Dear CoWorker
Despite the unseasonably cool weather we've had this spring, it would seem that summer has finally arrived, and it has arrived with a vengeance.
You can start wearing your deodorant now.
Really. You can start wearing your deodorant.
Now.
Thank you.
That is all.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Fishing
You know, I can still remember the very first fish I caught. I was three, and we had gone camping with my Grandma and Grandpa up at Toledo Bend Reservoir. My parents, my older brother and I-- the younger ones not having been born yet.
Anyway, we were camping and fishing up at the lake, and my Grandpa and Grandma had taken my brother Russell and I out on the boat with them. I'm not sure what we were fishing for, but we were using minnows for bait. Grandpa put the minnow on my hook, and told me to put it into the water and let it grow up.
Well, I kept pulling it out to see if it was grown yet, until Grandma told me to leave it in the water, because it'll take a long time for it to grow up. I put it back into the water and stared at the line for what seemed like forever. Finally, Grandpa turned around and said, "Becky, your fish is grown up now. You can reel it in."
So, I reeled it in and lo and behold that fish was big! I was amazed that it had grown like that, and my first thought was to put it back into the water to see if it would get even bigger, but Grandma told me that it was as big as it was going to get. Hey, I was only three. It made sense to me at the time.
We fished on, but I don't remember any details after the excitement of that very first catch. A few weeks later, my Grandma had a massive stroke that left her partially paralyzed and unable to speak clearly. This is the only memory I have of her before that stroke, so it is extra special to me.
My dad and my grandpa were both avid fishermen, and usually took Russell and me with them. About a year later, we were fishing down along the seawall. I don't remember if it was at Sabine Pass, Sea Rim, or Rollover Pass, but that's not important anyway.
My dad had bought Russell and me these little green rod and reel combos. The rods were the kind that were in two pieces, for easier storage. That day, I was 4-ish and was doing more playing than fishing. I decided to fish for a minute, so I ran over and grabbed up my rod and cast it. To my horror, the top half of my rod came off and flew out into the water!
I stood there with my mouth open, trying to figure out how I was going to fish with that short, stubby rod. Off to my left, I could hear my Grandpa laughing at me- which kind of hurt my feelings just a little. But my dad calmly walked over and took my rod from my hands. He reeled it in, and there was the top half of my rod, caught on the hook. He put my rod back together, a little more firmly this time, and gave it back to me. I was so relieved. I'm not sure if I caught anything other than the top of my rod that day, but that wasn't the point. I was fishing. And I was loving it.
Fishing has always been a part of my life. Across the street from my house was a narrow, muddy waterway that went solely by the name of The Gully.
.
That's my childhood home, third from the right on the South side of the street.
Many happy childhood hours were spent fishing in The Gully. Mostly catfish and perch, but a few gar and grinnel, too. I used to catch minnows with an old butter tub. Seriously. I'd crouch by the edge of the water for hours, and when I saw a good minnow, I'd scoop it up with that butter tub. I was pretty good at it, too. One year, I started putting them in my sister's little swimming pool. My mother wouldn't let me have an aquarium, so I had to make do. My sister wasn't too happy about it, but in the pool the minnows stayed.
As I got older, my aunt and uncle would sometimes take me with them when when they went camping up at Toledo Bend or Lake Sam Rayburn. Behold a very much younger me with one of the fish I caught.
Or my uncle would take me out on day trips out on the bayous and such. Even when we weren't going anywhere, I would fish in his pond out in the cow pasture. There were some nice size fish in that pond, let me tell you. Bass, bream, gar...sometimes I stay so late that I had to make my way back home in the dark. One time, James had to come find me with a lantern, because I'd stayed out fishing for so long.
All that changed when I went to Navy boot camp. I gave all my fishing gear to my cousin John, and left Southeast Texas for my adventures in the wide world.
In the intervening 20 something years, I've often talked about taking up fishing again, but it was seldom more than a passing fancy. But in all that time, the hunger never left me, and a week or two ago, I decided it was time.
It was time to start fishing again.
I got my license, and bought a rod and reel. Not as fancy as the ones I'd had before, but it's purple.
Yes, it's purple. It's purple, y'all!
I bought some extra line, hooks, weights, and stuff.
And a nifty little tackle box to keep it all in.
I don't know what you're going to do this weekend, but as for me,
I'm going fishing.
Anyway, we were camping and fishing up at the lake, and my Grandpa and Grandma had taken my brother Russell and I out on the boat with them. I'm not sure what we were fishing for, but we were using minnows for bait. Grandpa put the minnow on my hook, and told me to put it into the water and let it grow up.
Well, I kept pulling it out to see if it was grown yet, until Grandma told me to leave it in the water, because it'll take a long time for it to grow up. I put it back into the water and stared at the line for what seemed like forever. Finally, Grandpa turned around and said, "Becky, your fish is grown up now. You can reel it in."
