tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-312781662024-03-07T06:05:15.505-08:00Book Reviews, Cat Reviews and Life ReviewsWelcome to my blog! Check out this site for recommended books, stories about my cats, and stories from my life (real and sometimes imaginary.) Have fun!
Unless noted, all photos have not been edited in any way.
All content on this site is copyright INAMINI. All rights reserved.INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-46725665981033065802011-01-07T13:31:00.000-08:002011-01-07T14:15:02.220-08:00A la Julia and Julie?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7VQySimRr4zl3zLqQde-Aa6hEawlerfvk_iPFzwuWWcD41VX2kBbvLFIuSwFoYoAdVHfsHoabCNGnWP4FdPFnTQrY-5lmzA44oS_jyT2D98g2tjY44wyDrP0nO9d7IkTlomA/s1600/237974-027a.jpeg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 280px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559566288911533058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7VQySimRr4zl3zLqQde-Aa6hEawlerfvk_iPFzwuWWcD41VX2kBbvLFIuSwFoYoAdVHfsHoabCNGnWP4FdPFnTQrY-5lmzA44oS_jyT2D98g2tjY44wyDrP0nO9d7IkTlomA/s320/237974-027a.jpeg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>A few months ago, I was cleaning my kitchen, and I realized I have a <strong>lot</strong> of cookbooks. I'm not sure if I was subliminally thinking of the recent Julie/Julia thing. Anyway, I came up with the bright idea of trying at least one new recipe a week. B (my husband) was very agreeable to this.<br /></div><div>So, the next Saturday, which is when we usually do our shopping, I read through a bunch of recipes, and we agreed on one. Of course, this was so long ago that I can't remember what we chose. I do know that it was great fun, and it tasted wonderful.</div><div>So far (amazingly I have not missed a week) we have had some great meals. I have been doing a lot of Dutch and Indonesian food, and some intermittent exotic diversions. One huge thing I have learned how to be much more efficient when I am cooking.<br /></div><div>I will attempt to blog about my recipe of the week every week. Last week, I made Kip met kerrie rijst (chicken with curry rice). We tend to like chicken and curry recipes, so I have made a lot of variations with these ingredients. One big day was making aspergesoep (cream of asparagus soup) from scratch.<br /></div><div>Anyway, this has tuned out to be an adventure! </div>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-82962967975350034502007-03-01T13:36:00.000-08:002007-03-01T13:40:06.729-08:00A Difficult Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2kMPRzrTx9T_gNFU7HdSmxy9BYJKHmKXbb0VznGwDL5-WCo7SJT0CKl-nRf85JZwOldyf_XghXM_h_vIKGlqm22oI2V6WalJdNe7Na4VSSJTpntSO_ynGHXE9lN2TtsiiIOjW/s1600-h/Kitten.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5037073352296627586" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2kMPRzrTx9T_gNFU7HdSmxy9BYJKHmKXbb0VznGwDL5-WCo7SJT0CKl-nRf85JZwOldyf_XghXM_h_vIKGlqm22oI2V6WalJdNe7Na4VSSJTpntSO_ynGHXE9lN2TtsiiIOjW/s400/Kitten.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I took my cat to the vet this morning because he hasn't been eating . The vet found a large tumor in his abdomen, and B and I have to have him put to sleep tonight. I don't handle death well, but animal death is the worst. I am just bawling.</div><div>RIP Kitten, and I will miss you so very much.</div>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-24368316833842047742007-02-21T19:38:00.000-08:002007-02-21T19:49:36.602-08:00Writer's Block<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLc_tGXPM6L4d3sHtsDeTEgGwTWFTDVhsnqMGyk70pcyAfwa1T1eJ9GGED5qNRgvZyUpLjt_1-BVcP8dq0y-SjSfaETsm-CDfzW5MLPxFt5v9Vc1BmBUGTldJOYH8Uo3j_qklS/s1600-h/448851-030a.jpeg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034198429639946754" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLc_tGXPM6L4d3sHtsDeTEgGwTWFTDVhsnqMGyk70pcyAfwa1T1eJ9GGED5qNRgvZyUpLjt_1-BVcP8dq0y-SjSfaETsm-CDfzW5MLPxFt5v9Vc1BmBUGTldJOYH8Uo3j_qklS/s320/448851-030a.jpeg" border="0" /></a> Okay, so it may be presumptuous for me to refer to myself as a "writer," but I am having the hardest time thinking of things to blog about. I nix ideas pretty fast, and I'm usually sure that I have repeated myself repeatedly.<br />How do you guys do it? I'm beginning to think that I have to go in search of memes so all I have to do is answer someone else's questions. So, does anyone know of any memes I can steal? Any repositories to draw from?<br />Does anyone have some questions that they want me to answer? Should I dig up weird stories and facts? Ghost stories? Horrible truths? Britney Spears (please, no!) I've got to get a grip so I can blog!!!<br />HELP!!!INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-17618185688883999272007-02-19T10:36:00.000-08:002007-02-20T11:09:23.448-08:00Ooh-La-La, Olalla<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8MqqYz_cKDjSc8VPJf2_jXy3NFIp8ezUDBzuzfpivDRx2Hibfv8fB-yuOBBXbIrvh1-YhOiEJFONJulTSWB3n-CH8DtNQtW2bhZQ7yaXKvXsjFb_kIYxJVhOeCanpCAQvjgs/s1600-h/Flaola+Cemetery-+Feb+2007.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033366365625692578" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8MqqYz_cKDjSc8VPJf2_jXy3NFIp8ezUDBzuzfpivDRx2Hibfv8fB-yuOBBXbIrvh1-YhOiEJFONJulTSWB3n-CH8DtNQtW2bhZQ7yaXKvXsjFb_kIYxJVhOeCanpCAQvjgs/s320/Flaola+Cemetery-+Feb+2007.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Another little MINI trip on Saturday. We drove to Ollalla, a little burg on the Kitsap Peninsula. It has a rather infamous history.</div><div>In the early 1900's, a quack doctor named Linda Hazzard set up a sanitarium in Olalla to "cure" people of all their illnesses. She claimed that total fasting would cure anything and everything. The end result (of course) was that people starved to death. The estimate was that about forty people died, but that is a guess. She got her "clients" to sign over their assets to her so she inherited all their earthly posessions. </div><div>Laura was eventually ratted out by one of her patients, and she went to trial and was convicted of manslaughter. She served onlyabout 8 years, and went on to open new practices.</div><div>Laura performed most of the autopsies herself, some in a bathtub. Her house is still standing, and that bathtub is still in the house. Anyone want a nice hot bath? Most of the bodies were buried in the front yard with a tree planted on the gravesites. Others were cremated in the incinerator, and others were simply thrown over a cliff. </div><div>Of course, paranormal activities have been reported in the house. The sanitorium burned down years ago. </div><div>History is wonderful.