A reason to celebrate today!

Pack Rat Day
When: Always on May 17th

Do's and Don't's:

Don't clean your room, basement, garage or any other area today.
Don't discard anything today...It may be valuable.
Don't even empty the trash today. You might have accidentally thrown out something useful.
Do keep an eye out for useful stuff being discarded by others.
Do go to garage and rummage sales. They can be pack rat goldmines.
Do look around your belongings and be thankful for what you have.
Do spend time thinking of uses for your things. Justification for saving is satisfying.

Big hat tip to SunyDazy!

Stump the Brain Birthday Question

When one lives a full life with material things of all sorts and lately, gadgets AND the blessing of having a company of friendships that are long lasting, I'm not wanting for much for my 53rd birthday. I did get a new job, so that rocks!

Mrs. WonderDawg asked what I wanted for my birthday Tuesday - May 8.

"How about a surprise party?"

"NO"

"What do you really want?"

Since it's illegal for a group of guys to go rent a tank and pillage a local village (and I'm in no mood to join the Army and pillage a village in Iraq or Iran), then the next best thing is getting some guys together with some BBQ and brews and watch one of my favorite movies - the classic Waterboy on the projector outside in the cool evening air.

But darn, we're all so busy, that it's hard to even round up three guys up to see the Predators play - last time, I had to call thirty guys to get three to go sit in some prime seats. But I did make them promise to be on call for last minute deals the next time prime tickets fall into my lap.

So it's been decided; cash for a brake job on my Honda Odyssey (I hate paying full price - is there anybody out there who can shade tree mechanic my brakes?); Chinese food buffet with crablegs and new socks and jeans. I'm easy to buy for!

Good Friday via Savage Chickens

Year of the Porkers (PIG)

Since I'm in a Chinese New Year / Year of the Pig frame of mind, here are "The Greatest Porkers in Pop Culture History" courtesy of RetroCrush



If I could have a talent or skill set, I wish I could talk like Mel Blanc i.e. Porky Pig

Happy Chinese New Year!

Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy Chinese New Year 2007! - It's the Year of the Pig and today, February 18, 2007 is the first day of the Chinese new year.

新年快乐 Happy new year

恭喜发财 Congratulations and be prosperous

Here are some fun images to celebrate with:



Hat tip to: Marlies’ Creative Universe
(Visit the link to see how this image was constructed...)



Hat tip to: Maria @ funnycoolstuff
(Many more images at the link...)

Only at 11 pm Christmas Day...

Only at 11 pm Christmas Day... can one find a Mapco open for gas, a local market open for beer and lottery tickets and WalGreens where all the sick people with coughs, colds and congestion can go to spend $36.00 on NyQuil, Mucinex and Tylenol.

I'm grateful for the friendly help at WalGreens who make the sacrifice probably at $7.00 an hour (hopefully at time and half) to welcome in the masses who are cold and sick that were turned away from Kroger's and WalMart's closed doors.

Ok, I'm feeling better now. Thanks.

Tonite Was The Night...

A Festivus, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Solstice, Holiday Get-together Blogger Story:

After the Mothership landed in Berry Hill off Thompson Lane, during the time of Nashville Is Talking, bloggers [*] from the east, west, north, south and left of center came to Columbine Place. (* Footnote: Traditionally Wise Guys).

Then CeeElCee called the Funkenswine secretly and found out from them the exact time the party was to appeared. When WonderDawg realized that he had been ringmastered by the Funkenswine, the House of Woo was happy, and he gave a decree to the Queen Brittney of KRN to Evite all the bloggers in Berry Hill and its far flunged vicinity who were aggregated, two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Funkenswine.

And when they came from far away lands into the Mothership, the gifts they brought -- dog food, cat food and bottled refreshments, they saw the BBQ buffet with Milo the help, and chowed down, and made merry laughter, fuzzy pictures and festive talk . . . and all was well.

[*] funny, left, right, personable

Black Friday?

There is no way that I'm going out in public today to face the mass crowds on the busiest shopping day of the year.

Unless Mrs. WonderDawg makes me drive her around. I have this special talent to always drive up to any mall anytime, anywhere and snag the prime non-handicapped open parking spot.

But if I had a boatload of money, on this Day After Thanksgiving I might be in New York eating at The Jive Turkey where I can "Grab - Gobble - Go" while checking out the The Jive Turkey Of the Month Club.

Or maybe in Las Vegas watching the The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil

Or relaxing in the Carribbean on a NCL Cruise.

But as is, I'll eat some leftover turkey, overdosing with lunch lethargy to pass out later on the couch dreaming of my Dallas Cowboys going to the Super Bowl. Later, when I come out of my tryptophan & carbohydrate coma, I'll be climbing the attic steps to retrieve the fifty boxes of Christmas ornaments.

My traditional Black Friday.

Halloween where art thou?

I was like a nervous kid last night, eagerly awaiting the onslaught of kids that would pound on the front door awaiting the schawg filled bag of Halloween delight. It was slow going.

We met our new neighbors 8 houses down when she brought her two kids, so that was a good thing to welcome them into the neighborhood. And then we waited and waited... I kept getting up and looking outside for any signs of street life. Our street looked dark. Two houses to the left and one to the right with porch lights on. So finally in a bit of nervous energy, it was time to take the Halloween Tennessee Titan Thug-Boy out for some trick 'n' treating pranking.



The first house, my neighbor opened the door and tossed out three pieces of candy into his bucket, while missing one. "I'm sorry," she said "you'll have to pick that up!" After no response, "You're a quiet little fella!"

