Stories of the Imagination Tend to Upset People Without One...

I like to read, that is to say I read all the the time. In the car(not while driving), in the bathroom, before I sleep, just about any time that I have a book and time in which to read it. This can be an expensive habit, your normal paperback is about 8$ and  even the discount rack is about 5$ for the overstocks and other cool books that people for some reason don't want. Since I cannot afford to buy books every time I finish one I re-read the books I own over and over... 

I have some books that have been read more times than I can count, and it leaves them in unenviable condition...

The book above I only bought last year...

This one I have had for ten years, note the curling of the spine and loosely hanging on cover...

I know what your thinking, wow you have weird taste in books!

You might also be wondering, why don't you go to the library? I did. I read them, all of the authors that I like available. That was that, they have millions of books but a great many of them are one run fiction and just not good, not good at all. I like a specialized type of book... and my local library only has so many. I hope that one day they will have a library full of sarcastic, saterical, humorous novels...but not holding my breath...

So point is I am reading a book this week that I've read ten times and am enjoying it very much anyway...but the cover is going to fall off for the second time.

The sun has come out this week and Harper has been having a great time getting outside again...

I am Captain Harpy than you very much!

If that's not adorable to you, you probably have a condition that causes you to be nauseated by adorabiosity.

Hello Tuesday...

I have returned, after a short absence from the interweb and I have returned with an ax that I must grind (your so surprised aren't you?) I was flipping channels last night much to my dissolution there was nothing on that I wanted to watch. This is not uncommon, the only shows that I follow are Top Chef and  the NBC Thursday night lineup. I also like Dr.Who and River Monsters but neither of those are broadcasting new episodes right now...

So I'm flipping channels and I see "The Bachelor" is coming on, I had no idea that show still existed. Not being predisposed to reality TV in general (expect Top Chef) it's an automatic response to not like that show, but the Bachelor/Bachelorette stirs up a sort of hate in my heart that is unparalleled by my irrational hate for most other things. It's really the most pointless crap ever (at least that I have seen, I've never seen Jersey Shore but thats supposed to be crap too) but seriously why does this show exist?

I looked up a few of these guys, just to confirm my suspicion. Are they all rich? Uh-Huh. Are the good looking? Yep...well I guess that depends on your standards. They are all good enough looking to l least be network weathermen, so were not talking about a pack of trolls here.

Hmmm let's see.... if your good looking and have money do you have problem getting a date? NO. I have heard the excuses, "they are trying to avoid gold diggers" who do you think is going to be on the show, inexplicably attractive former nuns? "They are looking for true love after having bad relationships" So you go on a television show...with women competing to be with you...when they don't really know you. If this is the way you seek love, your better off finding a geisha.

Listen, I'm not a great looking guy, I'm not a troll but lets face it they wouldn't let me be a production assistant on most of these shows. Also I have no money. I also have the self esteem of one of those squirrels that  stares just a little to long at an on coming care before dashing out of the way. Despite these things going against me, I still managed to marry a lady who is better looking than the women on that show. Also, her personality is infinitely better than the unfortunate lady's on that show.

If you  love the Bachelor, I am sorry. Both for offending you and that you like the show.

and I'm sorry for offending you again...but not very.

To change to a less vitriolic topic it's been cold. Really cold. If you know any brass monkeys they probably have an unfortunate story to tell you, it's that cold.

I don't like the cold. I mean not at all, to the extent that when I heard about global warming it took me a couple of years before I realized why it was a bad thing. The delightful marshmallow like powder that I last spoke of soon turned into an ice covered death trap that is in piles in our local Kroger parking lot.

Yesterday was a delightful mid 50's reprieve which was quickly dashed by rain last night. Which has led me to  ask all of you, if you know of any career opportunities an a warmer climate please tell me. I will seriously consider anything that isn't likely to involve illegal activity. 

In much cuter news Harper and I were watching "Aristocats"  couple of days ago and eating chips. I had a renegade fragment attempt to stick in my throat and coughed fairly violently for a minute or two. After it was all over HK leans over to me and says, "dada you ok? chew chew chew."

If you don't find that adorable, your probably the Grinch and need  heart enlargement procedure.

Snowy Night in Georgia...(feels like it's snowing all over the world)

Okay, it has been snowing for about two hours here in Rome...and we have about three inches of snow on the ground already. Nice fluffy freezing powder, that seems like it might be good to ski on or something. Though I know nothing about snow so I just know that it makes everything look like a giant marshmallow.

So being the smart person I am, I decided to take Harper outside to see the snowfall...not the worst Idea I have ever had. Though it was getting pretty deep... Sorry about the terrible lighting, this is with my phone, because the battery in my camera is dead...

Outside in the parking lot, you can see the edge of the pool.

This my friends is a snowball...it is elusive and rarely seen in the south.

"dada why glasses?"

"oh no, snow on my boots!"

Car in the parking lot. I think you could make ten gallons of snow cream from the snow on the car alone.

Footprints in the snow...I think I would rather have them in the sand.

I just like the look of this one.

Our hats after we came in.

It's stopped snowing now and we have about four solid inches here, it's the most snow I can remember since 1993 when we had the big blizzard.  I have mixed emotions about the snow...mostly they are, "oh so pretty, cuss thats cold!"

On another topic, I am sort of a fish nut. I am passionate about protecting the rapidly decreasing amazing species we have in this area and guarding against the determent that is often caused by man, usually through things like dams and invasive species.

So last week I went kayaking, and had a really great time getting out on the water and seeing all kinds of birds like herons, cooters(a duck sort of thing), hawks, and several kinds of seagulls. Also some fish, though most of them had fled to deeper water that I was patrolling in my little boat.

It was only about 45 degrees, and I only saw one other person out on the water. He was a fisherman that laughed out loud when he saw me paddle up to him, "haha well at least I can tell my wife I'm not the only person dumb enough to come out on the water today!"

Here are a couple of photos that I took while on the water;

Looking out of a tunnel under the road that I paddled through.

Mouth of the tunnel, you think I could fit a 13 ft. boat through there?

Well I guess all that is left to do is look out at the snow and drink some tea. I hope all of you are safe on this snowy night, and if you have to drive anywhere God help you.