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July 31, 2006
Red Clover
We have a single red clover in our yard. I've never seen anything like it before. How strange!
Posted by Dianne at 9:19 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Another Garden Visitor
This evening when I was making dinner I glanced out the window into my garden and a green hummingbird was zooming around my pepper plant blooms! He zoomed in and out sticking his nose into the blossoms, but he was just too fast to get my camera to take a picture. He was the first hummingbird I've seen in years! In fact it was the first hummingbird I've seen since we moved to Maryland and he most definitely made me smile!
Posted by Dianne at 9:15 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Pretty In Pink Doesn't Hold The Test Of Time
I've been watching 80's movies as of late on TiVo and I must say after watching Pretty In Pink again this evening it just does NOT hold the test of time! I watched Sixteen Candles the other day and it is still great! But Pretty In Pink just wasn't that good!
Thinking back Pretty In Pink was never one of my favorite movies in the 80's. My main beef with it was that Andie didn't end up with Duckie. I always like it when the girl ends up with the underdog! But oh well. All of this to say, sometimes movies you remember as being really good way back when, don't end up being that good at all when you watch them again years later. I guess that is how life goes!
Posted by Dianne at 9:07 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Trigeneration
I've been trying to wrap my mind around the technology for the last couple of days and I'm still not sure I have a total grasp of the process. Basically it's a technique where you generate all the electricity, heat and cooling needs for a facility on site. It's about 4 times more effective than depending on the grid to do such things because you can instantly take advantage of the fact that you're not wasting energy transmitting electricity over the grid. Not to mention that you are using the waste heat from the process of generating electricity to do a lot of the heating type operations in the home (hot water year around and heating in the winter). Trigeneration takes it to the next level by adding in cooling for the house as well. Now what led me down this road was the funding of an effort in the Europe (of course it's not happening here, it's too cool) to move Micro Combined Heat and Power units to be trigeneration units. Basically the end goal seems to end up with every home being a self-sustaining entity depending on their fuel source rather than the grid itself. Now you immediately run into the problem that you need a fuel source, but with it being so much cheaper to generate your own electricity, it could almost make up the difference for you.
Another interesting thing about this technology is that it reminded me of a movie that fascinated me as a child. I don't remember much about it, except there was an engineer in the jungle and he build a fire powered ice making machine for the natives (The Mosquito Coast). At the time I couldn't grasp how that would work, but now it appears that I have a name for the technology that's at work. It's called a Gas-absorption refrigerator. Basically using the unique properties of Ammonia and Hydrogen you can cover heat directly into cold without a single compressor making it infinitely cheaper to cool anything you want. There are no moving parts, you've just got to deal with two unhappy elements.
Now that I have the formula for how it works, it's still awe inspiring for me to comprehend. The system works within a range that you can actually do it using a solar collector if it's strong enough. The implications are staggering, an air conditioner using this system could be completely solar powered and by the heat of the day, it could be using the very heat you're trying to get rid of to cool your house. Did I mention no moving parts???
What's even more staggering to me is one of the companies that I was reading up on that offers refrigerators built off of this technology, has an entire section on their website explaining why their gas powered refrigerators from before 1955 aren't supported anymore. They started making refrigerators in the 1930's and they are still working and people complain when they breakdown. If your freaking refrigerator works for 80 years and finally breaks, suck it up and buy a new one you cry baby!! I had a brand new top of the line one and it didn't last 3 years, times have changed. Actually they stopped making them for a few decades and only recently decided to get back into the business of selling this cool technology.
Anyway, this is a very, very interesting idea. I think back to being without power for over a week after the last hurricane and the notion that I could have been generating my own electricity and air conditioning is pretty exciting stuff. Of course, the logical choice would be something like natural gas or fuel oil of some sort to fuel it. So you'd need some back up supply of fuel for the bad times, but other than that you would be set. The solar option for your air conditioning would also be great, because it would take a lot of the strain off the grid depending on the situation. Also a system like this done properly could totally change the dynamics of electricity in our country. that is If the Europeans decide to give it to us after it's all said and done. We should really be working on stuff like this ourselves.
Read more over at EurekAlert.
Posted by Jamison at 6:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The Bullet Voting Dilemma
Several people have told me I should be encouraging people to bullet vote for me. For those of you that don't know of the concept, basically you tell people to only vote for you even though they have multiple selections. The theory goes that if you are in a race where people are voting randomly, you end up with a relatively standard distribution of votes. By having your supports vote only for you, you rob the other people on the ballot of the standard distribution of votes allowing you to beat them because your bullet votes put you over the top.
While this tactic can work, I'm not sure that it's exactly sporting. First it gives the appearance that the party is weak because if everyone does it, you end up with what appears to be low turnout for the race. Like in the race for the DCC seat I'm seeking, there were nearly 10,000 under votes. The highest performing candidate got about 6900 votes. That screams that there was a massive amount of this bullet voting going on. Anytime I talk to someone about voting for me, I always tell them to just pick the last three names on the list. That includes the two new guys, Stan Janor and myself, plus the female incumbent Christine Davenport. I have a rule about always trying voting for Democratic women (I voted for Christine and Sandi Parrish last race as I mentioned before). So unless I get new information to make me think otherwise, she's got my vote this time as well. This seems like a more useful approach to the problem.
It will probably cost me the election, but it seems like a lot better approach than to have more under votes than votes on the books. I'd rather see Democratic Unity and lose, than to make us seem weak as a party. Let's leave that kind of stuff where it belongs, in the Republican playbook.
Read more over at Wikipedia.
Posted by Jamison at 12:29 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Eureka Conversation
Though I'm not a big fan of the notion, it is possible to know too much. Last night was the perfect example of that as Dianne and I were watching the Tivoed Eureka episode from last week on the Sci-Fi channel.
Note: This contains spoiler information so only click on the link below if you don't care.
Dianne: Didn't she die last episode?
Jamison: She sure did!
Dianne: How did that happen?
Jamison: Well I think this will be a variation on the Schrödinger's cat paradox.
Dianne: Uh, hun. What's the Schrödinger's cat paradox?
Jamison: Well it's the fact that until you take a measurement in quantum mechanics you can't know which reality is true, meaning every decision leads to multiple versions of reality in which both decisions are true. So you end up with an infinite number of realities in which every decision you make has a reality where the opposite decision was made.
Dianne: Well that's stupid, I don't believe that.
Jamison: That's just what quantum mechanics says. I'll bet when he was working on the quantum device in the last episode that it caused some time dilation causing two versions of reality to exist simultaneously creating two versions of the same woman in the same stream of time.
Dianne: Wouldn't it be easier to just clone her?
Jamison: Now that doesn't make any sense, how did the clone know what she knew, the only way to make the storyline work would be the time dilation.
Dianne: She's a clone.
Jamison: Yes, dear.
Twenty minutes later of course Dianne was proven correct. It seems Hollywood shares her interest in simplicity in story lines, or the lack of understand of the quantum mechanical vision of the reality. Either way I got an I told you so!
