September 2004 Archives

More web searches. I'll blog soon. Really. (Italics are my smart ass comments.)

how much water in an espresso americana
how to finger knit
nudist preschool pictures
not calm dot com
allison womanchild
santosha and stir fry
out and natsuo kirino
chubby girls dot com
colourfool pea
series of unfortunate events halloween outfit
what is the mr clean eraser ingredients
lovenotes by joe d mango
notcalmdotcom
the dress lodger sheri holman classroom discussion
not chicken pox what bumps infection (antibiotics??)
townes van zandt live at the old quarter ebay
east texas get a job dot com
calm and mild
neck crunch chiropractor
mr. clean eraser ingredients
macciato recipe
books for sale ebay wayward angel
lexy capp
mimi smartypants+pictures of
(out) kirino natsuo response
mr. clean magic eraser ingredients
pictures of snap crackle and pop
pictures of snap, crackle, and pop
spencer tunik
lauren weisberger the devil ears prada
out kirino natsuo response
holiday craft fairs california
children and biting
poopy diaper picture cystic fibrosis
snap crackle pop picture
sleep deprevation clues (you came to the right place!!)
peter max dishes
chiropractor for preschooler
blackbird fashion
cleary obituary
dot calm comic
mamas boy passive-aggressive
photos of artist them selves not there drawings (Took me days to puzzle this one out! I thought they were looking for looking for photos of artists who weren't there. Who's dumber?)
merry iguana
teatnus shot for child (why, yes, I did spell that incorrectly!)
plastic melted to dishwasher heating element
moments of the day
relax happy sad calm things stuff box
fat ass woman. com
www.supper pippa_com
how do i clean melted plastic from a heating element in a dishwasher (Run the dishwasher again, empty, and then scrape it off with an old wooden spoon while it's still pliable.)
www. kids super snack 500 . com
stocking girl
tunik photos
carnation instant breakfast and celiac disease
jodie holland
not-so-dirty rice
meat hole dot com.
picture os measles rash
yum kipper and holiday ( I just *love* that one!)
pop your back and neck chiropractic pictures (Is this a do-it-yourself trend or something?)
wedding dress dry cleaning capitola
creamy tea used to help calm kids down (Where can I buy this product?)
louis j.f.
chiropractor pop hips
lexy korean pop
americana espresso
stare dot calm
+photo albums +loose tooth
chai tea and breastfeeding
ralphs greenhouse
how can i make cappucino instant breakfast? (WHY do you want to??)
bagpipe photo on tank

The one kid who can pour his own drinks and wipe his own self has a broken arm. There goes all my free time. I haven't been on line in DAYS.

I'm cracking up at the web search hits I get. Somebody looking for "calm and mild." Haha. Another wants "Mimi Smartypants, Photos of." There are many sick ones, but I'll spare you. Lots of people want to know how to finger knit, and how to get melted sippy cup lids off the dishwasher heating element.

Anyhoo, I must go take the kids to their dad's for dinner. Then I'm off to a doctor's appt. (insert loud echo effect here) all alone. Isn't it sad when you want to go get poked and prodded and lectured just for the time alone in the wating room. They don't even have people magazine there. See me pout about the lamest things.

Be back soonish.

Today when we went to get the boys from school, Sophie was singing a little Cat Stevens.

"tell meeee air be da chiwdwen paaaaayyyy?"

That's Where Do the Children Play? You know, the song that goes,

Well I think it’s fine, building jumbo planes. Or taking a ride on a cosmic train. Switch on summer from a slot machine. Yes, get what you want to if you want, ’cause you can get anything.

I know we’ve come a long way,
We’re changing day to day,
But tell me, where do the children play?

Well you roll on roads over fresh green grass.
For your lorry loads pumping petrol gas.
And you make them long, and you make them tough.
But they just go on and on, and it seems that you can’t get off.

Oh, I know we’ve come a long way,
We’re changing day to day,
But tell me, where do the children play?

Well you’ve cracked the sky, scrapers fill the air.
But will you keep on building higher
’til there’s no more room up there?
Will you make us laugh, will you make us cry?
Will you tell us when to live, will you tell us when to die?

I know we’ve come a long way,
We’re changing day to day,
But tell me, where do the children play?

