Thursday, September 28, 2006
Well, THIS has been a crappy week so far
On Monday, we got the news that John M. Ford died. There are people it would upset me more to have lost, but not all that many, and most of those are related to me. So Monday and Tuesday were fairly bad days.
On Wednesday I was starting to bounce back some, until Mike came home from school with a new variation on his habit of picking his skin. I don't know how or why, but he broke a chunk out of his thumbnail and pulled it OUT of the nailbed. I probably shouldn't have, but I totally freaked out with sobbing hysterics. He said it didn't hurt that much, which somehow made it worse. Maybe I was over-reacting, since I called his doctor and they couldn't even be bothered to call me back. (Well, they FINALLY did, after an hour, but I had had to leave to meet other obligations.)
Oh, and that high school where the degenerate freak broke in to rape and kill? That's the formerly charming little mountain community where the clone's brother and his wife live, that we just visited last month.
Today was, nevertheless, pretty productive. It needed to be because on Saturday we have this huge deal going down where 10 of the 13 candidates running for office (local, state AND national!) will be here for a rally, and then on Sunday it's the semi-annual Friends of the Library book sale, which Caro will be working and I will be buying mass quantities from. So I was feeling pretty good about myself and things in general--
Until I read about the vote in the Senate which basically runs our Bill of Rights through a shredder and then flushes it into the sewer.
And MY senators voted for it.
OK, I expected that from Allard. He has, so I understand, ONCE in his career voted against the party line. But oh, I had thought better of Ken Salazar.
I sent him an email, which sadly he is unlikely to read himself. And I doubt the office help will pass on my specific comment about him turning out to not have a pair. Oh, well.
Things are bound to start looking up again soon, right?
On Wednesday I was starting to bounce back some, until Mike came home from school with a new variation on his habit of picking his skin. I don't know how or why, but he broke a chunk out of his thumbnail and pulled it OUT of the nailbed. I probably shouldn't have, but I totally freaked out with sobbing hysterics. He said it didn't hurt that much, which somehow made it worse. Maybe I was over-reacting, since I called his doctor and they couldn't even be bothered to call me back. (Well, they FINALLY did, after an hour, but I had had to leave to meet other obligations.)
Oh, and that high school where the degenerate freak broke in to rape and kill? That's the formerly charming little mountain community where the clone's brother and his wife live, that we just visited last month.
Today was, nevertheless, pretty productive. It needed to be because on Saturday we have this huge deal going down where 10 of the 13 candidates running for office (local, state AND national!) will be here for a rally, and then on Sunday it's the semi-annual Friends of the Library book sale, which Caro will be working and I will be buying mass quantities from. So I was feeling pretty good about myself and things in general--
Until I read about the vote in the Senate which basically runs our Bill of Rights through a shredder and then flushes it into the sewer.
And MY senators voted for it.
OK, I expected that from Allard. He has, so I understand, ONCE in his career voted against the party line. But oh, I had thought better of Ken Salazar.
I sent him an email, which sadly he is unlikely to read himself. And I doubt the office help will pass on my specific comment about him turning out to not have a pair. Oh, well.
Things are bound to start looking up again soon, right?
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Why I am like a Sim
If you haven't played The Sims, you might not know that they have to get jobs and eat and maintain their houses and stuff, like us reality-based folks do. But they have a monetary advantage--if they are out of money and need to buy food or pay the maid (and you BETTER pay the maid!), they can just sell a chair or light fixture or something to tide them over until they get paid again.
I am like a Sim because, while I can't yank the lights off my ceiling, all I have to do is look around my house to find something to sell online! Last week I unearthed a box of old manuals for the Apple IIgs. Listed some of the books on Amazon--cha-CHING, 25 bucks the next morning. Put all the rest up on eBay--one week later, $87!
It doesn't ALWAYS work out that well, no. But then, if it did, it wouldn't be so fun when it happens!
Another part of the fun is, sometimes, writing the descriptions. This auction for a 1961 booklet from Beltx on how to deal with Periods is one I let myself run wild on. It's all still HERE if you want to take a look.
