It was chilly this morning, frost on the windshield and all that, but as I drove over the arch of the bridge over the hideously mis-named Elgin/O'Hare Expressway (which goes to neither Elgin, nor O'Hare), the sky was a pale, pale blue with those thin, wispy and slightly lumpy silver clouds, and the newborn sun rising behind them. A wedge of geese flew north through the sunrise.
I would have taken a photo, but they were winging it fairly quickly, and I'm not sure this cheap camera would have shown anything other than a dark blur against the beautiful sunrise, and you all would have been sending me packets of lens papers and micro-fiber cloth to clean my camera's nose.
It would appear that Spring is actually springing. While there is still a mound of ice in the back garden area, each night when I come home it's a bit smaller, and some of the plants from last year have a bit of green showing, primarily the Iris.
I'm looking forward to late spring this year because I'm interested to see which of my perennials that I planted last year have survived and thrived. I'm hoping the Lavendar does, I also hope the Peony has been fruitful and multiplied. The Daffodils take care of themselves, mostly, and I would like to see some better flowering on the pink Bleeding Heart, as last year it was a bit scanty and only the all-white ones did well.
I think I will try to grow peppers this year. The woman next door did some last year and got a lot of good-sized bell peppers and some jalapenos. Can't hurt, and certainly can't do any worse than the unsuccessful zucchini!
Been pouring over the seed catalogs - I wish I had enough of a yard to plant a real veggie garden again like I had in Denver. I don't miss much about Colorado, but I sure do miss the old house. Some day I will have to go back again and visit my tree. Maybe I'll remember to bring my farking camera and take a photo of it.
311 Days
Friday, March 14, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Philosophy and Migraines
I have, over the last 24 hours, managed to solve all of the world's problems. It's all a matter of... well... I don't remember. Every time I get a headache I can do this - but I never remember.
See, I had a migraine last nite. Most of the night. Hurt like 100000 motherf*ckers motherf*cking. When I have these migraine headaches, I can't do much more than lay down in a very dark, very quiet room with a glass of tepid tea and a straw. It's about all I can do (physically) to sip a bit of tea from time to time without hurling.
My brain, however, goes on overtime. Thinking, philosophizing, and problem-solving. The only trouble is, memory is being utilized by the WTFOMGHEADACHE module, and retention is nil.
You would think that maybe having another person present to take notes would take care of the retention bit - but that would mean actual noise of a pen scratching on paper, a person breathing - and my own voice. Nope, no can do. Need complete silence and darkness.
Take notes myself? Shirley, you jest! (/bad "Airplane" joke)
So until they invent mental-telepathy-input to my computer - I guess we're all still screwed. Sorryyyyyyy.
312 Days
See, I had a migraine last nite. Most of the night. Hurt like 100000 motherf*ckers motherf*cking. When I have these migraine headaches, I can't do much more than lay down in a very dark, very quiet room with a glass of tepid tea and a straw. It's about all I can do (physically) to sip a bit of tea from time to time without hurling.
My brain, however, goes on overtime. Thinking, philosophizing, and problem-solving. The only trouble is, memory is being utilized by the WTFOMGHEADACHE module, and retention is nil.
You would think that maybe having another person present to take notes would take care of the retention bit - but that would mean actual noise of a pen scratching on paper, a person breathing - and my own voice. Nope, no can do. Need complete silence and darkness.
Take notes myself? Shirley, you jest! (/bad "Airplane" joke)
So until they invent mental-telepathy-input to my computer - I guess we're all still screwed. Sorryyyyyyy.
312 Days
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Benjamin Franklin was a Sadistic Bastard
According to the movie "National Treasure" (and considering how easy it actually would be to Google the truth, I'm going to assume that Bruckheimer, et al did their homework), Benjamin Franklin is responsible for the idea of "Daylight Savings Time".
Fall back. I can deal with that. The extra hour of sleep - or play - or cleaning - or whatever - is always welcome. I like being on-time or early for work for a week or so while my body adjusts.
The problem is with this past weekend - "Spring Ahead". No. I don't want to. I want to stay laid back in my Fall Back time zone and forget this "Spring Ahead" nonsense. I'm TIRED, dammit!! It's only 7:30, I should just NOW be getting dressed and driving to work, well-rested and perky, instead of glowering at my computer screen, hovering protectively over my cup of coffee and trying to remember if this is Tuesday, and what needs doing if it is.
If the farking government is going to force this on us annually, then I think they should be paying for FREE STARBUCKS FOR EVERYONE FOR THE WEEK.
Yours Snoozefully,
Sewmouzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
PS:
I couldn't take myself out to dinner for Amanda's birthday last nite, as I forgot it was Monday nite and all the Chinese restaurants in the area are closed on Mondays. I don't know why. Apparently it's the holy day of take-out-in-white-boxes or something.
