Friday, December 29, 2006

Happy birthday to me!

Got my package of books from DiTro yesterday. Just in time for my birthday tomorrow! And not a minute too soon, as I just finished reading the fourth book in the Charmed Circle series by Delores Stewart Riccio. Which unfortunately is a library book so must be returned, but I have it for a whole month; so might just go back and read the whole series over again before I send it back to Cassopolis.

Need new batteries for the digital camera already. Why am I actually surprised by this? But at least I found the power-off switch for the electronic keyboard, so it doesn't start playing itself every time it gets barely bumped. Whew, that was getting just a *little* annoying!

Had to frog about four inches of my big cable scarf, couldn't figure out why the cable looked wrong. Then I realized, it WAS wrong. So frogged and re-knit, thrill of my life. Got the freaking cables right this time, though! Will be beautiful if it ever gets finished...

Still don't have the new stove/oven hooked up yet. But Mom baked a ham at her house and brought it over for Christmas, microwaves are wonderful.

Time to sign off already, story of my life. Final words: IT'S NOT A PERSON HANGING IN THE WIZARD OF OZ, IT'S A FREAKING BIRD! Ok, I feel better now!

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

363 Shopping Days Until Christmas

In other words, hurry up and finish reading this and get back to your knitting! I found out the hard way that there is less time available than you realize, when you make gifts for the holidays. On the brighter side, I did find the blanket I had started for my brother last year; turns out that all I really had to do was tie up the last end of yarn, it was big enough after all. (Yes, I cheated and showed it to him a couple of weeks ago, and asked him if he thought it was big enough. Since he said yes, and the only reason to make it bigger was because I like to make BIG blankets -- hence the extremely long finishing time -- well, that was one present done). I took a photo before I wrapped it, but haven't developed the film (actually I haven't even finished the film yet...); more on that in a moment.

Also took photos of the ornaments I made. Not ALL of the ornaments, I don't have a wide-angle lens for my good camera; just a composite of the different types. And a photo of the famous Blanket for Rick, two in fact; one has a toy horse from the old swingset next to it for perspective. The film, still the roll that I haven't finished. Got a photo of the crocheted octopus that I made for John more years ago than I care to count (don't want to take my shoes off, ha ha). Same roll of film! Hope that there are still places that develop film by the time I get it finished... again, ha ha.

Now for the incredibly awesome great news: I won't have to whine about not being able to post pix of my "stuff" anymore! Santa and Carole were great to me and the kids for Christmas; I got a DIGITAL CAMERA!!! While it isn't the fancy-shmancy one that I dream of someday in the very distant future, it is good enough for website photos; since that was the main reason I wanted one (along with not having to get film developed) I am not complaining. Couldn't complain anyway, I got to pick it out myself! The only thing I really dislike about it is that there is no preview LCD screen, only a little screen to show mode and flash and number of pix left, etc. So you don't know until you download whether the picture is worth keeping. Oh frigging well, I'm not wasting tears on that! Not since I have a working computer at home (beautiful Eddy) and can sit right down and check them, even have the USB port on the front so don't have to kill myself getting to the back of the tower like I did with Elvis. Yee haa!!!

The only two complaints that I have about the camera are that it is made in China (forgive me, John McCormick and Cliff Parr); and that I have to beat my kids to get it back from them. The girls are having a great time with MY presents; I also got an electronic musical keyboard from my mommy and you can bet that the three kids are partying down with that one! Oh well, at least it is educational. (Mom got it for me so I could try and drown out Alanda's Christmas present; she got her the guitar she has been begging for for the last three months -- or is it years?)This photo is actually of Ruthi, but it shows Alanda's guitar really well...would show it better if Al hadn't been playing with the special effects feature on my photo editing software...


OK, calm down, I don't really beat the kids, you don't have to call CPS. Put the phone down! I did pitch a whiney fit (the nice way of saying I bitched like a crazy woman) and now they at least ASK before they take over my toys. Hey, ya gotta do what works... Too bad that technique doesn't work with irresponsible teachers as well as it does with teens... We won't go *there* right now, I still get itchy mad when I think about the situation.


Anyway, I did manage to get a photo with the NEW camera of my brother wearing the hat I made him for his birthday (which happens to be December 25th, hence the name Chris).

Friday, December 08, 2006

Happy Belated Birthday, and Early Yule!



Just received an email from DiTro that she got her late birthday/early yule package already. WOW that was fast, as I sent it media rate and the nice lady at the post office said it would take about a week... And I sent it like Tuesday or Wednesday! Of this week! Too bad *I* can't get around that fast!

Dusty, I am very glad that you liked the gifts. And since today is your Extra Birthday thanks to mom-in-law, I must say "Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy biiiiiirthday dear Diana, happy birthday to youuuuuuuuuu!" and entirely on-key thanks to the computer keyboard. Har de har har... And now that you have the Nora Roberts quote in LARGE PRINT to inspire you, when do I get to proofread for you???????

Love you, kiddo, you keep me---well, not sane necessarily, because that would be no fun -- but at least you keep me feeling loved in my insanity! Thank you for being the bestest friend in the whole wide world.... which, being round isn't really wide, but the W alliteration sounds better than WRW sounds....

Like I said, not necessarily sane! LOL

Friday Afternoon Ramblings

Wow. Read my fifteen year old daughter's column in this week's FrankTalk; I officially resign from writing anything more complicated than a grocery list! Might actually sign my name to some Christmas cards, too, but don't hold your breath on that one....

Was posting a comment to Dusty's blog and realized that I was typing enough for my own blog posting. So here I am...

I re-organized the yarn in the living room this morning, since I can't get to the old doll cradle that I relined and recommissioned as a yarn basket until we get the new stove moved and hooked up. Then I took donations to the local thrift shop, outgrown clothes and re-read books. Ended up seeing an old buddy from high school at the grocery store on the way uptown, and gave her the books instead. Since our reading tastes are the same (anything except romance), I only had to sort out about three books that I really don't know how they got into my possession. So she went home with a box and three grocery bags of books, and I know for a fact that they went to a good and appreciative home. She was happy because she had just ran out of stuff to read, and now she is set for at least a few days. {grin} I am happy because I have room on my shelves now and know that the books are going to be enjoyed. Happy Yule all around!

Then at the thrift shop, I ended up buying a cool-looking leather coat for The Boy, and --- my mind went for a vacation -- a huge grocery bag stuffed full of "Miscellaneous Yarn." And a size C crochet hook, and #3 sp knitting needles, and a plastic canvas cow face for my neighbor's kitchen... At least I left with less than I went in with! Which is always a good thing!

Ended up frogging the hat I was trying to knit on the dpn, apparently I need longer needles because the stitches kept slipping off the needles. So am going to try again later with regular single-point needles and the funky cool yarn. For the moment am doing another hat for stepdad on the sp, this one a little smaller than the last because he apparently has a small head. (My brother, on the other hand, has enough hair that I don't know why I am knitting HIM hats!) Now watch, this hat will be TOO small for dad..... If so, I will just tell him to go to a psychiatrist and get his head shrunk. Or use hotter water when he washes his hair, see if his head shrinks like my hubby's pants all seem to have done. And the doctor says he's losing weight, yeah right.

Ruthi's Winter Concert (high school band) was Wednesday night, and once again they were outstanding. Closing my eyes, I felt like I was in a symphony hall instead of a high school gymnasium. Plan on getting a copy of the recording the director made, soon as I find a blank CD. Desk-cleaning time again, send in the troops... I won't mention here the typos in the band program... but I did volunteer to compose the program for the Spring Concert. This year had an improvement over last year's concert: last December, the director decided to change "Christmas concert" to "Winter Concert," and the following day we had a huge blizzard that closed school and so forth. This year, in spite of the jinxing title, the weather has held with cold and dreary but no huge YuckyStuff like last year. Good thing, too, or I would have to have a few words with the director about a new name for the concert next year!

Liam wrote out his Christmas Wish List last night; actually, he dictated and I typed it on the computer, he got a kick out of that. Twenty wishes has my little guy; one of my favorites is for another kid on his bus to get coal for Christmas because he is mean. My other favorite is that he wants to meet his great-great-great-great-grandfather who was born in Ireland. Since James Bryans died long before I was born and started climbing the family tree, that is one wish I probably won't see him get. I don't even know if anyone in the family has any photos, am putting out a request to some cousins in an email right now. Be just my luck that all old family photos are in the possession of the Perfect Aunt, who not only doesn't care about family history, she doesn't seem to give a monk's fart about the family present. Yes, I am whining again. Oh frigging well, it's my blog and if I want to whine I will... send chocolate chip cookies! (YES, it is true that back in The Day, at college, I dunked my chocolate chip cookies in wine because we were out of milk. Bring back any memories, Dusty?!)

Have considered not posting anymore, because no one ever comments. But Alanda CLAIMS that she and Bailey read me, so we will see. HEY BAILEY, HAPPY FREAKIN' BIRTHDAY KIDLET!!!!! Yeah, the challenge has been issued, do they really read or are they just trying to get brownie points? Because there are no brownies until the oven is hooked up! Maybe not even then, because the first thing I plan on baking is a cheap frozen pizza; although I did threaten to make homemade pizza. Of course, won't make either until I get a new Pizza Pan! (The old one took an extended vacation to the garbage can after too many dents and rust stains and that nasty black buildup that refuses to come off the pans with less than a power sander).

Ok, that seems a fitting end to my writing "career," a complaint about dirty dishes and nobody loving me.....

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

A New Star is Born

There is a weekly free entertainment magazine in our area called Frank Talk. I have been reading it ever since they added Union City to their distribution area, and really enjoy it. Lots of different columnists, all ages and both genders, even some with my "special" sense of humor. And now, there is a new columnist: my daughter!

