Ouch, I feel your pain...what? I can't help but smile...

Sometimes, "TOO MUCH INFORMATION", just needs to be put out there for the world to hear. The IM name has been changed to protect the person with the boo boo on their who who...lol


Anonymous: I have an in grown hair in a bad place and it hurts like the dickens
Anonymous: lol
Anonymous: DO NOT POST THAT ON YOUR SITE
Nett: oh lord...should I ask where...lol
Anonymous: OR TELL ANYONE!!!!
Anonymous: ON MY WHO WHO
Nett: oh come on...it would be fun on my site
Nett: lol
Nett: please
Nett: can I, huh, huh
Anonymous: NO

Seriously, how could I be expected not to blog this convo. The reaction was priceless! Ah, good times. I never knew she called it her who who....life is a learning process, isn't it. Oh and good luck with that little issue.....

Oh Lord, did I help raise that girl?

Katie went as a Candy Stripper...play on words there...and her name tag says Sexual Healing Center Candy Stripper.....oh, and what do you think the odds are that that drink isn't Gingerale? Well, atleast she is having fun at college.

Its hard to do Homework on Halloween...the 'fro gets in the way.

Sometimes you have to make do, improvise and over come...

Ok, I know this would work for a lot of ladies out there....but I'm proud to say that I have the real things. I love my power tools. I have the standard cordless drill, a jig saw, a handheld mouse sander, a router.....and they have all come in quite handy. I just need a jigsaw...I really want a jigsaw. One of these days I will break down and buy one. Do you have any idea how many crafts I could do if I had one of those? It would take my crafting to a whole new level. After all, Raine says that I am a cross between Martha Stewart and Bob Vila. Yeah, I kick ass.

Trick or Treat...smell my feet, give me something good to eat...If you won't, I don't care, I'll...I'll, uh...give me time, I'll think of something...

What do pigeons in NYC's Times Square do on their down time?

They hit the books before they can hit you.

I have found an artist that does work that I find so extremely interesting and yes, I dare say it...Breath Taking!

Andy Goldsworthy's work is a true collaboration with Nature. He uses what he finds...all natural items to create things that are just spectacular.

If you ever have a chance to see the film: Rivers and Tides, Artist Andy Gothworthy Working with Time..I suggest you get comfy because I was awe struck. Take the time to look up some of his work.

Hmmmm...mystery postcard, huh.

Ok, OK, what is with this "Guess Who" crap? JEZ! I could be easily confused by this. I just had a conversation with Michelle about her recent trip to TN and the fact that she sent her kids Elvis postcards but not me. However, this card can not be from Michelle because the postmark says Memphis Oct 15. Let me do some snooping around. I'll figure it out...and if not, you can gloat when I start begging for someone to spill the beans. People, you know this kind of thing drives me nuts...and I am crazy enough as it is, so why do you do this to me? Well, whoever it is, they must have had issues remembering how to spell Annette...or is it Anette...or Annet...or Anet...you get the point. Why else would you just put A.Kaster, huh. Trying to through me off track are you? Dang you!

Take the 80's Lyrics Test

I scored a 171. Yeah, the product of a miss spent youth. Cause knowledge is power....School House Rock. LOL...when you spent 8-9 hours a day at the local swimming pool...where the radio played over the loud speakers the whole time...you better know some lyrics. Marco! Polo!

Poor little fellows...

In recent years, several unexpected freezes in the moutains near Mexico City have killed millions of monarch butterflies. Some scientists have reported being literally up to their necks in piles of dead butterflies. Needless to say, Monarch populations have dwindled as a result. Notice the tag on the butterfly to the left? It is part of a Monarch Monitoring Project that is now counting, weighing and tagging butterflies around Cape May Point, NJ. The last few weeks have been prime time for the Monarch migration and though the monitoring project is not complete yet...it is estimated that this year is the best since 2001. I found a website that talked briefly about the dead butterflies at the Sierra Chincua Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Michoacan, Mexico and how people seach for through the ground that is covered with dead butterflies for the tags. They recieve $5.oo a tag for turning them in. I might start raising Monarchs. There is a program called Monarch Watch where you can tag your own butterflies and release them to help get the population back up. Check it out.

Vote in Netter's Mini Poll

On the lower right hand side of the screen you will find my Mini Poll. Make sure you vote and see how well you are keeping up on family stuff. 

For the record:

Sometimes my sister, Tisha, laughs like the cartoon character Mutley. She doesn't try to...it just happens. Kinda like when Aunt "Squirrelly" aka Vickie laughs and then suddenly snorts.

