Prayer Request

Well, my long time readers will know that if I run across a prayer request on another blog I will occasionally pass it along here.

Tonight my prayer request is for myself and our family, for our New Year.

2008 will be bringing many changes in the MightyMom/Subvet household. The biggest of these changes is that Subvet will become SuperDad and MightyMom will revert to her former persona of NinjaNurse. We have decided that for several reasons it makes sense for us to trade roles. This means that my resume is out there in inter-land. I ask you to pray with me that I will get a job that not only allows me to be sole bread-winner for our family's many needs, but also a job that I can be successful at and thrive in.....and that's nights so we can continue to keep only one car.

I will also be having surgery sometime around March and am praying that the surgery goes well and that my new job will accommodate the time off, as well as the need to still have money during that time off......

Thanks folks,
Sarah

And Have a Happy and Safe New Year!!

Answers, Winners and Chit Chat

In reverse order.

Well, the question about New Years has been answered.

Subvet stayed up late, made a special trip, drove 70 miles, and arrived home bearing 2 quarts of eggnog AND 2 new books!! Sue Grafton's T is for Trespass and Janet Evanovich's Twelve Sharp

I have THE BEST husband in the world!!

Hooligans are somewhat better...still kinda peekid though.

Overall, I must say it's a good day....and Subvet just made my week! :-)

AND I have 2 NEW COMMENTORS!! I love new commentors! Just makes my heart smile to know another person has drifted through My Wonderful Life, some stay and chat, others drift elsewhere, but I love you all!


So.......who's ready to see the winners for this week??

oops, sorry, more chit chat.

Now I'm not one to get messages from God based on how the curtains are moving with the breeze.

But I have to say that the idea for this silly game must have been given to me straight from on High. I have enjoyed this more than I can put into words. Y'all make me smile every week. I'll go back and reread all your responses throughout the week if I'm feeling blue and you folks just brighten me right up.


So I want to say thank you for blessing me with your silliness and smartiness!

And keep coming back!

OK OK OK, enough sap!

And the winners are....................


MammyT
Pannier (pah' nee yer)is a Southern term meaning "more filled with pine trees than yours". Example: Mah woods is "pannier" than yers is, Jake.
Nancy

bumblevee
Spital is drool...

I'm probably a bit warped, but as I've spent over 4 years now covered in drool, I found calling it spital hilarious!





Diane and bumblevee were both right about pannier....

pannier or panier (pan'yer) n 1. a basket, esp a large one, for carrying goods, provisions, etc 2. one of a pair of baskets to be slung across the back of a pack animal. 3. Also called pannier drape on a dress, skirt, etc a puffed arrangement of drapery at the hips 4. an oval framework or a pair of hoops formerly used for distending the skirt of a dress at the hips.

Why on earth would someone want to make their hips look bigger?? Must not be built like ME!

spital 1 a hospital, esp one for lazars 2 a shelter on a highway.

Don't know about you but I had to look up lazars. It refers to folk who have leprosy.

Have a good weekend folks!

Thesaurus Thursday

Well, I did it again huh?

My poor brain totally skipped Thursday this week. We had quite a day today, took all 3 hooligans to the doctor for checkups.

Sonshine is >95th percentile for height and weight
Sugars is 25th percentile for both.

These are not surprising to anyone who's seen my 4 year old that is >44 inches tall or my almost 10 month old at 15lbs.

We're all sick. Apparently it's a virus (probably croup-ish) and we're just lazing around through the holidays.

I'm taking suggestions. What do you do for New Years when your hubby is working all night and you're tied to the house by 3 sleeping kids?

Maybe I should buy myself a quart or two of eggnog and a new book.....oops, that would break the piggy bank.....

ON to the game!!!

For those who are new here today, the "rules" of Thesaurus Thursday are as follows:

First and foremost, leave as many funny definitions for either word (or both) as you can think up in the comments!! The ones that make me laugh the hardest will be given the Silly Goose Award.
Next, if you know (or think you know) the true definitions without looking them up then be sure and leave those in the comments too!! All definitions that are correct (or close enough for government work and Mighty Mom) will win the Smarty Pants Award!
Awards will be given out in Saturday's post, so don't forget to come and see if you won!

Our words for this week are:


pannier or panier....this actually has 4 very different meanings so I will give bonus points to anyone who can name all 4...or can come up with 4 funny ones!

spital

Show and Tell

Here you have it folks!

These are the Christmas tree ornaments that I made for this year. It's the best pic I could get with my crappy camera. I really enjoy making these and they're incredibly easy! This is the 4th year I have made ornaments. Here are the other 3 years' bounty.



The cross was 2004, the candy cane was 2005, the star 2006, the stocking 2007, and NO, I'm not telling what 2008 will look like. :-)

The bonus this year was that I only spent about $10 on tags and stamps. So, that's 36 gifts for <28 cents a piece. I now need to stock up on discount Christmas fabric for next year and will be doing that shortly...


Go on over to Kelli's to see all the other Show and Tells!

Lost Paternity Suit.

This is a picture of my husband Subvet and his late brother. They are 16 months apart in age and this was taken Dec 23, 1959 when Subvet was 7 and his brother 5. Or so it says on the back.








Here is a picture of our sons, who are 15 months apart in age. This was taken Sept 2007 (Don't ask the date I'm not as good as my MIL about writing those things down.) The boys are almost 4 and 2 1/2.


Here's a bigger smile on Gator-boy.




And oh, by the way, I am LOVING having my very own scanner :-)

So what do you think??

Another Meme...there's more to come......

Tagged by Cookie
1. Wrapping or gift bags?I prefer to open wrapped gifts but I usually reuse gift bags as they're quick and easy and I'm always wrapping at the last possible second.  This year was a record.  I put my MIL's gift for Mon night in a bag that my gift from my Step-mom came in on Sun night.  :-)
2. Real or artificial tree?Artificial
3. When do you put up the tree?ummmmm when I get tired of waiting for hubby to do it. This year he beat me :-)
4. When do you take the tree down?when I can no longer convince hubby to leave it another week...

5. Do you like egg nog?Love it, never had it spiked. It was great to be pregnant at the end of the year as eggnog has a ton of calories and I could just say I was drinking that second quart "for the baby"...

6. Favorite gift received as a child?See post titled "Santa Claus"

7. Do you have a nativity scene?I have 2 small (Mary Joe and baby) nativity scenes, a pattern for a quilted nativity scene I will "one day" get made and am now on the lookout for a preprinted pattern for a stuffed scene.....saw at Preschool and loved it...

8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?I really can't think of one.

9. Mail or e-mail Christmas cards?mail. I prefer real mail, and real books etc. I will frequently print something before reading.

10. Favorite Christmas movie?A Christmas Carol. (with Michael Caine for those who're interested.)

11. When do you start shopping for Christmas?ummm, well, since we have a youngin b-day at the end of November and Subvet's B-day is late Oct I do birthdays and Christmas at the same time usually early to mid October definitely finished by mid Nov. I refuse to go near a mall during December and will only go to WalMart if absolutely unavoidable. For all the gifts I make I try to start about Sept/Oct.

