shiny little distractions

Trying the phone app

2012-01-23T22:15:00.001-06:00

Oooh, it's a ukulele!

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I'm back again

2012-01-23T21:46:00.002-06:00

Whew! I thought this blog would be gone forever in the ether of forgotten accounts and passwords. That's what happens when you are easily distracted. Life is good...busy, but good.

I'm still alive, although maybe a little less shiny...

2009-04-18T22:55:00.002-05:00

'cuz nursing school can be kind of a bitch. Yes, nursing school. A new incarntion for the musicgeek. Hopefully, by May of next year, I'll have an RN behind my name and can be takin' care of some business for all of you infirm out there.

I'm at the tail end of my first year of "nothing but nursing classes". One more year to go. The weeding out process is pretty continuous at my school. You pretty much have a brand new opportunity to crash and burn every 8 weeks when you get to this point. So far, I've made it through all the basic nursing and my first med/surg rotation. I'm in OB now, and I love, LOVE, LOVE it!!! Birthin' babies, and taking care of mommies and babies while they get to know one another is such a privilege. I also have the very best teacher possible, and that's just the icing on the cake that is OB.

On other fronts:

-kids are growing like crazy
-new black cat in the house named Jinx
-husband still putting up with me
-even in this economy, we're still sleeping indoors and eating regularly
-my man got elected president

There ya go. You're all caught up.

Yippeeeee!!!

2006-11-10T06:54:00.000-06:00

Found this funny little tidbit via this blog. You'll have to check out the entire cat gallery. My favorite is the "I has a flavor" kitten. I've put words in many a cats mouth, but never quite came up with that one...

We're goin' to a show!!!

2006-10-30T11:07:00.000-06:00

I just bought tickets to go see SPAMALOT!!! My lucky kids are even going, although they may have to do rock, paper, scissors to see who has to sell a kidney to help pay for the tickets...anyhoo, WE'RE GOING!!! Every time the commercial would come on for it, daughter the eldest would beg and plead to go. I can't wait til they get home from school today so we can tell them we've got tickets for Thursday.

I've loved Monty Python since I was a young kid trying to keep the antenna adjusted to get a clear picture on the remoteless TV. Times have changed, but my love for their humor hasn't. They are silly-smart, and that gets me every time.

Spam-Spam-Spam-Spam, Spa-a-a-a-m, wonderful Spam!!!

Just in case ya didn't know...

2006-10-28T14:35:00.000-05:00

CARDS WIN!!!!!!!!

Another trip to the Art Museum

2006-10-25T14:04:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, we all piled into the vehicle and headed over to the St. Louis Art Museum. We met our old next door neighbors to check out the exhibits and head out for a bite to eat afterward. We all agreed the way coolest thing we saw that day were two installations by an artist named Tara Donovan. She takes common, everyday objects and creates mind blowing art with them. Betcha can't guess what the hazy, cloudy wall above was created with...DRINKING STRAWS!!!!! As we walked from one side of the wall to the other, the effect was amazing.

Here is a straight on view close up.

The second installation was made from plastic cups. The above photo was from another museum, but it shows the scale of the work better than any from the SLAM. I have no earthly idea how many cups she used here, but the number had to be gi-normous. My friend Sherry wanted to nudge one of the ouside edge cups just a little to see what would happen, but there was plenty of museum security around to keep her from giving in to her inner moppet.

This is a close up view of the St. Louis installation.

Afterward, we headed to Fitz's to get a bite to eat. The kids drank enough root beer to float themselves home. We couldn't watch any bottling being done, because Sunday must be "swab the decks" day. They were cleaning when we got there, and were still going at it when we left 2 hours later. Kinda reassuring, that.

Hugs and kisses, y'all.

A little music always helps.

2006-08-26T21:55:00.000-05:00

Worked on the house most of the day Friday. Queued up some CDs and hit random. I was in a bit of a mellow mood. The selections were as follows:

Plans - Death Cab For Cutie
A Rush of Blood to the Head - Coldplay
Taking the Long Way - Dixie Chicks
Airstreams & Satellites - Garrison Starr
Why Should the Fire Die? - Nickel Creek

I look really spiffy in my big wireless headphones vacuuming away. Anyone could come right in and carry the entire house off, as long as they stay out of my direct sightline. It sure does make cleaning a lot more enjoyable. I would have used my mp3 player, but don't have all of these CDs loaded into it yet. Maybe that should be my next project.

Am I the only one who has to use motivational music to get my butt in gear and shovel through the house? If you do the same thing, what kind of playlist motivates you? I'll admit that many times my muse is an obnoxious 80's dance mix, with one of the standouts being It's Raining Men.

Hallelujah!

Summer's winding down.

2006-08-24T10:50:00.000-05:00

The days are getting shorter. The kids have posed for the obligatory first day of school photo with backpacks on at the front door. End of season allergies are kicking in.

It's been a very strange summer...oscillating between joy and despair. Loved ones have passed on, trips have been taken, family has come and gone in a whirlwind of suitcases and playing children, the kids have had a summer's worth of good night kisses and good morning hugs. Time passes and smoothes over some of the sharp edges just a little.

I'm ready for a change of seasons this year. I puttered around in the craft room with some clay and even bought a little yarn for a new project. The house seems all cluttery, and I'm working my way up to caring about it...baby steps, people, baby steps.

The photo above was taken on the Kaskaskia river just as the sun was setting. Those are my two little ducklings tubing behind the boat.

Feelin' hot, hot, hot!

2006-08-04T12:53:00.001-05:00

On Wednesday we took in a Cardinals game. Yes, Wednesday, when the heat was still on. Being an experienced mom, I made sure we were armed with Squeeze Breezes and personal fans. We spent more on ice cream than the GNP of a small country. Not really an ideal night to enjoy a game, but the tickets were already bought and paid for...so you suck it up and go. BTW, the Cards got their butts handed to them 16-8.

