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?

Visions of the Future

On Sunday, we drove SN2 and two of his friends to the town/city where their future college is located.
It was my first time in the town in almost 30 years, and when I went there throughout high school all I was doing was watching wrestling, so my memory of the place is not reliable.
Another story, another time....
As we drove the 45 miles to the campus, it was fun listening to the three 17 year olds talk about their future plans.
They sounded so innocent and naive, and it was really fun to listen to them talk about how they are going to live for the next two years.
They do have a clear idea of how cool it is going to be for them to move away from home and live on Ramen noodles and mac and cheese.
Silly, sweet, naive boys.
Since it is a community college, and of course they will not be commuting, our real purpose was to see what is available in the area.
They have a dorm on campus, and it is expensive, but it is as close to the campus as they can possibly get.
These boys, however, don't want to be bound by rules.
Ha!
They'll learn.
We will continue to look for places, although I'm voting for the dorm.
I think his friends want some more freedom.
And SN2 doesn't really care, he is just ready to move on to the next chapter in his life.
What I know is that it won't be cheap as SN2 heads off on his collegiate journey in September.
The irony of college costs may be that the ones staying here on the home front may also be living on the same diet as the young collegians.
Ramen noodles and frozen vegies?
Bring it on.

Reading Roundup - Week 12

It's spring!
Sing with me - Tra - la - la - la - la!
No working outside for me yet, because we still have frost and occasionally snow.
I do want to buy a tiller, but I won't make any garden purchases until next month.
I wish that I could say I had as good a reading week as last time, but this week I came up a bit short.
I only finished one book, Madeleine L'Engle's The Moon by Night (28).
It was actually a very good book, where Vicky Austin travels across the country (and back) with her family. Written and set in the 60's, it reestablishes the Austin family values witnessed in book one, Meet the Austins, of working together, keeping no secrets from one another, and praying before every meal.
In this book, Vicky encounters other boys and families who do not share the same values as the Austin family. They run into a problem with some JD's in Tennessee, and even experience anti-American sentiment in Canada, and it is Vicky's burgeoning awareness of the people and the land outside of her small Connecticut town that make the book especially interesting. Viewing this as a mid-60's travelogue, it is even better if you juxtapose this tale with the direction the nation was taking during the 60's, making one wonder what Vicky Austin would have been like in 1968.
Sorority girl, or hippie chick?
I'd choose Vicky's direction as that of conservative sorority girl going to college for her MRS degree.
Read it, and let me know what you think.
I'm in the middle of two books right now, The Young Unicorns, and Homicide in Hardcover, and I'm again treading water/pages and getting nowhere.
How does this happen?
And on a personal note to Bronx Girl Knits and Karoline Knits:
Have you seen that Barbara Bretton is publishing a sequel to Casting Spells?
It's entitled Laced with Magic, and will be out in August.
Check it out.
Oh - everyone should go check it out!
Read - Read - READ!!!

A Little Cleaning Up

You may notice things look a bit different here at Chez JewelTomes.
This is how I spent my Saturday night.
Trust me, I had plenty of other things to do, but this update just kind of happened.
What do you think?
I've been working on another project as well.
You may notice I've added a link to another blog I'm hosting.
Curious?
Head on over and check it out.
Here's the link.
Go ahead!
I'll wait here for you to get back.
(tuneless humming progresses...)
Oh, Hey - You're back!
Did you like it?
Yes, I've signed up to be a Longaberger consultant.
Again.
I've done it before, and I do like the product, so I decided, why not.
What is different this time around, beside the fact that I don't have an infant in my house, is that there is so many more internet opportunities.
What a difference.
This should be fun, don't you think?
I have to support my yarn and book buying habits somehow.

Seasonal Feelings

For the record, when I talk about being "out of season" this is the song that goes through my head every time I say that phrase.
It's the REO Speedwagon song Out of Season off of the High Infidelity album.
Since the embed is disabled, you'll have to head over to check out the video yourself (click on the song title link).
Man, does this song take me back to spring 1981.
Totally.
And since I know we all love our REO Speedwagon, seriously, who doesn't, here's a song for you from 1978:



Don't you miss The Midnight Special?
I remember back when I was 15 hanging out at some guy's apartment with some friends waiting to watch Linda Ronstadt on The Midnight Special.
Ah, those were the days.
Now I'm heading upstairs to do laundry and knit a sock.
How far the mighty have fallen.

