V is for Van

Van Morrison that is! Where would I be without the music of Van Morrison? Nobody makes me cry like Van. Yet when I am crying, he's the only one who can make it all better. Some say he's grumpy. Others say he cannot sing. I don't care. For me, his music is a religious experience.

The man has released scores of albums. In fact, just this month he released Keep it Simple. He writes love songs; he sings the blues; he's recorded some of the most wonderful hymns; he rocks. He has music for all of my moods!

Several years ago Van came to Nashville. It was my friend Shannon who told me he was coming to Dallas, but tickets had sold out. I waited for weeks for the Nashville tickets to go on sale. They were $85 each. But I'd always wanted to see Van. The tickets went on sale at 10:00 a.m. I picked up the phone and called. The gal who answered explained that it was only 9:58 and that I would need to call back. I reached her at 10:04 and they had sold out. I was miserable. Folks were selling his tickets on e-Bay for hundreds of dollars. No, I didn't go. But I will. Some day.

Picking a favorite Van song would be just about as hard as picking my favorite children's book. But I would have to say that of my many favorites, the following are definitely at the top: Have I Told You Lately, Tupelo Honey, I'm Tired Joey Boy, Enlightenment, When Will I Ever Learn to Live in God, Melancholia, and Brown Eyed Girl.

Van, your music makes my soul sigh and my heart sing! Thank you!

Three Little Kittens

Truffles, it seems gave birth to one more wee monster yesterday afternoon for when I came home, there were THREE little kittens in my garage. They are amazingly tiny, incredibly adorable, and simply marvelous. One is solid grey. Another is grey and white. The last is white and grey. They are hungry. Truffles is hungry and trying to be a good Mama Cat. And I hover uselessly.

The Three Little Kittens

Three little kittens they lost their mittens, and they began to cry,

"Oh mother dear, we sadly fear that we have lost our mittens."

"What! Lost your mittens, you naughty kittens!

Then you shall have no pie."

"Meeow, meeow, meeow, now we shall have no pie."

The three little kittens they found their mittens,

And they began to cry,

"Oh mother dear, see here, see here

For we have found our mittens."

"Put on your mittens, you silly kittens

And you shall have some pie"

"Meeow, meeow, meeow,Now let us have some pie."

The three little kittens put on their mittens

And soon ate up the pie,

"Oh mother dear, we greatly fear

That we have soiled our mittens."

"What! soiled you mittens, you naughty kittens!"

Then they began to cry, "Meeow, meeow, meeow"

Then they began to sigh.

The three little kittens they washed their mittens

And hung them out to dry,

"Oh mother dear, do you not hear

That we have washed our mittens."

"What! washed your mittens, you are good kittens."

But I smell a rat close by,

"Meeow, meeow, meeow" we smell a rat close by...

April 27, Nineteen Hundred and Something

Happy Belated Birthday to Grandpa Doug, aka Grandpa in the Palm Trees! Doug celebrated his "umteenth" birthday this past weekend! We wish we could have celebrated with you!

Kitty Watch 2008

Within days of moving in to our new digs a black and white kitty adopted us. We've been feeding it from the back porch. I assumed it was male because of its friendly personality. Last week she started "showing". Thursday we put her in the garage as it is still quite cold at night (low 30s!). This morning Truffles had kittens. Two of the four kittens survived birth and seem to be doing well.

John predicted on Thursday that she would have kittens that evening. Orion predicted three to five days. He was right on the mark!

The Best Weekend Ever

While it might not be the best weekend ever, it surely has been the best weekend that I have had in an exceptionally long time. It began Friday morning, early, when the boys awoke and left for Conway. The first thing I did was clean their bathroom (Pee Eww!). From there I changed sheets, worked on the laundry, swept, and worked on the house as a whole. I made it to work by 10:00 a.m. Just in time to sign my summer school contract, check my mail and voice messages, and attend our last department meeting for the year. We had fried chicken and sweet tea at our department meeting. It was good. That afternoon I had a few meetings with students, graded papers, and worked on reference letters. I left work at 4:30 to get ready for my "date."

Jennifer was my date for the evening. The Biology and Earth Science Department was having their annual award banquet for students. Jennifer's husband was unable to attend so I filled in. What an evening. It was wonderful to watch the slides of our UCM students out in the field. And when the awards were announced the professors were ready to burst with pride. It was great. But my most favorite part of the evening was when three of my best friends were honored with awards: Outstanding Biology Professor went to Jennifer, my date! Outstanding Geology Professor went to Sally, my exercise partner! And the Spirit of Science Award went to Vicki. I couldn't help but do a little dance (in my chair) for each of them!

Saturday morning I awoke early and dressed in sturdy jeans and sturdier shoes. I layered my tops and dug out my camp hat. I met a group of Geology students and two professors (Drs. Z and L). We drove to Jefferson City and spent the morning and afternoon investigating outcrops along Highway 63. We ended the afternoon at Earthquake Hollow. I learned more in 12 hours than I did in an entire semester 20 years ago. And I have the rocks to prove it! I can't wait till the next trip.

That night we had a late dinner of homemade pizza at Sal's house. We discussed research, science, misconceptions, math games, and pizza toppings. It was fabulous.

I slept. And I slept hard.

This morning I awoke and finished working on the house. I had some dusting and serious vacuuming to do. I have yet to dust and vacuum my bedroom, but the rest of the house looks nearly presentable. I am still working on the funky smell in the dining room and the wicked carpet stains throughout.

I spent my afternoon with students, always a pleasure, and ate a marvelous hamburger and a tasty dog.

My little boy is home and in the shower. Soon we'll both head to bed so we'll be well rested for the coming week. This week will be my last week of classes for the Spring 2008 semester. Next week we'll have finals. Summer school begins on May 12! Holy smokes. I better start running now!

My regret, I didn't take my camera to any of these awesome events!

It's No Secret

The first of my two secrets became official this evening at 5:00 p.m. at Blind Boone Park in the 'Burg. During the Kappa Delta Pi induction program (KDP is an honor society for pre-service teachers with at least a 3.25 GPA) and picnic I was honored with the Kappa Delta Pi Teacher of the Year Award for the 2007-2008 school year. The students made me cry. The professors made me cry. I got them back and made them cry. The most surprising part of the evening (besides the obvious - receiving the award) was something that Dr. F read. It was a note from a fellow professor. She wrote about listening to me read to my class. She made me sound wonderful. The best part of the evening (besides the hamburgers and hot dogs cooked up by one of my students) was receiving two children's books and an awesome book on integrating literacy in the content areas (math, science, and social studies).

As mentioned in my post from Wednesday, my secret, described above, doubled. On Thursday, May 1 the University's Sigma Alpha Pi National Society of Student Leadership and Success will be honoring me with their Excellence in Teaching Award for the 2007 - 2008 school year.

I am stunned. Honored and stunned.

Waiting to Hear...

Mom and Doug began their slow and arduous journey home on Friday. The trip from D.C. to Tampa should take roughly 14 hours. However, because Mom will need to stop every hour or so to move around and her daily "car time" has been limited by her doctor, it will take them approximately four or five days to make the trip. I am hoping to hear of their safe arrival on Tuesday or Wednesday of this coming week.

For those of you who would like to send her a note back home in Florida let me know and I'll share her address with you!

U is for University

It has occurred to me that I have spent 13 years of my life at one University or another – as a student, a lab instructor, a graduate assistant, an instructor, or assistant professor. I suppose some of us never really want to graduate.