We took the Metrolink instead of driving in, so we headed out a little early to try to beat the huge throngs herded onto the platforms waiting for a turn on the train. The metrolink workers were already directing folks into tight "train sized" clusters. People were hot, sweaty, and in no mood to be screwed with. Thank God we just had to wait about 8 or 10 minutes for the next train to come along. I noticed one older gentleman standing in the row beside us who looked like he was just about to collapse...seriously. I reached between people and turned my little fan on him. I was miserable, but he looked sick. Just getting a little air moving around him seemed to perk him up a little. A little side note: When we're moving in a crowded place with the kids, D's job is to do the blocking and room making. I usually bring up the rear to make sure all the kids are herded between us. Now, when it came time to get on our train, D and the kids pushed on and I was getting blocked out by the crowd. That same sweltering fella kept an eye out for me and made sure to give me room to get on before he did.

I know that story doesn't sound all that earth shattering, but here's the point. It always kind of surprises me when strangers repay a small kindness. With the world the way it is today, I just don't have all that high of expectations.

It's nice when it all works out.

The photo above is a shot of the time/temp display inside the stadium. The temp stayed within a few degrees the entire time we were there.

A trip to the zoo.

2006-07-19T17:02:00.000-05:00

Daughter the Younger was away from home having some sleepover fun, so I asked Daughter the Eldest what she'd like to do with the day we were spending with Granny. "Go to the zoo!" was the reply.

It was hotter than the hinges of Hades when we made our way to the zoo on the 15th. We had an amply stocked roll-y cooler, and a vow to not get in too big of a hurry. A highlight was going through the Penguin and Puffin area, which is kept really cold. Like 45 degrees cold. We pretty much made it around to everything but the River's Edge area. Daughter, Granny, and I made it back home and pretty much collapsed into the wonder that is a cool, air-conditioned home.

Even though it was eleventy billion degrees, we had a good day.

Above is a photo that the young 'un took of the sweet little prairie dogs. They were studying us every bit as much as we were studying them.

Another goodbye

2006-07-10T09:29:00.000-05:00

On July 2nd, after a short illness, my mother-in-law Ann passed away.

We are all still reeling from it. Ann was a wonderful mother, grandmother, and friend. I've been sitting here typing and deleting so many things, because the words just aren't right, or enough. The sun keeps coming up and setting and the world is still turning, I just feel a few steps behind it right now.

Goodbye for now Ann. We'll keep you in our hearts until we see you later.

-k

RIP Sweet Boy

2006-05-31T09:35:00.000-05:00

I really don't know how to start this, so I'll just begin. On the 10th of May, I had to make the decision to put my sweet little Zippy cat down. He was a constant in my life for 19 years. That's a long time, I know...but you never really feel like it's enough time. He had been suffering from chronic renal failure for who knows how long, really, and it just seemed to spiral downward in the last few weeks of his life. He grew steadily sicker and weaker. We tempted him with his favorite treats, carried him to the litterbox when he could no longer make it himself, and spent his last days loving him as much as possible. He went peacefully with the help of a wonderful, caring vet staff. I was able to hold him the entire time, so the last thing he felt was being held and petted.

It's odd...grieving for a pet. I feel as if I can't really talk about it too much for fear of being the "crazy cat lady". I keep wanting to just get up and dust myself off, but grief doesn't work like that. It's sticky and messy.

-k

A fun little time waster.

2006-04-14T11:52:00.000-05:00

You can spell anything with Spell with flickr. I love the "ransom note" quality of the results. The spacing was kinda wonky, and I have no idea how that could be remedied, but all in all a fun little toy.

Yes, please.

2006-04-08T09:02:00.000-05:00

You Belong in London

You belong in London, but you belong in many cities... Hong Kong, San Francisco, Sidney. You fit in almost anywhere.And London is diverse and international enough to satisfy many of your tastes. From curry to Shakespeare, London (almost) has it all!

What European City Do You Belong In?

I've actually been to London and LOVED it! The things we consider old and historic here in the USA don't even hold a candle to what the Europeans have. It's also true that while I was there, I kept thinking of all the OTHER places I'd like to go...

City Museum!!!

2006-04-06T08:36:00.000-05:00

The kids had an unexpected day off from school yesterday, so we headed over to St. Louis to make the most of it at the City Museum. It's not like a regular museum. It's filled with all manner of recycled bits and bobs from local buildings that are re-used in all kinds of crazy, fun ways.

There is a "forest to climb through and explore. The "Enchanted Caves" are a wacky conglomeration of concrete caves and Mad Max looking decayed industrial levels to climb.

We spent some time on the 3rd floor in Art City. There are always art materials out for the visitors to use, and most are free. We looooovve the free stuff!!! The snowflake lady was there, so we all cut our "animal" snowflakes. She sells books with patterns all kinds of snowflakes. We have a few of the books, and they're lots of fun to do.

We spent a lot of time outside the building in MonstroCity. It's not for the faint of heart. There are twisty, turny, HIGH tunnels to crawl in all the way up to the third floor of the building! There's lots of places to snag the seat of your pants (just ask Daughter the Eldest!) and make the mistake of looking down and suffer heart palpatations. The preferred method of going down from one area to the next is one of the slides.

While the kids were busy climbing and sliding, I sat in the centrally located "tree house" and listened to some podcasts. The most telling description I could give of MonstroCity is that it looks like something my Uncle Byron would make just for the hell of it.

If you're going to be in St. Louis and are looking for something fun to do and see, then you MUST go to the City Museum...

just don't take the bus.

It got a little windy yesterday.

2006-04-03T12:28:00.000-05:00

This is what's left of the HUGE shed that we parked our boat in. Our boat is the one with the bit of aluminum lying ever so jauntily across the bow of it. This property is only about 1/4 of a mile down the road from our home. We were so very fortunate that the only problem we had at home was a few missing shingles. I guess they weren't technically missing, as they were still in our yard.

There is also a home in front of the "shed". Fortunately, the only big damage to it was that the front eaves were snapped up and lying on the roof. The kindly neighbors who let us use the space in their shed weren't home at the time, so no one is hurt.

The beautiful subdivision just across the street and down from us took a pretty big hit, i.e. roofs blown off, entire backs of homes just gone, etc. The police weren't letting anyone in that didn't live there. There is still a squad car posted there today.

We missed most of the excitement in our neighborhood as this was happening. We were on the way home from a matinee with the kids . The theater we went to is in Belleville, just south of Fairview Heights, so I wanted to drive home via Fairview to use a Borders coupon before it expired that day. I rarely let one of those go unused. Anyhoo, as we were heading northbound on Rt. 159, the traffic lights started to go dead. That's not a road you want to be on when that happens, because it takes freakin' forever to get through all the congestion. The sky was black and the rain was really coming down, so I weighed my options and decided that paying full price for something at Borders might not be so bad, and proceeded to change direction and head straight home. We were blown about, rained on and pelted with hail for the rest of the ride home.

