Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Grammar - amongst other things.

Today I was thinking of grumbling about a bookshop and poor grammar. Then I thought, perhaps not. I had almost made my mind up not to do it when lo and behold somebody sent me a snarky little email containing just two words. An email that fed right into my ramble. So I decided to go ahead. I wouldn't name the emailer, even if I could. I can't even tell you if the person was male or female as they did not have the manners to sign their name. All the email said was "stereotype much". Not even a question mark. So I have no idea if they were calling me a stereotype, commenting that I was stereotyping, asking if I was either of these or simply had no idea of the proper use of the word. The only clear thing from the email was "how rude".

If calling me a stereotype. Yes, guilty as charged. If indicating that I was unjustly stereotyping people. Well, if it's true is it unjust?? And if complaining that I was being bigoted about construction workers and people with Irish ancestry - exactly what part of "I work in construction and my mother was Irish" wasn't clear from my post?? Or were they complaining that I was stereotyping the witch in the Wizard of Oz?? If that's the option then all I can think is WTF?? You're being rude to me about an seventy-year-old movie??

Now the grammar. I can't even decry the misuse of "much" as an American habit because it's becoming common here. But "much" as an adverb does not conform to "stereotype" as used. If it was supposed to indicate frequency then "often" should have been the adverb, "do you stereotype often??" If the objective was the depth of the stereotype "that way" (or "like that") was required. As in "do you always stereotype people that way??" But not the word "much". "Much" indicates something greater than another thing. As in "it was much further than he thought". And while I agree I'm great I would hesitate to claim that I'm greater than anybody else.

Which leads me to my bookshop grumble. There is a bookshop in Charing Cross Road called "Any Amount of Books". Any Amount. I want to find the person responsible for that and feed him or her the Oxford English Dictionary (the complete version) page-by-page. Yes it makes a nicely alliterative name but for God's sake. A bookshop owner should know better. Any Quantity of Books - please. Just as it's less pie but fewer grapes. Doesn't anybody teach good grammar any more??

No - no cheese thank you. I'm vegan. And Bless you E for doing the P&P update for me. I owe you. *g* Right I can hear a glass or three of uisghe beatha calling my name so I'm off to get stereotypically Irish construction worker plastered. And so I wish those of you for whom this is a year's end, Happy New Year and may your God(s) go with you

Ze


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Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Bored

Did anybody else read the title Tamara's post "Melting" and hear the voice of the witch from the Wizard of Oz?? Not that I'm implying that Tamara in any way, shape or form bears any resemblance to said witch of course.

Christmas is over. It's not the New Year yet. And the trouble is that I work in a trade that closes down for the whole week to ten days. Our last day of work, known here as Black Friday (totally different to America's day of the same name), is the Friday before Christmas. It has that name because the construction industry knocks off early. And comprising mostly male employees and a large number of those being of Irish descent, they like a drink. Or three. So they tend to hit the pubs about lunchtime and drink until they're kicked out. Twelve hours later. Irish plus lots of alcohol. Not a good combination. As my mother used to say, "The Irish are a peaceful race and I'll thump anyone as says different." I didn't. Get drunk or start a fight I mean. Though I did have a quick half with the lads.

So here we are, finished with work and we don't re-start until Jan 2nd. Which is why I'm bored. And broke. (Self-employed means no work=no pay.) We could do with some of E & Tamara's snow - at least I could go out & play in it. I've mended the socket in the kitchen, I've put up the new wall-washes in the lounge, I've repaired the cooker-hood. It's way too cold to weed the garden. I'm getting desperate. I'll be tidying the kitchen cupboards soon if I'm not careful. I'm just grateful we don't have a spice-rack. Tidying that would indicate a need for the men in white coats.

Ze


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Monday, December 29, 2008

Ramble from Jo

Jo seems to be liking the snow a lot more than we did.
Day 694 (...not)

Winter in MT means snow! Snow turns to ice. Snow on top of ice makes for interesting times - fish-tailing cars; slip sliding walks etc.

So far I've learned to shovel/sweep snow (not quite as straight-forward as you might think when the driveway is on a slope!); walk in the snow - a lot harder on the knees than the beach is; negotiate icy pathways.

I've also been to my first ever real live women's basketball game. Probably won't make it to tonight's game but tomorrow night might be ok.

