It was just like on TV. While preparing a lovely Christmas dinner I managed to cut a lovely smilie face type smile into my left thumb, a flap about 1 cm wide and almost as deep. It bled like a son-of-a-gun. Fortunately we had given my middle child an emergency medical kit for Christmas, so when I called "medic!" she was quite prepared, lol. I probably should have gone for a couple or three stitches but she got it taped down nice & smooth and held in place. I gloved up and finished the coq au vin with crisp baguettes and a spinach/cranberry/goat cheese salad. Who wants to go to the ER on Christmas?
The cut looks just fine now. A barely visible smile but I really have to keep any pressure off it or it hurts. And I don't want to pop it open.
Santa was good to me. Thanks for the cards. And yes, Kim. You should not say "ass end" in a Christmas card. Unless it is a card to me of course!!!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
B.Y.O.S.
Bring Your Own Shovel. That was the only way to get to a holiday show in St Paul Sunday night. The 17+ inch snowfall was mostly cleared from the roads - but left piled 3 to 5 feet high along the sides of the road and blocking access to crosswalks from every single sidewalk. Which is how I discovered that I am still able to climb a small dam of plowed snow - but then I get stuck on top, lol. My bad knees let me go up okay but coming down is a whole other and much scarier story. All praises to Mr Swami with his steady hand and shoulder, and to DD's partner for his steady hand and shoulder. It was kind of a group project getting me across the 3 intersections we needed to cross in order to reach the Landmark Center.
As always - The Klingon Christmas Carole was entertaining.
Also? I love my new scarf. So warm!
As always - The Klingon Christmas Carole was entertaining.
Also? I love my new scarf. So warm!
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Thanksgiving Was Complicated...
Caution: longer than my usual posts.
Most of my life I have lived 2 days drive from (or 8 hrs flight time from) my immediate family members. If Thanksgiving or Christmas visits were to be made, I was the one who travelled. Lately, this has changed & people are suddenly quite willing to come to, or, in the case of my oldest sister, actually move to balmy Minnesota. So I am learning the joys of hosting concealed familial warfare late in life. I don't like it!
Turns out, my daughter visiting from NY detests my sister, who thinks she is actually the beloved auntie to daughter. But daughter does not want to sit next to her, talk to her, go to restaurants or theaters with her, be in the same room with her or include her in anything social if she can possibly avoid it. (She is never rude or obvious about this, just avoids these situations as best she can. So it could be worse.)
Anyway, this drove me nuts. How to be fair to everyone? I did decide to take my daughter & grandson to the Children's Theater production of Robin Hood without telling sister. Sister loves theater so she would have gone, even to a production aimed more at children. I felt bad, but then I really just wanted to enjoy this event drama-free with my grandson. We went. Had fun. I thought the mild deception was pulled off without a hitch. Then the very next night when sister was over for dinner (she lives in a Senior Housing complex about 15 minutes drive away) sister picked up a program for Robin Hood which was just laying on the bay windowsill right by the kitchen table.
"Oh. Did you guys go see Robin Hood?"
So I lied. I said I sent the kids because I couldn't afford to take everyone everywhere like I did last Christmas. Sister accepted the lie but damn I felt bad. Daughter swears the program was in a bag and sister shouldn't have snooped into the bag and found the darn program. I pointed out that it was a brown grocery bag full of snacks and of course my snackaholic sister would take an inventory of such a bag as it sat on a "counter" (windowsill) in the kitchen. So stupid.
So I told daughter that the next time she comes for a visit I am not even going to tell the sister, unless the visit involves a major holiday family dinner event. Which it probably will. Sheesh.
Now I know what other people put up with at their large family gatherings all the time. What a nuisance! How do you people do it? Maybe we will have a super-duper, chilly winter trhis year - colder than Dante's Ninth Circle of Hell - and scare everybody away again. I can dream, can't I?
Most of my life I have lived 2 days drive from (or 8 hrs flight time from) my immediate family members. If Thanksgiving or Christmas visits were to be made, I was the one who travelled. Lately, this has changed & people are suddenly quite willing to come to, or, in the case of my oldest sister, actually move to balmy Minnesota. So I am learning the joys of hosting concealed familial warfare late in life. I don't like it!
Turns out, my daughter visiting from NY detests my sister, who thinks she is actually the beloved auntie to daughter. But daughter does not want to sit next to her, talk to her, go to restaurants or theaters with her, be in the same room with her or include her in anything social if she can possibly avoid it. (She is never rude or obvious about this, just avoids these situations as best she can. So it could be worse.)
Anyway, this drove me nuts. How to be fair to everyone? I did decide to take my daughter & grandson to the Children's Theater production of Robin Hood without telling sister. Sister loves theater so she would have gone, even to a production aimed more at children. I felt bad, but then I really just wanted to enjoy this event drama-free with my grandson. We went. Had fun. I thought the mild deception was pulled off without a hitch. Then the very next night when sister was over for dinner (she lives in a Senior Housing complex about 15 minutes drive away) sister picked up a program for Robin Hood which was just laying on the bay windowsill right by the kitchen table.
"Oh. Did you guys go see Robin Hood?"
So I lied. I said I sent the kids because I couldn't afford to take everyone everywhere like I did last Christmas. Sister accepted the lie but damn I felt bad. Daughter swears the program was in a bag and sister shouldn't have snooped into the bag and found the darn program. I pointed out that it was a brown grocery bag full of snacks and of course my snackaholic sister would take an inventory of such a bag as it sat on a "counter" (windowsill) in the kitchen. So stupid.
So I told daughter that the next time she comes for a visit I am not even going to tell the sister, unless the visit involves a major holiday family dinner event. Which it probably will. Sheesh.
Now I know what other people put up with at their large family gatherings all the time. What a nuisance! How do you people do it? Maybe we will have a super-duper, chilly winter trhis year - colder than Dante's Ninth Circle of Hell - and scare everybody away again. I can dream, can't I?
Monday, December 06, 2010
Damn Deer
Every time I look out my window a doe or three is casually grazing through my yard. I fear spring of 2011 will be The Year Without Azalea Blooms. So sad.
In other news, I have done all my catch-up blog reading (because anything is better than watching Obama be an idiot on the teevee) and I plan to be back to blogging. You know - really.
In other news, I have done all my catch-up blog reading (because anything is better than watching Obama be an idiot on the teevee) and I plan to be back to blogging. You know - really.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Checking In
I'm still here - where else would I be?
I had a little ER thing, but I'm fine. Then I had an almost-flu which was annoying. Then I felt grumpy for a while. Then my other mother (childhood BF's mother) passed away and I was sad. You're always sad, even when the person has led a good long life and passed fairly easily. Still sad.
Now my daughter from NY & grandson are here for Thanksgiving. She will do the cooking for everyone, being a better cook in general. First time I haven't made a Thanksgiving dinner since the 70s, lol. I'm looking forward to it.
The only complication for turkey day is that daughter isn't fond of my sister - who thinks she is daughter's beloved auntie. So I need time off from cooking to keep all the family drama balanced & happy. Daughter is also splitting up with her husband of about 15 years (he stayed in NY) and moving to Arizona in January so lots to think about there.
Tom is fine. Had a big fight with our bank which started charging a fee for some kind of account transfer thing he did almost every day. So he had to bang desks or something and make them reverse the fees, then restructure our our finance stuff to be fee-free. Until the bank figures out how to charge fees for the new set-up. I hate banks. Even though I'm married to a banker-type person (he works for a bank holding company, not a commercial bank) I still hate banks.
Now I have to go play cards with the grandson. I am teaching him Railroad Canasta - the biggest, baddest canasta there is! He is pretty good at chess too. Soon he will be beating me at that. Even when I'm trying, lol.
I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!
XOX <-- a Swami rarity.
I had a little ER thing, but I'm fine. Then I had an almost-flu which was annoying. Then I felt grumpy for a while. Then my other mother (childhood BF's mother) passed away and I was sad. You're always sad, even when the person has led a good long life and passed fairly easily. Still sad.
Now my daughter from NY & grandson are here for Thanksgiving. She will do the cooking for everyone, being a better cook in general. First time I haven't made a Thanksgiving dinner since the 70s, lol. I'm looking forward to it.
The only complication for turkey day is that daughter isn't fond of my sister - who thinks she is daughter's beloved auntie. So I need time off from cooking to keep all the family drama balanced & happy. Daughter is also splitting up with her husband of about 15 years (he stayed in NY) and moving to Arizona in January so lots to think about there.
Tom is fine. Had a big fight with our bank which started charging a fee for some kind of account transfer thing he did almost every day. So he had to bang desks or something and make them reverse the fees, then restructure our our finance stuff to be fee-free. Until the bank figures out how to charge fees for the new set-up. I hate banks. Even though I'm married to a banker-type person (he works for a bank holding company, not a commercial bank) I still hate banks.
Now I have to go play cards with the grandson. I am teaching him Railroad Canasta - the biggest, baddest canasta there is! He is pretty good at chess too. Soon he will be beating me at that. Even when I'm trying, lol.
