Mullethunt Update!

Yes friends, it's time once again for...*drumroll*...a Mullethunt 2007 update!

2007 has continue to surpass our wildest hopes and dreams for a banner Mullet Year. As our hunter ranks swell, so do the numbers of excellent and unique captures. The summer months this year have yielded some fantastic catches. It is well known that mullets cause their owners much discomfort during the warmer months. It's been my hypothesis that while dealing with soaring temperatures and trying to stay cool, mullets are forced to spend less energy on staying concealed and must risk a venture out of their "safe zones" and risk facing more predators in order to stay hydrated and cool. In the most common mullet habitat, air conditioning is a rarity. This situation, while uncomfortable for the mullets, can result in a greater number of captures for dedicated hunters.

However, it is important to remind all hunters once again that mullets are an endangered species, and extra precaution should be taken when hunting in these sweltering temperatures when mullets are most vulnerable and at their most aggressive.

Mullet Hunter Justin caught this mullet out with his gal at a local truck stop. Truck Stop mullets are fairly common, this one sporting common summer plumage - white muscle shirt, tight black jeans, and pointed-toed cowboy boots. A very nice catch, Justin, of a classic mullet.

This "Courtroom Mullet" was caught by Travis. This constitutes a rare "double-catch", as this mullet was already in custody in the county court, having been apprehended once, mostly likely for the crime of "lookin' awesome." Travis shows his talent for covert mullet capturing by keeping his camera under wraps and coughing during the camera click. Nice work, Travis.

Next we showcase the excellent work of two new members of The Hunt, Daryl and Judith. Not only are their captures superb up-close specimins, but these are also INTERNATIONAL mullets, caught in Nova Scotia!

O Canada! This is a "Mullet Under Cover." While we don't actually SEE the mullet in all it's glory, we know through years of experience and stringent scientific analysis that it's definately there, under cover, most likely for the purpose of infiltrating the ranks of unsuspecting tourists. The camo "wife beater" and tan lines also aid in positive mullet identification. Nice catch!

Next we have another VERY impressive specimin - the "Mowhawk Mullet." This youth is proudly showing his independence by taking what would be a classic mullet and closely clipping the sides, such as a professional groomer would clip a show poodle. This extra grooming care not only keeps the mullet cooler in the summer with the added ventilation, but aids in achieving a healthy scalp tan to sustain the mullet for the long winter months ahead.

This is, perhaps, the best mullet thus far in our collection. Captured by yet another new mullet hunter, Trace. Trace shows he definately has the talent for world-class mullet hunting with this extaordinary specimin, captured at extreme close range. Trace obviously had to put himself in mortal danger to get close enough to this mullet, which has been dubbed by other mullet hunters as a "skullet." Skullets are by nature elusive, very volitile, and are definately the most aggressive of the mullet species, making their capture risky business indeed. Notice the redness in the facial area, perhaps indicating that Trace had soon vacate the immediate area or risk possible dismemberment. Also worth noting, this particular skullet is actually a sub-species, the extremely rare "Golden Skullet." Excellent piece of hunting, Trace...your moxie is to be admired.

Keep it up Mullethunters...2007 still has a long way to go! Stay safe, and happy hunting!

Big Bag 'O Socks

If you ever find yourself in need of a Bag 'O Socks, Walgreens is your store. I don't know HOW many times I've been sitting around wishing I had a new Bag 'O Socks. If you'll look closely, they also come in pink. What more could a person want?

I mean, besides a car with a good transmission???

Well, I have returned from what has to be the worst vacation. Ever. When did vacations go from being relaxing fun-filled getaways to stress-filled work-a-thons? When we bought a house, that's when! I figured in the nearly two weeks I had off we'd come close to completing at least part of Hooter Manor, but alas - no. Everything that could go wrong basically did, and that along with having to come back and work two days in the middle of my "vacation" because we don't have enough staff coupled with Marden's grandpa passing away - in plain English...it sucked.