Check out Sci-Fi's Eureka.
Posted by Jamison at 12:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Despite incentives, turbine farm development stalls in Maryland
This is so frustrating to me. I've been so annoyed that we don't have the choice to pick green energy choices for our electricity because basically there isn't any here in Maryland. I actually sent a couple of the companies in this article emails a couple of years ago asking what was going on and why wasn't their project making progress. Of course, about half way through the article I get my answer and it's not surprise.
"The state Public Service Commission hasn't yet issued a decision on Rogers' application."
Tragically yet again, something that should be a straight forward decision is complicated by Republican politics. It's so annoying that they roadblock all forward progress whenever they get the chance. I'm sure that the PSC have buddies in the energy industry that don't want to move to wind energy forward for some reason, probably because of a lack of profit margins high enough to engorge their wallets large enough or something equally as trivial. And isn't it amazing that the Republican party will strip mine pristine wilderness when it's in a corporation's interest, but when those same corporate interests need an excuse to block something that threatens their profit margins the Republican party suddenly becomes the party of the environment? It's ridiculous! Folks, we need a massive change in Annapolis away from the culture of corruption and putting people last in every decision about the future of Maryland. There is no way around it, it's time for real leadership and the Republican party doesn't have any to offer.
Read more over at Baltimore Sun.
Posted by Jamison at 12:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Water use limited in District 31
So that's what happened! On Saturday night we suffered a massive drop in water pressure. My neighbor asked me if I knew what was going on, I didn't have a clue. Now it appears yet another pipe has burst in Anne Arundel County. Is it just me, or does this seem like it's happening an awful lot lately? I wonder if the work they've been doing to keep the folks in Howard County functioning has put too much strain on the pipes around here causing the main failure? The main should be fixed by Wednesday, so until then everyone in basically District 31 is on mandatory water restrictions. Now it's definitely a fact that the home you may save is your own, because without water pressure fire fighters might not be able to get enough water to fight fires. So take it seriously folks!
Read more over at Baltimore Sun.
Posted by Jamison at 12:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Disowning Conservative Politics, Evangelical Pastor Rattles Flock
I think he rattled me more than he did his flock! An evangelical speaking real Christian values to the same issues that I've been ranting about for the last couple of years is pretty dramatic stuff from my point of view. I've been pretty hard on Evangelicals over the years for exactly these reasons that he is talking about and he says they should not be involving themselves in politics and specifically the Republican party the way they are.
Before the last presidential election, he preached six sermons called "The Cross and the Sword" in which he said the church should steer clear of politics, give up moralizing on sexual issues, stop claiming the United States as a "Christian nation" and stop glorifying American military campaigns.
Jesus and the bible are utterly clear on the kind of results you get when you work the way that the Neo-Christians have been doing, "Live by the sword, die by the sword." There is no vagary and interruption that can be applied, it's not a Christian way to do things. There are no short cuts, there is no Christian kingdom that can be built by men, it's just not the nature of the things. But evil clouds the hearts of men, so his message has resulted in him losing 20% of his congregation because he refused to support the radical hate ideology of the Republican party because it wasn't Christian. Taking a stand on principals and faith will always cost you something. I'm glad to see that his church has bounced back and that his sermon series became a book.
I'm still stunned by the New York Times article and I'm going to have to process everything this book and this kind of revelation means for America. One man a trend does not make, but maybe, just maybe, decent people that still remain under the thumb of the Neo-Christian fanatics that run the Republican party can realize that what they feel is true and they can stand up against evil with us and hopefully allow America to be saved from that evil. It's one of the most hopeful things I've read in a long while.
If your interested, pick up Mr. Boyd's book "The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power Is Destroying the Church".
[via 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera]
Read more over at New York Times.
Posted by Jamison at 11:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 30, 2006
Looking For Ideas
I've been thinking about trying to find a job that I could do from home for a while now. Now that Alexis is a bit older it would be nice to have some extra money coming in, but I have no clue where to start! I am thinking about putting Alexis into a morning preschool this fall so that would free up 2 to 3 mornings a week and of course I could always hire a babysitter if need be to make it easier on all of us, but being that I want to be home for her because she needs me and that is the most important aspect of my life right now, so I want to work from here so if she needs me, she has me. I know that's not unheard of in today's world, but I don't know how to find what I'm looking for!
Would any of you have any ideas on the subject of how to find a job working from home or know someone that would? I would think in the environmental field someone would have such an option, given it would be environmentally prudent, but I haven't found anything as of yet. I have no clue where to start looking! I'm checking with everyone I know!
I'm not talking about sales or anything like that. That's not me! But I know there are other types of jobs out there! With a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management there has to be something out there? Editing? Web development? Something! I'm good at all these things and I learn quickly!
I know you guys are brilliant, so share the ideas! If someone gives me a lead or an idea for something that turns into what I'm looking for I will send you a small token of my regard! So come on people....Lay the ideas on me! I await your responses with baited breath! :O)
Posted by Dianne at 7:16 PM | Comments (11) | TrackBack
July 29, 2006
General Cuteness
Posted by Dianne at 4:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Putting One Of My Expensive College Classes To Work! ;o)
Who needs a printing service for business cards when you've got me around! ;o)
I think however we're going to have to leave the yard signs to the professionals with bigger printers! ;o)
Posted by Dianne at 3:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
My first canvassing
George Johnson's folks were doing a canvassing this morning with several candidates from the Democratic party in my district. I wasn't sure what to expect, so I got my campaign cards together and headed down to participate. Joan Cadden and Ron Bateman were there and a bunch of George's people. We were given something called walking lists. Basically it's all the registered voters in the state database for a given street. Basically they give you literature to drop off at each house and you go down the list until you are done with the street. It's a fairly slow affair. You've got to wait for people to come to the door and then you have to figure out where to leave the literature if no one answers and so on. Pretty straight forward stuff. So I did that for a few hours.
Ron Bateman was even more impressive in person. I definitely will be able to maintain my sense of security in Anne Arundel County with him taking over for George. Solid guy with great kids who were helping him out. I'm more and more impressed each day with the quality of Democratic candidates for public office in this county. I completely understand now the utter horror the Republicans are feeling this year as they march their slate of wannabees and pretenders up against the cream of the crop. It's definitely not going to be a good year for them.
Joan Cadden has been representing us since we moved here, she had the dubious task of trying to work with both Dwyer and Leopold, so I'm thinking of nominating her for sainthood before long. She's a much stronger person than I could ever be! She's bounced around on my list of candidates I'm happy with and those that I am not. But every time I talk to her in person, she always manages to win me back over to liking her again. She's got a tough job and it's hard not to respect her for the patience of Job she's been having to sport in Annapolis. I try to give her a grief about not having a campaign website every time I see her, she still hasn't bought into the notion, but I get the feeling she's weakening. ;)
I was really impressed with the Johnson folks, they thought of everything. They gave us bags for the literature, it included bumper stickers, shirt stickers, and cold bottled water for us to drink in addition to the literature we were dropping. What really impressed me was that given that my candidacy is everything that is wrong with the Democratic party, they asked for my literature to include in this weekend's efforts. Either they are completely unaware that I'm the doom of the party or they aren't worried that it will matter. Given that I'm running for a position with no power or responsibility, I think the latter is probably the most likely.
