Pale and Weak

Spoke to dad on Sunday. He said that if I felt weak or faint, I need to eat some meat. He said it's ok to eat fish and I should do so regularly. If I have stomach or belly troubles or pain, I should eat some meat. "It's great you are eating more vegetables, but it's ok to eat meat too." I need to come up with some crazy response that is totally outrageous that he will think I need a mental hospital. :) "The government wants us to eat meat because that's they way they track us. They feed secret dyes to animals that show up in our bodies and can be viewed with classified tracking devices." Or maybe "I hear animals crying, Dad! Every time I even see meat, I hear this awful wailing in my head!" hahaha

I finished piglet's argyle vest. The yarn dye lots were the same, but the front and back seem to be different shades. Still need to block SIL's scarf. I went through one ball of Big Wool for my scarf and decided to rip it all out. Stockinette tends to curl and against my better judgment, I proceeded with it anyway. I now have a nice scarf in garter stitch that is divinely soft. Next projects: a cabled hat for my brother or a bunting for piglet. I'll finish both in November, so it's just a matter of which I want to do first. I think I will start and possibly finish a scarf for my bro too and save a baby blanket for the flight.

FINALLY get to order a turkey tomorrow. Whole Foods hasn't updated their site to say they are taking orders, so I might order from My Organic Market instead. Thanksgiving is three weeks away! Why isn't anyone planning yet??? I'm a smidge disappointed we're not having tofurkey this year, but it's more curiosity than anything else.

November also marks our 5th anniversary with Davis. I think we will roast him a chicken or maybe just some chicken breasts. We have lots of meat in our freezer that shouldn't go to waste. Ooh! Maybe I should cook up extra and share it with those less fortunate, like the poor, skinny kitties I see running around our neighborhood. This cat love karma I have is really interesting actually. On the day we moved into our house, a cat was sitting in our driveway, as if to welcome us to the neighborhood and our new home. See, cat love goes both ways. They love me too. puuurrrrrr

What you talkin' about Willis?

I have always been skeptical of "organic" since it doesn't mean humane or cruelty-free. It just means no hormones, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers were used in producing the plant or animal. "Cage free" eggs doesn't mean the chickens had plenty of room to move around or could go outside. It just means the chicken wasn't confined to a cage. Most people would think that "cage free" means a chicken got to breathe fresh air and see the blue skies. It makes sense, but never occurred to me, that baby boy chicks are killed for being the wrong gender. Only HENS lay eggs. Since these chickens are bred to lay eggs, the boys are destroyed. Polyface recently sent out an email to their buying clubs about product availability. As part of the normal seasonal cycle, most chickens slow in egg production. As a result, Polyface will have fewer eggs available between now and February. What I find interesting is that this is probably when egg demand increases with all the baking going on for the holidays. What's a normal egg producer do? Keep the chickens in the dark and starve them for a few days, of course. By force molting them, the chickens will produce one final batch of eggs before they are killed.

Not Eating Good in the Hood

We shun microwave restaurants like Chili's, Applebees, Ruby Tuesday, TGIFridays, etc. Why pay $10 for food we can microwave ourselves? This unofficial ban has been in place for a good 3-5 years. Tonight, we decided to give these CAFOs a second chance. I mean, they know competition is fierce and have been trying to differentiate themselves from the pack, so they deserved a second chance. We chose Applebees and wished we didn't. The menu looked fine for a meat lover, but there was not a single vegetarian dish. Not even a token hockey puck veggie burger to be found. QE got a panko crusted shrimp that looked more like chicken-fried shrimp. I ordered the cajun tilapia from the Weight Watchers menu. I figured tilapia is farm raised, but vegetarian, so at least the fish didn't eat fish meal and byproduct. Tilapia is also less harmful to the environment than farm-raised Atlantic salmon. The fish was quite good, actually. We were just surprised that a restaurant that tries for universal appeal would totally ignore vegetarians. I mean, what if a group of friends wanted to meet up and one was a vegetarian? Most likely (if the group were considerate, good friends), they would pick another place in hopes the vegetarian would be able to find something to eat. So, despite having what looks like a decent menu, Applebees lost two customers for not having anything that remotely resembled vegetarian fare.

. . .

Had to get cat food, so poor me, QE took me to Knit Happens since we were in the hood. I used my Insatiable Knitter Card and saved $27! Let's not talk about how much I spent, eh? :) I got five skeins of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in a violet blue color, four balls of Rowan Pure Wool in baby blue, two balls of Rowan Big Wool in beige, a pair of size 5 Addi Natura, and Lantern Moon rosewood straights in size 17 for the Big Wool. The Natura are pretty darn cool. The bamboo is so smooth and slick--I like it much more than Clover, but my Clovers are still nice. The LMs are my first pair of rosewood. They feel delish. I can't wait to use them.

