MeowMom

reconnect redux

2012-02-01T21:51:00.004-05:00

Some more people I'd like to get back in touch with:April ParkerJoe King, who had a brother Mike Kinga.k.a. Fa King and Ma KingMo (Maureen) and Donnie BowdenTarzan (Tim?)Jeannine, who baked bread to die for, birthday 6-6-60 (from Long Island?)West side of Buffalo, 1981-82, we were all in our early to mid-20s.

reconnect

2012-01-29T18:37:00.004-05:00

I'd like to reconnect with some people who were teenagers in the mid- to late-70s, in south-east Virginia. If your name is on this list but the other names don't mean anything to you, it ain't you, babe.April LomaxWayne BussardTommy DarnellRobert BroxmeyerJimmy BroxmeyerRobbie RoePam RoeDebbie JonesKim - don't remember her last nameMike - don't remember his last namealso Byron Harper, Linda

those racy old sitcoms that had us feeling groovy

2012-01-28T01:11:00.000-05:00

Was it the Partridge Family that changed the lyrics of their theme song to "come on, get happy ... we'll make you happy..." ?I remember how lame I thought the change was, though "lame" wasn't a word we used in that way in those days. Though if we'd thought of it, we would have.And what were the lyrics anyway, before that change?

Purrday Furrday

2012-01-27T09:51:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday to meee!I live in a treee (no)I'm being silleee (and)I'm done with fifteee!

not a bad start to the semester

2012-01-23T19:10:00.003-05:00

First exam is out of the way, got an 87 - not as good as I hoped but it's a 'B' and that's fine. This segment is OB & neonate nursing; only one more exam and then a comprehensive final; then onward and upward to Med-Surg for the rest of this, the 2nd semester. Last Thursday in Clinicals I swaddled and held an infant only 30 hours old, what a rush!Found out today that NObody got an 'A' in the

that's refreshing

2012-01-16T09:25:00.003-05:00

Why I love to get up early: Woke up at 5, got up and stoked the fire, which took a while because it was down to embers. From the porch I dragged in the bucket of kindling and sat by the stove till it was "good and going" again. Washed dishes, fed cats, made a pot of coffee, scooped litter boxes, drank a mug of coffee and a glass of orange juice, checked weather, email, facebook, Ravelry,

reading

2012-01-03T21:19:00.002-05:00

I'm inhaling books this week. Probably not due to the fact school begins next week, with no time for pleasure reading - nah. Would be nice to get started on the taxes before Monday... hell, why not plan to read the maternal & newborn book and the pharmacology and statistics books in their entireties too by then. Sure.In the meanwhile, it's in the teens outside, I realized today the timer on

books I read in 2011 (48 of them - yea me)

2012-01-03T11:35:00.001-05:00

Celia Rivenbark: Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank (Dec 31)P. N. Elrod: Strange Brew (Dec 29)Bobbie Ann Mason: Atomic Romance (December)Debbie Macomber: 16 Lighthouse Road (December)Kathy Reichs: 206 Bones (Dec 19)Carole N Douglas: Cat in a Leopard Spot (Dec 18)Jesse Kellerman: The Executor (Dec 12)Lawrence Sanders: The Second Deadly Sin (Nov 14)Karin Slaughter: Indelible (Nov 11)Amy

Roadie-Odie-Roh

2012-01-02T12:04:00.002-05:00

It's 25F and snowing, which means Roadie, my "Eeek! People!" 17-lb, eight-year-old feral Russian Blue barn cat has completed his annual morph into a purring lap-sitter who allows me to inspect the inside of his ears and wipe crusties out of his eyes while he nurses on my fingers.At what temperature will the little black Jet make his transformation, I wonder?

a new year and a cold snap coming

2012-01-01T12:16:00.001-05:00

So! Today's high will be 50F, then nothing above 25F till Wednesday, when we have a heat wave all the way up to 36F. So before I go run errands (and I do have a list of them) I'm going to have a nice soak in the tub while I can still do that without turning on electric heat. The wood stove, in its new location and with its new stove pipe (replacing the old chimney) keeps the house toasty warm

2012 - Welcome!

2012-01-01T11:35:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year! May your days be healthy and satisfying; may your sleep begin with purring and end with a refreshing stretch.

