The Blog Pages of Kellan Meig'h

Too Much Stress!

Arrrgh!

What's so hard about selling a 1973 International 1/2 ton pickup? Between low-ballers, crack-heads, tweakers and no-shows, I'm ready to scream! Is $2,000 too much for a daily driver? Hmm? Opinions, please

Kellan, the aggravated old warhorse.

Rest In Peace

Rest In Peace

Baby The Cat

1999 - 2010

Baby lost her battle with cancer, taking a turn for the worse yesterday. We all knew it was time and I think she knew too.

You will always be remembered.

Not Good . . .

Something had a foreboding feeling all day today. I couldn't put a finger on it but it was there.

This afternoon, my tigress told me she had been laid off from her job. Yeah. No warning, too.

So this leaves us needing to pull in the old belt a few notches and look at where we can cut corners. I'm glad I hadn't been able to secure lodging for Further Confusion in January. That would have been something we wouldn't have been able to swing right now.

It's also a good thing I didn't buy a brand new truck because we would have been hurting for sure. Gah, we have such bad luck . . .

Kellan

Saturday, why art thou so short?

Today was a decent but short day.

My brother scored me a ladder rack for my truck, a practically new one from Drake Welding, located in Campbell, CA. Estimated value, $1,200 USD. My cost, zilch. Yeah, instead of letting it go to the local Pick And Pull, the yard boss offered it to me through my brother. He knew it would fit, since it was coming off of a similar 2WD drive Ford.

The donor truck wasn't worth what the rack was worth, by the way. They will get $200 USD for that truck, so why let them have a $1,200 rack with it?

Anyway, still have to drill a few more holes and bolt it down but all in all, that was a grand score. A Drake Welding rack is the Rolls-Royce of racks here in the SF Bay Area. It might outlast the truck, too. I'll post pictures when I have a few minutes.

Take care!

Kellan, the old warhorse

Father's Day Blog

Yesterday, my brother and I turned back the clock and became auto repair mechanics again.

As you my well know, my new (to me) pickup needed to have the transmission solenoid pack replaced. That's the part that the computer uses to shift the gears in the transmission. I finally received the pack that I ordered from Makco Transmission Parts and got it installed. As I had surmised, that was the problem. The transmission shifts smoothly and operates as advertised.

A word for you Ford owners. I discovered that my particular transmission, an E4OD, uses and prefers regular Mercon fluid. I was warned that if I wanted to kill it, just use Mercon V fluid. The E4OD/4R100/5R100 transmissions will fail using Mercon V, since it 'too slick' for the friction plates. I used Dexron III/Mercon from Valvoline and it works. If someone says they don't make plain Mercon ATF, they're full of $hit. Use Dexron III/Mercon. Good stuff.

Anyway, I'm planning on watching the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR race this afternoon from the comfort of my recliner. I would have loved to had been there in person but 1, the tickets were too high and 2, no refrigerator nearby. :D

Y'all take care and Happy Father's Day to all of you,

Kellan, the old warhorse

Busy Day Tomorrow

As a quick note, today is 'Baby' the cat's eleventh birthday. She's still with us but she's a bit weaker than she has been.

Now on to the real intent of this blog.

Tomorrow will be a busy day for me. Getting my eyeglasses (Yay!) in the a.m., then fix the driver's inside doorhandle and adjust the MLPS, or 'Neutral Safety Switch' for all of you non-Ford savvy readers.

The door handle is a common thing with these trucks and it's about an hour job. About five minutes to do the actual fix, the rest spent taking the interior door panel off and replacing it afterwards.

The MLPS, however seems like a thirty minute fix at best, since "The Buffalo" sits so darn high! The switch does more than allow you to only start in Neutral or Park. It also tells the TCM (Transmission Control Module) what gear has been selected so it knows how to control the electric solenoids that operate the gears. If it's out of align, it does some 'weird' things, such as a very late, rough upshift from first to third (direct). It also won't allow you to lock out the Overdrive. If adjustment doesn't help, it will be replaced with a $44.OO USD new switch.

