Taxing Days

Another day, and I still didn't finish my taxes. But I did do the returns for my youngest sons exwife and his current fiancee. Interesting... So why didn't I finish mine? Allright, I'll admit it, I was busy being a grandma... again. Baby J is six weeks old now. How time flies. He smiles and coos, right on target. Oh yeah, he's right on target when I change his diapers too. Keep forgetting about those little boys and their quick aim.

1. Smell :: swell
   
2. Caramel :: corn
   
3. Parallel :: parking
   
4. Miami :: beach
   
5. Sleep :: yawn
   
6. Double :: trouble
   
7. Kiss :: chocolate
   
8. History :: buff
   
9. Vodka:: tonic
   
10. Click:: here
    

And so...
another weekend is over, but I have Mondays off too - no more excuses... tomorrow I will finish my taxes, really

It was a beautiful sun shiny day. I've got to get over that phrase. Got to work on my descriptions of the weather. So why bother? Because I was once told that if you had nothing to talk about, or many things on your mind that you should not talk about, then you should talk about the weather. Then I read somewhere that it is more creative if you avoid the use of normal weather words like sun, rain, snow and clouds. How about: the golden globe in the sky warmed our shoulders as we strolled through the city today in the comfort of sleeveless shirts. Naw, I kind of like it was a beautiful sun shiny day better... because it was.

I Feel Better Already

Just checked two blogs and feel better already. Semi Compos Mentis has a great post today and an interesting use for condoms. Hestia has a great kitten picture in todays post.

Here's one of my favorite pictures of little milkface, aka Kiwi. She was an orphan that we bottle fed.

Depression

The feeling of depression doesn't want to lift this week. There's just too much going on for one week. With death, illness and dysfunction in the family sometimes things just get way too overwhelming. But it's not as though I haven't learned to live through it. Last night I treated myself to a candlelit bath, went to bed early... didn't even check into my favorite weblogs. So here I am today, still doing what I can to maintain an reasonable outside demeanor. Haven't bit anyone's nose off...yet.

Maybe what I need is a little...Friday Five

1. What was your most memorable moment from the last week?
While I want to state something joyful and positive, the most memorable moments in any given amount of time aren't necessarily of that quality. Top of my memories for this week would have to be the passing of my husbands brother in law. It's all about life on life's terms. Sometimes we must endure the sadness, then life goes on.

2. What one person touched your life this week?
Again, has to be the brother in law. He went out with dignity.

3. How have you helped someone this week?
I like to think that holding my sister's in law hand during our brief visit on that last day was of some comfort and help to her.

4. What one thing do you need to get done by this time next week?
My taxes. I owe money and I can't stand it. I need to pay up and just get it over with so I can move on.

5. What one thing will you do over the next seven days to make your world a better place?
I'll try to reach out to others, especially those in their time of need. The best way out of one's own depression is ofter being there, doing something, for someone else. So off the pity pot and into action I will go.

Venerable Wine Paraphernalia

One more thing about Reno - if you go there, you might want to drop in and see my brother's friend Larry at Venerable Wine Paraphernalia . He's part of that screwy bunch of corkscrew collectors.

What's This IV is

The casino where I won big money last week - Club Cal Neva



I also won a little at Harrahs and lost some at Fitzgeralds and the Sienna.

We did not spend all our time in Reno gambling. In fact the highlight of our trip was dinner at Rattler Ridge in Verdi. Wednesday is garlic night so we consumed lots of garlic - salad, pasta, chicken, and tiramasu. It was well worth the trip to Verdi. My only regret was that there were too many of us to eat in the small cozy pig pen. Maybe next time. Put this place on your must visit list next time you are in the area.

Work Work Work

Put in 15 hours work today, took care of Uncle M's errands, fed the cats, scoopped lthe poop. As I was finally catching up on the Sunday paper over my frozen dinner (yes I know it's Tuesday), I found an article about ME TIME. Took the test and found out my Me Time would best be spent being pampered (no not as in diapers). Check it out - see what you should be doing for yourself on the last day of Me Time which is March 28th.

Monday

"What's This IV" is not train windows but it does have to do with my snow train adventure (see 3/21/03).

Here it is only Monday and it's been a long week already. First of all I now only work Tuesday thru Friday. But this week is an exception. I am working Monday thru Thursday cause I was going to go on the Fun Train to Reno this coming weekend. Plans have changed. My brother in law died. His service is Saturday.