My time off did have one bright moment - when we decided to go fishing for a day. I had a major struggle burying the guilt of spending a day at the river instead of working on the house, but luckily I got over it enough to go along. By the time I was standing waist-deep in the cold stream, attached my favorite summertime fly (black beetle size 16), and had hooked my first trout, all cares had melted away and I was, for the first time in MONTHS lost in the moment, totally relaxed. I've since determined that I need a solid week of trout fishing, thinking of nothing but what fly will work best and hearing nothing but water, birds, and wind in the leaves.

Fat chance that happens anytime soon! Our lives lately have been nothing but go, go, go...drive, drive, drive. Isn't it supposed to be fall soon???

Tough Summer

So sorry for my absence once again...this time it was due to taking some time off. Well, time "off" is a bit of an exhaggeration. I guess I was technically off official work, but I used my time doing unofficial work at our new abode. And what a vacation it was...

It started off with taking Lucy on an emergency vet visit, as her stump was looking kind of bad. They removed 6" of rubber drain tube that should've been removed the week before, but my braniac dog had bitten the end off and it disappeared, making the vets think she'd pulled it all the way out. Instead it was wedged way down in the wound, of course causing problems. And chalk another $70 bucks up for antibiotics, an added week for stitches and still having to wear the huge lampshade.

So one minor obstacle taken care of, then on to the new house! I had my explorer sport packed to the max, which included 1 3-legged lab who with her lampshade collar resembles a reciever for Dish Network, 1 beagle, 2 cats, and 2 ducks, pulling a trailer loaded with furniture. Temp is officially 103 degrees with a cloudless sky and baking sun, but we're relatively comfy in the A/C.

That is, until nearly Hardy, where my transmission blew.

We're pulled off the side of the road, engine compartment smoking, animals all panting in the scorching heat. Long story short - 2 hours later we limped into the driveway of Casa de Hooter in a very testy mood, but grateful to be off the road. Found out a couple days later that I have to have a whole new transmission. There goes a paycheck, plus some...

Met mom and dad at the new place and spent our days mostly painting...we went a little nuts with color, but I LIKE. The place is actually starting to look like a home, and with the new wood floor and furniture it should be warm and friendly. We actually got to the point to buy new ceiling fans, as the old ones were HIDEOUS and must've come from some goth cathedral. Or something. So we got nice new ones which looked perfect in Lowe's, only to get them home and installed to find out that they only take those tiny little bulbs. ??? Called Lowe's, where they tell us that all ceiling fans will soon only have fixtures that take the little bulbs (despite the fact that nearly ALL their floor models have regular bulbs - including the fans I picked out - which is why I never bothered to look at the box). What's the POINT? Why get ceiling fans with lights if they don't put out much light??? So after a minor meltdown over that, we decided we liked the fans, so screw it. Turns out they actually put out some signficant light, and we'll have lamps anyway. So beware - if you're looking for new ceiling fans, look at the box to be sure you're getting what you THINK you are.

Anyway, we did make some headway. If we can get some flooring in and get the well figured out, and if it EVER cools off again and maybe we get some rain, my stress level should go down a few notches. But there's still a lot of summer left...

Dog Days

Whew...I think I detest August more every year. We ushered in August with incredibly hot temps, hazy skies, and still no rain. My flowers, despite watering, have been fried to a golden crisp...and they looked so GOOD a month ago!

I'm officially 5 days from vacation! I'm so excited, even if I'm doing nothing but working on the new house, at least it won't be spent at the park, which as of late has felt like my arch-nemesis. You know it's time for a vacation when you stall in order to get to the office at the last possible second before getting in the car to go to work....then when you get there, pause dramatically to give a scathing scowl to the building before going in. Throughout the day, said scowl grows in intensity as it's aimed at paperwork, the computer, and any other unsavory piece of equipment or task. If I were a superhero, deadly laser beams would be issuing from my eyeballs, destroying everything in their path without prejudice.