God must have had a hand in those annoying dead traffic signals. At just the time we would have been getting to Borders, a store in that very same area collapsed (there was a fatality involved), part of the roof was blown off of the mall across the street, and power lines were down everywhere. I think they're still clearing debris away today.

There were emergency vehicles and police everywhere as we got close to home. We were so happy to see our house still standing there. D got up on the roof to patch it up. We retrieved our planters that had blown down the street, checked on neighbors, lit some candles, had some cereal and counted our blessings.

Here is a link to a story that I found. The Borders mentioned is the very one we were heading toward!

Spring may really be here after all!

2006-03-28T10:17:00.000-06:00

I'm SO ready to see some hummingbirds. Here's a neat little place to track their progress. Looks like it's time to get the feeders cleaned up and ready for the hungry little creatures. I really don't have a lot of luck in attracting birds, but the hummers and goldfinches usually feel sorry for me and set up shop in my yard.

We have a back porch/lanai type area on our house, and we love to sit out there and watch whoever decides to come in for a little lunch. One time I could swear that a little hummer was reading the paper with my mother-in-law.

Aaaahhh...pretty soon, I'll be sitting out with my glass of iced tea, feeling the warm air, and watching the show.

Ciao.

Birthdays really are nice.

2006-03-24T11:35:00.000-06:00

Thanks to all of my family and friends that remembered little old me on my birthday. I made the crew take me out to eat Imo's pizza. I'm the only one in the family that likes it, and the last time we had it was for my birthday LAST year!!! BWAAAHAHAHAHA!!! Being queen for a day makes me absolutely giddy with power!

As you can see from the ginormous candles on the cake, I am 44 years old (or young, as all the old people say), but I prefer to think of it as 22 folded in half.

Ciao baby.

This is my new idol.

2006-03-16T10:22:00.000-06:00

I don't even know how I landed on this. Irene has no problem whatsoever in her wardrobe choices. She just may have the solution to all my worries about my wardrobe. She's stylin' and happy. What more could you ask?

Bingo!!!

2006-03-16T08:44:00.000-06:00

You Are Likely a Third Born

At your darkest moments, you feel vulnerable.At work and school, you do best when you're comparing things.When you love someone, you tend to like to please them.
In friendship, you are loyal to one person.Your ideal careers are: sales, police officer, newspaper reporter, inventor, poet, and animal trainer.You will leave your mark on the world with inventions, poetry, and inspiration.

The Birth Order Predictor

The end of an era

2006-03-14T09:00:00.000-06:00

Today is garbage day at Casa de Musicgeek. What you see above are the remains of the trampoline. It was a good trampoline...nice and springy. It stood proudly in the corner of our backyard for 3 (or maybe 4, we don't really remember) years.

Countless jumps have been jumped by our girls and all the other kids in the neighborhood. On hot, windless days, groups of little children sprawled out on it telling stories and secrets. At any given time, I could look out my kitchen windows and count the heads bobbing up and down, and know that everyone was safe and accounted for. Later in the day, moms would call kids in for dinner, which would be gobbled down so the kids could get in "a few more jumps" before darkness and mosquitoes brought the day to a close. Some little stragglers would have to retrieve forgotten shoes before a rainstorm or the lawnmower could find them.

That's been the rhythm of the summer at my home for the past few years. Time goes by, trampolines get rickety and unsafe, friends move, kids grow and change...and mom and dad have to try to keep up with it all.

It's time for a new routine and rhythm. From all indications so far, basketballs bouncing and knitting needles clicking will figure heavily into it.

Mommy just needs to look out a different window.

The wheels on the bus...

2006-03-10T12:06:00.000-06:00

went round and round forever, or so it seemed.

I took a little field trip with Daughter the Younger's class to the Illinois State Capitol. We started out at about 8:00 am, and pulled back into school around 6:00pm. It was rainy and cold, but we still had a great day. The kids were thrilled because they got the go-ahead to bring along electronic gizmos of their choosing for the long bus ride. They were also supposed to pack lunch and enough snacks to make it through the day. I'm almost on a professional level with snacking, so my backpack should have come with a llama to carry it. I also brought my scaled-down purse, a book, notebook and pens, a couple of water bottles, Kleenex, hand cleaner, extra snacks in case there were snackless kids, and my trusty Zen mp3 player. I really could have used that llama.

We made four stops on our tour of Lincoln related stuff.

The New Salem Historic Village - It was pretty rainy and cold on our first stop. There were volunteers in period costumes in two of the buildings in the village. They had fires going in the fireplaces and answered students questions about life in Lincoln's time. It would be a good place to go back to in nicer weather. The lady at the info desk said they have more of the buildings open in the warmer months. We could look into them, they just didn't have any villagers in them.
Abraham Lincoln's Tomb - All of the kids rubbed Abe's nose for luck.
The Illinois State Capitol Building - The kids got to see where the senators and congressmen do their thing. I personally think they could do without a few of the $100,000 chandeliers, and get an art teacher in my kid's school...just saying.
The Illinois State Museum - This was our last stop, and was within walking distance of the Capitol building. It was the kind of place where you could have meandered through slowly and probably learned a lot about Illinois...fourth graders aren't into meandering. Really.

On the way back to school, the cluster of kids that I was sitting near were trying to keep track of our progress on the shiny new maps they picked up at the Capitol building. They were BIG into the literature that was available there. I just loved it when the workers had to put more out for them. I'm paying for that crap, damnit, so it better be out there for my little darlin's class.Some Kentucky Fried Chicken and a hot bath put the icing on the cake of the day.

After seeing the facilities in the New Salem Village, I'm pretty safe in saying that Abe never had it so good.

This just makes me laugh!!!

2006-03-03T10:03:00.000-06:00

Thanks so much to the folks at You Knit What?? for leading me to this little gem! I'm a certifiable cat freak, and really...what could be better that putting stuff on a cat!

First I have to say, I can't even imagine knitting something like this that would truly fit a cat. Secondly, how the hell did this person get it ON the cat without ending up in the hospital with their flesh in tatters?!?

