The Clean Panty Thread Vol. 2

Sorry, I was in a hurry this morning and misspelled.

It's Charlaine Harris and she's the author of the Sookie Stackhouse series of southern vampire novels. I love them. They tend to have a very funny side and one of the occasional characters is "Bubba" the rather dimwitted vampire that Elvis became after he was "turned" a bit too late by a vampire mortuary attendant.

Nay, these same books are the ones in which the TV series "True Blood" is based. Can't remember what channel, HBO maybe?

Yep, HBO.

I watch the series but it really doesn't live up to the books. The series replaced most of the funny, southern charm (and no Bubba) with extra sex and violence. Trust me, there's more than enough of each in the books.

True Blood is out on DVDs as well.

At last, I'm FINALLY able to access the forum from work! No more blocked sites, 5 minute quota time... I can surf the Net at lunch again!

At least until someone spots me at my desk and uses it as an excuse to ask me about work stuff....

coolio, DK!!

Let them ask. You can ask them to come back in 15min or whatever. You can open your mouth and show them that you're having lunch. You can say, "Can't talk. Eating," or, "Can't hear. Eating." You can put up a sign that says, "Lunchtime. Do not disturb."

DK, I hope you were far, far away from the tornadoes that wiped out a good chunk of Missouri last night.

I hope so too, Julie. How horrible for the people of Missouri I hope everyone is safe with this latest round of storms, no matter where you live.

Joplin is about a 4.5 hour drive from here. We've had some more major storms, but thankfully no tornadoes so far.

My ex-fiancee lives in Joplin. I hope he and his family are okay.

I heard last night that the tornadoes destroyed 78% of Joplin. There are almost 100 deaths so far...how heartbreaking. One of my friends just posted on Twitter he heard the debris went up as high as a jet flies.

So glad you are safe, Donna. We've had some wicked weather here in Northwest Arkansas too. Plenty of warnings of the possibility of tornadoes. Not sure how many, if any, we actually got though. Rain has been insane in our area. I can hear the thunder now. I'm certainly keeping an eye on the news. I set up my little closet last night just in case I had to take cover in it with all that was going on last night, but this whole area mostly seemed spared. Certainly from the worst stuff. I'm not overly worried at the moment.

Anyway, Joplin is where the true devastation is. I heard something like it is tied for the worst single tornado incident in US history (is that right?). Last I heard, 116 people were dead in Joplin. More are missing. They have had predictions for even more possible tornadoes. Their hospital was devasted, so they are sending the patients possibly at least as far south of Joplin as Ft. Smith here in Arkansas. My friend was worried her husband (who works for the fire dept. and as a paramedic) was going to have to go to Joplin to transport some patients, but it doesn't look like he was one they sent. I have another friend who used to live there and knows two people who lost their homes.

On the news tonight, they had a story about how a high school in Joplin had its graduation yesterday. Can you imagine looking back on your high school graduation years from now and knowing that later on the same day that you graduated, that same high school was blown away, along with most of your whole town?

It's simply madness. The whole thing is unthinkable. As is so many of the crazy natural disasters that have been going on all over the world in the past year.

I am amazed at how calm you sound, Emily. I realise that it must be part of life in the middle of your country but there seems like such an unpredictable ferocity to these storms as opposed to the tracking and warning that can come through our cyclones.

My thoughts are with everyone affected by what Mother Nature has unfurled over the past few months, especially with those young graduates who may now be missing friends and family. One day happiness, the next tragedy. Whole communities will need all that your government can provide.

You're so right, Nay, some people only get a few minutes of warning. And even with the warning, the damage is swift and fierce. It can take just seconds to do it's horrific damage. I'm sure the tornado appears from nowhere. There's also the fact that tornadoes can change directions. Just when one thinks one has been spared, there it is.

I'm glad you and your family are far away from the area, DK and I hope anyone you know who lives in Joplin are alright, as well.

And, Em, I'm glad you are prepared. You just never know.

Apparently another tornado hit Oklahoma this afternoon. The system that leveled Joplin is still active, so the Midwest is not out of the woods, not by a long shot. Right now it's sunny and nice here, but as PJ said, these things can change quickly and often there's little to no warning.

I'm still working late hours due to the FDA inspection at work, but I got to go home on time today so I'm sitting here relaxing with a glass of Cabernet and watching Black Adder and Mr Bean. This is one of my favorite Mr Bean skits. It always has me rolling!

I love Richard. Was watching a really, really OLD movie last week.....the name of which escapes me....and he was in it when he was but a pup!!

Hey, that's Tom Baker in that clip!

Looks like the anti-groping bill is dead. Senators caved when TSA said they will cancel flights to and from Texas if the bill passes.

Amen!

Ah, Spring in the south.

The temp goes from 55 one day to 90 the next. Grass and weeds go from ankle to knee high overnight (well almost). Everything is in bloom.

It might be a nice time to take a walk in the woods (we have a LOT of woods around here), but it's much too LOUD. The 13 year cicadas have dug themselves out of the ground and have filled the air for miles around with a high-pitched whine that will go on for a couple of weeks.

I live in town so there are only a few (so far) in my trees and it isn't bad, but it's very, very loud and creepy out in the country side. This year just keeps getting more interesting.

Tell me about it. I've been visiting relatives this weekend and the cicadas are EVERYWHERE! My brother had one on his pants the night before last and brought it in the house. He was holding it by the wing and one alone was so loud I could hear it from the bathroom.

I'm still here this morning but will have to make the drive home this afternoon because it's back to work tomorrow. Maybe I'll see Gerry on the way home since I'll be going the same direction. Actually, there's a good chance if he drives through Missouri, since I'll be travelling the same highway a lot of people take in and out of Arkansas. Unless he takes 55, that is. The one I'm taking is quicker, and much more user friendly and scenic.

When it rains, it pours.

My refrigerator has something wrong with it. I've chipped out the ice and did what I thought would unclog the drain tubes several times, but it still keeps doing it.

My dishwasher pump seems to be going out too. When I turn it on, it may or may not begin pumping water....unless something is clogged in there.

I have several things I have to get done outside, much of which I need help with. Thank God I have a week off the week after this one and my maintenance guy friend is supposed to come when he can to help me. I have that water damage that still needs taken care of, a LOT of caulking, two decks to stain and a shed to paint.

Then I get home from work yesterday to find out it's 85F in my house with the AC running. I looked under the house this morning, but it doesn't look like that duct that I fixed last summer fell, so I'm hoping it's simply because someone accidentally kicked the kitchen vent closed. I did have a varmint/cat/rodent/small child/midget or something under my house a week or two ago. Maybe I'll have my friend go under my house and take a closer look at that vent. He said he can put something stronger than duct tape around the duct....more like a metal ring.

It's so overwhelming. Today I think I'll concentrate on getting this closet cleaned out. It's going to be too hot to go outside and work, so maybe I can get some things done around the house inside until my rental husband can come out and help me.

I guess you need the rental husband more than I do. I'll send him over. Sigh.

HUGS, DK!