So, I reeled it in and lo and behold that fish was big! I was amazed that it had grown like that, and my first thought was to put it back into the water to see if it would get even bigger, but Grandma told me that it was as big as it was going to get. Hey, I was only three. It made sense to me at the time.
We fished on, but I don't remember any details after the excitement of that very first catch. A few weeks later, my Grandma had a massive stroke that left her partially paralyzed and unable to speak clearly. This is the only memory I have of her before that stroke, so it is extra special to me.
My dad and my grandpa were both avid fishermen, and usually took Russell and me with them. About a year later, we were fishing down along the seawall. I don't remember if it was at Sabine Pass, Sea Rim, or Rollover Pass, but that's not important anyway.
My dad had bought Russell and me these little green rod and reel combos. The rods were the kind that were in two pieces, for easier storage. That day, I was 4-ish and was doing more playing than fishing. I decided to fish for a minute, so I ran over and grabbed up my rod and cast it. To my horror, the top half of my rod came off and flew out into the water!
I stood there with my mouth open, trying to figure out how I was going to fish with that short, stubby rod. Off to my left, I could hear my Grandpa laughing at me- which kind of hurt my feelings just a little. But my dad calmly walked over and took my rod from my hands. He reeled it in, and there was the top half of my rod, caught on the hook. He put my rod back together, a little more firmly this time, and gave it back to me. I was so relieved. I'm not sure if I caught anything other than the top of my rod that day, but that wasn't the point. I was fishing. And I was loving it.
Fishing has always been a part of my life. Across the street from my house was a narrow, muddy waterway that went solely by the name of The Gully.
That's my childhood home, third from the right on the South side of the street.
Many happy childhood hours were spent fishing in The Gully. Mostly catfish and perch, but a few gar and grinnel, too. I used to catch minnows with an old butter tub. Seriously. I'd crouch by the edge of the water for hours, and when I saw a good minnow, I'd scoop it up with that butter tub. I was pretty good at it, too. One year, I started putting them in my sister's little swimming pool. My mother wouldn't let me have an aquarium, so I had to make do. My sister wasn't too happy about it, but in the pool the minnows stayed.
As I got older, my aunt and uncle would sometimes take me with them when when they went camping up at Toledo Bend or Lake Sam Rayburn. Behold a very much younger me with one of the fish I caught.
Or my uncle would take me out on day trips out on the bayous and such. Even when we weren't going anywhere, I would fish in his pond out in the cow pasture. There were some nice size fish in that pond, let me tell you. Bass, bream, gar...sometimes I stay so late that I had to make my way back home in the dark. One time, James had to come find me with a lantern, because I'd stayed out fishing for so long.
All that changed when I went to Navy boot camp. I gave all my fishing gear to my cousin John, and left Southeast Texas for my adventures in the wide world.
In the intervening 20 something years, I've often talked about taking up fishing again, but it was seldom more than a passing fancy. But in all that time, the hunger never left me, and a week or two ago, I decided it was time.
It was time to start fishing again.
I got my license, and bought a rod and reel. Not as fancy as the ones I'd had before, but it's purple.
Yes, it's purple. It's purple, y'all!
I bought some extra line, hooks, weights, and stuff.
And a nifty little tackle box to keep it all in.
I don't know what you're going to do this weekend, but as for me,
I'm going fishing.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Knitting and ...Stuff
So, yeah, I did not sleep well at all last night, what with tossing and turning and sweating and freezing-- and dreaming of pledging the flag and singing the National Anthem over and over and over, then not even getting to ride the pony-- my brain is not fully functioning today.
Not sure how coherent this post is going to be. But here it is nevertheless...
Let's start off by showing you the progress I've made on Kyle's blankie.
I've got the third row done, but have set it aside to work on my sock. Before we move on to that, here is an artsy fartsy shot of the blankie.
Lovely, huh? Now, on to the sock.
As you can see, I've made it past the heel turn, and have picked up the gusset stitches. Unfortunately, the gussets are my least favorite part of the sock-- which is probably why I haven't knit a stitch on it in two days.
I must get back to work on it, though, as my old socks are starting to wear out at an alarming rate. But, given that they are all in the 5 - 6 year old area, it shouldn't be such a surprise.
I'm having just as much trouble getting inspired to work in the flower bed, too. Because it's been so chilly and wet --really, really wet-- this spring, I just haven't gotten in to it. Even my little plants are struggling.
My dahlias are dying, and I think they just drowned. Yes, it's been that wet. These two are completely dead.
So, yesterday, I got out there and pulled them up. I replaced them with this double profusion zinnia-- which I finally found some of.
I'd looked all over for them when I was planting my flowers, but nobody had them then. But, yesterday, I found them at Wal-Mart, of all places. But it looked like I was going to have to settle for an all orange garden when I found these:
Lantanas in pink and yellow. I got two of them, so far. My remaining two dahlias aren't looking so sporty, and if they go ahead and die, I'll get two more lantanas. My grandma always had these in her flower bed, and believe it or not, I remembered them by the smell.
