Scribblings

Terri Schiavo and decreasing the "surplus population"

Terri Schiavo has passed, God rest her soul.

After the Supreme Court rejected the case for like the 6th time, I began praying for her to die quickly. She hung in right to the end. The doctors predicted it would take up to 14 days for her to die and it did.

I don't want to get into a debate over whether or not she wanted to die and whether or not someone in a persistent vegetative state can recover and whether it's any way to spend the rest of your life. Starvation is a cruel way to die no matter what anyone says about it.

Many times husbands and wives confide in each other and say what they do or don't want but they don't put it into writing. I think it's got to be in writing because there is a possibility of abuse. I read a column by J.D. Mullane of the Bucks County Courier Times that I found chilling:

After Terri Schiavo, who will the culture-of-death vultures circle? A hint. Dr. Ronald Cranford, a neurologist whose medical opinion was key to a Florida judge ordering Terri Schiavo's feeding tube removed, was on TV this week candidly admitting he doesn't believe Alzheimer's patients have constitutional rights.

So first it's people like Terri, then the Alzheimer's sufferers, then perhaps end-stage cancer victims, and so forth.

Why not? Who would want to live like that? Are they not burdens?

Charles Dickens captured it when he had Scrooge confront the do-gooders who wanted to save the helpless, deemed worthless to Victorian England.

"If they had rather die they had better do it and decrease the surplus population."

Read the whole column here.

QOTD

Where were you born and raised?

I was born in Bay Shore, on the south shore of Long Island. My parents lived in a cottage across the street from my grandparents. I remember my early years were pretty happy because I had my grandma so close by. Everyone in town knew me and I knew them. When I was about 8, we moved a few miles away and that was a big adjustment but it was okay. The really traumatic move came when I was 10 and we moved to Baltimore, MD.

How would you convince someone from the 15th century that the world is round?

I wouldn't try. Who wants to be beheaded? Now, if someone from that century was transported here then it would be easier because of all the technology we have. That is, if the visitor didn't get scared to death first from the extreme culture shock ...

Thursday Threesome

Onesome: Hot Dogs--Spring picnics and cookouts are coming! Is it hot dogs or hamburgers you want to have on your plate as you head back to the table?

Cheese burgers with the works! I'll eat hot dogs if there is nothing else.

Twosome: and-- ...and what else is on that plate that you just cannot be without as you work your way through the crowd? Potato salad? One of those huge pickles? Come on, there has to be something !

I would help myself to potato salad, cole slaw, green salad, pickles, ketchup, and maybe onions

Threesome: French Fries-- ...and the real toughie: do you have to have "fries with that'? ...or will chips do well enough for you. Just curious...

At a barbecue, I'd rather have the chips. At a fast food place, I must have my fries!

A day at the park

Today was the nicest day since spring break and so I took the girls and Little T to the park. The playground area is called Imagination Kingdom and it's easy to see why. There is a lot of cool stuff for kids to do! I'd taken T there once before in the beginning of the month and he really enjoyed being on the swing again!

There are more pictures following!

Heidi took T on a little "tour" of the place. He wasn't as sure about exploring the castle as he was about the swing. He definitely didn't care for the slide but I'm sure that will change!

Kristin also enjoyed exploring the park and trying out all the equipment. She said to me, "I'm too old for this park." That's not it. She's not too old, she's just too tall. Still, she had fun.

I had fun too mostly because the kids enjoyed it. Somehow Little T got his hat off and then the sun was right in his face!

We needed this break!

QOTD:

You've just learned that you have been chosen as one of the next group of contestants for "Survivor" and you start in 6 weeks. How will you spend the next 6 weeks in preparation for your participation?

Boy ... first I am going to work out to develop endurance. I am going to review previous episodes and try to pick up pointers from the winners and the losers. I thought I'd cut back my portions to get used to the idea of little or no food.

How often do you lose your temper?

It depends on how badly I'm stressed. I can lose it in a snap or I can be pretty patient, depending on what is going on around me.

A day in the car

Either I was driving someone to the doctor or to work or picking them up. On the bright side, the sun finally came out!

Heidi is now off the strattera because it might be making her sick. Tomas has another ear infection. It was such a nasty morning but while we were out running these errands we did stop at the mall. The day wasn't a total loss. I still feel very stressed with everything that's going on around here.

QOTDII

What business or career would you consider if you were starting over?

An interpreter (for the deaf) referral agency

What's more valuable: beauty or brains?

Beauty always fades eventually. Brains are more valuable in so many ways.

Ten on Tuesday:

Ten Great Moments in TV

These are in order of the moments as I thought of them while trying to compose this list

1) The streaker on the Oscar awards years ago
2) Neil Armstrong walking on the moon 1969
3) the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show
4) "I can't believe I ate the whooooole thing" Alka Seltzer commercial
5) Elton John singing at Princess Diana's funeral
6) President Nixon resigns
7) Bill Clinton plays the sax on the Arsenio Hall show
8) US hockey team wins gold in Lake Placid NY, 1980
9) the last scene of the Bob Newhart show finale
10) John F. Kennedy Jr. saluting his father's casket

Miserable Monday

There's not much to update about. It's pouring down rain and we're getting puddles everywhere. It's not cold but it's damp and miserable. I have been so stressed out with various family members and it feels like a bad toothache. I would like to "run away" with TB ... just a couple of days ... and not tell anyone where we are going.

Spring has sprung, the grass has riz...I wonder where all da birdies & flowers is?

QOTDII

What are your personal boundaries for sharing pictures on your blog?

I never really thought about how it might put my family at risk. I don't know that we have a big enough readership and I thought, well, no one knows where we are. I think I'm awfully naive, eh? I enjoy looking at pictures in other blogs and I enjoy having ours posted ... but I guess we should be more cautious. I notice that other blogs don't use real names either.

Baker's Dozen:

1. It was a totally stressful weekend!
2. I gained back 3 pounds :(
3. We did have a nice, quiet Easter dinner
4. Where are the daffodils?
5. Why is it still raining? It's not April!
6. My friend told me that when her brother was dying, he didn't want to eat and he didn't suffer pain from it. That's a relief not only for him but for Terri Schiavo
7. Why are the doctors giving her morphine, though?
8. I would not want to be like that
9. "What a drag it is getting old" -- I ache all over, especially in this stupid weather
10. The Easter bunny is a lot of hype and it's just no fun for me anymore
11. My cats really fight viciously sometimes ... it's not just playing!
12. I am not sick of corned beef and cabbage yet.

This is a picture of my sister-in-law Anna and I chose the picture because of the pretty flowers ... wishing they were blooming in our yards!

