The new National Anthem

I have been meaning to relay this story for sometime now, but I just didn't have the chance before now.

 With the worldwide economy the way it is, it's no wonder it has affected us here as well, with our government recently laying off a few more public service employees.  If you have been following my blog, you already know that most of our government employees show up to work, but that's it.
Anyway, I'm not going there today.

Over the years, my neighbourhood has had a few beggars and folks requesting money for various clubs and events, and many of us residing here have always been able to reach into our purses to help a good cause, especially those girl scout cookies.

Back in December, I was approached by a guy who was walking through our neighbourhood selling CD's.
His own music which he had produced and burned his own copies.  I was outside working on my project, and he stopped to ask me if I was interested.
Very politely, I informed him that I wasn't interested, but he continued,
"Don't you like music then?"
"Of course I like music, but I'm not interested in purchasing any music today," I answered. "Furthermore, I don't keep money in the house anyway, so it would be kinda hard to make a purchase." I went on to tell him.
He then went on to elaborate about how he had fallen on hard times, and it was becoming quite a headache to survive.
I told him we were all feeling the pressure, and I wished him a good day and hope that he sold many CD's along the way.
I figured he got the message , and he ambled off down the street.

Okay, fast forward to a couple of weeks ago.  Sunday morning, I'm preparing Sunday lunch, and my phone rings.
"Hello?"
"Hi V, it's Sean next door, I saw a suspicious-looking man open your gate and went down your driveway leaving the gate open a good few minutes ago, I have not seen him come back out, and your gate is still open."
The neighbourhood was still wary after all the robberies that we had been having. Not only that but door-to-door begging was a thing of the past.  I thanked my neighbour for alerting me.
I rushed outside with my kitchen towel in my hand (in ready-to-fight mode) to find the said man standing on my front patio ringing the door bell and calling out to see if anyone was at home.
The SAID MAN from before.
Today, he has a different story.
Today he is collecting funds to sponsor a booth at Agrofest 2014.  He wants to showcase how to start your own kitchen garden.
I told him he was very lucky that my dog was not outside when he opened the gate and ventured on to the property, if not he would have been torn to pieces.  Yes, I'm referring to Brownie, so wipe that smirk off of your face right now.

Once again, I patiently (at first) explain to him, that I'm not interested and I have no money in the house.
He is not giving up.  He reaches into his bag and brings out to my dismay, some craft items that he now wants to sell to me.
"I have no money to buy anything, so maybe you should move on to the other neighbours," I told him.
"Dem all tell me de same thing that they don't have any money, and that things brown."

My patience is running quite thin now.  We're not talking about a guy trying to feed his kids or pay his medical expenses, we are talking about a strong robust "hard-back" fellow, who has a lot more odd-job work ahead of him as far as I can tell. I can bet you if I had told him to cut the lawn or prune the hedge for the money, he would have said no.
"That's true," I answered, "It's a worldwide ting......things brown and I can't help you today or any other day."
To which he replied, "That seems to be the new National Anthem for everybody these days!!"
Can you believe it?

My Mum always said, Never Start Something You Can't Finish.  If I had started giving him money, he'd never stop coming around to beg for more  in a smart way.
I ushered him through the open gate and sent him on his way.....he is a real nuisance, and if he knows what's good for him, he'd better not show his face here again.

Although, if he were more like this guy, I would have found some spare change just because.....

"things brown" = local term for things bad financially

N.B. All images taken from Google Images

She's Gone

"She's gone, she's gone
Oh I, oh I
I better learn how to face it
She's gone, she's gone
Oh I, oh I
I'd pay the devil to replace her
She's gone, and she's gone
Oh why, what went wrong?"  
~ Daryl Hall

Hi again, it's me Brownie.
Seems as if my lady friend has moved on to another, or has returned home.  I miss her.
I've been looking out for her both day and night till I'm tired.
Feet tired pacing, throat tired whining, eyes tired looking....just plain old tired.

Mum took pity on me, and lifted me on to her lap while she worked at the computer, and I fell asleep in her arms....I was so tired....and sad.
I know she feels bad, because she received lots of phone calls and emails from her friends who told her off for blocking what would have been a delightful encounter with my lady friend.
The names she was called, I can't repeat here, but I think I heard "cock blocker" in one instance.

So it's back to playing with my friend Big Blue Rat.

 

Taking out my frustration on my pal Big Blue Rat

 

Biting him over and over again

 I do love him though...he will help me to get over my friend.

I will be okay.

As one text message to my Mum said, "Viva Le Brownie!!!"

Monkey on my back

I seem to have a.......

.....monkey on my back

Hi, it's me Brownie.
I have a problem.... a very BIGGG problem. Mum has not been very helpful at all.
There is a "lady" who comes by to visit me every night recently.  She is a lovely brown colour with a sweet demeanour.   She is way bigger than I am and apparently has ran away from her home.
The first night she came by, I could smell her perfume outside, and it drove me crazy.  I ran all around and paced up and down and then proceeded to jump up and paw my Mum until she woke up.  I whined in her ears until she got up and let me out.
"Brownie what's all the fuss about?" she asked, but I was already out the door.
Usually I want to go outside during the night for a pit stop, but that night was so very different.
There "she" was outlined in the moonlight standing quite sedately on the freshly mowed lawn.
We greeted each other and then we started to play.  I don't have any other dog friends, so it was good to have a friend come over.
When Mum came out to get me after a few minutes when I didn't return, she was shocked to see my friend on the property.
"Brownie, you crazy dog....I can't believe there is an intruder on the property and you are playing with them instead of chasing them away!!  Come inside now!!!"
Mum chased my lady friend away....she was quite annoyed. I was ushered back into the house.

