New Kitties!

My sister in law, Allison, brought us our new kittens late this morning (she's on the board of and does a lot of volunteer work for a local cat rescue organization).  I think I mentioned here that we were looking to get two male sibling kittens, and that is what we have!  Sorry, this isn't the best picture - I'll get better pics later, but they're either moving too fast to get a good picture or else they're napping a lot, like kittens do.  They have the run of the house but most often stick to a corner area of the living room.  They know where their food and water are, and they know where the litter box is but they haven't used it yet.  No 'accidents' that we know of, but I will feel better when they use the box a first time.  Mostly we have been having fun with them and watching them for most of the day.

Kate has a history of bad cat names (Kitty, Puddy, etc.) so it was up to me to name them.  After I did some research for ideas we decided on Basil and Hamish - though we just got them and we reserve the right to change them in the next couple of weeks if we wish.  Basil, asleep in the pic, is slightly bigger and has one white ear, Hamish is a few ounces less and has more color, less white.  They have to be at least 2 pound before we can get them fixed and I think Basil was 1 pound 14 ounces and Hamish was 2 or 3 ounces less when they were weighed this morning.  Sorry, kitties, but it will have to be done.

Our last cats we each brought into the relationship, and the cats were different ages, sexes, and temperaments and barely tolerated each other.  Also, every female cat I have ever known has been some degree of antisocial, psychotic, not-fun type of cat.  So this time we wanted two males for the better temperament (when fixed), and preferably siblings so they would actually like each other hopefully for a full lifetime.  It will be different for us to have two 'normal' cats, but we sure look forward to the adjustment!

RIP Bob Welch

When I first heard Bob Welch I was just a boy, I loved the song 'Ebony Eyes.'  I had no idea who sang it and probably didn't really care at that age.  That song stuck with me through years of not hearing it again, then some years ago I found out who did it and was able to find the song online.  Since then I have become even more familiar with him and his music, so I was sad to hear of his passing yesterday, especially with the circumstances.  He was part of  Fleetwood Mac in the early seventies (he sang on early versions of 'Rhiannon'), in fact, he left amicably and even set them up with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks and the Fleetwood Mac that everyone knows was born.

Bob Welch - Ebony Eyes

Latest Listening Pleasure... Die Antwoord

I hate to do this again so soon, but actually I wanted to do it shortly after my first LLP post, when I posted the I Fink You Freeky video, shortly after their latest release, Tension.  They have been on my radar for quite some time now, see here.  So before this is no longer new to me and because the second video from Tension was released yesterday, here is why Die Antwoord is another latest listening pleasure.  A bit of a guilty pleasure for me, but a pleasure nonetheless...   Um, probably NSFW.

Die Antwoord - Baby's On Fire

Election Day!

Today is the recall election for governor of Wisconsin.  After Scott Walker was elected almost 2 years ago he incited historic protests with his union busting.  Tom Barrett once again takes him on in what appears will be another close race.  I have a hard time understanding why it is so close, but with the way the Republican Party works and their misleading campaign ads it seems they take advantage of the 'simpler' (for lack of a better word right now) by scaring them into not voting democrat.  I am so sick of politics, but when my wife gets home we will be going to cast our vote.

We have had umpteen people knocking on our door these past few weeks, we have been deluged with ads on TV and even the internet and ignored scores of phone calls on the subject.  Too much, too much, waaay too much.  Needless to say, I will be glad when it is all over tomorrow and a winner is decided upon.  If it is Barrett then I hope he can reunite Wisconsin.  If it is Walker then I hope it doesn't take too long for the Feds to arrest him (like several of his cohorts already have been) in their 'John Doe' investigation.

Just.  Be.  Over.

Latest Listening Pleasure... Garbage

Madison's own Garbage is back with a new album, 'Not Your Kind of People.'  I still have been listening to a lot of Pain and Nightwish, but I have made room for the new Garbage album on my ipod.  They pick up where they left off six or seven years ago.  In fact, they started to lose me about the time 'Push It' came out, but after time and a fresh new album, I'm back to listening to Garbage.  (My dad would say I always have listened to garbage!)  As big as they got, they never played here in Madison a whole lot.  I do remember seeing them at the coliseum, with my wife, I think, and before we were married.  I've always had a bit of a crush on the Scot in the band, Shirley Manson.  That hasn't changed...

Here's a couple recent videos from rehearsal footage.  Check out all the new mini films here.
Garbage - Battle In Me


Garbage - I Think I'm Paranoid

Some Thoughts

It has been a while since I've just started typing and posted whatever came out.  Time to spill my gray matter all over the page..

