Oh come on, don't spoil the chap's big moment. :D

Cool find Grav.

@ Choco: five years? Seriously? Wow. That's flown by. Belated congrats to you both :)

Meet Clover born today.

Adorable!

So. Jealous. Right. Now.

Aww! His name's Clover! And look at his little wobbly legs. That's just stinkin' cute.

How did I miss that? (Stupid phone.)

That's great, Griff.

I've been lmfao at my kitten-napping neighbor. He's got some kind of people-propelled piece of lawn equipment that he's been pushing around his yard, some kind of power-aerator/seeder, or some such. I can't tell that it's doing anything, but, watching him try to push this thing around is just hilarious. It's literally all he can manage.

Go over and help him maybe he will feel like shit for kat napping your kitteh.


Clover> fabulous Irish name! :D

I guess it should be Seamair. Bruce sent me this video... no speaka de Irish.

At least I didn't spend my childhood trying to learn it.

I thought it was sad and funny that the tourism bureau didn't speak Irish, but then how many Irish speaking people come to Ireland to tour Ireland? Sounds like the Irish analogue to a Polish joke.

The air is still a bit chilly, but the sun feels warm on my skin. Spring is at hand. The beard is now a goatee.

That makes me happy. Today

Did you say goatees? Loki,Buster, and Pansy. Edit actual order Pansy, Buster, and Loki.

Hungry for cabrito?

That daughter of yours is beautiful Griff. Such a lovely face. I can see her in a teen movie. What's the name of that chick with the blonde hair from 10 things I hate about you.? She reminds me a bit of her.

Thanks for telling him, Ali. I've been telling him all the women in his domain are gorgeous, but he thinks I'm just a dirty old man. :haha:

He's right you know Bruce. ;). Luckily thats not all you are.

Thanks Ali! I looked up the movie. Julia O'Hara Stiles is the actress I think. She could pass for family. Pete says my people all have an upside down smile. Bruce is a known quantity.:)

[obligatory]Cute kid![/sorry]

a)JO'HS does favor your daughter, but not as pretty.
b)While Bruce may be a known Qty, the future, according to him, is not.
c)Upside down smile? Keep your sunny side up:

This will not speak to anyone who is not British.
And even not some who are.
Or those who were not born in the right era.

But goodness me it filled my heart with gladness.
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly were child actors in a Newcastle television series Byker Grove. I didn't like. Watched sometimes because we only had three channels in those days. Okay, maybe four.
They had a one-off hit, Let's Get Ready to Rhumble. I still didn't like.

Then they started fronting a Saturday morning TV show, called SM:TV (Saturday Morning TV, dontcha know) and the follow-on show CD:UK which had live bands. And with Cat Deeley.

OMG I was hooked.
They're not all that much younger than me.
And they were real. They didn't talk down to the "kids".
I laughed and laughed and laughed.
We used to come into work and talk about it. If you didn't watch SM:TV you were out of the loop.

I still have a "Best Of" video which I intend to convert to DVD. My only sadness is no-one I know will ever, EVER get that I'm quoting from it. It's hardly Monty Python. But "I've come to work in my pyjamas again!" is funny to me.

After a few failed attempts, well, they're human, they created a perfect Saturday evening show (oh, they also appear on Britain's Got Talent.) Saturday Night Takeaway. Here they are reprising their PJ and Duncan hit - the character names from Byker Grove.

Loki was running around outside the fence when I got home. :)

Outside the fence is a good thing? As opposed to just gone?

He's such a cute little fella and easy to catch... so far.

Tie him down and drop snake venom in his eyes. It's the only way he'll learn.

Looking out the kitchen window at the woods, which are dusted with snow, and the birds having breakfast at the feeders. So beautiful. Yesterday a young raccoon was nibbling at the seed hulls on the ground under the feeders. He (or she) has been around for several months, always alone, and doesn't look to have grown much. I thought raccoons lived in groups but this one is solitary and doesn't have much sense (forages in the daytime, shows no fear of humans).

Looking it up, I gather they are solitary animals. This one was almost certainly last spring's baby. Just had a hard winter, I guess - but he/she's still here, so must have some sense.

Raccoons are not your friend., but they will keep your head warm!

I know, I know! But this one is cute and rather pathetic. It's so oblivious, it'll sit down against the back door right up against the full length glass, and not notice the cat who's sitting looking out the same door! The cat goes crazy while the baby raccoon sits there and grooms itself in the sunshine on the deck. I can't believe some predator hasn't gotten it yet.

You has sunshine?
I'll come groom myself on your deck in that case.

We has sunshine! But also snow. As long as you don't mind the snowdrifts!

