Hangin' at the Carny with the Homies

Carnivals are loads of fun.
I showed pictures of one we went to last year, but we usually go to more than one because they are so much fun.
And kind of like when you think you are a bad parent and then you look at the mothers of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan and know you're not doing such a bad job after all, well that's kind of how I feel when I go to these smaller towns for carnivals. I feel way better about my current place in life.
And my dental hygiene.
Honestly.
And my body size.*
But it's still lots of fun - I love the games and I used to love the rides, but now I mostly go for the food.
There's nothing like carnival food.
Fried dough.
Corn dogs.
Candy apples.
Lemonade.
Cotton candy.
Waffles.
Yum, yum, yum.
As much as I love the food it's no wonder I'm much too big and scared to go on some of the rides anymore.
I did go on this with DN2 (she's 8 and fearless).

Only a thin wire, a two dollar clasp and centrifugal force keeping my fat frame from imminent death.
Egads.
Lots of cool people there.
Dancing Derrick for one.
He has a t-shirt with his name on it. That's how I know.
And lots of cool people in the parking lot.
Such as:And:And say it isn't so!
It's the "My Boyfriend/Son is a Marine" car!!
Fun and games at the carnival.
We went back later for the fireworks and I was so engrossed in watching them (I love fireworks, reminds me of firing the M-60 and I just loved that so much. Damn.).
Anyway, I was standing behind DN2 and she was looking to her left and I was looking in the sky enjoying the mediocre display.
Come to find out she was more interested in watching the fight, still in the verbal stage, of the group of drunks next to us (beer tent action) than in watching the fireworks.
What was DN1's response to my situational awareness?
"Great parenting, Mom."
Damn skippy.
I should win an award.

*I know I'm really not any better than anyone else, I just like to think it. I always think I'm hot shit until I happen to glance at my reflection and then the careful veneer I've applied to my brain instantly cracks and I know that deep down I'm just a white trash girl one paycheck and three cats away from living in the trailer park.

On a clear day you can see...

Well you can't see forever, but sometimes you can see Canada.

Or Canadian geese.

So we have a beach here.

DH would like to think that it is not the same as going to a beach that abuts the ocean but up here you take what you can get and if a beach on Lake Ontario is all you can get, you shut up and enjoy it.

Personally I like going to the lake, it reminds me of The French Lieutenant's Woman and I would like to go there on some cold, windy day and look out at the waves.

Then the cold weather comes and I don't leave my house.

I did promise DN2 that since we went to the beach on the last day of summer vacation in 2006 that we would close out the school year by going to the beach on the last day of school.

And we did!

DH practiced a bit of running on the beach. It was sunny but boy that wind was whipping that sand around.

During our meal we were serenaded by seagulls. Okay, they weren't really singing they were begging for food but we did not feed them. They did have us surrounded, however, but they were not quite as aggressive as the ducks.

After we ate DN2 was dying to get in the water. Personally I thought it was much too cold, but she was anxious to give it a try. This is a girl who thinks that taking the Polar Bear Plunge sounds like fun. You go girl, I'll be standing at the end of the pier with a faraway look in my eyes and wearing my cape (again, back to The French Lieutenant's Woman -- I just love John Fowles).

So in she went and when we forced her out after ten minutes (it really was quite chilly) she found seaweed in her swimsuit. Now that sounds comfortable, right? It was a good end to a school year, but isn't any last day of school a good one?

School Days

I spent yesterday with DN2's class at their field day.
We had a lot of fun and the day turned out to be absolutely perfect!
Today is their last day of school and she is so ready for the summer.
SN2 has been done with school for a few days, but those last couple of weeks usually involve the kids taking finals, so they get a taste of independence where they become the ones responsible for ensuring they show up on time for their exams.
I always loved that time in high school, the final exam period.
You could sit in the sun when your exam was done and it was such a wonderful time of freedom.
I had a discussion with a co-worker and we came to the conclusion that the last day of school, for most children, is really the most pure taste of freedom you can ever have.
No bills, no responsibilities, other than a summer reading list, and best of all, beautiful weather (contingent upon where you live, of course). Once you're in college you really can't experience that anymore because now you are paying for your education and worrying about your future.
Makes me want to listen to Alice Cooper sing "School's Out" for sure and remember that taste of freedom I had twenty-something years ago.
And then there are the children who are home schooled which is my segue to...And speaking of home schooled kids, although I wasn't.
I do appreciate the effort people put into home schooling their children because there are many highly intelligent parents who truly care about their children's education.
And then there are some parents who obviously live in states where the requirement to have an undergraduate degree in anything doesn't apply.
I was looking for some books on eBay and came across an item advertised by a parent who is homeschooling their child and here is the item description:

This is two Newberry Books. I do believe I got these for the Unit Study that also have up for sale: There are used for Medieval Times, & Renaissance. The books are in very good condition!! Very good stories, my son liked these stories very much. He is into castles , swords, & ect.... I think there is a couple more books you need for this curriculum. I think I have them also, I will be digging them out here in the next few days so come back & look!!! Thankyou!

I hope this person is not responsible for teaching grammar.
And I did not alter that quote at all, I picked it up directly from their eBay item.
I think there are a lot of parents who home school for the wrong reasons, and I've had this discussion with one of my co-workers who was an elementary school teacher for a number of years as well as with Kat, and we all agree that there are parents who home school and are just not qualified.
I'm not down on home schooling, because there is a girl here who just graduated from college who was a ten time All-American in a sport and had a 4.0 GPA, and could sing like an angel, but there are many parents who do a great disservice to their children and home school for the wrong reasons.
I've known people who have small classrooms set up in their houses and I've also known kids who wander the streets during the day because their parents claim "they are too bright for the school system so we're home schooling them," yet the parent is never around.
Why do they do that?
Oh well, I know my limitations with my children and I realize that the best environment for them is one where I'm not responsible for teaching them math and science.
Yesterday was the first day of summer and I fell asleep early so I did not get a chance to celebrate the Summer Solstice and maybe even dance around outside with no clothes on.
Good thing, eh?

Some people are just jerks

Did you see this article Hacker Claims Harry Potter's Alleged Ending on Web. The article states:

The mystery surrounding the end to fictional British boy wizard Harry Potter's saga deepened on Wednesday with a computer hacker posting what he said were key plot details and a publisher warned the details could be fake.

