Garden Photos

For Croila & Amanda:

I forgot to get a picture of Herbie and Roger The Goose... I'll get them tonite!

Front yard splotch of Yellow with dying Peony flowers - the yellow will last all summer until fall, when the pink/brown chrysanthemum (too short to see right now) behind the peony will bloom.

Back yard "jungle" - on the far right are MANY more pink lilies that will open soon.

Just Realized This Didn't Post

I was going to post this on Friday, but then I got interrupted at work and didn't... Found it under "Drafts" - so I guess I'll finish it now:


Oy, it strikes me as seriously unpleasant that getting one's hip/leg/knee/ankle/goddamnsciaticnerve fixed up requires a period of MORE pain before one encounters LESS pain. Just sayin'. Owie.



It was raining rather heavily this morning, but I went to the end of the walk (covered by the roof) and saw that the lemon-yellow daylillies have started to bloom out front. Yes, Ms. Croila, I WILL take a photo as soon as there is sunshine on them. Out back, the weeds have proliferated in astonishing quantity - and I suspect I'll have to let the garden go for a bit now because of the back/leg situation. Dr. Brad says no bending, lifting, twisting or vacuuming. Owie.



I suppose I shall just have to make more small trips to the grocery market instead of one big one. I guess that's ok. Owie.


6/30/08 ...

I took some pictures of the flowers. I'll get them off the camera tonite and post them, I guess. Have another appointment with Dr. Brad tonite, leg is so much better, but there is still tightness and pulling, so I know it's not completely well yet. Ouch.





It's funny how even now, at 52 yrs old - I still have that childish notion that life somehow has an element of "Fair" about it. I keep thinking how UNFAIR it is that Leandra was taken away when I, and her family, need her so much. Of course, given the "Schoolhouse Earth" theology, perhaps that is exactly why she was taken - because we relied on her too much and need to move on by ourselves or we won't learn properly. Still and all, that feeling remains.

Her son-in-law cried to me on the phone for about an hour yesterday. How much he misses her... and how helpless he feels to comfort his wife. And how he doesn't feel "manly" for being a crying mess... It really must suck to be a guy and need to be macho.

I think she's haunting me. Every so often I can hear her voice "Heh-Roh!!!" the way she used to greet me on the phone, and feel her nagging me to get things done. *sigh*

Ok, so I did MY part and notified her online friends - to the extent that I was able to do so. Her daughter is supposed to send me her "contacts" list from her computer, but I'm not 100% certain that she will. The girl means well, but doesn't always follow-thru.

Ok - back to work. Last day of the month and all that. Meh.

203 days

Leandra has passed away.

I lost a sister this morning. Her daughter called me early and told me that we'd lost her about an hour and a half prior. She went peacefully, in no pain, in her sleep, as she wanted. Oh Goddess, I am going to miss her so very much.

Yeah, I know she's gone on to the "next thing" - whatever it may be - but dammit, she will be so horribly, terribly missed. I've never before in my life met someone who shared damn near ALL my interests, who understood my thinking almost as well as I do (sometimes better.. *grumble*)

I know that when I grieve, I grieve not for her - for she led a full, and glorious life - but for myself - and her family and other friends, who are left behind and hurting.

I promised her that I would let her friends online know when she died. I know some of them read here too - and although she gave me her blog access, I can't seem to get it to work, so I'm posting here hoping that word gets out to those who care.

I've been pretty damn lucky in my friends through my life - but none of them has been so similar, so precious in her own right - as Leandra. To think we met in a stupid video game...

I think I'm going to go have a good cry and feel-bad for a bit.

205 days...... I hope you were right, Lea...

Freckles and... Living la vida seta del portobello

When I was a kid, I wanted freckles. My best friend had freckles, and I wanted them too. We both had long blonde hair, blue/green eyes, similar facial features - but she had freckles. Her mom was swedish - my mom was never pregnant, so I have no idea where my lack of freckles came from.

Now that I'm OLD - I'm developing freckles on my arms and hands. 52 fucking years I've had to wait for my damn freckles - and some VERY KIND FRIEND has had the chutzpah to tell me they aren't freckles at all, but liver spots.

They're my freckles, dammit, they're FRECKLES - and that's my story and I'm sticking with it so there, phllhhhbbbhhttt.

The question arises, however, as to HOW these freckles have come to be. You see, I've been put on a different hypertension med for the last 2 1/2 months, "Avilide", and I know it didn't cause the freckles, because they've been there for a bit, just getting a little more obvious lately - but the Avilide says that I need to stay out of direct sunlight or strong light for extended periods of time.

