Labor of Love

8

June 6, 2010

There’s a severe storm warning and a tornado watch for half of my state, including my corner.  A thunderstorm is making itself known outside and I probably shouldn’t be on my computer.  I rarely do what I’m supposed to, however, and so you find me here.  Until I have to drive to Hartford tonight to pick my brother up at the bus station.  We’ll just chalk it up to having an adventure and leave it at that, shall we?

I’ve managed to weed half of my front flower garden over the past few days.  This is an extremely painful process physically, but I’ve invested too much time, energy, and money in my gardens to let them slide any further into the Weed Hell that they reside in; it hurts – mentally – to see it.  The results are gratifying even if I am reduced to limping afterward.  Some things in life are worth it.

Of course, gardening is not for the faint of heart.  Becky could never in a million years assist me in weeding, for example: a surprising variety of spiders have made themselves at home there.  Slugs have turned up as well, and there is always an abundance of earthworms and creepy crawlers.  My MIL insists that she once saw a snake in it years ago but, if so, I’ve never seen one.  I once found a dead mouse and I’ll admit that I didn’t find that pleasant at all.  But overall there’s little to fear.  What I hate, though, is knowing that I probably have bugs crawling in my hair.  I could feel the bun I was wearing my hair in brushing against the underside of one of the bay windows as I toiled, and there are spider webs and other things lurking there.   I’ve never scrubbed my head in the shower the way I did after I called it quits for the day.

As I cleaned up I had an idea.  I should place an ad in the paper offering to let some gardener, bereft of the ability to have a garden of their own, come to my house and care for mine.  I wouldn’t pay them anything, and all materials they needed they would have to provide themselves.  They couldn’t remove any of the flowers, only the weeds.  I might let them add flowers, but they would have to clear their choices with me first.  Other than that, they could come over and weed and putter to their heart’s content.

Now isn’t that a good deal?

The sad thing is that someone probably would take me up on that offer.  I’m just not sure I want anyone that crazy hanging outside my house, however.

Yes, I want everything, and I want it my way.

Speaking of wanting, I want some of the white irises my mother has in her garden…

Categories: Creativity Expressed, Home Improvement, Random Thoughts.

They Said I Won’t Glow in the Dark

3

June 1, 2010

There’s nothing quite like water, an egg sandwich, and radioactive isotopes to start the day off right.  Their flavor is very subtle.  Still, I can’t help but feel that there are better things with which to season one’s eggs.

I haven’t learned anything from the test yet (it takes a couple of days to get results) other than the fact that, should I choose to fly, my radioactivity may now trip security alarms at an airport.  This side effect will be gone in a couple of days, but in the meantime if you want to smuggle an extra bottle of water or something on board a plane and need a distraction, I’m your gal.

Categories: Creativity Expressed, Random Thoughts.

I’ve Got Sunshine

1

May 29, 2010

… on a cloudy day.  No matter what else happens in life, there’s beauty all around us.

Categories: Creativity Expressed, Random Thoughts.

In Which I Shamelessly Plug My Friends’ Work

Comments Off

May 27, 2010

My friends Lord Bargain (whose first book- 101 Forgotten Pop Hits of the 1980s – is now on sale) and his lovely wife Suburban Hen (whose beautiful baby quilts, jewelry, prints, and more can be found here) have entered a contest.  The object is to create a video ad for Paddy Power.  The video that gets the most hits wins £1,000.  Like the rest of us, they could really use the money, and the ad is only 32 seconds long.  It spoofs a recent event during the British elections when an incumbent candidate who had been soliciting a woman’s vote forgot that his mike was still on when he got in his car to leave.  You’ll have to watch the video to find out what the candidate said!

BTW, it’s Lord Bargain himself playing the politician, and SwissToni as the Paddy Power employee.

(and in case any of you are wondering: Yes, I would probably do the same thing for you if you needed/wanted a plug :) )

Categories: My Viewing Pleasure, Random Thoughts, Reading Room.

Becoming Violet Beauregarde*

5

May 26, 2010

I had my follow-up with the gastroenterologist yesterday.  During the endoscopy I had in March he saw some irritation and put me on Prilosec OTC.  I tried taking it in the morning, then the afternoon, and finally at night.  Nothing changed.  I knew I had issues other than my gallbladder that would need to be addressed once everything settled post-surgery.  This other discomfort (that occasionally becomes real pain) began with my last bad gallbladder attack, and has persisted.  We know part of my problem, which you don’t want to hear about, but there may be other issues, most of which you also don’t want to hear about.  He’s treating these symptoms and we’ll see what happens.  I’m having a non-invasive test run on Tuesday which may answer some questions.  I’m not too worried about all of this.

