Tiggrztravels

The cat Who Roared

2012-01-21T17:54:00.001-06:00

This week we got our first decent snowfall of the winter. Great for the local ski resort, not so great for my yard. My back boundary is at a slight decline from the street, so when the 5+ inches of fluffy whiteness started to melt, it was like living with a moat and no drawbridge.

Early yesterday morning, as the snow continued to melt, I was lying snuggled in my bed, and EVILCAT ( names have been changed to protect the innocent) bit me, a clear indication that he wanted me up for something.

E.C. Jumped off the bed, sniffing at corners of the room, scratching on papers, and generally acting like he needed to "go". I picked him up, prepared to toss him out the back door ( the same door with the cat flap, sheesh).

But, nooooooooo. As I got closer to the door, he started climbing onto y shoulder, claws doing what cat claws do best, and jumped off me, and ran. Ok, so there was an inch of rain water at the back door. I got the message. I needed a litter box and QUICK!!! Grabbing an empty boot box (thank you Columbia boots) and my recycle bag, I shredded enough used envelopes to do the trick, then deposited you-know-who in the box.

Whew... He got the message, but not until I had walked away a few steps and averted my glance. Cats do NOT like to be stared at during delicate acts. Accident averted.

Before heading off to work, I sidetracked to the drug store and picked up a disposable aluminum turkey pan and kitty litter. This I assembled and showed to the cat, hoping he'd get the gist of this shiny new commode.

After work and as soon as I got home, I checked for tell-tail (pun intended) signs of litter usage. Nothing. Not one footprint, not any gravel on the carpet around the pan. On the other paw, no signs that he'd stayed inside the house for a second full day either, if you get my drift...

Fast forward to the next morning.............

No biting to wake me up! I say EC asleep at the foot of my bed- hmmm normal activity. I got up, made my coffee, fed the beasties and went to turn on the puter--- and there it was! The ultimate in kitty appreciation-- a dead rodent! Possibly a short tailed mouse- possibly a baby vole or mole... But definitely a present, delicately placed right where I'd be sure to see it, in front of my computer chair. Awwwwwww

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Location: Boise, United States

My first published article!

2009-10-12T22:07:00.003-05:00

From the Union Jack News (www.ujnews.com), here is my book review of Stephen Rea's latest book!

By Guest Reviewer/Laurel Meadows

WHEN regular reviewer Karen O’Keefe received Stephen Rea’s book Finn McCool’s Football Club: The Birth, Death and Resurrection of a Pub Soccer Team in the City of the Dead, she immediately judged the book by its cover and assumed it was about football. As Karen has no interest in football, American or The Beautiful Game, she promptly mailed Rea’s book to me, a card-carrying Pompey supporter.

Rea’s book grabbed me from the opening paragraph, with its first-hand accounts of surviving Hurricane Katrina and its terrible aftermath. The book may begin with a hurricane, but the real story does not.

Imagine, if you will, moving to a new home in a new country with your new wife. Now imagine that you have chosen to move to a city that is arguably the most difficult to outgrow being an “outsider.” After freelance writer Stephen Rea had travelled the world a bit, and was ready for a change, he and his wife Julie packed up and moved to New Orleans. That is where the real story begins. Rea and his wife have come to remember those early days as “the good ’ol days” in comparison with what was to follow.

After leaving Rea’s native Northern Ireland, he and his “ever-chilled” (as in “pass me another jumper”) wife Julie, settled in New Orleans, a city they had both visited, but one in which they had never lived. While Julie started a new job, Stephen worked on writing a comedic novel set in The City of the Dead, completing 100,000 words.

But, he realized, something was missing: friends. Getting a bit of cabin fever, he succumbed to the call of his lifelong passion: football. Finding an “over 40s” team was difficult, but eventually Rea succeeded. His new team’s routine was simple: show up to pitch, play game, and leave pitch until next practice. There was none of the good-natured banter and camaraderie he was used to back home.

Although Rea had not wanted to fall back on the ubiquitous Irish Pub, he found himself at Finn McCool’s Irish Pub, a bit of home in New Orleans. Everyone was welcome there, no matter which colours they wore. Even better, Finn’s was starting a football club... for “Over 40s”... an answer to Rea’s prayer.

Time passed, and Finn’s Football Club (FC) was days away from its first real match when Katrina began its rainy approach. Although they watched the news with the rest of us, they, like the rest of us, thought the storm would pass without much fanfare. Obviously they, like the rest of us, were sorely mistaken.

The close-knit mates of Finn McCool’s FC rode out Katrina, some in Houston, some still in New Orleans. Although Rea’s book has football as a continuing thread, it’s not a football book. Although Hurricane Katrina is a strong player, Rea’s book is also not another depressing “I survived the Mother-of-all-Hurricanes” book. It is a book about friends and friendships new, old, and undiscovered. And it’s about what is important in life. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, as will you. And Karen is now sorry she judged this book by its cover.

About the Author: Stephen Rea has been a freelance writer for the past 20 years. He owned a travel agency in Northern Ireland for 12 years, giving him the opportunity to travel to all seven continents, all 50 US states, and many countries around the world. Rea and his wife Julie continue to live in New Orleans.

Until next month...

Please email Laurel at laurelmeadows@gmail.com or visit her website at www.tiggrztravels.blogspot.com or listen to her podcast Boise and Beyond, available on iTunes. You may email Karen at okeefekg@gmail.com or visit her website at www.snark-hunter.com.

Breakdancing at the Boise Fry Co

2009-10-02T21:44:00.003-05:00

Today was the official grand re-opening of the formerly known as Idaho Fry Co... due to legal issues with the Idaho Potato Commission, they were forced to change their name to Boise Fry Co...

This was taken with a new flip cam... and am trying it out for the first time uploading...

Another delicious recipe from Eat Better America

2009-09-23T22:36:00.002-05:00

Visit the Eat Better America website to find more healthy recipes, tips on eating healthier, and living well.

Here is another great recipe to try out!

"Healthified" Apple Crisp

What is "Healthified"?

We've replaced ingredients with great-tasting alternatives to create better-for-you recipes that are just as yummy as the original.

Variation

For variety, stir 2 to 4 tablespoons ground flaxseed into the topping mixture before sprinkling over apples.

Did You Know?

Good apples for apple crisp are the same as those that are good in apple pie, such as Braeburn, Jonathan, McIntosh or Northern Spy.

0 reviews

1 rating - Click to rate

50% less fat • 33% more fiber • 29% fewer calories than the original recipe—see the comparison. By using fiber-rich whole-wheat flour and oats, we were able to add a third more fiber to a dessert that's good to the core! Fromeatbetteramerica.

prep time:15 min

start to finish:50 min

makes:8 servings (about 2/3 cup each)

6	cups sliced unpeeled cooking apples (6 medium)
1/4	cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1/2	teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4	cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
1/4	cup Gold Medal® whole wheat flour
1/3	cup packed brown sugar
1/4	cup butter or no-trans-fat 68% vegetable oil spread stick, softened
1/2	teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4	teaspoon ground ginger
	Reduced-fat vanilla ice cream, if desired

1.	Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix apples, apple juice concentrate and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon until well mixed. Spread in baking dish.
2.	In same medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.
3.	Bake uncovered 25 to 35 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Serve with ice cream.

Nutritional Information

1 Serving: Calories 190 (Calories from Fat 60); Total Fat 6g (Saturated Fat 4g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 15mg;Sodium 45mg; Total Carbohydrate 32g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 21g); Protein 2g % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 4%;Vitamin C 4%; Calcium 2%; Iron 4% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1/2 Fruit; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2 MyPyramid Servings: 2 tsp Fats & Oils, 1/4 c Fruits, 1 oz-equivalents Grains
*% Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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My first video podcast

2009-08-29T20:56:00.003-05:00

From my trip to San Francisco... it's a bit shaky, but worked. I hope it posts here.

A Message from Scotland

2009-08-25T16:29:00.004-05:00

The release of Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi

I post this blog as a Scotsman and I think I speak for the overwhelming majority of the Scottish public.

I have heard today that there are calls in the United States to boycott Scottish goods and I must say this is perfectly understandable in the circumstances. However, I would implore all of my American friends and colleagues not to take this action.

I completely understand your anger at the release of Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi and I completely agree with the sentiment that he should never have been released from jail, regardless of illness or suffering. This decision was taken by the Scottish Government and is certainly not compliant with the thoughts or wishes of the Scottish people who are outraged at recent events. EVERY Scottish person I have spoken to about this vehemently objects to his release and fully support the notion that he should not be free and, he should certainly have been returned to a heros welcome in Libya. Everyone I have spoken to agrees that the suffering caused to the families of the victims far outweighs the "suffering" endured by al-Megrahi.

I hope there is a vote of no confidence in the Scottish Parliament and, I hope First Minister Alex Salmond is true to his word and resigns when the vote goes against him. I further hope that Prime Minister Gordon Brown suffers a similar fate, his refusal to comment on the matter is typical of his lack of leadership and buck-passing. The resignation of both would be a very small positive in what is one of the biggest mistakes made by this country in many years.

My thoughts (and that of all my Scottish friends and associates) goes out to the families of the victims of Pan Am Flight 103 and every other victim of acts of terrorism around the World. It's a great pity that the most notable thing our ineffective government has ever done is an act of outright betrayal.

I would ask all American readers of this blog to pass it on to your friends and family, the decent people of Scotland are 100% behind you. I would also ask any Scottish readers to link to the blog or paste it into their blog, it is important that the World knows that, like the bombing of Pan Am 103, this was the action of very few people but will leave a scar on so many.

Tags: abdul baset ali al-megrahi, alex salmond, gordon brown, kenny macaskill, libya, lockerbie, pan am flight 103, scotland, scottish parliament

A Message from Scotland

2009-08-25T16:29:00.001-05:00

I love Peach Cobbler

2009-08-12T22:36:00.003-05:00

When I was growing up, summers meant going to the beach, fresh strawberries from the roadside stands, and my mothers Peach Cobbler... She always made it with Bisquit mix, and used this for our strawberry shortcake too. I find she was ahead of her time, apparently, as I just got an email from

Here is their recipe for easy, health(ier) peach cobbler. yummmmmmmmy!!

Classic Peach Cobbler

Cobbler like mom used to make - now healthified and just as tasty!

•		280 calories
•		95% less sat fat
•		57% less fat

39% fewer calories • 57% less fat • 95% less sat fat fat than the original recipe—see the comparison. Cobbler like mom used to make – now healthified for more health-conscious times. You’ll feel just peachy!

prep time:15 min

start to finish:1 hr 30 min

makes:6 servings

1	cup Bisquick Heart Smart® mix
1/4	teaspoon ground cinnamon
1	cup fat-free (skim) milk
3	tablespoons canola oil
3/4	cup sugar
1	can (29 oz) peach slices in light syrup, drained
1	teaspoon lemon juice
	Vanilla reduced-fat ice cream, if desired

1.	Heat oven to 375°F. In ungreased 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish, stir Bisquick mix and cinnamon. Stir in milk and oil with wire whisk or fork until blended.
2.	In medium bowl, mix sugar, peaches and lemon juice. Spoon over batter in baking dish.
3.	Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand about 20 minutes before serving. Serve warm with ice cream.

