Friday Fragments-Don't Listen to the Voices

Joining Mrs 4444 for Friday Fragments

Some great tips about your loose dog, HERE.  It seems instinctual to chase after them.  We discovered that it just made Gwennie want to run more.

What to do if a dog gets loose:

• Stop, drop and lie down - It might sound silly, but dogs find the behavior odd. When you don’t give chase and instead lie down and lie still, a dog will get curious and will often come back to see if you are okay or to see what you are doing.

• Stop, drop, and curl into a ball – This is also a curious behavior for a dog. Because you are not moving and your hands are closely wrapped around your head, they see you as less of a threat and will come to check you out. This gives them a chance to sniff you and realize it’s you, their owner, or to allow you to pet them and grab their collar.

RIP Leonard Nimoy

I am such a Star Trek fan.....I don't do the cosplay and conventions....but the future of the Trek world was very attractive and I watch and enjoyed all of its incarnations, over the years.  This time Spock is truly gone.

I went to a Vintage Junk show at the Convention Center in Joplin,  It was interesting to see what people are designing out of literally Junk....there were a few antique dealers there as well. I was looking for a wooden ladder and the best one was being hauled off by another customer, the one that was left was the right size but too rough and I didn't want to do that much sanding..  There was also a guy who would make you a burlap pillow and letter anything you wanted on it.  They were very nice but I am not the burlap pillow type. Lots of jewelry makers and such and I did not buy a thing, except the best Cheeseburger, all the food looked delicious and homemade.

I am still walking every day except for Thursday this week.  I do the first mile quite well but start pooping out the second.  Thursday I woke up so tired. So I  made my coffee and tried to get ready but I listen to the voices that said don't go....so I didn't.  I am such a baby.

Wednesday Hodgepodge-Solving Problems with Magical Thinking

1. Did you watch The Oscars? How many of the Best Picture nominees have you seen? (American Sniper, Birdman, Boyhood, Selma, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything, and Whiplash) Do you think actors should use their acceptance speeches as an opportunity to promote their political and/or social agenda? Does that sort of speech make you more or less inclined to change the channel? 
I have seen Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and The Theory of Everything, I enjoyed all three of them.  I still want to see The Imitation Game and maybe Birdman, though I am not a big fan of Michael Keaton. It doesn't make me want to change the channel, celebrities are entitled to their opinions, and I rather agree with some of their liberal views. Now if it were Fox News opinions, I'd turn them off at once.

2. Speaking of the movies... are you comfortable going to a movie alone? How about dinner in a restaurant (not fast food, but an actual restaurant)? The second half of this question was posed by Carrie who blogs over at It's Not Easy Being Queen. Thanks Carrie! 
I have gone to a movie alone before and I was not uncomfortable, however, I really have not enjoyed eating in a restaurant alone, the few times I have done it, I brought some reading material along.   

3. What's the last home repair or home improvement project you had to pay someone to complete? In hindsight was this a project you could have done yourself? 
I had to have someone come to fix my washing machine.  I don't think I could have done it myself, but the guy wasn't very knowledgeable.  I ended up Googling the answer for him. It was finally done on the 3rd visit.  I can and have done many home improvement projects. 

4. Have you ever had Indian food? Like it or no? If you're a fan, what's your favorite dish? Have you ever prepared this yourself at home? Is there an Indian restaurant in your current hometown? 
I like some Indian food.  It is a different kind of spicy from Mexican food that I am use to eating.  I do not believe there is an Indian restaurant even in Joplin, and there certainly not one in Hooterville.  I'll bet the closest one is in Springfield, MO. 

5. A song that reminds you of your parents? 
Anything that was ever on Your Hit Parade, or in a Broadway Musical.  My dad came home singing Get Me to the Church on Time after they went to see My Fair Lady on the stage.  He also would sing Oh What a Beautiful Morning.....almost every morning. He was raised in Oklahoma.

6. The 26th of February is National Tell A Fairy Tale Day. What's your favorite, or one of your favorite, fairy tales? Do you have any childhood memories associated with a particular fairy tale? 
I am a fan of Once Upon a Time, and have enjoyed some of the live action remakes of the Disney stories, and really want to see Into the Woods.  (Mr BC doesn't understand) but they are really fundamental stories. I am fond of Rapunzel and the Emperor's New Clothes.  The Princess Bride is a modern fairy tale and just as good as anything the Grimm Brothers came up with.

