i don't feel good. i hadn't planned on doing anything more strenuous than going to the post office to mail some packages, and buying stuff to make rice krispies, because i'm a good band parent.
steph's roommate just called, and asked if i could bring her some gas. and she's just outside of fort calhoun, so that's a 15 minute ride. if that's what's wrong with her car. she doesn't remember when she last changed the oil. damn.
this is the same girl who has randomly tossed my stuff around my house, because it's in her way. i'd say she's got some gall about her, except i'm not sure she's smart enough to realize it. sigh.
ETA: it was gas. i put $5 in, and after a few minutes, it did start. however, when i checked her oil, it was below minimum. so i chewed her out for not paying attention to it (an oil change at walmart is only $18, and even as much as she drives, it's 3 paychecks at $6 a paycheck to pay for the damned thing!), and told her to buy a quart of oil as soon as she got to civilization, and to borrow some money from my daughter and go get her oil changed tomorrow morning! damned kid. (apparently, the state patrol didn't think she'd pulled far enough over (even though she was past the white line) and gave her a warning ticket! good grief. about as sharp as a sack of wet mice, i swear!)
Friday, January 25, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
commercial
i'm finally watching the sarah connor chronicles, that i'd dvr'ed from 2 weeks ago. i usually speed through the commercials, but happened upon this one:
Man steps around the corner, with a phone in his hand, and says "the domino's lady says we have 30 minutes." he has a lascivious grin on his face.
the woman, holding a coffee cup, looks at him, and sees him in one of those sexy silky short robes (red, of course) and says "what are we going to do with the other 28 minutes?"
snort!
Man steps around the corner, with a phone in his hand, and says "the domino's lady says we have 30 minutes." he has a lascivious grin on his face.
the woman, holding a coffee cup, looks at him, and sees him in one of those sexy silky short robes (red, of course) and says "what are we going to do with the other 28 minutes?"
snort!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
I was gonna . . .
post 2 days ago. but mark got up and wanted me for something, so i shut it down, postless.
a couple of things. last thursday was my 3rd blogiversary! so i'm having a contest. sooooo, here goes. tell me a joke. a good joke. a CLEAN joke. here's the kicker. you have to base it on one of my pics from the last 3 years. the best one wins. i don't know what yet, but you win!
hard to believe i've been blogging for 3 years. good times AND bad. oy.
there's a meme running about wher eyou post the first sentence from each month from last year (feels odd to say that). dunno where i've seen it, but here goes!
Jan: if you came here looking for three stooges, you thought wrong (although i did give liam 3 stooges pj bottoms for christmas, lol!)
Feb: I had entered a contest over at the Loopy Ewe.
Mar: i've been extremely laggardly about posting.
Mar: i've been extremely laggardly about posting.
Apr: this is the incredibly fast post.
May: i am slated to get an afternoon to myself, and i have to forgo it because mark has to work late.
June: ok, for those of you who intend on reading the book, or watching the movie for the first time: the book is "The Friday Night Knitting Club" (anybody know the html to put in underlines?)
July: it's been pointed out to me by certain, ahem, people, that i haven't posted in 2 weeks. sorry!
Aug: apparently, somebody's got their heads up their asses.
Sept: Today, while a blow for freedom of speech has been struck, a deeper, more heartfelt blow has been struck for prejudice, and inequality.
Oct: I'm feeling odd today
Nov: Three men - a Canadian farmer, Osama bin Laden and a Texan are all working together one day
Dec: this post is gonna be picture heavy.
actually, quite funny to read these out of context. of course, there are people who would say they're quite funny in context, as well, lol.
how's about some pics?
This was the coldest day we experienced while we were in Georgia. It never got above 50. lovely day for sight-seeing, eh? anyway, i could not resist taking this pic. my brother's name? Bob. (although he goes by bubba at work, roflmao!)
Yes, these stairs are as steep as they seem. River Street actually runs right next to the river, with limited access by vehicles. you can also park in parking garages farther away and walk (which is what we did, after driving around for half an hour trying to find a place to park! we even drove past the square where they filmed forest gump. unfortunately, the bench he sat on had to be moved to a museum, because people were taking hunks of it for souvenirs!) I have a picture of my mom with these stairs as well, but she's so tiny, she makes everything look huge. these stairs actually led up to a palmistry shop (although i didn't indulge).
This is what really amazed me: people actually live in apartments above river street! i, personally, would love it, but mark is too much of a hermit.
We had decided to go visit Ft. Morris, which is an earthworks fort from Revolutionary times. This is what we saw on a good part of the trip there (about 1/2 hour from bob's house). i could swear i heard dueling banjos . . .
First stop for my mom once we got to Ft. Morris was the bathroom. apparently, fast food doesn't agree with her, even if it's salads. anyway, i saw this while she was "busy," and had to snap a shot. what is it? a MOSQUITO! on december 27th! i think it dropped below freezing ONCE while we were there. (considering the high here today was 19, and was actually warmer than it had been since last thursday, mark laughed when i asked if we could try to convince his parents and my mom to move to georgia).
This was a floor loom from the 1800's, in the museum. I was amazed at how big it was.
There were live oaks everywhere, and every single one had spanish moss hanging in it. i was completely fascinated by this.
