Mother Nature Flipped a Switch

It's COLD here!

Wednesday was almost uncomfortably warm and then POOF! Last night a cold front blew in and it's shivery cold. I had to close my windows last night for the first time in months.

Darn.

I actually really enjoy fall. The temps are pleasant, my outdoor chores are mostly done -- no more gardening at least, though there is wood to split and stack (especially since DH took down more trees out back). September and October in particular are lovely months and I think I would enjoy them more if I didn't know that winter came next.

This year, though, I'm determined to enjoy fall. Long walks with the dog without sweating up a storm! No more feeling guilty because I'm not outside weeding! I'll have my "outdoor refrigerator" again -- especially handy for making dog food and thawing turkeys.

And I'll be able to wave at my down the street neighbor again and she can see me do it, because the leaves will be down by end of October.

Still, I could really get into having three seasons (like we did in California): Spring, Summer, Winter .... lather, rinse, repeat!

In cat news, Lexie is still "basement cat". She'll come upstairs sometimes at night but she never sticks around long. I leave the door open all day long and she never peeks her head out. The slightest (and I mean slightest) noise will freak her out if she's upstairs and she flies back down to her "house".

I've also found that she's a plastic eater (cardboard, too, but that worries me less since it's pretty well digestible). I had another cat who ate plastic and it's a real pain. I can't leave the garbage down in the basement -- she chews on the bag. I have potatoes in the basement as well .... and she chews on the bag. Hopefully it's just a nervous habit and she'll out grow it, though my other cat never did.

Otherwise she's a sweet, affectionate kitty who really loves living in the mushroom patch.

========================

You Are an Imaginative Thinker

You are a nonlinear thinker, and you're even surprised by the places your mind takes you. You love to get lost in a story, whether it's your own or not. You love fantasy. You are a positive and uplifting person. You inspire others to be better. You are full of wonder and curiosity. You feel a strong connection to the world.

The Library Test

About 75% right ...

==================

Irene Who?

There are few things in life more heartwarming than to be welcomed by a cat. ~Tay Hohoff

We were so very lucky at my place yesterday -- while we got VERY high winds, they weren't that bad. We got buckets of rain, but not for lengthy periods of time. Our lights flickered a few times, and my internet bounced up and down like crazy, but we never lost power altogether. I was a bit amazed at this because my SIL who lives very close, just a few streets over, lost power early in the morning and still wasn't on last night when we checked. Of course, she has above ground powerlines in her neighborhood, so her outage was probably local to her. We have underground utilities (which I think should be mandatory -- would save a TON of money and time with all the trees we have here).

In any case, though there were nearly 200,000 people in NH without power, we weren't one of them. I feel truly blessed.

In other news, Breeann (my cat) is very sick again. She started vomiting yesterday morning, and continued every few hours throughout the day. The vet warned me that her health would be cyclical -- good days, then a series like we had: vomiting, off her food, lethargic and then back again, until the bad days outnumbered the good.

DD and I talked at length last night about how long we'd let Breeann feel lousy before we finally agreed it wasn't fair to her to try to keep her with us. It's a hard, hard conversation to have. Breeann is HER baby. She loves that cat more than she's loved any pet, and she's distraught.

We agreed we'd try one more cycle to see how she does. So today, she'll get fluids. No food, to let her tummy settle. Tomorrow, we'll do fluids and force-feeding again and see if she'll perk up after a bit. It took a week last time, so we'll give it a week this time. But if she doesn't recover, then we'll have to face facts.

And it breaks my heart.

Pet ownership is full of so much joy, but also so much heartache. I suppose that's true of love in general, no matter what kind.

===============

Technically today is DD's first day of school, though it's actually an orientation this afternoon. She'll meet her home room teacher (who she already knows), the kids in her class, get to set up her locker and tour the rooms so she knows where to go.

Then tomorrow it starts for real.

We're both nervous. And excited. But right now? Mostly nervous.

=================

Beginnings Inspire You

You are independent and original. You are highly inventive and creative. You love undertaking new and interesting projects. You have lots of ideas. You have a delightful and colorful inner world. People would be stunned if they could see inside your head. You aren't afraid of failure. Tomorrow is always another beginning.

The Sky Inspiration Test

Yep!

===================

A Little Weird-ness

Nothing much going on here ... just prep for the hurricane which is tracking pretty much right over my house. I'm hoping it's all an awful lie.

Otherwise, my friend, Michele and I were discussing Weird Al today (don't ask). A million years ago, I actually met the man. My friend, Cathy, had won backstage passes to the pool party for the Monkees "Pool It" tour, and Weird Al was their opening act.

I was a huge Monkees fan from way back and couldn't WAIT to meet them (Mike Nesmith wasn't there, of course, but the other three were). I was so disappointed.

Davy Jones was a snob. Mickey wasn't much better. Peter Tork was sweet but distracted. But then... there was Weird Al. What an AWESOME guy. He took time to talk to everyone like he was just people, yanno? Nice, well-spoken, interesting. The guy's a genius (seriously... he has a ridiculously high IQ) but so nice.

In his honor, I give you the video for the song that started it all this morning, "Like A Surgeon".



Enjoy.

Have a wonderful weekend! Hopefully I'll be back on Monday declaring that Irene fizzled and went out to sea. Monday is DD's first day at school, and we'd really like it to go smoothly...

