It is the Big One?

Yesterday morning, as I was waking up and getting ready for work, I listened to a local radio station and the DJ’s were discussing the fact that their respective pets had been acting crazy for the past couple days and how studies show that animals can sense major events, such as earthquakes, and act oddly for up to a week prior to the events. Not a major concern except that we’re on the New Madrid Fault and they’ve been predicting the “Big One” for many years now. People were calling in from all over Southern Indiana and Southern Illinois saying that their pets were acting oddly too.

I went to work, though, not giving it another thought. But then last night, as I’m settling down for the evening, Sophie and Gizmo are acting like someone gave them a big ol’dose of wacky pills. They chased each other up and down the hallway, one would jump up on the dresser and then pounce on the other from the height, one would run up to the top of their kitty condo (6 ft high) and then jump down on the bed and bound after the other one. Truly, nothing more than they usually do, only this was to a factor of 10! Even after Sophie got tired and crawled on my chest for a nap, while I was catching up on the Daily Show and Colbert Report from the previous night, Gizmo still was at it. In fact, at one point, he was on the top of the condo and jumped right on her (right on me). Her claws dug in and she ran, then his claws dug in and he ran after her. My chest and tum area look like they’ve been run through a cheese grater!

Of course the conversation from the radio that morning came to my mind and as I’m lying there in the dark trying to go to sleep all I can think of is if the Big One comes during the middle of the night, is it going to knock that big heavy picture hanging above my bed off and bean my noggin. Long time readers of my life will remember that we had an earthquake about a year or so ago in the middle of the morning, and it woke me up. We had aftershocks for months afterward.

I don’t know if we can expect one in the next week or so, but I’m keeping my feelers on alert in case we do. And what with the way Soph and Giz are acting, I just wonder what the fish would be doing if my brother-in-law hadn’t sent them all on a ride on the giant porcelain wave the other week. Hmm..

We Gather Together ...

So the Barger household had a busy turkey day. Both my sisters and their families (with the exception of a bro-in-law and a nephew who both had to work) came down to Southern Indiana for the holiday. We were gonna go up to Indy for the weekend, but then since dad was in the hospital, they came down. (And much to my cowardly lion's dismay, the three nieces and sister Ha slept at my place.)

Wednesday evening, I left work early, since both bosses were gone for the weekend, and I had OT I could sacrifice, and I went out to Wadesville for dinner with the 'Rents and Ho and her family. The meal was deer stew (bro-in-law Tom procured the main ingredient during hunting season last year) and homemade biscuits (with Ho's homemade elderberry jelly), and now that I'm thinking about it... why didn't any leftovers come home with me?!? Humpf! Natalie and I drove back to my place in order to be there when Ha and her two daughters got there. After the initial greetings and dumping of baggage, we were off on the ubiquitous snack run. Since I had instructions to pick up some last minute items for the next day, we hit a Schnucks in lieu of the usual Walgreens. I have to say that wandering thru a store with gaggle of giggling teenage girls (Sorry, HO2.0, you're still a teenager!) is quite the experience for me. And much like the pain of childbirth (or so I've heard), the pain of it disappears quickly and I blindly go forth for snackage with them each time they stay at my place like I don't know how insane it's gonna be. Sigh.

And one of them, as I'm deciding what flavor of Smirnoff Ice to buy, states quite loudly in the middle of the store... "Will we get to have some of them??" To which I responded... "Why, no, Strange young person! You're a minor and the legal drinking age in the great State of Indiana is 21, and you will not be legal for a couple more years." DUH! Goober.

Back at my place, we settled down to watch Stephen Colbert's A Colbert Christmas - The Greatest Gift of All. Oh, look we're standing under the mistletoe. Well, this is awkward. tee hee!

