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  • Silvertree

    Mod post: No wishlist posts in blogs

    By Silvertree

    Please be aware that we do not permit swap-related content on profiles or in blogs. Please post this content only in the For Sale, Swaps, and Wanted forums, or in the Wishlists topic. ~from Swapping 101  Thanks!
    • 5 comments
    • 6,604 views
 

Finals, check

I need to go see a movie this weekend. I just don't have time. My future in laws will be here next week- I'm really excited to see them. They're fantastic. We're going to have to clean a LOT before they get here, though. A LOT. I also need to see about getting my nails done, figure out what is going to be done with my hair, and figure out if we're going to have 100 guests or 10. So, the wedding will be here in a week- yay! bounce, bounce, bounce- it's finally heeeeeere!   Next up? The divorce. Not mine- my parents. Yeah, apparently my mother isn't going to do it after all. It's this whole big thing. BUT. She might be moving into our very small place. Our very small place with two cats and a housemate already... and she may bring her cat, too... I don't know. I don't have the energy to deal. My brain is fried. And I'm so freaked out about my dress... I'm really hoping it's here on monday.

smallvoice

smallvoice

 

Venting, etc.

So I think I've found a place to get my hair styled and cut. It's getting really long and icky so I'm excited to have it have some body again. I need it to be about 2.5 inches shorter and I think I want it to kinda look like this. Yes, I realize that's the girl from Final Fantasy and no, I've never played it before. The boy thinks this is hilarious because he is an avid gamer and has been telling me all along that Advent Children is a pretty movie and I'll like it. Yay, hair whoo!   *************** An old friend friended me on Facebook.com the other day. I am waaay too tired to be a Facebook elitist, so now I just re-friend anyone who asks including this guy. Anyways, I would normally think that the reason this person added me was to have his friend's list be 256,934 long or whatever the number is to beat these days. But, he also left me a message which was really nice. It was something along the lines of "we haven't talked in a while and I was just talking to so and so and I was reminded of you. What are you up to these days, etc."   The thing is, I'm not sure what to think. Our friendship did not end well. He was being what I thought (and still think) very clingy("where are you?? what are you doing?? who are you with? are you avoiding me??!") and we argued and I literally said to him to Fuck Off. Yeah, I know that wasn't very nice. But I am thinking of responding to his message, just so I can handle things more, uh, maturely this time. I'm not even sorry our friendship ended all that much. He didn't like any of my other friends so I was avoiding them to hang out with him. It was for the best, really. We spent all of our time together and I didn't like the person I was (and was becoming) when I was around him. I'm just ashamed of how it ended. I guess I have habit of burning bridges with friends. Another friend I just froze out after my sophomore year of college. And this person, we'll call her C, I've been friends with since middle school. I ended this friendship because honestly, I was getting really jealous of her and as a result I was getting depressed that I wasn't as pretty, beautiful, glamorous, wealthy, smart as she was. I got tired of being "the friend" at clubs. You know, the friend guys always target so they can get they prettier friends number out of you? I was tired of working my ass off just to get by in college while she was off jetsetting around Europe because she had a trust fund that her parents set up for her. I was jealous of how pretty she was with no effort at all while I struggled to keep my weight down. I still have all those issues actually, and thinking about them now still makes me sad. It was so hard to catch up with her during summer (she went to school in Europe) and have her go on and on about what she did that year when the only I did was work and study and try to keep afloat. I do think it was selfish of me to end that friendship the way I did. She was never anything but nice to me, but I couldn't handle my own crap and the jealousy that I felt. I'm actually thinking of contacting her again, apologizing for the way things went down and trying to be chatty again at least. I have a 5-year High School Reunion coming up this fall and I don't want to have to avoid someone because I can't handle my shit, ya know? Thing is, I don't even know if confident enough in myself to be "second fiddle" (at least in my mind) again. Anyways, my question to anyone who might be reading this long-ass post is have you ever had a situation where you just had to let a friendship go? What did you about it, if anything. Also, what do you think I should do. I guess I'm looking for advice 'cause you know, guilt agghh! *********** Geez, this was not the lighthearted entry I meant it to be. Here, I'll lighten things up a little: A man is sitting in bar when a guy with a giant, orange head comes in and sits right by him. He asks, "Hey man, what happened?" "Oh this? Well, I found this lamp and then I rubbed it. A genie came out and said I had three wishes. I asked for hot wife which is how I met her-" and he takes a photo of beautiful model out of his wallet. "And for my second wish I asked to be rich-" he then pulls out a $100 bill to pay for his drink."And for my last wish, and here is where I think I went really, horribly wrong..I asked for a giant, orange head."