Today was hectic because...
I don't like working on Mondays anymore
I had a doctors appointment so had to take an early lunch hour
Uncle M had to go to ER and have 1 1/2 qts liquid removed from his lungs
We took kids and grandson out to dinner
I forgot to mail bookkeeping stuff to client
I didn't get to come home for lunch

Okay, enough of that - on a more positive note...
All the patients at my doctors office, including me, got daffodils today from the American Cancer Society
My WBC is still low but maintaining
Uncle M didn't have to stay in the hospital and will be okay
Baby J smiled and cooed all through dinner at Lori's Diner
The sun was bright and warm today
Rusty & Minnie are happy Baby J has gone home

New & Old

It's been quite a weekend here. Took care of Baby J from Friday evening until today mid-afternoon. He certainly is a handful at 5 weeks old. I thought they were supposed to sleep all the time at that age... WRONG. Oh he is so spoiled.

My sister's in law husband, my husband's brother in law, died last night around 8pm. Two weeks ago he held Baby J and fed him. He looked into his eyes and said "in with the new, out with the old." So sad. He knew he would die soon. He was a kind and generous man. Bless you Paul. My condolences to the family.

Mutterings

1. 501 :: Jeans
   
2. Xs and Os :: Hugs & Kisses
   
3. Remote :: Control
   
4. Declaration :: I do
   
5. Whale :: Husband
   
6. Glitter :: Train
   
7. Floss :: a lot
   
8. Checkers :: Boards
   
9. Vegas:: Slot machines
   
10. Hill:: billy
    

What's This IV?

Oops, almost let a week go by without a what's this so here it is...

Distractions

I was going to do my taxes this weekend. I was going to finish the bookkeeping for the veterinary clinic. I was going to go out and buy a replacement fax machine. I was going to clean my apartment. I was going to go buy healthy food so I'd stop eating chocolate. I was. I was. I was. But instead I get to babysit Baby J who is now 5 weeks old and he is so sweet I can't take my eyes off him.

Hatpins

Swiped this from somewhere:

NEVER GO WALKING OUT WITHOUT YOUR HAT PIN
A BAWDY COCKNEY SONG

My Granny was a very shrewd old lady,
The smartest woman that I ever met.
She used to say, "Now listen to me, Sadie,
There's one thing that you never must forget."

"Never go walking out without your hat pin.
The law won't let you carry more than that.
For if you go walking out without your hat pin,
You may lose your head as well as lose your hat.

"My Granny said men never could be trusted.
No matter how refined they might appear.
She said that many maidens' hearts got busted
Because men never had but one idea.

I've heard that Grandpa really was a mess,
So Grandma knew whereof she spoke, I guess.

Never go walking out without your hat pin.
Not even to some very classy joints.
For when a fellow sees you've got a hat pin
He's very much more apt to get the point.

My Mama, too, set quite a bad example.
She never heeded Grandmama's advice.
She found that if you give a man a sample,
The sample somehow never does suffice.

In fact, it's rumored I might not have been
If Mum had not gone out without her pin.

Never go walking out without your hat pin.
It's about the best protection you have got.
For if you go walking out without your hat pin,
You may come home without your you-know-what!

Snow Train Adventure

There was snow and lots of it, making my annual trek over the mountains aboard the Snow Train an awesome adventure. I enjoyed the lounge car and dome car environments, sitting back, knitting socks (for me), watching my husband work the train. It was a lovely trip.

But the best part of all is that I came back with money in my wallet, a not so common result after spending 41 hours in that Biggest Little City of Reno. The appearance of 4 Aces on the fully loaded, $1.50 per pull, nickel slot machines, not once but twice, certainly spurred a couple brief moments of exhilaration. Fortunately I stopped while I was ahead.

With newfound winnings in my purse however I did accompany my friend Sally around the antique shops. While Sally was picking through milk glass doodads, Dam trolls, ice tea spoons and sugar & creamer sets, I did my usual browsing for red hats. Found one in great condition so of course I purchased it. Only trouble is, now my hat tree has one too many hats. So I decided I needed something new to collect. Something that I thought I wouldn't find everywhere I went. It finally occurred to me that since I own so many red hats, I should have a few hat pins. I now have a few hatpins. I now have also spent a few hours on the internet searching out the authentic vintage hatpins. I now realize that I am now probably the not so proud owner of a couple of replicas. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

Yes, I also looked for that one in a million corkscrews that my brother might not yet have. I started to reach for my cell phone when I thought I had found a goldmine when the friendly antique shop owner asked me what my interest was in old corkscrews. When I told him my brother collects them, writes books about them, and has a virtual museum the guy said, "oh I know that guy, he already has all these." Sorry Big Brother. I give up.