I am almost done with the argyle vest for piglet. Next project might be my Big Wool scarf for myself. I also ordered a baby bunting and a set of four baby blanket patterns from Morehouse Farm.

QE and I decided (actually it was his idea) that if his peeps decide not to come for Thanksgiving, we'll have a Tofurkey. I'm now hoping they all decline our invitation. In addition to not eating meat, it will mean a lot less work for me. Yes, Thanksgiving is all about me. Plus, the kid is allergic to cats. His eyes swelled up when he played with the neighbor's cat.

Spanx Me

Spanx rocks. Why didn't anyone tell me about this for my wedding? Or just share their secret, period??? Now I know why even chunky girls had smooth asses while I avoided pants for the last 5 years. I've only tried the footless pantyhose and I love it. The legs are stretchy without being constricting. The "control top" works its magic without constricting or creating muffies. I forgot I was wearing it. I am dying to try the camisole ($38!!!) and power panties but dang! must it be so darn expensive?

I am officially un-vegetarian today. I had a wild Alaskan salmon salad from Cosi. It was delish, but my stomach feels heavy. It was very good though. This is downright hilarious considering what happened last night.

QE and I were at Harris Teeter stocking up on vegetarian frozen meals for this workweek's lunches. Dad had called earlier in the day inviting us to dim sum today. We accepted until QE realized there wasn't much we could eat. I called dad back to decline the invite and explained I was so used to being vegetarian that I forgot dim sum wasn't veggie-friendly. I had told dad a few weeks ago we were going veggie and he replied, "It's good you're eating less meat. More veggies is good for you." hahaha This time, dad was still fully supportive of our vegetarianism but said "how long are you doing this for?" and "you can have fish. Fish isn't meat." BWAH! We've gone no red meat and vegetarian for Lent before, so dad thought we were in another one of our "phases". What's hilarious is that dad was trying to convince me fish wasn't meat and vegetarians eat fish. He wasn't argumentative about it at all. He just didn't see fish as meat, so it was ok to eat in his mind. Gotta love dear old dad.

Polar Bears are Drowning!!

QE hates it when I respond to weather comments with that. "Wow, it's nice out today. 75 degrees in October" --Polar bears are drowning!!!

I've been getting these intense stress headaches lately. It sometimes feel as if I'm about to black out. What's weird is that I only get them when I see, hear, or read something very troubling about animal cruelty and such. I care about many issues other than animals, but this is the only one that causes these headaches.

I know I can't become vegan, but I think I might sway that way in some aspects of my life. I think I should be aware of what I consume (food or otherwise) that may affect animals in some way. Tea and I have been on a virtual shopping binge lately where we talk a good game but don't buy. Cosmetics and skincare has been a focus and until I looked at Smashbox, I forgot about animal testing. This was a big thing about 10 years ago. Although I've always known that many of our cosmetics, shampoo, etc are tested on animals, I guess I became less aware of it. In this day and age of super technologies, is it really necessary to test products and drugs on animals? I can't tell if only brands identified with "cruelty free" or "no animal testing" are doing it or if mainstream brands that don't market this point are also not testing. Is my desire for a wrinkle-free face really worth it if animals were used in the development process? I think I would accept my raisin face to save an animal or two. Or fifty.

In knitting news, I'm almost done with my chevron scarf. I think I will give it to the SIL. My brother will get a cabled scarf. I will need a pair of mittens to match my new coat. QE wants a hat I think. I'm also working on a baby blanket for piglet. He's due November 11 and the papa pig is beyond excited.

Bees Knees

What did the girl mushroom say to the boy mushroom?

You are a fun-gi. Yep, that's still my favorite G-rated joke. :)

The flaky skin around my mouth for the past 18 months is a fungus/yeast. It's now under the control and I have no idea the cause. Burt's Bees lip balm has been a soothing salve for my lips and I have a tube stashed everywhere. I have become a Burt's Bees hoarder of sorts. Tip: Ulta has a three-tube and one tin pack for $9.99. SCORE!

One pack of balms have developed a crumbly, gunky texture. I contacted Burt to ask if it's ok to use, possible cause, etc. They asked for my address and said they would send replacements. How nice! I wasn't expecting that. I received my replacements last night. In addition to three glorious tubes of my treasures, they sent me a Head-to-Toe Essentials kit. Oh wow. What a nice surprise!!! Because of their generosity, I felt the need to give a shout out and spread the good love from Burt's Bees.