It's a lot warmer than I expected - the houses here are fully insulated and double-glazed and have central heating (of some sort) - I'm sitting here typing this in a t-shirt - at home if the weather was like this I'd have many many layers on including big woolly jersey. And even when I was outside (30 mins ago) I just wore my cap to keep the snow off my glasses and wasn't cold enough for gloves. I love the snow pants - will have to buy some for myself (especially if I intend to do the MT winter again - but worth buying even for 5 weeks of snow).

I also have to remember to drink a lot more than normal as the air is very dry. And an unexpected problem is that I'm generating lots of static so have to remember to zap myself on something harmless rather than a computer!

I'm posting videos to youtube (www.youtube.com/user/dragonsinger57) photos to flickr (flickr.com/photos/dragonsinger57/tags/mt09/) and blogging at my livejournal site (kiwilessa.livejournal.com).


Jo Fothergill ...
... mother of spacegirl and gravelboy


In Montana they know how to handle snow. The same can't be said of Seattle. Thankfully ours is almost gone...we're just left with dirty piles along the roadside. Trash pickup has started up once again and maybe, just maybe, we'll get some mail today. Mike's mom sent a box of presents to the kids for Christmas and it still hasn't arrived.

Jo, you keep enjoying that white stuff. I'll take the rain.

Tamara


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Sunday, December 28, 2008

Rain

I love the rain and can easily say I've enjoyed it even more the last two days. Watching the snow melt away has been a joy. Sadly we had to drop Tamara's brother off late last night to fly home whereas today we were able to escape to Ikea. It wasn't even too crazy. I was very pleased as I only spent 26 dollars there. Last time they got like 300, so this is a splendid improvement.

Today with sun breaks and some drizzle we start to get back to the usual winter weather and I'm darn pleased about it. Back to work for me tomorrow, but hey it sure did feel like a long week.

Small update here, hence plenty of time to head back and see what you missed. Enjoy and have a great night.

Elisa

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Saturday, December 27, 2008

Melting

Slow day today. Went out to run a few errands (got that damn glue for the fireplace door) and the roads were so much better. The warmer temperature and the drizzly rain are slowly melting all of this snow. If we're lucky this will be our one bout with snow this winter.

Tamara

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Friday, December 26, 2008

Did Anyone Say Snow?

Let it stop, now. We shoveled our way to the mall and then came home where we shoveled snow off the roof since tomorrow we're expected to get rain. Add that on top of the not so nifty inches of snow on my flat roof and it seems like a disaster in the waiting. Tamara, her brother and I are tired. Very very tired. And yet our car is parked three blocks up the street since we're all sick of shoveling it out.

Tomorrow the prospect of rain is so so. I'd like to see this snow melt away, however in this city where is it all going to melt to is the next question? As far away from me is what I hope for.

Tamara's brother is here on vacation, he has never been to Seattle. What a trip...he arrives in a very bad snow storm and it continues to snow the entire week he is here forcing him to help shovel our vehicles out each day. And he was worried about missing his workouts at the Y.

Now back to your updates, enjoy.

Elisa

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Thursday, December 25, 2008

Early Resolution

I'm never going to touch E's fireplace insert again. A few weeks ago I came home and started a fire. Everything was going great until I tried to fit a particularly large log into the fireplace. A small part was sticking out. I figured maybe I could shut the door and it would squeeze it the rest of the way in. Did I mention the door is glass? Yeah, you guessed it. The log never did fit. The glass objected rather strenuously to pushing in that log too...it cracked.

I, of course, freaked. All I could envision was a $400 door replacement. Fortunate for me, all it required was a $100 glass fix. I paid for it, E was talked through the installation and voila! door as good as new. Minus the lovely etching of ducks taking wing over a pond too (E always hated that).

Now comes today. E's off at little e's other mom's house for Christmas lunch. I come home after hanging out at Mike's house all morning to get things started for our ham dinner. I decide to start a fire. Things go swimmingly...the fire is roaring, the room is heating up, all looks great.

I poke the fire for the 4th time and when it comes time to shut the door, it won't shut. Strange...what's the problem? I open the door and the fireproof cable that acts as a seal falls out. More freaking. Luckily E's got fireproof gloves because I'm frantically trying to squeeze that cable back in along the door frame. I say a few very choice words. The damn thing won't stay in. The fire proof gloves are smoking a bit the door is so hot. My arm is baking due to the raging fire I've managed to get going in the fireplace. I never did get the damn thing in. Even Mike couldn't get it to stay in. From the looks of it a glue/sealant needs to be applied.

