Thankful Thursday.. To sleep, perchance to dream! And something's following me and I don't like it.

I'm grateful to wake up in the morning, having gotten five hours of solid sleep!  Many times I can be awake almost all night but sometimes, hours go by before the brain pops open with that, "Where am I!" start to the day.  

Less than Grateful whining ensues:

Let's do a little catching up.  Yesterday was a visiting day, so Mr. Z went to see his mother, and then we went to see my sister.  I ate entirely too much chocolate ( I blame this on the nervousness that now inflicts my days).  But, and it's a big butt, this over-indulgence has starting to turn into what is known in the sewing trades as,  "The Pear-shaped Derriere".

 The only cure is a lot of low level cussing, sweat and tears, and walking your fandango off.

Of Course, this load widening must stop, though it's the first time in my life I've had a nice bump following me around.  My auntie D used to say that all of the women in the family suffered from a disease called, Noassatall.  Well, happily or not, now I've got one.   Now to get rid of it!

I'm glad of the superabundance of fair traded chocolate laying around here and there, but I'm grateful it doesn't grow on trees as an edible fruit.   Otherwise, I might try to actually LIVE on it.

For reading so far, you deserve a treat!

Isn't this beautiful?

I wish I'd done a lot more of this when I was younger.

So, if you are young, and reading this blog, don't put off any sort of craft that you would like to do, especially any of the arts.  Life is Beautiful.  But really, don't put things off.  Just sayin'.... May you walk with Beauty, may it surround you at all times.  Oh, the little blue eyed grass bloomed at the rec center.. Make it big....  The flowers on this mini grass are less than 3/8th of an inch wide.

Have a great weekend, if I forget to come back tomorrow to do a prompt word, and friday5.

Thankful Thursday- Honor Killings a Human Rights Violation of the worst kind; Trash Backwards Site; knitting blah blah, new David Austin rose

I'm VERY thankful not to be subject to Honor Killings, those terrible aberrations that are not only despicable, they are becoming more wide spread.  I watched a documentary, Link HERE, about groups who are trying to stop this Byzantine behavior amongst humans.  Actually, It goes back to before the Romans who also practiced it!  But I digress.

These women featured risk their lives to help others.  So, if any of you who work against this despicable Human Rights Abuse should see this, I am thankful for you to have been born and for the work you are doing!  This hurts women and their children and I feel that it has nothing to do with religion.  After all, why did the Romans do this, too?

May God Bless you and all who you help.  May the ones who do this see that it is not supposed to be this way.  May you remember the Fatima, how her father defended her:

"'The Holy Prophet said: 'Whoever injures (bodily or otherwise) Fatima, he injures me; and whoever injures me injures Allah; and whoever injures Allah practices unbelief. O Fatima! If your wrath is incurred, it incurs the wrath of Allah; and if you are pleased, it makes Allah pleased, too.' "

Ok, now for something completely different:

I'm thankful for Recycling bloggers!  This one is called "Trash Backwards" and you can see it HERE.   Originally I was looking for what to do with the mylar that CLIF Builder's Bars are wrapped in.  I did find some creative things to do with mylar, including chip bags - cleaned and reversed for wrapping up stuff to gift. Mylar does not make very good snowflakes.  *sigh*

I am thankful for the internet, but this has already been said like THREE- Yawwwwwn- times.  So, some actual web sites will be  tucked in, and maybe a few will migrate to the side bar in my long list of favorite haunts.  For fun things as well as other "Wake up we need you to know this is going on!" sorts of things, I am thankful for the INTERNET!!

Isn't that nifty? HERE'S the link to this part.

Within that last link is another link to the hilarious facebook page about Sun Chip bags that were so noisy that no one could hear conversations over them while noshing.  It's called, "SORRY I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THIS SUN CHIP BAG!"  If you are on Facebook you will be able to log in and see it.

Anyway, keep on the sunny side of life!  It's where the best stuff is, though we do learn lessons from everything both our own trials and tribulations as well as those of others, it's a darn sight more happy when those are over!  Let's change things and THEN relax a  bit!



This music video is a little bit muzzy but all of the Carter Gals, and the Cash family are in it.  Lovely...

Wonky Woman report:  This is a new week, with some good news from the MRI, my ears are, indeed, in straight.  But I get to visit with some quite benign Physiotherapists, and other more SCARY doctors - neurologists- to get the all clear.  We, the Audiologist and I, think it's good news though, on the whole.  I'd be glad to be rid of balance problems and the wicked, sick headaches.

