Big shout out to my pal Jeremy Cole for his recent success in the Denver Post's Ovation Awards!!! Jereco, YOU ROCK!!
Not to belittle his achievement, but this IS my post Christmas post, you know...
ahem...
let me just begin by saying that I hope this holiday season has been a blessed one for all. I know it's not the case, by large (just ask those in war zones) but a girl can dream, can't she?
we added a second puppy to our brood just in time for Christmas - Smokey is a black lab / springer spaniel mix (although the second half of that mix is questionable), 1.5 years old, CUTE AS A BUTTON! and the NICEST animal. he came to us from a shelter and even though he was a frightened boy initially, he blossomed almost over night and has since become the playmate doggy zippy has always wanted. mostly. she loves having him when they're outdoors and can romp around and chase and bite each other and play tug of war with anything they can sink their teeth into, but she's not seen keen on having to share her house with him, too.
she says: "First it was that damned cat..."
kat says: "Screw you."
Smokey says: "Let's chase the cat! Let's chase the cat! NOW! NOW! NOW!"
she says: "Go for it. I like my nose the way it is."
kat says: "Bring. It. On."
but they're both such sweet natured animals, they get along fine (she just grumbles a bit as she's pouting). and the cat puts up with both of them with a bit of hiss and fang that eventually mellows into a sigh.
mr. zippy has off work through the 3rd of January - WOO HOOOOOO!!!! this is the first year in several that we've had significant time together that wasn't work-related or spent traveling to see others (like our summer trip to visit his 'rents). and although we didn't put up any decorations this year, including a tree (lest the new pup bring them all down abruptly), we did manage to surprise each other with prizes galore.
he said he got everything he wanted from me, which was sweet, and then I gave him his new Pelican fountain pen which totally surprised him.
but then he REALLY REALLY surprised me with not one, but TWO items off my wish list AND THEN he pulled out the big guns:
a fat silver cuff from Tiffany & Co.
me: "I can't believe you spent this amount of money on me..."
him: "Don't you like it?"
me: " HellOoOOoooOoOO!"
I feel like Wonder Woman wearing it.
The weather this season has acommodated our dvd rental watching:
The Alamo - 2.5 Moyas (curiously devoid of emotion, wake me when Santa Ana's wind blows)
The Butterfly Effect - 1 Moya (BOO! bad movie)
The Bourne Supremecy - 3 Moyas (EXCELLENT, if flawed in a couple of spots that make it trip needlessly)
King Arthur (director's cut) - 2.5 Moyas (gorier than the cinema edit, but not any better)
Spider-Man 2 - 3.5 Moyas (FUN!! better than the first)
Ju-On - 3.5 Moyas (EXCELLENT, if predictable - the Japanese original this summer's "The Grudge" was based on).
The Old Retired Guy across the street spent a few minutes outside his Garden of Eden to lament about the Republican neighbors. Not that he lamented politics (that's just my way of denoting who the neighbor in question is as I've already mentioned the guy before). Apparently, the Republican neighbor has taken to throwing buckets of rocks at ORG's dog. As though that's not enough, he yells profanities at ORG if he catches ORG even looking toward their house. This began when ORG left the dog out and left to run an errand. It's gone downhill from there.
ORG: "I haven't said a word to that man."
me: "That's terrible, ORG."
ORG: "Not a word. The other day, they had three cement trucks parked on the street in front of their house and I stopped to look at them because I couldn't imagine where in the world they would be using so much cement, and he yelled at me 'BUG EYED OLD MAN ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME OR MY WIFE???' can you imagine?"
and he shakes his head in shame.
ORG: "After that all day long, every time he saw me he called me Bug Eyed Old Man. It was so I almost picked up a stick and took it after him, but I just walked away."
me: "That's the best thing to do."
ORG: "Oh, no, I'll never say anything to him. That way he can't put words in my mouth."
he went on. then his lovely wife came out and waved and shook the front door matt out and went back in side.
ORG: "I see you've got a new dog yourself."
me: "That's Smokey. Our Christmas prize to doggy zippy."
ORG: "He doesn't bark, does he? hehehehehe..."
ORG said he's been in his house for 48 years and has never had a worse neighbor.
ORG: "A lot of us think he's crazy, scary crazy."
me: "A lot of us?"
ORG: "Oh yeah, I've been talking to the other neighbors. A lot of them think he's nuts."
me: "What makes them think that?"
ORG: "The way he yells at his wife. And in public, too."
Tells you how astute we are: mr. zippy and I have only witnessed two outrageous fights between them, both in their front yard, each on the heels of the births of their children. Otherwise, they appear the very image of Ozzie and Harriet.
ORG: "Oh, no. It happens all the time. That's what sets my dog to barking - they'll be out in that back yard just screaming at each other. Me and the missus - we've never had a fight like that - never."
me: "Us, either."
Wow. I've always said, if you want to know anything about this neighborhood, talk to ORG. He's been here those 48 years and spends most of his time outdoors either cultivating his Garden of Eden or walking the streets.
But what do you say to such gossip?
Is it gossip? when it pertains to the person doing the talking? or is he just making up stories to make his "bad" neighbor seem all the worse?
One thing's for sure: I'm glad it's not me.
posted by zippy @ 6:01 AM
