Deep Dark Indelible Green

Indelible rain cascading

2008-01-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

The rain was pouring and gusts of wind lashed the trees outside. I was pensive as I heard the first few drops inside the house. "Was it leaking", I thought while tapping my tooth with my nail. Surely not. Later that evening, rowing my inflatable raft in the basement I reflected on the price of my new beach front rental. $1600 for a leaking swamp; far too much.

where the ghost of green fades in...

2007-11-01T22:21:00.000-07:00

Time has a way of galloping ahead of me these days. I am preparing to move yet again, the baby is sick and I am tired.

Interview with a Pig

2007-09-02T22:26:00.000-07:00

The Three Little Pigs of Kansas

After writing a ground breaking book on building sturdy houses, the eldest surviving pig, Suey, is on a national book signing tour. We have been graciously granted an interview:

Moi: In the news recently, we have heard much about inclement weather. Can you share your opinion about building on flood plains and marshlands? What is your feeling about living in Kansas? Is that wolf outside waiting to have a book signed?

Pig: Oink!

OK, well enough said about that topic. Let is suffice that Americans are surely some of the most trusting slobs on the planet.

I found a jewel of a blog.

2007-08-20T20:42:00.000-07:00

Well, if you can handle the humor...
I for one think its great.

Verdi by Janell Cannon

2007-08-20T14:17:00.001-07:00

Along with the miscellaneous texts from school I have been reading a fascinating children's book called Verdi. In fact I have read it over and over, and each time my child is spell bound. It is a thin picture book looking into the fast paced life of a green island snake named Verdi. It is full of adventure, humor and lots of vivid color. He is a featured link into the book itself.

Blast! Another hurricane/earthquake!

2007-08-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

Another good title: Why do I keep getting hit by tornadoes?

There is a shadow of doubt creeping across homeowners in the south. "Should I have bought this house?" They might be saying to themselves. "I never did figure out why the last tenants practically gave the place away. I bet it was the smell from the fried chitlins place next door. " No, my friends, it was something far more troubling than greasy, angry fry cooks. It was tornado alley and the gate was open.
I have been thinking much lately on Florida, and other places that are supposed to be marsh and wetland areas. Places where "tornaders" drop by unexpected (well, not that unexpected lets face it) . What person in their right mind would build a home in such a place? What sort of person does it take to be able to sleep restfully after committing such folly? I know you are out there, lurking in the barracks of my blog. Gnashing your crazed little teeth. Explain it to us.

The de-sensitization of the modern child

2007-08-13T22:19:00.000-07:00

Its all about toys these days. Poison toys, dangerous toys, toys that light up, toys that blare a tune. In a recent conversation with a close personal friend, we discussed the impact of these newer creations. The toys that do everything but tie the tourniquet and inject a drug. What possible impact do these childhood play things have on learning and processing? I theorize that they have an adverse reaction on the development of the brain. Too much stimulation, I call it bombardment, and this is what I believe is happening all over the world. Probably in your own home if you think on it. All these toys that light up, sing two minute versions of classical masterpieces, and swing open and shut. Total garbage. Its like elevator music for babies. A quick fix of stimuli, replacing human touch and interaction. The basis for human development, broken up by toy companies. Dark and sinister plans for the children of the future. Beware.

My final paper for summer session.

2007-08-09T23:56:00.000-07:00

Title: I can never hang up the phone.

Thesis: Why I pontificate on every subject.

Supporting statement: My @$%@** phone bill.

More expounding: My husband is always rolling his eyes at me. ( what does it mean?)

Conclusion: Wait a minute I wasn't done yet...

Grade: -c

Disgusting Beasts

2007-08-07T00:21:00.001-07:00

Top three most disgusting pests in your house:

1. Black Widow spiders
2. Ants
3. Large, slavering, drooling mice

Chinese toys and lead paint.

2007-08-04T22:37:00.001-07:00

My son has anemia. You may think to yourself, "well thats too bad!" Allow me to elaborate... He's 9 months old, pale listless, feeling like crap. What causes anemia, the truth is that a lot of things factor in. Diet, illness, the ability to absorb iron, those sorts of things. I have been feeling really sorry for my baby, who wouldn't feel sorry for someone so tiny and innocent. It is natural to be a parent and suffer along with your child.
So now comes the the whole lead paint issue. What does lead paint do? Well it can cause anemia. Thats right, the toys your baby puts in its mouth may have lead based paint on it. Lead based paint lasts longer, probably works better when painting plastic I imagine. I can't begin to tell you how mad I am. Thank you very much China for almost making my child almost have to get a transfusion. I am enraged. I urge you to really inspect your toys if they come from China. Don't believe the non-toxic labels, they can do whatever they want over there.

Wordless Wednsday

2007-07-03T21:03:00.001-07:00

"Uh, Hello. The dog food bowl is empty out here, and my babies are hungry..."

Time keeps slipping by me...

2007-06-19T15:25:00.000-07:00

It seems like I haven't had a second to myself in months now.
I realize I don't post here much anymore, and I'm surprised that people even stop by to say hello anymore! I've started my summer college class, and its keeping me very busy on top of caring for the baby. I do think about everyone still and I wish I had more free time to goof off.