Knitted hat report:  Earlier last night I cast on yet again, fellow knitters, I'm going back at it on the hat.  I made every single mistake a knitter could make on the first attempt.  I had to cast on three (THREE!) separate times, then got the pattern dead wrong in trying to make TWELVE stitch wide cables instead of the called for SIX stitch ones... please don't laugh...

and that was that, said the woman to the hat.  As to spaced out knitting, maybe I'm distracted or maybe I'm past it, but I'm willing to set my troubled little paws back onto the needles because I LOVE THIS HAT too much to give up on it.

And today, the Knit Picks catalog came, so I'm off to drool over it!  And there is a new Sunset Magazine, and there is a new rose from David Austen.  It's called, "The Lady Gardener" ; it's an apricot colored rose with a gorgeous scent.  I am going to do my best to lay hands on it!  It sounds like just the right medicine for me!

My own lovely Apricot Nectar,

Overblown and....
desperately trying for a David Austen photo Op.
heehee

And the Torts, 

will have a new BBF!

As a new  Best Food Forever

The new superstar......

The Lady Gardener Rose: Picture from HERE

Knitting, and gardening, and reading Jane Austen Novels on the Kindle is a very peaceful life for which I thank God.  I wish that every woman in the world could have this sort of Peace.

Well, to be honest, I wish this for the guys, too, but they'd probably rather work on Motorbikes, cars, boats, or wooden things, or maybe plant fruit trees or build decks, and I'm sure they'd rather read Woodworker's Magazine or maybe Sports Illustrated.  Ok, I wish them THAT sort of Peace.  ;-)

Not very Five Minute Friday

I'm only one of several billion followers of the Dalai Lama's Google+ page.  I hardly ever read ANY of the little notes from anywhere in Google+ but today we have no word for Five Minute Friday.   It left a void.  So, I decided to see what was going on in Notifications.  This little gem from His Holiness came up:

"Once you develop confidence in your own ability, you’ll be able to make a real contribution to creating a better world. Self-confidence is very important. Not in the sense of blind pride, but as a realistic awareness of what you can do. As human beings we can transform ourselves by our good qualities and reducing our faults. Our intelligence enables us to judge what is good from what is harmful."

Since the word I chose for this year's resolution was, "Listen", I'm listening to this guidance.  It was exactly what I was looking for after having a startling set of experiences.  They may have been caused by lack of sleep but, not leaving things like this to chance, I prayed for guidance.  Pretty much, I feel that it's been given.

My new Resolution word will be:  "Breathe", though it should probably be words and they should be, "Pay Attention!"  

I'm still going to be listening, but I'll also try to get more mindful breathing in.  You see, I've been reading a book, again, by Thich Nhat Hanh entitled, Peace is Every Step and trying to lower my "Tension of the Times" sort of Anxiety levels. 

At this point in my life I'm rather Too Christian to trust in Karma to be trustworthily infallible.  So, there's another teensy, little problem.

So, there you have a sort of five minute Friday.  hehe  It IS about Words, so there ya go!  

Tuesday Tails, Cat Saves little boy, and Wolfie goes to see the sister cats. Medicinal whining. Fotosketcher site

In case you were one of the three people who hasn't seen this video, watch a little kitty take on a vicious dog to save her toddler master, and his mother, from getting bitten repeatedly.  It's sad about the dog, but I can absolutely understand the reasoning.

Cat Save Boy Video

If the link goes down ( which they sometimes do) look for it on YouTube.

Thanks to DH for this video of an amazing save by a family's cat.

Wolfie went to visit his sister kitties recently and they got along very well except he is not allowed to get anywhere near the 13 year old.   She needs her Peace and Quiet, thank you very much!  Her name is Ophelia and she is the Queen.  She is too old to take kindly to area usurping canines, however well behaved.  We love her dearly.  Little Silvery Neva was not well, but she didn't freak out when Wolfie came into the room.  She did freak when Shadow, the Demon cat, came in. Shadow is so well named.  She who must be obeyed!

Wolfie loves the ocean and the Beach but we didn't have time to take him there.  This visit was only a week long.  Santa Cruz is much more Dog Friendly than San Diego is, for the beach.  I do admit that it's gotten friendlier, and there is always dog beach which is so crowded some days that it's scary.

No Dogs

From November 1 through March 31, dogs are NOT allowed on the beach between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. From April 1 through October 31, dogs are NOT allowed on the beach between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. At all other hours, dogs must be leashed. Owners are expected to pick up after their dog. Dogs are prohibited at other hours of the day, except at Dog Beach (adjacent to Ocean Beach) and Fiesta Island (in Mission Bay).

Lots of fun walks to be had with Papa.