Sunday in the ER

The day started normal enough--Davis headbutting my hand hanging over the bed and Angel mountain climbing the mounds of blanket. Realizing I will not be permitted to sleep in, I gave up and greeted the day. Walnut bourbon pie washed down with coffee for breakfast (joys of not having kids! Irresponsible meals!) while reading the paper. I finally went upstairs to get dressed and noticed blood spots on our bathroom floor. That's weird...my toes don't hurt, how could I be bleeding? Nope, no bloody toes. Double and triple checking still didn't lead to any bloody toes. But my pinkie toe is clearly making bloody prints! It's everywhere I've stepped! Blood on QE's vanity. Hm. My hand? Nope. My arm? Nah. Looking around, I noticed blood on the tub's ledge. Ok, I can be ditzy and dumb, but I KNOW I have not touched the ledge! It's not me. But then who? Davis.

Our Buddy cut his paw pad. Ew. It looked bad. He wasn't dripping blood, but he was leaving bloody prints all over the floors. We confined him into our bathroom as we tried to assess the situation. In his efforts to leave, Davis stood on his hind legs and painted our walls too. It appears our boy cut his paw on a shaving razor left out. By now, QE is getting upset at the sight of all the blood in our bathroom. We quickly cleaned up all visible blood, got dressed, and took Buddy to the ER.

Our lean machine weighs in at 10 pounds 11 ounces. He weighs less than Cara, who is about 2/3 his height and length. His wound was a superficial cut that scraped his skin off. The vet took him to the back for a betadine soak. Ok, anyone who has ever met Davis knows that he does not like to be touched on his head, back, or tail. And heaven forbid we try to touch his paw! That's just asking to be bitten. So how did the vet manage to get our boy to soak his paw in a solution for 5 minutes?? The technician reported that Davis just sat there with his paw soaking. No protests, no growling, no attempts to take it out. NOT FAIR!!!

He's doing ok given the circumstances. Antibiotics for the next 10 days. Skin should start healing in 3 days and fully recovery in about 2 weeks. Angel is keeping him company in their bedroom. We thought Cara's relentless stalking would cause Davis to walk more than necessary, so it's best for him to stay in his room. My poor little boy.

Jive Turkey

The weather is finally turning cold...Angel decided I needed my head warmed last night and slept on my pillow. I must say, it did feel very nice to have a warm, furry purring machine next to my ear as I dozed off.

I know it's early, but I believe early planner gets the turkey. In reviewing where to acquire our Thanksgiving turkey, I came across one farm that is selling heritage, organic, free-roaming turkeys for $135. Is that the true cost of eating responsibly? Probably. So...if that's the case, what about all those frozen bowling balls at the local grocery store? How do stores manage to sell those for $.49 or $.99 per pound? Maybe the cost is truly lower because those turkeys were raised in a CAFO eating feed consisting of questionable byproducts, hormones, and antibiotics? I can only speculate. What I do know is that our "happy" turkey last year (from Whole Foods) did taste better and was juicier. And it didn't stink when raw. It was our first happy turkey and what a difference!

I've been vegetarian for over a month now, with one break for dad's bday (sushi). I'm quite happy with my food choices. I think I might just remain primarily vegetarian with necessary breaks for Thanksgiving and such. I don't feel any different, good or bad, as a result of my changed diet. I've lost 10 pounds since my doctor visit last year, but I feel about the same. As someone ever so kindly pointed out to me, I probably lost muscle and not fat.

Davis outright rejected the rabbit I fed him and chose to go on a hunger strike for three days. He won and I am thrilled my darling boy isn't going to make me feed him rabbit. Long live the bunny! I put the remainder of the rabbit outside for our homeless neighbors. Maybe they will remember that our plot of land is a safe haven and they are always welcome to drop by.

Cara had a vet visit on Monday and weighed in at 12 pounds. She was just under 10 pounds when we adopted her seven months ago. How could she possibly gain so much weight when she is so active? I feed all the kids at the 10 lb level, so this baffles me. We no longer serve kibble with dinner and the protesters are rioting.

Sweet Bitterness

I am almost finished with the cat pattern I bought off Etsy. I need to give it a nose and mouth. It's kind of cute, but it was painful to knit. I used a plain, inexpensive cream cotton this time and forced myself to complete the project. I'm not sure why I found it so dull, but I still have the brown wool one was a WIP. So unmotivated. Currently on needles: the chevron scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts in a mohair blend using Whispers; and the baby blanket/shawl from Special Knits in a white cotton. I'm dying to work with my Manos del Uruguay, but I have no idea what to make. I have enough for a shawl or throw, but it seems so wasteful. I also have Lorna's Laces Fisherman (500 yards per hank!) and have no idea how to wind it into a skein.

