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Attention Kmart shoppers! Today's Blue Light special is the announcement of the engagement of Almost Grown and JP (must get a better blogger name for him!)


A wonderful photo of the intendeds at the vineyard.

The sweethearts have known each other throughout college and in fact were partners in a Stage Combat class freshman year. In that class, Almost Grown whacked JP "where it hurts" a couple of times (once during a performance. Very real reaction, JP!) I think he may have punched her in the kidney once. After all that, plus swinging swords at each other, I figure marriage should be safer!

The two plan to graduate from college in, um... six weeks and enjoy a long engagement while they work to earn enough nickels to rub together.

JP called and formally asked for permission, but Stud Muffin would like to meet him in person before agreeing. There will, of course, be a discussion of the transfer of a herd of goats, oxen, flat screen tv, or whatever the going rate is these days! I'm not even sure who has to give the other all this stuff.

I think it is great for them to have found each other, regardless of the goat exchange rate!

Any "mother of the bride" jokesters will promptly be hexed with geriatric pregnancies, children who won't leave home, or more than your fair share of cellulite!

Pay It Forward Revealed

So by now all my victims for the Pay It Forward Handmade should have received my humble offerings. I know that Penny from Sew Take A Hike got hers, because she wrote a cute post about it.

I thought I would show you what I sent. All received an upcycled shopping tote, a covered notebook, and a knitted Eggman, so named by Penny, which contained a chocolate egg.

Penny's

Shannon's (from Cotton Gin Studio)

Chris from Tutti Chic

A trio of Eggman (and eggwoman!)


What else has been going on?? Well, today started with a bang as a(nother) thunderstorm rolled through starting at 4:30 AM and apparently struck the local electric substation. Thank God for our mega generator that keeps us running even when the power goes out! The lightning also fried the telephones and when I called AT&T, the repair line said they could get it fixed by Tuesday! Stud Muffin, at work, correctly diagnosed the problem as being in his office cordless handset. After I disconnected that phone, I could get dial tone on the other phones! Yeah!

Oh, and it hasn't stopped raining all day... and will tomorrow too. Assuming I could get down the mud road, I wonder how much more of the road has fallen into the creek and washed away.

I have been trying to tidy up my studio a bit and tending to my plants. These are pictures from Friday.





And these are photos from last week!





The last frost can't come too soon for them!

But all is not lost in the garden. Here is a salad I made last night from lettuce and spinach I grew in the raised beds, topped with a shredded carrot I grew too!



Add a little balsamic vinaigrette... yum!

Houston... we have a problem!

Two days ago, I decided to take the Buggy out and check on the wild blackberry bushes that grow all over the property. I thought that the ground would be dry enough to drive over, even though we have been having major erosion problems with the road. So off I went.

I got down the road okay, picking my way carefully around the holes, until I got to the first creek crossing. It had occurred to me that I really needed to get out here and trim back the weeds and blackberry canes that are clogging the creek before they sprout again. As I approached it, I wondered where all the shrubs and weeds had gone!





Looking back. See the road tracks (dangerously close to the edge?)

Oh cr*p! The rains had washed a large portion of the roadway into the creek! Of course, now I don't have to trim the weeds, but, hey! My road is floating down the creek!

As I continued to the second creek crossing, that separates me from the lower field that I dragged not too long ago, I saw a large dark shadow. Oh, double poo!

The whole road across the creek is gone! Gone, I say! Stud Muffin's pose says it all... sigh.

Oh wait! There's some of it! Maybe we can just glue it back on!!

But then there's the problem of this crack right next to the hole.

I don't know what it is going to take to fix this, but it will probably take more $$ than I can earn redeeming soda cans!

On a happier note, Stud Muffin and I plus the dogs took a little trip in the motorhome to Tunica Mississippi for a manufactured home trade show. It was great to be in the Turd without driving it in to be repaired! We spent the night at the RV park, but it wasn't as restful as I would have wished. The wind howled most of the night and I kept hearing the same motorcycle driving around and around! Studly thought maybe there was a racetrack nearby, but I think it was just the late night gamblers out for a ride.

The trade show was my first and was very interesting. It was fun to see what the various manufacturers are going to offer this year and to be able to compare quality and building plans. I enjoyed talking with Stud Muffin about which homes I thought would be good product to offer at the lot that he works at (not that I have any input at all!) All in all, there were more models that I liked than ones that I didn't care for. I didn't take any pictures, because I was so enthralled walking in and out of all these houses!

