Season's Greetings

Ah the joy of Christmas! Time to gather with family and friends. Well, maybe not so much.

I am doing mental gymnastics in order to stay 'up' this season. I'm actually better this year than in previous ears, but the season is still young. I think what will help the most is sharing Christmas day with friends that are also alone for the holiday. The worst is sharing Christmas with friends that have family gathered around them and children.

And as long as I stay focused on traditional carols, I'm ok. Those sappy contemporary songs on the radio depress the hell out of me.

On a bright note, I bought my present yesterday. 1485 yds of Plymouth Mulberry Merino in bright beautiful red. If you haven't petted this yarn you are soooo missing out. I'll post later on hw it works up. Haven't decided whether to knit or crochet it yet. I may just use it for the CAL at Yarntopia next month. It would make a gorgeous Stepping Stones Cardigan.

On a sour note, I didn't go to church today, though I promised myself I would and I was looking forward to it. I'm just in so much damned pain it hard for me to be nice to the pups, much less strangers. And concentration is a hit or miss right now. Think I'd better call the dentist tomorrow and see what can be done to alleviate this pain. Even toothless would be preferable right now.

Well, that's my bitch for the day. Currently listening to Christmas Carols like Silent Night played on the Oud and sung in Arabic...now THAT'S different and quite beautiful!

I'll leave y'all with this:

SnoW

I drove home in the snow/sleet today. That is freaking unusual for this part of the country. But the white stuff was flying as I left the building. Not even the middle of December. I think I'll go get me some snow boots-might have need of them this year.

Can I start singing now?

Let it snow, let it snow, let it....What?
Yep, snow, sleet...winter stuff. Right down here on the coast.
I learned a new meteorlogical tidbit yesterday. The last time we got significant snowfall down here was in the early 80s, the year this area got hit by a significant hurricane. It has something to do with the hurricane cooling the Gulf waters.
Well, guess what happened this year. See previous weather posts....
Now today..before the middle of December, they are predicting sleet and snow. The area just north of us is already seeing frozen stuff.
I just don't even want to get out and get on the road with the other commuters (not to mention the icy blast of air).
OMG....the weather map on the morning news is showing slow less than an hour west of me!
crap, I gotta go get bundled up and go play in the street.
Otter: You what???!!!! Let me get this right.....You live on the tropical side of the state, I live in a more temperate region of the same state......it snows west, north and east of me....I got maybe 2 tenths of an inch of desperately needed rain (if you discount the bee that was rehydrated in the rain gauge), and 24 degree temps......and you get snow on the tropical coast????!!! There is absolutely no justice whatsoever!

My First Meme

My SaYH friend, Kim, tagged me for a meme, so I decided to go for it. I've never done one before....be gentle with me. And pardon me for not tagging anyone else. I think everyone I know has already been tagged. Okay, here we go.......seven things I love.
1. The biggest thing around here.....hubby, aka The Clueless One. We met when we were 19 and were married within 6 months. It was love at first sight for me.....lust at first sight for him but he came around eventually. No one loves me more, frustrates me more, hurts me more, or makes me feel safer than him. After growing up together, I can't imagine a life without him. In fact, we have argued about who will die first because neither one of us wants to face life without the other. Sappy, eh?

2. The two handsome men that I get to call my sons. They are as different as night and day but each are a delight. The oldest gave me three beautiful little girls that call me "Momo". I know the youngest will get on board with the grandkid thing one of these days. I would prefer he find the woman he is meant to be with first.

3. Plants....especially the ones that flower. I am passionate about trying to make the pitiful land I live on bloom with beauty. I have got to have trees, and bushes that screen me from neighbors. It is the most frustrating thing in my life. I live on a rock shelf held together with a thin layer of clay glue. Nothing delights me more than seeing something I have grown, bloom. Thank God my water is the best in the world!

4.My animals. I am a sucker for animals. I have a problem with empathy. I can feel things from animals. It's kind of weird, hard to explain, and harder to live with. I want to take home every animal I see and make them a good life. That said....my current favorites are Missy, Lucy, Tigger, and Jack. My little buddies, spoiled brats, and comforts.

5. My church. I love the fact that they don't subscribe to any man derived religion. I am free to discover all the facets of God without having to put him in a denominational box. It is so very sad the way man has invented religious do's and don't's to wrestle people into conforming to their ideals by trying to make God into a bad guy. He really isn't. He is pure love, and I love the way my church is free to express that. Oh, and God didn't invent religion. Look it up.

6. My sister. My best friend in the whole world. The one person who has walked the same road I have in life. We have walked it together. Sometimes veering off, but always back on it helping the other to make it back. She shares the same life experiences though through different eyes. I love spending time with her.

7.Weather. I am one of those people that would watch nothing but the weather channel if it weren't for the global warming loonies that appear regularly. When it is yet another hot, dry day here, I turn on the weather channel to watch it rain somewhere. When it is another dry warm winter, I turn to the tv to watch it snow somewhere. I can't sleep if it is storming because I am too wired and want to watch it. I can't tell how many times I have woken in the middle of the night, not knowing why, until I look out a window and discover that snow is falling. I should have been a meteorologist, or a storm chaser.