So essentially some guy (who calls himself Gabriel) with no life stopped hacking into stores for our credit card information for a few moments and went after Harry Potter.
Why?

"We make this spoiler to make reading of the upcoming book useless and boring," Gabriel said in the posting.

It's a rather random rationale and there is no other information provided as to the impetus of his actions.
I suppose if I went to the site where he has posted this alleged truthful information I would find out why, but I think this guy is a jerk so I won't go there.
The publishers are stating that there is "spurious information" out there on the web concerning the final book and I have no doubt there is, but why the burning need for some to find out and then ruin it for others?
Part of the joy is the suspense in waiting.
It reminds me of the story, which I can't find at the moment, of the folks in New York City waiting at the docks for the ship from England to arrive and provide them with the final installment of Dickens' The Old Curiosity Shop. They shouted, "What happens to Little Nell?" - well it's our turn, we can now say, "What happens to Harry?" and we can all wait for July 21st to find out.
This guy Gabriel probably opens all his Christmas presents early too.
As for me, I'm counting down the days, and I will wait patiently to find out what will happen to Harry and crew.

I don't have any Exes in Texas

But I do have a new pal there!
This is what Purl sent to me for the Knitters Tea Swap 3.
Check it out:


I actually got this package on Friday and I waited until yesterday to take the picture.
Do you know what that means?
I spent all weekend looking at that chocolate and not eating it.
Will power through pure laziness.
I just didn't get up to borrow DN1's camera.
And I can't find my battery charger.
Laziness and slovenliness.
That's how you diet.
Anyway, I am bound and determined to knit me some socks.
Right after I work on this KAL that I joined (big thanks, I think, to Angelika).
It's my first KAL and I'm kind of excited.
Because it's right up my alley - long and relatively square.
But I promise, oh yes, I promise myself and everyone else, that I will work on socks this summer.
And with all the lovely blue sock yarn I have waiting for me, I need to bust a move.
A knitting move.
Big thanks again to Purl - I can't wait until the thunderstorm rolls through this evening and I make a pot of citrus tea - all for me.

Attack of the Killer Ducks, or how I spent my weekend

It was a lovely weekend.
It started off perfectly when I came home to a package from Texas.
I’ll show pictures of that later, but it did set the right tone.
And so did the beautiful sunshine!
The farmer’s market started on Sunday, which also happened to be Father’s Day.
We bought some lovely strawberries – sorry, none to show – they are all being baked into strawberry bread!
Perhaps I can get a picture of that for you.
If we were all better players we would have played goodminton, but since we’re not, we played badminton on Sunday.
Ha ha.
We bought a net and some rackets at a sporting goods store a few weeks ago and I think that game is so much more fun that the $250 Wii SN2 had to have for his birthday. At least I get to have more fun, because I’m just not a videogame kind of person.
I can serve like a champ, but it’s trying to get the returns that I kind of suck at.
Well honestly, there’s nothing scarier than a shuttlecock speeding towards your face.
Am I wrong?
Then yesterday, before the game of good/badminton, DN2 and I took a walk and we were attacked by ducks.
Seriously.
We went to a park over by the canal and sat down on a bench to look at the ducks in the pond. We spent about five minutes watching them and talking about the ducklings and knowing that we were observing the wildlife laws and not feeding them. This was helped by the fact that we had no food to give anyway.
After we’d been sitting there for a few minutes a duck came up out of the pond, quacking and heading straight towards us.
He was followed by another.
And another.
And another!
And they kept coming!
They had us surrounded – and they continued to quack in our general direction.
DN2 started to get scared, and rightly so, and she climbed up onto the bench.
There were ducks behind us, ducks in front of us, and ducks off to the side, eyeballing my floral skirt, my pudgy, white bread-looking toes, and the ham hocks I call calves.
(Apparently the ducks can't read the signs about not feeding the wildlife.)
I started to get a bit nervous as one shifty-eyed duck began to quack louder and louder.
DN2 and I both stood up and moved to the right of the bench and the crowd of ducks moved along with us, slowly edging in closer and closer.
It was at that point that we decided to cut and run.
Seriously.
And the ducks followed us!!!
It was actually quite a scary experience.
DN2 said it was too bad I didn’t have my camera.
I don’t know, one of the ducks might have snatched it out of my hand and destroyed the evidence.
From now on I’ll be looking at the ducks from a safer distance….like the inside of my car.
And if I do go by them again, I won't wear clothing that resembles their food and my toes will be covered.
How was your weekend?

Finally some knitting content

The sun continues to shine and I continue to knit things out of season.
I'll tell you first what happened to me.
I went to the local bookstore to buy Alison Hansel's Charmed Knits.
At our bookstore if you accumulate $125 worth of purchases (retail - this is not a discount bookstore like BN or Books-a-Million), then you receive a $10 coupon.
Alison's book is $14.95 retail, so I thought I would use it to buy her book since I knew they had one in stock (I checked the inventory on their Booksense website) and I could get it for $5, right! Practically free!
After looking in the logical section of the store for the book, I had to ask, "Gee, I'm trying to find this book, do you have it?"
The girl working there said, "Gosh I just had that in my hands earlier today, but where is it?"
She began a frantic search of the store along with a co-worker.
No book.
I was bummed.
They actually thought another lady who works there might have put it on her shelf.
Huh?
So I was assured they would order the book for me.
It's been almost two weeks.
Me thinks the book was never ordered.
So last night I placed an order from Amazon.
Sorry local bookstore, but when you've gotta have it, you've gotta have it.
In the meantime I need to work on something.
Since I'm not a very good knitter (I've actually considered starting a blog called The Shitty Knitter and posting pictures of my mistakes and inviting others to post too), I need something easy.
Because it is so hot and a bit sticky I need something that won't cover my lap (unless I'm going to the drive-in and then I want an afghan to keep me warm).
And in honor of the HP movie and book release in how many days (check the counter on the side), I want something for that.
So I began a Gryffindor scarf.
Hey, at least it's something.
I could only wish that I were as good a knitter as Angelika.
Go wish her congratulations - she's been sought out (literally!) by KnitPicks to be a test knitter for their patterns.
They read her blog, folks and looked at her photos.
Isn't that amazing?
She is a brilliant, fearless knitter and I'm so pleased for her.