</div>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-91719228060218434802007-01-23T13:39:00.000-08:002007-01-23T14:20:22.998-08:00Looking Forward to Spring<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gR4Sl7ZlEbRXB72VBZXRn92itR7tHnWsXzyH1O-b7vY46m4_Sp2Z9dU8GDW1luPb7BeC-FVh_o2kubr47XRrUWDdox0okJzpPPCw_ah08-UHxscpXqvnb-rap0H-oibdvtC8/s1600-h/Tulups004.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5023354090280991714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gR4Sl7ZlEbRXB72VBZXRn92itR7tHnWsXzyH1O-b7vY46m4_Sp2Z9dU8GDW1luPb7BeC-FVh_o2kubr47XRrUWDdox0okJzpPPCw_ah08-UHxscpXqvnb-rap0H-oibdvtC8/s400/Tulups004.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0WGKFvVB1K920-W-aYSbgdGmbhgg9khE-poRHPQ50KHFA08JStvrrwTIz18hJVZmTgLcJOX3G42kaelDPhazLNVs89oQfRWKaRlUuaR5kRNSpwG_zDbnR_ln5XqUPe15Jzmy/s1600-h/Violas001.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5023353888417528786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0WGKFvVB1K920-W-aYSbgdGmbhgg9khE-poRHPQ50KHFA08JStvrrwTIz18hJVZmTgLcJOX3G42kaelDPhazLNVs89oQfRWKaRlUuaR5kRNSpwG_zDbnR_ln5XqUPe15Jzmy/s400/Violas001.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7cHi3aOHreBa8nFad0AlO7V4oyXSzyboIzti696PwlkeD53mh6sWKYaehtO6gwwl3uPD-y59rbYFJj9MXbCexutKOMCxcQhQAlp8Esn_pOspFFBqcG0P18VG8dSU_6sVmSXz/s1600-h/Delphnium-+Capitol+Hill-+1999.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5023353738093673410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7cHi3aOHreBa8nFad0AlO7V4oyXSzyboIzti696PwlkeD53mh6sWKYaehtO6gwwl3uPD-y59rbYFJj9MXbCexutKOMCxcQhQAlp8Esn_pOspFFBqcG0P18VG8dSU_6sVmSXz/s400/Delphnium-+Capitol+Hill-+1999.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRK5kHfYP61kHtKc3cd2JepPRhhBJ0qGBuqhSJ701-BbuN_WhU4Ffl_12kROLhICpZi25CkYqdHkCfY5vrB81Ni7T6TwXBPm800krynLrKV6MRvMGmUXI5QM25LsILwJiPjNoV/s1600-h/Dicentra+Spectabalis.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5023353617834589106" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRK5kHfYP61kHtKc3cd2JepPRhhBJ0qGBuqhSJ701-BbuN_WhU4Ffl_12kROLhICpZi25CkYqdHkCfY5vrB81Ni7T6TwXBPm800krynLrKV6MRvMGmUXI5QM25LsILwJiPjNoV/s400/Dicentra+Spectabalis.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-53219287687292703262007-01-13T17:16:00.000-08:002007-01-17T19:26:37.593-08:00Trip To Skagit ValleyWe went on a motor with the MINI Club today to Skagit County, which is where all the famous Washington State tulips are grown. It was beautiful! We actually had some snow, which made everything look a bit special. We had a particularly neet treat because the snow geese were out; people come from all around the world to see them (this is the only place where they gather.) Here are some pictures (of course including INAMINI.)<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJi-PGmI22PXDG5htN_B3pPpveXACA8J0k9uKPa9tskOG6TwpS_VLOtbrRfvLpSlLmS3YufYnXD1YQUy3x43gU0_sKiqHJMXRdqfXDHsD6jQhtaHK0CNVaPHD7gGXlc95REvB3/s1600-h/Snow+Geese+01-2007+21.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5019690438604996626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJi-PGmI22PXDG5htN_B3pPpveXACA8J0k9uKPa9tskOG6TwpS_VLOtbrRfvLpSlLmS3YufYnXD1YQUy3x43gU0_sKiqHJMXRdqfXDHsD6jQhtaHK0CNVaPHD7gGXlc95REvB3/s400/Snow+Geese+01-2007+21.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uQFWuNN3JBod6Pu7P8-MNM5DSO_K2bNYDC8ehTcSXShTsw-MSTL74RDCjnbvvL7zSQ8oB7ljMAMFyrv8YSpQofvgkTH9WDYEiifTZo2B4oN3c9LrleLE4WFCPmCHqyXyC9GM/s1600-h/Mt.+Vernon+01-2007+09.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5019690374180487170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uQFWuNN3JBod6Pu7P8-MNM5DSO_K2bNYDC8ehTcSXShTsw-MSTL74RDCjnbvvL7zSQ8oB7ljMAMFyrv8YSpQofvgkTH9WDYEiifTZo2B4oN3c9LrleLE4WFCPmCHqyXyC9GM/s400/Mt.+Vernon+01-2007+09.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHyDkfaQnenIeRlDS2q-4_pQS_BprWamgBZzPQjH7UJN4pmXi1d1Gz7RR2EqvxNHwVYnnd5acC8l91L5CKf3KLNg2hzEEP-XkTWFXeFpVGC7rfXYD0tIJNECPuQrBJ3MOcqyA5/s1600-h/Snow+Geese+01-2007+14.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5019690314050945010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHyDkfaQnenIeRlDS2q-4_pQS_BprWamgBZzPQjH7UJN4pmXi1d1Gz7RR2EqvxNHwVYnnd5acC8l91L5CKf3KLNg2hzEEP-XkTWFXeFpVGC7rfXYD0tIJNECPuQrBJ3MOcqyA5/s400/Snow+Geese+01-2007+14.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5p1Q64htlAsEOhkLLQBdq_ujqiDHz4syNwlZ9GP69Pk_HPfvb3POXeVIUeOtjOOVUYlJ7z4HW_k6aoL3Dbaueo4s-5TfLtOxXA_cijbg9-KSEEJfBWuURJODwqGEs3DqOBQZ/s1600-h/Snow+Geese+01-2007+07.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5019690249626435554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5p1Q64htlAsEOhkLLQBdq_ujqiDHz4syNwlZ9GP69Pk_HPfvb3POXeVIUeOtjOOVUYlJ7z4HW_k6aoL3Dbaueo4s-5TfLtOxXA_cijbg9-KSEEJfBWuURJODwqGEs3DqOBQZ/s400/Snow+Geese+01-2007+07.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIgBiYZCgBEBlaHBD30dqJA0uoA8W3q43fvcflxv86zl_TGD3fAW8ovFs8YH7IC3w4JIqeL2ebEn7pJuo9Nd6SvPjr9_PofmIBM1-B06LfnT_P77FT2G57_aqnS8hXf4Rpu_N/s1600-h/Snow+Geese+01-2007+05.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5019690180906958802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIgBiYZCgBEBlaHBD30dqJA0uoA8W3q43fvcflxv86zl_TGD3fAW8ovFs8YH7IC3w4JIqeL2ebEn7pJuo9Nd6SvPjr9_PofmIBM1-B06LfnT_P77FT2G57_aqnS8hXf4Rpu_N/s400/Snow+Geese+01-2007+05.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl51UJHRkmCYadeNXtKV3VjaWsQ6CDSYgx0m5TBFosaCY_MH0AcYUg41tMDy6Q7vUVyTcBZdztW1AlfxFP_y6cDewbQgOyCEtcLG_uFI4cpR3OvDLD4yiJNgn6m8SVEdX5denz/s1600-h/Mt.+Vernon+01-2007+02.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5019689897439117250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl51UJHRkmCYadeNXtKV3VjaWsQ6CDSYgx0m5TBFosaCY_MH0AcYUg41tMDy6Q7vUVyTcBZdztW1AlfxFP_y6cDewbQgOyCEtcLG_uFI4cpR3OvDLD4yiJNgn6m8SVEdX5denz/s400/Mt.+Vernon+01-2007+02.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div></div></div></div></div></div>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-85441061258497345162007-01-04T16:19:00.000-08:002007-01-04T16:26:23.198-08:00Holland Pictures<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1xWHyQG7Mi9WjMwbNy9rfVLdlkWCF_8Ct0tS-P7bCI2OizUc_0rFS-kUHE6nvWU6PRj_Op0oTY-9f20eJUAigTXIZxpbp1yAU_VQCoHfH-V-qhs4PR389jnGP4x_GebxqUk7/s1600-h/IM000268.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5016336055665242658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1xWHyQG7Mi9WjMwbNy9rfVLdlkWCF_8Ct0tS-P7bCI2OizUc_0rFS-kUHE6nvWU6PRj_Op0oTY-9f20eJUAigTXIZxpbp1yAU_VQCoHfH-V-qhs4PR389jnGP4x_GebxqUk7/s400/IM000268.