Google Reader

I wasn't getting the alerts, thru AOL/AIM's "service".  It was spotty at best.  I had also been using changenotes.com, and sometimes that worked and sometimes it didn't.  sigh.

Earlier this week, I'd looked into Google Reader.  Now, I'd checked it out before, but it seemed a little overwhelming cuz I couldn't grasp it at first (I was having a bad brain day).  But when I got to looking at it earlier this week, ping! I understood it and POOF it works quite well.

I didn't realize how very much google has to offer.  i'm slowly checking out various features and such.  i think some are not really my thing, but some are.  and that's good enough for me!

tonight's experiment

I was more tuckered out than I thought from yesterday's activities, sun and all.  I ended up staying home instead of going in to help my friend with her second day of the yard sale.  It was ok, I called and spoke with her and she had a few other folks to help her today, including her mom.  So that was cool.  I just need to remember to pick up my card table sometime.

I sorta puttered around a little today here, didn't even get out of my jammies.  Then, I fell asleep while reading and awoke very disoriented.  I feel some anxious, even though I've been up for hours and the nap hadn't been that long.

Tonight, I sauteed a white onion and a yellow onion, then I scrambled eggs, milk, and cleaned canned salmon with salt and pepper.  I also prepared a huge amount of rice.  I'm waiting for it to cool a bit, but it smells good and looks good.

Hope ya'll are having a good night.

Time-Life/Warner Collections

Some,nights, I catch the paid advertisements.  Why?  Well, I'm a bit of a sap for the Time-Life/Warner Collections.  I mean, c'mon now, 165 Soft Rock hits?  Who doesn't love reliving their own sad, sad take on the 80s?  And those 210 Sounds of the SOoooooooooul (with the Bonus Smooth Midnight Sounds of Jazz) just make ya wanna sex yourself up, don't they?  And oh oh and what about the Doobie Brothers jamming out China Grove on the Southern Rock Collection?  After all, where oh where else could you find all the unforgettable hits of Bread, Donovan, Air Supply, Billy Joel, Aaron Neville, Smoky Robinson, Bonnie Tyler, Linda Ronstadt, America, Peter Frampton, Seals and Croft and oh so many more?  Surely not in the retail stores!  Don't go looking for this collection at your local walmartZ cuz you won't find it there!  AND each collection comes with complete liner notes, and WAIT if you order now, in the next six minutes we will rush you the greatest collection of Neal Diamond BUT wait, order now within the next four minutes with your credit card and checking route numbers and we will include a complete set of ginsu knives and OH MY FRIGGEN GOD if you call now, in the next two minutes with your credit card numbers and your checking/savings account numbers and passwords and include the deed for your property and your next 12 paychecks, we will allow you to order all of this for 17 easy payments of only $15.99 and one difficult payment of $33.33 (and a third).  You won't find a deal like this just anywhere!

The thing is, I like all that sappy song stuff.  I can sing 9 out of 10 of the songs they sample, no matter which collection is being featured.  And then I get "I've been waaaaiting for a girllllllllll like YOU to come into my liiiiiiiiiife....YES, waiTING for a girl like you...." stuck in my head.

for days.

today's recap

So this morning I made a loaf of tea bread and then went to help my friend with her yard-sale.  I was sorta sleepy, so when the Baby Girl needed some loving, I had no problem scooping her up and nestling her close and snuggling with the bestest huggles ya can get.  and some sweet sugars.

After spending the day, in the sun, refolding clothes and rearranging what looked like sales tables the night before christmas at walmartS; i was sticky from sweat and spilled juice and stained with juice and dorito cheese powder and tired.  When I got home, I pounded out a few eMails and also spent some time drinking some relaxing tea.

My friend asked if I could come back tomorrow.  Sure.  Maybe.  I might be a little late.  And a little non-functional.  We had a great time today, but a little goes a long way with me.  Ya know?

gmail

does anyone have any experience with gmail?  i use google quite a bit and am wondering what the users of g(oogle)mail have to say.  i have read mixed reviews and am not sure how accurate some of the info is.  it seems a tad biased, but i don't know if that is realistic or not.  so if you or yours have any sort of info to share, i'd love to hear it!

the main reason i didn't keep the blogger/blogspot account was because at the time, it didn't fit my needs and i already had the aol/aim account.  currently, i use peoplepc as my isp, so i use their email service too, and access it thru webmail (altho outlook is an option, i just like webmail better than outlook).

any comments on this, more than welcome!  thanks.

"time to make the donuts"

i woke up and couldn't get back to sleep.  as i lay in the dark, i thought about a few things, but the predominate thoughts dealt with how the days and nights are of equal length.  Autumnal Equinox is here.  sigh.  which means that the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer and although i use my low setting on my air conditioner at times, it won't be all that long before i clean my propane heater.  i will put that day off as long as i can, by wearing layers when necessary.

finally, i admitted defeat.  sleep will probably want to revisit while i am at my friend's house today.  so i got up and am now making a tea bread to take with me, along with the ginger bread i made last night, to adria's.  she is having a yard sale and altho i will not haul myself in for the break-of-dawn early-bird rabid yardsalers, i did tell her i'd help out.

her children will be there, 3 and 8 years old.  the sale is going to be quite large, as there will be some stuff inside and some stuff outside.  her 3 yr old grew so much this year that the pants she had set aside 6 months ago, because they were too large are now too small.  adria is very particular about the condition of the things she buys and sells so i'm sure that the items today will be well worth the price she attaches.

and i also know that if needs be, i can nap whilst there.  she is well aware that my energy level doesn't always cooperate with my desire to do things.  and another friend will be there too, helping out.  so if things do get to be too much, i can leave the scene.

Ugh

Today's big task?  Defrosting the freezer.  In the five years I've lived here, I don't believe I've defrosted my freezer.  I decided on Sunday that I would do it this week.  I figured that was a vague enough goal that I'd be able to accomplish it.  And, wahoo, I did.

Now there is a huge chunk of ice-berg in my tub and my double sink is overflowing with ice-floes.  My kitchen floor has been sponged up from the puddles of melted ice-flecks.

That task can be checked off my list.  If I had one.

Memom's Apron

My mother was a seamstress through most of my life, and in addition, she did many other things.  She baked our bread, two or three times a week, for about three years.  She made candles and soap, threw pots, decorated cakes, canned tomatoes, made strawberry jam, and cooked almost every day, if not twice daily.  She is juried in basketry, having split her own reed and hewed it, drawing it to the desired thickness, and weaving all sorts of baskets.  She's dyed reed, soaked it, given lessons, and produced some of the most amazing baskets over the years.

In all those activities, the only time mom did not wear an apron was when she was sewing.  Often she wore a full, white cotton/linen bibbed apron, like a baker, butcher, and in her case candlestick-maker would wear.  She would wear the apron to protect her clothes and her self from flour clouds, sticky dough, sugary icing, hot wax, dye stains, thick slurry clay, and foods that splatter.  Mom was not always found in an apron, but she favored them often.

So with her 60th birthday coming up next month, I have been pondering for months now, what to do, what to do.  I have considered many projects, but not one was exactly the sort of thing that screamed, i'm it, i'm it.  Til the other day, I came across a perfect pattern for the perfect project.

See, mom hasn't really worn an apron much here lately, but it's because her old ones have finally all been made into rags.  So I am crocheting her a bibbed apron, out of yellow/white variegated cotton yarn.  I quickly shared with a few folks who all stared at me blankly.  One even said to me that she thought my mother would resent an apron because it would symbolize domestic housewife duties.  I could be wrong, but I don't think an apron symbolizes her "place", rather aprons protect her clothes when she engages in those activities that she loves, namely crafting with glue guns, making wreaths and center-pieces, dying and working with soaked reed, and baking bread.  Those are activities that she enjoys.

at least i think so.

Cracking Up

Dudes!  I have found a new author (at least for me, he's new) and I'll be starting "(Jack Spratt Investigates) The Big Over Easy" (A Nursery Crime) by Jasper Fforde while my bread bakes.  In Jack's previous case, he fails to convict three crafty pigs suspected of a certain wolf's murder.  In this tale, it's Easter, a bad time for eggs, and 126 shattered pieces of Humpty Dumpty end up in the morgue.  Jack and his partner Sergeant Mary Mary must puzzle thru HD's sordid history while navigating tricky plots like the one involving a problematic beanstalk in order to point this one to bed.

