Play the role of alarmist much?

OMG...the headline reads: Poison found in letter to U.S. senator

The horror!  Except, the article goes out of it's way, through many quotes of it's main source, to point out that there were two positive tests and two negative tests.  He says 'I’d be shocked if it were ricin' because 'this facility is famous for false postives'. 

So...really...after what happened in Boston, some of our newspapers feel the need to over-sensationalize headlines?  Not enough drama out there to play it straight right now? 

Read more here: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2013/04/16/2359173/poison-found-in-letter-to-us-senator.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2013/04/16/2359173/poison-found-in-letter-to-us-senator.html#storylink=cpy

Curse you, motivation!

For the last two weeks, now that we are officially in asparagus season around here, I'm kind of been playing a game of chicken with the price of it...is the current price really as low as it will go?  That's kind of risky though, because the asparagus harvest season moves pretty quick, and once the price decides to go back up, it goes back up quickly, and all of the sudden $1.50 a pound is $3.00 a pound.

Saturday, I decided I had waited long enough, and I hit one of the local farm stands to pick up about 20 pounds worth. 
Sunday was spent preserving...mostly pickling, although there was some left over to blanch a few pounds and throw it in the freezer for later.



 

 

As always with something like pickles, now the waiting begins.  

 

When my wife whips a batch of her jam, there is usually some amount that isn't worth canning, and so we get to try some right away.  With pickles, we need to wait at least a couple of weeks. 





Almost ready

Completed the next big step on the raised garden beds yesterday, getting them all laid out.  Somewhere along the line, my wife said 'You know what would be nice...gravel paths in between each bed, so we don't need to worry about keeping the grass short in between.'

It was a good observation...and she was right, that would be nice.

Somewhere along the line, it turns out my math skills were lacking.  I initially calculated that it would take about 6 cubic feet of gravel for the walkway's...it's ended up take about 10...and I would still like to add some more if I get a chance.

Now, to fill the beds.  I'm not sure if moles are a big problem in the Tri-Cities area, but I might line each bed with chicken wire just in case.  Then, I will place paper bags/cardboard in each bed to smother the grass, and then cover it with dirt...well, dirt and compost.  And fresh chicken poop. 

I'm hoping to have it ready to receive by next weekend. 

At least it's not a cat picture!

Since the internet machine is already filled to capacity with pictures of cats doing cute things(or at least things their owners think is cute), I will spare you that.

It's time for cute chick pictures instead!

Got them eating out of the palm of my hand. 

Truthfully...they don't do much more than peck, and poop.  ALL THE TIME.  They seem to exist just to make a holy mess out of their brooder box...the water needs to get replaced 4-5 times a day, because they seem to enjoy pooping in it.

Yet...despite that level of work, they are pretty neat.  Sitting back and watching them seems to have the same calming/enjoyment factor that some people get out of looking at a fish tank. 

Sorry...had some spoiling to do.

Today was my wife's birthday, so most of my day has been spent making her day better and special.  It started with Challah French Toast in bed, and will end with us watching some House of Cards and sipping wine in a bit.

In between, I made the ultimate sacrifice, riding herd over the girls so she could spend some of the day out and about...alone.  While I had to run errands..with the girls.  By myself!  But hey...I did pick her up this tasty Raspberry Cheesecake that she wanted.

The candle tickled her fancy...and I think it fits her. She is at the point where she really doesn't like putting a true number of years to her age...but, I'm not just fishing for compliments when I say that I don't think she is even close to looking her age.  She posted a picture of herself today on facebook, saying she feels like a typical suburban mom, but I tried to tell her she looks much more like Community College Student than suburban mom.

May have to re-read the book.

Yesterday, cruising around the internet with time to kill, I came across the movie trailer for the new version of The Great Gatsby coming out this summer.  Now...The Great Gatsby is not normally the kind of movie I would pay to see in the theaters.  I try to save that money from movies that REALLY benefit from the big screen/loud speakers treatment...classics like the last three Transformers movies, for instance. 

The Great Gatsby I was forced to read in Junior High didn't feel like it would make that kind of movie...but it's possible that my teacher had us read the wrong version of the book.




Like I said...that's a little different than I remembered the book. 

Now...as you can tell by the BIG lettering if you actually watched the trailer, this movie is directed by the same guy that did Moulin Rouge, which was not exactly every one's cup of tea, although my wife and I quite enjoyed it.  It's very possible that the flash and style and pomp will work.  That is a good bunch of actors, and so the leads are not going to be the weak spot. 

I'm just not sure I will spend movie theater money to see this one instead of The Wolverine, or Iron Man 3, or Pacific Rim, or even World War Z.  If I really want to see a remake of a movie based on book, a pretty kick-ass version of Carrie is coming out in October. 

Good on you, PTR, except...

Earlier this week, PTR Industries, most well known for the fairly highly regarded PTR-91 G3 clone, announced they are leaving Bristol, Ct, for parts still unknown, due to an inability to work with the new gun laws passed by the State of Connecticut.

Just like that, the State of Connecticut lost 40 folks worth of income tax, and however much sales tax they were making off of PTR. 

So...I applaud the bold move by PTR Industries, even if it was for selfish, and not political reasons...and some quotes in the article make that clear.  The owner, Josh Fiorini pretty much says that they couldn't figure out how to still manufacture the guns and magazines while following the new law, and then he DOES say and unkind word or two about the hastiness and lack of foresight used in writing/passing the new laws...so good for him.

Not so good is this quote from Mr. Fiorini.

"Had there been sufficient exemption for manufacturing, for us to do business in a way that we were comfortable, would not put our business and our personnel at risk of criminal convictions, we would not have made this decision so quickly," Fiorini said.

So, the way I'm reading that is 'if they had left a loop hole for me to keep making them, I wouldn't have made the decision to move...so, potentially it could have been hooray for me, to hell with the lawful gun owners in Connecticut.' 

Hey...I understand...not everyone can afford to be a martyr. 

Also...the article says: 'The owner said he's actually OK with some of the regulations and even universal background checks.'  But...lacking any direct quotes from him on this one, I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. 

Anyway...I'm glad to see folks starting to vote with their wallet...it's really the only way some of these states are going to figure it out.