Monday, December 18, 2006

In Support of Iggy

About Iggy
In support of the owner of Iggy, the cat who was killed by a vehicle on Nov. 4: I'm sorry for the loss of your beloved Iggy. Let there be some consolation in the fact that you gave Iggy a loving home.
To Lyle Puppe, who lambasted Iggy's owner for not being a responsible pet owner, because the cat was not kept on a leash (Tainted, Dec. 2). OK, you made your point. But it was pretty harsh to blame the owner for Iggy's death.
Do you really know the circumstances of what took place? Cats and dogs slip through doors, off leashes and out of collars. You also complained about cats ruining gardens and shrubbery, and called for enforcement of city ordinances to keep cats leashed. Maybe there could be a city ordinance for deer, rabbits and squirrels to be on leashes, too.
JACKIE COLAIZY
White Bear Lake

124 comments:

Anonymous said...

These people have too much time on their hands.

Anonymous said...

Having to put up with the neighbors' pet...in your garbage and/or sand box is much different than the random acts of a raccoon or a squirrel...yah know? Crazy.

Hey, who is all coming for Christmas?
I know the following are...
Pat (25th)
Ed (23rd-?)
Joe3 (24th)
Tom (24th)

Anonymous said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY THOMAS KENNEDY!!
Double digits are fun.
Have a great day.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Thomas. For your birthday I bestow upon you the nickname T-Bone.

I'll get homne on Saturday probably.

Anonymous said...

Hey, Tom! The skateboarding machine! Happy Birthday. Your mom shopped for Christmas presents until she almost had you in the check-out line at Younkers then went to the hospital where you were born minutes later.

P. Rose said...

I believe it is also Graham's birthday today. Too bad ed let his computer die so we no longer have images.
HAPPY BIRHTDAY TOM! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRAHAM!!!!!

p

I've seen sloths at the zoo and I do not resemble them in the least.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Tom and Graham! :-)

Anonymous said...

and Happy Birthday to Graham. Your birthday nickhame will be... hmmm... let's see... G-Money. Happy Birthday, G-Money.

Anonymous said...

I like cocktail waitressing...does Sarah's have an opening? Mike and I could run the bar, plus I could keep an eye on the dumb girl...I've heard listening to classical music can help raise the old IQ a few points, maybe some pomegranite(sp? haha) juice!

We 5 will be arriving Dec.25 @noon.

Ed X said...

Thomas already has a nickname.

It is No Mas ThoMas.

Anonymous said...

Yes Mary, we do! Would we have to pay? Or, would you work for tips?

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to Graham and Thomas! I hope we get to see you both on Christmas.

By the way, anyone staying in a hotel?

Anonymous said...

Oh, Graham, my godson! Happy birthday to you, too!
Have a fun day!
See you (I hope) at Christmas. If we miss you, your present is in Whittemore!

Anonymous said...

hey Em, did you go to the Fresno St game? too bad the Jays lost...

Anonymous said...

YEs, we went to the game and the Jays looked miserable. They played with no energy.

Anonymous said...

happy birthday Graham and Tom
love
Pete&Mely

Anonymous said...

dude, i am the walrus?

Ed X said...

V. I. Lenin

Vladimir Llyich Ulyanov!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Is there snow on the ground at home?

Anonymous said...

No. It has been in the 40's for the past few days and in the 50's before that.

Anonymous said...

global warming, man. no more white christmas.

Anonymous said...

Ed, what in the world are you talking about?

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Thomas and Graham.
Ty's nickname has been T-bone since the day he was born, but he wouldn't mind sharing. He's the beefiest Ortega.
Zane told me this morning on his way out the door that the kids at school call him midget man and Yoda. I started getting upset but he didn't seem to mind, so I figured it was fine. He likes being called Yoda - I guess because he's "third smallest" in his class and so flippy. Now he can support all his weight on his hands with his feet elevated in front of him. Then, without letting his feet touch the floor, he shifts them behind his body and pushes himself into handstand, WITHOUT letting his feet touch the floor. Like a contortionist. It's so cool!

