THREE MONTHS!!!.............ahhhhhhhh......I've been takin' heat for three long damn months from you people!!!..........:)

Yeah you'll notice three "n/a's" on the archive page for the journal 06.......I feel horrible about it too........lot's of stuff happened in the time I have not been writing.........too much to even try and play "catch up"on and I've just given up on documenting "all the morphs".......maybe a "little mystery" is better......PLUS we have three new books out from VPI, NERD and John Berry that showcase some awesome Ball Python Mutations........and they even don't have them ALL........all three of these books are a must have for any enthusiast or collector...............now let me see if I can remember some "high lights".......

I have been working on the addition and other big construction projects.......you guys remember that I bought a bunch of land and developed it......that's where I've been putting my time........the development of the property and the construction planning for the houses that will be built on it..........one of the houses being Fatty's "dream home"

So don't think I have been sitting here feeling sorry for myself or depressed over the latest "market craze".........I have no worries at all.........just lots and lots of stuff going on and I couldn't do it all......so the journal took the hit.

Let's start with Daytona 2006.........what a BOMB for Ball Pythons..........if you didn't leave there draggin' your ass behind you then you were one of the "many" who struck up a great deal and took advantage of ROCK BOTTOM prices and the breeder who was/is in it for the "short haul"......and the LOW prices were there to be had........I was disgusted with what I saw and the way things were being priced.......not everyone was priced low but the majority were........it was "scramble mode" and for that a lot of the well deserving BIG BOYS were lost in the shuffle......

Some people were making any deal that they could just to "get rid" of a Lesser or a Pin, even Cinnys and Spiders.........."All Must Go".......I guess it's a bad thing to have "visuals" on your shelf huh?.........as disgusted as I was, I looked to the bright side.........and that is what I've said all along.........the biz will become polarized like it has........there will be all kinds of smoke and bullshit to sift through.........but in the end it will work itself out..........it always has and always will........the "masses" will always be a force to be reckoned with........but they are only dealing with "scraps"........driving prices down fast to the "buyers happy price"......

Believe it or not there are still a lot of enthusiasts out there who love the biz because there are morphs out there that are wayyyyyyy out of their price range.........the morph that you can only "dream about owning".........that's what puts all the romance in the BP bizzzzz........all the "God Like" rare mutations that send chills up your spine....

And over-nite BAMM!!......like a hammer coming down........all the "little people" and the "ball-less breeders" decide it's time for a change.......it's time to make some money......so the "let's meet the little ungrateful price slashers campaign" begins......of course it was masked with the "let's give back to the people campaign"..........lmfao!!.........yeah lets stick it right up the peoples asses..........now that's real!!

"Who" looks weak?.........you tell me.........it's quite easy to see "who" is working in that direction and "who ain't"..........only the strongest players can ride out this craziness in the market..........and thank your lucky stars that some will........never in the history of BP's have the little people needed the BIG BOYS as now......

Getting back to Daytona..........I had a great time with my family and friends ......I got to meet a lot of new friends and future customers........the "RDR BUZZ" was as strong as ever........it's just the whole "co-dom vibe" thing kinda brought things down......

So the co-doms are taking a hit........they are the only thing that can and will........it had to happen......BUT.........it looks that a few year's of lower pricing were just skipped over and ROCK BOTTOM was introduced.........and that's a sign of panic........there was NO adjustment like previous year's..........shit just hit the fucking fan and the chips fell all over the damn place......

I was handed a bag with 10 Pinstripes that had not even shed yet ( un-sexed ) for 10 grand........I passed....it was pathetic.......

There were BP's coming out of the wood-work..........so many that you couldn't "take in" anything and appreciate it's real beauty and the true value and time it took to make it........"Time" just flew out the window......OVER-EXPOSED!!!!!!!!

Lord knows the "trade market" was kickin' ass.........but what's that really??..........nothing if you ask me........sure it's nice to trade.........but trade ain't money.......and money is what keeps the bizz moving forward.........MONEY MUST be spent in order for the bizz to stay viable ........everybody needs money and everybody feels better when they have it.......people trade BP's like they have a wad of monopoly money in their pockets.......

So money dries up..........people get scared.........everyone reacts differently when they are scared........most bail.......and bail we have seen and bailin' we shall continue to see until we get cleaned back up again........nobody gives a shit about how beautiful and rare their snakes are when they think they can't make that next buck........

Don't quit your damn day job PEOPLE!!!.........you'll be much happier...........working with snakes 24/7 seems like a dream but it ain't...........keep it small and tight.......then every buck you make will put a big smile on your face...;)

The Ball Python Talk Friday night went very well........I enjoyed it and thought all the member's of the panel did a nice job speaking..........it was packed.........standing room only........I knew it would be, regardless of what was going on with prices...........people love this bizz and most will support it even when times get tough........

You have to be able to take the knocks ever so often.....it's gonna happen.........don't think "your the only one" who ain't making sales.........you are not alone........and that's the problem with many........they let it go to their heads thinking "what am I doing wrong?"..........and the answer to that is probably nothing.......markets all fluctuate and that be that..........you gotta roll with it until things get good again...

But that's easier said than done when you have all these people in it solely for the money, huge profits and pay-back.......you have to be realistic........and as time goes on in any established market you have to expect "realistic returns".........

The earlier the better in any market.........you get in early and take that "risk" and you will do the best........the rest will get what the market can bare at the time you are ready to sell.........now that is a realistic as it can be.........you see the "dark side".......can you live with making 20 snakes and selling them for a grand a piece or not?.......can you live with the fact that it could take you a full year to do so?.........

I would think this is not unreasonable at all, especially if you love your snakes like you should.......don't get upside down in over-head..........take small bites and little steps......... believe it or not........I did this exact same thing in the beginning .......I've been doing this since 1998 and see no end in sight........it's totally up to me on what I do.........It's my call if I want to "go long"..........or it's my call if I want to up my egg production and cash in on quantity sales.........the more you do the more it will cost and the more it will seem like and BE work!!

The whole problem here lately is that people are feeling "unsatisfied"........they just don't like the way things are going..........maybe it's too slow.........maybe it's too fast....a year missed in these times can send a person over the edge........and that's not the right way to feel about it......so you missed..........worse case, you'll produce when they are even easier to sell.......

Just get the damn "millions out of your mind"........it's like anything else.......very few will make the millions.........the rest will just "do well"........like that's a bad thing?.........making extra money with-out having to take on a second shitty job.......

There was the usual "drama" at Daytona.........of course I was involved .....I ain't gonna rattle my trap about it any further than to say that it's hell being on top.........people are gunnin' for you 24/7 and that's just the way it is........there ain't a person in this biz that can't say I support and drive like NO OTHER.........yet I'll continue to take heat because of the pure jealousy of these assholes.......

Maybe I should say PUSSYS!!!..........I'm so done getting in pissing matches on the web........I could care less what anyone has to say on the web about me anymore.......I got it all.......100% total package and that's that baby!!........I'll spin it around and take the "jabs" as pure "envy" of my success.........if I'm guilty of being a "Big Mouth" so be it........the rest is just pie in the sky and you jealous bastages wish you had it like me....;P........