Please explain this to me. Why do people in a movie theatre, clap after a good movie ends? The Actors and Actresses can not hear you. The director is not there to take a your clapping to heart. It's just us, people!Maybe its just a regional thing. I don't remember people clapping after a good movie in Nebraska. Yeah, never, not a single time. Maybe its just the Tri- State area. Could it be an after effect of years of seeing Broadway shows? They just forget the film is not live theatre? Its just annoying.

Return Address: Nebraska Squirrel.....

The "Squirrels" are MOCKING ME....where is that BB gun? Better yet, where is the sling shot and those left over firecrackers? I'm going to sit outside Aunt Vickies house...and wait for those "Squirrels". I know they are in co-hoots with my Aunt. How do I know this? Easy, someone let them see my website, most Squirrels are not on the wireless web yet....and the envelope has Vickies hand writing on it Well, someone had to address the envelope and sign the card. It tends to be easier to grip the pen when you have thumbs. Uh huh! The plot thickens. I have no idea who drew that pathetic looking jack-o-lantern though. I'd be a little embarrassed over that if it were me...lol, I mean really! It must have been the "Squirrels", huh. Seriously, my Angel looked much nicer than that monstrosity. Oh, Dear Vic, dear sweet Vic...this is how people get nicknames...and I think yours will soon become "Squirrelly!" Why not, we already have a Skeeter in the family!

Ring, Ring.....Hello!

There are just some people that you know you can call and no matter how nasty of a mood you are in, with in 2 minutes you will be laughing and having a ball. My friend Michelle is one of those people. Our conversations turn into marathons and if life did not mandate that we hang up and get some stuff done...we could easily talk for hours upon hours. Its almost scary. We would never cover the same thing twice. We are like that when we get together...we talk a mile a minute and its amaizing but we never cover the same topic twice and we never run out of material. What is amazing is the speed at which we ramble....most people would have a hard time keeping up with us. Her hubbie has to tell her over and over to slow down her chatter when we have been on the phone prior to her conversation with him. You just can't help it, that kind of excitement just carries over into everything. I should post part of the email she sent to me yesterday after we spoke for 2 1/2 hours....it is so funny. I think I will wait until the thing she was talking about in it arrives. She cracks me up.

This one is for Cindy..

Remebemer her? I know you do. She was one of your favorites. I think there is a picture of me with your Mrs Beasley doll somwhere. I was pretty young...maybe 3 or 4. You know...you could have her again. Ask Santa for her. 

You may be asking yourself....

...or perhaps not. What exactly and I doing up at 4:30 A.M.? The answer is simple, my friends. I had a terrible dream. I woke up freaked out. I did manage to go back to sleep but started dreaming about the same thing. Twice in one evening is enough for anyone....so, I decided to get up for a little while and try to sleep again later. Perhaps by the time I climb into bed again I will just sleep...none of this crazy giant snake people crap. It's not even like I watch scary movies. I don't. I can't. Why? 'Cause I have nightmares, that is why. I hate horror films. Why? Well, because I am one of those people that just have to investigate when they have heard something go bump in the night. You know what that means? It means that if horror films were real...I'd be one of the first people to bite it. Yeah, nice. That is OK, cause I wouldn't go down without a fight. Screw it, I'm going back to bed. I'm tired.

Old School Video Games...they're back!

Ok, shoot me now and put me out of the pain I am going to cause myself. They are re-releasing the old Atari 2600 like I...I mean, like WE had (It was a joint Christmas gift).....yeah, joy sticks and all. Was the first time not enough, do I really need to cause my carpal tunnel to flair up again? The answer to that, my friends, is hellz yah! From what I gather, the new set will have all of the games loaded into it already so you don't have to buy them each individually. That's good. Actually, I think that we still have the original at my parents house...unless MOM threw it out. One of the joy sticks was shot. It only worked part of the time so you could only play single person games. Tisha had the all time high score in Frogger and one of the PacMan levels. I had the all time high score on Burger Time and level 3 of PacMan. If I remember correctly, Dad was pretty good at Donkey Kong but Mom sucked at just about every game. LOL! There was no saving games on the original version, remember that? You shut off that system and you were out of luck. You played until your hands were numb. I think you could pause the game for a little while but you had heard that it burnt up your system so you were afraid to do it for long. You had to scarf down your dinner and get back to the game before your Mom decided that she had heard enough of that annoying music.
Ah, good times! Screw PlayStation and Xbox....they have nothing on old school video games!

Ok, so it hit a nerve..