Anonymous said...

New Chinese Buffet opened in Algona. It's "OK"...The other chinese place has much better food. On the other hand, you can eat as much as you want. My problem is that I always want more than I can eat. Gave it the old college try, tho.

Anonymous said...

Stevo, Cathy and Ellen J will be coming Christmas day and staying at the West Bend Motel. Are there big dinner plans for Christmas Day or Christmas Eve? or both?
Happy Birthday Graham and Thomas!

Anonymous said...

The intelligence of its staff.

Anonymous said...

I love Chinese buffets because you think you're eating so healthy, even though you always grab an eggroll and some crab Rangoon and other fried stuff.
That Zane. Tricky he is. An acrobat he will be.

Anonymous said...

I hit McDonald's for lunch and had my once yearly McRibb. I played blues music when I was eating it, sho nuff.

Anonymous said...

Sister Sarah's is unique because the chef was trained by the CIA. Oops, that's trained at the CIA.

Unique to what? Algona? North central Iowa?

Also:
Ambience: The bar (it's so beautiful), intimate seating or group seating
The cuisine: Ethnic-esque specialties (bavarian pork chops) to health-conscious, yet lush-tasting gourmet delights (like the strawberry salmon with rice).

What's this for? That would help.

Anonymous said...

Yeah-what's it for you bonehead.

Anonymous said...

well, now you got the other gay bar there in town, so that's out...

Anonymous said...

Did you get the special where you get a McRib meal and get an extra McRib for $1? That was Stevo's and my dinner the other night.

Anonymous said...

I've been thinking about the McRib lately. Many years ago it was oneof my favorites, but for some reason, I am a bit suspicious of it now. I think I'll give it a try. I haven't had one for years.

WE're staying at the West Bend hotel for two nights too if anyone wants to bring their kids over to use the pool.

Anonymous said...

i had a mcrib the other day. they need to sell the sauce...

Anonymous said...

We have a possum that comes up on the porch and eats Kitty's food. We call it Patrick but I think it might be a girl. Also raccoons that eat her food and wash it in her water dish and leave muddy raccoon tracks all over the porch. Goldurned critters. I want to see the possum with little babies on its back.

Anonymous said...

People think the McRib isn't good for you but really its just unwanted bits from a dead pig stamped into a shape by tuburcular illegal aliens and painted with "faux" grill marks to add to the appeal and served swimming in a sauce rich with high-fructose corn syrup on a bleached-flour white bun. It makes you feel good. What's wrong with that?

P. Rose said...

Have any of you read Fast Food Nation?
That book is scary.

Anonymous said...

NO, but I saw Super Size Me.

Anonymous said...

Why are you eating at McDonald's? In a study..in one burger the "remains"of 100 cows were found...it's so processed. Not to mention transfats, in the french fry oil and the bun!
Oh yeah...I ate at burger king today..but I had a diet coke amd no fries.

Dad and Mom were thinking of changing the menu for Christmas dinner...but might wait for next year!

Anonymous said...

I should have explained more...thinking of changing from traditional to more exotic.

They visited Don today...just a reminder for Christmas travelers...if you're close to Mankato!!!

Anonymous said...

About office Christmas parties...when I walk into the office now, I'm greeted with "hello Mary and the LaVelle's" I guess I thought I was pretty good with the karaoke!

Anonymous said...

o
cheeto
no jello
prime rib au juso
pheasant feast oooho
salmon swimming on plates just so
wooden bar like any other, no! porch dining when 20 below
cuddle dining in the snug down low
clear night dining on the patio
Nance and Tomo
cheetoooo
o

"Sister Sarah's...Destination Dinner...taste the difference!"

Anonymous said...

McRibs are made from Soylent Green.

Anonymous said...

I won my fantasty football league! This is after injuries to Donovan McNabb and Clinton Portus almost ruined my season. I should mention that instead of playing the last game, me and the other person I was to play for the championship decided to split the championship money. So I didn't really win it, but he has LaDanian Tomlinson and I don't want to play him.