Home again - just in time for colder weather

2011-12-31T11:28:00.002-05:00

the plan was spend Christmas and New Year at home and go to Florida for the week between. I had a lovely time with my parents (arrived Monday afternoon, left Friday morning) and now I'm home again. Saw dog and all cats but Roadie (plus one oppossum) last night, expect to see Roadie soon as the high Monday and Tuesday is supposed to be 27F. BRRRR!

how cats get named

2011-12-03T06:41:00.003-05:00

Haven't asked the neighbor what her tabby's name is, because we don't speak any more than necessary. She's the one who has the dog that keeps coming to the fence, inciting Grrrl to fight (as if Grrrl needed help getting her terrier-chow self riled up); the one who asked if I have a hole in my fence the day I told her that her dog was IN my yard (it's MY problem that YOUR dog runs loose?).Anyway

mea culpa pekoe

2011-12-01T06:05:00.000-05:00

It's too early in the morning to imagine I'm babbling in Latin while guilty of fixing mea culpa tea.Latin. Is botany the field I'm supposed to be in? Archeology appeals too. Technical writing would keep me spending too much time on my nether parts, unless I could do it at home and alternate with crafts out in the garage.School has promoted some good habits though I still am a world-class

potty break

2011-11-28T21:34:00.001-05:00

Strange, what rituals of civilization first take on supreme importance. Jett, still very feral, will come inside every hour --as long as big scary me isn't in the way-- to use the litter box.

if I begin a month early will I have a head start?

2011-11-28T17:51:00.003-05:00

I pledge...*to begin each morning with a feline stretch, and to get up before dawn. There's time for catnaps later if they're needed.*to spend an hour each day of my own time reading for school. Not to catch up, but to stay ahead.*to eat a salad every day, and more vegetables in general.*to "deep breathe" or laugh or sing or stretch myself out of road rage.*to every day do one thing --whether

Ejucaishun

2011-11-26T12:48:00.002-05:00

Who knows the student loan machine?If, even tho' all the folks who think they know me well tell me I'll be a GREAT nurse, IF, a year or so into my studies I were to decide I'm just not cut out for this field, can I switch to something else without incurring the wrath of the repayment gods?I'm getting a hot flash just thinking about it.I still think I'd do well in education (except for my lack of

Brit actor accent question

2011-11-20T09:17:00.002-05:00

Alun Armstrong.He plays in the BBC TV series New Tricks. I like his accent so much I catch myself using it on certain words. "What" is it? I looked him up on IMDB and learned he's from Annfield Plain, County Durham. So for a few minutes I assumed this was a County Durham accent.Then I watched Shakespeare Retold and heard what sounded like the same accent coming out of the mouth of Bill

Big ambitions

2011-11-07T06:06:00.002-05:00

Half-mile walk this morning. First alarm at 5, hit snooze, 5:05, hit snooze, get up, housecoat, alarm (cell phone) in pocket, go check the fire - down to few coals - stir it up, add a handful of twigs, couple sticks, 3 small pieces ... leave dampers open, go make coffee (I'd prefer tea, really, but the plan is go back to bed till 6 and coffee's quicker), check the fire, add a couple big pieces,

Needs a walking, talking calendar.

2011-11-03T15:15:00.003-04:00

So all day today I've been be-bopping along in Friday mode. I shut off the alarms at 5 and at 6AM, which I keep set because some day I hope to continue my thru-the-week early wakeup into the weekend, so as to get more done on weekends. My two hours between 5 and 7 on weekday mornings are possibly my most productive two hours of the week.I drowsed through two phone calls --one from neighbor,

RIP Anastasia

2011-10-23T11:00:00.001-04:00

06/17/2010 - 10/23/2011You put up one hell of a fight, Sweetie, but the feline leukemia claimed you in the end. Thank you for all the love.

kittycat update

2011-10-22T09:19:00.003-04:00

Jet: One day I cornered him in the bathroom, tossed a towel over him and picked him up. Then he was real docile, reminded me of how Roadie acts when he first starts coming in when the weather gets cold (every year it's the same). Figured out he's a male, probably older than his size indicates, and either neutered or just underdeveloped from malnutrition. Other than that he seemed healthy.

early morning philosophy lesson

2011-10-13T06:57:00.002-04:00

It just occurred to me... so many people say they are bothered by the "look" of those whose pants sag down, with a foot of underwear showing above. I have a simple solution. If we all do it... when you see this, walk up, grab that underwear and yank up - give them a big wedgie! Sure, some of us will get beat up, but in the long run this should solve the problem. Hmmm?

Dormancy

2011-10-11T11:44:00.004-04:00

Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous? Sonnez les matines. Sonnez les matines. Ding Dang Dong. Ding Dang Dong.I've known this rhyme, and its English translation (with the first two lines transposed), since early childhood.Are you sleeping, are you sleepingBrother John? Brother John?Morning bells are ringing. Morning bells are ringing.Ding dang dong. Ding dang dong.What's always

showers and then cooler

2011-10-10T00:21:00.003-04:00

Hmmmm... showers and then cooler. Guess tomorrow I start a fire and keep it going till... I dunno, March, April?

...my missing tabby...