That's it. I will probably think of a dozen other things that I should have listed, but I guess this will have to do.....let it go to fly freely.

Black Thursday

There was a family reunion in heaven today. At approximately 11 a.m., Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Son, and Dad held out their arms to recieve the next boy. Elva Sylvanus Scott, Jr. was a great man who lived an extraordinary life. Dedicated to his wife, his church, and his kids, he left them all behind this morning to embrace his parents and siblings.
Go with God, Scotty, go with God.

Otter: You forgot Uncle Jack. Very good announcement, thanks. I will dig up some special pictures later to share.

Cubedog: Um, no I didn't, just not sure he was there....maybe, ok, benefit of the doubt.

Why

I get an incredible amount of shit over my fascination with skulls.
I've been called everything from satanist, to 'evil', to 'weird.
So once and for all I am compiling some things here, so I can direct folks to come to the blog and leave me alone.
I found this explanation online and I love it...so I stole it:

(Oh, in art, the skull is called 'momento mori')
“memento mori” is a latin phrase that when translated, states “remember that you are mortal”.
the term became widely used in the 15th century and became synonymous with the term “carpe diem”
or “seize the day”. these sayings and icons became visual reminders that life on earth is fleeting
and one should live every day to its fullest potential.
Very good explanation.
So now for some illustration;
First from St. Peter's Basilica, tomb of Alexander (some #), bronze and marble:

Franz Hals:

and one I never knew about before today....Vincent VanGogh

There are many other examples in classical art...Google it.

The image has been bastardized by the Neo-Goth movement, bikers, etc. Not my problem. Oh, and just remember this...most classical skeleton sculptures an memento mori were executed (no pun intended) in service to the church.

So, get off my arse!

ps: I am adding the 'definition' to my Rav profile

TRF-Part Dos

Well it was nice to open the garage door and be enthusiastically greeted after my "getting home misadventure".

I told you the story of my day when we were on the phone, but I thought I'd give you a peek at Bob's day:

First Bob was cranky. We got to the Fair 2 hours early, cuz I forgot about Daylight Savings Time.Shopping for a new mug
Hungry and ready for feast. I had to eat the fruit and chesse, Bob just wanted beef. He had to wait 3 courses.
Tired, ready to go home.Its been a tiring weekend, I can't believe I'm doing this again in 4 days, but the bigger question is: Why does my kitchen smell like funnel cakes?

Tx Ren Fest. Part One

I'm back at the hotel now; trying to cool off. This was not the year for leather. I think I'll go for Tex-Mex tonight cuz I just sweated off more than a few pounds. Y'know, I like coming out here cuz I always see something that makes me say, "Thank you God." This year it was a woman in size (probably)8-10 jeans and a belly built for a size 14-16. I thought, "Thank you God, for giving me the good sense to know what DOESN"T FREAKING FIT ME!"

Of course there's always the white hippos in nothing but chainmail. That's a given and you just have to pity to poor little classless peice of crap.

On the the good stuff. Bobble Bob went to TRF this year, enjoy:

Bob wanted to have his pic taken with the Spirit of the Bells, but he was mobbed after the concert; maybe tomorrow Bob.

This one was just for me. My favorite live band: Tartanic. Fab music, pretty, talented men in skirts-what could be finer.

Halloween

Happy Anniversary to me.
I am in beautiful downtown Magnolia,Tx. Yeah, the place is jumpin'!
There is no where to buy computer parts and the hotel doesn't have wireless. There's also no coffee shop in town. I really am in the boonies. Heck, I think even the Tx Ren. Fest. has wireless hotspots.
I'm still trying to get my new LT set-up to my liking. So, I'm sitting here in the quiet listening to the dulcid hum of the a/c and eating dark chocolate covered cashews. Yeah, they are as decadent as they sound.
Never did get in to vote today. I knew I shoulda got up and gone first thing this morning, but it was just too damned tempting to sit around and languidly drink my morning coffee.
Well, I will go now and continue with set-up. I'll try to post pics tomorrow.

Otter: Happy Anniversary!!!! Did BD make it there? Is he going to be able to?
I have nothing important to do this evening but sit on Rav and watch the Halloween Ghosthunters. How cheesy....they had a voice....that was obviously an electronic plant. So, last year was a snooze fest, so this year they are going to spice it up? Geesh.
I have got to download some pictures to post. I had a big machine go through my pasture today and chop down cedars. They cleared off the area over the pipeline. I told hubby that I want one of those machines. I told the operator...a neighbor....that it would have been nice if he could have gone through the rest of the pasture with that thing.
Cubedog: Nope, here alone. BD called this morning to wish me H.A. and to let me know the company is busier than the proverbial one-legged man. And they are running 5 crews and they have exactly 5 supervisors,so there will be no rotation for him. I'm gonna try and either get my money back for his feast ticket or give the damned thing away to some other lonely person. Its a dangerous situation going to TRF alone without my external money conscience. I'm gonna have to be careful. And then there's the issue of the missing lace veil.....argh!