A few other things, such as realigning the front and rear bumpers and replacing some burnt out lamps will occupy the remainder of the day. Two pix of "The Buffalo" below.

Front:

Rear:

Have a nice weekend,

Kellan, the old warhorse

New Family Member (vehicle)

It had to happen at some point . . .

As some of you well know, I have been struggling with my 1973 International Harvester Corporation Model 1010 pickup, pulling my hair out trying to find parts for it. The fun and joy of owning an obsolete truck.

My brother works for a tow company so they get vehicles in from time to time that they lien sale off. One such vehicle is a 1997 Ford F-250 XL Heavy Duty Standard Cab 4X4 pickup. I went today and put my money down ($1,600 USD), making it the newest vehicular member of our family. I don't have a picture of her just yet so her stunt double (twin?) will have to stand in.

"The Great White Buffalo" is about 90% as nice outside as this truck is. Pictures will be coming.

My friend "SC" will be glad to know "The Buffalo" is a kindred spirit to "The Bowtie Beast".

Quick specs: 136K miles, 460 SEFI V8, Auto trans, Manual hubs, 4.10 gears. Runs smooth as silk. No kidding!

Because it's a lien sale vehicle, I have to go to the DMV and jump through a few hoops to register it. Wish me luck.

Take care,

Kellan, the old warhorse

Another Chapter! Yay!!

Just a quick note-

Chapter 9 of "End Game"  has been posted for your reading pleasure.

Kellan, the old warhorse

Saturday's Tidbits

Well, I finally decided to post this. It's official now; our cat has cancer. And it's inoperable. And it's teminal.

The sad part is she's still her old self at this point, albeit a bit slower than before. Her eyes are still bright and sparkly and she still craves attention. I guess we'll just make sure she's comfortable and do the humane thing when it's time.

Now that I got that off my chest, you can see why I'm not very upbeat at the moment. I've been trying to write but I guess my depression over not being able to help the furry member of our family out is geting to me. Maybe I will get myself out of this funk soon, before it consumes me.

As a side note, have you ever received an email telling you that you have an e-card from Hallmark? Well, some person in our school district opened one of those emails, propogating a trojan of sorts. Before IT tried to put the brakes on it, the disaster had spread to 34 schools and hundreds of computers. Not good. They were still in clean-up mode two days later. Oh Well . . .

To SC; I hope the Sharks get their behinds in gear or they will miss another chance at the Stanley Cup.

Anyway, have a nice weekend,

Kellan, the old warhorse

Monday's Blog

Well, Monday morning here at Casa Del Meig'h is an uneasy one.

It seems the little furry feline member of the family, Baby, is soon to go to the vet's office. She's been under the weather lately and a trip Saturday turned up a mass in her abdomen. This morning she will have an ultrasound performed to determine what this mass is and if it is treatable. We really hope it is, both medically and financially.

This comes at a bad time for us, since we had some expenditures that we needed to take care of. Now all of that will have to go on the back burner while we take care of Baby's needs.

On a lighter note, Chapter 9 of "End Game" has went to my able proofers but they must have been busy this weekend. Oh well, I'll get that chapter up soon. I'm about 4+ pages into chapter 10 at the moment.

A few friends here in SoCal are having a get-together at the end of the month and I can't begin to tell you just how bummed out I am that we can't attend. I really wish we could have put the trip together. Maybe next time.

Kellan, the old warhorse

Tomorrow . . .

Well, I'm on edge this morning. Why you ask? Because tomorrow, Tuesday the 27th, is my surgery date for my cataract removal.

I've had it done before and it wasn't such a big deal so don't ask me why I'm nervous this time.

If I seem to fall silent for a few days on the 'net, this is why. I'll need to get some reader glasses so I can see to use the computer. I won't be able to do that until my post-operative eye settles down a few days after surgery.

Wish me luck,

Kellan, the old warhorse.

My Eldest Child . . .

And here is my eldest daughter Jan, the one responsible for Dana's make-over.

Slainte!

Kellan, the old warhorse

An Amazing Transformation

For those of you that know her, this is my youngest daughter after my oldest daughter did a make-over on her;

Just totally amazing!

