Field Trip Today

Anime Queen, our lovely daughter, invited me on a field trip to the National Gallery of Art. Lovely white snowflakes fell as we drove in. Click here for a list of current exhibits. This was with her art class. They've been studying contemporary art, emphasizing artists like Jackson Pollack & Andy Warhol & photographers like Edward Weston. One of the kids' favorites was the room with some of Calder's mobiles. Click here to begin slideshow discussing Alexander Calder's mobiles.

The work that really made me think was a large piece by Anselm Kiefer mounted on a wall. It's a big piece: shades of grey and black and cream. To me it was a desolate, post apocalyptic landscape. The large work on the wall was powerful enough in and of itself, but combined with a nearby fighter jet, painted grey with dried poppies on the wings. - Well, it was amazing. Then to find out the dried plants were poppies on the wings..and that Mr.Kiefer is German, born in the last year of the WW II? It's quite a statement. Click here for examples of Mr. Kiefer's works.




Image found on Wikimedia Commons, this fresco is not seen in this exhibit.

After viewing the contemporary exhibit in the East Building, we went upstairs and walked through the Pompeii Exhibit. The sculptures are beautiful and the artifacts are amazingly detailed. There's a gladiator helmet with scenes from the Iliad on it. None of the life size figures are part of this exhibit. A gorgeous red dining room fresco glows in the soft light. The reds are soft and faded shades, but I wonder how bright and clear they might have been when they were new.

If you go to the Gallery, I definitely don't recommend eating in the 'food court' downstairs in the causeway between buildings. The food is expensive and mediocre at best. Bring your own. We brought lunch, daughter and I, salads and yogurt and Doritos and lemon water. The bookstore is nice and the shop on the next level up is wonderful.

Family life

Every day life chez Bookwormom has been hectic lately. It often is a whirlwind, though. Makes one value the peace and quiet all the more.

Sammy is the newest family member here. We've become a foster family to a rescue dog named Sammy. He's about 14-18 months old and appears to be an English Coonhound. He was found as a tiny pup in the TN-VA region and was fostered down there for several months before being brought up here. He is well mannered and affectionate- and loves to cuddle on the couch or the bed with you. If the rescue agency approves we will become his permanent family next week. If we can find the camera cable I'll post pics ASAP.

College Student arrived home for his winter break this weekend, bringing the obligatory laundry. This time around he's driven his ancient vehicle (a Chevy minivan held together with gum and baling wire) up here, providing transport to work & friends' homes. Plus rides & a venue for obnoxious music for his brother and sister.

Hubby has several days off in a row from work to prepare for fall finals at school. Somehow he's also been able to pick up an awful stomach bug, likely from CS. I hope he's better soon, poor man is absolutely miserable.

Anime Queen & Pianist are puttering along pretty much same as usual. AQ is stuttering academically- and finds the home consquences um.. a little hard to bear. Pianist is undergoing some serious changes as well. Some are the typical puberty related, but others may be signs of something else. Nothing world ending, but it has been surprising for him. I have chosen not to reveal anything until we have some answers.

Too pretty to stay indoors

It was absolutely gorgeous today- bright sunshine, breezy, leaves blowing everywhere. I couldn't stay indoors. I wandered around our area doing errands on foot. The library, the grocer, the drug store. Meandered past the rescue station. It's hard to be an obsessed reader 24/7 when fall is outside your window seducing you.

I'm exhausted now. Regular posting likely to resume tomorrow as scheduled tomorrow unless it's gorgeous like today, in which case I may not be here.

The Wheels on the Bus

Took the bus home today. OMG, what a ride. The transit center is approximately 10-11 miles away. By car about 15 minutes with average traffic. By bus about 40 minutes with stops in average traffic. Not today though. Today was really bad, even by our standards, and we've lived here 11 years. It took us an hour and a half to get home from the transit center. By the way, these buses are pretty small, carry maybe 40 people or so, so when they're full we're all pretty close. It was actually a fun ride, believe it or not. I mean, listen, I didn't have to drive in all that mess. I'd remembered an umbrella for the spitting rain. I was going home as opposed to going to work.

