Great Wall, Pandas, and Mcdonald's

 Florida got some more cold weather.  Nicer than what we’re used to.  I can feel the need for air conditioning soon.  Unfortunate side effect of living in Florida.  We have another cold front approaching.  I know our dog loves ut!  

 I went downstairs and noticed a familiar smell.  I closed the bedroom door so the smell would not get in the room.  This morning I pulled out the ladder, put on the gloves, and searched for the body.  I pushed in the first tile and looked.  It did not smell any worse.  No body in sight.  I moved over and looked again.  This time I found it.  I saw his brown fur.  I went over and bagged it.  Then, I checked for others.  Nothing.  I checked an area where poison had been added.  It was still there.  No new rats, I guess.  The air freshener upstairs is still doing its job.  You can smell a faint odor of the rat.  

 After meeting Kieth Coogan, I went home and turned on Adventures in Babysitting for my daughter.  It was on Disney+.  Halfway through, I notice that the dialogue is not what I remember.  The character of Brad tells his sister that “Thor is a homo!”  On Disney’s version, it became “Thor is a weirdo!”  There were other slight changes.  It reminded me of when TNT censored Die Hard 2.  John McClane’s catch phrase was altered to “Yippee Ki Ye Mr. Falcon!”  I guess if you watch Disney+, older movies will be sanitized for today’s audiences!  I don’t not want a corporation sanitizing what I watch!  

 I hope everyone got what they wanted from Black Friday.  I got rest.  No sales out there.  Today, I got two pair of pants for  $4.30.  Then my daughter and I went to the mall.  Kieth Coogan from Adventures in Babysitting was doing signings for a new store.  I knew that I could not afford to pay for a signature, but I thought it would be fun for my daughter to meet an actor.  She loves Bon Jovi.  Everyone she meets she asks if they know Living on a Prayer.  Before they can answer, she will start singing. He was gracious enough to entertain her by singing along.  He did offer to sell us some things for $50.  She even said she had the money. Of course, she did not.  She was happy.  She said she crushed it out with him!  

 Seems like Black Friday is a did this year.  I’ve looked at the sales.  It’s pitiful.  I guess if they took the tariffs off the pricing it would be better.  Oh well!  Who needs all this junk.  When you hit a certain point in your life, you run out of things to clutter the house.  I am looking to downsize.  

 Another turkey day.  Just our little family this year.  No visitors.  Might have to watch a movie later on.  At least I will not be working at a theater.  Those days are gone.  Plus, event pictures have slowed down or the quality has gone down. I know my family will be napping later today!  

 The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is always the slowest day.  Everyone is either travelling or already at their destination.  In my past, this was the calm before the storm.  Thanksgiving through the weekend was a very busy time.  New movies would come out, and they would expect you to work.  Christmas, also.  I sort of miss that, but more the great movies versus the work.  Working all holidays grows old over time. I know I will not be joining the Black Friday craze, if it still exists.  I think it is stupid to fight over things that will eventually be in your local Goodwill.  This demand gets people to spend more than they should.  I don't mind looking for deals.  

 Wow! They are already predicting nominations/winners.  So ridiculous!  They tend to forget movies released early in the year.  They also fall heavily on box office take versus actual acting/performance.  I do not put much effort into caring.  It tends to be a popularity contest made worse by campaigning.  You may see a newcomer give the best performance ever, and they will worry about an actor who is nominated for the 10th time, thinking they deserve the award before they die.  Many great performances have been overlooked, while mediocre performances get the award.  Politics and political message movies also tend to be put on a pedestal, even if they are not that great.      

 I am truly shocked that Trump pardoned the turkeys.  No, I am not talking about white collar criminals and rich pedophiles who could pay for their pardon.  Nor am I talking about patsies that were awarded a pardon for doing what Trump encouraged them to do.  I am talking about two birds, real turkeys.  How did this happen?  My guess he wanted to show he was not truly evil. Beating and jailing humans is okay, but he has a soft spot for turkeys.  Luckily, it was not a Big Mac! That burger would not stand a chance against Trump.  Trump does not pardon anyone without getting something, especially money!  It does surprise me that they did not die of boredom, having to sit through all of Trump's accomplishments.  