Luckily people are not subjected to this horrid visage...we have essentially no visitors during this time, mostly because sitting out in a fishing boat under the scorching sun will result in fishermen being reduced to pathetic puddles of goo. In other words - nobody wants to frolic in a park while it's this dang hot. So, the few visitors we do get are heartily welcomed as a way to break up the monotony of the day. The UPS man has taken to shoving packages in the door and running away just to avoid having to have a 20 minute conversation with speak-starved visitor center workers - all two of us. Actually, one of us for this month, as Amy is currently on vacation, and upon her return I will make a hasty vamoose.

It is possible I may be suffering from a work-related malady called "burnout"....but it's just a theory.

In other Hooter news, Lucy is home! She had a successful amputation, and despite the tremendous pain I imagine she's been in, she's now a happy dog once more. The difference is amazing! With her bum leg, Lucy wasn't able to negotiate stairs...now she's zipping up and down them faster than ever. Also running, playing, jumping...which she's NOT supposed to be doing during her recovery, so I have to keep her confined, but it's just so great having the old Lucy back. I will, however, be very glad when she's healed and done with the giant lampshade collar...she's much like the proverbial bull in a china closet.

Mullet Update

For those of you eagerly awaiting news on Mullethunt '07, we've got an update. For the first time in my mullet-hunting experience, a fellow hunter has made an extraordinary find beyond the borders of the U.S.

Aussie Clare sent me this photo, which she explained she did not take herself. However, I'm giving her credit because she had the keen eye to spot it:

Usually we take great strides to protect the identies of mullets after they are tagged and set free. However, this mullet is in the public eye, and therefore used to the close scrutiny and not likely to turn violent.

This handsome fellow is Warrick Capper, former player for Aussie football team the Sydney Swans. (Swans?)

I am informed that Mr. Capper is now going into politics, I'm guessing in the hope that those golden locks (evidently provided by several boxes of Clairol) will contribute greatly to his political platform. I do hope his bangs do not impede his political progress. Go Warrick!

Next, we have the Italia Mullet, called so because it was spotted in a nice local Italian restaurant. This was definately a team effort, as it took no less than 6 mullet-hunters to capture. In truth, only two of us were successful, as this mullet proved to be wild and a bit crazed, which we attributed to finding itself so far from it's natural habitat.
Justin first captured this blurry shot using his zoom. Notice the full curls protruding from the cover. This mullet appears to be attempting to blend in, as it's not under a typical camo cover. However, the muscle shirt, unfortunately, negated any blending in attempts. However, while it stuck out like a sore thumb, this mullet turned out to be a hard capture.

Travis made this second capture, slightly clearer, but again from the back. This was turning out to be the hardest hunt in recent mullet-hunt history. It was clear that this mullet just didn't want to be caught, and we'd decided to cut our losses before someone got hurt.

However, upon exiting the restaurant, we were all 6 faced with the unthinkable - the mullet, there in all his glory - and Justin was the only one to have the presence of mind to caputure this, the Holy Grail of mullet-hunting - a full-body frontal.

Potter Pandalerium

I sit here today bleary-eyed and chugging coffee, suffering the effects of a very late night - all because of a single silly book. :)

I've been a Harry Potter fan since the 3rd book was out, when I finally started reading the series at the request of Mom, who asked that I read the first book and tell her if it was appropriate for her classroom. I was hooked from page #1. However, I've been content to be a patient fan of the series, usually buying my books days or even weeks after the release when the craziness is over.

However, this time I decided to join the fray. It's the last book, it's a huge part of pop culture, and darned if I'm going to wait to read it and let the ending get out!

Mr. Hooter bought me a Books-A-Million voucher months ago, and we decided to go join the ranks of the nutty and redeem it at midnight. It was "pure pandalerium!" as Jeff Foxworthy (or Marden) would say. People dressed in costume (some very clever), people having trivia contests, and mostly just people - young, old, and everywhere in between - just giddy with excitement.



And here it is...the fruit of our labor, all crisp and ready to be cracked open. If it were only not 2 a.m....

And The Summer Drags On...

