Michael & Liz are Bloggable

Just wanted to share this picture Liz took at the beach yesterday. We made it a day trip. The drive down took longer than we expected at 3 hours. We hung out on the beach all day with the dogs and then came back. It was a wonderful Friday.

Anyone who hasn't seen this movie, YOU NEED TO SEE THIS MOVIE! Now, granted, I enjoy chick flicks more than most guys, but I can't imagine anyone saying this movie isn't awesome or moving. But this post is not about that movie, it's just using the movie's title.

I'm posting this to praise my awesome wife and the gift she got me for my birthday. There are good gifts, there are great gifts, and then there is the ultimate gift. Let's review.

There is a good gift. A good gift is something you can get good use out of and you like it. An example of a good gift is a nice polo shirt. You didn't ask for it but will definitely wear it and probably look pretty good if your wife has good taste. That's a good gift. Liz didn't get me a polo shirt.

There is a great gift. I see great gifts as something new that you've always wanted but have never gotten. An example of a great gift is a new camera or a Ochocinco Bengal's jersey. You probably didn't need those things and probably never asked for those things, but are excited to have it. That's a great gift. Liz didn't get me a camera or jersey.

Then there is the ultimate gift. I see ultimate gifts as something you'll use, something that would be awesome to have, but most importantly is something the receiver has shown frustration over not having without having asked for it. The ultimate gift requires listening and caring, before providing. It's a gift as much from the heart as it is from the wallet. An example of the ultimate gift is Liz completing my golf iron set by buying me a 9 iron.

I think I might have heard someone laugh that my ultimate gift is a golf club, but let me explain. At the beginning of May, I inherited a set of Taylor Made Bubble Burners from my Dad that came without a 9 iron. It had been broken in an errant swing in the woods. I was frustrated without having it but just dealt with it. I definitely could have improved without it. As the weeks moved on, I have become obsessed with golf. Watching it, playing it, and obsessing over how to improve myself at it, all without a 9 iron.

I only mentioned it in passing because it's something that has frustrated me a few times every round. But it's almost impossible to buy just 1 iron. You have to buy the set. I can easily play golf without a 9 iron which is why I wouldn't buy it myself.

She listened to what I needed, spent time to find it, and got me what she knew I wouldn't get myself but that I would certainly get enjoyment out of. Completing my iron set, to me is the ultimate gift. So I just wanted to express my thankfulness on the blog. It's one of the most thoughtful gifts I've ever gotten.

Oh, and with the new 9 iron, I shot my lowest round for 9 holes since last year, a 42.

Wow, it's been a long time, but I'm back... for now.

You probably thought this would be an update on Liz and I, it's not, this is an update on the bluebirds. We had 4 fledge at the end of May and we were thrilled about it. They all survived which apparently is rare. The second they left the nest, I cleaned it out and that was crazy gross. There were around 50 beetles buried at the bottom of the nest. We don't know how they got down there, it was either the birds plan to hoard bugs or the bugs plan to stay warm at night. Maybe they were working together and the bugs signed a lease for the bottom half of the house. Either way, the bugs were all bagged up and thrown away the day after the birds fledged.

We were hoping that the bluebirds were not done for the year because I read they tend to have 2 or 3 broods a year. Thank goodness they aren't. About a week ago we found that the Mom and Dad bluebirds began to build a new nest in our house. They wasted no time setting it up and laid their first egg a couple days later and this morning we found a second egg.

I don't know if anyone remembers (or cares) but I mentioned at one point in a previous post that a small bird had threatened the nest and the mom and dad bluebirds were dive bombing that small bird to get it away. I thought this was cute, however according to some information I found, these small birds were house sparrows and are vicious killers. This is unacceptable and we (Liz and I) will not tolerate vicious killers of any species. So this time around we have taken action.

I found this website which is basically just an encyclopedia on bluebirds. If you care, check it out. But what I found there is a way to scare these house sparrows away and I have put this device into place. Readers, meet the sparrow spooker. Today at lunch I put this up. It's made out of some ribbon that Liz gave me. I tried to straighten the ribbon but it's still a bit curly. Hopefully it will scare the house sparrows away, protect the nest when we aren't home, and also not deter the bluebirds from continuing to nest in our house.