Otter Has left the Building

Well, after a whirlwind tour Otter is on her way home.
I have to say Sis, I enjoyed the weekend emmensely.
But.......the late nights, early mornings and socializing simply wiped me out. I went upstairs a took a quick nap. I know you will probably be down for days.
Thanks for a great visit. See ya in a couple weeks.

Otter in the City

Yep, Otter's come to town. She actually was able to negotiate city traffic and meet me for lunch. At least she got to see what my morning consists of; minus the other cars (mostly). I'm pretty proud of her hutzpah. She even deviated from the pre-ordained route enough to stop a stimulate the local economy.

another first hand photo of Ike's leaving

Just recieved this from the coast. astounding.

Hurricane Ike Damage

Recieved this pic this morning from BigDog:

This is what a Hurricane can do to your gas supply:

And this is what a happy Diver looks like:

2nd recipient

Ok-I'll post the pic later but here's the story. (Done as promised)
Local news cast has a segment on local criminals-in conjunction with Crimestoppers. They feature a crime/criminal each night.
Last month they showed a guy's pic from a surveillance camera.
The dumbass was so stoked about being featured, he bragged about it. Well, someone is $1000 richer and someone is in jail. Can you guess who?
Yep, the "DDD".

Sorting Hat Says

The sorting hat says that I belong in Slytherinr!

Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those whose ancestry is purest."

Slytherin students are typically cunning and hungry for power. Important members include Draco Malfoy (Harry's nemesis), Professor Severus Snape (head of Slytherin), and Lord Voldemort.

Take the most scientific Harry Potter Quiz ever created.

Get Sorted Now!

Ain't that just a kick in the Ass

Rest in Peace

Today will always suck.

Today I said good-by to my dearest BFF, closest companion, and most trusted confidant of the last 15 yrs. She purred her way across the Rainbow Bridge and into our father's waiting arms. Dad loved Mz.Kitty and was fastinated that she loved to have her belly rubbed.

15 years ago a tiny black and white kitten fell out of a pine tree and came to my front door. She knocked once and walked in to my apartment and my heart.

Mz. Kitty was my morning routine companion-always curled up in the bathroom sink. Until 3 days ago she was still jumping up on the vanity and demanding I turn on the water for her.

She had a special way of snuggling up for the night and I will always miss that. She would skutch her butt up as close to me as she could, then slide down my body to a sleeping position-like she wanted inside my skin.

Through multiple moves, one in the middle of summer with no a/c, traumatic life changes, new house companions coming and sometimes going, she remained. Mz. Kitty was the Grand Dame of Casagibbons and her departure will leave a large, tuxedo kitty shaped hole.

Run free my baby. I told Dad to give you a good belly-rub and a "wog". Make sure they turn on the bathroom faucet for you.

I miss you. And I'm sorry.

Mz. Kitty does leave a legacy though. A legacy the other cats are gonna hate. They are going to start getting regular exams, cuz I just can't do this again any time soon.

Auntie Otter: I knew I had a pretty picture of our girl, so went digging. There it was. So I put it at the top of the pictures. I know you won't mind.

A Special Time Of Year

This is a special week each year. Yesterday, the 8th, was the Otter's anniversary to the Clueless One. This marks 32 years. Unbelievable.
Today is Cubedog's birthday. I won't embarrass her with the number of years this makes but will just say.....she hasn't hit the half century mark....yet.
Say a prayer for her. She and I have old kitties. Mine is 15, getting thin, and having pain problems. I dread this winter. Hers is 14, getting thin, and is having bloody urine. It's not good, friends. Please keep them in your hearts and prayers. It's not a day to have a very ill buddy. I know what it is like to lose a good friend on your birthday. Mine was human, but the pain isn't any less.
You know I would have it be different today if it was in my power, sweet sister. But happy birthday anyway. I love you.
Cubedog: Oh great, I've already had to make one flying run for the Ladies Room to get a crying jag under control......
I will have more to say about this day later...or maybe tomorrow.

Debate

Interesting. In presidential debates, everyone seems to think you have to have a winner, as in high school.
So...if you tune in to liberal media, they polled themselves and say Biden won. I heard that after the debate, Brian Williams did a lot of blathering until someone rushed him a list of Palin's mistakes. I guarantee you that they didn't fact check Biden.....who hallucinated on over 14 points.
Too bad most people get their "news" (read "opinion") spoonfed to them by far left-wing liberal media. They believe what they are told to believe...period. No independant thought allowed. Sad.
Cubedog: I was listening to the 'post-game' analysis on talk radio the next day and someone was waxing poetic about how Dick Morris handed Allen Combs his ass on a plate. Oh, I do wish I had seen/heard that. I'm sick that the one time that the media commentary AFTER a debate woulda actually been entertaining, I missed it-cuz I just HATE that crap. I recorded the debate because I thought it would be the only way I would get to hear what was said (because after the 1st Prez debate I heard nothing). But I believe I have heard all the clips of the highlights. People had just better watch out in 2012.

woohoo my ass

I have nothing nice to say about last night's turn of events. Yes, the account is safe. Yes, my mortagage company will still be able to fleece, uh, autodebit me. But folks, Chase sux.

GACK! I think I just threw up a little.

SHHHH- Do you here it?

