Halloween Moon in February

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MACRO MONDAY






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MONDAY MORSELS

Way back in October of last year, I've had this watercolor project [link from the beginning of the project] clipped to my easel. I'd walk past it, and tell myself to get it done. Never to really heed my talk at all. The next day, the next week, the next month, I'd still be telling myself to get it done!! With nowhere to go because of the rains and cleaning house; during the times I'd take a break, I'd finally begun working a bit here and there on the painting again. Oh, and I also worked on another pencil sketch while watching the NFL playoff games the 'who's gonna go to the super bowl' games... and finished that. Meanwhile, during the past week, Bud cut the matting for the pencil sketches. I hung the newest pencil sketches [one you've already seen] above my Wizard of OZ pencil sketch in the master bedroom. But coming back to the watercolor from last October. Really, while it was on the easel, all that needed to be done was the outlining and detailing. To keep it short...I finished it. Not framed yet, but at least I can tear down my easel until next paint project. LOL I've been trying to come up with a title for it. I'm thinking Flight Number #1031 [1031 being October 31st] or To the Moon, Alice! [a quote from the Honeymooners].

I'm kinda leaning toward the Flight #1031 right now, but I'll take any help from my readers!!! Got any different title ideas other than the two I'm thinking? Oh and any ideas for a 'weenish frame would really be appreciated too.





In a few days, when I take a photo of the pencil sketch, I'll share that here also. I haven't had the time to get a decent photo yet. But I will tell you this, it's 'movie themed'.

Madison the Mermaid she ain't....

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SHADOW SHOT


These following photo shots of shadows are of two with a very slight difference in angles...and I purposely photographed the first image without flash to show the shadow it casts in artificial light through the eyes in a natural setting with only the ceiling light fixture on her. The 2nd one is of the same object but with the flash activated - casting a whole different shadow image......

[part of Bud's mermaid collection...he likes boobs! {kidding}]







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SUNDAY'S SUMMARY

Even tho I have an account with FACEBOOK...I only use it to log on and view family photos that other members of my family have shared. Well, after reading THIS little ditty, and reading some of the comments that followed the article...I'm ready to just go out and DELETE my account. Besides, with the smart phone and texting with photo attachments...this is all I need. No more FACEBOOK account for me. You can either 'deactivate' your account or request a permanent deletion. On another issue, if FACEBOOK makes money off my clicking, then even tho it's a free account, there should be at least some option of turning the feature off [the 'feature' being the subject of the article linked here in bold]. My opinion.

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So far, so good. That is; in the house cleaning. Wednesday we began at sunrise and scrubbed and cleaned walls and ceiling: living room. We only took a dust mop to the ceiling in the living room because it's spackled. Also the same in the dining room. The vaulted ceiling in the living room is cherry wood and we waxed it all...got the huge ceiling fan washed [the globes] and dusted and waxed the fan blades. Cleaned out the fireplace of ashes...yes, we do use it during the holidays on chilly nights. We rearranged the pictures on the walls and washed the windows in the interior. Cleaned out the coat closet and scrubbed the tiled entryway. The biggest chore in this room was taking out all the hundreds of VHS/DVD collection and the old collectors' 33­¹/­³, dusting them, and getting them back in order. With the dining room it was all about scrubbing- windows, walls, the large turtle shell ceiling light fixture [it's fragile and I'm always leery of cleaning it in fear of chipping or breaking it], waxing tables and scrubbing the colored witch's balls [the nautical colored glass balls usually in jute] and pictures. The hutch was cleaned out, waxed and glass windows scrubbed. Friday, the hall bathrooms and hall/hall closet [check!]. Saturday, the guest bedroom [check!]. Today, a day off. And in a couple of days it'll be all done. I'm getting this itch in my hands...waiting patiently to get outdoors in my roses and flower gardens.



In reference to my blog title today, Madison is the mermaid character in the movie "Splash" played by Daryl Hannah.