Domesticated Debra Makes a Comeback

I decided to bake a few things.  A fruit compote that looks to have turned out way better than expected was a complete experiment.  It's one of those confidence building things.  See when I was a child, like 7, I baked cakes and cookies from scratch often.  By often, I mean several times a week in the cooler months (I lived in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at that time, cool weather lasted from September to May).  But over the years, I feel outta the habit and forgot more than I now know.  So slowly some of the tricks are coming back (ya know, three decades later).  Mostly I've been baking boxed mixes, but there are a few things that I am beginning to feel like maybe I could wing on my own.  So the fruit compote is a bit of an experiment, it looks good, smells good.  Hopefully it will taste just as good.

In addition to the fruit compote dish, I'm making pumpkin bread and also some banana nut bread (from boxed mixes).  I plan to take the breads in to two friends tomorrow.

And there is something I threw together that is waiting its turn in the oven, cornbread (boxed mix) with jalepeno, salsa, egg, and cheddar cheese soup.  That's an experiment.  I'm not sure why I added the soup except I had no cheese and thought, well maybe that would be the liquid in addition to the cheese.  I'll give it a whirl.

So, I've almost the laundry put up.  And sometime this week I'll be defrosting my freezer.  And I found just the ticket for mom's 60th next month.  I'm gonna start crocheting it tomorrow.


More as it comes.  Oh!  Still haven't heard anything from the social security administration regarding my continuation review decision.  I did call and leave messages last week.  It's been a month since the last interaction.  I've also done some work on the student loan stuff and I know what the next step is on my part; I'll be writing a letter and sending it to various folks at the Dept of Education, legal aid, and the consumer council (who made proposals regarding the federal code toward student loans and disability).

say g'nite debbie.  (g'nite)

bad, oh so bad

Teabagging, revisited, yet again

teabagging, revisited, again

On Dunceship

I donned my dunce cap and went to walmart earlier this evening.  Our local walmart has been in this location for 6 yrs.  before that it was in two other locations.  so there are those idiots who would say to me, when i would ask, "i just moved here and i'm trying to find..., can you give me directions?"...the answer to that should have been NO, they couldn't.  but i digress, so these idiots who somehow failed to register that i am asking directions because i just moved here and hence did not know where things used to be because, uhm, i just moved here...anyway, idiots would answer, "sure, ok yeah, so ya turn next to the old walmarts?  and then you go straight past where the old one was first?  and then ya turn right at the next light?"  usually i would restrain my urge to throttle them.  usually.

So earlier, i donned the dunce cap and went to the "walmartS" and began to add yet another well earned stripe for my hat.  cuz i forgot that for the last 4 or 5 months, walmart has been tearing up their parking lot.  now normally, i'm not a real big fan of walmart cuz it is not a very efficient place and there are tons of inconsiderate idiots who plod along, roaming the parking lot and aisles aimlessly, managing to clog the traffic flow.  these same idiots seem to drive bumper cars, those clogging that traffic flow as well.  so you can imagine what walmart parking lot is like when there is construction.

the reason that walmart is doing this is a clever little ploy, i think.  or i might be giving credit where none is due.  first they had to tear up and replace a good section due to petroleum leakage (their underground gas tanks didn't vent right or something, whoohpsee).  but they tried to disguise this i think by then moving on to various other sections and tearing up and repaving.  as tho they were doing this for their customers.  so we have a nice parking lot.

the result of which for the last several months has been that entire sections are closed, traffic flow is jammed in the rerouted areas of access, and parking space is limited.  people get downright vicious and especially possessive of their spaces, and it didn't help that we had those 6 weeks of 100+ degree temps.  so how i could forget that i ought not try to fight the flow of stupidity on a sunday night is beyond me.  i usually go when absolutely no other customer base would be there.

so from the get-go, it was a mistake, the parking, the traffic, the cell-phone customers, the rotted produce, the lack of number of open cashier lanes, the extended family household who checked out in front of me, then came up short, so had to search thru their bags (which had been tied and knotted shut) to find items to void, and then deciding to take the items anyway cuz cousin lloyd found the money in his front pocket along with a several baggies of lil chunks otherwise known as crystals.

i was glad to get out alive.

moping

sometimes i am rather pig-headed, doggedly insisting on not seeing what may very well be the truth.  even in writing that sentence, i use qualifiers, as tho i am holding out hope that things really are the way that i was piggedly and doggedly insisting.  even now.  sigh.

while i was gone, my landlord and her daughter came to sassifron sit and furrbee feed every day for a bit.  sassifron charmed them and they feel in love with her.  especially the daughter, a 9.5 yr old who would cradle saffron and coo to her and love on her.  when i went down to see my landlords and to thank them for taking care of the animals while i was gone, the daughter begged me for saffron.  she kept saying that saffron would have other playmates, cats, who would keep her company.

well, i am allergic to cats.  i love them so, but for a few years, i have had some pretty awful reactions to them.  so much so that when i went to visit my mother, my lungs would fill up with fluids and the tissues would swell.  so why, oh why did i get saffron and before her stella?

well, last fall, right at about this time, i was telling my landlord how much the mice were driving me up a wall.  i live in the middle of hayfields, so this is expected that a few mice take up residence in the people place.  besides, we leave such a good feast of crumbs for them.  my landlady had suggested i take one of their kittens.  i said that i couldn't cuz i am allergic to them.  she said that i could keep her outside.

thus stella came home.  she was so little and piteous and i just couldn't stand the thought of her outside, so i brought her in.  i figured that if i had problems breathing, out she'd go.  breathing is important.  ya might even say it is vital.  i also said that if she left messes, out she'd go.  and if she didn't get along with the dogs (who stay out lots anyway), then she couldn't be a part of my furrbee family.

here's the thing.  stella and i were fine!  she did go in and out, because i didn't want to deal with a litter box.  she and i would nap together and read together (we had similar tastes) and write together (her poems were outstanding!  sorta freestyle).  and i could breathe just fine, my eyes would sometimes itch, but usually that was if i was petting her, then forgot to wash my hands afterwards.

then one day, stella didn't come home.  she was young, 9 months.  but she disappeared.  whether it was a kitnapping or she ran off or something thought she'd be a tasty treat, I'm not sure.  but she was gone.  that was in may.  by june, i was missing having a kitten around and my guy knew of one that needed a home.

so saffron became a part of my household.  i was sure since i hadn't had significant problems with stella that i'd be fine.  wrong.  well, at first when i had the sniffles and some minor lung congestion, i thought well it could be due to dust (i live on a dirt road in the middle of hayfields and we were having a drought), due to my normal tendency to get sick with something, or that it could be due to any number of other factors.

but, i was determined, it was not due to saffron.  after all, i'd been fine with stella.  so knowing that things that would normally not bother me can become irritants when i am feeling poorly, i let saffron outside.  but i was scared that she'd have a similar fate as stella.  so when the worst was over, i set up a litter box and brought her in and bathed her (she always sat so still when i bathed her, scrunching up her face like a lil kid) and sprayed her and used cautionary measures including lots of hand washing.

then i went away for about 2 weeks.  and my lungs completely healed up.  i came home, and i started having a little problem.  i thought it was the dust (i did some major cleaning and kicked up entire dust storms in here).  i thought it coulda been the mold.  it coulda been just time for me to get all stuffy and snotty again.  i thought, it is NOT saffron.

so last night, i am wheezing, struggling to breathe.  and i admit, it could be her.  and even if it isn't, and my allergies are kicking in due to fall pollen, the extra irritant of saffron could be contributing to my difficulty breathing.  and then, i had an asthma attack.

so this morning, i went down to my landlord's.  i spoke to her.  we woke her daughter up and i drove up to my place and she held saffron in her arms all the way back to her place.  and we took her in their house and we watched her roam about, checking things out.  we watched to see how their housecat would deal with saffron being present.  we watched to see how saffron would deal with the other cat having domain.  i left a thousand words behind, explaining what saffron likes and what she does and oh there was this one time that she did this and i did that and then this happened.

and i drove home.  and my guy held me while i cried.  and i am moping cuz maybe just maybe it wasn't because of the kitty that i couldn't breathe.

tidbits

Last night, I made pumpkin bread (already gone), cinnamon-apple coffee cake, and breakfast pizza.  The breakfast pizza was such a cool recipe and it gave me ideas for a few other things, most notably that a tube of crescent roll dough can provide a tasty crust for many dishes.  It unravels into triangle pieces, making it easy to cover the bottom of a pan as the pieces are uniform and fit nicely together.  The dough is not too sweet and doesn't overpower the dish.  I'll use it next time I make pizza of any sort.

