September 2005 Archives
Like Lady Linoleum, I love Halloween! It's the one day of the year you can dress-up in a costume and no one will think you odd. For one night strange neighborhood children will come to your door and you'll give them free candy—or, you can take your dressed-up self and wander the streets with your bag and collect a booty of sugary-wealth to consume until a parental figure says you'll get sick if you keep eating too much candy.
It is a time to decorate your house in festive lights, carve a pumpkin, and consider for a moment (even if subconsciously) the realm of the dead and all things spookable.
Our first year in The Pearl House I was pleased with my 60-something little ghosts and ghouls who honored my doorstep seeking free sugar. It was the first time in my life I got to play "the adult" role of handing out delicious candy. I loved every moment of it. I didn't have a costume to wear, so I made one up (I think). Then last year I splurged and bought a cheap (well, not so cheap) Wal-Mart sorceress dress and haunting cape! (That's me up above)
I also buy those "master carver" patterns as you can see that Pooky can really do a good job with them. I have to stick to the ones that have large spaces, so I mostly make moons out of my pumpkin. He has a knack for all of that. And he also has a knach for consuming large quantities of sugar without ill effects. I am amazed at his prowess to snarf down countless Tootsie™ rolls without looking green.
Our second year at The Pearl House word had spread that I was a candy-giving maven and I had 70-something visitors. This year I'm aiming for 100. The trick is to figure out two things: 1) how much candy to buy for the kids; 2) how much candy to buy for Pooky. He pouted last year when I gave out all of the candy. Mind you, he had been given two 3½ bags to enjoy prior to the holiday!
So come one, come all! Walk down the pumpkin lit way to The Pearl House and knock on The Shrone's door. Be greeted with a cackle and a whopping handful of treats! Celebrate the season with jack o'lanterns and don your best costume. Grab a large bag and roam the neighborhood and be kindly rewarded for your efforts. And if we're lucky the light of the full moon will shine to guide the way.
Take heed, for Halloween is the kick-off for Thanksgiving and then the Yule, and last but not least, the New Year!
If you read knitting blogs then you probably know about their version of Secret Pals that they run. They are up to their 6th round of this type of exchange. I see now that they permit crocheters to join, but their questionnaire is still knitter oriented.
I was reading their rules for participation, and I think they have something going that C'Ville might want to model. First of all, a blog is mandatory. You must have one in order to participate. This allows the person you are being a pal to to find out who you are.
They have set their spending limit at $50. This include shipping as well as hours spent making something, and giving bought items. I think that is a more realistic amount over three months.
Instead of having one person work as coordinator, they have a handful. It's needed because they have so many exchangees. If/when the C'Ville secret pal signs up, may be we who belong, and consider borrowing these ideas? Just a thought...
I feel bummed I missed the sign up. I've subscribed to the SP6 blog to find out the details of SP7. I need to be a secret pal or sistah to somebody. My life is dull without it!
We took Mr. B in to be seen by the vet this afternoon because his listlessness continued and both eyes were leaking. The inner eye lid (that white membrane inside of a cat's eye) was all red and puffy. Poor Mr. B was running a temperature and so the vet prescribed a course of antibiotics and some eye ointment to be applied twice a day.
Why oh why must cats ever need to be ointmented or medicated? Do vets understand the reality of ever getting a pill down a cat or getting ointment into one of their eyes? They know the tricks to doing this and make it look so easy so you get this false sense of confidence that you too can get the cat to swallow a pill or not shred you to bits as you get too much ointment onto every surface but the eye!
Smee and Stash also have leaky eyes with redness so the vet said to also medicate their eyes with the ointment. I'm either going to become really good at apply ointment or suck at it.
The bill came to $68 because the ointment was a slick $25. The office visit was only $32 and the pills $10. (If my math doesn't add up to $68 it is because I rounded some numbers.)
Mr. B seemed slightly more perky after the first pill given to him by the vet. He still hisses at the kittens. I got him a new grooming brush and managed to make his fur look a bit glossy and tamed. His tail still looks ragged. What he really needs is a professional grooming, but I dread doing that for two reasons: First, he'll need to be sedated in order to be washed and groomed; Second, the cost is most likely outrageous. I have no idea how much is charged to sedate and groom a cat. Plus, I'm sure you tip the groomer just as you would your beautician.