It's not New Year's day yet but I know what my resolution will be. I am never, ever going to touch that fireplace again. E can make all the fires. She can feed them and poke them. I'll be a passive, non-destructive enjoyer of the fireplace. I think it's best that way.

Tamara

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Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Crimble

People go nuts at Christmas. The supermarket is closed for two days. Two whole days. That's all. Why do they go so crazy, steering a trolley, so full they can hardly see over the top of it, up to the check-out so they can hand over two months wages on food that they'll probably wind up throwing out in the New Year. Stuff they'd never usually buy. Picked walnuts for instance. I want to know who the hell first thought pickling walnuts was a good idea anyway. I mean - does anybody actually like them?? The lunatic shoppers buy jars and jars of them each year. And bread. Madam, are you sure you want to buy 45 loaves of sliced bread?? How much bread exactly are you going to want to eat at Christmas?? Any?? But the trolleys are full of it. Crazy. I went into Somerfield and came out with two loaves of bread and a bag of clementines. The cashier looked at me for a minute and then said, "Where's the rest??" I told her I wasn't going to celebrate Christmas this year as I'd decided to become a Zoroastrian. She looked at me and then said, "Can I join you?? I've had enough of this lot." I offered her my sympathy.

Now all that remains is for me to wish you all a Vrolijke Kerstmis, Frohe Weihnachten,Waes Haeil, God Jul, Feliz Navidad, Joyeux Noel, (The russian wouldn't come out right and I'm out of languages *g* sorry if I've missed yours) so a very MERRY CHRISTMAS one and all.

Ze

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Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Biting People is Wrong

I didn't. Well I haven't yet. But I came really, really close to it in Marks & Spencer today.

I love Christmas. I love cheesy Christmas songs. I love the whole thing. Mince-pies and Chrissie pudding and cards and carols and everything. But I hate, loathe and detest last minute Christmas shopping even more than I hate shopping in general. Unfortunately I had to go into the city centre (that's downtown to Americans) today and do some last-minute stuff. I hadn't got a present for one of my sisters yet. Every time I asked her what she wanted she said "Oh, don't buy anything, you don't have much money." Fine. So ask for something cheap then. Because even if she says not to buy anything you can bet your last farthing that she'll look wounded to the core if she doesn't get a pressie come Christmas Day!! So that's how I wound up in Marks & Sparks. I'm definitely not a Marks sort of person. But she is.

It would have been ok but two-thirds of the population of the British Isles all seemed to have chosen today to shop at our local M & S. And they were savages!! I tell you - there isn't a football hooligan on the planet who's half as vicious as a middle-aged, middle-class M & S shopper scenting a bargain. If one more of them had stuck me in the ribs with an over-size handbag, or stepped on my foot with stilettos I was going to bite. When I heard myself growl out loud at the woman who practically knocked me over in her haste to beat me to a bath oil gift basket I knew it was time to get out.

So I went to Cook Shop instead. An oasis of quiet. I found the perfect gift there, too. She's been grumbling for years that she hasn't got a decent butter dish. They had a whole shelf of them. I picked a nice, classic-style, white china one. Perfect. Now I just have to wrap it. That should be fun.

On a final note... aaargh... P&P updated. I've been lucky so far - E's had to deal with it. Bound to catch me eventually. *g*

Ze

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Monday, December 22, 2008

Ramble from phair

I love these rambles. Here's a spiffy one from the one and only phair.
Paying it forward, backward, starboard, and onward

The meteorologists and public safety people had us quaking is our collective snow shoes on Friday. A storm was moving into position to wallop the Commonwealth during the evening rush hour. They started calling it a Nor'easter on Wednesday. Even the hardiest among us good New England stock take care to prepare well when that kind of weather is on the way. These storms are quite simply deadly. It is not just surviving the initial wind, frozen precipitation, and sometimes lightning. Dealing with the aftermath of heavy wet snow, downed power lines, and freezing temperatures can be a killer.

