i am the mom

Writer's Block: Public Transit Nightmare

2007-11-28T18:29:26Z

I was going to say I hadn't had one- but then I remembered that train ride and being stuck in a little bitty town on the Columbia River 2 days before Xmas with a flood behind and a washout ahead and the Nat'l Guard air dropping Christmas trees.... Still, all's well ends well...
There was 3 am in Pittsburgh in the bus station-- and the ride downhill from the border crossing in Chile/Argentina with tha Sgt. with BO. But that ride also had salt flats at 16,000 feet gleaming in the moonlight so...
I loved the El in Chicago and the Rapid in Cleveland. LA's transit wasn't bad and except for the price that wild ride home with Elizabeth and James to our Hotel from Doug's 60th....
Granted that it's a pain to sit and wait for it- public transit isn't that bad once your on your way...
In California there just plain isn't enough of it for anyone to be able to rely on it....When Buses only run every 1/2 hour and you neeed to take 2 to get anywhere...it just takes too long.

the strike was successful but now it's over!

2007-11-23T15:53:59Z

Guess where I've been? Come on...you know the date but just look at the time and I'm back already. This time I actually bought stuff but the really cool part was I had the world's BEST parking space!!! I was so tempted to just stay and stay...and that was after I got there 3 hours after opening!!!
The magic was with me.
! To bad I don't have any money!
What a day I could have had... going out to the car to put packages in the trunk and then turning around and going right back in the mall!
Yes, the mall. The big, enclosed one ! Guess I could have gotten coffee there but it's more fun to sneak home and have James all unaware....
I almost feel young again.

Writer's Block: ROFL

2007-11-13T21:03:12Z

Bill Cosby's routine on"chocolare cake for breakfast". My kids actually tried to use it once or twice.
Victor Borge's phonetic punctuation.
Geaorge Carlin's "words that aren't dirty but sound like they should be".
Robin Williams almost anything he says about anything.
All of them work clean and fast and while the last two do lots of topical stuff mostly it day to day.....
There are some newer guys...some of the "Blue collar tour" and a couple of others on the comedy network but ....

virtual gift

2007-11-03T22:19:05Z

Well, it took me awhile but there it is.... a "dia de los muertos" mask. Way cool. Elizabeth sent me a virtual gift and then I couldn't find it. Par for the course.
I just spent the afternoon at the mall. Got my hair done and then walked from one end to the other. Had to as I will not willingly go back there until after T-day.
I hate the way the holidays are pushed on you. The trees and red and green is up before Halloween. I've talked to managers. They insist the "customers" want it this way. Well I've never met a customer who said they wanted Christmas music piped through K-mart while picking out the kids Halloween costume...or having the girls in black that just blanket Macy's at this time of year pushing "yule" scents. Nor a single one!
So every year I go on strike and confine my shopping to grocery stores (yeah, they do it too but not so bad and we've got to eat) for about 3 weeks prior to T-day. As a result I am doing more and more shopping through catalgues and shopping less and less.
I like Christmas and finding just the right thing for someone makes me happy so I really resent this but I do it anyway. It's my own little "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore" moment. Only quieter.
Other than that it's a lovely day in the neighborhood. Quiet as every one's gone to or listening to the game (I guess). Sun's out and the air is relatively clean. My feet and back hurt...that's a lot of walking for someone who spent most of the past year sitting on her somewhat enlarged butt. I think I'll get a coke and let the cat in. She'll want to sit on my lap so I'll have an excuse to sit down ...

What Do You Have To Say? - Fashion: On The Set

2007-10-23T15:13:19Z

The whole Ring series
Cate B's Elizabeth series
Delovely
more later

What Do You Have To Say? - Small Business: My Own Business

2007-10-16T14:58:49Z

I would open "Mom's kitchen". An office designed to look like an old fashioned kitchen with fresh coffee and tea and maybe cookies. For 25 minutes you get to talk to a trained social worker...trained to listen and to deal with problems. No cussing (or only reasonable levels) and the usual restraints...if you threaten others I have to tell. Anyway for 25 minutes you talk. Youpay for just the 25 minutes. If you want help or advice I'll talk for the next 5 minutes for free.....giving you possible solutions or at least empathy. No strings... you don't have to do anything....the last 5 minutes are free, you don'r even have to stay.
I think there are many people that have no one they feel they can talk to about all kinds of things. I don't plan to do therapy just give advice... about all kinds of things. You don't pay for the advice...it's free- take it or leave it and worth every penny you don't pay!