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCewKlupbuMPY7zTf3jPTduoojYDpIRFzx3PFKVs09cAfbVPJlE8ZwuyZubWOa8Tk7Kwv_5_455772ldF0sB6z0pK1OmYpspFnFuy9Bw5Bxut6eI4AzS6Lhkek-Dp1k8bYe10/s1600-h/IM000310.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5016335132247273986" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCewKlupbuMPY7zTf3jPTduoojYDpIRFzx3PFKVs09cAfbVPJlE8ZwuyZubWOa8Tk7Kwv_5_455772ldF0sB6z0pK1OmYpspFnFuy9Bw5Bxut6eI4AzS6Lhkek-Dp1k8bYe10/s400/IM000310.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5CqzzWghURZkiELXit58OXucVOM-XHZbygmKAaeKbmrkJj5uJLeNAcv5m7Ffyy4fgss3varRmC3yJcWCL1_C8v2gSC7vP-v46ktqPAAfud-5p1AiiDqrFA0796j6DMOdo4gO/s1600-h/IM000269.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5016334883139170802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5CqzzWghURZkiELXit58OXucVOM-XHZbygmKAaeKbmrkJj5uJLeNAcv5m7Ffyy4fgss3varRmC3yJcWCL1_C8v2gSC7vP-v46ktqPAAfud-5p1AiiDqrFA0796j6DMOdo4gO/s400/IM000269.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dCDO_nUHtuZh3XMXNrkU2N33gZr3GgB26ApdjkcA-fEbvzFrtOu_sEExv0gnxHmasaBV2KQloyOSgXCE5E4IZpAup_P9hFiShqwOA3Oxz9XIEKJTvwWHrKQm4M3A6oGX6XFI/s1600-h/IM000259.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5016334664095838690" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dCDO_nUHtuZh3XMXNrkU2N33gZr3GgB26ApdjkcA-fEbvzFrtOu_sEExv0gnxHmasaBV2KQloyOSgXCE5E4IZpAup_P9hFiShqwOA3Oxz9XIEKJTvwWHrKQm4M3A6oGX6XFI/s400/IM000259.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-90881343458461540882007-01-03T14:55:00.000-08:002007-01-17T19:28:05.960-08:00Santa Taketh and Then Giveth<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPj5XtqXhTTdzR8rSjkq95lVA0tw7jx5xQcPHO8y7eaU4rp9wsdEfJS1ScEl7hLaE3MY0kaBkhPyiBVdu7371sIJXA-Ih2GZbyCusRMoeA8pen1ufaxkHxVTaSx0GFo_sx04Q/s1600-h/medical_18.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5015945920168114850" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPj5XtqXhTTdzR8rSjkq95lVA0tw7jx5xQcPHO8y7eaU4rp9wsdEfJS1ScEl7hLaE3MY0kaBkhPyiBVdu7371sIJXA-Ih2GZbyCusRMoeA8pen1ufaxkHxVTaSx0GFo_sx04Q/s320/medical_18.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I had a wonderful Christmas. Santa decided to take my appendix on Christmas Day. Trying to get something out of the deal, I wanted to take the little bugger home pickled in a jar. B and the hospital wouldn't let me. It's all rather humiliating because this all takes place on my abdomen, which is pasty white and large. I don't know how they found my appendix (maybe they couldn't, and that's why they wouldn't let me take it home.) Of course the whole staff has to come and check it every 5 minutes, so now it it has become common knowledge that I'm fat, which, of course, draws more people.<br />I remember another bad medical day. I had a weird rash with blisters on my, you guessed it, abdomen. The doctor couldn't figure out what is was, so she invited about ten doctors in to come and look at my big whale belly covered with blisters. After they took pictures, they sent me home with home with a generic salve- even with all that exposure, no one knew what it was. No, they didn't actually take pictures.<br />After I had been home several days, Santa gave me a nice severe cold. I've been hacking uncontrollably, and darn it, it hurts to cough after an appendectomy. It also has the unfortunate side-effect of keeping me awake all night. Believe me, I've tried every cough syrup (gotten drunk, but still hacking,) and throat lozenge (ended up swallowing them whole while I'm coughing.) The only really good result of all this is that I'm not expected to do any work around the house .<br />I don't like Santa anymore.INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-82251554504210974632007-01-02T18:58:00.000-08:002007-01-02T19:43:50.587-08:00Winter And I Never Wash The Car<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4cbDMDVtJsj31-7CG_VpoJCM15o4cnpE3qNMsiubTL-mLdP8HNngRQLBAByc0X9efCT_imV5FTtQMrBsgUm-2W5i4-49apVErFujanFsc71eryajCodvDhhH2iZm0nfGXz_I/s1600-h/Pullman+Dec+05.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5015637713314953826" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4cbDMDVtJsj31-7CG_VpoJCM15o4cnpE3qNMsiubTL-mLdP8HNngRQLBAByc0X9efCT_imV5FTtQMrBsgUm-2W5i4-49apVErFujanFsc71eryajCodvDhhH2iZm0nfGXz_I/s400/Pullman+Dec+05.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The whole time I've been involved with the MINI Club I've had a reputation for having a "dirty little car." Everybody likes to post pictures of the dirt, and brag how their cars always look beautiful. I admit that washing my car isn't always my favorite activity, but some people are real fanatics. There is the guy that pulls out the chrome cleaner, tire cleaner and Windex everytime we stop. You have got to be kidding!<br />I also have a tendency towards cracks in my windshield. On my old Cooper, I went through two windshields in two years. My Cooper S, which I got in June, and I already have two huge cracks going. I think I'll wait until winter is over to replace the windshield, while ignoring the pretty prisms that distort my vision when the sun shines. Since the sun doesn't shine very much right now, and the car is grossly filthy, it really doesn't make much difference. No "cracks" about the windshield, please- hahahahaha.<br />On a very "Bend the Rules, Rule the Bends" note, I got some added horsepower for for the MINI for my birthday. This usually means that I come out of corners much faster than I go into them. B doesn't like it because it is too easy to speed all the time.<br />But damn, that car is fun!INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-48626479209226401182006-12-17T11:12:00.000-08:002006-12-17T11:54:04.761-08:00I've Got Me A Piano!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyyiUZrUElMt02YFdRedkN77tUe7lzPEPd7m4pc7FwLPYOhMfIfcK-EgRWi6QNPZzyANmJpBucKm8V4UW1GcWPKSdISYdfI_-GL80Ghk4m-T506vISYPxiA9dwNvvSfcUMltq/s1600-h/piano-rainbow.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5009579959742759922" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyyiUZrUElMt02YFdRedkN77tUe7lzPEPd7m4pc7FwLPYOhMfIfcK-EgRWi6QNPZzyANmJpBucKm8V4UW1GcWPKSdISYdfI_-GL80Ghk4m-T506vISYPxiA9dwNvvSfcUMltq/s320/piano-rainbow.gif" border="0" /></a>I've got me a piano! Actually, not a whole, complete, real piano, but a little electric keyboard thingy. When we moved into our townhouse, I had to give up my piano due to lack of space. It went to my mommy, and I sure missed it.