NYE at My House

I'd like mine in a bowl, please.

Happy 2012!!

Why does she get so excited when this thing makes noise?

Miss You, Mom

Edna Karen Ruud Broome
December 31, 1931 - May 27, 2010

She loved Christmas. And her rickety wood yard swing that she held onto despite the years baking in the Arizona sun that had rendered it unfit for much more than firewood. She loved my father. And despite the fact that they were twice-divorced, I don't think she ever got over him. She cheated death at the age of two when she miraculously recovered from pneumonia. And again at twenty when she collapsed on a Denver street from acute appendicitis while walking to work. I remember her visiting my second grade class, wearing that orange sleeveless dress with the white piping at the neck. Your Mom is so pretty! was what I heard for days afterwards. More than almost anything she loved the fact that the entire world celebrated her birthday. She would have been eighty today.

Illusion

Sometimes, when I'm sitting very still watching a movie...outside myself and lost in the story and I've had a glass of wine...I'm all nestled into my chair under the big fuzzy blanket...with a dozing cat keeping my feet toasty warm...it isn't until Reid bounds up the basement stairs and looks at me expectantly...and I reach for the Roku remote to pause...moving breaks the spell. My hands feel perfectly normal. Until I need to use them. I imagine it's something like waking up and discovering you're still in jail. You want to pull up the blanket and crawl back inside that dream where everything is fine. Sweet while it lasts but shatters and falls away so abruptly.

Too Good To Be True

They said it was a pricing error on their website. They apologized and cancelled my order. So, I suggest if you shop here, and run across an unbelievable bargain, it may very well be. I am mildly disappointed. Should they have honored their posted price? They're not legally obligated to. But then there's the other side of the satisfied customer coin. Since a satisfied customer is more likely to be a repeat customer. Like offer me a discount or giftcard to use on a future purchase. Or actually honor the price that they posted. A little good will goes a long way.

Two of Seven

No, not a Borg designation, which is a reasonable guess. We're talking the Seven Deadlies, as in sin. When asked why we limited our family size to two children, which I thought was an overly personal question from those who had the nerve to inquire, we came up with a clever answer which we were able to recite with a straight face. Well, Michael slept through the night at six weeks, and Reid eats us out of house and home. We thought we'd stop at sloth and gluttony. Who knows which of the remaining five deadly sins we might have produced next! Followed by a Cheshire cat smile. The person who asked often backed away while nodding with an expression of masked horror on their face. If you don't want to know, don't ask, that's what I always say.

Fish Wish Granted

Santa brought Newton and Einstein a can of tuna for Christmas. I think they enjoyed it. I couldn't get them to look at the camera, they were so focused on their fish.









I doubt they noticed that they were eating off of festive holiday dishes. Presentation doesn't impress felines.

We are Closed

How can an on-line application page post hours that they are open for business? Why would anything on the web have hours of operation when no direct human contact is necessary? How does this make any sense at all? They did leave a sign on the door:

This service is available during the following hours (Eastern Time):

Monday through Friday: 5:00 AM - 1:00 AM
Saturday: 5:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Sunday: 8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Holidays: 5:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Pardon me for thinking, but isn't an on-line application process available for the convenience of people at home at odd hours who may prefer to get things done while wearing their pajamas? Will someone who is smarter or who has inside information please explain this to me! Thank you.

Merry Grinchmas!

Welcome to our formal Christmas Eve. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have dinner to cook. And a bottle of wine is calling my name.

Packaging Poser

I need scissors to open the packaging on the new pair of scissors. Go ahead and run with them, I'm sure it will be safe. Where's the reciprocating saw? Maybe the blowtorch is better...

