Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Meredith Viera is such a dumbass.
Check out Izzy's post about the Today show and their recent segment on mother's who have an alcoholic beverage in the presence of their children. I agree with Izzy's call of bullshit. And I can't say it any better, so suffice it to say that you should read Izzy's post.
She Blinded me with Science...
Today I got recognized and praised for the large (approximately 400 page) website that I built and published for my "top-secret" employer back before January 1. It appears as though the local newspaper picked up on the site and published an insert to the Tuesday paper that contained a whole LOT of great information that was pulled DIRECTLY and word for word from the website that I worked so hard on. I am pleased. Not as much for being recognized as for knowing that SOMEONE out there saw the changes and was so happy with them that they converted it into a published insert, without charging my company, which makes everyone here very pleased at the exposure! Yeah! I love websites, and I would be thrilled if all my IT tasks consisted of web and graphic design. But you can't always be so lucky. My biggest fear now is who will maintain the site when I go on maternity leave, and what terrible things will they do to it that I will have to fix or undo.
Things that came in the mail yesterday:
What I did last night:
Things that came in the mail yesterday:
- Blue Boppy with Luxe Cover
- Avent Bottle and Food Warmer
- Baby Food Organizer (spinner)
- Avent ISIS IQ Uno manual and electric Breastpump
- Gap Maternity Cardigan Sweater
- Black Motherhood Maternity pants
- Brown Duo Maternity Pants
What I did last night:
- Ate Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets
- Got the shits from my new medication
- Watched Malcolm in the Middle Episodes on Tivo
- Balanced the checkbook AGAIN and went through mail and bills AGAIN
- Let Dogs Out.
- Let Dogs In.
- Ate Hummus and Athenos Whole Wheat Pita Chips
- Drank Water
- Went to Bed
- Ate Strawberry Yogurt Cheerios for Breakfast with a Glass of OJ
- Saw the Midwife and got a new prescription.
- Ate a Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich with onions, tomato, lettuce, mayo, and mustard; 1 icky deviled egg, and "American Chopped Suey" a.k.a. Goulash for lunch.
- Called husband and declared a financial emergency due to ANOTHER unexpected prescription.
- Explained that just because you can't take the pills, the pharmacy does not give a refund.
- Went to Pharmacy, picked up prescription and OTC Supplement the midwife recommended.
- Cursed my health insurance that doesn't give me prescription coverage.
- Counted the pills I now take on a daily basis, which have increased to 15, but won't complain because Ruben has it much much worse and for a much less fun reason.
- Ate a HUGE piece of cheese pizza at 4pm to tide me over till supper (we eat late, like 7:30 or 8pm)
- Picked up two books that I had the library order from the big city... "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth" and "Choosing Waterbirth"
- Craved morning star vegetarian corn dogs, one of my new favorites and addictions.
- Read an article on ultrasounds and determining the sex of the fetus
Diamond Organics Overnighted Produce Sampler
Check Flickr for the produce package that we ordered from Diamond Organics. Search my tags for Diamond Organics, California and you will be most pleased! We were!
www.diamondorganics.com to get your own!
Kiddie Bento - Butterfly Garden
Isn't this cool?! Found it on Flickr and someone had commented to the photographer/creator "can you be my mom?" LOL. Maybe I will be this kind of mom?
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Shhh... They Don't Know We're Coming!
I told myself that the movie "United 93" was not wise for a pregnant woman to watch, with all the mom's at home with their kids and new babies and the dads on the plane who died and were calling home to say goodbye. I was an emotional basketcase, but I was riveted. This week I watched Extreme Home Makeover, which I hadn't watched in a LONG time. Jeez. A woman with 6 kids, 12 and under. She bought a home with her husband in the country and on Christmas Eve he died, after suffering from poisoning from the mold in the basement of the house. He was in bed next to her, she was nursing their new baby, and he started to have a seizure and died right there.
20 some days before he died, he delivered their baby right there in the same bedroom.
Okay wow. Their house was of course beautiful. I loved the episode, but I coldn't believe they put a sandbox in a little boy's room (I mean like 2 or 3 year old boy) and it was IN the trundle bed, nonetheless. Talk about sleeping in a bed of sand! Holy cow! By the end, I was just mildly annoyed by the wife having said "We are so blessed" for about the 15 millionth time, and from the repeated shots of the 12 year old daughter talking to the camera but unable to contain her quivering chin and tears. I felt really bad for her, because she was one of those kids who isn't very attractive when crying, and I thought they might have been exploiting her tears just a little bit, and that they probably could have given her a tissue to clean herself up with. I felt bad for her, and then I was just annoyed. Sometimes I can't help but think about what pieces of that show are "planned."
First there's the whole "They don't know we're coming." Yeah. I am sorry, but if you knocked on my door at 7am, without me knowing you were coming, and I was a single mom with 6 kids and a new baby, we would not ALL be dressed and have our hair brushed and our breakfast eaten, and be ready to run out the door and leave all our posessions and go on vacation. Bullshit they don't know you're coming Ty. You don't fool me.
Besides that. Desperate Housewives HAD to be a rerun. Ack.
Well, back to watching Family Guy and folding laundry. My last goal for the night (forget the Christmas Tree. I think it's staying for a while) is to wash all the greens that arrived in my organic produce sampler on Friday.
20 some days before he died, he delivered their baby right there in the same bedroom.
Okay wow. Their house was of course beautiful. I loved the episode, but I coldn't believe they put a sandbox in a little boy's room (I mean like 2 or 3 year old boy) and it was IN the trundle bed, nonetheless. Talk about sleeping in a bed of sand! Holy cow! By the end, I was just mildly annoyed by the wife having said "We are so blessed" for about the 15 millionth time, and from the repeated shots of the 12 year old daughter talking to the camera but unable to contain her quivering chin and tears. I felt really bad for her, because she was one of those kids who isn't very attractive when crying, and I thought they might have been exploiting her tears just a little bit, and that they probably could have given her a tissue to clean herself up with. I felt bad for her, and then I was just annoyed. Sometimes I can't help but think about what pieces of that show are "planned."
First there's the whole "They don't know we're coming." Yeah. I am sorry, but if you knocked on my door at 7am, without me knowing you were coming, and I was a single mom with 6 kids and a new baby, we would not ALL be dressed and have our hair brushed and our breakfast eaten, and be ready to run out the door and leave all our posessions and go on vacation. Bullshit they don't know you're coming Ty. You don't fool me.
Besides that. Desperate Housewives HAD to be a rerun. Ack.
Well, back to watching Family Guy and folding laundry. My last goal for the night (forget the Christmas Tree. I think it's staying for a while) is to wash all the greens that arrived in my organic produce sampler on Friday.
February Pink and Yellow Swap
On Saturday, I was fairly productive. Okay, not really. But I did start and finish the February Pink and Yellow Swap this weekend. After a $207 trip to Wal-Mart (groceries, diapers, toiletries, swap stuff) I unloaded groceries and then watched my usual Nick and Nite Roseanne Marathon. I was in bed by 10:30, per my usual preggo schedule.
Saturday I slept till about 9, then forced myself to lay in bed and continue my dream until I drifted in and out of sleep- up until around 11am. Then Evan had a visitation/funeral to go to, so I ran around in my underwear and pajamas and altered this target mailbox and gathered and packaged my pink and yellow goodness for the Color-iffic Swap-o-rama pink and yellow swap. It all looks so small, but I have to tell you that little crap adds up fast :) Hopefully my partner will love and adore it, as well as appreciate that god things come in small packages. I was able to put most of the goodies inside the mailbox and the rest all fit alongside the mailbox in a small priority mail cube. It's all ready to go! My partner's name starts with an "m" so it made it simple for me, since I have so much "m" stuff myself!