Here's mark & the boys at the sign just outside the museum. you can't read it, but it tells some interesting things about the fort.
Sean, at Tybee Island. This is the picture i was talking about. Just a simple boy, enjoying the surf and the sun, with nothing more on his mind than what he's going to have for lunch. You can hear the rush of the surf, and cries of the gulls. (and otis redding in the background, lol)
ok, the fingers are getting tired (and cold!), so i'll save the rest for another time.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Well
Something happened Monday that i've been trying to do for 4 years.
When Sean first left my brother's, and went to foster care in douglas county, he was placed in agency-based foster care. (basically, the agency finds him a home, rather than the state) his case worker through the agency asked me shortly after he was placed, if i had ever had him tested for Asperger's. i told her no, as i had no idea what it was. all i knew was that sean was socially awkward, and, at that time, very troubled and depressed.
so i went to the internet. did a ton of research. went to relatively reputable sites like webmd and different college-based sites. and discovered the truth. half the symptoms they were describing fit sean to a t. ADHD, depression, ODD, OCD, the inability to figure out social cues, and body language, a disconnection with humanity in general. all of it. wow. now i knew!
the trouble, then, was convincing anyone else of this. his first psychiatrist said there was no point to a diagnosis, as there is no cure for it. all they can do is treat the symptoms, and the meds he was on did that already. we eventually switched psychiatrists (not because of this, because the first one had been situated for sean's first foster mom, way the hell and gone from me.), and while he agreed with me, that sean did have several of the symptoms, that, again, it was being controlled by meds.
until the firecracker incident last fall. i can't recall right off hand if i told y'all about that or not. sean found a firecracker on school grounds, and rather than turn it in, put it in his pocket. it just didn't occur to him. he was found with it later in the day, and gave it up when asked for it. however, according to OPS policy, this is considered a weapon. he was suspended for 5 days (the lightest they could give him, because they could directly attribute his behavior to the reason why he is in the resource room to begin with), and we had a meeting. i asked both his resource teacher, and her supervisor, and everyone else there, about their thoughts of him having Aspergers. They all agreed, and, something i did not know, have a different treatment plan (educational plan, what have you) for "autistic" kids. yes, asperger's is a high-functioning form of autism. so we agreed to have him re-evaluated for school, and since i was going to be taking sean to see his psychiatrist for a med check, i was going to talk to him again about having sean tested.
it took the school getting involved to finally get the push for testing. so we did. we finally got the results on monday, and yes, sean has aspergers. i was stoked. finally, vindication of what i'd been saying and thinking and feeling for 4 years! and, some good news, as well. while sean is socially awkward in public, he has learned to read the family's social cues. he knows how to react to me, and mark, and liam, and even steph (even though she hasn't lived with him for 2 years). the evaluating psychiatrist says this is a good sign, that now we have to teach sean to read people he doesn't know as well, or at all.
now we can get him some real help.
but i've been doing more reading. most insurance companies won't pay for the intensive therapy, and the help that he needs. luckily enough, the psychiatrist sean sees is on the short list of doctors covered by our insurance, so that isn't such a financial burden. however, the list of therapists is amazingly short (my therapist had been trying to get on it for 10 years!), and while i haven't explored it yet, i'm sure they've all got hideous waiting lists.
he's 13. they say autism is best dealt with with early intervention. they usually like to start with preschoolers. i know that sean will always be different, but i want him to be able to get along in life. i know he will probably never shop in a mall, and always avoid large crowds. if he can live with that, so can i. however, if he HAS to, i want him to be able to cope with the situation. he barely can now, and only if he's with mark or me. we won't be here forever. i'm just afraid that this will be too little too late.
When Sean first left my brother's, and went to foster care in douglas county, he was placed in agency-based foster care. (basically, the agency finds him a home, rather than the state) his case worker through the agency asked me shortly after he was placed, if i had ever had him tested for Asperger's. i told her no, as i had no idea what it was. all i knew was that sean was socially awkward, and, at that time, very troubled and depressed.
so i went to the internet. did a ton of research. went to relatively reputable sites like webmd and different college-based sites. and discovered the truth. half the symptoms they were describing fit sean to a t. ADHD, depression, ODD, OCD, the inability to figure out social cues, and body language, a disconnection with humanity in general. all of it. wow. now i knew!
the trouble, then, was convincing anyone else of this. his first psychiatrist said there was no point to a diagnosis, as there is no cure for it. all they can do is treat the symptoms, and the meds he was on did that already. we eventually switched psychiatrists (not because of this, because the first one had been situated for sean's first foster mom, way the hell and gone from me.), and while he agreed with me, that sean did have several of the symptoms, that, again, it was being controlled by meds.
until the firecracker incident last fall. i can't recall right off hand if i told y'all about that or not. sean found a firecracker on school grounds, and rather than turn it in, put it in his pocket. it just didn't occur to him. he was found with it later in the day, and gave it up when asked for it. however, according to OPS policy, this is considered a weapon. he was suspended for 5 days (the lightest they could give him, because they could directly attribute his behavior to the reason why he is in the resource room to begin with), and we had a meeting. i asked both his resource teacher, and her supervisor, and everyone else there, about their thoughts of him having Aspergers. They all agreed, and, something i did not know, have a different treatment plan (educational plan, what have you) for "autistic" kids. yes, asperger's is a high-functioning form of autism. so we agreed to have him re-evaluated for school, and since i was going to be taking sean to see his psychiatrist for a med check, i was going to talk to him again about having sean tested.