Tonight's feline antic I could have done without: Smee got up on the koi fish tank and managed to knock the make-shift wooden lid into the water. He wasn't terribly submerged, more scared than anything, so he sailed across a remarkable distance to land into one of my crochet storage tubs. It was rather funny how he just flew off of the tank and landed rather "splat" into the tub!
He then returned to the base of the tank and kept roaming around it as if he had unfinished business! I kept screaming at him to go away and was gently moving him away with my foot. He finally got the idea to vacate the premises.
Additional feline news: I got them two bags of their favorite Tuna crunchies treats. One bag has been devoured. The Corkscrew doesn't care for them, but the remaining 4 (all tuna eaters) couldn't get enough of them! We also bought a third litter box as I think having an additional one will help keep the two boxes already in use from filling up so quickly. I think I should at least get one litter box for each cat. It's a theory that I'm willing to test.
Non-feline related news: I'm going to christen the Kitchen-Aid mixer by making a pound cake! I bought the ingredients I needed and shall have Pooky show me how to use the mixer since I've never ever used one in my life. I've always used hand mixers. My mom never owned a stand mixer so I'm clueless how they actually used.
Pooky announced that work was hosting a potluck dinner to say good-bye to a temporary manager. He said from what he heard people were going to bring in donuts and chips, no one really bringing in actual food, so I suggested I could make some spaghetti or I could make mac n' cheese. He said to go with the mac n'cheese so I made the recipe as given to us by Good Eats.
Follow-up: I called the local mental health agency I sent my resume to and although the director said he didn't recall receiving my letter, he did recall my name. He said to e-mail him my resume and internship requirements, so I did. He said that he wanted to know where my areas of interest were since they have more than one clinical supervisor, and some internship positions are already filled. He said once he receives my information, I should hear directly from the appropriate clinical supervisor and I'll go through an interview process similar to being hired for a job.
He seemed to be very positive about me becoming an intern. I said that currently I'm not sure when I could start an internship. I could begin in January if my professors allow me to switch to Winter track, or I informed him I may not be able to start until next June or September. He said that would be all right. I just wonder where the letter I sent him went? I know often secretaries will open the mail and just toss something if they think it isn't worthwhile. Of course it has been a full month since I sent the letter, and I explained I had unexpected surgery. He was OK with that.
Last but not least: My dad sent me a $50 gift card from Amazon.com so I got a new toaster—one that is wide enough for bagels. Pooky complains about the toaster we have: it only toasts regular bread. I was going to buy a bagel guillotine, but since it wasn't shipping directly from Amazon.com, I would have to pay over $8 in shipping charges, so I figured that will be something I pick-up in a kitchen gadget store. What I got instead was a boxed set of cookbooks by Paula Deen. I'm hoping to learn the ways of southern cooking, and what mojo she uses to keep from weighing 600 pounds.
As a dedicated feline maintenance worker of over twenty years, I have identified and categorized a syndrome unique to Felis domestica, which I have named Feline Gastric Inversion Syndrome (FGIS).
There are five distinguishable stages of this syndrome which are outlined as follows:
Stage 1: Forlorn and Pitiful Looks
The sydrome begins when the food dish is almost or completely empty. Felis domestica will notice that status of the food dish which prompts them to behave with dis-ease and looking up at the feline maintenance worker with a pitiful or forlorn expression that indicates they are aware that the kibble or tuna bowl has become depleted.
At this stage the brain of Felis domestica transmits a neurological signal that activates specialized receptors within the stomach lining that subsequently produce a hormone that will commence a type of muscle contraction that results in the final gastric conversion at the end of Stage 5.
The stomach may still contain food recently eaten, but this hardly matters to the awareness of Felis dometica. A depleted food dish indicates that the entire world is now void of any nourishment. If the situation is allowed to continue, Stage 2 will follow within one to two hours.
Stage 2: Vocalization
If the feline maintenance worker has failed to replenish the food dish, Felis domestica will emit short to sustained vocalizations, commonly referred to as "caterwauling" in the attempt to rouse the worker into dispensing more food.
The muscular contractions of Stage 1 intensify while any contents of the stomach is rapidly emptied. The stomach of Felis domestica in this stage is preparing to undergo a phenominal tranformation of turning itself inside out.
Stage 3: "Dying"
The vocalizations can escalate to the point where the Felis domestica will sound as if it is "dying". The previous facial expression of Stage 1 will also be employed to culminate in a fanastic display of misery and imminent death.
If you provide maintenance to multiple members of Felis domestica, they will begin to swarm. Swarming can also include Felis domestica to suddenly drop and roll into a supine position exposing the abdomen region for petting.