 Around October, I saw a post looking for entries for a short story contest.  I decided to try and see what I could come up with.  It seemed good to me.  Of course, I wrote it.  I entered the contest.  They said it would take time for them to go through.  It's been a couple of weeks.  I have decided to add it here.  See what you think.   Stuck By Sean Fahey   Jimmy’s eyes snapped open, his heart thudding as he sat up. He squinted at the sliding glass door in his room. Pale morning light spilled across the floor, painting the carpet in streaks of gold. The curtain was wide open, fluttering slightly in a breeze that carried the faint scent of cut grass and dew. He remembered closing it before bed. The air felt cool against his skin, but a bead of sweat trickled down his temple. Outside, the world was quiet except for the distant chirping of birds. He could see his whole backyard. The patchy lawn, branches fluttering in th...

 I doubt they advertise that they can cover the smell of a dead rat, but I am here to tell you that it does.  I went home last night and could not smell a hint of the dead rat.  Not only that, but the freshener seems to cover a huge area in the house.  If you need to eliminate a smell, try the Glade plug-in air freshener.  We are using a holiday scent.  

 My daughter came home from school the other day.  She is blind and also kind of a comedian.  We asked her what she did that day.  She says, "I went to the gym and walked on the treadmill."  We go "really?"  She replies, "Yes, they have treadmills for blind students.  They do not want us going on the track and running into everybody!"  She kept up with it for many days.  Then, my wife spoke with the Vice Principal.  She asked if they had treadmills for blind students.  She had to ask another person in the office if they did. The answer was that they do not have treadmills for blind students.  My daughter spun a good tale!    

 On our Carnival cruise, they have elegant nights.  For one daughter, every night was elegant.  I dressed in khaki pants and a dark blue polo shirt with an Under Armor logo. I was pushing my daughter around in a wheelchair.  People kept coming up to me to ask directions.  I had to break it to them; I did not work for Carnival.  Watch how you dress!  You might be asked for directions, also.  

 The smell of the dead rat comes and goes.  When it comes, it is strong.  I decided to buy some air fresheners.  There is a downside to them.  My blind daughter loves to play with them.  If she finds it, it may disappear.  When I got home from the store, I opened the package and pulled out the device.  My first idea was to place it near the sink.  My daughter may not look there.  The one closer to the floor would be a more likely place to look or feel.  To my surprise, the plug is horizontal and not vertical, like most plugs.  The device does not swivel.  I had to break down and plug it near the floor.  After a little time, the smell was covered.  As of this morning, they are still plugged in.  We'll see if the air fresheners last longer the the decomposition of the rat.  

 I know I should be doing something, but it feels like one of those days.  I fed the animals. I dug out a stall.  Now, I just wait.  My daughters want me to take them shopping for lunch and dessert.  I feel like napping.  I do live this time of year.  It’s not hot.  It could be cooler, but we live in Florida.  There is a chance of cooler weather for Thanksgiving.  

I went out on our deck today.  I was tossing scraps to the chickens.  I look down and see what looks like breadcrumbs.  Upon closer examination, it was not breadcrumbs. It was foam we had placed on the door frame that we are trying to fix.  Even closer, and a hole comes into view.  This hole leads to the area where the rats are getting into the house.  I had to get some foam, hardware cloth and wood.  I also gave them a couple of pellets to snack on.  Just hope they don’t stink up the house.  

 I cleaned the bathroom.  I was hoping that might help us pinpoint the smell of the dead rat.  My daughter had gotten hold of a waxy air freshener.  She likes to tear up things.  This time, she got it all over the floor.  Wiping it away was not that easy.  I took a used scrubbing pad and some cleaner and brought them into the bathroom.  That had a better effect on the floor.  Once done, it seemed to be gone. I kept getting whiffs of the rat later in the day.  I think we will have to cut a hole in the wall and locate the body.  I guess this is the downside of using poison.  

