First off--Happy Birthday, Mom! It was your birthday when I wrote this, but probably not when you read this. Today, my rant is on the wind. I am not a fan of the wind--a breeze, I love--the wind, I do not. What is so bad about the wind, you ask? I hold my breath in the wind; I don't know why I do this, but I do, and thus long periods of time in the wind are difficult for me as I have to force myself to breathe. Apparently, I did this as a baby, too. Old habits die hard. In fact, I haven't gone to get the mail today because it will involve walking in the wind. I haven't gone to get lunch today because I'll have to walk two steps in the wind to get to the car to go get lunch.
I forgot to post about how fun it was to have Cyn and NooKoo down last week. They were here for just a short time, but long enough for NooKoo to make great friends with one of the dogs and utter the great words "dog" and "cat". She could already say "mama" and "wow" and maybe a few other things. I must admit she is very cute, particularly when she gets excited and goes stiff and shakes. I think that FarmerBoy is her favorite aunt/uncle at this point. When she saw him she got excited and about rocked her car seat off of the table. Too bad he, Mom, and Dad were sick and couldn't hold her, but they enjoyed seeing her just the same. It was also good to get to talk to Cyn and see her again, of course. We really do like you Cyn, even if you didn't have NooKoo.
Well, I'm off to hold my breath and get the mail and my lunch.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Easter Fun or not
Easter is one of the most tradition-filled holidays at my house. Every year the local grocery store has their anniversary celebration, which includes 10 cent hot dogs, as well as cotton candy and ice cream cones for 25 cents (originally they were 10 cents, but inflation hit last year). Another fun thing is the fact that the grocery store tapes papers with numbers on the floor of the store and intermittently calls numbers. If you are on the number, you win a bag of groceries, which includes potato chips and bacon, among other things.
This year was a bit different. Mom was out of town and the cousins, aunt and uncle weren't down. Also, Loo, et al. didn't get here until 5 p.m. on Saturday. Also, the rest of the family is sick with colds and are trying to limit their public exposure. As such, I was the one left with the tasks of getting the cotton candy and hot dogs, as well as the groceries needed to eat unhealthy all weekend. The cotton candy line was non-existent, so I got my 10 sticks (what is the correct term for a thing of cotton candy?) for FarmerBoy to consume almost entirely himself. I then went to do the grocery shopping and they did not call any numbers while I was in the store. I tried to dawdle and everything, but still no number calling. Finally, I went to get the hot dogs, which had a 45 minute line. I would have just gone back in the store to buy the stuff for hot dogs, but was told there were no hot dog buns in the store. Sheesh! Anyway, I finally got my hot dogs (limit 20 per person), only to remember I needed chicken for Saturday's dinner. I returned to the store for chicken and food coloring and continued home. I would like to say that this tradition is much more enjoyable with other people to stand in line with.
Saturday went fine and dandy. I boiled 4 dozen eggs, and made 17 cups of egg dye, properly labeled, so that I would know what I was getting. I also made a "Special Mystery" color which involved putting a random number of drops of all the food colors. I then set the colors out in the color of the rainbow to easily find the colors I needed. Also important--2 dozen eggs were brown ones from the chickens, and 2 dozen were white for more variety (yes, I do realize that I have OCD tendencies, but doesn't everyone?). Several of us died eggs, and pictures are posted above of the egg dyeing experience. Anyway, the coloring went well and I got supper made and potato challenge and the tradition is done for a year, and next year people better show up in time to help me stand in line for hot dogs!
This year was a bit different. Mom was out of town and the cousins, aunt and uncle weren't down. Also, Loo, et al. didn't get here until 5 p.m. on Saturday. Also, the rest of the family is sick with colds and are trying to limit their public exposure. As such, I was the one left with the tasks of getting the cotton candy and hot dogs, as well as the groceries needed to eat unhealthy all weekend. The cotton candy line was non-existent, so I got my 10 sticks (what is the correct term for a thing of cotton candy?) for FarmerBoy to consume almost entirely himself. I then went to do the grocery shopping and they did not call any numbers while I was in the store. I tried to dawdle and everything, but still no number calling. Finally, I went to get the hot dogs, which had a 45 minute line. I would have just gone back in the store to buy the stuff for hot dogs, but was told there were no hot dog buns in the store. Sheesh! Anyway, I finally got my hot dogs (limit 20 per person), only to remember I needed chicken for Saturday's dinner. I returned to the store for chicken and food coloring and continued home. I would like to say that this tradition is much more enjoyable with other people to stand in line with.