Slainte!

Kellan, the old warhorse

Monday's Blog

Well, my family has went home after their whirlwind visit so I thought I would post this.

Chapter 06 of "End Game" has been posted.

Slainte!

Kellan, the old warhorse

Family Visitation

If you have been wondering why I have been quiet, this is why; my family is in town! Yay!

(L to R) My oldest daughter Jan, Her hubby Donnie, his daughter Jessica, (back) the eldest grandson Alex, The little guy in front is my youngest grandson Brayden, my tigress, the old warhorse and my youngest daughter, Dana

Slainte!

Kellan, the old warhorse

The Next Chapter

Hey All!

Chapter 05 of "End Game" has been posted for your reading enjoyment.

Slainte!

Kellan, the old warhorse

Just Checking In

I thought I might check in just to prove I'm still around.

Went to work sick with a serious cold/cough this week so I'm very under the weather. Gah, it seems like I have been sick forever. At least I feel a little better today so maybe I'm on the mend.

I know where my friend SC will be tomorrow; watching the Canucks and the Yanks battle it out on the ice. I'm kind of torn by this, since there are many great American hockey players and a number of great Canadian players. At any rate, the Gold remains in North America regardless. I hope I can watch the game and I'm not nodding off like I have been doing today.

I was really hoping for some better weather this weekend because I really wanted to get some shots of my hometown of Niles. I wanted to capture the railroad station now that it has been moved back to downtown but it's raining off and on right now. Maybe tomorrow.

"End Game" apparently has gone over well with my proofers so I hope to get the next chapter done this weekend. That's if I can stay awake. Isn't if funny how cold medication makes you sleepy? Oh well ... 8)

Take care,

Kellan, the old warhorse

Saturday's Blog

I had made some plans to do some things today but I'm sick with a cold. Yay me.

I decided to try to salvage the day by posting Chapter 1 of "End Game"  for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!

Slainte!

Kellan, the old warhorse.

General News

I want to start by saying I'm rather disappointed ... it seems nobody may have read the last posting.

*looks down at post below this one*

Anyway, I'm having to swap over from Haloscan commenting system to Echo by JS-kit. If the site looks a bit wonky for a day or two, that's me adjusting the new code.

Slainte!

Kellan, the old warhorse

Tuesday's Musings

Well, I thought I would share my thoughts about the last few days. Last Friday, I was putting my truck away for the day when I noticed something in my work boot. It had gotten into a position to irritate my foot so I removed my shoe to find out what it was. Out fell a quarter and a penny! Doh!

Weird stuff part two-

I didn't watch the Superbowl, mainly because I was busy disinfecting a computer. Yeah, not a way to spend Sunday but I was begged, literally, to fix their computer for them. What a mess it was, too.

I had never ran up against a virus that prevented any process except a browser from running! To make matters worse, it managed to block the computer from running in SAFE mode on more than a few occasions, forcing a reboot to try for SAFE mode again. Nine and a half hours of frustration. You can guess where they were surfing ...

On to my favorite intrusion alarm duo. They are Ademco Vista 128B alarms and I have learned they are not user friendly. I spent about 3 hours just putting a few users into the systems. Since I'm not a certified installer, I don't have access to the Vista software that would make programming much simpler. Argh!

So, that leads up to now. My tigress is sitting here, pondering her case of chicken pox. Yup. Now, I really can't remember if I had them as a child so I might be infected. Won't know for a few days until they have had time to incubate in my system. I'm hoping I don't have them. Oh Well ...

Slainte!

Kellan, the old warhorse

Just A Quick Post

Taken with the new Canon SX20-IS camera:

You can tell my Tigress was running down by this panel.

Kellan

Further Confusion 2010 ... Comments on Saturday

So, here I am, 2200 hours at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, attending Further Confusion. We arrived on Friday and attended a few panels. I was tired so we gave up early and crashed out.

This morning we had breakfast with Teric and Xaqtly at CoCo's in Sunnyvale. This has been a tradition since FC2008 and we really enjoyed our meal but most importantly, their company.

