WindRaven - Member of the Reality-Based Community

just checking in

Mon, 04 Sep 2006 12:18:19 GMT

Yes I am still alive. Just putting up an entry to keep my account alive.

UP and down

Tue, 08 Mar 2005 21:04:02 GMT

Hoo boy - started out good today - Happy International Women's Day to all.

But has certainly ended crappy - those bastards passed the Bankruptcy bill.
69 for, 31 against.
Thank god I live in Vermont and my reps did not vote for it. But can you believe there is not one single Republican senator who would vote to protect his own constituents?

Bastards - it really makes me want to cry.

February blahs

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 21:29:07 GMT

Well I am damned sick again - it has already lasted a week - big sneezing fits and using up tissues like they grow on trees!

But Valentine's weekend was lovely - We had a nice lazy Sunday afternoon with snuggling etc. and watching tons of shows on the Food Channel about chocolate - it was killing me.

Here's a note from the man today - every time he says something like this I realize again what a prize he is:

I know you were tired and sniffly last night for thanks for watching TWO episodes- I really love that program.
And thanks for WAITING while I cooked a friggin pizza, too.
And thanks for letting me sleep with you...you are totally wonderful and special to me.

ice

Thu, 13 Jan 2005 14:46:24 GMT

It's a dove grey and icy morning. About 31* but everything coated with a sheen of ice - trees look lovely and the dawn was all grey and just a tad of salmon in the clouds. Very peaceful really.

I am looking at plastic surgery nightmare sits way too much. Just grossed myself out totally looking at a site about Michael Jackson. If I dwell on it I start to get the dry heaves. ug.

OK I am going to work now really.

sunshine

Tue, 11 Jan 2005 13:32:51 GMT

Bright and sunny this a.m. 21* at 8. I can tell the sun is on its way back to us - the angle has changed already!

Slept at K's last night. had some nice middle of the night fun too ( or maybe early morning.)

Got a nice pound cake made with the girls' eggs from Deb. Very very tasty.

well gotta run off to work!

Happy Monday

Mon, 10 Jan 2005 17:04:44 GMT

What'd we do Sunday? Not much. Shoveled. Raked the roof. Made French toast and bacon and coffee for me and ma for breakfast. Searched and found the silk yarn to make a clapotis. Unraveled it and wound it into balls. Watched Napoleon Dynamite, Very amusing. K thought it was much more out there than he expected. Was WIRED when we went to bed but fell asleep pretty quickly. Woke at 2:30 ish. up for an hour or so - listening to snoring and having my mind go in circles.

Saw Susan this morning, she says she is all stressed and can't sleep at all and is depressed. Too bad.

Hey, it's supposed to be 55* on Thursday! that will be crazy. well- almost lunch - off I go to the P.O. etc.

oh and I have a bit of a headache. Been coming and going for days.

BeeeeUUUtiful day

Sun, 09 Jan 2005 15:23:54 GMT

16* this morning but shining sun and sparkly snow. We got about 6 inches yesterday so we are up to about 12 now. Everything was so pristine this morning that it really picked me up.

K is getting a little better although my mother is still coughing so much. And says her chest is tight - Well she has a dr appt tomorrow . I wish she would get over this.

Good time in Manchester yesterday with S. I got the Art of Discworld. They honored my expired jockey coupon and the bras were all only 6.99. Got K some new undies and the old woman a new robe. Got new sox for me at Bass. Also found the yarn store there - very cools ( expensive stuff) so I got an eyelash yarn to pair with the ribbon blue jeans stuff I have. Almost bought a pair of shoes but held myself back.

and today we will shovel, rake the roof, feed the birdies, knit ( maybe) and K will come over later if he feels up to it.

Oh and we watch Stepford wives last night - better than I thought it would be - but I thought they could be clearer on the fact that they were all robots in the end.

Still kind of sick

Thu, 06 Jan 2005 15:05:24 GMT

Well - looks like we are having our first real snow of the season - late as can be - I was almost wondering if we would get thru the entire winter without it. Still they are only saying 3 to 6 inches.

Wish I could finally get rid of the cough - but I do feel so much more like myself I guess I can't complain too much. K is very sick, poor bastard. My mother is home from the hospital yesterday - still very tired but also much more like herself.

