Word of the Day
APPROXIMENTO - A musical entrance that is somewhere in the vicinity of the correct pitch.
It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood,
A beautiful day for a neighbor.
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?...
It's a neighborly day in this beauty wood,
A neighborly day for a beauty.
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?...
I've always wanted to have a neighbor just like you.
I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.
So, let's make the most of this beautiful day.
Since we're together we might as well say:
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won't you be my neighbor?
Won't you please,
Won't you please?
Please won't you be my neighbor?
OK...I just couldn't resist. I used to watch Mr. Rogers endlessly when my children were growing up. It was one of their favorite shows....that and Sesame Street. It was a bit scary to watch them drop everything and like obedient zombies follow the sound of that famous Mr Rogers song to a seat near our TV set. However, that song just describes today perfectly. It was truly a beautiful day here in the neighborhood. The weekenders are long gone. It was rather hot and humid but my air-conditioning system was working.
I transplanted some of my Pansies and Johnny Jump Ups that had seeded themselves this spring in places where they weren't exactly optimal. Volunteers. From the look of things, I may never have to buy another Pansy or Johnny Jump Up as long as I live. It's rather amazing to see the results of cross pollenation when it comes to the colors that these new plants exhibit.
I cooked up my first batch of crayfish. I'll clean them up later and freeze them until I can get enough for eating. There aren't too many right now. My Mom thinks it might be because the water temperature is still a bit cold. Despite our unseasonably warm spring weather, the water in the lake is still frigid which isn't all that surprising since it hasn't been all that long since the winter ice finally disappeared from The Lake.
But...it was truly a beautiful day in this neighborhood.
Murphyism of the Day
Feinberg's Principle
Memory serves its own master.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Word of the Day
APPROXIMATURA - A series of notes not intended by the composer, yet played with an "I meant to do that" attitude
HTP and I drove into the city...not The Big City...just the city, not to be confused with the town. The town is the closest to us and features The Store, The Bank, The Hardware Store, and The BlueGill Bar. OK...there's more to it than that but you get the idea. The city is about 20 minutes away from us here at The Lake. The city has a Walmart, a KMart, a Farm&Fleet, a Menard's (kinda like a Home Depot or Lowes), two grocery stores, liquor stores, AND a tiny movie theatre. I went to the Walmart and got some shorts, some skorts, and some new shirts. Then I went to the grocery store but forgot to buy the bread. I'll have to go and get bread at The Store which isn't all that harsh. After getting the groceries, sans bread, I bought three huge geranium plants for the planters on my deck. Then...I got beer and wine. The wine was on sale. The beer wasn't (on sale) but when you live in Wisconsin beer just seems to taste better so you have to keep a ready supply on hand. And then I cheated and got myself a McD's Happy Meal for lunch.
Now, about this time you all are probably wondering about what happened to HTP while all this was going on. The thing is that we both drove into the city...but not together. HTP drove his folks' car and I followed in The Gator. Just in case. HTP wanted to get the oil changed and have a new battery put into his folk's car. So, after the car stuff was done, HTP drove on back to The Lake and I continued on with my shopping. My new geraniums look wonderful in the window boxes on the deck. I'm wearing a new shorts outfit. And...I'm tired. Oh...and I have a new Happy Meal toy. Bliss!
Murphyism of the Day
Coleridge's Law
Extremes meet.
APPROXIMATURA - A series of notes not intended by the composer, yet played with an "I meant to do that" attitude
HTP and I drove into the city...not The Big City...just the city, not to be confused with the town. The town is the closest to us and features The Store, The Bank, The Hardware Store, and The BlueGill Bar. OK...there's more to it than that but you get the idea. The city is about 20 minutes away from us here at The Lake. The city has a Walmart, a KMart, a Farm&Fleet, a Menard's (kinda like a Home Depot or Lowes), two grocery stores, liquor stores, AND a tiny movie theatre. I went to the Walmart and got some shorts, some skorts, and some new shirts. Then I went to the grocery store but forgot to buy the bread. I'll have to go and get bread at The Store which isn't all that harsh. After getting the groceries, sans bread, I bought three huge geranium plants for the planters on my deck. Then...I got beer and wine. The wine was on sale. The beer wasn't (on sale) but when you live in Wisconsin beer just seems to taste better so you have to keep a ready supply on hand. And then I cheated and got myself a McD's Happy Meal for lunch.
Now, about this time you all are probably wondering about what happened to HTP while all this was going on. The thing is that we both drove into the city...but not together. HTP drove his folks' car and I followed in The Gator. Just in case. HTP wanted to get the oil changed and have a new battery put into his folk's car. So, after the car stuff was done, HTP drove on back to The Lake and I continued on with my shopping. My new geraniums look wonderful in the window boxes on the deck. I'm wearing a new shorts outfit. And...I'm tired. Oh...and I have a new Happy Meal toy. Bliss!
Murphyism of the Day
Coleridge's Law
Extremes meet.
Monday, May 29, 2006
Word of the Day
APPOLOGGIATURA - A composition that you regret playing.
It's Memorial Day. My thoughts are never far from those who are serving in our military these days and the news that bombards us on a daily basis. I suppose it's natural that I would feel this way since one of my own daughters is a Marine and her husband is in Iraq right now with the Nebraska National Guard. On top of that, I have lots of Marine Moms and Wives who I've grown to know and love since my daughter became a Marine. Some of their sons are in Iraq right now. Some of them have sons and daughters who are gearing up to go to Iraq for the first time, for some it will be the second time. One will be having her second son while he husband is in Iraq. I think all of us feel the impact of Memorial Day. And as one of the troops in Iraq eloquently stated, "It's always Memorial Day here."
Murphyism of the Day
Steiner's Precepts
1. Knowledge based on external evidence is unreliable.
2. Logic can never decide what is possible or impossible.
APPOLOGGIATURA - A composition that you regret playing.
It's Memorial Day. My thoughts are never far from those who are serving in our military these days and the news that bombards us on a daily basis. I suppose it's natural that I would feel this way since one of my own daughters is a Marine and her husband is in Iraq right now with the Nebraska National Guard. On top of that, I have lots of Marine Moms and Wives who I've grown to know and love since my daughter became a Marine. Some of their sons are in Iraq right now. Some of them have sons and daughters who are gearing up to go to Iraq for the first time, for some it will be the second time. One will be having her second son while he husband is in Iraq. I think all of us feel the impact of Memorial Day. And as one of the troops in Iraq eloquently stated, "It's always Memorial Day here."
Murphyism of the Day
Steiner's Precepts
1. Knowledge based on external evidence is unreliable.
2. Logic can never decide what is possible or impossible.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Word of the Day
A PATELLA - Knee-slapping as an accompaniment music.
I planted one of my Earthboxes with the six pepper plants that Burpee's sent me. I also left room to plant two additional pepper plants should Burpee's send them to me. I was debating with myself over what I should plant in my second Earthbox. I was going to plant lettuce but I'm pretty sure that it's too hot on our deck for lettuce. So, I decided to see if zucchini will grow in an Earthbox. I'll keep you posted.
My raspberry plants got here yesterday. The postwoman left the box attached to our mailbox at the road. It got soaked in the rain. I'm going to have to talk to the postmistress next week. What if it had been some books instead of plants? They would have been ruined. As it was, the box was totaled.
I dug twenty four holes and planted twenty four raspberry plants. That may sound simple but the glacier dumped its load on our property. With each hole that I dug, I had to remove at least four big rocks. Dirt? What dirt? It's all rock, gravel, sand and clay. Dynamite wouldn't have worked. Thankfully, the shovel that I use is called a garden spade. It helped to lever the big rocks to the surface. Then I'd bend over, wrestle the rock out of the hole and haul it away. Repeat at least three more times per hole. By the time I'd dug all the holes and then lovingly planted all the raspberry plants, I had sweat dripping into my eyes and causing my shirt and jeans to stick to my skin.
Why do I always do this sort of thing on the hottest, most humid day of the year? HTP would remind me that it's going to get hotter and a lot more humid come July. However, it was plenty hot and humid enough for me. When I finally cleaned up all my mess outside and stored away my shovel, I had just enough energy to take a cold shower.
So was that it for me? No. I picked rhubarb. Lots of rhubarb. Only the thing is that when you trim off the leaves and the ends, there really isn't all that much left. I chopped and froze 3 quarts of rhubarb. If I want more than that, I'll have to buy it. I don't dare take any more from my plants this year. They're done. My sister was hoping that we'd have enough to make rhubarb wine but that isn't going to happen unless we buy some rhubarb...which isn't impossible.
Did I mention that I went back down to the dock yesterday after the rain stopped? I caught some more fish. We had beer-battered fish last night for supper. And? I baited my three crayfish traps with the remains. I went down just now to check the traps but it wasn't worth bringing a pot of water up to boil for the four little crayfish that were in the traps. I decided to leave them in the traps and check again tomorrow.
Aside from that, I started a batch of cole slaw using my finger guillotine. Works great! Actually, I've never cut myself using it. My Arizona daughter dubbed my mandoline, the finger guillotine when I first got it and so it's retained its name.
So, anyway, I think I've done enough for one day. It's too windy out to go fishing. Besides, with all the boat traffic out there and the heat, I think I'll just relax inside for the rest of the day in air-conditioned comfort.
Murphyism of the Day
First Rule of Negative Anticiptation
You will save yourself a lot of needless worry if you don't burn your bridges until you come to them.
A PATELLA - Knee-slapping as an accompaniment music.
I planted one of my Earthboxes with the six pepper plants that Burpee's sent me. I also left room to plant two additional pepper plants should Burpee's send them to me. I was debating with myself over what I should plant in my second Earthbox. I was going to plant lettuce but I'm pretty sure that it's too hot on our deck for lettuce. So, I decided to see if zucchini will grow in an Earthbox. I'll keep you posted.
My raspberry plants got here yesterday. The postwoman left the box attached to our mailbox at the road. It got soaked in the rain. I'm going to have to talk to the postmistress next week. What if it had been some books instead of plants? They would have been ruined. As it was, the box was totaled.
I dug twenty four holes and planted twenty four raspberry plants. That may sound simple but the glacier dumped its load on our property. With each hole that I dug, I had to remove at least four big rocks. Dirt? What dirt? It's all rock, gravel, sand and clay. Dynamite wouldn't have worked. Thankfully, the shovel that I use is called a garden spade. It helped to lever the big rocks to the surface. Then I'd bend over, wrestle the rock out of the hole and haul it away. Repeat at least three more times per hole. By the time I'd dug all the holes and then lovingly planted all the raspberry plants, I had sweat dripping into my eyes and causing my shirt and jeans to stick to my skin.
Why do I always do this sort of thing on the hottest, most humid day of the year? HTP would remind me that it's going to get hotter and a lot more humid come July. However, it was plenty hot and humid enough for me. When I finally cleaned up all my mess outside and stored away my shovel, I had just enough energy to take a cold shower.
So was that it for me? No. I picked rhubarb. Lots of rhubarb. Only the thing is that when you trim off the leaves and the ends, there really isn't all that much left. I chopped and froze 3 quarts of rhubarb. If I want more than that, I'll have to buy it. I don't dare take any more from my plants this year. They're done. My sister was hoping that we'd have enough to make rhubarb wine but that isn't going to happen unless we buy some rhubarb...which isn't impossible.
Did I mention that I went back down to the dock yesterday after the rain stopped? I caught some more fish. We had beer-battered fish last night for supper. And? I baited my three crayfish traps with the remains. I went down just now to check the traps but it wasn't worth bringing a pot of water up to boil for the four little crayfish that were in the traps. I decided to leave them in the traps and check again tomorrow.
Aside from that, I started a batch of cole slaw using my finger guillotine. Works great! Actually, I've never cut myself using it. My Arizona daughter dubbed my mandoline, the finger guillotine when I first got it and so it's retained its name.
So, anyway, I think I've done enough for one day. It's too windy out to go fishing. Besides, with all the boat traffic out there and the heat, I think I'll just relax inside for the rest of the day in air-conditioned comfort.
Murphyism of the Day
First Rule of Negative Anticiptation
You will save yourself a lot of needless worry if you don't burn your bridges until you come to them.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Word of the Day
ANGUS DEI - To play music with a divinely beefy tone.
I've got my garden planted. Despite the fact that my Burpee's orders arrived yesterday via UPS, Burpee's made yet another error. I was supposed to receive six Italian pepper plants. I received three. Oh well...I'll plant what I have and hope that they can send the three missing plants asap. I started working on the garden early this morning but despite my efforts to avoid the heat of the day, it was still very hot and very humid. I refuse to think about how it could have been worse. I know. And I really shouldn't complain because I know that it's a lot hotter in Iraq right now where GI Joe is serving. And I hear that it's a lot more hot and humid at Camp Gitmo. Still...the mosquitoes were bad. The wasps were buzzing. I was so hot and "glowing" that by the time I'd finished I was ready to collapse. I planted four kinds of bush bean. Three kinds of lettuce. Two kinds of cucumber. Two kinds of zucchini. Three kinds of eggplant. And twelve tomato plants which I had to plant outside of my garden in various spots, here and there, in my flower beds because it isn't a good idea to plant tomatoes in the same spot year after year. I hope they do OK in the flower beds or I'll be doing a lot of shopping at the Farmer's Market this year so I can "can" enough tomatoes for the winter. What is so pitiful is that my garden is REALLY small. It shouldn't have taken so much out of me to plant it. I still have to plant the peppers that I did receive out in the Earthbox. I think I'm going to plant some romaine lettuce in the other Earthbox. My Earthboxes are out in the garage, too heavy for me to lift and carry. I've got to wait until #1 son can bring them out onto the deck for me. I'm only going to use the two Earthboxes this year instead of all the other pots. #1 son told me that he'd take my other containers out to the garden where I may or may not plant something in them. I'll think on it. But, for right now, I'm finished. Now all that's required is a bit of rain and some sunshine and patience.
