Friday, April 29, 2005
Waiting patiently for spring
Well, here it is, the second to the last day of April. So today we woke up to a nice wet heavy snowfall. As a resident of the high dry plains, I'm only allowed to complain if I finish up my tirade with the phrase, "Oh, well, we can use the moisture." So consider it said.
I've been feeling grumpy and peeved for a while now, which is partly why I haven't posted to LJ much. Not that I don't think people ought to use LJ to vent, it's just that it's not me. Heck, maybe that's where I'm going wrong, maybe I should try it!
I limped out to some garage sales this morning, and wished I had my camera, because all the tiny leaves and lilac blooms and flowers being weighted down by snow made an excellent visual metaphor for how I've been feeling lately. Something tenatively cheerful starts to come out and WHOMP! Buried in snow without warning.
It's kind of a combination of things, I guess. The more or less continual pain and slowed-down mobility from my knees doesn't help. Mike's had some good days, but also some awful days, and that has the same effect on me, kind of a grinding down, when will it end, will it get worse before it gets better feeling. And I've been happy to see we are holding to a profit of about $1000 a month on the business...except I did a general financial audit recently and figured out that what with one thing and another we really need to be making $1500 to break even. So that's annoying. It's doable, no worries, I just should have figured it out much longer ago.
Oh, well, maybe *I* need the moisture, eh? Because it is true I am the kind of person who can, sooner or later, shake off the snow and get her leaves spreading out again.
Just this morning, at the Methodist Church rummage sale, I got two cute little bikes for $5 each. Caro and I have a plan to acquire enough cheap banger bikes at yard sales so that all the kids and grownups can go biking around together. So we are two bikes closer to the goal! Take that, snow!!
I've been feeling grumpy and peeved for a while now, which is partly why I haven't posted to LJ much. Not that I don't think people ought to use LJ to vent, it's just that it's not me. Heck, maybe that's where I'm going wrong, maybe I should try it!
I limped out to some garage sales this morning, and wished I had my camera, because all the tiny leaves and lilac blooms and flowers being weighted down by snow made an excellent visual metaphor for how I've been feeling lately. Something tenatively cheerful starts to come out and WHOMP! Buried in snow without warning.
It's kind of a combination of things, I guess. The more or less continual pain and slowed-down mobility from my knees doesn't help. Mike's had some good days, but also some awful days, and that has the same effect on me, kind of a grinding down, when will it end, will it get worse before it gets better feeling. And I've been happy to see we are holding to a profit of about $1000 a month on the business...except I did a general financial audit recently and figured out that what with one thing and another we really need to be making $1500 to break even. So that's annoying. It's doable, no worries, I just should have figured it out much longer ago.
Oh, well, maybe *I* need the moisture, eh? Because it is true I am the kind of person who can, sooner or later, shake off the snow and get her leaves spreading out again.
Just this morning, at the Methodist Church rummage sale, I got two cute little bikes for $5 each. Caro and I have a plan to acquire enough cheap banger bikes at yard sales so that all the kids and grownups can go biking around together. So we are two bikes closer to the goal! Take that, snow!!
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Continuing sunny and cheerful
From some of my garden areas that are NOT the Garden of Art, Science and Technology:
Where the Wild Things Are
Under the shed next door to Damaris's house! Yes, the Luckiest Gul Wuld (TM) and family have foxy neighbors! She tried to take some pics yesterday, but was afraid to get too close.
Here, the momfox is giving the kids a snack. I love the look on her face, mostly because I can totally relate....
Here, the momfox is giving the kids a snack. I love the look on her face, mostly because I can totally relate....
This could get boring
You know my knee? That was getting better? Well, thanks to having to try to yank my legs out of the way of a passing screaming ball of fur and fury (our two cats who hate each other fighting their way under my desk), the sproinged ligament in my right knee is worse again. Plus I didn't even manage to successfully evade, so that I have two long claw slashes in the top of my left foot.
This working from home is sometimes overrated.
I probably should not promise any sort of catching up -- just try and do it and let you be surprised if I manage anything. :/
And I'm sorry in advance if I sound grumpy and whiny. To try to avoid that, I will rely heavily on pics, which I have some quite cheerful examples of!
