My Last Hope, The Gators

Ok. So the Gators ate my Ducks for a snack.

I have NEVER been a Gator fan. Not for Football, and certainly not for Basketball. And here I am, with one team remaining. And it is the Gators. Not even sure why I picked 'em. Think it was because I felt like I should have at least one of the top seeds in my pool.

What a great tournament thus far. Two Number Ones and Two Number Twos are all that remain standing.

Easy come, easy go.

Down to One

After tomorrow's Oregon v Florida game, I will be down to one. Southern and Butler, fought the valiant fight, but just could not go the distance.

Go DUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, what a week

Well, not too much on the basketball. Kind of lost interest in being a fanatic on Tuesday. My emotional focus went elsewhere.

I came home from work early because we are doing some construction and we have "free" dirt. I need some additional dirt for my new covered paddocks. The clouds were very thick and black to the north, but the storm seemed to be headed east and north, just fine. I unload the 4 yards of dirt. The inside dogs want out; I let them out. Kitty and Angus come back in; Dawg stays out. (Not coming back in is not unusual for her). She stays out. I go back to work. To get another load of dirt.

I return home approximately four hours later. The two outside dogs, Precious and Boy, greet me with teeth a flaring, until they see that it is me. (I am in a company truck with a trailer, not my normal car). No Dawg. Still not unusual. As I am driving into the pasture with the dirt, the skies become grey and then the rumbling begins. I get the trailer positioned where I want it and dump the load. Boom!!!!!! The first thunderbolt hits our area. 3/4 of an inch of rain in less than 20 minutes. Just like being in the midwest in the summer.

Still no Dawg. I begin to look around. Not in the barn; not under the house. Ummmm!! DAMN, and I had taken her collar off Monday night, because she was keeping me awake. DAMN.

I call my three immediate neighbors; no, they hadn't seen her today. But they weren't really looking for her, either. Since she comes visiting nearly every day, they really hadn't noticed. Fair.

Brandt gets home. We go to the neighbors that we have to drive to. Yep, they know her; Nope, they haven't seen her today. DAMN. They'll keep their eyes open for her.

Now, mind you, it is not unusual for her to be gone for the entire day, but she always comes home at night. She loves feeding the horses, as she loves their cookie treats. Still no Dawg. Not the next morning either. DAMN.

Wednesday, I start looking for photos. Only one I have on the computer is this one from my cell phone. DAMN.

I make fliers and after work, hit the local feed stores, markets and vet clinics. I registered with the local (since I live near three county lines, local is many) animal shelters, spcas etc. I post her photo online. I expand our search to a ten mile radius of our home. I walk the pastures. I walk the train tracks. NOTHING. No sign of her. Anywhere.

I am still looking. Everyone I know is looking. How could one 13 year old, 45 pound, chow/lab mix, just disappear? Who knows? But she did, afterall, just appear one day, eleven years ago. Maybe she is related to Agent K.

Sweet Sixteen

The good news, four of my original thirteen remain. 30 percent. The bad news, three of the four are in the same bracket.

Congratulations to Oregon, Florida, Butler and Southern Illinois. Nice playing, Bucky. You scored enough so that I win the noncollectable side bet. Why couldn't you run with the Rebels?

So, of the sixteen that remain, who will win? All four number Ones remain, although it hasn’t been a cakewalk for any of them. Three of four number Twos remain. (Bucky is the loser in this evaluation). UNLV is the lowest seed remaining at seven.

The Midwest has only odd seeds left, 1,3,5, and 7. The West is 1,2,3,4. The East is 1,2,5,6. The South is 1,2,3,5. The selection committee did a respectable job this year. But will all four number ones make the final four? This is the best year for that bet in many, many.

Who was it that asked for equality and parody in the league? Not me, I'm a homer.

Then there were 32

So, of the 13 teams I picked, 8 remain. 61 percent.

Only one of three sentimental picks remains: Butler. New Mexico State and Creighton went down well. (If there is such a thing). Creighton battled to overtime. Well, done, Reggie. Butler now faces the Terps. They’ll hang in, but it will be a tough match up.

Two of the three faves remain: Wisconsin and Indiana. Bucky gave the entire bball world a coronary in the first half by going down by 18. Indiana cruised.

Duke and Texas Tech, well, didn’t play well.

So, we’ll know Sunday afternoon, how will I did. Go DUCKS!!!!!!!!!!

My BBall picks

Yea, I am posting them late, but I did pick before the tourney started. Some of these picks are sentimental: New Mexico State, Creighton, Butler. Some are long-time Faves: Indiana, Duke, Wisconsin. Some are pure guesses.
I am not playing in an office pool, just want to see how well I do. I do have a side agreement with a friend. He has the Spartans; I have Bucky. Whoever stays in the longest wins. This agreement goes way back.