it took the school getting involved to finally get the push for testing. so we did. we finally got the results on monday, and yes, sean has aspergers. i was stoked. finally, vindication of what i'd been saying and thinking and feeling for 4 years! and, some good news, as well. while sean is socially awkward in public, he has learned to read the family's social cues. he knows how to react to me, and mark, and liam, and even steph (even though she hasn't lived with him for 2 years). the evaluating psychiatrist says this is a good sign, that now we have to teach sean to read people he doesn't know as well, or at all.
now we can get him some real help.
but i've been doing more reading. most insurance companies won't pay for the intensive therapy, and the help that he needs. luckily enough, the psychiatrist sean sees is on the short list of doctors covered by our insurance, so that isn't such a financial burden. however, the list of therapists is amazingly short (my therapist had been trying to get on it for 10 years!), and while i haven't explored it yet, i'm sure they've all got hideous waiting lists.
he's 13. they say autism is best dealt with with early intervention. they usually like to start with preschoolers. i know that sean will always be different, but i want him to be able to get along in life. i know he will probably never shop in a mall, and always avoid large crowds. if he can live with that, so can i. however, if he HAS to, i want him to be able to cope with the situation. he barely can now, and only if he's with mark or me. we won't be here forever. i'm just afraid that this will be too little too late.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
kick me
i swear, some day i'm gonna put up my vacation pics! don't worry, you won't get them all, just the really good ones (there's one of sean that is almost artist quality, and i'm gonna get that one printed and put it up, it's that good).
you will note on the sidebar thingie, one of my favorite innerwebs t hings:
Knit Wars. because of this, there isn't a single day that i don't pick up SOMETHING and work on it. i'm trying really hard, as you can see. i'm in 2nd place, and i CAN'T CATCH THAT WOMAN! vacation killed me. i did log my points, but even with the 2 19-hour trips, i still didn't get as much done as normal. something about sleeping in there, so that i could take over for da hubbie when he got too tired. and, believe it or not, i get less done on the weekends than i do during the week. something about the kids and hubbie, and all that stuff.
i promise, a craft related post eventually, as well. and don't worry ladies, those of you who i have promised pressies (that PIF thing). i'm thinking about what to make you. Ina, i think i know what i'm going to make for you, and you'll love it! Stacey, can ya help a girl out? i'm running clueless at this point. Contestant #3? apparently, i've seemed to have deleted your email, and i can't remember who you were! ACK! leave me a comment, an email, a kick in the pants? Thanks!
and on that note, i must flee and fly, 530 comes awfully early!
you will note on the sidebar thingie, one of my favorite innerwebs t hings:
Knit Wars. because of this, there isn't a single day that i don't pick up SOMETHING and work on it. i'm trying really hard, as you can see. i'm in 2nd place, and i CAN'T CATCH THAT WOMAN! vacation killed me. i did log my points, but even with the 2 19-hour trips, i still didn't get as much done as normal. something about sleeping in there, so that i could take over for da hubbie when he got too tired. and, believe it or not, i get less done on the weekends than i do during the week. something about the kids and hubbie, and all that stuff.
i promise, a craft related post eventually, as well. and don't worry ladies, those of you who i have promised pressies (that PIF thing). i'm thinking about what to make you. Ina, i think i know what i'm going to make for you, and you'll love it! Stacey, can ya help a girl out? i'm running clueless at this point. Contestant #3? apparently, i've seemed to have deleted your email, and i can't remember who you were! ACK! leave me a comment, an email, a kick in the pants? Thanks!
and on that note, i must flee and fly, 530 comes awfully early!
ok, still not
a real post.
that's ok, i've been doing it again. somebody put up a link to a youtube video, and i've spent the last 2 hours listening to a hugely eclectic mix of stuff. right now? linkin park, in the end.
what got me started? dan fogelberg, auld lang syne.
does this cement the "god woman, you are totally insane" ideas?
*giggle*
i've listened to dan, then kansas, then sarah brightman, then celtic woman, then josh brogan, then christmas music (mary, d id you know, my all time favorite one), then seal, and now, LP.
my oh my
and since i've been extremely dilatory about this:
What I've been Reading
Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon (book tape in house)
Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie (what's the big deal? i'm over 100 pgs into this, and i still can't figure out why the ayatollah decided that this man needed to die in the worst way possible?)
The Reincarnationist by M.J. Rose. recommended by Crazy Aunt Purl. woman has taste, i'll tell ya that!
History of Hand Knitting by Richard Rutt (book tape in the car.) but wait, you say? it's not out yet? the joys of having someone near and dear who gets preview copies! wheeeee!
i've also started keeping a book list on google documents, cuz i end up reading the same stuff, and i wanna know what i've read. (also want to know how long it takes me, because if it take s along time? not gonna go for it again, fer sure!)
TTFN!
that's ok, i've been doing it again. somebody put up a link to a youtube video, and i've spent the last 2 hours listening to a hugely eclectic mix of stuff. right now? linkin park, in the end.
what got me started? dan fogelberg, auld lang syne.
does this cement the "god woman, you are totally insane" ideas?
