The Answer is: $2,000

Question: How much does it cost to repair a broken cam shaft?
Remember that next time you see it on Jeopardy.
Of course the repair shop told us that we could get my van fixed, but because the cam shaft broke, there's no guarantee that they'll get all of the metal out of the engine.
We could be looking at another $2,000 in six months if something goes wrong again.
With that in mind, DH and I went new car shopping.
This is what we got:


A Subaru Forester.
This is the first time I've purchased a new (or used) car where I don't have to worry about putting in a car seat.
Heaven.

Public Health Emergencies

Wow, did you hear that the government has declared the swine flu epidemic a public health emergency?
And here we all thought that the next pandemic would come from the Spanish flu.
Who knew it would come from the pigs.
SN2 just got back from Mexico (Cancun), so we'll be watching him for symptoms.
This could be a serious thing, because you never know what you'll pick up on airplanes.
There have been 81 deaths in Mexico so far, and just this morning I think the total was about 8 or so.
This could be scary.
Be careful.
Wash your hands.
A lot.

What Gets Me Through My Day

Tomorrow and Friday are vacation days.
How will I get through today?
By listening to this:



Tell me if it doesn't make you dance.
Peace.
Out.

It's Official

My office is now beginning to look more and more like my house.


Plants and yarn.
All that's missing are books and cats.
Think anyone would mind the cats?

Reading Roundup - Week 16

I've only read one book this week.
Surprised?
Me too.
It's not like I'm not in the middle of several books - because I am!
My Goodreads list of what I'm in the process of reading is proof enough.
So why have I only read one book?
Hold onto your hats -- I have been knitting.
Well, and watching Ballykissangel, beginning with Season One (I'm currently on Season Three).
I have two socks in the works, from different pairs, and both being knit on 2.75 mm needles.
They're slow going, but they're moving along.
Now the book I did finish was An Acceptable Time (39), by Madeleine L'Engle.
I'm really about L'Engle'd out.
Well, that's not really a true statement, but I'm full, and want to move on to the next course.
Especially since Pride and Prejudice and Zombies came in the mail today.
Sigh.
So much to read, so much to knit, so much to learn....so little time.

Would We Hate it So Much if it Had a Different Name?

Have you ever used the font Comic Sans?
Apparently it is the most hated font out there, and there is a movement to have it banned.
Perhaps people would like it better if it had a more serious name and usage, like Helvetica.

18 Today

Can you believe this kid is 18 today?


I can't.
There's lots that make him special, my little boy born just before midnight and halfway around the world from here.
Even better - he was the easiest and shortest delivery of them all - 90 minutes, start to finish.
Happy birthday to SN2.

Reading Roundup - Week 15

I read some grown-up books this week.
Imagine that.
I think I needed a short break from the YA stuff.
A couple of books I had requested through inter-library loan came in and I just started reading and didn't stop.
They're both by Mary Stewart, and I adore her writing.
She takes me to visit locales that I may never get to, and some of which no longer exist as they did when she used them as a setting.
She's still alive, but no longer writes, I think because she's in her 90s, but she has really put out some great books in her lifetime.
I might have talked about her before, but only because she remains one of those writers whose books, once discovered, never leave my library, and are often called upon when my brain needs quieting and comfort.
So this week I read Nine Coaches Waiting (37) and Wildfire at Midnight (38).
Yes, her books are considered romance novels, but they're really more romantic suspense, and no one is ever tumbling into bed in the middle of the story.
Somehow it keeps the story much cleaner, and more fluid.
For those of you old enough to remember this movie, or even old enough to remember when The Disney Channel actually showed movies on the channel rather than tv shows, you may recall a movie called The Moon-Spinners starring Hayley Mills.
(And if you're like my brother you may have had a crush on Hayley.)
Mary Stewart wrote the book, which of course is a bit different from the movie, but you can't beat the scenery.
If you're interested, you can actually check out the entire movie on youtube.
Here's the first ten minutes:

One sock down....

...one sock to go.
I can only hope I have enough yarn to finish a second sock for my big old feet.
Picture later.
Although really, it's just a plain sock.
Even still...it's done!