Here is a picture of the baby eating the cat!

Fun in the sun

2007-06-18T23:44:00.000-07:00

Up the volcano

2007-06-13T09:05:00.001-07:00

What am I?

2007-06-11T22:34:00.001-07:00

rescue mission

2007-06-11T22:01:00.000-07:00

I was in the kitchen and I heard screaming. At first I thought it was just the regular stuff, but it continued for too long and I knew something was wrong. I thought to myself "What poor animal do the cats have now?" When I went outside I didn't see anything right away. I walked further out towards my pumpkin patch and I saw two of my more benign cats trying to stare something to death. I crept up behind them and shooed them off.
At my feet was a baby mocking bird, crouched against the wood stairs that led up the hillside. Its little beak was tangled in a dense spider web, and its mouth was opened wide in an attempt to scare me off. Poor little bugger.
Its mama was on the fence next to the stairs, shrieking and scolding me. Her flashy white and grey feathers were a blur as she hopped back and forth, trying to redirect my attention away from her chick. Here was the screaming I had heard.
I gently disentangled the baby, with extra care for her tiny bitsy little feet and legs. She chirped in terror but I was working as quickly as I could. I carried her up the hillside hoping I wouldn't fall on my head; its pretty steep. I picked a tree and reached up as high as I could and placed the chick. To my surprise the chick jumped up higher into the pine tree and mama came swooping down. I was so pleased that the scent of my hands on the baby didn't make the mama bird reject her.
The outcome was good, and the only downfall is that that they have taken up permanent residence and mama now shrieks bloody hell at my cats all day.

Raccoon and her baby kits

2007-06-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

I was folding laundry this evening, staring off into my garden patch. There is a large West facing glass door in the family room, and I get to enjoy the garden through it. So there I am, folding a million tiny socks and onesies when I catch a movement up on the hill. I see mama raccoon amble in, squeezing in through a lose wood plank in the fence, followed by three adorable babies. I just about died!
I realize that most people see Raccoons as pests, but I never have. I live out near a wide expanse of open fields, and the territory is full of hawks and buzzards, snakes and mice. Raccoons fit right in.
Mama, has been an associate of ours for several years now, I admit to leaving dog food out for her. I also leave a bowl of water for her to wash it in, she seems to like to wash everything she eats before she eats it. Occasionally I leave her an egg, they eat bird eggs as part of their diet; it has made them a unwelcome guest on many a farm. There are no farms around here, and she has never once smashed over my garbage can or anything uncouth like that. In fact, last summer her and her last batch of babies nicely rid my lawn of root eating grubs; I could see them in the moonlight snacking on the hideous white things. I enjoyed that.

You smell marvelous darling...

2007-06-02T20:38:00.000-07:00

You know you are tough when...

2007-05-31T22:08:00.000-07:00

1. You come home with your ear ripped to shreds
2. You make your owner curse at you.
3. You get to pick where you sleep in the house and everyone moves out of your way.
4. No one can tell you when to take a bath.
5. You can lick between your toes.
6. You growl at the reflection of yourself in the mirror.

Happy Birthday Me!

2007-05-30T20:50:00.001-07:00

How to assemble children's furniture

2007-05-30T20:37:00.000-07:00

1. Make sure your helper doesn't have a fever or you will have all the pre-drilled holes in the wrong spots.
2. Find instructions in your native tongue and don't attempt to decipher foreign languages while building.
3. The picture of the finished product is how its supposed to look, its not an interpretive drawing.
4. If you have extra parts left over, you messed up.
5. If you break something don't try and hide it from your helper.
6. When you see your helper screwing in the door knob on the mini-kitchen in the wrong place the second time in a row, send him off with a loud, " Ok, thats enough for you".
7. When the cats are chasing the packing material all over the house and the baby is crying, you are done for the night.

2007-05-28T20:12:00.000-07:00

Well, husband is still really sick. We went and saw specialists last week. Won't be posting often until he's feeling better. Seems like there is 9 million more things I have to get done during the day, with him home all day now. :(

The power of shame.

2007-05-24T20:21:00.000-07:00

I successfully shamed srjc into providing me a proper place to pump milk. Yay me! Who says institutions can't be shamed?!

Dainty dewy petals

2007-05-22T21:52:00.000-07:00

The sick and over worked

2007-05-22T16:37:00.000-07:00

This last week has been difficult for me. I can find no time to study, husband is extremely ill, and baby is teething again. Every time I sit down to try and crack a book open my eyes flicker shut.

Latin Word Winner!

2007-05-21T22:07:00.000-07:00

In mere minutes Princess haiku has cracked the case. While in their beds far across the sea the librarians and artists will be gnashing their teeth in woe, PH has declared herself a winner!
idio- means: self, distinct, separate.

Latin Word of the day

2007-05-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

A while back I started the guess the latin word contest. I am guilty of stealing the concept from Occy at the book collectors coliseum. So once again, no cheating, googling or asking a librarian...

idio-

means exactly what?

