I keep wondering about that question as I keep hearing the replays (over and over ad nauseum) of Rosie and Donald slinging insults at each other.
What ever happened to a civilized nation?
I'll give Donald the benefit of the doubt here, he's giving a girl a chance to clean up her act and turn her life around. I'll forego that he probably has a financial motive here (see, even I'm cynical), but I can't for the life of me understand what Rosie can be thinking.....
Has our national culture so deteriorated that everything must be negative? Is this the legacy of living in fear?
It makes me want to stand on the street corner and scream at people "just play nice"!!
Friday, December 22, 2006
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Ouch!
One of the side attractions of having anywhere from 1/4 inch to 7 feet of snow in your yard is the fun you get to have clearing it out.
Today's excursion was done in 2 stages.....we had been asked by the post office folks to clear a path to our mail boxes so they can resume delivery service tomorrow, so we did that first.
It took a while to clear the knee deep drift across the sidewalk right next to the garage, but then we chugged along down the driveway on one side of the car, and on to the front walk to the edge of the post box.
By the time we had recovered and returned back outside to do the second stage, the neighbor on one side had run his snow blower from his property line to where we had cleared in front of the mail box, so we didn't have to do that piece (we thanked him profusely!!)
So, we concentrated on clearing out the rest of the driveway.....so now when our daughter comes down for Christmas, there'll be someplace for her to park.
I can definately say I got my exercise today, but this evening my back is letting me know I over did it....OUCH!
So, its off to the alternating hot and cold and a good dose of advil before bedtime..........maybe I should just go lay in a snow drift!!
Meantime, I'm trying to find out how I can get some help for my folks to get dug out.....my dad was talking about going out with a shovel to dig out the truck and make a path to the wood shed, but he really should not be doing that.....my mother says she thinks she can get some one from the city to help, but I worry about them decided to do it for themselves.....its hard for them I know to admit they can't do everything for themselves --- we're having some of those issues ourselves -- but I worry about it anyway.
Today's excursion was done in 2 stages.....we had been asked by the post office folks to clear a path to our mail boxes so they can resume delivery service tomorrow, so we did that first.
It took a while to clear the knee deep drift across the sidewalk right next to the garage, but then we chugged along down the driveway on one side of the car, and on to the front walk to the edge of the post box.
By the time we had recovered and returned back outside to do the second stage, the neighbor on one side had run his snow blower from his property line to where we had cleared in front of the mail box, so we didn't have to do that piece (we thanked him profusely!!)
So, we concentrated on clearing out the rest of the driveway.....so now when our daughter comes down for Christmas, there'll be someplace for her to park.
I can definately say I got my exercise today, but this evening my back is letting me know I over did it....OUCH!
So, its off to the alternating hot and cold and a good dose of advil before bedtime..........maybe I should just go lay in a snow drift!!
Meantime, I'm trying to find out how I can get some help for my folks to get dug out.....my dad was talking about going out with a shovel to dig out the truck and make a path to the wood shed, but he really should not be doing that.....my mother says she thinks she can get some one from the city to help, but I worry about them decided to do it for themselves.....its hard for them I know to admit they can't do everything for themselves --- we're having some of those issues ourselves -- but I worry about it anyway.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
It's not time yet!!
I'm yelling that actually to all the folks that are currently celebrating the 12 days of Christmas.....being a bit of a purist is a pain I guess, but just in case someone is actually interested, the 12 days of Christmas are AFTER Christmas....like until Ephifany......Ok, I'm done with that rant for now.
I'm in a semi pre Christmas funk.....working away on the last of the Christmas presents that must get finished post haste and really wanting to work on a whole lot of brand new things that I've got all set up to start on (see the studio blog from early in the week) and having a couple more new ideas floating around in my head.....nuts!
Meantime, I can say that my Christmas shopping is done (just waiting for another package to arrive in the mail); all of the cards are mailed; the first package that had to go out of town was mailed yesterday and the last one goes tomorrow. We're deep into gift wrapping, which at some point every year looses its attraction, and becomes a chore, but we aren't there yet (see if we would only buy one present for each person.....ha, like that will ever happen!)
Anyway, I'm meantime worrying a bit about my sister (a 5 day migrane is a BAD, BAD thing); my brother in law (he's having surgery on his shoulder next Thursday); my dad (bronchitis on top of COPD is another BAD idea) and my husband (he fell on his knee 2 weeks ago today and is still having a lot of pain and the knee looks seriously like he needs to scrub off the mud, except its all discolored beneath the skin -- he's going to the doctor tomorrow). This is an official request for prayer for all of them!
Today is the 3rd Sunday of Advent, what glorious rose colored vestments in evidence, I enjoyed listening to the mass from Notre Dame this morning. We are reminded here to rejoice, the Lord is coming!
Today is also the 3rd day of Chanukkah, and we honor the Jewish traditions that lead to our transformation into Christians.
May all of you, whatever your belief be blessed.
I'm in a semi pre Christmas funk.....working away on the last of the Christmas presents that must get finished post haste and really wanting to work on a whole lot of brand new things that I've got all set up to start on (see the studio blog from early in the week) and having a couple more new ideas floating around in my head.....nuts!
