Confession time.

As a young, immortal, and indestructible Marine, I did not take the best possible care of this container known as my body. Heck, I truly did not expect to live this long. I was on a self-destructive bent that I could not see, and in my myopic view of my lifespan, feeling the effects of my actions some twenty plus years later was not in the game plan.

California had some Global Warming yesterday – enough to shut down I-5 north of LA, which doesn’t happen too often – and the storm front, much diminished, is moving into my AO today. Actually, it started moving in last night, around 2300 hours, and that’s where my confession comes into play.

Yes, I know, medically speaking, no one can “predict” “rain” or “weather” through “feelings” in their “joints” and “bones”. The problem with the study is that the ones conducting the study are young and not feeling the effect of their actions. Yet.

About 2300 last night, I could not get comfortable. I knew that a weather change was coming because I woke up and could not get back asleep. I tossed and turned and tossed again, looking for the position that would allow my neck to relax and my back to not creak and my legs to not cramp and my arms to not numb. Could not find that position for all the tossing and turning in the world.

Add a sinus infection on top of that, and you can well imagine how chipper I feel today.

Yesterday I felt pretty good – to the point that I rearranged the “office” to the specifications of TMBWitW, taking into consideration the possibility of finally, actually, beginning to start the planning of the planning phase of my model railroad. I have several elements to be worked into the final plan, among which are a curved trestle and a three stall roundhouse/seven slot turntable section salvaged from previous layouts. The room that is now the office-slash-storage area was originally planned for the railroad, but life, five cats, and a new daughter have a habit of changing your plans for you. (by the way, one of the cats is down by one life after knocking a brass locomotive to the floor. the train room will be way off limits for the cats…) The final plan will not take up the entire room, as once envisioned, but will be a yard and spur, with lots of operation possibilities.

Well, that’s about all I can handle right now. The arthritis that I am not getting and the dyslexia that likes to rear it’s ugly head are combining forces to make typing darn near impractical right now. Hope you all had a good weekend.

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

The meeting of the Cats will now come to order. Sit down, Captain.

The meeting of the Cats will now come to ord – no, Captain, we will NOT hold the meeting outside. Yes, I know it’s very nice out this morning. You would just jump the fence and be gone…

The meeting of the Cats will now – Captain, you are about this close to finding a new home.

Fine – Roll call, in order of seniority – Vashka – Sarabi – Captain – Jewel – and Phantom. Good. Now, first item is the use of the litter box. First, I would like to say that I do appreciate everyone now using the litter boxes, instead of random spots on the floor. Not mentioning any names, Captain, but I think you all know who the culprit was on that subject.

However, in spite of the use of the litter box, I think the next area to be addressed would have to be covering up what is done in the litter box, for the olfactory consideration of the others in the household. The natural scent of the litter will only go so far.

The next item is the treatment of the older cats by the younger cats. Again, I will not mention any names, Phantom, but there have been inquiries as to the necessity of having more than two cats in the house in the first place, and a certain senior cat has specifically requested the removal of the most junior cat. At this time, we are not looking at a reduction in Cat Force, however, economic and personnel considerations may necessitate a future revision of this position. Particularly if any further complaints are received. Again, not pointing any fingers, Phantom, but if the shoe fits …

With that, do I have a motion to adjourn? Thank you Vashka – second? Thank you, Jewel. Adjourned.

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The meeting of the Dogs will now come to order. Sit! Stay!

Roll call by seniority: Sadie – Sara – Cinnamon – Mackenzie. Good. A moment of silence to remember Logan.

Thank you.

First item – the management wishes to assure all personnel holding the position of Dog in the household that not all car trips are one way. If you will all recall, there has only been one trip that was not there and back, and it was due to medical reasons. Until and unless medical issues arise, all car trips are for fun!

Second item – please remember the big bed is primarily for the humans. Any dogs on the big bed are there at the discretion of one or both of the humans, and that privilege can and will be revoked for either hogging space or passing gas.

Third item – random barking in the middle of the night is not nearly as amusing as you might think. Please keep any middle-of-the-night barking to truly emergency reasons. This means if there is a fire or break in, you may bark; but if there is a car driving down the street you may not.

Do I have a motion to adjourn? Thank you, Sara – second? Thank you, Sadie. Adjourned.

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Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, listen to The O Word on BlogTalkRadio, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

Inside joke, the title.

As in, inside the cat’s room. Yes, I’m talking about a certain cat who likes to think outside the box. Normally, a good way to come up with a solution that had not been thought of before. In this context, I’m going to have to vote against any further thinking outside the box, as it results in pee by the door and cat poop on the floor.

Cinnamon, the little brown dog, tells me that if she were allowed in the cat room, there wouldn’t be a poop-on-the-floor issue.

I don’t wanna know.

I managed to sabotage my bike riding efforts yet again – I left my phone (with the alarm function) in the closet last night, in stead of on the bathroom counter. That way, when the alarm went off, it was muffled by the closed closet door…

So – how’s your week going?

Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, Time, Inc. is a bunch of weasels, listen to The O Word on BlogTalkRadio, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

Hard to believe that it’s been that long, and so much has changed.

I started out blogging on Blogspot just to put my family history in electronic form – that project is still in the works, as evidenced by the lack of progress behind the tab marked “The Wisconsin Cartters” at the top of this page.

Then I started a personal blog to take my rants off the family page. That led me to meet a wonderful bunch of people – most of them still hanging out on my blogroll, some of them having signed off, one or two having shed this mortal coil – but all of them worth reading and chatting with when I get the chance. Oh, sure – like any family, there are going to be instances where some members of my blog-family aren’t going to be getting along with other members, and that’s fine, we’re all human, and if we all got along all the time it would be downright boring.