I was, unfortunately not only recovering from Surgery, but also was suffering from an allergic reaction to an heart medicine, of all things!  Anyway, it's all sorted out for now.  I'm not willing to try any new medicine for ANY ailment again.  I will literally have to be dying and/or unconscious, and they will have to administer it without my consent!  Am I the only old lady that thinks some doctors just test things out on us?

Oh, something fun after the bit of a whine.  A friend sent me a site that looks like it could be loads of fun.  It's for creating paintings and drawings from you own photos, and it's free!  Hopefully it isn't a site that has forgotten it's manners.  Actually it is a site that probably should be inspected carefully.

Hope you enjoy doing special effects with your photos!  Picasa 3 is good but not THIS good!  OK, here is the SITE again.  It's called FotoSketcher.  It's lovely.  Thank you Suzie.

Am I happy?  You bet!

Except, well, I'll wash the mirror next time.  I love my Einstein Hair.

Sunday: Day 11 of Challenge: Getting ready to make Prickly Pear Jelly

Happy - well mostly Happy, Adventures in Cooking.  That's my Tenth Day Happiness.

Two days ago, Friday, I picked all the prickly pears off our Opuntia cactus.   It was loaded with them! 











Yesterday I used THIS method to prepare the fruit.  DH helped me (a lot!), and we got some spines in our fingers because we didn't use the suggested leather gloves - which we didn't have; so, we just used stencil brushes (these worked great by the way) and canning tongs.   I suggest that you use the gloves, too, though.   Our hands feel like pincushions! 

Alas, the link does not go to a page that tells you how to make these.  I thought it did. Somehow they are made with THIS tool Clover makes which I remember making out of cardboard.  I'll be looking for another link to the way they are made because we all can hear Christmas hauling around yon CORNER at lightning speed, yes?!  Want more pincushions?  Go HERE  Chirpy Mouse has some lovely tutorials and I'm sure one of them will help with the pattern for these.  And here is TipNut's Blog, filled with 50 free patterns for pincushions.   

Aren't they cute! 

But, I digress... Back to the cactus adventures:

  
The tiny thorns never bothered me before but I've never done this many prickly pears at one time, either.    For some reason, these fruits are also called Tunas.  I've never heard them called that before in a whole long life of picking and eating prickly pears.  Go figure....

Last night, Saturday, I made the juice which will then be made into jelly after I strain it and cook it today.   I'll share pictures of the process on Monday.

Waste not want not!  Boy, I think I'd better get to bed!  Nighty Night!

Whose crying now? The big money boys have a nervous breakdown. And some bead and yarn news, too.

Well, well, let the upper level whinging begins.  We knew something would happen up top if this downturn went on long enough.  We, standing in the bilges, can only shake our heads and keep bailing.  But who knew that pay cuts for the hyper wealthy would lead to coupon clipping in the rarefied atmosphere of investment banking and big money professionals, maybe even - can you believe it - upper government positions?

Two such victims:

"M. Todd Henderson, a University of Chicago law professor who's teaching a seminar on executive compensation, said the suffering is relative and real. He wrote two years ago that his family was 'just getting by' on more than $250,000 a year, setting off what he called a firestorm of criticism.
'Yes, terminal diseases are worse than getting the flu,' he said. 'But you suffer when you get the flu.' "

"Schiff, 46, is facing another kind of jam this year: Paid a lower bonus, he said the $350,000 he earns, enough to put him in the country’s top 1 percent by income, doesn’t cover his family’s private-school tuition, a Kent, Connecticut, summer rental and the upgrade they would like from their 1,200-square- foot Brooklyn duplex."

There's lots more HERE, lest their suffering be lost and forgotten in the rush of news about bread and circuses.  You might like to red The Warren Buffett Hater's Club news, too.  Just for fun.

Speaking of crying, ceramics was a bust this week, literally.  The Great Snail is no more, a victim of a fall, or small tap on the surface of the table, or was it a squeeze?  Anyway if you've ever worked with green ware, you've had the experience of it crumbling or some part of it snapping off because the pressure on one part was too high.  It's how we all learn to "respect" it.  DH says he will buy me another one.  Well, I will look for other things,too, at the green ware store, believe it.

Big Giant Snail's Demise.  All it took was a small tap on the table.. BOOM!  These things just blow apart.  It's scary.

Big pictures are the norm now.  Since I'm paying for the space, I'm going to use it!

Yarn Report:  I ordered THIS GORGEOUS LINEN YARN  from Little Knits.  DD1 cannot wear wool so I'm always on the look out for something to knit her something.   DD@ wants a Norwegian sweater and she will get it, but first to finish the Aran and the Noro by this summer.