Did you know that it's impossible to have an "endless supply" of ball pythons to sell?........yepper.....that be true. Sooner or later everybody runs out of stock........then these boneheads ( breeder wannabees ) "may or may not" try to scarf up "what you can't sell" for pennies on a dollar........they will feed you a line telling you the market sucks and that you better take "the deal" while you still can......

Buying and re-selling..........now what is that all about really?........sure some find it easier to just say "screw it" and sell of lots at below "wholesale" just so they don't have to work a little........but some just flat out fall victim to "the hype" and sell to the "re-seller".........well I say tell the re-seller to piss off!!..........I know many people who post the same ads trying to sell the same stuff have their "weak moments"........and that nasty "re-seller" will get to you when you are weak..........just "buy it all" and get it out of your hair for ZILCH!!

Well if that isn't what your intentions are........then don't give in to it.........HOLD OUT!!.......holding out puts the "re-seller" in a bad spot........and that's GOOD!!........if everyone would just suck it up and find the strength to just say "NO.......my snakes are worth more than that to me".......things would get better.......the downward spiral has to STOP........the only way it can is for snakes to stop "changing hands" unless they have been sold for market prices........the only way to stabilize is for everyone to get on the same damn page and stop thinking only about themselves........that is the biggest problem right now.........people are just looking out for themselves "thinking" a disaster is aproaching.........and it's not.

Many will be disappointed to see that when the smoke clears and they have nothing left it would have been all for nothing........when they see how viable the market really is only then will some see the mistakes they have made and see how they cut themselves way short of what they "could have done".......

There are so many "games" being played these days it's kinda funny to watch.......people have asked me to comment on different things that have gone on lately with price cuts and EGOS etc...........people wonder how I feel about the Lesser prices dropping to THE BOTTOM.....

Well the Lessers took a hit.......Lord knows it was "GOSSPIL" when the price was "set"........the price is too low.........I hate it, but can live with it and move on to better things........I expect a curve ball now.........knowing it is coming or "can come" has now changed the way I breed, produce and sell.........it's my choice to make my own changes to adapt........shit no I'm not going into "mass production" of any mutation.......that's not what I'm about.....

MONEY has shown it's ugly face through many "so called" breeders this year.......breeders that could care less about keeping something rare and viable for future buyers and MOST importantly, past customers.......past customers are the back-bone of the bizz........these are the people who need to be kept safe and surely not squashed into oblivion just because "you think it's time for a price cut"......."I'll sell it to ya........but don't be pissed when I under-cut the shit out of you!!!"........now that's putting it blunt ain't it?........some real scummy people are invading our turf and showing ZERO respect for what we have accomplished.......

I don't care what anyone says when they say "it's a business move"........."it has to be done"........that's BULLSHIT!!........breeders are in total control of the numbers on their own end........breeders are expected to keep prices realistic......yes for this, breeders get crapped on by some "past customers" who just want to make bank..........it's gonna happen.......BUT the majority want to work at a steady pace and build collections.......yes you can still make your money back that "you feel you lost" after an EGO squashed prices on your investment .......there isn't a snake out there that can "loose money".........it just can't happen unless things die or you just flat out can't breed your ball pythons.....

And from the looks of things........I'd say most of you can breed ball pythons pretty well...;).......so this "give it back to the people" shit is just that.......SHIT!!!.........all it has done is made a $10,000.00 budget go a lot further and people are able to get more of what they had on their wish list at the EXPENCE of previous buyers who were able to get 1/4 of that package the year before.........it just ain't fair and their ain't no way that can last.......follow a speedy price drop and you'll find it associated with a "breeder" who just don't give too shits about anybody else but themselves.........

It all sounds good at first........once you see the dynamics of how it will actually pan out you can't possible think this is a good idea.........it's only good for the assholes getting away with it........and that is very short lived........

Anyone who supports this type of marketing and selling is a fool and will be judged right along side of the assholes that started it all...........you know who you are!!........your feeling it right now........but it's too late........the writing is on the wall........the "right people" know the gig is up and you are GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION in my book!........who knew we needed a "black list"???

It's funny to know that some of the biggest producers of BP's are just sitting back........watching and waiting .......totally aware of what is going on and well informed ......yeah........I've not been writing but I still have my eyes open and rattle my trap to the "powers that be".........hands may "look tied".......but they are not tied........these times are a big test for the BIG BOYS........the same BIG BOYS who have been in the sand box for ten years now..........and still are.

"IF" only they were to respond........it would be a force like a tidal wave where most of the shit bags would be washed away in the wake.....but they wait........EGOS totally on the back burner just watching the show. Unfortunately that's what is happening these past few months.......things are being looked at in a different way......the ungrateful are starting to rise up to the top where they are easy to see......"they" ( The Big Boys ) wait and watch.........while others "think" that the silence shows weakness..........it does not........it shows that they are professionals like they always have been......

Right now "the show" is being run by clowns..........a bunch of embarrassing bafoons........can ya smell what I got cookin' here PEOPLE!!!........the way of thinking of the co-doms has to stop........we put a value on all the co-doms in an "order"........Lessers, Pins, Cinnys, Mojaves, Spiders and Pastels............so when one takes a hit.........they all do. Well that just ain't the way it is.......it should all depend on the availability as a whole.........but some are just too damn stupid to think that way........so they take matters into their own hands and "assume"..........

It ain't a perfect world is it?.........in a perfect world some appreciation would be shown to the breeders who brought the projects to market........it's like this now..........a breeder is better off not having to deal with the pain of watching "their baby" get reduced to nothing...instead it's much easier to just bleed another breeder's baby while it's low and enjoy the money made.........kinda like "it ain't my baby"........"why should I care"......that's where communicating and getting prices on the same page comes into play........

Still my Spiders and Pins sit on the shelf for future projects that will always be profitable........it's just a simple plan folks........and a little respect mixed in for flavor.......it's kinda funny to me sometimes...........I could ( as could a few others ) cripple the BP market if I wanted to..........I could just knock the wind out of everybody out there with a "I don't give a shit sale ".......sure it may not affect everyone the same way........but it would surely get everyone's attention and put that big "what if" out there for all to see.......people would stop investing and shit would just get ugly..........now that's pure POWER......and I don't say that in a conceited way at all..........my point is this........"why" would anybody do such a thing???

I think feeling inferior or being beat down or just flat out hating to see another breeders do well could spark up this kind of "lash out".......but this can only happen if a well known "BIG BOY" was to cave......and that can't happen, because contrary to everyone's beleifs.......WE DO GET ALONG!!........the "same ol' group" may not like each other very much ( all the time )......but we are still supportive of what we do and want it to last..........WE ARE on the same page.

Now why don't you little people do the same........"pick a side" and stick to the plan........WHO doesn't fit in?...........who will never fit in?...........who will NEVER be a BIG BOY?........that's right........that "who" would be the people we see lashing out with price cuts.....guess what people..........BP morphs are still RARE!!........as long as the market grows, there will constantly be people who still need "their first pastel"...........or their first PIED.......

