Friday, December 28, 2007

My back is tired, I should take advil, I'm too tired to care.

Today was spend at the hospital. Again. We like it there apparently. To mix it up a little we tried out a new hospital for fun. It sucked. The crazy dude waiting for his wife to get out of surgery made for a little light fun. While we all scrambled to stay as far away from him as humanly possible in a waiting room.

Hey, you can't be too careful at a hospital, there is lots to catch there, and I didn't want to come home with a serious case of crazy.

Our friends daughter, who calls me Mom (I am too young to have a teenager who can drive thankyouverymuch), had some surgery today. While we hauled her ass out of there fairly quick it didn't stop her mom from having a couple breakdowns. Not me. I'm almost too cool in times like that. Looking for sympathy, I may not be the one you want to call. I can't blame her mom, this wasn't minor but went very well and very quick. It was just VERY early. I'm glad I wasn't them. We could roll in at surgery time and do the wait game. They had to have her there at 5:30 in the MORNING.

So all is well. The puppy was an angel with all her wait in the car time. Right now she is curled up on her pink baby blanket taking a nap. She's sleeping through the night now too. WOO HOO.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

In lieu of a real post I'll leave you with these photos. I'll bet I won't see anyone until next year.

We are tempting fate by running the heater today. We're all sick to death of being cold and while we have a heater "ordered" we're not sure when it can/will be delivered let alone installed. Bill and I played with the heater some more and seem to maybe have worked out the "mix" and don't smell the gas as badly, either that or we're used to the smell.

On to the pictures.

Micky's favorite place to sleep. On my pillows.


Hey mom, could you pull up the covers. And hey, fix the heater.

Now his naps look a little like this:

Micky has always been our small dog. Weighting in at a whopping 64# but only being 14" tall.
"It's touching me. No. Really. It. IS. Touching. ME. Remove it from my ass."

And finally, my babies.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas my christmas celebrating friends.
Happy Hanukkah to my hanukkah celebrating friends.

We survived the visit from the BIL and his girlfriend. Wheels are turning there that we can't speak about right now to protect those involved. My application for sainthood is in the mail. No need to say more there.

The MIL called to wish Bill a merry christmas then hung up on him. Nice huh?

We are gearing up to celebrate our christmas next week. A nice fun family affair with no stress following a day of family shopping.

Happy New year!

Monday, December 17, 2007

20

Friday, December 14, 2007

Wanna see?

Thank you Grandpa.

Meet Bridgette. She's an 8 weeks old Long haired Dachshund. To give you a good idea how totally tiny she is:

Here she is with my favorite beverage.

So anyone who knows me in RL knows that I had strict orders to my husband that when/if my first born furkid, Corky, didn't outlive me he had BETTER have on order, ready to be delivered a new Welsh Corgi puppy. When that fateful day actually happened, and I realized I could still breath without her I told my hubby I never wanted another F****ing dog again EVER. I was done. When ours were gone I never wanted another four legged heart breaker. Then this year we lost 2 of our other other dogs. Ok, I thought, I didn't mean we needed to clear the house all at once.

So about 6 months ago, lord has it been that long, when my chihuahua had to be put down I started thinking, well maybe a little dog would be ok. I looked and looked, and my demands were specific, they were also outlandishly expensive. I went back and forth between Corgi and Chihuahua. Corky was the smartest dog on the planet so this new dog had huge paw prints to fill. Back and forth, back and forth. While researching Chihuahua breeders I stumbled on one who bred Dachshunds too. I clicked over there to look at the pictures, 'cuz really, is there ever an ugly puppy?

The first one I saw was a long haired black and tan with white markings, who when I held Corky's picture to the screen, could have been her twin. I started researching to kill the time. G walked in once while I was looking at pictures and said WOW I like those, they look like Corky mom. Ok ok, hooked. I started scouring around to find one that was affordable yet of good breeding, AKC registered, long haired, female, and NOT Red.

I was looking for black and tan with white markings. I was looking for Corky.

And I had to stop.

So I started looking again. I found local puppies, short hair. I almost settled for that. When I was about to call the woman the second time I came to my senses and realized I wouldn't be totally happy. I like silky coats. It was my favorite feature on both Corky and Taco.

I found Bridgette on-line on Tuesday morning and e-mailed her breeder. When I didn't get an instant response I called her breeder that night. I told him I would let him know for SURE on Wednesday if I was coming on Thursday for her or not. I didn't HAVE to ask Bill, I had planned to use my inheritance so her price wouldn't be coming from any money ear marked for anything, but it was only right ya know? He was like, why the hell are you calling me..... call the breeder dumb ass.

So on Thursday I made a flying trip to Medford to "look" at her. I didn't tell anyone because I wasn't FOR sure going to bring her home. That lastest about 30 seconds after I saw her. Sure? Not Sure? No question.

I spent 30 minutes at the breeders. Long enough to pick up her papers and head for home. 9 hours total trip. 8 hours driving. 30 minutes at the breeders and 30 minutes split between potty breaks for her on the way home and a stop at McD's so my butt could un-numb.

My cats think they should kill her, but no one has hurt her. Just alot of this:

It's OK Mom. I've killed bigger rats. I won't let it hurt you or the soda.

She's all, yeah right CAT, BRING IT.
Funny how serious he looks in that shot, really he was just blinking from the flash. LOL.

So I have to thank my Aunt Jean for this puppy too. When my G-pa died and I found out about the money he's left me, I asked her for advice for investing it. Really I wanted to make sure my dad didn't blame me for doing something "Stupid" with it or "wasting" it. She told me to be sure to do something nice and fun for myself because G-pa would have wanted that. I scoffed the idea at first. He wasn't exactly and "nice and fun" kinda guy ya know? When I think about him, a lot of great things come to mind, but fun isn't one of them. *grin* So I took a small part of what he gave me, bought myself a purely selfish gift, every time I look at her I can thank my grandpa, and a little of him, though indirectly, is always with me.
Ok before I wander around the blogsphere and see all your answers to this I'd better answer it for myself. Or else my answers might sound like, hers or hers or hers or his or even maybe (though probably not) his.



1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper. And I'm really good at it too. Now that I've said that I'll loose my nack for it and everything will look like crap.

2. Real or artificial tree?
Real. Though we have fake because I'm allergic to a real one we've found in the last few years. That blows.

3. When do you put up the tree?
When ever I feel like it. Maybe never.

4. When do you take it down? Ha. This is a joke in my family. We took off the christmas decorations one year and hung decorated blown out eggs on it.

5. Do you like eggnog? No. Good god no. Slime in a glass.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
We got a lot of practical gifts. One year I got a saddle for christmas and that was AWESOME. I also received some really pretty porcelain dolls.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes. And the Lincoln logs my dad hand made for me as toys that I've saved to build a manger.

8. Hardest person to buy for? Everyone. I hate shopping.

9. Easiest person to buy for? My pets.

10. Worst Christmas present you ever got?

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. Usually down to the wire too.

12. Favorite Christmas movie? Greg and I found an awesome Hallmark one last year and neither of us can remember what it was called.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Ideally? Jan 1. Reality, the payday closest to the day for those who celebrate on Christmas day, the week AFTER christmas for my immediate family and my mom. Don't hate, we celebrate twice. Long tradition started by my mom to make it so she and my dad could both have a full christmas with me after they divorced. He got Christmas Eve./Christmas day and she did Christmas on New Years Eve/New years day. No hustling me back and forth for half a day here and half a day there.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Why would someone answer this Yes? Every one of your friends is now thinking... hummm.... I can actually say No. But you'd never know that for sure would you?

15. Favorite thing to eat on Christmas? Which one? Crab and tri-tip with my in laws since my mommy doesn't like crab. We usually do a pot roast at her house cause it's my hubbys fav. Only now he can't eat red meat. Ha.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear and LOTS of them.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Christmas shoes (non traditional) Frosty (traditional)

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Both.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s Reindeer? Right now?

20. Angel or star on top of tree? Angel

21. Open presents Christmas Eve or morning. Morning

22. Most annoying thing this time of year? People

23. Do you decorate your tree in any theme or color? Last few years theme. Depending on who's coming maybe I'll pull out all the cool stuff I have from when I was a kid.

24. What do you leave for Santa? An unlocked door. ;-)

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Holy fuck sticks man it's freezing again. Literally.

It's been so cold I haven't had to refrigerate my milk samples, but last night I probably should have, to keep them warm.

I have the little electric heater plugged in the bathroom trying to warm up near my desk. What I need to do is warm up in the living room so I can pack all this milk.