A few of my fellow passengers had just gotten paid, plans were discussed as to exactly how much beer would be bought as soon as everyone got home. Cell phones rang, "where the hell are you?" or "Traffic is standing still, I'll be there as soon as I can." Toddlers shared Cheerios and bottled water. Sirens wailed and motorcycle cops and ambulances whizzed by going down the road against traffic. A woman carrying a leather briefcase and wearing beautifully stitched shoes shared a seat with a neatly dressed cashier whose long rides on the bus showed in her ability to sleep through all of the chaos and noise.

Two little ones sat on the back steps eating dry cereal and laughing while a nearby young man flirted with a woman surely old enough to be his grandma. The 'boys in the back of the bus' continued to plan their evening's beer consumption, while a man with a beautiful smile complained that the seats were uncomfortable. A woman across from me laughed at him and said, "You just don't have enough cushion, baby. Us womenfolk have plenty of cushion to keep us comfy, don't we hon?" That last bit was addressed to me because I'd burst out laughing.

Someone suggested a hymn sing and another answered that karaoke would be more fun. More people piled on with grocery bags and strollers. We listened to one woman rant and rave into her cell phone about how her new supervisor is incompetent & etc. etc. etc. until someone finally asked her to be quiet. It began to rain. An SUV driver cut in front of the bus with only inches to spare, prompting irate honking & swearing and much protests of sore backs and necks.

Finally we many of us got off the bus at the same stop, stepping out into the cold breezes and spitting rain. Our own little happy hour was over. Back to payday Friday night, the drugstore, irate girlfriends. Home to cook dinner. Pay bills. Hug your babies. Another shortish walk and I was home again.

BTW- title comes from a children's song that begins, "The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round.."

Image found on Wikimedia

Control is an illusion

Ok, so if you've scrolled down the page or visited over the weekend you've seen my "little project." For some reason, unknown even to me, I decided I need to organize my archives by subgenre in addition to the alpha by last name I've always had. No, I don't know what possessed me and now that I've begun I can't stop.

Yesterday afternoon one of the kids asked me, "Are you sure you double checked all of your first year? You might have missed some." At first I was just going to give them a pat, "Of course I double checked my archives. I'm your mother, I'm thorough!" But of course, that's not true. I hadn't checked the archives of my first year. When I began my blog I just nattered on about whatever came into my head. I didn't have a specific format or subject in mind- until my second year. So if I felt like reviewing a book I finished, I did. If I didn't feel like reviewing I merely mentioned the title and the author so that I'd be able to check back later and count them all up or prevent myself from buying multiple copies or whatever.

Fast forward to yesterday. I'd organized and reorganized my lists (which grew and grew like bunnies in the spring). After I'd posted the romance lists and added the links to my sidebar I went through my first year archives. Now, you know I missed plenty. I'm only human after all. Any guesses? One or two or three or five? Ok, I could handle it, but 21?! I nearly fell off my chair laughing at myself. Then I wanted to cry in frustration. By then it was quite late and I was tired, so I took myself off to bed. This morning I went back through the archives again and made lists and notes and all so that tomorrow I can add them to the archives.

When I copied and pasted all of the archives into MS Word, it was 28 pages! And that was before I found the ones I missed. I was surprised and a little intimidated, but I figured it'll make things user friendly. I hope. I still have to create all of the non romance archive lists, fewer titles in total but more lists. It may take the rest of the week before I'm done as I have other things to do during the day. Honest, I don't surf all day. Of course, whatever I want to do has to wait during prime homework time, so that might delay things too. We'll see.

The family has asked me all kinds of other questions, like how many pages in total have you read since you started the blog? How many books in all? I'm not proficient in Excel, like Rosario, so I don't keep those kinds of stats. Maybe I should though. I'm hopeful that once I'm done it'll be easy to keep up with. We shall see.

Meantime I received a packet of books in the mail, so I have those to look forward too as well. The life of a book blogger is never dull.

Sunday in DC

Both images found on Wikimedia; image of Ben's Chili Bowl taken by Ben Schumin.



Yesterday was the last day the Afghanistan exhibit was open in the East Building of the National Gallery of Art on the Mall up in DC. We took Metro since we also wanted to try the locally famous Ben's Chili Bowl chili half smokes.

