Monday, February 28, 2005
Monday, Monday
Not much going on today.
Composition Class was a snore. For a three page paper on a cultural phenomenon, there sure is too much time devoted to getting it going.
Algebra test returned a 93/100, which is so much better than I had hoped for…
The weather turned cold again down to 21, with snow flurries all day. Oscar does not like this and goes out and comes back in at regular intervals. He looks at me like I should be able to hurry up with the warmer temperatures!
I read a full, complete, fiction, romance book. Summer I Dared by Barbara Delinsky borrowed from the public library. It is so new that there is a 7-day limit and a waiting list. After reading it, I think Husband and I should start saving up and making plans to have a vacation on an island in Maine, and eat lobster caught fresh that morning. He has had the pleasure in his youth, but says he would be quite willing to repeat the experience.
Golly, the hour is late. The dishes are still piled up all over the counters. I am going to load the dishwasher and get to bed.
Sunday, February 27, 2005
The best part of the Oscars
The Oscars were quite nice, very tame, considering Chris Rock was the Host. There were three best parts:
1) When Chris Rock went out to a cineplex and interviewed members of the Public. Every one had seen White Chicks but no one had seen any of the movies in the Best Picture category.
2) Josh Groban sang BELIEVE the theme song from The Polar Express and later Antonio Banderas sang a song in Spanish while Carlos Santana strummed the guitar
3) Clint Eastwood introduced his 96 year old mother and thanked her for the longevity genes
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Without proper manners
Speaking as an observant bystander, I think the actions of others can say a great deal about a person. Here’s what happened.
I was at the grocery store (won’t name it, it is not the one I usually go to, yet I happened to be on that side of town), which is a very busy place to be on a Saturday afternoon.
There was a line at the check-out lane, but I wasn’t in any hurry. The people ahead of me, there was a guy and a gal each in early to mid-twenties, a baby just able to sit up and reach out sitting in the seat of the cart, and a little girl about age three walking around, and looking, and asking a million questions.
More Without proper manners... below the fold
Thursday, February 24, 2005
He loves me, he loves me not….
This evening, Husband took a look at my miserable, aching sinus face and told me to take a stool into the shower and just “be there” in the steam and start feeling better.
Then he packed his bag for his workout at the gym, and as he left the room said,
I am going to be next to scantily clad women and get hot and sweaty.
GO FOR IT, FELLA….
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
A Calm Spring Day
There are some things which should not be shared, and a cold is one of them. Misery does not love company in this case, so I shall not burden you with the details. As I sit here munching chocolate covered peanuts and reading other people’s blogs and having to clean the screen twice because of spewing while reading or sneezing, I can say, this last 40 minutes has not been real noteworthy.
More A Calm Spring Day... below the fold
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Now it’s here…
After months of respite, after no sick time since being done with the daycare center, no visits so far this winter to the day-clinic,
and my luck has run out. I have a cold.
Stuffy head, drippy nose, aching shoulders and many of the other ailments mentioned in the medicine commercials.
Perhaps a bit of a nap can get me fine enough to do some Algebra problems. Also have to do research for a Paper in Composition class.
I told the son he could have the car. I am not going anywhere. The light of the monitor is exascerbating the headache.
Gonna go.
Monday, February 21, 2005
Doing Homework
There’s a buddy from the old college days who lives in Ft. Myers, FL. When I saw the page in the Algebra book, I just had to send off a note to her. This is a great way to postpone the inevitable and study for the Quiz coming tomorrow morning!
Dear Cindy,
In my Algebra book is a picture with a word problem.
Banyan Tree
The largest banyan tree in the continental United States is at the Edison House in Ft. Myers, Florida. The circumference of the aerial roots of the tree is 390 feet.
Find the diameter of the aerial roots to the nearest tenth of a foot.
On the facing page is a picture of Tom Hanks as he appeared in CASTAWAY (as my romance novels say he is “naked to the waist.” Sigh) and the problem wants the student to find the circumference of the volleyball.
I’d like to just stay right here and not go on with the homework.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Sunday, February 20, 2005
“Whatcha readin?” meme
I saw this over at Decrepit Old Fool and decided to go along…
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don’t search around and look for the “coolest” book you can find. Do what’s actually next to you.
I looked around, but all the books within reach are children’s books. Picture books, and none have enough pages to qualify.
So I cheated just a wee bit and went to the shelf behind the door of the bedroom.
The gold and black cover of WISH YOU WELL by David Baldacci caught my eye.
Page 123 fifth sentence:
“He was a real writer. He didn’t have to go around quoting other people.”
Which ain’t so bad for a fiction book.
More “Whatcha readin?” meme... below the fold
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Staying in on a cold night
I drove over to IWU for a concert that had been announced in the paper as beginning at 7pm.
Parked blocks away, walked past 7 huge buildings, got to the one where the music was to take place. A small sign on the door saying it had been moved to another hall.
Walked past 4 huge buildings, climbed at least 30 steps, and when I got to the door, the lady apologized and said that the paper had it wrong, the concert starts at 8pm.
She was laying out CDs of the musician/performer, so I asked if I could buy one, there and then. I handed over exact cash, then was on my way.
There was no way I was going to wait around for an hour on a snowy evening when there is a comfy couch, plenty of teabags, and a large bag of fresh yarn to get into.
Husband just put a vhs tape into the machine. HELLFIGHTERS with John Wayne.
Will write something else at another time.
Hope your weekend is cozy!