Attended a few panels, gained a few tips about fur suit construction and made a trip through the Dealer's Den. That was interesting because Rule #34 was in effect. We had to cut off my tigress before she stopped to check out Bad Dragon's table. Just told her, "You don't want to check it out."

Had dinner at Johnny Rockets on First street, right by the Fairmont. The food was great but the $33 USD price tag before tip was steep.

We watched the performers show off their new suits for awards and then called it a night. My back is killing me from sitting in the chairs provided for the panels.

Slainte!

Kellan, the old warhorse

Wanted: Proof Reader

As you would guess by the title I am looking for a proof reader for the next tome that I will spit out.

Qualifications:

• Must be very familiar with "The Immortal Warriors" series, the "Transitions" series and the assorted works of Aslaug, The Silver Coyote and Tigermark.
• Having some familiarity with "A Little Nothing", "A Little Something" and "Surt Show" would be a bonus.
• May have read "Zig Zag The Story" and "Identity Crisis" or have some familiarity with them.
• Use OpenOffice. I hate M$ Word! 8P
• Be able to proof and return with comments in one week approx. 10 to 12 pages.
• Be able to deal with 2 to 3 chapters a month.

If you think you are interested, email me at kellan (AT) kellanmeigh (DOT) com. Please include a short (2-3 pages) of your work if I am not familiar with yours or point me to your works on the web.

Slainte M'hath!

Kellan, the old warhorse

First Blog Of 2010

I'll start this first blog of the new year by wishing all of my friends a Happy New Year.

I'm sitting here, being a good hubby by helping to do the laundry. My tigress and I are both sick I have the flu and I hope her's is just a bad cold. I know I've been very ill, actually missing out on a number of get-togethers with family and friends.

My companions have been Sudafed, Mucinex, Afrin nasal spray and an occasional dose of Robitussin DM for my cough. I know my friend The Silver Coyote would possibly suggest I ingest something amber colored, at least 80 proof to go along with the other more traditional medication. It probably would have helped.

I'm still trying to wind up "A Loss Of Rights" and I would guess my illness has made it hard to keep a line of thought going. I start typing and the idea just disappears in my mind. Hopefully I will be able to get back on track with this.

The storyboard for the next "Immortal Warrior" saga is coming along nicely and I hope to start posting the first chapters in March. What I will need is a proofreader for this story. I have noticed that my typing, for some reason, has become very sloppy. A good proofer would be a great help to me. Let me know if you're interested.

Anyway, I have to help put the laundry into the dryer so I better cut this short.

Slainte!

Kellan, the old warhorse

Last Blog Of 2009

This is the last blog for the year 2009 so I thought I would share a few of my musings with all of you.

2009 has been a very challenging year for us here at Casa Del Meig'h. It started with the new year, finding us trying to cope with my being out on workman's compensation due to an injured back. I eventually recovered enough to return to work only to find myself the only tech on duty for several months.

We had made a few plans that were derailed by the need to help family members to get by until they found employment. Oh well, maybe next year.

Anyway, that brings us to today. Here I sit, sick with a nasty head cold. I'm going to cut this off and head out to get something to make me feel just a little better. After that, I'm going to set down and storyboard "End Game", the penultimate saga for Torvald and Victoria Svensen.

Wishing all of my family and friends a joyous New Year,

Kellan, the old warhorse.

December 24th

Everyone wish me luck-the Tigress and I will be going out to find a few more gifts at the last minute. At least I have my personal shopping done!

Kellan, the old warhorse

Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice is here and I took a moment to celebrate (an impromptu Blöt) this time of the year when the days would begin to get longer. In proper fashion, I opened a drink and gave thanks for the little things in my life that brought me joy and happiness. I'm thankful for my family, my many friends, my health and a steady job.

The drink, strong like a Nordic Mead:

And a pic of our hills (Mission Peak Wiki ) the day after our recent storm:

Take care,

Kellan, the old warhorse.