===========

You Are Driven

You prefer to be around others, both when working and while relaxing. You are very socially oriented. You are disciplined. You don't let yourself lose focus and get distracted. You couldn't be someone else even if you tried! You're simply you - and thank goodness for that. You are a born idealist, with more pet causes than you can count. You are determined to change the world.

The Lighthouse Test

About 50/50...

===================

Go East, Irene

"By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail." — Benjamin Fanklin

Looks like Hurricane Irene is tracking just right to hit us head on... granted it will only be a "1" hurricane, but even so, they're predicting high winds and 6 - 12" of rain. That's a LOT of water.

We'll be fine. We have no trees close enough to the house to hit us, save one. We have a generator. Plenty of food and water. But I'd really prefer NOT to lose power.

*sigh*

Earthquakes. Hurricanes. Tornadoes.

God is really displeased with the northeast right now.

==============

Yesterday, when we returned from the movies (LOVE Regal Family Film Festival) to find what looked like an exploded dog in the room with Dakota. There were piles of fur everywhere!!

I took her outside to spray more hot spot stuff on her, lifted her head and her throat was totally naked and bright red. So ... off to the vet we went.

She has bare spots on her head, her throat, her back legs ... rash is pretty much 100%. She has an ear infection from the scratching, too. So, she got a steroid shot and ear ointment.

She's feeling better today. Not well, but better. A little.

Now we just need a good, hard frost.

=========================

You Are Quiet

You focus on fantasy more than reality. You have your head in the clouds. You're incredibly introverted and introspective. You live inside your head, and it's a pretty comfortable place to be. You may seem quiet and withdrawn, but you're paying attention to every single thing around you. You are secretly sensitive, but you often put up a front. Shy and private, you yearn for security.

The Single Flower Test

Um ... maybe 50/50...

====================

Just Two More

It is necessary to write, if the days are not to slip emptily by. How else, indeed, to clap the net over the butterfly of the moment? For the moment passes, it is forgotten; the mood is gone; life itself is gone. That is where the writer scores over his fellows: he catches the changes of his mind on the hop. ~Vita Sackville-West

Two more scenes.

That's all I need to finish for the sequel to "Kitchen Matches" to be complete. More, I've already sent it through a couple of CPs for crits on what was there and polished it up.

Two more.

Why is that so hard?

*sigh*

=================

My dog is going to peel her skin off. This morning, she couldn't even walk to the door, her back legs were twitching with each step in the need to scratch. We gave her a bath with medicated shampoo and two kinds of soothing leave on spray and it helped for a while. Last night, though, she woke me up several times scratching. And she has a big, red welt on her shoulder.

I've never wanted it to freeze early before, but I'm kinda pulling for one good hard freeze. Then in can warm up again.

==================

No, I didn't feel the earthquake yesterday -- we were driving, and I expect that hid it from us. My SIL felt it pretty significantly, as did others around here. Poor folks down in that area! Hurricane Irene is supposed to come through, too. God's not pleased with that area right now.

Of course, Irene is supposed to hit US, too. So if I'm offline, it's cuz I lost power folks. We're pretty far inland, though, so hopefully it'll just be heavy rain and a little wind.

Whee.

==================

You Are a Pretzel

You are reliable and dependable. You can be counted on, through thick and thin. You enjoy relaxation and quiet. You don't have a need to make things exciting. You are comforting and stable. You know what you do best, and you stick to it. You prefer a steady life, but you have been known to add some spice when things get routine.

What Baseball Park Snack Are You?

That's about right!

==================

Yadda Yadda

You've got a lot of choices. If getting out of bed in the morning is a chore and you're not smiling on a regular basis, try another choice. ~Steven D. Woodhull

Not much to say today. Yesterday was busy but uneventful, and hopefully today will be the same. The dog is miserable with allergies: runny eyes, rash, and SUCH bad itchiness. I bought a pile of new medicated shampoos, tea tree oil and oatmeal spray, etc., that we'll try. I despise steroids with an all-consuming passion (which is what the vet suggested), so we're just going to have to stick it out until it freezes (which considering it got down into the 40s last night, might be sooner than later).

My garden is pretty well done -- the chipmunks are eating the few tomatoes I have before they even get more than a blush of pink on them, the cucumbers are doing their "fat butt" game where they are bitter and full of seeds, and the squash borers did a number on my summer squash. My eggplant never grew one blossom. The butternut squash is still going gangbusters, but the rest? Finis.

Six days until school starts, and I'm ready to go back to homeschooling.

I've decided that the stores have figured out that people are coming in to buy their loss leaders only and have quit offering the really amazing deals. I haven't done much couponing the last couple of weeks because the bargains just aren't there.

So are the days of my life.

You?

=======================

You Are as Laid Back as They Come

You are a risk taker. You love to roll the dice on everything. You are surprisingly easygoing. You like to keep everything as low-pressure as possible. You like to be in the middle of the action, although you don't purposely seek attention. You are an easygoing person who feels very comfortable about others.

The Park Test

Mostly right.

======================

Monday!

If there were to be a universal sound depicting peace, I would surely vote for the purr. ~Barbara L. Diamond

First off, I have to update everyone on the cat -- she's doing MUCH better! Thanks to everyone for your healing thoughts, prayers and just plain good vibes. It was a long haul, and I'm sure we aren't through.

