It sneaks up on you

Yesterday at work I was walking down the aisle and found a new endcap that had been put up in my store and I stopped to look at it because it was Puzzle Books. Started going through them picking out the books I knew he would like so I could ship them to him...

David<~~~~~~misses my Dad

One of my co-workers is going to Scotland on her vacation...

...and it set me to remembering the Mount Royal Hotel in Edinburogh Scotland where my family stayed on our UK Trip! Here are some pictures I found of the Hotel on the Internet...

David<~~~~~wishes I was going to Scotland too!

I'm back at work...

I returned to work yesterday. I am a lucky guy to work with the good people at my Store. Most of them were in the breakroom when I arrived and had a "Welcome Home" banner hanging over my office and shouted greetings and well wishes when I arrived. They had made a scrapebook for me of the night of the Inventory (which they had handled while I was out) and I had lots of cards from people that I work with in the Company waiting for me in my office. It was really touching to see the support I received from my friends. The day went pretty fast as I caught up on 3 weeks worth of emails and memos that I had missed. All day long all I could think of was how I wished that I wasn't there, and people wouldn't be handling me like they were.

here is what one co-worker wrote on the card:

"David, My sister and I parted in the same way as you lost your loved one. I remember that night watching Johnny Carson's monolouge thinking 'How can the world keep going? The world should stop for a day.' I want you to know that when I got the news, my world stopped for the rest of my day thinking of you and your family."

I knew she understood and it made it a little better...

What does it feel like to accidently inhale a fly and then bite through it with your teeth?

David<~~~~~~~knows!

early tomorrow morning I head back to STL...

I miss Tif. I leave early tomorrow morning and Snooky and I travel back to our home in St. Louis. I tell you one thing I won't miss: Texas Tailgaters! There are bad drivers in STL, really bad drivers in DC, and I always know what to expect from anyone with NY license plates, BUT. Texas has an unique type of bad driver I call the Texas Tailgaters. This particular idiot roars up on your bumper (I'm talking about 4 feet from your trunk), and sits there at 60-70 mph, waiting for their chance to pass you. In TX there is a tradition of slowing down and partially driving on the paved shoulder to allow faster cars to pass you on country roads. This polite practice has led to abuses by half brain dead drivers that expect you to do that and they communicate their wishes by rubbing bumpers with you. It is very scary to have a vehicle fill your rear view mirror. These very same people then roar around you usually when there is barely enough room to pass and merge back into traffic. Texas Tailgaters, I hope you get a ticket and your insurance rates go through the roof...

David<~~~~~~~driving back to Missouri Saturday morning!

My Brother made it back to Afghanistan finally...

Mark flew out of Atlanta last Sunday and finally made it to Afghanistan today. His bags made a detour to Amsterdam but then wandered to their correct destination. Here is a picture of the inside of the Army plane Mark finally arrived back to Afghanistan in...

David<~~~~proud of his little Brother!

ASHLEY has been found!

Here is the message that Rachel (Ashley's Mom) put on her Facebook page: "Happy to inform everyone that Ashley has been found. She is safe & sound. Within minutes after KRCG's 5 pm news broadcast, Ashley was located. We would like to thank everyone for their prayers & assistance. Our faith in humanity was restored by your wealth of love & friendship. Please pass along our gratitude to all of your friends & family that may have helped in our search. Our appreciation is endless. xoxo."

SUCH good news...

Happy to report I am smarter than an Emu (but not by much)

Hello Faithful readers,

I'm still in TX and I will drive back to STL this Saturday. I am seriously missing the GF. Yesterday it fell to me to open the Chicken Coop in the morning so the chickens that were locked up last night (to protect them from predators) could get to water and forage for their food. PROBLEM. The Chicken Coop sits about ten feet into the enclosure that houses two overly protective Emu parents. So I throw in some chicken scratch for the chickens, the Emus threaten me. I talk soothingly to them, the Emus threaten me. I stand still and act calm, the Emus threaten me. I move to a different location, the Emus threaten me. No more 'Mr. Nice Guy'. Scream at the Emus, nothing. Pelt the Emus with small stones, nothing. Clock the Emu upside the head with the handle of a hoe, nothing. Bang the hoe against a metal trash can lid, nothing. Bang the hoe against a metal trash can lid, nothing. Bang the hoe against a metal trash can lid, nothing. Bang the hoe against a metal trash can lid, nothing. Bang the hoe against a metal trash can lid, nothing. Bang the hoe against a metal trash can lid, nothing. Bang the hoe against a metal trash can lid, nothing. Bang the hoe against a metal trash can lid, nothing. Bang the hoe against a metal trash can lid, nothing. Bang the hoe against a metal trash can lid, nothing. Bang the hoe against a metal trash can lid, nothing. Bang the hoe against a metal trash can lid, nothing. An hour passes like this. The Emus wander off away from the now boring man beating a hoe against a metal trash can lid. I wait until the female is far away and the male is sorta walking away and enter the Chicken/Emu enclosure. Holding the hoe in front of me like a lance and gripping the trash can lid like a shield I advance. No sign of the Emus. Open the Chicken Coop door and fasten the chain so the chickens can get back in but the Emus can't and turn back to the gate. The hair stands up on the back of my neck as I retreat. When an Emu comes for you they come with their head low. They hiss at you and snap their beaks shut loudly. When they rear up to their total height they stand at about 6 feet tall and leap at you as they try to disembowel you with their huge sharp claws. Have you seen 'Jurassic Park'? Think Velociraptor. Luckily they were bored with trying to get at me. I make it out of the Chicken/Emu enclosure with my dignity and hide intact (I did NOT look silly carrying a trash can lid shield)! So I am happy to report that I am smarter than an Emu. But it was a close call...