It truly boggles the mind.

Pukety, puke , puke...

2006-03-03T09:09:00.001-06:00

yeah, that's what's up here folks. Daughter the Younger has tummy troubles. She's feeling a little better today, but still nowhere near normal. I've been Lysol and Cloroxing everything that doesn't move out of my way under it's own power. I know it's probably viral, and that this will really do no good. It just makes ME feel a little better. If I'm going to be staring down into the business end of a toilet, it's going to be a CLEAN one.

If you come to visit me, and just happen to use the girls' bathroom, this is what you'll see on the soffit above you as you look in the mirror. It's good advice for everyone, don'cha think.

Here I am again.

2006-03-03T09:09:00.000-06:00

Benevolent Creator

Saw this one on Rambling's site. Thanky Rambling.

I should have suspected as much.

2006-02-25T10:29:00.000-06:00

You Are Animal

A complete lunatic, you're operating on 100% animal instincts.You thrive on uncontrolled energy, and you're downright scary.But you sure can beat a good drum."Kill! Kill!"

The Muppet Personality Test

I'm way more excited about this than I should be.

2006-02-23T12:09:00.000-06:00

Glen Phillips, one of my very favorite singer/songwriters of all time now has a Blogger page! You MUST hear him sing! He was the lead singer for Toad the Wet Sprocket back in the day, and has been putting out wonderful music on his own since then. I preach the Gospel of Glen to everyone who will listen...can I get a what what?

I just can't get that song out of my mind.

2006-02-22T09:24:00.000-06:00

Cheney's got a gun....I know it's old news now, but Steven Tyler will forever be linked with Cheney in my mind. Only about 6 years seperate them in age, but the spandex and scarves make it more like dog years. I'll take sex, drugs and rock and roll over lying men in suits any day.

It's amazing how rich white men seem to get away with everything.

Long Time, No See

2006-02-17T15:52:00.000-06:00

Life has gotten very busy the last few weeks. Here are a few things I've learned:

The loss of a pet always leaves a hole in your family...even if that hole is rat shaped.
Driving from the coast of South Carolina to the St. Louis area in one day is a long drive, no matter how many times you tell yourself that it's just a "hop, skip, and a jump".
Good health is precious and easily taken for granted.
Being the "coat watcher" is a blessing when your sitting on a hard floor.
A wonderful husband is a gift. A mother-in-law who's willing to step into your place for a few days to help keep all the plates spinning and balls rolling is like getting a wonderful free bonus gift.
There really is no place like home.

The photo above was taken in my sister's back yard in South Carolina. They have a marsh view and the live oaks and Spanish moss are beautiful.

Time to play!!!

2006-01-27T09:01:00.000-06:00

This is a rare view of Daughter the Younger's basketball shoes without her feet in them. Yes, it's basketball season. That means that I shall be sitting on bleachers (if I'm lucky) or a gym floor until Spring. Both girls are playing the local Booster ball, but this year the little one is also playing on a Select team. In case you're wondering, that means a game or practice almost every evening, with games on the weekends. They're a lot of fun to watch. I've just got to build up the butt callouses to endure it.

My huge, mom-like bag contains my notebook/sketchbook, a copy of "The Magician's Nephew", my camera, my Zen and my free hand is usually holding my travel mug full of tea.

You know...just the essentials.

Another Buffy thing...

2006-01-22T18:31:00.000-06:00

that I've been doing is...get ready for it...listening to the musical episode, "Once More, with Feeling"!!!! I downloaded it off of Napster while I have my free month trial. It's now safely loaded on my Zen and one of my favorite things to listen to.

Now I just need to get "Little Shop of Horrors".

I told you I was geek.

This is the toughest one to get...

2006-01-22T18:22:00.000-06:00

CORDELIA You are Cordelia 'Cordy' Chase. The spoiled snob
everyone loved to hate, then grew to love.

Which Character from 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' Are You?
brought to you by

I'm so tough.

2006-01-22T08:38:00.000-06:00

BUFFY You are Buffy Anne Summers. You are very strong.
The leader of the Scooby Gang. Fighter. Friend.
Vampire Slayer.

Which Character from 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' Are You?
brought to you by

Christmas just keeps on coming for musicgeek!

2006-01-16T21:12:00.000-06:00

I am now the proud owner of a Zen MicroPhoto MP3 player! I've been spending all of my free time getting it loaded up with music, photos, and all 17 cds worth of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. After doing lots of looking and reading up on all the options, this is what I decided on. It makes the musicgeek in me very happy. The photogeek is overjoyed as well.

In keeping with the "all about me" theme I had going on last week, I also broke down and bought some Bare Escentuals makeup. Jennifer recommended it highly, and I have to agree with her. It's fast and easy to put on, and it covers up what needs covering up. Can't ask for much more than that, can you ladies?

So, I'm starting the new year with a happily made up face and a song in my earbuds. Throw the new vitamin routine on top of that, and you've got a whole new musicgeek!

Bon appetit!

A Beautiful Sunset

2006-01-09T09:32:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a beautiful, warm, sunny day. I call days like that "bonus days"... especially in Illinois... in January. Beautiful sunsets like this are a rarity in a season that is usually one gray day after another. My new camera has a "sunset" setting, so now I can capture those wonderful colors by just pushing a couple of buttons.

How great is that?

Every journey begins with the first step, right?

2006-01-06T09:24:00.000-06:00

You are looking at a newly cleaned out and organized (for me) coffee/tea/spice cabinet. I'm lucky enough to live in a nice house with lots of cabinet space in the kitchen, but right now it seems they're all just stuffed with junk. This is the first attempt at organization. Trust me, it's a lot better than it was. I can be kind of a packrat, because I just hate to waste stuff, you know. There were so many little packets of tea, coffee and almost empty spice jars that had accumulated on the shelves that every morning something was falling out on me. It's so nice to make the morning tea and coffee without risking a concussion. It's a small step, I know, but you have to start somewhere, so the kitchen it is.

Heaven help me when I get to the craft room.

Happy Buddha Enlightenment Day!!

2006-01-06T09:01:00.000-06:00

Betcha didn't even know it was today, did ya'. I'm technically about as Protestant as you can get, but I still want me one of these. I think Jesus and Buddha would have gotten along pretty well...just sayin'.