But, we knew this one was coming. For the first time in a very long time, people planned ahead. Before the first snow fell, schools closed, shops locked their doors, workers hurried home, plows were mobilized, and police pointed, guided, and shouted us all the way to safety. And…we got hammered for more than 24 hours now. The heavy stuff ended early Saturday morning but the snow flurries have continued to swirl down from a low hanging gray sky. The worst is over until tonight when round two starts it all up again.

I live two houses up a steep hill. My driveway is four cars long. The house has a wrap around porch and a half dozen stairs. I do not own a snow blower. Stupid. What can I say, I'm afraid I'll lose a hand. Usually, I shovel a corner of the porch and the stairs, ski down to my car on my butt, grab the rock salt out of the back and toss it into the wind. Crappy plan. The only bright spot is the 4 wheel drive Jeep sitting at the edge of the driveway as close to the street but out of plow range as possible.

You can imagine the grimace on my face as I watched Dakota's legs disappear in the snow when I let her out back Saturday morning. I stood there in the single digit wind a few moments longer after she was finished 'freshing up' trying to decide if it really was a foot of snow or, perhaps, drifts. I sent the dog back down to make snow angels and determined the drifts were, in fact, deeper. Crap.

Knowing the snow would not melt or shovel itself, I started looking for dungarees and a sweatshirt while Dakota and the cats ate breakfast. I decided to give us all a break and turn the heat up to 68 degrees. My morning was suddenly interrupted with a knock at my front door. Nobody knocks on my door, especially in the winter. Then the knock came again.

"Want me to shovel you out?" Asked the young man wearing a bulky coat and ski-like mask which revealed only his cheekbones and happy blue eyes.

"That'd be great. How much?" I babbled gratefully.

His limited expression changed as the joy left his eyes.

He flatly stated, "You don't remember me."

He was wrong. The very second his expression soured, I recognized him. He was the grumpy, smart aleck teen who shoveled my driveway after a 3 foot snowstorm in 2005. He showed up with a few friends that night trying to wrangle enough money half assed shoveling for some purpose better left unmentioned.

He didn't even have gloves that night. My only pair was soaked through. I gave him a pair of brand new tube socks to keep on his angry red, frozen fingers. I think, I made them coco or gave them bottled water but I somehow got around to asking him about school. He said he passed his MCAS to graduate but had a couple of classes to finish. He was still trying more than two years after his peers finished 12th grade. His friends laughed at him but I ignored them. I told him not to stop trying. Get the 'God damn' degree and make a better life for himself.

All these years, I thought he didn't listen to me because I was pretty sure I saw his name a few times in the town paper's police logs. And because, he never had come back to offer to shovel.

"I do remember you. How'd you do getting your diploma?"

"I got my GED last spring," He told me with more than a hint of pride. "You were really generous to me the last time. Thank you."

I knew he didn't mean about the money for shoveling. "I'll give you fifty for the stairs and in front of the truck."

"Thirty would be good enough," he replied.

"I know."

By the way his eyes scrunched up I could tell he was smiling, "I'll give you my phone number and you call me if you ever need anything...like shoveling."

I shook his hand before he trotted down the stairs like he did the last time only this time he was working for himself.

It really is a season a miracles.

phair


The last ramble from phair that I read to my daughter she was jealous of snow. We now have over 10 inches on the ground. I loved this ramble, but I think I'll read this one to her later in the year. Phair, once again thank you and enjoy your snow!

To the rest of you, be safe, be well and enjoy!

Elisa

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Sunday, December 21, 2008

Time with Shovels

I spent the early part of the morning shoveling snow. Wow...a very uncommon feature here in Seattle. Sadly we were still unable to get the minivan up the street for us all to go to the mall. I was able to get my Scion out to pick up my daughter at her other mom's house, so that was good.

Last night we ended up at the airport picking up Tamara's brother who unfortunately had the trip from hell to get here. We then got to offer the trip from airport to home and more adventures in the snow. This city is not equipped at all for what has befallen us. Snow, more snow and yet more snow. Throw in some freezing rain and then tap down another few inches of snow today and you have extreme fun on the roads. My daughter did remind me though that is is splendid for sledding. I look forward to my rain.

Well enough of my ramblin's and if you want to see some pictures holler at us and we can gladly give you snow adventures for days.

Enjoy your updates!

Elisa

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Saturday, December 20, 2008

Shopping Hell

Yes, we've been all day shopping. Our week of ice and snow put the big ol' kibosh on finishing up Christmas shopping so today E, mom, the kids and I went to the mall. First we stopped at Cost Plus World Market to pick up keen stocking stuffers. What a cool store. We don't have those in Oklahoma. Next up was a totally packed Target. Can we say everyone was in the same boat?