I went fishing. I caught two bluegill. It's hot and humid and windy out on the dock. I think I'll wait until it cools down a bit. There's a lot of weekenders out water-skiing and pontooning. Maybe it will have cooled down enough to try my luck again before supper. We'll see.
****
Well it looks like I won't be able to go down fishing afterall. I knew that it felt like rain. And? It's raining. I guess I didn't have to worry so much about watering the garden. I hope the double dose won't wash away the lettuce seeds.
Murphyism of the Day
The Two Rules for Ultimate Success in Life
1. Never tell everything you know.
ANGUS DEI - To play music with a divinely beefy tone.
I've got my garden planted. Despite the fact that my Burpee's orders arrived yesterday via UPS, Burpee's made yet another error. I was supposed to receive six Italian pepper plants. I received three. Oh well...I'll plant what I have and hope that they can send the three missing plants asap. I started working on the garden early this morning but despite my efforts to avoid the heat of the day, it was still very hot and very humid. I refuse to think about how it could have been worse. I know. And I really shouldn't complain because I know that it's a lot hotter in Iraq right now where GI Joe is serving. And I hear that it's a lot more hot and humid at Camp Gitmo. Still...the mosquitoes were bad. The wasps were buzzing. I was so hot and "glowing" that by the time I'd finished I was ready to collapse. I planted four kinds of bush bean. Three kinds of lettuce. Two kinds of cucumber. Two kinds of zucchini. Three kinds of eggplant. And twelve tomato plants which I had to plant outside of my garden in various spots, here and there, in my flower beds because it isn't a good idea to plant tomatoes in the same spot year after year. I hope they do OK in the flower beds or I'll be doing a lot of shopping at the Farmer's Market this year so I can "can" enough tomatoes for the winter. What is so pitiful is that my garden is REALLY small. It shouldn't have taken so much out of me to plant it. I still have to plant the peppers that I did receive out in the Earthbox. I think I'm going to plant some romaine lettuce in the other Earthbox. My Earthboxes are out in the garage, too heavy for me to lift and carry. I've got to wait until #1 son can bring them out onto the deck for me. I'm only going to use the two Earthboxes this year instead of all the other pots. #1 son told me that he'd take my other containers out to the garden where I may or may not plant something in them. I'll think on it. But, for right now, I'm finished. Now all that's required is a bit of rain and some sunshine and patience.
I went fishing. I caught two bluegill. It's hot and humid and windy out on the dock. I think I'll wait until it cools down a bit. There's a lot of weekenders out water-skiing and pontooning. Maybe it will have cooled down enough to try my luck again before supper. We'll see.
****
Well it looks like I won't be able to go down fishing afterall. I knew that it felt like rain. And? It's raining. I guess I didn't have to worry so much about watering the garden. I hope the double dose won't wash away the lettuce seeds.
Murphyism of the Day
The Two Rules for Ultimate Success in Life
1. Never tell everything you know.
Friday, May 26, 2006
Word of the Day
ALLREGRETTO - When you're 16 measures into the piece and realize you took too fast a tempo.
It's #1 son's birthday today. Happy Birthday #1 son! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday Dear #1 Son! Happy Birthday to You! No longer a teenager.
The Birthday Fairy stopped and left a Birthday card for #1 son on our kitchen table. I didn't actually witness the event because I was down in the basement folding clothes. HTP didn't see anything. He was in the shower. #1 son was and is still sleeping. I have to admit that we don't lock our doors here at The Lake but I'm sure that The Birthday Fairy would have found a way inside regardless.
I made a birthday cake for #1 son yesterday. There wasn't a store bought mix in my pantry so I got a 5-star recipe off the net. Mistake. It boiled over in my oven. I can still smell the burnt cake smell. However, with enough icing, I think I managed to make it look OK and it wasn't the cake that burnt. It was just the stuff on the bottom of the oven. Oh well. It's the thought that counts....right? Anyway, I did go out and buy ice cream.
Then this morning before #1 son got up (he's still not up), HTP and I took his folks' Buick in for repairs at a place close to where we live. I stopped into The Store, our one and only official grocery store (there's actually a rustic wooden floor in that place and it's REALLY small). So imagine my shock when I discovered that they had ice cream cakes. Woohoo! I'm not sure how it'll taste but I'm thinkin' that it'll taste a lot better than my poor baking attempt of yesterday.
Murphyism of the Day
Gabitol's Observation
The wise are pleased when they discover the truth, fools when they discover falsehood.
ALLREGRETTO - When you're 16 measures into the piece and realize you took too fast a tempo.
It's #1 son's birthday today. Happy Birthday #1 son! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday Dear #1 Son! Happy Birthday to You! No longer a teenager.
The Birthday Fairy stopped and left a Birthday card for #1 son on our kitchen table. I didn't actually witness the event because I was down in the basement folding clothes. HTP didn't see anything. He was in the shower. #1 son was and is still sleeping. I have to admit that we don't lock our doors here at The Lake but I'm sure that The Birthday Fairy would have found a way inside regardless.
I made a birthday cake for #1 son yesterday. There wasn't a store bought mix in my pantry so I got a 5-star recipe off the net. Mistake. It boiled over in my oven. I can still smell the burnt cake smell. However, with enough icing, I think I managed to make it look OK and it wasn't the cake that burnt. It was just the stuff on the bottom of the oven. Oh well. It's the thought that counts....right? Anyway, I did go out and buy ice cream.
Then this morning before #1 son got up (he's still not up), HTP and I took his folks' Buick in for repairs at a place close to where we live. I stopped into The Store, our one and only official grocery store (there's actually a rustic wooden floor in that place and it's REALLY small). So imagine my shock when I discovered that they had ice cream cakes. Woohoo! I'm not sure how it'll taste but I'm thinkin' that it'll taste a lot better than my poor baking attempt of yesterday.
Murphyism of the Day
Gabitol's Observation
The wise are pleased when they discover the truth, fools when they discover falsehood.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Word of the Day
Pupsicle - A frozen pet.
HTP's gone off to The Big City for the day. He's picking #1 son up at the airport. I'll be doing laundry tomorrow.
My sister and I continued with our wine-making project today. I won't need to do anything with the Dandelion Wine now for at least 30 days. I'll mess with the Lilac Wine on Saturday. We're discussing the possibility of making Rhubarb Wine. My sister is going to research the various recipes. I'm going to pick, dice and freeze the rhubarb. I was going to do that anyway. I want to make another batch of strawberry/rhubarb jam. I also want to have enough rhubarb in the freezer for future pie-making.
In the meantime, I'm waiting for my Burpee plants and seeds. They should get here any day now. HTP tilled my raised bed gardens. I still need to go out and get some lettuce seed and some set onions. Tomorrow? Surely I can go shopping AND do the laundry on the same day.
Murphyism of the Day
Law of Living
As soon as you're doing what you wanted to be doing, you want to do something else.
Pupsicle - A frozen pet.
HTP's gone off to The Big City for the day. He's picking #1 son up at the airport. I'll be doing laundry tomorrow.
My sister and I continued with our wine-making project today. I won't need to do anything with the Dandelion Wine now for at least 30 days. I'll mess with the Lilac Wine on Saturday. We're discussing the possibility of making Rhubarb Wine. My sister is going to research the various recipes. I'm going to pick, dice and freeze the rhubarb. I was going to do that anyway. I want to make another batch of strawberry/rhubarb jam. I also want to have enough rhubarb in the freezer for future pie-making.
In the meantime, I'm waiting for my Burpee plants and seeds. They should get here any day now. HTP tilled my raised bed gardens. I still need to go out and get some lettuce seed and some set onions. Tomorrow? Surely I can go shopping AND do the laundry on the same day.
Murphyism of the Day
Law of Living
As soon as you're doing what you wanted to be doing, you want to do something else.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Word of the Day
Punificator - One who consistently makes use of puns as a form of humor.
Starry, Starry Nights in Wisconsin. When I saw that printed on a mug at a local shop, I couldn't resist buying it. I love walking the dogs at night here in Wisconsin because it gives me a chance to ponder a night sky filled with stars should the weather permit. The stars do seem brighter here at The Lake and there are so many it's hard to take it all in. The other night as I gazed outside, the reflection of the moon on the lake rippled across the lake. No clouds. So many stars, the mind boggles.
So, I'm sitting here this morning drinking that first cup of coffee from my beautiful star-speckled Starry, Starry Nights coffee mug. And I'm debating about all the things that I should do today. Laundry. Weeding. Maybe I'll just pour myself another cup of coffee and go sit out on the dock for a little while. It's a beautiful morning.
Murphyism of the Day
Matz' Maxim
A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.
Punificator - One who consistently makes use of puns as a form of humor.
Starry, Starry Nights in Wisconsin. When I saw that printed on a mug at a local shop, I couldn't resist buying it. I love walking the dogs at night here in Wisconsin because it gives me a chance to ponder a night sky filled with stars should the weather permit. The stars do seem brighter here at The Lake and there are so many it's hard to take it all in. The other night as I gazed outside, the reflection of the moon on the lake rippled across the lake. No clouds. So many stars, the mind boggles.
So, I'm sitting here this morning drinking that first cup of coffee from my beautiful star-speckled Starry, Starry Nights coffee mug. And I'm debating about all the things that I should do today. Laundry. Weeding. Maybe I'll just pour myself another cup of coffee and go sit out on the dock for a little while. It's a beautiful morning.
Murphyism of the Day
Matz' Maxim
A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Word of the Day
Punctuless - Without periods, commas, question marks, etc.
Hunting the wild watercress. This was the major project for the day. We continued on with our wine-making projects but today's project was to hunt down the elusive wild watercress. Watercress grows in a swampy area along a spring-fed area which is close to the cabin where I spent many fun-filled days in my youth. Marsh Marigolds abound. My sister has found that the best time for hunting wild watercress is when the trilliums are blooming. I noted that the wild geranium is blooming too.
Before hitting the trail, we armed ourself against the bloodsucking woodticks that abound this time of year. I sprayed my sister with tick and mosquito spray...she sprayed me. Carrying plastic grocery sacks and a kitchen shears, we hiked and trudged over fallen debris and hidden logs until we arrived at the hidden spring where the wild watercress abides. OK...I'm getting poetic here. Anyway, you have to watch where you walk or you'll end up neck-high in quicksand...but it's not quicksand, it's muck. Stinky muck. I'm sure that there is a ready supply of oil brewing beneath this swamp but don't tell anyone. As you walk through the swamp, images of prehistoric animals dance through your head....as you watch your step because stinky swamp mud isn't fun to clean off your shoes. However, gathering wild watercress is well worth the risk.
I have to tell you that my husband, HTP, is not fond of watercress. He'll eat it but I'm sure that I don't really have to repeat the snide little comments that he makes. Me? I love it. My sister loves it too. But...her husband hates the stuff. She tells me that one of her sons will eat it but I'm thinking that he loves his Mom. Regardless, watercress costs a mint in the stores. Have you ever seen what they charge for it? Do I like the stuff because I can get it for "free"? I'm not really sure. I know that I wouldn't really like it if I had it day in and day out. However, I do love making it into a salad with a light vinaigrette dressing. The thing is that I'm not sure if HTP really likes anything edible if it's green. Green death! Maybe it's a woman thing. I love salads or all sorts. I love green edible stuff as long as it isn't mold. Unless that mold is blue and comes on a type of cheese called Bleu Cheese or the like.
My sister and I harvested three bags of watercress. One bag for her, one bag for me, and one bag for my Mom. My Mom loves it...I suspect that my Dad isn't fond of it but.... We noted that it's still early in the season so we may return to hunt another day.
On the continuing story of our wine-making subject....my sister and I proceeded on with our recipe for Lilac wine. The yeast has now met the must and must remain untouched for five days. The yeast met the must for our batch of Dandelion wine the other day and will have to continue on it's wine journey on Wednesday. As for the Dandelion Schnapps? We sampled a nip of it. It's early days yet but it's showing great promise.
Now...if you'll please excuse me...I'm off to check to see if any woodticks breeched the protective spray barrier which coats my clothing.
Murphyism of the Day
Levy's First Law
No amount of genius can overcome a preoccupation with detail.
Punctuless - Without periods, commas, question marks, etc.