Not necessarily a conventional swap

Nor is it a RAOK.
I asked Kat if she had joined the latest Knit Tea Swap and she said no.
The past few swaps have been rather disappointing to her.
Whereas I was able to swap with, and receive from, some rather extraordinary people, hers have not been nearly as enjoyable.
So I suggested that she and I could have our own swap.
Again, not a RAOK, but rather a swapping of good things (chocolate, yarn, books, chocolate) that we would both enjoy.
And kind of just a nice thing to do, you know, because we did work together for almost 2 years, so we know each other's likes and dislikes.
And even though there will only be the two of us, we still have to name it.
Hmmm....
Well I like to name things, or rather think of names that have a deeper meaning (like, you do know what you're getting when you join the Knit Tea Swap), so I suggested "You Don't Know JaK" for a swap name.
Get it?
Julie and Kat = JaK
Funny, eh?
So I've begun thinking about what to get.
I'm still finishing up my great (I hope) swap box for my pal but I'll start on the "You Don't Know JaK" swap as soon as I finish.
Now if only I knew how to make a button.

Bummer

I didn't get to go.

JURORS SUMMONED FOR THE JUNE 7, 2007 JURY TERM:

Juror #'s B111 - B300 You are dismissed and you no longer need to check this web site or call. Thank you for your service.

The Barefoot Gardener

Seeing as I almost always garden barefooted, I wish that I were as famous as The Barefoot Contessa.
Alas, I'm not.
But I do garden in my bare feet and I need to stop.
It's becoming so difficult to get the dirt out from under my toenails.
What does everyone say to that?
"Eww, gross."
So I've taken to wearing dark colored nail polish.
Next time you see a picture of my feet (pray to God that this never happens to you), glance down and check them out.
You will see me wearing this color:
OPI Romeo & Joliet.
Love it! (Thanks to DN1.)
Back to my garden.
The Bleeding Heart was actually planted upside down.
How do I know?
Because it is growing, and not from the end that I left sticking out of the ground.
I knew the plants would know what to do.
I not only garden in bare feet, but I'm brilliant at it too.

Helping out the elves

We used to have a cobbler's shop in town.
Many, many years ago.
Now the shop is closed and the elves must have moved on.
This explains why they didn't make it into my kitchen last night to clean the dishes while I slept.
Damn elves.

Chilly Willy

Brrr...brr...
It was so hot over the weekend that the poor animals were suffering.
As were the humans.
Today it is 30-40 degrees cooler and I think I may have to light a fire and fix grilled cheese and tomato soup for supper just to try and warm up.
So don't come looking for me.
I'll be somewhere trying to stay warm.
And here's something interesting that I just found out -- Quisp is a better knitter than me.

A Boomtown Rats kind of day

Honestly.
I don't like Mondays.
I don't want to shoot them away, but they do really suck.
Fortunately I came home and this was waiting for me:
It's only about the third time I've purchased the CD. And I still have the LP in my attic.
But it's a perfect record and I have to have it.
Plus I got some other books from Barnes and Noble.
This weekend was blissful.
Blissfully hot.
Is there such a thing?
It was damn hot.
Almost unbearable.
But life can be made bearable if you sit in front of a fan with a good book.
(AC would be better, but we don't have any.)
I read The Razor's Edge this weekend based upon a recommendation from SN1.
I loved it.
(Kat you'd really like it - I know Mrs. Dalloway wasn't quite what you were expecting -- keep plugging along -- but I think you might like Maugham's voice better so give it a try.)
It made me want to read more American literature.
So I picked up Faulkner.
No knitting was accomplished.
I do have something to rip out, but I haven't got the nerve yet.
Soon - and I'll have photographic evidence too so that together we'll fix it.
Because I don't have the courage alone to give up a bad project. I keep it and justify the errors.
Ever felt like that?
I was reading someone's blog once and they had almost finished this Norwegian mitten - it was gorgeous!
And then she ripped it out because of something wrong with it.
I've never learned to be heartless about my knitting.
And it's not something of which I'm proud.
DN2 and I went to her favorite place this weekend, and then we went to my new favorite place, Parkleigh Pharmacy.
Had to shop some more for my Knit Tea Swap Pal (Hi Purl!).
Alas I can't show you any pictures because this is an open swap, and she can't know.
So shhh....don't tell her I went shopping and I'm almost done.
I owe her an email answering her question about what I like to knit.
I feel like Jack Benny when he was asked, "Your money or your life."
All I can say is, "I'm thinking...I'm thinking."

If I could only perform my civic duty

Is it horrible of me to hope that the number B 285 is called and I actually have to report for Jury Duty this week?

I know, I know, be careful what you wish for.

Copy Cat! Copy Cat!

I was reading Caroline's blog and saw this quiz and decided I must try it.
Once my results came in I had to share.
So I'm being a copy cat today.
So sue me.
(Not really.)

Of course it doesn't hurt that Caroline gave us all a freebie answer for one of the questions.

Ha!

Want to find the answer?

Read her blog.

Your Vocabulary Score: A

Congratulations on your multifarious vocabulary! You must be quite an erudite person.

How's Your Vocabulary?

Young Entrepreneurs

There's this kid who hangs around town.
Lots of kids do that, but this one carries a sign.
During the college festival (where we got the goldfish and listened to Reel Big Fish perform) we saw this kid carrying a sign that said, "Will kick self in head for $1.00."
You couldn't miss him, he was flashing it to everyone.
According to SN2 he made about $85 during the college festival.
A fool and his money and all that, right?
So tonight as we're exiting the theatre via a side door (coming out of POTC 3 which is looooong, good, but overly long), we come upon a group of kids.
As we approached them we had the opportunity to see one kid kick another in the nuts.
Hard.
I'm not a guy, but it looked painful to me.
Guess who was getting kicked.
Our young entrepreneur.
It's Jackass, small town style.
And he's obviously intent on making a fortune.

