A less than stellar day in Kansas City today. We've been spoiled by near-record temperatures over the past couple of weeks. The temperatures in the 60s somehow gave that feeling that winter isn't quite here yet. Today, Mother Nature has decided to reward us with a nice ice storm followed by some snow over the next couple of days. Ah, well. It had to happen eventually.
Our dog has quickly learned a new favorite word: work. Yes, most of you probably consider 'work' to be a four-letter word in more ways than one. My dog knows that word means that my wife, who works in our home, will be going in to work on the computer for an extended period of time. He loves going in and laying down next to her chair because he knows she'll be in one spot for a long period of time and that he won't have to chase her around to get attention. He usually takes a bone in there as well to keep himself busy. Truly a dog's life.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Holiday weekend complete......
Long holiday weekend for the Lime family. Lots of excitement and some unwanted excitement, but it was good to have everyone around for the holiday weekend.
We had a ridiculous amount of food on our Thanksgiving table. We had two different turkeys (one was cooked overly well done intentionally), a ham, several salads, veggies, rolls, and other additional extras. We also had cheesecake and a couple other desserts afterwards while we watched the Chiefs beat the Broncos. Nothing says fun like a football game and food.
Casanova even got a special Thanksgiving treat of turkey with his dry dog food. He's still finishing off a diet, but we allowed him to splurge as well for one night.
I put up the Christmas tree in our front room along with various other decorations around the house. I also put a couple of decorations outside the house to make it look a bit more festive without turning it into the Griswold family Christmas (watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation if you don't get that joke).
The baby continues to move all around, with the due date only about 2 months away. I took a belly pic a couple of weeks back. I need to put that up along with a current one.
Mrs. Lime went to a baby shower on Saturday. She brought home a truckload of goodies that we'll have to sort through. I don't know what's there, but I'm sure she has it memorized.
Lots going on. I'm enjoying the calm before the baby storm I suppose.
We had a ridiculous amount of food on our Thanksgiving table. We had two different turkeys (one was cooked overly well done intentionally), a ham, several salads, veggies, rolls, and other additional extras. We also had cheesecake and a couple other desserts afterwards while we watched the Chiefs beat the Broncos. Nothing says fun like a football game and food.
Casanova even got a special Thanksgiving treat of turkey with his dry dog food. He's still finishing off a diet, but we allowed him to splurge as well for one night.
I put up the Christmas tree in our front room along with various other decorations around the house. I also put a couple of decorations outside the house to make it look a bit more festive without turning it into the Griswold family Christmas (watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation if you don't get that joke).
The baby continues to move all around, with the due date only about 2 months away. I took a belly pic a couple of weeks back. I need to put that up along with a current one.
Mrs. Lime went to a baby shower on Saturday. She brought home a truckload of goodies that we'll have to sort through. I don't know what's there, but I'm sure she has it memorized.
Lots going on. I'm enjoying the calm before the baby storm I suppose.
Friday, November 24, 2006
My Black Friday outing......
I got up early to head over to the nearby Best Buy to pick up on some sales. I was targeting a TV, a lightweight vacuum and some DVD's. The DVD's were actually not on sale at Best Buy, but if you bring the competitor's advertisement, they'll do a price match. It's a great way to buy things on Black Friday so you don't have to race from store to store trying to get all the various deals.
I got to Best Buy around 3:15 AM. It was just under two hours until the store opened and there were already about 200-300 people in line. Best Buy handled the crowd very well. They set up a queue at the door to make sure the line filed in orderly. Also, they came through the line at 4:00 AM to hand out tickets for the major sale items. This made it really nice because there wasn't a major rush to get to those items once the store opened up at 5:00 PM.
I sweat it out while they started passing out the tickets. Various other items were brought through the line by the Best Buy reps that I wasn't all that interested. Finally, someone came through with the item that I came to get. They handed me the ticket. There was supposed to be a minimum of 12 of those specific TV's per store. I looked at my ticket and it said my ticket was #13. Thank God they got extra TV's in. I would have barely missed getting one otherwise.
By the time the doors opened, there were well over 1,000 people in line. Prettty amazing site. I would have taken a picture, but it was still dark outside, so not much of a chance of getting a good shot. I went in and got the stuff I was looking for and got in the TV line. I had to wait an hour in line to get the TV paid for and pick it up, but it was well worth the savings.
I did receive a call from my friend Rudy while I was waiting in line. He had gone over with his wife to wait in the always chaotic line at Toys 'R' Us. It's always amazing what parents will do for a little savings on a toy. Today was no different as evidently a guy attempted to cut in line and ended up in a fist fight with the guy he tried to cut in front of in line. Never enough excitement on Black Friday I suppose.
I headed back home around 6:45 to catch a couple of hours of sleep so I wouldn't be too tired for the rest of the day.
I got to Best Buy around 3:15 AM. It was just under two hours until the store opened and there were already about 200-300 people in line. Best Buy handled the crowd very well. They set up a queue at the door to make sure the line filed in orderly. Also, they came through the line at 4:00 AM to hand out tickets for the major sale items. This made it really nice because there wasn't a major rush to get to those items once the store opened up at 5:00 PM.
I sweat it out while they started passing out the tickets. Various other items were brought through the line by the Best Buy reps that I wasn't all that interested. Finally, someone came through with the item that I came to get. They handed me the ticket. There was supposed to be a minimum of 12 of those specific TV's per store. I looked at my ticket and it said my ticket was #13. Thank God they got extra TV's in. I would have barely missed getting one otherwise.
By the time the doors opened, there were well over 1,000 people in line. Prettty amazing site. I would have taken a picture, but it was still dark outside, so not much of a chance of getting a good shot. I went in and got the stuff I was looking for and got in the TV line. I had to wait an hour in line to get the TV paid for and pick it up, but it was well worth the savings.
I did receive a call from my friend Rudy while I was waiting in line. He had gone over with his wife to wait in the always chaotic line at Toys 'R' Us. It's always amazing what parents will do for a little savings on a toy. Today was no different as evidently a guy attempted to cut in line and ended up in a fist fight with the guy he tried to cut in front of in line. Never enough excitement on Black Friday I suppose.
I headed back home around 6:45 to catch a couple of hours of sleep so I wouldn't be too tired for the rest of the day.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
American disconnect......
How scary is the level of disconnect of most Americans as to what is going on in the world around them? In Lebanon today, a man who was a Christian and spoke out against the Syrian government was assassinated. In Darfur, Muslims are literally exterminating innocent villagers (most of whom are Christians) because they want the land they live on for the oil beneath that land. In Iraq, people are killing each other in a power struggle between ethnic factions and aligning themselves with government like Iran. In Russia, the government is literally killing anyone who speaks out against the government or tries to expose the corruption in the Kremlin. In North Korea, a madman who starves his people while he lives like royalty has missiles that can easily strike the United States if he just pushes the button. It's a scary world with a lot of things to deal with that definitely have some effect on America in one form or another.
Meanwhile, more Americans know who Paris Hilton is than the name of the Speaker of the House, a person who is in line for the presidency should both the president and vice-president die. Rarely do more than 50% of Americans vote in an election, yet it seems that 100% of them want to complain about the state of politics. More Americans know about the Cruise-Holmes wedding than what was included in the most recent port security bill. More Americans know about the stupid things that any given politician did in their personal life than they do about the actual voting record of that politician or what they did for their constituents. Some Americans would prefer to remain on welfare and take handouts from the government rather than take a minimum wage job and work their way up to a better-paying job. Some Americans complain about a hard-working Mexican immigrant "taking jobs away from Americans" rather than simply working hard to be a better worker than that immigrant.
Sickening stuff.
