Not Welcome

If I were a cat, I would be purring. My tail would be twitching and my eyes would be darting around suspiciously, but I'd be purring nonetheless.

Last night Randy took me out to Applebee's to eat, and then we went to the movies to see Over The Hedge. It was a funny movie with a lot of references to classic movies for the adults in the audience. I loved Hammy! What is it about me that makes me adore manic, obsessive squirrels? Sqrat, Hammy, Danny... yes, Danny is a dog not a squirrel but he might as well be an animated fluffy-tailed critter. He shares their personality.

But why would my tail twitch and my eyes shift? That would be because twice today people just popped by without notice, and my house was a disaster. Actually, I woke up to Andrew standing in my living room calling my name. He had gone swimming at the falls in my town and he desperately needed my bathroom. I think I muttered something and stood aside for him, then shuffled to the couch and flopped down to doze. He came out and complimented me on how well I looked, so I knew he wanted something. I had bed-head and raccoon eyes from eye make-up that hadn't fully come off the night before. Eyes which refused to fully open because he had woken me up too early. But I love him, so I got him some water and listened to his troubles for a while. He had gone camping this past weekend with a group of friends including his ex and her new boyfriend. He actually likes her new guy and got along great with him, but his ex keeps messing with his head. Now she's doing the same thing to the new guy, and Drew felt badly for him. His ex loves drugs and will take anything put in front of her. He's tried to get her to stop or chill out a little, but she won't. She keeps doing drugs and cheating on all of her boyfriends with her dealer. Sad. So I listened to Andrew vent about that for a while, and then made plans to go out for lunch later this week.

That wasn't so bad. Andrew is as big a slob as I am; I was just thrown because I wasn't prepared. His visit inspired me to run the vacuum and clean the kitchen. I was going to do more but ran out of time. Randy came home and we had to walk the dogs before it started to rain. We got back and almost immediately, the man who has been doing work for us on the house turned up. He had stopped by to let us know that he's been called back into the religious community in which some of my family also lives. He told us not to worry though; his replacement from the community will finish the job. He's supposed to put in the bay windows. The problem with the worker's visit is that I had some laundry out on the table that I was in the middle of folding, including my underwear. In this religious community, that's just so taboo! To make matters worse, I had never made my bed after Andrew startled me out of it- I got busy on the living room and forgot- and the door was slightly open so this man could see into my bedroom and see the unmade bed. The people from the community are fastidious in the extreme.

I can only imagine what the man thinks of me now, and he's going back to the community where my relatives will be asking about me. Ack! Oh well. At least I am now motivated once more to stay on top of my chores. First I had injured my back, and then I was sick. Then with the nice, hot days I just didn't feel like tidying. That'll teach me. If people are going to just start turning up at my door, I need to keep my house neat. Either that or put up a barbed wire fence to put around the moat I should dig.

I wonder how much barbed wire costs?

Inspiration Photo Challenge- Macro's World

Movie, Collars and A Dog's Love

I just finished watching The Family Stone with Randy. It was far sadder and more poignant than the comedy I was expecting based on the trailers. However I quickly got over that and liked the movie very much. They did an excellent job of capturing the family dynamic.

Ellen came over today. We went to Petco to pick up a citronella collar, used to train dogs to stop barking. Danny must stop before he goes back to her apartment. The girl at Petco didn't really seem to know what she was talking about, but it didn't stop her from trying. While helping us she was also helping another woman whose new dog bites. This girl sold the woman a muzzle, telling her to wait until the dog was about to bite her, then put the muzzle on. The woman had just told the girl that the dog doesn't give warning when it's about to bite, but the girl wants the woman to magically deduce when it's going to happen and then, just as the dog lunges, somehow get the muzzle on. Ok. Sure. No problem. Anyway, then she turns to Ellen and explains that the citronella spray collar works because citronella is a sedative for dogs. For those of you who aren't familiar with this sort of collar, it has a container filled with citronella and sprays it in front of the dog's face when it barks. Ellen wants to try this first because it's more humane than zapping the dog with an electric collar, as the girl had suggested we do. I didn't entirely agree that it's more humane; based on what the girl said we'd be drugging the dog instead of zapping it. At least zapping is a quick external stimulus whereas a drug is internal and mood-altering. I'd rather let a dog bark but then, I live in a house where it's ok. So we bought the citronella collar for me to put on him so I could start working with him. But when I read the information that came with the collar, nowhere did it say that citronella is a sedative. It explained that the collar works because it affects 4 out of 5 of the dog's senses: the sight of the spray startles the dog, the dog can feel it on its face, it makes a hissing sound when sprayed and the smell is unusual. It's not a sedative at all. So once again that girl was talking out of her ass to make a sale (which she didn't need to do in our case since that's what we went in for) and upset Ellen and I in the process!