The Alderwood mall was a nightmare. We did manage to get out alive and just in time. The line of cars entering the mall was much more horrendous than when we arrived around 11:15.

Before heading home we made one last stop at Central Market for a selection of local beer for my brother. Mom and the kids popped into Big Lots for more boxes.

Now E and I are sitting in a quiet house with a fire going. Dinner soon and after that my poor brother will be picked up at the airport. He started his trip to Seattle yesterday and is just arriving today. I'm not sure holiday travel is worth the headaches.

Let's hope his plane makes it in on time. The next snowstorm is heading our way and it looks to be a doozy.

Tamara

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Friday, December 19, 2008

Snow, Ice and Vacation

What a bizarre week. I spent half or more of it at home with kids and snow time. I'm on vacation all next week, hence I've been a bit stressed with what little time I did get at the office. Oh well...all that stress will be waiting upon my return on the 29th.

The snow and ice have put a damper on our shopping fun, but tomorrow we plan to get going nice and early and have a full day with thousands of other folks across the area. More snow and ice with wind thrown in is due on Sunday. Wow what an oddity this has all been. We get snow but it usually is a dusting or perhaps one day closed with some okay sledding at the park. This week...a winter wonderland with many inches and it has stayed in the 20's which is darn tootin' cold for us. Record making times I'm sure.

Tonight we're off to the Seattle Children's Theater to see The Wizard of Oz. We'll pile in the van and hope for the best.

Enough of my ramblings onto your updates, enjoy!

Elisa

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Thursday, December 18, 2008

Snow

This has been my week.... Monday school started an hour and a half late because of icy conditions and snow. The streets were darn icy too. Getting Cal to school was an adventure. The kids at my school were told to stay home (walking is an issue for some and we didn't want to risk injuries). Instead we had a day long meeting discussing each student. That was extremely helpful and something we never have time to do.

Tuesday school started on time. Cal went for a half day so mom kept my car, picked him up at 11:10 and then they picked me up from work at 3. The roads were much better though slippery in spots.

Wednesday I woke up once again to no school. The odd thing was it hadn't snowed...it was supposed to snow starting sometime in the morning and school districts in our area uniformly cancelled school due to the impending huge dump of snow. Bonus. A day home from work. We puttered, we went to Fred Myer, we ate lunch...still no snow. Finally around 3 pm hard almost hail-like little pellets started falling upon Shoreline. It was supposed to continue until midnight. It stopped snowing around 7 pm.

I warned Duncan not to count on Thursday being another snow day. I told him go to bed with the idea in his head that tomorrow we were going to school. I figured why be disappointed. The snowfall we got wasn't bad. The roads were much more passable than they were on Monday after all.

So imagine my surprise when I was poked awake by E at 5:30 (she's a disgustingly early riser) and told no school today. Overnight the snow continued off and on in Shoreline but it went gangbusters in Seattle proper. E braved work today (imagine seeing folks on their cross country skis getting around the steep, snowy streets) but came home before lunch.

The kids have had a good time sledding at the park. I made cookies. Mom wrapped a few presents. All of us, with the exception of Mike who (crazy man that he is) went into work, have stayed far away from city streets.

I'm thinking tomorrow Duncan can sleep in again. Christmas break started a little early for us this year. Now if I can just pop over to work before the weekend is over and grab Luz's bag of Christmas cookies...three weeks in the staff office won't be kind to them.

Tamara
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Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Waiting

No wonder they call us patients. Coz you certainly need a lot of patience to be one. Spent most of today at the hospital. No - don't panic - I haven't injured myself again. It was just the latest in a long line of check-ups following my bike crash of late 2006. They haven't been accepting a lot of new admissions or out-patient appointments recently because of a rather nasty bug, the details of which you really don't want to know. Especially if you're eating. So, now that they are accepting patients again, they're like the vicar's wife - all behind.

