....for my USB cable that goes to my camera. My darling Nicio has (we hope) discovered it among the trappings of her end of the move, and I eagerly await its arrival here. I have some great pics of Lithia to post (possibly to Bebo) and I'm thinking that I would like to share some pictures of my NINE (9) houseplants. We had a new addition on Saturday with a very pretty little diefenbacchia (completely not spelled right) and so at lunch on Sunday, while the other people were sharing stories about their dogs savaging their plants, I shared my difficulties with the various petty jealousies and rivalries that spring up between my flamboyant varieties of foliage. No one believed me that the the Thompson's Flowering Maple had attacked the Peace Lily; I was quite hurt.
Hummus is pureed garbanzo beans with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and whatever else, for those who have asked. Unfortunately, my hummus still isn't done, as I nearly burned out my blender trying to get the stupid stuff to because a smooth dip to complement any pita bread I might have made. Bry's mom has said I can use her food processor, but I have to get to her house with the garbanzo gook to begin with! Some day, my fine legumey friend, we shall meet again, and this time I will be the master.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Garbanzo Beans
I feel you should all know, one cup of garbanzo beans is more than enough for a batch of hummus. Two cups - more than more than enough. In my never ending quest to have food in the house (I miss my Nan!!!) I am endeavoring to get something made that I can get together quickly. I have discovered a new breakfast gruel (it's very nice, really, and I'm quite pleased) and I'm hoping to get a decent batch of pita bread and hummus made for lunches and stuff. In that vein, I soaked some beans in preparation of cooking and hummusing, tragically overlooking the fact that all of my pan lids are in the storage shed. Hello, brain? Anyone there? So, yes, I'm trying to figure out if I can circumnavigate this obstacle somehow or if I should just bite the bullet and go to the storage unit. I think I will circumnavigate. It is the American way. By the way, the weather was perfect today and yesterday. *happy sigh* I love the autumn.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
I love new computer programs sometimes
I just have to say that I am learning all about the near-complete integration of parts that is taking place in the computer world. For example, using my accounting software, I can download all of my financial info from my bank accounts and then turn around and pay nearly all of my bills. While I'm doing that, I may be struck by an idea that I want to explore a little more fully later on, so I pull up a Microsoft OneNote Sidenote and type it out real quick, and then go back to that thought when I'm done with the financial stuff. If I register my blog within my OneNote, I can decide to blog on that topic and have my Word program automatically sign me in to post!!! And then, if I've registered my Live Messenger id with Office/XP/iTunes, I can navigate a variety of different sites with my Microsoft Passport clearing my way!! Soon I won't even need to leave the house!!!! So, yeah, what started this was a quick tour through OneNote. I would just like to say that this should have been invented EIGHT YEARS AGO while I was STILL IN COLLEGE. Along with all these lovely student deals on laptops that I'm just now hearing about. I can only imagine how much more organized I could have been. As it was, I actually did some of the stuff in OneNote on my own, like, keeping a file open so I could jot down ideas quickly that came to mind while I was in the middle of a paragraph.
Okay, enough geeking out for now. I'll leave Quicken and iTunes for next time or something. I would now like to say that I love autumn. It is really the most fabulous season until winter, maybe even spring. It gets all moody around here, punctuated with days of brilliant sun and biting cold. The trees are just fabulous. We have the ones who kind of sneak from dark green into this incredibly deep purple, and at first you can't even tell if they're actually changing or if it's perhaps just a trick of shadow and light. And then there are the trees that look like someone poured gasoline down one side and lit them on fire, and the other side is still green while the one is crimson and gold. *sighs* And I get to wear my scarves and gloves, and have tea and start Fellowship of the Ring. What more could a girl want?
Okay, enough geeking out for now. I'll leave Quicken and iTunes for next time or something. I would now like to say that I love autumn. It is really the most fabulous season until winter, maybe even spring. It gets all moody around here, punctuated with days of brilliant sun and biting cold. The trees are just fabulous. We have the ones who kind of sneak from dark green into this incredibly deep purple, and at first you can't even tell if they're actually changing or if it's perhaps just a trick of shadow and light. And then there are the trees that look like someone poured gasoline down one side and lit them on fire, and the other side is still green while the one is crimson and gold. *sighs* And I get to wear my scarves and gloves, and have tea and start Fellowship of the Ring. What more could a girl want?
