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January 30, 2005
Wanted: Diversity.....
BUT....apparently only government approved diversity need apply.
The latest saga from the morality police surrounds the production of "Postcards from Buster"..a Boston PBS production which chronicles the adventures of a cartoon rabbit as he travels around the country visiting real children and their families..the point? *I* would assume the point is to promote diversity, tolerance, education. These are real children, in real families, with real life experiences. One trip Buster made was to Vermont to experience the maple sugaring process and a visit to the Shelburne museum which has many many awesome building depicting life in Vermont over the generations....and oh, secondarily each of these families have 2 mommies.
Many Buster fans will not get to see this episode unless their local PBS affliate specifically requests it. Why you ask? Apparently this country's new Secretary of Education Margaret Spelling has denounced this particular segment because the children depicted live in lesbian parent homes and she believes there are many parents who would not appreciate thier children being exposed to this lifestyle. Apparently, Spelling has decided for the nation what diversity is acceptable for our children and has even asked for the return the episode portion of the public funding they received. Excuse me? I do believe I contributed some of that money and I do demand that you NOT unilaterally decide how it is to be spent based on YOUR on biases.
Margaret Spelling..I ask you...do you want to promote diversity acceptance tolerance and friendship among all the members of our great society or is it your intention to promote hate, intolerance and predudice... To single out, rebuke, denounce lesbian families in your capacity as our Education Secretary is tantamount to hate mongering which if I recall correctly is a hate crime. umm...I think your actions speak volumes.
You will not speak for me.......and Vermont being Vermont, we again don't like being told what to do...Vermont PBS will air the Buster Episode "Sugaring" on March 23rd. Pppssstt...hey Margaret..do you see the title? It reads "Sugaring" not "Sugaring with Lesbians"
Posted by frani at 09:52 AM | Comments (2)
January 29, 2005
What Vermonters don't like...
Vermonters don't like someone else telling them what they can and can't do/sell....
Good for you, Vermont Teddy Bear and Employees!
Posted by frani at 01:31 PM | Comments (1)
January 28, 2005
Whew...............!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Lee
Posted by frani at 04:32 PM | Comments (8)
TGIF again...
Well Fans, it's friday again and we all know what that means...yup packing up to go home. I think we get to stay there for a week or so as well. Don't know for sure...6 hour rule ya know. Haven't heard of the 6 hour rule? Things will proceed on schedule unless the 6 hour rule is in effect in which case anything can change with a 6 hour notice. Of course , if that happens then surely the 3 hour rule then goes into effect.
At least with my new thermal coffee carafe, I can make a pot of coffee to travel home with...Today we are featuring Costa Rica Dota Estate Tarrazu...very nice.
The Vermont Commision on Human Rights has weighed in on the Vermont Teddy Bear/Straight Jacket issue. While they deplore the bear and it's marketing, there is nothing illegal about it so there is nothing they can do to except ask VTB to stop selling it. Have I mentioned the bear comes with committment papers...that's cute even, if the committment was to each other as a couple...I suspect that is the case. I still think there are just people who lay awake at night thinking of places, people, situations, events and products that have a potential to offend....get over it...everything has a potential to offend someone sometime somehow...give it a rest.
Speaking of offense...I have one. It's the overuse of the F-word. I'm no prude, I've even been known to use it from time to time BUT it is not part of my vocabulary...monthly or weekly or even daily much less every effing sentence! Get it? I hear it too much in casual conversation...I see it written in weblogs and there it was last night on The Apprentice (yes I watch it)getting bleeped out every other sentence. It's crude...it's crass...and if "they" think The Donald is going to be impressed by and hire their potty mouths, they better think again...*I* don't like it, I wouldn't hire them and I really don't tolerate it coming out of the mouths of people around me. I don't freak, but I do comment. Ahem...and I'm not out to make it illegal!
Sure, it's no big deal you say...this is basically coming from the 20 and 30 somethings age group; today's parents. I get it...no big deal. So then you won't mind when it becomes common language useage from your 8 year old, huh? Wake up people...time for the sani-flush of your mouths. Time to rise above the lowest common denominator in this country, please.
Posted by frani at 08:17 AM | Comments (2)
January 27, 2005
Things no one ever said to me...