I have an appointment on Friday for the Dr. See if we can't plug the flow of gunk outa me.

Today I'm;
  • packing and shipping milk
  • insect bombing the house (maybe not, it's cold enough that most are dormant or dead)
  • talking to Edward Jones again, getting some money for trip tomorrow
  • working on the house if it's not too cold

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

I'm bad.

I'm very very bad.

But I did it.

And I'm not telling. :-P

Monday, December 10, 2007

Oh screw this.

I don't care it it freakin' kills me I turned on the damn heater tonight. I can always get a blood transfusion right?

I am not going to run it overnight though. Just to get the chill out of this house. BrrrfreakingBrrrr.

Killing me, one breath at a time

Wow, how's that for a title.

SO we think we might have narrowed down what's causing me to cough up copious amounts of blood. See, I've pretty much DOWN played just HOW much blood there has been, because a bunch of worry warts and tattle tails hang out here. :-P And since I've talked about the blood a lot.... this should tell you???

For the last 3 days Bill has smelled something in the house. I think it smells like wet paint, he says it's gas.

I figure while I was gone he cranked up the natural gas wall heater. Which he didn't, or if he did he was smart enough to turn it back down before I got home, which he isn't. That would make it smell stronger than he's used to, because I only have it set at just above frigid.

However, while I was gone I noticed something. I SLEPT for one thing and for another, no blood. None. I took just as much ibuprofen as always maybe more since I was sitting for long periods at a time in the car. This is something I have been cutting back on with the bleeding in my throat/lungs because I didn't need my blood any thinner than it is normally.

So as of last night I had been home for 2 days and 2 nights and guess what? Guess. Yep. It's back.

So we tore into the heater last night and shop vac'd it out really well. We think we see a place where the "exhaust" is leaking out into the house. Good thing hubby works part time for a heating guy. We're going to have them come test the heater for bad emissions. We KNOW it's not efficient, but right no I just want to know it's not KILLING us.

So the heater was off last night. Coldest damn night in weeks and we don't have a heater to "knock the edge off". I grew up with wood heat, o.n.l.y wood heat. Which meant the warm spots on a winter morning were your bed and right next to the stove. Everywhere else your toes froze to the floor. I happen to still like my house like that. Only now, I don't have a heater to have a warm spot!

I know this because I just took a soda from the refrigerator and it felt WARM!

Friday, December 7, 2007

Christmas cards just shouldn't be this hard.

I managed to make it through signing my christmas cards so far spelling my name correctly.

Unlike last year when I addressed an envelope TO MYSELF. I actually thought while I was stuffing the card in "Man I hardly see that Fogspinner much, wonder what she's up to?"

...Dumbass...

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

My plan to leave home at 10 am is foiled. I know this, even though it is 8:30, because I am still sitting here hacking up a bleeding lung and no one in my family other than the dogs and myself are up. Why is no one else up, because I can't get my fat ass out of the chair to wake them up that's why.

We have to make a run to fortuna before we can leave since my ever helpful husband took one of my paychecks to work with him in his car rather than leaving it.. ohh I don't know... on my FREAKING desk.

We have to figure out how to fit 1400 milk samples in my car. Whoopie. Everyone pray... pray HARD... that no one hits me on the way to Atwater. Because, well, ewww?!?!?

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Sheesh finally.

This is part three so it starts in the middle of the skit.

Oh hell. Here he is with Peanut.
I'm trying to find a decent one that has the skit with JalapeƱo on a Stick.

I'm sitting here with tears streaming down my face. I'd forgotten how much I like him.

Ok we're going to try to embed this video because I LOVE this comedian. Never mind the fact that he's an amazing ventriloquist, this is one of the ONLY things that will make me drop whatever I am doing to watch the tv.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

For those keeping score the breakdown looks like this:
California (for as many breeders that are here) only has 18 judges total.
3 have asked not to asked to judge our fair.
2 (so far) are moving out of the state
1 was our judge last year
1 is not responging to e-mail
2 don't judge "piddley events" but I'm going to hit them up anyway
4 I haven't contacted yet
1 is a last resort because people won't show is she judges
3 must be reached by phone
2 e-mails are still out

Oregon has 7 judges.
1 is no longer a judge in '08
1 (so far) will be out of the country
1 (so far is booked)
2 are call only
2 left to e-mail

Options are quickly running short. We may have to have the same judges we had last year or at least one of them and people will just have to suck it up. There are only so many options. I guess we could cut back to one show and then have double the money to spend on the judge. Yeah I see that going over like a lead balloon.

I'm e-mailing people in batches on the off chance someone says Yes. At this point I would probably fall out of my chair if someone said "Hey yeah I'm available."
I'm beginning to see why our fair sec. seems to be such a flake.
I'm thinking it's not her. Well ok, some of it IS her. Some of it is this shit:

I've contact 9 judges who are within our "area". Travel to get a judge here has to be reasonable enough for the show to stay afloat. So far 6 of those judges are either a) moving out of the state (which means an even harder time next year) b) out of the country or c) booked (only one so far).

I have three left for our Sec to try calling, because it's useless for me to call them since she can talk money and I can't.

That 12 judges total in an acceptable traveling distance and half are not available. Shit. I haven't even started on the rabbit judges yet.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Update

Hear Ye Hear Ye.

I'll have pictures of the bathtub project (which I finished) when I post pictures from the other 2 projects I've started. Hehehe.

Project #1, bathtub re-do (finished construction) It needs a soap holder, who knew one would be so hard to find?
Project #2, paint whole bathroom (done) Ahh, the ugly wooden vanity never looked so good. I have touch up to do, I asked hubby to "catch" a drip, and he wiped all the paint off.
Project #3, paint kitchen. This is a project I've been wanting to do forever and been putting off because I wasn't sure I'd like it. I finally decided in my sagely wisdom that if I didn't get off my fat ass and try it I'd never know if I liked it and if I didn't like it, I'd redo it. I think this comes from my insane dislike of redoing ANYTHING. If I have the energy to do it, I will only have that "spurt" once so we better get it right the first time, has been my thinking.

That's one of the parts of my job I hate. I really dislike the set up and tear down. Tear down the most. I'm already tired from chasing cows for sometimes hours on end, the last thing I want to do is clean up. Bleh.

So Project #4 will be to repaint the inside of my cupboards. But, um... remove object in cupboard, clean shelves, paint, let cure 48-72 hours, replace objects... wash rinse repeat... sounds fun No? I'll have to do this one cupboard or two at a time because we have little floor/counter space to store the stuff.

Project #5 which may surpass Project #4 will be to rotate all the bedrooms in this house. G needs a bigger room, Hubby, who only sleeps and watches tv here, does not need the biggest room in the house, and I just don't care. But to do that project one major thing must be done first, they (G and hubby, hubby can't fit under the house, and G won't be able to for long) have to run a phone line to my new/old bedroom. I'm basically reclaiming the room that was mine when we bought this house. I have to have my computer. Then the work starts because in the remaining two bedrooms we are tearing out the carpet as we go. I HATE/LOATH carpet. I mean it's nice in your house. As long as you are the one vacuuming it and not me. I have 3 dogs and 6 cats, a tomboy, and a mill worker living here.

So picture will come soon. I'd like to post pictures of both the kitchen and bathroom at the same time. I'd even like to say I had pictures of thanksgiving to share, and I took the camera, and took NO pictures. No that's not true, I tried to take a picture of my dog in hubby's lap in the lamp light. She looks like an alien from the flash and without the flash you can't see them. (My moms house has no electricity, they don't run that far out, and her house isn't even wired for it anyway.) Oh and we got a picture of a really nice buck who escaped hunting season and was probably giving thanks he was the one who got away.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Omen?

I started the week with a funeral.
A catholic funeral.
A really long Catholic funeral. *sigh* Aren't they all?

I need to finish my kitchen cabinets. I only have the doors and trim left to do. I should have it done today.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Things I'm thankful for:

Since tomorrow I will be at my mothers and we're staying the night, which means I'll have to go 24 hours without my beloved internet access. She has no electricity so no computer up there for me, she's also lives miles and miles and miles from civilization. It will be quiet and peaceful. Other than the sound of my husband snoring and all those noisy wild animals, I should sleep like a baby. Bill will sleep pretty much from the time we get there till we leave the next day. My mothers house has the effect on him.