circe_blue

circe_blue

 

Eye of the Tiger

Did I mention my whole math saga yet? I mean, the latest part of it. Just for the record, I don't like doing badly. So sucking in math this quarter has been a huge strain on my anxiety. HUGE. (Learning that I might be able to draw, however, has been priceless.) And I've sucked to the point where I'm not sure if I'll be able to pull a D-, which is a .7. I was pissed at myself when I got a 3.1 out of intro to Anthropology. That's just for comparison, so the sting of this is crystal clear. Monday, my instructor showed us our grades going into the final. Mine was a .5- I could lose my financial aid if I don't get at least a .7. This sucks. SUCKS! So I go in on tuesday, absolutely flattened because there's just no way I can see I'll be able to score high enough on the final to pull a .7; no way. She comes over again and goes, "Oh, I was mistaken. THIS is actually what you have right now." And points to a 1.7. Uh, that's quite a change. It also puts me into range for pulling a 2.0, which is what I need to move past college level algebra. Most importantly, it is NOT a .5!! Holy shit.   So now I don't want to screw up my grade. I want to do well on the final, and I have no idea if I can do that or not. I'm not prepared. I know I'm going to be taking it over again, but... it'd be nice to do it because I want to, not because I have to. Y'know?

smallvoice

smallvoice

 

I miss my dad.

In a couple of days it will have been one year since my dad died. This whole Father's Day thing is just going to be terrible for me forever... my dad died on June 17, his birthday was June 22, and Father's Day is always right around those days. Three whammies all at once.   Last year I brought the Father's Day card I got for him to his funeral. I had bought it before my husband and I went on a cruise to Alaska -- we arrived home on Sunday night to find out that he had died on Friday morning. The next morning we drove to Ohio for the funeral. I took the card and read it to my dad when I saw him. I wanted to put it in the casket with him but my husband didn't think I should. So now it's in the back of a picture frame, the one that holds my favorite photo of my dad from when he was about 22.   My mom is getting ready to retire and move into her parents' farmhouse -- Grandma passed away in February, and my mom is buying their property and is going to live there. So a few weekends ago my sisters and I were all going through all our old toys and stuff from school, boxing things up to take to our own houses, and my mom gave me some of my dad's and my grandparents' things. I have an apron my grandmother made, an ashtray my dad made and a bunch of his college books, my grandfather's locksmithing certificate, and a few of my other grandmother's ceramic turtles from her turtle collection. I used to have four grandparents and a father, and now all I have is a few of their things.   For the past couple of weeks I've been such a mess. No sleep, and bawling all the time. I can hardly stand to read the Confessional thread these days because whenever someone complains about their parents I just sit here and cry. And think about how much I would give to hear my dad's voice again. Yelling at me or anything, I don't care. Just to hear his voice.

filigree_shadow

filigree_shadow

 

I'll take you home...