I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!
XOX <-- a Swami rarity.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Driving Mr Swami
Mr Swami has had a Very Bad Week. He came down with a bad cold on Monday. Tuesday he got a speeding ticket (49 mph in a 30 mph zone.) Wednesday his cold escalated into an eye infection necessitating gentamycin eyedrops. Then his right leg, which has been plagued with leg cramps ever since he tore his
Achilles tendon last spring went into cramp overdrive. He is not a happy camper. So I have been driving around to meetings & errands & such while he sits there with his eyes closed. Which is fine with me since he is the worst backseat driver sometimes.
Today is his first day back at workity-work this week. After lunch today he was supposed to be part of a pie-eating contest for United Way - with his hands held behind his back, lol. If he couldn't get out of pie-eating on humanitarian grounds then I sure hope someone films it so I can see!
Achilles tendon last spring went into cramp overdrive. He is not a happy camper. So I have been driving around to meetings & errands & such while he sits there with his eyes closed. Which is fine with me since he is the worst backseat driver sometimes.
Today is his first day back at workity-work this week. After lunch today he was supposed to be part of a pie-eating contest for United Way - with his hands held behind his back, lol. If he couldn't get out of pie-eating on humanitarian grounds then I sure hope someone films it so I can see!
Monday, October 04, 2010
I Love Sundays
Because Mr Swami makes me breakfast. He makes a world class fried egg sandwich. This is also about the only thing he makes, lol. Well - he is very good at frying cured meats. So fried ham, fried sausage, like that. Sometimes with potatoes. I have mixed feelings about potatoes for breakfast because growing up we never had them. But Mr Swammi is a solid, midwestern farmboy capable of eating potatoes 3x a day.
Friday, October 01, 2010
Updates
1. We have a new keyboard and it's driving me nuts! Aren't they all supposeed to be the same size - so far as key spacing & distances between keys & satuff? Becuawe my fingers keep gettting just off center and making dumb mistakes. Plus the white lettering hads worn off my old one and all these bgright whiote letters are blinding me.
2. Washi8nf machi8ne update. "Still waiting. First part was not a total fix because turns out my mother board was burned out. So new one should arrive today or monday. Mr. Swami & I both have laundry monsters about 3 fr high in seperate corners of the bedroonm.
3. Tuns fish for lunch. I mean tu7na. I mean tuna. Damn keyboard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. Washi8nf machi8ne update. "Still waiting. First part was not a total fix because turns out my mother board was burned out. So new one should arrive today or monday. Mr. Swami & I both have laundry monsters about 3 fr high in seperate corners of the bedroonm.
3. Tuns fish for lunch. I mean tu7na. I mean tuna. Damn keyboard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monday, September 20, 2010
I'm a Dirty, Dirty Girl.
Really dirty.
This is week two of life without that miracle of modern technology, that supreme technological achievement - a clothes washing machine. Oh, how I miss my lovely, lovely Asko. Also? Beating clothes on rocks is sucky, hard work.
On the bright side - I am trying out some new looks! I found some old favorite t-shirts from the 80s that still look pretty good. Sometimes, with a carefully placed safety pin, you can wear old, saggy pants. Sheesh,
At least panties are easy. You can wash a whole bunch of those in a bowl in the kitchen sink, no problems.
We had a major part failure. To fox it is almost half the cost of new machine but we opted to fix it because the washer & dryer pair are supposed to go for another 8 years. I like 'em, and I don't want to buy just a new washer and then have an unmatched set, and I don't want to spend big bucks on an all-new set. Sadly, it appears that the part I need is being shipped from Sweden on a Viking ship. An express Viking ship! But it's still taking too long. Damn Vikings.
So that's where I have been. Beating clothes on a rock.
This is week two of life without that miracle of modern technology, that supreme technological achievement - a clothes washing machine. Oh, how I miss my lovely, lovely Asko. Also? Beating clothes on rocks is sucky, hard work.
On the bright side - I am trying out some new looks! I found some old favorite t-shirts from the 80s that still look pretty good. Sometimes, with a carefully placed safety pin, you can wear old, saggy pants. Sheesh,
At least panties are easy. You can wash a whole bunch of those in a bowl in the kitchen sink, no problems.
We had a major part failure. To fox it is almost half the cost of new machine but we opted to fix it because the washer & dryer pair are supposed to go for another 8 years. I like 'em, and I don't want to buy just a new washer and then have an unmatched set, and I don't want to spend big bucks on an all-new set. Sadly, it appears that the part I need is being shipped from Sweden on a Viking ship. An express Viking ship! But it's still taking too long. Damn Vikings.
So that's where I have been. Beating clothes on a rock.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Typing Braless
Because my favorite bra is in the wash and I am just going to keep washing & re-wearing it until it wears out. I'm irrational that way. However, as I sit here it is kind of depressing how the girls are slowly inching closer to touching the desktop.
Mr Swami and I found a nice new (to us) restaurant last week that features Himilayan food. I was very happy that they served goat. I love goat meat! They also had yak, which I have never tried. It's good too - kind of like a delicate beef. The yak dumpling appetizer was very spicy & good. The yak keema was not spicy at all - but really well prepared!
Mr Swami was off all last week and we just puttered around the house doing little fix-it projects, and eating out every day. In the normal course of things, Mr Swami hates to eat out - but during his at-home vacations he will happily eat out every day. I'm thinking this will make for a nice retirement philosophy one day!
I think my hummingbirds are drunk. Their sugar water may have fermented in the heat and I haven't changed it for a few days. Drunk hummingbirds do some very interesting loop-dee-loop flying routines. They also spend more time right up against the window (well, one inch from the glass) hovering and looking in at me. Maybe they are saying "change my freaking beverage bowl!" Who knows?
Today is supposed to be 94'. I am so ready for Fall!!!!
Mr Swami and I found a nice new (to us) restaurant last week that features Himilayan food. I was very happy that they served goat. I love goat meat! They also had yak, which I have never tried. It's good too - kind of like a delicate beef. The yak dumpling appetizer was very spicy & good. The yak keema was not spicy at all - but really well prepared!
Mr Swami was off all last week and we just puttered around the house doing little fix-it projects, and eating out every day. In the normal course of things, Mr Swami hates to eat out - but during his at-home vacations he will happily eat out every day. I'm thinking this will make for a nice retirement philosophy one day!
I think my hummingbirds are drunk. Their sugar water may have fermented in the heat and I haven't changed it for a few days. Drunk hummingbirds do some very interesting loop-dee-loop flying routines. They also spend more time right up against the window (well, one inch from the glass) hovering and looking in at me. Maybe they are saying "change my freaking beverage bowl!" Who knows?
Today is supposed to be 94'. I am so ready for Fall!!!!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Soon I Will Have My New TV
Because Mr Swami is buying his 3rd new car in 7 years. Seems fair to me. The only question that remains is - how big is too big? I'm happy with something in the 50 - 60" range, lol.
Monday, August 09, 2010
Get Off My Road!
Yesterday I was stuck behind one of those "I brake, therefore I am" drivers for the longest time. I am not much prone to road rage but I was ready to rear-end this guy just to, I dunno, restore order to the Universe?
The guy braked at every painted pedestrian crosswalk (no pedestrians were pedestriating in the freakish heat) and every slight curve in the road. Pass a parked car? Brake first. Brake at green stoplight & proceed with caution. Brake at every speed limit sign. Brake driving under shadow of tree. Brake, brake brake. He didn't look old enough to be senile. He looked too old for drugs and drove too consistently for a drunk. I have no idea what his problem was, but I almost lost it.
In other news, I am making potato salad this morning.
The guy braked at every painted pedestrian crosswalk (no pedestrians were pedestriating in the freakish heat) and every slight curve in the road. Pass a parked car? Brake first. Brake at green stoplight & proceed with caution. Brake at every speed limit sign. Brake driving under shadow of tree. Brake, brake brake. He didn't look old enough to be senile. He looked too old for drugs and drove too consistently for a drunk. I have no idea what his problem was, but I almost lost it.
In other news, I am making potato salad this morning.
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Two Things
1. Donuts are divine. Mr Swami brought home a box of fancy donuts yesterday, so we had donuts for dessert last night and I had donuts for both breakfast & lunch today.
2. I just got a FryDaddy in order to make perfect wonton more easily. I hope it works on wonton. Who are these people who let their children suck on electric cords? The little instruction booklet Presto sends out with the FryDaddy tells you in three places to not let your children suck the electric cord.
2. I just got a FryDaddy in order to make perfect wonton more easily. I hope it works on wonton. Who are these people who let their children suck on electric cords? The little instruction booklet Presto sends out with the FryDaddy tells you in three places to not let your children suck the electric cord.
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
More Random Than Usual...
I can't come up with a heartfelt and/or meaningless post so I am going to go with pure drivel.
1. My armpits itch. I blame the heat wave and have bought an inti-itch cream. It says ITCH-X in big letters on the tube, which also says that the tube contains 10% benzyl alcohol, which does not sound soothing to me.