This raccoon business reminds me of a horrible story from my childhood which doesn't belong in the happy thread.

Anywho, spring vacation w00t!

My Ganddaughter was born this morning, and I got a cuddle when she was 3 hours old! After Months of fighting with my son, he got hurt a week before the baby was born. Could have died, got REALLY lucky. Made him think about the family he has. She was going to be induced April 3, but my son always said she would be born on a full moon. Our little Wiccan princess was in fact born during a full moon!
I was invited up to see him in the hospital last week, and then was TOLD to come up and meet my granddaughter today :)
She is perfect. 6lbs even. Her name is Jadeyn Elizabeth. Her name is in honour of the daughter I lost at the 18 week mark, 18 years ago (Jaydan)

I have pictures, but can never remember how to make them work on here ... lol

OMG did you hear the Halloween This American Life show with the Raccoon?

Jaydaan, that is a wonderful sea change to what sounded like a pretty rotten winter. I'm so glad!

Oh look, I figured it out...
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=3&theater
The albums should be public now

Raccoon may have distemper [most likely] they are nocturnal and not at all friendly unless they are sick or retarded.

This is making me happy a nice heifer calf and her Mom with their eyes all aglow!:)

Attachment 43491

Congratulations Jaydaan err Grandma! :D { I can't see the pix ]

Congrats Jaydaan! How wonderful :)

Lil' Griff just got her first SAT scores back. Perfect score on the reading section and damn good on the math and writing. :cool: This is going to get expensive.

:edit She just looked up the average SAT scores to be accepted to a bunch of schools she has looked at. She meets that criteria for all. Haverford, Cornell, Vasser, Bard, Hamilton, and Welles. I'd assume her public choices were covered as well. *yikes*

Congrats to lil Griff. That's impressive.

See what happens when you encourage excellence. :haha:

What's she plan on studying? These days it makes no financial sense to send her to some high priced college to get a degree in medieval French literature.

Congrats li'l Griff! Way to go!
Unfortunately for you, Griff, yikes is right.

It'll be all worth it when she drops out Junior year to tour with her punk band.

Right now archeology is the draw. I keep turning her away from teaching but she like the idea of being a middle school teacher. She was interested in biology when she was younger but had one bad science teacher who turned her off. If she goes to a school that doesn't expect a declared major for a couple years I could see her reattach to science.

Or if she drops out to clean office buildings at night. Yes, totally. :yelsick:

eta - to be fair, I should add that she's doing customer service for an online horse supplement company and mucking stalls in exchange for riding lessons. But she's ditched her plans to work for a national or international-level dressage stable or do equine rehab. The cleaning job is her main income.

*ouch*

I think Harvard has a few scholarship spots for punk rockers. Or maybe I'm thinking of varsity rowers?

Same diff, they're all from the same talent pool.

If you can EVER influence a teen to do ANYTHING, do try to suggest she studies a year overseas.
Not a gap year (translation: drinking) some way of continuing to learn outside of America.
Nothing wrong with America. But expand her mind - not everyone is lucky enough to have the Cellar.

Of course I'd suggest England, but even if she doesn't have a second language, Australia, Canada, Holland (two big thumbs up, many Brits actually go to Uni there now) etc etc.

I've been very fortunate in that I earned money young, so travelled when I had no commitments. Still have no commitments but then I no longer have any money :)
Go when you can is my advice. And my teen-mum niece is prrof you never know how long your freedom will last.

You can move locations when you are older (like some Dwellars, although the ones I can think of might wallop me for the description) but it's a wrench. You may even have to import a husband...!

Congrats on raising such a bright girl, though. Proud Papa.

OK w00t 4 m3!

I just arranged a sublet for the next 3 months so I can get out of the house while I make plans for the bigger, final move. I haven't broken the news yet, but I'm in as of Tuesday!

I negotiated the rent down to $400/mo. so I should just be able to swing that and the mortgage.

Her sister is doing a semester in Italy this Fall. I'm sure she'll want to do something similar.

Row of ducks, you has them!

Good news all around!

F3 You are on the path to happiness! Good Luck! :)

Foot, I am a little confused as to the meaning of our post. Something about paying the rent?
But you seems pleased, and so do other Dwellars on your behalf.

So, congrats.

I'm renting a place for 3 months at $400/mo. I also have to continue making mortgage payments for the time being.

And we're pleased because he's making progress getting out of his soul sucking relationship.

Yay! Too nice a soul to get sucked out and all ruined and stuff.

And I'm happy for this place and my friends. Thanks for today. :)

Happy Friday, infi. Hope the weekend brings you some peace!

Congrats! On to better things, on a better path.