What I keep in my purse MEME

2007-05-20T19:05:00.000-07:00

I have loose change.
A lolly pop stick with no lolly left to it.
Pictures of baby in various poses.
Receipts for bird seed and apples.
Phone number of in-law I keep meaning to call.
3 tubes of Chapstick, in case I lose one.
A business card for a MAC tools supplier (great tools)
My extremely fancy wallet.
3 pens.

Whats normally also in my purse:
2 crumpled up diapers
baby wipes
baby clothes
29 baby toys
Hyland's homeopathic teething tablets
junk food
prybar
to do list
car keys
1 lone flip flop
toothbrush
wrench
can of emergency soda pop

I nominate Princess Haiku, Shaz and lastly Lebbercherrie to divulge the secrets of his man-purse.

Some of The Bells...

2007-05-17T23:59:00.000-07:00

...
Hear the tolling of the bells -
Iron bells!
What a world of solemn thought their monody compels!
In the silence of the night,
How we shiver with affright
At the melancholy menace of their tone!
For every sound that floats
From the rust within their throats
Is a groan.
And the people - ah, the people -
They that dwell up in the steeple,
All alone,
And who, tolling, tolling, tolling,
In that muffled monotone,
Feel a glory in so rolling
On the human heart a stone -
They are neither man nor woman -
They are neither brute nor human -
They are Ghouls: -
And their king it is who tolls: -
And he rolls, rolls, rolls,
Rolls
A paean from the bells!
And his merry bosom swells
With the paean of the bells!
And he dances, and he yells;
Keeping time, time, time,
In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the paean of the bells: -
Of the bells:
Keeping time, time, time
In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the throbbing of the bells -
Of the bells, bells, bells: -
To the sobbing of the bells: -
Keeping time, time, time,
As he knells, knells, knells,
In a happy Runic rhyme,
To the rolling of the bells -
Of the bells, bells, bells -
To the tolling of the bells -
Of the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells, -
To the moaning and the groaning of the bells.

I have always wondered what fury and disharmony brought together this poem. Do you think anyone interrupted him with asinine questions such as, "Honey, where is my beige whale bone corset?"

Best adjective to describe this person?

2007-05-17T22:58:00.000-07:00

Latin Word of the day

2007-05-17T22:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a tough one. No Googling or cheating...
What do you think this means?

vermi-

Win the challenge and be famous for a day!

A full moon over the superstructure

2007-05-17T22:25:00.000-07:00

I worked all night on August eleventh 2005; the last pier-footing was poured full of concrete in a long span of around 30 hours. I wasn't used to the hours, and six pm to six am is difficult until you've done it for several days in a row. I like the money though; time and a half all night. I parked my truck in the dusty parking lot and walked down to the dock around 5:30. The sun was still up, but was headed down and getting ready for twilight.

It was almost time to catch the crew boat out onto the water. The low light was interesting, long shadows from the old train bridge next to the new Benecia Bridge, stretched out over the water. I hung over the edge of the boat to see the shadows that bumped along with the waves. City lights from Benecia and smaller towns along the Solano Bay, flickered on and off from afar. Slow traffic on the old George Miller bridge traveled across the skyway.
It's softer and mellower at night.
Everyone knows that it will be a long time before the sun circles around the Earth to the other side of the horizon. In the middle of the night it can feel like the sun has been down for a week.

In celebration of poor planning...

2007-05-16T23:01:00.000-07:00

Our honorary winner is Santa Rosa Junior College, with whom I spoke with on Tuesday. (Booo, Hisssss)
I ask the college counselor, "What do you have set up for women who are breast feeding and need to pump on campus?" I receive a pause and a polite, "Hold on, I'll see.." I need to interject at this point that I am thoroughly shocked at the lack of accommodation and foresight exhibited by this brand new facility in Petaluma, Ca. Is it so surprising that I don't think a bathroom is adequate!? There isn't even a chair or an electrical outlet or anything. There are all these germs from people who don't wash their hands before/after they use the toilet- we are talking about my infant's food supply after all. I don't think this is entertaining in the least.
So anyway, the counselor comes back and says there is nowhere available. Her suggestion? Use my car; put up some shades and pump in my car. Please, it will be close to 100 degrees in the summer. I will still be the crazy naked lady in the car. I mean really. Do they think that is a solution? Are all the office rooms full on that campus? There is no cubicle with a couch, or measly chair that is private? I could tell this woman was embarrassed when I asked her if she realized how many times I would have to be out in my car. Thats alot of missed time from classes, but what is my option? In order to maintain your milk supply you need to pump as often as every two hours and no longer than 5 hours. The lady suggested I pump the day before and save the milk, I had to explain the whole supply and demand thing to her. Anyway, aren't they supposed to give guidance on classes and not breast milk pumping? If I had listened to her advice I would have wrecked my milk supply. She didn't realize she was talking to a lactovist. :)I will be directing my tirade at the Dean soon.

A mouse! Just what I wanted.

2007-05-15T22:01:00.000-07:00

Everyone likes a new pair of socks!

2007-05-15T21:49:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2007-05-15T21:23:00.000-07:00

Mmmm that feels good!

2007-05-15T21:22:00.000-07:00

Get this kitten off me! Aah!

2007-05-15T21:19:00.000-07:00

The effects of naps on the infant brain.