Reading Roundup - Week 14

Wow, what a week.
I picked up the stitches on the heel of my sock, and I'm sailing smoothly towards completion.
Could it be I'll be through with one sock by tonight or tomorrow?
Could be, rabbit!
And I've been very busy reading, as well.
I also got my paperwork from my professor, so I really need to sit down and focus on a syllabus with her, and get it back so I can register.
I walked into the bookstore yesterday and saw a ton of paperback books that looked intriguing.
I was tempted, but fought the urge.
I still have several books in my queue, so I can't afford the distraction of adding more books.
This week I read/finished quite a few books: The Arm of the Starfish (32), a very good novel by Madeleine L'Engle (who else) about a boy who is unexpectedly caught up in espionage in Portugal. Very good story, good scenery, and L'Engle has an interesting way of crafting these later bits of fiction that are more in the mystery genre than that of her earlier work.
Next was The Wand in the Word (33), a book I loved so much that I had to buy my own. I had this on inter-library loan for two months, but I just love these short biographies of YA fantasy writers. Brian Jacques, who wrote the Redwall series, among other books, sounds like such a great guy that I want to go onto youtube and see him in interviews. Oh who am I kidding, change the verb tense - I have gone onto youtube to see him. He's awesome, especially for a guy who grew up on the rough streets of Liverpool, and didn't start writing (without a college degree) until he was a much older man.
Then another L'Engle book, Dragons in the Water (34), but this one I believe is my favorite so far. A wonderful tale of a young boy who leaves his grandmother in South Carolina and enters into dangerous waters (waters with dragons?) as he travels with his cousin...but is it really his cousin? And what is really written on the back of the portrait? Great story, and I really enjoyed it a lot. It actually made me cry (but then so did Danielle Steel novels - I'm so easy).
Now do you ever read a series by an author, and just keep on reading the books because you're so familiar with them that you can't stop? It's almost like the proverbial Christmas letter now - the author just kind of mails it in, you receive it, think, oh, so that's what they're up to now, and go on your merry way. I literally found this Christmas letter, er, book underneath my bed half-read: St. Patrick's Day Murder (35). I'm almost reading these books now to see what the kids are doing, not to see which murder Lucy is going to solve next. See, like I said, Christmas letter. All newsy and gosh how they've grown!
Finally I'm reading books for 4th-6th grade again! I can't help it, and Michael Buckley has done a great job with The Fairy Tale Detectives: The Sisters Grimm, Book 1 (36). I'd tell you this is a new series, but it's only new to me. Hey, I haven't been hanging out in the intermediate reader section until just recently. Sabrina and Daphne have been abandoned by their parents, but then they find out that they are the last descendants of the Brothers Grimm (get it - sisters - brothers - get it?), and they move to Ferryport Landing (originally Fairy Port) where all the "Ever After" characters, or people, from fairy tales were forced to move when they left Europe. Prince Charming is a jerk, and mayor, Snow White teaches school, and Mirror Mirror actually contains a little man who keeps the storage locker for all the fairy tale goodies the Grimm's keep safe. Quite clever, and I'll be reading book two very soon.
Whew - that's a lot of house cleaning that has been avoided, don't you think?
(Don't answer that.)
Until next week, I'll continue to caveat lector.
And you should too.

This is so wrong...

It's April, people.
I just bought DN2 a sundress for Easter Sunday!
More importantly...the snow will clash with my white Jordana Paige bag!
Enough already.

Winter Storm Watch for Monroe County, NY

from 6 pm EDT, Mon., Apr. 6, 2009 until 6 pm EDT, Tue., Apr. 7, 2009

Issued by The National Weather Service
Buffalo, NY
3:54 pm EDT, Sun., Apr. 5, 2009

... WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON...

A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

RAIN ON MONDAY WILL GRADUALLY MIX WITH... THEN CHANGE TO WET SNOW MONDAY EVENING. ACCUMULATING WET SNOW IS THEN EXPECTED DURING THE COURSE OF MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY WITH SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE. THE HIGHEST ACCUMULATIONS WILL LIKELY BE FOUND OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN SOUTH OF BUFFALO AND BATAVIA WHERE AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 6 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE.

THIS OUT OF SEASON SNOWFALL WILL LIKELY IMPACT TRAVEL ACROSS THE REGION MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY... SO MUNICIPALITIES SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR LATE WINTER CONDITIONS..

Bluetoothing

Do you ever wonder if all those people walking around in the mall wearing their bluetooth earpieces are actually connected to their phones?
Or do you think they are just wearing their bluetooth as ear jewelry?

Thursday Quiz - There's No Getting Away From It

"It."
What is "it"?
Price increases on everything.
They've just passed the New York State budget, and among other increases they will begin enforcing a bottle deposit for bottled water similar to what we already pay for carbonated drinks.
Guess I won't be buying bottled water anymore.
They're also trying to pass legislation that will increase our natural gas and electricity substantially in the fall.
Bastards.
So now the latest is the increase from Time-Warner for internet usage.
Have you seen that one?
Unbelievable.
And of course we do a lot of streaming video, because we watch over Netflix a lot.
People are complaining and talking about switching to other providers, but I don't think we'll be able to get away from increasing costs from any ISP, just like this article states.
We're doomed to costs creeping higher and higher.
Suddenly family game night looks like a good idea.
So here's the quiz for Thursday about which remote control button you are, or which one I am.
Whatever.
If I were in charge of the remote controlling our state, I would be pushing the "Stop" button.
Seriously, there's something to be said for making a West New York.

You Are Play

Compared to most people, you are very active and energetic. You have a daring, challenging spirit. You're willing to go into something blind. You are playful, carefree, and optimistic. You are up for trying anything. If you dream it, you usually end up doing it. You're not one for putting your dreams on hold.

What Remote Button Are You?

Yeah, I don't feel like playing anymore.

