Some Guest Blogging courtesy of my friend Clive. Clive works in Manhattan and provided these pics of what's going on this week.
keep movin'!
Monday, August 30, 2004
New York State of Mind...
Some Guest Blogging courtesy of my friend Clive. Clive works in Manhattan and provided these pics of what's going on this week.
keep movin'!
Monday Bunny Photo
Happy Monday from Twizzle and Greyton. On humid days sitting next to a frozen water bottle keeps these bunnies cool.
Sunday, August 29, 2004
If I ran the Zoo...
Mrs. Pratt and I decided to get outside despite the 90 degree day and do something this afternoon. We went to the Elmwood Park Zoo. It's a local zoo one town over from us. I think it's been three years since we were there last.It has a nice variety of animals.Nothing major like lions or polar bears but a nice sampling of animals.
So we wandered around the park.Most of the animals were sleeping since it was 90 degrees out and broad daylight. I was able to see a beaver on his back taking a nap. I think I heard a porcupine snore.
We delighted in seeing the Parent of Misinformation. It just so happened that a family were touring the exhibits right in front of us. The child would guess what the animal in front of him was. Authoritative Dad would then correct Junior. Wise Mom would correct Dad. This is how it went:
Junior: "Oooooh a tiger!"
Authoritative Dad:" heh heh heh no son,that's called a leopard."
Wise Mom(Clearly annoyed):" It's a Cougar, dear."
Junior(seeing river otters):"Ferret!"
Authoritative Dad: "I think that's a muskrat."
Wise Mom(disgusted at the dolt she married): Oh Jim,please..Those are otters!"
When Dad told Junior that Bison are "Cows with whiskers" I thought Mom would ask her husband to get a behind the scenes view of the alligator pit. That's when I overheard this gem.:
Mom:"Stop telling him the wrong information. He'll go to school and the kids will think he's an idiot."
Authoritative Dad was quiet the rest of the visit.
After the Zoo we went to IKEA. The Swedish furniture chain that has stores all over the country.Their first American store was here in our area in Plymouth Meeting,Pennsylvania 20 years ago.
I needed a new desk to do my artwork on. After roaming around the room layouts we got to the business office section and found a very cool table and chair.
I love Ikea names. A great drinking game is to gather friends -write down Ikea product names then try to repeat the list..loser then takes a drink...
"Tore.. Leksvik..Galant..Fniss..Toftbo..damn I forgot to say Bror and Ektorp!! DRIIIIINK!"
Of course I should play this game AFTER I put the new desk together. I hate it when my Ecktorp and my Bror won't work properly.
So we wandered around the park.Most of the animals were sleeping since it was 90 degrees out and broad daylight. I was able to see a beaver on his back taking a nap. I think I heard a porcupine snore.
We delighted in seeing the Parent of Misinformation. It just so happened that a family were touring the exhibits right in front of us. The child would guess what the animal in front of him was. Authoritative Dad would then correct Junior. Wise Mom would correct Dad. This is how it went:
Junior: "Oooooh a tiger!"
Authoritative Dad:" heh heh heh no son,that's called a leopard."
Wise Mom(Clearly annoyed):" It's a Cougar, dear."
Junior(seeing river otters):"Ferret!"
Authoritative Dad: "I think that's a muskrat."
Wise Mom(disgusted at the dolt she married): Oh Jim,please..Those are otters!"
When Dad told Junior that Bison are "Cows with whiskers" I thought Mom would ask her husband to get a behind the scenes view of the alligator pit. That's when I overheard this gem.:
Mom:"Stop telling him the wrong information. He'll go to school and the kids will think he's an idiot."
Authoritative Dad was quiet the rest of the visit.
After the Zoo we went to IKEA. The Swedish furniture chain that has stores all over the country.Their first American store was here in our area in Plymouth Meeting,Pennsylvania 20 years ago.
I needed a new desk to do my artwork on. After roaming around the room layouts we got to the business office section and found a very cool table and chair.
I love Ikea names. A great drinking game is to gather friends -write down Ikea product names then try to repeat the list..loser then takes a drink...
"Tore.. Leksvik..Galant..Fniss..Toftbo..damn I forgot to say Bror and Ektorp!! DRIIIIINK!"
Of course I should play this game AFTER I put the new desk together. I hate it when my Ecktorp and my Bror won't work properly.
Thursday, August 26, 2004
Bless This Mess...
This colossal mess is part of my office.It looks like "The File Cabinet That Time Forgot." I know... I know..Oscar Madison would find this cozy.