BUHAHAHAHAHAHA.. *cough*

 I took the sock to my sister's yesterday, and as we waited for her meds to kick in, I really did try to knit it, but it's no longer possible to knit and talk unless it's uncomplicated stockinette in the round, or a flat knit thing.  I need a bulldozer for an end of round stitch marker when I'm knitting in the round, as it is the only thing big enough to stop me knitting right on past the beginning of the next round!


Sis, who is feeling much better, and I finally made it to Pause and Play Beads yesterday, a lovely bead shop.  It's been around for many years, and it's moved around, too, but now it's settled in new digs and is very light and set up well.  General Bead or the big store in  Serra Mesa is still the go-to place if you are looking for business beads, but for a few beads for smaller needs, this place is just right.  They sell beads individually or in tubes, or there are a few hanks.  I can't believe I got out of the store with only $3.77 worth of beads, enough for a couple sets of earrings.  And, that amazing heart shaped bead was only 40 cents!  It was the last of it's kind so they let it go for a song.   The green beads are actually fresh water pearls, and the pinks are faceted fiber optic.  My inside pictures of the store came out blurry.  I was a little blurry myself yesterday afternoon.

Warm and Fuzzy picture of interior

$3.77 worth of beads.. I forgot the mother of pearl rounds.  duh!

There is another bead store that I like very much.  It's cozy and hangs on through thick and thin, bless their hearts.  They have more findings, that I could see, but they are just around the corner from a JoAnn's and just up the street from a Michaels.  I can't imagine the angst of the owners but they are always friendly and kind.  Linkie to The Bead Boutique in El Cajon, but nearer to La Mesa.  Oh yes, I am a major enabler for bead fans.  You cannot have all the kinds of bead out there, but you can sure as heck have a lot of them.



My sister had been prescribed, by a qualified professional, what was an easily seen to be an overdose!  DH and my web research paid off big time with information from an impeccable source who cannot be ignored; so the  clueless doctor has woken up! Sis is so much better now.  She made me some little hearts for under a shelf in the dining area, and a heart for the "Tiny Art Wall" by my bedside.  My friend M in Turkey had sent me something long ago, and that tiny art hangs there, and a pretty "free box" butterfly wing picture from Santa Cruz, and the tiny Cezanne.  It's nice to wake up to a Tiny Art Wall and it's the last thing I see as I turn off the light, too.

Put some tiny art into your life?  Just pick things that please you (and are relatively FLAT) and things that remind you that your life can be absolutely crap at the moment, with a heart that seems to weigh a TON, but the Great Spirit put a lot of things out there to lift it for you.
 
I love you, and so do lots of other people!  Take care of yourselves and I'll be back again later on.  I better go bounce off the walls for awhile so as to get some exercise.

Animal misconceptions

 This was on fb, which many won't join, so I'm sharing it here because it's really fun!!.  We all know, it's common knowledge that facebook is now an arm of the CIA, as the Onion never lies.  Well, almost never. Ok, then only 50% of the time?



I have knit on the socks this morning.  It seems impossible, as well as out of character, but it's true.  They are out of the dog house sock tote.

Walk with Beauty, and a little chit chat

In case you didn't see this one....

Carina Nebula.  There is a star being born in here somewhere. 

This beautiful thing is out there, the photo is from the Hawk-I camera at the European Southern Observatory telescope in Chili.  It was taken with Infra red film and you can see more HERE .  Enjoy!

and then there is this from Dotted Yellow Line:

FROM HERE on the web.  Thank you k.

Now for a meme, a selfish over-privileged 1st world meme though it is:

The general internal weather report is for a few tired days followed by semi-sleepless nights, with everything clearing up midweek, when the sunny disposition will come out again.

I knit steadily on the one sock that isn't too hard on my brain.  The rest can wait.  

Tomorrow, bone building at the gym, and then bone density testing on Tuesday.  Don't let anyone tell you that not taking your calcium tablets doesn't  make you tired and cranky.  They don't know what they are talking about.

Your legs start cramping as a sign that they are TERRIBLY displeased with you for cutting off their supply, and would you please do something about the demands of the thyroid?  When your little internal body guards are searching frantically for every spare atom of calcium to plaster your new knee with, they start screaming their tiny screams which your brain interprets, rightly so, as an emergency, and it starts putting your body as prone as possible by making you tired.  As in, "GO lie down you Idiot!"