Hunting the wild watercress. This was the major project for the day. We continued on with our wine-making projects but today's project was to hunt down the elusive wild watercress. Watercress grows in a swampy area along a spring-fed area which is close to the cabin where I spent many fun-filled days in my youth. Marsh Marigolds abound. My sister has found that the best time for hunting wild watercress is when the trilliums are blooming. I noted that the wild geranium is blooming too.
Before hitting the trail, we armed ourself against the bloodsucking woodticks that abound this time of year. I sprayed my sister with tick and mosquito spray...she sprayed me. Carrying plastic grocery sacks and a kitchen shears, we hiked and trudged over fallen debris and hidden logs until we arrived at the hidden spring where the wild watercress abides. OK...I'm getting poetic here. Anyway, you have to watch where you walk or you'll end up neck-high in quicksand...but it's not quicksand, it's muck. Stinky muck. I'm sure that there is a ready supply of oil brewing beneath this swamp but don't tell anyone. As you walk through the swamp, images of prehistoric animals dance through your head....as you watch your step because stinky swamp mud isn't fun to clean off your shoes. However, gathering wild watercress is well worth the risk.
I have to tell you that my husband, HTP, is not fond of watercress. He'll eat it but I'm sure that I don't really have to repeat the snide little comments that he makes. Me? I love it. My sister loves it too. But...her husband hates the stuff. She tells me that one of her sons will eat it but I'm thinking that he loves his Mom. Regardless, watercress costs a mint in the stores. Have you ever seen what they charge for it? Do I like the stuff because I can get it for "free"? I'm not really sure. I know that I wouldn't really like it if I had it day in and day out. However, I do love making it into a salad with a light vinaigrette dressing. The thing is that I'm not sure if HTP really likes anything edible if it's green. Green death! Maybe it's a woman thing. I love salads or all sorts. I love green edible stuff as long as it isn't mold. Unless that mold is blue and comes on a type of cheese called Bleu Cheese or the like.
My sister and I harvested three bags of watercress. One bag for her, one bag for me, and one bag for my Mom. My Mom loves it...I suspect that my Dad isn't fond of it but.... We noted that it's still early in the season so we may return to hunt another day.
On the continuing story of our wine-making subject....my sister and I proceeded on with our recipe for Lilac wine. The yeast has now met the must and must remain untouched for five days. The yeast met the must for our batch of Dandelion wine the other day and will have to continue on it's wine journey on Wednesday. As for the Dandelion Schnapps? We sampled a nip of it. It's early days yet but it's showing great promise.
Now...if you'll please excuse me...I'm off to check to see if any woodticks breeched the protective spray barrier which coats my clothing.
Murphyism of the Day
Levy's First Law
No amount of genius can overcome a preoccupation with detail.
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Word of the Day
Pumpkinween - Season of pumpkins, in abundance. Near Halloween.
Attack of the Killer Hummingbirds! We've been invaded. One of the first things that I do in the Spring when HTP and I return to The Lake, is put out the Hummingbird feeders. I have four of them. The hummingbirds have returned. And with that return, comes the annual territorial battles, aerial dogfights that the hummingbirds engage in to protect what they consider THEIR territory. Yesterday, we were watching one of these battles. Shock! Two the the little buggers had fallen to the deck, engaged in a struggle to the death! I'd never seen such a thing before. My sister and her husband and I all raced to the door to break up the fight. They actually ignored us as we raced to stop the carnage. Hah! We persevered. I refuse to have dead hummingbirds littering my deck. They flew off in separate directions. I'm not sure but I think one of them decided that he'd lost the battle or maybe they continued their fight out in the woods where we couldn't witness the carnage. Fine, take your fights out to some back alley somewhere where I don't have to clean up the mess. Regardless, I now have a watch hummingbird guarding the feeders against rival gangs of "foreign" hummingbirds. On top of all this, my dogs refuse to go outside on the deck anymore. I strongly suspect that the watch hummingbird has been threatening them in some way. From what I've witnessed in the past few years, hummingbirds make up for their lack of size with a truly nasty disposition.
Murphyism of the Day
Hanlon's Razor
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.
Pumpkinween - Season of pumpkins, in abundance. Near Halloween.
Attack of the Killer Hummingbirds! We've been invaded. One of the first things that I do in the Spring when HTP and I return to The Lake, is put out the Hummingbird feeders. I have four of them. The hummingbirds have returned. And with that return, comes the annual territorial battles, aerial dogfights that the hummingbirds engage in to protect what they consider THEIR territory. Yesterday, we were watching one of these battles. Shock! Two the the little buggers had fallen to the deck, engaged in a struggle to the death! I'd never seen such a thing before. My sister and her husband and I all raced to the door to break up the fight. They actually ignored us as we raced to stop the carnage. Hah! We persevered. I refuse to have dead hummingbirds littering my deck. They flew off in separate directions. I'm not sure but I think one of them decided that he'd lost the battle or maybe they continued their fight out in the woods where we couldn't witness the carnage. Fine, take your fights out to some back alley somewhere where I don't have to clean up the mess. Regardless, I now have a watch hummingbird guarding the feeders against rival gangs of "foreign" hummingbirds. On top of all this, my dogs refuse to go outside on the deck anymore. I strongly suspect that the watch hummingbird has been threatening them in some way. From what I've witnessed in the past few years, hummingbirds make up for their lack of size with a truly nasty disposition.
Murphyism of the Day
Hanlon's Razor
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Word of the Day
Pulp friction - Bargain brand bathroom tissue.
I've got books. The books that I ordered over the internet have arrived...most of them. I'm trying to show some restraint. I started reading one of them but I'm trying to savor the experience. At least...I'm going to try. I feel like what I'm sure a drug-addict feels when he sees his next fix. BOOKS! Must read BOOKS!
Wine-making. My sister came over and we've started the ball rolling on our wine-making project(s). It's kind of difficult because we've got two different recipes and two different types of wine and we keep on getting mixed up. We boiled got the water boiling and poured it over the lilac blossoms. Now that has to sit and steep for 48 hours before we mess with it again. We crammed the dandelion petals into two nylon knee highs and boiled them for 20 minutes. I'm waiting for the mixture to cool right now. As soon as it cools, I need to continue on. I'm afraid it's going to be a rather late night for me. My sister decided that "You can take it from here" and she's right. These things take time. How long does it take to cool this stuff and then I need to add more stuff and boil it and then I have to cool it again to an exact temperature? I'm supposed to keep careful notes. We also started a batch of lilac schnapps. Update in one month.
Arizona daughter and her husband are coming to visit us in June. They're going to buy the car that HTP's parents own but need to get rid of now that neither of them can drive. So, they'll fly in, spend a couple of days with us, and then drive said vehicle back to Arizona. It sure will be nice to have them here even if it's only for a couple of days.
I still haven't done any fishing. No bait. I still haven't tilled the garden. Too busy making wine. Tomorrow? Maybe. We'll see.
Murphyism of the Day
Hawkin's Theory of Progress
Progress doesn't consist of replacing a theory that is wrong with one that is right. It consists in replacing a theory that is wrong with one that is more subtly wrong.
Pulp friction - Bargain brand bathroom tissue.
I've got books. The books that I ordered over the internet have arrived...most of them. I'm trying to show some restraint. I started reading one of them but I'm trying to savor the experience. At least...I'm going to try. I feel like what I'm sure a drug-addict feels when he sees his next fix. BOOKS! Must read BOOKS!
Wine-making. My sister came over and we've started the ball rolling on our wine-making project(s). It's kind of difficult because we've got two different recipes and two different types of wine and we keep on getting mixed up. We boiled got the water boiling and poured it over the lilac blossoms. Now that has to sit and steep for 48 hours before we mess with it again. We crammed the dandelion petals into two nylon knee highs and boiled them for 20 minutes. I'm waiting for the mixture to cool right now. As soon as it cools, I need to continue on. I'm afraid it's going to be a rather late night for me. My sister decided that "You can take it from here" and she's right. These things take time. How long does it take to cool this stuff and then I need to add more stuff and boil it and then I have to cool it again to an exact temperature? I'm supposed to keep careful notes. We also started a batch of lilac schnapps. Update in one month.
Arizona daughter and her husband are coming to visit us in June. They're going to buy the car that HTP's parents own but need to get rid of now that neither of them can drive. So, they'll fly in, spend a couple of days with us, and then drive said vehicle back to Arizona. It sure will be nice to have them here even if it's only for a couple of days.
I still haven't done any fishing. No bait. I still haven't tilled the garden. Too busy making wine. Tomorrow? Maybe. We'll see.
Murphyism of the Day
Hawkin's Theory of Progress
Progress doesn't consist of replacing a theory that is wrong with one that is right. It consists in replacing a theory that is wrong with one that is more subtly wrong.
Friday, May 19, 2006
Word of the Day
Pullet surprise - Chicken salad sandwich.
Exhaustion sets in. We had someone come this morning to pump out our septic tank. He had to dig up my yard because, "the exposed cleanout pipes never work all that great." So now I have an area in my beautiful grass yard which looks like someone dug it up and tried to patch it. Oh well, I don't have to do this again for another three years.
Yesterday, my sister and her husband brought over boxes and boxes of canning jars and empty wine bottles yesterday. They brought over two huge glass jugs for wine-making along with four huge plastic pails for wine-making. All kinds of wine-making equipment that my sister and I will put into use in the next day or so. And all kinds of glasses...wine, champagne, cordial, juice, highballs. I couldn't just leave all that stuff sitting in my front hallway. So, I spent most of the morning hauling the jars down to my basement. I must have gone up and down those stairs thirty or forty times today. Maybe more. And I can't remember the amount of times that I've been up and down the steps of the stepladder that I needed to get to the upper cupboards. Or the amount of ups and downs that I did while we put the boat and the dock in yesterday. On the plus side? My knees aren't bothering me a bit...and they really should be bothering me. I think that the fact that my knees aren't crippling me right now proves that the CM Response supplement that I've been taking is working. CM Response is a joint medication for humans. Our vet recommended the dog formula Cetyl-M for our poor little chihuahua who has had two surgeries for joint problems. I decided that since it seemed to work so well for her, I'd give the human formula for me.
After hauling and storing all the canning jars and wine-making supplies, I went to pick up my sister. We needed to do some shopping. More wine-making supplies. Plus, we each had other stuff that we needed while we were in town. I bought some more bird seed and a new feeder. We both had to stop to visit The Great Outdoors. Cute shop. I bought a couple of coffee mugs and a nightlight. My sister bought a cute frame. We stopped for lunch at La Casa Mexicana. Very good. I'm really picky about Mexican food. Especially the salsa. The food was great!
So now, I'm washing a batch of antique blue canning jars before I decoratively store them above my kitchen cabinets. I already have a bunch of them up there but there's plenty of room for this batch too. I actually do can with these jars if the rims aren't chipped. They work especially well for things like pickles. The chipped jars? I keep those too. They still look pretty and interesting up on the top of my kitchen cabinets.
I already washed the glasses and found a place for them in one of my kitchen cabinets. And now I've got chicken oven-frying in my oven and I'm thinking about cleaning up some broccoli to go with our supper. Exhaustion. I may just have enough energy left to open up that bottle of Pinot Grigio that I have chilling in the fridge.
Murphyism of the Day
Halgren's Solution
When in trouble, obfuscate.
Pullet surprise - Chicken salad sandwich.
Exhaustion sets in. We had someone come this morning to pump out our septic tank. He had to dig up my yard because, "the exposed cleanout pipes never work all that great." So now I have an area in my beautiful grass yard which looks like someone dug it up and tried to patch it. Oh well, I don't have to do this again for another three years.
Yesterday, my sister and her husband brought over boxes and boxes of canning jars and empty wine bottles yesterday. They brought over two huge glass jugs for wine-making along with four huge plastic pails for wine-making. All kinds of wine-making equipment that my sister and I will put into use in the next day or so. And all kinds of glasses...wine, champagne, cordial, juice, highballs. I couldn't just leave all that stuff sitting in my front hallway. So, I spent most of the morning hauling the jars down to my basement. I must have gone up and down those stairs thirty or forty times today. Maybe more. And I can't remember the amount of times that I've been up and down the steps of the stepladder that I needed to get to the upper cupboards. Or the amount of ups and downs that I did while we put the boat and the dock in yesterday. On the plus side? My knees aren't bothering me a bit...and they really should be bothering me. I think that the fact that my knees aren't crippling me right now proves that the CM Response supplement that I've been taking is working. CM Response is a joint medication for humans. Our vet recommended the dog formula Cetyl-M for our poor little chihuahua who has had two surgeries for joint problems. I decided that since it seemed to work so well for her, I'd give the human formula for me.
After hauling and storing all the canning jars and wine-making supplies, I went to pick up my sister. We needed to do some shopping. More wine-making supplies. Plus, we each had other stuff that we needed while we were in town. I bought some more bird seed and a new feeder. We both had to stop to visit The Great Outdoors. Cute shop. I bought a couple of coffee mugs and a nightlight. My sister bought a cute frame. We stopped for lunch at La Casa Mexicana. Very good. I'm really picky about Mexican food. Especially the salsa. The food was great!