If you read my blog last year, you may remember that I had planted 6 purple coneflowers. Well, only three of them came back this year, and one of those is struggling.
But look! One of them has a flower on it! Kinda pale, but still a flower.
So, that's it for tonight's incoherent post. I think I'm going to go to bed early and read for a little bit. I'm reading The DaVinci Code, by Dan Brown. I know there's been a lot of controversy about the book, but it was a freebie, and I decided to reserve judgement until I'd read it for my self.
I'm also reading American Sniper: The Chris Kyle Story. I'm really enjoying it, so far, but fair warning-- he was a Navy man, and cussed like a sailor. If you can get past that, I think you'd really enjoy it.
Not sure how coherent this post is going to be. But here it is nevertheless...
Let's start off by showing you the progress I've made on Kyle's blankie.
I've got the third row done, but have set it aside to work on my sock. Before we move on to that, here is an artsy fartsy shot of the blankie.
Lovely, huh? Now, on to the sock.
As you can see, I've made it past the heel turn, and have picked up the gusset stitches. Unfortunately, the gussets are my least favorite part of the sock-- which is probably why I haven't knit a stitch on it in two days.
I must get back to work on it, though, as my old socks are starting to wear out at an alarming rate. But, given that they are all in the 5 - 6 year old area, it shouldn't be such a surprise.
I'm having just as much trouble getting inspired to work in the flower bed, too. Because it's been so chilly and wet --really, really wet-- this spring, I just haven't gotten in to it. Even my little plants are struggling.
My dahlias are dying, and I think they just drowned. Yes, it's been that wet. These two are completely dead.
So, yesterday, I got out there and pulled them up. I replaced them with this double profusion zinnia-- which I finally found some of.
I'd looked all over for them when I was planting my flowers, but nobody had them then. But, yesterday, I found them at Wal-Mart, of all places. But it looked like I was going to have to settle for an all orange garden when I found these:
Lantanas in pink and yellow. I got two of them, so far. My remaining two dahlias aren't looking so sporty, and if they go ahead and die, I'll get two more lantanas. My grandma always had these in her flower bed, and believe it or not, I remembered them by the smell.
If you read my blog last year, you may remember that I had planted 6 purple coneflowers. Well, only three of them came back this year, and one of those is struggling.
But look! One of them has a flower on it! Kinda pale, but still a flower.
So, that's it for tonight's incoherent post. I think I'm going to go to bed early and read for a little bit. I'm reading The DaVinci Code, by Dan Brown. I know there's been a lot of controversy about the book, but it was a freebie, and I decided to reserve judgement until I'd read it for my self.
I'm also reading American Sniper: The Chris Kyle Story. I'm really enjoying it, so far, but fair warning-- he was a Navy man, and cussed like a sailor. If you can get past that, I think you'd really enjoy it.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Chats On The Farmhouse Porch
- When you were a child, what age did you think was "OLD"?
30. I think that's the age most little kids think is OLD. How naive we were then! - How often do you have dessert?
When I was growing up, we didn't have dessert regularly. It was a special treat rather than an every day thing, so I don't feel the need to have dessert that often. Usually, we reserve it for Holidays-- Christmas, Mother's Day, etc. - What's your favorite kind of exercise?
NONE! I hate to exercise. I usually enjoy walking, when I stay in the habit of it, but that's more for being out in the hills away from traffic and noise than the exercise part of it. - Do you watch movies on TV, movies from a rental or the library, or movies online?
Sometimes I'll watch movies on TV, but mostly it's either on Netflix streaming or Amazon Prime, or something from my movie collection. - Tell me something you remember about your
grand mother's/grand father's house? I'm thinking of something you saw
all of the time, like a picture, clock, statue, teapot. or some thing
that was always there.
The smell of mothballs. My grandma had this thing for mothballs, and to this day, that smell reminds me of her. In my Mammaw's house, it was her cookie jar ,and the bread box. She always had cookies, Milky Way bars, and orange slices for us. And her carpet sweeper. We fought over who got to sweep Mammaw's carpet.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Memorial Day
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Graduation
Tonight was the local high school graduation.
I didn't go, since Cody graduated last year.
But people at work were talking about it. One of my friends said he was leaving work early to go to graduation. I asked him who was graduating, and he said he was-- from preschool. We had a good laugh, but then I mentioned that I still remember my kindergarten graduation.
Our program was nursery rhymes. Can you guess which nursery rhyme character I was? Here's a hint:
Yep, that's me in my little bloomers, sun bonnet, and watering can. Have you guessed who I was yet?
OK, I'll tell you. I was Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary.
My friend said, "They had you pegged." I knocked him in his head. But not really, because I would have gotten fired. But I wanted to.
I still remember my line, too. The teacher said, "Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow?"