The stomach has cramped sufficiently to cause the ends of the stomach to roll up that will ripple across the organ and will induce the inversion.
Stage 4: Last Resort: Love Attack
If food has not been dispensed at this critical, life-threatening stage, Felis domestica will lapse into a "wild" phase of part attack and part unrelenting affection. Death is imminent if food isn't immediately dispensed. Using the last reserve of energy as a last ditch effort, Felis domestica will rub against the legs and accessable body parts of the maintenance worker in an overly loving and affection manner with loud, ceaseless purring, trilling, and "big eyes", with shameless displays of the abdomen for rubbing. All acts of an affectionate nature by Felis domestica will continue until food is dispensed. The love and affection will feel like lint sticking to a velvet coat.
The stomach, now partially inverted, rubs against the sharp, bony spine of Felis domestica. As the stomach rubs against the backbone, Felis domestica is acutely aware of the gastric inversion process.
Stage 5: Death or Slaying
If Felis domestica is deprived of food past Stage 4, then death or slaying will commence. If the gastric inversion is complete, resulting in the total inversion of the gastric organ, Felis domestica will spontaneously and ceremoniously succumb to death.
If the gastric inversion is incomplete, Felis domestica will kill the maintenance worker in cold blood as it sleeps. A blood bath will be discovered by the authorities when the neighbors complain of a sharp, ripe odor polluting the neighborhood. Felis domestica will be hiding and most likely will resist capture for the crimes committed.
Warning: Do not let Stage 5 be reached!
Cute as can be, kittens are playful, mischevious, and ever-curious. Like you, kittens hate getting wet. Kittens are often loving, but are known to scratch or bite when annoyed. These adorable animals are the most popular pets in the United States--37% of American households have at least one cat. Whether it is your gentle purr or your disarming appearance, you make a wonderful kitten.You were almost a: Monkey or a Bear Cub
You are least like a: Bunny or a SquirrelWhat Cute Animal Are You?
Found on April's blog
Mark That Stitch!
Here are the three lovely sets of markers I received from my 3 swap partners. In order, they are from Shari (sem464), Kelly (kellyv), and Kari (hariholtz). Thank you gals! (Kari, I'll be sending yours out to you with the Shrone package once you have moved & give out your new address.)
Secret Pal Package!
My secret pal sent me a box of goodies that I received on last Friday. She included a ball of blue Patons Divine and two balls of Burgundy Brilliant. I have to think what I will make with these wonderful yarns! I love the sun windchime and it will fit in well in my "spiritual room" where we have a moon/sun/celestial theme. Also included was a wonderfully scented votive candle and a stick of lip gloss from Burt's Bees.
I ♥ everything you've sent to me—the cards and little goodnesses tucked inside to your e-mails that have cheered me up! Thank you, Secret Pal!
My Entries
The Competition That Won
It took me a few looks at the two winning doilies the realize it was the exact same pattern but done in different sized threads. I think the smaller, white doily was made in size 100 thread. The larger one done in size 10.
Does this "kristy pup" corn dog remind you of perhaps a body part your husband has, or maybe a toy you keep in your top dresser drawer that runs on two D batteries?
I'm no longer upset by my dreams like I was Saturday night/morning. I was having a strange reaction to reality even without dreaming, but thankfully that has passed thanks to the Ativan leaving my system.
Now this morning my dreams were crochet related. I think I'm thinking crochet because tomorrow I'll find out how the judges rated my two doilies entered into the fair. If I didn't place I'll be fine with it—because I learn from the mistakes I've made because they do give you a score card with comments when you pick up your entries after the fair is over.
Anyhow, my dream began with The Crochet Hospital! In the dream this hospital was in operation in the early 1910s and served ill people up until the 1930s. Why was it called The Crochet Hospital? Well, the patients would be surrounded by crocheted items, like afghans and such, because it was thought the crocheted items would help in the healing process. In the dream I was looking at old photographs of patients having crocheted covers for their casts. It was really strange!
Then I dreamt about my crochet being entered into this competition that involved the Russians, and this very important lady in this competitive crochet world came to me to ask if I'd be interested in participating in this highly renowned event, and I was surprised that she found out about my work, and even thought I was talented enough to be in this competition!
This dream also involved my sister taking a hot bath before me, and then when it was my turn I got into the shower and the water never got hot enough, it was warm to cold water, and I felt that there should have been hot water available because I had waited long enough for the water to heat back up.