*giggle*
i've listened to dan, then kansas, then sarah brightman, then celtic woman, then josh brogan, then christmas music (mary, d id you know, my all time favorite one), then seal, and now, LP.
my oh my
and since i've been extremely dilatory about this:
What I've been Reading
Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon (book tape in house)
Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie (what's the big deal? i'm over 100 pgs into this, and i still can't figure out why the ayatollah decided that this man needed to die in the worst way possible?)
The Reincarnationist by M.J. Rose. recommended by Crazy Aunt Purl. woman has taste, i'll tell ya that!
History of Hand Knitting by Richard Rutt (book tape in the car.) but wait, you say? it's not out yet? the joys of having someone near and dear who gets preview copies! wheeeee!
i've also started keeping a book list on google documents, cuz i end up reading the same stuff, and i wanna know what i've read. (also want to know how long it takes me, because if it take s along time? not gonna go for it again, fer sure!)
TTFN!
Friday, January 11, 2008
yeah, yeah, i know
i still owe y'all a real post.
however, some good news. i requested the new Cat Bordhi book, New Pathways for Sock Knitters, from the library. They're going to buy it! woohoo! sooooooooooooo, go request it, if you have an omaha public library card!
however, some good news. i requested the new Cat Bordhi book, New Pathways for Sock Knitters, from the library. They're going to buy it! woohoo! sooooooooooooo, go request it, if you have an omaha public library card!
Friday, January 04, 2008
a bit of fun
ok, ok, i have not fallen off the face of the earth. we were on vacation from dec 22 to dec 30, and i've been running like a maniac ever since.
to distract you from this bloggers lack in posting skills, here's a little game.
just so ya know, my record is 316.6!
to distract you from this bloggers lack in posting skills, here's a little game.
just so ya know, my record is 316.6!
Sunday, December 16, 2007
the day the music died
A lot of people ridiculed Dan Fogelberg, but I adored his music. In an era between the death of disco and the Amazing Hair Bands! he was a breath of fresh air. He will be missed.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Serendipity
ok, for all you firefly fanatics, move on. there's nothing to see here.
Christmas shopping sucks. Big rocks. Nasty, grime covered, slimy rocks. I hate it. I delayed this year though, so I'm in trouble.
I stopped at Game Stop to find a couple games for my sons. They had one, but the other one was at Oak View Mall. Oak View Mall is 144th & Center (like 3000 South block). i live around 8000 north block, and much further east than that. it's a huge trek. but they couldn't send it to a closer Game Stop, so i sacrificed. The really bad part? Neither guy at this store knew where the other one was in the mall. So i was gonna have to hunt.
Have I told y'all how much i hate malls? (and after last Wednesday, i'm particularly creeped out). I hate trying to park at them, i hate walking around in them, i hate the noise, and they're usually situated in inconvenient places for me. blech. But i went, cuz i love my sons, and this is what they wanted for Christmas. I parked by Dillards, walked through, and found a directory. I gotta go down stairs. Oy!
so i find an escalator, and as i'm going down, i realize it ends directly in front of a Bath & Body Works, which is my SIL's favorite store of all times (she loves malls!). I had planned on getting a GC for her for her birthday, which comes shortly after christmas (doesn't htat suck?), so i figured, hey, this is fortuitous! I go in, and buy the GC, and discover that they're giving away sample bottles of a new scent of lotion! too cool! my mom is travelling by air next week, and needs to carry lotion with her, so this is a good thing! i'll just give it to her to use.
I walk out of the store, look directly in front of me, and there's Game Stop, directly across the hall.
Is that good, or what?
Christmas shopping sucks. Big rocks. Nasty, grime covered, slimy rocks. I hate it. I delayed this year though, so I'm in trouble.
I stopped at Game Stop to find a couple games for my sons. They had one, but the other one was at Oak View Mall. Oak View Mall is 144th & Center (like 3000 South block). i live around 8000 north block, and much further east than that. it's a huge trek. but they couldn't send it to a closer Game Stop, so i sacrificed. The really bad part? Neither guy at this store knew where the other one was in the mall. So i was gonna have to hunt.
Have I told y'all how much i hate malls? (and after last Wednesday, i'm particularly creeped out). I hate trying to park at them, i hate walking around in them, i hate the noise, and they're usually situated in inconvenient places for me. blech. But i went, cuz i love my sons, and this is what they wanted for Christmas. I parked by Dillards, walked through, and found a directory. I gotta go down stairs. Oy!
so i find an escalator, and as i'm going down, i realize it ends directly in front of a Bath & Body Works, which is my SIL's favorite store of all times (she loves malls!). I had planned on getting a GC for her for her birthday, which comes shortly after christmas (doesn't htat suck?), so i figured, hey, this is fortuitous! I go in, and buy the GC, and discover that they're giving away sample bottles of a new scent of lotion! too cool! my mom is travelling by air next week, and needs to carry lotion with her, so this is a good thing! i'll just give it to her to use.
I walk out of the store, look directly in front of me, and there's Game Stop, directly across the hall.