Ruthi has been reading FrankTalk almost as long as I have, and when they recently added a fifteen-year-old girl to their list of writers, she decided to give it a go herself. She submitted some sample columns, and was beyond excited to get a reply from Jim Frank (the publisher) welcoming her to the staff! Last week was her introductory column, complete with her photo on the front page in Jim's welcoming column. This week's issue is out today, but since I haven't left the house yet I haven't picked up my copy, so I don't know what she wrote about this week. That's right, even though I am her mommy I have to wait until the publication to read her column! (Unless I sneak onto the website, www.franktalkonline.com and read it there when it is uploaded on Mondays.) Which I haven't done this week because I have been hiding from the nasty white stuff all over the ground. Yes, in my next life I want to be a bear, so I can hibernate all nasty winter!

So, stop reading this rambling and go to www.franktalkonline.com and read Ruthi's column, Right of Passage ! That's where I will be!

The End is Near

Actually, a lot of ends are here or near: the end of the year, the end of my 43rd year on this planet, the end of the school semester, the end of the semi-decent weather, the end of my license plate, the end of my rope.

The weather has ended, the Goddess's Dandruff is everywhere. School was cancelled Friday because of the icy roads, so the talent show and art show are postponed until next Monday. Tonight is the Band's Winter Concert;I need to find a ride because Ruthi shouldn't be walking in this weather in her dress clothes for concert.

The end of my license plate and my 43rd year are simultaneous: December 30th. Since my van doesn't run anymore, I don't have to worry about renewing the plate, and my actual driver license is good for one more year. The end of my rope is extremely near; between the stress of not having my own income, getting no help from local agencies on my gas bill, and trying to find a set of size 9 double-pointed knitting needles, the end is about a quarter-inch away. If I ever did find the dpn, they would probably cost a left leg and four fingers. Because it looks like I would have to make them myself!

Did manage to find a set of dpn that I kept safe in my crochet hook case; pity I will never find my gauger so that I would know what size they are. Did learn an important lesson: don't try new techniques, or rather re-try old techniques, with fancy funky yarn! Haven't knitted with dpn in a coon's age or longer, so what do I do for my first recent attempt, but grab the gorgeous yet bulky yarn that DiTro sent me. If I don't frog it, will make a gorgeous hat, though! If I do frog it, will just try again with the spn; the yarn is that beautiful...

Got the "new" stove at last, now just have to get it hooked up. Too complicated for my taste; it was previously set up for bottled gas, and I have natural gas. (Too many tacos?) Apparently the valves need to be adjusted for the difference. Luckily, while I don't have a clue what to do, I do know who to call for directions, so did that and am just waiting for Buddy John to get over here and do all the shennanigans. Yee ha.

Bought film for the Camera, to take photos of my latest creations. Finally got the blanket for Rick finished, it is really pretty and should look totally awesome on his bed. But he ain't getting it until I get a photo! After all that work and excellent results, I simply must have evidence of it all. And BJ found the crocheted octopus I made for him *many* years ago, so I am getting a photo of it as well. Of course, the way things are going, by the time the film gets developed I will be too arthritic to make anything else, and the photos will be even more cherished....

Well, am home typing this on Eddy (named for the character played by Meatloaf in RHPS; to complement the previous Elvis computer...) and getting ready to get dressed and get to the library and post this before all the kiddies get released from school and hog the Internet Computers. So will end for now, and get going.

Saturday, November 25, 2006

There's Good news and Bad news...

The bad news is, I have slowed down tremendously on my handi-crafts. The good news, well there are two good news. One is that the reason I have slowed down on my crafts is that I have a new computer at home! No internet access, but since I don't have a phone that is no big deal, obviously. The second good news is that I actually accomplished some cleaning last night. Now I just have to go home and clean up the mess I made cleaning.... this pile of papers needs to be filed, this needs to go in the desk drawer (which already needs cleaning, dangnab it), and these boxes need to go to the basement. And these huge mounds need to go to the laundrymat.... and then the clothes in the bathtub need to be rinsed and hung outside to dry.... and the dishes need to be washed.... and isn't it totally astounding that with five people in the house, no one else is capable of doing squat diddley to help. Although the little guy is very good at UNhelping, this morning he was "playing" the piano. He is definitely not Liberace... Daddy has an excuse, since his mini stroke a few months ago he can only walk with a cane, and if he tries to bend over to pick something up -- well, then *I* am picking *HIM* up. But my brother came over Thursday for Thanksgiving, and stayed to help me out with all the lifting. Good kid, Chris... too bad we spent Friday resting up from all the food.... missed a garbage pickup! OOPS!! Well, there is one more on Tuesday, so guess the trashcan will be sitting full for a couple more days...

Ooooh, another miracle: Ruthi started cleaning her room. She lost her glasses in her sleep one night, and I guess she finally got tired of squinting all the time. Plus I bribed her that if she cleans enough, I will give her the extra printer that I have, for her computer. Not much of a bribe, though, since she needs a power strip first. Santa, are you listening?

Liam is doing *SOOOOO* great in school, I could just hop. Well, a few steps before I fall on my face.... have been having a lot of issues with dizziness and stumbling almost as much as DH, since I fell off the ladder a few weeks ago. Chiropractor appointment in the extreme near future!!! Would like to be able to turn my head to make sure traffic is clear before I try to cross the street!!! He is on a new dose of the medication, and this is the email I got from his Special Ed teacher this week:
"Liam did a great job doing his work in the am on all three days. I don't know about the pm for Tues. I do know, Liam did a great job in reading groups on Monday for Mrs. Mead. We were concerned about him participating within groups staying in the classroom. Eventually, it looks like we will pull the LRE aide. If he can succeed without one, it would be awesome. Think about his initial label. CI????? He is not any where near that, is he? Let's continue to observe Liam's progress for the next two weeks. He seems pretty quiet but not "doped". He is doing very well. I appreciate the note and am so proud of Liam's progress. Donna "
HOW AWESOME IS THAT?!?!?!? To paraphrase my new favorite celebrity, Rachael Ray... I finally figured out why I like her show so much: she cooks like my grandma did. Measuring cup? What's that? And she's just so darn perky, but I like her anyway. {HA}

Wish that DiTro would get her own show, or get that darn book finished so that I have something to look forward to! (She used to be DiMi, but now that she is married I felt the need to change her nickname. But she will always be Sweetheart to me....giggle ha ha) Want to get to know DiTro better? Check out her blog here... Now! What are you waiting for, Christmas? We do Yule here, thank you..... Why are you still here? Go to Dusty's site!!! (a/k/a DiTro)....

Friday, November 03, 2006

This Week's Achievements

Wow, what a week.

I am in the process of finishing a fullsize bedspread I started crocheting for my friend Rick last year (too hot to work on in the summer), only twenty more rows to go. Thanks to John, for buying me a skein of yarn when I ran out unexpectedly! Even got it off the top shelf at the store, as I am not supposed to do any lifting over my head, with my dumb shoulder being still messed up. I am also crocheting a scrap afghan, Jeweled Granny Squares, just to have a project to work on while riding in cars or waiting in doctor offices. I have also started a baby afghan for Alanda's art teacher (also Ruthi's Spanish teacher), granny squares of primary colors and secondary colors. Another travel-project! My final travel-bag is Granny Square Tree Ornaments (and bookmarks, and hairties, and whatever else I decide to make them into). Then today I started the fulfillment of my promise to my son Liam, to knit him a hat for the winter.

Recent accomplishments in the creative arena: a floorlength cloak for Alanda, a waistlength cape for Ruthi, a Space Alien costume for Liam -and a trick or treat bag, a shirt for Alanda, a Medieval dress for Alanda for homecoming Theme day, and two new sets of quilt squares started. The quilt squares are because, while the BORROWED sewing machine sat on my kitchen table after Liam's costume, the machine started talking to me. My computer used to do that, before he died on me recently; I would be walking past all innocent and that voice would call out "Turn me on, use me!" Now the Singer is doing it instead. So dug into the fabric stash and started cutting and sewing. Now George is cutting pieces for me from his stash, and whining because I put the machine up (moment of willpower) and haven't sewn for two days. Well, technically one day because today isn't up yet and I may give in and unleash the monster tonight....

Big accomplishment (for me) in the decluttering habit attempt: while cutting fabrics for all these projects, I was able to take the small scraps and THROW THEM DIRECTLY INTO THE TRASH CAN WHILE I CUT. Of course, any scrap actually big enough to use in a quilt was used, in fact, immediately cut and sewn together. Avoid the Procrastination! I was so proud of myself!!! (And then had to explain to DH why I was throwing away "perfectly good scraps..."--- I just can't win sometimes...) A smaller but still excellent achievement was that I took a full grocery bag stuffed with sewing patterns that I no longer or never have used, and donated them to the local thrift shop. I am so proud of myself!!! And I am going through other sewing patterns later (really) and minimizing them as well. And explaining again to DH why I am getting rid of this stuff. He is a worse packrat than I ever have been; if he ever finds out that in cleaning his dresser drawer I threw away rent receipts from 30 years ago, I will never hear the end of it. Oh well, they are gone now and they ain't coming back! I have two boxes of clothes and knick-knacks to take to the thrift shop; but as I am still a pedestrian I can only take one at a time when I walk to town. Unless I get in gear and get a few more boxes together and dig out the wagon, which is a possibility. I just hate walking in this nasty cold weather; and it isn't even real winter yet. But anything below 70 is vile to me. Why do I live in Michigan???? Oh, yeah, because I can't afford financially to move, and I don't want to uproot the kids. And, to be honest, I dread the idea of packing and moving all this s**t!!! Just the thought of it sends me into a quilt and cocoa!