Apron update

I took everyone's suggestions to heart and finished the apron this way:



With both a pocket and a removable towel!

See the crooked buttons? Adds to the dorky homemade look!


Fringe treatment on the pocket.

Got the handles on the tote bag.

In other news, as I was working in my studio, I was greeted by a very dirty dog!

What is that schmutz on your face, Nick?

And those feet!! Where have you been?

Both dogs were out enjoying the day, but while Sassy sticks close by me, in case I feel like throwing toys for her, Nick, like boys of any species, runs off to explore. Well, I think he explored right up the hind end of the neighbor's bull! Nick has become a real country dog and he thinks poop of any sort smells beuuutifull and needs to proudly wear it like perfume! And I thought my days of cleaning up gross stuff went out with potty training!

These are for Catty Ax Lady who is in desperate need of sunshine!

Sunshine, on my shoulders, makes me happy...!



Although today's sun didn't pack much warmth, it should get back up into the lower 70's later this week!

And finally, since nobody suggested naming my new tiller Wanda Whoopass, I will defer to the most popular choice and call her Tilly!

What a little garden clean up will get you

After planting beets this afternoon, I decided to thin the carrots, that I planted in the fall, a bit. And looky!



Wait! You need a better perspective!

The different sizes and shapes are due to my flinging the remnants of a bunch of carrot packets into the garden!

Needless to say, I don't know what's for dinner tonight, but at least for me, there will be carrots!

But let me back up a little on my day. I started by planting 3 varieties of peas (yeah, I'm thinkin' of you, Toni!) I watered everything by carrying a watering can full over from my studio. Repeatedly. See, I didn't *quite* get the ball valve closed this winter, and a sprinkler shattered. Until I get the PVC replaced, no water at the garden. *Sigh*

Then I needed to run some errands including getting the gas cans filled with fresh gas for all those gardening tools. I also needed to mail the last of my Pay It Forward Handmade boxes, and since I was heading that way, I called Stud Muffin to see if he wanted me to bring him a pulled pork sandwich from the Barbeque Man. Funny thing was, he was on his way to the very same place to get sandwiches for all the guys at work! Oh, and I forgot that the little post office out that way is only open on Saturdays from 7 AM to 9:15 AM!

After lunch with the Muffin, I stopped by the R & J Feed store to see what kinds of seed potatoes they might have (none) and bought 2 bunches of Tennessee Beauty strawberry plants instead. I will plant them after I use my new tiller on the spot I have yet to determine!

The red bowl they are soaking in was a happy coincidence, but they look great!

R & J also had new little chicks and ducklings to tempt a farmer girl, but I resisted. Who says I have no willpower! Now, if they had been chocolate....

I stopped in to my studio when I got home, to look at a project I've been working on. And I think I need your advice. If you haven't blown it all on my name-the-tiller question, I present the latest apron.



A delightful combination of alternating panels of blue flowers and blue/green/purple striped fabric. My question is, do you like it as is or perhaps with a pocket, or like this



with a blue fingertip towel attached?

Of course, there is a matching tote bag:

Well, it will be a tote once I sew on the handles!

I scored big the other day at a thrift store and got a bunch of the hard-to-find fingertip towels,



plus some larger hand towels that I think might work on these aprons.



And since I was in the studio, and I don't have any pictures of food to include, I just knew you wanted to see how the plants are doing this weekend!









Supposedly, our last frost date is April 15, and I really know I started these too early! They are starting to take over the joint! I have vague thoughts of the Little Shop of Horrors plant swallowing me whole one of these days!

Happy Easter everyone!!

Senior citizen for the day or at least the morning

So today was the day I was told to come down to the local Sears store and get my tiller. They were on sale with an additional 10% off for seniors. So that's what I am today! Well, at least as long as it took me to buy the tiller!

Isn't it purdy?

I also hooked up the trailer to my truck by myself, drove over to the store and hauled the baby home! A first for me!

Just as nice from the back!

Ed Plunk (yes, that's the owner's name!) told me that in exchange for the 10% discount, I must bring in excess vegetables that this tiller helps produce. Ah, living in a small town.

One last look. It will never be this clean again!

So now I need a name for this baby! I already have Kubota Jane the tractor, Steve the shed (Steve...it's a pretty name!), the Big Rolling Turd and I have named various cars in my life. We want the tiller to feel welcome, don't we? So, everyone, make a suggestion and I will pick one out. Might be a random pick, might be the one I like best!

