About Me

I am beyond vexed that the lottery has not made me a winner. I am not greedy for millions ~my needs are simple: good books, better wine, and a new vehicle.

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Flinging The Potholders With Joy

I cannot believe I have never run across this recipe website before now. The beauty of it is that when you click on a recipe, it gives you the option to change the serving size and switch between US and Metric. It converts the amount of ingredients up or down for you. If you want to make say, 5 dozen cookies instead of 2 dozen. Or, in my case, cook two chicken breasts instead of 6. Or make a quart of stew instead of a vat. I have always hated that about cookbooks...since there are only 3 of us, it is very rarely that I cook in bulk. And doing the math to divide spoonfuls of ingredients....well not my strong suit. I am so happy! I may actually enjoy cooking again!

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Shameless Plug

My crippled brother has written a children's book. Here is another link. The Minion and I held open books for signing as Mark only has one workable arm...he's got two arms, but only one works. So feel free to share the links and / or buy the book. There are plenty.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Afternoon Photos





























We went outside this afternoon and down to the pond, which is the lowest the S.O has ever seen it. We've had ducks hanging out the last few days and The Minion was hoping to sneak up on them, but it was not to be. They are leaving the water as he approaches....which of course you cannot see. He did catch one poor frog.


I tried to figure out how to write something, then post the photo, but all photos are ending up at the top of the entry. Anywho...took some from down at the pond looking back at the houses and barn. Then we went down to the lower lawn by the gate and I took a picture of an old sugaring spout in a huge maple tree...then an upward shot of the maple and the locust next to it. These trees are massive. I wish they could talk. I love history and would time travel if I could back to when this was a working farm. My family has been in VT since the late 1700's, so it's all very dear to me; even though this wasn't my family farm.


Maryam, when The Minion's father and I were divorcing, The Minion and I did live in a barn for 9 months. It was fabulous. I loved that place. I had herbs drying in bunches hanging from the beams and loved every creak on the old floorboards. We heated only by wood and the bathroom had the smallest clawfoot tub - more like a hipbath I guess. I have a soft spot for barns, no doubt.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Piles Of Stuff

Catherine ( see link at right ) has asked what is in the barn that desperately needs to be stained. Lots of stuff such as: 7 cords of firewood, a tractor, a pile of things deemed "the electronic graveyard", a sleigh, snowmobiles, tires, a freezer for extras, canoes, mice and bats. The lower level has horse stalls - the S.O's ex-woof kept horses. The barn and houses are well over 150 years old. I love the hand hewn beams in the barn. Our house is actually the renovated carriage house. The S.O's mother lives in the main house which has a huge whole tree as the main beam in the cellar. Very cool.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

A Good Ghost Story and Stuff



Today I'll go and open a vein for the Red Cross then maybe deal with the reality that it is the middle of September and my outdoor plants are on their last roots and look like crap. Maybe I'll pick up some hardy mums to keep the winter-is-coming depression at bay for another month or so. Though the plants on the deck don't look too bad yet.

I am re-reading The Witching Hour by Anne Rice. I first read it about 15 years ago and fell in love with the freaky, creepy Mayfair family. I suppose I should finish the trilogy and finally read Lasher and Taltos. I am really hoping that the demon wins in the end. That's me, rooting for the twisted, salacious and seductive side.

The Minion ( who never gets ill ) had a sore throat so I kept him home from school Monday. Being the germophobe that he is, he asked me a gazillion times: "How do I look?" and he took his temperature about every half hour. Somehow we made it through the day without me locking him in the barn with a bag of Ricola lozenges and a blanket.



Saturday, September 15, 2007

What more can I add...