What Do You Have To Say? - The Nose Knows

2007-09-13T14:59:17Z

I am very fond of the smell of bread baking---reminds me of my mom who could bake bread from scratch without a receipe... an art that has been lost.. at least as far as I am concerned. I don't do bread...too easy to eat the whole loaf. Another cooking smell was her fruitcake--Yah yah spare me the jokes--hers was good and she made it on Nov. 11 every year so it would have planty of time to soak in the brandy. It began "the season" when I was a child. Non-cooking? Wood smoke on a breeze (except during fire season) or the scent of candle wax...at the moment when you blow them out...orange blossums mingled with magnolias on a hot summer night; fresh from the bath baby skin; ocean- any ocean- any time.........

What Do You Have To Say? - Music: My First Favorite Band

2007-09-10T19:57:26Z

What was the first band you became a fan of?

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Beatles! Young . Adorable. and on the Ed Sullivan Show. We all sat in front of the set in the dorm and screached. God! It was fun!
"I wanna hold your hand" was the lullaby of choice for my kids although my daughter got "BABY SUE" (Peggy Sue" TO THE UNINITIATD) as a special song.

What Do You Have To Say? - Back To School

2007-09-07T17:18:07Z

Mrs. Lundy. 2nd grade. She was so young- just out of university and cute and sweet and read wonderful books. Also her husband was the star on the U of Oregon football team and sooo cute! He picked her up after class every day.

What Do You Have To Say? - Photography: The Best Advice

2007-08-29T00:26:12Z

What's the best advice you've given or gotten for taking good photos?

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If you're taking pictures of a vacation with family and friends- concetrate on the people in the shot...the scenery will take care of itself.

Writer's Block: Ewww

2007-08-14T00:30:24Z

What is one food that you refuse to try? Why?
"Sweetbreads" Just who are they trying to fool with that name anyway?

It's Friday

2007-07-27T18:30:32Z

And it's been a looong week. I had Monday off but that was a waste 'cause James was pissy and I was lazy and all we did was go to the bookstore and then I didn't want anything. That is so sad.
Just re-read that se4ntence.. we went to the bookstore and I didn't want anything.
Tragic and probably sick.
I even had $$$.
Really sick.
I think we went out and did more when I had the wheelchair earlier this year than we do now. Granted the boy is flat, broke, busted but I'm paying and I haven't made an issue of $$$. (Maybe I should....the hell of parenting is that whatever you do, you're wrong....) I know we did more when I had the cane and the big black boot.
Ah, the boot. That's sad, too. I think of that plastic monstrosity with nostalgia. At least I could take it off every now and then (and every night!...ah, sleep without a cement block wrapped around your ankle! What a concept!) I've gotten through 8 1/2 days of this blue cast and crutches and I have 2 weeks to go (minimum) and I hate it.... Clumsy, hot, itchy, intrusive and irritating!
People stare at me and say "Ithought you were OK, now" so I have to tell them I broke it again... and that it's a different bone and I fell over the cat. No one's told me but I bet there are rumors about my drinking going around. Or something. I'm having a bone density check and then my balance and I think I'll ask for PT... Assuming that I ever get my foot out of this ^&**%^%&*&* CAST!!!
Oh, and James flooded the house.
I am tempted to leave it at that and let the one or two of you who check in on my rantings worry about it. It is sort of a bold, bald (as in unembellished) statement:
James flooded the house.

I used to do it fairly regularly and both kids have brought it up and waved it in my face in the past but this time.

James flooded the house.

Not much damage...It's so hot that things, including the carpet , will dry without mold and he claims not much in the coat closet was dampened. I'll look at it today in the light. But 'till I get home.... home at last after a long, dull week that I spent having one hissy fit after another because the Director's response to any and everything is micro-management and we are supposed to be PROFESSIONALS! I shall calm myself with my new mantra

James flooded the house.

