The birds like it

 Flipped the fountain rock over.  Well, not really flipped.  The thing weighs a lot.  More like rolled it over in place.

The side up now has a natural bowl so water can stay on the top of the stone.

The kind of weird brown blob on the top in the water is a bird bathing and splashing.

This bird is just taking a drink.

I used the male part of a hose coupler as a kind of stopper and flow control.  The hose coupler prevents the water coming from the pump from going back down the same hole.

I also changed the rocks at the base from more of the flat limestone to these river rocks.

Not off to a very good start

Had an early (for me these days) flight to Chicago this morning.  Very long lines at security mostly thanks to the use of the body scanners.  Those machines take a lot longer than the metal detectors.  I had taken into account that  Monday morning was going to be slow so I was concerned with the extra long lines.

What I had not expected was having the captain announce that we were delayed because of weather at O'Hare.  And he made the announcement right as the plane door was closing.

We had to taxi out to a holding area because another plane needed our gate.  We sat out there for nearly an hour before getting clearance to takeoff.

Once we got going it was clear sailing.  Now I'm back in the Chicago area -- Rosemont to be precise. It has been a few years since I actually got out of O'Hare airport...I've just had to make connections.

Good Grief

It snowed! It is April 16! It snowed!

At this point there isn't anything "charming" about it!

Update on 5 minute cake recipe

I changed from dark cocoa to regular cocoa.
I added 1/4 tsp cinnomon.
I added 1/8 tsp cardoman.
I added more (9) chocolate stars.

The results were greatly improved. The new version was chocolaty and smoother.

Travels and Other Mullings: 5 minute chocolate cake

Nature returns to the backyard

Spring has sprung.

Two rabbits in the backyard when I got home Friday night. Then three rabbits Saturday evening.

And now today, Roxi reported that the neighborhood falcon had gotten a bird at her bird feeder. Walked over tosee, the falcon had a sparrow in its talons. The falcon flew off with the little bird.

Home from Dallas

Got home safe and sound yesterday.  Even though the flight attendants had to ask the pilot to stop the plane while we were backing from the gate.  A passenger refused to turn off their electronic device!  The flight attendant and the pilot made the announcement again and apparently the idiot finally turned the stupid thing off and we were able to proceed to the runway.

It was a busy week both work and socially.

Monday I caught up with the wonderful Aneela at the Hilton Anatole.  She then treated me to drinks and dinner at the hotel. Tuesday, Asha and I had dinner. She always has great stories.  Wednesay I had dinner with a friend that used to live in Minneapolis and now lives in Dallas.  Thursday I went to a very funny production of Horton Foote's "Dividing the Estate" at the Dallas Theatre Center.  My friend John Arnone designed the set which was beautiful.  The casting was spot-on.

When I got back to Minneapolis on Friday, I drove directly to The Bulldog from the airport for a going away gathering for Tom Smith.

It was a nice week all around.

Apparently Frankie and Uno had a good time, too.  There were papers everywhere and big clumps of each others' fur.  Party at 3112!!

On the road again (and in the air)

Well, after a full month of no business travel I'm back in the air flying to Dallas, Texas.  I have a single week of work back at a previous client.  It will be nice seeing familiar faces and traveling known roads.  And as my client likes to say..."Another Spring in Texas!"

From the looks I was getting from Miss Uno, I think it is best I am out of the house for a few days.  She is tiring of having me around, picking her up, and generally just being in the way.  Not that she doesn't appreciate the twice daily treats but really, the automatic feeder is more consistent than Papa.

The latest home project

My latest shower curtain...the third since the bathroom renovation of '07-'08.

Without the shower curtain and rods...yes rods.  If you look at the previous picture you'll see a white rod and a dark-colored rod.

To get a standard length shower curtain to hang below the top of the tub I suspended a curtain rod from a tension rod.  With the dormer window next to the tub, the tension rod has to be very close to the ceiling.
Previous posting of shower curtain rod.

The new sliding solid glass door...with Frankie checking it out from the counter.

Notice that the handle is set parallel and at the same height as the glass tile band.  The fabricators did a great job of getting the alignment just right.

From the "front" angle.

There is a single glass door because the window side is irregularr due to the window frame moldings.  The glass is 75 inches tall and 36 inches wide.

The chrome header is nearly to the ceiling so it ends up being out of the line of sight making the door look frameless.

There is black tape at the bottom right.  It is holding the bottom track while the sealant cures.  The tape comes off this evening.