The Nekked Lizards

Very good, in my opinion

******UPDATE****

NBC has nixed airing this commercial (click and view it below).  They say they do not "they do not allow political or issue advocacy advertisements".

This statement comes after PETA was told they COULD show their controversial sexual veggie ad, if they "toned it down".

So NBC would allow the PETA ad, who protects the lives of animals,  but would NOT allow Catholic.org ad that is showing the potential of human life.

I know why depression is such a disease in this country.  The media and the government wants us to believe we are worthless and that we should watch supermodels have sex with veggies instead of marvel at a human life.

That's my soapbox for the day.....

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I am not of the Catholic Faith, but this is very much worth watching! Take a few seconds and watch.....

CatholicVote.org

Not Sure What to Do Here....

So we get back from our trip back east and there's this package in our mailbox.

My really, really cool friend from Hawaii sends me stuff for Christmas, and lo and behold, here's this year's treat.

But Ouch... did this come by way of Europe, then Greenland, then Mexico, via New Zealand, then Colorado?

Now read the tape the USPS put around it:

Does that mean THEY received it in damaged condition?  (Meaning my really, really cool friend from Hawaii sent it that way.)   OR does it mean WE received it in damaged condition.

I'm very concerned about this.  Can anybody please EXPLAIN IT TO ME!!!???
 

Isabelle's Nose Knows.

(dedicated to my older children... because they KNOW what I go through)

Now I'm a very relaxed kinda of wife.  Easy going, cool, polite, helpful.  Swampy will vouch for me.

And the one thing I cannot stand are critters that belong outside, who find their way inside my home.  I figure we have 35 acres, all I have is a 2,000 sq. ft. house. They can have the other 1,524,600 sq. ft. to do whatever they want. 

On occasion, however, critters do make it past the 3 cats and one hyper dog.

One night I watched as our little dog Isabelle pranced around the water cooler.  I yelled at informed the man of the house, Nekked Lizard Man, "NLM, I think Isabelle has a mouse cornered."  

His first response to anything I say, has been and will always be, "OK...." as he ignores the pending situation.  After all, it was Monday night and he had a date with the NFL.  After the third or fourth time I re-iterated my opinion of the situation at the water cooler, he put down the chips and salsa and pushed himself out of the chair.

"Where?" - NLM

"Water cooler." -NLL

"You're crazy."  NLM refuses to believe something could interrupt the NFL on a Monday night.

"Look at Isabelle!" -NLL

"Hmmm"  This is NLM way of admitting, that yes, indeed, some action might be required.  He begins barking giving orders.  "Poot, get the spotlight, grab that flyswatter, move the cooler out from the wall."

"I don't see anything"  -NLM
"Isabelle says there's something there!"  -NLL

"Wait!  I know, let me get my handy-dandy-mouse-blower-outer..."  -NLM

"Air?  You're going to catch a mouse with a can of air?  Do you realize that can cost $6.99?"  -NLL
"Do you want the mouse out of there or not?"  - NLM

Ten minutes later...

"Maybe I should have bought stock in canned air....."  -NLL
"Do you want him out of there or not?"  - NLM

Ten more minutes later. 

"I don't think there IS a mouse!!"  - NLM
"There he is.... SEEEEEE!!!!!..... Isabelle's nose knows."  -NLL

It didn't take long after that, little mouse dude ran out.  But being the USAF MSgt, Search and Rescue rescuer, survivalist, hands-on kinda guy that NLM is, he didn't have a plan what to do after mouse ran out.  Needless to say, little mouse dude ran past NLM, Poot, and Isabelle and went directly under Poots electric piano.  Poot was convinced he could flush him out (again).  NLM was poised... ready to pounce this time.

But little mouse dude had yet another agenda.

To end a long story, little mouse dude was caught and returned to the great outdoors.  I'm sure he will never venture inside MY house again.

 

So you ask where I was during all this.  Duh!!!

More G-Rated 'Full Moon' Posts

Cousin Swampy has had this fixation with Moons lately.  3 out of 3 days this week, her posts either has pictures of moons, or discussions of various outputs of moons.

So, in honor of Swampy, and because of the fact that NLM wanted to work out his thumbs tonight on the couch with a PS3 game wanting to remain brain-dead and post-less for the night, I hereby post a couple more MOONS.