Another achievement on my Things To Do List: I got some of Alanda's senior pictures printed at WalMart (thanks Mom for paying) so she has some to hand out. Grandma got to pick which pose she wanted, Uncle Chris picked his favorite, and Grandpa and Aunt Dawn got the poses that Grandma chose for them. Now if she could only choose which one to use in the yearbook...

This is the one she did choose, very artsy-fartsy, the yearbook advisor doesn't like for the yearbook. A good photo, just not yearbook material... NO COMMENT! Looks pretty cool in blue graphic-pen, too... So, she will go through the choices AGAIN and pick one for the yearbook publication. Maybe we can talk the advisor into using the first photo somewhere else in the yearbook, as a candid shot. If not, well, it's the yearbook's loss. (Opinionated much, Lyn???)

Dang, time to log off already. On to the pharmacy to pick up DH's phenobarb, then home to clean and cook... yay joy. Then I can CREATE!!!!! YAY!!!!!

Monday, October 23, 2006

Missing Trinity

Our baby Trinity (photo to be added soon) has gone to the Pet Summerlands. She got into a fight with a raccoon, and while that is not unusual (she always whipped their butts before) this time the rotten 'coon took her out. One note of justice: George found what was left of the 'coon a few days later, hiding underneath the former chicken coop. So at least Trinnie took it out with her. She is buried by her doghouse, and every time I look out the window I cry because she was such a doll.... now I have no reason to learn to spin, because I won't be brushing her winter coat out every spring (and getting enough hair to knit a Dr. Who-length scarf). At least we still have Nakeyta, but as loving as she is, she is not a replacement for Trinnie. Pup, may your bum leg give you no troubles in Puppy Heaven....

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Beat Me Now, Please

Beat me with the idiot stick, please. Why do I have so much trouble spelling names right? First I get Charlaine Harris wrong, changed her to Charlene. Now I get Rett MacPherson wrong. Listen, children, THERE IS NO "H" IN HER FIRST NAME! Now that I have that corrected, my deepest apologies to the fabulous writer who also quilts. My goddess, I have found another Dusty!

Now if you see my kids' names, it may explain my weirdness for name spells. My oldest is Alanda, the middle kidlet is Ruthi, and the youngest is Liam - short for Uilliam, the Irish spelling of William. His middle name is Beathan-Davelynn; Beathan is Scots for Benjamin. Alanda is just made up, but seems to be pretty popular; there is a series of books with Alanda as a country, and in Piers Anthony's Xanth books, Alanda is the Earth Goddess. Pretty good for a name that my ex made up (he wanted to give her the name he would have had if he had been born a girl: Yolanda Susie Katherine. He suggested and we compromised on Alanda; he figured it would be easier for him to spell because it is shorther than Yolanda.) Nuff said about exes...

We have new kittens, one bluegrey (Alae named him Riffraff, after the RHPS dude), and one white siamese mix (originally named Magenta, to go with Riffraff, until I pointed out that she is a HE kitty; now named Rico). Don't know how many there were originally, at least one more blue that hasn't been seen since the first discovery after they got out of wherever their mother had them. Now momkit won't feed them, so I get to do the nursemaid routine. How happy am I... if they survive I will be surprised, as the last batch of kittens didn't make it past two months. Too much inbreeding, I think. Not that mine is the only tom in the neighborhood, but apparently he is the only one to breed here; and since half 0f the females are his offspring, it doesn't bode well genetically. Great, hillbilly cats.... (My daddy is from Mississippi, I can say stuff like that! But y'all can't! So there!)

Now I just find out that the gas company apparently never received their payments, which were made like three months ago, and I have 24 hours to come up with over $1000 or have my gas shut off. I cook with gas and have a gas water heater, so kind of need the service. Can't cook everything in the microwave, especially since I have a shortage of glass and plastic cooking pans/bowls/etc. Which really ticks me off, because I know the payments were made, but bet anything I won't be able to find the paperwork now that I actually need it. The gas company just changed ownership about two weeks after these payments were made, so somewhere Aquila has my payment and Michigan Gas Utilities wants more. I just can't seem to get ahead.

So beat me with the idiot stick really hard; maybe if I am in the hospital I can have a vacation from reality for awhile. Everyone knows I need one!

Friday, September 22, 2006

News and Reminisces from the Home Front

OK, today maybe I can get the stuff posted…

Got a “new” book by Rhett MacPherson today at the library, the title is A Misty Mourning. These books are just so cool!!! I probably won’t get this one finished tonight, though, as I have already started a Margaret Coel mystery and I am trying to get into the habit of only reading one book at a time. Hard habit to break, reading up to five titles at once, but it is about time. Not like I am in college anymore. Thank gods, although I wouldn’t give up the time I did do in college because while there were miserable times (ad design class) there were also FABULOUS times (every minute spent with Dusty, John, Lisa, MaryLou and Giggles a/k/a Dawn).

Of course, all these years later the only one I still am in contact with is Dusty; which is excellent because other than John (who later developed an attitude issue – HIS loss), Dusty is the one that kept me going through thick and thin. While Mary was still a good friend long after college, we went our separate ways about fifteen years ago. Her life went down the path of perfection, and she didn’t condone some of my life choices. I didn’t exactly like some of them either, but I am the one that has to live with them and the consequences. So, considering that the only thing we have in common anymore is our memories and (hopefully) a love of sci/fi-fantasy books and art, and of course our birthday (she is one year older, nyah nyah…); I guess I shouldn’t lose any sleep or tears over her absence in my life. Guess what, I still think of her at least once a year; every December 30 I psychically send her a “happy birthday Mary” thought. And once in awhile something else will bring her to the front of my mind, a cool picture or something that triggers a certain memory. She is an excellent artist, or was, I always wonder if she still does any drawing anymore, since the last time we talked she “didn’t have time anymore” for her artwork. Sadly, I can’t draw a straight line without a ruler or the shift key, so I really admire those who can draw anything they want to.

Which brings me back to Dusty. That girl can PAINT!!! Somewhere in my lair I have a book of photos and poems and drawings/paintings, and in that book are some of the mini-watercolors that Dusty shared with me when she was in East Lansing (more cool memories!). One of the reasons I am trying to get the house cleaned and organized is to find that book so I can scan them and send them to her. I have a nagging feeling that the volume in question is in Alanda’s room, though; translation, look behind Amelia Earhart!

OK, got to end now. Accomplishments for the week include half of the living room cleaned, books sorted through, tapes put back on shelves, and George’s dresser cleaned out and sorted…. No wonder I am tired today!

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Some Good News at Last

OK, I just typed this post for twenty minutes and lost it. I don't feel up to sharing all that information again.... but will suffice to say that George's cardiac stress tests came back normal, looks like his recurrent chest pains are from the hiatal (sp?) hernia. He has two MRIs scheduled for next week. Liam is on meds at last for ADD, but we are having trouble getting him to swallow them, they keep sticking to his tongue. Ruthi is on meds for ADHD and is very happy with them, she is able to concentrate much better now. Alanda and I have appointments this afternoon, hers to check on her meds and mine to beg for pain pills and antibiotics for an abcessed tooth.

I miss all my friends (not that there are that many to miss), and am slipping into serious Kinnison-channeling. Even RHPS can't perk me up.

Have to do some email, let the teachers know what is going on with the kids....

Friday, September 08, 2006

Another Day Bites the Dust

SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION! I guess I am happy about it; it is weird that I now hate high school more than I did when I was actually in high school. At least we had choir, to keep us sane (more or less). And we could go into the school library during lunch hour. Nowadays the HS has no choir and the library -- excuse ME, the MEDIA CENTER -- is offlimits during lunch.

Al is a senior, gods how time flies. Seems like just yesterday she was starting pre-school. Her pre-school teacher was my college psychology teacher. Then her kindergarten teacher was my kindergarten teacher. Through her school years she has had only a couple of teachers that had no relation to my school years... spooky. Her fifth grade teacher, Mr. Smeltzer, ended up being Ruthi's fifth grade teacher, and I was looking forward to Liam having him next year for fifth grade. Unfortunately, Mr. Smeltzer passed away last weekend. He had the same birthday as Ruthi and died on Liam's birthday. Bizarre, you say. Freaking scary, I say... Not to mention very depressing.

Ruthi is a sophomore this year, and Liam is in fourth grade (obviously). While there are days that I wish I were back in school with them, eventually I wake up screaming and come to my senses.

Got an email from my nephew-in-law, George's late sister's husband passed away this weekend the day after Liam's birthday. He didn't even make six months after she passed; I can't say I am surprised, because they were so close to each other. At least the kids are all grown, and the grandkids fairly grown, so everyone is old enough to have good memories to keep.

Am trying to keep my depression at bay; with no income, no vehicle, no energy, no washing machine (five people's laundry being washed by hand.... it SUCKS). It is a challenge, and all my friends are so far away... and I can't even keep in touch through e-mail unless I can get my sorry asterisk to the library. So when I am too down to move, I go totally hermit. Which brings me down even more. Usually, anyway; there will always be days that I just really need the peace and quiet that I don't often get with four kids at home (three I gave birth to and the one I married)...

Have made a bit of a dent in the massive hellhole that is housecleaning. Even started on the basement, which is a REALLY scary place! I hope to get all my yarn together in one spot, all my fabric and notions in one spot, all my books given away or sold, and all my why-do-I-keep-this-junk either to the thrift shop or the trash can, depending on its condition.

Real coffee. He says real coffee. Dang nab it, instant coffee is real coffee!!! It certainly isn't fake coffee. Maybe I should get a coffee cup and fill it with brown cotton, and show little old Darrell what FAKE coffee really is! Men. If they didn't make such handy speedbumps.....

OK, now that I have drifted totally off-topic, I guess I should end this off and do some surfing.