2007-05-14T23:54:00.000-07:00

"Morning naps tend to be rich in the type of sleep which has proven to play an important role in brain maturation. Afternoon naps tend to be important in reducing levels of cortisol, the hormone linked with stress." Excerpt from, sleep solutions for your baby, toddler and preschooler, written by Ann Douglas.
I appreciate the thoroughness of Ms. Douglas's research. Maybe I will make a fan site for her. In particular I am enjoying the 'no-crying' solutions of this book.

Attention treckies!

2007-05-14T00:39:00.000-07:00

Do you have dreams of William Shatner in tight polyester pants? Can you recite all the catch phrases that endear you to women in line at the grocery store? " Dammit Jim!" or perhaps, " Beam me up Scotty". Do you own star trek toys; are you over the age of 25? Well guess what!? The 2007 Star Trek Convention is coming soon! Go here for all the guest appearances...

Guess the name of this crane.

2007-05-14T00:22:00.000-07:00

I'm not joking! It really has it's own personal name. (The one on the left side.) Its a floating Derrick crane.

Indelible Visions

2007-05-13T23:39:00.000-07:00

I have traveled a vast and eerie landscape over the last ten years. I have seen the jaundiced orb of the moon, transverse the inky night sky; leaping over the piers of the bridge during night shift. I have seen thousands of twinkling lights vibrating from the coastline of the city. I have seen the insides of radioactive hoppers, powdery stalactites hanging suspended from the ceiling in silence. I have crawled on my belly in the muddy marsh under the steam lines in Oil Refineries. Ah, the places I have been...

The Telling, by Ursula k. Le Guin

2007-05-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

I Just finished this small book of 231 riveting pages. As usual, Ms. Le Guin's social commentary is rich and deeply woven into her tale. Her previous books have won much critical acclaim, and I am a huge fan of hers. The story begins on earth, where a religious group is taking control of the government and is outlawing freedom of expression. We travel to a new planet where earth is attempting to share information with a world that has outlawed reading and writing. It is a frightening look into what the loss of history entails.

Improper tool uses.

2007-05-12T20:59:00.000-07:00

1. Never pick your teeth with an awl.
2. Despite what your coworkers say, dry line chalk tastes really bad. When it is breezy try and work up wind if you are snapping lines.
3. Never, never, never hold 16 penny sinkers ( the green lubricated ones) in your mouth. I hope I don't need to elaborate what can go wrong.
4. Don't tell your buddy a funny joke when he's working with a nail gun.
5. You are not helping anyone when you have an old tape measure and the hook/tip can be jiggled a quarter of an inch. You will get yelled at. They will throw it off the barge.
6. Try to remember to unbuckle your tools before you go into the office, you will knock the plants off the secretary's desk.

Carpenter trick #1

2007-05-12T20:52:00.000-07:00

When you need to make multiple rips of plywood and you are by your self.

Measure and mark both sides of the plywood. Cut notches on your marks on one end with your Skilsaw. Slip the knot of your chalk line into the groove and snap your lines. This prevents the chalk line from slipping off the mark as you walk the 8 feet to the end of the sheet. (Always happens, and drives me nuts) Cut your rips perfectly every time, impress them with your finesse.

Help from the hand of Dog.

2007-05-12T10:20:00.000-07:00

Cheating is a bad idea. The entire idea of a placement test is that you get put into the correct class. I must once again bring this topic up I am afraid. I called in to see how I did on the test ( note previous post), and was amazed and chagrined that I had placed in finite math. Yes, math 9, mathematics for math/chemistry majors! Vanishingword is now wringing her hands in dismay. I should not have filled in all those questions without knowing them. Apparently the hand of Dog was guiding my bubble filling.
*sigh*

Princess Haiku is our LWD winner!

2007-05-12T10:01:00.000-07:00

We have a winner! Please congratulate our newest brain...
tachy- means swift or rapid.

Today's Latin word

2007-05-11T21:50:00.000-07:00

Think you have a handle on language? Tell us what this means without googling it. No cheating.

tachy-

Help make a quilt of good wishes for an adopted baby!

2007-05-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

I was running through random blogs and found this little project blog. People are sending fabric from all sorts of places! Here is a quote from the blog,
"... Write or type a wish/poem/ on acid free paper (preservation purposes) expressing your good wishes and heartfelt sentiments for the baby; The fabric will be used to make the quilt and the notes and the smaller pieces of fabric will be placed in a books for each of our daughters to be given when they are older."
Go here to see what its about!

Free psychic questions answered!

2007-05-11T11:07:00.000-07:00

It seems that people have forgotten about our resident psychic. She wanted to post, so I said she could.
"I madam Jewel, am prepared to answer your questions. I will use my amazing powers to see into the future and into the deep dark indelible recesses of your heart. Ask your questions...."

2007-05-10T23:49:00.000-07:00

I collect rocks! Does this make me a nerd? I have rocks from 150 meters down into the bedrock, where they anchored the piles of the new Bay Bridge.

least used items this week!