Friday, February 18, 2005
Romance is happening!
This being the week of Love and all, I have had occasion to have some conversations about it.
The first was Monday itself, when I had an Advisory meeting with my Instructor about Paper One. I managed to earn an 87 on it, having some extra credit points, and that is just about all the effort I am willing to put in on head lice. Writing to formula just ain’t where it’s at for me. When one comes across as intelligent in writing, one usually gets responsibility thrust upon her, usually without money to help matters along.
More Romance is happening!... below the fold
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Latest baby afghan
This is the baby afghan I am working on. The first row of the border is about halfway done. The third row will be a picot because I don’t like fringe, which gets in a baby’s eyes or mouth. I just don’t like to mess around with cutting all that yarn. The picot looks nice on just about everything I have ever done.
Contents: 100% Peaches and Creme 4-ply cotton yarn.
Color: Shaded Pastels.
I am using my new walnut wood size I crochet hook, though it is in shadow in the picture.
This is the first thing I have made with it, and I can say that I absolutely love working with a smoothe wood hook.
The pattern is just a double crochet stitch straight across, grabbing only the front loop for each stitch. I didn’t count the number for the foundation chain or anything.
I am not sure what the finished measurements will be.
It will be for my friend Sue’s grandbaby. I will have to package it up and send it to Germany before mid-April.
Here’s some homework
I promised myself I would sit down and write an entry when I got done with my Algebra homework.
However, I can’t seem to finish it. One problem I just gave up on, and will ask the Instructor tomorrow.
The other one, maybe you can help me with.
It is dear to my heart, because I have been known to crochet yards of lace.
Problem:
To trim the edges of a rectangular tablecloth, 42 feet of lace are needed. The length of the tablecloth is exactly one-half its width. What are the dimensions of the tablecloth?
I peeked back at the answers, and once I know that, it all makes sense. I cannot figure how it comes about.
formula: the perimeter = 2 times length plus 2 times width
More Here’s some homework... below the fold
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Assess the Situation
I have always liked shopping at TARGET. It became even more important last Christmas season when word got out that the Red Kettles for Charity (and you know sets up those) would not be allowed to be ringing the bells on TARGET premises. My ears are so appreciative. Certain tones get my nerves jangling and there are several seconds when I am in actual pain. I don’t know if this is because of all the dental work, that I haven’t been to the chiropractor in a long time, or what my husband says “don’t pay so much attention. You make too much of such a little thing”. The other thing about TARGET is they have always donated items and gift certificates to the school raffle. Multiply that by about 20 schools in town, these things add up.
More Assess the Situation... below the fold
Sunday, February 13, 2005
A little this and that
There are a few things going on, but I am too busy to get them in order, and too tired to type.
My wrists hurt because I am the church janitor for most of a week. The regular guy had to go out of town for a funeral. Dry mop, wet mop, vacuum, move wall partitions, carry tables. And tomorrow all over again. Besides which, the dishwasher was leaking, so I had to do some detective work and mop up that mess. What doesn’t kill me builds character.
Last night, DOF and I went to the historic Normal Theatre to see a movie VERA DRAKE, but I am too tired to figure out how to get the link to work. The plot took place in 1950 in England, and the woman worked as a maid, but on the side “helped girls” by an illegal action. Moved kinda slow, but then most British movies do. Pro-choice, pro-life, whatever her reasons, she got sentenced to two years in prison after one of the girls nearly died. I would say she was practicing medicine without a license was her worst crime. Not letting her family know about it was next.
I got my Algebra homework mostly done this afternoon. Son Chris tried to be a good tutor, but the information just isn’t connecting inside my brain. Practice does not make perfect, but I gotta pass this class to get going with the stuff I really want.
Whenever I figure that out, you all will be informed ASAP.
golly, look at the time. The sheets are calling. Pray the rain stays just so, because if it gets colder and turns to snow, I will have to clear the walks around the church building in time for the HeadStart class there and me to be at Algebra.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Live on the Radio!
On Wednesday evening, Husband and I were at a meeting where someone we haven’t seen in awhile showed up. The things a person can learn while listening to a guy who has lived most of his life working the corn and soybean fields. I would like to say more, but I didn’t ask him if it would be okay, and there is a confidentiality clause when we have our get togethers.
Let’s just say that being with a good friend is a nice way to pass the time.
When we got home, there was a note from Chris saying the band was in Bloomington at IWU radio station WESN. He wrote that we should Tune In at 10:30pm.
Well, I was tired enough already, so I got ready for bed. While doing so, I turned on the little radio that sits on the stand, and adjusted the dial. Sure enough, the announcer gave a little pep talk, then the guys began to play—Live over the airwaves!
Having heard the practice often enough, I could see with my mind’s eye all the fingering and know who next would be stepping up close to the microphone.
They played a couple of their usuals, then they joked a bit with the Announcer. Sounded like a bunch of fellas who are good friends having a good time. Except for that little while, they were not in my living room, they were on the set of a radio station! The inside jokes, the finishing each other’s sentences. These are guys who spend much time together and do alright about it.
There was one song I haven’t heard before, and the singer seemed a bit nervous. I thought because of being Live on the Radio—why, the whole county could be listening!
This morning, I told Chris it should become one of the standards, what a heartbreaker of a song. They are still working on it. Music and lyrics and practice take a bit of detail.
Such talent is growing hereabouts. College classes, the paycheck jobs take up so much time and energy. There will come a day and opening for fame and fortune. Sooner rather than later, eh?