Wednesday, July 14, 2010

More Rain

I am not having a good day. Right at the moment I'm soaked (again!!). This time it's only my lap (The shirt across my stomach area and down my jeans - both legs - to my knees). And it's coffee this time not rainwater. I've just dropped an entire mug (500ml - about 16fl oz) of coffee into my lap. It was hot. My language was brutal. I said the "f" word more times than the opening sequence of Four Weddings and a Funeral. As soon as I've finished my updates I'm stripping off, sticking these clothes into the washing machine (along with my work clothes from earlier) and going to bed.

It's not the first time I've been soaked to the skin today. That rain I spoke of yesterday?? It's been here all day today. Torrential downpour. I spent pretty much the whole day soggy. From my head to my ankles completely drenched. (My feet stayed dry due to excellently waterproofed work boots). I looked like a drowned squirrel. (I'm too cute to look like a drowned rat *g*).

The rain was so heavy that, even though the ground was bone dry, the earth couldn't absorb it fast enough and it settled as giant puddles (and small lakes) all across the site.

We had thunder and lightning, too. First all year. Spectacular lightning at that. The storm was right overhead at one point - flash and crash almost simultaneous. And I was out in it. With a spade. Trying to dig. There was a hell of a flash and the most spectacular streak of forked lightning hit the ground about 2 metres in front of me. The static from it made all my hair stand up. Really. Just like those miniature Van der Graaf static electricity generators they have in museums like our Science Museum . All the hair on my arms too. At that point I was incredibly grateful for double-insulated safety boots and spades with wooden, rather than metal, handles. Because wet ground and lightning bolts are not a good combination.

I decided that, if even the sky was telling me to get the hell out of the rain, I would go and sit in the portakabin and wait out the storm with the lads. It was boring. The radio wasn't working. I daren't use my laptop. The cards had gone missing. The choice of newspapers was - well - not to my taste. (I prefer papers with actual news in them.) And the Evans twins were arguing and probably about to start a fight - again!! (They do that when they're bored). I stood it for half-an-hour. Then I couldn't take it any more. Getting soaked was preferable.

I didn't get home til gone 7pm (19 hrs). Fed up and in need of coffee. Fortunately I'd had three cups by the time this one went into my lap. If I hadn't the results would not have been pleasant!!

See - told you - typical Brit. Already complaining about the weather again.

On an more cheerful note. It was Bastille Day in France today. Although we're an English-language site I'm sure we have French readers, so - hope you had a good Bastille Day over there.

Oh, and - reposting the link to Diva's Demise tonight as I bolloxed the information yesterday. It's right now. Also posting this brilliant collage giving pics of the fandoms involved (coz posting this is much easier than listing them all *g*).

Hope your day went better. Goodnight and may your God/s go with you.

Ze

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Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Tis raining cats, tis raining dogs

Can't think of much to say tonight. I haven't really done a lot except work. (Got to make the most of the good weather). And watch footy. Of course, being British we've all had a moan about the weather. I sometimes wonder what we'd do if we couldn't grumble about it.

Earlier in the year it was too wet. Now it's too dry. And it's been "close" (humid) with it.

It's been hot for several weeks (between 25 & 30c - which is really, really hot for England - and no rain. And it hasn't cooled down much at night. The ground was dryer than dry. Normally even if the top is dry, digging down a little will produce damp soil. But not lately. Lately it's been dry as far as a couple of spits. (A spit is the length of the spade's blade).

My poor allotment was crying out for water. And when you have an allotment that measures ten rods and is packed with thirsty veggies, and has to be watered with a watering can filled from a stand-pipe at the other end of the allotments (about 300 metres distant) it's no fun.

People have grumbled a treat. There was talk of a hose-pipe ban in the north-west of England.

Until today. Today it rained all day. And it was great. The forecast for the rest of the week is rain, too. I can practically hear my tomatoes sighing in relief... As am I.

Tis raining cats, tis raining dogs, tis pouring from the skies,

Tis fun for fish, tis fun for frogs - but oh - poor butterflies!!

Ze

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Monday, July 12, 2010

One of Those Days

Too much to do...even thought a lot was done, tons was left for tomorrow making it look great as well. Came home to a dead desktop (working off my laptop) feeling bummed and very very tired.

And yet, I have a job, house and working laptop [and a wonderful girlfriend - Ed.], hence time to stop moping and consider myself lucky.

So with that...enjoy your updates!

Elisa

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Sunday, July 11, 2010

Slugs

What has our Sunday been like? Lazy. We did manage to get out of the house for hair cuts and dog walking. The rest of the time has been spent in glorious slugdom with E on Facebook playing games and me entering comics into ComicBase while watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I also check in on my Facebook games from time to time.