Monday, October 08, 2007
On My Own
Greetings, ladies and gentlemen, to my first post from my new apartment and also (perhaps most excitingly) from my new computer!!!! Yes, I finally have my very own computer, loyal readers. But first, an update, since you haven't heard from me since July... unless you went out to coffee with me yesterday or something. Anyway, the amazing Brinicio and I have vacated our wonderful house as of September 31st and she has returned to the Valley of the Willamette while I have transferred not all of my belongings into a beautiful little studio apartment above some friends' garage which sits on a hill overlooking the Valley of the Rogue. Among the items that actually made it here rather than being consigned to a storage unit (another first for me, personal storage unit renting), are three almost completely full bookshelves, six plants, and a new fuzzy, purple baby plant from the home of Troy and Bryan, may they not kill one another for another day. This is my first time completely On My Own, and while I still haven't adjusted completely (I'm still waking up in the middle of the night for no good reason), I am on the second floor and there's only one door, so my paranoid imaginings of people coming through the window are now easily pushed aside.
On to the computer. As some of you may or may not know, when I left the employ of the The Crazed Screaming Boss, she refused to take back the computer she had "gifted" me with. When I later learned that she was informing people that she had bought me off with it, you can imagine that I reacted negatively ("She WHAT?!!!? I will never use that computer!!!!"). That reaction lasted a little over a year, until Bri moved out, taking my last connection with the outside world with her. I spoke with my wonderful, brilliant, generous and kind cousin Bryan, who wound up tricking out my cyber-ride, and I now have a pretty lean, mean surfing machine with two (two) hard drives, a wireless modem, a CD-Rom drive and a DVD drive, both of which are CD-RWs, and various other little things. A huge round of applause and thanks to Bry for enduring allergy attacks to clean out the accumulated ick (apparently no one had ever thought to clean this unit) figuring out all the glitches, putting in all the new bits and who knows what else!!
Final big change: I'm back at the lumber yard. Business is slowing down everywhere and I knew there was no way my previous employer could keep me going at 40 hours a week much longer, and there was no way they would be able to give me a pay raise to compensate at all. Add to this the email incident with my boss (I never did tell her that I was this close to walking out) and the nightmare that was the County Fair last year, and I decided that Becky's offer of a $2 pay increase and Campmeeting was probably worth the obnoxious men. Although the hours are probably going to drop this winter at the lumber yard as well, at least I know that my managers will be much more willing to work on a flexible schedule with me if I decide to pick up part-time seasonal work elsewhere (Bear Creek). So, yeah, while there are some things I miss about the old office (some of the co-workers, the lack of cursing, getting to dress up a little), I think I've made the right decision. Anyway, I just wanted to catch everyone up on what's going on, and hopefully my next post will be shorter. And it will definitely involve the weather. Just a warning.
On to the computer. As some of you may or may not know, when I left the employ of the The Crazed Screaming Boss, she refused to take back the computer she had "gifted" me with. When I later learned that she was informing people that she had bought me off with it, you can imagine that I reacted negatively ("She WHAT?!!!? I will never use that computer!!!!"). That reaction lasted a little over a year, until Bri moved out, taking my last connection with the outside world with her. I spoke with my wonderful, brilliant, generous and kind cousin Bryan, who wound up tricking out my cyber-ride, and I now have a pretty lean, mean surfing machine with two (two) hard drives, a wireless modem, a CD-Rom drive and a DVD drive, both of which are CD-RWs, and various other little things. A huge round of applause and thanks to Bry for enduring allergy attacks to clean out the accumulated ick (apparently no one had ever thought to clean this unit) figuring out all the glitches, putting in all the new bits and who knows what else!!
Final big change: I'm back at the lumber yard. Business is slowing down everywhere and I knew there was no way my previous employer could keep me going at 40 hours a week much longer, and there was no way they would be able to give me a pay raise to compensate at all. Add to this the email incident with my boss (I never did tell her that I was this close to walking out) and the nightmare that was the County Fair last year, and I decided that Becky's offer of a $2 pay increase and Campmeeting was probably worth the obnoxious men. Although the hours are probably going to drop this winter at the lumber yard as well, at least I know that my managers will be much more willing to work on a flexible schedule with me if I decide to pick up part-time seasonal work elsewhere (Bear Creek). So, yeah, while there are some things I miss about the old office (some of the co-workers, the lack of cursing, getting to dress up a little), I think I've made the right decision. Anyway, I just wanted to catch everyone up on what's going on, and hopefully my next post will be shorter. And it will definitely involve the weather. Just a warning.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
What housework?
I should so be cleaning my room, or sorting through boxes and getting rid of junk, or writing in my journal, or knitting on one of several projects right now, rather than goofing off on the internet. I'm not bored, really, just full of pizza (cousin luv, cousin luv, but not in any icky kind of way, you weirdos) and afraid to disturb the radioactive dust that covers my belongings. You know, someday I really need to figure out how to read and knit at the same time, because there are some books I just can't audio-style, Lord of the Rings being one of them. I know I'm starting a hair early in the season, but somehow it just seems appropriate. *stretches and sighs* I love being a dork!!
