Eden

Your result for Reincarnation Placement Exam...

Garden of Eden

34% Intrigue, 29% Civilization, 47% Humanity, 15% Urbanization.

It's the Garden of Eden for you!

Well, this is about as cozy and simple as life can get. We hope you like it here. The real estate is not well developed, but the garden is top-flight.

Your answers indicate that you basically want to just coast through life. You don't want any trouble, and you don't want any special privileges either. That's fine with us. It's entirely possible to live a pleasant life without trouble or strife, and Eden is the perfect spot for it, as long as you don't... well...

Just try to behave better than the previous tenants. Evictions can be rough.

Take Reincarnation Placement Exam at HelloQuizzy

The Good Life

Aside from the message, everyone can now see what I've seen in-person--cheepy chicks, furry piggies, cows coming when called! Very cool. Maybe the moo-moos can tutor my kitties.

We got mutant eggs with our CSA share this week. We are officially overloaded with eggs now. Not to mention I am picking up another (ahem!) dozen this week. And we still have (cough!) dozen in the fridge. Quiche anyone?

Having been separated from QE for a week, it's really cool to know that I can be independent. Oddly, the kitties don't miss him. At all. Kinda freaks me out, actually.

I have been semi-vegetarian for over a year now. Ate meat at two weddings (talk about crappy food!) Had sushi for dad's bday, did that weekend flesh binge in May. I think that was it. This year I want to be 100% vegetarian, so I need to be more conscious of how cheeses are made. I've found a few vegetarian/vegan groups in Ravelry. It's nice to have the support and know I'm not the only one who fields rude comments and questions. Now that I think about it, I think my entire day has been vegan, without even trying! Amy's breakfast burrito, grilled veggie sandwich, pasta with CSA veggies.

A Drink to Our Health

The first large study of humans exposed to a chemical widely used in everyday plastics has found that people with higher levels of bisphenol A had higher rates of heart disease, diabetes and liver abnormalities.

Despite more than 100 studies by government-funded scientists and university laboratories that have linked BPA exposure to health effects in animals, the FDA has deemed it safe, largely on the basis of two studies funded by the chemical industry.

BPA is ubiquitous in modern life; it is used to give polycarbonate plastic its shatterproof quality and found in everything from water bottles to dental sealants to the linings of canned food and drinks. The chemical can leach into food and liquid; one recent federal study detected BPA in the urine of 93 percent of the population.

Full article here.

It's Back!!

Our little hook tail is back! Cara spent much of yesterday sleeping and appears to be doing much better today. Her tail resumed its perky position with a curved tip. :) She seems to have little interest in bugging her siblings and both don't seem to view her as threatening. Hopefully Cara has learned her lesson, but we are doubtful. My little baby is sleeping right now with the most angelic face. Who knew a cute face could shield such a fierce and stubborn little girl inside.

I've had doubts in the past few years about whether opting out of a child was the right decision. After adopting Cara, I think we definitely made the right choice. She has given us enough taste of parenthood to know it's not for us. The heartache, the worries, the discipline. And to know that how we behave and treat the kid can impact his/her life is just too much pressure. Stubborn Cara can't be molded or influenced the way a human child can. I still want a human baby, I just don't think I'm up for dealing with a child.

Wounded Victim?

Where do I even begin...I think I get at least one Good Mom Point for being so observant and in tune with my kitties. QE was convinced that Cara was fine last night. I knew something was off but I didn't know what. This morning, I found Cara with a sad tail. Our baby always has a happy perky tail pointing straight up when she sees me. Something with definitely wrong with my little baby. Turns out her tail got bitten. We think it was Davis. The vet's office says that facial wounds mean the cat was the aggressor; tail wounds mean she was trying to run away and thus the victim. Cara is never a victim of anything other that evil mom's belly nuzzles. We were sent on our way with antibiotics and a bill equivalent to a Knit Happens sale. (It's a good thing I skipped the sale, eh?!) The staff advised to wait until Cara is "less mad" before administering the antibiotics. WTH I cautiously asked if she bit anyone. Everyone eyed me carefully before saying no, but she was very angry at everyone. Oh dear. I swear our file is a-la-Elaine from Seinfeld. "Crazy mom convinced her cats hate each other. Gets separation anxiety when she has to drop them off. A total pill. The newest cat is a demon."

8 PM hour: ok, I can't start the weekend on such heartbreaking thoughts (for me at least). Poor Cara ate some food about four hours ago and has been hiding/sleeping since. I didn't even bother with the canned food drama--everyone got all kibble tonight. It just breaks my heart to see my baby in pain. This totally sucks. See, one more good reason why I just cannot have human children--I would probably be one of those psycho moms who freaks at her child's papercut. (Side story: someone brought their daughter into work a few weeks ago, maybe age 8ish. She lost her two adult front teeth bc another girl pushed her. Without thinking, I asked if she pushed the girl back. Her mom bugged her eyes at me. Ooops!)


This boy was a sweetie. He drooled when I petted him.



This little girl cried every time I paid attention to someone else.



This little fellow was simply hilarious. He and his brother were so tiny it was unreal. The camera really does add five pounds. :)

B-I-N-G-O

This is so funny I can't decide if it's offensive. I hit bingo four times. Without the stork.

Special

Happy Birthday Princess Angel!

Meow Mix

2 cases quality food: $66
prescription canned and kibbles: $64
food critics complaining at every meal: priceless

I know there are lurkers who would never pay that much for food. I pity your cats/dogs for being stuck with you.

Slave Girl

MY PIGLET IS COMING!!!

My little piglet will be celebrating his first birthday with me! Ok, with us. :) If I recall correctly, kids that age can stand on their own and like to gnaw on stuff. At least that's what I remember with pnut...assuming that was when she was 1. I have to start planning his party!!!

Today started out pretty awesome already but this news makes it super. I pre-ordered Volume 2 of Goo Goo Dolls' greatest hits on their website and I got an autographed lithograph! WOOOOOT! I received it last night and thought they made a mistake. Got an email this morning confirming I was one of the lucky fans to get my lith signed. I bet my email address got their attention. :) Will post a pic of it soon.

Clipped Wings

I love my new Civic but it does not have the same performance as my tC. Sure it's quieter and smoother but acceleration with A/C on is...like driving a Hyundai or Corolla--at least what I think it must be like since I've never driven either. Without A/C the Civic can hold its own. On the plus side, I can go further even with a smaller gas tank. Maybe that's because I know it has no performance so I haven't even bothered gunning the engine. I sort of miss my tC. I've never seen a car seat or children in a tC so it definitely has more of a cool factor going for it. At least my Civic is a coupe and not a sedan. Now if only I could drop an Accord engine into it...

Heritage Lost? Really?!

The spectacle begins, and a flurry of feathers flashes as the birds engage in a furious, fatal dance. Men try to revive the faltering roosters by sucking from their beaks the blood pooled in their lungs. Some wounded birds continue to drag themselves around the pit until, finally, with a mortal stab, the bird dies. The limp body is carried to the trash.

Washington Post article

CSA Week 10

Sweet peppers
PURPLE string beans!
potatoes
beets
rosemary
grape tomatoes
yellow squash
tomatoes
sugar pears
red-eye black-eyed peas

My Precious Eggs

I got a free book, Holy Cows and Hog Heaven, for my first buying club order from Polyface last time. It was published several years ago so things may have changed, but Farmer Salatin said that organic eggs follow different procedures than the industry. Instead of sell-by dates from the day of laying, organic eggs had sell-by dates based on the packing date. Why? Because the processors did not have a consistent supply. Nothing like paying $4 for a dozen of old eggs.

Praying for Time

Listening to George. My heart is racing. I saw him. So close. omg...it's like being there all over again. eeeeeeee Faith just came on. He danced just like in the video! sigh...