One moon is Swampy's Man.  The other moon is The Nekked Lizard Man.  Note the similar clinching action.  One would think they were blood relatives.

 

"V" is for Veteran... "D" is for Drumm

Nekked Lizard Lady here today. I've been in Ohio for the last 10 days.  I come back to my home state to visit my folks, do what I can to create chaos, then leave before they decide to remove me from their will.

This visit, I also wanted to attend a special service, which was to honor my dad's family for their service in the military.  Now, my dad had 14 brothers and sisters, raised during the depression (they know the REAL depression:  soup lines, tin cups, and lucky to own shoes, never mind the holes in them).  Out of the 14 siblings, 9 of them served in the military, some during the WWII, some during the Korean War, some during the Cold War.

Swampy talks about "The Greatest Generation".  I am proud to be an offspring from that generation, and even prouder of my family in the past and my family of the present for the service and sacrifice they gave and continue to give to our country.

I salute them all.

...from our Family Blog:

11am, November 11, 2008, The Francis Drumm family was honored at the Veteran's Day Service at the Union County Courthouse in Marysville, Ohio.  Aunt Gloria gave a beautiful speech acknowledging the Drumms and the contributions they made as members of the military. 

Those who served, from the Francis Drumm Family, are Francis A. Drumm, Army WWI;  Pearl E. Drumm, Navy WWII; Robert E. Drumm, Army WWII; Carl L. Drumm, Marines WWII; Arthur E. Drumm, Marines-Korean War; Richard L. Drumm, Army-Korean War; Donald Drumm, Air Force-Korean War; Francis E. Drumm, Jr., Air Force-Cold War; Rodney L. Drumm, Army-Cold War; Wanda L. Drumm, Army-Korean War.

Pictures from the Event:

 

 

 

(in case you don't recognize her, that's Squawmama... it was cold)

 

Puttin' the Pedal to the Metal !*@#&%#!!!

So where have I been?

There was a time when getting a speeding ticket meant getting your name published in the local paper, friends and neighbors teasing you about it at the grocery store and church, and then paying a fine of $55 plus $7 court costs.

I heard today, that effective tomorrow, speeding tickets in Colorado will cost you $300.  (up from $100) plus court costs. I about jammed the gas pedal all the way to the floor, when I heard this on the radio....  I couldn't believe it!

So I thought, I wonder how we compare to the rest of the country?  The highest I could find online was Virginia at $1,311.  Then comes Nevada, Georgia, North Carolina, Illinois and New Hampshire at $1,000.  Utah comes in at $750, Oregon at $600, and Kansas and Maryland at $500. All for just a speeding ticket. I can understand accounting for inflation, but this is a tad bit overdone, don’t you think?

I am not a perfect driver, and on occasion I forget the rural dirt road I’m on-- where I do not pass a single soul for miles and miles -- is only 30 MPH.   The chip and sealed road that carries me the rest of the way into town is a mere 40 MPH.  There are some days, HOWEVER, when I’m out there in la-la land and I don’t think about my speedometer and I have been know to do a whopping 45 MPH, whizzing past the prairie dogs and bull snakes.  Does that mean I can actually get a ticket for $300?  Yikes!

Now I have the utmost respect for the law, and those who serve.  But get reasonable.  It’s enough that the insurance rates will go up for three years, do we deserve such a steep penalty for 5-6 miles per hour over the speed limit?  (fyi... NLM has received numerous 3 (three) separate speeding tickets in the past few years, for only going a few miles over the speed limit and we just now got them taken off our insurance, saving us over $100 per month!!!).

Angry drivers, inconsiderate drivers, and evil road-rage drivers would do well to pay this steep penalty. They deserve it.  But it's never THOSE guys that get caught going 10-20 MPH over the speed limit.  It's the middle-aged mother of three, deep in thought concerning her family and their needs, driving down the secluded dirt road, on her way to church on a Sunday morning, going 5-6 MPH over the speed limit,... that'll get the ticket.  Right??!