So we're deep into summer now...hot, hot, hot...humid, humid...did I say humid? I feel at this point like December 1st - my departure date - will never arrive, and I'll be stuck in limbo between two locations forever, and forever too tired to do anything but go through the motions.

*sigh*

So I don't think that I reported that Matilda is now dubbed "Otis", since he is indeed a male. Unfortunately, Mr. Hooter did not utter those , "You were right..." words I was so longing to hear...intead he muttered something like, "Hm! Well isn't that interesting." Not only did we find that he is a male, but apparently nearly ALL orange cats are male, just like nearly all calico cats are female.

And Lucy's ordeal continues...the vet has now decided that her leg should just be amputated and she'll be a tripod. I think it's definately for the best, I just hate that it's coming at the worst possible time ever...what with remodeling a house 2+ hours away, having a gimp husband in a leg boot, and working way too many hours...now add nursing a dog? ARG!!!

Happy Blueberry Muffin Day

I've been informed today is Blueberry Muffin Day. So, Happy Blueberry Muffin Day. Sure would have been nice to celebrate Blueberry Muffin Day by having a blueberry muffin, but alas, the Hooter Household is grocery deficient. Best I could do was a tortilla with peanut butter, and I'm pretty sure there's not a Peanut Butter Tortilla Day.

Mullethunt '07 - Recent Captures

Mullethunt '07 continues to be a banner year for mullethunting, and also continues to yield impressive trophies. We believe proper management of these rare specimins has led directly to excellent mullet numbers, and there are rumors of consideration for removing mullets from the endangered species list along with the bald eagle.

Travis, Mullet-hunter of far and wide repute, captured this wily specimin with some quick-thinking action. This "camo-mullet" actually came to him of it's own accord. While it's fairly rare to catch a covered mullet, the camo cover is the most common-used method of protecting the "business end."

This is Kendra's first catch, and a fine catch it is! This is an EXTREMELY rare species, actually thought to have gone extinct in the early 1990's. However, Kendra proves at least one still exhists. Notice the extremely well-groomed appearance, and the care taken to tame this mullet into a perfect point. Even the gentleman to the side can't help but stare at it's utter perfection. With catches like this, Kendra will soon ascend to the pinnacle of mullet-hunting.

This is a recent catch of mine, caught at a local swim beach. Notice this mullet owner's reluctance to join the others in the water, and how can you blame him? Perfectly spiked on top, flowing waves in the back - he proudly dispays his mullet for all to enjoy.

July 4th Blues

Yep, here I go again, whining because once again I'm thwarted from enjoying a once much-anticipated holiday. I'll try not to whine too much. :) I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, as I was dividing my time between two parks being constantly at the beck and call of the lovely public - a public which has gotten increasingly hard to please with the increasing temperatures of summer.

I have 5 whole months left with my current job before I take off and follow Mr. Hooter west. I suppose there are many things I'm going to miss about being a park ranger that don't come to mind immediately, but I can think of a myriad of things I WON'T miss, and I do look forward to the days when I'll be a "normal" person again, enjoying holidays, weekends, and evenings with wild abandon.


I guess one thing I'm really going to miss are the critters. Every spring I end up with at least one baby animal to raise, and this year has been no different. Several coons, one skunk (see pic - this is "Perrywinkle" the skunk...this pic was taken post-spray-Ash-in-the-face-in-her-office), and a one-eyed wood duckling named Dewey. Not that I'll have any want for critters at the new Hooter Household - as of now we have 20 whole acres to fill. :)

Blog Entry Retraction

I have been informed that I was mistaken in my previous entry concerning our ski trip, and must print a retraction. Mom and Dad did indeed make it out of the bunny slope area, and I was emphatically informed that Mom went to the top of the mountain with Tye and skiied all the way down successfully.

My sincerest apologies.