Living la vida seta del portobello. Mushrooming. I keep the shades down and stay out of the garden for the most part. I don't know why I have to be a mushroom, but the med warning was on a BRIGHT RED sticker in BIG LETTERS, so it must be very important.

So how come if I'm living like a 'shroom, am I able to grow more freckles???

My leg is much better, thank you for inquiring. Dr. Brad is kind of like this miracle worker for my back and hip problems. I should have known better than to try and get Dr. Nick to fix this - he's only an MD.


207 days

7 words

Shit.

Shit piss fuck cunt cocksucker motherfucker tits.

George Carlin died. That sucks and doth not swallow in the worst way.

Leandra's oncologist discontinued her chemotherapy. Apparently although there are no new tumors on her liver - the ones she has are larger. It's not helping, and she's not going to make it.

Fortunately, the Dr. says that it will be pretty much painless and easy. She will become progressively weaker, then just slip away. Knowing Lea, I suspect the "progressively weaker" bit is going to rankle some - but she's taking it with a good attitude. She's pretty certain she will have to go into a hospice soon, as her sister is having progressively more difficulty in helping her - and if it becomes worse, her sister won't be able to cope alone.

I had hoped she would make it to Election Day. I know how much she's cared about this election cycle. I don't think it will happen - but it might. I'm pretty sure she's never going to quilt again, tho.

So I guess that the quilt for Iroc (who is still AWOL and hasn't gotten it yet) will be the last one that is a collaborative effort between us. *sigh* We made a good team.

As for me - well, it's been a rough bit of a while for me, as my back decided to do the "take a hike" routine and has been "out" for about 2 weeks. I let medical science have it's chance, but I cannot sleep with my sciatic nerve bouncing around my hip and leg like a frog on Ecstasy - so I'm going to see Dr. Brad tonite and let him tinker with it via Chiropractic.

210 days

The letter I'm e-mailing my family tonight.

Dear Family:

I’ve gotten a number of forwarded e-mails from some of you over the last months, many of which contain lies, half-truths and false insinuations about Senator Barack Obama, the current presumed Democratic candidate for President.

I love and respect you all, which makes this very difficult for me, because I do not believe that as good, Christian men and women you are wishing to bear false witness against a man simply because you disagree with his political stands. Please read this through, because it’s really rather important to me that you know these things before you forward e-mails.

By all means, please check the information, then forward anything that you find that specifically (and IN CONTEXT) would be something that would affect my decision to vote or not vote for Senator Obama. His (true) stands on issues, his attitudes on family, country, constitution… these things matter, and I want to know.

But the most recent of these e-mails had several of the typical “swiftboating” attempts to discredit the Senator based on nothing more than his name, or the accessories he wore, or what someone else whom he knew had said.

Senator Barack Hussein Obama was born 8/4/1961. His father was Arabic, his mother was from Kansas. The senator’s first name means “Blessed” – and comes from the HEBREW name “Barach”. His middle name, Hussein, means “Handsome” in Arabic.

Picture if you will, a young mother with her infant boy – choosing to name him “Blessed” and “Handsome” – in much the same way that Mary chose “God With Us”, and I chose to name Amanda, because it meant “Worthy to be Loved”, and my parents chose “Joan” because it means “God’s Gift”.

As much as these e-mail authors would like you to believe otherwise, Senator Obama had no control over what his mother chose to name him – in much the same way as another man had no control over his mother choosing “Laverne Francis” (We note that Laverne changed his name later in life. Can you just imagine the OMGWTFBBQ COVERUP!!!!! brouhaha that would have ensured had the press or Republican Smear Machine discovered that Senator Obama had changed his name?????)

More importantly, Senator Obama was NOT named for Saddam Hussein. At the time the Senator was born, the former Iraqi dictator was only 24 years old and had not yet come to power in any sense in Iraq. It wasn’t until 1976 that Saddam became a powerful force in Iraqi politics, when Senator Obama was only 15 years old.

Yes, Obama is an Arabic name. Interestingly enough, Senator Obama’s father is Arabic. My maiden name was of German origin. Does this mean I automatically espouse all the worst (or any) of Hitler’s Nazi Party acts/thoughts? Does the fact that my boss’s surname is Italian mean he shares the traits of Machiavelli or Mussolini or Julius Ceasar?

Please remember this – the next time you get an e-mail, or a mass-mailer in your mailbox – that emphasizes in BIG BOLD RED LETTERS that Senator Obama’s full name is Barack Hussein Obama.

