Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Jury Duty
I had Jury Duty this week. I find the Jury process interesting. This is the second time I’ve been picked to join the jury pool, but I still haven’t seen a trial. Four years ago, my trial was related to a car-jacking that went bad. I wasn’t chosen and I think it was because my sister is part of the judicial system. The trial this week was a statutory rape case and the defendant pled guilty during the voir dire part of the trial. I knew the defense attorney through my sister, so I probably wouldn’t have been picked for this jury either. So I only spent a day at the courthouse and I won’t have to do Jury Duty again for at least 3 years. I don’t think I want to have someone’s future in my hands though. I think we have one of the best judicial systems in the world, but it isn't perfect by any means. I think I would try to fair and impartial, but I would hate to be responsible for sending someone to jail for who knows how many years if they were really innocent.
Oscar Party
Michelle had her annual Oscar Party again this year. She puts a lot of effort into it and it always turns out so well. We walked up the path to her house on the lighted red carpet. The party strobe light was rockin’ at the top of the steps. Inside we were greeted with a variety of movie and golden statue themed décor. Michelle had a well-stocked food table. Cake, cheesecake bites, vegetables and dip, shrimp and cocktail sauce, cucumber sandwiches, cheese and crackers, toasted ravioli, etc. My favorite was her mom’s apple streudal cheesecake bites. Yummy! I could eat the whole plate by myself. Michelle held a gambling pool to see who could pick the winner in the most categories. I got 7 and I think I had one of the lowest scores at the party. But then again I only saw one of the Oscar movies, Slumdog Millionaire, and I didn’t think it would win that much. I was wrong. I did win a beaded necklace, though. Throughout the night Michelle reads off a trivia question related to the major films of the night and whoever guesses right first gets to pick a prize from her Oscar movie themed gifts purchased from the dollar store. My beaded necklace was rainbow themed in honor of the movie, Milk.
The winners of the night were:
Best Picture - “Slumdog Millionaire”
The winners of the night were:
Best Picture - “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Actress – Kate Winslet, “The Reader”
Best Actor – Sean Penn, “Milk”
Best Supporting Actress – Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Best Supporting Actor – Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”
Mardi Gras 2009
I’ll just start off by admitting I’m a lame-ass. I’ve been excited for Mardi Gras for about a month and a half, and yet I never even hit the street party.
I had taken off the day before the Saturday celebration, so I could relax before the party and try to get a headstart on the cleaning and food prep work. I ended up staying up until 4 in the morning and not getting most of what I wanted done. I got up at 9 am and got ready for the party and scrambled to get everything made and everything hidden that I wanted to hide.
I made chicken wing dip, a broccoli/cheese/ham crescent ring, cocktail wieners, olive cheese balls, pizza dip, BT bites, tortilla rolls, frog eyes, bloodmary dip with vodka soaked vegetables, ranch dip with regular vegetables, Fritos and Doritos. So we had a nice spread for our guests. Tara bought beer and made jello shots. We decided on blackberry fusion, melon fusion, and pineapple for our flavors. There is still debate on whether we should have used blackberry fusion or grape for the purple jello shots. I say the blackberry is too dark and grape has wider crowd appeal. Tara thinks blackberry tastes better. She also thinks the color of melon fusion is too light for the green jello shots, but I think melon fusion tastes better than lime. Green Apple would have been the best choice, but Jello doesn’t make Green Apple anymore. Damn them! :)
I had taken off the day before the Saturday celebration, so I could relax before the party and try to get a headstart on the cleaning and food prep work. I ended up staying up until 4 in the morning and not getting most of what I wanted done. I got up at 9 am and got ready for the party and scrambled to get everything made and everything hidden that I wanted to hide.