That's the sound of an empty house.
I got a call from DC (darling cousin) last night after they got home. They have power and were waiting for the AC to cool the house.
I had been told 2 days ago(inside) to slip her the last of the 'emergency cash'. When they took off yesterday I slipped her eldest an envelope and told her not to give it to DC until they got home (cuz I knew she'd try to give it back). She was crying when she called. She had just got off the phone with a friend and they had prayed for God to fill her financial needs...then her daughter walks up with the envelope. I told her, "See, God had answered before you asked, he was just waiting for you to ask." Now, I have enlisted another prayer warrior .
On the home front, WhiteDog pouted last night and this morning I found her asleepo in the empty bedroom (where she had been bedding down with the kids).
The cats slowly crept in for dinner and then again for breakfast. I can't sit down without having a lap-full-o-cat.
I told BigDog about the tiny evacuee in the backyard. His response was "Oh shit." He said that I COULD NOT let THAT one in the house and he/she would be fine as an outdoor cat. If it IS going to hang, I want to make sure it gets altered (especially if it is female), cuz we don't need anymore.

Getting back to "Normal"

I was sent this heartwarming story of survival by my friend. This is his story and I asked permission to share it. I know you will enjoy, may it bless your day as it did mine:

"...... Miss Kitty was cool, calm & collected throughout the whole thing, until the aftermath. Once the storm was over with and the humidity levels began to rise, that’s when she started getting restless and anti-social. She’d hide for most of the day, sleeping, and really wanted nothing to do with me pretty-much. She was probably saying “Turn on the damned air already, you idiot. And while you’re at it, how ‘bout some lights ? And what’s up with all these insanely loud noises outside ? Can’t you see I’m trying to sleep here ?” (That noise was work crews and wood-chippers cleaning up the downed trees and fallen limbs in the street and on the complex property).
I had no water pressure either for the weekend, so I was taking “showers” in my bathing suit in the rain on my front patio, bars of soap and shampoo in-hand (hope I didn’t scare anybody with THAT visual). I wasn’t about to drain my emergency water supply in the tub to bathe, and besides, that water was ice-cold anyway. At least the rain was a tolerable temperature.
>
>
The funny thing, though, was just hours before the hurricane hit, I just so happened to replace the litter in Miss Kitty’s box. However, I found I only had about half a litter box worth of new litter to put back in, to my dismay. So as the weekend progressed, with no power, a tub full of water, wet carpeting, wet everything outside, the windows wide open, and absolutely NO wind what-so-ever blowing outside for several hours, the humidity levels inside became almost unbearable. That’s when the “damp musties” started in, making everything start smelling quite “wonderful”. The smell of wet, humid carpet and water soaked grass, mud and wood, etc . . . was getting to be a little much by Sunday morning. So because of the low level of litter in the box, I knew I would have to scoop out her box at least once a day, instead of every 3 days like I normally I do (I keep her box quite full, for just that reason). So late Sunday morning, I went over to clean out her box, and the most wonderful flowery smell filled my nose: the smell of fresh cat litter. It was the best smelling thing in the house. I just sat there for a minute, enjoying the near sensory-overloading smell of modern civilization, cat poop and all. I thought it was pathetically hilarious at the time. I was sitting there next to the litter box thinking how pathetic l had become viewing a soiled toilet as a mild blessing. At the same time I was thinking how funny it was that in the midst of all my insignificant “suffering” (as opposed to those who REALLY had problems at the time), I would find a silver lining underneath a cat turd. Thank you Fresh Step."

Ike-Day 5

I'm still out of the office. The 12 story glass atrium in the middle DID take some damage. There is also a rumor the bldg management is having problems getting the bldg services to behave.
Boss says the Poobahs are gathering today to assess the situation and make a gameplan for getting back on track.
I'm starting to get upset with HOA. They have had a crew out clearing the debris from the median on our road. I still have a brush line around the yard, so do my neighbors. We;ve been given no instructions on how to dispose of this stuff. What the HELL do we pay these people for?
The local news is reporting that there is rain coming. Grrreeeaaatttt. Bright side? At least if the brush stays wet, its less of a fire hazard.
Good news is-they were reporting last night that they are seeing fewer people in the lines for water, ice, and food.

Otter: I had a feeling that there must have been some damage at the office. These people are too much into opening for business at all costs , to have kept it closed this long.
You know....the members of the HOA ought to get together and send registered letters to the HOA, demanding they clean up the neighborhood or risk a lawsuit. A taste of their own medicine would be sweet, wouldn't it?
Any word about Orange? I think it would be just fantastic if you got some of those days off with peace and privacy. Now I think you understand a bit about kids. Just be thankful you haven't got a houseful of toddlers.
I am almost through cleaning out my car. I scrubbed the dash, Armour-All'd it, vacuumed up pet hair, washed inside glass, and will finish vacuuming it out when my dustbuster recharges. It smells all nice and clean. I am taking a very dear friend up to an Emmaus Walk. I am really excited for her. She has had a very difficult time this year with things going wrong. She will be able to relax, recharge, and be waited on like she is dearly loved. So I will be going to the city this afternoon, saturday evening, and sunday afternoon. Great time for the gas prices to rise, eh?