An Interesting Thought

I was looking up the time for the Winter Solstice so I could celebrate the lengthening of the days. It was during my search for the date/time when I thought of my friend Aslaug. Now why would I do that, you ask? Because Aslaug is a heathen, and the Winter Solstice is a time for her to celebrate. Filly, if you are interested, I'll post verbatim anything you might want to email me about what the Winter Solstice means to you.

Anyway, looks like it's Monday, December 21st at 9:47 PM PST for me. I will open up a container of Steel Reserve, give thanks for the many joyous things I have been given to enrich my life, ask the gods to watch over all of us and make known my wishes for the New Year.

Best Wishes from my family to yours,

Kellan, the old warhorse

Going Silent

Of note to my family and friends-

As you all may know, I have been using my poor, abused Dell Inspiron 1501 for a few years now. When I purchased it, I was offered to have it shipped with Windows XP Pro on it. That particular option was $100 USD more than having it shipped with Vista Home Basic. Well, being the frugal Scotsman that I am, I passed. What a mistake.

Vista has been a thorn in my side from the get-go. Basic was like dealing with Windows ME. It was terrible. I tried to upgrade to Vista Premium but that didn't give me much more than a fancy interface and the "Flip" thing that proved to be a PITA.

Sitting here by me is a copy of Windows XP Pro and the drivers for my laptop. I will be doing the deed soon so if I fall silent, you know that happened. For those who run a flavor of linux, I cannot install this because several of my programs will not run on Wine and I can't afford VMWare to get by.

Getting ready for the deed,

Kellan, the old warhorse

Chapter Up!

Of interest to those that are reading the story, Chapter 35 of "A Loss Of Rights" has been posted for your reading pleasure.

Kellan, the old warhorse

Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Best holiday wishes from Kellan and his family.

Chapter 35 Progress

Not much to post other than I'm still alive and writing.

Chapter 35 of A Loss Of Rights" is still in progress, just trying to smooth it out considering its contents. Hope you all like it once it's posted.

Slainte M'hath,

Kellan, the old warhorse

Veteran's Day

Veteran's Day - November 11th

If you know a veteran, let them know you appreciate their sacrifice to keep this country free. Honor our vets.

Kellan

Sunday Sillyness

Just some sillyness for my family and friends.

Q. How do you fix a Jack-O-Lantern?

A. With a pumpkin patch! *groan*

Take care-

Kellan, the old warhorse

Of Interest To My Gearhead Friends ...

Hot Rod Grilles 

Kel

The Longest Week

Yeah, it was a long week for the Old Warhorse.

Monday, I was still under the weather so I didn't work that day. Kinda wished I didn't work Tuesday, however. That was the storm that brought forth every roof leak that our school district had. I was on the roofs myself, armed with a tube of Henry's roof goop. O joy, O thrill.

I guess I said something at one time or another about the 'Strip Mining' that occurred inside my work van while I was off. My heavy duty rain jacket was one of the items mined from it. I was issued a replacement that was just short of criminal. It stunk like a cheap child's pool toy and it was so thin, a sneeze was all that was required to rip it. At least it kept the Henry's off my clothes. Didn't keep me dry, however.

Thursday brought some heat, around 80 degrees or so. Today (Saturday) was nice.

Doesn't do a thing for my sinus infection or chest cold, though. I hate rain because that means I will be on a roof somewhere, trying in vain to stop it from leaking.

Sorry for the rant but I needed to vent.

Kellan, the sick old warhorse

Sunday's News

I want to start out by offering my friend 'The Silver Coyote' our condolences. I seems Granny Fox, as she was known to us by, had a bad spill at home recently and I'm not privy to the circumstances but it may have contributed to her demise at the tender age of 86. SC, we share your sorrow and we hope that you're able to move on when the time is right.

On to less somber things -

I'm still working to clean up the look of my website. I'm using a template that was put together by Andreas Viklund to give my site a cleaner interface. Look for a change in the next few weeks.

I'm still chugging away at chapter 34 of "A Loss Of Rights" which I hope will be posted in a few days. Chapter 33 might have been the showdown but it's not over. Not by a long shot There have been a few hints as to what will be revealed in the next chapter(s) so stay tuned.