Another Chance at Knitting

I've been working on this sock, a K2 P2 rib.
I'm not really thrilled with it.
Of course, you couldn't tell that by the three months it's taken me to get to the heel on the first sock.
No, correct that, the heel flap.
Yes, the first sock.
Can you imagine how frustrated I feel as I watch other knitters whip out sock after sock after sock, and I'm left ignoring my unfortunate project and feeling guilty about doing so.
Enough.
I've decided to take a page out of Major Knitter's book, er, blog and knit just a regular sock.
Just - a - regular - sock.
Nothing fancy, no ribbing other than at the top, just a stockinette sock.
And you know what?
My knitting mojo wasn't lost, it was just masked by a bad project.
So I'm back to a beginner's project, and I'm okay with that.


(This is not my sock, this is from the pattern. My sock is cranberry red. Remember, I'm all out of season, what with the cinnamon candles and all.)

Thursday Quiz - Nature Scents

It's almost spring, and the bulbs are beginning to grow, so why am I thinking of autumn?

You Should Light a Cinnamon Candle

You are affectionate yet mischievous. You have a warm, welcoming spirit - but you also like to spice things up. You love hosting parties and events at your home. You love to live it up with your friends. You're the type of person who is open hearted and accepting... as long as someone is willing to deal with your quirks. You are both comforting and stimulating. You thrive in both familiar and exotic environments.

What Scent Candle Should You Light?

I guess cinnamon works in any season.
Especially in cookies.

...but there's always time for TV

In my haus there has been: not much knitting, quite a bit of reading, no cleaning, but as the title reads, there's always time for TV.
Some of our latest favorite shows:

Sonny With a Chance - actually a very well-written show, the characters can be annoying at times, but they're teenagers (or portraying one). Check it out.

Big Bang Theory - It doesn't get much better when Sheldon takes on Penny in a mental and verbal wrestling match. Tawni on the aforementioned show was TOTALLY wearing a "Penny Blossom" on Sunday's show. Still love Chuck Lorre's writing -- I hope he can sustain it.

Flight of the Conchords - I've enjoyed this duo since their first quirky episode. The show is so random, how could you not love it. And the season finale already???

And for the piece de resistance (why can't blogger do accents?).
The newest "leaked" Tori Amos song from her upcoming album:



Sounds like we'll be heading to a concert soon!

Acclimation and perspective

Collectively, we've spent the last five months covered in layers of clothing in an attempt to keep warm.
Speaking for myself, it hasn't always worked.
Spring is just around the corner, and even though it isn't here yet, people in my town are celebrating the warm weather.
We hit almost 60 degrees today, and when that happens everyone moves outside.
This means, when the sun comes out the clothes come off.
Some people wouldn't think 60 degrees is warm enough to wander around in shorts.
Those people who think that live in Florida, I'm sure.
In New York, we're acclimatized to colder weather, so to us, 60 degrees is like 85 to someone used to a warmer climate.
It starts when we're young.
I know this, because if you drove around my town in April, when honestly it's really not all that warm, there are students sunbathing on the roofs of houses and in their front yards.
Today the kids who have remained behind during spring break were in their yards playing beer pong.
From a young age, northern children develop a proper perspective on weather. They know that the sun won't last that long, so they have to enjoy every moment it is in the sky and radiating warmth.
Unfortunately, our nights are still pretty damned chilly.

Reading Roundup - Weeks Ten and Eleven

No, I haven't disappeared.
I've been here, but I went inside my head.
Easy to get into, difficult to emerge from.
(Yes, I dangled, sue me.)
I have been totally engrossed in books, and I mean totally.
I've been thinking about what books to add to my homegrown syllabus, and considering all sorts of ideas about good and evil, hero development, and how female protagonists have changed so much in 40 years.
Last time I left off I was back in Medieval Germany, but lately I've been planted firmly in Lewis/L'Engle world.
I read A Wind in the Door (22), The Demigod Files (Percy Jackson and the Olympians) (23), A Swiftly Tilting Planet (24), The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (25) (finally finished!), The Horse and His Boy (26), and A Ring of Endless Light (27).
Whew.
In the past two weeks I haven't read a book for anyone over the age of 14.
Can you understand now why I disappeared into my head?
I was recreating my childhood (or creating a better one).
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm heading back there.