Ike-Day 4

Thanks to the heroic efforts of the linemen (& women), this town is starting to reawaken. This may be my last day off. "Course they are taking it one day at a time and I have to check the website daily. Good news is that 2 out of 3 of my team members have power and one of those never lost it. One of my guys is still out of power and is under boil water orders, he didn't and now has a stomach "thing". My boss does not have power, but surprisingly sounded "not-so-cranky", color me astonished.
Last night I gave the oldest girl some of my art books and good paper from one of my old sketch books. I gave Momma a pile of spiritual self-help books, like "Freedom from the ties that bind" and "Who moved my Cheese?"
My paycheck came in today-hooray. So life IS returning.
The visit to Yarntopia yesterday did me a world of good. Amy says she believes they are the only shop open in this whole city. And sadly, we completely lost one shop south of town....it is 'no more'. They catered to spinners-so somewhere, on some Texas beach, there's gonna be roving, and drop spindles, and wheels washing up. Wanna go beach combing?

Tuesday

I want to apologize to all who have left comments and have not recieved an answer. In all the confusion, I've forgotten to check my email that recieves those comments. Thank you for your kind words, encouragment and smart-ass comments...they are much appreciated.
Ok, so I've been left alone w/BigDogs cousin and kids. I will not post anything on that for now, but check back for the real scoop at a later date.
While its quiet, I want to just savor the sound (or lack thereof).

What a Difference a Day Makes

I just woke up. Its 7 freaking 12 and I woke up about 12 minutes ago. No flood, no howling winds, nothing going "snap, crackle, pop" or "MOM!"
Everryone, except BigDog and I are tucked away in their beds.
I'm so grateful, for so many things. Lights, a/c (though it is cool this morning), water, toilets that flush w/o buckets, and my childless condition. 'Course if I had kids, I probably would react completely different to current circumstances.
I watched Little Women a couple of weeks ago-found myself identifying with the old aunt. I totally "got" her.
The office is closed today-I think that area actually has poweer, but we'll have to wait and see....

Otter: Just read that the yarn store is open. Maybe you need to go sit and knit and swap war stories before you kill someone from post traumatic stress relatives.

Good Effing Morning

Woke up this morning(at 4:30) to a dancing dog. Blackdog needed to go, but it was also storming. Rain coming down in buckets! While I waited for her to do her business, I fed the cats and made coffee. Then I took my coffee upstairs to crochet while not waking up the sleeping army of kids in the living room floor, and take a shower. About 15 min. after I finished my shower and got dressed, just settled down with coffee and yarn, there was a loud noise and a knock on my bedroom door; "Uh, Cubedog? There's water coming in the living room and we're all getting wet."
O crap, I KNEW the roof wasn't our only problem.
Chaos ensued as I grabbed anything that was absorbant, rushed downstairs and tried to stem the flood. We had about 3" of water on the back patio and the water was coming in the weepholes.
I went and woke BigDog up and by 5:30 we were out trenching around the foundation, trying to get ahead of the buckets that were still falling. After about an hour, BD went and pulled the Marine Corp. wake-up call on all the kids and forced them out to help.
He wanted me to marshall the Moms to mop up the floors and fix a hot breakfast for the kids.
I ended up cooking (you can just imagine the comments I would like to make here) and by the time we were ready to feed, there was family drama and half the family left...in a hurry.
We just finished up outside and I'm 3rd or 4th in line for a hot shower....again.
Lunch is on the stove-cooking and I've planned spagetti for dinner.
I hope there's a grocery store open today. We're outta milk, almost out of bread and I need creamer.HEB was open yesterday-guess I'll have to go out and brave the zombie hoards.

Otter: Oh man....you almost made it out unscathed! But did I not say something about the living room? Uh...maybe I said it to mom. Well, you will just have to tell me the details. Also, have you found out anything about the job in the morning?

More Ike developments

We have 4 evacuees now, we are getting 4 more tonight. D'ya think I can get assistance from Red Cross?

We got out earlier and checked out damage around the 'hood.

This guy came around and scraped the crud outta the gutters so the street was passable.

Next door neighbor's.

We are very blessed-this coulda been us.

Otter: Do you think maybe HOA will be cruising at first light monday....making lists of who needs to be sent a threatening letter about the uprooted tree in their yard......shingles off roof.....yeah, get that done in one week or we will sue you!
Can you imagine your HOA in Galveston. Dear Homeowner, We noticed your house is missing. We strongly suggest you find it and put it back within two weeks or we will be forced to file suit against you for breach of HOA contract.

Yeap-lots of BBQ wood

This snapped tree is 2 doors down.
Otter: So very glad you only had the one small limb. Have you heard anything about the office yet?
Gotta go feed now....a tigger is giving me head bumps

Le Sigh

Fuzzy pic of rain sweeping across the neighbors roof and trees swaying. This was aat about 7 am.

This is the view out my front door towards the corner. Those are all limbs from my front oak.

As reported by Otter. Our lights flickered, and power popped on and off at about 6 am, but out of 2 mil. customers without power, we are not them. And this we thank God for. The coffee pot works, the ac works, life is good.