Soo yeah. I almost forgot I had a blog =0 I've been watching TLC's Take Home Chef w/ Curtis Stone and I think I'm crushin' on the guy big time. Those eyes, the messy hair, the bod.. Ok, there is the chin that i'd like to punch but other than that..he's a tasty dish. Seriously, if he ever came home with me (and i was single) I'd say "oh, can you help me get my extra pots & pans from out of my bedroom closet? That would be grrrreeat. Follow me." I swear my libido has shot thru the roof since I've been off the Pill (2 months now). It's kinda nice to actually want to have sex and not just do it to keep your boyfriend happy, ya know? That may be TMI but hell, its my blog, right? My brother is leaving on Father's Day to bring back his daughter Alyvia, from Georgia. She's going to be staying for 4-6 weeks so we'll really have alot of time to get to know her and show her around North country..lol. Taking her to Noah's Ark Waterpark, going camping, zoo visits, fishing..etc etc. She's never been outside of Atlanta and her mother is a selfish twit(and thats putting it nicely) and never takes her anywhere or buys her anything. She probably wont want to go back home cuz she's gonna get spoiled majorly here. When she turns 12 in November Georgia law allows children to decide who they want to live with...so we'll see what happens then. I'm rambling 2nite and drinking mah mojitos 12 mint leaves & half a lime crushed w/ 4 tsp sugar, add ice, add 1.5 shots rum & add club soda to top it off..absolute heaven on a hot summer night.

Astburygrrl

Astburygrrl

 

Anxiety and wedding issues

So, my brother called me last night and announced that his mother told him that I don't have anyone helping with the wedding, so what all do we need done? Well, flowers. But it's wierd that she would say that, because all I've been hearing is that a million people have offered to help, so I set him straight on that. Flowers. Which will be the cost of the flowers themselves, but the arranging will all be free. Fine. So just now, I tell my mother what my brother told me, and she says, "Yeah, nobody's stepped forward to help." And I'm like, "Mom. Why is this the first I've heard of it? You've told me that offers of aid have been pouring in since September, so why would you now tell me that that's not the case? Why would you tell me that just 9 days before the wedding? Why???" Only not quite so dramatically. So she hems and haws and is like, "People just don't want to help anymore." Uh. Uhhhhh. Dude. My brain can't even handle this. I have my muthafuggin' math final tomorrow. No more stress. My wedding is in 9 days. No more stress. The rings arrived today and they're about two miles too wide. NO MORE STRESS!

smallvoice

smallvoice

 

I like pie

My cafeteria manager guy rocks! A few weeks ago I asked him if it was possible to get some Boston Creme Pie (yes I do have a fixation) as one of the desserts. He said he'd check and today he told me that it will arrive on Monday!   I loves me some BCP

miss apple

miss apple

 

Summer wonders

It's summer! I know the solstice isn't until a week from today, but I had one marker last night and another one this morning. It's official in my world.   Last night I went outside at dusk and the fireflies are out! I'd seen one or two fireflies in the garden over the weekend, but it was during the daytime and I didn't notice them at night. Last night, at dusk, they were rising up out of the garden and twirling all over. The first sight of hundreds of fireflies waking up for the night always stops me in my tracks, because it is so gorgeous and amazing, especially living here on the prairie. We go through the harsh and barren winter, the mercurical spring, and it's hot and dry a great deal of the time in the summer, but you can go outside on summer nights and watch the stars rise in the sky and watch the fireflies repeat the act as they rise up out of the garden. It's just a miracle.   And when I walked out to check the baby cardinals in their nest this morning, I discovered that the first day lily of the year is blooming in my garden! Day lilies are named appropriately, since each lily lasts but one day, but fortunately they produce a lot of blossoms. The one that's blooming is a pink-peach color and it literally yells "summertime!"

valentina

valentina

 

cordia 1 - reviewed and shipped to Spacekitty

got cordia's package #1 last week (6-3 I think) - I thought I was making progress through the imps and then I get another pack! she used a film canister to pack them and they fit perfectly! what a great idea.   contents: Aizen-Myoo - reviewed Asphodel - reviewed Blood Countess - reviewed Follow Me Boy - reviewed Hunger - reviewed Yggdrasil - already reviewed Seraphim - reviewed   ETA: yay! this is ready to send on to Spacekitty!   ETA: 6-15-06, dropped this off at the PO today, so it's on it's way to Spacekitty!

cranberry

cranberry

 

travelin!