Week 8.75

It's funny that QE and I are now at a loss for meals when we don't have CSA shares to use. Last week was an off week and we've been kinda drifting along until yesterday.

Okra
Brandywine tomato
Beefsteak tomato
Eggplants
Sugar pears (so cute and tiny!)
Basil
Grape tomatoes
Sweet peppers
Carrots
Beets
Green beans

My dad is looking forward to eggs on Wednesday. He called to confirm I was delivering them to his house. :)

Vote for Queen Liz!

Liz Lovely got nominated in a few categories...would love if you supported them. Best part is that VegNews is giving away WEEKLY cookie baskets from Liz! Oh, there are other prizes too, but I would prefer Liz cookies. :)

She Monkey

Soul Free

My monkey seems a bit scrawny. He was a PITA to knit using dpns but it was probably more tolerable than seaming per the pattern. I think I am willing to make one more, maybe with him wearing pants.

Surprisingly, I haven't been knitting as much as I want to this week. These old bones need longer to recover from a concert now. My voice is back but my belly still hurts. We visited my mom at work to show her my gorgeous concert tee and she goes "is that your Goo Goo?" No ma, it's George! Don't you recognize George? "What?! I thought you were over him in high school! Definitely in college! Oh dear..."
There was a review of George's concert in yesterday's paper. They mentioned his last concert in the US was 17 years ago. I was there. Seven.teen years ago. Ouch. QE and I (ok, mostly me) are still re-living the concert. Oh so awesome. Sigh...oh George.

I accidentally gave up info about 1986. QE was hysterical.

Feeling Good

George Michael is simply amazing. Last night's performance exceeded all expectations. Last night was the most special and memorable event in my life, second only to my wedding day. It started with the restaurant for our pre-concert dinner playing Listen Without Prejudice. Coincidence? QE encouraged me to buy way more concert swag than I ever would have if he wasn't there. He was no angel, egging me at every opportunity though. I made the mistake of sharing obscure George trivia with him and said "back in '88" at dinner. I don't think I'll ever live that down.

My throat is sore, voice hoarse. My legs are tired, my abs sore. QE dubbed me the human shrill because I screamed when nobody else did, screamed every time George did a signature dance move, screamed because he smiled, screamed when he spoke. OMG...George dances like he always has--not good by dancing standards but we love him unconditionally. George still has a great smile. Love the accent, love the dimples. He's so beautiful and comfortable in his own skin. He's got a great sense of humor too. He wore the cop outfit for Outside. I loved it.

As you can see from my photos, we had awesome seats. No photo manipulation there (not sure how to do it--ha!) We were exactly at the center of the stage. George took a drink and mopped his face after every song. He kept his jacket on the entire time and sweat actually soaked through. Crazy. I was drenched in sweat before the first song even finished. The collar on my shirt was still soaked two hours after the concert ended. Best time ever.

George performed some of my favorites that I wasn't expecting. Hard Day was awesome. One More Try was pretty much the anthem of my adolescence. My senior yearbook quote was from Kissing a Fool. George seemed to get a kick out of us true fans knowing every pause, every inflection, every nuance of his songs. What's funny is that George doesn't care about performing. He sees himself as a songwriter. He wants us to enjoy his songs long after he's gone. George has certainly touched my life. All of his songs bring back memories of my past, my history. George was a huge part of my life growing up. His music touched me, affected me, helped shape me. I played One More Try so much growing up my MOM knew the words. The kids I babysat in middle school looked for George videos on MTV--at age 2 and 4. I don't remember much of the music mix we compiled for our wedding and most of it didn't get played, I don't think. But Freedom 90 was blasted after most of our guests left. That's one of the few memories I have of our reception. We have an awesome photo of me and QE dancing to that song.

Last night was worth every dollar I spent for the concert and associated expenses. QE might beg to differ though. But if George never performs again, I would still be happy to have experienced such a perfect 'goodbye tour'. I've always been open about George being the #1 man in my life (til I met QE). All the stupid boys I wasted time with knew that. Tolerating George Michael music and accepting that I was a big George fan was part of the deal. I could go on forever but if you've read this far, you've probably experienced enough pain for a week.
George Michael Forever.

Set list according to GeorgeMichael.com:

First Half

Waiting (Reprise)
Fast Love/I'm Your Man
Father Figure
Hard Day
Everything She Wants
One More Try
Different Corner--he did NOT perform this! My favorite of all time!
Easier Affair
Too Funky
Star People

Interval
John & Elvis video

Second Half

Faith
Spinning The Wheel
Feeling Good
Roxanne
Kissing A Fool
Amazing
Flawless
Outside

Encore #1--Careless Whisper

Encore #2--Freedom 90, Freedom Reprise

CSA Share, Week 7.5

Well, our veggie bin is packed. Still haven't eaten the beans from last week. QE brought home a HUGE haul of green and yellow squash from some guy's garden too. He was giving it away at work and someone told him we were vegetarians so we got a big bag full of them. What I don't understand is why people bother growing so many of anything if they give it away. They are sooo pretty. And big. Anyway, the squash will continue to be eaten or we may re-gift some to my folks. We also still have half a head of red cabbage. This week's share represented one and half shares since the farm had to skip a week in May and next week is a bye week. We'll get another extra half share the week before our next bye week.

8 ears of corn (used in summer corn chowder last night--YUM)
Yukon gold potatoes (just perfect)
one baby watermelon (so cute!!!)
one cantaloupe
beefsteak tomatoes
2 tiny eggplants (adorable!)
Cubanelle peppers (WTH?!)
basil
red grape tomatoes
slicing tomatoes

12 sides of me

Learned about this from LaundryTown



1. My first name.
2. My favorite style of food.
3. My high school.
4. My favorite color.
5. My celebrity crush.
6. Favorite drink.
7. Dream vacation.
8. Favorite dessert.
9. What I want to be when I grow up.
10. What I love most in life.
11. One word to describe me.
12. My Grandmother’s first name.

1. You know
2. Vegetarian
3. Hayfield
4. Brown
5. Prince William
6. Espresso
7. Nice
8. Baklava
9. Not working
10. Animals
11. Feisty
12. Helen

Spoiled

Oh, I got spoiled in my Ravelry swap! KnittyK (out of respect for her privacy, I won't use her full screen name in case she uses it on other sites) put together the nicest, most thoughtful package for me. I love the scarf she knitted for me. For moi!!! I would never have the patience to knit that for myself--especially with no mistakes! Then there's the blocking. I swear KnittyK sent love in her package because everything was so nice. Like good karma nice. The purty brown/red yarn is Malabrigo--another popular yarn that gets people all worked up but I had no idea why. And the red yarn she dyed herself. It is a very rich red. So awesome. She says I should knit something for piglet with it. A shout out to my piglet! It's amazing how a "stranger" can be so nice to another human being. There's the possibility that participants can get screwed over in a swap, so to be openly nice without getting something in return is just darn warm and fuzzy.

120 eggs

OH.YEAH I ordered 10 dozen eggs from Polyface. I am so excited I am ready to jump out of my skin. :) I haven't decided if it's worth going into work after the pick up but if I do, I will have to make arrangements with Grandpa Goo to care for my little beauties. My dad will have to run a nursery day care for my little eggs! (you can ignore my craziness) He'll get to keep however many he wants as a babysitting fee. I could take them home and then drive to work but that's backtracking and NOT earth-friendly. Dad passed on officially ordering eggs or meat since he "just bought a dozen eggs for $3. They are the nice ones that come in the special boxes." Oy. "Besides, your eggs were rather small last time [they were medium eggs, DAD!!!!] Although, they did have a much yellower yolk." I tried to explain to him that the yellowness comes from hens who eat real grass and peck at real dirt and bugs. He's convinced that his eggs are just as good, coming from hens with freedom to roam. Someday, dad.

