Watching, Waiting
She watches, waiting for her beloved. Always waiting. She sits on the couch, looking out the window, patient. She knows that he will return, he always does.
So she watches and waits.
A flicker of color catches her eye and she knows he is there. She pulls the curtain open a little more to get a better look. It’s him, she knows it.
He sees the movement and takes off. A flurry of feathers the male cardinal is gone, the feeder is deserted.
She narrows her eyes and waits, her tail swishing in annoyance. He will return, he always does.
Friday, May 26, 2006
Friday, May 19, 2006
friday catblogging
Well, I think I'm going to change Tux's name to Schrödinger. For those of you who aren't physics geeks, go here. Otherwise, just run with the joke. I never know if he's dead or alive until I get visual confirmation, usually after having not seen him for several weeks.
An older pic of Tux, er Schrödinger, since he wouldn't let me take his pic this week.
Schrödinger's cat is dead.
An older pic of Tux, er Schrödinger, since he wouldn't let me take his pic this week.
Schrödinger's cat is dead.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
a recap of the past month
Yeah, I took another month off blogging. So here's what's been going on.
I developed a kidney infection. My first clue was a stabbing pain in my left kidney, 8 out of 10 on the pain scale. At first Dr. F wasn't sure if I had another stone or an infection, so he treated me for an infection (given my crappy immune system) and ordered a CT scan looking for any stones. The scan was negative, so a week of antibiotics and lots of pain meds. Eventually it got better.
As I was recovering from that, that my oh so lovely balance crapped out while I was walking outside. I fell down the same hill that I fell down last fall. This time I re-injured my left rotator cuff, left wrist, and sprained the arch of my left foot. Yay, whee. More pain meds and my wrist splinted for a week so I couldn't really type anything.
So that's the overview of my month. I did a little more storm spotting, but nothing as interesting as last month. I did get some good pics of lightning, which will be posted later.
Aside from all of that, not much. Watching TV, poking around on the net, discovering some good films. I've become a big fan of Paul McGillion and David Hewlett, a pair of Canadian actors who have been in some excellent, little-known films. They also happen to be in a good TV show right now, if you happen to like sci-fi.
So that's pretty much it. Not a whole hell of a lot going on around here. Now that I have use of my hand again and not stoned out of my skull, I'll see about keeping this updated more than once a month. ;)
I developed a kidney infection. My first clue was a stabbing pain in my left kidney, 8 out of 10 on the pain scale. At first Dr. F wasn't sure if I had another stone or an infection, so he treated me for an infection (given my crappy immune system) and ordered a CT scan looking for any stones. The scan was negative, so a week of antibiotics and lots of pain meds. Eventually it got better.
As I was recovering from that, that my oh so lovely balance crapped out while I was walking outside. I fell down the same hill that I fell down last fall. This time I re-injured my left rotator cuff, left wrist, and sprained the arch of my left foot. Yay, whee. More pain meds and my wrist splinted for a week so I couldn't really type anything.
So that's the overview of my month. I did a little more storm spotting, but nothing as interesting as last month. I did get some good pics of lightning, which will be posted later.
Aside from all of that, not much. Watching TV, poking around on the net, discovering some good films. I've become a big fan of Paul McGillion and David Hewlett, a pair of Canadian actors who have been in some excellent, little-known films. They also happen to be in a good TV show right now, if you happen to like sci-fi.
So that's pretty much it. Not a whole hell of a lot going on around here. Now that I have use of my hand again and not stoned out of my skull, I'll see about keeping this updated more than once a month. ;)
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
late friday tornado blogging
Friday catblogging was pre-empted by multiple tornaodes in the area. While I did see one wall cloud and possible funnel right before it went over the house (and damn near was struck by lightning), it was too dark to get a photo. About half and hour later, another tornado went about 2 miles south of the house, and I got to hear a tornado for the first time.
Now, I've seen several tornadoes and funnel clouds in my life. Hell, one of my earliest memories is as a child going outside to play right after a bad storm. I saw matamus clouds hanging down on the back side of the cell that had just passed, then looked straight up. Directly overhead was a perfect spiral in the clouds, moving relatively fast. Yes, I've looked straight up in a funnel cloud. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. I told Mom what I saw, and at the time she dismissed it, since by the time she looked outside the funnel had disappated, although the matamus was still overhead. A few months later a program on tornadoes was on PBS, and it talked about how matamus often was seen in tornadic cells. Mom believed what I had seen at that point.