In an effort to be a better mom, I bought my kids raw rabbit meat. Poor bunnies! Yes, I know those cute little bunnies were raised for food, but I still feel guilty. It totally creeps me out, but I know it's part of a cat's natural diet. Overcoming my own selfish beliefs, I took the plunge and bought a pound of it on Friday. Luckily, Angel and Davis do not seem fond of it. Maybe it's the l-lysine I've been sneaking into their food (for their sneezing) they dislike. I will try to omit the med and see if they will eat the rabbit blended with their usual food tomorrow. If they don't like rabbit, then at least I know I've done my part to be a good mom. And then I will rejoice.

I don't usually talk politics and I try to continue in that vein. However, QE received a call from The Washington Post polling the "youngest male over 18 in the household". The survey was about the political candidates from both parties as well as his views on various topics. The fact that QE's opinions were recorded is hilarious because he is about as anti-politics as anyone could possibly be. Myself, I don't identify with either party. I sway differently depending on the topic/issue. That said, I saw an interview on 60 Minutes with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. I found his story interesting enough that I wanted to read his memoirs.

I went to Borders looking for Justice Thomas' book. It was not on the table situated front and center of the store as you walk in. I could not find it in New Arrivals. It was not with New Non-Fiction, nor Biographies & Memoirs, Best-Selling, or any of the other prominent displays. The online system said it could be found in the History & Politics section. Fine. I went to the section and the book was nowhere to be found. Peeved and growing ever-impatient, I asked a Borders staff member for assistance. He had no idea who Clarence Thomas was. Two reasons why the name should have been at least vaguely familiar: he's a member of the Supreme Court (helloooo!!!) and he has a newly released book out. How does a bookstore employee not know which books came out during the week? Not only that, but it's received enough buzz to warrant some sort of attention.

I finally found the book. On the bottom shelf of African-American Interest. ARE YOU FREAKIN KIDDING ME?! Yes, Justice Thomas is black. But does his book belong with the black fiction, novels and other non-fiction? Not really, in my opinion. Ted Kennedy's book (a bio, I think) was displayed prominently on one of the "important" shelves. I am fairly certain his book has been out for a while. Was Thomas' book pushed aside for racial reasons? Political reasons? Am I overly sensitive? For kicks, I looked for his book again at a different Borders. This time, it was under Non-Fiction but still on a lower shelf. It certainly took some effort to find his book. Would a memoir from a white Justice have been displayed front and center? Not sure. I just found it interesting that Justice Thomas' book was somewhat buried, as if Borders wasn't interested in selling copies. And I should probably mention that I took the only copy displayed. Why do I care? Because I hate Borders for other reasons already and this is just one more reason for me to boycott the place.

I like Barnes & Noble so much more, but it's farther from my house. Borders also lures me with their weekly coupons. So I guess my loyalty can be bought with a lower price. Ugh. I'm no better than those Wal-Mart shoppers. My saving grace is that B&N stocks so many more titles and magazines that I usually end up buying there anyway since ghetto Borders doesn't have my books in stock. When I ordered Debbie Bliss' newest book last month, I was told to expect a postcard in the mail notifying me when it arrived. I never got the notice. I did find a copy of the book on the shelf last week, though. B&N had at least four copies of the book at the two stores I checked, the same week it was released. None of the FOUR Borders I visited had any.

Goodbye Flower

Flower (with collar) was the matriarch of the Whiskers family on Meerkat Manor (Animal Planet). Last night, she died. Her death was actually in February, but I had not heard the web buzz alluding to it, so I got blindsided. Flower was a strong, experienced leader and led her family through many difficult times. She was a loving mother but laid down the law as necessary. Having kicked Mozart out of the family for getting knocked up, Flower proved to be a strong leader. Last night, Mitch (her grandson and my favorite meerkat!) brought home another tribe's pup, Axl, and Flower kindly took him in. Meerkat instinct would dictate that Flower kill this cub reeking of an enemy's stench. Flower instead accepted the pup, nursed him, and carried him when he got tired.

I know death part of the circle of life, but Flower died prematurely. Having watched meerkats over three seasons, it's hard not to get attached to the cute little critters. It's a bit comforting to know that I'm not the only one mourning her death. Viewers around the nation are crying too. How can this bunch of tiny (12-inches tall), furry warriors elicit such emotions and tug on our heartstrings as if they were our own children? It's always sad to experience death, but the loss of Flower is devastating. My heart aches. Life goes on, but it's much emptier without her.