Blogiversaries and dreams of lives past

So yesterday was my three year blogiversary.
Did I post?
No.
Did I plan to?
Yes.
Did I also plan on falling asleep on the floor while watching NCIS?
Um, the answer to that would be no.
The answer would also be a question: when will this iron supplement finally kick in and keep me from feeling so drained all the time.
Of course I was able to fall asleep again later, never a problem, and I had the strangest dream.
I talked about it with one of my co-workers today, Lou, who happens to be Jewish.
In my dream I had to find some kind of leg braces so people could wear them while sitting shiva, and the braces would force them to sit up straight.
Lou and I talked about what happens when people mourn and sit shiva, and that was good info and all, but it still didn't explain why I had a dream about it.
He said, "Well, it must be coming from one of your past lives when you were a Jew."
I think he's right, and this is coming from a guy who enjoys accounting and budgets, so you do the math about what his sense of humor might be.
I've always thought that I was Jewish in one of my previous lives, or it's possible that I'm experiencing repressed memories from one of my converso ancestors, but with regards to this life, here I am, three years later, still blogging, and with not much to say.
Thanks to all who have been hanging around, and for accepting, and appreciating, my quirkiness.

Reading Roundup - Week 13

This morning I walked out of the house and looked at the sky in disbelief.
It was snowing!
What happened?
This weekend I wore sandals and no socks (I love no-sock weather), and today I needed my winter coat, hat and scarf.
I hope the only white I'm seeing on Easter is the color of my new Jordana Paige bag.
The longer days make working in the evening much more palatable for me.
I don't feel the need to crawl into bed at 7:00 pm in order to keep warm, and of course the natural light is much better too.
Go figure, the sun is up longer.
I've been working on a sock, still the same one.
My knitting baffles me at times, and I'm so slow, and so easily distracted.
I'm getting there though, because yesterday I actually had the courage to rip it all out when I found I had made a mistake.
Ballsy move, right.
I also found time to read this week - Three books!
Homicide in Hardcover (29), The Young Unicorns (30), and Troubling a Star (31).
Homicide in Hardcover was actually a very well written first novel. It lacked the "all that and a bag of chips cuteness" many authors feel they need to include in their protagonist's personality before becoming comfortable with their creation. I've read mixed reviews, but I have to say that I've read some really crappy first novels, and this is not one of them.
I did read two Madeleine L'Engle books, and I have to admit that I'm almost to the point of being burnt out on her books. Not that I don't enjoy them, but because I've taken such a big gulp and swallowed so many all at once. What's helpful is I am really becoming able to analyze her writing style and see where she's going with the dramatic arc, yet I'm still able to feel the tension she builds into her words.
I'm really enjoying this opportunity to read, er...research books for my independent study in the fall.
I told my friend the other day I was taking that class this fall, and she asked me what I would be studying.
"Young adult fantasy," I told her.
Silence.
Then she asked, "Isn't that just an excuse for you to read all semester?"
Ah, she knows me too well.

Wednesday Special

Just a quick note before my regular Monday blog post.
I received information on the Wednesday special today.
Head over to my other blog to check it out.
It's a great deal.

For Austen Lovers Everywhere....

This book hasn't even been published yet, and there's already a queue in my house of who is going to read it first.
Will you read it?

Living Under a Rock

Talk about being out of touch with the world.
Did you know that tonight is Earth Hour?
I didn't.
I'll participate, though, because I don't mind turning off my lights at 8:30 tonight.
No problem.
Does this mean I have to turn off my tv too?

Thursday Quiz - Is Jordana Paige a sign of spring?

So get this, I'm a free spirit.
Who knew?

You Are Kids Playing

You are a free spirited soul. More than anything else, you are often just happy to be alive. You are always laid back and cheerful. You enjoy whatever happens to come your way. You are spontaneous and zany. You're the kind of adult who still runs through the sprinklers. You don't take life too seriously. You try to have fun at all times, even when you're working.

What Part of Spring Are You?

I'll tell you what part of spring I really am.
This part:


I received my new Jordana Paige knitting bag a few weeks ago, but I haven't used it yet.
Why not?
Well it's white.
And it's not Easter yet.
Come on, you know better.
I may not be fashionable, but I do follow fashion rules.

The Eyes Have it

DN2 and I went to have our eyes checked today.
Of course they dilated our pupils.
Here we are almost five hours later and I'm still having trouble seeing.
She's not having any problems at all, but that could be her 20/20 vision.
I have terrible vision, which fortunately is not getting any worse, so I can't see far away right now, nor can I see up close.
My oldest son said I look like I'm stoned because my pupils are huge and my lids are droopy.
When we were driving around earlier, all of the street lights and stop lights looked like fireworks to me.
Seriously, dude.
It was WILD.
Well I can't focus on reading, I really can't focus on knitting, and I'm even having trouble with the typing.
I'm spending my time right now watching a bad movie, which, with regards to the whole vision thing, I suppose it is a good thing I can't see right now.
Perhaps tomorrow I'll be better.
I hope so.
We're having a pizza party for DH's soccer team.
That should be loud, don't you think?