On Friday, I called the vet -- she still wasn't eating, and I was out of IV fluids. We talked for quite awhile, during which time he told me that I should pretty much resign myself to the fact that she was dying. He was especially concerned that she wasn't eating on her own. He strongly suggested hospitalization -- but the price was far more than I could afford, and I opted to continue with IV fluids and force feeding which is basically what they'd have been doing in the hospital. He did give me new antibiotics because the other ones made her gag and froth.

Then came the miracle.... just as we were deciding we might only have the weekend with her, Saturday morning she came upstairs and ASKED FOR FOOD. I put a couple tablespoons of canned food on a plate for her and she ate every last bite. Later, I noticed she'd eaten some of her dry food as well AND, after checking the litter box, found that all systems were "go".

By Saturday night she was starting to fight me giving her fluids -- she HATES being held in one place. Hates being held, period. And that gave me warm fuzzies as well because she was starting to act like herself again.

This morning, she's still eating (she ate three tablespoons of canned food this morning!), she's far less wobbly, and is back to being vocal, pushy and occasionally cranky.

I'm thrilled.

I'm not fooling myself -- she'll be 18 y.o. in January. I know her life is winding down. But we get to keep her a little longer... and that's a good thing.

So, thanks again to everyone. I can't tell you how much I appreciated you.

==================

In other news, school starts a week from today. I still don't have everything I need, but we're getting there. She'll have orientation on Monday afternoon, then Tuesday it all starts in earnest.

We did discover that there's a little boy coming in new this year with severe peanut allergies and they have "no nut/seed" areas designated, but for me it'll just be easier to not send DD to school with a PBJ or granola bars with nuts in them. Kind of makes things a little tougher, but I certainly wouldn't want to be the one who makes the poor kidlet sick.

We had a family gathering with in-laws and extended in-laws up at my DH's uncle's lake house yesterday (uncle will herewith be called "UB"). All kinds of people were there, including friends of UB. One of them, a lady named Cathy, came up and introduced herself and then said, "Oh, are you the writer?"

I'm pretty sure I stood there, mouth hanging open like a hungry guppy, before finally managing a "Um, yes."

She said, "I have your book! I can't wait to read it. UB read it and said it was wonderful."

You see -- here's the thing. I don't discuss my writing life with the in-laws. They are very, very, very, VERY conservative and while my writing isn't exactly erotica, it's still not something of which they would approve. UB is a little different -- the black sheep of the family, I suppose, so I have talked to him a bit and to his wife. But I was still taken aback.

Later, I put on my other hat (promotions company owner) and spent a great deal of time talking about promotion with UB's wife, who owns her own business. She's hired a promotions company to "brand" her and to get her set up on all the social networking sites, etc. We talked about marketing herself and so much more.

I really enjoyed them. I could talk for hours with UB, his wife and Cathy. They're well-traveled, very intelligent and interesting people.

How was your weekend?

========================

You Are Blueberry Yogurt

You are fast-paced and energetic. It seems like you have a limitless supply of enthusiasm. You are very mentally and physically healthy. You take care of yourself, and it shows. You are a very open person. You are both open to the world and open about who you are. You are energetic and even adventurous in the face of adversity. You have a lot of inner strength.

What Flavor Yogurt Are You?

Mostly right...

======================

Updates and School

If you think education is expensive, try ignorance. ~Attributed to both Andy McIntyre and Derek Bok

First off, a quick update on Breeann... I tried her on baby food yesterday and she threw it up, so I'm back on the egg, chicken, cat food mixture I did on my own, which she seems to tolerate. I gave her 2 cc's this morning. If she doesn't throw it up in a couple of hours, I'll give her some more.

She's acting fairly perky, though, despite not eating. It's heartening, but I'm well aware that I have to get food into her. I've stopped giving her the antibiotics -- they make her gag and froth at the mouth -- and am focusing on basic needs for now: food and water.

She has NO issue with the fluid IV at all. She doesn't fuss, or try to move or even give me the evil eye. So that's something.

Even so, I'll be very honest: if things keep up this way, she's not going to make it much longer. And while I realize she's an old lady, and I've been blessed having her as long as I have, it's never easy to face the loss of a furbaby.

::::deep breath::::

Moving on ...

The school where DD is going has coed soccer, girl's basketball and track and field. I told her I wanted her to compete in something. Soccer is first, and I just got the equipment list of things I need to get if she participates:

Soccer Gear Requirements

Required Equipment:

■Cleats (at least 1 pair, but 2 would be better)
■Mouth Guards (2) - required to play. Must not be cut down.
■Cup & supporter for boys
■Shin Guards - must have labelling indicating NOCSAE approval and size

■Soccer shorts (3)
■Soccer socks (3)
■Practice t-shirts (3)
■Soccer Ball (put your name on it) - required to practice on your own
■Running or cross training shoes

Recommended Equipment:

■Rain gear
■Sweat pants
■Sweatshirt (hooded)
■Soccer warm-up (pants/jacket) - optional

Seriously? How on earth do parents not go broke sending their kids to school?

*sigh*

Wishing you all a good weekend.

=================

You Are Thunder

You are slow paced and steady. You don't rush to be the first to get anything done. You have your own method of doing things, and it has worked pretty well for you. You are a systemizer. You are hard working. You are industrious with an amazing work ethic. You don't often make a big bang, but when you do, everyone pays attention.