WE need to get things back in order and show everyone new coming into the biz how attractive it really is.........anybody can dazzle a noob with a "slam bam thank you mam"..........a true breeder / hobbyist with the love for the snakes needs to take the time to show new folks that "yes"........their are assholes in the bizzz............yes their are good deals........and YES the breeders who hold this all together need support just as much as the next guy.......

It's time to take out the TRASH....one by one.........everybody reading this has to know a piece of trash.....let's put the squeeze right back on them........who are they to tell me my stuff ain't rare and that it's worth "X"...........screw um'........it's time to get out of this shitty ass fog everybody has been in.......the market has been depressed..........yes me not writing has helped make things "less exciting"..........I know I play a big part in promoting and keeping people charged up........

I hope everyone reading at least starts to get their blood pumpin' and their breeding minds goin' again..........just stop thinking about the money........don't think I haven't taken a "pay cut" as of late..........I have..........sales have been steady but not as "big" as I'm used too..........sure I've been beat on and low balled.........some people got deals........some got nothing.

I'm a PRO at what I do..........I have no need to drum up any hair brained ideas to make you buy a snake from me that you can not afford nor do you want to buy while prices are coming down......why on earth would I want that.........I'm steady........."biz is biz".........and when it's time to do bizz..........I do just that.........no advertising in the world is gonna make people spend money that they don't have or don't want to spend..........no journal in the world is gonna put money in my pocket....

Buying when there are bargains can only go so far..........too many bargains too fast means that you never really know what the price really is.........I would never try to pin the "way things are now" on just one person.........nobody deserves that credit........but I will say this........I see that a lot of people have become clouded and bought into the whole "cheap co-dom" thing when they should be sitting tight.......these are the same people that will bitch that the Spider they bought for $800.00 in 06 now sells for $400.00 in 07........

I'm all for "regressing"..........producing less and selling for MORE!..........that's where I'm headed and it won't be hard because that's how I have rolled all along........it's boring to mass produce.......I want to dazzle people......even if it's only one cool mutation each season........that's what get's me stoked.......pumping people up and getting them charged up for the cool morphs.......I, like NERD want to produce new stuff each season.......for that we do "miss" the mass production boat......and that's a good thing. Like I said earlier.........some who "bark" that they are "the biggest" don't know their ass from a hole in the ground.........God help us if some of the breeders sitting on thousands of adults actually wanted to "prove a point".........

"Giving Back" is just a bunch of salesman horse shit and that's the bottom line..........I've given back and "then some" to all my customers while the deal was going on..........I don't need to tell you this.........you just know it.........that's all part of being a PRO!!

Blahhhhhhhh!!...............I just got finished watching SURVIVOR........I gotta say Yul and Ozzy are very impressive ..........I'm routing for the both of them now.......I was sad to see Christina voted off........I really liked her.......but then again.........when I finally get on the show..........I'm voting all the chicks off one by one!!!!!...........HA!!........;)........

The addition is pretty much done.........three floors of it anyway........one floor will be a big entertainment room with very powerful moldings and cabnetry......that room is in "limbo"......the rest of the place just needs some paint touch-up and then I can get the carpet put down.

It feels good to be close to being done....the dust that we have been dealing with was a pain in the ass.........no matter how hard you try, the dust from doing work in the addition always found it's way into the house.....

We just finished laying new tile and painting the bathroom in the basement.......we have a full bath in the basement next to my office........it's the one that all the "snake people" use.....

We had to cut a bunch of holes in it when we were doing the addition to tie in all the new plumbing........it was a wreck. Now all the patch work is done........it's all painted and put back together with a tile floor.......no more DUST!!

A man can't be havin' dust on his horror action figure collection!!

Some of you may have read in the RDR Message Boards that I finally got my dream car........I've been wanting a Dodge Viper forever........well now I got one!!.......I bought a brand new Dodge Viper SRT-10 covertable..........Viper Red with a black top ...........I'm totally in love with this car to say the very least.

T and I bought a Dodge Stealth way back in 1992 and then moved on to a 3000-GT VR4........then we got "prego" and started driving SUVs.......blahhhhh

I joined a VIPER CLUB and some Viper Forums.........I'm having a blast with it. I'm planning on taking a driving course in the Spring.......it's called "Viper Days"........it's a long weekend and you get to drive your car with a professional race-car driver from "Team Viper"........they show you the ropes of handling the 500 hp BEAST!!......

I only have 300 miles on it now.......it's just too pretty to drive.........I have it in the garage with two car covers over it.........I've had it buffed out and waxed.........did a few cosmetic mods to it......I plan on getting black racing stripes put on next year........

There are mods that boost the hp to over 1000 hp ( twin turbo ).........it's insanely fast and scary to drive bone stock.........the car wraps around you when you sit in it........it just feels "raw".......the only way to know is to get in one........and if you do.........you'll be hooked. It's hard to believe that I have bought snakes that cost more than this car........wow!!.....shows where my heart is don't it?.....heheheh........and it's RARE!!!..........:)

There are some pics posted over on the Message Boards that rene took while he was visiting last weekend for the Halloween Party.........I'm gonna snap some shots the next nice day we have..........I'll post some pics here when I do........

And yes before anybody asks.........I do let T drive it.........but not very far ( maybe a mile )......LOL!!!.........this car is just another "collectable" for me..........a huge toy!!

I already talked about all the land development and building stuff going on here.........things have been busy and that's partially why it was easy for me to take a break from the journal........I do admit that the week didn't feel "complete" with-out writing........but after awhile it was actually nice to have the break......... besides, I was tired of bitchin' and moanin' about the "market" and all the BONERS in it........still nothing has changed........I should have just kept on bitchin'...........:)

I have my last clutch pipping in the incubator now.........the last clutch that I'm talking about anyway......HA!!........Yes Ralphie will be a little more secretive in seasons to come.........not because I want to........just because I feel I have too to keep my "edge".........ALL will find out soon enough what Ralphie has cooked up.

This breeding season ( 06 ) was just about all I could handle.......I'm starting to figure out what pairs I want to breed for this season.........I have not put anything together yet.......this season will be even less than 06 because of all the construction that we will be doing this winter.........I'm fine with that. I'll put a few pairs together and cross my fingers......what I lack in egg production I'll make up with my terrifically good looks and charming personality......HA!!!......:P

Anybody watching Nip/Tuck??............God, it has me so hooked I can't stand it........I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I watch it........T and I love it........it's flat out risque TV......did you know you could get $200k for a kidney on the street?.......

Gene's show was a disaster for his image if you ask me..........I still love the guy but he just seems so "old"........and he is.........but he's old and still tryin' to act the part of the ROCK GOD DEMON........I just found myself feeling sorry for him........I do love his wife and kids.......they kept the show interesting.....the season ended with Gene going in for a face-lift......Christ.....

I think I would like the show better if he were to do more "rock -n- roll" stuff and maybe hang out with someof his band mates.........I just don't want to see him brushing his teeth in a crappy robe and thinning hair......

But I guess some could say the same about my journal..........why the hell do people read it??.......you want to hear something even more pathetic.........the three months that NOTHING has been written have still produced thousands of hits on the page.........you people are hitting the page every day and weekend like the journal is still up????...........LOL.........I thank you for that........I guess it didn't hurt to check and then check again huh?............:P

Kim Bell sent me a pic of her "Pastel / Caramel / Desert Ghost".....and man is it a sexy little gem.......pics will be in the journal to see........Grats Kim and Mark!!