• I'm past the probationary period and still loving my new job.  By now I have a better sense of all the personalities around me and it is still a much better environment than the department I came from.  I enjoy the work, the people and my supervisor greatly.  For the time being, I consider myself very lucky.
• Speaking of work, we ran out at the end of the day yesterday and this morning I jokingly told my boss that I'm a team player and can take a half vacation day for the team if need be.  To my surprise, she agreed immediately.  It's nice to get a head start on this three day Memorial Day weekend.
• Last Sunday we bought some petunias for our small pot out by the front stoop.  Each night this week we considered planting them but just didn't get it done, so I got it done this afternoon.  I don't mind gardening, especially since my lovely wife does most of it!
• Still no plans on visiting the grandmas again.  (Hey Sis!  We have to get off our butts and do this!)  We also have to have Sis and the kids up this Summer, her new schedule should provide more opportunities.  I'd like to get my brother involved as well.  Days turn into weeks turn into months and the guilt mounts.
• I'll be going to my first baseball game at Miller Park in Milwaukee on July 29.  I saw the Brewers at the old County Stadium a couple times when I was much younger.  Generally I tend to avoid large crowds, but I will be going with two Sunday game veterans so all I have to do is follow the leaders.
• We don't really have plans for this holiday weekend.  A friend, Jerome, is coming over to grill out tonight and another friend may take her boat out.  Mostly I'll want rest and relaxation.  It has been a long time since I had a proper vacation (as opposed to recovery from various surgeries) and I'm getting a little crispy.  Another 6 or 7 weeks to go yet.
• I can't wait for this ugly recall election to be over.  (I think politics as a whole has turned pretty ugly.)  I really do not like Scott Walker and want him gone and will be voting for Tom Barrett, a week from Tuesday I think it is.  Mainly I just tire of politics easily, all the sound bytes, commercials, news tidbits, commercials, volunteer door knockers, commercials....
• It looks like we will be getting some cats in a few weeks.  We are looking to get two male siblings.  It has been over 4 years since my cat died and about a year since my wife's cat passed.  Those two were housemates for a long time but only tolerated each other.  With 2 kitten siblings we are hoping they get along famously for a long, long time.

Well, I think my skull is mostly empty now.  Have a great weekend, everybody!

11th Anniversary

Today was my and Kate's eleventh wedding anniversary.  We were together for over three years before that, so that makes me an even luckier man.  I waited until I was older to settle down - I only wanted to be married once, and I still feel that way.  My wife has been my best friend and has brought out the best in me.  I know this is a quote from some movie I don't know, but she 'makes me want to be a better man.'  I love you, Kate, and I always will.

Also, recently some robins have taken up roost along our driveway on neighbor Jane's fence.  After Kate got home, but before we went out tonight, I noticed both birds in the backyard so I knew I could sneak up on the nest without them attacking me.  The nest is on the top of the fence in the plant that is right in the middle of the pic below. Just out of the pic on the left is our garage.  (We're lucky to have a neighbor that likes her plants and yard like Jane does!)

The Last Plant Update, I Promise*

I started showing this view and I will see it through to the end!  Which is now.  The irises are almost in full bloom, and again most are yellow and only a couple pink and one purple have emerged.  I bought a small fence to put around them, about 6 weeks too late but it works.  It's really for when they get heavy and flop over.

This may be it for the week.  I am on mandatory overtime this week so I will be earlier to rise and earlier to bed.

*For this and for now.

Just A Plant Update

Once again, I was taking photos for the garden blog and I snapped another of the flower bed out back to show the growth that's happened in just the last week or so.  The irises have shot up their buds and there's even one or two open already.  Mostly they are a pale, dirty yellow (the ones that were here when we moved in) but there are also pink and purple mixed in that we got from a friend at my work a couple years ago.  The alium (purple puffballs) are also at the height of their bloom right now.

The weather this Spring has been odd.  After a very mild Winter, March had temps in the 70's and 80's, April was mostly a more seasonal 50's with the obligatory 'April showers' and May is looking good so far with 70's projected for the next week or more.

Cinco De Mayo Peeps*

*Update 5/15/12.  I combined all three videos into one using youtube's editor feature (for the first time).  Only one video now, and no page break.  Original written post remains.  Enjoy!

So yesterday, Cinco de Mayo was an excuse for us to have some friends over for some food, drinks and a fire.  Well, 'Saturday' would have been a good enough excuse but now there was a reason to play odd Mexican music in our house for an evening.  The food, drinks and socializing around the fire in the back yard were the main attraction.  I eventually remembered the camera, so after snapping a few bad pics, someone called for video when the orange peep toasting was about to start, and I was 'happy' (read: intoxicated) enough to oblige...

Here is the first of three videos I took in a short period of time.  It sets the table with what is going on.  After the break are two short videos of sacrificing the last peeps, with a bit of a frantic save, an accidental turning off the video, and the last video is the restart, seconds later, to finish it all off.
We had a very fun night with friends and this was just one of our small adventures, the funny peep finale videos after the break!

As soon I saw the peeps fall off, I jumped up to get them back up to where they would burn and not be a sticky mess on the side. The camera was lost to me until after, I had no idea I was catching myself from below, and even accidentally hit the 'off' button when I picked it back up, thus the short part 3 video, next.

Our thanks to all that came out, we had a great night with you!