The exhibit was crowded, as one would expect to find on the last day, but it was nice to see all of the kids wandering around with little quiz booklets hunting up answers. The only irritating problem was all of the old folks who need new glasses and a brush up with Miss Manners. It seems that if you have an old grey head you're automatically absolved of all behavior faux pas, including standing directly in front of exhibits less than two inches away from the glass for as long as you damn well please. And heaven forfend anyone might say excuse me. The exhibit moves to San Francisco, then Houston and finally NYC.

The jewelry was delicate and often finely detailed. Set with some local jewels, notably lapis lazuli and carnelian. Some of the hair ornaments? I'd buy replicas. They are unique. You could see the Indian and Chinese influences. I was amazed that such small pieces survived a harsh climate and nomadic life and burial. It makes me sad that the Taliban has been running amok over there destroying the Afghanis cultural artifacts- not to mention the people. These priceless objects have been saved twice at least in recent decades. Once they return, will they remain so?

Ben's was crowded too, but everyone there was on their best behavior despite the huge line, the incredible crowding and the din of 70's disco music that my hubby says was James Brown. We all had a great time, except AQ who ordered the chili instead of her better tolerated grilled cheese. She didn't like the chili all that much, poor thing. She can be finicky. I had an all beef dog & fries- no chili. I've had awful reflux recently & I didn't want to risk it on the long ride back home. Pianist gulped his chili drenched half smoke in record time, prompting Hubby to tell him he could have another one if he was willing to wait in line again. LOL No dice.

Happy Anniversary!

Yesterday was our twenty first anniversary. Hubby had to work all day and I had a million errands to run, but the evening was all ours. Ours and Tropical Storm Hannah's that is. There was a guy in a top hat and jacket on the dock who had a couple of card tables with various glasses filled with liquid and played a very accurate version of Ode to Joy to huge applause. It was amazing how fast his fingers flew around the rims of the glasses and how accurately they were tuned. The crystal rings quite clearly and carried out over the water easily. I did wonder, though, if he'd end up with blisters on his fingers. ;)

You see, our favorite anniversary tradition is to take a tour boat up the Potomac to the docks in Georgetown and back down to Virginia. We never stay up there. The restaurants are too chichi for my taste and we rarely drink anymore. And the shopping is too expensive. So we always come straight back. Usually we have dinner out somewhere in Old Town. This year was fish and chips-very pedestrian I know, but this place always has fresh caught fish. The fish place was pretty quiet, it was early (just after 6 pm). Thank goodness. It gets really loud in there when its busy.
And ice cream (bananas on the rum from B&J is FAB! BTW) after the cruise.


The cruise was quiet too. The hurricane predictions may have kept the tourists away, although the river was peaceful. It spitted (spat?!) rain steadily the whole time we were out, about an hour and half or so. The sky grew heavier and heavier with clouds as we motored north up the Potomac so we couldn't see the sunset. The steel grey clouds were perfect to watch the planes taking off and landing at the airport. The planes' lights are brighter against the dark clouds, helping you pick them out faster. They fly in and out right over the river, the lights glitter and shine on the water growing and shrinking like shadows across a lawn over the daytime. The new bridge between Maryland and Virginia has white lights strung across the edge, from a distance at night it looks like a pearl necklace flung from one shore to another. There's another bridge between Maryland and DC that has intense sapphire blue lights barely visible as we passed up the left fork. Very noticeable on the dark water.

So as we eat our ice cream we wander up the hill toward the parking deck where we'd left the car and the steady spitting rain gradually grew heavier and heavier. We decided no music this year since the forecasters were calling for high winds and heavy rain and the kids were home alone. Just as we pulled out of the deck the heavens opened and torrents and buckets of water poured down. We finished our little evening out on the river just in time.

BTW, if Maman or Lovely Sister reads this- the beautiful embroidered rose colored dress you altered for me fit perfectly! Thank you!

Weekend Events

Busy busy busy weekend. The hubby is off, the Anime Queen is visiting with her Gma & Gpa & assorted others for a week or so. Pianist is off to the beach with the other Gma & Gpa & assorted others. College Student is settling back in at Gma & Gpa's and has his sights set on the start of another semester at school. His wheels are at the shop being fixed and he's bought some of the books he needs.