As for a flag pin? How many of you wear one? How many of you wear one constantly, everywhere you go? How many of you actually OWN one? I certainly don’t – I never have. I never will. I love the United States as much as anyone – but I don’t believe that wearing a flag pin is necessary for that. In fact, I would assume that even a 9/11 hijacker could have worn a flag pin, if it would have furthered his cause. Jewelry accessories are a VERY poor means of judging a person’s patriotism, in my not-so humble opinion.

And finally – what is it about Republicans and their penchant for deciding that every candidate shares the same exact views of their entire family and social network? I know for a FACT that many of you share quite different political views than myself, and many differing social, entertainment and yes – even religious viewpoints.

I have friends who are Methodists, Baptists, Catholics, Presbyterians, Buddhists – I have coworkers who are Muslim, and acquaintances who are Pagans and Atheists. Just because I enjoy their company in other areas does not mean I share their religious views. I have friends and family who are Lutheran and firmly espouse the teachings of the man known as Saul of Tarsus – but that doesn’t mean I share those views either.

I am a social liberal, a fiscal conservative and a firm believer in the checks and balances and separation of powers granted in the Constitution. I do not believe in Reaganomics, nor in “Amnesty” for illegal border-jumpers. I believe that any medical decisions should be made only between a person, their doctor and their Deity - that govenment has no business in the decisions.

I think for myself – and NOBODY speaks “FOR” me but me – or someone I personally designate to do so. Try as I can, I have not once found any place where Reverend Wright was designated by Senator Obama to speak for him.

It occurs to me that:

A) Reverend Wright has the right to his own opinion, no matter how Wrong, and

B) Senator Obama really has no control over the opinions of anyone other than *drumroll* Senator Obama, and

C) Reverend Wright isn't up for election.

I hate to have to say this, but there have been PLENTY of things that Pastors/Ministers/Ayatollas/Priests/Saul of Tarsus have said that I vehemently disagree with - but that doesn't mean I would automatically condemn them to hell - except for Saul of Tarsus.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Love, Joan

216 days

Passport to Adventure!!

Wasn't that the tag line for some TV show back when I was beaucoup younger?

They're having a passport getting to-do thing at the postal orifice on Saturday. I am seriously thinking about doing this. While I am currently not in any position to do any massive travelling, it might be nice to have the document in case I get some uncontrollable urge to go drive to Canada for a beer or fly to Paris for dinner (yeah, right) or something.

I did notice one thing, however. It said on the little card thingy I got from the postal orifice that minors under the age of 14 (16 after some date...) need the approval of BOTH parents to get a passport.

Now, I can understand this, particularly in cases like where the Saudi guys marry a US woman, have a kid and then spirit the kid off to Saudi and leave Mom here holding nothing but a sole-custody order.

But what about families where mom or dad dies before the kid needs a passport? How do they handle situations where getting Dad's signature would mean exhumation? Or what about in the case of .... oh... for the sake of arguement - Charles Manson's kid. Or a child born because of a rape-concieved pregnancy? Or a kid who is the result of a one-night-stand and the gal doesn't know who he was because it was one hellova party? Or Dad is a convicted pederast? Or parents are divorced and Dad and is being a dickweed to Mom about anything and everything just because he CAN?

I don't mean this to condemn anyone for their actions, or to set up some "well, if she didn't want to get pregnant" bullshit flamefest - but what if for some reason it really is NOT possible to get both parents to sign, and it isn't because it's likely one parent would kidnap the kid? Does Johnny have to miss out on his 8th grade trip to Niagara Falls?

What about kids who's parent is MIA because GWB tried to get him/her killed in Iraq?

Seems there has been inadequate thought put into this, if there is no provision to handle alternative familial situations such as the above.

222 days

Drugged and Lovin' It

If only drugs were side-effect and addiction free. But DRUGS ARE BAD, MKAYYY?

*sigh*

Many years ago, when Dinosaurs roamed the earth, there were no Ipods and nobody had yet heard of Michael Jordan, I had to have my gallbladder removed. This was my first operation (I've had a few since) and this was back in the day where... well... let us just say that the scar runs diagonally across from just under my right tit to almost my waist on the side. With a row of dots on either side of it from the "staples" to keep it shut.