Meanwhile, more Americans know who Paris Hilton is than the name of the Speaker of the House, a person who is in line for the presidency should both the president and vice-president die. Rarely do more than 50% of Americans vote in an election, yet it seems that 100% of them want to complain about the state of politics. More Americans know about the Cruise-Holmes wedding than what was included in the most recent port security bill. More Americans know about the stupid things that any given politician did in their personal life than they do about the actual voting record of that politician or what they did for their constituents. Some Americans would prefer to remain on welfare and take handouts from the government rather than take a minimum wage job and work their way up to a better-paying job. Some Americans complain about a hard-working Mexican immigrant "taking jobs away from Americans" rather than simply working hard to be a better worker than that immigrant.
Sickening stuff.
Boonville post caused a lot of feedback.......
I was a bit surprised at how many e-mails I got either complimenting the blog about Boonville and Davy Crockett, er, Daniel Boone or adding to the information surrounding the discussion. Good to see there's people reading the blog.
My dad sent me on some good information about the historic site near Boonville where the Boone family settled down. It would appear that Daniel Boone's sons didn't like their father getting all the credit.
Boone's Lick Salt Works
In 1804, explorers Lewis and Clark reported the presence of many saltwater springs in the area that now comprises Howard, Cooper and Saline counties. Wildlife such as deer, elk and bison gathered around these springs to lick the salt from the ground. The largest of these salt springs was the Boone's Lick.
In pioneer times, salt was indispensable for preserving meat and tanning hides. The countryside around this salt spring was considered ideal for settlement and by 1810 had acquired the name "Boone's Lick Country" and for many years was the primary destination of pioneers moving west.
The famous frontiersman Daniel Boone is often credited with discovering the lick. However, his son Nathan made it clear in an 1851 interview that it was he and his brother Daniel Morgan Boone, and not their father, who were associated with the lick. As early as 1797, the Spanish government in St. Louis awarded explorer James Mackay a land grant of 400 arpents (330 acres) around the salt lick, although the U.S. government later denied his claim for many years.
In 1805, the Boone brothers formed a partnership with James and Jesse Morrison to produce salt. Salt production was a labor-intensive project. Brine water was poured into iron kettles and heated to boiling on a stone furnace. As the water evaporated, salt crystallized in the bottom of the kettle. Approximately 250 to 300 gallons of brine water produced a bushel of salt.
The operation grew from eight men laboring over one furnace and 40 kettles to 20 men operating two furnaces handling 60 kettles each. About 30 bushels of salt were produced a day and were shipped by keelboat on the Missouri River to St. Louis where it sold for $2.50 per bushel. So much timber was cut to fuel the salt furnaces that wood had to be brought in from as far as four miles away.
Daniel M. Boone sold his share of the business in 1810. The threat of war with Great Britain and their Indian allies loomed in 1812. Nathan Boone was appointed a captain in the rangers and disposed of his interests in the salt works. The Morrisons had to abandon the salt works until peace was made with the warring tribes in 1815.
Several noted Missourians were associated with the Boone's Lick salt works. William Becknell, a manager at the works, led the first successful trading expedition to Santa Fe in 1821 and took the first wagons the following year. The Cooper family, the first white settlers in the Boone's Lick Country, helped manage the works and brought back the first mules, jacks and jennets from Santa Fe, helping lay the foundation of Missouri's renowned mule-breeding industry.
In 1827, James and Jesse Morrison dissolved their partnership leaving James in possession of "all salt kettles and tools of every description at the Boone's Lick Salt works." The works were offered for sale in August of 1831, but it remains unclear when the property sold. In 1833, Morrison's 16-year-old son fell into one of the boiling salt kettles and was horribly scalded to death. Shortly thereafter, the US government confirmed James Mackay's claim to his heirs. Morrison left the lick and commercial salt production ceased.
In 1869, there was a short-lived attempt to revive the commercial manufacture of salt. The "Oyster Plan" of 1900 sought to dam the springs to raise oysters and saltwater fish, but the plan quickly collapsed.
Today, the 52-acre site has picnic facilities and a short steep trail that winds its way to the spring site where wood remnants of the salt works and an iron kettle are still visible. Outdoor exhibits interpret this unique saltwater environment and center of frontier industry. Archaeological excavations have uncovered many features of the salt manufacturing industry and some of the artifacts found are on display at the Arrow Rock State Historic Site visitor center in Arrow Rock.
Boone's Lick website
My dad sent me on some good information about the historic site near Boonville where the Boone family settled down. It would appear that Daniel Boone's sons didn't like their father getting all the credit.
Boone's Lick Salt Works
In 1804, explorers Lewis and Clark reported the presence of many saltwater springs in the area that now comprises Howard, Cooper and Saline counties. Wildlife such as deer, elk and bison gathered around these springs to lick the salt from the ground. The largest of these salt springs was the Boone's Lick.
In pioneer times, salt was indispensable for preserving meat and tanning hides. The countryside around this salt spring was considered ideal for settlement and by 1810 had acquired the name "Boone's Lick Country" and for many years was the primary destination of pioneers moving west.
The famous frontiersman Daniel Boone is often credited with discovering the lick. However, his son Nathan made it clear in an 1851 interview that it was he and his brother Daniel Morgan Boone, and not their father, who were associated with the lick. As early as 1797, the Spanish government in St. Louis awarded explorer James Mackay a land grant of 400 arpents (330 acres) around the salt lick, although the U.S. government later denied his claim for many years.
In 1805, the Boone brothers formed a partnership with James and Jesse Morrison to produce salt. Salt production was a labor-intensive project. Brine water was poured into iron kettles and heated to boiling on a stone furnace. As the water evaporated, salt crystallized in the bottom of the kettle. Approximately 250 to 300 gallons of brine water produced a bushel of salt.
The operation grew from eight men laboring over one furnace and 40 kettles to 20 men operating two furnaces handling 60 kettles each. About 30 bushels of salt were produced a day and were shipped by keelboat on the Missouri River to St. Louis where it sold for $2.50 per bushel. So much timber was cut to fuel the salt furnaces that wood had to be brought in from as far as four miles away.
Daniel M. Boone sold his share of the business in 1810. The threat of war with Great Britain and their Indian allies loomed in 1812. Nathan Boone was appointed a captain in the rangers and disposed of his interests in the salt works. The Morrisons had to abandon the salt works until peace was made with the warring tribes in 1815.
Several noted Missourians were associated with the Boone's Lick salt works. William Becknell, a manager at the works, led the first successful trading expedition to Santa Fe in 1821 and took the first wagons the following year. The Cooper family, the first white settlers in the Boone's Lick Country, helped manage the works and brought back the first mules, jacks and jennets from Santa Fe, helping lay the foundation of Missouri's renowned mule-breeding industry.
In 1827, James and Jesse Morrison dissolved their partnership leaving James in possession of "all salt kettles and tools of every description at the Boone's Lick Salt works." The works were offered for sale in August of 1831, but it remains unclear when the property sold. In 1833, Morrison's 16-year-old son fell into one of the boiling salt kettles and was horribly scalded to death. Shortly thereafter, the US government confirmed James Mackay's claim to his heirs. Morrison left the lick and commercial salt production ceased.
In 1869, there was a short-lived attempt to revive the commercial manufacture of salt. The "Oyster Plan" of 1900 sought to dam the springs to raise oysters and saltwater fish, but the plan quickly collapsed.
Today, the 52-acre site has picnic facilities and a short steep trail that winds its way to the spring site where wood remnants of the salt works and an iron kettle are still visible. Outdoor exhibits interpret this unique saltwater environment and center of frontier industry. Archaeological excavations have uncovered many features of the salt manufacturing industry and some of the artifacts found are on display at the Arrow Rock State Historic Site visitor center in Arrow Rock.
