A Blessed Mess

See? Chiggers Really Are Creatures From Dante's Tenth Level of Hell

This is for anyone who thought I was making an awfully big deal out of an awfully small bug.  Be forewarned that it's not pretty but the I snapped a cell phone picture of my legs, knees down, 14 days after I encountered said evil b#star*ds.

If you want to see the Dr. Suess meets Dante legs...click "continue" below!

Worth 1000 Words?

Worth 1000 Words?, originally uploaded by rudybeardog.

Alternate Title:  She's two letters shy of an alphabet.

Oh happy day!

Sweet dreams.

P.S.  The Chinese Wealth Toad continues drawing good fortune into our home!  What a great Toad.

This Picture Speaks for Itself!

This Picture Speaks for Itself!, originally uploaded by rudybeardog.

Last one for the day and now it's off to dreamland where nothing itches and deadlines are meant to be extended.

Sweet dreams all and thanks for stopping by!

A Chronicle: The All-Nighter of Oh-Nine a.k.a. Itchypalooza

See for yourselves . . . 

Still playing around with watermarks.  I think if I can make them interesting in and of themselves, then they won't be annoying and no one can steal my work in this big mean world of the internets.

Huge nest of chiggers devoured each leg and poison ivy sprang up on my wrist, hence the itchy factor.  That's what happens when you drop a city girl in the country for a few hours!

Just how itchy was it?  Look for Carman in an earlier post for an idea of how itchy it was.

For more photos of the great All-Nighter of Oh-Nine, click the continue link below or see the set on flickr.

Oh, To Be Eric Cartman . . . Monday Morning Mirth

Tim and the Tikis - Fire, Fire!

My husband has an inner pyromaniac somewhere in him.  I was not there but have had the story corroborated by witnesses so I believe it.

Suffice it to say, there is a reason that his nickname is Backdraft.

See a couple of others pics of the tikis just for kicks by clicking the continue reading link below.

Harley is Stylin'

This cat will never cease to make me happy!

Continue with the link below to see one more style he's started to sport.

Los Happy Belly

Los Happy Belly - Cell Shot, originally uploaded by rudybeardog.

Seriously, that is the name of the restaurant. :-D I took this over my shoulder with the phone but you see it.

Hope it brings a giggle, I do every time I pass the place (which is only when we go to the cats' vet).

Buzz Aldrin Trades Tweets With Talib Kweli & Snoop Dogg

Sometimes, I just love the internets.  Enjoy!

Making of Buzz Aldrin's Rocket Experience w/ Snoop Dogg and Talib Kweli from Buzz Aldrin

Open the pod bay doors, Hal

I'm sorry Dave. I can't do that.

Dave = Sheila

Hal = Sheila's Brain

 

Too Many Topics . . .

I hope that a post of substance is forthcoming if I can reduce distraction enough to get it written!!

Until then, I leave you with my favorite distraction of all:

The Tiki Torch Tim Had To Have

The Tiki Torch Tim Had To Have, originally uploaded by rudybeardog.

he just HAD to notwithstanding that we don't have a yard, the wooden railings on our wooden deck aren't even close to level, and said deck covers a nice little narrow area between the house and the structure we affectinately call the "no car" because it would be impossible for all but a Willis Jeep to actually drive into it. Luckily, these two structures are NOT wood but cement hardy board that just looks like wood!

Please let it just be me (or don't let it just be me - not sure now which is preferable) but there is something about this thing that makes me giggle. That 12-year-old-boy sense of humor of mine just does not stop.

The Chinese Wealth Toad of Renown

The Chinese Wealth Toad of Renown, originally uploaded by rudybeardog.

I never said the toad was beautiful. It is a toad, after all, and this one has three legs too. But, I respect the toad and it brings good fortune in my door. At the risk of being thought nuts - I swear that this thing works.

Okay, I am nuts but still! :-D

See another view of the toad after the jump...

ON OR ABOUT AND A HIGHER POWER

I spent the day on the edge of my seat thinking about  the Edy's contest every time I heard an email come in (I usually don't even have the sound on!).  When I could stand it no longer, I knew that it was time to consult a higher power.  First, I asked with reverence in my head, my heart and my voice:  Will I get an email from the Edy's Slowchurned Neighborhood Salute contest today?  I closed my eyes, I put my hands on this particular higher power and it said to me:

The Pudgle (Pudgy + Puddle) Of Cat

harley hanging, originally uploaded by rudybeardog.

This was within mere hours of Harley coming into this house for the very first time! (turned out to be moving in) It obviously did not take him long to feel at home! Also, when I took this picture, I still wasn't sure I could like a cat, let alone love one!!

It also may have been the night he first got the nickname Puddle. When that cat lays lies down, he just spreads out and becomes literally a puddle of cat. Just today Tim came up with the compound Pudgle - I love it!

Click the continue reading link to see more evidence of the fact that Harley aka Puddle aka Pudgle aka Fuzzy Pup is really just all three stooges rolled into one fat cat.

Did you ever have a pet hamster?

If so, I bet you never harvested her ovary cells to create interferon because your hamster probably wasn't Chinese!

It's Monday . . . 

I'm nuts . . . 

Just sayin' . . .

Good days . . .

you just gotta love 'em!  Fun new photos to come soon when I get time to go through them.  One solution to the shaky hands/focusing issue is to fire six or seven frames in quick succession because at least one will be in focus!  Necessity is the mother of invention - wonder what I'll come up with next.

Here's hoping everyone had a nice Memorial Day and if not in person, in their hearts, you all thanked our armed forces.

Until later, here's an oldie but goodie!