Farewell, Prince Chaming

2007-06-25T19:53:23Z

Garth William Spees followed Maxeen (my mom) and Nelda (also teeny brother but Teeny Brother died at days of age and was mostly significant in that he was typical of the flue epidemic of 1920). Garth's pictures as a boy were of a pretty little boy...all golden hair and grin but hardly angelic. By the time my brother Bill and I came along he was back from the Navy...seaman 1st class and absolutely adorable in sailor pants, hat tipped over one eye and that grin.
Garth married the prettiest girl in town. She had green eyes red hair and a tragic past...her parents abandoned her and her grandmaother was "rigid", one of the "spare the rod types"... He was close to 6 feet and Maralou was 5 foot-two. He went to college and was such a charmer that everyone loved him and she was the small town girl he came back to rescue. I was 3 when I was the flower girl at their wedding. All I remember is the light in the colored glass windows was pretty and it wasn't my grandpa's church.
The pictures of the wedding are very much in tune with the times...1948 and everyone just begining to relax and enjoy life. They were the prettiest people I had ever seen. And so happy. When ever I imagined a prince and princess from a fairy story the prince looked just like my uncle Garth. And he could whistle, too.
He was the ideal uncle.... a big, friendly, goldy colored, huggy bear of an uncle. Who whistled...birds calls, show tunes, classical music.
He taught High School and coached wrestling and in later years died his beard red and let the team shve it off if they won (he used Maralou's hair color so they matched...at least during wrestling season).
I last saw him when I went back to see my cousin Chris a couple of years ago. At mom's memorial the year before he'd still been able to read and get around although no one let him drive- even though my driving terrified all the aunts and uncles. When I saw him again he'd lost weight and was irritable and cranky. He still whistled but it was the same tune over and over. Maralou seemed a little lost. Having to drive him around and say "no" to him when he wanted a 2nd or 3rd cocktail. He'd always taken care of her and I could see that she couldn't accept the change in roles.
In March of this year he was hospitalized and then sent to the small nursing facility that had cared for his sister Roberta and her twin Robert.
He died yesterday.
I miss him.

ramblings

2007-06-13T21:40:24Z

It's one of those days.
You know the kind...everyone else's life is more interesting than yours (mine). My daughter is feuding with an ex-boss-current-and future a-hole and was very stressed. 20 minutes later she's employed by a national non profit organization after having been head hunted by a recruter. Sounds very fabu and joie de vivre to me. I've never been recrited or head hunted.
My son has discovered a new game and while that doesn't thrill me he doesn't seem as discontented as I feel. I think he should but he doesn't show it.
One friend is being transferred to a job in an outlying area....it's sounds a mess with entrenched personalities and built in strum and drang but it's 10 minutes from home and away from the main office. She'll handle the backstabbing and put an end to the nastiness (she's that kind) and things will settle into comparative calm and she'll still be 10 minutes from home. And I'm out a partner for lunch and someone to get me through the multiple meetings that drag onandonandon.
The older you get the more difficult it is to make new friends....even if you only see them at work... I really don't know where I'll find so conviviable a companion (I read that in a book).
How do people make friends? My son and daughter count as friends the many people they've met on-line in games and chats andjournals./ I'm too old fashioned 'cause I like the face to face contacts and although I like many of the people I've met in LJ, are they friends? Aquaintances? Compadres---meaning peopl with similar intersts or buddies or what? Is a similar interest in Joss Whedon's ouvre sufficient for a friendship? or do I mean one thing by friend and you mean another?
Can we get together, over coffee, and talk this out?