Friggin' Summer

Ah, summer is here. Don't you just love summer? If you answered "yes", then you don't live in Arkansas, AND you've been listening to too many Country Time Lemonade and Bluebell Ice Cream commercials. It's FRIGGIN' HOT. It's FRIGGIN' HUMID. And yes, I've been told that Texas has big mosquitoes, and Minnesota has lots, but put those together for Eastern Arkansas...imagine mosquitoes the size of pomeranians coming at you over the horizon, fresh from a flooded rice field, in a menacing black cloud the size of a nuclear blast. And ticks...if you even THINK of entering a wooded area, every nightly shower becomes a rousing game of "tick hunt", ending in a restless night of "tick-bite scratch", not to be confused with the ever popular and never escapable "chigger-bite boogie." Ticks and chiggers I grew up with, but the mosquito hordes are a new adventure, and after several years I still haven't gotten used to the plague. Summer isn't all bad...we do get to wear shorts. Well, I choose not to because of all the ugly bug bites. My legs haven't seen much in the way of the sun in the past few years.

So yeah...I don't enjoy summers like I used to...as probably most people who work in the warm-weather driven tourist industry.

If you're like me, you're mind is back in the cool weather of fall and possibly winter. To help bring back these memories of cooler days, here's some pics from our ski trip this past winter in the cold crisp air of the Colorado Rockies:

Ok, so this isn't Colorado...this is a sign somewhere in Kansas. We saw these signs for miles and miles, and finally got within ONE MILE of the Largest Prairie Dog In the World! Imagine our excitement! We stopped, however, and were totally bummed to find the place apparently out of business. I mean, who goes out of business when you own the world's largest prairie dog???

This was Marden’s first ski trip….both figuratively and literally. He did a LOT of tripping, as well as sliding, tumbling, crashing, and just flat wiping out. For his first time he did pretty good, but learning to ski just isn’t a pretty process, no matter how coordinated you are. I found that skiing came back to me just like riding a bike, and we finally broke up into pairs according to ability...Mom and Dad on the bunny slopes, Marden and Tye on the greens, while Trent and I (as the more adventurous family members) hit the blues and blacks of both Winter Park and Mary Jane.

After a few fun days of skiing, Trent and I decided to trade our skis in for snowboards. I’ll say this – snowboarding is a blast, but learning is even an uglier process than learning to ski. See pic. It was after this not-so-soft wipeout (which my loving hubby snapped while laughing very unsympathetically) that I decided a helmet might be prudent.

First of all, snowboarding leaves you with a feeling of being completely out of control. With skis, you have two independently working legs and can (with practice) retain some semblance of control. With a snowboard, your feet are strapped to the same board, and there is no “falling”…it’s more of a “brutal slamming of your face into the hard-packed snow which feels like concrete.” Then you finally get the “feel” of the board and can begin to weave back and forth gracefully, just like on TV. But this is just the snowboard deviously lulling you into a false sense of security, so you start building up speed and confidence when all of a sudden, “WHAM!!!”, you’re eating snow yet again, but this time after a spectacular head-over-feet-arms-flailing-snow-spraying exploit which everyone within a half mile radius has just witnessed. And you can see on their faces (once you pry your face out of the hard pack) that they don’t know whether to laugh, come offer assistance, or get the ski patrol…so mostly they ignore you or choose the not-so-disguised laugh option. The worst place to do this is the last stretch of the run, which meets with other runs and widens out into a huge open area in full view of the lodge/restaurant – in full view of the literally hundreds of people lounging around, taking a break.

Another hazard is deep snow. We were lucky enough to be on our trip during the big “Blizzard of 2006” which hit Denver, and dumped 24” of much-needed snow on the ski resorts. Of course for skiing snow is great, as long as you stay on the groomed runs. Get off the runs, and you find yourself flailing about like a beached whale (sometimes in an inverted position), losing poles and skis in the whole process, and making sounds which are reminiscent of the mating call of an overweight bear. I’m not sure what’s worse – hitting deep snow with skis or a snowboard. Both are equally bad situations which one should avoid at all costs.

Despite the embarrassments, it was one of the best times of my life. I’ve come to understand something about myself. I’m an Adrenaline Junkie. I can’t wait to go again, and Mr. Hooter – despite his many bumps, bruises, and sore bones – feels equally excited about more skiing in our future, as does the rest of the fam.