2. I just had to search the house for Mr Swami's Daytimer. If he ever loses that baby it will be a tragedy as we will have to change ALL our passwords. Turns out? He accidently left it in his boss's office yesterday when he used the phone. Crisis averted.
3. Gotchya. My general store has a new clerk who says "gotchya" in every sentence and also as a stand alone comment / explanation / excuse for not knowing her head is up her aras. Nobody says gotchya!
4. My general store still sells the World's Best hand-cut caramel. (I bought 2.)
5. Sister sent flowers from Hawaii - orchids & anthurium. I love anthurium - they're so shiny and sexy looking.
Mine are more orangey-pink with a green border all around.
6. We may eat corn on the cob every day for the next 3 weeks. The local corn is just perfect right now! I don't like canned or frozen corn - so I gotta eat it while it's here!
7. Yesterday was so hot & humid I decided to keep my tropical birds indoors. They kept looking out the window & screaming.
8. Tonight for dinner we are having tortellini with grilled hot Italian sausage and (see above) corn on the cob.
9, Ever since he got his teeth cleaned my cat Tippy has been acting all macho. It's like he has a new lease on life!
10. Look, Boo! I made it to ten!
1. My armpits itch. I blame the heat wave and have bought an inti-itch cream. It says ITCH-X in big letters on the tube, which also says that the tube contains 10% benzyl alcohol, which does not sound soothing to me.
2. I just had to search the house for Mr Swami's Daytimer. If he ever loses that baby it will be a tragedy as we will have to change ALL our passwords. Turns out? He accidently left it in his boss's office yesterday when he used the phone. Crisis averted.
3. Gotchya. My general store has a new clerk who says "gotchya" in every sentence and also as a stand alone comment / explanation / excuse for not knowing her head is up her aras. Nobody says gotchya!
4. My general store still sells the World's Best hand-cut caramel. (I bought 2.)
5. Sister sent flowers from Hawaii - orchids & anthurium. I love anthurium - they're so shiny and sexy looking.
Mine are more orangey-pink with a green border all around.6. We may eat corn on the cob every day for the next 3 weeks. The local corn is just perfect right now! I don't like canned or frozen corn - so I gotta eat it while it's here!
7. Yesterday was so hot & humid I decided to keep my tropical birds indoors. They kept looking out the window & screaming.
8. Tonight for dinner we are having tortellini with grilled hot Italian sausage and (see above) corn on the cob.
9, Ever since he got his teeth cleaned my cat Tippy has been acting all macho. It's like he has a new lease on life!
10. Look, Boo! I made it to ten!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Bad Words Go Bye-Bye
Lately, I swear too much - and I blame the interwebs and bleeped reality TV. Before those things I hardly ever swore. Now I drop f-bombs at home routinely and I'm afraid one is going to slip out in a socially inappropriate setting.
Okay - really I'm afraid that one day I will be a senile old woman, cussing & ranting my wheelchair and no one will want me around because of my nasty foul mouth. So I have decided to extinguish my swearing impulse before it is too late. Which isfu freaking hard! Who knew bad words would want out so much?
Yours Truly,
The Renewed, Refined Swami.
Okay - really I'm afraid that one day I will be a senile old woman, cussing & ranting my wheelchair and no one will want me around because of my nasty foul mouth. So I have decided to extinguish my swearing impulse before it is too late. Which is
Yours Truly,
The Renewed, Refined Swami.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
For Lunch Yesterday I Had...
BBQ Eel
Steamed Edameme
Spicey Salmon Sushi
Spicy Tuna Sushi
White Tuna Sashimi
California Roll
Spring Roll
Shrimp Sushi
Sushi "Pizza"
Unagi
Chicken Teriyaki Udo
Assorted Tempura
Curry Chicken
Tomago
Chicken Teriyaki
Salmon Teriyaki
Crab Meat Tempura
Green Tea Ice Cream
and a Diet Coke.
*pungent burp*
It was so much fun! We went to one of those fixed-price, all-you-can-eat sampler restaurants, called Akita. Everything is freshly made when you order (you can see the chefs at work) but most dishes are just a few bites in size. So you order 2-3 things, then reorder 2-3 more as soon as the first order is delivered and so on until you are stuffed.
It was way fun and a good way to try things I had never tried before. Like who knew that I would love BBQ eel!?!
Next time - I'm going to have a Squid Ball. Lol
This link may be wierd and you may have to scroll down a bit before anything shows except the sidebar - but it has lots of photos of the food if it does work.
(Okay - I can't get rid of the first restaurant. Ignore the Fuji-Ya pics and look at the second restaurant, Akita!
Steamed Edameme
Spicey Salmon Sushi
Spicy Tuna Sushi
White Tuna Sashimi
California Roll
Spring Roll
Shrimp Sushi
Sushi "Pizza"
Unagi
Chicken Teriyaki Udo
Assorted Tempura
Curry Chicken
Tomago
Chicken Teriyaki
Salmon Teriyaki
Crab Meat Tempura
Green Tea Ice Cream
and a Diet Coke.
*pungent burp*
It was so much fun! We went to one of those fixed-price, all-you-can-eat sampler restaurants, called Akita. Everything is freshly made when you order (you can see the chefs at work) but most dishes are just a few bites in size. So you order 2-3 things, then reorder 2-3 more as soon as the first order is delivered and so on until you are stuffed.
It was way fun and a good way to try things I had never tried before. Like who knew that I would love BBQ eel!?!
Next time - I'm going to have a Squid Ball. Lol
This link may be wierd and you may have to scroll down a bit before anything shows except the sidebar - but it has lots of photos of the food if it does work.
(Okay - I can't get rid of the first restaurant. Ignore the Fuji-Ya pics and look at the second restaurant, Akita!
Friday, July 02, 2010
If Anne Bancroft Were Roadkill
Then I would sound just like her. Somehow, out of the clear blue summer sky I caught the nastiest chest cold a few days ago. *cough* *hack* *wheeze* It's really very annoying. I feel much better today and my voice is coming back - but all scratchy, like half my vocal cords are dead. Very annoying.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Faux Pas
Yesterday Mr Swami committed a classic faux pas. He sat on one of the small chocolates from his office desk "visitor's bowl" and did not notice this until AFTER he got back from a 7th floor walk-about. Lol & Ooops! So he cleaned off his chair and then checked his pants. Yup. He had to go to the washroom and clean up a melty brown spot. I am so entertained that he remains convinced no one noticed the seat of his pants during the walk-about. Mr Swami can be such an innocent!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Wined, Dined, Poisoned
Anybody who wants to eat outside naked is invited to my place today for for a Put Yer Ass in the Grass Outdoor BBQ!
My nearest neighbor, who's house I can barely see through the trees from my family room sliding door is hosting her son's Groom's Dinner in a big, rented tent in her backyard tonight. Or maybe it's called a pavillion - I dunno. Anyway, the tent is closer to my property so I can see most of it quite clearly.
About an hour ago I was watching a couple of guys poking around in the bushes by the treeline that seperates our properties & wondered what they were doing. A few minutes later I smelled a strong chemical odor, then a minute after that I could taste the same odor. At which point I identified it as an insecticide.
Holy crap! She is pretty far away, and the air is dead still. I have no idea how much poison she must have contracted to have sprayed in her yard but it was way overkill! I had to close my patio door. TG my child-bearing years are over! Sheesh!
Bad news - I have been poisoned.
Good news - no mosquitos this summer!
My nearest neighbor, who's house I can barely see through the trees from my family room sliding door is hosting her son's Groom's Dinner in a big, rented tent in her backyard tonight. Or maybe it's called a pavillion - I dunno. Anyway, the tent is closer to my property so I can see most of it quite clearly.
About an hour ago I was watching a couple of guys poking around in the bushes by the treeline that seperates our properties & wondered what they were doing. A few minutes later I smelled a strong chemical odor, then a minute after that I could taste the same odor. At which point I identified it as an insecticide.
Holy crap! She is pretty far away, and the air is dead still. I have no idea how much poison she must have contracted to have sprayed in her yard but it was way overkill! I had to close my patio door. TG my child-bearing years are over! Sheesh!
Bad news - I have been poisoned.
Good news - no mosquitos this summer!
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
Embarrassing Confession
I am strangely turned on by Jaden Smith, son of Will Smith and the new Karate Kid. He is just so youthfully, baby hot. I feel bad, but I like looking at him. He is going to be one heck of a sexy man when he grows up! And reaches puberty & stuff.
So embarrassing...
So embarrassing...
Monday, June 07, 2010
Cheetos and Chocolate
If I am ever on Death Row for some crime I cannot imagine, these are the two things I would request for my final meal.
The Cheetos would be regular, fried ones. The family size bag. I am not sure if I could even eat a whole family size bag - but I would be willing to die trying.
The chocolate would be the finest dark chocolate truffles available. A 2 lb box. Then I would spend the rest of my life eating chocolate and die happy.
Back in the world of reality I am doing laundry, then going to play cards with my sister. Sadly, no cheetos or chocolate will be involved in my afternoon.