update 6-7-06   I'm heading out of town for a couple days but I'm bringing all my dupes of the imps I'm testing in the swap so I hope that I can make some progress through some of them anyway. (The originals in the swap will be sitting safely here at home, don't want to take any chances!).   I just heard from spacekitty that she dropped another 3 packages in the mail to me yesterday so it's going to be busy once I get back! wahoo!   ETA 6-13-06: got into town last night after some great fishing, but now the work begins! didn't get a chance to really test any of the imps I brought with me; I was hesitant to use oils on the boat as the salmon can smell....no shit! so - I've got lots of catching up to do! whee!   (plus when I went to the PO this morning I found anther 3 packages! )

cranberry

cranberry

 

Arlykin #1 - shipped

This is last package I picked up in the mail today (6-13-06) from spacekitty. There are many in here that I don't think I have and I haven't tried yet, so this one will move more slowly.   Arylkin #1 contents: Envy - reviewed Harlot - reviewed Hesperides** - reviewed Imp** La Belle Au Bois Dormant - reviewed Laudanum** - reviewed Manila** - reviewed Shadow Witch Orchid - reviewed Zorya - reviewed *(I like this one, hang onto any imps that come my way)   6-16-06: shipped to Cordia Saturday. almost done reviewing all the oils - I've got dupes of the starred ones, so I should be able to move through these (except I just got my DM order!)

cranberry

cranberry

 

Ryvre #1 - shipped to Cordia and mostly reviewed

received 6-13-06 from spacekitty.   Yet another package - I've reviewed a couple of these so that'll be good! Plus I'm pretty sure I've got most of these in my yet to be tested/reviewed imps so maybe I can move this pack along pretty quick.   Ryvre #1 contents: Aureus - already reviewed and own big bottle Baghdad - already reviewed the Black Tower** reviewed Mata Hari - reviewed Phantom Queen** - reviewed Vicomte de Valmont** Wolf's Heart - reviewed   I've got imps of the rest of these so I think this pack is ready to send along!   6-15-06: dropped this along with Ryvre 2 off at the PO to Cordia today. I've got imps of the other scents I haven't reviewed so only 3 more to go in this one.

cranberry

cranberry

 

ryvre # 2 - shipped 6-15. All reviewed.

found more packages in my mail box this morning (6-13-06). this one is from Ryvre, package #2.   Contents: Come to Me* - reviewed Delphi* - reviewed Eclipse* - reviewed Fire of Love* - reviewed Saturnalia* - reviewed Van Sans Retour (bonus sniffie) reviewed via unreleased sniffing circle   ETA: I have all of these imps (and tried VSR) so I'm going to send this one along too.   ETA 6-15-06: dropped this off at the PO today, so it's heading to Cordia. I've got these all, so now I just have to test and reveiw them! I've got all my imps that I have to test due to this circle in a little baggie and I'm trying to make my way through them.   8-6-06: all reviewed finally!

cranberry

cranberry

 

Hah!

Have you ever listened to the lyrics of "The Look" by Roxette? The boy and I just did, and they had us nearly hysterical. I don't know if it's a mis-translation or what, but it sounds exactly like they were all sitting around one day.... (fade to daydream sequence)   Band Member 1: We need to write a song! (It's in english because this is my daydream sequence) Band Member 2: Good idea! What should we write about? Band Member 1: (eating a sandwich) I'unno. Band Member 3: Well, this IS the '80s. We should write about a chick. Band Member 2: Nah, that's boring. Band Member 1: (polishes off sandwich before speaking) Let's compromise! We'll write a song about a chick based off one of these crazy-funny mad-lib things! I just got one, and there is serious hilarity potential, I'm telling you! Plus, it's always good to spur inspiration! Band Member 3: How is that a compromise? Are you stoned? Band Member 2: Does it matter? Band Member 3: ...not really. Let's get on it, then! (end daydream sequence)     Also, I'm getting married on Joss Whedon's birthday, which is hysterical to me right now. I think I'm prone to hysteria due to finals looming large. But yeah. I had no idea until today, just now, when I read the deal about Serenity being released back into theaters for charity on his birthday. Heh. That's pretty wicked. The boy snickered and said resignedly, "Figures."   Gah. Must suppress urge to spend money I don't have on stuff I don't need.   My brother's mother-in-law is going to do all our flowers at no cost. That's pretty cool. Vicki. I need to remember her name is Vicki.   Cake at no cost, flowers at no cost, hairstyle at no cost, makeup at no cost, food handling at no cost (not actual catering, but people are helping to serve punch and keep trays stocked and cake set out and whatnot), piano for when I walk at no cost, decorations at little cost, location at no cost, officiant at no cost... And I know I'm forgetting stuff. I know I sound like an incredible cheapskate, but I just have a lot of great people in my life.