Boone's Lick website
Cafeteria curiosities.....
There's a cafeteria in the basement of my workplace. I generally use it when I forget my lunch or if I need a caffeine boost occasionally.
I keep the 32 oz. Styrofoam cup around my desk after using it. The reason? It costs 86 cents if you buy a new cup. Here's the prices.....
32 oz. drink = $1.50
32 oz. refill = $0.64
It seriously costs 86 cents to make that cup?!?!?!?! There's some serious beverage pricing issues in this building. First, the markup of the hot chocolate because of coffee shortages, now this.
As I stood in line yesterday to pay for my lunch (since I forgot to bring along something to eat), there was a lady in front of me that was probably in her 60s. The cashier rung up the total for all of her food. The lady in front of me reached into her dress and pulled a HUGE wallet out of her bra! I'm not talking a money clip. This thing was an inch and a half thick! Better yet, after she opened the wallet she quickly realized that the wallet didn't have what she was looking for. So she put it back into her bra and reached into the other bra cup to pull out another wallet!
She calmly pulled out the money, paid the cashier and then put the 2nd wallet back in her bra and calmly walked off. The cashier didn't seem phased by this at all, so I'm guessing it happens on a regular basis. I will say that if that wallet gets any bigger, she's going to have to get a breast augmentation to fit that thing in her bra.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any security camera still-shots to prove this story, so you'll just have to take my word that it did really happen.
I keep the 32 oz. Styrofoam cup around my desk after using it. The reason? It costs 86 cents if you buy a new cup. Here's the prices.....
32 oz. drink = $1.50
32 oz. refill = $0.64
It seriously costs 86 cents to make that cup?!?!?!?! There's some serious beverage pricing issues in this building. First, the markup of the hot chocolate because of coffee shortages, now this.
As I stood in line yesterday to pay for my lunch (since I forgot to bring along something to eat), there was a lady in front of me that was probably in her 60s. The cashier rung up the total for all of her food. The lady in front of me reached into her dress and pulled a HUGE wallet out of her bra! I'm not talking a money clip. This thing was an inch and a half thick! Better yet, after she opened the wallet she quickly realized that the wallet didn't have what she was looking for. So she put it back into her bra and reached into the other bra cup to pull out another wallet!
She calmly pulled out the money, paid the cashier and then put the 2nd wallet back in her bra and calmly walked off. The cashier didn't seem phased by this at all, so I'm guessing it happens on a regular basis. I will say that if that wallet gets any bigger, she's going to have to get a breast augmentation to fit that thing in her bra.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any security camera still-shots to prove this story, so you'll just have to take my word that it did really happen.
Blogger site down = no posts.....
I had a couple of posts ready to go yesterday. Unfortunately, the Blogger website was down with a server error. So, more posts today as a result.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Minor correction required.....
I have been informed by Mrs. Lime that my usually spectacular recall had a minor speed bump in my last post concerning our trip through Boonville. She wants to make sure that it is noted that she did correctly guess that Boonville was named after Daniel Boone. Consider this an editorial correction of that post.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Wisdom found on a car ride.........
Mrs. Lime and I headed down to the Mizzou basketball game last night. We were running late, so we ended up just driving down on our own rather than riding down with everyone else we sit with.
While I enjoy going to the basketball games, I enjoy the ride down nearly as much. We usually ride in a group of 6 people for roughly 1 1/2 to 2 hours one way. The time in the car is nice because you don't have the distractions of normal life. You can just chat with people and catch up on what's happening in their life or things you didn't see that week that others might have seen. If there's kids with us, it's usually just as entertaining to find out what a kid is thinking about at any given moment. I know most people see it as a long car ride, but I see it as a chance to unwind.
We were driving down I-70 from Kansas City to Columbia, where the University of Missouri is located. About 20 miles before you reach Columbia is a town called Boonville. It is located in Boone County. I divert the conversation after seeing the first exit sign for Boonville.......
Me: Do you know what Boonville is named after?
Mrs. Lime: A guy named Boon?
Me: Close, it's actually Daniel Boone.
Mrs. Lime: I didn't know Boonville was named after Daniel Boone.
Me: Yep, I believe there is actually a place near town where he lived for a portion of time.
Mrs. Lime: Daniel Boone lived in Missouri? I thought he lived in Tennessee?
Me: Well, I know at one point later in his life he was a senator in Kentucky, but I believe he was mostly an explorer and trailblazer during his early life, so I'm sure he explored this area at some point in time.
Mrs. Lime: But what about that song.....'born on a mountain top in Tennessee (pause) ...killed him a bear when he was only three.'?
Me: Yeah, I guess you are right. I do remember that song.
Mrs. Lime is quite happy with her newfound show of knowledge about Daniel Boone living in Tennessee. We move on to other topics and discussion unrelated to Daniel Boone or Boonville.
After about 5 minutes, a puzzling thought comes to my head......
Me: Wait, isn't that song about Davy Crockett? 'Davy, Davy Crockett! King of the wild frontier!'
Mrs. Lime: Actually, (laughing) I think you're right.
Me: Well, you were right on the song, but I guess we should have finished the song to make sure we knew who the heck we were singing about.
The rest of the night, I started singing the Davy Crockett song at random moments, sometimes inserting Daniel Boone's name in the song, sometimes leaving it the same. Mrs. Lime was amused by the various renditions.
At another point in the ride, Mrs. Lime made a very good point....
Mrs. Lime: You know, we should put cameras in this car just to record our conversations. I'm thinking people would find us awfully funny.
Me: Oh, I have no doubt that they'd find us funny. People could learn a lot from watching us.
Then again, if people were learning from the Lime family antics, would they really be learning anything at all? I'm thinking they're better off watching Sesame Street. The last thing the world needs to do is learn from my antics. Mrs. Lime? Maybe, but certainly not me.
While I enjoy going to the basketball games, I enjoy the ride down nearly as much. We usually ride in a group of 6 people for roughly 1 1/2 to 2 hours one way. The time in the car is nice because you don't have the distractions of normal life. You can just chat with people and catch up on what's happening in their life or things you didn't see that week that others might have seen. If there's kids with us, it's usually just as entertaining to find out what a kid is thinking about at any given moment. I know most people see it as a long car ride, but I see it as a chance to unwind.
We were driving down I-70 from Kansas City to Columbia, where the University of Missouri is located. About 20 miles before you reach Columbia is a town called Boonville. It is located in Boone County. I divert the conversation after seeing the first exit sign for Boonville.......
Me: Do you know what Boonville is named after?
Mrs. Lime: A guy named Boon?
Me: Close, it's actually Daniel Boone.
Mrs. Lime: I didn't know Boonville was named after Daniel Boone.
Me: Yep, I believe there is actually a place near town where he lived for a portion of time.
Mrs. Lime: Daniel Boone lived in Missouri? I thought he lived in Tennessee?
Me: Well, I know at one point later in his life he was a senator in Kentucky, but I believe he was mostly an explorer and trailblazer during his early life, so I'm sure he explored this area at some point in time.
Mrs. Lime: But what about that song.....'born on a mountain top in Tennessee (pause) ...killed him a bear when he was only three.'?
Me: Yeah, I guess you are right. I do remember that song.
Mrs. Lime is quite happy with her newfound show of knowledge about Daniel Boone living in Tennessee. We move on to other topics and discussion unrelated to Daniel Boone or Boonville.
After about 5 minutes, a puzzling thought comes to my head......
Me: Wait, isn't that song about Davy Crockett? 'Davy, Davy Crockett! King of the wild frontier!'
Mrs. Lime: Actually, (laughing) I think you're right.
Me: Well, you were right on the song, but I guess we should have finished the song to make sure we knew who the heck we were singing about.