In case you are in the shopping mood, this week we have a whole lot of different auctions of cross-stitch or embroidery picture kits, various books and book lots, some airplane stuff from the 80s, a Santa Fe Railroad coffee thermos, a 1953 prayer card, and a batch of Green Stamps. Yes, people buy those. No, no light fixtures this week.
I am like a Sim because, while I can't yank the lights off my ceiling, all I have to do is look around my house to find something to sell online! Last week I unearthed a box of old manuals for the Apple IIgs. Listed some of the books on Amazon--cha-CHING, 25 bucks the next morning. Put all the rest up on eBay--one week later, $87!
It doesn't ALWAYS work out that well, no. But then, if it did, it wouldn't be so fun when it happens!
Another part of the fun is, sometimes, writing the descriptions. This auction for a 1961 booklet from Beltx on how to deal with Periods is one I let myself run wild on. It's all still HERE if you want to take a look.
In case you are in the shopping mood, this week we have a whole lot of different auctions of cross-stitch or embroidery picture kits, various books and book lots, some airplane stuff from the 80s, a Santa Fe Railroad coffee thermos, a 1953 prayer card, and a batch of Green Stamps. Yes, people buy those. No, no light fixtures this week.
Hoppy Birthday, Jim
Here I am back!
I won't ask if you missed me, since that sounds all needy and whiny and stuff.
It's been a couple of weeks since I posted anything. I was down a few days with a bug (MAYBE I ate some of that bad spinach going around, although Caro and Mike had no reaction to that particular salad), and then was immersed in catching up for a few days, and after that...I dunno. I just had too many things to say and didn't know where to start, I guess.
Yesterday Mike and I were in a parade. He had been a little sad to miss riding on the Dem float during Sand and Sage fair week, so at our weekly work session I asked if we were going to have a float in the parade for the Holly Gateway fair.
Funny I should mention it. Turns out everyone else had prior commitments, and they had been going to skip it. But if MIKE wanted to ride, he and I could be the float! So our Chair arranged for the borrowing of a very sweet new hybrid GMC pick-up, and the lender even threw in some bales of hay to stick signs in.
Caro and Mike made another sign, for our big Meet the Candidates gig next week and we were good to go!
Mike hiding in a forest of signs behind the cut.
There was a great turnout, and we were glad we did it, even though Mike almost froze solid in the brisk breeze, waiting patiently for the parade to start.
This next bit will probably only be funny to Coloradans, unless you just want to admire my mad Photoshop skilz.
The GOP candidate for Governor is getting whupped bad in the polls, partly because as one Denver editorialist put it, he's running the worst campaign in history not involving a wintertime assault on Moscow, and partly because he picked up the richly deserved nickname "Both Ways Bob" early on and can't shake it.
So this is his campaign sign here in Lamar (which some dolt spray painted. NOT me or anyone I know.), across the street from the Wal-mart.
This is my version where I helped fix what the artist left out.
Having some fun now, eh kids?
It's been a couple of weeks since I posted anything. I was down a few days with a bug (MAYBE I ate some of that bad spinach going around, although Caro and Mike had no reaction to that particular salad), and then was immersed in catching up for a few days, and after that...I dunno. I just had too many things to say and didn't know where to start, I guess.
Yesterday Mike and I were in a parade. He had been a little sad to miss riding on the Dem float during Sand and Sage fair week, so at our weekly work session I asked if we were going to have a float in the parade for the Holly Gateway fair.
Funny I should mention it. Turns out everyone else had prior commitments, and they had been going to skip it. But if MIKE wanted to ride, he and I could be the float! So our Chair arranged for the borrowing of a very sweet new hybrid GMC pick-up, and the lender even threw in some bales of hay to stick signs in.
Caro and Mike made another sign, for our big Meet the Candidates gig next week and we were good to go!
Mike hiding in a forest of signs behind the cut.
There was a great turnout, and we were glad we did it, even though Mike almost froze solid in the brisk breeze, waiting patiently for the parade to start.
This next bit will probably only be funny to Coloradans, unless you just want to admire my mad Photoshop skilz.