The coolest part of this (other than having a silly roommate with an appendectomy who delighted in playing the "make your roommate laugh and make their stitches hurt" game) was the morphine. Morphine is nice. You get a slap in the ass - it hurts for like 20 seconds... and then... NOTHING hurts. Nothing at all. You aren't high, you aren't loopy or dizzy - but NOTHING HURTS - not even that little crick in the neck that EVERYBODY has that hurts all the time just a bit - nothing at all hurts. It is like... heaven.

But it is addictive and can kill you in quantity and DRUGS ARE BAD, MKAYYYY??

Anyhow - if there were no negative effects to drugs - morphine .. mmmmmm. I also now have a 2ndary drug that I like very much. Prednisone. My back went out and the Dr. diagnosed a slightly herniated disc and prescribed a week's worth of prednisone. Not as dramatic as morphine, to be certain, but...

This morning I was galumphing up the stairs to grab my cell before racing out the door to work and I realized... my knees didn't hurt. They didn't click, they didn't wobble - they just did what knees are supposed to do - haul my fat white ass up the stairs!

SO! Morphine and prednisone - nice drugs. DANGEROUSLY nice drugs. ONLY USE WITH PHYSICIAN APPROVAL, PRESCRIPTION AND only for limited times. DRUGS ARE BAD, MKAYYYYYY????




223 days

Open Letter to Mickey D

Dear McDonalds:

In what I can only assume is a knee-jerk response trying to pre-empt some kind of market takeover by a possible Chik-Fil-A incursion into the Yankee portion of these United States, I have noted your new "southern" menu items. While the breakfast chicken item is not bad, and the lunch/dinner item does not appear to be either, I am horrified by the introduction to your menu of "Sweetened Iced Tea".

Gentlemen and Ladies - I have spent considerable time driving between the north and south, many times crossing the dread Mason-Dixon line and having to remember to ask for UNSWEETENED iced tea once south of said line. It pains me to no end to admit that the last time I drove to Florida, I was forced to discard my beverage purchased at a Kentucky McDonalds, as I had forgotten the cardinal rule and only ordered "Iced Tea" - without the qualifier.

I am quite certain, having actually SEEN the phenomenon before, that our fine Southern neighbors are fully capable of adding sweetening to their tea and stirring same. It galls me that here, in my own neighborhood - the land where I grew up - the state of my birth and the home of this "damn yankee" for over 50 years - one of my usual stops has now become "Southernized" and requires me to stipulate at a MCDONALDS - a corporation based in Oak Brook, Illinois - that my tea should be pure and unadulterated by ghastly sweeteners.

Please remove this travesty from our menus, and return to the correct manner of serving tea beverages. Let us not undo all the good of the defeat of Robt. E. Lee by allowing the South to rise again and inflict this horror upon the good People of the North.**

224 days


**My darlings south of the M/D line... please don't take offense, I love you all dearly. I just hate your tea!!!

Roadways and Cherries

The retaining wall on the unfortunately named "Elgin-O'Hare Expressway" (which goes to neither Elgin, nor O'Hare) is growing little green posts. I cannot for the life of me figure out why. They aren't tall enough or far enough apart to be something for light standards or a billboard support.

I'd've had a picture for you, but the moron behind me in the beat-up Honda was in SUCH a hurry that he honked the moment the truck in front of me got 5 ft. ahead, so I left the camera in the breifcase. *sigh*

Usually I don't take the EOE, because I don't like it much. I usually like the slightly more leisurely drive down Lake Street, with it's wall-to-wall shopping centers and gasoline stations - but I was in a bit of a rush this morning as I had overslept my alarm. How the hell I was able to sleep thru that damn thing going off 2 ft. from my ear is rather surprising to me - but so I did.

I won, however, in the "Beat Your Boss To Work" game which none of my bosses actually know that they're playing - but I saw Boss#1's car at an intersection about a mile and a half from work this morning and managed to scoot thru on the yellow, speed up enough to make 2 more lights easily and get in the office, and to my desk before he turned into the driveway. WIN!!!

They had cherries in bulk for sale at Caputo's last night. They're not the really dark "black" cherries, but they are very sweet red ones. I bought a bag, and will undoubtedly manage to max out on Cherry for a few years - but they're really, really good. I cannot, however, tie a stem in a knot with my tongue. All these stems are pretty short. I can't do it with maraschino cherry stems either, though. I wish I could. It's a cute bar trick, and worth it to see guys faces when they see someone who can do it.

I suppose it is like rolling your tongue or being able to do the Mr. Spock thing with your fingers easily - or lifting just ONE eyebrow, which I cannot do and sooooooooo wish I could!

228 days