15 runners started and 10 finished. Woman were not allowed to run until 1972 but in 1966 the first woman DID run! 
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Is there a chiropractor in the house?   Our job this weekend was to stain the deck as it never had anything on it and had now turned a lovely shade of gray!  When the house was built we were told to NOT stain it for at least a year. This seemed like a wonderful idea.  So we waited a year and then waited another year and then thought about it for another year but never really got around to it.

Well, the grayness was getting to us so we decided to Sarah Palin it and pull the trigger. 

This is what it looked like Saturday at 10:00am

So my buddy comes over and the three of us are going to crank it out and finish the job in one day.  However - Elweed had found some Periwinkle in some garbage when he was walking home from work (he saw the comet) and was now the proud father to 2 square feet or Periwinkle (which is going beneath our deck.  

So while DJ and I are working on staining the 148 FREAKING posts he is planting Periwinkle and taking breaks and his back hurts and so forth.

So we didn't get quite the maximum effort out of him but we did get 3 hours of work.

We all agreed that for each of us the 1st hour was sort of just getting techniques down.  Those posts really a bitch an the best way is to use a rag, skip the paint brush.  Also, get GOOD paint brush's don't cheap out on the brush.

I figure total man hours will be in the 20 hour range when it's all done.  We ran out of stain.  We were told 2 gallons and we had 1 gallon on reserve IN CASE and that ran out. We have the stairs and the floor of one deck to do yet (two 10x10 decks put together with stairs in between).

Here is how it looks this morning.

I kid about Elweed but I tell ya, the guy is good at plants and landscaping.  He is living his dream yard through us.  It's like it took him until he was 50 to figure out what he wanted to be in life.

I wish there was some company that really wanted someone who was bright and freakishly enthusiastic about plants!   He finds a particular plant and obsesses over it learning every thing there is. The guy has a million ideas and when we finally do something he takes credit for it because at SOMETIME in the last 4 years he has said to do it.   He should be a boulder wall expert it's his forte.

These next few images are for documentation of our boulder wall. Boulder walls are very hard to make pretty with plants as there is no dirt in the wall normally and plants really grow better in dirt.

You will see very very few boulder walls that look vibrant with plants.  So while we are working on mine Elweed has found a building with a bare boulder wall (they are everywhere now) and has adopted it as his own.  He's like Johnny Appleseed spreading perennial beauty where he can.

This is some phlox that we bought from the farmers market for $1 last fall and something below it S 

 This guy below we call Big Wooly  We're not sure what it is but it LOVES the area.  He was doing ok but when we lifted it up and started to put better dirt and sort of "made it's bed" it REALLY has taken off.  It'll have flowers and the porcupines will fallow the sun. 

The funny thing is that it has emotions.  Some days you see he is sad and others it's happy and reaching for the sky.  It's not fond of wind so on windy days it huddles a little. He has tripled in size since the middle of last summer.

We tend to buy plants on sale and just stick them somewhere until there is a good place to put them. Below are the triplets that have been "inserted (as Elweed says) at 3 different times.

I'm hoping Brian knows the names of all of these (I'm sure he knows the common AND Latin names) 

 
We were about to move the middle one over but then a castoff was doing great on another wall that did not get much light so we rescued it.  I don't have a photo because it was looking worn out from the move and is about to flower - perhaps tomorrow.


Here is the entire canvas.

And the view from the top looking down. That is Sweet William I believe working it's way around the rock. They were perhaps three one square inch plants of those last fall. 

Near the very bottom center of the photo you can see the garbagewinkles that were planted. 

A photo from the side to get perspective.

THEN - DJ and I purchased a crap load of new plants.  Two HoneySuckles, another Red Chokeberry (love those plants) two Hydrangea's and another Summer NineBark which I had never heard of before 2 years ago but are fantastic plants.