My "senior moment" over, I hauled all the seedlings out for some fresh air while I worked on draining the water tank in the Turd. It is 75 degrees today and a perfect time to do this job. I drained the tank that had been sitting overnight with a bleach solution in it, and refilled it, ran water through all the faucets, the shower and the toilet, and only got myself a little bit wet in the process. The dogs *helped* by chasing each other around and tossing toys at me.

I also planted some Swiss Chard in the raised beds and put my peas in to soak until tomorrow.

Ran some errands in town (I use the term loosely!) like taking a load to the dump, and mailing the tax return (money back, yeah!) and came home to do some sewing in my studio. But, sewing was a hard chore today for some reason, and when the steam iron ran out of water and popped it's safety valve with an enormous hiss, I decided to stop for the day.

I am now sitting with my feet up, drinking an iced cappuccino and contemplating a nap. But, I probably won't take one. The weed eater is calling and telling me to knock down the grass growing against the trees in the backyard. There was mention of a Chia Pet, so you know it must be bad!!

Spring has sprung!

Sassy using Nick's rear for a pillow during nap time!

but that doesn't mean we won't get backhanded by the weather again! We had a heck of a storm the other night that caused the weather radio to blare 3 times in the dead of night. The first time was a tornado watch, but since the radar looked okay, and the watch was in effect for 3 more hours, I went back to bed. The next two were various stages of thunderstorm warnings, but all I did was jolt out of bed and say some "blue" words! Woke up grumpy!

But today is beautiful and tomorrow will be even better! I uncovered my raised beds that I planted in the fall, just for a little sun bath!

Leaf lettuce


Spinach that didn't really germinate and romaine lettuce

The carrot forest needs thinning!


The garlic from Halloween is up!

Daffodils in front of Steve the shed

Close up of Steve's finery

Incredibly short peach tree in bloom

Even the poor apple trees that the deer stripped in the fall are blooming!

Oh, and I had a great birthday on Monday! Stud Muffin and I had lunch out and I got gifts!!

From my sister Christina, I got a box overflowing with thrifted pillowcases and sheets! Does she know me or what?!? She also included a big Ziploc bag of our favorite iced cappuccino mix that I can't get here in the boondocks! I'm about to have a cappuccino coma and die a happy (older) woman!



Yummy!

From my younger sister Cheryl and her son, I got the most perfect dozen red roses!



Stud Muffin is getting me a tiller which I will go get tomorrow. Sears is having a fabulous sale on them and since I know the local store owners, they are also giving me the additional "senior" discount available only that Friday. At least I think it's because I know them (and have spent a ton with them!) that they are giving me the extra discount! Maybe they think I AM a senior citizen!! That would certainly be a blow to my ego!

I even got a handwritten birthday card from Catty Ax Lady from Whilrwind Lodge, who, by the way, isn't nearly as scary as she sounds! Thanks Kel!!

So, it has been another wonderful day here at Kilohana (or Feet First Farm, as I like to call it 'cause that's the only way I'm going to leave it!) Tomorrow is supposed to get up to 71 degrees and I plan on working in my veggie garden. There are seeds to sow, you know!!

Sundays from Singapore: Land down under

This is the very last Sunday for Singapore post. I don't know why I stopped writing them, but I did. Hope you enjoyed my reliving the biggest adventure of my life.

7/22/2002

I think we are finally done with travel for a while, having spent 2 months in the States, and just now, a week in Sydney, Australia.

My expensive suitcase, bought at one of those chichi luggage stores, looks like it has been used as a soccer ball by the International Elephant League, and is held together by Duck Tape and neon straps. I no longer worry that someone will steal my American-sized clothing, because only a desperate XXXXL woman would acknowledge ownership of such a mortifying valise. You will be please to know , however, that my $15 dung-colored duffle-on-wheels is in fine form, with wheels that roll in the same direction and a handle that fully extends and retracts.

Did you know that you can take a climbing tour of the harbor bridge and walk on the topside of the bridge structure? See those groups of people flanking the flag at the top? I think I'll pass!


Sydney was a marvelous city, and in spite of being the dead of winter there, the weather was gorgeous, and allowed me to wear jeans and long-sleeve shirts for once. Stud Muffin was hosting a four-day meeting, so we camped out in a great hotel in the center of the business district. In most US cities, such a location would afford you a choice of bars, copy shops, and the occasional bookie, but Sydney is more accommodating than this. Within easy reach of my feet were two harbors (including the famed Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House,) shopping, museums, botanical gardens, a major movie (Matrix) shooting location, and assorted cafes. Clothing was expensive, food reasonable, and interesting gift shops and curios abound. In fact, the only drawback to the city center was the annoying habit of everything closing for the night at 5 PM. And I mean everything... including places to eat.