So the things I'm thankful for are endless. I may seem like an ungrateful whiny bitch but really I know how good I've got it.
1. My beloved internet access. For without it my house would be clean and my husband would be dead.
2. My child. For without him my house would be clean and my husband would be dead.
3. My husband. For without him my house would be clean and my... oh wait... hummm... my life would be really dull.
4. My sons whiny obnoxious friends. Because even though they are annoying and whiny they remind me each day how great my son is, and how, when they aren't here, my ears don't bleed.
5. My vast array of pets. Yep, love each and every one. Without them my house would be clean and my life would be very very boring.
6. Each and every day I wake up. Even if I wake up with a horrible headache or cough for hours, I'm awake to see another day.
7. Friends. Mine specifically. Though they are few and far between, *see above mention of whiny & ungrateful*, I love them each and every one.

Have a Great Thanksgiving all of you. May your time with your families or alone be the very best it can be.

Friday, November 16, 2007

Surrounded by Idiots

Oh add this to the ongoing saga.

Now they aren't coming because the father in law might be too sick.

Might be? We know this now, a MONTH before the event.

Cop out excuse. Plain and simple. And I'll lay money that my FIL doesn't even know he's the excuse of choice this time.

She can't control the situation so now she won't come. Ahhh... pity party for her. Cause now we're going to do our damnedest to bring up the BIL and family. Even if it means taking them home too. See she figures if she doesn't come up then BIL has no ride home. WRONG. Dealing with that issue as we speak.

She is not going to ruin our Christmas eve. Dammit.

Lost time

Holy shit. This has gone too far. I think coughing as hard/long as I do is robbing me of my memory. What? You shouldn't be laughing. And I'm not old enough for it to be my age, shut up thankyouverymuch.

So Sarah was talking about her nephew and what to get a nine year old, what are they into. I figured, hey it's only been 3 years since G was 9, I should be able to input on this one right? Hello? NOTHING. I can't remember WHAT he was into. I had to count back to remember who his teacher was and what damn grade he was in. From there, blank. I got nothing.

I actually went back and pulled out his photo album and silently reminded myself this is exactly why I had all those pictures printed. Because I was home alone, and dude, even I'd send myself to the loony bin if I start talking out loud to myself.

So Sarah. For his birthday he got a new bike and binoculars. I remember he was really into looking at stuff, animals, stars, cows. I'm pretty sure it was the same year we got him a telescope for christmas. Ha. It was. Oh and count them, at least 3 footballs.

Thank god for pictures, printed ones at that. I'd have never looked through them if they had been on my computer still.
And I'm getting my brain checked. How does one lose and entire year of their kids life, I mean REALLY? It was only 3 years ago.

On a different note. My kid, he's a lifesaver. Last night was cough-a-lung round 999. I was out on the porch choking and gasping and the boy child gets up and comes out to sit with me. As I throw an empty inhaler across the porch (lack of oxygen makes me bitchier than usual) he gets up, goes in, gets my keys. I remind him there are no other inhalers in the car, he shushes me. SHUSHED me he did. He comes out of the car with a cartridge we had found, god knows how long ago, that the case had been broken on. LOVE that child. LOVE him even when he shushes me. He even sat out there in the cold to do therapy on me till I could inhale normally and actually feel the cold air.

So even when I say he's a rotten brat. He's a really good boy. Don't listen to me. :-)

Thursday, November 15, 2007

So I threw a totally mature and TOTALLY called for pissy hissy fit today. Yep. Totally mature too.

See previous post about in laws.

Today my hubby added this to my list of "101 reasons those people fucking suck":
"my brother doesn't think his kids should have to sit for 6 hours in the car to some up here."
WHA? But it's ok for MY kids to sit in the car for 6 hours to go DOWN THERE?
Um. No. Fuck you and your pony too.
And I told hubby that. He left the house near tears because all he wanted was to have a nice family holiday with his family. *Which he tries about every other year and they always piss in his Wheaties.*

So I called him up and said, cut work short, do whatever you have to do, but you need to get your ass back here so we can talk before you go to work.

See here's the deal and this is what I told him.

I don't know how many holidays I have left. I mean really, who does? Have someone slap a terminal label on you and try that on for a reality check. I do not want to spend my last remaining holidays fighting tooth and nail over every single detail with those people. I really don't care if it's 20 holidays or 2. DONE. The latest thing she's ALREADY pissed about... and people, we're talking about Christmas not Thanksgiving, is the fact my hubby offered to go get his brother, his girlfriend, and their kids the day ahead so *GASP* we could spend some TIME with them. No shit. Total fit. I accidentally (it was!) told her that hubby and bro had talked about that, and, no shit, she called the brother after 9 last night to have a FIT at him. Butt hurt because we had invited the brother to come a day ahead and not them. Duh?
So I took back my holiday. Rather forcefully and without mercy. Selfish, hell yes. I'm sick to death of hating Christmas, a holiday I used to love, because these people are drama mamas.
So. No crap. No drama. And I will throw them out, no problem. Holiday by my rules.
1. Brother and GF and kids may come the day ahead, but will leave when the in laws do.
2. In laws may arrive after 11 on Christmas eve but may stay as long as they like..that day.
3. No adult gifts.
4. I'm cooking dinner. If what I fix you don't like, there is a McDonald's on your way out of town. No you cannot help or bring anything.

Not playing by the rules can and will probably result in an expulsion from the game.

Hubby did a good job relaying the rules. I don't think he wanted me to do that. Ha. Chicken. He's trying really hard to have a decent Christmas too, with us, but including them. They've pretty much robbed his enjoyment of the holiday too and he's sick to death of it.

They can go back to their bickering and bitching when they leave.
So I'm crocheting my fingers to the bone still. I have a few christmas gifts to finish and then there are these friend projects.
I'm working on my next friend gift and it won't be done by christmas. It COULD be done by christmas, but I'm lazy like that. It's creamy and soft and...... well, if I tell you more I'll have to kill you.

I'm hoping to have it done by this persons birthday. That's in..... wait can't tell you that either.


All is fine and well on the home front. Well minus the continuous in law drama but I'm immune to that 90% of the time. It's like a bad high school movie, he said, she said, they did.... BLEH! I get so sick of it eventually I say something to send the whole thing over the edge because I'm tired of biting my tongue and playing nice. They usually leave me out of it for a while after that. And "they" includes my husband. Hell he's as bad as the rest of them.

I'm glad my family doesn't do this shit. I'd be crazier if that was the case. Wait, let me clarify, it's not that my family does NOT do this, it's that we don't speak to the ape shit batty ones that do. We see them on occasion. Keep in polite touch with them and then pray that their brand of crazy isn't contagious. My mom hates drama and I don't speak to my dad anymore so in my "family", we just don't do drama.

Which would lead me to why I get so wrapped up in my on-line friends. I have 2-3 RL friends that I would really count as friends. The kind I would actually call and say, hey I'm in the hospital, was in a car wreck, had a house fire, got a promotion, moving, or whatever. Other than those couple of people my friends are on-line.
Not people I talk to in person really. Well except KG only she talks and I type.
Luckily my husband understands my obsession with these friends. When there was a death in our little family and we were raising money, he was the first to tell me to send more.

I don't chat in chat rooms.

I blog surf and comment. I guess it's like watching a hundred different little reality shows but being able to comment and interact with them all. It feeds my over active and usually really bored mind.

Are these 'real' friendships? I guess so. I cheer, cry, laugh, worry, get angry with, for, about, and at them. Only it's all safely behind the screen on my computer. I can sit here and tap on this keyboard quiet and protected. I have spell check to make me look smarter and hopefully time before I press publish to edit myself. Because as Sarah pointed out, I type like I talk. Lord help us all.

Friday, November 9, 2007

Wanna see what I did today

So this project started out innocently enough (Oh shut up).

It started out with me wanting to re caulk around my bathtub because frankly, that shits been nasty since we moved here, and it's only gotten worse.

So I started out with these tools:
Can you see that caulk... EWWW people... but that's after I ripped off all I could. That's my sons knife and the only screwdriver my husband doesn't steal. Take note of the water damage that's been there since we bought the house too, it causes problems later.
So there I am, ripping out the old caulk and thinking "Self, that water damage drives you nuts, you should fix it."
So I talk to hubby dearest. You should know my hubby is not a repair type person. He'd just rather wait till it fell on him in disrepair than make an effort to FIX anything. He says, those faucets won't come out, you have to shut off the water.... at this point I'm tuning him out and plotting me revenge on the water damage.
I look up on the internet how to remove a bathtub faucet, because really, it wasn't as self explanatory as it should have been. 100 layers of paint/caulk/and glue didn't help matters.
Soon I had this:The water faucets.
And this:
Oh look! Tools I stole from the sons room, the water spout, and you can see a corner of the nasty strip I ripped out.