Here is our Earthday Birthday Boy Zach and his dad Nigel. Zach wanted a motorcycle, but that was impractical for several reasons, so his mom and dad gave him this nifty riding lawnmower instead! And he loves it!
Friday, April 15, 2005
What's a crummy joint like you doing in a nice girl like this?
Yeah, I know, old joke.
I haven't been able to spend my usual amount of time at the computer for the past few days. On Wednesday I somehow aggravated my right knee, which had been helping take the strain off my nagging ligaments on the left side. I managed to hobble through my chores and then came home and put myself to bed.
Resting with it flat is best. If I come and sit in front of the computer, it doesn't hurt (much), but the longer I sit in one position, the harder it is to put any weight on it when I get up. Hence me NOT being all present and accounted for here in front of my monitor for very long at a time. I've kept up with my work and with reading email and skimming LJ, but that's about all.
Oh, and today I had to do both my taxes and the hellishly complex partnership forms. After my brain exploded, I went ahead and did some computer rebate forms which have been hanging fire for a bit. (Damaris's new baby, not mine.) It's pleasant to have THOSE out of the way at last.
Oddly enough, tonight we ended up going to see Robots, which I thought was astonishingly zany. Whatever is the opposite of spinning in ones grave, Rube Goldberg is doing that, because it's a pretty cool movie visually. And all the poor robots becoming outmoded because of parts going bad and not being made any more?
I can relate.
I haven't been able to spend my usual amount of time at the computer for the past few days. On Wednesday I somehow aggravated my right knee, which had been helping take the strain off my nagging ligaments on the left side. I managed to hobble through my chores and then came home and put myself to bed.
Resting with it flat is best. If I come and sit in front of the computer, it doesn't hurt (much), but the longer I sit in one position, the harder it is to put any weight on it when I get up. Hence me NOT being all present and accounted for here in front of my monitor for very long at a time. I've kept up with my work and with reading email and skimming LJ, but that's about all.
Oh, and today I had to do both my taxes and the hellishly complex partnership forms. After my brain exploded, I went ahead and did some computer rebate forms which have been hanging fire for a bit. (Damaris's new baby, not mine.) It's pleasant to have THOSE out of the way at last.
Oddly enough, tonight we ended up going to see Robots, which I thought was astonishingly zany. Whatever is the opposite of spinning in ones grave, Rube Goldberg is doing that, because it's a pretty cool movie visually. And all the poor robots becoming outmoded because of parts going bad and not being made any more?
I can relate.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
I didn't know being politically active would be so much fun!
I'm on a bunch of mailing lists, which is not uncommon for anyone who ever signed an on-line petition. One of my favorites comes from Ken Gordon, the majority leader in our Colorado State Senate. Today's mailing started out like this:
"Today, during debate on the Senate floor, one of the Senators, in trying to say that the need for her bill should be apparent, said,
“This isn’t rocket surgery."
Senator Isgar told me that this reminded him of a saying in southwest Colorado. When the question came up if someone was a rocket scientist, they would say,
“He’s more of a rocket handyman.”
He also has good ideas for getting more attention from the media:
"Last week I won an award from a group called “Leave No One Behind.” This group formed to work for less conflict and more cooperation in politics. I came to their attention because of my attempt to allow Republicans to be vice-chairs of committees.
They gave me their “Inclusiveness Award” because of this idea and my other work to reduce conflict in the Senate, although the rest of leadership deserve credit for this as well.
They were apologetic that very little media showed up at the ceremony. I wasn’t surprised though. Taking into consideration the attraction that conflict has for the press, I told them that we might have gotten more attention if we had advertised “non-partisan, inclusive mud-wrestling.”
***
The main point of the mailing was to encourage people to contact their Senators and ask them to support a bill for open and verified voting. It gives me a good feeling first thing in the morning to know that such an important cause is in competent and cheerfully hard-working hands.
"Today, during debate on the Senate floor, one of the Senators, in trying to say that the need for her bill should be apparent, said,
“This isn’t rocket surgery."