Are You Lightning or Thunder?

Mostly right.

==================

Still Worried

Breeann still isn't feeling well. The doc checked her out and suspects Pancreatitis, but isn't sure. He took blood, gave her IV fluids and I took her home.

She crawled into a chair and didn't move all day. At about 8:00 she jumped down, went into the basement, curled up on the sofa and is still there in the same spot as I type this.

To say I'm worried would be an understatement. The results of the blood test will be back today, but I'm wondering if she shouldn't go back in for more IV fluids. She shows no interest in ... anything. She hasn't had anything to eat or drink in almost 48 hours (the IV fluids will keep her from being dehydrated).

Poor, old kitty. I'm not ready to lose her yet, so I hope she perks up soon.

The dog is having issues, too -- less serious, but annoying to both of us. Just like last August, Dakota has "the itchies". We're assuming they're allergy related again to something that's in bloom this time of year. She has a rash on her skin around her shoulder blades and her entire body itches. We can barely pet her because it makes her start scratching, and I swear she's trying to peel the skin right off herself.

I put her back on the same antihistamines she was on last summer and I hope they work. Poor critter is just miserable.

DD is being affected by allergies, too, so there is definitely something in the air. Last night was the first night she was able to sleep without taking Benedryl. We'd thoroughly cleaned her room over the weekend (and I mean THOROUGHLY -- moved all her furniture, vacuumed, dusted, wiped everything down then washed all her bedding, including pillows and comforter) which I think helped.

I'm so grateful I don't have allergies.

It's been raining and will be raining for most of the next ten days. They expect a short break maybe tomorrow, then rain through the weekend. Maria, I wish I could push some your way.

We're still in prep mode for school, so between that, the cat and the dog, I've been barely able to focus on much else, including my 15 year anniversary which is tomorrow.

================

You Are a Leader

You are impulsive when the occasion calls for it. You make decisions on the fly. You are a visionary. You see the big picture instead of all of the trivial little details. You are a very inspiring person. You show others that dreams can come true. You are a provider. You like the satisfaction that comes with a hard earned paycheck.

The Tuxedo Test

Mostly right.

========================

Writing, a Doe and Bugs

The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium. ~Norbet Platt

Yeah, I suck at titles... lol...

I got my weekly writing tips newsletter from Holly Lisle. This week she answers the question, "Why write fiction" with this (in part):

Reality was a caveman freezing.

Fiction was that same caveman wondering, "What if a god were to give us the magic of fire?"

And then telling his imagined story to someone who saw past the gods and figured out a way that a man might capture fire, and touch the realm of gods in the doing.

Fiction---good fiction, anyway---is dream made flesh, given purpose and drive, and set on a quest to show us the best in us and to give us the power and the tools to dream beyond reality's 'merely good enough' to a vision of what is truly great...

...and then to give us the stories of men and women of character who in turn inspire those of us who dare to reach for the truly great within ourselves.

Inspiring... thanks, Ms. Lisle. I do like her newsletter -- it's never very long, comes weekly, and usually makes me feel motivated and happy.

Yesterday we had a huge doe (a deer, a female deer) in our backyard. My DH hasn't cleared back there this year (the way things grow here, it'll be a forest by next spring) so there was plenty to eat. She just walked along munching on all the saplings, maple and oak appeared to be her favorite. She saw and heard us, but didn't appear to be overly spooked. It's pretty amazing how large they are -- especially their ears, which are a bit like satellite dishes.

Since my garden is pretty well caput anyway, I didn't mind having her there.

Speaking of my garden, my summer squash is infested with squash borers. The bases of all three plants is rotted and covered with frass. I sprayed the pogees out of them with some natural pesticides I have (used about half a bottle to make sure it soaked in really well and got those buggers) and then covered the base with dirt. The plants may not make it, but I don't want any babies surviving. :::grumble:::

I may mark summer squash off my gardening list next year, too. At this rate, all I'm going to plant is beans and cucumbers...

Not a lot planned for this weekend. Hopefully it'll be peaceful and stress-free. Wishing you all the same!

=======================

You Are an Amaretto Chocolate Cherry Cupcake

You have a deep desire to leave your mark on the world. You want to change things for the better. You are an object of fascination for many. You shine brightly and boldly. You are youthful in spirit and appearance. You refuse to grow up! To be honest, danger excites you a little. You believe that anything that is worth doing has some risk.

What Exotic Cupcake Are You?

Maybe 25% right ...

Tuesday Tidbits

What do they think I am? Dumb or something? Why, I make more money than - than - than Calvin Coolidge! Put together! - Lina Lamont in "Singing in the Rain"

Quiet day yesterday. It was nice... didn't get as much done as I would have liked, but even so it was relatively without drama. So it's all good :-)

Brandy asked if anyone nearby had an abundant tomato crop to share. My SIL is getting a few, and she brought me four on Sunday. They were yummy... but I'm still sad I can't make sauce. Between the deer coming and chomping them down to only a few inches in June, and the lack of water and high heat, etc., my poor plants are pathetic. DH is going to rig some kind of ongoing watering system for me next year, because going out once a day to water just wasn't enough.

Brandy also mentioned that her summer squash plants were thriving and then just up and died... this happened to me once a few years ago, and it was conveniently when my friend, Michele, to visit. SHE told me it was squash vine borers -- something I'd never heard of. She was right.