From Babies to Snow

Baby J has been returned to his mommy and daddy. Rusty and Minnie sniff around at the lingering baby scents while they follow me from room to room. Grandma is exhausted and enjoying the purring vibrations - strong enough to remind me of those vibrating beds they used to have in cheap motels.

I've raided the laundry quarters, packed my bags and am heading to Reno on the Snow Train tomorrow. Poor kitties, first the baby and now desertion. Well, not quite desertion, Uncle C will feed the cats and scoop the poop while I feed the slots and scoop the coins.

Time Out

Will probably be away from the computer for a few days. Gone babysitting.

Red Hat Tea & Baby Blues

Started out my day having tea at Lisa's with my Red Hat Society Chapter.

Thought I was going to babysit this afternoon but I was mistaken. Now I got the baby blues. So what do you all think I did about that? Well, if you know me, you know the answer. There's only one thing that works...

I went shopping. Not much damage this time. Mostly just bought boring household necessities at Target and then helped my husband buy stuff at Costco for the weekly Snow Train run. Only indulgence was the CD for movie Chicago. I love that music. Might have to see the movie again. One of my Red Hat friends saw it four times and is planning a 5th viewing.

Guess my mind was a bit frazzled too. Got my car washed. Half way through the process I remembered the clouds in the sky - yes we are in for a storm. Dumb me.

Anniversaries

My one sided conversation this morning.
"Good morning" (as husband sits down at table opposite me)
"Nice day huh?" (looking out window at threatening rain skies)
"Coffee?" (I think I heard a grunt indicating a possible yes response)
"Know what day it is?" (handing him a cup of coffee with milk)
"It's Friday." (no response)
"March 14th." (no response)
"Ahem." (I point to calendar on wall - he looks up at it)
"you know, March 14th? Does that mean anything? Like it's our anniversary?"

Finally I get a response. Something to the effect of "oh sh*t, I thought it was next week."

It's only been 33 years. Which reminds me of last year's celebration. We went to a local restaurant. About the time for dessert the waitress comes back to the table, "Room for dessert?" she asks.
"Well I guess since it's our anniversary, we should celebrate with a little dessert," I say.
"Cool, how many years?" she asks.
"32 years."
"Wow that's really something these days. How do you do it?" she asks.
"Easy - we don't live together."
The look on the waitress's face was priceless.

And so here we are, another year. We live together now. We made it through a lot of rough spots. What more can I say? I should mention that my husband truly is a caring guy who puts up with a lot. It probably wasn't fair for me to expect him to remember the date before he had his morning coffee. But by dinner time tonight I expect...

What's This III was too easy

I knew it woud be too easy. Guess I don't need to post the rest of the picture. Leah guessed it - knitting needles.

I did get my dsl back today. Now I'll just see what happens if I shut down my computer tonight. Do I dare?

What's This III

This one may be too easy.


It's been another one of those AOHell days. No dsl. Another conversation with yet another techie - I think this is the 4th one. Same routine. Unplug the modem. Turn off the computer. Plug in the modem. Uninstall the software. Reinstall the software. Do this. Do that. All the same exercises with each tech and then the final determination that my phone company is at fault. I know what comes next. Tomorrow or the next day or the next day the phone company will call and say it's an AOL problem. I am sick and tired of this. I should get a real service. But everyone has my AOL addresses - yes I have more than one - one for each of my multiple personalities. I don't wanna change it all. I want what I want and I want it right now! Okay, gotta go - can't keep tieing up my phone line.

Daily Baggage

Willa has some interesting lists here of things people carry.

As I read through some of these lists, I see why chiropractors, massage therapists and personal trainers are so much in demand. We all need the strength to carry these daily necessities. Then we need body massages and adjustments to repair the damage from carrying all that stuff that is not necessary but is toted for that once in a blue moon occasion that invariably happens when you forget that one special item.

For me it's not always about what I carry but what I will carry it in. I have bought more wallets, purses, tote bags, backpacks than Imelda has bought shoes. I've yet to find the perfect solution.