During the school year I have 10 undergrads who assist me in dealing with all the updates for the law books,looseleaf binders,pocket supplements,etc.Its our job to keep the library up to date with all the new acquisitions and continued subscriptions (Hey! Stop yawning! Keep reading!) It always piles up in the summer becuase then I only have maybe 2 people to help me.
School began yesterday and some of my students have returned..maybe it was because I emailed them this photo saying "Wish You Were Here!" It won't look like this for long.... Team Pratt is a well- oiled filing machine and this stuff will be flying off the shelves. Thus a sneak peek into the razor's edge fast paced exciting tightrope-of-danger world of working in a library.Oh yeah..chicks dig me.
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Hare Transplant...
Greyton went to the vet today. You can see he is not too pleased. He has to have a small surgery on one of his ears due to a growth of extra skin that's really bothering him. His operation is Sept.8th. He loves get well wishes..and carrots.
Sunday, August 22, 2004
Meeting of the Minds...
Journalcon 2004 was a very positive experience for me. First of all, everybody I met were very cool and friendly.
There was swag aplenty for all. Some of it was so creative to include clown noses,wax lips, some mixed cd's, fortune cookies, quilted fridge magnets, buttons,keychains,and stickers. I have a bag full o' loot I can go through like a kid looking through his Halloween night haul.
The sessions on issues related to what we do and how we go about putting our ideas online were helpful, never contentious, and fun to attend.
There were open readings on Saturday and I told my "Hay-soos" escape from Key West story. I was very honored to be asked to do a reading again the next day. I've only had this page for 4 months but I've recieved feedback of the possibilities of this experiment. To hear positives remarks helps my self-confidence.
The people: I hung with and met some funny talented insightful writers to include Mary Ann and ydelek, ,Sassy, Sock-Girlie, Minarae and Petrouchka, Bozoette, Cosmic Crayola, Maxwell, Suzy, Shmuel, Dave, Molly, Dawn, Amalah,..the list just goes on and on because I tried to introduce myself and ask about their pages and how they do that voodoo that they do so well..I was floored that 1. they would talk to such a new kid like me. 2. Share insight on their websites and writing, and 3. finally give a face to face shout out of appreciation for their work.
But I still didn't get a chance to meet everyone since the turn-out was so large for the event. Of course I pushed bunny photos on people. And they STILL talked to me.
Karaoke night was a bit of a bust. A short in the system prevented us from warbaling. I was all set to do "Surrender" by Cheap Trick. Fueled by a few Raspberry Kamikazes(Thanks Sassy) it would have been pure gold.
So with a slight hangover I came home. Home to the rabbits and Mrs. Pratt and with the joy of newfound friends.
There was swag aplenty for all. Some of it was so creative to include clown noses,wax lips, some mixed cd's, fortune cookies, quilted fridge magnets, buttons,keychains,and stickers. I have a bag full o' loot I can go through like a kid looking through his Halloween night haul.
The sessions on issues related to what we do and how we go about putting our ideas online were helpful, never contentious, and fun to attend.
There were open readings on Saturday and I told my "Hay-soos" escape from Key West story. I was very honored to be asked to do a reading again the next day. I've only had this page for 4 months but I've recieved feedback of the possibilities of this experiment. To hear positives remarks helps my self-confidence.
The people: I hung with and met some funny talented insightful writers to include Mary Ann and ydelek, ,Sassy, Sock-Girlie, Minarae and Petrouchka, Bozoette, Cosmic Crayola, Maxwell, Suzy, Shmuel, Dave, Molly, Dawn, Amalah,..the list just goes on and on because I tried to introduce myself and ask about their pages and how they do that voodoo that they do so well..I was floored that 1. they would talk to such a new kid like me. 2. Share insight on their websites and writing, and 3. finally give a face to face shout out of appreciation for their work.
But I still didn't get a chance to meet everyone since the turn-out was so large for the event. Of course I pushed bunny photos on people. And they STILL talked to me.
Karaoke night was a bit of a bust. A short in the system prevented us from warbaling. I was all set to do "Surrender" by Cheap Trick. Fueled by a few Raspberry Kamikazes(Thanks Sassy) it would have been pure gold.
So with a slight hangover I came home. Home to the rabbits and Mrs. Pratt and with the joy of newfound friends.
Friday, August 13, 2004
Fair to middling...
Mrs. Pratt and I made it to the ol' homestead in good time on Thursday. She drove from the Prattcave to near the Pennsylvania border, then I drove the rest of the way.
It was a 7 and a half hour drive and the trip went smoothly with the Dead and Guster in the CD Player and each of us taking turns being back seat drivers to each other.