2011-10-08T16:45:00.003-04:00

A neighbor phoned last night to say she'd seen Snuffy. When I walked over to see, she was sure it was him, "maybe hanging around with the cats that live around that shed..." pointing to a wood shed, "but not one of them, they're all small and hungry looking, he's a big beautiful tabby." So he may have joined a feral colony. I wonder if that's where Roadie is when he's not home, if that's

Bird brains

2011-10-08T16:41:00.003-04:00

The cats bring birds inside, intending to torture and kill, then I gently take them back outside, cooing comfortingly till I place them in a spot I consider safe. Do the birds think we're playing good mammal-bad mammal?

October Monday

2011-10-03T19:14:00.003-04:00

Today's been the kind of crisp, clear day that begs for a camera, and time to set up shots. Instead I was oohing and ahhing on the way to school --camera was in my bag, but there's really no time to stop-- and again later. After school, after hanging out with Bob for a bit, after taking a therapeutic mile-and-a-half walk, after driving home nd spending another hour canvassing the neighborhood

first day of October, second week of Fall

2011-10-01T19:11:00.005-04:00

Just finished washing the stove room windows. I wish I could force myself into some sort of routine: "clean off desk and pay bills every Friday, wash stove room windows every Saturday" ...but closer to the truth would be "wash windows the first of the month" and any company always shows up on the 29th, lol.But anyway. I did get laundry put away, sheets back on the bed (I've spent the past 3

Cry, cry, baby

2011-09-27T20:33:00.003-04:00

I did eventually figure out just what it was that set me off (and set the tone for the rest of the day). Today before class I was scheduled to do my 2nd injection "check off" and at 6AM I was reviewing that chapter in my text book. Much of choosing an injection site for intramusculars deals with assessing how much muscle mass the injectee has. So as I was reading I kept flashing on how much

Cry

2011-09-27T09:03:00.001-04:00

It alarms the cats when I cry. They gather 'round, peering into my face, trying to help, to make me stop. I'm really not sure what set me off this morning. I was coughing, this cold still hanging on, couldn't stop coughing, and suddenly sobbing instead. My Daily Challenge of the day, a five-minute meditation, helped quite a bit, but I still feel "not in control." The movie last night may have

rambling alone

2011-09-21T08:36:00.003-04:00

Day after day, the weeks go by. Take out the trash on Wednesday, fill prescriptions on the 21st, get Anastasia's IR shot Fridays. Tear something down, load it on the truck, drive it to the landfill, unload it. Pay bills, buy dogfood. Step by step, life goes on. Almost seven months since he's lived at home. I'm existing.Train myself to leave at seven, whether for an hour and a quarter trip

it's a cold and I wish it would leave

2011-09-18T16:28:00.003-04:00

Three days in, still miserable. I spent most of Friday resting, but Saturday had to take Anastasia to the drrrrrrrrr for her weekly immunoregulin shot, and today I've tried to sweat it out by cleaning the house and then turning my pile of firewood into a stack of firewood. No sooner had I begun that, th'neighbor came over with his chainsaw to cut up the sleeping walnut. When he took a break

should know this by now

2011-09-17T19:14:00.002-04:00

I've spent the past 2 days (stop reading now if you have a weak stomach) with my nose pouring thick yellow snot. I feel like hell. I am sweating, I am freezing. Thursday afternoon I began sneezing - well, hell! It's fall; goldenrod and ragweed are blooming, lotsa people are sneezing. Sure felt like an allergy to me. By sundown I knew better. For a week prior I'd been weepy, depressed,

Combining schoolwork and Karma; relaxation techniques and even a smidge of economy

2011-09-12T15:11:00.006-04:00

When I stopped for gas after school today, I noticed a monarch butterfly where there should not be one: flopping around on the hot pavement next to the gas pumps. The tanker-truck was just a few yards away, filling the station's underground reservoir. When I finished fueling, I picked up the butterfly and set it on top of the car. It promptly slid off. I went inside to pay.While walking

tired

2011-09-11T21:10:00.002-04:00

Big test tomorrow. So I've outlined chapters 23, 4, 5, and 15 thru 20 and feel like I know the material. But after the test we're going over chapters... 26, 24, 25, 9...? Well, I'm not as far behind as I was this time last week.Don't know why I'm so damn tired, it's just now 9PM, and I want to watch a movie before I crash. So maybe I'll spend the first part of the night asleep in the

City

2011-09-09T21:36:00.003-04:00

Today Bob had an appointment with the oncologist in the Big City. I slept in till 7AM, then took a walk around the yard taking pictures of the big walnut the neighbor was going to take down today (it's actually on the other neighbor's property, but there's no way it could fall anyplace but into my yard. So I did that neighbor "a favor" by letting them drop it in my yard... and in return I get

more about school

2011-09-07T19:05:00.002-04:00

Clinicals begin tomorrow! I am both excited and terrified, and it sounds like the rest of the class is having the same feelings. Anyone asking me lately about school has gotten the response, "it's kicking my ass!" There is SO MUCH reading and studying to do, as well as the practice and check off of "skills" we must do on our own time (at school), videos at school we are required to watch (

Kitty kitties

2011-08-21T11:58:00.002-04:00

Last week Red began throwing up every time he tried to eat. Monday I took him to our drrrr, who speculated Red had eaten some sort of plant material (he started out vomiting green)which irritated his stomach lining. He kept Red overnight, gave him fluids for dehydration, anti-emetic IV, and Tuesday I took him home with pills, liquids, and a new eye drop to continue dealing with the ulcer in

30 years ago...