Wow....Tom (New London landlord)called to say he would be working on the heat downstairs. He wanted to give me fair warning in case our heat went kaput. While he was chatting however, he said he really had to thank Greg and I. hhhmmm....yes? Well apparently some of his other tenants are less than meticulous in their housekeeping. snort. I was soooo excited...no one ever complimented me on my housekeeping before...nope, no Seals of Approval from Good Housekeeping or anything!
Of course, I demurred and thanked him..well, actually I burst out laughing and told him he must have rented to a bunch of real losers if I look good. I reminded him that we were the people with the 20 cubic yard dumpster last summer in Vermont.
Of course he loves us...First of all, we give him money, we don't live here...we have very little of our own stuff here...we aren't here but 10 days a month and we don't complain or rack up extra expenses! What's not to love...maybe I'll dust and vacuum the place today.
Guilt is a powerful thing isn't it?
Posted by frani at 10:43 AM | Comments (3)
January 25, 2005
Some Stuff ..#24
I forgot to mention...upon our return to the apartment, we noticed Tom had removed the airconditioner from the kitchen window that I had covered with plastic sheeting the last time we were here. I think that's a good thing...otherwise I really think there might have been a sink full of snow after that blizzard. That just wouldn't have been environmentally PC, ya know?
I know 'political correctness"..afterall I'm a child of the 60s and we just think we invented PC, doncha know.
We are height challenged, weight challenged, physically challenged and certainly mentally challenged, people of color, and a whole host of inoffensive (sic) distinctions. My point? Well sometimes I think PC can just go a bit too far. Last week's ruckus over the Vermont Teddy Bear's offering of a Valentine Bear declaring he is "Crazy for you" and wearing a straight jacket has garnered more attention than the mental health organizations. Our Governor Jim Douglas has termed the bear insensitive and now the Board of Trustees of Fletcher Allen Hospital will be meeting to discuss this issue specifically. Why you ask? Well the Vermont Teddy Bear CEO happens to sit on the board of the Fletch (vounteering her time) and this little fiasco just may reflect negatively on the hospital's values. BTW..Elizabeth Roberts was one of the people appointed to the board after there was a teeny weeny shake up at the hospital concerning fraud etc with the expansion project...umm...gee didn't one of the key players just get sentenced to jailtime for his role? How many thousands of resititution must he make..ummm $750,000? Ahem...be that as it may...I'm sure this straight jacketed teddy bear isn't worthy of all the attention it's receiving...
I know I'm not offended..hell, some of my best friends are crazy...um...mentally challenged. Friends? Geesh most of my family is on some drug or another...I must find out if they are scheduling appointments with the ACLU....
In the meantime...the sun is shining again today. This of course will keep ME from reaching for anti-dressants for the yet another day. I really had not planned on going out today and was even thinking of relinquishing the car (it's really that I dont' care to go back out at 5pm to retreive him.) BUT I have been kicking myself that we haven't thought to drag some sort of Vacuum brewer down here. I got a thermal carafe yesterday which has helped tremendously with Today's cup of excellence again. Snort...I did a Google on Vacuum brewers New England and all I came up with was some out of control family in Vermont who have a few in their collection, but that certainly doesn't help me while I'm in CT. However, I did think of an upscale kitchen store I haven't visited in a while over in Mystic...
Ta ta...have a nice day all..........
Posted by frani at 09:14 AM | Comments (2)
January 24, 2005
Sunshine!
I know, I know...sunshine in January means it's damn cold out there even here in CT, but it certainly makes me feel better, brighter, sunnier. Yes, my name is Fran and I have Seasonal Affective Disorder..I need sunlight to survive!
The storm of the century missed our upper regions of VT..we only got about 3-5 inches..just way too cold for any accumulation for us. I was nervous about driving to CT Sunday after the storm and reports of 16-20 inches of snow but we left early enough, the sun was shining and it had stopped snowing. The interstates were in pretty good shape with one lane generally bare and the other patchy. Most people wouldn't venture into the left lane so there tended to be parades developing and we just had to get by them. Interestingly enough, the "open lane" once we got to MA and CT was the LEFT lane...gggrrr. There were a few times I was glad I wasn't driving and a few others when I wished I had been sleeping, but we got here safe and sound.