Meantime, I can say that my Christmas shopping is done (just waiting for another package to arrive in the mail); all of the cards are mailed; the first package that had to go out of town was mailed yesterday and the last one goes tomorrow. We're deep into gift wrapping, which at some point every year looses its attraction, and becomes a chore, but we aren't there yet (see if we would only buy one present for each person.....ha, like that will ever happen!)
Anyway, I'm meantime worrying a bit about my sister (a 5 day migrane is a BAD, BAD thing); my brother in law (he's having surgery on his shoulder next Thursday); my dad (bronchitis on top of COPD is another BAD idea) and my husband (he fell on his knee 2 weeks ago today and is still having a lot of pain and the knee looks seriously like he needs to scrub off the mud, except its all discolored beneath the skin -- he's going to the doctor tomorrow). This is an official request for prayer for all of them!
Today is the 3rd Sunday of Advent, what glorious rose colored vestments in evidence, I enjoyed listening to the mass from Notre Dame this morning. We are reminded here to rejoice, the Lord is coming!
Today is also the 3rd day of Chanukkah, and we honor the Jewish traditions that lead to our transformation into Christians.
May all of you, whatever your belief be blessed.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
The decorating is done!
Actually, its been done since Sunday, but it took me a while to get the pictures taken, and then it took me a while longer to figure out how to load these up on the "new and improved" (NOT) blogger.
This is the family room tree, complete with all the hand made ornaments from my friend in California, and the pictures of my daughter with Santa, and the ornaments she made as a little girl. This one has bubble lights and shaped bulb lights (bears and snow men)
Right inside the front door this little table is the place I set the envelopes waiting to go out to the box for the next day. I've had the little mail box and the lantern for a really long time.
This is the little wall tree in the kitchen with its wooden jumper toys around it. 
Going up the stairs the banister is wrapped with greenery and lights and tied up with green, gold and burgandy ribbon. Between each rail is a wooden jumper toy and there is a little wood sleigh and a candle on each step.
Candles and Russian style art (there is no place in our local parish church to light a candle, but I can do it here). The Icon in the middle is St Nicholas, and the egg on the left has a nativity scene inside.
This is what we call our Russian tree -- really its an Eastern European tree as all of the ornaments and figurines under it are in that style. There are a lot of real eggs that have been painted or otherwise decorated on this tree. This tree is on one side of the buffet in the dining room.
This tree stands at the other end of the buffet in the dining room. Every ornament on it is hand blown glass, there are a lot of Radko ornaments and a number of Italian blown glass pieces.
The top of the stereo cabinet, all decorated with tin toys, santa mugs and candles.
Its not yet the night before Christmas, but the stockings are hung by the chimney with care! I have done the knitting of 3 of these in the last 2 months.
In the family room on the wall opposite the big tree is this little wall tree that is all decorated with Disney ornaments and keepsakes from our trips to Disneyland.
This little tree is on top of a doll case next to the piano. The star on top is the last rennant of the decorations my grandmother used to hang in the windows when I was a child. The ornaments on this tree are the little ones that would get lost on a big tree. There is also a fiber santa that my DH made as a child on this one.
Not exactly a tree, but we count it anyway. The Lladro bell and ball ornaments are a little heavy for a regular tree, but they look good on this stand. And I like the look of the other bisque porcelian pieces under it.
The top of the curio cabinet always has this clock (it was made by my DH's grandfather), but at Christmas we add some ceramic and porcelain figures too.
Decorating the coffee table with greenery and candles has been a long time thing, but this year I added some eggs with inside decorations too.
Under the living room tree, the bears are all dressed up and ready for the occasion.
The Crystal Tree. Every ornament on it is clear glass, most of them lead crystal. This is the tree my daughter is still afraid to touch, but now days she adds to my 30+ year collection every year.
Standing next to the piano is the Bear Tree. Every ornament on this one is a bear, and that means there are a lot of Coca Cola bears on there!
The nativity set is in its usual place on top of the piano (some day soon I'll have to find a new place when the piano goes to my daughter). We use some traditions from other places when we set it up. The 3 Wise Men are always to the East, not right at the stable (I believe this is a French custom), on top of the stable is the angel and a rooster (the rooster is a big symbol in the Russian chruch) and there is no baby in the manger until after midnight on Christmas Eve.
Anyway, here is a little "tour" of all the Christmas crazyness......
This is the family room tree, complete with all the hand made ornaments from my friend in California, and the pictures of my daughter with Santa, and the ornaments she made as a little girl. This one has bubble lights and shaped bulb lights (bears and snow men)
Right inside the front door this little table is the place I set the envelopes waiting to go out to the box for the next day. I've had the little mail box and the lantern for a really long time.
This is the little wall tree in the kitchen with its wooden jumper toys around it.
Going up the stairs the banister is wrapped with greenery and lights and tied up with green, gold and burgandy ribbon. Between each rail is a wooden jumper toy and there is a little wood sleigh and a candle on each step.