Hubby and I are alumni of College Student's school. They've just completed renovations and major additions to the campus that will enlarge and diversify the studant body, so we wandered around ooohing and aaaahing and reminiscing. It was fun. I hope that the improvements will bring the school a brighter future and help them nurture the dreams and ambitions of generations of future students.

Unfortunately the town closest to the school isn't doing so well and its struggles are reflected in decrepit storefronts and overgrown homes easily seen from the road. When we attended school here the town thrived and bustled and hummed with activity. It's sad to see it now, honestly. I guess it's like watching a loved one go from healthy to gravely ill and no matter what you do, it won't be enough.
Fortunately, College Student and the assorted grandparents live two towns over in a bustling little burg, so the opportunities for jobs and shopping and nightlife.


We're still down here visitiing and catching up with the family news and letting Gmas cook for us (YUM!). On the book front, I bought a copy of Orhan Pamuk's My Name is Red for the Read the Nobels project I just joined. Image found on Tulumba.com.

Not Dead

YET. Still here, in fact. However, I've been all atwitter over recent kerfuffles at work the end result of which is that I've finally put in my two week notice. My last day will be next Tuesday. Which is actually one of my regular days off. Yes I planned it that way. My notice had been in for a week when another huge storm blew in and my manager asked me to stay. Until then she appeared to be perfectly ok with my leaving. Once the storm hit she asked me if there was anything she could do to convince me to stay. Then told me nothing I asked for would be guaranteed or promised. So my answer, of course, will be:"No thank you. I'm leaving."

Meanwhile I just finished a huge test(one of only two aside from the final) in the computer class I'm taking. I've no idea how I did. Maybe God will smile at me and bless me with a B. But I doubt it. I'm behind in one of the projects. Another project is due Thursday. A project I thought I'd saved but now I can't find it. I also have a post due up Thursday morning at Access Romance. APost which is as yet, unwritten.

On the plus side, I saw an old friend today and we're hoping to get together next week after I stop working. Also on the plus side, my sister sent me a basket of coffee and a mugstand for our birthday. No, we're not twins, but our natal days sit side by side in May.

However, I have been reading. One day in the future when I'm caught up and my children have had a home cooked meal and my house is semi clean I'll post my thoughts.

Meditation on Winter

The sky was a rich blue heavily laced with dark grey storm clouds late this afternoon as I waited in the biting wind. Tiny finger size twigs and bigger branches tossed back and forth like coral in a current. The wind played with me- chasing up the sleeves of my winter coat and tying my hair in knots. I could feel my body heat rising from my head into the sky.

I wanted to walk for blocks in the nighttime quiet. For that's how it was this evening in Old Town. Quiet. The little white lights draped in the trees danced frantically over our heads, clinging to their branches like barnacles in the surf. Winter's frozen currents rushing and swooping around us swirling fallen leaves over our heads. Other than a group of college age carolers, laughing and singing as they rushed up the street, we were alone in Old Town- a rarity neither of us can ever remember in the years we've lived here.

I was refreshed and invigorated. The cold winter wind reminds me of how human I am. How alive I am. I feel brighter. Full of possibility. The earth rests and recuperates, but I'm energized. Somehow in the summer I'm sluggish. Lethargic. I want to hibernate. Like an ant trapped in honey. Winter, though, that's more my season. Gathering energy for the year to come.

New blogging adventure begins

My very first post is up at Access Romance on the Readers Gab page. Click link in title to read my post.

A New Adventure

Last week I was contacted by Access Romance to be a guest Gabber, LOL, one Thursday a month. There are other bloggers in the online romance community who already post on Mondays: KristieJ and JMC, Tara G. and Robin are the others. Tara Gelsomino was managing editor at Romantic Times and Robin is a regular commenter on Smartbitches. KristieJ and JMC are both linked on my sidebar, as is Smartbitches. I'll be joining RfP and Devon and Rosie on Thursdays beginning this month.