It recently occurred to me that our kitties are innocent victims of us being vegetarian. They don't get to mooch bits of meat from our meals anymore.

"My" Men

Tony Gonzalez, tight end for the KC Chiefs went vegan. I don't think he stuck with it for various reasons, but the fact that he tried makes him one sexy athlete. It's admirable a muscular NFL athlete even bothered with it. The teasing he endured, the scrutiny from trainers...it takes a real man to adopt a "sissy hippy" diet, even if temporary. I need to do more research to see if he is still vegan.

Those who know me probably know my source.

When industrial food magnates hire the best clever-speak grads, things may not be what they seem. In May 2007 Tyson received praise from foodies and launched a $70 million ad campaign touting its antibiotic-free chicken. Sounded like real progress for our side . . . NOT.

What the label actually said was "Raised Without Antibiotics." Under pressure from chicken competitors Perdue and Sanderson Farms, the USDA told Tyson in June 2008 it couldn't use the label anymore. Tyson was injecting the embryos before hatching with antibiotics, thus claiming the birds were "raised" without antibiotics.

Tyson has now sued the USDA for "arbitrarily and capriciously" calling its hand, arguing that "raised" means post-hatching, not pre-hatching. Tyson says the embryo is not part of the "raising" process. USDA says it is. Interesting ramifications. Does"raising" a child include pre-natal care? And if so, when does life begin? "Oh what a clever web we weave . . . ."

Veggie Tails

Davis and Angel decided to join us for dinner last night. Cara was still in her room, so the amigos had a blast just lounging around. This week's share:

sweet corn--much yummier than last week. QE found a worm though. Gross.
red cabbage--how the heck do I prepare it???
celebrity tomatoes
beefsteak tomato (they all looked the same to me)
yellow (wax?) beans
basil
red grape tomatoes

It's so weird to see veggies in their true state. Unwaxed cucumbers, corn tips eaten off, blemished tomatoes, spotty green beans. The flavors are so much more intense though. I need to hug our farmers.

Organic Supermarket Droupout

Salatin needs to quit the name calling! QE and I agreed that their eggs are a great value and I will be hoarding next time. I will have to take time off from work but it will be worth it.

Gettin Piggy With It

Blech. I bought bacon from Polyface a few weeks ago for QE. He decided to cook some up this morning. Oh.vomit. The stench of swine was so nasty I dry heaved. I don't care if QE or anyone eats piggies but the smell of pig cooking just stinks. Bacon, of all things, is supposed to smell nice. QE reports that although bacon is cured, it doesn't have the smoke flavor as store-bought stuff. He said it tasted as good, if not better, than the regular stuff. QE thought it was too salty but attributed to him not being a regular bacon eater. Even turkey bacon is a rare thing for him. He decided he will give away the rest of the bacon. I am glad. From this point forward I think our house will be a pig-free zone. Cooked pork is fine. I just can't stand the smell of it cooking.

Got my Wollmeise yesterday. Oh so pretty and soft. It smelled nice too. I still don't understand why it's so treasured. Maybe I have to knit it to appreciate it. (secret: I have another on the way!) I resumed work on my monkey. The head was too big for a project, so I decided to make the full doll. He's cute. Lots of seaming involved despite using dpns. Totally not enjoying making the hat for charity. The acrylic/nylon blend is splitty but soft. Maybe it's the pattern I hate. So freakin boring and dull. I am knitting it flat since that monkey's dpn work had me on dpn overload. At this rate, I really don't want to knit more than one hat. But it's for people in need, so I will try to squeeze a few more out. I might knit double-strand next time to make it go faster.

Summertime

(it's the new NKOTB song, btw...)

It's officially summer. The first REAL summer I've experienced in years. WE GOT TOMATOES!!! The last time I ate a raw tomato was years ago when I grew them myself.

Tonight's dinner was veggie patties with a tomato and fresh corn. Dessert was cantaloupe with blueberries from Wegmans.


CSA share for the week:

yukon gold potatoes
corn
cucumbers
carrots
green beans
cantaloupe
green leaf lettuce
sweet (and purple!) peppers
grape tomatoes
slicing tomatoes
tiny garlic

Wollmeise!

Wollmeise is a cult-favorite sock yarn hand-painted by "Claudia" in Germany. People go nuts for it. I don't understand it, but have accepted it. Til now. Just managed to score some. Totally not going to get gifted to anyone nor made into something for anyone other than moi. Might just have to charge a fee for the privilege of seeing it, and a surcharge to touch it. :) Hm. Maybe I should join the Selfish Knitters group on Ravelry. (The premise is that they feel unappreciated for their work so they knit for themselves or those who feel the knitting lub.) Although, I feel the love quite often. Probably because I only knit and gift knits to people I know appreciate it. WOLLMEISE!!!

Here are the birdies I made:

Arf! Arf!

I got my books a few nights ago. I can't wait to make this doggie. I have some boring obligations to get out of the way first (charity knits) and then I'll start on my puppy. I haven't decided on colors or yarn yet, but I'm definitely going to make one for myself. Maybe in pink cotton angora.

Interesting (0)

My cats are killing me. Two days at home and I am a sneezing, snotty mess. We spent most of the day out yesterday and I was fine. A few hours at home and the suffering resumes. Two of the stinkybutts refuse to get brushed, so that doesn't help my condition. Not that they care. We got hairballs four days in a row last week. Barf count: Angel-2, Davis-1, Cara-1

Went to Wegmans twice yesterday. The guy at the coffee bar area recognized and remembered us too. How embarrassing!

Ravelry is taking over my life. I dream about it every night. I can see the website images in my mind. Last night, it was about my budget swap and whether my spoilee will like my package. Conversations with QE begin with "On Ravelry..."

Nummy

I placed an order yesterday. Knitting books. It's not my fault. I had to order enough for free shipping. And some were books I always wanted. Plus, they were 40% off! Besides the books are so I can make cute things for other people! I need to start thinking about Christmas gifts. And birthdays! Piglet turns 1 in November. I need to plan and prepare!

Swap

Kinda funny sounding word, eh? My group's swap is underway. I'm excited about the thought of getting a package filled with goodies, but not as stoked as I thought I would be. Maybe it's because some have a "gimme...I want..." mentality that's turning me off. For me it's more about the unknown. Plus, I'm too preoccupied with my package to my spoilee. :) The options are endless and $20 budget is so limiting. I already know I will go over, the question is how much.

Anyway, I'm excited. Buying loot for others is just as fun. Buying her yarn will be difficult (no, I'm not telling why!!!) Not being creative, I'm having some difficulty coming up with other stuff for her box. Well, at least given the dollar-limit.

I am very excited about the coupon/yarn swap I'm in too. Coupons! I put in a request for Zyrtec. Ha!

Summer knitting:
spoilee
charity hat(s)
a monkey or two or five
maybe another sweater for piglet

Cat Caste

Me: How many humans does it take to keep Angel and Davis happy?
QE: We haven't found out yet.
Me: Is having cats worth it?
QE: YEAH! They love us.

Beautifully Imperfect

Just signed up for the fall CSA. Here's what we're projected to get:

acorn squash, apples, arugula, beans, bok choi, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, garlic greens, head and loose leaf lettuces, herbs, leafy greens, peas, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, tatsoi, winter squash

I can't wait to plan our Thanksgiving meal around the goodies! I never thought it possible to actually love vegetables: to admire their beauty, adore each bump, appreciate every crinkly leaf. My only complaint so far is that we didn't get enough garlic with last week's share. After price-checking each haul with the stores, I think we got a great deal. Sure we might not have ever chosen to buy turnip or cabbage, but we're expanding our veggie horizons. Imagine, a vegetarian actually eating vegetables! (QE isn't a full vegetarian--he goes on fish benders. I should send him to rehab. HA!)