My University Homes:
Hendrix College
University of Central Arkansas
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
University of Central Missouri

Robin Brings the Sun

Ra is the Egyptian sun god; it is also the nickname that I have for my sister-in-law, Robin. And like Ra, Robin brings the sun to any occasion. Few are lucky enough to have a sister-in-law as wonderful as mine. But the truly lucky one is my big brother, Michael. Lucky and smart. Lucky for finding her and smart for snagging her.

For me, Robin is more than a sister-in-law. She's a role model for kindness, professionalism, and sanity. She is someone I truly look up to and think, "I want to be like her."

The world is a much better place for many of us (family, friends, and patients) because of Robin. And today we celebrate her birthday!

Happy Birthday Robin!

Price of Ga$

Ga$ prices are rising at an annoying rate. Two days ago I drove by the pumps and prices were $3.22. I had half a tank. I kept driving. Yesterday I drove by the same ga$ station and prices were $3.28. Today the price of ga$ in the 'Burg is roughly $3.35 per gallon.

Last summer when the prices crept up to about $2.70 I was surprised to discover that ga$ here in the Middle of Nowhere, Missouri was usually about 30 cents less than ga$ in Northwest Arkansas. I am not sure why that is, but I have considered that it could be our different tax rate as well as the fact that much of our ga$ here is 10% ethanol. We actually have a few stations that sell E85. Here it is usually about 60 cents less a gallon than the regular juice.

I remember the first tank of ga$ I bought. I was driving Mom's T-Bird home and used my own money to replenish the tank. I felt so grown up. (After that Dad gave me the Ga$ Card.) That would have been 1986. I paid $1.30 a gallon. It dropped to less than a dollar a year later, about the time I started college. I remember filling up my tank for just about $10 every two to three weeks.

What about you? How much did you pay for your first gallon of ga$. Come on. Share. You don't have to tell us when! And how much are you paying for ga$ now? How much is ga$ in D.C., California, Arkansas, and beyond? What are your thoughts about using ethanol? Enquiring minds want to know!

My Secret...

My secret, mentioned in a previous post, has doubled in size. I am astounded. I am flattered. I am excited.

I'll tell you soon. I promise.

Tears for Matzo

Cravings. They come and they go. This one came several days ago and has refused to diminish. Matzo Brei. Off to the store I went where I found onion flavored Nyafat (cholesterol free, vegetable based, fake schmaltz)... but no matzo! Oh no! Where were my Egg and Onion Matzos? I cannot possibly have Matzo Brei without matzos! Am I going to have to make my own? (Gasp!) It seems that I will have to do just that as the grocery store manager said that they cannot sell them so they will no longer order them. Perhaps I can find a store in Kansas City. I want it now! Somebody out there send me a couple of boxes of matzos, please!

And it occurs to me... Passover began on Sunday. Is this why I am craving the fried matzos?

T is for Earthquake...

T is for Earthquake! Okay, make that earth tremor. I experienced my first earthquake on Friday morning at approximately 4:30 a.m. Thursday after class I drove to St. Louis to spend the night at a friend's house. I would be presenting math games at her school the next day. I was very excited to be back in St. Louis, albeit briefly, and had a hard time getting to sleep. I was sleeping on the futon in the guest room when futon rumbled and bumped and rumbled some more- with me in it! I sat up in the middle of the bed and strained to hear something. Inside I heard nothing. Outside I heard something that wasn't quite wind and wasn't quite a train. Now that I think about it I think it sounded like thunder when it rumbles through the mountains during a big storm. The bed swayed a bit more and then everything was quiet. I heard my friend's husband get up, but there was no screaming or alarms going off, so I got back in bed and tried to sleep. That morning on the news everyone was talking about the earthquake in Illinois, about 120 miles from us in St. Louis. Seems it weighed in with a rating of 5.2. (It is important to note that the 11 year old in the room next to me slept through it!) Later that morning, about 10:00 a.m., I was presenting and felt a little woozy. I reached out to steady myself and realized that I was feeling the aftershock. The aftershock was measured at 4.5. My first earthquake! It was a great day! Unfortunately for my friend, I think there are a few extra cracks in the plaster of her 100+ year old home!

T is also for Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! Food, family, and fun! Turkey and stuffing! Cooking and baking. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, and pumpkin bread! A chance to share all the things I am thankful for! And sometimes my birthday lands on Thanksgiving! Double Yum!

S is for Steel Creek

(Stones at Steel Creek on the Buffalo River, April 2008)

Steel Creek is one of my most favorite places to camp. It is located near Ponca, Arkansas on the Buffalo National River. April 4th, 5th, and 6th found me, my family, and several friends "roughing it" down by the river. It has been almost exactly two years since I had been camping. So I used my trip to Fayetteville to interview my subjects as an excuse to spend time at the river and with my friends. It was wonderful! We arrived at 6:00 a.m. precisely and were delighted to discover that Steel Creek is exactly four hours from the 'Burg when traveling down highways 13 and 65 (between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.). It was foggy and cold! We set up camp, had a bite to eat and then napped for a bit. We played by the river (which was up for us, but way down from the recent flooding they experienced) that afternoon, had dinner and waited for our friends to arrive. Shannon and Mia arrived at 10:00 p.m. but by that time I was already tucking myself into the tent. Orion and John helped them settle. Saturday and Sunday were gorgeous! The dogs, Nola and her brother Nate (Nate belongs to Mia), played and played. John roasted a magnificent turkey breast and we all ate till we popped. That evening our friend Pope (now Dr. Pope) joined us with mudbugs and Priscilla (her giant German Shepherd). We broke camp on Sunday, but took our time; we didn't leave the valley until 3:30.

Monday found me interviewing my subjects and we made our way back to the 'Burg shortly before 11:00 p.m.

Mom Update

Good news! Mom is on her feet! She's been sitting, standing and doing a small bit of walking. I spoke with her this morning and she was so happy to have showered and worn a real nightgown. If all went well today she should have been released. She will be staying with my sister, Tree, until she is well enough to make the long trip home. The doctor said it would be two weeks before he would let her leave and even then she would have to stop every hour to walk. That will turn a 15 hour trip into a week long trip! For those of you interested in dropping her a line, email me and I'll send you my sister's address in DC.

Home, Only to Leave

Monday was a big day! A day of ups and a day of downs. I made it safely to Fayetteville only to discover that three of my last four interview subjects had been called out to their schools to assist with benchmark testing! I was on the verge of tears! My advisor was great. I took a deep breath, pulled some more names and started interviewing. A subject that was unable to meet with me last week showed up so I nabbed him. After lunch the Springdale cohort returned and I was able to pick up two of the three folks. I spent the afternoon in my advisor's office going over what needs to happen next and working on a timeline. We chatted about one of my most favorite and dearest professors, Dr. Rose Steelman. I had him and Rose to my house for brunch one day (years ago) as they both mean so much to me and are "painful constructivists." After my visit with him I had about an hour before my next interview so I decided to check my email. There I received an email from a friend in southern Arkansas. Rose died in February. The paper in Commerce, Texas wrote her a lovely obituary. And I sobbed like a baby. But I pulled it together, conducted my next interview, and completed the data collection process for my dissertation. Now I am just waiting for a few more expert surveys to find their way to me. Monday ended on a lovely note- I had a marvelous dinner with my big brother before returning to Shannon's.

Tuesday came too quickly, but I had class that afternoon and that evening. Into the car I jumped and headed north as quickly as possible. I was elated to make it back over the state line before I needed to refuel. Gas in Fayetteville and Bentonville is anywhere between $3.28 and $3.35. I paid $3.15 in Anderson. I was pleased to be making good time and was looking forward to my regular stop in Lamar (It's just about halfway and it's a great place to pee.). Seven miles south of Lamar there was a huge accident. I sat for nearly 90 minutes. I was three cars back from the wreck, but couldn't see anything for the semi trucks in front of me. I did watch as two LifeFlight helicopters landed, first one, then the other. It was miserable. After about 30 minutes I knew I wasn't going to make it back in time for my afternoon class. The second helicopter had yet to land. I watched it circle. And circle. And circle. Eventually I made it to Lamar where I stopped to relieve myself before jumping back in the car to (carefully) race the rest of the way home.