The GOP candidate for Governor is getting whupped bad in the polls, partly because as one Denver editorialist put it, he's running the worst campaign in history not involving a wintertime assault on Moscow, and partly because he picked up the richly deserved nickname "Both Ways Bob" early on and can't shake it.
So this is his campaign sign here in Lamar (which some dolt spray painted. NOT me or anyone I know.), across the street from the Wal-mart.
This is my version where I helped fix what the artist left out.
Having some fun now, eh kids?
Sunday, September 10, 2006
More pic fun
(Mike already posted some of this on HIS blog, so here's what I added.)
Mike is feeling better, and got his homework done, so we finally got around to working on his blog together! Last Wednesday we went to watch the construction taking place, where they are putting in a new coal-burning plant (supposed to be a modern, non-polluting one) to augment what the city already has, and maybe help make them some badly needed revenue.
What I thought was really interesting about the construction was first, that they are taking I beams longer than telephone poles and basically banging them straight down into the ground until only a few feet stick out. Second, that there seems to be some sort of precussive cap involved with the banger. See my pic:
I am planning for us to stop by the site each week on library day, to check the progress, because I would like Mike to get interested in writing for his blog on a regular basis.
Also, I put another tiny photo page up, again from 2004, about our local windfarm.
Windy!
Mike is feeling better, and got his homework done, so we finally got around to working on his blog together! Last Wednesday we went to watch the construction taking place, where they are putting in a new coal-burning plant (supposed to be a modern, non-polluting one) to augment what the city already has, and maybe help make them some badly needed revenue.
What I thought was really interesting about the construction was first, that they are taking I beams longer than telephone poles and basically banging them straight down into the ground until only a few feet stick out. Second, that there seems to be some sort of precussive cap involved with the banger. See my pic:
I am planning for us to stop by the site each week on library day, to check the progress, because I would like Mike to get interested in writing for his blog on a regular basis.
Also, I put another tiny photo page up, again from 2004, about our local windfarm.
Windy!
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Cat phases
As Our Little Baby Boy Grows Up (I mean Souvenir, not Mike), it's fun to watch him go through mental stages.
He's just about (thank goodness) out of the one where he was very conflicted about his relationship with my hands. I could be working, or asleep...anything, really, and here he would come:
**POUNCE** "Ah-ha, it is YOU, my arch-nemesis, the EVOL Mr. HAND!!" *bite* *bite* *claw*
But then suddenly, in the midst of this assassination attempt, he would switch to licking and purring, "Oh, Handy, HANDY, my own true love, how I have missed you so!! Never LEAVE me!"
0.o
Back when they were getting ready to turn the clone's junior high into a middle school, she went to a conference and came back to share the following info.
Six graders run everywhere, and chase and hit each other.
Eighth graders start trying to find quiet spots to kiss each other.
Seventh graders chase each other, but when they catch up, they don't know whether to hit or kiss.
So that puts our Souvy inching into eighth grade, I would say.
And speaking of eighth graders, here is a pic of Souvy that Mike took!
He's just about (thank goodness) out of the one where he was very conflicted about his relationship with my hands. I could be working, or asleep...anything, really, and here he would come:
**POUNCE** "Ah-ha, it is YOU, my arch-nemesis, the EVOL Mr. HAND!!" *bite* *bite* *claw*
But then suddenly, in the midst of this assassination attempt, he would switch to licking and purring, "Oh, Handy, HANDY, my own true love, how I have missed you so!! Never LEAVE me!"
0.o
Back when they were getting ready to turn the clone's junior high into a middle school, she went to a conference and came back to share the following info.
Six graders run everywhere, and chase and hit each other.
Eighth graders start trying to find quiet spots to kiss each other.
Seventh graders chase each other, but when they catch up, they don't know whether to hit or kiss.
So that puts our Souvy inching into eighth grade, I would say.
And speaking of eighth graders, here is a pic of Souvy that Mike took!
A little pic catch-up
I'm trying hard to slack off this weekend.
So I have been sorting through some of my pics, planning the next essay. While doing that, I found some that won't make a whole page, but (I think) are worth posting.