<br />My history with piano-ownership has been fraught with deceit and a distinct lack of musical talent. When I was in second grade, my parents bought an old upright piano. Half the keys didn't produce any sound, and it had probably never been tuned. I was "encouraged" to start piano lessons. I was "encouraged" for about five years, at which time I threatened to quit unless my parents got me a decent piano. They did, and I promptly quit the lessons anyway. I am not musically talented at all. Sure, I can read the music, but I'm more prone to banging on the keys than actually making it sound like music. But, since I was the only one who played, I got the piano. I loved closing all the windows and doors so no one could hear, and I would bang away at my heart's content. Oddly, the cats seemed to enjoy it. Whatever.<br />When we moved into the townhouse last year, the piano went to my mom, who plays it minimally. My mother had wanted my niece to start playing, so she bought an electric keyboard thingy. K played it for awhile, but was quickly bored. When I was at my sister's house recently, I asked K if she was still playing the piano, and she said "no." I told her I was going to take the keyboard home with me.<br />So, that's how I got it. Bullying little girls. Of course, if she decides she wants to resume her lessons, it will be returned to her. Yeah right.<br />I am quite grinchy.<br />The neatest thing- it has a volume control, so no one has to hear me.<br /><br /><p></p>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-72868880863351740172006-12-12T11:45:00.000-08:002006-12-12T12:02:34.117-08:00Assorted Christmas Woes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ZeOikWcVCVeyMSj7arf_jHezXDPhVGft0pOXvDq3GGYphxuEIXcQpAkJKNC4urS7rL3nVSNVaM3VC2jVYY3fwBfRNP_cvqVZKGsI9qwuOQWe7EsCRf2Cik6jsDlIUMiCeQLb/s1600-h/99967x-012.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5007729518731683394" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ZeOikWcVCVeyMSj7arf_jHezXDPhVGft0pOXvDq3GGYphxuEIXcQpAkJKNC4urS7rL3nVSNVaM3VC2jVYY3fwBfRNP_cvqVZKGsI9qwuOQWe7EsCRf2Cik6jsDlIUMiCeQLb/s320/99967x-012.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>It's been a mixed bag of things going on lately. Of course, getting ready for Christmas has been the main thing. We bought an artificial tree for the townhouse. We didn't have a tree last year, so this was the first run-through. It became very clear I have way too many decorations. I gave a bunch of stuff to my sister, and will probably give more away. The cats love the tree, especially LOKi. I got a tree skirt for the first time, but I should have thought that through a little better. It's velvet, and so far, it has yet to spend even a complete hour under the tree. It's covered in cat hair that I can't remove, and it's usually in the middle of the living room with LOKi hiding under it. It wasn't supposed to be a toy.</div><div>Then there are the Christmas cards, and "The Letter." Yes, I have resorted to writing a computer letter. It's actually pretty sad, because we don't do much. I end up writing a bunch of filler material, and adding a couple of pictures. Then there always a bunch of missing addresses. For some reason, I am apparently unable to write addresses down in safe places. That results in cards that are in a holding pattern until I can get the addresses, or Christmas is over, and darn it, it's too embarrassing to mail them.</div><div>Yup, Merry Christmas. Or Happy Holidays (isn't that what you are supposed to say now so you don't offend anyone?) </div>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-39271931797146086042006-11-29T17:44:00.000-08:002006-11-29T18:05:34.702-08:00Yet Another Stolen Meme- From Lizza<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/485973/Poppies005.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1110/3818/400/469209/Poppies005.jpg" border="0" /></a>Readers: Here's an interesting twist on the age-old meme. It's a ready made list of things you just copy into your post. Highlight/bold those things you've actually done and post.<br /><br />Here are mine:<br /><br /><div>01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink<br />02. Swam with wild dolphins<br /><strong><em>03. Climbed a mountain</em></strong><br />04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive<br />05. Been inside the Great Pyramid<br />06. Held a tarantula<br /><strong><em>07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone<br />08. Said “I love you” and meant it</em></strong><br /><strong><em>09. Hugged a tree</em></strong><br />10. Bungee jumped<br />11. Visited Paris<br /><em><strong>12. Watched a lightning storm at sea</strong></em><br /><strong><em>13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise<br />14. Seen the Northern Lights<br />15. Gone to a huge sports game<br /></em></strong>16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa<br /><strong><em>17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables<br /></em></strong>18. Touched an iceberg<br /><strong><em>19. Slept under the stars<br /></em></strong>20. Changed a baby’s diaper<br />21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon<br /><strong><em>22. Watched a meteor shower<br />23. Gotten drunk on champagne</em></strong><br /><strong><em>24. Given more than you can afford to charity</em></strong><br /><em><strong>25. Looked up at the night sky through a telesc</strong></em>ope<br /><em><strong>26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment</strong></em><br />27. Had a food fight<br />28. Bet on a winning horse<br />29. Asked out a stranger<br /><strong><em>30. Had a snowball fight<br />31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can<br /></em></strong>32. Held a lamb<br />33. Seen a total eclipse of the moon.<br /><strong><em>34. Ridden a roller coaster<br />35. Hit a home run<br />36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking<br /></em></strong>37. Adopted an accent for an entire day<br /><em><strong>38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment</strong></em><br />39. Had two hard drives for your computer<br />40. Visited all 50 states<br /><em><strong>41. Taken care of someone who was drunk</strong></em><br /><strong><em>42. Had amazing friends</em></strong><br />43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country<br /><strong><em>44. Watched wild whales</em></strong><br /><strong><em>45. Stolen a sign (Does watching-from-afar count??!)