Give me a gold star because I walked to work today

What a great day!
It's Friday, it's a long weekend, and it's Friday.
Did I say that already?
You know some things are so good you just have to say them twice.
So...I walked to work today!
Yes, give me a gold star.
It took about 12-15 minutes, and yes it is quite warm outside, but I'm flushed mostly because I'm so damn proud of myself!
It's the simple things...
Tonight at 5:00 we're heading over to the (small) theatre in town to see....what else, Pirates of the Carribean 3.
I'm excited, but like I've said before I don't know if I'm more excited for the movie or for the popcorn and lemonade slushy I buy each time.
I love popcorn (mit butter), hence the need to walk to and from work!
Big plans this weekend...to clean and organize.
Long overdue.
I want to get my knitting organized and take stock so I can finish mittens that have been left unfinished, see what projects need to be repaired, and figure out what ones need to be put away until I feel I can stand the sight of them again.
Hope everyone has a lovely, enjoyable weekend, and let's not forget to what and to whom we are paying tribute.

Swan Sightings

Kat sent me this link today.
I was sitting in a computer training class all day (Access) so it wasn't a bad day, but of course I couldn't click on the link to watch the scene - can you imagine the music playing while the instructor is talking?
That would have been bad.
So I came home and watched the video.
Xanadu.
I can only think that Kat and I must have talked about this movie at some point (we've talked about a lot of things, many of them not fit for print) and come to the conclusion that we both liked it.
Let's be honest, it's really not a good movie at all.
The songs are good, and to be truthful I do like Olivia Newton-John, but what makes it worth watching is this person:
This picture is not from "Xanadu", it's from The Warriors, a family favorite and truly an amazing movie.
DH likes to watch it because he grew up in NYC in the 70s so it's familiar territory for him - kind of a trip down memory lane.
I like it because it has a great story, it's based upon a Greek tale, and well, it has Michael Beck.
Duh.
So back to "Xanadu" - not one of his better movies, but what can you do - you take what you can get.
Watch for yourself and see what you think:

Did summer end already and I missed it?

I got an email today from Fashion Bug with this subject line: Last days of Summer Sale + $15 off $75 purchase

Did I miss summer? Because yesterday it was 54 degrees here, which could constitute fall weather, but it is still spring. So how can you have a sale and call it the "Last Days of Summer" when the last time I checked summer doesn't even begin until June 21.

It boggles the mind.

Dinner Dates and Sunny Saturdays

My post yesterday didn't let anyone leave comments.
Not that anyone would want to leave comments on my rant, but I have to tell you it was not intentional.
It was all Blogger.
Last night I went out to eat at at Red Osier's outside of LeRoy with some friends from work.
What a great time we had, and I have to tell you the food was amazing!
But the company was even better.
Now it is Saturday morning and there is nothing I love better than sitting out on my front porch in my rocking chair and listening to the birds sing.
All I'm missing is a shotgun and my jug of moonshine.
Tee hee.
I've been working on a mitten for DN2 but the pattern is not very well written and I had to improvise.
Which for me is not a good thing.
Because instead of having my cables branch gracefully outward, they look like a dead limb with some knots sticking straight up.
Oh well, it's a mitten.
And knitting mittens is enjoyable for me.
I still have one on the needles that I need to fix.
Shoot I have a lot of things I need to fix.
And one thing I need to take care of is keeping my darn cats out of my yarn.
They are driving me crazy!
Anyway, it's a sunny Saturday and we're off to town to buy a birthday present for DN2's friend.
SN2 will be at the prom, SN1 will be working, DN2 will be at a sleepover, who knows where DN1 will be -- only DH and I will be at home.
Now let's see if I can stay awake past 9:00.

I open my mouth to speak and my mother's voice comes out

My eldest has moved back home.
Well both of my eldest children are back.
And life is different.
But DN1 has her own mini-fridge and like many smart people tries to watch what she eats, so her forays into the kitchen are rare and usually involve a pasta and tuna or pasta and sauce combination. Plus large amounts of fresh fruit.
SN1 on the other hand has been living away from home for almost four years.
That's 28 dog years for those keeping track using that method.
I'm awfully glad to have him here but we are undergoing a period of adjustment.
And perhaps it is me who has to adjust more than anyone else.
Problem is, when I yell at him for eating all the food, drinking juice and not putting the carton away, or leaving dishes lying around I hear my mother's voice coming out of my mouth.
And I shudder.
Let me tell you why.
Way, way back when - and I can't even tell you if I was 7 or 8 (because I've chosen to forget), my mother remarried.
A union that many still question to this day, including my aunts.
Along with my stepfather we got three stepbrothers and a stepsister.
All older than me (I'm the baby, can't you tell by the way I act???).
When they married it was about 1972 or 1973 (again I've chosen to forget). It may even have been 1971, see I really can't recall. And Ken and Tom, don't send me an email and remind me, I'd rather not recall.
So we were all living in this house with four bedrooms: me, my two brothers, and my three stepbrothers. I think the oldest stepbrother was there but again, blurry recall.
Regardless, it was the early 1970s, a time when the residual of the late 60's rebellious stage was still present in our small college town. I emphasize college town because back then wherever there were college students, there were always drugs.
Not sure if it is still that way at present, but I can certainly tell you we have plenty of beer pong champions on our street.
So we all lived in this little house and it drove my mother crazy.
The period of adjustment for everyone was horrorific.
I tried to stay out of the way and hung out in my bedroom listening to my Monkees records on my blue plastic record player from Grants (which I still have).
My mother would SCREAM at my stepbrothers, Tom would try to just get along with everyone, and Ken would just want to do his own thing, which involved listening to music in his room.
Sounds of Jimi Hendrix playing the National Anthem would float down from the attic bedroom that my one stepbrother made into his own, and anti-war and pro-drug posters were hung on the wall of another bedroom, one I remember in particular featured the Glad Man holding a bag of pot. (When stepbrother G became a "Jesus Freak" later in the 1970s that poster was thrown away - and I can't even find an image of it now.)
The pot my mother found growing in the backyard was flushed down the toilet and you could tell she was mad, mad, mad about that.
Because she screamed.
She screamed a lot, my stepbrothers got in trouble a lot, and my stepsister wisely lived in her college dorm away from the fracas.
It was horrible, that's what I remember the most, and never really did calm down until after my stepbrother and my brother graduated from high school in 1974 and then my brother moved out of the house and into his own apartment.
Can you blame him?
It is those thoughts that come into my head as I yell at my son for leaving a brick of cheese in his room, which the dog promptly picks up and claims.
And I hate myself for being my mother.
And having her voice come out of my mouth.
With the knowledge that awareness is the first step towards fixing the problem, I resolve to think before I yell.
Something my mother never did learn to do.

