Has anyone ever told you that the Jones live "High on the Hog"?  That is a very common phrase which means that the Jones (or who ever you are talking about) live and eat very well.  In other words, they have lots of money and live the life that all that money can provide.  I often wondered what that meant, but I guess it just means that they can afford the more expensive cuts of meat.  So, I guess the tenderlions, or back strap or what every you prefer to call that meat on either side of the rear spine, is the more expensive and tender cut.  I sure do like that cut of meat, especially when taken from a fresh killed deer.

Speaking of pork, have any of you had the opportunity to eat some genuine Italian Prosciutto?  Way back a few years after we got married, a friend of my Father-in-law's gave him one and he in turn gave it to us.  It didn't need refregerated and it was hard as a rock.  You had to work at it to get a piece sliced off and then your jaw muscles got a good wookout, but it was sure worth it.  Yum, yum!!!  Of course it was a little on the salty side, but as I just said, yum, yum.  Now, you all have yourselves a great day, you hear?

Wondering about the truth in advertising.

Reading advertisements and watching them on TV, I have realized that they are biased. Well, dah!!  They are advertisements, not product reviews.  They are designed to be biased and to influence you into purchasing there fantastic product with all the whistles and bells that is so much better than any other on the market.  But let me tell you the cold, hard facts.  They stretch the truth or all the great whistles and bells are actually extras that you have to pay extra for.

Let me give a couple of examples that all of you may have run into a time or two.  If you are reading this, you are using a computer of some sort, be it a desktop, a laptop, a tablet, or a smart phone.  My wife decided that it may be time to get a new computer of some description.  The ones that are advertised for what seems like a very fair price turn out to be a hunk of almost worthless plastic and wires with a small viewing screen and had no extra capabilities.  The sells person then showed her what she really wanted in the first place but of course it is not on sell and costs many fold more than the reasonably priced one.

Doesn't the same thing seem to happen when you decide to shop for a new vehicle.  They got all those "extras" on them that it about doubles the base price.  It is impossible to order a bare bone model from the factory or order one with the whistles you want to blow and the bells you want to ring.  Back in the day, I used to order the exact vehicle I wanted.  The only draw back was you had to wait for it to be built.  It seems anymore, the only choice you have is what is already built and shipped.  That means, of course, you have to compromise.  Hope you all have a great day today, you hear?

Wondering about a neat TV show.

America's Secret Slang is a show that I like.  It takes some common slang word that we use today and goes back to its roots.  It is amazing just where some of these words came from.  My wife recorded a series of them and I was watching them this morning.  They were so interesting that I almost forgot to post a blog.  For instance, the one I just now watched explained how the term "bought the farm" came from.  As you probably know, in wartime, it meant to be killed in action.  So, how did that buy the farm?  Well, at that time, the US provided a $10,000 life insurance policy on all the soldiers and back then that was about what it took to "buy the farm".

This show keeps your attention.  It tells how the ladies of the evening got the name "hooker", to how "egg on your face" got started, to "gung ho", to "hill billy", to boon dock, to many, many more.  I love shows like this and I actually learn something.  Now how could it get better than that? (grin).  Now, you all have yourself a great Monday, you hear?

Wondering where I store my telescopes.

I have been asked where I store my telescopes when they are not in use.  They wonder if I have a special building or even one that has a dome or a removable roof.  I tell them that I have so many trees on my place that I have to set the scope up in different places to see different parts of the sky.  So during  each night of viewing, I set it up where I can see the part of the night sky I want to see that night.  Remember, the Earth is turning, so as time passes, different sky objects (mostly IFO's - Identified Flying Objects) come into view but some of the stuff I have to look up later.  Usually I have a plan for what I want to see, but sometimes, I just slowly scan the sky to see unexpected things.

OK, back to the storage of my scopes when not in use.  Since our TVs are in the family room and the bed room, we seldom use the living room except for company.  So, the living room has become the unofficial storage room for my telescopes.  This is really not to my wife's liking and when we do get company, I have had them ask why I have a hot water tank in the living room.  I really do need to hang some plastic piping on the big scope (grin).

In the picture below, I have put a yellow "X" on the three different scopes.  The one on the left is a small reflector, the next one to the right is a refractor, and of course the one to the far right is the big Dobsonian reflector.

Ok, now you know where I store my telescopes.  Don't forget, just because you may not have a telescope, you can still see a lot with binoculars or the naked eye.  The trick is to stay outside in the dark long enough for your eyes to dilate.  But you have to go look!!  Now you all have a great Mother's Day, you hear?

Wondering about old sayings, again.

There are a lot of old sayings that I wonder where they came from and if the meanings have changed over the years.  Some can be easily explained and some can not.  I got thinking last night about the phrase "tie the knot" and how the meaning of that became "getting married".  I came to the conclusion that no one knows absolutely for sure where it came from.  One theory is that it pertained to tying the knots to form the support in the wedding bed.  Another was that the bride's dress had knots on it that others plucked off for luck in their future romantic endeavors.  Take a look here: 
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/tie-the-knot.html

Last night a storm front came through the area.  They were predicting severe weather but none materialized around my area, just some scattered lighting and a some needed rain.  Of course it cleared off so we can go to the flea market (grin).  But my old female pup shakes uncontrollably when anything goes bang or boom.  We even gave here some "calming" medicine but nothing seems to help.  So, I didn't get all my beauty sleep and at least for today I have an excuse for being ugly.  Now, I hope all you beautiful readers of  my blog have a very nice day, you hear?

Wondering about hair.

I like  hair, that is why I have long hair and a beard and we have Shih Tzu dogs that have lots and lots and lots of hair.  All animals have hair at some point and in some form in their life even if it is fuzz on a newborn whale or the spines on a porcupine.  Even insects can have hair.  The leg hairs on hunting spiders and crickets act like ears picking up sound vibrations.

Tiny human hairs in our lungs and nasal passages can taste the air and sweep out impurities.  These hairs are slow to die.  Pathologists have noticed that nasal cilia contine to pulse for up to 21 hours after their human has died.

Just shampooed hair is lovely but dirty may be better.  Oily hair absorbs the air pollutant ozone seven times more than clean hair.  So don't wash your hair, let it clean the air (grin).  Of course there is also good things to say about the absence of hair.  Less maintenance comes to mind first but there are others.  If you live in warm climates or stay in heated building most of the year, the warmth from you hair is not needed.  Of course if you are an astronaut hair is a nuisance for sure.  In the absence of  gravity it just hangs in all directions.  Guess either being bald or having an "Afro" would be best for living in zero gravity.  This blog was based on an article in DISCOVER magazine.  Now, go brush your lovely locks and have a great day, you hear?

Dog Grooming Day

Today is dog grooming day.  Loaded up the three pups and dropped them off at the groomer.  Then, my wife said that she would like to drop in on Hobby Lobby, so we did.  I sat in the car listening to a radio station that was playing classic country.  If I can't find blue grass, my second choice is classic country.  My satellite radio is tuned to blue grass music, but I don't have a satellite radio in my Jeep.  Just have the typical AM and FM radio.  Good enough for this old country boy.

Sorry, I just don't have anything to say today.  Some days I am dumber than other days, if that is possible.  This is one of my real dumb days.  Now, you all have a great day today, you hear?