Welcome to Sucksville, Loser!

But wait, I thought I was already in Sucksville!

I sent QE a job posting for a company that I thought is awesome (and would require relocation!) Ok, so I didn't read the description very closely, but it seemed up his alley. QE writes back it's a grunt position, hence the name calling. The benefits and perks for said company are very good, but many favor parents and the birthing of children. Why can't the rest of us get the same kind of benefits? I'm not advocating suffering for parents, but shouldn't we all get equal opportunity to duck out of work early? Soccer practice, PTA meeting, hot date, yarn sale, Goo Goo Dolls on Oprah...should the reason matter? If I take off to care for my hubby with the flu, is that less important than caring for a child with the flu? What a crock!

On a different note, QE found a George Michael import compilation CD at Barnes and Noble. It's not as extensive as Ladies and Gentlemen, but still cool. The listening station's review said as much and also noted that the US version to be released will be a 3-disc set, with the third disc containing rarities so obscure only the most diehard fans would care. Well, DUH! Here I am, George! I want it!

My dear George and his beloved blue-eyed Kenny were the secret benefactors of the John Lennon piano that has been mysteriously showing up in random locations across the US (check out the article in The Wall Street Journal). George bought the piano several years ago and recently began using it to promote peace and love. They are targeting places that have experienced violence, hatred, or sadness, such as Colombine, New Orleans, etc. Surprisingly, some towns, schools, and other venues have declined the offer to display the piano. I think it's pretty cool that this piano shows up in a field or a parking lot and people are free to touch it, play it and just be. Admire. Think. Imagine.

Random Thoughts

My meezer girls are very similar. Cara's coloring has gotten darker and without visual aids (contacts or glasses), sometimes I can't tell them apart from behind. Both also have a fascination with my closet, especially our dirty laundry. Both are shameless beggars for food. Cara's new food is Kellogg's Frosted Shredded Mini Wheats. She doesn't like multigrain waffles though.

The Dementors are cautiously freaked out by the fact that I have been dressing better and wearing more makeup. I am now bored out of my mind now that my incurred cost submission to DCAA has been submitted. Ahead of schedule too. :)

I think I will lobby to make allergies protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act. I cannot do yard work without suffering. If other bogus frou frou issues can be protected, then allergies should too. Allergy sufferers unite! In addition, I think my hiring a gardener should be a FSA-covered claim.

Our patio is completed. The people next door reported that our lovely neighbors help themselves to our patio during the day. Apparently these neighbors think we spent big bucks for their pleasure and while away the afternoons sunning themselves on our patio. WE haven't even been on our patio yet and they act as if they own it! It's so nice that the deer enjoy our patio. Someone should, right? Next on our list is to plant deer-friendly shrubs and flowers for their enjoyment. I think it will only be a matter of days before they find our chrysanthemums and start deadheading the blooms.

Ode to Halo 3

Halo 3 comes out in exactly a week. Why would someone like me know this? Because I have a tormentor who is giddy and excited about this dreadful game. Did you really think I was going to praise the game??? :)

Why Halo sucks:

1. It steals my husband from me
2. It is supposedly more fun online (darn Xbox Live!)
3. Who creates a game where you can walk in one direction while looking in another????
4. The alien bad guys make scary noises when you kill them
5. It turns my husband into a video gaming addict, including crazy bugged out eyeballs

When Can I Be Right?

Once again, QE is right--females my age can't avoid Baby Fever. At least I can't. I still do not want my own child, but I can't help longing for certain aspects of what a baby represents. Specifically, I loooove looking at baby clothes. Darn my brother for having a son! I want to look at girl clothes! It's probably a good thing our little piglet will be a boy. He's saving me big bucks! Don't get me wrong--all baby clothes are cute. And so tiny! But it seems girl clothes are especially adorable.

My other feverish symptom is the need to cuddle and cradle and coo. QE is very concerned. I say I don't want a baby, but my behavior clearly says otherwise. Cara is kind enough to let me cradle her every night. Ok, so she usually squeaks and tries to wiggle her way out, but she tolerates it for a few seconds. Last night, we went through the same drill and I gave her bits of pita to appease her. Sure enough, it did! I got to cradle Cara while feeding her bits of pita. I fed Cara as if she was my baby. QE was in total disbelief and reminded me that there is no way I would get away with it with Angel or Davis.