costumes and stuff

2007-06-11T18:31:56Z

Ginger is a tyrant... benevolent but still--- I should be grateful. She's making me a dress and I will look the part etc. but I had other plans for the afternoon tomorrow and they didn't include a trip to the cosume shop for a fitting. (Anyone ever been a bridesmaid? Ginger is a "Bridesilla" when it comes to her costumes...Nice enough about it but you go around in terror just the same 'cause you know that that redhair is not just for show!)
I hope I get the boot off so I can drive. I'm almost as afeared of James as I am of Ginger.... He thinks that 6 months of driving me around makes up for 16 years of driving him around Hah! Elizabeth had the same attitude in her day.
In other news (!) I have my own bathroom back. True, it's not painted and true it's not as nice as the kids bath (currently referred to as James' bath) but it's mine, all mine. I would not make it in a one bath house... I need a counter just for my damn pills! And I spread out.
Sometimes I wonder if I could live with another person again... well, yah I've got kids but that's not what I meant and you know it.....I sleep in the middle of the bed (and it's only full size not Queen or King), I want my own bathroom, I drop my books, half-read al over the house and expect to find them when I want them and I have no undestanding at all of how 2 people manage to share household bills and responsibilities.
So back to the bathroom. It's clean and pretty and the towels I bought to match the tile are linty!!!! Wah! I washed and washed them and shook them and there's little bitty pieces of blue everywhere!
I shall solace myself with the thought that there is at least room for a piece (small) of decor. Whoopee! I get to decorate a bathroom beyond matching the towels (lint!) to the tile!
Joy abounds.

motherkus @ 2007-05-28T10:55:00

2007-05-28T17:57:16Z

The Connected but Hassled make up 10% of the American public.
I took the test.... and guess what? I am sort of connected and very hasseled! I hate being predictable.
Time to call my baby.. if she's home....
Basic Description
The Connected but Hassled do not much appreciate the information and communications assets they have acquired – and they have acquired a lot of them. Most (80%) have a home broadband connection and nearly all have a laptop or desktop computer that enable online access. 80% have cell phones. But many of them say they suffer from information overload, and very few find the extra availability ICTs offer to be a good thing.

Defining Characteristics
Information technology is anywhere from a burden to an irrelevance for the Connected but Hassled. Although most have high-speed internet connections at home, few take advantage of applications that benefit from it – such as downloading video, music, or viewing TV shows on a home computer. Just 18% like the fact that ICTs make them more available to others – less than half the average. More than half see technology either making no difference or offering them less control over how they conduct their lives.

Who They Are
The typical member of this group is 46 years old and has been online for about 7 years. She – and 59% of this group is women – is well-educated and above average in terms of household income. The group is predominantly white (80%) and its workforce participation rate matches the national average.

feet

2007-05-04T23:22:05Z

I am going to develope a fetish. I keep messing up my feet/foot. It's not enough to be diabetic and have neuropothy... no I burn boiling bacon grease on it, have skin grafts and not I've managed to break 2 of the inner bones (cracked the other one) without breaking or cracking the outer ones..on either side of the foot, I also bruised the toes. I don't think I ever even contemplated the possibility of bruising my toes before this.
In fact, I'm pretty sure that the entire concept of "bruised toes" never entered my mind.
Now, sadly, I'm fascinated.
It's not as tho I have long elegant toes -- the kind that get painted drop dead red and shown off in sandels... mine are short, nasty little srunched up ones---hammer toes, I think is what they're called. Normally I accept them... after all you need them to walk and balance and stuff but I'm not very interested in them. At the moment, however, I find them fascinating.They're that awful grey-green bruises get when they're healing--- at the very end near the nails... not anywhere near the breaks in the long(ish) bones which are the broken parts. It's like I have two "owies"...broken bones and bruised toes and they have no connection. But that's not possible.
So I stare at them...when the walking boot is off and am sorely tempted to wiggle them...but the emphasis is on the sorely part--- they do not want to wiggle! And admire the changing color and wonder if it will ever go away or if they will always look like they died 2 weeks ago and will fall off at any time now... Euww!
All I really want is for them and the rest of my foot to fit into a 1930's style pump for the play that opens June 14th. Please!
Time to go...

babysquid reporting in...

