[QUOTE=Nava]
My folks.
[/quote]
I had a feeling that’s what you’d say…
It’s hot enough that I might enjoy getting dunked in the river. It might even be worth getting beaten up by you, first. Or that maight even be part of the fun… 
IOW – have yourself a good week for a change, or else! And that is an order, young lady! 
Hi Kangaphant!
I knew I was forgetting something: Ali, the runs are on the same week but there’s 8 of them. And although Pamplona is the famous one and one of the few places that can afford bulls, runs are an integral part of the summer festivals for a large area around it. When I lived in Castellón (eastern coast) I discovered they have “bulls in the street” there too, but in much worse circumstances.
In Navarra and surroundings, if you get bulls it’s the ones that will get killed that afternoon. They run once.
For “kiddie runs” they use 1-yo calves; a calf who’s run a baby run will customarily not run again (they send the ones that look promising as studs). Those towns that can’t have bullfights every afternoon get cows; thus, cows can actually be more dangerous than bulls (even though they’re half the size, 400kg to 700kg of a bull) because them bitches get to run again and again from June to September - a September cow doesn’t just know every trick on the book, she can write the book.
In Castellón they use bulls but do not kill them. They enclose an area (within the town, not a bullring), put some cages (with vertical spaces wide enough for a guy to get in and out, meaning if the cage is full the bull can easily hit two people in a single shot) and let one bull out. There is no way for the runners to escape the area other than into the cages and the bulls get time to learn :smack: I realize it’s pot and kettle, but to me that’s a collective Darwin Award. There’s a dozen dead every year - but they don’t get mentioned on TV.
[QUOTE=Heffalump and Roo]
I’m up! So I was very proud of myself last night. I figured out how many hours you are ahead of me. I think it’s 10 hours.
[/quote]
Yup. 10 hours. Except when it’s 9 or 11 because either country has already started/gone off DST ahead of the other… Head hurts :smack: 
You need to stay up later weekend nights – go out and have fun; then do some drunken posting when you crawl home at 2 AM
Yeah, I think Time Zones are an evil invention, too. There should be one clock for all of us. Based on the Center of the World (which is Jerusalem, of course :p) So you say you’ll end up working in the dark and sleeping in the light? So? Deal!
Working… You evil person, you! 
:mad: :rolleyes:
:D:D:D
[QUOTE=Special1]
Yup. 10 hours. Except when it’s 9 or 11 because either country has already started/gone off DST ahead of the other… Head hurts :smack:
[/quote]
OMG! :eek: How mean is that?! I was all proud of myself and now you add in more complexities. I’ll never figure out all that stuff, especially since the US just changed their DST dates. But OK, I’ll ask. . . when are your DST dates?
Unfortunately, I’m very boring. I don’t drink and I don’t party, so unless I change my lifestyle dramatically, that’s doubtful.
Or we all move to Jerusalem and then we can party!
Have you told us before what you do? Or are you a top secret spy or something?
[QUOTE=Heffalump and Roo]
OMG! :eek: How mean is that?! I was all proud of myself and now you add in more complexities. I’ll never figure out all that stuff, especially since the US just changed their DST dates. But OK, I’ll ask. . . when are your DST dates?
[/quote]
They change every year…
Why, Yes, I am being serious – While DST now starts “Last Friday before April 2,” our DST end date is determined by the Jewish Calendar, which is Luni-Solar, so while it pretty much stays in sync with the Gregorian, it moves up to +/- 10 days or so WRT it. So the best I can say is that our DST ends “Sometime in September.”
This year it started between March 29 and 30 and ends between September 15 and 16.
Hey, I’m not much of a drinker or partier myself, really (although I do drink a bit, I’m not an actual teetotaler; but I hate, hate, hate loud, boring parties!) – we could probably have a good time together
What’s wrong with Tel-Aviv? It’s in the same time-zone! You avoiding getting near me or something? 
Well, my cover story is that I’m a Software Engineer.
I’d tell you the truth but then I’d have to take you hostage and hold you in a dark room for the rest of your life
Morning all! I’m up and considering caffeine, 'im indoors is still snoring away under a pile of cat. It’s amazing how something as small as Ophelia can still look like a heap of cats!
Yesterday was busy, we were out doing charitable stuff which turned out to be much more fun than we’d expected especially as nine of us went to the pub afterwards and sat talking about the possibilities for Di-porn and a series of tunnel-related movies. OK, so you really had to be there…
Today I’m going for a wander round to the park to have a look at the City Show. Usually it’s a motley collection of charity sales, junk stalls and the local fuschia society’s finest offerings for the year. But this time they’re advertising a continental market and a farmer’s market too so that might be worth going to see.