And grats go out to Tom Baker for producing a "Pastel Crystal Ball"...........Tom has taken this project by the balls and really worked through it........way to move forward Tom!!

We had our 2006 Halloween Bash last weekend..........as always it was a BLAST and a little outa hand.......Phil and rene took lots of pics........I'll start working on sizing them and getting them into the journal soon.........I was a "Wild Boar" and Fatty was a "Jester".......we looked awesome if I gotta say so myself.

I'll be breaking ground very soon on a 3 car garage.........yep, it's time to set up a shop with a lift so I can stare at my Viper some more.........if anyone knows anything about car lifts and prices please shoot me an email.........I know I want a 2 post car lift that can lift 10,000 pounds........I need it to be able to lift up my dually........yeah I'm slammed with work and luvin' it!!

Have a great weekend and ROCK ON!!

Did you hear about the idiot who walked around the world?........He Drowned.

We broke ground on the garage today.........I had to relocate the kid's swing set and a few flower beds. We used a Bobcat to clear and level the ground. We will dig the footers in the beginning of the week. The garage will be 28' x 28' with a 8'x14' entry area attached.........the roof pitch will be a 12/12 with full storage area above. I'm stoked about getting this done because we will be installing the car lift.........and that means I get to tinker with the Viper..........:)

Brooke spent all of last night in the hospital..........she was doubled over in pain. She started getting a belly ache Thursday and it just kept getting worse........she went to the doctor's on Friday and they said to put her on antacids and a bland diet......

She got some temporary relief from the meds but it didn't last........T ended up taking her to the hospital Friday night where they did e-rays, blood work and a scan.........she had to drink dye and wait a couple hours....then they scanned her to see if she had any internal problems.

They could find nothing wrong with her at all.........which was a huge releif........they said to keep an eye on her and let her take the meds and relax......... hopefully it was just a "stomach bug".......

Friday night was a horrible night for me.........I was at the rat barn cleaning while Brooke and T were at the hospital and I had other things on my mind as well......

T and Brooke got home at 2 am and told me that she was not in any danger..........I was relieved.....I hate it when my kids do not feel well.......

Fatty was here today taking down all the Halloween Party "garb"........Yeah I know, I'll get the pics up soon........I'm a slacker when it comes to pics lately....;)

I worked on setting up my second to last clutch of the season.......then I spent the rest of the day out in the yard keeping my mind busy.......

Brooke is feeling a little better today........she wants to eat, but when she eats she starts to feel bad.........so we are sure she has some kind of "bug".......

We got some horrible news Friday afternoon..........my grandfather passed away suddenly and it has hit my family very hard. He was 84 years old....he lived with my Mom and Dad.........Fatty and I built an addition on my parent's house 20 years ago so that my grandfather could live there.

All of my close friends knew him as "Hoss".....he knew all my buddies and "The Gang "....I grew up calling him "Poppy"........I spent a lot of my childhood with my grandmother "Mam" and "Pop".......I did so much with them both and have some great memories of Pop teaching me the ropes as a young boy........"dude stuff".......he never really knew how much he inspired me to be what I am today. He also was in the construction business........he was a "man's man" tough as nails.........I don't think he had a single enemy. Everyone he met was attracted to him and loved his company.......

My Mom and Uncle Joey are the two children left behind. My grandmother passed away in 1982. Pop always said he wanted to "go" before "Mam" did.........he was "that way".........and he went on to live 24 more great years. He will be missed very much.......I'm still in shock as is the rest of my family right now.........it has not "registered" in my brain that he's really gone.........I feel horrible that I didn't spend more time with him........he was always so excited when I would visit him. I was always "too busy".........and now it's over and I can't get that time back.......

My Mom would always "remind" me if I was over her house to go say hi to Pop........I guess taking a person for granted can catch up to you when you don't think it will.......I should have never been "too busy" or needed to be "reminded".....

The viewings were today...over 100 people, family and friends came to pay their respects to Pop.....Fatty has known "Hoss" longer than any of my freinds.......over 20 years. Pop adored Theresa, Brooke and Kyle..........he was so proud of me and the family I had and the way I lived my life........I could write for days on end of the things he and I have experienced together.

Below is Pop's write up.......

__________________________________________________________________

Peter J. Di Clementi, 84, of Finksburg

Peter John Di Clementi, 84, of Finksburg, died suddenly on November 3, 2006 at the home of his daughter and son-in law, after battling a stroke for many years.

Born May 1, 1922 in Baltimore City, he was the son of Italian immigrants, Joseph and Josephine Ranzino Di Clementi.  He was one of nine children.  He was the husband of the late Betty L. McGrane Di Clementi, his wife of 40 years at the time of her death in 1982.

He was a retired cement finisher for many large contractors and then worked for the Baltimore County Highway and Roads Department, retiring in the 1970’s.

He was an Army Veteran serving proudly in WWII in the European Theatre, 29th Division 175th INF.  He served for 8 ½ years and was honorably discharged as a Staff Sgt. He loved the military and was a very patriotic man.  He was a D-Day survivor of Omaha beach.  He earned the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Three Battle Stars, Combat Infantry Badge, Good Conduct Medal, European Theatre Ribbon, American Defense Ribbon, and the American Campaign Ribbon.  He also received the French Jubilee Medal and the WWII Victory Medal.

He enjoyed people, going to the Mall and the Finksburg Shopping Center and spending time with his beloved companion Jane Bennett.

Surviving are daughter and son-in-law JoAnn and Frank Davis of Finksburg, son Joseph P. Di Clementi of Elkton, grandson and wife Ralph and Theresa Davis of New Windsor, grandson Michael Davis of Baltimore, great-grandchildren Brooke and Kyle Davis, sister and brother-in-law Theresa and Charles Leyh of Forest Hill, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Harry and Madeline Swan of Finksburg, sister-in-law Patricia McGrane of Lansdowne and his beloved companion of more than ten years, Jane Bennett.  Also survived by many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.

He was predeceased by siblings Carlo, John, Salvatore, Marietta, Rose, Minnie, Antonette, and brothers-in-law Bill McGrane and Paul Utz.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. at St. John Catholic Church, 43 Monroe Street, Westminster with Father Patrick Carrion officiating.  Interment in Lorraine Park Cemetery, Woodlawn.

Friends may call on Monday, from 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Pritts Funeral Home & Chapel, 412 Washington Rd., Westminster.

Memorial contributions may be made to the V.F.W. Post # 467, 519 Poole Rd., Westminster, MD 21157 or to St. John Catholic Church, 43 Monroe St., Westminster, MD 21157.

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I want to thank my family and all my friends who came to be with us in these sad times. And to my Mom and Uncle Joey ( Mom's little bother ) for having such a great Father who had such a huge and positive affect on my life and the way I live my life. There won't be a day from this day forward that I won't think about Pop and the good times we all spent together.......

