meg's garden: Rambling around the Garden

The Bucket List

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:50:47 GMT

I haven’t seen this movie yet (don’t know if I will, because you know I only like happy endings) but the Apron Queen has challenged me to think about my personal “Bucket List”~ you know, the things you want to do before it’s your time to meet our Maker.

I’ve not led an adventurous life~ far from it actually, due mostly to my natural inclinations toward safety & comfort~ but I have been blessed with opportunities to experience some of what this wide, wonderful world has to offer & that has whetted my appetite for new experiences.

After careful consideration & endless revision, here is my list (subject to change & update at the whim of the Gardener):

C Own my own home

C Finish my Bachelor’s Degree

C Buy a brand new, straight from the factory car, just the way I want it

C Learn to speak basic Italian

C Play the mandolin

C Paint watercolors landscapes

C Sing torch songs in front of an audience

C Take a cruise to Alaska

C Travel across Canada by train

C Spend a month in Scotland & the Isles

C Take a walking tour of English gardens

C Stay overnight in a castle

C Join in a sing along at an Irish pub (preferably in Ireland)

C Travel to New Zealand

C Take a cooking school vacation in the Umbria region of Italy

C Kiss my husband at the top of the Eiffel Tower

C See the Pyramids

C Wear a size 12 (or smaller) again

C Have a tummy tuck- I want to see my toes again

C See my children get married

C Watch at least one child or grandchild graduate from college

C Hold my great grandchild

Hmm, from the look of things, my ambitions will keep me from ever being in #1; since I will invariably add to the list as I manage to check things off, let’s just hope I am granted enough time (not mention energy & financial resources) to work my way through the inventory.

So, tell me, what is on your list?

And he has all his fingers

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 05:24:29 GMT

Once again, my annual support of public broadcasting has reaped unexpected dividends.

Two weeks ago, I received a postcard from KQED, one of the local PBS stations we sponsor, inviting me to a reception & book signing at their broadcast offices in San Francisco.

The guest of honor?

Martin Yan, legendary Chinese chef, PBS icon, & Sam’s personal cooking idol~ Sweet!

We’ve been watching his shows for nearly 20 years, & it is not uncommon to hear this phrase, ringing through the kitchen~

“If Yan can cook…so can you!”

Chris had the day off (first one in 2 weeks) & I left work at 3:30, so the three of us arrived in S.F. in plenty of time. Let me tell you~ this was a class act all the way around; there was complimentary valet parking, docents on hand to give tours of the station (which broadcasts both television & radio), & the “light refreshments” were a major misnomer-

grilled veggies, steamed pork buns, mini takeout cartons with stir fried noodles, planks of salmon, bowls of curried shrimp, beef skewers, & stacks of almond, coconut, & fortune cookies, washed done with a choice of 4 wines.

We bought two of Martin’s new book, Martin Yan’s China- one for us & the other for Chris’ Mom, who is a huge fan- as well as his signature Chinese knife set, with chopsticks & seasoning booklet. We were able to have the books autographed & take a photo with Martin, a funny, charming, & gracious gentleman.

After a quick tour of the facilities, we settled into the studio for a cutting & cooking demo, followed by a preview of the new program series. Martin is a stitch~ we laughed for nearly the whole hour

As we left the building, the docents literally filled our shopping bag with fortune cookies, & chocolate truffles, & we were met at the curb by our car, nice & warm on the slightly foggy evening.

Oh, did I mention~ it was all free?

Once again, it’s good to be me.

Back to our regularly scheduled nonsense

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:37:02 GMT

Stick a fork in me~ I’m done!

Well, maybe not exactly done

More like “Buried at a reasonably manageable & familiar level, lower than in the past 8 weeks.”

You know, ankle high instead of neck deep.

At least until October- but I’m not going to think about that right now.

So, what have I been up to, since I have obviously not been investing much brain activity around the Garden?