It was a Dark and Starry Night

A Winter Solstice Dream

In these darkest days of winter

The solstice eve draws near

We contemplate all that has come to pass

Anticipate the upcoming new year

Evergreen and holly we invite inside

With their color and fragrance decorate

Reminders that spring will come once more

The seasons’ cycle we celebrate

When sleep steals away your worries and cares

On this longest and starry night

I wish for you slumber, restful and deep

Filled with dreams of comfort and light

I wish for you the waking-world courage

To live those dreams, precious and bold

I wish for you the warmth and love that returns

When given freely and wholly, tenfold

I wrote this poem in December of 2006. It feels like a new years' wish as well, which is also celebrated at the solstice by many. Whatever your particular beliefs or customs are this time of year, I wish you a joyous celebration and that you find yourself among those that you love.

Feeling Un-Friendly

Phone call last night. Since I had deleted her number from my contacts, I didn't know who it was. I answered more out of reflex than anything. Damn. We were the single girl co-workers who spent a number of evenings out together over a couple of years' time. It was fun, it was certainly entertaining. But there was always some sort of weird drama situation. Progressively the weird drama overtook the fun portion of the evening, and I began to back away from the friendship. Aside from the drama queen goings-on when we were out together, she had a great deal of drama going on in her personal life as well as on-the-job. Circumstances that she seemed to bring on herself and then bemoan the spot she landed in. I was horrified by the way she treated more than one mutual friend. Eventually when she couldn't keep various versions of her story straight, I didn't know when to believe her. A couple of times I questioned her when she contradicted herself and was met with outright hostility. I backed away even further, going so far as to not answer my phone when she called. Then she moved away. At least in part due to her self-inflicted problems at work and at home. I felt a sense of relief. Now she wants to get together next time she's in town and I have no desire to see her. My dilemma is whether to let her calls go to voice mail, lie about not being available for lunch, or be honest and tell her I'm just not interested in maintaining a friendship with her. None of these are appealing choices. If only when you deleted someone's number from your contacts, it auto-deleted from theirs' as well.

This Just In

It seems that my ex and his girlfriend of six years have decided to get married. No date has been chosen nor any of the other details determined. And I feel a little stunned. I have no lingering desire to reconcile with my ex, it's been over for me for a much longer time than the divorce has been final. I'm actually happy for them. So why do I feel so, well, odd? While this isn't the least little bit about me, I suppose it just points out to me that I am still alone. Still available. Still un-paired. Still hogging the middle of my queen size bed. And I know that it's better to be alone than be in a bad marriage or unsatisfying relationship. Maybe I feel this so sharply because I was so recently reminded of the comforts and joys of being involved with a man when I was seeing Reg. I had almost forgotten.

Let There be Light!

So I've been annoyed by the tacky brass light fixtures in my bathroom for a while. And I found a very nice black iron three light fixture for over the vanity. Very reasonably priced as well as on sale at Menard's. You would think the next part would be easy. Just a simple, flush-mount (I have to giggle at the mention of flush-mount for a bathroom light fixture!) one or two bulb, white glass globe with the metal in a flat black finish for under twenty bucks. But no! Such a thing does not exist! They have white ones and alabaster ones and ones that come in a rubbed bronze finish. Often they show up as part of a contractor's pack or in packs of two. I only need one! One black one! I was ready to pull down the tacky brass one and have at it with a can of spray paint. But I thought I'd Google the item in mind just to see what might show up. And what should show up after about a twenty minute search but this gorgeous fixture! For twenty dollars and twenty cents and free shipping! $20.20! I wasn't planning on going this fancy but isn't it gorgeous! Cheaper by five to ten bucks than the plain ones! I can't wait to lie back in a tub full of bubbles and steamy water and gaze up at this light. Really, all I wanted was pretty much what I have only in a different color. But this will more than do.

Is Two a Trend?

Behold! My holiday headgear collection! To help with the holiday mood, pop in the Celtic Thunder Christmas cd, wrap some presents, and don a festive holiday hat! I usually pick up a new one or two in the post-Christmas clearance.


But just yesterday Lowe's already was marking decorations, et al, down 30%! In my walk through I discovered this pink leopard print Santa hat with sparkles in the faux fur trim. It spoke to me. It seems that when you start out with an original price of $8.97, lop off 30%, then add in local sales tax, the final cost is $6.66. I'm thinking of wearing this hat and quaffing a soda!