...at the Marina

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CAMERA CRITTERS

       the MARINA in THUMBNAILS

View these images in larger form, click on the last pelican image [the one directly to your left] & it'll take you to my most recent photo blog entry of each photo above -they're worth viewing larger, trust me!! The link opens in a new window!!! [Ruddy Turnstone, and three pelicans---they were so photogenic this time. Posing for me perfectly with incredible detail!!] I'll have four more posted here next Saturday. All at the Marina downtown Corpus Christi Texas; taken last Sunday.



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WEEKEND FUNNY




Since I've been busy cleaning so much this past week [we have only three rooms left. Seven down...finished the hallway bath and hallway today, early. Spent the rest of the afternoon at the beach enjoying the 70 degree temps and sunny day!!! Anyway, I thought I'd share this household tip:

Martha's way: Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer:
* Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush. The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous china.* Clean a vase. To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets.* Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka-Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.* Clean a thermos bottle. Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka-Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).

Mary's way: Put your jewelry, vases, and thermos in the toilet. Add some Alka-Seltzer and you have solved a whole bunch of problems at once.

Stray Cat Strut---

These photos are not recent [except for the Christmas Mouse], I've taken them from the cats' archives and 'jazzed 'em up a little with cropping'....fitting for the lyrics I hope. Also, the video of the song that I found on You Tube is hilariously funny...cats lip syncing the song ---link at the end of my post.



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...a meme where you match photos to song lyrics




Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

Black and orange stray cat sittin' on a fence


I ain't got enough dough to pay the rent


I'm flat broke but I don't care


I strut right by with my tail in the air


Stray cat strut, well, I'm a ladies cat
I'm a feline Casanova, hey man that's that
Get a shoe thrown at me from a mean old man
Get my dinner from a garbage can

Don't go crossing my path


I don't bother chasing mice around


I'm slinkin' down the alleyway looking for a fight
Howling to the moonlight on a hot summer night
Singin' the blues while the lady cats cry
"Wild stray cat, you're a real gone guy"
I wish I could be as carefree and wild
I got cat class and I got cat style



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Photos are of our cats, Tahoe and Winston.
LYRICS AND THE CUTEST EVER YOU TUBE....Stray Cat Strut

a gull, a ruddy turnstone and a grackle, OH MY!

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I loved the Spring-like day on the Beach last week. We combed the beach, found a few sand dollars and some glass pieces along with a couple of shells. We walked a couple of hours, then, unloaded our booty in the car trunk, walked over to the jetty and watched the birds, the sea, and people walking the shore [along with surfers]. The outing was peaceful and relaxing.


[seagull -top photo left side --gull-billed tern in far upper right corner -diving]
[ruddy turnstone -middle photo bottom right side]
[common grackle -bottom photo bottom right, peeking above the boulder]







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Master bedroom? DONE!!! Bud and I tore everything down, and moved everything, but the heavy furniture, out...mopped walls, scrubbed venetian blinds, cleaned curtains, washed windows, waxed furniture, moved a few pieces of furniture around...moved all the knick knacks out, the ruby glass, the movie 'toys', dolls, etc...all out into the kitchen - hand scrubbing each and moved 'em all back. Stripped the bed, put on a new mattress cover, and washed sheets, pillow cases, and bedspread and air dried them outdoors!! Very few webs...but ewwwwwwww, the ceiling fan light. That's where the dust, webs accumulated in that room. And the dust on the dresser top and chest of drawers....omgoodness. Upward and onward....today, it'll be the Living Room with the vaulted ceiling.

Looking through "Ruby" colored glass...

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It's small in size, but BIG on Ruby Red.