2007-02-13T01:29:39Z

hello all... those of you who read my LJ might already be aware of this but... motherkus is currently out of commission. the battle with the bacon moved to sneak attacks and mom had surgery on friday- skin graft- for the burn. i'm told that she hasn't killed her son yet and he is taking good care of her (and hasn't killed her either! woohoo!). alas, she is currently home and wheelchair bound so will most likely not be on a computer (or LJ) for some time. (not being there- i don't know the exact time frames...)

on a personal note from me- i know mom hates being stuck at home and not able to do stuff (if she could weed or do things around the house she'd be happier!) so if anyone is in the area and can... please drop by and visit. i'm sure she'd love the company. and the boy would love to tell the tale of the great bacon battle 2007. ;)

babysquid signing off.

Much elapsed time

2006-12-06T20:34:00Z

November I went to see the wizard--literally. Baby girl took me to see "Wicked" --- Wizard and all. 'Course I had to fly to Chicago and back and now I am poor but I had a wonderful time. Princess learned her lessons well and was very gracious and caring to the pseudo-aunt and I.. Went to see Big Sue the T-rex of T-rexes, ate well, saw rain and snow in the same city block in the same 5 minute period by going upupupup in the Sears tower and spoke Spanish to the waiter at Ikea!. Saw my cousin, Elizabeth's Dean and every mall in driving distance. Ate Peruvian. Chezch or was that Polish? Swedish and baby girl's cooking.
Too friggin' cold but wonderful time.
Miss you muchly, munchkin.
Came home to T-day. Food was wonderful and I didn't kill Kaye when she suggested the fourth stop on the 1 errand trip I made.... Remember all those days she bitched and hollared about shopping T-day weekend (esp. the day after??)... She's always done more shopping those days than I have. I swear if she weren't here with me she'd never go to a store at all and she'd be even more American woman antithesis than she is. Introduced her to Tuesday Morning and created a monster.
She's doing the catering for the reception. 130 people and she's exhausted. She's supposed to have help but....not a good time for me to be there.
The tea at church was fun. Raine was late (an hour) and tried to make me think I invited her for the wrong time but I'm not buying it. Food good, table pretty (sounds like a Buffy, no?). I was appalled to learn that many people cannot sign the first verse at least of Xmas Carols by heart. Must check to see if my kids can and if not I know their grandmother will spin in her grave. Granted I didn't have them standing at the piano in the evenings like she did with Bill and Bonnie and I but we sang in the car... At least I'm sure they can sing "Feliz Navidad".
Sent Elizabeth's package off. If you're reading this you can open anything wrapped in white tissue paper....Everything else waits for the morning of the Day!!!! Be good you moose munch muncher!
Out with the boss Monday, unit Wed, friends on Friday and next week???Return from SF and???? Oh my god, we'll all be killed! quote your unca Bill and Grandpa.
Bah, Humbug and other joyous thoughts! What in the name... do you by the somewhat depressed adult son who still lives at home and owes the government $$$$$$$$$$$$??????????
jingle all your halls!

VOTE

2006-11-07T17:54:42Z

I voted.
I took my kids with me when they were young and now they vote absentee and wonder at their mother's old fashioned style. I like going to the polling place. It's that simple. I like having to make a little (not too much) effort. I like the sort of makeshift, impermanent feel.... this is an important day but we Americans are so secure we can treat it casually.... maybe too casually but that's a different matter....
I'm one of those who think that if you don't vote- you shouldn't complain.
It's easy, safe and (when enough of us bother) effective. I admit that lately I pay much more attetion to local stuff... I feel as though I might have some real input there but I vote on all pro-choice, environment, immigration or other social issue-orientated issue.
I'm a LIBERAL and proud of it.
And I am SO tired of the "no new taxes" mantra of the current crapheap of politicians. Who do they think they are fooling? Sooner or later you have to pay... bonds are taxes on our kids and I'd rather someone just said..."this is going to cost us but it's the right thing to do" than steal highway taxes to fund schools and high jack capitol improvement funds for salaries. What happened to honesty or honor? or even just common sense?
Bush only sees what his handlers let him see. Democrats are so desperate to be elected that they don't offend anyone and wind up saying nothing and the fringe parties get good ideas but if I vote for them.... Attila the hun gets elected.
But I vote anyway. And on rare occassions I contribute to a local politico who seems to agree with me....
I hope everyone votes this time. "Landslides" that are really only 51% of the 25% that voted are ridiculous.