The Cheetos would be regular, fried ones. The family size bag. I am not sure if I could even eat a whole family size bag - but I would be willing to die trying.
The chocolate would be the finest dark chocolate truffles available. A 2 lb box. Then I would spend the rest of my life eating chocolate and die happy.
Back in the world of reality I am doing laundry, then going to play cards with my sister. Sadly, no cheetos or chocolate will be involved in my afternoon.
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
No title
1. I am not in the mood to think of a title.
2. This weekend I learned about the Undy 500. How did I not know about this idiocy until now? Lol. Nothing is funnier than a bar full of HOGs wearing ladies undies over their jeans. Locally it's a contest to see who can collect the most "freely donated" women's undies. On saturday Mr Swami talked to a guy who had collected 125 pairs! He must be one very smooth talker. If you Google Undie 500 you get all kinds of variations - but here the way it works (I think) is for every pair of undies a HOG is gifted he has to give a pair of brand new underwear to charity.
3. Recently I have started to email with a woman who was my friend waaaay back in 9th & 10th grade, then moved & was lost to me until now. We found each other on Classmates. This is very fun and I can't wait for her next email.
4. I just got a quickie haircut from Great Clips, and it looks pretty good! Now that I am old I don't spend big bucks on my hair anymore. No more full head foils and precision cuts,lol. I am all wash, toss and go these days.
5. Memorial Day weekend was good. Had a family BBQ on Sunday and a picnic with Mr Swami on Monday. I am into no-prep picnics these days. We bought some really nice wraps at Kowalski's deli, some chips, pop & juice - voila! Picnic. We went to Harriet Island in St Paul and looked at the Mississippi River instead of our usual picnic & look at the St Croix River.
6. I BBQed portobello mushrooms with a recipe I got off the internet and loved them! This is very amazing because I hate mushrooms! Now I want to make them again. I grilled asparagus for the first time too. Also very yummy.
That's all I got.
2. This weekend I learned about the Undy 500. How did I not know about this idiocy until now? Lol. Nothing is funnier than a bar full of HOGs wearing ladies undies over their jeans. Locally it's a contest to see who can collect the most "freely donated" women's undies. On saturday Mr Swami talked to a guy who had collected 125 pairs! He must be one very smooth talker. If you Google Undie 500 you get all kinds of variations - but here the way it works (I think) is for every pair of undies a HOG is gifted he has to give a pair of brand new underwear to charity.
3. Recently I have started to email with a woman who was my friend waaaay back in 9th & 10th grade, then moved & was lost to me until now. We found each other on Classmates. This is very fun and I can't wait for her next email.
4. I just got a quickie haircut from Great Clips, and it looks pretty good! Now that I am old I don't spend big bucks on my hair anymore. No more full head foils and precision cuts,lol. I am all wash, toss and go these days.
5. Memorial Day weekend was good. Had a family BBQ on Sunday and a picnic with Mr Swami on Monday. I am into no-prep picnics these days. We bought some really nice wraps at Kowalski's deli, some chips, pop & juice - voila! Picnic. We went to Harriet Island in St Paul and looked at the Mississippi River instead of our usual picnic & look at the St Croix River.
6. I BBQed portobello mushrooms with a recipe I got off the internet and loved them! This is very amazing because I hate mushrooms! Now I want to make them again. I grilled asparagus for the first time too. Also very yummy.
That's all I got.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Stop! Thief!
That's what I should have yelled at the flower mart earlier this week.
Tom had to go pick up something at the DMV in town and I decided to just wait in the car and look at the pretty flowers for sale. Way more fun than sitting in the DMV clutching my number and watching the number box count up.
While I was sitting & waiting in my car some guy drove up & parked just to the side of the temporary greenhouse, got out, picked up a HUGE bag of Miracle Grow potting soil, put it in his car cool as a cucumber and just drove off. I couldn't believe it! What a blatant move! And no one noticed - even though he walked right by 2 people who worked there.
I got his license number and was all set to go turn him in to the flower mart then I decided not to. See, it might have been a big hassle. I might have had to wait around and talk to cops. I might have had to give statements & sign stuff, when all I wanted to do was enjoy my afternoon with Tom! And it was just an $8.99 bag of dirt, after all. So I did nothing.
Swami <--bad citizen.
Tom had to go pick up something at the DMV in town and I decided to just wait in the car and look at the pretty flowers for sale. Way more fun than sitting in the DMV clutching my number and watching the number box count up.
While I was sitting & waiting in my car some guy drove up & parked just to the side of the temporary greenhouse, got out, picked up a HUGE bag of Miracle Grow potting soil, put it in his car cool as a cucumber and just drove off. I couldn't believe it! What a blatant move! And no one noticed - even though he walked right by 2 people who worked there.
I got his license number and was all set to go turn him in to the flower mart then I decided not to. See, it might have been a big hassle. I might have had to wait around and talk to cops. I might have had to give statements & sign stuff, when all I wanted to do was enjoy my afternoon with Tom! And it was just an $8.99 bag of dirt, after all. So I did nothing.
Swami <--bad citizen.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
I Must Be Getting Younger
I've started having hot flashes again. It's very strange.
I suppose an alternate theory is that I'm dying of some rare, evening hot-flash syndrome. Where's Bravie when you need her to explain/theorize stuff like this? I'm the anti-hypochrondriac and will insist that there's nothing wrong with me until I hit the floor, lol.
I suppose an alternate theory is that I'm dying of some rare, evening hot-flash syndrome. Where's Bravie when you need her to explain/theorize stuff like this? I'm the anti-hypochrondriac and will insist that there's nothing wrong with me until I hit the floor, lol.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Dogs & Cats
A passing neighbor just found a little Schnauzer dog running down our lane on his way to the Big State Highway Doggie Death Machine up the road a bit. So we called the number on his collar (no answer.) I found a leash and then the neighbor went door-to-door asking. Turns out, the dog lived not too far away and I even vaguely know the owners - but I have never seen them walk this dog. Turns out they have a housesitter staying there now. Who just "let the dog out for a bit." Sure.
In cat news Tippy Toes has suddenly developed a bare patch on his right side about 2" x 1 & 1/2". It doesn't look red or irritated or anything. Just smooth, hairless skin. So we have a vet appointment for tomorrow. Sometimes I hate the vet. It's like $50 just to walk in the door. Tippy is probably just fine but I need to be sure.
Why do cats get bald spots?
In cat news Tippy Toes has suddenly developed a bare patch on his right side about 2" x 1 & 1/2". It doesn't look red or irritated or anything. Just smooth, hairless skin. So we have a vet appointment for tomorrow. Sometimes I hate the vet. It's like $50 just to walk in the door. Tippy is probably just fine but I need to be sure.
Why do cats get bald spots?
Thursday, May 06, 2010
And the answer is....
Yes. You CAN put too much garlic into a pasta dish. On the bright side? We are now a vampire-free household.
I know, I know. It was Cinco de Mayo. I got confused and went Italian instead of Mexican. Sue me.
I know, I know. It was Cinco de Mayo. I got confused and went Italian instead of Mexican. Sue me.
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Overpriced Pasta & Other Important Topics
In my official capacity as an OverShopper on Amazon.com I just ordered $81.84 worth of fancy pasta.
Okay, this is slightly crazy but I love this pasta! Foglie d'Autunno makes the best pasta/basil leaf/tomato salad ever and that salad is my favorite summertime meal. The individual bags (when I can find them) sell for about $7.29 around here, so Amazon's price is really pretty reasonable. I usually wind up giving away a few bags each year to my kids, who also love it.
I may start buying books from Barnes & Noble online since they recently added a cool perk for their B&N Membership people - free Express Shipping on all online orders! I hate paying for shipping on anything.
Mr Swami has a sore leg because of excessive, awkward extension ladder standing when he washed our outside second-floor windows last week. So far he has been immortal but I fear that he too is starting to age. What a bummer!
Friday, April 30, 2010
Dogs v. Birds
There must be a card for this. My sister had to put down her beloved little dog on Thursday because of old age and 3x recurring cancer (the dog's - not her's.) Sister lives and breathes for the love of her 2 dogs and probably has a couple of ex-husband she would have put down more cheerfully. I will visit Hallmark Store soon and get her a card of some kind.
I had to put down my last 2 dogs (for old age associated failures) (mobility, bladder, sight, etc.) & it is so freaking hard! Maybe that is why I have birds now. When a birdie passes it's sad, but then 10 minutes later life goes right on. Well, for me - not the birdie. Then I get a new birdie.
I had to put down my last 2 dogs (for old age associated failures) (mobility, bladder, sight, etc.) & it is so freaking hard! Maybe that is why I have birds now. When a birdie passes it's sad, but then 10 minutes later life goes right on. Well, for me - not the birdie. Then I get a new birdie.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Last Week, in review
Mr Swami took a week off and we practised being retired. You know - sleep late, have lunch out, watch tv - all the usual stuff retirees do.
