Sepia Scenes ~ city cattle

I snapped this as Ralph was driving down a street in Hartford last month. We were taking Kid Two back to college.

You can see me pointing and shooting in the side-view mirror.

and the original:

To see more sepia-fied photos, visit Mary T., our hostess, at Sepia Scenes.

Would I steer you wrong?

Just for giggles

I took this off a newsletter from a new child-care facility I visited last week for a story.

Billy's new baby brother was screaming up a storm. He asked his mom where the baby came from, and his mother replied: "He came from heaven."

Billy said, "Wow! I can see why they threw him out!"

Ruby Tuesday ~ my ruby

This is daughter Allegra at our church picnic in August at our pastor's home.

I can't imagine what she is getting, since she doesn't like potato salad, macaroni salad, cole slaw, or three-bean salad. Tee hee. Maybe she is getting a cookie.

This photo is a bit of a stretch for Ruby Tuesday, but pink counts, I suppose.

And the mustard-laden hot dog is red.

And Pete's shirt is dark red. Oh, you don't know Pete? He's a nice guy, but I didn't know if he would want his picture on my blog. So I cropped him out.

Visit our hostess, Mary T, The Teach, at Work of the Poet to see many more Ruby Tuesday pix.

This was a tough one

Last week I did a story about four kitties that had been put in a box and thrown out of a moving vehicle. Fortunately for the felines the driver behind that vehicle stopped to see what was in the box, and it was a mama cat and three kittens.

I wrote about their plight and this was the follow-up that ran yesterday:

3 of 4 rescued cats on the mend

SEYMOUR — The physical conditions of three of the four abandoned cats being cared for at the Ansonia Animal Hospital are improving, but the fourth died Monday, Dr. Tara C. Nanavati said this week.

The cat that died had a distended eye that would have had to be surgically removed. Nanavati said the kitten may have died of feline leukemia.

The cats were thrown from a car along Route 8 last week. They were found in a box, and a good Samaritan took them to Ansonia Animal Control Officer Jean Roslonowski.

The surviving cats are in Roslonowski’s custody. They are being boarded at Nanavati’s veterinary office at 876 S. Main St. They had been neglected, and one kitten has no eyes.

“We’ve had a big response,” Roslonowski said Wednesday. “Everybody wants to adopt the blind kitten.”

Roslonowski said she was grateful for all the donations that have come in since the cats’ tale was publicized. She reminded people that they need references before the cats can be placed with them.

Meanwhile, Nanavati said the cats no longer have fleas, and they have been dewormed and vaccinated. He said the blind kitten eventually will need surgery on its eye sockets when it gets stronger, to prevent further problems. The mother cat and the third kitten are fine, Nanavati has said.

He theorizes the two kittens with eye problems must have contracted an upper respiratory infection.

Nanavati said the kittens probably scratched their itchy eyes so much that they got infected and eventually all of the eye fluid drained and the lenses fell out, leaving only muscle.

“They had so many infections after being strays,” Nanavati said.

For information about helping the cats, call 735-9915.

__

I'll never understand how anyone could throw defenseless animals out of a car like that.

At least they will be going to good homes, and hopefully lead happy lives.

They grow up so fast

Look at those chubby cheeks!

I'm looking forward to Saturday, because Kid Two (shown above in photo taken a few years back) is coming home for 24 hours. He needs to get his new eyeglasses adjusted. The new lenses don't seem right. I hope they get it figured out.

So we get to see him and if it's not raining, get our grass mowed. Yay!

He needs to return to school Sunday afternoon for their weekly TV production meeting. He's chief engineer at the student-run station, and he tells me he has been quite busy.

Sepia Scenes * kwazy kats

I took this photo last year but it still works today. Our kitties never cease to amuse us.

Since Linus has sepia-colored markings, I think he's a perfect candidate for Sepia Scenes.

He's a natural!

Visit our meme hostess, Mary T, The Teach, to see many more sepia photos.

Is it just me??

The other day I was idly thumbing through a coupon book that came in the mail. On one page someone has his name and phone numbers on an advertisement for cremation services, with prices starting at blah, blah.

I turn the page and the same person has an ad for snowplowing, with the same phone numbers. With a 10% off coupon.

I don't know what to say. It just seemed odd that he would run such unrelated services.

Oh! and no discount for cremation. What the heck!

Ruby Tuesday

Got weeds?

I found this red in the yard this morning. It's growing like a weed. We have a lot of overgrown shrubs that need attention. But not today.

To see many more photos featuring a little or a lot of red, visit Mary T, at Work of the Poet.

Awww...

This is how I found Rigby yesterday: "Groovin'...on a Sunday afternoon."

Seems he has a new stuffed bunny friend.

Our cats have nearly destroyed this recliner, and most likely will destroy all the rest of our furniture. But having them around is worth it.

= ^. .^ =

What made me have this dream?

This morning when I woke up I remembered a weird dream.

I was driving on the state road near our house and when I looked up in the sky I saw a huge (overweight?) unicorn flying above me.

Then I heard the guy on the car radio say that someone had just called in to tell him she had seen a unicorn in the sky. So I knew it was true!