Nutritional Information

1 Serving: Calories 280 (Calories from Fat 70); Total Fat 8g (Saturated Fat 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg;Sodium 190mg; Total Carbohydrate 49g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 35g); Protein 3g % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 15%;Vitamin C 4%; Calcium 15%; Iron 6% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1/2 Fruit; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 1/2Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 3 MyPyramid Servings: 2 tsp Fats & Oils, 1/2 c Fruits
*% Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

What is "Healthified"?

We've replaced ingredients with great-tasting alternatives to create better-for-you recipes that are just as yummy as the original.

Substitution

If fresh peaches are available, use 4 cups sliced peeled peaches instead of the canned peaches. Or, you can use a 16-oz bag of frozen sliced peaches, thawed.

Did You Know?

The lemon juice used in this recipe adds a little sparkle that perks up the peach flavor.

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It's over, done, finis, kaput even

2009-07-16T13:32:00.004-05:00

Well, the voting for the Nickelodeon Best of... contest concluded yesterday July 15, 2009. Winners will be announced tomorrow, July 17th.

In advance of any knowledge of results, let me please thank everyone who voted for me. From Twitteratti to Pompey Till I Die forum members; from Sydney, Australia to Portsmouth, England, and many points inbetween, you put up with my many reminders to vote for this blog over the last 70+ days, and for this I'm very grateful, astonished and humbled.

Barring any hanging chads or post-mortem (sp) voting from the Chicago precincts, lol, we should have a pretty good showing.

Again, thanks for your support, and I'll post the results tomorrow after I get them!!

Now, as for the picture...

1. What is this building used for?

2. What installation is it's home?

3. What city/state is it in?

4. Name the famous "busted" peak nearby...

GeoChicken searches for his mum

2009-06-08T12:23:00.003-05:00

Hello! GeoChicken here again...

When Tiggr took me to Canada last month, I begged her to see if I had any relatives nearby. We went to the Calgary Zoo (a very nice zoo it is, too) to see what we could find.

Below are a few of my potential relatives... Which do you think looks most like me?

First, we have some flamingos. The color is not quite right, but at least they are birds.

I'm not sure a Vietnamese Pot Belly Pig is a relative, but it was very friendly!

The ostrich sort of resembles me, don't you think?

I think this one wins by a.... nose...
What is your favorite zoo? San Diego? Columbus? Bronx? London?

Why do you like it?

NaBloPoMo?

2009-06-01T19:48:00.002-05:00

Just a quick post whilst sitting in the USO up on the Mezzanine level of SeaTac (Seattle-Tacoma, WA for you feriners). Just to prove that it's probably a good idea that the fate of the free world is NOT on my shoulders anymore...

I have a six hour lay-over on my way home from Calgary to Boise. I knew this, and figured I'd be paying for internet while in the airport. I went directly to the USO, as they have the really comfy couches, sandwiches, etc, and I could nap with my carryon bags in a secure closet if needed.

I bought the internet, at $7.95 for 24 hours (not like I'm going to be here that long... I hope...).

Maybe it's because the USO is not near any departure gates, but the wireless PAID internet has a very weak signal up here. Therein lies the rub...

I've been in here for 3 hours, grrrrr, and have just noticed the WEP key for the "USO's" FREE wireless internet... oh, and their internet is full strength too... double grrrrrrr...

I will try to post everyday this month, and it should be quite easy (HA!) as I have at least 30 pics from my vacation to Calgary.

Please enjoy and comment if you wish.

Podcast feed: boiseandbeyond.mevio.com

Boise to Banff

2009-05-27T23:42:00.003-05:00

Hello! I'm the GeoChicken:

My friend, Tiggr, brought me along on her vacation to Canada... see the beautiful Rocky Mountains? I'm up near Banff in the province of Alberta. More about that later...

Follow my adventures getting here, and doing a bit of geocaching along the way!

Tiggr is Travelling this weekend!!

2009-05-18T12:05:00.003-05:00

This is a clue... do you know where it is?

I'll be posting a podcast from near this Capitol city. Capitol of where? Ahhhh, that's for you to figure out... but, some clues:

It is in the Western Hemisphere.

Although the picture show a very flat horizon, there are very tall mountains within a couple of hours drive from here.

I have driven here twice in the last 10 years.

Any ideas? Post your answers in the comment section and we'll see who answers it correctly.

GOOD LUCK!

Quick update

2009-05-08T19:42:00.003-05:00

Wow, I got a notice today, that this humble blog is up for an award! NO, really!!

That being said, I thought I'd better update it.

If you like this blog, and it's contents, please vote for it at http://tinyurl.com/vote4tiggr .

New picture quiz coming this weekend!!

You can also listen to the very first episode of my new podcast "Boise and Beyond" at BoiseandBeyondpodcast.blogspot.com . There is also a promo for Seth Harwood's print book "The Rookie" and Episode #184 of Erkpod in which Erk from Australia visits Boise, and I take him to see some of the famous, and not so famous, sites around town.

Thanks!

The next quiz

2009-04-06T11:22:00.001-05:00

The next quiz will be shorter, and will have questions anyone can look up and answer, whether you have been to the location, or not.

You can use google, wikipedia (if correct) or bribe the quizmaster to get your answers.

Questions to be posted soon...

Answers to Picture Quiz #2

2009-04-06T11:05:00.002-05:00

#1
Shane Warne
Cricket
Ashes 2006/2007

#2
Train Depot
Boise, Idaho

#3
Old Faithful
Yellowstone National Park
Wyoming

#4
Boise, Idaho
September 18-20 2009

#5
Tori Gate of Itsukashima Shrine
Miyajima
Japan
You can walk out to the shrine

#6
Kyrgystan (Manas AB)

#7
Subway (same colors, eh?)
Washington DC (the hint was: "the capitol of THIS country, lol)

#8
Cairo, Egypt

#9
Indian Ocean
Australia (Western Coast- Cottesloe)

#10
Sydney, Australia
New Years Eve, 2006

Congratulations to @snarkhunting for getting the most questions correct.

I gave a point for the best WAG (not Wives and Girlfriends) for identifying the location of the Pizza hut as Stan Laurel... I'm sorry Ollie, lol

As soon as I get a mailing address for @snarkhunting, I will mail your prize!!

Geocaching

2009-03-31T19:31:00.003-05:00

I started what I hope to be a new hobby yesterday... Geocaching!! Last week, I went to WalMart and bought a handheld GPS receiver (GPSR) and attempted to connect it to the geocaching website so I could download Cachepoints and start the treasure hunting.

FULL DISCLOSURE: During at least two military training opportunities to learn land navigation, using compasses, I failed miserably, so I, of course, thought this would be easy.

Well, the Magellan wasn't idiot proof enough, so I went back and traded it up for a Garmin Legend HCx model. Lots of bells and whistles, and, thankfully, idiot proof (so far).

I spent Sunday scouring the website for locations near my house, within walking distance (ok under 5 miles), and then looked for some near St Luke's Hospital in Meridian, since my son was going to be in surgery for a short time on Monday. My thinking: Hey, why sit in the waiting room, when there are two locations right there on hospital property, right?

GC locations are rated on a difficulty scale of 1-5 for both terrain and ease of finding. Both the locations at the hospital were rated as a 1/1, meaning they were the easiest. So simple a child could find them, right?? er... sort of.

One lat/long took me out to the front of the hospital, near the bus shelter, and after a bit of walking in circles (and sideways looks from someone waiting for the bus), I decided to abandon that search and try to look for the second one, which should have been near the Life Flight heli-pad.

I parked on a cul-de-sac near the Whirly Bird, and toddled in the direction the arrow was sending me... 500 ft... 400 ft.. 30 ft... 3 ft... 2 ft... 3 ft... huh? 8 ft?? Turn around, back up...

I just knew that the staff in the building not 10 ft away was peeking through their blinds, laughing their fool heads off thinking, "Oh, look! Another one! Watch how she looked right at it... then walked 10 ft away... now she's back... oops, there she goes... "

Well, sheesh, it was so obvious, to anyone who'd done this before, I guess. But I did actually look at, and dismiss the location, till the 2x4 hit me in the head... could it be? Was this it? Without divulging the objects itself, I opened it, found an empty peanut butter jar, signed the log, and left my pen in the jar, as there was only a dull pencil. I hit the "FOUND" button on my GPXR. Weeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

As I thought I still had a bit of time, I popped inside the hospital, picked up my son's pain pills for post surgery, then went out the front door again to give the first location another shot. I got to 0 ft, and saw something similar to the one I had just found, but it was empty. Abandoned...

Here is a pic from my parking space of the Life Flight helicopter and the building where I know the staff was laughing at me while I walked right by the cache several times... Good thing they couldn't hear me muttering to myself: "I hate scavenger hunts, I hate scavenger hunts..."

Well, finding it, logging my first find on both my GPSR and online made up for all that frustration.

I picked up my son, who is now down to 9 screws in his ankle (see a previous post with his X-ray) and went home. After dropping my son off at his house, I stopped by the Anne Frank Memorial by the Library! to find a virtual cache.

This one required locating several quotations on one of the panels, and emailing the answers of two specific questions to the person who initiated the cache. I'm just waiting for the ok to log that find.

------------

I can see how this can be addictive. I've already downloaded cachepoints near where I'll be on my vacation up in the Calgary area in May, near my moms house South of Tucson, and looked for CG's at the two port stops during my Cruise in November...

I also have some near my house which I will take my grandson to help find. He is 6 years old, and probably will figure this out quicker than I did.

If you've been thinking of taking up this hobby, it can be a great way to get outdoors by yourself, or with others. After the initial outlay for the one piece of equipment that is required, there is no cost except to get to the location where you are going to look.

The iPhone has a $9.99 geocaching application which is all you need. If you don't have an iPhone, you can purchase a handheld, pre-programmed GPSR from about $150. The Magellan was not Mac-able, but the Garmin works with both Macs and PCs.

Happy Hunting!!!

Why we LUV @SouthwestAir!!

2009-03-27T19:10:00.002-05:00

Besides one of the best on time records in the industry, they have the most entertaining flight crews you will find anywhere in the world.

You can follow Southwest on Twitter, too!

Picture Quiz @2 (Part 2)

2009-03-25T20:17:00.004-05:00

Here is the second set of five pictures. Answer the questions below each.

#6

What country is this Pizza Hut in? (Hint: it ends in "stan").

#7.

What fast food restaurant is this?

What city/country is it in? (Hint: It is in the Capitol of this country)

#8 This is a JW Marriott Hotel...

-What country is it in?

What ocean is this?

What country is this?

#10

What city/country was this in?

For what occasion was this built?

Good Luck!!

Picture Quiz Week 2 (Part 1)

2009-03-25T09:04:00.006-05:00

Here is part one of the second Picture Quiz. Answer the questions below each picture and either email, PM, DM or otherwise send your guesses to me (preferably all at the same time).

This may require research, guessing, or fabricating an answer.

#1

1. Who is this person

2. What sport did/does he play

3. During what sporting match did he retire?

This is one of the most photographed building in Idaho (ok, that's a hint).

1. What is it?

2. What city is it in?

1. What is this famous landmark?

2. What National Park is it in?

3. What State is it in?

This was taken at the Hyde Park Stree Faire.

1. What city is it held in?

2. What are the dates of this years event?

This is very recognizable... but...

1. What is it called?

2. What is it nearby? (I'll take the closest train station, or the island it is near)

3. What country is it in?

4. What happens when the tide is out?

Good luck! See Picture Quiz 2 (Part 2) for Pictures 6-10

Answers posted...

