I’ve paid all the bills through early September. Ahh….know what that means? That there is less than 10 days before we leave on vacation. YES.
Here are some interesting articles-
religion in the US
summer in Montana
They don’t really relate at all but I thought both were well written and the Montana story was nearly beautiful.
It is terrible. France estimates that 3000 people have died as a result of the extreme temperatures. I am truly sorry. BUT, my eyes roll. An epidemic is related to disease not the fact that you don’t have an air conditioner.
I know this isn’t exactly riveting reading, but at least I’m actually doing the writing. Here’s an interesting article in the NY Times about politicians and their blogs–just another way that boomers have taken over-gack.
Yesterday I went with my sister and our mother and our mother’s friends to Williamsburg for some outlet shopping. I stopped at BJ’s to get some gas before making the trip. When I reported this to the better-half he asked if the GG were in my way, as they usually are. GG? Greatest Generation–a moniker that digs way down deep under my skin and plucks every last one of my nerves. Who says? Tom Brokaw? Screw that. How can one group of people be the greatest ever? Thanks from Generation X. First we were reviled with the term “slacker” and then “apathetic” and now we have to hear about how a generation is the Greatest. I haven’t actually met any slackers in my age group so I’m not really sure where that came from except perhaps that movie with the same name. Who cares…not me (sarcastic laughter inserted here).
The exciting part of the trip, outside of some really good deals, was that my sister and I set off the car alarm and I had no idea how to get it to turn off. At least the alarm works. One of my mother’s friends had to tell me how to turn it off…I was seriously thinking of ripping out the battery. Chagrin.
I had some insomnia last night (I’m evidently in the midst of my summer-time insomnia) and ended up watching not one but 2 partial episodes of Queer Eye. I was as disgusted as the boys by the state of the 2 apartments. NASTY. Note to self (and anyone else): if a TV crew is coming to your house clean up your place. There were dishes in the sink, newspapers everywhere and one of the bathtubs was black from the mold. It was nasty and each of the catty comments the boys made was dead on. Disgusting.
We were given/loaned a book by Barney Leason called Grand Cru. I respect the person who handed it over and I hate to say this but the book is a laugh-riot. I don’t mean that in a complimentary way. There is a scene where a pet bird flies out of a character’s hair. This is not meant to be funny but is supposed to be a plot device. I’m not making this up. The book was recommended because it deals with wine and Sonoma County. Certainly the details about the wine/vineyards was interesting, but the rest of the book was ridiculous. It would be perfect for wasting time at an airport.
I don’t think it is a good idea for a president to have an action figure. This could cause all kinds of problems in the GI Joe, Barbie and Ken love triangle.
This weekend was spent mostly canning tomatoes. I bought 25lbs of tomatoes from a local grower on Thursday and spent the weekend canning. I used all but one jar (which is only about 4 ounces–a novelty jar, really). I ended up putting some tomato puree in a ziploc and freezing it. We still have some tomatoes left. I think I’ll make spinach stuffed tomatoes tonight–delicious.
Here’s what I did to the tomatoes….roasted about half of what I canned and mixed with regular blanched tomatoes (to get the skins off). I have a bumper crop of basil so that went in the jar as well. I also roasted some cloves of garlic to add to the pot. Then I canned. I don’t like to make sauce or do anything else to the tomatoes. One year I made sauce and it wasn’t all that great and didn’t really take to doctoring.
We also had dinner at our friend C’s house. She filled us up with ribs, salad and an excellent corn and asparagus combo. Then I dominated in the Mountaineering edition of Monopoly. It is good to be the king.
This morning I was flipping channels (I do actually do something other than channel surf) and on FoodTV there was an infomercial entitled something like “The Reason We’re Professional Grade”. I thought maybe they were going to talk about Viking ranges or something. No, it was about why GMC says they are Professional Grade. WHO CARES? Their trucks and SUVs are big and that’s really all most of us need to know.
Today the sister and niece and I were supposed to go to Lake Anna and have fun in the sand and water. What are we doing instead? Going to the Children’s Museum of Richmond where they brag on their website that they are the 11th best Children’s Museum in the country. I’m not sure if I’d brag that I didn’t even make the top 10. I’ve never been there so it will be interesting to see if they are sort-of good since that’s what that ranking implies.
Why aren’t we going to the Lake? Because it is raining. Have I whined enough about the rain yet? I’m not sure that I have. The other night we had hail and we’ve taken to calling our driveway Flannigan Mill Falls…but I really think the name should have Canyon worked into it. Gravel? What gravel? Oh there it is at the bottom of the ravine.
Special thanks to Jerry for linking to this site.
I was home last night flipping channels and got totally sucked into Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. I had told myself weeks ago that I would not watch it because it seemed so hot right now and kind of gimicky. Ok, it is still all of those things but the boys made me like them right away. Carson has beautiful hair. Actually they all do except for that interior design guy, Thom. Dude, design a new hair style.
I also watched Mr. Perfect Teeth in the Bourne Identity last night. He has beautiful teeth…if you haven’t noticed before. And, I completely liked the fact that Jason Bourne has no visible tatoos. Take a note Hollywood not every leading man needs ink. Really.
I’m going through the stuff (er, fabulous merchandise) to sell on ebay. As I mentioned, I’m going to rule the planet through selling fabulous merchandise on ebay. I know I’m years behind the curve on this one but look for my name at the top of Fortune’s list next year. In case you missed it, I have some free CDs that I’ll send you if you want them. Last time I’m mentioning it…soon you, too, can bid on them.
When I married my husband I thought it was because we were/are in love with each other. Imagine my surprise to find out that the real reason marriage is an option is so that we can have children and make our society strong.
I thought I was making my society strong by owning a home (paying lots of taxes), working, buying goods (keeping that economy going) and assisting those in a less strong position. I guess that’s why I’m nobody and Rick Santorum is an elected official. If the public wants to impeach a president for lying about sex and recall a governor because they don’t like him, then I say the good people of Pennsylvania need to step up to the plate and get Rick Santorum off the national stage. Aren’t they embarrassed?
I got the eastmountainsouth CD in the mail yesterday. No wonder I couldn’t find it through my normal routes…it is all one word and lower case. The CD is great and the harmony is nearly perfection. I’m a fiend for liner notes and I always hold out this hope of actually knowing someone in the notes. In reading the liner notes I found out that the one of the leads is from good old VA. So, I heard the song “You Dance” on satellite beamed from somewhere over Texas (at least I think that’s where our satellite is), got on the web, found a seller from CA on ebay, bought the CD and found out the female lead is from 3 hours away in a town I’ve been to dozens of times for work. It is a small world after all.
Here’s another little tidbit for anyone who doesn’t already know this….when a funeral procession is letting out onto the streets to go to the cemetery, it is customary to wait your turn patiently and let the dead and the grieving go about their business. Whatever hurry you think you are in can wait.
Our office building is next door to a sizeable funeral home and yesterday as I was leaving the hearse was pulling out. A full blown moron pulled into the other lane to go around….fool. Guess what happened—a huge SUV came down the road on his rightful side of the road and the fool had to back up into a parking space on the side of the road. Then he had to sit and wait for the rest of the traffic to clear out. Serves him right. I hate stupid and rude people.