314 Days
Fall back. I can deal with that. The extra hour of sleep - or play - or cleaning - or whatever - is always welcome. I like being on-time or early for work for a week or so while my body adjusts.
The problem is with this past weekend - "Spring Ahead". No. I don't want to. I want to stay laid back in my Fall Back time zone and forget this "Spring Ahead" nonsense. I'm TIRED, dammit!! It's only 7:30, I should just NOW be getting dressed and driving to work, well-rested and perky, instead of glowering at my computer screen, hovering protectively over my cup of coffee and trying to remember if this is Tuesday, and what needs doing if it is.
If the farking government is going to force this on us annually, then I think they should be paying for FREE STARBUCKS FOR EVERYONE FOR THE WEEK.
Yours Snoozefully,
Sewmouzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
PS:
I couldn't take myself out to dinner for Amanda's birthday last nite, as I forgot it was Monday nite and all the Chinese restaurants in the area are closed on Mondays. I don't know why. Apparently it's the holy day of take-out-in-white-boxes or something.
314 Days
Sunday, March 09, 2008
The weekend slowly seeps away
There's really never enough weekend in a weekend - even in a 3-day weekend, which this wasn't, but should be, but oh well, cry in my soup.
I didn't do anything of substance this weekend. And I don't give a rat's.
I'm going to have leftover tuna casserole for dinner - and I don't give a rat's.
I spent this weekend relaxing and reading and doing a lot of "me" things instead of chores, chores, chores - and I not only don't give a rat's, I'm fairly smug about it.
Of course this means work after work this week, but... meh.
Tomorrow I will take myself out for Amanda's birthday. I would take Amanda out too, but she is far, far away and it would be murder to try and commute it - Happy Birthday, Sweetie!
For Amanda - who wants photos of the cats - and for Croila, who wanted to see a picture of Kili with JUST HER HEAD under my stepstool, sleeping - Here you go:
Kili has, however, also on occasion lately hidden ALL of her under this same stepstool - see below:
Well, all of her except a smidge of tail, I guess. The lump in the foreground is Mindi, the Fat Kitty. They are litter-mates, and they have the most gorgeous blue eyes.
316 days
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Free Cussing Zone - and More Sex!
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Wednesday, March 05, 2008
I bought a new cell phone
Not a new plan, just an upgraded phone. See, my old phone just would not accept any headset at all - couldn't do hands-free - and because of the law in Chicago, I couldn't use my phone there, as it's "hands-free or not at all", and driving in the city is usually one of those places where I need assistance (call Leandra for directions).
So I got this new nifty phone. It's an older model, but functional, and I have a house charger, a car charger and an earbud thingy. (no, not a cyborg-like blue-toof - yet.) It also allows me to d/l ringtones to my satisfaction, and to use it as a speakerphone (altho I need to learn HOW - RTFM and all that), and it takes pictures.
I have, so far, taken pictures of the sales-counter top in the mobile store, my steeringwheel, the knee of my pants and my thumb (extreme closeup on thumb).
The "take a picture" button is on the side of the phone where I usually grab it to hold while I am dialing.
I believe this will require a certain period of adjustment. *blush*
320 days
So I got this new nifty phone. It's an older model, but functional, and I have a house charger, a car charger and an earbud thingy. (no, not a cyborg-like blue-toof - yet.) It also allows me to d/l ringtones to my satisfaction, and to use it as a speakerphone (altho I need to learn HOW - RTFM and all that), and it takes pictures.
I have, so far, taken pictures of the sales-counter top in the mobile store, my steeringwheel, the knee of my pants and my thumb (extreme closeup on thumb).
The "take a picture" button is on the side of the phone where I usually grab it to hold while I am dialing.
I believe this will require a certain period of adjustment. *blush*
320 days
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Potholes
This has been one of the more icey/sn*wy winters here in a while. Not "OMGWTFGLOBALWARMINGWEALLGONNADIE" bad, but typical weather for winter in this area - given that the last several years have been atypically mild.
As a result of a return to "normal" winter weather, the salt & plow guys have been working more than usual, and a great deal of salt has been used on the roads.
Salt is used to keep the ice from making all the cars smack into each other. Salt also gets into the tiny cracks in the pavement and combined with the bouncing of traffic (especially heavy trucks) eventually the pavement becomes weak in some areas and holes form. This is a totally non-scientific analysis, I'm sure someone else knows better how it works. Phllhhbbbhhttt on them - I don't care how they de-erupt, I just care about the craters they leave in the road.
Out front of our work building there is a car-eating crater. It's rather amusing to watch folks creepy-crawl around it. Without a doubt anyone who was foolish enough to drive THROUGH it would end up learning how to change a flat tire fair quickly.