Two days ago I bought a new purse. It was a major process. I checked out every bag in Macy's. There are more than two dozen eight foot tall displays with stacks of purses plus hundreds of bags hanging on the wall. My head spun with indecision. Last time I tried this I was alone and got so confused I had to leave without any goods. My best shopping buddy was more than happy to help me out on Sunday. P narrowed the selection down to a half a dozen purses, handed them to me one at a time and made me parade around the aisle so she could check to see that they fit right. I never knew a purse had to fit. She selected the two that she deemed to be my style. Of course I took her advice. After all, I want to look good in my purse. I noted that P always seems to have a different purse for each occasion. They are all different styles. Well, P is the kind of person that looks good in anything.

But I have already discovered the shortfalls of my new shoulder bag. It’s sort of messenger bag style with perfectly sized outside pockets for cell phone and Palm Pilot, one big compartment for my large organizer wallet, digital camera, sunglasses, and reading glasses, plus two smaller compartments for miscellaneous stuff like pens, colorless lipstick, and drugs (legal, over the counter drugs - aspirin, rolaids and throat lozenges). Of course there is a metal clip to secure my fist full of keys so they don’t disappear into the bottomless pit. But it’s leather which makes the purse tip the scales even when it's empty. Once loaded up with the permanent purse residents, it feels like the 40 pound backpack I carried up Mount Whitney.

My old purse was a lightweight nylon-good-for-your-back style purse with lots of pockets to evenly distribute the weight of all the contents. I carried it for three years, maybe four. It didn't cure my back problems but yes it was a heck of a lot lighter than this current leather monstrosity. So why did I give it up? Cause it was old, worn out beyond repair, and stained. So why didn't I just go out and get another one? Because I was bored with it and my friend P said it looked like a hobo sack.

Before the special back care purse, I carried a backpack. A purple and gray backpack with an "I Climbed Mt. Whitney" patch on the back of it. It went everywhere with me. It had all the above essentials plus a bottle of water, hat, power bars, sunblock, bug spray, pocket knife, flashlight and a first aid kit. Most of the time I wore hiking shoes too. It was that phase of my life where nothing was more important than to get out there in the hills and I always wanted to be prepared. It gave new meaning to the words "when nature calls." When I turned 50 I decided I should grow up and carry a real purse.

Mom would never go out unless her purse matched her shoes. I don’t remember her having a lot of shoes, maybe half a dozen pair at the most. Keds for housework and gardening - no purse necessary, sandals for the beach - tote bag, pumps for church - handbag (or a clutch purse - never a shoulder bag) to match each pair. I don't have time or energy to change purses every time I change my shoes. I don’t care what matches. I get one all purpose neutral colored purse, usually tan, and carry it daily - except when I go purseless because...

I prefer to carry no purse. It's like you have to be on guard all the time for purse snatchers. They make big indentations in my shoulders. My organizer wallet is actually a nylon traveling bag, kind of like one of those wallets on a string, but it can be worn around your waste. It's made by Baggallini and I got it at the Container Store. It does hold the most important stuff - folding money, coins, ID, ATM card, insurance cards, pictures of grandson, pen, small comb, index cards, and cell phone. There's only one problem with going purseless - I must wear my sunglasses on top of my head, my reading glasses on a chain around my neck, put my keys, drugs and kleenex in my pockets, and attach an ugly digital camera case to my belt. Maybe I should start looking into toolbelts - I bet I could start a new fad.

Strollers

I got to be Grandma today. Seven hours, just Grandma, Grandpa and Baby J. No, I am not going to make this a blog about being Grandma and babysitting. I know that gets boring somehow. But this one is pretty good:

We pick up the baby, place the new stroller in the trunk and head into town to show him off. Parked in front of my shopping friends office and pulled the stroller out. Baby is crying in the back seat. I'm fiddling with the new stroller. No way it's going to open. So, Grandpa carries the baby and I carry the stroller into see P figuring she would know all about strollers since she is a Grandma. Wrong. After two broken fingernails, she called her boss out of his office. He's a Grandpa, surely he would know. I think I heard a few unmentionable words under his breath. He threatened to call Eddie Bauer and rant. Instead he opened the office door and hollered into the busy street, "anyone out there know how to open a baby stroller?" A youngish lady came back in with him. She fooled with a couple of latches and gave up. The boss went back out into the street and nabbed the parking meter lady. By this time people were looking around to see if they were on candid camera. We assured them they weren't. Someone suggested we might have directions some place. Sure enough, there was a booklet in the diaper bag. It seems there is one tiny button on the side rail that you merely lift a latch off of and poof, you have a stroller.