I got there well early for my appointment. And sat in the waiting room. And sat. Three-quarters-of-an-hour after my appointed time I finally got to see tan orthopaedic doc. He put my shoulder through its paces, causing immeasurable agony and many choice words. Then he sent me down to x-ray. More waiting. An hour later, duly x-rayed, I returned. To wait some more. Half-an-hour to be precise. He checked the x-rays then informed me that I was fine but that my shoulder would ache for the rest of my life. No really?? All this waiting and I could have told you that on the flipping phone!! He handed me over the neurological consultant. After waiting (only 15 minutes this time) the neurosurgeon sent me for a scan. And hour-and-a-quarter later I got my scan. I hate those things. Scan completed it was back to the consultant. More waiting. Good news there at least. The blood clot is finally dissolving. This means I'm getting better. Which in turns means I might get my site safety certification back in the new year. If I do then I can work on scaffolding again!! Not that there's a lot of construction work with the current economic mess but still...skip, hop, hop, shuffle, skip... this is me doing the happy dance.

But 6 hours and 27 minutes in order to have two x-rays, one scan and a whole 18 minutes of consultation. That's why we have free healthcare - can you imagine the riot if they asked us to pay!! Seriously though - I love the NHS. Wouldn't trade it for all the gold in Ireland!!

Ze

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Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Village Life

First a message from the webmistress and community of The Center for Xena Studies

    We just wanted to let you know that the CFXS is still up and running after its recent facelift and we are actively seeking new fanfic and fan poetry for our fanfic section. It should be Xena based (of course). It can be classic Xena, conqueror, Mel and Janice or Uber Xena. We accept alt, het, and gen stories. Drop by and take a look and if you have a Xena story you'd like to see on our site then contact us. (The contact information appears on the fanfic page).


Now natter from me. A message board, of which I'm a member, recently had a discussion around the oddities of small town life. I thought my contribution would make a good ramble. We don't really have small towns here. Regardless of size if it has a Royal Charter or a Cathedral it's a city, if it doesn't then it's a town. Eighteen people and a cathedral - city. Twelve million people and no Charter or cathedral - town.

I guess the nearest we have to what you call a small town would be a village. Villages are strange places (as anyone who's ever watched The League of Gentlemen or Little Britain will know). They have wonderful names. Pratt's Bottom (Kent), Cold Christmas (Essex), High Easter (Essex).

I was born & bred in the centre of London - hardly a small town. In my early 20s I made a short migration to Essex. I wound up living on Canvey Island. It really is an island - in the Thames Estuary. It's also a village. It's where I was living when the incident of The Butch and the Bacon Sandwich occurred. But that was near the end of my time there. The story which follows takes place shortly after I first moved in.

I'd been there about a month and was nicely settled. I decided one Saturday to wander down to the village centre for breakfast as there was a little cafe there which I'd heard did a cracking fry-up. I walked in and the chap behind the counter greeted me in a thick Essex accent (a true old-fashioned one - not one of the modern related-to-London Estuary English sort. The kind where "Have you got a light, boy" becomes "ae y'go' a li' bi"). Translated what he'd said was "Morning Sir, what would you like." I was about to correct him when he looked up and blushed. He said "Sorry, you're not a sir, are you. You're that new lady who likes ladies that's moved in to Malcolm's that's studying law at the Uni".

I was gobsmacked. I mean - apart from the fact that I don't think anybody had ever called me a lady before - I wondered how he knew the rest of it. I must have looked stunned because he started to explain. "The milkie told me." Huh?? I didn't get a milk delivery. He elaborated. "He had it from the post-woman". Okay - that made some sense - she'd delivered letters with the Uni stamp on them - and my copy of Solicitor's Journal. But the rest?? At that point his wife came out. Her first words were "You shouldn't be hanging with trash like that, she's not good enough for you. You need a nice young lady to go out with. Someone who'd make a good wife". By now I was wondering if the cigarette I'd had that morning had contained something more than tobacco.

The chap chimed in again. "The post-woman's husband runs the taxi from town." Right. Gotcha. I'd been clubbing, picked up a meaningful overnight relationship and brought her home by taxi the previous weekend. That explained the knowledge. The next comment floored me. He said, "My niece is one of you. She needs a nice lady husband to make her happy. She'd like you. Do you ever go to Clacton??" I was now wondering how much I'd have to pay in penalty fees if I cancelled my six-month tenancy agreement five months early. Gamely I replied that no, I never went to Clacton. He was not to be denied. "She could come here." I agreed that yes, she probably could but no, I wasn't the marrying kind and that the trashy women I brought home were fine thanks. He looked terribly disappointed.