<br /></em></strong>46. Backpacked in Europe (No, but I want to do the Amazing Race)<br /><strong><em>47. Taken a road-trip</em></strong><br />48. Gone rock climbing<br /><em><strong>49. Midnight walk on the beach<br /></strong></em>50. Gone sky diving<br />51. Visited Ireland<br />52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love<br /><strong><em>53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them<br /></em></strong>54. Visited Japan<br />55. Milked a cow<br />56. Alphabetized your CDs<br />57. Pretended to be a superhero<br />58. Sung karaoke<br />59. Lounged around in bed all day<br />60. Played touch football<br />61. Gone scuba diving<br /><strong><em>62. Kissed in the rain<br />63. Played in the mud<br />64. Played in the rain</em></strong><br /><strong><em>65. Gone to a drive-in theater</em></strong><br />66. Visited the Great Wall of China<br /><em><strong>67. Started a business</strong></em><br /><strong><em>68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken</em></strong><br />69. Toured ancient sites<br />70. Taken a martial arts class<br />71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight<br /><em><strong>72. Gotten married</strong></em><br />73. Been in a movie<br />74. Crashed a party<br />75. Gotten divorced<br />76. Gone without food for 5 days<br /><strong><em>77. Made cookies from scratch</em></strong><br />78. Won first prize in a costume contest<br />79. Ridden a gondola in Venice<br />80. Gotten a tattoo<br />81. Rafted the Snake River<br />82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”<br /><em><strong>83. Got flowers for no reason</strong></em><br /><strong><em>84. Performed on stage</em></strong><br />85. Been to Las Vegas<br />86. Recorded music<br />87. Eaten shark<br /><em><strong>88. Kissed on the first date</strong></em><br />89. Gone to Thailand<br /><em><strong>90. Bought a house</strong></em><br />91. Been in a combat zone<br />92. Buried one/both of your parents<br />93. Been on a cruise ship<br /><em><strong>94. Spoken more than one language fluently<br /></strong></em>95. Performed in Rocky Horror<br />96. Raised children<br />97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour<br />99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country<br />100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over<br />101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge<br /><em><strong>102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking</strong></em> <em><strong>103. Had plastic surgery<br /></strong></em>104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived<br />105. Wrote articles for a large publication<br />106. Lost over 100 pounds<br />107. Held someone while they were having a flashback<br />108. Piloted an airplane<br />109. Touched a stingray<br />110. Broken someone’s heart<br />111. Helped an animal give birth<br />112. Won money on a T.V. game show<br />113. Broken a bone<br />114. Gone on an African photo safari<br />115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears<br /><em><strong>116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol<br />117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild<br />118. Ridden a horse<br />119. Had major surgery</strong></em><br />120. Had a snake as a pet<br />121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon<br />122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours<br />123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states<br />124. Visited all 7 continents<br />125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days<br />126. Eaten kangaroo meat<br /><em><strong>127. Eaten sushi</strong></em><br /><em><strong>128. Had your picture in the newspaper</strong></em><br /><strong><em>129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about<br />130. Gone back to school<br /></em></strong>131. Parasailed<br />132. Touched a cockroach<br />133. Eaten fried green tomatoes<br />134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey<br />135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read<br />136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating<br />137. Skipped all your school reunions<br />138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language<br />139. Been elected to public office<br />140. Written your own computer language<br />141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream<br />142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care<br />143. Built your own PC from parts<br /><em><strong>144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you<br /></strong></em>145. Had a booth at a street fair<br /><em><strong>146. Dyed your hair</strong></em><br />147. Been a DJ<br />148. Shaved your head<br />149. Caused a car accident<br />150. Saved someone’s life </div><div> </div><div>I think I counted 53 things.</div>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-45480372875289009452006-11-28T11:45:00.000-08:002006-11-29T17:18:54.445-08:00Another Stolen Meme- From Lizza<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/99788x-141.1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/400/99788x-141.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong>Three Things That Scare Me:<br /></strong><br />Pictures of me (no visual for this one)<br />Heights- just thinking of heights makes the soles of my feet hurt<br />Violence- just can't handle it<br /><br /><strong>Three People Who Make Me Laugh:</strong><br /><br />B- we can just sit and giggle about the most inane things<br />Skeezix the Cat- Does it have to be a person?<br />My hairdresser (at least I didn't say my bartender!)<br /><br /><strong>Three Things I Love:</strong><br /><br />Books!<br />Sailing<br />Motoring fast around corners in my MINI Cooper<br /><br /><strong>Three Things I Hate:</strong><br /><br />Brussel Sprouts- taste like cooked farts<br />Working<br />The myth of celebrity<br /><br /><strong>Three Things I Don't Understand:</strong><br /><br />Electricity- still don't get it</div><div>Television- same issue<br />CD's, DVD's etc- Huh? </div><div><br /><strong>Three Thing On My Desk:<br /></strong><br />My cat LOKi<br />Some form of food<br />Water- to knock over onto my computer<br /><br /><strong>Three Things I'm Doing Right Now:</strong><br /><br />This<br />Thinking about food<br />Watching the sun on the snow outside<br /><br /><strong>Three Things I Want To Do Before I Die:</strong><br /><br />Live in the Netherlands for at least a couple years (I'm so easy to statisfy!)