And it’s even later here, so I feel even more guilty.
Of course I have an excuse; and unlike most of my excuses, it’s a really good one!
That old joker, 2013, decided to go out with a literal bang by dropping a tree on my house. Consequently I’ve been a little…distracted.
Not to mention behind in my New Year’s Resolutions by 1st January – a new record!
However…
2013 was indeed a right bee-yotch of a year and I for one am profoundly grateful to see the back of it.
And while I’m not going to make any foolhardy promises for 2014, either on my own behalf or on behalf of the others, I think I can say that we will at least be trying to get ourselves back in some sort of order.
.
As always, our sincere thanks and gratitude to those of you who have stuck by us through a very rough ride, and here’s hoping for smoother (and more productive!) sailing in the future.
Liz Kingsley is the insane genius behind And You Call Yourself a Scientist!
#1 by RogerBW on January 2, 2014 - 11:43 pm
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Jinkies. Glad you’re OK.
#2 by lyzard on January 2, 2014 - 11:47 pm
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Oh, I’m fine. It’s bad enough, but it could have been a lot worse.
It was a hell of a shock at the time but now I’ve reached the hysterical laughter phase.
#3 by The Rev. on January 3, 2014 - 2:27 am
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YAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!
Naturally, this is directed to your long-awaited New Year’s post with the typical gorgeous shot from Sydney, not to the tree falling on your house. Was it weather-related or did it just get old and give out? I hope it’s not going to cost you a fortune in repairs.
I hope your 2014 is better as well; I know you occasionally mentioned the asshole 2013 was being to you.
And finally, Happy New Year’s to all my B-Brethren!
#4 by Alaric on January 3, 2014 - 2:31 am
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Yay! Now I feel as if the year has really started!
Sorry to hear about your house. Exactly what kind of lab-grown monstrosity dropped the tree on it, anyway? And how did it escape from your basement?
#5 by josé on January 3, 2014 - 2:46 am
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Tree falling? Memories of Squirm and those bad, bad worms…
Now the year has officially started, with that big eye on the bridge (bad, bad eye!). Happy New Year, B-Masters!
#6 by The Rev. on January 4, 2014 - 12:40 am
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….I didn’t notice that eye before, but now I cannot unsee it.
I wonder if that was purposeful, or a random happenstance?
#7 by Braineater on January 4, 2014 - 1:20 am
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It’s Sydney’s salute to the Green Slime.
#8 by lyzard on January 4, 2014 - 1:39 am
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I’ve been thinking The Crawling Eye, myself.
At other points in the show that eye became a flying saucer…
#9 by lyzard on January 3, 2014 - 2:57 am
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Aw, thank you, all!
Was it weather-related or did it just get old and give out?
Both. We had a severe windstorm and a failing tree down the side of my house snapped at its base and fell forward, hit a second tree in its path and snapped that one in half, and ended up resting on the caved-in left-front corner of my roof, with the half of the other tree caught precariously between it and a rather scraggy grevillea in my front garden. The disembodied half wobbled back and forth for some time but thankfully ended up staying where it was; otherwise it probably would have taken out my awning and balcony and/or my neighbour’s garage. Didn’t do the tiles much good, though.
No, no worms revealed – nor yet any termites, which is what I was expecting.
The insurance is SUPPOSED to be taking care of things; we’ll see.
#10 by The Rev. on January 4, 2014 - 12:45 am
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Ah, so insurance companies are the same all over? Seems like this’d be covered under “act of God” or whatever. Good luck with them.
I wonder what was causing it to fail, then, if not munching bugs.
We had a weeping willow near our place succumb to the ice storm last month (all that ice on all those long, droopy branches) and were astonished to see how hollow its trunk was. From the outside there was no indication of anything wrong. I have no idea if it was insects or disease or what. Frankly, it’s probably just as well it came down when it did, but it was the only one in the area so we’ll miss it nonetheless.
#11 by Jen S 1.0 on January 3, 2014 - 7:23 pm
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Oh my GOD, thank God you’re okay!
I mean I was totally bitching out 2014 for that fogbank completely blocking our view of the Space Needle fireworks, and then the couch we ordered from Sears two months ago finally showing up only to not fit into our hallway so we had to send it back and still have no couch so I’ve informed 2014 that it can either kiss my rump or start getting itself in shape, but I didn’t have a damn TREE fall on my house!
#12 by DamonD on January 6, 2014 - 11:42 am
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Sorry about the lousy 2013, but best wishes to you and everyone here for a happy 2014 🙂
#13 by supersonic man on January 6, 2014 - 4:38 pm
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Yeep.
That tree didn’t have, like, a scowling face subtly bas-reliefed into the bark, did it?
#14 by Dawn on March 8, 2022 - 12:29 pm
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This entry showed up in the ‘From the Vault’ section, and I found it interesting. My brother in Tennesse just had a bad ice storm with some trees falling. No major damage, but he went up on the ice-covered slippery roof with a chain-saw to cut some of the branches.
Three word you never want to hear together – ice, roof, and chain-saw. (or five words – my brother)
Hope the insurance finally came through.