12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?things that are edible. (pecan pie if I have to pick)

13. Clear lights or colored on the tree?Colored

14. Favorite Christmas song?Grandma got run over by a Reindeer. And NO they did not play it this year either. I'm hoping hubby will find it on clearance at Walmart this week.

Diane, I haven't forgotten your meme...I'll get there this week too. Anyone else tag me when I wasn't looking?? Please let me know. And Sondra, if you're lurking I need you to leave a comment cuz your URL is one I lost in the Technical Difficulties. Actually folks, I've made my rounds as best I can tonight so if you didn't get a Merry Christmas comment from me you need to leave me a comment.

Tiny Talk Tuesday.....ish.

TINY TALK TUESDAY is NOT once again upon us. There is no reason to go see Mary at Not Before 7 for more of this fun event.

However, I'm on a roll and since all 3 kids are asleep and hubby is at work (working a 12 hour shift) I'm gonna just hold my own Christmas Day (Night) Tiny Talk and tell you what I've been laughing at for the last 2 days...just in case you were about to call the guys with the butterfly nets and hug me jackets on me, I assure you there really is a reason.

For the last couple of days Sonshine has been saying "I am sauced mama, I am sauced!"

It has taken me about 3 days to figure out that he is saying I'm exhausted....I kept wondering what on earth they're putting in our water these days......

Now I must tell you a story.

My MIL was here last night for dinner (hubby made prime rib and it was fabulous!) We decided that we would all go to my church for the 7pm service.

So Subvet is buckling the boys in the back, MIL is getting in the front and I am bringing up the rear with Sugars. Right as I get up to the van Sonshine yells out at the top of his lungs "Mama, Mama, Daddy said squashed frog Mamma! YES!! DADDY SQUISHED A FROG!!"


Well, a Merry Christmas to each of you who read my blatherings and God's blessings on your families.

Remember that in the best of times as well as in the worst of times, it is ALWAYS a Wonderful Life!

can't get no respect

geez.

X got you huh??

here you go
xylomotous - (zi lot' e mes) adj boring into or cutting wood, as certain insects.

xanthus (zan' thes) adj 1) yellow 2) yellowish

for those who said they had trouble pronouncing the x-words here's a clue. No matter what "Leap Frog" says. Most times, when it begins a word "x" is pronounced like a "z" as in xylophone.

our Silly Goose this week is Diane, with "Xylotomous: A genetic cross between a xylophone and a hippopotamus."

cheers to you all, I'm still trying to get these silly gifts finished...WAAAAYYYY behind this year...something about 3 babies to take care of.......

in case you were wondering

what I did with all my free time last week.

This will give you a good idea.

Thesaurus Thursday

Probably the most impressive outcome of this game is that I have FINALLY learned how to spell thesaurus. Simply Amazing!

For those who are new here today, the "rules" of Thesaurus Thursday are as follows:

First and foremost, leave as many funny definitions for either word (or both) as you can think up in the comments!! The ones that make me laugh the hardest will be given the Silly Goose Award.
Next, if you know (or think you know) the true definitions without looking them up then be sure and leave those in the comments too!! All definitions that are correct (or close enough for government work and Mighty Mom) will win the Smarty Pants Award!
Awards will be given out in Saturday's post, so don't forget to come and see if you won!

Our words for this week are:

xylotomous

xanthous

And here's a little trivia from Mr Webster about something I've refused to write for several years.

Xmas - Christmas usage The abbreviation Xmas for Christmas dates from the mid-16th cent. The X is the Greek letter chi, the initial in the word Christos "Christ" In spite of a long and respectable history, today Xmas is objectionable to many, perhaps because of its associations with advertising. It is not used in formal writing.

Interesting.....so using Xmas is NOT taking Christ out of Christmas after all....hmmmm

SSSS

Remember those?
Waaay back when, almost a month ago I was doing these Sarah's Simple Sewing Secrets on Wednesday posts....then the cat killed the modem on a Tuesday....then the computer crashed the following Wed......

Well, I'm back to let you know...I can really shake it down.

Do you Love me??


Oh, sorry, broke out in song there.

So, today, I am going to tell you another way to make a simple and fast baby blanket. I would ask my friend who received one of these to email me a pic of it to put up on this post.....BUT, I'm (ahem) still waiting (ahem) for my Vista compatable Yahoo disk. So you'll just have to take my word that it's pretty darnded cutesie.

Here's what you do.

buy 2 pieces of flannel that look good together and are the same size. I usually get 3/4 yard of each (or 1 1/2 yard of one and cut in half) for a good sized but not huge blankie.

lay the 2 pieces of flannel down right sides together. starting in about the middle of one side sew a straight stitch around the outside, leave about 6 inch gap open between where you started sewing and where you stop.

cut the corners like this so that it will lay flat with a nice corner when finished.



turn right side out, use a fingernail or pencil or something to poke out your corners.

sew again on the right side, close to the edge (1/4 inch works well) this will give it a nice edge and will close the hole that was used to turn the blanket right side out.

now pick out a cute stitch that you like either in matching or in contrasting thread. The "decoratives stitches" work well, or a plain zig-zag or surge stitch look good to. Sew about 1 1/2 -3 inches from the edge of the blanket all the way around. This last step is the kicker. It not only makes the blanket "look finished" but using the heavier stitching will also give the edges heft. This is what keeps the blanket on the baby despite the wiggles.

I have to tell you I love these blankets. I've gotten more comments about how useful they are and great to have around than from anything else I've made. They end up as just the right heaviness and are big enough you can use them for more than a month--unlike store bought receiving blankets.

Testing, 1…2…3…

TestingHello?? 

Hello???

Anyone out there??

Can you hear me now??

Well, yikes, what a week!!  Sorry about that folks, it’s been crazy around here!  I shall now try to tie up the loose ends that I left hanging.For starters (and enders) let’s get this Alphabet Soup made and ready to serve or freeze ok?  

T is for Technical Difficulties.  Well, apparently the hard drives in these computers are not intended to last more than 8 years.  So it was off to the computer store for us.  While this was NOT a planned expense, it is nice to have a faster CPU and a nice new monitor and printer.   However, I am back (sorta….I’ll get to that on “V”) and I am very grateful that we were able to replace the dinosaur.  