Thank you all for all your prayers and good vibes directed towards us.

It is relatively calm now. The storm is moving north quickly and the storm surge is subsiding.

More as we can get out and assess the full extent.

BTW-the gas refineries were in the full strike zone...expect fallout at the pump.

Otter: I just talked to mom....she heard from brother. He has a couple of leaks in the roof and no power, but otherwise made it through the eye of the storm okay.

And today is baby boy's 25th birthday. I talked to him twice before I remembered and called him the third time.

Morning Report

Cubedog and family are okay this morning. She tries to update here but her power will flicker off just as she is ready to post. The eye seems to have gone right oven downtown so she may not have an office to go to. They are in the hurricane right now on the west side of it and have the high winds and rain. She said a few big limbs down, but that is it so far.
On the other hand, we have a brother that lives on the northwest side of downtown and may be experiencing the eye fury right now. We won't know how he is until he checks in with our mother.
Things are pretty bad down there and liable to be horrible by the time the hurricane passes and they can assess damages. Please keep the area in your prayers.
Otter out.

Hi Hos

The western sky at sunset.

I've acquired the computer long enough to say, everything is fine...so far.

First damage...small limb in the back deck. No rain.

We still have power and BigDog is mixing fruity frozen drinks. I somehow became the caterer...how'd that happen?

Gotta run and give the 'puter back.

More later....I may go sleep for a few hours.

Evening update

I just talked to Cubedog on the phone. She can't get online as they are using the computer to keep two kids occupied. Everything she does is questioned by the kids. Their mom needs to be drugged.
As of 8:30 pm, they are just starting to feel the winds but have had no rain so far.
This will probably be the last update until she is heard from in the morning.

Just now showing

Well, the blue skies are gone. When I took this you could feel a slight mist. You can see the wind blowing the umbrella a little. That's Darius, Angie's youngest looking very bored.
This is BigDog comforting the Chi-weenie. Her name is Sasha. Gotta run, BD wants me to go take pics of the house.

Otter: It looks like Sasha found the safe place and person...LOL
It is icky over here in the west part of I-10. I don't know if the heavy clouds over me are the cold front or the outer bands. I do know that the humidity is stiffling, no breeze, and radio signals are all screwed up. I can usually get a strong signal in my car from a couple of out of town stations. That ain't happening now. Static, bleeding......and the only one I can pick up clearly is the local podunk yokel station that I refuse to listen to. It's like fingernails on chalkboard to me.

Good Morning

I awoke this morning to sun streaming through the blinds.

Go th http://www.khou.com/ , Video/Mobile tab and watch David Paul's video forecast.
I have a guest bedroom full-groceries all over the kitchen cabinets. I don't know when they got in - I crashed at 2:30 pm. Oh, and there is a Chi-wennie on my kitchen table.
Speaking of pets, all the girls are afraid of 'outside'. So am I, it feels creepy out there.
The sun is shining, there is a slight breeze, but the air is THICK and HOT.
Now I understand the description in the novel about the 1900 hurricane. CREEPY. Like the whole world is holding its breath.

This is what the back looks like right now. Peaceful, eh?

Otter: It's 10:20 and I am in the open area between the clouds of the cold front and the first outter cloud bands of Ike. I didn't realize what was causing me pain the past few days until Mom called a bit ago and asked if I was hurting. Caught between two low fronts is not a comfortable place to be.

I strongly suggest your call your mother. She called me right after I checked in here and I told her updates of company but she thinks we talked on the phone. She emailed brother and he feels he will do fine.

I have my puter on, watching here and weather sites.....and my tv tuned to Weather Channel. Mom says Fox is covering it well, so will check there too.

You have a ChiWeenie on your table? That is what Beanie is.....brown weenie body with chihuahua head and legs.

Cubedog: I just took her outside. She looks like Gretchen with long legs. Everyone is still sleep, so I don't know her name yet. I emailed Mom, guess I'll call, too.

Good Evening

Well, now at 10:30 they are saying that Ike will come in over Galveston and now as a Cat 1. The evac.s have gone smoothly. I-10 is crawling west of us and I-45 is crawling north of us, but the roads are fairly clear in the immediate area. When I got home, I found out thaat BigDog's cousin and her 3 youngun's are evacuating to our house. I have been working for the last 4 hours cleaning and getting ready for them.
BigDog talked to his family's weather witch earlier. WW has never missed on a storm landfall or severity. Today, WW was evacuating and said, "Its gonna be bad." That's good enough for me.
We are preparing for 70-80 mph winds (sustained) coming at us from the NE. I have to get up tomorrow and run to the grocery store and pharmacy. I'm out of sinus meds and I need sugar for baking a "Hurricane" cake.
Gotta run now and go make up the beds and take a shower.
Til tomorrow.

Finally

Word came down about 1 hour ago. The building is shutting down this evening and not reopening until Monday (if all goes well). That means my company was forced into a decision to close tomorrow. Nice when someone else takes the responsibility.

Otter: Okay, I want to know if you made it home alright. I know you go home toward the western evac route. Hope you check in soon.

