Vern Lives!

"Once upon a time", is how most fairy tales start. That would be a normal tale, you know, with unicorns, and talking frogs who turn into princes, stuff like that, that you would just take for granted.

This isn't your everyday, basic B flat, fairy tale.

This is the story of how a homely, very unlucky moth became a beautiful young girl, who just happens to be my pre-niece. (I probaby spelled that wrong, its hard to know how to spell words that are just kind of made up as they're needed, seems like Webster would have thought that one through).

So this particular tale starts at a cabin in the Rockies somewhere, where 4 or 5 drunken siblings were sitting around playing Euchre (loosely, sitting means we, I mean they were all in the same room, most of the time). If you don't know what Euchre is, get out your Michigan map. It won't tell you there either, but you're one step closer to figuring it out.

It was late, the moon was full, out there somewhere, it usually is and said drunks were blatently cheating at a card game named Euchre (see another hint!).

As it is with a lot of the fairy tales composed by drunken siblings, this one happened to have a very unlucky moth, who (which?) very unluckily happened to fly into the light. Didn't fare out well, this moth, so in their serious "lack of sobriety" state, one of the siblings decided that this moth was only probably out trying to collect a bug or two to take home to the wife and kids, at any rate it shouldn't have died.

Now, this is the part where I try to reassure you that I was not a part of this, I'm sure you believe that.

Knowing that this moth didn't need to die, these 5 did what any drunken good samaritans would have done. They attempted CPR to bring it back to life. Several times, in between more card games and beer, we, I mean they tried their best to save this poor critter. Still unsuccessful, it was decided that since this noble creature had died trying to provide for his family, the 5 planned a funeral. For the moth.

First however, was writing the obituary, which proved difficult since they didn't know what his name was. It became increasingly difficult to notify the family, when his serious lack of ID on his moth-ness didn't give any clues as to where he might live (or really that he was even a he!). But since he was a Colorado moth and not a California moth they were pretty sure that whether it was a he moth or a she moth, most likely the other half was the other half and should be invited to the funeral.

First, we they had to settle on a name, and for whatever reason, "Vern" was chosen. So now that Vern's identity was intact we they had to notify the family. This involved much yelling, howling at the moon and talking to other moths until they were sure that enough moths knew of the event so as to get the word out.

The service was a quiet event, as after awhile, the body seemed to disappear.

Until.... ta da.... Vern lives! Vern is now a fun, sparkly pre-niece who lives in Colorado (see, the connection here?) and goes to school in S. Dakota. She prefers to be called Sunny, but alas, some things just can't be granted, so Vern it is, and being the gracious pre-niece that she is, she lives with it. I think deep down inside, she might have issues with being a moth in a previous life, if not being a possibly transsexual moth in a previous life, so we don't really mention it, but if we did....

And that's Vern's story, and if I hadn't been there myself (quietly sitting in the background watching) I would never have believed it, but it happened, yes it did!

Now if you're wondering why I chose to call Vern out of the closet, you should read the comment he/she/it left on my Space Time Continuum post; that will explain a lot!

Nothin'

I got nothin' for ya today, so I'm gonna ramble. Ready? Are ya sittin'? Ok, here goes.



My Red Wings lost last night. Not a biggie, we still have 2 more games in which we have to win one of them. But desperation is a big factor and the Penguins are desperate. They played hard last night, and my Wings fell short. Triple overtime. Game ended at somewhere between 1 AM and later than that. I'm not sure, I tend to shut down about 10. (one of the reasons my brain is lacking today).
Too much fun - two of my brothers (one from Calif. and the other from Colo) were watching the game also, so we texted back and forth. That's the high-tech way to watch a game. So, here's a shout out to the other two - 8 pm EST on Wednesday night - on NBC! I expect you to join us.

I LOVE texting. On the average I see my brothers between 1 and 3 times a year. That is really hard, my brothers are among my best friends and I miss them badly. But. With text we can all watch the same game and virtually be in the same room. It does make going to the fridge for a beer kind of challenging though. Doesn't make sense to have 3 people make 3 trips to the fridge for 3 beers when one is going, but again, it's better than not being able to share! And M, next time we are up 3-2, with about 45 seconds left in the game and you text me to tell me to go get hubby a sandwich, there will not be enough space between Michigan and California to protect you from me! Just remember that Mr.!

