The House Mouse

So Kate mentions that something stinks the other night and immediately I think, she is speaking of me. "Moi", I say? And suprisingly she says no. I look for the dog cause she is always sneaking a SBD out and slinking away, but she is outside.

I have a sinus thing going on so I have to trust that wifey is not crazey.

A day later she says this again, but I can't confirm or deny it, she does, however, get a general area. The couch. I suggest its the dog and maybe she had an accident or something, but after sniff testing the couch I am unable to find the source.

I come home the next night and I can smell it. As soon as I walked in the door, a faint odor, a whiff of death. I pull the couch away from the window/wall and there it is - a small rodent, a mouse has expired beneath our couch. In 7 years this has never happened, but out in the shed, I will come across one every once in a while.

I did find one that was under th house a few years ago, but I think it was there when we bought the house, cause it was petrified and this was when I did the first under-inspection of the house to make sure there were no foundation problems or leaks. I foamed the under side to seal it up tight back then.

Anyway, I digress. I scooped it up and tossed it outside and the next day it was gone. So something had taken it away as a snack or something.

I thought of my old cat that passed away earlier this year and how he was a good mouser. He actually caught the red laser dot once, I swear.

I also thought about putting his little mouse head on a toothpick and displaying it on the front lawn as a warning to other area rodents, but Kate says thats silly. She suggested a small sign that says "No Trespassing". I say THAT'S silly, what if the rodents are French or Mexican?

Why McCain Will Lose Virginia

Three young men showed up at my door Saturday morning, they ignored the Obama sign on my front lawn and knocked on the door to distribute McCain/Palin and Keith Fimian brochures. I thought it odd it took three of them to deliver these materials. I did not want to talk to anyone that would have the guts to deliver political materials to someone who had a sign in their yard making it pretty clear who they were supporting.

I didn't know they were supporting the Republican candidate initially because I didn't answer the door. I waited for them to go away, like I do when the Hare Krishnas come to my door. I retrieved the information after they left, its easier to let salesmen and others go away than to deal with them. I ran a quick errand to the bank and after I got back from that, these guys were making their way down the other side of the street. At that moment, it struck me why I resented these kids in my neighborhood.

I took the opportunity to ask them if they saw the Obama sign in my front yard and why would they think that I would be interested in their candidates information. They were nice enough, introducing themselves to me and apologized for not seeing the sign, which is prominently displayed about three feet from the sidewalk and road.

They all looked young, so I asked them what they did for a living. They all were high school students, all three. I pointed out they none of them had ever had a full time job, ran a business, paid a mortgage, made a car payment let alone been out from under their parents wing. How could they even think about telling me who I should vote for?

I also told them to go back to their precinct captain at their headquarters and tell them never to send a college student or high school student into a blue collar neighborhood to dispense their materials. It doesn't play well. Four years ago, Kerry had college students bussed in to steel towns in Pennsylvania and that didn't go over very well.

They were speechless.

I wish I had all my bills paid for by someone else, no responsibility and thought my tax rate was 5% (for sales tax). I'd be out stumping for the party in power too.

The guys that represent the Republicans in Virginia are out of touch. This is why I think they will lose Virginia.

Its Fall

Taken on the front porch. The leaves on our birch tree have all turned bright yellow and have fallen on the front porch. Kate loves this time of year. I worked on him to wear that Redskin shirt for three days, and once he finally said he would wear it, its his "go-to" shirt. He loves it, but it was tough to convince him initially.

The Pumpkin Lift

While I was at the Skins game, Kate took Jack to an Orchard that had pumpkins and hayrides. He is going to think that all weekends in the Fall begin and end with Hay rides.

Here is a short movie Kate took of him lifting one of the pumpkins. Its almost as big as he is. He gave up the second try, but he has good from on the first try.

Fall Festival

Last week it was the Fall for Fairfax, this week was the Fall Festival, which is sponsored by the city, as opposed to the county. Lots of people were there as usual, the weather made it extra nice, so lots of people showed up.

I got Jack a balloon and he liked that, it became untied and so I got another one since he enjoyed the first so much. They were free and about the only thing all the politicians were giving away that he appreciated.

This was the look shortly after the balloon flew away, but he smiled when he got a new one. Wish all the ills were so easy to soothe.

They had a few classic cars there, I took a picture of a "Woodie" wagon and a Caddy with White walls.


As far as the Woodie goes, if you get into a wreck, who do you take it to, a carpenter or Maaco?

The Caddy


Kate saw one of her "Work-It Mom" bloggers, she was selling a few shirts that had pithy sayings like "Mommy Needs a Cocktail" or a baby shirt that says "I went through the birth canal and all I got was this lousy t-shirt".

Here's the link; BabyBrewing

Kate bought a shirt that said "Mommy Needs a Latte". She looks good in that shirt.

Good time, just wish I had taken more pictures.

The Skins Game

So it wasn't the best game of the year. They actually beat themselves more than the Rams beating them. But I got to go and the weather was great.

I got some cool pictures, too.

A panorama of the stadium stitched together from several pictures.

When we were there (Bill, Kate's cousin took me since Jimmy and Reet are on vacation), I noticed a few funny things while at the game; for instance, why do people wear jerseys from teams that have nothing to do with the game they are at? I saw a guy wearing a Raiders jersey, a few Eagles jerseys, Chicago jerseys and even a Doug Williams jersey, from his days in Tampa. Tampa Bay. The orange uniform.


One guy in our section had the balls to wear a T.O. jersey. He had nearly the whole section booing at him every time he got up to get a drink or go to the bathroom. Some pretty bad stuff was yelled at that guy, but what did he expect? He was wearing a Dallas Cowboys T.O. jersey, at a Redskins game, where the Cowboys weren't playing. Some people are just assholes.

The other idiots are these people that drink waaaaaaaay too much. They end up on the metro, usually falling asleep. Well, at that point, I think they are fair game.

This guy got the "Ass Face". Bill took the picture.

Future Guitar God

I think he has the gift of entertaining.