Candles and Russian style art (there is no place in our local parish church to light a candle, but I can do it here). The Icon in the middle is St Nicholas, and the egg on the left has a nativity scene inside.
This is what we call our Russian tree -- really its an Eastern European tree as all of the ornaments and figurines under it are in that style. There are a lot of real eggs that have been painted or otherwise decorated on this tree. This tree is on one side of the buffet in the dining room.
This tree stands at the other end of the buffet in the dining room. Every ornament on it is hand blown glass, there are a lot of Radko ornaments and a number of Italian blown glass pieces.
The top of the stereo cabinet, all decorated with tin toys, santa mugs and candles.
Its not yet the night before Christmas, but the stockings are hung by the chimney with care! I have done the knitting of 3 of these in the last 2 months.
In the family room on the wall opposite the big tree is this little wall tree that is all decorated with Disney ornaments and keepsakes from our trips to Disneyland.
This little tree is on top of a doll case next to the piano. The star on top is the last rennant of the decorations my grandmother used to hang in the windows when I was a child. The ornaments on this tree are the little ones that would get lost on a big tree. There is also a fiber santa that my DH made as a child on this one.
Not exactly a tree, but we count it anyway. The Lladro bell and ball ornaments are a little heavy for a regular tree, but they look good on this stand. And I like the look of the other bisque porcelian pieces under it.
The top of the curio cabinet always has this clock (it was made by my DH's grandfather), but at Christmas we add some ceramic and porcelain figures too.
Decorating the coffee table with greenery and candles has been a long time thing, but this year I added some eggs with inside decorations too.
Under the living room tree, the bears are all dressed up and ready for the occasion.
The Crystal Tree. Every ornament on it is clear glass, most of them lead crystal. This is the tree my daughter is still afraid to touch, but now days she adds to my 30+ year collection every year.
Standing next to the piano is the Bear Tree. Every ornament on this one is a bear, and that means there are a lot of Coca Cola bears on there!
The nativity set is in its usual place on top of the piano (some day soon I'll have to find a new place when the piano goes to my daughter). We use some traditions from other places when we set it up. The 3 Wise Men are always to the East, not right at the stable (I believe this is a French custom), on top of the stable is the angel and a rooster (the rooster is a big symbol in the Russian chruch) and there is no baby in the manger until after midnight on Christmas Eve.Yes, that's the end......there really are NINE trees!!
And now you know why it takes us 2 weeks to get it all set up.....
Consider this my Christmas Card to you all. May you have a wonderful Christmas, and may the world find Peace in the New Year.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Having been "tagged"
by Jason (see his blog at http://clarityofnight.blogspot.com/) here are some little known things about me.
Five Little Known Facts About Me
1. I taught myself to play the piano. I wanted to be able to play Moonlight Sonata, so that is where I started. At one time I actually could play it all the way through. (its been a few years, and it would take a lot of practice to get it back)
2. When I was in high school I wanted to be a fashion designer. I worked for a while with two guys and made outfits for rock bands. I wonder sometimes where I would be now if there had actually been money for me to go to college and pursue this.
3. I have only 2 or 3 memories of my mother before I was 5 even though I remember a lot of things clear back to when I was 2. I spent most of my time with my grandmother (my mammy, as I called her), and she had a profound impact on my life -- teaching me to sew, knit, crochet, cook, iron, and all those other "girl things" she also taught me to love flowers and poetry. At one time after her death I had a dream about her that was so vivid I could actually feel her touch. (ah, a truly mystical experience)
4. Most of the time when I was in school I felt I had more in common with the adults than with the kids my age.
5. The dream to be a published author has been with me since I was about 10.
And there you have it......there are probably at least 5 more, but some things are better left in their dark little closets!
Five Little Known Facts About Me
1. I taught myself to play the piano. I wanted to be able to play Moonlight Sonata, so that is where I started. At one time I actually could play it all the way through. (its been a few years, and it would take a lot of practice to get it back)
2. When I was in high school I wanted to be a fashion designer. I worked for a while with two guys and made outfits for rock bands. I wonder sometimes where I would be now if there had actually been money for me to go to college and pursue this.
3. I have only 2 or 3 memories of my mother before I was 5 even though I remember a lot of things clear back to when I was 2. I spent most of my time with my grandmother (my mammy, as I called her), and she had a profound impact on my life -- teaching me to sew, knit, crochet, cook, iron, and all those other "girl things" she also taught me to love flowers and poetry. At one time after her death I had a dream about her that was so vivid I could actually feel her touch. (ah, a truly mystical experience)
4. Most of the time when I was in school I felt I had more in common with the adults than with the kids my age.
5. The dream to be a published author has been with me since I was about 10.
And there you have it......there are probably at least 5 more, but some things are better left in their dark little closets!
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
the insurance company's annual greeting
arrived today.....the health insurance company that is, and why they feel its neceassry to ruin my Christmas every year is beyond me....
This year's greeting.....the premium for the health insurance for just me is an increase of 25%!! Yeah right, like our income will keep pace with that....ha!
The sad thing about it is that basically I'll be paying the $350 a month to have the insurance just in case I fall and break my leg or something since they will not pay for my blood pressure medicine, so I'm footing the bill myself for my meds.....