Foxy Foxy!

QE saw a fox in our backyard the other morning. I got there in time only to see our visitor scampering away. He wasn't as orange as I expected. Big tail. QE says we like foxes because they eat rodents. Poor mousies! I hope the fox didn't find the bunny nest in our yard. One night a week or so ago, I saw a prairie dog (ok, probably a groundhog or gopher) sitting right by the curb on our street.

Happy Birthday to...

George Michael! Who turns 45 today. I took today off from work just to celebrate.

Ok, not really. I planned on taking a few hours off for an appt and it kinda spun out of control from there. Despite the major running around, I absolutely LOVE having a day off. I asked the Nazi Dementor about working part-time and he flatly said no. A-hole wasn't even open to discussing what I had in mind--no talk about # hours, pay, logistics, nothing. "Can I work part-time?" --"No. End of discussion." My predecessor started out as full-time and went AWOL. As in showing up less than 40 hours in a MONTH. WTF I think I'll consider working a four-day workweek and taking a day off anyway. If he wants me to put in 40 hours, I'll put in 40. Go f yourself now, eh? I've digressed...this wasn't supposed to be a rant or vent (amazing how this particular company brings out all my rage)

I shared breakfast with Cara this morning. She enjoys having me around for bfast and acts especially excited on Fridays. How does she know when it's Friday anyway?? Mon-Thurs, she will circle around me as I cram stuff into my work bag. It took me a while to figure it out, but she waits for me to give her some of my bfast even as I am running out the door. So I will pick off some english muffin or waffle for her as I rush out. I eat bfast at home on Fridays. She sits and waits for me at the coffee table.

I picked up my first Polyface buying club order today. So awesome. The entire experience only took 5-10 minutes, but there's something cool about the community gathering around to pick up their food from a local farmer. Someone had a van full of snotty kids. Breeders. One threw a metal Hot Wheels-type of car at me while several others were running around the parking lot. Theoretically, it's fine to run around. Probably ill-advised given the number of cars going in and out.

Going to Trader Joe's on a weekday mid-day is probably like going to a playground--kids hanging off carts like monkeys in a cage. Oh my. It's days like this that I am so glad we chose not to have children. I hope my piglet does not turn like like the beasts I encountered today. He's got good parents who will teach and discipline him. Obviously not all kids are devils. But well-behaved ones are becoming rare. Just like SAHMs. Correlation????

My Boy

My piglet is so adorable. Sure, I know he's not really mine, but I'm thankful papa and mama piggies let me call their piglet "mine". I am still tickled that my dorky brother can produce such a perfect little being. :) I give full credit to my SIL. Ha! I can stare at piglet's picture all day. I got to see him via webcam this morning. What a great way to start the week. Piglet has gotten so big! He's long and lean with a big ol' melon head. And he's got two little teethies on the bottom! I love little rat teeth! Papa pig reports that he's very smart and full of personality. My little piglet. Is it weird for me to be so attached and devoted to a child that's not my own? I think so. Can't really explain it though. I hope to be the best aunt possible--to be his confidante, his friend, his guardian, and most importantly, his favorite. :) Maybe I should decorate my knitting room to be "his room" for when he visits. That's got to be worth a few bribe points, eh? Oh piglet!

Strawberry Sundae

I love QE. Sure, he takes good care of us (meoow?) and has lots of letters after his name on business cards, but he also allows me to buy yarn without limit. tee hee... I joined a swap on Ravelry and my goodie box has to include at least one hank/skein/ball of yarn. Poor me, I have to buy yarn. But in addition to the swap, I wanted to buy some for myself. I mean, not fair to buy yarn for others and not myself, right? :) I asked QE how much I was allowed to spend. He said I could buy whatever I want but "try to use restraint". BWAH! Does he know who he's talking to?! I mean, have I ever done anything half-ass? Have I ever not obsessed about something? I thought it was cute that despite knowing I don't need yarn, he loves me enough to allow me to buy to my heart's content. (Have I ever mentioned how easy it is to buy using PayPal?!) It's definitely emotional buying. But I figure it's better emotional eating right?

One of the moderators of my swap also dyes yarn. She's having a sale and free shipping. Great service, great colors, great prices. She does custom jobs too. She's in San Diego and has SD Chargers colors too. Oy. :) I can't wait to get my yarn. We won't say how much I bought, but I did get this (strawberry sundae):

Fibers

Started a cute sweater for piglet. Golden yellow (creme brulee!) with red (pomegranate) and light green (honeydew) scoops. Those are the actual names of the yarn colors. Yum! No stripes on the sleeves for my piggy though.

I need to buy yarn. LYS needs to have a crazy summer sale already. Probably won't happen til July or August. I will take a day off again despite not having leave. And this time I will buy yarn in quantities no less than 1000 yards to ensure I have enough for yet-unknown projects. I'm thinking of selling some of my yarn if I can't figure out what to do with it. Or maybe someone needs to have a baby girl soon. Doubtful that a mom would appreciate an alpaca silk sweater though--expecting her to handwash the garment would be quite inconsiderate of me.

Happy Place

QE thought I was a nerd for getting excited about this. I think such beauty deserves our admiration and love.
We've been to our Wegmans three times in one week. And that's with restraint. It's our new hang out. Nothing to do? Let's go to Wegmans. What's for breakfast? Let's go to Wegmans. I didn't think anything could replace Target as our default. QE teased me all weekend. Every time he asked, with no intention of taking me, if I wanted to go I said yes. WAH! So mean! What I find amusing is all those snobs from up "north" who used to scoff at our po-dunk county are now flocking to our store. They should visit "their" store in Fairfax and leave our newer-bigger-brighter store to us losers. I think we might be going again tonight. This will probably end my TJ visits too.

Tommy

Such a quick knit. I'm tempted to make more. Would that be a flock? Herd? Clutch? Brood? Pride! Pack! Yup, turtles are bad asses and form a pack. :)

Ample

Got my Ravelry t-shirt the other night. It is thinner than most tees and I would have scoffed if I saw it in a store. I've never experienced American Apparel before (so much for made in USA--it felt more like made in India or Turkey). The good news is the shirt fits. But I think that has more to do with it being stretchy vs me slimming down. It's not skin-tight but QE says I can't wear it out of the house bc it showcases my girls. He couldn't quit staring. Very funny.

Almost finished with my turtle. I think I'll name him Tommy.

Busy Bee

Here's some of my Ravelry loot. Note it's "some". heh heh...the too-small t-shirt is on its way. I also bought some yarn from a Raveler--there will be no evidence of that though. Ever. "Some" yarn is also on the way from Knit Picks. None is strictly for me. Sweater for piglet, monkey hats, and a few other small projects. I think that's all the goodies I have outstanding. Maybe. I hope. :)

I finished two bee hats and more than a dozen cupcakes. Loved the Rowan cotton. I was especially proud of knitting gauge without a swatch. Amazing things happen when using the yarn and needles called for in a pattern. Ok, the bee hat pattern was my own, but still. Very neat. And jogless joining of colors! I learned this on Kate, but I'm still tickled by how it works. Yep, I'm a dork.


The evil green onions and napa cabbage got sent to Grandpa Goo. The big white onion bulbs mocked me as I packed them up. Who knew green onions could be so darn big? They looked nothing like the puny things at grocery stores. The first thing my dad said was, "wow, what a great scent." Oh.BARF



We gave up the napa only because it was so darn big. It was very nice though. I guess we could have kept it, but sharing our bounty with dad was cool.