We buried Pop next to my grandmother today....we had a Catholic Mass and a Military funeral. White doves were released and Taps was played by trumpet. It was the hardest thing I've ever been through........even harder than my grandmother........I'm 39 years old now and things just hit you harder when you are older, your parents are older and you have your own family. That's when I started to drift away from the family and Pop......work, work and more work.....never finding the time for everyone, just putting in "little pieces" when I could......

A 14 year old girl........a friend of a friend in the family had to do a report on a person who was over 80 years old, had been through the war and the depression....Pop reluctantly did an interview with this girl and she wrote an amazing story about Pop........this story was read in church during the mass......the story below is about my grandfather........"Pop".......aka "Hoss"........

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Morgan Koopman
September 27, 2004

During the 1920's and throughout World War II, the country was a disaster. The country was at war struggling to protect its people. People's lives were incredibly difficult compared to today's standard of living. But I believe that Pete DiClementi, a member of the 29th infantry in World War II, tried and did make a difference in the way our country operates today. I hope you learn and appreciate what he has gone through and sacrificed to make our country a better place.

Pete, a young boy, had a rough childhood. On May 1, 1922 a soon to be hero was born, his name was Peter John DiClementi. Pete was born and raised in Baltimore City near Little Italy. His father was a tailor by trade who emigrated from Genoa, Italy. He was one of thirteen children but sadly, four died in their early lives. One of Pete's childhood memories was running down the street to greet his father when he got off the trolley car from work. He was about six years old. About three years later his father passed away. To then make some money, he would do errands for people. Pete would only get five to ten cents, maybe a quarter if he was lucky.

The Great Depression was hard on Pete. With the Dust Bowl and World War II approaching, no one had anything. Food was scare along with everything else. There were lines for clothing, flour, and food. One major problem was money! " No money could be wasted, " Pete said. Not even dimes or nickels. Every cent was to be spared and used for something extremely useful. Even until this day, he says he is very conservative with his money. " I don't buy anything unless I need it, " says Pete. He might not have had money or clothes or food, but one thing he did have was patriotism and concern for the military. He knew from his early childhood that he wanted to be a soldier.

Pete joined the military and was ready to serve in Europe. Lying about his age, Pete joined the National Guard in 1939, at the early age of seventeen. About two years later when he was nineteen, he was immediately activated to go to Fort Meade for training overseas, because of the bombing at Pearl Harbor. At that time, he became a drill sergeant and in October 1942, put aboard the Queen Elizabeth to go to Scotland, then to England. Pete trained in England for fourteen months before fighting in Germany and France. Five years after his start in the military, he participated in the D-Day Invasion in Normandy, France. Pete told me a story about when he jumped off the ship into Normandy. He said, " when I jumped off that ship, all I could see in the water was blood, and that really made him upset. " That was only one thing that was hard for him. Another story he spoke of was when he was fighting in Normandy. Pete said that he was about to be under attack. He had to do something. With quick thinking, Pete jumped into what they called a " fox hole. " When he did, he landed right beside a German soldier. They both immediately shot their rifles. With luck, the German's rifle jammed, and Pete's rifle fired, killing the German soldier. To this day, Pete agonizes over the fact that he killed someone's son, brother, or husband. But, he had no choice in the matter in order to survive.

Although there wasn't much to look forward to day after day, Pete did look forward to some very simple pleasures. He especially looked forward to receiving letters from home, as the only thing that kept him going besides letters from home, was the picture he carried of his wife. To this day, the same exact photograph, the creases can still be seen from being folded in his wallet, has been framed by his daughter and proudly displayed in their home. Another simple pleasure he enjoyed was being able to take a shower from a tanker truck filled with water, which would come to his camp every now and then. One last pleasure that lifted his spirit greatly was that he was lucky enough to see a USO tour with Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamoure, and Dinah Shore. They would make him laugh, and he would forget where he was for a time. Finally, his time in service came to an end. He headed back to the states in February 1945, but he didn't come home empty handed. Before coming home, he spent thirty-five days in
a hospital in Butler, PA for ruptured eardrums. To this day, he only has 10% hearing left; almost deaf.

When Pete returned home after eight and one-half years of service, he received many medals, badges, ribbons, and awards. Some include the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, three battle stars, Combat Infantry Badge, Good Conduct medal, European Theater ribbon, American Defense ribbon, and American Campaign ribbon. Also, about fifty years later, the French people awarded the D-Day fighters with the French Jubilee medal from Normandy. And finally, the World War II Victory medal, from the United States government.

In conclusion, Mr. Pete informed me with knowledge of that era in which I was unfamiliar. One thing that really upset me was seeing how much it saddened him to relive those memories, as if it just happened yesterday. He is the definition of what it's like to be a true American.

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Pop was all about "Red, White and Blue".........he always flew The American Flag in Mom's front yard and wore American Flag pins and patches on his hats and jackets. I can't remember a time where Pop didn't express his love for our Country every single day. He never talked about the WAR with us........only on rare occasions would we get a "glimpse" of what he had experienced...........Pop lived a full life and we are very proud of him and love him very much.

I'm gonna miss you "Hoss".........and will remember "our talk" that we had a few weeks ago forever..........

The reality of Pop passing away is starting to set in, I thought about him all night long, thought about how my Mom is hurting........yesterday was full of tears for the most part. It was nice to have everyone come back to the reception and talk about "old times"......it's gonna be day by day for awhile ..........I'm just trying to stay busy with projects and work.....

Brooke went back to school today.......she feels much better........T and I are so relieved.

I decided to take on a big project today........Fatty, Rick and I did some demolition work on one of the rooms in my basement........we gutted it to the foundation walls. Took out all the studs, drywall, insulation, plumbing and electric.........it's a room that I've been wanting to "gut" for awhile now........I've just been putting it off......

Well today the rooms is gone ......stripped to the bone. A little "demo" is good for the soul!!

Has anyone seen "Saw III"?..........I highly recommend it.........they did a great job with it........makes you totally forget about "part 2" which totally sucked in my opinion.......part 3 goes right back to the basics of the original .......plenty of gore and it ties in all three movies very well.........the flash back scenes are very interesting.

I ran errands all day today.......took a load of "demolished room" to the dump.......I still have a full trailer to get rid of.........I'll need a helper for that ( hint, hint )....;)

I took Brooke to Religious Education in the VIPER........she loves riding in it........it gives me a good excuse to hop in and take it for a spin.........it get's horrible gas mileage like it should..;)..........I won't be able to drive it much as the weather is getting bad. I don't ever want her to see wet roads.

Well they always say "What goes around comes around"...........and "Wake up and smell the coffee"............couldn't be any more true when it comes to the ball bizzzzzz. There is a disturbance in the force as of late..........the Ball Pythons Gods are turning the tables and taking out the trash. This bizz always takes care of itself.

Smells like a "break-up" is brewing. I guess "controlling 98% of the market" and being the "Biggest Ball Python Producer in the World" still has it's down side huh?...........and the millions made?...........damn..............sounds like an episode of Behind The Music.

How can things that are going so good go so bad?............it's simple..........it was all just HYPE in the first place.............and there was a "hiccup" in the bizz..........Big Breeders like the PROS that they are held the line knowing that people would hang themselves ........things were just being done for pure spite and ego boost.........this can only last so long.