The best part of being retired? Will be not cooking so much anymore. Mr Swami is not a huge fan of eating out but he never saw a takeout menu that he couldn't fall in love with. And since you can usually get 2 meals off one restaurant meal these days, eating out is not that horribly expensive!
On Saturday we celebrated my middle D's 26th birthday by taking her, her BF, our DS and my sister out to a restaurant of her choosing - which turned out to be Champps in Woodbury. Not my favorite place, but one she is very fond of. For her present I had ordered the Blu-Ray of Avatar from Amazon, completely forgetting that it would not arrive until after her birthday because stuff doesn't ship instantly. Duh. So for gifts we bought a bunch of random stuff she likes & wrapped them up pretty - a box of Triscuits, a bag of licorice, a bottle of Tums. Only I taped a $20 bill to each bottle or package. I don't think that people watching her open the gifts could see the taped-on extra so we got a lot of queer looks. People obviously thought we were nuts and giving her crap gifts.
Other things we did while temporarily retired:
1. washed the 2nd story windows, inside & out (mr Swami on a ladder)
2. mowed the lawn (earliest mow ever!)
3. Weed whacked rocks. Broke Weed Whacker. Took Weed Whacker into Hardware store where they put a new, heavy duty cord dispenser thing in. Weed whacked more rocks.
4. built a mountain of brush to burn when the burning ban is lifted.
5. envisioned a new deck to replace small deck off the screen porch. It should mirror the big deck on the other side of the house very nicely.
6. bought 10 8ft treated cedar posts to continue our fence restoration project begun last summer.
7. laid out a few soaker hoses.
8. made a nice dent in our back-log of DVRed shows.
9. grilled some really big steaks on our new grill!
It was a good week.
The best part of being retired? Will be not cooking so much anymore. Mr Swami is not a huge fan of eating out but he never saw a takeout menu that he couldn't fall in love with. And since you can usually get 2 meals off one restaurant meal these days, eating out is not that horribly expensive!
On Saturday we celebrated my middle D's 26th birthday by taking her, her BF, our DS and my sister out to a restaurant of her choosing - which turned out to be Champps in Woodbury. Not my favorite place, but one she is very fond of. For her present I had ordered the Blu-Ray of Avatar from Amazon, completely forgetting that it would not arrive until after her birthday because stuff doesn't ship instantly. Duh. So for gifts we bought a bunch of random stuff she likes & wrapped them up pretty - a box of Triscuits, a bag of licorice, a bottle of Tums. Only I taped a $20 bill to each bottle or package. I don't think that people watching her open the gifts could see the taped-on extra so we got a lot of queer looks. People obviously thought we were nuts and giving her crap gifts.
Other things we did while temporarily retired:
1. washed the 2nd story windows, inside & out (mr Swami on a ladder)
2. mowed the lawn (earliest mow ever!)
3. Weed whacked rocks. Broke Weed Whacker. Took Weed Whacker into Hardware store where they put a new, heavy duty cord dispenser thing in. Weed whacked more rocks.
4. built a mountain of brush to burn when the burning ban is lifted.
5. envisioned a new deck to replace small deck off the screen porch. It should mirror the big deck on the other side of the house very nicely.
6. bought 10 8ft treated cedar posts to continue our fence restoration project begun last summer.
7. laid out a few soaker hoses.
8. made a nice dent in our back-log of DVRed shows.
9. grilled some really big steaks on our new grill!
It was a good week.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Sunday, at The Olive Garden
As you may remember on Sundays I usually take my son out to lunch at some reasonably priced family restaurant. The Olive Garden & Applebees are 2 of his favorites. (We can't go anyplace witha buffet - even a salad bar like Ruby Tuesday - because he is too unpredictable around so many open food dishes.) (This is my son with autism.)
I like Olive Garden food, and lunch with Max is often entertaining on a variety of levels. We had a new waitress this time - one who had never met Max.
The hostess seated us. Max reads very fast and talks even faster. So within 15-20 seconds of being seated Max has skimmed the menu, told me which 5 things he wants to order, I have countered with the 3 things I am willing to order for him, and we have agreed that dessert is a "maybe". Dessert is always a "maybe" in case I need a behavioralbribe reinforcer at some point.
So while the approaching waitress is still 2 steps from our table Max looks up, makes eye-contact and says
"hellowaitressIwantonetwoandthreethankyouverymuchgoodbye."
Then smiles & waits. The waitress of course has never experienced someone talking to her without any inflection whatsoever & at total hyperspeed. She is also trying to take it all in while just looking at Max who is 6'2", wearing chainsaw ear-covers (because he has hypersensitive hearing), and is now smiling expectantly like the Chesshire Cat.
I wait a beat, then I also say hello, tell her we are ready to order right away, repeat Max's order and add my own. She's an okay waitress - she gets over her first WTH moment, pulls it all together and is appropriately kind & courteous to Max at all times. Lunch is uneventful. We get a few curious looks, mostly because of the ear covers.
Meanwhile the family at a table close by are behaving completely weird! Mom and dad are totally involved with another couple at their table. Their son (I presume) a boy about 6 y.o. is having his own private Talk Like A Pirate Day. Lots of ARGHH!s and Matey talk. He wields his knife like sword but is pretty much ignored. His 4 y.o. sister, an adorable little blonde, only meows. She meows through the whole meal. If someone says something to her she meows in reply. She also meows after every few bites of food. Meow, meow, meow. No words.
And yet? My table is the weird table. Which I agree with in general--but it just seems funny to me.
Max ignores them. He doesn't care about meowing or pirates - just his lunch. He was very well-behaved and got cheesecake for dessert.
I like Olive Garden food, and lunch with Max is often entertaining on a variety of levels. We had a new waitress this time - one who had never met Max.
The hostess seated us. Max reads very fast and talks even faster. So within 15-20 seconds of being seated Max has skimmed the menu, told me which 5 things he wants to order, I have countered with the 3 things I am willing to order for him, and we have agreed that dessert is a "maybe". Dessert is always a "maybe" in case I need a behavioral
So while the approaching waitress is still 2 steps from our table Max looks up, makes eye-contact and says
"hellowaitressIwantonetwoandthreethankyouverymuchgoodbye."
Then smiles & waits. The waitress of course has never experienced someone talking to her without any inflection whatsoever & at total hyperspeed. She is also trying to take it all in while just looking at Max who is 6'2", wearing chainsaw ear-covers (because he has hypersensitive hearing), and is now smiling expectantly like the Chesshire Cat.
I wait a beat, then I also say hello, tell her we are ready to order right away, repeat Max's order and add my own. She's an okay waitress - she gets over her first WTH moment, pulls it all together and is appropriately kind & courteous to Max at all times. Lunch is uneventful. We get a few curious looks, mostly because of the ear covers.
Meanwhile the family at a table close by are behaving completely weird! Mom and dad are totally involved with another couple at their table. Their son (I presume) a boy about 6 y.o. is having his own private Talk Like A Pirate Day. Lots of ARGHH!s and Matey talk. He wields his knife like sword but is pretty much ignored. His 4 y.o. sister, an adorable little blonde, only meows. She meows through the whole meal. If someone says something to her she meows in reply. She also meows after every few bites of food. Meow, meow, meow. No words.
And yet? My table is the weird table. Which I agree with in general--but it just seems funny to me.
Max ignores them. He doesn't care about meowing or pirates - just his lunch. He was very well-behaved and got cheesecake for dessert.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Butterfingers
*sigh*
Today begins Day Two of me dropping everything I pick up.
Coffee? OUCH!
Bag of bird seed? NO! NOT THE WHOLE BAG!
Car Keys? NOOOOOOOO! NOT IN THAT LITTLE CRACK BETWEEN THE CONSOLE AND THE DRIVER'S SEAT!
Diced fruit? SPLAT - RIGHT ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR.
Soon I will start to look for deep underlying & unresolved personal issues to explain my butterfingers streak. Or maybe I should just sit quietly at the computer all day...
Today begins Day Two of me dropping everything I pick up.
Coffee? OUCH!
Bag of bird seed? NO! NOT THE WHOLE BAG!
Car Keys? NOOOOOOOO! NOT IN THAT LITTLE CRACK BETWEEN THE CONSOLE AND THE DRIVER'S SEAT!
Diced fruit? SPLAT - RIGHT ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR.
Soon I will start to look for deep underlying & unresolved personal issues to explain my butterfingers streak. Or maybe I should just sit quietly at the computer all day...
Monday, April 12, 2010
On Sunday, I Watched Golf
On the TV machine.
Then the sky rolled up and life as we know it ended.
Okay--not really but it was probably a close call in the cosmos because I do not watch golf. Mr. Swami put it on the TV so he could "see" Tiger and experience whatever cascade of thoughts & emotions it is that guys get when viewing another guy who has pretty much effed his mind out with a series of hot babes.
In other Mr Swami news I created a monster when I sent him out into the dawn to beat on gutters & sheds & rocks & our house & stuff with a big stick in order to deter coyotes. He's still doing it (with great enthusiasm) (still naked) only now he is doing it percussion style, with primal rhythmic drum beats.