Non-Knitting Friday

There's not even an opportunity to frog it or finish it around my house, because there's been zero knitting done this week.
I might have worked on some this evening, but DN1 came into my room at 7:20 and said, "Do you want to go to the Festival of Ten with me?"
This is a student show where they perform ten ten-minute plays.
It started at 7:30, so I had to make a quick decision.
I made the right choice - it was an excellent show, and I should really make the effort to go to some of these performances since it's just a few blocks down the street.
Me x Laziness = Too Much Effort.
Good news on the MA program front: I sent an email to one of my favorite professors earlier this week outlining an independent study I'd like to do under her tutelage.
Today she wrote me back and said....Yes!
I am psyched - we'll be studying YA Fantasy.
One of her suggestions is to read one of the Twilight books, because I had mentioned Ursula LeGuin in my email to her. She said the Twilight books set back feminist YA fantasy 20 years.
Interesting theory.
So once this class is done, three classes and a thesis until I'm finished.
Woo hoo!
Happy weekend everyone!

Various Shades of Blue

I hate to repeat myself, but I will, and I'm going to talk about Pandora again.
It keeps me company at work, and I enjoy it.
Lately, I've been listening to a lot of the Indigo Girls .
Well, I really like their music, and DN1 and I used to harmonize along with them.
Secret revealed?
I used to think we could be the next Naomi and Wynonna, but that hasn't happened.
Yet.
For the record, I'm not that good of a singer, I just like to sing.
I've got an Indigo Girls radio station on Pandora - and of all the Pandora stations I have, this is by far my favorite.
(Maybe someday we can all reveal our Pandora stations to each other, what do you think?)
I've discovered a lot of new music on this station - bands and artists that have been around for a while (The Waifs, Vienna Teng, Brandi Carlile, Ani DiFranco, Matt Nathanson), but that I'm just now discovering.
It's very enlightening.
So when I took the quiz about "What Girl Group Should You Be In?", I was pleasantly surprised, but pleased too:

You Should Be In the Indigo Girls

Your all about expressing yourself through music Lyrics are your poetry - think Sylvia Plath meets guitar

What Girl Group Should You Be In?

They're coming to UB next month, but I don't have tickets.
I wonder if there are any left.
Tell me, what girl group should you be in?
Satisfy my curiosity, and maybe I'll write you a song and you can sing along.

Entertainment

Sometimes there are only so many entertaining things I can do in one night.
I've cooked dinner (that was not necessarily entertaining), cleaned up the dishes (ditto), and then I settled in with my book, A Wind in the Door.
But I also have a movie I am watching, The North Avenue Irregulars, one of my favorite Disney movies.
I would be knitting at the same time, but I'm having trouble staying awake.
All this stress to entertain myself is taking a toll on me.
Here's Phantom Fox in the movie - one of my favorite parts:



That Cloris Leachman, she's a kooky old broad.
(And she'll always be Phyllis, won't she.)

4th Grade Humor

Here are some jokes from my 4th grader:

My butt is broken.
Why?
Because it has a crack in it.

What's black and white and red all over?
A newspaper.

Why did the cookie go to the doctor?
He was feeling "crummy".

Sorry, that's all I've got today.
I had a meeting tonight, and I'm just getting back.
Do you have any good jokes to share?

Reading Roundup - Week Nine

Wow, what a busy reading week for me.
It started off by SN2 asking for some help on Monday with a paper he was writing for school.
When is it due? I asked
Tomorrow.
When did you find out?
Three months ago.
Okay, well let's get to the library.
So we spent 3 hours in the library finding references for his paper.
He got it done, but DN2 was jealous that she couldn't come with us, so I promised her I would take her to the library on Tuesday night.
Fortunately I like hanging out in the library, and that night it was especially helpful because we were there for 2 1/2 hours.
That's 5 1/2 hours in 2 nights -- more time than I ever clocked while I was taking classes!
DN2 likes to hang out in the Juvenile section down on the ground floor, and that's where we spent our time.
While she did homework, I did some reading of my own and checked out a load of books.
Because they're YA books they're easy to get through, and yesterday we headed back so I could check out some more.
I love owning books, but I also love discovering new books at libraries.
And apparently so do plenty of other people during this recession.
Subsequently, I've read quite a few books this week, while I still have a bunch more in the state of being read.
For this week I have all YA literature, and some of the authors I'm choosing has come about because I'm savoring slowly The Wand in the Word, and enjoying every bit of it. Wonderful interviews with YA fantasy writers.
I started with Meet the Austins by Madeleine L'Engle (17). I can't believe it took me this long to discover her. This book was about a family in the early 60s, and it perpetuates the notion that we have (well, I have) about families being Donna Reed/Father Knows Best units. But I love this kind of stuff, makes me feel nostalgic for a past that never really was.
I finished a slim novella called Very Far Away from Anywhere Else by Ursula LeGuin (18). It was alright, and maybe if I were 13 again I might enjoy it, because it is truly about teenage angst, but it is not really what I am looking for at this stage in my life. I think the only thing I would like about being a teenager again is having the ability to fit into my Calvin Klein jeans (which I still have).
I also found another short read by one of my favorite authors, Dawn of Fear by Susan Cooper (19). This story came directly from Cooper's past, because she grew up in Buckinghamshire, right outside of London, and suffered through air raid drills and bombings during WWII. This is a very lovely, poignant story about three young boys during this time.
It should be a movie.
Maybe it is, who knows.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (20) has always been one of DN1s favorite books, but I never took the time to read it. Shame on me. Now I can't get enough! I'm engrossed in another MLE book as we speak.
Finally, I found this book yesterday and started reading it while waiting for DN2 to do her thing in the library. It is The Silver Cup by Constance Leeds (21) and it is set during Medieval Germany, and it focuses on a Catholic girl who is witness to the slaughter of Jews in Worms. She overcomes religious persecution and finds out truths about herself and others. It was a very nice book, well written with good research.