Alister, you know I usually don’t post to these MMP threads, but some things need to be said:
A) Congrats on somehow convincing a girl to live with you. You two still need to come visit me once in awhile though. I enjoy our Sunday morning boozing. (Meli, I’m really not that bad of a guy once you get the sense of humor! It’s innocent ribbing, I swear! Feminism is cool with me as long as dinner is on the table by 6! 
)
B) Sorry about your parents. In my mind they prove that smart people can still be assholes. If you need anything, or want somewhere to go on Holidays you know my door is always open (Turkey basted in rum? eh? Sounds promising…)
C) Now is the perfect time to tell your parents about your fondness for old British men. Seriously, they aren’t talking to you. They can’t not not talk to you more. It is like ripping off a band-aid, get it all over with at once.
D) Do you want me to talk to them? Your parents would love me! In comparison to me, you are a saint. It’d make you look better. What do you say? (Unless of course they blame me, since I am the first friend you made at college, and I think the first to debate with you how silly your religion was. Oh, and I introduced you to booze, and the Straight Dope, and… You know what, don’t mention me to them)
Another early morning, pretty much all critter-centric. I awakened with a cat sleeping on my pillow - which is better than having her smacking me in the face. I got up to pee and in turn, each dog greeted me as I sat on the throne. I think there’s a household rule that you can’t pee alone. Anyway, by now, all critters have been pottied and fed and I’m having my morning Diet Coke while my sweetie continues to snooze.
Last night, we brought in the cushions for the v-berth and quarterberth, scrubbed the vinyl on the bottom and vacuumed the fabric tops. Then we sprayed them down with Febreze. We’ll load them into the van and put them back in the boat today. I’m hoping he doesn’t stay at the boat too long - it’s supposed to be mid-90s, and that’s not a situation where you want to be inside a fiberglass vessel without air conditioning.
Wednesday, my baby will be home - yay! I hope. They’re flying stand-by, because that’s how they got the super rates from her fiance’s brother (he’s a flight attendant) - I don’t know what they’ll do if they can’t get on the plane, nor do they. So fingers crossed for an un-full flight on Weds morning. And for their return flight on July 25.
I don’t think I mentioned, but I’ve applied for several jobs at NASA Goddard. The idiocy at my command is wearing out my eye-rolling muscles and the thought of 2.5 more years there is almost too much. I’ll stick it out if I have to, but I’m exploring other options. And since my sweetie is already working at Goddard, we could carpool together, which would be cool. Plus I’d no longer be in a position of not being able to talk about my work with him. And at least one of the jobs I put in for would be a promotion, which would be acceptable… So we shall see.
I’m hungry - should I forage or wait to go out for breakfast?? Decisions, decisions…
Oooh, fingers crossed for the job apps, FCM. Given the current state of things, it sounds like Goddard could only be an improvement.
So, now we know; it’s not college’s fault, it’s Captain_C’s! You’re allowed to stop by the MMP whenever you feel like it, you know. Nice to meet another in the McCello-Tungsten-meli … hmmm … what word to use…clan? clique? herd? group? bunch? flock? quartet? set? (Are there more of you here?)
Hey, that’s a cool site, Roo. Thanks for the link. Looks like we’re batting about 50-50. I see about 1/2 the books we’ve read in the top picks. I think that’s about the ratio we’re going for.
Birdies sound annoying, rosie.
Enjoyed the bullcast, Nava.
Hi SO. Lessee…if you’re 10 hours ahead of Heff, then you’re 7 hours ahead of Eastern time, right? Well, except during those nice transitional periods. I was hoping that we’d at least line up with European time changes when our dates changed. But, no. We have to continue to be different. :rolleyes:
Off to garden a bit and then to church…
Happy Sunday everyone!
GT
Good Mornin’ Y’all! Good Afternoon/Evenin’ to the overseas Cool Kids!
I’m all caffienated and goin’ to purty up in a bit so’s I can go do my ushin’ duties this mornin’.
Snakes you’re a good friend. I agree about limiting visits to people in the hospital. I’m sure Libby will appreciate you talkin’ with her about her wishes. Oh and the ivy is a good idea. To me, just havin’ a nice green livin’ thing in a hospital room really cheers things up.
MOOOOOOM appendages are crossed for the new job possibilities.
Nava the bull run stories/commentaries are fun. I feel all learned up and cultured.
BioRosie who knew you had such a cozy a/c unit!
OK, I’m up and caffeinating. Another long Sunday at work.
gt, I think the word you are looking for is fraterity.
FCM, if you get the Goddard job, will you be a rocket scientist?
Nava, cows learn? I guess that means a Big Mac is self defense, then.
[QUOTE=gardentraveler]
Hi SO. Lessee…if you’re 10 hours ahead of Heff, then you’re 7 hours ahead of Eastern time, right? Well, except during those nice transitional periods.