2007-05-10T23:14:00.000-07:00

1. Soap
2. Shower stall
3. Hairbrush
4. Vacuum
5. Notes on molecular biology of comparative embryonic studies
6. Algebra brush up book
7. Pillow
8. Bed
9. The part of my brain that allows sleep ( all these are related to the baby if you didn't guess)
10. Turn signal in car, see number 9.

How to embarass yourself in college.

2007-05-10T22:58:00.000-07:00

I went to go take a math placement exam today. It has only been 16 years since I last took Intermediate Algebra, I thought the memories might still be viable. But no. No, they are not. We had two minutes to look over the exam, and change to a harder or easier one. I had the folder of questions, and none of them looked familiar. In truth they looked like some sort of Chinese writing once I started having heart palpitations and my vision squeezed in. I could have changed out my test. My pride prevented me from rising from my chair and declaring in a loud voice that I needed Elementary Algebra. I think most of the problem was that there was a 72 year old woman in the class room and we had a long discussion before the class. She told me how she was reciting a mantra, "I will be able to answer the problems, the answer is in my subconscious (repeat)". Somehow I thought this was applicable to me as well. It wasn't. It wasn't even close. After 35 minutes, I started just guess and not even looking at the equations. If I get into Intermediate Algebra it will be because of an act of god.
Here is a picture of a Fractual Geometric math problem. Mandelbrot set. Bifurcation diagram. Just in case you would like to feel sorry for me.

Rumble in the Bronx, a tail of cats.

2007-05-10T06:20:00.000-07:00

This morning there was a suprise visitor in the backyard; a marmalade tom cat. The tribe wasn't pleased. Weenie my enormous, sumo wrestler of a cat was doing the ambulance noises so loud at the sliding glass door, he woke up the baby. The "girls" looked mad, and darted out the door after him. My husband says, " Oh look, a kitty, he looks hungry. I'll put out some crunchies for him", I was thinking that something bad was going to happen and I was right. Husband comes back in and says, "Cupcake and that cat are friends, they ran off together!" Sure, and I'm a ten foot fluffy rabbit! Not five minutes after husband took off for work and I hear a huge cat fight out in the front yard. I open the door and in swaggers Cupcake. I do believe she kicked the stuffing of one orange cat. Now to deal with the cat food outside; its asking for problems. Nice that husband has a kind heart though.

Holy Mackerel, this thing makes noise and has lights

2007-05-08T20:17:00.000-07:00

More wordless wednsday...

2007-05-08T20:03:00.001-07:00

Some of my vanishing artwork.

Cupcake the villianous dispatcher of mice.

2007-05-08T20:02:00.000-07:00

Are you frightened yet?

2007-05-08T19:36:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednsday

2007-05-08T14:48:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to explain the peculiar posting for Wed, on a Tuesday! My friends over sea happen to be on a 9 hour earlier schedule than I.

Guess the book I'm reading competition!

2007-05-08T00:49:00.000-07:00

Go to Occam's Library and guess the book. I am totally stumped folks.

Seven Random Things About Me.

2007-05-07T20:57:00.000-07:00

1. I have a cryptic sense of humor that can go entirely unrecognized by people who don't know me.
2. I have extremely robust and long, toes. They are like prehensile digits. I could peel an apple with them.
3. Before I had a baby I thought people were over zealous about every little thing their child did.
4. I make double batches of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and freeze the dough. I eat it secretly late at night while I blog.
5. I love my husband, even when he tries to hide the cookie dough.
6. I am working on a book, but have been suffering from writers block for over a year.
7. When driving I am consumed with the desire to run the cars that cut me off, into the ditch on the side of the highway.

Addendum:
So thanks to our friend, Us Danes, I got tagged with a meme called seven random things about me. I am now tagging Lebbercherrie and Two Mittens . We await with bated breath...

I am a killer.

2007-05-07T20:39:00.000-07:00

I have killed, and I will kill again.

A picture of my unwary victim.
Did you know that only adult female mosquitoes bite? I was baffled to learn that female mosquitoes need the protein in the blood to produce eggs. The rather harmless male, sips nectar from flowers and plants. The females, do this as well, but it is their quest for blood that makes them a pest. And get this, not all species of mosquitoes bite humans - some species prefer birds, large mammals, or even snakes!
A bug that bites a snake, now thats entertaining. How do you suppose a snake itches its self?
Just a thought...

Latin Word of the day

2007-05-07T08:09:00.000-07:00

Have an Idea what this means?

-genic

Go ahead and post it, no cheating! You could be famous for a day if you win!

Lebbercherrie is our winner!

2007-05-07T08:06:00.000-07:00

We would like to formally congratulate our resident brain for his outrageous win! We have a latin Word Winner folks!

Arthr- means joint! As in Arthritis. (joint-inflammation)

Well Done!

More bad poetry

2007-05-07T07:50:00.000-07:00

I am compelled to describe the temperature here in the Bay Area over the weekend.

Blistering burning boiling hot,
Your plants are all withering,
Better water all, still in a pot.
Resist the urge to start blithering,
There is nothing you can do
90 degrees in May, it can't be true!

You get the point.
I dislike rhymes, I realize its exceptionally bad, but its my first attempt since grade school and that was eons ago.

New findings on the cause of SIDS!