I made chicken wing dip, a broccoli/cheese/ham crescent ring, cocktail wieners, olive cheese balls, pizza dip, BT bites, tortilla rolls, frog eyes, bloodmary dip with vodka soaked vegetables, ranch dip with regular vegetables, Fritos and Doritos. So we had a nice spread for our guests. Tara bought beer and made jello shots. We decided on blackberry fusion, melon fusion, and pineapple for our flavors. There is still debate on whether we should have used blackberry fusion or grape for the purple jello shots. I say the blackberry is too dark and grape has wider crowd appeal. Tara thinks blackberry tastes better. She also thinks the color of melon fusion is too light for the green jello shots, but I think melon fusion tastes better than lime. Green Apple would have been the best choice, but Jello doesn’t make Green Apple anymore. Damn them! :)
Around 3pm, I hit a wall and went upstairs and took a nap while our party was still happening. I know, I’m a great host. My sister woke me up later to let me know they were heading to the street party and to Billy’s for their party. I wussed out and stayed home, slept until 7 and then watched TV for the rest of the night. I’m so lame. :(
I wish I had gone to Billy’s party. He rented a place for the weekend across from Carson’s bar in Soulard. That was in the heart of the merriment. They had installed a stripper pole and a bunch of red lights. He was charging $25 to get in, but we got free bracelets because he’s such a nice guy. I heard they had a lot of fun. My sister even took a swing on the stripper pole. …fully clothed, with her winter coat on. They say there are pictures, but I haven’t seen them. Speaking of pictures, here are a few from our party:
I wish I had gone to Billy’s party. He rented a place for the weekend across from Carson’s bar in Soulard. That was in the heart of the merriment. They had installed a stripper pole and a bunch of red lights. He was charging $25 to get in, but we got free bracelets because he’s such a nice guy. I heard they had a lot of fun. My sister even took a swing on the stripper pole. …fully clothed, with her winter coat on. They say there are pictures, but I haven’t seen them. Speaking of pictures, here are a few from our party:
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Soulard Dog Parade
The dog parade was a lot of fun this year. Bogey did really well even though he is skittish. He was exhausted when he got home. He and his momma (Tara) slept for 4 hours straight.
My sister, Bogey and I headed out around noon. We met up with Preston, Molly, Michelle, and Vivi. We stayed at the urban dog park while the parade was going on. We met up with Pickles, Quinn, her husband, and her daughter Natalie while we were there. Then headed out to the Frenchtown Dog Park after the parade was over, where we met up with Danny, his wife and their dog, Patty. We tried the leash free side of the dog park for a little while (Run Free. Play Safe.), but it didn't work out very well for the dogs. Bogey was scared but Patty, and Vivi played hard and had fun. I wimped out around 3pm. So it was a short day, but a fun day.
This is the official greeting at the dog parade.
Bogey says "Hi!" to Patty.
Here's a few photos from the parade. Nothing too exciting.
The kid about to jump off the roof in the next picture was screaming at the top of his lungs for literally 5 minutes straight. It's amazing he didn't pass out and fall into the crowd. I'm sure the dogs loved his enthusiasm. Just like they loved the cops turning on their sirens to get them to move.
Tara and Bogey pose for a few photos.
Preston and Molly pose for a few photos.
Patty is on the Left. Pickles is on the right.
My sister, Bogey and I headed out around noon. We met up with Preston, Molly, Michelle, and Vivi. We stayed at the urban dog park while the parade was going on. We met up with Pickles, Quinn, her husband, and her daughter Natalie while we were there. Then headed out to the Frenchtown Dog Park after the parade was over, where we met up with Danny, his wife and their dog, Patty. We tried the leash free side of the dog park for a little while (Run Free. Play Safe.), but it didn't work out very well for the dogs. Bogey was scared but Patty, and Vivi played hard and had fun. I wimped out around 3pm. So it was a short day, but a fun day.
This is the official greeting at the dog parade.
Bogey says "Hi!" to Patty.
Here's a few photos from the parade. Nothing too exciting.
The kid about to jump off the roof in the next picture was screaming at the top of his lungs for literally 5 minutes straight. It's amazing he didn't pass out and fall into the crowd. I'm sure the dogs loved his enthusiasm. Just like they loved the cops turning on their sirens to get them to move.
Tara and Bogey pose for a few photos.
Preston and Molly pose for a few photos.
Patty is on the Left. Pickles is on the right.
Bogey is on the left. Vivi is on the right.