U is for Unfinished…like the answers you are eagerly awaiting with bated breath (RIGHT?!)    Aaaahhhhh…… let’s see here.  I had y’all guessing as to what Sonshine calls certain Christmas carols. The answers are:Wunnerful Time is “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”   Want for Christmas is “All I want for Christmas is You”  The Hiccup song is “The Man With All the Toys” (it’s by the Beach Boys and if you don’t know why he calls it that then go listen to the song again!Please Happy Dog is “Feliz Navidad”And as an added bonus for having to wait so long I'll tell you that he calls Handel's Hallelujah Chorus "the yawning song" because he thought they were saying "yawning, yawning..." (this has been remedied but the nickname stuck)

V is for Vista (I hate it…let me tell you why…) As I mentioned, our CPU was about 8 years old, the monitor was older and the printer about 3 or 4 years old.  GUESS WHAT??!!  They all had to be replaced because all the computers out there for sale now have Vista.  This tripled our expected price tag folks.  In addition NONE of our programs were compatible with Vista.  I had Norton Antivirus 2006...still had the box, book, disk everything but GUESS WHAT??  Not compatable.  I was plenty happy with the Microsoft Office we had, but GUESS WHAT??!!  $150 for the latest version which is Vista compatable...then they wanted to charge another $49.95 to INSTALL it!!!!  HOLY CROW!  All you have to do is click on continue about 8 times..then click on Finish...no thanks.  I think I can install software, sheeesh.  And so why am I only "sorta" online?????  Because (you guessed it) the Yahoo! software disk I keep safe for just such an occasion as this isn't compatable with Vista.  So I am STILL waiting for AT&T to get a new disk to me.  This means that I have no email access at this time.  Hopefully the silly-hineyed disk will arrive in tomorrow's mail and I will be able to see how many of you wrote to me in my absence.  uugggghhh, I'm mad enough to type all night....let's move on shall we??

W is for Winter??  (all 2 days of it so far) What happened to Winter? Good Grief!  We had a hard freeze and I thought well, here's the cold.  It was in the 30's for 2 days.  Today the high was lower 60's so I'm guessing Winter is over and we've moved on to Spring....  X is for Xenoch or Xenox or something... When I was in 6th grade we studied Australia.  Our big project was to do A-Z of Australia.  I also happened to go to church with a man who had immigrated from Australia at that time.  So Mom suggested I interview him for the class.  I came up with some rather silly questions and he graciously answered them all.  Well, I was stumped on "X"..as most people are and I just hate when people us things like "X marks the spot"  or "X-ray"  or "eXcitement"  to me it's just cheating.  So, I asked my interviewee if he knew of a word from Australia that started with an X.  He did!  yipee!  I can't remember how to spell it now, but he described it as being similar to a boullion cube. X is a nice letter you know, and it begins more words than Xylophone so we really should treat it with more respect.Y is for “YUK song” There is one song on this CD that my mom made that is not at all Christmassy.  It isn't listed on the case she made so I don't know where it came from.  It's mostly 80s synth intrumental stuff.  There is someone singing in the background but I can't make out what they're saying.  Every time this song comes on I say "YUK!" and skip it.  Well, now Sonshine is REQUESTING "The Yuk song!" (go figure!)  Today I recopied that CD along with a few other favorites and (low and behold) I managed to leave out the Yuk song.  aaawwwwww.Z is for Zip-a-dee-do-dah I think I've mentioned before that I break out in song when I'm under stress.  This is my favorite song to bust forth at those times.  Don't know why it just does.  Well, you can imagine that I've been singing quite regularly during this week  :-)  I am going to slowly catch up with all of you.  But please note.  I lost all my bookmarks.  So, if you would like me to come by your site again you need to leave me a comment, otherwise you may be lost forever. 

Another guest post.....

Our computer at home died so MightyMom will not be posting for a couple of days until she gets a new one. Yep, we'll just walk out back to where the money tree grows and grab a double handfull.

Phooey.

Funny how these things are almost a necessity now. Kind of like automobiles, we all know life would go on without a car but just try doing it sometime. Especially if you have any serious commuting to do to get to your job. Yet a hundred years ago cars were a luxury for us.

Pardon the philosophical comments.

Subvet (via the office computer).

Here's a truly wonderful Christmas post.

Last Saturday night

Well, here's the cast and crew. I'm an ewe, boys are sheep and Sugars is the STAR! In the last pic Sonshine is in front of me, Alligator is behind me. The middle pics show Sonshine "enjoying" the final song :-)

Tiny Talk with a Twist

TINY TALK TUESDAY is once again upon us. Go see Mary at Not Before 7 to see more of this fun event.

This week I'm adding a twist heeheehee.

I'm going to tell you what Sonshine calls 4 Christmas Carols and you get to guess which ones he's talking about.

Ready??

1) wunderful time
2) want for Christmas
3) the hiccup song
4) Please Happy Dog

True Confessions

That last post says it was written on Friday cuz I wanted to keep em all together, but it was actually written on Saturday...at about 3am.

After posting "Remembering" I went by Cookie's place, then got curious.

I started reading everything I could find on the attack at Pearl Harbor. That's when I went back and added all the pics. I read and read and cried and cried that night. Well into morning. I don't know (or care) if you believe such things, but I felt like this room was full of soldiers urging me to learn...then to teach. So that they should not be forgotten as another generation comes of age.

Here's what I learned.

1) The United States of America is the BEST damn country in the world.
2) You may knock us down, but you'd better watch out when we get back up.
3) We ALWAYS get back up.

Let me tell you folks, I am now totally in awe of Navy "SeaBee's" such as Cookie and Diane's Dad. For folks who are unversed in the lingo. SeaBee is a slang for C.B. which stands for Construction Battalion (Cookie, jump in here if I get anything wrong!) These are the folk who build and repair all Navy craft.

We had 12 ships "sunk or beached" and 9 "damaged" in that attack.
Not to menton all the planes and buildings.

Now, to this city girl, "sunk" means dead. Sitting on the bottom rusting. But "All U.S. Ships except Arizona, Utah, and Oklahoma were salvaged and later saw action."
Most of those ships were saved and sent back to war within the year. And the cleanup was dirty, oily work.

Follow the links folks, look at the pictures. This is an AMAZING story that you won't soon forget! And remember that no matter how bleak the scenery looks, there's always a way to rebuild, and strike back.

For More Information

The USS Arizona. ".... and as you can see from the picture, she still mourns her dead...." Cookie

For more information about the effects of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 2007
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

On December 7, 1941, our Nation was viciously attacked at Pearl Harbor, America's Pacific Fleet was battered and broken, and more than 2,400 American lives were lost. On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, America honors those brave individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our homeland, and we recognize those veterans who with strength and resolve defended our Nation and advanced the cause of freedom during World War II.

When it mattered most, an entire generation of Americans stepped forward to protect our freedom and to defend liberty. Their devotion to duty and willingness to serve a cause greater than self helped secure our future and our way of life. Liberty prevailed because of the sacrifice of these courageous patriots, and America and her allies preserved a world where democracy could flourish. Our Nation remains forever in the debt of these brave Americans.

From the unprovoked attack at Pearl Harbor grew a steadfast resolve that has made America a defender of freedom around the world, and our mission continues as our men and women in uniform serve at home and in distant lands. Today, as we defend our Nation's founding ideals, we pay special tribute to those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor, honor our veterans of World War II, and celebrate the liberty that makes America a lasting symbol of hope to the world.

The Congress, by Public Law 103 308, as amended, has designated December 7 of each year as "National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day."

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim December 7, 2007, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. I encourage all Americans to observe this solemn occasion with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I urge all Federal agencies, interested organizations, groups, and individuals to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff this December 7 in honor of those who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this

fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-second.