Work, mostly~ you know, that J-O-B one is forced to attend, in order to write legally negotiable checks for bills & such. The chi around the office got seriously out of whack- right in the middle of some heavyweight state-mandated reporting deadlines (which naturally fall on me), we lost three employees in as many weeks, one of them from my already minuscule accounting department (& no replacement on the horizon- ugh). Workload has trebled while we try to regroup, so I’ve been putting in late days & several weeks of Saturday work time to get on top of things. This past one was brutal- we were in the midst of triple-digit temperatures when the A/C in my office either couldn’t keep up anymore, or simply gave up; since I needed access to all the programs & files on my computer, I ended up working for 6 hours in +90°, with an ice pack on my neck & frozen water bottles under my feet.

It wasn’t a pretty sight by the end of the afternoon- but I’m done with Saturdays for a while.

So, why didn’t I come by to write you all in the evenings or on the weekend (what was left of it, that is)?

Because I couldn’t face any more time in front of the computer.

Because I didn’t seem to have the ability to string together cognitive sentences.

Because I was looking at a backlog of home projects that really needed my attention.

Because I was feeling lazy & unmotivated.

However, I am done with that also.

Well, maybe not the backlog of projects- that never ends.

Oh, and the lazy part- that’s pretty constant, too.

Nevertheless, as I am creeping up on my second Blogversary this week, I feel a renewed need to invest part of my self- my time, my creativity, my personality- in this little cyber-garden of friends.

Okay, enough mushy stuff~ read a fortune cookie & I’ll catch you later.

My Fortune Cookie told me: Tomorrow will be an excellent day for putting Slinkies on an escalator. Get a cookie from Miss Fortune

Well, maybe aquamarine...

Thu, 15 May 2008 20:09:29 GMT

BLUE

You give your love and friendship unconditionally. You enjoy long, thoughtful conversations rich in philosophy and spirituality. You are very loyal and intuitive.

Find out your color at QuizMeme.com!

Yes, I am a little blue today~ I had a really-and-truly senior moment yesterday.

As you know, Chris left for Colorado two weeks ago & was expected home last night . I took a half-day off work, going to the gym, grocery store, & then home to start dinner~ a rare occurrence. After putting the country ribs in the marinade & cracking the last of the crab, I took a nap (oh, what luxury!) before going for my hair appointment, leaving a short list of clean up tasks for Sam.

We had everything grilled & ready by 7:00 pm~ I had fresh asparagus & a big pitcher of ice tea to go along with dinner, turned on the A/C & fans to make it comfortable (it got up to 98° yesterday), & sat down to wait. By 8:00, I was beginning to wonder about the traffic & told Sam to go ahead & eat; at 8:30, I was thinking either the plane crashed & the airline hadn’t got around to calling families yet , or he stopped in at work, started talking, & forgot the time. So, at 8:45, I get up to call his cell phone & glance at the itinerary hanging on the calendar.

His flight was scheduled to land at 5:28 pm.

Today.

Not Wednesday.

When I told Sam, he chuckled kindly & said “Really? Cool~ I’m claiming his ribs.”

No jokes about my age, eyesight, or mental shortcomings.

You know, he’s always been my favorite.

I think the band was "Kansas"

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:07:05 GMT

Spring fever has landed around the Garden this past week, which is my only excuse for neglecting this page. Well, that & the antihistamine hangover that has led me to my bed by 8:30 every evening. While I do suffer from seasonal allergies, this is not the season that bothers me- I have more problems in the late summer & early fall, when the grains are harvested. No, this time of year it is the nemesis of every diligent homemaker & neat freak that drives me to the bottle- dust.

One of the notable features of my area of California is the preponderance of wind, euphemistically called “Delta Breezes” by local forecasters. It was an adjustment at first, having to really think about my car’s spatial relationships to other vehicles (the wind can snatch a door right out of your hand), training myself & the children to wear sunglasses everyday (much more attractive then goggles), & learning to gauge the proper weight & placement of yard furniture to increase your chances of keeping it on your patio (or at least finding it still in your own neighborhood). The first major concession I had to make was my hair; I had worn it in a pre-Raphaelite style, nearly waist length & full of mousse-coated curls. It took only about a month to admit the truth- unless my hair was braided tightly, within 20 minutes of leaving the house, my hairdo went from “Belle Dame Sans Merci”

to “Rosanna Rosanna Dana”,

and so off it came.