Miss You

I suppose it's just the time of year. The feeling of gratitude for what I have in my life as well as longing for what has passed. I miss my mom and my little brother. And I love this photo of the two of them together. It was snapped at my mom's when she was living in Sioux Falls, around 1990 if my memory serves me. More than twenty years have passed between then and now. And it's astonishing to me how much Cullen resembles Mom. And I see and hear them in my own two sons. Comforting that little bits of them live on.

ByeBye April!

This is April. I stayed out until after midnight with her! We are sad that she is leaving for grad school far away. So we wish her well in this next chapter of her life. Oh, and I didn't turn into a pumpkin! But I will never, ever again eat the hash browns thingy at Cook's Kitchen after the bars close. I have survived it once and do not wish to push my luck. It was the chew-like residue lurking at the bottom of my cup of Coke that nearly did me in. I declined to pay for my beverage, even though the waitress assured me the gunk was likely something in the line that broke loose rather than sabotage. I have now been out on the town two nights this week. Today may very likely be a pajamas day. April, I am placing you in the very capable care of my sis Martine. Enjoy the desert. You will be a kick-ass librarian!

More Jam

The Hegg brothers, Jon and Jeremy, doing a little sibling rivalry dance around the keyboard.

My favorite bass player, Andrew Reinartz, dreamlike in all that lovely blue light.

The beautiful and talented Allison Mickelson. I feel a kinship with her in that we have both survived North Dakota winters.

The entire Holiday Jam lineup. All nine of them. Is it crazy of me to want to see this show again? I am a Jam Groupie!

Just Couldn't Wait...

Until tomorrow! The only decent shot I managed at Holiday Jam. That's Jeremy Hegg center stage on the keyboards. Just to the left and toward the dark blue recesses of the stage is bassmaster extraordinaire Andrew Reinartz. To the right on guitar is Xopher Smith. Xopher does a mean rendition of that Grinch song. The one about garlic in your soul. You know, where you wouldn't touch him with a thirty-nine and a half foot pole. Which reminds me of a joke. The punch line of which is, ja, I'm a Pole, but how did you know my name was Walter? Holiday Jam was fabulous. More pics tomorrow. Oh, and I'll never again hear What Child is This without also thinking of bull fighting. Just quietly, though.

Countdown to Jam!

Holiday Jam, Brookings edition, in 46 minutes! There are still seats to be had! Be there! I will be. And I smell pretty. I thought you might like to know, just in case you're lucky enough to sit next to me.

Bellona's Triangle

Sometimes it takes a visual to clarify and nail down a thought in the nebulous fog that is my brain. As I was addressing packages to send to my loved ones, which means, yes, I failed to get them sent yesterday, it occurred to me that the points on the map would form a triangle when connected. This was obvious, three points connected always form a triangle. No getting around that. But there it was, near the center of the triangle. The Denver, Colorado area. Where I've been thinking for some time would be the optimal place for me to move. Near a major airport, making flights to the three points in question easily accessible. Hey, even road trips would be quite feasible. I have friends (LindaCo and Deanna!) in the neighborhood. It's beautiful there! Winters are milder! As Deanna would say, I must ponder, plot and plan. First, settle this business with my hands. In the meantime, work on launching Reid. This could most definitely work.

Making a List

Santa Claus makes a list. Then checks it twice. Proof that perhaps Mr. Claus is a bit OCD? Maybe he just drinks too much coffee. When I make a list, I like to include at least one item that I have already accomplished. Makes me feel efficient. Almost on top of things rather than straggling pitifully behind. See if you can guess how many items on the following list are checked off! Damn. I'm awesome.



1. Drink coffee

2. Make bed

3. Blog

4. Check email and Facebook

5. Get packages sent off!

6. Get Reid to his 1pm appointment

7. Once again clean up that vicious cycle of a kitchen

8. Complete daily crossword. Correctly. In ink.

9. Shower and dress

10. Pick up that short list of items at Wal-Mart

He's Heeeeeeeeere!