New Year, New Projects

2006-01-03T10:33:00.000-06:00

I've started on my very first knitted (then felted) bag. I really had my heart set on making a Booga Bag like Jennifer, Needlefingers, and Ragged. The only fly in the ointment was that I couldn't find any of the beautiful Noro yarn that they used. Yes, yes, I know I could have ordered it on the internet or shopped around for it, but NOOOO...musicgeek can't possibly delay the gratification of starting a new project. So, I'm just doing the Booga Bag pattern in black wool, and throwing in a couple of pink stripes. I'll just have to make it again when I get my hands on some of the purdy yarn.

New Year's Eve was lots of fun this year. During the day, we met our former next door neighbors at the Steinberg Ice Skating Rink in Forest Park. It was pretty crowded, but we still had a lot of fun skating. Then we headed on to their new home. I had gotten out my new (Any Bitch Can Cook) cookbook and made a big (bitchin') batch of Tex-Mex soup that was very tasty. Our friends already had a roast beef platter, shrimp, veggies, and killer brownies. It was a mountain of food. We did our best to polish it off. The kids had a great time sharing their new Christmas games with the friends they miss bunches. The adults had a few cocktails, played some euchre (which we had to keep playing until the boys won), and continued to chip away at that mountain of food. I have no sense whatsoever when it comes to good food, so you can imagine how I felt by the end of the night.

The next morning, I painted a canvas for my friend's living room. She saw one that I'd done before and said that was just what she needed. It was a BIG canvas, and took awhile to get finished, but she was happy with it. We were going to start it the night before, but the euchre got out of hand, not to mention the Tanqueray and Fresca. Trust me, it's better than it sounds.

It's the last day of the girls' vacation. Gotta go see what they want to do with it.

Ciao

Mug Shot O' the Day

2005-12-30T09:27:00.000-06:00

Needlefingers gave me the idea.

I laugh every time I see this. Don't you wish you were so easily amused?

A walk through my day

2005-12-28T16:00:00.000-06:00

First, I wake up all snuggly and warm in my new jammies.

I sleep later than usual, but when it's time to get up, I have my new tempurpedic slippers to keep my feet nice and toasty. They feel awesome. So awesome, in fact, that I picked up a pizza and took my daughter to a game shop while wearing them. That's proof that I've become an old lady who cares more about comfort than style. Shut up.

Next, it's on to the bathroom. I brush my teeth with my fancy-schmancy new toothbrush. The plaque doesn't stand a chance with this baby.

Now, what to wear, what to wear...maybe I'll wear this jeans and top combo that my mom gave me. I think I'll keep the slippers on though.

Wait! I don't have to wear the slippers all day to have nice warm feet. I'll just put on a pair of my soft, snuggly lounging around socks! My family knows that mommy is no fun when she's cold.

Now it's time for a little cooking. It's not my favorite thing in the world to do, but having a cookbook like this makes it a little more fun. My sister-in-law got "Any Bitch Can Drink". My goal is to collect the entire "bitch" series. You gotta aim high, people. Thanks Kellie!

Doing dishes is a lot more fun when I have a pretty new shiny thing to look at. Thanks again Kellie!

I'm still trying to decide what I want to do with this gift. Being a musicgeek, you know I love my tunes. This was the only Ipod-type thing that D could find that was left in any of the stores around here. I'm thinking I may throw a little more money with it and get a nano. What do you all think?

The other wonderful thing that Santa (aka -D) got for me was the niftiest little camera ever. He knows I love to take lots of pictures, so he made it really easy for me. I already had a great little Cannon Powershot, but it was pretty heavy and hard to carry around easily. Not this little jewel! It's tiny, light, and has a docking station that recharges the battery. It's perfect for me to carry everywhere.

I must have been a very good little girl this year. Even with all of the wonderful gifts I received this year, the best gift was spending time with the people I love.

I am so very blessed.

A new teapot

2005-12-24T07:51:00.000-06:00

It must be the English ancestry. I just love a good cup of tea. So following Jennifer's lead of getting "one present for you, and one for me", I bought myself a new elecric teapot. It works great, and is so much more fun to use than the microwave.

I'd like to take a picture of it for you, but I'm afraid to. Look what happened to this poor Ebay seller.

One more day!

2005-12-23T19:09:00.000-06:00

All we need to do is put little baby Jesus in his manger tomorrow. He's waiting patiently in his little pocket. We've had this advent calendar since the girls were itty bitty. They still like to put all the pieces up every year. There's usually a knock-down drag out over who gets to put the baby Jesus in place.

Ah, the stuff sweet memories are made of.

Last day of school before Christmas break, what the...?!?

2005-12-21T09:13:00.000-06:00

That means mommy will be running around like an insane person today. I totally forgot about stocking stuffers, until I walked by the stockings this morning and saw them mocking me with their emptiness. That's right, folks, I'm really not like an insane person, I think I've reached the tipping point with the holidays and become crazy.

The kids went off today with gifts for their teachers. They'd better appreciate them is all I can say. They will all be getting scarves knit by the little darlins'. Ciara only has one teacher, so her workload was a little lighter than Savannah. She had to make four of them! We wrapped the last one this morning.

The bus drivers got white chocolate and sprinkle covered pretzels. They should get a medal.

So today I'm off to stuff stockings, and pick up an ever growing list of gifties that I seem to have utterly and completely zoned out on.

But, there's always time for pie.

Above is a pic of my breakfast. Don't you just love pie for breakfast.

Who is it?

2005-12-20T15:23:00.000-06:00

Tonight's the big night! We finally learn the identity of the Carver!! I'm so hoping that the Nip/Tuck finale doesn't disappoint me. I really don't have very many things on TV that I just have to watch. I've been into this show since the first season, and feel like I'm really invested in it...pardon me while I go get a life.

Birthday presents, apple pie, Japanese food, and bowling

2005-12-20T10:24:00.000-06:00

Yes, these are what a make a brand new 12 year old happy.

Savannah's birthday was yesterday, but we did most of our celebrating over the weekend, and celebrate we did! Granny made the trek over to join in the fun. We went bowling Saturday night, had presents at lunch on Sunday, then topped it off with a trip to the local Japanese restaurant that evening. Savannah loves that place, and has been looking forward to going there for her birthday for MONTHS. The birthday girl's choice for dessert was apple pie. Granny and I made one that afternoon, so that was dessert.