Valentine's Day
Jeff and I had a good V-Day….mostly. Jeff got a speeding ticket on his way to my house to start the night off. Thanks, motorcycle cop! We were already running behind so we headed out to Tucker’s which isn’t very far from my house. We should have just left my car at my house, because I ended up parking halfway home anyway. The Taste of St. Louis was wrapping up, and a lot of people had made their way to Tuckers, so there was no parking and a 30 minute wait at 5pm. We were seated around 5:40 and we let our server know we were hoping to be out the door by 6:30. Even with appetizers, salad, steak, 3 beers each and a chocolate martini, we still were paid and out the door by 6:26. Great job cute server dude and Tucker’s kitchen staff! We got to my car by 6:36 and were on our way to The Pageant for the 7pm Joel McHale show. I didn’t get lost even though I had to take a different way than normal thanks to I-40 being shut down. We arrived at the show and my tickets were standing room only, which Jeff claimed to not know, even though I swear I had told him twice. The show was packed, but we found a spot and got settled. Jeff went and got two Crown and Sprites which cost $26. Yes, that’s right, $26. For two drinks! About 7:15, Chris Porter opened for Joel McHale. He’s a comedian from Kansas City and I thought he was wonderful. The bulk of his material was about dating and that went over well with the mostly coupled out crowd on Valentine’s Day. Joel McHale went on after him and he was really funny, too. He started out making fun of St. Louis a little bit, then moved on to some of his interactions with celebrities because of his TV show, but his best material was about his family. Jeff and I had a really good time and this was our first comedy show together. Hopefully, we’ll be able to go to more in the future. After the show, we headed to The Pin Up Bowl, which is next door. I just wanted to drink some martinis. Jeff wanted to bowl, too, so he had to buy me a pair of socks because I wouldn’t put my feet in bowling shoes without socks. The Key Lime Pie martini from the Pin Up Bowl is my favorite all time martini. And they are strong…really strong. Jeff got a Grey Goose martini. We started bowling and their lanes are messed up. We aren’t great bowlers, but we were almost 2/3 of the way through the first game before either one of us got a strike or spare. Anyway, we played two games and shared 3 more martinis between the two of us. The Apple Pie tastes like the wassail we drank at The Madrigal Tea in high school. The Cranberry Lemon Drop was okay, but not great. The Appletini was really good, but it tasted just like the one I make. We had had too much to drink at this point and I thought it was around 2 in the morning, but it wasn’t even 11pm, yet. We got a cab and headed to Eat Rite. I had a bacon and cheese omelet with toast, hash browns, and a diet Pepsi. Jeff had a bacon cheeseburger, fries and water. It was yummy. We got another cab, headed home, and passed out. It was a great night and awful next day.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Why I think Valentine’s Day haters are so wrong!
Recently, I read on article on cnn.com dedicated to why everyone should say “No!” to Valentine’s Day. It’s been a while since an article on such a stupid topic has pissed me off so much. I’ve spent 90% of my Valentine’s Day’s single in my life and I love this holiday. Get some proper perspective on the holiday, people! So, here’s my rebuttal:
1. Valentine’s Day is a holiday about love, not who you are getting laid by or who you want to be laid by. When I was in grade school, we would decorate shoe boxes for Valentine’s Day. Our parents would purchase those cheap tacky valentines and we would give one to everyone in our class whether we liked the kid or not. Our teachers were not prepping us to have sex with everyone in the room. They were trying to teach us to have love and appreciation for everyone, not just the people we like in this world. Everyone has something to offer and something to be appreciated for in this world. Even the stinky creepy kid. And while, we may not have provided the valentines with the utmost sincerity, at least we made the effort. Too many humans just don’t make the effort in today’s world.
2. There are a variety of ways to love, not just love for who you are having sex with. There is love for your parents, love for your friends, love for your kids, love for your pets, etc. I’ve enjoyed this holiday because I’ve used it as an opportunity to send cards or buy candy or create little surprises for my friends, my sister, my parents, etc. Granted, I’ve got great people in my life, so my little gifts go over well because they aren’t expecting them. If you’ve got whiny materialistic friends and family, this may not go over as well.
3. In the article that pissed me off, the author was a guy and griped about this holiday only being about gifts for the female. What an asshole! What’s wrong with giving a gift and not expecting anything in return? I’m sorry you are so materialistic and selfish that you are only going to do something if it benefits you in the end. Plus, that’s once again your fault because you choose to date/marry selfish women. I do buy my boyfriend a gift and so do my female friends and family. It’s a lot harder finding something for a guy on Valentine’s Day than it is for a girl. You can’t buy a guy candy and flowers and they could give a crap about cards.
4. The argument that Valentine’s Day was created by card companies is an outright lie. And I’m asking that the next time you hear this lie, slap the idiot who says it in the back of the head. Even the laziest person can Google Valentine’s Day and find out that Valentine’s Day has been celebrated since Ancient Roman times. It may have been created by card companies in Ancient Rome, but somehow I doubt that.