Tuesday evening Orion was too sick to remain at the library while I had class so we left roughly 20 minutes early. He cried and cried all the way home. I was tempted to take him to the emergency room, but wasn't entirely sure they would know what to do with him. My sister-in-law, Robin made several good suggestions. After Tylenol, a warm bath, and some TLC he settled enough to sleep.

Today I have spent preparing for my first paid consulting gig in St. Louis. I leave tomorrow evening after class. All day Friday I'll be sharing math games with Lyon A.B.I. It will be good to see my old teacher friends. I'll be returning Saturday afternoon!

April has been a whirlwind of travel. I am glad to see that the end is in sight. But for now, I am home, only to leave again.

Cold Rain and Snow

Cold Rain and Snow is another one of my favorite tunes by the Grateful Dead. It also sums up our forecast for the next two days! It's just after Midnight and the temps have dropped to a toe tingling 35 degrees. The worst part is the wind! More precipitation is moving in and the weatherman is predicting cold rain and snow: rain and snow for Saturday and flurries for Sunday! Brrr!

Below is a clip of The Dead singing Cold Rain and Snow! Sing it Jerry! I'm right there with you; out in the cold!

We All Fall Down!

Hey readers! I've got a special request. My mom is in D.C. visiting my sister (For those of you not in the know, Tree was accepted by the State Department as a Diplomat. Tomorrow she will be participating in her "Flag Ceremony" where she will receive the flag of the country that she will be assigned to! I am hoping for some place exotic!). Anyway, earlier this afternoon, mom tripped, fell, and broke her hip! She's currently in a Virginia hospital and awaits surgery to fix the break. At this point we are not sure how long she will be in the hospital, how long she will be in D.C recovering, or when she'll be able to travel back to Florida. My special request for you all is to take a minute to send her a little note or card.

Email me (If you do not know my email, you can find it on my profile page for this Blog.) and I will be happy to send you her hospital address or her home address. Thanks in advance for considering my request.

Two Sheets To the Wind

Last month I commented on the simple pleasure of clean sheets, yet lamented that I don't change my sheets nearly often enough. Curious to know how often my readers change their sheets, I posted a poll. I had an impressive 12 votes submitted: 41% of you change your sheets weekly (my mother is quite proud of you!), 33% of you change your sheets every two weeks, 16% of you change your sheets once a month, and 8% of you (one of you!) aren't even aware that there are sheets on your bed.

Like any good thought or question, it leads to yet another thought or question and now I want to know what kind of sheets do you prefer to sleep on? Do you like those slinky satin sheets? Or would you rather slide between a thick pair of flannel sheets? Do you prefer the ease of wrinkle-free percale? Or does your soul crave the crisp feel of 100% super-soft, combed cotton sheets?

Personally, I prefer flannel for the cooler times, especially when my window is open and I can smell the snow on the air. However, when the temperatures rise and the A/C kicks in, give me those luxurious cotton sheets with the impressive thread count! Regardless, there's nothing I love more than clean sheets fresh from the clothes line, kissed by the sun and smelling ultra-fresh. Mmmm, two sheets to the wind.

Last Night Bowling

Tonight was my last night to bowl for the season. Next week is our last night, however I'll be on my way out of town for my first official consulting gig. I did very well this evening, so I am feeling pretty darn good about it being my last game. My average is 101 and I bowled 110, 132, and 108. All three games were above my average. Not too shabby.

This summer there will be two leagues. Thursday night they'll play for money and the league is called just that, "Show me the Money." Everyone pays a little extra and the winners will get a share of the pot. I am considering joining the Tuesday night league, "Have a Ball." I'll pay a little extra each week to bowl, but at the end of the summer I'll have my own bowling ball! It would also be a great way for me to continue practicing. Who knows, I might get that average up to 105!

R is for Reuben

Not my boyfriend, the sandwich! I’ve spent nearly two years without a Reuben. It’s been a dark time for my soul and for my taste buds. So desperate was I, that I was not only happy to see the return of the Arby’s Reuben, I bought one. It was okay. Better than a Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McD’s (of course!), but it didn’t quite fill the void.

Then I found Kenny’s Restaurant and Pub. When I arrived in the ‘Burg Kenny’s was an upscale BBQ joint with a different name. I didn’t much care for their prices OR the fact that they couldn’t get orders right and their wait staff were rude. I ate there once. Well, earlier this year Kenny’s opened and after several months, some friends and I decided to give it a try for lunch. I found a Reuben on the menu. In an Irish Pub / BBQ Joint? I was suspicious. But I tried it anyway. What I thought was going to be a strike, the Reuben was NOT on rye bread, turned out to be a tasty alternative. My sandwich came out on a toasted deli bun. The corned beef was piled high and the best I’ve tasted. The kraut was not bitter. It was, in a word, delicious. And like any good food addict, I am wondering how long it will be before I make it back for another.

This makes me wonder, how many of you enjoy a Reuben from time to time, or do you prefer a Rachel? For those of you not in the know, a Rachel is made with Pastrami instead of Corned Beef. Please cast your vote using the poll to your right.

I've Got a Secret...

That's right. I've got a secret! And I am not sure when I can tell everybody! It's a good secret! It's a marvelous secret! My secret ROCKS! I can't wait to spill the beans (big grin!).

But until then, dear readers, you will just have to wait! Until then you can make your guesses in the comment section! I'll give you two hints: It has nothing to do with my dissertation nor am I pregnant!

Brown Eyed Women

I've got a Deadhead in my Foundations class. She sits right up front and has several Grateful Dead tees and a cool book bag with Jerry Bears (a.k.a. Dancing Bears) across the flap (Yeah, I am jealous!). I asked her what her favorite Dead song was. She just looked at me. That's like asking me what my favorite children's book is. We agreed we both have several favorites.

Sometimes my favorite is China Cat Sunflower. Other times I like the ubiquitous Truckin' or Casey Jones. And there's always room for Black Muddy River and Tons of Steel from the album In The Dark (Yes, I have that on vinyl.) Recently, my favorite is Brown Eyed Woman.

Below is Bob Weir and Ratdog with their version (a good one I might add) of Brown Eyed Women.

"Brown eyed women and red grenadine
the bottle was dusty but the liquor was clean
Sound of the thunder with the rain pouring down
and it looks like the old man's getting on"

Q is for...

Up, Down, Strange, Charm, Truth, & Beauty… My first Quarks. Is it too late to go back and finish my Physics degree?

Q is for Quantitative Data… What I have been entering all weekend and plan to analyze soon! The Qualitative Data is slowly following.

Q is for Quadragenarian… I may only be 38 but I am feeling every bit of forty-something today!

P is for Pottery

I miss working at Osage Clayworks. I miss making something beautiful out of dirt. I miss opening the kiln after a fire and seeing the magic. I miss the feel of slip on my hands. I miss creating.

On one of my more recent trips to Arkansas this spring (for data collection purposes, of course!) I had the opportunity to stop by Osage, AR and to visit with my friend, Newton Lale, at Osage Clayworks. Newton, ever affable and the most wonderful host, chatted with us while we watched him throw a dozen dinner plates. He amused Orion by handing him a wad of clay to play with. We hung around for about an hour listening to stories of local potters and the whirrr of the wheel; the entire time I watched Newt's thumb- out from the center and up over the lip, out from the center and up over the lip, and again.