And here the big whole around the faucets in the wall. You can see the water damage.
At this point I am sure I'm going to go look for new sheeting stuff for around the tub. I have to at least replace this piece, because well, it's gross.
I start tearing out all the bars and soap holders and extra screws and almost got stopped by this:
That screw you can't see.....I have nothing to remove it with. So I went to the lumber yard to find a screwdriver and well, bought myself a new tool set. Ha. I'm putting a big padlock on it too. I did not find any sheeting stuff, well I did, but it made me choke on the price. While I was choking I realized I was hungry. I left and got lunch then headed to a bigger lumber yard.

Where they pretty much told me I was screwed. You see, my bathroom has no backer boards, no drywall, no plywood. Wanna see a man cringe? Say the words, "Ok, sure, but can I attach that right to the studs?" Turns out, tile wouldn't work, the tub liner sheet stuff was all U-G-L-Y, so I was back to square one. But I am nothing if not ingenious. Armed with an idea I made a call to hubby for a measurement. What I wanted to do would work. It's not ideal people and I don't recommend it, but most of you won't be dealing with a house built in the teens by men as mill workers homes. It didn't even have indoor plumbing originally.
So once I was armed with something to over up my mess once I tore it all apart, I came home and started the deconstruction process. What? All that I did before, that was just a little lite displacement of fixtures.
This:
This is what happens when Mama gets her hammer back.
That slat wall is the back of my sons closet.
The bottom board you can barely see is a redwood fence board. No kidding. The studs in the wall are true cut redwood which means a 2x4 is really a 2x4 and probably clear heart redwood too. An environmentalist just died somewhere.

I did tease my husband a little. I walked out of the bathroom as he was hauling off the mess and said:
"Okay, I'm done."

The next time we visit the bathroom we will see bead board walls surrounding the tub.
As I was sending off a package yesterday with the mystery gift I was reminded of a funny story from last year.

I participated in a secret santa gift exchange with people from forum that I belong to. I was SS for the NYCWD. He's probably wishing someone cool had gotten him like T or Avitable or KG. Preferably anyone who's taste wasn't all in their mouth and even that doesn't work so well.

But no, he got me instead. First off, buying gifts for ANYONE just about gives me the hives. Let alone someone I hardly know and then only from what I know of their "online" self. I want gifts to be meaningful or at least not some random crap that your all "Great Thanks" on the outside and all "Holy fuck what do I do with this shit" on the inside.

Ohhhh come on, you've been there , you know it!!


So I did a little research. I prodded his friends. I got a fairly decent idea of something easy and within our spending limit. The man loves chocolate or so his friends told me. GREAT! We have a great local confectionery shop and I'd bet a Moo Moo would be something he'd like to try. So with Moo Moo bars as an added gift to the box of treasures I sent off my package to the land far far away, New York, and I wait.

And I wait.

And I wait.

People who know me well know I do EVERYTHING early. Other people are getting their packages and Dawg isn't saying anything. I'm getting nervous.

I can't remember how it came down exactly (hey it was a year ago, what do you expect), I think I messaged him and asked about it because weeks had passed. Shortly after that they received a notice from the post office they had a package to pick up.
(The actual conversation is a figment of my imagination, but the basics are all true)
Dawgs Brother (on man I'm sorry) went down to get pick up the package. He was met by the Postal Inspector and asked to come into the back with him. There he was met by uniformed men and a dog named Brutus.
"Do you recognize these names, sir?"
"Umm...." To: Watchdog From: Fogspinner "Umm... Oh wait yeah, that's my brothers website."
"Do you know what is in this package?"
"Are you sure you have no idea what's IN SIDE this package."
"Nope, no clue."
"Our dogs have sniffed it out as possibly carrying drugs, we'll have to open it up sir."
"Uh, OK?"
So they tear into my packaging... *sniff sniff* it was a cute little snowman box... to find their drug sniffing dog had located 2 chocolate bars, 3 vanilla candles and a candle holder. Don't you feel safer in NY now? Personally I think Rover was hoping to score a box of chocolate chip cookies for Christmas. Then, then, they cut into the chocolate bars, because HEY the dog smelled drugs, man they have to be there somewhere, right?
No Postal Inspector dude, your doggie wants a cookie, got it?
Dawg's Brother has refused to pick up packages at the post office since. Can't say as I blame him much.

So as I was packaging up this mystery gift yesterday I was having myself a good chuckle. This one shouldn't get flagged by the drug sniffers. Though I did think about tossing a chocolate bar in there just to see.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

  • Package mailed. Recipient should receive it in a week. But knowing our mail system, it'll be longer.
  • One whole strip of project number 2 finished.
  • Half of a round done on the doily from hell.
  • Doctor paid off from Bill's surgery.
  • Work scheduled for next week.

Still a little woosy. I think I have a touch of what G had all week.
Hey Good morning.

It's nice to be awake. Yeah last night was a little spooky. And after 18 hours with no Advil this morning is rather spooky but for other reasons. No blood this morning. I did have Bill wake me up when he got home from work, you know, just to make sure I would. It was the light headed foggy woosie non- focusing feeling that was rather odd for me and made me the most nervous.

I took some Advil this morning though. I would have liked to go one more day without just in case, but I can't take the pain in my knees. I'd forgotten WHY I take advil like clock work. The intense throbbing and burning actually woke me up. Bleh. Stoopid knees.
================================

Ok enough with the crappy health news.
My barn is painted!
I have to go back and re-color match the bottom half, because the top does not match...at all. However, it will work as a primer coat and it is protected from this weekends rain in case I don't get it painted today. And we'll see.
That wood was REALLY hard to paint. I had even bought a roller for use on really rough surfaces and it didn't. So we painted it on with a 4" roller for smooth surfaces and that worked.

===================

I have found during this post I really over use comma's. I've deleted I don't know how many.

===================

I should get that package in the mail today, assuming I have the persons address. If I don't I guess it won't be a secret anymore. :-(

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

I came very close to escorting myself to the ER tonight.
Poorer sense prevailed.
I know I should have gone.
I just HATE going.
I did scare myself just a little with the amount of pure blood I was coughing up. It didn't keep up for long and I was back to coughing up the blood and nastiness that I'm used to seeing.

No advil tonight as it appears I need to clot up. Which means I won't sleep much. Whaa.... I'll just start crying now.

Yes yes MOTHERS I will call the reg DR tomorrow and go see him. I think it's time to switch off of my beloved Albuterol. *Sniff*

Ok Bionic Woman is on... Night.
God I hate cleaned cat boxes. You know why? They smell WORSE after they've been cleaned. G just got finished cleaning ours and now the whole house smells like cat ass. And why was G cleaning our cat boxes at 10:30 on a Wednesday morning you ask, instead of sitting in an institution of greater learning drawing self portraits and picking his nose? Because he's been sick on and off all week again.
Only this time his stupid sub wouldn't let him go to the bathroom when he asked so he puked in the trash can. Bet she thinks differently about saying no to a green faced kid again. I would have puked on her feet, but I'm a nasty bitch like that.
And why am I making him do slave labor when he's sick. Because I can. No really... he's right here and can puke (from either end) in the can anytime he wants. In between times this is no joy ride "oh lookie I get to be home, eating candy, playing my game boy, while watching tv, and eating everything not nailed down."
He'd be in school with a trash can at his feet if it were up to me, but they don't go for that anymore. I used to have to sit in the office all day with a trash can when I didn't feel good, still do my work, all while under the watchful eye of the office staff, who if they even for a second thought I was lying would call my mother and I wouldn't sit down for a week. Now it seems no one wants to play with the germs. Pussies.
Of course our principle had a wooden paddle in his office too and wasn't afraid to use it. I was still more scared of my moms leather strap than his paddle anyway. He didn't have a very good forehand.
So instead G will be helping me around the house today in between bouts with the porcelain thrown. As soon as the smell of cat ass wanes from the living room I'm going back to packing milk.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Tonight I know why I'm tired. We averaged 115.7 cows an hour where we normally milk approx. 100. I know I ache tonight. It didn't seem fast but the cows just weren't milking as much as usual which means they roll through the barn faster.