I admit that when I overhear complaints from newcomers about the wind, my empathy is heavily woven with amusement & aggravation- I mean, really, what did they expect when the view of the hills to the west includes legions of windmills, every shape & size, spread 15 or 20 miles in either direction? It’s rather like complaining about the noise when you buy a house next to the airport or the pungent smell when you live next to a pig farm- it comes with the territory, so why bleat on about it?

Anyway, the return of warmer temperatures has been followed by an increase in the force of local winds, which in turn has churned up an abundance of dust liberally mixed with acacia pollen. I briefly considered wearing a mask for protection, but after seeing our local nutcase (not P.C. I know, but there’s no other way to describe her) shuffling along the sidewalk lugging her tote bag, wearing her cardigan, sensible shoes, & a surgical mask- well, I just couldn’t bring myself to mirror her style choices any further.

I did not make it back to yoga this past week; as a matter of fact, it will probably be a while before I can attempt it again. I guess I injured my arm a bit more severely than I thought- no bones were broken, but it appears that all the bruising I had was from some torn muscles, which are taking their sweet time healing.

I had treated myself to a nice long soak in the tub the other night, complete with some sweet smelling bath salts & my new read along book; when I went to push myself out of the water, my left arm folded like a cheap lawn chair & the resulting bath water tidal wave drenched poor Dahlia, who was laying next to the tub, waiting for me to come out & play.

I suppose I ought to go back to the doctor for some follow-up treatment, but can’t seem to motivate myself quite that far- more time off work is not something I need right now.

Sam’s yard sale success was minimal; his concept of visible signage needed some adjustment, as well as his assumption that since everyone sleeps in on Saturday mornings, a 10:00 am start would be sufficient. Our agreement was that we would supply the stuff & the change, he would provide all the labor & supervision, & we would share the proceeds 50/50; his cut was a grand total of $17.50 & he was okay with that, but wants to try again next week. He had some good ideas, like having hot coffee & donuts available for sale (the kids in the neighborhood bought them all) & his color-coded pricing system, so with an earlier start & a bit more work on his displays (the wind was pretty vicious that day, so we were chasing things down all afternoon), he should do well.

Evenings are being devoted to getting the yard & garden into order; Chris is leaving for a minimum two-week stay in Denver next week. We’ve been trying to get all the plants we want this Spring put in, supports installed, sprinkler heads replaced, lawns fed & weeded, & the vegetable bed drip lines rerouted, so I can handle the majority of the upkeep- preferably one handed- while he’s away. One project I would love to have done is converting the former rabbit cage stand into a raised planter box for herbs; when we were last at Filoli Gardens, I saw these wonderful miniature Victorian knot gardens, done in raised boxes, which mirrored the full-sized ones nearby. I saw something similar in the recent Better Homes & Garden magazine, complete with tiny furniture, greenhouses, trellises & such- now I’d like to give it a try (though maybe not quite that elaborate)

I will be back later this week with another peek at my Daybook~ I have some ambitious plans for the next week or so. Hope you all are well & I’ll do my best to drop by for a visit.

Grey, round, about the size of a golfball...

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:34:27 GMT

Oh, my!

Has it really been a week since I last posted?

It hasn’t been due to vacation or general laziness, really.

No, this is the real culprit:

Pretty, isn’t it? Chris has taken to calling me TC- for Technicolor K. You know what else? I didn't even hit my elbow when I fell; I stepped on the rock & pitched forward, landing on one knee & my hands- my face was protected because I had my sling backpack in front of me (I was trying to fish out my camera). I didn't even hit that hard, but it was just enough to pop out the left elbow.

When Chris went to the desk to get an ice bag, the staff leaped into action, arranging for a doctor to come to the hotel & sending up a huge basket of fruit, Rondele cheese, crackers, & a bottle of Shiraz. The doctor said my elbow most likely wasn’t broken, but only x-rays would tell for certain; since I didn’t want to spend several hours at an emergency room “just in case”, he wrapped it well, left a prescription for pain medication & instructions to see my personal physician when I got home.

Fortunately, a little incident like being mugged by a rock didn’t keep us from enjoying the rest of our stay in DC. We did drive over to the Jefferson & FDR Memorials that evening, walking around taking some evening shots, then went for BBQ & ice cream.