Knowing how it works set my mind at ease as I put it on him. Since I've done so, he's only barked once. Figures. But it was pretty funny to see him run backwards as fast as his little legs would take him to get away from the spray!

The other good thing about today was that Ellen and Danny were able to visit together for a long time. We were all afraid he wouldn't remember her very well, if at all, because she only had him for a couple of weeks before he came to stay with us. He's lived with us far longer than with her. But he did remember her. Not only that, he was so happy to see her! He didn't pull his usual trick of barking and nipping at her the way he does with everyone else who comes through the door. He jumped up on his hind legs and bounced up and down for joy, trying to get her attention. As soon as she sat down he jumped up to be with her. It was very sweet. So whatever concerns we may have about his return to Ellen and her apartment, his love for her goes unquestioned. :0)

Moth

Congratulations Amanda

I made this necklace as a present for a friend's daughter. She graduated from college tonight. :0)

Proud Day

Today, at long last, my brother Andrew graduated from high school! There were times when we wondered if it would ever happen, and we're so happy for him.

Andrew is the brother who, at the age of 15, was convicted as an adult of a crime he didn't commit. He went to a special prison for serious offenders under the age of 21 (he was in with rapists, murderers and gang members) for 6 months. He saw things there he should never have seen, including witnessing the brutal all-night rape of one inmate by another in a ward where guards were supposed to be performing 15 minute bed-checks. The kid was so badly injured that he had to be taken away by ambulance the following morning, and the FBI were called in to investigate the situation. It was only my brother's 2nd week in, and a tragic introduction. But that was only the first of many horrible things he was to witness. He was grateful to receive only the occasional beating, and he worked out assiduously to avoid being an easy target. His great height also helped.

While there, his high school principal brought his school work to him each week. All of the teachers were pulling for him. He had been an honor student, athlete and community volunteer. There were many who believed my brother's side of the story- in the wrong place at the wrong time- and were willing to do whatever they could to help him get through his time in prison. There were classes during the day there, but they were way too basic for my brother's level and the teachers were busy with other students. Andrew had to take the materials his principal left for him and teach himself from them. He began to fall behind.

Once he was released from prison and was back in school, he was bitter and depressed. Many students harassed him and this exacerbated the situation. He stopped trying. He barely passed sophomore and junior years. In the end, he failed his senior year. He was horrible to be around and we were really very worried. There were many battles between Andrew and the rest of us at various times. We got him to enroll in adult education classes at the high school, but he half-assed it the first time. He's highly intelligent and unfortunately, knows it. He was bored in the classes, more interested in his girlfriend and his buddies. However since this past fall, he's begun to turn around. Sarah's presence helped with that a lot because he recognized some of his own behaviors in her, and he realized just how hateful and painful they can be. He's applied himself to his school work at last, reformed his attitude and tonight, as I said...

Andrew graduated!!!!

There were about 30 students in all, ranging in ages up to 55! People from all walks of life who, for whatever reason, had never graduated but who truly desired to receive the education they'd been missing. They wore their caps and gowns of navy blue and received their diplomas, beaming with well-earned pride in this wonderful accomplishment. I told Randy later that I think it's the most meaningful graduation ceremony I'd ever attended because these were people who knew what it meant and they wanted it. Andrew has already taken the entrance exams at the community college and has been accepted. It's the first necessary step towards a new and fulfilling life. After a year or two there he should be able to get accepted in a university. One thing at a time.

After the ceremony my family took Andrew out for a celebratory dinner at a really nice restaurant where he opened his cards and gifts. You could see the renewed sense of self my brother had in the way he held himself and the look in his eyes. I wanted to cry I was so proud, so I cracked a joke and teased him instead. He knew though.

I love my baby brother and am just so happy for him. Congratulations Drew!

Message From Danny

I wanted to let you know that I've passed your compliments along to Danny. While he appreciates the spirit in which they were given, he has requested that I clarify something. He is scornful of adjectives such as "cute," "little," and "adorable." He prefers to be referred to as "Mighty Warrior Dog," or to be complimented on his "Ferocious Fangs of Death." Just for future reference.