You better get used to looking at gardens on this blog as our home begins to take shape.  From nothing but dirt we have been working every year bit by bit to make our yard a lush, green environment bird and butterflies and we're going to mail order some squirrels soon LOL  
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And totally Off Topic - our neighbors were having ONE of their 7 family reunions next door and while we were underneath the deck drinking beer and planting garbagewinkles they were doing some photos. Shirley came over and asked if I could help out and take a photo. WELL YEA!!!

So here is the Castleberg family in all their glory!  I hope they like it.  I also sent them a "normal" photo but . . .I like this one better.

How often can you get 20 people all smiling at once (well , , the kid is sticking his tongue out which is perfect!!)

Have a great day
Rod

Taxes? No problem.

No - I did not get my Hot Dog.  Hot Dogs are too American and there was a line.  Oddly the Taco stand was not very busy, probably because the Tea Party are anti-Hispanic and racist. The leader of the tea Party was quoted on Twitter on March 21st as saying "Illegals everywhere today! So many spics makes me feel like a speck. Grrr. Wheres my gun!?"

A very bright leader there.

In a recent poll 49% of Tea Party people get their news from FOX and 59% say that have a favorable opinion of Glenn Beck (who is certifiably insane). Only 18% of the country as a whole view Beck favorably.  In fact the biggest reason for being a Tea Party extremest is not ideology, not any particular political belief, but whom they watch on television (according to the website FiveThirtyEight and a NYT poll).

I don't understand this whole anti-tax thing and the need for ALWAYS lowering taxes.  Taxes pay for things like caring for the elderly, establishing justice, providing public education, fighting terrorism, and protecting the environment. Without taxes we have none of this.



Paying taxes is just like giving money in church isn't it? Do you go to church and resent giving money to help out? No! Yet some churches and relegions require you always give. That's a tax, they just call it by a different name.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt once remarked that “Taxes, after all, are dues that we pay for the privileges of membership in an organized society.”

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. said “I like to pay taxes. With them I buy civilization."

The first known tax system started about 3000BC in Ancient Egypt for a grainery and I think an airport (they were ahead of their time as planes were not invented yet. Talk about some big protests!!) Taxes are even mentioned in the Bible, Genesis chapter 47, verse 24 says "But when the crop comes in, give a fifth (20%) of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children."

I believe if you do not want to pay taxes then you don't get ANY of the goods that taxes give you. Go ahead and work until you are 90 - no Social Security for you. No health care, no nothing for you.

Again Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. says "Most conservative criticisms about the ill-effects of taxes are exaggerated or untrue. Taxes are in fact good – they are dues we pay to enjoy the numerous vital benefits that government provides for our society."

Sure - our government is always taking money from us in the form of taxes but it is also constantly giving back to use in the form of services that improve our lives. Without taxes we would be dumping our daily crap in the streets right? Let the Tea Partyers crap in their own lawns if they don't want to pay taxes.

I play SIM City and in order to buy new things like Fire Stations, air ports, stadiums and schools I have to raise taxes from time to time and the SIMS hate me for that, but geez, they sure like having roads and sports and schools to increase the education levels. BUT THEY HATE TAXES.

People love free stuff.

OK OK OK - I got on a rant.

Oddly - when I sell a print I always feel guilty for adding tax. I got crushed on paying taxes with Turbo Tax this year because it never asked me about the taxes I collected. I tried calling an accountant in Columbus but it seems accountants are too busy to worry about helping out a small businessman. LOL
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On this date in 1943 Hallucinogenic effects of LSD discovered. Albert Hoffman accidentally LSD-25 and got all weird. he went home feeling weird and in his notes he wrote "I perceived an uninterrupted stream of fantastic pictures, extraordinary shapes with intense, kaleidoscopic play of colors. After some two hours this condition faded away."

Yup - been there, done that (a long time ago and I still live to talk about it).
 
This photo reminds me of one of those times.

Have a great weekend.

Rod

Don't take my Hot Dog Away!

Lots of talk about the meteor that fell in Wisconsin last night. I saw what I thought was lightning out my window and quickly forgot about it. It landed up north lighting trees on fire.

Wish I would have seen it.