Wednesday was an absolutely gorgeous day. I was up early again (having not slept particularly well) to get a spot in line for a tour of the Capital- this worked out much better than the previous day J; afterwards, we went to the National Botanic Garden (right across the street) & down the road to the Air & Space Museum for the rest of the afternoon. We had dinner at an Italian place near the hotel, and then settled in for a long soak & a movie on TV.

We headed home on Thursday; it was another long day, with 2 delayed flights- we arrived at the house after 1:00 am (3 ½ hours late), much to the surprise & delight of the cats. It was a struggle to get to sleep, since all three of them were up on the beds, trying to get as close as possible, & Dahlia kept waking me up by tickling my face with her whiskers.

I’ve seen my doctor & had x-rays- everything is fine, just ugly looking. We had a wonderfully lazy weekend; Sam spent the night with a friend & OD’d on video games, while Chris worked in the yard, mowing & planting, & I held down my recliner in the living room. Just in case you were wondering- yes, I can knit, albeit a little slowly & gingerly.

The guys went back to the grind this morning- I’ll be off a couple more days until the swelling goes down a bit more & I regain some range of motion. Although I’m right-handed, I found I use my left hand more than I thought- typing has been a challenge & there won’t be any lifting for a while- but I plan on going in Wednesday, if only to direct traffic while others fetch & carry for me.

Hmmm~ I think I could get use to that.

Welcome Spring

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:39:32 GMT

Spring Greetings from meg’s garden

I pray you each find the hope & promise of the new season

Get out & dig in the dirt, even if it’s only a pot of herbs to put in your window for now

We are off this afternoon for a week in the Nation’s Capital. I am unsure of the availability of the Internet where we are staying, let alone the time to write any entries, so if you don’t hear from me, trust I will be back in Blogland real soon, with lots of things to share.

Have a blessed Easter; we will be celebrating Resurrection Sunday at the National Cathedral & I will be thinking of you.

Bits & Pieces of meg...

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:35:45 GMT

Okay~ I’m back; my battery finally ran down & I’m taking an evening off to catch up with you all. Since I don’t have a common thread (beyond it all being part of my strange & wonderful existence) let’s take a little Bullet Tour of the Garden.

ä The House to House dinner went smoothly; I didn’t have a theme for this round, only because I only had five days notice that the dinner would be at our house & I couldn’t come up with anything original (or even unoriginal- I was more concerned with cleaning the living room.) I picked up a Spiral Cut Ham at Cost*co (don’t you just love heat & eat?), some fresh asparagus, made an Angel Food cake (boxed mix- way too simple) with fresh strawberries, & Sam made tray of veggies with dip; the others brought sweet potatoes, green beans, & a salad. After a quick tour of the last of my winter garden, everyone settled in at the table to chat, & nary a snarky remark was heard (other then the requisite “I don’t really like ham, but this is very good”) - I was even complimented on my iced tea (Casablanca Twist- green tea with peppermint- from Adagio.com- if you would like a $5.00 gift certificate, send me a message with your email & I can send you one) Guests were gone by 8:00 & we settled in to watch 2 episodes of Monarch of the Glen

H Sunday found Sam & I in Livermore bright & early (considering the dreaded end of Daylight Savings Time, it felt like the butt crack of dawn- have I mentioned I hate the end of Daylight Savings?) as he had an Iron Body training session with a senior sensei. I don’t go in to watch- who wants to see someone pounding your kid with sandbags & said kid punch hard stuff repeatedly- so I read the paper in the car & did a little knitting. Afterward, we drove over to Ravenswood for the afternoon; fortunately, another docent volunteered to come in, so I wasn’t on my own. It was a good thing, as we were hopping for 3 hours & even Sam pitched in by entertaining people waiting on the porch for the next tour. We were so hungry by 4:00, we stopped off at the first restaurant we came to & pigged out on sushi & tempura.

* I did get my letter done- last night. I was surprised how dependent I’ve become on my word processor; handwriting took forever, because I had to really think before I committed anything to ink & paper. If this correspondence continues, my pen pal will have to settle for a type-written epistle.