Baby J enjoyed his outing, drank lots of formula, threw it up, and left Grandma with a big old drippy package in his diapers. He slept all of five minutes, twice. Returned him to his parents at 5pm, took them out to dinner, he slept the entire time.

Grandma is now ready for bed, except she must respond to...

== BlogFodder ==

Sticking to a budget -
There's absolutely no excuse for yesterdays Retail Therapy. Now I feel like I've been busted. Even BlogFodder found out about me. Too late - I already removed the tags and can't return the goods.

Retail Therapy Again

Retail Therapy Day

It's been a long week. I've been working hard. I deserve to treat myself. I want. I want. I want. So off I go to the shopping plaza. But wait. It's not my fault. My friend, P, called me and said "let's have lunch." Okay, I know that really means, "let's go shopping." But that's okay. We both understand.

So we met at 1:00 in front of Andronico's. We spent a mere twenty minutes gathering sustenance in the form of portabella mushroom burgers, fortification for the task of shopping. It is a task you know. All that browsing, snatching stuff off the sales rack, trying on, putting back, making decisions, rummaging through purses for the nearly demagnetized atm cards (no credit cards for me anymore - I learned the hard way about those), remembering PINS, juggling bulky shopping bags, rushing from store to store.

Had a brief stop for a caffeine and sugar booster. Just a short stop. Had to catch a couple more stores before closing. Last stop Mephisto Shoe Store so my friend could buy shoes for more comfortable shopping next trip. Mephisto clerk eyed our bags, "You ladies sure have had an agenda huh?"

P looked at me as we came out of the shoe store, "geeze I didn't think those sandals would cost over $200."

"Ha," I said as we departed, "Seems like you spent a we bit more than I. It was a good lunch though wasn't it?" I didn't hear her muttered response. It will be awhile before P calls again for lunch. At least a couple of weeks.

So let's see, what did I buy today? Well P insisted that the purse I have been carrying around for three years resembled at hobo's discard so of course I had to replace that. And I did have Macy's 20% off coupon with me that would expire today if I didn't use it. Then P had to return something at Eddie Bauer so I browsed around. I found a jacket that I just had to have and of course P found two tshirts that were must haves to go with it. And then there was that blouse on sale. Enough said. Enough retail therapy.

Time to go back to my old mantra, "Buy fun, not stuff"

Saturday Stuff

Still no DSL service so here I am tying up my phone line. AOL has promised they will send me a new modem. I am waiting...patiently..........

Today I got to be Grandma. I got to take him out shopping for a Eddie Bauer stroller so now I can take him for walks. Of course I was supervised by his Mommy. I guess she still doesn't trust me with him. Well, I guess I didn't trust anyone with my kids either when they were only 22 days old. In fact, I don't think I even went out with them before they were a month old. Times have certainly changed. And so has the price of diapers - I found that out today too.

What's This from Thursday

Hestia was the first to guess. Yes, it is part of one of my red hats. Well, heck, I'm going to be brave. I'm going to post the entire picture. Just remember, I only mix red and purple for Red Hat Society Events. This picture is me in my casual red hat attire.

1. Guilt :: trip
   
2. Pearl :: Harbor
   
3. First :: Choice
   
4. Work :: four letter word
   
5. Record :: Label
   
6. Drunk :: not for a long time
   
7. Sexy :: ha
   
8. DMV :: tickets
   
9. Stapler:: paper
   
10. Toy:: store
    

== BlogFodder ==

We rolled in like we owned the joint.

Wow, when I first read this one, two words stood out ROLLED and JOINT. Guess that tells a lot about where my mind went (and it's been a long long time since I've been there). Truth is, it's all about attitude, acting as if we OWNED the joint. I can't think of when the last time, if ever, I walked into a place as if I owned it. I'm not that egotistical.

Procrastination

Some habits are difficult to give up. For at least 40 years I have used the morning newspaper as my breakfast placemat, lifting the cereal bowl, flipping pages, reading, eating, drinking coffee, all centered around the news of the day. There's just something about the satisfaction of feeling the paper, getting the daily dose of printers ink. Every cat I have ever owned has rallied in this morning ritual, challenging newspaper landscape rights.

