And once again, the blather gets short shrift

I was going to say that the blog gets short shrift, but really it hasn't. I've been playing around with things in the background (and posting on the other blog) for a little while, and now I'm not in blather mode.

Just as well. I seem to be having one of those typing days where every second letter disappears into the ether. Or wherever letters that you could swear you contacted but never show up on screen go, that is.

So, one of the background things I was playing around with was to change my blog list to Blogger's new blog roll format. You'll see it over on the sidebar. If it's too annoying to see the latest post titles, let me know. I can change it.

As well, if you are one of my two fans, actually read this blog, and would like me to add you blog to the list, tell me. I don't mind giving extra publicity if I know you want it.

Anyway. I really don't have anything, so I don't think I'll force it today. Check the old blog if you want to see my lame doodle for Drawing Day (which was yesterday. A day late and a dollar short as usual), and remember that my appearances here in the next week might be a bit... non-appearance-y.

And notice how I didn't give any snotty hints to the Toronto office today. I'm good that way.

If I choose to be.

Pointless photos of the day:

Pretty, isn't it? It's a spider. On a piece of lath that's actually part of a trellis.

You probably got the spider part, but I thought I should explain the background.

I'm not sure what kind of spider this is. I usually have a bit of a guess, but I don't feel like poking around for clues today. It's Saturday, the music's playing, and I managed to catch up on some sleep last night (yay me) so for a change I don't feel like part of me (the brain part) is existing on a completely different planet. All of this means that I'm not going to go to the work of researching spiders today. It's a spider, and it's pretty. That's all we really need to know for the purposes of the blog.

Speaking of the purposes of the blog, it's sort of been lacking purpose at all lately, hasn't it? Sorry about that. I've had other things to do and a cold besides. I'd say I'll try to make up for it in the next while, but I'm afraid that next week isn't looking too good for that kind of promise. I'll be spending a fair amount of time out of the office in the days ahead, so blogging is likely to be pretty patchy.

Blogging from me, anyway. Blogging from the Toronto office can happen WHENEVER SHE WANTS IT TO (was that too subtle?), but as for Yours Blatheringly, I'll fit it in as I can.

No promises.

Ah well, to make up for the neglect, the photo department has decided to offer a pointless two-fer:

Pretty, isn't it? It's a poppy. An Iceland Poppy. I have somewhat of a thing for Iceland Poppies, weedy as they are. It's one of the first things I can remember my mother letting me plant, and I think it's great how they can be so colourful long before other things get going around here.

I wrote a rather sappy poem about them once. Let's see if I have it up on the other blog... Of course I do. One sappy poppy poem, coming up.

Well, I did warn you.

Gotta give me credit for the thought, at least.




Hey, this almost managed to turn into a post. Hurrah for me. I've got to go change laundry loads now, though, so I think I'll stop the blather right... here.

It's done, you know.



You can stop reading.







Really. Go away.

Pointless photo of the day:

I'm tired, it's been a long day, and I'm not especially in blather mode.

I'm in tired mode.

Did I mention the part where I'm tired?

Yeah.

Done now.

Pointless link of the day:

Here. No reason.

No reason for the pointless photo either, except that it's one of those. Apparently that's what we call them now.

And yes, I liked the diagonals. Again.

----------

My cold and I (I am starting to feel better, thanks for asking. Still a bit draggy, though) are planning to take the afternoon off. I have some built-up overtime that's pretty much burning a hole in my pocket, so I figure I may as well use it while I have the chance. Seems like a good excuse for pyjamas and silly British comedy on DVD, don't you think?

That's the idea, anyway.

I'd invite you over, but it'd sort of defeat the purpose. Oh, I should translate that. For me, pyjamas is more or less code for not going out and not going to be around other human beings. Pyjamas = antisocial afternoon = a good thing if you live in my brain.

And if you live in my brain... well, it would explain the voices. I'm afraid I'm going to have to start charging you rent, though. I don't really want a bunch of squatters in my head.

Er, yeah. I see things are headed down the road to Weirdness (yet again), so maybe I should just stop typing. See you tomorrow.

Pointless photo of the day:

I... don't really have anything today. I was feeling somewhat better until my morning group sapped what little energy I brought with me, but now I'm back to feeling stuffy and cranky.

It doesn't help that I did something stupid this morning that I'm currently beating myself up for. It also doesn't help that apparently Wheat's also (partly) to blame for the problem I caused.

Normally that would help (blaming Wheat, I mean), so I guess it's obvious that I'm not feeling all that great yet.

Ah well.

Since I have nothing (but whinge), I suppose I'll actually talk about the pointless photo for a change. It's a picture of Sticky Purple Geranium, also known as Cranesbill, and it's a wildflower even though it happens to be growing in my father's yard. This is sort of a weird little photo since the flash went off, but I decided I liked the shapes so you're getting it anyway.

The shapes are also why it's cropped in a square. I like diagonals within squares.

No reason.

Compositionally speaking they just make me happy, that's all.





Makes a person wonder why I'm not exactly happy now, come to think of it. Maybe I should go back and stare at the photo for a while.

You can too, if you like.

Pointless photo of the day:

For a fun game, see if you can guess why I took the photo.

For an even more fun game, don't look at the title of the photo.

If you're wondering about my definition of fun... well, just remember that I'm sick and I'm pretty much at the end of my brain for the day.

Yeah that.




I'm going away now.

Um, yeah

I suppose I should have mentioned that I'd be away from the computer for a couple of days?

Well, I'm back. Sort of. I'm dealing with a cold (thought I might have escaped the usual spring working-with-school-kids cold this year, but no such luck) and I've just spent far too long uploading and playing with the photos that have been building up on the camera.

Many of which you won't see unless you know where to find the work blog, by the way. And no guarantees that you'll see them even then. Just depends on my mood on Tuesday when I'm back at the office.

Anyway, I don't have a lot to say so I thought I'd give you a short pointless pictorial essay instead. Our first pointless photo features Max showing off his new trick of drinking out of the bird bath. And why has he decided to drink out of the bird bath? Well, that's what you have to do when your owner won't tie you up closer to the fish pond that you usually like to drink out of (I know, I know. But he likes the taste of fish water).

And why won't my father let Max near the fish pond? Not so much because of the fish, but because it gives him too much access to this:

Yep, the tree swallows are back in their favourite house this spring after a couple of years of involuntary hiatus. One year the chickadees decided to use the house instead (although to be fair they didn't really take over. I think the tree swallows just went elsewhere that year), and last year some persistent house sparrows made it impossible for the swallows to nest.

No such problem this time around. So far so good, apparently. In fact, we're already getting the next sure sign that the swallows are planning to hang around. And yes, I do have a picture.

Come on, you had to know that I'd have a picture. It'd hardly be a pictorial essay if I didn't have a picture, now, would it? Ok, so here's the picture we've all been talking about. Or at least I've been talking about.

By now no one even wants to see the picture, I'd imagine.

Well, too bad. Here it is:

Erm... that would be swallow porn, yes. I have another shot, but it looks a bit too much like a bizarre mutant three-winged bird.

Use your own imagination there, I guess.

And hey, it makes a change from the ladybird porn you usually get on this blog.




I... wonder if maybe I shouldn't rethink the direction that the pointless photography occasionally takes here?

Nah. It's all good clean fun.







Ah, leave me alone. I'm sick, remember? And you can take that as literally as you choose to.