respublica

Hardly a signal at all

It's hard to believe there still exists a place with little or no cell signal but we've landed in that place. All around are scores of those big wind farm windmills but not a cell tower in sight. So it's hard to update anything without luck or perseverance. The idea seems to be that if you get up this far on Lake Michigan, you should disconnect from real life for a bit. But I rather like real life so it's hard. Sent from my iPhone

Off onto the interstates

Up to northern Lake Michigan.

Hate that you love to grill?

This has to be one of the prime examples of how this country is losing its way. A Writer at Slate.com posted a long personal psychoanalysis of how troubled he is as a male feminist that he loves the male oriented art of grilling.

"I hate that I love to grill. It’s not that I’m inclined to vegetarianism or that I otherwise object to the practice itself. But I’m uncomfortable with the pleasure I take in something so conventionally masculine. Looming over the coals, tongs in hand, I feel estranged from myself, recast in the role of suburban dad. At such moments, I get the sense that I’ve fallen into a societal trap, one that reaffirms gender roles I’ve spent years trying to undo. The whole business feels retrograde, a relic of some earlier, less inclusive era."

Potted pic

We have a truly outstanding photographer on staff here at the seminary, Mark Polege, and he recently took a photo from a unique angle which I just love. At the east end of the main quad we have a large flower pot filled with water, a fish or two and some water plants. Mark saw the reflection of the tower in that water and took a picture.

How Whole Foods determines their locations

Ever curious about how Whole Foods goes about choosing where to open one of their grocery stores? Washingtonian Magazine gives you the Whole Story.

No homes for sale in DC

The Washington DC housing market has seen a huge decline in available homes for sale because the demand is great. buyers are snapping up properties in shorter and shorter periods of time, reducing the number of available homes. And, Real Estate Business Intelligence, which supplied the data, reports that homes for sale in DC are on the market for a median of just nine days, and that the median price of homes sold has grown by 5.8 percent in the past year, from $520,000 to $550,000. The short article does not say why this is, but gives this advice to those wanting to buy:

"You’ll need to be fast and flexible. It’s more crucial than ever to know what homes are being listed and to immediately place a bid if your dream house pops up on the market. Want to wait a week to think it over? You may be out of luck."

Oh no the Hawk

Looked out our living room window this morning toward the backyard and there was a hawk on top of a power pole.

He or she is looking around for breakfast and my fear is the look is focused straight down on our koi pond.

That's better, pretend to be looking elsewhere.

A doggy problem

Early in the spring there were many news stories warning of outbreaks of canine influenza. None of these cases were in Missouri or the southern Illinois area but it got many dog owners and boarding kennels to worrying enough to want or require the vaccine. I thought enough of the problem to call our vet and ask about getting the shot but was told they didn't have it and weren't really at the point where they would be getting it. So I kind of let it go because the news stories went away.

Now we're getting ready for a week's vacation and Ferdie will be heading for Kennelwood Village. I received an email yesterday advising me on what to bring with him on check in day and one of those items was proof of canine influenza vaccination. What to do? It's one of those things which wake me up and night and keep me awake. What if I can't find a place to get the shot? If that happens will we not be able to board him and then what?

I have one hope this morning and if that doesn't pan out I just don't know what we'll do.

Morning traffic issues

from Y98 traffic reporter, Lance Hildebrand this morning

A 270 at 64 wreck

A mattress on 64 westbound at St. Clair Square, that makes year to date total on highways, Mattresses 78 Ladders 72

Eastbound 270 at Lilac a crash

 

This buggy summer

All the rain we had this summer has brought an influx of bug populations. Mosquitoes are especially fierce and numerous as are spiders, big flies and ants. What to do what to do.

St. Louis Magazine has some advice:

Mosquitos:

• Light citronella candles when outside
• Plant “mosquito-repellent plants” such as lavender
• Call your county parks and recreation department to inquire about spraying the neighborhood
• For bite relief try baking soda paste

Also make sure if you have a dog, it stays on regular heart worm medication.

Ants, especially the ones who find a way to the kitchen:

• Sprinkle cinnamon at your doors and along the baseboards
• Set ant traps on countertops (away from pets and children) that contain poison the “worker ants” will carry back to the colony
• Hire a professional to spray the outside of your home as well as problem areas
• Seal all open food in Ziploc bags or canisters with lids
• Clear countertops of fruits and breads

Last summer when we had a pest control guy out for ants, he told me they look for the entrance point and then squirt something along that area inside and out. It is a stronger version of the Terro ant killer you can buy in the store. Terro works but it takes longer and, it should be placed only in one spot so you contain the ants. They then take it to the nest where eventually they die.

Spiders:

• Spray peppermint oil in areas where they’ve been spotted
• Set vanilla-scented glue traps to catch them when they are out searching for prey
• Clear storage areas and closets of cardboard and piles of clothes

Spiders and their webs are everywhere right now, just walk around and you'll probably feel a piece of a web strand on your arm or leg or face.