Is that good, or what?
struck
i've been renting the earlier seasons of Grey's Anatomy, just so i know some of the back stories a little better.
inevitably, every single episode makes me think, and possibly tear up a bit.
tonight, it made me sob.
a woman was accidentally put on life support, due to missing paperwork. the daughter showed up, and signed the paperwork to have her taken off. just before they shut off the machines, the daughter kissed her on the cheek and said, "good-bye mommy." i immediately lost it.
when my dad died 6 1/2 years ago, i never got to say good-bye. i hadn't even been to the hospital that day. i've regretted it ever since. i should have been there. i should have said i love you more.
God, i miss him.
inevitably, every single episode makes me think, and possibly tear up a bit.
tonight, it made me sob.
a woman was accidentally put on life support, due to missing paperwork. the daughter showed up, and signed the paperwork to have her taken off. just before they shut off the machines, the daughter kissed her on the cheek and said, "good-bye mommy." i immediately lost it.
when my dad died 6 1/2 years ago, i never got to say good-bye. i hadn't even been to the hospital that day. i've regretted it ever since. i should have been there. i should have said i love you more.
God, i miss him.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
rock & roll died tonight
the man who was credited with the first rock & roll song, Ike Turner, passed away in his sleep this morning.
you can think of his personal life what you wish, but the man could play a lick.
you can think of his personal life what you wish, but the man could play a lick.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
i cannot BELIEVE this!
The Westboro Baptist Church is famous around here because one of the members was recently charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor because she allowed her 10-year old son to violate nebraska law, while stomping on an American flag which had been taken from the parade route for another soldier's funeral, in Bellevue. This caused enough of a disturbance, that the city council of Bellevue has actually denied them permission to do so at another funeral
There is a purpose to this.
As many of you know, a tragedy occured on Wednesday at Westroads Mall. I'm not going to go into all the details, because i don't want to give this kid any more press than necessary, but i gotta tell you guys this.
They picketed Westroads tonight, because they believe that this happened as God's retribution against Nebraska for allowing the charges to be filed against this woman. Obviously, according to them, this means that Nebraska, and Omaha in particular are supporting gays, and lesbians, and is using our own, "A brat you raised for the devil himself*" to kill a few of us idolators, and punish us all. It's our fault that this kid did this, because we don't believe in GAWD (the way i think these assmonkeys say it), and that this is just the beginning of GAWD raining destruction down on us, and this is just an appetizer.
all i can say is this:
WHAT THE FUCK?
There are 9 families mourning, and 5 more with family members that are injured, some perilously so. And these amazingly ignorant dirtwads are telling us this crap? and PROTESTING? it's only common sense, but i so desperately wanted to go down there and counter-picket. I don't talk religion very often, but my god is not a vengeful god. My god is a loving god, who is weeping tears over this whole mess.
I couldn't be more upset.
*this was a direct quote from their website/blog. however, i'm not going to dignify or give them ANYTHING by posting their web address. It's entirely too offensive to me. It even makes me feel dirty to read such vitriolic diatribes. ugh.
There is a purpose to this.
As many of you know, a tragedy occured on Wednesday at Westroads Mall. I'm not going to go into all the details, because i don't want to give this kid any more press than necessary, but i gotta tell you guys this.
They picketed Westroads tonight, because they believe that this happened as God's retribution against Nebraska for allowing the charges to be filed against this woman. Obviously, according to them, this means that Nebraska, and Omaha in particular are supporting gays, and lesbians, and is using our own, "A brat you raised for the devil himself*" to kill a few of us idolators, and punish us all. It's our fault that this kid did this, because we don't believe in GAWD (the way i think these assmonkeys say it), and that this is just the beginning of GAWD raining destruction down on us, and this is just an appetizer.
all i can say is this:
WHAT THE FUCK?
There are 9 families mourning, and 5 more with family members that are injured, some perilously so. And these amazingly ignorant dirtwads are telling us this crap? and PROTESTING? it's only common sense, but i so desperately wanted to go down there and counter-picket. I don't talk religion very often, but my god is not a vengeful god. My god is a loving god, who is weeping tears over this whole mess.
I couldn't be more upset.
*this was a direct quote from their website/blog. however, i'm not going to dignify or give them ANYTHING by posting their web address. It's entirely too offensive to me. It even makes me feel dirty to read such vitriolic diatribes. ugh.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
to let you know
since it's widely known i live in omaha, ne, i just wanted to let everyone know that me and mine are ok.
while we are all horrified by what happened, what it does say is that reforms are needed in several different sectors. gun control. mental health. juvenile "delinquency" for a better word.
a sad, sad day, today.
p.s. if you don't know what happened (and if you don't, what rock did you crawl out from under?) leave me a comment, and i'll fill ya in.
while we are all horrified by what happened, what it does say is that reforms are needed in several different sectors. gun control. mental health. juvenile "delinquency" for a better word.
a sad, sad day, today.
p.s. if you don't know what happened (and if you don't, what rock did you crawl out from under?) leave me a comment, and i'll fill ya in.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
ok, here we go
this post is gonna be picture heavy.
This is THE hat. this hat was made with 2 skeins of lamb's pride worsted, in regal, and creme. Liam wore this hat to the Central football championship game. He claims to love the hat. he chose the pattern, and he chose the colors. it's lost. needless to say, i'm a wee bit upset. he claims to have checked the lost & found, but i'm seriously tempted to call the school myself.