I kept a straight face while he said this, only giving in to roars of laughter when I was safely away. He was dead serious, you see, and it wouldn't do to wound his pride. Think Reepicheep from Prince Caspian and you'd have it about right.

He's such a cute, adorable little guy. *G*

Randy took this photo of us tonight...

Some Excitement

Due to all of the rain we've had lately a small dam burst in Cornwall, the next town over from mine and only about 10 minutes from me. This resulted in a mudslide which damaged several homes and closed down a major roadway. Firemen were called to contain a propane tank that had been torn loose and was floating amongst the debris. Thankfully nobody was injured. Town officials now have to figure out how to handle the breach in the dam as water continues to pour out.

Today also marks the release of my friend Ellen from the nursing home where she was recovering from her surgery. I haven't heard from her but am sure she is settling back into her apartment. This means that the final days of Danny's sojourn are upon us. I've told her I'll keep him for another week to give her time to adjust to taking care of herself again. I'm taking Ellen to Petco this weekend to buy a citronella collar for him. It sprays citronella when he barks, and is a more humane way of training him than the electric collars that zap. I'm going to put it on Danny during his last couple of days with us so that hopefully by the time he goes home, the barking will have stopped for the most part. In her tiny apartment with an antagonistic landlord, this is crucial. I'm also going to get a blanket or some clothing of hers this weekend for him to sleep with so that he can become re-acquainted with Ellen once more. He has now lived with Randy and I longer than he lived with Ellen, so they need to be re-introduced to one another. I'm sad to see him go; Randy and I love him now. But I'm so grateful he's going home to Ellen instead of returning to foster care. I want to make this transition as easy for the two of them as possible. I still plan to kidnap him from time to time once he's settled with Ellen, and Randy will want visitation as well. :0)

I think next Tuesday's the day then. I'll let you know.

Here's the little guy under the blanket on the couch. While I was sick I slept there, and he would climb under the covers and keep me company. Since then, every time I curl up on the couch, he likes to snuggle under the blanket. I happened to have my camera handy tonight when he did it again...

Illustration Friday-Sorry

I haven't done this in a while and decided I wanted to participate this week. This is actually a detail of a larger piece but once I scanned it in I realized that, rather than looking like she was pressing her fist to her mouth to hold in emotion, she looked like she was getting punched in the face. However I really liked this section and thought that it captured the emotion well on its own. But because I know that at least one of you is now curious about the original, here it is:

See what I mean? :D

DaVinci and Design

Ashley, Mom and I went to see The DaVinci Code tonight. It was pretty good, although a couple of the choices they made when going from book to movie puzzled me because they were unnecessary. We enjoyed ourselves though, and that's all that mattered. I liked the special effects used to overlap time periods. I'm not going to say more here however; I don't want to ruin anything for others.

I'm finally designing a necklace for myself; this will be the first. Here's my idea so far-

A Meaningful Visit

Such a strange evening, but nice. Mom was home alone; the kids were off with friends. I went over to my mother's to give her the Mother's Day gifts I had for her. I had made a collage of photos of us kids and turned it into a card. I gave her a fancy tiara to wear while opening the gifts. Then there was the wooden artist's mannequin. I drew a face and hair on it and dressed it in tissue and tulle with a ribbon around the waist. I named it "Birgitte" because Mom has children whose names begin with "A" or "C" but none with the letter "B." Birgitte rectifies that. I gave her to Mom because "every mother should have at least one child who will always do as she's told." Mom agreed, especially now that her two remaining children are teens! Finally, I bought Mom a 14kt gold chain and made an amethyst pendant for it, that being one of her favorite stones. She can change the pendant out for others as well if she wants.

While talking she told me of some computer problems she was having. I cleaned a few things up and as programs ran, Mom and I talked about news of the day, that sort of thing. There's a story in the news just now about a woman who received a letter of apology from her rapist 20 years after the fact, because he had gotten sober and wanted to make amends. Though at the time the rape occurred she refused to prosecute, after receiving his apology she has decided to press charges. Mom and I shared our thoughts on the story. Gradually and in an oddly natural way, we wound up talking about how I survived being raped, as well as finding my way out of a physically abusive relationship. It didn't hurt to talk about at all. Mom has skirted around the topics in the past, but had to find a way to come to terms with the fact that these things happened to her oldest daughter even as she fears for her youngest before she could approach the topic more in-depth. So this was the first time we simply talked without feeling as though we were walking on eggshells with one another, and it was nice. She asked me questions that I think she's wanted to ask for a while, but couldn't. I didn't mind answering. It just felt good to talk about these things with her without feeling awkward or emotionally-charged. I don't know; it's hard to explain. It probably sounds strange when I say it was a nice visit, but it was. We moved on to other topics, and eventually her computer was fixed and running properly. I left her happily reading her accumulated email, the necklace I gave her looking pretty against her pink sweater.

