Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff

     Sure, it's Monday...but after everything that's happened this morning, I feel like I've lived a whole week through. The Brick caught some flu over the weekend, and is brooding in the bedroom -- the fact that it's 92 bazillion degrees outside is not helping matters any. (I see storm clouds over the horizon -- come on rain, we need you!) 
    After I get the dishwasher loaded, appraisal reports finished, chickies checked on (they're free-ranging outside again), orders packed -- THEN I might actually be able to start on what I'd planned to do today. Feels an awful lot like this.


Meanwhile, in the Department of Stuff:

Jessica Simpson turned 32 last week -- yes, she of the golden voice, new baby and reputation for strange quotes, including these gems:

 "On my first day of Jr. High I was in Geography class, and the teacher asked us if anybody knew the names of the continents. And I was sooo excited...It's my first day of 7th grade, I’m in Jr. high and I know this answer. So I raised my hand I was the first one and I said A-E-I-O-U!"

(Introducing herself to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton in December 2004): "You've done a nice job decorating the White House."

"It’s fun to do a small film that might be released to DVD not because it’s a horrible film, but because it’s an independent film." (Oh yeah?)

 "I've almost had my license taken away because I ran so many red lights. But it was worth it. Everybody was safe, I must add. I haven't killed anyone."

 "To be my man, you have to put up with a lot. I toot under the sheets, I spend a lot of money and I can belch the ABCs." (So what - the Brick can belch 'Jingle Bells.' Yes, I know. You're envious!)

And finally, this one:
"I think there's a difference between ditzy and dumb. Dumb is just not knowing. Ditzy is having the courage to ask!"
    So is she ditzy...or actually really smart?

What's in the Big Mac's Special Sauce? McDonald's executive chef answers...and shows you how to make one at home. A lot of skepticism from bloggers on McDonald's motives for doing this -- but I thought it a nice touch.

Hail, No! And Other Natural Disasters (a post I did about our recent calamity for Penny Thots).


A dangerous criminal is caught red-handed (er, pawed) stealing flags off veterans' graves in Cedar Park Cemetary.

A snapshot of Thailand -- and Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle's laundry. This woman's blog has more on their month-long stay in Thailand. Fascinating. 

An old Roman cemetery has been uncovered in Norfolk -- 85 graves so far, one of the largest ever found in Great Britain.

Dozens of ideas for buying a group presents -- for $1 or less each. This is an old post (and a rerun I posted back in 2008), but still holds true. Good for planning, not only for birthday parties, but the holidays. Yes, they're coming...

Pinto Bean Pie -- another oldie-but-goodie. I'm not talking about Frito Pie -- this one is sweet. (She says it tastes like pumpkin.) 



A scientist named Dr. John Drewe makes a sizeable donation to the Tate Gallery. (He plans to donate a few paintings, as well, but those are withdrawn.)Then he starts selling dozens of valuable paintings from a group he's liquidating for his mentor, gaining more than a million dollars in the process.

    Only he's not a scientist. (Actually, Drewe isn't even his real name.)
    And his mentor doesn't exist.
    And the massively valuable, vintage paintings he's selling as originals? Well, you guessed it: they aren't. Turns out that the brilliance of his scheme was not in the paintings themselves, though some were pretty darn good. It was in the provenance. Which he stole-- and planted-- in the Tate Gallery and elsewhere.
    The 'scientist' went to jail. So did the forger, John Myatt, who faked the paintings...for a little while. The funniest part of this convoluted tale? Myatt is so good that now he has his own following of loyal fans ordering copies of various classics. (Kind of like those people on Ebay who will paint anything you want, for a few bucks.)
The forger even had his own exhibit of fakes. (Now they're implanted with a microchip which supposedly keeps them from being considered genuine. Right.)
    Anyways, the whole story is here. And the man who started it all? 'Dr. Drewe' is back in jail, after cheating a schoolteacher out of her retirement.  Go figure.

A great white shark trails a kayaker...and almost gets him. Yikes.


One of the creepiest Bigfoot sighting reports ever -- and it's recent. (Jan. 2012) If you live near Lake Mack, FL, you're not going to want to read this one.

There -- a strange (but hopefully interesting) mix of what I came across last week. Charley the dog is asking to go outside and stare at the chickies -- talk to you later.