As I watched Newton I thought of my "everyday dishes" at home and how when I wash them, I can feel the subtle ridges left by Newton's thumb. I am lucky enough to have a set of Newton's Stony Dishes (dinner plates, salad plates, and chili bowls) that John's mom bought years ago and later decided were TOO heavy so she gave them to me. About two years ago I added eight tall coffee mugs with handles to the collection.

We have a bigger house now. With room for John's grandmother's kiln. We're looking for a wheel. Who knows, perhaps by this fall I'll have my hands back in the slip bucket.

Dubious Crock-pot Experiment #1

It has been forever since I've been to the grocery store. But I am in that "use what you have in the pantry" mode. I am also in that work on the dissertation every spare moment mode. And to top it off, I had a PDS book study in Knob Noster this afternoon and I have an Advisory Board meeting tonight! When would I make dinner and what exactly would I make?

I decided to write down what I did on the off chance that what came out of the crock-pot hours later would be edible. About two hours into cooking I was delighted by the smells coming from simmering crock-pot on the counter. Perhaps dinner wouldn't be so bad after all. I am home for only a few minutes before rushing off again. I gave the contents a stir and a taste. I am looking forward to dinner later! I went ahead and made rice (for Orion) and I have flour tortillas as well. I dare you to give it a try. Let me know what you think. And please suggest a name for this recipe using comments or by sending me an email. I am not sure I can call it "Dubious Crock-pot Experiment" forever. Especially if I decide to submit the recipe...

Dubious Crock-pot Experiment #1

What you need:
Can o' Black Beans
1/2 Bag of Frozen Corn (More if you like!)
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts; sliced or diced (You decide.)
Garlic and Onion Powder
Cumin and Cayenne Pepper
Cilantro
1 Onion; chopped
1 Jar of Salsa (As spicy as you want!)

What you do:
1. Open can of black beans and rinse. Toss in crock-pot.
2. Toss in half bag of frozen corn.
3. Place chicken on beans and corn. Sprinkle with garlic, onion and garlic powder, cumin, cayenne, and cilantro.
4. Top with chopped onion.
5. Dump jar of salsa on top.
6. Place lid on crock-pot, turn on low, and leave it for 4 to 5 hours.

Serving suggestions:
A) Serve over chips topped with cheese for a "chicken nacho" kind of meal.
B) Serve over rice.
C) Wrap it up in a flour tortilla topped with cheddar cheese.
D) Use it in a salad topped with Ranch dressing or sour cream.

O is for...

... Orion, of course!

Clean Sheets

Happiness is sliding into a bed made with crisp, clean sheets. Growing up in my mother's house we changed our sheets weekly! However, in my house I push the sheet issue... Changing them every two to three weeks (Yes, I can hear my mother gasp all the way from Florida!). I rationalize by reminding myself that I sleep alone, that I shower before bedtime (My friend Shannon agrees that if you go to bed clean, your bed sheets stay cleaner longer.), and that I am saving water by not washing three sets of sheets every week (I am earth conscious!).

This weekend was John's turn for clean sheets. Essentially we all got clean sheets when we moved in, but several of his blankets and such missed the big cleaning- I made that my Friday and Saturday goal! Little did I know that the pets, both Nola and Alison, would conspire against me... Nola, muddy from the yard, slept in a nice little circle on Orion's white, flannel sheets! (Of course Orion is partly to blame as he didn't wipe her feet clean or make his bed...) and Alison decided to vomit (again) all over my bed. I think she was trying to get off the bed, but she moves so slowly these days, she only succeeded in spreading it out aways. Ewww! So this weekend everyone ended up with clean sheets and clean blankets and comforters.

If clean sheets are such a pleasure and such a joy to me, perhaps I need to change mine more often. I could make up for it by not changing the boys' sheets for three or four weeks (Another gasp from Florida!).

And I am left wondering. How often do you change your sheets? Please vote in the poll to your right and/or leave a comment below! I am eager to hear.

Happy Easter ~ Happy Birthday

Angelo PilDong Choi - Wearing Orion's Tigger Shoes!

Happy First Birthday to my little LoLo!

Spring Break Lament!

What happened to spring break? Is it over already? Where did it go? What did I do with all that time? Well, I'll tell you!

Saturday, the first day of break, my friend Ruthie came over and helped unpack about three (3) dozen boxes of books! Not only did she help with the books, she brought lunch from Wendy's AND made dinner in the crock pot!

I spent Sunday unpacking a little bit more and packing for my trip to Arkansas. Orion and I left around 2:00 that afternoon. About two hours later than I had hoped. We arrived at Shannon's house at 6:00. We joined Shan's entire family for dinner at Pizza Hut. We had fun. It was lovely. But Orion drank too much caffeine at dinner! I was not a watchful mama and I paid that evening with less than four hours of sleep trying to get HIM to sleep. Ugh.

Monday dawned early. We were up at 5:30 and out the door by 6:15. We made our way to Fayetteville where I found a parking spot on campus (I was there by 7:15!) and hiked up the hill to collect some more data for the dissertation (!gasp!). Orion waited in Peabody Perks, the coffee shop, while I did my thing. He chatted with faculty, staff and students while avoiding his homework. Once I finished I sat with him for a while and we worked on his school work. We had a dinner date that evening with Michael and Robin and couldn't decide if we should go back to Shan's (an hour away) and sleep or just tough it out. We decided to tough it out and save on gas money and drive time. So we spent the day visiting with Amber and Lux and hitting the local thrift stores. It was a gorgeous day and we even spent some time flying a kite at Gully Park. What a blast. I had received some bad news about a young friend of mine and we had hoped to visit her, but she was not allowed "non family" visitors so we dropped a note off at her house for her before heading over to have a fabulous Mexican meal with Michael and Robin and La Hacienda. Yum! It was 9:45 by the time we got back Shan's and we were plum tuckered out! But the best news was that Shan had decided to take a mental health day on Tuesday to spend with us!

Tuesday was another fabulous day! Absolutely! We woke up. Got dressed and jumped in the Honda and zoomed out of town. Shan bought us breakfast at McD's and we were headed down to the Buffalo River in no time. The weather was perfect. Sunny, mid sixties, blue skies! We spent several hours sitting on the bank of the river looking for Odin Stones. I took my shoes off and stuck my feet in the icy water! It was pure bliss. We then headed up to Osage to visit with my friend Newton Lale at Osage Clayworks. Orion made a few pinch pots while Newt 'threw' about a dozen dinner plates and we chatted about all sorts of things. What a perfect day! We came home via Route 62 through Eureka Springs and Garfield so we got to view the changes to E.S. and the growth out at Beaver Lake. We were plum tuckered out when we got home. Shannon made fabulous tacos! I cannot wait to try her recipe myself. Shan's family joined us for dinner Tuesday too! Did I mention that Tuesday was perfect!

Wednesday I did nothing. Shannon's dad picked Orion up at 5:30, in the morning, and they did farmer things all day. I slept till about 8:30, showered, did laundry (mine and some of Shan's) and finished the first season and started the second season of Grey's Anatomy. Shannon enticed me to stay that evening with the promise of making Chicken Shannon (a recipe John created some 15 years ago for Miss Shannon herself!) as I hadn't had it in forever! We visited the local grocery after Shan got home from school and I prepped while Shan cooked. We fed another host of folks for dinner that night too! Shan's sister joined us and Shan's friend from school, Kelly, and her daughter Summer. Orion went to bed early, but I stayed up to watch more Grey's Anatomy!