Unconscious Mutterings:

I say ... and you think...

1. I’m waiting:: for spring
2. Speak:: talk
3. Roger...:: over and out
4. Knock knock:: who's there?
5. Hybrid:: blend
6. Can’t believe my eyes:: Wow!
7. Hooked:: addicted
8. Pontificate:: preach
9. Slime:: icky
10. Unwelcome:: stress

Happy Easter

Frustrated

Heidi's really been on a rampage the last few days and I am just so frustrated! Dr. R recently upped her dosage of stratera and I'm not sure it's helping her. She says it is but ... where are these rages coming from?

Yesterday she was mad because it was her dish night and she didn't care for the chicken chili & hominy I'd made (everyone else liked it, it's really delicious!). She thought the hominy had a weird texture. Well, I don't remember how we got there but there was a scene at the dinner table and it got so out of hand that TB went and put headphones over his ears to block out all the yelling. Oh -- I just remembered a little bit of it. T was cranky and fussy himself and apparently it was just driving Heidi up the wall.

Heidi got really mad at us for being rude and hurting her feelings. Not that this makes any sense, but she botched up the dishes because she was so po'd. Later on she came to me and said we should leave her alone when she's in a bad mood because she's so easily provoked. Yeesh! What are we supposed to do, not talk to her? Just suffer in silence while she rants or complains about stuff?

This morning TB called her downstairs to redo the dishes. She made remarks to him and he got mad and said she'd f*cked up his dinner last night, he wasn't going to let her f*ck up his life too. A few minutes later, Heidi came into our bedroom, crying and angry because I hadn't come out to stop TB from hurting her feelings. She accused me of not caring about her and that I must agree with TB because I didn't try to defend her.

I told I do care but that yes, her behavior at the table had upset me, too. What was I supposed to do? Run out and tell TB not to talk to Heidi that way? But Heidi was rude to TB first and she frequently causes scenes ... so are we supposed to put up with that in order to not hurt her feelings? I don't think so ... that's not the way the world turns. I said I'm sure that TB said what he did in anger and that I have said things like that in anger too. I reminded her that she often yelled at Rich that way and it caused us a lot of stress.

She wants to shift the blame. She says that this is the way she is and that she's like me. Well, we do have the same temperament but I had a lot more self control at 16 than she does. She's got to change the way she responds to people or she's going to have tumult and conflicts all her life. And I can't stick up for her and protect her when I know that the behavior is dysfunctional.

I can't win, no matter what I do.

QOTDII

What is your favorite way to exercise?

I love to walk on the boardwalk! If not there, walking anywhere is my exercise of choice.

How often do you exercise?

Not nearly enough!

Good Friday Rant

I do have a cat picture to post but I had to get this off my chest first.

What's so great about the Easter bunny? When I was a little kid, I loved the Easter bunny -- what child wouldn't? I'd get a basket (a small one!) with a chocolate bunny and lots of jelly beans hidden in the green grass. I would get a stuffed animal. My Easter baskets were nothing like those of today. Not only that, but nowadays you can start celebrating in February and gain a great deal of weight eating Cadbury eggs all during the Lenten season.

Once again, we have a Christian holiday celebrated around a pagan one. I begin to understand why these dates coincide, though -- the early Christians were persecuted for their beliefs and this was one way to celebrate without being too obvious about it. I always thought the Easter bunny was an invention by the candy companies and I was feeling really annoyed about how it's usurped the real meaning of Easter. Except ... now I find out that the Easter bunny was around before Jesus! Eastre was an Anglo-Saxon goddess worshipped through her earthly symbol ... the rabbit. Read more here.

Okay, so Russell Stover and Mary Sue didn't invent the Easter bunny. Still ... all the celebration seems to center around him and the jelly beans and the candy. I guess there are still plenty of people who still color eggs and then hide them for the kids, but do they know what the meaning is behind all of that?

You might be able to tell that I'm not a fan of the Easter bunny anymore. Good Friday is one of the most important days in history for Christians but I look around and it seems like no one remembers what it's all about--and I mean amongst Christians, not amongst people of other faiths. For the kids, Good Friday is the first day of spring break. Linda didn't realize it was Good Friday. Hmmm...Easter is Sunday and the girls want chocolate and Tomas is going to have a basket, yadda yadda, and Good Friday -- that's the Friday right before Easter, riiiight?

One candy company, Russell Stover, would like to market chocolate crosses to Christians. They knew enough to know that a chocolate Jesus or Jesus on the cross would be offensive but apparently it didn't occur to them that eating a plain cross might also be ... unnerving? I mean Jesus was nailed to a cross and crucified. I think I would have a lot of trouble biting into it, even if it is chocolate. And now, for the really busy Christians who don't have time to reflect on what the holiday really means and also don't have time to make baskets for their kids, there is a new variation on the prepackaged Easter basket. You can get them in themes! They don't have to have a thing to do with bunnies, Peeps, or jelly beans. You can get a Nascar basket! And you can get a Sponge Bob or a Scooby Doo basket! Whoop-de-doo!

I think it would be really ironic to totally lose the Easter bunny in all this commercialism. :P I wouldn't mind seeing an Easter Amber -- here she is in her 'bonnet'.

QOTDII

QOTD 3/25/05
What flowers are blooming now where you live?

I honestly haven't seen any flowers yet! I keep looking for the daffodils!

What is your favorite fresh flower?

Roses

QOTD 3/24/05

What 3 things top your "To Do List" today?

Grocery shopping for the things I need for dinner today
Vacuum the carpet in my bedroom
Laundry

Which one will you be most likely to accomplish first, and why?

Probably the laundry because it's the easiest to start

Thursday Threesome:

Onesome: Wine- or beer? Or do you prefer your beverages non-alcoholic?

I haven't drunk alcohol in about 20 years. I prefer ice cold water and, after that, diet Pepsi vanilla

Twosome: Women- and men. We're entirely different creatures. What do you think makes the opposite sex tick? Or do you consider their behaviour a complete mystery?

I have to admit that I am mostly mystified. I do get it that guys are in a "solve the problem" mindset rather than a whine & bitch about it mode. So when I complain about something, TB tries to figure out how to fix it. It can't always be fixed though. Now why they never want to ask for directions is something I'll never understand.

Threesome: and Song- What's your favorite song? Your favorite band/ musician?

I have so many favorite songs, it's hard to single out just one. My most favorite musician is Billy Joel -- at least, that's how I feel today. I enjoy listening to lots of bands and musicians.

Wet Wednesday

This weather is totally crazy. Yesterday was so gorgeous and today we might get some snow during this nasty storm we're having! It's cold and windy and it's just pouring!