As of this morning, some of these potholes have been filled with asphalt. Most of them already have a coating of salt on them. A few are already sinking in, and I suspect they will revert to their devious tire-eating behavior within days.
For once I actually look forward toSpring road construction season. Hopefully they'll rework the area under the overpass so that I don't have to drive as if I were drunk to avoid all the holes.
I do try to avoid the holes, you know. Especially after my former roommate Jon rather dryly commented to me that "The idea is to AVOID the potholes - not aim straight for them and cringe!!"
Bastard.
321 days
As a result of a return to "normal" winter weather, the salt & plow guys have been working more than usual, and a great deal of salt has been used on the roads.
Salt is used to keep the ice from making all the cars smack into each other. Salt also gets into the tiny cracks in the pavement and combined with the bouncing of traffic (especially heavy trucks) eventually the pavement becomes weak in some areas and holes form. This is a totally non-scientific analysis, I'm sure someone else knows better how it works. Phllhhbbbhhttt on them - I don't care how they de-erupt, I just care about the craters they leave in the road.
Out front of our work building there is a car-eating crater. It's rather amusing to watch folks creepy-crawl around it. Without a doubt anyone who was foolish enough to drive THROUGH it would end up learning how to change a flat tire fair quickly.
As of this morning, some of these potholes have been filled with asphalt. Most of them already have a coating of salt on them. A few are already sinking in, and I suspect they will revert to their devious tire-eating behavior within days.
For once I actually look forward to
I do try to avoid the holes, you know. Especially after my former roommate Jon rather dryly commented to me that "The idea is to AVOID the potholes - not aim straight for them and cringe!!"
Bastard.
321 days
Friday, February 29, 2008
Excitement! Cops in my house!
Ok, it was only one cop. And she was very short. It was my fault. I called them. I live in a "Quad" condo - there's one short unit, 2 "up and down" units, and then another short unit over the garages.
I came home from work last night and swung around the corner of the small street that my house lives on, and saw something odd at the end of the street (I live near a "T" intersection). There were 2 boys on the roof of the short unit house opposite mine. Yoofs - maybe 15 to 17 yrs old? One in a bright turquoise track suit, the other in jeans and a dark hoodie.
As I came around the corner, the one in the track suit jumped off the roof into the back yard of the house. This house seems to be empty - there's been a "For Sale" sign in the window, and there is a window into the next unit in the middle of the wall that rises up from their roof. (Confused yet? Sorry.)
The kid in the dark hoodie started to run for the back yard, but then dropped to his belly and rolled into the part of the roof that was next to the wall with the window - out of my sight. I stopped my car and just sat there to watch what happened - this was very strange behavior.
The kid then popped his head up for a couple seconds, saw me sitting there, and popped his head down again.
Ok - I'm suspicious now. In our subdivision, there are NEVER people on the roof unless they have tool belts and vans and hammers and things. And they don't hide - they stomp around in plain sight. Now, this could be just kids being silly or looking for a lost frisbee - but something sent up serious warning lights in my head - so I drove into my parking space, went in and called the cops.
The dispacher was - seriously - nuts. She didn't get what I was saying, she kept saying she couldn't picture it from what I said (Sorry, dear, but ALL the units look the same!!) and was generally a rather unpleasant person - but she did send some officers - THREE cop cars!!!
There was a knock at my back door - the petite lady cop came in and I took her up to MY window overlooking the roof (from which you could see the house opposite quite clearly) and showed her where I saw the Yoofs and explained what happened - then she left and the cops stomped around outside for a while, stopped a kid in a grey sweats outfit with a hoodie and talked to him for a while (patted down his legs?) - then drove off.
Ok - maybe I overreacted - but "neighborhood watch" and all that - and it was just too suspicious looking. I'd rather be wrong and look foolish than to have someone in the neighborhood get robbed or vandalized because I wasn't alert.
And maybe the cops will do a few extra runs thru the neighborhood during the day/night.
Damn kids....
325 days
I came home from work last night and swung around the corner of the small street that my house lives on, and saw something odd at the end of the street (I live near a "T" intersection). There were 2 boys on the roof of the short unit house opposite mine. Yoofs - maybe 15 to 17 yrs old? One in a bright turquoise track suit, the other in jeans and a dark hoodie.
As I came around the corner, the one in the track suit jumped off the roof into the back yard of the house. This house seems to be empty - there's been a "For Sale" sign in the window, and there is a window into the next unit in the middle of the wall that rises up from their roof. (Confused yet? Sorry.)
The kid in the dark hoodie started to run for the back yard, but then dropped to his belly and rolled into the part of the roof that was next to the wall with the window - out of my sight. I stopped my car and just sat there to watch what happened - this was very strange behavior.
The kid then popped his head up for a couple seconds, saw me sitting there, and popped his head down again.