I fried sausage, but you can use bacon or go without, and covered the dough, then I scattered frozen home fries and poured a mixture of eggs, milk, and cheese over it.  Popped it in the oven and that was that!  Easy prep, easy clean-up, tasty dish.  and russ, i don't think you could say that it's too healthy!  grins.

Saffron has an old leather boot string that she has had since she was a newborn.  Earlier today I saw her playing with it, and she looked so funny that I just had to share.  She's kinda big (I think) for not quite 5 months, but she was so kittenish.  Anyway, she had wadded the string up, stuffed it in her mouth, with her cheeks a bit puffed (really, not much room for a cat to puff their cheeks), and a few loops of the string escaping her mouth so that it looked like she was doing some serious chowing down on spaghetti.

Also, Saffron wheezes a bit when she is asleep.  It's sorta like snoring, but very high pitched and whistly.  cats don't get whistling snots, do they?  i didn't think so.  at first when i heard the sound, i thought it was me having some lingering reaction to dust and such.  but nope!  it was lil miss sassi!

alright, that was too much cuteness in this entry.  it's smothering me.

and finally...

Le Mon says,

She's fresh, so fresh, inviting...

homer has his spiderpig, i have my...

it's a guy-thing

trick it up

phone doodles

let sleeping dogs lie (past is past)

Gretella-Mae

tea-bagging, revisited

Tennessee Adventures

domesticated debra, draws

Le Mon says,

tea-bagging

Pardon me,

Let the scanning begin!

First I gotta say, dude! that turtle moved fast!  He scuttled across my table lickity-split, startled me and Saffron.  It was a funny scene I am sure, great for youtube video, but there was no recording device (well, that i know of, anyway, snicker).

Remember back when I was at Greta's or my guy's, and said that I would have a frenzy of stuff to share when I had access to my scanner?  Well, I entered all the sketches and things, and am uploading them to photobucket as we speak, well as I type.  Some of them are references to things that may not make much sense, but they did to me at the time.  I'm just gonna pop em all in and let you gawk, or not, as you see fit.

Excitement & Entrapment

This afternoon, Ziggee and Shaddow took to raising ruckus and I couldn't see what the fuss was all about.  Then Shaddow left off and took a nap, but Ziggee was adamant that he was going to keep barking at whatever intruder it was.

So I finally gave up trying to concentrate and went out to see what the alarm was raised for.  Ziggee, my lil 6 pound rat-cha, cornered a turtle against the wire fence.  The turtle had no where to go and Ziggee was frantic with excitement over his trapped prey.  I don't know what he expected the turtle to do, he couldn't go anywhere.  It's not like Ziggee was planning to feast on the turtle, I don't think.

Anyway, I brought it in, but I'm going to take it back out as soon as I get some shoes on.  I wanted the dogs to settle a bit before I release the turtle in the wide-open field.  After all, he probably has an appointment in the woods tomorrow morning and must get moving to get there on time.

Thank you so very much.

During the summer 03, the Social Security Administration and I waltzed.  I say "waltzed" because it was an intricate dance of steps in which I began, and they led me through a gauntlet which was hair-raising and complex.  I say "waltzed" also because I am a rarity in that I received approval first time out.

Yes, I do know how very very very very rare that is.  Not only did I receive approval, but I did it without a lawyer.  I did it.

Now, I know that it depends on tons of factors and variables.  Lots of other folks get involved, copying records to get them to the right place by the deadlines, making sure they provide complete records and don't skip this section or that crucial test result or progress note.  It is a process with trials at every breath of the way.

In the meantime, there were other folks who monitored me, who made sure I didn't sink through the layers of muck and mud.  There were folks who breathed for me, who took my frantic calls because I collapsed and stabbed myself while making a salad because the medication was poison for me.  There were advocates who helped me get thru another hour, day, week, summer.  To them, I say a heartfelt, "thank you so very much."

This summer, four years later, I am experiencing my first continuation review.  It's been difficult in some ways, and seems more so because of the Dept of Edu fiasco mentioned in the last entry.  Again, I've been extremely grateful to those folks who've helped me through this.  As of yet, I've not been given a formal decision.  And I've been trying not to let paranoia get the better part of me, because I know that reviews do occur.  I just find the timing to be extremely odd, considering the crap with the dept of education at the moment.

Le Mon is...

some of you may know, or not, i'm in the midst of several ongoing balls of snarled string, wax and barbed wire.  with two government agencies.  one is the department of education, what joy!  what fun!  and the other is the social security administration (i'm under review for continuation of disability benefits)--more on the social security admin later.

now the thing that does not surprise me, but does frustrate me, is how these agencies call their own shots and do not concern themselves with following their own written policy which is to govern procedures.  an example of this would be time-frames.  when they want you to do something (complete this form, turn your head and cough twice, bend over and grab your ankles), they give you a matter of days, stated sternly in bold, red, CAPS, larger font size, and underscored.  and in several locations, in case you missed it.  for some reason.  like you are a moron.  and have the limited uhm intelligence of a government employee.  several times.  you understand.  it is important that you do this and return it in 3 days.  i'm sure you have a very good idea of how this all works.

and yet, when the ball is in their court (getting more snarled with more rusty barbed wire and sticky tape, some glue, and eyes of newt), well then, gov-time elasticizes and warps into fun-house mirrored hazy images with vague answers and no accountability.

so at the moment, i'm in limbo on the "last" step with the dept of edu that is now in its ninth month (i'm being generous here, and not counting the six months they lost my records twice).  i've called, written letters, etc etc etc and have duly documented the umpteen various versions of stories that i've received from umpteen various versions of employees that are wearing the dept of edu dunce's cap at the moment.

now, i'm stepping it up, cuz the pressure of this limbo is killing me.  i've never been considered a suicidal-risk before, even with all the mental anguish i've endured in these years.  but this year, in this "last" stage, i've been on suicide-watch a number of times.  i've had to write and sign my first ever suicide-contract this summer.  and the anxiety is incredible.  the irony that stress excaberates mental illnesses does not escape me, in fact that looms large, because the reality is that i experience this condition in some very drastic ways (like struggling to breathe for the better part of two months because my immune system has been under attack from my inability to cope with constant stress brought on by dealing with the dept of edu.  thankyouverymuch).

so in the interest of needing to resolve this, or at the very least, move forward rather than being locked in the state of limbo of waiting for something, the threat of whatever, the huge shoe of the gov to trample me, like a lil nuisance, a pissant perhaps.  i can't continue to wait, indefinitely.  so i will be taking some steps like contacting supervisors, secretaries of departments, and other peoples in key positions.

it's time for me to exert what pressure i can instead of being pressured to the point of popping.  cuz believe me folks, it ain't pretty.

Get Here

There are those songs which speak to certain situations, certain conditions, certain relationships, and certain people.  One of those songs that captures that way that I feel sometimes when I am really troubled by the physical distance between my guy and I is Oleta Adams's "Get Here".  I know that two hours to some may not seem very far, especially when there are those in the military who maintain long-distance relationships.  I do see my guy almost every weekend, so it is like he has two homes.  Most of the time, I'm ok.  I mean, I miss him, but most times I can just be ok with knowing that I will see him soon.

But every now and then, I get a strong sharp pang that cries, "I don't care how you get here, just get here if you can."  I'm sure most of you can relate.  And Oleta's voice is so strong, sweet, and true.  Cuts to the marrow.