Yeah just heard! no WCAF meeting tonight! yippie - that gives me another week to pull some things together. Of course that means I will have 2 meetings next Thursday - but Oh well. Always put off till tomorrow what you could do today - That's my motto.

Poor L - one of her goats - pregnant and clumsy got her head caught in the hay rack and strangled to death - so she lost her and the possibly 4 babies. I told her - it is hard to be a farmer - you need to be a bit callous and be able to move on after things like that. Otherwise you have to give it up.

I am so looking forward to going away with K in Feb. I can't wait! It is really keeping me going thru this sickness and the really blah weather we're having.

Sickness

Tue, 04 Jan 2005 17:07:42 GMT

Today is day 14 of my sickness. I do feel tons better though. Yesterday was the first day I felt like I was back in my own mind.

Unfortunately my mother is in the hospital with pneumonia now and K has also succumbed to the illness. I think about half the people at work have already had this and it is now making it's way through the other half.

All I can say is that everybody better be well in February so I can go away. I am so looking forward to a little vacation that I can almost taste it!

One good thing is that the weather feels more like March than January. So warm and everything is just a big mud pit from the rain. I do worry however that this is bad for the Maple trees. I wonder how it will affect the syrup production this spring if we never have a real winter?

Bush Monkeys

Wed, 22 Dec 2004 16:01:16 GMT

OK this cheered me a bit.
+++++++++

Bush Monkey Picture Shown on Giant Billboard

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A portrait of President Bush (news - web sites) using monkeys to form his image that was banished from a New York art show last week amid charges of censorship was projected on a giant billboard in Manhattan on Tuesday.

"Bush Monkeys," a small acrylic on canvas by Chris Savido, created the stir last week at the Chelsea Market public space, leading the market's managers to close down the 60-piece show.

Animal Magazine, a quarterly arts publication that had organized the month-long show, said anonymous donors had paid for the picture to be posted on a giant digital billboard over the entrance to the Holland Tunnel, used by thousands of commuters traveling between Manhattan and New Jersey.

The original picture will be auctioned on eBay, with part of the proceeds donated to parents of U.S. soldiers wishing to supply their sons and daughters with body armor in Iraq (news - web sites).

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld came under fire from soldiers in Kuwait earlier this month who complained that they had to use scrap metal to armor their vehicles.

"Many of my friends are over in Iraq," Savido said in a statement.

The painting offers a likeness of Bush but the image is made up of monkeys swimming in a marsh. It was originally priced at $3,500 in the show's catalog.

Organizers expect more than 400,000 drivers to see the billboard each day for the next month.

rotten morning

Wed, 22 Dec 2004 15:32:24 GMT

So I drag myself back to work anyway - feeling like crap.

and there's an ambulance here - taking Karen out - Chest pains, shortness of breath. Hopefully it is a panic attack and not heart attack. I think that attack in Iraq yesterday was the straw that broke the camels back. She has not been looking well at all. K said that too - like she is on the verge of tears all the time.

so my cold seems a bit less dramatic now. although I will say that I hate the chest congestion - it is like a ball of pain behind my breast bone. Although I don't want to start coughing and gross everyone around me out - I know that if I could just cough some of it up I would feel so much better. There now I have grossed myself out - phlegm. yuck.

crabbbbbby!

Tue, 21 Dec 2004 16:48:38 GMT

yup that is right - I am crabby as can be. I pulled my neck last week and it still hurts. Because I pulled my neck I decided not to run , but to walk up an incline for exercise. After 2 days of that my heel started to hurt because I have aggravated the injury to it from last year. Last Friday my arm pit started to hurt like hell- pain radiating down my arm into my elbow. I did a little research and two and two together and I have cat scratch fever! Excellent. I also have either a cold starting or my sinuses are acting up - can't tell which AND today I wake up with PMS. Man am I a wreak or what?

so there you go - my first entry in months and all I can do is bitch.

Oh and it is cold as can be too! and the house is a mess.

When I think of more to bitch about I'll be back.

what a man!