Friday, August 25, 2006

The Sword of Damocles

For those of you familiar with RHPS, today's title should clue you in that I'm at the start of a pretty big downer.

Last week DH spent three days in the hospital from a heart attack and mild stroke. He is still not walking so good, was doing much better last night but then went and overdid himself. So today he can barely stand because his legs keep going numb. I had the thrill of trying to pick him up off the floor when he fell, now I get to go home again and find the Codeine because my back and arms are a-hurting, maynerd. I have a 5-pound lifting limit, so you can imagine what his 141 pounds (of dead weight) have done to me.

He has a doctors appointment next Wednesday, I am going with him (the one advantage to not being employed) and you can bet the baby's booties that I will be mentioning this numb leg issue. DH, being a Stubborn Man, wouldn't say anything about it otherwise.

And the worst thing of all to happen this week, because it is something I can't do a single freaking thing about: Elvis died. The monitor still works, but the tower won't even power up. Yes it is plugged in, duh I learned to check that little trick a LONG time ago. So, now all my writing will be done here at the library, or on paper... The home computer died, and I am extremely sad.... (To think I used to be Queen of the Technophobes, terrified of being in the same room as a computer).

There has been one good event this week; my neighbor needed a gift for a baby shower, and I should have it finished for her tonight. A granny-square baby blanket in blues and grays and whites. Purty... am on the final border round, making pretty little shells to classy it up. Second good event, Mom gave me some $$ to get the girls jeans for school. (Big sale here in town this weekend, hopefully can find some to fit them, sale is good but selection is iffy in Real People sizes). Also have to get Ruthi shoes for band, first performance is next Friday. School doesn't even start until Sept 5!!! I for one would be happy to put it off for a few more years...

Who would have believed it, I hate school now more than I did when I was actually in school!

One of my step-granddaughters, well, I still call them that even now that their mom has decided that my DH is not her father after all, has moved here to town with her father's parents and will be in Alae's grade at the high school. So, guess who Alae's locker partner is going to be! Yay, one good thing for the whole frigging year, that is a new record. Sheryl is a cutie, if her sister EVER gets off her patootie and emails me a photo I will post it here and tell lots of cute stories of when she was a little kidlet... (Are you reading this Jojo? HINT HINT) And got George's nephew's email from his daughter, so now can keep in contact with him again. Gods bless email!!!

OK, am going to end this now, and try to figure out why, with one week left before school starts, the Superintendant of Schools told me that he has no idea whether we will have a new principal at the high school this year. Either he is totally incompetent as an administrator, or he was bald-faced lying (technically I should say beard-faced lying)... either way, I am not impressed with the school anymore....

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Leaf Goddess



This is a ceramic wall plaque that I bought many years ago and painted. I love painting ceramics, when there was a store here that I could buy them at to paint. There was also a Green Man plaque, but I didn't get it and now I don't know where to find one. Originally planned to buy three more of the Goddess one here and paint them to match the seasons. Unfortunately, the store closed and now I can't find anyplace to buy more (affordably). Need to get a better photo of this one, not to brag but I have to admit that the eyes are absolutely beautiful. She was so much fun to paint, and has hung on my kitchen wall as my "KitchenWitch/Kitchen Guardian" since the paint dried. I want to get some photos of the other statuettes that I painted and still have. I did a small gargoyle in purples, somehow managed to get the paint to look marbleized (sp?), it was **SSSOOO** cool. Yes, I gave it away as a gift without getting a photo. Sigh. And will probably never be able to duplicate the marbling effect again... Oh well! On to the Internet to surf for RHPS stuff.

Pretty pictures




Finally found some pretty pix of my own, ok actually of George's flowers, all my plants are plastic and dead anyway. How do you kill a cactus by not watering it enough? Don't know, but I do know that I did...

Rants: Episode 1

My gods, has it really been two weeks since I updated this? Seems like only a few days ago...

First rant: childproof bottles. If I don't want one, why give me grief over it? Yet the local pharmacist, smarmy fart, says "you don't need easy-open bottles, you're young." My dear clone informed him that "Mom has arthritis." Did I get an apology? No. Did I get the dammed easy-open bottle? No. Did I go back and demand a different cap? Hell yes. When I sprained my wrist really badly a few million years ago (Before Children), I went to the pharmacy with my arm in a splint, and when I got home with my pain pills I discovered that they had put the blanking things in a childproof bottle. Ever try to open one with a sling on your arm? And of course I was alone at home, even the neighbors were gone (probably a good thing...) I was less than cheerful that night!

Second rant: people that work in service-related fields that have no empathy for people. If you are only in the health-care field because the pay is good, GET A DIFFERENT JOB. When I or my hubby or kids are sick or injured, the last thing I want is a "medical person" who is rude or smarmy or sanctimonious. Last night my hubby had to go to the hospital (I have another name for the one in Coldwater) by ambulance, and the driver wouldn't let me ride with them because in my haste to get to the scene I didn't take the time to find my shoes. (Yes, I go barefoot at home. Sue me). When I (crying for criminey's sake) told him that I didn't have any other way there, his exact words were "That's not MY problem." Then he felt the need to call the police to "talk" to me, because I was so upset. Hey, my husband is having chest pains and you idiots refuse to let him take his Nitro pill, you won't let me go to the hospital and you're talking like he won't live long enough to GET to the hospital; WHY would I be upset????? And to top it off, the cop on duty is the one that tried to get me sent to prison because I told him not to shove my teenage daughter into a brick wall. Sehkmt cleared that little bushwa episode up, but there is no love lost between my family and this fascist creepoid. (His nickname in our house is Officer Cartman; re: SOUTH PARK. Don't get me started on that one...)

Rant the third: People who think that a uniform and gun make them better than civilians. Guess what: you're not. And to think, when I was young and naive I honestly thought we live in a democratic society. Now I see that fascism is as rampant as discrimination, if not more so. I have a very low income right now, I don't own a home, my taste in entertainment is not the most mainstream, my religion is not the same as the President's (Thank you Goddess!!!), my kids are opinionated and not afraid to speak their mind, my mental health is tenuous, but guess what: none of that makes me less "good" of a person. I love my family and friends, I try to help others when I can (and sometimes when I can't), I love to read, and write, I enjoy the beauty in nature, and I never kick a dog or kid. (Although there are times, I must say, that I might want to nudge them just a little...)

Okay, I guess that is enough for this post. I feel my blood pressure starting to elevate; fortunately it is usually in the low range, so I have farther to go before hitting the "danger" status. Will go home later and watch RHPS --again. At least my clone knows how to calm me down when I start to go postal on the planet... put on Dogma or RHPS, do the Time Warp again...

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

70 Diskettes

Yee godz of Technology, I have as much hard drive backed up as can be done. Took 70 diskettes to do it, still have a few things on there but at this point there is nothing I can't live without! Believe me, after zipping and saving that many files/photos/databases, I should be sick and tired of everything computer. But obviously I'm not or you wouldn't be reading this. (If you are actually reading this, and I'm not just blathering for my own therapy)...

Am uploading everything to my personal backup file on the internet, thanks to Dusty's ingeniousness. Of course every so often I get a floppy disk that worked just fine on my own computer an hour ago, but that just doesn't want to open here at the library.... foo bar.... but will persevere, onward and upward, stiff upper lip, yada yada yada.

Actually, there are probably a few things saved on diskette that I could live without, and I know that I did end up duplicating photos; but at this point I DON'T CARE. Better to have two copies of photos of my babies, than to discover that, OOPS, that one I deleted was the only copy after all. Can never have too many photos, of family, friends, and other miscellaneous memories. Especially after the object of the photo is gone.

OK great, now I am depressing myself again. I spent an hour this morning crying myself to sleep, I hate the thought that I might need new meds because everything else that I have taken has either knocked me out completely, zombified me, or made me more depressed than I was to start with. Don't know if it is the meds not working anymore, or just that there is so much extra stress in my life right now, or both, or that I am just a walking piece of oxygen-waster. To be more accurate, a sleeping/crying/useless oxygen-waster. I miss my Mamaw, my friends that all have moved away or moved on in their lives, I hate my wretched "cousin" that had the balls to off herself, because I don't have the guts or the strength or the plain intelligence to do the same myself, I hate that I haven't contributed anything to the world, that when I die there will be no grave, no headstone with The Perfect Epitaph, nothing to commemorate my life or death. Nothing to show that I was ever on this planet. Geez, life sucks. Poverty sucks. If it weren't for the local library offering free internet access and letting me sign out books, there would be absolutely nothing worth being in this town for. Which reminds me, I need to sign out another Dean Koontz novel, finished Dark Rivers of the Heart last night. I will have to stop reading his books if I can't get through them without crying at the sad parts. Literally bawling. After I finished the Koontz book, I found the copy of Charlene Harris's Dead in Dixie and started reading it. Got to the part where {SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!! SPOILER ALERT!!!} Sookie's discovers her grandmother's murdered body in the kitchen, and had to put the book up because I couldn't see the print through my tears. Now I am crying about my grandma being gone, and how much I miss her, but I am glad that she isn't here to see what a hopeless mess I have made of my life.

I am in serious need of a Terry Pratchett novel, a new one that I haven't already read.

Friday, July 28, 2006

A is For...

Even though I haven't yet "officially" joined the WordPlay group, here is my first contribution:
A is For...

Alanda -- in Piers Anthony’s Isle of View, Alanda is the Earth Goddess. In Mercedes Lackey’s Wren series, Alanda is the country the story takes place in. But in our home, Alanda is my clone, oldest daughter, channeler of Kali and Poet Laureate.