 Still haven't found the dead rat in the house.  Sometimes it seems like it is going away, but then it comes back stronger.  I was feeding the chickens and walking around our backyard.  Then a smell hit me.  It smelled just like our bathroom.  Only it was in one of the runs.  I walked in and flies buzzed everywhere.  I pulled back a piece of plastic, and there it was. A dead rat!  I put on some gloves and placed them in a box.  I did not want any predators eating it.  Hopefully, it will burn before the vultures arrive. My neighbor will probably be happy.  She is always shooting in the air to disperse them.  I think she's the one who attracts them.   

 Our next cruise is approaching.  It will be a surprise for our daughters. Our itinerary:  Half Moon Cays (Carnival beach in the Bahamas), San Juan, St Thomas, and St. Maarten.  This time, it will be an 8-day cruise.  Our last one was only 5!  5 or less go by so quickly.  I couldn't even imagine going on a three-day cruise.  The entire first day is dedicated to boarding the bus.  San Juan and St Thomas were well-walked last year.  I have a new objective in San Juan.  I want authentic Puerto Rican food.  In St Thomas, I want to search for spices.  I did find a store close to the port.  I went on Google Maps and searched.  I still need to find a place to eat in PR.  I look forward to St Maarten.  It is an island that is half Dutch and half French.  When we were younger, we did go there.  We took an excursion that drove us from one side to the other.  This time may just be a port exploration...

 The second island we went to, on our cruise, was Grand Cayman.  It was our first time visiting the island. One downside of visiting Grand Cayman by ship is that it requires a tender boat to get you to land.  Depending on how long it takes, you may not have the most time to get around.  When we finally got on the land, we had about three hours.  Not much time.  We did walk around the port shops.  They were expensive. Up the road, we found an arts and crafts tent with locals.  We found much better deals.  The people were super friendly.  They did not even try to pressure us into a sale.  The big and famous beach on this island is Seven Mile Beach.  It is on the opposite side of the island.  Since they do not provide maps, we were unsure of the island's size.  They want you to depend on an excursion.  We found a small cove where people were swimming. One daughter ran right into the water.  Temperature doe...

 I think we are going to have to cut into our wall at home.  The smell is becoming overwhelming. I know once we clean it up, we need to seal off those areas.  We do not need another one dying in there.  My wife was even trying to get a new shower out of it.  I do know there is room to grow, but our finances need to grow as well.  We have enough debt. Maybe a walk-in shower.  It is the guest bathroom, but it is the best for cleaning one of my daughters. I'd like something closer to the handicap shower we had on the cruise.       

 I can not believe it did not do better on opening weekend.  I still plan on seeing it.  On top of that, it was beaten by Now You See Me 3.  Too much CGI magic for me.  Perhaps word of mouth will spread, and more people will see it.  It looks more faithful to the book than the 80s Running Man.  I have Zootopia 2 on my list of upcoming releases to see.  My daughters want to see it.  

 When I got home, I pulled out a ladder and went through our bottom-level ceiling.  I did not find any dead rats.  I did find that recently laid poison was gone.  I added more.  I went upstairs and had to go through the attic crawlspace.  I did get whiffs of dead animal smell, but no bodies.  As I progressed further, the smell became stronger.  I pulled up some insulation and found a big hole that led to the back of the bathroom shower.  What it looks like is that a rat fell in and couldn't get out.  I do not think I can get in there.  I may look again because the smell is bad.   

 On board the cruise, there is a jewelry store.  They thought of using the cruise duck's popularity to run a promotion.  Their version involves hiding a green rubber duck with the company name.  It has turned in for a prize.  To me, that means you would receive a cheaper prize.  I wouldn't expect much, as it is a promotion.  The other night, I looked down and saw the duck.  We were encouraged to submit it and receive our prize.  It turns out there was no prize.  Instead, you get the opportunity to get $200 off a gaudy yellow diamond ring that costs $14,000.  How many think they actually get any takers?  I really doubt it.  In legal terms, it's a bait-and-switch.  I wish we had kept the duck.  It had more value.  They did offer things they already give out for free.  