And I said, "With silver bells, and cockle shells, and pretty maids all in a row."
Our actual graduation ceremony, when they handed out the diplomas and such was on a different night, but I wore the same dress. Sans sun bonnet and bloomers, of course.
It seems so long ago now.
Anyway, good luck to all the graduates this year, and may you do well with your lives.
My thanks to my brother for scanning these old photos for me.
I didn't go, since Cody graduated last year.
But people at work were talking about it. One of my friends said he was leaving work early to go to graduation. I asked him who was graduating, and he said he was-- from preschool. We had a good laugh, but then I mentioned that I still remember my kindergarten graduation.
Our program was nursery rhymes. Can you guess which nursery rhyme character I was? Here's a hint:
Yep, that's me in my little bloomers, sun bonnet, and watering can. Have you guessed who I was yet?
OK, I'll tell you. I was Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary.
My friend said, "They had you pegged." I knocked him in his head. But not really, because I would have gotten fired. But I wanted to.
I still remember my line, too. The teacher said, "Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow?"
And I said, "With silver bells, and cockle shells, and pretty maids all in a row."
Our actual graduation ceremony, when they handed out the diplomas and such was on a different night, but I wore the same dress. Sans sun bonnet and bloomers, of course.
Anyway, good luck to all the graduates this year, and may you do well with your lives.
My thanks to my brother for scanning these old photos for me.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Last Day
of my vacation.
Sigh...
No, I am not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow. On the other hand, I could be off for the rest of my life and still not look forward to going back to work.
I'd planned on going to Greenwood to do a little shopping, because I hadn't been to Greenwood in forever, but that got thrown for a loop because Cody's truck is broke down.
Something with the transmission and motor, and I don't know what else.
Anyway, he had a dentist appointment at 1:00, and Beverly's doctor appointment got rescheduled to this afternoon, so she couldn't take him. So, I got tagged for that.
I suppose I could have gone this morning, but I didn't want to be spending my whole time watching the clock. I'll just go another day.
So, what did I spend my last day of vacation doing, besides taking Cody to the dentist?
I cleaned snake tanks.
And what did those ungrateful snakes do? They shed in their nice clean tanks.
Well, Sunny did at least.
Seriously? You couldn't even wait one day before messing it up? Sigh...
Don't sit there and pretend you're all sweet and innocent, Mr. Jesse.
You're the one who put muddy footprints all over my freshly shampooed carpet. Yeah, I'm on to you.
The good news is, we have a whole week with no rain in the forecast. Maybe my yard will dry out.
I hope so. I've had enough of mud for one year.
Sigh...
No, I am not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow. On the other hand, I could be off for the rest of my life and still not look forward to going back to work.
I'd planned on going to Greenwood to do a little shopping, because I hadn't been to Greenwood in forever, but that got thrown for a loop because Cody's truck is broke down.
Something with the transmission and motor, and I don't know what else.
Anyway, he had a dentist appointment at 1:00, and Beverly's doctor appointment got rescheduled to this afternoon, so she couldn't take him. So, I got tagged for that.
I suppose I could have gone this morning, but I didn't want to be spending my whole time watching the clock. I'll just go another day.
So, what did I spend my last day of vacation doing, besides taking Cody to the dentist?
I cleaned snake tanks.
And what did those ungrateful snakes do? They shed in their nice clean tanks.
Well, Sunny did at least.
Seriously? You couldn't even wait one day before messing it up? Sigh...
Don't sit there and pretend you're all sweet and innocent, Mr. Jesse.
You're the one who put muddy footprints all over my freshly shampooed carpet. Yeah, I'm on to you.
The good news is, we have a whole week with no rain in the forecast. Maybe my yard will dry out.
I hope so. I've had enough of mud for one year.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
A Trip To The Zoo
Things got pretty hairy last night what with the storms and all, but we came through OK. Some of my friends still don't have electricity, but mine only flickered off for a minute then came right back on.
This morning, the worst of it had passed, but there was still a chance of showers, so I set out for a shopping trip to Southaven. By the time I got there, though, the clouds were breaking up and the sun was shining.
Abrupt change of plans-- I went to the zoo.
It was a great day to go to the zoo. It wasn't crowded at all, and it wasn't too hot. I didn't take a whole lot of pictures. I didn't even take my camera, but I did take a few with my phone.
The bull elk still growing his antlers. I must remember to try to go back in the fall before he sheds them.
An Arctic wolf
The big silverback gorilla
The new reticulated python. I say new, but she's been there a couple of years already.
A warthog
They had some new things there, including an elevated giraffe feeding platform, a birds and bees exhibit, and the coolest of them all, Stingray Bay.
You could put your hands in there and touch the rays. For some reason, they seemed to love my hand and kept kissing me. It felt really nifty. The stingrays themselves didn't feel anything like I expected them to. I thought they'd feel like rubber or smooth plastic, but they felt really velvety. I could have stayed in there all day.