We're not sure when this happened. The moose aren't talking...

...but it seems that the CAP* has been here.

*The dreaded Christmas Anagram Poltergeist

Attorney Aquisition

I have legal representation! He thinks I have a good case. He is the fifth lawyer I contacted, meaning there were four before him. A brief (haha) rundown:

Lawyer #1: I like to start at the top, so I contacted the premiere law firm in the state that exclusively handles work comp cases. He was interested, but after several weeks of information discovery, apologized for not taking my case. His wife had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. And he's apologizing to me. Because under the circumstances he didn't feel he could do a good job representing me. He recommended a couple of colleagues, so I contacted them.

Lawyer #2: After considerable copying and mailing and emailing of documents, he regrettably informed me that his firm was not interested in my case. Not because it lacked merit, but because it would not settle for a high enough dollar amount for the number of hours work it would require. This firm runs a tv ad where the senior partner looks earnestly into the camera and assures the viewing audience that they are there to help. Which I now react to with a snort and eye roll. He recommended another law firm.

Lawyer #3: Called and left a voice mail. He did not inspire my confidence when he called back. His medical knowledge of my particular injury was at least ten years in arrears. He kept repeating the term objective verification. And wasn't aware there is a difference between motor nerve function and sympathetic nerve function.

Lawyer #4: The one #2 recommended. I called and left a voice mail. He never called me back.

Lawyer #5: I called the lawyer who handled my divorce. Several phone calls and emails and initial advice later, we finally have a productive meeting. I feel hopeful. Six to nine months to resolution, he says. Let the paper chase begin.

Live, From My Back Yard!

You may remember Edgar, my anatomically correct garden statue. He's been here before, sometimes snow covered, maybe dressed up in a seasonal costume. Perhaps hanging out with attractive, beer-swilling women. Earlier today, Reid noticed that Newton was a little worked up over whatever he was observing on the other side of the patio door. Usually it's not very interesting. Newt gets all in a tither over leaves blowing around. But today was different. Newt had noticed something new! Edgar seems to have acquired a squirrel hat. Like he thinks he's a Team Fortress Two character or something. Kind of a dime store Daniel Boone. All I know is, it was chilly out there, maybe 20 degrees or so. And that squirrel's butt is going to get frostbite before Edgar's head warms up.

Santa Can You Hear Me?

I do love a Venn Diagram. So a holiday themed Venn has got to be just that much better. Whoever created this, you are brilliant and funny. And Santa most definitely has you on his Nice list. Makes me want to dig out my Spirograph. If I can find it. If I still have it. Santa?

Tolerance

Please accept this post in the spirit in which it is offered. Which is the spirit of peace, tolerance, inclusion, and appreciation of diversity. Even though it is springing from downright aggravation. So allow me to vent for just a moment. Attention Christians who reside in this country! You do not own the Winter Solstice! Celebrate it as you choose with your traditions and beliefs but do not, I repeat, do not, impose your version of this holiday on everyone else! There. I feel better. There is no mystery to me as to why this time of year is crowded with holidays and celebrations in so many varied cultures and religions in so many locations. From ancient times, man has watched the sky and found significance in the observable changes in the stars and planets and our own beloved satellite, the Moon. Also tied in are the changes of the seasons and the associated activities involved. The cycle of life and the mystery and imagination of what it means to be human. Respect the right of all people to celebrate according to their cultural and spiritual customs rather than labeling a particular practice or greeting inappropriate. There is no right or wrong here. There is no mine is better than yours. There is cultural and religious diversity that should be met with respect and tolerance. We can only benefit from embracing the richness and beauty of our differences.


Note: I should have explained that my source of aggravation was a post on Facebook that read I'm going to say Merry Christmas instead of the more pc Happy Holidays to reflect the true meaning of Christmas. Repost if you agree. The things that rile me up! Oy!

