Bits and Pieces

Lady is settling in nicely, though it will take some work to redo the house-training that was undone during the last several years of her living outside. The cats still avoid her, though she is just dying to get acquainted. We're going to try a few things tonight to encourage the situation a little.

I learned over the weekend that the observation tower in Harlanharju, one of the places we visited last time we went to Finland, was destroyed by an arsonist. It's really unfortunate--even moreso since the person has evidently done this before at another site. It was quite a magnificent view from up there. It was a historical structure, so obviously something like that can't truly be replaced, but I hope they try.

We bought a DVR last week, and I'm slowly getting more and more used to how to run the thing. Soon we'll be able to bore our family with DVDs of our home videos! The kids enjoy the "reverse" function. Not that I do at all, of course. I certainly wasn't one of those who thought a substitute teacher was really cool if they'd run the movies backward in class. No, not me.

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It's an official company holiday where I work. However, they also give us a lump sum of paid time off per year, which holidays are deducted from, so I'm not observing it. If I'm going to have to pay for my day off I'm going to save it for a more amenable month. I've got a playhouse to build in a few months, after all.

So sorry, Dr. King. Next time pick a better month for your holiday. Call me un-PC if you like.

I've been listening to O. S. Card's new book, "Empire" lately. It'll be interesting to see where it all winds up, but so far it's at least entertaining. I'm still waiting to see where the conspiratorial historian comes back into the book. He supposedly recruited our hero in the second chapter, but hasn't been seen since. Is he good or evil? At this point I'm betting "evil." And with that statement I can hear my brother and sister who've already finished the book smirking.

Smirk on, siblings!