Goodbye Pauline

I'm heartbroken.
One of my favorite characters from EastEnders has died of cancer.
In real life, not just on the show.
Wendy Richard died last week of cancer.
She played Pauline Fowler on the show.
If you've never watched EastEnders, and I haven't in years, and I miss it so, you may remember her from the classic British sitcom Are You Being Served.
When we moved to London back in the early 90s, DH and I got hooked on EastEnders, and my primary memory of Pauline is of her stridently saying, "We're faaam-ly!"
Love that Pauline.
Here's her final scene from EastEnders:



Heartbreaking.

Niagara Falls

I never did show you pictures of our trip to Niagara Falls.
Here are some of them.
This is our hotel:


My traveling companions:


The view from our room:



And the best view from our room:


You can always count on a decent meal at Timmy Ho's:


And I always love to see the English/French translations on everything.
Reminds me I'm not in the U.S. anymore.

How Not to be a Role Model

You have got to see this article.
Seriously.
Read it, you won't believe it.
It's about a woman ticketed for breastfeeding her daughter while driving.
If you think that sounds bad, listen to the woman explain her rationale.
I showed this to DN2 who is 10, and she just couldn't get over this woman.
So read the article, and tell me if you find it hilarious, unbelievable or horrific.
Here's the link.
Oh, and the daughter doesn't look as if breastfeeding is her only form of nourishment, so she couldn't have waited?
Watch the video, just watch it.
I just don't think this is the type of role model La Leche League has in mind.

Thursday Quiz - Spies

I've been watching Three Coins in the Fountain, and it makes me want to visit Rome.
Have you ever seen this movie?
Each time I watch it, I like it more.
It's still dated, but it grows on me.
Actually there's a movie with Ann-Margret set in Madrid called The Pleasure Seekers that is a 60s version of Three Coins.
And Ann-Margret is the coolest.
If I became a spy, I would pretend I was Ann-Margret and I would become:

Your International Spy Name is Honey Intrigue

Your Code Name: Volcano You Reside in: Berlin Why You're a Good Spy: You're sneaky

What's Your International Spy Name?

Yes, Honey Intrigue.
Awesome.
What's your spy name?

Sharing Secrets

I'm up late tonight because I just got back from an event on campus.
We went to see Frank Warren give a discussion about Post Secret.
It was everything I expected it to be, and more.
First let me tell you, Frank is a truly wonderful, humble, and deeply sensitive man.
He endeared himself to the audience by being self-effacing, and making everyone feel that sharing a secret is a treasured opportunity to connect with another human being.
As I watched him discuss secrets that didn't make it into his first book, he stood in front of the projected image and I was struck by the tall shadow he cast onto the screen.
It occurred to me that Frank is the priest to whom we confess our secrets, and that tall shadow, showing no face, is the almighty amorphous being, a god-like creature.
Well, it sounded better when I shared it with my friend Wendy, but I think you know what I mean.
Anyway, I see the post card, I see the man, but I also see that he is so much more than that. Frank stumbled upon his meaning in life and now he is someone intent on performing a service to the world.
(Frank Warren the deus ex machina.)
He is very much into making people aware that there are alternatives to suicide too.
As part of the event, he opens up the microphone and invites people to share their secrets.
Honestly, some of them were too painful to share here, and some had scary specifics about exactly what secret that person carried around with them.
Everyone, and I mean everyone, even the biggest naysayer who didn't want this to happen (he's a faculty member), left affected.
He told me he has a lot to think about.
Good.
That's a start.
We hung around afterward and got to meet Frank.
DN1 was the coordinator for this event - she pushed to get him on campus - so she was determined to meet him.
Here she is with Frank:


I was glad to have the opportunity to let him know I love what he is doing.
If you haven't discovered Post Secret yet (and if you've been reading my blog, I've told you several times to head over there), perhaps now is the time you'll stop and take a look.
And who knows, maybe he'll show up in your neck of the woods someday.