Oh, in case you're wondering, the new senior citizens free bowling day regular (aka "Granny") beat the crap out of us on the lanes.

Here we are at the Japanese Garden. Daddy was there behind the camera. The birthday girl got a fancy cut pineapple with an umbrella in it. You've gotta love anything with a little umbrella in it.

Snug as a bug in a rug...

2005-12-15T08:30:00.000-06:00

or make that a cat in a shawl. I knitted this over the Thanksgiving holiday. It's made of good old acrylic-y Homespun...yeah, shut up. I know all of the yarn snobs are breaking out in hives right now. It really feels pretty good, and most importantly, it's Zippy-friendly. I'll do lots of things for my kitty, but hand washing his blankie isn't one of them.

The girls had a Christmas recital over the weekend. Savannah played "Gertrude and Elizabeth" by Beethoven.

Ciara played "Turkish March", also by Beethoven.

It was a more relaxed, casual recital this time. The teacher divided the kids into two groups, and had two "mini-recitals", one at 10:30 and one at 12:00. It took place in the Youth fellowship hall at church instead of the big sanctuary. I know the pics aren't very good, but you get the general idea. Having the kids split up into the two groups was a great idea. We were finished with our session in about an hour. In piano recital time (which is almost like dog years), that's awesome!

They both did a great job, I'm so proud of them.

Come on in!

2005-12-13T16:14:00.000-06:00

This is the front door of the gingerbread house the girls made. I think they did a great job on it. I always wanted to make a gingerbread house when I was a kid, but never did. Now that I'm a mom, the big perk is that I get to live vicariously through MY kids! I bought a kit for cheap at Aldi, which is the giver of all good, cheap things. It had house bits, candy, and two bags of icing. One thing I learned is that two bags of icing just ain't enough. Thank goodness I had some ancient powdered sugar rattling around the back of the cabinet. The roof alone is so coated with "snow" that it's a miracle the wieght of it hasn't caused it to just fold in on itself. They had fun decorating it, and mommy is still vaccuuming up sprinkles.

It's the gift that just keeps on giving.

Yup, that pretty much hits the nail on the head.

2005-12-12T12:04:00.000-06:00

Stole (er, I mean borrowed) this from Ragged's site. Took the little quizzie, and here I am:

You Have a Choleric Temperament

You are a person of great enthusiasm - easily excited by many things.Unsatisfied by the ordinary, you are reaching for an epic, extraordinary life.You want the best. The best life. The best love. The best reputation.
You posses a sharp and keen intellect. Your mind is your primary weapon.Strong willed, nothing can keep you down. Your energy can break down any wall.You're an instantly passionate person - and this passion gives you an intoxicating power over others.
At your worst, you are a narcissist. Full of yourself and even proud of your faults.Stubborn and opinionated, you know what you think is right. End of discussion.A bit of a misanthrope, you often see others as weak, ignorant, and inferior.

What Temperment Are You?

The Manolo, he is a genius.

2005-12-12T06:47:00.000-06:00

Ah, the Manolo, he never steers me into the direction that is wrong. The Father Ted is a show for the television that is most funny. It makes me do the laughing like I am a silly person.

New format, same old me.

2005-12-08T15:35:00.000-06:00

Here's a little story for the day.

Back when I was a little kid of about 7 or 8, my family "added on" to our very small house. The people I know now would call it "putting on an addition" or "doing a remodel". We just called it adding on. The men who did the work for us were friends as well, and went to the same little country church that we did. For a kid who grew up as far out in the country as I did, it was very exciting to have these guys coming to OUR house ever day, hammering and sawing.

One man in particular was my favorite. His name was Gene. Looking back, I realize that he was a few years younger than I am now when they worked for us. Gene would always take a few minutes out to tell me a new (and always corny) joke, or just to tease me a little. One of my very favorite things he would do was sit down at our piano and play and sing the song "Old Dan Tucker" for me. I would always crack up at the thought of someone washing "their face in a frying pan". Every chance I would get, I would beg him to play and sing it for me again. Many times, he would oblige me, which looking back probably didn't thrill my mom and dad too much, since he was supposed to be building our house, not serenading me.

This memory popped into my head when I heard the news that Gene's funeral was this past Wednesday. It seems he was suffering from some Alzheimer-type disorder and wandered outside, where he died of exposure. It made me very sad to hear that. I can only hope that God protected him in ways we can't understand, and allowed him a peaceful end.

The main reason I'm sharing this story, sad as it is, is for the simple reason that I hope when I leave this earth, someone will be prodded to remember some little kindness that I did for them. What a wonderful way to live on.

Although my friend Gene grew older and got sick, in my heart he's still young and singing to a little girl, just because she asked him to.

It's getting harder to keep up with the Jones'

2005-12-08T15:09:00.000-06:00

My nephew Levi, just won another honor! He's just been named the Non-Winged Sprint Driver of the Year. We're so proud of him!

Did you miss me?

2005-12-07T15:13:00.000-06:00

It's been pretty busy the last few days. The Thanksgiving cookies are long gone, and Christmas is in 'da house. Had a wonderful time with both sides of the family over the holiday. I even had a little lesson in what a "yarn over" is from my dear, young cousin. Much food was eaten, we talked, we laughed, we napped...well, you get the idea.

D and I got to have a little get away time in St. Louis over the weekend. Granny was holding down the fort. Lucky her, she even got to attend a 6th grade band skating party. Even though it was a work related weekend, D didn't have too many committments, so we got to get in some shopping and general R&R. I whittled away at the Xmas list, had a few glasses of wine, and ate insane amounts of pasta and Chinese food.

The photo above is our view of the Mississippi river from the 15th floor of the Adam's Mark in lovely downtown St. Louis

A chance to put yourself on the map.

2005-11-30T14:07:00.001-06:00

Come be a joiner!! Zippy already has one friend in Corby, England! Just stick your own little pin in the map. I promise we'll call before we come visit. Find Zip the wonder cat's map here: Zip (and Musicgeek's) map

Cheers! Now I've got to go put up a Christmas tree.

Gobble gobble, baby!