Awwwwwwwww I wouldn't want Johnny Carson to suffer but I was sorry to see that he had died...he was definitely one of those icons in our lives. He could always make me laugh and he didn't have to be crude about it either.
I've enjoyed today's coffee: El Salvador Cup of Excellence even if it is brewed in a Black & Decker drip. I can understand how it happened; our desire to have coffee just made for us unattended BUT boy we sure do give up some flavor that way..I think we need a coffee butler to brew us up a batch every morning in a vacuum pot. Hhmmm..isn't that how it happened?? In the absence of the Jeeves, we gave up the quality..sigh.
Time to get on with the day..I've a post office and grocery run to make...maybe I'll even take in a bookstore and an antique store since I'll already be out there. have a good day all......
Posted by frani at 08:50 AM | Comments (1)
January 20, 2005
This and That...427
Coffe of the day/yesterday is Costa Rica Naranjo Bandola. (Gail,,that Doka Estate stuff ought to be good, although I don't normally like French roast.)I've saved the La Minita Tarrazu for when the roastmaster comes home tomorrow and for the weekend. Yum...should work out just about right.
It's been too cold to really get much in the way of snow accumulation..3 at the most...geesh if I just fan the front door a few times, that ought to clear the snow off the porch...very light and fluffy. Cold does that. The poor cats...cold and dry makes their coats all static-y..snort...see them running around trying to make their hair lay flat...ummm me too.
I'm trying not to take losing out on auctions on ebay personally...it's like having someone snag an item outof your hand at Filene's basement...Generally it's ok unless you really really want it.
I've cleared more space in my kitchen cabinets for coffee paraphenalia. hhhmmm...maybe I ought to turn the laundryroom into more of a pantry area and devote more space to coffee stuff. Just a thought. Anyway, if you hear of a squirrel/small animal die-off in Northwest Vermont, I didn't mean it. I thought if the nuts and croutons from the top shelf of my cupboard were bad, they wouldn't eat them, right? Right? The term "top shelf" doesn't always mean the best...not in this height challenged woman's home, anyway.
I've managed to keep up with the boxes and packing material that has been coming into the house....the recycle guys ought to be handing out that Recycler of the Year award any day now. How about most improved? I've often seen comments on ebay from sellers touting the fact the item comes from a non'smoking home. I didn't think much of it until I was unpacking a cute little Cory coffee pot the other day...the packing material reeked so bad of smoke that I had to actually put the box and materials outside until they hauled it away today. eeewwww.........so glad we no longer smoke.
For your entertainment...JibJab has a new one...and of course Bejeweled2 has been keeping me from my appointed rounds as well....
Ok..off to gather more tax stuff for the accountants...yea me, I'm getting there. Have a good day all.
Posted by frani at 10:48 AM | Comments (2)
January 18, 2005
Aaaarrrghh...literally.
Coffee of the day (or two) has been El Salvador Pacamara Peaberry. I like this one too. Hmmm I seem to have a fondness for the Central American coffees. Of course some of the really best coffee comes from using a vacuum brewer coffee pot which brings me to the gist of this post....
o/'o/'o/' never mind..o/'o/'o/' Guess I have to stop talking about everylittle thing that I'm doing..
In the meantime..it's cold out there. -9 when I got up and we won't discuss the Wind chill factor. cold is cold.....I won't be going out there. Besides, i have ebay to keep me entertained!
Have a good day all.....
Posted by frani at 07:04 AM | Comments (1)
January 14, 2005
Tra la Tra la...
Home safe and sound...snow the last 45 minutes. I drove to Brattleboro and only missed a few miles of the book after that. No we didn't listen to the book while I drove. It wouldn't have mattered if I'd fallen asleep between Endfield CT and Springfield MA anyway (took us 40 minutes to go 7 miles! Too many cars on the road.
Reminds of of the little poem (Shel Silverstein I think):
There's too many kids in the tub
There's too many elbows to scrub
I just washed a behind
I'm sure wasn't mine
There's too many kids in the tub
Greg roasted some Guatamala Huehuetenango shortly after getting home so it could rest over night at least...whew, work work work.