Ralph said this was a nice dream...I thought it was just plain weird.

Looking at the Sky

On Wednesday I snapped these rather ominous-looking clouds from the driver's seat, through the passenger-side window. To me the cityscape (minus the no parking sign and street light posts) has an Old World look. That tells me how really old that downtown neighborhood is!

To see more sky photos, visit our hostess, Tisha, at CrAzY Working Mom.

Veterans helping veterans

I have gotten to know a local couple, both U.S. Army veterans, who founded a wonderful organization earlier this year.

No Vet Left Behind, Inc. is a non-profit on a mission to assist veterans.

They work tirelessly to help veterans of all ages navigate the bureaucracy of the VA system, and they assist them in finding temporary shelter or whatever they need. They are about to open a thrift shop and food pantry to help veterans make ends meet. They've told me there are thousands of homeless veterans in Connecticut alone. It's inconceivable to me that anyone who once served our nation is now living under a bridge or in the woods, as they said.

This is my story that appeared in today's paper.

I wish them the best of luck with their new venture.

Sepia scenes ~ Linus returns

This is the photo I sepia-fied of our cat Linus taking a nap (what a surprise!) this morning.

Below is the original.

Visit our meme hostess Mary T's blog, Sepia Scenes, to see many more photos.

Ruby Tuesday ~ looking back

Straight out of the camera from the summer of 1990. This is our Allegra at the circus! Awww...

To see Ruby Tuesday photos featuring a little or a lot of red, visit Mary T, at Work of the Poet.

* Hometown pride *

We live in a neighborhood that includes four schools within a half-mile radius. It's quiet here, except for weekday mornings during the school year. That's when, as you can imagine, everyone is rushing to get to one of them. Parents, teachers, staff, high school kids driving old cars at high speeds, you get the idea.

Around the corner sits Emmett O'Brien Technical High School, one of the few schools around that continues to hold Sept. 11 remembrances. The school maintains a memorial garden in front of the entrance that was installed in 2002. I was there for that dedication ceremony, which featured several speakers.

I remember one of our state representatives read an emotional poem that evening, that I believe he had written.

I was there last evening and I interviewed students who were in second grade when our nation was attacked. They recalled how they didn't comprehend what was happening that day, they just knew "something really bad" had occurred. One student said two of her cousins have since served in Iraq, and are now back home.

My story was wrapped into a bigger one about regional observances, of which there were not too many. Here is what was published:

Emmett O’Brien Technical High School moved its ceremony indoors after rain hit and students used battery-powered tealights that were placed atop the folded-up bleachers in the gym.

Principal Laurie LeBouthillier said they had planned to light luminaria during the ceremony and put them in front of the school, next to 156 flags that were placed in the ground Thursday.

About 100 people attended the Friday evening ceremony.

Volunteers read the names of all 156 people from Connecticut who died in the attacks.

Students and teachers took turns reading profiles of the victims, which featured anecdotes about them that had been recorded by family members soon after the attacks. “Amazing Grace” played in the background. Copies of the victims’ profiles were displayed in the school corridors.

LeBouthillier said she was grateful a parent donated the battery-powered candles for indoor use, and parents and several stores donated refreshments.

Social studies teacher Jim Marrone coordinated the annual event as in the past.

The school held a moment of silence at the time of the attacks Friday morning, and firefighters circled the school in the firetrucks.

The reading of the names lasted more than 90 minutes. “We knew it would take a while, but we couldn’t leave anyone out,” LeBouthillier said.

Sophomores Ashley Balisciano of Shelton and Amanda Laing of Ansonia, both 15, helped at the event. They were in second grade in 2001 and didn’t understand what had happened.

“We just knew something bad had happened,” Amanda said. “More people should come to (ceremonies like) this,” she said. “It’s important to remember."

I hope people where you live took the time to show support for the victims, emergency workers, and their families, for whom life has never been the same.

Remembering 2001: a re-post

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2008

Never, ever forget

Yesterday I visited a high school where students and teachers had created a flag display in front of the building to mark Sept. 11. I was assigned to write a brief story on the tribute. What I wrote was added to an article about local Sept. 11 commemorations, of which there were apparently just a few. I posted about it here yesterday, and my friend, Duchess Linda, asked me to share the link to the story.
Since it's short, I just copied and pasted it:
"Social studies teacher Jim Marrone organized an effort to create a flag display in front of Emmett O’Brien Technical High School in Ansonia.

"We thought about putting flags up because we wanted to have something simple, but meaningful," he said. A group planted mums in a memorial garden, and heating, ventilation and cooling department students fashioned two metal structures to symbolize the World Trade Center towers. The towers stand in the center of the garden. A larger American flag stands between the two towers and smaller flags are placed among the flowers. Marrone said they used 220 flags for the entire display.The school has held a remembrance each year since the terror attacks. "Every year we will do something, as long as I’m here," said Marrone, who was assisted by administration and colleagues. Art teacher Julie Criscuolo painted a picture of the towers with the Statue of Liberty on one side and a dove flying overhead. It reads: "Remembering those who died on Sept. 11, 2001." The painting is placed against a tree among the flags. "It came out really nice for the amount of time and money we put into it," said sophomore Jeff Glick, 15, of Naugatuck. Teachers and students donated money to purchase the flags, he said. Sophomore Megan Graft, 15, of Ansonia was in awe of the display. "It’s just unbelievable," she said as she gazed out over the rows of flags. Megan was in the third grade when the attacks occurred, but wasn’t told about it that day. "When I got home from school, my mom explained to me what happened," she remembered. "The students wanted to know what we were doing for 9/11," Marrone said. "I’m very proud of these kids."