Le Mon says, "stand by me"

Le Mon says,

g'n'nite ya'll

Le Mon says,

ok dudes, i need some feedback, which of the Le Mon graphix are easiest on the eyes and appeal the most.  i don't want to get too complicated, but i do know that if i get something down then it will flow lots smoother.  I realize some of the color and font size (hell, maybe even font style, tho i am partial to lucinda handwriting, so i may have veto powers!) are better than others.  it's been easier and faster and more convenient to do this generated on internal software than to scan my sheets in (tho i can do that when i am at home and no doubt will, but for Le Mon, he's a trippy dude (thanks russ!!) that may have found his digs in paint versus sketches).

Le Mon says,

bare with me, i'm 'spermenting with size and colors and features and such.

muwah, darlink

Dah LI lahhhhhhhhhhhh, the queen of sap

ahhhhhhhh, comfy

tomorrow temps are said to be 85, which is schwunnerfullest, esp considering we just got thru 6 weeks of 100+ temps.  me and le mon'll be hangin'.  chillin'.  being coooooool.  oooh, yeah....sigh.  mmmmm.

(it's sad that i'd rather hang with a simple paint creation rather than be social in real-time.  but i LIKE le mon.)

Pu'cher big girl panties on and...

new for me

since i don't have access to my scanner always when i have access to the net, i thought i would try something simple (cuz that was very challenging for me) with paint program.

Pour Some Sugar on Me

this is another Luke Chueh that i like

Pharm-Life

Luke Chueh has a series on exhibit entitled "Paintings of Hope and Hopelessness".  I really like this one

as she balefully glowers

Yesterday, my guy and I went out for the evening.  First we went to a lil pizza place downtown off the square that has the best New York style pizza I've encountered in Mississippi.  Then we went to Uptown Coffee which is uhm downtown, off the square.  Later we went to the last showing of "3:10 to Yuma".  I say 'last showing' because for some reason this theater doesn't show midnight movies, so the last showing could start anywhere from 9:30 to 10:45.  I like midnight movies, so I was more than a tad confused.

I must say that this remake of "3:10 to Yuma" (which is originally based on Elmore Leonard's short of the same name) with its cast of Russel Crowe, Christian Bale, Ben Foster, and many others, is gritty and yet believable, for the most part.  If you like westerns, than this movie is sure to be a big hit with you.  If you don't care for westerns but do like movies with punch, great character development, and a touch of history, than this movie will do it for ya, too.  In fact the only thing this movie isn't rich with is slap-stick schtick and vapid romance.  And when is the last time you thought of that type of flat-characterization as 'rich'?

So my point is, catch the "3:10".

moving right along...

since the chili pie was so good, i thought i'd try making chili rellenos quiche.  eggs, a bit of flour and baking powder and salt, some chopped green chilies, cottage cheese, grated cheddar, and butter.  it is in the oven now and smells pretty tasty.

i may try making a breakfast cobbler, with canned fruit and oj and granola cereal, for dessert.

must feather my nest some more, ta-ta!

further adventures of Domestic Debra

do NOT make the grapenut casserole, i love grapenuts and i am usually pretty easy going toward food in general but grapenut casserole does not taste good.  maybe i didn't let it cook long enough, but yuck!  shudder.  it has good stuffs that would taste great when blended, like sugar, eggs, vanilla, grapenuts and baked.  but dude!  it smelled like popcorn and tasted awful.

hope i'm not pregnant.  i've heard that does weird things to a woman's taste/smell-buds.

pavarotti, arrivederci

farewell to you, tenor of the high c's.

pancreatic cancer has claimed yet another.

we'll miss you.

the domestication continues

we went for coffee, and while we were speaking about my guy's dissertation proposal, i was crocheting a hat.  the irony did not escape me that it must have made for an odd picture, me with my tats and 'do-rag, crocheting like mad, the cotton thread cone spinning around quickly, and the two of us having a very serious conversation about statistics, methodology, and lit reviews.

when we got home, to his place, i sauteed some onions, added hashbrowns, eggs, yogurt, and cheese, threw the egg casserole in the oven.  ran around, loading the dishwasher, washing/drying/folding clothes, dashing off emails, and "cleaning" (this means that i took apart and then soaked, scrubbed, and reassembled) the can-opener.

my guy appears to be happier than a clam with all this domestication.

domesticated debra

anyone who knows me, knows that i have great intentions regarding cooking, yet very rarely follow-thru (hence the usage of the word "intentions").  yes, yes, i realize that the road to hell is paved with great intentions (and republicans) but i figure we all gotta start somewhere, and since i've ridden to hell in a hand-basket, i'm strolling back on the pavement.  it's hot, hot, hot and me, i forgot my shoes.  really, who wears shoes when riding in a hand-basket, i ask you!

so in an effort to improve our eating at home habits (namely by eating at home versus grabbing a bite out), we went to walmart after midnight (where we're gonna let it all hang out has new and frightening meanings) and did a week's worth of shopping.  it was a huge first for me, cuz i actually knew what i was gonna get beforehand and (gasp!) made a list, and (gasp!) stuck to it!

so today, i made chili pie.  i actually followed a recipe (which is very odd for me, cuz i tend to use a recipe simply as a guideline, altering as i see fit).  and tonight, i will make egg casserole.

my guy just walked in the door, which means we are to go out and get coffee so we can talk.  hey!  it's an improvement over eating out and can be a huge change if i don't splurge and get some fru-fru frappe.

hey, over here...i'm over here!

not to worry about the inactivity of my journal this past weekend.  i went to visit a dear friend, greta.  now, i am visiting my guy.  he comes to see me almost every weekend, driving about 2 hrs one way and never complains.  i go visit him at his place maybe 4 or 5 times a year, and stay for a week or so each time.

even tho i rested lots while i was at greta's, it was still more activity than usual for me and so i would check my mail, leave a few comments for russ, and then hit the sack.  today i drove to my guy's, which meant that i was extremely tired upon arrival (he's about 3 hrs from greta's new place) and so we napped.  i'll be visiting with him for the better part of a week, my landlords are furrbee feeding and sassyfron sitting.

anyway, there will probably be a glut of scanned debra-doodles when i arrive home.  but since i have no scanner avail to me here, at His's place, i'll just be posting text from time to time.  have no worries, i'm not stuck in the hospital or passed out unattended in my home.

momMAH, it hurtz mee

i've been on a bagel kick.  and i love hot, spicy stuff.  i bought a jar of jalapeno slices last week and it is mostly gone.  last night i made a bagel, spread some veggie-cream cheese on it and placed a few jalapeno slices on it and chomped it down.  it was so good.  a pepper slice fell off and saffron stuck her nose on it really fast, before i could get it.  she jerked her head back and shook it really hard a few times and then licked her nose.  which was probably a mistake cuz then she stuck her tongue out and looked at me.  so pitiful and reproachful.  poor thing.

Wrong Number

"Hey baby!  I love you!"

"..."

"hello?"

(clearing throat) "uhm, yeah, hello?"