Once the "buzz" goes away and reality of "what was done" sets in, it's a total no brainer on "why" this kind of behavior should not be supported............and yes it was supported by few and still will be............I say hang anyone stupid enough to follow the HYPE out to dry........expose their sorry asses for what they are.........

Know the whole story before you invest in BULLSHIT.........yeah some people got some great prices and filled in some gaps in their collections at everyone else's expence..........some of these people even went further to express their devotion and loyal support of a breeder who flat out had an agenda to "destroy" markets and "put the squeeze" on other breeders......this can not be forgiven and I for one will always know "WHO" these idiots are............IDIOTS who thought "jumping ship" would work..........a new "King" to follow.............a new web site to use as a platform for all the madness..........

I gotta say that I'm not surprised at all over any of this...........everyone is looking for a "leg up" and that next stepping stone........Hopefully this will be a lesson as to how fragile the market really is and how it is important for us all to support it as a whole........not break off into little rogue groups and take matters into our own hands.

Some people have it in their minds that prices are inflated.......this is not the case.......some breeders are "going long".........going long means that they either get "their price" or they put it back on the shelf.......helps to have a Day Job and a very realistic attitude........

Well that was my "cryptic revue" of what's going on right now.......it was easy to see and anyone who has been following it can see it pretty much played out to be CRAP......Crap will always be Crap......

As far as my role in shooting down the "bad guys" sooner......as much as I wanted to.......it couldn't be done........they needed as much leash as possible. That meant backing off and letting them hang themselves.........letting them explode on their own, while having first hand knowledge of beefs, battles, back doorin' and even personal threats.......A "bad idea" can only last so long........and there really wasn't much support of it........a few bad apples supported the idea........shall I make a list???

What happens next?.........that's simple..........."damage control"....and more BULLSHIT.........DON'T BELEIVE THE HYPE PEOPLE!!.........Don't let another person decide for you, what your time and efforts are worth..........why are we so fixated on "numbers"?.......the sad thing is that there are a bunch of BONERS standing in line for more abuse..........

Brooke came home with her first report card for the year......All A's and 1 B.........pretty much perfect....;) Brooke is an amazing student. Her commitment to gymnastics is also amazing for a girl her age.......Brooke has a very busy schedule for a 10 year old girl. Unfortunately cleaning her room doesn't fit in right now......;P.........

Kyle adores Brooke.........he shadows her everywhere she goes.........and yes that means she gets him to play with DOLLS!!..........he just started playing with toy cars and action figures.......he's rough on stuff though........he doesn't have a toy that isn't broken or missing pieces.....

I've started off this breeding season slowly.......I'll breed a couple pairs of DH for "Dreamsicle" and a couple Lavender Albino females..........the "rest" I have not thought about.......I think this season will be geared more to Construction work more than breeding ball pythons.......Resting my collection can only be a good thing........

That's it for the week folks.........it's been a tough one for me, my family and friends......we got rat barn tonight........

I have picked out all the "halloween Pics" for the journal. So look for them to be posted soon.

Have a Great Weekend and ROCK ON!!

Philly and I ran a bunch of errands today. He, Gravy and I went to the dump to unload the trailer "full of demo".........3,000 pounds worth.......cost $95.00 at the dump......that "hint" worked........I was happy to have the help.

Gravy and a buddy of his have started up a DJ bizz and they are doing very well "bookin' gigs".......so today we went and had a trailer hitch installed on his Chevy Colorado. He will be using my trailer to take all his equipment to the "gigs"........YIKES!!

We all went to Mom's today for a "early turkey dinner"......a few friends and family from the funeral came over too. It was nice to spend time with Mom and everyone remembering "Pop"....

Mom gave me Pop's pocket watch to remember him by......I'm gonna keep it in my office so I can look at it and remember some of the crazy stuff he got me into as a kid.......my grandmother was always yellin' at him for "corrupting" me.......LOL......

Blahh........feeding snakes all day.........this winter will be like last.......I want to feed the heck out of everything. There will be very little breeding going on this season, so I'll be able to really pump a lot of my breeding stock up.

So far I have some DH for Dreamsicle pairs togther.......DH for Striped Albino........and a couple Pied males in with Lavender Albino females.......slooooow and easyyyyy......

While I'm thinking about it ( don't ask me why? )..........Survivor was pretty edgy last week.........the "mutiny thing" was off the wall.........and it took guts to step up and switch tribes....I don't think "the switch" is gonna go well for Jonathan.............I miss Cristina........:(

Today is Fatty's BIRTHDAY!!..........so Happy Birthday to you Sir Lard-ship!!.............we have been friends since 1984...........remember when we used to jam out to Motley Crue "Shout At The Devil" when we worked for Frank? ( using shovels as guitars ).............that was the good ole' days............4 bucks an hour baby!!

I got all the Halloween pics sized today...........so hopefully I'll be able to get them in this week's journal............the party was great............not as risque as it has been in the past.........but that's only because I got put to bed early......LOL............

Fatty, Bob and I met out at Fatty's property later today. Fatty had to make the decision of "where" his house was going to sit "exactly" on his wooded lot...........that needs to be done so that his septic system can be designed.

He picked a good spot for the house to be built.....it will be positioned nicely so that you can see the whole front while coming up the driveway.

Some of you may think I'm going back to my "roots" this season...........and that is partially true. The Ball Bizz needs a break and that has to start somewhere. I'm gonna do things because I want to.........NOT because I have to........I wish more "big players" were in less debt these days...........

Fatty worked here at my place today......we set the vanities in the kid's new bathrooms and some other carpentry work. The kids are itchin' to get in their new rooms........all that's left is to carpet. I ain't budgin' though........until they start cleaning up their rooms now........they won't get to move into their new rooms......

Their new rooms are 600 square feet each........that's a lot of space to be messin' up........Ha!!......

I'd like to thank everyone who contacted me about losing "Pop"........I appreciate the kind words of support. I also enjoyed reading some of the emails from people who also lost a grandfather just like "Hoss"..........here is to all the Hoss' in this world and the next........ROCK ON!!!

We had flood rains today.........I'm talking brutal windy down pours. I lost a pair of shutters off my house. Looking outside while this was going on I swore that there was a tornado on it's way.........I can't remember hard rain and thunder ever in November????

I still can't believe how fast December came up........living your life from snake season to snake season really SUX!!!........that's the bizzzzzz............

We had floods all over the place yesterday .......streams were all the way up to the bottoms of the bridges .......roads were covered in water........it was crazy. This has to be a record for rain fall in Maryland for November.......

Survivor had a nice twist last night.......Raro got two votes at tribal council.....Rebecca got the "regular vote"...........and then there was the "twist" and that vote went to Jenny...........she never saw it coming..........I thought Jonathon would get the second vote???..........Jenny looked like she flipped the bird on here way out..........she was torked!!

T's got me into all the chick shows..........it wasn't bad enough that she got me hooked on Nip / Tuck............now she has me hooked on Grey's Anatomy..........thank GOD for TIVO!!.........Thursday's are a full of good shows............Survivor, CSI, Shark and Grey's Anatomy.......