Somedays You’re the Thunderhead, Somedays You’re the Verga

Have you noticed, there are days when we barrel through full steam ahead, in command of the events around us, and sit down at night and feel great about the progress we’ve made?  And then there are the days when we churn up the energy, get all psyched up, but when it comes to make THE difference in the world around us, we just fizzle.

Those latter days I call Verga Days.  Verga is basically dry rain.  The clouds form, pulling up moisture from the ground below, and just when you think they’re going to spew forth, the raindrops fall, but they dry up before reaching the earth.  I know the Midwest is sick of rain right now, but here in Colorado, we could use some.  The grass is dry, the trees are screaming, and the wildfire threat increases each and every day.  Add to the equation, our well is not functioning at the moment and what turned into waiting for a few days for the well fixer-upper professional to show up, has now become a few weeks…  water is a truly precious commodity.

So the next time you’re having a great day and feel powerful and thunderous, remember the Verga Days.  They’ll make you appreciate those Thunderhead Days.

The Indian Lake "Lady of Fatima"

At Indian Lake, in West Central Ohio, (where I am visiting my folks for a few days)  the "Lady of Fatima" statute stands vigil watching over the lake.

I was searching for a “history” of the statute and one where I could easily re-write in my own words when I ran across the following article at www.indianlake.com.  It was only when I looked at the bottom of the article that I discovered that it was published in the Indian Lake Beacon, the very newspaper my Mother operated for several years in the late 80’s. So after obtaining her permission (she’s sitting right beside me at the moment) I’m re-publishing it on this blog.  I hope you enjoy it. I thought it was kinda cool she had done this, ....20 years ago!!

The late George B. Quatman was responsible for the construction of the statue. Active in many civic affairs, he founded the San Juan Ballroom and Resort and made extensive improvements during his ownership. The resort was unique in that all proceeds from the enterprise went to charity. The cost of the construction of the shrine came from the operation of San Juan Park.

The shrine is dedicated to St. Mary of the Woods Catholic Church and is maintained by the American Society of Ephesus, founded by Mr. Quatman. The Society is dedicated to the restoration of St. John the Apostle Basilica, the church of Mary and the house of Mary, located in Ephesus, Turkey. The Fatima Shrine at St. Marys Point will always be maintained by the Society through the Quatman family.

The story of Fatima began early one spring day in 1916 when three small children were taking their parent's sheep out to pasture. They were natives of Fatima, Portugal, a small village 90 miles north of Lisbon. When it began to drizzle, the youngsters sought shelter in a nearby cove when suddenly a white globe of light appeared over the field moving toward them. The amazed children saw a beautiful young man in flowing white garments standing in the middle of the light. "Fear not, I am the angel of peace," the man in the strange light said to the children, "pray with me." He knelt on the ground and said, "Oh, my God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love you. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love you." Bending low, the stranger recited this prayer three times with the children repeating it after him.

During the summer, the same angel appeared to the children and encouraged them to pray. On May 13, 1917, a little more than a year after the angel's first visit, Our Lady appeared to them for the first time. The children were watching over the sheep and it was a clear day. They saw lightning in the sky and feared a sudden spring storm, so they gathered their sheep and looked for shelter. A dazzling light appeared directly in their path above a little oak tree and the astonished children saw a lady standing in the light above the tree.

She was so beautiful that they were never able to describe her beauty in terms they thought fitting. "It was a Lady clothed in white and brighter than the sun, radiating a light very intense and crystal clear."The vision told the children, "Do not be frightened for I have come from Heaven and I want you to come here at this same hour on the 13th day of each month through October. Then I will tell you who I am and what I want. Say the Rosary every day to bring peace to the world and an end to war." As she spoke, she opened her hands and they were bathed in a heavenly light that appeared to come directly from her hands.The lady continued to appear to the children and on one occasion told them, "When you see a night that is lit by a strange and unknown light, you will know it is the sign that God gives you that He is about to punish the world with another war and with hunger and persecution of the Church and the Holy Father. To prevent this, I shall appear to the world to ask that Russia be consecrated to my Immaculate Heart and I shall ask that on the First Saturday of every month communion of reparation be made in atonement for the sins of the world."