I'm a little late and short of words as I had a DR appointment - 6 month derm check up. No big deal.

I saw Trooper Zang pulling someone over yesterday who had no front license plate. Well Done Trooper Zang - way to protect the citizens. If you don't know Trooper Zang he's teh State trooper that hangs out in Columbus catching ne're-do-well's who only have on plate on their car.

I came in contact him in one of my favorite blogs Winner Winner Chick Dinner -which talks about this blog getting an award (passed over this year . . .so quickly the flame has died - 2008 Business of the Year Award . . . I think it was my speech at the Rotary Club that Sineade O'Connored me).

A friend of mine from my semi pro poker days writes a blog. She actually only blogs when she has something to say and can say it coherently (unlike I who just blithers away with daily mindless drivel). She has a pretty good post about small(?) towns that I want to steer you to,The South End and The North End
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I receiver my ingredients for my newest brew - an IPA - 6 ounces of hops! WHOO! HOO!!  (A typical batch has 1 or 2 ounces (Miller Lite has 1/4oz)

I see the Tea Bag Party of raciest anti-gay bigotry extremists are in Madison today and I ASSume they will all pile in front of the Hot Dog stand at lunch and make me wait for a hot dog!  I LOATH them for that! 

I see they were screaming “faggot,” and “homo” at my poker hero Barney Frank the other day and African-American Georgia Congressman John Lewis was being called the "N" word. I tell ya, I love these guys because it really would make America an interesting place if their kind was in power. 

Even looking at these animals make me sick to my stomach.   I will not watch the news tonight in protest of the news coverage of these idiots that embarrass America.   The odd thing is that they believe they are in tune with what America is.  WHAT?  Are you freaking kidding me?  They are funded mby corporate, ultra-right organizations such as FreedomWorks and Americans for Prosperity. Certainly not a "grass roots" organization.

DONE
Rod

Deck Staining fun!

Geez - I either have to get more OR less controversial. Here I call the Columbus Chamber out and get zero response. I even post the screen play to Public Enemies (thanks to Pam  aka efudd for that) and . . .nothing. I don't think my blog is that bloviating but who knows (does who know?). Who knows if who knows.

Maybe I'm just getting the silent treatment

HELLO? HELLO? ANYBODY OUT THERE?   dang lurkers!   DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM? (I'm saving that one for the next time Trooper Zang pulls me over for DJ not wearing her seat belt). "No Trooper Zang, she is my wife". 

Well - I have nothing else to report.

For all of you that drive to Madison on 151, you watched when "they"  installed that little wire fence between the north and southbound roads. Pretty ugly and I had issues with it at the time.

I find out the police call them "auto shredders".  Seems when a car hits it, the car is shredded like it went through a cheese cutter!  The car is pretty totaled. However, the occupants walk away. So I guess it's all good.

WOW - I'm pathetic - I'm looking around my desk looking for something to write about! LOL 

hmmmm . . . . SUGAR IN THE RAW?  germ-x?  Jergans Ultra Healing?

Here is something a friend pointed out as she was ordering this piece of biking equipment.  

I wonder if all wives have a quick release mounting system. 

DJ and I were sucking down beer on Sunday like there was no tomorrow, sitting in the sun enjoying our deck and we were talking about food.  Got me thinking about how family meals have changed over time.

I remember when pizza was relatively a new thing for me.  When I was a kid we would go to Gus's Pizza in Whitewater every Sunday.  We actually knew Gus and and I remember he cried when he found out my dad died. Now when my brother comes up from Springfield we take my mom to Gus's.  It's a family tradition!  If you love greasy messy pizza it's awesome good.

Boiled Dinner - YUCK!!  My god that dinner sucked.  Boiled cabbage and ring baloney. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?  I would hide the cabbage under my plate (gag reflex) or try to give it to our dog (half collie half timberwolf) who would not eat it and I would get busted.  I was a picky eater, learned that from my dad. I wish I was not - I LOVE FOOD!