Diverting a plane because Cat Stevens is on it?

Hello?

This country is run by the stupidest assholes ever. And, if it were somebody "dangerous," please keep them off the plane altogether, K?

Will this affect the possibility of a Harold and Maude soundtrack ever coming out?

This is my cousin (well, his dad and my mom are cousins, so he's my whatever cousin however many times removed) Brad. If you're inclined to visit the Dallas Morning News webpage before thursday, you can vote for him in a modeling contest. He is currently KICKING ASS, of course.

This morning I got up super early with a sweetly cheerful Willow. The boys were up soon after, dragging their blankets down the hall with them so they could sit on the couch and watch cartoons we checked out from the library. I fed Willow some yogurt, then made coffee and went out to get the paper. As I went down the walkway it started to sprinkle. I love the rain. I love the rain when it hasn't rained in a very long time. I love the smell and the feel of the air. I love the chill and the grey clouds and the strong breeze and the music it coaxes from all the windchimes nearby. I love to see the sidewalk turn grey drop by fat drop.

I got the paper, then moved the stroller, sidewalk chalk and a bike or two to the porch, put the mostly dismantled camping tent under the awning, and brought Nate's leather belt in from the picnic table. I opened the windows, and made popovers with Sophie, who licked the bowl that we used to melt the butter. Everyone enjoyed them, except Lexy, who took one bite and politely said he didn't care for them. I've never made them for the kids before, and I was hoping he'd like them. I think he could feel the texture of the eggs too much.

After the older kids left with their dad, we put on a TelllEtubbbies dvd for Willow so we could read the Sunday paper and drink coffee in peace. We're so bad. She loves it, though. The rest of the afternoon was spent napping, getting groceries, watching this movie (which was really excellent, though I did have to smack John a couple of times for not telling me that it would make me cry), and baking chocolate chip cookies. Although I said several times out loud, "I hate the mess!" I took it easy and didn't do much housework beyond dishes and laundry. The day stayed cool and grey and breezy. John and I both said how we'd love to have this weather every day.

Lexy is feeling way better, and goes back to the doctor on wednesday to see how he's healing. Last time we went (tuesday) I looked at the x-rays taken the day he was injured and was amazed to see that I saw something totally different. In the hospital I looked at them and saw the bones bent, but only broken half way through. In the later viewing, it was very clear that both bones in his arm were completly broken. I guess I was in shock and wanted to make things a little easier on myself. At that tuesday follow up visit he had an x-ray that showed one of the bones wasn't quite set correctly. They removed his cast and the doctor sort of massaged the bone back into place before applying a new, green, cast. It was painful, but Lex did really well and made jokes with the doctor and staff. After the bone was aligned properly, most of his pain was gone and he immediately had better use of his fingers. The swelling in his fingers went down soon after. He hasn't had any medicine since then, either. The cast should come off in four more weeks, after he turns eight.

I think that I'll go work on some christmas ornaments and get some sleep. I hope the weather lasts a bit longer before it gets hot again.

Thanks for all the get well wishes for my guy. He's finally feeling better after a few rough days. He still can't use his left hand and needs lots of help, but hopefully as the swelling goes down he'll have an easier time. I hate seeing my kids in so much pain. I was talking about it with him today and he looked at me and said that he did not want to talk about it. He's still pretty shaken.

So, when I had to go to the G@p to get the kids' lunch boxes (my boys started young with the brand name stuff. I know, don't lecture me, I'm working on a plan) I noticed that all the newborn baby girl stuff has apples on it. Little sweaters and tights and dresses. Does anyone else wonder if that has to do with what Ms Paltrow named her daughter?

The other day I tried to connect my camera to the computer to download some photos and I noticed that nothing was happening. I was using the card reader, so I had the memory card from the camera plugged into this little thingie that reads the card directly to save on the camera batteries. (Why can't I part with the money for rechargeable batteries??? I am sure I've already spent more on single use ones -- which we do put in the special recycling bag from our little town -- than it would cost to invest in a set. I'm letting myself get nickled and dimed.) Anyway, back to the point; the card reader made a smacking "pop," followed by that unmistakeable electrical fire smell. Yikes!! I made John get the fire extinguisher while I unplugged and sniffed around like a basset hound to see if things were getting out of hand. It was a little worrying, to say the least. Turns out all that happened was that the usb port fried itself. I don't know if it was the card reader or the machine itself, but we are down a port, Scotty.