Ok - I'm suspicious now. In our subdivision, there are NEVER people on the roof unless they have tool belts and vans and hammers and things. And they don't hide - they stomp around in plain sight. Now, this could be just kids being silly or looking for a lost frisbee - but something sent up serious warning lights in my head - so I drove into my parking space, went in and called the cops.
The dispacher was - seriously - nuts. She didn't get what I was saying, she kept saying she couldn't picture it from what I said (Sorry, dear, but ALL the units look the same!!) and was generally a rather unpleasant person - but she did send some officers - THREE cop cars!!!
There was a knock at my back door - the petite lady cop came in and I took her up to MY window overlooking the roof (from which you could see the house opposite quite clearly) and showed her where I saw the Yoofs and explained what happened - then she left and the cops stomped around outside for a while, stopped a kid in a grey sweats outfit with a hoodie and talked to him for a while (patted down his legs?) - then drove off.
Ok - maybe I overreacted - but "neighborhood watch" and all that - and it was just too suspicious looking. I'd rather be wrong and look foolish than to have someone in the neighborhood get robbed or vandalized because I wasn't alert.
And maybe the cops will do a few extra runs thru the neighborhood during the day/night.
Damn kids....
325 days
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Warning: Politically Themed Post
For those who don't like listening to me rant on about the evils of the Bush Regime, why not just skip down 2 posts and go read about my Dad's wallet - it's a cute story.
"CBS News covers the world at 8:00"
That's the way the radio announcer segues into the headline news on my way in to work every morning. Gotta love WBBM AM.
This morning's top story was about the mortgage forclosure crisis. I gasped. The newsman said that this was the WORST mortgage forclosure crisis since THE GREAT DEPRESSION.
Thank you, George W. Bush. Just as President Clinton told your daddy - "IT"S THE ECONOMY, STUPID!!!!!!!" Another clueless rich boy in the white house and even Dana (I'm sooooo blonde) Perino admits that this didn't happen overnite - Bush has been killing the economy for YEARS!!!!!
So the country heads foranother great depression a "Recession", Bush takes a meeting - and then does squat, no doubt, still convinced that Voodoo Reaganomics can work.
Ralph Nader announced he's going to run for President again. You seen a photo of this guy lately? He looks even more like an ambulatory corpse than Keith Richards. Seriously, do we really need another old guy without a clue trying to be a "spoiler" in the election?
On to other (non-political) things:
I fixed my camera. The problem was with the battery door. It wouldn't stay shut, so as soon as I would move my hand to "taking a photo" position instead of "holding the battery door shut" position, the door would fall open and the batteries would fall out.
Seems one of the hinges was just a scootle bit broken - superglue to the rescue, it's all mended now and works fine. YAY
326 days
"CBS News covers the world at 8:00"
That's the way the radio announcer segues into the headline news on my way in to work every morning. Gotta love WBBM AM.
This morning's top story was about the mortgage forclosure crisis. I gasped. The newsman said that this was the WORST mortgage forclosure crisis since THE GREAT DEPRESSION.
Thank you, George W. Bush. Just as President Clinton told your daddy - "IT"S THE ECONOMY, STUPID!!!!!!!" Another clueless rich boy in the white house and even Dana (I'm sooooo blonde) Perino admits that this didn't happen overnite - Bush has been killing the economy for YEARS!!!!!
So the country heads for
Ralph Nader announced he's going to run for President again. You seen a photo of this guy lately? He looks even more like an ambulatory corpse than Keith Richards. Seriously, do we really need another old guy without a clue trying to be a "spoiler" in the election?
On to other (non-political) things:
I fixed my camera. The problem was with the battery door. It wouldn't stay shut, so as soon as I would move my hand to "taking a photo" position instead of "holding the battery door shut" position, the door would fall open and the batteries would fall out.
Seems one of the hinges was just a scootle bit broken - superglue to the rescue, it's all mended now and works fine. YAY
326 days
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Trash cans
Not really a can, per se. It is, in fact, plastic - and I think cans have to be metal.
Anyoldhow...
How in the 9 hells does one get rid of a trash can? I have this plastic trash receptical, about 3' tall and 18" diameter. It used to have handles, but they broke off long ago. It used to have wheels, but they disappeared. I've been dragging it by the lip to the curb for trash pickup for several years, and now it has a big hole in the bottom and is, generally, useless. I tried putting it out empty, but the trash guys just ignored it.
Help!!
327 days
Anyoldhow...
How in the 9 hells does one get rid of a trash can? I have this plastic trash receptical, about 3' tall and 18" diameter. It used to have handles, but they broke off long ago. It used to have wheels, but they disappeared. I've been dragging it by the lip to the curb for trash pickup for several years, and now it has a big hole in the bottom and is, generally, useless. I tried putting it out empty, but the trash guys just ignored it.
Help!!
327 days
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