2011-08-21T11:57:00.002-04:00

lately my mind often wanders into the late 70s and early 80s. During 1980-83 my ex and I lived in Buffalo NY. One of our friends was named Tim, though we called him Tarzan. He got this nickname when he, trying to startle a friend, jumped out of a tree yelling "Patahhh!" or something like that, and startled himself instead, by breaking his left arm. Within a week (before or after, I don't

Some solutions are quite simple

2011-08-05T15:14:00.001-04:00

At least one of my cats (Shorty) prefers to use the bathtub for a litter box, even if all five boxes are clean with fresh litter in them. At least one other of my cats (Booger) prefers to urinate in any empty dish - dust pan, empty laundry hamper, etc.These two were back-of-my-mind minor stressors till recently:I put empty litter boxes in Boog's favorite two places - behind the washing machine

facebook monologue about cats

2011-07-10T12:07:00.002-04:00

We have 13... Shorty's mom was Siamese, her dad was a tabby with white feet. She is a tabby-point Siamese with blue eyes and white feet. She is 13, addicted to cat treats and knows which key on the keyboard shuts down the computer.Shorty traveled with me in a 21-foot camper for a year and set paw in 8 states. She was born in Meigs county Tennessee and has lived with me since she was 4 weeks old.

Need. Beauty. Rest. Rahhhhhhhr.

2011-07-04T03:07:00.005-04:00

...and then three hours sleep Friday, seven Saturday and two so far Sunday night. That's 55 hours in eleven nights (if I don't get back to sleep tonight). New strategy: Set the alarm for five hours and see what happens. Perhaps a dramamine in the evening, since I don't seem to be achieving five hours most of the time?Does not help, the fact I've got poison ivy (on my chin) again and am

two nights sleeping

2011-06-30T08:01:00.003-04:00

Eight full hours sleep last night, from 10 to 6. Woke up twice but was able to get right back to sleep. That was the second night I took melatonin and laid down at 10PM.I probably ought to ice my ankle. I've had several close calls on the bank out front. It is steep and makes a sudden turn, and no matter if I have on clogs, sneakers, or am barefoot, as soon as I stop paying attention my foot

what I did about it today

2011-06-29T21:18:00.002-04:00

It's nine o'clock at night, and I'm yawning. That's perfect! It's been an exhausting day. I sat down three times, for about half an hour each time. The rest of the time I stayed up and busy. Maybe tomorrow I'll have time to take a walk, or go swimming, but there's an awful lot of yard work to do.

what I did about it yesterday:

2011-06-29T09:05:00.004-04:00

When the nurse took Bob back for his procedure and told me it would be about 20 minutes, instead of sitting in the waiting room I took a brisk walk around the parking lot of the 6-building medical complex. It took right at 20 minutes. The rest of the day I sat with him while he waited before and after the 2nd procedure.I stayed up till 10 last night - that's about 38 hours straight. I could

New.

2011-06-28T05:01:00.002-04:00

This is ridiculous. The past six nights' sleep adds up like this:3 hours 6 hours4 hours5 hours7 hoursnone.total: 25.divided by 6: 4 hours, 10 minutes per night.And then there's the fact I am HALF AGAIN as heavy as I ought to be.I am making changes. Beginning today. Be warned. This ends now.

Cats update

2011-06-24T11:06:00.002-04:00

Anastasia saw the doctor every Friday for weeks... then skipped a Friday. Dr. Derrickson has been real pleased with her progress, except her temperature has been consistently high (above 103). So he suggested this Friday, instead of bringing her in, I take her temp at home. He suspected the stress of the visit was driving it up. So... this morning, at home, it's 100.4! Normal is between

PHD VC Y ...I [heart] mnemonics.