Florida
Butler
Oregon
Wisconsin
Villanova
Southern Illinois
Duke
Indiana
Michigan State
New Mexico State
Texas Tech
Louisville
Creighton

"If you can't say anything nice,

Don't say anything at all."

Don't remember who said it originally, but I always credit Thumper's Father from the Disney film Bambi. The problem with practicing this adage is that sometimes, one’s silence is perceived to be compliance or acceptance of a pending action or notion. Other times, not nice things need to be said.

I guess that is where tact comes into play. And, well, "I ain't got none." I am working on learning this concept, but sometimes things just come flying out.

Some might say it is because I am a Sagittarian. Others might say it is because I was born in the year of the Dog. I say I am skeptical but practical. Many times I leap, simply hoping to land in a new place. Sometimes, I don’t leap, but mostly when everyone else is. Am I simply a Contrarian or just a BEEATCH?

12 of 12 March

Here goes. Let's see if I can post this correctly this month. 12 of 12 was started by Chad Darnell. I make an effort to get photos up every month, but my track record is as consistent as, well, nothing.

Photo One: Parking Structure Vacaville CA for our new solar electric project. Taken at 3:30pm

Photo Two: Parking areas Vacaville CA Taken at 3:30pm.

Photos Three: Spring has Sprung. The trees demonstrate their splendor. Vacaville CA

Photos Four, Five and Six: More Spring Frivolity, Elverta CA 5:30 pm

Photo Seven: Ever been bequeathed a tractor? I have. "Green Acres" here we come. Elverta CA 5:45pm

Photo Eight: The 35 pound lighter Kitty Kat. 5:45pm. "Can't pose now, Mom. Someone's coming down our driveway."


Photo Nine: Boy. Confirming an intruder. 5:47pm.

Photo Ten: New Lemon, Lime and Orange Trees Elverta CA

Photo Eleven: New Shelter Construction. Phase One. BJ the retired jumper inspects.

Photo Twelve: Eleven Month old gelding we rescued last December. "Whatcha got, Mom? Carrots?"

Well, it certainly has been Manic

Monday. 12 of 12. Photos. Only one taken thus far.
Contracts. Right ones, wrong ones and ones to be renegotiated.
Construction. On going. Never seem to be done. Messy parking lots. Stupid parkers.
Meetings. Weekly. Organizational unrest. Coordination. Squeched anti-the group thoughts.
Trees exhibiting Spring-time Frivolity.
Concentration out the door.

The new additions

Here are the two new additions to the menagerie.

This is Boy. The timid one.

This is Precious, his side-kick, the attention hog.

Small Victory

For those of you who follow this blog, thank you. I have been very busy with this play called life for the past few months. What I have learned is that there is a reason cliches ring true.

Good habits, don't seem like habits. Bad habits are a bitch to break.

What goes around, does eventually come around. You just have to be a bit patient.

You reap what you sow. (kind of goes with the one above).

Our very dear neighbor for the past seventeen years (we have lived here seventeen years and are still the "new" kids on this one mile road, with only eight houses) died in early February. She had been very ill since October 2006. She had been to her home twice between then and when she died. She was the prefect neighbor: there when we needed her, (and we have needed her big-time at least twice in these past seventeen years), but minded her own business when we didn't. She watched our house; we watched hers.

To assist her and her family, we offered to watch her house, make it look like someone was home and care for her dogs, cats and horses. It only took a couple of minutes out of each day, and it gave her peace of mind that her "babies" were well cared for. She had two outside dogs, one of which would not allow anyone, save our neighbor, to touch him. For all of October, November and December, we drove (less than an eighth of a mile) to her home in the morning and evening to feed the critters. I thought my husband was nuts. Our road is not that busy. But as usual, he had a plan. As long as the dogs thought we DROVE to feed them, they would not figure out we live across the street and take up residence at our place. (We really don't need two more dogs). That strategy worked until New Year's Day. Weather was chamber of commerce perfect and we were in the yard, getting things ready for what we thought would be an early spring. Guess who heard us. Yep, the scaredy-cat dog.

He came a running. Hung out. We tried to feed them at their house for a week. We finally threw in the towel in the middle of January. GREAT! WE'VE BEEN ADOPTED... Two outside dogs to go with the THREE inside ones. Five dogs AGAIN. And, one which won't let any human touch him. Trust was not there. It was in the hospital and not coming home. They, and us, have adapted well.

Today, was the small victory. He let us pet him. Mind you, no one has touched him, even serendipitously. He let us pet him for over five minutes. Just eating it up. Can't wait to tell the neighbor's daughters. I know she knows.

March 12 of 12 tomorrow

Looking forward to the 12 of 12 photo expose started by Chad. Mondays are usually not good days for me. They are either Manic or Phlegmatic. Given the weather and the variety of projects I am currently working on at both work and home, it will surely be Manic.

Ah, wish it was Tuesday. :) (Although they are never really any different from Mondays).