Posted by Jamison at 2:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
What Are You Listening To Saturday Edition
"Do I Make You Proud", Taylor Hicks, Do I Make You Proud / Takin' It to the Streets - Single
"Life Is a Highway", Rascal Flatts, Cars (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)
"Promiscuous (Radio Edit)", Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland, Promiscuous - Single
"Hanging On (Theme from “Cheyenne” on MTV)"' Cheyenne Kimball, Hanging On - EP
"Not Ready to Make Nice", Dixie Chicks, Taking the Long Way
"Shades Of Blue"' Nick Lachey, What's Left Of Me
"My Destiny", Katharine McPhee, Somewhere Over the Rainbow / My Destiny - Single
"Something's Gotta Give", LeAnn Rimes, This Woman
"Waiting for My Real Life to Begin", Colin Hay, Going Somewhere
"Dear Mr. President (Featuring Indigo Girls)", P!nk featuring Indigo Girls, I'm Not Dead
"Words I Couldn't Say", Rascal Flatts, Me and My Gang
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow", Katharine McPhee, Somewhere Over the Rainbow / My Destiny - Single
"I Love My Life", Jamie O'Neal, Brave
"Postcards", Cindy Morgan, Postcards
"Jesus, Take the Wheel", Carrie Underwood, Some Hearts
"When I Get Where I'm Going (Featuring Dolly Parton)", Brad Paisley & Dolly Parton, Time Well Wasted
"She Didn't Have Time", Terri Clark, Life Goes On
"Praise You In This Storm", Casting Crowns, Lifesong
"Switch (Main Version)", Will Smith, Lost and Found
"Frail (iTunes Originals Version)", Jars of Clay, iTunes Originals - Jars of Clay
"Love at First Sight", Kylie Minogue, Fever
"Walk Away", Kelly Clarkson, Breakaway
"Love Found Me", DecembeRadio, Love Found Me - Single
"Waiting On the World to Change", 3:22 John Mayer, Waiting On the World to Change - Single
"Grumpy", Music for Aardvarks and Other Mammals, Grumpy
"Acoustic #3", The Goo Goo Dolls, What I Learned About Ego, Opinion, Art & Commerce
"I Need to Wake Up (From "An Inconvenient Truth")", Melissa Etheridge, I Need to Wake Up - Single
"Vienna", Billy Joel, The Stranger (Remastered)
"Walk Away", Kelly Clarkson, Breakaway Pop
Seriously...How did we survive before iTunes??
Posted by Dianne at 1:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Little Harry Potter In The Buff?
LONDON (Reuters) - Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe will strip off for his London stage debut as a psychologically disturbed stable boy in "Equus." The 17-year-old, currently making the fifth Harry Potter film, will star alongside Richard Griffiths, who plays his grumpy uncle in the wizard sagas.Radcliffe will play Alan Strang, a stable boy who is interviewed by a psychiatrist after he blinds six horses with a metal spike. In Peter Shaffer's controversial play, the role requires the actor to ride naked on his horse.
"This is an extraordinary play and, yes, there is a scene of nudity in it, but that's not what the play is about," said Radcliffe's publicist Vanessa Davies.
Well ok then! I'm not sure I agree with the publicist, because the play itself may not be about him being naked, but rest assured that's all they'll talk about. As a matter of fact they already are! It looks like we will be seeing a look more of little Harry Potter. In fact much more than I would ever want to see! Don't get me wrong, I'm all for male nudity, I think it's high time men were treated as equals to women in that department in the entertainment world, but unfortunately Daniel Radcliffe will forever be Harry Potter in the minds of many. I am sure this is an effort to break from that mold, but only time will tell if it will actually work.
Found via Yahoo! News.
Posted by Dianne at 11:06 AM | Comments (2)
July 28, 2006
Ready For Bed
Posted by Dianne at 8:50 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
Clean
Posted by Dianne at 8:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
This Is How You Eat Peas Nelson
Posted by Dianne at 8:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Cutie Patootie
Posted by Dianne at 8:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Happy Together
Posted by Dianne at 8:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Now this is customer service!
At approximately 1:00pm today, (mt) Media Temple’s (LA-IDC2) data center experienced another power issue. Unfortunately, information from the building management at the Garland Building is sparse, vague at best, and lacking important detail. It is being speculated that one of the buildings back up generators has caught fire; however this information is hearsay and can not be confirmed. (mt) Media Temple staff has responded to this issue promptly and with the utmost urgency by fully staffing the company and answering customer phone calls and support tickets. At the time of this writing, all power systems have been restored and engineers are currently bringing customer servers back up and repairing file systems that have become temporarily corrupted.This incident is clearly an unacceptable situation for our company and our customers. (mt) Media Temple has decided to accelerate its plans to move all customers in (IDC-LA2) to a new data center which has undergone exhaustive testing to insure such power issues will not be a problem in the future.
Our President and CEO, Demian Sellfors, is making himself personally available to call customers back who wish to discuss these issues in more detail. We encourage any customer who wishes to receive a call back from Mr. Sellfors to please indicate so inside this ticket. Shortly, he will be calling you back to discuss these matters with you.
Now that's what I like see from a company that I pay money to for a service. Actual freaking service! They had a problem bound to happen eventually, they tell you exactly what they know when they know it, then someone steps up and says this is how we are going to fix the problem for you and the people in charge say that they are going to make it right. It's not some secret formula, you just have to be honest in all three steps and you can keep customers for life!
Posted by Jamison at 8:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Conrad Burns chastises Hotshots over Billings fire
I know what you're asking, who are the Hotshots right? They are firefighters - members of the Augusta Hotshots from the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest in Virginia. The Senator felt the urge to tell them that they did a poor jobs in the airport after they contained a fire in Montana and were on their way back home. This is exactly the kind of behavior that is becoming the norm for Republicans. Brave men and women risking their lives all over the world and the GOP runs around abusing them to make themselves feel better. It's disgusting! Republicans think they are smarter than the people who are on the ground making the decisions in the moment of a life and death situation. This kind of disgraceful Monday morning quarterbacking is just the kind of thing that these kinds of brave men and women don't need to be exposed to. It's just an extension of the repeated Swiftboating of Veterans we've seen by the Republicans all across the country. But luckily for the people of Montana there is a remedy for themselves from this kind of embarrassment. They can vote for John Tester for Senate and get beyond this kind of foolishness once and for all.
[via America Blog]
Read more over at Missoulian.