{ Today was the first Garden Club meeting of the New Year; as is our tradition, today was a field trip to a couple local nurseries to restock our gardens, followed by lunch & scheduling the programs for the year. I took a float day & came home with some veggies- lemon cucumbers, zucchini, crooked neck squash, & two tomatoes- & several new flowers for both the front bed & my hanging baskets. I also elected to do the July program this year, which will be hosted at another woman’s house; I’m thinking of a presentation on “Pets & Plants”, focusing on beneficial plants to grow for your furry companions. I’ll have to start some research soon; moreover, I’m really going to have to commit to getting the stuff in the ground ASAP, since we are leaving next Friday for Washington DC.

ö Speaking of pets & trips, Chris really came through on his vacation assignment- finding someone to take care of the girls while we’re away. Turns out, a friend of ours from church (the wife of our board president & leader of our home fellowship group) has been doing pet sitting for a year now. She is a contractor for a national firm, which means she’s insured & bonded, but more importantly, we know her personally & are comfortable with her being in our house. She came by last night to do the paperwork & be briefed on the girls’ routine- I gave her a lesson on giving Daisy her injections & she’s meeting with our vet to get a little more practice. She lives only a few blocks from us, so coming by twice a day to feed, scoop, & generally play with the girls, won’t be a hassle.

Alright, I need to get back to my recliner; I have a cabled beret calling out to be completed before we leave & I’m a quarter of the way done. Ta-ta!

Fall Swap

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 03:04:57 GMT

I love doing swaps. I don't why exactly; maybe it's the adventure of shopping for someone else, trying to match their taste & needs. Then again, maybe it's the mystery & excitement over waiting for a package from somewhere in the world. Regardless, it is great fun, which is way I jumped at the Fall Favorites Swap hosted by the Great Pretender. We made up a package of our own favorite things to send to a friend, & in turn received a box from another person. Here is what I received from my secret friend, Joisey:

I love the things she sent~ we seem to have very similar taste. We have a box of Good & Plenty (one of my favorites from childhood), lip balm (we all know my addiction to that), a pad of colorful index cards (perfect for lists), some awesome smelling shower wash (the only thing I use, even though I like to make soap- go figure), a bath puff (mine had disappeared recently), a nifty flossing gadget (Chris uses this all the time, since his fingers are a bit, er, chunky), some comfort wipes (you have to read her story about these), air freshener for the car (also being put to use by Chris- he works around diesel ), a bookmarker, a DVD of "City of Angels", some treats for my girls (they go crazy whenever I walk by the canister), & the softest, most comfy socks I've ever had (perfect for me, since my feet are always cold!) Thank you again, Joisey~ you hit a home run

I know I'm sliding this is under the wire; I seriously thought we were posting on the 17th

Scrub-a-dub-dub...

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 02:04:27 GMT

No, there are no men in my tub- at least not at this moment; it is my semi-annual “Let’s scour everything that doesn’t move & a few things that do, just in case” turn out of the family homestead. This it the time of year that I feel the itch to blow out the cobwebs & sterilize everything before winter weather sets in; add to that the upcoming House to House dinner at our home & you end up with a 10-day long festival of tidying.

This all began with the desire to have the carpets cleaned downstairs; this is a different group of people- who seem to be much better behaved then Saint C- but why risk any more insults to my dingy carpets? Having the carpets done necessitates moving the furniture & breakables out of the rooms, which naturally must be preceded by removing the piles from said furniture- papers, books, fabric, sewing paraphernalia, & assorted random crap. Being a good FlyBaby (okay, okay- a marginal one), we have taking on one small area each evening- sorting, tossing, relocating, & finally cleaning with my favorite orange En*dust- which left only the big stuff to move last night. It took the guys maybe an hour to remove everything into the garage or out to the back porch, leaving a couple of chairs & a lamp for us to use until bedtime.