The heart, hearing all the hubbub, knows that it is going to start being robbed of it's share, and gets intensely interested in the convo going on on the other side of the brain/body barrier as well as amongst all those snappy little neurons and their  synaptic connections.  And,  I have a earache and a drippy eye, thank you very much.  Calcium does an awful lot for us.  Happily you can usually get enough of it.

Crack cocaine?  Piffle!  I want my calcium tabs!

Ceramic Puff Deer

When I went to ceramics a couple of days ago, the day the contractor was supposed to show up but didn't, I had to unload the tall kiln all by myself. But I did it! It was fun. No one was there to tell me not to, either. I don't trust myself to load it but I can still unload one.


Here are the deer. I have a small "forest" of 18 inch high Christmas trees, and they will feel right at home within that at Christmas time.

Today I have to start scrubbing that knee with some special soap. My biggest concern in all of this is that this surgery will activate Fibromyalgia or Gout. It's the knee that is affected the worst by that last bit of fun. Friends have said that it's too bad that you can't just see the surgeon one day, and he can't say, "Ok, I'll see you tomorrow and we'll get this puppy done up."

Speaking of Puppies, Wolfie is getting very anxious that his "pack" is going to leave him behind. He stands on his back legs and clings to DH's or my knee, with those brown eyes pleading to say that we won't leave him. I'm starting to worry more about him than myself! He doesn't get to go on this one, but he did get his shots today. I wish I could say that I'm just going to get mine. Maybe he would think to himself, " I don't really want to go there again. Is Dr. B your vet, too?" This little dog just has saved my life. I'm so happy he has his forever home with us.

Ok, I'm off to restart a search in my beads for the perfect ones. I keep finding things to toss out over there in that end of the big room. I need to find those beads! Wedding gowns with all that gorgeous beading on them have given me ideas.

Small Lecture on Happiness Alert!:
My DD called today to announce the good news about her test. She was convinced that she'd failed it but she did well! So much lost sleep for nothing! I hope she sleeps well tonight. We talked about how we struggle for happiness. We agreed that there is just too much deplorable news in this world and that a person has to make their happiness out of small things, while still working to help on the big picture issues.

This is the only way to live in this disturbing modern world, though, honestly, it's been true since long before the Vikings started slavery in Ireland, for one thing - long before. I've been told that St. John took Mary to an island sanctuary so that she would not be disturbed by the events that were coming. She became a contemplative. And those greedy, aggressive Romans just went right on from there doing worse things to other populations for decades.

A person has a right to spend some of their time in the moment with beauty or happiness. Woody Allen made a joke once, that if he knew of one person anywhere in the world who was suffering, he couldn't be happy. Since we literally know of millions of people and other sentient beings who are suffering, to go on with life and be productive, we have to give ourselves "windows" of free breathing and beauty as we go through our days.

Go out there and just create your happiness, if even for small windows of time. It's just as natural to do this as it is to breathe. The creator put beauty all around you. It's for you.

A Restful Day

A few days ago DH's ancient laptop went belly up, pre-deceased by my own desk top which is now rebuilt, but DH needs it to get parts and do research on a lap top.  So, here I am on a net book that is too tiny to use like a  regular keyboard, and only one step above an iPhone for usability as a "fingers" on communication device.  It's really making me wiggy!  Back later on the big one.

Back again...

Several of you know that Thursday was Bernadette's Busy Day.  Yesterday was a hectic mess.   It was my pre-op day.  But it's over and went well.   Those of you who have had them know the drill.  It didn't look very promising when the nurse who dropped me off at Ortho Ex-ray came back a half hour later wondering where I was, and I told her that, no, I hadn't got ex-rayed yet.  She went in and came back out and said, "It will just be a few more minutes."  She didn't know it sounded like someone was having a party in there.  Partay time!

So, she came back a little later.  The worst part of any of this is that it put me behind time with the doctor's nurse and the surgeon!  I was almost a half hour late because of an orderly I do not like from the first appointment, but I digress.

I didn't get to ask my assistant surgeon to show me ( on the computer because they can do these things now) how they were going to straighten out my knee joint.  I SO want to know how they will do that.  I have a sort of "Lazy Y" joint there unstead of a nice stacked "U" joint thing going.  We did talk about ligaments, which he said no one had ever asked about before.  They shorten the ligaments or even lengthen them if needs be.  Whomsoever did my Bro's knee should have shortened them, though I'm only second guessing his military surgeons.  But this will be interesting convo with my Bro, let me tell you!   We can chit chat about many interesting details concerning Knee joints, I'm sure.