2011-06-23T14:44:00.004-04:00

I love mnemonics. I couldn't function without them. I make lists while driving - hardly ever drive anywhere without coming up with lists, and if I try to jot them down without pulling over it drives Bob crazy. So I rely on acronyms and mnemonics.Coming home from the pool a to-do list went spinning through my head: make juice for the hummingbird feeders, all of which took a dramatic increase

knitting fiction

2011-06-23T10:37:00.002-04:00

So in the rush and confusion of the past few months, things have been neglected. Last week I finally got our income taxes turned in to the accountant and cleaned off both our desks. Found an overdue notice from a book club Bob had joined, saying he still had an obligation to buy 4 books (or just pay for 4 books - what an option, LOL). So I found four he'd like, and since it's also

get up and move

2011-06-15T19:22:00.002-04:00

So in my newfound fitness determination ...getting up away from the keyboard and out doing something is the plan.Yesterday and day before, firewood. Had the truck so loaded the leaf springs were completely compressed! Loaded, drove home, unloaded. That was work, and exercise. Then this morning I took both bicycles to the bike repair guy, dropped them off. Hopefully I'll be riding around

swimmingly

2011-06-14T11:58:00.002-04:00

A couple weeks ago I got my lipid test results. The doctor was excited ... ran to make me a copy! Said I should hang this on my fridge! Said I should be teaching a class on controlling cholesterol! Yea. But if my numbers are so good, why can't I lose weight, why am I in fact *gaining* weight?? She said walk. I said my knees hurt. She said sign up for water aerobics! Oooh, I love the

Who are you?

2011-06-13T18:10:00.004-04:00

I love my FeedjitLive. I do wonder about the people who come here "direct." Who are you, Cambridge, Massachusetts, running on linux? Who are you Los Angeles; Santa Barbara; Charleston South Carolina?? Hi, Hialeah, I know who YOU are! Today it was too hot to do much of anything. But in reality (as opposed to here in hot-flash world), it's only in the 70s, so I took the truck over to the aunt

Yes I am.

2011-05-25T10:27:00.004-04:00

Interesting interplay this morning. An SUV drove up, at least 3 people in it. A young man got out, followed by an older one. I figured this was either a legal matter or politics or religion. They had on coats and ties. Cheerful ties, the one was a pale yellow print.I walked onto the porch but no further. As the young man came alongside the car (still 50' from the porch), I called, "Can I

Schooooooooooooool's out FOR SUMMER!

2011-05-10T09:04:00.002-04:00

Okay, so I started this semester by saying, "I have a 3.83 GPA, which I hope to improve on." I did. I got all A's, which gives me a 3.857 (on a 4.0 scale)! Wheeeeeeeeooooooo.Took my final Final yesterday morning, and now have Three! Months! Off! Fall semester classes begin mid-August. I plan to put in some daily read-and-review time between now and then, but first I'm taking the rest of

2011-04-15T19:12:00.002-04:00

So yesterday evening I e-filed our 6-month tax deferral. Now that the pressure's off I will probably get it together this weekend. I haven't met the new accountant yet, but I'll be surprised if he's not happier with a new job coming in late April than early April. Our old accountant died unexpectedly in March. He was a nice guy and I'm real sorry about that. He made arrangements for all his

Where on earth did this come from?

2011-04-10T11:31:00.002-04:00

So I thought I heard a loon. Then I realized it's turkeys.Bob & I watched On Golden Pond, but it's been several years ago.Sounds like the loons ...ah, I mean the TURKEYS, are in the woods across the highway to the north. How smart are they? The neighbor shot two in early 2010. In winter 2010/11 they did not come into the yard to eat the corn I put out. I've heard they can't count - if they

2011-04-09T12:31:00.001-04:00

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for my area, with hail and high winds. Am on front porch, knitting, watching for it.

2011-04-09T08:38:00.001-04:00

TEST - how many characters am I allowed in mobile posts to blogger? TEST TEST TEST my inventiveness seems sadly lacking this morning, so I keep typing meaningless crap; test patterns - TEST TEST TEST - is it still 'typing' when its done only with the thumbs? There should be another name for that 987654321

lemons into lemonade

2011-04-07T09:31:00.000-04:00

While Bob's in the hospital I'm teaching the old dog new tricks. I put a stake and 25' cable in the yard, because when we say, "get in the yard," she acts like we said, "go jump into the yard and then come right back here." Since consistency is important in teaching cause and effect, I say "get in the yard" once. As soon as she comes back, I take her to the cable and leave her there for a

I feel like Job

2011-04-06T12:01:00.002-04:00

...though I didn't have any faith to begin with.Everything I care about is being taken away from me. Now Anastasia is at the vet's, tested positive for Feline Leukemia (though she tested negative two months ago, when she got her vaccinations) and possibly Feline Peritonitis. They drew 80mL of fluid off her lungs last night. She only weighed 4.8 pounds.Some days I feel like driving off a cliff.