In other other news I have to go to Lowes today and buy a new faucet for the downstairs bathroom. There is a leak in the sink's drain somewhere and the current drainhole cover thingie and cheap faucet do not match well. So I will buy a nice new pewter finish faucet with matching drainhole thingie and have the plumber replace both while he is out here to do the fix. Aren't I frugal?
Then the sky rolled up and life as we know it ended.
Okay--not really but it was probably a close call in the cosmos because I do not watch golf. Mr. Swami put it on the TV so he could "see" Tiger and experience whatever cascade of thoughts & emotions it is that guys get when viewing another guy who has pretty much effed his mind out with a series of hot babes.
In other Mr Swami news I created a monster when I sent him out into the dawn to beat on gutters & sheds & rocks & our house & stuff with a big stick in order to deter coyotes. He's still doing it (with great enthusiasm) (still naked) only now he is doing it percussion style, with primal rhythmic drum beats.
In other other news I have to go to Lowes today and buy a new faucet for the downstairs bathroom. There is a leak in the sink's drain somewhere and the current drainhole cover thingie and cheap faucet do not match well. So I will buy a nice new pewter finish faucet with matching drainhole thingie and have the plumber replace both while he is out here to do the fix. Aren't I frugal?
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Wait.
When did it get to be Thursday? I thought Sunday was just yesterday. Maybe the day before, but certainly not 4 days ago.
I will blame Spring. We are having such a beautiful and early spring this year!
I have been spending a lot of time with my sister playing a card game in the canasta family called Railroad. I grew up playing this game and it's just so much fun to play it again! It requires 4 decks of cards, lol, and has lots of cool rules & moves.
In other news, Mr Swami has selected his retirement date - July 1, 2016.
I will blame Spring. We are having such a beautiful and early spring this year!
I have been spending a lot of time with my sister playing a card game in the canasta family called Railroad. I grew up playing this game and it's just so much fun to play it again! It requires 4 decks of cards, lol, and has lots of cool rules & moves.
In other news, Mr Swami has selected his retirement date - July 1, 2016.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Ah, The Country Life.
Lately I have noticed a few cayotes and red fox within a mile or so of our house. And on the theory that if I see one there are probably a bunch more smart enough to not be seen, I suspect we may have them quite nearby. So early yesterday morning (at dawn, in fact) when Mr Swami let our gray cat out she made a weird cut-off howling noise I had never heard her make. I was worried, but she came home quickly & safely. (Altho freaked out, with her ears back, and didn't even ask to go out for the rest of the day - which is almost unheard of for her.)
So I was worried that we had one of these canine predators around our yard. The local TV in fact has been highlighting them, and people finding cayotes in their garage & stuff like that. So I gave Mr Swami my recommendation of what to do to deter cayotes from hanging out under our seldom-used side deck or in one of the sheds. He was to go outside first thing in the morning with a big stick and beat this stick on the house, the gutter pipes, the deck floor, etc. and maybe growl a little too. Sometimes it doesn't take much to deter major critters. They will just move on to a 'better' neighborhood when a bigger predator (i.e., my man) moves in.
So this is what happened: Mr Swami did not want to contfront potential cayotes in his work clothes, and since it was a darkish dawn he just went outside naked! Oh how I wish I had a video of Mr Swami running around outside banging his big stick & growling! I would watch it over & over, lol. It would be a YouTube moment!
He did make one mistake though. He let the cat out first, so the cat was terrified and ran into the woods too. Oh well. He should get it right tomorrow. Scare cayotes, then let the cat out. We should be clear in a couple of days.
You guys can't do stuff like this in the big city.
So I was worried that we had one of these canine predators around our yard. The local TV in fact has been highlighting them, and people finding cayotes in their garage & stuff like that. So I gave Mr Swami my recommendation of what to do to deter cayotes from hanging out under our seldom-used side deck or in one of the sheds. He was to go outside first thing in the morning with a big stick and beat this stick on the house, the gutter pipes, the deck floor, etc. and maybe growl a little too. Sometimes it doesn't take much to deter major critters. They will just move on to a 'better' neighborhood when a bigger predator (i.e., my man) moves in.
So this is what happened: Mr Swami did not want to contfront potential cayotes in his work clothes, and since it was a darkish dawn he just went outside naked! Oh how I wish I had a video of Mr Swami running around outside banging his big stick & growling! I would watch it over & over, lol. It would be a YouTube moment!
He did make one mistake though. He let the cat out first, so the cat was terrified and ran into the woods too. Oh well. He should get it right tomorrow. Scare cayotes, then let the cat out. We should be clear in a couple of days.
You guys can't do stuff like this in the big city.
Monday, March 29, 2010
$700 dollars later
I have a new grill! A Weber Genesis 310.
We pick her up tonight from Ace Hardware where she is being assembled. Our old grill was old & icky & falling apart so it will go out at the end of the road with a "Free. Works." sign on it. Well, the electronic ignition part doesn't work but everything else does.
We wanted a midsized grill with no side burners because I never use those and midsized because we rarely cook for more than 6 - 7 people at a time (usually just for 2) and I don't want to take up too much deck space in the space I want a grill to be. The copper color is much richer in person. I'm happy!
We pick her up tonight from Ace Hardware where she is being assembled. Our old grill was old & icky & falling apart so it will go out at the end of the road with a "Free. Works." sign on it. Well, the electronic ignition part doesn't work but everything else does.
We wanted a midsized grill with no side burners because I never use those and midsized because we rarely cook for more than 6 - 7 people at a time (usually just for 2) and I don't want to take up too much deck space in the space I want a grill to be. The copper color is much richer in person. I'm happy!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Randomy Things
1. Every time I come to Blogger I blank out.
2. My oldest daughter is unscrupulous. About money. I've kind of known that for a while but lately it has hit me in the face. I am not happy.
3. Mr Swami was very good this week and did a number of man things that have been on my Honey Do list for quite a while.
4. I haven't done a full-on grocery shop in almost a month now. And still? There is stuff to prepare. Although I did buy some lettuce & fresh fruit & stuff, just no meat or canned/boxed/bagged things.
5. Grandma's 90th birthday card shower was a huge success! She got over 90 cards which seems very appropriate. She told us that others in her town are now copying the idea, so I guess that is proof it is a good one. She got one card in triplicate (it actually said "90th birthday" on it) otherwise all the cards were unique. Some people sent old photos. Old, old photos. She really enjoyed that.
6. Dove Chocolate Truffle Easter Eggs are divine.
2. My oldest daughter is unscrupulous. About money. I've kind of known that for a while but lately it has hit me in the face. I am not happy.
3. Mr Swami was very good this week and did a number of man things that have been on my Honey Do list for quite a while.
4. I haven't done a full-on grocery shop in almost a month now. And still? There is stuff to prepare. Although I did buy some lettuce & fresh fruit & stuff, just no meat or canned/boxed/bagged things.
5. Grandma's 90th birthday card shower was a huge success! She got over 90 cards which seems very appropriate. She told us that others in her town are now copying the idea, so I guess that is proof it is a good one. She got one card in triplicate (it actually said "90th birthday" on it) otherwise all the cards were unique. Some people sent old photos. Old, old photos. She really enjoyed that.
6. Dove Chocolate Truffle Easter Eggs are divine.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Icky Revoltingness
How could I be so ignorant? In my defense, I did not grow up with one and I never even really wanted one. The only reason I got it was so certain other people who are not Mr Swami would just stfu about the nuisance of trying to clean the little drain holes and just wash their whole mess away. So I got a garbage disposal a few years ago.
Did you know that the rubber gasket thing that sits way down inside the drain - the one you have to poke stuff through forcibly now and then - did you know that it can be popped out and cleaned? Like on the underside? Where it is coated in icky revoltingness? Quite by accident I popped mine out today and thus noticed the yicky-yucky skeevy scum built up on the bottom of the stupid thing. How was I to know? Nobody ever told me it came out! I did not read the fine print on the box when the plumber installed it lo those 5 years ago. It seemed like a permanent thing to me. I am so embarrassed. It was gross. Really, really gross.
But clean now.
Did you know that the rubber gasket thing that sits way down inside the drain - the one you have to poke stuff through forcibly now and then - did you know that it can be popped out and cleaned? Like on the underside? Where it is coated in icky revoltingness? Quite by accident I popped mine out today and thus noticed the yicky-yucky skeevy scum built up on the bottom of the stupid thing. How was I to know? Nobody ever told me it came out! I did not read the fine print on the box when the plumber installed it lo those 5 years ago. It seemed like a permanent thing to me. I am so embarrassed. It was gross. Really, really gross.
But clean now.
Monday, March 15, 2010
My Weekend in Randoms
1. Weather: Friday was rain & dreary. Saturday - dull & snoggy (low fog off melting snow.) Sunday - beautiful! Sunny sunshine!! Sixty plus degrees!!! Snow all gone!!!!