On the night of January 24-25, 1938, all Europe was lighted by what some scientists called an aurora borealis, but which other scientists said was beyond being a natural phenomenon. Three months after the light was witnessed, Hitler's armies were on the march. October 13, 1917, the last and most dramatic apparition, commonly called the "Miracle of the Sun" was witnessed by 100,000 people. This crowd was amazing since Fatima is ninety miles overland from Lisbon and there was no public transportation. It was raining and windy and the rain kept falling. Drops trickled down the women's skirts of wool and striped cotton, making them heavy as lead. Bare feet of women and hob-nailed boots of men sloshed in the wide pools of muddy road. At one o'clock the rain stopped. The sun seemed to be getting darker. It seemed veiled in gauze and the people could look at it without strain. It began to change into a shining silver disk that grew until it broke through the clouds. Then the silvery sun, still shrouded in that grayish light, began to rotate and wander within the circle of the receded clouds. Thousands fell to their knees upon the muddy ground. The light then became a rare blue,spreading it's rays and then the blue faded away and the light became filtered through yellow. Yellow spots fell upon the white kerchiefs and the dark skirts of wool. They were spots that repeated themselves over the landscape. All the people were weeping and praying, weighted down by the greatness of the miracle. All of this took about twelve minutes.

When it was over, the people who were soaked discovered their clothes were dry. Portuguese newspapers gave detailed accounts and photographs the next day. Copies of the newspapers are on file in the U.S. Congressional Library. George B. Quatman wanted to impress on everyone who visits the statue at St. Marys Point of the message of Fatima: Offer up every day our sacrifices and our daily sufferings to the Immaculate Heart of Mary; say the rosary daily and to meditate on the mysteries; receive the sacraments on the first Saturday of every month; pray for the conversion of Russia and stop using profanity against God.

This information is taken from the Memorial Day issue of The Indian Lake Beacon, May 25, 1988.

Pillow Talk - The Riddle Answered

Sorry it’s taken so long to answer the Pillow Riddle.  I didn’t realize how busy a week of relaxation could be.

Ok, the dang pillow thing:  As explained earlier, Poot and I got a motel room after travelling over 13 hours on the road, but had to get another room, due to the overwhelming stench in the room.  At the 2nd room, I realized I had left my pillow in the 1st room and promptly sent Poot down to get the pillow, using the keycard we still had.  He returned, I smelled the pillow (to be sure it did not pick up that awful smell) placed it on my bed and went to take a long shower, leaving Poot to bounce around on the beds and watch cartoons.  I come out from the bathroom, and wah-la... NO pillow.  My pillow was gone.

After literally upheaving our room, and scaring Poot with my frantic and flustered search (yes, NLM had a hey-day with this one) the pillow was no where to be found.  So where was the pillow?

I knew I had placed the pillow on the bed and I knew I had smelled it when Poot had brought it into the room. 

First, Poot did NOT leave the room while I was in the shower.  Second, we did not believe we had experienced a Twilight Zone episode.  Third, we even opened the door and checked the hallway in case I had smelled the pillow, opened the door and placed it in the hallway and not the bed as I had clearly remembered doing.

So what is the stupidest thing a person could do in this situation:  I call NLM - who you might remember is getting his masters in criminal psychology -  crying that our room was possessed, that my pillow had vanished into thin air, etc. etc. and I was going to go down to the front desk and demand an exorcism so the demons would return my pillow.

After trying to calm me down, NLM asked to put Poot on the phone.  I sat on the bed staring at the wallpaper pattern beginning to believe I was as pyscho as he says I am sometimes.  I glance at Poot, and as if someone flipped a switch, I saw the lightbulb go off over Poot’s head.  He hung up the phone. Grabbed the keycard to the 1st room and exited the room.  I held my breath. 

Sure enough, a few seconds later Poot shows up with MY pillow. He had grabbed another motel pillow the first trip to the room and I was so tired and just wanting to take a hot shower, I didn’t even notice at that point.  I smile.  I smell it, and settled quickly into bed.  NLM will take credit for solving this issue from over 800 miles away and that his years of experience and education has made him a natural born problem solver and overall wonderful human being.  But all I know is, I went to bed on my pillow (which, if you can’t already tell, is a BIG deal with me) and I’m sure glad I didn’t call the front desk!

What Poot Does On an Early Morning Boat Ride...

He finally got into the swing of things...