Making of a Birthday Card 2009

Our daughter's birthday is in September. This year, the Pirate Dogs decided to send their sister a card. O M G!!!!! The task would try the patience of the saints.

First, you assemble the crew:

Come here, 'Roid!!!

Then get them in position:

Please stay, guys!?!?!

Can't do a card without a message, right? Try that with a chewy chihuahua...

Bertequila, please.....

Now, Bertie, leave it alone.

Now, a few takes----------

Bertie's leaving and what's with Leny's expression??

Nice sitting but could you look any weirder???

Looks like Bertequila's leaving again

Gee, guys, would you sort of look like you're having fun??

Finally, they get down to business............

Happy Birthday to our sister Dee!!!!

Course they only do it for the rewards.......NOT!!!!!!

Good job, guys!!!

Chihuahuas love to get on their hind legs--makes 'em feel tall like big dogs..

And all that was done so we could be late with this:

The Pirate Dogs love you and we're sorry this was so late!!!!!!!

LOL

(Notice the absence of any felines---the Klingon Kats know to make themselves scarce when this crew is being made to perform....)

Short Week

Last week marked the traditional end of summer--Labor Day. This week usually seems very packed with events for such a short-work week. It's the traditional back-to-school week; the time to prepare for the harvest and start the process of stocking up for winter; car sales; and that last summer week-end of irresponsibility.

This year the week seemed even more densely populated with events.

Tuesday had the presidential brainwashing of America's youth with socialist clap-trap. Horror must abide at the very thought of encouraging these impressionable minds to endeavor to fulfill their potential. Far better for our democracy that the next generation be dull and easily swayed by the demagoguery coming from the speakers of their radios and televisions. Just imagine what, say, Rush Limbaugh's or Fox News channel's ratings would be if their listeners or viewers were capable of critical thinking or schooled in the intricacies of logical debate. No wonder the hue and cry to prevent the president from addressing the nation's students about their opportunities if they stay in school, eschew gangs and drugs, and learn to think and evaluate issues and arguments.

This week, the Economist had two articles of note. First is the Lexington column that basically called health care reform a non-starter because American are afraid of rational public discussions about death. Second was an article titled "The nanny state" that addresses the issue of public spending on child well-being and how it misses the mark more often than not. The US is pretty much in the bottom half of OECD countries when it comes to effective use of public spending on childhood well being. It's tragic that we rank 24th of 30 countries in the health and safety of our children.

Wednesday brought the much awaited address to Congress on health care reform. Except that wasn't the topic. Health insurance reform was and it really looks like that's all we'll get. And I feel betrayed. I have very good health insurance through my employer. But if I retire before Medicare kicks in, which I hope to do, I need to feel anxious about the cost of any coverage. Basic health insurance will cost me about 5X what I presently pay per month!!! And like many retirees, my income will be less than it is at present. Doesn't take a genius to see this is not a good outcome. So while I appreciate the efforts of congress and the administration to attempt insurance reform, that's sort of like the cart before the horse. What is needed is health CARE reform. Health care providers should be paid for results, not number of tests prescribed. Certain screenings like HPV, mammograms, colonoscopies, cholesterol screening, prostate screens, should be, if not free, than at least at a minimal cost. Prevention and wellness are the keys to cutting medical costs and there is little beyond platitudes coming from congress to address these issues.

Last time I looked, the candidate who got the majority in the electoral college becomes president. Of all of the United States. So whether one might consider him a liar, a socialist, a reactionary, etc, he is still the president. Nixon was---lots of truth there, right?? LBJ was, another paragon of virtue. Bill Clinton---what can I say, Monica?? "W"--as in "Weapons of mass destruction"---even more truth telling. So I guess my comment to all those who say the current person residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is "not my president" is to go where your type president lives---maybe Russia, with Medvedev and Putin; or France with Sarkozy; or Zimbabwe with Mugabe?? I was prepared to go to Canada rather than serve under Johnson in Viet-Nam. I guess I'd say to you the same thing I heard back then---America, love it or leave it.

Lastly, Bertequila spent Tuesday night thru Thursday morning at the vet. Time to get him neutered. But even though he now has no balls, he's still got more cojones than the screamers and bloviators.

Of sock monkeys and snips

Bertequila's time has come. His maleness was getting to the point that it had to be dealt with. So off he went to the animal hospital for a 2-1/2 day stay to be neutered. This should affect his propensity for leg-lifting all over the place.....or so we hope.

Meanwhile, Auntie Bucksnort and Mom re-arranged the master bedroom. They put the last new sock monkey on a chair in another bedroom. Being lonely for my little buddy, the sweatered chihuahua Bert, I found the monkey and promptly christened her Sadie. Why not, that's the girl's name in the song off the White Album right after "Everybody's Got Something to Hide 'Cept for Me and my Monkey."

LOL,

Leny

'Tude

Leny spends a fair bit of time blogging and inspiring posts. The Captain and the Midshipman also get their share. Which leaves Crow's-Nest Weetzie with a fair amount of "Weets-itude."

Weets gets under the covers in the bed and growls ferociously at any creature that contacts her. The snarling and gnashing are reminiscent of scenes from Dante's Inferno. When she takes up her position on the back of a sofa (highest point--hence her nick-name Crow's-Nest) it takes a braver soul than her dad or mom to remove her.

But Weets is the glue banding the Pirate Dogs together. She warns of danger and the need to take action---roaring into the backyard, barking and growling and nipping Leny's jowls to spur the First Mate to action against some perceived invasion, like the woman who walks by every evening with her Airedale. Or those dastardly neighbors with the well-groomed and ribbon-bedecked Pomeranian.

Yes, though she's one of the chihuahuas 2 in the crew, it's Weets-itude that drives the adventures of the Pirate Dogs.

Bo 'Bama

I guess I need to take take a previous post, a letter to President Obama, and put it in hard copy and stamp it----Seems Bo Obama is currently cool. And my mom has something in common with Bo's dad Barack---she does the pooper-scoopin' here!!! Even if he isn't a Sharprador, I still really gotta get one of these baseball cards!!!!!!!!

Leny