2005-11-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

The baking has commenced. The tally so far:

-1 batch white chocolate-macadamia cookies
-2 pumpkin pies
-1 rhubarb pie
-1 batch Brickle drop cookies (on deck, ready to be baked)

Still have more to make...hope it all gets done.

I also want to get the worst dirty bits of the house put in order before we head out for all the thanks that just keep givin'. I know, I know...it'll be there when I get back. I've heard it all before. I just hate coming home to a mess. There. I said it. I've become my mother.

I'll make sure everyone has decent underwear on too.

My new toy

2005-11-22T09:28:00.000-06:00

Go here for your very own Brawny man.

He's kind of like turtle cheesecake. He's real sweet, but you can only stand so much of him.

My brain feels like it's scrambled.

2005-11-18T15:51:00.000-06:00

Today was Get Smart with Art day in Ciara's class. "What is that?", you ask. (I have no idea if the punctuation on that is correct.) It's the day that rolls around every month when parent volunteers go into the classroom and do a short lecture on a preselected art print, then do a little tie-in project with the kiddies. Sounds simple, doesn't it. Here's the recipe:

Paint, scissors, glue...2 adjacent classrooms so crowded you can hardly move between them...and 57 fourth graders. Add dirty brushes and murky rinse water sloshing about in a basin and a drying rack groaning under the weight of sodden cardstock. Season with the superheated sauna-like air in the classrooms. Add a pinch of fourth grade B.O....

Voila!! There you have it! Get Smart with Art!!

Will somebody please tell George Bush that I really don't care about going to Mars. Just get me an art teacher in my kid's class.

Singin' in the rain...no, cold...errr, sun...

2005-11-16T08:57:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was some wacky weather around here. I had to do some running around, and every time I got out of the car, it was a new climatic adventure. I said climatic adventure people, get your minds out of the gutter.

This is how the trip started.

After a stop at Target (really, who can't stop at Target) the sun popped out of the clouds in all it's retina-searing glory

The sun brought with it about a 10 or 15 degree temperature change too. So, OFF went the scarf and jacket that had felt so good just an hour before. I was happily checking out a new place in Belleville called Bronx Zoo, and enjoying the pretty spring weather. The owner of the shop just mentioned that she had opened the front door and turned off the heat. In about 5 minutes, a gale force wind starts blowing. Freaky clouds are zipping by, and Kimmy decides to get the hell out of Dodge. On the 15 minute or so drive home, the temp falls by 15 degrees. I've got the little outdoor thermometer thingy built into the rear-view mirror, and believe you me, I was checking it out. We were lucky, all we really got was wind and rain out of the deal. I think Indiana and Tennessee got hammered pretty good.

Now it's just cold.

Good.

Aawww, look at him...isn't he sweet!

2005-11-13T07:59:00.000-06:00

I'm soooo happy for my nephew, Levi. He won his first USAC national sprint car title last night. I really shouldn't say last night, because it took and entire season to get it done. I'm way more of a Levi fan than a race fan, but even I know this is HUGE. He's such a good guy...it's nice to see when good guys finish first.

The photo above is Levi (in blue and red) and Damion Gardner celebrating their victories. Gardner is the regional-CRA champ, while Levi has the Valvoline national sprint car title.

Finishing stuff is a good thing.

2005-11-11T10:04:00.000-06:00

Some new stuff.

This is a wire and bead crochet set I made to go with a particular shirt. It all looked really good too. Well, it did until I washed the shirt, anyway. Now it's an item that would fit a preteen. Good thing I have one of those around the house too.

This is my first ever KNITTED scarf. The close up photo shows more of the true color of it. It weighs about a hundred pounds. I really don't know how that happened. Mae, the knitting guru, says it's because of the mohair in it.

This creation is a new bag made from an extra pillow sham. It's a quilted suede cloth in a very hard to photograph color somewhere between burgundy and purple.

This is the new thing. Last night my first scarf was finished early in the night. I went poking around through the yarn in the shop and this is what I came up with. I just love it. It's on it's way to becoming a keyhole scarf. It's probably going to be finished sometime today. I don't seem to be able to just do a little here or there. I always want to go and go until the thing is finished. Then I'm sitting there wishing I had another thing to knit. I'm blaming it all on Jennifer.

If they cooperate, I'll get some pictures of the girls with their projects later. Savannah is almost ready to felt her bag (heaven help me!) and Ciara's scarf keeps growing.

-k

Where did the damn Yankee come from?

2005-11-04T18:30:00.000-06:00

I suppose living for 7 years at the tippy top of Illinois left it's mark on me some way.

Your Linguistic Profile:

80% General American English

10% Dixie

5% Midwestern

5% Yankee

0% Upper Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

The girls and I went to our local yarn shop last night. Savannah just wanted to go and do some more work on her felted bag. Ciara and I took a beginner knitting class. We all had lots of fun. Ciara did a great job, and really started to get the hang of it. I can see right now that this will be an expensive hobby. This morning, I was working on my knitting project while I was watching the news. Zip, the ancient one, was all curled up beside me. Ciara remarked that she needed to get the camera because I looked like "those knitting people who always have a cat by them". Ooh, that's sexy...

-k

The zoo and some art

2005-11-03T09:48:00.000-06:00

Last Friday, the kids had no school, and Granny was over for a visit. What to do, what to do...go to the zoo, ba-by!! It was a perfect day for it. I've paid my dues at enough scorching hot field trips to the zoo to really appreciate having to wear a jacket. We packed a lunch in the wheely cooler and headed out. Granny had never been to the St. Louis zoo before, so with Savannah as the official navigator, she saw EVERY section. Let's just say Ciara's enthusiasm for the day was "fluid". One minute she was ready to leave ("I'm tired of this zoo."), and the next she was happily snapping photos of leopards ("Oh, mom, let me get a picture of him looking THAT way!").

The first picture of the day, when everyone is "fresh".

Checking out the penguins and puffins. They're stinky, but cute.

In front of a rather bored bald eagle.

Lunchtime! The kids were certain they would perish from hunger before we stopped to eat.

After the zoo, we headed on up "Art Hill" and took in the new exhibit at the Art Museum. Ciara was really not thrilled about this. It was an interesting exhibit, and I'll probably go back sans children to get a better look. We had a typical kid visit, rushing through the show then spending FOREVER in the gift shop.