One afternoon, when the girls and I knew we were once again on our own for dinner, we happened upon a cafe in an alleyway surrounded by cute little shops. It was around 4 PM and we knew it was time to start foraging for food to get us through the night. I mean, a Kit Kat bar will only carry you so far, before you start thinking your tennis shoe might taste okay with a little mustard.

So here we were, perusing a menu mounted on a signpost, when a waitress comes up and explains that this menu "no longer applied." Oh goody, I think, since the listed fare was kind of frou-frou and I don't go in for salmon pizza and squid salad (big seafooders, these Aussies!) Maybe there is a more substantial and less pretentious menu for the afternoon. This menu no longer applied, she explained, because the kitchen closed at three! And with that, she hoisted the sign from it's stand and walked off with it.

This left us with a choice of McDonald's, Burger King (sometimes called Hungry Jack's, for no apparent reason,) or the hotel restaurant, which offered kangaroo fillets and emu steaks. The hotel was definitely out, I was filled to overflowing with Burger King's Cinni-minis for breakfast, so McD's it was.

I really wish I could buy commemorative postcards or something showing the local favorites from all the regional McDonald's I have ventured into! That way, you would know I'm really not making this up! In Singapore, we have (oooh, limited time only, rush in today) McSalmon burgers and Black Pepper chicken sandwiches, or for breakfast, the ever popular Curry or Red Bean pies, while Australia has the McOz and the Aussie burger.

I was unable (and unwilling) to discern the difference between these two special offerings, but the Food Pyramid guys will congratulate the Aussies on including almost every known food group in a single sandwich. In addition to the usual and expected beef patty, cheese, some kind of sauce or condiment, and leafy vegetable, these burgers include fried egg, beets, and tomato. I say, add a scoop of ice cream under the top bun for dessert, and I think you've got it covered!

I'm having trouble ordering food in Australia, too. If you want french fries, you must ask for chips, but if you want potato chips, ask for crisps. And don't bother asking what the "tasty cheese" indicated as coming on your sandwich is, or you will get a blank look. Maybe it is a brand name, or maybe it just proudly points out that they have left off the really ripe, super stinky, probably found fermenting in a professional footballer's gym bag, stuff that their competitors use. And all the salads are composed of weeds mowed down from the median strip, but hey, at least they are composting it one way or another.

Food aside, the people we talked to were very friendly, the homegrown boys were proclaimed "yummy" by my teenagers, and the people are ecologically minded, which I appreciate. The toilet, for example, includes two flushing options, a half flush for minor needs, or a full tank flush for more solid waste. Lest you think I show an unnatural obsession for bathroom fixtures, as indicated in previous posts, well, my husband says I never met a hydrant I didn't use.

Me, trying not to look cold on a boat around Sydney in July.

The highlight of the trip (at least for me) was taking the girls to the opera at The opera house shown on every postcard in town. We saw Gilbert and Sullivan's "Iolanthe," which is an English language opera involving slutty fairies, members of Parliment, and a Lord Chancellor who appeals to himself for permission to marry a ward of the state, and repeatedly loses the case before himself. Okay, I guess you had to be there.

The girls really enjoyed the evening which included sixth row center seats, and a chance to dress up, but I think their vote for favorite activity was the Jet boat ride around Sydney Harbor. This was a high speed power boat ride which cut radical circles and came to dead stops to allow water to swamp the passengers. Mom, gratefully declined to join then, and was the only dry person walking home!

Everyone enjoyed the trip so much, we think we might go back at Christmas, which in the illogical world in which I live, will finally be summer Down Under. Until then, I will busy myself with washing the "clean me" notices written in dust by some smarty off every surface in the apartment, and preparing for the girls to reenter the school system. In my spare time, I think I will work on a list of other taste treats to present to McDonald's Worldwide, thus starting a new career to fill my empty days. Whadda think of a McSushi sandwich? How about Escargot McNuggets? Or maybe...

Well, I never!

Stud Muffin wandered out after his shower this morning to where I was attempting to focus both eyes together on my email. He asked if I was enrolled in any online courses.

No, why?



Because I thought that was your science experiment going on in the shower!



Later, on the phone, he hoped I got a good grade on my project!

Brat!

Another great day!