Aqua -- water, cool, sweet water. Lovely to drink when the heat is in the 90s, even better with ice tea mixed in. Fabulous to swim in, except the local river which is kind of chemical and harbors way too much broken glass and stolen bicycles. Fun to play with the dog, Nakeyta likes to try and catch water from the hose like she is drinking from a fountain, I really need to get her on video one day. Fun to walk in during the rain, at least for Alanda, she dances in the rain even during thunderstorms. Me, I like rain but not the fireworks. And finally, a gorgeous shade of blue. Send yarn or fabric, please. {grin}

Adolesence -- a long word for HELL ON EARTH. Both for those going through it, and those living with those going through it!

Absolute -- there are none in this life, everything has shades of gray. Also a brand of vodka, but I have never tried it so I can’t give an opinion!

Adam -- the first man, according to Biblical history. Also, the oldest son of my friend from high school, who was in the play with my oldest daughter; he has AWESOME hair. My personal favorite definition: what beavers build.

Anthony -- the last name of my favorite sister-in-law, until she got married and became a Philps.

Antidisestablishmentarianism -- who cares about the definition, it is such a fun word to say and spell!

Attic -- the one room I never had in my home, but still want. The spot to hide all the trinkets and treasures, to play “let’s pretend.” The single coolest store in Battle Creek, even better than Barnes & Nobles! Check out Barb’s website here: http://the-enchanted-attic.com.

If Women Ruled the World

A conversation in the drugstore led to today's topic. While commiserating with a total stranger about the hazards of dealing with men, she opined that the world is in the state it is today because women aren't running the world. If we did, and had access to The Red Button, you know that everyone would be much more careful about what they said and did. Because darling, if we are PMSing and that button is within our reach: well, enough said.

This led me to the thought that we should all have Red Buttons in our homes. Guys, if we are heading for that Red Button, get out'da way! A clearcut signal that we have had enough and are ready to snap. And there will be consequences! Yep, that's what we need. Then she had the great idea of bumperstickers for our cars: I'm a woman and I have a Red Button. If only I had a working car to put such a sticker on!

So my next Bright Idea Project is to design, create, and sell Red Buttons for the household. Not the "Easy Button" that Staples stores use in their ads, but a true This is The Button Red Button. I wouldn't really hook it up to a nuclear detenator.... not only because I don't have that kind of technical expertise, lucky for the rest of the world; but also because as a Wiccan, and Quaker descendant, I don't go in for violence (98% of the time, anyway). I can't honestly say that I haven't had times when I wanted to commit Acts of Heinous Violence, especially when it involved someone hurting my kids. But those instances are few and far between.

I Found the Site!


Yay, after probably half an hour of surfing, I found the site that lets you design your own headstone! Or at least, I found *A* website, if there are others I would like to try them out. I made the DH's headstone at http://www.autowitch.org/?q=node/916. Just in time for the library to close for two days... I hate Thursdays, I have no excuse for not doing anything at home. At least when the library is open, I can use the excuse that I had to go to the library before they close!

So now that I have designed George's headstone and my own, Alae had to do some serious editing to get her epitaph to fit in the limited space allowed on this site. But here they are, just for S&G...


Monday, July 24, 2006

Short and Sweet


At one point, I decided that my husband's future epitaph (hopefully very far in the future!) would be "Anyway, as I was saying..." because that is the phrase that I hear the most from him. (He just won't let someone change the subject!!!) He just left the library, and as the door closed I heard him using his other most favorite phrase... It is going to be very special, when I have his headstone carved with "Hey, your shoe's untied!" He gets such a kick out of people checking their shoes, only to realize that they are wearing slip-ons or sandals or something equally untie-able. (Yes, he says it to barefooted people, too; and yes, fifty percent of the time they look!)

Although he can be a PITA sometimes (everybody can claim that title some time or another!) I still love the Old Fart. This isn't the best photo I have of him, but it is the best that I have with me at the moment. There will be other, better ones posted some time. Or check my website, or my albums. I will probably start up an album of his creative work, to go along with my stuff. While I knit, crochet, sew, photograph and quilt; he quilts, and has a wonderful touch with the flower garden. I have some gorgeous photos of his roses, of course they are all at home on disk and not here with me at the library.

Aren't you glad I don't have the Internet at home! I would be writing all the time! And posting pictures! But I have to admit, while I have a few great flower photos, Dusty has a LOT of great flower photos on her blogs! (I tend to download them and use them either as desktop wallpaper, screen savers, or in the Puzzle Master game where I can make my own photos into jigsaws and put together on the computer: which is way more fun than the traditional way because nobody can steal a piece while I'm not looking!) So if you want some awesome garden pix, just go over to the links and check out Dusty's blog!

Eventually I hope to get a photo of the shruggy-shawl that Dusty just sent me. The colors are DIVINE, and if you could only feel how soft it is! I am going to be cuddling with it tonight, while hubby cuddles with his oxygen filtrator thingie. (It isn't actually an oxygen tank, but it filters the air he breathes to provide him more oxygen so he can defeat the vile Sleep Apnea Monster).

OK, I really need to go and finish the other multi-tasks I am trying to do. Oh, one quick update on my List of Projects from Hell: I got most of the knick-knacks off of the windowsills in the kitchen, now I need to find a way to reach the windows without standing on my stove or in my sink so I can give them a good scrubbing. Then wash the yucky greasy sticky off the knick-knacks and find a different spot for them. OMGs, I am going to end up re-arranging my whole frigging kitchen. Put the Marines on stand-by.....

Monday, July 17, 2006

Thoughts From Home

Yes, I am actually writing a post at home to upload later at the library. I know I said previously that I have a hard time doing this, but it gets easier with practice. And this way I can write more than six words before Mrs. K announces "time to get off the computers, ladies!" Deep in my heart I doubt that she would ever use the word "lady" to describe me in real life... which is fine by me, because I seriously doubt that we share a definition of that word! I won't say that I don't consider myself a lady, but I will say that it isn't the first word I would use to describe myself to someone who doesn't know me.

Wow, what a change to go from Dean Koontz to a book by Terry Pratchett, back to Dean Koontz! The literary version of jet lag, or culture shock-- one of the two, if not both! I finally decided to read A Hat Full of Sky: the Further Adventures of Tiffany Aching and the Wee Free Men, after buying it through the bookclub last month. I like the Discworld novels, but thoroughly love the tales of Tiffany and the Nac Mac Feegle! Pratchett not only treats witchcraft with respect, but he gets the whole idea of witchcraft *right*. (If he had been a consultant on The Craft, it would have been a much better movie...) Now I am going to get totally messed up on the reading thing, because I started one by Koontz this morning, and this afternoon a book I had requested at the library came in (already!?!). This one is Labyrinth by Kate Mosse; a story about the Grail where the women have the swords. (How could I resist a blurb like that one!?!) Of course it is a new release so I only get it for two weeks, instead of the standard four weeks. Not usually an issue, when I get "into" a book I have no trouble finishing it fast; I just feel pressured to "only" have two weeks, it makes me feel like I won't be able to finish it in time. (This from a woman that normally reads Harry Potter in one night)... I never said that my brain works logically, people...

Update on Floppy Disk Hell: at this moment, now at 58 disks with a very few more files to back up, and THE FRIGGING HARD DRIVE NO LONGER MAKES A FUNKY NOISE WHEN IT STARTS UP. Which was the whole impetus for backing everything up in the first place.... this hunk of hardware is definitely of the MALE persuasion! No wonder I named it Elvis when it first got set up! Not that I hate men, mind you; I just completely agree with Maxine that "Computers are for women that don't get enough frustration dealing with men." (I adore Maxine! She reminds me of my late grandma: spunky, funny, and always right.) {grin}

Last post I mentioned my "Projects From Hell" list. It now has a total of nine uncompleted items, and I *plan* to not add any projects to it until every item is completed. Or until I think of another thing to do that will make me miserable to do but SO glad to be done. Bear in mind, most of these projects could require years to accomplish... Now, here for your amusement, amazement, and petrification, I reveal to you the terrifying List of Projects From Hell:
1. Clean/organize desk drawer (**ACCOMPLISHED!!** WHOOO HOOOO!!!)
2. Clean desk
3. Clean desk area, return Amelia Earhart's remains to her family...
4. Organize/label photo negatives
5. Inventory crafting magazines to sell
6. Clean & organize file cabinet, keep Marines on stand-by for rescue
7. Clean kitchen windowsills of cute little knick-knacks and dirt
8. Clean & organize basement (forget the Marines, get Vin Diesel on stand-by)
9. Organize crafting supplies
10. Switch kids' rooms between Liam, Alae, and my room

I suppose I could add "clean & organize dressers" to the list, but that would fit better on the "Fantasy Wish List"... right up there with "regain virginity" and "keep the house clean for more than one day with other people still living here with me".

Friday, July 14, 2006

REAL short today

Accomplishments this week: I can cross off one item from my "Projects From Hell" list-- I cleaned out my desk drawer and re-organized it (again). The things I will do to find a stamp!!!

I am still working on the floppy disk hell, am up to 52 or 53 diskettes now.... yee ha. Now the frigging Explorer is acting up on me, won't let me open file folders! I tricked it, though, added Win2000 to it and can open anything I dang well want to.... when I can find it on the two virtual hard drives and two operating systems. Yes, I know: I NEED A NEW COMPUTER but it ain't going to happen this year, sorry to say.

It's time, so got to end. SAID it would be short. More later!!!