The rest of the night, I started singing the Davy Crockett song at random moments, sometimes inserting Daniel Boone's name in the song, sometimes leaving it the same. Mrs. Lime was amused by the various renditions.
At another point in the ride, Mrs. Lime made a very good point....
Mrs. Lime: You know, we should put cameras in this car just to record our conversations. I'm thinking people would find us awfully funny.
Me: Oh, I have no doubt that they'd find us funny. People could learn a lot from watching us.
Then again, if people were learning from the Lime family antics, would they really be learning anything at all? I'm thinking they're better off watching Sesame Street. The last thing the world needs to do is learn from my antics. Mrs. Lime? Maybe, but certainly not me.
I don't think I'm a geek anymore......
I just got a call from the local Gamestop where I reserved my new Playstation 3, which was released today. It's already paid for in full so they don't sell it to someone else. The manager just called me.....
Me: Hello?
GS manager: Yes, this is XXX at Gamestop. I was just checking if you were coming by to pick up your PS3.
Me: Yes, I'll be by around 3:00 PM to pick it up.
GS manager: I just didn't know if you forgot about it.
Me: In order to pay for that thing, I needed to keep working.
GS manager: Well, you're the only one that hasn't picked up their PS3 yet.
Me: OK, thanks. I'll be by a bit later. Bye.
I got the feeling that I was losing geek points by failing to take the day off. I feel like I've been alienated by geeks. How humbling is that?
Me: Hello?
GS manager: Yes, this is XXX at Gamestop. I was just checking if you were coming by to pick up your PS3.
Me: Yes, I'll be by around 3:00 PM to pick it up.
GS manager: I just didn't know if you forgot about it.
Me: In order to pay for that thing, I needed to keep working.
GS manager: Well, you're the only one that hasn't picked up their PS3 yet.
Me: OK, thanks. I'll be by a bit later. Bye.
I got the feeling that I was losing geek points by failing to take the day off. I feel like I've been alienated by geeks. How humbling is that?
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
You may be safe from the hunters here.......
Note to the two deer that thought they were safe hanging out in our backyard yesterday morning: You're not safe.
Although I wasn't actually there to witness it, evidently Nova had Christmas come early yesterday. Mrs. Lime walked over to let Nova out for the morning. He quickly took off running across the yard after two deer who had wandered into our neighborhood. Mrs. Lime didn't notice the deer until he was already out the door and quickly started yelling at Nova to stop, thinking that he might get hurt trying to chase down a deer. He eventually broke off the chase, but I have no doubt that he had visions of deer dancing in his head all day long after that brief encounter.
Although I wasn't actually there to witness it, evidently Nova had Christmas come early yesterday. Mrs. Lime walked over to let Nova out for the morning. He quickly took off running across the yard after two deer who had wandered into our neighborhood. Mrs. Lime didn't notice the deer until he was already out the door and quickly started yelling at Nova to stop, thinking that he might get hurt trying to chase down a deer. He eventually broke off the chase, but I have no doubt that he had visions of deer dancing in his head all day long after that brief encounter.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Bad day for Nova........
Nova had a tough day yesterday. Mrs. Lime dropped him off yesterday morning at the vet to have a cracked tooth removed. Evidently he's one tough dog. The vet said that there was an infection underneath the tooth. He never shows any sign of pain.
We went by to pick him up around 4:00 PM. They did the procedure early in the day, but they kept him for awhile to allow him to wake up and let some of the anesthetic wear off. When they finally brought him out, he was walking like a drunk guy in a bar. He was happy to see us, but was walking sideways and not exactly all there. It appears he's a very happy drunk, so that's always a good thing.
We got out to the truck to head home. He was excited to be going 'bye-bye'. He usually recognizes the truck and walks right up to the back door to get in. This time, he simply walked right past it. We have confirmation. He's out of it. I pulled him back with the leash and open the door. He was excited to go, but he gave me a look that indicated that there was no way in hell that he was going to be able to get into that truck. I grabbed him around the stomach and hoisted him into the truck. He stumbled in and quickly laid down since he was a bit wobbly.
When we got home, same thing. I lifted him out of the truck and he was really happy to be back on solid ground. I had him follow me out to the front to 'go potty'. He trotted out to follow me, but as his eyes kept focused forward on me, his legs kept taking him straight left. After taking the long way to the end of the driveway, he finally managed to reach me. He walked over and lifted his leg to potty. It didn't work so well. His leg quickly dropped back to the ground. He realized what was going on, so he just peed on all four legs. Thankfully, his aim was good enough that he didn't pee on his feet at all. That's my boy!
We came inside through the garage. He bumped into two walls on the way through the hallway, but was unphased. He went to get a drink and ended up somehow dunking most of his neck fur in his water bowl. I suppose we should thank our lucky stars he didn't drown. After that, he came into the kitchen area and laid down. I was doing a few things in the kitchen and suddenly heard one of the kitchen chairs go sliding into the table. Was it a ghost? Nope, just Nova running into a chair when he started walking around the kitchen. No worries.
The night was topped off with an event that the vet had already told us might happen. He started drooling blood out of the side of his mouth. It wasn't a big deal when he was on the marble floors, but we had to put a towel under his head when he moved to the carpet to lay down. Thankfully, it wasn't too much drool and easily controlled.
Nova slept really well last night. I'm guessing that he's pretty glad that yesterday is behind him.
We went by to pick him up around 4:00 PM. They did the procedure early in the day, but they kept him for awhile to allow him to wake up and let some of the anesthetic wear off. When they finally brought him out, he was walking like a drunk guy in a bar. He was happy to see us, but was walking sideways and not exactly all there. It appears he's a very happy drunk, so that's always a good thing.
We got out to the truck to head home. He was excited to be going 'bye-bye'. He usually recognizes the truck and walks right up to the back door to get in. This time, he simply walked right past it. We have confirmation. He's out of it. I pulled him back with the leash and open the door. He was excited to go, but he gave me a look that indicated that there was no way in hell that he was going to be able to get into that truck. I grabbed him around the stomach and hoisted him into the truck. He stumbled in and quickly laid down since he was a bit wobbly.
When we got home, same thing. I lifted him out of the truck and he was really happy to be back on solid ground. I had him follow me out to the front to 'go potty'. He trotted out to follow me, but as his eyes kept focused forward on me, his legs kept taking him straight left. After taking the long way to the end of the driveway, he finally managed to reach me. He walked over and lifted his leg to potty. It didn't work so well. His leg quickly dropped back to the ground. He realized what was going on, so he just peed on all four legs. Thankfully, his aim was good enough that he didn't pee on his feet at all. That's my boy!
We came inside through the garage. He bumped into two walls on the way through the hallway, but was unphased. He went to get a drink and ended up somehow dunking most of his neck fur in his water bowl. I suppose we should thank our lucky stars he didn't drown. After that, he came into the kitchen area and laid down. I was doing a few things in the kitchen and suddenly heard one of the kitchen chairs go sliding into the table. Was it a ghost? Nope, just Nova running into a chair when he started walking around the kitchen. No worries.
The night was topped off with an event that the vet had already told us might happen. He started drooling blood out of the side of his mouth. It wasn't a big deal when he was on the marble floors, but we had to put a towel under his head when he moved to the carpet to lay down. Thankfully, it wasn't too much drool and easily controlled.
Nova slept really well last night. I'm guessing that he's pretty glad that yesterday is behind him.
Monday, November 13, 2006
More poker/personalities at the casino.......
I sat down to play some poker for 3 1/2 hours on Saturday night at the local casino. The place was quite full. There were a lot of very bad players at the table just begging people to take their money. The problem is that you can't take the bad players money without a good hand. You can't bluff these type of players in a limit game because they will call no matter what.