Saturday night I got all dolled up because Evan was going to take my to LOS RANCHERITOS, the new mexican restraunt in Princeton on Route 6/Peru Street. Apparently most of the county was also going there. It was standing people and totally crammed. People were waiting in line to place orders, there was no seating, so Evan, my brilliant husband, said "get a menu and we'll order from the car." So I stepped through all the peeps waiting and grabbed a paper menu and we hi-tailed it to the car where I called and placed our order via cell phone. It was kinda funny because all the peeps waiting in line had to wait while the guy taking their orders answered the phone and took ours.
The food was great, we took it home and rented the 3rd X-men movie in On Demand (cable.) Our food was a little cool. Their chips were awesome. Evan had Enchiladas and I had my fave- Chicken Fajitas. I think that Mi Margarita's in Peru is better, but it's hard to tell unless you are eating your food fresh instead of taking it home. But overall we are super excited that they are there, and I recommend to anyone- grab a menu and call in your order. It's a constant evening madhouse there. I hope their business goes so well that they can move to a new location in town or build on so they have more dining space. Evan said that the people working there, especially the woman who appeared to be part owner, were very polite to him. That makes me smile.
Today I am supposed to be cleaning since the cleaning people come tomorrow, but so far I have sorted through the basket of bills, all the piles of mail, and balanced the checkbook (a huge undertaking that usually takes an hour-three hours.) I also packaged up my swap and addressed the box, and cleared off the coffee table and started a load of whites. Wow. Only a whole house left to go! Ugh.
Saturday I slept till about 9, then forced myself to lay in bed and continue my dream until I drifted in and out of sleep- up until around 11am. Then Evan had a visitation/funeral to go to, so I ran around in my underwear and pajamas and altered this target mailbox and gathered and packaged my pink and yellow goodness for the Color-iffic Swap-o-rama pink and yellow swap. It all looks so small, but I have to tell you that little crap adds up fast :) Hopefully my partner will love and adore it, as well as appreciate that god things come in small packages. I was able to put most of the goodies inside the mailbox and the rest all fit alongside the mailbox in a small priority mail cube. It's all ready to go! My partner's name starts with an "m" so it made it simple for me, since I have so much "m" stuff myself!
Saturday night I got all dolled up because Evan was going to take my to LOS RANCHERITOS, the new mexican restraunt in Princeton on Route 6/Peru Street. Apparently most of the county was also going there. It was standing people and totally crammed. People were waiting in line to place orders, there was no seating, so Evan, my brilliant husband, said "get a menu and we'll order from the car." So I stepped through all the peeps waiting and grabbed a paper menu and we hi-tailed it to the car where I called and placed our order via cell phone. It was kinda funny because all the peeps waiting in line had to wait while the guy taking their orders answered the phone and took ours.
The food was great, we took it home and rented the 3rd X-men movie in On Demand (cable.) Our food was a little cool. Their chips were awesome. Evan had Enchiladas and I had my fave- Chicken Fajitas. I think that Mi Margarita's in Peru is better, but it's hard to tell unless you are eating your food fresh instead of taking it home. But overall we are super excited that they are there, and I recommend to anyone- grab a menu and call in your order. It's a constant evening madhouse there. I hope their business goes so well that they can move to a new location in town or build on so they have more dining space. Evan said that the people working there, especially the woman who appeared to be part owner, were very polite to him. That makes me smile.
Today I am supposed to be cleaning since the cleaning people come tomorrow, but so far I have sorted through the basket of bills, all the piles of mail, and balanced the checkbook (a huge undertaking that usually takes an hour-three hours.) I also packaged up my swap and addressed the box, and cleared off the coffee table and started a load of whites. Wow. Only a whole house left to go! Ugh.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Lullaby and Goodnight.....
okay, this is gonna sound crazy, but anybody got some good vegetable recipes? I am supposed to be eating all these fresh vegetables. And I tend to like cooked veggies. But it's like, besides Broccoli with cheese, and asparagus with butter, how to heck do I cook fresh veggies? I have always bought frozen or canned veggies. Frozen Veggies Mixes to put in stir-fry and eat as sides, and canned carrots and green beans too. But my CNM is on me to eat FRESH Vegetables and not canned and frozen, and I am like "I don't even know where to begin!" I get to the produce aisle and I just wanna cry! Help? If you have some ideas send them my way.
One thing I have been able to eat happily is sliced bell peppers with hummus or ranch dip. I Don't really like raw carrots. I do love Artichokes but I am seriously daunted at trying to cook a fresh one. Ugh. Once I made Eggplant Parmesan and I liked it, but wow I don't have that much time and energy. I wish someone catered vegetables. Like Fresh vegetables all cooked up nice. I would so be ordering some veggies on wheels.
My other goal is the 3- 8oz servings of milk a day. I always thought I could count cheeses and other dairy products, but CNM insists on 3 glasses of milk. Well an 8oz glass of milk isn't much milk. I usually drink about 16 ounces in a glass. And I put a TON of milk on my cereal, more than most people. But now I am trying to drink milk mid-day, while at work. This weekend I need to get some groceries, more fresh meat and some kind of veggies, and some little milk chugs that I can drink here and there.
Still tired. Okay Exhausted. I passed my Glucose Test, so no gestational diabetes yet. That's one of the main concerns for me (and my CNM) - so as long as my GTT's are normal, I can continue to take my medication for insulin resistance throughout my pregnancy.
The Christmas Tree is still up. The Desk in the Office is still a mess. The Dining Room table is still a clusterfuck of mail and Nativity Scene Pieces. There is still a squished and half frozen pumpkin where it died by the back door before December 1st. There's a mouse in the kitchen that is pissing me off but I haven't had the energy to go get Glue traps to catch the little bastard. The dogs still need to be taken to the groomers for a nail trim and all that jazz. Oh well. Soon this first trimester will be OVER! And I hope the exhaustion goes with it.
I have a friend having a Stampin Up Show, and I am getting the Carte Postale and the French Flair Stamps from the Winter Mini Flier. Trying to limit my purchases on things like that so that I can save up for baby furniture.
One thing I have been able to eat happily is sliced bell peppers with hummus or ranch dip. I Don't really like raw carrots. I do love Artichokes but I am seriously daunted at trying to cook a fresh one. Ugh. Once I made Eggplant Parmesan and I liked it, but wow I don't have that much time and energy. I wish someone catered vegetables. Like Fresh vegetables all cooked up nice. I would so be ordering some veggies on wheels.
My other goal is the 3- 8oz servings of milk a day. I always thought I could count cheeses and other dairy products, but CNM insists on 3 glasses of milk. Well an 8oz glass of milk isn't much milk. I usually drink about 16 ounces in a glass. And I put a TON of milk on my cereal, more than most people. But now I am trying to drink milk mid-day, while at work. This weekend I need to get some groceries, more fresh meat and some kind of veggies, and some little milk chugs that I can drink here and there.
Still tired. Okay Exhausted. I passed my Glucose Test, so no gestational diabetes yet. That's one of the main concerns for me (and my CNM) - so as long as my GTT's are normal, I can continue to take my medication for insulin resistance throughout my pregnancy.
The Christmas Tree is still up. The Desk in the Office is still a mess. The Dining Room table is still a clusterfuck of mail and Nativity Scene Pieces. There is still a squished and half frozen pumpkin where it died by the back door before December 1st. There's a mouse in the kitchen that is pissing me off but I haven't had the energy to go get Glue traps to catch the little bastard. The dogs still need to be taken to the groomers for a nail trim and all that jazz. Oh well. Soon this first trimester will be OVER! And I hope the exhaustion goes with it.
I have a friend having a Stampin Up Show, and I am getting the Carte Postale and the French Flair Stamps from the Winter Mini Flier. Trying to limit my purchases on things like that so that I can save up for baby furniture.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Monday, January 22, 2007
Shhhhhh.........