7. What's a problem you solved yesterday? When we sit and have coffee after we walk.....we solve the problems of the world.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I was really disappointed in Neil Patrick Harris's hosting chores last Sunday. I was hoping he would be as successful as he was, when he was doing the Tony Awards.  The expectations for each Oscar show to be better than the last might be too high.  I know that I turned it off after a while because it was all rather boring.

All About the Cars-Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Freeway of Love (1985)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Aretha's ideal car is a pink Caddy. What's your dream vehicle? A 1965 Cherry Red Mustang. 

2) Have you ever owned a convertible? We have 3 right now, all vintage British Sports Cars. An MGB, MGTF, and a middle of restoration Triumph R3. 

This will be the final Product

3) Aretha longs to "drop the pedal and go." Are you a careful, conservative driver? Or do you enjoy going fast? I go with the traffic and I think I am a defensive driver.

4) Aretha's grandmother Rachel helped raise her. Tell us about one of your grandparents. Harry was born in the 19th century and was a farmer in Oklahoma, and also a rural postman. He and grandma moved to California when he retired at the end of WW2. I remember him as being a little gruff as he wouldn't let us win at card games just because we were kids. He was my favorite of all my grandparents. He always wore a hat.  

5) Aretha played a waitress in the 1980 movie, The Blues Brothers. Have you ever worked in food service? My first job was passing dinner trays at a nursing home and picking them up and taking them to the kitchen.  I was a senior in high school.  

6) Aretha was a chain smoker for decades and had a terrible time giving up cigarettes. What habit do you wish you could break? I wish I could curb my sweet tooth.  It is the cause of my weight and the condition of my teeth.

7) A sculpture of Aretha is at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in New York City. What's the last museum you visited? The Natural History museum in Santa Barbara with Лука, they have a sand box where you can dig for dinosaur bones.  It is a charming little museum.

8) Since Aretha has many honorary degrees, it would be appropriate to refer to her as Dr. Franklin. Who is the last person you addressed by his or her title (Officer, Father, Pastor, Dr., etc.)? My family physician last week. 

9) The daughter of a minister, Aretha enjoys singing "church music" and her 1972 CD Amazing Grace is one of the best sellers in gospel music history. Do you have any gospel music on your phone, iPod or MP3 player? I have Aretha on our devices, but not gospel. I enjoy a little gospel but, I prefer hymns sung, as I remember them being sung, if at all. I love this version of Amazing Grace with Il Devo.

Friday Fragments

Fennec Fox

One of my favorite blogs is Tywkiwdbi as the blogger the Minnesotastan  explains the title of the blog: "Tai-wiki-widbee" is an eclectic mix of trivialities, ephemera, curiosities, and exotica with a smattering of current events, social commentary, science, history, English language and literature, videos, and humor. We try to be the cyberequivalent of a Victorian cabinet of curiosities. 
He posts every few days with something I find interesting every time.  I follow this guy and recommend him to you. Click on the link above to find out more about this sweet, scared Fennec Fox.

Gwennie last Spring-Too Heavy

I did not take pictures of Gwennie before we started this diet 3 weeks ago. I took her to the vet for her shots and a prescription for diet food, when he weighed her she was 50 pounds an all time high.  She is already showing signs of it working because her hips are back and you can see air between her tummy and the ground a Corgi version of thigh gap. I took some pictures of her frolicking in our recent snow so I can make some comparisons before we take her back to the vet for another weigh-in.

These are Today's pictures.  She loves the snow

This is how she should look all the time.

It has been snowing since Sunday night and we only got back to walking yesterday.  Mr BC was right I am a grumpy cat (not very nice) when I am cooped up in the house. Even I noticed it this week.  

Had to tell Mr BC to pay attention to the TV....Nancy Grace is on....I can't stand her.  We saw Gone Girl on demand this past weekend and they had a Nancy Grace character in the movie. *Spoiler alert* I wish she got what was coming to her, she was vicious.

Amazon gave me a refund for that book...last week's fragment....and I got a refund and did not have to return the book....that was amazing.

From a previous posting rant.....this is why you get your kids vaccinated.

Now for some fun things:

                            I am joining Mrs.4444 for Friday Fragments. 

#Throw Back Thursday, 1987

The girls are 11 and  14 and it is July, 1987, in Missouri and we were living in California.  Grandpa had a horse named Tony Boy and the girls claimed him as theirs.  The first time DD1 rode him, was when she was 10 and he bucked her off. She had riding lessons at camp that year, so she was encouraged to get right back on. DD2 always complained that she never got to ride him as much and maybe that was true, but  Tony was quite assertive and Grandpa was worried that she might get thrown off.  DD2 always had to ride with some one. Boo Hiss!  What beautiful girls if I do say so myself.  