[/quote]
Exactly
What makes you think we’re aligned with either Europe or the U.S.? :rolleyes: We have to be Unique! (Just like everybody else…)
Good Morning America!
Up and caffeinating here. Have also had a light yogurt and am contemplating some cereal.
FCM, good luck on the job apps. NASA-Goddard is literally right down the road from me, btw. 
The commute wouldn’t be too bad, though, since FCD is already doing it, right?
Nava, I still don’t understand why some folks -want- to run with those bulls! Thoughts and prayers are with your family.
Morning, all. Not much going on here today. It’s Papa Tigs’ birthday, and by his choice, he’s spending a very, very quiet day at home seeing if he can feel better for going to work tomorrow. Or, actually, going to a two-day class. Lucky him, just what he needs, something else to take him away from his regular job for another two days; he still hasn’t caught up from being out for two days when his pinched nerve first developed.
I long ago ceased to try to keep track of time zones. It all started when Papa Tigs was in Japan and I was in Lalaland, and we were either 14 or 15 hours apart but on separate days. It sprained my brain. That’s my excuse, anyway. But I somehow knew that Israel would keep track of DST via the Hebrew calendar, Special One, so actually laughed out loud when I read your post about it. Nothing like making all us western calendar folks feel like young whippersnappers. But you want young? Papa Tigs’ and my marriage certificate is all in Japanese, except for three Arabic numerals – a 3, a 4, and an 8, indicating we were married on the 3rd day of the 4th month of the 8th year of the reign of Emperor Akihito! Talk about having trouble keeping track of a calendar, when you have to start over again every time you get a new ruler!
It’s already hot enough here today that staying inside in the AC and getting some work done sounds like a fine idea. I’m working on a transcript that was done by a guy in another city (the office in DC has the national contract for this agency), and I have to admit I’m a little :dubious: about him considering that for his notes, he uses lavender paper and writes in purple and pink ink. :dubious: It’s very pretty, however; he has the best writing of any reporter I have ever dealt with! But as whiterabbit said, “I wrote with pink and purple ink – when I was in the 7th grade!” You do gotta wonder…
I second the vote for some way for your friend to enforce short hospital visits if she doesn’t feel up to it, SCL. And probably a limit on the number of visitors at any one time, too. We had to do that for my grandmother, when she was in the hospital with pneumonia at 95; otherwise, we would have had a room full of relatives hanging out for hours. It should be the patient’s choice who stays and for how long, and she needs some way to have people kicked out when she’s tired if need be, like a certain signal to the nurses or doctors or something if she gets worn out. So good on you for caring about her enough to help her deal with that.
Don’t everybody have too much fun today doing whatever it is you’re doing!
Good morning everyone; I’m up and caffienating.
We didn’t go out to play on the boat yesterday. Mr. Taters decided he wanted to stay home and relax. He would have gone if we had wanted to, but neither the kids nor I minded one way or the other. So, he played his computer games, I washed bedding, and did some general putzing around the house.
Today, Mr. Taters is going to take my son paintballing. I’ll stay home and putz some more. Plus, I’ve got to get my daughter to the website for taking her HIPAA test so she can turn her volunteer application in tomorrow.
SCL, you’re a good friend. Hopefully, LIbby will tell everyone when she’s tired and needs rest. Sometimes, patients feel that folks have gone out of their way to visit them, and don’t want to make them feel bad for coming, so they don’t say anything.
FCM, good luck on the apps. I hope you get something soon.
Cellodude, wow, I’m sorry to read about your father’s reaction. You have to live your life for you, not your parents. Maybe, someday, they’ll come around. Still, I realize it must be hard because deep down we all want our parents to approve of us.
Well, nothing much going on here again. Thankfully, for once, we didn’t have some busy social agenda going on. It felt nice.
[QUOTE=tarragon918]
FCM, good luck on the job apps. NASA-Goddard is literally right down the road from me, btw. The commute wouldn’t be too bad, though, since FCD is already doing it, right?
[/QUOTE]
We’d carpool - so we could keep each other awake for the looooooong drive - it’s about 56 miles and up to 90 minutes or more, depending upon traffic and weather and stuff.
**dogbut ** - since my degree is in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, I suppose I technically am a rocket scientist already, from a certain point of view… Although at Goddard, they don’t do the rockets - they mostly do satellites that go onto rockets. One of the vacancies is on the James Webb Space Telescope project - *that * would be coolness!
The boat is starting to look like a much cleaner version of the boat we bought. I cleaned the last berth today, and we put the cushions in the v-berth and the quarterberth - so it now sleeps 3. We removed the rusty, nasty old alcohol stove and put it next to a dumpster with a sign that said: “Alcohol stove. Free to a good home (or even a bad one - we don’t really care)” I’ll be surprised if anyone takes it because it’s almost 30 years old and it wasn’t well cared for. I’m just glad to have it out. The area where it was installed was disgustingly filthy, but it cleaned up fairly easily because it was mostly fiberglass, and the wood panel seemed to stay clean.