I told him about Polyface and now he's interested in some goodies. As a former chef, he has a weird snobbery about previously frozen meat. I'm not fond of it either, but I understand why Polyface does it. It didn't affect the flavor or texture presumably because it was properly packaged and handled. Meant to give him some eggs today too but forgot. Once he tastes these I'm hoping he won't buy Eggland's Best anymore. "But they are cage-free and have EB stamped on each egg!" I used to believe in the stamp too, til I realized the gub'ment is out to get me. :)

Oh. In planning for Father's Day, Dad said we shouldn't bother going out to eat since I'm "still" vegetarian and there's nothing I can eat. (still cracks me up) I told him that's my problem and can find something regardless of where we go. He finally relented. Plans for lunch on Sunday for now.

CSA Week 2

sugar snap peas--soooo good, even raw!
asparagus
oregano--never had fresh before! wow!!! The leaves are a bit fuzzy.
napa cabbage
kohlrabi--purple this time
garlic scapes
green onions--so big and so gross...totally getting dropped off at Em's
green and yellow squash--QE said they were perfectly smooth and flawless
broccoli--never seen such beautifully tight green buds before. Wish we got more of this. Only one tiny head. :(
radishes

We had the sugar snap peas with squash and oregano for dinner last night. With produce like this, I could totally go vegan. The squash were smaller than the 8-inchers at the store, but they were firmer, crisper and just had this different essence about it. The peas were awesome. Crisp and slightly sweet raw. QE didn't like it, but I was quite intrigued by it. I didn't know we could eat it raw and assumed it would be bitter. Man, with such goodies, I'm not sure I can ever go back to veggies at the grocery store. I am afraid I'll get spoiled by these fresh (and expensive) produce. We would never buy so much veggies on our own, so this CSA is a good thing. I was hoping for more turnips. Those rock on the grill. Kohlrabi was good on the grill too, but turnips are so much cuter and tastier. My only complaint would be that we don't get a lot of anything. It's just a sampling. Perfect amounts for two people, but I totally would have traded for more broccoli or sugar snap peas. Those darn onions are a monstrosity. Gyah. I would have preferred yellow onion instead of the nasty green stuff. Just having that in my fridge upsets me. :)

Not sure how to say this...

but I think I love my Goo more than I love George. Sure, Robby is dead weight, but hearing John still makes my heart skip a beat. George will always have a place in my heart, but Goo Goo Dolls rock my world.

Oh, and if I was John, I would decline the Songwriter Hall of Fame's loser award...he's getting some award not for going into the HoF, but Starlight recognition...for up and coming, bright young talent. WHAT A CROCK. He's been in the business for 20+ years. How's that for up and coming. Alicia Keys, John Legend, John Mayer, Rob Thomas have all received this award in past years. Not knocking any of them at all. They are all very good. But John's been writing songs long before most of them. He and Rob Thomas made it big in the mid-90s. I'm fairly certain the others were still relatively obscure. John, take your award, pack it in some cat poo and ship it back to the No Talent Ass Clowns at the SHoF. (hee hee...I've been looking for an opportunity to use that line from Office Space!)

Obsessive Stalking

My Ravelry addiction paid off. I ordered the organic veggie bag and the pint glasses. Probably doesn't mean much to non-Ravelers but I'll share pics when I receive my goodies. :) The loot was sold out within hours in May. They reordered and just got them in. We won't talk about the frequency of my stalking, ok? My favorite feature is on the forums. If you write "cake", a little slice of cake will show up next to the word. Easily amused, I know.

ETA: (I don't know what this means, except Ravelers do this on their posts. I know it has to do with adding stuff after the original post though. hahaha) Anyway, the BEST part about shopping on Ravelry is that you pay by PayPal. No whipping out credit cards necessary! How much easier can it be?! Online shopping is so wonderful. I think QE needs to take up a second job. HA!

Retrospective

QE and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary last week. Although it sounds like a long time, we both agree it doesn't seem like it's been that long. I've known QE for a very long time and it's reassuring to have the same mate in my life all these years, who knew me way back when and still love, accept and LIKE me now. In addition to gaining "a few" (ahem, times ten) pounds, I have evolved over the years...probably not all for the best. He still loves and cherishes me like the day we married. My mom says we still behave like we're newlyweds. :)

The other constant person in most of my adult life is Em. I've known Em for what seems like a lifetime. She knew me when I was still a teenager. WTF Em watched me transform from a naive, nice, sweet girl into the mean, cruel, and cynical bitch I am today. And yet she stuck by me through all of the drama and joys. Em came to visit me for lunch on Friday. It was awesome catching up and seeing her. She looks very happy and glows. (oh barf, right???) Em grounds me, calms me. She's one of the few people who knows the real me. Most of my anger and hostility isn't ill-will as much as sarcasm, I think. It's my coping mechanism, bracing for the next screw-over I will experience. Em understands that and lets me unleash the worst in myself and manages to overlook and forgive my flaws. That is true love.

I'm going to vegetarian hell. hahahaha I had sushi Saturday night (and a mildly cranky tummy), grilled Polyface steaks Sunday (no side effects), and made a Tuscan (Polyface) beef soup yesterday (snarky belly). I don't miss meat. Not the flavor, not the texture, nothing. That's not to say I hate it, I just don't care if I ever eat meat again or not. I assume I will probably eat animal flesh again at some point in my life, but I won't make an effort to do so, nor will I go along with it just because I am in a group setting.

There was a BS potluck at work on Friday and one person was asking about every dish. She explained she was vegetarian which got a few people flustered. I told her I was too and was considering going vegan. Holy tofu! I was kidding of course, but several people froze in shock and disbelief. I still can't figure out how my eating choices affects them. I should have brought a lasagna made with soy cheese and not tell them until after everyone ate...that would have freaked them out. HA!

I Love Adam Reid

My knitting queue is building rather quickly. I have become a Ravelry addict and find myself logging on about every 15 minutes. As a result, I see cute projects others have completed and want to knit them myself. Mostly baby stuff. My piglet is growing too quickly--I can't keep up with his size. His mom reports that he wears a 12 mos onesie--he's only 6 months old! He has a very long body so I'm not sure what size to knit for him anymore. I bought yarn yesterday. Rowan cotton for cupcakes (I'm the victim!). I also bought needles for the bee hats I have to make (poor me!).

Yesterday's haul also included an All-Clad MC2 casserole pot that is the perfect size for us at an awesome price (confirmed with numerous checks online). QE thinks I am a total dork for getting excited about cookware. It's made in USA! So pretty! I admit, I must have looked like a nerd clutching the display model close to my chest lest anyone snatch it from my hands. I also scored saucers for ten cents each! LOVE Crate & Barrel outlet! Last week I was near tears while admiring the half-sheet and square baking pans I bought online from Williams-Sonoma. Oh the beauty...the weight of the pans...made in USA by Chicago Metallic exclusively for W-S. I've eyed similar pans at Sur la Table by Chicago Metallic and those were not US-made. Does it really make a difference? Not sure. But at a minimum, it saves on freight and energy unless the pans were made in Alaska or Hawaii. Wah. So beautiful. I need to find a reason to buy the GoldTouch non-stick pans but I usually use parchment paper, so non-stick is unnecessary. America's Test Kitchen rated GoldTouch best non-stick too.

Woot on the Loot

Last night, QE greeted me in the garage cussing up a storm. It was like a little kid trying to fit as many cuss words into a sentence that barely made sense. He finally explained he was cussing for asparagus. :) We got some beautiful, tender asparagus. Even the fat ones were tender. Our CSA loot also included kale with red spines, kohlrabi, a specific variety of turnips, garlic scapes, and a dozen eggs. We now have five and half dozen eggs in the fridge. What the heck am I supposed to do with turnips and kohlrabi?! The turnips aren't big...cute little white balls, just like in those Mario video games. Two the size of tennis balls and a baby turnip.

