I was doing a chore or two around The Ranch today and
came across this what I believe is an Agave huachucensis,
more commonly called Huachuca agave. This is the
very center of the succulent.

It is native to the Southwestern United
States and northern Mexico.

This Huachuca agave is about 18 inches in
diameter and I will tell you what...

You do NOT want to tangle
with these things.

Jason Statham plus price comes down equals MINE.

Meg 2: The Trench.

Oh yeah.

I had posted a while back that I wanted to make a 2023

vs. 2024 picture of my Birthday Cactus and here it is.

After a year, I don't know... It doesn't look like it has

grown much. It just looks like the soil has settled and

the cactus is a little lower in the pot. 'Bout it I spect.

We will see about it next January.

Here is what I think is a really beautiful cactus out in

back of the Ranch House. Little bit of moss going on.

Didn't expect that.

!!! NEED A LIFT TUESDAY BONUS PHOTO !!!

Here is a picture of Reno Raines AKA Vince

Black from the show "Renegade". It has been

hanging up on the file cabinet to the right of my

computer desk for some time now. When I need

a lift, I look over there.

Mr. Sock Monkey is alive.

"Serve the public trust, protect the
innocent, uphold the law."
A NECA Robocop Exclusive 7 inch action

figure that GLOWS IN THE DARK!

How about a flock of water whistle
birds at the Indian Store?

It's all about the corn!

Happy National Popcorn Day 2024!
(Brim's cheese popcorn from Dollar Tree)

I've always loved garden departments. The smell of
the greenery, the dirt, the mists of water.... I love
listening to the waterfall sounds of the little

fountains they sell.

Everything always seems so fresh.

This one is Home Depot.

Do you know what else smells wonderful?
The lumber department. Yeah.

TRANSMISSION #3

One of items that I wanted to buy for my birthday this year

was a new small mechanics bag for some simple emergency

items/tools that I keep in the car. I was slightly suprised

that I had to go to three different surplus stores to find one.

At the last store they had about four left. That's good
enough, so after a little quality inspection of each
bag, one of them came home with me.

I bought this lucky coin for my birthday in 2017 and have kept

it with me in my purse or bag ever since. Every birthday I take

it out of my bag and put it in my pocket for the entirety of my

vacation. Silly I know, but it can't hurt, right? Just a tradition.

I do like what it says on the back of the coin:

"If you remember that the greatest strength

comes from within, you can do anything."

That keeps you kind of grounded. Anyway, on this last day

of my Annual Birthday Extravaganza for 2024 the coin will

go back into my purse for another year. It was a fun extravaganza

and I feel very fortunate that my family and I have been safe and

have done fine for another year.

I'm already looking forward to Birthday
Extravaganza 2025!
(Except the nuther year older part.)

And meanwhile, back at the mall for my

continuing Annual Birthday Extravaganza...

Here's a jumpy guy.

Not at the mall. At Home Depot. I bought a wrench to
add to the bag I have in the car for emergencies.
 I took this picture at sunset and the

lighting was not agreeable. 

Anyway, I will have to show that
emergency car bag someday.

It's Mr. Meeseeks and Morty from Rick

and Morty. My son won these at the miniature

golf arcade during our annual trip there for his

birthday (which was three months late this year

due to circumstances).

As I was driving along our road a coyote crossed

in front of me. We took a minute or two to look

at each other...

...before he walked off
into the brush.

Here are a couple more things I picked up at the Army Navy surplus

store. The large safety pins haven't been that easy for me to find so

I picked up two. They are good for all KINDS of things, hanging

things to dry, etc. And the Hoppe's (again, pronounced hop-eez)

oil I bought mainly for the pinpoint applicator. These are
 great for firearms and knives.

Whoever thought that these Adirondack chairs at the mall were a

good idea.... Well... When I sit in one all I do is slide to the bottom.
They are so smooth and slippery that when I attempt to sit and have
access to the tabletop... Let's just say that I am sure
that it is a fun thing to watch.

Well looky what I found! Evil Dead Rise! The price did
finally come down so tonight I am going to let it scare me.