This is THE hat. this hat was made with 2 skeins of lamb's pride worsted, in regal, and creme. Liam wore this hat to the Central football championship game. He claims to love the hat. he chose the pattern, and he chose the colors. it's lost. needless to say, i'm a wee bit upset. he claims to have checked the lost & found, but i'm seriously tempted to call the school myself.
These are the ships' support socks that i sent off last month. They're a wee bit too big for liam, but that's ok. liam wear's a men's size 10 1/2 wide, so they should fit up to a size 12 if they don't have duck feet.
and for Michelle, the Pineapple Circular Blanket. This is adapted from the Pineapple Circular Shawl that i saw on her blog. I got the pattern from http://www.crochetaustrailia.au/. wheeeee! amazingly enough, i ordered this on a monday, and had it the next monday! this is up to round 35. i'm doing this from stash, hence the darker middle, lol. it's still going to be very pretty, if i can ever finish the freaking thing! it ends up doing 2 rows, then frogging one. i forgot to measure it before i picked it up off the floor, but i think it's about 4 feet across. good thing my mom has a queen sized bed!i gotta scoot, but i'll give ya another real post later!
Thursday, November 29, 2007
a meme
thanks to Natalie for posting this on her blog, and offering to come read mine. iknow, i know, i owe y'all a real post, and you'll get one, but not just right now.
Four things about me that you may or may not have known in no particular order. The directions are at the end.
Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Customer Service Agent
2. Short Order Cook
3. Cashier in a Nuclear Plant kitchen
4. Salad & Dessert Chef in a Steak House (that job was tasty!)
Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. Princess Bride
2. The Matrix
3. Highlander, Director's Cut
4. Any of the LOTR series
Four places I have lived:
1. Omaha, NE
2. Blair, NE
3. Tekamah, NE
4. Ord, NE
4. Four Shows that I watch:
1. Pushing Daisies
2. Private Practice
3. Grey's Anatomy
4. Dancing with the Stars (shhhh, don't tell anybody)
Four places I have visited:
1. Atlantic Beach, NC
2. Depoe Bay, Oregon
3. Rochester, NY
4. Loveland Pass, CO (i climbed the mountain there, it was so cool!)
People who e-mail me (regularly)
1. Eliza
2. Lori
3. Aunt Ruthie
4. My sons' teachers
Four of my favorite foods:
1. Lemon Shrimp @ Imperial Palace
2. Cafe Breve @ Starbucks (hey, you still ingest it!)
3. Bacon
4. Chocolate
Four places I would rather be right now:
1. At S&B ( i always end up leaving just when it's getting good!)
2. Borders, with a good magazine
3. in the tub with a good book
4. in bed with my honey & a good book (which is why i'm wondering why i'm still up?)
Things I am looking forward to this year (2008 I assume??):
1. selling my house (it's become an albatross)
2. Having a venture i'm in come to fruition
3. christmas knitting being done!
4. watching my boys become men (sniff, where's the tissues?)
If you decide to do this meme yourself, please leave me a comment so I can go check out your answers!
Four things about me that you may or may not have known in no particular order. The directions are at the end.
Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Customer Service Agent
2. Short Order Cook
3. Cashier in a Nuclear Plant kitchen
4. Salad & Dessert Chef in a Steak House (that job was tasty!)
Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. Princess Bride
2. The Matrix
3. Highlander, Director's Cut
4. Any of the LOTR series
Four places I have lived:
1. Omaha, NE
2. Blair, NE
3. Tekamah, NE
4. Ord, NE
4. Four Shows that I watch:
1. Pushing Daisies
2. Private Practice
3. Grey's Anatomy
4. Dancing with the Stars (shhhh, don't tell anybody)
Four places I have visited:
1. Atlantic Beach, NC
2. Depoe Bay, Oregon
3. Rochester, NY
4. Loveland Pass, CO (i climbed the mountain there, it was so cool!)
People who e-mail me (regularly)
1. Eliza
2. Lori
3. Aunt Ruthie
4. My sons' teachers
Four of my favorite foods:
1. Lemon Shrimp @ Imperial Palace
2. Cafe Breve @ Starbucks (hey, you still ingest it!)
3. Bacon
4. Chocolate
Four places I would rather be right now:
1. At S&B ( i always end up leaving just when it's getting good!)
2. Borders, with a good magazine
3. in the tub with a good book
4. in bed with my honey & a good book (which is why i'm wondering why i'm still up?)
Things I am looking forward to this year (2008 I assume??):
1. selling my house (it's become an albatross)
2. Having a venture i'm in come to fruition
3. christmas knitting being done!
4. watching my boys become men (sniff, where's the tissues?)
If you decide to do this meme yourself, please leave me a comment so I can go check out your answers!
Monday, November 26, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
Pay it Forward
I'm a dork. I'm an idiot. I'm also hugely forgetful. There's this thing going around on the innernets. It's called Pay it Forward. Here's the deal.
I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.
So, if you'd like to Pay It Forward, just be one of the first 3 commenters on today's post.
I'll be needing snail mail addys, too, lol! And i don't care if you're here in the states, or in timbuctoo! i love international mailings (always confuses the post office ladies, lol!)