We were then treated to a floorshow, courtesy of our furry friends; just as each human in our family has their own personality & quirks, the cats will show their individuality when faced with change. Confronted by this empty room, their reactions were varied; Daisy parked her carcass on the throw rug in the kitchen, refusing to budge regardless of the constant flow of traffic over & around her; Poppy, after hiding in the laundry room during the action, took an entire 15 minutes to belly-crawl through the area- flinching at every sound, shadow, & imaginary bug- & has been ensconced in the bathroom sink upstairs ever since. Dahlia, true to her rebel form, has been having a grand time; tail held high like a frisky horse, she has been galloping around, exploring hitherto unseen corners, running laps around the room, & joyfully playing with the pile of toys that were unearthed from under the sofa & microwave cart. Here is a shot of her cache:

If you are wondering about those pieces of paper, well...she has a number of traditional cat toys- mostly gifts- that she will consent to play with on occasion, but given the contrary nature of the feline, Dahlia’s favorite plaything is wadded up paper- a cough drop wrapper, tissue paper from a package, or- to my mortification- the paper strip from a panty liner. She will fish these treasures out of the trash can in the bathroom & bat them around the house, carrying them from room to room in her mouth, & dropping them at someone’s feet. She is such a dog-cat!

Anyway, the carpets are done & drying; the furniture will be moved back in tonight or tomorrow morning; Chris is on vacation until Monday & has been armed with a list (short, really- only half a page) of little things to do before Saturday morning. It isn’t a wholesale, exhaustive cleaning, worthy of a hospital ward or a nesting mother; it’s just a bunch of small things that I’ve noticed- usually sitting on the pot, ala Wiemie & The Wallpaper Stripping- that would be obvious to my guests. You know the kind of thing; the grayish-brown areas around the door handles, jams, light switches, & the corner of every wall in my house; one light bulb burned out in a two-bulb fixture; the built up grime on the burner drip pans, that smokes whenever anyone cooks & sets off the alarm. There is a two-fold reason behind this strategy; it will keep him occupied while he’s off (I’ve already told you, the man does not know how to relax) so I should only receive 3 or 4 phone calls from him per day, & the myriad of grime spots will be dealt with be the creator (him), instead of by the only person who seems to see these things (me).

Well, I’m off to the grocery store before choir practice tonight; on the menu for Saturday is Barbequed Pork Ribs, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, my infamous Spiced Cranberry/Peach Chutney, as well as Hot Cider & assorted beverages- the others are bringing salad, bread, & dessert. It will be one of those weekends; Saturday morning, we’ll be decorating for Christmas at Ravenswood & then the party in the evening; Sunday will be spent giving tours at the Cottage & then taking Sam out to a long ago promised movie- he got first quarter grades & nothing lower than a “C”, even in English, his weak subject. Monday is holiday for us, so I plan doing my impression of a root vegetable for the day; just call me Marrow Meg & poke me with a fork to make sure I’m done.

Cat Haiku

(author unknown)

My brain: walnut sized.

Yours: largest among primates.

Yet, who leaves for work?

This is for me...

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 16:23:26 GMT

Running around in my head...

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 00:13:50 GMT

Not much in the way of cognitive narrative at the moment- all my cranial synapse seem to be tied up in processing escheat reports- so I will fall back on the old standby, the bullet entry.

b The Homecoming football game was a success- West won against #2 ranked Stagg High 28-27. Attendance was low because of a threat of rain (it did for a very short time- long enough for a few dozen screaming teenaged girls to make it into the bathroom for cover), but it was exciting nonetheless. As we figured, Sam wasn’t chosen for class royalty, but the Juniors tied the Seniors in the float competition (personally, I think it was rigged!); I was ditched by my son (big surprise) so he could sit with the Spirit Club, but he did bring me a hotdog & drink just before halftime.

b Chris made it home late Saturday night- around 11:00 pm- after having traveled all day; he was cold, tired, & frustrated at not getting enough things done on this trip, so the best thing for him was a stiff shot of Glenfiddich, a hot shower, & a good night’s sleep in his own bed. He only had one day off before going back to his shop, but the next couple of weeks will be short; he has maxed out his vacation accrual again & will have to take some days so as not to lose his earned vacation time. It will work out well because it will be our turn to host the next “House to House” dinner in two weeks; since he missed out on all the prep & cleaning last time (if you remember, he returned from Texas the evening before our dinner in April), he gets to take charge of everything for November. We’ll be having the carpets cleaned week after next, so he & Sam will be cleaning out the fireplace, furnace ductwork, & the popcorn ceilings beforehand.