smallvoice

smallvoice

 

Getting Closer

Ten days! I'm going to be married in just ten days! That's unbelievable. I'm so excited. Despite the fact that I don't have shoes. And our rings aren't here yet. And my dress probably won't be here for about a week. ...   Anyway, we got the marriage license today. Fun stuff. It makes it all so much more real. Guh, it's going to be such a hassle to change my name. I hope it all goes smoothly. Now I'm starting to get really nervous.

smallvoice

smallvoice

 

This week's garden update

I'm omitting pictures of my Strawberries, herbs, and the experimental tomato - they all look pretty much the same as they did last week. (The experimental tomato plant actually has a couple of teeny tiny tomatoes forming under spent blossoms)   So, without further ado...   Check out my tomato!!!! Right now, it's about the size of a large blueberry. I have a couple of other really tiny ones starting to form elsewhere as well.   The plant itself is turning into a one-plant jungle:   We had a big thunderstorm over the weekend, and the Habanero took off! Two buds are open now, I'm really looking forward to having real home-grown peppers.   My Morning Glories/Moonflowers have started actually making vines. I will be making a twine treliss for them this weekend, as soon as I'm sure where on the balcony I want them to grow.   And finally, I rescued an aloe from Lowes this weekend. It was the only one they had, there was barely any soil in the pot, the poor thing was just rattling around in the pot. It did, however, look essentially healthy, so I had to bring it home. I trimmed two of the leaves, the bent one in the front, so it would have a clean cut to heal, and the one directly in the back, because it had a lot of dark spots.   Anyway, I took it to work on Monday. I read up on re-potting aloes, and consequently, I haven't actually watered it yet so that the roots can heal from being disturbed before getting wet. I'm going to try and hold off until monday before watering it, but it's hard, because I really want to baby it.

antimony

antimony

 

Don't stand so close to me

I buy coffee from a guy who is a custom roaster. He used to have a little downtown storefront where he served coffee beverages and roasted and sold his beans. About five years ago he closed the storefront and built a roasting hut on the farmstead where he lives. Now he sells beans on his web site, but he still delivers beans to the old downtown coffeehouse crowd.   He also sends out very chatty emails to his clients to tell us what coffees are in stock, to remind us of the weekly order deadline, and to give us his opinion on current events, or whatever else might be on his mind. It's a bit like walking in on his surreal and rambling discourses when he ran the shop. The man is never short of opinions and is rarely afraid to express them. Did anyone see the movie "Blue In The Face" with Harvey Kietel? (It was the follow-up to the movie "Smoke.") Lou Reed had a cameo role in that movie, and our roaster man is more than just a bit like Lou Reed in "Blue In The Face," sans the cigar.   Now don't get me wrong -- this man knows his coffee and roasting techniques thoroughly, and I consider him a master roaster. As a political pundit, it's another thing, although I'm rather amazed he isn't a guest commentator on Fox News. To illustrate this point, here's a sentence from his most recent email. It is one of the most weirdly hilarious things I've read in a long time, if only because I know he was dead serious. Read it and weep or laugh or howl:   "So, now what do you think of this? A 25-year-old female Spanish language schoolteacher has been arrested for having sex with an 18-year-old male student. It seems that Texas passed a law against teachers having sex with students. The initial bill was for students 17 years of age or under taking into the fact that the age of consent is 18. But some old fart in the legislature had that dropped and made it any student. Now come on, this man, can sign contracts, he can vote, he can serve his country, he can marry but he can't have sex with his teacher." Well damn it, a man has a right to bonk his teacher! But isn't turn around fair play and that 18-year-old female has a right to bonk her 25-year-old science teacher? I may have to ask him that when he drops of the coffee beans. He'll probably say: "Hell yeah!"   If I could play music to close out this segment, it would be The Police, with Sting singing: "Don't stand, don't stand, don't stand so close to me..."