Brandy, if your squash plants wilted for a few days before they just died, if, when you pulled up the plants it looked like their stumps had rotted or were spiderwebbed and not solid, you probably had squash borers.

Since then, we look for the moths and kill them on sight. Here's what the moth looks like:



And if we see "frass" (it looks like wet sawdust) at the base of our squash vines, we'll use a knife to dig a hole into it and spray Neem or Pyrethrin spray until it's soaked then wrap it in old pantyhose or bury it in dirt... that may be why the old-time gardeners would mound dirt around the base of their squash plants as they grow -- it helps defend against the buggers.

I watched "Singing in the Rain" with DD yesterday -- I'd promised her a movie -- and I'll leave you with her favorite song because it always make me smile. I tried embedding it, but everyone decent has embedding disabled -- that really annoys me. *sigh*

Anyway ... Have a great day :-)

=================

You Are Wise

You are a prudent and rational person. You try not to do anything you regret, and if you do, you learn form your mistake. You are educated or at the very least knowledgeable. You have a perception that most people lack. You've learned to be vigilant in your life. You are pretty much always on guard. No matter how old you actually are, you are quite seasoned. You are experienced and worldly.

The Changing Leaves Test

Mostly right.

===================

Unwanted Neighbors

It's wonderful to me that bees have this simple, age-old thing going on. -- Peter Fonda

Remember when I mentioned Dakota had been stung by a yellow jacket? I knew something was up, because every time anyone walked on the two steps leading off my back deck, a few yellow jackets would buzz around. Yesterday, I asked my DH to see if he could find the nest.

He found it... and it was amazing.



Directly underneath the top step, those buggers made their home! How could we not have noticed earlier? Why did we only see real evidence of them a couple weeks ago? Incredible. It was truly beautiful and a work of art. Is it just mind-boggling that hundreds and bees could create something this complex? I wish there had been a way to eradicate the bees and keep the hive to look at, but alas there was not.

DH spent a couple hours getting rid of it. First he emptied a can of wasp killer all over it. He had to crawl under the deck to do it -- it's higher on that side, but he still had to squat and it didn't allow for being able to shoot and then RUN, so I was terrified he'd get stung. He didn't, though he did whack his head on the deck once.

After a few applications of poison, he pulled out the hose and soaked it. Next, he dug out a 8' long 1 x 1 stick we use as a poker for our burn piles, stuck it in and yanked it out then whacked it like he was played croquet.

Here's what it looked like at that point:



We had larvae all over the lawn and some really angry bees, so DH turned on the sprinklers... but first he ran the mower over the nest a couple times, just to make sure it was demolished.

I've been told that they tend to return to the same spots, so I'll have to keep an eye out there next year, because I really REALLY don't want something like that to happen again. We are so lucky none of the rest of us were stung and that Dakota only had ONE.

In other outdoorsy, nature-type news, I'm pretty sure my tomato crop is history. I went out yesterday to pick the two tomatoes I finally had ripe and discovered that chipmunks had helped themselves to those two lovely, red fruits -- eating half of each one (why they couldn't have eaten ALL of one and left one for me I'll never understand). I have about a dozen green roma tomatoes, but that is all. My dreams of canning several quarts of sauce have disappeared. And I had planted thirty plants! *sigh*

My squash and cucumbers, on the other hand, appear to be coming along famously. We picked another dozen cucumbers yesterday, and two nice summer squash. I have at least half a dozen butternut on the winter squash plants, and depending on when we get our first frost, I may have more.

But I really, REALLY wanted tomatoes...

How was your weekend?

==========================

You Are Mashed Potatoes

You like the simple things in life. You think complexity is a lot of fuss and often overrated. You take the slow and steady approach whenever possible. You never like to be in too much of a rush. You are conventional and orthodox. You are the most normal person you know. You like and prefer solitude. You are your own best friend.

What KFC Side Are You?

That's surprisingly close to right!

===================

Drama, drama, drama

Adolescence is perhaps nature's way of preparing parents to welcome the empty nest. ~Karen Savage and Patricia Adams, The Good Stepmother

I'm sitting here smelling eau du skunk this a.m. -- a few minutes ago, Dakota was "oofing" (her quiet bark) and now I smell this lovely odor. Don't worry, she is inside, but I wonder if she saw something get skunked? Is it evil and wrong that I hope it was my neighbor's nasty little schnauzer that they let run loose all the time?

We had a good day yesterday, celebrating Mom's birthday. Busy but fun, started with a road trip to Trader Joes and it ended with a seafood meal, so what's not to like?

DD did have a complete breakdown again last night. She has terrible self-esteem, and I truly don't understand why. "I'm ugly, I'm stupid, I'm fat, I can't do anything right, everyone yells at me all the time." And copious amounts of tears.

I suspect her problems about her appearance are coming up because of school. I've already promised her a new haircut and a manicure. I think we might do that today. Of course, that means I'll have to get her a new manicure right before school starts. We'll see... she also needs new glasses. So, I'm making an appointment for that today, too. Hers are kid sized, and she really needs to have grown up sized frames now.

I swear, I'm not going to survive the teenaged years. Or she isn't. One or the other... it's all drama, all the time.