I'm excited and flattered and surprised to be asked to blog for them, TBH. I hope it will force my flabby "leetle grey cells" to quote my favorite Belgian detective. Not to mention exercising my soggy writing and observation skills. My first post will be up on Thursday November 29th.

Thanks to the ladies at Access Romance for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts on my favorite genre!

Beach Anniversary Weekend

I mentioned a while ago that the Husband and I were going away to celebrate our 20th anniversary (which was actually last month). After much deliberation and notes left pinned to the official "note peg" right in front of the door as you come in, we decided that a night at a beach would be perfect. Somewhere close (within half a day's drive) yet quiet, which was why we waited until what we hoped would be the off season. Eventually we remembered Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Fortunately, our hunch and the weather were both fabulous.

Surprisingly, the trip over the bridge on Rt. 50 on the far side of Annapolis was both uneventful and fast, even taking into account the traffic for the Navy home football game. For those of you who live outside of our area, this is a notorious traffic hangup spot on weekends. Anyhow, we managed a leisurely drive over to Chincoteague Island in enough time to register at the hotel (fortuitously located right outside the entreance to the National Wildlife Refuge (link in first paragraph above) and still have time to walk along the beach before dinner.

There were a few amateur surfers, anyone who tries to "surf" this far up the Atlantic Coast has to be an amateur. We laughed at them for wearing wetsuits in the warm water and because they persisted in trying to surf down the wave AFTER the curl had passed. The Husband, who once spent SIX WEEKS on Oahu playing soldier with the 25th ID, learned to gracefully fall off his surfboard on the North Shore of HI and judges all surfers by his teachers from that time. Yes, we were married then and no I couldn't go. I was stuck in freezing November Kansas with two young children and no money.

We found two empty horseshoe crab shells and watched a flock of tiny little birds hunt for sand crabs in the foamy surf- successfully. We marvelled at how much time has passed and how happy we are still. How time has both changed us and kept us the same. How our roles are changing this year. Our hopes for ourselves, for our relationship and for our children. I love the beach because you can see so clearly how far you have come and how far you have yet to travel. The vast and mysterious ocean provides both comfort and assurance and yet reminds you that time waits for no one.

Updates

Yeah, I promised to try and stop by more often, but as you can see- I'm a slacker. I just finished reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Excellent book. Very thought provoking. Also very dark. I'll post my thoughts as soon as I can.

Husband~ Began classes at our local community college taking a full time load (4 classes) last week. Paid for by his employer. He is currently topped out in his field and since he's only in his early 40's he'd like to continue to move up the career ladder- thus this in the first step. He already has a degree, but the academic powers that be deem those courses 'too old' for his current course of study and thus he's forced to retake some things. He's smiling though. It'll only help his GPA. Plus- he gets to listen to the babies (as he calls them) spout off about everything they think they're expert about. Meantime it's all he can do keep qiuet and not laugh.

Graduate~ Seems to be settling in at the grandparents' just fine. We moved him in last weekend. New stuff from Ikea, new clothes. All his books. The other g'rents are loaning him a car (plus the insurance!!) and will help feed him as needed. Today is the first day of classes. He's currently job hunting. I plan to call him before I go to work to see how things went. The house is quieter, the fridge is fuller. I miss him, his jokes. The way his eyes light up. Don't miss Kudzu though.

Daughter~ Wishes to be called Anime Queen instead of such a plain, non descriptive, boring parental label like daughter. After an event filled summer, the last week or ten days has been quiet for her. Kinda a nice wrap up I suppose. She's busy playing with photoshop and writing fanfics and trying to slow summer down. This school year she's taking both IB Algebra and IB Chemistry, so she doubts she'll have much of a life this year. Poor Anime Queen, she struggles with math & chemistry is loaded with it. The Graduate was her favorite math tutor, but he's too far away. Maybe he can help her via IMming?? It's a thought.

Son #2~ Also wishes a new moniker. Can't really think of one right now though. He too has had a busy summer- visited both g'rents, went to camp, went to Baltimore. His current favorite activity is MS Flight Simulator & X Box. He's also practicing piano somewhat diligently. We went on a hike a couple of days ago when the temps were down. Went down to the stream & found a couple of tadpoles and some teeny tiny waterstriders- who can jump over each other on top of the water (like crickets). Several cool looking mushrooms, we forgot the camera as per usual, so no photos.