Monday, July 10, 2006

TechnoWhining and BOOKS

The techno gods hate me. I am in floppy-disk hell. With all the blank CDs that my friend gave me, I should have had the frigging hard drive all backed up on disk three days ago. But NOOOOO, my external-drive CD-burner appears to only love music; every CD I burned with data instead of music, has not turned out. (Tip of the Day: Bad CDs make neat little "scarecrows" in the garden, simply hang them from a string and watch the wind twist them and the sun reflect... back in the "olden days of yore" the tip was to use broken cassette tapes, string the tape in pieces and the fluttering would scare off the birds and squirrels. So now you all have a use for the tapes and VHS tapes that you just can't seem to get rid of! LOL)

Back to the computer: I have pretty much weeded out the superfluous files, and zipped the rest (which I need to re-zip into smaller files in a few cases). And am now having all SORTS of fun putting everything on floppy disks, AFTER scan-disking each three or four times to get all of the blankety-blanking errors fixed. So far I am up to 29 floppies, with a banana-load of files (mostly JPGs) still to download. Even went through the ones I already did and made a list of what is on each diskette, which I am glad I did because I would have had about six files duplicated if I hadn't gone through and typed up everything. The one good thing about Windows 3.1 was that I could compile a list of files on a disk or drive with one function, instead of having to type it all out. Seems that a handy feature like that would have been maintained in the subsequent versions of Windows! Almost makes me want to delete 98 and install 3.1... yeah, right. Now that I finally got a cd for 2000 upgrade (just in time for Elvis to airplane) I am NOT going to go backwards, TYVM. (*Thank You Very Much)

So, now here I sit at the library, blogging, emailing, and surfing for the lyrics to the CD that Dusty sent me (Anne Hill's Circle Round & Sing) that I am listening to on the headphones right now. I love this CD!!!!! Oh, if the Fundie librarians only knew what I am doing! Contaminating their precious space with PAGAN MUSIC. Shame on me. **NOT!!!* Not like it is possible to get any pagan/Wiccan books from here, Herculean task just to get plain SF/Fantasy... But romance and Christian literature overflows. No prejudice here! (Yet, at the main branch I found a pagan book in the used book sale... and they even have books on witchcraft in the nonfiction AND the reference sections.) Some day, I will be a rich Mofo and will open my own library: the Beulah McRae Memorial Library, in honor of my grandma that originated my love of words. And she was fey, as well... My other fantasy is to own my own used-book store, with my apartment above the shop. Yes, I read Christopher Morley's The Haunted Bookshop and Parnassus on Wheels many years ago! Am trying to replace the copies that were lost over many a move. I found the e-books online and downloaded them, but it isn't the same as the old, musty books themselves....

Oooh, am surfing on some of Dusty's links and like what I see... wish I had the Net at home so I could bookmark pages, but here at the library everything gets deleted at the end of the day. Not that I usually get the same computer every time anyway! OK, I am going to finish up this post with two accomplishments: I did four loads of laundry this weekend, including two unfinished- and needing repair- quilt tops, since I currently use Grandma's Wash Tub to wash all laundry by hand, this is one hell of an accomplishment (thank goddess for Pain Medication, even if it did knock me out for a day afterward!). Secondly, I am past chapter 33 in From the Corner of His Eye by Dean Koontz. And don't forget that I am cleaning my computer (but not the desk) and got one ball of yarn rolled up from a very stubborn tangled skein. And did the dishes! And set up DH's meds for the week, except for his phenobarbital that the quack-- I mean, doctor-- needs to call in a refill for. Geez, all this and PMS, no wonder I am tired!

Going to end now, and check to see if Ruthi is done scanning my photos yet. (The advantage of sharing photos: fifteen or more years later, when you can't find your copies, there is some friend in the world with your pictures that you can borrow and recopy!) (Hey Dusty, still got that photo of me and Dave in front of the Xmas tree? Scan it if you do, I want a copy! I was SKINNY then!) LOL *** Love ya, Sis!!!

Friday, July 07, 2006

Short But Sweet

Had to publish a link to a site about Alan Rickman as Metatron, in the movie Dogma. While he is excellent as Snape in the Harry Potter movies, I will always and forever first think of him as The Voice of God! If you haven't seen Dogma, wow; but if you don't have a strong sense of humor, or you are easily offended by religious "comments" or lots of swearing or naked black men, then I wouldn't recommend it. Favorite line from the movie: pretty much all of them! Favorite charactors: Metatron, Serendipity, Rufus, and Silent Bob. And Loki, even though he is a "bad boy"... "You didn't say God Bless You when I sneezed!"

OK, have about three seconds left online, got here late as usual. Must now go home and clean house.... if I have any more Vault to drink for some energy.... I hate cleaning house, have I mentioned that before???? If only it weren't so useless, but with five people and uncounted spirits residing there, I get done in time to start all over again. Of all the spirits in the world, why can't I find one that washes dishes... and get him/her/it to move into my house!!!

Saturday, July 01, 2006

GHOST STORIES--part 1

Alae got a book at the library about Hauntings in Michigan, wanted me to read it too. I still have a few pages to go, but it is going very fast because I have already read it a few years ago. Oops! LOL But it piqued my interest enough to get the other two books on the subject that they had on the shelf. I have been ignoring my beloved Dean Koontz to read these ghost stories!
Then of course, Alae had to do a blog post about some of her supernatural experiences. Ghosties, ghosties everywhere.... I hesitate to share my tales of the Otherside, but since it is still daylight out I might be persuaded...

The very first experience, was not really a ghost story but more of an out-of-body experience. In the house that I grew up in, the basement door was three feet in front of the back entrance door. If you were in a hurry and clumsy (like a young kid...) it was quite possible to barrel through the entrance and go right on through the basement door. When I was younger and less experienced with the paranormal, I insisted that my younger sister had done exactly that: bounced into the basement door and down the steps. My mother maintains that my sister never did any such thing; so of course I had to tell her about how I remembered the event. She gave me a sidewise look when I was done, because without thinking about exactly what I was saying, this is how my recollection went:
"I came in the back door in a big hurry, and tripped against the basement door. It flew open, and the next thing I remember is standing there at the top of the stairs and seeing a young child at the bottom of the steps. I guess I yelled for Grandma, because she came running. The next thing I remember is sitting down at the bottom of the stairs saying "yes, I'm alright" and trying to figure out how I got to the basement when I just came in the back door..."

The entire twenty-plus years that I lived in that house, I was never entirely comfortable in the basement; if I was doing laundry (the washer being in the room immediately at the bottom of the stairs) I would make sure that the doors to every other room were closed, and I would actively avoid looking down the hallway to the extra bathroom. I still can't say exactly what I was feeling, except that I was convinced that if I were to turn around I would see someone--- usually no one in particular, but sometimes I felt that if I turned around I would see my sister's father (this is twelve or more years after he was killed in a car accident when I was six years old). I wasn't ready yet to see the shades, with my eyes anyway; apparently I was seeing them with something else at that time. (I learned later that my sister had seen her father there, so it looks like I was right. There are a lot of ghost stories to tell about Danny, her father!)

But more stories occur about the house. My great-grandfather lived in an apartment next door, and he would come in to our home to use the bathroom or shower. One time, and I was too young to even recall how old I was, he came over very late (I think) to ask my grandma (his daughter) to take him to the hospital, he didn't feel good. I am fuzzy on the details, but it seems that this would be his last trip, he passed away at the hospital. For years after, until her death as far as I know, Grandma would still hear him knocking at the door some nights, calling her name. While I never heard the knocks or the calling, I don't doubt for a second that Grandma did hear them. Being of good Irish stock there was a long string of fey in the family, and Great Grandma Smith was fey as well. All I remember about the funeral for Great Grandpa is that I was scared because I had no idea what was going on, all I knew was that Grandpa was dead and I would never get to see him again (or so I thought, I was just a little tyke). I remember being furious because my aunt wouldn't let me go in with everyone else to the room with the casket, she thought I was "too young" to view Grandpa's body. Have to tell you, this instilled a huge fear of death in me for many years. I didn't understand why I couldn't say goodbye to my gampaw, everyone else was. And I knew it was a very important occassion, this funeral, because my grandma was wearing a dress. That scared me more than any thoughts of seeing a dead body! Anything important enough to get Grandma to wear a dress was important!!!

Partly in response to this first exposure to funerals, when my children were born I had no hesitation in taking them to visitations and funerals at a young age. I got flack from some people, but I really didn't care, because I was not going to let my kids grow up afraid of death and dead bodies. And they aren't.... afraid of spirits, maybe, but not of the bodies. Therein lies a tale or two, as well!

But I digress...

My two favorite stories about the house, though, are the ones about the angel, and Molly McGillicuddy. But since this has turned out to be so long, you have to wait for Ghost Stories - part 2 for those tales!

Friday, June 30, 2006

Still Alive

Well, at least I think I am still alive, the way things have been running ragged around here this week I would be the last to know if I wasn't...

Exactly how long DOES it take for Yahoo to upload a photo! Trying to get a photo for Alae's blog, would have been faster to walk back home and put it on a disk..... then post it directly to her site. Oh well, if it comes to that it will be done next week!!

Have been spending free moments (of which I have way too many) trying to untangle the now-clean hanks of yarn. It is easier to understand teenagers than to untangle these hanks.... but worth it when I finally succeed. Came up with a lovely philosophy in the process: life is like rewinding a skein of yarn, sometimes you just have to break it clean and start a new ball. Ooooh, that's deep....

Today began with a major wave of DBF. For those who have never heard me use that phrase before, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN????!!!! It stands for Deep Blue Funk, which is a nice way of saying major depressive cycle on the bipolarity ride. Sometimes they slide into Channeling, I only channel one spirit, and that is Sam Kinison. If you have ever seen me when I lose my closely-guarded temper, and have ever had the privilege of watching Kinison in action (thank God/dess for DVDs), all is clear. If you haven't had the privilege of seeing Kinison, go immediately to the nearest mall video store and buy one of his shows. You can't rent them at Blockbuster, and WalMart won't sell them, because Sam My Love is very----- politically incorrect! And loud about it! And if you haven't witnessed my temper blowing, say many prayers of gratitude and light many candles that it never happen to you! Especially if you are the recipient of my wrath... you don't want to know about the time I threw a bowl of mac-n-cheese at my son-in-law. But in all honesty, he deserved it!!!!!

