Saving the World - One Bird at a Time

The goldfinch is almost completely recovered. He (PWC told me it’s a he) had an injured left leg – don’t know if it was broken or exactly what – but it needed a splint and was put in a close confinement cage to keep him from re-injuring the leg while it healed. They actually call it intensive care although it’s more of a protective type of care.

Today he is being placed in a large outdoor enclosure with other recovering birds where it will relearn how to fly and find food placed around the enclosure. Typically he will stay there for about a week till PWC is confident he can be released. Once released, there will be food outside till it learns how to fend for itself.

All in all – a good outcome.

Saving the world, one bird at a time.

We were 'sposed to riot? I didn't get the Memo.

Mike Commodore let the ladies place bids to cut his hair and beard. He raised over $15,000 for a children's cancer research foundation.

Raleigh, being a small city, doesn't realize that we're supposed to riot like the big cities do when there's a sports championship won. From the newspaper, a couple dozen people decided to get into the street on Glenwood South, so the cops detoured traffic so no one would get hurt. One guy was reported to have shoved a cop and got pepper sprayed for being a dumbass but that was about it. I can't recall the exact quote from the cop but it was something along the lines of "It's only a few people so we're just letting 'em have fun".

The Onion has a pretty funny spoof. The caption from The Onion article faked photo: "Hurricanes defenseman Bret Hedican celebrates his team's victory in the quiet, empty streets of Raleigh, causing shocked residents to wonder what is going on."

JN has set up the bonus room over the garage as his apartment. He's got a really nice space up there. Clearing out his thownhouse in Durham is just about finished. His parents, WN and HN are periodically coming up from Southport to help JN with the fix up of the Durham house to get it ready for leasing. Should be ready to rent in fairly short order.

That's really about all that's newsworthy around the house. GAH and ACH are in the middle of their month long Mediterranean cruise on the QM-2. They called yesterday morning from Italy. G was exasperated that A and I spent so much time, at international phone rates, talking about the Hurricane's winning the Stanley Cup.

No real plans for the weekend. JN and his folks are spending the weekend at the townhouse painting and working on minor repairs and maintenance. I'm doing laundry and general house stuff - but nothing major.

ADH, MIH, and EIH are coming over later for hamburgers with us. I figure there'll be an Addendum to this post later.

Monday Morning Addendum

ADH / MIH / EIH came over for a cook out Saturday evening. We had the full crowd including JN and his parents WN and HN plus their two dogs Koko and Brew.

Had a good time although EIH was tired and therefore a little cranky. Plus, when the dogs barked, EIH didn't like that very much - but I think she was going for the attention as well.

JN and his folks have been working on the townhouse since Thursday - very tiring work. They're headed back to Southport today to catch up on their place. Plus, WN needs to work on the kitchen cabinets at his shop and collect some more tools and equipment. They'll be back later this week to continue fixing up the townhouse. It's a lot of work getting a house ready to rent. Small things that we put up with in our own homes must be taken care of if you're going to rent it out.

Met ADH / MIH / EIH for breakfast in Cary Sunday morning. EIH and I shared a banana split crepe. What a great thing to have for breakfast!

Today and tomorrow I've 2 long days in the field. Plus the new engineer starts today.

Stan Lee Moves to Mayberry

News outlets will tell you all about the Carolina Hurricanes winning the Stanley Cup.

Let’s have a word for the Edmonton Oilers.

Edmonton is, and should be, justifiably proud of their Oilers. No number 8 team has ever made it to the Stanly Cup Finals until the Oilers. There has never been a penalty shot made in the playoffs until this year by the Oilers. Down 3 games to 1 – the Oilers forced a final decisive 7^th game.

In Raleigh, when we play a Canadian team – we stand and sing Oh Canada along with the Star Spangled Banner. In Edmonton, they stand and sing the Star Spangled Banner along with Oh Canada.

The San Jose fans asshats attending their playoff games should be ashamed of themselves for booing when Oh Canada was played.

Inappropriate behavior just doesn’t happen at the RBC Center. On the rare occasion when it does – you are quickly shown the error of your ways – escorted out (and usually arrested) and banned from the Arena.

[Bill darts a sideways glare at Buffalo]

Edmonton fans who made it down to Raleigh were great guests by all accounts. And they sure know how to make a lot of noise on their home ice.

Gritty and gutsy play by the Oilers – they did themselves proud with the odds and injuries stacked against them.

Way to go Canes – and hats off to the Oilers.