They also had bamboo sharks
And this great big ray that I can't remember what it's called
and these baby hammerhead sharks.
I didn't touch the sharks, because my arm wasn't long enough. They stayed at the very bottom of the pool. I tried, but I couldn't quite reach them. And the volunteer ran over to tell me not to touch them near the mouth-- like I really needed to be told that.
Hammerheads. Yeah. They eat people.
Hammerhead. It was also my Grandpa's pet name for me when I was a kid.
Finally, this owl kept staring at me the whole time I was staring at him.
And I kept thinking, I get that same look from my cat.
BTW, the glass seemed to really confuse the camera on my phone. Every photo I took through glass was out of focus.
Anyway, if you want to see more zoo photos, you can see the ones I've posted from previous trips by clicking on the Memphis Zoo label at the bottom of this post.
If you're ever in Memphis, don't pass up a chance to visit this zoo. It's a really nice zoo.
I need to get up there more often.
This morning, the worst of it had passed, but there was still a chance of showers, so I set out for a shopping trip to Southaven. By the time I got there, though, the clouds were breaking up and the sun was shining.
Abrupt change of plans-- I went to the zoo.
It was a great day to go to the zoo. It wasn't crowded at all, and it wasn't too hot. I didn't take a whole lot of pictures. I didn't even take my camera, but I did take a few with my phone.
The bull elk still growing his antlers. I must remember to try to go back in the fall before he sheds them.
An Arctic wolf
The big silverback gorilla
The new reticulated python. I say new, but she's been there a couple of years already.
A warthog
They had some new things there, including an elevated giraffe feeding platform, a birds and bees exhibit, and the coolest of them all, Stingray Bay.
You could put your hands in there and touch the rays. For some reason, they seemed to love my hand and kept kissing me. It felt really nifty. The stingrays themselves didn't feel anything like I expected them to. I thought they'd feel like rubber or smooth plastic, but they felt really velvety. I could have stayed in there all day.
They also had bamboo sharks
And this great big ray that I can't remember what it's called
and these baby hammerhead sharks.
I didn't touch the sharks, because my arm wasn't long enough. They stayed at the very bottom of the pool. I tried, but I couldn't quite reach them. And the volunteer ran over to tell me not to touch them near the mouth-- like I really needed to be told that.
Hammerheads. Yeah. They eat people.
Hammerhead. It was also my Grandpa's pet name for me when I was a kid.
Finally, this owl kept staring at me the whole time I was staring at him.
And I kept thinking, I get that same look from my cat.
BTW, the glass seemed to really confuse the camera on my phone. Every photo I took through glass was out of focus.
Anyway, if you want to see more zoo photos, you can see the ones I've posted from previous trips by clicking on the Memphis Zoo label at the bottom of this post.
If you're ever in Memphis, don't pass up a chance to visit this zoo. It's a really nice zoo.
I need to get up there more often.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Chats On The Farmhouse Porch
- Are you a heavy sleep, light sleeper, or somewhere in between?
I'e always been a very light sleeper. I have to sleep with the fan on all year round, just so the white noise will block out all the little creaks and night noises that would normally wake me up.
- Are you currently reading anything interesting?
Right now I'm reading The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown. I know there's a lot of controversy surrounding the book, but I'll reserve judgement until I've read it for myself. - Do you like to enter contests?
Yes and no. It depends on the contest. If it's too complicated, or asks for too much information, or makes me do too much, then no. It also depends on the prize. I'm not one of those people who enters contests just to be entering contests. - Are you good about taking time to do things you enjoy?
No, I'm not. There are so many things I say I'm going to do, but once I get home from work and my butt's planted in the chair, it doesn't get out until bedtime. I keep saying I'm going to get out more and do stuff, but I never do. - What's your favorite food to cook on the grill, or enjoy at a BBQ?
Ribs. Definitely ribs.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Another One
As it turns out, I did have enough yarn to get a third washcloth knit.
And that's what I did today, between getting my eyes checked, my oil changed, and my boobies smashed.
I didn't get new glasses, though. I was sure it had been two years since I went to the eye doctor, but apparently I went last year. My insurance only pays for new frames every other year, so the new glasses will have to wait. Or I can take my old glasses up there and get new lenses put into them. If I wanted to.
I took the last of my Doxycycline this morning, and I go back to Dr. Lee for my follow up tomorrow. The lady was supposed to set up my appointment with the infectious disease guy and call me back, but she never called me back. I don't know what's going on with that.
Finally, my thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the devastating tornado that hit Oklahoma today.
And that's what I did today, between getting my eyes checked, my oil changed, and my boobies smashed.
I didn't get new glasses, though. I was sure it had been two years since I went to the eye doctor, but apparently I went last year. My insurance only pays for new frames every other year, so the new glasses will have to wait. Or I can take my old glasses up there and get new lenses put into them. If I wanted to.