The weekend just before Mike and I went on our vacation, all three of us had a mini one to go visit Caro's brother and his wife. It was a good time, overall, but with only a few events that were postworthy (of interest to non-family members).
Actually, the bit where we got stopped on the highway on the south end of Hugo because they were having their county fair parade is not so much. Lamar does that too -- in fact, was probably doing it at that moment! But it was cool to get stopped right by where someone was having a yard sale, where I got a WHOLE BAG of plastic neon colored goldfish!!
Yeah, well, okay. The high dramatic point of the day came just as we were almost ready to drive off. Caro was moving something in the yard, in case of rain, and somehow bumped a board on the fence of the dog pen -- and a SWARM of wasps came boiling out!!
She was very lucky, and jumped away from their target area really fast, so she only got four grazes. They did hurt a lot, but with some Benadryl inside and out she didn't have a serious reaction. Except if you count the way she reacted by finding the wasp spray and soaking the nest down real good!
Caro's brother and his wife live up in the mountains. They have a great snug little place, with a deck full of flowers. It was raining lightly off and on while we were there, but since water that falls from the sky is sort of a rare phenomenon to us, we enjoyed that. And it made for some cool pictures!
So I have been sorting through some of my pics, planning the next essay. While doing that, I found some that won't make a whole page, but (I think) are worth posting.
The weekend just before Mike and I went on our vacation, all three of us had a mini one to go visit Caro's brother and his wife. It was a good time, overall, but with only a few events that were postworthy (of interest to non-family members).
Actually, the bit where we got stopped on the highway on the south end of Hugo because they were having their county fair parade is not so much. Lamar does that too -- in fact, was probably doing it at that moment! But it was cool to get stopped right by where someone was having a yard sale, where I got a WHOLE BAG of plastic neon colored goldfish!!
Yeah, well, okay. The high dramatic point of the day came just as we were almost ready to drive off. Caro was moving something in the yard, in case of rain, and somehow bumped a board on the fence of the dog pen -- and a SWARM of wasps came boiling out!!
She was very lucky, and jumped away from their target area really fast, so she only got four grazes. They did hurt a lot, but with some Benadryl inside and out she didn't have a serious reaction. Except if you count the way she reacted by finding the wasp spray and soaking the nest down real good!
Caro's brother and his wife live up in the mountains. They have a great snug little place, with a deck full of flowers. It was raining lightly off and on while we were there, but since water that falls from the sky is sort of a rare phenomenon to us, we enjoyed that. And it made for some cool pictures!
Friday, September 08, 2006
One of those weeks
Sometimes it's just one dang thing after another, you know? We kept Mike home from school today because he looked to be starting a cold. Now I feel vaguely snuffly and hot in my sinuses. This is not a good sign.
Also on the sick list are my printer and the riding lawn mower. It's probably the starter, on the mower, since buying a new battery didn't help. (And now I am thinking maybe the battery was fine and I didn't need to blow $25 on a new one.) The printer has been having a problem with stuttery color for a while now. So I did some research online and then tried cleaning the print head. Now the color does not blotch. The color does not print at all. Since it is also acting up in other ways, I decided to bite the bullet and order a new one. At least it has a scanner function, so maybe I can get around to reproducing a bunch of those old photos I found. That's what we need on this blog, more pictures, right??
Speaking of that, I know I am behind on my personal challenge, to put two things a week up on my photo essay page. Maybe I can catch up over the weekend. But here is one of the easy ones, a redo of an old page that has been sitting around on my site since 2003.
This will bring back memories to Bujold listees. Lois's niece Molly is a cancer survivor, and to help raise awareness she came up with the idea of having a giant fiberglass colon made, that could go around on tour for the public to view and learn from. When it came to Denver, my daughter and grandkids went to see it with Mike and me.
Just six pics, and nothing gross!
The Colossal Colon
Also on the sick list are my printer and the riding lawn mower. It's probably the starter, on the mower, since buying a new battery didn't help. (And now I am thinking maybe the battery was fine and I didn't need to blow $25 on a new one.) The printer has been having a problem with stuttery color for a while now. So I did some research online and then tried cleaning the print head. Now the color does not blotch. The color does not print at all. Since it is also acting up in other ways, I decided to bite the bullet and order a new one. At least it has a scanner function, so maybe I can get around to reproducing a bunch of those old photos I found. That's what we need on this blog, more pictures, right??