Senator Isgar told me that this reminded him of a saying in southwest Colorado. When the question came up if someone was a rocket scientist, they would say,
“He’s more of a rocket handyman.”
He also has good ideas for getting more attention from the media:
"Last week I won an award from a group called “Leave No One Behind.” This group formed to work for less conflict and more cooperation in politics. I came to their attention because of my attempt to allow Republicans to be vice-chairs of committees.
They gave me their “Inclusiveness Award” because of this idea and my other work to reduce conflict in the Senate, although the rest of leadership deserve credit for this as well.
They were apologetic that very little media showed up at the ceremony. I wasn’t surprised though. Taking into consideration the attraction that conflict has for the press, I told them that we might have gotten more attention if we had advertised “non-partisan, inclusive mud-wrestling.”
***
The main point of the mailing was to encourage people to contact their Senators and ask them to support a bill for open and verified voting. It gives me a good feeling first thing in the morning to know that such an important cause is in competent and cheerfully hard-working hands.
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Some days feel like this
Some days feel like this:
Another Month Ends
All Targets Met
All Systems Working
All Customers Satisfied
All Staff Eager and Enthusiastic
All Pigs Fed and Ready to fly
-Entry in Weekly Schedule
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
***
I'm almost done listing up my big bargain buy from Saturday's sales. We scored a BIG box of computer games for $10! Heck, the cheapest of the three strategy guides that were in there sell for more than that--EACH.
What I am sadly anticipating, though, is selling them and having to later deal with buyers who fail to note that both Amazon.com and I are going to some trouble to point out that these games run on Windows 95/98/ME at best. So I KNOW that at least a couple of people will buy them and then gripe me out because they are older versions. *sigh* People are just complainy and that's the facts.
Kind of like how I am sitting here complaining about this little minor flaw in my plan to make a 1000% return on my investment....
Another Month Ends
All Targets Met
All Systems Working
All Customers Satisfied
All Staff Eager and Enthusiastic
All Pigs Fed and Ready to fly
-Entry in Weekly Schedule
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
***
I'm almost done listing up my big bargain buy from Saturday's sales. We scored a BIG box of computer games for $10! Heck, the cheapest of the three strategy guides that were in there sell for more than that--EACH.
What I am sadly anticipating, though, is selling them and having to later deal with buyers who fail to note that both Amazon.com and I are going to some trouble to point out that these games run on Windows 95/98/ME at best. So I KNOW that at least a couple of people will buy them and then gripe me out because they are older versions. *sigh* People are just complainy and that's the facts.
Kind of like how I am sitting here complaining about this little minor flaw in my plan to make a 1000% return on my investment....
Flinging Spring
So far the promised blizzard has whooshed by north of us, leaving us cold, damp and SNOL. (Snow Day Out of Luck) I don't really mind, but Caro, Mike and the grands are feeling a little cheated. Caro was just now sadly observing that if only all that rain had fallen after midnight, it would have made at LEAST six inches of snow.
Last night we took part in a Lamar tradition that goes back over fifty years. It's a square dancing review called Denim and Lace. As you might expect, there are usually more girls who want to be in the club than boys, so they really campaign for the young fellers. Zach got begged by a classmate, and being an aimiable sort of lad, he agreed to join up. Hence, all our area family were honor-bound to turn up on at least one of the nights, even those of us who had managed to avoid it thus far for over twenty years. Saturday was it.
The kids dance by age groups, and the very wise set mothers make sure the ones who are waiting have something to do. It's a two and a half hour show which is staged three consecutive nights!
This year there were more than 420 kids dancing. Here's the grand review of all the sets, pretty much filling the basketball court at the Community Building.
Is it the spinning? The floofy skirts? The chance to feel like a superstar? Whatever it is, the kids really do mostly seem to be having a great time...and that's the important part, no matter how cynical I try to act.
OK, here's Zach (extreme right) in motion. REALLY in motion!
And here he is, leaning out from his group for Grandma to snap his picture.
Marisa didn't let being in the audience stop her from dancing. You don't often see people doing the robot dance to country swing music! (That's Damaris next to her.)