New Me

It's a good thing I don't like shopping. I would hate to imagine the destruction I could cause to our bank account if I did! We went clothes shopping for me yesterday. Got a two pairs of pants and two knit tops at Ann Taylor. The pants were buy one get one 50% off, so the total damage was about $178. Not too bad, I suppose. AT Loft was a lost cause. AT's quality isn't great, but Loft looks like Wal-Mart compared to AT. I like Loft, but $88 for a pair of unlined pants? The good news was that I dropped a size in Ann Taylor. They must have made their vanity sizing even more vain. I've noticed I lost a few pounds, but I don't think it's been a full size. Maybe I have lost weight.

Bloomingdale's turned out to be a treasure trove. As much as I love the clothes at Bloomingdale's, I try to avoid it because the prices are so high. Yes, people in my income bracket do, and probably SHOULD, shop there, but I am cheap. I can afford it but don't want to. As a fat girl, it's important to buy nice clothes that drape well with quality workmanship. Anyway, I thought I should clean up my work image a bit after wearing cotton skirts and sandals all summer. Bloomingdale's had a pre-sale of sorts. I still don't quite understand what went on except that I walked out with $390+ worth of clothes for about $250. Black Calvin Klein sheath dress; Anne Klein skirt; AK dress shirt; and Jones New York sweaters. QE picked out everything except the dress. All of my selections were busts. :) There was this gorgeous (in my opinion--QE hated it) Ralph Lauren sweater for $150. As a knitter, I can appreciate the intricate design despite it being cotton. I just couldn't bring myself to spend $150 on it though. I will keep an eye out for it and pounce if/when it drops to about $75.

Being (or is it going?) vegetarian has been ok so far. It's made me very conscious and aware of what I put into my body. Honestly, the thought of eating meat kind of grosses me out now. It's like I'm afraid of eating meat again knowing it's a dead animal's flesh. Irrational and weird. I still miss steak at Chipotle, but it's more for the texture I think. Eating meat makes life so much easier though. Having to find good, wholesome vegetarian food is difficult. Eating out means ordering the same stuff sans meat or settling for some half-ass vegetarian fare as if I am a second-class citizen. I think I am eating less processed food though, so that's good. I'm not vegan, so eggs are still in my diet. For kicks, I compared Polyface's pastured eggs with Trader Joe's cage free eggs. Polyface's eggs definitely taste better, although I think TJ's is a step up from non-cage free eggs (cage free and non are both considered conventional eggs).

I finished Marion Nestle's book, What to Eat. She makes some very good points about the US food industry. Companies constantly try to "improve" and add (perceived) value to foods so they can charge more and encourage us to eat more. (There are about 3900 calories available daily for every person; and yet most of us shouldn't consume more than 2000 calories per day.) Case in point: EggBeaters and other egg products. Most are just egg whites with some emulsifier (and water!!!) so they cook up like regular scrambled eggs. I caught on to this scam years ago and have been buying whole eggs and tossing yolks. A dozen of conventional eggs is about $1; a carton of EggBeaters is about $3(?).

Marriage Over

Well, my love affair with Google is officially over. While I will keep my blog and gmail accounts, I will stop singing the praises of Google. After taking forever to upload my chicken video (12MB), it took over an hour to then "update" it to my blog. I gave up around 12:45am. Blogger limits video files to 100MB--I'd hate to see how long an "upload" would take after the data transfer is complete!

Polyface Farms

"farm of many faces"
Doesn't that sum up their philosophy? How many farms acknowledge that animals have faces? Sure the farmers see animals, but do they really SEE the animals they raise? Polyface Farms was profiled in "The Omnivore's Dilemma" as a place where pesticides, fertilizers, and antibiotics were unnecessary as part of normal operations. The cynic in me thought 'yeah right. It can't really be like that in real life. The author's weeklong experience there was just to show it's possible.'

QE and I visited Polyface today. I saw first-hand how it's really done, and Michael Pollan captured exactly what really happens. It's not tourist-friendly like a vineyard. The "sales office" is little more than a hut or shed (no AC!). There's no picnic area or restrooms. The latrines were quite clean though. Walking through tall grass and weeds, we first met the broiler chickens. There were lots of pens with lots of chickens in each. The pens were like an upside-down playpen for babies. Each pen had chickens in similar age/size. It was kind of stinky. If open-air pens in a field stink, what must chicken feed houses smell like? Don't think I want to know the answer.

Next, we walked into the woods where the piggies were. Mr. Salatin (owner) was giving a tour to some Virginia Tech students, so I didn't get a great view of the pigs. They were huge! Piggies are not the cute Wilbur or Babe size pigs--these pigs were the size of--well, large enough for me to never want to piss off a pig. They were also loud when they yelled at each other. What was really cool was that the piggies all had their curly tails, unlike production pigs. No need to dock tails when they are happy and not distressed. Happy pigs = pigs that don't suckle or chew another pig's tail.

