Freak of nature

On this coneflower clump there is one pure white
flower blooming. See the lower right one? It might not be so noticable in my picture (I'm not a great photog) but trust me, it's white

Morning Pictures

Update

Sorry for the neglect. I have been soooooooo busy at work (yuck). Things should start to slow down a bit in a week or so.

BP did not whack me upside the head with a leg of lamb (so far, anyway.)

It's been raining a lot (but not like it has been in Dallas) so my garden looks good. My sunflowers, lilies, coneflowers, scabiosa, lavender, roses and Shasta daisies are blooming.

Since we're having people over on Sunday, all of Saturday will be spent grocery shopping, cleaning this god forsaken house, doing laundry and cooking. My oldest sister wants to bring strawberry shortcake (and who is going to argue with that??)

Let's see:

1. I despise Ann Coulter.

2. I did not watch Larry King's interview with Paris Hilton. Personally I don't see the appeal of either of those two people. Larry's a lump, and Hilton's a strump.

3. I just got a bill from LP's high school bookstore telling me that I owe $112.47 for two books he either lost or didn't return at the end of the semester. I'm giving him a week to come up with the two books or I'm taking that money out of his bank account. I paid to rent those mofos ONCE--I don't want to pony up money to replace them. Sheesh.

4. BP is working on fixing up our old Honda so the child can use it when he gets his license. BP changed the brakes and is working to fix the air conditioner.

5. I'm expecting $4000 at the end of summer. BP wants to go to Vegas with it, but I want him to renovate our bathroom. Since he'll do the work himself, the money will go farther. I want: New floor tile, new wall tile, new vanity, new light fixtures and fans, new toilet--is that too much to ask?

SATURDAY

I watched Miss Potter this afternoon. It was a lovely little movie starring the crack whore (alledgely!) Renee Zellweger as Beatrix Potter. Emily Watson and Ewan McGregor costarred. The English Lake District photography was simply magnificent.

It's been raining all day and that's okay with me. We need it. I weeded yesterday and they're still laying in the yard where I tossed them.

We're planning a little get together barbeque here for 4th of July but since the 4th is on a Wednesday--we might move the 4th to , say, Saturday or Sunday. I'm planning just hamburgers and hot dogs with a few salads, chips and stuff like that. BP wants to BBQ lamb on the grill but I think that's a little too much. I want to keep it simple.

I hate work lately. Spidey got rid of her pain-in-the ass work person, but mine is still around unfortunately.

No Update

I'm writing to tell you that there is no update today. Tomorrow's Saturday so I 'll write an update on the No Update then.

However, I did wake up to glorious rain,which w so desparately need. So that's a good thing.

Before work, I'm going to stop at Panera's for coffee. It's Friday and I deserve a treat.

Oh, by the way, as much as I HEART Steve Carell and his career, I'm so tired of seeing those Evan Almighty previews! Thank God that movie opens today! SHEESH--the ad money for that flick must been the combined fortunes of Bill gates and Oprah. Enough already.

Passport

My passport finally arrived (it will mailed in March.) BP's didn't come, neither did LP's, so I'm thinking about jetting to England to:

A) Stop Clanky from tattooing/marring herself, and
B) Visit Meme to see her hairy toe and to buy her a pint.

Sick Day

I called in sick today.

So far I've taken LP to summer school, cleaned the tub, sink and toilet, washed two loads of laundry, Cometed my kitchen sink, threw away four old shampoo bottles that had a third or less of product, watched The Closer I videotaped last night, cuddled the cat, and cleaned and refilled the birdbath.
All that before noon.
I hope I feel better.

Do you clean your own carpets? How much is something like Stanley Steemer to clean one room of carpet?

But I Could Be Wrong

But I Could Be Wrong

Here's a good YouTube video song by the comedian Tim Wilson. Seems like he's as tired of overexposed celebrities as I am!

Thanks to AliasJJ for sending me this video!

Sunday Stuff

1. It's Father's Day. It's been six years since my own father died, and I miss him and his gardening advice and suggestions. He was such a staunch Democrat that I think he and I would have had a good time together making fun of Dubya--now I must carry on by myself with that particular mission. He died a few months before September 11th but, despite having served in WW2 and Korea, he would not have supported the Iraqi war. His view was that America should only enter wars when we had a moral imperative, not because of a suspicion. My Dad would not have agreed to "Shock and Awe." He would have been shocked and appalled.

2. We need rain. Our best chance of getting some is on Tuesday. I will keep fingers, toes and eyes crossed until then.

3. I believe I am having the occasional hot flash. At night it's blanket on, then blanket whipped off, blanket on, blanket whipped off. They happen during the day too. What a drag.