I'm so glad we had this evening together.

CBS Angst and Pez

The theme for CBS season finales lately seems to be Someone Must Die, or Come Damn Close. I now suspect that there's either a network exec with an axe to grind, or all of their shows share a writer with anger issues which (s)he works through by killing and maiming tv characters.

How can I get that gig?

On a happier note, Randy surprised me with the toy below. The store had sold out immediately, so he special ordered it just for me. What can I say? The man loves me and knows what I like. Now the little guy guards my computer. Perhaps he thinks it's a giant nut?

Consequences and Truth

Another 10 yr. old kid was arrested today. He had listed two names of fellow students he wanted killed, and he brought that list to school. He was caught and turned over to the police.

As I watched a series of outraged parents proclaiming that this child should be expelled, I felt increasingly annoyed. It isn't that I disagree; what the boy did was wrong and there should be consequences for his action. However I find myself feeling angry because I realized that while everyone was declaring how horrible this child is, not one person ever stopped to ask why this boy wanted those two students dead out of the entire student body. What happened? And what can be done to assure that it won't happen again with another student? Because most young kids don't wake up one random morning and decide that they want to kill two specific students, just for the hell of it, even in these grim days.

Yes, the boy deserves to be punished. But a harder look needs to be taken at the underlying causes of the situation in order to avoid this sort of thing again in the future.

* * * As for Danny, my friend has heard from her lawyer. The lawyer knows Ellen's landlord very well- a man of uncertain moods- and recommended that Ellen just bring Danny home with her, ignoring the landlord. The lawyer believes that the landlord was just blowing smoke because some of his statements regarding the insurance change just don't make sense; he's lying so he can try to force Ellen to get rid of Danny. Anyway, the lawyer doesn't believe the landlord will try to evict her once Danny is back in the apartment. If he does try, this lawyer can keep the eviction hearing in court for years, certainly long enough for Ellen's shoulder to heal enough for her to find a new home.

So that's the game plan at the moment. Ellen returns home on the 23rd. I'll return Danny to her a week later, once she's managed to settle in. Then Ellen and her lawyer can have the joy of battling it out with her landlord, unless he's had another one of his mood swings and suddenly decides that Danny would be no trouble at all. With this guy, that is an actual possibility. His attitude on anything can change completely from one day to the next, for no better reason than that he had his Wheaties that morning and found them good. So keep your fingers crossed that he feels mellower by the time Ellen brings Danny home!

Aravis' Wildlife

Even as Danny's fate still hangs in the balance, another friend has approached Randy and I on behalf of a dog who needs a new home. Our friend Jamie tried to adopt a mutt from a local shelter. Unfortunately Jamie is allergic to Roxie for some reason and couldn't keep her. She looks like she may be a german shepherd/greyhound mix and is excellent with cats as well as other dogs. Jamie already has both cats and a dog, so he knows this to be true. She has a very sweet disposition and needs a good home. Randy and I would take her, but with Danny here it would simply be too much. But if you know me at all, you know that in the back of my mind I'm thinking that if Danny's situation resolves soon and Roxie still needs a home, she might well find one here. It's not as if our cats are afraid of dogs in general; just Danny. And Sam loves playing with other dogs as long as they don't attack him.

Yes, I'm incorrigible.

Speaking of critters, I left my house this afternoon for the first time since Saturday morning. While outside I refilled the birdfeeders and the peanut platter I leave for squirrels and larger birds. When I returned from running errands this evening, I counted 4 squirrels and a bold Blue Jay stuffing themselves greedily.

-One squirrel was perched on a birdfeeder. He was intent on removing every sign of sunflower seeds from the basin, stuffing his cheeks until he resembled John Belushi in the infamous burst-zit scene of Animal House.

-The second squirrel was chasing the third squirrel for taking a peanut. They ran around and around, up and down the tree. One was determined to keep the nut, the other equally determined to confiscate it...

-...meanwhile the fourth squirrel was happily filling his tummy with as many peanuts as his heart desired, completely unnoticed by the psychotically-obsessed second squirrel. This leads me to believe that the altercation between squirrels #2 and #3 was personal. There's a joke about messing with a guy's nuts in there somewhere, but perhaps we'll let it be.