Zach's group's final set, their grand finale.
Last night we took part in a Lamar tradition that goes back over fifty years. It's a square dancing review called Denim and Lace. As you might expect, there are usually more girls who want to be in the club than boys, so they really campaign for the young fellers. Zach got begged by a classmate, and being an aimiable sort of lad, he agreed to join up. Hence, all our area family were honor-bound to turn up on at least one of the nights, even those of us who had managed to avoid it thus far for over twenty years. Saturday was it.
The kids dance by age groups, and the very wise set mothers make sure the ones who are waiting have something to do. It's a two and a half hour show which is staged three consecutive nights!
This year there were more than 420 kids dancing. Here's the grand review of all the sets, pretty much filling the basketball court at the Community Building.
Is it the spinning? The floofy skirts? The chance to feel like a superstar? Whatever it is, the kids really do mostly seem to be having a great time...and that's the important part, no matter how cynical I try to act.
OK, here's Zach (extreme right) in motion. REALLY in motion!
And here he is, leaning out from his group for Grandma to snap his picture.
Marisa didn't let being in the audience stop her from dancing. You don't often see people doing the robot dance to country swing music! (That's Damaris next to her.)
Zach's group's final set, their grand finale.
Saturday, April 09, 2005
Just for fun
My Unitarian
Jihad Name is: Sister Hand Grenade of Looking at All Sides of the Question.
If you somehow have not read the extremely excellent article that started it all, here's the link
While I am posting religiously, I might as well take a moment to confess that I am envious of and massively covet our neighbor down the road's mailbox:
Aaaaand we're back!
Whew! I thought I had accidentally deleted my whole Firefox browser and lost all my links and bookmarks! But happily not.
I should know better than to try to mess with complicated and annoying computer problems when I am in a time crunch. Actually, I DO know better, I just don't DO better. :/
The problem is some peculiar Zone Alarm thing. Every once in a while, something trips its OMGWTFBBQ! sensors and it decides to shut off all contact with the outside world. Except stealthily, with no info in the logs as to WHY....
This annoys me.
I guess I am just going to have to take a Computer Day RealSoonNow and see what I can clean up, sort out and generally optimize.
But not today. Today I am going to concentrate on getting yet more stuff up for sale. It's kind of necessary, because I forgot that THIS was April, and I needed to save back $$ to pay my taxes, and I foolishly squandered it paying other bills instead. Oh, well.
I should know better than to try to mess with complicated and annoying computer problems when I am in a time crunch. Actually, I DO know better, I just don't DO better. :/
The problem is some peculiar Zone Alarm thing. Every once in a while, something trips its OMGWTFBBQ! sensors and it decides to shut off all contact with the outside world. Except stealthily, with no info in the logs as to WHY....
This annoys me.
I guess I am just going to have to take a Computer Day RealSoonNow and see what I can clean up, sort out and generally optimize.
But not today. Today I am going to concentrate on getting yet more stuff up for sale. It's kind of necessary, because I forgot that THIS was April, and I needed to save back $$ to pay my taxes, and I foolishly squandered it paying other bills instead. Oh, well.
Best laid plans more also
Blogging is hard. Either nothing is happening, so you have nothing to post about, OR way too much is happening so you can't possibly find the time to post about it, not and do it justice.
So, the heck with doing it justice, says I. I'll just post anyway!
OK. We have almost all been sick to varying degrees with the dreaded Double-Ended Spew virus--multiple times for the kids. As a hobby, it lacks something.
Last Sunday was the kick-off for the Friends of the Library sale. I had thought it was the NEXT weekend, so when I found out the awful truth, I had to drop The Living Room Project and switch to the Sort Many Boxes of Books to Get Rid of Some Project. Interrupted by MY turn with the D-E S virus, where I was more or less comatose for 36 hours.
Bought some very cool books, though, which is always good, even though my knees hate me even more now than they used to.
My daughter Damaris started her first week of working from home in collaboration with me. Her last day at the Flower Shop from Hell was Tuesday. We were having typical spring weather--50 mph winds with gusts up to 75. She was on deliveries, taking balloons around.... But she got through it, and is now as hard at work as she can manage to be at home, in between personal care crises for her three kids with the above-mentioned D-E S virus.