Mary, Mary quite contrary, it's raining so you don't have to water your plants

Rodale publishes books containing a plethora of information on plants.
But don't you think they should publish a book about weeds?
Fortunately they have and I need to buy it because I don't need information on how to grow weeds, they can certainly do that on their own, but on how to identify them. Especially in the beginning stages of germination when you can't really tell a weed from a plant.
I planted some flowers and plants last year and they're coming up wonderfully (I say wonderfully because anything other than dead is wonderful).
Lily of the Valley, Lemon Balm (which smells lemony but sometimes I think I should be polishing my furniture with it), Lavender and a Hibiscus. Yes, one Hibiscus.
Miraculously they are all coming in.
I'm not a master gardener.
Merely a novice.
And even then a lazy one.
I work on the theory that plants are much smarter than me and will know what to do even if some idiot screws it up. Like if you plant the bulbs upside down the flowers will still strive for the light.
This is what I'm worried about with my bleeding heart (sample picture inserted, this is not a picture of my plant and you'll find out why in a sec):
I'm really not sure if I planted it right side up or upside down.
But it's raining and then the sun will shine and the plants will know what to do.
Thank goodness.

Knit Tea Swapping

I've joined a new swap and we found out who we are swapping with today.
This time it is an open swap - we know each other - and we have to specialize in local goodies.
Now is there any way I can send her fresh lilacs?
Those are definitely a local favorite.
Hmm....

There are dead fish in my laundry room

And boy do they stink.
No one has gone fishing lately.
But the dead fish are there nonetheless.
How did they get there?
Why are they dead?
They are goldfish that DN1, DN2 and DN2's friend Hi-Hi got at the street festival in town two weeks ago.
And they stink.
They stink so much I have to say it twice.
Should I clean them out?
I could, but I figure it is not my responsibility.
I didn't want the fish in the first place -- nothing against goldfish, but I prefer these:





to these:






I'm sure with much care and love certain goldfish can last for a long time.
Or at least over 24 hours.
We "won" some at the carnival last year and they died overnight.
How come PETA doesn't start protesting over the treatment of goldfish?
Someone had better get in there and clean out the fish - because even the cats won't touch them.

The Kool-Aid House

Today is the last day of classes for the college.
We're back to being a full house again.
All six of us (DH, myself and four kids) are again under one roof.
It's been four years since we were all together, so it is taking some adjustment, but it's not too bad really.
We have much more room than we did in Quantico (about 3,000 more square feet).
Funny thing is, we always were happy to take people in when our house was smaller.
And by taking people in I mean inviting them to spend the night, the weekend, whatever.
I'm a firm believer in it's not where you spend your time but with whom you spend it.
Then come Monday we'll be having three college students come spend a few days until they can get into their summer apartment.
Is there room?
Sure.
Are there enough beds?
No.
Should any of us care?
Nah, any port in a storm.
We are back to being the Kool-Aid House, with lots of people coming and going.
I like it.
It allows me to sit back and watch and not have to interact too much.
And that's a good thing.
(As long as no one touches my Cadbury Mini-Eggs.)

Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary, and Eight Random Things

Today is someone's birthday!!!
Happy Birthday Gayle!

And today is also the anniversary of a good friend -- he's spent 30 years in the Marine Corps - started out a private and is now a colonel. Imagine that. And still a great leader and deep thinker. Happy Anniversary!

Now I've been tagged by Caroline (who I'm beginning to like more and more as time goes by) to dish about myself and provide you with eight random facts.

Here are the rules:
Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
People who are tagged write a blog post about their own eight random things and post these rules. At the end of your post you need to tag eight people and include their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment and tell them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

It's a stretch to find eight interesting/semi-interesting facts. I mean honestly, eight?!?! I would prefer ten, I like to keep things well-rounded. Here goes:

1. I once ran the Marine Corps Marathon without training for it and I finished it.

2. Every town/state/country I go to I always imagine living there – some places pass muster, some places I can’t wait to leave. I'm still undecided about where I'm living now.

3. I love the smell of cinnamon or apples, spicy smells, but I won’t burn candles with those scents in the summertime -- I reserve those smells for the fall and winter.

4. I’m not as smart as I think I am, but I’m not as dumb as I play at being.

5. I clap every time someone gets Double Jeopardy on the show Jeopardy. It doesn't matter where I am because with true Pavolovian training, I clap.

6. DH was deployed for the Gulf War when I was pregnant with SN2. I wanted to go into the delivery room alone so that way I could talk sh*t later on about how I did it myself. O-Lan from The Good Earth was my role model, I really wanted to be like her. But DH came back in time so I was never able to test my mettle. Dang it.

7. I obsessively check my shipping status on amazon.com once I've ordered something. Ask Kat, she'll tell you. I look several times a day, as if it's going to magically get delivered quicker.

8. I know the words to almost every song that comes on the radio. Especially the ones from the 70s. I've even had people ask me about that. It's a gift. Too bad my singing voice is not.

And for a bonus let me tell you a little story that I thought about tonight while I was driving up to the Devil's Store (help me stay away!) and a Who song came on the radio and at the same time the Sabres were working at losing game one in the series.

I went to Buffalo to see The Who during their farewell concert tour in 1982 and when they performed the song Love Reign O'er Me and Roger Daltrey sang "Rain on me" it actually began to rain. It was magical and I'll never forget it.

Now I must tag eight people, but because I'm not a stickler for convention, and I consider myself a paradox on my good days (wanna-be hippie yet rabid conservative), and a total piece of sh*t on my bad days, I may just be a hippie today and break all the rules and not tag anyone!

That's what I am going to do, because it's late at night and I need to get to bed (10:00, ohmygosh! past my bedtime!).

Seriously, post your eight random things, and we'll all be over later to check them out.

Tschuss!

Haiku Beef

Kat sent me an email on May Day.
I finally got around to responding today.
She wanted to know what I thought about her eating a roast beef sandwich for lunch that had been in the refrigerator since the Thursday before.
So a week later I'm checking in to see if she is still alive.
She is.
And that brought about this haiku email:

and I am so glad
that you are still here with us
and not rotted beef

Just sharing, because I've been double dog-dared to blog it.
^_^

Confidential Message

Confidential to Jean:

I bought some popcorn last night at the Devil's Store and it was really good.
I wish I had it right now.

