Modern Technology

I recently bought a new scale that is supposed to track all kinds of information.  It must be connected or synced with my fitbit account.

It seemed like a simple procedure for setup.  All I had to do was remove one battery for 10 seconds, then replace it.  The scale would then be in setup mode.  Once that was done, I could go online and following the onscreen instructions set up the scale.

It didn't work, the connection couldn't be made.  I then proved the definition of insanity - doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.  I proved this several times.  This morning I contacted the company and together with their tech, we proved the definition again.  It was suggested that the problem might be my wifi equipment.  It wasn't.

I called the company this afternoon and they will send me a new scale.

I really wonder why I'm going to so much trouble to get this scale working when I will get angry with it whenever I step on it.  It just doesn't make sense.

Spring is Here!

I do so declare!

I have decided that winter is now over and have started decorating for Easter and spring.  I know that I'm giving myself many headaches considering what went on in the past.  A few years ago I started putting a bowl of plastic eggs and felt chicks as a decoration on the dining room table.  Well, the cats, mostly Burnie, would go the bowl and manage to take an egg out, send it to the floor and play with it.  He soon got tired of that game and discovered the chicks which he would fish out of the bowl and walk around with it in his mouth.  He, then Crash, loved playing with those little chicks.  This is eventually what happened to one of them.

 

This year I decided to try again since they're older and not quite as agile as they once were (aren't we all).  I filled two bowls, starting with some moss, then added eggs and chicks.  Some of the chicks are plaster, so I don't think they will be as attractive.  I did include some felt chicks, those that were left after the massacre of a few years ago.

 

This is what the decorations look like.  I need this photographic record in case they proceed to mess everything up again.

 

Burnie has already checked out the daffodils and decided they're not worth eating, they're silk.

 



ANOTHER TRAIN DERAILMENT

Another train carrying crude oil has derailed in Illinois resulting in yet another fire.  This is the second derailment in about a month.  I haven't heard whether or not any homes or water sources are in danger.

The last derailment in West Virginia resulted in a fire and oil spillage into the water supply of some of the neighboring towns.  There have been others, but these two are the most recent.

This highlights the necessity for the Keystone Pipeline.  It has been proven that a pipeline is the safest way to transport crude oil and transport by train is the most dangerous.  It also does not pollute the environment the way that trucks do.

I have noticed that the opponents of the pipeline have dropped their objections on the environmental issue and are now focusing on the question of jobs that would result in a pipeline.  Even if there were only one job provided, that would be one more person legitimately removed from the unemployment rolls.

I'm very disappointed that congress has not voted to override the president's veto of this pipeline.  Maybe those who did not want to override the veto should speak with the residents of that town in West Virginia whose water supply was contaminated by the leaking oil.

I wonder how many large cities are at risk because trains are carrying crude oil through them.  Until we have a safe way to deliver crude oil, every one of us is at risk in one way or another.

It will be many years before we develop a substitute for oil and until then, we should make every effort to deliver the oil in the safest way possible.  That way is the Keystone Pipeline.

Burnie here.  Today I'm not going to be talking about myself and my various and sundry problems, and there are many.  Today, I'm talking about Crash.

Mom says she's such a nag, I say she's very dependent and doesn't like to be alone.  Whenever she's awake, and that's often, she follows mom all over the house.  Sometimes she even tries to trip her.  One day she followed mom into the cold garage and got locked in there for quite a while.  She cried and cried her quiet cry until mom realized she wasn't around and went looking for her.  When mom realized she might be in the garage, she opened the door and Crash ran into the house.

She's really vocal whenever mom is on the computer.  Then she cries and cries and mom has to put one hand down so Crash can rub against it and pretend that mom is petting her.  Some times she plays a game where mom tries to pick her up.  Every time mom gets close, Crash walks away.  Occasionally she lets mom catch her and pick her up.

One day, Crash saw this basket on the floor (I guess mom was getting ready to throw it away).  So she decided to try to get into it.

 

It was a little tight, but she kept trying.

 

She tried and tried and finally curled herself up into the basket.



 

That was a lot of work and she was tired, so she went to sleep, all curled up in her little basket.