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We have rain, ladies and gentlemen...actual rain, with a lot of fender benders to prove it.
Photo courtesy of Public Domain Photo.
We haven't had any measurable amount of rain in a month. This smells and feels GREAT! I guess it took a while for my naked rain dance to kick in, but apparently it worked!! (It helps to do the dance in rain-prone areas.)
The other morning the sun was hitting some blossoms which made them jump out at me, so I took a picture.
They don't jump in the photograph. That's why we will always need art. As good as a camera and a photographer may be, there are things that will some time demand an artist's interpretation in order for us to get the full impact.
Do you use incense? If so, here's an alert.... DO NOT BUY THIS BRAND. IT SUCKS. No matter how cheap it may be, it will still smell like a stick is burning.
I mean strawberry is the ace up the sleeve...the fragrance most likely to smell okay. If a company can't make decent smelling strawberry incense, then it can't make decent smelling patcholli, either!
SURPRISE! Not much going on here... but the weather is cooler. A bit muggy, but cooler, nonetheless.
Addictive personality. I think that's my problem. Okay, one of my problems. I've been spending time feeding the fish over at Patricia's blog. Sometimes I put a gob of food out, other times I spread it around in all four corners, and just to change it up a bit, I might put just one pellet out to see which fish gets to it first. There's something meditative about it.
I'm ready for my medication, now.
We're cooling off. Our temperatures are now in the 90s. (00) Some 'cooling', huh. Well, it is cooler than 106, but ohmygawd its muggy. I think that's worse than triple digit numbers. I move my eyes and sweat pops out all over. What's up with that?
I tracked her down. Well, actually I tracked her blog down, the blog that spawned the book and then the movie "Julie & Julia." Along the way I read a blogger's review of the movie. It sounds like a must-see.
You can read it (the blog) here.
Its amazing how so many people have become successful and/or have whole new careers now because of the internet. So many talented people! What's up with that?
PS... my bad. I just went to the beginning of Julie's blog to start reading from there. Apparently the book came first, then the blog. I don't know what order the movie comes into play. Actually, I don't know how accurate anything is. You know Hollywood. Hard to separate fact from hype, especially if you're speed reading. PPS... or maybe there was another blog in the beginning. ? You know what? Lets just say this entry could be totally fabricated. I don't know anything.
PPPS... I think I might have found the original food blog. To manuever around the blog, use the calendar on the sidebar. This may be more than you want to deal with, I know, but I was pleased that I finally found it. The blog link was hidden on her sidebar. Can't fool me. For long. I think.
We're getting a little preview of what hell might feel like if we were burning there....
We're in the middle of a heat wave. Yesterday was 103 degrees and today is expected to be 105. Tomorrow will be much the same and then we slide down into the high 90s. Be still my heart.
You know its going to be a hot one when the overnight low temperature is 76 degrees. (00)
My ass will be sitting in front of a fan and a squirt bottle of water will be at hand. Other than that, not much else will be going on.
(the photo is not of a burning bush, but a Christmas cactus that bloomed a few weeks ago.)
Yesterday I noticed some cops, with a k-9 officer, were searching for something.
I noticed them when I stepped outside and the first thing I thought was "something to blog!!" (Its very boring here.) I tried to get some decent shots of the dog sniffing around without being noticed, so I just clicked the camera. The shots didn't come out. (most were just pictures of the stairs. sigh.) When finished on the corner some of the officers, with the dog, continued walking around the block. Don't know if anything was found. We're guessing they were looking for drugs or a gun. (do dogs sniff out guns?)
Many hours later, after dark, I was once again standing outside and observed a female walking down the street. I kept my eye on her after seeing her looking around on the ground in the same area the police had been looking. She didn't find anything, either.
We've had seven shootings in the past seven nights here in the city. Fortunately no one has been killed, but several young people have been wounded. They're beefing up police presense and will be operating their mobile unit, an extra huge truck/van that can move around based on where the activity is.
This is the scene of the crime:
A trampoline at 'mom's' best friend's house. The netting around it is definitely a safety feature, but one shouldn't get too laxed in their ways. The friend's youngest daughter (few months older than Vyron) managed to break her arm. See the ledge around the trampoline? That's where she was sitting when Darius bounced into the netting and knocked her to the ground. She has a pink cast on her right arm now. And she seemed to like the pain meds. Her mother said she would wake up in the middle of the night and call to her. "Mommy, I need some more meds. My arm hurts." Then all would be well once again in Happyville.