BTW – the RBC Center in Raleigh stands for Royal Bank of Canada. How ‘bout that?

We also play this little game in the RBC Center called College Basketball.

I’d like to see the University of Alberta* added to NCSU’s schedule.

I’ll call the Wolfpack Club tomorrow.

* The University of Alberta has 2 mascots – the Golden Bears and (Say what? Are you sure? No kidding!) the Pandas!

Claim Check

Work is going great. Newly hired Electrical Engineer, CC, starts the last week of this month. He’s in his mid 50’s, personable, great sense of humor, and very very smart. Capt. Ralph and I are salivating with anticipation.

The Canes lost last night to Edmonton. Believe it or not – that’s OK. It was a great game. The Stanley Cup is the hardest sports crown to win. Saturday, game 6, in Canada.

The juvenile goldfinch has an injured left foot. After an inquiry (plus seed and small cage purchase) at PetSmart, we learned that wild animals are rescued and rehabilitated by Piedmont Wildlife Center.

Located in Durham, PWC is a non profit organization that helps the helpless.

JN delivered the goldfinch.

They accepted the 3 pound bag of bird seed (for small birds) that we had purchased but returned the cage. Looked at the goldfinch, took her back to the animal hospital and told JN that she’d be fixed and well taken care of. They told JN that they had received a large number of small wild animals that had been hurt in the severe thunderstorms last weekend.

JN said there were a lot of birds there and a lot of chirping and noise at the PWC. JN also said that she (goldfinch) was really cool on the drive up to PWC. No fretting or anything. He said that she spent the drive eating seed and drinking water and seemed oblivious to the fact she was being driven in a SUV. She was simply cool in her cage.

PWC had JN fill out medical paperwork. When she was found, behavior, eating, water, symptoms, habits, etc. JN said he filled out all the paperwork and gave PWC a donation (BTW - NOT required).

We can call to inquire on her progress and visit anytime to check on her.

Among the multitude of birds, how do we identify which is ours?

Simple -

We have a Claim Check.

A Good Read

I subscribe to The Atlantic Monthly. It’s the best general subject magazine published today. The articles range all over the place. For example, one of my favorite all time articles was The Making of Steinway 487 (not sure of the exact number) published several years back. The author followed the building of a Steinway Concert Grand from start to finish.

The current issue’s 2 main articles are Inside the Jihad and The Monster of Florence.

I love reading. I’ll read just about anything. Crime novels and True Crime books, however, are not my preferred subjects. But – the true crime article The Monster of Florence written by crime novelist Douglas Preston is riveting. If you enjoy reading, pick up The Atlantic Monthly and give it a try. Every month there’s something in it that will capture your attention.

Speaking of True Crime books – that is my writer brother-in-law’s (ACH) forte (see note below). He has several books published. I edit and proof read his writing. Some writers just have a knack for their craft. He’s one of them. His books are easy to read. I don’t mean that they are simple – I mean that his style is so good that the story just seems to naturally flow. But some of the crimes that he has written about are just gruesome. I’ve actually had to put some of the drafts down and take a break because I get so creeped out by what took place.

Anyway, even though I don’t particularly care for crime stories – the one in this month’s Atlantic is a great read. Check it out.

PS

Bird is doing well and has traded up from a cardboard box to a new small cage. She does seem to have what appears to be a birth defective left leg. It isn't broken - it just doesn't seem to work properly. But, she isn't making any distress calls or anything like that. She's eating well, fluttering around and getting used to her new 'digs'.

PPS

Possessed answering machine has quit working.

Note

Normally I use initials when blogging about friends and relatives. In this case - since ACH is published and therefore in the public domain - here is a link to a (somewhat dated) biography.

Storm

A serious storm went through 2 days ago.

A seriously large and tall tree was taken down - thankfully away from the house.

There was a victim.

We (JN and I) saw her yesterday - but - as bad as we felt about it - we decided to let nature take it's course.

However - today - JN - saw her - she was still alive.

Tomorrow, on my way home from work - I will be at CrossRoads Ford to have the SUV serviced (tires rotated and balanced, oil change, and 4 wheel alignment).

While the truck is being serviced - I'll walk over to PetCo and get a small bird cage - and more importantly - I'll get some baby bird food.

She's asleep now.

JN is keeping watch over the innocent.

Crash and Burn

Felt fine Sunday morning. Met up the kids for breakfast, came back home, did some minor chores, watched a little NASCAR on TV.