"oohps," giggles at self and situation, "i got the wrong guy, sorry for calling you so late, and sorry for uhm, anyway sorry.  b'bye!"

~~~~~~~a few minutes later~~~~~

"hello babe, I just told a strange man that I love him"

Chuckling, my guy replied, "you probably have a new friend now."

my shaddow lane

 

Whichun?

I can never keep them straight, on is Pete T and the other is Trip P.  Two peas in a pod, those two.  sigh.

Falling Up

Those of you that are long-time readers may remember when I did a lovely swan-dive off the concrete steps, landing on the stone embedded concrete slabs beneath.  Oh what fun!  What grace!  What the hell was I thinking?  Lest you think I indulge in such frivolous activities on a regular basis, let me assure you that although I am a klutz, I usually take extra caution around very dangerous surfaces.  Like concrete.  Embedded with stones.

This evening, I had a standing ovation as I fell up the concrete steps and slid back down, bouncing off the stone-embedded concrete slabs below.  The reason I bounced?  I am a bouncy sorta gal, which is a nice way of saying i got extra junk in more than my trunk.  I do not, however, have extra junk on my kneecap, as I was reminded earlier.

From whence came the standing ovation?  My Shaddow, Ziggee, and some friend of their's that has taken to playing, running, sleeping (in short, living) with them gave me extra special standing ovations.  By special standing ovation, I mean that they were on all fours.  By extra special standing ovations, I mean that they rushed over to lick me, which means that they really really like me.

At least that's what I think giving tongue means.

gracious gratitude

Below is a modified version of a letter that I sent via eMail to a long-time friend.  We've known each other over 25 yrs.  She and I haven't seen each other in years, but we do write each other and keep up with each other's lives.

There are things that this post covers that I thought might be appropriate for journals.

It doesn't matter about how long it takes for anyone to reply or send stuff to me, cuz life gets busy, it's like that.  Being with my guy has taught me some patience, because i know how busy school is first hand, but i also see what he is going thru.  i see how my friend handled pregnancy, birth, newborn, breast-feeding, older children, etc. etc. etc.  i know first hand how unpredictable i can be, and how others are dealing with health issues and such.  so i have learned a whole other appreciation for the variety in how folks respond and cope with life in general, cuz i understand that it isn't always a level-playing field, or a great hand, or whatever allegory you wanna use.  so i don't mind lots that i used to, cuz i appreciate folks efforts in a different way than i used to.

i wouldn't trade what i have for something else, cuz everything comes with complications and it's not something that i do much anymore.  sometimes when it seems to me that i am whining or complaining, i know that maybe i just need to vent, and other times i am overly sensitive and am monitoring myself so much so that i think i am driving others crazy when i am not bothering them at all.  i can handle most of whatever comes my way, cuz there are always options to weigh.  like the unrelenting heat we've been having, i know that my trailer gets too dangerously hot and stuff to be in at times, so i know that i can go hang out at the library, or lj's (where they understand that i don't always have money, so they let me get water on the days i can't afford $2.00 for tea and a free refill), and there are always other things for me to do.  If i absolutely have no gas in the car, there maybe some in my lawnmower's gas can.  if i forget to let my guy know i am low on money (cuz he almost always gives me something on the weekend for that week, even if it is only five bucks), i know that there is nothing i need so urgently that i will not make it thru.

since it is me, and my furrbees, but no children and no other dependents, i don't mind somuch.  i have clothes, some of them don't fit very well (but there are always enough) and again there are options like the thrift store, dollar store, walmart sales, clothing giveaways, and truth be told, i don't need all that much.  i have enough and i take care of what i have.  i have enough food.  i am always stocked on beans, rice, and pasta, so if i do get low on something, i have back-up supply to get me thru the end of the month or what not.

my guy takes care of lots for me.  he's been there time and again for major expenses like when my car needs work, or when i need propane for heat.  and i conserve what i can, when i can.  so i'm pretty frugal i think.

every now and then, i do complain i think.  esp when i am very uncomfortable for longer periods of time.  it doesn't help me to think of how bad others have it, like the starving kids in africa, or the FEMA Folks outta Katrina's path, cuz my hurts are still hurts, regardless of others' hurts.  i know there are others worse off, and most of the time i do realize how fortunate i am.  but when i am feeling awful myself, i can't feel better by thinking of how much worse others have it, ya know?

i went off on a bit of a tangent, oophs!  sometimes i can't seem to grab the thought i wanted to get to!  well, i hope that you enjoy your holiday weekend!  lova, debra

thanks for reading guys, appreciate it.

I Have a Dream

Pride & Joy

One of the things I like to do when I am at LJ's Coffee and Bakery where the 'net connection is a bit faster and better than my home dial-up system (some net is better than no net, i say!) is to cruise on over to youtube.com and pull up some videos.  This evening I was in the mood for some Stevie Ray Vaughn and so I pulled up "Pride & Joy".  Because I have dial-up, I have great sympathy for other dialers-up who have difficulties loading a graphic-rich page so I won't plant the video here, but if you do like blues, guitar, or just some downright great tunes, be sure to give a gander/listen to one of the all-time greats.

By the way, I'm seeing Le Mon requesting this for his Swe'lil baby, his pride and joy, who is long and lean, like a fine wine; requesting it cuz he is her little lover boy.  wink, grin, debra


Well you've heard about love givin' sight to the blind
My baby's lovin' cause the sun to shine
She's my sweet little thang....she's my pride and joy
She's my sweet little baby....I'm her little lover boy

Yeah, I love my baby....heart and soul
Love like our's won't never grow old
She's my sweet little thang....she's my pride and joy
She's my sweet little baby....I'm her little lover boy

Yeah, I love my lady....she's long and lean
You mess with her....you'll see a man get mean
She's my sweet little thang....she's my pride and joy
She's my sweet little baby....I'm her little lover boy

Well, I love my baby....like the finest wine
Stick with her until the end of time
She's my sweet little thang....she's my pride and joy
She's my sweet little baby....I'm her little lover boy

Yeah, I love my baby....heart and soul
Love like our's won't never grow old
She's my sweet little thang....she's my pride and joy
She's my sweet little baby....I'm her little lover boy

Blessed Rain

Most afternoons this summer have been scorching.  This afternoon, though it is hot, it is raining.  It is a steady soaking rain, lasting for a couple hours at least.  We are so relieved, even if it is only for the afternoon, we have had rain.

Amen.

speaking of musicals...

Rent

It may be a musical, but this is a slightly different story.

The beginning of this month came, and there were some extra expenses that don't occur on a monthly basis.  So I budgeted and was able to fill the propane gas tank and renew my car insurance.  I paid my other bills and then I felt wonderful.

Except I had a twinge.  Ya know, that twinge that tickles the extremity of my brain whispering, 'you forgetting something, oh yes you are'.  I thought and reviewed and I figured maybe I didn't pay this month's garbage bill and that was ok, cuz they aren't gonna not pick up for non-payment of one month.

So about two weeks back (which means that it was already two weeks into August), I'm sitting in LJ's, sucking up the cool in there, when in the door walks a woman who looks familiar.  Ya know how if ya see someone outside of the environment you usually see them in ya kinda have a brain-lag while ya try to place the person?  That's what was going on.

But it clicked that the woman coming toward me with a huge smile, waving, was my landlady.  And it also clicked what my brain was whispering and tickling me over.  I'd forgotten to pay this month's rent.

Can you imagine?!?

sweet words of advice

sassyfron's activities

my four month old kitten is growing at an unreal rate.  or maybe it just seems that way to me because stella, who was nine months when she disappeared was smaller than average.  saffron is larger at 4 months than stella was at 9!

saffron is a sassy lil girl and she is the very first kitten i've ever seen that chases her own tail with abandon.  her eyes widen, she spreads her paws and leaps.  of course leaping makes her butt swing behind her, taking her tail with it.  and the chase is on!

earlier, i had wrapped up a crocheted hat that i made for my friend (whom i call greta, that's not her 'real' name, but then again she calls me 'doo' so i guess that makes sense, on some level).  there were a few sheets of tissue paper left and saffron has been ripping and tearing.  i think she has found a new love.  her pupils are so large that i can't even see her ires at all!

i can't wait til she tries the catnip!

Nona's parents

thanks for hanging in there!

Nona Puss here and Foo Friends!

THANKS RUSS!!

Ta DAaaa! Presenting: Nona Puss and Family Foo!

How I spent my day (or Meet Nano Puss & Family Foo)

I'm trying something new and if it works, wow, oh wow!