[Tiny, 3 inch ruby glass pitcher]












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Yesterday, it was a drab, gray, gloomy day. I of course didn't care for it, but there was ONE plus in all of it. The weather kept me indoors and I began the house Spring Cleaning as planned. I took everything out of the master bedroom walk-in closet and donated shirts, skirts, dresses and shoes to charity [well, I put it all in a huge Hefty bag for now]. Then put everything back and IN ORDER. LOL In other words, the clothes and shoes are all together in a group, i.e., shirts in one section, blouses in another, etc. etc. I know that won't last long, but it looks VERY organized right now. Then, on I moved to the master bathroom's two rooms. One room is the vanity and cupboard - while the 2nd room is the 'thunder mug' the shower stall and tub with an upper level storage cupboard. Got them both all scrubbed out to a sparkle ---found only one webby corner...and that was in the closet! Oh ya, but I did find something unexpected...some of the wallpaper bordering at the ceiling was coming loose. I had to stop everything, move out a lot of cupboard junk I had strewn all over the carpet to bring in the ladder to repair that. It all looks real good. Am gonna start on the master bedroom today. This is one room I never look forward to doing because there is a 17' ceiling. That means I have to get up on the 20' extension ladder to clean the corners. Ewwww.

a blog VISIT is like leaving a calling card!!!-----

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MACRO MONDAY




...after the rains came down [last week]







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MONDAY MORSELS

I'm sure from this post, I'll be stepping on someone's toes and perhaps one will take my meaning to a whole 'nother dimension from my words. Seems someone always does. In any case, this is another one of my opinionated entries for today. If anyone knows me well enough, y'all know by now, I don't really like email replies from my commenting on your blog. Here are reasons I choose not to have my email activated. My views below are more than likely quite filled with redundancies, but here goes....

E-mailing a response to someone's comment through my Blogger email account, instead of paying a courtesy visit to those who leave comments for me...I would have no inkling of the what THEIR blog is all about. I'd be missing a whole lot of pleasurable times reading and viewing their photos and their life's sharing with me!!!!!! I'd MUCH RATHER REPAY the courtesy of my commentors with a visit---instead of a reply email!!!! Besides...to me blogging is NOT Facebook. And again for me, Facebook is cold, user 'unfriendly' and filled with false friendships...let alone each time someone responds to a post on facebook, you get their responses in your email...I don't like that one bit. As you'll read below, I have to ask: Why blog if you don't want to have commentors stop by and in turn, go visit with THEM?

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I've recently read several posts on other blogs and just last week a comment left for me [because I choose never to add my email address] regarding the "noreply" email campaign for leaving email addresses with ALL blog mediums; to change the email setting differently, so all the blogs visited - - the blog owner can then email a reply. Campaigning, in other words, to have that setting on ALL blogger's blogs set to have your email account open to all. Now I must respond to this issue. And remember it's MY OPINION, I'm not saying my way is correct, it's just my own personal views......

First off, I feel that simply replying to my comment I left on someone's blog thru emailing isn't apropos!! I feel that when I leave a comment for a blogger, it warrants the blogger to take time and the courtesy to visit ME at my blog. I'm not really visiting others to get an email response to the comment I LEFT for them. I just plain don't like email much, unless it's more on a personal nature, not a blogging issue.

Personally, I don't care to sit at the computer and in front of my email inbox reading emails from other bloggers to which I have left a comment for them. I regard the lack of courtesy of repaying the visit....being a 'cop-out' and inconsiderate that the blogger doesn't take time to stop by and read MY blog...to me, it really shows a lack of interest, very self-centered that they don't take time to stop by and pay a little courtesy to ME since I took time to visit them and leave a comment.

Tho I'm not blogging for comments per sé...I'm simply writing for my own enjoyment and sometimes perhaps treating my blog as a commentary or even a diary of sorts...but, I really DO APPRECIATE the comments I receive. There are times/instances I don't want to be mixed into a controversy of sorts like a disagreement of my own post or my own commenting on others...especially thru emails. That's why with my commentaries, I most likely leave my comments shut off...because I realize my rant is just that...a personal issue and I don't expect everyone to be in agreement...it should be 'a given' of the reader that I don't want commenting and controversy when I close my comments. Leaving them [the comment forms] disabled.

Visiting a blog and leaving a comment takes no more time from YOUR day than composing the email for responses to a comment someone left you, and it always is great to see that you've taken time to stop by to visit. What I would call a 'common courtesy'.