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Holy fucksticks it's cold in here. I'm not one to normally bitch about the cold. I like sub freezing temperatures. It means my lungs work better and I don't choke up a lung. However this morning, when really, it's not that cold, I turned on the heater in the house. My cat was sleeping under my covers. My hands are numb I'm so cold. I'd say I think I'm getting sick , but anymore I'm always sick it's just to what degree. Functional sick or non-functional sick. I've taken to gauging the wellness of my lungs not by how much I cough but by how much blood I cough up. How's that for some weekend cheer for ya?
It's what keeps you coming back I know it.

So I'm almost done with my surprise gift which I'll send out soon. It can't be a christmas gift because that would be a little weird. I know the person pretty well from "around" (If I say too much it'll give it away) but I don't want it to be 'weird'. I just want it to be a fun little gift.

Ok, so now to make that person feel really odd once they get their gifty. I've decided over the next year or so I'm going to make everyone I know something special. I'm thinking a nice table runner for my friends' girls for when they get married. Just so that they know I wished I could have been there to be a part of it all, and in some small way I am. I'll do the same probably for G, though he has in a order already for a blanket. I have some ideas for other friends too. I've covered my mom and my in laws. If I finish that list I'd like to do something for my neices, but I doubt it will happen. I just want everyone to have something to remember me by. I guess my biggest fear of dying is of being forgotten. And the very best part of it all, is if by chance I am still here (and the projects are actually done) I can give them in person.

One thing that has always helped me deal with death, not my own, has been to have something tangible to hold on to. Something to look back on to fondle and say so and so gave this to me. I am totally a mourner. I mourn a long time. There are times I still shed tears for a close friend who died my senior year. When I'm feeling particularly lonely for him I go and sit on his grave and cuss him, talk to him, or just clean his face in silence.

The way I see it I have 5 years to work on these projects for sure. Because I'm a stubborn determined cuss and I promised that boy the day he was born I would see his graduate high school, and I damn well will. Then we'll have a huge party because not only did he make it, so did I. Plan to attend.

Monday, October 29, 2007

So much for no dinner.

G: Hey mom. Want a grilled cheese?
M: Sure. (Not thinking that I don't think he's ever MADE grilled cheese)
Shuffling around in the kitchen.
G: Ok, Mom. How long do I turn the microwave to?
M: Um No.

So we had a lesson on the fine art of grilling a cheese sandwich. In the toaster oven.

*note to self. New mineral out on the 27th

Can you hear it?

Shhh... lean close.... closer... can you hear it?

Good! That my 3 friends is the sound of SILENCE. He's gone. GONE GONE GONE.

Yes I have to admit it is a bummer that he won't be here to cook dinner. And yet he also won't be here to bitch about what to cook for dinner. Or the dishes. Or turning the TV up to levels which make my ears bleed.

The best part? Other than the silence, which believe me is totally golden right now, (My SA son said, as I was pointing out how quiet it was... Shh mom you're ruining your silence.) is I don't have to eat dinner anymore!

I'm pretty much a one meal a day person. I don't snack either. I do drink soda like it was the last fluid on earth. Caloric balance, yeah that's what it is. I do however eat twice a day on days I work, because really, the other days, I'm pretty much sitting on my ass building up my thunder thighs, and don't need more than one meal to fuel all that nothing.
I really skip dinner alot. Or I'll eat a can of peaches, a can of corn, some zucchini, or something else light.

My husband, the man, eats like 4-8 times a day. Full meals. HUGE meals. Last night he fixed chicken, vegetable, and mac and cheese ALL for dinner. Holy bat shit man that's like 3 nights worth of food for me and G.

Ahh my tunny will love me tonight.
This is my 100th post here. I was going to save it for something special, quirky, profound even.

And then I realized, who the hell am I kidding? If I'm waiting for even ONE of those three things to happen, ya'll should just take this little blog off your readers.

So here is the profoundness that is my 100th post.

BILL IS BACK TO WORK!!!!

No TV on in my house. Other than my wheezing and the tapping of the keyboard there is not a sound to be heard.
You don't know how happy this makes me. I love the man really, but I'm so damn glad for him to be out of the house you have NO idea. He better get a job when he retires or there will be serious problems in town.

Blessedly I have this whole week off. I love my work but I have been having a hard time "getting into it". There is a real rhythm and mine has been off. Not off on the job, off with all this other crap. The background crap. Packing, unpacking, loading, unloading, shipping, cleaning.
Maybe I need to go on vacation to a motel. When I get home I usually find I want to clean and organize. So not likely.

G's finger is better. His elbow is sealed over at least and the bruising should subside, eventually. Yeah, don't ask. Let's leave it at; Grace had a rough meeting between elbow and rock. I'm taking stock out in Steri-Strips and band-aide.

The goats have been returned to their own pens and the does are all out in one pen together. A friend brought a doe over to be bred but I think they are about 2 days too late. Same as they were last month. I told them if it doesn't stick this month they need to mark THIS heat (I do think I mentioned this last month) on the calender and we'll get her over here earlier.

No word from the people who have leased my doe. I need to e-mail them and remind them that YES I do remember you have her.

No luck on the puppy front. I'm really really picky and just haven't found the right one yet. Which is fine. One will come along eventually.

Friday, October 26, 2007

Why?

Oh and don't tell me boys will be boys.... that'll get ya slapped around here.

Two nights ago we're at ER for a gash in the finger. Which is healing nicely thanks for asking. We've taken to calling him "Shooter". He demanded PINK vet wrap for the wrapping. I had bought him blue. Silly me!
Today... no ER. We're too good for ER.
He has a NICE hole in his elbow. I'll bet he yanked the rock out before he came in. Luckily we have some steri-strips left over from the last visit. Good god. I need to invest in Steri-strips.
What can you do but laugh? I mean really. Accidents seem to magnetize to him. I'm not so sure I want to take him with me to town now.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

So I'm not the join a contest type, but this seems like one I wouldn't mind winning.

I was directed to a blog post by Blond Blogger on her Review Site telling of a contest sponsored by Ashes to Ashes.
Ashes to Ashes is a company that specializes in helping people deal with their pets death. Seeing as this is a subject near and dear to my heart and brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it, I went to check it out.
For the back history we lost two dogs this year, Taco and Buddy. One we had to make the hard choice to end his suffering and one died unexpectedly of a heart attack. I wish I had known of this site when my "first born" furkid Corky had passed several years ago. I miss my dogs every single day. I'm one of those horribly sentimental attached people like that. I think that's why people who just don't care about their animals, or see them only as a business without regard to their care or happiness, irritate me so much.
I went and looked at what Ashes to Ashes had to offer. I do have two dogs sitting on my desk to take care of visually. I've been looking at Urns and haven't found anything that tickled my fancy. Or course I've been avoiding the whole issue a little bit too. They make a line of jewelry so you can keep your pet close to your heart. I think this might be good for G. He took losing Buddy really hard. Harder than my G-pa dying really, which was only 2 weeks apart. G-pa we knew about.... long process with a definite end. Buddy was sudden and a huge cut to the soul.
I think even if we don't win the contest we will go cruise the site and see if something tickles G. There are styles suitable for men in the jewelry. Urns in every style and shape, pet loss gifts, grief gifts, jewelry, keepsakes, key chains, everything a pet owner will need in a time of loss.
Thanks Blond Blogger for sending me that direction.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Good lord. Some tape, a few stitches, a splint and lets get going people. Does this really NEED to take 2 freakin' hours? Apparently. Did you know that steri-strips are such a high demand item and it took 4 people to locate enough to close up a 1 and a half inch cut. Yep... 4. If I was sure we hadn't been looking at bone or tendon at the bottom of that wound we'd have slapped some duct tape on it at home and called it good. Sure as hell would have been faster.
I'm not sure they thought our comments about running to Safeway for some were funny. We thought they were. But then again we didn't have to be nice to the woman who was moaning and thought she was dieing, and wanted to make sure everyone in the tri counties knew it.

Friday, October 19, 2007

Supposed to be healthful

Yet I just sliced my whole thumb open on the "safety" seal on my vitamins. Flintstones chewables. What? Shut up! I'm allergic to the binder in vitamin and mineral pills so I have to either get prescription water soluble or children's chewables. Guess which is cheaper?

SO now my thumb is bound to stem off the bleeding. Whatever.

Monday, October 8, 2007

As I mentioned to someone recently I feel like dog ass. Today I finally feel a little better. It started on Thursday or Friday of last week and got worse and worse as the days went by. On Sat I had a killer little fever to work with that a cocktail of advil and aleve only toyed with. The herd is fubared but we worked through it. And I pretty much kept my cool all night. I came home and went right to bed. We stopped by the goats first but no way in hell was I milking, which sucked for my milk testing, the does are trying really hard to dry off so missing the one time I milk a day right now, is a bad plan. And I didn't care.