valentina

valentina

 

Up to Speed

Chez Snark is evolving. Unfortunately, Snarky has been a bit slack about documenting the evolution. Here are some older pics to bring everyone up to speed:   They didn't have a working shower for almost a week while the subfloor was replaced (and then the looong wait for the Asian Tiger). A week!   The original color scheme for the bathroom: white sink, white toilet, white shower surround, black tub, pale pale blue walls. Bleah. Snarky was oddly fond of the vaguely gothic tub, but the chips and dents had to go.   With the door put back in place, this is the best "after" shot of the tub Snarky could manage. Whitey white white white! The Snarks employed the local Miracle Method franchise and highly recommend them to everyone. One big caveat: prepare to endure at least three days of intense chemical stench.   Another shot of the itty bitty bathroom.   This is supposed to be a memo holder, but has become the Snarks' precarious-yet-cheeky soap holder.   The Mister decided to sponge opaque copper paint over the glowing firelight in the exercise room. The experiment has since been dubbed a bit of a dud, but The Mister had a fabulous mani for about a week.   The Snarks' real estate agent gave them a housewarming gift. Instead of a basket 'o goodies they got a treasure chest!   Guess who snapped it up for her own nefarious purposes?   Also of note: the crazy fuschia/pink ante-room is s-l-o-w-l-y evolving into a half eggplant purple, half light spring green room. The spring green is mostly done (and they even managed to hang artwork after Snarky hulked out and smashed all of the glass in the frame) but the purple will require an astonishing third coat to reach their preferred level of opacity. After that, (and a little more purple-ing of the hallway on the first floor) the Snarks are Taking a Break with the Painting, Already.

darkitysnark

darkitysnark

 

Phantom of the...

There's a thread in Randomness about what you'd like to pick as a member title when you get enough points. It occurs to me that some day I may have enough points and I can choose my own member title. So I began to consider options.   I cracked myself up with this one, and it would be simply odd to most people, who would probably assume I was a perverted little goth who was overly identified with a certain part of the male anatomy. (This may in fact be true.) But let me explain -- I work in this building:     It's nicknamed the "penis of the plains," although I prefer calling it the "prairie phallus." And I think a BPAL forum member name like "Phantom of the Phallus" would be good for a giggle as an inside joke. Besides, if a group of malcontents decided to get all prudish on Live Journal, it would take pressure off of Andrabelle and her Ron Jeremy joke icons. "Who is that valentina who calls herself the "phantom of the phallus?" What is she talking about? Eeeew, gross!"   P.S. Spellcheck keeps suggesting "Phyllis" as a correction for "phallus."

valentina

valentina

 

A small victory

Saturday I did something I thought I'd never do. I bought a pair of wedge heels. I've been hating that trend ever since it came back a few years ago but the last few months I've found myself thinking "oooh, those are cute" while leafing through magazines with features on wedge shoes. I actually had no real need for a new pair of shoes much less heels, something I hardly ever wear but Saturday was a bad day.   I was having this insane Boston Creme pie craving and for some peculiar reason there is none to be found in this area (outside the frozen food section in the grocery store). The Cheesecake Factory has earned my enmity for discontinuing their cheesecake version as well as putting nuts in the choloate chip cookie dough so that was out and none of the local restaurants seem to have it on their dessert menu. Too pedestrian I guess. Since this is out of my reach I decide that I would be happy with a chocolate muffin with cream in the middle from Starbucks. But do you think I could find such a thing at the three SB in a two block radius? Nope. I guess it was available for approximately one week in April.   After being thwarted on the dessert front I decide to take my work laptop to Panera so that I can sit with my husband, browse the net, and sip a refreshing gallon of iced tea. Also to get away from the messy apartment that needs cleaning. Silly me, I never use this particular laptop and didn't configure it when they gave it to me eight months ago so I can't remember the password and unlike Linux, Windows is a complete pain in the ass to break into. Instead of sitting watching my husband tinker on his laptop I decide I'll go to Hechts and see what they have in the way of shoes.   I wander around and it seems they are having a sale but most of the shoes are ugly or expensive even when they are on sale. I remember thinking that there was a pair of retro black wedge heels that I liked but I didn't see them out on display any longer. As I'm about to leave I see them stuffed under a rack. I try them on but they are size six and are a bit too small. I decide that if they actually do have my size in stock I'll buy them even though I think $59 is a lot to spend on shoes. This is me playing a silly game where I dare myself to spend money if something actually works in my favor even though I'm really hoping that it doesn't. Suprise, suprise they have my size. I try them on and it feels odd to be taller and to see something other than my familiar chucks on my feet. I almost change my mind but decide to get them anyway (hey, shopping is theraputic right?). Lucky me the salesgirl gives me a coupon and I get them cheaper. A small victory in an othewise crappy day.