Yesterday was a gorgeous day here on the farm. Today was no exception. Sorry to all my frozen friends up North, but Spring will get to you too! The weather was so nice, I set my little seedlings (now properly called "plants") out for a little shade bath on the porch of the studio.

Spaghetti squash, cucumbers and tomatoes on the floor.

More tomato plants, cabbages, and peppers on the elephant bed, guarded by wooden chickens.

Close-up of chicken guarding the cabbages, peppers, tomatoes, oh! And Swiss Chard hiding behind the chicken's *behind*!

I planted six different varieties of heirloom tomatoes, but I think I have too many plants! I never expected all of them to germinate!

I worked on installing some metal edging to *try* to keep the grass from invading the shrubs, and after about an hour, the shade bath time was up. Gotta move slowly with little plants! They got some breezes to strengthen their stems and more full spectrum light so their move into the garden won't kill them. Then back into the studio under their lights, while I worked on my Pay It Forward goodies. Bet you guys thought I forgot all about that, huh? Soon.

Before returning to the house, I took a walk to get the mail. Boy, am I glad I did! My package from Julie at Red Hen Studios arrived stuffed full of neat things! I won a give-away she had over at her blog. And, yes, Julie is the same great gal who tagged me yesterday! Lookie here!



There's a handmade tote with a great embroidered hankie top, a framed birthday card (perfect since my birthday is on Monday!) a Mary Englebreit book, some handmade note cards featuring Julie's own photography, a colorful notice of her upcoming show, and this...



I can't believe she could part with this dainty apron with hankies on the bottom, even to someone as deserving as me (*wink*.)
It is so soft and sheer and I love the way it flutters in the breeze. I mentioned my breeze, didn't I?

So I want to thank Julie, very, very much for all the wonderful things! I can't get over your generosity!

I've been tagged!

I have been tagged by Julie at Red Hen Studios for the six random, definitely not important things about me meme. Julie sews beautiful things like aprons and bunting and sells them at her Etsy shop.

The rules for this are easy:

1. Link to the person that tagged you. (Did it)
2. Post the rules on your blog. (Right here)
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

Okay, let's see. I already did 7 weird things about me, so I guess I need to come up with some more.

1. I'm allergic to cashews, and it gets worse each time I have any. The next time will either send me to the hospital or kill me outright. This is only important if you are going to invite me over for dinner! Hint, hint

2. One summer, during high school, I was taking Biology for summer school. I had a pet duckling, named Garth, that rode around with me by standing inside my bra. We were constantly being chased by the librarian who heard quacking. As Garth got bigger, he sorta walked on a leash. He also ate 5 feet of string that I needed for an experiment and got me in trouble. Then he grew up and flew away to chase girls.

3. Another summer, during college, I worked as a showroom model advertising a tourist show while dressed as Carmen Miranda. Full on get up, with flowing gold lame skirt, lots of leg showing, and a basket of fruit on my head. I stood close to 7 feet tall in that outfit. If I had a nickel for every photo that was taken of me that summer, I'd still be a rich woman.

4. Barack Obama was a year behind me in high school at Punahou School in Hawaii. Never knew him, but remember a skinny black kid running around when there weren't may African-Americans in the school.

5. I put my way through college partly by working in a rat lab, cleaning cages and checking heart rates on post-surgical rats. Rats have very fast heart rates, for those of you who need to know. Got bit my first day on the job by a rat whose surgery DID NOT make him mellow as planned!

6. When I got married and started thinking about having kids, I always wanted girls. I got two perfect, beautiful daughters that are my pride and joy. They crack me up everyday!

So there you go! More useless information about moi. Now we get to hear out of some others... hmmm. I think I'll tag:

Kelly at Whirlwind Lodge

And

Letitah at Fabriquer

Everyone else I *know* well enough to tag, I have already tagged before. So just join in the fun, if you haven't been named!

Saving the Buggy

Remember when I said that we had to abandoned the Bad Boy Buggy after the snow storm? Well, we decided we needed to save it before any more wet weather came our way. So, I went to the local Co-op and bought 4 bales of straw to fill in the eroding road bed. I felt like I was driving a parade float around town with my bales sprinkling bits of straw like confetti wherever I went!

We had to leave the buggy when the road eroded so much that we couldn't keep all four wheels on firm ground going up hill.

One of many erosion spots.

Roadway has shrunk to about 3 feet wide here.

Stud Muffin considering the problem.

First bale in, providing stability for Stud Muffin to drive over the hole.