2. This is the last weekend of my annual empty out the frige & cupboards event wherein I use up pretty much everything I have on hand. Soon, a major shopping stock-up trip will be needed - probably on Tuesday. The handful of canned things I haven't used up by then get dated in magic marker and moved to a single shelf so I use them up first.
3. At least my frige & cupboards are pretty much empty and will be easy to spring clean.
4. Sunday my son and I saw Alice in Wonderland 3D. (We see a movie together every other Sunday.) The movie was okay but had too much Alice and not enough Johnny Depp. The movie never really took off for me. The storyline just could not transcend the special effects. Every time it tried, it fell down a hole. Plus Alice was a real downer.
5. Evidently the FDA has had 16 tainted spice recalls since 2001. This is news to me! I never heard of any of them until today. Now they want to irradiate, steam heat or fumigate all spices. This does not sound tasty. The main spices that are contaminated are black, red and white pepper, paprika & basil, and salmonella is the main contaminant. I can see the peppers because people commonly use them as an uncooked additive. But basil?
6. Mr. Swami is going to take a couple of days off later this week. I need to pick out a show we can go see.
2. This is the last weekend of my annual empty out the frige & cupboards event wherein I use up pretty much everything I have on hand. Soon, a major shopping stock-up trip will be needed - probably on Tuesday. The handful of canned things I haven't used up by then get dated in magic marker and moved to a single shelf so I use them up first.
3. At least my frige & cupboards are pretty much empty and will be easy to spring clean.
4. Sunday my son and I saw Alice in Wonderland 3D. (We see a movie together every other Sunday.) The movie was okay but had too much Alice and not enough Johnny Depp. The movie never really took off for me. The storyline just could not transcend the special effects. Every time it tried, it fell down a hole. Plus Alice was a real downer.
5. Evidently the FDA has had 16 tainted spice recalls since 2001. This is news to me! I never heard of any of them until today. Now they want to irradiate, steam heat or fumigate all spices. This does not sound tasty. The main spices that are contaminated are black, red and white pepper, paprika & basil, and salmonella is the main contaminant. I can see the peppers because people commonly use them as an uncooked additive. But basil?
6. Mr. Swami is going to take a couple of days off later this week. I need to pick out a show we can go see.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Despiration Dining
Last night I was trying to think of something new to do to chicken breast. I found 2 tubs of McD's Sweet & Spicy Chili Dipping Sauce, tasted them & decided they would make a nice glace. So I brushed them onto my chicken breasts along with just a little Madras curry paste & they tasted so good! The sugar in the packaged sauce made the skins brown and crisp up really nicely. Am I weird?
Friday, March 05, 2010
Oops
I have neglected my blog. It just sort of happened one day at a time.
I totally misestimated how much time having The Sister nearby would take from my usual routine, lol. Now that she is not staying in my actual house I do enjoy her company, and she knows how to play a complex card game called Railroad that I just love to play. So I am spending several afternoons each week playing cards with her.
Mr Swami's mom is turning 90 in a few weeks and her kids are planning a restrained celebration spread over about a week. The plan is for everybody to come see her at the farm but not in one huge, stressful group. This seems like a good plan to me since she gets tired easily. We will go on a sunday and I have been assigned to bring chicken salad. She likes mail so they are planning a "card shower" and trying to get everyone she knows/has ever known to mail her a birthday card.
My middle D got a promotion from FedEx and will be working closer to home - which will save her all kinds of time & travel money. (She doesn't live with us, but very close by.)
We came thisclose to getting a 60" TV last week. Well - I came thisclose. Tom still has issues. He can be crazy stubborn.
Forty degrees every day this week! I love it!
I totally misestimated how much time having The Sister nearby would take from my usual routine, lol. Now that she is not staying in my actual house I do enjoy her company, and she knows how to play a complex card game called Railroad that I just love to play. So I am spending several afternoons each week playing cards with her.
Mr Swami's mom is turning 90 in a few weeks and her kids are planning a restrained celebration spread over about a week. The plan is for everybody to come see her at the farm but not in one huge, stressful group. This seems like a good plan to me since she gets tired easily. We will go on a sunday and I have been assigned to bring chicken salad. She likes mail so they are planning a "card shower" and trying to get everyone she knows/has ever known to mail her a birthday card.
My middle D got a promotion from FedEx and will be working closer to home - which will save her all kinds of time & travel money. (She doesn't live with us, but very close by.)
We came thisclose to getting a 60" TV last week. Well - I came thisclose. Tom still has issues. He can be crazy stubborn.
Forty degrees every day this week! I love it!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
I Lied.
Turns out, I may like curling. I may even be a fangirl, lol. I watched some of the curling coverage with the overhead shots of the "house" and listened to NBC's expert commentator explain what was going on - and suddenly it got all strategic and fascinating. Who knew?
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Curling
Curling is just not an exciting spectator sport. (Sorry, Canuckians.) I even grew up in Canada, and had avid curlers amongst my neighbours. I remember going down to the ice rink on curling night a couple of times. It was full of pot-bellied old people pushing rocks and inexplicably sweeping perfectly fine ice. I just don't get it.
All the other winter sports I understand.
All the other winter sports I understand.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Randoms
Because I've been random so long I forget what normal feels like.
1. I had coffee and cashews for breakfast, because it was easy.
2. Our airport (MSP) has announced it is going to get those "see through your clothing" scanners soon. So if I write 'Hi Mom' on my boob in metallic marker will I get in trouble with TSA?
3. RIP Misty May. My gang of 4 older parakeets (aka The Olympians) are starting to die off. First Jingjing bit it, now Misty May. I fear Phelps is next.
4. I can't wait for the Olympics & Survivor & TAR! So much stuff to watch!
5. I bought the best Indian cookbook ever at a Barnes & Noble in Fargo. Interestingly, it is actually called The Best Ever Indian Cookbook. What a coincidence! Mostly I don't recommend Indian cookbooks; this one I do!
6. I played cards with my sister this afternoon. Now that she is not living with me I can enjoy her company once again.
7. She is a little freaked because someone died in her building last night. This is the great downside of a Senior Living Center. Sometimes, it's a Senior dieing center too.
8. Dieing or dying? They both look funny. I think it's dying.
9. KFC for supper. I told the cashier 3x that I wanted 2 orders of coleslaw and zero mashed potatoes. So of course she gave me mashed potatoes & gravy which I don't want. Hopefully Tom will eat that when he finally gets home from his late meeting.
10. I ate a dark chocolate Reese's peanut butter cup for the first time today. Didn't like it. The dark chocolate was fine but the peanut better taste was not intense enough.
1. I had coffee and cashews for breakfast, because it was easy.
2. Our airport (MSP) has announced it is going to get those "see through your clothing" scanners soon. So if I write 'Hi Mom' on my boob in metallic marker will I get in trouble with TSA?
3. RIP Misty May. My gang of 4 older parakeets (aka The Olympians) are starting to die off. First Jingjing bit it, now Misty May. I fear Phelps is next.
4. I can't wait for the Olympics & Survivor & TAR! So much stuff to watch!
5. I bought the best Indian cookbook ever at a Barnes & Noble in Fargo. Interestingly, it is actually called The Best Ever Indian Cookbook. What a coincidence! Mostly I don't recommend Indian cookbooks; this one I do!
6. I played cards with my sister this afternoon. Now that she is not living with me I can enjoy her company once again.
7. She is a little freaked because someone died in her building last night. This is the great downside of a Senior Living Center. Sometimes, it's a Senior dieing center too.
8. Dieing or dying? They both look funny. I think it's dying.
9. KFC for supper. I told the cashier 3x that I wanted 2 orders of coleslaw and zero mashed potatoes. So of course she gave me mashed potatoes & gravy which I don't want. Hopefully Tom will eat that when he finally gets home from his late meeting.
10. I ate a dark chocolate Reese's peanut butter cup for the first time today. Didn't like it. The dark chocolate was fine but the peanut better taste was not intense enough.
Monday, February 01, 2010
Just For Fun
Mr Swami and I are going to Fargo North Dakota tomorrow. Just for fun. Some people head South when winter's chill gets to be too much. Mr Swami and I (evidently) head North, lol. He has to give a talk or training session or something on Wednesday and I decided to tag along, even if it meant going North.
So far North Dakota has been a drive-through state for me. I have driven through it on my way to Banff several times, but never stopped. There's nothing there! So far all I have determined is that we will eat at The Space Aliens Bar & Grill. Mybe I can pretend we're really in Roswell N.M. and it is warm outside.
So far North Dakota has been a drive-through state for me. I have driven through it on my way to Banff several times, but never stopped. There's nothing there! So far all I have determined is that we will eat at The Space Aliens Bar & Grill. Mybe I can pretend we're really in Roswell N.M. and it is warm outside.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Back to Normal
1. The birds are back downstairs after being in our bedroom ever since company first came. They are happy and the cats are too. :) Something to watch & fantasize about I guess.
2. We had a power outage this a.m. - always fun when the temps are below zero. Power came back on just as I was getting ready to abandon the house & go somewhere warmer.
3. I am out of absolutely everything & I need to go to the store but I am still just enjoying being home alone so much...
