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
Monday, June 23, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
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
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
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
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
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
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
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
*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
Monday, June 09, 2008
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!!!
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!!!
Thursday, June 05, 2008
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
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
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
The day after:
Congratulations, Senator Obama.
So! I got the tomato cages. I had considered buying the more expensive ones that are coated with some kind of fancy schmantzy stuff that keeps them from rusting, but... meh. They cost too much, and the plain galvanized ones only cost about 2.50 each. So I got 2 of them. And a bag of "Citrus" potting soil, which should work for the baby lime trees, and tomato sticks to push into the soil to fertilize over time. (They worked rather nicely last year)
The front garden splotch looks pretty good - even without the geraniums in it yet, the NINE buds on the peony are opening up slooowwwly, and the coreopsis is all budded out and looking like it might decide to bloom in the next few days. The big wind/rain storm the other night knocked all the iris over into the grass, unfortunately. The coreopsis is kind of unevenly spread around, however. But considering that I only bought a small 4" pot of it several years ago, and now it has almost filled-in around 2/3 of the splotch, I figure a few more years will even everything out nicely. The daylillies survived as well, as did the Chrysanthemum (to which I am allergic.. achoo!!)
I am not sure what to do about my garden gnome. He's about 8 inches tall, and made from unpainted terra cotta. His name is Herbie. He is hollow, with a hole in the bottom of his feets, and he keeps falling over face-first into the mud. Drunken lil' gnome, no doubt. More importantly, he is now covered with some kind of green slime - mold or something, I suppose. I would hate to bleach him and have him lose his pretty brownish color - but while he is cute, I had really wanted a painted one anyhow...
229 days
So! I got the tomato cages. I had considered buying the more expensive ones that are coated with some kind of fancy schmantzy stuff that keeps them from rusting, but... meh. They cost too much, and the plain galvanized ones only cost about 2.50 each. So I got 2 of them. And a bag of "Citrus" potting soil, which should work for the baby lime trees, and tomato sticks to push into the soil to fertilize over time. (They worked rather nicely last year)
The front garden splotch looks pretty good - even without the geraniums in it yet, the NINE buds on the peony are opening up slooowwwly, and the coreopsis is all budded out and looking like it might decide to bloom in the next few days. The big wind/rain storm the other night knocked all the iris over into the grass, unfortunately. The coreopsis is kind of unevenly spread around, however. But considering that I only bought a small 4" pot of it several years ago, and now it has almost filled-in around 2/3 of the splotch, I figure a few more years will even everything out nicely. The daylillies survived as well, as did the Chrysanthemum (to which I am allergic.. achoo!!)
I am not sure what to do about my garden gnome. He's about 8 inches tall, and made from unpainted terra cotta. His name is Herbie. He is hollow, with a hole in the bottom of his feets, and he keeps falling over face-first into the mud. Drunken lil' gnome, no doubt. More importantly, he is now covered with some kind of green slime - mold or something, I suppose. I would hate to bleach him and have him lose his pretty brownish color - but while he is cute, I had really wanted a painted one anyhow...
229 days
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Eclectic "taste"
I harbor no delusions that my personal tastes in music/entertainment/literature are shared by much of anyone else except maybe Lea, who is my soul-sister in almost all of these things.
I got my Amazon order this morning.
The movie "AMADEUS" - director's cut.
The movie "The Lion King" - special "platinum" edition (used)
8 Minute Meditation - Victor Davich
Sweet Revenge - Diane Mott Davidson
World of Warcraft Strategy Guide - 2nd Edition
Guided Meditations - mindfulness of breathing (cd)
and some old Aerosmith.... Toys in the Attic. (cd - my vinyl copy was getting too scratchy)
It is raining cats, dogs and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri here today. My backyard jungle will be even more jungly.
230 days
I got my Amazon order this morning.
The movie "AMADEUS" - director's cut.
The movie "The Lion King" - special "platinum" edition (used)
8 Minute Meditation - Victor Davich
Sweet Revenge - Diane Mott Davidson
World of Warcraft Strategy Guide - 2nd Edition
Guided Meditations - mindfulness of breathing (cd)
and some old Aerosmith.... Toys in the Attic. (cd - my vinyl copy was getting too scratchy)
It is raining cats, dogs and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri here today. My backyard jungle will be even more jungly.
230 days
Monday, June 02, 2008
More Proof I Cannot Draw For ***t.
Ok. Well. Here, as sort-of-promised, a photo of the little garage-house. Now, unfortunately, it is farking impossible for me to get a photo at the angle that I saw it the other night, because there is a big honking utility pole in the way, and there's no place to pull off the road to take a decent photo. I took this thru my filthy dirty windshield from a cross-street about 1/4 mile away from the actual building, so shoot me that it doesn't look right. Also, as you can probably see, it was still raining a bit.
The actual house is further off to the left. You can see the screened-in mudroom area between the garage and the house, but the house is a very attractive long ranch-style. All with green roof and white siding. Well kept and rather pretty.
The weekend was off and on - seemed like every time I got things "together" to do stuff outside it would get nasty out again. So I spent time working inside and have gotten a few things done, which makes me feel a tiny bit better.
Still waiting on my Amazon.com order. Got myself the directors cut of Amadeus and a few other goodies, including the newest Diane Mott Davidson CTMM. (Cheap, trashy murder mystery) I am such a sucker for those.
The lady across the street has a new puppy. He's adorable. About 18" tall, got a tail that curls over his back like an akita - brown and white with a "snoopy" nose and perky ears. She told me what kind he was, but I cannot remember. I wish I was home enough to have a dog, but that's just not gonna happen until I retire, or get a roommate who's home during the days.
Not fair to a pup to leave him in a crate all day, take him for a short evening jaunt, play a bit and then shove him back in crate at nite. Nah - I'll wait until I can take care of one properly.
ps: I was wrong. There is a tree.
231 days
Friday, May 30, 2008
Proof that I cannot draw my way out of a paper sack...
Remember those little drawings we all did as kids of a house, and a tree, and sunshine, and a bird and flowers?
Somebody has duplicated that drawing, but in real life and without the bird - and sunshine only sometimes, and straight lines instead of wiggly ones.
There is a sod farm a few miles down the road from where I live, and there is a homestead on the property. Large garage, painted white with green roof and green trim, 3 multi-pane windows on each of the 2 long sides. And along under those windows, dark dark peonies and iris with spikey spikey foliage.
I swear it looks just like a kid's drawing of a "house" (except for the big garage door...) I don't think it has a tree. We shall see when I go home.
Just delightful. I shall indeed post a photo when I get home and get a photo, assuming there is enough light because right now it is VERY DARK outside and raining and it's the end of the world and we're all gonna die.
So, I'm sitting here with more computer memory around my neck than was used to send Apollo11 to the moon. A 2-gig usb flash memory stick on a ribbon. Amazing, eh? I love TigerDirect. For stuff like memory sticks and mouses and keyboards they have awesome prices, and if I order before 4pm, I usually get it the next day. I've never gotten anything "huge" from them like a whole computer or a monitor or anything - but the stuff I've gotten has been good.
234 days
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
