Bath night for the children…

I’m not sure what the dog got in to yesterday, but I know its not the latest from Chanel.  She was a little ripe.  So, tonight after work, I decided to give her a bath.  I got everything ready while she was outside taking care of business. Got the towels out, put the shampoo and small bucket in the shower (don’t even think about trying to do it out side.  It’s like holding a greased pig).

It’s not too bad of an ordeal once you get her in the shower. She’s like a statue.

While I’m bathing the dog, the cat is sitting there staring through the shower doors.  He’s watching every minute of this and I know he is enjoying it.  He’s laughing up a storm.  But, the cat gets caught up in his laughter.  I hadn’t planned to give the cat a bath, but he hasn’t left the room. 

I stare at him, he stares at me.  I slowly close the door behind me and start to smile.  He realizes laugh time is over and things are getting serious. 

We both eye the little dog door in the door leading to the pool and make a break for it.  I may only have two legs, but I am quick.  Victory!!!  I grab the cat before he can get his little nose on the door.  Then it happens.  The blood curdling screams of the hell spawn.  He knows what’s going to happen now and he’s not happy about it.

He continues his demon screams and won’t sit still, but I am victorious.  No bites, no scrapes, all my important pieces are intact.  The children are clean.  I on the other hand am wet and covered in hair and soap.

While the dog is happy and running around like a crazy girl, the cat is not happy.  I am trying to get another towel on him and he’s trotting around the house just out of reach.  But, daddy knows how to make it better.  A few Pounce snacks makes everything better.  The cat must be feeling better since he just curled up under my desk next to my feet.

I’m sure he’s planning his revenge though.  The wife’s out of town and I’m by myself.  Guess I’m sleeping with one eye open tonight…

R.

Castro’s Dead… Let’s Party!!!!

So, South Florida made it into the news again.  I saw this bizarre headline this morning on the MSNBC web page.

It would appear that the Miami City Commissioners have been planning a celebration for when Fidel Castro finally passes. 

That seems a little wrong to me.  Needless to say, I’m not a fan of communism and can understand the implications of this change both in the world and in South Florida.  But, it just seems odd that city officials would actually spend cycles on planning a party that, according to the Miami Herald article  I saw this morning, “… might include commemorative T-shirts, a catchy slogan and bands that will make your hips shake.”  Is it me?  Am I just not getting it?

I know that there will be celebrations in the street and all sorts of goings on.  I’ve lived in South Florida since the mid 70’s and was here for the Mariel boat lift in the 80’s.  I understand the impact of his passing.

But, it would seem to me that amongst all of the issues that Miami-Dade county faces right now, that their focus couldn’t be better spent on other things.  Miami has had a lot of issues over the past few years that still need to be dealt with - corruption, budget issues, crime, high poverty rate, etc.   Shouldn’t they be focusing on those issuses?

Also, even after Fidel passes, that doesn’t mean that Communism will disappear from Cuba.  His brother will still be there and from what I hear in the news, there are others waiting in the wings.

If there is going to be a party, let’s have it when the island is free and open, people can visit their families, and communism is finally dead in that country.  That seems like an occasion to have “bands that will make your hips shake.”

R.

The Case of the Missing Lemons…

A strange thing has been happening lately.  Someone has been stealing all the lemons in South Florida!!!

I’m a Diet Coke and lemon guy.  Over the years I’ve gotten used to the taste and the lemon adds a little something to it.  That’s the way I like it.  Plus, all of the sugar in regualr Coke (or any other soda for that matter) is not good for the body.  Even when I have water at home or at a restaurant I like to have a slice of lemon with it.

Over the past 6 months or so, I’ve noticed something interesting happen.  Most of the time now when I get my water or Diet Coke at a restaurant it has a lime in it.  For awhile, I figured they either didn’t hear me or they were out of lemons.  Annoying, but not too big of a deal.  On a few occasions, after receiving the wrong fruit, I have asked the waiter/waitress for some lemons.  I wind up getting a handful of limes.  I never could understand why this was happening.

It would seem that the mix of cultures in South Florida is starting to make itself more apparent.  After talking to my wife about it, it appears that in the Carribean and South America lemons are green, not yellow.  There are yellow lemons, but for the most part everyone uses green lemons. 

A month or two ago, the wife and I were in Miami with her sister and fiancee at a wing place.  I asked for water with lemon and got a lime.  I asked for yellow lemon and the waitress looked at me like my head was cut off.  Who would put a yellow lemon in their water…??? Turns out they didn’t even carry lemon.  So, it was plain water for me.  Not that I have anything against the lime, but I’m not really a fan of lime in my drinks. 

As I’ve thought about this change in the restaurants, I’ve started to notice it in other places.  Every now and then, when getting gas, I go into the station and get a Diet Coke.  The selection is pretty amazing.  There’s regular Diet Coke, Diet Cherry Coke, Diet Cherry Vanilla Coke.  For awhile, there was Diet Coke with Lemon (tasted like chemical crap though).  On my last stop there I went in and, as I was looking at the multitude of choices, I noticed that there was a new flavor Diet Coke - Diet Coke with Lime.  The Diet Coke with Lemon had disappeared. (Not a big loss). 

It’s not that I think change is a bad thing.  In the case of the missing lemons though, I just find it interesting how quickly some of these changes take hold.  I also find it interesting how some of these little changes completely displace the existing (indigenous?) traditions and habits.  Can’t they both exist side by side…?

Usually when life hands you lemons you make lemonade… In my case it looks like it will be Key Lime Pie…

R.

Ahhh to live the life of a cat… Peace and contentment

Just a quick note to say that sometimes I admire our cat.  He can sometimes be so simple and need so little.  Like tonight.  We just finshed getting our new closet shelves and what not installed and I started putting all the stuff back into one of the closets. 

In the few seconds I had my back turned our cat Pickle seems to have staked out his claim and is calling it his own.  He’s all moved in and ready for a good nights sleep.

R.

My very last Comcast entry…

No, I haven’t booted them to the curb (unfortunately).  I’ve just gotten as tired of writing about them as you have probably gotten tired of reading about them.  For a summary of all my Comcast posts, click here.

As I mentioned in my last Comcast rant, I got my first bill since upgrading my service and taking full advantage of my Series3 Tivo and new flat screen television.  As expected, and predicted by many, it was wrong and I was being charged too much.  So, I called them to make them aware of this and they were nice enough to remove the extra charges from my bill.

I thought all was good in the world until about a week or so later I went to go watch some of my recorded content.  I sat down, turned down the lights, cracked open a superb bottle of Diet Coke, and planned on watching a few programs.