Posted by Jamison at 2:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
A Surprising Discovery
Dianne informed me last night of a startling discovery that she made while I was at a meeting. After being a member of the Democratic party about 2 months and a week or so for the first time in my life, I have officially been labeled as "Everything that is Wrong with the modern Maryland Democratic Party". Now, I knew I was good, but damn it's hard to believe I was able to rise up so quickly in the ranks and take down the entire party in such a short period of time! Now I know what you're thinking, I've never been elected to public office and the Establishment Democrats hate my guts, so how did I manage to become the entire problem overnight? I guess it's actually more important to say the source of the accusation first..It came from a RCC candidate. That's just how great the folks at the RCC are here in Maryland. They are so worried about the state of the Democratic party that they are going to step in and "help" the Establishment Democrats stay the course they are on. Is that not just so neighborly of them??? If they can protect the Establishment Democrats from evil Gate Crashers like myself, they can continue their losing ways unabated for the betterment of the party. Something about this logic makes my BS detector go off, but I just can't put my finger on exactly what it is that does it. I've decided to go block by block on this one because it's so amusing.
This statement is so broadly overreaching, it is farcical. And it proves why so many Democrats are having problems in polling and at the ballot box. The Democratic Party has ceased being a party of ideas. It is now more concerned with being a party of hate and intolerance of anything other than the politically correct orthodoxy as Democrats define it.
These comments are based off of my Reed post from last week. Actually the first part of this one is probably fair, considering it was the point of the exercise! I try to hold up a mirror to the GOP and show them what a reflection of that would be. So saying the GOP is broadly overreaching and farcical is a fair statement. I'm evidently doing a good job on that front. Democrats with polling problems, this is standard Republican delusion, polling problems on what?? Democrats are ahead in every generic contest and beat the Republicans even on issues like national security. I imagine what's going on here is the standard Republican bait and switch. Talk about 2000 polling data and pretend as if that's what's happening today. Normally I'd just call him a liar, but today I'm going to try and say he's been misled instead.
Given the rampant Republican failures of the last few years and their vain attempts to use the same solutions that caused the problems to solve them again, I'd be careful telling people to pick the party of ideas, because the Democrats have a lot of ideas and people know that. The idea bankruptcy is a Republican party problem, people with a problem tend to focus on that problem when they talk to everyone else. Sounds like a guilty conscious showing through on the part of rank and file Republicans.
Hate and intolerance of the Democratic party is just more guilty conscious showing through there again. The Republican party has defined itself with the "Southern Strategy". Racism and hate are their core values, it's at the heart of all their major policy decisions. I guess it's sort of hate and intolerance that Democrats don't stand for such behavior in their presence. And I guess if you were a racist, that might offend you. So it may just be a prospective thing, of which my only response can be "lump it".
Finally, it's amusing that the reason I'm so devastating to the Democratic party is because of my lack of tolerance? Yet the Democratic party is trying to enforce a strict orthodoxy of political correctness. How exactly can it be both politically incorrect and be forcing political correctness on everyone? Damn I'm good!
He ignores the crimes of William Jefferson, and his ridiculous misuse of the National Guard during the Katrina recovery. He ignores the Democratic intolerance of conservative values in virtually all settings. He ignores the sheer number of Republicans, myself included, who want to defeat everybody associated with the Abramoff scandal.
It's amusing when I talk to Republicans about the corruption that is so rampant in their party. For a Republican a single data point can make a trendline. How exactly does that work?? Dianne beat me to the punch of the William Jefferson post on the blog, so I didn't have to say anything because she had said it, I sent her another source which she added as an update the post. But I'm sorry a single criminal a crime syndicate does not make. When nearly the entire Republican leadership and a large portion of the rank and file Congressional members are under investigation for a vast number of criminal activities, that's something called a "culture of corruption". This is another one of the favorite techniques of the radical right. You can't just talk about the subject at hand, they want you to cover all the available data on a subject. The hope is that you'll spend so much time including all the exceptions to the rule that you'll forget the topic at hand. It's a brilliant technique and it has pretty much devastated to the Democrats in Washington robbing them of the ability to defend themselves on any subject. But I'm just a wee bit smarter than that. I'm aware of the exceptions to the rule, but an exception a rule does to the rule, a new rule does not make folks. No matter how much you wish for it to.
As for intolerance to conservative "values", I'm not sure where to go with that. One of my values is religious tolerance, Conservatives don't share that value. So because I say that people should be allowed to worship any way they want for as long as the execution of their faith doesn't infringe on the rights of others to believe what they want makes me intolerant? I don't think people should live under the boot of the religious extremists that run the Republican party and that makes me intolerant. Everything that the members of the Republican party thinks is just plain backwards to reason and logic, so I guess the only real answer is yes, I'm intolerant of intolerance, shame on me and all the other Democrats that stand up against evil!
As for Republicans working to clean up their party, I've heard the claim before, but I haven't seen it in action at all on the national stage. Republicans talk a lot about changing things, but at the end of the day, they only change things for the worse. Always moving more radical and more extremist with each election cycle. Somehow when they are alone in the voting booth all their bluster turns immediately into supporting the radicalization of their party. This election cycle might change that, but I learned my lesson a long time ago about trusting Republicans to do the right thing. Now I'm more of the show me first camp and I think the American people have reached the same point with the Republican party.
Instead, he spreads a Democratic message that pushes, ironically, hate, fear and greed.
I've always found this to be the most amusing reaction since I started this exercise. When I hold up the mirror to the GOP, things look pretty bad. But amazingly how people react to it falls into two camps. Most Democrats read it, and either laugh it off a silly nonsense or they ask me if I realize that I'm being hypocritical. I've yet to have one seriously consider any of these reflections of the GOP. Republicans fall into two basic camps as well. Some take everything I say literally and are horrified. The more intellectually capable think it's an unfair characterization, but yield because it's a reflection of what they know to be the norm within their own side. Folks, party membership is optional in the United States. You can go out and change it at will if you want within the restrictions of the laws of your state. If you're a Republican and don't like the face of your party, you have one of two choices, either change it or leave the party. It's not my fault that you guys are in this mess, remember I'm off destroying the Democratic party, I don't have time to destroy your party too.
What's even more amazing is that this kind of message does not represent all Democrats. There are many Democrats, particularly in our state and our county, that do not buy into this ultraliberal worldview. They are people of reason, principle, and moderate to conservative values; the same people who elected Governor Bob Ehrlich in 2002 and will do so again in 2006.
Now wait a minute!! How is it that I'm single handily destroying the Democratic party and now I don't represent Democrats. How exactly is that happening? And how is it that holding Republicans accountable for their Culture of Corruption is a ultraliberal point of view?? If we break the law, you or I would go to jail for our crimes. If you believe in law and order, the notion that criminals should be set free, commonly called Amnesty is not something you should support. I think bad guys should pay for their crimes. So why should I make an exception for Republican criminals? Why should moderate and conservative Democrats make such an exception for Republicans. That would make us hypocrites wouldn't it? See for Republicans morals are a flexible sort of thing, there are two sets of rules depending on how much money you have. We Democrats are fans of law and order, which puts us at odds with the Republican party. I don't really consider this ultraliberal, but in the backwards world of Republican thought I guess it is.