I really got no great pocket pairs the entire night (my best starting pocket pair all night was 99, which I got twice). I did manage to get a good starting hands like AK, AQ, AJ, etc. that really did well for me. My only tough hand was when I called a raise with AK and I flopped two pair. I ended up investing about $25 in that hand only to see my opponent flip over AA for three aces. The dealer even said 'ouch' when I flipped it over.
I had a couple of monster hands where players called and raised where they had no business doing so. I got in one hand where I had AJ and got AA4 on the flop. Another guy raised and reraised me throughout the hand. He finally flipped over A3 and I won a big pot. He really should have know that there was the possibility that I had a better kicker, but he was hemorrhaging money all night, so I shouldn't be surprised I suppose.
I also hit a monster pot when I had K5 of clubs in the big blind. 7 people were in the hand and I hit two clubs on the flop and a club on the river to rake in about $90 on that hand.
The players were a lot of fun. One guy was a regular I've seen before. His name is Leon and he owns a chain of grocery stores in the area. Really nice retired guy that will play just about any two cards. He loves to talk and joke around and his favorite hand is 32 suited. He won twice with that hand on Saturday while I was at the table.
I also sat with a guy from Nebraska. He was a nuclear power plant operator. I asked him if he had the same job as Homer Simpson where he sat at a large control panel with all the bells and whistles and ran the plant. He said he used to have that job but now has a different one. He was a very quiet guy, but very nice when you could get him talking. I steered clear of the pot when he was involved in a hand. He usually had a good hand when he was betting or raising.
I was involved in another hand where I called with QJ. There were three other players in the hand. The flop was 942. Everyone checked around. The turn was a queen. The guy next to me bet and I called. The others folded. The river was another queen, giving me three queens. The guy to my right bet and I raised. He looked at me funny, like he didn't believe me. I just kept looking back and threw in a smile. I told him to throw his hand away. He just smiled and kept looking at me. I told him I'd show him my hand if he folded. He threw away his hand and I showed him my queen. I asked him if he would have called if I didn't say that I would show my card. He said he would have called, so I lost $6 by showing him my card. I told him that it was no big deal and that I was there to make friends, not money. He chuckled and stuck out his hand, saying 'Hi, my name is Keon!'. I shook his hand and told him I was Lime. Instant friendship and good conversation for the last hour I was there. Honestly, that was probably a good friendship to have. He's a regular and very knowledgeable about the other players. He'll be a good ally if I happen to see him at the tables again.
A guy who is a crazy loose regular showed up right when I was about to leave. I wanted to hang around and see if I could make some money off him, but I was already up $150 and needed to get home as Mrs. Lime was off work in about an hour. Overall, a good win and a few good hours of entertainment.
I really got no great pocket pairs the entire night (my best starting pocket pair all night was 99, which I got twice). I did manage to get a good starting hands like AK, AQ, AJ, etc. that really did well for me. My only tough hand was when I called a raise with AK and I flopped two pair. I ended up investing about $25 in that hand only to see my opponent flip over AA for three aces. The dealer even said 'ouch' when I flipped it over.
I had a couple of monster hands where players called and raised where they had no business doing so. I got in one hand where I had AJ and got AA4 on the flop. Another guy raised and reraised me throughout the hand. He finally flipped over A3 and I won a big pot. He really should have know that there was the possibility that I had a better kicker, but he was hemorrhaging money all night, so I shouldn't be surprised I suppose.
I also hit a monster pot when I had K5 of clubs in the big blind. 7 people were in the hand and I hit two clubs on the flop and a club on the river to rake in about $90 on that hand.
The players were a lot of fun. One guy was a regular I've seen before. His name is Leon and he owns a chain of grocery stores in the area. Really nice retired guy that will play just about any two cards. He loves to talk and joke around and his favorite hand is 32 suited. He won twice with that hand on Saturday while I was at the table.
I also sat with a guy from Nebraska. He was a nuclear power plant operator. I asked him if he had the same job as Homer Simpson where he sat at a large control panel with all the bells and whistles and ran the plant. He said he used to have that job but now has a different one. He was a very quiet guy, but very nice when you could get him talking. I steered clear of the pot when he was involved in a hand. He usually had a good hand when he was betting or raising.
I was involved in another hand where I called with QJ. There were three other players in the hand. The flop was 942. Everyone checked around. The turn was a queen. The guy next to me bet and I called. The others folded. The river was another queen, giving me three queens. The guy to my right bet and I raised. He looked at me funny, like he didn't believe me. I just kept looking back and threw in a smile. I told him to throw his hand away. He just smiled and kept looking at me. I told him I'd show him my hand if he folded. He threw away his hand and I showed him my queen. I asked him if he would have called if I didn't say that I would show my card. He said he would have called, so I lost $6 by showing him my card. I told him that it was no big deal and that I was there to make friends, not money. He chuckled and stuck out his hand, saying 'Hi, my name is Keon!'. I shook his hand and told him I was Lime. Instant friendship and good conversation for the last hour I was there. Honestly, that was probably a good friendship to have. He's a regular and very knowledgeable about the other players. He'll be a good ally if I happen to see him at the tables again.
A guy who is a crazy loose regular showed up right when I was about to leave. I wanted to hang around and see if I could make some money off him, but I was already up $150 and needed to get home as Mrs. Lime was off work in about an hour. Overall, a good win and a few good hours of entertainment.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
The ticket discussion.......
Mrs. Lime and I went out to dinner with my sister and her husband Tuesday night. We decided to take my car. I got into the car and when I looked to the right, Mrs. Lime was just opening the door. I notice that the envelope containing the seat belt ticket that I received was still in the passenger seat! I reached over and grabbed it and tossed it in the back seat. As Mrs. Lime was sitting down, she said, "Was that a speeding ticket?"
My response knowing that she probably hadn't read the blog entry about the ticket yet? "No."
Let the record show that response was truthful. She asked if it was a SPEEDING ticket. Of course, we all know that it was a seat belt violation. I am curious. If I had a polygraph machine hooked up to me and the tester asked me if I received a speeding ticket and I said 'no', would it show me as telling the truth or not? I'm wondering if maybe in my mind I would have set something off because I originally was pulled over for speeding. Hmmmmm.....
Anyway, last night, Mrs. Lime nails me when I get home. She gives me the full speech that I told you was coming about how lucky I am in regards to getting out of speeding tickets. It's like she's jealous to some extent that she can't use her charm and good looks to get out of tickets, but an idiot like me can do it all the time (though it's not something I intentionally like to do on a regular basis).
Let the record show that I know my wife better than anyone else on the face of this planet.
My response knowing that she probably hadn't read the blog entry about the ticket yet? "No."
Let the record show that response was truthful. She asked if it was a SPEEDING ticket. Of course, we all know that it was a seat belt violation. I am curious. If I had a polygraph machine hooked up to me and the tester asked me if I received a speeding ticket and I said 'no', would it show me as telling the truth or not? I'm wondering if maybe in my mind I would have set something off because I originally was pulled over for speeding. Hmmmmm.....
Anyway, last night, Mrs. Lime nails me when I get home. She gives me the full speech that I told you was coming about how lucky I am in regards to getting out of speeding tickets. It's like she's jealous to some extent that she can't use her charm and good looks to get out of tickets, but an idiot like me can do it all the time (though it's not something I intentionally like to do on a regular basis).
Let the record show that I know my wife better than anyone else on the face of this planet.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Chiefs/Rams game: Part 3.........
My wife will not be happy after she reads this blog entry. I'll explain later.
After the Chiefs' big win, TW and I headed back to his place where my car was parked. I grabbed a Coke from his fridge and headed out for the drive back to Kansas City.