Our heatwave seems to have broken. The morning was cool and overcast. The sun made an appearance around lunch time but it's still a manageable 71 F. All in all, it's been a wonderful weekend. Hope yours was splendid as well.

Lots to read tonight...enjoy 'em.

Tamara

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Saturday, July 10, 2010

Weekend Day 1

First up, congratulate us for actually remembering to do the update on time today.

We spent the day relaxing and we even got to a movie. We went and saw The Karate Kid. I liked it and I really like the original as well and was skeptical of an update. But I was happily surprised and pleased with the characters and the storyline. Well done in my book.

Not much other than that for us today. Relaxing in slightly cooler weather. I'm happy about that as well.

Now on to your updates...enjoy them!

Peace, Health, and Happiness.

Elisa

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Friday, July 09, 2010

Late Friday Nght

Yeah, we're a wee bit late with the update today. Time got away from us and, before we knew it, the evening had flown by and we hadn't done the update. But...it's here now for your reading pleasure.

Tamara

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Thursday, July 08, 2010

Comfort Zone...

Each of us has one. Tamara's is different from mine. As we both sit in our house (no AC) with temps in the mid 90's, I am not comfortable in my shorts. Tamara on the other hand is comfortable in her jeans and t-shirt. I am a true Seattlelite wimp. Heat no...Tamara on the other hand grew up in Oklahoma, heat standard summertime event. When I was a kid the average temp in the summer was 72....perfect! Hers I am sure was in the 90's, hot and they even have humidity...bah. Me wimp and happy about it. My comfort zone is not today. When next week's weather front returns us to 77... drizzle with sunbreaks...I can be a happy camper again. Until then, Tamara can enjoy the heat and I will not.

Now enough of my whining...may you all have a good evening/day.

Peace, Health, and Happiness.

Elisa

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Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Checking spam

I don't do it very often. In fact I have been known to simply delete the contents of my spam folder without looking. Only once, and I deleted an important email from the Inland Revenue without realising. Nearly got myself into a whole lot of trouble over that one. Ever since then I at least scan the subject headers before deletion.

What I don't do is check the folder often enough. I should, because my spam-filter is vicious. Not a lot gets through. Unfortunately it also scoops up a few things that aren't spam. It grabs anything with a non-standard type of email addy. Such as anything with just a couple of letters and numbers. It grabs anything where the subject is in text-speak or the English is incorrect (probably because a lot of spam messages, related to increasing a bodily appendage I don't possess, replace letters with numbers, mix upper & lower case and/or deliberately misspell words). Of course this means that if a genuine email is sent and the header is misspelt by accident it still gets caught.

I happened to notice last night that my spam folder contained a couple of hundred messages and thought, "Oops. I'd better look at that." So this evening I did just that. I hadn't realised it had been so long since I checked. Along with a hundred or so of the afore-mentioned offers to increase girth, length or stamina, and the bargains in software (that I don't want, wouldn't buy even if they were genuine, and always make me wonder if people really are naive enough to risk the link), and of course the offers from ladies and gentlemen in Nigeria (it's always Nigeria) who are appealing to me as a sister-in-Christ to help then indulge in a financial transaction of dubious honesty and undoubtedly illegality (do people really fall for this??). Not to mention the odd "Winner" announcement for a lottery or competition I haven't entered. There were some genuine emails.

One several weeks old, from a friend who (I thought) hadn't replied to my appreciation of her Sparty comments. Bet she's wondering why I haven't replied. One a response (of list) to some comments I made on a yahoo group about four months ago. (Oh Lord - has it really been that long since I checked this??) They must think I'm really ill-mannered!! I wonder if it's too late to reply??

Also tucked away there, hiding amongst the viagra ads, were another 30 or so responses to my Teal Deer rant of a fortnight ago. (Including one that disagrees with me. The first such!! Brill. It's a bit wall-of-text but I can read it.) So... if you sent me a message and haven't heard back from me yet - that's why. I will reply to them all within the next week.

And if you lot out there have a spam filter and folders in your email programme - don't be as daft as me - check it - often!!

Right. I'm for bed. Enjoy your updates, goodnight and may your God/s go with you.

Ze

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Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Red sky at night

Some days the world looks like a pretty grim place.

