The accumulation of crap

As I sit at my desk I look at the accumulation of stuff all around me. There's the 1960 bubble gum cards of WWII that aren't really worth too much $$ but I can't seem to get rid of; there's the ticket stubs from games, concerts and events I've been to this year; there's my first puppy dog Shep's old dog tags, I loved that dog; magazines, books, plaques and awards; an old picture, a hard drive clock that doesn't keep the right time but is cool to look at.

Why do we keep this stuff? Each item I mentioned holds a memory for me. Those cards were given to me by my uncle when I was 6, the memories of the events live on thru that silly ticket stub, the pictures, the clock, it's all about the memories really. Why do we need to keep them? Aren't these memories in our mind's eye? Are they safe there? If I can walk from my home office to the kitchen and forget in the 5 seconds it took to make the trip, why I'm in the kitchen then how can I throw this stuff away? Obviously my mind is not fully functioning. I can't remember something from 5 seconds ago, how will I remember that Melissa Etheridge concert and where I sat? How will the memories be safe?

Perhaps the memories of these special events take up a more secure spot in our brain. Perhaps they are stored somewhere different than the reason I went to the kitchen. I don't know, I'm sure there is some National Geographic magazine article that will tell me, but I can't remember which year it was. hehe

Perhaps that is what scrapbooking is all about.......although how will I put the clock in the album? ah shit, I don't really need the clock I guess. I can't remember the point of this blog now, so I'll leave it at that......

Arzie's new kitchen in progress

Moving in?

Yes folks, it's scary but this is the view from Arlene's front door, thru the living room, dining room and into the kitchen.

Back to School Memories

The time rapidly approaches; as an adult, my favorite time of year, the time when the little hoodlums go back to school. I think fondly of September 5th when all these brats will be in school and not wandering the streets of Los Angeles breaking into people's houses while they work. But alas, this time of year brings back other memories. I think back on my childhood "back to school" days. We didn't have a list of items you had to buy for school, like pencils and paper and books, instead they were provided to us by our taxes. Today people buy hundreds of $$ of stuff. I think my first year of Junior High (a terrifying time in my life) I had to buy a combination lock for my very first locker. I think it was $3. I still have that lock and still know it's combination. It was a good buy to be sure.

I remember in grade school with my mom and dad taking me shopping for back to school clothes and I needed a winter coat. Being Canada and all..... So, they decided I needed this long coat that covered my ass and my knees. It was green and "pillowed" I think they called it, I don't know, it was ugly as hell, I hated it and was embarrassed to wear it. I don't think I wore it more than twice then I switched to my light fall jacket and a hoodie. For those of you yanks that don't know what a hoodie is, it's a sweatshirt with a hood.

Remember the days of mimeograph machines? I remember in grade school when you were a big shit when you got to go downstairs and run the machine for the teacher..... I also remember in Junior High when Wranglers were popular and we couldn't afford them for me. :-( How sad. This is another reason Junior High was so tramatic for me.

Back to school is here! Get off my airplane and back in your classrooms!

Hole in One!

My friend Gwyn had a moment of a lifetime yesterday as her tee shot off of 14 kerplunked into the hole. Here it is, a great advertisement for Nike......It's amazing how well Gwyn plays when we're playing for money! She really knows how to step up her game when there are US Greenbacks on the line. Here's another pic of the happy girl!

A strange day

As I was driving home from the Capri Avian vet surgeon after dropping our lovebird Ginghi off for surgery, I decided that I needed some cheering up. I had my clubs in the car and decided I'd go to the Rancho Park Par 3 for a quick lunch round. Always a stress reliever. I've never really played the Par 3's with my full set of clubs but it was all I had. I thought, surely I can carry them around for 9 little holes.

As I putted on the 3rd hole I heard a scream and a woman running frantically around the 6th green with a bird chasing her. I noticed immediately that it was a pet and not a pigeon or something, so I got off the course and grabbed my golf towel ( only carried on my big set of clubs ) and ran over there. The poor bird was just trying to land on the ladies shoulder. This little cockatiel was sitting on the 6th tee quiet as can be probably waiting for the next set of unsuspecting golfers. I walked slowly over to the bird, cooing and talking softly, put my finger out and she just jumped on. What a sweetie. We walked quickly to the car and she was even letting me pet and preen her pin feathers. We stopped briefly in the clubhouse for a quick drink of water, poor thing was thirsty. Fortunately, Helen's Pet shop (Pico - Westside ) is just a block away and I drove over there.

It seems no one has inquired about a lost bird. So I bought a cage and drove home. Unfortunately, I've named the damn bird already -- Rancho. Fitting I think. I told Dena about the bird and she immediately broke down crying. Dena doesn't believe in co-incidences and she was thinking that this bird was brought into our lives because Ginghi was going to die on the operating table. Fortunately, 4 hours later, we've heard, our lovebird is recovering nicely from surgery and can come home tomorrow. I've got to say, Rancho is the prettiest Cockatiel I've ever seen with long, colorful tail feathers. Amazing......

Walk off home run

Sunday August 13th found us at the Los Angeles Sparks game, eagerly looking at the scoreboard for the LA Dodgers game score. It was tied 0 - 0 in the 10th inning. You see, it was a sold out game at Chavez Ravine with Greg Maddus pitching. We weren't there. What a shame. The games that Maddux has pitched at home, we haven't had tickets to. It would be a thrill to watch him pitch. A legend. In the 10th inning Russel Martin hit what they term a "walk off" home run. At first I thought that this meant that the bases were loaded and Russell Martin was walked home. Hence, a "walk off" run. But no, a "walk off" home run is where a guy hits the home run with no one on base, it's the game winner, and he runs the bases, after he crosses home everyone walks off the field into the club house. There is no need to play anymore as the game is over. Hence the term walk off. So there you have it, a new thing learned.....

For game recap, click here

3rd Tee

Here's the view from the 3rd tee at the Pioneer Meadows Golf Course in Edmonton. It's illegal to kill a Canadian Goose so I proceeded to herd them off the tee. Unfortunately, they didn't appreciate that and went right back at me, hissing loudly and then headed right back on the tee. We were eventually able to drive, but as was "par" for this course, it was another psychological obstacle to overcome.