Not Dead Yet

Yes, I am still alive. Just a lousy blogger. Life has been pretty SOS lately, but a few items of interest are worth sharing.

Pat leaves this Friday for two weeks in Mozambique. She is going on a Heifer International study tour and will be in country for ten days. She is excited, nervous, apprehensive, you name it. I am envious. I could have gone with her on the trip, but you'll recall I replaced the transmission in my vehicle instead. Didn't have a spare 7 grand laying around. So, it will be me and the animals for two weeks. I already warned Pat that there may be one or two fewer dogs when she returns and the dogs understand that they can all be replaced.

The first week she's gone I am taking vacation time and painting the exterior of the house - at least that's the plan at the moment. Haven't decided on the color yet. Same color scheme would be easiest, but I think it's time for a change. Maybe I'll paint the sucker pink.

The final presidential debate is on tonight, but I don't know if I can bring myself to suffer through it. I haven't learned anything from the previous two debates and I suspect there will be nothing new tonight. Besides I think I've pretty much made up my mind who to vote for - but I'm not telling. Mom and Dad never divulged their voting preferences and I'm upholding a long-standing family tradition.

On the subject of television, I have gotten hooked on Fox Network's show "Fringe." Missed the pilot and the first two regular episodes, but thank goodness for technology and Fox On Demand on the Internet. Got caught up in no time. Never got into the whole 'X Files" thing, so I guess this is kind of along those same lines. If you haven't been watching, check out the episode synopses on the Fox website first, otherwise you won't have a clue about what's going on. Good TV.

On the artsy-fartsy side of things, the Andy Warhol touring exhibit is coming to the Arkansas Art Center and I'm going to the preview tomorrow night after work. All of his famous works - Campbell's Soup cans, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, giant box of Brillo pads - will all be there along with some of his earlier, more obscure works as a budding young graphic artist. Very high class. And there will be wine and munchies.

Well, I never really thought I'd be alive for the end of the world as we know it, but the last week and a half have been quite remarkable as far as my mysteriously disappearing 401(k) plan is concerned. There is much to be depressed about, but just when you think life really sucks and you've had the world's worst day at the office, you get a phone call from your 4-year old grandson asking if you would walk down to his house and play Candyland with him and suddenly all is right with the world.