Update: I am still here

OK, so it's been a while since I posted anything. I know, you all (both) wonder where I have been hiding.

Last week, my Father-in-law passed away. I am working on a memorial posting for him. It's tough for me, but he's worth it.

Whether Report

Now that there’s a tropical weather system or two in the Gulf, the weather people on TV have come alive. Well, to clarify, one is in the Gulf, the other will peek its head in the door by the end of the weekend for a look around.

In July when all the rain was falling, the weather reporters started to look optimistic. But after limited flooding, minimal wind damage and all around simple soggy yards, they all looked like they were beat.

Then the heat came on and they sparked up a little bit again. “The temperatures are really climbing now, has summer finally arrived? Tune in at 10...” and “We’re in for a scorching weekend, will you survive?."

Some elderly folks had some real difficulties, no air conditioning, no refrigerator or sometimes no electricity at all. Someone usually steps in when they see dire need on the news to help these people. This action alone justifies the news reports.

But it doesn’t provide the excitement that they CRAVE. The heat index can only get you so giddy, even when you start spouting 106, 108 and even 110 degrees. A drought can be as exciting as watching paint dry and literally blow away. Where’s the promise of quick destruction?

But Tuesday, the Gulf yielded up the beginnings of a potential treasure; the seeds of a hurricane, The Tropical Wave. Because a Tropical Wave can turn into a Tropical Depression and a Tropical Depression turns into a Tropical Storm and a Tropical STORM can possibly turn into a Hurricane, and a Hurricane has the potential to be a Category 6 killer, wreaking untold devastation, death and destruction on humans and animals and property. No malice, no mercy. Cold. Unfeeling. Pure meteorologist gold.

To watch Dr. Neill Frank in a promo for tonight’s weather, it would be easy to get caught up in his fervor. The look in his eyes, his serious but thrilled expression, even the rhythm of his movements, it all looks like a dance performance. His near ecstatic notification of the possibilities no doubt leaves him lightheaded with the potential.

So prepare for wind, water and broadcast hyperbole, it looks like the hurricane season has arrived.

Year Two Begins

Just wondering if anyone noticed that on Monday, the first anniversary of my first blog entry passed without fanfare? No post, no comment, nothing.

But this particular post, right now, is the beginning of my second year of blogging. I hope this year will be as fun as the first one. There were some good posts, great comments and lots of fun.

Thank you to my loyal readers, though I can count you on one hand, I appreciate you all. Both of you, really!

HA!

Cheap Defined

OK, so you hear the word "geezer" and you immediately think "miser". That is not necessarily the correct assumption. Not even with me.

Though I am very, ah, frugal, I don't believe that I deserve the harsher term. My wife hates to go shopping with me, since I am the one that makes a face or rolls my eyes whenever something else gets submitted for purchase approval. I'm the fun-killer.

But I'm not the cheapest person I have heard tell of. I know a guy who went to New Jersey to visit relatives. He went into the bathroom and noticed the shower curtain rod had about 4 or 5 little strings draped over it, drying. When he asked his brother-in-law, the guy said with a straight face, "That's dental floss, you know you can re-use that stuff..."

Now that's cheap.

Please relate your tales of cheapness in the comments.
I'll post them in an update. Just to make myself feel better, really.