By 6 PM - I was way sick again.

Coughing, hacking, extremely sore throat to the point I couldn't swallow, aches and pains - the same stuff - back with a vengeance.

Went to the MD today on the way home from work. Fever but no strep throat. Looks like whatever infection I had didn't get killed - or - somehow picked up a new one.

MD gave me 2 new 10-day prescriptions - said this antibiotic will kill just about anything.

I hope so - being sick now for 3 weeks is getting very very old.

Sunday Brunch

JN is having a root canal Monday. Tooth was initially damaged a long time ago. He's been in considerable pain but has finally started taking pain medication. Between the pain and the meds he's kind of subdued. Ranting at the world in a mellow sort of way.

Had brunch with nephew and family (ADH, MIH, EIH) at the General Store Cafe in Pittsboro, aka (to me anyway), Earth Mother Cafe. Good food, interesting place - kind of a Birkenstock Bolshevik restaurant. Girls, girls, girls - shave the legs! Chickens aren't the only things free ranging around there.

Watched House of Sand and Fog on DVD this week. Excellent acting and very good movie - but a very depressing subject and story. It's a one time only movie.

Also watched What the [Bleep] Do We Know. Recommended by coworker Capt. Ralph. Pseudo science documentary, quantum physics, neural networks and creating your own reality. Interesting film but not really scientific - heavy on the new age crap. I'm going to get on the web and research the "scientists" who were interviewed in the film. I'll bet they're all hooked up with some guru cult - LOL. But - there's nothing wrong with the basic theme of "think positive".

I Was Hoping for Something a Little More Dramatic

No - not the Hurricanes - Oilers game. That was pretty darn exciting.

If a team knew beforehand they'd be up 3 - 0 deep in the second and that they'd score again in the third - it's a given they'd be the winner.

Not this time. The 'Canes refused to fold - started skating better in the last period - and got a lucky goal for the come from way behind win.

An unbelievable glove save by Cam Ward in the final seconds sealed the win.

What a great game.

Frankly, Edmonton outplayed the Hurricanes but the breaks went our way. It's got to be a really tough loss for Edmonton - especially with their goalie Roloson out with an injury.

Answering Machine

I was hoping for something a little more dramatic from the possessed answering machine.

Maybe a little levitation - recording messages backwards - you know, something special for today.

But no - all it did was quit working again sometime during the night.

Well, it did add the special touch of completely discharging the battery in the hand unit.

Feeling A Little Better Every Day

I'm feeling a little better every day. Still run down - did not get a full night's sleep last night - but still feeling much much better.

Looked at the medication information sheets last night for the first time. Usual warnings and such. Noticed for the first time the actual costs of the 2 prescriptions. One was $106+ and the other was $108+ for a total of $225. My co-pay was $25 and $50 for a total of $75. Over the counter liquid Tylenol and a miscellaneous purchase made up the total of $88 that I spent at the drug store.

If a person is making minimum wage at a 40 hour per week job - without health insurance the prescriptions would be a week's pay - before taxes.

I do not know how the working poor survive.

Here Kitty Kitty Kitty

Birthdays

Happy Birthday (yesterday) to sister and brother. Yep – same birthday – one year apart. Without getting maudlin – I’ve got the greatest brother and sister in the world. And their spouses are pretty cool too.

CPT

Went to the Carnivore Preservation Trust this morning for a tour. The CPT is a rescue mission for large cats. Mostly those who have been abandoned which can’t be released back into the wild or unable to cope with other cats in a zoo. You can get right up to within an arm’s length of these cats. A couple of them are in the 700 pound range. Not your average household kitty cat.

Neat place. Non-profit, of course, completely privately funded. It costs about $10,000 per DAY to operate. Small (8 people) paid staff – the rest are volunteers. If you’re ever in the Pittsboro area on a weekend, it’s well worth visiting. They have regularly scheduled tours Saturday and Sunday.

Here's a Washington Post leisure article about the CPT. It also mentions S&T's Soda Shoppe and the General Store Cafe which are two places I've posted about.

Home Front

Did some chores around the house.

I had a local machine shop fabricate a long metal bar to hang the main bird feeder on. The idea is to place the feeder just out of reach of the raccoons since they are tearing up the porch screens to get to the feeder. The bar allows me to bring the feeder to the deck for refilling and then slide it back out of reach from the critters. Looks like it will work. I’ll still feed the raccoons dog food on occasion. I’ve read that it’s OK to feed them, but it is recommended that they get fed on an irregular basis so they don’t become dependent on you.