Thanks to Noricum for showing me the way, and thanks to anne for reminding me that i'd forgotten this!
p.s. with the holiday season fast approaching, i have to put the caveat in that you prolly won't get your thingie until afterwards!
I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.
So, if you'd like to Pay It Forward, just be one of the first 3 commenters on today's post.
I'll be needing snail mail addys, too, lol! And i don't care if you're here in the states, or in timbuctoo! i love international mailings (always confuses the post office ladies, lol!)
Thanks to Noricum for showing me the way, and thanks to anne for reminding me that i'd forgotten this!
p.s. with the holiday season fast approaching, i have to put the caveat in that you prolly won't get your thingie until afterwards!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
well, here goes
my mom is in congestive heart failure. which isn't as bad as it sounds. she has to go on a low sodium diet (which she was predominantly on anyway), exercise regularly (which she already did), and watch her weight. apparently, they want her to weigh herself every day, and if she gains more than 2# ina day or 4# over a week, then she goes to the doctor.
her heart valve is in relatively good shape. both the leaflets are moving like they are supposed to, consdiering the dang thing is 21 years old. they've got her on diuretics, which is making her pee like a racehorse.
they did say she's in atrial fibrilation off and on. however, there are two schools of treatment for this. the doctor thinks that it may have been happening for years. according to her records, when she had the valve replaced in '86, she was in a-fib. it didn't s how up when she got her pacemaker in '05, but it could have just been behaving, as she was only in the hospital for 4 days over that.
anyway, there is one theory that they medicate the piss out of her to control the fibrilation at any cost. however, the medications they use can be toxic over the long haul, and she comes from a long-lived family (grandma was 3 weeks shy of her 97th birthday when she gave up). also, while her kidney function isn't bad, it's not the absolute best it could be, which is typical for a woman of her age, and those types of meds make that worse.
the other school? leave her be. deal with the heart failure, and let the a-fib slide, but watch it. apparently, they did a study a few years ago, and discovered that the people they didn't medicate lived as long as the ones they did, with little ill effect, and none of the side effects from the meds. the doctor who checked her pacemaker is of the second mind. why give her drugs that could cause scar tissue in her lungs, especially when they have to watch her lungs because of the heart failure.
sooooooooooooooooooooooooo
i don't know. lol. we're supposed to talk to the cardiologist tomorrow morning. but the prognosis is very good, considering her age, and that damned valve.
as for the rest of us? mark is maintaining the homefires while i'm doing all this hospital/doctor stuff.
thanksgiving? dunno, but i don't expect her to be home by then.
the christmas trip? still dunno, but i have higher hopes for it than i did before. wheeeeeeee!
and thanks to everyone for the tea & sympathy. it is hard, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel, and between you guys and the folks over at the L&V message board, plus the local yokels doing what they can for me, i'm feeling a lot less hopeless, and a lot more hopeful.
her heart valve is in relatively good shape. both the leaflets are moving like they are supposed to, consdiering the dang thing is 21 years old. they've got her on diuretics, which is making her pee like a racehorse.
they did say she's in atrial fibrilation off and on. however, there are two schools of treatment for this. the doctor thinks that it may have been happening for years. according to her records, when she had the valve replaced in '86, she was in a-fib. it didn't s how up when she got her pacemaker in '05, but it could have just been behaving, as she was only in the hospital for 4 days over that.
anyway, there is one theory that they medicate the piss out of her to control the fibrilation at any cost. however, the medications they use can be toxic over the long haul, and she comes from a long-lived family (grandma was 3 weeks shy of her 97th birthday when she gave up). also, while her kidney function isn't bad, it's not the absolute best it could be, which is typical for a woman of her age, and those types of meds make that worse.
the other school? leave her be. deal with the heart failure, and let the a-fib slide, but watch it. apparently, they did a study a few years ago, and discovered that the people they didn't medicate lived as long as the ones they did, with little ill effect, and none of the side effects from the meds. the doctor who checked her pacemaker is of the second mind. why give her drugs that could cause scar tissue in her lungs, especially when they have to watch her lungs because of the heart failure.
sooooooooooooooooooooooooo
i don't know. lol. we're supposed to talk to the cardiologist tomorrow morning. but the prognosis is very good, considering her age, and that damned valve.
as for the rest of us? mark is maintaining the homefires while i'm doing all this hospital/doctor stuff.
thanksgiving? dunno, but i don't expect her to be home by then.
the christmas trip? still dunno, but i have higher hopes for it than i did before. wheeeeeeee!
and thanks to everyone for the tea & sympathy. it is hard, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel, and between you guys and the folks over at the L&V message board, plus the local yokels doing what they can for me, i'm feeling a lot less hopeless, and a lot more hopeful.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
it's tough
this time of year is not easy for me. the joy of halloween has passed. sunset comes before 5 pm. thanksgiving, to most people, is a time of family gathering and happiness. for me? lots and lots of work. i've worked a lot of thanksgivings, and all i can think of is how much work it is. i hate thanksgiving.
add in a # of factors, to include huge amounts of stress over the boys' grades, my mother's ongoing medical issues culminating in her admittance to the hospital, and money has been tight, and i feel like i'm in a pressure cooker.