Sunday we made the trek to the Natural Fiber fair in Redway. The people watching was fun. The rest was bullcrap. I found nothing I had to have, well except some cool wooden crochet hooks, but I didn't have to have those so bad that I bought them. My in laws met us there. NO wait. They met ME there. Because when I got home Sunday morning from feeding the goats my hubby and mom were there, as planned. Only my hubby was a flaming flying dick. I mean Asshole, capitol A. So, he flips out when I ask him to pick up and go through some crap of HIS he left on the floor, flies out the door and drives off. My mom who was supposed to go with us too is in a crap mood from the get go, refused to go after the Bill incident. Now I'm in tears, made a promise to go to this thing, and don't feel good. Recipe for a good time, no?
Bill starts flinging texts at me left and right and my signal is going in and out because well because it was. Now he's pissed (as if he wasn't) because I'm ignoring him and blowing him off. Well FUCK grow UP. Anyhow, he ended up coming down. Then blew off at lunch with his parents. I'm so glad he didn't ride with me so I could just drive away and say BYE BYE.
I came home and slept all day. I got up long enough to go feed and milk my goats and that was it.
Today I feel much better. As long as Bill and I don't speak, we do just fine. Now if I could just eat. I'm a stress non-eater. Add to it being sick and good luck finding something appetizing.

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Not for the weak

My son's new pet.
Please keep in mind that bark she's on... it's smaller than a dime. She's approx. 5" total in length. You know, not that we actually measured her, because have you ever tried to straighten out a snake? NOT happening.

Here is the picture of the one we caught and really wanted to keep.. but this snake was meaner than cat shit. It was about 14" long and very pretty. But even after a day to relax it was still striking at us. It's now free to eat my slugs again.Yes that is red. He/ she/ it was very very pretty.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Bleh, I can't even keep up my breedings here.

Ok, so yesterday was Maddy and Wildfire. At least in the last couple days. I'm putting them in on the 24th to be safe. If I see them bred again I can always change the date.

Monday, September 24, 2007

Baby goat fix for KG



What color is fear? Red

What sound does affection make?
*smooch*

What texture does Autumn have?
lumpy

What shape does a conversation make?
Depends on the conversation.

What fabric is a kitten made of?
Velvet

What noise is made by curiosity?
*knock, knock*

What is the smell of knowledge?
Cleaner. And Wax. Like a hospital or school.

How do you punctuate life?
Often.

What does death taste like?
Sour

If a tree falls in the forest and there’s no one there to hear it, what kind of tree is it?
Pine or Redwood.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Breedings? I'm about to shoot me a buck. And it isn't a deer!
(Yesterday and today)
Ryan x Willow
Ryan x Star
Ryan x Tabby

maybe. who knows. but if i don't write it down I'll never know.

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Pictures uploaded, printed, picked up, sorted, and inserted into a book.

Phew.
Don't you wish I had a life and would stop posting so much?

So today I had to set up an appointment with a client. He and his brother have to test close to each other right now because they each have some of the other cows. Very confusing to say the least. One brother hates test, today I needed to call him.
Me: "Hi XXXX, how are you?"
him: "Hi, you, doing good."
me: "So I'm going brotherX's on Thursday..."
him: "Well, good for you!"
me: "um, that means you need to test too."
him. "oh."

He cracks me up.
What?! Why am I here. I'm like one click away from finding the end of the internet and I wind up here.

I just ordered 136 prints from Walgreens. I'm catching up my sons photo albums. As nice as photos are on the computer, for sending and uploading and sharing, they just aren't "there". Ya know? You can't flip through the pages and oh and ah and eww over them.

As we get older those memories are precious. I never cared much as a kid or even a few year ago. But I like to look through those old photos. I want Greg to have that.

I may a decision to carry my camera more. I've gotten lazy about taking photos that aren't of the goats.

I am going to look for a nice little digital point and shoot. While my digital is as out of date as they come now days, it's perfect for "events". I'd like one that would be faster and easier for everyday snap shots. Must be more convenient for my pocket.

Good thing I bought a 300 picture album. Guess what we're going through tonight. :-)
Notes:
Yesterday: 9/19 Capers x Kent, Pepsee x Baron
Today: 9/20 Rose x Kent, Sabatini x Arcadia, Ryan x Willow, Baron x Nottie.

With this schedule I'll be moving into my barn and living there for a couple weeks in Feb. Got hotplate? Will travel.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Oh and....

www.humboldt1.com/~fernview

The web site is all done. I think. I'm tweaking things but the major changes are done.
Did post this already?

If it's a double... stop now. Or shut up and read anyway. I just don't care. Cranky much??
Bill= fine. Surgery went fine, we were only at the hospital a total of 3 and a half hours. Then we went to dinner because he was "starving!!" He's up and "running" so to speak. Today we went to Eureka, Scotia and Fortuna. We also hit the casino for an hour or so. We lost all the money we took to spend but had a good time. He's cooking dinner for himself and Greg. The TV has been on for entirely too long. So far, other than the fact he argues with EVERYFUCKINGTHING we say, that is the most annoying things he's doing. If I have to listen to that f-ing TV for the next 6 weeks, well it can go unsaid that the TV will be broken. A hammer can do that.

Goats are still getting bred, I think I'll have some more to update after I milk.
I worked this morning with cows. All went well. But ehh gads I dislike morning milk tests. I just don't sleep well the might before.

So now I've been up for 14 hours and I'm getting cranky. I'd take a nap, but I'm not a good napper. I don't get happy and rested after a nap. I'm pretty much a nasty *itch after a nap.

4 more hours and I can just go to bed.

Monday, September 17, 2007

And let the breedings begin!

Tilly x Baron
Shikari x Sabatini
Peaches x Kent

I think Pepsee is was bred Friday, but I didn't "see" the deed done. We're leaving her in the "maybe" column.

Finally

Surgery day. We have to be there at 10:30 and he has surgery at 12, we're supposed to be home by 2. We'll see.

Keep him in your thoughts... mostly that I don't kill him. He's already driving me nuts and it's a normal Monday for us.

Oh and... the web site re-vamp is done. Bleh except I forgot the search engine tags. Ahh hell. Oh well, go check it out folks.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Fair Humor

Or... Monkey See, Monkey Do.

So we're sitting at dinner and I see my son has this zit right under his nose. Have I mentioned I'm a zit picker? Drives him nutty.
So there we sit and I can't exactly pick his zits for him, he outweighs and can outrun me.
So I start rubbing under my nose.
He wipes under his thinking he has something on his lip.
I'm staring right at his lip.
I keep wiping.
He wipes again.
So I kinda scratch a little.
And so does he, taking the top right off that bad boy.
I say, while chuckling at my success as a bad horrible mean mother, "Monkey See, Monkey Do."

He looks right at me and says:
"I want a shirt that says "Please do not Tease, Torment, Harass, Pester, Nettle.....""

OMG. Bill almost spit out his pudding. I had tears ROLLING. It was too damn funny.

And if you've never been in my barn at the fair, you would have NO clue why that's so funny.
It references a HUGE sign we have just as you walk into the barn. It goes on and on like the above with every word for ANNOY you can think of. IT then says, Please do not pet the animals. People never listen.
ARRR! WhereĆ¢��s me grog, wench?

Saturday, September 15, 2007

This re-vamp is taking less time that I had first though. It's amazing how fast it all comes back. It's been a long time since I've hand coded a web page. I used to do it daily until I started cheating. Coffee Cup is again my friend. I loved the original version. Then my MIL bought the "new" version (4-5 years ago) and I hated, no, loathed it. Now, this current version is reminiscent of the original only optimized.

I have each goats page just about done. The pictures are done and their pedigrees are done, I just have to create a way to add their milk records and LA scores that doesn't make me cringe.

And linking. OMG. I actually started that process today. Shoot me now, M'kay.
Hubby went for his pre-op yesterday. Likely the fastest pre-op in history.
We arrived at the hospital to register at 1:35. We walked to short stay at 1:45 and got INTO my car at 1:54. While we were there, and we found out he has lost about 30 pounds, that my (yeah I was playing with shit) blood oxygen level was over 90! WOO HOO. A healthy person is 100. Bill's was 96, ha, smoker. We won't count the fact that my heart rate was 106-110 the whole time I had it on. Bill says, in front of the nurse, take that damn thing off before they admit you and we have to have a double room. LOL

I think he was pretty happy about the weight lose. He worried about keeping it off now while he's off. I was worried about that too. He's a boredom eater. He's actually more like a, oh look I sat down for 10 min, I think I'll eat a whole meal. Bill doesn't snack. A "snack" is half a gallon of ice cream. No shit. You think I'm kidding, I'm not.