Then the dream switched to I was in this little town back in the 1950s and I was part of this girl group that was a bit wild, but all they wanted to do was get married and find a husband. I recall trying to roll a cigarette because someone was a smoker and I said I thought I could do it. I couldn't. One of the girls was very excited to be getting married. It was totally strange!
I don't even want to look up the dream symbols for this odd series of my subconsciousness ramblings. I figure it is a bit obvious that I am thinking about crochet! Now as for the rolling a cigarette and the not enough hot water thing—I'm taking it all a face value!
One thing about belonging to an online DVD rental club is you come across movies you never heard of, so you take a chance on putting them in your selection list and hope for the best.
I really didn't know what Songcatcher would be about because the brief description/synopsis mentioned it was set in the 1910s and I love period movies. It seemed charming so I took a chance. I wasn't disappointed!
The feel and flavor of the movie reminded me a lot of the short-lived TV series of Christy that was adapted from the novel by the same name, written by Catherine Marshall.
The main character goes into the deep mountains to be with her schoolteacher sister who has set up a school to educate the mountain children. Much to our main character's surprise, who has a doctorate in music, she discovers the mountaineers have carried with them through the generations the old love ballads of their native Scotland and England.
She takes to scientifically recording as many songs as she can acquire from the hesitant mountain folk. Everything seems to be going well for her until it is discovered by two of the mountain men that her sister is seen kissing the other schoolteacher who helped establish the school. The ignorant men burn down the school and in the fire all of the songs are lost.
By then our main character is ready to leave the mountain and return to the life of the outlanders. Her plan is to take her newly found love who sings and plays banjo and guitar and they will sell recordings to people who are finding all things from the mountain people to be quaint and charming.
The songs are sung similarly to those popularized in O Brother, Where Art Thou? and have a catchy quality to them. So check out the movie. I think you will enjoy it!
Run, don't walk to your nearest Trader Joe's and buy all bags of Snow Peas in stock. Then box them up and mail them to Joy because she needs them.
I can get them from an Asian supermarket in Seattle cheaper than what Joe's sells them for and there is Japanese writing all over the bag. It's the exact same snow pea crisp.
Now you may be thinking, these things have got to taste gross! A snack made from snow peas?!?! But they aren't! It's like eating a puff of lightly salty crispness, and no hint of grean pea-ness to be tasted. The flavor is hard to explain, but it is addicting.
I think on my next excursion to Seattle I'm going to have to detour to the Asian market and load up on snow peas. My life hangs in the balance until I do!
Click to see bigger image
I like checking my stat counters to see the search phrases folks use to stumble or find my blog. There are a few this time that have me laughing.
"Sexy ass lori" caught my attention. I'd like to think my ass is sexy. Then there is the phrase "lori likes it". I wonder what it is that I like? Let your mind wander with that one and see where it takes you. I believe "cracked teapot spiritual lady" might be a code phrase for a Shrone. I see I'm not the only one asking how much does Rachey Ray weigh. She has a nice figure for someone who professionally cooks. And the riddle is solve: "pooky smells like poo" reveals the source of the bad smell. All the while we thought it as the litterbox! Actually it is me who is stinky. I showered last Saturday and collapsed onto the floor while trying to towel off. I had used my showering chair and still felt drained. I've since done a few sponge baths. So if anyone is smelling of poo, it is me!
Five Things
Ten Years Ago:
I was living with previous significant other in an historical village in Pennsylvania, and during that summer I had my pouch revision and my second ileostomy for 3 months.
Five Years Ago: I came to realize that I'd never accomplish what I wanted to do in life if I stayed with said significant other, so I began detaching myself from that life and looking toward moving on. I also finally graduated with my Bachelor's degree.
One Year Ago: I begin the LIOS program and feel that my life is finally moving in the direction is is meant to.
Five Snacks: Potato chips, overly salted popcorn, Keebler elf chocolate chip cookies, Snow Pea crisps, Doritos
Five Songs I know all the words to: (I'm terrible with songs) Happy Birthday, You Are My Sunshine....?
Five Things I would do with $100 Million: (I'm assuming tax-free) Pay off debts, buy a second vehicle, have all Shrones gather in Shrone, Ireland for a two week fun-fest, create scholarships and/or charities
Five places to run away to: Narnia, Middle-Earth (Hobbit-town), the 100 Acre Wood, Shrone, Ireland, and somewhere in Pennsylvania or the south
Five Things I would never wear: spandex, pierced nipple ring, blue eye shadow, a baseball hat backwards, animal print anything
Five Favorite shows: The Simpsons, Family Guy, Christy (was on in the early to mid 90s on CBS), ER, and Angel.