Take care and say a prayer for SC and his family, would you?

Kellan, the old warhorse

Tuesday's Things Via Thingamablog

So, here I sit, trying to recover from this cold-pseudo flu going round. Since I had a little time on my hands, I updated my galleries.

Ardenwood Ren Faire is HERE  and our most recent camping trip is THERE 

I read my friend SC's blog to see he's had a little high point in his life (his daughter's 16th birthday) and some lows, too. He laments his pay cut and I can sympathize with that because I took a cut in pay to keep my job, too. His mate's mother took a spill, which is not good at the age of 86. I'll keep Granny Fox in my thoughts and prayers, SC.

Anyway, progress on chapter 33 of "A Loss Of Rights" is going nicely. My muse decided to help out for a change. Yay me!

Take care all,

Kellan, the old warhorse

A few days of silence

If you don't hear from me for the next few days, these are the reasons.

Getting my eyes examined today which means they will dilate them. That means I will be in a world of hurt for at least two days.

We are also going camping(?!?) this weekend. Yeah, I'll still be one of the walking wounded while we try to enjoy ourselves and have a good time with some friends.

Hope to be back in action soon.

Kellan, the old warhorse

Sunday's Ramblings

Today's ramblings will be short and sweet.

It's been a long week and my back injury has been catching up with me. So much so that I didn't attend the Scottish games yesterday. Maybe today.

It still ceases to amaze me what I find at the school sites. Found in a junction can:

Yeah, that one surprised me, too. In case you're not a techie, that's a box of cabling, 2 each 22 guage wires in a white jacket. Purpose? Unknown. Reason for being in the junction can? Unknown also. The orange corrugated tubing houses two fiber-optic cables, in case you're wondering. The telco room is on the other side of that wall, btw.

Anyways, enough for now.

Have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day and please be careful if you have a barbecue or an open fire pit going! California has enough wildfires going as it is ... don't add to it!

Kellan, the tired old warhorse

Monday's Ramblings

Well, Monday comes to find the Old Warhorse in a world of hurt. We went on a small road trip to my sister's home in the Central Valley, Chowchilla to be exact. We were at one point within a stone's throw of that particular Perko's in Turlock. Anyone that's been reading the current story will know which one I'm talking about.

We encountered a fire on the way, about a mile or two east of Casa De Fruita on the 152 between Gilroy and Los Banos. The fire eventually burned 1,650 acres before it was contained.

It was beginning in the afternoon Saturday and the firefighters were still in mop-up mode Sunday evening. 20+ engines, tankers and helicopters.

To my friend SC-I was about to make a comment on that locked thread only to find Mike had locked it while I was composing a response. Oh well, it was best to lock that thread.

This week may find me a bit scarce-school starts on Wednesday and I have a ton of loose ends to try to tie up at me school sites.

Take care,

Kellan, the old warhorse

Friday's Blog

OK, I guess I need to vent so bear with me.

A forum I belong to had a recent post that managed to end badly before it was locked. It surrounded the idea that homosexual rights would be the downfall of the church.

Before I go any further, I'll point out that I am straight/hetro, married, children/grandchildren. You might even add the tag "Mormon" to that.

The discussion was quite heated at times but it all ended with the original poster actually (verbally) attacking another because of his church affiliations. I have to admit that this was just a new low to the board. I actually felt ashamed of what went on.

I have friends that while not many in number, I can say they are true friends. I have Pentecostal friends, Mormon friends, Heathen friends and Christian friends. I have friends who are straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual (I think) and transsexual. That particular transsexual friend I consider to be a very close friend as are a few special folks from the SoCal area. You all know who you are.

So, as you see, I have a a few friends. Not a lot but more than one or two. Those that aren't straight/hetro like me, I still think fondly of and in a way, care for. They may be different in a way but when it comes down to it, we are all members of the human race. Now here comes the theological part.