I've mostly unpacked..I think the cats got fed twice this evening. What the heck, they need a little spoiling after we've been gone.
Nighty night
Posted by frani at 10:05 PM | Comments (1)
If it's Friday...
..yup...going home. Tap Tap Tap...waiting to leave. The car is packed; no small feat in the pouring rain. I looked stunning wearing the grocery bag tied around my head on the first trip out to the car. Well geesh, that's where there was a hat! You KNOW I hate rain and especially rain when it's cold and windy and I get all wet and I end up sitting around in dampness all day because what I am doing is packing all my stuff in the car! I've packed my knitting...and my books..tap tap tap...so here I am.
The good news is the weather has broken...north to south west to east...it's already stopped raining in Hartford, so all we have to do is get out of the rain down here and we'll be golden the rest of the trip home...where the snow ended by noon. Whew...clean it up Vermont...we're heading home!
Not that I don't like it down here..it's fine. I saw another submarine arriving back in port this morning. I was on my way back to the apartment from dropping Greg off when I noticed the tug/tender. I generally only see these as escorts for subs and other notables, so I looked closer and there he was, riding very low in the water. Barely any of his deck broke the water. I still get all goosebumpy when I see them. I guess I'm not the only one either; after I pulled over and stopped I noticed someone on a bike had stopped to watch as well as another motorist. Nifty!
Tap tap tap.........maybe I'll make some tea...Have a good weekend all
Posted by frani at 03:12 PM | Comments (2)
January 12, 2005
Calling Dr Suess.........
Red State, Blue State..right wing, left wing..which state do you reside in? Who cares??? Apparently, too many care!
I can almost understand the "need" for the polictical mapping that took place during the election of 2004. It certainly helped in the electoral vote count as it was happening. Of course, it didn't take into account whether the state voted 51% or 99% one way or another, just that the majority went Red or Blue.
I've read instances where Red/Blue state affiliation has been worn as a badge of honor. I've read slurs directed toward Blue/Red Staters. I haven't been thrilled with these comments but they have mostly been weblog related and I can pretend it's confined to politically oriented blogs. Maybe even isolated posts when someone gets their drawers in a twist about something and feels the need to back up their point with some them and us type distinction. God forbid one would use facts to support an arguement.
Be that as it may, I could handle all of that...until last night. On the CBS news yet. (Maybe that is my first mistake) On a non "news" item to begin with... It was a segment on Hardee's Monster Burger ( as if 900 calorie burger was news worthy ) BUT what did I hear John Roberts actually say? (sic) "...and what did memebers of this Red State say about these burgers?..." Red State? Main stream news? What does the political electoral college vote count have to do with Monster burgers? What is he really trying to say here..." Real Men want Meat" "Real American's Eat Meat" "Rednecks:Fats be Damned?" orrrrr did he just want to know what the diners in one St Louis, MO Hardee's that were interviewed thought? (which in truth is all they really had for facts...)
Do we really need another dividing factor in this country????????? Isn't gender and race and ethnicity not enough for us? Oh noooo, supposed political affliation is most important when it comes to our burgers! hhhmmm...so does that make Hardee's the Red fast Food joint(becasue the interviewees were positive in their remarks and of course EVERYONE who resides in a Red State is Republican, doncha know)) I wonder if maybe ...um...Wendy's is a Blue Burger Joint? I'll have to look into that distinction when I had an urge to eat meat! Wouldn't want to make a faux pas while getting my fries.
I do know one thing, though; If I'm going to continue to watch the "news" at night, I should at least try a different network.
sigh......
Posted by frani at 08:35 AM | Comments (3)
Snowy snowy night.....
Ick! Snow, slush and rain out there this morning; I'm actually glad I don't have a car today and won't feel the need to go out there.
Plastic covering on the AC window...yup it's working...I didn't shrink it with the hairdryer because of all the blinds, window sill and AC sticking out so I can actually see the plastic sheet billowing a little with the air coming in the openings. It wasn't cold and draftly over there either...whew.
woot! I'm good. I saw a boat just sitting out there this morning and wondered aloud if maybe it was one of the submarine tenders I usually see when one of the submarines pulls into to port. A little while later, there it was....a big ole sub low in the water, the sub tender and another little boat with a big flashing light leading the way. Nope, still not over the thrill of seeing those subs go by.