GEORGE W. BUSH

Remembering

The wrecked destroyers USS Downes (DD-375) and USS Cassin (DD-372) in Drydock One at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, soon after the end of the Japanese air attack. Cassin has capsized against Downes.
USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) is astern, occupying the rest of the drydock. The torpedo-damaged cruiser USS Helena (CL-50) is in the right distance, beyond the crane. Visible in the center distance is the capsized USS Oklahoma (BB-37), with USS Maryland (BB-46) alongside. Smoke is from the sunken and burning USS Arizona (BB-39), out of view behind Pennsylvania. USS California (BB-44) is partially visible at the extreme left.
This image has been attributed to Navy Photographer's Mate Harold Fawcett.




Destroyer USS Shaw exploding after her forward magazine was detonated



USS California sinking


USS West Virginia took two aerial bombs (one dud) and seven torpedo hits; of the seven at least five were from aircraft and one from a midget submarine






As I am writing this it is the Saturday before Labor Day. September first. We are trying to spread the word to get everyone to fly their American Flag on September eleventh in memory of the tragedy that took place 9/11/01.

However, you won't be seeing this post until December. December seventh to be exact.

Because 9/11/01 reminds me of 12/7/41.

The day that the American Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was bombed by the Japanese.

My Grandaddy fought in WWII, he lost his only brother in that war then was sent home as the last surviving male member of the family. He flew cargo planes for the US Army Air Corp....perhaps my love of flying and desire to be a (fighter) pilot is genetic.

I remember the sadness and frustration he expressed when we kids couldn't tell him what day Pearl Harbor had been bombed, or the names of the ships lost, or even how many ships, or what impact it had on WWII (The BIG 'un). I remember him saying that the world stopped that day...and when it started moving it was never the same again. I remember wondering what on earth he meant by that. I remember his anger when he went to the VA, that is Veteran's Affairs, hospital for a doctor's visit and found out that his assigned doctor was "a damn Jap!!" This wasn't a man given to fits of anger, but boy he got hot telling me about THAT! I remember wondering what the big deal was.

Then came 9/11/01 and I understood.

I understood the sadness and frustration when the people around me forgot to take note of that day. I remember how the world stopped, how my husband kept saying over and over that nothing will ever be the same again and I understood exactly what he meant. I understood the anger at any member of a specific group of people who were responsible for so much unprovoked bloodshed. I understood exactly what the big deal was.

In light of this understanding, I will never again forget 12/7/41. What it cost our countrymen and how it changed the world.

Do you have an American Flag?

Do you fly it at half-mast on Pearl Harbor Day?

YOU SHOULD!

Hello out there!!

well a couple of days and two trips to Radio Shack later, here I am, up and running.

Thanks for all your comments and emails while I was away.

I shall now attempt to wade through the backlog of your posts and emails :-)

Guest post.

Due to our cat chewing through the cord from the tranformer to the modem, MightyMom will be unable to post for the next day or so. She hopes you'll all stop by when she gets back up and running.

Damned cats!
Sincerely,
Subvet

Tiny Talk Tuesday

I don't know if it's just me or not, but I've actually started taking notes of what Sonshine says during the week so that I'll have something to put up on Tuesday. Otherwise all his silly sayings just fall out of the holes in my head come time to write this post each week.

So, the other night while I was fixing supper and they were playing in the living room I hear Sonshine say LOUDLY. "The kitty needs to go in the toilet!!!"

Now, I don't know if he's talking about potty training the cat or cleaning the toilet but I laughed and continued cooking. Then a minute or two later I hear "kitty need to go in the toilet....oh ....umm....oh...I need to go put TTs in the potty!!" well, OK, those are MAGIC WORDS in this house so I run..unlock the gate to the hallway and into the bathroom we go.....and there's kitty. TRAPPED.

I'm guessing he saw kitty drinking out of the toilet and wanted to go play with kitty, cuz he didn't need to go TT...just wanted in the bathroom. Poor kitty may never use that bathroom again.

As an aside. I have no idea where he heard the word "toilet" as we always say potty...even for mom and dad.

The 'Marine Way' to Clean Your Toilet

1. Put both lids of the toilet up and add 1 cup of pet shampoo to the water in the bowl.

2. Pick up the cat and soothe him while you carry him towards the bathroom.

3. In one swift movement, toss the cat in the toilet and slam both lids closed BEFORE his claws dig into the porcelain. Most likely you will need to stand on the lid.

4. The cat will self agitate and make ample suds. Disregard the noises that come from the toilet. Remember, even though they will never admit it, cats actually enjoy this type of special pampering.

5. Flush the toilet three or four times. This provides a 'power-wash' and 'power-rinse' and ensures that you get all those hard-to-reach spots.

6. Have someone else open the front and back doors of your home, ESPECIALLY SCREEN DOORS! Also have them ensure that there are no people between the bathroom and the nearest door.

7. Put on THICK leather work gloves and protective clothing on your arms and legs. Stand on the bathroom counter or the back of the toilet, yell 'FIRE IN THE HOLE - STAND CLEAR!!!' at the top of your lungs, wait 3 seconds until everyone is looking at you like you're crazy, and then quickly lift both lids.

8. The cat will rocket out of the toilet (this is where 9-foot ceilings REALLY pay off!), streak out of the bathroom, blast thru the house at mach 3, and shoot out the door like a bullet. Fear not ... Once outside he will take it upon himself to dry off and groom himself.

9. Voila! Both the toilet and the cat are clean!

Sincerely,

The Dog

Answers for Diana.

OK, I guess the "rule" is that you answer questions left in the comments in that particular comment string.

Yeah, well, if you haven't learned this by now, you should know that I periodically BREAK RULES. Just because I can. :-)

In the comments to each of my last two posts Diana at Sunshine on my Shoulders (a very good read that you NEED to check out!...go on ...I'll wait here.) has made some very lovely statements that I deem worthy of addressing out in the open where all can see.

Starting with last Saturday's Thesaurus Thursday Winners and Answers post. Diana said this:

where do you come up with these words? do you scour the dictionary or thesaurus looking for words that will stump us? just wondering. i have not known one of your words. what does that say about me and my vocabulary? :/

Darling Diana, what it says about your vocabulary is that it is the same as MINE! For those of you who weren't with me way back in July when I started Thesaurus Thursday (I can't believe it's been that long!) Here's the very first one which tells why I started this game in the first place. And yes, dear, I pull my 1992 Random House Webster's College Dictionary off the shelf and flip through looking for words I don't know...that I don't think any of you fine folk will know either. The whole point of this game is to increase our vocabulary. So, if you learn a new word every week, then we've been successful.

Now, in response to my Santa Claus post from Saturday Diana said this:

i believe in santa, too. i think he works closely with God. and your story is a beautiful and perfect example of that. thanks for sharing it. i would love to read a whole month's worth of posts like this one.

Now, if I wrote posts like this one all month I would flood out the neighborhood. Seeing as how our drought ended without the assistance of my tears I think I'll pass. However, I know that each of you have a wonderful and inspiring story to tell about what Christmas means to you, SO I'm challenging you to share your stories this month and spread joy around the web.