I took Linda to her scheduled appointment and that was a real ordeal. It was hot and crowded inside the building and we were there for hours. Little T couldn't take it anymore and so I took him out of the building. There was a park across the way and so we went there. I pushed him in his stroller and we walked around the park and stopped at the playground. He was happy as long as we were doing something. The poor little guy was tired and hungry so I took him home. Thankfully, Linda's friend was able to pick her up and give her a ride home.

One of the big news stories of the day has to do with what happened at Red Lake, MN. A 16 year old boy named Jeff Weise killed his grandfather and girlfriend (originally reported to be grandmother) and then went to school and killed more people. I've seen comparisons with what happened here to Columbine -- read more here.

It scares me. Kids have always been picked on (I was all during junior high) but I've never heard of this level of "paybacks" before. What makes killing okay? I remember feeling pushed to the wall too but it never occured to me to get a gun and kill people. What really scares me is that Heidi herself says some days if she had a gun, she'd do something like that because she's so sick of being picked on. Does all the video games and violence on TV make killing an acceptable solution to bullying?
I found a picture Heidi drew that really upsets me and I have to talk to her about it.

QOTDII

Do you think that there will ever be peaceful existence for the people of Iraq?

I don't know. It doesn't seem possible, does it, especially not with the insurgents doing their best to undermine everything.

What do you think it will take for that to happen?

The citizens need to unite for the good of their country and set aside whatever differences they might have to support the elected government. They also need to turn on and revile the insurgents/terrorists and get them out of their country. It'll help once the US gets out too.

QOTD 3/22/05

What allergies do you have?

Well, there is penicillin, to which I had a serious reaction when I was an infant ... 1954 or '55. I might have outgrown it but have never been treated with it since. As for anything else, I haven't been diagnosed so technically I can't say for sure. I seem to react in the spring when the trees are pollinating.

How do they show themselves?

My sinuses become inflamed and I get a lot of post nasal drip.

Do you take meds for them?

I take prescription Allegra which really seems to help a lot!

10 on Tuesday

10 Things You're Good At

1) Reading to kids, especially babies
2) Listening
3) Writing (when I put my mind to it)
4) Making dinners
5) Giving advice
6) Living with pain but some days are just really hard
7) I'm told I'm a "cool mom"
8) Relaxing
9) hugs & kisses
10) signing (sign language)

Wednesday Whatevers

1. Are emotions controllable and why?

Yes, they are and it's because there's a part of your brain that gives you self control. You learn to use it ... or not, in some cases

2. What do you want named after you when you are dead?

AFTER? Well, BEFORE it would be nice to have a grandchild named Cassie

3. What is the most important standard you live by (political, social, religious, etc)?

The Golden Rule

Doctors, doctors, doctors

I feel like I should be given my own room in their offices, I am spending so much time there! :P On Friday, I took Kristin to see Dr. B. This morning, Heidi and I had an appt with Dr. R and then, this afternoon, with Dr. B. When we are not losing our minds, we are suffering from sinus infections.

In a couple of weeks, I have to see Dr. Atlas again, the spinal guy. I also need to see the fibromyalgia doc again next month. I'll need PT soon for my back. I need to take Heidi to a surgeon for a fatty tumor in her leg and to the endocrinologist for a possible thyroid problem. Kristin needs to go to the orthodontist. I need to go back to the OBGYN, need a mammogram AND she wants me to get one of those colonoscopies.

No wonder a lot of these doctors have stopped wearing white coats!

Baker's Dozen

1. Carnival of the Cats posted, a one year anniversary for them here. I found myself feeling grumpy for the criticism of Mouse's name. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm overly sensitive, I know. For the record, Mouse came to us with that name. We didn't change it because she'd been living with it for over a year and, besides, we thought it was kind of cute!
2. I realize two things from the Terry Schiavo case: make a living will! The second thing is, when you are in a vegetative state you won't be mad at your family for what they are unable to bring themselves to do
3. People are really uncomfortable talking about that stuff (getting sick, dying) probably because it reminds us of our mortality
4. Everyone still has a cold, a sinus infection or some sort of plague. Hurry up, spring!
5. Stephen King is coming out with a new book!
6. The soft collar helps but is uncomfortable to wear!
7. How can a young woman and a baby sleep so freaking many hours of the day?
8. I could probably eat Chinese food every day for a year before I got sick of it!
9. Rainy Sundays at home are very relaxing
10. It's nice to have a kid who can drive a car ... especially when the movies are 20 minutes away and I don't feel like going but the kids do
11. I never heard of a hero called Constantine but apparently he's been a comic book character for a while
12. I'm sick of visiting doctors' offices!

my poor maligned Mouse

QOTD2

What's in your CD player right now?

Turnstiles, by Billy Joel

New Book by Stephen King!

This is good news for me because I love King's books! I haven't read the last in The Gunslinger series not only because it's a BIG book but also because after that, there is no more to the story. I visited the Stephen King website several weeks ago and didn't see any new books being released soon. Oh, no, I thought, he can't be out of ideas!

Then TB sent me this and although I'm not a real fan of pulp paperbacks I'll give it a shot to read something King's written. I went to the website for the book series, Hard Case Crime and recognized a lot of the authors. Well, I'm always looking for something to read.

One thing I like about Stephen King is that he seems to like trying different things. I really enjoyed The Green Mile, which was originally published in the old serial style -- like Charles Dickens used to publish his stories. King also tried out the ebook industry but I don't think he had as much luck with that. There weren't enough honest readers and too many were downloading his stuff for free and never paying for it. Phooey on freeloaders! :P

It's the end of another weekend and Tomas should be home soon. I wonder what's changed in the last 24 hours? The cool thing about babies is how dramatically they can change even overnight! Linda is still trying to get him to sleep in his own bed. That is going to take a lot of work though because he's become so used to sleeping with her. I don't think it's that big a deal but I know there is a big controversy over this whole "family bed" issue. My only worry is that Tomas could fall out of the bed or get rolled onto because the bed is just a twin.

Unconscious Mutterings:

I say ... and you think ...

1. Stink:: Peeee-yew!
2. Renewal:: subscription
3. I remember...:: Mama
4. Loneliness:: desolation
5. Ooooh:: surprise!
6. For real:: truly
7. Titanium:: metal
8. Get down:: sit
9. Rupture:: appendix
10. Dramatic:: act

Bitter Harvest

I took Kristin to the library last weekend and, realizing I didn't bring anything with me to read, I went and looked on the used-books-for-sale rack. The library has a great deal on their books. Most only cost a quarter and the most I've ever had to pay is $1 for a hardback. Anyway, Bitter Harvest by Ann Rule was there and I picked it up. I've read several of her other books. She's a good writer. The best one I've read was called The Stranger Beside Me and it was about Ted Bundy ... who used to be a friend! Imagine!