Thursday Orion and I made a leisurely trip back to Missouri. We stopped at several flea markets in the Eldorado Springs area. I purchased some nifty '70s glassware that goes perfectly in our new house. We made it home about the time John finished work. After dinner I got a second wind and unpacked boxes, mostly in the kitchen this time, till 2:00 a.m.

Friday I was slow to start. Sore from the hard work. But I had to get up. The flooring guys were supposed to come. Orion and I spent that morning in the garage unpacking more boxes of books and all sorts of forgotten treasures. The flooring guys arrived just after noon and I no longer have carpet in my bathroom (ewww!). I have a lovely, bright linoleum. Much better. But those guys sure did stir up the dust. The bad news is that I still don't have flooring in the foyer. Seems the door is too low or the floor is two high. So there's some debate about how they plan to fix that.

I went to the grocery store early Saturday amidst a flurry of flakes. Huge, fat, wet snow was falling from the sky at an amazing rate! But it was warm and it melted by noon. The rest of the day, some eight hours, was spent working in my library. I foolishly thought I could just toss books onto the shelves and that I would organize them at another time. I couldn't stand it! I caved. I ended up alphabetizing (by author's last name) my two bookshelves of young adult literature and my one bookshelf of popular fiction. Four other bookshelves were organized by subject/category. Astronomy, religion, art, history, philosophy, dictionaries, literature, poetry, and the list goes on. I have three stacks, roughly four feet tall each, of children's picture books that need to be organized (most likely alphabetical by author's last name, but non-fiction will be categorized by subject area), another bookshelf to be assembled, and about six more boxes of books in the garage! Nearly everything else has been unpacked. Now I am just in the process of shifting it from one place to the next.

Sunday... I spent today wondering where in the heck my spring break disappeared to and chastising myself for organizing books instead of grading papers (ugh!). Today I cleaned both bathrooms again and finally got my shower curtain up! I will get to shower in my OWN bathroom tonight. W00T! The house is coming together. I still have curtains to hang. I've not even made it to the basement to unpack the games or goodies down there.

Now I must mention how helpful Orion has been throughout this entire move. He carried boxes and boxes and boxes to the new house. And he's carried nearly every box in from the garage for me. He removes the empty boxes and brings more to be unpacked. He has swept and vacuumed and match me step for step. Thank you, Orion!

Happy Birthday Ma!

Mom celebrated her ?8th birthday on Saturday! How old is she? I'm not tellin'! But she's just about 30 years older than I am.

I hope you had a fabulous day, Ma!

Blogging My Shame ~ Feeling My Pain

To bowl or not to bowl. That was the question at hand this evening. I gave in and bowled. Much to my pain and much to my shame!

It seems that I over exerted myself on several occasions this past week during the move and my left hip has been nothing short of testy. Last night it was really hurting and I promised myself to take it easy today, which I did, and I just fiddle farted around the kitchen. So I decided I might just have a few frames in me after all.

Tonight's scores: 125, 87, and 106. While these are not nearly as shameful as last week's bowling scores, I really felt I should have done better. My average has slipped from a 102 to a 101. Sharon, my boss and team mate, would point out that I scored above my average on two out of three games and that over all, I was 15 pins over my average.

It's just after 10:00 p.m. and I cannot find a comfortable way to sit (ouch!) and I am waiting for the dishwasher to finish so I can run another load before I head to bed.

Having a dishwasher is heaven. Having a laundry room on the main floor is paradise. But what is that funky smell? It seems to be getting stronger!

Revert

I have returned to the previous format for my blog. I decided, after much thought, that I liked the clean lines and plain blue background that I originally chose. With this change, readers may once again leave comments.

Mom Saves the Day

Wednesday night was our first official meal in the new house. I was pretty tired and had a voracious appetite... I worked on campus that morning and had spent about four hours at the old house cleaning- and somewhere along the way forgot to eat. So I find myself at the new house in a kitchen that is piled high with boxes. Essentially I have a pot, a butter knife, a few things from the fridge at the old house, and my hunger.

I looked around the floor of the kitchen and spotted a milk crate of canned goods and in the corner I found two onions. Red Beans & Rice! Inexpensive, easy, and satisfying. I grabbed up the rice cooker (red is hard to miss!) and got it started before proceeding to chop onions and toss them in to the pan on the stove. But wait, the stove won't heat up! The oven works, but the burners won't heat! Crap! I'm starving. And out of the corner of my eye I see a stainless steel, electric skillet that mom gave me years and years and years ago. I believe it was part of her cookware set from the 70's. The skillet rocks. It is completely immersible, stainless steel, and has a liquid core so it heats evenly. And even though it is stainless, things don't seem to stick! So I fired up that bad boy and got my Red Beans Cookin'! Thanks mom!

A Whirlwind Move

They say you never know who your friends are until you need help moving or hiding a body! Based on the help we received this past weekend, we are truly blessed! Not only did our friends swoop down to help us, Mother Nature lent us a hand as well- Saturday was a windy 65 and Sunday a toasty 75! Of course, Monday was 22, but we're NOT complaining!

Saturday morning came early. Perhaps too early. But we were up and putting boxes into the car and truck by 8:00. Friends began arriving shortly there after! Nearly a dozen folks showed up to help us pack up the kitchen, tote boxes, lift furniture, carry books, clean the "new" house, and lend their vehicles. By 3:30 that afternoon both the basement and house had been emptied, save for the washer & dryer, the stainless steel prep table, the futon cushion, and a basket of laundry!

That night we had dinner at the house of two good friends. Sunday night we had dinner at another friend's house and yet another friend brought us the best tasting pot roast I've eaten.

We got water on Monday, so our first night in the "new" house was Monday. Tuesday the phone followed us. Wednesday John spent some time setting up the computers and such. Thursday finds me reflecting on a pretty intense, but very special week, digging through boxes looking for plates, finding treasures not seen in two or more years, and resting a bit to share my story with you!

I promise (really!) to take and post some pictures, but I honestly don't know where my camera is!

Friday Revisited

What a week! What a week! I hope Friday finds you all doing well! We are blessed with a 50 degree day! Saturday will be a lovely 60 degrees! We won't know how to behave! But don't worry, Mother Nature still has a few surprises: We're expecting snow for Monday! Oh yes!

Here's a recap of my week!

I raced to and from Fayetteville to collect data on Monday for the "D." I am pleased to announce that it went well and I will be moving forward with the next level of data collection (interviews!). I plan to return to Fayetteville over my spring break (March 10) and then again on Easter Monday (March 24)... I am fairly certain I'll have to return in April as well, but I can't see that far ahead!

The two best parts of my trip to Fayetteville were staying with Shannon at her wonderful house AND unexpectedly finding my most excellent sister-in-law racing to Kansas City on I-44 in Joplin! (I looked in my rear view mirror to see a gorgeous Audi zipping up behind me and thought to myself, it's a pretty blue, just like Robin's. I pulled over to let it pass and noted it was Robin!) I tailed her from Joplin to my turn off in Nevada up 71 at the speed of Robin (very nearly the speed of light!). We had a great chat via the cell phone (I had John's!) until my reception became wonky around Lamar! Serendipitous!

After returning to the 'Burg I threw myself back into packing and my duties here at the University. Last night I bowled, but my heart, back and wrist were NOT into the game. My scores were abysmal: 102, 91, and 81...

Last night after bowling Orion and I loaded the Kia. This morning John and I loaded the truck. We picked up the keys and dropped off a few loads before I came to work. John's taken another load over and is sweeping out the garage! Tomorrow our friends from the Biology Department are coming over to help us (Yea!).

We'll probably remain at the "old" house for a few more days as we don't have water, a fridge, a new front door, or flooring in the entry or main bathroom. But these items will be fixed early next week, weather permitting (See my comment earlier about the prediction for snow on Monday!).