I got used to the fact that, by way of this bush telegraph, every single soul would know before sun rise on Saturday exactly what kind of woman I met on Friday night. They even knew all the details when I ended up in a relationship for two-and-a-half years. Some of them knew before I did!!

I often ate there during the five years or so I lived on Canvey. He always looked disappointed though every single time I went in.

They really did do a killer fry-up though.

Ze

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Monday, December 15, 2008

Another fun one, sort of...

School for the kids was delayed 2 hours, hence sleep in time! Unfortunately the ice and snow also meant it was awfully darn cold this morning, and my new tankless water heater I had installed this year froze up at one of the valves. I spent the day with plumbers. Friendly ones that did the work for free, hence not to bad of a deal. Over all a hectic day.

Enjoy your updates!

Elisa

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Sunday, December 14, 2008

Snow and Cookies

We had very excited kids this morning as the snow fell and left plenty for the morning. We spent the first few hours of our day sledding at the park. Then home for a day of cookie making adventures. We made Russian Teacakes, Snickerdoodles, Lemon Bars, Toffee Bars, and started some Cream Cheese cookies that we will finish up tomorrow with Magic Cookie Bars and Spritz and perhaps some Rice Krispy treats.

Monday is the start of one more week of work before a nifty week off, hence gonna be a long one.

Elisa

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Saturday, December 13, 2008

No Snow...Yet

We successfully picked up mom at the airport. I think the new family dynamic is still a bit odd for her (to put it mildly) but hopefully as she sees it in action she'll be more comfortable. She had to get up awfully early today to catch her flight. I suspect she'll be crashing about 7 pm Seattle time. Hope Cal's ready to go to bed that early because we all know he'll sleep with her the whole time she's here. He did miss his mamaw.

And before you get off to reading today's updates, take a gander at this missive from Lara Zielinsky. She's working hard to raise money to send her son on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Japan.
Lesbian Fiction titles being sold for fundraiser!

I have put the following lesbian fiction books on eBay. All are autographed. All are in "brand new" or "like new" condition with no broken spines or significant wear on the covers or pages). I am raising money for my son's participation in the People to People Student Ambassador program. More information about the program can be found here: www.peopletopeople.com. My son's blog on the fundraising can be found here: jhzfund.blogspot.com.

If you are interested in these items, please click the links and enter a bid. The auctions are open for only a short period (3 days), to informally guarantee delivery for Christmas/Hanukkah.

LJ Maas' "Meridio's Daughter" (2001; Yellow Rose Books / Renaissance Alliance)

KG MacGregor's "Mulligan" (2006; Bella)

Fran Heckrotte's "Bloodlust" (2007; Intaglio)


Y'all enjoy the updates!

Tamara

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Friday, December 12, 2008

Finally

Weekend arrives with yet more to be done. Tamara's mom flies in tomorrow morning and we may have some snow for her. The original forecast was for snow tonight, but per usual that did not occur. Around here weather forecasting is more like fortune telling. Best move is to wait for it to appear and call it then.

I think our plate is filled with shopping and perhaps cookies this weekend. We'll see how it goes.

May you all have a splendid evening. Enjoy the updates.

Elisa

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Thursday, December 11, 2008

Snow

Snow is in the forecast for our area this weekend. The kids are excited at the prospect. I'm ambivalent. I don't have any plans for driving beyond picking my mother up at the airport. She's visiting for the holidays. Weather forecasting is tough in this area so we'll see if snow happens.

Tamara

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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Bits

It's flippin' freezing. Seriously. It's minus one celcius out there. The pond is frozen. Is it summer soon?? Please. Nope, loads more cold to go yet. We've no snow though. It's not fair. How can it be this cold and we haven't had snow. Mind you - I bet all those folk up in the north of the country would rather not have had the stuff they have had.

Footy. The lads were away to Porto tonight. Porto got their revenge & beat us 2-0. We still qualified for the next stage, just not top of the group. Which means we meet a top team in the next round. Knowing our luck it'll be Liverpool or Man U or Barcelona and we'll get well & truly stuffed. Ah well.

Got a new channel on the cable recently. Sky Arts 2. Wicked!! We don't do well for Opera on tv here. In fact usually we're lucky to get one a year, over Christmas. Sky Arts is brill!! Three operas a week. Fantastic. Getting to see, for no extra cost, all the season of Live From the Met. that was shown, direct from New York, in cinemas at 20 quid a go. I'm dead chuffed.