I have been Sooooooooo lazy! Ugh! I am surprised I don't have bedsores! LOL. Saturday mom wanted to go shopping, and I wanted to go with, but I knew that I would be exhausted. We went to the Quad Cities and looked at carpet and furniture stores (for her) and then went to two Toys R Us (to seek out cribs, which were all junk) and then to Bed Bath and Beyond (where I splurged on a $1.70 Wonka Bar) and to Target (where I splurged on milk, cheerios, cream cheese spread, and a pink amy coe baby beanie.) I was so freaking exhausted! I spent $14 and I was whooped. My feet hurt, my back hurt, I started getting a headache, and then the stomach ickiness set in. My dad got back from his snowmobile trip to Colorado, and he took us out to supper at the club since Evan was cooking, and I didn't like my dinner. Of course at that moment I didn't like ANY food. I was trying valiantly to stay awake while dad used the computer at my house and mom chatted with me. I remember lying on the bed with the dog and waiting till I could go to sleep and my mom trying to convince me that we should take down the Christmas Tree. Uh. No. I am so exhausted I am sick. I have overdone it. I need sleep! I slept till 10:30 on Sunday, and then took a shower and then fell asleep again from 1pm-2:15. Then we ran to Princeton for toilet paper and so I could stop at work and then back home to lie in bed and watch the Bears game (yee!) and then I watched Dodgeball the movie (love that!) and 13 going on 30 because it was "on next" and I was okay with not moving to change the channel. Then I moved to the couch and lie there watching Desperate Housewives and Crossing Jordan, I ate a bowl of cheerios, and moved right back to bed again for a nights long long sleep. I slept till 9:15 this morning, although I really had a hard time sleeping past 4 or 5 am.... But once I fell asleep again it was all good.
And on Monday, all I could do as of noon was think of taking a nap.
I can't wait for the sleepy times to go away.
This morning I went to the Post Office and I have SIX packages in my car just DYING to be opened and pilfered through.
And on Monday, all I could do as of noon was think of taking a nap.
I can't wait for the sleepy times to go away.
This morning I went to the Post Office and I have SIX packages in my car just DYING to be opened and pilfered through.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Don't Stop Me! I'm on my way to Renew My Library Card!
I am the kind of person who, once I set my mind to something, I won't rest until it is accomplished. As long as it is my focus, it becomes my primary focus. My grandma, who died when my mom was about 15, and who I never met, had a saying "where there's a will, there's a way." and I have heard that repeated to me a million times. Now I repeat it to myself and others.
I look so much like my grandma jean that once when I was just in high school, we were eating dinner at a restaurant where she used to waitress, and someone from another table needed ketchup. I stood up to walk it over to the next table and an older gentleman who didn't know me had a "flashback" of sorts and said "You must be related to Jean, you are the spitting image!" and I heard that allot. Same color hair even. My mom was shocked that the man knew who I was without even knowing me.
So what I have on my mind today? Renewing my library card. It all started with some books that I want. I covet. I want to curl up and devour them and stuff my brains with knowledge. Because I already have ENOUGH books, and I don't need to BUY anymore, I was trying to tell myself that I should go back to what I was taught and start using the library. Well, the downfall of a small town library is that most books that you want to read aren't there. I am not putting DOWN the library, but their budgets are limited! And when that new book comes out and there is ONE copy, it might take you three months to catch it and you have to put your name on a list and it's just one of those things. But luckily we have library networks so if you want a book they can call other libraries and find it. But most small town librarians act like you are asking them to shit out a gold brick when you ask them to do this.
I grew up going to the library on a weekly basis. All summer long especially. We each had a big tote bag that was for the library. Our mom taught us to pass the time with books, and be lazy in the sunshine with a book. So we would go to the library and I would pick out like 6 or 7 or 10 books and go to the counter and set them up there and the librarian would giggle and say "oh no sweetie, you can't have this many books! You see, you only get to check them out for a week! So maybe you could just pick ONE of these?" And I would just turn around and look at my mom (usually a few bookshelves away) and mom would come over and smile at the librarian and say "no, really. It's okay. She'll read at least one of those books a day." and I don't mean kids books. I mean young adult, 1-2" thick books. I have always been a fast reader. The librarian would be skeptical and mom would just give her that one look and before you knew it I would have 10 books in my library tote and be ready to get home and start reading. The librarian would get used to this, but every time that we would get a new or substitute librarian, we would go through the same thing again.
I have a Wyanet Library card but I haven't renewed it since 2005. So I have to first renew the library card from Wyanet. It's difficult for me to get to the Library in Wyanet because with the exception of 1 day a week, they are only open 1-6pm, and I am at work. But my main goal is to go to Matson Public Library in Princeton. They have the main library, and a satellite location on Main street, AND they are working on the new location in the old Bogo's Building that will even have a wireless internet cafe. How cool is that? If you live in Wyanet you get a library card for Raymond A. Sapp Library for free. If you have a Wyanet library card, then you can use the Matson Public Library for free. My favorite part of the Matson public library is their website! You can search for books online, not just in your library, but in OTHER libraries in the entire HAL system. You can make lists of books you want to read. You can place a hold on a book if it is "checked out" and you can renew your books online. You can login and view your library account. It's just a REALLY great feature that is well worth it.
Because I have 4 books that I want to read, and because I need to order them through HAL, I would like to start using the Matson website. They are right in Princeton where I am every single day, and their hours are very flexible. They are open till 8pm every weeknight, except 6pm on Friday, and the main location is RIGHT on my way home. So how convenient? And so I have to renew my Wyanet card! It's my main focus of the day! I can't do anything or focus on ANYTHING until this damn library card is renewed! Yippee!!!
This weekend someone needs to take our Christmas Tree down, and someone needs to clean my scrapbook room. Someone needs to do laundry. I plan on going shopping with my mom on Saturday, she is looking at carpet and such, and we both want to look at beds and mattresses.
It's a little warmer here today, still ice on the trees and a dusting of snow on the ground. When the wind blows, the trees over head make noises like someone is twisting an ice cube tray over your head. Not actually cracking the cubes out, but twisting it just enough that you hear the squeaking and some crackling and think that at any minute it could start raining icicles. I was also really taken aback this morning on the way to work. The Prairie Grass along route 6 on the flats was sparkling in such an amazing way, bent over in elegant glass arcs. If I would have had my camera and the energy to lift my arms to photograph... I would have pictures to share. Maybe another day. Just take my word for it!
Books I am wanting to read:
Rediscovering birth by: Sheila Kitzinger:
A study of the universal experience of pregnancy and
childbirth discusses the emotional aspects of
pregnancy, the physical and spiritual aspects of the
birth experience, and the cultural influences
involved.
Choosing waterbirth : reclaiming the sacred power of birth by: Lakshmi Bertram
The thinking woman's guide to a better birth by: Henci Goer
The womanly art of breastfeeding by: The La Leche League International
I look so much like my grandma jean that once when I was just in high school, we were eating dinner at a restaurant where she used to waitress, and someone from another table needed ketchup. I stood up to walk it over to the next table and an older gentleman who didn't know me had a "flashback" of sorts and said "You must be related to Jean, you are the spitting image!" and I heard that allot. Same color hair even. My mom was shocked that the man knew who I was without even knowing me.
So what I have on my mind today? Renewing my library card. It all started with some books that I want. I covet. I want to curl up and devour them and stuff my brains with knowledge. Because I already have ENOUGH books, and I don't need to BUY anymore, I was trying to tell myself that I should go back to what I was taught and start using the library. Well, the downfall of a small town library is that most books that you want to read aren't there. I am not putting DOWN the library, but their budgets are limited! And when that new book comes out and there is ONE copy, it might take you three months to catch it and you have to put your name on a list and it's just one of those things. But luckily we have library networks so if you want a book they can call other libraries and find it. But most small town librarians act like you are asking them to shit out a gold brick when you ask them to do this.