I'm really falling more in love with my house the more I live in it. I've even become accustomed to the yellow (cream, whatever) walls. With Moo gone we can open the blinds on his sliding door, and the view is all nice and dappled and green and really lights everything up. The ants have been getting in through the windowsill over the sink and there's this little pile of crumbs behind one of the plants, evidence of Things Too Large To Get Through The Hole. I sat and watched them try to get a strip of Asiago cheese in there for about fifteen minutes one time. They must have done, because I never saw it on the counter. Don't get me wrong, I have also sweetly set out some Terro in the hope that they will all die and their little ant bodies with rot under the house rather than come and eat my food, but they can definitely be entertaining as well.
I'm really falling more in love with my house the more I live in it. I've even become accustomed to the yellow (cream, whatever) walls. With Moo gone we can open the blinds on his sliding door, and the view is all nice and dappled and green and really lights everything up. The ants have been getting in through the windowsill over the sink and there's this little pile of crumbs behind one of the plants, evidence of Things Too Large To Get Through The Hole. I sat and watched them try to get a strip of Asiago cheese in there for about fifteen minutes one time. They must have done, because I never saw it on the counter. Don't get me wrong, I have also sweetly set out some Terro in the hope that they will all die and their little ant bodies with rot under the house rather than come and eat my food, but they can definitely be entertaining as well.
Friday, July 27, 2007
I think I'll have chili tonight
With cheese and crushed up Fritos. It's easy, it has protein, and it's not a cheese or tuna sandwich, what more could I ask in the way of diversity?! Actually, Brinicio bought the makings for some fabulous pitas, and we've kind of been living on those for a while. First, however, I'll probably need to go put away all the dishes I just washed. We have a bit of an ant problem here in my lovely house-that-I-really-don't-want-to-leave and I'm trying to nip it by actually keeping food out of reach. Imagine!
So, I have come to the conclusion that the whiny, petulant, "but Uncle Owen!" Luke Skywalker, while obnoxious, is in some ways infinitely better than sanctimonious, "more Forceful than thou" Luke Skywalker. Just so you know. The former doesn't go off on these wild flights of "I will not fight you, Father" and martyred hand-folding like the latter indulges in, especially in the books after the original trilogy. I still love Luke, don't get me wrong, but I don't think I could ever marry him. Imagine the angst! "Will I grow up to be my father? Will the Dark Side carry me away?" Which, if I've heard correctly, it does in at least one novel. Hmm, I just realized that the last paragraph has smacked of bitterness, but it really is directed towards Luke. I've been listening to books on tape that my brother's friend David lent me, bless him, and some things are just more and more apparent with every book Luke appears in.
You will all be thrilled to know that most of my plants are surviving. The pansies have taken the heat very badly and I don't know if they will resurface next year (sadly, since I had very pretty pansies this year). My jasmine is taking over its corner of the patio and the butterfly bush is going to be as tall as me, soon, rather like certain young ladies who.... great sunshine in the morning, Ellie is eleven and I missed it!!! I am such a bad auntie!!!!!! But I'm sure she's been having too much fun at CA Youth Camp to really worry about it that much.
Life has been interesting in the last month. Moo just moved out, up to the big city, leaving Brinicio and I alone and big-screen-TV-less, which has increased our reading to rather astounding levels. During the two weeks of Campmeeting (weekends are awful), I managed to do most of the hiring for the Jackson County Fair and I'm not bald. It's a miracle from heaven. I think I lost some more weight, though, which is becoming distinctly ridiculous. Whatever happened to stress-eating, huh?!? Ah well, speaking of food, I'm feeling a bit peckish, and that chili is calling to me, although I probably will regret it later.
So, I have come to the conclusion that the whiny, petulant, "but Uncle Owen!" Luke Skywalker, while obnoxious, is in some ways infinitely better than sanctimonious, "more Forceful than thou" Luke Skywalker. Just so you know. The former doesn't go off on these wild flights of "I will not fight you, Father" and martyred hand-folding like the latter indulges in, especially in the books after the original trilogy. I still love Luke, don't get me wrong, but I don't think I could ever marry him. Imagine the angst! "Will I grow up to be my father? Will the Dark Side carry me away?" Which, if I've heard correctly, it does in at least one novel. Hmm, I just realized that the last paragraph has smacked of bitterness, but it really is directed towards Luke. I've been listening to books on tape that my brother's friend David lent me, bless him, and some things are just more and more apparent with every book Luke appears in.