A tweek

I thought I would share that I am sitting outside on my laptop. It is cloudy with a nice cool breeze. I just ran the pump on my pool to clean it up after the rain which makes it green, and thought I might get in for a while and work on my tan.
Just wanted to share. Only thing is....the laptop is getting a bit warm in my lap...ugh.

It has begun

It has begun

Went out at lunch for food and a pack of smokes. Took 1/2 hour to get the smokes. Everywhere people are crowding the streets, jamming up the gas stations, all these people with fear as their constant motivator.

Got a voice message from BigDog: Come home noooowwwww. The Zombies are everywhere. I need help with the reloading!

Yes, they are zombies, but instead of "Braaiiinnnsss". these are moaning something more like: "Gaaaasssss", "Waaattteeerrr", "Plywooooddddd".

Otter: I find it strangly fascinating that a cold front over me is sucking in the super low of the hurricane toward us. There must be some physics extended, mind sucking explaination for it.

Ya'll laid in plenty of water, pet food, and smokes for the event, didn't you?

Cubedog: I am letting BigDog "batten down the hatches". I figure he knows better than me how that's done.

Blogging Ike

Looks like we are going to get a 'little' visitor. As of the last report I got at 7 this morning, the most likely landfall will be directly south of the house. The projected path from there, put the eye passing right over the house. They are predicting sustained winds at 80-90 mph with gusts to 110.
I will be home tomorrow posting pics and bloggin as long as the electricity holds out.
Remember, run from the water(storm surge), hide from the wind(shelter in place)-we will be doing the later.
When BigDog and I were discussing evacuation plans last night (in case the house is uninhabitable afterwards) and we were making oflist of 'must packs'. You shoulda seen the look I got when I said, "Yarn, and losts of it." Priceless. Then I reminded him that it was either that or I was gonna be whacked out on Xanax.
It is currently 9:30 am and I'm at the office-there is no word yet as to whether the office will close tomorrow. Even though the mayor, in this morning's news conference, urged all employers to close their offices tomorrow. Its a 'wait and see' attitude around here. I think the HPs(Higher Powers) are betting on this turning into another Rita and missing us all together.

Otter: I will be here with you. I have nothing else plannned, but think maybe a bit of cleaning up in the guest room and studio in case you have to bugger out and park here. We could toss the cats in the studio with a pan and food and make inaccessible anything that they could ruin by peeing on it.
May I suggest you seal all yarn and fabric in plastic bags just in case. It may seem like a lot of trouble now.....but a good thing if your roofers don't happen to have been up to par, or Ike decides to smack you upside the head. Did you get the flooding from the backyard into the living room solved? Can't recall, but sure hope so.
Cubedog: Remember, its YOUR studio my yarn peeing cats would be inhabiting.......maybe YOU should put things in plastic.....

Home Improvement

When we bought this house, we thought the roof was good. Sadly we didn't know about the big hole forming on the upside of the chimney. After 10 years of holes in the ceiling, waterfalls in the master bedroom, and salmon spawning streams across the living room, it is finally done and the new roof is here. A momentus day that has had unexpected benefits-the house is cooler!

So, without further ado-here it is:

The supplies arrived before 7 am

The work begins (you can see how bad the old one was):

New tar paper, new shingles, new flashing,

no more "Turban" vent:

You can see where they have torn out rotten wood, replace rotten fascia board,

and closed off the rat holes.

What a mess, but they cleaned all of it up:

This pic just makes me smile:

The last piece of the puzzle-the porch roof:

Its a very subtle change. We went back with the same color that was on before, but to us, its a world of change.

OK-so the roof is being destructed, but I like the way this pic makes my house look so nice:

Rain at last

I remember getting up last night to unplug the computer and satelite because of a thunderstorm. When I got up this morning, my rain gauge showed 9/10th of an inch. If that storm had slowed down just a wee bit, it could have been an inch. I am not complaining....instead I gave my thanks to God for the rain. Maybe if it does it a few more times in the next week...as the weatherman promised....then the wild things can find stuff to eat in the pastures and not browse my yard till my flowers are nubs.
Oh, and here is that sheep you slowed down for me to get a shot of a couple of months ago. I really need to take my camera with me next time I am up there so I can get shots of all the other sheep I find around town.

Cubedog: BigDog said we got rain at the house yesterday. I never saw more than a few sprinkles and the 'afterglow'. Basically, in town, all it did was saturate an already soggy atmosphere and left us with 'thick air' to try and breathe. Today they've issued an "Orange Ozone Alert"...lovely.

Somehow in all this, there is something blooming that has left me with laryngitis. I haven't completely lost my voice, but I'm VERY hoarse and the throat hurts-back on the Allegra-d.

Too funny

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/washington-whispers/2008/08/07/one-nation-under-a-new-obama-salute.html
this is a classic example of state art produced under Mussilini and Franco

I Am 25 today.

