Follow the Science: Special Wing and Feather Day Edition

Peaches questions the results of her DNA test:

Possibly there was a mix up in the lab  

When what “the science” tells us seems ludicrous it is not only our right but our responsibility to  question it, and reject it if it is found to be lacking and/or flawed. Unfortunately much of the current “science” is both. In the immortal words of Green Bay quarterback Aaron Roberts: "If science can't be questioned, it's not science anymore. It’s propaganda.”

And we have been propaganded to death.

Because anything you think you know might be wrong. Science by its nature is provisional; new evidence must be taken under serious consideration. The earth is not flat even it if looks like it is, gravity is a real thing but, as Einstein later proved, driven by energy not mass as Newton concluded. The world marches on and science with it. Science is never the answer, it’s the question.

Calvin discovers how science is forever but the world changes

How it’s answered is crucial. So let’s be careful out there.

Out of Whack But Don’t Worry, It’s On Backorder

Well here I am. I would say still standing but that would be a slight exaggeration as standing – at least unassisted_ is not currently one of my superpowers.

So here’s a short list of how I spent my summer vacation: norovirus, neurosurgery, pulmonary embolisms, fungal pneumonia and hyponatremia. In short, everything has been out of whack, but don’t worry:

With the current worldwide supply chain issues it just takes longer for everything to arrive these days. Take our dishwasher for example: it crapped out the week before I went in for my surgery. We ordered a new one immediately but couldn’t get the model we wanted until last Friday. Except that they called late that afternoon to tell us that deliveries were overbooked and they couldn’t come until this Thursday. We now have at least one generation that thinks this is normal. They’ve never known America when its supply chain was the envy of the world and other countries came to us for products. Many of The kids seem perfectly happy being consumers rather than producers.

But how I ramble in my impaired state. I assure you I am getting better and stronger with each day. It’s that after being released from the hospital the last time I was starting somewhere near zero. I honestly don’t know how Raj managed to get me home; I could not stand on my own and could only shuffle a little with a walker – I seem to have symptom similar to a stroke victim and my balance and coordination are worse than they were before the surgery so I need to work on that.

Any hoo, I needed help with everything the first 2 weeks: from rolling over in bed, going to the bathroom, getting up from a seated position, etc.. All my muscles had atrophied to jello, it was shocking how completely wrecked they were.  And not only did Raj have to do nearly everything for me, he had to wash dishes too!

So I am indeed blessed and grateful for all of your prayers, good wishes, thoughts and good vibes. I have no doubt that there has been an intercession on my behalf as a result as I was a very, very sick puppy for quite awhile. But for the grace of God I wouldn’t be here. So I sincerely thank my family and friends -including all the MOTI - for helping me pull through and continue to recover. I’m very glad to be back with you, even if it’s only at 25%.

So let us continue to ride the waves, wherever they take us

knowing that eventually we will land on shore.

PS Special thanks to my little Sis for helping keep the MOTI informed of my progress.

Education

IMAO, education has some real problems. I noodled on this after one of MOTUS’ nurses explained that “I know how old my grandmother is, but I don’t know what year she was born in.”

Math, it’s a real thing. Your thoughts…

Caturday and Sushi Is On A Roll

 

I am unclear if this represents the Edo Dynasty or simply the original Japanese Iron Chef franchise. Either way I believe caterpillar sushi is an acceptable Caturday menu item that even Smudge the Cat would approve of (except for the avocado).

Raw fish, bugs, okay. Vegetables, well, we all know how Smudge feels about vegetables.

So ignore all the stupid gender role games for today and just enjoy some cat-approved sushi rolls.

Go Ahead And Take a Chants On Chicken Pants

Is this an inappropriate wing and feather day concept?

Chanting is a spiritual discipline believed to improve listening skills, heightened energy and more sensitivity toward others. The practice gained popularity when an album of Gregorian chants by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Damingo in Spain became a best seller. Chants can express devotion, gratitude, peace, compassion and call light into someone's life.

On the other hand chicken pants chants might simply be considered disrespectful to both religious and secular chanters the world over in the same way Iowa’s husband hollerin’ contest is considered disrespectful to legit pig hollerin’ competitions.

Or perhaps I simply don’t understand the homophone concept. Yes, I think that may well be the problem.

Maybe someone can jump in and try to sort this mess out?

We seen to have all the correct elements but still need to crack a few eggs to make an anomaly.

Training Day Continues….

 

I don’t know why, and I don’t know where but I do know that someday we will have to release the tactical penguins. Again.

Hence, training day continues until further notice.

Off We Go: In God’s Hands

Good morning MOTI. If all is going according to plan I should be in pre-op now awaiting surgery at 11 AM. Scheduled to last 5-6 hours.

It occurred to me that 99.9% of you have never seen me or Raj either in person or even facsimile so I thought this might be a good day to post this shot that a friend took of us in early April when I was feeling good enough to meet for lunch.

With my radiation-ravaged hair more or less regrown It’s as normal as either of us have looked in over a year and a half. As I’ve now been on steroids for 2+ months I have a new look now: the enduring pack-ratty chip-munky cheeked effect. Once upon a time that would have bothered me. Now I’m getting used to it.

Perhaps someday I’ll try to track down some of our REALLY old pics when Raj and I still thought of ourselves as dragon slayers or minimally young lions: a lifetime ago already. But as I’ve mentioned file/photo organization has never been my strong suit so I make no promises. Trust me though, back in the day Raj was always the foxiest guy in room (with the cutest dimples) and the most-est fun. And somewhere I have Kodachromes to prove it.

At this juncture however I will be delighted as age, experience, circumspection, a bit of wisdom and the benefit of hindsight settle into spaces and cracks left by all that incandescence, sparkle and shine of youth. God willing  I shall be most happy with just a bit more endurance. So I accept and humbly appreciate all of your past, current and future prayers on behalf of Raj and myself. And we are happy to return the favor.

 

 

NOTE: Posts for next couple of weeks are pre-posted, random, unlinked to anything going on in the real world. In other words, totally open threads so treat accordingly.

Time Is Short, But You Wear It Well (Shortcake Redux)

Strawberry season was short and not as sweet as usual here in Michigan's southeast quadrant. Most likely too little sun, too little rain. Still, we did score a couple of tasty quarts for cereal and yes, shortcake. And honestly, a bad in-season homegrown quart of strawberries will always be better than a crate of selectively bred-to-travel-cross-country-in-all-four-seasons California strawberries. So we wore them well.

“You knew it did not cost the earth, but for what it's worth
You made me feel a millionaire and you wear it well”

I recall last week’s pro/con discussion of whipped cream on strawberry shortcake and must advise that in our house whipped cream is most certainly NOT optional. In fact extra whipped cream around here is considered just a smidge below mandatory.

Wear it well.