Next..... it's raining today, or it should be. It's cloudy. If it's cloudy, it should be rainy eh? Makes being outside rather hard (and wet). Since Michigan's state bird, the mosquito, is out in force, you risk life, limb and serious blood loss if you stay out for too long. No, Deet has nothing on these critters, they have been evolved to a point where they laugh in the face of a shot of bug spray. "Bring It On", they say. "Give me all you got", they taunt. And when you're all sticky and slimy from the chemicals that are supposed to protect you from these awful creatures, they come and bite you anyway. "No Fair. Take that oh Mosquito God. No Fair", says I! And everyone knows that when I say something, well, we'll just leave it at that!

Tonight..... I have to pound some more nails in the new chicken coop, fix the hay feeder for the horses and remove some fencing from the garden area. Tomorrow it's supposed to be sunny, so with all that done, I can start roto-tilling my 1/2 acre garden. And if it rains or the mosquitoes threaten to carry me away, I'll stay inside and maybe sweep some floors or something. My life is so exciting!

My baby calves are finally getting off of milk replacer and starting to inhale grain by the major amounts. They are so cute and so cuddly. I could spend all day out there talking to them and cuddling with them. My social life is probably not what it should be, but hey, if it's not the calves I'm talking to, it's the baby buk, buks. (baby chickens to everyone who's not into the unique language of a 2 year old).


Knitting is going slow. My arthritis is acting up and knitting is hard, but I will push through. You lose it if you don't use it and all that garbage!

So, onward, upward, forward, ahead, sideways and once in awhile backwards, but it's all good!

later.......

Pics of Eggs Hatching and Other Stuff

Today, a short introduction into my seriously whacked out family!
This is too cool. Li'l Brother #4, who is a "chicken farmer" in the middle of the city in California recently sent me this video of one of his eggs hatching.
http://132.239.50.242/Chicky/Chicky
If and when any of my turkey eggs ever hatch, I'll upload those too.


Another Li'l Brother (#3) who lives in another city in CA, has started his own website called Demand95.com in which he calls everyone to demand that at least 95% of their charity intake goes to the intended recipient. He sponsors orphanages in Thailand, Africa, and Togo, eye surgeries in Viet Nam and I'm sure a bunch of other stuff that he hasn't gotten on his site yet. Be sure to check it out, it's the greatest thing I've ever seen.
This brother also won the Name Ter's Bike contest, in which the only rule was that the acronym must be LIG. "Losing It to Gravity" will be the official name, a nickname will ensue naturally, they always do, just like my critters, they name themselves!

Another Li'l Brother (#1) lives in Alaska of all places. Never will my feet touch the soil, or snow or ice in Alaska. Never! I'm sure it's beautiful, but I'll never find out for sure. Why??? Because it would surely be a one way ticket. On the off chance that my body and mind (which often travel together, much to the surprise of, well, everyone)ever end up there, surely they will not return, together or separately. A one way ticket. So it's just safer to stay in the lower 48. Talk about a logistical nightmare, we can't even imagine moving all of my farm stuff and all of hubby's construction and mechanical toys that far. One day my person will possess a pilot's licence and one day hubby will build me a plane and one day, we will take air trips to lots of different places. This is a for sure thing. The only unsurity is the date when it will happen, but it will happen.

The Mouth has already declared that she will not ride with us. Makes it easier, only have to build a two seater! Well, 3 actually, have to have room for The Bu-Dawgh! Because he can't be left alone. He's a baby, the poster puppy for separation anxiety.

One more brother (#2), and he lives in Colorado. There, I capitalized it, are you happy?

No sisters, never wanted them, never got them (until my brothers married). I was the oldest and only and happy about it. I was Daddy's girl. I ruled. I still do, ask any of them, they're afraid of my 5'3" mightiness, as rightly they should be.

Delivered a couple more hay bales to a neighbor who ran out and then rode LIG to work. The ride to work this morning was nothing short of GLORIOUS!! Warm enough for just a sweatshirt, the morning mist was in the air as was the smell of the dairy farms. My ride to work very rarely passes anyone else on the roads, I pass through no cities, villages or towns, just 4 miles of 4 season splendidness. Each season has it's own sensory nuances, this is clearly spring. My Mother's daffodils are blooming, and things are turning green. The trees are budding out, it's just waaaay too nice to spend time inside.

Unless the playoffs are on, then all bets are off.
Hey, Li'l Bro #2, your Avs made the 2nd round! So depending on who wins tonight, we'll either play you or the Flames.
Go Wings!! We will seriously spank you!!