Speaking of Pizza - check out Connie's frozen Pizza.  Pretty good for a thin crust pizza and it's won a crap load of awards.  That and our favorite Bellatoria pizza.

OH - some of you have asked about my mom.  She is doing well. The words might not ALWAYS be there but I feel she has been improving. She has so many nurses coming and going, speech therapy, physical therapy,  in home check up nurse and so forth it's crazy.  I think having so many people to talk to (instead of ZERO) is really exercising her mind.  She is even outside walking again (with a 3 wheel walker) and she sounds happy.  

I'm just amazed she stopped smoking and does not miss it.  The big thing now is to get some weight on her.  I thought stopping smoking was suppose to put weight on.  She complains a little that everything taste weird  (meaning there is actual flavor now).  The Fort Atkinson Doctor told her to drink Instant Breakfast (he had never heard of Ensure?).

And finally, this weekend we are FINALLY pulling the trigger and are going to stain our deck.  Any tips?  Do you suggest the rag or the sponge technique for our 3000 railings!  We have two 10x10 connected decks. One guy said all we would need were 2 gallons of stain but this sounds like not enough.  Anyone want to help?  I'm supplying beer. Saturday! 

I'm going to clean the deck tonight but it's not dirty at all so that will be easy.  After the cold front goes through Thursday we should have a week of dry weather. Cooler on the weekend which is perfect.  

I'll take before and after photos of the deck. 

Rod

Screen Play for Public Enemies becomes available

JUST IN CASE you were looking for more Public Enemies - THIS LINK will download a PDF of the original Screen Play, all 191 pages (meaning it's big)!!

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What is better then a barrel full of Monkeys?  . . Well . . .actually pretty much anything I suppose but on Sunday the grandson of Frank Hess(Frank J. Hess and Sons Cooperage) will have a presentation on the making of Oak beer barrels at the Senior Center in Columbus.  Columbus was the home of the largest beer barrel manufacture in Wisconsin and made barrels for the Fauerbach, Kurth (the largest brewery in American for awhile) and many other Brewery's in Wisconsin.

The program is a fund raiser for the Columbus Library Expansion and for $15 you will have a meal (12:30 Sunday)  with four varieties of soups made by Alice Schmidt who seriously makes OUTSTANDING soup and sandwiches along with a sample tasting of three other soups.  After the presentation the Kurth Brewery will have a rare Sunday opening.

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On the way to work today I was thinking of a project that would involve every Mayor of Columbus!  Of course some of them have passed.  But  . . . hmmmmm . . . there has to be a joke in there somewhere but . . . . perhaps I'll pass on this opportunity.

ANYWAY - I have this idea floating around in my head .

Not only do I have the Badger Motor Car Company rattling around but now I have all the Mayors!  Getting crowded in my brain. (Photo on right is a 1911 Badger touring car, 4-cyl 30 hp - "Pleasing color, Classy in Outline, a Hill Climber with Power to Burn"). A total of 237 Badgers were built. 

If you are ever looking for the History of Columbus check out the library for the reference books called "Fred Stare History of Columbus".   It's rather dry with minutia details of everything so it's a little hard to find the BIG things but it's all there for the insomniacs.   

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My very first flowering perennial have  . . begun to flower.  Our rock wall is taking shape.  This is one of the hardest types of walls to get plants started.  Because the boulders on stacked vertically you have to fill in all the cracks which sometimes seem to be bottomless.

When we moved in there was zero dirt between the boulders and picking the right plants has been more of a live or die process.  If it lives it stays!  this is facing almost due east.  In the next few weeks I'm going to plant periwinkles (vinca minor) under the deck. Perfect for shade and it will slowly kill all weeds.

These are on top of the boulders and have doubled in size.

The next shot looks straight down from the deck (cloudy early morning . . not a glamor shot).  The exciting thing about this shot is the ground cover that is going around that rock.  We planted two tiny sprigs last year and now it's traveling around the rock.