Just be sure and come back here and let me know when you post your stories.

Santa Claus

OK, when I was a child we lived in what I now know was poverty. However, because my then step-father was going to SMU to seminary (he never finished) we lived for a year and a half in the richest part of Dallas. It was very hard to be "the poor kid."

Well, during the second of those Decembers we got an envelope in the mail that said "To the parents of Sarah ....." return address was Santa Claus. Inside were $100 in gift certificates to the local grocery store. Our Christmas was not big, but we did have one. Because of the former step-father's poor spending habits, we would have had Christmas regardless...but then wouldn't have had money for food. Those gift certificates were perfect. A month's worth of food (give or take) that can't be spent on anything else. (This was long before you could get groceries and "stuff" like clothes and toys at the same store.)

I have a younger brother with a different last name. Why was it addressed to my parents? Who sent it? How did they know that just sending money wouldn't be as helpful as the gift certificates? Did they know? How can you accept a gift when you don't know who to tell thank you?

These questions have no answers.

But I do know this. I was 12 years old and very depressed. Ready to lose hope in everything. My Mom was in the process of kicking out the former step-father with poor spending habits. The world as I knew it was falling apart. Out of nowhere Santa sent me a gift. Not just a gift of money for food for the family, but a gift to me of hope, an example that people aren't all hateful and snide, and the assurance that I could and would make it and be able to move on to a better life. Also, the knowledge that there'd be help along the way through the Grace of God.

Christmas is about the Birth of Christ. However, Santa Claus is about spreading hope and joy to those most in need. And every December I celebrate BOTH. Yes, I DO believe in Santa Claus and I DO believe that he still lives.

He lives in our hearts every December when we make a point of spreading hope and joy to someone else.

"And I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight
Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night."

Saturday winners

sanative - adj. having the power to heal.

sallet - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The sallet (also called salade) was a war helmet that replaced the bascinet in northern Europe during the mid-15th century. Some sallets were close fitting except at the back of the head where they extended and formed a pointed tail. Some Italian ones followed the nape of the neck, and had an additional plate riveted on. Many sallets were worn with an extended, padded, gorget called a bevor that protected the wearer's jaw. Some sallet versions have occularia in the form of a slit in a visor, some have this slit in the front of the helm, or even in the brim. Most sallets needed no breathing holes, as there was a natural gap where it overlapped the bevor near the wearer's mouth. Some Italian sallets had a "bellows visor" with breaths cut into the visor.

This helmet design contrasted with the barbute which was popular in Italy at the same time. Unlike the sallet, the barbute itself protected the jaw and neck. So whereas the gorget or bevor were important counterparts to the sallet, they were usually absent in barbutes. Barbutes did not pivot. Sallets did not share the barbute's resemblance to classical Greek or Roman artifacts.

One characteristic that distinguishes early sallets from late sallets is the length of the helmet tail, which became more pronounced toward the end of the century. Some helmets are of intermediate design, incorporating elements of both the barbute and the sallet. In the early 16th century this evolved into the burgonet.




Winners...
There are no Smarty Pants this week HA! stumped you :-)

Our Silly Goose winners are

Vee said...
sallet... well, I know that one...it's a small newly invented device carried only in Canada and only at Canadian Tire. It is a hybrid tool with interchangeables .. a pruning saw blade or small hammer head.

Quill of Bill
sanative-to cleanse with Bleach.

"Motel toliets are rarely cleansed with sanative."

and here's your award.

SSSS and Thesaurus Thursday all rolled into one!

Well folks, it appears that I actually can't make it through a day and night without sleeping sometime...which means that my choices have come down to reading all of your blogs (which I adore!) and leaving you commentary, or posting on my blog. Last night I read and commented...tonight I'm gonna spend my time posting on mine. If there is a specific post you would like me to read in timely manner then PLEASE email or comment to me and let me know. In the mean time just know that I am lurking out there in the blogosphere and do keep up with each of you as best I can.

OK, there are several posts that I sat on last night so I'm gonna play some catch up here....I'll end with Thesaurus Thursday which should get me back up to date.

First off, I promised Cookiee that I would tell you about this very wonderful opportunity to help our troops that he is promoting. I may break rules, but I try to keep promises. Please go and visit Cookie's site and read the 3rd post down titled Pinups for Vets...and then follow the links to buy one of these calendars for our wounded soldiers. Cookie has posted samples of the pictures that are in the calendar. They are tastefully done and sure to improve any soldier's (or any man's for that matter) morale without offending the ladies. Here's some information about the calendars:

Gina Elise is a model with a BA from UCLA. She has spent 2006 and 2007 on her project that combines what she knows (modeling, photography, history) to help a cause dear to her heart (hospitalized veterans and soldiers in need).

So, she created a project called Pin Ups for Vets which is co-sponsored by American Legion Post 360 of Lake Arrowhead, California. Her 2007 Pin Up Calendar sold out and now she has her 2008 Calendar available.

Gina Elise says this about her project:

Over the past year, I have heard and read incredible stories about the injured soldiers returning from military service. Their hardest battles have just begun, as they attempt to recover in Veterans Hospitals all across America . I was touched by each story, and knew that I had to try to do something to help our hospitalized Vets.

I came up with an idea to recreate a World War II style pin-up calendar that would have the dual purpose of raising money for programs that support hospitalized Veterans, and also serve as a GIFT for each and every Veteran, as they recover in a Veterans Hospital.

I always loved the beautiful pin-up photos and paintings from the World War II era that American soldiers took overseas with them to boost their morale. The troops often carried these “cheesecake” pictures with them into war to help remind them of what they were fighting for back home. One of the most famous pinup shots was taken in the 1940’s of actress Betty Grable, in a bathing suit, looking back over her shoulder.

With these old glamorous pictures as inspiration, I decided to try to recreate the feeling of these nostalgic pin-ups in my own photo shoots, and then assemble my pictures in a calendar for a fund-raiser to benefit the programs that support the hospitalized Veterans, injured in ALL wars, past and present.

Your calendar donation will go towards: eyeglasses for Veterans, the home health program, recreational therapy, spinal cord injury & amputee programs, substance abuse program, women’s Veterans’ program, chapel improvements, homeless program, reading materials and subscriptions for the Veterans, patio improvements, parking lot shuttle, courtesy cart, social relief fund, televisions, wheelchairs, and outreach programs for the visually impaired...

You can purchase a calendar for yourself, one to be sent to a soldier (any soldier or one you give the address for), or one for a hospitalized veteran. Gina will be visiting our Soldiers at Walter Reed in January and needs to bring (at least) 100 calendars with her. Purchase a calendar to give to a Soldier at Walter Reed here (option #2).


Next, I would like to share with you that Glenn is trying to raise money to send carepacks to a group of deployed soldiers. So go on over there and read about all the cool stuff he's putting in them and see if you'd like to help.