I have finally made our house disposable diaper free. Yay! Now when I go to check on Willow during her nap to see a) that she's alright, and, b) her cute bottom sticking up in the air, I feel much happier. I'm washing them myself, which is a first since I always used the wonderful Tiny Tots. It's not hard to wash them. At least not yet. When the diapers that I bought from my gracious friend in New York arrive, I won't feel like the washer is going 24/7. I only have four now, with some extra inserts, but will soon have 22. Then when I can afford it, I'm going to get one or two of the striped diapers from here. Damn you, Veggiemama for making me lust after cloth diapers!!

Yesterday while Willow napped in the buff, I washed all her diapers. When she woke up none of them were dry, so I sat her on the little potty to see what she'd do. She didn't pee, but she sat and looked at books. Today between bath time and diapering, she went and sat down and picked up a book all on her own. So you know I'll get the diaper set up going and then, joy oh joy!! she'll figure out the potty. Nah, she's too young still.

Today I got some purty flowers to put in a little pot by the front door and also some dirt to dig into the front yard so I can put some plants by the fence where the grass is dead. Of course, I had help.

That was what Lexy said to me in the e r at the hospital today, and he was right. He was standing on the blacktop at recess and his friend accidentally

(okay, when I was typing this on Friday night, somebody woke up and needed me. Then someone else did. Then all of a sudden it was 2:30am and when John turned off the computer he saved my post, which in blogger saves it for later, but in typepad publishes it. This is the first chance I have had to get back on line to tell the tale. Of course, someone just started crying. Maybe it's just a dream. Now it's 1:10 am on Sunday)

knocked him over. I think he fell to the left, put his left hand down to catch himself, and twisted his arm as he landed. His right hand had scrapes too, but only his left knee was scratched up, the right looked fine. His arm was freakishly bent about half way between his elbow and wrist. He looked like Harrrrrry Pottttter in the second movie when he fell off his broom. When the school called, I was getting ready to walk Nate to school. John was home, but getting ready to go to work. So, we got everyone into the van and went to drop off Nate and take Lexy to the hospital.

This is supposed to be California. Mild weather. We put up with high prices and overcrowding for a reason. 101 in the shade is not mild.

Oops. Shannon pointed out that I forgot to link my link yesterday. The book I'm reading is The War of Don Emmanuel's Netherparts, by Louis De Bernieres. I'm so happy to know that there are two more in the series, though I think they are somewhat loosely connected. Tonight what I read was profoundly sad, so the parts that make me laugh till I snort and the kids stare at me are very important.

One of the things I hate most is happening to me right now; my drink or the cup or whatever it is, smells like old sponge. I've written about this before. Excuse me while I freshen up my watered-down orange juice.

Alrighty. Now I've got non-smelly watered-down lemonade in a wide-mouth canning jar. (Mom, do you want all your jars back? I have lots of them.) The chiropractor has lots of interesting books in her lovely waiting area. You sort of want her to be running twenty minutes late, at least. Two of the books I looked at were about the health benefits of drinking lots of water and the healing properties of feng shui. So, I have been trying to drink lots more water, which I already knew I needed to do, and I'm making lists of all the little repairs that need doing. The theory is that until you get all the small unfinished tasks dealt with, it is very difficult to move forward. Even if you don't believe in the energy-flow concept, that makes lots of sense. First will be the repairs, then we'll continue with the clutter issues. Gotta free up that energy to move around the room unhindered and get out when need be.

I mentioned to my mom that I was short cash to pay for the kids' school fees and she came right over with a check. I'm really really grateful. If it wasn't for all her kids (except my brother doesn't hit her up for money I don't think) she'd be doing things she wants to, like going to London again. I should go make some pasta angels to sell so I can pay her back.

Be warned: these are big if you click on them.