2007-05-07T03:43:00.000-07:00

This link to a ground breaking article written in England was given to me by a friend. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is horrible, and this article deserves reading. I guess the main thing it says to me is that breastfeeding your baby every 1 -1/2 to 3 hours at night is best way to keep your baby's glucose levels up. The babies that are left to sleep the night are in the gravest danger.

I just read something that made me laugh!

2007-05-06T10:07:00.001-07:00

Are you part of the cult?

You could be, according to Peggy Robin, in the most controversial part of her book Bottlefeeding Without Guilt (new title: When Breastfeeding is Not an Option). If you believe her, there is a militant breastfeeding cult on the loose in our nation!

I took many of the supposed elements of the "breastfeeding cult lifestyle" and put them in the form of questions. Ask yourself if you are caught up in the "breastfeeding cult":

Do you nurse your babies past one year of age?
Do you share your bed with your nursing baby?
Do you believe that mothers and fathers have different roles to play in raising children?
Do you believe that women were provided with breasts in order to feed their babies?
Do you associate with other women who breastfeed their children or even---gasp!---attend La Leche League meetings?
Do you sign your email messages with "Billy's mommy" or cutesy nicknames? This is an obvious sign that you are assuming a childlike, unquestioning, unintellectual role within the cult.
Do you follow the AAP guidelines of breastfeeding a baby exclusively for six months before introducing supplements or solids? (Presumably the AAP is part of the cult.)
Do you believe that there are not only physical differences between men and women, but psychological and emotional differences as well?
Do you believe that motherhood is a noble calling and that mothers and babies belong together? Do you---gasp!---think that babies are better off if their mothers are home with them rather than pursuing careers? ( I do understand this isn't always possible)
Do you make your baby's food from wholesome, nourishing ingredients and avoid processed foods or additives?
Do you believe that birth should be a joyous, natural, and (when possible) non medical event?
Do you use cloth diapers?
Do you prefer cotton clothing?
Do you avoid pacifiers and artificial nipples?

If you answered in the affirmative to any of these, let me warn you that Peggy Robin views these as characteristics of the cult lifestyle!

Today's Latin word

2007-05-06T06:08:00.000-07:00

Think you know what this means? No google cheating.

arthr-

Go ahead and let us know what you think. You may win the competition and be famous for a day!

Lactation Consultant

2007-05-06T05:38:00.000-07:00

I am guessing you may not know what this is. A Lactation educator takes lots of classes to keep updated on the latest studies, and specializes in the breastfeeding mother. This my friends, is what I am going back to school for.
A college degree is actually not required, but then the requirements for work experience in order to get licensed are 6500 hours! With a four year degree it's only 2500 hours. So I'm going back for a nursing degree, god willing. I figure with a nursing degree I can work more places.
A far cry from carpentry you are probably thinking, and you are completely correct!

Gone will be the thundering clap of the pile driving hammer.
The piston exploding through rock, will be replaced by gentle correction and patience.

Thousands of tons of concrete splashing into place with a pump will be replaced with a new mother and her child; worlds apart.

Houston, we have a tooth!

2007-05-05T16:34:00.000-07:00

By golly, a tooth today! Our very first one!

First food!

2007-05-05T10:03:00.000-07:00

On love...

2007-05-04T19:50:00.000-07:00

The Miller's Daughter

It is the miller's daughter,
And she is grown so dear, so dear,
That I would be the jewel
That trembles in her ear:
For hid in ringlets day and night,
I'd touch her neck so warm and white.

And I would be the girdle
About her dainty dainty waist,
And her heart would beat against me,
In sorrow and in rest:
And I should know if it beat right,
I'd clasp it round so close and tight.

And I would be the necklace,
And all day long to fall and rise
Upon her balmy bosom,
With her laughter or her sighs:
And I would lie so light, so light,
I scarce should be unclasp'd at night.

by Alfred lord Tennyson

Two mittens is our latin word winner!

2007-05-04T18:17:00.000-07:00

We extend the honor of famous for a day to Two mittens who guessed correctly.
ecto- means: outside, outer, external. Way to go!

Today's Latin word

2007-05-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

Think you know what ecto- means?

Post your answer here and become famous for one day! No Google-cheating. All guesses welcome.

I am a lion

2007-05-04T07:38:00.000-07:00

How my cats get grandiose ideas about their self importance.

Apperently breastfeeding is disgusting!

2007-05-03T18:30:00.000-07:00

It is not, but this guy thinks so! I was reading this today and I couldn't believe how conservative and absurd it was. I have to say just in case your not aware, that public breastfeeding is protected by law in the united states. I don't think you should need to go into a public bathroom to feed your child. Would you take a meal there? Probably not. As far as exposure goes, most of the time its not even that obvious. No one has ever said anything to me about it. This guy is a creep, and he's mean. Post him about it!

Zimbob is correct!

2007-05-03T18:28:00.001-07:00

We have a Latin word winner!

Today's Latin word

2007-05-03T07:52:00.000-07:00

-pnea

Think you know what it stands for? Go ahead, submit your answer. No Google-cheating.