Top Ten on the 6th

One...Christmas card received!

Two...cats who like to chomp on light strings

Three...trees in my bedroom adorned only with golden lights and pine cones

Four...items backordered at Barnes & Noble!

Five...days til my deadline for getting packages sent, complicated by item Four

Six...delectable turkey pot pies in the freezer

Seven...trees up and decorated!

Eight...days til Holiday Jam!

Nine...December 9th, first real meeting with lawyer!

Ten...when I should have gone to bed

Relapse

Somewhere around the middle of October, Reg dropped out of Facebook. He said it had become a chore, something he didn't have time for. He hadn't recently posted status updates or any new photos. He informed his three hundred-plus friends that he would be pulling the plug. He complained just a bit that few of his friends acknowledged that post. He said he would return soon but he felt he was a better person for trying to withdraw from this online community. Reg managed to resist the urge to reactivate his account for less than two months time. And how does moi have knowledge of this fact? I happened to be on Facebook last evening sending messages to a couple of friends and ran across a message I had sent him in September, before we had met in person. I couldn't resist. I clicked on his name and, voila!, there was his info page! Reg was back, though I have no idea when he reinstated his account. I also had made a friendship request in September, which he had not accepted before he went offline. Now that he was back, I felt it was appropriate to rescind that request. Feels a bit like our real world relationship. I withdrew what I had offered because he went into hiding. Is it possible that real life shall imitate Facebook? That Reg might resurface as a candidate for boyfriend status? I'm not sure that I would click like for that notion. But there is my old friend BotD. Like I told Reg the most recent time we were together, the only way we'll know is in the living of it. Walk through it and see how it unfolds. I think it's called life.

Jammin'!

Karen and I got a little preview of Holiday Jam this evening. If you love live music, and you love celebrating the Christmas season and you love a fun night out you will love this!!! If Holiday Jam is playing anywhere near you, I command you to buy a ticket and enjoy yourself at this most outstanding musical event! They'll be here in Brookings on December 14th, and we are fortunate for this. I'm getting tickets tomorrow. And this has nothing to do with the fact that I have a teensy crush on the bass player.

Note to Self...

Please remember to place the renewal stickers onto the license plates before you go anywhere in the car. Or risk being ticketed, pulled over, or otherwise fined. Since they are right there in plain sight on the passenger seat they ought to be difficult to ignore. But I often miss the obvious. Thank you.

One Found Thing

Maybe I should move my furniture more often. You know, and vacuum. Because sometimes you find things. Things that cats like to play with. Turns out, Colleen knew what she was talking about. When I moved the dresser in my bedroom, what should be lurking there underneath but three knotted plastic bags (Newt's favorite plaything), two bottle caps (Steinie's favorite plaything), and one large red faceted fake gem. Which has now been glued back onto the pull chain on the ceiling fan. As to Steinie's guilt, if an object consorts with other cat toys, it might just be one, too. Still no word from the black & white photos or the missing cell phone

It Wasn't Me! Really!

What is that nasty smell? It's decidedly different from the nasty smell of yesterday. Although the location is the same. The laundry room. Which contains all manner of things capable of producing stinkiness. Including, but not limited to, dirty socks. Yesterday the smell was sewer gas. Easily remedied by pouring a gallon or so of water in the floor drain to fill the trap. It dries out a couple of times a year. But today, what is that? Not the washing machine lint trap. Not a dead mouse in the corner. Not any of the various leavings of one of the cats. Hmm. It was not until I tossed a sizable chunk of dryer lint into the trash and was met with a wave of nasty rebounding toward me that I remembered. Remembered that when I prepped the turkey for roasting last weekend, which I do in the laundry room where there is a very large sink, I tossed that little paper bag of turkey innards as well as the packaging for said turkey into the trash! Stinky mystery solved. As for that haybale of dryer lint that was the result of drying a plushy afghan, how is it that there is any remaining blanket after a couple of washings? This mystery remains.