Ed X said...

No - the $325 bucks I get for winning.

Anonymous said...

HOw late does mcdonald's serve breakfast?
Emma has a breakfast play date at mcdonald's play land.

Anonymous said...

On any given night, depending on the special, you can eat the flesh of up to thirteen different animals at Sarah's.

P. Rose said...

Good news for Emma:


Anheuser-Busch introduces sorghum beer
Associated Press
Last update: December 20, 2006 –

ST. LOUIS — Can't enjoy a brew because you're allergic to wheat?
Thanks to Anheuser-Busch, you can now grab a cold one without fear.

The brewer of Budweiser and Michelob is introducing Redbridge, which it calls the first nationally available sorghum beer. Sorghum is a safe grain for those with wheat allergies.

Starting today, you can find it in restaurants and stores that carry organic products. In addition, Anheuser-Busch is marketing the beer as an alternative for those who choose wheat-free or gluten-free diets.

At least three smaller brewers make gluten-free beer in the United States. Lakefront Brewery makes New Grist out of sorghum and rice. Ramapo Valley Brewing makes Passover Honey Beer by adding hops to honey and molasses. And Bard's Tale Beer makes Dragon's Gold.

Anonymous said...

Cozy ambience and home-style cooking. Home-style meaning not franchise style like so many other restaurants.

Anonymous said...

Honestly my favorite thing is what I see when I walk in the door. The porch with friends and families gathered and the bar which is beautiful. (No matter who is behind it) You walk in and you know it will be a good experience. I've never had a bad time at Sarah's.

The food is amazing. My favorite is the salmon with strawberried, but I eat lots of things there.

I've given you lots of ideas... hope this helps some.

By the way, Pat... I have seen gluten-free beer!

Anonymous said...

Eating on the porch
foods of many nations
food prepared after you order it, not premade
nice salad bar and delicious soups
family feel
great bar
humor
community involvement
veteran waitstaffers
changes to menus and creative specials
snugs
something to read everywhere you look
nice bathrooms
people say "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays"
ambience, ambience, ambience

Ed X said...

The awesome food. That is the best thing about Sarah's. Also - they serve Grain Belt.

The bar is cool. The cheeto is there. The salad bar (with the soup). The friendly staff. The reasonable price. Its the only place I have ever seen a fish race or a cheeto queen contest.

Anonymous said...

It is good to be staff in a parish at the holidays. I'm eating a black-and-white cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory right this very minute. I get fruit and nuts and homebaked goodies to take home. No priest could eat all that stuff, especially priests that almost never eat at home. So they give it to staff.
I'm ALL DONE Christmas shopping. The house is clean. Three-fourths of the presents are wrapped. Nah, nah, nah, boo-boo. Oh, and my soul is wiped clean of sin.

Anonymous said...

Grain Belt...Mmmmmmm...

Anonymous said...

Smart, young waitresses that write Biblical messages on my check.

Great soups
Decor in Bar
Clean Bathrooms!
Changing menu items
Neat and pretty exterior
Friendly staff and owners

Anonymous said...

Straub Owned and Operated.
Friendly
Clean
Great food: a little something more than the typical steakhouse fare.
When you ask for a bloody mary that is extra spicy, they make one that will bring a tear to your eye.
Run by an ex-boxer, who will no doubt have a philly steak sandwich special on opening night of the new Rocky movie.

P. Rose said...

Food for everyone, from great bar food to gourmet to food for the vegetarian all at rock bottom prices. Urban dining at non urban prices.
Fabulous bar.

Anonymous said...

I like the philly steak idea. In fact, you should have an Oscar night menu with foods that go with/are inspired by the nominated movies. Since "Silence of the Lambs" isn't one of them. What goes with "Blood Diamonds?"

Anonymous said...

Another thing you could do for the "Rocky" opening night special is allow customers to punch their steak into the proper state of tenderization. Please-no jokes about beating meat. Have a little class, willya? You raw egg drinkers.