<br />Pay off the mortgage<br />Drive across the US<br />One extra- be a history detective<br /><br /><strong>Three Things I Can Do:</strong><br /><br />Waste time<br />Start a huge fire<br />Amuse cats </div><div><br /><strong>Three Things I Can't Do:</strong><br /><br />Tie up the boat correctly; B immediately unties everything I've done and does it "correctly"<br />Drive an automatic<br />Get tile grout clean<br /><br /><strong>Three Things I Think You Should Listen To:</strong></div><div><br />Wind<br />Silence<br />Water pounding on a boat hull<br /><br /><strong>Three Things You Should Never Listen To:</strong><br /><br />The current US government<br />Shouting<br />Some else's cell phone conversation<br /><br /><strong>Three Things I'd Like To Learn:<br /></strong><br />How to dress<br />How to magically lose weight and keep it off<br />How to rid the world of migraine headaches<br /><br /><strong>Three Favorite Foods:</strong><br /><br />Nasi Goreng- Indonesian Fried Rice<br />Olie Bollen- Dutch apple fritter things<br />Dutch Chocolate- is there any other kind?<br /><br /><strong>Three Beverages I Drink Regularly:</strong><br /><br />Water<br />Organic Milk<br />White Tea<br /><br /><strong>Three Shows I Watched As A Kid:</strong><br /><br />None- we didn't have a TV </div>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-54425282510661692472006-11-27T14:36:00.000-08:002006-11-27T15:20:08.227-08:00Logging Trucks<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/223778/logging_truck.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1110/3818/200/247254/logging_truck.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>A little over a year ago, a good friend of my father's was killed in an accident with a logging truck. He was driving behind the over-loaded logging truck when the logs became loose, and crashed into the car. He and the passenger didn't stand a chance- the logs went straight into the windshield. Further investigation found that the truck had not passed the mandatory safety inspection, and was legally not supposed to be on the road. </div><div>Logging is big business here, and logging trucks are everywhere. I get the creeps just being around them, and not just because I am driving a MINI Cooper. All I see is the truck falling apart and the logs rolling off onto me.</div><div>Last Friday, I was watching the local news, and there were some recent developments involving the accident. Apparently, the driver, Garland Massingham, is still driving logging trucks. He has been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, but he has not been convicted yet (that's assuming he will be convicted.) The law says that until he is convicted, he is still qualified to drive personal and commercial vehicles, and that he can keep his job at JB Leonard.</div><div>Well, it seems that two weeks ago our little killer was driving another load of logs, and he turned a corner too sharply, and lost another load. He was also under the influence of meth. Thank goodness no one was hurt, although I wish that Massingham had sustained some life-altering injuries.</div><div>I'm fuming. I just love the legal system here.</div><div>I am not telling my father about this.</div><div> </div><div>On a good note, Wal-Mart stock has dropped for the first time in a decade.</div>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-84607630061948798382006-11-14T13:18:00.000-08:002006-11-14T13:58:09.580-08:00Blankies<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/heirloomcomf.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/200/heirloomcomf.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I got a new down comforter last weekend, the first blanket/comforter I have ever paid for. (P.S. This is not my bedroom- that would be just too embarrassing.)</div><div>I have had the same two wool blankets my whole life, along with rather anemic comforter I got for Christmas aeons ago. The blankets are from Holland (big surprise.) Lately, I just can't seem to stay very warm at night because the comforter has become anorexic and wasn't doing the job. I was talking to my mother about the old blankets. I thought they were inexpensive blankets my parents had gotten whenthey got married.</div><div>My mother told me those two wool blankets had kept my great-grandparents warm during the Hunger Winter during WWII. Wow. That sort of made me sit down (chances are I was already sitting down.) I had no idea! One of the blankets is a very thick wool blanket with a velvet edge around it, and the other is made of red and off-white wool. I have had the red one since I was in my cradle.</div><div>Immediately, I made plans to retire the wool blankets and get me a certified huge down comforter. And I did. The wool blankets are now in a safe place, where they will retain a place of honor in my house.</div><div>And I slept warmly ever after.</div><div></div>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-5798174002439924592006-11-13T17:03:00.000-08:002006-11-13T17:16:18.900-08:00A Sort-Of-Non Birthday<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/295684-006a.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/200/295684-006a.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Yesterday was my birthday- and this is a day that I usually don't really look forward to. I'm three years older than B, and all he keeps saying is "I'll never be as old as you!" Ha-ha-ha-ha. This coming from the same man who asks me if I've lost weight; my head looks smaller. Ha-ha-ha-ha. <br />Anyway, we invited a couple friends over (she has the same birthday as me- my birthday buddy) and ordered some Thai food. After they left, B said he was having trouble breathing, and that he might have had contact with peanuts, which he is allergic to. He had to go to the hospital, getting a bunch of medicine and throwing up, and so we ended up sleeping through my whole birthday. <br />So, I am older, and a bit well-rested, but unfortunately not any wiser.INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-27163162886984328112006-11-10T10:26:00.000-08:002006-11-10T11:24:53.299-08:00Friday Fourteen- # 2<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/999823-083.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/200/999823-083.