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On a fantastic side note about Columbus is that the City Council authorized that the Columbus Development Authority go ahead with their TIF#4 and TIF #5 plans.  TIF#4 is the area near the Cardinal Ale House area and the more exciting TIF#5 is the area around Uday dam. Making that area a "go to" destination with parks and maybe little stores? (probably insurance stores LOL).      

When I get the actual plans (which I can't seem to find at the moment) I'll fill you in.

Now if we can get the Columbus Chamber of Commerce to get off their ass and do something. Don't businesses pay to be represented by Chamber?  What do they get out of that? What am I missing, is it just a good ol boys club?   Certainly no recognition that Columbus is a place to set up a business.  Do they just keep the money for parties?  WHERE IS THE WEBSITE!!!

Come on Chamber - get off your butts and do something for Columbus or let someone else be in charge if you can't handle it.  The website has been broken for years - It's embarrassing.  I know some people that are on Chamber they do a lot work but the leadership seems to be dropping the ball and not caring.

You have a town that is moving forward and all cylinders are clicking but Chamber seems to be in their own world of not doing anything to promote Columbus (website).  

 Fall River has their act together!!  Well done guys!  Can you take over our chamber?

rant over!  If I'm wrong please let me know and I will rescind the rant but seriously . . . . . .I'm just telling it like I see it.

Have a Tuesday.

OH - I will not speak of all the confidence I have in Doug Davis right now!  Bring on Suppan!

Rod

Apple Tree Becomes a Drive Through

The Apple Tree Restaurant appears to have gone forward earlier then expected with their drive through service.

Luckily the people on the other side of the wall in which the mini van plowed into had JUST gotten up and were paying.

The Beaver Dam Daily Citizen says "The vehicle penetrated the building up to its windshield, also taking out a window and a booth."  (hee hee - they said "penetrated").  It just sounds odd doesn't it?  penetrated?  I want to look up other words to use besides penetrated but I'm afraid to type in "penetrated"  in on the internet.

OH MY - I just did on Free Dictionary and got naughty words!  Well - it CAN be used but geez - to the dude that wrote this - get your mind out of the gutter!!  

Here is a photo of the mini van who's nose penetrated the building creating a lot of excitement and aroused all of the patrons.  

Pictured below with his back to the camera is Josh looking at the penetration after the mini van was finished.  The van was smoking. 

The funny thing is that Josh and Jenny were taking a walk and were very very close to the Apple Tree.  Van crashes and even though Josh is right next to the restaurant he has to run a half mile BACK to the fire station to get his 100 pound fire suit on. That's Josh in the trendy blind yellow.

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We got a yellow letter in the mail from Columbus Water and Light that I read over like 5 times and Istill don't have a clue what it means.  HELP!!!

It says:

We will be eliminating the collection of recyclable materials.
Items that will be acceptable: grass clippings, yard waste, brush leaves, oil, vehicle batteries and appliances.

What?  I have no idea what they are talking about.  Are they no longer picking up yard waste?  I've been sitting on 4 BIG paper bags of yard waste for like 8 months now! and NOW they are not going to pick it up?   I suppose I can take it to the dump across the fairway where most people dump garbage - saw two cars dumping garbage there this weekend.

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Did you guys see the flyer  for Columbus family Dental this weekend? Those were my photos!!
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I made burgers on the grill last night and tried something new.  I marinated the burgers in Coke!  Yea - Coke!  I've seen this a number of times on the Food Network in Hamburger competitions.  Frying a burger in Coka-Cola and decided to try it.  It was mighty tasty.   I'll certainly do it again! 
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I want to be cheerleading about Columbus and how it has it's act together.  The Community Development Authority (BTW - the word Community is spell wrong on the City of Columbus Website) and the City Council are actually working together and once I have anything concrete I'll cheer you in. All I know is that a lot of people that were worried about the Columbus downtown are very happy. Lots of great things in the plans but a few I'm not sure I can make public yet and would like permission.