It was great seeing my parents..its been about a year.Everybody is doing well. Today we went to the Erie County Fair.
The Fair is the cultural summertime highlight of my hometown in Western New York. Yesterday's post has a link to it. First the food...
I ate some pizza..and fajitas...and funnelcake..and drank some loganberry...and birch beer. Remarkably I did not get my stomach pumped.
We wandered among the buildings, begrudgingly visited the Show Bunnies(House Rabbit people don't endorse Professional rabbit breeders)and then found our favorite carnival game : I Got It.
The "I Got It" game is basically bingo throwing little rubber balls in a grid.Five in a row wins a prize. The best part of the game is the announcer
Announcer:"Throw Ball one....throw ball two.." he pauses for dramatic effect. It helps if the announcer has a deep growly voice. It should sound like he's talking through a bad bullhorn.
The I Got It game has that right mix of carnival hucksterism and mystique I love about circuses, sideshows and carnivals.
Eventually by ball ten or twelve someone has five in a row and wins a cheesy prize.
Mrs. Pratt won her first game and chose a huge golf umbrella which was handy due to the downpour that started for the next few hours.
We went into the slots building and the nickel slots were jumping for us while the rain continued. We came out ahead $20.
The rains continued so we called the Fair a fair day. We ventured back to the homestead and went out for a fish fry with my parents..which on Fridays in Buffalo is like a holy day of obligation.
It was a 7 and a half hour drive and the trip went smoothly with the Dead and Guster in the CD Player and each of us taking turns being back seat drivers to each other.
It was great seeing my parents..its been about a year.Everybody is doing well. Today we went to the Erie County Fair.
The Fair is the cultural summertime highlight of my hometown in Western New York. Yesterday's post has a link to it. First the food...
I ate some pizza..and fajitas...and funnelcake..and drank some loganberry...and birch beer. Remarkably I did not get my stomach pumped.
We wandered among the buildings, begrudgingly visited the Show Bunnies(House Rabbit people don't endorse Professional rabbit breeders)and then found our favorite carnival game : I Got It.
The "I Got It" game is basically bingo throwing little rubber balls in a grid.Five in a row wins a prize. The best part of the game is the announcer
Announcer:"Throw Ball one....throw ball two.." he pauses for dramatic effect. It helps if the announcer has a deep growly voice. It should sound like he's talking through a bad bullhorn.
The I Got It game has that right mix of carnival hucksterism and mystique I love about circuses, sideshows and carnivals.
Eventually by ball ten or twelve someone has five in a row and wins a cheesy prize.
Mrs. Pratt won her first game and chose a huge golf umbrella which was handy due to the downpour that started for the next few hours.
We went into the slots building and the nickel slots were jumping for us while the rain continued. We came out ahead $20.
The rains continued so we called the Fair a fair day. We ventured back to the homestead and went out for a fish fry with my parents..which on Fridays in Buffalo is like a holy day of obligation.
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Roadtrip...
Mrs. Pratt and I are going to upstate NY to see my parents for the next few days. Prattmobile got his oil changed and his left upper strut repaired (he's been making a thumpy noise when I would make turns)but now Prattmobile is running fine and looks forward to a thousand mile journey.
Its 400 miles from the Prattcave to Buffalo,NY. We'll hang out with the 'rents,and visit the Erie County Fair. The Fair has been held in my hometown for over a hundred and thirty years. Its the largest county fair in the United States and always a highlight of the summer when I was growing up. I could write a post just on Fair food.mmmmmm..fair foood..(homer simpson drooling noise)
Saturday we will zip down to Dunkirk, NY to visit a lighthouse. Mrs. Pratt's lighthouse obsession must be appeased.
We'll also drop by and visit my aunt and uncle in another nearby town. We always look forward to our visits there.
Sunday, it's the journey home but not before stopping at our favorite winery Bully Hill in Hammondsport,NY. Mrs. Pratt can stock up on her wine supply for autumn.
The bunnies will be watched by our good friend. I've had a family meeting with the three of them to let them know they can't give her any guff or steal carrots.
I envision Twizzle sliding across our floor lip-syncing "Old Time Rock and Roll." by Bob Seger.
Now that i fixed my audioblogger I'll do posts from the road.
Its 400 miles from the Prattcave to Buffalo,NY. We'll hang out with the 'rents,and visit the Erie County Fair. The Fair has been held in my hometown for over a hundred and thirty years. Its the largest county fair in the United States and always a highlight of the summer when I was growing up. I could write a post just on Fair food.mmmmmm..fair foood..(homer simpson drooling noise)
Saturday we will zip down to Dunkirk, NY to visit a lighthouse. Mrs. Pratt's lighthouse obsession must be appeased.