Ed X said...

Yeah - and they could catch the chicken they want to eat.

Anonymous said...

and a Mr. T lookalike contest.

Anonymous said...

For specials Philly steak could be Rocky one, Steak could be Rocky two, Chicken could be Rocky three...

P. Rose said...

Dessert could be.....you got it. Rocky Road Ice Cream.

p

Anonymous said...

I'M GONNA REPEAT MINE FROM ABOVE CAUSE THEY'RE GOOD...

Eat on the porch when it's 20 below.
Cuddle dine in a snug down lo.

Tom, do you want a tag line, or what?

Anonymous said...

Frank, that's a great idea for a Rocky themed night.

Tom, You're gonna have lots of manly men and republicans mad at you if you mock fantasy football.

Anonymous said...

Rocky 4, chicken kiev since he fought the Russian.

Anonymous said...

Hey, I get the feeling that most of you are arriving either late on Saturday...or, on Sunday. Am, I correct?

Anonymous said...

Monday

P. Rose said...

Christmas Day.
p

Anonymous said...

Christmas Afternoon.

Anonymous said...

Latest Rocky...Thousand-year eggs.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like only Ed, Us, Joe3 and possibly Emily will be at Granny's on Christmas Eve...anyone else?

Anonymous said...

We will arrive on the 26th and hope to still find some people there...

Will there be a place for us?

Ed X said...

I am gonna be there on Sat. I think Frank will be there too. We need to figure out a way for Sunday mass to count for Christmas or Vice Versa.

Am bringing some Powers, some delicious Lou Malnotti's Pizzas and a ton of chocolate stuff. Oh - and maybe Some Mike Ditka brand Wine. He makes the best wine.

Anonymous said...

I will be there Sat.

Anonymous said...

Tom

Do you have enough ideas for what makes Sarah's unique?

Do you need more?

Anonymous said...

I've been told: No double-dipping. Even if you go to a 4:00PM mass on Christmas Eve it only counts for Christmas, not for Sunday. If this makes you feel hostile and put-upon, just think about the priest who's probably saying 14 masses over the weekend. I don't care how holy you are, enough already. The best day of the week to have Christmas is Thursday because then who works the Friday after and then it's the weekend. And probably you took off half of Wednesday, anyway.

Anonymous said...

I'm bringing eggnog and butterscotch schnapps and maybe part of a cheesecake.

Anonymous said...

I cannot imagine God thinking badly of anyone who attends once and not twice.

Anonymous said...

I agree.

Anonymous said...

Rumor has it that we are having Spaghetti and Meatballs on Christmas Eve. Eli and Liam will be happy about that! Of course, they won't eat meatballs...that's okay, sauce and noodles will do them up right! :-<> Sounds lke it's gonna be Ed, Frank, Joe3 and Us. We'll have to play Twister or somethin'. :-)

Anonymous said...

I am bringing 3 pies one is sugar free. No artificial sweetening either. Strictly fruit.

Anonymous said...

I asked your Dad what I should bring and he said a Dutch Apple Pie. Hmm...I don't know about you guys...but, I am hearing a lot of talk about liquor and desserts and not so much about casseroles and dinner rolls...is this just really cool?...or, should we be concerned?

Anonymous said...

*CONFUSION ALERT*CONFUSION ALERT!*
I stated, earlier, that Christmas Eve was Spaghetti and Meatballs...but, my dutiful husband has explained things and although, most of you probably know what's going on...I should clarify.

Christmas Eve~Appetizers.
Christmas Day~Spaghetti.

I am so sorry if I confused anybody. I was, simply, confused myself.

Okay, good-night. I'll shut up. :-)

Anonymous said...

Ok, been off for awhile so,

Happy birthday T-bone, G-Money and Randy. Randy needs a nickname as well. I vote for R-dogg.

bust a phat rhyme R-dogg.

We will be home for christmas...........2007.

Happy birthday Jesus!