For the rest of the night I paced and whined, but Mum ignored my cries.
What's a dog to do?
This has been going on for several nights now, and every night my lady friend jumps our wall to check to see if I'm around.  I can smell her, but Mum refuses to let me outside during the night anymore.
I was so upset a couple of nights ago that I did my business in Mum's room to teach her a lesson.
She was depriving me of a basic right and I think she needs to be punished for her behaviour.
My lady friend has now taken to sleeping on the neighbour's front patio...they are traveling at present, and there is no one at home to send her on her way.
Mum continues to chase her away.  I don't think she wants to call the dog pound for her, but she did call around to check if anyone was missing a nice brown female dog.

"Brownie I have no idea where that dog came from ,and she looks in very good condition and not hungry either.  Who knows what diseases she may have?  I wish she would leave you alone."
But guess what, my lady friend seems to have the hots for me......I think I may be in love.
Mum would not allow me to spend any time with her, and I am totally frustrated.
So as I started out by saying....I have a monkey on my back.

Any suggestions how to get rid of it?

****"Monkeys" are frustrations, anger, worries, regrets.
 A constant burden.... a serious problem that will not go away.

Controversy

When the tight knit community of internet gadgetry heard about the arrival of Mr.FLOW in their neighbourhood, not everyone was pleased.
Mr. ARRIS knew that he would be retiring, and was happy to do so.  He had worked long and hard giving of his best with not a single sick day in all his work life.  It was time to go home and rest and allow Mr.FLOW to take over.
Mr. CISCO Linksys, the router, on the other hand was none too pleased.
"I'm not too sure I want to be working with so much speed....why does it have to change anyway....I don't like this one bit.
Mr. NETGEAR Extender didn't care one way or another, he was waiting to see what was what.

A few weeks before Mr.FLOW arrived on the scene, Mr. NETGEAR Extender began to behave quite erratically.  One minute his signal was strong and the next it was as low as could be , and he was basically all over the place, not reliable at all.
The complaints started to come in.
"I keep on dropping off the internet."
"My pc is saying Connected but I have No Internet Access."
"I can't get online properly." 
This went on for a few days, and after many phone calls and a kind favour, Mr.FLOW arrived in all his high-speed glory.  He came accompanied by a big bad-a$$$$$ CALIX wireless modem and had an air of authority about him.

 Mr. CALIX wireless modem

That was when all hell broke loose.
Mr. NETGEAR Extender worked when he felt like, and when tested was found to be just about 50 percent strength.
He was blamed and threatened to be thrown outside with the rubbish.
 Poor Mr. NETGEAR Extender.  He was no longer the popular guy who everyone loved.
Upstairs and downstairs loved him because he allowed the wifi signal to be accessed throughout the house.
"Get rid of it."
"Look for a better and newer model."
"We need something that is actually working."
The loudest cries were being voiced by Mr. CISCO Linksys router.


The terribly poor wifi reception continued until yesterday when it was decided that enough was enough.
Time to invite Sir.Charles over to calm the unrest and make things right again.

Mr. NEW POWER SUPPLY decided that he wanted to join the party of the disgruntled as well, and broke down with a soft explosion, filling the room with a burnt electrical scent and bringing all surfing to an abrupt stop on the desktop.

Sir Charles arrived on the scene and started to carry out an in-depth inquiry.
Upon further inspection, it was discovered that Mr. CISCO Linksys was THE problem and head trouble maker of all.
He was found to be only pushing out 50 percent capacity, and thus poor Mr. NETGEAR Extender could only transmit what he was receiving.  He had been blamed wrongfully all along.   It was a good thing he had not been dumped into the rubbish as suggested.

So it was that my Saturday jaunt day became a day of calming the villagers and coercing them to talk with each other, but they were having none of it.
Time to get some new villagers for the internet gadgetry neighbourhood.  Some who were more willing to communicate with each other and make the neighbourhood a happy place once again.

A call to the store where Mr. POWER SUPPLY was purchased back in October, only to be told that the three month warranty had expired.  Go figure it decided to go bum in month four.
A new one, (not the same brand) was purchased and installed.

 Omega ATX Power Supply....lets hope this one lasts more than 4 months

It was decided that the BELKIN N300 router would cohabitate lovingly with the Calix modem and the Netgear Extender. 

 Belkin N300 router working flawlessly

  They all moved into the internet gadgetry neighbourhood, and peace reigned throughout once more.

Apologies were flying all around and  Mr. NETGEAR Extender was exonerated.

 

He was extremely happy to stay in his home among the blue and white pieces on the etagere sending all the signals that he received from Mr. BELKIN N300.

 Mr. CISCO Linksys is no longer a resident of the neighbourhood, and has moved on to other pastures.

Peace and unity has returned to the neighbourhood once more.

Wifi signals can be retrieved from anywhere in the house and also outside in the garden now too.

HURRAY!!

Look who's blooming now!

Tillandsia bloom

Yesterday after clearing the excess branches off the Japanese Tree Fern, I discovered that my tillandsia plant was blooming. 
This made the hard work of trimming the branches all worth it.
I've had this plant forever, and this is the first time it has bloomed.
A couple of months ago, I took it out of a pot where it resided on the patio and tied it on to the trunk bark of my Japanese Tree Fern......and voila!!

I hope it produces even more flowers as it gets accustomed to its new home.