Cat: (wo)Man-Do

Davis has moved past a mere hunger strike. Mealtime now involves me chasing him and carrying him to his room. And after all that, he still refuses to eat. A fresh can of food at room temperature gets snubbed. A gently warmed plate of food gets snubbed. A plate of food garnished with kibble gets snubbed. He will reluctantly eat a tiny bit if I sit with him while he eats.

Cara is addicted to Da Bird and is oblivious to her surroundings. She has slammed into our coffee table, tumbled head-over-tail, and run into walls just to get Da Bird. She has worked herself into a full dog-style pant with hanging tongue madness. And will continue to chase if I don't force her to take a break! Cara can easily destroy the toy in days--we try not to let her chew the feathers too much in hopes it lasts a week. So far it has. Ok, not really. That's a $5/week habit she's got there. I bought a knockoff with the same brown with white spots feathers, but she's not fooled. Grrr...it would save us $1/toy.

Angel is in full princess mode. She expects several brushing sessions per day. Let's clarify: for every time we're in the bathroom (a.m. getting ready for work and p.m. getting ready for bed) Angel expects several brushings. My bathroom routine is brush Angel, brush teeth, brush Angel, shower, put in contacts, brush Angel. PM: Brush Angel, brush teeth, brush Angel, take off eye makeup, brush Angel, wash face, brush Angel, slap on facial products, brush Angel.

Mulesing

WTF Is nothing cruelty-free anymore?! The one thing I do to ESCAPE from all the evils of the world also contributes to animal suffering. This is supposedly only applicable to Australian wool, but others say NZ and other countries do it as well. Maybe I should boycott Aussie wool just for the fact that it takes a lot of resources to ship yarn from there to here.

Mulesing is the surgical mutilation, without the use of anesthetic, of merino sheep. Skin from the animal's tail area is sliced away with hand shears, leaving a bleeding, gaping wound. The purpose of mulesing is to create a large area of scar tissue devoid of wool. This keeps the rear end of the sheep cleaner and therefore reduces the likelihood of fly strike.

Chicken Guts

Finished the Cinderella socks. It's a smidge small/short in the foot. That's what I get for not doing gauge. :) Tried to look for neat cardigan patterns and ran into two obstacles--I either don't have enough yarn for the project or the pattern is only written in one size, usually 34-inch bust. Um, yeah. I have boobs, jugs, hooters. My rib cage is probably 34 inches without any boobage.

Had a great time at Polyface and made a few friends. It's weird to know that my mental image of a farm rarely exists in the real world. I hope the animals at Polyface know how lucky they are to be living there. Chipotle execs were at the farm too, to talk business about whether Polyface can supply piggies for all VA stores or maybe supply beef and chicken for the C-ville store. We went to that Chipotle--QE said the meat seemed drier since it is leaner and cooked in-store.

I've realized that I loooove getting packages. Probably explains why I've been buying stuff online. It's quite neat...you click a few times, enter your info and voila! Things start showing up at the door!

Marrying Liz

Got our Liz cookies last night. Ginger who? Oreo what? I'm all about Chocolate Moose Dragons. The only thing that sucks is they are on sale now. I paid full price (and worth every penny!) but still...SALE! The cacao nibs add crunch, no bitterness. The cookie tastes like a fudgy brownie with the texture of batter. Liz is expanding distribution and we should be able to find them at Whole Foods and other hippie stores. Not sure if that's a good thing...too accessible to this CMD monster. :) QE said the SnickerDudes are good too. I was too in love with my cookies to fully hear what he said.

C is for Cookie

Today is the day QE and I have been waiting for. Liz Lovely's new cookies!!!!!

Almost done with my second sock. Can't wait to start on cupcakes again. And another pair of socks with Em. :)

With summer and grilling season on the way, I wonder how many tree-huggers will shun grilling since it is bad for the environment. I read that charcoal grilling is worse than gas, but both are still harmful.

Flesh for Fantasy

I ate animal flesh today. I feel sick. Need to barf. Just kidding. :) My tummy was a bit upset, though it could have been because I ate fried food. We went to Eammon's. I had cod and QE had grouper, the fish of the day. Yum. I don't mind being non-vegetarian when the food makes it worthwhile. Eating fish also seems more tolerable to me than land animals. Not sure why. The flagship restaurant, Restaurant Eve, serves Polyface meat. We will check it out eventually.

Went to Knit Happens since we were in the neighborhood. Bought a sock pattern, crochet hook, a cute pair of scissors, and an old issue of Vogue Knitting ($1!). Having finished sorting all my yarn, I couldn't bear to buy anymore yarn. So I bought everything EXCEPT yarn. Ha!

Stashing

Started to take inventory of my yarn. Whoa. There is stuff there I didn't even know I had. But it's really multiples of the same yarn and not a variety, so maybe that doesn't count. Will take pics later.

Un-Raveling

Feeling guilty for neglecting my Ravelry account, I thought I would try to enter some projects and my stash. I'm overwhelmed. I'm fine with the projects since I have photos of almost all of my completed projects. My stash is a different story. I think I will need a good full day to catalog and photograph everything. Ew. Do I really want to fess up to everything I have??? I dunno about that. :) Although, it would be very helpful if I knew what I had when planning projects. Ugh...there's a lot. Probably more than I will ever admit. Maybe I won't disclose my full stash.

Credit Card Baby

I suck. I can't bring myself to splurge on full-priced yarn. Went to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival and didn't bring my A-game. I found good prices on needles but my collection is already fairly complete. I could use Addis in different lengths (all but one is 24 inches), but I don't NEED them since I rarely do blankets or other large items. One booth had a loooong line of 40+ people. Ridiculous. I checked out the commotion and the yarns were about $22/hank. Maybe they knew a secret I didn't.

I guess the prices weren't too bad given most of the yarn were 100+ gram hanks. It got pretty crowded in the afternoon. Jostling through waves of people isn't my idea of fun (I'm anti-social like that) and gladly passed on any deals if it meant fighting my way through to the goods.

Monkey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHXBL6bzAR4

If You Were There

First CSA pickup in one month. I can't wait. Fruits, veggies, and flowers too!

I found the Boxer Nintendog. He's really cute. Much cuter than I expected. All I need now is the Dalmatian. There were two Yorkies with the Boxer. I felt bad for leaving them behind. Yes, I already have one, but still...

My cat mentor confirmed that our little Cara is indeed one smart girl. Cara is probably acting out because she's bored and not mentally stimulated. The mentor gave lots of suggestions on dealing with Cara, one of them being time-outs. Our little girl will give chase and then walk herself into timeout. It is so cute and funny that QE and I have a hard time trying not to laugh.

Cowboys and Angels

Watched King Corn last night. Really enjoyed it. My food hero Michael Pollan was interviewed too. The documentary was a really good summary of Omnivore's Dilemma. We learned that many Iowa farmers are in the farming business not because they actually profit from farming (they don't). They make money from government subsidies. They showed a Colorado CAFO (feedlot). I have to be honest and say that the CAFO shown didn't have poop-crusted cows. It was run by a little guy and not some big conglomerate. And I assume that any gruesome operation wouldn't have agreed to be filmed, and that the CAFO shown probably cleaned up the place since it wasn't a surprise visit. So I still don't believe CAFO cows are happy cows. What surprised me what that somebody said that a good cut of steak (I forget which part) from a grain-fed cow has 9 grams of saturated fat. The same cut from a pastured cow has 1.5 grams of saturated fat. CAFO cows get fat because their movement is restricted to a pen. King Corn will air again on PBS next week I think. Check it out.