Your president seems to be breaking every promise he made prior to his election. Our new government (which calls itself a coalition but is in actual fact a Tory government throwing a few unimportant bones to the LibDems in return for their support) is slashing and burning its way through the Treasury office. And the poorest citizens will be the ones to suffer the most - as always. Make no mistake - when governments (all governments) talk of tax cuts what they really mean is we'll finance tax reduction for the rich by hammering the poor, the sick, the old and the disabled. (BTW - did you know that under Obama taxes are the lowest they've been since WW2??)

The world looks grim especially as you're walking back from watching the film H2Oil. Followed by a discussion about the Beaver Lake Cree people and their fight against tar sands exploitation.

And of course there's the disgraceful spectacle of a multi-national corporation (BP might have been British once but now they're about as British as the Golden Gate Bridge) faffing around doing its best not to fix what's rapidly turning into the worst ecological disaster on record.

Not to mention the fact that deforestation, pollution and exploitation sends into extinction one species of flora or fauna every day. (Over-fishing seems to indicate that the Blue-fin Tuna doesn't have much time).

It makes you wonder why humans think they're the pinnacle of evolution. It makes you wonder why you bother.

And then... then you get a sunset like the one we had tonight. It was another hot, sunny day with a gorgeous blue sky. Clouds started gathering towards evening (they've promised us some desperately-needed rain tonight). And as the sun went down the whole sky turned a rich, deep, fiery, red. With small patches of blue. Except where the grey cloud slashed ribbons through it. It looked like lava flowing into an ocean. It was absolutely magnificent. I wanted to just stand still and watch it until the light faded completely.

And I thought, "That's why you bother. Because in spite of the greed, the hatred, the violence, the destruction that humans cause this is still a breath-takingly beautiful planet in a spectacular universe. Because whatever we do to Mother earth she keeps going. And long after we've destroyed ourselves with our arrogance the planet will still be here and there will be life on it. And there will be sunsets like the one tonight.

And I came home with my spirits lightened.

Ze

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Monday, July 05, 2010

Back to Reality

E heads back to work tomorrow and a week full of meetings. I know she'll be coming in every night absolutely wiped. I start my stint with ESY (extended school year) tomorrow. Budget considerations have made ESY rather light. I'm in just two days a week, which means I won't be absolutely wiped after work.

We've enjoyed our long weekend. I was able to use the time back home to rest from my vacation in Oklahoma. It's amazing how human you can feel after several nights of good sleep.

P&P updated and that means you've got quite a bit to read.

Tamara

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Sunday, July 04, 2010

Ramble from phair

Here you go...
Ze's ramble about her French movie experience struck an unexpected cord with me. She mentioned, in passing, that American movies are fluffy when they don't need to be. But, the truth is the movies do need to be fluffy if they are going to be successful in the US. Why? The answer is forged in our Declaration of Independence; life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Like the adolescent products of overindulgent, first time parents, Americans want to have fun.

I don’t tend to think of myself as 'overly' patriotic. While I don't want to listen to anti-nationalistic venom from entitled snobs who benefit from what the US offers her citizens, nobody will ever find me waving a flag at a parade regardless of the holiday. I hate parades. I did fly a flag from the front porch until a gale blew the bracket right off the support beam. While I registered to vote under great duress from my sister three full years after my eligibility, I have dutifully voted in every election since and I even attended a public meeting once or twice. The only public meeting I ever spoke up at got me 'shh'd' by the chair woman of the board of select fools.

Politics is not pretty. And, history is its ugly step sister. There are no rose colored glasses over my eyes when I look back at how I got to where I am. My grandparents ran away from their homes to find something, anything else. They were able to build the life they wanted here and stayed. If the same opportunities were available in their own country then they would not have left. And, I wouldn't be but it is far to early in the year to get into existential rants.

But with July 4 looming, my mind has been mulling what it means to be a citizen in the US. Rightly or wrongly, we usually refer to ourselves as Americans which ignores our neighbors' to the north and south potential claim on the the title to our common continent. But, why would they want to dub themselves by such a arogant title? As the press frequently informs us, Americans are hated. The rest of the world wants our blood and crops and we deserve this animosity because of our war mongering, cushiony lifestyle, and unquenchable thirst for oil. Politicians nod and wink that it's true we are hated but swear it is unearned contempt over our blessed luck granted by God above.

I don't believe either source or the notions behind them. I also don't believe Americans are 100% good or 100% evil. As with all things, I'm a middle of the road kind of girl. Truth lies waiting to be discovered someplace in the median strip of life if we'll just slow down and looked for her crumpled, trembling carcass. I slowed down enough on Tuesday to catch a glimpse of her.