Not to be outdone, her older sister (perhaps six or seven) had been riding a boys bike learning how to do trick rides. "Look at me! Look at me! I can stand up on the bar!!" Wanna guess what happened next? What? Too easy? Well, maybe. She slipped and her private parts slammed right onto the bar. She had to have a few stitches done. And you know what the saddest part of this particular event was? The fear that the hospital staff would report the incident as sexual abuse. Its a witch hunt out there! (needless to say there won't be a picture of her injuries.)
This is just Darius showing off his sweat. He was playing so hard his entire body was wet and his hair was in little ringlets. No injuries, though. Well, not if you don't count that he was the one that bumped into the girl with the broken arm.
And the last of the injuries during this week long period of time brings us to Vyron. I don't have a photo of his injury because I don't want to be reminded of it. It makes me shudder.
He got his thumb closed in a car door. OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! His poor little thumb stayed tender... its still tender even though its been about two weeks. It looks like his nail is going to fall off, too. (shudder shudder) It makes me creepy just thinking about it. Poor little guy. Besides, it brings up memories of my own fingers getting shut in car doors. Does that happen to every child?
I couldn't let Walter Cronkite's passing go without a tip of the hat to him. He was literally our first news anchorman. The term "news anchor" was coined with Cronkite in mind.
I will always associate him with the death of JFK. I remember his sobering reporting and that he almost lost it, emotionally, on TV. I also, along with Lawrence Welk, associate him with my grandparents... watching the huge and heavy floor model black and white tv with Walt telling us what was going on in the world. "And that's the way it is... " I knew as soon as the news was finished, a good program would be coming on like Red Skelton or the Ed Sullivan show.
To be honest, I didn't realize Uncle Walt was still with us, but since he was 92 I'm not going to feel bad about it.
PS: Remember when tv programming didn't start until 2 or 3pm... up until then you would only see a "test pattern" on the screen. The programs would cease around midnight or shortly there after. I tell ya, I'm old as dirt!
"Portion Control"
Instead of saying "HEY! You're eating too much!!!" you can now say "Oh sweetie... you need to watch your portion control, bless your little heart." Its one of the new marketing phrases.
Last week we had a grey and misty/rainy day and I decided to fix some pinto beans while the weather was appropriate (as apposed to now when we are in the 90 degree range). As I waited for the pot to boil I glanced over the product information section on the package. The bag of beans contained 13 servings. I looked at the bag of beans. I looked at the bowl. "I don't think so."
I then checked out 'serving size'.... a serving of pinto beans (dry) is 1/4 cup. (00)
This is approximately 1/4 a cup of beans as the crow flies. (I don't have anything that measures 1/4... this measuring cup starts at 1/2 a cup, so I guessimated by sight.)
This is what 1/4 of a cup of dry beans looks like in a bowl. (For scientific purposes of measurement, I used a striped bowl. Please note color and size of stripe where beans end for later visual referencing.)
This is a bowl showing what a "wet" serving of beans would be... 1/2 a cup of beans. One laddle full. Is this a 'regular' serving for you? Am I outta touch? My serving would be a full bowl of chili. Then seconds.
It feels like a lie. False advertising. The bag of beans said the calorie count was something like 110 calories a serving. Well yeah! When a serving is half a cup.
"Hey, George. Lets promote this product as "reduced calories".... we just need to alter the package and make the serving size smaller. Easy Peasy!"
I was just skipping thru links and came across this entertaining blog and thought you might want to take a look, too. Its Miss Doodle's Day. I like how its done. Light, airy, and oh so French.
We had an impromptu sleepover the other night. 'Mom' and the boys stopped by to drop something off. It was late. The boys were already in their pj's and looked all clean, fresh, and innocent as boys their age are wont to appear. Vyron caught me at a weak moment and charmed me. (Its not a difficult task.)
"gamma, can I stay with you? Pleassssseeeeeee" with head cocked to one side, eyes looking up at me between dark lashes, smile playing on the lips. Damn. I dare a gramma to say no to that pressure!! I caved, okay? It took only a second. Sigh.