Thanksgiving morning, I awoke and made the pumpkin pies, as my daddy says I make the best pies, and we were off - over Pigeon Creek and thru the trees to my parents' house we went. My and the sibs' plan was to make the dinner with as little stress and effort on mom and dad's behalf. And although we had to have mom make the dressing so it would be her usual FANTABULOUS dressing, I think we succeeded. Ho2.0 set out the gnomes' traditional Thanksgiving meal, and I do not have the pic from this T-day yet, as the pics were not taken with my camera - but a pic of a previous year's gnomes' thanksgiving is on the right. Once the gnomes had been taken care of, the rest of us chowed down.

Thanksgiving is a time to count your blessings, and (with the exception of Sophie and Gizmo, who couldn't make it for the festivities) sitting at that table were a big part of my blessings. I've been blessed with albeit weird, but loving, family and friends, a warm home, a good job with bosses who respect me, and more than what is necessary for my survival. One thing I was not grateful for was the migrane that hit me before the evening was over.

So when we made it back to my place, Ha and the nieces watched Casino Royale in preparation of our plan to go see Quantum of Solace the next morning. And while I, like every other red-blooded woman in the world usually wouldn't turn down an op to see Daniel Craig in the nude (even if he is being tortured at the time,) I drugged myself down and hit the sheets. But that just meant that I felt all the more ready to drool over him the next morning! Ho made the comment that the first time saw him without his shirt on (in Casino Royale) she had a hot flash! Here would be my opinion of Quantum of Solace: I enjoyed it very much. You really need to watch Casino Royale first, as this movie literally starts where the first one left off.. which is unusual for a Bond movie. And I agree with Ha that he could have had his shirt off more. And these movies are decidedly less campier than, say, the Roger Moore James Bond movies - which I grew up on, BTW, so for me, Roger Moore WAS James Bond. I know there are those who say Sean Connery is the best. But I grew up on Roger Moore and HE was James Bond to me. Now, (well, after Casino Royale, actually,) I can clearly state that Daniel Craig IS James Bond. Whoo ... I'm having a hot flash just thinking about it!

Anyway, after the movie, after lunch, after doing the dishes, Ho and Ha, et al., packed up and headed back to Indy. I'd had a very enjoyable time, but I was happy that they left, so I could go home and cuddle with my kitties, and not have to hostess. And I know mom and dad were exhausted by the time I left their house, but they had a good time too. Now we can relax some until Christmas.

Indiana's Primary - May 6th

Ok, so like for the first time since I remember, the presidential candidates may not be already decided before the Indiana primary. Of course, I realize that, as I'm typing this, people are voting in the Pennsylvania primary and it may all be moot by the end of the day. I'm sort of undecided. I'm rather a-political. I don't consider myself one way or the other, although if pinned down I'm independent with sort of conservative leanings. But then I have unconservative leanings too. Basically I waffle. Ummm... waffles...

Anyway, a few of weeks ago, Hillary Clinton came to town. She spoke at one of the local high schools. I didn't care. I can't explain why, I just don't like her. She's shifty.

But last night, I heard on the news that Barack Obama was coming to town tonight to speak at Roberts Stadium.. with musical guest John Mellencamp. Now first I find this amusing that Clinton speaks at a high school with what? maybe a 1,000 people? And Obama is speaking at the Stadium with the potential of probably 15,000, I don't know how many it seats. So I'm inclined to go. To hear what he has to say. I've really only heard the soundbites on The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, so the responsible thing is to listen, right? But this morning, they announce that the doors won't even open until 7:30 pm, and you know he'll be late, Hillary was over an hour late, 'cause he'll be coming from Pennsylvania. So it would be a late evening, and I'm a slug. I like to be in bed by 9:30 pm so I can turn the lights out and go to sleep at 10:00 pm!

They're saying it'll be televised - I'm not sure where... hopefully CNN since that's the only cable news network I get. And why is CNN the only news channel I get? with the last cable company, I had more news channels than I had sports channels and it felt like I had a million of them! Where was I? Oh, so I'm thinking I'll watch it on CNN, either that or watch TV Land and munch on some waffles.