b My sewing machine & I have been spending a lot of quality time together lately. It has been coming back to me the things I love about sewing, as well as the things I don’t. I haven’t mentioned this before, but sewing was how I supplemented the family income for a number of years- from early in my first marriage until about 10 years ago. I learned to sew in junior high, first in Home Economics, then taking a couple summer school sessions after my Mother bought a new machine. I started out making my square dancing dresses, which really honed my skills, but mostly dabbled for several years. When I was pregnant with my first child, I made everything- maternity clothes, bedding, baby clothes- since I was a stay home mom on a strict budget. As my friends started having babies, I was asked to make thing for them; eventually, I got a part-time job at the local fabric store & ended up getting a lot of work from customers who wanted something made, but didn’t actually sew. When my first marriage failed, I was able to get on full-time as a department coordinator, but still needed the side work to make ends meet; I worked for the same company off & on for nearly 10 years, before hanging up my shears to work in the financial industry. To be honest, I was pretty burned out by then; other then an occasional call from someone who remembered that I sewed or a hem in need of repair, my machines (yes, that is plural- at one point, 3 sewing & 2 sergers) lay dormant, among stacks of fabric, patterns & notions that I collected over my career. That changed when we started the Quilting Circle last fall & then began volunteering as a docent at Ravenswood; usually two evening a week, I work on one of the quilts or my wardrobe pieces for an hour or two. I’ve also been spending time (& money) in the fabric store; even Chris has noticed that the fabric stacks are starting to spread around the house again. Fortunately for me, this was how Chris was raised- his mom is a seamstress & crafter from way back- so he takes it all in stride; he’s just glad he isn’t being called in as the dressmakers dummy as when he was younger (he & his mom are the same size in almost every way- height, weight, even shoe size!)

Well, That’s all I have time for right now; I’ve got to take Poppy over for her annual check-up tonight, & then get more prep work done for my last quilt technique class tomorrow night. Hope you all have a restful evening & can take a walk to enjoy the Autumn weather.

Bad Bunny Mom

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 01:29:06 GMT

This is Demeter

AKA: Urban Bunny; Saber-tooth Rabbit; !@#$%*&! Animal

who, along with paranoid/schizophrenic Violet the cat, came into our household when my daughter moved out of her last residence to destinations unknown. He has spent the majority of his life indoors, in his cage, though he was given occasional free range of Jessica’s apartment. This situation, of course, was not going to fly in my house- not only do I have four indoor cats that the little thumper tries to, well, hump- I do not buy into my daughter’s assertion that rabbit urine doesn’t smell.

So outside goes the rabbit & we have taken great pains to provide for his comfort & amusement. He lives in our backyard, snug & cozy in his cage, which is liberally lined with straw & mats to protect his little feet, & set on a Chris-made raised hardwood stand. We provide him vet-approved food & treats, plenty of timothy hay & chew toys, & let him out in our small backyard a couple times a day, to leap, dig, & frolic to him little lapin-heart’s content.

Herein lies the problem- Demeter is a rabbit. A very small, fast, rabbit, with a penchant for nipping when he’s picked up. Getting him back into his cage before he is ready often presents some difficulties. So, I purchased these,

a few weeks ago, when Chris & I went up to Colombia; besides being great for working around my roses & cucumbers, they offer nominal protection to my delicate forearms when holding Mr. D.

Saturday afternoon, when I took Demeter out of his cage, I noticed that his paws had become rather grubby from digging & he was throwing off a lot of fur, so I went inside to get a washcloth & brush to clean him up. Imagine my surprise when he hopped right up to me when I came back out, instead of the normal chase & herding routine we go through; I quickly picked him up before he took off again, & reached for the washcloth. This is when I remembered that I’d best put my gloves on again before going any further.

Instead of dropping him in his cage, closing the door, putting on my gauntlets, & then picking him up again, I decided to just pull the gloves on while holding him. I slid one hand into the glove, but found I couldn’t get it fully on; I started to reach over with my other hand - the one holding Mr. D- to pull it up tight, & changed my mind when his little mouth opened to take a hunk out. So, I raised my arm & bent my head to tug the glove on with my teeth… & proceeded to bite my own arm. Hard.