I finally figured out why my Cinderella sock looks weird. I wasn't getting the pattern. Gyah. Will rip most of it out tonight. LOVE the Koigu Kersti yarn.

Everything She Wants

Em wants to kill me. After much talk, we're finally going to knit socks together. Holy crap. I don't think it's possible for her to have chosen a more difficult pattern! Provisional cast-on and all this wyif/wyib nonsense (with yarn in front/back). Cinderella on Knitty. I am totally freaking out.

Young Guns

Hard to tell who's butt is April's pic of the month, but it's Cara's. Her coloring has gotten much darker in the year we've had her. She and Angel look so alike that Davis often freaks out at the sight of Angel. I too have gotten the girls mixed up. What a terrible mom...

Here are my Nintendogs. I found the king charles spaniel (?) and golden retriever yesterday. Now I'm only missing the boxer and dalmatian. I've never seen the latter. No, I didn't buy a bed just for my doggies--it's Angel's new bed that she nixes in favor of her older-but-roomier bed. It would have been hilarious if I did buy a bed for the dogs though. hahahaha

My right arm and shoulder are very sore from playing Wii Sports, but it's worth it. I got a KO in the first round and my first-ever play of boxing. I had so many home runs QE asked if I was in the HR derby. Yay me! If only I was even 25% as coordinated or athletic in real life... :) I bought Zack and Wiki today, and Rayman. I'm conflicted about Rayman because I think it's shooting bunnies.

Wii Are Family

We bought a Wii tonight. QE spotted a Wii in the very back of a display at Target. It was the only one. I have to admit that as many times as we saw it last summer and passed on it, I found tonight's purchase a joyful coup. Sure, the games look fun, but for me it was the thrill of the chase and "winning".

I left work early today since I had well over 40 hours as of yesterday. Bought cat food. Over $31 for a case. Ouch. Still less expensive than feeding ourselves for a week, so I can't complain. A case of food will feed Cara and Davis for 24 days. Penne, the cutie doggie from Pet Sage passed away on March 22. I held my tears as I expressed condolences to her mom, the shop owner. Penne was a big dog (chocolate lab?) who was getting on in years and had lots of physical ailments. We had not seen her in several months, but I was in denial about her illness and didn't want to know if she was still with us. She was a sweetie pie. Penne was very friendly to everyone and was always an excellent hostess. Once, she hobbled around the store looking for QE so he could pet her. He was charmed and smitten.

After getting cat food, I spent the rest of the afternoon applying sprinkles to cupcakes and finishing up my kangaroo. I could definitely get used to working part-time. My spirits were up, my mood good. All of this week's anger and frustration dissipated. I am seriously thinking of quitting next week. Life is too precious and short to put up with crap.

Blue

Cara projectile-vomited on my face last night. I administered her medication last night and she started heaving with that inchworm/wave movement cats do. I wasn't sure what was going on but saw she had drool hanging off her face. Like the good mom I try to be, I grabbed a towel to wipe her face. Cara looked up at me and before I could wipe her face, she puked a vertical fountain, right on my face. So nasty. I have to say it was much grosser than having to wipe Angel's butt or any other motherly thing I've ever experienced. I started to dry heave uncontrollably. Between the thought of what just happened and actually smelling/seeing it, I was gone. Luckily, I didn't have dinner last night. I got home from work just before 8:00 p.m. and decided it was too late to eat. I was heaving so badly that QE didn't make me clean up the mess. I think he was totally grossed out having to clean up vomit while hearing me heave continuously. HAHAHAHAHA

Spinning the Wheel

Saw deer in our yard on Saturday. QE pointed out a big deer lounging in our yard, laying down and just chillin. I took pictures and was beyond thrilled to see our neighbor-visitor. So excited that I didn't even notice the other two laying down butt-to-butt with their backs toward us. :) Deer are such big and fascinating creatures. I need to post pics.

I have cupcakes coming out of my ears. It's been fun, in a boring way. The pattern gets dull, but I still enjoy it because it's a quick-knit so I get instant gratification. I got a suggestion to knit ice cream cones, so maybe I'll come up with a pattern for that.

I met a boy on Friday while waiting for the train. He was traveling alone to his dad's house. Sweet boy (reminded me of the kid on Two and a Half Men) who I thought to be about 12 but said he was a high school freshman. I still doubt that given his adorable face and perky attitude. There was an innocence about him that makes me question his age. Plus, he was very interested in knitting and wanted me to show him(!). We also talked about a game called Smash Bros. or some variation of that. He quizzed me on the characters from his "strategy guide" (aka CHEAT book! hahahaha). He had no idea who Snake was and was very impressed that I knew. One more reason why I don't think he was a freshman...most kids that age would play or at least be aware of Metal Gear Solid I think. Hopefully he doesn't live a sheltered life where his parents shield him from the real world. He was a total darling and I would hate for someone to take advantage of his sweet nature because he's not street-smart. The fact that he initiated conversation with me caught me off guard.

I bought a litter of puppies. Nintendogs. :) Adorable. I'm now missing four--boxer, dalmatian, golden retriever, and king charles spaniel.

John and Elvis are Dead

I just realized (ok, I knew but was trying to block it out) that this week is the start of baby seal clubbing season. I am by no means an expert or informed participant in the topic for obvious reasons. I did learn that Canadian fishermen do it in the off-season as a supplement to their fishing income. It makes sense to kill animals for food and other uses. What I don't understand is why it has to be baby seals, who are vulnerable and can't defend themselves or get away. And even if it is ok to kill a baby seal, why can't they do it with a gun or something that will cause immediate death? I'm assuming it takes multiple whacks to kill. Isn't one of the unwritten human codes of conduct not to prey on the innocent and helpless? We're not supposed to eat our fellow humans and we are not supposed to pick on those weaker than us.

Fantasy

Finally managed to convert the three discs to mp3 and burn it as one disc. It only took five discs, but it's done. So I don't look like a total idiot, I should probably clarify. Used three discs to make exact copies, one mess-up that I thought was burning the mp3s but was really just a copy from my Library, plus the final product.

Since everyone is probably sick of hearing about George, here's some other updates. Cara got upgraded from a harness to a collar. She hates it and keeps scratching her neck. Cara has resumed chasing her siblings. Maybe I should take the Prozac so it won't bother me when that happens. Chicken-flavored Prozac doesn't taste like chicken, btw.

Found some kid- and wash-friendly yarns for cupcakes. Except the yarns aren't all the same weight, which means it will affect gauge and finished size.

I'm thinking about working part-time. Not sure what I will do with my free time (knit!) and haven't thought it through fully. I have no valid reason like child-care to go PT. Wonder if "my cats need more play time and attention" will work. :)

Heal the Pain

Oh.My. George's music is timeless. Careless Whisper, Last Christmas, One More Try...still love them like I did back in the 80s. Other than reminding me that the 80s were twenty years ago, it's all good. Paul McCartney duet on right now. I feel so dirty for thinking a 60-year old is cute. hahahaha Upon further reflection last night, I realized just how awesome Wham! and George were--they were the first band to perform in China, he was the first white person to perform a duet with Aretha Franklin, he had the most awards/#1 hits or some statistical record at the time.

I find George returning to my life a bit weird. Ok, he was never really IN my life, but he had a profound effect on my life. As Frap would probably be all too eager to share, my world revolved around George for most of my adolescent and early-adult years. I did have several George-related license plates. I boycotted Sony when he was in a legal battle with them and continued my ban for years until he forgave them. I think I may have loved George more than all but one of my boyfriends (yes, QE is the only one I've loved more than George). Not that I lusted for George...it was more of a loyal, unconditional love. His dimpled smile still warms my heart. He's happy, so I'm happy.