Visiting and commenting on BLOGS is like the days of the Victorian Era where you'd leave your 'calling card'.

"When visiting friends, or "making calls," people would leave a card at the front door or parlor, even if the person they were visiting was home. They were used as a reminder about who had visited recently and deserved a visit in turn." Calling Card Etiquette

It's just my opinion, and I will continue to blog and visit those I like to 'read'. And throughout the week's time I visit perhaps 50 or more blogs a day if my time allows. And I do try and leave a comment. And I do try and reciprocate a comment left for me on my blog. If I haven't by the end of the week's time, I profusely apologize to those who have taken time to leave me a kind word or two on my postings.

I don't want the hassle of opening my email account and reading responses from several days ago [of which, after reading so many different blogs during the week, I would most likely forget what I commented in the first place!]. AND --to all the hundreds of bloggers I visit, I don't know 'em all...who's to say, if I were to open an email with an attachment that I wouldn't have to spend hours getting rid of a virus left on my computer. It's safer to read comments left on the comment form instead of opening an email ---some of the emails I really don't know if it was a blogger either...their emails are not verbally the same as their blog title...so, would I know who it is in some cases? No.

NOT paying a visit to your commentors is considered, by me, rude. I try my hardest to repay the blogger who took time from their day to stop by, visit, AND LEAVE ME A COMMENT...tho, sometimes I admit I don't get back to them until a few days have passed--repaying with a VISIT...NOT AN impersonal EMAIL responding to the comment left days prior about what they replied to from their blog post. days ago. And, as my other blogs that are an extension of my personal blog, my photo blog for instance, I feel that those visitors are usually stopping by HERE, but I do eventually take the time to respond from there also if time allows...

To sum it up: When the commentor leaves a comment, their name/link is like their calling card, as back then in the Victorian days----it 'calls' for a return VISIT by you.

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OTHER SITES REGARDING:

BLOG ETIQUETTE [rule #4]

BLOG ETIQUETTE SITE #2 [under "Rock my Dryer"]

BLOG ETIQUETTE SITE #3 [under instructions #4]






My calling card graphic above was made by me
with PhotoShop Pro and psp tubes.

A 'shadowy' existence - amongst the dust?

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Broken shell washed ashore..
with a bit of seaweed clinging..



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SUNDAY'S SUMMARY


Well, with Spring just around the corner here in Coastal Texas, [the trees will be budding out in a week or two] it's time for me to start preparing for the annual Spring Cleaning inside before the weather turns ideal in a couple of weeks. I tellya, I've really been lax at keeping the house dust free this past year. And it shows. I just know when I begin the ten room chore, I am gonna find all kinds of webs in the corners and around the ceiling and light fixtures. Yep, that's just how lazy I've been this time. I never kept up with it for some reason...and I'm gonna pay the price. A couple of weeks ago, I started decluttering some things. Books, clothes in the closet, shoes, and such. But nearly not enough. It's time!! And I'm pretty sure, I'll begin in a day or two. When I look at all the dust accumulated to the point where I could write volumes in it, I know it's time. I may seem to have fallen off the face of blog world for a few days, but you'll know where I am. And sure, I'll keep posting with posts that are pre scheduled in draft, but I probably won't be around to do much visiting each day.

