Blogger Bitchfest - American Airlines

Just give me the damn controls already.
BTW-this is a Boom Operator seat on a
fueler...not the picture I was hoping
for but close enough.
























While I am a regular flyer about the western US I must say my flight back from the east coast was anything but pleasant. I was flying out visit my son and his girlfriend before he left for the middle east..

Bitch #1. I don't know how much cheaper AA can get but to offer only beverages, two times, on a 3-4 hour trip is insane. Nothing like a plane load inline to the restroom towards the end of the flight. While you can buy a cookie for $3 or a chicken wrap for $5 I wonder how much income is produced once the airlines pays the bill for cost of ingredients, food handlers and transport...not to mention spoiled food. From what I could see only a handful of people bought these items, wouldn't a bag of 25 cent chips be cheaper in the long run? I would imagine some chips are given as freebies as an incentive to purchase them at the grocery store.

Bitch #2. Connecting flights. Hello? Do ya think allowing more than 45 minutes between flights would help with decreased re-bookings? Flights, both to and from, were re booked due to backed up take-offs, delay with prior flights and weather. While I can't slight the airlines for weather I think they might,might just take that into account. NO, it's not alright to strand us in Chicago at 10pm! Thankfully, I was whiny enough to keep the agent on line long enough to find that the flight would be another 45 minutes late and to re book for the following day...

Bitch #3. Sorry? Did that word every come into play? Two trips to the airport is just crazy. My son and girlfriend were such great hosts providing transport, and waiting, waiting, waiting.

Bitch #4. No seat assignment when your re booked..."it's under airport control," what crap. If there's seats available book it, but, no... Yes, we like sitting there till 10 minutes before boarding not knowing if we have a seat..even though we've been told so...you have a bad track record AA.

Bitch #5. Last one. If we are booking flights under the same confirmation code could you make an effort to seat us together? Especially when your screwing up?

My Private Idaho

I this song is goofy but I love the B52's. They even play the song we named our cabin after, "Love Shack"

I'm such a Slagger

Idaho

Yep, my bloggin has taken a back seat...to what I'm not sure. I've been up to Idaho, over to Seattle, and back to work. The weather in California is absolutely gorgeous the last two days so I've been out in the garden and orchard so that accounts for some slagging.

And just what do I do outside? I weed mostly and then re-pot all my scraggly plants. Idaho on the other hand ..it's still snowing on and off but it's melting. I've got dirt under my nails but I don't care, it's just one of those things I love to do and I'm not much of a glove wearer. My nails will take a beating but I did get a pedicure yesterday....now that's a whole new topic...massage chair, massage to my legs, hot rock massage to feet and legs and then a foot dunk in a vat of hot wax and some hot orange-pink nail polish. I'm in heaven.

On the Hill, Jordan Silcox and Frank Cariglio

My youngest son, Jordan, just put his band, On the Hill, on myspace... so I've decided to give them some free advertisement. The music genre is ambient, progressive and rock. The members consists of just my son and his friend Frank. Jordan plays the guitar, drums and base while Frank does the vocals and plays piano. The first song, Scarring Lashes (on the play list), has a long intro but it's my favorite, my next fav is Another Story Told.

Happy Listening !

Cherry Blossom Time !

Here's a snap of some cherry blossoms on the ranch. I'll be taking more shots of blossoms since it's that time of year but for now this is all I have.

Easter Sunday Morning....

My husband's daughter-in-law woke me up with a "Happy Easter" text message at 6:08..was I awake....NO, hahaha (it's all about payback). At least she woke me from a crummy dream. I'll have to give her a break since she's three hours ahead of us...but she does know there's a time difference..hummm.

So with nothing better to do I decided to put the clothes I washed last night into the dryer...oh, for Pete's sake....I left an envelope in the pocket of my jeans so now it looks like snow in the washer. Shake, shake, shake..into the dryer and and we'll see what happens.

Deciding to take a stroll outside, in the dark with my camera hoping to get the jump on a cool picture....well, none of that I guess. The full moon was still up but I need a tripod for a decent shot. All I got was a blurry moon. So, around to the back yard, err orchard, I see one lonely Easter Lily!!! So here it is, not such a perfect specimen, but hey I'll take what I can get. Walking down further are all the cherry, plum and some remnants of almonds trees in bloom. I think I'll try some pictures in the sunlight...

So Happy Easter to all !

Here Comes the Tax Man....

(One, two, three, four, one two)

Let me tell you how it will be
There's one for you, nineteen for me
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman

Should five percent appear too small
Be thankful I don't take it all
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman

(If you drive a car car) I'll tax the street
(If you try to sit sit) I'll tax your seat
(If you get too cold cold) I'll tax the heat
(If you take a walk walk) I'll tax your feet

Taxman!

'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman

Don't ask me what I want it for
(Ah, ah, Mr. Wilson)
If you don't want to pay some more
(Ah, ah, Mr. Heath)
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman

Now my advise for those who die
(Taxman!)
Declare the pennies on your eyes
(Taxman!)

'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman

And you're working for no one, but me
(Taxman!)
Written by Geroge Harrison

What brings this on...By crackie it happens to be TODAY, I went and saw my CPA ...Oh, it just pisses me off I suppose. I have never owed more taxes than already paid, period. BUT, today I do... due to my husbands part time "after retirement" job that put us over the limit to claim other expenses, therefore...with the declining dollar, no refund to spend for vacation..not to mention my stocks suck, I'll be(am)in a real pissy mood. And what about hubby? I told him to quit his "social hour" part time job, it basically nets us close to nothing not to mention suckin up gas to and from the job. Ok, I'm done.

On Top of Old Smokey...Errr.....

Well, let's just say this is really a blog about the Lick Observatory up on Mt. Hamilton in east San Jose,Ca. I lived in Evergreen, just below this mountain from the time I was born till around four years of age. We lived on a big apricot ranch up Quimby Rd. that leads to the observatory.

While you can't see the area in which I lived, the webcam brings back childhood memories of this mountain. In the evening, my Mom would sit my sister and me on the rim of our old kitchen sink. From there we could look out the window and see the "diamond bracelet" of lights from the city below. Oh yes, the stories we imagined...

Thirty years later... I recall flying around Mt. Hamilton with my first husband in an old Cessna 140 tail dragger shown below. That's him and our first son who is now Capt. in the USAF, who would've thought! We were coming back from Livermore,CA and by the time we flew back to San Jose it was dark with NO lights and NO radio. We radioed ahead to the airport to tell them,I guess back then it wasn't a big deal by the lack of excitement. At one point I swear we were about 200 feet from the mountain side, which I mentioned, and the ex says "no problem". Lastly, have you ever landed in a rickety old plane on an old blacktop runway in the dark? Like I say back in the day....



The last time I was up at Mt. Hamilton was maybe ten years ago... our ranch is gone and now it's part of the big city...