WHAT did make you smile today?

[nightingale+therose]

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel so honored that the winner of the golden ticket is my facebook friend.

tee hee, CG....
you know you'll get yours *ooh err missus*
and we can go into the chocolate factory hand in hand. *and another big 'ooh err missus'*

Fingers crossed for you babe!

[therightone]

Found my Merkury today...we can mix again!!!

[DAVIE]

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING (today)

[CrystalGeezer]

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING (today)

Does this crabby lil frog help?

[CrystalGeezer]

RA!
Rachel Alexandra retires from racing

2009 Preakness winner went 8-0 that year, but was never quite the same
By Kevin Van Valkenburg

Baltimore Sun reporter

3:46 PM PDT, September 28, 2010


Rachel Alexandra, who in 2009 became the first filly to win the Preakness Stakes in 85 years, is retiring from racing, according to owner Jess Jackson.

The decision to end her career comes on the heels of a disappointing 2010 season, one where she never regained the form she showed as a dominant 3-year-old, winning only two of her five races.

In 2009, the filly burst onto the scene by winning the Kentucky Oaks by a record 20 lengths, a performance so impressive it had many experts surmising that she could have entered the Kentucky Derby the following day and won. Jockey Calvin Borel, who rode her to victory in the Oaks, thought so highly of her he became the first jockey in history to ride the Kentucky Derby winner and then give up that mount in the Preakness because he wanted to ride another horse.

Rachael Alexandra validated Borel's decision two weeks later when she captured the second leg of the Triple Crown at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course, holding off Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird down the stretch. After skipping the Belmont Stakes, she finished the year 8-0 and was named Horse of the Year by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.

But Rachael either peaked as a 3-year-old or was permanently worn down by the dominant 2009 season, because despite taking several months off she was never the same horse. The decision to end her racing career was not totally unexpected. There had been speculation Jackson might send her to the breeding shed ever since she finished second at the La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs back in May, although he flatly denied it at the time.

"I believe it's time to retire our champion and reward her with a less stressful life," Jackson said in a statement. "We are delighted that she will retire healthy and happy to our beautiful farm in Kentucky.

Rachel Alexandra owes us nothing. As a 3-year-old, she set standards and records that no filly before her ever achieved."

Trainer Steve Asmussen echoed Jackson's comments, saying he would forever cherish the experience of working with her.

"I have been blessed to have been part of history," Asmussen said.

"She had the most fluid and beautiful stride of any horse I have every seen. It's been quite a ride."

Considering her popularity -- she was once featured in Vogue, and was one of the few stories in recent years that drew casual fans back to the racing -- Rachel Alexandra's retirement is yet another blow to the sport, which has had trouble in recent years keeping its most popular and talented horses active through their 3-year-old season and beyond.

Earlier this year, Eskendereya, who looked like one of the most gifted horses to come along in years, injured his leg in training and was retired before he ever ran a Triple Crown race. Smarty Jones, who won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness States in 2004, never raced again after finishing second at the Belmont.

In all likelihood, Rachael Alexandra could have continued to race.

Before her decline, a much-anticipated match-up with super filly Zenyatta -- who is undefeated in 18 career starts -- was something racing fans were desperately clamoring for. But there is likely too much money at stake in the breeding shed to risk a life-threatening injury. Jackson plans to breed Rachael Alexandra with another of his horses, Curlin, who won the 2007 Preakness.

"Rachel Alexandra waged a three-year-old campaign that was nothing short of historic -- both for its flawlessness and its ambition," said Alex Waldrop, the President and CEO of the NTRA. "We commend all those who played such a large part in her greatness. Rachel Alexandra provided countless thrills to fans all around the world, and all of us now undoubtedly look forward to the racing exploits of her offspring."

kevin.vanvalkenburg@baltsun.com

Copyright © 2010, The Baltimore Sun

[nightingale+therose]

Okay, i should have posted this yesterday, since that's when it happened, but i was way too wound up in the joy of my beautifully signed 'Sunday' print and i had ballet to go to... so here it is today....

It was lunch time, and i was in my house, in the bath ... all exit doors locked, bathroom door ajar (okay, wide open - for the cats) and music quietly playing and soothing me, cats at my side on the floor next to the bath.

I'd been laying there in my bleach bath (note, no bubbles), for around an hour and i'd just gotten round to washing my hair when i started seeing shaddows at my side door (my house has a double entry front door and a single entry side door - and you can clearly see the side door from my bathroom). Anyway, i glanced at the frosted glass portion of the side door, just to make sure nobody was there - didn't see anything, so i continued to enjoy my naked with no bubbles bath. The shaddows persisted, but there was silence, so ignored them for a while longer. Finally, 'bright spark' (that's me) thought, there must be something there to cause those shaddows, so i followed the curve of the door to the higher portion of my wall, remembering there was a non-frosted-glass frieze above my door.... that was when my eyes met some 50+ year old be-speckled man, who was staring directly at me in all my glory, naked- in the bath without bubbles..... given my understandable fright/shame/shock/displeasure at catching this stalker/peeping Tom, what did i do? Did i chase out after him torch burning to set light to this lascivious creature? Did i set my cats on him to lick him to death? No! I just closed my bathroom door!!!!