What draws people to write about horror or violence? What draws us to read these stories? I'm not sure. It's like driivng by a car wreck. Most of us want to look.

Ann Rule writes very well but I found this book depressing. It's a true story (her books are non fiction) about a woman, Dr. Debora Green, who had a very inadequate personality to behave in the way she did. She and Dr. Michael Farrar had a beautiful home and 3 beautiful children. Outwardly, they might have seemed to be a happy family. But there's always a hidden story, isn't there? If you are drawn to car wrecks too, you might enjoy this book. If not, you can read what happened here.

QOTD2

Ever been robbed?

I get a creepy feeling answering this question. I think robbery is when someone threatens you or pulls a weapon or something and takes something that belongs to you, as opposed to a burglary? Anyway, I feel like it's tempting fate or something to answer the question. :P

Any place that you don't feel safe?

Anywhere, outdoors and alone at night unless I am driving locked in my car. There is just too much bad stuff going on everywhere for me to feel truly safe unless TB is with me.

Feline Friday

Mouse and Amber both love TB. Mouse just loves to be loved!

Amber just has a thing for papers on desks. Here's Amber, this time on TB's desk!

QOTD:

Tell me 10 of your favorite things.

1. the beach (by the sea, by the beautiful sea!)
2. books
3. the music I love to listen to (lots of different kinds)
4. my cats
5. cool breezes
6. sea salt in the air
7. the boardwalk
8. my rocking chair
9. my computer
10. my stuffed animals

(do you have the song stuck in your head yet? Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens....)

Nope ... I like the song but it's not stuck in my head!

Friday Q:

FQ1: Something green you like to eat...

cabbage

FQ2: Something green you like to wear...

my tee shirt

FQ3: Something green you like to look at...

landscaped lawns

FQ GALLERY: Post a photo you took (or an illustration you made) of something green...

St. Patrick's Day

Today, everyone is Irish ... honorary if need be, right?

I found a great page about the Irish. My grandparents came to the United States from County Sligo and some day, I want to go and visit!

QOTD:

Ever been to a big St. Patrick's Day parade?

Years and years ago, when I was a little kid.

What is your favorite Irish saying?

I have a whole bunch. Today, my favorite is:

May those who love us love us
And those who don't love us
May God turn their hearts,
And if He doesn't turn their hearts,
May He turn their ankles,
So we'll know them by their limping.

Other favorites:

May the Lord keep you in His hand
And never close His fist too tight.

May your neighbors respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And heaven accept you.

May God be with you and bless you,
May you see your children's children,
May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.

May God grant you many years to live,
For sure He must be knowing
The earth has angels all too few
And heaven is overflowing.

And one more:

Always remember to forget
The things that made you sad.
But never forget to remember
The things that made you glad.

Always remember to forget
The friends that proved untrue.
But never forget to remember
Those that have stuck by you.

Always remember to forget
The troubles that passed away.
But never forget to remember
The blessings that come each day.

Thursday Threesome:

Onesome: Happy-- No matter what's going on in your life, what always makes you smile?

The laughter of a child, especially one of my own ...child or grandchild

Twosome: St. Patrick's-- St. Patrick's Day is March 17th. Do you celebrate and wear green? Drink Green Beer? Ignore it?

I used to celebrate it a lot more than I do now. When I worked, I used to wear all sorts of green, buttons, ribbons, hats and what have you. We always have corned beef and cabbage and I always used to watch The Quiet Man. The corned beef is on and I am wearing a green tee shirt today. Erin go bragh!

Threesome: Day-- What day of the week is your busiest? Tell us about your schedule...

If I had to pick a busiest day, it would be Wednesday because that's when I usually run the most errands. On Wednesdays, I usually see Dr. R and Heidi usually needs to see the allergist. We're usually running out of stuff and so I go to the grocery store or the bank and put gas into the car.

Gas Prices

Who isn't thinking about that these days, at least every time you pull in to fill up?

We are lucky because we are in the boonies out here. Gas hasn't gone over $2 a gallon around here ... yet. I filled the tank yesterday at a station that charged me $1.85. It wasn't a name brand station -- they charge almost $2 now.

At the same time, we're unlucky to be in a place with no mass transportation. You have to have a car to get just about anywhere around here. For me, this means I'm going to have to start consolidating trips and run some errands/shop in areas where I have to go for doctor appointments or what have you. Like today ... I have a doctor's appointment again and along the way, there is a Shop Rite. So I'll do some grocery shopping. I'll drop a form off to social security, which is on my way home.

Well, all of that is just common sense and I've been doing that mostly anyhow. It'll surely put a crimp on summer plans. I had ideas of going to Seaside a lot this summer but it's an hour's drive away. So I guess we'll see...

Supposedly OPEC is supposed to increase oil production to help relieve the increase in the cost but that's just a temporary bandaid. What happens when it gets busier, when the demand gets higher? That always happens in the summer because people want to travel.

Why haven't we found any alternatives already? This is over 30 years now that we realized we're at the mercy of crude oil and you'd think we'd have found a way around this already. Oh ... but I guess that would cut into Big Business (Texas Oil and so on) profits too much. :P

QOTD:

What is the price of unleaded gasoline where you live?

I am really lucky! Yesterday, I was able to fill my tank at $1.85/gallon at a Patriot (independent?) station. Most of the time I go to either Gasway or Wawa. The gas prices there are anywhere from $.10-.20 cheaper than the name brand stations! At those prices, I just can't afford to be picky anymore!

How much does it take to fill up your tank?

The most it has cost me so far is $30 but I don't let the tank get much below 1/4 tank.

These prices are scary!

Wednesday Whatevers

1. What does procrastination do?

Absolutely nothing, just like war. :D

2. Is life fair?

Heavens, no. Sometimes. Rarely.

3. Why do children use their father's last name?

Because we live in a paternalistic society. Still.

Just Stuff

TB showed me & the kids some of the drawings he did/does on his new job, just to give us an idea of what drafting is about. It looks really neat (literally and figuratively) to me but it's also very confusing. TB's got some concerns too because he doesn't have all the information he needs. That worries me a little, too, because I wouldn't want him to get blamed for something that isn't in his control. One thing I learned when I used to work: if there is a problem, make a paper trail and document, document, document.