Homework

2011-04-04T21:26:00.003-04:00

What am I to do?My neighbors are the best neighbors I could ask for, but they are driving me crazy! I cannot have an uninterrupted two hours to study, and I need so much much more than two hours. I am close to two chapters behind in chemistry, I don't even KNOW where my biology study sheet is for Wednesday's quiz, and every time I sit down to write my essay for tomorrow night's class (essay on

Kitty Dreams

2011-03-30T23:41:00.002-04:00

I've begun the Kitty Dreams afghan - found the chart on a backup CD. I did get my computer back Friday, but that was Friday morning on my way to the hospital, so it rode around in my trunk all day and Friday night when I hooked it up it would not start. I figure it slid up against something in the trunk and burned out the switch. So Monday I took it back to the shop and today I checked on it.

and more yardwork

2011-03-24T21:10:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, queasy all day, I went outside to try to work through it (didn't happen - time finally wore it down) and did to the inside of the fence what I'd done to the outside on Sunday. This time I had three, not two, piled-high wagonloads of brush, and the yard looks really good now. Of course that just draws my attention to how bad it looks behind the garage, and EGADS! Behind the barn!

March 20, yippee

2011-03-20T15:11:00.003-04:00

Happy last day of winter! I did yardwork. A few weeks ago I'd cut back a lot of limbs and winter brush from along the front fence, and today (yeah, it's lain there a while) I got a rake and a nipper and the riding lawnmower and tow-behind wagon, went out front and cleaned it all up. Apparently that took two or three hours - I'm not sure just what time I started, but it's after 3PM now. I

nosebleed

2011-03-07T00:21:00.003-05:00

Did you know a nosebleed can kill you? Well, that almost happened to Bob yesterday (Saturday). He fell, yesterday morning, and pretty much landed on his nose. Due to the blood thinners (he's taking about half as much now as he was at the beginning of the year, but still...) his nose would not stop bleeding. The first time I called the paramedics they said at the hospital all they would do is

And again...

2011-02-27T22:13:00.002-05:00

Today and yesterday were two more nice days. Yesterday I noticed the peas I planted February 14th ("Sweet Peas") had germinated. Some had washed out of the bed and I took care to cover them back up. Today I spent most of the morning clearing brush out of the fenced portion of the yard --mostly the felled box elder and some apple limbs-- and rebuilding my burn pile. Tried to burn it before

Springtime

2011-02-19T20:15:00.002-05:00

Groundhog Day was overcast and the little guy didn't see his shadow. Though I believe a lot of the Old Farmers' Almanac, the weather at sunrise February 2nd has never impressed me as a reliable predictor, but this time it seems to have been spot-on. I've spent a good part of the past couple of days moving brush and raking fence rows. So Monday we're supposed to be getting a "wintry mix;" I

saying goodbye

2011-01-20T10:27:00.008-05:00

Some photos of this morning's dig. A lot of symbolism here, I guess. I don't know if I believe in an afterlife, but if there is one, I think animals deserve it at least as much as people do. Probably more.So Raleigh is buried with the cases from two pillows he liked to lay on, with a bit of yarn (he loved his yarn. When I knit, he'd want to help so much, but if I gave him his own little

no longer a coven nor a bakers' dozen

2011-01-20T02:25:00.003-05:00

And now there are twelve. Raleigh succumbed to the Feline Leukemia virus at 1:45 this morning, January 20th 2011. He was exactly 9 1/2 years old. RIP my buddy.Raleigh deCatt Sloan, July 21 2001 - January 20 2011

This never ending pattern

2011-01-05T04:59:00.003-05:00

Got home from the ER at 2:30AM and have been trying to talk myself into heading to bed. Bob is staying overnight at the hospital; he should be home tomorrow. That would be today. Got home, fed the animals, tried to get Raleigh to eat, fed myself some caffeine - why? because it tastes good, my tea with sweetener and heavy cream... fed the stove, fed fed fed.Spent the first couple of hours (at

Happy New Year, new school year

2011-01-04T12:47:00.003-05:00

So, over Christmas we went to Muncie for several days. Left here Thursday morning for a doctor appointment in Lexington, and drove to Indiana from there. Got home Sunday about dark. Raleigh stayed Wednesday night through Monday morning at the drrr. They couldn't get him to eat the whole time he was there. We figured he was on his way out of this world :(Monday morning 12/27 I dropped off

Books read in 2010: 63 of 'em

2011-01-04T12:42:00.001-05:00

Monica Ferris: Embroidered Truths (December)Harlan Coben: Caught (December)John Grisham: The Confession (December)Alex Kava: Whitewash (December)Nancy Martin: Tyler: Whirlwind (November)Anne Rice: Interview With the Vampire (November)Soheir Khashoggi: Mosaic (October)William T. Vollmann: Whores for Gloria (September)Sara Gruen: Ape House (September)Stieg Larssen: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's

kitty drrr

2010-12-24T23:21:00.002-05:00

Raleigh went to the drrr Tuesday... then he spent Tuesday and Wednesday nights home and Thursday morning went back to the drrr for observation. Over the weekend. Poor baby. He has Oma's orange and brown mohair blankie with him.It's the feline leukemia. I've thought for weeks that he looks like he has bags under his eyes, but only recently did he get lethargic. And he's still eating, though

Food, health, morality

2010-12-22T13:34:00.003-05:00

I recently had an epiphany.For years I've been toying with vegetarianism, for several reasons:When I think about it (and I try not to, especially while eating, but that's getting harder to do all the time) I am horrified by the meat industry. The conditions those animals live in turns my stomach. On the other hand, I have no problem with hunting (if it's done humanely - which means killing

The sun is coming! The sun is coming!