(Please disregard the multitude on black hair- it really is the arm of a gentile, delicate lady)

The guys heard me yelp & came out to see if I was okay; immediately seeing the raised welt on my arm, they became very solicitous towards me, offering to take over, & indignant towards Demeter for inflicting injury on their beloved Queen. I am suitably ashamed to admit that I did nothing to disabuse them of this notion, & let Demeter take the wrap; after being chastised by Chris for not having my gauntlets on beforehand, I wasn’t about to admit that my injury was self-inflicted & endure the laughter that would follow.

Yes, I am really that petty.

Bloggy Blessings

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 22:26:56 GMT

We have once again been keeping our local mail carrier & the Fed*Ex guy busy earning their meager salaries, & risking life & limb to deliver packages to the wilds of Central California suburbia. Through my involvement in Ravelry (have I mentioned how much I enjoy Ravelry? No? Don’t worry, I’m certain I will), I’ve joined a mitten swap & a read/knit along, so of course, I’ve had to purchase some yarn & the books (we’re reading the entire “Anne of Green Gables” series.) While visiting Esty to see some of my friends’ offerings, I found homemade, custom-scented laundry detergent & the cutest little stitch marker sets, so a little Christmas shopping for my knitting friends ensued. Then was my search for pre-1930’s vintage women’s magazines & shoes for my Crissy doll (a girl can’t have just one pair of shoes, especially if they are orange), oh, & a new winter coat... my husband is a patient & understanding man.

But the best things that have arrived recently have been from blogging friends around the country. I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating; I was fortunate & blessed to fall into a community of sweet, caring, & generous people when I began this adventure in cyber-journaling & relationships. Here are just a few examples:

This lovely woman’s kilt was sent to me by Cindy of Superior Living; she was clearing out some clothing, remembered that we are involved in Scottish dancing, & offered it to me, for myself or anyone else it might fit. It was definitely too small for me, so I took it to class last Friday & donated it, on Cindy’s behalf, to the club “closet”; it has been loaned out to Anna, one of our faithful performer, until she outgrows it.

This was a gift from a new blog friend, Dana at Ventage Inklings. I came across her site during the “Make Mine Pink” tea party last month & left a birthday greeting- she, Robb, & my youngest brother all share a birth date; next thing I know, Dana is sending me a gift.

This last collection is from my friend Mrs. Staggs at A Happy Miscellany. She was having a “Pay it Forward” giveaway & I was the lucky winner. What you are seeing is a handmade cornucopia, filled with paper flowers, two pair of scented beeswax candles, glass candlesticks & a charming serving dish, two tea towels with vintage lace, & a whimsical twine-dispensing crow. Now I have a Autumn vignette, worthy of some of my favorite lurking spots throughout the “Cottage Blogs”; thank you again, Lena~ you are a peach (or maybe a pumpkin- more appropriate for the season, I think.) If you haven’t visited Merryville yet, do yourself a favor & drop by soon; it is one of the most soothing, gently kind places I’ve ever been. (Jane, if you think I’m mellow- check out Mrs. Staggs!)

Well, I knew it was too good to last; after just over five months being home, Chris is being sent off to Orlando on Tuesday for at least two weeks. One nice thing about the trip this time: Robb is now living in Orlando & actually works right across the highway from the shop where Chris will be, so they will get to spend some time together. I know these trips are no picnic for Chris- a lot of hard work, in unfamiliar, poorly equipped facilities, living in a trailer, & subsisting on fast food or cans of soup after 12 hour days- but the timing is pretty fortuitous financially. The crazy overtime of the summer has suddenly dropped off & gas prices have gotten ridiculously high, so I was prepared to feel the pinch of a short pay-period; now between the extra hours rushing to get the other shop back into shape & no commuting costs for two weeks, the budget might even have a little surplus.

The only stinky part is Chris is going to miss Homecoming Week. “Big deal”, you say? Well, it is a bit of one this year; our darling son has signed on as a Powder Puff cheerleader- uniform, dance moves, & all- and has been nominated for Junior Class Royalty. He doesn’t think he’ll be elected; as he said, he’s not a jock or a class officer- he just flies around a bit under the radar, so not many people know who he is- but I’ll be picking up a new suit for him just in case. I’ve assured Chris that I will be there with camera & video, to catch all the proud moments- not to mention such great material to share with the future DIL & grandchildren.