I took the last of my Doxycycline this morning, and I go back to Dr. Lee for my follow up tomorrow. The lady was supposed to set up my appointment with the infectious disease guy and call me back, but she never called me back. I don't know what's going on with that.
Finally, my thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the devastating tornado that hit Oklahoma today.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Confidence
I've heard that shooting produces the same effect, and there isn't really anyone around here that I'd want to be kissing on anyway, so I got the old bow out and went and shot a bit this afternoon for the first time since before I got sick.
Yeah, I still got it.
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I saw an article online this morning that said that men think a woman wearing red nail polish is confident. Seriously? Red nail polish? No.
Now, a grouping like this
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Saturday, May 18, 2013
Remiss
So, what did I do on my first day of my mini vacation? Well, apart from about 7 loads of laundry, and a trip to Wal-mart, I didn't do much.
I watched 6 episodes of Dr. Who, and three episodes of Call The Midwife. Two of those Dr. Who episodes were Classic, from season 2. It was only a half hour show back then, and was hokey like you would not believe! Still, they're very fun to watch, and I'm enjoying going through the old seasons.
Oh, and I knit two washcloths.
No, as a matter of fact, I haven't woven the ends in yet. I just kind of hid them behind the washcloths or the photo.
The yarn is Sugar & Creme, and the color is Desert Rising. I've got this much yarn left, and I'm trying to decide if it's enough to knit a third washcloth. Since I'm doing face cloths, they're on the small side, so this just might be enough to get another one done.
Really, that's about it. I just mostly rested today.
While I was downloading the photos from my camera to my computer, I found this picture of a hat I finished a couple of weeks ago. I realized I had been remiss in that I had never posted this one to the blog, so here it is:
It is knit from KnitPicks Swish, but I can't remember which color it is. I think it's Mulberry. It's probably in an old post somewhere, but I'm too lazy to go look it up. I'm on vacation, remember?
I do remember that I had to rip the first hat out and start over, because I didn't have enough yarn to finish it in that size. Well, this time, I was kind of sweating it, but I managed to finish with just this much yarn left over.
That's cutting it just a little too close, don'cha think?
That's about it for today. I'm going to go walk these dogs, because Jesse keeps farting.
If you think that's TMI for the blog, just try being in the same room with him.
Yeah...
I watched 6 episodes of Dr. Who, and three episodes of Call The Midwife. Two of those Dr. Who episodes were Classic, from season 2. It was only a half hour show back then, and was hokey like you would not believe! Still, they're very fun to watch, and I'm enjoying going through the old seasons.
Oh, and I knit two washcloths.
No, as a matter of fact, I haven't woven the ends in yet. I just kind of hid them behind the washcloths or the photo.
The yarn is Sugar & Creme, and the color is Desert Rising. I've got this much yarn left, and I'm trying to decide if it's enough to knit a third washcloth. Since I'm doing face cloths, they're on the small side, so this just might be enough to get another one done.
Really, that's about it. I just mostly rested today.
While I was downloading the photos from my camera to my computer, I found this picture of a hat I finished a couple of weeks ago. I realized I had been remiss in that I had never posted this one to the blog, so here it is:
It is knit from KnitPicks Swish, but I can't remember which color it is. I think it's Mulberry. It's probably in an old post somewhere, but I'm too lazy to go look it up. I'm on vacation, remember?
I do remember that I had to rip the first hat out and start over, because I didn't have enough yarn to finish it in that size. Well, this time, I was kind of sweating it, but I managed to finish with just this much yarn left over.
That's cutting it just a little too close, don'cha think?
That's about it for today. I'm going to go walk these dogs, because Jesse keeps farting.
If you think that's TMI for the blog, just try being in the same room with him.
Yeah...
Friday, May 17, 2013
I'm Free
My mini vacation has begun!
I'm off work until next Friday.
Group Leader Fernando wasn't too happy about it. He said he knows where I live and was going to make life very unpleasant for me. I retorted that he already made life very unpleasant and that's why I needed a whole week off. So there.
I wasn't going to tell him at all. I was going to let it be a surprise, but he came and asked me if I was going to come to work tomorrow. I said that I hadn't decided yet. See, when you have vacation on either Monday or Friday, you get the corresponding Saturday off with no absence counted against you. So really, it was my choice to go in tomorrow or not.
But I hadn't decided yet.
Like I said, I wasn't going to tell Fernando. I'd told my shift supervisor, because he had to approve my days off, but I was going to let Fernando be surprised. But Vanessa popped up and said, "You know she'd got vacation Monday, don't you?"
This being a G rated blog, I can't repeat what Fernando said.
Let's just say he wasn't happy. That's when I decided to come clean and tell him that I would be off through Thursday. That's when he said he was going to make life very unpleasant. That's when... well, you know the rest.
He said he was going to do TP one day, paint one day, eggs...I told him to make sure he got the right house, because he's liable to get shot. What with all the rednecks in my neighborhood (including yours truly), yeah, that's a real possibility.