Five Biggest Joys: Pooky, the felines, our big-ass house with gateways to Narnia, flannel sheets, and thunderstorms
Five Favorite Toys: my crazy cat lady action figure, Wienermobile beanie, Orbs of Wisdom, Kitchen-Aid mixer, and a Pooky body part that shall remain unnamed
Hey, has anyone seen my rechargeable battery cords and/or the second recharging unit? We've scoured the house and can't find them. It's like they disappeared like the lost socks! I wonder if the kittens aren't to blame? I hate not being able to find missing items, especially items that are large and cannot be easily lost. I checked the Olympus website to see how much the power cord costs to replace: $18.95 before tax and shipping. There is good reason to find at least one of the cords!
OK, I went to the surgeon's today and he kindly did the paperwork for me to get a temporary handicapped parking placard. It's good until the end of November. This means Pooky can park me in those coveted spots at Wal-Mart, the grocery store, and other shopping spots. Pooky wanted to push for a wheelchair prescription, but I said the $15 for the rental isn't too bad, and it's just for the one day. I can always use the scooters at Wal-Mart if needed.
My dad stopped by around noon with some veggies from his garden. Fresh corn, more red potatoes, onions, and 18 brown eggs. He said the potatoes will have to get us through until mid-October when his yellow Fins and other white potatoes come into season. We've got 8 ears of corn to nibble through, and a ton of onions. Time to make a soup or something!
I promised to post about the two movies.
When I first saw The Green Mile I loved it because of the "supernatural" aspects of it, but over time the movie has come to mean something more to me. It serves to reenforce my believe in The Divine. Yes, the movie portays one of God's innocents being executed for a crime he didn't commit, and I don't want to get into a debate about is capital punishment ethical and part of a civil society. I personally support execution if the crime committed is severe, but realize that innocent people are mistakenly put to death because our justice system is flawed. I am uncertain because karmically speaking, maybe it is someone's karmic balance to be put to death for a crime not committed, but I also feel that spiritually there is a strong case against killing someone even if guilty, because as Gandhi put it: an eye for an eye only makes the world blind.
Anyhow, in the movie there is some karmic retribution given to the bad characters (Percy and the man who did murder the two girls) and the main character played by Tom Hanks is punished for putting to death one of God's miracles, so the story does touch upon a type of spirituality that jives with my own belief system. I think such people as John Coffey (just like the drink but spelt different) do exist, and sadly our society does wind up killing them for one reason or another. From a Gnostic view, this movie speaks to me in ways I can't quite explain.
I have loved C.S. Lewis since childhood and the 1979 cartoon adaption of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe was shown on TV. I had to know what Turkish delight was, and was sadly disappointed by it being a bland jelly-like candy. I was imagining it to be this heavenly choclatey substance with caramel, and some kind of magical, secret ingredient that would make it sublime.
There is so much about Shadowlands that speaks to me—it's hard to know where to begin. When I learned that C.S. was an atheist who became a respected Christian, his life story piqued by curiosity because I have travelled something of a similar life path in that for twenty-something years I was an agnostic/atheist struggling to find "proof" of The Divine, and finally one day it all fell into place for me. I just knew that God existed.
But what touches me in this movie is a line from Joy Gresham's character, that we can't have the joy without the pain. And even C.S. himself has a line or two that speaks to pain being our greatest teacher in life. I appreciate how he says we are God's children, but that God wants us to grow up. I think that is why many people of a fervent religious nature "screw up" the teachings of their faith—is that they aren't attempting to grow up, they are stuck in childhood wanting God to step in like a parent and save the day. Remember how growing up was so painful and hard? And some of us are still trying? I think spirituality is the same, no matter how you depict God, be S/he blue with many arms, wearing a robe and sporting a beard, or a beautiful woman with flowing long hair.
Today I really stubbed my little toe on a chair in the bathroom. Normally I don't cry with such injuries, but with this one, I buckled over. Later I checked the toe and it's swollen and bruised. I'm amazed that I haven't ripped off both little toes during the course of my life. I've been so abusive to both.
Must go now. That new TV show on FOX, "Bones" is about to start, and I'm going to record it for Pooky to see later. I hope that some of the shows this season that look promising do turn out to be worth watching.
