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Topics - CharmedPhoenix

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16
Off-Topic / Balloon Fiesta
« on: October 09, 2012, 12:11:57 am »Message ID: 619437
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is underway this week.  Have you ever been to this, or any other hot air balloon event?

I crewed balloons for fifteen years when I lived in Albuquerque.  I was hoping to get up there this year, but it didn't work out.  Just as well, I'd have gone to day 1 and it was blown out.  Maybe next year.

The only other ballooning events I've been to were local, with my team.

17
Off-Topic / Gardens
« on: August 17, 2012, 11:15:21 pm »Message ID: 589674
Do you grow a garden?  What do you grow?

I planted one this year.  It's a bit experimental since I didn't do much prep and started a bit late, but it's been fun, mostly.  I planted tomatoes, watermelon, green peppers, sunflowers and herbs.  The herbs didn't work out, the sunflowers are short, but pretty, the first bell pepper was smaller than a ping pong ball and there's only one melon (so far), but the tomatoes are happily producing.  Not spectacular, but it did dress up the back yard.   :D

18
Off-Topic / genealogy / family history
« on: August 14, 2012, 02:52:55 am »Message ID: 587266
Have you worked on your genealogy / family history?  How far back did you get?  Do you have any famous / interesting relatives?

My dad's side of the family were pilgrims with the Winthrup expedition and Huguenots who helped settle Brooklyn.  I've gotten back to the 1400's with some of the lines.  Some of our ancestors were knights and barons in England.  Our famous cousins include a few different church leaders, Tom Brokow, Humphrey Bogart and Princess Di.  Too cool.   8) :star:

19
Off-Topic / deadly creatures
« on: August 02, 2012, 01:31:32 am »Message ID: 580753
Have you ever encountered a deadly creature in your home? 

When I lived in California I found a black widow in my rural style mailbox once.  Here in New Mexico I found one in a trash can and under a mobile home I lived in and had to do plumbing repairs on.

Two months ago I met my first wild scorpion, a stripe tail, in my home.  It was just a few days after I was very sick, but I thought my cat got me with a claw (in bed at night).   :o  This past Sunday the same cat temporarily disabled another one, which was good because I stepped on it.  Whew!  (It felt like a piece of plastic.)  Two nights ago he was hunting a third by the front door.  I've determined that they were crawling in through a tiny gap between the lower corner of the door and the doorframe.  I've taken to plugging it at night. 

I'm grateful for my brave feline hunters.   :cat: :cat:

20
Off-Topic / What's the largest amount of money you've found on the sidewalk?
« on: July 09, 2012, 07:21:47 pm »Message ID: 569012
One day I was walking around town (after my car died) and I saw a funny looking leaf.  There was something about it so I picked it up and discovered it was a $20 bill.   ;D :thumbsup:

21
Off-Topic / Dog and Cat Owners
« on: March 07, 2012, 10:15:32 pm »Message ID: 501775
Are all your dogs and cats fixed? 

I just took my kitties in to a county run, mobile clinic advertised at the library.  Due to my current circumstances I qualified for a grant which made it much more affordable than I expected.  It was just in the nick of time too as my one male had just come of age as my female went into heat, just days before their appointment.  Whew!  He got to her well enough she stopped being in heat.  I know she was a couple days pregnant, but the doctors said she wasn't.  :bs: (I've had vets tell me that before and they were wrong each time.)   :cat: :cat: :cat:

What gets me this time is that they marked their beautiful, pristine white bellies with a green dot tattoo without my consent.   :angry7:  I understand why they do it, but you should ask the owner before you permanently mark their animal, not after.  When I found my boys, stray-born under my home, they were losing their belly fur due to bird mites.  (Mom was a good hunter of mourning doves.)  I was so delighted to see them grow back all their fur and have unmarred white bellies.  Now they have an ugly green dot in the middle, where the female incision would be.  (The female has one next to her stitches too.)  I hate green and would have refused this mark.  My house cats stay in 24/7/365 and do not need this.  Why do vets think they can make decisions about our four-footed children?!  If a pediatrician did this sort of thing the parents would be outraged and the doctor would be in danger of losing his license.

The lessons here:
Get your dogs  :dog: and cats  :cat: neutered.
Watch for programs in your area and/or ask about grants.
When you take them in for neutering ask questions.  ???  You should know and have say so over everything they are going to do to your four-footed children.
Keep your animals contained or leashed.  It's safer for them and your neighbors.

22
Off-Topic / What's your favorite Christmas movie?
« on: December 23, 2011, 07:58:35 pm »Message ID: 464879
I actually have two favorite Christmas movies.  "The Santa Claus" with Tim Allen and Jim Carrey's "How the Grinch Stole Christmas".   :star:  :thumbsup:

23
Off-Topic / What, if anything, do you do to make your holiday fare more healthy?
« on: December 23, 2011, 07:49:15 pm »Message ID: 464878
What, if anything, do you do to make your holiday fare more healthy?

I usually do not add any butter to my turkey.  They say to rub it with butter, but I just baste it with broth and pumpkin juice (from steaming my own pumpkins for mashing).  It adds a touch of sweetness and a bit of bronzing.

This year I mixed half white and half whole wheat bread for my stuffing.  It's homemade, in my bread machine, so I know all the ingredients.

Like I said above I use fresh pumpkins.  I like knowing what's in my food and the fresh tastes better and has more texture.   :heart: :wave:

24
Off-Topic / Do you like to wear jewelry? What kind do you wear?
« on: October 11, 2011, 01:50:54 am »Message ID: 430371
I like to wear jewelry.  I have rings and earrings that stay on 24/7.  For special occasions I'll change to fancier earrings and add a bracelet and necklace.  I like noisy bracelets like a stack of bangles.  I have a lot of semi precious / crystal pieces.  I like unusual pieces too and have made some of my jewelry myself.   :wave:

25
Support / Space Dude
« on: August 05, 2011, 04:49:04 pm »Message ID: 397148
Where do I find more instructions for playing Space Dude?  All I see is how to run back and forth, jump and shoot.  How do you get him up onto another platform?  How do you earn any serious points?  :dontknow:

26
Off-Topic / What would you suggest William and Kate see/do while in the US?
« on: July 08, 2011, 05:03:17 pm »Message ID: 382049
I'm partial to the Southwest so it'd be nice if they could come see real Santa Fe style, our beautiful mountains and wide open spaces.  The British balloonists are always taken with these things.  Of course sampling some green chili and the local cultures while they were here would complete the picture. :wave:

27
Off-Topic / Have you ever flown in a hot air balloon?
« on: June 05, 2011, 03:05:04 pm »Message ID: 365947
I took my first hot air balloon ride in 1987, in a balloon named Pysanka, as part of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.  I was hooked. ;D

Three years later I signed up to be crew and crewed for various Fiesta and local balloons for 15 years. :thumbsup:

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