It would be wrong of me to discriminate against any of my friends or those like them, well, because it wouldn't be right. I am very accepting and tolerant of such things. Sexuality is something we are born with. If we are straight, gay, bi or trapped in the wrong gender of body, that was how we were born. We did not learn this, it wasn't some disease that caused this, it's how we are. Now, for a church to openly discriminate against another group or even individual, that is wrong on so many different levels. It's darn near homophobic in a way. And it's disturbing to me.

I said I'm Mormon. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the model LDS member and I might better serve as a bad example to other LDS members. I have to say that I didn't agree with my church getting behind the Prop 8 debacle. I was all for it because it just seems to be a logical progression. Back in the biblical days, homosexuality would have been a death sentence in some circles. In today's world, it is very common. It's time for the churches of today to wake up and realize this is how it is.

I don't actually expect the LDS church (or any other of those 'Christian' churches for that matter) to be accepting of alternate (read: not straight/hetro) lifestyles. It would be nice if we could all just get on the same page, agree that this is how it will be, accept our gay/lesbian/bi/transsexual neighbors for who they are and what they are and just get on with life.

There are some churches that have seen fit to include everyone in their congregations but a few seem hellbent to exclude a large number of folks for being different. Remember I said 'homophobic'? That's what it looks like to me. Maybe I'm too accepting but I'm still sure I'm right in this matter. I was shocked that these churches actually got behind Prop 8 in the first place! Religion has no business in politics and vice versa. Maybe churches that do so should lose their tax exempt status if they want to be in politics. Nonetheless they need to keep out of this.

My hope is that someday, the churches wake up and smell the coffee. Be accepting. Don't discriminate in the name of God. Don't wave the bible around for attention without reading it first. Love your fellow man/woman.

Again, my apologies for venting.

Kellan, the saddened old warhorse.

The Pictures Are UP!!!

The gallery for our family reunion 2009 at Woodward Reservoir, Oakdale, CA can be found right HERE! 

Enjoy!

Kellan, the old warhorse

Sunday, Sunday ...

 

Well, the old warhorse is home again. We had fun at our family reunion, I'm sun burnt just a bit and I long to sleep in my own bed again. That is, after I clean up. I'm sure I brought at least a few pounds of lake grit home with me.

The above photo was taken Friday night standing in my camp site. This is 'very' close to what I actually saw that evening. We were treated to this again Saturday night.

Once I recover, I will add some pics to the gallery.

Take care,

Kellan, the old warhorse

Thursday's ramblings

Just so y'all know, I'm not falling off the planet this weekend. We have a family reunion camp-out (no internet) that I will attending with my tigress.

Um, this might sound odd but the little filly doesn't like to camp so she's holding down the pueblo at Casa del Meig'h.

There will be pictures in the gallery when I return to document the whole gruesome affair. I will warn you; some of them may not be for the squeamish. 8-)

Slainte M'hath!

Kellan, the old warhorse

An Unnerving Situation

Well, the old warhorse is sitting here on pins and needles this Wednesday night, wondering what tomorrow will bring ...

Tomorrow is technically the last work day of the month but that's not what worries me. As some of you well know, I work for a school district. I work as a Communications Technician, which means clocks, bells, public address systems, cable television, intrusion alarms, fire alarms and to some very small degree, telephones.

My department is part of maintenance. Always has been. Tomorrow, however says whether I will still be in maintenance or not.

You see, the director in charge of computer/internet technology has decided that he should have phones and cable television in his little empire that he's building for himself. That means the money that was in our budget goes over to his budget, along with one technician. Possibly me. Or not.

As I have said, I'm not the low man. Our leadman has said it should be offered and passed over by seniority, since we are a union shop. We think the director has eyes on the best phone tech but we can't be sure of that right now. That would not be me, by the way. At any rate that means the leadman would pass, The tech that has the most experience would pass, then I would pass. That leaves the 'new guy', who has said that he would move over to the other department just to keep his job. I know, that deal stinks. Don't think I don't feel bad about it because I do.

Honestly, if I had the skills, I think I would move on over to the other department, if not just for the fresh air. I just don't have the skills, which is a long story for another day. It suffices to say, this deal stinks all the way around.