He's talking about walking during his down time to keep the weight off. I hope he will. I did tell him I didn't think he would. (possibly a little reverse psychology) My quote was pretty good, even for me. "Honey, you just aren't genetically predisposed to enjoy exercise."

Bill's nephew is doing well. We sent down some more baby clothes for him. My MIL was determined he was going to be over 9# and would hear nothing else. He's 6.05. So nothing they have fit him. I found them some preemie stuff and smaller newborn that will fit him now and for a few weeks. Lisa isn't feeling very good. She's been put on bed rest. Part of her incision opened up. If she's as much like me as I think, she'll ignore it. Ha.

Friday, September 14, 2007

I will win, new web site. I.will.win.

19 individual animals pages. 19 people. Shit I have too many goats. And that's not the babies. NOT the juniors at all. And I'm breeding them. Well, actually the bucks are doing the breeding, and a mightily poor job of it they are doing I might add.

According to the moons I should see breeding action from the 19th through the 3rd. Mostly around the 26 (I think it said and I'm too lazy to go back and look again).

As for the web site. I have mastered the menu. I just about shot myself in the process. Not to mention the dumb asses who wrote the FAQ and tutorial for the program I ended up using. I downloaded two. One was super easy to create with, and had no help section at all. The one I ended up using was a little harder to work with (like it wasn't happy creating a menu with 2 levels of sub menus, but would) and the FAQ wasn't very helpful. I finally found an answer to my dilemma under a section I never would have looked in, if I hadn't been just desperately clicking looking to try anything.

Now I'm like a third of the way done. What! Ok fine, 1/8. But it will go quick now. It's all the linking that's going to kill me.

Luckily I love PSP and can reuse most of my graphics with the magic of cut and paste.

My border collie seems to be eating in her sleep. She's lying there, sound asleep, air chewing and swallowing. Great... Freak.
So anyone want to finish my web site for me? No?

I have the vision. I can actually do the work. But when I sit down to actually do it, I'm like, ahh fuck it.

This is not for THIS site, but for my goats. I want a minor revamp. Only thing is I designed the first site the "easy" way. I have now outgrown the way it is, and my current elements are a PITA to transfer to a new layout. Which means my "minor" change just became a huge deal. Oh and that first easy way? Saved all my photos in one place. Handy, no? Problem. It saved them all as thumbnails, which means I have to FIND THE ORIGINALS.
My file saving is a well thought out process. At.The.Moment. That means those pictures might be in My Photos, My Doc/Goats, My Doc/Web site, My Doc/New (which means they should be filed, but usually sit there collecting dust)

So any bored web designers (yeah I'm looking at you KG :-) ) out there wanna listen to me whine? Still no takers? I can't IMAGINE why.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

OK Avitable. He seems to be into "I'll show you mine if you show me yours". So here's mine. My house that is.

As close as a shot as they have.
So here's the funny part. See that overwhelming tree near the corner of our lot. Yeah, that big black shadow. It actually sits across the street and behind us, and it's not there any more. Hasn't been for a year or better. The obnoxious neighbors house is in this picture, so it's at least more recent than 4 years. And somehow they snapped this shot while only ONE of our cars were home. Either that or I want their magic pen because my s-10 hasn't moved in 5 years, and it's no where to be seen. Yet you can see the big black truck.... what's that tell ya? Ha.

So there is mine. Try google maps for an aerial of yours. MSN live I hear works well too... if you don't live in BFE.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Sick of Sick

G has been sick forever. Well more like since last Wednesday. Yesterday I finally took him to the Dr. That puking shit wasn't letting up.
So far it's stress related anxiety. He's a worry wart who expresses it by way of mouth, so to speak.
Unfortunately that means he has a case of erosive esophigitus, due to the constant vomiting. Ulcers next. Oh the fun.

So I've been in touch with his teachers, or rather have been trying to be. It's like dealing with bricks, blond bricks. Well except the one who said to keep him home till he was all better, it was too early in the year for puke. She's kinda funny. I think he's all caught up from his time off.
This morning I e-mailed all his teachers, then managed to snag his "main" teacher out in front of the school. I wanted to let them all know what was going on. His main teacher listened intently then said, "So, he hates school." Yeah lady, that's what this is all about. He's hated school since kindergarten, it hasn't caused puking yet. Yes, a lot of it is self imposed stress from school. Striving to do the best, wanting good grades, new routine, pressure on himself, pressure from home (we've always req. excellent grades), fear of failure, his mothers health, his fathers upcoming surgery.
So I've already warned them that if he doesn't start feeling better I will be pulling him out on and extended ISP. I won't let it effect his health and well being, nor will I let them mainline him from any anti-stress meds. at 11, without trying that first. Home school is still an option. And after looking through his books last night really close, since this might really be an option, pfft. no problem. I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to ready him for high school.
Next on the list of things to do is to find something for him to stress relieve with. I'm going to talk to his favorite teacher and see what he might suggest. Maybe I can get G running after school with him. *Argh* Never mind... bad knee. *shit*


Oh and Bill's pre-op is Friday. Surgery Monday. Changed from the week I took off, to a week I can't gain an ounce of slack in because I already took a week off to be home the first time. Arugh. Who said owning your own business was easy? Oh wait.... NO ONE. LOL

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Old.

1. Twelve percent of Americans say they have never had someone of a different race in their home. Have you had someone of a different race in your home? Have you been in the home of someone of a different race?

Yes. And Yes. In fact I have done more than have them in my home. Yep, you may head to the gutter.

2. When asked if they think gay people are actually born gay (as opposed to “choosing” to be gay, 51% say that homosexuality is something one is born with. Do you agree?

I would say it's a little of both.

3. Given our society’’s obsession with the “pefect body,” the number might be expected to be higher, but 33% of Americans say they’d leave their partner if he or she gained 100 pounds. Would you?

No. He wouldn't leave me so I owe him that much.

4. This question was originally asked only of women, and 54% said they’d prefer to watch the Super Bowl over the Academy Awards. Which would you pick and why?

Neither? I can catch the Super Bowl ads on the net.

5. We hear a lot these days about protecting the institution of marriage. Oddly enough, that phrase is generally used in efforts to prevent people who love each other and want a committed relationship from actually getting married. Fifty percent of Americans say that it would be a good idea to require couples eligible for marriage to undergo marriage counseling before they can walk down the aisle. Is this a good idea or a bad idea?

Good.

6. A popular potato chip’s ad slogan says, “Once you pop, you can’t stop.” But 39% of Americans claim that they can stop at just one chip. Are you one of them?

Yep. Usually because they taste nasty.

Long Stretch

This is one long weekend. It's the 4 day stretch of one funeral after another for the 4 crash victims.
Today is the one funeral I had hoped to attend. I knew 3 of the four kids, but today, this child, my son wrestled with. I would trust her to keep an eye on him on and off the mat.

The rumors run rampant in a town this small. You find you are tied in some way to people you didn't know. Snippets of the "truth" come out more and more.
I've heard more about the accident than I really wanted to. Gruesome details. Bravery, coward, blood, guts and gore. Why charges stand the way they do at the moment. One boy who will live with haunting memories for the rest of his life. Probably with a million what if's playing in his mind. And the driver? As it was said at the first memorial, the state will deal with him.

As for me. I'm glad I don't go to Ruth. As it is every time I drive over Fernbridge I think of the boys killed there while I was in high school. My mind too clearly sees the scene as retold by a boy in the crash. Each time I drive over the spot where two friends lost their life and one hung dangerously close to falling over the edge, I say a little prayer or a little hello to those who passed. Because I don't want to forget.
I don't want to forget the 3 young men who died in another crash on that bridge. The one who spent much much time with me as a child. He was drinking and driving and acting stupid behind the wheel. Not too drunk to pass on a blind bridge.
Let the memory remind you to tighten your seat belt.
Let it remind you that drink isn't so important. Ever.
And kiss your babies. You never know when they may not come home.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Re-Review #2

Ok for those looking for the recipe that was YUM-OH. Try the link again.

It shouldn't take you to see a bassinet on craigs list now. And NO that wasn't some veiled message.

If there are any babies in this house they will be of the four legged, tail wagging variety. I have enough puking going on right now with out a newborn.
You know the nice thing about raising your kids. When they get up in the middle of the night... They don't come to your bed, and wake you up by puking on your pillow. You usually wake up to gaging and week moans of "mom" from the bathroom.
Guess what's been happening at our house the last two days?

