It's right up there

We have opened all our boxes and were missing a few things – the major ones being Cate’s collection of winter hats – gathered from all over Europe.

We searched everywhere for these and I finally found them where she had put them – in a suitcase.

The only things missing now are my kitchen aprons. I have no idea where they could be – and perhaps I left them hanging up in Vienna.

As you can imagine – these were very stylish (as shown in the photo) – and I will need to replace them as I am doing a lot of cooking.  Amazon here we come.

I discovered an anomaly with Amazon in the USA – if you buy from them and they do not have a warehouse in your State – then you do not pay State sales tax. It works out that I can buy things from Amazon even more cheaply that I can from Costco.

They are apparently working on closing this loophole – but in the meantime….

Tomorrow Cate goes to Europe for a week or so for business and while she is in Paris she will visit my daughter Molly who is about to have a baby.

This will add to my collection of grandchildren – I will then have three grandchildren by two daughters and I am only waiting on my son Lenny and his partner Carmenchita to give me a full set.

I have a busy week planned when Cate is away. I have the back deck to paint and two seasons of Breaking Bad to watch – followed by two seasons of Dexter.

Cate does not like either of these shows. I think Breaking Bad is one of the top five of all time. For me it’s right up there with the Sopranos and Deadwood. 

On the bright side

I read with mild interest in the Washington Post a few days ago that people who are legally blind are allowed to carry guns in Iowa – and indeed in some other States in the USA. Nothing surprising there.  

One of the arguments advanced for this insanity is that most assaults take place at night - so the blind people have as much chance as a fully sighted person of filling their assailants full of lead.

I am steering well clear of anyone with a white cane and a dog. 

The Post story referenced another story from 2009 – a blind woman in upper Pennsylvania ‘bagged’ a 110 pound black bear. While her limited sight only allows her to "see the difference between light and dark" and "silhouettes of people." With her boyfriend’s help she pulled the trigger from a tree stand. (WTF).

I have always had trouble understanding why anyone at all – let alone a blind person - would ever want to kill a bear – or any other animal for that matter. I am sure it’s not just me.

I tell you these stories only to illustrate that I am living in a country with is populated by more than its fair share of irrational and often dangerous people. In fact – many of them are so fucked in the head that they need serious remedial help – but won’t get it.

But – on the bright side – bullet-proof vests are now within reach of almost everyone. I can buy a SWAT vest for $38.69 from Amazon – with free shipping.

Safe from footpads, bandits and villains.

A few weeks ago Cate’s brother visited us from Washington. When he got back home he sent Cate an email saying that he thought our back door was insecure - as a panel of glass could easily be broken so that an intruder could reach an unlock the door – and then presumably murder us in our beds.

This was possibly not the most helpful email Cate could have received.

Well since then she has not slept well and every noise in the house wakes her up. It is a very old house – there are lots of noises. She prowls around quite a bit at night looking for intruders -  and turns lights on throughout the house. This disturbs me and the cats - and action was needed urgently.

So I ordered a storm door from Lowes and the men finally came today to fit it. The boss fitter shook his head sadly when he arrived and said the door was not exactly (surprise!) the right size for the opening (apparently a common problem with very old houses) and that he would need a few bits and pieces of wood to make an exact fit.

He suggested these may cost about $10.00 and he went away to organize this with Lowes – who he said would ring me with a quote which – if I accepted it – would enable me to make another appointment for door fitting some time next century.

Lowes rang an hour later with a quote for $170.00 – which I accepted with alacrity – it being only $160.00 more than the original estimate. What am I going to do – I already have the door in my garage and Cate really does need to get some sleep.

Amazingly – door man returned within an hour with his assistant and fitted the door perfectly. It has an automatic closer which makes it harder for the cats to escape – which they spend an inordinate amount of time trying to do.

Monika is the worst. When she gets out she runs down the stairs and underneath the deck – where I cannot go. There she sits and licks her bottom - and other bits -  while I plead with her to give me a break. She never does and it sometimes takes half an hour to coax her out – then I have to tackle her while she shrieks with despair and tries to decapitate me.

I am looking forward to a good night’s sleep tonite as we are snugged up safe from footpads, bandits and villains.