2009-03-23T22:11:00.005-05:00

Right, the answers to the questions have been posted. The contestants answers have been tallied and here are the results...

Official contestants (meaning I got something in writing, either PM, DM or text...):

"NickyMorganWasMy1st"

"@Chatface39"

"@SmiffysBar"

"@snarkhunting"

While it was very close (honestly, I was surprised), and I awarded one point to Chalkface for imagination for his entry that the balcony was home to Statler and Waldorf from the Muppets, lol... only Smiffy got the 5pt bonus question correct, which rocketed him to the lead by one point.

WINNER--- @SmiffysBar

CONGRATULATIONS... PLEASE SEND DETAILS FOR POSTING YOUR PRIZE!!

I had an unexpected visitor from out of town (who, I might add was with me when I took Picture #10, and still missed both questions, ffs).

Good luck to all who entered!!

As I am a dinlo... I had a question 7.5 by mistake, thus 11 pictures to identify...

Rules:

2009-03-16T23:09:00.002-05:00

Quiz participants have been invited from my friends on Twitter, PalTalk, Facebook, and PTID

Scroll down to picture #1 and read the rules.
Identify each picture so that you can answer the questions below that particular photo.
Submit your answers as a comment for the photo you wish to identify.
(Comments are moderated and will not be visible to the public until after the winner is declared)

In case of a tie, a tie-breaker photo will be posted, and the first correct answers submitted will be declared the winner.

Answers will be accepted until 1800 GMT (noon my time) Monday, 23 March 2009

Winner will be given a choice of several prizes from which to choose.

Good Luck!!

What is this quiz #10- Edited with answers

2009-03-16T13:40:00.001-05:00

1. What National Park is this in? Painted Desert/Petrified Forest

2. Where? (State) Arizona

What is this quiz #9- Edited with anwers

2009-03-16T13:35:00.002-05:00

1. What is this a picture of? Presidential box

2. What landmark is it in? Ford's Theater

3. Where is it? (City/Country) Washington, DC

4. Why is it significant? It is where Lincoln was assassinated.

What is this quiz #8- Edited with answers

2009-03-16T13:29:00.003-05:00

ok, small pic, I know...

1. What is behind me under the flag? B-2 Stealth Bomber

2. Where is it homebased? Whiteman AFB, Missouri

3. What rank was I when this picture was taken? Commander

Bonus 5 pt. question:

Where in the world was I when this picture was taken? Diego Garcia

Quiz- Edited with anwers

2009-03-16T13:26:00.001-05:00

1. What does this symbolize? The "convict" settlers sent to Australia

2. Where is it? (City/Country) Portsmouth, England

What is this quiz #7- Edited with answers

2009-03-16T13:24:00.001-05:00

Ok, this is an easy one...

1. Where am I? Vatican Museum

2. City/Country? Vatican City, Vatican

What is this quiz #6- Edited with answers

2009-03-16T13:17:00.001-05:00

1. Who's voyage does this commemorate? Christopher Columbus

2. Where is this? (City/Country) Rota, Spain

What is this quiz #5- Edited with answers

2009-03-16T11:00:00.006-05:00

1. Who created these "characters". Beatrix Potter

2. Where is this? (City, Country) Dunkeld, Scotland

3. Name any one of these characters. The Tales of Peter Rabbit

Good Luck!!

What is this quiz #4- Edited with answers

2009-03-16T10:39:00.004-05:00

1. What is this structure? Tower Bridge

2. Where is it? (city, country) London, England

What is this quiz #3- Edited with answers

2009-03-16T10:36:00.003-05:00

1.Where am I? (city, country) Hull, England

(at the Aquarium)

What is this quiz #2 - Edited with answers

2009-03-16T10:30:00.004-05:00

1. What type of building is this? Airport

2. Where is it? (city or county AND country)Humberside Airport, Lincolnshire, England

3. Which person is me? On the left

Good luck!!

What is this quiz #1-Edited with answers

2009-03-16T10:11:00.004-05:00

Heres how this works....

I will be posting photographs from my world travels, along with a series of questions to answer. Correct replies of each question receive one point each. Highest number of points at the end of 10 pictures will receive a prize from my goody box of souveniers from somewhere... it could be a pashmina from India (via Afghanistan), or a mini-camel from Egypt, or a stubbie from Australia (or something else I find!!).

Winners will be notified by email and as a comment in the "Quiz Winner" post.

Good Luck!!

Picture #1

1. What is this? A gravity based, ball maze which fascinates people who watch it...

(I was going to be very lenient on this one)

2. Where is this? The courtyard at the Santa Barbara, CA airport

Good luck...

ouch

2009-02-20T22:55:00.000-06:00

frozen doggie pool

2008-12-14T21:26:00.001-06:00

frozen doggie pool, originally uploaded by Tiggrz_photos.

Good thing they have a dish inside for water, this is an ice rink today!!

Cold doggie

2008-12-14T21:25:00.001-06:00

Cold doggie, originally uploaded by Tiggrz_photos.

Poor puppy, she was outside for over an hour playing in the snow, now she's warming up under a down comforter, and she never likes to be under covers... boy! was her nose cold then.

Clam Chowder in a Bread Bowl

2008-12-14T21:23:00.001-06:00

Clam Chowder in a Bread Bowl, originally uploaded by Tiggrz_photos.

Why do I always have yellow food? This is New England Clam Chowder in a sourdough bread bowl with croutons and cheddar cheese on it. On a YELLOW plate too, lol

Flickr

2008-12-14T21:21:00.001-06:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Pumpkin Crumble Dessert

2008-12-05T14:36:00.002-06:00

Ok, I promised on Twitter (follow me @tiggr) that I would put the recipe for the nameless pumpkin dessert thingy that I made last weekend.

This is very sweet, so 1-2 lg spoonful in a pudding dish will satisfy most sweet toothed friends.

I left the shopping list in the car, yet still managed to remember 99% of the ingredients, so that tells you how easy it is.

I bought white instead of yellow cake mix. I'll try yellow next, but I'm sure there is not a major difference.

I only put nuts (I used chopped walnuts) on half the dessert, remembering that not everyone can eat nuts, and if you are taking this to a buffet, they will appreciate this gesture.

Preheat oven to 350F (175C or gas mark 4)

Grease (but not flour) the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan (I used glass)

Ingredients:

1 x 12 oz Evaporated milk

1-1/2 c Granulated sugar (white)

1/2 t Salt

16 oz can Pumpkin (they may be 15 oz cans)

3 Eggs

4 t Pumpkin spice

1 box Yellow cake mix

1 c butter/margarine (melted)

1 c Chopped pecans (I used walnuts)

Cool Whip (or other topping)

Combine the first six items

Pour into greased pan

Sprinkle dry cake mix over the top of mixture, level it out, to avoid pocket of mix after cooking

Top with nuts

Drizzle butter over the entire pan... it should cover almost all the surface

Bake for 50 minutes at 350F

Top with Cool Whip

Should serve 12-20 depending on how much you serve. Since it needs to be spooned, not sliced, servings will be uneven.

**What I learned:

Let the dessert set for 30 min or longer to let the pumpkin form.

Cover and refrigerate. Serve in pudding dishes, and warm in microwave.

When I dished it up, it looked more like a bread pudding, rather than a cake.

I don't know if it would freeze, but why wouldn't it, if covered airtight???

Checking my receipt from the grocery store, this was not an expensive dessert to make.

My first attempt to beat the cooking Credit Crunch

2008-11-10T16:50:00.002-06:00

(well, sort of...)

An earlier post gave a recipe I found for Beef Stew, which claimed a total cost of under $5.00 (under 3 quid). It had the least amount of ingredients, and being a simple person, seemed simple enough for me.

I doubled the recipe, as my goal was to fill freezer containers for later dinners, so here is the actual price breakdown.

Fred Meyers store 7 Nov 2008

Stew beef- approx 1.5 lbs $5.50
Carrots 4 really long ones 1.28
2 cans tomatoes 1.06
1 sm bag frozen green beans .99
1 onion (lg, used 1/2) .90
2 lg baking potatoes .95

Bag of rolls from discount cart .79
(used only one per meal)
---------------------------------------
Total $11.47

Not bad!! Besides getting 6 x 1-cup freezer containers filled and in the freezer, I had 3 more meals with what was left in the pot.

Side notes:
-Added 2 boullion cubes to the mix
-Used part of the onion to cook when braising the beef cubes before adding the rest of the meeting.
-I already had a jar of chopped garlic, and used a healthy tablespoon to the braising step also.
-Added about 4 cups of water, enough to cover all the vegetables, then used corn starch towards the end to thicken.
-Used the entire bag (16oz) of green beans, which probably brought the cost up by .50.
-Very important to salt and pepper to taste, I added a tablespoon of powdered curry just for fun. If I'd had it, I might have added cooking sherry, or worchester sauce.

A nice touch might be to get some bread bowls, hollow them out, and serve hot in the bread!

I'm very pleased with the results!!!

My Podcast Debut

2008-11-09T20:08:00.005-06:00

I had the great privelege of appearing "live" via SKYPE on my very fist Podcast on 27 October 2008.

The ERKPOD is actually several podcasts, origiating from Sydney, Australia. Hosted by Erk (of course), Drue, Squeak, Leigh "The Voice-over Guy" and various friends, the feeds including Erkpod Round Table, they also produce the Erkpod Mini, Maxi, NAPODPOMO (National Podcast Post Month), and Echo Romeo Kilo One One. They vary in length, with the Round Tables lasting several hours, but the feed is broken up in one hour increments.

I was involved in Round Table Ten (ERKPOD 151-154) which included emminent podcasters and storytelling authors Tee Morris and Pip Ballantine. (Full disclosure: I own two of Tee's books, and one of Pips, but I'll try not to let that influence me!!)

I just happened to be paying attention to my Twitter, and @druey and @erkpod sent out
tweets announcing a live recording available for viewing on their site (via ustream.tv. After Tee and Pip (may I be presumptious enough to call them that?) I was invited to join the round table via Skype. OMG...

Now, I have no idea how many subscribers they have, but as far as I was concerned, it could be 10 or 10000. They are a group of friends who meet on a regular basis, and just talk about stuff. There are no show notes, until afterwards (corrected post), and digression is not only allowed but encouraged.

To say my 15 minutes of fame was a blast is an understatement, and I was invited to be involved in the November Round Table. You can bet I'll move mountains to be there, even if I have to take a nap (yeah, I'm not too proud to admit they are a good thing) and be awake at Aussie time!

Follow the gang on Twitter:
@erkpod
@druey
@thevoiceoverguy
@squeakaz
@rockeye
@rgspro

Join the Erk Pod Group on Facebook where these wonderful young men have appointed me (yes! me!) as the Idaho Correspondent!!

27 Oct Round Table 10 (episodes 150 - 153) Show Notes

By Erk
Categories: Comedy, Drue, EP Bunny, Erk Pod Maxi & Round Table, Erk Pod Shop, General, Haiku of Frustration, Interweb, Leigh the Voice Over Guy, NaPodPoMo2008, News, Orange Tim, Other Podcasts, Podcasting - General, Round Table, Show Notes, Squeak, TV, Twitter, Video, You Tube and humour

ROUND TABLE 10 (INCORPORATING EPISODE 150) WITH HOSTS ERK & DRUE WITH A CAST OF VARIOUS PANELISTS FROM AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, AMERICA, ENGLAND AND IRELAND

SATURDAY 25 OCTOBER 2008

Erk Pod Round Table 10 (incorporating episode 150) was recorded on Saturday 25 October (Sydney time) at the Erk Pod Studio.