-And then there was the bold Blue Jay, systematically swooping down from its nest On High, collecting peanuts one at a time for the dwellers in its nest. Or maybe it was all for him but he couldn't carry it in one trip. As far as I know, Jays have yet to come equipped with a "hemi."

There's definitely a very active, very fat community surrounding my maple tree.

Hacking Back Into Health

I'm at the coughing stage now and while it's uncomfortable and wakes me up, this is still good news. It's the final, lingering phase of my cold. When I was a younger idiot than I am now, I was a heavy smoker. I also had this abhorrence of being alone while sick back then. All of this led to one of the most colossally stupid things I've ever chosen to do. I had contracted pneumonia when I was 19 or 20, and found myself home alone. With a fever of 104 I decided to drive myself 30 minutes away to a party I knew was going on. There I chain-smoked cigarettes, drank and even chose to get high. At the best of times pot burned my throat and lungs. That night was horrendous, but I didn't care. I wasn't alone, and the various substances I'd drunk/inhaled left me uncaring of pretty much everything else.

Unfortunately, the upshot was that I did permanent damage to my lungs.

This used to mean I would skip over colds and go right to bronchitis several times a year. Sometimes I would wake up and have to remind myself to breathe. To this day, many years after I've quit, I have difficulty breathing on really hot and humid days. Since I quit smoking though, my worst problems have abated. My colds usually remain simple colds. However when I do get a cold, it hangs in for a very long time. The worst of it is over after about a week, but the cough hangs in sometimes for a few weeks after. So annoying, especially since I have nobody to blame but myself.

I do hope I get wiser with age. I know I've abused myself more than Time has. Something to ponder, that...

Danny Update

More hope today regarding Danny's future. My friend is legally disabled due to some mental health problems, and when her caseworker learned of what happened with Danny today, she resolved to have a talk with the landlord. She's going to claim that Danny is Ellen's therapy dog- which he really is- and say that Ellen needs him for her health. She does. He takes her out of herself and gives her something else to care for, inspiring her to get out and get back into life in healthy ways. We'll see where this new argument gets us. Ellen is still trying to get in touch with her lawyer, but the caseworker has also volunteered to help us find a good home for Danny if it comes down to it. I hope it doesn't though. I wish for both of their sakes that Danny and Ellen can stay together. That's also a bit selfish on my part, because it would mean that I'd still get to see the pooch from time to time. He's very sweet and funny once he stops being an ass.

Nothing To Say For Myself

I've tried to think, and now I've given up. I'll just share something I was working on earlier instead...

Situation Improving?

I spoke to Ellen today and the upshot is that she is going to call her lawyer on Monday. When she moved in, she paid $200 to be allowed to have a pet, in that case Duncan. There was nothing said or written stipulating that it was for the one pet, one time only. So before we do anything else we want to make sure she doesn't have legal recourse. Also, Ellen's lawyer is an animal right's activist and may well be of service to us in finding Danny a good home if Ellen is unable to keep him. I feel much better knowing that there are perhaps some better options.

This doesn't help my cold any, because that's what it has turned out to be. I can't complain too much about having one though because it's my first cold in about 3 years. I'd forgotten how miserable they are. I'm well cared for though. Danny curls up under the covers with me on the couch while Sam stays nearby and checks on me periodically. Randy is also very attentive when he's home from work. I'm quite spoiled, really.

Now I have to go make a card for Randy's mother for Mother's Day. I'm celebrating later in the week with my mother because she doesn't want my diseased self near her, but I have to get things together for Randy to give to his mother. I'm sure I'll keep it pretty simple this time. I'm just not up for anything else at the moment.

To all who are celebrating it, Happy Mother's Day!

Physically and Emotionally Sick

I'm so sick and miserable tonight. I'm not sure this is just allergies anymore; it may be a cold. I hate this feeling, but I only wish this was the worst of it.

Tonight my friend Ellen called. She's the one who adopted Danny. Her landlord has been wintering in Florida and wasn't aware that she had adopted a new dog. While he was away, he changed his insurance policy to reflect no pets in his apartment building. Ellen just found out today, and now has to give up Danny. She won't be able to find a new apartment and move, which would be the only way she could keep him. She seems to have hoped or even expected that Randy and I would keep him, even though she knows he doesn't get along with our cats. I'm so upset that I've been put in this position. We have really come to love Danny and agree that if it weren't for our pets we would love to have him. But it's not fair to Sam, Patches and Wheezy.