 When I got home on Saturday, I used our upstairs bathroom.  There was a smell.  I thought somebody had put a poop diaper in the trash.  As of yesterday, the smell is still lingering.  My wife thinks it might be a dead rat.  That makes sense.  I did block off their entry point.  They ate a lot of poison.  I guess when I get home, I will have to search for a body. Just what I want to do.  😒 

 I read that Ocho Rios means eight rivers.  It gives you an idea of how to pronounce the Ocho.  We were the first cruise to return to the island with vacationers. They even had a ceremony to welcome back the cruise ships.  We walked to the port.  It was okay, but it had a very corporate feel.  Many of the shops were familiar to those found in every cruise port. There were some locals.  We tended to stick with them.  I dared to walk outside the port area.  At first, it was okay.  Then, I was approached with taxi requests and a strange man with a paper bag.  He wanted to know if I wanted pot.  I knew it was time to go back to the safety of the port shops.  There was not enough time to avoid the rain.  As we approached the ship, the weather went from a drizzle to a downpour.  Then it stopped.  The shops seemed expensive.  Like I said, we found some local deals.  Overall, the area looked fine.  Un...

 I took a couple of days off for a cruise.  We got to visit Jamaica and Grand Cayman.  I was surprised by the day we embarked.  The Miami Cruise Port was not as bad as I remembered it being.  When we returned, it was the port I know and "love".  I guess it depends on road construction, which Miami always seems to be doing.  95 is a nightmare.  They are always closing lanes.  That, combined with accidents and congestion, creates nightmares.  We always try to go down a day early.  If you cruise, that's the way you should approach embarkation day.  Especially if you are flying.  Ships will depart on time, unless there is a reason not to.  Late passengers are not a reason.  When driving in Miami, think defensive driving.  People will do crazy things, and there is little patience to be found down there.  The weather was great.  Not the burning heat of summer.  

 Port Miami is a nightmare.  I guess when they brought in all these cruises into one little port they didn’t consider all the traffic.  If you come down 95 to Miami, you’re going to be in traffic.  Day or night.  Plus they have a bunch of professional sports stadiums all crowded in there.  Just remember leave early and bring your patience.  These people are the worst drivers.  

 The big freeze is coming to Florida.  I’m going to miss it!  Hopefully, we will get later rounds if cold.  Yesterday was awful.  It was hot and humid. We stopped at a KFC and their AC was broken.  Today is starting out okay.  

 It looks like Ocho Rios in Jamaica did not get hit as hard as the rest of the country.  I saw a post that Carnival is going there again.  It is on the opposite side of the island, where the hurricane cut its path!  I guess I’ll have to write a post and share pictures.  

 I went into the ceiling in my room.  No rats, but rap poop was there.  I looked in other areas.  No rats could be seen. So,  I decided to seal off the area where I thought they were getting in.  I used hardware cloth.  It’s like chicken wire but stronger.  Chicken wire is used to keep chickens in a run. It is not predator proof.  Most predators can use claws and horns to cut right through it.  That night my wife tells me they saw a rug in the corner moving.  She pulled it back.  A rat had chewed through the floor board.  What I am guessing is they are trapped and dying.  All the poison I put up there has disappeared.  

 I checked the ceiling for the rat poison.  All the pellets were gone.  I have not seen any dead rats.  Hopefully, I can find them.  If something gets them and they eat it, they might get sick.  Besides that, my daughter says she keeps hearing them.  I added more for them to eat.  I bet it does the opposite and turns the rats into mutants. They escape the ceiling and kill whatever they come across.  I might need a stronger pellet gun.  

 One thing we loved when going to China was the 7-11.  Unlike America, they actually had good food at a reasonable price.  I know if it were to come to America, the prices would increase. It might be worth it to invest in higher quality.  Yesterday, I was looking at the 7-11 app, and they listed a Japanese-style egg sandwich.  In my opinion, they may be testing Asian offerings to gauge their performance.  I stopped at a location.  They had it.  It did run over $5.00.  I was really good.  It was served on Milk Bread.  Now, I will have to look for the ingredients to see if I can replicate. If you have a 7-11 near you, buy one.  