Yarn Stores

My town really needs a yarn store.
Does anyone want to go into business with me?

Books and books and more books

I'm still working on my paper so no big news on my homefront.
Although I did stop to watch NCIS last night.
I enjoy that show, even if it gets a little hokey in some spots.
Then instead of returning to my paper I changed the channel and found out they were showing the movie The Mighty which is based on the book Freak the Mighty that I read for class.
I think I'm about ready to find an area in literature in which I can specialize, but is there any money out there for someone who knows everything there is to know about junior novels of the 40's, 50's and 60's?
Yeah, I doubt it.
It's sad when a secretary can make more money than a professor.
Anyway Caroline asked me about The Woman in White.
To be honest I haven't finished it yet, but what I've read so far is enjoyable.
It's a typical 19th century book written with all the extraneous adjectives that you would normally find. I will finish it one of these days, if I can stop reading Betty Cavanna or Rosamond du Jardin or other authors of that ilk.
I'm so stuck in a different era.

Museums and Ice Cream

So I never did show you my pictures of our trip to the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Just down from the Main Gate at Quantico,
and past the Iwo Jima statue on Route 1, is the National Museum of the Marine Corps.
SN2 and DN2 found their place on the yellow footprints.
DN2 tried lifting a standard pack -- she struggled a bit

And SN2 tried his hand at pull-ups. Yeah, he's really trying hard, can't you tell?

This was well worth the $5. For those concerned about rounds, rest assured this is simulated firing.

Besides, we always observe the Safety Rules when firing.

So many fascinating exhibits to see I just had to stop taking pictures and start looking around. If you ever get a chance you need to go there -- it's well worth the trip. It certainly brought home some of the Marine Corps history for SN2. When you live with the Marine Corps as a child you don't really stop and pay attention to what is happening around you, it was only on this trip that he fully realized what the Marine Corps is and how it can (positively) impact his life.

After the museum where else could we stop but JoJo's Ice Cream!

Yes, right next to Pizza Hut.

Anyone up for meeting at Quantico over the summer?

Nancy Drew had better get on the case

Almost all of my underwear are missing.
I just can't figure out where they could have gone.
Should I be watching the windows for Bratz dolls escaping from the attic using my panties as parachutes?

What I've Learned After Drinking Two Beers in a Bar

I used to drink a lot.
A lot.
But that was decades ago.
I don't drink much anymore, so when DH and I went to a restaurant/bar last night to see some of my friends from work, I of course drank some beer (Killian Red in case you're wondering).
And I discovered several things about myself.
I'm a Lightweight. I weigh much more now than I ever did when I was drinking a lot, but I'm a true lightweight now. Two beers is all it takes to take me down.
I'm Cheap. How can it cost $3.25 for one bottle of beer?!?! Makes me remember how much more economical it is to drink at home in front of your tv.
I'm a Slob. There's a reason why I don't eat ribs in public. I love them, but I am a messy eater, and after two beers? - the sauce is all over my face and on my shirt. What a slob.
I'm getting Old. I know I'm getting older (and lazier) because I just don't see anything wrong with falling asleep at 8:00 on a Friday night.
Sad.
Very sad.

Snippets of life

So Jean wrote me and asked if SN2 went to school on Monday.
She said that if she had children she would home-school them, that way they would know exactly where the violence was going to come from.
She's too funny sometimes, I'll tell ya.
This weekend there is a parade in town -- I took pictures of it last year.
The parade is held each year for this boy who had leukemia (or some form of cancer) and he requested it as part of his make-a-wish request. So each year they hold this parade in his honor - and it has been going on for over 10 years now.
Believe it or not, the boy who wished for it is now a strapping teenager and doing very well. And he marches in the parade every year.
A happy ending story.
This year DN2 is supposed to march in the parade with her Brownie troop but she has swimming lessons and can't make it. I'm sure she'll survive -- she likes the lessons and the thing is when the parade ends, it finishes right across from the building where her swimming lessons are.
So bonus for us is that we'll already have a great parking spot and then she can participate in the festivities that follow the parade!
Although I hear it's supposed to rain.
We'll see.
I saw this in the paper this morning:
Rochester Region Rated No. 6 Place to Live
It's hard to believe something like this when you live here, but when you compare it to other places it sure is a lot more bucolic. Okay, well since I live outside of the city in a small town, west of everywhere, my life is a bit more bucolic.
"Boring," the kids say.
Funny thing is, I was once one of those kids complaining about boredom.
I used to think Neil Young wrote the song "Everybody Knows this is Nowhere" about my hometown.
And speaking of Neil Young, belated happy birthday wishes go out to my friend Rick.
He probably thinks I'm a total shit because he even called me on his birthday to find out what is going on with SN1.
What a great guy - and a great friend.
So happy birthday to you.
Busy weekend coming up -- the girls and I (that would be DN1 and DN2) are going to see Tartuffe here on campus. I'm excited, but then I love French satire (Voltaire, Moliere, de Maupassant).
And that darned paper. Must begin outline -- must begin to write.
One more class left and then the semester is over.
Come on, Julie, you can do it.

Raise your hand if you love thunderstorms!

It's getting darker outside and the thunder is rolling and the lightning is flashing...what a great way to spend a Thursday evening.
It would be even better if it were a spooky Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
I absolutely love thunderstorms.
You can't get hurt by them - it's only loud noise!
After all, no one has ever been hit by thunder!
I don't like to drive in the rain, though, because my vision is wonky enough, I don't need the rain to exacerbate the situation.
I hit up the book sale at the library today - it started yesterday and I can only imagine what I missed.
Fifty cents for hardcover books and twenty-five cents for paperbacks (remember now, I work at a College, so you know there are some good things coming out of the library).
Got some interesting items - a huge red volume of Twentieth Century Children's Writers; Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded; Joseph Conrad's Youth; and I bought two books for one of the girls with whom I work because she stayed behind to watch the phones while another woman and I went to the library.
I don't know if she answered them or not but she was there to watch them if they rang.
Now this girl (woman, I should call her) likes romance novels, so I bought her books that are not romance novels, per se, but definitely have something of a love story to it - but also plenty of depth. For her summer reading pleasure (why put it off until then?!?) I picked up two books, one by Rosamunde Pilcher and the other by Maeve Binchy. I have always enjoyed their work, and they're literate as well, so you don't have to be ashamed to show the book in public.
I have a 15 page paper due next Friday and I am still allowing my thoughts to incubate.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
This weekend I will be allowing my fingers to give birth to the 15 page baby in my head.
Let's hope it's a successful delivery.
Off to make supper -- what should we have with the rain?
Why soup of course.