Me~ Have been feeling run ragged. Between the job and trying to get Graduate settled and a family reunion and whatnot, the last several weeks have been a strain. At least one of my days off has been spent traveling up and down I95 hither thither and yon. And beyond yon once or twice. Hopefully now that school is about to begin I'll be able to catch my breath a bit. I hope. We'll see.

I am definitely reforming my procrastinating ways. I've had to. There is no'later' or some mythical 'tomorrow' when I'll have less to do. It's now or never. I'm rediscovering the joys of the hyper caffeinated life. I am reading so that's been a plus. What else? I live and die by the calculator in my purse more than ever before.

Work itself has been fine. The interior of the building is being renovated, which we're working through. That has proved interesting. We were given conflicting information regarding 'mandatory overtime' being paid or if we were to be given comp time or even if the time is truly mandatory or not. So far I am enjoying the job and it facilitates my personal and our family goals. It's funny though, I've been asked if I think the job is 'fun' or if I'm now magically 'fullfilled' by working there. To the first- as far as I'm concerned work is work and therefore not intended to be fun so the question is irrelevant. As to the second- I was pretty much fullfilled (as much as the next person I think) before I began. So no. Onward and upward.

Hiking in DC

Ought not be done in 95 F heat, let me tell you. We survived, though. As regular readers know, our Daughter is away in Germany with her church youth group. As preparation we decided to go to the Holocaust Museum before she left. Now- several years ago I used to regularly park in Ft. Myer and walk this hike when the older kids were elementary school age. No one had serious problems with the distance & the youngest was pushed in a stroller. We walked through the Museum of choice and walked back through Arlington National Cemetery to the car. We always enjoyed our little outings and I didn't remember the walks as being arduous. So we figured, "Hey. The kids are older now, the HM doesn't look too far up the Mall. Let's just walk this one."

Fast forward past a few years. The route follows. If you have DoD stickers on your vehicle, it is possible to drive onto Ft. Myer, park, and walk through Arlington National Cemetery and walk across the bridge (with an enormous half nude female statue at the end- which grossed out Son #2 no end let me tell you). Once you're over the bridge you're near the pencil (otherwise known as the Washington monument), the shell and the tidal basin edged with cherry trees. Walk a few blocks to the right, when coming from Arlington, and there's the HM. Near the Mint. By map it looks to be a relatively reasonable walk. It is a relatively reasonable walk- as long as you're not in a hurry and it is cooler than 95. I also recommend the ability to walk a minimum of 5 miles at a single stretch.

Anyhow- ANC, like the Zoo, is built sloping down a hill (or up the Hill depending on where you start from). Following the roads (as required; no shortcutting through the actual grave sites) it is roughly three quarters of a mile from where we parked to Memorial Dr. which leads you over the bridge into DC. From the edge of the George Washington Parkway over the bridge to the opposite shore is approximately a mile. I'm guessing here, but I think the distance from the DC side of the bridge to the HM is roughly another mile- lightly shaded. I was able to measure distances up to the DC side of the bridge, but not through the Mall to the HM. So- round trip our 'little walk' turned out to be 5 1/2 miles!

The National Park Service has installed water fountains every couple of hundred feet along the pathways, so we didn't expire from heat exhaustion. Luckily Husband had purchased to large cups of ice from the HM cafe, so we had plenty of cold water to drink along the route back to the car. The problem is, The Graduate has a long looping stride which comes naturally to persons well over 6'2", the Daughter has short quick strides and likes to keep up with Graduate so they can share earphones & moan about how bitchy mom really is. And Husband? As a nurse he regularly zooms all over his assigned floor for 12-14 hours a day at work.

Where does this leave Son #2 & me? In the caboose. Waaaayyyy waaaaayyyy waayyyy behind. I'm not normally a slow walker, but I wasn't about to leave poor hot whiny "OMG mom are we there yet??" Son #2 in the caboose alone either. So every once in a while the Husband would slow down and wait for us or the older kids would stop to wait for directions or wait at a fountain for us. "Jeez mom! You didn't used to be so SLOW~ what's the problem? Are you getting old?" Thanks a lot guys. I feel so much better now.