In more weather news, today it was not as windy (25-35 mph) and 79 degrees. Tomorrow it might snow, says the weather bulletin.
I hope next week will be a little more boring.
So, the heck with doing it justice, says I. I'll just post anyway!
OK. We have almost all been sick to varying degrees with the dreaded Double-Ended Spew virus--multiple times for the kids. As a hobby, it lacks something.
Last Sunday was the kick-off for the Friends of the Library sale. I had thought it was the NEXT weekend, so when I found out the awful truth, I had to drop The Living Room Project and switch to the Sort Many Boxes of Books to Get Rid of Some Project. Interrupted by MY turn with the D-E S virus, where I was more or less comatose for 36 hours.
Bought some very cool books, though, which is always good, even though my knees hate me even more now than they used to.
My daughter Damaris started her first week of working from home in collaboration with me. Her last day at the Flower Shop from Hell was Tuesday. We were having typical spring weather--50 mph winds with gusts up to 75. She was on deliveries, taking balloons around.... But she got through it, and is now as hard at work as she can manage to be at home, in between personal care crises for her three kids with the above-mentioned D-E S virus.
In more weather news, today it was not as windy (25-35 mph) and 79 degrees. Tomorrow it might snow, says the weather bulletin.
I hope next week will be a little more boring.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
April 6, 1966
Funny, the things that stick in your head.
On this date 39 years ago, a litter of Cocker Spaniels was born. I was in the midst of heavy-duty negotiations to get the privilege of a dog all my own, and sometime that summer, Happiness (Is II) became mine. Even after nearly four decades, I remember her birthday.
Happy was a typically overbred, somewhat neurotic kind of Cocker. She bit my father once when he alarmed her by dragging a Christmas tree in the front door. She was also terrified of the vacuum cleaner. But once when my mom was using it, she playfully poked it at me laying in the middle of the living room floor, where I was pretending to be too engrossed in my book to move. Happy flew out from under the couch where she had been hiding and savaged it in my defense, leaving visible tooth marks in the plastic housing. Mom used to say that if I somehow fell off a cliff, Happy would jump over too, just to be with me.
Happy and her descendants got me into the dog show game in high school. At one show, there was a lady with a table, painting pictures of pets on rocks, from photographs. I commissioned this one. It's not very accurate (Happy had more of a neck than that), but it has outlasted the photos I had.
Even funnier than this well-stuck memory is that after all these years, even though I have moved a couple dozen times, and my house is, ah, over-full, and how disorganized I tend to be on a regular basis, I knew EXACTLY where this rock was so I could take a picture of it.
(Ok, yeah, I might be back posting again. You never know.)
On this date 39 years ago, a litter of Cocker Spaniels was born. I was in the midst of heavy-duty negotiations to get the privilege of a dog all my own, and sometime that summer, Happiness (Is II) became mine. Even after nearly four decades, I remember her birthday.
Happy was a typically overbred, somewhat neurotic kind of Cocker. She bit my father once when he alarmed her by dragging a Christmas tree in the front door. She was also terrified of the vacuum cleaner. But once when my mom was using it, she playfully poked it at me laying in the middle of the living room floor, where I was pretending to be too engrossed in my book to move. Happy flew out from under the couch where she had been hiding and savaged it in my defense, leaving visible tooth marks in the plastic housing. Mom used to say that if I somehow fell off a cliff, Happy would jump over too, just to be with me.
Happy and her descendants got me into the dog show game in high school. At one show, there was a lady with a table, painting pictures of pets on rocks, from photographs. I commissioned this one. It's not very accurate (Happy had more of a neck than that), but it has outlasted the photos I had.
Even funnier than this well-stuck memory is that after all these years, even though I have moved a couple dozen times, and my house is, ah, over-full, and how disorganized I tend to be on a regular basis, I knew EXACTLY where this rock was so I could take a picture of it.
(Ok, yeah, I might be back posting again. You never know.)