OK, on to Sarah's Simple Sewing Secrets

I have 2 ways that I use regularly to make quick and easy kiddo sized blankets. Here's the slightly more expensive but less time consuming one. The other will be next Wednesday's SSSS post.

I bought this fabric at Walmart, but you can get this stuff at most any fabric store. This is called a "panel" fabric because you see one scene. These scenes (or panels) repeat for the length of the bolt. When you buy it you have them cut the number of panels you want.

This particular panel fabric is also called a "cheater fabric" because it is printed to imitate a quilt. Blow up the picture and look closely at all the patterns in each color/piece within the panel.


But here's the way cool part.

This fabric is two sided and pre-quilted. This is how it looks in the store....straight off the bolt.

Now to turn this into a quick and easy blanket. Buy bias tape in a coordinating color, enough to go all the way around the perimeter of your panel plus about 6-10 inches. (or you can follow these instructions without sewing it together. Join (sew) all pieces of your tape together to make one LONG strip. Then open it up like this

and place the raw edge of your pre-quilted fabric inside the fold of the bias tape so that the tape is on the front and back of your fabric and there are no raw edges showing.

HINT:
Start the beginning end of the bias tape in the middle of a long side, not at a corner, then leave about 4 inches free before you start to sew. Sew, making sure you're catching both the top side of the tape and the bottom side of the tape at the same time. Work your way all the way around the panel. When you get to the side you started on, stop sewing about 6-10 inches away from where you started sewing. Lay beginning end on top of ending end of bias tape, mark where top edge overlaps, add 3/8" to bottom (ending end) and then cut. Join (sew) the two ends of the bias tape together using 1/4" seam allowance. Now fit remaining 6-10 inches of raw edge in your now whole bias tape and sew.


Here you can see the unfinished panel on the bottom and the one I made a couple of years ago (that Alligator takes to school in lieu of that quilt that STILL isn't finished) on top. (faded huh?)




Now, on to Thesaurus Thursday!

Our words for this week are:

sallet

sanative

For those who are new here today, the "rules" of Thesaurus Thursday are as follows:

First and foremost, leave as many funny definitions for either word (or both) as you can think up in the comments!! The ones that make me laugh the hardest will be given the Silly Goose Award.




Next, if you know (or think you know) the true definitions without looking them up then be sure and leave those in the comments too!! All definitions that are correct (or close enough for government work and Mighty Mom) will win the Smarty Pants Award!



Awards will be given out in Saturday's post, so don't forget to come and see if you won!

Where's my Spirit?

Well, I was just saying about how I'm not quite in the Spirit of the Season yet. Things are moving along with making gifts...all the shopping is done...I'm listening to that radio station that started playing only Christmas music on Nov 1st (can you BELIEVE??)...Sonshine is pointing out every stuffed Santa we pass...we have reservations for breakfast with the big guy in red on Sat...but I'm just not quite there yet.

Then it dawned on me. I haven't heard my favorite Christmas song yet, no wonder it's not Christmastime for me!! Funny thing, that radio station almost never plays "my song"....even when I've called and requested it. I don't know why.

But now, thanks to the internet...I can share "my song" with you. It truly is my favorite Christmas Carol.



And here's a cute interview with the guy who performed this inspiring ditty.

No time to post.

It stinks, I know, I'm sorry.

I want to put up a very quick and easy way to make a small blanket for a child/baby gift but I need to add pictures and the material I need to photograph is at the bottom of the closet located right next to the crib where that cutie-pie is SLEEPING.

"There never was a child so lovely but that his mother wasn't glad to get him to sleep." Emerson.

I should have more time tomorrow night before bedtime so I'll put up Sarah's Simple Sewing Secrets along with the Thesaurus Thursday game then.

Till then I'm working feverishly on these blasted Christmas gifts.....which you may just have a chance to buy here in a day or two :-)

An Early Christmas Gift

For my Darling Subvet

Get this widget!

(it's his FAVORITE movie!)

click the light chain.

:-)

Tiny Talk Take Too

well, this might be as much fun as watching paint dry to you folks but hey, it's my blog.

I couldn't put up videos of just 2 out of 3 kids....

here's the scene.

she's laying in my lap, playing with the wristband to the camera. This movie is dark cuz it's night time and I could use a more upscale camera that uses flash while videotaping but don't have that kind of disposable income.

Oh, and in case you were wondering....yes, this is how I spend all my evenings.......makes me really feel sorry for all those women's lib-ers who think "just" being a mom isn't "enough"

sound is a must on this video!

Tiny Talk Tuesday.

TINY TALK TUESDAY is once again upon us. Go see Mary at Not Before 7 to see more of this fun event.


Well, on Thursday we celebrated Sonshine's 4th birthday. He turned 4 on Sunday but we decided to party while we had the Grandmothers here. Of all the toys he got his favorite was (you guessed it) THE 20/$1 BALLOONS! (hence my 1 gift rule)

Here are a couple of videos I took of the big morning. He had already popped the green balloon in these. I'm going to apologize ahead of time for these videos...they make me a little seasick....but considering I was filming the flight of a bumblebee with an alligator on my lap, this is the best I could do.

Now, have you ever been asked a question and wondered just what answer the person was looking for? This is never a problem with Sonshine. He asks the question then will answer for you.....



The song he sings at the end of this video comes from a Little Einsteins episode and is to the tune of Eine Kleine Nacht Music by Mozart.


In other Tiny Talk news....

As I was taking Sonshine to his Physical Therapy yesterday morning we could see a large almost full moon. This moon became the topic of his running commentary for the entre 45 min drive. I heard all the usual stuff..."The moon is way up high in the sky!!" "The moon is ROUND, mama, YES!, the moon is ROUND!"

Then he said something that cracked me up. We're driving down a wooded stretch and he says "The moon is playing peek-a-boo. YES mama, the moon is playing peek-a-boo with the trees!!"

So have a lovely day this fine Tuesday my friends, and don't forget to play peek-a-boo with that moon while we can still see it during the day!

Tchaikovsky and me.

Well, now
Linda, you get to be Ms Smarty Pants this week!! Scroll down and take your prize from Diane dear.

Many of you have P. D. Q. Bach confused with Johann Sebastian Bach. I'm short on time here so I'm just gonna give you links. You can follow them to Wikipedia and find out for yourselves.

I played P. D. Q. Bach's Grand Serenade for an Awful Lot of Winds and Percussion in High School and absolutely fell in love with this twenty-first of Johann Sebastian Bach's twenty children. It is as much fun to play his music (if not more so) than to listen to it. One of the many things I remember is repeats or codas that go nowhere, and at one place all the woodwinds were to play musical chairs, literally change seats in the middle of the performance. Reading a piece of P. D. Q. Bach's music is a lot like a trip through the Winchester mansion that Sarah Winchester had built over 38 years. Constant surprises. (By the way, that's one of the places I'd like to see before I die.)

