Messin' with Chuck

We went to Chuck E. Cheese the other day for my great-nephew's 7th birthday. Nobody pays any attention to Chuck anymore. The kids either want to play or eat their pizza. They really don't want anything to do with the giant rat. I thought I'd get up there and give Chuck some company. I tried answering his phone, but since it was time to eat it was just a telemarketer calling.

Father's Day Love

Love can show up in mysterious ways, like this heart-shaped russet

potato at Winn-Dixie on

 Sunday. I hope somebody snapped it up as a great way to tell Dad they love him, along with a nice steak.

Watch Out for the

 Slow Children

Found this hand-painted sign today at the trailer park behind Walgreens. You can rent by the week or month. But don't go any faster than 5 MHP through there, whatever that is.

Romance in the Swamp

Sent in by Emotional Taxidermy's Astute Reader, Romance in the Swamp comes to us via Silver Springs, Florida. Go to any bar late on a Saturday night and I think you'll find we as a species aren't that far removed from our prehistoric brethren in the swamps. Thanks, Astute Reader – you know what I like!

Courtship

Breeding season is directly related to temperature and lasts six to eight weeks.

Courtship activities occur in three phases and serves to synchronize the breeding cycle of males and females.

Phase 1: Attracting members of the opposite sec by bellowing and headslapping.

Phase 2: Pair formation. Male and female touch each other's snout, produce a cough-like sound and swim together. This behavior signals non-aggressive intentions. At this point either partner may end the courtship with a series of bellows and growls and swim away. Generally females select the males. Once a pair is formed, courtship continues with sounds, snout touching, back rubbing, circling, bubble blowing and spewing water from the nostrils.

Phase 3: Copulation, which can last for 15 minutes and is repeated over several days.

Larger males and females have an extended breeding season. Larger females will mate first so that if smaller females mate at all it will be late in the breeding season at the end of the ovulation cycle. Nests of smaller females may contain many infertile or malformed eggs. Not all females nest in a given year. After courtship the males disperse and the females begin the task of preparing nests.

Fun at Sam's Club

Found an interesting box the other day during a trip to Sam's. Looks like the employees have been having a bit of fun.

The Lil' Red Wagon of DOOM! has cool flames on both sides. Also, the word "Red" is crossed out in pen and "Station" is written in above it. I love it when people have fun at work. Yay, Sam's Club employees!