MORE LINKS AND PHOTOS TO FOLLOW!

In the Erk Pod studio was:

Erk (host)
Drue (co-host)
Orange Tim
Leigh the Voice Over Guy
Squeak (on floor)
Joining in via Skype at various stages were:

Richard from the Wasting Time podcast
Stephen from the Tea & Chat podcast
Podcasters and authors Tee and Pip making their return after Round Table 7
Shawno & Jen from the Hyper Nonsense podcast
Tim from the Some Guys in a Car podcast
Jim from the UK (who made the excellent comments for Erk Pod 146)
Tiggr, creator of the Tiggrz Travels blog
Grizzly (host of the Grizzly Growls podcast) from a bar in Wisconsin
Most music is courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

My Second Attempt Will Be:

2008-11-03T19:59:00.002-06:00

Both @Shayna and @renee_daniels suggested the 5DollarDinners website, so I grabbed this as my second attempt. www.5dollardinners.com

Beef Stew

Ingredients
Stew Beef ($2.25)
Can petite tomatoes ($.59)
3 carrots, peeled and chopped ($.35 )
4 potatoes, washed and chopped ($.60)
1/2 cup frozen green beans ($.25)
2 cloves garlic, crushed ($.10)
Salt/Pepper
Water
Rolls ($.79)

Directions
1. Put all ingredients in pot. Let simmer however long you like!!!
2. Enjoy with warm rolls!

Cost $4.95

Seems too easy, so it's perfect for me!!

First Credit Crunch recipe experiment

2008-11-03T19:53:00.002-06:00

My thanks to @CarrieP for this submission!!!

Cargo Bay rice and beans from http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=34312&highlight=#34312/

Equipment
Large saucepan with lid
Spoon
Wet and dry measuring cups

Ingredients:
1 cup dried, split lentils, any color
1 cup instant brown rice
16 oz can black beans
3 cups chicken stock
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1-4 Tablespoons curry powder, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Put rice and lentils in a pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add coconut milk and brown sugar to rice and lentils. Add the black beans, including the liquid in the can. Add 2 cups of the stock to the pot. Add curry powder, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling, uncovered, sirring often. Once the mixture reaches a boil, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add a little bit more chicken stock if mixture starts to get too dry.

Uncover pot, add tomatoes and liquid. Cook for 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add more salt or curry powder if needed.

This is going to be my first attempt in the goal of filling my freezer... Since I'm cooking for one, it will take lots of freezer containers, I hope, lol

Fighting off the Credit Crunch

2008-11-03T12:58:00.002-06:00

Here is an audience participation post.

In these "credit crunching days", many people are having to cut back. However, you can only turn off so many lights, cut back so many miles driven, stop drinking quite so much, and who can do without their telephone or Internet? (Well, certainly not me...)

One place we are probably all guilty of splurging is food. Let's face it, we make a resolution to eat at home more, but still our grocery bills seem to get higher and higher. This is resulting in some very creative, "CC" meals. What have YOU done to reduce your grocery cost without sacrificing flavor or nutrition?

I'd like to know what you are making for your family (or having if you are not the cook) to fight inflation. What is your favorite budget meal? I want recipes!!! I want shopping lists!!
Here are the guidelines:

1. Easy to prepare (under 30 min is good, but not required)

2. Low in cost

3. Fairly nutritious

4. Easily freezable for leftovers or use in another meal

Think you can handle this?

Post your responses in the comments section. If you are not using a meal of your own, link to the appropriate page for credit to them.

I'd like to fill my freezer for those dark winter nights when I'm too flippin lazy to cook (as opposed to now, when I just don't want to, lol)

I'm looking forward to submissions!!

Nine Inch Nails

2008-11-03T09:23:00.002-06:00

I got on a mailing list from NIN (Nine Inch Nails) after I took advantage of an offer for a free download of their latest EP. If I had that link, I'd put it in here. So, consequently, I get, from time to time, emails from them about upcoming concerts and other news.

Today, I got an email about tomorrows election. I was expecting an endorsement, and I probably assumed to know who they would endorse, but I was surprised.

The email was simply an appeal to participate in our democratic (small "D") system which we cherish. It was simple and to the point, so I'm re-posting it here:

date Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 9:15 PM
subject *Important* Regarding Tuesday's Election
9:15 PM (11 hours ago)

Reply

Next Tuesday we will elect the next President of the United States. The result will have great consequences for the nation.

This election offers a choice is between two men with dramatically different visions of the future. We have strong feelings about this choice. But we feel even more strongly that all Americans, regardless of political preference, have a stake in the outcome and should vote in this critical election.

This is likely to be a close election. Your vote matters. Please use it and make a difference.

Sincerely,
Trent Reznor

Thank you for listening.

Future blogs

2008-10-27T15:36:00.003-05:00

I've had around 600 visits to this blog!! WOW! I'm surprised, impressed and honored. I would like more comments, though, so I'm throwing it out to you for the subject of my next blog.

I've been to the following countries:
Canada
Mexico
Japan
Thailand
Singapore
Diego Garcia
Canary Isanda
Italy
Spain
England
Scotland
Wales
France
Kuwait
Egypt
Afghanistan
Kyrgyzstan
Australia

You tell me which country you want the next blog about. I have pictures from most of these countries, so choose wisely.

And, as long as I'm blogging...

2008-10-27T14:32:00.003-05:00

I recently took a long road trip with the first leg being from Boise to Colorado Springs to see my son. Dave works for SRAM Company (http://www.sram.com/) which makes components for road and mountain bicycles, as well as trains dealers and mechanics at STU (SRAM Technical University).

Dave has been in CS for almost 18 months, so I felt it was high time I went to see he and Teri, his girlfriend. I thought, early October should be fine... no snow... yeah right... brilliant plan...

I started out on Friday, 10 October, in what I (though not most weathermen) would consider a full blown blizzard. Great. The earliest snowfall in recorded Boise history, and I leave town in it. I knew I had at least a five hour drive ahead to Salt Lake City, so I couldn't delay anymore than I already had. Fortunately, the snow ended about 30 miles past Boise, and was smooth sailing after that. All was fine on the drive to SLC as I had a full iPod (plus backup), my Crackberry with GPS direction to my first stop, and a tank full of gas. I thought...

I arrived at my first stop, which was the Worldmark by Wyndham location in Eden, Utah. I'd booked a night in this timeshare location as a perfect first stop on Friday night. It's about a 14 hour drive to CoSp and it would cut a big chunk out of the drive. Well, just like me, I get to reception, and realize that I'd booked for the night before, Thursday night. Sheesh! I'd only read the confirmation three or four times, but still I'd managed to cock it up somehow. Oh well... back in the car...

As it was the Friday of a three-day weekend, and the resort was 100% full, my choices were simple... drive down the mountain to Ogden and stop for the night, or get back on the Interstate, head for Wyoming, and stop somewhere down the road. I chose the latter. So off I went again.

Next... Day 2

Today

2008-10-27T13:57:00.003-05:00

Well now, it's been quite some time since I've updated my blog, and there is a ton of stuff which has happened, or will happen. I'll try to cover a few today as I am quite relaxed from a full body massage I just receive. We'll start there:

Full disclosure, I have no connections to this business other than my patronage today

Shangri-La Tea Room & Cafe 208-424-0273
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=416197275

Located at the corner of Federal Way and Overland in Boise, this unique establishment offers a vegetarian menu and an extensive list of herbal teas. On certain days, they offer lectured programs and have live music in the evenings, including jazz and drumming.

Today the event was:
BlueThunder, peacekeeper of The Shoshone Nation, rainbow warrior and guardian of Mother Nature leads special teaching circles to raise awareness on how to clean the negative energy away from natural environments. For more information, e-mail alanamarmel@hotmail.com or tetonrainbows@yahoo.com.

Future events can be found at:
or watch the Boise Weekly for newly added events.

Sample menu items include:
Corn Chowder and Black Bean Soup
Boca Burger (Served o a whole grain bun with goat Cheese and Peach-Mango Salsa
Southwestern Wrap (Black Beans, Corn, tomato, Cucumber, Lettuce, Spinach, Cheese, and Mango-Salsa
Mediterranean Pizza (Olive Oil and Pesto sauce topped with mozzarella cheese, Artichoke, Sun Dried Tomato and Kalamata Olives on Pita Bread

Prices are very reasonable, and they have all items for take-out.

I visited today, as I had an appointment for a massage, which is offered by Laura. Her massage room is quite comfortable, with gentle music. Her technique was professional and relaxing, very therapeutic, and lasted the full 60 minutes. I will be a returning customer. Give her a call and let her know you read this, you won't be disappointed.

As I was leaving my appointment, the pleasant oder of lunch wafted throughout the dining room, and there were a dozen or so patrons with tea and lunch waiting for BlueThunder to speak.

Attention OIF/OEF Veterans

2008-10-04T09:28:00.003-05:00

As you can see from my website here, I am a veteran who has deployed to various places around the world, including Kuwait, Qatar, Afghanistan and Kyrgystan. I support all coalition troops, and will pass on good news and the like when I get it.

I received the following notice through official channels, and have signed up for future notifications myself (age appropriate, can't see myself rock climbing anymore).

The best part is that ALL expenses including round trip transportation are included in this!!!!

Fully Paid Outward Bound Wilderness Excursions for OEF/OIF Veterans (POCe-mail and phone numbers listed at the end of paragraph)
Outward Bound, an international non-profit outdoor educationprogram, is offering fully funded outdoor adventure excursions to all OEF/OIF veterans. It doesn't matter what your current military status is (active, inactive, discharged, retired) - you're eligible to attend as long as you deployed in support of OEF/OIF combat operations while in the military. These five-day excursions offer adventure activities such as backpacking, rock climbing, canyoneering, canoeing, and dog sledding in beautiful wilderness areas in Maine, Texas, Colorado, California, and Minnesota. Scheduled courses from Sep 08-Feb 09 are listed below, and future courses will be scheduled soon. All expedition costs for lodging, equipment, food, and instruction are completely funded by a multi-million dollar Sierra Club grant, including the participants'round-trip transportation between home and the wilderness site. The excursion is offered at no cost to the participant. To sign up for one of the prescheduled courses, please contact Doug Hayward at 1-866-669-2362, ext. 8387, or simply e-mail him atobvets@outwardbound.org. To learn more about the OEF/OIF program, visit the website at www.outwardboundwilderness.org/veterans.htmlwww.outwardboundwilderness.org/veterans.html> . You can alsocontact two of our retired Judge Advocates, Joe and Amy Frisk, who areworking for Outward Bound on this incredible program atvetsor@outwardbound.org, or at (303) 968-4420.

If you have the opportunity to participate in one of these adventures, be sure to let others know, leave a comment about this or other tributes to the troops, whatever country is offering them, and I'll be sure to post them all

Running...

2008-07-13T14:03:00.003-05:00

Let's face it... I am not a runner. I was not built to run... I hate running... can I make this any clearer??

That being said, I have started running... again... blech.