Additional bales in other cave-ins.

This is where the buggy was originally parked. Even more bales here.

This is only a stop-gap measure, until we can get someone out to help us re-engineer the road and we get in some really big truck loads of rock!

And since I know how interested you all are in food (still), I made some more bread this morning.



I used my sourdough starter that I have been nurturing for a week or so now. It smells very "sour", but mostly it tastes like good fresh bread! But so good with butter!! Want a slice?

Sundays from Singapore: Cellular phones

Photo by jonjon2k8

1/7/2002

Let's talk about cell phones for a minute. In Singapore, they are known as hand phones. I don't know why since I rarely use another appendage to operate one. Hmmmm. Maybe ear phone would be more accurate.

But anyway, Singaporeans are addicted to their cell phones. Almost everyone over the age of nine or ten has one, they almost all use a handsfree earpiece and microphone, and they are on it constantly. I am beginning to wonder if when children register for kindergarden, they don't get one permanently installed at the same time. "Here's your 40 pounds backpack, your uniform of the blobbiest shape and most horrific color we could find, and your surgically implanted cell phone. Welcome to grade school!"

People walk around town with a thin wire dangling from their ear. It is very disconcerting to be in a quiet elevator with other people and have one of them startle you by talking to nobody! At first you think that you must have jostled them and they are chewing you out, then conclude they are receiving alien transmissions, and finally take note of the cable sprouting from their head. Ah ha! I have practically started arguments with taxi drivers, insisting that yes, I do want to go to where ever I just said, only to find out, much to my chagrin, that they aren't the least bit interested in talking to me, but rather, someone more important who isn't even in the car!

This wire-in-the-ear look constantly reminds me of those dolls that jump when you pull the string hanging out of them. If I were to pull on somebody's earphone, do you think their hair would stand straight up on end?? Would their eyes bug out and could I hear that Awhooga sound like in the cartoons? Might be worth running for my life just to see and hear all of that.

I suppose I wouldn't mind the overwhelming number of cell phones in use here, if I wasn't frequently inconvenienced by them. Like walking along the street behind someone and having them pull to a dead stop because of something someone on their phone just said to them. Or the fact that nobody turns the phone off when they go to the movies. If it rings during the show, they just talk loud enough to be clearly heard over the 180 decibel Surround Sound in the theater. And I'm quite sure I don't want to know all the details of their lives, either!

Everyday, the newspaper advertises all the competing cell phone companies, with half page ads imploring you to switch to their superior service or upgrade to a phone no bigger than a credit card, never mind that your current phone lets you choose from 35 preprogrammed rings and message waiting tones. Their new and improved phones lets the user with nothing else going in their life to compose and download their own music to alert them to a call!

You can play games on your phone, change the screen saver cartoon character or message anytime, or you can send Short Text Messages (SMS) to one or many people in a chat room. You can do telephonic SMS blind dating, make a restaurant reservation, or as one ad shows, indicate to your friend that they forgot to zip up their pants, all without uttering a word. Of course, by requiring you to push all the microscopic buttons to compose a message, you certainly can't be expected to keep walking too!

If that weren't enough, there are now vending machines in the MRT stations that will allow you to make purchases using your cell phone. The charge is put on your phone bill so you don't have to have the money right on hand. Maybe someday soon, I can just point and click my grocery order and have it delivered while I am drinking my cellular soda and picking up strange men in a phone chat room.

Now, I will be the first to admit that a cell phone is a wonderful tool. I like the security of knowing that should I need help, I don't have to find a phone except at the bottom of my purse. The girls each have one and it has greatly enhanced their freedom of movement around town. As long as I can reach them by phone, everyone gets along.

My phone here even works in the US, although I was a little paranoid the first time I turned it on in Arizona and got a text message saying, "Have a wonderful time in America from Singtel!" I hadn't told them of my vacation plans! How did they know? I finally figured out from my vantage point in the shrubs that nobody was spying on me, it's just that my phone had to locate a new network and it will establish that I was home in the US. However, I think that one greeting of the sort was enough. I really didn't need their best wishes for a happy vacation every time I went to use the phone!