I drove out of TW's driveway and headed over to Highway 141. It's a state highway in St. Louis that has about 4-5 lanes of traffic in both directions. Newly paved, really nice highway.
I had just got on the highway and went over the top of a hill. I see a cop car on the right hand side of the highway. OK, have no idea what the speed limit is because I haven't seen a sign since I got on the highway, so I should probably slow down. Cop starts moving. Uh oh. What the hell is the speed limit here? Dang, I just realized that I haven't renewed my Missouri license plates since I moved back to Missouri!
The cop pulled in behind me. I initially pulled over on the shoulder, but noticed that it was a pretty skinny shoulder, so before I stopped moving completely, I pointed over to a larger shoulder and drove over to it so the cop would have more room. I always thought that if you're going to get pulled over, it's best that you pull over in a safe spot to avoid any problems where the cop might get hurt and you end up feeling even more guilty. I also notice a big sign right next to me that says 'Speed Limit 45'. That would have been much more handy to see before NOW! He comes up and I've already taken off my seat belt and pulled out my wallet with ID and insurance card at the ready.
Cop: How do you pronounce your name? (I tell him.) Mr. Lime, I pulled you over for doing 65 in a 45 MPH zone and you also have expired plates. Do you still live in Independence, MO?
Lime: No, I actually just moved to Kansas City, MO.
Cop: Do you have a reason for why your plates are expired?
Lime: Actually, I just relocated back to Missouri.
Cop: Where did you move from?
Lime: Baltimore, Maryland.
Cop: OK, sir. I'll be back in a minute.
He headed back to his car. I started running through the scenarios. None of them were good. First, I was wearing a Chiefs jersey and was just pulled over in St. Louis after the Rams were beat by the Chiefs. That's not good. Second, I have an expired license. While I did that intentionally because I didn't want to register my car in Kansas (they make you pay your yearly car taxes when you renew), I should have found time to renew my plates since I've been in our new house in Missouri for a few weeks. Third, I had no idea that the speed limit was 45 on this stretch of road that looks like a superhighway with 4 lanes going either way. Guess I should have looked for a sign sooner, though I'm honestly not sure that there was one for me to see since I just got on the road.
I looked back in the mirror. Uh oh. He looks like he's writing a bunch of stuff. That's never a good sign. Either he's sketching my picture so he's able to identify me in the near future or he's writing out a ticket. I'm guessing it's the latter. He hops out of the car and heads back up to see me.
Cop: Alright, Mr. Lime. Here's what I've done. You were wearing your seat belt, correct?
Lime: Yes, I took it off to pull out my wallet once I stopped.
Cop: OK. I stopped you for doing 20 MPH over the speed limit and you also have expired tags. What I've done is write you a ticket for a $10 fine for not wearing your seat belt and I've decided to give you a warning for speeding and driving with expired tags. I feel I'm being very generous here given that you are a Chiefs fan.
Lime: (chuckling) Yes, you're honestly being way too generous. I was just thinking as you were back in your car how all of the Rams fans were probably driving by saying, "Hey, that cop pulled over a Chiefs fan! He nailed that bastard!"
Cop: (laughing) Yep, I've decided that the embarrassment of getting pulled over in that red jersey in St. Louis was probably punishment enough.
Lime: I honestly didn't know the speed limit here was that low. As soon as you started moving on the shoulder, I had the sudden realization that maybe this was not a freeway. I didn't speed the whole way here this morning just because of the expired tags.
Cop: (laughing again) Yes, it has a lower speed limit because of the stop lights, but it certainly looks like a freeway. We catch a lot of locals going way too fast on this road, but I assumed that you had no clue how badly you were speeding.
I signed off on my $10 ticket.
Cop: Drive safely. No more speeding on my roads, you hear?
Lime: Yes, thank you very much.
I shook his hand while thanking him and drove off, making sure to drive the requested 45 MPH on his road.
Now you may ask, why would Mrs. Lime not be happy after reading about her husband getting out of a ticket with only a seat belt violation? Well, Mrs. Lime has always insisted that I have an extraordinary knack for getting out of speeding violations. I've done it two other times. The last time, Mrs. Lime was with me along with her grandmother. I told that officer that I was busy talking to Mrs. Lime and her grandmother and didn't even notice that the speed limit dropped in that area.
Here's what I would suggest.....be nice to the guy/lady who pulls you over. Last time, when the cop came up, I initially asked him if he wanted me to move my car over to the side road so he wouldn't have to worry about traffic. He said no, but thanked me for asking. Sunday, when I was pulled over, I went out of my way to pull over further out of the way so he wouldn't be in the line of traffic. I really think that cops appreciate when people don't give them any grief AND look out for their safety. After some of the people that they have to deal with on an everyday basis, they probably appreciate the fact that someone goes out of their way to assist them to some degree.
One of my friends mentioned that he had a friend who was a cop. The cop said that he often would pull over people for speeding and would go into it with the intention of warning them if they were nice to him. He even mentioned that there was one lady who he pulled over who gave him grief from the moment he walked up to her window. He ended up giving her a ticket and specifically telling her that he was going to give her a warning, but since she was raising such a fuss that he was giving her a ticket instead.
It pays to be nice to people, even if you're not happy to see them at that time.
After the Chiefs' big win, TW and I headed back to his place where my car was parked. I grabbed a Coke from his fridge and headed out for the drive back to Kansas City.
I drove out of TW's driveway and headed over to Highway 141. It's a state highway in St. Louis that has about 4-5 lanes of traffic in both directions. Newly paved, really nice highway.
I had just got on the highway and went over the top of a hill. I see a cop car on the right hand side of the highway. OK, have no idea what the speed limit is because I haven't seen a sign since I got on the highway, so I should probably slow down. Cop starts moving. Uh oh. What the hell is the speed limit here? Dang, I just realized that I haven't renewed my Missouri license plates since I moved back to Missouri!
The cop pulled in behind me. I initially pulled over on the shoulder, but noticed that it was a pretty skinny shoulder, so before I stopped moving completely, I pointed over to a larger shoulder and drove over to it so the cop would have more room. I always thought that if you're going to get pulled over, it's best that you pull over in a safe spot to avoid any problems where the cop might get hurt and you end up feeling even more guilty. I also notice a big sign right next to me that says 'Speed Limit 45'. That would have been much more handy to see before NOW! He comes up and I've already taken off my seat belt and pulled out my wallet with ID and insurance card at the ready.
Cop: How do you pronounce your name? (I tell him.) Mr. Lime, I pulled you over for doing 65 in a 45 MPH zone and you also have expired plates. Do you still live in Independence, MO?
Lime: No, I actually just moved to Kansas City, MO.
Cop: Do you have a reason for why your plates are expired?
Lime: Actually, I just relocated back to Missouri.
Cop: Where did you move from?
Lime: Baltimore, Maryland.
Cop: OK, sir. I'll be back in a minute.
He headed back to his car. I started running through the scenarios. None of them were good. First, I was wearing a Chiefs jersey and was just pulled over in St. Louis after the Rams were beat by the Chiefs. That's not good. Second, I have an expired license. While I did that intentionally because I didn't want to register my car in Kansas (they make you pay your yearly car taxes when you renew), I should have found time to renew my plates since I've been in our new house in Missouri for a few weeks. Third, I had no idea that the speed limit was 45 on this stretch of road that looks like a superhighway with 4 lanes going either way. Guess I should have looked for a sign sooner, though I'm honestly not sure that there was one for me to see since I just got on the road.
I looked back in the mirror. Uh oh. He looks like he's writing a bunch of stuff. That's never a good sign. Either he's sketching my picture so he's able to identify me in the near future or he's writing out a ticket. I'm guessing it's the latter. He hops out of the car and heads back up to see me.
Cop: Alright, Mr. Lime. Here's what I've done. You were wearing your seat belt, correct?