I have to admit that in a way I'm looking forward to being old enough for medicare.....at least the monthly premiums will be less because I'll actually finally be part of a group
now I'll just be wondering where that extra $$ will come from every month.....{sigh} guess I have to sell more jewelry or animals or another magazine article every month
This year's greeting.....the premium for the health insurance for just me is an increase of 25%!! Yeah right, like our income will keep pace with that....ha!
The sad thing about it is that basically I'll be paying the $350 a month to have the insurance just in case I fall and break my leg or something since they will not pay for my blood pressure medicine, so I'm footing the bill myself for my meds.....
I have to admit that in a way I'm looking forward to being old enough for medicare.....at least the monthly premiums will be less because I'll actually finally be part of a group
now I'll just be wondering where that extra $$ will come from every month.....{sigh} guess I have to sell more jewelry or animals or another magazine article every month
Thursday, November 30, 2006
writing Christmas letters and other frustrations of a non-speller
yes, its my annual incursion with writing a Christmas letter that goes out to folks near and far to keep them updated on what is happening in our lives since I don't talk to them every day/week/month.....
This year's "remembering" has been easier because I have been blogging (and keeping copies) all year .... my way to keep a journal --- I'd never do it any other way
this also brings me to why my Webster's Dictionary is falling apart --- even with it, I CAN NOT SPELL!
To those of you that can hear a word and simply plunk it into whatever you are working on I can officially say I HATE YOU!! Ok, maybe hate is too strong a word, but it does express my frustration.
Much of the time I end up either spending HOURS with the dictionary (yes that's spelled right but only because I LOOKED!) or just using a lot of synonyms (you know, those words you use when you can't spell the other one!) But most of the time that means that what I put on paper (or in cyber blog land) may not really be what I exactly meant to say (but I'm too afraid of being perceived as stupid to just let fly and ignore the spelling and hope folks will "get" what I'm saying)
And don't tell me that I can always "look it up"!! The problem here is that the dictionary is organized by how things are spelled, which is not necessarily how I hear it. I worked myself into a near tizzy the other day because I was writing something that included the rather innocuous word "auxiliary".
Sure, I can type it now, but I ended up having to ask my DH to look it up for me. (And along the way he's saying to me "its about the derivation of the words" -- yeah, this from a guy that at one time could carry on a complete conversation in LATIN!!!)
Here's why: that word to me sounds like it should be spelled "augzilary" -- now do you see my point?
What is this magic that lets people hear all those words and be able to tell what the letters really are? Is there some sort of special kind of dyslexia at work here? And so, I am a frustrated writer.....wanting to say what I want to say and afraid to say it because I can't spell it.....ARRRGGHHHH!!
Ok, now that I have that out of my system, I'm going back to work -- perhaps tomorrow a rant about why I can't do math in my head (or not!)
This year's "remembering" has been easier because I have been blogging (and keeping copies) all year .... my way to keep a journal --- I'd never do it any other way
this also brings me to why my Webster's Dictionary is falling apart --- even with it, I CAN NOT SPELL!
To those of you that can hear a word and simply plunk it into whatever you are working on I can officially say I HATE YOU!! Ok, maybe hate is too strong a word, but it does express my frustration.
Much of the time I end up either spending HOURS with the dictionary (yes that's spelled right but only because I LOOKED!) or just using a lot of synonyms (you know, those words you use when you can't spell the other one!) But most of the time that means that what I put on paper (or in cyber blog land) may not really be what I exactly meant to say (but I'm too afraid of being perceived as stupid to just let fly and ignore the spelling and hope folks will "get" what I'm saying)
And don't tell me that I can always "look it up"!! The problem here is that the dictionary is organized by how things are spelled, which is not necessarily how I hear it. I worked myself into a near tizzy the other day because I was writing something that included the rather innocuous word "auxiliary".
Sure, I can type it now, but I ended up having to ask my DH to look it up for me. (And along the way he's saying to me "its about the derivation of the words" -- yeah, this from a guy that at one time could carry on a complete conversation in LATIN!!!)
Here's why: that word to me sounds like it should be spelled "augzilary" -- now do you see my point?
What is this magic that lets people hear all those words and be able to tell what the letters really are? Is there some sort of special kind of dyslexia at work here? And so, I am a frustrated writer.....wanting to say what I want to say and afraid to say it because I can't spell it.....ARRRGGHHHH!!
Ok, now that I have that out of my system, I'm going back to work -- perhaps tomorrow a rant about why I can't do math in my head (or not!)
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Have I mentioned lately
that I hate winter?
Well, that's not really an accurate statement. I hate being cold (I also hate being too hot, but then that just proves there's no pleasing me!).
Here's a little back ground on my current complaining:
Item 1 -- the cost of heating our house in the winter has almost doubled in the almost 5 years since we moved here.
Item 2 -- we live on a fixed income
Item 3 -- last year, in an attempt to cut the cost of heating, we used our fireplace and turned the thermostat down to 58 degrees
Well, after several tests and consulting with our doctor, we have now concluded that we just can not continue with that. So, this week we turned the thermostat back up to 62 degrees.