5. Speaking of people to smack around, please smack anyone you hear saying Valentine’s Day should be called “Single Awareness Day” or anyone crying because they aren’t dating anyone of this one particular day of the year. You are a loser! You choose to do this to yourself, not society, not the card companies, not anyone but you. Who cares if you are single on Valentine’s Day and no one is buying you a card? You probably have love somewhere if your life (see #2). Be glad you aren’t in a physically or emotionally abusive relationship because you are too scared to be alone. Celebrate your strength for keeping your options open, allowing your one true love to come into your life. Be grateful for the life you live, not sad about the fantasy life you want. Life is constantly changing, enjoy where you are today because you won’t be there tomorrow.
6. Yes, Valentine’s Day has become over-commercialized. Just like Thanksgiving, Halloween, Christmas, the 4th of July and the Superbowl. Should we dump these holidays too?
7. I love the argument, “I love and appreciate (fill in the blank) everyday. Why do I need to be told a special day to let them know this, when I do it every day?” Usually, the person saying this doesn’t show love and appreciation every day and the thought of doing it even one day is more effort than they want to put into their relationship. But lets’ say the person making this argument isn’t full of shit and does actually show their love every day, I love my country every day, but that’s not going to stop me from celebrating the 4th of July. I’m thankful every day for what the Lord provides me, but I’m still going to celebrate Thanksgiving. Just because you do something every day, doesn’t mean taking a day to shine a little more focus on something is bad or pointless.
8. In the end, Valentine’s Day is what you make it. If you want to ignore it and go about your life, do it! If you want to spend your mortgage payment celebrating it, do it! If you want to celebrate it a week earlier or a week later, do it! It may be trickier if you are in a relationship and one person hates the holiday and the other person loves it. (On a side note: I would urge the hater to compromise more than they want to. I know it’s not fair, but isn’t seeing the v-day lover smiling worth your resentment over giving in to this ridiculous holiday that the card companies created? Don’t be fooled that their silent resentment over the annual snub won’t someday come back to bite you in the ass. You may think you won, but you only won the battle. You’ll lose the war.)
So, to sum it up. Valentine's Day is just one day a year. It's an opportunity, not a problem. There is no law you have to celebrate it, so don't be a whiny bitch to the rest of us because it's not your cup of tea.
Thank you and Good Night.
1. Valentine’s Day is a holiday about love, not who you are getting laid by or who you want to be laid by. When I was in grade school, we would decorate shoe boxes for Valentine’s Day. Our parents would purchase those cheap tacky valentines and we would give one to everyone in our class whether we liked the kid or not. Our teachers were not prepping us to have sex with everyone in the room. They were trying to teach us to have love and appreciation for everyone, not just the people we like in this world. Everyone has something to offer and something to be appreciated for in this world. Even the stinky creepy kid. And while, we may not have provided the valentines with the utmost sincerity, at least we made the effort. Too many humans just don’t make the effort in today’s world.
2. There are a variety of ways to love, not just love for who you are having sex with. There is love for your parents, love for your friends, love for your kids, love for your pets, etc. I’ve enjoyed this holiday because I’ve used it as an opportunity to send cards or buy candy or create little surprises for my friends, my sister, my parents, etc. Granted, I’ve got great people in my life, so my little gifts go over well because they aren’t expecting them. If you’ve got whiny materialistic friends and family, this may not go over as well.
3. In the article that pissed me off, the author was a guy and griped about this holiday only being about gifts for the female. What an asshole! What’s wrong with giving a gift and not expecting anything in return? I’m sorry you are so materialistic and selfish that you are only going to do something if it benefits you in the end. Plus, that’s once again your fault because you choose to date/marry selfish women. I do buy my boyfriend a gift and so do my female friends and family. It’s a lot harder finding something for a guy on Valentine’s Day than it is for a girl. You can’t buy a guy candy and flowers and they could give a crap about cards.
4. The argument that Valentine’s Day was created by card companies is an outright lie. And I’m asking that the next time you hear this lie, slap the idiot who says it in the back of the head. Even the laziest person can Google Valentine’s Day and find out that Valentine’s Day has been celebrated since Ancient Roman times. It may have been created by card companies in Ancient Rome, but somehow I doubt that.
5. Speaking of people to smack around, please smack anyone you hear saying Valentine’s Day should be called “Single Awareness Day” or anyone crying because they aren’t dating anyone of this one particular day of the year. You are a loser! You choose to do this to yourself, not society, not the card companies, not anyone but you. Who cares if you are single on Valentine’s Day and no one is buying you a card? You probably have love somewhere if your life (see #2). Be glad you aren’t in a physically or emotionally abusive relationship because you are too scared to be alone. Celebrate your strength for keeping your options open, allowing your one true love to come into your life. Be grateful for the life you live, not sad about the fantasy life you want. Life is constantly changing, enjoy where you are today because you won’t be there tomorrow.