I also moved the stained glass from the bonus room to the porch. My friend JN has decided to move into the bonus room for a while and the glass was blocking his view and light. He’s figuring out what he wants to do post Army career and Casa del Bill is as good a place to be as anywhere.

JN is thinking about working for the contractor who built my house in the short term while he decides what he wants to do long term. He’s going to rent out his house in Durham. Anybody want to lease a nice end unit town house in the Hillendale area of Durham? Near Duke University and Hospital.

As a general rule, I don’t blog about other people. But I will say that JN is certainly due a return from the US Government for his 14 years of service – especially the peace-keeping time spent in Bosnia and Kosovo and the outright combat in Iraq. He's started the process of getting into the VA system. His shoulder and back were also injured and he has to deal with that as well. Years of Airborne takes its toll on both mind and body.

The bonus room is pretty sizable – it’s 15 feet by 30 feet and set up as a living room / bedroom with office area – essentially it’s like an efficiency apartment. Thus, JN and I have our own spaces and don’t get in each other’s way too much. Besides, the room wasn’t getting used for anything besides gathering dust so this is a good arrangement.

It will be good for JN to be around while he sorts things out and also good for me to have company out here in the sticks. I live a solid 45 minutes from Raleigh so it’s a trek for friends and relatives to visit. Consequently, life out here the past 10 years has been kind of isolated. While by nature I’m a bit of a misanthrope, it’s good to have the company.

Conversations tend to be, well, entertaining to say the least.

LOL

Feeling Better

Health wise I’m feeling much better. The eye infection is still a nuisance. It causes a film to coat the eyeball which sometimes makes my vision cloudy but it’s getting better. Still pretty run down, but compared with the past 2 weeks – I’m waaaay better.

Here’s an interesting observation.

I can only think of 3 other times I’ve been this sick.

First time I was 12 or so and spending time at the H’s (sister / brother-in-law) apartment in DC / NoVa – got a stomach virus (and saw the movie MASH that same visit). The second time, age 15 or so, I was visiting them in their townhouse in Alexandria – stomach flu again. Third time, visiting them yet again during spring break – took the train back to NCSU and promptly went to the campus infirmary where I spent the rest of the week.

This time – I was already sick – but the H’s did visit NC last weekend when this infection was at its worst.

Only 4 times in my entire life I’ve been “somebody please shoot me” sick – and they’re around.

I detect a pattern.

Answering Machine

Speaking of coincidences - the possessed answering machine is still quietly working. I think its biding its time and plotting something for Tuesday [6/6/6].

I’m keeping my eye on it.

Wonder if there’s an exorcist in Sanford?

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

I used to hand feed the backyard squirrels until they got uppity and chewed their way through the screen doors to help themselves to the bag of peanuts in the house.

[Last year, Erika, age 3, watching the squirrels come up to take peanuts from my fingers learned by observation. She grabbed a peanut – held it out – and took off full speed towards the group of squirrels on the deck.

In unison – Uncle Bill, daddy David and mommy Mami - “ERIKA! NO!” LOL]

They are now used to fending for themselves with the occasional handful of peanuts I throw out on the back deck.

I also have 2 raccoons that nightly raid the bird feeder. Not much of a problem except they hook their claws into the porch screens to get to the feeder which has led to shredded screens which need replacing.

After doing a little research, I've found it's OK to occasionally feed raccoons dog food to help them out.

JN, at first, berated me for feeding wild animals - interfering with nature and the order of things and so on.

Over time however, Mr. N has decided it's fun to feed the critters.

One raccoon has started recognizing JN as the source of food in the dog bowl on the deck. So much to the point where she comes up even during the daytime to get fed.

While she won't come when JN whistles / calls her (yet) - she doesn't exactly run for cover when he's on the deck or porch.

Hmmmm . . . . training a rather large, aggressive wild animal to get used to your presence.

What could possibly go wrong?

LOL

This has Fark potential written all over it.

Feeling a Little Better

I’m starting to feel better - just a little.

Gone from Death Warmed Over Crap to just plain Regular Crap.

One word about the effect of antibiotics on the intestinal system:

Green


Go Hurricanes!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

WOOOOOOOoooooooooo

Woooooo . . . . . . . cough cough hack hack ack ack


Answering Machine

Has randomly decided to start working once again.

That machine is possessed.

Wonder what it will do Tuesday?

[hint: 6/6/6]