We'll also drop by and visit my aunt and uncle in another nearby town. We always look forward to our visits there.
Sunday, it's the journey home but not before stopping at our favorite winery Bully Hill in Hammondsport,NY. Mrs. Pratt can stock up on her wine supply for autumn.
The bunnies will be watched by our good friend. I've had a family meeting with the three of them to let them know they can't give her any guff or steal carrots.
I envision Twizzle sliding across our floor lip-syncing "Old Time Rock and Roll." by Bob Seger.
Now that i fixed my audioblogger I'll do posts from the road.
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Hay Hay Hay....
It's Busy Bunny basket day. The rabbits get a treat monthly from Busy Bunny.They have so many wonderful rabbit related products ...think a shopping mall for bunnies.
The deluxe hay basket features not only some delish timothy hay, but pine cones,alfalfa cubes, sticks to chew on,and toasty bunny cookies. Anytime these baskets show up the bunnies go crazy for them.
Sunday, August 01, 2004
Worth a Thousand Words...
"A photograph is a secret about a secret.The more it tells you the less you know."- Diane Arbus
Mrs. Pratt recently brought home some old boxes that were in her mother's attic.There were some odd kitchenware that screamed the 1970's. Mrs. P. and I are planning on having a contest on the ol' blog here. We'll have a vote for ugliiest glassware and perhaps the winning entry will then be given away as blog swag to a loyal reader.
She opened one box last night and gasped. There were slides. Hundreds of them.Even more remarkable were index cards and meticulously written on each one was the synopsis of each slide and the date of when the photograph was taken. They were made by her father. She had never seen these before.
The first batch of about 100 were all dated from May of 1966. Mrs. Pratt's dad was a lifetime Navy man. He travelled around the world with the U.S. Navy. His slides from 1966 were of a trip to Hawaii. Mrs. P. held each one up to the light and we read the cards-all in perfect order.
It was shocking because half the slides were at the same places we visited last September when we went to Hawaii. Mrs. P. had thought her father had been there but wasn't sure. Now here it is 40 years later and she had retraced his journey. Some of the photos of Waikiki Beach were amazing. In 1966 not too many of the modern hotels were built or the Hawaiian highways. But so many familair landmarks were on the slides; The Punchbowl Cemetery, the International Market Place, the Blowhole and Eternity Beach. Our photos looked like his photos.
Another batch of slides revealed trips to Bermuda and in Maine. Many slides were of lighthouses (So THAT's were she gets her lighthouse obsession from!).
We went to our local camera store today and decided to begin with converting 25 slides to regular prints. If those turn out well we'll convert the rest.
Mrs. Pratt's father passed away three years ago after a long battle with Alzheimer's. Discovering this little treasure of unknown journeys from forty years ago was a treat and a special gift for her to see the world again through her father's eyes.
Mrs. Pratt recently brought home some old boxes that were in her mother's attic.There were some odd kitchenware that screamed the 1970's. Mrs. P. and I are planning on having a contest on the ol' blog here. We'll have a vote for ugliiest glassware and perhaps the winning entry will then be given away as blog swag to a loyal reader.
She opened one box last night and gasped. There were slides. Hundreds of them.Even more remarkable were index cards and meticulously written on each one was the synopsis of each slide and the date of when the photograph was taken. They were made by her father. She had never seen these before.
The first batch of about 100 were all dated from May of 1966. Mrs. Pratt's dad was a lifetime Navy man. He travelled around the world with the U.S. Navy. His slides from 1966 were of a trip to Hawaii. Mrs. P. held each one up to the light and we read the cards-all in perfect order.
It was shocking because half the slides were at the same places we visited last September when we went to Hawaii. Mrs. P. had thought her father had been there but wasn't sure. Now here it is 40 years later and she had retraced his journey. Some of the photos of Waikiki Beach were amazing. In 1966 not too many of the modern hotels were built or the Hawaiian highways. But so many familair landmarks were on the slides; The Punchbowl Cemetery, the International Market Place, the Blowhole and Eternity Beach. Our photos looked like his photos.
Another batch of slides revealed trips to Bermuda and in Maine. Many slides were of lighthouses (So THAT's were she gets her lighthouse obsession from!).
We went to our local camera store today and decided to begin with converting 25 slides to regular prints. If those turn out well we'll convert the rest.
Mrs. Pratt's father passed away three years ago after a long battle with Alzheimer's. Discovering this little treasure of unknown journeys from forty years ago was a treat and a special gift for her to see the world again through her father's eyes.
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