6. Yes, Valentine’s Day has become over-commercialized. Just like Thanksgiving, Halloween, Christmas, the 4th of July and the Superbowl. Should we dump these holidays too?
7. I love the argument, “I love and appreciate (fill in the blank) everyday. Why do I need to be told a special day to let them know this, when I do it every day?” Usually, the person saying this doesn’t show love and appreciation every day and the thought of doing it even one day is more effort than they want to put into their relationship. But lets’ say the person making this argument isn’t full of shit and does actually show their love every day, I love my country every day, but that’s not going to stop me from celebrating the 4th of July. I’m thankful every day for what the Lord provides me, but I’m still going to celebrate Thanksgiving. Just because you do something every day, doesn’t mean taking a day to shine a little more focus on something is bad or pointless.
8. In the end, Valentine’s Day is what you make it. If you want to ignore it and go about your life, do it! If you want to spend your mortgage payment celebrating it, do it! If you want to celebrate it a week earlier or a week later, do it! It may be trickier if you are in a relationship and one person hates the holiday and the other person loves it. (On a side note: I would urge the hater to compromise more than they want to. I know it’s not fair, but isn’t seeing the v-day lover smiling worth your resentment over giving in to this ridiculous holiday that the card companies created? Don’t be fooled that their silent resentment over the annual snub won’t someday come back to bite you in the ass. You may think you won, but you only won the battle. You’ll lose the war.)
So, to sum it up. Valentine's Day is just one day a year. It's an opportunity, not a problem. There is no law you have to celebrate it, so don't be a whiny bitch to the rest of us because it's not your cup of tea.
Thank you and Good Night.
Sam the Koala
The devastating fires in Austraila made me cry this week, so I'm posting a story about Sam the Koala that brightened my day. I love this picture of him and volunteer firefighter David Tree.
AP – Cheyenne Tree treats a Koala nicknamed Sam, saved from the bushfires in Gippsland, at the Mountain Ash …
SYDNEY – "Sam" the koala, the most famous furry survivor of Australia's worst-ever wildfires, is healing well thanks to the efforts of caretakers at a rescue shelter — and she even has a new boyfriend, "Bob."
Sam, who captured hearts around the world after she was photographed drinking from a firefighter's water bottle, has also won the affection of "Bob," another koala whose paws were scorched in the weekend's inferno, caretaker Lynn Raymond said Thursday.
"Bob is her protector — as soon as she is moved, he's on the move, too. It really looks like he's making sure she's OK," Raymond said from the Mountain Ash Wildlife Shelter in Rawson, 100 miles (170 kilometers) east of Melbourne in Victoria state, where the deadly fires continue to burn. "They're good company for each other."
Neither koala is likely to be healthy enough for release for at least four months, and are being comforted by caretakers who salve their scorched paws every few hours.
Global interest in the fate of Sam has been intense since a photograph of firefighter David Tree offering her a bottle of water in a burned-out forest was splashed across the Internet, in newspapers and on television broadcasts. The telephone at the shelter has rung incessantly with callers eager for an update on the creature's condition.
"It's insane," Raymond said with a laugh. "(But) everybody has been absolutely wonderful."
Sam was found moving gingerly on scorched paws by a fire patrol Sunday. Tree crouched down and held out a bottle of water for her to drink, which she eagerly accepted, holding Tree's hand as he poured water into her mouth.
"You all right, buddy?" Tree asks in a video of the encounter as he approaches the koala. Later, as Sam gulps from the bottle, he quips: "How much can a koala bear?"
Often mistakenly called koala bears because they resemble a child's teddy bear, the marsupial is actually a somewhat ornery creature with a loud growl and sharp claws.
Sam, who suffered second- and third-degree burns to her paws, has been sharing a cage with Bob, who took an immediate interest in her when she arrived on Sunday, Raymond said.
Both Sam and Bob were given painkillers when they first arrived, but they're off the drugs now, Raymond said. The two are still receiving antibiotics and have their bandages changed regularly to stave off infections.
The koalas are likely to be in the shelter at least four months, depending on how quickly their burns heal, Raymond said. For now, though, the famously thirsty marsupial appears to be on the mend.