Wish us luck!

I'll keep you posted and I promise to post some pictures soon!

Is it Friday Yet?

What a day! What a day! I graded papers into the wee hours last night and graded the rest this morning! Barely making it out of the house and to campus in time for class! I made it. I wrapped up my afternoon by forcing John to make copies of my instrument while I made copies of the data collection sheet for the instrument and the IIOC survey for my "experts." I am ready for my trip to Fayetteville. I will be collecting my data on Monday.

Tonight I am working frantically on Science Olympiad which starts tomorrow morning! And wondering, how do I get myself in these situations!

Top it off with we're moving! I've been somewhat quiet about this announcement for several reasons. Mostly I've not taken the time. Partly because I am sad to be leaving my tiny house. And partly because it isn't quite real yet (read: I'm the only one who seems to be packing boxes!). Friday, we will have the keys to our new rental house. South of the university about 1.5 miles, there's a small subdivision filled with ubiquitous split-level ranch type houses. We plan to start moving on Saturday, March 1. The new house is huge. Built in 1972 it has plenty of wood paneling. It's big enough the we will never have to see one another if we don't want to. There are three bedrooms and two bathrooms above the ginormous two car garage. There's a living room, den, laundry room (yea!), kitchen and dining room on the main level. The basement has been finished to include a game room, bedroom, half-bath, and wood working shop! We can wait out the tornadoes in style! Besides the laundry room, my favorite part of the house are the closets- ten or eleven- each one bigger than the last.

To top it off, I heard tell from Canada, that my sister Tree is now Dr. Tree! Congratulations little sister! We are all so proud of you.

And so I ask, is it Friday yet? I better sign off and go create something devious for Science Olympiad.

No Go II

We are a No Go for the University. I repeat, we are a No Go for the University!

Mark your calendars folks, this never happens. Okay, make that rarely. Not only are classes cancelled, offices are closed. We ALL have a day off! With pay!

No Go

Houston we are No-Go for school today!

Now I need to go turn off Orion's alarm clock and let the wee monster sleep!

Of course, the University will be open!

Whimp!

I was a total whimp last night.

Our first and last total lunar eclipse (for 2008) occured last night at roughly 10:00. Our observance of the event consisted of me and Orion, in PJs, wrapped in robes and jackets, rushing out to look up till we couldn't feel our legs or fingers, then rushing back in to warm up. We did this several times and watched as the moon was covered by the earth's shadow.

It was beautiful. A clear evening. The crisp air would have been great for photographing the eclipse.

But it was soooo cold!

Night Readings

Nearly every night Orion and I try to find something to read. Last year we consumed Andrew Clements books like potato chips. Seriously. This year we have dabbled a bit, reading a little bit of this and a little bit of that. However, this year for Christmas Orion received copies of several of the Brian books by Gary Paulsen. (Thank you Grandma & Grandpa in the Palm Trees!). I thought it best if we began reading Paulsen's books in the same order I did about 12 years ago when my friend, Alayne, lent me her copy of Transall Saga.

Orion enjoyed Transall Saga, but I think he has totally loved Hatchet & The River! Hatchet is about a 14 year old boy who survives a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness for 54 days with nothing but his wits and a hatchet. The River finds Brian back in the woods. This time with a man who works for the government- he wants to find out how Brian survived. My brother Michael would love these books!

We have several choices now: Brian's Winter, the what if story that details Brians survival of a winter in the wilderness had he not been rescued, Brian's Return, and Brian's Hunt.

I'll keep you posted.

Waiting

It's been yet another sleepless night. This time it not only took me a bit of time and effort to fall asleep, I was unable to return to slumber-land after I awoke to relieve myself at 3:30.

I suppose that's alright. I was awake at 4:00 to hear the ice roll in, making its ksish skish ksish noise as it covers the houses, trees, and ground. Thirteen school closings have been posted in the past forty minutes, most of them in the past twenty. I wonder if Warrensburg will be one of them.

Freeze Dried Laundry

Yesterday was a gorgeous day! There was a beautiful blue sky that nearly hurt to look at! A good breeze. And if it hadn't been 22 degrees, I might have believed that spring was on its way.

Despite the freezing cold, the day was too gorgeous to waste. Out went the sheets and another load of clothes that I prefer not to dry in the dryer. They were freezing, turning stiff, as I hung them. After a day in the sun, they were nearly dry, only the thick collars or bands of skirts were still stiff with cold and moisture when I took them down at dusk. My sheets were bright white and smelled like a bit of heaven.

The Joy of Freeze Dried Laundry!

!Decadence!

It has been a busy week. I've missed several calls from my sister, my mother in law, and friends. I'm tired. While I've slept better the past few nights, I've not slept enough. It's not yet 7:00 p.m. and I am shameless. I am going to bed.

Sweet Dreams!

Good News!

A couple of weeks ago I submitted my IRB protocol form (permission to collect data) for my dissertation. Last night I heard from the compliance officer that I would be forwarded on to the next level and that she felt there were no corrections to be made. I will begin (again) collecting data February 25 on my trip to Northwest Arkansas!

93-116-100

Bowling was interesting last night. The approaches were terribly slippery (imagine- hippo on ice skates). My knee was sore. My back ached. But I made it through three games. My new average is 102! So technically I bowled above my average (just barely!) last night. So I've not given up on most improved player! I want that bowling trophy!

Happy Day!

Happy Lupercalia or Saint Valentine's Day - you decide! I hope that this day brings a little something special for each of you.

Canada, O Canada!

As I mentioned in a previous post, we live in Canada. Here's a video of Orion sledding about ten days ago.

Happy "First" Anniversary!

And you know who you are!

Fall Down - Go Boom!

My sister, Tree, only thinks she lives in Canada. I actually do. Monday we had highs around 15 (Which was much warmer than it had been earlier this month!). Some minor precip began to fall as I was exiting my car on campus. I got to the side walk where I promptly fell ass over teakettle. I looked up at the grey sky and wondered how it was that the buildings looked so tall when I finally realized my perspective had changed- dramatically. Despite landing on my ample rear, I somehow bruised the heck out of my knee.

Thankfully I didn’t tear my pants! I went in to call the safety office and they did NOT offer to take my report and I insisted they clear the spot where I fell. Twenty minutes later Dr. R. B., colleague and friend, fell in the SAME spot. Long story short, we had a personal visit from the safety office and our statements were taken and reports were filed.

While we haven't had the huge snowfalls that we did last year, we have had MORE snow and ice this year. And even though I bought YakTrax for both myself and Dr. R.B. (Who fell last year too!) we both succumbed to the poorly maintained sidewalks and parking lots on campus!

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

As you know, gentle readers, my sleep patterns have been totally shot for the past two weeks or so. I have yet to identify the reasons for thus, but I have an idea or three.

My sleeplessness aside, I remembered seeing an odd advertisement in one of my favorite catalogs (Signals). The items were decal quotes from authors and movies that one could place on their walls. The one photographed for the catalogue was Shakespeare's "To sleep, perchance to dream" from Hamlet's Soliloquy. You can see the picture here. What really got me going was the dark humor of placing such a quote ("To sleep, perchance to dream") above one's bed. For when Hamlet says these words he is contemplating the favors of suicide. Not a good night's sleep.

It's been years since this decal came out (before I moved to the 'Burg) and I wonder how many folks unknowingly placed this decal above their beds?

And better yet, how many folks knowingly placed this decal above their beds?

A little Friday morning dark humor for you!

N is for Naps

I love napping. I miss napping. Here is a picture of Orion napping in the sunroom of our St. Louis flat (circa 2000). You can see trusty Elephant (Gift from my cousin, Sarah Tyran) snuggled up with him. In fact, Elephant just returned from a sleep-over at Calvin's house on Saturday night. She accompanied Orion, of course!