4. Miss Kiki Marie aka Sis aka Cat aka "MOVE!" aka Nesta hunted down a fly yesterday, cornered it against a living room window, caught it and promptly ate it. Maybe she needs more protein in her diet. Why does this cat seem to want to jump out in front of my moving feet, like she's in Parade Lead and get it the way? Maybe Rosa can answer that.

5. I don't want to do even one productive thing today.

I Miss Bill

I was flipping around the remote and landed on CPAN’s airing of today’s speech by Bill Clinton to the National Partnership for Women & Families.

Highlights:

There are 28 million people in the US who earn paychecks and yet do not have bank accounts. They cannot establish credit, qualify for mortgages or earn interest on their money. He said that there are more payday loan franchises in the US than McDonald’s. These payday loans make it easy for poorer people to get caught in a cycle that can charge astronomical interest—some $300 loans end up costing over $700. These 28 million people spend over 10 billion dollars a year on these alternative banking transactions.

He spoke a lot about health care reform and the encouragement of health care providers and insurance companies to promote Wellness Programs.

His foundation helps educate lower income families to apply for tax credits and helps them file tax forms and the like. He’s working for IRS reforms on the EZ forms so poor people don’t have to submit more than one form to apply for these tax credits.

He’s very articulate and optimistic about the future and says every problem in the world comes down to one question, “Do our differences matter more than what we have in common?” From health care to the war in Iraq.

I listened to him for almost an hour and he didn’t smirk or stammer or mispronounce words. Articulate. Charming. Well read. Caring. Smart. Charismatic. Ahhh . . .to have a President like that.

CPAN always reruns speeches. If you can, see it.

What's your pop culture blindspot?

Entertainment Weekly magazine asked their employees what famous movie/tv/book/etc they've never read. (Harry Potter/Simpsons/Sopranos were covered"

"I've never read a book by any of the big best-selling authors. I mean writers like Tom Clancy, Stephen King (sorry, co-worker once removed!), James Patterson, Danielle Steele, John Grisham, David Baldacci, Clive Cussler, Mary Higgins Clark, Nora Roberts, Dean Koontz, Janet Evanovich (have I left anyone out?). Basically this is because I still think that books, as opposed to TV and movies, are supposed to be ''good for you,'' so I only choose classics — you know, like Dickens and Stendhal — which I never pick up because they're too boring. (Maybe I should change this confession to ''I never read books.'')" — Tom Conroy


I think Tom Conroy's a bit of a snob. But here are some famous, well-reviewed shows past & present I've never seen:

ER
Hill Street Blues
NYPD Blue
Sopranos
St. Elsewhere
Ugly Betty
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (I'm a Letterman gurl)
Grey's Anatomy

Movie Recommendation

Breach
with the magnificent Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe, Laura Linney, Dennis Haysbert and Gary Cole

Excellent movie about "the worst spy in American history" Robert Hanssen. About a year after the Hanssen case broke (in February 2001) there was a Made-for-TV-movie about him starring William Hurt. That was a good movie with Hurt doing a good portrayal, but this film is more from the Bureau's viewpoint.
Hanssen was brilliant, a schlub, a pervert, and seriously fucked up. He's serving a life term in Forence, Colorado Supermax prison--23 hours a day in solitary confinement. A just punishment.
See the film.

She makes a nothing day

I have absolutely nothing to blog about today other than the fact I have nothing to blog about today.

Have a_________________ day.

Corporate Speak

I remember reading when Verbie said "gifted" was not a verb, so here's something I cringed at today:

This mean woman from THE COMPANY came into my office. We were talking about a meeting we have tomorrow with a guy named Michael. The meeting is scheduled for 8am, Mean Woman said, "Michael will not be here by then. His flight won't even arrive until 10am."

Me: Oh? I didn't know that.
MW: Well, I did. Michael and I office together.

She OFFICES together with Michael?? She doesn't have her office near Michael. She's not next to Michael. SHE OFFICES WITH MICHAEL. How fucking stupid is that?

The Holiday

I'm eating pistachios and thinking about The Holiday.


I think Kate Winslet is adorable. I didn't see (and will never see) The Titanic, but I've seen some other things she's been in and she's quite good. Her expression when she heard that her love Jasper was engaged to someone else is worth the whole movie. Her character's interaction with Eli Wallach's character is very sweet.


Cameron Diaz. Ugh. I like her better as Princess Fiona so I don't have to see her onscreen. I think her part could have been played by another actress and it would've been an even better movie. One thing that bugged me is that she was ready to leave Surrey (or "Suri" if you're a Cruise) after only one day--so what the hell was she going to do about Iris' dog!!? Just leave him in the house for two weeks?

I liked the little cameo of Dustin Hoffman at the video store.


Jack Black was good in this---less manic than his normal persona.


I think Jude Law is physically very pretty, and he played his part very well. He was quite charming in the scenes with the little girls who played his daughters. He has very beautiful lips and he kisses very well on screen. I understand he's a bit of a blob in real life, but "oh well."