"I'm just looking at Sam now — she is fast asleep," Raymond said. "She's doing very, very well
AP – Local CFA firefighter David Tree shares his water with an injured Australian Koala at Mirboo North
SYDNEY – It was a chance encounter in the charred landscape of Australia's deadly wildfires: A koala sips water from a bottle offered by a firefighter. David Tree noticed the koala moving gingerly on scorched paws as his fire patrol passed. Clearly in pain, the animal stopped when it saw Tree.
"It was amazing, he turned around, sat on his bum and sort of looked at me with (a look) like, put me out of my misery," Tree told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "I yelled out for a bottle of water. I unscrewed the bottle, tipped it up on his lips and he just took it naturally.
"He kept reaching for the bottle, almost like a baby."
The team called animal welfare officers to pick up the koala Sunday, the day after deadly firestorms swept southern Victoria state.
"I love nature, and I've handled koalas before. They're not the friendliest things, but I wanted to help him," Tree said.
Often mistakenly called koala bears because they resemble a child's teddy bear, the marsupial is actually a rather grumpy creature with a loud growl and sharp claws. It rarely comes down from the trees and doesn't like walking.
Koalas are especially vulnerable to wildfires because they move slowly on the ground.
The wildfires cut through parks and forests and sent countless wombats and other native species fleeing. One resident reported seeing kangaroos bouncing down the road with flames at their backs.
The fires also razed farmland, killing or panicking sheep and cattle. Television footage showed cows running down the main street of a smoke-filled town.
A count of the animals killed has not been made.
Tree said he found the koala in a burned-out forest near Mirboo North, about 90 miles (150 kilometers) east of Melbourne, Victoria's capital.
Koalas normally drink almost no water because they get almost all their fluids from the leaves they eat.
After the scorched koala sipped from the water bottle and Tree's crew moved on, animal welfare officials came by.
Coleen Wood, manager of the Mountain Ash Wildlife Shelter where the koala was taken for treatment of second- and third-degree burns to its paws, said Wednesday that it was expected to make a full recovery.
Wood said there was no doubt the animal was wild, not domesticated, and that it would be released back into nature once a suitable habitat is found — the foliage in Sam's forest was all but destroyed.
"The hardest part is going to be trying to find enough habitat to support these guys," Wood said.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Animals said it was establishing shelters to care for thousands of pets and livestock affected by the fires.
"It was amazing, he turned around, sat on his bum and sort of looked at me with (a look) like, put me out of my misery," Tree told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "I yelled out for a bottle of water. I unscrewed the bottle, tipped it up on his lips and he just took it naturally.
"He kept reaching for the bottle, almost like a baby."
The team called animal welfare officers to pick up the koala Sunday, the day after deadly firestorms swept southern Victoria state.
"I love nature, and I've handled koalas before. They're not the friendliest things, but I wanted to help him," Tree said.
Often mistakenly called koala bears because they resemble a child's teddy bear, the marsupial is actually a rather grumpy creature with a loud growl and sharp claws. It rarely comes down from the trees and doesn't like walking.
Koalas are especially vulnerable to wildfires because they move slowly on the ground.
The wildfires cut through parks and forests and sent countless wombats and other native species fleeing. One resident reported seeing kangaroos bouncing down the road with flames at their backs.
The fires also razed farmland, killing or panicking sheep and cattle. Television footage showed cows running down the main street of a smoke-filled town.
A count of the animals killed has not been made.
Tree said he found the koala in a burned-out forest near Mirboo North, about 90 miles (150 kilometers) east of Melbourne, Victoria's capital.
Koalas normally drink almost no water because they get almost all their fluids from the leaves they eat.
After the scorched koala sipped from the water bottle and Tree's crew moved on, animal welfare officials came by.
Coleen Wood, manager of the Mountain Ash Wildlife Shelter where the koala was taken for treatment of second- and third-degree burns to its paws, said Wednesday that it was expected to make a full recovery.
Wood said there was no doubt the animal was wild, not domesticated, and that it would be released back into nature once a suitable habitat is found — the foliage in Sam's forest was all but destroyed.
"The hardest part is going to be trying to find enough habitat to support these guys," Wood said.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Animals said it was establishing shelters to care for thousands of pets and livestock affected by the fires.
AP – Cheyenne Tree treats a Koala nicknamed Sam, saved from the bushfires in Gippsland, at the Mountain Ash …
SYDNEY – "Sam" the koala, the most famous furry survivor of Australia's worst-ever wildfires, is healing well thanks to the efforts of caretakers at a rescue shelter — and she even has a new boyfriend, "Bob."