2010-12-22T09:38:00.004-05:00

This is one of my favorite days - the day after the winter solstice, when we start having more daylight. I'm a bit of a night owl and tend to stay up till 2 or 3 or 4 some nights, but I love daylight and hate to miss any of it. I wish I had a clone to do all my sleeping for me.I'm really enjoying my time off school. Finished another book last night. I mentioned it in an earlier blog post -

and better and better

2010-12-19T23:26:00.002-05:00

He's continuing his trip back. Today I'm thinking he's more "back to normal" than since before the surgery - way before it, as a matter of fact. Maybe since before the lung surgery. And he's well on his way to slender, wow.Today I finished the 3rd Pete hat, mine, finished the Harlan Coben book (th'Mr said, "Coben always starts strong, writes a great plot, and in the last 50 pages or so

all better now?

2010-12-17T19:42:00.003-05:00

Seems they had my husband overmedicated. I took matters into hand and reduced dosages (Saturday night, when nobody outside of an emergency room could have been reached) and again Wednesday morning (when I was still too angry to deal with either our nurse practitioner or the neurosurgeon). Saturday night he stopped retreating, and Wednesday morning he started coming back.Why they had him doped

Whilst soaking...

2010-12-13T10:43:00.004-05:00

Those of you who know me might wonder why I'm completely avoiding the subject of certain "current events;" the reason, to put it briefly, is a stalker. Or, rather, two. One clinically insane woman who was once a physical as well as internet stalker, and one incredibly stupid man who --so far-- has only stalked th'Mr via the web.So... what else has been going on here. Paid for 1/2 the doggie

Winter break!

2010-12-08T22:05:00.002-05:00

So, today was my first full day of almost five weeks off school. Wheeeeeeeee! I cleaned house, swept and mopped, litterboxes, took out trash & compost, did laundry & dishes (such a full life, eh?), made a gallon of egg nog (now that's more like it), read some, knat some.I believe I'll alternate reading and knitting a few more times before bed, though I'm yawning now. Bob's on a new drug and

finishing things

2010-12-04T12:27:00.003-05:00

This week I finished the 2nd "Pete Seeger" hat and began a 3rd. Last night in the ER I finished the blue socks (just need to kitchener the toe, if I can find a crewel needle), and this morning, during a long soak in the tub I finished the Alex Kava book. Maybe I'll finish another book - the one I want to send Sis - this weekend.Pete hat the 1th (knit precisely to pattern specs):Pete hat the 2th

Reading

2010-11-16T10:06:00.003-05:00

A while back I picked up a dollar's worth of paperbacks at a yard sale. Last week, after finishing the deep and dark Interview with the Vampire I picked up one of those to read. I'm sure I picked it for its bright, cheery cover, sort of a mosaic of quilt pieces. Rude awakening: it was a Harlequin! Eeek and ick! "Oh well," I thought, "here I sit, book in hand, and feeling too lazy to get

November weather

2010-11-12T11:00:00.002-05:00

Almost 60F according to the front porch thermometer, which I can see from my desk. Let the fire go out yesterday, because we're supposed to have highs in the low 70s for the next three days (then a high of 55, with rain, Sunday), and there is a broken brick in the woodstove I'd like to replace before then. This morning ran the living room baseboard heat for half an hour or so, which was enough

Raging

2010-10-30T14:13:00.004-04:00

So... literally, I wouldn't hurt a fly. Most of the year I practice catch-and-release, even those awful bot flies that lay eggs on animals which turn into warbles; even the horseflies that bite so hard three days later you still have a welt that still hurts. I hate killing things, yes, even insects. Most of the time I'll make an exception if it's biting me (mosquitoes, ticks), but if it's just

2010-10-19T18:01:00.001-04:00

Alcohol and pills (Todd Snyder lyric) Add a bit of weed and there's a good coping mechanism. Just need to keep an eye on it...