Guys...........make sure you watch Grey's and Nip / Tuck with your ladies...........you just might get lucky.........LOL.............:P

The RDR Message Boards are up to 980 members............I cleaned out all the users that were not active several months ago ( hundreds ).......we were up over 1,000 members at that time. Now we are sitting at 980 members and 548 of them have posted. That's a ton of people!! I can see how many individual visits there are each day from members that "lurk"..........we get around 2,000 visits per day.

I went through all of my breeder BP's today and made my "marks","notes" and "symbols" to help me iron out my "game plan"...........I have some serious potential to KICK ASS in the future........although I still think it will be best for me to "go light" this season..........:)

I did see my Pied males locked up with Lavender Albino females today...........I really want to build this project strong..........just like Pete did with the Pieds........The "Dreamsicle" will be RDR's gig for a long time.........I can't count the emails from people who inquire about them each week............the DREAMSICLE ROCKS........it's rare, very hard to produce and has the looks that kill!!!...........not to mention it's a double recessive......;)

I also broke NEO out today and put him on a really pretty "Pumpkin Orange" female. I have some pretty zesty plans for him.........I sure hope he is genetic..........he looks like a dominant type trait..........we shall see. Hopefully I'll get some eggs from him this season.

I have NO walk-in incubator at the moment..........it's gone............it went with the rest of the demo job.........yepper............I may need to break out a few hovobators this Spring......LMAO!!.........well, maybe so.......if I produce a half dozen clutches.........the hovo will work just fine....;)

I see a lot more ladies on the RDR Message Boards ..........ladies that can actually "hang" and not get all bunched up by what the "zoo regulars" say and do there during the day.........and yes it's a ZOO sometimes ..........packed FULL of every kinda person you could ever know..........you name it and we got it at the RDR Message Boards..........I'm not sayin' we like everything we "got"...........but we pretty much have it all covered.

Rudd and Roro.......you guys have enough post count to be allowed to pic your own "handles".............like Mojo with "West Coast Pimp".......I can think of a few great handles for Roro...........LMAO.......when you guys get an idea for a "handle"...........let me know.........that means you will have to stop chasin Andrea around for a spilt second though.......you guys wouldn't last 3 days on SURVIVOR..............:P

Kyle now has "the bug" that Brooke had...........he was up all night feeling bad...........he yakked in school two days ago..........so he's got it bad........all 36 pounds of him....we are better prepared for the bug this time........

Brooke has a level 5 gymnastics meet tomorrow...........it's her first one in level 5.......I love her new routines on the un-even bars............she looks so awesome twirllin' around the bars....;)

We have the footers dug for the garage..............and they now have 30" of water in them.........yep..........so now we gotta pump out the water to get the footer inspection .........I have a feeling that the garage is gonna be a long project..........yeah I know.............the addition ain't done and I'm starting new projects..........that's me folks!!

This year has a lot of construction coming up..............Pete called me last night to see if I was interested in building at his place..........I said "sure"...........so I'm gonna be "Ralpie Carpenter" for awhile..........Fatty and I totally remodeled Pete's first home several years ago...........turned a one story rancher into a two story with lofts and cathedral ceilings...........he even had an oak spiral staircase in his bedroom............hubba-hubba......;)

That's it for the week folks............I still gotta put captions on all the Halloween pics I posted below..........

Have a great weekend everyone!!..........don't believe all the hype and ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!!

Halloween 2006 Party Pics........Thank you Philly and rene for takin' the time to shoot pics of all these Bone Heads.........;)

That's another wrap..........Rock On!!

Kyle still has "the bug"......so T and Brooke went to the gymnastics meet without us. Kyle and I stayed home and worked in the yard. He only feels bad in the evening???

We used the vacume attachment on the zero-turn mower to suck up leaves. I let him ride with me. We would suck up leaves until the baskets were full, then we would dump them in the cornfield behind my house.

I spent most of the morning setting up breeding pairs,,,,,,.....yes I decided to "do it up" nice this season.....what's a little more work?....after all,,,,,I'm a builder and a python breeder right?

I have too many females that are plump and prime for me not to start breeding them. I should produce a couple really nice combo morphs this season if all goes well.

Kyle and I took a nice ride in the VIPER later in the day. He and Brooke love riding in it......they say it feels like they are sitting in an airplane.......LOL........and yes I drive it quite modestly. It's such a thrill to drive.......it turns heads up and down the road. It's therapy........:).....I'm looking for a coupe now.........I want a yellow coupe with black racing stripes.........I may wait until the 08's come out.......the 08 should be 600 plus HP.......the CO6 vette finally caught up to the VIPER after 12 years in speed..........so now Team Viper is gonna crank it up a bit.......

There are ten times more vettes on the road than VIPERRRRRRRSSSSSS..........

Brooke ended up getting a medal on the balance beam and the vault today.....,she didn't expect to do well on either event but she did. Level five has all the girls spooked. The competition level is more intense as the girls move up in levels.......she didn't think she could pull off a cart wheel on the beam........she did........and she scored a high 8 for it..........:)

Jimbo and I went to see a movie tonight.......called "Penny Dreadful"........it was one of several movies playing in a three day weekend "horror-fest".......all these moves were supposedly "too nasty' to be released at the time they were produced......

All I can say is it SUCKED........it was "dreadful".......Jimbo nodded off a couple times.....LOL........

T worked today.......she goes in on Sundays to do customers when she is over-booked and can't get them all done........the kiddies cleaned the house......yeah I'm still in shock just writing that down????

I did some "fine tuning" on my breeding plan.......I'm officially "breeding" for the 07 season as of NOW. I put a lot of thought into what I wanted to mix up and what I wanted to produce to sell this season. I'll build a new walk-in incubator at the last minute........yep.......it's GONE!!!.....

I went for the "final phase" on my root canal today........the "first phase" was 2 hours plus.......today was around 2 hours........I had four roots........most people have three??........it sucked. I know I cost the dentist money on novacaine.........LOL. I was so numb that I was drooling all over the place and couldn't even feel it.....LOL

That cost me $1,200.00......and now I gotta go see another dentist for the crown. T's Mom told me I should have just had it pulled for 50 bucks.....LOL,,,,,,,,go for the real red-neck look.........NOT!!

I updated the BIG List today with a bunch of surplus breeder males........I can't keep these guys HOSTAGE anymore!!.........

Still fine tuning and making "last minute" decisions on my "combos".....that's what makes it so much fun........the planning of what you want to mix up and produce. I changed my mind on a few things, and then changed my mind again........I have a lot of cool stuff I can produce. I'm just having trouble deciding on which combo to do first.

Once you commit and "burn" your female on a certain male........it's done.......

I'm comfortable with what's on the plate now...........I think??.....;P......yeah I know.....I'm loosin' my mind.........I should just "build things" this winter and make life easy......

Blahh.........today we cleaned the hell out of the snake room.........I wanted everything done before Thanksgiving. We got it done.........Gravy, Joey and I during the day.........Phil and Josh came and finished up in the evening. When you have as many snakes as I do and you are as anal about cleanliness as we are........it takes a lot of time and a lot of help.