The Son #2 and I- we survived. I kept hearing that old disco song I Will Survive in my head as we trudged uphill back through Arlington Cemetary. We made a little game of trying to spot the oldest year on the tombstones as we passed. We walked by a judge who presided over the Nuremburg trials. A fresh turned grave with a tiny palstic marker at the head. Watched the caisson roll by over the hill in the distance. Heard taps. Every time we go to Arlington I hear the echoes of tears and the sighs of those finally at rest. They remind me that all of the little trials we go through every day won't mount to a hill of beans (to paraphrase Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca) in history.

Mesmerized

I last sat here Friday at 11 am, running through my thoughts about the past five days' events, specifically the shootings at VA Tech (Sister's alma mater). Having a Son shortly to go off to college, the good Lord willing & the creek don't rise, made the news resonate strongly with me. Finally I decided to post Friday morning, no matter that I didn't have anything new or original or thought provoking to say.

So I'm seated in front of the 'puter Friday morning at 11 am. Then Daughter calls. "Mom, there's a bomb threat at school. We've been evacuated to the stadium. They said we can go home if our parents come & pick us up. Will you come and get Friend and me so we can go home?" Needless to say, I saved my post and headed towards Daughter's school.

I had to park down the street and walk up to the campus, met along the way by several reporters & photographers. "Ma'am, did you know there were two other schools closed this morning due to bomb threats? How do you feel about these incidents, especially in light of the shootings on Monday?"

I was 90% sure (naive, perhaps?) that it was simply a test day prank- hijinks since Friday was the first warm sunny day in quite a while. I wasn't overly anxious, more agitated that some @$$ thought it would be funny, cool, ___________ fill in the blank to call school out on a Friday.

So I waited my turn, picked the girls up and drove them to our house. They DDR'ed, watched an anime movie and ate fries. Which turned out to be a treat for the friend. Her family are all vegetarians and they've never (do you believe it?) eaten at or from McD's. I was impressed on the one hand & embarrassed on the other, I had no idea this girl was a vegetarian & I would've offered her something else had I known. Still- she's teen enough to love fries!

Turns out the would be bomber was an 18 year old idiot who wanted to get his GF out of class. At least that's what happened at Daughter's school. Don't know about the other two schools (one of which is Son's GF's school- she wasn't there that day). Rumor mill says there was a 'hit list' at one school. Anyhow, the guy from Daughter's school called from a payphone in the mall across the street. They have him on the phone on camera so he will be charged with a crime. A felony, maybe? I can't remember.

I've not read much this week, but there are a few things & books on my mind which I hope to post about over the next few days.

Hiking

jacrabit4

This photo is of the Seneca Trail (ie: not anywhere nearby), but closely resembles the scene this afternoon when Husband & I took a walk in the national park near our home. It was just barely flurrying & we had a wonderful time. We saw four whitetail deer on the edge of the road & the hawks that live in the park soared overhead looking for lunch. I think we shall be taking more walks together in the near future.

FIL Update

My MIL is currently starting the paperwork needed so my FIL can receive hospice care. He suffers with several different diseases, but they think the one that shall claim his life is metastatic lung cancer. We don't have an estimate on how long he has left. Hubby will drive the kids down to see the family Saturday morning & return the same day since I have responsibilities at church that day.

New Obsession

Pomegranates. Is it possible I've survived to my advanced age without pomegranates? My Husband will tell you- I much prefer fruits to vegetable anyday- everyday. I remember eating them with friends early in high school, but not after that. Last week the kids and I were grocery shopping & they had no idea what they were. So I bought two. Opened them and seeded them and..the little monsters wouldn't eat them. "We'd rather just buy Pom, mom. It's easier." Uh, no it isn't. I've had several more since then. They're yummy & delicious & scarlet & I don't have to share them! except with Husband.




by ahalevy


by 854847


by 854847

The Computer Story

This entire situation started last spring. Initially it was Norton. Now before you write & tell I was an idiot for letting it go- you're right. I was wrong to let it go at all.