After I scrubbed all the crud, I measured and we went to Lowe’s and got a 1.6 cuft fridge that fits in there with room to spare. The new stovetop will fit above it easily, and there’s about 5" of storage beside it. It’s a tiny little dorm size fridge, but for the 2 of us, it’ll be great. It even has a teensy freezer and I’ll just fill it with those blue ice thingies to help keep it cold when we’re underway.
I came home to do laundry and sew, and **FCD ** has a few small chores he wants to finish, then he’ll come home. We’re in the home stretch. It’s kind of sad - all the hard work he’s done for the last couple of months is mostly invisible - new wiring, new plumbing, new bilge pump - as well as repairing the engine and all kinds of weird little things. Except for the radios and the new chart plotter, you can hardly tell that he did anything. I had the easy stuff - the cleaning and sewing, and all of that is readily visible. Ah well, we both know how hard he’s worked.
Speaking of work, I’m off to unload the dishwasher, then sew. Hope there’s something good on TV to sew by.
Oh yeah - I remember what else I meant to mention this morning about air conditioners. When we lived in FL, one day our compressor kicked on and we heard this gawd-awful noise coming from the outside unit. Turns out a snake decided to curl up in there and bask in the warmth. But it got warm enough that the house needed to be cooled, and the snake was in the wrong place at the wrong time. **FCD ** hosed the various blood and guts out of the housing. Ah, life in the Sunshine State!
Glad you’re able to have a relaxing weekend, Taters.
I know Israel is on its own schedule, SO. I had just hoped that we’d close at least one of the DST gaps instead of creating yet another one. For a while, we were aligned with Mexico (or Mexico with us; they didn’t start observing DST till a few years ago), but the new schedule threw us off. We’ve always had a gap between when Europe changes time and when we do, so that in spring and fall I have to think about what time it really is in Germany before calling Far-Away Best Friend. Just thought it would have considerate if we’d lined ourselves up with someone. Hey…a girl can dream!
Fraternity! Yeah, that’s the word, doggio. So are there Greek letters associated with your fraternity, McCello-Tungsten-meli-CC’s?
Icky snake story, FCM. Thanks.
I have been rather productive. Yay! Mulched one of the front beds, finished edging the other (I’m widening it a bit more, as is my wont) and then started mulching the side bed. Then I went off to church, then to buy a gigantic gift bag for the baby-shower loot, then a stop at Trader Joe’s because I forgot to get Irish Breakfast Tea yesterday (I periodically drink it instead of coffee and I was out, thus creating a deep-seated need for TEA). Then I stopped at Home Depot to by two coneflowers that no one else had, and last, but not least, stopped at a nursery to get additional mulch.
I would like to announce that Trader Joe’s beef tamales are teh yum! They didn’t have the chili-cheese ones I like when I stopped by yesterday, so I decided to try the beef (I don’t like the chicken ones). Fortunately, they’d restocked the chili-cheese ones by today (I was too lazy to ask yesterday), so I was also able to get those…along with Banana Crisps - yay! - and dried cherries.
Well, gotta wrap presents then do some clean-up.
Back later…
GT
Afternoon y’all! Stories about critters in AC units. Ya just never know what lovely tales will be told up in here.
I’ve ushed and churched and lunched. Ok we. Well I was the only one who ushed. Only two people came in late today and they made it before the Gospel was read. Y’all know the rule. If you don’t make it in time for the Gospel then it don’t count as goin’ to church. That’s what I was told as a wee cub. To this day, if anybody comes in after the Gospel I have an almost overpowering urge to stand up and yell “HEATHEN!” But I don’t. Cause that would not be nice. It would be funny, just not nice.
Oh and my sinuses are buggin’ me. It started out rainy this mornin’ but stopped. It looks like it could get rainy again judging from the looks of the sky to the west/southwest. I wish it would.
I rejoin the workin’ world in about seventeen hours, in case anybody’s keepin’ track.
I’m still waiting for my son to drag his butt out of bed. That kid would sleep all day if we let him.
I’ve got the camcorder charging so my husband can take it along when they go paintballing.
If was I ambitious, I’d do a bit of weeding today. Maybe I will, we’ll see. The lawn needs mowing too. Hmmmm, if I can get my son to pick up the dog doody, maybe I’ll do that. Or…maybe not, we’ll see.
Where has the day gone?? Laundry is done. One cushion cover is done, except for the hand sewing. Critters are fed. I’ve got some chickie tits defrosting and marinating in a lemon garlic marinade that I picked up - it smells yum! I’m about to start on the next cushion.
But my weekend is almost gone. No fair. * <insert huge pout here>*