In other news, she named the smallest of our indoor tomato worms ... I think it was because I kept trying to get rid of him and this was her way of making sure I didn't. His name is Bob. I joked and said the other four (they're all about the same size, so I can't tell them apart) should be Larry, Darryl, Darryl and Darryl.



Ignore the fact that whoever posted that video can't spell, please...

And so, another day filled with work and drama begins. :-)

Hope you have a great day!

=====================

You Are a Dreamer

People usually totally love you or totally hate you. You are extremely intense. You aspire to great things. You dream big, and you have the self-confidence to make your dreams come true. You are a total brainiac who enjoys learning new things. You think studying is just plain fun. You try not to go overboard on anything. You are down to earth, and you aren't easily swayed by emotions.

The Tropical Flower Test

Blogthings: Take a Quiz. Annoy Your Friends.

Um... hmmmm.... this is almost completely right.

=======================

Bugs!

There is not a sprig of grass that shoots uninteresting to me. ~Thomas Jefferson

Okay ... many of you (especially gardeners!) expressed some, shall we say, surprise at the fact that we're raising tomato hornworms.

The main reason I'm doing so is because of the amazing moth it becomes. Beautiful and incredible to watch, I give you -- the Hummingbird Moth:





Yesterday, inside one of the jars, I found the tiniest little mama crab spider carrying the tiniest little bitty egg sac (if not for her egg sac, I probably wouldn't have seen her at all). She couldn't stay there, so I scooped her out and put her and her eggs outside. She was SUCH a good mama... she held the sac with her to hindmost legs, and once as she was trying to get away, the sac came loose. You could tell she wanted to run (she probably thought I was going to eat her!) but she scurried back for her eggs anyway, picked them up and moved away.

I know, I know you're all thinking: spider? But nature is incredibly amazing (if brutal) and if you take time to just WATCH sometimes I think you'd be swept away by its beauty.

Most of my day, however, was spent deep cleaning. Why? Because Sunday night I found a cockroach! UGH!! We generally don't see them up here, though they can live here, and we've NEVER seen them in our house. It was an American Cockroach and after some research we found that the German Cockroach is what usually lives here. Our assumption is that it hitchhicked in on some imported (from California or Florida) produce).

My house is pretty dang clean, but it can always be cleaner. So I pulled out the appliances and scrubbed the floors, emptied the pantry and scrubbed, emptied my cupboards and scrubbed. Then I deployed more than a dozen roach bait traps.

Despite my love for nature, I do draw the line at cockroaches (mostly because they try to live in my house... :::shudders:::).

I wasn't online but an hour or two yesterday, and today is my Mom's birthday, so my online time will be reduced as well. Hopefully, tomorrow things will mostly be back to normal.

Have a great day!

=======================

You Are Dominant

You take on huge projects and see them through. You lead the way when it comes to success. You are a leader and a good one too. You are as fair as you can be. You have a defiant streak. If someone tells you that you can't do something, it makes you that more determined. You are impulsive when the occasion calls for it. You make decisions on the fly.

The Circle Doodle Test

About 75% right

=======================

An Odd Sort of Pillar Place

Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone deserves a little sunshine. ~Jeffrey Glassberg

What a weekend! Sheerly crazy and nothing worked out as planned on any of the days. We discovered quite an infestation of tomato hornworms on our already emaciated tomato plants ... and DD is so desperate to raise SOMETHING that I let her select a few to bring in to raise (but I'm going to have to get their food from another garden because my tomatoes are pitiful). She wasn't allowed to have them all, which was tough. What a choice for her: "you live, you die". I'm sure there's a life lesson in there somewhere, but mostly it just made her feel guilty.

We didn't name them... but they are kinda cool. I'm afraid at least some of them are going to overwinter (I had her choose the largest ones to try to keep that from happening, but you never know). It's a learning experience for us, though. Interestingly, there is information on raising them, and they turn out to be one of the coolest moths ever, the hummingbird moth, which is the only reason I caved.

In other insect news, we had to rehome about 200 Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars on Saturday. They've completed decimated my milkweed and were nowhere near fully grown. So we took a container and scooped off as many as we could, then took them over to the library area. There is acres of milkweed there. I still have several dozen tussock moths, and only four or five milkweed leaves yet, so another batch may need to find a new home.

It's an odd sort of Pillar Place this year ... lol.

The time I didn't spend playing with pillars I spent working on getting the LASR/WC Anniversary Party up and running. This morning, I gave away our first grand prize (a Nook/Kindle/$150 GC) and we're doing a Nook Color next. Fun, but crazy!

We're also doing a retrospective on the LASR side in the author spotlight -- a look back at our firsts. It was a fun trip down memory lane (Charity Tahmaseb, if you're reading this, you should check out Wedenesday's post).

How was your weekend?

====================

You Are Oxygen

You are highly observant. No detail slips past you. You follow the rules - even if you don't particularly like them. Beyond being a good leader, you are good at inspiring others. You push everyone you know to be a little better. You are polite and courteous. You always mind your manners.

What Periodic Element Are You?

Mostly right...

=====================

School Pictures and Stings

Take time to smell the roses and eventually you'll inhale a bee. ~Author Unknown

First off... to Tori, Brandy and Dru: I will do my best to remember to take a first day of school picture when the time comes. I can't promise I'll remember as I suspect there will be nerves and panic and general chaos on that day, but I'll try. And just thinking about it gave me butterflies in my tummy. I may be more nervous than my daughter.