I was looking through a catalog and found a framed print and I really liked what it had to say:
*****
"They may see the good you do
as self-serving.
Continue to do good.

They may see your generosity
as grandstanding.
Continue to be generous.

They may see your warm and
caring nature as a weakness.
Continue to be warm and caring.

For you see, in the end,
it is between you and God.
It was never between you and
them anyway.

*****

...I have been accused of being to generous, to kind. It had never occured to me that these could be bad things, yet that is how it was expressed to me.For a while after that, everytime I wanted to do something nice for someone...I'd start asking myself, "Why am I doing this for them? Is it for me or for them? Are people going to think I am after something?" The answer is always the same...."I do it because I want to, because the whim strikes me and it makes me feel good, puts a smile on thier face and that is payment enough." Why did I ever let some jerks make me feel bad for doing something out of the goodness of my heart. It's not like they ever refused anything I gave them (out of the goodness of my heart.) ..And, life moves on...

I'm in SUDOKU hell...

Thanks to Jim Leach, I am now addicted to these stupid puzzles. I put an easy one on here for you to solve but if you really want to live on the wild side try the harder ones like I do. Follow the links I attached for directions to play. Its really very simple.

The latest Katie poetry..

"An Umbrella’s Dry Spell"

by Katie

I hang upside down
in hibernation.
A purple, metallic bat:
forever a slave to my mistress.
Sometimes I gaze out her window
wishing, hoping she would let me
feel the heat of the sun upon my back.

I am thirsty now
with only memories of the days
when I got to feel her
polished nails
press my button
making me robust
and stretch out to the crying gods.

I even miss her cold clutch
on my warm wooden handle,
and the times when she and I danced,
flinging water pellets into people’s eyes.
Underneath me, she sang so carefree,
while the rain pattered on my back.
I was her song, her loving metronome.

I would take a million iced bullets for her
and protect my mistress from her own tears.
But she no longer needs me in mid-July.
The clear skies have replaced me;
her warm hands clutch a Frisbee.
She seems happier bathing in the sun,
but when a rain cloud approaches

I know she’ll run back
as if she never left me in the first place.
Until then
I will hang upside down
in hibernation.
A purple, metallic bat:
forever a slave to my mistress.

Please don't make me...

..open a can of whoop ass on you! All right, here is the story. I was at Toys R (pretend the R is backwards) Us, I was picking out Hayden's birthday present. I already knew I wanted to get him a Magnetix building set. Honestly, I wanted one for myself too...but its not my birthday. Anyway, I was checking out my options. I knew a set of 39 was too little, a set of 150 was too expensive. That is when I noticed that the sets of 70 are 25% off. Bingo, I could get two kits, than would make it much cheaper than the 150 kit and only 10 pieces short. AS I was starting to walk away a lady said excuse me and took the sign off the shelf. I followed her to the check out isle and figured they were going to giving her a hard time about the discount or something. I ended up in the next isle but I noticed that they did give the lady the discount. When mine was rung up I asked if the 25% came off both of those boxes of Magnetix. The gal said no...and I said that it should have. I explained that there had been a sign on the shelf and that the sign was now at the registers behind us. So the gal took the sign from the other lady and went to the customer service desk to find out what the deal was. The main lady in charge was being nasty to my check out gal and I went over to see what the problem was. Ms head honcho didn't want to give me the sale price because the sale had expired and the sign wasn't on the shelf any longer. Now, if anyone knows me...they know I don't like to argue about stuff like this. I would usually let it go and just pay the normal price. Today however I was in a feisty mood and Ms Head Honcho was being nasty to my very nice check out gal, but what really pissed me off is when she got snotty with me. I only asked what the story was. I'm never nasty to people who work retail. Its not a fun job...and frankly they are not paid enough. You give me attitude when I'm being nice...look out, the can is opened. I then said, "EXCUSE ME! That sign was on the shelf when I picked out those boxes. I had the boxes in my hands and was walking away when the other gal grabbed the sign and brought it to the check out isle. She was in the isle next to me and I know she was given the discount. If I had not decided to made this purchase BECAUSE I had read that sign and did the math and realized that this was a better way to go...I would let this go. But I did see that sign and I think it is only fair that you honor that sale. Expired or not. ALSO, I really don't like the way you are talking to me or this young lady. You know, If you are in a bad mood perhaps you should take a few minutes to pull yourself together so you do not treat those around you in such an uncalled for and extremely nasty manner. What is your name Miss and may I also have the name of the Head Manager? Is he or she currently in the store?" Well, I got the most interesting look from Ms Head Honcho, who turned to my nice gal and said, "Fine, have Joe take care of it then." So, I glanced down at Barb's name tag ( aka Ms. Head Honcho) and said, "Thank you for your time, Barb, have a lovely day." She just turned away from me, I'm sure cursing me under her breath. I apologized to my check out gal and the people behind me for being such a problem and holding up the line Hey, I got my $10 off my total purchase and It felt great to stand up to that nasty Customer Service rep.