Have been trying to organize my photos and files on the home computer, so that I can back up the important stuff on cd before Elvis (my computer) airplanes for the final time. Been making very bad noises on start-up, hey for as long as I have had it I think it is doing pretty good! My *FRIEND* John brought me some blank cd-rs so I can save everything, but I don't want to waste cd space by saving doubles and things I don't really need to save. So am going through all the files--and there are many-- and deleting, moving, cleaning, scanningdisk, and DEFRAGGING for hours at a time. Defragging is a gooooooood thing!

Still a pedestrian, think that status will never change. But I am trying to climb out of the DBF and that line of thought will only take me farther down.... So will focus on my accomplishments (which doesn't take too long). Most recent one is that I actually earned some ca$h with my heard-earned DTP skills (Desk Top Publishing, for the dirty-minded out there). Not a lot of $$$, but it was just a small job, and hoping it will lead to more work in that area. Every little bit helps, or so I have been told.

That brings up a subject to ramble on (hey, I'm making up for many missed days here!): finding money on the ground. Some people think I am stupid for picking up a penny when I see one, because we all know that the worth of a penny is-- miniscule. I explain to them that A) if I pick up enough pennies, they add up to a dollar, and B) if I bend over and pick up a penny enough times I will be doing my exercises for the week! And let's not forget C) sometimes the penny turns out to be a dime or is lying near a quarter. Then there are the "superstitious" ones that say, "oh, that was face-down, that's bad luck!" Hey, if I find money I don't care what side is facing up, finding money is good luck!!!

Well, my beloved son is getting antsy (severe ADHD) and I need to get out of here, so will end this and get to the post office and mail Al's letter. Happy Independence Day Weekend!

Friday, June 23, 2006

Me in Ones

Decided to make up my own variation of the “me in Fours” post. Not as easy as you would think... So here goes!

The one most favorite job you’ve ever had:
Office manager at STRIVE.

The one job you would like to spend the rest of your life doing:
Running a used book store!

The one job you would rather starve than do:
Prostitution.

The one book you would take if you were stranded on a desert island:
Impossible to answer, there are just too many good ones. Maybe if Dusty writes her novel and gets it published, that could be a definite contender.

If you were to change your name, what name would you take:
Already did, Lyn Marguerite McRae, aka Maggie.

The one word that describes you best:
Creative.

One activity that makes you forget all about time:
Reading.

What would you title your autobiography:
Geez, this is harder than I thought... hey, that's a good title: "Geez This Is Harder Than I Thought..."

You can only have one photograph in your home; what would it be:
A collage of my ancestors and descendants and spirit siblings.

Epitaph you would want to have:
Just one more stitch/chapter...

Yeah, ten seems like a good number to quit at. Can always do a “me in ones, Part Two” if I come up with more good questions!

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

My Clone


This is a (photoshopped) picture of my clone, aka oldest daughter, Alae and myself. We are both 14 in this photo, don't you just love editing software! She has apparently inherited more than just my looks; when she was two years old and we went to the Thrift shop in UC, she ran right past the toys and straight to the books. THAT'S MY GIRL!!! She has the same taste in clothes, music (for the most part), and movies. Same attitudes, religious beliefs, bipolarity, PMS cycle, same favorite colors. If it weren't for her addiction to romance novels, I would think I had been reborn before I died! Does reincarnation work that way??? And she loves to create, to write, to take pictures. Her writing skills are amazing... She made a pair of bracelets into earrings, they are Way Cool!
Crud, I got here to the library late and now it is time to get off the computer. So today was Short and Sweet for once!

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

"Me -- In Fours"

This is an interesting email I got from Sue. Thought it would make a fun posting, so here goes:

Four jobs you have had in your life:
1. Office Manager
2. Donation Processor (Goodwill)
3. Public Relations Writer
4. Waitress

Four movies you would watch over and over:
1.Dogma
2. Practical Magic
3. Ghostbusters
4. Rocky Horror Picture Show (I'm a sucker for a guy in eyeliner... and fishnet stockings....)

Four places you have lived
1. Union City, Mich
2. Battle Creek, Mich
3. Coldwater, Mich
4. Athens, Mich

Four TV shows you love to watch:
1. Crossing Jordan
2. House
3. Medium
4. South Park

Four places you have been on vacation:
1.Tishomingo, Mississippi
2. Winter Haven, Florida
3. East Lansing, Michigan
4. Toronto, Canada (for two hours, while in Detroit)

Four websites I visit often:
1. Dusty's blogs (does this count as three, since I check all three of hers?)
2. hotmail
3. Annie's Attic free pattern of the day
4. SciFi Book Club

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Spaghetti
2. Stewed Carrots
3. Macaroni & Cheese
4. Grandma's meatloaf, goulash, or milk gravy (there's nothing like Grandma's cooking!!!!)

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Visiting Dusty in Ypsi...
2. In a theater, watching a new release with LOTS of popcorn and someone ELSE running to the concession stand for refills
3. Stonehenge
4. Shopping. With Bill Gates' credit card...

Four friends whom I have tagged that I think will respond (eventually):
1. Dusty
2. Sally
3. Brian
4. Alae

You've been tagged so here it goes...delete my answers, replace with your own and send it back to me and to other friends
>> lyn mcrae, a/k/a Aunt Maggie

Monday, June 19, 2006

Not as Much To Say Today

Guess I'll have to have nothing to say more often! When I went home and printed up the "Nothing to say today" post, it filled the page....

When I mentioned I don't know what to write about today, my oldest suggested I write about her PMS. I can sum up her PMS in one sentence: Alae PMSing makes Kali look like Mother Theresa! (For those of you who have no idea who Kali is, she is the Hindu goddess of Death, Destruction, and Revenge. NOW do you get the meaning!?!)

My other topic I have wanted to rave about, I already wrote about in an actual handwritten letter to Dusty. So for everyone else: I went to get into my Rubbermaid tub filled with yarn, that I had *told* hubby to put in the basement, but he had put in the (leaky) garage instead. He told me after the *SCENE* that he had checked it before he put the lid on, but it looks like he didn't check very hard, because there was almost two inches of water in the bottom. You can imagine the condition of the yarn... not pretty. Not pretty at all... and of course it was a BIG tub of yarn. So, being the frugal (re: CHEAP) (re: POOR) chickybabe that I am, I decided to try to save as much as I could. Got the old washtub out, started sorting skeins, and what was beyond all hope I pitched and the rest I washed out and rinsed.... and rinsed.... and rinsed.... then hung on the clothesline to dry. Hanks of yarn on the line are so pretty, I considered not actually crocheting anything but just hanging the hanks on the wall to look pretty-fied. Considered taking a photo, but only had B&W film in the camera, which would defeat the purpose of all the pretty colors, so just took a mental picture. Then when it all dried, took it down, put it in a laundry basket, and started crocheting a blanket for my brother Chris. Which I may very well finish before he turns 43... (He is 23 now, until Christmas).

Got a letter in the mail from my mom Sandy, nice to know that *some* of my family still love me. Thanks, Mom!!! I found a letter I started to her about a month ago, never finished, wish I had found before I started a whole new letter that I did get done and mailed.... oh well.... I might just write some more on it and send it anyway, it's only four weeks out of date....

Have to get to work on a birthday card for a friend, Rick will be 54 this Thursday. I won't be able to post that day, as the library is closed on Thursdays, but sometime between then and now and Friday I will find one of his photos on disk and post it here with a birthday wish. He won't get to see it because he doesn't have Internet at home and doesn't know how to work a computer at the library (and in Coldwater they are honestly too busy to spend much time in instruction; the ones working the desk in the reference room where the computers are, are also manning phones and copiers and helping find books on the interloan sites, and their hardest job, getting the kidlets to behave.) And they have a rule that only one person can be at a computer at a time, so * I *can't teach him how to Websurf... I understand the rule, because the kids get together to watch each other play games, and they get rowdy. But there are times when the rule is just plain stupid, like when I want to teach someone how to NetSurf!!!

OK, I am done ranting now. About that, at least. {grin} I can't believe it is almost Solstice already, where did the Spring go? Oh, I forgot, in Michigan Spring lasts about ten minutes... I modified a recipe to create Solstice Pancakes. Tried it today, they were pretty good. So will have to make them on Wednesday! Maybe the next time I make them I will be able to keep the pancake batter OFF my shirt!!! Of course I didn't notice the mess until I was almost to the library. No one has said anything rude about it yet, of course the day is young yet...

Milk and Pepsi both on sale at the grocery store. Yippee!! So, since I am going to be thrown off in a couple of minutes, I will finish this and post, then go buy groceries. How exciting.... Will end with my new favorite quote: Save the Earth, it's the only planet that has chocolate!

Friday, June 16, 2006

Nothing to say Today

Geez, is this allowed? I have nothing to write about today. Nothing that would not be either bitchy or boring, and I don't feel emotionally up to any more negative energy today. But in the spirit of maintaining the writing ability that made me start this blog in the first place, I will carry on and type about not having anything to write about. See why I named it "Ramblings"!

Must write. Must write. Must write something worth reading. OK, now THAT may be asking a bit more than the Muses will grant!