You will all be thrilled to know that most of my plants are surviving. The pansies have taken the heat very badly and I don't know if they will resurface next year (sadly, since I had very pretty pansies this year). My jasmine is taking over its corner of the patio and the butterfly bush is going to be as tall as me, soon, rather like certain young ladies who.... great sunshine in the morning, Ellie is eleven and I missed it!!! I am such a bad auntie!!!!!! But I'm sure she's been having too much fun at CA Youth Camp to really worry about it that much.
Life has been interesting in the last month. Moo just moved out, up to the big city, leaving Brinicio and I alone and big-screen-TV-less, which has increased our reading to rather astounding levels. During the two weeks of Campmeeting (weekends are awful), I managed to do most of the hiring for the Jackson County Fair and I'm not bald. It's a miracle from heaven. I think I lost some more weight, though, which is becoming distinctly ridiculous. Whatever happened to stress-eating, huh?!? Ah well, speaking of food, I'm feeling a bit peckish, and that chili is calling to me, although I probably will regret it later.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Cousin love
My cousins are the greatest, just so everyone knows. I don't know where I would be without them, honestly. I have a great many wonderful friends that support me and such, but my cousins are just the cat's meow. I mean, come on, Bry just cooked me dinner and is letting me use his computer while watching his TV, and Troy just cleaned up. *sighs* I love most of my family, I really do. (How's that for open, huh?)
Pride & Prejudice is a fabulous book/movie, by the way. I'm finishing up Persuasion at home right now, although I have to take it in small chunks.
You'll all be thrilled to know that I have have had a long conversation with that person who has previously consumed my thoughts and emotional upheavals, and things are looking up, in a my-heart-will-not-rip-open-my.-chest-anymore sort of way. In fact, I think I can go so far as to say that we are friends. Please forgive me for not going into dramatic detail, but... well, I'm still kind of processing everything myself.
Anyway, the weather has fortunately taken a turn for the cooler today, thank heavens, as it has been a consistently icky 90 degrees around here for quite a few hours too long. Oooh, Dame Judi Dench sneers so perfectly. I can only wish that the weather would not revert to the sweat-inducing state in which it has existed for the last bit, but I'm afraid that I'm just going to have to..... do...... something. Like start using the air conditioning, if I'm not lucky.
I know I have been particularly bad about blogging in the last two months, and I apologize yet again. Things were starting to look a little again grim and dark, and when that happens I tend to shut down a little bit. Have I mentioned that I adore the scene with Mr. Darcy in the trench coat, no matter how anachronistic it may be? Jane Austen is so desperately romantic, except in Mansfield Park, which I don't think I'll ever be able to read again. And the weather is perfect for watching this movie. Oh, I give up, there is no hope for it, I just can't kill my inner romantic, no matter how I've tried.
So, Melina, am I allowed back on your list? Or do I need to post more than once in a two month period? *winks* Ah well, bad to your lives, dear friends, I'm going to go finish watching this movie. *sighs* And Donald Sutherland really does a great job as Mr. Bennett.
Pride & Prejudice is a fabulous book/movie, by the way. I'm finishing up Persuasion at home right now, although I have to take it in small chunks.
You'll all be thrilled to know that I have have had a long conversation with that person who has previously consumed my thoughts and emotional upheavals, and things are looking up, in a my-heart-will-not-rip-open-my.-chest-anymore sort of way. In fact, I think I can go so far as to say that we are friends. Please forgive me for not going into dramatic detail, but... well, I'm still kind of processing everything myself.
Anyway, the weather has fortunately taken a turn for the cooler today, thank heavens, as it has been a consistently icky 90 degrees around here for quite a few hours too long. Oooh, Dame Judi Dench sneers so perfectly. I can only wish that the weather would not revert to the sweat-inducing state in which it has existed for the last bit, but I'm afraid that I'm just going to have to..... do...... something. Like start using the air conditioning, if I'm not lucky.
I know I have been particularly bad about blogging in the last two months, and I apologize yet again. Things were starting to look a little again grim and dark, and when that happens I tend to shut down a little bit. Have I mentioned that I adore the scene with Mr. Darcy in the trench coat, no matter how anachronistic it may be? Jane Austen is so desperately romantic, except in Mansfield Park, which I don't think I'll ever be able to read again. And the weather is perfect for watching this movie. Oh, I give up, there is no hope for it, I just can't kill my inner romantic, no matter how I've tried.
So, Melina, am I allowed back on your list? Or do I need to post more than once in a two month period? *winks* Ah well, bad to your lives, dear friends, I'm going to go finish watching this movie. *sighs* And Donald Sutherland really does a great job as Mr. Bennett.
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