I grew up going to the library on a weekly basis. All summer long especially. We each had a big tote bag that was for the library. Our mom taught us to pass the time with books, and be lazy in the sunshine with a book. So we would go to the library and I would pick out like 6 or 7 or 10 books and go to the counter and set them up there and the librarian would giggle and say "oh no sweetie, you can't have this many books! You see, you only get to check them out for a week! So maybe you could just pick ONE of these?" And I would just turn around and look at my mom (usually a few bookshelves away) and mom would come over and smile at the librarian and say "no, really. It's okay. She'll read at least one of those books a day." and I don't mean kids books. I mean young adult, 1-2" thick books. I have always been a fast reader. The librarian would be skeptical and mom would just give her that one look and before you knew it I would have 10 books in my library tote and be ready to get home and start reading. The librarian would get used to this, but every time that we would get a new or substitute librarian, we would go through the same thing again.
I have a Wyanet Library card but I haven't renewed it since 2005. So I have to first renew the library card from Wyanet. It's difficult for me to get to the Library in Wyanet because with the exception of 1 day a week, they are only open 1-6pm, and I am at work. But my main goal is to go to Matson Public Library in Princeton. They have the main library, and a satellite location on Main street, AND they are working on the new location in the old Bogo's Building that will even have a wireless internet cafe. How cool is that? If you live in Wyanet you get a library card for Raymond A. Sapp Library for free. If you have a Wyanet library card, then you can use the Matson Public Library for free. My favorite part of the Matson public library is their website! You can search for books online, not just in your library, but in OTHER libraries in the entire HAL system. You can make lists of books you want to read. You can place a hold on a book if it is "checked out" and you can renew your books online. You can login and view your library account. It's just a REALLY great feature that is well worth it.
Because I have 4 books that I want to read, and because I need to order them through HAL, I would like to start using the Matson website. They are right in Princeton where I am every single day, and their hours are very flexible. They are open till 8pm every weeknight, except 6pm on Friday, and the main location is RIGHT on my way home. So how convenient? And so I have to renew my Wyanet card! It's my main focus of the day! I can't do anything or focus on ANYTHING until this damn library card is renewed! Yippee!!!
This weekend someone needs to take our Christmas Tree down, and someone needs to clean my scrapbook room. Someone needs to do laundry. I plan on going shopping with my mom on Saturday, she is looking at carpet and such, and we both want to look at beds and mattresses.
It's a little warmer here today, still ice on the trees and a dusting of snow on the ground. When the wind blows, the trees over head make noises like someone is twisting an ice cube tray over your head. Not actually cracking the cubes out, but twisting it just enough that you hear the squeaking and some crackling and think that at any minute it could start raining icicles. I was also really taken aback this morning on the way to work. The Prairie Grass along route 6 on the flats was sparkling in such an amazing way, bent over in elegant glass arcs. If I would have had my camera and the energy to lift my arms to photograph... I would have pictures to share. Maybe another day. Just take my word for it!
Books I am wanting to read:
Rediscovering birth by: Sheila Kitzinger:
A study of the universal experience of pregnancy and
childbirth discusses the emotional aspects of
pregnancy, the physical and spiritual aspects of the
birth experience, and the cultural influences
involved.
Choosing waterbirth : reclaiming the sacred power of birth by: Lakshmi Bertram
The thinking woman's guide to a better birth by: Henci Goer
The womanly art of breastfeeding by: The La Leche League International
A Few More Wares....
Got an ISIS IQ Uno Breastpump on ebay, New in Box. It retails for $149 and I got it for $65! I also am wearing a new maternity shirt today, it's gray with black satin collar and cuffs, and says "bebe" in rhinestones. I also got a big lot of avent bottles and nipples and a microwaveable steam sterilizer on eBay for dirt cheap!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Tuesday Night
Well, perhaps I am crazy. Watched BTTF II and BTTF III Tonight and now I am not sure about the shirt difference. I think that he just had his tie loosened to the point that in some scenes it is hard to see it because his collar is so open and it's hidden by the jacket. But I do also believe that the guitar is a different color. Unless I am crazy about that too.
Hmm
Tonight I won a Boppy in Excellent Condition, with a Boppy Luxe cover, for $6.99 on eBay. Last year I bought a Boppy Bubbles without a cover at Target for about $30... as a gift for a friend. SO I am excited because THAT is cheap! I am also bidding on some other items that are total steals, but I don't want to give details until I win... If I win!~
That's all.
Hmm
Tonight I won a Boppy in Excellent Condition, with a Boppy Luxe cover, for $6.99 on eBay. Last year I bought a Boppy Bubbles without a cover at Target for about $30... as a gift for a friend. SO I am excited because THAT is cheap! I am also bidding on some other items that are total steals, but I don't want to give details until I win... If I win!~That's all.
Back To The Future
So Sunday I started watching Back to the future. I missed the first 30 minutes of it. But I had honestly never really seen the whole thing. Then last night I watched Back to the Future 2, but of course I also missed the first 30 minutes of that.
I was enthralled by all the differences that I could located between the two movies. I immediately noticed that in II, when re-enacting the scene where Marty plays guitar at the dance, the guitar he plays in 2 is a DIFFERENT GUITAR than he plays in I. This of course is partly because of my fine tuned musical instrument eyes, and also partially due to my husband playing guitar, and me playing guitar at an entry level. In I, the guitar was RED and in II it was more of a woodgrain guitar. I was blown away by the obviousness of it all. Then I noticed that Marty was wearing a peach shirt (open at the collar with no tie) in one, and a shirt and tie in the other. And what's cool is that in part II they switch between the actual part II footage, and splicing in footage from scenes actually shot in BTTF I. I couldn't believe the discrepancies. And this was the FIRST time I had seen them! And I noticed all these things. I remember wondering when I watched it if the guitar was really that old. Evan has one similar that was his grandpa's, but it's a Fender, and I believe it's a Stratocaster. Then Today I found a movie mistakes website with info on BTTF and they never even mention the shirt difference, or the color of the guitar, but they do mention "Factual error: The electric guitar Marty plays at the "Enchantment Under the Sea Dance" is a Gibson ES335 (or 345 or 355). This guitar model debuted between 1957 and 1958 yet he's supposedly playing it in 1955. It would have been more accurate to have him using a Fender Telecaster (1950) or Stratocaster (1954). The Gibson 335 was not made until 1958." Aha! I am smart!
But this one I completely missed and now I wish I could go back and investigate: "Deliberate "mistake": Just after the Libyans arrive, Marty is seen jumping into the Delorean. If you look closely at his face in this shot, you can see that it's not Michael J. Fox. It's actually Eric Stolz, who was originally cast as Marty McFly."
So tonight is BTTF III and I can't wait. I am TIVO'ing it so that I don't miss anything.
I was enthralled by all the differences that I could located between the two movies. I immediately noticed that in II, when re-enacting the scene where Marty plays guitar at the dance, the guitar he plays in 2 is a DIFFERENT GUITAR than he plays in I. This of course is partly because of my fine tuned musical instrument eyes, and also partially due to my husband playing guitar, and me playing guitar at an entry level. In I, the guitar was RED and in II it was more of a woodgrain guitar. I was blown away by the obviousness of it all. Then I noticed that Marty was wearing a peach shirt (open at the collar with no tie) in one, and a shirt and tie in the other. And what's cool is that in part II they switch between the actual part II footage, and splicing in footage from scenes actually shot in BTTF I. I couldn't believe the discrepancies. And this was the FIRST time I had seen them! And I noticed all these things. I remember wondering when I watched it if the guitar was really that old. Evan has one similar that was his grandpa's, but it's a Fender, and I believe it's a Stratocaster. Then Today I found a movie mistakes website with info on BTTF and they never even mention the shirt difference, or the color of the guitar, but they do mention "Factual error: The electric guitar Marty plays at the "Enchantment Under the Sea Dance" is a Gibson ES335 (or 345 or 355). This guitar model debuted between 1957 and 1958 yet he's supposedly playing it in 1955. It would have been more accurate to have him using a Fender Telecaster (1950) or Stratocaster (1954). The Gibson 335 was not made until 1958." Aha! I am smart!
But this one I completely missed and now I wish I could go back and investigate: "Deliberate "mistake": Just after the Libyans arrive, Marty is seen jumping into the Delorean. If you look closely at his face in this shot, you can see that it's not Michael J. Fox. It's actually Eric Stolz, who was originally cast as Marty McFly."