Outside at the Art Museum. Note purchases in hands of kids from said gift shop.

I was kind of jazzed about the Chihuly chandelier that I'd never noticed there before. This humble little pic doesn't do it justice. The colors and sparkle of the glass are just beautiful.

Outside view of the museum. You need to go there. Now.

So, there's how we spent the kids day off from school. Animals, lunch, and a smidge of art thrown in for good measure.

Later,

-k

A Test

2005-10-25T16:02:00.000-05:00

A little quiz I saw on http://www.cabincove.com/. I can live with being mercerized cotton. It's way better than dishcloth cotton...

You are Mercerized Cotton.You are always very crisp and neat. You are very
playful and are happiest while outdoors in the
sunshine. You are sometimes accused of
splitting hairs, but in the end people find you
pretty easy to live with.

What kind of yarn are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Did a little shopping today, since now I have a bare-assed naked closet. Thought I'd pick up a snuggly brown cardigan of some sort. Don't know how that will be accomplished without looking like a frickin' Wookie. Everything made me look like Mrs. Doubtfire. I'm just not ready for that...

-k

It's a dirty job, but...

2005-10-24T09:01:00.000-05:00

no one's doing it for me. Today's the day to clean out the closets. I plan to be ruthless and get rid of all the crap that I've not worn for years. Oh, said crap gets it's little bit of attention every year, what with being moved around seasonally, but enough is enough! I'm tired of lugging it up and down the stairs. I may have an inch between hangers in my closet when I'm finished, but so be it. Really, I'm almost shamed into it. D (the neat one) did his side of the closet yesterday. My side looks like an explosion went off in it.

On a more fun note, ta-da, here is the second scarf I've made. I did it all in ONE day! It's a bulky yarn done on a bigger hook. My craft ADD prevents me from starting something that may take weeks to finish, so this was perfect. This is what I was doing when I should have been cleaning my closet out.

This is a perturbed cat face. It belongs to my Methuselated cat, Zip. He REALLY didn't want to be a scarf model today. He's ancient, but he's still my baby.

I'll be in my closet.

-k

A New Thing

2005-10-21T15:38:00.000-05:00

I'm learning to crochet. I know, I know, you're saying to yourself,"Kim, how many more crafty things can one person possibly need to know how to do?" Well, apparently, one more. The main reason I want to learn is to start crocheting wire and bead jewelry. Right now, I'm using cheapo super saver yarn and am making something that seems to want to be a scarf. I'm not questioning it, I'm just embracing it. It's really coming along very well. Oh, of course, there were 2 or 3 complete deconstructions, but all in all, I think I'm progressing nicely. It will be finished, and it WILL be worn. It will also be very acrylic-y, as my cousin Jennifer puts it. I'm already looking forward to splurging on some nice yarn for next time.

It took me so long to get back to finishing this post that I've actually crocheted my first wire and bead necklace and earring set. It's way fun...and the bead possibilities are endless! The pics may not be the most professional, but you get the general idea. I never claimed to be a model or a photographer. Don't worry, my ear is a lot better looking in person.

Later,

-k

Rollin' Down the River

2005-10-17T12:04:00.000-05:00

Saturday, our little family went on what was probably our last little cruise down the Kaskaskia river for the season. It was a beautimous day. The sun was shining. The temp was in the upper 70's. As long as there was no chance you would actually make any kind of contact with the water, you were just fine.

We put the boat in at New Athens, IL, then cruise about 20 miles down the river, and have a nice little lunchie at the marina in Evansville, IL. Sweatshirts were a required item. Cruising around at 30mph got a little nipply.

Here are some pictures of the crew.

The Skipper and Gilligan

Sometimes the Skippper (Darnall) lets Gilligan (Ciara) drive. She does a great job. She likes to run the boat the same way she does everything else, as fast as she can!

Ginger (the movie stah, dahling)

This is Savannah. Her main purpose on the boat is to be strictly ornamental. If pressed into service, she's a quite capable deckhand.

I guess that just leaves me to be Mary Ann or Lovey. The kids choose depending on what mood I'm in that particular day. The only photo you have of me today is that foot looking very relaxed at the top of the post.

That's my little family on our little boat. We still don't have an official name for it. Some suggestions have been:

-"Midge" Ciara insists on it...don't know why.

-"Life is Good" Savannah likes this one. She's already planning ahead to the next boat which will be named, "Life is Better"!

-"Malee Marie" This is my choice, as it's the kids middle names. I think it's very pretty.

- I can't print some of Darnall's choices...

Later,

-k

You can never have too many little books.

2005-10-14T09:46:00.000-05:00

I have a wierd thing for books, pens and pencils. I get excited when I find just the right pen, or a really great notebook. One of my favorites is the Moleskine. I know, I know...it's WAY overpriced, but the size and "feel" of it made me have to have one. It has been my "special" book, mostly used for sketches on trips. It's always kind of bugged me that I felt that something had to be Moleskine-worthy before I'd use up any of the pricey pages. Anyhoo...I came across some instructions on the web for making your own little fake Moleskine. It's a Yahoo group called Hedgehogs Forever, because the person who put the instructions together dubbed her little knock-off a hedgehog. Mine is the book in the upper left hand corner. So far, it's been a fine little book. The best thing is knowing that it was so cheap to make that I can write whatever drivel in it that my little heart desires.

After that little foray into making books, I've been making books out of anything that even looks remotely like it'll work. The ones on the upper right are little notebooks using the oversized paint chips at Lowe's and some drawing paper I had lying around. As usual, I was in Lowe's for a completely different item, and got distracted by the pretty (some were even shiny) paint chips. I grabbed a bunch, and at the time had no idea what would become of them. Voila!!!! They just became a handful of pretty little notebooks. The book at the bottom was my first attempt at a coptic binding. It's made of torn magazine pages, cuz they were there and didn't cost anything. It turned into my favorite little book to write in. You never know what you'll be writing around. One day, it's a bare leg, and the next, it's a bowl of soup.

Later,

-k

Howdy all...

2005-10-13T17:00:00.000-05:00

this is my first little baby step blog. Don't know what will land here. It could be fun. I'll probably spit out rambling little bits about daily life for a mom who really tries to stay on task, but just gets distracted by shiny little bits along the way. Or maybe this blog will be one more short term distraction...we'll see.