Tue, 05 Oct 2004 13:50:55 GMT

Our emails from this morning:

-----Original Message-----
From: Me
Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2004 8:26 AM
To: Him
Subject:

thank you for the lovely dinner and the lovely walk and the lovely time together last night.

xoxo

-----Original Message-----
From: Him
Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2004 8:31 AM
To: Me
Subject: RE:

you are right about all three....Autumn is going to be lovely with you on my arm

Kind of neat:

Tue, 28 Sep 2004 12:14:37 GMT

I am flower named mavin !

I consist of my friends!

Are you flower too?

Mon, 21 Jun 2004 14:50:52 GMT

Little catch up here:

Been busy getting ready for the fair- We had a float in the Springfield Alumni Day Parade on Saturday and that was a lot of fun. Seems though like everyone involved with the fair is having personal; problems that will likely lead to them not doing it next year. I too would like a summer off without the worry. It stresses me out all thru June and July - even though I try to control it.

K has been away this weekend for his parent's 50th Anniversary - sounds like it was a good time. Called a little while ago to say he is on his way. He is a very considerate man - never met one quite like him before.

We are headed down to MA next weekend - K is playing in the Green Street Music Series at the Lucky Dog. I think it is going to be a lot of fun - especially as it is a tribute to 1978 and I graduated that year.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/6/prwebxml134848.php

http://www.luckydogmusic.com/welcome.html

Fri, 14 May 2004 19:02:54 GMT

Looking forward to a beautiful weekend! Too bad I have to clean for my cousin's arrival. However I think that the evening on Saturday with K will make up for it. Going to Mole's Eye Cafe and it sounds like that have a great dance place. We haven't danced -publicly ;) - since the Zydeco dance back in March!

Anyway we had dinner last night with S & B - watched The Manchurian Candidate. S made fajitas. Movie was very good- don't know why I never saw it before. But S is still not good- and B is not helping as he is so un-handy- I guess is the word. I don't know - he can't chop onions as it makes his eyes tear, and he has no time to do any household tasks but can go out and run for hours. I don't know what the solution can be. K & I agreed on the way home that we are worried for both of them. But as my mother said- you can't arrange people's lives for them - you can only be supportive - but it makes me feel so helpless and therefore uncomfortable. It's not good to witness.

Getting out of work at 4:38 today ( yes I am counting the minutes). Need to pick up a few things at the store - Watching The Little Buddha tonight and having burgers for dinner. K said he would mow the lawn tonight - but that's silly - I would rather relax.

Also planning to go to Indiana in September. And take a few days vacation with K to ME in August - Lots and lots to look forward too!

Wed, 12 May 2004 20:52:06 GMT

Well looks like I am eating at Heritage Deli twice today - Had lunch there with S. I was not my usual chipper self - because I was irked that I had gotten to work so late - 9 AM! I hate that.

Going there for dinner with the old lady now. If she's buying why not?

Tomorrow K & I are going to watch The Manchurian Candidate with S & B. Should be fun. I wish S was better because I would take mixings for margatias over. I found a good recipe on the web I would like to try. But I hate to make them when she can't have any.

Having a peaceful week anyway - P and R are down in the Florida office = it's like a mini-vacation. Although R has to keep CALLING me. Can't he just leave me be? snarl.

Oh and haven't mentioned that K is playing softball - boy talk about the two of us regressing. S said I should go over to the game in a white t-shirt, acid washed jeans and with a cooler. I added the necessary fact that I should also go braless. Although I don't think that's going to happen! But I am going over to wtach their scrimmage tonight. Should be amusing.

Wed, 12 May 2004 18:28:36 GMT

Wow- very lazy lately - not really wanting to do anything I should. It's partly the feeling of having a million things coming up - cousin visiting and the fair and people's birthdays to plan for - that overwhelms me and makes me want to do NOTHING>

PLus my mother is nagging me about stupid things- instead of thinking about straightening up the kitchen - she worries about cleaning out the barn! For heaven's sake - who's going to look in there? The bathroom is more important to me. Oh well - she's going to be 76 ( I thought it was 75) so I guess she has an excuse.