So this morning I went to social security to file a claim for disability benefits. I don't know if this is going to work but I figured I would give it a shot. I worked hard for like 30 years and now that I'm having physical problems I feel like I'm entitled to some of my money now. The case worker, John, was very helpful and sympathetic.

Last night, Lin and I watched a special about the accused BTK killer, Dennis Rader. The story gave me the creeps, to think that a church going family man could be a serial killer! This man was a Boy Scout leader as well. What creeped me out about that is that his first 4 victims was a family -- and the two kids were only 11 and 9. Then I think about this guy out in the woods with a bunch of kids and I shudder!

The letters he wrote to the media (and to the police) were pretty creepy as well. He wanted attention and was pissed off when he didn't get it. He also said the killers like him couldn't control their impulses because of an "X factor" -- I think that's what it was called. He compared himself to Son of Sam and the Green River Killer.

Rader doesn't fit the profile of a typical serial killer and so no one had a single suspicion about him, other than he was a detail oriented S.O.B. that seemed to ride some people more than others.

What must it like to be Mrs. Rader? Or the next door neighbors? Or the church pastor?

Read more here.

QOTD

1) Have you ever broken any bones? If so, how and what bone(s).

Not that I ever can remember but apparently I fractured at least 2 different vertebrae, one in my lower back and one in my neck. I'm assuming they happened in falls, or in a big car accident.

2) What surgeries have you had?

In-office surgeries to remove cysts and stuff and the major ones: ruptured appendix & tubal ligation

Ten on Tuesday:

Ten Favorite Literary Characters

1. Francie Nolan, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith
2. Scout Finch, To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
3. Claire Fraser, Outlander series, by Diana Gabaldon
4. Jamie Fraser, Outlanderseries, by Diana Gabaldon
5. Margaret Ryder, In This Sign, by Joanne Greenburg
6. Stu Redman, The Stand, by Stephen King
7. Randall Flagg, The Stand, by Stephen King
8. Scarlett O'Hara, Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
9. Rhett Butler, Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
10. Lucy Marsden, Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All, by Allan Gurganus

Traveling Tomas

That boy can really move now! He has discovered the joys of getting around on his own speed and he is really into it! He crawls and he cruises (holds onto the wall and walks down the hall to my room) and he holds onto our hands and calls out his version of "Yaaaaaay!" He is so cute ... and so fast! You have to get up and follow him around once he gets going.

He came home yesterday with a bruise over and under his eye. Kennan says he dropped his bottle into the toybox and then fell into it, on top of it. I sort of think Travelin' T has caught his dad & folks by surprise too and they weren't watching or weren't close enough to grab him.

I just sent some emails off to 2 more colleges Billy wants to go to. We've had such a rough time the last 2 years but there's no place on the FAFSA (free application for student aid) to explain that so I have to contact financial aid at the colleges separately.

Now I'm on my way to see the spinal orthopod and find out what's what with my back!

Check out all the cool kitties at this week's Carnival of the Cats at Maggie's!

Baker's Dozen:

1. I miss the grandkids especially on the weekend, especially when we pass Imagination Kingdom and especially with all the great new kid movies out
2. Maybe the Cadbury eggs aren't getting me but the Reese's white chocolate peanut butter cups sure are!
3. Are there 12 steps for choco-holics?
4. Taking the pain medication makes me too dopey and sleepy to really enjoy a movie. Not taking it makes me not enjoy anything
5. The weather was brisk and cold but at least there was no snow! Where are the daffodils?
6. Explaining your financial circumstances to colleges is rather stressful
7. Does Ann Rule write any books about happy people? I guess books about happy people wouldn't sell ...
8. Tomas sure can move around fast now!
9. What is that cat doing to my stuffed animals?
10. Digital cameras that cost $19 probably don't have flashes
11. I forgot to get the oil changed in my car
12. St. Patrick's dinner is happening twice at our house this week!

This picture comes from our photoblog and was taken last fall, when Linda and T went to visit Tennessee. I picked this picture because it shows all the grandkids!

QOTD

What do you remember about when you first learned to use a computer?

One of the first things I remember is thinking: thank God, now I don't have to ask any more snotty Computer Lab people for help! I was so abysmally ignorant I could turn on the computer and that's about it. I didn't know how to run any program, didn't know anything about MS Word and had no clue how to get onto the Internet. I took a class and by the end of the 12 weeks (or however long it was) I had become independent and didn't need any help ... yay!

Besides blogging, what do you use your computer for the most?

Probably email and surfing with writing stories a distant third after that. :P

Oddly Suspenseful

The other day I finished reading Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz. It's an engrossing tale of psychic gifts and sociopathic serial killers and I was sucked right in. The only real problem I had with it was that the narrator, 20 year old Odd Thomas, sounded more like he was in his late 30s or 40s. He doesn't talk like a young man and okay, it's because he's so intelligent and lives such a weird life. I understand that. It was just a little off to me.

Odd sees dead people (think: Sixth Sense) all over town. They don't speak to him, though. If they need to get a message across, they have to find some non-verbal way to do it. Odd also sees supernatural evil type critters he calls bodachs which he defines as psychic vampires. A swarm of bodachs surrounds a very odd (heh heh) looking man who appears at the diner and Odd has this dreadful feeling something bad is going to happen.

There are a couple of "far stretches" in the book involving break-ins, moving bodies, hiding bodies, and some other stuff but they weren't at a ridiculous level, enough to cause me to throw the book down in disgust. And the end ... what a heck of a twist!

I have found another author whose books I enjoy reading!

A little note to Jessica about the subject matter of some of my posts: I write this blog for me, not for readers. Changing the words of an old song called "It's My Party": It's my blog and I'll write what I want to. No one is forced to read it. It's like TV, just change the channel. As for Linda, I am very saddened ... how can I trust someone ever again who lies with such a straight face and doesn't seem to care about how what she does affects her family? She really needs to get her act together and I don't know if that will ever ever happen. I ache for Little T.

Unconscious Mutterings:

I say ... and you think ...

1. Shape up:: Get your act together!
2. New Orleans:: Mardi Gras
3. In the bedroom:: sanctuary
4. All the time:: pain
5. Philosophy:: belief
6. Tyler:: Anne
7. Disturbed:: upset
8. French kiss:: passionate
9. Solidify:: strengthen
10. Furtive:: sneaky

Parent=Dumb?

I don't think so, not hardly.

The thing that amazes me most when a kid (grown up or not) lies, he or she doesn't seem to realize that the truth is always going to come out one way or another. There is a lot more to the TGIFriday story than Linda has let on or would like to think we believe.

I'm glad now that I decided I didn't want her to drive my car anymore. I'd been feeling kinda bad about it and was thinking about reconsidering but there is no way now.