Sam, who captured hearts around the world after she was photographed drinking from a firefighter's water bottle, has also won the affection of "Bob," another koala whose paws were scorched in the weekend's inferno, caretaker Lynn Raymond said Thursday.
"Bob is her protector — as soon as she is moved, he's on the move, too. It really looks like he's making sure she's OK," Raymond said from the Mountain Ash Wildlife Shelter in Rawson, 100 miles (170 kilometers) east of Melbourne in Victoria state, where the deadly fires continue to burn. "They're good company for each other."
Neither koala is likely to be healthy enough for release for at least four months, and are being comforted by caretakers who salve their scorched paws every few hours.
Global interest in the fate of Sam has been intense since a photograph of firefighter David Tree offering her a bottle of water in a burned-out forest was splashed across the Internet, in newspapers and on television broadcasts. The telephone at the shelter has rung incessantly with callers eager for an update on the creature's condition.
"It's insane," Raymond said with a laugh. "(But) everybody has been absolutely wonderful."
Sam was found moving gingerly on scorched paws by a fire patrol Sunday. Tree crouched down and held out a bottle of water for her to drink, which she eagerly accepted, holding Tree's hand as he poured water into her mouth.
"You all right, buddy?" Tree asks in a video of the encounter as he approaches the koala. Later, as Sam gulps from the bottle, he quips: "How much can a koala bear?"
Often mistakenly called koala bears because they resemble a child's teddy bear, the marsupial is actually a somewhat ornery creature with a loud growl and sharp claws.
Sam, who suffered second- and third-degree burns to her paws, has been sharing a cage with Bob, who took an immediate interest in her when she arrived on Sunday, Raymond said.
Both Sam and Bob were given painkillers when they first arrived, but they're off the drugs now, Raymond said. The two are still receiving antibiotics and have their bandages changed regularly to stave off infections.
The koalas are likely to be in the shelter at least four months, depending on how quickly their burns heal, Raymond said. For now, though, the famously thirsty marsupial appears to be on the mend.
"I'm just looking at Sam now — she is fast asleep," Raymond said. "She's doing very, very well
Some reports have emerged that claim Sam was not in a bushfire affected area when the footage was taken. This is not that case. The famous photographs and footage were taken at Mirboo North near Boolarra where 31 houses were destroyed by bushfire just days before they gripped the rest of the state. SAM the world's most famous koala came face to face with her saviour in gold yesterday, Country Fire Authority volunteer David Tree.Country Fire Authority volunteer David Tree said he had been working around the clock to protect the town when he stumbled across the sticken koala. “The entire town of Mirboo North was under serious threat of bushfires and if we had a wind change the losses would have been huge,'' he said. “We were conducting backburning when I saw her in an area which had been experiencing serious bushfires.'' Mr Tree was close to tears when he was reunited with his new furry friend at the Mountain Ash Wildlife Shelter in Rawson, where Sam is recovering from third degree burns to her paws.
The pair became accidental faces of the devastating bushfires when Mr Tree gave an exhausted Sam a drink from his water bottle in the middle of burnt-out bush in Mirboo North.
The photograph has been picked up by major news agencies around the world.
"Who knows if she recognised me or not but I would like to think so," Mr Tree said.
"I got a bit choked up because it has been such an emotional week. It was just good to see her doing well."
Sam was having her dressing changed by career Colleen Wood when Mr Tree arrived.
He said seeing her in pain hit home the damage that the fires were inflicting on helpless animals.
"You could see where the black soles of her paws had been burnt off and they were pink and looked sore," he said.
"She's been through a lot."
He said animal carer Colleen Wood told him the koala may not have survived if he had not given her water at such a crucial time, because she would have been suffering severe dehydration.
"This has been a really tough week for everyone so it is good to have one happy ending," Mr Tree said.
"She was pretty friendly, she gave me a bit of a sniff and we touched noses."
Meantime, a US gossip website is facing a reader backlash after trying to make fun of firefighter David Tree's rescue of Sam the koala.