So here's some pics from the trip. Enjoy the imaginary blast of cold air.

Dad and Mom...on the bunnies.

Dang I wish I was in Colorado...!

We have aquired a new cat. We didn't WANT a new cat, but it seems to have chosen us, so who are we to argue. Someone apparently unceremoniously dumped it...and that's another pet peeve of mine to discuss on a different day.

I'm saying "it" because Mr. Hooter and I are not in agreement as to the cat's sex. I know I should know these things, as I've had cats my whole life, but cats are difficult...this cat is either female, neutered male, or immature male. I say male, Mr. Hooter says female. We shall see who is right. Just the other day, Mr. Hooter uttered the words that few wives hear spoken by a man even once in their lifetime: "I was wrong, you were right." I am eager to hear those words again, but I'm afraid I won't until I get this new cat to the vet for a check-up and possibly shots, assuming he/she hasn't already had them. As of now, the cat has been dubbed "Matilda." Don't look at me - I didn't come up with it.

Here's Sally and Matilda's first meeting...the exact moment of impact. Sally got too friendly to fast, which is a personality flaw of most dogs, I'm afraid. Sally paid the price and was about knocked into the next county.

More people...

Just encountered a guy going fishing...looked pretty scroungy, but that's what you look like when you fish. However, his hair was messed up, most of his teeth had apparently gone on permanent vacation, and let's just say he was a bit...overweight...

The back of his shirt proudly proclaimed, "SEXUAL BEAST"

*shudder*

People...

People never cease to amaze me. I can tell we're getting deeper into summer (well...the heat. It's not officially summer yet...*sigh*)...my patience is wearing thin. Working at a state park means constantly dealing with the public, and all the joys the public brings. A majority of people are nice, if sometimes ill-informed.

This afternoon I got what was probably a nice lady using bad judgement. Either that or she was on something.

She called and asked, "Do you have the number for the Lake City license place?"

Me: "Excuse me???"
Lady: "You know...the place you get your license."
Me: "Um...er....well, we sell fishing licenses...is that what you mean?"
Lady: "No...you know, where you get your driver's license."
Me: "Ma'am, are you aware that we're a state park?"
Lady: "Yes...I just thought you might have it."
???
Me: "Um...no...I'm not even sure where Lake City is...I'm afraid I can't help you."
Lady: "Oh...ok then..."

I mean...?!? Of course when I need a phone number, I don't look in the phone book or call information. I just pick a random state park and see if they know.

I worry for America.

Pet Pics!

Yes, it's time once again for Pet Pics, where I shamelessly post pictures of our pets the way some proud parents post endless photos of kids. Not that there's anything wrong with that...my kids are just the 4-legged kind. I figure it's been a good 6 months since any pet pics were up here, plus I don't have anything interesting to say, so why not...

Here is Miss Lucy, profoundly described by Mr. Hooter as "a very smart dog with very poor judgement", still confined mostly to the house after her injury a year ago, which is healing - just not very quickly. I think we'll discuss this with the vet on our next visit, not only because I'm concerned, but also because our house frequently exhibits the odour of Bigstinkydog, creating a flurry of activities including bathing Bigstankydog, washing Bigstankydog's bedding, and mopping the floor. Unfortunately for Mom, I don't think Bigstankydog would make a successful candle scent.

And here is Sally. Sally for some reason gets away with murder...could be the cute face or the sad eyes, but it's pretty shameless. Princess Sally is the master of sneaking her way on the couch...one second she's absorbed in her own doggie duties, and the second you turn your head, she's on the couch curled up fast asleep (or seemingly fast asleep). Notice here she's made herself at home on my head. I probably didn't care because I was doped up on pain meds...this was the day I cut the crap out of my finger and had stitches.

Sam is still around after 12+ years! Still leaving gigantic hairballs, both shed in clumps and barfed up to step on during the night with bare feet. He's also King of the Litterbox...he can take brand spanking new litter and in 3 seconds have you bagging it up and running for the outdoor trash barrel all with your breath held and face turning alarmingly purple. He also finds it necessary to take food from his food dish and put it in the big communal water dish, where he does nothing but stare at it. I've tried numerous experiments involving moving the bowls far apart, but nothing seems to deter this obsession.

