So another story from the week, and this one, well, probably isn’t going to earn me many brownie points on the board.
Wednesday I get sent with a reporter on a story about… a cat in a tree. In fact I think I mentioned it. What has been bothering me is as we showed up to do the story about the cat waaaaaayup in a tall tree (indoor cat ran out, got scared, climbed a 60 foot tree behind this lady’s house) is that a solution had been offered, it just involved money, and so the owner didn’t want to do it.
The fire department had come out twice, the owner and neighbors had tried a couple things, and they had called a tree service, which wanted $500 to get the cat. The owner said no.
And that has been bothering me. I know nobody wants to drop $500 on retrieving a cat, but to expect such work free just rubs me wrong. I assume they would bring a BIG bucket truck (had to have an 80’ - 100’ reach to park on the street and get to the cat. Fuel alone would be $100 to drive that monster there and operate it, plus people’s time, and it’s the holiday.
Here this lady was crying - he’s a member of the family, the kids are upset, etc… I understand. But if he meant so much, perhaps having some people pitch in, get together the $500 would have been the way to go.
Anyway last I heard the cat had come down & ran away, and hasn’t been seen, though that’s from a couple days ago. If I hear anything I’ll update.
I just wish people would value other people’s efforts at times, and understand that a cat up a 60 foot tree doesn’t get a magical free response.
Isn’t there some saying about ‘if the weathermen predicting the economy and the economists predicting the weather’? That the rest of us wouldn’t notice the difference?
2gig I hear you.
Not that it is quite the same thing but every time I watch Hoarders the people talk about all the junk being important treasures, but yet they let the stuff get pissed and chewed on by rats and pile it under other crap.
If it’s so important you’d take care of it.
If it’s so important you’ll pay what it takes.
[QUOTE=gardentraveler]
Whoa, that’s some expensive ham, Spaz. :eek:
[/QUOTE]
I see you’ve never had a Honeybaked ham. Sixty bucks is on the low end.
As for sweating vegetables, it’s just a term for sautéing them lightly, to the point of onions just starting to go translucent. If they start to brown, you’ve got the heat up too high.
Yup, that’s exactly what I do. I one tough hombre.
Seriously, what I really do is use just a touch butter (caphalon pan), and sort of soften the vegetables just a wee bit before I add them to the stock. Ah, I see **gotti **beat me to it.
Ha, I have, gotti; just always elsewhere so I’ve never paid for it. Not sure why it’s so special. Tastes like ham to me.
I know what you mean,** tugig**. Not sure why some people don’t get that work is…work. When I was in grad school, we’d have people calling the department to see if someone could translate a variety of things. There were quite a few people who didn’t understand that translation isn’t something that happens automagically. Our supervisor trained us to say we’d translate a sentence for free and then quote our translation rate. There were a few short letters that had sentimental value that I did for free, but much more than that and… I learned to charge. It took me YEARs and lots of $$$ to learn German. And translation is not easy.
Have been hanging around the living room. Watched Moneyball with brother; really good movie if you like baseball (which we do). Not sure it has nearly as much appeal to the non-baseball crowd. Also backed up pictures to laptop and synched phone. About to get to the iPad
Brother is currently yelling at his computer because the football game isn’t going his way.
Other people’s work takes no time, no effort, and only because you have no idea how to start doing it doesn’t mean you ought’a pay for it. Or something.
Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffienatin’. YAWN ‘Tis 31 Amurrkin out with a predicted high of 52 and sunny. Lookin’ ahead, we’re promised rain for New Year’s Day and the day after which happens to be OYKW’s day of nativity.
Speakin’ of said day of nativity, the spoiled brat wants an ice cream cake for NYD dindin as his birthday cake. Eight of us are gatherin’ at da cave that day so I reckon that’s a good time to do happy birthday cake. He has also declared that he wants a waffle, bacon and scrambled aigs for his bday dindin on Wednesday. He also pulled a “pretty please with sad puppy dawg eyes” to request meatloaf for NYD dindin. Spoiled brat! What the hey, I guess he’s worth it.