Monday, September 3, 2007

Review #2 today

So while our choice of entertainment sucked today, our dinner rocked.

I made this meal from Pioneer Woman Cooks

Totally worth it. And fast. Wowzo fast. Blink and it's finished fast. A little garlic bread on the side and YUMMMM!

Hubby and son both gave it a two thumbs up also.

Off to milk test.
Superbad super sucks. I mean... really really SUPER sucks.

3 mid 20's adults behind us got up and walked out. Why? The language and subject matter offended them.

The last 10 minutes were remotely funny. The rest. Offensive. And I cuss at least once every 5 minutes. No plot, bad acting. Sometime the bad language and offensive subject matter can be hidden (ignored) for a good story or plot. This movie had neither. Luckily we didn't go into the movie expecting much, just a few good laughs. We didn't get those either. Oh and.... a few scenes.... borderline teen porn.

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Ouch. Owie.

I hit my head so hard today that it slammed my jaws together, cracking one of my molars. The really crappy part? I have NOTHING to show for my agony other than a cracked and now painful tooth. No lump on my head or bruise to show off. Crap.

My cell has been ringing off the hook the past two days in light of the tragic accident that took the lives of 4 local youth, 3 from my home town alone. One family lost their only daughter. It's all so sad.
As if you needed proof that drinking and driving are a horrible horrible mix, here it is.

Hubby and I started and FINISHED building my new goat feeder between two pens today. I now can move goats around for breeding tomorrow.

I'm on the hunt for something male and oberhasli that I don't have to own. Preferably with a nice shiny star in front of his name. I don't ask for much. Ha.

Saturday, September 1, 2007

So Avitable the hairy bastard blatantly STOLE a meme from Sheila where they took pictures of something of theirs to show off.

Then Sarah took a VIDEO of hers!

Shit man, I nothing if not a follower so since they showed theirs I'll show mine.

Ready?
Are you SURE?






WHAT?! Sickos, what did you think it would be? Oh nevermind... I did use Avitable's name in the first sentence, could have been anything huh?

I could have labeled things on there all day. Like where the hell did that milk sample come from? No really, WHERE? Because knowing where might tell me how LONG it's been there. What, you think I'm going to OPEN it, are you freaking NUTS? That's a science experiment gone horribly horribly wrong.

I did have to point out the little white boxes, thought MD might get a cringe out of that.... they do need a dusting. *chuckle*

Monday, August 27, 2007

Yum. Turkey lasagna in the oven baking as we speak.

Hubby can't have beef, so turkey versions here we come. Blech.

This one, tastes great. I think finding a "high fat" ground turkey helped.
I loath back to school. It has nothing to do with the shopping and the endless spending that seems to hit like a freight train this time of year.

I'm one of those parents that likes my kid being around. I don't look forward to back to school as a time for moments of piece and quiet, it is a rude interruption to our routine.

I'm one of those parents that probably should home school. What so far has saved my son from that is my known perfectionism. It wouldn't be fair to him with my OCD tendencies toward all things school and homework related. The kid would never move for days.

Besides, for him to support me in a way I want to be accustomed he's going to have to get a really good education.

Friday, August 24, 2007

Shop till you drop...

... from heat exhaustion.

I just got back from spending a large chunk of my hard earned fair paycheck on decking my kid out in the latest styles for the upcoming school year.
It was 108 in the parking lot of the first store. It was 70 at my house when we left. It stayed around 99 for hours in the late afternoon. At 7:30 at night when we could be persuaded to leave the A/C in the motel room for dinner, it was still 95.

Today we made one stop back to the main store of destruction and then beat feet for home.

School clothes are procured and he's set. Unless his teacher makes demands as to "stuff" he'll need. Then we'll hit K-Mart.

Monday, August 20, 2007

For those 3 people waiting with bated (baited) breath for a lively update about fair. Don't hold your breath. I like most of you and I hear oxygen deprivation causes brain damage. (Which could explain many many things with me.)
Here's what you'll hear from me.

  • It's over.
  • There were no major complaints that were out of the ordinary.
  • The usual bitchers are still bitches or rather, bitchers.
  • The only major meltdown was had by parents, not children.
  • It's safe to say I'm safely out of the middle of any relationships where I was was too firmly planted. Insert sigh of relief.
  • Things pulled together nicely, even if rough at the start and in the middle.
  • All's well that ends well.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Oh how you've missed me

I know you, my three loyal readers, have missed me.

Didn't even notice I've been gone had ya?

Ah well. I'm only here to mention I'm not dead. Fair.Is.Almost.Over. Two more days of playing nice. Then it's back to the regular day to day crap.

More when it's over, of course by then it will be a fleeting memory.

Saturday, August 4, 2007

Someone else on my bloglist posted a funny story about hardboiled eggs and I couldn't help but remember this tid bit from my youth.

There arn't many of these, so you may want to take notes, this one is about my dad.

So it was Easter and we were at the grandmonsters house. This is my dads mom. She always hid eggs for us kids, some real dyed eggs, some plastic with money and change in them. She hid (or maybe had the uncles hid, I was too young to pay attention to that) eggs at different levels. Really hard eggs to find had more money.... Get the idea?

Ok, so fast forward to the end of the egg race. Sitting in the kitchen are about 50 dozen hard boiled eggs. Easter threw up on the counters. My cousin, being 14 or 15 and determined to outdo his uncle Craig (my dad) is sitting there trying to crack eggs on his forehead.
Imagine.
Smack, OUCH, Smack, OUCH, smack, OUCH, Crack.
My dad picks up an egg and says, with all the machoism he can, "It's like this...." Smack, Crack...... SLIME.
There sits my dad, egg dripping off his nose and chin, while we all roll around laughing. He's starting to seethe.
My grandmother looks over, hands him a towel, and says... "Oh I thought I didn't get one dozen boiled."
All remaining eggs were cracked in a bowl. More like 3 dozen she didn't boil. I do think that was the last year she hid eggs.

Friday, August 3, 2007

I totally lost it with my son today.

Gut wrenching fear will do that to a girl.

The story went like this.

Greg gets told to do something to which he stomps and pouts while doing. I tell him, NO POUTING, suck it up.

We go on with working. I look up, he's gone.
This is no big deal really, in the fact that he's grown up on these fairgrounds and probably knows the nooks and cracks better than anyone. I holler for him. No answer. I wait about 10 minutes, he could be out of ear shot, or trying to get down from the I-Beams, whatever. I call again. Nothing.

Ok, maybe the bathroom. Ashlee and I split up and each take a bathroom. Nothing. I start yelling outside, No answer.
This. This is nothing like my kid. Wander off, wander around? Yeah. Not answer? Never. I jump in my rig and start hauling ass around the grounds, running up to the office and asking Susan to page him to the barn. The call goes out like this "Greg your mama wants you back to the rabbit barn, um, now!"
I swing back into the barn to see if he's heard the page, as the words "Is greg..." came out of my mouth I spotted him. I boil out of my car yelling "Where the FUCK have you been?" It went on from there and I'm really sure the F work poured out many many times. Luckily he's really used to that. Stress and fear tend to boil the F word out of my mouth ALOT.

The topper, the point where he's lucky to be ALIVE? Was where I'm ranting about carnies and weirdo horsemen and why the FUCK would you wander off without at least giving me a direction to send the bloodhounds. And regardless of how old you THINK you are, YOU. ARE. A. CHILD. (I told you it went on and on) Anyway, the topper was when I said, "DO NOT leave this barn!" HE ROLLED HIS EYES AT ME!
Rolling eyes!?
I spun back around and He.Knew.
"Did you just ROLL YOUR EYES AT ME?" (feel free to add as many four letter cuss words in there as you'd like, you still may not come close to as many as I used)
*Note to child, who some day may actually read this dribble. NEVER LET ME SEE YOU ROLL YOUR EYES. So amateur. Bet he'll never make that mistake again.
He sat in the car the rest of the day. He also took a much needed nap. He needed one. Hell, I need one.
I went back to him after I wasn't seeing red and asked him if he could even fathom why I was sooooooo angry. He said no. I explained. How would he feel if he turned around and couldn't find me anywhere? And I didn't answer when he called and he couldn't find my car?
Answers: Scared, worried, mad.
Lesson learned. Fear subsided.

Where was he you ask? Asleep on a park bench.
I'm getting him a homing device. Is GPS legal embedded on a human?