I've seen tornadoes on the ground from a distance a copule of times, and been in two tornadoes in my life. One in elementary school when one went right over the school, and one in Tennessee when a storm snuck up on us while my parents, sister and I were going to the Smoky Mountains. Our car was almost blown over, we were in the inflow to the tornado which was on the ground which was less than a mile away.
Friday night was the first time I actually heard a tornado. Not suprising, it sounded like a lot of wind, very low pitched. Think of a jet engine from a distance so you don't hear any of the high-pitched sounds or of a train minus the sound of the wheels on rails. A low pitched, constant rumble. It doesn't sound exactly like a train, you can hear a rhythymic sound in a train that isn't there in a tornado. So there you go, a first-hand account of what a tornado sounds like.
View from my house, looking to the west-northwest at about 1815 hours (6:15pm for you non-24 hour time people). You can see the roation in the clouds. There was a tornado on the ground about 70 miles to the west at that time, heading in my direction at about 75 miles an hour.
Now, I've seen several tornadoes and funnel clouds in my life. Hell, one of my earliest memories is as a child going outside to play right after a bad storm. I saw matamus clouds hanging down on the back side of the cell that had just passed, then looked straight up. Directly overhead was a perfect spiral in the clouds, moving relatively fast. Yes, I've looked straight up in a funnel cloud. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. I told Mom what I saw, and at the time she dismissed it, since by the time she looked outside the funnel had disappated, although the matamus was still overhead. A few months later a program on tornadoes was on PBS, and it talked about how matamus often was seen in tornadic cells. Mom believed what I had seen at that point.
I've seen tornadoes on the ground from a distance a copule of times, and been in two tornadoes in my life. One in elementary school when one went right over the school, and one in Tennessee when a storm snuck up on us while my parents, sister and I were going to the Smoky Mountains. Our car was almost blown over, we were in the inflow to the tornado which was on the ground which was less than a mile away.
Friday night was the first time I actually heard a tornado. Not suprising, it sounded like a lot of wind, very low pitched. Think of a jet engine from a distance so you don't hear any of the high-pitched sounds or of a train minus the sound of the wheels on rails. A low pitched, constant rumble. It doesn't sound exactly like a train, you can hear a rhythymic sound in a train that isn't there in a tornado. So there you go, a first-hand account of what a tornado sounds like.
View from my house, looking to the west-northwest at about 1815 hours (6:15pm for you non-24 hour time people). You can see the roation in the clouds. There was a tornado on the ground about 70 miles to the west at that time, heading in my direction at about 75 miles an hour.
Friday, April 07, 2006
i love the south
Snow? We have a spastic fit at 3 flakes. Tornadoes? We're in the "You're fucked area" for today. Seriously, 60% chance of tornadoes here today. Yes, seriously, we're more likely to get a tornado touchtown within 25 miles of any given point in North Alabama that not. And we're talking the big mothers - F2 or larger. I bet they don't close schools for tornadoes that have not yet occured in your area.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
about the name of this blog
Word Y. Smith left a comment wondering as to the origin of the meaning of "Oubliette", specifically how I define it in the header. I can't find the original comment to respond to, so I'll answer it here, since more people wonder the same thing.
"Oubliette" is a French word, stemming from the verb "oublier" - to forget. The "-ette" suffix means "small, little". Drop the "-er" from the verb, add "-ette", and you get a noun meaning, literally, "a little place to forget; a little place of forgetting".
As far what a traditional oubliette is, it's a small dungeon with only one way in or out, through a hole in the ceiling. Literally, one would put prisioners in there and forget about them, let them die slowly. In England, oubliettes that have been found in castles are generally round, and most have spikes in the floor. A prisioner was thrown in from a doorway 20 or more feet above the floor of the oubliette. The prisioner would die, horribly and slowly, impaled on the spikes, lying on the bodies and skeletons of those who previously died in the cell.