Just as email has taken over from the snail mail system, cell phones are eliminating the need for land line phones. How else can my husband reach me in the toilet or while trying to balance a tray loaded with fast food in a crowded mall without a wireless contraption? It's a bit like belling the cat, isn't it? No matter where you are or what you are doing, if you have one of these gizmos and it's turned on, you have to spend time in elevator shafts and lower level car parks (parking garages.) I'm getting better at answering it before the 12th ring and subsequent voicemail recording, or before my purse vibrates off of the table, but I don't think I will ever become a complete aficionado. I am still partial to bellowing upstairs for the girls, and using my mother's time tested call, "Soo Wee, pig, pig, pig!" to get the family running from all parts of the neighborhood. No cell phone message or fast food purchase can replace my enjoyment of my children's horror-stricken faces when summoned to dinner in the old-fashioned way!

Shop Update Again!

I'm having so much fun with this! A couple of new things for the shop. Comments, criticism, whatever, welcome!

Google is having a server problem, so you will have to go to the shop to see pictures!

I'm sure of it... it's snow for real!

It's hard to hula like this!

There can be no doubt now! This is snow people!


End of the driveway.

Nick likes it very much.

Frozen garden beds.

See Nick in the background leaping?

We took the Bad Boy Buggy out to see the property. Getting in, this is what I saw.

I never thought to market these as snowball holders!!

The roads were covered in snow with squishy mud underneath.

High road to the back property.


Lower field that I just dragged. Stud Muffin will have to take my word for it!

We were cold, so decided not to drive up the high road to the back of the property. On the way back to the house, the buggy refused to climb it's way out of a ditch on our eroding dirt roadbed! And so it is stuck in the ditch (parked carefully on the side of the road, if you ask Stud Muffin) until it dries out enough to bring down some straw bales to fill the ditches.

A long walk home, uphill, in the snow. Note to self: Wear warmer shoes than sneakers when tromping through the snow before breakfast!

On the good side, Stud Muffin has the day off! And he braved the elements to take me to a rummage sale I wanted to go to. We were some of the first people to show up, but there wasn't much there that I wanted. So, we have a free day, to bum around the house! Yeah!

It Think It's Snowing!

I'm not sure, but I think it may be snowing out here! You know, I'm from Hawaii and we don't get this kind of thing, but there is white frozen stuff falling from the sky at a rapid rate. And they say it will continue to do so over night!



Studio with my seedling's lights glowing.

Poor lettuce shivering under their blanket!

Garlic bed under straw (and snow.)


Sassy found her frisbee under the snow. Nick was out doin' his bidness, you don't want to see that!

Stud muffin is just hoping it snows enough over night that he doesn't have to go to work tomorrow!

Just add water

Nothing really excited going on here, just a bit of this and that.

The weather has been so weird lately, with a 70 degree day followed by a 30 degree day with snow! What the..? My spring bulbs are up, but wearing little mulch sweaters.

Snow on the driveway.

My poor lettuce, covered with a frozen row cover.

The dogs don't seem to notice the snow, especially when they have new squeaky toys to play with. We actually only bought one orange octopus toy (and a new frisbee for Sassy) but major arguments broke out over the octopus, so I had to go to town today to get another one! Nick still spends most of his time chasing Sassy down for her toy. He must think they are all his!

No snow today, just sunshine and new toys!

Hard to photograph running dogs.

Sassy wants someone to throw the toy so she can chase it.

Nick, he just wants to be left alone to squeak his toy (and squeak, and squeak, and...)

I have done the dust buffalo roundup, washed some laundry and hung some on the clothesline, and waded through the dirty dishes. You know, one major drawback to not eating out as much as we used to, is that the freakin' dishes dirty themselves and refuse to load and unload themselves from the magic dishwashing machine!

And then, it was time to work in my studio. There has been some sewing, but I won't bore you with that today (wink, wink.)

My little seedlings are growing like crazy. Just add water (and a bit of worm poop too!) I have been repotting some of the earliest tomatoes and cucumbers, and finally had to set up another rack to hold them.

New rack awaiting more transplants.

Aren't they pretty? There's another shelf that wouldn't fit in the shot, too!

Even the Mexican Sour Gherkins have finally sprouted! I had my doubts about those guys, since not a single seed had sprouted before everything else had. All is well now.

All I need is for the weather to settle down and stick with the warmer sunnier days. Then I can get some of these plants into the ground outside! I am really looking forward to this season, since almost everything I am growing is new to me.

So, I am off to do my sunny weather dance out on the squishy grass, shaking my gardening gloves like pompoms, and making up ridiculous cheers. Have a good afternoon, everyone!

Sundays from Singapore: Feeling like a kid again

Hard to believe that there is only one more of these Sundays from Singapore post after this! I guess life got less strange and there wasn't much to talk about.