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000000;"></span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000000;"></span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000000;">Thirteen Ways I Like to Waste Time (No Particular Order)</span></strong></div><br /><br /><br /></li><br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p align="left"></p><ul><li><div align="left">Watch TV</div></li><li><div align="left">Rearrange pictures and doo-dads</div></li><li><div align="left">Surf the net</div></li><li><div align="left">Imagine what could be if I won the lottery</div></li><li><div align="left">Enjoy the couch</div></li><li><div align="left">Sit and stare at whatever</div></li><li><div align="left">Drive nowhere</div></li><li><div align="left">Light lots of candles and sit with them</div></li><li><div align="left">Wonder what it would be like to be skinny</div></li><li><div align="left">Dream of cool shoes</div></li><li><div align="left">Hug any cat that's near me</div></li><li><div align="left">Think of getting up</div></li><li><div align="left">Think of writing long-overdue letters</div></li><li><div align="left">Do nothing, as opposed to doing anything<br /><br /></div></li></ul><p align="left"></p>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-89472074964107443682006-11-05T16:44:00.000-08:002006-11-05T17:00:51.397-08:00"Oopsie"<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/996220-086.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/200/996220-086.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>My younger sister had to put her cat to sleep yesterday. This, of course, was devastating for her. J had had Oopsie (so named because she fell out of a window when she was a kitten, effectively changing her name) for over half her life. Oopsie was, get this, 23 years old. In the end, Oopsie had lung cancer, which I have never heard of a cat getting. No, J doesn't smoke, and never has. <br />Oopsie's personality was probably what helped her live to such a ripe age. One word- BITCH. That cat didn't love, nor even like anyone but J. In fact, Oopsie once chased my 6' brother around the house. Us bitches are the ones that will live forever, whether we like it or not.<br />R.I.P., Oopsie. J will miss you something fierce.INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-85732796175959455432006-11-04T16:54:00.000-08:002006-11-04T17:05:09.044-08:00Silence<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/8.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/200/8.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/IM001113.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/200/IM001113.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/200/2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/7.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:left;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/200/7.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/6.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/200/6.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-13139172960507080072006-11-03T14:38:00.000-08:002006-11-03T15:34:42.213-08:00Friday Fourteen- # 1<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/995550-056.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/200/995550-056.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center">Fourteen Stupid Things I Have Done</div><br /><div align="left">1. One morning, I looked down and discovered that I had been wearing two different shoes for several hours.</div><br /><div align="left">2. Wore some really unflattering and uncomfortable clothes to the "Nutcracker" and spent the whole time sqirming, taking my shoes off while weeping and trying to keep my skirt from riding up to my crotch. Lovely.</div><br /><div align="left">3. Locked my keys in my car at the gas station when there were cars lined up waiting for the pump. A pattern maybe?</div><br /><div align="left">4. Dreamt that I hadn't brought enough underwear on a trip.</div><br /><div align="left">5. Overestimated my skiing abilty (or was it someone who talked me into the intermediate run) and basically sat myself down to the bottom.</div><br /><div align="left">6. While delivering a sailboat at night, I completely erased all the waypoints on the GPS, and they needed to be re-configured (that was a doozy.)</div><br /><div align="left">7. When B and I were hanging a bathroom cabinet, I was holding it up and told him when it was perfect and he could screw it in. It was perfect, for a 5'2" person. In the mirror, B was cut off at the neck </div><br /><div align="left">8. Appeared in public in a bathing suit.</div><br /><div align="left">9. Cooked some really awful food and made B eat it.</div><br /><div align="left">10. Had my purse stolen twice in 6 months, EXACTLY the same way. Didn't learn anything the first time.</div><br /><div align="left">11. When getting my driver's lisence replaced for said thefts, wore the exact same shirt three times.</div><br /><div align="left">12. Home-permed my hair and thought it looked really good.</div><br /><div align="left">13. Took four rolls of pictures- with the film not loaded in the camera.</div><br /><div align="left">14. My friend and I thought it would be fun to bathe topless in a park, and wouldn't you know it, a father and son appeared out of nowhere, and god- forbid, saw us. Probably wanted to poke out their minds-eyes after that.</div>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-86278816524117469102006-11-02T12:46:00.000-08:002006-11-02T17:59:04.950-08:00Post Halloween<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/IM001346.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/320/IM001346.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Yup, I'm finally back. This pictures how sloppy I was for Halloween this year. Obviously didn't have very good spray paint coverage.I'm going to blame it on the fumes.</div><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/IM001349.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/320/IM001349.jpg" border="0" /></a>This picture shows that we got prematurely excited and carved the poor squash too soon. We'll hopefully remember this gaff next year and not repeat history.<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/IM001351.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/320/IM001351.