Now poor Danny- who has also come to love and trust us- is going to have to go back to the rescue organization and get passed around in foster care again until he finds a new home. I hate this! The poor little guy is already a basket case from lack of stability. It took him 2 weeks to settle with us. He's going to be difficult for them to place because of his inability to get along with other pets, excessive barking and his preference for playing rough. He likes to hold our fingers in his teeth very gently and play tug of war over our hands. He never breaks the skin; he's careful. However that sort of thing will make many people nervous and leery of him. He's also got those scars on his face and tail, so even though he's purebred there are those who won't adopt him because he's not show quality. He needs to go into a home where he is the only pet, the owner is young and energetic and most of all, patient; preferably the home would be a house instead of an apartment because of the barking. He needs and deserves love, kindness and stability.

God, it hurts that I can't keep him safely here with us. Once again, I'm left feeling torn.

Danny through the rain, taken from my car

Just Desserts

My allergies are bothering me tonight but, lest you start feeling sorry for me, I have to admit that I deserve it. Randy bought a riding lawn mower and used it for the first time today. Naturally this meant that I had to grab my cup of coffee, sit on the tailgate of his truck and laugh at him every time he was attacked by low-lying tree branches as he tamed the wild grasses.

Yes, I deserve every sniffle.

Somehow this reminds me of the magical gardens from the old fairytale, The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Bet those trees didn't make people sneeze!

Our Refugees

The Occupation, as the cats call it, has forced them to retire to the two bedrooms and bath at the back of the house. As trying as this is for everyone, it has had one pleasant side-effect: Patches and Wheezy finally get along, moreso than in the past at any rate. I wonder sometimes how long this thaw will last after Danny leaves (about 3 more weeks now) and they are once more free to roam.

Probably not long.

My Family Inherits My Luck

I am well now, thanks to those who (laughed at) commiserated with me. *G*

Unfortunately my mother and my brother Andrew seem to have caught my run of bad luck. Who knew how contagious these things are?

Andrew was invited to go to The Red Hot Chili Peppers concert in NYC yesterday, so he drove down with a friend. He parked in what seemed to be an acceptable place and went off to enjoy the concert. When the poor kid came out, his car was gone! He discovered that it hadn't been stolen, but rather towed away and impounded by the police, ostensibly because he was parked illegally. They told him he would need $200 to release the car. He didn't have the money or the access to the money just then, and by the time he and his friend got back to CT- without the car- it was 5 AM. He says he slept about an hour because he was too worried about the situation. Then he got up this morning and Mom drove him to the train station, gave him the money and expected him to get his car and drive home. For those musically inclined, you'll appreciate the sheer torment of the day when you learn that he didn't even have any tunes to listen to. Ashley wouldn't let him borrow her cd player for the day, cruel sibling that she is. So Andrew spent the entire day without music.

Anyway, we thought we'd heard the end of the situation. I popped by the house and Mom was just about to take a nap to catch up on interrupted sleep from the night before. I left her to it. By the time I got home though, there was a message on my machine from her. Andrew had arrived at the impound lot but couldn't find his driver's license, so they wouldn't release his car to him. Not only that, but it turned out that the $200 only paid for the tow and the impound. He was also ticketed and hit with a processing fee by the police, so he owed around $300 total! Mom had to catch the next train to Grand Central and help Andrew clear up the mess. She had no idea how late they'd get back, and she needed me to keep an eye out for Ashley. In her rush and irritation, she dropped her ATM card as she left. Ashley found it on the floor just inside the door when she got home. Thankfully Mom had enough cash for her train ticket, and her credit cards!

Ashley came over and spent the evening with us, having completed her homework before I picked her up. Andrew called at one point while waiting for Mom's train. He had spent the day walking all over Manhattan in the drizzling rain. He had blisters on his feet and he was so depressed. I felt badly for him. He had gone back to the spot where he had parked and read the signs again, and there were still no signs which indicated that he couldn't park where he did. He said some guys told him that NY cops liked to do this, especially to out-of-towners, to boost city revenues. It's not fair, but it's not a battle he would win either. I tried to cheer him up. I think even Mom felt more sorry for him than angry over the situation, though she was still irritated of course. She didn't arrive in NY until 8 PM, and didn't get home until after 11. On the way home, the road she was traveling on was closed due to an accident and she had to turn around, go back where she came from and take the longer road home from there. Poor Mom!

