My Thirty-Faux Birthday

*Sigh* Another year older. I'm not anywhere close to where I thought I'd be at this age, but things could be worse. I could have ended up with a cake like this:

I'm sure they meant that with love....

Milton had already begun the festivities before I even got home from work tonight.

He's such a good kitty. He saved the Patrón for me.

As for me, my plans include doing absolutely nothing (which is a VERY good thing) For the first time since school started, I don't have to drive anywhere or do anything all day long. I even cleaned house before work on Saturday just so I could relax in a nice clean house and not worry about a darned thing. Plus, as a seemingly fitting gift, a "cool" front has just moved through, breaking our 100+ degree heat wave! I think I will be enjoying some much-needed outdoor time tomorrow!

Reluctantly older, but wiser? Admittedly not.

~J

Hour to Kill

I'm sitting here in the college library with an hour to kill before I have to go to work. I refuse to study (dammit) because I studied ALL night last night for the two tests I took today. I had forgotten that in college, the Friday before a holiday is evil.


I won't know until tomorrow how I did. I didn't run from the room screaming after either test, so that's a good sign....

I haven't had much free time at all over the past few weeks, so now I don't know what to do with myself. I could work out, if I had thought ahead enough to have brought my workout clothes. Oh well. Thinking ahead--what good would that do?! Silliness.

I could have written a good blog post, versus this one, but I didn't think enough ahead there, either.

I would really like to take a nap, but they tend to frown upon people sleeping on the computer desks in here. I probably shouldn't do that. Again.

They don't call me a Non-Traditional student for nuthin,

Say Goodbye, Summer

This has been a really long, difficult, hot, dry summer. I usually love summer, but I am so ready to say goodbye to this one. I missed a lot of days posting because it has just been too depressing. It is difficult to find the humor, entertainment, or interest in everything that was once so beautiful dying around you.

This is one of the plants I lost--a beautiful yellow rose bush.

My cherry bushes dried up months ago, despite regular watering.

This very interesting plant didn't make it. It just got too hot.

My poor little blue spruce that my sister-in-law gave me was doing so well, even growing during the 100+ degree days, but the last few weeks, despite me bucketing water to it, it dried completely up and lost all of its needles.

Then evil terrorist dog came by and first killed my blue silkie hen.

Then he came back and killed two barred rocks and the turkey I called "Can't Get Right" (in the middle here, when he was younger). Of course he managed to make it through a failure-to-thrive episode only to be hunted down and eaten. Figures.... (so depressing)....

Then last night terrorist dog came back and killed my dear cochin bantam roos: the Mr Boucher twins :(

He killed a total of six MORE chickens, coming from his new home 25 miles away. He literally walked right past a bowl full of food (set out for the barn kitty) and killed both cochins, my buff orphington (pictured below--the blonde), an americauna hen and rooster...

...and he killed this beautiful sexlink hen here....

So...I'm down to 5 turkeys and 12 chickens now, and they're locked up until I can take care of the problem, so to speak. I feel terrible for them, having not only gone through these episodes but now they're locked up during this awful heat we're having.

Thankfully the horses are still doing well *knocking on wood* as is barn kitty, my own dogs and indoor cats. I'm keeping Milton inside at night until the terrorist is gone--I don't want to take chances, although Milton doesn't quite understand why he's grounded.

This is unfortunately a very unintentional bummer of a post, but when I look around and see everything burning up or getting eaten, I need a bit of an outlet. All I have left to say is I hope that next summer goes much better.....

"When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy. When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight." ~Khalil Gibran

Classic....

Once again, I endeavor to expand the repertoire of my vast *cough* audience, so that I may in some small way make a positive contribution to society. I present, for your consideration, a classic, born of great minds and performed by the best of the best. Enjoy!



You're welcome,
~J

Unorganized, Unrelated, and Under the Influence (not really)

Randomness can be a good thing. For example, I bet you didn't know that this blog is part of my "get rich slow" scheme. It's working quite well.

Here's a picture of Bambi swatting a fly.

Yesterday I did Pilates and ran two miles for the first time since I started school. Today I said, "ouch."

Here's a picture of Fabian running.

In less than a week I will be celebrating my 35th birthday, the sequel. Not sure what my plans will be yet, but I do believe that they will include drinking heavily.

Here is another picture of Bambi.

Black dog showed up, I locked him up, and found out no shelters would take him because they won't accept animals from out-of-county and my county of a whole 4000 people has no shelter. I subsequently totally freaked out, then Dad found a home for him and drove him over there Sunday morning. He crapped all over my truck (the dog, not my dad), and I have been cleaning and fumigating ever since. The end.

Here is another picture of Bambi and Paula's butt.

I aced my first test but I have three more tests this week, a quiz and two lab reports due. I haven't slept for five days, because that would be too long.

Wait for it....

~J

Today's History Lesson

In an effort to avoid having to write out a proper post educate my vast audience (all two of you), I present for your consideration this video, which explains the War of 1812.

OK, it actually doesn't explain anything at all, but if you're like me and really didn't know what the War of 1812 was truly about, don't you feel a little bit better now that you know you aren't the only one?

I always like to keep my audience riveted,

~J