I took the brekkie casserole out of da fridge a bit ago to come up to room temp and will put it in the oven to bake just before purtification for deheathenization commences. Dang thing takes 40 minutes to bake but it’s good so it can do it’s thang while I purtify.
gigity I hope the cat ran away to a good home. Or it’ll be back. Cats be that way. Stoopid cat owners.
flytrap yay for power bein’ back on! Glad you didn’t lose a bunch of fishies.
Now I need more caffiene and will surf some more until time for casserole bakin’/purtification to commence.
**tugig **- the story of the cat reminds me of a quote from a firefighter (?) that I heard years ago: “I’ve never seen a cat’s skeleton in a tree.” One way or another, they always come down. In fact, if the crowd hadn’t gathered, it probably would have come down a lot sooner… But yeah, people always want something for nothing and they don’t think about what it costs those who try to help them out. The sense of entitlement of some folks is mind-boggling!
It’s a cold morning in southern Merrylande - I took the idiot dog out and she was more interested in exploring than peeing. She also found and ate something, so I may be on hork patrol later today. I’ve got the first load of laundry in the washer - I think it’ll be a 5 or 6 load day. I need to fill and run the dishwasher, too - I just didn’t feel like it last night.
**FCD **has gone back to bed. He got up early with the dog and took care of her wake-up-and-eat routine. When I got up, he helped me take the laundry downstairs, then he hid in the guest room. I figure I’ll see him again in a couple of hours. All he cares about today is the Dallas-Redskins game. He wants Dallas to win, but he doesn’t expect it to happen. I don’t particularly care either way - I’ll be knitting.
Last night, I was talking to my mom. We’ve decided that in 2014 - when she turns 80 and I hit 60 - the two of us are doing a river cruise thru the wine country of France. I’ve been researching, and I found one that’s fewer than 300 passengers for 8 days - it includes stops for wine tastings and tours, and if we book before the end of Feb this year, we get the 2-for-1 rate. And for an extra $800, we can add 3 days of touring either Paris or (I think) some chateaux. I sent her a link and we’ll see how it all falls out.
That’s all the excitement in my world today. No doubt more thrills will follow. Happy Sunday! Stay warm!
I agree that Honeybaked Ham is just ok, but have you ever tried their turkey? It’s pretty darn good.
Glad that most of your fishies made it,** flytrap**.
I’m up and watching it snow. This means that I’m going to head to the Y later to walk on their track because I don’t want to risk it outside today. Have I mentioned that I’m walking a 5K on New Year’s Day if my knee is ok?
We’ll be having some honeybaked turkey today! The company gives the hams as Christmas gifts, and since there were 2 of us, I grabbed a ham and a turkey.
I like the ham, but not enough to spend the ridiculous amount on it - I don’t get it. I guess it’s all about marketing, huh? There’s a bonus, tho - I’ve got a ham bone for bean soup!
That’s also Oldest Sister’s day of nativity. And I forgot to get her a card. I’ve been a good aunt remembering birthday cards, but it looks like I shall be a bad sister next year. Good thing the grocery sto’ is open NYD. I can run over there after irk and get her a card to send out the day of.
**Spaz **- there’s always e-cards! That’s my greeting of choice!
**FCD **is in the shower, and I’ve got 1 more load to wash - it’s been a productive morning. I think I’ll shower next, then maybe take him out for lunch. Or brunch. Whatever.
I’m debating whether to go to my friend’s concert tonight. It’s quite far away, and it’s cold out, and there are huge snowdrifts everywhere (including on the sidewalks. :mad: ) But it’ll be a good concert.
Team paint job; PBR used to be presenting sponsor so their logos were prominent on the kit & also on the bikes. It’s a CX (Cyclocross) bike so it’s designed for riding in slop.
Mr. Sunbeam came in for a visit this morning. OBL is doing his best cat impersonation & is lying in the sunlight…that is after he’s calmed down from running around with his exercise CD (hold CD in sunlight, tilt back & forth - it makes pretty patterns of moving bright light on ceiling which are SO MUCH FUN to chase (if you have four legs).