So now, I'm washing a batch of antique blue canning jars before I decoratively store them above my kitchen cabinets. I already have a bunch of them up there but there's plenty of room for this batch too. I actually do can with these jars if the rims aren't chipped. They work especially well for things like pickles. The chipped jars? I keep those too. They still look pretty and interesting up on the top of my kitchen cabinets.
I already washed the glasses and found a place for them in one of my kitchen cabinets. And now I've got chicken oven-frying in my oven and I'm thinking about cleaning up some broccoli to go with our supper. Exhaustion. I may just have enough energy left to open up that bottle of Pinot Grigio that I have chilling in the fridge.
Murphyism of the Day
Halgren's Solution
When in trouble, obfuscate.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Word of the Day
Publitwist - A news spinner.
The dock is in! The boat is in! I have my fishing license! None of those things had happened when I woke up this morning. After breakfast this morning, HTP and I took one look at the temperature outside (55°F) and we decided to wait until things warmed up a bit before we launched our boat. At around 2 PM, we decided that the temperature outside had warmed up enough to bring the boat over to the landing at our local park. The wind had died down. The temperature outside was in the 70's.
HTP pushed the boat on its trailer out of the garage, hitched it to our SUV (evil gas-guzzler but necessary if you need to tow a boat) and we both drove to the landing. Backing a boat trailer and boat down a boat ramp is no easy task. I'm glad I wasn't the person who had to attempt that maneuver. HTP finally managed it after four or five attempts. Of course, despite the fact the that the boat started right up, first try, the motor died the second we got onto the lake. HTP has finally decided that there really must be something wrong with our boat. Getting the stupid thing into neutral is no easy task. FINALLY...FINALLY...HTP managed to get the boat running, before the wind blew us into shore.
Despite the fact that I was wearing the USMC hooded sweatshirt that DD Daughter gave me for my birthday, it was FREEZING as we raced northward on Red Cedar Lake. The only respite to the cold was when HTP slowed as we motored through the No Wake area of the channel that connects Red Cedar Lake to our lake. Then it was back to FREEZING as we raced our way across The Lake to our dock....the framework for our dock.
And so commenced our next project. The installation of The Dock. We have a rolladock. #1 son and HTP had rolled the framework for our dock into The Lake before #1 son went off on holiday to Arizona. If you know anything about rolladocks, you know that they are pretty easy to roll into the lake. Unfortunately, that's not the only thing you need to do. You need to adjust the stabilizing legs of the dock so that it won't dip and tip when you want to actually use it. This task can either be done by someone wading out into frigid, "Hey! Wasn't this lake covered in ice last week?" water, or by someone hanging over the side of a boat. Note that we didn't launch the boat until this afternoon. Neither HTP or #1 son felt up to wading into frigid waters. So, it was up to HTP and me to stabilize the dock. No easy task. Ideally you want to make sure the stupid dock is level. We tried. We did our best. Good enough. And now? Please note that I mentioned earlier that we had rolled the framework of the dock into the water. If you actually want to walk on the dock, we needed to install the platform upon which most people expect to walk when they see a dock. Dock boards.
Dock boards come in segments so you can carry them without causing major health problems. When we took the segment "dock boards" out last fall we numbered them. Pretty smart really because they fit on the dock framework like a puzzle. You need to put the correct dock boards in the correct order or they won't fit. Thank Goodness that we numbered them! Even so they had to be adjusted here and there.
The last thing? I installed the tie-downs on the dock so we could tie up the boat. It's always a wise idea to make sure that your boat is tied securely to your dock. Remember the abandoned boat incident that I blogged about earlier this month? Hah! If he'd securely tied his boat to his dock, none of that would have happened.
OK. The dock was in. The boat was launched. What happened to the boat trailer and our SUV? It was still back at the boat launch. So...HTP and I drove our other car into town to get our fishing licenses which took forever because the place where we normally get our licenses was closed for the day and we went to a new place and they didn't know what they were doing so we were waiting until they could figure it all out along with six or seven other people who just wanted to pay for their six pack of beer or candybars or can of pop. I was so sorry and embarrassed. I could have waited another day but who knew? And then once they started the whole thing, we just couldn't stop them with a "Nevermind, we'll wait until tomorrow and go to the bait store down the road where we normally go." However, finally we had our licenses and we slunk out the door before the other patrons could kill us and then we drove back to the boat launch to collect our SUV and boat trailer. HTP drove the SUV and I drove the Buick.
Last thing? HTP and I rolled the trailer back into the garage. And then it was Miller-Time. Actually, we didn't have any MGD. We had Big Butt Beer instead. That's OK. I'll buy some MGD tomorrow. And then my sister and her husband came over to bring wine-making supplies and canning stuff. And I opened a bottle of FishEye Merlot which they agreed was a fine red wine. I asked them if they'd like to join us for a spaghetti dinner with Italian sausage and salad...but they declined and departed. They had their own prior plans for supper.
And so...Good Grief! How could it be so late? It's been a long day. And tomorrow will be another. We're having our septic tank inspected and pumped tomorrow morning. EARLY! I may just have enough time to wake up, take a sip of coffee and feed the dogs before they get here. My septic tank doesn't need pumping or inspecting but Wisconsin has this environmental whacko law now which forces me to comply whether it needs it or not. And it doesn't because we don't live here more than six month of the year but they don't really care about that or take it into account when their nastygrams are forwarded to us while we're spending our winter in Arizona.
Murphyism of the Day
Merkin's Maxim
When in doubt, predict that the trend will continue.
Publitwist - A news spinner.
The dock is in! The boat is in! I have my fishing license! None of those things had happened when I woke up this morning. After breakfast this morning, HTP and I took one look at the temperature outside (55°F) and we decided to wait until things warmed up a bit before we launched our boat. At around 2 PM, we decided that the temperature outside had warmed up enough to bring the boat over to the landing at our local park. The wind had died down. The temperature outside was in the 70's.
HTP pushed the boat on its trailer out of the garage, hitched it to our SUV (evil gas-guzzler but necessary if you need to tow a boat) and we both drove to the landing. Backing a boat trailer and boat down a boat ramp is no easy task. I'm glad I wasn't the person who had to attempt that maneuver. HTP finally managed it after four or five attempts. Of course, despite the fact the that the boat started right up, first try, the motor died the second we got onto the lake. HTP has finally decided that there really must be something wrong with our boat. Getting the stupid thing into neutral is no easy task. FINALLY...FINALLY...HTP managed to get the boat running, before the wind blew us into shore.
Despite the fact that I was wearing the USMC hooded sweatshirt that DD Daughter gave me for my birthday, it was FREEZING as we raced northward on Red Cedar Lake. The only respite to the cold was when HTP slowed as we motored through the No Wake area of the channel that connects Red Cedar Lake to our lake. Then it was back to FREEZING as we raced our way across The Lake to our dock....the framework for our dock.
And so commenced our next project. The installation of The Dock. We have a rolladock. #1 son and HTP had rolled the framework for our dock into The Lake before #1 son went off on holiday to Arizona. If you know anything about rolladocks, you know that they are pretty easy to roll into the lake. Unfortunately, that's not the only thing you need to do. You need to adjust the stabilizing legs of the dock so that it won't dip and tip when you want to actually use it. This task can either be done by someone wading out into frigid, "Hey! Wasn't this lake covered in ice last week?" water, or by someone hanging over the side of a boat. Note that we didn't launch the boat until this afternoon. Neither HTP or #1 son felt up to wading into frigid waters. So, it was up to HTP and me to stabilize the dock. No easy task. Ideally you want to make sure the stupid dock is level. We tried. We did our best. Good enough. And now? Please note that I mentioned earlier that we had rolled the framework of the dock into the water. If you actually want to walk on the dock, we needed to install the platform upon which most people expect to walk when they see a dock. Dock boards.
Dock boards come in segments so you can carry them without causing major health problems. When we took the segment "dock boards" out last fall we numbered them. Pretty smart really because they fit on the dock framework like a puzzle. You need to put the correct dock boards in the correct order or they won't fit. Thank Goodness that we numbered them! Even so they had to be adjusted here and there.
The last thing? I installed the tie-downs on the dock so we could tie up the boat. It's always a wise idea to make sure that your boat is tied securely to your dock. Remember the abandoned boat incident that I blogged about earlier this month? Hah! If he'd securely tied his boat to his dock, none of that would have happened.
OK. The dock was in. The boat was launched. What happened to the boat trailer and our SUV? It was still back at the boat launch. So...HTP and I drove our other car into town to get our fishing licenses which took forever because the place where we normally get our licenses was closed for the day and we went to a new place and they didn't know what they were doing so we were waiting until they could figure it all out along with six or seven other people who just wanted to pay for their six pack of beer or candybars or can of pop. I was so sorry and embarrassed. I could have waited another day but who knew? And then once they started the whole thing, we just couldn't stop them with a "Nevermind, we'll wait until tomorrow and go to the bait store down the road where we normally go." However, finally we had our licenses and we slunk out the door before the other patrons could kill us and then we drove back to the boat launch to collect our SUV and boat trailer. HTP drove the SUV and I drove the Buick.
Last thing? HTP and I rolled the trailer back into the garage. And then it was Miller-Time. Actually, we didn't have any MGD. We had Big Butt Beer instead. That's OK. I'll buy some MGD tomorrow. And then my sister and her husband came over to bring wine-making supplies and canning stuff. And I opened a bottle of FishEye Merlot which they agreed was a fine red wine. I asked them if they'd like to join us for a spaghetti dinner with Italian sausage and salad...but they declined and departed. They had their own prior plans for supper.
And so...Good Grief! How could it be so late? It's been a long day. And tomorrow will be another. We're having our septic tank inspected and pumped tomorrow morning. EARLY! I may just have enough time to wake up, take a sip of coffee and feed the dogs before they get here. My septic tank doesn't need pumping or inspecting but Wisconsin has this environmental whacko law now which forces me to comply whether it needs it or not. And it doesn't because we don't live here more than six month of the year but they don't really care about that or take it into account when their nastygrams are forwarded to us while we're spending our winter in Arizona.
Murphyism of the Day
Merkin's Maxim
When in doubt, predict that the trend will continue.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Word of the Day
Publicaution - A consumer alert.
Woodticks! I went outside this morning to collect more dandelion blossoms for wine-making. Sure enough. The second I sat down after cleaning them all up, right here at my computer, I feel a little itch. It was one of those tiny woodticks which had managed to grab a hold. Dang! Oh well, I consigned her to a watery grave and than sat back down at the computer. No sooner than I started this blog, I start feeling something tickling my back. Now, as most people know, when you have had one woodtick, you start feeling phantom ticks crawling all over your body. This wasn't a phantom tick. She hadn't attached herself as yet but I know she was looking for a likely spot. She ended up in a watery grave flushed shortly after her little friend. So, right now I'm checking out every little phantom tickle. Wait a minute...I think I feel one on my leg. Nope...just a phantom.
HTP got back late from The Big City. Really late. I was beginning to worry that he'd hit a deer. Sounds like he had LOTS of fun. Taking #1 son to the airport was a breeze. It was all the other stuff that he had to take care of that were on his To Do List. He's, ummmm, looking forward to going back next Wednesday when he picks up #1 son from the airport and takes care of taking his folks to the DMV to get their new photo-ID cards and whatever else he has to add to his To Do List from not until then. He was going to do the photo- ID thing yesterday but it seems that time and circumstances made it so he wasn't able to get all the things he wanted done. It's too bad that they don't make exceptions in Minnesota for when elderly people have to do the change of address thing. In Arizona, you can do the change of address thing online. In Minnesota, you have to show up and stand in a line. And...they close at 5 PM. Lovely.
My sister e-mailed me yesterday. She found this neat recipe for lilac wine. It looks like we're going to be having lots of fun this summer with various wine experiments. I'll keep you posted.
Woodtick Update
Democritus' Rule
Nothing exists except atoms and empty space. Everything else is opinion.
Publicaution - A consumer alert.
Woodticks! I went outside this morning to collect more dandelion blossoms for wine-making. Sure enough. The second I sat down after cleaning them all up, right here at my computer, I feel a little itch. It was one of those tiny woodticks which had managed to grab a hold. Dang! Oh well, I consigned her to a watery grave and than sat back down at the computer. No sooner than I started this blog, I start feeling something tickling my back. Now, as most people know, when you have had one woodtick, you start feeling phantom ticks crawling all over your body. This wasn't a phantom tick. She hadn't attached herself as yet but I know she was looking for a likely spot. She ended up in a watery grave flushed shortly after her little friend. So, right now I'm checking out every little phantom tickle. Wait a minute...I think I feel one on my leg. Nope...just a phantom.
HTP got back late from The Big City. Really late. I was beginning to worry that he'd hit a deer. Sounds like he had LOTS of fun. Taking #1 son to the airport was a breeze. It was all the other stuff that he had to take care of that were on his To Do List. He's, ummmm, looking forward to going back next Wednesday when he picks up #1 son from the airport and takes care of taking his folks to the DMV to get their new photo-ID cards and whatever else he has to add to his To Do List from not until then. He was going to do the photo- ID thing yesterday but it seems that time and circumstances made it so he wasn't able to get all the things he wanted done. It's too bad that they don't make exceptions in Minnesota for when elderly people have to do the change of address thing. In Arizona, you can do the change of address thing online. In Minnesota, you have to show up and stand in a line. And...they close at 5 PM. Lovely.