And that's when I decided to go ahead and stay home tomorrow.
I won't just be laying around all week, though. I've got doctors appointments Monday and Tuesday, and I want to go to the zoo Wednesday or Thursday, but they're predicting rain. I'll have to keep an eye on the weather.
And of course, there will be knitting
And there will be Dr. Who,
And probably some Sherlock, as well.
And all too soon, I'll be getting up and going back to work. Maybe by then, Fernando will appreciate me a little bit more, and maybe he'll have figured out that I'm not quite the incompetent idiot he seems to think I am.
But knowing him, probably not.
I'm off work until next Friday.
Group Leader Fernando wasn't too happy about it. He said he knows where I live and was going to make life very unpleasant for me. I retorted that he already made life very unpleasant and that's why I needed a whole week off. So there.
I wasn't going to tell him at all. I was going to let it be a surprise, but he came and asked me if I was going to come to work tomorrow. I said that I hadn't decided yet. See, when you have vacation on either Monday or Friday, you get the corresponding Saturday off with no absence counted against you. So really, it was my choice to go in tomorrow or not.
But I hadn't decided yet.
Like I said, I wasn't going to tell Fernando. I'd told my shift supervisor, because he had to approve my days off, but I was going to let Fernando be surprised. But Vanessa popped up and said, "You know she'd got vacation Monday, don't you?"
This being a G rated blog, I can't repeat what Fernando said.
Let's just say he wasn't happy. That's when I decided to come clean and tell him that I would be off through Thursday. That's when he said he was going to make life very unpleasant. That's when... well, you know the rest.
He said he was going to do TP one day, paint one day, eggs...I told him to make sure he got the right house, because he's liable to get shot. What with all the rednecks in my neighborhood (including yours truly), yeah, that's a real possibility.
And that's when I decided to go ahead and stay home tomorrow.
I won't just be laying around all week, though. I've got doctors appointments Monday and Tuesday, and I want to go to the zoo Wednesday or Thursday, but they're predicting rain. I'll have to keep an eye on the weather.
And of course, there will be knitting
And there will be Dr. Who,
And probably some Sherlock, as well.
And all too soon, I'll be getting up and going back to work. Maybe by then, Fernando will appreciate me a little bit more, and maybe he'll have figured out that I'm not quite the incompetent idiot he seems to think I am.
But knowing him, probably not.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Blankie Progress
I've got the second layer of blocks done on Kyle's blankie. Here it is stretched-- well not quite stretched-- across my couch.
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I think once it's off the needles where I can really stretch it out, it'll be plenty big enough.
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Here's a close up of the squares, all scrunched up on the needles.
That's about it for tonight. I've got a real blog post coming soon, but I'm still getting used to these 9 hour days.
You were lucky to get this much.
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I think once it's off the needles where I can really stretch it out, it'll be plenty big enough.
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Here's a close up of the squares, all scrunched up on the needles.
That's about it for tonight. I've got a real blog post coming soon, but I'm still getting used to these 9 hour days.
You were lucky to get this much.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Chats On The Farmhouse Porch
- Do you have any fun plans for the summer?
No. Summer is our busy season at work, so I'll be working 6 days a week. That doesn't leave a lot of time for fun. I am going to go up to the zoo one day next week, though. That's about it. - Are you currently dieting or following a specific eating plan?
Not right now. I was watching what I eat, but this medicine they've got me on for the RMSF makes me so hungry. I decided to just wait until I'm done with it to go back on my diet. - How often do you wear blue jeans (or any other color of denim)?
Every day except Sunday. I wear jeans to work, but when I get home, I change into shorts-- or flannel pants/sweats in the winter time. - Who is your favorite singer?
King George, of course! Um, that's George Strait, for those of you who may not be fans of country music.
- Have you cooked anything interesting lately?
Not really. I did try an egg free white cake recipe Sunday. It tasted OK, but has a very dense texture. Almost like a pound cake. If anyone knows of a light and fluffy egg free white cake, I'd love to have the recipe. I've got a good chocolate cake recipe, but can't find a white cake recipe to save my life. Today I made chicken and sausage gumbo. One of these days I'm going to figure out how to make decent gumbo.
Stay safe, friends.
Monday, May 13, 2013
A Couple Of PSAs
Lesson for the day #1: When resetting your alarm because you have to be at work an hour earlier than usual, make sure said alarm is turned ON before going to bed.
Lesson for the day #2: Heed the warning in this video BEFORE getting Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever because you didn't check yourself for ticks.
You're welcome.
Lesson for the day #2: Heed the warning in this video BEFORE getting Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever because you didn't check yourself for ticks.
You're welcome.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Seedlings
I've got lots of little stuffs coming up in my flower bed.
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I can't wait to see what they become.
Yes, I know there are weeds in there, too. I'm not going to pull them, though. I did that last year and ended up pulling up stuff I wanted to keep. So, I'll leave the weeds.