Let's talk about the Ehrlich Democrats for a second. KKT was a bad choice for Governor, she ran a bad campaign, the political environment was hostile, and a good number of the Democrats in this county decided to vote against her. Not to mention the fact that Ehrlich is from the area, which means he's the local choice, hometown boy does good story that people love to hear. So it's was prefect storm that allowed Ehrlich to win the race in 2002. But he promptly reminded everyone why Republicans can't be trusted. From illegal helicopter trips, to selling off public land to his corrupt land developer buddies, to setting up little K-Street in Annapolis modeled off the one in Washington to channel kickbacks, I mean campaign contributions to Ehrlich's campaign in return for whatever favors he gives them. Republicans happily will turn a blind eye to this kind of stuff, but Democrats, even conservative ones that hate where the party has ended up, still believe in the honest government and don't have the stomach for this kind of rampant criminality. If they find out about it, they won't stand for it.
It's just disappointing when any activist or party member of any political stripe lumps other activists or party members of an opposing viewpoint into one collective group and says that they believe x, y, or z.
Pot meet Kettle, Kettle meet pot. Pot "you're black!" Can I quote my esteemed colleague "He ignores the Democratic intolerance of conservative values in virtually all settings." Hmmmm...that's disappointing to hear a party member lumping members of party together and saying they believe x, y, or z. Let me get biblical for a moment "Let ye without sin case the first stone" or maybe "Before removing the splinter from your brother's eye, remove the timber from your own". Modern political rhetoric has been reduced to these kinds of broad over generalizations and unfair groupings. Once again is that my fault too? Republicans kept doing it to me, so when I hold the mirror I do it right back. Most of the time Democrats try to be the bigger people and avoid this kind of stuff and we see where that's gotten us. I'm not going to be taking a knife to a gun fight and that makes me a bad guy. Go figure!
This is just a smaller scale example of the Democrats larger scale problem. While it adds nothing to the public discourse, it does ensure the continued ascendancy of Republican candidates and ideals.
Yeah, this is a smaller scale example of what's happening all over the country right now. Decent people are getting sick and tired of Republicans walking all over Democrats and they are standing up and saying enough is enough. And for the Republicans and the Establishment or Appeasement Democrats it's a major problem. Their days in power are numbered, people are sick of it. When I talk to people on the ground, there isn't this great desire to appease the Republicans more like has been the norm for the last decade or so in the Establishment Democratic circles. There is a nearly global scream for action and strength.
I'm still waiting to meet a Republican that is willing the raise the level of public discourse on any subject beyond their juvenile level of hysteria. With the control of the media by the radical right, to be heard over the Republican noise machine you've got to raise your voice a little. That always brings this reaction of shock and horror, that you'd dare to question the inherent rightness of their radical ideology. The Republican party holds no moral high ground folks, questioning them costs you nothing. And I'm not going to apologize for standing up for what's morally right in the face of an army of people who want me believe in something that is wrong. And the reality is that we all have a duty to stand up and resist their radical ideology just because we are Americans and we stand up for what is right.
The last half and last sentence is priceless "it does ensure the continued ascendancy of Republican candidates and ideals". Telling Democrats not to lay down like cowards and face evil head on is going to increase the ascendancy of Republicans?? Whoa! I should just give up now and let the Establishment Democrats just run the show, while our country careens towards total self destruction. And that will be over my dead rotting corpse folks. My father didn't risk his life on foreign soil defending America, so that he could watch this country die the death of cowards. It won't happen on my watch either.
It's bad enough that the candidate may feel that way himself. It's much worse that he thinks that this message will receive approval among the Democratic electorate.
The final quote is priceless. It was one of the comments in response to the post. Oh my terrible error!! The notion that telling the truth about Republicans would win me support with the Democratic electorate!! Such insanity!! However could I have made such an obvious strategic error!! If only I could go back in time and adopt an appeasement approach to win me friends in the Republican party!! Why ever would I not do that???
Because they can get me exactly zero votes folks!! I'm running for the Democratic Central Committee and only Democrats vote on this position. It's as simple as that.
This is politics boys and girls, I wasn't born yesterday despite what the GOP seems to think. There are about 6 to 8 thousand super voters in my district and they aren't Ehrlich Democrats and they sure as hell aren't too fond of the Republican party either. More importantly I have no ambitions for higher public office. There are people that are infinitely more qualified for every public office available and I'll make sure that they are running for those positions and that they have all the tools they need to deliver the smack down on the schmucks that the GOP is running.
Normally with something like this I would include a link and such. Unfortunately this was posted on the racist RedState site and we have a strict policy of never linking to hate group sites. If you are seriously curious about the link, let me know and I'll email it to you privately.
Technical Note: This is not my blog, I don't have a blog. This is my wife's blog and if I'm good she let's me post on it from time to time.
Posted by Jamison at 1:39 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
July 27, 2006
Only You
Once a week or so I go through the TiVo suggestions to see if they suggest anything that might strike my fancy, or more likely to find something to record for Alexis so we're not watching the same thing over and over! But I digress.
The other day they suggested the movie Only You and since I hadn't see it in years I decided to add it to my list to be recorded. I had forgotten what a cute movie this is! And anything that has Bonnie Hunt in it is brilliant. She is such a comedic genius! So if you haven't seen the movie check it out. And if you have watch it again...It's definitely a feel good sort of story!
Posted by Dianne at 8:35 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
What Color Flower Are You?
| You Are a Purple Flower |
 At times, you are faithful like a violet. And other times, you represent luxury, like a wisteria. And more than you wish, you find yourself heartbroken like a lilac. |
Posted by Dianne at 8:22 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
How is Your Self Esteem?
| You Have Low Self Esteem 36% of the Time |
 Occasionally, a huge setback will make you question yourself, but you pick yourself up quickly. |
Posted by Dianne at 8:14 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Note To Self
Self,
When you are ordering your bath items from Drugstore.com and your darling child is distracting you, be sure to double check your order before you submit it. When you don't double check your order you end up with none of your body scrub and you have to order again!
