Car Wash Fundraiser

The WHS girls softball team is holding it's annual car wash fundraiser.

This Saturday, May 3, 2008

Come one, come all!

Autographs available upon request - mine too.

What's Wrong With This Story?!

and it's NOT the fact that this pecker-head took an 80% pay cut or the fact that my brother now has to sell #2 Dixon Ticonderoga pencils out of an old, chipped coffee mug at Miami International Airport and is unable to golf as much as he'd like. Mr. Angelo Mozilo should be forced to replenish the retirement savings for each and every Countrywide employee before he is able to touch a single penny of his stocks earning and before he goes to jail (he should go to jail, Marth Stewart did). Better yet, lets ship him off to Kinshasa...

Saturday April 26, 5:01 am ET
Countrywide CEO's pay cut nearly 80 percent to $10.8 million; earns $121.5 million in stock

CALABASAS, Calif. (AP) -- A securities filing shows Countrywide Financial Corp. CEO Angelo Mozilo earned about $10.8 million in total compensation and cashed out $121.5 million in stock options last year.

The compensation disclosed in the Securities and Exchange Commission filing released Thursday represents a nearly 80 percent cut from the 70-year-old's 2006 pay of about $51 million.

The Calabasas-based company reported a yearly loss of $704 million in 2007 amid the nationwide mortgage market meltdown.

It agreed in January to be acquired by Bank of America Corp. for $4.1 billion in stock.

The SEC has been scrutinizing the timing of Mozilo's stock sales. Mozilo has said he's cooperating with the inquiry and has denied making any improper trades.

Kinshasa

I feel it's imperative that I pass along this important information (legs tightly crossed as I type this) for anyone traveling to, or thinking about traveling to, Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. And I thought it was only very cold water (brrr) that caused this...

Kinshasa (Reuters) - Police in Congo have arrested 13 suspected sorcerers accused of using black magic to steal or shrink men's penises after a wave of panic and attempted lynchings triggered by the alleged witchcraft.

Nothing good can come from sorcerers and black magic and witchcraft...and of course, cold water.

To read the entire news story, click here - Penis theft panic hits city

Milky Spore Grub Control

I'm gonna try applying Milky Spores to my lawn this spring in an attempt to control the grubs. There are numerous areas throughout the lawn that have been damaged by grubs. This past fall there was a grub boom that hit many lawns in the area, including ours. Milky Spores is organic and a safe way to control grubs and will continue to grow and multiply for years to come. No more need to buy and apply pesticides, so everyone wins...except the nasty grub!

Milky Spore is a naturally occurring host specific bacterium (Bacillus popillae-Dutky). This product is lethal to a familiar destructive summer-time pest. It targets and discriminately works to attack the white grubs of Japanese Beetles.

Milky Spores are swallowed by grubs during their normal pattern of feeding; this starts the demise of healthy grubs. Milky Spore disease then begins to cripple the grub, and within the next 7-21 days will eventually die. As the grub decomposes, it releases billions of new spores.

Milky Spore is not harmful to beneficial insects, birds, bees, pets or man. The product is approved and registered with EPA, Milky Spore will not affect wells, ponds or streams.

Milky Spore Grub Control F.A.Q.

Little Pecker...

Stephanie's Walpole Rebels varsity softball team lost to the Franklin Lady Panthers varsity softball team today 8 to 3. The Rebels traveled out to Franklin for this highly anticipated, noontime matinee rematch of last year’s Division 1 South first round game between the two, read more of the story here.

Walpole coach Jim Duffy (left) waits for the umpires to make a call in the Rebels' 8 to 3 loss. Unfortunately the call didn't go the Rebels way, however, I made the local newspaper with this photo. That's me, circled in red and pictured between the two umpires, sitting on the tailgate of my truck. Perhaps, this is why I am sometimes affectionately referred to as a little pecker...