First off, lemme say that Russ is my inspiration on this one.  He encourages others to create with no inhibitions.  He says to sketch that octipus it even if you don't think you can draw.  Do it anyway.  On his site, he features drawings, some with a running theme (pear-dude, design dresses for the awards, word of the day, right-ons, dammits!, and oh so many more) and some stand-alones.  Over the time I have been first lurking thru his journal, then leaving comments, following what he shares of his life, I've come to realize that he's a dude worth knowing.  So if you've not gandered, go check it!

Then too, lemme say that there are so many other folks who have been so supportive and accepting and encouraging, my guy and Bonnie (of Bonnie and Walt) most especially.  My guy encourages me in all I do.  Cheering me along and giving me the support that I need, in the ways I need it most.  I am so glad that he is my guy.

A few months back, Walt died and Bonnie began to sift through some things.  She sent me an art kit that had been Walt's father's and so I began to doodle a bit.  I sent her a few drawings and things and she was very enthusiastic.  Their journals/blogs are well worth the read!  Although, Bonnie does not use the computer, she contributed much as Walt was the typer of the two.  This couple was truly one of the best partnerships I have ever seen.

I'm experiencing some technical difficulties, but will continue in just a few.

"Squeezing every last drop..."

Judith Heartsong's call for August's Artsy Essay can be found here.

It is only now, late in the evening, with the sun having left another blazing dusty trail and darkness riding on its tailcoat that I am able to breathe.  I can still feel the heat being released by the ground of my yard, the asphalt of the parking lot, the simmering sidewalks.  Every outdoor object is pulsating with heat-waves radiating into my tender skin, as I push my way into the grocery store, the blessed chilled air soothing my sticky sweated brow.

And I breathe deeply.  Here in Mississippi, we are begging for relief from the unrelenting heatwave that has gripped us for most of the month.  In August alone, we have already broken the record high temperatures a dozen times.  Air-temps have been about 100 degrees for weeks now, and the humidity adds to the heat index, making life truly unbearable for most.

I've been seeking refuge in the public library (sucking up the controlled climate the books share with me), the gym where I can sink into the cool pool, and LJ's (a local coffee and bakery) where I can soak up the fan's breezes.  My own home, an old single wide trailer in the midst of hay fields, imitates hell quite well.  The air conditioner labors on the hi/hi setting and an additional fan do nothing to combat the steadily climbing temps that call forth sweat from my pores.  I'm drenched and panting merely sitting still by mid-morning.

Area schools have started over two weeks ago, pointless as I cannot fathom attempting to learn and process anything new.  One elementary school in town had to replace their central air, while adding supplemental air conditioners for some spaces where heat is generated, such as the computer lab and the kitchen.  An added expense that is painfully pinching to our already strained budget, we simply cannot function without more moderate conditions for our children.

Summer has not been sweet this year.  It's been blistering, sweltering, and humid, yet we are in need of refreshing rain.  Crops have been damaged, due to the lack of rain and the abusive sun that burns what little moisture vegetation provides.  Angry tempers have run just as hot as daily temperatures, as more and more altercations are reported by listless newscasters.

In the night, when the air cools to the low 80s, I pour myself a large glass of swe'tea.  I quench my thirst and then hold the sweaty glass to my throat, feeling my pulse carry cooled blood to my overheated brain.  It is when the night has fallen that my spirits rise.  In the kitchen, I pull the basket of lemons closer to me, preparing to squeeze every last drop of this sunshine from my summer into tomorrow's pitcher.

Hark! How the years go by!

Judith Heartsong and I share a birthday, and a few other things.  She's an amazing woman and it was her journal that inspired me to start my own, the original Debra's Daily Dose.  To read that entry, go here.

I am pleased to say that way back when she had a journal here, back before the ad-stink, Judy began her "Artsy Essay" Contest.  It was a monthly call that asked folks to write an entry focused on a theme that she would give.  The very first one was themed "how art has influenced me life" and guess what?  I won it!  Here's that entry, back in September 2004.

Judy's journal no longer exists, but you can find her in her "new" digs and admire her decor, her wit, her compassion, her journey and her observations.  And guess what?  She has continued to hold the "Artsy Essay" contest, after taking a hiatus.  You can read her August Artsy Essay call here.

If you aren't familiar with Judy, check her out!  I think that she's worth knowing.  She's an outstanding woman who truly has song in her heart.

Ditzy Debbie

Lately I've been quite addle-minded.  Scatter-brained.  Absent-minded.  I mean, more than usual.  Don't be giving me that look, I wasn't trying to pull one over on ya.

My focus control frizzled.  I have a ton of stuff I want to say, here in the journal, share with my guy, bring up in counseling, and yet when faced with a blank for journal entry, a weekend visit with my guy, a counseling session; blip!  my brain runs amuck and scatters in too many directions at once.

it's frustrating.  i feel like Doofus Debbie.  it's a helpless, hopeless feeling that reminds me of exactly how inept i can be.

at such times, it is hard to remember that i am not always so vacant.  it's hard to believe in me at those times, as being lovable and likable and articulate and witty.  it's hard to remember that i have more than half a brain.

it's just very....uh....very....it's very.....words fail.

hhhhhhhhhhhushhhhhhhh

it's too hot.  it's too aggravating.  i'm being fussy, i know.  but i have tried to sign-in so that i could leave an entry in my own journal, emphasis on "tried".  i've been trying for days and days to leave comments, sometimes it works, and sometimes, NOPE.  sigh.

i wanna go home, and i wanna sleep.  but that's not to be.  not today, anyway, maybe tomorrow.

i started thinking "HHHHhhhhhhhhhhot" and in mid thought changed to "shhhhhhhhhhhh" like a sleepy slur.  which is why the subject is "hhhhhhhhhhh...sssshhhhhhh".

hope you are staying cool and sleeping sweet.

SASsseee

My kitten is about 4 months old, filling out nicely and growing to be a big cat.  Her name is Saffron because she has an orange burst on her forehead.  But sometimes I can her SassiFron cuz she is one sassy lil saucy girl!

She's very gentle with me, keeping her claws sheathed and not breaking my skin when she nips me.  She is so sweet and cuddly.  But every now and then, she gets a lil sassy.  Like any other feline who feels life is all about her needs and desires being served, and with a smile dammit; she just waltzes in, plops down, and drapes her form across my guy's chest, with her head between her paws (she mimics my two dogs).

In fact, Sassifron loves my guy so much that she will curl up on his lap at the computer, snubbing me in the process.  She will add her teeth marks to his papers near the stables.  She will cozy down in his bookbags, and hide in his clothes.  She's even sat down in his truck, behind the steering-wheel.

If I had a lower self-esteem, I'd think she was trying to get away.  From me.  Can you imagine?!?  Good thing I don't have a lower self-esteem, huh?

ya d'uhm-schitz...

Sometimes I am smacked in the head with just how inconsiderate and vain we can be.  The news showed an interview with a woman who was very put out because "...well, like we flew into Cancun?  and we were planning to ya know be here for our honeymoon?  and (tsk-ah) now we have to go back home, to New York, cuz of Hurricane Dean...it's just not faaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrr"  Yeah, omigawd, so not fair (big eye roll).

ya d'uhm-schitz

Sturgis South

It's that time of the year again and we are all pleased to welcome the motorcyles to Sturgis and surrounding areas.  Sturgis, Mississippi that is!  Tucked into the southwestern corner of Oktibbeha County; Sturgis is a hop, skip, and a jump away from Starkville (home to Mississippi State University).  Sturgis is a small, but strong community of less than 300 people.  But come mid-August, the town is flooded with thousands who register for the bike rally.  Last year, 35,000+ rolled into the area.

This year marks over ten for Sturgis South.  In Kentucky, Little Sturgis is about 15 years old.  And of course, the mother of all Sturgis Rallies, South Dakota is over 65 years in the making and still going strong!

Welcome to Sturgis South!

Extreme Ways

When I was younger, I listened to music nonstop or so it seemed.  I think I wore out many cassette tapes (before CDs were popular, mind you) and Tori Amos (these little earthquakes) and Sarah McLachlan (fumbling toward ecstasy) saw me thru my college years.  There is always a song to match any mood.

As the years wore on, I listened less to music because I couldn't multi-task like I used to do.  Gone are the days I could listen and read, listen and study, listen and write.  Sometimes I will listen while crocheting, but usually not even then.

Still there are those songs that just grip me and make me want to scream or croon or laugh along with the touching music.  Moby's "Extreme Ways" is one of those songs that just gets me, right in the gut.  I wanna fling my arms up and roll my neck, offering up myself as I flash thru my more manic moments that fit better than a comfy "t".