Sleepless in the 'Burg

It's nearly 11:00 p.m. The snow will either begin soon and dump four to six inches or pass us completely. It is a good thing we don't expect too much from our meteorologists up here. I think we'd have a lot less weathermen and weatherwomen if we had the same expectations for them that we have for school teachers (but I digress!).

It's been nearly ten days now of sleeplessness for me here in the 'Burg. I cannot seem to sleep. Usually I am up till 3:00 or 4:00. Then I finally crash right before Orion comes to wake me up at 6:30. Last night I had full intentions of going to bed at 9:00 but Orion had other plans. It was around 11:30 before I finally crashed. Only to wake up at 3:30. I've been up for nearly twenty hours today. I am craving eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. Maybe tonight will be my lucky night.

Did I mention it was 71 degrees yesterday?

I Forgot One

(Michael Anthony, Michael Angelo, Michael Philip, and Michael Mangione, circa 1986)

Did I forget to mention that you can't swing a dead cat in my family without hitting a Michael Mangione? Thanks to my brother, Michael Philip, for sending me this picture! Here you see the fourth Michael Mangione, my cousin from Montreal.

Mom or Michael, if you have any more information about Michael or when this picture was taken, please email me.

M is for Michael Mangione (plural)

M is for Mangione or Michael- take your pick
Two beautiful names- several interesting men:

Michele Mangione, Grandfather born in 1890 in Campobasso, Italy, photo circa 1940.


Michael Angelo Mangione, My Father, born in 1931, photo circa 1950.


Michael Philip Mangione is pictured above at the Little Missouri River in 1997. My big brother- he came to my volleyball games in High School. He taught me how to drive- a stick! The best big brother ever!

I am lucky enough to have another brother. His name is Michael too! He lives far away in New York. I'd like to visit him one day soon.

Michael Philip Mangione and Michael Anthony Mangione (Goat Trail, AR)

L is for...

LOVE!

K is for Kat

Not Kathy, Katie, or Kate. Three people call me Kitty. One person calls me Katta. A few call me Katherine.

Most call me Kat.

K is for Kat

Weird Weather

Last Thursday we got snowed on. It was great. They even closed school on Friday! The weekend saw temps in the mid 40s. This morning I was awakened by Thunder and Lightning! (It's been months since we've had a good storm!) (While autumn is my favorite season, February and March are two of my favorite months- I love the violent thunder storms!). Today it hovered around 34 degrees, the rain washing much of the snow that didn't melt over the weekend away. Tomorrow we're expecting a high of 60. Tuesday a high of 34 with wintery mix and ice in the forecast. Weird weather.

J is for Judaism

Top 5 reasons why I think I am Jewish.

5. Easter Swiecona, our special Polish Easter breakfast, consists of an amazing amount of pork products, hard boiled eggs, horseradish, butter lamb, braided bread, etc. Remove the pork products and you’ve almost got yourself a Passover Seder.

4. I collect children’s stories about the Golem. (You all didn’t know that did you?)

3. My favorite “comfort food” is potato pancakes (aka latkes). (Mom knows that!)

2. I make matzo balls that float.

1. I have schmaltz and I know how to use it!

~ Pictured above: Mary, my favorite Jewish gal.~

I is for Immaculate Conception

65 to 9 in 18 Hours

Today was a gritty day. A day I shouldn't have bothered brushing my hair. A day I should have worn goggles to protect my eyes from the blowing dirt.

It was a gorgeous 65 degrees today. We had sustained winds of 35 mph with gusts of over 50 mph. Holy smokes! I wondered if Michael would take me out on the boat on a day like today! It would take NO time to race across the lake, eh?

It's just after 10:00 p.m. and I am preparing for bed. I thought I would check the weather. It's just about 55 degrees, but they're predicting that it will be 40 by midnight with impressive thunder storms (my favorite) rolling in around 3:00 a.m. By morning it will be 27 degrees and snowing! Yay! And by noon it will be 9 degrees. That's -12.8 for my brother-in-law in Canada! Brrr! I can't help but wonder about the strange weather here in the 'Burg.

Another 45 Minutes

And the Embarq saga continues.

After the horrors of Embarq from Saturday (You can click here to read that post!) I came to school today ready to do battle again. This time I was armed with the knowledge that I could indeed live without the Internet, a phone, and a cell phone. I have done so several times in the past.

At 2:42 I picked up the phone and by 2:50 the automated voice told me my wait would be at least 15 minutes. It was. And then I spoke with Devin. I asked her for help in figuring out my bill. 1) Why am I being charged for a service I do not have access to? Long distance. And 2) What do I need to cancel to cut my phone bill in half. (How can I have a $200/month phone bill if I do not make long distance calls?!) I explained my 45 minute ordeal from Saturday. She commented that David made NO notes in my file, it was as if I had never called. (I am thinking of a very dirty word right now!). She commented that I had not made any long distance calls since October. I reminded her that I can't! We went back and forth and finally I said, look, I am going to have to cancel my services. I am not willing to continue with the expense, the hassle, and the headache. Would you please connect me with someone who can help me? (Thinking back to David assuring me that I would need to speak to another entity to cancel services!). She said, "that person would be me." And I said, "Alright. Let's cancel the following: long distance and home phone, Internet, and cell phone." She asked, "Are you cancelling because you're angry about the $30 for long distance?" "No," I replied, "I am cancelling because I am unhappy with the service I receive and I cannot afford $200/month for services that I don't even have access to and therefore cannot use."

Long story short. After a 45 minute chat with Devin I will continue to have local phone services, Internet and a cell phone (all the things I 'enjoy' now) and my bill will be $120/month. Imagine that. I still won't have long distance, but at least I cut by bill by nearly $80.

Wankers!

H is for Haiku

I never thought that creating The Encyclopedia of Me would take so much time and be so thought provoking at times. Twenty-six entries from A to Z- and here I am several months later and I have just reached the letter H. Fear not readers, I will not give up! Eighteen more letters to go...

Haiku is a Japanese form of poetry that contains seventeen syllables in three lines. There are five syllables in the first and third lines and seven syllables in the second line. Haiku are usually written about the natural world with an emphasis on a particular season.

I am not Japanese.

he reaches for her
his eyes dark and full of promise
her body quivers

hip to hip ~ lips meet
fingers curl around fingers
fires kindle within

pleasure builds with heat
gasping they push to the end
trembling together

serious kisses
turn to shared laughter and smiles
holding each other

one drowsy couple
another day spent loving
afternoon sun fades

G is for Google

Where would I be without Google? Lost amid the turbulent sea that is the Internet. Without Google I would not be able to blog, or find my way into the city, check email and chat at the same time, or check the references on my dissertation. Thank goodness for Google: Blogger, maps, Gmail, and Scholar Google. Don't forget Google Docs and Google Gadgets. Check them out!

Hey, Hey Good Lookin'

My nephew is growing up and fast. He drives. He was wonderful over the Christmas Holiday- he took care of everything! He gives amazing back rubs. But alas, he's growing up! And he's handsome to boot! My brother sent me the following pictures from a costume party were Dominic went as Cary Grant! Dominic, you look mah-ve-lous!

45 Minutes

Or yet another reason I hate Embarq!