So tonight is BTTF III and I can't wait. I am TIVO'ing it so that I don't miss anything.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Gag me with a spoon
Today was a rough day! Up until about last Thursday, my face-off's with so called "morning sickness" have been brief and fleeting. Of course for me it's more of an "after you eat sickness" or perhaps it shows itself as an "all day long sickness" or "I'm so hungry I'm Nauseous Sickness."
Up until a few days ago, as long as I ate when I was hungry (don't wait too long!) and didn't eat too much, I was great. Gas. That's about it. But now it's really starting to kick in. I am at 7weeks 1day today. I made it through Thursday with some nausea, and Friday was actually pretty good. I got to eat on time because I wasn't at work. (Dermatologist appointment followed immediately by Ultrasound with the specialist, followed immediately by lunch and then an eye appointment.) We went out to supper and I was happy the whole time, never nauseous despite all the German food smells and tastes. It was good.
Saturday I decided to eat a hot turkey sub (cold lunchmeat=listeria) at Monical's and I only got halfway through it before I was nauseous and couldn't eat any more. The texture of the turkey drove me NUTS and the mustard was all globbed on and the tomatoes were kinda old and the lettuce was chunky and iceberg instead of leafy and green or shredded as usual. Saturday night I ordered Chicken from the Chicken Fry with friends, and something told me, when I was eating it, that it wasn't a good idea. I was full the whole night and didn't want to look at food. The whole next day I was nauseous and my stomach hurt. I was able to get some cheerios down for breakfast, and then I sat in the bathtub and popped tums and tried not to make any waves in the water so my stomach wouldn't hurt. All afternoon I nibbled on string cheese, fruit cups, yogurt, apples, and crackers. Finally I got a HUGE craving for pancakes. Of all things. SO I made whole wheat pancakes topped with mixed berries and strawberry syrup. And they were delicious. And I felt great the whole rest of the night.
Then this morning I woke up yucky again, and made myself eat two pieces of peanut butter toast sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. I think I should have just ate one piece. By 10 am I was sick feeling again, and for some reason all the smells of my workplace (healthcare, just imagine...) were driving me bonkers, as well as everyone discussing what they were going to have for lunch. And every time I had to pee, some person had just taken a horiffic dump in the bathroom and NOT used the air freshener that we have in there. Gross. Gross. Gross. All morning I had this tickle in my throat and I kept drinking water and chewing gum (I chewed 3 pieces in 30 minutes) to get the tickle gone, but it was bad, and every time I would cough, I would gag. Not not not good. So finally at noon I told my boss I just needed to get OUT and I went to Wal-Mart and bought 12 packages of peppermint gum, 2 packages of Sugar Free Lifesavers Peppermints, a huge bottle of Mylanta, and a Big Bottle of Tums, all to keep at work.
Then of all things, I knew that if my stomach was going to feel better, I would have to eat McDonalds. Salty Fries and a plain old cheeseburger. And I had a fry and 2 cheeseburgers and I was INSTANTLY better... but cautious and exhausted. Of course the cleaning people were at my house so I went to mom's and hung out and lay down on the couch or in the recliner. I came home at 4 and added potatoes to the roast in the crock pot, and took a short nap.
Tonight I have felt okay. When I can control my surroundings and the food I eat and when I eat and when I can avoid bad smells, I am fine. But work is definately going to be a challenge.
And then there is the issue of what to wear. I can still button my bigger jeans, but I hate things touching my stomach. It really bugs me. My shirts are already too tight across my belly. People say "buy bigger clothes" and I say why the FUCK would I buy bigger clothes when I just need to wear maternity clothes for the next 7 months. Can't I just buy those and start wearing them? People are like "but you aren't REALLY showing.... that's just bloating and gas." and I say so what. I am not buying a new wardrobe a size bigger. It's not like I can wear jeans and t-shirts to work, I have a dress code to follow. So I have underbelly maternity pants and babydoll shirts that I grabbed off ebay, and now that people KNOW I am pregnant I am wearing maternity clothes. And I am SOOO much more comfortable! People say "just put a hair tie through your pants" yeah. Cuz that's comfortable. And my stomach hurts as it is and i don't want anything pressing on it. Not to mention that dress pants don't HAVE button holes to do that with.
I have pretty much just had trouble staying awake and BREATHING. At night. I snore so badly, and I have to wear a breathe right strip every night. I can't even breathe, and half the time I wake up at 2am and can't breathe so I can't get back to sleep and I get so pissed and agitated that I will NEVER get back to sleep. Nothing is worse than feeling exhausted and not being able to sleep. If it were up to me, I would take a nap every day. And that's what I do on the weekend.
So good night to everyone, and hope this wasn't a boring pregnant chick blab. But I have been keeping all this preggo blogging inside for 7 weeks! Tomorrow I will tell you about Back to the Future and The Christmas Tree and the cool bookmark that Michelle sent me that I keep forgetting to take a picture of!
Up until a few days ago, as long as I ate when I was hungry (don't wait too long!) and didn't eat too much, I was great. Gas. That's about it. But now it's really starting to kick in. I am at 7weeks 1day today. I made it through Thursday with some nausea, and Friday was actually pretty good. I got to eat on time because I wasn't at work. (Dermatologist appointment followed immediately by Ultrasound with the specialist, followed immediately by lunch and then an eye appointment.) We went out to supper and I was happy the whole time, never nauseous despite all the German food smells and tastes. It was good.
Saturday I decided to eat a hot turkey sub (cold lunchmeat=listeria) at Monical's and I only got halfway through it before I was nauseous and couldn't eat any more. The texture of the turkey drove me NUTS and the mustard was all globbed on and the tomatoes were kinda old and the lettuce was chunky and iceberg instead of leafy and green or shredded as usual. Saturday night I ordered Chicken from the Chicken Fry with friends, and something told me, when I was eating it, that it wasn't a good idea. I was full the whole night and didn't want to look at food. The whole next day I was nauseous and my stomach hurt. I was able to get some cheerios down for breakfast, and then I sat in the bathtub and popped tums and tried not to make any waves in the water so my stomach wouldn't hurt. All afternoon I nibbled on string cheese, fruit cups, yogurt, apples, and crackers. Finally I got a HUGE craving for pancakes. Of all things. SO I made whole wheat pancakes topped with mixed berries and strawberry syrup. And they were delicious. And I felt great the whole rest of the night.
Then this morning I woke up yucky again, and made myself eat two pieces of peanut butter toast sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. I think I should have just ate one piece. By 10 am I was sick feeling again, and for some reason all the smells of my workplace (healthcare, just imagine...) were driving me bonkers, as well as everyone discussing what they were going to have for lunch. And every time I had to pee, some person had just taken a horiffic dump in the bathroom and NOT used the air freshener that we have in there. Gross. Gross. Gross. All morning I had this tickle in my throat and I kept drinking water and chewing gum (I chewed 3 pieces in 30 minutes) to get the tickle gone, but it was bad, and every time I would cough, I would gag. Not not not good. So finally at noon I told my boss I just needed to get OUT and I went to Wal-Mart and bought 12 packages of peppermint gum, 2 packages of Sugar Free Lifesavers Peppermints, a huge bottle of Mylanta, and a Big Bottle of Tums, all to keep at work.
Then of all things, I knew that if my stomach was going to feel better, I would have to eat McDonalds. Salty Fries and a plain old cheeseburger. And I had a fry and 2 cheeseburgers and I was INSTANTLY better... but cautious and exhausted. Of course the cleaning people were at my house so I went to mom's and hung out and lay down on the couch or in the recliner. I came home at 4 and added potatoes to the roast in the crock pot, and took a short nap.
Tonight I have felt okay. When I can control my surroundings and the food I eat and when I eat and when I can avoid bad smells, I am fine. But work is definately going to be a challenge.