For Mother's Day, my son Chris bought me a very nice pair of Nike Shox at the Nike Employees store in Portland. These are supposed to be the most comfortable shoes for running they have. I'd just started going to the Fitness Center at Gowen Field (Air National Guard Base) to run on the treadmill, as I'd hit a plateau losing weight just going to Curves, and wanted to bump up the calorie burn.
These shoes are ones which have the space in the shoe for a Nike+ sensor, so you can sync it with your iPod Nano and track your runs/walks. Too cool!! The only problem was that neither of my iPods are Nanos. Not cool! So, I put about 75 miles on the treadmill with them, writing down my milege in a diary.

Now, though, Nike has come out with a new Nike+. This one has a wristband with the sensor, so you can use it without an iPod. It has a USB connection that you just plug into your computer to download your stats. I want!!

http://www.nike.com/index.jhtml?sitesrc=USPL&l=nikestore,nikeplus,overview&re=US&co=US&la=EN#l=nikestore,running,what_is,_pdp,cid-1/gid-181290/pid-181290&re=US&co=US&la=EN

Anyway...
I have always been a treadmill runner, recently running to Podrunner beat music. But today, I went to the High School track to see how I'd do with "roadwork". I still used the Podrunner music, trying to figure out which BPM (Beats per minute) rate was good for me. I did 2.75 miles in about 45 minutes, and that included a lot of walk/run laps. Not too bad for an old lady, eh??

The point of blogging all this is to keep me going.

Are you a runner? How do you keep motivated?? Are you a morning or evening runner? Inside or out? Let me know!

Jelly Belly Heaven

2008-07-13T13:45:00.003-05:00

When I planned my drive to San Francisco in April for a Navy weekend, I left early enough in the day to get (I hoped) to the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield, CA before it closed. I knew the last tour was at 4pm, and the store closed at 5pm, but I was remembering it as being closer to Sacremento than San Francisco. Boy, was I off by 100 miles!! Fortunately, I arrived right at 4:45, in plenty of time to buy a few pounds of Jelly Bellies!!!

If you EVER have a chance to go through this tour, or the one at the Midwest factory, do it!! It is a fascinating tour, well run, and great for all ages. When I took the tour 10 years ago, I had my then 18 yo son with me and since we had already taken the Alcatraz tour that morning, I gave him the option of staying in the car and sleeping, or going in with me. He came in, and admitted afterwards, it was one of the best tours he'd ever done. Well! Who'd've thunk??

In the lobby of the Gift Shop, where the tour begins and ends, there is a very nice art collection up on the walls, all made from the different flavors of Jelly Bellys. Here are a couple of them that I was able to take pics of as I was leaving.

Some pics from my last trip

2008-06-30T20:17:00.003-05:00

Pompey on tour

I was away again... no surprise there, lol. This time I combined a business trip with a pleasure trip. I drove (yes drove) the 1100 miles to San Diego for a wedding. OK, not just a wedding, but a Pompey wedding. OK, not just a Pompey wedding, but a pre-wedding wetting down, a wedding, and a honeymoon cruise.

Click on the ship above to see some of the nutters who flew all the way from England, Canada, Florida, New York for the shenanagans.

Road Trip Part II

2008-06-05T00:31:00.003-05:00

Well, day 2 and I made it to Sandy Yago in one piece. Just shy of 1100 miles via I-15, the driving part was pretty uneventful. South of Salt Lake City, there was a truck fire on the northbound side, firefighters on scene, nothing left of the cab of the semi... I hope the driver got out ok.

There were dozens of hawks, falcons and eagles along I-15. The drafts from the hot air gave them roller coasters of currents to play on

I saw two license plates that caught my attention to the point I wrote them down so I wouldn't forget them.

One was in Idaho, east of Twin... SODFTHR hmmm shades of a dirty Adam Curry (ok that's a podcasting joke)

The second was harder to do without symbols, but I'll try... MAN U R

I read it at Manchester United Lover, but they may just be into manure... with a heart stuck between the U and the R. As I was driving by with my POMPEY tags, I thought of extending the international sign of goodwill, but it was an older woman driving, and made the sexist assumption that it was her husbands SUV and she'd have no idea who Pompey was, and why I was gesturing at her.

OK, also because I've never given the bird to another driver in my life, and I'd feel stupid.

I did drive through a sand storm today, and amazingly, the majority of the traffic actually slowed down and maintained a safe distance. I mean, like 45 mph versus the 80 mph they were doing before.

Buying 89 octane each time, I paid $3.99 in Boise, and up to $4.45 in Victorville.

Tomorrow, the assorted wedding guests (well, ones that I know, anyway) start trickling in. I have a pickup at 6pm. Inbetween checkout of the Navy Lodge and airport time, I will go over to the USS Midway (CV-41) and take pictures for my "3rd" son, Casey. He was stationed onboard her 10 years ago, and has fond memories. I'll post the pics in the next posting.

On the road again

2008-06-02T23:28:00.003-05:00

Well, yes, I'm off on another road trip. Hopefully I will remember to update this occasionally and post pictures to keep my loyal readers (all 4 of you!) apprised of my whereabouts and comings and goings.

In the meantime, enjoy my nephew's debut on the comedy circuit...

in Hong Kong...

See you along the road...

The Death of a Common Man

2008-05-25T19:32:00.003-05:00

JR Simplot died today at the age of 99. If I accomplish in my entire life what he did before the age of 21, it will be a miracle. "JR" as he was known by everyone in Idaho was the epitome of the self-made man, a humble family man who had the respect and admiration of those who came across him in one way or another.

His innovation just in the frozen potato (french fry) business would have been enough to satisfy any one person, but not for JR. He branched out into all areas of food processing, both meat and vegetables, but locally, most children know him for what he gave back to the community. From the Simplot athetlic fields in the Columbia Village subdivision to Simplot Stadium in Caldwell, and so much more than can be mentioned here, JR believed in Idaho and Idahoans.

He lived a rich life, and not just with dollars. He will be missed by family, friends and strangers alike.

An alternative to Television II

2008-05-25T13:20:00.002-05:00

Web TV provided by Ustream

An alternative to Television

2008-05-25T13:18:00.005-05:00

.... or ... what to do if you are bored...

As I've said before, I'm a G.I.T. (a Geek in Training) and I love discovering new sites on the web. Thanks to my Twitter friends, I've disovered ustream.tv which has an array of live shows at any particular time of day. Some are pretty cheezy... such as live cam of some college kid sleeping, but there are some pretty interesting shows also.

For example:

Fr. Roderick, who does quite a few podcasts for his SQPN network, keeps his cam going while going about his daily routine. Sometimes you can watch him recording his podcast The Daily Breakfast, to name one in particular, but often he is just in his office doing paperwork, working on his next sermon, or rearranging his office computer equipment.

Fr. Roderick is such a regular guy, it doesn't matter if you are Catholic or not, you can enhance your life knowledge just by listening/watching. His enthusiasm for all things geeky is contagious. Catch the bug!!

His other podcasts include The Secrets of Harry Potter, The Secrets of Narnia, The Healthy Catholic and others.

You can also watch a live fish tank and a hamster habitat, but one of my favorite live cams is from the Canadian Peregrine Foundation, which has been following the development of falcon eggs in a nesting box outside the window of an office building.

The chicks are several weeks old now, and have ventured out of the box (so to speak), but are still on the ledge. You can tell from the video that this is not a ground floor window.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/392127

Discover ustream.tv! It's fantastic. Follow them on twitter at http://twitter.com/UstreamTV or me at http://twitter.com/tiggr or Fr. Roderick at http://twitter.com/FatherRoderick

Ford's Theater

2008-05-23T20:40:00.003-05:00

A simple sign in front of a historical landmark. The play that night was "Our American Cousin".

Directly across the street from Ford's Theater, where the President was taken after being mortally wounded.

The Presidential Box, (minus the modern speakers). John Wilkes Boothe opened the door behind the President and First Lady, and fired.

If you are in Washington D.C. and have the time, participate in the the History on Foot program. Get off the Greyline bus, explore the living history that has made our Nation's Capitol such a wonderful city to visit and get to know.

(The following is shamelessly copied from http://www.fordstheatre.org/Performances/)

"On the night of April 14, 1865, Detective James McDevitt was on duty at the Washington Metropolitan Police headquarters at the corner of 10th and E Streets. Just before 10:30 p.m., frantic witnesses rushed in with news: President Lincoln had been shot at Ford’s Theatre. Before long, other rumors swept the streets: the Secretary of State, the Vice-President, General Grant – all dead. Southern prisoners freed; Confederate cavalry converging on the city. Join Detective McDevitt to revisit and reexamine the sites and clues that separate fact from fiction in a first-hand look at the investigation into the Lincoln Assassination Conspiracy and the events of April 14 and 15, 1865.
History on Foot lasts approximately 90 minutes and makes at least 8 stops throughout the story. The distance walked is approximately 1.4 miles, an easy walk to follow the most exciting night in our nation's history!
History on Foot Walking Path
Tour Dates Available:
Friday, June 20 at 7 pm
Friday, June 27 at 7 pm
Friday, July 11 at 7 pm
Friday, July 18 at 7 pm
Friday, August 1 at 7 pm
Friday, August 8 at 7 pm
Saturday, August 16 at 7 pm
Saturday, August 23 at 7 pm
Space is limited, so make your reservation today!!!

Now Offering Private Tours of History on Foot :
Private tours of History on Foot are available by request and based on availability. Private tours can be requested for any time, on any day of the week based on availability. There is a flat fee of $500 for a private tour for a group of any size -- 2-40 people. Payment in full is due at the time of tour confirmation. Tours are approximately 90 min. and travel about 1.4 miles beginning at Ford's Theatre and ending at the White House. For more information or to book a tour please contact the Group Sales office by calling 202.638.2367 or email groups@fords.org. In order to facilitate scheduling of the tour. please be prepared to provide us with your first, second and third choices of dates and times for the tour, as well as the number of people and a very brief description of the group. We will make every effort to accommodate your first scheduling choice. Thank you for your interest. We look forward to seeing you at History on Foot!

Fire on the Grove

2008-04-21T11:40:00.006-05:00

Last week, I got a lot of tweets from people in Boise about something being called "Fire on the Grove". I'm not sure if this was an "official" name for it, but...

As a semi-hermit, I decided to venture out of my cave to see what was going on. It was a beautiful, warm night in Boise, and so after a bite to eat at Pollo Rey and dessert from Cold Stone, I wandered over to the Grove fountain area to do a little people watching while waiting for sunset. Since fire was going to be involved, sunset was the appointed starting time.

There were quite a few "stilt" people, as in the picture above, who were wandering around, working the crowd before the show. It reminded me of the late 60's carnival troupes who busked for money wherever the wind took them.

At 8:30, the appointed hour of sundown, after about 15 min of their band playing pretty good music, the stilters came out to wow the crowd.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VhaSu4ezWkw is one of the acts...

Enjoy

Good news involving a Teen

2008-04-14T18:53:00.002-05:00

With all the complaints about young people today (and the last generation, and the last, and the last) it's good to see someone who got involved, with no thought of personal safety or reward. It's even nicer to see that person recognized on a national level.

The following story was shamelessly taken from the 14 April 2008 Idaho Statesman (link in the title of the video).

byline: By Jerry Manter Idaho Statesman reporter

BOISE - A Caldwell teenager has the U.S. House of Representatives thanking her.
On Monday, U.S. Rep. Bill Sali officially recognized Brooke Garcia, 17, in the U.S. Congressional Record.Last week, police officials say Garcia saved the life of a 3-year-old toddler in an Intestate-84 accident. The toddler's aunt, who was driving the vechile died in the crash.