Hutta Word Count

Mon, 26 Apr 2004 22:09:33 GMT

mavin's Word Usage

1. i (164)	26. on (22)	51. you (15)	76. what (10)
2. the (149)	27. some (22)	52. work (14)	77. today (10)
3. to (143)	28. we (22)	53. over (14)	78. 3 (10)
4. and (128)	29. be (22)	54. do (13)	79. no (10)
5. a (86)	30. well (22)	55. went (13)	80. 10 (10)
6. of (55)	31. had (21)	56. they (13)	81. if (9)
7. that (51)	32. this (20)	57. all (13)	82. after (9)
8. for (42)	33. will (20)	58. 9 (13)	83. now (9)
9. was (41)	34. 7 (19)	59. just (13)	84. or (9)
10. is (37)	35. s (18)	60. night (12)	85. more (9)
11. in (36)	36. my (18)	61. got (12)	86. go (9)
12. me (36)	37. out (18)	62. home (12)	87. down (9)
13. it (34)	38. from (17)	63. oh (12)	88. 13 (9)
14. but (32)	39. like (17)	64. really (12)	89. would (9)
15. up (31)	40. not (17)	65. don't (11)	90. back (9)
16. have (30)	41. there (17)	66. he (11)	91. should (9)
17. so (28)	42. get (17)	67. time (11)	92. by (9)
18. am (26)	43. then (16)	68. 8 (11)	93. evening (9)
19. going (25)	44. can (16)	69. him (11)	94. were (9)
20. good (25)	45. 4 (16)	70. everyone (11)	95. 12 (8)
21. with (25)	46. them (16)	71. are (11)	96. last (8)
22. k (24)	47. when (16)	72. nice (10)	97. 6 (8)
23. at (24)	48. she (15)	73. talk (10)	98. it's (8)
24. as (23)	49. think (15)	74. one (10)	99. morning (8)
25. about (23)	50. dinner (15)	75. 11 (10)	100. around (8)

Username:
Word Count by Hutta.

Thu, 22 Apr 2004 18:25:12 GMT

Feeling a little sleepy now.... Was OK first thing this morning probably because I had so many depending one me - 3 dogs, 2 cats, 3 goats, 17 chicks and 7 chickens. oh and one sleepy man.

but now that I have eaten lunch I...............am..............sooo.................tired.....................
Whoops and now I am rejuvenated by Chris and his inability to assign blame properly - he would rather fix everybody's screw ups himself. Of course the poor guy has to talk to Alex about this problem of newspapers with the wrong states assigned for obits. but still - I think Alex is passing the buck ( as usual)

I am still trying to get the empty cubicle with the window - you would think I was asking for my next paycheck to have no taxes taken out or something.

Oh and here's another pet peeve- why does everyone think that I am some kind of message taker for everyone else in my dept? "Oh - can you tell Phil that I went home? " , OH can you tell Phil I went to lunch/the doctor/a PTA meeting/will be in late tomorrow?" and when I say - why don't you send him an email JUST LIKE I DO? - nobody likes that answer. I think I am going to put up a warning that I cannot guarantee that messages will be passed along so tell me at your own risk. Cranky, huh?

Luck Factor results

Wed, 21 Apr 2004 17:13:09 GMT

-----Original Message-----
From: Me
Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2004 1:02 PM
To: Him
Subject: When you have nothing else to do

Assign a number between 1 (Strongly disagree) and 5 (Strongly agree) to each of the twelve statements below. and return to me.

1 I sometimes chat to strangers when standing in a supermarket or bank queue.4
2 I do not have a tendency to worry and feel anxious about life.3
3 I am open to new experiences, such as trying new types of food or drinks.4
4 I often listen to my ‘inner voice’.4
5 I have tried some techniques to boost my intuition, such as meditation or just going to a quiet place.3
6 I nearly always expect good things to happen to me in the future.3
7 I tend to try to get what I want from life, even if the chances of success seem slim.4
8 I expect most of the people that I meet to be pleasant, friendly and helpful.4
9 I tend to look on the bright side of whatever happens to me.4
10 I believe that even negative events will work out well for me in the long run.4
11 I don’t tend to dwell on the things that haven’t worked out well for me in the past.3
12 I try to learn from the mistakes that I have made in the past 3

-----Original Message-----
From: Him
Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2004 1:05 PM
To: Me
Subject: RE: When you have nothing else to do

total= 43

-----Original Message-----
From: Me
Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2004 1:09 PM
To: Him
Subject: When you have nothing else to do

Perfect!
http://www.luckfactor.co.uk/newResearch.html
I keep meaning to buy this guys book about luck because hit makes so much sense.

