trinacriabob

In doing some basic surfing about pets, I happened onto some gratuitous unpleasant information where, if you were to pass away and there were cats inside the residence who had not been fed, they would start eating your body within about a day. I don't know if a dog would do that ... or if it would take a lot longer for that to happen. I still like cats. However, this helps confirm that I still like dogs more.

Ha. Yes. I have had falling outs or distancing from every evangelical Christian I've known. They're sheep, can't think for themselves, preach, and quote. The more evangelical you go, the more stupid they get. When it comes to mainline Christianity, Roman Catholics are the most educated (consider their school systems that do NOT aim to convert), right along with Episcopalians. There's something to be said for critical thinking skills. Just because I don't attend regularly does not mean I'm not religious. Church politics and parish level pettiness annoy me. I have 16 years of Catholic schooling under my belt. I think the toast got burnt after 12 years. When I finally got to go to a public university, I preferred it.

I was looking for the mid-December dates for IKEA USA's Christmas Julbord (smorgasbord/buffet). It is a great value and all their goodies are right there to pile onto your plate(s). I couldn't find dates for it. In 2024, it was not held. However, since someone wrote an article about the 2023 event at the NYC Brooklyn IKEA, that might have been its swan song year. If so, I am pissed. Texas, maybe with Oklahoma and Arkansas also thrown in, have always been South Central to me and others. When a childhood friend tried living in Austin to be closer to his in-laws, it didn't work out and he moved back to Northern California. He said, 'I didn't like living in the Midwest.' He's not the sharpest tool.

What a beautiful and significant day. Its message was to bring more people from around the world together ... as opposed to pushing them apart.

My post above referred to the vulgar Truth Social post; not to the mishap in HK

It's a bird. It's a plane. It's sh!+.

Good morning

Hence the term "flyover"

The dash and cabin look nice. I know ... I know ... I like about 300 miles* of range. It's psychological. * three charges to cross Texas, minimum

Love me a cool and overcast day with autumn color.

I agree. It has been a special relationship for so long and I've made so many trips, beginning in 1996 when I lived on Pacific side a mere 100 miles south of the border crossings. I like how we're very similar, but slightly dissimilar to make it interesting and complementary. The inscriptions on each side of the Peace Arch at Blaine WA and Surrey BC state "Children of a Common Mother" and "May These Gates Never Close." I've been in Canada for a week and am returning to the States tomorrow.

It's always "fun" to see if I can remember them without looking: British Columbia Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba Ontario Quebec Nova Scotia Newfoundland Labrador Prince Edward Island Yukon Northwest Territories Nunavut - - - - - I'm in Canada "as we speak"

On a different note, I read today that Diane Keaton has left us. This was her most controversial role and it's a disturbing movie ... a sign of the times, I guess, with the '70s and the sexual revolution combined with some dark psychological undercurrents. Trailer Sequence for the opening credits shows this is going to be a heavy film Anyway, RIP to Diane Keaton who I would have never thought to be an L.A. and Orange County girl. She would be in the top 10 of most talented actresses in her time.

Q: What is a fish's preferred type of doctor? A: A sturgeon

Great song from the '80s: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=d6nNz9At9Tc&si=tASaQ__DY0kzn7Ow Strong instrumentals

Interesting mix. They are neighbors, geographically, but with very different personalities. I've had many Cuban friends, but never any Puerto Rican ones. Not that I care, but it's something I've noticed. That's young. What happened if I may ask?

I just talked to a Filipino named Fabio in financial services customer service. These can't be their real names. Remember "the" Fabio? Obnoxious.

Yes ... dry area, too. For one, the evergreens look very different from the ones in the PacNW.

Love LH for keeping a fleet of 747s. The -400s are slated for retirement in 2027. BA employees sort of grumble that they wish they had gotten 747-8s instead of the A380. The Comfort doesn't change the 2-3-2 abreast in the 767. I think it's a hair more legroom. Maybe more food. If it's a 767-400, that's their best version. Now, if only 787s went 2-4-2 ...

Ok, Sentra ... one up from Versa. I once had a Century 3300 V6 there! One day: Boulder, Estes Park, Idaho Springs on I-70, back down to Denver. Another day: Ken Caryl Ranch, Evergreen, Conifer. The 3300 had a quieter purr than the 3800 and was fuel efficient ... same basic "architecture." I like the eeriness and dry yet cool ambiance of the higher elevations on the Front Range.

Something interesting is happening ... at least to me. We know ITA Airways is going from Sky Team (Delta) to Star Alliance (United). That's because Lufthansa acquired that big stake in them. When you go scout out redemption options on United, there is very little crossing of the pond on Lufthansa's if you are going to Italy ... slim to none. United carts you on the over-the-water segment and ITA takes care of the rest from the Italian gateway. It's almost as if they picked up ITA to be a low-cost workhorse for them. Between the mileage redemption flyers and conventional paying passengers, the ITA planes are sure to be (close to) full. However, I'd much rather be on Lufthansa than domestic United for the longest leg. Because they haven't still disengaged, ITA segments are still being offered up on the Sky Team (Delta, specifically) website. There will be that overlap for about 2 to 3 more months, I believe. Fleets change, alliances change, etc. Many times, change sucks.

Not me. I have a decent kitty in my GM Card and I can't think of anything I'd buy from them. I feel both ripped off and heartbroken. I had a little Nissan Versa sedan at the beginning of September. A school friend put me up in NYC prior to sailing out so I bought all the meals and drove her around in a $50 a day Versa rented at La Guardia. Bear Mtn. and Westchester County one day. Long Island and Queens the next. Zipped around NYC with ease, including parking it, it sipped fuel, it has good sight lines, and it's so damn logical - dash, trunk, etc. I'd baby the CVT with frequent fluid changes and thought, 'I could do this.'

Here is a Pan Am 747 wearing its last livery. This is at Rio de Janeiro. I like that the last liveries for both Pan Am and TWA got rid of the stripe/ribbon along the windows. It looked cleaner and more modern.

Very nice. Count your blessings that you have a free of charge or low cost happy place. It's tough to come to the conclusion that the pinnacle of happy places for me might be being aboard an ocean liner. LOL. It makes for a "kaching" problem.

Anyway, autumn is here (either today or yesterday) and I've got just another day of beach time in the south of Portugal before heading back ... routine and brief orthopedic type operation ... blech, or I would have been hanging my hat in Italy for a while. Thought I'd share this stunning photo from a Quebec calendar I picked up at a pharmacy in Montreal last year. This is the October 2025 photo. Makes me actually like colder weather and a good cup of hot tea.