In other news, Dakota was stung by a yellow jacket yesterday. Yanno, there aren't many bugs I just simply hate for their mere existence, but yellow jackets fall into that category. They're mean, attack for no reason and their sting hurts worse than any other bee-type sting (I'm just glad we don't have scorpions here, like Maria Zannini does).

I was so sad -- she was just walking up onto our deck to come inside, I saw something flying around her (she didn't even snap at it like she does to the deerflies) and hurried her in. Just as she stepped in, she whipped her head around and looked at her leg and I saw the &^%$ thing right there stinging her. I scraped it off with my foot and stomped. And stomped. And ground it into the throw rug and stomped again. His corpse is still on my deck where I shook out the rug. I'd kill him again if I could.

She was a trooper, but it was clear it hurt. She stood, her leg raised, for several minutes. Refused a treat (this is UNHEARD of) and then curled up by my feet. I called the vet to ask if there was anything I could do -- there isn't, not really. Benedryl if she has a reaction (she didn't). Poor puppy.

Otherwise things are all about the same. The school's new student handbook comes out on Monday and includes some changes to the dress code, so we'll be able to go clothes shopping next week. I'm making an appointment to get DD's hair professionally cut and styled, and I think I might treat her to a manicure the day before school starts (shhhhhhh... don't tell her). I want her to feel pretty and confident (two things she frequently doesn't feel) when she goes.

Wishing you all a pleasant weekend. I've heard rumblings of a possible tropical storm / hurricane that might blow in down south? One of my author friends lives in Texas and mentioned it. If that's true, y'all be safe, y'hear? *G*

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You Are a Silver Cell Phone

You are quiet, thoughtful, and contemplative. You definitely don't like to show off. You're the type of person who's more likely to surf the web on your phone than text or talk. You probably also have a bit of a thing for gadgets. You're somewhat of a geek.' You are addicted to being plugged in to the world around you. You need to have the internet at your fingertips!

What Color Cell Phone Are You?

That's mostly right.

==================

School and Chomping Chipmunks

Gardening requires lots of water - most of it in the form of perspiration. ~Lou Erickson

RE: school shopping -- Dru asked if they gave us a list. They did! This school is in close email contact, which is nice. The list wasn't that extensive, and (aside from the two boxes of tissues that Brandy mentioned in comments) I didn't find anything to be too "out there".

DD sat down and organized everything. Very cute. It was like she was dying to touch it all. Paper is in the binders, pencils and pens in the case. Only a month until school starts. While she's in the eighth grade this year, it's really her first day of school... I'm nervous. And excited. And hopeful. I'm trying to be encouraging for her because I think she's going to like it once she starts. But it's going to be a big transition for us both.

DD has a chipmunk in her flower garden. A very voracious one. So far, it's pretty much decimated her liatris ... though this last time it dug down and started feasting on the tuber/root, I covered up the exposed tuber and dumped about a cup of chili powder on it. Seems to have stopped him eating THAT, but he's simply just moved on to other plants.

We're trying to trap him in a humane trap, but no luck yet. He has about ten holes throughout her garden, and I'm not sure which one he uses most, so placing the trap is tricky. Once he got in, stole the piece of apple and got back OUT without getting caught, the little bugger. I don't want to kill him -- I don't, but he's being as destructive as the Cunning Voles of Doom, and that's just not good.

So, we'll put the trap back out today, and keep our fingers crossed.

==========================

You Want to Talk to Someone Confident

You like a person who just tells it like it is. You appreciate boldness. You are self-assured and self-reliant. You have a lot of confidence in yourself. You are a self-starter and very entrepreneurial. You seize every opportunity you can. You are inner-directed and highly independent. You know what's best for you.

Who Would You Talk To?

HAHAHAHAHA! Okay, that's so close to perfect it's scary...

=======================

Back To School Shopping

Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself. ~John Dewey

More crazy weather yesterday. Thankfully, up here we only had a little rain, but south of us got hammered with tornado-like weather again (including poor Springfield, MA -- and they're still trying to recover from the tornadoes last month).

My friend, Michele, lost three trees in her yard -- the top of a very large maple broke off and took down a nearby birch and pine.

Scary stuff. I can't get over this weather -- we aren't exactly in tornado alley, yanno?

In other news, I went school supply shopping yesterday. I'd already gotten some random things at Staples a couple weeks ago (they had a screamin' sale), but this time I landed at WalMart. Binders, paper, liquid paper, glue, folders, pens and pencils, erasers... oh my!!

When I was in school, the school provided most of that stuff. We brought folders (I had Pee Chee Folders ... remember those? They were uber cheap, like $0.03 / each) and binders and that was about it. School provided paper, pens, scissors, glue, etc.

I think what boggles my mind nowadays is that the school system actually gets more money, but the parents have to supply more stuff. When I was in school, I played the flute -- and the school provided the instrument. I was in sports, and the school provided the uniform and transported us to games.

Mind-boggling.

We haven't done clothes shopping as the school is adjusting their dress code slightly. We'll get the new on on August 1st. And then the fun truly begins...

Today, we're going to go see "MegaMind" at the Regal Summer Film Festival. Um, whee?

Have a great day!

=======================

You Are Fired Up

You are bold, adventurous, and even brazen. You feel like the world is your oyster. You value your time, and you treat it like it's precious. No one is allowed to waste it. You function well with heavy work loads. You like being and staying productive. You are direct and to the point. You rather not waste time with small talk.