Shaken, i continued in my bath for another hour or so!
When Mr Nightie got home, i told him of my good news (Sunday signed) and my bad news (peeping Tom)... and to comfort me Mr Nightie gave me two scenarios - both equally funny...
scenario 1 "you've probably ruined that guy's whole day!... his whole career... he's probably some telephone engineer that's scared to return to his office in case there's a warrant out for his arrest due to his leering through folk's windows."
scenario 2 "he jumped down from his window mid 'cracking one off' (forgive Mr Nightie's language) lamenting that he missed the opportunity to 1. finish, and 2. steal your signed 'Sunday' print."

Trust Mr Nightie to put a shaky experience into perspective!!
Today, this is really making me smile! It's also making me think, it's time to start using bubblebath

[I am a Ghost]

Okay, i should have posted this yesterday, since that's when it happened, but i was way too wound up in the joy of my beautifully signed 'Sunday' print and i had ballet to go to... so here it is today....

It was lunch time, and i was in my house, in the bath ... all exit doors locked, bathroom door ajar (okay, wide open - for the cats) and music quietly playing and soothing me, cats at my side on the floor next to the bath.

I'd been laying there in my bleach bath (note, no bubbles), for around an hour and i'd just gotten round to washing my hair when i started seeing shaddows at my side door (my house has a double entry front door and a single entry side door - and you can clearly see the side door from my bathroom). Anyway, i glanced at the frosted glass portion of the side door, just to make sure nobody was there - didn't see anything, so i continued to enjoy my naked with no bubbles bath. The shaddows persisted, but there was silence, so ignored them for a while longer. Finally, 'bright spark' (that's me) thought, there must be something there to cause those shaddows, so i followed the curve of the door to the higher portion of my wall, remembering there was a non-frosted-glass frieze above my door.... that was when my eyes met some 50+ year old be-speckled man, who was staring directly at me in all my glory, naked- in the bath without bubbles..... given my understandable fright/shame/shock/displeasure at catching this stalker/peeping Tom, what did i do? Did i chase out after him torch burning to set light to this lascivious creature? Did i set my cats on him to lick him to death? No! I just closed my bathroom door!!!!

Shaken, i continued in my bath for another hour or so!
When Mr Nightie got home, i told him of my good news (Sunday signed) and my bad news (peeping Tom)... and to comfort me Mr Nightie gave me two scenarios - both equally funny...
scenario 1 "you've probably ruined that guy's whole day!... his whole career... he's probably some telephone engineer that's scared to return to his office in case there's a warrant out for his arrest due to his leering through folk's windows."
scenario 2 "he jumped down from his window mid 'cracking one off' (forgive Mr Nightie's language) lamenting that he missed the opportunity to 1. finish, and 2. steal your signed 'Sunday' print."

Trust Mr Nightie to put a shaky experience into perspective!!
Today, this is really making me smile! It's also making me think, it's time to start using bubblebath

Hey, I'm 45, not 50+!

[CrystalGeezer]

Oh Nightie and Ghost, HILARIOUS!

[nightingale+therose]

Hey, I'm 45, not 50+!

tee hee - if your hair wasn't white before Ghostie, it will be now,... sorry if i made you gouge your eyes out!

[I am a Ghost]

tee hee - if your hair wasn't white before Ghostie, it will be now,... sorry if i made you gouge your eyes out!

Ooh you was gouge-ous. Propa gouge.

[nightingale+therose]

Ooh you was gouge-ous. Propa gouge.

= the 'like' button

so you get a = and a cheeky git =

[nightingale+therose]

My baby cat Mya had hiccups, so i tried to frighten her (you know, to get rid of them) but she took it the wrong way and is now in a big huff with me....

but i don't care, cause tonight Matthew, i'll be leaving her and her mum Tibby in the grand company of Mr Nighty, whilst i go out and leer at big man-swans at the ballet!

[CrystalGeezer]

me: I think I need to lose some weight.

gramma: The key is to eat vegetables and not eat a lot of meat.

me: Well the meat part is easy because I'm a vegetarian. The problem is I love cheese.

gramma: Well cheese comes from a cow.

me: No gramma, I'm not a vegan, they don't eat dairy products at all, I just don't eat anything that has a face.

gramma: Well I bet when she was making the cheese she made a face.



me: True, true.

[nightingale+therose]

^^ Brilliant CG, brilliant!

[Dizzy]

A video of a man falling over

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWIdUHF2lUU

Ah, the simple things...

[CrystalGeezer]

A video of a man falling over

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWIdUHF2lUU

Ah, the simple things...

Was he peeing? Lol!

[Jackie London]

Today a 3 year old told me: "Get your boobs out of the way!!!".

[DAVIE]

I was looking up the stairs in college and I saw up a girls skirt....she was wearing a thong....niceee.
As for the rest of the day, it was shit and I hate college

[CrystalGeezer]

My song canary Jerry is moulting and it looks like he has constant bedhead.

[Jackie London]

I was looking up the stairs in college and I saw up a girls skirt....she was wearing a thong....niceee.
As for the rest of the day, it was shit and I hate college

I went to the same class as a girl who always wore a skirt and insisted on not wearing anything underneath. And she didn't wax or shave or anything. She also insisted on calling Jesus "god's gift" instead of Jesus. I don't know which was most annoying, the skirt or the jesus thing.