What does concern me, however, was something he told me almost in passing.  Though he didn’t mention it at the time, he said he saw water/fluid build-up in my abdomen during the endoscopy.  He said it was something to think about but nothing to worry over; I let it go.

But today I got to thinking about it and I decided to search Ask.com for “fluid in the abdomen.”   I double-checked with Google.  The response isn’t pretty.  It’s called Ascites, and has many very nasty causes.  I’d really rather not have any of them, thank-you very much.   Still, I’m hoping that it’s something totally innocuous that simply didn’t pop up in the search engines.  As I said, the doctor noted it but didn’t seem too concerned.  I am, but he isn’t.

To top it off, my back has been acting up again since my cold because of having to sleep sitting up.

My body needs a good swift kick in the butt.  At this point I doubt it could hurt anything.  Surely one of you is willing to try? ;)

*Violet Beauregarde was the girl who filled up with blueberry juice during her tour of Wonka’s chocolate factory

Categories: Random Thoughts.

From My Mother’s Garden

2

May 24, 2010

Categories: Creativity Expressed.

Any Takers?

7

May 23, 2010

This cracks me up.  There is actually a house for sale, but it is tucked back in the woods behind the cemetery, out of sight.

Categories: Random Thoughts.

Am I A Jinx?

3

May 22, 2010

In the past couple of weeks I’ve been re-watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer from the beginning.  Since I’ve begun:

  • David Boreanaz (“Angel”) has admitted to cheating on his wife.
  • Nicholas Brendon (“Xander”) has relapsed and is back in rehab.
  • Emma Caulfield (“Anya”) has filed for divorce.

Some good news, though:

  • James Marsters (“Spike”) announced that he is getting married.

I think perhaps it’s a good thing I only have 5 episodes left to watch!

Categories: My Viewing Pleasure, Random Thoughts.

Ever More Randomness

8

May 17, 2010

~I hope when I go gray, I go the right shade of gray.  I’ve always said I wouldn’t dye my hair back; I’m not afraid of aging.  But would I dye from one shade of gray to another if I didn’t like the way it was going?  Probably not, but I wonder how often it’s been done?

~Hoping to meet up with Becky, Emily, and Dustin in NYC again soon.  I also want to swing by John Jay College of CUNY at some point, check out the neighborhood, decide whether or not I could see myself there.

~I haven’t seen them yet (obviously), but I don’t think The Gates or Law & Order: LA will last.  You read it here first.  Unless you read it somewhere else before now.

~Because of serious health problems my mother has made dietary changes and lost 24 lbs.  I have found 15 of them.

~I’m glad Sandra won Survivor.  If Parvati won I was going to bash my head into something.  Hard.  I’m serious.  I had Randy on standby to stop me and everything.

~Sock Monkey.

Categories: College Life, My Viewing Pleasure, Random Thoughts.

Some Serious Relaxing Going On

7

May 14, 2010

Have any of you seen The Men Who Stare at Goats? It’s hilarious!  Must See DVD.  Ewan McGregor somehow managed to keep a straight face while constantly discussing the Jedi with George Clooney.  It’s hysterical almost beginning to end.

We’re waiting for Eureka 3.5, NCIS Season 7, Criminal Minds Season 5, and Big Bang Theory Season 3 to become available, so Randy and I have  begun watching Castle through Netflix.  So far, so good.

As for me, I’m still working my way through Buffy.  I’m into Season 5.  I don’t sit glued to the t.v., though I’m sure it sounds like it.  I watched the series when it first aired and am often doing other things while Buffy plays in the background.  I’ve also got “Angel” in my queue and have considered watching it while watching Buffy, since there’s some crossover.  In the end I decided to skip it, mainly because it’s too much effort to try to coordinate it.  I’ll watch Angel when I’m done with Buffy.

I got a 4.0 this past semester (I now have a 3.968 overall), and have been sick since school let out, therefore feel I’ve earned a little mindless entertainment.  I’ll get back to business soon, just not yet.

Categories: My Viewing Pleasure, Random Thoughts.

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