I can't remember which castle in England had it's oubliette excavated by an archeological team, but they found something along the lines of more than 50 bodies. One body on the top of the pile had a 19th century pocket watch. Yes, that particular oubliette had been used from the time the castle was built in the Middle Ages through the mid 1800s.
What you may be thinking about, Word Smith, is a Labrynth, which is a maze. I know in the movie "Labrynth" what is called the Oubliette, is really an underground labrynth, mimicing the above ground one. If the pit of hands hadn't gone anywhere, it would have been an oubliette.
I'm guessing the Norman Invasion brought that nice little piece of dungeon technology to England from France, hence the French name. My sources? Sorry that I can't quote them, but they are various documentaries, articles, books, and the entymology of the word. (Yes, I do know French.) J'oublie que libres je leger pour mon information.
"Oubliette" is a French word, stemming from the verb "oublier" - to forget. The "-ette" suffix means "small, little". Drop the "-er" from the verb, add "-ette", and you get a noun meaning, literally, "a little place to forget; a little place of forgetting".
As far what a traditional oubliette is, it's a small dungeon with only one way in or out, through a hole in the ceiling. Literally, one would put prisioners in there and forget about them, let them die slowly. In England, oubliettes that have been found in castles are generally round, and most have spikes in the floor. A prisioner was thrown in from a doorway 20 or more feet above the floor of the oubliette. The prisioner would die, horribly and slowly, impaled on the spikes, lying on the bodies and skeletons of those who previously died in the cell.
I can't remember which castle in England had it's oubliette excavated by an archeological team, but they found something along the lines of more than 50 bodies. One body on the top of the pile had a 19th century pocket watch. Yes, that particular oubliette had been used from the time the castle was built in the Middle Ages through the mid 1800s.
What you may be thinking about, Word Smith, is a Labrynth, which is a maze. I know in the movie "Labrynth" what is called the Oubliette, is really an underground labrynth, mimicing the above ground one. If the pit of hands hadn't gone anywhere, it would have been an oubliette.
I'm guessing the Norman Invasion brought that nice little piece of dungeon technology to England from France, hence the French name. My sources? Sorry that I can't quote them, but they are various documentaries, articles, books, and the entymology of the word. (Yes, I do know French.) J'oublie que libres je leger pour mon information.
Friday, March 31, 2006
yay, tornadoes!
Well, only 1 really. A supercell marched across 2/3 of north Alabama and did a pretty good job of screwing things up for evening commute. West of here really saw the interesting weather, Florence had about 3 inches of quarter sized hail. It looked like it had freakin snowed.
You can look at WHNT 19's website for a slide show. If it's not on the main page, click on "Weather" and it should be there.
A couple of teaser photos...
That's hail on the road, folks.
A wall cloud with a tail cloud on the right. The tail cloud is not a funnel cloud, but inflow into the wall cloud. If a funnel were to form, it would be at the flat bottom of the cloud, not the side.
Fog caused by the hail on the ground. It was about 70° F when this picture was taken.
All of the above photos were taken by members of the public, who emailed them to WHNT-19. I did not take any of the pics, and am not claiming that I did. (Yeah, a little disclaimer there.) The photos are either copyright the photographer or WHNT-19. No copyright infringement intended.
You can look at WHNT 19's website for a slide show. If it's not on the main page, click on "Weather" and it should be there.
A couple of teaser photos...
That's hail on the road, folks.
A wall cloud with a tail cloud on the right. The tail cloud is not a funnel cloud, but inflow into the wall cloud. If a funnel were to form, it would be at the flat bottom of the cloud, not the side.
Fog caused by the hail on the ground. It was about 70° F when this picture was taken.
All of the above photos were taken by members of the public, who emailed them to WHNT-19. I did not take any of the pics, and am not claiming that I did. (Yeah, a little disclaimer there.) The photos are either copyright the photographer or WHNT-19. No copyright infringement intended.
friday catblogging
Look! It's Friday, and I'm catblogging, and it's not even 0300 yet!
Noah and McCullough want to join me outside and play...then run off.
The 3 cat statues that reside on the front porch.
Noah and McCullough want to join me outside and play...then run off.