Sister and I missed our chinwag on Thursday but I got to tell her about the truly comical EKG guy, as well as the nice nurses.  Oh, and about the shock of some of them, barely concealed, that I took so many supplements.   One of them, probably the head OR Nurse, took issue with some of my sups, saying, "They must make a lot of money off of you."

I told her that one was based on ancient Indian medicine, and for saying so, I got a little sound - similar but not quite - a squeak, and so I didn't tell her that all modern Cox2 inhibitors use the active ingredient in that humble supplement - in a highly concentrated, engineered form - to charge people through the nose, plus take one of their arms and a leg for - in a capsule.  We didn't get into it. lol  

She asked me if it helped, and I said that, yes, I felt a lot better since taking all my sups.  When she made another little noise, and I didn't tell her that if Big Pharma and the Medicos didn't like it, it was too bad.  I know a lot more about modern medicines than I want to know, having been forced into reading block busting downloaded TOMES on the subject and very unwillingly, too!

You deserve a picture after all this blather about arms, knees, legs and noses, so I'll find you one.

The tort report:
They are settling in for the winter.  As soon as Halloween, DH will pull them out of their burrows and put them into the Tort Flat -special boxes- in the garage.  The tiny ones will live inside for a couple more winters, being kept out of torpor with artificial lighting and a heat lamp.  Button is still tiny but he's eating like a horse and trying to "beef up".  I put one of his big brothers in with him from time to time so that he will have some encouragement.  I try to make sure he know that life isn't just tiny black letters on the bottom of a box.

Tomatoes:

From tiny green nothings to full grown, and I won't be showing anything else about them until they are sliced and on a plate!  I promise!  I just wanted my DD who grew them from seed to see that they have survived even our southern summer, and mother's sometimes spotty care taking.  And you probably all wondered why I like cactus.

First planted in late July

Late August

September, showing some heat stress

Since they are green stripe tomatoes we are going to have a hard time deciding when to pick them.  

The knitting report:

The sock heel is done and now for the leg which is plain knitting and will go fast.   Just as soon as that is done, I'll cast on that Baktus scarf because time is running out fast.

Oh, forgot to say.  Yesterday, the EKG tech poked a long stick up my nose and hit the back of my throat.  I jumped and he said, " See, that went all the way through to your brain.  There's a hole that does straight into your brain now"  I said, " Good, now it's aerated!"   He was so fun. He made up for that Partay going on in the Orthopedics ex-ray room.  I still wish I could have remembered to ask for some of the cake, since they made me late!

Happy Knitting!

A week goes by so quickly now. A bad hair day ensues, and a bit of ceramics.

I'm feeling more and more useless, and this will only get worse as time goes by.  I'm not looking forward to it, I just know it's going to happen.

So, I decided to read the spoon theory again, and put a button to "You Don't Look Sick" site in the side bar.   We need to remind ourselves that things are going to go wrong with daily plans. Bugs do bite, and Migraines happen.

Today, while i was watering the shade patio, a tiny insect bit me.  Without my glasses, I couldn't see it, other than to note that it was black and soft, and not like an ant when I squished it between fingers.  It was most likely a spider.  I reckon it either learned absolutely nothing from the consequences.  Or... what happened (swift justice) will teach it, should it come back again as a spider, not to try biting me again.

Well, when you have allergies, and your head and ears start to itch, you go inside and wolf down some benadryl, and Baby, there goes the day.   I can SO relate to my poor, itchy, little  doggie.  Then came the migraine.  I'm still trying to type through the glare of it. 

I cut off the rest of my extra hair.  Short though it was, I knew it needed to be kept a lot shorter.  It's really faded from being the original black/brown.  Is that Sable?  Anyway, the hair pile was pathetic, the haircut was a little pathetic, and I still have to even out the back.   DH said it was "cute" but only after I asked him about it.  He is always wary about commenting on my haircuts. 

Yesterday was Sister's Day, for my sister and I.  So, I picked her up from her house, where she is still floating high about painting her kitchen cabinets and making them beautiful.  We took off for the Fearless Ceramic Club Leader's house - that leader  who is still pissed off at me for standing up to her political flak -yes, me, the quiet one - the other day. 

We went to get some "good" clay slip out of her garage before she "threw it away".  I should have known.  It is junk,  and I DO mean junk.  She apparently thinks nothing ever spoils but clay slip does.  This stuff is positively green with mold.  If a local company can't advise me on it, it's for the trash bin.

La Prez also complimented my sister's haircut, and made her feel extra good.  FCCL's stock soared with my sister.  Anyway, she pointedly ignored mine.  She knows I cut my own, and for the first time in her life, my sister has been doing her own as well!  I knew I should have stayed at home.