Night Putting

Here is a memorable quote from the 1980 movie Caddyshack. My previous posing about night gardening sparked this memory, which I now have stuck in my head. It's also about time to watch this movie once again -

Let me tell you a little story? I once knew a guy who could have been a great golfer, could have gone pro, all he needed was a little time and practice. Decided to go to college instead. Went for four years, did pretty well. At the end of his four years, his last semester he was kicked out... You know what for? He was night putting, just putting at night with the fifteen-year-old daughter of the Dean...

Night Gardening

Q: I've heard that turning soil in your garden at night might be a way to control weeds. Is this true?

A: Research indicates that weeds may be stimulated to grow by a sudden flash of light, which is what you give them when you turn the soil over during the day. A German study concluded that by turning the soil at night, weed germination could be reduced by as much as 78 percent. You can try this method by working during a moonlit night, or at dawn or dusk.

Courtesy of The Old Farmer's Almanac

PowerBall Wining Ticket

The multi-state PowerBall jackpot for Wednesday 4/16/2008 was $90 million, and the winning numbers were: 11-16-18-21-51-16. There were no jackpot winners; the next drawing will be this Saturday night 4/19/2008 with an anticipated jackpot of $105 million.

Above is a $100.00 winning ticket from Rhode Island. Not too bad for a $4.00 investment. Of course we're gonna parlay this into additional numbers, winning numbers hopefully, for this Saturday nights drawing. Keep your fingers crossed!

SFrye732 needs a new deck, a shed, driveway retaining wall, new driveway, new front walk-way, new front stairs, new in-ground pool liner, new stockade fence around the pool, several new replacement windows including a bay window, new garage doors and a new slider door just to name a few things...oh, and my trucks 'repair engine soon' light came on yesterday, alas...

Blackie and Honey Bunnies

Blackie and Honey

Here are Emilie's 2 new bunnies, both females and step sisters too. Blackie (l) is from Oreo's litter and was born 3/4. Honey (r) is from Salt & Pepper's litter and was born on 2/11.

There were a total of 15 babies in the two litters and with the exception of these two, all were adopted out.

Kindergarten Art

This is Emilie's art work, called 'Special E' and was made with playdough.

Tuesday night was art and concert night at Emilie's school. The art work was displayed throughout the cafetorium. A cafetorium is a single, large room that is used as the cafeteria and/or the auditorium, hence a cafetorium. Kindergartners and first graders were up first, from 6:00 - 6:30PM, and sang (3) songs and performed the chicken dance.

"Bunny Bath"

Yup, they exist, "bunny baths", as you can see for yourself. Most would have guessed that this was a "bird bath" with a bunny in it but they'd be wrong. They're hard to find and are somewhat expensive but worth the cost, as this is truly the only way to attract bunnies.

Pirates Paradise

1000 piece Jeff Wilkie puzzle from Mattel completed.

Banged it out over the weekend, no problems. However, I wouldn't have been able to complete it in that short time had it not been for the (4) pieces that Barbara put in place. They were the key pieces to gitener-dun...

Cottontail Rabbit Mishap - UPDATE

UPDATE

Sadly, I must report that the little cottontail bunny didn't make it and passed away quietly the other night. We tried having her nurse from Oreo several times but she was not interested and didn't even try. I'm guessing it had something to do with the different smells or lack of her mothers smell. Certainly not what I wanted to have happen and had I known the nest was there I would have let them be. However, in searching for some sort of silver lining here and as cold as this might sound, there are three less wild bunnies that I have to contend with; three less bunnies eating my Phlox and other flowers and vegetables plants.

In the words of Elmer Fudd from the Looney Tunes episode titled "Robot Rabbit" I must report that the, "The wabbit kicked the bucket!", "The wabbit kicked the bucket!"

Read the original Cottontail Rabbit Mishap entry by clicking the link here

Shōgun (novel)

Shōgun (novel) by James Clavell

It's been a while but here is the latest, a highly recommended book by Vladimir (a colleague of mine). He's been pushing this book and quoting some of the books meditation techniques for the last couple of weeks, i.e. 'Listen to the rock grow', 'Learn to sip tea from an empty cup' & 'Have you ever watched a stone grow', just to name a few.