Love,
Yours Truly
Posted by Dianne at 4:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Honey helps problem wounds
Now I thought I knew a lot of things about honey, but it had never crossed my mind to put it on my wounds. But the Germans have been doing research on it's effects on wounds and it's actually extremely interesting the effect it has. First going back in history, humans have used honey on wounds pretty much back to the Egyptians and it's only fallen into disuse since the invention of antibiotics and the "modern" age of medicine. Unfortunately one of the side effects of the disorganized use of antibiotics has been the rise of super bugs that are immune to all our efforts to defeat them. Of course, they crop up in hospitals and spread to the weakest among us gaining strength. Surprisingly using honey, they've seen an inability of bacteria to develop a resistance to it. Translation no super bugs! It's pretty wild the mechanism by which the honey works to destroy the bugs at work in the wound. It turns out that one of the enzymes the bees use in making the honey causes it to produce an extremely small amount of hydrogen peroxide as it breaks down in the wound. Hydrogen peroxide as we all know kills off dead cells and the weak cell membranes of viruses and bacteria, which is why it makes it as an antiseptic. Well this variety of honey makes it naturally and it's released in such consistent dosages that it's able to destroy everything trying to attack the wound and is defeating it. The Germans are going to clinical trials on the treatment for a wide variety of disease and then they will publish some official results to the world about how effective the treatment is. It's so interesting to me how a lot of these old techniques that "modern" medicine has ignored and killed off in the name of clinical precision are turning out to have been terrible choices as we learn more about the mechanisms of disease. Sometimes the best choice to solve a problem is the one that we've used for the last few thousand years, the natural choice.
One thing I find troubling about this given the parasites that are destroying the worldwide bee population right now, it's concerning that we might reach a point that we might lose the ability to mass produce these kinds of treatment, no matter how effective they are. Also the fact that different varieties of flowers not only produce different kinds of honey, but that there are varieties of plants that produce honey with very power effects like this definitely speaks to the need to maintain our environment until we can test all these kinds of combinations to see if we can get even more medical techniques from nature.
Read more over at EurekAlert!.
Posted by Jamison at 2:41 PM
Conversations With My Little Fart Blossom
"Alexis Grace you are driving me crazy! For the love of God stop!!"
*Ding Dong* I open the door to find the UPS man standing on the front porch with my order from Drugstore.com.
"Here you go." He hands me the box and notices Alexis standing next to me in her princess dress. "Well hello little lady. How are you today?"
"Mommy's crazy and God made her that way!" she told him in all seriousness.
The UPS man burst out laughing and Alexis tilted her head to the side studying him as if he was crazy for starting to laugh when she was completely serious.
"I may have told her she was driving me crazy and she needed to stop for the love of God." I explained.
"She's priceless," he said laughing.
"She's something alright! Can I ship her somewhere?"
"That would cost you a pretty penny," he laughed.
"Today I just might pay it!"
My little monkey is currently climbing on my back and trying to take my hair out of its ponytail because in her mind since she refuses to wear one I shouldn't either. Jamison are you home yet???
Posted by Dianne at 2:25 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Barkley Eyes Ala. Governorship
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Former basketball star Charles Barkley says he's switched political teams from Republican to Democrat and is again talking about running for governor in his home state, possibly in 2010. "I really believe I was put on Earth to do more than play basketball and stockpile money," said Barkley, known as the Round Mound of Rebound. "I really want to help people improve their lives, and what's left is for me to decide how best to do that."Barkley, a Leeds native who has been an NBA analyst with cable network TNT since his 2000 retirement, has been talking about running for governor of Alabama since he was playing with the Phoenix Suns in the 1990s. In 1995, he said he was considering running in 1998 as a Republican, but that never materialized.
Barkley continued to identify himself as a Republican until recently, when he switched parties. "I was a Republican until they lost their minds," he said earlier this month.
Barkley said his immediate goal is to get his 17-year-old daughter through high school and into college. Then he plans to decide on his future, including whether to run for governor.
"I say welcome Charles Barkley. Charles Barkley has been a Horatio Alger story for many people, not only in sports but in business and broadcasting," Joe Turnham, Alabama's Democratic Party chairman, said Wednesday.
But Jim Seroka, a political science professor at Auburn University, said the former Auburn basketball star is getting ahead of himself. "He doesn't have any of the bases necessary to run a statewide campaign," Seroka said.
I think Auburn professor vastly underestimates Mr. Barkley, but I also think that Mr. Barkley underestimates the political climate in the state of Alabama. Having lived there from April of 1996 through September of 1999, first in Huntsville and then in Phenix City (and no that isn't spelled incorrectly), I saw first hand forms of racism that floored me in today's age! It was the main reason we got the heck out of there! When our friend John would come over for dinner the neighbors would literally sit with their noses pressed to their windows until he left, as if he was some sort of monster or something that must be watched constantly. Of course John and I always played it up to the hilt hugging each other and kissing each other on the cheek on the front porch to make them even more uncomfortable, but that's beside the point.
Anyway, I think this could be an interesting story in the years to come as Mr. Barkley decides what he's going to do. He's already turned away from the dark side, so I say more power to him!
Found via Yahoo! News.
Posted by Dianne at 2:15 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
I Can't Hate You Anymore
Boy she screwed him royally and not in a good way! I loved the song, and the video is pretty good too! I know a lot of people say he's just whining, but given the circumstances I think he's entitled and if it helps the healing process more power to him! Onward and upward.
Posted by Dianne at 1:52 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Spicy Corn and Beans
On my quest this summer to eat more real food and less packaged, processed items I have come up with a lot of "salads" that aren't really salads at all! After all what's better in summer than fresh food? This dish is zesty, spicy and has a kick! Try it...I think you'll like it!
Spicy Corn and Beans
16 ounces of cooked red kidney beans, drained
1 1/2 cups whole kernel corn, uncooked and removed from the cob (You can use frozen, thawed and drained corn if you like)
1/2 cup red onion, chopped fine
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch black pepper
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Serve with:
Avocado
Tomato
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until well combined. Serve with avocado and tomatoes.
Makes 4 servings.
Can be stored in the fridge for several days. The tastes get better overnight! :o)
Posted by Dianne at 11:59 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Talking to "Bunge"
Posted by Dianne at 11:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Morning Fun, Oh Lord It's Hot and Trip Reflections!
This morning while I picked cucumbers and tomatoes Alexis decided to play in the sandbox. The minute we stepped outside I knew we wouldn't be out there long given the mosquitoes were thick and even at 8:45 am it as already so humid the air is just thick! It's that disgusting type of humidity that seems to pool on everything and makes your skin feel sticky! Ick!! So I did some gardening, swept the deck and then we put the top back on the sandbox and headed back inside.
Now on to Jamison's trip...I must commend Alexis for being an angel while Jamison was in Pittsburgh! Monday night I started sneezing and feeling the tale tell signs of a sore throat and sinus problems, just as Jamison had exhibited during his stint with the Fifth Disease and my first thought was "Really? Now? Jamison had to go to effing Pennsylvania and I'll be stuck here alone with Alexis while I'm sick? You've got to be kidding me!" I hoped I was just imagining things and I would wake up on Tuesday morning and all would be better. I'm so delusional sometimes! Talk about Fate being a cruel witch!!