AAHHHH, whilest I was away from you good folks we had a BIRTHDAY!! and a BIG one it was too! As a matter of fact I currently have 24 cupcakes cooling in the kitchen which I will ice and sprinkle (before I head to bed) for Pre-school tomorrow. Well, 1/2 of them are for Pre-school, the other 1/2 are for US!! :-)

I just can't believe my BABY is 4 years old!! For those of you who haven't met us he's about 45 inches tall and about 45lbs. (ie HUGE) I'll have specifics next week after that dreaded 4 year old doctor's appointment.

I have to tell you my Sonshine is constantly surprising me. He's talking more and more and his little imagination has really sparked here recently.. which will make up tomorrow's Tiny Talk Post, so I'd better not steal my own thunder here.

On Friday my step-mom and I took the 3 hooligans to a benefit performance of the Nutcracker Suite ballet. My kids did GREAT! I was really impressed...and judging from the utter surprise in her voice when she told me she'd enjoyed herself..so was Mimi!! We left at intermission because I figured 1 hour of good behavior was probably all I could ask for and I decided to quit while I was ahead!

I said this was a benefit performance...it was to benefit folks with special needs. There were a ton of families with children of all ages there and many adults with special needs as well. (Hence the only reason I felt safe taking the hooligans in the first place.)

I got there about 10 min before Mimi and we stood by the doors watching folk arrive while waiting for her. This was a huge blessing for me!!!

Being the parent of special needs children is kind of an emotional roller coaster. We have periods of time when we're very happy and periods of time when we're very sad. I had been sad recently. I sometimes get weary of all the therapy, sad for the differences, and just plain tired of the work. (did I mention the sniveling?? it's driving me crazy!)

There's a song I heard years and years ago and if any of you fine folk can identify it please tell me where it comes from. It's all about giving people an attitude adjustment upside the top of your head.

Well, standing there watching family after family come in, some with obvious special needs and others without, I realized I have nothing to be sad about. God gave me an attitude adjustment upside the head right there in that lobby, let me tell you. Remember "P" ? My kids are Perfect. And I am one LUCKY MOMMY!

Thanks God!

Winners

Quill of Bill
tomalley- a mexican food cooked in masa and then steamed. (this is the way a redneck would pronounce it)
"LaVonda get me there one of those tomalleys and some ketchup!"

Linda
Tomalley is the lead singer of the band the Tonettes!


Miss Smarty Pants is Diane
Tomalley I know -- It's the liver in a cooked lobster. A delicacy to some, lobster guts to this ol' gal!

And here's your prize:



The Tonette is a small, end-blown flute made of plastic, which was once popular in American elementary music education. It has largely been superseded by the recorder. The range of the instrument is from middle C (c4) to d4. It is also known as a song flute.

The Tonette was introduced in 1938. Designed as a pre-band instrument, the tonette was nearly unbreakable, chromatic, and tunable. It was easy to blow and the fingering was simple. By 1941 over half of the grammar schools in the United States had adopted the Tonette as standard pre-band equipment. The Tonette's pleasant flute-like sound was also used for special novelty effects in radio, television and film.

In World War II the armed services found the Tonette to be an inexpensive and entertaining way for idle troops to pass the time.

Peter Schickele has described the tonette as "a cheap, synthetic recorder with amusing pretensions"; it is one of the instruments featured in the Gross Concerto by P. D. Q. Bach. **thanks to Wikipedia**




POP QUIZ!

Who, without looking it up, can tell me anything about P. D. Q. Bach? (Hint: One of my FAVORITE composers!)

Thanksgiving Thesaurus Thursday

Well, hello and welcome back from the dinner table! If you're anything like me you're stuffed full of stuffed bird and having a hard time keeping your eyes open while waiting on the dishwasher to finish so you can get that last load in it and go to bed! :-)

If you're not like me you're watching the Dallas Cowboys STOMP ON the New York Jets. ** :-) **

ummm 34-3 if you're interested.

Next they take on the Green Bay Packers...and frankly they just have to win this one or Mohawk Chieftan will NEVER let me live it down!!!!!

I have had a very nice week "off" and I must say a huge thank you to all the sailors who put up their stories so we'd have something to read. Seeing as how I've spent the entire week in the bathroom waiting on pee or poop these stories were quite timely. The Chief promises one from the Marine point of view tomorrow so I can't wait to read that!

Subvet has proven once again that he is a stinking good cook! Our bird and trimmings were perfect. We celebrated Sonshine's 4th birthday today while we had family gathered as Subvet will be working all DAY on Sunday. Highlights include Sonshine singing Happy Birthday to himself solo while Daddy was lighting the candles on the cake. Sonshine asking to blow the candles out AGAIN. Gator-boy going to town with the Grandmothers (both my and Subvet's mothers were here) batting the balloons around. If everything at youtube and blogger cooperate this time I will be posting a video of the boys playing with the balloons for Tiny Talk Tuesday so don't forget to stop by then.

Potty training is progressing, albeit not as quickly as I'd like. However, that's par for the course with a kid that has delays like Sonshine's. I keep thinking, if I can get these two boys out of diapers I can conquer the world!
Here's what happens when I send Sonshine to "Go pick out what underwear you want to wear today."



On the sewing front there's a stalemate. I just don't have the energy after running up and down the hall all day to sit at the sewing machine at night. So, **sigh** Thanksgiving has past and my gifts are not done. I'll be getting to them here in the next week though.

On to our game! I'm hoping it'll be more exciting than the Cowboys/NYJets game was. I HATE to watch landslides. I really do. I much prefer a really close game with a lot of turnovers that has you out of your seat screaming yourself hoarse for 3 hours.

Oh, by the way. I love football. It makes me sad that we had to even stop watching games because the commercials were just nastiness. And there was that "wardrobe malfunction".....


For those who are new here today, the "rules" of Thesaurus Thursday are as follows:

First and foremost, leave as many funny definitions for either word (or both) as you can think up in the comments!! The ones that make me laugh the hardest will be given the Silly Goose Award.




Next, if you know (or think you know) the true definitions without looking them up then be sure and leave those in the comments too!! All definitions that are correct (or close enough for government work and Mighty Mom) will win the Smarty Pants Award!



Awards will be given out in Saturday's post, so don't forget to come and see if you won!


Our words for this week are:


tomalley

tonette

And, just for grins here's a couple of pictures from today.


Do not buy this toy!! It is obnoxious! (I looked it up, dear, highly objectionable or offensive.)




This, however was a lot of fun....

Here's Sonshine playing with it.


And here's Mom playing after Sonshine went to bed..


Did I mention I'm a Tomboy??

Night folks. Looking forward to reading some funny definitions tomorrow.

No Shit!

OK, Well, in my quest to keep you folks entertained while I sit with the boy on the throne I have asked Subvet to give me another of his Sea Stories. Which he did (of course).

Things are going well in the potty department and I will be bringing back my usual commentary on life with Thesaurus Thursday tomorrow. So come on back tomorrow or Friday to exercise your brain and funny bone simultaneously.

Make a note of what I said in the last post about how one sea story will lead to another...and another...and another.... Well, here's proof positive. Go and visit this fine gentleman as he's joined in the poop parade. I must say, I do think Sonarman takes the cake!

In the mean time, Here's Subvet's. I didn't need to edit this one at all.....