The novel recounts a highly fictionalized version of the life of William Adams a British Pilot (Navigator) on a Dutch Trader & his life after he lands in Japan at the start of the TOKUGAWA SHOGUNATE under Ieyasu Tokugawa (Tokugawa Shogunate's founder).

Golf Accident

Admittedly, I am not a golfer. I simply do not have the patients, the time, the funding and the fashion sense to support such a habit. However, this is a pretty funny joke...

Two women were playing golf. One teed off and watched in horror as her ball headed directly toward a foursome of men playing the next hole. The ball hit one of the men. He immediately clasped his hands together at his groin, fell to the ground and proceeded to roll around in agony.
The woman rushed down to the man, and immediately began to apologize.
‘Please allow me to help. I’m a Physical Therapist and I know I could relieve your pain if you’d allow me,’ she told him.
‘Oh, no, I’ll be all right. I’ll be fine in a few minutes,’ the man replied. He was in obvious agony, lying in the fetal position, still clasping his hands together at his groin.
At her persistence, however, he finally allowed her to help.
She gently took his hands away and laid them to the side, loosened his pants and put her hands inside. She administered tender and artful massage for several long moments and asked, ‘How does that feel’?
He replied: ‘It feels great, but I still think my thumb’s broken.’

Aphid Control

Gardening time of year is fast approaching...

Q: Can you suggest a homemade spray for controlling aphids?

A: Try this mixture to control aphids, white flies, and even destructive beetles: 2 parts rubbing alcohol, 5 parts water, and 1 tablespoon liquid soap. Spray the mixture on the foliage of garden plants that are susceptible to these pests.

Courtesy of The Old Farmer's Almanac

Cottontail Rabbit Mishap

In my earlier post I talked about tilling the garden and getting it ready for Spring planting. Well, much to my surprise and unknowingly I tilled a wild cottontail rabbit nest too. Had I not heard the squeaking from the little guy pictured above I would have never known. I had to dig him out of the dirt by listening to his cries. Sadly though his two litter mates weren't so lucky and didn't fare too well against the shovel I was using to till with.

Truth be don't I don't hold too much hope for this dude either. I was somewhat hopeful and thinking that perhaps Oreo, our domestic rabbit, would be able to nurse this little guy. However, he showed NO interest in nursing when we tried last night. We'll keep trying and if we're lucky he'll eat, otherwise the outcome doesn't look too good.

Garden Tilling

It's that time of year again, garden tilling time. Although the weather is still winterish and on the cold, chilly side it a good time to till the garden.



I removed 4 large rhododendron bushes from this area in the fall. They were too big and began growing out into the yard, so it was time for them to go. This area makes an ideal spot for our garden. We added compost, chicken and rabbit manure and worked it into the soil this past fall then planted winter rye, which came in nicely.



The winter rye was nice and long, so it should add some additional organic matter to the soil, which the plants will benefit from once planted. Stay tuned...

A School

The latest Milton Bradley puzzle that we've completed; 1000 pieces. Well, not exactly, we're missing one piece, which is strange because it's brandy new; we just opened it, so technically it's a 999 piece puzzle.

I sent the company an email about the missing piece and much to my surprise they're going to be sending us an entire replacement puzzle. It would be almost impossible to replace the exact piece that's missing, not very realistic. The replacement may or may not be the same puzzle but will be one of equal value, so we're hoping for one that we don't already have. In the words of the almighty Homer Simpson, whooo whooo!

Triplets, Finally Arrived

Well, I was only about 30-days incorrect on the arrival of these triplet piggies. They arrived on the afternoon of March 31st and are doing just fine.

I was guessing that Squeaky's litter of three and this litter of three would have arrived around the same time but that didn't happen.

These are the offspring of the recently departed Tootsie Roll...