My sister e-mailed me yesterday. She found this neat recipe for lilac wine. It looks like we're going to be having lots of fun this summer with various wine experiments. I'll keep you posted.
Woodtick Update
HTP found a woodtick (maybe two) crawling up his arm. The first sighting he treated like a pesky mosquito. He flicked it. The second sighting may have been the same woodtick or it may have been a second woodtick (he captured it) which makes me wonder....What happened to that first woodtick, if this captive isn't the tick that got flicked. The only outdoor exercise he's had is to take the garbage up to the main road....in the car. He's blaming my dandelion collecting. Or the dogs. Me? I haven't seen any more woodticks but I'm still feeling those phanthom ticks.
Murphyism of the DayDemocritus' Rule
Nothing exists except atoms and empty space. Everything else is opinion.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Word of the Day
Premorseful - Knowing full well that you will be sorry for what you are going to do!
HTP and #1 son have left for the airport. HTP won't be back here until late tonight because he wants to take care of some things for his folks while he's in The Big City. Me? I'm staying home this trip. I'm doing the dog-sitting this time. My folks decided to go to The Big City too. So it's my turn to take care of dogs.
I've also been doing some online shopping. My tame raspberries that I planted last year are doing great. They were one of my experiments from last summer. Since they survived the winter just fine and the deer didn't get them, I decided to order more raspberry plants to plant along the borders of my yard. The deer may get them but it's kind of like playing the lottery. If you don't play, you can't win. If I don't ever plant something because of a fear that the deer will eat it, than I'll never know what the true outcome would be. Makes sense to me. I also ordered some books online. There are no close bookstores to The Lake so I have to depend on getting my favorites at the grocery store (selection limited) or Walmart (selection limited). Online bookstores may not be perfect when it comes to immediate gratification but the selection is unlimited. Only...I have to wait for my books to come in the mail. I REALLY hate waiting but such is life.
I found a recipe for Dandelion Wine. I need 2 quarts of dandelion petals. I picked 1 quart this morning. This is going to take a while. Good thing the recipe says that I can pick and freeze until I get enough. I must say that picking and de-petalling dandelions isn't as easy as it sounds. However, it is good exercise. AND...more to the point...I will have the added bonus of Dandelion Wine....in about a year. I REALLY hate waiting but.....
Murphyism of the Day
Dunlap's Laws of Physics
1. Fact is solidified opinion
2. Facts may weaken under extreme heat and pressure.
3. Truth is elastic.
Premorseful - Knowing full well that you will be sorry for what you are going to do!
HTP and #1 son have left for the airport. HTP won't be back here until late tonight because he wants to take care of some things for his folks while he's in The Big City. Me? I'm staying home this trip. I'm doing the dog-sitting this time. My folks decided to go to The Big City too. So it's my turn to take care of dogs.
I've also been doing some online shopping. My tame raspberries that I planted last year are doing great. They were one of my experiments from last summer. Since they survived the winter just fine and the deer didn't get them, I decided to order more raspberry plants to plant along the borders of my yard. The deer may get them but it's kind of like playing the lottery. If you don't play, you can't win. If I don't ever plant something because of a fear that the deer will eat it, than I'll never know what the true outcome would be. Makes sense to me. I also ordered some books online. There are no close bookstores to The Lake so I have to depend on getting my favorites at the grocery store (selection limited) or Walmart (selection limited). Online bookstores may not be perfect when it comes to immediate gratification but the selection is unlimited. Only...I have to wait for my books to come in the mail. I REALLY hate waiting but such is life.
I found a recipe for Dandelion Wine. I need 2 quarts of dandelion petals. I picked 1 quart this morning. This is going to take a while. Good thing the recipe says that I can pick and freeze until I get enough. I must say that picking and de-petalling dandelions isn't as easy as it sounds. However, it is good exercise. AND...more to the point...I will have the added bonus of Dandelion Wine....in about a year. I REALLY hate waiting but.....
Murphyism of the Day
Dunlap's Laws of Physics
1. Fact is solidified opinion
2. Facts may weaken under extreme heat and pressure.
3. Truth is elastic.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Word of the Day
Prefreshments - Assorted light foods, appetizers.
HTP is taking #1 son to the airport tomorrow. So, even though today isn't laundry day, I'm doing laundry. I can't send #1 son off to Arizona for a week in dirty underwear. What I can't understand is that now that #1 son is home and has added his laundry to HTP and my laundry, I have more than twice as much laundry that I'm doing. Despite the fact that I have a heavy duty washer and dryer set, I now have two full loads of dark clothes per week. Before I only had a half load of dark clothes that I needed to wash each week. That was before #1 son came home for the summer. It's going to take all day to get the laundry done so HTP will have to go do the shopping in town all by himself. He's got a list.
On top of that, I'm hoping that HTP and #1 son will put the dock in today. It would be nice to have the boat in too but I'm not going to get my hopes up. I'll just be happy to be able to sit out on the dock. I don't have my fishing license yet so sitting on the dock is about the most I would be able to do anyway.
I got to talk to both my daughters yesterday. They did their usual "woo-woo" stuff and called at the same time. I think they're psychic. They always decide they have to call me at the same time. This time Arizona beat DD Daughter to the phone by seconds and DD Daughter emailed to complain that my phone was busy. There isn't call-waiting on our phone here at The Lake but I do have DSL so I was able to field DD Daughter's email as I talked on the phone with Arizona daughter. Anyway, I eventually got to talk to both of them and they both wished me a happy Mother's Day. It was wonderful to hear from both of them.
Murphyism of the Day
Fagin's Rule on Past Prediction
Hindsight is an exact science.
Prefreshments - Assorted light foods, appetizers.
HTP is taking #1 son to the airport tomorrow. So, even though today isn't laundry day, I'm doing laundry. I can't send #1 son off to Arizona for a week in dirty underwear. What I can't understand is that now that #1 son is home and has added his laundry to HTP and my laundry, I have more than twice as much laundry that I'm doing. Despite the fact that I have a heavy duty washer and dryer set, I now have two full loads of dark clothes per week. Before I only had a half load of dark clothes that I needed to wash each week. That was before #1 son came home for the summer. It's going to take all day to get the laundry done so HTP will have to go do the shopping in town all by himself. He's got a list.
On top of that, I'm hoping that HTP and #1 son will put the dock in today. It would be nice to have the boat in too but I'm not going to get my hopes up. I'll just be happy to be able to sit out on the dock. I don't have my fishing license yet so sitting on the dock is about the most I would be able to do anyway.
I got to talk to both my daughters yesterday. They did their usual "woo-woo" stuff and called at the same time. I think they're psychic. They always decide they have to call me at the same time. This time Arizona beat DD Daughter to the phone by seconds and DD Daughter emailed to complain that my phone was busy. There isn't call-waiting on our phone here at The Lake but I do have DSL so I was able to field DD Daughter's email as I talked on the phone with Arizona daughter. Anyway, I eventually got to talk to both of them and they both wished me a happy Mother's Day. It was wonderful to hear from both of them.
Murphyism of the Day
Fagin's Rule on Past Prediction
Hindsight is an exact science.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Word of the Day
Potholigation - The art of navigating a motor vehicle through freshly sunken potholes.
Happy Mother's Day!!!!!!!
It's Mother's Day. HTP and I sent flowers and a card to his Mom because we won't be there to take her out to brunch. We're taking my Mom out to The BlueHills Supper Club for one of their special brunch buffets. I would have sent her flowers too but she always tells us that she'd rather see those flowers growing out in her garden.
To be continued.....
#1 son gave me flowers and I discovered that I have tiny vases and big vases here at The Lake but nothing just right. Oh well...I put the flowers in one of my big vases and I took care of the problem just now when we got home. I ran outside and snipped a bit of my honeysuckle bush and a bit of the ferns and another bit of this and that and now I have a beautiful floral arrangement that fits just right into one of my big vases. He also gave me a bag of Tootsie Roll Pops. I love Tootsie Roll Pops. This way I can nosh on something to sooth my sweet tooth without totally wrecking my diet. Like I wrecked my diet at the buffet today. Why do I always eat so much at these things? I tried to be so good too. Just a taste of this and that, but it all adds up. No more food for me today. I'm so full I can hardly move.
I found my first woodtick of the season. She was brazonly crawling up my arm in plain view. I suppose I picked her up when I was gathering this and that from my gardens to fill up my vase. Hopefully, she was my only hitch-hiker. It's the stowaways that you need to worry about...the ones that you don't find before they've attached themselves and started to gorge.
Murphyism of the Day
Von Braun's Advice
I have learned to use the word "impossible" with the greatest of caution.
Potholigation - The art of navigating a motor vehicle through freshly sunken potholes.
Happy Mother's Day!!!!!!!
It's Mother's Day. HTP and I sent flowers and a card to his Mom because we won't be there to take her out to brunch. We're taking my Mom out to The BlueHills Supper Club for one of their special brunch buffets. I would have sent her flowers too but she always tells us that she'd rather see those flowers growing out in her garden.
To be continued.....
#1 son gave me flowers and I discovered that I have tiny vases and big vases here at The Lake but nothing just right. Oh well...I put the flowers in one of my big vases and I took care of the problem just now when we got home. I ran outside and snipped a bit of my honeysuckle bush and a bit of the ferns and another bit of this and that and now I have a beautiful floral arrangement that fits just right into one of my big vases. He also gave me a bag of Tootsie Roll Pops. I love Tootsie Roll Pops. This way I can nosh on something to sooth my sweet tooth without totally wrecking my diet. Like I wrecked my diet at the buffet today. Why do I always eat so much at these things? I tried to be so good too. Just a taste of this and that, but it all adds up. No more food for me today. I'm so full I can hardly move.
I found my first woodtick of the season. She was brazonly crawling up my arm in plain view. I suppose I picked her up when I was gathering this and that from my gardens to fill up my vase. Hopefully, she was my only hitch-hiker. It's the stowaways that you need to worry about...the ones that you don't find before they've attached themselves and started to gorge.
Murphyism of the Day
Von Braun's Advice
I have learned to use the word "impossible" with the greatest of caution.
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Word of the Day
Porchment papers - Small townitis; reading the daily blab on ones' porch.
It's raining. It rains quite often here at The Lake. Especially on weekends. I remember this from my youth. My sister's husband appropriately named our oasis here The Tropical Rainforest of the North. Too true. On occasion today, I noticed that the sun is trying desperately to cut through the clouds but to no avail.
Time to go out and bring in more logs for the fire. We had a nice fire going yesterday to drive away the chill in the air. It worked. I've got plenty of logs stacked up in our garage where they'll stay dry and burnable and where I don't have to brave the wet to collect.
We're celebrating tonight. #1 son has completed his finals. HTP bought some nice steaks that we'll grill out on the deck. We'll have baked potatoes, salad and asparagus tips. And, throwing diets to the wind, a chocolate oreo cake.
Murphyism of the Day
Aristotle's Dictum
One should always prefer the probable impossible to the improbable impossible.
Porchment papers - Small townitis; reading the daily blab on ones' porch.
It's raining. It rains quite often here at The Lake. Especially on weekends. I remember this from my youth. My sister's husband appropriately named our oasis here The Tropical Rainforest of the North. Too true. On occasion today, I noticed that the sun is trying desperately to cut through the clouds but to no avail.
Time to go out and bring in more logs for the fire. We had a nice fire going yesterday to drive away the chill in the air. It worked. I've got plenty of logs stacked up in our garage where they'll stay dry and burnable and where I don't have to brave the wet to collect.
We're celebrating tonight. #1 son has completed his finals. HTP bought some nice steaks that we'll grill out on the deck. We'll have baked potatoes, salad and asparagus tips. And, throwing diets to the wind, a chocolate oreo cake.
Murphyism of the Day
Aristotle's Dictum
One should always prefer the probable impossible to the improbable impossible.
Friday, May 12, 2006
Word of the Day
Poodlum - Poodle with an attitude.
#1 son and HTP are going to take care of renewing #1 son's passport this morning. There's a possibility that #1 son may have to do some traveling this summer with the solar car project that he's been involved with at the U of M. They want to take care of it this morning because #1 son's old passport expires soon and it's a lot easier to renew a passport than start from scratch with a lot of bureaucratic red tape...expecially now since 9/11.
Poodlum - Poodle with an attitude.
#1 son and HTP are going to take care of renewing #1 son's passport this morning. There's a possibility that #1 son may have to do some traveling this summer with the solar car project that he's been involved with at the U of M. They want to take care of it this morning because #1 son's old passport expires soon and it's a lot easier to renew a passport than start from scratch with a lot of bureaucratic red tape...expecially now since 9/11.
After taking care of his passport, #1 son will be heading back to college one last time for this school session. He's got his final final of the semester tomorrow morning. He was thrilled to find that he's passed all his finals so far...even the one that he was afraid he'd screwed up. Hey Sis! He got that solid C despite the fact that he screwed up the final. On top of that? He got a B for his Calc 4 class. Woohoo! He's been sweating that grade ever since he found that his roommate failed the same class with the same teacher the previous semester.