Saturday went fine and dandy. I boiled 4 dozen eggs, and made 17 cups of egg dye, properly labeled, so that I would know what I was getting. I also made a "Special Mystery" color which involved putting a random number of drops of all the food colors. I then set the colors out in the color of the rainbow to easily find the colors I needed. Also important--2 dozen eggs were brown ones from the chickens, and 2 dozen were white for more variety (yes, I do realize that I have OCD tendencies, but doesn't everyone?). Several of us died eggs, and pictures are posted above of the egg dyeing experience. Anyway, the coloring went well and I got supper made and potato challenge and the tradition is done for a year, and next year people better show up in time to help me stand in line for hot dogs!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
The end of an era
My excitement of the week is the forthcoming death of my car. Apparently, it has a cracked engine block and there's nothing they can do for it. It could last 2-3 days or 2-3 months; however, my brake lights aren't working and I'm not putting $220.00 into fixing them if the car is just going to die. I've had the car for 6 years and put 65,000 miles on it. Total mileage is 120,000. So, my Chevy Lumina is the newest member of the farm fleet of cars. Once it has started the engine the last time, it will go to the Kidney foundation or some such place where it can be put to good use.
In other doings of the week, I spent hours with Mom yesterday, cleaning the house in preparation for a visit from Cyn and NooKoo. Cyn is easy to prepare for, she doesn't put everything in her mouth. NooKoo, on the other hand apparently likes to taste everything (I'll forgive her, as she is only 1). This means everything in the house--or at least the rooms she's penned in--has to be above her reach. I wonder if she is bigger than the chickens. (That comment was just for you, Cyn, as I know you don't like to be compared to cows, and thus, I thought I'd vary it for you!) The house is looking somewhat better, and will be even better once we hit D.I.
This coming week I have a conference in St. George--Yes, I get to learn even more about water. It is a nice change from the humdrum, day-to-day boredom of work. I'm making my Mom go down with me and we'll look at cars, so I'll kind of know what I'm looking for. I don't know what I want, as I didn't know that I'd be buying one. I'm looking at mid-size cars that are on the larger size, but below full-size. If you out in blogworld have any suggestions, let me know.
In other doings of the week, I spent hours with Mom yesterday, cleaning the house in preparation for a visit from Cyn and NooKoo. Cyn is easy to prepare for, she doesn't put everything in her mouth. NooKoo, on the other hand apparently likes to taste everything (I'll forgive her, as she is only 1). This means everything in the house--or at least the rooms she's penned in--has to be above her reach. I wonder if she is bigger than the chickens. (That comment was just for you, Cyn, as I know you don't like to be compared to cows, and thus, I thought I'd vary it for you!) The house is looking somewhat better, and will be even better once we hit D.I.
This coming week I have a conference in St. George--Yes, I get to learn even more about water. It is a nice change from the humdrum, day-to-day boredom of work. I'm making my Mom go down with me and we'll look at cars, so I'll kind of know what I'm looking for. I don't know what I want, as I didn't know that I'd be buying one. I'm looking at mid-size cars that are on the larger size, but below full-size. If you out in blogworld have any suggestions, let me know.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Places of the Dead
Rome--Installment 2
When in Rome, Farmer Boy (FB) and I went to two different catacombs, both of which had very unique and strange smells to them. A catacomb is a place where Romans buried dead people several layers deep. One of the catacombs we went to, Catacombs de San Sebastiano, had tunnels seven miles long, 3 layers down, with sub-levels within the levels. This particular catacomb housed over 30,000 bodies at one point. We only viewed one of the levels of the catacombs. This tour was very large and there were a ton of people.
The other catacomb we went to, Catacombs de Priscilla, was a very small, intimate tour. There were four of us on the tour and the only lighting was a flashlight. There were beautiful fresco paintings in these catacombs, as well as large rooms that we were able to see. In this catacomb, some of the sarcophogi (plural of sarcophogus) were kept sealed. It was really very interesting to see these places and how so many people were fit in such a small place. When we were in this catacomb, I thought what a great place it would be to play hide-and-seek. And then I thought, "that would probably be kind of creepy". I also thought that it would be a great place to hide and jump out and scare people.