Now, for something more cheerful, Mother and Baby have bloomed.  Ignore the pink one.  It's just a distant relative.

Mother is in front, Baby, or old crown, is in the back

I really need to go rest my head.  Thank God for Benadryl but it does make me sleepy.

ETA:  I had a snooze, and some more benadryl, and came through to correct some truly baaa-aaad a$$ mistakes in syntax, punctuation (though I've probably missed some things) wrong-word syndrome, and other disorderly story telling.

Ceramics, Flowers, knitting, Earthquake theory, and a lot of complaining.

First, my theory of the Peru, Washington DC connection- Earthquake connections. I think Peru, if you draw a straight line from it to Washington DC, is coming to get DC. Peru is doing this because of all the dastardly things DC has done to it.

Think about it.Peru has only to connect up to the Atlantic plate, but it's determined to do that, and come right up the Atlantic coast to DC. I'm thinking that the scientists there are already preparing the placards saying, "In your face, United States!"

Lacy Poppy

Unknown Flower

Another unknown

Ditto-maybe a poppy?

A Sign of the Times

Sago Palm with "Friend"

San Francisco Botanical Garden is a place of wonder for all who go there. The Garden has free days, and a family can take a picnic in with them to feast upon anywhere on the huge,sunny lawns. These pictures were taken in June two years ago, and the weather was mild and so wonderful. It is a favorite spot for our family to wander through.

Yesterday I went to ceramics club, and had a great time. We joked and laughed and had a good time. We also got the small puff deer ready for the glaze fire.

Ceramic Deer, just out of the Green ware fire

But, having said that it's only a matter of time for me to stay there.  I'm not as happy there anymore, but that's where the kilns are.  If this gathering were anywhere else, I could be happy.  But sometimes it makes me physically ill to be there because I really do hate conflict.   I think we just lost a new, good member because of the aggressive way they were treated by someone who should know better.  We also have a sneaky, underhanded weasel.  We'll see.  

I have my own kilns.  My sister says to use them once a year or so.  But since Enron calculated to screw California and Gray Davis, (please read all about it in, The Smartest Guys in The Room,  ( a review) or watch the documentary talked about HERE, ) we have had high rates.

They are too high to run a kiln through two firings very often.  In San Diego, some pretty big ceramic businesses when under water during that time because the rates went so high that  they couldn't fire for customers, and that was their death knell.  This actually happened all over California.  And we got an impeachment of our governor who was blamed.  The evil party machine of an unmentionable place (but the seventh level of you know what) was responsible for this indignity and they all laughed all the way to their respective organized crime organizations.

Our seniors ceramics club has survived by the grace of the city, though our hours and days had to be cut because the recreation centers have had the same thing happen to them.

Rho suggested that I find a big old project to knit on while recovering from my bionic knee insertion, so I picked the Large Travel Tote from Pursenalities

I've gathered the yarns for it for about two years, ones that have a proven FELTING history, and hopefully I also have needles big enough for this thing.  It's rather large.

Thanks everyone for reading, and thanks especially to those who comment from time to time.    I'm trying to divest myself from politics, except we have to get everyone to vote again, we just HAVE to do this.  Otherwise we can get another taste of voting fraud while half the nation looks the other way.

I'm going to go knit a second sock.  It's hurt, and I think it's even whining-and who better than I to recognize that?- about the fact  that I've ignored it so long.  But, at least it's in the bag with it's mate, snuggled up and safely with it's yarn ball.

A little rain on the roof

Yesterday was very pleasant, though overcast, and we spent it with our local family members. And then about 8pm it started to rain.

We have a flat roof and when there is only tar paper down on it, that's really no roof at all. And so began a marathon of furniture moving, mopping and dragging out every large pot, pan, bucket, and plastic wastebasket we owned.

I think I fell asleep about 4 am when I just couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. The rain stopped around 3 am I think. It was either that it stopped or that I had become deaf, dumb and blind by that time of morning. I slept on the couch, thinking that if the DIN didn't wake me up, water dripping on my face would.

So, today I offer you some flowers because that's what the rain is good for. I never wish rain away, ever, and count myself lucky that we get what we get here.

This is yet another picture of "Apricot Nectar", my own rose that I just adore!

This picture is from the Arboretom in San Francisco, a huge spray of lavender Daisies which is always a pleasure to behold. ETA: Make this one as big as possible for the full glory of it!

Three tiny roses, mini roses, the first and third are my sister's little beauties, and the one in the middle, looking for all the world like Blush, is a Mother's Day gift from my sil. Make them big and enjoy!