It is amazing what a difference 4 degrees makes.....I can walk around the house without my feet and hands always being cold. I can take a shower without dreading getting out. I can wear just a t shirt and a sweat shirt instead of a t shirt and a sweat shirt and a sweater....but I'm already dreading that heat bill.....
And a further issue is that we are discovering that the lung issues that DH is having (which started last winter) are being aggravated by the cold, the dry climate and the altitude. All of which probably means major changes in our lives in the future.....
So tonight I'm contemplating what we might do next....thinking about houses all on one floor (no more up and down stairs every day for DH) and a moister climate with less altitude....but where?
{sigh}
Well, that's not really an accurate statement. I hate being cold (I also hate being too hot, but then that just proves there's no pleasing me!).
Here's a little back ground on my current complaining:
Item 1 -- the cost of heating our house in the winter has almost doubled in the almost 5 years since we moved here.
Item 2 -- we live on a fixed income
Item 3 -- last year, in an attempt to cut the cost of heating, we used our fireplace and turned the thermostat down to 58 degrees
Well, after several tests and consulting with our doctor, we have now concluded that we just can not continue with that. So, this week we turned the thermostat back up to 62 degrees.
It is amazing what a difference 4 degrees makes.....I can walk around the house without my feet and hands always being cold. I can take a shower without dreading getting out. I can wear just a t shirt and a sweat shirt instead of a t shirt and a sweat shirt and a sweater....but I'm already dreading that heat bill.....
And a further issue is that we are discovering that the lung issues that DH is having (which started last winter) are being aggravated by the cold, the dry climate and the altitude. All of which probably means major changes in our lives in the future.....
So tonight I'm contemplating what we might do next....thinking about houses all on one floor (no more up and down stairs every day for DH) and a moister climate with less altitude....but where?
{sigh}
Friday, November 10, 2006
Just for fun .... 48 things
Okay, its Friday morning, I didn't finish anything yesterday, I have to load the van later today to do a show tomorrow, and I just feel like fooling around.
So, on another blog that I read were these 48 questions, and I've decided to give them a go too:
48 things
1. FIRST NAME? Bev
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yup, family friend
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? when my daughter told me she was engaged
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? well, that depends on the day -- it can be like some illuminated manuscript, or it can look like a chicken ran over the page with inked feet
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? ham
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? yes -- I'm interesting and quirky
7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? 3 actually, this being one of them
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? not since I was 3
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No, no a thousand times no (why would anyone jump off a perfectly good bridge, mountain, building, etc.....or out of a perfectly good airplane for that matter)
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? oatmeal with lots of raisins
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? nope....no strings!! (I wear Crocs about 99% of the time)
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? I consider myself a survivor, so I must be
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Chocolate!
14. SHOE SIZE? 9 wide
15. RED OR PINK? Red
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? the self doubt that sneaks in when I least expect (or need) it
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? friends that are now gone beyond the veil
18. WHAT FOOD WILL GET YOU OUT OF BED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT? Nothing
19. WHAT COLOUR TROUSERS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? grey sweats, grey sweat shirt, black t shirt, grey Crocs
20. LAST THING YOU ATE? crackers at 10 pm last night
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? the sound of the rock tumbler rumbling along polishing the stones that might end up in the next beading project, Josh Groban CD
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Red
23. FAVORITE SMELL? Coffee, roses, chocolate, fresh bread baking
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? my daughter
25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? their hands
26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON YOU STOLE THIS FROM? we've never met, but I enjoy her blog
27. FAVOURITE DRINK? ice tea
28. FAVOURITE SPORT? football to watch.....to do... you've GOT to be kidding!
29. EYE COLOUR? Hazel.
30. HAT SIZE? no clue....usually wear a sweatshirt with a hood
31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? EWWWW! put my fingers in my eyes, NO WAY!
32. FAVORITE FOOD? hmmmmm, cheese burgers, french fries, shrimp and pasta, chocolate cake (these are basically a big NO NO now days....too much fat)
33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy, scary movies give me nightmares and I have enough of my own, thanks!
35. SUMMER OR WINTER? neither....too hot, too cold.....spring and fall are great
36. HUGS OR KISSES? Both, depending on with whom, of course
37. FAVOURITE DESSERT? angel cake
38. WHAT SIDE OF THE BED DO YOU SLEEP ON AND WHY? The right because I've always slept there
39. IF YOU DIDN'T MAKE THE DECISION TO GET MARRIED AND HAVE A FAMILY, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING TODAY? probably a lot of the same things I'm doing, or not. I'm a firm believer that you wouldn't be where you are if you hadn't made every decision you did, so I just can't imagine what I'd be doing
40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Witness to Hope, George Weigel (tho' reading is not really the right word...more like savoring and studying)
41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Wizard of Oz characters
42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Shark
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? rain on the roof, my daughter singing, the voice of a friend on the phone
44. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? neither -- The Moody Blues
45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Washington, DC
46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? making do
47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Denver
48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Nobody - I appropriated it from another blogger!
So, my readers, how about your answers!