10/10/10

2010-10-11T01:01:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to mention that! Although now it's 1 AM and it's 10/11/10. See you in a year and a month for the next numerology update!I should be in bed. School tomorrow. The daily quiz in Anatomy & Physiology - well, daily, every day there is class, which is twice a week. Not sure I like this grading method. The "daily" quizzes will count up to 260 points on the final grade; the final exam

finished

2010-10-09T19:58:00.002-04:00

Finished splitting the first ton-truck-load of firewood today and am ready for the next delivery. Also finished the Khashoggi book, Mosaic, which I found to be sort of a chick-flick, sort of an Oprah book. Not that there's anything wrong with that, only that it surprised me that I flew through it in three days. Sort of like a luxurious soak in a tub, I guess it's something I need once in a

early October

2010-10-06T13:16:00.003-04:00

I have split most of the firewood. Goal is to get the first load split before the second load shows up. We've been keeping a fire going most of the time, although the days are still in the low 70s. Fire going, doors & windows open, ...it's not as if we use more wood when the house isn't sealed up. I looked over last year's electric bill, and it looks like in October & November is

cats gone to the thermometer place

2010-09-29T19:21:00.004-04:00

Shorty update: The tumor on her face, information came back from the lab it was only a grossly enlarged (clogged?) sweat gland. Couldn't find Snuffy for his trip to the drrr today, so he still has stitches in. Spike & Sugar got shots. One more rabies & Feleuk round --in 3 weeks-- and then it's spay/neuter time.Bob had his first radiation today. It did not make him sick. One down, twenty to

Ugh

2010-09-25T22:24:00.003-04:00

One more week, and then fall break! Maybe I'll catch up before then! Got a 70 on an English paper; absolutely crushed me. Guess it was obvious I hadn't read the material. Have another large paper due in Eng Monday, and in Psy a week from Tuesday ...but wait ...doesn't the Psy class take fall break too? Anat & Phys give quizzes daily. History is giving me a big break - Only 10 of the 16

2010-09-17T22:20:00.002-04:00

26th August began another round of surgical adventures. An egg-sized tumor was removed from th'Mr's right side frontal lobe. I thought he hadn't been himself lately! Actually, I guess he'd been himself plus.So, a 12-day hospital stay (and two surgeries, of course, always two for one, it seems) later and he's good as new, and got a very cool scar across the top of his head, just in time for

2010-08-21T11:22:00.004-04:00

So the first week of fall semester is over. Only 13 credit hours (12 is a "full load") but the workload is right on the edge of overwhelming! For instance, besides some online reading, this week I've had to read 6 chapters in 4 texts and write two papers. Okay, now that I write it down it doesn't seem like all that much. I'm all caught up in the History and English classes, need to read a

coming into the new school year

2010-08-10T16:02:00.003-04:00

Been busy... when the summer algebra classes I was tutoring ended I should have had two weeks off (but who can turn down easy money? not me) but instead I'm putting in 20 hrs/wk helping with Admissions & Assessments. Mostly I sit at a desk, check my email and facebook, knit a little, read a little in this fall's history book, answer the phone, make copies, direct traffic, and "courier"

Weekend

2010-07-10T20:04:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we had a little rain, and it's cooled off some. Today I planned to spend all day on homework (and all day yesterday), and you know how that goes. Although I've made good progress, I still have a bit to finish up. In the Medical Terminology class there are two chapter tests due every Sunday evening, and I got one done this morning. The other chapter I'm about halfway through with,

Apology!

2010-07-07T15:46:00.003-04:00

If anyone's still following my blog, or checking in occasionally, I apologize for not updating more often. I've had good intentions, but unfortunately haven't been following through.What's going on with me:In January I "went back to" school. I'm not sure it can really be called "going back" after a 31-year hiatus, thus the quotes. In case anyone's counting my 5-year apprenticeship in the IBEW

the Corvids are back!

2010-04-15T12:20:00.004-04:00

I've been worried about our bluejays, which we didn't see all winter, and which were few and far between last summer, too. Worried enough I contacted someone in the DNR / Forestry Service, who gave me an unsatisfactory answer about "low mast production" driving them away from inhabited areas and into the forest. Since we live right on the edge of the National Forest, and since we're generous

Dear me

2010-04-10T09:35:00.004-04:00

3/25/2010An-Yu Chen, M.D.Dear MeowMom,Your ultrasound examination showed a possible mass in your liver and a follow up MRI examination is recommended. Our office will help you to arrange for this to be done.Notice the date? That's how high the pile of mail on my desk was. Glad I finally cleaned it up.

month 4 in the sock-a-month club

2010-04-08T13:37:00.003-04:00

My April socks, spring-like in color and texture. The yarn is something cheap I picked up at Big Lots, 100% acrylic (what can I say, I wanted YARN. NOW.). The pattern is "mesh stitch" from Lion Brand's "Road Scarf."The mesh stitch is 4 rounds as follows:skp yokyo k2togkI began toe-up with 20 stitches in a figure-eight cast-on (which I find works best if I tighten it as soon as I've knit the

Ah, resolutions!

2010-04-01T10:25:00.004-04:00

Such a simple one, to blog at least once a week... now I've skipped the entire month of March!So what's been going on... I'm still in school; finished the NAA course and passed it with an 'A' then took the state board exam which I'm still waiting to hear back from. My other three classes are still in session for another month. I missed Sociology class last Thursday because I've been sick;

My annual snowfeet photo

2010-02-10T09:21:00.002-05:00