BUT at the time I hunted through the pages & pages of Tech support both at Norton and at Dell. Pretty much it was a catch 22- Norton wanted info off the purchase receipt and I didn't have it (the computer was a gift from my in laws). Then, Dell told me they wouldn't help me because my husband was listed as contact person (or something similar)& I need to call Norton anyway. I asked Husband to call Dell support to fix Norton, but it never happened. I'm willing to nag about certain things, but isn't one of them. So I let it go.

Fast forward to this summer. The kids and I started having trouble playing certain online games. Occasionally I had trouble with certain functions. Again, enough to be irritating, but not enough to get me to nag the spouse (based on information I'd gotten directly from Dell). Hubby never uses the computer here unless he's playing Pogo or whatever, so what did he care?!

Monday daughter reminded me (again) that the Apple update for her iPod won't load. Since it was 6 am I nodded at her and said, "Yeah. I'll figure it out later." Daughter took her giant turtleshell, otherwise known as her backpack) and trudged across the street to catch the bus. Hours later, attempting to evade laundry and housework, I tried to play my favorite game. No go. It won't load. Same error message Daughter's gotten.

That was it. The straw that finally lit a fire under my lazy behind. I called Dell. We had a little conversation about whether or not I could do this or Hubby. The tech didn't have any problems & told me whoever answered my call way back when should've helped me. UH. Great. Thanks. I've spent the last 6 months or whatever with computer problems because your company didn't train him properly. I said as much to him and he told me he'd file a form that reprimanded the tech. Whatever. Like that'll help me now, PAL.

Finally, after an hour and twenty minutes (I wrote down the time the guy picked up my call) of talking to guy #1 plus his supervisor, we decided the operating system had become compromised. They hinted they really wanted me to hang up and make back up discs and call them back so they could reload me and I'd have a new computer. Or I could wipe it all now and they'd reload all of our basic stuff (the programs my inlaws had paid for etc.) like it was new.

What do they think I'm stupid?! You want me to hang up and call again because of your convenience? That won't happen. I don't store pictures or letters or other similar items on the computer. No financial or business matters. Yeah, I'm old fashioned. I do our accounts on paper & I hate spreadsheets. Besides, I don't trust firewalls enough to keep our pathetic financial info private. Pretty much it was all stuff related to games & favorite sites and stuff related to surfing & gaming.

So they wiped the hard drive and reloaded it all & we're good to go. Except that it took me nearly two hours of precious surfing time. I was stuck interpreting computer tech-ese, I missed my lunch time and, worst of all, I was totally stuck with folding a couch full of clean linens.

OTOH, I'm still here. Relatively normal. Supposedly with a normal fully functional, non invaded computer. HAHAHAHA As if I believe that.

Down in the Valley

Husband and I took Son #1 out to Teeny Tiny College #4 (for TTCs 1 & 2 & 3, click here) this morning. We started with a bang- missed the alarm and woke up 40 minutes late. Too late to eat b'fast, we stopped for coffee and donuts- breakfast of champions! Could've skipped it altogether though. The college was kind enough to lay out a huge spread in the vestibule of the auditorium.

Most of the students were there for the conservatory half of the school, but Son is interested in the paraprofessional medical majors (pharmacy. physical therapy, etc). Son does play two instruments, but isn't interested in continuing to study music at that level, although he doesn't rule out minoring.

So you traipsed around much of the school, led along like good little sheep. Unfortunately many of the buildings & classrooms were locked. Bad form to have an open house and then not have rooms available for people to see. Two large new buildings under construction. Lunch in the cafeteria. Not too bad I guess. I've not eaten cafeteria food in ages, so I'm not much of a judge.

Highlight of the tour was entering the chapel. Inside, a string ensemble was rehearsing with a soprano and a music professor. Absolutely fabulous music. I could've sat there and listened all day. I'd enjoy driving out there just for the music, TBH.

We returned home late in the afternoon to remember that we'd invited the neighbor down the street to spend the night. Lovely. I barely tolerate this child when I'm not tired. Tomorrow is an early day at church, so we'll be out the door quick enough, but *waah* I just wanted to sit on the couch and veg and hibernate. Just us.