What kind of world do we live in?

SN2 is scared to go to school today.
And honestly, I don't blame him.
DH and I talked with him about not living in fear, etc., and he made the decision that he does not want to go to school because he is concerned about being shot.
Yesterday there were several incidents around the area at other schools, and the rumor mill keeps on generating more stories. But it is disconcerting and extremely troubling for a parent, because there are so many things ride on him doing well in school, but I also don't want him to learn in an environment of fear. No one wants that. So as much as I want to be a hardass and say - Go to school and confront your fears -- that little niggle of guilt comes in and says, "Well what if you forced him to go and something happened."
Damn that tiny voice in my head.
I chalked a lot of his fear up to rumors when he came home talking about kids in his school being ready to do harm to others. I read this piece this morning on the school website and it did make me feel a bit better:

Rumors are circulating around the District, perhaps fueled by the presence of a police vehicle. We are not in lockdown and school is in session as usual. It is a typical school day.

Until I read this:

Fortunately, the Anywhere Central School District is very safe. However, no community is immune from the threats of violence and drugs that endanger public schools nationwide. Every household can contribute to the safety of students at school. Students generally know about any problems before many others do. Encourage your child to tell you about any safety concerns or report them to another trusted adult at school.

Please call school with any concerns for safety, or use Anywhere School’s anonymous 24-hour Safe School Helpline. The helpline is designed so you can report any wrongdoing that impacts our schools, our students or our staff, while protecting your privacy.

So of course I thought, gee, maybe there is some credence to these rumors he has been hearing.
As I said earlier, he was given a choice to stay or go and he is choosing to stay.
What a world we live in, eh?
Too much significance placed upon a date in history.

My VisualDNA

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Hokie Hope

It's difficult to find a way to address the tragic events that took place on the Virginia Tech campus on Monday, but I received this from my friend Tracy, a Tech grad herself, and it seems like a very positive way to show respect and support:

Virginia Tech family members across the country have united to declare this Friday, April 20th, an "Orange and Maroon Effect" day to honor those killed in the tragic events on campus Monday, and to show support for Virginia Tech students, faculty, administrators, staff, alumni, and friends. "Orange and Maroon Effect" was born several years ago as an invitation to Tech fans to wear orange and maroon to Virginia Tech athletic events. We invite everyone from all over the country to be a part of the Virginia Tech family this Friday, to wear orange and maroon to support the families of those who were lost, and to support the school and community we all love so much.

It's Snowing on Friday the 13th

Any significance?
I'm sure there is.
Perhaps it will mean good luck!
Like this little cat:
Speaking of weather, I really need to get out and care for my garden.
But with all this snow, it's kind of difficult (mostly because it's too damn cold, not because it's accumulating).
I do need to put some Shi Shi Dragons out there this year:
Apparently my post is having a Japanese flavor today.
I wonder why.
Hmm...especially since I ate Italian food last night.
I went out to dinner with Sheri and we had a great time!
I'd forgotten how much I missed her - and the sad thing is, she only lives about 15 minutes away.
Lazy friend am I.
Jean was supposed to come too but her husband faked a heart attack and got himself admitted to the hospital.
Honestly, if he's that desperate to keep her to himself (and away from me, obviously) perhaps we just need to plan a couples night out and include him too.
I'll be busy posting some pictures this weekend - tomorrow is my baby boy's birthday. He's changed a lot since this time last year. For one thing he actually made the honor roll.
How amazed am I?
Extremely.
We're trying to find a Wii for his birthday but we're having a wee bit of a problem locating one (tee hee).
Well that's actually a gift from his Titi, but even still, we can't find one here.
At Christmas they were everywhere, now they're not even on the internet.
So if anyone hears any inkling about stores stocking some Wii's, please let me know.
Perhaps this weekend I'll be able to get some writing, knitting, and cleaning done.
I read a review of this movie this morning and it sounds really good - perhaps I can fit that in too - I was thinking DN1 might want to go, but she may have a wee bit of trouble fitting her poor old mam into her life.
I love the weekends, don't you?
Have a great day!

RIP Kurt Vonnegut

What sad news, Kurt Vonnegut has died.
If you remember, I am Mother Night.
I can recall reading Kurt Vonnegut when I was in 6th or 7th grade. I used to have to take trips with my mother and step-father - which is one of the reasons I believe I turned into a voracious reader - just to escape the "Easy Listening" music that was played in the car (to this day I still hate Mantovani).
So RIP Kurt Vonnegut - we'll continue to remember you through your words.

10 reasons why I'm glad I don't live in Virginia anymore

Ten Reasons Why I'm Glad I Don't Live in Virginia Anymore
1. Traffic.
2. Traffic heading north on I-95.
3. Traffic heading north on I-95 at 1:00 pm!
4. Traffic on I-95 South beginning at 3:00 (just reverse the picture and fill in the HOV lanes).
5. Stupid drivers.
6. Stupid drivers with vanity plates.
7. The Beltway.
8. The President holding up traffic on the Beltway.
9. More traffic (Hi Famous Dave's!).
10. High priced housing (they're asking $419K for this one - it's 26 years old).
But there's more to like too....stay tuned.

We're Back Home

We made it back - this had to be the fastest trip we've made.
And I mean fast as in a speedy drive there and back - but we had a great time while we were down there.
Plenty of pictures to show you but not right now.
First things first.
All our unpacking is done along with the laundry.
Not that doing laundry is really all that difficult, it's not like I'm down by the river beating on my clothes with a rock.
Even still, it's good to get that stuff out of the way.
But plenty more still to do.
More later!

On Our Way Home

We're heading back home today.
Lots of pictures to show you, but you'll just have to wait until later!
We had a good time, you'd think it had been years since we'd been in the Exchange, and not just 1 1/2 years.
Man, that's a long time.
Anyway, say a prayer for us - we'll be on our way at 1000 ET with an ETA of 1900 at the latest.
Off to work tomorrow.
Ciao bella!