So Tuesday morning rolls around and I vaguely remember talking to Jamison and him leaving, putting on my rings and then I promptly went back to sleep. Alexis woke up around 7:45 and she came into my room and watched Bon Voyage Charlie Brown while I tried to wake up and pull myself together. I realized at that moment I was sick. And I hate being sick! The Fifth Disease, that I thought I was immune to, had taken hold of me! I was itchy, sneezy, coughy...well you get the picture!
At first I kept wondering how I was going to cope. I had a flash back to Alexis' monstrous behavior while Jamison was in Texas and I started getting angry by the mere fact he had to go to Pennsylvania in the first place. I quickly realized there was no point in that, given he was gone and there was nothing I could do about it, even though I was was still slightly resentful of the people who made him go, so I took some medicine, dragged myself up and got dressed. We came downstairs and I made Alexis some breakfast, made myself some juice and relaxed. What else could I do?
Alexis played nicely all day. She didn't take a nap, but hey what else is new these days? But she was a joy all day! Yes, she missed Jamison, but she did so quietly without angst, and for that I adore her! We made it through the day, I gave her a bath and put her to bed, but things got a little dicey as the evening wore on, but it wasn't her fault. The Neanderthals woke her up and then she didn't go back to sleep until almost 1 am! Yikes! I needed sleep!! Not staying up all night with a slap happy little girl! But again it wasn't her fault, so I couldn't be angry with her. I tried getting her to go to sleep with me, and that actually worked for a few minutes until she sneezed and woke herself up and then she wouldn't go back to sleep. She would just lay there and move the covers around so I had to put her back in her bed about midnight and she finally stopped squirming around 1 and slept until almost 8:30 the next morning. Not the best night's sleep, but better than nothing.
Yesterday was also a good day. I felt a little better yesterday when I woke up...Well I felt a lot better given I felt like death on a stick the day before! But I still was a bit under the weather. We just took things nice and slow and relaxed. Alexis played happily and she watched Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie. When nap time rolled around I told her that she had to take a nap if she was going to get to see Jamison when he got home and surprisingly she laid right down and proceeded to sleep for 3 1/2 hours! I even took a little nap, which I usually never do since it makes me feel like crap, but given I was still feeling icky and didn't get enough sleep the night before I figured it wouldn't hurt. I did wake up feeling wonky, but I had about an hour before Alexis woke up so I was able to get on my feet somewhat.
Alexis continued to play nicely all afternoon. We ate dinner, gave her a bath and then waited for Jamison to get home. Had I known he was still going to go to the political thing last night I would have put Alexis to bed before he got home. She was not pleased that he was here and then gone again. Not to her liking at all. But that's understandable too I guess. She spent a little time with him and then decided she was hungry so we came downstairs so she could dawdle over a banana and some ice water. I'm on to you kid...I know you're procrastinating!! ;o)
Anyway, so overall I feel somewhat vindicated! For all of those who insinuated that I couldn't take care of Alexis without Jamison's help and I was just "whining" when he was in Dallas, I would like to tell you all to bite my big toe!! Not only can I take care of Alexis and myself, I can take care of us while I'm sick! I'm not quite sure where this notion came from that a mother isn't allowed to have a bad day or get frustrated came from, but you people need to get over it and get a grip!
Onward and upward my friends. Today is a new day and I feel so much better! Have a good one everyone!
Posted by Dianne at 9:35 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Meeting at Stone Creek Democratic Club
After being up since 4 am yesterday morning, I got back from the 4 hour car trip from Pittsburgh, gave Alexis a hug had some dinner, kissed Dianne on her sick head and headed back out for a couple of hours of Democratic fellowship. This open house was ostensively to endorse Walter Shandrowsky. Phil Jimeno was the opening act and it's easy to see how the man held his office for so many years. Walter seemed a little nervous and stumbled a little in his speech for some reason (I was a bit surprised actually given that he's a member of the Maryland Speaker's Society), but he delivered a lot of thanks for all the help he'd been receiving on the campaign trail.
I'm always against these kinds of endorsements in a primary, because I feel it damages party building efforts. Walter seemed to make some effort to mute some of the negativity of the process, which improved my opinions of him slightly. Unfortunately there was still the anti-young people tone slipping in from time to time. Being a young person, I can tell you I'm not unqualified by being young. Sometimes energy is more important than experience, but this is a common belief inside the Establishment Democrats. It's on my list of things to fix once elected.
A lot of the leading contenders for the office of Delegate were there (listed in the order that they talked to me): Craig Reynolds, Rose Forrest, Ed Garcia, Thomas Fleckenstein and Joan Caddan. Of course, Matt McBride was there as well, despite not getting the endorsement he showed up and supported his fellow Democrats, which I think speaks volumes for the concern that it could end up being a destructive primary for the party. Of course, there were some of us reformers running around Stephen Thibodeau and myself. Strangely there were District 32 candidates for office there to support Walter, which seems somewhat out of place to me. They've been putting a lot of energy into discouraging one of our Young Democratic candidates Jennifer Miller from running for DCC. The good news is that it appears that I may have won a vote and Rose told me about the other major Democratic club in the area. I'm going to find out when they are having their next meeting and maybe put in a showing.
The most interesting conversation of the night for me was with Jared Shandrowsky. He's Walter's son, a Correction's officer for the State of Maryland. I'm always amazed by the force of presence police officers have without even trying. He reminded me of a very young version of George Johnson. Evidently he had drawn short straw and has been keeping up with my rants on local politics. He had some concerns that I might not step up after the primary. Probably my bad, because sometimes when I get in a foul mood about politics, I speak as if I would do something like that. Despite that, if you look at my voting records, I'm a super voter. I don't miss an opportunity to vote against Republicans, it's just my nature. Even if I don't like Walter, he'll have my support if he wins the primary. I think I've said it before, a bad Democrat is better than the best Republican any day. Even if I can't get a liberal on the ballot (of which there are none on the ballot in my district), I'm going to support the Democratic candidates that are on the ballot to the best of my ability. Of course, the conversation left me thinking that maybe we have the wrong Shandrowsky running for the post, but maybe that's just me.
Posted by Jamison at 7:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 26, 2006
Sacrilege!
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A British version of the classic Monopoly board game released this week substitutes a Visa-imprinted debit card for the stacks of yellow, blue and purple play money long hoarded by children worldwide. "We started looking at what Monopoly would look like if we designed it today," said Chris Weatherhead, a Britain.-based spokesman for Hasbro Inc., which makes the best-selling board game. "We noticed consumers are using debit cards, carrying around cash a lot less."British players might not be the only ones switching to plastic. Officials at Pawtucket-based Hasbro say they're considering a similar change for American versions.
First offered in 1935, Monopoly offered players a form of financial escapism during the country's worst financial depression. Players become pretend real estate magnates who compete for fictitious property named after real places in Atlantic City, N.J. A British version released that same year featured London neighborhoods.
In the new British version of Monopoly Here & Now, players type amounts into a palm-sized scanner and swipe their debit cards to seal the deal.
Monopoly is not about being "modern" Monopoly is about tradition! Boo to the new debit card version of Monopoly! Don't mess with tradition in terms of a well loved board game! That sucks!