We had a big laugh over Thug-Boy and how creepy he was.

I went across the street, but no one was home. House was all lit up... false advertising.

So I picked up Thug-Boy and treked across 5 yards... thinking I need to hit the treadmill. These front yards are extra big for little feet.

The last house was awesome. I sat Thug-Boy down on the porch, rang the doorbell and stepped out of the line of sight. She opened the door with a big bowl of candy in her hands and at this house, it was self-serve buffet. "Go ahead, don't be shy..." Sound of crickets.

Needless to say, we had a huge laugh and got to visit for a bit.


Incredible Boy wasn't sure of what Thug-Boy would do!

Total kids: 7 (including a NemesisBoy).
Pranking: 2 (Thug-Boy scored with some good chocolate!)
Houses rolled in the 'hood: 1 (somebody doesn't like a particular country music star. - I'll go over and see if she needs help.)

Onward to Thanksgiving!

Halloween, here we come!

I don't know what has gotten into me this Halloween, but I'm looking forward to having the neighborhood kids stop by with their Trick or Treating. We have been living in this West Meade neighborhood for 22 years now and have seen the old timers move on to Florida or into condos. We're happy to see young families move in while getting a chance to say hi to the parents, and take some pictures when their kids show up at Halloween.

Every year, Mrs. WonderDawg takes great care in assembling fun goodies bags. Besides the candy, she ALWAYS includes "schwag" like toys, fake buck teeth, eyeglasses, PlayDoh, stickers, etc. As Christians, we have no problem with kids having fun, but we do include a kid friendly tract, "Jesus junk" and trinkets.



Of course, we decorate the front of the house with cob webs, spiders, orange lights and pumpkins. Speaking of pumpkins, I have NEVER carved a pumpkin in my life. So I went crazy with a carving kit with included patterns and carved TWO pumpkins! The third is pending, as Mrs. WonderDawg didn't want Homer Simpson's face. D'oh!



Last, I recalled seeing years ago on America's Funniest Staged (hit me in the crotch, please!) Home Videos, a practical and creative Halloween prank. Flushed with spur of the moment inspiration, I ran down to the thrift store for some jeans, dug around in the garage for some scrap wood, old shoes and Titans paraphenalia and .... IT"S ALIVE !



Behold my Tennessee Titans Halloween Thug! He doesn't have a name, but he is a bit creepy. Even my two dogs won't get near it probably for fear of getting spit upon. Word gets out fast!



The prank involves taking my Tennessee Titans Halloween Thug out to a couple of neighborhood houses, sit him on the porch, knock and see if anyone fills up his bucket with candy. Should be a Candid Camera moment.

It's Halloween. I'm so easily amused these days. O well, everybody have a safe and fun time!

Doing the monster mash

I was working in the kitchen late today
When my eyes beheld an eerie sight
For my monster from the pan began to rise
And suddenly to my surprise.... **

I ran and got the camera to see The Monster Mash(ed) in my potatoes...

It's not even Halloween, but while whipping up some mashed potatoes for a cookout today, the image in my pan of potatoes was creeping me out. If you ask me, it was more Grinch like (minus the green) or perhaps Keith Richards of Christmas past. These potatoes came from Walmart... the ghost of layaway perhaps?



The potatoes were good too!



Lyrics rip off from:
The Monster Mash
Recorded by: "Bobby "Boris" Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers"
Written by Bobby Pickett and Lenny Capizzi
Copyright © Sinteticor Lyrics

Easter proclaims a beginning...

Here's the flip side of a gift from a friend who went home to the Lord two years ago. Carved from a bar of Dial soap while he was in prison, it is one of our most prized possessions.

Holy Week
Quotations to stir heart and mind.
Compiled by Richard A. Kauffman

IN THE CROSS IS SALVATION, in the Cross is life, in the Cross is protection from our enemies, in the Cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness, in the Cross is strength of mind, in the Cross is joy of spirit, in the Cross is the height of virtue, in the Cross is perfection of sanctity. There is no salvation of the soul, nor hope of everlasting life, but in the Cross.
Thomas Kempis, The Imitation of Christ

HE DIED, but he vanquished death; in himself, he put an end to what we feared; he took it upon himself, and he vanquished it; as a mighty hunter, he captured and slew the lion.

Where is death? Seek it in Christ, for it exists no longer; but it did exist, and now it is dead. O life, O death of death! Be of good heart; it will die in us also. What has taken place in our head will take place in his members; death will die in us also. But when? At the end of the world, at the resurrection of the dead in which we believe and concerning which we do not doubt.
Augustine, Sermon 233

THERE IS WONDERFUL POWER in the Cross of Christ. It has power to wake the dullest conscience and melt the hardest heart, to cleanse the unclean, to reconcile him who is afar off and restore him to fellowship with God, to redeem the prisoner from his bondage and lift the pauper from the dunghill, to break down the barriers which divide [people] from one another, to transform our wayward characters into the image of Christ and finally make us fit to stand in white robes before the throne of God.
John Stott, The Preacher's Portrait

EASTER is not the celebration of a past event. The alleluia is not for what was; Easter proclaims a beginning which has already decided the remotest future. The Resurrection means that the beginning of glory has already started.
Karl Rahner, Everyday Faith

Copyright 2006 Christianity Today

Halloween Dogs!

When your own kids are grown up and you can't dress them up anymore, then the next best thing to do is dress your pets!
I did a search on Google and saw these three images - Fun, Fun, Fun!








Here's our Dawg - Diglett the ClownDawg!

Silly Halloween dogs

Ally is too old to dress up for Halloween, but Diglet is game!