miss apple

miss apple

 

Puddy update

The Puddy Cat, also known as Puds or Puddin' (a nod to Puddin' of BPTP!) has happily moved onto the front porch. She's sleeping in the small dog carrier that has a towel inside for her comfort, and is eating Tender Vittles and drinking water. I have this vintage wooden bench on my front porch that was originally a gym bench used in a high school in the 1950's or '60's. It's the kind of thing that basketball teams sat on during games -- it must be 10 to 12 feet long. (Speaking of that, I need to check the Dallas - Miami score...) Anyway, Puddin' likes to sleep on the bench. She's not crying as much and she likes to hop up in your lap if you sit on the bench. She's just a happy camper.   She's seeing the vet ASAP, probably Tuesday. I'll probably just drop her off on the way to work and let the vet's office scan her for a microchip, look at those poor ears, generally check her out, and get the hideous clumps of matted hair cut off. They will also be able to give us an idea of her age... I think she's older, looking at the color/condition of her teeth. Assuming she's not microchipped, we'll check Humane Society reports of lost cats. And there's a few people that my DH knows who might want her, although it's also an outside option that we could keep her in the basement. Time will tell! But she's already acting healthier and happier. And she is a sweet pea with such a cute little face.   About two years ago, a small town around 30 miles from here was literally flattened by a tornado. A family who lived there were running into their basement, and their cat got spooked and got away from whoever was holding it. They never saw the kitty and assumed it had been killed, until this spring, when the cat returned to their house, now rebuilt on its original site. They knew it was the same cat by the distinctive meow and markings. Where the little thing went for two years, and how it found its way home, is quite the mystery. Maybe little Puds has a similar story, but if not, she'll find a home somewhere, although she seems rather certain that she is home right now!

valentina

valentina

 

Church

I grew up in the LDS church, also known as the mormons. I was baptised at age 12 because my mother and I were converts, and my dad wasn't active. I'm no longer active. I'm still feeling out my spiritual pathways. However, the LDS church is always going to be a part of who I am and, at least locally, they have a really great community of people. Most of the people helping with the wedding are members. I'm getting married in an LDS church building, by an LDS bishop. My mom is still an active member. My fiance decides that he wants to investigate the church to learn more about my background in it and to connect more with my mom, and also to attend with our roommate, who wouldn't go otherwise. This is all very nice, in theory. However, he hates organized religion. He's very liberal, politically speaking. He believes in God, but doesn't like all the dressings. When he met with the missionaries, it annoyed me, because I felt like he was there to waste their time. And he came back with snide remarks and his usual issues with the thought of organized religions- complaints about beliefs and accusations about oppression of women and just... all the same stuff. So I shrugged and told him not to do it. But he's persisted. So I tend to nod and sigh and remind him that he doesn't have to go there, and nobody's trying to force him into the beliefs. It just irritates me. He came home today ranting about how tithing is just rent for the church and they don't care about motivations and whatever. It's a freaking principle of the church. Don't act like you understand it, because you obviously don't. It isn't flexible. Organized religion has to have structure to it, otherwise it WOULDN'T BE ORGANIZED!!!

smallvoice

smallvoice

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