And then there is the issue of what to wear. I can still button my bigger jeans, but I hate things touching my stomach. It really bugs me. My shirts are already too tight across my belly. People say "buy bigger clothes" and I say why the FUCK would I buy bigger clothes when I just need to wear maternity clothes for the next 7 months. Can't I just buy those and start wearing them? People are like "but you aren't REALLY showing.... that's just bloating and gas." and I say so what. I am not buying a new wardrobe a size bigger. It's not like I can wear jeans and t-shirts to work, I have a dress code to follow. So I have underbelly maternity pants and babydoll shirts that I grabbed off ebay, and now that people KNOW I am pregnant I am wearing maternity clothes. And I am SOOO much more comfortable! People say "just put a hair tie through your pants" yeah. Cuz that's comfortable. And my stomach hurts as it is and i don't want anything pressing on it. Not to mention that dress pants don't HAVE button holes to do that with.
I have pretty much just had trouble staying awake and BREATHING. At night. I snore so badly, and I have to wear a breathe right strip every night. I can't even breathe, and half the time I wake up at 2am and can't breathe so I can't get back to sleep and I get so pissed and agitated that I will NEVER get back to sleep. Nothing is worse than feeling exhausted and not being able to sleep. If it were up to me, I would take a nap every day. And that's what I do on the weekend.
So good night to everyone, and hope this wasn't a boring pregnant chick blab. But I have been keeping all this preggo blogging inside for 7 weeks! Tomorrow I will tell you about Back to the Future and The Christmas Tree and the cool bookmark that Michelle sent me that I keep forgetting to take a picture of!
Saturday, January 13, 2007
6week 5day Ultrasound
Meet Bumpus Parasite Johnson (parasite with a long E- like aphrodite but not.)
Due September 2nd, 2007
This was our Christmas Present, we found out on December 23rd... and I will be 7 weeks tomorrow on January 14th. Had our first ultrasound on Jan 12th and saw a heartbeat and the baby looks great.
I am starting to show enough that a few people have asked and so last night we told both sets of parents, and it's trickling through the family to aunts and uncles and grandparents as we speak. I assume that it's trickling through town too....
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Spring To Life Each Morning
We need a new bed. It's busted ass. We flipped the mattress last night, and when we picked it up, the boxspring was erupted and two springs were poking into the mattress. Yee-freakin-ha.
We cut the springs off and hammered the rough edges back down into the box spring.
No wonder my back has been killing me and I have been seeing the chiropractor. They should give beds out for free to the needy. Because I am TOTALLY needy.
We cut the springs off and hammered the rough edges back down into the box spring.
No wonder my back has been killing me and I have been seeing the chiropractor. They should give beds out for free to the needy. Because I am TOTALLY needy.
White Tiger Dream
I had the wildest dream last night. Pun intended.Evan and I were at home, except it was more like my mom's house. Capital One was pissed at me for not paying my credit card bill (in real life I don't even HAVE a Capital One Credit Card or anything) and they sent a white tiger to my house. I was sitting in the living room and a white tiger (think Sigfried and Roy) walked THROUGH the wall (like a magic ghost tiger) and right past me into my dining room. My dogs were freaked, so they were suddenly on the dining room table in kennels, barking and snarling at the tiger, who just calmly walked over and sniffed them. They wouldn't shut up, so the tiger bared his teeth once at them and they whined into the back of their kennels. I crawled over to the tiger and looked at it. How did I know that Capital One Sent the tiger? Easy. Duh. The Tiger had Capital One in Blue writing on his butt, just like a My Little Pony.
AND about that time I saw a white Capital One van drive around the front
of the house, through the yard, past the picture window. This lady drove all the way around the house and stopped by the sliding patio door next to the dining room table. I was huddled under the table with the tiger. It was like neither one of us wanted to be found. I decided I would stay there and hide, just like we used to do when Jehovah's Witnesses used to come to our house. Then that damn capital one lady kept knocking and knocking, until she opened the door! OMG! This was just like that time the Jehovah's Witnesses walked all the way around our house and let themselves in the back patio door calling "hello?!" and my mom FLIPPED out at them and told them to get out and get off our property and to never ever come back again.So anyway, she opens the door. She LOOKS like Madame Hooch from Harry Potter, the Quidditch Coach. My husband comes walking into the room (because he doesn't have the resolve to hide out as long as I do) and she says "I need you to sign this paper about your wife's addiction" (as in I am addicted to shopping and can't pay my credit card) and then she tells him that if he signs it, she can help us. She can get me help.
And then My husband grabs a pen and is about to sign and sNaP and I leap up from under the table and go all psycho wife. I rip the paper in half and I give her the evil "I will take your ass to the floor and I wish I had a shotgun" look and I said "Get the FUCK off my FUCKING property and don't ever come back here again. Don't call here, don't mail me anything. This is trespassing. Who do you think you are sending a white tiger into people's homes. He didn't even KNOCK and neither did YOU. There are animals here and a tiger has no business here. " and she says "He didn't hurt anyone, he is specially trained" and then I said "I DON'T FUCKING CARE. GET OUT!" and my husband just looks at me and then the tiger looked at me like WHOA and then I woke up. I was so pissed.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Just waiting for Thursday.....
Why?
If I were to say I got alot done last night, it would be a lie. But I am okay with that.
I did get a lot done today though. I took down my Christmas Tree and Decorations at work, and rearranged to put my plants back where they originally were. I didn't kill my plants at work. Tonight I had Chicken Nuggets and French Fries from McDonald's. Delicious AND Nutritious. I have been wanting Chicken Nuggets since Sunday when I started to see those damn commercials with the 6-piece McNuggets on the Dollar Menu. They weren't so fabulous. I just have to say, remember when they first started that whole "white meat chicken" campaign a couple or so years back? They were GOOD then. Tonight, not nearly so good. But I ate 8. Craving Satisfied.
What else is new? Same 'Ol. I have a short week this week, which is nice... off on Friday for a flurry of Dr. Appointments (routine stuff, eye checkups, etc) and we are supposed to be celebrating the MIL's birthday at the Kaiserhof in Bradford on Friday night! I can't wait for that. Yum!!! German Potato Salad. Hot Mustard. Mmmm! I really hope that my mom and dad can join us too! Last time I had the smoked Ham Shank.
- Grey's Anatomy
- The O.C.
- Men In Trees
- It's My Friday
- Because I want to
- I can pay for all my eBay auctions because Friday is PAYDAY!
- I can afford to buy Conditioner again, and I have been DYING without it for 4 days.
If I were to say I got alot done last night, it would be a lie. But I am okay with that.
I did get a lot done today though. I took down my Christmas Tree and Decorations at work, and rearranged to put my plants back where they originally were. I didn't kill my plants at work. Tonight I had Chicken Nuggets and French Fries from McDonald's. Delicious AND Nutritious. I have been wanting Chicken Nuggets since Sunday when I started to see those damn commercials with the 6-piece McNuggets on the Dollar Menu. They weren't so fabulous. I just have to say, remember when they first started that whole "white meat chicken" campaign a couple or so years back? They were GOOD then. Tonight, not nearly so good. But I ate 8. Craving Satisfied.
What else is new? Same 'Ol. I have a short week this week, which is nice... off on Friday for a flurry of Dr. Appointments (routine stuff, eye checkups, etc) and we are supposed to be celebrating the MIL's birthday at the Kaiserhof in Bradford on Friday night! I can't wait for that. Yum!!! German Potato Salad. Hot Mustard. Mmmm! I really hope that my mom and dad can join us too! Last time I had the smoked Ham Shank.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Scary News of the Day?
How about today's scary news?
Miami Dade Police discover a package of c-4 military grade plastic explosives in port, to be loaded on a Royal Caribbean International Cruise Ship.
Manhattan and New Jersey troubled by gas-like smell
Austin Texas shuts down 10 city blocks when as many as 60 dead birds are found lying in the streets and sidewalks.
Miami Dade Police discover a package of c-4 military grade plastic explosives in port, to be loaded on a Royal Caribbean International Cruise Ship.