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here we see that I can't organize a display. I threw everything everywhere, BUT... we were the best (and almost only) decorated house in the neightborhood. For once we were the unattainable Joneses. Lots of Trick-or-Treaters too, but not enough to keep me from looking for the Tootsie Rolls in between doorbell rings. MMM, MMM GOOD!INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-39119167976382744212006-10-27T14:40:00.001-07:002006-10-27T15:05:43.116-07:00How We Met- The Technical Part<p>Here is video about the International 14s we were sailing when we met. Please note the frequent capsizing occurences. You can become so skilled at capsizing that you can get the boat upright without getting wet. Priceless. Now that's a great ride!</p><br /><div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/dBy9E4szqSE' name='movie'></param><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/dBy9E4szqSE'></embed></object></p></div>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-88927347518731478672006-10-26T10:09:00.000-07:002006-10-26T10:19:28.025-07:00"The High I.Q. Couple"<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/997359-221.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/320/997359-221.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>My husband and I refer to ourselves as the "High I.Q. Couple." Our motto is "We Find the Longest and Slowest Line so You Don't Have To." This our way of dealing with the stupid things we do and decisions we make. Humor has kept us together.One prime example:Years ago we had to buy a car because mine was having some incomprehensible behaviors. B's mother was in the hospital, very ill, and we were under a lot of pressure time-wise. On a freezing January day, we went to a car dealer to look at a CRX. It was late in the afternoon, and it was glaringly sunny. The test drive went well, and we looked the car over closely, and decided to buy it. After we signed all our money over, they brought the car to the front of the dealership so we could drive it off into the sunset. As we got close to it, we saw a huge dent on the passenger side. Yea yea, we looked the car over closely before buying it. So we were stuck. As we were driving home, B said, "Well, we just got f-d over again. The sad part is, I'm starting to enjoy it." I broke out in loud guffaws. This is how the "High I.Q. Couple" stumbles through life. Crap happens- we laugh. </div><div> </div>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-72305574729142688682006-10-25T15:42:00.000-07:002006-10-25T16:10:03.312-07:00How I Met My Husband, And Why He Should Have Run<div><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/INT140020.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/320/INT140020.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Many, many years ago, my husband and I met. It was fate, it was kismet.I raced on an International 14 sailboat (a development-class dinghy capable of going up to 20 knots) every Thursday, and one evening I went down to meet my usual skipper. He said that he had tried to call me, but he couldn't get a hold of me (days before cell-phones.) He wasn't able to sail that night. That was okay- I could say hello to people and then go home. Someone told me that there was a guy looking for someone to sail with, and that's how we met.The 14 is a very squirrely boat- you look at it and it turtles. This was B's first time in one, and since I don't like to skipper, B was on the helm. He didn't believe me when I told him to drop the main <strong>NOW, </strong>and we capsized frequently and regularly. <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/INT140001.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/320/INT140001.jpg" border="0" /></a>We were sailing in cold seawater, and even though we were wearing wetsuits, we got pretty cold.I was house-sitting for a friend about a half-hour north of the marina, and she always let me drive her car (a Volvo station wagon.) When I went back to the car, I found that I had locked the keys (including the house keys) in the car, along with all my clean, non-smelly clothes.B was nice enough to drive me in my smelly wet-suit (I never was a pretty sight in one) all the way up the house. I had to crawl in a window and unlock the house, and after I changed, we looked for a spare car key. We thought we had one, and then back down to the car.It wasn't a match. B then turned around once again and drove me to the house. I ended up calling a locksmith the next day.<br />Now, wouldn't you have run?</div></divINAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31278166.post-91199024456878143312006-10-24T14:45:00.000-07:002006-10-24T16:59:16.875-07:00Cemetery, Cemetery, Come To Me<div align="center"><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/tomb1-11.png"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/320/tomb1-11.png" border="0" /></a> I don't know if I have revealed this earlier, but it seems appropriate due to the season and the "Why I'm Weird" meme traveling the net, but I started a strange project. I have been trying to find all the little, off-the-beaten-path cemeteries while I'm on my travels, and taking a picture of my MINI at each of them. So while these were taken mostly during the summer, imagine, if you will, dark, spooky nights, and then put the car there.<br /><br /></div><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/Bay%20Center%20WA%2009-06.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/320/Bay%20Center%20WA%2009-06.jpg" border="0" /></p></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/Bay%20Center%20WA%2009-06.jpg"><p></a></p><br /><p align="center">Bay Center Cemetery, Bay Center, Washington<br /></p><br /><p><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/Fern%20Hill,%20WA%2009-06.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/320/Fern%20Hill%2C%20WA%2009-06.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><br /><p align="center">Fern Hill Cemetery, Mason County, Washington</p><br /><p align="center"></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/1600/HWY%2030%20OR%2009-06.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1110/3818/320/HWY%2030%20OR%2009-06.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Kinder Cemetery, Off HWY 30, East of Portland, Oregon </p><p align="center">(There are tales of a ghost of an old man haunting the rear of the cemetery!)<br /><br /><br /><br /></p>INAMINIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164847091151455540noreply@blogger.com2