Luckily for her, Kennan is going to help her (or so he says) get her car on the road.

QOTDII:

As a child, I can remember saying to myself, "I'll never do that when I grow up/when I have kids". I catch myself now doing some of those things.

Is there anything that you said you would never do that you have now done as an adult or a parent? What is it?

I always said I would never act like my mother. Well, when I get mad apparently I do. My face goes all red and scary looking. I try very hard not to say the hurtful things she said to me ("I never wanted children) or go on rampages like she did. That's taken therapy. I have a better control of my anger but I'm still told my face gets scary looking. :(

Also, before we had kids I'd see how little ones would act in public and I'd be one saying "Not my child." Ha ha. Everyone's child acts out once in a while.

I've learned humility.

Name 3 words that have to do with laundry. (yes, I have a reason for asking this silly question)

wash cycle
detergent
fabric softener

Feline Friday - Grooming Session

This is one of Amber's favorite spots, yes, lying on 'important' papers on my desk. What is it about cats and papers? Anyway, one of her other favorite spots is smack dab in front of the monitor.

She loves to pose!

Amber isn't always thrilled about being groomed but she will sit patiently and let me comb her long fur if she's settled comfortably. I can't do anything else anyway, right?

Kissy, kissy, kissy!

QOTD2

What is your favorite meat and favorite way to prepare it? *

If I had to pick just one, it would have to be prime rib. I love it medium rare and flame grilled when we are out. I made rib roasts in the oven that came out pretty well but it just wasn't the same!

Do you think that the hormones or chemicals that growers put in beef and chicken cause any harm to our bodies?

Yes, I do. I think all of the stuff that we use to "enhance" our quality of living is potentially very harmful! Look what happened with pesticides in the 1950s/1960s when sharecrop planes dusted everyone and every thing with DDT. Now that is banned. Women who take hormones for menopausal symptoms are at increased risk for developing cancer. Who knows what all this other stuff is doing to us ... yet? Maybe in 10 years all of that will be banned too.

Friday Five:

1) What was your favorite toy as a child?

My lovey was a stuffed kitty named "Meow". I had dolls, Barbies, and all sorts of other toys I liked playing with as well.

2) What is your favorite toy now that you're "grown up"?

My computer

3) What is the most dangerous toy you had growing up?

Probably the easy bake oven because of a possible fire hazard

4) What is the most dangerous toy you have now?

My computer. I can get pretty lost in it.

5) What one toy do you wish you had/have?

A camcorder--NO this is not a hint for any kind of gift, you know who I am talking to!!!!

Enough

Kennan needs to get Linda's car on the road. He gave her this car for Christmas like 4 years ago but it's still not registered or insured. Although the judge told him he had to help Linda with transportation, he doesn't figure this applies to that car.

Well, she's not going to drive my car anymore. The last straw was that she took my car and went places other than where she told me. All I knew was that she wanted to get shoes. She ended up going to a whole lot of other places, too, and I am mad. She is not on my insurance policy and she doesn't have insurance of her own. So if something happened while she was driving, yeah, my company would cover it but then likely they'd drop me. Then there's the matter of wear and tear on the car. I don't need the mileage being run up like that.

So let Kennan help her figure out how she's going to get to work...although TB and I did provide her with a bunch of bus schedules.

I'm watching Little T for her at no cost. She's got a roof over her head, food, comforts like cable and phone and computer ... she doesn't have to take my car as well anymore. Grrr.

QOTDII:

Tell us about your very first job.

At what rate do you think the minimum wage should be set?

I interviewed for my first job several months before I graduated high school. The position was for a big name insurance company in downtown Baltimore. They had their own jingle and their very own building. I took quite a few tests before I got to speak to a breathing person. They were impressed enough to tell me to call as soon as I graduated and I'd start working for minimum wage. Back then, it was a whopping $2.15 an hour. When I called, the supervisor told me I'd be working in the Claims Department. It was pretty mindless work. I would just retype claim renewals over and over and over. I began to bring a radio with me to work so I could listen to the Watergate hearings. The supervisor saw the earplug one day and went ballistic. "But this is history," I explained stubbornly and they transferred me to the filing department. I liked it there okay but then I got sick -- hadn't fully recovered from back surgery I'd had in May -- and I quit before the end of the summer.

I think the minimum wage should be $10 an hour. Already I hear the screams and howls of protest from employers but I really don't care. It won't go that high ... yet.

Thursday Threesome:

::A Somewhat Aimless Hodgepodge::
Onesome: A Somewhat-- We're in somewhat of a lull between holidays. Are you decorating for St. Patrick's Day or going right for the Easter season. ...or are you just hanging on for margaritas by the pool?

Oh, I'm definitely in a St. Patrick's Day mode although all of that is on my computer and not up around the house. I don't decorate the house for holidays except for Christmas and maybe a little bit at Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Twosome: Aimless-- Aimlessly waiting for Spring? What are you just waiting to do once the weather clears up?

I'm not quite aimlessly waiting. I'm blogging and I'm actually trying to do some organized writing now that I have this mini break from babyitting. Once the weather clears up, I hope to get outside and walk with the baby. I sure could use the exercise! I'm also hoping to take him to the park more often.

Threesome: Hodgepodge-- Where's the hodge podge collection at your place? You know, that drawer or shelf or cabinet where 'all the other stuff' ends up when there's no place assigned to it. Yeah, that one !

Ah, yes, that would be my bedroom ... on my desk (which I need to straighten up because I can't see over anything) and also on the floor nearby. The stack on the floor has magazines, bills, flyers, articles, and all the other blah-de-blah I'm too lazy to put away.

A Much Needed Break

Lin isn't working the rest of the week. I asked why and she said the other day shift person requested more hours. Uh-oh, I said, what about you? She said the manager was trying to get the other person to quit. I understand ... I think. Anyway, she and T have gone out for a while and I'm just chilling. I love that little boy but I sure needed this break!

I couldn't see anything on the Xrays I picked up but then, of course, I have no idea what I'm looking for. There was a report attached which was much more helpful. I went and looked online for definitions of things I didn't understand. Basically, it's the same thing Dr. B told me. I have an avulsion fracture in C7 and it is a "stable type". The report also talks about "uncovertebral spurring" and I'm thinking this is the arthritis the doc mentioned. I have disk degenerative narrowing at C5-6 and C3-4. Dr. B mentioned that too but when she said it was normal aging stuff I wasn't concerned. Okay, so now I'm going to look and see how this injury is usually treated ... rest, PT, surgery? I don't think I need surgery.