Liz took a picture of our device, check it out:


This is just a shameless plug, but beginning in the month of July (once I build a workbench for myself) I am going to start mass producing these birdhouses to start selling them. The wood will be better quality (not thick plywood) and I may stain them as well so they hold up better. If you are interested in purchasing one, let me know. The price will depend on how much the wood costs me... I'm thinking roughly $30 a house. It is well worth the pleasure we have gotten from it and also bluebirds are good for the environment... so go green and buy a birdhouse.

I'm sure everyone is tired of our bluebird posts... but we just had a stakeout and were able to get a couple pictures from the window. We think the bird was looking at us and was weary of our presence, but he delivered the goods regardless. Delicious worms for the youngin's. Next we need to get donuts for our stakeout... stakeouts are not stakeouts without donuts.

They are actually removing the crap!! In my last post I mentioned that the birds were removing something... it's actually the crap. Oh I have learned so much about bluebirds already...

Here is a link to information about the crap removal.

And here is an awesome page about the bluebird lifecycle... oh it's so awesome! My guess is based on that lifecycle, we are about 14 days into it.

We can't tell you how exciting it is to follow the lives of the bluebirds in our birdhouse right now. By the way, there is no doubt about it, they are bluebirds. We'd take some pictures but they are super fast, especially when they see us. Not too long ago the mother dropped 4 eggs in the house and since then the birds have hatched and have grown to be quite large. I would be willing to bet that they are very close to leaving the nest soon.

Liz doesn't like that I do this but every now and then I will tap on the house to see if anyone is inside and if no Mommy or Daddy birds fly out, I'll open the lid to take a peak. The birds have only been awake one time, all the other times they'll be sleeping.

The Mom and Dad bird are so protective over their young. They are always either inside the birdhouse or sitting on our neighbors house watching their home. Yesterday we witnessed a squirrel running on our deck trying to get to the birdhouse and the Mom or Dad divebombing the squirrel to stop it. I was going to step in but Liz thought nature should take it's course... but to me the only course nature will take is for the squirrel to be run off... if he gets anywhere near our birdies, I'm going right out there. They don't seem to mind the dogs or Liz or I being near the birdhouse, in fact, we have opened it up on accident when they were watching. It's either because they don't see us as a threat or they see us as such a HUGE threat that they don't bother us.

And as I type, I am watching the Mom and Dad birds fight off a little tiny finch of some kind that is trying to peak inside. Hopefully the babies grow up and fly soon!! It's amazing to me that these little things are born and sit inside a dark box for a month and then all of a sudden climb up and go "ya know what, im flying today" without any hesitation. I realize they were meant to fly but it's amazing to me that it's in their nature. It takes us a freakin year to learn how to walk. It only takes them a month without even experiencing the world.

What's weird is, today I've been observing the Dad bird flying into the house and leaving with something every time... is he making space? Is he on poop removal duty? What's he doing?!

It is so much fun to watch it and I can only hope next year I have 2 or 3 more birdhouses around the yard to help the bluebird population of NC.

I didn't see these pictures until this weekend, but Liz has taken some fantastic pictures of Gryffin and I want to share them. Obviously I am no picture critic, but based on what I've seen of pictures, these are really good. Here are a few, but you can see more pictures of our trips and stuff at the picture album link at the top:


The last one is my favorite, he looks like he's in deep thought... we all know he's not.

Yesterday in church, our pastor read this during a sermon. I won't get into how it pertained to the sermon, mainly because I was too stressed out about Kidstuf that I wasn't listening very well. But it made me laugh very hard so I thought I'd share. I have always insisted that if I wasn't allergic to cats, I still wouldn't have one anyway because dogs are much more fun. As funny as this diary is, there are not a lot of cat owners that would disagree with it:


The Diary of Dog:
8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm - Dinner! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!


The Diary of a Cat:

Day 983 of My Captivity

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates my capabilities. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a "good little hunter" I am. Bastards!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of "allergies." I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow, but at the top of the stairs.