I was 47 so the difference is only 4

here's mine:
1 I sometimes chat to strangers when standing in a supermarket or bank queue. 4
2 I do not have a tendency to worry and feel anxious about life. 4
3 I am open to new experiences, such as trying new types of food or drinks. 4
4 I often listen to my ‘inner voice’. 4
5 I have tried some techniques to boost my intuition, such as meditation or just going to a quiet place. 4
6 I nearly always expect good things to happen to me in the future. 5
7 I tend to try to get what I want from life, even if the chances of success seem slim. 4
8 I expect most of the people that I meet to be pleasant, friendly and helpful. 3
9 I tend to look on the bright side of whatever happens to me. 4
10 I believe that even negative events will work out well for me in the long run. 3
11 I don’t tend to dwell on the things that haven’t worked out well for me in the past. 4
12 I try to learn from the mistakes that I have made in the past. 4

spring

Wed, 21 Apr 2004 16:55:52 GMT

Oh and forgot to mention that yesterday April 20th was the first day of sandal weather. Let's see if I can wear them straight through till Fall!

Feeling pretty good today. It's the luck factor I guess.

Making meatloaf for dinner, then off to take care of the animals for the night.

weather

Tue, 20 Apr 2004 13:12:16 GMT

yes I know I have to finish the weekend entry - but had to talk about the weather. It was 90 degrees yesterday and then last night it was so windy I have never scene the like. It gave me all kinds of weird dreams about tornadoes and freak snow storms and aliens landing. Then today it is going to only get up to the low 60s. It's the end of the world!

and then there is some crazy email from Klinowski this morning that gives me an immediate headache. and now I got a bunch of shit to do in CA. bleah.

Great weekend

Mon, 19 Apr 2004 17:29:10 GMT

Friday night spent the evening with S - Watched Drumline which I thought was a very entertaining movie. Drank some wine and talked. She is feeling so bad - I wish I could wave a magic wand to take away all her anxiety. K went to BF movie with B so it was a separated double date kind of a thing.

Saturday I snuck up on yard work reeeeeeaaaaal slow so it wouldn't get away. Beautiful day. Talked to Bev on the phone for a while, went to the store, drank a coffee and read the paper. Did an hour or so work in the morning. K came over about 12:30 - made a brunch type thing - french toast, sausage. Then we got down to work and did a good 3 hours outside. He really did a lot of raking and clipping and hauling branches etc over to Susan and Joe's.

That evening we took the old lady to BF to the film festival - saw Buster Keaton in The General with live music by the Alloy Orchestra. Lots of fun. The film must have been digitally remastered as it was so crisp - the sunlight shining on the horses rumps and glinting off the canteens of the fleeing soldiers really caught my eye. Lots of great and funny stunts in that movie - the thrown railroad tie that hits a second tie and flips it off the track - while he lies on the cow catcher of the moving train. The train falling thru the burning bridge was good too.

After the movies we went over to Susan and Joe's drank some wine (me) beer (him) . Ate some chips and went home to his house.

Saturday got going at 9:30 ish - picked K up, got sandwiches at Lisai's and headed thru Andover/Weston toward Wallingford. White Rocks was cool. ( and cooler than the temp at home) .....to be continued

Thursday morning

Thu, 15 Apr 2004 13:22:49 GMT

well this has been a long freaking week! I cannot wait for the weekend- good weather - going to get out and rake that yard. Maybe buy some pansies.

Last night we went and did laundry - shopped a bit and played cards at the local bar. Had a couple of beers - ate a bunch of Hot & Spciy Cheez-Its and generally had a very good time.

We're going to dinner with S&B tonight. S is not doing well as I understand- and I have been reading about how anxiety/[panic attacks can lead to agoraphobia and all kinds of other shit. I don't think that working at home was a good move. She needs to get out everyday. Well we can discuss that tonight.

Sunday I think we will take a nice hike - just need to pick a good spot.