On to the next burial places--mausoleums, burial places for the richer. The mausoleums had very decorated sarcophogi and were much fancier than the catacombs. This mausoleum was under St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican city. These were built with bricks, unlike the catacombs which were dug out of dirt that hardened into rock when it was oxygenated. While there, we also got to see the bones of St. Peter, though I have my doubts whether they were his bones or not.
The next place we saw on our tour of the dead, I found gross and disturbing though FB found it fascinating. It was the Capuchin Crypt. It was several rooms that were decorated to look like a cathedral with human bones. There were thousands of peoples bones in there. There were specific rooms--like the femur room and the scapula room. They made chandeliers and sconces out of bones, as well as wall decorations. You can read more about it here and see pictures. I didn't take pictures because they told me not to, and who wants a picture like that to blow up and put on their wall. I keep thinking that I'm going to have dreams about the bones coming to life and reassembling themselves, so they can chase me. Yes, it did creep me out just a bit.
So there you have it, my tour of the dead or at least where the dead used to be. Sweet
dreams!
When in Rome, Farmer Boy (FB) and I went to two different catacombs, both of which had very unique and strange smells to them. A catacomb is a place where Romans buried dead people several layers deep. One of the catacombs we went to, Catacombs de San Sebastiano, had tunnels seven miles long, 3 layers down, with sub-levels within the levels. This particular catacomb housed over 30,000 bodies at one point. We only viewed one of the levels of the catacombs. This tour was very large and there were a ton of people.
The other catacomb we went to, Catacombs de Priscilla, was a very small, intimate tour. There were four of us on the tour and the only lighting was a flashlight. There were beautiful fresco paintings in these catacombs, as well as large rooms that we were able to see. In this catacomb, some of the sarcophogi (plural of sarcophogus) were kept sealed. It was really very interesting to see these places and how so many people were fit in such a small place. When we were in this catacomb, I thought what a great place it would be to play hide-and-seek. And then I thought, "that would probably be kind of creepy". I also thought that it would be a great place to hide and jump out and scare people.
On to the next burial places--mausoleums, burial places for the richer. The mausoleums had very decorated sarcophogi and were much fancier than the catacombs. This mausoleum was under St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican city. These were built with bricks, unlike the catacombs which were dug out of dirt that hardened into rock when it was oxygenated. While there, we also got to see the bones of St. Peter, though I have my doubts whether they were his bones or not.
The next place we saw on our tour of the dead, I found gross and disturbing though FB found it fascinating. It was the Capuchin Crypt. It was several rooms that were decorated to look like a cathedral with human bones. There were thousands of peoples bones in there. There were specific rooms--like the femur room and the scapula room. They made chandeliers and sconces out of bones, as well as wall decorations. You can read more about it here and see pictures. I didn't take pictures because they told me not to, and who wants a picture like that to blow up and put on their wall. I keep thinking that I'm going to have dreams about the bones coming to life and reassembling themselves, so they can chase me. Yes, it did creep me out just a bit.
So there you have it, my tour of the dead or at least where the dead used to be. Sweet
dreams!
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Italian, Other European, or American
Well, I'm back from Rome and am now well-rested and clean, so I can now post to my blog. While in Rome, one of my favorite games to play was, "Italian, Other European, or American". This was easily played in Rome as it was full of locals and tourists. The following items were helpful in playing this game.
1. Shoes. Europeans wear much better shoes than Americans--they wear stylish leather shoes. Also, if they were wearing athletic shoes, they looked more like soccer shoes than basketball shoes. Boots were popular among the women--European boots had more gold on them than American boots.
2. Hair and eye color. Most of the Italians in Rome had jet black hair and brown eyes. If there was a person with good shoes and hair color other than naturally black, it was a safe bet that they were other European, or even other Italian (as opposed to Roman).
3. Facial expression. I found that most Romans and Europeans did not smile very often. Sheesh. Did you just come from a funeral--was work that bad for all of you--I mean you get 2 hours off for lunch, how bad can it be?
4. Clothes--Apparently color is not popular in Italy. I had FarmerBoy take "Where's Megan" pictures at the Vatican and Colosseum. They would have been much harder if I weren't the only one in a blue coat. Black and white are very popular colors in Europe. Come on people, let's show a little life. Obviously they must wear colors sometime as they sold colored clothes in the stores.