So, right now, I'm calling up some various songs and singers on youtube.com.  Like Nina Simone's "Feeling Good", the lyrics and beat of which are freeing and grounding at the same time.  And I love Cat Steven's "How Can I Tell You".  If you've not heard it, give it a listen.

Sprichst du Deutsch?

Earlier today, I had a met a girl who is embarking on an adventure, next week she becomes a college freshman.  Congrats, I say!  She plans to study French and Spanish, both of which are Romance languages (Roman, ya know, Latin based) that sound silky smooth, so much so that I cannot differentiate between one word and the next.  It all flows so fluidly that my brain is still catching the beginning of the sentence long after the speaker has fallen silent, awaiting a response.

But speaking with Jonte' brought to mind my own experiences with language that were more successful.  Well, that's relative.  Being that sometimes I feel I haven't even gotten a handle on English enough to be truly proficient.

One of my degrees is in German.  I don't use it regularly enough to have a conversation of any depth but I could probably read more than the warnings written on the changing-table in the restroom.  But it is Latin that I return to, time and time again.

Latin is a wonderful language, rich with meanings and versatility.  I know of no other language that you can list the words in any order and still understand exactly what is being said.  That's because the word itself changes to reflect declension/conjugation.  Latin fuels so many other languages and influences many words in our own tongues, forming the root of it all.

So, I've returned to it yet again and am learning and relearning and building off of what I know.  Latin, language of labor and love alike.

suggestions? anyone?

My mother turns 60 in October of this year.  My father turned 60 in December of last year.  My brother turns 40 in July of next year.  I am not having a birthday this year, or had one last year, or plan to have one next year.  Ok, I did have one last year (you are soooooooo smart, I can't get one by on you now, can I?) in November and have now completed 36 years and am working on my 37th.  See, no special year like the rest of the family.  Well, ok then, every year is special, cuz it beats the alternative.

So what's all the blather regarding birthdays anyway and why, oh why, would I turn my attention to such a subject?  Well, with mom's birthday a few months off, I need to figure out exactly what I plan to do for her, gift-wise.  Yeah, but Debra, it's a few months off.  Yes, yes, I realize that and that is precisely why I am fussing about now instead of then.

See it takes time to create what ever it is that I will be making.  Plus ya gotta add time to the baseline of an estimate of how long whatever project is said to take, cuz ya gotta remember, this is me and my bumbling fingers.  Besides, I have a few things in mind, and started, but the exact right thing that screams "mom!  oh this is it, this is the right one!" hasn't jumped up and bitten me yet.

And maybe that's ok.  Cuz frankly, ya gotta be a bit tetched in the head to be working with yarn during the dog days (105 degrees right now).  so if anyone has a stunning suggestion that is screaming to be voiced, leave a comment.  thanks!!

The Last Red-Hot Mama

Sophie Tucker billed herself as such.  Bette Midler loved, respected, and idolized Sophie (and I tend to think that the Divine Miss M was and is a red-hot mama too).  Sophie was a large woman, in more ways than one.  Yes, she was big, ample figured.  But she was even bigger as a performer, one of the last vaudevillians to perform of that era.  She poked fun at herself with a huge lusty voice that also played up her sensual sexual appetites.  She was, indeed, one red-hot mama.

cole porter comes to visit again

Every August, Cole Porter asserts that it is indeed "too damn hot" in an endless loop in my head.  This year is no different.  I know that in a few months I will be focused on the sharp bitter cold and how amazed I am to find conditions quite like that in Mississippi.  We are never satisfied with the hand we are dealt.

For now, tho, it is the heat and the humidity that adds to the heat index, the "real feel" of just how uncomfortably hot one can be that is the focus.  Here we are, 7pm, and it is 100 degrees in the shade.  I am grateful that I have no crops to harvest or labor that involves more than the physical effort of drawing a breath.

For over a month now, I've been struggling to breathe.  I had had an infection in my lungs, bronchitis which developed into pneumonia and it takes time for any organ to heal from their irritated state, especially when being used as continuously as lungs are.  Now and for the last fortnight or so, the pressing suffocation is more a result of the extreme heat and humidity than the recovering condition of my lungs.

I know that I am not alone in this misery.  The entire nation is wilting and melting and draining.  But that serves as no consolation, does not lessen my discomfort an iota.

Nightfall brings some relief of sorts, the sun's rays move on to another part of the world and I revive long enough to sink into a comfortable doze of sorts.  It is absolutely not wonder I and so many others are disoriented and more than half crazed.

Welcome to my mid-summer's misery.

Cool Carrots

Today, instead of fleeing my overheated home for the afternoon, I sprawled on the bed, with the fan directly on me.  The air conditioner is on high/high.  My poor puddin' head was dreaming of cool carrots and bean burritos.  (if i were russ, i would render a sketch.  grin)

That's probably cuz I had a bag of frozen carrot disks under my feet and a bag of frozen bean burritos (cuz they are dense and stay frozen longer) under my neck.  If I coulda summoned the energy to drag my body to the freezer, I woulda grabbed the rest of the frozen bags to nestle into various nooks and crannies.  But that would have meant expending the energy, and energy is heat.  and THAT should be avoided at all costs.

stay cool as cucumbers!

you CAN get arrested for that

Apparently it is illegal to drive around the town square in Oxford, Mississippi more than one hundred times in a single session.  Seriously, it's a law, on the books.  I've no idea how many times it has been enforced.  But if ya decide to cruise Oxford's square, you're taking the law into your own hands.

My guy currently lives in Oxford, goes to school at Ole Miss and has finished his third year in his PhD program.  So I have some familiarity with Oxford and the town square.  I can attest that sometimes it seems that you must break this law just to find a parking space, particularly if it is a home game weekend.

But in reality, it would be next to impossible, let alone improbable, to actually violate this law.  Unless you happen to be these guys.

Driving around the town square
more than 100 times in a single
session is illegal in Oxford, Mississippi.

Location: Oxford, MS
Comment: Crossing lap 101 of Oxford's town square. And yes, Bateman was smoking whilst taking the shot. I don't know; you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

Having fun with the weather forecast

Below is the forecast for tomorrow.  Now I'm picturing a thunderstorm not paying attention to the rest of the jet stream, heading along in a lil herd.  No, not this thunderstorm!  This one wanders off course and meanders thru here, where it's not spoda be.  A "stray" thunderstorm, my ass.  Next time you are out and about and rain interrupts your day for a few moments, remember, it might be a stray thunderstorm.  Not to worry, it will find its way back to the herd.  It is, after all, the dog days of summer.  I'm saying all this, cuz dude, 105 jest ain't right.  Welcome to Mississippi!

"Sunny, along with a few afternoon clouds. A stray thunderstorm is possible. Heat index near 105F. High 97F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph."

Swimming with the Kids

My guy's sisters and their families rented a hotel room today/tonight so that all the kids could go swimming in the heat of dog's days and have one last summer fun fling before school starts.  So we drove up to Tupelo and joined them this afternoon for awhile.  They have a pack of lil boys, ranging in age from 1 to 8, and a baby-sister on the way (pregnant sister was so absolutely adorable, all 100 pound of her, no lie!  she is usually 85 lbs and stands 4'8"...I am HUGE next to her, even a ninth month pregnant her).  We were all so busy watching whichever handful of children happened to be next to us that we ended up including other kids that didn't belong to us into the mix.

Sometimes, it truly does take a village to raise a child.

Muesli

A few months ago I began to make a simplified version of muesli.  I can make it with four ingredients and alter it to add various fruits.  It should be made ahead of time so that the mix has time to set, the oats need to absorb the liquids.  It can be kept in the fridge for several days.  To me, it is cool, smooth, thick, and I like it very much.  Sometimes, I will go for a few weeks without making it, but usually there are the ingredients on-hand.

I use equal parts yogurt (plain/vanilla), oats, juice (i use apple), and fruit (i've used canned pears, dried berries, fresh peaches/nectarines).  I mix it together, cover with plastic wrap, pop the bowl in the fridge overnight and POOF! that's it.  Sometimes I slice a banana into it just before I eat.  I make a batch with a cup of each of the 4 major ingredients (yogurt, oats, juice, and fruit); but if you haven't had it before, I'd recommend starting with a half cup each, that way you can try it and see what you think.

hot, Hot, HOT, HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHot

Because here in Mississippi the humidity adds to the heat index so that a hot temperature like 90 feels like 99, because I live in an elderly trailer (read tin box), and because I'm working with a very lil air conditioner; my mid-afternoons are generally sweaty lethargic struggles to breathe affairs (not helped by my recuperating from bronchitis/pneumonia, I'm sure).

Having said all that, it would seem entirely reasonable that at this time of the night I am cooking and doing laundry.  Ya know, things that add heat and humidity to any already hot and humid environment.

So, whatcha upta?

Dandelion Wine

The title was vaguely tugging at my mind, and "Dandelion Wine" is not the volume I first found the tale in the last entry.  But my brother did and does own that book too.  This past Christmas was the first time that I had seen my brother at the holidays for about 15 years.  I remember seeing the book in his stack of reads.

Douglas's views of Green Town are more fully explored in "Dandelion Wine".  Perhaps I will read the book instead of only the handful of tales that Bradbury fashions into short stories and excerpts to scatter amongst other publications.  I'll add it to my library list.

So, what have you been reading of late?

b(RA)dbur(Y)

When I was a child, back in the mid-70s, I wondered what my brother found so fascinating about Ray Bradbury.  So I picked up one of the worn books, I can't remember which.  And I read it thru.  There were some stories that I couldn't and didn't comprehend.  There were some I just didn't care for.  And there were a few that I loved.

Last night, I read one in this volume of his "most celebrated tales" that brought back childhood memories of reading the story the first time and how I identified with it then, and still do.  "The Sound of Summer Running" is the name of the short that had originally been published in the Saturday Evening Post well before I was born.  In 1956, it ran under the name "Summer in the Air".

I think I prefer the first title, for that to me is exactly what the story was all about.  The things that confirm that yes! summer is really here.  The very air and scents and the freshness and warmness of the summer sun early in the morning burning off the misty fog signal that summer is like no other season.  Summer means freedom, from school, from rules and regulations.  Freedom to run and explore is found only in summer.

For the boy in this story, new tennis shoes always meant that summer was indeed here.  Really, summer cannot be fully experienced without new tennis shoes!  Well, to me it was slightly different.  New shoes were a sign of fall, the beginning of school.

But the actual idea of the shoes and the shoes themselves were full of nostalgic memories.  The best part of the shoes was hard to determine.  Was it the spongy lightness of the new soles that added bounce and spring to the step?  Or the wideness that allowed toes to be wriggled about?  Even the fact that the tennis shoes were NEW instead of old sprung worn-out smelly funky beat up sneaks was something to be savored.  For me, the sole of the shoe, the slight firmness with a tad give and utterly smooth unmarked unformed unsoiled canvas coolness was the most marvelous aspect of new tennis shoes.

Ray Bradbury's story focuses on "Cream Sponge Para Litefoot Shoes" and Douglas's lust for them, and his awe that he shares with Mr. Sanderson.  Even the name, cream sponge and litefoot, made my toes wriggle with glee and my feet actually sighed.  Last night, rereading this brought the same joy I remember experiencing the first time I read the story, as a child of the 70s, when children still ran about outside playing and new sneakers meant the world was right.

hunger

i've been eating like a snuffling lil piggy (pause to visualize a pinkish piggy with glasses scarfing down some serious chow).  and still hungry.  i know i am not pregnant.  but damn!  i've been eating myself out of house and home!

i'm oh so much better, breathing and lung capacity wise.  there is still some burning, just cuz my lungs are so irritated and will take some time to fully heal, but i'm one happy happy joyous camper!

better and better and better and

I'm feeling lots better!!  There is still some phlegm in my lungs, but I'm way better improved.  The situation is improving every day.  Yea!!

...i was doing what?

My guy has an inattentive subtype of ADD.  It's really quite amazing that he is the man that he is and that he has completed his third year in the PhD program.  Yea, sweetieheart!!

So I don't mean to be mean.  But I do find it to be very suitable that Psych Central has two versions of a test for Adult ADD.  There is the 'regular' 24 item quiz.  And there is the 'quick' six item quiz.  Which is understandably preferable, doncha think?

I'm just saying.

do not open

usually when my guy stumbles around in the wee morning hours before leaving my house for his (two hours away), i sleep right thru it.  but this morning, i woke up even before the nasty insistent alarm went off.  so i decided to have a piece of last night's pizza and then my industrial strength antibiotic that always makes me think that i will take this magic bullet and be transformed! into an amazingly well person immediately.  and i slurp down some herbal tea too, just to make sure i've got all the bases covered, what with all those "take with food", "take with drink", "offer up your first born to the gods of modern science" labels.

folks, there is a reason the antibiotic is encapsulated within three layers of invincible gel; as i soon discovered when it dissolved in my stomach and resurfaced with a burp.  mmmmmmmmm.  i was planning to use my throat today, but after that mishap, i'll be signing my counseling session.

so, is your week off to a good start?

gettin' better

i'm getting better, this i know because i worked myself up into a spitting tizzy of half-choked gasps of indignant protests when this afternoon's mail brought to me the latest in the dept of education's attempts of righteous repayment.  not in my house!

bRAdburY

Monday I visited the library after seeing the doctor, because they were holding a book for me.  while i was there i quickly snatched up a volume of short stories, cuz that's about how long my attention can last and my eyes can stay open.  it's a ray bradbury collection.  man, that dude has been around for a looooooooooooong time.  he is currently 87 years old.  he wrote the forward of the book in 2003, damn, i hope i'm thinking, let alone writing when i get into my 80s.

would you just quit breathing?!?

last night, my guy came to see me.  he's back from texas and i missed him so!  he has a rather hardy constitution and can be around my contagious conditions and not be affected much.  i'd love him for that reason alone, if i didn't already love him for scads of other reasons.

but last night, i think i tested his love for me.  or at least his tolerance for me at that given moment.  he was all nestled in bed, sound asleep.  and i was nestled in bed, hacking and coughing.  the dogs were outside barking and my guy was getting rather testy in his sleep.  i went to the bathroom to do the worst of my own barking, but i think the small space served as an echo chamber and magnified the sound that much more.

my guy rolled over and muttered a few obscenities  that could have been due to many things, but i'm thinking that the simultaneous barking the dogs and i were engaged in was greatly contributing to my guy's aggravated state.  poor guy.

hey, i'm breathing here!

This morning a dude in bellsouth regalia knocked on my door.  I signaled "one minute" (I had to find my pants, opening doors while in underwear is not recommended, tho i have been known on occasion to do so).  He was patient.

He asked, "so what's wrong with your phone this time?"  as though he'd been here recently instead of several years ago.  I stared blankly at him, wondering if I had been cough-syrup calling.  We finally sorted out that he was looking for my next-door neighbors who live two miles away.

I explained how to get there and sent him on his mission of the day then stood in the yard for a few minutes trying to deal with sensory overload.  The colors seemed a bit too bright, everything was a bit too sharp, the air was too moist and hot (that'd be humid, right?) and tasted bitter.  I turned and wobbled back to the steps and plopped down.  My ears were sloshing with my heartbeat and some sort of large heavy equipment drone (turns out that was my air conditioner).  I leaned forward and my head promptly popped off and rolled away, thus freeing up my lungs to gasp, rattle, and hum even louder.

I am so glad to be back inside and promise to not ever jam that much movement into a small time-frame like that when i am feeling this shitty.  it tends to stir up the sediments that are coating the swampiness of my lungs and clouds my brain to the point where i was wondering if i could just lie down in the grass to die or did i really need to get back inside whereupon i might live to see yet another day.

Here it is a few hours later, I'm feeling better, more removed from death's threshold.  now i am merely struggling to breathe deeper than a shallow pant and wondering if i will ever draw a phlegm-phree breath again.

so, how's your weekend?

discovery, happy belated birthday heather!

I've recently discovered Dooce and have been developing an absolute bonding experience, check out Heather's very long running blog, a cool commentary on life as she sees it. You might be familiar with her as she was fired for blogging, altho she didn't refute or appeal the decision, it did raise all sorts of privacy issues and such.  Heather has blogged on her marriage, her pregnancy/birth/motherhood, her Leta, her fall from religion, her mental illnesses, and all with a sense of frankness that is a great blend of humor (crude, lewd, and rude), compassion, wit.  The dudette can think.  Check it!

Yesterday was her birthday, as a kicky lil bonus.  Happy Birthday, Dooce!