Minnie usually stakes out her territory about the time I get to the comics section. But not this morning. Today Minnie plunked her 16 pounds of cat fluff smack in the middle of this article, Slackers finally get own special week, which appeared in the CC Times. No problem, I just waited until my second cup of coffee and brought up the article on the computer screen. It's not because I am a slacker, it's just that all of a sudden I am finding myself doing this procrastination thing and I needed to know.

But this is National Procrastination week, allowing all the punctually challenged people a chance to celebrate their procastination whether it is caused by fear of failure or task avoidance. It's also a time for reflection about the behavior. The article has lots of tips gleaned from Diana Delonzors book, "Never Be Late Again."

So what am I procrastinating about now?
Doing my taxes
Making an appointment with my dentist
Making an appointment for that annual boob smashing test
Having my car serviced
Writing last year's Christmas cards
Exercising
Weighing in at Weight Watchers
Writing my novel
Updating this to do list
etc, etc, etc

What am I going to do about it?
Maybe I'll join the 14,000 other members of the Procrastinator's Club of America, if they ever respond to my application request.

What's This??

Okay, if you have been reading my blog for a while, this one should be easy.


For those who choose to send me e-mail, please please please don't send attachments. I don't open them. Someone sent me a virus yesterday. It was in an attached file called names.zip. So be on the lookout - don't open that file if you get it.

The Shrinking Fabric Conspiracy

== BlogFodder ==

A common misconception

If you buy size 8 clothes and they fit when you buy them and you don't gain or lose any weight, they should still fit. But it's not true. I worked my way down to a perfect size eight (okay I'm bragging a little) thanks to Weight Watchers. I bought a bunch of size 8 pants. They fit great when I bought them. But after a few launderings the pants got tighter. So I went shopping. Guess what? I still wear a comfortable size 8. My new theory is, the clothes gradually shrink with each trip through the washing machine. It's guaranteed consumerism built right into the fabric.

This morning I read that women's clothes are more expensive than men's clothes because the styles change so often which increases production costs. So for all you nonstylish men out there, here's what needs to be done to increase your consumerism. They need to make your clothes out of that shrinkable fabric too. You will then be forced to buy new pants every year and maybe the fashion conspirators will allow you a little style.

I just flashed on something else. The one pair of pants that I own that must be dry cleaned have not shrunk. Maybe the shrinkable fabric is really a conspiracy in support of our local dry cleaners. Since most men drop their pants at the dry cleaners, I say it's time to force them to drop their pants in the washing machine instead. Make mens pants out of the same bolts of washable fabric as the womens.

Men and women should share the consumerism burden with equal pricing rights. How about we pay per the ounce instead of per the sex? Our pants use less fabric, that should equal it all out. And, we could all be stylish.

Because I've Had Such a Rotten Day...

It was one of those days where everyone else seemed to have these big sunshiny grins, big I-sure-am-enjoying-this-day grins. They were everywhere. At work, on the sunny sidewalks as I walked through my lunch hour, at the post office, the grocery store and dinner. Fine for them. I tried a couple of grins but I swear people could see right through them, they must have, they steered way clear of my path. Someone told me once, "there is no such thing as a rotten day, you just think you're having a rotten day." I'll spare you the details of my day and the reaction I would have to that little quip for now. Because I need to spare the details, I am now going to focus on...

Daily Dose by John T

The 10 On Tuesday

This week's topic: Top 10 Best Things About Spring

1. The rains will be going away
2. My favorite season comes next
3. I might get a birthday present
4. The flowers bloom
5. People mow their lawns permeating the air with that wonderful cut grass scent
6. Tax day will have passed
7. Cadbury Easter Eggs are out in abundance
8. The weather will be warm
9. My PG&E bill will be lower
10. It will be warm enough to enjoy ice cream

Oh, I feel so much better now! It's all about an attitude of gratitude.

I give up - going to watch Dr. Phil

What the (%*&$#*&((

So now I have tied up my phone line all evening since my dsl still is not cooperating. Then I come in here, write up another entry, try to post it and &%(&%(*# I get that old refresh page when I try to post. Is this a bad day or what?



now it is time for LUNCH!