5. Jewelry--Europeans wear a lot more jewelry than your average American--even to work. I realize that dressing up for work for me means not wearing a sweatshirt, but I can't imagine wearing that much jewelry to work everyday. It would just distract me.
There you have some of my observations of the difference between chic Italians and Europeans and slobby Americans. If any of my readers out there have noticed any other differences, please feel free to let me know.
1. Shoes. Europeans wear much better shoes than Americans--they wear stylish leather shoes. Also, if they were wearing athletic shoes, they looked more like soccer shoes than basketball shoes. Boots were popular among the women--European boots had more gold on them than American boots.
2. Hair and eye color. Most of the Italians in Rome had jet black hair and brown eyes. If there was a person with good shoes and hair color other than naturally black, it was a safe bet that they were other European, or even other Italian (as opposed to Roman).
3. Facial expression. I found that most Romans and Europeans did not smile very often. Sheesh. Did you just come from a funeral--was work that bad for all of you--I mean you get 2 hours off for lunch, how bad can it be?
4. Clothes--Apparently color is not popular in Italy. I had FarmerBoy take "Where's Megan" pictures at the Vatican and Colosseum. They would have been much harder if I weren't the only one in a blue coat. Black and white are very popular colors in Europe. Come on people, let's show a little life. Obviously they must wear colors sometime as they sold colored clothes in the stores.
5. Jewelry--Europeans wear a lot more jewelry than your average American--even to work. I realize that dressing up for work for me means not wearing a sweatshirt, but I can't imagine wearing that much jewelry to work everyday. It would just distract me.
There you have some of my observations of the difference between chic Italians and Europeans and slobby Americans. If any of my readers out there have noticed any other differences, please feel free to let me know.
Monday, February 11, 2008
New Things for Me
I spent many hours shopping with Loo, Roo, and Mom on Saturday. Roo found many great things on sale, of course. I found many things on sale, but I didn't care for them, so instead I bought the expensive things that I like. I am going to Rome in two days and have decided that I can't look like a slob in a European city (in the Delta sense of the word). Perhaps you will get to see some of my new clothes if I post pictures from my trip. Anyway, it was lots of fun and we stopped for See's chocolates in the end. Happiness. I would marry the bordeaux if it was a man.
Also this week, I got a fabulous mp3 player. As my friend Strongpants can attest to I have been trying for a couple of months to decide whether or not to buy one and which one to buy if I did buy one. Well, I finally decided last Monday night to order a refurbished one online. It was a great deal; however, I, of course, wanted to have it before my trip and needed time to load songs on it. Lucky for me it came on Thursday. Hooray for fast service! Anyway, I went to load some music onto it, but I cannot find my CD case. Ugh. I have looked many places and cleaned many parts of the house looking. What is a girl to do? Find all of the random ones in other CD cases containing only a few, pull the ones out of my car, bring the ones home from work, and "borrow" a few from the family. I also put on some Italian Language CDs, so that I can talk to myself on the airplane and the other passengers will look at me funny and my brother will refuse to sit in the same section of the plane with me.
No, I am not packed yet, but I have done some packing. It's hard to pack clothes when they are still wet. I've tried to think of sneaky places to hide my money, so that the pickpockets have to work hard to find it, but don't worry, I'll be ready by tomorrow night. Until I write again--Ciao!
Also this week, I got a fabulous mp3 player. As my friend Strongpants can attest to I have been trying for a couple of months to decide whether or not to buy one and which one to buy if I did buy one. Well, I finally decided last Monday night to order a refurbished one online. It was a great deal; however, I, of course, wanted to have it before my trip and needed time to load songs on it. Lucky for me it came on Thursday. Hooray for fast service! Anyway, I went to load some music onto it, but I cannot find my CD case. Ugh. I have looked many places and cleaned many parts of the house looking. What is a girl to do? Find all of the random ones in other CD cases containing only a few, pull the ones out of my car, bring the ones home from work, and "borrow" a few from the family. I also put on some Italian Language CDs, so that I can talk to myself on the airplane and the other passengers will look at me funny and my brother will refuse to sit in the same section of the plane with me.
No, I am not packed yet, but I have done some packing. It's hard to pack clothes when they are still wet. I've tried to think of sneaky places to hide my money, so that the pickpockets have to work hard to find it, but don't worry, I'll be ready by tomorrow night. Until I write again--Ciao!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