It was a little weird listening to the fog horn all night. I don't equate snow with fog horns but I guess if visibility is bad, it's gonna fog horn out there. How come it's not called a snow horn?
I am trying the Costa Rican Tarrazu this morning for coffee...the stuff I bought. Not bad. Now, Morgan...you know you and Demian are to share the coffee and I'm sure he will give you some if you run low...right Demian??? ...and your mealy puddin's are in his freezer too.
Posted by frani at 08:16 AM | Comments (2)
January 11, 2005
Forearmed...
Someone was not feeling well this morning but he left home and hearth anyway..hopfully not spreading germs, but just dissipating them. Lord only knows what they would have mutated into if they were confined here int he apartment. Right? Right!
I'm ready..I went out to buy Shampoo and water BUT I returned with every OTC remedy known to man and woman..if it aches or pains I've got a pill, a drink, a spray or a sucker..I've got tissues and disinfectant wipes. Germs won't stand a chance..I'm armed!
I've got soups and breads, teas and coffee (naturally) water ( fizzed and non-fizzed) hot chocolate and cookies. We've got books, yarn, broadband, wireless...we're ready.
This means we won't get real sick...right? I feel alright so far.....
Posted by frani at 04:21 PM | Comments (3)
January 10, 2005
Crisis Averted
It wasn't as bad as I thought. I was able to get some Costa Rican Tarrazu and some El Salvador Jasel. I don't recall having the Jasel before so we'll see what it's like. Ahem...I also don't know when this guy roasted these beans either. Yikes..his label said he roasted the Tarrazu Dec 22nd BUT he said he knows he roasted since then...just got busy and didn't change the label. hhhhmmm...as if I can really tell the difference of a few weeks huh? Hehehe.
Posted by frani at 01:59 PM | Comments (5)
Old home memories.......
We're back in new London for the week. Tom, the landlord, called soon after our arrival to wish us a Happy New Year and wanted to drop off a little gift he had for us. I guess I might have overreacted just a tad when he handed me a calendar. Tom didn't come in the door; as a matter of fact he started backing up away from me. One would have thought it was gold plated or something BUT I had not seen one of these calendars for maybe 30 years! It was a 6 page (2 sided) cream colored, Currier and Ives type print..Travelers Insurance Company calendar. You've got to understand this was a staple in my home as I was growing up. We always had one of these calendars...it always hung right next to my father's chair in the kitchen. Right next to the cellar door. Yup, I can see it now. ...and now WE have one of our very own! Ok, so maybe I'm still over reacting but I like it. the only weird thing is the typeface of "The Travelers"...hhhmm guess they aren't the "same" company they were 30 years ago...now they are called "St Paul Travelers"..hrumph..way to ruin a childhood memory guys.
Anyway...as I said we are back in New London for the week. We're even having a heat wave with temps in the 40s...aaahhh those balmy ocean breezes. It's just as well since I have to find some plastic window stuff to put over the AC in the kitchen. Tom said he would take it out of the window but I don't think he really wants to. *I* can handle these temps but when it gets colder, the holes I can see through right outside in the side vents make things a little drafty and uncomfortable. I would think frozen water in the sink would be a taletail sign that something needs to be done.
However, besides that we have another pressing crisis in the making. The coffee supply we have here at the apt is mighty low. We really didn't roast enough before we left home...we gave some to each of the sons homes and didn't keep much for ourselves. Woe is me...I think I may need to scurry off to the local roaster guy but I'm not expecting anything too great. hehehe I know I won't have to resort to :::gasp::: canned coffee or even Starbucks...at the very worst I can buy some Green Mountain Coffee Roasters at the grocery store. Lord only knows in which month it was roasted though...geesh. In the meantime I am savoring our Guatamalan Matagolpa Maragogype...what little we have and sifting out the grounds through my teeth since the pot wasn't correctly under the drip spout this morning. Ohhh the horrors of Black and Decker as well....woe is us! pppssstt... I do know we have a Bodum vacuum brewer and a grinder out in the car though, a Christmas gift from Demian and Lori. AND believe it or not we even have a couple of bags of Dunkin' Donuts coffee beans which are also quite perferable to Starbucks! We can make it to the weekend. ACK! We don't have any beans at home either...I just remembered remarking about that as we were leaving last Friday....the crisis continues. sigh....it's not funny, you know.