So, on another blog that I read were these 48 questions, and I've decided to give them a go too:
48 things
1. FIRST NAME? Bev
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yup, family friend
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? when my daughter told me she was engaged
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? well, that depends on the day -- it can be like some illuminated manuscript, or it can look like a chicken ran over the page with inked feet
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? ham
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? yes -- I'm interesting and quirky
7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? 3 actually, this being one of them
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? not since I was 3
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No, no a thousand times no (why would anyone jump off a perfectly good bridge, mountain, building, etc.....or out of a perfectly good airplane for that matter)
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? oatmeal with lots of raisins
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? nope....no strings!! (I wear Crocs about 99% of the time)
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? I consider myself a survivor, so I must be
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Chocolate!
14. SHOE SIZE? 9 wide
15. RED OR PINK? Red
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? the self doubt that sneaks in when I least expect (or need) it
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? friends that are now gone beyond the veil
18. WHAT FOOD WILL GET YOU OUT OF BED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT? Nothing
19. WHAT COLOUR TROUSERS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? grey sweats, grey sweat shirt, black t shirt, grey Crocs
20. LAST THING YOU ATE? crackers at 10 pm last night
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? the sound of the rock tumbler rumbling along polishing the stones that might end up in the next beading project, Josh Groban CD
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Red
23. FAVORITE SMELL? Coffee, roses, chocolate, fresh bread baking
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? my daughter
25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? their hands
26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON YOU STOLE THIS FROM? we've never met, but I enjoy her blog
27. FAVOURITE DRINK? ice tea
28. FAVOURITE SPORT? football to watch.....to do... you've GOT to be kidding!
29. EYE COLOUR? Hazel.
30. HAT SIZE? no clue....usually wear a sweatshirt with a hood
31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? EWWWW! put my fingers in my eyes, NO WAY!
32. FAVORITE FOOD? hmmmmm, cheese burgers, french fries, shrimp and pasta, chocolate cake (these are basically a big NO NO now days....too much fat)
33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy, scary movies give me nightmares and I have enough of my own, thanks!
35. SUMMER OR WINTER? neither....too hot, too cold.....spring and fall are great
36. HUGS OR KISSES? Both, depending on with whom, of course
37. FAVOURITE DESSERT? angel cake
38. WHAT SIDE OF THE BED DO YOU SLEEP ON AND WHY? The right because I've always slept there
39. IF YOU DIDN'T MAKE THE DECISION TO GET MARRIED AND HAVE A FAMILY, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING TODAY? probably a lot of the same things I'm doing, or not. I'm a firm believer that you wouldn't be where you are if you hadn't made every decision you did, so I just can't imagine what I'd be doing
40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Witness to Hope, George Weigel (tho' reading is not really the right word...more like savoring and studying)
41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Wizard of Oz characters
42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Shark
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? rain on the roof, my daughter singing, the voice of a friend on the phone
44. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? neither -- The Moody Blues
45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Washington, DC
46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? making do
47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Denver
48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Nobody - I appropriated it from another blogger!
So, my readers, how about your answers!
Monday, November 06, 2006
being grumpy just for a bit.....
yup, spent some time doing the "why didn't I" yesterday afternoon.....
I went to investigate a show that someone had suggested to me, and quite unexpectedly got hit with the "one more door closed to you" fact.
This show is sponsored by the American Association of University Women, and they do a lot of very interesting projects and programs that I thought might be fun.....
hold on there, I'm not eligible to play....seems there's this little requirement for University women....you had to hang in there and get a degree...at least a 2 year one, 4 is better.....{sigh!}
fortunately, they don't seem to require that the artists that apply to the show have one, and this might be a good venue for my jewelry
We'll see
I went to investigate a show that someone had suggested to me, and quite unexpectedly got hit with the "one more door closed to you" fact.
This show is sponsored by the American Association of University Women, and they do a lot of very interesting projects and programs that I thought might be fun.....
hold on there, I'm not eligible to play....seems there's this little requirement for University women....you had to hang in there and get a degree...at least a 2 year one, 4 is better.....{sigh!}
fortunately, they don't seem to require that the artists that apply to the show have one, and this might be a good venue for my jewelry
We'll see
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Being Thankful, Part II......
my daughter and her fiance were here last night, and have just left us to head home....
I feel once again the need to say what a neat guy he is.....
So, once again I'm thankful for good things that are happening in her life....yes there are always life's bumps (see my rant about student loans from earlier in the week), but on the whole, its good!
I'm brought to mind of a lyric in a broadway musical...."...somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good..."
I feel once again the need to say what a neat guy he is.....
So, once again I'm thankful for good things that are happening in her life....yes there are always life's bumps (see my rant about student loans from earlier in the week), but on the whole, its good!
I'm brought to mind of a lyric in a broadway musical...."...somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good..."
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Student Loans Suck.....
or at least the way they are handled does.
I have spent several hours the last two days trying to help my daughter figure out why, even tho' she is in forebearance on her loans, they have been reported as delinquent any way.
It isn't bad enough that the cost of tuition has gotten so high that most middle class kids can't go to school without taking loans, the way they are administrated after they get out is beyond poor, almost to the point of being a deliberate attempt to financially cripple these young people.