Halloween

2006-10-31T00:25:28Z

is going to be such a bust this year.... no decorations and , at work , no enthusiasm. There's a pumpkin carving contest but they gave the best pumpkin to the other unit and the best carver got his nose out of joint'cause the girls wanted to contribute and now I can't tell if anyone is carving at all. And I'll probaBLY HAVE TO REMIND jAMES 'CAUSE PUMPKIN CARVING ISN'T VIRTUAL AND i SWEAR HE SPEND MORE TIME IN VIDEO-LAND THAN HERE.
Oh, pooh!
And once agai work calls.

motherkus has a new motherboard

2006-10-27T22:48:16Z

I'm not sure what that means but I have one nonetheless and can sit at my own desk with MY icons and open my sites. Which is all good and much appreciated. The computer geek is nothing to look at but nice and the thought crossed my mind... where have all the nice unmarried ones gone. Somedays the answer would appear to be "they're gay" and other days the answer is "there aren't any in my age group". Occassionally I dispute that but today I'm facing the fact that at my age they've got trophies or are trophies (it works both ways) or they have so much baggage I can't see them at all.... I attract recovering alcoholics...
so
Time to gird my (female equivalent of loins) and try to do something for the next 75 minutes that might be construed as useful..
To whom you may ask????

from Ms M

2006-10-14T18:47:11Z

http://www.angelfire.com/folk/whenbuffysmiles/hearts.htm

finis (maybe)

2006-10-11T16:56:25Z

I have been a customer at that bank through 3 namews and 2 moves so yesterday I took off an hour early and went in to see the manager and bite off heads. Instead I spoted Liz.... she's worked there as long as I've beeen a customer and is now a low level mucky muck (I think she refused transfer so she never went up the ladder too far but she's good and I know her). So I charged over and laid out the story and she hummm and does the bank shuffle (we weren't open...Holiday... late posting and etc.) and then said she comes in at 7 am tomorrow (today) and I should call her.
So I went home and discovered that the stress has interefered with my ability to cast on and bind off and (I don't worry about the in-between parts 'cause I do it for streee relief) I can't even fool around with my neverending garter stich ('cause when I try anything more advanced it gets wider.... much wider--like it won't fit on the needle).
So I call today and she says it's all there and guess where I'm going at lunch and I'm getting a print out and I remembered to ask that all charges be removed.
Hugh sigh and you will hear about it if it isn't right then!
So, other than that Mrs. Lincoln......?
Old joke and not funny.
We had a graduation today... kind of disorganized but we pulled it off.... takes too long thoughand some of the invitees didn't show up until an hour after the party got going and we were alresdy half an hour late....These were not clients but "helping Professionals" and the worst part was that the clients all thought it perfectly normal.
Shhhheeeesh!
After lunch
Well I have a print out that shows I have money in the bank at last and NO charges!
Now we'll try calling the clearing desk and using the ATM.
And then, maybe, we'll write checks.

$$$$ still lost

2006-10-10T20:23:52Z

The saga continues:
The county didn't pull the $$$$ back. (I never thought they did-- way too efficient for the county!) so today I called and went straight to the bank manager.
I checked by phone first... :"This account has a 0 balance" with 0 deposits and debits lining up for miles and miles.
So I ask for the manager and in my best "I am a calm and collected professional person and I do not want to tear your liver out throught your nose" voice, I explained, again, the situation.
She made soothing noises and of course it's not the bank's fault 'cause they had a holiday and nothing's been processed but she'll talk to "Jack" and he'll talk to the electronic transfer people and they'll get it all straightened out and I say "good, 'cause I'll be there at 4"
With just the tinest edge on the voice. Just a little hint of mayhem.
I am getting very tired of this.
James says never carry more than 2 checks... maybe he's right.
Sandy wishes I'd had more faith in human nature and I'm sure I agree with her... I wish I had more faith, too. But I don't. I did have trust, at least , in the bank.... 25 years in one place!!!! but that is rapidly waning. Aimme just wanted me to follow instructions and I did and see what a fine mess that got me into!
Arrrgh!