The Deserted Beach Test

About 75% right.

=======================

The Milkweed Tussock Moth Pillar in Pictures

The poetry of the earth is never dead. ~John Keats

It rained for half the day yesterday, and I have to say I'm truly grateful. A few of you mentioned that you're having droughts. Of all the things that terrify me about weather patterns, that it top of the list. EVERYTHING requires water, and the lack of it is just horrible. I'll do a rain dance for you all.

It was actually cool enough here yesterday that I wore a fleece cover-up inside (I kept all the windows open -- love me some fresh air). It was in the 60s! It's supposed to be back into the 90s and humid again by the end of the week, but this respite has been wonderful.

In other news, I thought I'd share our Milkweed Tussock Moth Pillar stories, since we appear to have NO swallowtails or monarchs this year. We have an abundance of Tussock Moth pillars -- far more than we've ever had before. If I had to guess, I'd say we have in the neighborhood of 600 babies on our milkweed.

They're like locusts -- they "swarm" and completely destroy the plant. No nibbling on a leaf for them. Nope ... check it out (you can click the pix to make them bigger if you want):


Unlike any other pillar I've seen, these guys thrive in mass numbers until they're almost grown. It's amazing. They apparently weave some kind of webbed "holder" to keep them on the leaf as they consume it and then migrate to the next, starting over again. Here are pix of three of the largest bundles I found... easily a couple hundred in each of these.





I admit to being half tempted to bring some in and raise them, though certainly they don't look like their numbers are waning. However, their pupae overwinter, and that's just a pain.

Still, I'm glad something is eating the milkweed and that it's not going to waste. I'm still terribly sad about not having any monarchs. :-(

================

You Are a Good Friend

You are reliable and dependable. You can be counted on, through thick and thin. You are full of common sense and every day wisdom. You are street smart. You are conscientious and organized. No detail slips past you. People often say you would make a great therapist. You are an excellent listener, and you never judge.

The Letter Test

About 75% right.

======================

A Crisp Monday Morning!

When the bee comes to your house, let her have beer; you may want to visit the bee's house some day. ~Congo Proverb

Happy Monday! Here, it's very happy -- because it's COOLED DOWN. Even yesterday was a little cooler than the four days prior, thankfully, but today they're even saying it might rain! HALLALUJAH! My garden is dying, my flowers are dying, my grass has burned spots. Yes, we water, but it's been so hot, you water and 20 minutes later everything is dust dry again. The heat and humidity were just brutal -- so much so that my DH actually discussed getting a small window A/C. That's the first time he's done so. And although we didn't actually GET a window A/C, his almost caving tells you how hot it really was.

But we survived.

It made it difficult to work, however. On Friday, my only "alone" day (a day when I usually get the most done), my computer kept getting so hot that it burned the heels of my hands if I tried to work very long (and, yes, I have a laptop cooler). I got almost nothing accomplished.

Saturday, my friend Michele came up (YAY!) and we hung out all day. We went to see the movie "Thor" at our nearby cheap movie theater that plays the older stuff. It was surprisingly good and fun. It doesn't hurt that the guy who plays Thor is just gorgeous (he has that twinkle in his eye, too, that I'm such a sucker for) and has one sweet Australian accent. Yum. I wasn't a huge fan of the ending, insofar as the "romance" went, but otherwise it gets a thumbs-up from me.

Yesterday, my DH was in a bit of a tear, so DD and I spent the morning cleaning (apparently the house was a mess ... who knew?) and then we did our couponing. It was a good haul. I got hair bands, ball point pens, tampons, toothpaste, and mouth rinse for free. I got a toothbrush for better than free (earned $.50). I got razor blade refills that were marked $21.00 (for SIX!!!) for $6.50, cereal for under $1 a box and shampoo/conditioner for $0.69 a bottle.

I have so much toothpaste now, I'm looking for a women's shelter to donate to. But I can't pass up "free", yanno? It's a disease...

After lunch, DH left to help a friend work on his truck. DD made some jewelry (she had a custom order request) and I worked. I FINALLY got the website pages built for LASR/WC and edited the reviews for next week. It was a close thing, lol...

Oh! For those of you not on Facebook, you have to check out this cool bug we found walking on the table yesterday:




He was SO COOL... all spiky butt and stripey legs. I was fascinated. I picked him up and put him outside near the milkweed -- assuming, based on his coloration that he had something to do with milkweed (most milkweed bugs are black and orange -- the monarch, the tussock moth pillar, etc).

After some discussion on Facebook, I'm pretty sure he's the nymph of the milkweed assassin bug (photo borrowed from the website I just linked to):



I posted the picture up on What's That Bug? to find out for sure.

So far, that's the coolest bug we've seen. Yeah, I like bugs...

Today, DD is going to hang out with her grandma for part of the day. They'll sew, maybe swim and just generally enjoy being together.

How was your weekend?

==========================

You Are a Classic Cone

You are a compassionate and selfless person. You truly care about people - whether they're strangers or friends. You are always aware of and sensitive to other people's feelings. You are tender and compassionate. You're not easily impressed with novelty. However, you do easily impress others. You take responsibilities seriously. You follow through with everything you commit to.

What Kind of Ice Cream Cone Are You?

About half right.

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