A Different Corner

Bought the 3-disc set last night. Tried to convert to mp3s and burn to a spare CD since I don't want to ruin my originals or the packaging. Not sure how that works on a Mac. We only have iTunes software. Can't do it using Sonic on a PC either. So I made exact copies of each disc. Hopefully those actually work and will play. I am convinced that not all technology is good. It's only a matter of time before I am left behind. Five years is my guess.

Too Funky

mmmm...George. I got tickets. Sadly, there are still lots of tickets left. Yes, I know it's only the fan club presale right now. Honestly, I think the prices are a bit steep. But, this isn't NSync...George is in the Madonna, Prince, and Elton John class, so I expected the tickets to cost more. Unfortunately, this could weed out my fellow teeny boppers and encourage the stuffy old farts with wads of money up their ass. At his last concert, there were dorks in suits and old bags wearing pearls and cardigans. They should have gone to the Kennedy Center if they wanted to dress up and sit down during a CONCERT. In any case, I'm excited about seeing George. I have floor seats, but I'm starting to wonder if getting seats in the first tier of the venue would give me a better view.

Fast Love

I am still a teeny bopper to the core. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing. :) I joined George's fan club so I can get early access to his concert tickets. I also feel very guilty for "cheating" on John. Oh dear. I had George's music in my head as I slept last night. Every time I think about buying tickets and going to see him, I get an adrenaline rush and my heart races.

Hey Cupcake!

I've finished several cupcakes and two mini cupcakes. I gave away my prototype and my first "official" one--the service guy at the car dealership saw it and thought it was adorable, so I gave it to him. Why a 50+ year old man needs a girly knitted cupcake is none of my business, I suppose. :)

I'm kind of in a knitting rut since I've knit all the full-size cakes in Debbie Bliss cotton angora. I love the yarn and it works really well for the project, but I feel guilty that my sweets are all uniform. Where's the flair? I guess that will have to come later since I need to finish up my six-pack and minis before getting too creative. A certain girl has a pink Disney Princess toy oven. I am SO JEALOUS! It's very cute. And PINK!!!! Anyway, she needs to have girly cakes to go in her awesome oven, so this elf needs to get baking.

Kissing a Fool

HE'S COMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My beloved George Michael announced a US tour. I've been a loyal fan since 1984. Kept the faith all these years. In my fairy tale dreams, I'd go to the show in LA--on his birthday!!!! Oh George...

I called QE to share the news and said he's going with me. Silence followed by a muted sigh. Now all I need is Mark Wahlberg to tour (fat chance!) and my torture trifecta will be complete. Too bad Marky Mark has forgotten his roots. I wanted to see sweat coming out of his pores. hahahahaha

HR Nerd Humor

Me: I forgot to tell you that every time I use “flex”, “FSA”, or “flexible spending account”, nobody knows what I’m talking about. It’s “benefits bank” here.

QE: Well if you used the proper terminology of “benefits bank” instead of your benefits slang like FSA maybe someone would understand. Jesh! What are you going to use next, “section 125”?

Mental Ward

The Goo Mental Hospital for Rebel Cats is going well. Our patient has been on Prozac since Friday. A quarter-tablet of human med is tiny and very difficult to administer to a squirmy 12-pound wiggler with sharp pointy teeth. She managed to spit out tonight's dose twice even after I chased it with water. The final product was pretty soft and eventually caused her to foam at the mouth--it's a bitter pill. Cara seems more mellow but is still opportunistic in chasing her siblings. She has less of an appetite but still eats, so no worries there since she needs to lose weight anyway.

The rescue recommended a harness so we can attach a bell to her. Our little Houdini has managed to escape and choke herself on regular collars, so they thought a harness is safer. I bought one today. It doesn't fit. It appears that our little girl isn't so little. I also bought her a wand toy since many of her toys are hand-me-downs. She loves it. I'll buy another one (or two) when I exchange the harness for a dog-sized one.

Overall, I think Cara is doing well. She seems to appreciate the time I spend with her, seeking pets and headbutting me. I must say, I can see how human children, even as adults, can perceive a parent's favored treatment of a sibling. I have been thinking about Cara constantly and miss her when I am away from home. That's not to say I don't love Angel or Davis, or that I love Cara more. It's just that Cara needs me more and my attention right now. A few of us were discussing parents recently and someone said that parents tend to favor the (Cara is purring right now! She NEVER purrs!!!) sorry...parents tend to favor or focus more attention on the troublemaker/failure/black sheep kid of the family because they cause parents more worry, even as adults. Is it true that parents tend to "favor" and focus more on the "bad" sibling? Obviously a blanket statement like that is just not valid, but I wonder if there would be a trend there if all parents answered a survey honestly. Maybe parents don't love one child more than another, but love each one differently. That's how I feel, at least. I assumed I loved Cara "less" since she's had less time to build up a reserve in my heart. Based on recent events, I'd say that my love for her is just as much as her siblings.

Druggies in the Family

Well, I suffered all week for nothing. My doc is apparently out of the state, possibly the country. I was so mad I didn't hear what they said. :) They said they couldn't reach me but they had my cell phone number. They called "several weeks ago" and DID NOT THINK TO TRY AGAIN!!! So now I must go back. Let me just say that I had this appt scheduled over a month ago. I've feared and dreaded this appointment the whole time. The pain, itching, and swelling is worse than my shots. The mental and emotional anguish I've had! Serenity now!!

I took Cara for her annual exam. I asked the vet for advice on how to promote family harmony and told her everything we've done and tried. She gently asked if we considered giving Cara up. Ouch. Yes, QE and I have discussed it, but never seriously. Hearing the suggestion from an impartial person, a medical professional no less, stung. The vet did mention a possible solution: Prozac. She said many of her patients are on it for various reasons. Our doctor didn't recommend or dissuade giving up Cara or Prozac. She only brought up two additional options. It would have been so much easier if she gave her opinion (but I respect her professionalism for not doing so.) Long story short, I went home heartbroken. The thought of losing Cara was unbearable. I cried. Cara came to see if I was ok (is that progress?!) but she guarded the stairs to prevent my HeartHealers from visiting (no progress here!).

Is this what we've become? A society that medicates our problems? From a parenting standpoint, I don't agree with medicating Cara. Regardless of what other people do to their human or furry children, I don't agree with drugging up the troublemakers or using drugs to solve our problems. It just doesn't seem fair to her since it's not medically necessary or live-saving. Will we have a zombie cat? Will Cara lose her zeal for life? I contacted the rescue and Cara's foster mom replied saying she highly recommends we try Prozac. Gyah. I guess it makes me feel better knowing I'm not a bad mom for medicating my baby. Screw my beliefs and values...I have to do what's best for Cara. And I guess Prozac is better than giving her up, right? Right??? I don't know, actually. As a selfish human, of course I want to keep Cara. She's my baby. Do I think staying with us is best for her? Possibly. I know we will give her the best care possible and all the love she can take. It's likely her next home might not be as patient or loving. I don't think other households would put up with her antics the way we have. The vet was shocked we've done it for a year. That's love, right? Love is supposed to be unconditional.

So, tomorrow I will be calling the vet for Prozac. We'll try it on a short term basis and see if she improves. Hopefully just a few months on it will ease tensions and build tolerance.

Screw Hugs, Gimme Drugs!

Two (possibly three) days without my allergy meds. I must stay clean until Thursday, when I get my back stabbed with fifty needles they call allergy testing. I think the government is really embedding nano machines in me or maybe injecting me with some mind-altering serum. :)

I was ok yesterday but it slammed me today. The itchy nose and throat, the sneezing, and overall irritation makes for a cranky me. I need drugs and lots of it. Pretty green bottles are my friends.