Book Rate

I went to the post office today to mail some books to Caroline.
Before the rates for delivery could pop up on the little screen, I told the man at the counter to send them book rate.
I've had luck with that method of delivery before, and the package is only going to California.
That's my rationale.
The guy said, "You do realize that delivery speed for book rate packages to California is 2 weeks."
I scoffed, and said, "I don't think it will take that long, I have faith in the U.S. Postal Service."
It was his turn to scoff at me, as well as the people behind me in line (really, they did - well I work with one woman, so she was laughing at me, not just being cruel).
He said, "They've changed the rules now. These packages go by truck, and they don't wait until the truck is mostly full, they wait until it is full full, and then they go."
Full full being a new method of measurement, I gather.
So, Caroline, expect to see your books by spring break.
Don't blame me for the delay, though, it's that full full truck we're all waiting on.

Reading Roundup - Week Eight

This week I devoured a book.
I didn't actually eat it, but I did read it, and read it, and read it until it was all gone.
I couldn't stop.
It was The Glass Castle (14).
I really liked it quite a bit, and I'm glad I didn't turn it back into my committee chair without finishing it.
See, I had a meeting on Friday, but I hadn't finished the book.
You know how it is when you're "forced" to read something.
Seriously, though, how was I forced?
No one was holding a gun to my head, I asked for this book, and actually sent someone over to the office to pick it up for me (I love our student workers, I do), so it was all voluntary.
It just becomes that feeling of having to read something because there's an obligation attached to it.
I don't like obligations, apparently.
And authority - I have a problem with that too.
Now we actually chose a different book for the freshman class than this one, but I was going to play off on conveniently forgetting the book at home.
No one asked for it anyway.
Good thing.
I think Jennifer summed up the story perfectly - a dysfunctional family that still loves each other deeply.
And boy were they dysfunctional.
I also read Eggs in Purgatory (15), first in the new series by Laura Childs. It was a cute little mystery, fulfilling the obligatory cozy requirements in one book - knitting, books, and a restaurant. Plus recipes!
Gee, it's almost like she planned it that way.
The writing was better than I expected, and the plot was well-developed, but why can't we have some characters who don't have perfect lives, or lots of money. How about some mystery where the protagonist is a high school dropout and lives in a trailer (down by the river).
I suppose I'll just have to write that one myself, and I think I'll name her Dawn.
The good thing about having so many books going at once is that I'm finally able to finish some, and one that I just finished is Haunted (16).
I had seen the movie, which stars Aidan Quinn and a young Kate Beckinsale, so I knew how the book would end, but I wanted to read it anyway.
It's a well-written ghost story, that didn't cause me any alarm, but then I had seen the movie.
I couldn't find this book in our library, so here's another reason to love Inter-library loan since this time the book came to me from the Cherry Hill Public Library.
Man I just love that.
Now, did anyone watch the Oscars last night?
Of these three women, who do you think had the best gown?
Jennifer Aniston






Angelina Jolie






Sarah Jessica Parker

Thongs

I had such great plans for this weekend.
And I got nothing done.
Don't you hate that?
I did watch The Secret Life of Bees with DN2 and we made these book thongs:




They're not much, but they were fun to make.

Psych

Wow, I would be posting a long entry with plenty of pictures of our trip to Canada, but we're upstairs in the bedroom watching a bunch of episodes of Psych.
I do love that show, so no time to chat right now.
Must go laugh heartily with my fam.
If you haven't seen the show yet, what are you waiting for?

Sportsmanship

Do you want to read a motivating story?
Here's one for you - the story of a high school basketball team that proves there is so much more to the game than who wins.
Read the article here.
Tell me if it doesn't make you feel good.
And tell me if you're not crying at the end, because I was.