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. When did you last have to interact, either by phone or in person, with someone in a government run agency? On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the experience? (10 being fabulous and 1 being pass the Tylenol)

I rarely interact in person with anyone, but I guess it would have been the Missouri Department of Revenue to pay the car tags...It was an 8.  I don't mind interacting with State and County so much as I did when we lived in CA. Next week I will be going to the USPS for passports.  I think it will be okay. Still dealing with locals.

2. The current governor of Wisconsin is considering a run for President next time around. Walker attended Marquette University, but never graduated. In terms of any candidate running for the office of President (not asking here if you agree or disagree with Scott Walker's politics) would the lack of a college degree influence your vote or no? Would that be a factor in your support of any candidate running for public office, even a role less weighty than President?

I think it would depend on his political or business record.  I don't think college guarantees intelligence, honesty, or experience.  Look at W, he graduated from Yale, I hear he played the whole time. Didn't see much in the way of smarts there. Harry Truman has been considered a great president and he was a failed  haberdasher. 

3. When did you last visit a place or site named for George Washington or Abraham Lincoln, and what was that place or site?

Over the years we have visited both of their graves, but that was a while ago.  We have a Washington Street here in Hooterville and we were there the last time we visited our friends Maggie and Jiggs.

4. February 16th was President's Day in the US, but did you know it was also National Almond Day? I didn't think so : ) Do you like almonds? If so, what's a food/dish/recipe you enjoy that contains almonds?

I love my almonds raw and I usually eat a handful every day or so. I have some right next to me now and Caspar our miniature dashound is begging for a piece. 

Too Much Snow

5.The television program Saturday Night Live celebrated it's 40th anniversary this past weekend. Were/are you a fan of the show? If so what has been your favorite (or one of your favorite) skits, sayings, or characters that came out of the program?

We watched the original players and I loved Gilda and thought the Coneheads were a hoot. The weekend update was the original Daily Show.  We haven't watched a lot lately....because it is on too late.

6. Anything purple within ten feet of you? What is it? 

I am wearing a pair of purple polkadot flannel pants right now.

7. Back in December I asked you to submit a question for a future HP as part of a giveaway I was hosting. I grabbed this one from those entries, submitted by Zoanna who blogs over at Penchant for Pens. Thanks Zoanna!

She asks, "How often do you make your bed, and how do you like to make it-pull the covers all the way up over the pillows, tuck the covers in around the pillows, or place all the pillows on top of the covers?" 

The bed is fully made when I change the sheets and tuck everything in....otherwise we just pull the sheets and blankets up, spread the duvet and plop the pillows on top. I wish I had something to put the duvet on when we sleep, otherwise it is on the floor by morning.

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

I have lots of random thoughts, but when I go to post them, they disappear!  

Sweet Wishes to Everyone Today

Happy Valentines Day to all of you lovers out there.

It  is not a day that Mr BC and I are really into after all these years, We let the other, know of our love in many ways and all the time.  And neither of us need the sugar.

The puppies gave much Valentine's love this morning, as well.

Friday Fragments

I am really enjoying my mall walking and Mr BC joined me this week.  I don't think I am doing 2 whole miles, as I cut some of the corners on the second loop around.  I forgot to eat some breakfast on Wednesday, and I got quite woozy and barely made one loop. I won't do that again.  One thing about walking before the mall opens is there are nothing to eat on the food court. We visit, over coffee that we bring with us, for another 40 minutes or so.  I have already made some new friends.

We live in an old house and we are always making repairs.  This week the top hinge of the front door finally worked its way off the door jamb.  I would like to one day, get a new all glass storm door. We knew that to get that done we will have to re-do the door frame. Grandma and Grandpa made many temporary repairs to the door frame over the years New handles and locks,etc. And we are going to have to just do a new front door.  Mr BC is going to make a fix to the hinge do we can get out, and I am going to have to find someone to re-do our front door and storm door, when it gets warmer.

I accidentally ordered a new paperback book from Amazon, instead of downloading it to my Kindle Fire.  OOP's....I can't enlarge the font of a book so I am struggling with the small print.  I may need a magnifier. Mr BC says I should just return the book....That would make too much sense!

It is suppose to snow this weekend, I am ready for winter to be over.

Today. some food for thought:

                    Linking with Mrs 4444 at Half Past Kissing Time for Friday Fragments