Speaking of that, I know I am behind on my personal challenge, to put two things a week up on my photo essay page. Maybe I can catch up over the weekend. But here is one of the easy ones, a redo of an old page that has been sitting around on my site since 2003.
This will bring back memories to Bujold listees. Lois's niece Molly is a cancer survivor, and to help raise awareness she came up with the idea of having a giant fiberglass colon made, that could go around on tour for the public to view and learn from. When it came to Denver, my daughter and grandkids went to see it with Mike and me.
Just six pics, and nothing gross!
The Colossal Colon
Monday, September 04, 2006
Piccies!
I haven't posted since Thursday, I see. Probably because there was really nothing much of interest going on. I had a check-up with my doc on Friday. He seems to think I'm good for staggering on for another bit of a while. Saturday and Sunday were a combination of working on Book Selling Stuff and goofing off with Mike.
One thing that was amusing, though not at the time, was last night when Souvenir managed to dash outside at 2 am. We think he's too little to go outside yet, you see, and he disagrees. So whenever he hears us letting the dogs go out the back door, he bides his time, then tries to rocket blast through when we aren't looking.
Which we usually are, but at 2 am, my reflexes are not at their finest. So he got out.
This has happened a few times before, but during the day, when it wasn't much of a chore to recapture him while he was gawking around at the Big Outside World like the tourist he is. But last night it was FOGGY, so the moonlight couldn't shine through and it was dark as the inside of a cow.
Luckily Caro was up. She bravely found 1 1/2 working flashlights, and we soon got our wandering boy back.
I figure his age at about four months now, and while he IS still a baby, I have to wonder where the heck that TEENY kitten went! You see, I had been looking forward to getting my workspace -- the bit of desk in front of Mike's computer, to the left of mine -- back for part of the day when Mike was at school. But lately Someone Else is usually there hogging it up!
(Can you see how his long hair is starting to grow out at his neck ruff?)
Today has been more of the same, putter some, play some. But I did get energized to start touching up my blue hair. This time for lightener I bought some from the Manic Panic people, instead of going the cheaper route of buying whatever was under $3 at Wal-mart. I have to say, it REALLY does the bleaching thing well!
I tried to take a picture myself. Mirror pics are harder than I thought! (Or maybe I should have changed those two burnt out bulbs first.) But I kind of liked how this one came out.
And here is me looking startlingly like my dad.
OK, enough picspamming for now!
One thing that was amusing, though not at the time, was last night when Souvenir managed to dash outside at 2 am. We think he's too little to go outside yet, you see, and he disagrees. So whenever he hears us letting the dogs go out the back door, he bides his time, then tries to rocket blast through when we aren't looking.
Which we usually are, but at 2 am, my reflexes are not at their finest. So he got out.
This has happened a few times before, but during the day, when it wasn't much of a chore to recapture him while he was gawking around at the Big Outside World like the tourist he is. But last night it was FOGGY, so the moonlight couldn't shine through and it was dark as the inside of a cow.
Luckily Caro was up. She bravely found 1 1/2 working flashlights, and we soon got our wandering boy back.
I figure his age at about four months now, and while he IS still a baby, I have to wonder where the heck that TEENY kitten went! You see, I had been looking forward to getting my workspace -- the bit of desk in front of Mike's computer, to the left of mine -- back for part of the day when Mike was at school. But lately Someone Else is usually there hogging it up!
(Can you see how his long hair is starting to grow out at his neck ruff?)
Today has been more of the same, putter some, play some. But I did get energized to start touching up my blue hair. This time for lightener I bought some from the Manic Panic people, instead of going the cheaper route of buying whatever was under $3 at Wal-mart. I have to say, it REALLY does the bleaching thing well!
I tried to take a picture myself. Mirror pics are harder than I thought! (Or maybe I should have changed those two burnt out bulbs first.) But I kind of liked how this one came out.
And here is me looking startlingly like my dad.
OK, enough picspamming for now!