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OH - Art Fairs!  I'm getting a TINY bit stressed out.  Not from the art stand point but the logistics.  I put up my Trim Line Canopy for the first time and it's SWEET.  Took 2 hours but I was taking my time watching the video. Why would it take two hours you say?  133 parts!!  But a lot of those can stay in place now. 

My WORRY is that I'm not sure two cars are enough space for everything involved. The canopy takes up a lot of room and all the other stuff involved  . . . . I'm not sure a Civic and Subaru can hold everything.  We talked about looking for an old pickup or something - trade in the Civic for Ranger.   Or maybe rent a truck for a day?   Suggestions?  

That's it for Monday!  I won't talk about Trevor Hoffman  or how I hated the ESPN announcers whose were more interested in talking about how they define "small market" that the actual baseball game last night!

Rod  

Badger Motor Car Company of Columbus

I wish I would not have planted my annual garden last weekend - who knew we would have frost on April 8th!!

OK OK - I didn't actually plant any annuals!

In other lessons learned - when on a plane do not joke about lighting your shoes on fire when you are sneaking a smoke in the bathroom.  Some might not find as much humor in it as you do!

And speaking of smoking - seems the Navy has now made a rule that you can no longer smoke in a submarine!!   WHAT NEXT!!!!  RULES RULES RULES!!  They are taking all the best smoking places away.  I guess the problem with submarines was that the sailors would keep opening the portholes to toss on the butts!   Then the butts would float to the top of the water and reveal where the sub was.

MORONS!

At least that is my best guess on the latest reason for the new restrictions.  Remember July 5th is the last day for smoking in bars so you better buy your brooms because smokers will be angry and just litter the streets with used butts!  In Madison every bar has a pile of cig butts littering the street and sidewalks in front of their bar.

They should make edible cigarettes so when they get down to the roach, just pop it in your mouth. Make the filters out of vitamin enriched oat bran.  No No - I suppose Jamie Oliver would have a fit about people gaining weight AND smoking.

Nevermind.
---------------------------------

On to the police!  I see the Madison Police are so bored with nothing to do (no crime in Madison) that their job is now to go around looking into cars to see if there is anything someone could rip off. If there is they give a little FAIL ticket. If there is nothing they can steal they give a PASS ticket. 

What a colossal waste of time. They already stole MY cell phone.  Yea - they recover my stolen phone, keep it for evidence and then, mysteriously, lose it a month later.  I'm still ticked about that!

Stolen from the parking lot of the Dept of Justice, the perp is caught, the phone is found and kept for evidence and then "geez we can't find it".   grrrrrrrr
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Water water - did you know it takes 2,900 gallons of water to produce one pair of blue jeans?  766 gallons for a t-shirt?  One glass of milk uses 53 gallons.  One glass of beer is 20 gallons!  The water totals include water needed to grow the plants that create the item and for cleaning and diluting waste water and so forth.  


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In 1881 Billy the Kid was found guilty of murder.  The weird thing was that the person he murdered was a corrupt sheriff who had murdered Billys boss!

In 1898 Curly Lambeau Born was born in Green Bay. He founded the Packers in 1919 and served as the team's only coach through the 1949 season.

In 1942 Baatan Fell and Janesville's Tank Company A and Headquarters Company-192nd Tank battalion were captured. Many of the ninty nine Janesville men who became prisoners of war suffered during the infamous Bataan Death March.

Proviso East High School from Maywood, Illinois interviewed and collected documents on the 192nd and won an award. Check out the Bataan Commemorative Research Project - pretty nice.

 As you can see I have nothing to report of any interest!

It's almost THE WEEKEND!!!!

Did yo know that the concept of the weekend has its roots in labor union attempts to accommodate Jewish workers who took Saturday instead of Sunday as their Sabbath. The first five-day work week was instituted by a New England cotton mill for this reason.

In 1926 John Henery started to shut down how factorys on Saturday and Sunday. In 1929 the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America was the first union to demand a five-day work week and receive it. After that, the rest of the United States slowly followed suit, but it wasn't until 1940 that the two-day weekend began nationwide.