Lime: Yes, I took it off to pull out my wallet once I stopped.
Cop: OK. I stopped you for doing 20 MPH over the speed limit and you also have expired tags. What I've done is write you a ticket for a $10 fine for not wearing your seat belt and I've decided to give you a warning for speeding and driving with expired tags. I feel I'm being very generous here given that you are a Chiefs fan.
Lime: (chuckling) Yes, you're honestly being way too generous. I was just thinking as you were back in your car how all of the Rams fans were probably driving by saying, "Hey, that cop pulled over a Chiefs fan! He nailed that bastard!"
Cop: (laughing) Yep, I've decided that the embarrassment of getting pulled over in that red jersey in St. Louis was probably punishment enough.
Lime: I honestly didn't know the speed limit here was that low. As soon as you started moving on the shoulder, I had the sudden realization that maybe this was not a freeway. I didn't speed the whole way here this morning just because of the expired tags.
Cop: (laughing again) Yes, it has a lower speed limit because of the stop lights, but it certainly looks like a freeway. We catch a lot of locals going way too fast on this road, but I assumed that you had no clue how badly you were speeding.
I signed off on my $10 ticket.
Cop: Drive safely. No more speeding on my roads, you hear?
Lime: Yes, thank you very much.
I shook his hand while thanking him and drove off, making sure to drive the requested 45 MPH on his road.
Now you may ask, why would Mrs. Lime not be happy after reading about her husband getting out of a ticket with only a seat belt violation? Well, Mrs. Lime has always insisted that I have an extraordinary knack for getting out of speeding violations. I've done it two other times. The last time, Mrs. Lime was with me along with her grandmother. I told that officer that I was busy talking to Mrs. Lime and her grandmother and didn't even notice that the speed limit dropped in that area.
Here's what I would suggest.....be nice to the guy/lady who pulls you over. Last time, when the cop came up, I initially asked him if he wanted me to move my car over to the side road so he wouldn't have to worry about traffic. He said no, but thanked me for asking. Sunday, when I was pulled over, I went out of my way to pull over further out of the way so he wouldn't be in the line of traffic. I really think that cops appreciate when people don't give them any grief AND look out for their safety. After some of the people that they have to deal with on an everyday basis, they probably appreciate the fact that someone goes out of their way to assist them to some degree.
One of my friends mentioned that he had a friend who was a cop. The cop said that he often would pull over people for speeding and would go into it with the intention of warning them if they were nice to him. He even mentioned that there was one lady who he pulled over who gave him grief from the moment he walked up to her window. He ended up giving her a ticket and specifically telling her that he was going to give her a warning, but since she was raising such a fuss that he was giving her a ticket instead.
It pays to be nice to people, even if you're not happy to see them at that time.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Chiefs/Rams game: Part 2.......
We took I-44 downtown and used TW's parking pass to park several blocks from the stadium. The parking garage was right across the street from the Old Busch Stadium. Where Old Busch once stood, there was nothing more than a dirt hole. To its left was the New Busch Stadium. It's styled to look like an old ballpark made entirely of brick. Really nice looking from the outside and a definite improvement over the old stadium.
We headed down the street towards the dome. Along the walk is a park that is across the street from an old domed building. I believe that the building is an old courthouse, but don't quote me on that. No matter what it is, it's a really neat building and it is framed by St. Louis' most recognizable sight, the Gateway Arch. Note that the arch is actually a few blocks away from the courthouse, so it looks much smaller in this view than it actually is if you were closer to the arch.
As we walked down the street, we noticed that there were a lot of Chiefs fans in the street. Not surprising that the Chiefs fans travel well, but there seemed to be even more than I expected. We got in line to wait for the doors to open. 1 1/2 hours before the game, they opened and we filed in. There were security people lined up frisking everyone who came into the door. The line of guards alternated male and female. I didn't think anything about it and spread my arms out in front of a female guard. She laughed and pointed me aside to the guy next to her. Evidently, the guards were only supposed to frisk members of the same sex. Oops! Well, no one can accuse me of showing bias. That lady could have searched me and I wouldn't have even cared.
We received American flag pins as we entered in honor of the upcoming Veterans' Day holiday. I stuck mine on my jersey and we headed up the escalators. I felt like I was in a mall while riding the escalators. We ended up going up several escalators until we finally reached the top. We had seats in the upper deck in the end zone. Not a bad vantage point at all as you could easily watch the RB's try to find their running holes and see the overall offense and defense. We were also in the front row of the section, so there were no issues with people getting in our sight lines.
The pre-game for the Rams didn't go very well. The Chiefs came out as a team with no player introductions. Then they fired off a bunch of fireworks and lights. It was actually pretty impressive.
The cheerleaders all came out and lined up along the runway where the players were to come out. There was only one problem. As the announcer was calling out the starters, no one was running out of the tunnel. Someone evidently forgot to pass on to the players that they were supposed to be hitting the field. The announcer wasn't phased as he continued to announce the starters. Eventually, the fireworks stopped and the lights came on. Only then did the Rams walk on to the field. It was a bit weird to say the least.
It was obvious after the lineups were announced that this was not going to be any ordinary Rams football game. Roughly 25-30% of the crowd was clad in Chiefs red. One of the common traditions at Arrowhead during the national anthem is to replace 'the home of the brave' at the end with 'the home of the CHIEFS!'. It's one of those things that send chills up the spine of any person attending their first Chiefs home game. NFL rookies often comment about that moment whether they are on the Chiefs or visiting Arrowhead for the first time. It sets the mood right away. At the end of the national anthem, the Chiefs fans made sure to let St. Louis fans know that they were not going to go down quietly as 'the home of the CHIEFS!' echoed through the dome. Some of the Rams fans knew it was coming, but other more casual fans appeared to be caught off-guard.
The first half went well as the Rams fumbled the ball 3 times which lead to 17 points for the Chiefs. Here's a picture of Tony Gonzales celebrating in the back corner of the end zone with a teammate.
Huddle time......
Another play from scrimmage giving a good view of the dome from floor to ceiling......
The halftime score was 24-10 after the Rams hit a field goal at the end of the half. At halftime, the Marine Silent Drill Platoon hit the field. These guys were amazing. They carried guns that weigh around 10 pounds with sharp bayonets fixed to the end of their rifle. They put on a great show where they spun, flipped and caught guns while showing the precision that the military prides itself upon. The crowd gave them a very loud standing ovation when their performance was complete.
One thing I noticed was a couple of season ticket holders next to us. TW knew them from previous games. It was a dad and his son. Both were extremely nice with the occasional razzing about TW bringing along a Chiefs fan. They were good football fans and the son was a bright kid who you could tell really was a big Rams fan. There were a lot of drunk and immature fans on both side in the crowd. Amongst all that, here was a guy who brought his kid to the game and they were having a good time together. It was good to see.
The second half was exciting with St. Louis mounting a comeback, but a couple of bad penalties by their offensive line really hurt their chances of winning. A second touchdown by Tony Gonzales in the second half sealed the win, 31-17. The rowdy Chiefs fans up in the visitors section started the tomahawk chop as the St. Louis fans headed for the exit.
We walked out into the downtown streets to head back to the car. There was still lots of talking between the fans in the streets. KC fans were giving high-fives to total strangers. The usher holding open the doors was going out of his way to tell every Chiefs fan to 'remember who has the ring'. I'm not sure he realizes that, although it has been awhile, the Chiefs actually have also won one Super Bowl. I didn't bother to correct him. I was just happy the Chiefs won.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Chiefs/Rams game........