P. Rose said...

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM spaghetti! Is this true? It makes me very happy. I have two other christmases to attend and neither of them have spaghetti. Or meatballs.
Does anyone have a photo of Jesus I can post? Does he read this?
p

Anonymous said...

Tom,

The things that stand out about Sarah's are the bar and the food.

It really is one of the coolest bars around. Except for the creepy guy that sneaks out of the kitchen occasionally to stand at the end of the bar to have a ciggarette and a grain belt while complaining about spineless liberals. By the way I agree with W that we should send in more troops.

On the surface the food is standard midwest fare - you can't operate a restaraunt in Algona without steak, chicken and pork. But it is done with a creative flair you wouldn't expect to find in small town IA or almost any steak house for that matter. Great food exceptionally well prepared.

I am very curious about why you need this feedback about what makes your place unigue. Are you creating a real estate listing? Entering some sort of contest - are you going to throw down with booby flay? Is there going to be a write up on the restaurant in a highly regarded publication? Need some material for your diary?

Jesus reads the blog, that is why I was afraid to give him a nickname.

Ed X said...

We aren't haveing any turkey on Christmas?

Jim - where are you gonna be this Chistmas? When is the big move?

Anonymous said...

No turkey 'cuz Eli will cry,"boo hoo tears," and Granny and Grandpa don't want to see that again! :-<>

Anonymous said...

We will be here in NC for Christmas. If the weather agrees all of our worldly possessions will be unloaded in Bettendorf on Friday, Jan 12th. I will be in the QC (it's the OC of the midwest) to close on the house on the 29th. The furnace went out on the house we are buying the other day. The current owners put in a new one. 10 days later and it would have been on our nickel. As it is we get a brand new furnace for free.

Anonymous said...

Jim-What did they put in? It wasn't a corn-burner, was it?
Yesterday my office hosted (a yearly thing) all the businesses near mine for a Christmas potluck. It was a lotta fun, lotsa leftover gooey chocolate clusters and cookies and fudgey things. Someone took some food back to her store and, on the way out, spilled/trailed chili down the hallway. Woolite didn't get it out. Any suggestions?

P. Rose said...

You should talk with Desy this xmas. Have him help.
p

Anonymous said...

Use simple dishwashing liquid for food stains.

Anonymous said...

You could spread chili over the whole carpet and then clean it up, that way it's uniformly stained and no one will notice.

Anonymous said...

Ooh, ooh...like, "Subway...eat fresh!" Can't even say that phrase without a sing-songy voice. :-)

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know if Emily will be at your folks on Christmas Eve?

Anonymous said...

Sarahs - Exceptional taste.
Sarahs - Taste the difference.
Sarahs - The only place in town with a no horsemeat guarantee.

Ed X said...

Yes - Emily will be there (or a hotel).

Anonymous said...

"Sister Sarah's...eatin' good in the neighborhood."

Anonymous said...

Question...
I'm thinking that the Straub grand-children need something to do in the basement in addition to running around like carzy kids for 12 hours. Does the TV down there work? We have an old 21" TV that works up to, like, channel 46. Is it that there isn't a cable hook up? If so...would it be a good idea to bring a vcr or dvd player? Whatayahthink?

Anonymous said...

Oops! I meant to say crazy...not carzy.

Ed X said...

The TV down there works and has a VRC hooked up to it. It has cable.

Anonymous said...

Really? Eli seemed to think it didn't. Well, that's cool. Okay. I'll bring some movies. Thanks, Ed! :-)

Anonymous said...

Right now I'm listening to a program on local public radioand it's a call-in program where you get legal advice (with all the disclaimers you might expect) but today's program is about court cases involving Santa. America - love it or sue it. Example: can Santa be sued for breach of contract? Can he be prosecuted for breaking and entering? Can he sue homeowners if he falls off the roof? What about toy drives - do they affect his obligations? What about overtime?

Anonymous said...