I had a 4:30 pm appointment in a town 14 miles from my home. Afternoon traffic within the 128 loop is something like torture; you can see your destination but you will not reach it in any reasonable amount of time. So, I allotted myself an extra 30 minutes and then tacked on another 30 because I thought I would stop by the shopping plaza and see how frightening the young people look this summer. Just needed a quick stop for gas first.

I stopped by a rare breed of gas station. It is an almost extinct species. They not only pump your gas but they have full garage service with towing and provide state vehicle inspections. The young man pumping the gas interrupted my iPod search with a very polite throat clearing.

"Lady," his heavily accented speech would suggest he was from Puerto Rico, "your sticker is late. Cops see and the man give you a big ticket. We do for you. Ten minutes."

I grimaced. I knew I was late with the sticker. I knew the ticket would be huge. But, I worried about how exactly I would get the Jeep inspected this year without it costing me several thousand dollars. Instead of asking a professional mechanic how to solve my problem, I just worried and drove less.

"It won't pass. I don't think it'll pass. It' has a starburst," I pointed to the windshield. "And, I haven't changed the oil since 2009."

"Let me get the boss," he reassured.

I know the boss. He got my Jeep through an delinquent inspection in 2008. But, it's a busy station. Hundreds of cars a day. Maybe thousands. He'd never remember me.

"You again? Lady, you no do this no more. You get a big ticket, then what? You gots to pay 'the man' and then pay me anyway," the boss shook his head as he walked over to the car. The man is Greek by birth. He’s short but has the personality of Zeus. "I thought I taught you last time."

"I know, I know, but the windshield and the oil and I think the brake light's busted," I babbled.

The boss and the gas pump guy waved over a third man. He was a lot older. I'd never met him before. Apparently, he was the trainee.

"What you think?" The boss ask both men as they looked at the windshield.

"Sure, it nothing," the gas pump guy said.

The older man who is from Lebanon originally shook his head. "No way. Never. Won't pass."

"Sure it will," the boss said.

"See," the gas pump guy grinned at me. "We fix you up."

I was removed from the Jeep and lead to the office. I watched through a window while the men worked and measured and talked and argued a little. The gas pump guy kept checking on me. I got the second lecture about changing the oil. Within 10 minutes, I was back in the driver's seat of my newly inspected Jeep with a valid 2010 inspection sticker stuck to the window and three very happy men telling me they were right. The old trainee switched his opinion about imminent failure at some point in the process.

"No good getting a big ticket. You come to us. We take care of our own," the boss said.

I drove away with my sticker in place knowing I too was in place. I belonged to this community of strangers all from someplace else working to make the lives we want in a place we choose to call home. And, having a little fun screwing 'the man' out of a fine while we're at it. That, my friends, is America.

Phair


Well, first I want to thank phair once again for rambling. I think it's always interesting to get insight and perspectives that are different from our own. After all...that's what makes us unique, regardless of nationality or any other tag that is put upon us.

May this day bring forward Peace, Health and Happiness for all. Perhaps not at the moment, but there is always hope for the future.

Elisa

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Saturday, July 03, 2010

Boring

Plenty to read for y'all. I haven't done anything today so I don't have much to chat about. Enjoy!

Tamara

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Friday, July 02, 2010

Weekend Ahead

This is one weekend that many may see an extra day if you live in the USA. If not, my apologies, and I'll try and enjoy it for all!

Our lives (Tamara and I) are on the slow track right now. No kids, hence all the time is ours alone. The house seems quiet and there is less laundry, and dishes to boot. A vacation for all!

I continue to work on the Grunt's Check list, so if you want something added please holler at me (I am still looking through some offered up).

So on that note enjoy your updates!

Peace, Health and Happiness to all.

Elisa

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Thursday, July 01, 2010

Home

Yesterday I made it back to Washington. I was darn tired when E picked me up. Mom's sofa bed isn't the most comfortable. Next time I visit I think I'll get lots of blankets and make a bed on the floor of the spare room. Sleeping on the sofa bed in the living room while my dad is up and getting ready for work is a little disconcerting.

I didn't get to do everything I wanted while in Oklahoma City. I missed seeing a few folks but our little trip to St. Louis kind of messed with things. If I do that again I'll make sure we fly into St. Louis first.

Cal got a nice present yesterday. While I was in an airplane, Mom took him to an ortho doc in Oklahoma City so they could make sure his wrist was doing fine. The Doc said it was time to come out of the cast Cal was in. That one went over the elbow and the new one ends just before the elbow. The best part about the new cast is it's waterproof. For an extra $40 (not covered by insurance) he now has a blue waterproof cast. Swimming in Oklahoma is back for Cal. I was very happy.

Y'all have a decent update tonight. Enjoy 'em!

Tamara

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