Another cool meme

I'm on an Internet project, and found this meme on the blog of a fellow member. I thought it was pretty cool.

1.Your rock star name (first pet, current car)
Skipper Taurus

2.Your gangsta name (favorite ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe)
Butter Pecan Mules (yeah .... that's O.G.)

3.Your Native American name (favorite color, favorite animal)
Blue Dolphin

4.Your soap opera name (middle name, city where you were born)
Annette Easley

5.Your Star Wars name (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name)
MccNa

6.Superhero name (2nd favorite color, favorite drink)
Pink Water (well, it beat "Pink Diet-Coke-and-Lime")

7.NASCAR name (the first names of your grandfathers)
Roy Gene (now if that's not a NASCAR name, I don't know what is: "Hey Roy Gene, 'zair sump'n wrong with this car?")

8.Dancer name (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy)
Anais-Anais Cinnamon Button (ohhhhhhhhhhkaybe)

9.TV weather anchor name (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)
Simpson Seattle

10.Spy name (your favorite season/holiday, flower)
Autumn Rose (me likey!)

11.Cartoon name:(favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now)
Apple Jeans

12.Hippie name (what you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)
Kashi GoLean Oak (I don't really have a favorite tree)

13.Movie star name (first pet, first street where you lived)
Skipper Lee (now I always thought that was how you got your stripper name......)

By the way, if you're reading this................ TAG! YOU'RE IT!

But MAAAAAAAAAAAAAHM!!!!

I heard a friend mention today about taking her preteen daughter clothes shopping. Another friend remarked how glad she was that her same-age daughter has a school uniform (private school) so the gotta-haves are cut down considerably.

It took me back 27 years (it cannot have been that long ago. Simply cannot be.) ....... I was about to start 7th grade, which was high school in my town at the time. Our high school was grades 7-12. And it was right at the height of designer jean craze. And real honest-to-Pete Izod shirts, with the alligator and NOT the faux ones that had other animals.

Now picture it -- a fat kid dying for designer duds. But I had one great advantage: a mom who loved me but didn't spoil me. She didn't mind going to the nearby department stores for the Izods, but the jeans..... well, I had limited options. The department stores didn't carry my size in Jordache, Calvins, Glorias or any other designer label. Or in Chinos (the brand name) ..... so what was I going to do? I would be D.O.O.M.E.D. before I ever started.

Mom to the rescue: we went to a place called World of Clothing about an hour from here. They're still open but I haven't been there in a lifetime. We went there one Saturday -- I want to say that someone from my mom's work went with us, but can't remember which person. We shopped, and shopped, and shopped. I got a pair of Levi's, a couple of pairs of dress slacks (similar to Chinos, but not that brand. Oh well), and ..... a pair of Calvins. My mother made one thing quite clear: when they wore out, I'd best enjoy the memories I had with them, because I was NOT getting another pair.

Izod shirts were another story. I got a few of those, with the real 'gators on them. Of course the trend of it having to be a REAL alligator on it died out by year's end, as had my Calvins. I gladly stuck with Lee's and Levi's the rest of my high school career. I still love polo shirts, with or without an attached symbol. And really, when was the last time you saw a 'gator on one?

I'm sure Mom (and Dad) had some misgivings about giving in to me ..... of course, I was cheap compared to my brother who insisted on having the real-honest-no-fakes original Air Jordans. They were $85 in 1985, and by that point times were a lot tighter for us. Again, Mom indulged but not right away...... and told him the same thing: You tear them up, and you do not get identical replacements. You will get CHEAP shoes.

I had good parents. And I still don't think I've thanked them enough.

Just an old chunk of coal.....

I'm just an old chunk of coal
But I'm gonna be a diamond someday....
-- sung by John Anderson

Many years ago, our house ran on a coal furnace. Not in my own memory, because I remember the oil furnace and then when we switched to natural gas. It had to be when my grandparents were alive and living here.

The seller would bring the coal, dump it in your backyard, but it was up to you to go get what you needed or to move it closer. And I imagine that over time, the smaller pieces sifted to the bottom and got (literally) buried in the ground under the weight of the larger hunks.

Guess what my buddy boy discovered? Yep. Coal. He'd eaten some pieces before as I have discovered.

This morning at 6:20, Little Buddy came into my room and said, "Hork, hork, hork" with head bent, and coughing/not-quite-heaving happening. I promptly replied with a sharp, "OUT!!!" He was NOT gonna hork on my carpet, no matter how crappy the condition of said carpet (you'd be bad too after 30 years).

I was praying very hard that he wouldn't urp all over his doggie bed. It's a faux suede microfiber thing that I doubt very seriously can just be thrown into a washer. Maybe one of those huge commercial ones at the laundromat, but not my home Kenmore. Praise be, he didn't hit it -- but he did hit the ripped up old comforter that was on the floor next to it.

The comforter had belonged to my brother. He obtained it from a former sort of girlfreak. Maddox purloined it one day last summer and claimed it as his own. He further tore it to shreds, but then wouldn't let it go. So in order to keep him from tearing the dog bed apart when we bought it, we put the shreds of the bedding with it. He never touched either in a destructive way again.

As I was very gingerly picking up the comforter and its new contents, I noticed it looked like there were huge chunks of black plastic. No wonder he was sick! I let him out for his morning routine, and found a trash bag in which to dispose of the ... stuff (comforter and all).

I told my brother about it when he returned from his morning walk. He said, "Good! We're finally rid of that junk" (meaning the comforter), then "Black plastic?" I replied that it could have been black rubber too, but his tire toy (the only thing with black rubber) was perfectly intact.

I told my parents and my dad said, "I bet it's coal from the backyard. Bet he dug up some...." Yep. Maddox has the look of a Lab but the digging abilities of the Husky. If he can dig it, paw it, or otherwise use his hands, er.... paws to his gain, he will.

I came home from work tonight. Seems he found another small piece of it, and my dad managed to get it out of his mouth.

Oy vey. Guess I'll be spending part of the weekend digging up and removing the coal bits that remain to a safe distance (over the fence).

What won't that dog do next?

I am still around!!

I promise, rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated. Work, life, dog, and other stuff has had me pretty busy lately. And I'm hooked on the evening Olympics coverage -- especially swimming and that hottie Michael Phelps. Yee-Ow.

I have a family reunion today, so I'm sure I'll find some more things to write about tonight..... ooh. Bad Nettiemac. Bad Nettiemac! No treat for you!

What Kind of Cake Am I?

You Are a Marble Cake

Eclectic, inventive, and peaceful. You are never willing to accept what's "normal." You live to push the envelope. You find it hard to make up your mind. You prefer to have everything you want, right away!

What Kind of Cake Are You?

The "Underneefy Bits" picture

see more dog pictures

They arrived at last....

The Dog Days, that is. Hot doesn't begin to describe it. For the last few days, it's been over 95, and it's going to be at least that hot for the next week. So that also means early morning walks .... and I already have early appointments two mornings this week. Guess we know what that means .... either I skip walking those days, or get up at 4:30 to do it. We all know which option I'll be choosing too. I love walking. I love my dog. But I love sleep like a fat kid loves cake.

Even Maddox, who normally loves being outside for a good part of the morning ..... went outside just long enough to do his business and come running back inside for the comfort of a cold linoleum floor. Guess the indoors felt better on his "underneefy bits."

There have been a few changes lately, and so I haven't been around to blog as much as usual. That must be remedied! :)

Until next time, stay cool, especially on your underneefy bits!