In a post about Mr Tree giving his water bottle to the koala he found stumbling through burnt out bushland, TMZ.com wrote: “After battling some of the worst wildfires ever to hit Australia, a firefighter shared his bottled water with a pampered koala on Monday. Afterwards the new friends went to Pilates and dined on sushi.” Many readers hit out at the article, “Koala to Firefighter: I Won't Tap That!”, saying it was an unnecessary and insensitive shot at Victoria’s firefighters and the victims of the fire. Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton showed more tact in dealing with the disaster. In a post titled ‘A worthwhile cause’ he asked his readers to donate to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal. Pictures of Sam, who turned out to be female, traveled around the globe and featured in major newspapers including The New York Times, London's The Sun and on CNN. The image provided a much-needed picture of hope in a week filled with news of despair. Yesterday Sam was recovering in Mountain Ash Wildlife Shelter. Carer Jenny Shaw said she suffered burns on her paws and was in a lot of pain, but was on the road to recovery. She was put on an IV drip and is on antibiotics and pain relief treatment. "She is lovely - very docile - and she has already got an admirer. A male koala keeps putting his arms around her," Ms Shaw said. "She will need regular attention and it will be a long road to recovery, but she should be able to be released back into the wild in about five months." Mr Tree said he was surprised by the reaction to the photograph, which was snapped by Mark Pardew - a fellow CFA volunteer - on a mobile phone. Mr Tree said he was in the middle of backburning at Mirboo North when he saw the stricken koala."I could see she had sore feet and was in trouble, so I pulled over the fire truck. She just plonked herself down, as if to say 'I'm beat'," he said. "I offered her a drink and she drank three bottles. "The most amazing part was when she grabbed my hand. I will never forget that." Mr Tree and his brigade then received an emergency call-out to save a house, but minutes later Sam was picked up by wildlife carers. She is one of 22 koalas, 14 ringtail possums, several wallabies and eastern grey kangaroos that have been handed into Gippsland carers
The pair became accidental faces of the devastating bushfires when Mr Tree gave an exhausted Sam a drink from his water bottle in the middle of burnt-out bush in Mirboo North.
The photograph has been picked up by major news agencies around the world.
"Who knows if she recognised me or not but I would like to think so," Mr Tree said.
"I got a bit choked up because it has been such an emotional week. It was just good to see her doing well."
Sam was having her dressing changed by career Colleen Wood when Mr Tree arrived.
He said seeing her in pain hit home the damage that the fires were inflicting on helpless animals.
"You could see where the black soles of her paws had been burnt off and they were pink and looked sore," he said.
"She's been through a lot."
He said animal carer Colleen Wood told him the koala may not have survived if he had not given her water at such a crucial time, because she would have been suffering severe dehydration.
"This has been a really tough week for everyone so it is good to have one happy ending," Mr Tree said.
"She was pretty friendly, she gave me a bit of a sniff and we touched noses."
Meantime, a US gossip website is facing a reader backlash after trying to make fun of firefighter David Tree's rescue of Sam the koala.
In a post about Mr Tree giving his water bottle to the koala he found stumbling through burnt out bushland, TMZ.com wrote: “After battling some of the worst wildfires ever to hit Australia, a firefighter shared his bottled water with a pampered koala on Monday. Afterwards the new friends went to Pilates and dined on sushi.” Many readers hit out at the article, “Koala to Firefighter: I Won't Tap That!”, saying it was an unnecessary and insensitive shot at Victoria’s firefighters and the victims of the fire. Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton showed more tact in dealing with the disaster. In a post titled ‘A worthwhile cause’ he asked his readers to donate to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal. Pictures of Sam, who turned out to be female, traveled around the globe and featured in major newspapers including The New York Times, London's The Sun and on CNN. The image provided a much-needed picture of hope in a week filled with news of despair. Yesterday Sam was recovering in Mountain Ash Wildlife Shelter. Carer Jenny Shaw said she suffered burns on her paws and was in a lot of pain, but was on the road to recovery. She was put on an IV drip and is on antibiotics and pain relief treatment. "She is lovely - very docile - and she has already got an admirer. A male koala keeps putting his arms around her," Ms Shaw said. "She will need regular attention and it will be a long road to recovery, but she should be able to be released back into the wild in about five months." Mr Tree said he was surprised by the reaction to the photograph, which was snapped by Mark Pardew - a fellow CFA volunteer - on a mobile phone. Mr Tree said he was in the middle of backburning at Mirboo North when he saw the stricken koala."I could see she had sore feet and was in trouble, so I pulled over the fire truck. She just plonked herself down, as if to say 'I'm beat'," he said. "I offered her a drink and she drank three bottles. "The most amazing part was when she grabbed my hand. I will never forget that." Mr Tree and his brigade then received an emergency call-out to save a house, but minutes later Sam was picked up by wildlife carers. She is one of 22 koalas, 14 ringtail possums, several wallabies and eastern grey kangaroos that have been handed into Gippsland carers
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