4. I am all caught up on Fringe. I love that show! Walter is a new & excellent variation on the 'mad scientist' formula that tv loves so well.
5. Because he was such a Good Sport thru all my recent family dramas I have decided to make Tom a pie every week for a couple of months. He loves pie but I rarely make it. Tonight? Pumpkin pie, his favorite.
6. Today I am washing sheets. I realized this morning that I can't remember when I washed them last. This is not a good thing, lol.
7. Just for fun, Tom and I are driving to Fargo, North Dakota for a couple of days next week. Some people escape from a Minnesota winter in the Tropics; we go to North Dakota.
8. I have not been back to normal long enough to come up with 10 things!
2. We had a power outage this a.m. - always fun when the temps are below zero. Power came back on just as I was getting ready to abandon the house & go somewhere warmer.
3. I am out of absolutely everything & I need to go to the store but I am still just enjoying being home alone so much...
4. I am all caught up on Fringe. I love that show! Walter is a new & excellent variation on the 'mad scientist' formula that tv loves so well.
5. Because he was such a Good Sport thru all my recent family dramas I have decided to make Tom a pie every week for a couple of months. He loves pie but I rarely make it. Tonight? Pumpkin pie, his favorite.
6. Today I am washing sheets. I realized this morning that I can't remember when I washed them last. This is not a good thing, lol.
7. Just for fun, Tom and I are driving to Fargo, North Dakota for a couple of days next week. Some people escape from a Minnesota winter in the Tropics; we go to North Dakota.
8. I have not been back to normal long enough to come up with 10 things!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Free At Last.
Free at last!
*happy dance*
*reads entire internet*
*eats snickerdoodles*
I am alone in my house and loving it! Last night Mr Swami got to walk around in his Tammy pants. I have not had to see or listen to another person snoring in my family room for more than 24 hrs! I have located missing countertops which were buried under a flood of sister-related carp. This is so exciting!
Moving sister took most of the day yesterday but I think she is fairly well settled in a very nice 1 bedroom assisted living apartment. Now I just have to cross my fingers and hope like crazy she likes the place and can find 1 or 2 people she is compatible enough with that she can socialize, because that will make all the difference. I can't go through this again! If she walks out on this place and goes back to Hawaii (where she has no family & all of her friends are burned out on her or old & needy themselves) then she is on her own. If she has to find assisted living again some unknown Hawaii social services person can have the honor of dealing with her!
Last night Mr Swami brought home dinner so I wouldn't have to cook. Isn't he a nice Mr Swami? Yummy yummy Thai chicken & kale salad & a delicious beef tips in faintly chinese sauce. Also yummy. And cake!!! He brought home chocolate cake!
Is anybody still here, lol?
*happy dance*
*reads entire internet*
*eats snickerdoodles*
I am alone in my house and loving it! Last night Mr Swami got to walk around in his Tammy pants. I have not had to see or listen to another person snoring in my family room for more than 24 hrs! I have located missing countertops which were buried under a flood of sister-related carp. This is so exciting!
Moving sister took most of the day yesterday but I think she is fairly well settled in a very nice 1 bedroom assisted living apartment. Now I just have to cross my fingers and hope like crazy she likes the place and can find 1 or 2 people she is compatible enough with that she can socialize, because that will make all the difference. I can't go through this again! If she walks out on this place and goes back to Hawaii (where she has no family & all of her friends are burned out on her or old & needy themselves) then she is on her own. If she has to find assisted living again some unknown Hawaii social services person can have the honor of dealing with her!
Last night Mr Swami brought home dinner so I wouldn't have to cook. Isn't he a nice Mr Swami? Yummy yummy Thai chicken & kale salad & a delicious beef tips in faintly chinese sauce. Also yummy. And cake!!! He brought home chocolate cake!
Is anybody still here, lol?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Oh, snap.
Less than a week until I am de-sistered.
She's sleeping & snoring on the family room sofa (again) as I write this. She sleeps there almost every night, sitting up with the table lamp on and an open book resting on her chest.
This morning when I looked for the tv remote it was on "her" end table, resting on top of a used kleenex. Who does that!?! I am so over used kleenex everywhere! So I got H1Ni wipes and used them to pick up the remote & wipe it off.
I can't wait to get my life back.
She's sleeping & snoring on the family room sofa (again) as I write this. She sleeps there almost every night, sitting up with the table lamp on and an open book resting on her chest.
This morning when I looked for the tv remote it was on "her" end table, resting on top of a used kleenex. Who does that!?! I am so over used kleenex everywhere! So I got H1Ni wipes and used them to pick up the remote & wipe it off.
I can't wait to get my life back.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
I Am One Of Those.
Those self-righteous, handwashing Nazis. I wash my hands all the time - at least 40 times a day, sometimes way more if I am doing a lot of cooking. So I am the only one who did not catch a cold from The Sister over xmas, or so far this year. Even poor clean Mr. Swami caught it last week, altho it did not last for long. (He mainlined a bunch vit C and garlic capsules.)
Sister barely washes enough to qualify as being washed up. Plus she has the annoying habit of blowing her nose and then laying the used kleenex on the table next to her instead of tossing it right away. So I consider all my table tops contaminted. And no, she never washes after blowing her nose either. I am on my second Big Roll of Lysol antiseptic dispo wipes. I wipe the remotes & phones daily, and the toilet seat before I use it, lol. Mr Swami has abandoned all bathrooms but the upstairs Master. I'm washing towels & such a lot too. Sister has commented, "Boy I never saw people who washed so much!" And yet? She doesn't get the message.
On the Good New front - sister has agreed to give Assisted Living a try! YAY! YAY! & happy dance! On January 26th she moves into this place. Then Mr Swami & I will get our life back! I will like sister much better again once she isn't snoring in my family room most of the afternoon.
Sister barely washes enough to qualify as being washed up. Plus she has the annoying habit of blowing her nose and then laying the used kleenex on the table next to her instead of tossing it right away. So I consider all my table tops contaminted. And no, she never washes after blowing her nose either. I am on my second Big Roll of Lysol antiseptic dispo wipes. I wipe the remotes & phones daily, and the toilet seat before I use it, lol. Mr Swami has abandoned all bathrooms but the upstairs Master. I'm washing towels & such a lot too. Sister has commented, "Boy I never saw people who washed so much!" And yet? She doesn't get the message.
On the Good New front - sister has agreed to give Assisted Living a try! YAY! YAY! & happy dance! On January 26th she moves into this place. Then Mr Swami & I will get our life back! I will like sister much better again once she isn't snoring in my family room most of the afternoon.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Eventually, I Shall Return
I am dealing with my big sister issues. Yes - she's still here.
Issues include her big mess, big ego, big mouth, poor personal hygeine, various downsides of her eating improperly while being a type 2 diabetic, listening to endless stories I have heard endless times, etc. etc. TG she can play cards because that's about the only fun thing about her that's left!
I am trying to get her into an Assisted Living facilty nearby because lord knows she should not be living on her own. We have looked at a couple and I think she is almost ready to make the life change. I hope so. She is basically immobile & dependent on the kindness of strangers and old friends to get through life. She should be in a wheelchair but staggers around with a fancy brass dragon cane instead. She has burned through all her old friends in Hawaii; they are done with driving & fetching for her because she totally imposes. She can't seem to fully process anything involving future planning by herself and just drops back into her 60s & early 70s comfort zone. Which were very nice years but sheesh. I am pretty sure it's not Altzheimers, just pigheaded denial.
Will someone save me lol?
In my next life I will not be born the youngest in my family. I will be the oldest and very demanding. People will take care of me and bring me treats.
Kim, we are looking at a place in your state too - Red Cedar Canyon Assisted Living, in Hudson WI. Maybe WI will be cheaper. Places we like will cost her about $2600/mo, about $600 more than she wants to pay.
Out for now...
Issues include her big mess, big ego, big mouth, poor personal hygeine, various downsides of her eating improperly while being a type 2 diabetic, listening to endless stories I have heard endless times, etc. etc. TG she can play cards because that's about the only fun thing about her that's left!
I am trying to get her into an Assisted Living facilty nearby because lord knows she should not be living on her own. We have looked at a couple and I think she is almost ready to make the life change. I hope so. She is basically immobile & dependent on the kindness of strangers and old friends to get through life. She should be in a wheelchair but staggers around with a fancy brass dragon cane instead. She has burned through all her old friends in Hawaii; they are done with driving & fetching for her because she totally imposes. She can't seem to fully process anything involving future planning by herself and just drops back into her 60s & early 70s comfort zone. Which were very nice years but sheesh. I am pretty sure it's not Altzheimers, just pigheaded denial.
Will someone save me lol?
In my next life I will not be born the youngest in my family. I will be the oldest and very demanding. People will take care of me and bring me treats.
Kim, we are looking at a place in your state too - Red Cedar Canyon Assisted Living, in Hudson WI. Maybe WI will be cheaper. Places we like will cost her about $2600/mo, about $600 more than she wants to pay.
Out for now...
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