ONE last thing. Did you know that Columbus had a car factory? The Badger Motor Car Company started in 1909 (and ended in 1912).

The Frey Carriage Company has developed a commemorative logo that they are using on T shirts and other clothing items for sale.

I've been looking for any info on the net about thos company but . . struck out!

More on this when I find out more on this.

Rod

HORRENDOUS!

The City County building was built in 1955 - it was a decade ahead of it's time.   
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What a beautiful night it was last night! Spitting rain, wind, cold then the rain changing to snow!! AWESOME!!! Jenny and Caydence (who is just the happiest little girl) were over last night and visited to a while. Afterword I played an online poker tournament and after Bo Bo the Monkey Boy sucked me out of the tournament with his moronic play (I flopped a set and even though I raised a LOT, I could not shake his tree hard enough and he hit a back door flush). OH - I HAVE ISSUES!! LOL

So after watching the news I went to bed which felt SO good. Having 4.5 hours of sleep the night before the bed felt really comfortable. Milo had learned that outside was not a fun place so it seemed he wanted to stay inside tonight!

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

3:30am

Meow . . . . .I WANT TO GO OUT CAN I GO OUT NOW HELLO? I WANT TO GO OUT I WILL GO OUT CAN I GO OUT I'D LIKE TO GO OUT IT'S TIME GO OUT WHEN CAN I GO OUT I WANT TO GO OUT  

MILO SHUT UP!    So I get out of bed, open the door and Sierra RUNS out and I plop back into bed and am instantly asleep.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

3:40am

I'D LIKE TO OUT CAN I GO OUT NOW IT'S TIME FOR ME TO GO OUT I'M NEXT TO THE DOOR SCRATCHING THE WINDOW TRYING TO GO OUT HELLO CAN YOU HEAR ME?

what? Milo? is that you! CRAP, Sierra must have gone out! DAMN IT. I get up and let Milo out

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

4:00am

HELLO HELLO IT'S WET OUT HERE CAN I COME IN I'D LIKE TO COME IN IT'S TIME FOR ME TO COME IN I'M GETTING WET AND AM CLINGING TO THE SCREEN CAN YOU HEAR ME HELLO? I WANT TO COME IN!

sigh!

I get up and open the door, Sierra RUNS in and Milo sits there thinking about the door and how it just seems wrong to come in voluntarily and maybe he does not want to come in after all and that maybe Sierra had talked him into coming in and perhaps he should think about this for a while. hmmm what to do what to do! FU Milo!!! I slam the door and he is forced to stay out until the alarm rings!

You can't really complain about the weather, it's not like snow is odd in April. By next week we will be in the 70's again and this is the bottom of the barrell weather wise as it gets all good after today.

I looked out our back window and even though it looked ROTTEN it was sort of pretty . . in a sick way.

I went to the front of the house where Blake and now Milo were sitting and took this shot.

The snow will be gone by the afternoon!

In Columbus in the last 3 days we have had 2.67 inches of rain and once that sun comes out watch for things to REALLY grow ( like the grass).  The good thing is that my flowers are growing so fast that I can actually tell what is a flower and what is a weed.

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On this date in 1994 Kurt Cobain was found dead.

Thirteen years earlier Omar Bradly died. Bradly was my favorite General in WWII  and was the commander of the 12th Army Group who ensured Allied victory over Germany. His book "A Soldier's Story" is still on of the best WWII books around!! A must read for WWII buffs!

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I have a photo that unless you are on my email list you have not seen yet! Also on the list you already know that I have been accepted for the Portage Art Walk (June 4 and 5) and the Sun Prairie Taste of the Arts Festival (June 12th).

I also received my canopy in the mail yesterday and . . OH MY GOD!! There were like five 7 foot boxes on our porch - each weighting 60 pounds! This is a Trimline Canopy with extra Mesh walls and stabilizer bars and I'm going to set it up every weekend just for practice. 