"Madame Speaker, I rise today in recognition of my constituent Brooke Garcia of Caldwell, Idaho. On Thursday night, April 10, Brooke displayed courage, bravery and maturity well beyond her young 17 years of age."

"While driving down Interstate 84 in Caldwell, Brooke witnessed a car accident. Her quick thinking led her to stop her car and run to the burning wreckage. Brooke then had to break the back window of the smoke-filled car and reach through the broken window to pull out a 3 year-old toddler from his seat. She said she didn't even think about not stopping."

"Police on the scene said if Brooke didn't get to the child as quickly as she did things, would have turned out differently. She saved the toddler's life. I admire Brooke's composure after witnessing such a terrible accident. I am honored to recognize the heroic efforts of my constituent. I am grateful for her example to our fellow Idahoans and all Americans."

"Brooke's valiant action is yet another reminder of why I am proud to be an Idahoan and to represent the Gem State's First Congressional District. Brooke attends Caldwell High School and is the daughter of Amy and Gerald Garcia. They are rightly proud of their wonderful daughter."

"I trust that all my colleagues will join me in recognizing Brooke for her actions and character. She represents the best of Idaho's next generation."

How could I??

2008-03-31T17:48:00.002-05:00

Well, it's been a busy month, but and exciting one too. I mean, how many people can say they are in a podio(audio)book??? OK, Evo Tera can, but he get's bumped off in the middle of Murder By Design (by Rob Suarez), and I'm sure there are some others, but lil 'ol me??

It happened! Paul Nicholls (www.podcastpaul.com) is writing a new audiobook based on the life in hallowed halls of the legal profession. It's semi-autobiographical so you know that he knows the stuff he's writing about. He's been furiously writing while on holiday in Devon, so I'm sure the next segment will be available soon. In the first one, just about eight minutes into the story... well, I'll let you listen to see the major contribution I provide. Paul Parkinson (www.thisweekinlondon.blogspot.com) is mentioned too. Well done podcastpaul!!

Just in case all the dubs confuse you... scroll down the left side of this page to the player, and listen to the first episode of A Law Unto Myself, the latest and greatest podiobook available online. And I promise, this is a completely objective and unbiased review.

Really!

My Football team

2008-03-09T09:44:00.004-05:00

OI OI!!

WE'RE GOING TO WEMBLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

I can't help it. I'm so proud of the lads (transtlation = these guys) I could just burst. I was following the match (game) at work yesterday; I kept hitting refresh on my mobile (cell phone) and not believing the results. It wasn't until the tweets started coming in (http://www.twitter.com/) that I actually believed that David had slew Goliath. Beaten him, at his own game, in his own back yard!! There are not words to express what is going on in Portsmouth now, I'm sure. I've been reading the message boards, but imagine if YOUR team had won, the Super Bowl, Stanley Cup and World Series all rolled into one... that's got to be what Pompey supporters were feeling in Manchester yesterday.

PLAY UP POMPEY, POMPEY PLAY UP

This video is to a song sung by Shep Wooley, a wonderful friend to Pompey and her supporters

7th Son Web Widget

2008-02-16T19:40:00.001-06:00

Oops he did it again!!

2008-02-14T06:30:00.003-06:00

Mark Hunter, host of The Tartanpodcast, Mark My Words and other podcasts mentioned in the previous posting has recorded Tartanpodcast 112!!!!!!!!!!

Download it and all the other great episodes Mark has produced from the link in the last post!

Great to have it back Mark!

Since I already wrote this...Part 1

2008-02-10T11:32:00.000-06:00

I posted this on someone elses comment section (http://www.gadzooki.com/) and thought, hold on... I've already written this, I might as well use it on my own blog... so here it is...

In response to the question of what podcasts to we listen to, here is my reply:

Hey Jim!
I too have let podcasts take over my life. As a postal worker, processing mail, I listen to podcasts for over 8 hours a day!! Because of this, I need a variety of ‘casts, and I really prefer ones which are 30 min or less, to keep the pace up. I also tend to prefer the “homemade” podcasts, where “real” people like me seem to be having fun podcasting. It gives me hope for my future podcast. Here are some I’ve found in the last 3 years that I’ve been listening to podcasts:

Podcastpaul and This Week in London are a great mix of music, friendly chat and the occasional holiday in a caravan. Paul Nicholls and Paul Parkinson are mates in real life, and have both had their families involved in some of their shows. Janet Parkinson (Geek Girl on The Flashing 12 Podcast) is so genuine, you'd like them to move in next door. Love these guys, and hope to meet them and their families someday.
Comedy
Bell’s In the Batfry with John Bell www.thebatfry.com This is great family friendly skit comedy. Listen from the beginning of show One.

Podiobooks

Playing For Keeps- by Mur Lafferty (@mightymur on Twitter) A wonderfully read tale of a Third Waver trying to lead a “normal” life in a world filled with super heros and villains. http://www.playingforkeepsnovel.com/

Billibub Baddings and the Singing Sword - by Tee Morris www.teemorris.com, author of Podcasting for Dummies.

Music

The Tartanpodcast with Mark Hunter. www.tartanpodcast.libsyn.com Within the Tartanpodcast feed are the Sleepy Sunday shows, Mellow Monday shows and some spotlight shows. Great independent bands from Scotland such as Finniston, Amplifico and Hollow Horse, just to name a few. Mark also has some “talking” podcasts under his “Mark My Words,” www.tartanstories.com . Mark has moved on to doing podcasts for the Association for International Cancer Research, which are very informative and cover a different type of cancer each podcast.

Three from Leith with Grant Mason…

Talk
Old Time Radio Shows
Adventures of Inspector Maigret
Old Time Radio Detectives
Old Time Radio Mysteries

Videos
I just discovered the Ask a Ninja podcast which is brilliant, clever and short… must be seen to be understood.

the next post has more from this

A Visit to Tubac

2008-02-07T20:47:00.000-06:00

Have you discovered the jewel in the Arizona desert that is Tubac? No? Well, why not? Tubac, Arizona, is one of my favorite places to wander through when I'm in Arizona visiting my mother. Located alongside I-19, the Interstate highway which leads Tucsonians and hundreds of thousands of touristas to the Mexican border town of Nogales, Tubac is easy to find, but difficult to leave. Nestled in the sagebrush of the Santa Cruz River Valle, Tubac is the oldest European settlement in Arizona. History buffs will love it for that reason alone, but if weren't enough, there are enough shops and restaurants to satisfy any desire.

(Photos above shamelessly borrowed from www.tubacarizona.com site. Please visit this site for an indepth history of Tubac).

If you love to shop for western clothes, furnishings, pottery or jewelry, this is the place. There is a shop just for southwestern spices, and others which specialize in ironworks like these in the video below. On my last trip to Tubac, I found beautiful ceramic house numbers with a wrought iron holder to mount on my house. I could have chosen from a dozen or so styles, and several sizes, which didn't make the decision very easy!

My brother was on a quest for a certain type of bowl, sort of like a mortar bowl, which is used to make guacamole in. One particular shop knew what he wanted, but didn't have it. She was, however, visiting her own mother in Nogales that evening, and promised to bring one back with her if we could come back the next day. We did and she did. Mission accomplished! (As an aside, I got my house numbers from her too.)

You don't want to shop? How about eating? With several restaurants and cafes to choose from, taste authentic foods from the area. There are also museums in Tubac and the nearby area, including the "Chili" museum just south of Tubac (past the giant chicken restaurant shown in a previous blog).

The Tumacacori Mission is across the street from the Chili museum, and was founded in 1691, though the standing Mission was built in the early 1800's. Be sure to take your National Park's passport for a stamp commemorating your visit!!

Nogales?? What? You never made it? Oh well, it will be there the next time... if you can drive by Tubac without stopping.

And on a lighter note:

2008-01-25T15:37:00.001-06:00

In the middle of winter... a ray of hope that Spring will be here soon...

Going Green??

2008-01-25T15:17:00.000-06:00

I have my own opinions on this whole Global Warming thing... one word... cycles. I don't mean bicycles, motorcycles or unicycles either. I'm sitting here in the coldest winter since 1990 where I live, under a blanket of snow, and with a down duvet over me. Global warming indeed.

Be that as it may, I'm doing my best to stock up on incandescent light bulbs before they are outlawed (Thomas Edison is spinning in his grave!!). I concede that I bought 5 energy saving light bulbs last month, but that was because they were mismarked at 99 cents instead of $5.99. I'm not stupid after all. I use them for my back porch light which stays on 24/7.

I almost got out the duct tape today, to keep my head exploding, when out on my front steps was my FOURTH new telephone book this month. Greeness aside, WTF??? Who needs FOUR new phone books? Granted, they were from three different companies, but why? It must be expensive for the 'phone' companies to print out these every year. Wouldn't a better idea be to send out postcards to their local area customers asking if they would like a new phone book? This sounds better than putting a new one on every front step in the region.

What do I do with last years phone books? Or the year before's, for that matter???? Phone book recycling is available somewhere, but who knows where. There should be a notification on the front of the NEW books telling you what to do with the OLD books. Perhaps a pick up service by the phone companies themselves the following week so they can recycle them for their own use?

Just a thought.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Egypt 2005

2008-01-20T11:23:00.000-06:00

I had a lovely 7 weeks in Egypt in the Summer of 2005, courtesy of Uncle Sam. Everyone needs a rich Uncle to send them travelling!!

See my striped tan? That's what 13 days on the beach does to you, when the sun comes through the bars of the balcony.

The Egyptians loved me so much, they presented me with my own fez.

I started out on the coast of the Med, up near Al Alamain where "there is also a Commonwealth war cemetery with graves of soldiers from various countries who fought on the British side. This has monuments commemorating Greek, New Zealand, Australian and South African forces. The Commonwealth cemetery, as is common at many such cemeteries in the world, consists of parallel rows of gravestones, each one bearing an engraving of the deceased soldier's unit emblem, his name and an epitaph from his family. Rows upon rows of gravestones stand witness to the battles' human cost." (thanks wikipedia).

Besides the Great Pyramids of Giza... I was able to get down the Nile Valley to Bani Suawayf for a day. On the way back, we saw a few "step pyramids'. Our driver said there are over 120 pyramids in Egypt. We only saw 12 that day, and we weren't even looking for them. We just stopped along side the highway to get this pic.

Egypt is known for it's fantastic crystal, made from the silica in all the sand there. It comes from a particular region and the pieces are fantastic!

This is the showroom of one crystal factory in Cairo. Talk about sensory overload!! There were mirrors on all the walls with reflected the lights of the room and display cases. Sunglasses were almost needed to save your eyes!

Besides lounging on the beach for a few days, I actually got to the Giza pyramids, the Egypt Museum ( no cameras allowed inside, grrrr), took a nice dinner cruise on the Nile, and had a late night personal tour of the ancient section of Cairo on the first night of Ramadan. What an experience!!

I do hope to get back eventually and see the Luxor area of the Nile Valley.

My Mac blogs

2008-01-20T09:53:00.000-06:00

I thought I'd just put a link up to my original blogs I started when I bought my MacBook Pro... it was so user friendly, I had to do it.