Now, back to writing about the past week in summary. The only thing that got accomplished outside the house this week was...I had gone to get my hair trimmed and thinned out for Spring. That's always a given these days now that I am trying to keep my hairstyle short. While the ground is still under a bit of winterkill [the grass mostly] there is a lot of work to do outdoors also. I cleaned out one of the rose gardens, but only of weeds. The bushes will need trimming back once the weather begins to warm more. I accomplished making some meals to freeze so when I do start house cleaning, I won't have to prepare full meals...just get something out of the freezer and reheat. We went for a couple of walks only because of nasty weather. One day along the beach...........FINALLY!! Combing the area of our two hour walk, I found very few items. But it was still just so very nice to be able to get outdoors and walk in what lately has been a so very absent sun. We both sat on the jetty for a few minutes and just watched the sea birds and listened to the pounding surf. After that, we stopped at our favorite bookstore and searched for some bargains. I found three. One that I have been wanting to REread...Grisham's "The Client" [I, personally, think this is his all-time BEST novel], "A Woman Called Moses" about Harriet Tubman, and one genre I don't really read a lot of, but the title was a subject I've always liked to read about and that is Jack the Ripper...the book is a Sherlock Holmes novel, "The Whitechapel Horrors". Yep, I'm gonna keep myself busy, reading, cleaning and eating in the next few days/week. I'm sure I'll enjoy the eating best of all. LOL But, once the house is cleaned from ceiling to floor, I'll be very pleased to have Stanley Steamer come out and shampoo the carpeting throughout the house. It too is in dire need.

cleaning equipment graphic courtesy of Google Images

Down by the riverside, there is a 14 minute warning---

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The kiskadee on Nueces River Walk---






MORE BIRD PHOTOS just added to my Photo Blog HERE
[will open in another window]
and, for newer additional photos, click on "Older Post" below the linked images Gulls, Grackles, Ruddystones, etc.

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The 14 minute warning?- - -




[sent to me via email]

Up in Smoke....

Picture this: Husband and wife at home...husband on couch with Winston [the cat] on his lap. Husband petting cat...wife, in kitchen cleaning the counter off...while husband sings off key----------






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Bud - :::singing::: "Me-e-e-e and my Winston, me and my Winston...we got a real good thing."

Hootin' Anni - :::smiling::: "That's from an old, old commercial!! Boy that brings back memories from long ago."

Bud - "Julie London sang that on TV."

Anni - "No, that wasn't Julie London!"

Bud - "Yes it was, she was once married to Jack Webb".

Anni - "Well, she was married to him, but she didn't sing for Winston cigarettes, she sang for the Marlboro cigarettes." Anni - :::singing::: "You get a lot to like with a, Mar-r-r-lboro. Filter, Flavor, Pack or Box."

Bud - "No, it was for Winston Cigarettes".

Anni - Go to Google..you'll see I'm right."


BUD GRABS HIS PHONE AND PROCEEDS TO LOAD GOOGLE. He types in "Me and My Winston [sic: 's'] Commercial" and finds a You Tube video of the 1968 commercial....



silence... :::he's thinking to himself now while Anni gloats::: Dang, Anni's right again.

Anni :::looking over Bud's shoulder::: "Now go check out Julie London for Marlboro and you'll see I'm right on that too."

BUD HITTING SEARCH ICON AND TYPING...finds it:




Anni - "You can see I'm right, can't you?"

Bud - "I guess. Don't you ever get tired of being right?"

Anni just smiles.

Bud, not wanting to be shown up says in defense - "She was married to Jack Webb at one time."

Anni - "Uh huh".

Bud - "And she had red hair."

Anni - "Well, when she sang the commercial, maybe...but I've seen her with blond hair too."

Bud - "Her hair was always red."

Anni - "Oh gimme a break, wouldya? A woman's hair color can be changed in an hour's time. She had blond hair too."

Bud - "Show me."

Anni - "Gimme the phone!"

Finding proof Anni swipes the phone window to Bud's face...."See? Blond!!"



Bud starts to speak, but Anni gets in the LAST word..."It doesn't pay to argue, you'll get burned every time {{{snort}}}."

NO...BUD gets the last word: "Well, it isn't PACK or box, it was Flip top box!!!"





photo of Julie courtesy of Julie London dot ORG

Hey Mr. Custer, I don't wanna go.....

WHERE I BLOG BLOGversation BLOG HOP photo was also added here this morning [4:50 A.M.] scroll down below my Thursday Themesong Photos.