I spent 45 minutes on the phone and I am still not able to make long distance calls. I had about an hour before dinner and thought, let's call Embarq (again) to see what can be done about the phone. After being on hold for 25 minutes I got to talk to David. I explained that I was being charged for long distance but I was unable to use it. He said, "It looks like you have long distance." I replied, "Yes, I am paying for it, but I cannot use it." (This has been going on for months!). "Hold a moment." Five minutes later he comes back on the phone, "You're all fixed. You should have long distance within the next four hours." "That's great David," I say "but I am being charged for service that I have not had access to. While I do not expect to be reimbursed for October or November, I would like the December bill (due in about two weeks) and the current bill to be adjusted." (I am asking for a credit of $30/month for a total of $60. I already pay $200/month!) David coolly replied "We show no record of you calling to correct the problem so we cannot adjust your bill." I pointed out "I call from my office during business hours and haven't ever been able to hold long enough to speak to a person. It took 25 minutes to be connected with you." He repeated his previous statement. I asked to speak to his supervisor. He claimed his supervisor already denied my request preemptively (Is that a word?) and that was why I was on hold for the five minutes he said would take one. "Well then David, I would like to speak with someone who can help me cancel my services with Embarq." "Fine then, I'll connect you." I was on hold for another twenty minutes. I finally hung up. I still do not have long distance. And I have not been able to chat with a supervisor.

Warrensburg is a small town. With that there are some limitations, some drawbacks. Nearly all of them related to choice.

Shopping? Wal-Mart or Farm & Home
Groceries? Wal-Mart, Bi-Lo, or Parker's
Cable? Charter or Dish
Dinner Out? Appleby's or Rib Crib
Internet? Charter or Embarq
Telephone? Embarq
Trash Pick Up? Vic's Disposal, Warrensburg Trash, Heartland and the list goes on! There have to be TEN different trash companies in this town!

But only one phone service provider.

Considering Voice Over Internet Protocol like Vonage but then I still have to get Internet from either Charter or Embarq (and Charter's reputation for Internet service is worse than Embarq!). Cell phones from the Kansas City area may be thought (but I really never wanted to buy a cell phone! Ever!).

Monday I am going back to do battle.

If you think getting in touch with me is hard now! Just wait! I may be off the grid in no time!

W00T!!!

Hey there bowling fans! Despite the amazing cold and my six week hiatus from bowling I did very well! My scores were: 130, 112, and 107. Yes, I was getting tired. My average is up to 101. So I was just about 45 pins over my average.

Brrr!

How cold is too cold?

It was 1 degree Fahrenheit this morning when I left for work (at 10:00 a.m.). That's -17.2 degrees for those of you who speak Canadian . The low that morning at 6:30, just before sunrise, was -3 degrees (-19.5 Celsius). The afternoon it was a balmy 9 degrees. Just warm enough to make your hands burn like the dickens and the snot in your nose freeze during the short walk from car to office.

I could be getting old, but I think that last time I experienced a winter this cold I was in St. Louis. It was my first winter in St. Louis, January 1997, the high was -3 degrees and SLPS closed schools!

Brrrr!

By Now

Gentle readers, I am finally beginning to feel like my old self again. For weeks I have had no energy, no spirit, no enthusiasm. I had a bit of a nasty cold that left me even more cranky and more tired than usual. It has been a weird ailment with zits, crusty eyes (!), runny nose, sore throat, aches & pains, and a general malaise. But I am better now! I used my three day weekend well; I slept twelve hours for four nights straight and took two naps on top of all that. What did you say? You tried to call me this past weekend? Yeah, I was one of two places: sleeping or changing a load of laundry. Mostly sleeping. I didn't even check messages till Tuesday! In fact, I was so sick last Thursday I didn't even bowl! You know I had to be feeling poorly to miss the social event of my week!

By now, you have met some of my friends. But I'd like to take a moment to introduce them properly.


Jerry Garcia took a moment of his time (from heaven) to wish us a Happy New Year! Don't ever shave Jerry! I love your beard! As my Fortieth Birthday quickly approaches, I am reminded "what a long strange trip it's been."

You've met Maria Bamford and her dog Blossom as she sings about The Dark. This stand up comedienne has me in stitches. She has an entire series of three to five minute videos called the Maria Bamford Show. Check them out at Super Max. Northwest Arkansas readers, Maria will be at the University of Arkansas on February 7! I wish I could be there!


Then you met Cheryl Wheeler as she crooned Is it Peace or is it Prozac? I have my friend Sophia to thank for introducing me to this artist. I guarantee you will be seeing more of her here!


And who can forget the tragic and beautiful Amy Winehouse (You have to love her name!). Amy's song Rehab is one of my favorites. She has an amazing voice. Unfortunately, it seems she has a heroin addiction to boot. Get well Amy! Your music and talent are too good to waste!

Van Morrison, as always, remains my heart and soul. "Gotta get through January, Gotta get through February." We're nearly there Van. Nearly there.

Till the next post...

Three Days in a Row...

Three days running Orion has been left at the bus stop. Two days running I've called the bus company to remind them to get my child. I wonder if they will remember tomorrow?

My questions: How do you forget a child at a bus stop that you have been making for one and a half years? And if you do per chance forget one day, wouldn't you remember when you dropped him off that afternoon? "Say, I don't remember picking you up this morning..."

Being forgotten by the bus driver has not done anything good for Orion's desire to attend school these days. I wonder...

Just Say No!

What Accent?

I would have thought south or midland by this time...

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Inland North You may think you speak "Standard English straight out of the dictionary" but when you step away from the Great Lakes you get asked annoying questions like "Are you from Wisconsin?" or "Are you from Chicago?" Chances are you call carbonated drinks "pop."
The Northeast
Philadelphia
The Midland
The South
Boston
The West
North Central
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

1967

Need I say more?

Get Funny Pictures at pYzam.com

Pasta and Mushrooms

I wish I had taken a picture...
This meal takes less than 20 minutes to prepare (If you can get your water boiling!). The onions cook nicely and release their sugars into the sauce mellowing the earthiness of the mushrooms. Not only was this recipe easy to make, it was easy on the budget. It tasted pretty good too and I am not a big fan of 'shrooms.

Pasta and Mushrooms

What you need:
12 – 16 oz mushrooms, sliced or quartered
1 onion chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tablespoon of olive oil
2 tablespoon of butter
½ cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
salt, pepper, & thyme to taste
½ lb of fettuccine cooked al dente
snipped parsley to decorate

What you do:
Cook pasta according to your preference. In a skillet sauté the onions, garlic, and mushrooms in butter and olive oil until onions become tender. Add salt, pepper, and thyme to taste. Add cream and reduce. Add Parmesan. Stir thoroughly. Top pasta with mushroom sauce; decorate with parsley, and serve.

Rehab...

Sometimes We Know

Lyrics to Van Morrison's Sometimes We Know

Sometimes we know, sometimes we don’t
Sometimes we give, sometimes we won’t
Sometimes we’re strong, sometimes we’re wrong
Sometimes we cry

Sometimes it’s bad when the going gets tough
When we look in the mirror and we want to give up
Sometimes we don’t even think we’ll try
Sometimes we cry

Well we’re gonna have to sit down and think it right through
If we’re only human what more can we do
The only thing to do is eat humble pie
Sometimes we cry

’fore they put me in a jacket, and they take me away
I’m not gonna fake it like Johnnie Ray
Sometimes we live, sometimes we die
Sometimes we cry

Sometimes we can’t see anything straight
Sometimes everybody is on the make
Sometimes it’s lonely on the lost highway
Sometimes we cry, sometimes we cry

Gonna put me in a jacket, and take me away
I’m not gonna fake it like Johnnie Ray
Sometimes we live, sometimes we die
Sometimes we cry, sometimes we cry

Sometimes we live, sometimes we die
Sometimes we cry, sometimes we cry

Peace or Prozac

Dark

Happy New Year

Happy Near Year Friends! I promise I will return to my regular postings soon!