What about dangerous toys?
What about defective toys?
Given Rudolph's "special condition" can Santa use handicapped parking spots?
Can Rudolph get a protection order to avoid harassment from the other reindeer?
What if the reindeer hooves or sleigh damage the roof?
Does NORAD have the right/obligation to assign Santa a flight path?
Is Santa in violation of any aspect of the Patriot Act?

Anonymous said...

Good luck Tom with your gift certificate promotion.
NPR Christmas wisdom: "Box sets are the new socks/ties." (Guilty!)
If I can swing it, I'll bring some tiramisu to go with the spagetti dinner.

Ed X said...

What is a box set?

Anonymous said...

He can't be sued for breach of contract because he gives gifts. The transfer of the gift is without consideration. There is no contract.
He beats breaking and entering because he has the implied permission to enter.
He assumes the readily apparent risk when he gets on the roof.
Toy drives don't affect his obligations because he has none. He gives gifts, a voluntary act and he is under no legally binding compusion to do so.
Santa is self-employed and so, like me and other self-emplyed people, does not get overtime, comp time, sick days, personal days, holiday pay, etc.

Anonymous said...

the above statement is provided by courtesy of the Santa/Easter Bunny/Tooth fairy Political Action Committee

Anonymous said...

Santa doesn't provide defective/dangerous toys. Those all come from Walmart, etc.
Rudolph's lucky he wasn't sold to a petting zoo a la the two-headed goat.
Santa has been doing this forever and doesn't damage roofs. Prove otherwise, I dare you. Think you'll ever again get a gift from Santa? Just don't worry your head about such things.
What's NORAD? Does it really exist?
Santa my be violating some small technical aspects of the Patriot Act but you'll never catch him. Even if you did, Gitmo couldn't hold him. You'll never take him alive.

Anonymous said...

The asst. County attorney is lending me her "Spot-Bot". I never heard of it. It's about the size of a 5 gallon bucket. You put soap and water in it and set it on the stain. It has agitators that work the detergent into the carpet. Then it vaccums it all out. Takes about 8 minutes.

Anonymous said...

i hear that there are agitators living in the sewers. people get them as pets, but when they become too disruptive they flush them.

P. Rose said...

My furnace is out. It's 56 degrees here. I want to be a renter again.


p

Anonymous said...

The radio lawyers said there could be an implied contract because of the naughty-or-nice deal. Like if you were perfect all year and didn't get the Barbie Battleship you requested. There's a certain amount of consideration there. It's not an unconditional gift. I'm not worrying my head about it because I'm nice. But re: the elves - overtime? benefits? workman's comp?
NORAD is a government agency charged with tracking jolly old elves and their livestock and presenting timely reports of their movements to the American public. I don't know if they have any other function but I bet they get great retirement benefits.

Anonymous said...

How did the Spotbot work?

Anonymous said...

Just think - you can buy a little robot so that you don't have to kneel on the rug and scrub up a spill. Our great-grandmothers would have been appalled. Or maybe not.

Anonymous said...

I'm bringing a proccesed ham and giant chunck of swiss cheese (that Joe got as his Xmas bonus at work) for sandwiches.

Anonymous said...

i'll be brining old cheese again.

Anonymous said...

bringing. lost a g, G.

Anonymous said...

I'll be a day late and a dollar short but it seems as though you guys have the question of whether there is enough to snack on question settled.

Again: If anyone with a bedroom is leaving the day after Christmas, will we be able to get it?

Anonymous said...

Joe Jayjack...you okay?

Anonymous said...

processed-OOPS!

Anonymous said...

Anytime you have the term "commercial unit" applied, it drives the price up, for furnaces, rent, etc!

Tom, I mentioned tag lines way back...used in ads...
you can reuse the line, but change the daily specials...
"friday special...prime rib..sister sarah's, destination flavor!"

Anonymous said...

I'm sure you've already called your adjustor, but if not, tell him first that there was a fire. Fire damage is covered. A unit dying and flaming out as it goes might not be.
Great Christmas. I think the spagetti dinner is a good tradition to start.