Manhattan and New Jersey troubled by gas-like smell
Austin Texas shuts down 10 city blocks when as many as 60 dead birds are found lying in the streets and sidewalks.
Cleaning Frenzy!
Well, the weekend is over. And that sucks.
Saturday I cleaned the living room, dining room, front porch, and bedroom.
Then I proceeded to go all crazy on my closet, which hasn't been clean since these photos taken in the Spring of 2006 when I also went all crazy ass on the house. The closet looked much like the before picture in spring of '06, so that I couldn't Get in it or retrieve anything from it.
I got rid of 4 bags of clothes. Evan got rid of one bag from his closet. I packed up TWO totes of clothes for storage (as in I want to keep these) and had an assload of hangers leftover....
Sunday we went to mom and dad's for an afternoon of salad, turkey pot pie, and fabulous desserts. My mom got an awesome genealogy/family tree program for her computer for Christmas, and I installed it and watched the tutorial with her, and then we started the family tree. I showed her how to use the scanner and add multimedia and photos to each person, and we scanned marriage licenses, birth certificates, hospital bracelets, etc. It was good fun.
I sat in front of the wood burner and started a fire, and stayed toasty for a while before going home to clean the kitchen, run the dishwasher, surf the internet, send email to friends, and watch Desperate Housewives. Growing up, we didn't turn the heat on, but used the wood burning stove to heat the house. Our house is big, and was powered by REA, and we couldn't afford the power bills that would run higher than $700 a month in the winter. So on Mother's Day one year, dad and Liz and I went and picked out a wood burning stove and brought it home. My dad built a log splitter himself and we split wood all year long in preparation for the coming winter. As kids we knew how to build fires and run the wood burner. I loved the wood burner, except at about 3 in the morning when the fire was out and it was FREEZING 2 levels above in our bedrooms. Most people don't believe that ANYONE in the 80's and 90's would use a wood burner as the only source of heat for their entire house.
Saturday I cleaned the living room, dining room, front porch, and bedroom.
Then I proceeded to go all crazy on my closet, which hasn't been clean since these photos taken in the Spring of 2006 when I also went all crazy ass on the house. The closet looked much like the before picture in spring of '06, so that I couldn't Get in it or retrieve anything from it.
I got rid of 4 bags of clothes. Evan got rid of one bag from his closet. I packed up TWO totes of clothes for storage (as in I want to keep these) and had an assload of hangers leftover....
Sunday we went to mom and dad's for an afternoon of salad, turkey pot pie, and fabulous desserts. My mom got an awesome genealogy/family tree program for her computer for Christmas, and I installed it and watched the tutorial with her, and then we started the family tree. I showed her how to use the scanner and add multimedia and photos to each person, and we scanned marriage licenses, birth certificates, hospital bracelets, etc. It was good fun.
I sat in front of the wood burner and started a fire, and stayed toasty for a while before going home to clean the kitchen, run the dishwasher, surf the internet, send email to friends, and watch Desperate Housewives. Growing up, we didn't turn the heat on, but used the wood burning stove to heat the house. Our house is big, and was powered by REA, and we couldn't afford the power bills that would run higher than $700 a month in the winter. So on Mother's Day one year, dad and Liz and I went and picked out a wood burning stove and brought it home. My dad built a log splitter himself and we split wood all year long in preparation for the coming winter. As kids we knew how to build fires and run the wood burner. I loved the wood burner, except at about 3 in the morning when the fire was out and it was FREEZING 2 levels above in our bedrooms. Most people don't believe that ANYONE in the 80's and 90's would use a wood burner as the only source of heat for their entire house.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
They're All Dead
Let me start off by saying that this post is not meant to be depressing.Have you ever done something that you still to this day don't know WHY you did? And I don't mean "Oh I was a kid and I didn't know any better." or "I learned my lesson"
I mean something totally stupid. I let all my plants die. I am pretty sure I did it on purpose. It took MONTHS. My plants are accustomed to lots of light and very little water. Most of them I have had anywhere from 6-10 years. I went to college for Agriculture and took a whole semester of Horticulture and Landscape Design Classes. I loved the greenhouse. I love plants. I have always loved to garden and keep houseplants. But I am a bad gardener, because I plant, I harvest, but in the middle, I let the entire thing become overrun by weeds. Embarrasingly.
Houseplants I have always been good with. Check out these pictures from my spring cleaning in 2006.
But this year, something happened. I stopped. I Dont know if I am just lazy, if I don't care, or what the deal is. This summer I stopped watering my houseplants. And now they are almost all dead. I also didn't do a thing with the pond. Last winter I believe that it was vandalized, because we came home and the pond had been lifted out of the ground... all the plants disturbed. All my hard work and years of establishing plants ruined. And I just... stopped. I didn't put the pond back in. There was just an empty weedy hole there all spring and summer. It's still there now. I was so proud of that little pond!
The Ivy in this watering can, which I was so proud of... it's dead now. The Ficus Tree. I bought it 10 years ago at Target for 10 cents. It was literally one single stick, less than 10 inches tall. All the leaves had fallen off. It was infested with aphids and whiteflies. I felt SO sorry for it. Evan couldn't BELIEVE that I wanted it. I said "for 10 cents! Someone needs to save it before they throw it away!" I was so upset, and determined to make a difference and nurse it back to health. 10 year later, this past spring, it looked wonderful. Now. It's almost completely dead and has dropped almost all of it's leaves. What the HELL is wrong with me? The fern, the umbrella tree, the special green and yellow spider plant that I started from a cutting in 1998 from a college class field trip to A&M Growers.
I have walked past the plants for months. I would say to myself... "someone needs to water the plants" and I would think "maybe tomorrow" and I literally did that for 6 months. Literally. And then I see them all dead and I think "someone should get rid of those dead plants" and there they sit. Today, I watered the ones that look like they might have a chance to come back. I should be shot. I feel terrible. I don't care, yet I really really do. Detached I suppose.
What the hell is going on?
Friday, January 05, 2007
Friday Fiver
1. What feels like home?Um. Okay. I don't know what this is supposed to mean. My house feels like home, OBVIOUSLY. Who thought of these? If I really wanted to feel like home, I would have to be wearing my pajamas and slippers, perhaps with a cup of Chai Latte (Tastefully Simple's Oh My Chai! made with milk) and a book or some music of choice. Dogs at my feet or snoozing on their beds, husband quietly strumming guitar, icky weather outside like I should just stay RIGHT where I am.2 Do you look at yourself carefully in the mirror before you leave for the day?
Hm. I think I look at various portions of my body in separate brief instances. I see my face when I wash it, when I do my make-up and hair, I see my hair most of the time, I see my full body when I am finished dressing, and then I put my shoes on. I don't know about the careful part, because I try not to dwell too long, I know I have done my best with what I have and that's all.3. How do you feel right now?
Ready for this week to be over and my pajamas to be put on soon.4. Are you a star-gazer?
If it's nice outside. I was when I lived in the country, and in the summer I like to look at stars on the back patio while lying on the swing. I guess kinda. Yet I can't hardly stay focused when my husband goes on a 20 minute explanation of why this is a planet now and this is not, etc.5. Friday Fill-In:
How much time has passed since you last _____?
Hmm. Took a Drag off a cigarette? Let's say about 19 days. Never have really been a smoker, except perhaps back in college when I would smoke a whopping 2 cigarettes a day. But every now and then I enjoy a good smoke.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Murder She Wrote
I had a big surprise at work. Someone murdered my easy button. I was shocked. Appalled. Nauseated. I glanced around the office, over my shoulder. I swallowed a shriek of panic.
Oh wait... That's not blood.... It's... RASPBERRY JUICE? Wha? Where? How? Oh that evil mini fridge! Those evil Sam's Choice Raspberries! The raspberries defrosted, which is what I WANTED but then they LEAKED which is what I did NOT expect, and dripped all down the inside of the fridge, and somehow THROUGH the door seal? And formed a perfect pattern around the easy button looking like a bloody mess.