i was watching private practice earlier tonight, where a woman, whose police husband has died, has rigidly scheduled everything involving the birth of her child, whom she was pregnant with when her husband died. in the middle of labor, she started screaming about being alone, and that her husband was dead. i bawled like a baby. it struck me that i felt alone.
mark stayed home with the boys today while i dealt with my mother's stuff. i called my brothers to let them know what was going on. my one brother lives here in nebraska, but has little to do with me, because of differing religious choices. little, as in, he didn't come to my wedding. he came as soon as he found out what was up. to say the least, it was awkward. he was polite, we did talk, but the white elephant in the room was definitely there.
i felt alone all day. i've felt alone in this whole thing. this has been going on since the end of august. the doctor's visits have been weekly, if not more often. from november 1st to november 9th i took her to immanuel hospital for doctor's vists 5 times.
here's the thing. she doesn't drive. my brother, who only lives an hour away, never volunteers to take her to anything, except the occasional dinner out. my other brother lives in georgia, but everytime he comes, they take her to the store. they take her shopping.
the people who could help me, can't. mark knows no sign language. he's tried, but he has no talent for it. liam and sean, who do, can't transport her, and frankly, are too young. stephanie, who can, works full time.
i'm it. i've always been the family interpreter. i'm the oldest child. according to my mother, i started signing when i was 2, when my brother was born. both my brothers do little more than fingerspelling, which means you spell out each word. exhausting, to say the least. i've been interpreting for my family for a very long time.
when my grandmother in wyoming passed away on a wednesday, i was unable to leave until sunday. my parents drove out there on thursday, as well as my brother (yes, THAT one) and his family. no one in his family signs. when i showed up on sunday, he told me he was so glad i was there, because the signing for the last 3 days was wearing him out. he had no idea. my father was also hard of hearing, and actually met my mother at the Nebraska School for the Deaf, although they didn't marry until 20 years later, and was as comfortable with signing as he was in listening. in fact, as he had aged, his hearing was failing rather rapidly (he was 75). i immediately took over.
you know, being needed is nice. i'm a firm believer, though, of too much of a good thing. I'm being "needed" to death. My mom needs me. Mark needs me. Liam needs me. Sean most definitely needs me. The cats need me. Even steph & her roommate and their dog &cat need me.
i sit here, and watch sean, and wonder if he will ever grow up enough to take care of himself.
I know i do alot of this to myself. My sense of duty and obligation outweighs any objections or denials. I'm a caregiver.
But who's going to care for me?
/end whiney post
add in a # of factors, to include huge amounts of stress over the boys' grades, my mother's ongoing medical issues culminating in her admittance to the hospital, and money has been tight, and i feel like i'm in a pressure cooker.
i was watching private practice earlier tonight, where a woman, whose police husband has died, has rigidly scheduled everything involving the birth of her child, whom she was pregnant with when her husband died. in the middle of labor, she started screaming about being alone, and that her husband was dead. i bawled like a baby. it struck me that i felt alone.
mark stayed home with the boys today while i dealt with my mother's stuff. i called my brothers to let them know what was going on. my one brother lives here in nebraska, but has little to do with me, because of differing religious choices. little, as in, he didn't come to my wedding. he came as soon as he found out what was up. to say the least, it was awkward. he was polite, we did talk, but the white elephant in the room was definitely there.
i felt alone all day. i've felt alone in this whole thing. this has been going on since the end of august. the doctor's visits have been weekly, if not more often. from november 1st to november 9th i took her to immanuel hospital for doctor's vists 5 times.
here's the thing. she doesn't drive. my brother, who only lives an hour away, never volunteers to take her to anything, except the occasional dinner out. my other brother lives in georgia, but everytime he comes, they take her to the store. they take her shopping.
the people who could help me, can't. mark knows no sign language. he's tried, but he has no talent for it. liam and sean, who do, can't transport her, and frankly, are too young. stephanie, who can, works full time.
i'm it. i've always been the family interpreter. i'm the oldest child. according to my mother, i started signing when i was 2, when my brother was born. both my brothers do little more than fingerspelling, which means you spell out each word. exhausting, to say the least. i've been interpreting for my family for a very long time.
when my grandmother in wyoming passed away on a wednesday, i was unable to leave until sunday. my parents drove out there on thursday, as well as my brother (yes, THAT one) and his family. no one in his family signs. when i showed up on sunday, he told me he was so glad i was there, because the signing for the last 3 days was wearing him out. he had no idea. my father was also hard of hearing, and actually met my mother at the Nebraska School for the Deaf, although they didn't marry until 20 years later, and was as comfortable with signing as he was in listening. in fact, as he had aged, his hearing was failing rather rapidly (he was 75). i immediately took over.
you know, being needed is nice. i'm a firm believer, though, of too much of a good thing. I'm being "needed" to death. My mom needs me. Mark needs me. Liam needs me. Sean most definitely needs me. The cats need me. Even steph & her roommate and their dog &cat need me.
i sit here, and watch sean, and wonder if he will ever grow up enough to take care of himself.
I know i do alot of this to myself. My sense of duty and obligation outweighs any objections or denials. I'm a caregiver.
But who's going to care for me?
/end whiney post
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