Thursday Quiz - Seeing is Believing

Almost six years ago we started watching a new series on Showtime that blew us away.
It was Dead Like Me (DLM).
We watched it faithfully on Sunday nights at 10:00 -- I remember the time because I was taking classes and my assignments were always due by midnight on Sunday evenings.
I would try and get the papers done before 10:00 pm so I could enjoy the show unfettered by a deadline, but invariably I would end up working until 9:59, watch the show, and then frantically finish my work in that last hour between 11:00 pm and midnight.
Boy I don't miss that, but I do miss DLM.
We own both seasons on DVD and will watch the show from time to time, but the series was abruptly cancelled after only two seasons and we longed for more.
Then we heard there was a movie in the works.
It came out on DVD yesterday, and I watched it this evening.
Did it satisfy my need to watch DLM?
To a certain extent - it had many of the same characters, and it offered them a resolution -- but I'm still not sure.
I think I will have to watch it one more time.
(But the "new" Daisy? Ick. This actress was Totally NOT Daisy.)
DLM, for those who have never seen the show, offers an idea of what happens to you and your soul once you die.
In some ways it was reassuring, because we just don't know.
This series provided you with possibilities that can not be ruled out, variations on death that seem like wonderfully benign alternatives to the scary unknown.
All the time, you are aware that this show is just the product of someone's fine imagination.
There's comfort in there, absolutely.
So, with that in mind, I thought I would do a religious quiz today to see what it says about me.
Well, and because we just celebrated the bicentennial of Charles Darwin's birth (hey, I think we can believe in God and evolution - for example, the nail on my pinky toe keeps shrinking day by day, soon it will be all gone), here's a little quiz:

You Are a Believer

You definitely believe in God - and you're very unwavering in your religious beliefs. In fact, religion and spirituality are definitely big parts of your life. Religion shapes how you view right and wrong, as well as the decisions you make. It's hard for you to imagine how your life would be without your beliefs.

Are You an Atheist, Agnostic or a Believer?

Of course it's like George Lass says, "We all have to go sometime."
Until tomorrow, then.

Bedtime for Bonzo

This blog has been called on account of sickness -- I have a cold.
Will resume normal blogging tomorrow.

If it's Tuesday, it must be...

...no, not Belgium.
We're still in Canada, but we'll be back.
In the meantime, listen to one of my favorite Canadian bands.
Tell me if this doesn't take you back 30 years.
Oh yeah.

You've gotta love those Canadian performers.

Reading Roundup - Week Seven

Can you believe we're this far into the year already?
It's been a doozy so far, that's for sure.
To be honest, I don't miss taking a class this semester.
I just have to make sure I head back next semester - I only have four classes (and my thesis) to complete before I finish my masters, so I don't want to give up just yet.
Sadly I can't quite focus my reading just yet.
I'm still trying to get my pleasure reading done in one big gulp.
Only one book finished this past week, Tom Holt's You Don't Have to be Evil to Work Here, But it Helps (13).
Quite a good read - I liked it, and remember just last week, or the week before I was totally off Tom Holt.
Well, not totally off, but on a break.
I started The Glass Castle this week, and I'm checking it out for the Freshman Reading Selection Committee.
Has anyone else read this book?
Any thoughts?
Alright, off to get ready for our trip.
Bon voyage!

In the News

My town made CNN today.
As DH noted, never for a good thing.
Here's the article talking about the double homicide that happened yesterday morning at our hospital.
My brother says he's not coming back home anymore - he's going to stick it out in Colorado with the coyotes.
Seriously, we hardly ever have major crime committed here.
It's been a weird week, though, what with the plane crash and this murder sandwiching Friday the 13th.
Are we going to have to go through this again next month?

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!
Hope your day was great.

Thoughts on a Tragedy

By now you've all heard about the horrible plane crash just outside of Buffalo.
What an awful tragedy.
Talk of it has filled our day at work.
My thoughts are definitely with all of the families.
What brings it closer to home is that DN1 knows the girl who lived in the house that was destroyed, as this girl is a student at her school (our school, really, I work here too).
Of course the local press was out here on campus trying to get statements from students.
They certainly can be vultures.
In retrospect, it must have been nasty outside last night.
I woke up this morning to snow and ice, but geographically the Buffalo area always gets hit worse by the weather, so they must have had it really bad last night.
It's just so sad.

My inner child needs to go to Disneyland

Check this out.
I thought, let me find a quiz for Thursday that talks about something Disney related.
After all, don't we use Disney as a standard for family fun, how classic novels should be (re)interpreted, and how a small town should be?
Isn't Disneyland marketed as being the happiest place on earth?
Trust me, I've watched tons of Disney movies (one last night and one this morning), so I know Disney.
And, as I've mentioned before, I've been to ALL of the Disneyland parks - yes, every one.
Now you can imagine my surprise when I took this quiz to find out about my inner child -- a quiz I chose primarily because it has a Disney question on it.