The Bartels kids....Brandon 9, Kelley 15, Alek 11...Man have they grown up quickly. I can't wait to see them at Christmas. Thanks for the Halloween card and the pics guys!

It is PUZZLE TIME people! Grab a piece and fit it in....come on, you can do it. Just don't force it into a spot because you are frustrated and want it to look like you have contributed. Grandma Genevieve gave me this puzzle. When it is finished you glue it together and attach a clock mechanism to it and TADA...you have a working clock that you can hang on the wall. I'll take a picture of it when it is done. Sam and I did a kitty picture last week that we glued together and hung on the wall in the computer room It only had 500 pieces though...this clock has 1,000. So far, the hardest area to complete....the roman numerals....they were a real bitch.

Annoying, to say the least...

I think I should start a list of annoying things that people do that makes me want to beat them with a sock full of rubber duckies. WHAT! Well, its not like I really want to hurt them but for crying out loud, enough is enough. Plus, with a family like mine....you don't really want to broadcast the things that drive you nuts. What the hell, I'll live on the wild side.

1) Its annoying when people turn the dryer setting to fluff/no heat and don't turn it back. I'm use to having it on a medium heat setting and when I turn the dryer on before I go to bed....then turn it on again when I jump in the shower in the morning...I expect to find the clothes in a low wrinkle...and DRY state when I get out of the shower. Nope, not when you leave the dryer on fluff/No heat.

2) The TV cranked up, first thing in the morning....to a network news channel or morning show. I just can't stand loud noise first thing in the morning. I don't drink coffee so you just have to give me a little while to warm up to the idea.

3) People who leave their shopping carts scattered throughout the parking lot instead of the shopping cart return sections. How hard is it to walk 15 feet? I would really love to send a cart rolling out of control into their cars/SUVs as they pull out of their space. Well, that is what their abandoned cart does...it rolls into our cars. Its like littering...on a slightly larger scale.

4) Littering. Is it really so hard to find a trash can? Really! There is usually a trash can in front of most stores. Hell, just wait until you get home to trash it...or better yet, if you have a fenced in yard, toss it over your own fence and let it blow around in your yard. You'll just love it!

5) PEOPLE, for goodness sake...park between the lines. How hard is it to do. When you straddle the line you throw off the parking flow. Some where along the way a spot is lost. I especially love the person with a new car that just doesn't want anyone parking too close to them. Your asking for a good keying....lucky for you I wouldn't do that. Where are the teenagers when you need them.

6) People that honk at you because you didn't start inching forward just before the light turned green. This isn't such an issue in the midwest...but the NY tri-state area is pathetic. OK, fine if the light changed and I didn't see it...FINE...but when I am sitting looking at the light and it is still red...even if I can see by looking at the side that the cross street light has turned orange...don't friggin' honk at me.Do it and I'll purposefully sit there and count to 10 before pulling out. You wouldn't be late for your botox appointment if you gave yourself ample time for travel.

7)If you empty the kitchen garbage...don't sit the trash bag on the carpet steps by the garage door. It's going to end up leaking on the carpet...take it in to the garage and put it in the garbage can. It's not that far and its not that difficult. We have thumbs so we can turn door knobs with ease.

OK, that is all for now. I feel better. Check back later in the week...I may need to add to this list. I do feel better getting that out.

A Reply for Chelie....