I am 25 today.
I woke up this morning and made the choice just like I did that morning so long ago.
This morning it was not a conscious thought, just a simple dedication by motivation.
In other words, I woke up and got on with my life this morning.
I never thought to get here. That first morning was physically and emotionally painful; even more so later that night. Not so much now.
I am 25 today.
Not 25 days, nor months, but years. 25 years.
I never thought to get here. I assumed I would be dead by now. I looked at the ‘dinosaurs’ with uncomprehending awe. Not that I didn’t believe them. I simply could not grasp the concept. When I first met my sponsor, she had 8 years. I figured she must know God personally, y’know, “lunched” with Him. Now I understand why she felt unequal to the task.
I am 25 today.
Not because I did anything. The only active part I took in this miracle was to trust. I trust that the program works. I trust that things WILL get better…or at least different. I trust that I am not, never was, or ever will be responsible for the world- only my part in it.
I am clean and sober….25 years, one day at a time. Truly, a day at a time, cuz most days I don’t have a conscious thought of being or not being an addict. One day followed another.
Then I woke up this morning…25 years later.
25 years after that night when I walked blindly into a 12 step meeting and mumbled something like;
“Hi, I’m Debra, and I’m an addict.”
Though I tend to remember it more like: “I’m Debra, and I dunno.”

West Hill Country/ 3pm

We have had puffy clouds for the past couple of hours. Also the temp is down to 98. Waiting anxiously for rain.

TS Eduoard Update-1:10 p.m.

At the office now. Started raining cats & dogs as soon as I got the call to be in the office by 1 p.m.
Of course, would I expect any less?
Yes, we finally got the rain at the house. They've promised it won't stop until Sunday-we'll see.
The commute in was no worse and in many ways better than most Spring storms.
Oh, I pass the National Guard Armory on the way in. They were at full muster. Cars everywhere, command tent in the parking lot, folks in camo. In the mall parking lot across from there, there was a line of probably 10 ambulances; staged and ready to go. Glad to see emergency help is ready and waiting and so darned close by.
A soggy adios for now. I guess I'd better do SOME work.

Update:9:19

Suppose I'd better log off and go get ready for work. At least its only a half-day.

TS Update 9:00 am

I-10 east shut down due to a 10 car pile-up and high water. Finally the mobile reporters are getting wet. They are sooo happy now. They get to yell into the wind and show us blowing trees. Winnie is out of gas.
We are still 'damp' and completely still.

TS Update

7:30 Our streets are damp. Hasn't even rained heavy enough to penetrate the tree canopy-the patio is bone dry. The heaviest is about to hit downtown. Worst winds (approx. 60 mph) up in the north of the region.

Otter: Turned north? NOOOOOO! It has to stay the course west!!! For the love of all that's holy, it must stay westward!!!
After having my plants...goodbye elephant ears....browsed clear up to the patio, I put a pan of water and half a bucket of feed corn west of the house. I checked this morning and looks like about half the corn was eaten. I checked the flower bed on that side and spotted tracks in the damp soil where I had watered the eaten garden......deer tracks...nuts. I was afraid of that. Edouard must drop at the very least, a half an inch for us to survive here.
Hey, so sorry about the RF mug. I know how that hurts. I always keep an extra coffeepot or carafe stashed for emergencies.
I see a nap in my future this afternoon. I was up all night with a horrendous headache. Only managed slight dozing and was just drugged enough to not be able to get myself up to take a Darvocet. I brewed my coffee at 5:30 am....a couple of hours early for me.

Houston-We Have a Tropical Storm

TS Edouard made landfall....IS making landfall across the Bolivar Peninsula. The rat bastard took a turn to the north overnight. It is now headed across the part of the region that has gotten soaking rains over the last 2 days.
We will be lucky to get a sprinkle out here.
I was up early, jic the Big Poobahs decided to activate the "calling tree" to tell everyone to stay home. That call was expected by 5 am. No call. OK, get ready for work, pack a big lunch-cuz with the rain I may be gone til after dinner.
About 10 min. ago, I got the call. The Dwarf called from his home, directly in the path, to let me know the Poobahs had decided to close the office until noon. At that time, they will re-evaluate the situation.
The thing is, noon is when they are forecasting the rain to hit my office and my route to work. How much sense does that make?
The funniest thing is watching the local news gal try and make a story out of some rippling waves.
On to sad news; While trying to make coffee this morning, I had a series of unfortunate events.
I had pot in had, reached up to grab pirate mug, that mug grabbed my RenFaire mug and began to drag it off the shelf. I reached up with coffee carafe hand to stop RF mug from falling. !!!!!!!!!!!!CRASH!! Glass and mug bits everywhere. So, 1st task of the morning; clean up cold coffee and glass from EVERYWHERE. Ever notice how those carafes just explode? Maybe the army should throw coffee carafes instead of grenades. Oh, and I lost RF mug.
I'll keep ya updated throughout the day. No, about the weather situation-not the coffee situation. Though the coffee situation has a more direct impact on my life right now.

Say Hello to my little Friend

This is story 'bout Minne the Moocher. (of electricity)

She was a RED HOT Hoochie Coocher....

the 2nd pic is for scale; that's a standard paint can.

I can't say when she'll be operational, the cost of wiring her is going to be ...alot.

But she is now a part of the family.

Otter: She's gou-ge-us! So, how long till you think I can put in requests? Looks like I will need to plan pottery weeks in a year, eh?