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...a meme where you match photos to song lyrics

Y'all may know by now if you follow my blog some...Bud is a Custer Buff!! Yep, the infamous 7th Cavalry and their fearless leader, General George Armstrong Custer!! Back in 1876 ol' Cus' and most of his men were massacred by the American Indians on the now known Little Big Horn Battlefield [long, long ago by some 30 years or so, it used to be called Custer's Battlefield, but for political correctness, the area was renamed to what it is called now]. Bud was so [and still is] obsessed with the legendary history, my middle older brother used to sing this song to Bud when they both had a little too many drinks. It was funny as all get out....you had to be there. We've been to the battlefield in Montana many many times through the years....as I share photos of the area and more:


:::Shrieks and `Red Indian sounds' in background:::


That famous day in history
The men of the 7th Cavalry went riding on
And from the rear a voice was heard
A brave young man with a trembling word rang loud and clear...

What am I doin' here?


Please Mr. Custer, I don't wanna go
Hey, Mr. Custer, please don't make me go
I had a dream last night about the comin' fight
Somebody yelled "Attack!"
And there I stood with a arrow in my back.


Please Mr. Custer, I don't wanna go
(Forward, HO-O-O-O-O!) Oooohhhh

SPOKEN:
Look at them bushes out there, they're movin'
And there's a injun behind every one


Hey, Mr. Custer, you mind if I be excused the rest of the afternoon?
HEY CHARLIE, DUCK YER HEAD!!
(Sound of arrow whizzing by)
Hmm, you're a little bit late on that one, Charlie
Whooh, I bet that smarts!


They were sure of victory
The men of the 7th Cavalry, as they rode on
But then from the rear a voice was heard
That same brave voice with the trembling word rang loud and clear

What am I doin' here?


Please Mr. Custer, I don't wanna go
Listen, Mr. Custer, please don't make me go
There's a redskin waitin' out there, just fixin to take my hair

A coward I've been called, cuz I don't wanna wind up dead or bald

Please Mr. Custer, I don't wanna go
(Forward, HO-O-O-O-O!) Oooohhhh

SPOKEN:
I wonder what the injun word for friend is
Let's see....friend.....kemo sabe, that's it
KEMO SABE!, HEY OUT THERE, KEMO SABE!


(Sound of arrow whizzing by)
No, that ain't it
Look at 'em out there
Runnin' around like a bunch of wild Indians, heh-heh
Nah, this ain't no time for jokin'

(Sound of arrows whizzing by)


Song Link Please Mr. Custer, I Don't Wanna Go. [this is a very FUNNY video]
Lryics copied per word from online site.

Photos: top to bottom-
Some of Bud's MANY books on Custer's Last Stand
Irene at then called Custer's Battlefield [coming out of teepee #14]
One of Bud's framed paintings of Custer's Last Stand
Photo of a post card that Bud has...Native Americans
Bud's Prized Possession...a 7th Cavalry Saddle that I bought him for a gift one year
Another painting of 7th Cavalry [Buffalo Soldier-African American]
"Scalping Knife"
Our Siberian Husky we named Kemosabe...we called her Kema
and last but not least...a peace pipe Bud carved and made the clay pipe bowl...it works!! Now, where's the peyote?!! LOL


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BLOGversation BLOG HOP

Daft Scot Lass asked me to post where I blog. The WHERE is the key word here...she'd like to know, so I'm obliging. I don't have a laptop, so my hard drive, cable modem, keyboard, and monitor are all in one area of the library in our home. Here's a photo.





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On another political view: from the Washington Post---

"The Tucson shootings sparked a broad public discussion about whether the political dialogue in the country has become too toxic and overheated. In the new poll, Americans are split evenly on the question of whether the tone could encourage violence, with about half saying it has not gone that far and the other half saying it could or already has. Slim majorities say political commentators on the left and the right have crossed the line of acceptable rhetoric, and almost half say so of the tea party movement. Separately, 52 percent of Americans now hold unfavorable views of the tea party, a new high. Nearly three-quarters of Democrats - including as many moderate and conservative as liberal members of the party - have negative views of the political movement, as do half of all independents"

And, Ms. P@lin's popularity poll points are dwindling to a precious few.