In a recent comment on my blog site Chelie wrote this comment..." I've always wanted a black wedding dress anyways...and I got several people that told me at school when I picked out a wedding dress for our dream weddings that I couldn't have a white dress with black embroidery on the bodice and the bottom hem of the skirt...so why not just make it black? it was my damn "Dream wedding" " Here is my reply. Honey, it is your wedding...do what you want, don't let others tell you that you cant have what you want. If they are not footing the bill...its entirely up to you. This photo was taken 10 years ago on July 1,1995. That is my sister Tisha on her wedding day, standing over the air conditioning vent to cool off. Her dress was not what you would call traditional and in fact it is not what she really wanted at all. She also wanted a black wedding gown. Numerous In-laws flipped out over that and wanted her in a white satin gown. So, Tisha settled. She told everyone that she would have a white satin gown...but hid the fact that she was going to have black lace, beads and sequins, which our Mother beaded for her. Yes, it wasn't traditional...but if she had had an all white gown...it just wouldn't have been Tisha. Though it was not my idea of what I would want or even expect...it was Tisha. I just wish she could have had that all black dress that she always wanted. If anyone gives you crap over color, remind them that years ago when women were married on the plains...they exchanged vows in brown, black, and dark blue dresses. White was not practical in those hard times on the frontier. Most women could not afford the luxury of a dress that they only wore once. If they did have white dress, it was promptly dyed a dark color. There are no rules to weddings...it isn't bad luck to get married in a colored gown and frankly, we all know that those brides are not virgins on their wedding days....that is extremely rare these days.
So, when your friends start ranting about what you can or can't have...tell them to shove it...and if they were really your friends they would encourage you to have what you want for YOUR wedding...they can have white dresses for theirs. You tell them I said so and if they have a problem with it...give them my phone number and I will set their asses straight pronto.

The tangle in Tanglewood

So, I got up early this morning and went with Jean for a clean up project in the Tanglewood preserve/park. They are raising money to build a science center there and they are having a big fall festival next weekend. They needed volunteers so we went to help out. It was raining so we put on our ponchos and hit the timber to help clean up the trash. They have wild rose bushes growing everywhere and I got the crap scratched out of me. I guess it was worth it. I just came home to get cleaned up and then this afternoon we are going to see a movie. Should be fun...but we are waiting to see what movie Jim wants to see tomorrow...that way we can see something different today. More later.

Like it or not...

Yeah, like it or not, I'll be home for Christmas. That means that everyone better show up at my Parents house on Christmas Day for the Kaster Family get-together. Be there or be square! Remember, we are the family that put the FUN back in dysFUNctional. I spent a crap load on that airline ticket so you guys better be worth the expense. LOL! I'm sending my ornaments home early...so they will be ready for my friends and their kids. I'm planning on making sure Santa drops of a couple gifts for unsuspecting relatives.....oh yeah! Let the good times roll. I'm hoping that I can go sledding while I am home. I think I will pack my ski pants just in case. In doing so, I will guarantee that it will be a dry holiday with no snow in site. Isn't that how it usually works? Yep, I think so. Gotta run. I have to get ready for the movies tonight.

Son of a Witch

Ok, so I just finished reading the Gregory Maguire novel, Son of a Witch. It takes off where Wicked left off. I have to admit that I am more that a little annoyed by the ending. There are too many questions that are not answered but then again that could mean that he wants to write another book to follow it up. Read Wicked first and if you were a fan of the Wizard of OZ, you will probably love this adult version of OZ...the behind the scenes version of what really happened, the politics, the relationships....it was all quite interesting.

We have something scary living in our living room. He keeps watch over my Halloween decorations in the front yard. Don't mess with him, he's 7 ft of pure kick-butt.

LiveJournal Haiku!
Your name:	netterkaster
Your haiku:	wanted to steal one of raines cats the big grey bear with his round tum-tum
Username:
Created by Grahame

Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, I wish to save my pumpkin from squirrels tonight!

Ouch...that had to hurt.

Ok, I built a crash witch and attached her to one of the trees in the front of the house. I'm still working on those tombstones...but the spooky graveyard sign is hung up and waiting for the stones to arrive. Soon, hopefully after the weekend. 

The moon looked huge the other night as it rose above the bay. HUGE and pinkish orange. It kept me company while I grilled a little steak on the deck. At one point the reflection of the moon on the water was breath taking...just lovely, especially when two swans swam through the reflection. There is nothing like a big bright moon. Remember as a kid in the back seat of the car, how the moon appeared to follow you as your parents drove you home. I always thought that was neat but then again, I was a strange child. 

I choose to to hook my Jack-o-lantern up to an elecrical source and give that little fur ball a perm when he tries to chew the design off of my pumpkin this Halloween. After Halloween he can have a party and cart the entire pumpkin away...but before that, its off limits.

more Shannon pics

Shannon sent me some of her pics and I was playing around with them, cropping them, sharpening the color, blurring out less interesting backgrounds....fun stuff. when you put them on picture piles like this it cuts down all of your pics..but you can get an idea. 

Cousin Shannon...
Just one of the pictures she sent to me. I cropped it down and made it a black and white, then let the color of her jeans show. Can you guys believe that she is a senior? I'm old. I remember babysitting her and the ordeal we had to go thought just to get her to pick out an outfit.