Never wake a sleeping mother

2007-05-03T07:44:00.000-07:00

This morning at 5 am when I and the baby are finally asleep:
Clattering in the kitchen, then, "Honey where are the sodas?" Me, "RAWR". Sounds of wallpaper shredding and books tumbling off shelf.

Poison

2007-05-02T00:25:00.001-07:00

Two snakes were sitting there. One snake asks the other, "Are we poisonous?" The other snakes says, "No. Why?" The first snake says, "Because I just bit my tongue!"

Megan's Law

2007-05-01T21:36:00.000-07:00

If you live in the United States there is a government website that lists all the child molesters and creeps! I was checking around my own neighborhood, just to see and was totally scared out of my mind. Its really an interesting site, it lists their address as well as gives you their picture and crime. You scroll down to the bottom of the page and it links you to a search engine. You can search by zip code, address, county or name. I was thinking I ought to run some of my ex boyfriends through. Here is the link...
Remember Megan.

More on the tale of a cat scorned

2007-05-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

As well as general mockery, beware of insulting your cats dignity. You will pay.

I am going to have to change my tag!

2007-05-01T07:55:00.000-07:00

I will become Carpentergirl's tricks to surviving college with twenty year olds. How to get a better grade than blonds in half shirts and short shorts. Ten ways to convince your teacher that you really DO have to go home and take the baby to the doctors. Yes, the baby really did eat my homework.

Adios

2007-04-30T20:14:00.000-07:00

I really sat and thought hard today. As I munched on a snack, I thought about everything I am walking away from. The difficult years of qualifying over and over again, to men that didn't want me around in the first place. The tears that I hide from them, when I fell short of expectations. The biting my lip when I got called all sorts of things when I messed up as an apprentice. I mean, I truly struggled through the four year apprenticeship; I was determined. In 2005 it was the only thing I had ever set my mind to and completed. It was a huge deal to me, sort of the great pyramid of Vanishingword's life. Each stone was placed with deliberation. I spent hours in class rooms, hours getting yelled at, hours sweating in the blazing sun. I worked upside down, underneath things, crawled in mud, got soaked in rain, had my boots fill with sea water and sea weed. I had birds poop on me, sun blister my nose, I drove a handrail post through my lip, and almost got fired for telling the boss what I thought of his plans.
I drove myself mercilessly to be competitive, and excel past my co-apprentices.
*sigh*
But I am leaving it. Its been 10 years since I was last in college, I'm over 32, and I'm scared that I'm too old and dumb to learn any new subjects.

Attention science fiction and fantasy writers

2007-04-29T21:46:00.000-07:00

Have you been thinking about publishing your labor of love? Take this test to make sure it will be well received first. While everyone loves a good story about elves and fire breathing dragons, why not check to see if your plot is old hat. A dead dog.

Romance

2007-04-29T16:09:00.000-07:00

Here is where I met my husband in 2004. It's on a barge called the Manson 90.

The tale of a cat scorned.

2007-04-29T10:21:00.000-07:00

Beware of joking around with your cat. They exact a painful revenge. This morning it was, " Oh look, how nice of you to put the baby's jumper on the floor! I will pee on it!"

Today was a good day for a visit to the carousel

2007-04-28T14:48:00.000-07:00

Think you have the worst job on earth?

2007-04-28T00:44:00.000-07:00

Think again.
Go here for a lovely example of a very bad job.

Attention Fan Boys and Girls!

2007-04-28T00:14:00.000-07:00

Hurry and run to get your early tickets of Spiderman 3! You must be wearing your full regalia; spider stockings and tight black crime fighters (pajama outfit ok). No duct tape on the face mask will be allowed, and hand made web spinners made out of old garage remotes and dental floss won't be permitted. See who will win the, I am the biggest Fan Boy award. Run to your nearest comic book store for details.

Sunflowers

2007-04-28T00:09:00.000-07:00

In the garden my big sleepy giants nod their heads in slumber. At seven feet high they are clumsy and heavy with seeds.

Riding the swing for the first time!

2007-04-27T15:07:00.000-07:00

College or construction?

2007-04-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

I have been really debating which I ought to do for work. I'm really divided about what I want to do more. It is very difficult to imagine walking away from what I have been doing for work for the last 7 years. However, I think I have discovered something that might make me feel equally happy! It doesn't involve cranes, books, stealing cars, black market perfume, endangered animals, cooking (blah!), heavy work boots, smuggling cigars over the border, or pedigreed dogs. Care to guess what it might be?

The fighting birds

2007-04-26T15:46:00.000-07:00

Up on the windswept hill above my house, is a group of tall green pine trees. They tower around a seventy feet high, and bend and move in the elevated breezes. In the very tippy-top of one of them a pair of white sea hawks has been busy making a nest. I looked them up online and they are called white tailed hawks. A few trees over from them, a family of rowdy and loud neighbors have decided to make their own nest.
Its the hawks against the ravens.
I took the baby out for a walk yesterday and I had to stop in the mid-hill to watch in horror and amazement. A hawk was gliding in a for a peaceful landing, when POW, a raven knocked him upside down. I could see a burst of feathers, and his small red claws turned up in surprise! He must have been totally stunned by the blow, because he fell about ten feet upside down before he got his balance in the air again. They have been fighting all the time lately. The babies must make them more protective and territorial. A baby will make you act like that, I guess.

