And Now, Because it is Friday…

And we are home again…

I kind of feel like this.  I feel like a bomb went off this month in our peaceful little nest.

And it wasn’t this little guy…unfortunately.

Because him I could get rid of!

Instead, it looks like a battle of Socrates vs. The Sophists looms in my near future.  And I thought I’d never have to deal with him, or Plato again after Freshman English!

Here’s hoping I haven’t totally forgotten how to get my brain working…

Oh, right.

Stargazing in 2013

Yes, I realize that it is the end of February! I meant to share this earlier in the year, but life has a way of thwarting me sometimes.

Here it is at last, though. Maybe we’ll all catch some of the light shows for the rest of the year!

My Awesome Ride

Since it’s Monday…

As prices at the pump continue to climb, I’ve cut down the number of wheels on my daily transport.  Actually, with the warm winter weather here, it’s been rather nice riding more, though it’s rather difficult when I need to run out for kitty litter…

All those trees in the background with the big orange Xs are the ones we are cutting down.  Invasion of the Pine Bark Beetle 😦

Yule Caturday

For those of us traveling…safe journeys!

While the holidaze can be a bit stressful, try not to be too much of a grouch!

Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and a Merry Yule!

and now, Pleasure Viewing

I don’t know how many times I’ve taken our Space Program and NASA for granted.  But I’m coming to appreciate them more, just as they are being killed off.

Maybe it’s the increased awareness since 9-11 that the space community headquarters “Houston” is right here in our midst.  Maybe it’s the opening of the “Aerospace Retraining Center” next to my local grocery store.  Maybe it’s my friend from spinning class at the “Y” who was just laid off because of the cutbacks in the budget for a tiny, barely funded agency.

I think we’d better enjoy stuff like this as long as we still can…

 

Hope you find it as beautiful as I do 🙂

Happy Hanukkah!

Lemon Raspberry Granola Pancakes

In the interest of saying SOMETHING about food this year…

I give you RASPBERRY GRANOLA PANCAKES!!!

See recipe for Blueberry Sour Cream Pancakes…

Don’t fold the raspberries into the batter, however, as they have a tendency to be a bit mushy softer.

Ladle out the pancake onto the pan or griddle, then drop the raspberries artfully onto the top, and sprinkle with a bit of granola.

I also added a bit of lemon zest to the batter.

Try not to go overboard with the granola.  Just trust me here.  And try to find an unflavored granola.

When you flip them, you’ll have to smash them a bit, like a burger, but not too hard.

They are delightful! 😛

How to Fix Congress

Now I realize I have said this is not going to be a political blog.  Aggie already has that covered, and covered well!  🙂

But, I can’t live in a hole, either.  I know that I’m not the only person who is just fed up to the gills with the way our elected oficials run roughshod over the needs and desires of the American public.  And some days, it just seems like there’s no solution.

But today I read this on a friend’s Facebook posting.  And a tiny glimmer of hope shone out through my cluttered mind.  I’ve thought many of these things…but who is going to listen to me?  I’m no financial genius billionaire.  Well, maybe someday…but Warren Buffett is, and people actually DO listen when he speaks.  So I’m gonna share, and share, and share.  Because I can.  😛

Warren Buffett, in a recent interview with CNBC, offers one of the best quotes about the debt ceiling:

“I could end the deficit in 5 minutes,” he told CNBC. “Y
ou just
pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more
than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible
for re-election.

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds)
took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple!
The people demanded it. That was in 1971 – before computers, e-mail,
cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took one (1) year
or less to become the law of the land – all because of public pressure.

Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to
a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask
each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will
have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed
around.

Congressional Reform Act of 2012

1. No Tenure / No Pension.

A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no
pay when they’re out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social
Security.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the
Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into
the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the
American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all
Americans do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise.
Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and
participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the
American people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void
effective 12/1/12. The American people did not make this
contract with Congressmen/women.

Congress made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in
Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers
envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their
term(s), then go home and back to work.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will
only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive
the message. Don’t you think it’s time?

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!

Caturday!!!

Ok, so really it’s Sunday but you have to cut me some slack because I’ve had this mind numbing cold this week and all I did yesterday was sit on the couch and drink tea…

We have this problem occasionally.  But we live in Texas.  😛

 

Lone Star Rally…with Caturday!

This weekend is the Lone Star Bike Rally.  Conveniently, it is a short 30 minute ride from my house to the nasty, dirty  luvley island of Galveston, where this weekend, an average of 500,000 motorcycles and their owners will be gawking at each other (and their bikes).

This year will be the third year I’ve gone.  On my own bike.

But since it’s Caturday, I thought I’d try to combine themes!

Kitties go retro!

And zoom zoom sportbike!  Kitchen Kat and I will begin working on this tomorrow.

Even those tough Harley types love kitteh head ornaments!  (Hehe..head, not hood ;-P )

Confused kitteh says…You don’t SMELL like a kat…

Tomorrow, I’ll try to share some interesting bikes from the rally.  Because people actually ride bikes that look like this!

Faster than a cheetah?  I’d say it’s likely 🙂

Y’all have a great Caturday!  Get out there and RIDE!!!

Happy Halloween!!! with Kittehs, of course

 

Stalking skills are SO important, even if your prey is slow!

Y’all have a great holiday, whether ghosties or ghouls 🙂