Hi, everyone and Happy Valentine`s Day to you all. Sending big polar bear hugs to each and everyone of you.
Disclaimer: if you're a man and are adverse to polar bear hugs, you're welcome to go take a shower and wash it off right now; no worries.
We watched The Last Witch Hunter last night, too. I am so glad I didn't fork out one brass farthing to see that, you have no idea. One of the worst in a long time; a total waste of a good DVD. I have had more fun watching bread dough rise. Six thumbs down all the way to the ceramic tile (there were 3 of us watching).
Lucy sheds about every 6 weeks or so.
The fish often reproduce in the aquarium. Some make it to adulthood; most don't. It's the natural thing with cichlids, no worries. Cichlid couples take biparental custody of the babies and defend their breeding territory fiercely. Sometimes, they succeed, sometimes they fail. No worries, really.
Lucy was fed last night and didn't eat. Lousy, finicky reptile! We offer food, she lifts her nose at it, the world keeps spinning gently upon its axis. No drama there. Does it have something to do with the planetary alignment, the phase of the moon, some other occult process? We'll never know. The principle is: offer food and don't worry. We have seen Lucy go 6 weeks without eating and she didn't lose an ounce. That's when we stopped worrying about her skipping a feeding. It's not easy, but it's easier on you. When she's hungry, Lucy will eat. You never saw a starved pet, dead on the floor next to a bowl of food; never happened. I checked Google on that one.
VENTING ALERT: I hate Comcast, I hate Microsoft, I hate all those invisible people who push stuff into your computer, of force you to push it in yourself and screw up the whole system for you. For days now, we have been experiencing extremely slow speeds on the desktop, which caused Her Royal Highnee to complain to me. Something had to be done pronto, lest I incur more snide remarks.
This morning, I tracked down the problem. There was a huge Microsoft Windows update started 4 days ago and the computer has been wonky since then. I restored the computer to its normal state as of 1 week ago. For the record, I did not start that critical update, so I hate Microsoft. I wish I were immensely rich so I could buy Microsoft and shut them down just for the satisfaction of doing it.
Then, the internet got wonky, too. I called Comcast and they told me my modem was not registered with them. I was bemused. Like M. Spok, I told them it was at the same time "fascinating and totally lacking in any form of logic - no matter how fuzzy". How can I use a modem for more than 6 months, that has not been registered with you? As an internet service provider, how can they allow unregistered modems to use their signal? Rashida had no answer for that one. She stuck to her story and registered the modem. Do you get TV signal?, she dutifully asked. What's the modem's serial number, she asked. What's the modem's zipatograph number, she asked. What's the modem's brand, she asked. What is the modem's model number, she asked. What type and color underwear are you wearing now, she asked: khaki boxers, if you must know and I look so good in them, you have no idea.
And then it begins: unplug the router, unplug the printer, unplug your food processor, turn down your radio, stand on one foot, do the hokey-pokey, sit down, relax and voilà: your modem is recorded and active. The angels were singing over my head, somehow.
A pox on them all! Anyhow, I had to reinstall Firefox because that, too, seemed to have gone idiotic. Way to go Critical Windows Update! Disable the competition while you're at it! So far, this is not the best Valentine's day I have had in a long time. I am getting cranky in my old age. I've earned it. I'm old, I'm supposed to be colorful. Picture it... Montreal, 1960, a young boy goes for his first day of school and realizes the rest of the kids don't know how to read and write. But I digress, sorry. I have to cut those big green pills in half, I swear.
And the archduchess Marie-Caca-de-Taratata wants to be appraised of the developments as they happen. This is not a hockey game and there is no play-by-play. I am really looking forward to the Valentine's day dinner I am planning: crab cakes (heavy on the crab, light on the fillers), lobster and beef tenderloin surf & turf with steamed asparagus and roasted garlic mashed potatoes, wine and a Queen Elizabeth cake I baked this morning. Should be good. Time for a libation and cigar.
Take care, everyone.
Sylvain.