 I'm not sure if I will see this movie.  I liked Prey.  The amount of digital effects in this movie does not interest me.  Plus, the whole warrior lore seems like it's right out of Predator 2.  It also seems like a setup for another round of the lamest movies from this series: Alien Vs. Predator.  I can happily say I have not watched either movie.  To me, any movie that has two storylines competing with or against each other is lame.  Did you see Batman V Superman.  Come on!  One is a human who can be beaten, and one is a superhero who is virtually undefeatable.  Also, it is unfortunate that his weakness is revealed.  Getting back to AVP, it's boring to watch two digital creatures fight.  

 I do not know if the poison is working.  We still have them.  I may have to spread it out to areas where they nest near the chickens.  It has to be in an area where the chickens and other animals do not ingest the poison.  That has always been my main concern.  I only want to kill off the rats and nothing else, well, mice if they are around.  Shooting at them is difficult.  They are fast, and even if you hit them, they bounce off them.  You have to get them in the right spot.  The farm cat is worthless.  He comes around after I shoot them.  I keep telling him there is extra food if he wants to eat.  I feed him once a day.  Anymore, and he will just lie around and lift up his head as the rats walk by.     

 A tip for cruising would be: Be cautious when booking cruises during hurricane season.  According to the contract with the company, they reserve the right to change the itinerary as they see fit.  A great example would be all those going to Jamaica.  Since Melissa, they will not be accepting cruises until December 15 at the earliest.  If you're booked to go there, be prepared to visit an alternative spot.  I am hoping for somewhere I have not visited, but I think Nassau might be our destination.  If you've been there a couple of times, you know that there is not much to do.  All port shops are pretty much the same.  If we go there, we will be staying aboard to enjoy the pool and free food.   Most of the time, it is out of the cruise ship's hands when situations like this arise.  If it is something related to their ship or something they can control, they may offer you cruise credit or refunds.  Just remember, if it's an a...

 I woke up this morning, and when I got in my car, I noticed it was 50 outside.  We generally do not see temps like this.  I even saw a weather report that next week we could feel some 30s.  We'll have to see how far down it goes.  North Florida tends to feel the fall greater than the rest of the state.  If it happens, I might have to look for some gloves.  Also, we have to worry about the chickens.  I think they hate extreme heat versus the cold.  We may see fewer eggs.  

 I got to ride some rollercoasters.  I was not planning on it.  My daughter wanted to ride it.  I could not turn her down.  We also did a ride where you sit, and they raise the swinging chairs up.  Once in the air, it spins around.  That did not bother me.  The ride that gets me sick is a kiddie ride.  It is a swinging bench.  It features a lap bar and does not tip over upside down.  It still gets me.  The kids had fun, and that is all that matters.  

 Last night, I started to lie down to sleep. Little feet on the ceiling tiles broke my concentration.  I got up and took a broom handle in hand.  I started poking the tiles.  I really don’t think I did anything.  I imagine they were standing nearby laughing at me.  By the way, I checked a mousetrap and they had set it off.  No signs of injury.  I also checked the poison and can not tell if they indulged in a late night snack.  

 If you live in the Orlando area, and find Disney too expensive, there is an alternative.  It’s called Fun Spot.  It has free parking.  Yes, you read this correctly, they do not charge for parking.  Another perk is who needs a ticket.  Let’s say you’re elderly, like me.  You do not need a ticket, if you are not riding.  If you have children with disabilities, you can get a chaperone ticket for free.  Once you go through the metal detectors, there are plenty of rides for the family to enjoy.  Granted tgat is about 10 or so amusement park type rides.  They also have go carts.  Be warned, others tend to be dangerous.  My daughter was slammed from behind at the end of one session.  They do have food, but it is expensive.  You can leave and go to a fast food restaurant nearby and come back.  Unlike Disney, it does not take one to three hours to get on a ride.  Depending on the day, it only takes a couple of ...

 We went to a nearby neighborhood to trick or treat.  The church the girls go to held an event at the pastor’s house.  They had popcorn, hotdogs, snow cones and cotton candy.  Some of my daughters went on a hay ride that brought them around to houses to trick or treat at. I pushed my daughter through the neighborhood with her nurse.  Overall, it was fun.  Not a lot of mosquitoes, but some did bite.  By the end, the neighborhood was filled with of cars/trick or treaters.  Olive were even directing traffic.