They're flowers, too, once you get to know them.
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I can't wait to see what they become.
Yes, I know there are weeds in there, too. I'm not going to pull them, though. I did that last year and ended up pulling up stuff I wanted to keep. So, I'll leave the weeds.
They're flowers, too, once you get to know them.
Friday, May 10, 2013
A New Strategy
I've come up with a new strategy for coping with men.
When a man starts getting on my nerves, I just imagine him wearing a kilt.
When I do, one of two things happens.
Either he looks so sexy I can't stay mad at him,
Or he looks so ridiculous, I dissolve into gigglefits. And who can stay mad when you're dissolving into gigglefits?
Either way, I feel a whole lot better.
So, what'cha think? Will it work?
When a man starts getting on my nerves, I just imagine him wearing a kilt.
When I do, one of two things happens.
Either he looks so sexy I can't stay mad at him,
Or he looks so ridiculous, I dissolve into gigglefits. And who can stay mad when you're dissolving into gigglefits?
Either way, I feel a whole lot better.
So, what'cha think? Will it work?
Thursday, May 09, 2013
Bad News
Ever have one of those days when you wish you were a little kid again, and you could crawl up into your daddy's lap and just know that no matter what, everything was going to be OK? I seem to be having a lot of those here lately.
I got my lab results back from the doctor today. I have Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
Yeah. No wonder I felt so bad.
I have to keep taking my Doxycycline and go back to see Dr. Lee in two weeks. I also have to go down to Jackson to see the infectious disease guy. The lady at the doctor's office is going to set that one up for me. I'm kind of irked, because she didn't even ask what day would be good for me to go. I sure hope she doesn't set it up on the day when I already have several appointments scheduled.
That could really throw a wrench into my works.
Sigh...
I got my lab results back from the doctor today. I have Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
Yeah. No wonder I felt so bad.
I have to keep taking my Doxycycline and go back to see Dr. Lee in two weeks. I also have to go down to Jackson to see the infectious disease guy. The lady at the doctor's office is going to set that one up for me. I'm kind of irked, because she didn't even ask what day would be good for me to go. I sure hope she doesn't set it up on the day when I already have several appointments scheduled.
That could really throw a wrench into my works.
Sigh...
Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Updates
Despite the nausea which typically accompanies Doxycycline, I am feeling much better now. The fever is gone, and the soreness in my neck is nearly gone. The rash is still stubbornly hanging on, but it's starting to fade just a little bit. They still haven't gotten the blood test results back, but he said it'd take 4 to 5 days to get them. No matter, as long as I'm getting well.
Since I didn't really feel like doing anything for several days, I watched a lot of Dr. Who, and did a lot of knitting. The sock is coming along.
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I'm almost to the heel flap. Just a couple more inches to go.
I also cast on a new hat with one of the yarns I bought the day Christi and I went shooting and shopping.
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I didn't really think it would be making a spiral stripe like this. I was hoping for a more variegated look. This color is called Lotus. Hmmm, I would have called it Fall Foliage, myself. But they didn't ask me.
And the blanket is coming along, as well.
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Kindly ignore my foot. Thank you.
In better news, I'm taking 4 days off work week after next-- May 20-23. That's a Monday through a Thursday. I couldn't get the Friday off, or I would have taken the whole week. Anyway, I've got my eye appointment and mammogram scheduled for Monday. The rest of the week, I'm going to take a vacation.
Well, it'll have to be a staycation, since I can't really afford to go anywhere. I want to go up to the zoo on one of those days, and I want to try to get together with Christi and/or Amy another one of those days. The third day, I don't know yet. I'm sure I'll think of something.
I'm open to suggestions.
Since I didn't really feel like doing anything for several days, I watched a lot of Dr. Who, and did a lot of knitting. The sock is coming along.
.JPG)
I'm almost to the heel flap. Just a couple more inches to go.
I also cast on a new hat with one of the yarns I bought the day Christi and I went shooting and shopping.
.JPG)
I didn't really think it would be making a spiral stripe like this. I was hoping for a more variegated look. This color is called Lotus. Hmmm, I would have called it Fall Foliage, myself. But they didn't ask me.
And the blanket is coming along, as well.
.JPG)
Kindly ignore my foot. Thank you.
In better news, I'm taking 4 days off work week after next-- May 20-23. That's a Monday through a Thursday. I couldn't get the Friday off, or I would have taken the whole week. Anyway, I've got my eye appointment and mammogram scheduled for Monday. The rest of the week, I'm going to take a vacation.
Well, it'll have to be a staycation, since I can't really afford to go anywhere. I want to go up to the zoo on one of those days, and I want to try to get together with Christi and/or Amy another one of those days. The third day, I don't know yet. I'm sure I'll think of something.
I'm open to suggestions.
Tuesday, May 07, 2013
Chats On The Farmhouse Porch
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