I started out with two blogs, and ended up with this one when I merged them in April of 2008. Having my own domain and full control over the blog is a comfort to me, being the semi-control freak that I am, and I have to thank Texas Fred and Robert for their help with getting this site set up.

I don’t remember who the first batch of contacts I made was, perhaps the gang over at The Notebored, a writer’s workshop headed up by Dee and her wonderful circle of fellow writers. I tried my hand at some writing projects over there, but there was something – I don’t know, missing? – and I just never really fully clicked. They are very welcoming there on The Notebored, but I don’t think I was ready for primetime. I do know that once I ran into Gawfer I ran into the best bunch of people I could call friends and a great variety of “conservatives” – from absolute white hat to situational conservatives, you can find a bunch of them on the blogroll now. Like I said, we don’t all get along all of the time, but we always have a great conversation.

I found Bill Whittle, a former liberal who started reading and thinking for himself (proof, by the way, that it can happen) and then using his talents as a writer to put our thoughts to “paper” and let us all read it and realize that “Yes, by thunder, that is EXACTLY what I was trying to say!” I still read him, when he publishes in between his super-glam life on the west coast and the movie deals and the screenplays… In fact, one of my personal favorite entries for I’m Thinking of the “O” Word was inspired greatly by Bill’s writing; specifically, my entry titled The Sheep, The Sheepdogs, and the Wolves was written after I had read his entry titled Tribes. I think it’s still relevant.

My wife, whom I refer to as TMBWitW, gave birth to our child, MEG, on December 30, 2006. I ran a babypool of sorts, and Paul at prying1 came in second while Just John (who, at the time, was going by Gunny John) came the closest in guessing the day and time for the momentous occasion. MEG is growing and running around and keeping the dogs on their toes now – the cats are not sure what to make of this little rosy-cheeked beauty that wants to pet them all…

And then in January of 2007 I read this entry on Jenn’s blog, and it just didn’t sit right with me. I started my campaign. Without funding. Trying to get a groundswell of support and momentum for a run at the White House. Trying, and failing. My feelings haven’t changed, especially now that we are guaranteed a liberal in the Oval Office, and I am seeing more and more signs of a revolution brewing to take this country back into the conservative hands of We The People. I do, however, plan to take another run at it in 2012, when the people of this country should be good and fed up with the liberal actions of the president and want to get back to being a sovereign country with absolute borders and absolute laws.

Now I have a BlogTalkRadio show called, appropriately enough, The O Word. Be sure to tune in on Friday mornings at 0700 Mountain Standard Time.

One thing about having a blog, and meeting (on line, of course, except in rare instances where you actually get to meet the fine people you blog with in person) other blog-owners – you will never run out of people to meet, and people who you want to link to, and people who may want to link back to you. Of course, having all these links is one thing, but being able to keep the connection going is another. I don’t always get to read all my links every day, but I sure try to stop in at least once a week or so.

Most recently, I was asked to join the gang over at Reject the UN and help spread that word. I don’t know how often I will be able to contribute, but I will be doing what I can when I can.

One thing that hasn’t wavered since I’ve discovered it: Wear Red on Fridays. I’ve got some way cool shirts that help spread the word, and I know that when service members see my red shirt they know they are being supported, prayed for, worried about, and generally appreciated for what they are doing.

A lot has changed in three years. I am so happy to have met all of you, and hope that you feel the same about me. We may not see eye to eye, but unless you break my commenting rules and totally disregard common courtesy, you will be welcome here. I know that there are a lot more people out there who deserve to be mentioned, and I will, on this Friday’s show. I’m sorry if I didn’t specifically mention you, but know that I think of each one of you often. Either to wonder what you are up to, or why you haven’t written anything lately, or to berate myself for not getting over to your site and leaving a comment. Tell you what – would you do me a favor, and just click on the “All Blogrolls Here” tab up there, and read through everyone who is making a difference in the blogosphere? Stop in and tell them I said hi, and I’ll be by later to chat.

Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, listen to The O Word on BlogTalkRadio, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

I don’t know where to start.

Yesterday afternoon (as TMBWitW was working from home, right before a Very Important Conference Call/Online Meeting) the connection was lost to the Internet. Where’s Al Gore when you need him? Several hours and many, many reboots and conversations with Cox later, and we are back online.

What a time frame to not have access – Shrillary basically hands the DemocRAT nomination to the Obamanation and then begs for the Veep slot. (I don’t know about BHO, but I would be remembering Vincent Foster when considering any dealings with Her Royal Pantsuit)

Ann Coulter has a lovely little piece on the whole affair, with some commentary about hypocrisy, in her weekly article.

I’ve added a link to my blogroll – her name is Samantha West, and she stores her thoughts here. She is very pro-military. I like her already.

I have three cats that need to find a new home – they are picking on the older two, and TMBWitW is not going to put up with that for much longer. Adopting them out is going to be much more humane than putting them on the street.

Speaking of pets – Logan is not doing real well. I introduced you to him here and for comparison purposes, here’s a recent photo:

Well, his polyneuropathy is starting to affect his bladder control. He has left a couple of puddles this week, and last week there was a bit of a BM issue by the back door. (when I went to help him stand up, it happened. I think he already needed to go, and my lifting him kind of added to the pressure.) We were told he would live between three and five years, and he just turned three. We might be losing him sooner than later. I am not looking forward to this stage of his life with us.

Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, listen to The O Word on BlogTalkRadio, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!