Author: Andy

We’ve had an elusive mouse loose in our apartment the last week. We bought a humane t(c)rap, but it didn’t ever stop him. Tigger has been useless too. At 13, he’s a real Strom Thurmond. He just sits around and doesn’t really contribute.

We’ve been waking up at night because the mouse is active. We couldn’t figure out why he sounded like he was above us, but then we found poop on the headboard. That made us really want to get rid of it. I woke up and saw it peering down at me this morning, and after several failed furniture moving sessions, we finally caught it after lunch today. Due to the mouse’s long stint indoors, I assumed it was a wise foe. Ultimately its downfall was hiding inside a plastic bucket, from which it could not jump from. Take That!

Anyway, the mouse has been release into the wild again. How long until it returns? Who knows. More importantly, how the heck did it get in?

“When Banks Compete…You Win!”

Isn’t that how capitalism is supposed to work? Have things changed so much that we’re suppsed to celebrate when competition happens?

Verizon recently vommited a copy of their yellow-paged phone directory on everyone’s door step in my neighborhood. I asked Michelle why it wasn’t considered dumping. I don’t remember the answer, but it didn’t satisfy me. I was going to rattle off some unfounded and uneducated bit about phone books, but found someone else had beat me to it. Looks like Denver is having the same problem. The author wrote from the same frame of mind as well. Shalom!

This is late, and I didn’t want to take time away from family to post from the road.

Things I’m thankful for:

• my Family
• Strongbad E-mail
• Triple-Pelvic-Osteotomy Surgery & Rehab & Therapy
• kegerator
• Google

There’s lots more, but this took enought time as it is.

Michelle, Barley and I ventured back to Yakima for Thanksgiving. We were able to visit family and friends while home, and were reminded how thankful we are for all of them. We had to come home today, but the drive was very pretty. Jack Frost has been out and about for the last couple days, so every limb of every tree was laced white with ice crystals. The desert is beautiful in the winter too.

Tonight we bought a small grand fir tree and decorated it. We have very few ornaments, but it excites me to see the tree that way because I know how many we’ll find over the years together. We did pick up a dog ornament and painted it to look like Barley. Our hope is that he doesn’t destroy the tree. He’s got a certain fondness for wood.

Now we’re waiting for Scott & Sarah to come over for dinner. I was able to bring back some Grant’s Ales in 1/2 gallon bottles. Tonights menu includes Bert’s Perfect Porter & cask conditioned Scottish Ale. Bert’s Scottish Ale is like the shot heard round the world.

Here are some lessons I learned this weekend:

1) Wool shrinks when you wash it.

2) Beets turn things red. Don’t be surprised when you pee red.

3) A carboy stored with sanitizing solution can still grow the funk.

4) The universe doesn’t want me to find a new pair of jeans.