The Edge of Empty

Drivers on this naval facility must get awful tired. First, they can't stop on the pavement... so some must have tried parking on the grass. If that weren't bad enough, pedestrians can't stop either.  At least I didn't see any don't walk on grass signs.

AE climbed in too his travel carrier and looked up as if to say "Let's go". I guess he is ready for Ferret Fridays to get going again.

I am glad to report that tastes in Norfolk, Virginia, aren't all  unusual  as evidenced by the mecca of goodness pictured below. I know that many of you will dispute my favorite caramel colored beverage as the elixir of life. And for you and your life, that may be true. But for me, the day doesn't begin until an icy cold Coca-Cola has been opened and I have heard that beautiful  sound  that only carbonated beverages can make. (BTW, the sound even has its own  Facebook page . And just to keep the blog educational go  here  for the science behind the sound). I have always said that it is a good thing that I wasn't around back when it still had  cocaine  in the formula. There is no need to lecture me on the dangers of soda--this is my one bad habit and I have no desire to break it.

I grew up in the Deep South so I am very familiar with the strange concoctions that Southern cooks make from tomatoes. However, I have never heard of the item advertised on this sign by the restaurant Taste in Norfolk, VA. I must say that it doesn't sound like a good thing, but this recipe from Simply Recipes may change my mind. Anyone out there ever tried Tomato Pie or have a recipe to share?

For several years now, we have made it a tradition to support the Officer Down Memorial Page  (ODMP) by participating in the Police Week 5k .  The number of family members who participate varies from year to year but I must say that the best year for me was the one that all four of us ran.  Since Youngest is majoring in Police Studies (like his Mama--aaahh), I don't see this tradition coming to an end any time soon. Each year, the race finishes adjacent to the National Law Enforcement Memorial.  This is a sobering yet fitting reminder of the reason for Police Week. Last year ,  I discussed the memorial a bit.  This year I wanted to focus more on the reasons for the memorial and what it represents. One of the most emotional aspects of participating in the 5k is that each runner is assigned a fallen officer for whom they run.  This year, the Hubster will be running for  Deputy Sheriff Robert Leo Britton, Jr.  of Smith County Sheriff's Office ...

A friend shared this photo with me of a trash can in a government building in Florida, and I thought you might enjoy it as well.

If you are in false alarm prevention and aren't in Albuquerque, then you are missing out on a great opportunity to learn, network, and have a bit of fun. The 16th annual False Alarm Reduction Association (FARA) Symposium has begun and the fun is just beginnning. The President opened the symposium with an introduction to the Board Members and a round of applause for all of the sponsors. This was followed by a presentation of the new website and the FARA Forums by the chair of the Website Committee.  The Conference Committee announced a sneak peek of next year's  symposium in Orlando. A super presentation  by the Albuquerque Visitors Bureau gave all a bit of history and some places to see while here.  A round of Autograph Bingo gave attendees a fun way to meet other attendees and learn a bit about them. There is so much to come and I will be updating throughout the week.

It has been quite a while since I had time to post more than once or twice a week.  I certainly haven't had a chance to share amusing sites from my travels. This past weekend, I found myself on the road taking Eldest back to school after spring break.  aAfter 15 hours in the car, I must say that I was not finding much amusing. However, the situation changed when I saw the sign below: If you don't understand why I found this amusing, maybe seeing where it was posted will help. IMG_1991 , a photo by Michelle on the Edge on Flickr. With gas prices hovering around $4 per gallon, I certainly didn't expect to find amusement at a service station.  At least the proprietor seems to have a sense of humor.

DSCF0312 , a photo by Michelle on the Edge on Flickr. It occurred to me that we had not added to the travel series in a while. Today, A E wishes to share the items that he believes are a must for traveling. First, the small pet carrier with fleece cuddle bed inside, the small animal play yard  (with mat to contain messes), his water bowl (fountain is optional, but A E won't get enough fluids without it), and toys. A E is using the tunnel in the picture, but his favorite pink swim goggles (stolen from the Hubster) are also shown. (A E was not fond of the plaid carpet at this hotel or the fleas that hitched a ride home with us). When we are home, A E roams anywhere on the first and second floors.  (He is not allowed in the basement because it has not been ferret-proofed--too much junk many hiding places).  When we are at work, he stays in his room.  At hotels, we have found many dangers even in pet friendly hotels.  Ferrets can get under beds and behin...

In the midst of winter, I thought a bit of green would be welcome so I went back to the travel pictures and found this photo taken at a rest stop in Pennsylvania last fall.  The Hubster has always had a fascination with having a pet lay on his shoulders.  A E is not so accommodating of this wish.  However, when a small ferret is out in the big world with really big trucks zooming by, a familiar shoulder is not such a bad place to be.

A E Ferret is shown here choosing his preferred seat (under a seat) on a recent road trip.  Most of the time, he travels in his carrier for safety, but on long trips, we sometimes allow him a little bit of freedom to stretch his legs between naps.  As you can see, he only has limited freedom.  He wears a leash so that he can't go play in the driver's foot well.