I'll just look at my calendar and feel all warm and fuzzy, then........have a good week all.
Posted by frani at 09:17 AM | Comments (5)
January 07, 2005
On the Road again.....
It's been real being home but it's time to get back on the road.
The weather will give us a break today before being nasty again tomorrow. We didn't get hit too much and hopefully the roads will be fine once we get packed up and on our way in a little while.
At least we'll visit the kids/grandkiddies before hitting New London.
Have a good weekend all...and thanks so much for playing delurking and commenting and emailing........
Posted by frani at 08:46 AM | Comments (1)
January 05, 2005
Delurking...
Ok, I'll play....one needs to comments on other weblogs to get visitors to your own blog...I get it! So as I was shifting through the finalists for the BOB Awards, see today has been declared Delurking day by many ( ok some but it's catching on)
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Posted by frani at 09:15 AM | Comments (10)
January 04, 2005
We shouldn't be allowed out of the house......
Costco run..right? You know the drill...60 rolls of toilet paper, enough meat to feed a small army, water water everywhere......and the ever present bargain on something you really don't need and have been living quite well without. There exists these things out there for which we have an all consuming desire to own but can't justify the expense because 1) the expense itself and 2) we wouldn't use it enough to justify the expense. Our lust item is a big screen TV. We have a huge living room complete with cathedral ceilings..the room practically screams for a big screen. We have an at least 10 year old 27" Zenith; we can go days without watching TV.
So there it was...display model, 56" HDTV 2 tuner blah blah for $1500. We did walk away..and then we remembered it after we checked out and still didn't buy it. It was mentioned a couple of times while at home and as is our habit for such things.."If you want it go get it". "I think you want it but you are too embarrassed to buy it." "Ok I'll borrow Lizzie's Jeep and go buy it but you have to ready the area for it.." Now THERE was the real mistake in all of this. That corner of the room holds the TV, the Tivo, the CD player, the DVD Player, the receiver, speakers and enough tangled cables to choke a horse not to mention who the hell knows how they got connected and in some working fashion to begin with.
Wellllllllll...I ended up taking the jeep along with Liz's husband...this was also after taking out the Grandchild seat and folding up the seats in the Jeep, only to find that someone else had already bought the thing. Hello, Fran...did it ever occur to you to call first? Of course not, *I* don't like to make phone calls. I did make one quick phone call home though..."Stop! Don't take all that stuff apart! The TV is gone!" "Too late..done"
Ugh......this is right up there with raking 50 piles of leaves and still having to bag them up. This is dismatling 50 cardboard boxes and still having to deal with all the packing material...bubble wrap and those horrible peanuts.
So, the Zenith is back in place..the TIVO works, the DVD player works and along with all the Christmas decorations I need to put away, I will be finding new homes for debris that had accumulated over in that corner of the room today. I guess it will be an improvement, maybe not as we expected, as with a new TV but improvement with decluttering yet another space.
Ahem...it did cross my mind to just go buy something else instead..ya know, so the clearing and cleaning and rearranging would serve some bigger purpose. It just wasn't meant to be..besides, as someone pointed out..High Def? Who needs High Def? With our eyesight being what it is who could even discern the difference? We really didn't want that one...right, we will wait for something better...yeah a flat screen plasma for the wall or something...yeah that's the ticket. Spared again...someone is protecting us from our impulsiveness. Thank you Costco Customer...enjoy your new TV.
Now then...where did I put those Christmas boxes.
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Posted by frani at 09:44 AM | Comments (3)
January 03, 2005
o/'o/'o/' We're having a heat wave...
..ok, it's not all that warm but the layer of ice is melted and all is right with the world. Reports of dangerous conditions weren't exaggerated...you know it's icy when roads are closed due to an overturned town salt truck. Messy. Apparently the cause of the interstate backup was due to their just plain closing it down for a few hours. hhhmmm...and all those people went where?
Geesh, I'm not the only one with sinus issues...the cat (~Elmo)seems to be making a lot of racket over there on the back of the couch. Enough to get our attention AND wonder about the necessity of finding a cat nebulizer!
