Google and Bald Squirrels

Google Groups is giving me FITS. I'm trying to move my SMA Support chat group off of our server and onto a Google Group, which in theory is going to be a very good thing, but in practice has become a giant headache. They are so "careful" not to let spammers in, that they won't let me join anybody up to the thing. It is taking me days and days of adding members in fits and starts before I get "flagged" and have to stop for the day again. I've waited a total of 8 days waiting to be "reviewed", and mostly "denied" in adding members. I've tried to talk to a real person without success. The "help group" on line basically said "Just add 10 per day and it'll let them on." 1) Why didn't google tell me that themselves instead of making me learn the 'cheat', and 2) Who has that many days to add 116 members? Good thing I'm not in a hurry or anything. I'm up to 85 members added I believe. *sigh* I keep telling myself it'll be much better once we get settled in. I just dislike having to do something more than once, and I *really* dislike being stopped cold when I'm in Project Mode and trying to Finally Finish something that has been needing worked on for a long time. End rant. (For now).

I was leaving my house for lunch today, when I looked up and found myself staring at a squirrel. He was standing on my sidewalk on his hind feet with a nut in his paws, just 3 feet away from me, and he wasn't bothered by me in the least. In fact he was staring back at me looking a little aggressive, and I had a flashback of Chevy Chase and the Christmas movie and the squirrel scene. When I walked past him, he didn't even move away from me, and I could have reached out and touched him. He finally quit staring at me and turned his head, and I stopped and did a double-take because the top of his head all the way down to his shoulders was completely bare of hair. It wasn't patchy or thin, it looked like he'd been shaved for a medical experiment or was trying out a cool new "do" or something. It was weird, man. (I'm obviously wondering about disease at this point.) I got into my car shaking my head and wondering if I was losing it, thinking about staring aggressive male balding squirrels...what's worse is that I suggested he move when I backed up. Out loud. Then I didn't look just in case he didn't. Goodyear beats Rocky every time. Fortunately, he moved. (That's Rocky the Flying Squirrel for all you youngsters out there, not Sylvester Stallone, though I think Goodyear might beat him too at the right speed and surprise level.)

Lunch was Long John Silver's, which is something I enjoy once in a blue moon but wouldn't like a steady diet of. :) It was good today. It was a pretty day, but cold, and now it's clouded over again. Boy do I miss Fall. Or Spring. Or something warmer and bluer than what I've had. Tonight is Kaylee's Awanas, and it's doubles night, which means you're supposed to bring a friend and dress as a twin, or just wear two of things, for extra points for your team. So I'll put her hair in pigtails and a few other things and go with it. I just *love* theme days...I *never* forget to do stuff like this to the detriment of my poor daughter. (Insert eyeroll here). I'm trying to do better, I've had this one on the fridge all week so I wouldn't forget. :)

Happy Birthday to the 'nephew' I haven't gotten to meet yet, Mr. Gabriel Carlson! One year old Today! *sniff* Good thing his mommy sends me pictures sometimes. I have to get out to Iowa...

Quotes titled "Criticism" came to my inbox today. There is something I admittedly don't generally do well with, particularly if it is offered in any kind of negative way...

"I do not regret having braved public opinion, when I knew it was wrong and was sure it would be merciless."
~Horace Greeley

"Many great ideas have been lost because the people who had them couldn’t handle being laughed at."
~Author unknown