Seema Shah on Fibromiagia and CFS

"My experience has led me to believe that health care providers
should expand the ultimate goal of care from 'restoring the
integrity of a body and/or mind” to “repairing the integrity of
a life.'

When chronic illness prevents a patient from engaging
in previous identity-defining activities, health care providers
can help patients identify and foster interests, skills, and
strengths that are still possible within their illness-related limi-
tations. This can help reshape identity and rebuild meaning.
Helping patients identify societal barriers to participation and
looking for ways to overcome them can also help accomplish
this. As a health care provider, asking 'What role can I play in
helping this individual reach the best quality of life possible?'
can open new possibilities in the provision of care."

The quote comes from Dr. Shah's writings on her own illness and how it changed her own life path forever.

It is especially important that a new way of looking at these chronic diseases should be found because these things never get better; they are life changing and forever.

So, if you should be tempted to tell someone you know, who has been diagnosed with either CFS or Fibromyalgia, they cannot just give up trying to be themselves again, you are basically telling them something akin to that if they had lost the sight in an eye, that they should just try harder to see out of it.

A while back when a discovery of a possible link to a mouse retro virus that infected the brain was announced, I was hopeful that all the "snap out of it" boneheads would get the message.

From reading at Ravelry, I see that they are still out there, giving opinions and judging others like me as slackers. Here. You come take my pain and I'll take over your life, ok? I want to hike, climb Mt. Whitney, ride my bike-something that I honestly thought I would do for the rest of my life- and keep a spotless house and charming garden and pour ceramics 'til I'm an 80 year old.

Here, you can have the fatigue,and the Myalgia.

Wolfie "sings" for his supper bone.

He just got a summer cut, and he looks little again.

Ooooooo Something that's For the Health Insurance Companies for a change

And it's about time, too. They get a really bad rap, ya'know? Timely questions, these....

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

Helping all you undecided (or simply confused) people make up your own minds, all the time.

This message comes to you via the Granny Health Care Watch Site. Ya...

I'm not Knitting

I think this is probably due to exhaustion and is the closest thing to depression that happens to me. Or just maybe .... maybe it is depression and only FEELS like exhaustion. I want to sleep for three weeks. Or until the election is over.

The ballots came last week and we are going to vote and take them to the registrar and hand them over, eyeball to eyeball! I don't trust anything anymore. Is that also a sign of depression, not trusting anyone to do with the elections?

I've never been actually depressed so there is nothing to compare this to. IN THE PAST I've been sad for long periods of time but it had good reasons. Isn't depression when you haven't got any reason for feeling this way?

I'm tired and this isn't helping. Lol. I need to eat some pasta and some cake. Lots of carbs. That might do it.

Good night. Sweet Dreams! Oh, I just watched a great movie called "Widow's Peak". I'll tell you nothing about it, but it sort of cheered me up for a few hours. Also, Amy Tan's book is funnier than any of her other work. In fact, it shows that she's got a terrific sense of humor. "The Opposite of Fate". I think you'll like it. Night night!

Stop Whining! It will all go away!

It's All in Your Head

Ohmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Now, think "deep midnight sky bloooooooooooooooooooooo"

Breathe deeply..........

There all better?

America, don't try this in Europe, because it will cost you way too much to get there! Unless you are really good at stowing away, and have one helluva parachute... Golden maybe?

Spaghettiquet had to go....

It got too grabby. It didn't want to leave people alone. It's very cute and all but it was like a bot that wanted to live at all costs! Sooooo, Electroniccottage, I heard you about not busting up the pasta, just buy smaller pasta. Unfortunately, the Bot had to be killed. I'll try to find it again and just put a link in.

Why didn't I just spend that time knitting? Or, making post cards for the next round? Or emailing friends or reading a most excellent book? Eating Chocolate? Saving the dolphins? Why does a human being do half of what it does? I ask you..........

Okay, it was cool, I knit about 4 more rows of Gretchen

The only picture I could offer is fuzzy, unlike the silk yarn, which is, well, silky. I will try again this afternoon. This day will be another fight to the death to stay cool. I now have an infected ear. Jungle rot from living in this high humidity? My city might, if it got more actual rain, turn into a tropical rain forest. I'd really have to move then, further north to an artist's colony. Yay!

If you would like a picture instead of words, Above will appear the last of the postcards to arrive on my doorstep. It is from Vicki, who forged a whole new process of pain for making a postcard. She is sort of like our pioneer of processes, and she explains all on her Blog. She has a beautiful fiber blog and she has done amazing things with fabrics and fibers.

Ok, now to attach that other other, what-am-I-going-to-be-doing-with-my-time piccy.