The Birthday Extravaganza continues! Today I had
my first chocolate shake in two years. I chose
Jack in the Box to get the deed done.

As you can imagine,
it was SO good.

I also went the the Army Navy store to pick
up a thing or two and found another addition
for my bedroom door. A patch from the movie
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

My bedroom door
is getting crazy.

Oh, and at some point while I was out and about my

hoodie got stuck in the car door while at the same

time the car door was stuck in it won't unlock so

can I open it mode and it turned into a whole

thing and yeah...

Last Wednesday I bought this cactus for my birthday.
Today I transplanted him into his new home.

And now he sits in my bathroom window next to the

birthday cactus I bought one year ago. Very

handsome fellers I'd say.

And as always I will do my very best
to keep them happy and thriving.

And to end the day, another beautiful

sunset here at El Rancho.

Yesterday I showed a picture of a bag at the mall.
What could be in there? Turns out that it IS my annual
Star Wars figure purchase from Comics-N-Stuff to add
to the other birthday figures I have displayed
behind my television.

It is Zam Wessell from Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of

the Clones. Zam Wessell is a shapeshifting bounty hunter.

Zam was hired by Jango Fett to kill Padmé Amidala.

Bad Zam. Very bad Zam.

Fortunately Zam was unsuccsessful and Amidala

went on to live a... well, you know.

Here is Zam Wessell out of the box in what I am pretty

sure is Zam's natural appearance (which is actually a

little mask that comes with the figure). The default

figure's appearance is that of a human. This figure

was made by Hasbro in 2002, I figure.

And now Zam Wessel takes her place at home with

all of the other annual birthday purchases. Looks

good there I'm thinkin'. However, this tradition may
come to an end after one more year as I am running
out of room. Time and space will tell. But for now
I am really happy to have added
Zam to the collection.

My Birthday Extravaganza vacation continues!

I finally, FINALLY...

...found one of the belts I need over at
Boot Barn. It only took a year. Now I just need to

find the one I want for my job and I am good to
go. So far this day is productive.

Productive AND yummy. My first banana/banana

smoothie in 4 years as they finally reopened a

Surf City Squeeze at the mall.
Heaven, man. Heaven.

And what could THIS be? Could it be an annual

Star Wars figure purchase from Comics-N-Stuff to

add to the other birthday figures I have displayed

behind my television? I hope so!

And look what my son and my mom gave to me

for my birthday! SISU!

"GLORIOUS CARNAGE"

I'm excited.
This shows at Borden Cinema tonight!

Look at all of this wonderful candy I
spotted while out and about on
my Birthday Extravaganza!

Waaaaiiit just a minute here. Hey. That isn't candy. They're
WIRE connectors. Home Depot. I should have KNOWN.
Never mind.

I am on my vacation and doing my Annual Birthday
Extravaganza. Today I went to Home Depot and...

...bought another cactus for my bathroom window.

This guy is beautiful. I'm going to put him in 

another pot in a day or two and I will post

a picture of him after I do. Huzzah!
The Extravaganza continues tomorrow.

!!! WEDNESDAY BONUS PHOTO !!!

I found a french fry in the car.

As I have written before, the rule here at El Rancho is that

our outdoor Christmas lights go up on Thanksgiving, and

come down on New Year's Day. I unfortunately (or fortunately

depending on how you look at it) worked yesterday. So this

year our lights came down today, the 2nd.

A less exciting event that when they go up to be certain,
but it gives my son and I a chance to spend some time
together, so it is all good.

And we do have a system. The whole operation goes
smoothly and pretty darn quick. It makes it really easy to
hang the lights up again next year, the Lord willing
and the creek don't rise.

AND it never fails that when we do put up or take down

our lights that the sun is in juuuuuuusssst the right position

to blind us as we work. That is why we invented the "Ye Old

Sun Blocker©". One of us holds the Ye Old Sun Blocker© for

the other as they work so that it shades their eyes from
the sun and presto! Problem solved.

You can't buy the Ye Old Sun Blocker© yet, but

we are working on getting it out there.
Happy New Year!

Happy New Year 2024!