Hasn't every woman had a motherfucking Jasper sometime in her life. The great part about this movie (and it is a romantic comedy after all) is that Iris finally woke up and told her Jasper to sod off.

Bits & Pieces

1. If there is such a thing as perfect weather, this would be it: mid 70's, sunny, not humid. In a word gorgeous.

2. I read that my Curb Your Enthusiasm crush Larry David and his anti-global warming wife Laurie are getting a divorce after being married a decade or so. This is sad. Good luck to them both.

3. BP is away working, LP is away with his friends (playing pool I think) so I am making a pizza for dinner with one of those Bobolo crusts. Grape tomatoes, real mozzarella cheese, crushed red peppers and parsley and basil from my garden.

4. I bought a flat of different kinds of coleus today and planted them in pots (picture forthcoming.) There are LOTS of plants in a flat and I ran out of pots, so I just stuck the leftovers in the ground. Coleus need shade and lots of watering, so the ones in th eground will probably die.

5. My youngest sister and her family left for Disney World today. They're staying in the Grand Floridian, and my sis booked my four year old niece a "Minnie" manicure and pedicure. I don't know if Minnie Mouse herself does the work (ha ha). She and my B-i-L have three kids and the kids have known they were going to Disney since Febuary and have been packed and ready to go since March. My niece has taken to wearing lip gloss and she doens't get the fact that you have to reapply it, and so she puckers up her lips all day long. My sis sent my niece's softball picture and Claire is there in her uniform , lips pursed and trying to look fierce. I called her and said, "Claire I love your picture! Did you wear lip gloss for it?" And she said, "Aunt Emma, how did you know!!??" Aunties know these things.


6. I rented The Holiday to watch tonight. I don't know why I got it--I am not a Cameron Diaz fan, so I hope she doesn't hog the whole movie!

Drunken Gnomes

Teri (of F and Teri fame) sent me a cool story about garage sales and this guy took a picture of these drunken gnomes he saw at a garage sale. Thanks, Teri!

Here's the story

Gnomes in the Home

A portion of my gnome collection sits on a filing cabinet.

A Song I Wish I Wrote

From a Paul McCartney interview with Newsweek:

Q: You wrote the most-covered song ever: "Yesterday." Do you ever get sick of it?


A: Not really, no. If you'd have written "Yesterday," would you? [Laughs] It's one of those, man. Come on! It's one of the most mystical things that ever happened to me, waking up one morning with that tune in my head. I mean, that's pretty far out. Recently, though, I realized I'd hardly heard any of these 3,000 cover versions. [Laughs] So I had someone make me a CD of the 10 most amazing covers: you know, Frank Sinatra, Elvis [Presley], Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles. The funniest thing was, three or four of them changed the lyric very subtly. Fabulous! In the middle I go, [sings] "I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday." I own up: "I said something wrong." But they don't! They go, [sings] "I must've said something wrong." [Laughs] Like, "I doubt very much whether I did. I must've. 'Cause she's gone." Check 'em out. See if they do "I must've said something wrong." Certainly Elvis does. He's not admitting a thing.



If you could have written a classic song, which one would it have been?
Here's only one that I would love to claim:


Our Love is Here to Stay
By George Gershwin

It's very clear
Our love is here to stay ;
Not for a year
But ever and a day.

The radio and the telephone
And the movies that we know
May just be passing fancies,
And in time may go

But, oh my dear,
Our love is here to stay.
Together we're
Going a long, long way

In time the Rockies may crumble,
Gibralter may tumble,
They're only made of clay,
But our love is here to stay.

Accent wall/Grocery

My Saturday was not relaxing. I finally painted the living room “accent wall.” It’s sort of the color of Moroccan leather mixed with a deep taupe. Now I have to get BP to rehang the pictures and such.

CAT HATER ALERT: CUTE CAT STORY COMING! I was up and down on this small four-foot ladder a lot. I took a break to go to the toilet/potty/loo and when I returned Miss Kiki Marie aka Nesta aka Sis was running up and down the ladder and having a good old time. I’ll bet in another life she was a circus cat. If I could train her to hold a paint brush I could be a wealthy woman. I’d pimp her out as a painter with posters like

NESTA THE PAINTING CAT
Too old to climb up and down ladders,
but still want a freshly painted room?
Cat Painter for hire
$2000/hour of painting and amusement


After the painting, I had to drag LP to the grocery store with me. What’s up with that? Should I, as his mother, simply have to say, “LP, I need your help at the grocery and I’d enjoy the pleasure of your company—hop in the car.”
But noooooooo it has to be a production. It’s not like I ask him to go every time.

He starts summer school and driver’s education tomorrow. If you are a pray-er, say one for me