David<~~~~ancestral enemy of the Emu Clan

(who knew?)

(not a picture of one of our Emus, I wouldn't expose my expensive camera to their shenanigans)

A color picture of Ashley Friel

Ashley Friel, 15 yr old girl from Columbia MO is MISSING

If you see Ashley Friel, please call the Police

A partial list of my current 'Ranch Chores'

1. make a bottle for the baby goat and feed it
2. feed the horse
3. feed the cattle
4. count the cattle
5. go to town for Ranch supplies
6. move a pile of lumber
7. cut the Great Pryenees puppy's head out of the fence (he tried to climb through it)
8. feed the dogs
9. feed the cats
10. feed the chickens
11. feed the goats
12. cut the Great Pryenees puppy's head out of the fence (he tried to climb through it again)
13. take vegetable trash out to the emus
14. smack the emus (they have chicks and are being aggressive)
15. help hook the trailer up to the pick'm up
16. help unhook the trailer from the pick'm up
17. go to town and deposit donations into the Scholarship Fund set up in my Dad's name
18. take people on a tour of the Ranch in the pick'm up
19. move the Great Pryenees puppy to a different part of the goat corral
20. walk the Ranch and pick up old wire/metal
21. collect eggs from the hen's 'hidden' nests
22. take a picture of the Peacock

David<~~~~~~~~Ranch Hand!

My Father passed away a week ago today...

Wednesday, January 29, 1941 - Sunday, April 5, 2009

My Parents were in a rollover car accident a week ago today. My Father Jerry Smith was killed. My Mother was banged up pretty bad but is now out of the Hospital. The Viewing was last Wednesday evening and the Funeral was on Thursday. The Copperas Cove/Ft. Hood community really pulled together and supported my Family, it was nice to see how many people love my parents. Mom & Dad's side of the family were here and were a big help. I've taken off of work for a while to help take care of Family Business. I will be writing down my thoughts and memories of my Dad here on my Journal and posting pictures when I find new ones. It is very important never to let anything interfere with the relationships of your loved ones. Never pass an opportunity to tell them you love them. Luckily I have no regrets...

One of the reasons I like frogs...

I have never kept Red Eye Tree frogs but I may someday, I love the colors, I love the sounds, I love the behaviors, I love cryptosis, I love frogs...

Are there Aliens on Earth among us?

YOU DECIDE!

The Greatest Thing...

NATURE BOY

by Eden Ahbez

There was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far, very far
Over land and sea
A little shy and sad of eye
But very wise was he

And then one day
A magic day he passed my way
And while we spoke of many things
Fools and kings
This he said to me
"the greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return"

"the greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return"



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPTpfIXfcOM&feature=related

(David Bowie and Massive Attack video of their performance of the song made famous by Nat King Cole and later featured in the Soundtrack of the movie Moulin Rogue )


David<~~~~~~~~~~~~I love this song!

birds singing and wind chimes

I was up early this morning walking Snooky at 5AM. The entire Apartment Complex was asleep and we had the whole place to ourselves. Really pleasant morning. So I decided that I was going to sit out on my balconey. I set up my fancy folding chair (it has a built in foot rest), turned on the porch light, wrapped myself and Snooky up in my MIZZOU fleece blanket, and settled in to read 'Tales Of Heresy' (the newest book from The Black Library about the Horus Heresy). So it's really quiet. No sounds except for the birds and the wind chimes. In college I had a class that started at 5am so we could study and identify different bird species by their calls. At 5am it is the Empire of the Birds. So I could hear dozens of different species calling to each other and filling the early morning with song. We also had a slight spring breeze and all the wind chimes in the Apartment Complex were adding in their music to the birds songs. I have 6 wind chimes, I really like how they sound. Three Asian Inspired ones (Temples bells, a large Gong, and a large Bell) and three standard wind chimes by Woodstock Chimes. This is my morning:

It's still and quiet, with birds singing, wind chimes playing in the breeze. A warm dog sleeping in my lap and I'm reading some excellent new Science Fiction. I have a good life...