Some will say I should have purchased an EZ Up Canopy for like $1,500 less but I've seen those catch rain and billow out on windy days at the Farmers Market. It's one thing to get your strawberry's wet in the rain but when you have a thousand dollars of art work inside . . . . . . . .

Oh yea - the photo!

This will be a framed 12x36 panorama!

Have a great Thursday - only a couple days to the weekend - we can make it!!!

And BTW - this whole thing about donating art to good causes and you can "write it off as a donation" thing is a bunch of hoo hoo!  You can only write off the actual cost of the material and then you only get a TINY percentage. Not an asking price.  So if you donate a piece that you would sell for lets say $100 you will only get like $2 in return.

Cheers
Rod

Which direction is the game?

Before I get into my night in Milwaukee I should have one good photo for the non-baseball junkies!  

larger is MUCH better  - that's what she said!

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A friend of a friend of mine had an extra 8 Free BP Brewer tickets from last year and the Brewers said they could use them THIS year so I was invited to go to the Milwaukee Brewers game last night.

OH - a word of warning - I didn't get to bed until about 12:30 this morning and even then it was not a restful sleep - I guess a 100 calorie Coke at 11:30 was not the brightest move but . . I was SO thirsty when I got in my car for the final drive from Lake Mills to Columbus!

We arrived at Miller Park just before game time and the rain was just starting to patter down a little - it was dark and threatening but we made it into the stadium with no insidence.

It was nice to have preferred parking on the close side of the stadium for a change but of course our seats were on the opposite side.

These are the first shots from our magnificent seats - I might make fun of the location but you can never complain about the word FREE right?

 I've never felt so disconnected from a game in my life. Typically when I have Free BP tickets they are behind home plate but back row.  This was section 437 row 16 and we were way way way far away. All the players sort of looked the same except for Prince Fielder who looked like two players talking.

Here is another photo of where we were - you can see Dave the guy with tickets waving if you look real close!   Thanks Dave. 

One of the first exciting points in the game that many people missed was the 3-run Homerun by McGeHee.  Half the people were not watching, half thought it was a foul ball and the other half could not even see the ball.

The rest are just random shots from around the ball park.  I didn't take a photo of my pretzel because it was seriously dripping with Crisco or something and I did not want to touch my camera.  No really it was DRIPPING with oil!  I tossed 3/4 of it out because I did not want people slipping on the oil walking behind me.

Ryan Braun 

As I was struggling with my dripping pretzel we saw the sausage races and I handed off to Tim and took a few shots.

One of the most exciting moments of the game is always the Bernie Brewer toss where one lucky fan gets to be tossed over the side of Bernie's Chalet reenacting what happened to the original Bernie Brewer, 69 year old Milt Mason who FINALLY, after 40 days was allowed to leave his little cramped trailer on top of the County Stadium scoreboard when the Brewers had a game wit h40,000 in attendance.   

Milt was so excited to leave his little chalet he slid down a 30 foot rope severely burning his hands and dropping to the concrete the final 15 feet which broke a few dozen bones in his frail body!  Once his very lengthy recovery was complete the Brewers, as a gift, gave him a lifetime supply of beer which it seems he tried to drink in one day and he died of liver failure do to alcohol poisoning.  YEA BERNIE! 

So now every game they toss a teenager over the side if the chalet to the delight  of the crowd as sort of a sacrifice.  Typically it's a drunken dude that get's talked into it as a fun thing to do!

Here is the struggle just before the toss! 

 
And of course some live action shots from 2 miles away! 

Fielder Swing and a Miss 

  

It's Trevor Time!!!!

That's my story - not super exciting but . . . . .

the real excitement was waiting at home  . . .HEY - get your mind out of the gutter . . . .

I had two huge boxes when I got home of prints - one is a large metal image I ordered and it looks GREAT, the other was 8 canvas prints which I could not open until this morning because, literally, it takes a half hour. I think they used a whole roll of tape.  I think when I get home Sierra will he stuck to the floor because she wanted to play and got all tangled up and now can't move.  

Have a great Wednesday,.

Rod