Eating the yard

I'm just not succeeding with perennial flowers. Some of them do ok, but most of them are just annoying me, so I'm going to back off of that concept and do something else. Something else being veggies again.

Last nite I emptied a bag of potting soil into a clear plasticy box and sprinkled lettuce seeds on it. Then I added some water and put the cover on to protect it from frost. It is sitting on top of the air conditioner compressor. Hopefully it will make lettuces, since the variety I chose is called "Pixie" and makes small heads of lettuce, which amuses me.

I've started clearing some of the pots and stuff out of the "ground garden" where the perennials "live". The daffodils are doing great and the red lilies are coming up strong, as are the iris. Not sure about the astilbe or those little pruple/blue flowers and I think the bleeding hearts are dead.

I can't decide whether to try and grow a tomato plant again or not. I've had such ROTTEN luck with them the last few times that I'm tempted to just go try and grow peppers and forget the tomatoes. Interestingly, I did better with tomatoes at my Mom and Dad's old house where the black walnut trees were my only nemesis than I've done here with no trees to speak of.

Yes, Croila, I will put in photos - just not yet. A picture of a blue pot full of dirt is not really very interesting, IMNSHO.

Dr. Stupid

Went to the new Dr. He is an idiot. Ok, maybe not an idiot - but never going to earn the "Miss Congeniality" award anywhere. The lack of common courtesy and mutual respect for a fellow professional (albeit in a different field) indicates a bad case of "Dr. God" syndrome. Ya know? I have enough stress and crap in my life without that. I have put in a call to my GP for an alternative referral, as I cannot/will not return to that guy.

New Dr.

So I'm going to go see another doctor next Tuesday. An endocrinologist. As I told his nurse/receptionist, I am seriously suspicious that I am an endocrinological mess. Have been my whole life, I suspect. This particular visit has to do with the fact that I can NOT tolerate metformin, and I'm not going to take it if it continues with the same bad side-effect, and yet I am still apparently Type II Diabetic. There are other things, though. Things that I think may have bearing. I think I've needed to see one of these kinds of Dr. for many years.

Tuesday I'll find out, I suspect.

This should be interesting. If nothing else, I can try out my "My mother was never pregnant" line on the Dr. and see what kind of reaction I get.

Thoughts

During my lifetime I've worked for 3 Japanese owned companies. One directly Japanese operated (I will NEVER do that again) and 2 that were owned by Japanese companies but run by Americans. I've met a lot of Japanese guys through these jobs (not so many women, but then, the Japanese have this thing about women....)

When I heard about the earthquake/tsunami, my thoughts went to all the people I'd worked with over the years. I never kept in touch - in many ways it would have been impossible to do so even if I'd thought of it. There's no way for me to go looking online or send an email to find out if everyone is ok.

But I find my thoughts going out to Mr. Matsumura, Kiyoshi, Sudo-san, Mr. Kinoshita, and so many others whom I worked for and with over those years. I hope they are all OK. I hope their families are ok. And I hope that the country (Japan) can get their shit together with regard to the nuclear reactors so that the population isn't all poisoned.

Because even if I had problems working with some of those guys, (that Japanese male thing about women...) I would never, ever, in my wildest nightmares want to see them or their families hurt by this triple-tragedy.

I cannot translate this to Japanese, because all the translators online use konji and my computer just makes that into boxes - but I wish for all of you - only good things forever. Be well, Japan.

Ich Bin Ein French Fry.

So I go into the store to buy a few things and I see these totally awesome dark beet-red/burgundy sheets with 600 thread count and all, and I'm like YES!!! So I bought them.

Just put them on the bed a few nights ago.

They are not lovely and deep burgundy and matching my curtains AT ALL. They are red. Ketchup Red. Seriously, the exact same color as tomato ketchup.

So all night long, I am laying there, thinking I must be a french fry.

I am going to guess that the lighting in the store is maybe just a TAD different than sunlight/house lamp light.

Pass the salt, please.

Well, tickle me with a cheddar...

I'll be damned if our Cheezehead neighbors to the north (Wisconsin) haven't done gone and did what I said in my previous post. They're all out there peacefully telling their Republican Governor (in office for less than a month...) to stuff it where it don't shine and not give tax bonuses to his rich cronies and then try to balance his budget on the backs of the working folks.

I don't often agree with the Cheddarheads. Especially about Football. But - guys, this here Flatlander is 250% behind ya on this one. Say it loud. Say it proud. Say it so loud I can here it down here in Illinois. And change your damn State Constitution so you can tell someone like "Walker" to take a hike, without waiting for him to screw things up for a whole year first.

GO CHEESEHEADS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Btw - Piston - if you're going to just post silly teabagger talking points, don't bother. The state had a 140 million dollar surplus in the budget before Walker took office. He gave tax breaks and credits to his cronies, and added 3.8 billion in pork for his corporate masters, which is why there's a problem NOW. Oh - btw, he also wants to get rid of the minimum wage and child labor laws. Sounds like Dickensian London instead of Madison Wisconsin in the 2000's.

Protest Like An Egyptian

I've been watching the whole Egyptian Revolution thing in the news and one thing really and truly impressed me. If this succeeds, if the military doesn't fuck things up (as military are prone to do), this has been a relatively bloodless revolution. The people have set their demands, and then (for the most part) peacefully gone about insisting that they be met.

Yes, there have been scattered bits of violence, but unless I've missed it, that was the exception, not the norm.

If only others in that part of the world would get the message "You CAN win without killing". "You CAN get what you want without murdering innocents"

Nobody in the square in Cairo strapped on a bomb and exploded themselves to get their way. Nobody packed a car full of exploding things and set it off in a crowded marketplace. Nobody flew any airplanes into anything.

(I like the shoe bit. I really do. I find it ever so wonderful. Waving shoes in protest, instead of signs. I really really love the shoe bit.)

Dear Muslims. Dear Dear Xtian Anti-Choice people. Please learn from this. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO KILL PEOPLE - OFTEN PEOPLE UNRELATED TO YOUR GOALS - TO EFFECT CHANGE!!!

Oh Good Greif.

Carol Mosley-Braun is all up in arms about when the decision was made to shut down Lake Shore Drive. She's critical of the city's response.

Carol? You're not the Mayor yet. In fact, you probably won't be if Rahm gets on the ballot.

More importantly - no matter what you yammer on about - this blizzard is a blessing for all of you candidates. The blessing is that it did NOT happen on your watch. Dick Daley is on his way out. This cannot hurt him, because... well... he's not going to run for Mayor again. Unlike Mike Bilandic, the blizzard is not going to cost him an election. Smart cookie, that Dick Daley.

On the other hand - you just sound whiney. Dorothy-Tillman-Whiney. Seriously - it's a blizzard. We got 2 ft. of sn*w at least. LSD was no doubt shut down as soon as the city folks knew it would be impossible to keep clear and passable. Give it a rest.

If you really want to be a help - go grab a shovel. I bet you have some neighbors who could use a bit of help.

A Sn*w day

Wow. I haven't had a sn*w day since.... jeeezz.... 1979, I think. This was a hella good blizzard, as far as blizzards go.

I half-shoveled, half-waded through the sn*w in the front (the back is impassible) - and took a look at the white lump that used to be my car.

I have a feeling I will be having another sn*w day tomorrow.

*sigh*

Atta President, President Obama!

Way to go, Mr. Commander in Chief - I was moved and impressed by your speech last night at the memorial in Arizona.

Very nice of you to remember that the day was for remembering the fallen - not a day to glorify yourself.

*applause*