Why tell them they can get deference or forebearance when they have financial problems and need to reduce their payments if you're just going to screw up their credit anyway?
Needless to say, there have been long, detailed letters with explanatory supporting exhibits prepared to send off to the student loan administrators, the credit bureaus and all of her congressional and senatorial representation.
If some candidate for a political office would seriously attack this issue, he (or she) would gain a good number of votes for life from grateful students who would be able to go on peaceably with their lives without wondering what the loan administration is doing to their credit rating this month.
And another thing, it is also my considered opinion that the credit bureas hold entirely too much power over all of our lives. Just who are these little trolls, sitting under the bridges, deciding who the good people are and who the bad people are and making it nye unto impossible to ever recover from any issue rather it is actually of your own making or not.
So that is my rant for today (I'm now stepping off my soap box and donning my flameproof suit!)
I have spent several hours the last two days trying to help my daughter figure out why, even tho' she is in forebearance on her loans, they have been reported as delinquent any way.
It isn't bad enough that the cost of tuition has gotten so high that most middle class kids can't go to school without taking loans, the way they are administrated after they get out is beyond poor, almost to the point of being a deliberate attempt to financially cripple these young people.
Why tell them they can get deference or forebearance when they have financial problems and need to reduce their payments if you're just going to screw up their credit anyway?
Needless to say, there have been long, detailed letters with explanatory supporting exhibits prepared to send off to the student loan administrators, the credit bureaus and all of her congressional and senatorial representation.
If some candidate for a political office would seriously attack this issue, he (or she) would gain a good number of votes for life from grateful students who would be able to go on peaceably with their lives without wondering what the loan administration is doing to their credit rating this month.
And another thing, it is also my considered opinion that the credit bureas hold entirely too much power over all of our lives. Just who are these little trolls, sitting under the bridges, deciding who the good people are and who the bad people are and making it nye unto impossible to ever recover from any issue rather it is actually of your own making or not.
So that is my rant for today (I'm now stepping off my soap box and donning my flameproof suit!)
Monday, October 23, 2006
Puppy Cuteness!!
At the end of a hard weekend of work at a show.....
The "puppy" (all 65 pounds of her!) being a lap dog to warm her feet and make sure we don't go anywhere!!
Friday, October 20, 2006
On being thankful….
I spent time sitting in a hospital waiting room this week while my husband was having a test done.
While I was sitting there, a man came in and was waiting too. His right arm was in a sling.
As people do, when they sit in such places, we exchanged pleasantries…he asked about the knitting project I was working on, I asked about his arm.
Here is his story:
Last week he fell and cracked the bone right below the ball joint of the arm all the way across. He’s in one of those lovely slings that immobilizes the upper arm so it will heal without surgery (hopefully). On Monday morning of this week, he had to rush his wife to the emergency room, and they ended up admitting her for a heart problem. As we were in the waiting room, the doctor came out and told him that his wife is going to have to have open heart surgery, probably tomorrow.
This whole story made me think about a couple of things.
The first is just how lucky we are that my husband has mostly recovered from his arm injury, that he didn’t have more complications with his gall bladder surgery, that I am still healthy enough to be a help instead of an extra burden.
The second was that I hope that man has someone to help him, be it friends or family, because he’s going to have a tough time for a while. I don’t know his name, or his wife’s, but God does, and I’m sure when I pray for that nameless couple, God will get it right.
I’m grateful for what we have, and especially today, I feel the need to say so.
While I was sitting there, a man came in and was waiting too. His right arm was in a sling.
As people do, when they sit in such places, we exchanged pleasantries…he asked about the knitting project I was working on, I asked about his arm.
Here is his story:
Last week he fell and cracked the bone right below the ball joint of the arm all the way across. He’s in one of those lovely slings that immobilizes the upper arm so it will heal without surgery (hopefully). On Monday morning of this week, he had to rush his wife to the emergency room, and they ended up admitting her for a heart problem. As we were in the waiting room, the doctor came out and told him that his wife is going to have to have open heart surgery, probably tomorrow.
This whole story made me think about a couple of things.
The first is just how lucky we are that my husband has mostly recovered from his arm injury, that he didn’t have more complications with his gall bladder surgery, that I am still healthy enough to be a help instead of an extra burden.
The second was that I hope that man has someone to help him, be it friends or family, because he’s going to have a tough time for a while. I don’t know his name, or his wife’s, but God does, and I’m sure when I pray for that nameless couple, God will get it right.
I’m grateful for what we have, and especially today, I feel the need to say so.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Juggling doctor appointments and shows
The medical profession continues to tick me off.
Last Thursday the doctor's office called to tell me they had scheduled an appointment for one of the two tests for DH, and they had faxed the info to the other place for the second test. They were very nice, gave me the information they had, and the phone numbers of both places to "pre-register".
Well, today I scheduled out some time to make the calls, and had quite a "fun" time!
First I called the place where we had to set up the time and date, and of course they right off wanted to do it the same day that the other test is already scheduled for....finally got that one (echocardiogram) scheduled for Oct 30, even tho they say they haven't received the fax from the primary care physician yet....hopefully they will have it by the 30th!