* This school is holding a candlelight vigil in memory of the victims at 5 p.m. today that I am going to cover. Unfortunately it is pouring out now, so it looks like the ceremony will be moved indoors. The students and staff have once again placed flags outside the school in remembrance.

Is it better this way, or that way?

I've not been blogging or visiting much, but not because I don't wanna.

Often my eyes are really hurting me at the end of the work day. They feel strained.

Last week I got a new lens with a stronger prescription for my right eye, which doesn't seem to work too well without the left one helping it along these days.

The optometrist gave me two fancy tests that I had never had before and he said all was clear, as was the annual glaucoma "puff" test. So that was good news.

But they still bother me. (cue the violins).

I suppose I should take eye breaks during the day. Something else to remember!

Sepia scenes

I took this photo Sunday of a memorial plaque that is dedicated to those who died in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

The monument is alongside the beach walk in West Haven.

That's where a wheel-a-thon to benefit the Center for Disability Rights was held.

I was there because Ralph works at CDR and he was volunteering that day, recording pledges and participants.

At the time I wasn't thinking sepia, but it works pretty well.

Here is the original:

To see more sepia-fied photos, visit Mary T, The Teach, at Sepia Scenes.

Internet-less

We were without the Internet for 21 hours. It was almost a day.

We just got it back a few minutes ago... there was a broken wire down the street, the phone guy said.

I felt completely lost without it, that's for sure. No phone service either. Thank goodness for cell phones.

Today will be a better day. I can blog again! And read my e-mail, and do what I need to do for my job.

Ruby Tuesday ~ Long Island Sound

I took this photo after the 4th annual Wheel-a-Thon to benefit the Center for Disability Rights where Ralph works. The West Haven, Ct. beach is right down the street from the Center's office. It's a perfect spot for walking, jogging, biking, roller-blading and of course, wheelchair riding!

The route for the event was 1-1/2 miles. Ralph participated by working indoors with the laptop recording pledges, keeping track of the participants and the like. We're not sure of the final total but the director said he believed they raised more than $12,000 yesterday. Not bad for a holiday weekend. They may hold it on a different weekend next year to get more people involved.

I arrived there after church to be with Ralph. By then the morning event was all over, but I got there just in time for a "free lunch." What timing I have! tee hee.

The patriotic banners along the beach walk caught my eye...I saw red, I guess you could say, and knew it would be a perfect shot for this week's Ruby Tuesday post.

Below is one of the totes our "free" lunches were packed in. I was happy to come home with two of them. I know they'll come in handy.

P.S. Here's a picture of Ralph I surreptitiously snapped Sunday. He gave me permission to post it. ;-)

To see many more Ruby Tuesday photos featuring a little or a lot of red, visit our hostess, Mary T, The Teach, at Work of the Poet.

Summer is unofficially over

I enjoy my work but it's also good to have a day off. Ralph and I are planning to cook on the grill later. It's the unofficial end of summer.

I love fall weather, so it's fine with me.

Have a good holiday!

* * * * *

Looking at the Sky ~ in Paris

I haven't taken any sky photos lately, nor have I participated in Tisha's wonderful meme. But I'm back.

I found this photo our daughter took in 2005 from a boat (Bateau Mouche) as we were floating down the Seine on an April evening. Doesn't that sound delightful? It was.

It is one of three replicas of Lady Liberty in Paris, but the only one we saw.

According to Wikipedia, this one is near the Grenelle Bridge on the Ile des Cygnes, an island in the Seine. It was dedicated Nov. 15, 1889 and looks toward the Atlantic Ocean and its "larger sister" in New York Harbor.

You can see that Allegra caught part of the Eiffel Tower in the background. We'll go back there someday. I hope!

To see many more sky photos, visit our hostess, Tisha, at CrAzY Working Mom.

From the e-mail bag today

Would you trust them with your truck?

"I think it's the doohickey over there..."

Careful now!

Have a fun Thursday.

Move-in day for Kid One

Ralph is a great dad. Despite disability he manages to help our college kids move into their dorm rooms each year. Here he is in action last Wednesday.

We have a photo of Kid Two's move-in day also, but it's in Kid One's camera. She forgot to e-mail it to us. (Hint, hint if you're reading this A.)

Regular readers will notice Ralph's van in the background. It's huge and not too pretty but it helps when it is time to haul stuff around, that's for sure.

Here is the suite door decorated by the resident assistant with the girls' names on pictures of marker plates from their home states. Our daughter was the first to move in, and she didn't know the others. We were hoping for the best for her.

She has since told me they are all really cool. Yay!