There are two: one with Site_2 in the link and one with Site_3 in the link. Both have pictures from my various travells on them.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

http://web.mac.com/laurelmeadows/Site_2/Blog/Blog.html

http://web.mac.com/laurelmeadows/Site_3/Blog/Blog.html

Snow in Boise

2008-01-07T15:24:00.000-06:00

I woke up to snow this morning again... must be the fault of Global Warming... everything else seems to be. ( I wonder if I'm only 5'4" because of Global Warming too, even though I'm the tallest female in my family in 3 generations, lol)

As I write this it looks like a proper blizzard out there, and here I went and shovelled my steps, walkway and driveway, grrrrrrrrr.

Road trip through Kabul

2008-01-06T18:54:00.000-06:00

There were three ways of getting from Kabul to/from Bagram Air Base: airplane, helicopter or by road. Travelling the 30 miles took at least 90 minutes and had to be done by armoured vehicled convoy. This trip was in British SNATCH vehicles, and this video was taken through the one window in the passenger compartment.

95% of the civilian vehicles in Afghanistan are Toyotas. White Toyotas. Yellow and white ones are taxis.

I was in the lead vehicle, so you can sometimes see the chase vehicle in the video.

Great lads, the Brits- diligent, well-trained professionals. They got me home safe everytime.

Birthday video

2008-01-06T16:23:00.000-06:00

I wanted to the video up of Gerry blowing out his candles, and opening his cards, but there is a 100 MB limit, and the video is 103 MB. Sheesh...

Arizona desert

2008-01-06T14:24:00.000-06:00

Just a few pics from Arizona... my ticket from the play "Scrooge" at the Gaslight Theater...

Dias de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

Everyone needs a giant chicken in their front yard... this one is at a restaurant south of Green Valley, AZ

Mission San Xavier in south Tucson. Its a gem, dazzling white, which can be seen for miles.

And finally... the panoramic Arizona desert in December.

Arizona in December

2008-01-06T11:56:00.000-06:00

ARIZONA - DECEMBER 2007

Last month, I was able to get to Green Valley, AZ for a few days, to help celebrate a milestone in our family. My step-dad, Gerry, turned 90 years old. He's been a part of our family for over 40 years, and you couldn't ask for better.

Both my brothers and my sister (along with assorted family members) were there, and along with the usual jocularity, we were able to get some good family time in. My three siblings and I hadn't all been together with my mom in over 10 years (+/- a few).

Of course, my mom had a few activities planned. Sheesh, what do you do with a house full of adults, and 2 toddlers? lol.

The first day, my sister and I met up in the Denver airport, and caught the same plane in to Tucson. We did all the normal catching up, sitting across the aisle from each other, while she wrote out her Christmas cards. (I, of course, have my envelopes addressed and stamped and STILL haven't mailed any out).

The next day, we had tickets for SCROOGE, a modernization of the Dicken's play, which was on at the Gaslight Theater. This little theater puts on a variety of different plays and productions. I'd been there once before to watch a melodrama where they encourage you to boo and hiss at the villian.

The play was hilarious, and afterwards everyone in the audience celebrating a birthday got an ice cream sundae (Gerry included). We went to a great Mexican restaurant (well, it is Tucson, after all) afterwards.

We also did a quick trip to Tubac, a small artsy town (ok, more of a village), a few miles south of Green Valley. Almost every building is a shop of some sort selling southwester/mexican/craftsy stuff. My brother was on a mission to find a particular bowl made of stone for making guacamole. We found a lady who could get it that night from Mexico, and promised to come back the next day for it, which we of course did. We picked up an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen on the way home for Gerry's birthday.

The last night I was there was the BIG dinner at the restaurant at the golf course. Nine adults and two children! I don't think they were ready for us. The big surprise was my Brother in Law and nephew flying in from Georgia that day, just for the dinner. They flew out the next day, as I did. WOW!!

It was a great time, not too much sibling rivalry (haha). We all got to take the mick out of Gerry, excusing anything he did with .... "it's alright... now that you are officially "really really old"" LOLOLOL

Happy New Year 2008!!!

2007-12-31T17:31:00.000-06:00

Last New Year's Eve, I had the extreme pleasure of being on a boat with new friends from England's Barmy Army. In Sydney Harbour, under the fireworks, I was amongst the first in the world to bring in 2007. So, from my heart to yours, please enjoy some fireworks to start 2008 off with a BANG!!!

New Year's Resolution #1

2007-12-30T20:41:00.000-06:00

1. I resolve to mail out all the stuff I should have in 2007.

Specifically...
a) one digereedo I bought in Australia for an Army friend I worked with in Afghanistan. I'm sure he's given up on it. I have his address, that's not it. I work for the Post Office, but have to go to another facility to mail things. I carried this four foot long thing all the way home, checked it through the fragile baggage sections (with skiis and stuff), and lugged it home. Next Monday... for sure.
b) one shot glass from Mexico for a mate on PalTalk in Indiana. Same excuse as a).
c) one ginger and blue fright wig for my mate who will wear it to the Cricket in New Zealand.
d) my 2007 Christmas cards... will date for 2008, so just think of them as very, very early.

sheesh!!

Christmas 2006

2007-12-24T23:26:00.000-06:00

One year ago, today, I was a guest at the Guest House, in Melbourne Australia. I didn't know any of this wonderful family before I got to Melbourne, so here is the story...

I was in Australia to catch the last three test of the 2006 Ashes, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. My travelling companion (Steve) and I both support Portsmouth FC, and he was a member of a message board for the Aussie Pompey supporters called Pompey Down Under. A great deal of banter goes on on these message boards, and personalities emerge.

Well... one day in the chat room on PalTalk in which we listen to the live feed of the Pompey matches, one of the aussie's who had read about Steve going for all five Tests (and 8 weeks in OZ) asked him what he was doing for Christmas?

As the Cricket didn't start until Boxing Day... he told this mate (also called Steve) that he's be at the BBQ at the park with the Barmy Army (see more about them later) playing a friendly 20/20 (or something, close enough). Steve the Aussie told him, "No, you're not. You are coming to our home for Christmas barbie. We're cooking Skippy." riiiiiiight...

At this point, my Steve told aussie Steve that he wouldn't be alone. "No worries, Mate the more the merrier!!" Nice one!

We arrived in Melbourne, and as we had a week off before Christmas, decided we'd better meet these crazy people who were inviting complete strangers to their home for Christmas dinner! We arranged to meet after their working hours at the Young & Jackson's pub near the main trains station, and for some reason, we knew them right away. Maybe it was the pile of shopping bags which Fiona had just acquired while shopping. Maybe it was the shaved head of Steve (#1). I think it was the arms full of tattoos, along with the rest, which helped us pick them out of the crowd,

After talking for at least an hour, during which time we knew we'd get along famously, we discovered that the couple sitting next to us, eavesdropping, were also from Portsmouth. Well, he was, she was from Oxfordshire somewhere. In fact, he said his father played for Pompey in the 60's. What a small world!! They joined us in the pub, and the next thing we knew, Fiona and Steve were inviting THEM to dinner too!! They were just wandering around OZ escaping the English winter weather, so they accepted! Oh, and Fiona told all of us to bring our swimming gear, as they had an in-ground pool! What fun!!

We exchanged mobile numbers, and arranged a time for all of the adoptees to meet at the train station under the clock as they lived in Mentone, about 40 minutes by train from Melbourne.

Five days later, as the weather was getting colder and colder, we caught the bus to take us to the train station. Brrrrrrrrrrrr, it was cold... in fact, I'm pretty sure it was the Christmas Day in Melbourne history (or the last 50 year). We were bundled up in our warmest clothes (remember, it's December, and this is supposed to be SUMMER... hellooooooooo!!)

Everyone was at the train station at the right time, including a workmate of Fiona's and her hubby. I'd brought presents for Fiona and Bella, who was almost 5). We'd also picked out some wine the day before to contribute to the feast.

Even though we didn't get to go swimming that day, and we had to keep the patio sliding doors closed to keep the heat in, we still had an authentic Australian barbie for Christmas dinner, complete with beef, chicken and kangaroo. I don't know how Steve marinated that roo, but it was delicious!!!

What a wonderful day to remember with new friends who have become old friends, as well as strangers who are no longer strangers. When Fiona Guest opens her home to friends new and old, it is truely the "Guest House".

Wow I'm almost famous!

2007-12-22T18:27:00.000-06:00

This whole twitter thing is great! I really like it better than any of the other "social networks" out there because it allows Twitterers a chance to spontaneously interact with friends all over the world.

I started Twittering after hearing about it from several of the podcasters to whom I listen on a regular basis... and I signed up. I am Tiggr on Twitter, just as I am on PalTalk and the Pompey Till I Die message board, and sheesh, most who know me online as Tiggr end up calling me that or Tiggs in person too :)

I got my second (yes! second!) mention on the PodcastPaul show yesterday, and I'm chuffed, thrilled and downright humbled. Since I have his feedburner embedded, you should be listening to it right now! (Show 167 the Christmas Show).

Just about at the 16:00 mark, is my famous minute, and a half... and in response to Pauls query, here's a bit about me and why so many people think I'm an ex-pat.

I was born in the wrong country. Now, wait a minute, don't get me wrong. I love America. I bleed Red, White and Blue. I serve my country both domestically and overseas, but I feel a certain affinity with the Brits.

I'm sure it all started over 10 generations ago, when my ancesters were alive: The Breckenridges in Ayrshire, Scotland, the Stevens' in Stamford, Lincolnshire, England, the Johns in Pembrokeshire, Wales and the McMorrows in Ireland. My mother's parents spent over 50 years tracing our geneology and trust me, I'm so Anglo-Saxton, I had ancestors fighting on both sides of the American Revolution. That would be the War of Colonial Insurrection if you were on the losing side (joke, really!).

Add to this that my first step-mother was from Kent (Kidbrooke and Sidcup to be exact) and so my pre-teen and teen years were enhances by her British wit and copious relations. I learned to love british comedy and drama through her, and grew up watching Masterpiece Theatre, especially Upstairs Downstairs. We even woke up very very early one morning to watch Princess Anne's wedding to Captain Mark Phillips live. Being on the west coast, it must have been 3 am, sheesh.

OK, this is a really complicated amalgam of bits and pieces of my life... but to add to the formula, I joined a UK chat room on PalTalk back in 2002, in anticipation of a trip to the UK in 2003. I figured a 30 year anniversary revisit was in order, and I wanted to meet some Brits to get an idea of where I wanted to go and what to do. The first time I was there I was 16, and that's a whole nother story...

...so, I met some great friends in the UK in the United Kingdom and Friends chatroom, hosted by my dear friend Paul (in Hull, as opposed to the Paul in London or Birmingham, lol) who has since been my host the three time I've been over in the past 5 years.

Well, Uncle Sam has a twisted sense of humour, and instead of my vacations trip to the UK, he recalled my Navy unit and me to active duty and sent us to a British island, yes... but in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Diego Garcia is not England. Fact. However, there was a handful of Brits, and they became some of my best friends while there. Most weekends (ok, all weekends) I could be found in the Brit Pub, near the wretches corner, sometimes as official timekeepper for the "Drink a Yard and try not to Puke" contest. I still correspond with the Regimental Sergeant Major (now retired) and a Chief Petty Officer from that deployment.

Diego Garcia is a blog in it's own right.

okokokok... too long... too detailed... you might get the picture. More in another blog.