1. Soup or salad? Salad
2. Hot or cold sandwiches? Cold
3. White or whole wheat bread (or rye, etc)? Multi-grain
4. Pack a lunch for work/school, or buy it? walk home
5. If you eat out...fast-food chain, or mom & pop type place? ma & pa
6. Tuna or chicken salad? chicken
7. Cheese: Swiss or cheddar (or American, etc)? monterey jack
8. Mustard or mayo? mustard
9. Sandwiches: wrap/pita pocket, or regular bread/roll? wrap
10. Sweet stuff: cookie/cake or fresh fruit? jelly bellys

What's This? Etc.

Here's the full picture - it's an orange peeler, the best one I have ever used. Get one... if you are lucky enough to find one.


Why I didn't blog yesterday - because my dsl line is out and I spent all day trying to get it to work. AOL says its a SBC problem. SBC says it's an AOL problem. I don't care whose problem it is except that when it becomes my problem, I simply can't cope. Too frustrated to write. Too frustrated to do anything. Even went out to do a little retail therapy yesterday afternoon and could find absolutely nothing to therapize me. Well that's not true - the Cinnabon worked for 20 minutes. Anyway, I think I have a bad modem. I hooked it all up to my laptop. It won't work either. Both computers won't get past the "training" mode. So that's the answer. That's why I have been silent.

== BlogFodder ==

Is March in like a lion or a lamb? March arrived quiet as a lamb. My mental attitude is a roaring lion. Something needs an adjustment. Fast.

1. Towel :: swimming
   
2. Ohio:: Cedar Point
   
3. Coke :: Diet
   
4. Vacation :: Time out
   
5. Pumpkin :: orange
   
6. Embarrassing :: my red face
   
7. Plastic :: cheap
   
8. Tight :: my jeans
   
9. Camera:: digital fun
   
10. String:: quartet
    

No, the Saturday What's This is not part of a hair clip, nail puller, plastic dart or something used by a red hat person (well maybe a red hat person would use it but not necessarily at red hat society functions).

Here is another piece of it.

My brother wants clues. Maybe something in my blog today will reveal it.

It's another nice sunny day. A great day to go to the farmers market. Might try to fit that in this morning. This afternoon I am attending a tea at one of my Red Hat Society friends. Imagine she will be serving an assortment of goodies, maybe some scones. If I get to the farmers market this morning I might look for some fruit or something to take. Maybe strawberries, apples or oranges.

The new grandson is doing well. Eating a lot. Or should I say drinking a lot? No that sounds too foreboding. Let's just say he enjoys lots of bottles of formula. Seems he eats every couple of hours. I can't remember back that far to know if that is normal. Anyway my kids were breastfed. I could comment about that but I won't. Perhaps it's best for now anyway - that way I can babysit - which I happen to be thinking about right now. Maybe I can have him for a few hours if I promise to be a good grandma.

My dsl has been giving my problems. Wouldn't work for two days. Worked last night after I removed all the connections and reconnected it all again. I waited exactly two and a half minutes before I turned on the power. Then it worked. Then this morning it didn't work again. Shut it all down, disconnected everything, turned it all back on and spent some time writing this blog. Now I have a green light again so I'm going to sign on before I loose it again. Frustrating to say the least

Oulipo

Oulipo - because I said so - heck I don't know what it means or why we are all putting this word in our blogs. I was just told to do it.

Did you figure out my "What's This?" yet? See below.

What a beautiful day we had today here in Sunny California. Hiked in the Berkeley Hills with my sister. Hung out. Had pizza. Bought lots of Girlscout Cookies - can't resist walking by them without buying their wares. Sure miss the old cookies though - seems they used to have some lemon flavored ones - or am I dreaming?

I've been knitting lately. After 30 years I'm a bit rusty. But I did turn out a pretty good baby afghan and a couple of baby bibs. Turns out my sister is learning how to also. Anyway we went to this great yarn store today. I bought yarn to make socks. And needles. And a pattern. These socks better be the best socks ever. Cost me almost $30. And, I must spend hours knitting them! What's my time worth? hmmmmm. M

Maybe tomorrow I'll tell you want the object below is. Just thought someone might want to guess first.

What's This?

My brother has this little game he plays in his newsletter, the Daily Screw . I want to play that game too. So here is my picture. My friend K will know what this is because she gave me the item. Do you know what it is?

More will be revealed tomorrow... or the next day... or whenever I get around to it.