I was talking to Linda and Heidi about all that's going on with me and I said, "I'm 50 and I have a collapsed arch, muscle spasms and a fracture in my back, high blood pressure and heavy boobs" and it's because I am so heavy. I warned this could happen to them in 25 years but I probably came across sounding like a nag. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know. It's really frustrating because I don't want them to go through this but when you're young it seems like the advice of older people (who've been through it) is just yadda yadda yadda. :P

Speaking of food, ever a popular topic around here, I was talking with one of the kids about vegetables that are really fruits. There are quite a few of them! A fruit is defined as "a fertilized ovary of a flower, containing seeds protected by a fleshy cover." Tomatoes and pumpkins are fruits. My daughter asked, what about a cucumber? Yup, cukes too. So are squashes and even green beans.

Today I see that New Jersey is going to call the tomato its state vegetable. How can they do that? Well, in its ignorance way back when the Supreme Court ruled tomatoes, cukes and green beans must be vegetables because they are typically served with dinner. There were vegetable tariffs on them. So although they're biological fruits they are legal vegetables. Hee hee.

QOTD II:

Do you like your neighbor(s)? Do you think they like you?

I would say yes and yes to be simple. I've become more and more reclusive as I've gotten older and for me, a good neighbor is one who says, "hi, how are ya?" and goes on his or her way. There is a generally sweet older couple a house over from us and I cringe when I see them coming because they'll talk your head off. I guess I had a lot more patience and interest when I was younger because I can remember sitting outside chatting with neighbors and having them come over occasionally. Sometimes we'd have conflicts with neighbors and sometimes I'd get close to someone ... and then they'd move. Or I did. So when we moved to Long Island, I wasn't too interested in sitting outside and chatting anymore. I'm still like that now. As for how others see me right now ... I would say maybe shy, maybe stand offish. That's fine with me.

Wednesday Whatevers

1. About how much money do you spend daily?

That's hard to say. Sometimes I don't spend any money at all. On my own, I don't think I've ever spent much more than $20 except for gas. If TB and I go shopping together, then we'll spend a lot more on food and stuff.

2. How much money do you think you are worth right now?

Dead or alive? ;-)

3. What is your favorite blogging system?

So far my favorite is blogger. I think it's the most user friendly. I like MT but don't get how to use it effectively.

Crazy Weather & Other Agita

Yesterday, it was in the 60s! I'd seen that the temperatures were supposed to drop drastically later this week so I figured I would take the car so T and I could go to Imagination Kingdom (a cool playground not far from here). It was gorgeous! It was the first time T was in a baby swing (I think) and he was scared at first, clutching my jacket tightly. But it didn't take long for him to relax and enjoy himself, laughing out loud and looking all around. It did us good to get out.

Today it was supposed to get colder and rain all day. We were supposed to get snow showers later but it wasn't supposed to stick. So I had to go and see Dr. Rick about my ankle. Lin had gotten the day off from work cuz she also had an appointment at social services in the afternoon ... and a friend of hers volunteered to take her. That was a relief for me because from there, I was going to go pick up my spine X-rays and then get the referral to the orthopod from my family doctor. When I left for the doctor, it was raining and the wind was blowing. When I came out an hour later, there was snow everywhere.

And it was sticking like crazy.

Okay, I thought, I'll call my family doctor and see if she's got the referral ready ... and then I realized the cell phone wasn't in the car again. Grrrrr!

Nine times out of ten I will forget the cell phone because I only use it if I need it. Too many times I would be out on the road and realize I didn't have it. Sometimes I needed it. So ... I took to leaving it in the car, attached to the charger. It worked great for me ... until Lin began to use the car. She'll take it out of the car and use it. TB and I have talked to her about that because a couple of times we've been in the car and needed the phone ... and it wasn't there. One time Billy got lost on the way to karate and couldn't call for directions because Lin had the phone.

I was pissed.

The roads were slushy and getting messier after I got my Xrays but I thought I should still get the referral until I saw other cars skidding. When I applied my brakes they worked but they didn't "feel" right. I decided I'd just go home and that's what I did. It was kind of scary, actually, because the slush is sort of icy.

I got home and wondered if Linda'd changed her appointment but no, she & Tomas are not here. She left the diaper bag, though! And I wonder if she put a winter coat on the baby? Anyway I didn't get to ask her if she had the phone.

I want it back. Linda doesn't contribute to the phone bill and so she shouldn't have it. Maybe I should just keep it and hope I remember to take it when I need to drive the car ... wait a minute ... that's why I began leaving in there to begin with! What a PITA!

Ten on Tuesday

Ten things that turn you off about the opposite sex

Well...not so easy to think of because you can't apply these to all guys and certainly not all to my guy:

1. Not asking for directions when lost
2. Aggressive driving
3. Becomes big babies when sick
4. Macho in all the worst stereotypes
5. Stubborn
6. Bigoted
7. Controlling
8. Timidity/Insecurity
9. Insensitivity
10. Lack of empathy

I am a hybrid of: Girl Next Door Progressive Girl Click on the pictures below to read more: Take the 'What Kind of Girl Are You?' quiz at CookingToHookup.com

"Extensive Arthritis & Fracture in the C-7 vertebra..."

Well, now I understand why I'm in so much pain.

Dr. B assures me that the fracture is "stable" and that it's one of those caused by spasming ligaments tearing away pieces of the bone. Hmm...never heard of that before. She says watching Tomas is okay; I just have to be careful not to lift him too much. She did tell me, though, that I needed to go see an orthopod specializing in spinal cord and gave me the name of a doctor who (hopefully) won't make me wait. She didn't want me to see the specialist at the orthopod practice I've been to and am familiar with because the wait for an appointment would be too long.

So ... are the spasms from the fracture or from the arthritis? That's something the orthopod will have to tell me as well as a better way to manage the pain. Arthritis...does that get worse or just something I'm stuck with?

Understanding why really makes a big difference though. Fear contributes to pain, y'know?

Baker's Dozen

1. It sure is hard to relax when you are in pain.
2. Happiness is when corned beef went on sale at three different stores on Sunday.
3. Linda made a wise choice not to drink and drive Friday. It was still weird to wake up Saturday and not see the car there ... kind of nerve wracking.
4. Kennan's a pretty decent friend for driving Linda home and then driving her back to get my car.
5. I realized that Billy is going to be 18 in just two months AND he is going to graduate high school in three!
6. I better start organizing something to celebrate!
7. Waiting to hear back about test results is stressful
8. When will it be spring?
9. There weren't any great movies to see this weekend.
10. Tennessee is too fricking far away from NJ!
11. It's easier to keep track of money when it's in the bank instead of in your pocket
12. How come two meds that work for me don't combine well? I had to choose between prozac and tramadol ... because the combination might be making my spasms worse

Where are you going my little one, little one
Where are you going my baby my own
Turn around and you’re two
Turn around and you’re four
Turn around and you’re a young man
Going out of the door

Question of the Day:

What is on your nightstand right now?