The 3 cat statues that reside on the front porch.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
find the kitty
Time to play Find the Kitty. I was outside, and the girls had to come and see what I was doing.
Friday, March 10, 2006
friday catblogging
I went on a cat hunt this morning.
Mac comes out of hiding for a drink.
YAWN!
Callie's favorite towel. Don't ask me why she loves it so much. She will
guard it with her life, then proceed to try to eat it.
Face-off at the water hole.
McCullough waits for Luke to get out of the shower so she can play in
the wet bath tub. We don't ask, she's a little dim in that way.
And finally, Maleficent being unbearably cute.
A successful cat hunt.
Mac comes out of hiding for a drink.
YAWN!
Callie's favorite towel. Don't ask me why she loves it so much. She will
guard it with her life, then proceed to try to eat it.
Face-off at the water hole.
McCullough waits for Luke to get out of the shower so she can play in
the wet bath tub. We don't ask, she's a little dim in that way.
And finally, Maleficent being unbearably cute.
A successful cat hunt.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
things i learned this week
I learned something very important earlier this week. Looking back it is funny, so feel free to leave funny comments.
This is what I learned this week. I have learned my lesson, and won't forget it anytime soon.
- When one has a sinus infection, it is critical to read the expiration date of the milk because you can't smell the milk.
- It is also critical to check the consistency of said milk, to ensure it is indeed all liquid and not partially solid.
- If the milk has begun to turn solid, and you do not notice it, it will make you sick.
- If you put said mail on apple cinnamon instant oatmeal, you won't taste it.
- Food poisoning is no fun, especially the self-inflicted kind.
This is what I learned this week. I have learned my lesson, and won't forget it anytime soon.
Monday, February 20, 2006
a quiet morning
The cats are all sleeping, in thier favorite warm spot. The house is still, Olympic Ice Dancing playing quietly on the TV.
Outside, freezing rain is falling, coating everything in a glaze of crystal.
I'm blogging again after having taken another short hiatus because of bronchitis/sinus infection. Kinda hard to type when sleeping, which is what I've done most of this week. The NyQuil Coma is truly a powerful force.
The ancient games play
All is quiet in the house
Outside ice coats all.
Outside, freezing rain is falling, coating everything in a glaze of crystal.
I'm blogging again after having taken another short hiatus because of bronchitis/sinus infection. Kinda hard to type when sleeping, which is what I've done most of this week. The NyQuil Coma is truly a powerful force.
The ancient games play
All is quiet in the house
Outside ice coats all.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
snow in alabama
OMFG! IT SNOWED!
My little cat statue, all covered in snow.
Proof of snow.
Those are actual snowflakes. Or lots of spirit orbs. Either way, we're all gonna die!
My little cat statue, all covered in snow.
Proof of snow.
Those are actual snowflakes. Or lots of spirit orbs. Either way, we're all gonna die!
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
The Book of Corporate Life
Not too far from the truth
1. In the beginning was the Plan.
2. And then came the Assumptions.
3. And the Assumptions were without form.
4. And the Plan was without Substance.
5. And darkness was upon the face of the Workers.
6. And the Workers spoke among themselves saying, "It is a crock of shit and it stinks."
7. And the Workers went unto their Supervisors and said, "It is a crock of dung and we cannot live with the smell."
8. And the Supervisors went unto their Managers saying, "It is a container of organic waste, and it is very strong, such that none may abide by it."
9. And the Managers went unto their Directors, saying, "It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide its strength."
10. And the Directors spoke among themselves, saying to one another, "It contains that which aids plant growth, and it is very strong."
11. And the directors went to the Vice Presidents, saying unto them, "It promotes growth, and it is very powerful."
12. And the Vice Presidents went to the President, saying unto him, "It has very powerful effects."
13. And the President looked upon the Plan and saw that it was good.
14. And the Plan became Policy.
And that is how shit happens.
1. In the beginning was the Plan.
2. And then came the Assumptions.
3. And the Assumptions were without form.
4. And the Plan was without Substance.
5. And darkness was upon the face of the Workers.
6. And the Workers spoke among themselves saying, "It is a crock of shit and it stinks."
7. And the Workers went unto their Supervisors and said, "It is a crock of dung and we cannot live with the smell."
8. And the Supervisors went unto their Managers saying, "It is a container of organic waste, and it is very strong, such that none may abide by it."