12/30/2001

I had a Christmas message all written and ready to send, but decided I didn't really like it. It made me feel like I was back in grade school and was sure that nothing I could write would be good enough for the teacher. This feeling of being a juvenile seems to occupy my thoughts lately.

Take Christmas, for example. I had a great Christmas, and although as a kid I probably wouldn't have been as excited about the large number of books I received, and small amount of candy, they thrilled the older child that I am now. The only mar to the day was the exceptionally recent closure of the only Cinnabon store in the country. I mean, what's wrong with these people? Don't they realize the importance of stuffing yourself silly with a 15,000 calorie bakery item oozing with icing on Christmas morning? Can they really believe that I will go away content with a whole roast piglet complete with festive red lights blinking on and off from the eye sockets? Maybe they think hacking off a hind quarter and gnawing on it while opening your stocking is the high life, but not me! A full-blown tantrum was brewing in my admittedly unchild-like chest.

An operation that would have made the SWAT team proud was launched in search of a suitable replacement by Christmas morning. All the while, I fought the urge to grab each successive taxi driver around the neck and demand, "Where ARE the Cinnabons???" I really wanted to pinch and pull their hair (ugh!) and break all their stupid little dashboard toys too.

A jail sentence, caning and possible hanging was averted by the location of of some pop-and-fresh type canned rolls at a far-flung market. We don't think of this shopping venue often, and so, like a star-struck celebrity gawker, I cruised the aisles marveling at items that would pass for ordinary in any US grocery store. In fact, we all got so caught up in playing, "Oh look! I just found Ragu, can you believe it?" that we very nearly walked out without the required Christmas buns! And they made a more than adequate substitution.

The next day it rained and rained and rained. About 30-40 hours in total. And we were expecting to host 2 US sailors from the USS Carl Vinson, which was in port for the holidays. How excited we all were to entertain these men or women who were to come to dinner at the club and then hang out at the house for the evening. I even did the dust buffalo roundup, so as not to horrify these servicemen who are used to keeping everything so clean. But they never came!! We waited, and waited, and finally slogged our way to dinner by ourselves. Everyone was disappointed, but we realized that any number of things could have prevented their getting away from base. One possibility has been brought to our attention by our good friend Rick.

According to a report forwarded by Rick, the Singapore government recently uncovered and averted a terrorist plot to blow up the nation's Navy port. They caught 10 of the 12 suspects, but can't locate the 2 tons of explosives that were intended for the attack. I bet they are hidden inside those stupid roast pigs!

Neither the Singapore nor the US governments will publicly acknowledge the raid, and let me tell you, nobody has said anything to us sitting ducks over here! Whadda ya think? Could this explain the daily presence of two machine gun toting police officers who stand guard, glaring at everyone entering the American Club? The official word was that this was just something the Singapore government decided to do. I thought it was because, if anything happened to the Club, we Americans would take all our spending power and head for home. It makes me wonder what else they aren't telling me. Am I so immature, that after the raid is over and done with, I can't be trusted with the information? What is next? Are they going to let me find out over the internet that there is no Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, or Tooth Fairy? I, for one, was counting on funding my retirement with my haul when my teeth finally fall out and I resort to dentures.

But, I guess in the end, the events suit my condition. If I am going to pitch a fit over Cinnabons, imagine launching spit balls at uncooperative taxi drivers, and anticipate being spell bound over discussions of life on a really big boat, I probably can't be trusted with information about blowing up a part of this very small country. I might be tempted to write about it on bathroom walls or send it out over the internet to my friends. Oops! There I go again! I suppose I should have a timeout and be sent to my room for an hour... with all of my new books!

Love you all

Shop Update!

I'm tired today. It has been a busy week and I'm feeling it. But I have gotten a few things done around here.

First up was waffles and bacon for breakfast. Since this is one of Stud Muffin's days off, it has become a habit to have this breakfast on Sundays. Then we drive to town for a Sunday newspaper. Then we goof off and perhaps take a nap. I haven't gotten the nap yet, but I did wash both dogs since it is in the 70's here today!

I finished my first pair of knitted socks! These buggers took me a while. I would put them down, then have to remember where I was, blah! The second sock got messed up at the toe end, but I just wanted to be done. Stud Muffin says if anyone was waiting for me to knit them socks, they would die of frostbite before I finished!

Nice dirt disguising brown socks!

And, I have added a few new things to my brand new Etsy shop. More to come!

Clothes pin bag from little boy's suit.

Sunday from Singapore to be written later on today. Like maybe after my nap!