And Amos, with her good buddy Lucy (who has the creepy-eye due to camera flash)...Amos is an outdoor cat who has the run of the park (he occasionally worms his way indoors to visit Lucy). You can't seen in the pic that he has no tail, just a little stub. This causes numerous park visitors, most from cities, to think that they've seen a genuine bobcat.

It's really hard to keep a straight and sincere face (though I do manage - don't want to hurt feelings) when I have to tell a crestfallen tourist that they've seen merely a run-of-the-mill housecat....and that not only are bobcats much bigger, they are not bright orange. At least not to my knowledge.

That's it for the clan...well, except for some fish and my corn snake named Orville. I'll try to get some pics of him up, but he's camera shy.

Memorial Day Weekend Blues

I hope everyone's enjoying the long Memorial Day weekend! Please enjoy it for my sake, and for the sake of everyone who has to work harder and longer so other folks can have a fun and safe break. One of the hazards of working in parks - everyone else's vacation time is my work-harder/longer-than-ever weekend. Also there is the joyous task of being at the mercy of some overly grouchy members of the public. I've already explained why you can't pick the wildflowers (especially since the cold snap last month did most of them in), why you can't just park your truck anywhere you want, and why there is a two-tent maximum per campsite. Each of these lovely folks conveyed to me in such sweet terms that they thought those rules were just "stupid." Luckily, all decided to comply with the "stupid" rules, but taking flak is getting old.

I talked Mr. Hooter into taking advantage of his long weekend by visiting his family - no use in him sharing my misery!


Instead of wallowing further into the pit of self-pity, I'll share this photo I snapped the other day of my pot of snapdragons. This particular plant just exploded with these really pretty pink and yellow blooms!

Thought for the Day

Maxine must have worked in a state park sometime in her life...

The Funniest/Weirdest Commercial Ever

Have you seen that Berries and Creme Starburst commercial? I've only seen it once, and I don't know anyone else who has! Well, except for the people who's seen it on my TiVo. Yes. I taped it...then we watched it at least 22 times. Apparently, while it makes no sense, it accomplishes the purpose...I've been craving Berries and Creme Starburst ever since.

www.berriesandcreme.com

Mullethunt 2007

Mullethunt 2007 has been heavily underway for awhile now for me and my fellow mullet hunters, and we're off to what looks like a VERY productive season, even more so than Mullethunt 2006. I thought it would be nice to share some of our most noteworthy catches:

This is a distance shot of a SuperFemmullet from the end of the '06 season. We had to be wary with this one, as she appeared highly irratible and a bit agitated. We decided to keep our distance and use the zoom.

We also utilized the team approach, using Marden as a decoy while I steadied the camera on nearby clothes rack.

Unfortunately the sight of the Superfemmullet and the resulting adrenaline rush had an adverse effect Mr. Hooter's brain. I found him in the Christmas section posing as a Potbellied Conehead.
After proper treatment, most notably food, he was deemed fit for more mullet hunting.

This was a very interesting specimen, and our most recent, caught by Travis at a nearby public event, which I like to refer to as "local doings" (pronounced "local do-in's"). Local doin's attract a wide variety of sometimes scantily clothed natives, and mullet sightings are rampant. This possibly one-of-a-kind mullet Travis dubbed "The Possum."


Here's another good mullet of note...yes, this is a RECENT photo, not one from 1986. I believe this is also a Travis catch, and if i remember right, while you can't tell from the photo, in real life it was actually TWO-TONED. What you can see is that this mullet-wearer takes his 'do seriously, going through the meticulous trouble of perming the "business" end.

ALETA put us a little behind on mullethunting, however, we're catching up quick and look to have a banner year. If you'd like to join our mullethunt, or need any tips, let me know! (Please remember to treat all mullets humanely, as many species are endangered.)