John took the boys out for an after dinner hike tonight. Dinner was rice; black beans with onions, garlic, tomatoes, parsley, and red bell peppers; cheese quesedillas; butternut squash; and those damn chicken nuggets for the carnivores. While the boys hiked, the girls and I played in the sprinklers and then with the garden hose and then in the bathtub. We put on our jammies and waited for the boys who WORRIED ME by coming home well past sundown. I thought that they had slid off a hill and were being eaten by mountain lions. Not too far-fetched, given the frequency they've been seen up there. But John is brave and tall and could kick some mountain lion ass if need be, so really I worried more that somebody had hurt themselves and they were having a hard time getting back down the trail. What they were actually doing was checking out a couple of toads, some bats, a bird, and an owl or two. They had an excellent time and after the past couple of days they more than needed it. Another thing to add to the 'do more often' list.

After I got all the kiddos to bed, with John helping out by reading to the boys, I cleaned up the kitchen and did some laundry. The school early bedtime is a beautiful thing. I don't even mind getting up early when they go to sleep before me. Now I'm up because the girls were both just up and I can't sleep. Who needs it anyway?

The book I'm reading makes me laugh out loud, but it isn't all humor. Some of it is unbearably grim. I love that.

I just looked at the clock. Yikes. Got to at least try to sleep now or else I won't hear the alarm.

I have to run pick up the boys from school. We walk usually, which gives me a couple of miles a day of desperately needed exercise. Here's some pics from the first day of school last week and the huge katydid that was hanging out by the laundry closet.

Everyone around here is injured. I have the gory nursing injury. Lexy collided with a friend at recess and has a pretty big (silver dollar sized) bruise on his cheek. Willow has a red, stinging diaper rash becuase her nerd parents forgot to water down her orange juice. Poor baby was SCREAMING today when I changed her, which was often since she had the runs. On the plus side, her new crushed velvet (not as decadent as it sounds, really!) diapers are comfy and wash amazingly well. No stains at all. I'm impressed. Nate stabbed himself just below the eye with a sharp pencil (god love him, he takes after me) and put a hole in himself. The tip didn't break off, but he's got a graphite mark in the wound and won't let me wash it. Sophie has a mondo bruise on her knee that is sore. John isn't hurt, I don't think. In fact, he got a second part-time job today, so YAY!

I am so ready for fall to come. I'm listening to mellow music, mostly Townes Van Zandt and the Cowboy Junkies. Cookies have been baked, soup made. I keep yearning for the cool mornings to stick around long enough to become cool afternoons. It's going to be a bit longer, though. Seems like it doesn't cool off here until after Halloween every year.

I'm sleepy and ought to get the kids to bed.

is from here. I've collected a few of these over the years for myself the kids that I've grabbed on sale. I think my favorites are the hedgehog family, the troll with his bridge, and the fruit trees, which have blossoms on one side and fruit on the other. Of course, we all love the night watchman. He keeps us safe.

I can't believe how upset I am right now. Here's the vague background: I have a chronic illness that makes everyday life sort of difficult. It's gross and I won't go into details. I have no health insurance, because this condition makes me high-risk and we can't afford the seven or so hundred bucks a month my insurance would cost, not to mention the deductibles and co-pays. Treatment is expensive. (like, over a hundred and thirty dollars per week for ONE medication expensive) I've been hospitalized a few times because of it, though not recently. So, we decided that I needed to be seen and couldn't wait until we got health coverage. We live near the county hospital, and they will take patients on a pay-as-you're-able basis. My plan was to go to our family doctor to get the necessary referral to get into the county system, because the wait for a county doctor (GP) is around 4 months. I went to the family doctor. I owe them over $80 to talk to me, look at my chart, write a note and fax it to the county. Okay, whatever.

When I called the clinic I'm trying to get into, they said that unless my referral was urgent, I was looking at a mininum 3 month wait. I had my doc send an urgent referral. The clinic told me to call back in two weeks. I did. No one had any record of my referral, and they told me to call the referral guy, Arnold, or Al or some A Hole name. Heh. I got his voice mail and left a message. He didn't call back. I called again. Left a message. He didn't call back. I called again and he answered. He doesn't have my referral. He suggested that I have my doctor call him. My doc's office is closed Wednesday afternoons. Now I'm out of medicine, I'm sick, and I'm looking at a long wait for an appointment, unless I want to go sit in the skanky er (which I've been to and it is scary) and deal with the huge bill that will be the result of that. And, John is looking for a full-time job, but is only working part time and we're out of money. Can we say STRESS?

Thanks, I do feel a little better.