Tuesday Tidbits

Clever cartoon.    

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Difference between casket and coffin?  A casket has six sides.

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Saw this childcare handy helper app and thinking of utilizing it for my daycare.  "Hey Alfred, ready for a bottle and a nap?"

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I really like the Defiant Girl statue placed in front of the Wall Street bull on Women's Day.  It represents the future women financial leaders and CEO's.  It will remain for a month, but why not just keep it up permanently? I love the way she stands there, fearless and strong.  I've seen Norah stand like that often. 

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Hey, Wombie.  If you drive by the Cabin in the Woods and see something like this inside, would you call the pest guy?

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I spotted this in a crevice in one of Kenzie and Drew's backyard trees.  I don't know what to think of it? The tree isn't an oak.  Did a squirrel stash it?

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Consider this a Public Service Announcement.  Having wrestled with this problem for decades, I'm trying this next time I have  leftover pizza.

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Another PSA: Moms. Don't let your kids dress themselves.

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I read George Patton's pseudo autobiography, War As I Knew It a long time ago.  It was actually a compilation of writings that were gathered up by his wife, Beatrice after his death.  He was a voracious diarist, as many people were before computers, Mobil Strike and reality TV.  The book was centered mostly on his World War II exploits and general thoughts and feelings about all kinds of things (he was a stickler for appearance and social decorum).  I was kind of happy yet astounded when I ran across this poem George wrote the day after World War I ended.  Wow.  

We can but hope that e’re we drown

‘Neath treacle floods of grace

The tuneless horns of mighty Mars

Once more shall rouse the Race

When such times come, Oh! God of War

Grant that we pass midst strife

Knowing once more the whitehot joy

Of taking human life.

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Last Sunday morning I woke up early (real early, 3:20 here time) and grabbed my camera to take some beach pics.  I got down to Reddington Beach and discovered that once you do one set of nighttime beach pics there's not much more you can do.  So I set my Garmin to Gulfport and went there for some old pier shots.  Generally underwhelmed I decided to head all the way back up to Largo when a raccoon ran in front of the Pathfinder.  The Pathfinder found a heavenly path for Mr.  Raccoon I'm sorry to say.  Now the Fun Bus has had a taste of blood.  Both me and the creature had bad days.  His worse than mine.  I hate it when that happens.

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Speaking of Kenzie and Drew's back yard - this is what we did last weekend.  Only took three trips to Home Depot.  

Alfred approves.

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You don't see any slot machines or gambling games down here.  I find pennies and sometimes, but rarely, silver along sidewalks and in the street curbing.  Last Sunday I took the Pathfinder to the car wash - she needed a bath after that unfortunate raccoon thing - and this is what greeted me when I opened the door to put in the money.

Sorry I didn't get a pic of the coinage on the ground but I was too busy scooping it all up before another car came.  It was all wet and I was raking it up like a squirrel burying nuts.  

It was my biggest haul yet by far.  Must have been 2 or 3 dollars worth, right there on the ground waiting for me.  There was a car in front, too, having already paid and getting washed.  Didn't they see it?  Are they the ones that lost it?  And how would you lose that much?  And then I saw the sign announcing 24 hour surveillance.  Would the cops get me?  The owner?  It's tough being a gutterswipe.

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Latest viewing of the best of 2016 was Hacksaw Ridge this past weekend.  Whatever you think of Mel Gibson, and for many it's not good, he is certainly a good director.  In fact, he is an Oscar winning director.  His latest effort was a biographical war story concerning a guy named Desmond Doss, a medal of Honor winning medic who was also a conscientious objector during World War II.  Never carried a gun, never even touched one.  But his efforts on Okinawa warrant, no demand, your attention and minutes of your time.  The war scenes are tough and you are allowed to wince at the realism, but the total heroic actions of Corporal Doss will astound you.  The first half of the film is captivating as we see him growing up but it really comes to life in the last hour or so as he is hazed during boot camp but wins the eventual respect of his squad.  There are men, and then there are extraordinary men.  Desmond was a thin scrawny guy whose heart and faith led him to extraordinary actions on the battlefield.  See it.