The temperatures here at The Lake have dropped drastically. No snow but it feels like it could snow at any minute. I'm glad I brought my geraniums back inside yesterday. My neighbors were bemoaning this cold snap when we visited at the Post Office yesterday. "The flowers were just starting to come up!" "I had to drag the annuals back into the barn." "I think the perennials that I just planted will be OK." "Snow? I'm so tired of snow!"
Snow? Well...I have to admit that I wouldn't mind too much if it snows a bit. Of course, if I'd spent months and months and months with the cold stuff, I'd be a bit short-tempered about the prospect of snow. I did enjoy the sight of snow when we drove through Colorado but I could live without the cold. There is a reason I live in Arizona for the winter months. And now I'll have to wait another bit to start my garden. Now that we're here, I'm anxious to get started. Oh well...my plants won't be getting here until May 22nd anyway.
My Hummingbirds are back. I saw my first Oriole at the feeder too. I've been amazed this year at how many birds I'm seeing at my finch feeders...and they aren't all Goldfinches. I've already seen Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Indigo Buntings and Woodpeckers and Chickadees and Phoebes but I could live without those bullying Grackles. Where did they come from? We never had them before. I even saw Mourning Doves which I haven't seen here before. Last year was the first year that I'd seen Robins here and Bluejays. They're back too. At this rate I'll have to refill the feeders at least once a week.
Murphyism of the Day
Clarke's Second Law
The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Word of the Day
Pompuss - The attitude of cats.
We're home again! It felt so good to sleep in my own bed last night. We finally got home at around 9 PM. I went into the Post Office and picked up our mail and then toodled over to my folks' place to pick up the dogs. That's it for me today. I figure it's going to take at least a couple more days to recover from yesterday. The temperature outside right now is 38°F and it's drizzling. I've heard that there's snow not far north of us. I brought my geraniums inside from where I'd put them on the deck. It is COLD! Maybe I'll light a fire in the fireplace.
Yesterday was spent as stated. HTP and I got to his folks' place at around 8 AM. We were met by HTP's brother. We poured on some speed and got most of their single bedroom apartment packed up and into boxes by the time the movers arrived at 9 AM. We continued boxing and taping until the movers had loaded up everything that we'd packed and all the furniture was in the truck. At that point, HTP and his Dad went to check HTP's Mom out of the transitional care facility and bring her over to their new assisted care apartment.
HTP's brother and I met HTP's sister at the new apartment, where we met the movers and directed the move. Put this chair here, put that chair there, put the kitchen table and stuff here and there. HTP's sister and I started unpacking boxes and setting up the kitchen and the bedrooms. I was amazed at how much we got done before HTP and I called it quits at 4 PM. When we left to pick #1 son up at college, HTP's sister and brother were still working hard but the plan was to take HTP's folks back over to their old apartment where a party was planned for the evening and then return them to sleep in their new apartment that night.
HTP, #1 son, and I all treated ourselves to dinner in Cumberland before we headed on back here to The Lake. If I hadn't been pretty sure that I wouldn't be able to get myself out of the jacuzzi, I would have soaked before heading to bed but I was just too sore to do more than unpack and crawl into bed. On the plus side? I'm hoping that we don't have to do anything close to this anytime soon again. Packing and moving are not my favorite activities but I'm happy that we were able to help HTP's folks and make things easier for HTP's sister. I know that HTP's parents will be a lot morecomfortablee in their new home. Now....when I can move in? I think I want to make an appointment with the massage therapist.
Murphyism of the Day
Clarke's First Law
When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
Pompuss - The attitude of cats.
We're home again! It felt so good to sleep in my own bed last night. We finally got home at around 9 PM. I went into the Post Office and picked up our mail and then toodled over to my folks' place to pick up the dogs. That's it for me today. I figure it's going to take at least a couple more days to recover from yesterday. The temperature outside right now is 38°F and it's drizzling. I've heard that there's snow not far north of us. I brought my geraniums inside from where I'd put them on the deck. It is COLD! Maybe I'll light a fire in the fireplace.
Yesterday was spent as stated. HTP and I got to his folks' place at around 8 AM. We were met by HTP's brother. We poured on some speed and got most of their single bedroom apartment packed up and into boxes by the time the movers arrived at 9 AM. We continued boxing and taping until the movers had loaded up everything that we'd packed and all the furniture was in the truck. At that point, HTP and his Dad went to check HTP's Mom out of the transitional care facility and bring her over to their new assisted care apartment.
HTP's brother and I met HTP's sister at the new apartment, where we met the movers and directed the move. Put this chair here, put that chair there, put the kitchen table and stuff here and there. HTP's sister and I started unpacking boxes and setting up the kitchen and the bedrooms. I was amazed at how much we got done before HTP and I called it quits at 4 PM. When we left to pick #1 son up at college, HTP's sister and brother were still working hard but the plan was to take HTP's folks back over to their old apartment where a party was planned for the evening and then return them to sleep in their new apartment that night.
HTP, #1 son, and I all treated ourselves to dinner in Cumberland before we headed on back here to The Lake. If I hadn't been pretty sure that I wouldn't be able to get myself out of the jacuzzi, I would have soaked before heading to bed but I was just too sore to do more than unpack and crawl into bed. On the plus side? I'm hoping that we don't have to do anything close to this anytime soon again. Packing and moving are not my favorite activities but I'm happy that we were able to help HTP's folks and make things easier for HTP's sister. I know that HTP's parents will be a lot morecomfortablee in their new home. Now....when I can move in? I think I want to make an appointment with the massage therapist.
Murphyism of the Day
Clarke's First Law
When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Word of the Day? Maybe after I get back to The Lake and have a chance to recover. Yesterday was spent convincing HTP's Mom that the cost of moving to Assisted Living was something that they could indeed afford and something very necessary. Though HTP's Mom is doing better after her hip surgery, she still needs a great deal of care. Care that she can't get at the independent Living apartment that has been their home for the last few years.
Eureka. After a very long day, we finally got all the paperwork in place to move everything into a new apartment TODAY! The new apartment is in an Assisted Living area here in Minnesota. HTP and I are going to run over to the old apartment this morning to pack up as much as we can before the movers come at 9 AM. There is no way that we can get everything boxed up before they get there. We're going to concentrate on getting the furniture emptied out and packed first. I'll work on the kitchen after that. Clothes from the closet can be carried over on their hangers. Food from the fridge can be loaded into coolers and transferred. Mainly, we need to make sure the furniture can be all loaded up and carried over to the new apartment by the movers. There is no way I can throw a 7-foot couch into the backseat of my car. I may be a wiz at packing but that's a bit over the top of my capabilities.
So. Today? I won't go there right now. Yesterday was really tiring. Have you ever been so tired that you can't sleep? I ached, I ache. We crawled into the bed here at our Days Inn in Minnesota last night at 9 PM after taking HTP's Mom back to the transitional care place where she's been staying since the surgery. So we finally got checked into our transitional care place (Days Inn) and I had to spend a good 5 minutes hunting for the toilet paper that they hide behind the door of the cramped bathroom. Sigh. We've stayed here before. I'd just forgotten that devious trick. Anyway, then just as I was using a bit of bio-feedback to get some sleep, #1 son called to find out where we were. Huh? I could have sworn that we told him our plans. Shoot! Maybe we didn't. Things have been a bit crazy. If I really think about all the stuff we need to do today before we hop into the car and drive the 2 1/2 hours back to The Lake, I'll lose it. So....LA-LA-LA-LA-LA....not thinking about that. I'm not thinking about that. I'm thinking about climbing into my nice comfortable bed back at The Lake, closing my eyes and listening to the loons. I DO NOT plan to spend another night here in Minnesota. HTP and I will make sure that HTP's Mom and Dad are all settled into their new home, as much as we can. HTP's sister and brother have been doing their part too. I feel bad that they'll have to finish up with it all but they're local here and HTP and I aren't local. Besides, I think that after today's labors, most of everything will be taken care of. Just the polishing and clean-up will remain.
The new place? It's beautiful. Larger than their current home. Two bedrooms. Two bath. Walk-in closet. Kitchen. Three meals a day. Two meals in a wonderful restaurant (linens) setting. We had a meal there last night. They've even got a massage room on the ground floor and....this place is POSH!
Eureka. After a very long day, we finally got all the paperwork in place to move everything into a new apartment TODAY! The new apartment is in an Assisted Living area here in Minnesota. HTP and I are going to run over to the old apartment this morning to pack up as much as we can before the movers come at 9 AM. There is no way that we can get everything boxed up before they get there. We're going to concentrate on getting the furniture emptied out and packed first. I'll work on the kitchen after that. Clothes from the closet can be carried over on their hangers. Food from the fridge can be loaded into coolers and transferred. Mainly, we need to make sure the furniture can be all loaded up and carried over to the new apartment by the movers. There is no way I can throw a 7-foot couch into the backseat of my car. I may be a wiz at packing but that's a bit over the top of my capabilities.
So. Today? I won't go there right now. Yesterday was really tiring. Have you ever been so tired that you can't sleep? I ached, I ache. We crawled into the bed here at our Days Inn in Minnesota last night at 9 PM after taking HTP's Mom back to the transitional care place where she's been staying since the surgery. So we finally got checked into our transitional care place (Days Inn) and I had to spend a good 5 minutes hunting for the toilet paper that they hide behind the door of the cramped bathroom. Sigh. We've stayed here before. I'd just forgotten that devious trick. Anyway, then just as I was using a bit of bio-feedback to get some sleep, #1 son called to find out where we were. Huh? I could have sworn that we told him our plans. Shoot! Maybe we didn't. Things have been a bit crazy. If I really think about all the stuff we need to do today before we hop into the car and drive the 2 1/2 hours back to The Lake, I'll lose it. So....LA-LA-LA-LA-LA....not thinking about that. I'm not thinking about that. I'm thinking about climbing into my nice comfortable bed back at The Lake, closing my eyes and listening to the loons. I DO NOT plan to spend another night here in Minnesota. HTP and I will make sure that HTP's Mom and Dad are all settled into their new home, as much as we can. HTP's sister and brother have been doing their part too. I feel bad that they'll have to finish up with it all but they're local here and HTP and I aren't local. Besides, I think that after today's labors, most of everything will be taken care of. Just the polishing and clean-up will remain.
The new place? It's beautiful. Larger than their current home. Two bedrooms. Two bath. Walk-in closet. Kitchen. Three meals a day. Two meals in a wonderful restaurant (linens) setting. We had a meal there last night. They've even got a massage room on the ground floor and....this place is POSH!
Monday, May 08, 2006
Word of the Day
Pollitician - A candidate who heeds the polls.
I got up early this morning...before 6 AM. The dogs woke me up. My first thought was that their inner clocks were all screwed up and they thought they were on Arizona time but then I remembered that it would be even earlier in Arizona. I'm kind of proud of myself that my mind was working so clearly without that first cup of coffee in the morning. Regardless, I got up and took care of the dogs.
So...as I was getting up and dressed (I hate running around in my PJs in the mornings), I glanced out the window and saw a boat. A nice boat. It looked like it was tied to the shore. Our shore. My eyes aren't all that good but I didn't see any movement in the boat. It was the opening weekend of fishing season here in Wisconsin. And there was a boat that didn't belong to us by our dock which we still need to install. I looked into the woods, which isn't hard because the leaves are still just starting to sprout on the trees but I didn't see anybody camping out or hiking about. Interesting. Very interesting. No immediate need to wake up HTP but maybe I decided that maybe I should check things out.
I took the dogs outside and reluctantly trudged through the bush to check things out. If I get covered in woodticks, I'm not going to be too happy. I'm not fond of woodticks. They tend to be rather prolific in the spring. However, despite the threat of woodticks, I felt that I'd better go check things out. The boat wasn't tied to the shore. No-one was in the boat. I think I've been watching too much CSI. I was afraid I'd find a dead body or something. Anyway, I took down the license for the boat. I noted that the boat was a Lund Fisherman with a Honda motor in the running position. I noted that the seats that one would normally sit at while running the boat were in the folded position but the fisherman seat was up. The fishing gear was all stowed. No dead bodies. I could have tied up the boat but it wasn't going anywhere. The motor was down and it looked like it wasn't going anywhere anytime soon...without assistance anyway. CSI again...I decided not to touch anything. I called the dogs and we went back inside to call the sheriff. I talked to dispatch. I gave him all the details that I'd noted. He told me that he'd run the license and see if he could contact the owner. I asked HTP if I should go back down to secure the boat but he said I should probably leave it be so... Anyway, about an hour later HTP called to me to tell me that someone was towing off the boat. So I'm just going to assume that this story is over. No CSI-type excitement other than what was going on in my rather fertile imagination. Thankfully. I sure as heck-fire didn't want to think of some poor guy falling into our lake and drowning, leaving his boat abandoned and washing up on our shore. As you can see, my imagination is rather colorful. I'm sure if there was a dead body out there somewhere, I'd have half the sheriff department here by now. I expect that some fisherman had a bit too much to drink last night and he failed to secure his boat properly before pouring his abused body into bed.