What of the union? I dunno. I think they're still scrambling to figure out what to do. I think it's too little, too late.

And what of Human Resources? Again, I dunno. They've been out of the loop ever since this little fiasco started.

The bad thing is this; if we all pass on this move for some reason, the money is still gone. One of us will get laid off (the new guy, who has a family to feed) and the job would go to the outside. Again, this stinks to high heaven. I guess I should point out the fact the 'new guy' as I refer to him by has actually been with the district about two years.

The real scary part is the possibility that I may be forced to move over to the new department against my wishes and then get let go at a later date because I can't do the job. That sucks but it could happen.

I really hate to see someone forced to move like this. It's wrong on so many different levels. I guess it's just the way business is done these days. Screw the employee, he/she will get over it in time.

I guess you can see why I'm on edge.

Kel, the old warhorse

Saturday Morning's Blog

Just thought I would take a few moments this morning to add some images of the trip to my gallery and share them with y'all.

SoCal Furmeet 

Kellan, the old warhorse

Friday's Quiz and Blog

OK, let's start off with the quiz first.

Q. What does Barbara Caine's new pendant necklace contain?

As usual either use the Haloscan commenting system or leave your guess over on my forum on PlanetFurry.

So we left for our Furmeet this afternoon at about 1 o'clock and arrived in sunny West Covina 6.5 hours later. We quickly found our motel, got ourselves checked in and went to scout for food. Finally nourished, we're now hunkering down in our room, hoping for some rest. Amazingly, I think my back made it here in one piece. I think I may have helped the situation by using my lifting belt to support my back on the way down.

So, we need to find Galco's Soda Pop Stop in the morning for some Moxie Cola if we have time, locate a Chick's Sporting Goods, now part of Dick's Sporting Goods  then head over to Styx' place.

The cake may be a lie but this is the real deal, straight from the old warhorse's kitchen! Apricot pie made from Sunkist dried California apricots. Can you smell that goodness?

Slainte!

Kellan, the old warhorse

Saturday' Blog

So, you might have noticed that I didn't post but one question this week. Well, things conspired to force a full reload of the blog.

Monday's question, "Q: Who is Walter and Michelle's middle kit named after?"

The answer is, He is named after his Great-grandfather Joseph Connell and Wally's late friend Franklin Hellyer.

My Tigress is recovering very nicely, having went back to work last Tuesday. She does have a multitude of scuffs and bruises to show for it.

Have a nice weekend,

Kellan, the old warhorse

Monday's Quiz (and blog)

OK, Monday didn't start off very well for the Meig'h family. My tigress began her quick trip to work this morning and managed to wipe out on her bicycle about a half-block away from home.

She called me on her cell phone in tears, letting me know what happened. I retrieved her from her resting spot on the ground and took her to the hospital. She's a little scuffed up, her left paw is swollen and she's sure to have at least one black eye. Her gloves and helmet did their part, preventing a concussion or major road rash. I'm staying at home from work to watch over her, just in case she needs to go back to the emergency room. When it rains, it pours.

Now back to our regularly scheduled blog in progress.

Today's Question;

Q: Who is Walter and Michelle's middle kit named after?

Hint: The answer can be found in chapter 29.

As usual, use the Haloscan commenting link below to leave an educated guess. The answer will be posted Saturday.

Last Monday's question was "Who the heck are Hrist, Gunhildr and Elin?" Anyone that's read my writings would know they are Valkyries. Hrist is a leopard appaloosa equine, Gunhildr is a red-headed equine (think Red Shetland) and Elin is a lioness.

Last Wednesday's question was "What significance does 'Cajon Pass' hold for the immortal couple and their family?" That was where Conrad and his biological father had a horrific crash in a diesel truck in an alternate time line they were forced into.

Friday's question was "What is Torvald's favorite dinner food that his tigress mate prepares for him?" The answer is Victoria's Special Spicy Meatloaf. It has a distinct middle eastern flavor to it, since her family came from Mumbai, India.

So, Y'all take care and have a safe week at work!

Slainte!

Kellan, the old warhorse.