Whether you pay the help or trade for help........it all costs money to do. That is where so many people feel the "lightning bolt"........when they realize that it is work and that it takes up a lot of time. We work full time all week on the snakes and rodents......EVERY single day there is work to be done here..........even on Saturday and Sunday. I can only imagine the amount of work the other "Big Boys" have with collection 10 times the size of mine???

We use white un printed newspaper which does take more time than spot cleaning. I know if we were to go to "spot cleaning" on a fiber type bedding we would make better time. I tried everything on the market...........spot cleaning just doesn't "feel clean"..........but it is necessary when you have thousands of heads to clean.........this I know.

When we clean a snake tub.......whether it is a baby, yearling or an adult.......the entire tub get's washed and disinfected at the sink.......so does the hide box and the water bowl........it takes around 45 minutes to an hour to do a CB-70 FB rack of adults ( 30 tubs )..........45 minutes to an hour to do a medium FB rack with the white "bus tubs" ( 36 tubs )..........and 1 hour to 1.75 hours to do a full FB baby rack with 85 tubs in it....these times are fast........as fast as you could get with experience. These times are using paper.

These times could be cut down to 15 minutes a rack spot cleaning on the bigger tubs and at least in half on the baby racks.

Some breeders use a deli cup insert and throw the insert away after 3 to 4 weeks.........this does save time.......but sooner or later you have to clean the water bowl or what-ever you insert the deli cup in. Hide boxes always need to be cleaned no matter what......using white paper has showed me what "really" comes out of a BP during the week..........and it's a lot of stuff that could easily hide in fiber bedding......cleaing like this each week means we will never have a week where things are just built up and a "mass substrate change" is due........that is a TON of work.

I don't want anyone to think I'm down on any other types of substrate .......I just know what I like and what makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside after we are done......:)

The only issues with paper are humidity......and that can easily be tweaked....it all depends on how your herp room is set up and ventilated. I ventilate 24/7 all year long so I adjust the humidity accordingly...........

Hope you all had a great Turkey Day as we did here.......we had 30 plus people in the house. We set up teams and played pool, shuffle board and ping pong into the night. I was stuffed like a PIGGIE for most of the day.......I had three plates for dinner.........and two plates later that night..........there were barely any left overs "left".........just enough to make some Turkey Soup!!...

Man.......I feel like I have three cinder blocks inside my gut today.......I'm a bloated "stinky" BEAST and luvin' every minute of it...:)........

I got the permit for the garage finalized......the footers are dug and still full of water.......so I'll be pumping them out over the weekend and hopefully getting my footer inspection so that we can pour them and get started on the foundation block walls.......

The rain is kicking my ass ever since we started digging the footers.......SUX!!

I'll be sooooo glad to get stated on the "wood part"........all the ground work and concrete work is for the birdies.......

Chad Brown from Pro Exotics is playing for the Stealers now.........he will be in town tomorrow to play The Ravens on Sunday.........so Philly and I will be picking him up tomorrow and bringing him back to my place to check out the snakes.

I've done bizz with Chad in the past but never got to meet him in person......I'm looking forward to showing him all my "cool stuff".......

Have a great weekend everyone!!!.........get your asses on a stair master!!........ROCK ON!!

I pumped the footers out today......what a mess!!......the weather is gonna be nice so hopefully they will dry out and be "workable" by Monday?

Phil and I left early to head to Baltimore City. Chad was due to be picked up at 4:00 or so. We went early and drove around the city looking at all the sites. Baltimore's inner harbor is a very nice place to visit.

Chad's team rolled into town around 4:30 with police escorts,,,,,,the sirens and the lights were blazin'........it was a "grand entrance"...

We went to my place, Chad got to check out all the cool stuff I have...;).........he had to be back at the hotel by 7:30......so we didn't waste time.

He signed some autographs for the kiddies........my nephew Isaac was "star struck" when he saw Chad.........Isaac really likes football and thought it was way cool to have a NFL player standing in the kitchen.....LOL

We got Chad back in time........it was a quick 3 hours for sure......I had a good time. Chad is "good people".......very down to earth. He told us some really interesting stories about his football career and the NFL.

Thanks for the visit Chad ( Pro Exotics )............Rock On!!!........

The kiddies went to a X-mas event today with my Mom and Dad.......it's an expo type deal where you can build ginger bread houses and buy all kinds of X-mas do dads. The kid's had a great time.....they are really looking forward to having their X-mas list filled this year....:)

T and I dug out all the X-mas lights and decorated the house. I do the hanging icicles all around the roof lines.......I have 5 dormers on the front of my house. I was hanging lights on the 3 highest dormers in the dark........30 plus feet up on the roof straddling the peek!!.......YIKES!!

I'm doing some trading for "work" on my garage......the guys that will be helping me frame up the garage needed some help today doing a roof repair job. So I spent yet another day up on a damn roof. It's good practice for the 12/12 on my garage and the 10/12 that will be of Fatty's mansion....

We got the footers cleaned out and inspected today........and then we had two cement trucks deliver the concrete for the footers..........so the footers are poured.....next will be laying the block foundation. I will have 4 or 5 courses of block ran to grade........then we will be framing twelve foot high 2" x 6" walls 16" o.c..........

I'm so ready to get started on the "building part".......

I packed snakes for most of the day. I've done some really good biz the past couple weeks. I sold a lot of the breeder males I had listed on "The Big List".........many are going over seas....

Breeding is going well. I see a lot of exciting copulations. "Exciting" because they are pairs that could produce some really cool combos for me........

I spent the most part of the day filling out CITES applications. I got blasted with orders for Germany, The UK and Indo..........I've never shipped to Indo before. I had to make a call to US Fish and Wildlife to make sure that I could ship BP's to Indo.......they said yes, so now I gotta find an airline who flys there.

I took the VIPER in for it's first oil and filter change today.........519 miles. I was a wreck. The shop forman allowed me to drive the VIPER into the shop so that the "Viper tech" could do the work. I also stayed while he did the work and bugged him with pesky questions. I didn't buy the VIPER at this Dodge dealership........but I have bought a Twin Turbo Stealth and a half dozen work trucks from them in the past.....

I wasn't sure that this local dealership even had a "Viper tech" but they did........and he is a real good conscientious mechanic. Not some meat head that's gonna scratch up "my baby".......:)

Then I went to DMV and paid for my Vanity Tags.......it takes two months to receive them. The plates will read "VENOM4U"............Bam!!!..........I love it!!.........driving a VIPER is like a drug......I should have pulled the trigger years ago.........it's the best therapy a big BONER like me could ever ask for......whoooohoooooooo!!.....;)

Today was "Ralphie's Viper Day" by the way.......hehehehe........I found a local shop that installs exhaust systems on VIPERS. I'm going with a Corsa Track Exhaust.........it will add some HP and really wake up the neighbors!!!.......I also want to go with Motons for the suspension ( makin' it real low ).........and did I mention twin turbo with 1000 HP.........HA!!......yeah I know..........but I can't help myself.......it's just a big collectable.......and everyone knows I like to collect stuff.......now where is that yellow coupe with black racing stripes at????..............