Your Inner Child Is Sad

You're a very sensitive soul. You haven't grown that thick skin that most adults have. Easily hurt, you tend to retreat to your comfort zone. You don't let many people in - unless you've trusted them for a long time.

How Is Your Inner Child?

Wow - perhaps you should feel sorry for me.
I'm feeling pretty sorry for myself right now.
And my outer adult is sad now too.
If I had the money I'd be on my way to Disneyland (or Disney World, or Tokyo Disneyland, or Disneyland Paris) right now just so I could cheer up my inner child.
Dang.

Guidebooks

My friend Angelo, who lives in Georgia, and whom I've known for over 20 years (which is a long time in Marine Corps years), sent me some pictures today.
First a little background.
When in boot camp, you are issued "knowledge" which is a nice way of saying books you have to study.
If you're standing around doing nothing, you had better be studying your knowledge (and don't lean against that bulkhead while you're reading).
And all the material is testable.
(Go ahead, ask me the hand/arm signal for gas attack, or what the NBC markers are, or how long you have to safely don and clear your gas mask - once that stuff is in your head, it stays in there.)
One of the "knowledge" books I received was the Marine Corps Guidebook:

The other book was the Essential Subjects book (which -- shock the hell out of me -- is available for sale on Amazon!).
By the time you get out of boot camp, those things are pretty ratty since they were carried in your cargo pocket (the pocket on the side of your trousers), and rolled up in order to fit.
When I got to Quantico in the mid-80s they published a new Guidebook with updated information.
Frankly I'm still waiting to be issued a new copy, but apparently it's only issued once.
I have to admit I'm still a little shocked about that, but what can you do.
Anyway, Angelo, who was then Corporal C (and is now Gunny C USMC (Ret.)) was used as a model for some pictures in the new Guidebook.
Literally, I've forgotten about this, but I'm glad Angelo reminded me.
He's the one being transported.




And here he is injured on the ground.



Look how young you look, Angelo.
We're twice that age now, can you believe it?

Burt on Roku

I got my Valentine's Day present early from DH.
He got me exactly what I wanted.
And I love it.
The Roku Digital Video Player from Netflix.



Talk about an easy setup - the only help I needed was in connecting the HDMI cables.
So my choice for the first movie?
Well a Burt Reynolds film, of course.
Semi-Tough.
Gosh, wouldn't you take the 1970s version of Burt Reynolds for your first time?
For movie watching I mean.

Reading Roundup - Week Six

I'll let you in on a little personal secret.
It's something I must reveal, because when I tell you that I've only finished one book this week, The Magician's Nephew (12), and it is a children's book that is 180 pages long, you'll wonder what my problem is.
Seriously, I wonder the same thing.
I'm not in classes, I am obviously not accomplishing much knitting, so what's the deal?
Well I'll tell you why I always have more than one book going at a time, and why I can't finish any in a timely manner, and perhaps we'll solve this mystery together.
It's because when I put my books down, I just can't find them when I'm looking for them, so I pick up a different book, carry it around, read it, lay it down, and then lose it too.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
It's likely that I would have finished The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but damned if I know where the book is.
So I picked up Tom Holt's You Don't Have to be Evil to Work Here, But It Helps.
Pretty interesting book, picks up the story of J.W. Wells Co. from where it left off when Paul Carpenter took off from the firm.
Anyway, now that I'm all well and good into this new book, I'm sure I'll put it down, and won't be able to find it.
Fortunately I'm reading about four or five books right now, and with another eighteen on my to be read list, so I've got all bases covered.
And have you seen it?
This is what I'm talking about.
I'd love to have one.
Maybe someday...

Passing it along

I have a song in my head and it won't go away.
It's been hanging around for almost 24 hours.
Seriously, I heard it last night on Prairie Home Companion.
Now if I follow the rules established by Homer Price I can rid myself of it.
Not familiar with Homer's rules?
You might have to read about them in this particular book, but that's the only hint I'm giving you.
Here's the song:



If you can't stop humming or singing this song, and I can, then I know I've been successful.
Sorry to do this to you, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
(BTW, in the version I grew up singing, Dan was indeed late for his supper, and as supper was over, dinner was cooking, and old Dan Tucker just stands there looking.)