Easter Sunday - Final Destination

We had a lovely Easter Sunday.
During church all the noisy kids sat in the back (or in Virginia Beach) and then we came home and had ham, sweet potato casserole, asparagus with hollandaise sauce, corn and rolls - it was yummy.
And wine.
Then after we had stuffed ourselves we didn't even stop to do the dishes, we got into the van, with the one who was the least drunk driving (that was me!), and drove down to Quantico to see thisThe National Museum of the Marine Corps.
It was amazing.
I can't even begin to tell you.
But I will try.
Even if you weren't a Marine, you definitely want to visit this place.
And if you are a Marine, expect to run into people you served with like I did.
So now we're back off to Quantico - have to hit the Exchange - they have Vera Bradley there at 30% off (I do miss shopping at the Exchange!) - and I'm going to get some golf gloves for my sister-in-law. Any Vera Bradley for myself? Maybe some hangers.
I have to keep my obsessions to a minimum.

Vaya Con Dios all the way baby

Well we made it.
We're here in Virginia.
Back to our old stomping grounds, if only for a long weekend.
I didn't think I would miss it as much as I did.
Well I didn't know that I was missing it until I came back down here.
What have I been missing?
The traffic on I-95 with the six lane highway and two lane HOV?
Yup.
The stupid drivers?
Yup (sort of).
The blatant consumerism?
Yup.
Jo-Jo's Soft Serve ice cream?
Yup.
My crappy old house?
Yup.
All of it.
And I certainly miss driving 85 mph and still being "with the flow of traffic."
Can't do that where I live.
Well, I may miss it a bit less when I run into all the traffic on I-95 again on Monday, but right now, on Saturday night, I'm feeling a bit nostalgic.
After all I spent (all together) 13 years of my life here in Northern Virginia.
And if you do the math I only spent 17 years in New York. Okay, plus 1 1/2 more years since we moved up there in August 2005.
And don't try to do the math - because I'm much more than 31 - yes, the lost years in between 43 and 31.
But anyway, I'm really almost more of a Virginian than a Yankee (and to Jean I'll always be a redneck I'm sure).
Hmm...something to think about.
Anyway - to answer Caroline's comment, I do have two pairs of the knitting needles with lights, but truthfully, my hands are usually in the popcorn during the movie so I don't even try to knit because I'm such a sh*tty knitter to begin with, I can't afford to get greasy butter all over a project that I can ruin by dropping stitches anyway! Which leads me to this thought: Do I go to the movies for the movie or for the popcorn. I still can't give a definitive answer.
And Angelika - thanks for the offer for Cadbury Mini-Eggs (my fav!) but here in my friend's house she has Longaberger baskets filled with them!!! She says their her favorite too! Ahhh...chocolate heaven.
Blades of Glory was a stupid movie - stupid funny and I enjoyed every second of it.
We've been taking lots of pictures for the blog, but can't post them until I get back.
So Happy Easter to all!

Movies Have I Seen

What an odd title, eh?
But one of the things I have done in the past couple of weeks is go to the movies.
I miss going to the movies - we used to go all the time in Virginia.
One of the advantages is that we would go on base and see them and they were free!
I've seen some bad movies for free, and walked out of some other ones that were a waste of my time.
DN1 and I even went to see the beginning of Chicago one time, just to see one or two songs performed.
Free is nice.
Well, then this little conflict started in Iraq and the money that was being used to pay for these movies so that servicemembers didn't have to was diverted to that little conflict.
We then had to start paying $1.00 to see movies.
Still not a bad deal, right?
So we moved up to New York and now we have to pay even more for movies.
Well, let me rephrase that. Because we're really not paying any more than we used to, and the movie theaters off-base, I mean in "the City" are just as far away as they were from us on Quantico, but we just don't go as much.
Priorities change, I suppose.
I don't know, I can't quite figure it out.
But, when the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie was released - WE HAD TO BE THERE.
I only wish that SN1 and DN1 could have been us because they were there the first time around.
This time we just had SN2 and DN2 - ready for TMNT: The Next Generation.
That's not what it is called, but that is what it felt like. SN2 is soon to be 16, so he remembers the Turtles and watched the cartoons, but DN2 has never seen the movies and doesn't know much about the Turtles except that mommy wants to go see them.
It was a highly entertaining film - kind of like a combination of Final Fantasy (Casey Jones reminded me of Vincent Valentine) and something else that if I had written this post when I meant to I could recall. Oh, I know, Lara "April O'Neil" Croft. That's it.
I had to explain how the turtles became ninja teenagers - DN2 didn't even know!
It was all good anyway - because I really enjoy going to the movies.
And on Wednesday night DN2 and I went over to see Meet the Robinsons.
That was really funny - I enjoyed it.
Sure it wasn't great, but some of the jokes were laugh out loud funny.
and I love to laugh.
Of course in our small town it appears that we are sometimes the only ones in the theatre laughing.
Talk about making me feel like an outsider, because it is an odd feeling -- I mean it's not like we're boisterous or obnoxious, but just laughing out loud at the parts we're supposed to.
Guess that's the drawback of living in a small town, right?
Today I was only supposed to work for a couple of hours but I ended up working for 4. What a drag.
But I did talk to my friend Sheri on the phone, wished her a Happy Easter and then zoomed out the door at 11.
Why?
What are my priorities?
Well DN2 is packing for our trip, but I want to go to the movies!
DH is taking the older kids to see Grindhouse - but DN2 and I are going to see....
(wait for it...).....
So that's all for now, folks.
No time to even scarf down a lunch, although it is a perfect (snow) day for my favorite meal -- grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup -- but I've gotta jet!
Showtime is at 2:10 and the movie theatre in town is a 5 minute walk from my house.
And then I have to get to the Devil's Store and buy some more of my favorite candies - with Easter almost over, I won't find these bad boys for another year.
Cadbury Mini-Eggs...mmmmm...my favorite.
Happy Easter to all - I'll try to blog over the weekend - oh that's right, because only two of you out there know where I'm going (kudos to Major Knitter, fellow Devil Dog).
And I'll leave you with a picture of an Easter Bunny with taste:
Cheers!