We moved on to visit the cows. As we drove on to the farm, we saw the cows and a few greeted us. I was excited to finally meet them. As we walked into the pasture, the calves were intrigued by us, but not enough to allow us to get too close. Most of the herd was chilling under a tent. Cows like to lounge in the shade during the hottest part of the day. We saw cows resting under trees on other farms, so I knew the tents weren't weird. Polyface sets up a tent in a new plot of land daily and that's where the cows hang out. They didn't look too happy by a human's standard, with all those bugs flying around, the hot and humid air, and having to share the shade with other cows. But the cows seemed happy. When Polyface says visitors are free to roam the farm, they weren't kidding. We were in the cow pasture with the cows! No barriers between us and the moo moos.

Our visit to the egg-laying hens was most amusing. Chickens are loud. And they really cluck! As we approached the Eggmobile (all animals get moved daily to new land in a rotation), the welcoming committee came to greet us (in the video). They weren't just moseying along--they were running towards us. For a brief moment, we panicked at the thought of getting pecked and chased by chickens. Luckily for us, they were very friendly and just wanted to say hi. Inside the Eggmobile, there are little cubbies for chickens to hang out, just like in cartoons.

A few hours of walking around and meeting everyone was tiring. I have no idea how the farm manages to do real work. We bought some really good looking meats and eggs. The eggs are ungraded, but some gave "large" a whole new meaning. Speaking with one of the employees, I learned that even "cage-free" eggs aren't much different than conventional eggs. Just because they are cage-free doesn't mean the hens get to roam around or eat a nutritious diet. Polyface's eggs are called pastured eggs. Their hens get to go where they please, eat grass, peck at dirt and just be a happy chicken. In fact, we saw a few hens who dug trenches in the ground to relax and dusted theirs feather with dirt. Production birds who roll around on the ground would be rolling in poop.

It was very cool to see a small farm make a difference in the lives of their animals. We can't save the world, but we can share our passion with others. After seeing the happy animals, I feel less guilty about eating another living creature's flesh. I've been going vegetarian the past week, and frankly I don't really miss the meat. I don't feel the need to eat meat. It's just more convenient since it's everywhere. Having to think about the source of my food has made me think twice about meals. Is organic lettuce from CA really necessary? The fuel burned to ship me that bag of lettuce cost much more than the $3 I spent for that organic spinach. Did me forgoing meat all week really save a chicken or cow's life? Doubtful. But imagine what would happen if 10,000 people chose "happy" animal meat or became vegetarian.

Unfit Mother

I've always been fairly honest and vocal about how just because women have the ability to conceive doesn't mean they should become mothers. I think I fall into the "shouldn't" category. Case in point: Davis and Cara are still facing off daily. A simple look (ok, staredown) from Cara will cause Davis to go into fits and scream. Sometimes she goes away, sometimes it leads to a full confrontation. His screams sounds like a woman getting beaten up. Horrible and scary. Last night, they were at it again as we were fixing a late dinner, this time on the stairs. I got fed up with both of them and smacked both on their side/butt. Davis was shocked and started to sneeze (he sneezes when he's under significant stress). Cara retreated to her room, none worse for the wear.

As dinner was cooking, Davis was in his corner of the kitchen watching. I go over to make up with him and make sure he's ok. He avoids my eye contact and retreats to the sofa, ignoring me. My little boy was mad at me! I hurt his feelings and he was scared of me! I go over to the sofa and try petting him again. This time, he allows me to pet him but still won't look at me. We made up by the end of the night, but I learned a lesson for sure. Animals do have feelings, at least those with whom we share our lives.

Last night's face-off wasn't any worse than any of their other fights, but I was fed up with it. Was I wrong to smack them? I don't know. Did they realize they shouldn't fight? Not sure. Will I smack them again if necessary? Probably. Don't get me wrong, I've never smacked any of the kids until last night. I don't think parents should hit their kids (human or otherwise) on a regular basis as a means of punishment. But sometimes, I think a good smack (just one) is enough to remind them who is boss and that their behavior will not be tolerated. That is obviously frowned upon in this day and age and strangers will not hesitate to report "child abuse". I think that is why kids are more out of control now than say 15 years ago. Good thing I won't be a mother to a human child...I would probably get carted off to jail or the kid would get taken into Child Protective Services or something.

Very Good Porn

For the record, I do not have an addiction. QE is my enabler and pusher.