Another sea story (I'm on a roll now!)
In my previous post I inadvertently used some terms most people might not be familiar with. One poster (Ignorant Redneck) brought my attention to this. Sorry about that folks, when you speak a different language than most for years the chance of slipping back into it is always there.

In order to minimize any confusion over terms I'll begin with a brief glossary for this next tale of submariner derring-do. Here it is:

XO-Executive Officer. The second most senior man aboard a naval craft. He's the man who enforces all policies of the Commanding Officer (CO).

A-ganger-Member of the auxiliary division aboard naval vessels. They're mechanics who are responsible for the operation and maintenance of all non-propulsion machinery. Aboard submarines this is a real grab bag of items, all the hydraulic systems, pneumatic systems, potable water, atmosphere control equipment and plumbing/sanitary systems, and whatever else can be foisted off on them. A-gangers (along with Torpedomen) are also the most rude, crude, socially unacceptable reprobates of the crew. They don't get invited to too many formal dinner parties. John Belushi's character in "Animal House" would have been a great A-ganger if he'd just loosened up a bit.

Chief-A shortened way of saying Chief Petty Officer. These are the backbone of the Navy's enlisted ranks. They run the day to day operation of the various work centers. The top three enlisted paygrades in the Navy are Chief, Senior Chief, Master Chief. They train the crew and junior officers, enforce discipline, give personal guidance, counsel those with problems, bend steel in their bare hands and jump over tall buildings in a single bound.

Amine-A shortened version of monoethanolamine which is a chelating agent used in the CO2 removal systems (aka "scrubbers") to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and emit it when heated in a boiler to be compressed and put overboard. Chemically it's a base that will eat rubber in a heartbeat. It also leaves a beautiful stain in leather upholstery and on custom paint jobs. Amine is loaded aboard submarines via an air driven pump placed in a 55 gallon drum of the stuff. These drums are NEVER to be directly pressurized with air.

EDOM-Engineering Department Operating Manual. A general guideline for all Engineering Department evolutions conducted aboard a submarine.

Sea Story-A personal recollection of things past. Said by many to resemble a fairy tale, the greatest difference being that a fairy tale begins with, "Once upon a time....." while a sea story begins with, "This is no shit....".

La Madd-La Maddalegna, Sardinia. The former location of a submarine repair facility in the Mediterranean.

Here's another sea story. It's a "no-shitter".

God must love the stupid, He's made so many of them.

Whilst aboard the USS OMAHA I met one of the dumbest A-gangers that could walk. "Bruce" was the sort that always knew he was right, no matter what the facts. In the course of his short time aboard he managed to make one man in particular his nemesis; the XO (if you're gonna go, go big).

One fine day the chief put "Bruce" in charge of loading amine. As anyone with more than two days assigned to A-gang knows you NEVER, NEVER directly pressurize a drum of amine with air. Not one to let common sense, the teachings of every auxiliaryman in the fleet and the boat's EDOM stand in his way; our hero ran a 100 psi air line topside through the weapons shipping hatch and proceeded to glory.

After cutting in the air he sprang an amine leak downstream of the drum. "Bruce" was anything but coolheaded under fire so he immediately shut the discharge line while still pressurizing the drum. Reliable sources claimed before it exploded the amine canister resembled a dark green balloon.

As Murphy's Law would have it, the XO's pride and joy; his cherry red MG convertible, was parked on the pier directly parallel to the shipping hatch. With the top down. After all was said and done the genuine leather upholstery had more stains than Granny Clampett's teeth. The paint job was no cause for joy either.

Years later I met the XO when he became the Commodore of the Squadron in La Madd while I was stationed there. It was on the tip of my tongue to ask how "Bruce" was doing, however I kept quiet. I don't mind being called crazy but I draw the line at "stupid".

More Shit!

So, what happens when you get a couple old sailors together?

Having been there I can tell you. A) you go through more coffee than a double humped camel drinks before crossing the Sahara. B) there is a lot of chatter. I mean it. Old sailors talk more than old women! Here's how it goes. First there is a listing of the "Boats" they were on (by the way, Submarines are "boats", Navy surface craft ie things that don't dive are "ships")...then a listing of the people they knew.....which leads to "Did you hear about the time.................."

AAHHHH Yes, the SEA STORY!

And, of course, one will always lead to another as no sailor wants to be outdone by another's SEA STORY!

Q: What's the difference between a Fairy Tale and a Sea Story?
A: One begins with "Once upon a time." the other begins with "Now this is no shit."


So, when I read Cookie's Sea Story that I posted yesterday I knew that Subvet would want to tell his own shitty tale. After much arm twisting and many reminders he finally typed it up for me. ;-)

If you haven't read Cookie's tale yet, scroll down to "Holy Shit!" and read it first as it gives a lot of background information that will help us Land Lovers understand what happened.

So, in his own words (mostly) here you have Subvet's Shitty Sea Story....
(I have edited this one slightly, if you want the cruder version go see Blowin San #1)


Well, Cookie started it all by telling a story of when he blew sanitaries all over Joe Negri, a TMCM who could chew rebar and shit it out as tenpenny nails.

Here's my modest contribution from my time in Uncle Sam's Canoe Club:

Let's face it, the only people more fascinated with their shit than sub sailors are baby boys. And baby boys are a lot less ingenious with spreading it around. I was aboard the USS OMAHA shortly before her commissioning back in 1978. We had left Electric Boat and were tied up at the State Pier in New London outboard the TINOSA. For some ungodly reason our bows both headed north.

As anyone familiar with early 688 class boats knows the sanitary overboard is located in the sonar equipment space, forward port corner of the sphere. (In first flight 688's there was another one in control but that's unimportant for this story.)

At the time the practice was to fit the drydock connection on the sanitary overboard with a yard or so of firehose attached to discharge directly into the river. The sanitary tank was to be pressurized ONLY to about 10-15 psi for this evolution. One midwatch a rather bored IC1 decided to pressurize the tank up to a couple of hundred pounds and let'er rip. Though weighted at the end with a couple of weights the fire hose stood at attention.

The angle was perfect to allow discharge towards TINOSA's weapons shipping hatch, coincidentally left open with the skid in place for the following day's weapons load. The only saving factor were the March winds, otherwise their torpedo room would have gotten a full load, instead they only got most of the load. As it was, dingleberries and paper flew all over the topside area, the sail, the topside watch, you get the picture.

My first indication of trouble as the leading A-ganger was the sight of a well papered State Pier when I arrived the next day. WTF immediately came to mind. Upon coming aboard I heard it all, including the threat (empty as it was illogical) that A-gang would go clean up TINOSA's torpedo room as it was our system that caused the problem. Fortunately the TINOSA moved outboard the submarine tender FULTON that same day to load her fish and we were left by ourselves. No one relished the thought of crossing over her to go on liberty. And that IC1? He went on to enter the Limited Duty Officer (LDO) program. Last time I saw him was in Charleston at the Weapons Station where he was a LCDR and the MPA aboard the tender there. Go figure.