So, I add extraneous "U's" to words like colour, humour etc, support the Portsmouth Football Club (another entire story) and feel the tug from across the pond to return.

The moral of this story is... if you want mates with a great sense of humour, who can have fun watching strange sports like cricket, in pubs with names like The Flying Handbag (Blackpool), sing Sweet Caroline over and over till you think you are Caroline, hang out with the Brits. They will never let you down. Fact.

oh yeah, and...
PLAY UP POMPEY, POMPEY PLAY UP!!!

Wow!! What a singer!

2007-12-22T18:20:00.000-06:00

If you haven't ever seen this talented young lady, watch her in the finals of Britain's Got Talent. She'll blow you away with her dead-on pitch and six year old innocence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjeNS4eLghc This is a Christmas video in which she sings "I Will Always Love You" (oh and the video isn't bad either!

Wierd

2007-12-11T11:41:00.000-06:00

Sitting in the Denver airport, looking outside at the snow, and hearing birds chirping... ok, I see the bird now, and it's looking a bit lost. Birds inside buildings flying free always make me smile, as you know they eat gourmet food in here, and don't have to contend with the snow outside

Rick Reilly is Quitting SI, or... who will I bathe with now???

2007-12-02T18:27:00.000-06:00

Every Friday or Saturday, my son's copy of Sports Illustrated slides through the mail slot, straight into the basket in my front closet. Usually I just toss it on my coffee table and hope Chris finds it, or if I'm so inclined, I'll walk the 15 feet down the hall and toss it on his bed where he'll be sure to find it. I always give him first crack at it, because I know I'll have my chance soon enough.

Eventually, the latest issue ends up in the bathroom. This is not a condemnation of the contents, rather it illustrates the reverence given by Chris, as it shows he is reading it as soon as it arrives. This is where I find it and get to read it in the bathtub. I stand corrected... this is where I used to find it, as I won't be looking for the latest issue for quite the same reason anymore.

I read Rick Reilly. Well, his column anyway. You can easily find it because it is the last page of each issue of Sports Illustrated. No more. After 23 years writing for SI, Rick Reilly is going on to bigger and better (?) things. Big deal, you say? Very big.

Over the last 23 years, Reilly's column has been the first page millions of people have turned to first (my estimate only, at least I'm convinced it has to be millions, maybe billions even!). Quick, easy-to-read articles that highlight a point of light in sports that the average person may not know about if not for Rick Reilly. From uber-parents planning their infants high-school sports programs to how a particular Pro Basketball player would be "coach and captain" of the "team of the most selfish, greedy, spoiled to the Spleen, Multimillionaire Athletes you'd Most Like to See Thrown to a Dieting Lion", Rick's (if I may be so bold) column has made people laugh, cry, write hate mail to him, but everytime... to think.

I've been trying to catch up on some of his essays by reading his book Hate Mail From Cheerleaders (and Other Adventures From the Life of Reilly) which I bought for my son at his request. Best money on a book I've spent in a long time. It's not his only book. Check them out, you don't have to be a sports fanatic, you just need to be interested in humanity, good, bad or indifferent.

Rick's column in the December 3, 2007 issue of SI is a farewell to his readers. He's taking six months off before starting a column for ESPN the Magazine, as well as ESPN.COM beginning in June of 2008. I wish him the best of luck. Somehow I have a feeling that a new magazine will be slipping through my mailslot sometime around late spring of next year.

Oh, yeah... and Mr. Reilly... have you ever thought of a podcast??? Just a thought.

Thank you, Rick Reilly.

Aquarium of the Pacific

2007-11-26T10:06:00.000-06:00

If you are ever in the Long Beach, California area, take the time to visit the Aquarium of the Pacific. Its a wonderful place to take children, with plenty of hands-on (literally, like on a sting ray!) exhibits, both indoors and out. The variety of sea-life on display is remarkable. I've only seen a better aquarium in Monteray, California.

These Jellyfish were so spectacular that I just had to try to photograph them.

Ever feed a lorikeet? Do you even know what one is?? Well, you can not only feed one, you can feed many! They love necter, and will happily perch on you head, arm, shoulder, hand while you feed some to them.

The aquarium is open 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day of the year, except December 25 and during the weekend of the Grand Prix of Long Beach.

There is a large parking garage adjacent to the facility, and is near the Queen Mary. They offer AAA and Military discounts, and also have many other special offers.

Podcast, Podcasters and Podcasting

2007-11-25T15:01:00.000-06:00

I love gadgets, lets just leave it at that, ok? well... ok I really love gadgets. But, I am not a geek, honestly. I wish I were because then I'd know HTML coding, and understand all the geeky podcasts I've listened to.

Two years ago, I bought my first iPod. I bought a Fourth generation 20gig, photo capable iPod. Yeah, the one that had the national battery recall just AFTER I left for Afghanistan so that I bought a 30gig video as back-up. (or was it the other way around?)

Anyway, I bought my first iPod while on a seven week tour of duty in Egypt. Don't ask me where, as I was in the middle of the Qatar Depression at the time. Google it, it's in the middle of the Egyptian desert somewhere. (and you thought there was no connection to the "travels" part of this blog). I ordered it online, just as Apple was offering a great special... buy the special Hogwarts engraved iPod and the 6 available Harry Potter books on audiobooks and save $50! WOW! That hooked me. I love audiobooks and since I can listen for 7 hours a day at work, they keep us sane at the post office :)

Back to Podcasting: My new iPod was waiting for me when I got home a few weeks later, just in time for my birthday. Unfortunately, I had to confiscate it from my son who had opened the box and already loaded it with HIS music!!

So, now I had an iPod... after doing all the syncing and loading required, I started exploring iTunes and just clicked on things to see what happened. I found the podcast button in the library section, but it was empty. Hrumph. But, soon I found the iTunes Store, and the plethera of podcasts available (not quite so many in late 2005 as now, but still, quite a few).

The first two podcasts I subscribed to were Comedy365 with Sowerby and Luff (http://sowerbyandluff.wordpress.com/), and the World Soccer Daily (http://worldsoccerdaily.myownsiteonline.com/)

Since then, I've subscribed to many different podcasts and currently have over 70 in my iTunes Library. Some seem to have faded, but I'm not ready to drop them. Some I am still listening to back issues/shows/casts of, and will catch up eventually, others I listen to as soon as they drop into my library.

In future blogs, I'll be telling you about the podcasts I listen to, and why they are still on my list. I hope you find new ones to add you YOUR library, and possibly leave a comment about your favorites.

Thanksgiving

2007-11-21T19:00:00.000-06:00

As I sit here the evening before Thanksgiving Day, I have a pot of peppermint tea by my side, box of tissues at the ready. I have a head cold. I don't get one very often, maybe once a year, where I feel the need to stay home from work. I did this time. Through the haze of my stuffy head I ponder what I'm thankful for. Ok, I ponder about which I am thankful. Like knowing about dangling participles, and non-sequiters, and... dictionaries.

This time last year, I was (it seems to be still, not again) in a state of transition. I had just the week before returned from Afghanistan, after being away from home for 11 months. I was packing (oh, well, I call it packing) for a four week trip to Australia to watch a little known game called Cricket. (Joking!!! It's only little known in the US, and more about Cricket in a later post).

In a list, in no particular order, are a few things I am thankful for:

- My health... ok, maybe not today, but in the grand scheme of things, I'm not doing so bad.

- My family... I have two sons who have survived their childhoods with me as a mother, and now I have a grandson to spoil. He'll be 5 in February, and is the apple of his granmama's eye.

-My extended family... Although I lost my father in January, he's not gone. I have been able to see my mother and step-dad more this year than any other time, thanks to the Navy posting me to Phoenix, a mere 2 hours away.

- My network of friends... I don't mean the social networks that encourage you to gather as many "friends" as you can to show how "cool" you are. Granted, I'm on the big three (MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter) but if you look at my lists, you'll see they are limited to those I know, or those I'd like to meet someday.

-My Naval Career... I'll be planning my retirement during this year (keep Nov 2008 open if you'll be in SoCal) with my Retirement Coordinator, Lisa. Hey, she volunteered! But she thinks it's going to be in Phoenix, oops!

Through my over 33 years in the Navy, both Active Duty and Reserves, I've had the pleasure and privilege of serving with literally thousands of dedicated members of the military (both US and coalition), as well as civilian DOD workers all over the world. From Diego Garcia to Egypt, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore and Japan it's been great. I've had stops in Kuwait, Qatar, Turkey, S. Korea as well. Not too bad in my opinion.

This brings me to an organization to which I give a thousand thanks. Anysoldier.com is a not for profit organization which lets YOU pick a unit to send goodie boxes to. Not just soldiers are represented, but all branches of the service. I was with a Joint unit but I registered my group under the AnySailor.com tab, and told a little about us. Nothing classified of course, but enough to let people know we were out there. Within a couple of months, our first box arrived. I used to call them Christmas boxes, because although they were addessed to me, I distributed them to not only my unit, but throughout the entire Joint Logistics Command and the HQ's of the Army's 10th Mountain Division. The generosity of strangers was overwhelming, and every sender was send a postcard from Afghanistan thanking them, signed by as many of us as would fit on 1-2 cards.

There are thousands of service members deployed overseas who receive no mail from home. This service helps minimise the disappointment of another mail call without a letter from home. If you read this (well, duh, you obviously are) and feel that you'd like to do something to support the troops, check out http://www.anysoldier.com/ and select a unit to send something to. Even if you only send a thank you letter, do it. Be sure to include your return address or email address because you will probably hear something back. I'll bet there are many friendships started with just a box sent with a letter.

I looked for a link for a Canadian or British site which does the same thing, but was unsuccessful. If you know of one, and it's a non-profit organization, add a comment and tell us.

This isn't just for the holiday period, but for the times when people forget that children are far from the homes they mis

2007-11-11T09:37:00.001-06:00

OK, this is the post where I attempt to put a picture in here.

Wow! It worked. Ooooooooooh I can get more creative on the next post.

Right, I said this post would be about me, so I'll try and not bore you silly. True or False:

1. This is really what I look like.

2. I have a beautiful grandson.

3. I have been around the world several times due to the generosity of my government.

4. I have a framed poster of the most poisonous snakes and spiders of Australia on one wall.

5. I have two grown sons.

6. I support the Portsmouth Football Club

7. I'm an anglophile and can trace at least one branch to each of the four countries of Great Britian.

8. I have had both haggis and black pudding without gagging.

9. I live within one mile of the blue Smurf Turf.

10. I work for the CIA

answers on a postcard to address below:

hint: which two are false??

A New Blogger

2007-11-11T07:27:00.000-06:00

OK... I've got a blog out in the blog-o-sphere. Now what? I'ts all Parky's fault... no, really! All I wanted to do was get a limited edition Starbucks card from him (through his podcast: This Week In London at http://thisweekinlondon.co.uk). Well, who says you can get something for nothing?? Hrumph!

Soooooooooo... I wanted this card, still, but I needed to post a comment, and somehow signed up for a free blogspot page in order to do so. Easy peasy, right?? Not so much.

As a future podcaster, I needed a blog anyway, and my personal one wouldn't do, so here it is. Tiggrztravels. Enjoy the future posts. Enjoy the fickr pic when I figure out how to post them on here. Enjoy my frustrations at writing a blog. Someone should, grrrrrrrrr.

Thanks Parky!!

Next... More about me!