Knit Happens had a super crazy, better than eating, better than sex, better than dark chocolate sale. The sale was so good, I would eagerly wear a thong bikini if it was a prerequisite. Yeah, it was that good. They were supposed to open at 10:30 and we arrived at 10:20, anticipating a long line. As we approached the store, I was relieved and a bit shocked there wasn't a line! Turns out the store was already open! Apparently there was a large crowd waiting, so the staff decided to open early. OH WOW

To make room for the fall yarns, many in-stock yarns were 70% off. Others were 30% off. This was not a bait sale where only the crappy colors or yarns were 70% off. Many were delicious, gorgeous yarns at yes-I-WILL-knock-you-over-if-you-are-in-my-way prices. Surprisingly, everyone was very polite and courteous despite it being very crowded. Go figure. Knitters must be nicer than the general public. Maybe more Metro riders and idiots on the roads should take up knitting. Imagine how nice the world would be!!!

Ok, so my pile doesn't look very large, but I assure you it is. It was two shopping bags of yarn. Think department store shopping bags at Christmas. Those kind of bags. Some women had four or more bags overflowing with yarn. My dad was amazed at my loot. In typical dad fashion, he picks up whatever was on top and goes "this one ball costs ten dollars?" When I told him I got it on sale for 70% off, he relaxed a bit and enjoyed touching and seeing everything. Surprisingly, he didn't say anything about how much I bought. Dad knows I am an avid knitter and I will use the yarn eventually, so it's not a waste of money. See, even Dad supports Stash!!! :)

Here's what I got:

4 - ggh Solitaire in gray (merino/acrylic/poly blend)
4 - ggh Solitaire in chocolate brown
2 - Lorna's Laces Fisherman (the cream/beige next to the gray)
4 - Manos del Uruguay (the peachy tan)
2 - Shepherd Colour 4 Me in white
4 - Jaeger Roma in cane (buff)
4 - Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk dk in ivory
2 - Araucania Pomaire in blue
4 - Laines du Nord Korall in off white

I know that most of what I got is rather neutral in color. Well, I've got enough wacky colors I bought because it was on sale that I don't want to stress over what to make in a non-traditional color.

Here's why I have the best husband in the world (yep, definitely better than yours! LOL) In addition to going into the store with me (it overwhelmed him, between the crowds and the noise--we really did sound like hens clucking), QE was my helper and actually scoped out yarns he thought I would like. He chose the DB Alpaca Silk in baby blue. I decided it was too confining and wanted the cream, which was on the top shelf in the back. Good ol' QE reached up there for me, to the envy of other women. After 30 minutes, I was done and checked out to the tune of $60ish. I was feeling great. I got awesome loot that didn't require me to settle on colors or yarn. As we walked out, QE said he was disappointed in me. All the hype about the sale and I walked out with one measly bag of yarn. After some trash talking, QE convinced me to go back in and look around some more. He coaxed me back in (poor me!), then took my bag and went off to wander elsewhere and would come back in 20 minutes. I went back in for round two.

I scrutinized everything, opened my mind and tried to break free from my yarn comfort zone. Thanks to QE, round two resulted in some really cool yarns that are quickly becoming favorites. All told, I spent a bit over $100 for the yarn above. Not too bad, considering full price would have been well over $350.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANGEL!

Our little princess turned 10 today. She is officially our geezer meezer and we love her more than ever. It seems only like yesterday we adopted her at the age of 3. After wishing her a happy birthday at 5:00 AM, I gave all the kids kibble instead of the "yucky" canned they snub. Angel was overjoyed. Today MUST be a special day afterall! Mom never gives us kibble first!

As you can see in the photos, we got Angel a birthday cake and some balloons. QE said one of the balloons in my final selection pool was "too babyish. Angel is a big girl!" hahahaha He chose the Sleeping Beauty Disney Princess "because it's heart-shaped". And it's quite appropriate since Angel is our Sleeping Beauty Princess.

Grandpa made the trip to see his favorite girl and brought hand-made shrimp dumplings for lunch. Gotta love Dad! He wished Angel a happy birthday and was all googly moogly wishy washy with her. Blech. :) He even asked why we didn't get Angel candles for her cake! And I thought I was nutty for getting her a cake! None of the kids ate much cake. It was virtually all ice cream with maybe a quarter-inch of cake. Ok, it's Maggie Moos, so I expect lots of ice cream, but a bit more cake would have been nice. The cake wasn't very sweet and nicely decorated.

Overall I think Angel had a nice day. The balloons scared Cara, so what could be better than that, right? We've been through a lot with Angel. And through it all, I think we've learned to be loving, caring, and well-trained parents. She knows we love her a lot and she is very special to us.

Happy Birthday, my little best friend!