The Canine story

I don't know how...but this particular afternoon, i did something different....watched TV...

There was this show called 'Martha', where first Martha got us watching some pasta recipe by a chef in NY. It went well.
After the break, she got a guest on the set. Some animal training specialist lady. Martha had got her own dog on the set. The guest showed a small demo of how to teach her to sit, by using food as a reward.....
Then it was the live audience's turn to put forward their problems and get answers from the 'Expert'

Audience member 1: My dog 'abc' always pees in a particular corner of the house. I take him out for a walk in the yard. But he never does anything there. Always in this special corner at home.
Expert: Just make sure you make that corner inaccessible to him. Build a wall, make a partition do whatever....

(They never call a dog a dog. They always use the species name, which i am totally illeterate about. So i'll go ahead and call dog a dog in my post)

Audience membe 2: I have 2 dogs. One of them is very quiet and other is aggressive. He creates problems for people coming in or going out. I don't know how to handle him
Expert: Well, first you really need to get him analysed. Is he truly aggresive or just being bossy? ........@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@

PHEW! rest of it was inaudible/ illegible/ incomprehensible..whatever. It just got stuck in my throat....ears? whatever. I would really love to meet the person who does a psychoanalysis for dogs......

I got myself back together during the commercial break.

Now, the expert is not to be seen (Thank God) Martha is standing at a table with some craft items. She expertly cuts the piece of cloth to make it a Fern leaf. "its a little time consuming, you gotta be specially careful around the Fronds." (right, so she did attend her botany classes.) Then you fold it right down the center and steam iron it. Just to give it a more natural look." She sticks two such leaves together, ties them to a longish thread. Puts a small bell on it...and Eureka...here's a toy for your cat. (felines were not left out of the show....that could have led to a litigation hassle i guess). Then you make a loop at the far end of the thread.

Martha: You can put it on your doorknob, in the yard, in the kitchen....the thing is so light, you can just swing it like this (she demostrates) and the cat will follow you. We have also put in a small bell here. Cats love bells...And this thing will sure be irrestible for your cat.

Anyone knows the saying "Who is gonna bell the cat?"

Braving the storm

Jan 6 was supposedly the worst storm in 5 years in bay- Area. Streets were flooded it seems...Well...my sandals just got wet. Thats called flooding....
Haevy rains lashed the city....2.5 to 4 inches rainfall recorded in 24 hrs...Gosh...If these people go to Mumbai they'll have a heart attack just looking at the rain..
One million people had power outage ..resulting from fallen electricity poles....for a few hours that is...Someone should acqauint them with this term called 'Load shedding'!!!

Hubby got a mail in the office:

"To those in Sunnyvale who braved the storm and made it into work today:

Please be aware that the high winds are causing large branches to break free from the various large trees around the buildings and the parking lots.

Please take care to keep your distance when walking outside and avoid parking around them, too. Today would be a good day to park in the parking structures.

Stay dry,

Ed."

Work? we go for picnics in such weather. The fallen trees they mention are just twigs, some large, yes agreed. (That too they are just bare twigs...Leaves are all gone a month back...) But nothing to make a fuss about....Anyone could get down from the car and move the fallen tree...but no...they will wait for the authorities to do it...

People had problem driving...skidding tyres...and wind to add to that. Thats a genuine one...But the solution is the simplest thing in the world. Ask any rickshaw-wala in Mumbai...or bike rider in Pune "Drive Slow"...But if u insist on 50mph ....expect the skid...luckily there are no potholes the car can disappear in...

We had a nice laugh reading about the storm and people's comments...Yes there is the snow storm in the north, and damaged houses in some areas. Not here though. For us , this is beautiful weather...

My brother says i am being unfair....I should not compare it to India/ Mumbai/ Pune...But i can't help doing it...I have a friend in Florida...i asked him once about the so-called Hurricanes/ Tornadoes Florida is notorious for...He said, Its just like the rains in Mumbai. These people make a bigger hue and cry. Thats all..

Now i believe him. If this thing here is a "Storm"...Mumbai had an armageddon on 26Jul 05'...and we survived it...

Sign board

Have you seen boards on highways like: "Slow men at work" There has to be a '!' after the word slow....i have always thought..anyaways.....Then there is stuff like Construction zone ahead...etc...

This was a nice one i saw on the LA- SFO freeway:

"Your tax dollars at work!!!
Slow down, highway repair
Estimated finish time: so-and-so date"

You immediately relate to it, makes u aware that "Hey I am paying for this"

And the transparency about the expected finish date is impressive...

Impressive indeed..