And now, I feel like I've got woodticks crawling all over me. I know it's only my imagination. I hope it's only my imagination. I really dislike those nasty things. I normally don't trudge around in the woods until the woodticks have settled down a bit. That doesn't make me a girly-girl. That just makes me smart. There's plenty for me to do here at the house without exposing my poor old body to Lyme's disease or that other new disease my sister told me about the other day.
Murphyism of the Day
Freeman's Commentary on Ginsberg's Theorem
Every major philosophy that attempts to make life seem meaningful is based on the negation of one part of Ginsberg's Theorem. To wit:
1. Capitalism is based on the assumption that you can win.
2. Socialism is based on the assumption that you can break even.
3. Mysticism is based on the assumption that you can quit the game.
Pollitician - A candidate who heeds the polls.
I got up early this morning...before 6 AM. The dogs woke me up. My first thought was that their inner clocks were all screwed up and they thought they were on Arizona time but then I remembered that it would be even earlier in Arizona. I'm kind of proud of myself that my mind was working so clearly without that first cup of coffee in the morning. Regardless, I got up and took care of the dogs.
So...as I was getting up and dressed (I hate running around in my PJs in the mornings), I glanced out the window and saw a boat. A nice boat. It looked like it was tied to the shore. Our shore. My eyes aren't all that good but I didn't see any movement in the boat. It was the opening weekend of fishing season here in Wisconsin. And there was a boat that didn't belong to us by our dock which we still need to install. I looked into the woods, which isn't hard because the leaves are still just starting to sprout on the trees but I didn't see anybody camping out or hiking about. Interesting. Very interesting. No immediate need to wake up HTP but maybe I decided that maybe I should check things out.
I took the dogs outside and reluctantly trudged through the bush to check things out. If I get covered in woodticks, I'm not going to be too happy. I'm not fond of woodticks. They tend to be rather prolific in the spring. However, despite the threat of woodticks, I felt that I'd better go check things out. The boat wasn't tied to the shore. No-one was in the boat. I think I've been watching too much CSI. I was afraid I'd find a dead body or something. Anyway, I took down the license for the boat. I noted that the boat was a Lund Fisherman with a Honda motor in the running position. I noted that the seats that one would normally sit at while running the boat were in the folded position but the fisherman seat was up. The fishing gear was all stowed. No dead bodies. I could have tied up the boat but it wasn't going anywhere. The motor was down and it looked like it wasn't going anywhere anytime soon...without assistance anyway. CSI again...I decided not to touch anything. I called the dogs and we went back inside to call the sheriff. I talked to dispatch. I gave him all the details that I'd noted. He told me that he'd run the license and see if he could contact the owner. I asked HTP if I should go back down to secure the boat but he said I should probably leave it be so... Anyway, about an hour later HTP called to me to tell me that someone was towing off the boat. So I'm just going to assume that this story is over. No CSI-type excitement other than what was going on in my rather fertile imagination. Thankfully. I sure as heck-fire didn't want to think of some poor guy falling into our lake and drowning, leaving his boat abandoned and washing up on our shore. As you can see, my imagination is rather colorful. I'm sure if there was a dead body out there somewhere, I'd have half the sheriff department here by now. I expect that some fisherman had a bit too much to drink last night and he failed to secure his boat properly before pouring his abused body into bed.
And now, I feel like I've got woodticks crawling all over me. I know it's only my imagination. I hope it's only my imagination. I really dislike those nasty things. I normally don't trudge around in the woods until the woodticks have settled down a bit. That doesn't make me a girly-girl. That just makes me smart. There's plenty for me to do here at the house without exposing my poor old body to Lyme's disease or that other new disease my sister told me about the other day.
Murphyism of the Day
Freeman's Commentary on Ginsberg's Theorem
Every major philosophy that attempts to make life seem meaningful is based on the negation of one part of Ginsberg's Theorem. To wit:
1. Capitalism is based on the assumption that you can win.
2. Socialism is based on the assumption that you can break even.
3. Mysticism is based on the assumption that you can quit the game.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Word of the Day
Poligician - A person who can pull a non-committal phrase out of their, uh, hat to fit any situation.
In the short time we've been back in Wisconsin, I've started a batch of Dandelion Schnapps which I'll make into Sweet Dandy Liqueur in a few months. I've hung out all my windchimes, even the new one that I probably shouldn't have bought but it was less than $20 and I couldn't resist. I'm sure that I'm driving the fishermen crazy with all the windchime clank and clammer. I've hung out my bird feeders. Seed, humming and Oriole. I've seen the first of the goldfinches as they munch happily on seeds. I washed a ton of clothes. Though he tells me it isn't true, I think that #1 son hasn't washed clothes since Christmas when I washed them for him in Arizona. I couldn't believe the amount of dirty clothes he brought home this weekend. The socks were actually crusty. They could have stood alone in the corner. I ran out of hangers for his shirts!
HTP left before lunch to take #1 son back to college. Finals week. I still have nightmares about the dreaded FINALS WEEK. That and returning to school after a long Christmas Break and forgetting my locker combination or hunting fruitlessly for an elusive locker down endless halls and stairways. I don't think I'm a prime candidate for going back to school at this point. Just thinking about it makes me break out into a cold sweat.
Anyway, while HTP is gone to The Big City (obviously, I stayed home) I decided to make some homemade bread. I'm pondering the possibility of making a sugarfree rhubarb pie but maybe I should save that for tomorrow. I did bring the geraniums up to the deck so they'll stop looking so pale and sprouty. I've got to get that garden tilled too.... There's always so many things that I love to do here at The Lake. I'd be out fishing right now but the dock isn't in yet and I don't have my license. Next week. Maybe next week. This weekend was the opener of fishing season but there will be plenty of fish left for me in the lake next week or whenever I can get that chance to go out fishing legally.
Murphyism of the Day
Ginsberg's Theorem
1. You can't win.
2. You can't break even.
3. You can't even quit the game.
Poligician - A person who can pull a non-committal phrase out of their, uh, hat to fit any situation.
In the short time we've been back in Wisconsin, I've started a batch of Dandelion Schnapps which I'll make into Sweet Dandy Liqueur in a few months. I've hung out all my windchimes, even the new one that I probably shouldn't have bought but it was less than $20 and I couldn't resist. I'm sure that I'm driving the fishermen crazy with all the windchime clank and clammer. I've hung out my bird feeders. Seed, humming and Oriole. I've seen the first of the goldfinches as they munch happily on seeds. I washed a ton of clothes. Though he tells me it isn't true, I think that #1 son hasn't washed clothes since Christmas when I washed them for him in Arizona. I couldn't believe the amount of dirty clothes he brought home this weekend. The socks were actually crusty. They could have stood alone in the corner. I ran out of hangers for his shirts!
HTP left before lunch to take #1 son back to college. Finals week. I still have nightmares about the dreaded FINALS WEEK. That and returning to school after a long Christmas Break and forgetting my locker combination or hunting fruitlessly for an elusive locker down endless halls and stairways. I don't think I'm a prime candidate for going back to school at this point. Just thinking about it makes me break out into a cold sweat.
Anyway, while HTP is gone to The Big City (obviously, I stayed home) I decided to make some homemade bread. I'm pondering the possibility of making a sugarfree rhubarb pie but maybe I should save that for tomorrow. I did bring the geraniums up to the deck so they'll stop looking so pale and sprouty. I've got to get that garden tilled too.... There's always so many things that I love to do here at The Lake. I'd be out fishing right now but the dock isn't in yet and I don't have my license. Next week. Maybe next week. This weekend was the opener of fishing season but there will be plenty of fish left for me in the lake next week or whenever I can get that chance to go out fishing legally.
Murphyism of the Day
Ginsberg's Theorem
1. You can't win.
2. You can't break even.
3. You can't even quit the game.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Word of the Day
Policretin - What you call a dumb politician.
Sometimes I think that God must be totally bewildered when it comes to understanding the human mind. Oh, I know that God is all-knowing but I tend to think of God up in heaven shaking a mighty head at the foibles of man-kind.
God provided the most lovely flowers for us. I mean, this morning as I gazed outside I saw an abundance of God's flowers. They're all truly gorgeous but one type was truly spectacular. I didn't plant them. These flowers were free. When I took the time to really look at each of these flowers, I was amazed. Man has worked for years and years to develop wondrous different and exotic flowers using genetics and cross-pollination and they have developed some wonderful colors, shapes and sizes. I try to plant some of these in my flower beds each year. But the flowers that I was examining this morning have nothing to do with man. They are truly beautiful. Petals? I couldn't even begin to tell you how many petals each of these flowers had. The color. Such a wondrous shade of yellow. My daffodils pale in comparison. The smell. Heavenly. Each plant produced at least six of these wondrous flowers. So why do humans find them so ugly? Why do they spend fortunes to get rid of these flowers? It's amazing to see how many products there are on the market these days that just deal with getting rid of this very same flower that I'm talking about. The dandelion. There are few man-developed flowers that can rival its beauty.
I remember as a child collecting fistfuls of these flowers to give to my Mother. As a child, we would rub this flower under our chin to see if we liked butter. In turn, my children would always bring me fistfuls of these flowers each spring to put into every glass vase that I could find to decorate our house. I, of course, taught my children the butter thing. I wonder if they remember. My husband once told me that the nuns that taught where he went to school as a child, sent the children out into the school-yard every spring and out into the school grounds, encouraging the children to pick every single one of these beautiful flowers. Their reason? If the flower isn't allowed to mature, it can't go to seed and thus multiply. My own Mother has spent hour upon hours pulling in fruitless attempts to eliminate this beautiful flower. And yet, she plants flowers that aren't nearly as beautiful in her flower beds. Me? I have to admit that I too will make a concerted effort to eliminate this beautiful flower from my landscape. But why? It's a weed?
So, before I get out the turf-builder and the Round-up, I went out to pick dandelions this morning. Unsullied dandelions. No fertilizers. No weed-killer. Organic Dandelions. When I came inside with my dandelions, HTP asked me if I was trying to get rid of the dandelions. I'm sure he was recalling the nuns from his youth. My answer? Nope. I collected a full gallon of dandelions. Just their beautiful yellow flowers, not the stems. I admired their beauty and smell as I filled three quart jars with my bounty. And then I covered them and filled the jars with vodka. I'm experimenting with a new recipe. Dandelion liquor. I'll let you know how it turns out. Who knows? Maybe I've discovered a new use for this wonderful flower. I'll go out and get rid of the "weeds" some other time.
Murphyism of the Day
Twain's Truth
People believe what you say, except when you are telling the truth.
Policretin - What you call a dumb politician.
Sometimes I think that God must be totally bewildered when it comes to understanding the human mind. Oh, I know that God is all-knowing but I tend to think of God up in heaven shaking a mighty head at the foibles of man-kind.
God provided the most lovely flowers for us. I mean, this morning as I gazed outside I saw an abundance of God's flowers. They're all truly gorgeous but one type was truly spectacular. I didn't plant them. These flowers were free. When I took the time to really look at each of these flowers, I was amazed. Man has worked for years and years to develop wondrous different and exotic flowers using genetics and cross-pollination and they have developed some wonderful colors, shapes and sizes. I try to plant some of these in my flower beds each year. But the flowers that I was examining this morning have nothing to do with man. They are truly beautiful. Petals? I couldn't even begin to tell you how many petals each of these flowers had. The color. Such a wondrous shade of yellow. My daffodils pale in comparison. The smell. Heavenly. Each plant produced at least six of these wondrous flowers. So why do humans find them so ugly? Why do they spend fortunes to get rid of these flowers? It's amazing to see how many products there are on the market these days that just deal with getting rid of this very same flower that I'm talking about. The dandelion. There are few man-developed flowers that can rival its beauty.
I remember as a child collecting fistfuls of these flowers to give to my Mother. As a child, we would rub this flower under our chin to see if we liked butter. In turn, my children would always bring me fistfuls of these flowers each spring to put into every glass vase that I could find to decorate our house. I, of course, taught my children the butter thing. I wonder if they remember. My husband once told me that the nuns that taught where he went to school as a child, sent the children out into the school-yard every spring and out into the school grounds, encouraging the children to pick every single one of these beautiful flowers. Their reason? If the flower isn't allowed to mature, it can't go to seed and thus multiply. My own Mother has spent hour upon hours pulling in fruitless attempts to eliminate this beautiful flower. And yet, she plants flowers that aren't nearly as beautiful in her flower beds. Me? I have to admit that I too will make a concerted effort to eliminate this beautiful flower from my landscape. But why? It's a weed?
So, before I get out the turf-builder and the Round-up, I went out to pick dandelions this morning. Unsullied dandelions. No fertilizers. No weed-killer. Organic Dandelions. When I came inside with my dandelions, HTP asked me if I was trying to get rid of the dandelions. I'm sure he was recalling the nuns from his youth. My answer? Nope. I collected a full gallon of dandelions. Just their beautiful yellow flowers, not the stems. I admired their beauty and smell as I filled three quart jars with my bounty. And then I covered them and filled the jars with vodka. I'm experimenting with a new recipe. Dandelion liquor. I'll let you know how it turns out. Who knows? Maybe I've discovered a new use for this wonderful flower. I'll go out and get rid of the "weeds" some other time.