Ann Coulter scares me. Alot. I just felt the need to say that. She scares me so much that I'm not even going to link to her website. I may sacrifice a small woodland creature to cleanse her from my thoughts. And I don't even know why I'm thinking of her. That's the truly creepy part. Perhaps she is the anti-Christ. On a more lefty note, I'm reading Deer Hunting With Jesus by Joe Bageant and enjoying it immensely, being the liberal minded woman that I am. So in exploring his site, I came across this website link. I have only looked at half the site, but have already wiped tears of mirth from my eyes. Laughing at my own demon so to speak. The Little Voice inside says:" Alcoholism is a disease and it isn't funny." I know this. And I know I can't / shouldn't drink cause I have a bitch of a time stopping once I get started. I drink to get buzzed. So I don't imbibe very often anymore. Maybe once a month. But this site makes me laugh anyway.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Feel Good Story

There is always so much sad and depressing news everyday, I thought I'd share something good for a change. I've worked with Sara's mother for quite a while and know about the struggles and heartbreak they have been dealing with for the last couple years. It's nice to know there are pockets of generosity and caring out there in the big, bad world.

Monday, September 10, 2007

Beach Bellydance




This is a photo of me and my separated-at-birth girlfriend Sheri bellydancing on the beach on Captiva. She and her family invited me and The Minion to accompany them on vacation in April of 2003. I miss her and her kids and her husband. They live about an hour away from me now and we always say we are going to get together but never can find the time. We haven't seen each other in 3 years.


We practiced for a performance the entire week we were there. It was a blast and when we got home we really did remember the routine when it was time to dance it. I miss bellydance too.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

A Peaceful Day

I didn't have to worry about Mother today as she is back in the original Home. She is so happy to be back there - hopefully she'll remain well and continue to gain ground so she can get back to her actual house in a few weeks.

I am not a huge Madonna fan. I kind of liked her stuff back before the Sex Madonna persona, but then I never really paid that much attention. So, imagine my utter shock when I realized I love, love , love her song Hung Up. Not the video. The song. I think she looks ghastly in the video.

I just read Crooked Little Vein. Extremely funny. I felt deeply twisted when I laughed hysterically at some of the situations. It was a good feeling. Cleansing...it made me feel normal in comparison. If you like Christopher Moore and/or Tom Robbins you will like Warren Ellis.

I finally watched Secretary this afternoon. I freaking loved it. My kind of Cinderella story.

Off to read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to The Minion. Gotta get that one done before he can hear Deathly Hallows. His pestering me about who all dies in the last book is getting on my last nerve.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

What They Don't Tell You

Or at least what They didn't tell me. Mother's 100 days of Medicare paid hip rehab ran out on 8/18. The Home told me in July that this was going to happen and that they would begin the process for Medicaid to cover the rest of her rehab. What they didn't tell me is that in order to qualify for Medicaid you cannot have more than $2000.00 to your name. It really should state that fact on the freaking Medicaid paperwork that needs to be filled out too. But it doesn't. I spent a day filling out the paperwork when it arrived last week and gathering all the documents they need to see if she qualified. The amount of Mother's savings is less than what working people on the low income scale make in a year, however this naturally puts her over the limit. So....I find out yesterday about the Medcaid not happening. I call The Home. She owes $3,780 for 8/18 thru 8/31. $270 a day. For a bathroom shared by 4 people with fecal matter stuck to the toilet, no A/C, crappy food and a smell that makes your eyes well up and lungs seize. Okay. So I call the place she stayed over the winter when she was waiting for the hip surgery, which is 3 miles from here, is clean and doesn't stink like old people waiting for Death; also a private room / bath. And is $140.00 a day. They have a room for her. She'll get P/T twice a week there, but I can bring her to P/T the other days here in town. And she will be under her regular physician's care again, which is huge. So, I'm driving up to discharge her from Haven Hellcare today. I left the Social Services lady there a message yesterday afternoon telling her what I was going to do and to make sure her charts etc. were ready to go. She didn't call back. I'll be nice. I'll sweetly explain she cannot afford to stay there. I'll write that check for her uncovered care. Then I'll get her the fuck out of there.

So my Mantra for today is going to be: Remain calm. Get her settled.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

Doesn't this 6am photo capture the joy and anticipation of the first day of school?

Monday, September 3, 2007

Hmmm

The last few mornings The Minion has had my coffee poured and waiting for me when I come downstairs. I would like to think that he is just being a loving, considerate 10 year old boy. Isn't that an oxymoron in some sense? However, I believe he is sucking up to me and I have yet to figure out why.