When travelling with a ferret (and other pets), it is good to bring along familiar toys and bedding so that they are comforted by something that they know. Hotel rooms are full of mysterious smells and places to explore so to keep A E out of mischief, we usually try to introduce a new toy to keep him occupied.  This time, we brought along a box filled with biodegradable packing peanuts.  I had seen the idea at the Doctors Foster & Smith website  and happened to have a bag of the peanuts on hand. He loved it!  Back at home, the rice bin is still his top choice, but the peanut box will go on car trips because it is light, easy to transport, and not messy. If you missed the special Halloween edition of Ferret Friday on Monday, be sure to check it out here .

At yet another rest stop, A E seemed to be thinking "It's a big scary world out there, but I feel safe here."

A Ferret would a walking go, mm hmm... A E enjoys a few minutes of exploration at a rest stop.

Our travels last weekend had us venturing through Columbus, Ohio.  Of course, I had to check out the local False Alarm ordinance.  My search began with a peek at  Municode .  This is one of the companies that helps local and state government organize (and create) their regulations. Fortunately for me,  Columbus is one of the cities that is listed with this service. I found the false alarm ordinance  for Columbus in the Business Regulation and Licensing section (title 5 chapter 597).  (If you are trying to find the ordinance for your area, quite often it can be found in the licensing or nuisance abatement sections but it can appear under business regulations or might even have a section all its own). Columbus has chosen the Licensing Section for the Department of Public Safety to administer the ordinance for the city.  This is fairly common across the country and is one way jurisdictions reduce costs.  It does make sense--issuing re...

On this holiday weekend, I thought I would mention some travel tips. I have referred for years to a great site called Factory Tours USA that lists many of the factory tours available across the county.  The listing is divided by state, and that is my favorite way to use it.  However, it is possible to search by category of manufactured item or by zip code.  I prefer the state option because I am never opposed to changing my course and trying a new route if it nets a cool field trip.  These detours generally have occurred when Hubster is not along for the ride because he prefers the quickest route method of traveling. As he ages, he is becoming more willing to take a side trip here and there as evidenced by our recent mine tour . The addition of A E Ferret to our family presented some new travel challenges for us that Pets Welcome  has helped us solve.  Of course, we could take him to his veterinarian who offers boarding service, but the thought of him be...

I have always been drawn to the strange and unusual, especially when it involves venturing off the highway onto back roads with the promise of an adventure.  On the way back from Youngest's college orientation, we found ourselves in Beckley, West Virginia at a McDonald's.  This was not our first choice, but sometimes you have to take what you can get.  While we were enjoying our fine dining experience, my eyes were drawn to this sign that was just visible from where we were sitting.  When we finished eating, I couldn't leave without a photo.  To my astonishment, Hubster asked if I wanted to visit the exhibit.  After I picked my jaw off the floor of the car, I responded "sure". With no more than that arrow pointing the way, we set off into the wilds of West Virginia.  Youngest swore he heard the sound of banjos.  After several miles of twists and turns,  I was beginning to think that we had missed a sign.To my relief, a sign appeared letting ...

During our recent trip to Kentucky, I came across an object that I thought no longer existed.  But there it was, so here it is. It is missing some vital elements such as windows and the bi-fold door, but it has some unique features such as bullet holes.

Today, we are starting a new feature here on The Edge of Empty called "Things that make you say Hmm!"  We will be discussing things that we encounter and don't know what they are or cause us to do a double take. Our subject today is another by-product of our trip to Philadelphia.  At one of our rest stops, we saw these strange looking contraptions in the truck parking area.  I am pretty sure that we were in Delaware at the time but the rest stop description on the I-95 Exit Guide website doesn't list anything particularly helpful for figuring out what the contraptions might have been.  (Did you know that there was a website devoted to rest stops on I-95?  Well there is, and there are sites for other highways as well.  Even better, they have apps in the App store and the Android Market.  Actually, there is a lot of helpful information on the website so check it out--after reading this post of course.  I will definitely be using the gas price link...

This past weekend, we were in Philadelphia for a triathlon. As we drove through Philadelphia, we saw signs and ice cream trucks advertising water ice.  Of course, we aren't above amusing ourselves by poking fun at things that strike us as unusual, and something called water ice certainly falls into that category.  Now,  I don't know what they make ice out of normally in Philadelphia, but everywhere I have lived, water seems to be the main ingredient.  What ran through your head when you read the title for this post? Anyway, I felt guilty later about poking fun so I decided to do a little research.  My research shows that water ice is Philly-ese for Italian ice.  Having never been to Italy, that didn't shed a lot of light on the subject for me.   More research turns up that it is not water at all but fruit juices or fruit puree frozen in a similar fashion to ice cream.  By composition, it more closely resembles sherbet but is made without any da...