I have a good friend, TW, who is a St. Louis Rams season ticket holder. When I was still in Baltimore, the Chiefs 2006 schedule came out. I immediately noted that the Chiefs were going to be playing the Rams in November, 2006. I sent TW an e-mail asking him how much it was going to cost me to secure his other ticket for that game. TW responded that he had already noted the game as well and was willing to let me have it. Sweet!
Flash forward to today. I woke up at 4:30 AM this morning and headed out the door to make the long trip to St. Louis for the Chiefs/Rams matchup. I was not the only Chiefs fan on the road. I passed many cars full of Chiefs fans and everyone was very friendly, waiving as soon as they realized that yet another fan was on the road.
This weekend is actually somewhat of a dangerous weekend to travel in Missouri. Deer season began yesterday. Some of you outside of Missouri may wonder why that's significant. Well, Missouri has a significant overpopulation of deer. Hunters head into the woods, fields, etc., and flush out all of the deer. It's inevitable that the deer are going to wander away from their normal home and flee from the hunters across roads. I-70 literally becomes a bloody mess during hunting season. I saw 8 dead deer in 200 miles on the eastbound lanes of I-70.
I also saw one deer that was 'considering suicide'. In other words, there was a deer that was standing right off the edge of the shoulder of the highway, looking across the road. That deer is pretty sure that the road is a dangerous place, but she (it was a doe) is also pretty sure that the hunters that are nearby are equally as dangerous. It's a scary thing to see if you're driving down the road. The car is moving at a high rate of speed and there's not much you can do if that deer decides to bolt across the road in front of your car. Not only that, but if that deer decides to change direction once on the road, the hooves of the deer act like they are on ice and the deer often falls down. People have been killed when they hit a deer and the body of the deer gets thrown through the windshield. Thankfully, my doe decided to actually run back to where she had came from and avoid any confrontation with my car.
I got into town about 8:30 AM and TW and I headed off to a nearby Bob Evans to pick up a good breakfast. While most breakfast food is often not good for you, there's something great about having a great farm-style breakfast once every couple of months. Eggs (sunny side up), bacon, sausage, toast, potatoes, biscuits and gravy, orange juice.......I could go on and on. It was a health nightmare, but it was awfully tasty. I'll now wait until sometime in 2007 to have a similar breakfast. TW and I were also laughed at when we stepped out of the car at Bob Evans. A couple of the employees were amused by the fact that two guys, one a Rams fan and one a Chiefs fan, stepped out of the same car. I saw nothing wrong with it. Can't we all just get along?????
We finished up breakfast and headed off to the football stadium.
Flash forward to today. I woke up at 4:30 AM this morning and headed out the door to make the long trip to St. Louis for the Chiefs/Rams matchup. I was not the only Chiefs fan on the road. I passed many cars full of Chiefs fans and everyone was very friendly, waiving as soon as they realized that yet another fan was on the road.
This weekend is actually somewhat of a dangerous weekend to travel in Missouri. Deer season began yesterday. Some of you outside of Missouri may wonder why that's significant. Well, Missouri has a significant overpopulation of deer. Hunters head into the woods, fields, etc., and flush out all of the deer. It's inevitable that the deer are going to wander away from their normal home and flee from the hunters across roads. I-70 literally becomes a bloody mess during hunting season. I saw 8 dead deer in 200 miles on the eastbound lanes of I-70.
I also saw one deer that was 'considering suicide'. In other words, there was a deer that was standing right off the edge of the shoulder of the highway, looking across the road. That deer is pretty sure that the road is a dangerous place, but she (it was a doe) is also pretty sure that the hunters that are nearby are equally as dangerous. It's a scary thing to see if you're driving down the road. The car is moving at a high rate of speed and there's not much you can do if that deer decides to bolt across the road in front of your car. Not only that, but if that deer decides to change direction once on the road, the hooves of the deer act like they are on ice and the deer often falls down. People have been killed when they hit a deer and the body of the deer gets thrown through the windshield. Thankfully, my doe decided to actually run back to where she had came from and avoid any confrontation with my car.
I got into town about 8:30 AM and TW and I headed off to a nearby Bob Evans to pick up a good breakfast. While most breakfast food is often not good for you, there's something great about having a great farm-style breakfast once every couple of months. Eggs (sunny side up), bacon, sausage, toast, potatoes, biscuits and gravy, orange juice.......I could go on and on. It was a health nightmare, but it was awfully tasty. I'll now wait until sometime in 2007 to have a similar breakfast. TW and I were also laughed at when we stepped out of the car at Bob Evans. A couple of the employees were amused by the fact that two guys, one a Rams fan and one a Chiefs fan, stepped out of the same car. I saw nothing wrong with it. Can't we all just get along?????
We finished up breakfast and headed off to the football stadium.
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Basketball season is upon us.......
I went to the first Mizzou exhibition game last night. It was great to get to see some basketball again. New coach, new players, new season. Should be a great deal of fun.
We had a large group of cheerleaders in our group. We had a 4 year old, 2 year old and 7 month old cheerleader sitting with us. All were quite vocal throughout the game. Some were doing Tiger cheers, some were screaming for food, but they were all making a lot of noise and that's all that matters. Before long, we'll be adding another noisy cheerleader to that group. Mizzou Arena will never be the same.
We had a large group of cheerleaders in our group. We had a 4 year old, 2 year old and 7 month old cheerleader sitting with us. All were quite vocal throughout the game. Some were doing Tiger cheers, some were screaming for food, but they were all making a lot of noise and that's all that matters. Before long, we'll be adding another noisy cheerleader to that group. Mizzou Arena will never be the same.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Business expo day!!!!!
Yes, it's that day once a year when everyone in the office heads down to the conference room in the building to grab all the goodies that are offered by companies hoping that you will step up to their booth and consider buying/trying their product that they sell.
The list of goodies that I saw:
Mints
Candy
Yo-yos
Magic 8 ball (with corporate insignia of course)
Foam stress balls
Pens
Pencils (including recycled material pencils)
Hi-liters
Game pieces where you can win an Ipod.
Raffles for DVD players, computers, computer accessories, etc.
Food
I'm sure that's not everything, but it is a good sampling. Probably the neatest product they had down there was a communication PC to be used between deaf people and others. Really neat stuff. They did not have any products down there to help with communication between spouses, so I guess I have to work on that on my own (you can never be good enough at that). Best of all, we got to do something other than work for roughly an hour or so. Certainly no reason to complain about that.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Halloween in the new neighborhood.....
Last night, we had a frat brother of mine and his family over to hang out and trick-or-treat in the neighborhood. I called Mrs. Lime and let her know that they would be coming over. I also distinctly said not to go out and buy a bunch of stuff. I'd go out and get some hot dogs and chips and we'd be good. Mrs. Lime asked me if we had any macaroni and cheese. I said we did and she said OK.
Somewhere along the line, we had noted from more than one book that one of the effects of late-term pregnancy is forgetfulness. We have noticed that my pregnant wife will forget something I told her not long ago. So it didn't come as a complete surprise when Mrs. Lime walked into the door with two family-size boxes of mac and cheese, three pounds of chocolate (we had already got candy for the trick-or-treaters and I had shown it to her), and a 12 pack of crème filled cupcakes.
We were a bit dismayed by the initial turnout early in the evening. We probably looked like idiots as we stood at the door looking out the window for any sign of little goblins headed in our direction. But as the night went along, all of our neighbors started dropping by to introduce themselves. Even the neighbor husky came by with his owners to say hi to our dog.
We ended up with around 20-25 kids when all was said and done. Not a bad turnout for a neighborhood that's only about half-filled with houses up to this point in time. Mrs. Lime and Nova got to go out and trick-or-treat with our friend's kids and she said she had a good time.
Now comes the hard chore of bringing the leftover candy/cupcakes to work and trying to avoid eating the leftovers that everyone else is bringing into work.
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