My CPAP machine, a lamp, bottles of skin lotion and perfume, a basket full of "stuff" like nail clippers, and my alarm clock

Is there any responsibility that you have right now in your life that you would like to be rid of permanently?

Paying the bills ... doesn't everyone want to be rid of that one?

Daily Routine

Sometimes I like action and adventure but mostly I'm a homebody that prefers a regular routine. I can handle some changes and, in fact, that's what would keep me from being totally bored. If there's too much disruption in my routine, though, I get very upset ... not quite as much as Raymond when he couldn't wear his K-Mart underwear or watch Judge Wapner (from Rain Main) but you get the idea.

Boring blessed me.

Question of the Day:

What does your morning routine look like?

Get/make coffee/
Take morning meds
Feed the kitties
Wake Heidi
Put the heating pad on my back/shoulder
Watch the news
Wake Kristin
Eat breakfast
Log on to the computer if there's time & write, surf or read
Watch Tomas

Share your evening routine with us.

Make dinner
Watch news/Dr. Phil
Eat with the family
Watch Malcolm in the Middle/That 70s Show/other TV w/TB
Read
Log on to the computer if I'm not too tired & write, surf or read

Unconscious Mutterings:

I say...and you think ...

1. Usher:: church
2. Cherish:: love
3. Mistreat:: abuse
4. Forum:: speak
5. Systematic:: planned
6. Warning:: watch out!
7. Wash:: clean
8. I wish:: for an end to hatred
9. Candles:: lights
10. Metallic:: color

102 Minutes

It's taken me this long to be able to read anything in depth about 9/11, including the whole investigation that went on last year. What happened was just so traumatic and in such a year of devastating events I couldn't deal with it. I thought we must surely be at war and perhaps this was the end of everything when I saw news of the two towers' collapse. How could the World Trade Center not be there anymore? Revisiting how I felt that day and the days following would take a book not so interesting as this one, 102 Minutes by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn.

My opinion is you can't go wrong telling the story of what happens to a group of people in a crisis. The authors follow survivors (and not) of the twin towers during the 102 minutes before they collapsed. I read about people who went to work just as they always did every day, following their daily routines. I read about some of the rescue responders who tried to help -- police and fire department personnel as well as other volunteers. Much of it was chilling and very very sad.

There are some awful reasons why people died. Yes, many were killed when the terrorists plowed the hijacked planes through the buildings. Many more survived that impact, though, and couldn't escape because of design flaws in the buildings. When the twin towers went up, the building code in NYC had just changed. There were only 3 staircases in both those gigantic buildings and they were pretty close together. All the staircases were knocked out by the impact of the planes. There weren't any firewall staircases anymore either. The elevator doors were designed to lock if it didn't line up perfectly with the floor (a good idea to prevent accidents but a disaster here). The doors to the roof of the building were locked.

People who survived above the impact but couldn't use the stairs to go down also couldn't get onto the roof. People in wheelchairs were screwed because they couldn't take the elevators down. Some were rescued because other co-workers helped carry them down. I read about one man, though, Ed Beyea, who waited and waited on the 27th floor. A quadriplegic, he'd be especially difficult to carry down the stairs. His good friend waited with him. People passed them by figuring the fire department volunteers would get them out. What must those guys have been thinking as they waited?

Many were trapped in elevators that stopped between floors. Some of the elevators, the express ones, didn't even have normal stops at every floor and so how could anyone get them out? Others were in cars that stopped just a couple of inches above or below a floor and they had to fight to pry the doors open. It took a half hour to open one of these elevators and that was with help from the outside.

The changes in the building code allowed developers more choices in the material they used and the number of stair cases etc. To me, it allowed short cuts and cut backs and all of that was designed to make the building more profitable. Cut back on the number of staircases and you could rent more floor space. It's always about money, isn't it?

As if that wasn't enough, apparently there is a rivalry and lack of cooperation between the police and fire departments. I had no idea that they didn't work together; that they didn't have a joint communication system of some sort. It seemed like people watching TV knew more about what was going on than the rescuers inside the buildings! The rescue workers in the north building didn't know the other tower collapsed!

I was really annoyed when a commission was appointed to determine what happened on 9/11. I didn't see any use in finger pointing but the families of those who died wanted it and so I just tried to ignore all the findings. I was upset but didn't really absorb the information that we'd had some warnings this was going to happen. As the investigation got closer and closer to what happened inside the towers I just tuned out.

I think that all the rescue workers did the very best that they could. Many of them died needlessly and so did all the others -- the people not killed by the impact of the planes. It's not the fault of the firefighters. It's the fault of those who wanted to cut corners and save money and forgot about people who would have to work in these buildings.

No wonder I have a fear of heights.

It's a very good book and I would recommend it to anyone interested in what happened after the planes hit.

Feline Friday

I haven't had a chance to update the way I'd like to. Here are some recent pictures of Mouse at play. Linda began to crochet a blanket to help her stop smoking (which didn't work as far as I can tell) and Mouse got very interested in the yarn.

Thursday Threesome

::Routine Scheduled Maintenance::

Onesome: Routine-- Tell us about your morning routine. Do you get up at the same time every day, or do you sometimes hit the snooze button on your alarm clock more often than you should? Do you head straight for the coffee or into the shower?

If I could get away with it, I'd hit the snooze button for hours. I have to get up around 6 a.m. (or I think I have to) just to make sure things go smoothly and the kids get off to school all right. Actually, they are pretty independent and don't need any help. My mother stopped getting up in the mornings when I was going to junior high/high school and I remember I missed her presence. So I guess I just want to be there. I head straight for the coffee if it's made and I make it if it's not.

Twosome: Scheduled-- What’s on your schedule for the day? Do you schedule every minute or go with the flow?

Now that Linda is working days, after the kids get off to school eventually I begin to watch Tomas. I'll play with him, read to him, feed him, watch him play and lately have been napping with him until everyone starts to come home in the afternoon. There is definitely no schedule.

Threesome: Maintenance-- What do you do to maintain your sanity each day in this hectic world? Do you find a little time to yourself each day and meditate, or wait until everyone’s tucked in for the night and log on to the computer or settle down with a book? Or do you run off to the gym and maintain your body while maintaining your mind?

I'm more the person who waits for everyone to be settled and then I read or log on to the computer.