Strange. Unusual. Messy.
What else is new? I forced myself to wear clothes today. It's raining today and I am wearing sweater mules. My pinkie toe itches. I'm eating green grapes. I had to purchase Fit produce wash online because all stores have suddenly quit carrying it right around the time that I can't trust the decontamination of any fruits and vegetables. I am addicted to Target's Prairie and Songbirds CD's to put myself to sleep. It's a new year and I don't give a flying fuck. My friends Josh and Lisa got engaged over Christmas. The Resonator Guitar that I bought for Evan for Christmas Arrived with a cracked neck, which means it is junk. The eBay seller had to refund the money and the guitar is waiting for a UPS Pickup. I have absolutely no motivation to take down two Christmas Trees and other Christmas Decorations. I signed up for the Pink and Yellow February Swap even though I haven't yet gotten my pink and green November swap. I forgot to drop a check off at Lisa's this morning and now I feel terrible. Anya got a new job. My health insurance company denied coverage for the Zeno because they deemed it cosmetic even though It was PRESCRIBED and heals cystic acne, which is a medical condition and not strictly cosmetic. I am sick of getting surveys in my email, and when I try to go take them, I have to answer a bunch of questions and then they say "We are sorry, you don't qualify to take this survey." So far I have filled out over 15 survey requests and I haven't qualified for any of them.
Oh wait... That's not blood.... It's... RASPBERRY JUICE? Wha? Where? How? Oh that evil mini fridge! Those evil Sam's Choice Raspberries! The raspberries defrosted, which is what I WANTED but then they LEAKED which is what I did NOT expect, and dripped all down the inside of the fridge, and somehow THROUGH the door seal? And formed a perfect pattern around the easy button looking like a bloody mess.Strange. Unusual. Messy.
What else is new? I forced myself to wear clothes today. It's raining today and I am wearing sweater mules. My pinkie toe itches. I'm eating green grapes. I had to purchase Fit produce wash online because all stores have suddenly quit carrying it right around the time that I can't trust the decontamination of any fruits and vegetables. I am addicted to Target's Prairie and Songbirds CD's to put myself to sleep. It's a new year and I don't give a flying fuck. My friends Josh and Lisa got engaged over Christmas. The Resonator Guitar that I bought for Evan for Christmas Arrived with a cracked neck, which means it is junk. The eBay seller had to refund the money and the guitar is waiting for a UPS Pickup. I have absolutely no motivation to take down two Christmas Trees and other Christmas Decorations. I signed up for the Pink and Yellow February Swap even though I haven't yet gotten my pink and green November swap. I forgot to drop a check off at Lisa's this morning and now I feel terrible. Anya got a new job. My health insurance company denied coverage for the Zeno because they deemed it cosmetic even though It was PRESCRIBED and heals cystic acne, which is a medical condition and not strictly cosmetic. I am sick of getting surveys in my email, and when I try to go take them, I have to answer a bunch of questions and then they say "We are sorry, you don't qualify to take this survey." So far I have filled out over 15 survey requests and I haven't qualified for any of them.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Happy New Year!
Sunday. No- wait. Monday!
Welcome to 2007!
Once again I prepare for bed, and a new work week. Yippee Skippy. Tonight we had Sesame Chicken Stir Fry and I worked on laundry while watching The Frighteners with Michael J Fox.
Today I cleaned, since it's the holiday, the cleaning people didn't come, and that means a 4 week stretch between cleanings. I picked up the house, and vacuumed the living room, dinind room, and kitchen, and vacuumed and mopped the bathroom. I dusted a little, did some dishes, ran the dishwasher, and washed the bedding, towels, and rugs. Evan vacuumed the spare bedroom and the office. All that's left is to vacuum our bedroom and the front porch, and that might be a tomorrow goal. I just got the sheets out of the dryer, made the bed, and took my nighttime round of pills and vitamins. I set out Cheerios, Oatmeal, and a banana to take to work for lunch this week, and put a load of good clothes in the dryer and dark clothes in the wash. I checked my email.
Today I finished the book "Good Grief" By Lolly Winston. It was okay. My next book needs to be better... I have had pretty boring reads lately.
For New Year's we went to John and Amethyst's house and had steaks and all kinds of goodies for dinner, and then we played lots of Wii (nintendo) and played Cranium and Trivial Pursuit Totally 80's. We got home after 2:30am and didn't go to bed until around 4:30am. We didn't kiss at midnight, we were playing a game and were across the room from each other. Oh well. I suppose after 10 years the novelty wears off.
I don't have alot going on this week, I'd like to just be home at night and relax, eat dinner, and maybe organize or read at home. Relax. That's the key! SOMEONE needs to clean the scrapbook/room and office soon and continue some scrapbooking projects. I need to pick up my Christmas Card Mess in there.
Today we watched the History Channel, they had an all day food marathon, starting with "American Foods" that went through the history of the hamburger and all the fast food chains that served them, and then went through Fried Chicken, the Sandwich, The Hot Dog, etc. Then there was the candy special, that went through snack food like Chips and Pretzels, and then candy and chocolates, and then pastries and bread. I had to eat a twinkie and a hostess cupcake. Yum. Then tonight there have been documentaries on Coffee, Distillaries, and Breweries. It was a fabulous thing to watch, and I am SOOO Glad we got to miss all these stupid football games! Yeah!
Thinking of crawling into bed and watching Conan O'Brien ("the Korean Missle will land in California and open up a nail salon.") and maybe hanging up some laundry.
Everyone have a great great week. Relax!
Welcome to 2007!
Once again I prepare for bed, and a new work week. Yippee Skippy. Tonight we had Sesame Chicken Stir Fry and I worked on laundry while watching The Frighteners with Michael J Fox.
Today I cleaned, since it's the holiday, the cleaning people didn't come, and that means a 4 week stretch between cleanings. I picked up the house, and vacuumed the living room, dinind room, and kitchen, and vacuumed and mopped the bathroom. I dusted a little, did some dishes, ran the dishwasher, and washed the bedding, towels, and rugs. Evan vacuumed the spare bedroom and the office. All that's left is to vacuum our bedroom and the front porch, and that might be a tomorrow goal. I just got the sheets out of the dryer, made the bed, and took my nighttime round of pills and vitamins. I set out Cheerios, Oatmeal, and a banana to take to work for lunch this week, and put a load of good clothes in the dryer and dark clothes in the wash. I checked my email.
Today I finished the book "Good Grief" By Lolly Winston. It was okay. My next book needs to be better... I have had pretty boring reads lately.
For New Year's we went to John and Amethyst's house and had steaks and all kinds of goodies for dinner, and then we played lots of Wii (nintendo) and played Cranium and Trivial Pursuit Totally 80's. We got home after 2:30am and didn't go to bed until around 4:30am. We didn't kiss at midnight, we were playing a game and were across the room from each other. Oh well. I suppose after 10 years the novelty wears off.
I don't have alot going on this week, I'd like to just be home at night and relax, eat dinner, and maybe organize or read at home. Relax. That's the key! SOMEONE needs to clean the scrapbook/room and office soon and continue some scrapbooking projects. I need to pick up my Christmas Card Mess in there.
Today we watched the History Channel, they had an all day food marathon, starting with "American Foods" that went through the history of the hamburger and all the fast food chains that served them, and then went through Fried Chicken, the Sandwich, The Hot Dog, etc. Then there was the candy special, that went through snack food like Chips and Pretzels, and then candy and chocolates, and then pastries and bread. I had to eat a twinkie and a hostess cupcake. Yum. Then tonight there have been documentaries on Coffee, Distillaries, and Breweries. It was a fabulous thing to watch, and I am SOOO Glad we got to miss all these stupid football games! Yeah!
Thinking of crawling into bed and watching Conan O'Brien ("the Korean Missle will land in California and open up a nail salon.") and maybe hanging up some laundry.
Everyone have a great great week. Relax!
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