Moving right along...or not. I'm enjoying the time at home; Greg has been roasting some mighty fine coffees, as well: today we are having some Papua New Guinea. I just might try to venture out again today..maybe not. pppsssttt...easier to find blog fodder out there though.
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Posted by frani at 10:42 AM | Comments (1)
January 02, 2005
Of Ice and socks...
Looks like we are in the midst of an ice storm today. I was really in the mood for a Costco run; ya know, books, water, toilet paper and of course a little entertainment. Costco is definitely one of those places I go to see what there is that I can't possibly live without.
I did notice the rain was a little noisy. I did notice there was a layer of ice on the car and the dirt driveway was a tad slick. We decided to go anyway. I tried the brakes a few times on the street...tried accelerating a few times too...yeah it was getting slick but we decided to go anyway. I wasn't thrilled with the person who pulled out of the parking lot in front of me when he had no place to go in the lane..but we decided to continue on our way. Looking ahead to the on ramp for the interstate and cars on it not moving...
...well, we decided there was nothing at Costco that we couldn't do without for another day or two.
Why on earth would someone decide to get in the line of cars to get to the on ramp of the interstate when it is clearly backed up??? Contrary to popular Vermont beliefs (You can't get there from here)..this remains the big city and you can get just about get anywhere out of Chittenden County without getting on the interstate.
We did however stop for a couple of movies ont he way home...good day to curl up on the couch with popcorn a blanket and Densel and Zach.
Oh yeah..socks. I needed to find a sock which had been separated from it's mate..yeah like that never happens to you. I was getting frustrated with the state of the underwear drawer so it was time to reorganize. I threw out a few things...I can't even remember the last time I wore pantyhose much less feel the need to hold on to a pair that have a hole in the toe. I decided it was time to remove the theme-based socks as well. Imagine that! I have a lot more room and many more months before I will need those Halloween socks or Christmas socks! Ahhh socks...I have a nice collection of socks..it's nice to see them all! I bet you could do with a little sock drawer cleaning as well. Maybe that should be a New Year's goal; hoe out some drawer or closet or cubby hole at least once a month. Just one. This could work.
Have a good day all.....
Posted by frani at 03:07 PM | Comments (2)
January 01, 2005
It's a Brand New Year!
Happy New Year! Wow...I can remember when I was a younger critter and first able to figure out how OLD I'd be in the year 2000 and here it is 2005 already. How quick is that and how young is soon to be 56?!!
I do have a New Years Resolution I'd like to be able to keep: Drink more water. No, I'm not totally a dried up old hag as yet but I am noticing the winter months bring on cracks on my fingers and dry itchy legs. My fingers have taken a beating especially hard the last week or so. Luckily, I found these nifty bandages; with their oh so bright and pretty colors, I'm able to coordinate with any outfit. The purple is especially attractive with my new amethyst ring(s) I received for Christmas.
The problem, however, is once I have a an open wound, I tend to favor that area, instead using other fingers not quite up to the tasks at hand. (so to speak). I've noticed these fingers are somewhat clumsy so the end result is they end up with their own little cuts and yet more bandages. Pesky knives are not meant to be used by amateurs. Now then, I've tried to keep my wounds to a minimum since these nifty bandages are a little on the bulky side with the foam material. I was hoping to heal quickly and remove one bandage but sigh...what twist of fate is it that if you are going to stab yourself with a fork, it's at the exact same place where you've previously sliced open you finger with a knife? I will prevail..afterall, I'm going to drink more water so my fingers won't crack and my index finger can get back to work..either that or wait until spring.
We are certainly bringing in the new year right with some excellent Jaramillo coffee...exceptionally brewed in a vacuum brewer.
I realize I haven't been posting very much lately. I think it has to do with the fact that I have stuck pretty close to home...reading blogs, reading, cutting my fingers, perfecting my craft of really learning to knit. ( No Risa, I still don't like that yarn you sent, sorry). There certainly doesn't seem to be much in the way of blog fodder around here...obviously, if colorful bandages is the best I can come up with.
So bring on 2005, I'm ready for anything and everything!
Posted by frani at 12:02 PM | Comments (1)