Hmmm, a little rambling on the techie survival saga: I finally managed to actually comprehend the directions for adding links to the sidebar! Yay me! I know that isn't much to the real techies, but considering how recently I was a total technophobe (there is actually a "correct" word for the fear of computers, but I can't for the life of me recall what it is, and personally I think that technophobe is far more accurate anyway)... where was I????? Oh yeah, considering how recently I learned that computers will *NOT* explode if I am in the same room, this is quite an accomplishment for me. Usually if I need something really technical done, or hardware or programming or all the techie stuff, I haul over to my guru Paul. He can do ANYTHING with a computer, except maybe bake a pizza. And I bet if I challenged him, he could do that too.... After all, he got me over my terror of 'puters! I still am technophobic about installing hardware, messing around with the guts of the animal, but there is good reason for that; the only time I actually attempted to do internal surgery, I fried my cousin's floppy drive. Luckily she loves me anyway, and we were able to pick up a replacement online absolutely dirt cheap. Then got someone else to do the installation!!!

Everyone has their talents/skills/strengths, and mine is just not hardware. So I truely appreciate those who CAN do that stuff! There should be a National Techie Day, where everyone buys their favorite techie a pizza and bag of marshmallows, and a pack of smokes for those who still indulge in lung cancer. And caffeine of choice, of course. Next challenge for Paul: a computer that brews coffee.... although I don't care for coffee myself, and would much prefer a computer that brews Pepsi!!!

Wow, I seem to have done pretty good for not having anything to write about! I have tried to compose my blogs at home, then transfer them online here at the library; but for some unknown reason it just doesn't work. I can't write anything until I get here and get online and to the blogsite.... weird, but then so much in the world is even weirder....

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Quick Update

Well, the local librarian is back from Rachel's funeral. I overheard her say that the post-funeral dinner is going to be in Athens, she just left the cemetery herself and didn't want to go clear back to Athens after having just been there for the funeral. So, I still have a little bit of time to get home before my mother returns from the whole shebang. At least, I expect her to attend the dinner, after all it is her sister's youngest daughter that was buried today.
But that doesn't make her my cousin, not after the past twenty years of being shunned, by everyone in her little circle of blood relatives.
Yes, I am angry. And sad. And still confused over how two people who were raised by the same parents (meaning my mom and her sister) could have such polar opposite attitudes and outlooks. Mom and I, we believe in family, extended and not-so-extended. Mom's sister, however, only believes in family if they are Not Embarassing. Boy, that definition sure lets me out in a hurry! As my teen daughters would be the first to tell you, I am the Queen of Causing Embarassment!! Hey, it's a skill...

Lists: The Motherlist of Lists

I love lists. I recently wrote to my best friend, that I should make a list of lists to make; "wow," wrote I, "that sounds like a good blog topic!"

So, forthwith, my list of lists (Work In Progress)...

List of Lists


1. Things to make for sale:
sublist:
a) Crocheted
b) Knitted
c) Sewn
d) Quilted
e) Printed
f) Plastic Canvas
g) Miscellaneous Craft

2. Things to make for gifts:
sublist:
a) Crocheted
b) Knitted
c) Sewn
d) Quilted
e) Printed
f) Plastic Canvas
g) Miscellaneous Craft

3. Books to Read

4. Books I Have Read

5. Letters to Write

6. Movies I Own

7. Books I Own

8. Music (CDs, Tapes, Vinyl) I Own

9. Music I Want to Own

10. Things to do to Get House Cleaned
sublist:
a) Kitchen
b) Dining Room
c) Living Room
d) Hallways
e) Alae’s Room
f) Ruthi’s Room
g) Liam’s Room
h) Our Bedroom
i) Bathroom
j) Basement
k) Yard/Porch

11. Topics for Blogs

12. Photos to Post

13. Things to Do Before I Die

14. Things to Be Thankful For

15. Photos I Want to Take With Digital Camera

16. Cool Digi-toys I Must Have

17. People to Make Presents for

18. Lists to Write

19. Lists I Have Made

20. Favorite Movies

21. Favorite Books

22. Christmas Card List

23. Birthday Card List

24. Groceries

Rachel


Well, the funeral started about an hour and a half ago. I imagine it is done by now and everyone is on their way back here to UC to the cemetery. So why am I sitting here at the library blogging, you ask? Because I don't attend funerals unless I know the person or the family, and know that I will not be shunned for attending. Since I have not been part of Rachel's life or that of her immediate family, since my late teens in general and my early twenties in particular, and since I have been essentially not welcome at any family gatherings, and have no way to get to the funeral with no car (Factoryville is a LONG way away when you are a pedestrian!) other than to ride with the family, well, here I sit wondering where exactly in Riverside Cemetery the burial will be. I need to know, if only to know where NOT to go, so I don't offend anyone by my eventual presence at the grave.
What a frugged-up family.
More on "family" another blog....

Monday, June 12, 2006

Photos 1


OK, it isn't the most recent photo of myself, but it IS probably my favorite....

The tattoo on my shoulder is a heart with a sword through it, and a banner with my name in Japanese Kanji: literally translated, "Beloved" and "Waterfall" for Cheri (beloved one) and Lyn (cascading waterfall). Of course, a few years later I had the $$$ to get my name legally changed to Lyn Marguerite, instead, but never changed the tat. I wouldn't change it if I could, but that is a story in itself. For one thing, my son's middle name is Davelynn, and since Dave also means "beloved one", this way I do have my son's name tattooed, even though he can't read it because he is working hard enough just learning to read English.

Friday, June 09, 2006

Cooking

Sigh. Just received an email from my cousin Shelley. Turns out that her grandma kept her recipes the same way my grandma did: all in her head. So there goes any chance I would ever have of learning to cook as well as they did. When I finally expressed an interest in learning to cook, mamaw really did try to teach me. But it is difficult to learn when the conversation goes like this:
"OK, mom, how much yadada do I put in?"
"As much as it needs."
"Well, what temperature do I set the oven at?"
"Oh, about 350, 400, whatever."
"OK, how long do I cook it for?"
"Until it's done."
Well gee whiz, why didn't I figure that out on my own?! Needless to say, my cooking skills do not begin to match the Smith women's. But thanks to friends and neighbors, I have learned to make a few interesting munchies. Dusty initiated me to the joys of rice, scrambled eggs and bacon; Gail taught me sweet-n-sour chicken and rice, and chicken noodle casserole. Of course, I modified the chicken and rice, to a slightly cheaper version (chicken hot dogs), but the basic idea was put there by Gail, whose mother is a WHIZ in the kitchen and was good enough to teach her daughter those skills... And then I have developed a tendency to "change" standard recipes, add a little dash to them, and so far all my attempts have turned out to be edible! LOL Haven't poisoned anyone yet, and even managed to teach a male not to challenge me: he had the lack of intelligence to tell me I couldn't possibly make a taco sauce too hot/spicy for him. Wrong move, Einstein! Needless to say, half a gallon of milk later he admitted that yeah, it was pretty good sauce... Men, they can be so amusing....

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Finally, a good day...

Wow, my own blog and spot to vent to the world about all my UPS and DOWNS. Today I want to concentrate on the ups for a change...

I finally got back into hooking (with a crochet hook!) and joined up for the round-robin from an online group I joined recently; got the package out to the moderator today, only two days late... made and experimented with my little grannysquare ornaments, had way too much fun playing with new ideas for them! LOL

Am finally back into reading again, currently catching up on all the Dean Koontz that I have missed while working at The Hellhole. Also getting into the conspiracy craze, haven't read the Da Vinci Code yet but did get to read Angels & Demons, the "prequel". Definitely a page-turner! While I want to see the Da Vinci movie, I also don't want to see it, because so often the movie ruins the book... and I haven't even read the book yet! At least this time, I won't have to put up with the same commentary I listen to during Harry Potter movies....NEVER see the HP movies with a teenager who has just finished reading the book for the eighth time! Unless, of course, you *enjoy* listening to "that's not how it was in the book" every three seconds or so....

Want to thank my beloved Dusty, for helping me get over my creating blockage and back into making things. I promise to get my stashes organized so I can do more.... especially now that I can actually keep my own stash and only have to fight my oldest daughter and my Dear Hubby for the contents. Which brings me to my next Happy Thought:
THEY'RE GONE THEY'RE GONE THEY'RE FINALLY REALLY GONE~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Insert Snoopy Happy Dance here)
My hubby's nephew stopped by in April with his girlfriend, needing a place to stay for "a few days"... the only reason I agreed was because they promised she was getting a check on May 4th and they were getting an apartment then. Well, we all know how that turned out: they didn't get the apartment, so she agreed to pay a small rent to us to help cover the added utilities from her twice-daily showers, his showers, their lights and radio on all night long, etc etc etc..... Yeah, we had to practically break legs to get them to buy toilet paper after we went through a 12-pack in less than a WEEK. Any other time it would have lasted almost a month... but I promised to stay positive in this post..... so , finally, the good news. Her caseworker got off his *** and got her an apartment, NOT here in my town, and promised to have them out Friday. Since my landlord was supposed to be here Monday, I couldn't have been happier.... of course, no one showed up on Friday and she couldn't bother anyone else to drive her there (my van is comatose, believe me I would've had them moved real fast otherwise), so they ended up staying the weekend. Monday her caseworker showed up (while they were gone, surprise) to move her, luckily as he was leaving my nephew came back and ran and caught him. While the nephew was decent enough to say goodbye, she didn't say anything --- not even thank you for not making us sleep in the park..... so, if anyone wants to stop by the house, bring music and pop and we will party some more! (I threatened to get a cake from the store and have the baker write "Goodbye assholes and good riddance"...)

We've already had two parties this month! One on Friday, a "Freedom!" party, celebrating the end of the school year (and my neighbor's impending divorce from her jerk). Then one on Monday, celebrating Ruthi's 15th birthday (which also marked the 14th year living in this house). Wow, time flies......

Speaking of time flying, the librarian is going to throw me off the computer in a couple of minutes, so I guess I better get this posted!