Then I called the other place to give them all the information they say they need, and fortunately at the end of the conversation I asked what time he should be there, because they had him listed for a totally different time and if we had gone at the time the doctor's office told us to, we would have missed the whole thing....and the hospital had paid no attention to the information sent by the doctor because they still had the old phone number instead of the new one that the doctor has....
The computer is wonderful when it is properly used, but just like any other tool, it doesn't work if it isn't......sort of like eating soup with a fork!
Anyway, we've managed to get these scheduled and they don't fall on days that we have to set up, work or tear down a show...thank goodness!
Onward and upward I guess
Last Thursday the doctor's office called to tell me they had scheduled an appointment for one of the two tests for DH, and they had faxed the info to the other place for the second test. They were very nice, gave me the information they had, and the phone numbers of both places to "pre-register".
Well, today I scheduled out some time to make the calls, and had quite a "fun" time!
First I called the place where we had to set up the time and date, and of course they right off wanted to do it the same day that the other test is already scheduled for....finally got that one (echocardiogram) scheduled for Oct 30, even tho they say they haven't received the fax from the primary care physician yet....hopefully they will have it by the 30th!
Then I called the other place to give them all the information they say they need, and fortunately at the end of the conversation I asked what time he should be there, because they had him listed for a totally different time and if we had gone at the time the doctor's office told us to, we would have missed the whole thing....and the hospital had paid no attention to the information sent by the doctor because they still had the old phone number instead of the new one that the doctor has....
The computer is wonderful when it is properly used, but just like any other tool, it doesn't work if it isn't......sort of like eating soup with a fork!
Anyway, we've managed to get these scheduled and they don't fall on days that we have to set up, work or tear down a show...thank goodness!
Onward and upward I guess
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Bad news and a further rant about doctors
Yesterday morning, I got one of those phone calls you hate to get....my daughter called to tell me that her fiance had been in an automobile accident that had totaled his car.
Fortunately he is ok. And this weekend they will begin the "finding a new car" process.....I don't envy them that project having just done that ourselves.
As a rant about the state of medical care, we are right now very glad we decided to change doctors.
My husband had his first appointment with his new doctor and as she was examining him she casually asked what had ever been said to us about his heart murmur, to which we said "his what!?" His other doctor had never mentioned it.
So he will be going to have an echocardiogram done as well as some pulmunary function tests.
I'm just glad that he was sufficently unhappy with the treatment he was getting to be willing to change!
Fortunately he is ok. And this weekend they will begin the "finding a new car" process.....I don't envy them that project having just done that ourselves.
As a rant about the state of medical care, we are right now very glad we decided to change doctors.
My husband had his first appointment with his new doctor and as she was examining him she casually asked what had ever been said to us about his heart murmur, to which we said "his what!?" His other doctor had never mentioned it.
So he will be going to have an echocardiogram done as well as some pulmunary function tests.
I'm just glad that he was sufficently unhappy with the treatment he was getting to be willing to change!
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Further proof that fall is here.....
While my husband mowed the back yard yesterday, I finally got all of the firewood stacked up.
Last year we had 2 piles, a small one in this spot, and another larger one along the side of the house. We decided that this spot is the better one when the weather (ie snow) comes because its easier to get to this.....decks are easier to shovel than dirt is if you don't want to be in snow over your shoes!
Looks good doesn't it!
And this morning, as if to make my point, its much colder out than yesterday.....ok, the next necessary project is cleaning the fireplace so we're ready for burning some of this.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Shouting and turning cartwheels!!
I submitted my first article to the on line magazine yesterday evening.
I was prepared to wait a bit before I heard anything about it, knowing that the editor would be busy with other projects today, but in this morning's emails was a letter telling me it will be published in November's issue of the E-zine!!
I'm excited....and the editor has asked me to "keep them coming".....YEAH!!!!
So, I guess I need to get busy working on more stuff
I was prepared to wait a bit before I heard anything about it, knowing that the editor would be busy with other projects today, but in this morning's emails was a letter telling me it will be published in November's issue of the E-zine!!
I'm excited....and the editor has asked me to "keep them coming".....YEAH!!!!
So, I guess I need to get busy working on more stuff
Friday, October 06, 2006
Announcing Hattie's Kitchen
I have just begun a new blog titled Hattie's Kitchen. (http://hattieskitchen.blogspot.com)
If you have a moment, check it out!!
If you have a moment, check it out!!
Fall is here!
This is the view from my back door toward the back corner of our yard. The big pine trees are in our yard, and the tree that has gone all golden is in the yard next door.
It really looks like these two trees are giving each other a big bear hug before the winter comes!
Its cool enough at night to close most of the windows and have a blanket on the bed. And of course, it also means the labrador thinks is a "two people night" and wants to sleep on our bed too. This is not a good thing, however!
Consider this equation: 1 double bed (not even queen!) + 2 adult humans + 1 65 pound, very tall labrador that runs in her sleep = someone on the floor (probably me!). It may be a very long winter!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)