The boys were perfect that evening. Sweet young things that were actually doing what I asked them to do!! "No, put the screwdriver back in the drawer. There's nothing to take apart tonight." These are the short lived moments that keep hope for future generations alive. When will we learn?
The next day started off alright but progressed downward, as far as Darius goes anyway. Nothing out of bounds, mind you, but just not as sweet as the night before. I guess it might be akin to an evening out. By the end of the evening and the end of the alcohol, magic is in the air and you are surrounded by royalty. The next morning the magic has turned into a dank, smoke-filled room and there's an ugly toad sleeping on the floor. I think Darius was simply getting bored. These are the times that make me dream of the fairy tale. A fairy tale where young children could go outside by themselves (after a certain age, of course) and play until they were called to lunch. Sigh. Norman Rockwell...you big tease!!
Crime fighter, that's me. I don't have a cape or spandex shorts right now, but I think I could find a couple of metal bracelets if I looked for them good enough.
It was about 5am. It was light outside, but the sun had not risen yet. I guess you could say it was "by dawn's early light." I had just silently stepped out of my door to have my first cigarette of the day. One more child can have a medical procedure, but I digress. I leaned up against the building and glanced around. There, coming around the fence along the lot next to us, was a tall man dressed all in black. It was too far away to see faces. He stopped as soon as he saw me...then turned and walked back around the fence. (Its a fence that goes around another property and one side of it is up against the lot next to us.)
My first thoughts as this all happened were...
Who is THAT! followed by "Now that's odd. I wonder what he was up to...hmmmm."
I think I figured it out by the end of the cigarette. Folks in another apartment had locked up a small bike to one of the stair posts. I think the guy was going to rip off the bike... until he saw me. I'm guessing a crackhead. And he probably had not yet noticed the huge logging chain and lock on it.
So once again, I foiled a crime. And me without a cape!
No, its not an obituary column. Not yet, anyway. Its just that I want to acknowledge another passing. I'm not sure why, but perhaps its because it is so unexpected.
Do you know who I mean when I say Billy Mays? Does the name sound familiar? Did someone's image pop into your mind? I'm talking about the pitchman for OxiClean and other infomercial products. You know, the energetic, loud man with the fake black beard. (it looks fake to me ??) He was found dead and there are no apparent reasons for it. He was 50 yrs old.
It was reported that he had said he wasn't feeling well the night before being found. It was also reported that he had a fairly rough airplane landing and got hit on the head by something. (upon landing the plane's tire blew.)
Well that just made me jump to conclusions... like ?? Richardson's passing. Remember? She, the actress, bumped her head while skiing and died later. Is it the same cause of death? (Update: I put ?? for Richardson's first name because I'm not sure I had the correct one earlier. Sorry.)
I just stopped to ask myself WTF? Why all this reporting on death? I'm not sure. At first I thought it was to acknowledge his passing because it may not be widely reported... but I think most of us know who he was. Now I'm conjuring up other possible reasons.
First, the obvious... Love the ones you're with because you may not be with them as long as you think. (I'm paraphrasing something.)
Second, Pay attention. YOU may not be here as long as you think. (notice how I excluded myself?)
Third, is this a sign? Am I prepping myself? I say this only because I watched part of the movie Bruce Almighty where Bruce is praying for a sign. As he's driving along and praying, he's passing by all kinds of signs. Stop, Curves Ahead, etc. And he doesn't connect.
Fourth, I dunno what comes next. That's for you to fill in.
It feels like I'm done with obituary reporting now. The sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, and there's some rose buds waiting to be picked.
Relief.... I felt relief that Farrah Fawcett would no longer be suffering. Her valient struggle is over, not only for herself but for those who love her. She was no quitter, that's for sure. And the more early interviews that I see of her, the more impressed I become. I remember seeing the tv movie The Burning Bed and was completely blown away by her acting. She WAS a battered woman in that movie. It was amazing. I know the hole she leaves in the hearts of many will be hard to fill... if they are able to fill it at all. May they feel relief as well. Bittersweet.
And then the shock. Michael Jackson gone at age 50. Stunned. A blur of surreal images. No matter what went on in his private life, I don't think anyone can take away his tremendous talent for performing. He was such a darling little boy. Where did that little boy go? Lost in the sickness that is fame. Worldwide fame.