Found via Yahoo! News.
Posted by Dianne at 4:53 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
July 25, 2006
A Little Dirt In The Morning
A little dirt never hurt anyone! And Alexis had a ball outside this morning sliding and landing in the dirt! She is so my child it's scary! ;o)
Posted by Dianne at 10:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March of the Garden Fairy
Posted by Dianne at 10:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 24, 2006
Miss Spotty Dotty Got A Little Snotty
Since Jamison is leaving well before (hopefully) Alexis will be up in the morning she got to take a special trip with him when he went to go get some cash from the ATM and get some gas for his car. It was nice in two ways...1) Alexis and Jamison got some alone time and 2) I got some alone time...About an hours worth!! It was a win, win situation...Or at least it was up until the point she had to seperate herself from Jamison and go to bed.
We explained to her that Jamison was headed to Pittsburg tomorrow and she most likely wouldn't see him until Thursday since he won't be back until late Wednesday night. This of course went over like a big old lead balloon! She's currently sleeping, but it took her about 45 minutes or so to get settled down. And it doesn't help that the Red Neck O'Matics are having a cookout/drunken whatever the hell it is they do over there this evening! We'll see how the rest of the night goes.
For now I leave you with a picture of Miss Spot with her new stuffed Spotty Dog from Miss Bonnie.
Can't tell she's the least bit tired now can you? Let's hope the Neanderthals don't disturb her anymore than they already have!
Posted by Dianne at 9:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Garden Update
No the plants haven't gotten smaller, in fact they've gotten bigger...A WHOLE lot bigger. We've got a leaning tower of tomatoes going on right now! I'm in the process of uprighting them, but I thought I'd post a garden update anyway.
Click on the extended entry below to see what is going on in the Daffodil Lane garden.
The tomatoes have topped 8 feet and are still full of tomatoes and new blooms as well!! However the sheer weight of the plants is making them lean to one side. I've been trying to right them using wire and Velcro strips, but it isn't working very well. Jamison has figured out a way to help stabilize them that we think weill work, but we probably won't get that done until he gets back from Pittsburgh. For now the vines are still leaning toward the cucumbers, but they are up off the ground and that is all that matters. And on a positive note the blossom end rot is all but gone except for a tomato here and there! Yeah! :o)
We are getting ripe tomatoes every day now! This is what I love about gardening! I should have more than enough to can a few tomatoes this year too!
Speaking of cucumbers they are growing up a storm too! They are now taking up three adjacent teepees! And they are covered with blooms and small cucumbers! I am hoping to make a batch of dill pickles soon!
The cucumber in the deck planter is doing well too:
The Black Eyed Susans are blooming:
So are the Zinnias:
And the Purslane:
And last but not least the Marigolds:
These remind me of my childhood because my mom grows them. She gave me some dried flower heads back in 1999 when we rented our first house in Alabama and I was able to have my first garden. I grow them every year. They remind me of my mom and for some reason they remind me of my grandfather, though I'm not sure why. I don't think he ever grew them, maybe it's because I store the flower heads in his old cornbread mug? Like I said I can't put my finger on why, but I love them, just as I loved him! And of course my Mom!
So that's what's shaking in the garden right now! More updates to come soon! :o)
Posted by Dianne at 12:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Out Damn Spots!
So yes, we've been sick. Jamison started feeling bad last Tuesday evening and it all went downhill from there! At first we thought he just had a summer cold/flu, but we found out differently on Friday afternoon! But I'll get to that in a minute. I started feeling bad Wednesday afternoon and felt like dirt all day Thursday, but luckily I felt better and was back up and running by Friday! It was abbreviated for me and I bounced back overnight! That rarely happens and I was very thankful! Alexis didn't show any signs of sinus issues, like Jamison exhibited, but I did find a rash on her stomach and back Thursday evening as we were getting her ready for bed and that's where the "fun" began.
Now Alexis is prone to rashes. She has delicate skin, just like me. She's had a staph infection a few times, what was suspected to be chicken pox a couple of times, she gets heat rash from time to time, along with other various skin rashes that seem to have plagued her as of late. She's a spotty girl, my daughter, thus the nickname "Spotty Dotty". So when we saw the rash on Thursday evening I figured it was one of her mystery rashes that was back to visit. We put her down to sleep and decided to monitor the situation and check her again in the morning.
When Alexis woke up on Friday morning she told me "Mommy I itch. I need some pink medicine." Now Alexis hasn't had "pink medicine" (Benedryl) in months! But she remembered it made her stop itching so I gave her some. When she got up from her "nap" on Friday afternoon the rash was worse so I called the pediatrician and told them what was happening and they felt like it probably wasn't anything major but suggested, being that it was Friday, I should probably bring her in just to be sure.
So Alexis and I set off for the doctors office and arrived 10 minutes early for her 2:30 appointment and surprisingly they were running way behind. They usually are pretty close to on time, perhaps 5 minutes late here or there, but this is one of the most efficient pediatrician's offices I've ever seen. I think it was one reason I liked them so much, other than the doctors of course, but they took us back to a room about 20 minutes after Alexis' scheduled appointment and then the doctor stuck her head in to let us know they were running behind, which I can completely understand. Things happen. I'm patient and Alexis was enjoying playing will all of the toys in the room we were in, so it was no big deal. 40 minutes after we were supposed to have our appointment the doctor finally was able to see us. We ended up being there for over and hour.
Alexis' pediatrician is an amazing doctor. We immediately bonded with her and Alexis adores her, even though she sometimes plays shy when she sees her for the first time after a while away from her. She took one look at Alexis' spots and asked me if she had been around anyone else that had been sick. I told her that Jamison was sick and she asked me his symptoms. It turns out they both had Fifth Disease as Jamison lamented about before, which is a one of those viral infections kids get and sometimes even adults come down with. It turns out it's going around our sleepy little burg.
Jamison never actually broke out in a rash, though he did have the rosy skin and slight webbing effect on his cheeks and arms. Alexis broke out mostly on her stomach and back, though she did have a few spots on her legs and arms and one tiny spot on her face. She too had the webby effect on her cheeks and upper arms. I thought at first that my illness on late Wednesday through Thursday evening was just allergies and I had dodged the Fifth Disease bullet, but this morning I woke up to discover that I have some of Alexis' little spots on my arms, especially in the curve of my elbow on my left arm. Thankfully however I still feel 100% fine, so I think I just had a delayed reaction from being sick last week and the spots just popped up late.
Today Jamison went back to work. Tomorrow he has to go to Pittsburgh overnight. (Dear Lord I'm not looking forward to that! Enough with the freaking overnight trips Jamison's job!! Let's hope since it's just overnight Alexis will not have fits of epic proportions, but I'm not holding my breath given she probably won't see him for two days since he has to leave so early tomorrow morning and probably won't be back before she goes to sleep on Wednesd