9. And the Managers went unto their Directors, saying, "It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide its strength."
10. And the Directors spoke among themselves, saying to one another, "It contains that which aids plant growth, and it is very strong."
11. And the directors went to the Vice Presidents, saying unto them, "It promotes growth, and it is very powerful."
12. And the Vice Presidents went to the President, saying unto him, "It has very powerful effects."
13. And the President looked upon the Plan and saw that it was good.
14. And the Plan became Policy.
And that is how shit happens.
some things everyone needs to know...
If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.
The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.
A pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes....(In my next life, I want to be a pig.)
A cockroach will live nine days without its head before it starves to death. (Creepy.)...(I'm still not over the pig.)
Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories a hour (Don't try this at home, maybe at work)
The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off. ("Honey, I'm home. What the....?!")
The flea can jump 350 times its body length. It's like a human jumping the length of a football field.
(30 minutes..lucky pig! Can you imagine?)
The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds. (What could be so tasty on the bottom of a pond?)
Some lions mate over 50 times a day. (I still want to be a pig in my next life...quality over quantity)
Butterflies taste with their feet. (Something I always wanted to know.)
The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue. (Hmmmmmm......)
Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people. (If you're ambidextrous, do you split the difference?)
Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump. (okay, so that would be a good thing)
A cat's urine glows under a black light. (I wonder who was paid to figure that out?)
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain. (I know some people like that.)
Starfish have no brains. (I know some people like that too.)
Polar bears are left-handed. (If they switch, they'll live a lot longer)
Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure. (What about that pig??)
The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.
A pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes....(In my next life, I want to be a pig.)
A cockroach will live nine days without its head before it starves to death. (Creepy.)...(I'm still not over the pig.)
Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories a hour (Don't try this at home, maybe at work)
The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off. ("Honey, I'm home. What the....?!")
The flea can jump 350 times its body length. It's like a human jumping the length of a football field.
(30 minutes..lucky pig! Can you imagine?)
The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds. (What could be so tasty on the bottom of a pond?)
Some lions mate over 50 times a day. (I still want to be a pig in my next life...quality over quantity)
Butterflies taste with their feet. (Something I always wanted to know.)
The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue. (Hmmmmmm......)
Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people. (If you're ambidextrous, do you split the difference?)
Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump. (okay, so that would be a good thing)
A cat's urine glows under a black light. (I wonder who was paid to figure that out?)
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain. (I know some people like that.)
Starfish have no brains. (I know some people like that too.)
Polar bears are left-handed. (If they switch, they'll live a lot longer)
Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure. (What about that pig??)
Monday, February 06, 2006
looks like i needed a one month hiatus
That was a little longer than I expected. First, no one is dead; Mom is doing just fine with her new pacemaker, she's back at work now and feeling good. I'm finally over the stomach and sinus crud which had me hating life, just in time for the snow today here in Huntsville.
I realized I also needed a mental health break. I came to the realization (a few months late and reluctantly) that the neuropathy I've been battling for almost a year now is permanent. No treatments for the actual problem, just medications to keep the symptoms from being too bothersome. Yeah, I had a nice, long private pity party.
I hope I'm over that now, and get back to my musings, rantings, and whatever the hell else I feel like posting here. Oh, and cats. What, you thing I forgot about the kitties? Nope, here's Callie Bellatrix viscously attacking my brother-in-law's shoes.
Die, evil shoe, die!
I realized I also needed a mental health break. I came to the realization (a few months late and reluctantly) that the neuropathy I've been battling for almost a year now is permanent. No treatments for the actual problem, just medications to keep the symptoms from being too bothersome. Yeah, I had a nice, long private pity party.
I hope I'm over that now, and get back to my musings, rantings, and whatever the hell else I feel like posting here. Oh, and cats. What, you thing I forgot about the kitties? Nope, here's Callie Bellatrix viscously attacking my brother-in-law's shoes.
Die, evil shoe, die!
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