I always first remember Michael in his early years. Its sad to think of where he started and where he ended up. A freak. Its just sad that he became a poster-boy to warn others about fame and fortune. Sad, sad, sad. That's what makes me tear up the most. Fame and fortune on steroids.
Yet....what a magnificent talent.
Too bad he didn't have an anchor to ground himself.
I suspect the toxicology tests will show a lot. And as time passes and more and more information is shared, I suspect it will be even more freakish. Lisa Marie as much as said so. She was glad they were celebrating Michael now... before more information is shared.
Perhaps both of their passings are a relief. In the long run.
oh dear. My friend (I mentioned previously about her health issues) emailed me today about a dream she had... a happy dream for her. To me it was and is worrisome. Her dream was about meeting up with her fun-loving ex husband (Who died a few years ago) and they had a lot of fun. It ended with her at the base of a bridge where she warned a little girl to put her shoes on....
When someone is waiting at the bottom of a bridge to cross over... its not a good sign. Not from my perspective. It symbolizes a crossing over. And a warning about shoes?! Her circulatory problem is in her legs and feet. oh crap.
I could tell she felt good about the dream. I sure don't. If one pays attention, life gives you a heads up on important things. I think its to help one to cope. Sigh.
That's what I thought as I selected these two drawings to post. Gawd, they could be 'before and after' images." 'Before' shows a fresh young thing with all possibilities still ahead of her. 'After' shows the remains after life has slapped her around a bit....as life is apt to do.
The woman and dog's hats are covered with tulle. (Is that the right fabric term?) I was stumped as to how to draw tulle, how to capture the look of partial opaqueness. (I'll have to check the spelling of that, too, but you get my drift.) In the after image the dog is all she has left. He cares for the woman very much and knows how important he is in her life. Her only friend. Her only companion. Because of this he tolerates her escapades, her misguided trips down doggy-fashion lane. He has a big heart for such a small dog.
It seems like I've gotten out of the habit of posting, but its really because I didn't have anything to talk about. One day leads to another and before you know it a week has passed.
I made my usual Saturday trip to my friend's place for games and conversation. She's experiencing health issues now. We kind of joked about both her and her car falling apart at the same time. Not so funny, truth be told.
Several months ago she had emergency heart bypass surgery. She didn't bounce back the way I expected but she did bounce back. I expected cart wheels and dancing because, you know, her heart is moving the blood around so much better now. It didn't happen... the cart wheels and dancing. Now there's talk of angioplasty surgery. Periphial Artery Disease. Normally I always feel 'everything will be okay', but this one has me feeling just a little concerned. My friend is also diabetic and it takes her longer to heal. They have her on the fast track in getting tests done. Currently she waits to hear what comes next and how soon.
She doesn't talk about it much. You have to ask the questions. I can feel her concern, too. Its bubbling just below the surface.
We have rain, ladies and gentlemen...actual rain, with a lot of fender benders to prove it.
We're getting a little preview of what hell might feel like if we were burning there....
Some electricians were just hanging around the other day. 
A neighbor is growing parsley. I liked the shadows.
And I'm ending with a bowl of summer.
I don't consider myself a coffee snob, especially since there are so many coffees out there that I have not tried. However, I have spoiled myself and I do not like the massed produced cheap coffee. In the picture you will notice two different bags of coffee. This is a warning. Just because coffee is in a bag it does not mean its good tasting coffee. The Tully coffee SUCKS! Clearly they have used nothing but the cheapest of beans and didn't give a damn about the roasting. Tully coffee tastes like the kind that you pay $3 and get 50 pounds of it. I caved on getting Tully because it was on sale and at the time I was counting pennies. It was buy one, get one free. But as you can see, I quickly replaced the yucky stuff with something better. The Tully coffee will now be put up as emergency rations.
I made myself a treat this morning.... iced mocha coffee. And to make sure it felt like a treat, I used a plastic cup. (hahaha... "ohhhh a plastic cup! What a treat that is!!") My daughter left the cup here and I kept it around just so I could fix an iced mocha and pretend I bought it. You know what the pathetic part of all this is.... its that I'm pretending with just myself. No one else will see it. Yet here I am, sharing this information. I gotta get out more.