Ashley had a great time here with us though, and we enjoyed having her. We watch a lot of the same shows and it was fun to watch them together. She loves my pets so there was a lot of horsing around. And we bought lots of junk food to indulge in while watching tv. When I took her home at 10, I helped her walk their dog- I didn't like her walking alone that late- and then searched the house thoroughly before leaving her alone with all the doors and windows locked. I know it sounds silly. She's almost 16 and she babysits all the time. But she's very beautiful and attracts a lot of attention, including that of adult men. She looks much older than she is without trying. And she had failed to lock the door when she left. I simply didn't feel comfortable leaving her alone in a house that someone might be hiding in. When I had finished looking over, under and behind every surface- with Ashley laughing at me the whole time- I decided to laugh at me too by opening a small freezer to make sure there were no bodies in there, either.

Hopefully this will be the end of this mess. Drew is going to have to drum up extra odd jobs to pay Mom back. But at least he and his car are both home safe and sound. Perhaps now he and Mom can get some sleep!

NYC from Central Park, messed up by me

Murphy's Law Weekend

I'm so relieved that my Murphy's Law Weekend is now over.

It started off alright, but then Saturday evening coffee poured out from underneath a defective lid on my cup all over my brand new white shirt. It was the first time I'd ever worn it. I got changed, tried to be careful and wound up with more coffee spilled in my lap. I quickly finished the damn thing and vowed never to use those lids again.

Then I tried to upload some photos for my mother onto her Photoworks account, but the site wouldn't accept her password coming from my computer. So I uploaded them to my account and sent an invite to her which enabled her to not only view them but take the ones she liked and add them to her account. My mother is computer illiterate and this seemed the easiest way; my siblings could help her finish the photo swap on their end. These were the photos from the gravesite of my aunt's baby, and there were several photos that were very similar but shot from different angles. Mom was to choose the ones she liked and then make them available to my aunt. Only the next day when my mother saw my invitation to view the photos, she was in a hurry and didn't pay attention to the explanatory note I included. She assumed they were all set to go and forwarded the full, un-edited set to my aunt. No big deal, just another little thing gone wrong.

Sunday I started wrestling with the problems a few people were having with comments. I wanted to figure out the problem but couldn't. Then I thought maybe I'd switch to Wordpress instead of Movable Type, which is what I'm using now. But their quick 5 minute install didn't work. At one point you're supposed to rename a file and then open it with Notepad. Only the file wouldn't allow me to rename it. It simply wasn't an option no matter what I tried. I decided that I was happy enough with the way things are now that I didn't need any more of that aggravation. I'd rather just keep things as they are for now.

I became so computer-obsessed that day though that I lost track of time. My meeting started at 6 and the harder I tried to get ready, the further behind I fell as I stumbled over things, spilled things, stubbed toes, etc. rushing about. In the end I realized that the meeting had started, I wasn't ready and like the computer situation, just wasn't worth the stress I was putting myself through. Instead I grabbed up my purse and keys, hopped into my car and went to my mother's to escape my bad luck. Her favorite part of my day? One I haven't mentioned yet:

I was doing laundry and while the first load went through without a problem, my new dryer wouldn't start when I put in the second. I pushed the button. Then I slammed the button. Then I removed the button to clean out behind it and tried to toggle the innards to make it work. When this didn't work, I kicked and hit the dryer, expletives flying freely. This went on for about 10 minutes, then I hung my head in despair and that's when I discovered why the dryer wouldn't work: its door was open!

Duh.

I need a vacation from my life. Thankfully though today things stopped sucking, so I'll call it a good day.

Comments

A few people now have told me that they are having difficulty leaving comments. I'm not a tech person and don't know why people who were able to leave comments in the past are having trouble now. I haven't changed any settings at all. However I had a long list of banned IP addresses thanks to those parasites of the internet a.k.a. spammers. On the off chance that the IP address my readers logged in with was on the banned list, I've deleted my banned IP list. Those IP addresses should be able to access the comments now. Instead I'll just be more diligent about closing comments which are over two weeks old. This has been a successful effort to thwart Movable Type spam bots, which usually test for active blogs through archived blog posts. I hope this clears up the problem, because I can't think of any other reason why some people are suddenly unable to leave a comment. None of you are banned, at least not intentionally.

If there's still a problem and you want to reach me, feel free to email me- the link is on the left by my photo- and I'll see what I can do. Also, if you're newer to my blog and see something in my archives you'd like to comment on you may either leave it on the newest blog post or email it to me, whichever you prefer.