Five little known facts

2007-04-25T06:06:00.000-07:00

1. It is impossible to wear a tool belt without swaggering. It helps keep the tools in your belt from denting and bruising up the sides of your legs.
2. When you run out of paper cups, the guys on the job suck the nozzle of the water cooler. (yuck!)
3. Some folks don't lock the door of the blue house, so always knock.
4. If you pick up the boss's car with the forklift and move it he will be upset.
5. If you feed the ravens, eventually they will recognize you and come closer. They have amazingly glossy feathers and are so intelligent! I enjoyed their company.

Sparks a-flying or How to catch yourself on fire.

2007-04-23T10:21:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I was working in San Francisco under the freeway, for a company I won't mention. Their equipment yard was a huge gated lot, full of rusted, beat up looking dirt movers and cranes. You had to go into a bad part of town and I can remember that the drunks that lived in tents in the yard were fighting in the early morning. I was nervous about it, but it was only a one day job, and I had the company of a work buddy, so I figured I'd be safe.
The sun wasn't up yet, and the cool white light from the street lamps cast eery shadows. The cranes looked prehistoric, and angry. Early morning traffic still wasn't even stirring, I think it was 4am.
My buddy M, and I set up to work on the shovel of a Super 20, the teeth were missing and torn apart, they had really waited until the last minute to fix it. We fired up our generator (the drunks were mad about the noise) and I rolled out my cord for a 9 inch grinder. My job was to take the metal teeth all the way down, I followed behind M, who was air arcing off the teeth one by one. The smell of roasted CAT paint and burnt mud was just so disgusting I can't even explain it! I held my breath and got to work.
A nine inch grinder weighs around 25 pounds or more, and it can really wear out your arm if you have to hold it in awkward positions. It also has a truly gnarly kickback, and will grind through a pair of thick leather gloves in about one second. I was wearing my welding leathers; a long sleeved shirt with a high collar, to protect against the heat of working next to radiating hot metal. I also had on my welding hood, a hard plastic hat that shield your face, with a five inch by two inch glass window. This was because I was working along side someone Arc-ing ( if you don't protect your eyes you damage them) In the window you attach the "lens" which means you either have a fixed dark lens and have to flip up the hood to see anything and flip it back down before you strike and arc. The fixed dark lens is so dark that you can hold your hand right in front of your face and still not see it- welding creates light that is something like 2-3 times the strength of the sun (totally inaccurate, but something like that). A more expensive alternative is a "quick change lens" which mean that until it senses an arc ( some meer fraction of one second and it darkens) its totally see- through. I have one and it cost me 300$. Not cheap!
So there is a reason I explain all this, I had the hood on, and I couldn't see too good. The sparks were flying back onto the leather apron, because I couldn't see where my sparks were going (you can aim them if you can see). Well all the sudden I smelled this strange smell. I stop working, I sniff. I think, hmmmmm? I look down and see red flames! I'm on fire! I roll into a puddle of filth and my buddy is slapping me with his gloves to put me out. So finally I get up; I stink like urine and grease, my sweat shirt has a huge hole in it, I'm wet, I'm extremely embarrassed. I go back to work. Some things you just don't live down.

Greetings from the shadow

2007-04-22T18:17:00.000-07:00

In the dark ages before computers....

2007-04-21T16:49:00.000-07:00

(In the background you hear a rain storm, crashing droplets furiously falling on the jungle canopy. The sound of monkeys screaming through the branches sends shivers up your arms, various bird call and sing. The Chimpanzees move off, and the loud drone of the wild forest crickets buzzes and crackles like static.)
Amids the wilderness and wildness, there is I.
Alone and bewildered without my umbilical cord attached to the internet. I have suffered these past two days. I have been stranded in Borneo, perplexed with how to occupy myself when I have free time, I have wandered the deep dark indelible green of the jungle. The plateau of the dishes in the sink. The tall upright ridges of the fence outside. I have been oh so very bored.

@#$!%##! computer crashed

2007-04-20T13:05:00.000-07:00

I am going to have to delay posting and responding until puter is back from shop. Picture a very angry carpenter.

The union hall

2007-04-19T09:54:00.000-07:00

I took the baby with me this morning when I went to the union hall. Its a short drive through the rolling hills of Northern California. I am often amazed that 15 minutes outside of a huge metropolis there is land with out housing developments or electricity. Its just weird. I think there are hundreds of millions of people in the Bay Area, but go away from the center of the cities, and poof, everything disappears into barns and rural life. The recent rain has made the slopes of grass chartreuse, and the earth stands out in moist shadow. I noticed that some of the cows in the fields had new calves.
While at the union hall I ran into a bunch of people I had the pleasure of working alongside many years ago. The hall is the hub of all union activity; a great place to run into old friends. The baby was a huge hit with the men, and they wore him out. He fell asleep after a mere 2 hours of flirting and gurgling. Who would have thought that a group of grizzled construction workers would be so pleased to dandle a baby?! Not me! I obviously need to work on my perception of men and their rolls with children. I must have some sort of hidden old fashioned view about it.