THE BOXER by Paul Simon

I am just a poor boy,
though my story's seldom told
I have squandered my resistance
for a pocketful of mumbles,
such are promises
All lies and jest,
still a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest (hmmmm....mmmm......)

When I left my home and my family,
I was no more than a boy
In the company of strangers.....
In the quiet of the railway station, runnin' scared
Laying low, seeking out the poorer quarters,
where the ragged people go
Looking for the places only they would know

(Li la li... li la la la li la li)
(Li la li... li la la la li la li)
(La la la la li...)

Seeking only workman's wages,
I come looking for a job,
but I get no offers.....
Just a come-on from the whores on Seventh Avenue
I do declare, there were times when I was so lonesome
I took some comfort there

(li la la, la, la la)

Now the years are rolling by me,
they are rockin' even me
I am older than I once was,
and younger than I'll be,
that's not unusual No it isn't strange,
after changes upon changes,
we are more or less the same
After changes we are more or less the same ...

(Li la li... li la la la li la li)
(Li la li... li la la la li la li)
(La la la la li...)

And I'm laying out my winter clothes,
wishing I was gone, goin' home
Where the New York city winters aren't bleedin' me,
leadin' me to go home

In the clearing stands a boxer,
and a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminder
of every glove that laid him down
or cut him 'Til he cried out
in his anger and his shame
I am leaving, I am leaving,
but the fighter still remains
Yes, he still remains ...

(Li la li... li la la la li la li)
(Li la li... li la la la li la li)
(La la la la li...)
(Li la la la li la li)
(Li la li... li la la la li la li)
(La la la la li...)
(Li la la la li la li)
(Li la li... li la la la li la li)

(Paul Simon is the reason I took up poetry)

I keep trying to talk my Mom into picking up some Vulturine Guinea Fowl

Last night I dreamed I found my buddy Paul

I'm off today and I'm sitting here on my couch...

SNOOKY is snoring and I have "Raging Bull" muted on my TV and I'm flipping through Adam Ant performances on YouTube. You have to listen to this. It's called "SURVIVAL OF THE FETISH" by Adam Ant. It's off of his unreleased CD: PERSUASION. I would sell your eldest child to have a copy of this CD, some excellent music, and I might never get to hear it all...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw8ubzQP_ZY

David<~~~~~~~~~HUGE Adam Ant fan!

(but you knew that already)

More Pics From Mom...

Here are the promised Emu Chick pictures...

The day I met Spiderman!

So I'm heading out to eat Lunch today in the middle of my closing shift and I decide to eat at Micky Dee's. I waltz into the the afore mentioned Fast Food joint and lo and behold there sits Spiderman. Not really Spiderman, but a Dad dressed as Spiderman entertaining the kids at his son's Birthday Party at McDonalds. He's all like "Mind your Mother" and "Be a good boy" to all the kids and the Moms are taking pictures of their kids posing with the guy dressed as Spiderman. So I saunter over to the counter and ask the cashier "When did Peter Parker start working here?" (aren't I a laugh riot?). A couple of the other employees look over at her and she looks confused and turns to the back counter and asks everyone "Is Peter here?" I cannot believe my ears, she does not get the reference. She asks again and some of the other people start laughing. Trying not to laugh, I tell her his last name is Parker. She asks "Is there a Peter Parker working here?" I let her off the hook and tell her that Peter Parker is the secret identity of Spiderman, and she shouldn't worry about it. She laughs and gets on to the other employees for not telling her who Peter Parker was. It's like a gag on Saturday Night Live or something...

David<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~now watching a movie called 'Ed Gein' (Google him)

(I snagged this picture off of the Internet, I did NOT take a picture of the dude in McDonalds)

Pictures sent by my Mom

PEACOCK IN FRONT OF HENHOUSE!

CONNER GETTING HIS 1ST SHOES!

CONNER TAKING A BATH!

The Herp Show was a blast

(this picture is from the Internet)
I only ended up staying about an hour, but I had a lot of fun. I wan't prepared to purchase any new frogs, so there wasn't any reason to dwaddle. I did see some NICE Asian Horned Frogs and Patrick brought some baby Solomen Island Eyelash Frogs. I also noticed some red color variations of Bearded Dragons and a BLUE Nile Monitor! They had Mata Mata for $300 but I am a LONG way off from being able to deal with an aquatic turtle (but I do have a lead on the set up!). LOL...

http://www.reptilestv.com/video/featured_manufacturers/waterland_tubs/01.htm


David<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Froggie Daddy! (funny sidenote: when you do a search for 'Mata Mata Pictures' you also find an old topless photo of Mata Hari, just in case you needed to know)