Not too sick to knit

I stayed home from work yesterday.
Well everything was fine until just before I left for work.
Then I couldn't decide if I was going to throw up, or if "it" would work it's way out from another end.
I had to stop by work, but I could barely walk for fear of losing "it".
After coming home, I ended up sleeping for about 2 1/2 hours, and felt better.
I still fell asleep before 9:00, but fortunately "it" is gone.
Thank goodness.
I did begin working on SN1's scarf, but didn't make too much progress.
Enough, but no picture yet.
Trust me, you'll be glad to see the final product. All that in-between stuff would take forever because I'm a slow knitter.
I did feel better to go to the movies this afternoon.
What an excellent movie it was too.
We saw Coraline.

It was fantastic, even SN2 kept saying how much he really liked it.
Truth be told, we all know that any movie that has Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders in it is going to be great (even if it is only those two who are any good).
In this case the whole movie is good, albeit a tad scary.
I tried to knit, but dropped a stitch on a scarf I'm making for charity (trying to fulfill a personal goal this year), so I just gave up and enjoyed the movie.
For the record, no dry spots.
Entertaining from start to finish, and I stayed for almost all the credits.
Go see it.
Let me know what you think.

Thaumaturgy

See that word?
The one up above.
Yeah, that one.
Isn't that an awesome word?
Have you ever seen it before?
I never have - it's totally new to me.
It came into my email inbox via an ad for a local private school.
Guess you can tell who had the public school education since there was no thaumaturgy involved in a certain person's high school education (that would be me).
Want to know what means?

The act of performing miracles; specifically magic.

I keep wanting to spell it differently, like with "therm-" instead of "thaum-".
I'll have to get over that if I want to add this word to my vocabulary.
Anyway, it's Friday, and hopefully I'm off to see a free French movie tonight on campus.
If I go, I'll blog about it tomorrow.
No frogging or finishing for me this week.
I'm still trying to work out things from before.
It's hard when all the knitting you do is on the weekends.
I wish I had time during the week to knit, but it's so darn cold all I want to do is get into bed and sleep.
Well I am anemic, remember?
For now I'll leave you with a fun Meme that I stole from Wendy.
No hard words in here.

Your Name - Julie
Four letter word - jive
Boy name - Javier
Girl name - Jamie
Occupation - janitor
Color - jade green
Beverage - juice
Something found in a bathroom - Jacuzzi
A Place - Joliet, IL
Reason for being late - jacked car (or carjacking - whichever you prefer)
Food - Jujubees (this is a candy, that is considered food, right?)
Something you shout - Jackass!

"J" is a cool letter, but not a very relevant one in our lexicon.

P.S. I wish that I had known the word thaumaturgy earlier in the week, so that when I went out to dinner with Sheri and Jean we could have talked about it. What fun that could have been!

Thursday Quiz - What type of soap do you use?

Here it is, Thursday again.
Only two more work days to slog through and then we'll be at the weekend.
I can't wait, for more reasons than one.
Why? you ask.
I'll tell you.
This is what I got in the mail yesterday from Netflix:



Yes, it is what you think it is.
Well, not all of it, but I did get Season One, Disc One of Knots Landing.
I should be getting Disc Two tomorrow (there are five discs altogether).
Did you ever watch this show?
I did, and I think I really started watching it when we lived in Okinawa, where back then we had one American tv station and you watched what came on.
When you're held captive like that, you watch a lot of shows that you probably wouldn't normally watch, just to be watching tv.
Sad, but true.
And I think that's how I got involved in Knots Landing, the later years.
I bought some new yarn at AC Moore the other day, some for charity, and some to make SN1 a hat and scarf (Bernat Satin - acrylic and easy to wash).
The scarf is cabled, but it is a very simple cable, and it was a free pattern on the label (and on their website - requires free account to access patterns).
With an easy pattern to follow, I know I can focus my attention on what is going on in the cul-de-sac with Gary and Val.
Did you realize this show lasted for 14 seasons?
Remarkable.
In honor of Knots Landing, the quiz for today is a Soap Opera Name Generator.
I'm pleased with mine:

Your Soap Opera Name Generator is:
Pipa Howard

For the record, my maiden name was Pipa Worthington.
With a name like that, I really think I would have hyphenated.
Say it with me - Pipa Worthington-Howard.
Nice.
Daddy has money, I bet, but I must be in hiding or something, what do you think?
If you want to find out your soap opera name, go to Quizopolis.com
Now, I wonder which house Pipa would be living in.
Hmm......
Must watch and wonder.