Murphyism of the Day
Twain's Truth
People believe what you say, except when you are telling the truth.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Word of the Day
Plummer - Fruit picker.
Day 1 at The Lake
I promise not to list the days. I just decided to do that for this post because I had to write yesterday's post today because of the internet problem we were having and I didn't want anyone to get confused. I didn't want to stay in the internet long enough to mess up some poor neighbor's phone any more than I felt was an absolute need.
HTP vacuumed up the ladybugs while I moved furniture. I started the laundry. And then it was off to town to do some grocery shopping. I did a bit of it yesterday...just enough to get by...but not enough to last for longer than a couple of days. I was going to go into town and do the shopping tomorrow but my sister needed to do some grocery shopping too so we decided to go together. She treated me to lunch.
Tomorrow, it's off to The Big City. We're going to visit HTP's Mom and Dad and his siblings and we're going to bring #1 son home for the weekend. He has finals next week but he's anxious to get away from his cramped dorm room. Even if it's just for a bit.
I'm not sure if I'll have the time to blog tomorrow. From the sounds of things, tomorrow is going to be a long day. It takes three hours to drive to The Big City and the same to get back home. I think I'll bring my knitting to keep sane along the way.
Murphyism of the Day
Groya's Law of Epistemology
What we learn after we know it all is what counts.
Plummer - Fruit picker.
Day 1 at The Lake
I promise not to list the days. I just decided to do that for this post because I had to write yesterday's post today because of the internet problem we were having and I didn't want anyone to get confused. I didn't want to stay in the internet long enough to mess up some poor neighbor's phone any more than I felt was an absolute need.
HTP vacuumed up the ladybugs while I moved furniture. I started the laundry. And then it was off to town to do some grocery shopping. I did a bit of it yesterday...just enough to get by...but not enough to last for longer than a couple of days. I was going to go into town and do the shopping tomorrow but my sister needed to do some grocery shopping too so we decided to go together. She treated me to lunch.
Tomorrow, it's off to The Big City. We're going to visit HTP's Mom and Dad and his siblings and we're going to bring #1 son home for the weekend. He has finals next week but he's anxious to get away from his cramped dorm room. Even if it's just for a bit.
I'm not sure if I'll have the time to blog tomorrow. From the sounds of things, tomorrow is going to be a long day. It takes three hours to drive to The Big City and the same to get back home. I think I'll bring my knitting to keep sane along the way.
Murphyism of the Day
Groya's Law of Epistemology
What we learn after we know it all is what counts.
Word of the Day
Pleather - Plastic leather.
On the Road Again - Day 4
We left Des Moines at around 9 AM. The weather started off cloudy. We could see that it had rained during the night while we slept. As we headed north, we could see the sky clearing. It was another perfect day for driving.
Since the weather was so nice, my folks decided to continue on following us all the way to The Lake instead of heading off on their own to spend the night at their home in Eau Claire. We stopped in Faribault to enjoy a Chinese buffet. Very good! And then it was on to The Lake after a quick stop to pick up a few groceries. We arrived at The Lake at around 5 PM.
Ladybugs Everywhere!
Ladybug, ladybug fly away home! Every year we have to deal with the little pests. They aren't real ladybugs. They're Japanese beetles. And they bite. And they make a messy stain if you squish them. We decided to deal with them tomorrow.
HTP got the TV up working with the satellite. We weren't so lucky with the computers. While I do have computer...kinda (dial-up and I may be tying up someone else's line to do this)...when things go wrong they do. Our DSL isn't working and no-one can call us except on our cell which charges three times as much because although there are two close cell towers they aren't our company's cell towers so we roam up here in paradise. When they hooked up our DSL they screwed up our phone and the DSL won't work because...they screwed up our phone. I knew something was odd when I came in to find our burglar alarm frantically signaling that all was not well. No burglars, no break in. The system just couldn't call itself because somehow our phone number won't receive calls. I can call out but no-one can call in...at least not at our number. I found this out when we called #1 son and he told us that his caller-ID came up with a "funny" number when we called. And then to check it out we had him call us using our phone number and...nothing. But...we got the number from #1 son on his caller-ID and then my Dad called that number. It rang on our phone and some other poor guy's house west of town. We seem to be sharing a phone number from some other poor guy in town who I've never met for those incoming calls. Oh well, CenturyTel promised to fix things. Someone crossed the wrong wires somewhere while they were trying to hook up the DSL.
We're here in Wisconsin. Everything and everyone is fine. I can see on trillium blooming in the woods. The leaves are just starting to bud out. My tulips and daffodils are blooming. I'm amazed at the icicle pansies and johnny jump-ups that have continued to blossom since I planted them two years ago. They've seeded themselves and are coming up in other places too. I'll have to dig them out where I don't want them and put them in better locations. That which is growing where you don't want it to grow becomes a weed. Our road hasn't washed out! The blacktop solution fixed the annual washout problem for this year at least.
Murphyism of the Day
Avery's Observation
It does not matter if you fall down as long as you pick up something from the floor while you get up.
Pleather - Plastic leather.
On the Road Again - Day 4
We left Des Moines at around 9 AM. The weather started off cloudy. We could see that it had rained during the night while we slept. As we headed north, we could see the sky clearing. It was another perfect day for driving.
Since the weather was so nice, my folks decided to continue on following us all the way to The Lake instead of heading off on their own to spend the night at their home in Eau Claire. We stopped in Faribault to enjoy a Chinese buffet. Very good! And then it was on to The Lake after a quick stop to pick up a few groceries. We arrived at The Lake at around 5 PM.
Ladybugs Everywhere!
Ladybug, ladybug fly away home! Every year we have to deal with the little pests. They aren't real ladybugs. They're Japanese beetles. And they bite. And they make a messy stain if you squish them. We decided to deal with them tomorrow.
HTP got the TV up working with the satellite. We weren't so lucky with the computers. While I do have computer...kinda (dial-up and I may be tying up someone else's line to do this)...when things go wrong they do. Our DSL isn't working and no-one can call us except on our cell which charges three times as much because although there are two close cell towers they aren't our company's cell towers so we roam up here in paradise. When they hooked up our DSL they screwed up our phone and the DSL won't work because...they screwed up our phone. I knew something was odd when I came in to find our burglar alarm frantically signaling that all was not well. No burglars, no break in. The system just couldn't call itself because somehow our phone number won't receive calls. I can call out but no-one can call in...at least not at our number. I found this out when we called #1 son and he told us that his caller-ID came up with a "funny" number when we called. And then to check it out we had him call us using our phone number and...nothing. But...we got the number from #1 son on his caller-ID and then my Dad called that number. It rang on our phone and some other poor guy's house west of town. We seem to be sharing a phone number from some other poor guy in town who I've never met for those incoming calls. Oh well, CenturyTel promised to fix things. Someone crossed the wrong wires somewhere while they were trying to hook up the DSL.
We're here in Wisconsin. Everything and everyone is fine. I can see on trillium blooming in the woods. The leaves are just starting to bud out. My tulips and daffodils are blooming. I'm amazed at the icicle pansies and johnny jump-ups that have continued to blossom since I planted them two years ago. They've seeded themselves and are coming up in other places too. I'll have to dig them out where I don't want them and put them in better locations. That which is growing where you don't want it to grow becomes a weed. Our road hasn't washed out! The blacktop solution fixed the annual washout problem for this year at least.
Murphyism of the Day
Avery's Observation
It does not matter if you fall down as long as you pick up something from the floor while you get up.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Word of the Day
Playtient - Playing, having fun, being humorous while waiting patiently for something.
On the Road Again - Day 3
We left Sterling, Colorado at around 9 AM. Not long after we crossed into Nebraska, we lost another hour due to one of those mysterious time-zone lines. They're marked on the map with a series of T's. There isn't any lines in reality. It's a map thing. I guess you just have to guess where the line is. That's OK. I knew it was coming so I was prepared. My watches have been reset and now we'll remain in this time zone until we head back to Arizona in the fall or...if we decide to hit the road again before that.
We arrived in Des Moines at around 6:45 PM. Nothing eventful. The weather was great. The wind was a bit windy but nothing too bad. I mean, there was an incident where it looked like the semi-truck in front of us almost lost it but other than that one problem, we did just fine. Oh...and it didn't really affect us at all but there was a bomb scare near Waverly. They shut down I-80 for most of the morning. We were still eating our free breakfast in Sterling so everything had been cleared up before we got to Waverly.
Tomorrow we'll be heading on to The Lake. Truth be told, we've been heading to The Lake every single day of this road trip. To be more exact, we should arrive at The Lake sometime tomorrow. I'm not sure if the computers will be up and running right off the bat so just in case...don't worry if you don't see a blog from me. Besides, I'm not sure how late we'll get in and we just might be too tired.
Murphyism of the Day
Laws of Truth in Reporting
1. The closer you are to the facts of a situation, the more obvious are the errors in the news coverage.
2. The farther you are from a situation, the more you tend to believe the news coverage.
Playtient - Playing, having fun, being humorous while waiting patiently for something.
On the Road Again - Day 3
We left Sterling, Colorado at around 9 AM. Not long after we crossed into Nebraska, we lost another hour due to one of those mysterious time-zone lines. They're marked on the map with a series of T's. There isn't any lines in reality. It's a map thing. I guess you just have to guess where the line is. That's OK. I knew it was coming so I was prepared. My watches have been reset and now we'll remain in this time zone until we head back to Arizona in the fall or...if we decide to hit the road again before that.
We arrived in Des Moines at around 6:45 PM. Nothing eventful. The weather was great. The wind was a bit windy but nothing too bad. I mean, there was an incident where it looked like the semi-truck in front of us almost lost it but other than that one problem, we did just fine. Oh...and it didn't really affect us at all but there was a bomb scare near Waverly. They shut down I-80 for most of the morning. We were still eating our free breakfast in Sterling so everything had been cleared up before we got to Waverly.
Tomorrow we'll be heading on to The Lake. Truth be told, we've been heading to The Lake every single day of this road trip. To be more exact, we should arrive at The Lake sometime tomorrow. I'm not sure if the computers will be up and running right off the bat so just in case...don't worry if you don't see a blog from me. Besides, I'm not sure how late we'll get in and we just might be too tired.
Murphyism of the Day
Laws of Truth in Reporting
1. The closer you are to the facts of a situation, the more obvious are the errors in the news coverage.
2. The farther you are from a situation, the more you tend to believe the news coverage.
Monday, May 01, 2006
Word of the Day
Plandemonium - organized chaos.
On the Road Again - Day 2
Happy Anniversary Brother and B! I bet you thought I forget. Hope you had a great day!
We hit the road at around 8:30 AM. The drive was beautiful. The snow remained picture perfect, gracing the sides of the road and frosting the trees. The roads were dry. The snow-capped mountains stood firm against a blue sky.
And then....
Just on the outskirts of Denver, where I-76 cuts off toward Fort Morgan, my folks went straight when they should have gone east with us. Oh well. Such events make the trip more interesting. We tried frantically to call them on the walkie-talkie radio but range if everything with those things. Anyway, my Dad told us, when they finally caught up to us at our hotel for the evening, that the last thing that he heard HTP say in the crackling, fading reception was..."Sorry guys, I guess you're on your own." Good thing they had a map. In our own defense, I will say that that cut off wasn't well marked. I almost missed it myself. And, we did try to call them on their cell phone. Which...if you know my folks...wasn't turned on. They never bother to turn on their cell phone. They use it for emergencies. And this wasn't an emergency?
We'll be heading to Des Moines tomorrow. I promise to try and do a better job of not losing my parents this time.
Murphyism of the Day
Postal Principle
People usually get what's coming to them....unless it's been mailed.
Plandemonium - organized chaos.
On the Road Again - Day 2
Happy Anniversary Brother and B! I bet you thought I forget. Hope you had a great day!
We hit the road at around 8:30 AM. The drive was beautiful. The snow remained picture perfect, gracing the sides of the road and frosting the trees. The roads were dry. The snow-capped mountains stood firm against a blue sky.
And then....
Just on the outskirts of Denver, where I-76 cuts off toward Fort Morgan, my folks went straight when they should have gone east with us. Oh well. Such events make the trip more interesting. We tried frantically to call them on the walkie-talkie radio but range if everything with those things. Anyway, my Dad told us, when they finally caught up to us at our hotel for the evening, that the last thing that he heard HTP say in the crackling, fading reception was..."Sorry guys, I guess you're on your own." Good thing they had a map. In our own defense, I will say that that cut off wasn't well marked. I almost missed it myself. And, we did try to call them on their cell phone. Which...if you know my folks...wasn't turned on. They never bother to turn on their cell phone. They use it for emergencies. And this wasn't an emergency?
We'll be heading to Des Moines tomorrow. I promise to try and do a better job of not losing my parents this time.
Murphyism of the Day
Postal Principle
People usually get what's coming to them....unless it's been mailed.