Ze

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Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Announcement

We have a notice from JL NIcky this evening - so you'll be spared my pearls of wisdom for now. I was only going to witter on about inconsequential rubbish anyway. JL Nicky says...


    Hey all,

    I'm just announcing a new group in Facebook that I've started.

    Lesbian Speculative Fiction Group Global

    I hope to increase the interest and knowledge of our authors that write the Sci-fi and Fantasy books that we enjoy. Come on....don't tell me you haven't picked up a Jane Fletcher book and said.... WOW! Cate Culpepper? Gun Brooke? You know you read em... make sure you take a moment to share the knowledge you have.

    The group is mostly about support so we will be listing publishers that sell/produce/advertise/and darn well push out Speculative Fiction around the globe.

    The group will also discuss topics about these authors and events that happen annually (i.e. Gaylaxicon, GCLS Goldies).

    Take a look if you are a Facebook junkie. I started the group based on my yahoo forum Lesbian Specfic anyway. We have over 200 members there and I have loved the conversations that ensue.

    Hope to see you soon,

    JLNicky


So there you go. Just a quick reminder - if you do use Facebook (I don't) remember to be careful of the Koobface worm. And now - on with the show.

Ze

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Monday, December 08, 2008

Ramble from phair

I do enjoy rambles and tonight we once again catch up with phair.
First Snow

It is snowing up here in the Commonwealth. Our first real snow storm of 2008. We didn't get much in the way of snow last year after a sneaky six incher just before Christmas. But, that was 2007. The remainder of last winter was butt biting cold with a few frozen flurries but no truly shovelable snow. So, 2008 is a late starter it would seem. At least by the measurement of fluffy white, freezingly wet precipitation accumulation.

The snow this morning was no surprise. And, not because the weather guy with the perfectly straight white teeth and light tan told us it was coming. All anyone needed to do to know there would be snow this morning was stand in the yard last night and look up. Our usual window into the infinite expanse of twinkling black was transformed into an ever bowing, soaking wet ceiling. The stars were hidden behind dreary curtains of heavy gray clouds. The moon made a brief appearance as a hazy sliver of white which was smothered out long before midnight.

But, it was the smell which promised with certainty snow would fall. It is the unforgettable smell of winter which is quickly forgotten each spring. It's at once both cold and warming with a taste of salt. First breath in shocks the nose and chills the lungs. It quickly warms to the body but cools the host lulling the brain. Sleep will beckon if one lingers too long. Endless slumber follows for any lengthy lack of warmth. Winter and death are not merely metaphors for each other but the life of nature in the north.

My grandmother taught me to watch the sky for darkening clouds and brewing storms and trust my nose for snow. She respected the Atlantic and feared the wind. Haze around a December moon meant nothing but trouble to her. And, the smell of cold in the air was as good as snow on the ground because one always followed the other.

My grandmother is long since gone and even longer since last sane. I seldom think of her and even less seldom think of her kindly. Yet each year, as winter begins again, I remember what she taught me and feel some comfort in the thought that nothing really important has changed in the hundred years since her birth.

phair


Thanks, phair, I know we all appreciate your sharing. And let me tell you my daughter will stand on our front porch hoping for the white stuff to fall. She awaits those heavy clouds in hopes that our area's average 2 inches will be wiped away once again this year.

Have a good night, folks and enjoy the updates!

Elisa

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Sunday, December 07, 2008

Sunday Shopping

Strange how one little thing like going for a haircut turns into more. I wanted to stop at Target to get movies for my cousin for Christmas. She loves horror films and I take great delight in picking out a few each year for her. Being at Target we, of course, had to visit the toy section. I ended up leaving with more than just two movies.

Then I remembered I needed a birthday card for Mike's mom. I found one but I also picked up stocking stuffers for the kids. All told we left the house around 10 and got home by 2.

We arrived home just in time for a special Christmas delivery for the kids: one trampoline. Little e's grandparents went all out and purchased one for all three kids. We're covering the cost of the trampoline fence/surround. I would prefer that the Lord of Chaos not have the inevitable meeting with hard ground. It's too bad they have to wait for Spring to have it set up.

Tonight...hopefully peace and quiet before the new work week.

Tamara

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