Thanks everyone!

Jewelry and TV

After a couple of months off, I've begun to make jewelry again. In the past two days I've made a necklace for MIL for Mother's Day, and a choker made of chips of tiger's eye for my brother Andrew. My mother is allergic to any metal less than 14k gold, but I'd like to make something for her as well. I'm currently working out some design ideas for her.

As inspired as I feel right now, do you know what's really weighing on my mind? That the biggest thing that sucks about tv shows today is that you can't reach through the screen and bitch slap people who really need it. I'm just saying.

I leave you now with a photo of the necklace made for MIL:

New Growth

The Dragon On The Moon

My back continues to hurt but I've figured out that it's a muscle problem, not a kidney problem. The less I move, the less it hurts so I've spent most of the day on the couch. This never fails to liquefy my brain and I couldn't think of anything to blog about. So I give you The Dragon On The Moon. Just because.

Hot Dogs and Kidneys

I found myself singing along with a commercial this afternoon. The jingle dates back to my childhood so I thought nothing of singing "Oh I wish I was an Oscar Mayer weiner!" Suddenly it struck me, however, that I was wishing to be a giant hot dog while sitting between two hungry canines. Perhaps I should pay more attention to the things I'm wishing for...

...and I've had plenty of time to think about that today. I've hurt my back. It started last night and feels like I've been kicked in the kidney. There's not a mark on me- not that I actually believed I was kicked, mind- but there's a hot center of pain deep in my lower back on the right. By today, the pain was causing small muscle spasms to radiate out. Walking was a real chore. So Sam and Danny stayed in today. Tomorrow I'm being tested to rule out kidney infection. Tylenol isn't doing a thing for me. I ice my back, believing that it's probably inflamed muscle tissue deep inside. The simple act of placing an ice pack on my back is torture; my skin is hyper-sensitive to touch at the moment. I'll be happy when this clears up.

As will Sam and Danny.

What's Her Story?

This is one of my cousins, one whom I've never met. When your family is as large as mine, that sort of thing happens quite a lot. The uncle who sent it to me took the photo and it was so dark you couldn't even tell if there was a subject in the murkiness. I cleaned it up but then her face was a little distorted, so I turned the photo into an oil painting. I like the way it turned out. Sometimes a photo or painting seems to ask that a story be written about it, and this one has that effect on me; it has the air of an illustration.

Through Danny's Eyes

Now that Danny and I are getting along much better, I've decided to take a look at the world from his point of view. No, I don't mean I got down on all fours, stuck my butt up in the air and wagged it like a tail. Well, ok, I did, but that's not the point. The point is that I had a long talk with him during which time we bridged the language barrier at last. Now that I speak Danny fluently, here are a few entries taken from the English-to-Danny dictionary, written from Danny's POV:

***
Randy= also known as "Salt Lick," he is the Provider and must be worshipped and bathed on the arms and face nightly.

Aravis= She Who Must Be Obeyed. Has annoying habit of retaining her hold at the other end of the leash but is fun to play with when I'm not using her as a bed. A handy servant with many uses.

People in general= potential chew toys.

Sam= He Who Must Be Banished. He's welcome to take the leash with him when he goes.

Patches and Wheezy= Appetizer and Dessert

cows= steak tartar

Randy's truck= cool

any other truck= must be stopped and the beast inside generating that loud growling noise must be tamed and forced to acknowledge my superiority. Perhaps not-so-strangely, motorcycles share this definition.

sofa= the ultimate burial ground for bones.

***
Now that that's all cleared up- and there's still more to learn I'm sure!- I'm free to appreciate and apparently serve him as required. Speaking of which, during our walk today he actually stopped to smell the flowers! No kidding. We were passing a flowering bush and he paused to sniff one of the blossoms. Then he waddled forward a few steps to pee on a route marker.

All must be right in his world.

Visiting Angelika

The photo shoot at the cemetary went well today. My mother brought a flower basket to leave at the grave site. Nestled amonst the flowers in the arrangement we found a single strawberry growing. This seemed somehow appropriate. Our family has always enjoyed berry picking together, strawberries being a favorite. There's something comforting in the thought of the flower basket with the strawberry adorning the baby's grave, and we think my aunt will especially love this touch for her daughter. This perhaps seems gloomy and sad, but the day was beautiful. It was warm and sunny with a slight breeze, and quite peaceful.